Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Vocational training

The Cuban Missile Crisis: A Cold War Nuclear Standoff

The Cuban Missile Crisis, a pivotal moment in the Cold War, unfolded in October 1962, bringing the world to the brink of nuclear conflict.

Origins of the Crisis

Prior to the crisis, tensions between the United States and Cuba were already high. In 1961, the U.S. had attempted to overthrow Fidel Castro's government with the failed Bay of Pigs invasion. This event served as a stark warning to Castro and solidified Cuba's alignment with the Soviet Union. Furthermore, Castro's government had nationalized U.S. companies, leading to severed diplomatic ties and economic sanctions from the United States.

The United States had also installed several intermediate-range ballistic missiles in Turkey and... Continue reading "Cuban Missile Crisis: Cold War Nuclear Standoff" »

The Spiral of Silence

The phrase "spiral of silence" describes how people tend to remain silent when they believe their views are in the minority. This silence stems from a fear of social isolation. People understand which behaviors might lead to isolation and are hesitant to express minority opinions to avoid it. The closer a person perceives their opinion to be to the prevailing public opinion, the more willing they are to express it publicly. Conversely, if public sentiment shifts away from their view, they become less likely to voice it.

Polls vs. Surveys

While both gather information, polls and surveys differ in scope. A poll typically poses a single multiple-choice question, with predefined answers. Participants may select one or multiple... Continue reading "The Spiral of Silence and Public Opinion" »

Understanding how to form different types of questions is crucial for effective communication in English. This reference breaks down compound questions, questions with end prepositions, and indirect questions, providing clear examples and explanations.

Compound Questions: What, Which, Whose, How

Compound questions often use interrogative words like What, Which, Whose followed by a noun, or How followed by an adjective or adverb. These structures allow for more specific inquiries.

• Which café do you want to go to?
• How well do you know her?
• What/Which food are you going to take to the picnic?
• How surprised was he when he saw you at the station?
• Which/What airport are you flying into?
• How long have you known her?
• What time is it?
• Which/What sweater should

TEMA9

participant: participar - schedule: organizar - confirm: confirmar - attend: asistir - convenient: libre - busy: ocupado - tied up: ocupado - previous committed: compromiso previo

1. check the calendar/attend the meeting
2. previous commitment
3. make arrangement
4. busy and convenient

1. we'll have a short break
2. sharp
3. light refreshments
4. equipment
5. projector
6. microphone

reschedule: reprogramar - arrange: organizar - postpone: posponer - suit: estar disponible - participate: participar

1. i can't make the meeting... b) reschedule
2. we don't need to meet... b) cancel
3. katie will... a) suit
4. i won't be able to... a) postpone

1. michael is on the phone... c)
2. david jones is held... e)
3. mr kelly had to... a)
4. greg came for... b)
5. we'll have to start... d)

cold: frío - earache: dolor de oídos... Continue reading "Effective Meeting Communication and Business Etiquette" »

Context

Context is understood as the extralinguistic circumstances that influence the linguistic form of an utterance. It is formed by all the ethnographic knowledge that is necessary to interpret the statement. It is something dynamic, and those who participate in a communicative exchange have to build it.

Dimensions

• Location
• Nonverbal behavior
• Language as context
• Extra-situational context

Levels

• Spatio-temporal: The environment in which the communication takes place.
• Situational: What happens around the speakers as they converse is also influential.
• Sociocultural: The social characteristics of the participants that determine the form and interpretation of a message.
• Cognitive: General knowledge of the world, as well as the intentions of a participant.

Digestive Phases

Cephalic Phase

The cephalic phase initiates digestion before food even reaches the stomach. Sensory cues like taste, smell, or even the thought of food trigger the central nervous system to stimulate gastric juice production.

Gastric Phase

Once food enters the stomach, receptors signal the brain, which in turn promotes further gastric juice secretion to break down the ingested food.

Intestinal Phase

As food moves into the duodenum, receptors detect its presence and signal the brain to increase the production of digestive juices for further processing.

Enterogastric Reflex

When the duodenum is full, the enterogastric reflex is activated, causing the pyloric sphincter to close and regulate the passage of chyme from the stomach to the... Continue reading "Digestive System Processes: A Comprehensive Guide" »

Vocabulary: Health and Feelings

Complete the exercise with one of the words given.

1. There are specific departments in hospitals to treat chronic illness.
2. My back pain is getting worse. I'll have to go to the doctor.
3. He hurt her feelings and she doesn't want to see him anymore.
4. She can hardly speak. She has a sore throat.
5. He loves eating hearty meals, but afterward, he often has stomach ache.
6. Mary is pregnant and she often feels sick in the mornings.
7. Mental disorders are quite dangerous for our health.

Grammar: Comparatives and Superlatives

Complete the following sentences using the comparative and superlative form of the adjectives in brackets.

1. This computer is newer than your computer.
2. Lucy is the youngest in the class.
3. This house is bigger than my house!

Essential Film Editing Concepts

Understanding the fundamental terminology of cinematic editing is crucial for filmmakers and film analysts. Below are key definitions covering techniques, continuity, and temporal manipulation.

1. The principle that the meaning of a shot is determined not only by the material content of the shot but also by its association with the preceding and succeeding shots is known as the Kuleshov effect.
2. Graphic match occurs when two shots are juxtaposed in a way that emphasizes their visual similarities.
3. The standard shot pattern that directors use to film conversations between two characters is the shot/reverse shot.
4. A scene edited in the Hollywood tradition often begins with an establishing shot.
5. An abrupt shift in the time

21) Osmosis can be defined as

the diffusion of water.

22) A cell that neither gains nor loses water when it is immersed in a solution is

isotonic to its environment.

23) Which of the following processes can move a solute against its concentration gradient?

active transport

24) Which of the following is a typical feature of an ATP-driven active transport mechanism?

The solute moves against the concentration gradient.

25) The process of a white blood cell engulfing a bacterium is

phagocytosis.

26) Which of the following examples is classified as a metabolic pathway?

protein synthesis

27) Which of the following most accurately describes selective permeability?

Only certain molecules can cross a cell membrane.

28) Which of the following would likely move through... Continue reading "Cellular Processes and Energy Production" »

1) Singer and Nicolson's fluid mosaic model of the membrane proposed that membranes consist of protein molecules embedded in a fluid bilayer of phospholipids

2) Which component is a peripheral protein?

D

3) Which component is cholesterol?

D

4) Which component is a protein fiber of the extracellular matrix?

A

5) Which component is a microfilament (actin filament) of the cytoskeleton?

C

6) Which component is a glycolipid?

B

7) Which of the following most accurately describes selective permeability?

Only certain molecules can cross a cell membrane.

8) Which of the following would likely move through the lipid bilayer of a plasma membrane most rapidly?

CO2

9) Which of the following allows water to move much faster across cell membranes?

aquaporins

10) Diffusion... Continue reading "Understanding Cell Membrane Components and Functions" »