Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Primary education

Unit 3: Relative pronoms: who/that (quien- personas), which/that (cual-objetos o cosas), whose (cuyo, posesivo), when/that (cuando, tiempo), where (donde, lugar). Unit 4: 1. REPORTED SPEACH: presente simple-- past simple, past simple-- past perfect simple, present continuos-- past continuos, present perfect simple-- past perfect simple, past perfect simple-- past perfect simple, am,is,are going to-- was,were going to, will-- would, past continuos-- past perfect continuos . Say--- said to, quito to, detras that. Tell you, me-- told me, her. 2 Modal verbs: will-- would, can-- could, must-- had to. 3 Time and place expressions: now-- then, today-- that day yesterday-- the day before, last week-- the week earlier, tomorrow-- the next day, next... Continue reading "La vida de inma" »

Abbreviation in General

Ellipsis is a historical abbreviation of a particular, more or less stereotypical morpheme. This abbreviation is direct, conscious, and intentional, broadly driven by functional and economic motives. Sometimes, functional and economic motives converge.

Abbreviation, especially those formed by initials (often called “acronyms”), constitutes one of the most striking features of today's language. In an era characterized by constant technological changes and an influx of organizations of various kinds, the phenomenon of abbreviation provides an easy way to meet terminological needs.

Three Phenomena of Abbreviation

• Clippings
• Blends
• Acronyms

Historical Abbreviation: Three Major Types

1. Ellipsis of Compound Words
2. Ellipsis of Sentences
3. Abbreviation

Characteristics of Postmodernism and Related Authors

Defining Postmodernism: Timeframe and Distinction from Modernism

Postmodernism is a literary movement originating in the post-1950s, a time marked by the Cold War and excessive consumption. The period is generally considered to begin in the early 1960s and extend into the 1990s.

It differs significantly from Modernism by blurring the conventional boundary between “high” and “low” culture, employing a completely loosened structure in both time and space, and favoring multiple openings rather than a closed structure. It rejects conformity to popular taste and combines heterogeneous elements, catering to a more sophisticated readership.

Core Philosophical Tenets and Relativism

The movement... Continue reading "Postmodern Literary Movement: Defining Characteristics and Historical Context" »

Defining the Teaching Approach

An approach is, by definition, dynamic and therefore subject to tinkering as a result of one’s observation and experience.

Research in second language acquisition and pedagogy almost always yields findings that are not conclusive but are subject to interpretation.

Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)

Historical Development

• 1940s & 1950s: The foundational period.
• 1960s: Chomsky’s generative grammar was considered for language classrooms, focusing on how to inject the "cognitive code" of a language into the process of absorption.
• 1970s & 1980s: The beginnings of what we now recognize as a communicative approach emerged.
• 1980s & 1990s: This era saw the development of approaches that highlighted the communicative

From Adjectives to Adverbs (-ment)

To form adverbs, we add -ly:

• Polite → Politely
• Adjectives ending in -y change to -ily: Happy → Happily
• Adjectives ending in -ic add -ally: Pessimistic → Pessimistically
• Irregular adverbs: Fast → Fast, Hard → Hard, Good → Well

Opposites

• Accepted → Refused
• Complicated → Simple
• Poorer → Wealthier
• Earlier → Later
• Meanness → Generosity
• End → Beginning
• Brilliant → Awful
• Import → Export
• Baggy → Tight
• Fail → Succeed
• Old-fashioned → Modern
• Raise → Lower

Third Conditional

If + Past Perfect (had/hadn't + past participle), would have + past participle

Hypothetical past events (events that didn't happen).
Example: If Mark had left earlier, he would have caught the train.

Comparatives and Superlatives

Words and Their Meanings

• Abdicate: To renounce, resign, or quit.
• Trivial: Unimportant or small.
• Rustic: Relating to the countryside; rural.
• Ostentation: Flashiness, showiness, or display.
• Impertinent: Rude or disrespectful.
• Pernicious: Malicious or evil.
• Chagrin: Embarrassment or humiliation.
• Flummox: To confuse.
• Enigma: A mystery or riddle.
• Chronometer: A timepiece or watch.

Key Facts from *The King's Speech*

Who was King George V?

David and Albert's father, the King of England during World War I.

Countries in the British Empire

England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, India, Canada, Australia, and Hong Kong.

What is a book that holds a person's daily thoughts?

A diary.

What did doctors tell King George VI to do to relax?

They advised him to smoke.

King George

Modern Challenges in the Labor Market

The Qualification vs. Experience Paradox

Nowadays, many people possess high qualifications, often holding multiple university degrees. However, companies frequently prioritize candidates with more experience over those with high qualifications. I believe this creates a significant barrier to entering the current labor market.

On the one hand, if no one gives you an opportunity to work, you cannot gain any experience. Therefore, I believe that employers should be willing to hire people who have strong qualifications, even if their professional experience is limited.

For this reason, I think that the labor market should be changed and expanded because a lot of qualified people have to go abroad to look for a... Continue reading "Societal Shifts: Employment, Digital Habits, and Cultural Importance" »

Reggae Music: Origins and Characteristics

Reggae Sound Characteristics

• Slow, chilled-out tempo with a distinctive offbeat feel.
• Strong emphasis on the backbeat (beats 2 and 4).
• Other percussion instruments play syncopated rhythms.
• The electric guitar plays short, choppy chords (known as the skank).
• The bass guitar provides highly syncopated, prominent riffs.
• Simple harmonic structure, often repeating only two or three chords per song.
• Frequent use of call and response vocal patterns.

Lyrical Themes

• Themes include poverty, politics, social beliefs, and religion.
• Strongly influenced by the Rastafarian religion, originating in Jamaica.

Ska Music

• Originated in Jamaica in the 1960s.
• A fusion of traditional Caribbean mento and American Jazz/R&B.
• Features a

The Life of Irena Sendler

A Holocaust Hero

Irena Sendler was 29 when Nazi forces invaded Warsaw, Poland, and began imprisoning Jewish people in ghettos. Before this, Irena grew up with strong morals and kindness in her heart. She believed that no matter a person's ethnicity or social status, they should always be treated with kindness, respect, and love. Irena learned these strong morals from her father, whose dying words to her were, "*If you see someone drowning, you must jump in and save them, whether you can swim or not*." These kind words of advice stuck with Irena throughout the rest of her life.

When Jews were forced to sit separately from "Aryan" students at Warsaw University, where Irena attended, she stood up for her Jewish friends.... Continue reading "Irena Sendler: Saving 2,500 Jewish Children from the Warsaw Ghetto" »