COMMENT 10

Since Friday I have only heard about the new variant of COVID which has been named Omicron. In any news program right now, they only talk about that new variant.

From what I have heard, it´s a very worrying variant because it has up to thirty-two mutations and has a high risk of reinfection, I don´t really know what that means but it sounds as if it is  very dangerous. And it must be because the variant was announced on Friday and on Saturday it was no longer possible to fly from southern Africa countries to the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States. Because now COVID is at maximum in the countries of the European Union.

We thought that everything was improving because we were vaccinated but it seems that this will not end for years. 

COMMENT 9

Michael Jordan is considered by many to be the best player in the history of basketball. I´m not a big fan of basketball but from what I have seen and heard I understand that he is considered a legend. Comparing him with great football players, he would be at the height of Maradona.

One of his most memorable matches was the one he made in the last game of the 1998 finals against the Utah Jazz, in which with five seconds to go he scored  the decisive basket. When I saw him in the video I was shoked, incredible what he does to the other player, he tricks him intelligelly and puts the basket, I had never seen anything like it.

 

COMMENT 8

 On 12th November, the United Nations Conference on Climate Change ended. It had brought together one hundred and ninety- seven countries, bussinessmen, scientists, activists, who have tried to reach agreements and commitments to combat climate change and to progressively stop using coal.

But has it really served any purpose? It seems that not for much. One of the most relevant things was to reach zero carbon emissions, this objective seems unfeasible in the short term.

It seems hypocritial to me that all leaders go to the conference by private plane, which is so polluting. I think that goverments aren´t serious about solving this problem, it gives me the impression that they are´t interested because they have many benefits, it´s a problem that it is difficult to solve. From my point of view it takes more effort to sove.

COMMENT 7

 Mario Bros is one of the games that I played the most when I was a kid. When I was five years old my parents gave me a Nintendo DS with Mario Games, I loved playing although with age I have been playing other games.

Mario Bros is known as the most famous plumber in the world. His games are about rescuing Princess Peach, who is kidnapped by Bowser. It seems like an easy game but it isn´t because it has so many phases and they are getting more and more complicated.

This games is close to its 40th birthday and is still one of the most played games in the world. It´s so famous that it has an international day which is 10th March.

COMMENT 6

I was on the desert with my friends, it was a sunny and hot day.

Suddenly, one of my friends says that we hadn´t got any water. Imnediately some friends were screaming. I was very nervous because we haven´t any water.

Fortunately, one friend told me the idea of calling a rescue helicopter. While I was calling the rescue helicopter, my friend searched the location and we told them about it.

Finally, the rescue helicopter came and we were safe. 

WRITING 05

 A DIFFICULT PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

One summer afternoon I was with my family in the small boat that we have, we normally sail to La Herradura, but that day my father decided to go further.

We were sailing when my father realized that something was happening to the engine and we decided to turn around.

Suddenly the boat stopped and there was smoke in the engine, my mother started crying and I was very scared.

My father had to call the emergency, we were all very nervous because we didn´t know if the ship could sink.

It hadn´t been a long time since we called the emergency when the recue boat arrived. We get on, I was helping my father to get things.

Since then we have decided not to go that far.

WRITING 04

 TALKING ABOUT A  DIFFICULT SITUATION

John: Hi Mary! What are you doing?

Mary: I think I have lost my maths work, I had it on my pendrive and I can´t find it.

John: How about looking in your bag and your pencilcase?

Mary: That´s a great idea!

John: If we can´t find it, how about going to your room to look for it?

Mary: I can´t because now I have to go to private maths classes.

John: What about looking there?

Mary: Fantastic! We will go.

John: If it isn´t there, then talk to the teacher and explain what happened to you.

Mary: I can´t, I´m afraid that he will fail me.

John: Don´t worry I can go with you.

Mary: Great. I´d love to.

COMMENT 5

 Technology is very important in our lives. Can it be used to stop climate change?

Climate change is a threat to our planet, but we´re in time to stop it with different methods.

Solar energy and wind energy could be used to control emissions from power plants. Here in Spain we have many hours of sunshine that can be used.

Yerterday I heard on television about the possibility of placing photovoltaic panels in houses and in this way they could be self-sufficient with electricity without resorting to large companies. That´s a great idea.

Technology is helping us to have more electric cars and in a few years the car as we know it today will disappear.

This is just a small contribution from technology for sure there will be more in the future.

COMMENT 4

 Water is the most important natural resource on our planet. Due to climate change there are more and more droughts in different parts of the planet.

Here in Spain it rains less and the reservoirs or dams are capacity.

This water shortage can lead to illness because people drink contamined water. Our seas and rivers are also polluted due to garbage. I know a person who does scuba diving and he has told me that the seabed of our coast is full of waste. Sometimes he organizes groups to clean the seabed.

If we don´t remedy all this, the water will be increasingly scarce and a time will come when we don´t have water for our basic needs. We must all help.

COMMENT 3

 I believe that Pau Gasol is the best Spanish basketball player in history. At just 21 years old he was chosen to play for the Memphis Grizzlies. This was historic because since Fernando Martin left in 1985, no Spanish had ever played in the NBA.

He has had a successful NBA career winning two rings. With the Spanish team he has won a World Cup, several medals at the Olympic Games and three European Championships. An impressive record.

But what I like the most about Pau Gasol is his way of being, he is a caring, humble and hard-working person. With his retirement a new stage begins.

WRITING 03

 EMAIL

Hi Emil,

I haven´t heard from you for a long time. Good to read you again.

I live in a village in the south of Spain, called Salobreña. The good thing about my village is that the temperature is good all year round. There is a beach and during the summer you can do different activities, we have  tropical foods such as mango and avocado. We also have an Arabe Castle that you can visit all year round. The bad thing about this village is that there isn´t much work.

During the winter I like walking and in the summer I like going the beach because I love diving.

The weather in winter is pleasant because it is mild and it hardly ever rains. In the summer it´s hot but the temperatures aren´t high. My favorite season is winter.

An interenting site is the Arab Castle which is a 13th century fortress.

I hope to hear from you!

See you soon!

Alejandro

WRITING 02

DIALOGUE

Alejandro: Where do you live, Álvaro?

Álvaro: In a village twenty four kilometres far from here. It´s called La Herradura. Have you ever been there? 

Alejandro: So does my sister. I´ve been near  the beach on my boat. It´s an incredible beach.

Álvaro: Yes, I agree. Althrouhg before it was quieter and there were fewer people.

Alejandro: Yes, the same happens in Salobreña that it´s impossible to go to its beaches at the weekend.

Álvaro: I don´t like going to Salobreña beach because you can´t do water sports.

Alejandro: I don´t agree with you because you can do many activities such as: paddle surfing, kayaking, windsurfing or dinghy sailing.

Álvaro: Perhaps it´s entertaining to live in Salobreña during the summer.

WRITING 01

 COMPARATIONS

These are the main differences that I have found between 1º and 3º.

In 1º we did fewer exercises at home than in 3º. For example, in maths the exercises are more difficult than in 1º and I have to dedicate more time to it.

I have also noticed that all  the subjects are more complicated than before. In 1º I had subjects that were easier for me, such as music and art. This year they have been replaced by biology and citizenship.

Most of my classmates and I are more mature than before. Although there are still several classmates who are the same as in 1º.

COMMENT 2

 A volcano erupted in La Palma on 19 th September and it´s still active today. At first it seemed something spectacular and difficult to see in a country like Spain. A few days later, I realized that it was a catastrophe for that island.

It´s very sad to see how the lava continues to advance, burying houses and leaving people with nothing. As if that wasn´t enoungh, the people in that area of the island aren´t only losing their homes, also their businesses such as their banana plantations.

On these last days the lava has reached the sea and has caused toxic gases and the most incredible thing is that a delta is forming, enlarging the island. I hope this will end soon and that all those affected will have a home again  with the help of the goverment.

COMMENT 1

 For me, going back to school is always hard, returning to the routine after the summer is difficult. At first the schedules are complicated because during the summer I haven´t had any schedule.

A positive part of this that I meet  with classmates again, who I haven´t seen all summer. Another positive part for me is that I will continue to learm different things about various subjects, such as English and Geography.

This year I hope it will be as good as  last one or even better. We begin...

GRANADA F.C.

Ganada C.F has been making history for two seasons. Last year it achieved a historic classification to the Europa League, it also reached the semifinals of the King`s Cup. 

What it has done this season is incredible because comparing his budget with the other teams in the Europa League it is quite surprising that this year they reached the Quarterfinals.

It is very sad that because of COVID that supporters haven´t been able to be in the stadium and accompany the team.

I hope that Granada will play next season in European Competitions, that the fans can be in the stadiums because I would be one of the fans who would go to the stadium to watch all the games. 

TOURNAMENT

 I´ill create a tournament maybe in the school, all the classes can form a team, the team is going to consist of seven players.

Every class plays against the classes of the same level, 2ºA is going to play against 2ºB and 2ºC.

The tournament will start on 12th April.

WRITING 11

                                                            ROBBERY AT THE TOBACCO STORE

On Saturday night, while I was sleeping they robbed the tobbaco shop below my house.

My father was awake when he heard a loud noise, so he went out to the balcony to see what was happening. Suddenly he saw how a car had collided into the tobacco store and people got out of the car and entered the store. Then my father called the police telling them what was happening. A few minutes later the police were door of the store.

The next morning when I woke up my mother told me this story and I didn´t believe it because I had not heard any noise. 

WRITING 10

 INVESTIGATING A CRIME

Policeman: How long have you been planning the robbery?

Suspicious person: I haven´t planied any robbery. I was working in my workshop.

Policeman: According to the GPS of your phone, you were in the area of the robbery.

Supicious person: Yes, I was in the area. I bought some sneakers at the sports store around the corner.

Policeman: We found your fingerprints in the bank. Tell me the truth.

Sospicious person: You´re right, I was at the bank, but I went to get my new credit card.

Policeman: Were you using the credit card for your purchases?

Sospicious person: Have you checked with my card statement?

Policeman: No, you are going to have to stay at police station, until we check.

POST-BREXIT

 From 1st January , 2021, the United Kingdom definitely doesn´t belong to the European Union. I have heard for years that the UK was going to leave the European Union but I believed it would never come true.

The truth is that United Kingdom has never fully followed the laws of the European Union, for example they continued with their currency and didn´t accept the euro.

From my point of view, I think it doesn´t benefit them to be outside the European Union because it isn´t the same to face the problems that may have as a nation alone than to face them with the support of all the nations of the European Union. I am hopeful that at some point the will be part of Europe again.

SNOWFALL IN MADRID

 The year 2021 didn´t start well, we all believed that it would start better. But in January in Madrid there was the biggest snowfall in its history. The city was completely paralyzed, in the news I saw that neither the road nor the street could be seen, only a large white blanket that stretched through the city could be seen. One of the images that surprised me the most was that a nurse walked fifteen kilometres through the snow to get to her hospital to work. 

I don´t understand how this happened when meteorologists had been telling us what was going to happen for a week. I think they didn´t  do things well because the city was still in chaos after several weeks.

SLEEPING

Expert recommend sleeping a minimum of eight hours. This would be ideal but it isn´t always the case. Older people like my grandfather usually sleep about five or six hours a day and usually get up very early. Then there are the babies who usually sleep twelve hours, my grandmother always says that babies grow while they sleep.

In my case, I usually sleep eight hours during the week, although when I have exams it is  difficult to sleep because of the nerves. But at the weekend I can sleep up to twelve hours. My mother always says I´m a sleepy

WOLVES

 Since this month wolf hunting has been banned in Spain, which seems like good news, but not everyone agrees.

Environmentalist have been fighting for a long time to stop hunting the wolf in the peninsula. As I have read, the presence of the wolf is of vital importance because they say that it is key to Iberian biodiversity.

But this isn´t the case for ranchers. They think that all this works against them because if the wolf population cannot be controlled they will receive more attacks on their livestock.

I belive they should not hunt them so that the enviroment is balanced. But I also understand ranchers who invest time and money in their livestock.

WRITING OF THE EXAM

 The climate in the United Kingdom is one of the worst in Europe. It is a wet country. In the United Kingdom there are more rocks in the beach than my hometown. My hometown is more peaceful than London, but in London there are more places to visit than in my hometown.

In Salobreña there a few places to visit: The Arab Castle, for example. In London there are too many places to visit ( London Eye, Big Ben...) and a lot of things to see.

Salobreña is the most beautiful village in the world, London isn´t as comfortable as Salobreña.

Salobreña isn´t interesting enough for tourists.

POLYGLOTS

Polyglots can talk to people from different parts of the world because they know different languages. If you are a polygot, you are prepared to travel around the world and be able to have access to many jobs.

I think that learning so many languages must be very complicated for someone, but with this you can have many more options.

Maybe we should start learnig different languages at a young age because I have heard that the first years of our life are the best to learn since children are like sponges that absorb everything they hear. I would like to get to know different languages but it will probably be very complicated. At the moment I am learning English and French, maybe in the future I will be able to speak these two languages well.

 

NAVALNY

 Navalny is Putin´s main opponent. A few months ago Navalny was poisoned while he was on a plane and you can see on the news how he screamed in pain, which was caused by poison . Nobody admits it but most people think that it was a plan organized by Putin.

Navalny decided to return to Russia and last week he was sentenced to 3 years in prision. All this time I have seen how there were many people protesting in the streets of Moscow and in other cities of Russia,  something that isn´t usually seen. In these latest protests, more than 1,500 people were arrested, incluiding his wife.

Will this be the end of Putin? In my opinion no, he still has years left.

WRITING 9

 PERSONAL PROFILE

My name is Alejandro Venegas. I´m 13 and I live in Salobreña, Spain. I´ve got one brother and we live with my parents in a flat.

In the summer, it is hot ande we like going to the beach. My mother, my brother and I go to the beach every day except for the weekend. My father loves going on a boat that we usually go in the direction of La Herradura. My father, my brother and I swim and my mother never swims because she is scared.

In the winter, we take bike rides and go for a walk in the country side, my father is usually faster than us, although my mother likes walking more.

I love diving that´s why I prefer the summer.

WRITING 8

 DIRECTIONS

Driver: Should I take the A-72.

Co-pilot: No, stay on the M-31.

Driver: What exit should I take?.

Co-pilot: Take the third exit on the left.

Driver: Is this road the least travelled?

Co-pilot: No, because it is Brixton Hospital. But you get there fast.

Driver: I will continue to the traffic light and then?.

Co-pilot: You must go straight on to the parking area.

Driver: What should I do now?

Co-pilot: You leave the car in the parking area and turn left as we walk. And we have reached the picnic.

THE THIRD WAVE

 We are currently in a difficult situation, some experts say that we are almost at the peak of the third wave. I think the best we can do is stay at home and go out for the essentials. Right now in my town we are in one of the worst moments and we are even in perimeter confinement.

There was great hope in vaccines, here in Spain vaccination goes too slowly, we would have to take the example of England where they are vaccinating in many places and even in churches.

At the moment everything is very complicated, infections and deaths continue to grow. We hope the worst is over and soon the numbers will start curbing.

GOALS 2020

 Giovanni Reyna´s goal is my favorite because he dribbles three players and his shot has a good trajectory where it is impossible for the goalkeeper. The other goal that seems incredible to me is Mbock´s goal due to the downward effect of the ball. Another goal that is quite good is Higuaín´s goal. It seems good to me because between Dybala and him they make a lot of wall passes, Higuaín controls with his chest and scores.

I hope that 2021will bring better goals.

WRITING 07

 SEGOVIA, CASTILLA AND LEON

Segovia is a city belonging to the Autonomous Community of Castilla and Leon.

Segovia´s climate is really different from Salobreña´s. In Segovia the temperature varies between below-zero temperatures in winter and very high temperatures in summer. While in Salobreña we have mild winters and warm summers.

In Segovia you can see its aqueduct, which is the most important Roman work in Spain and here in Salobreña you can see our 10 th century Arab castle, which is less impressive than its aqueduct. 

Pig is one of the typical Segovian dishes. It even has a ceremony to cut them with a dish, in Salobreña our best dishes are fresh fish from the sea.

A holiday in Segovia can be quiet and interesting.

PAOLO ROSSI

 Paolo Rossi was an Italian footballer who played as a forward. Thanks to him and his six goals, Italy was able to win the World Cup in Spain in 1982. Also in this World Cup he won the golden boot as the top scorer and the golden ball with the best player. For me Paolo Rossi was a skilled and fast player, he could be compared with Vieri, who has more goals in the Italian team. But from what I have seen Paolo Rossi will be more remembered.

He was a great player who will always be remembered for how decisive he was.

WILT CHAMBERLAIN

 Wilt Chamberlain was an incredible player, he had great height and good physical form. So far I thought Kobe Bryant was the player who had scored more points in a game, but my father told me that Chamberlain is the only one in the NBA who  scored 100 points in a game, it´s amazing. I also find it impressive that he is the player with the most historical records in the NBA, current players try to break his records but it is very difficult if not mpossible.

In my opinion he is a legend.

THE WORLD IS CHANGING

The fact that  the world is changing is obvious. Technology is very used, it is everywhere. Our ways to communication have changed, a few years ago, the only form of communication was  letters, which took days to arrive, today we use instant messaging and so we are always connected. We have so much infornation that we don´t distinguish between real news and fake news, so many people believe the fake news and lies are growing on social media. 

I believe that change is good but it has negative aspects such as that we live totally dependent on the mobile phone and we miss what is happening around us.