2006 – pros & cons
Albert came up with this idea to reminicse and look back at 2006 and think of its good sides and bad sides. Hmm, I’ve never done that, maybe I should, though. It’d make me a better person, perhaps ;). So let’s give it a try; here goes my list:
pros:
*It was a beautiful summer this year (and the weather was generally nice throughout the year)
*Mr Kaczyński won the presidential elections
*I finally managed to read The Brothers Karamazov
cons:
*It (the year) passed so quickly
*Many of my friends left for England
*I lived like a rat (jak szczur ;]) most of the time – had no time for anything really.
Describing data
I promised you some data concerning work or unemployment in our region and here it is :)
http://www.apraca.pl/biwu/stat.htm#Liczba%20bezrobotnych
Go to the website above and look for the data concerning “The number of the unemployed and the unemployment rate in Podlaskie Voivodship in the years 1999-2006″ (Liczba bezrobotnych i stopa bezrobocia w woj. podlaskim w latach 1999-2006).
Write a short generalisation of the data included in the table (with details/ examples). If you like, add also a short separate comment – this time describing your own first impressions. Do you think the percentage of the unemployed in October – 13% – is high or low? Our class economists – here’s a chance for you to demonstrate you analytical skills :)
Have a nice weekend :)
Balanced/unbalanced opinions
I suppose unemployment in Poland has always been a topical matter, as a result of which fact almost everybody has something to say about it. The list below includes some popular, however by no means moderate opinions. Make them more balanced :)
1. The government does not do anything to help the unemployed.
2. People do not work because they choose not to.
3. The unemployment rate in Poland is getting higher and higher every day.
4. It is impossible to find a dream job nowadays.
5. Young people who have just graduated from studies have only expectations and no genuine will to work.
Would you add any other statements to this list?
“Aim higher!”
I guess everybody has their own all favorite piece of poetry they share with friends. I’m far from being a poetry buff, but I’d like to present you with a little gem I come across in South Park’s “Manbearpig” episode.
What you have below is Excelsior by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Read, digest and by all means comment on it. After that, feel free to show me your gems. :)
As through an Alpine village passed
A youth, who bore, ‘mid snow and ice,
A banner with the strange device,
Excelsior!
His brow was sad; his eye beneath,
Flashed like a falchion from its sheath,
And like a silver clarion rung
The accents of that unknown tongue,
Excelsior!
In happy homes he saw the light
Of household fires gleam warm and bright;
Above, the spectral glaciers shone,
And from his lips escaped a groan,
Excelsior!
“Try not the Pass!” the old man said;
“Dark lowers the tempest overhead,
The roaring torrent is deep and wide!”
And loud that clarion voice replied,
Excelsior!
“O stay,” the maiden said, “and rest
Thy weary head upon this breast!”
A tear stood in his bright blue eye,
But still he answered, with a sigh,
Excelsior!
“Beware the pine tree’s withered branch!
Beware the awful avalanche!”
This was the peasant’s last Good-night,
A voice replied, far up the height,
Excelsior!
At break of day, as heavenward
The pious monks of Saint Bernard
Uttered the oft-repeated prayer,
A voice cried through the startled air,
Excelsior!
A traveller, by the faithful hound,
Half-buried in the snow was found,
Still grasping in his hand of ice
That banner with the strange device,
Excelsior!
There in the twilight cold and gray,
Lifeless, but beautiful, he lay,
And from the sky, serene and far,
A voice fell, like a falling star,
Excelsior!
here I go again
I am just back from Warsaw, I’m tired after the journey, I’ve a headache, I’m a bit sad because Polish volleyball team lost in the World Championships final, and I’ve got still some work to do…
but I’m sitting here writing this, the radio playing in the background, and guess what’s on… Whitesnake’s ‘Here I go again’! wow! that’s a band! I wonder how many of you have heard of the band. It brings me back to my early teenage days; the days when those two days – Saturday and Sunday – seemed like an eternity, and you could genuinely get some rest after the whole week of work and regenerate both physically and mentally before the next. You know, you got this new perspective, new outlook on life. And what do people do now to regenerate on the weekend? they go shopping. Galeria mokotów, arkadia, auchan, and God knows where else… well, I think I’m going to take advantage of those last moments of the weekend and search You Tube for some old Whitesnake’s videoclips…
Professional career
Although most of us have some plans or dreams concerning their future, it’s not so easy as it might seem to choose a profession which could be also a source of satisfaction. Decisions you need to take may be also quite surprising even for yourself. In my case, I specialised in written translation, because, unlike my best friend, who chose interpreting, I need to work in piece and quiet – I am almost allergic to stressful working environment and the situations involved. For example, I do not really like having little time for my tasks and leaving things to the last moment.
The sentence in bold reflects the pattern we practiced during our last lesson (course book – page 28):
I specialised in written translation – action
because (…) I need to work in piece and quiet – reason
unlike my best friend, who chose interpreting – comparison (By the way, what kind of a clause is that? What difference would it make if I omitted the comma before who?)
I am almost allergic to stressful working environment and the situations involved – paraphrase
For example, I do not really like having little time for my tasks and leaving things to the last moment. – example
Write two similar sentences (actually, it will be four – for example starts a new sentence) about you choice of a (future) professional career. If you are not sure yet, speculate :) Below, add explanations – what you think is reason, example etc.
Please, check also our folder on the gv website for a new feedback.
See you on Tuesday :)
Teacher, leave the bloggers alone
Peter_step_up asked:
”Do you (teachers) use your’s capability to improve/correct our messages??”
Theoretically it’s possible, but in practice teachers shouldn’t correct students’ entries once they’ve been posted. It’s almost impossible to combine the restrictive rules of correction with a kind of freedom and spontaneity the blog offers. Those entries and comments are members’ own online property.
What teachers will happily do, however, is pick a bunch of common mistakes and use them in a class correction session from time to time, for instance. Also, any entry can always be checked for mistakes before posting to the blog.
Jokes and funny stories…
by Peter_step_up on November 29, 2006
in students
We were asked to write new entry, so I decided to start “informal” subject, as it is in the title “Jokes and funny stories”
I hope you would write sth ;) , such as good stories found on the Internet or hear at school, etc.
Just relax, feel free and let yourself go!! ;)
e.g. story:
…
During late spring one year, a blonde was trying out her new boat. She was unable to have her boat perform, travel through water, or do any maneuvers whatsoever no matter how hard she tried.
After trying for over three days to make it work properly, she decided to seek help. She putted the boat over to the local marina in hopes that someone there could identify her problem.
Workers determined that everything from the engine to the outdrive was working perfectly on the topside of the boat. So, a puzzled marina employee jumped into the water to check underneath the boat for problems. Because he was laughing so hard, he came up choking on water and gasping for air. Under the boat, still strapped in place securely, was the trailer…
and quick joke:
Q: How do you amuse a blonde for hours?
A: Write ‘Please turn over’ on both sides of a piece of paper…
more on mistakes
Basically, it is a collective blog and its primary purpose is to encourage students to share ideas using written informal language. Grammatical and spelling mistakes are naturally calculated into this form of exchange. To put it simply, although we think that grammar and accuracy are important, we will not be purist here. On the other hand, the more language the blog will generate (both perfect and “imperfect”), the more language will find its way back into the classroom, for positive feedback and correction.
correcting spelling mistakes
Peter from Step Up wrote:
Have you thought about enable correcting posts by authors and as well teachers?? It’s obvious that none is perfect and sometimes we misspell or write sth by mistake…
With that option, using The GV Blog could be more effective, not misleading, and so forth…
The answer to your question is – yes, and partially yes :)
Yes, teachers can edit all messages. Unfortunately (?), students can only correct their own posts (user level restrictions). That is why we encourage all bloggers to preview their posts/comments before they publish them.