EMPOWER YOUNG CHILDREN

This news talks about the assumption, either of boys and girls, about boys being smarter than girls, at a very young age.

The journal Science realized a study on five-year-old children, boys and girls, and all of them encouraged their own gender, showing girls saw themselves like as good as boys.

One year later, with six-year-old children, the results weren't so satisfying. Both boys and girls saw only the boys as powerful and strong, a fact experts think can be a result of the influence of media, teachers and even parents.

This study consisted in different experiments. One of them consisted in telling the children a story with a “really, really smart” main character, but in which the character's identity isn't shown clearly. Then, they asked the children who they though the character was, and the results were quite surprising: the five-year-old children answers are more or less equalized between saying it was a boy and saying it was a girl; but in the six-year-old children's case, practically all of them answered it was a boy.

This study reveals that it is at the age of six when girls start to underrate themselves in many aspects, a fact that surprised many people. For example, Laura Lund, a primary teacher, who was shocked when she knew this happened at a such young age. She, talking about her experience with children, doesn't think this happens at this age, but she agrees with the fact that it happens, and that we should teach girls to value themselves.

A good way to do it is through books, as it explains in this article. Books can have a big influence on children, that's why it is important that they teach girls not to underrate themselves. The article gives a list of some books that can help empower young girls at a young age, and then it talks about an activity held in a school. It consisted in rewriting Cinderella's story to make it “more equal between women and men”. The report says that kids enjoyed very much the activity and that they were so enthusiastic.  

PERSONAL OPINION:

As the article says, I think it is important to teach girls the value they have, and it surprised me that it is at this age when they start to underrate themselves. I also agree with using books as a way to show this to the children, and not only in books destined to girls, but also in books for boys. Because girls guessed that a “really, really smart” character had to be a boy, but boys also thought that, and I think we should try to get to a point in which both, girls and boys, see that a girl can be as smart as a boy. And also the other way, with things that normally are identified with girls. For example, if they had said that the character was very beautiful, maybe all of them would have guessed it was a girl. So it is important to teach children that both, girls and boys, can be smart and beautiful. 

VOCABULARY:

· Bias: preferència, inclinació

· Loafer: mocassí

· Nurture: criar, criar

LINK: http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-38770936 

ARE SELFIES ART?

I have recently found an article which talks about an exhibition that is going to be held in the London's Saatchi Gallery and which will include selfies combined with other kind of portraits considered art, like Van Gogh's or Rembrandt's self-portraits.

I don't really know what people think about it, but I'm sure there is going to be people who will be against this exposition, saying that selfies are not art at all and can't be compared to works by artists like Van Gogh. But, from my point of view, it is an original idea.

As it says in the news, nowadays it is very common to see people taking selfies, anywhere and anytime, so I think we can all agree in saying that selfies have become an all-time present phenomenon in our lifes. And also, whether we like it or not, there are some selfies that have become very influential or famous, so much that are almost like icons. For example, the famous selfie some actors took at the Oscar's ceremony in 2014, or some selfies taken by celebrities or influencers that have become viral. Also, I think selfies can also be a kind of art. I don't think the last Kim Kardashian's selfie can be considered art, but I do think that as photographs by photophers are considered a way of expression and even a source of beauty, selfies can also be extremely creative and became the same: a way to express feelings, points of view or just something beautiful. That's why I think it is not such a harebrained idea to feature selfies in an exhibition.

Maybe the controversy lies in combining them with classical self-portraits created by recognized artists. About this, I don't think it is a bad idea, as long as people don't mix the concepts up. The exhibition needs to be clear enough to make a difference between the two types of self-images and to highlight that those are two different ways and types, which can't be compared. But I think it is a good idea to combine selfies and portraits in a same exhibition, because it is a way to show the contrast between the world nowadays and how it was years and centuries ago. And it is a shocking contrast.


Saying this I don't mean that selfies need to be placed in the same level as self-portraits by artists, because I really think that portraits have a greater value and a lot of work behind, more than a regular selfie. What I want to say with this is that selfies shouldn't be undrvalued just because they are easy to take or because everyone can do it. Selfies can be as complex as portraits, and I think it would be great if we took this into account and bared it in our minds. And also, it would be fantastic if we all tried to be more creative with our selfies, because we could create even works of art. (maybe saying "works of art" is too much, but who knows what can selfies become).

DIALOGUE

SCENARIO: Two women come across in the middle of the street.

CHARACTERS: Nancy, Claire


NANCY: Claire!!! What are you doing here? I haven't seen you in years, girl!

CLAIRE: Hmmm...

NANCY: What've you been up to? Are you still dating Johnny? He was such a cutie!

CLAIRE: Eeh... wait... and you're...?

N: Ha, ha, ha! You're still so funny! Tell me, are you married? I was, but I divorced a year later, because the man was so...

C: Wow, wow, stop. I was serious before, I haven't a clue about who you are. You must be mistaken...

N: Oh, no, darling! But I haven't changed at all. Well, maybe just a few tweaks, you know.

C: Hmm.. you mean, makeup?

N: Ha, ha, ha!! You're always with your jokes!! Sweetheart, don't make me say it out loud...

C: Say what?

N: Girl, are you living under the rocks or something? We're in 21st century! I can't believe you haven't tried with botox.

C: Botox? No way, are you crazy?!

N: Baby, getting botox nowadays is like buying a pair of jeans. And there are even discounts on it!

C: I guess you have taken advantadge of them a lot...

N: Haven't you recognized me yet?

C: Being honest... I have no idea.

N: I used to be the high school queen!

C: Rebecca Stewart?!

N: Are you kidding me? No! I'm Nancy Wallace!

C: What?! But you were brunette, and... your boobs were like two fried eggs!

N: And now they're like two watermelons. You should totally try it. Not meaning to offend.

C: Non taken. No.. em... I'm not really into these kind of things.

N: Come on! I have a lipo in half an hour and the surgeon owes me a favour... How much do you want to pay? 3000? No, no.. too much... 2000 is ok, isn't it?

C: Wait, what??? No, no, no...

N: Yeah, you're right... It's still too much. I can lower it to 1000. Trust me, the doctor is the real deal. I'm gonna call for a taxi. TAXI!

C: What the hell... You're fricking insane!!! I'm leaving.

N: Bye!!!! What a weird girl... It's curious how people change... TAXI!

SELF EVALUATION ABOUT THE DREAMS PRESENTATION

After watching the video of the presentation I did with Paula Caball last week, I can comment a little how it went and evaluate ourselves.

First of all, I think our visual resources were good: we used a Prezi and we also used a video to finish the presentation, which showed some curious facts about the topic. Also, I think we did it good in the part of body language and eye contact. We tried not to read our notes and to explain the things in our way, that's why we didn't memorize the notes exaclty, we only memorize the idea we had to explain and then we tried to explain the way we were comfortable. I think that's why we talked in a natural way and it was easy to pay attention to the presentation. 

About the structure, our presentation had a quite clear structure: we started explaining some theories of why we dream and then we extended more the information in Freud's theory, which is the most famous and interesting. I think that in this part we could have improved a little using more connectors than we did.

In my opinion, the content of the presntation was interesting. I find the topic about dreams very curious and I think a lot of people like to know about it and a little about our brain. We tried to explain the information in a way in which it could be understood and not too technical, because it would have been maybe boring. We also tried to use curious examples to make it a little bit more entertaining. 

In general, I think the part we could improve would be the language part. We did it well, but maybe we could have used a more varied vocabulary, with idioms or phrasal verbs, or again, more connectors and fillers. About the pronunciation and intonation, I think we pronounced the words quite well and, in my case, I think that if I tried to speak louder and more expressively, it would improve. 

In conclusion, I think we did a very good presentation but, of course, we can always improve things, for example some aspects of the language. 

PLASTIC BAG TAX IMPACT

In October 2015, a charge of 5p for plastic bags in the shops was introduced in the UK, and recently the conservationists have talked about the impact it has had on the beaches.

This tax was already in use in other parts of the country, such as Wales, Northern Ireland or Scotland, and in the last place, they introduced it into England too.

After a little more than a year later, the Marine Conservation Society has informed that the amount of plastic bags on the beach has decreased a lot and the number of bags they found is the lowest they have found in 10 years time, and they are quite sure it is thanks to this charge. During the Great British clean, an annual beach clean, thousands of volunteers helped and cleaned the beach, which allowed seeing the actual impact this tax has had on the beaches, specially in England and Northern Ireland, where the number of plastic bags has decreased the most.

Therese Coffey, the environmental ministre, declared that the establishment of the 5p tax has been a such a success, not only because of the beach and environmental care, but for the money they have collected from the charges, which is destinated to charities.

But this tax is not the solution to everything the volunteers in the cleanings have noticed a rise of drink containers. That means that, even though the amount of plastic bags on the beach has been reduced, the problem of the drink containers and other kind of litter still needs to be solved, because it is harmful for the nature and for the animals, that can actually die because of this litter.

PERSONAL OPINION:

I think this is good news and I agree with the tax they imposed. This charge makes the people use more cloth or other reusable bags, which helps in the waste of less natural resources not renewable and in the preservation and no-pollution of the planet. But as the news says, this is not the final solution because there is still a lot of litter on the beaches and other natural spaces, which we should try to avoid.

VOCABULARY:

· Herald: proclamar

· Vindicate: justificar

· Levy: impost

LINK: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-38053404

VAN GOGH'S SKETCHES

Recently the experts of the Van Gogh Museum, in the Neederlands, have claimed that some sketches that are attributed to the artist are not really by him.

Those sketches were published in a book by the art historian Bogomilia Welsh Ovcharov and on the book she presented them as sketches that the Van Gogh had painted during a stay in a french museum, in the city of Arles.

However, the experts working in the museum decided to study them in depth and they got to the conclusion that they were imitations. There are several reasons that make them believe this. They claim that the style of the drawings is not the one that characterises the period they are supposed to be drawn and also they are made with a brownish ink that has never been found in his drawings.

The author of the book and the publisher still stand up for the idea of the sketches being original, and say that the musem has been wrong other times. But even though the musem experts are quite convinced that they aren't, they are going to respect their opinion.

PERSONAL OPINION:

I found this news curious and it caught my attention the little “fight” between the musem experts and the author of the book. Of course, I can not take sides, because I know only a little about Van Gogh and his art and that's not enough to give a solid opinion, but I think the fact that the experts have studied the sketches deeply maybe gives their theory some strenght. However, they can definitely be wrong and mistaken.

NEW WORDS:

· Unveiling: inauguració

· Unrefined: incult, bast

· Depicted: representat

LINK: http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-37989885

"REVÀLIDES"

About two weeks ago, many high school students were in strike to protest against the called “revàlides”, that the Government wanted to implant for next year. Those are exams, which have to be taken at the end of ESO and Batxillerat, and that students need to pass in order to carry on studying. The strike had an effect on the Government, and finally they withdrew from his position and declared that the “revàlides” would be modified and taken down as the concept they were at the beginning. At the end of ESO, it will be just a diagnosis exam, to know the student's level; and in Batxillerat, it will replace the current Selectivitat (PAU).

Even though they have been finally removed, I would like to give my opinion about the “revàlides”, just as if they were still going to take place.

First of all, I think it's unfair that you have risk it all in just one exam. If you pass the subjects of Batxillerat, in principle, it means that you have the level you need to have, so there's no point in making you take an exam that, if for any reason you fail, won't allow you to keep studying. We can all have bad day and do a bad exam, but it doesn't mean we don't have the level that is required. However, although doing a bad exam in Selectivitat can also be prejudicial for you, it doesn't force you to stop studying and to be out of chances.

And the same happens with ESO, if you have been passing all those years, and you have passed all the subjects, why shouldn't you be able to do batxillerat?

Approving the “revàlides”, means that there won't be Selectivitat anymore, so the way to get into university will be taking an exam directly in the university you want to study. In my opinion, that's not practical. When they finish Batxillerat, a lot of students don't have 100% clear what and where they want to study. A lot of them are guided by their results in Selectivitat. Depending on the mark they get, they will be able to get in a degree or not, so once they know the results, the choice becomes easier. And the same happens with the universities: a lot of students maybe have a vague idea of where they want to study, and

they normally permamently decide after knowing the results, and after knowing in which universities they can get in. So having to decide a degree and a university in order to go there to take the exam, it's a lot more difficult. Adding the fact that maybe you won't pass that exam, so you should probably take more exams at other universities, which is more work, while Selectivitat is only one exam for each subject and then, after the results, it's easier to choose. Although I don't totally agree with Selectivitat system, it is much practical and it's better than “revàlides” system.

After declaring that they would remove the “revàlides” they considered at first, the Government talked about some changes in Selectivitat exams. The main change, which makes PAU exams more silmilar to the idea they had of “revàlides”, is to make the same exam for all the country. Currently there is a different model of exam for each autonomous community, but they talked about removing that and making only one model for all the

Spanish students. I don't agree with that neither, because even though there are things that are important for all the students in the country to know, there are other things that are only important in specific communities. For example, in Catalonia, it's important the catalanism topic and it's necessary to dedicate time explaining it to the students. But this topic is not as important in Extremadura, for example, and teachers there can mention it and explain it briefly, but they obviously won't dedicate as much time as catalan teachers do. That's why I think it isn't a good idea to have only one model of exam for all the country.

But luckily, it seems that this change won't be carried out at the end.

Fortunately, at the end, the “revàlida” in ESO won't have any effect on the students' grades, and the one in Batxillerat will be practicly the same as Selectivitat (I find quite stupid and illogical to change it, if practically it will be the same, but well this how they do the things in this country), which I'm happy about, because I think “revàlides” were such a bad idea.