Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and exercises for Language and literature for Secondary education

Message Authentication Code (MAC)

A Message Authentication Code (MAC) is a small block of data generated using a secret key and the original message. It is used to ensure data integrity and authenticity.

• The sender computes the MAC using a secret key and sends it along with the message.
• The receiver re-computes the MAC using the same key and compares it with the received MAC.
• If they match, the message is considered authentic and unaltered.

MAC vs. Hash Function

MAC uses a key, while a regular hash function does not.

Common MAC Algorithms

• HMAC – Based on cryptographic hash functions (e.g., SHA).
• CBC-MAC – Uses block cipher in CBC mode.

Digital Signatures: Integrity and Non-Repudiation

A Digital Signature is a cryptographic technique used to ensure...

The Description: Definition and Purpose

A description is the presentation of the characteristic features of beings, objects, places, or phenomena (belonging to the real world or imagined), so that the receiver can form an accurate idea of them.

Classification of Descriptions

• Objective Description

  The issuer shows reality without providing personal ratings. Factual descriptions are often technical or scientific.

• Subjective Description

  The issuer shows their particular perception of what they describe. Subjective descriptions are often literary or used in advertising.

• Static Description

  Presents a stable and unmoving reality.

• Dynamic Description

  Presents a changing and moving reality.

Language Used in Descriptions

In descriptions, adjectives gain relevance,...

Family and Childhood

Marshall Mathers, known professionally as Eminem, developed a strong bond with his grandmother, Betty Kresin. His relationship with his mother, Debbie Mathers, was a constant source of conflict. Debbie accused him of lying and drug addiction, and blamed his frequent relocations on her inability to find steady work. Meanwhile, Betty told the BBC that she "spoiled" her grandson, who did not leave home until he was twenty years old.

Eminem has a fifteen-year-younger brother, Nathan. He was also close friends from childhood with his uncle, Ronnie Polkingharn, who was the same age as him. In the early nineties, Ronnie, who suffered from depression, committed suicide. This incident caused a final rupture in Marshall's relationship...

Spanish Post-War Novels: 1940s to 1970s

Novels of the 1940s: Tremendismo and Existentialism

Important novels of the 1940s include The Family of Pascual Duarte by Camilo José Cela (1942) and Nada by Carmen Laforet (1945).

The Family of Pascual Duarte (1942)

• Most representative of the tremendista novel, vividly portraying the extreme inhumanity and violence of rural Spain, and ultimately, the human condition.
• In his narrative, Cela combines elements of:
  • Picaresque novel: Narrative told in the first person.
  • Naturalism: The supposed determinism governing the protagonist and the detailed description of reality.
  • Esperpento (Valle-Inclán): Exaggeration and the animalization of characters.

Pascual Duarte: Sentenced to death, he tries to justify his crimes...

Fashion and Personal Style

Clothing and Trends

• Accessory, casual, chunky, elegant, fitted.
• High heels, loose-fitting, low-waisted, patterned.
• Piercing, plain, sportswear, striped, stylish.
• Tattoo, trend, vintage.

Compound Adjectives for Appearance

• Average-sized, badly dressed, brightly coloured.
• Clean-shaven, dark-haired, fast-thinking.
• Friendly-looking, full-length, knee-length.
• Heavily built, loose-fitting, middle-aged.
• Scruffy-looking, shoulder-length, smartly dressed.
• Sporty-looking, time-saving, well-dressed, widely recognized.

Common English Collocations

Phrases with Do, Give, and Have

• Do business, do damage, do research, do someone a favour.
• Give priority, give someone a chance, give something a go, give the impression.
• Have a feeling, have a look, have

Essential Vocabulary Terms

Misunderstanding: confusion, error

To keep on: to persist, to hold on

Storage: action of keeping things

To manufacture: to produce, to fabricate

Worthwhile: beneficial, productive, profitable

To arise: to appear, to originate

Well-known: famous, acclaimed

To fulfill: to satisfy, to achieve

Convenience: availability, usefulness

To come about: to result, to happen

To struggle: to fight, to battle

Sachets: small packets

Suspicion: doubt, distrust

Fed up: annoyed, tired

Continuously: frequently, regularly

Soggy: very wet and soft

Crunchy: crispy

Grease: fat, oil

To sprinkle something with: scatter (espolvorear)

Eventually: finally, ultimately

Stale: tasteless, insipid

To attempt to do something: to try, to make an effort

Sticky: gummy, adhesive

Spare

A value is an organized pattern. FALSE

A characteristic of a low-context culture is that messages are explicit and specific. TRUE

A few years ago, Philips Electronics developed a new consumer product. Innovators bought it, but early adopters didn't. FALSE

A massive effort was dubbed the "Moses Project" to prevent flooding. TRUE

A number of authors, journalists, and food critics have a sense of shame. TRUE

A vice-president of an American software company noted that customs, hierarchies, and the class structure of Korean culture have to be respected. TRUE

According to Geert Hofstede, which of the following is a key cultural dimension? Long-term orientation

According to Hofstede's research on cultural values, aesthetic elements are not a key dimension....

Divert

To turn aside; veer

Influx

A flowing or pouring in.

Allot

To give or assign in shares, tasks, or portions.

Congregate

To come together; assemble, especially in large numbers.

Intricate

Difficult to follow or understand.

Unseemly

Not suitable; inappropriate or improper.

Tumult

Noisy excitement; an uproar or disturbance.

Staple

A basic food that is used frequently and in large amounts. A U-shaped fastener with sharp ends.

Humdrum

Lacking excitement; boring or monotonous.

Memento

Something kept as a reminder of a past event; a souvenir.

Query

A question; to ask or ask about.

Sporadic

Happening occasionally; not regularly.

Abet

To encourage or assist in some activity, especially a questionable one.

Agile

Able to move quickly and easily; nimble.

Balmy

Soothing, mild....

The Radio Environment

The radio environment, where oral language is the most important expressive element, has specific characteristics:

• Immediacy
• Speed
• Irreversibility

Its functions include:

• Informing
• Training
• Entertainment

Semantic Relationships and Word Meanings

Denotation and Connotation

Denotation: The meaning found in the dictionary.

Connotation: The meanings that words evoke in us beyond their literal definition.

Hyperonymy

This is an inclusive relationship or hierarchy of meanings.

Synonymy

A relationship between meanings of identity. Types:

• Absolute Synonymy: When the meaning is identical.
• Partial Synonymy: Occurs in terms whose meaning is identical but their use differs.
• Referential Synonymy: When several words or expressions with distinct meanings