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

A situación galega a principios do século XX

A situación galega nas portas do século XX recolle a herdanza do Rexurdimento. A situación de Galicia a principios do século XX ven dada polas seguintes características:

• Segue habendo unha grande emigración.
• A situación do campesiñado mellora algo debido a que algúns redimen as rendas forais que pagaban antes e poden converterse en donos das terras que traballaban.
• Por outra banda, hai melloras na agricultura a nivel técnico (uso de fertilizantes…).

A fidalguía rural vai desaparecendo —este derrumbe é descrito por Otero Pedrayo— e o seu lugar vai ser ocupado por unha clase burguesa que soe ter orixe maragata e catalá. A única industria que existe en Galicia é a conserveira, case... Continue reading "A situación galega a principios do século XX e Ramón Cabanillas" »

Active to Passive Voice Transformations

Active to passive

• Many people enjoy shopping → Shopping is enjoyed by many people (Present simple)
• A Canadian invented buy nothing day → Buy nothing day was invented by a Canadian (Past)
• Millions of people will celebrate buy nothing day → Buy nothing day will be celebrated by millions of people (Future)

Modal Perfect and Conditionals

• Modal perfect: Spending so much money was a mistake - I shouldn't have spent so much money.
• Third Conditional: I fell off my bike, so I didn't finish the race - If I hadn't fallen off my bike, I could have finished the race.

Relative Clauses

• Defining relative clause: Clothes shopping is a popular hobby - Clothes shopping is a popular hobby which I don't enjoy.
• Non-defining relative

Teatre de Manuel de Pedrolo

Manuel de Pedrolo, tot i que va destacar com a novel·lista, va cultivar tots els gèneres per tal de retratar una societat complexa i reprimida, i imaginar-ne una altra basada en la llibertat.

Si haguérem de parlar de la temàtica del teatre de Pedrolo, destacaríem sobretot les obres de la dècada dels 50 i principis dels 60, que tracten l’existència humana des d’un punt de vista que toca l’absurd. Reflexiona sobre temes com la mort o el conformisme davant la realitat social d’una manera angoixant i claustrofòbica.

De fet, els personatges d’obres com Homes i No viuen empresonats en un món que els oprimeix i els agobia. Això es reflecteix en ocasions en els diàlegs absurds i incoherents. Alguns d’ells... Continue reading "Teatre de Manuel de Pedrolo i Característiques Actuals" »

Descartes' Quest for Certainty Through Doubt

René Descartes, through his Cartesian method, aimed to demonstrate that human reason is capable of discovering fundamental evidences (born from doubt) to construct knowledge. Therefore, his method would be doubt, and his objective, the search for truth. "Doubt is the epistemological procedure to arrive at certainty."

The Cartesian Method: Four Rules

1. Criterion of Evidence: To accept nothing as true unless it presents itself clearly and distinctly.
2. Analysis: To divide each difficulty into as many parts as possible for a thorough study.
3. Synthesis: To conduct thoughts in an orderly fashion, starting with the simplest and easiest to know, and gradually ascending to the more complex.
4. Enumeration: To make enumerations

Personal Correspondence and Holiday Memories

An Email from Irene

Email: Hi! How are you? It has been a long time since we last met; it is about time we get together for a coffee. This summer, I went on vacation with my family to nearby places. We saw many people, and I had a brilliant time. You have to see the photos and videos I took; you are going to love them. I hope we meet when you come back to Spain for Christmas to see the family, who missed you, as did I. I hope you enjoy your time there; we are waiting for you here with open arms. Kisses, Irene.

Travel Narration: A Trip to Peñíscola

This Easter, I went with my friends to Peñíscola, a very well-known town in Castellón. We stayed in an apartment that was quite nice for the price. However,... Continue reading "Personal Narratives and Catalan Literary History" »

A

527 Organization

A political group organized under section 527 of the IRS.

Amicus Curiae Brief

Literally, a "friend of the court" brief, filed by an individual or organization to present arguments in addition to those presented by the immediate parties to a case.

B

Boycott

A form of pressure or protest – an organized refusal to purchase a product or service.

Bundling

A tactic in which PACs collect contributions from like-minded individuals (each limited by campaign finance laws) and present them to a candidate or political party as a "bundle," thus increasing the PAC's influence.

C

Campaign Assistance

Interest groups have additional strategies to use in campaigns, including recruiting and training candidates, and getting out the vote.

Climate Control

The... Continue reading "Interest Groups in Politics: A Glossary of Terms" »

Comparatives

We use comparatives to compare two things, people, or concepts.

• John is thinner than Bob.
• It's more expensive to travel by train than by bus.
• My house is smaller than my friend's house.

Comparative Rules

One Syllable Adjectives – Add -er

• CHEAP – CHEAPER
• FAST – FASTER
• LIGHT – LIGHTER

One Syllable Adjectives Ending in E – Add -r

• NICE – NICER
• FINE – FINER
• WIDE – WIDER

Two or More Syllables Adjectives – Use More/Less

• BEAUTIFUL – MORE BEAUTIFUL / LESS BEAUTIFUL
• INTERESTING – MORE INTERESTING / LESS INTERESTING

Irregular Adjectives

• GOOD – BETTER
• BAD – WORSE
• FAR – FURTHER / FARTHER

One Syllable Adjectives Ending in CVC – Double the Last Consonant + -er

• HOT – HOTTER
• BIG – BIGGER
• FAT – FATTER

Two Syllables Adjectives Ending in

English Vocabulary Essentials

Nouns

• Ancestor - Ancestro
• Ban - Prohibición
• Belief - Creencia
• Freedom - Libertad
• Manners - Modales
• Misconception - Idea equivocada
• Owner - Propietario
• Path - Camino
• Request - Petición
• Roots - Raíces
• Stereotype - Estereotipo
• Traditional costume - Traje regional

Verbs

• Attempt - Intentar
• Come back - Volver
• Consider - Considerar
• Find out - Encontrar
• Ignore - Ignorar
• Miss - Perderse algo
• Refuse - Rechazar
• Stay behind - Quedarse
• Surround - Rodear

Adjectives

• Appropriate - Adecuado
• Customary - Habitual
• Disturbing - Inquietante
• Forbidden - Prohibido
• Gigantic - Gigantesco
• Narrow-minded - Cerrado de mente
• Open-minded - Abierto de mente
• Proper - Adecuado
• Treacherous - Peligroso
• Typical - Típico

Expressions

• Culture shock - Choque cultural
• Keep... alive - Mantener