My 2nd (and 1st) batxillerat blog

So I won't be using this blog anymore. I've been using this one for Batxillerat and I will continue doing so, go check it out!

Email to my teacher

Hi, I'm Míriam.

I'm fifteen and I'm studying First of Batxillerat. In my spare time I enjoy listening to music, watching TV, reading... I love to write and I'd like to become a writer someday. There are things that I don't like, especially getting up early, missing the school bus (which happens a lot), false people and Mondays. I'm studying the Technologic Batxillerat because I would like to become an architect (besides a writer).I can speak Catalan, Spanish, English and a little bit of French. I took the PET exam this year, but I can't exactly remember when. As I love to watch TV series and movies, I decided a year ago that I would try to watch them in English (with subtitles in Spanish, for the moment). I think that worked out quite well, it's really helpful. I'm preparing for the FIRST Exam and I take English classes out of school. 

Email to my teacher

Hi, I'm Míriam.

I'm fifteen and I'm studying First of Batxillerat. In my spare time I enjoy listening to music, watching TV, reading... I love to write and I'd like to become a writer someday. There are things that I don't like, especially getting up early, missing the school bus (which happens a lot), false people and Mondays. I'm studying the Technologic Batxillerat because I would like to become an architect (besides a writer).I can speak Catalan, Spanish, English and a little bit of French. I took the PET exam this year, but I can't exactly remember when. As I love to watch TV series and movies, I decided a year ago that I would try to watch them in English (with subtitles in Spanish, for the moment). I think that worked out quite well, it's really helpful. I'm preparing for the FIRST Exam and I take English classes out of school. 

Bye bye ESO!

So this post is going to be like an award show! I'll be chosing my best post and the best blog of my class!

And the award for the BEST POST goes to...

MY WORLD: RUINED WEEKENDS!

I've chosen this post because whenever I read it I laugh a lot. Maybe it doesn't make you laugh as much as it makes me laugh, but that's because I remember myself lying in a sofa half dead whining because I couldn't go shopping. That image is on my mind and it's a bit ridiculous. But well, isn't it good to learn to laugh at myself? I think that the post shows exactly what I felt in that moment, so it's a nice post. I chose it between the others because it's a bit funny and shows a bit about myself (how ridiculous I can be when I'm ill).

And now, the moment you've all been waiting for...

And the award for the BEST BLOG goes to...

ALMOST IS NEVER ENOUGH by ANDREA MATEOS! CONGRATULATIONS!

I've chosen this blog because it's really really nice! I love the background, as well as the theme of the blog and, of course the posts! I think everything gets on well and that it's been made with enthusiasm. The posts are well written and the topics that Andrea chose are quite interesting. The pictures that she posted are nice as well.

It was very difficult to chose one blog, but I think that this one deserves to be the best blog of the class! Check it out, you won't regret it!

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CONGRATULATIONS!

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MY WORLD: "Just another night" by Icona pop

A few weeks ago I listened this song, Just another night, in the radio for the first time. I think it's a really nice song and it makes you dance. The band is Icona pop. I like this song because it reminds me a lot of summer!

Here you have the lyrics, the translation and the original music video!

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Lyrics translation!
Ensopegant amb les esquerdes de la vorera
Una altra nit que es malgasta
Observant el teu nom
Observant el teu nom

Crec que estàs de festa a algún lloc al centre de la ciutat
Em pregunto amb qui ballaràs ara
Fas el mateix?
Fas el mateix?

Tanco els ulls i encara estem despullats
Però llavors veig que el meu rellotge ha canviat
Es només una altra nit
a l'altre costat.

Oh oh... oh oh oh
Es només una altra nit
a l'altre costat.
Oh oh... oh oh oh
Es només una altra nit
a l'altre costat
a l'altre costat.

Amagant-se al metro amb els nens "guais"
Només escullo que no vull escollir.
Vivim vides diferents
Vivim vides diferents.

Hi haurà alguna manera entre nosaltres,
Enderrocar els murs de secrets
Es només una altra nit
a l'altre costat.

Oh oh... oh oh oh
Es només una altra nit
a l'altre costat.
Oh oh... oh oh oh
Es només una altra nit
a l'altre costat
a l'altre costat.

Res ens mantindrà hostatges
No vull que res pari això aquesta nit
Oh creus que ho hem perdut
Només vine a mi.

Hi haurà alguna manera entre nosaltres,
Enderrocar els murs de secrets
Es només una altra nit
a l'altre costat.

Official music video!

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MY WORLD: PODCAST - Persuasion

listen to ‘Persuasion’ on Audioboo

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MY WORLD: Persuasion

So I read this book, Persuasion, by Jane Austen, and I loved it! I had read Pride and Prejudice before (in spanish) and I also loved it, so I expected this book to be as great as the other.

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The story is about Anne Elliot, a woman in her late twenties, unmarried and the daughter of Sir Walter Elliot, a baronet. Her mother died when she was young and Lady Russell, her mother's friend, treated her like a daughter. When Anne was nineteen a young man, Frederick Wentworth, asked for her hand in marriage. Althought they were in love, she rejected him because Lady Russell adviced her not to marry him, because she couldn't see any future for the couple.

Eight years later, Anne's family moves to Bath, but she goes to visit her sister Mary, who married Charles Musgrove. Then, Frederick (now Captain Wentworth) returns as a rich captain with some ships. He wants to get married, but he's no longer interested in Anne, the one who broke his heart. He focuses on Louisa and Henrietta Musgrove, Charles' sisters, instead. Anne has to suffer for a long time seeing him flirting with the two girls, because she's still in love with him.

After a lot events happening, they end up toghether.

I really like the story because it's tragic and it makes you suffer for Anne, but also for Captain Wentworth. Don't worry, I don't consider myself a masochist, but these kind of stories have something special that makes you remember them. I think it may be that they seem more real, because love is not a path of roses, sometimes it's difficult. Showing their story in this way it seems more familiar and possible. Also, I loved the main character, Anne. I felt pity for her because everyone wanted her to do things for them but no one cared about what she wanted or about her feelings. It was like she was only visible when they needed her but invisible for the rest of the time. She knew how to treat everyone, and what to do in every situation, so I think that she's a brilliant character.

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PODCAST: Describing a picture

listen to ‘Describing a picture’ on Audioboo

MY WORLD: Democracy vs. Communism (Test writting)

Democracy is better than communism. Why? There are some reasons that can answer this questions.

In democracy, people are able to vote and elect their representatives. They can be rich if they get the chance to improve their situation.It's not that way in communism. Everyone is equal and can't improve and be completely successful in their lives.

My opinion on politicians is that, at this moment, they're not trying hard enough to get ou of the economic crisis and that a change is needed in their ideas. They have to free their minds to the new possibilities of ou time.

Elections are better than politicians. They let the people express their will in a free way, and that's really nice.

Democracy

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Communism

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MY WORLD: One of my favourite books!

Last summer I read Daughter of smoke and bone. I really really loved it and it has become one of my favourite books. I also read the second part of it: Days of blood and starlight.

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Daughter of smoke and bone is about the story of Karou, a girl with blue hair that lives with three chimaeras, strange creatures with parts of different animals. They all live in Prague in a secret workshop where Brimstone, one of the chimaeras, exchanges wishes for teeth of different animals, or even human teeth. One day, in Marrakech, Karou meets Akiva, an angel that tries to kill her.

She discovers then that angels exist, and that they have been in war against the chimaeras for thousands of years. But Akiva sees something in her, she seems familiar to him, and for that he doesn't kill Karou.

Because of this strange meeting, their worlds will change a lot and nothing will ever be the same. Karou and her family are in mortal danger, and she will do anything to save them.

I really really love this book because it's very original and different from any other book I've ever read. At the beggining it seems a little bit strange, but once you get used to the story it's really enjoyable. i love the main character, Karou. She's strong and independent, and she's such a mistery!

I totally recomend this book and, if you read it, I'm sure you'll appreciate it too, even if you don't get to like it!

Here you have some booktrailers that I found on Youtube!

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NEWS: A frightening flight

http://www.newsinlevels.com/products/teenager-on-a-plane-level-3/

The news that I've chosen is about a teenager that tied himself in the wheel of a plane. The Somali boy wanted to go to Africa to find his mother, but the destination of the plane was Hawaii. The authorities didn't notice him when the plane took off in California. Surprisingly, he survived to really cold temperatures and to really low levels of pressure. He nearly ran away of oxygen. When the plane arrived to Hawaii, the boy confronted the airport workers, but was send to the hospital immediately. He was taken under protective custody and is now getting better.

I find that this is unbelivable. How did he survived to the flight? He must be Superman! And hasn't anyone thought about the planes landing? The wheels touch the floor during the landing, he should have died! This is totally amazing and a bit funny at the same time. How is it that the authorities didn't notice him? Well... I guess this is the kind of things that happen because of a lot of coincidences.

Here are the new words I've learned!

CCTV: security camera.
Stowaway: somebody who hides in a vehicle.
Lodge: place himself somewhere.
Brave: someone who can deal with a dificult situation.
Ordeal: difficult experience.
Protective custody: being kept somewhere for the person's own protection.

And here are some images from the security camera!

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MY WORLD: Nananana BATMAN!

Yesterday I was at home, just relaxing, when my mum came up with the idea of watching the "The Dark Knight Rises", the last movie of Batman. I had watched it a long time ago, but I've always liked the movies of Batman, so I agreed with my mother and we wached it.

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The film continues with the story of "Batman: The Dark Knight". We can see a very devastated Bruce Wayne because of the death of the woman he loved. The city of Gotham doesn't need nor want Batman anymore. Then a new terrorist called Bane appears and, frightens the city and takes control over it, threatening with a bomb that will destroy everything. Gotham becomes a strange world of "justice", as claimed by Bane, where all the once powerful people will be judged. Bruce has to find a way to stop this, and to do that, he needs to become Batman again.

I really liked this film because it's very dramatic and surprising. It's very different from the other Batman films but I think that it's great. Also, there's a new character that I found funny, it was Catwoman! More over, Christian Bale (the actor that plays Bruce Wayne) does a very good job, and so does the rest of the cast.

I would recomend this film. Here's the trailer!

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Describing a picture

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This picture was taken by Rahul Talukder in the Rana Plaza, in the city of Savar, when a building collapsed, killing over 1,100 people.

In the picture I can see that the Rana Plaza is totally crowded around the wreckage of the buildings. In the foreground, on the left, there's someone pointing at the disaster, and in the background there's the ruined building. There are lots of people trying to help in the sorrounding buildings. There's even a crane trying to remove some of the wreckage. In the upper part we can see the city of Savar and the people watching from the rooftops. The people in the picture seem really worried about those who may be dead or hurt. They're rushing over the destroyed building to help.

I think that this picture is very dramatic and sad. I don't know why did the building fall, but it's a disaster. I feel sorry for everyone in the picture:for the ones that were in the building and for the worried people that are trying to help. I think that the photographer tries to show how dramatic it is by making the picture in black and white.

Interview to tourists in Barcelona!

INTERVIEW

Me: Excuse me, do you speak English?
Tourists: Yeah, a little bit.
Me: Do you have a minute? It's for a project for school.
Tourists: We are tourists emm...
Me: Yes, it's for tourism. Could we ask you some questions?
Tourists: Yes.
Me: Where are you from?
Tourists: Germany, Hannover.
Me: Is it the first time that you are in Spain?
Tourists: The second or third.
Me: How did you come here? By plane, ship or train?
Tourists: Yeah, by plane.
Me: Why are you in Barcelona?
Tourists: For holidays.
Me: How long are you going to stay here?
Tourists: One week.
Me: Are you travelling with family or friends?
Tourists: My mother, family.
Me: What have you visited up to now?
Tourists: We want to go to the tourists bus. It's our first day here we want to make a sightseeing tour.
Me: What do you like the most?
Tourists: Barcelona is very beautiful. Not seen very much...
Me: Have you bought any presents?
Tourists: Not yet.
Me: How do you get around in the city, by underground, car, bus or foot?
Tourists: First time today... We go to the bus now. For walk and there's the bus.
Me: Do you know any words in Catalan or Spanish?
Tourists: Yes. Hola, qué tal... No.
Me: Have you tried any tipical Spanish or Catalan food?
Tourists: No.
Me: Do you think Barcelona is expensive?
Tourists: No, it's normal.
Me: Do you see any differences from your country?
Tourists: Everything! The people, the buildings, the cities, the food... Yeah, of course.
Me: Is there anything you don't like?
Tourists: No.
Me: Would you recommend Barcelona to your family or friends?
Tourists: Yes.
Me: Will you come back again?
Tourists: Sure.
Me: Thank you very much for your time. Enjoy your holidays, goodbye!

SUMMARY

This is the interview that I made to two german tourists. They were mother and daughter, and it was the daughter who answered our questions. They were from Hannover, Germany, and it was the second, third time that they had been in Spain. They came by plane and were in Barcelona for holidays. They were staying one week and, of course, they travelled with family. They hadn't visited anything at that moment because it was their first day. They were going to take the tourists bus later, for a sightseeing tour. Althought they hadn't seen very much of Barcelona, they said it was beautiful. They hadn't bought any presents. They got around the city by bus and on foot. They didn't know many words in Catalan nor Spanish, just "hola", "qué tal"... They hadn't tried the food yet and they didn't find that Barcelona was expensive. They thought that everything was different from their country: the people, the buildings... There wasn't anything they didn't like, they would recommend Barcelona to their family and friends and they surely come back again.

PODCAST: Interview to tourists in Barcelona!

listen to ‘Entrevista a turistes en anglès’ on Audioboo

Berlin, Berlin

Our trip to Berlin has been extraordinary, I really enjoyed it. The city is very beautiful and at the same time very different from any city I've ever been before. There was something special: the lifestyle, the buildings, the wide streets... I really loved the fact that the streets were full of graffitis, some of them really nice.

It's difficult to write down the best moments of the trip, because there were too many. I really liked the monuments and museums. The Reichstag, the History Museum of Berlin (which was surprisingly funny), the bunker, the Wall, the Brandenburger Tor, the Jewish Museum, the zoo, Sachsenhausen (this one was very sad)... I loved walking around the city, even when my feet ached, because we saw something new everyday. In our spare time we went through the streets discovering Berlin, going shopping or just going for a walk... Probably the monument I liked the most was the Brandenburger Tor, because it was very beautiful.

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Brandenburger Tor

In the Reichstag, there was a glass dome at the top of the building with amazing views. We could see all Berlin!

The monuments and museums dedicated to the jews that we visited were really sad. I got very emotional because we could read letters that some jews wrote to their families, and there was so much to read and see...

When we went to Sachsenhausen, a concentration and extermination field, it was heartbreaking. There weren't many buildings left, but it was enough for me. The thing that I didn't like about it was that the buildings were too much restaurated.

I remember that the History Museum of Berlin was funny in some way, because the place was decorated like the time that it represent (the time of the war, the medieval times...).

I got a bit of claustrophobia when we where at the bunker. I was shocked because there were a lot of beds (if it could be called a bed) and there wasn't much light. I felt relieved when we went outside, back to the street.

I enjoyed the zoo because it was a sunny day and it was something very different from the other activities that the teachers had prepared for us.  They told us there was a panda so we spent quite a lot of time searching and asking for it, but sadly it had died. I felt sorry for the animals, though, all day trapped there when they could be in the nature, where they belong. For example, when we saw the polar bears, there was one that moved his head up and down all the time because he was "insane". Who wouldn't be in its situation?

I remember that one day, when we where walking through the street, some girls stopped us and asked if they could make us an interview. It was an interview just like the one we did to tourists in Barcelona!

The best of all was being all together in a unique experience. We had a lot of fun: in the hostel, in the dinners at the restaurant (paper balls flew everywhere, it felt like a battlefield sometimes), in the spare time, in the bus... We became more of a group and got along really well. I think that we got to know each others better than we did before, both students and teachers.

I remember the food of the restaurant we always went for dinner to. I'm only going to say that I'm not going to eat meat with potatoes in a long time, because I had enough of it in Berlin. The potatoes were cooked in different ways, but it was tiring eating them everyday.

I also learned a bit of German. For example: ausgang means exit, bären means bear, eingang means entrance, hallo means hello, tchus means goodbye...

Bye, bye Berlin!

MY WORLD: Ruined weekends

Lately, I've been feeling a bit unlucky. Everything started a week ago when my parents told me that we were going to Barcelona on the weekend, and that we would stay the night in my sisters' place (they study in Barcelona so they live there). I was very happy and I spent all the week thinking about it. When, on Friday, I finished school and went outside at two o'clock, my parents were waiting for me in the car.

We started our trip. While my parents were talking about a lot of things, I turned on the radio and sang to every song. It didn't bothered them, so I kept singing until we arrived to Barcelona. I had to go with my parents to a turism fair, because they work in turism and had invitations to go there. It was really interesting because there were stands representating a lot of countries. But after nearly two hours I was really bored, thought my father was really amazed of some hats that the Cuba stand was selling. I had to wait a lot more until he got one.

When we went outside I was getting sick. There was too many people and it was too hot. More over, we had to return to my sisters' place by metro, and I thought I wouldn't survive to it (just kidding, but I really felt horrible). When we arrived I could only lie on the couch for five minutes, because they wanted to go out for dinner. I'll only say that I didn't like dinner.

After, at late night, I woke up with headache and neck pain. I couldn't sleep and, in the morning, when my mother found me on the sofa, she checked my temperature with a thermometer. I was sick. Therefore, I couldn't go shopping. I kept telling my mum that I could go out, but she wouldn't let me, so I didn't go. That day my mother and I returned home while my father stayed.

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I spent all the weekend sick at home but, lucky me, I got well on Sunday afternoon and was able to go to school on Monday.

It's not fair.

MY WORLD: A day in fair Barcelona

Last week, on Thursday, we went on a trip to Barcelona. We were all really excited, not because of the activities we were going to do, but because of the free time we were going to have in the city. We got in the bus and left the high school at a quarter past eight. It was a long, long trip until we arrived to Barcelona. To keep us from boredom, we listened to music and took silly pictures all the time.We got off the bus at half past ten, in front of the Hard Rock Cafe, in the big and crowded Plaça Catalunya. 

We separated in groups to do the interviews. I went with Rosó and Sandra. We stayed at Portal de l'Àngel Street and, in about ten minutes, we had done four interviews to tourists. We interviewed a French woman, a Japanese girl, a Dutch woman and a German woman and her mother.

Finally, we had free time! We entered in all the clothes shops of the street. Bershka, Stradivarius, H&M, Pull and Bear... I'm only going to say that if the teachers thought we wouldn't buy a lot of things, they were wrong.

At one o'clock we went to the meeting point in the cathedral. The teachers took a picture of the whole group of students and then we went to Pans to have lunch. We finished at two o'clock.

We returned to do our shopping, getting angry at the queues of the changing rooms, struggling to put the shopping bags in our school bags... We wanted to go everywhere and do everything, but we hadn't much time left.

At half past three we went to Plaça Catalunya and got the bus to the Teatre Nacional. We went there to see a play called Doña Rosita la soltera o el lenguaje de las flores, by Federico García Lorca. We waited until five o'clock to enter to the theatre. The play fisnished at a quarter past seven. I have to say that it was a little bit difficult for me to understand, because they spoke in verse, but it was a nice play.

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When we were about to get in the bus, everyone started to get hungry. We couldn't eat inside the bus thought, and we weren't going to stop until we arrived at Castelló d'Empúries. Because of that, the trip felt like hours and hours long.

When we arrived at the high school, my father came to pick me up and I went home. It was a really nice day in fair Barcelona (I still have a bit of Romeo and Juliet inspiration), something to repeat!  

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Differences between the film and the book of Romeo and Juliet

1.SETTING: The first fight of the story, in the film, takes place at the petrol station and, in the book, it takes place in the streets of Verona. The movie is set in 20th Century and the book is written in the 16th Century. 

2. IMAGERY: Water means love in the film, in all the important love scenes between Romeo and Juliet happen near the water.The fire represents the hate between the Capulets and the Montagues.
Day and night; at night they can love beause nobody can see them, but at dayllight they can't love because the people can see them. The moon is the sun of their love.

3. LANGUAGE: In the film everybody except the narrator speak in prose, the others speak in verse. The narrator is the reporter of the news on TV.

4. THE FANCY DRESS PARTY: The fancy party; The costume of Paris means that he think he's superior to the others. Juliet's costume is an angel because in the book, when Romeo sees her he thinks she's so fair that she's an angel. Romeo's costume is a knight because he's Juliet's Prince Charming and Knight of shining armour.

5. ELEMENTS: in the film they fight with guns and in the book they fight with swords, there are cars instead of horses, and the beach represents the streets of Verona.

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MY WORLD: The Blind Side

Last Sunday night I was lying on the couch when a movie started on TV. I was lazy and I wanted to see something else but my mother wanted to see it. The thing is that I liked it, so I'm going to tell you what was it about.

The film is named "The Blind Side" and it's based on a true story. It stars Sandra Bullock and Quinton Aaron. It's the story of a woman, Leigh Anne Tuohy, that finds a guy called Michael Oher on the street, shivering because it's a cold night. He pretends to sleep in the street, but she takes him home with her family. She starts to know a bit more about him. He's 17 and his mother does drugs. Because of that he was taken from her when he was seven and has lived in many houses, but has always escaped. He starts to become one more in the Tuohy family, they let him live in their house and treat him like a son. Leigh Anne becomes his guardian (legal tutor). Michael gets into the football team of his highschool. He's very talented and a lot of universities start to compete to get him into their football teams. Finally he gets in a university and has a happy ending.

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I liked this film because Leigh Anne Tuohy, the mother, was very generous. She helped him a lot and never asked for anything in return. If she hadn't helped Michael he would have been living in a poor situation for much time. In the film he said that he had never had a bed, and that was heartbreaking for me. But at the end everything is ok and they're all happy, so I'm happy.

Sandra Bullock won an oscar for her role in this film.

Here's the trailer!