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

1. Can / Be Able To: Expressing Ability

• Gary has traveled extensively and can speak five languages.
• I haven't been able to sleep very well.
• Nicole can drive, but...
• I used to be able to stand on my head.
• I can't understand Mark. I've never been able to understand him.
• I can't see you on Friday, but I can meet you on Saturday.
• Ask Katherine about your problem. She might be able to help you.

2. Can, Can't, Could, Couldn't: Present & Past Ability

• I'm afraid I can't come to your party next week.
• When Dan was 16, he could run 100 meters.
• Are you in a hurry? No, I can wait.
• I was feeling sick yesterday. I couldn't eat anything.
• Can you speak a little louder? I can't hear you very well.
• You look tired. Yes, I couldn't sleep last night.

3. Could, Couldn't, or

Dominant vs. Subculture in Organizations

Organizational culture is the shared perception held by its members. A dominant culture reflects the core values of the majority. Subcultures develop in larger organizations, reflecting common issues or experiences within specific groups or departments. Subcultures include the dominant culture's core values, plus unique values specific to their department. If organizations were only composed of subcultures, the power of organizational culture would be diminished. The 'shared meaning' aspect of culture is what makes it a powerful tool for shaping behavior.

Characteristics of a Strong Culture

A strong culture directly impacts organizational outcomes due to high agreement on what the organization represents.... Continue reading "Organizational Culture: Dominant, Sub, and Types" »

Informal Training: Boosting Workplace Skills

Informal training is unstructured, unplanned learning that takes place in the workplace. Most informal training involves employees helping each other out, sharing information, and solving work-related problems collaboratively. This type of training is highly adaptable to situations and individuals, making it effective for teaching skills and keeping employees current.

Examples of Informal Training

Technical Skills Development

An example of informal training for improving technical skills could be a factory line worker assisting a colleague with a machine problem. This involves explaining the machine's operation and demonstrating how to resolve the issue for future occurrences. Through this informal learning,... Continue reading "Workplace Skill Development & Employee Well-being Strategies" »

Principle of Utility

The principle of utility states that actions or behaviors are right in so far as they promote happiness or pleasure, wrong as they tend to produce unhappiness or pain. Hence, utility is a teleological principle.

Act Utilitarianism

Act utilitarianism is a utilitarian theory of ethics which states that a person's act is morally right if and only if it produces the best possible results in that specific situation.

Rule Utilitarianism

Rule utilitarianism is a form of utilitarianism that says an action is right as it conforms to a rule that leads to the greatest good, or that 'the rightness or wrongness of a particular action is a function of the correctness of the rule of which it is an instance'.

Euthanasia

Euthanasia (from Greek:... Continue reading "Understanding Utilitarianism, Euthanasia, and Ethical Theories" »

The Pivotal 1960 Presidential Election

The election of 1960 was one of the closest elections in American history.

The Candidates and Campaign Dynamics

• Republican Insider: Richard Nixon, who served as Vice President for eight years under Dwight Eisenhower.
• Democratic Newcomer: John F. Kennedy (JFK), a senator from Massachusetts. At age 43, he stood to become the youngest person ever elected President.

Major Campaign Issues

Age was not the only factor. Kennedy was also Roman Catholic, and no Catholic had ever been elected President before. To mollify these concerns, Kennedy addressed a group of Protestant ministers, pledging a solid commitment to the separation of church and state.

Kennedy also stressed his character, assisted by those in the press... Continue reading "John F. Kennedy's Presidency: 1960 Election and the Cuban Missile Crisis" »

English Verb Tenses

Simple Tenses

Present Simple

Example: I cook dinner.

Past Simple

Example: She cooked dinner.

Continuous Tenses

Present Continuous

Example: I am waiting for my sister.

Past Continuous

Example: He was waiting for his sister.

Perfect Tenses

Present Perfect Simple

Example: I have read the note.

Past Perfect Simple

Example: He had read the note.

Present Perfect Continuous

Example: She has been studying English.

Past Perfect Continuous

Example: She had been studying English.

Past Tenses Comparison

Note: Past Perfect Simple and Past Perfect Continuous do not change.

Future

Ancient Greece: Core Characteristics

Political Structure

The Greek world was never politically unified. City-states (c/s) maintained their own governments and fiercely defended their independence, leading to endless rivalry and frequent wars.

Forms of Government

• Monarchy: Government where a king exercises central power.
• Aristocracy: Government ruled by noble leaders who were elected. Initially, the power of the king shifted to the noble class, who defended the king but eventually won power themselves.
• Oligarchy: Government ruled by a small, powerful elite. This group challenged landowning nobles for power and came to dominate the city-states.

Economy, Religion, and Society

• Economy: Based primarily on settlers and traders.
• Religion: Polytheistic, centered

Essential English Vocabulary for Professionals

Workplace Nouns (English to Spanish)

• Chatterbox: parlanchín
• Deadline: fecha límite
• Knowledge: conocimiento
• Overtime: horas extras
• Privilege: privilegio
• Rise: aumento
• Shift: turno
• Staff: plantilla
• Stuff: cosas
• Team player: jugador de equipo

Key Verbs for Career Development

• Challenge: desafiar
• Commute: viajar diariamente
• Fire: despedir
• Flourish: florecer
• Freelance: autónomo
• Presume: suponer
• Promote: promocionar
• Propose: proponer
• Raise: obtener
• Resign: rendirse (or dimitir/renunciar)
• Switch: cambiar

Professional Adjectives

• Accomplished: realizado
• Assertive: firme
• Conscientious: concienciado
• Devoted: dedicado
• Experienced: experimentado
• Pushy: avasallador
• Reliable: fiable
• Rewarding: reconfortable
• Self-employed: autónomo
• Skilled:

Sam's Unexpected Visit to France

July 14th in France

Sasha and Annie, roommates in France, were eagerly anticipating a visit from Sasha's old friend from America, Sam. Sasha, a fitness enthusiast, and Annie were particularly excited about this American visitor.

A Letter and a Knock at the Door

Annie received a letter from Sam, stating his intention to visit that day. A knock came, but it wasn't Sam. It was Nico, the boy next door who had a crush on Sasha.

Sam's Strange Arrival

When Sam finally arrived, he didn't make a good first impression. His clothes were odd, and his behavior was peculiar.

Cars, Houses, and Misunderstandings

Sam talked about his cars and his 22-room house. The girls mistook the cars for toys and the house for a museum.

Nico's Mischief

Annie... Continue reading "A Misunderstood Friend: Sam's French Adventure" »

The Origin of New Species

The changes that living things experience as time passes lead to the creation of new species. In this long and complex process, there are 4 stages:

1. Production of Evolutionary Changes in Populations

This happens because natural selection favors some individuals and not others. As a consequence, the new populations are different from the original ones, although they still belong to the same species.

2. Genetic Isolation of the New Population

So that a new species can evolve, it is essential that the members of the new population do not reproduce with those of the previous population. In other words, they become independent and stop sharing genetic information with the original population.

3. Gradual Differentiation

After... Continue reading "The Origin of New Species and Human Evolution" »