Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Other languages

Essential English Vocabulary and Grammar

Common Phrases and Idioms

Work and Everyday Life

• Paid peanuts: Pagar una miseria (To be paid very little)
• Got sacked: Despidieron (To be fired)
• Show you the ropes: Mostrar como funciona (To show someone how to do a job)
• Pulling your weight: Ponerte las pilas (To do your fair share of work)
• Homesick: Tener morriña (To miss home)
• Make yourself at home: Sentirse como en casa (To feel comfortable)
• Suburbs: Barrios residenciales (Residential areas outside of a city)
• Success: Éxito (Achievement)

Examples:

• Earn money, respect: Ganar dinero, respeto
• Teamwork: Football match, group project
• Profit: Selling things, investing money
• Pack: Suit, toothbrush
• Deliver: Pizza, message
• Dare: Come late, make personal phone calls

Other Useful

Mastering Formal Letters and Academic Essays

Formal Letter Structure and Etiquette

Formal letters require specific conventions for addressing and closing:

• Salutation: Begin with Dear Sir/Madam (if the recipient's name is unknown) or Dear Mr./Ms. [Surname] (if the name is known).
• Closing:
  • Use Yours faithfully if you started with Dear Sir/Madam.
  • Use Yours sincerely if you started with Dear Mr./Ms. [Surname].
• Signature: Your name should follow your signature.
• Paragraphing: Use separate paragraphs to state your purpose, provide details, and conclude.
• Opening: Clearly state the reason for writing the letter immediately.

Formal Letter Examples: Job Applications

Use these phrases when applying for a position:

• "I was interested in the advertisement in [newspaper/

Essential English and Catalan Phrases

Household and Daily Life

• Do something out of love (without getting anything in return): Hacer alguna cosa por amor al arte
• Chores: Tasques
• Household chores/jobs: Tasques domèstiques
• How kind: Qué adorable (mono)
• Businesslike manner: Hombre de negocios (hacer negocios)
• It's worth it: Vale la pena
• It's worth five pounds: Vale 5 libras
• Grumpily: Mal humor
• Accuse somebody of doing something: Acusar algú d'alguna cosa
• Windscreen: Parabrisas
• Traffic lights: Semáforo
• At least: Al menos
• Save money: Estalviar diners

Family and Relationships

• Family values: Valores de la familia
• A single working mum: Madre trabajadora soltera
• Do the washing: Lavar la ropa
• Do the washing-up: Lavar los platos
• Big age gap: Diferencia d'edad
• Babysitting:

Enola Holmes: A Captivating Mystery Film

The film Enola Holmes, based on the book series by Nancy Springer and directed by Harry Bradbeer, introduces us to the spirited younger sister of the renowned Sherlock Holmes. The main characters include Enola Holmes, the enigmatic Marquis of Tewkesbury, and the famous detective Sherlock Holmes himself.

Setting the Scene: Victorian England

The story unfolds in late 19th-century Great Britain. Enola lives a secluded life in the countryside with her unconventional mother, who has diligently taught her a unique set of skills and knowledge, preparing her for an independent future.

The Disappearance and Enola's Quest

On the morning of her sixteenth birthday, Enola awakens to find her mother has mysteriously vanished.... Continue reading "Enola Holmes Film Analysis: Story, Characters, and Reception" »

Key Events and Themes in 'The Outsiders'

1. Dally raises his weapon, leading the police to perceive a threat and fatally shoot him.

2. Dally wanted to die because Johnny was dead, and he couldn’t live without him.

3. Ponyboy was bothered by his school friends seeing his house because most of them came from "good homes."

4. He was worried that he and Soda would go to an all-boys home.

5. Ponyboy is acquitted, and the Curtis brothers get to stay together.

6. By the end of the novel, after the deaths of Bob and Johnny, Ponyboy has completely lost his innocence; his grades drop, and his attitude changes.

7. His grades suffer because he became detached, developed a bad attitude, and became depressed.

8. Pony can raise his grade to a C by writing an outstanding... Continue reading "Key Events and Themes in 'The Outsiders' by S.E. Hinton" »

Phrasal Verbs with UP

1. Get on (Subir/montarse)

2. Get on (Ponerse (bien/mal) con alguien, llevar algo)

3. Get on (Hacer progresos)

4. Get on (with somebody) (Tener una buena relación)

5. Get on (with something) (Continuar haciendo algo que tienes que hacer)

6. Look up (at) (Fijarse en algo)

7. Look up (in a dictionary/encyclopedia)

8. Keep up (with) (Llevar el ritmo)

9. Catch up (with somebody) (Alcanzar una velocidad o nivel determinado)

10. Set up (organisation, company, business) (Designar, elegir, seleccionar)

11. Take up (a hobby, a sport, an activity) (Comenzar algo)

12. Fix up (a meeting) (Organizar, arreglar)

13. Grow up (Crecer, hacerse mayor)

14. Bring up (a child) (Levantar, cuidar a un niño, hacerse cargo)

15. Clean/Clear/Tidy UP (Dejar algo

Essential Vocabulary and Phrases

Financial and Personal Well-being

• Be well-off: To be in a good financial situation.
• Make ends meet: To have just enough money to cover expenses.
• Live from hand to mouth: To have barely enough money to survive.
• On the house: Offered for free, paid for by the establishment.
• Take pleasure in: To find enjoyment in something.
• Beyond my reach: Unattainable or too expensive.
• To date: Up until the present time.

Financial Terms

• Inherited: Received property or money after someone's death.
• Property: Real estate or possessions owned by someone.
• Bargain: Something bought at a lower price than usual.
• Refund: An amount of money returned.
• Borrowing: The act of taking a loan.
• Amount: A quantity of something, typically money.
• Receipt: A written

Present Simple Tense

Affirmative

• I, You, We, They + verb (e.g., I work, You work, We work, They work) - Without 's' or 'es' at the end of the verb.
• He, She, It + verb + s/es (e.g., He works, She works, It works) - With 's' or 'es' at the end of the verb.

Negative

• I, You, We, They + don't + verb (e.g., I don't work)
• He, She, It + doesn't + verb (e.g., He doesn't work) - No 's' or 'es' is added to the main verb because 'doesn't' already includes it.

Time Expressions

• Always
• Every (day, week, month, year...)
• Once (a day, a week...)
• Twice (a day, a week...)
• Never
• Normally
• Often
• Seldom
• Sometimes
• Usually
• Generally
• Rarely

Present Continuous Tense

Affirmative

• I + am + verb + -ing (e.g., I'm working)
• You, We, They + are + verb + -ing (e.g., You are working, We are working,

Probability Distributions

Types of Probability Distributions

Normal Distribution

• Used to model continuous data
• Examples: Heights of people, scientific measurements, test scores

Binomial Distribution

• Used to model discrete data with two possible outcomes
• Examples: Number of heads in a coin toss, number of successes in a series of trials

Poisson Distribution

• Used to model the number of events occurring in a fixed interval of time or space
• Examples: Number of phone calls received per hour, number of earthquakes per year

Applications of Probability Distributions

• Sales success
• Launch of new products
• Bidding for contracts
• Quality control
• Hiring staff
• Experimental trials

Calculating Probabilities

Normal Distribution

• Use a calculator or statistical software
• Formula: P(

Fundamentals of Logic and Reasoning

What is Logic?

Logic is the philosophical discipline that studies the correctness or validity of our reasoning.

The Role of Language in Argumentation

By means of language, we perform various actions: begging someone to lend us money, asking for directions, describing our home, or even, if you have sufficient authority, issuing a command like throwing someone in jail.

Structure of Reasoning, Arguments, and Inferences

A valid argument or inference consists of two main components:

1. Premises: A set of statements expressing the input data or evidence.
2. Conclusion: The final statement expressing new information obtained directly from the premises.

Example of Deductive Reasoning

• Premise 1: The cheese thief is a cat or a mouse.