Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Baccalaureate

Common Phrases

Dare: Be brave enough (atrevir-se)

Get Paid Peanuts: Get a small sum of money (guanyar poc)

Get Sacked: To be dismissed (fer fora de la feina)

Make a Living: Earn enough money to live (guanyar-se la vida)

Regardless: Without taking into account (sense tenir en compte)

Run an Errand: Make a short trip for a specific purpose (fer gestions)

Run Short Of: Not have much left (quedar-se sense/esgotar)

Sort: Order/tidy (ordenar)

Suburbs: Residential communities outside the city (Barris residencials)

Take for Granted: Fail to appreciate (no donar prou importància)

Take Your Time: Don’t rush (no tinguis pressa/pren-te el teu temps)

Background: Origin (origen)

Be in Someone’s Corner: Support someone (recolzar)

Be on the Ball: Be aware of/attentive... Continue reading "Essential English Phrases and Idioms" »

English Grammar Guide

Gerunds and Infinitives

Gerunds (Verb + -ing)

• After certain verbs: admit, advise, avoid, consider, deny, involve, recommend, risk, suggest, sing
• After prepositions (but not before): I drank a cup of coffee before leaving.
• As the subject or object of a sentence: Swimming is good exercise.
• After certain expressions: I can't help wondering.

Infinitives ('to' + Verb)

• After certain verbs: agree, decide, deserve, expect, hope, learn, need, offer, plan, promise, seem, wait, want
• After many adjectives: It's difficult to get up early.

Examples:

• I enjoy drawing.
• Yesterday, I decided to draw.

Live, Alive, Live

• Verb: We live in Valencia.
• Adjective: You're lucky to be alive.
• Adverb: They enjoy playing live.

Word Order

Subject + Verb + Object + How +... Continue reading "English Grammar Guide: Gerunds, Infinitives, and Modals" »

Tell Me a Story: Plus Edition

Understanding Storytelling's Appeal

• Statement 1: Storytelling Appeals to Our Need for Escapism

  Answer: True. “We all want to be taken out of our own reality and into another world.”

• Statement 2: Electronic Books Replacing Paper Books

  Answer: True. “A lot of people are now choosing to read online or onscreen, with e-books becoming increasingly popular.”

Insights on Traditional Storytelling

• What is the Ancient Technology Centre like?

  The audience sits in the dark, and the only light comes from the fire in the fire pit, creating shadows everywhere.

• Why is traditional storytelling so popular?

  It’s popular because humans have a deep-rooted need to be connected with their ancestors.

Comprehension Check: Multiple Choice

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Oscar Wilde's Biography

Oscar Wilde was born in Dublin on 16 October 1854. His mother, Jane, was a successful poet and journalist, and his father was a leading ear and eye surgeon. He was educated in Portora Royal School in Dublin and Magdalene College, Oxford. While at Magdalene, he won the 1878 Prize for his poem 'Ravenna'. After graduating, he moved to London to establish a literary career. He married Constance Lloyd in 1884, and they had two sons. Wilde's marriage ended in 1893, and he began an affair with Lord Alfred Douglas, which led to his downfall. He died in 1900.

Lord Arthur Savile's Crime

The story begins at a party where a palmist predicts that Lord Arthur is destined to commit murder. Arthur attempts to fulfill this prophecy but... Continue reading "Oscar Wilde: Life, Love, and Literary Career" »

English Verb Tenses

Past Simple

Form:

• Regular verbs: Base form + -ed (e.g., wanted)
• Irregular verbs: Consult an irregular verb list (e.g., went)
• Negative: Did not + base form (e.g., didn't want)

Uses:

• Completed actions in the past (e.g., last year, yesterday, in 1937)

Past Continuous

Form:

• Was/Were + present participle (-ing form) (e.g., was walking, were talking)

Uses:

• Actions in progress at a specific time in the past
• Often used with "when" (past simple for the interrupting action) and "while" (past continuous for the longer action)

Present Perfect

Form:

• Have/Has + past participle (e.g., have talked, has eaten)

Uses:

• Actions completed at an unspecified time in the past
• Actions that started in the past and continue to the present
• Often used with "never," "ever,

Biased, bigoted

-- having a strong dislike of or opposition to something

Aloof, apathetic

-- not friendly or interested in other people (matters)

Condescending, patronizing

-- behaving as though you are more important and more intelligent than other people

Vengeful, vindictive

-- desiring to exact revenge

Candid, frank

-- honest

Benevolent, benign

-- pleasant and kind, wishing good for other people

Affable, genial

-- pleasant, friendly and easy to talk to

Content, complacent

-- pleased

Melancholy, mournful

-- sad

Unforthcoming, reticent

-- secretive

Reckless, rash

-- showing a lack of care about danger and the possible results of your actions

Taciturn, tight-lipped

-- tending not to say too much

Exultant, elated

-- very happy

Distraught, agitated

-- very... Continue reading "Opposites in Personality Traits" »

The environment plays an important role in our lives and people wouldn't be able to live without it. However, we are polluting it every day and it needs to stop. As individuals, we can do lots of things to solve this issue, and this essay will focus on two of them - recycling and the efficient use of energy.

According to recycling, it is the easiest way to see an immediate change and everybody can do it. First, recycling bins are a great method of dividing our waste into paper, plastic, glass, etc., and they can be easily found in every city. Another idea is to reuse the things we have at home and make them new. For example, turning …. 

When it comes to the use of energy, there are many things we can do, especially at home. When we talk about... Continue reading "I choose to live" »

• #5 ¿Cómo estás? – How are you?

  • (KOH-moh eh-STAHS)

• #6 ¿Cómo te va? – How’s it going?

  • (KOH-moh te vah)

• #7 ¿Cómo te ha ido? – How’ve you been?

  • (KOH-moh te ah EE-doh)

• #8 ¡Estoy bien ¡Gracias! – I’m fine, thanks

  • (eh-STOY bee-en GRA-thee-as/GRA-see-as)

• #9 ¿Y tú? – And you?

  • (ee too)

• #10 Bien/ Así así. – Good/ So-so

  • (bee-en / a-SEE a-SEE)

• #11 ¿Qué tal? – How are you?

  • (kay tal)

• #12 ¿Qué pasa? – What’s happening?

  • (kay PA-sa)

• #13 ¿Qué haces? – What are you doing?

  • (kay AH-says)

• #22 ¿Podría ayudarle? – Can I help you?

  • (poh-DREE-a ay-oo-DAR-le)

• #22 ¿Puede ayudarme? – Can you help me?

  • (PWE-day ay-oo-DAR-may)

• #23 ¡Sin problema! – No problem!

  • (sin prob-LAME-ah)

• #24 ¿Puede repetirlo? – Can you say that again?

  • (PWE-day re-pet-

What is an atom?

Atoms are the basic units of matter and the defining structure of elements.

What is an electron?

A subatomic particle with a charge of negative electricity.

What is the nucleus of an atom made of?

Is made up of protons and neutrons.

What is a proton?

Elemental particle of the nucleus of the atom and that has a positive electric charge.

What is a neutron?

A subatomic particle of about the same mass as a proton but without an electric charge.

Where is the mass of an atom concentrated?

In the nucleus most of 99.9% of the mass is concentrated here.

An atom is mostly empty space?

Yes.

What is the function of neutrons?

To allow protons to be together.

What surrounds the nucleus of an atom?

The nucleus is surrounded by electron clouds that produce... Continue reading "Understanding Atoms and Quantum Mechanics: A Comprehensive Guide" »