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

The Boat to Fuerteventura

Two summers ago, my friend Jose and I had tickets for a water park in Fuerteventura. We decided to take the early boat to have more time during the day and be able to go shopping.

When Jose and I arrived at the port, it was crowded. My friend said, “If we had come earlier, we would be the first ones here.” During the trip, Jose got seasick and vomited on me. I told him, “If I had known this was going to happen, I wouldn't have sat next to you!” As soon as we arrived in Fuerteventura, we went straight to the water park because it was scorching.

We had a fantastic time at the water park. All in all, it was an unforgettable experience, and I would definitely repeat the trip.

Party Fail

Last summer, my best friend and... Continue reading "Unforgettable Summer Adventures: From Fuerteventura to Camping Chaos" »

Money Idioms

• made a fortune
• tighten your belt
• hard up
• cost an arm and a leg
• break the bank
• make a killing
• money to burn
• bread and butter
• pour money down the drain
• bring home the bacon
• live from hand to mouth
• from rags to riches
• keep the wolf from the door

Phrasal Verbs

• pay off
• rip off
• run up
• pay back
• splash out
• put aside
• put down

Get

• get it
• get around to
• get into
• get out of
• get something out of
• get over
• get past
• get back to (someone)
• get together
• get acquainted with
• get to the point
• get ready
• get away (with)

Space

• asteroid
• orbit
• comet
• planets
• constellation
• rings
• crater
• solar system
• eclipse
• star
• galaxy
• sun
• meteor
• meteorite
• Milky Way
• moon
• telescope
• astronaut
• spacecraft
• rocket
• space probe
• lunar module
• UFO

Conditionals

• 0 conditional: siempre sucede 'pres.s+pres.s'
• 1 conditional: posible situación en el futuro

Listening Comprehension Questions and Answers

• Q: What did the boy do on Saturday? A: He went for a walk by the river.
• Q: What sort of film is the review about? A: A sci-fi film.
• Q: Why are some passengers being offered a free meal? A: Because they’ve been waiting a long time.
• Q: What is Jenny studying at university? A: Chemistry.
• Q: What happened in Grantford last night? A: Things fell from space.

Listening Gap Fill Answers

1. The first speaker is planning a visit to the museum on Monday afternoon.
2. The star of Journey to Jupiter is expected to win best Actor at the awards.
3. Passengers who are entitled to a free meal have to claim their Voucher from the information desk.
4. Jenny keeps up her music by playing in the university Orchestra.
5. The objects that fell

Josemaría and I were very good friends since our brothers went to class together. He and I were like brothers, we went everywhere together, and the whole school knew us. Some said he was my boyfriend, but he and I loved each other like brothers. Our fathers had worked together for many years, and our mothers were close friends, like our brothers and like us. Every day we saw each other at school, and some weekends we spent together at their house or mine since our parents would meet for dinner together.

When our brothers grew up and changed schools, they stopped being friends, but Josemaría and I were still as close friends as we had always been. After a while, when I changed schools, he also changed friends, and we stopped being so close... Continue reading "Close Friendship Story: Growing Apart Over Time" »

Ferdinand VII: The Restoration of Absolutism (1813-1833)

Ferdinand returned to Spain in 1814. His reign is divided into three phases:

1. Six Years of Absolutism (1814-1820):

   Upon his return, Ferdinand sought to establish an absolute monarchy, reverting to the Ancien Régime. He annulled the constitution and reversed the Cortes' reforms.

2. Liberal Triennium (1820-1823):

   A successful pronunciamiento forced Ferdinand to reinstate the constitution. Liberals formed the national militia, composed of liberal volunteers, to defend it. Ferdinand appealed to the Holy Alliance for help in restoring absolutism.

3. Ominous Decades (1823-1833):

   The first crisis emerged in 1823 when the king rejected financial reforms, fearing the loss of support from those who would have

Human Receptors and Nervous System

Receptors: Structures that human beings use to detect stimuli.

Interoceptors

Collect information about the body’s internal conditions. Located in the internal environment.

Exteroceptors

Provide information from the body’s outside environment. Located on the surface of the body.

Proprioceptors

Inform about the relative position and condition of each of the body’s muscles. Found in the inner ear’s vestibule and locomotive system.

Eyes/Sight

Detect light stimuli. Photoreceptors

Ears/Hearing

Detect sound waves (Mechanoreceptors) and proprioception.

Nose/Smell

Detect substances dissolved in the air. Chemoreceptors

Mouth/Taste

Detects substances dissolved in liquids found in the oral cavity. Chemoreceptors

Skin/Touch

Detects... Continue reading "Human Receptors and Nervous System: An Overview" »

Applicant (solicitante): A person who applies or requests something; a candidate. Application form (solicitud de): A document to be filled out by an applicant.

Apply for a job (solicitar un trabajo): apply for a position; reply to employment advertisement. Be in charge of (estar a cargo de): having control of (sth); be responsible for.

Be responsible for (ser responsable de). Bonus (sobre sueldo): extra pay. Boss (jefa): manager. Casual job (trabajo temporal): temporary job. Day shift (turno de día): daytime work period.

Dismiss (despedir): sack; fire an employee. Dismissal (despido): the act of being fired from a job. Duties (deberes): job functions / tasks. Earn one's living (ganarse la vida): to earn the money needed for food, clothing, etc.... Continue reading "Employment Terminology and Definitions" »

Equity and Shares Fundamentals

Venture Capital and Initial Public Offerings (IPOs)

Key Formulas and Metrics

• Venture Capital (VC) Calculation: VC = X / V
• Operating Income (OI): OI = s * [1 - percentage of VC²]
• Payoff Monitoring: (Percentage × Cash Flow if Monitor) - Cost of Monitoring
• Cost of Underpricing: Shares Issued × (True Stock Value Pre-IPO - Actual IPO Price)
• Valuation Scenarios:
  • UT + I if P < Value of the Firm
  • UT if P > Value of the Firm
• Value of Right: True Value of Stock - Strike Price

Earnings Per Share (EPS) Calculations

Rights Issues and Adjustment Factors

• Theoretical Ex-Rights Price (Pₓ): Pₓ = ((P₀ × N₀) + Pᵣ) / (N₀ + 1)
  (Note: Pᵣ is not included in Bonus Issues)
• Adjustment Factor: Pₓ / P₀

Corporate Payout Policy

Dividend

Communication Idioms and Phrases

• Chinese whispers (el joc del telèfon): Misinformation spread through retelling.
• Get hold of: Localitzar (To locate or contact someone).
• Get/give the low-down: Donar tots els detalls (To give or receive detailed information).
• Hear through the grapevine: Sentir de forma informal (To hear news unofficially).
• Hit the airwaves: Fer públic (To broadcast on radio or TV).
• Megaphone diplomacy: Amenaçar públicament, no directament (Public threats instead of direct negotiation).
• Out of touch: Estar desconnectat d’algú (Not knowing recent developments).
• Put someone in the picture: Posar al dia algú sobre un tema (To inform someone).
• Spread like wildfire: Estendre’s com la pólvora (To spread very quickly).
• Stool pigeon:

Teen Room Essentials

Furniture

• Chest of drawers: A piece of furniture with drawers in which you keep things such as clothes.
• Cushion: A bag made of cloth, plastic, or leather that is filled with soft material, often has an attractive cover, and is used especially on chairs for sitting or leaning on.
• Duvet: A quilt, often with a removable cover; comforter.
• Wardrobe: A tall cupboard in which you hang your clothes.

Room Atmosphere

• Dimly-lit: Describing the way a room is lit when there's only a small amount of light.
• Restful: Used to describe something that produces a feeling of being calm and relaxed.

Social Dynamics

• Alter: To change, or to make someone or something change.
• Compromise: The act of agreeing to something that is not exactly what you want in