Examen FP Grado Superior 2011 - Central Park renovation programme

In terms of its size and beauty, Central Park is the envy of cities the world over. Its safety record is, however, less impressive. Things reached an all-time low one night in 1989 when a female Wall Street executive went out jogging, only to be brutally raped and beaten by a gang of black teenagers. This example of inter-racial violence became an international news story. Irate black community leaders pointed out that on the same night a Harlem woman was murdered under even more gruesome circumstances and this episode was hardly mentioned in the local press.

Race relations in America may be as bad as ever, but Central Park has come bouncing back. The northern section of the Park, where the attack took place, has been the subject of a costly renovation programme that has begun to bear fruit. The Harlem Meer lake, for example, has been transformed from a marshy swamp into a playground where locals of all ages can go fishing and sunbathing. In actual fact the Parks and Recreation Department was working hard to improve things before 1989. Fun projects like Steve “Wildman” Brill´s “eating tour” of Central and other Parks were a case in point. Brill´s tour does not take you to restaurants: it shows the edible plants that are yours for free. Throughout the city, smaller parks are being transformed from havens for low-lifes into places where normal people can go and relax. The case of Central Park is a bit like that of New York as a whole: in spite of the image problem, things were probably never that bad. After all, Jackeline Kennedy Onassis used to go jogging in Central Park every day and the only people who used to bother her where the press photographers.

(adapted from Speak Up, nº 121)

Examen FP Grado Superior 2012 - Learn about the Earth, Moon, and Sun

From far out in space, Earth looks like a blue ball. Since water covers three-fourths of the Earth’s surface, blue is the colour we see most. The continents look brown, like small islands floating in the huge, blue sea. White clouds wrap around the Earth like a great blanket. The Earth is shaped like a sphere or a ball. It is 25,000 miles around! It would take more than a year to walk around the whole planet. A spaceship can fly around the widest part of the sphere in only 90 minutes.

Even though spaceships have travelled to the Moon, people cannot visit the Moon without special suits. The Moon has no air or water. Plants and animals can’t live there either. Astronauts first landed on the Moon in 1969. After that, there were six more trips to the moon.

They brought back Moon rocks, which scientists are still studying. There are holes, or crates, all over the Moon’s surface. Scientists believe that meteorites smashed into the Moon millions of years ago and formed the craters.

The Sun is the closest star to Earth. A star is a hot ball of burning gas. The Sun looks very big because it is so close. But the Sun is just a medium-sized star. Billions of far away stars are much bigger than our Sun. The burning gases from the Sun are so hot that they warm the Earth from 93 million miles away! Even though the Sun is always glowing, the night here on Earth is dark. That’s because the Earth rotates, or turns around, every 24 hours. During the day, the Earth faces the Sun. Then we see light. During the night, the Earth turns away from the Sun. Then it faces the darkness of space.

Each day we learn more about the Earth, the Moon, and the Sun.

Examen FP Grado Superior 2015 - From classroom to office

Getting an education and going into business are both hard work. But some teenagers manage to start their own companies while they are still at school! So, how did they do it? Has their age been a problem? I talked to some young entrepreneurs to find out.

Andrew Butt is the twenty-year-old manager of a computer software business. When he was twelve, he offered to do small jobs at a local helicopter training centre after school. At first, he made people cups of tea, then he began programming the centre´s computer system. During his time at the centre, Andrew realized that he might have the ability and experience to work for himself. Unfortunately, his teachers disagreed with him! At fifteen, Andrew left school. He hired a tutor, and by the age of sixteen he was running his own company, which was called Enable Software.

Harlem Lyrics Cards was launched by Chauncey Holloman in Arkansas, USA, when Chauncey was only sixteen. Her greeting cards are brightly-coloured, and they often feature hiphop characters and informal, colloquial language. Chauncey explained that she started designing cards because she couldn´t find anything suitable for her friends´ birthdays.

In California, seventeen-year-old student Ryan Glasgow has started his seventh company! His latest business is Pure Five Audio, which is an online shop that sells more than 700 products. Ryan certainly wasted no time in getting started in the business world. He started his career by selling locally-picked fruit to friends- before the age of eight!

All these young people became very successful entrepreneurs at an early age. All are very positive, ambitious people, who were prepared to give their all in fulfilling their dreams. But has their commitment to business had any negative impact on their lives? Andrew wonders whether some of his friendships might have been damaged by his decision to leave school early. If he hadn´t left school, it would have been easier to stay in touch. In general, however, he feels very glad that he took the risk! Chauncey has been able to rely on her family to help with her company. She has missed a few days of school, but she hopes to finish her education and go to business college. Ryan thinks that it is a challenge to keep school, business, and a social life in balance, but he feels that it is a challenge that he can meet. In conclusion, it seems that age is no barrier to business success. All you need is a good idea, confidence, and a willingness to put in a lot of hard work. After that, the sky is the limit!

Examen FP Grado Superior 2013 - Food for thought

What would happen if you ate nothing but fast food for a month? Film-maker Morgan Spurlock wanted to find out, so he made a documentary called ‘Super Size Me’. Morgan ate fast food meals three times a day, and he had large or ‘supersize’ servings whenever he was offered them. It was hard work, and after just two days he wished he had never started.

He was pushing his body to its limits, and his new diet made him ill. Several weeks later, his health had deteriorated so badly that doctors advised him to stop. ‘Unless there is an improvement in Morgan’s diet, he runs a risk of permanently damaging his liver´ said one medical expert. But it was not just Morgan’s body that was suffering - fast food was also having a negative influence on his mind. He would feel great just after he had eaten, then an hour later he would be grumpy, angry and tired. Even though he was suffering, Morgan continued this experiment for thirty days. Unfortunately, it took him nearly a year to return to previous levels of health and well-being!

Morgan Spurlock was not the first person to explore the connection between food and behaviour. Towards the end of the last century, American researchers carried out an investigation into diet and development. They analysed the behaviour of a group of children over several years, with surprising results. At eight years old, the children who ate a larger than average amount of junk food were more likely to get into fights than their healthy-eating peers.

Aged eleven, the same children were often more aggressive, bullying and attacking other classmates. By the age of seventeen, a large percentage of this group had left school, and they were more likely to have problems with drugs or alcohol. A few of these teens were victims of peer pressure; others had a difficult family background. However, they all had one thing in common: they all had bad diets. The study concluded that an unhealthy lifestyle was one of the most significant reasons for their behavioural problems.

Despite these grim statistics, fast food restaurants still feed more tan 45 million people a day! So why do we continue to eat this junk? In ‘Super Size Me’, Morgan Spurlock eventually got used to his diet of hamburgers and chips. After a while, he even started to enjoy it.

The sweet, fattening food is so tempting that many of us, like Morgan, develop an addiction to it. That is the problem with fast food: it is just too tasty!

Examen FP Grado Superior 2012 - Green Gyms

We all know what a gym is: every month you pay money, you exercise indoors with machines, usually on your own. You become fitter …but then often, especially by this time of the year, you abandon the whole thing! A Green Gym is different: it is free. In a Green Gym, a group of people work together outdoors, in a green space, to improve the environment, to increase biodiversity.

Green Gyms work in parks and forests, in abandoned and forgotten spaces, in schools and in prisons. In London, residents and visitors can participate in Green Gym activities most days of the week. For tourists, this is a great way to meet real Londoners and to discover the city in a different way.

The Green Gym was the idea of an English doctor, William Bird. About 12 years ago, Dr. Bird realised the benefits of working outdoors for his patients. It helped combat excess weight, diabetes and depression, for example. Working outside is stimulating and is good for stress levels. The colour green has a calming effect. Activity in nature reduces stress and diminishes blood pressure. Working with other people, growing and creating things is also good for people’s confidence.

The Green Gym idea certainly came at the right time. Physical inactivity costs the UK economy billions of pounds a year. Obesity figures are the highest in the European Union; nearly a quarter of British adults are officially obese. Mental health problems affect one in four people at some point in their lives.

A Green Gym group consists of a variety of individuals who come for different reasons: to lose weight, to learn new skills, to meet new people and to make a difference. Green Gyms are forming all over the country, and the concept is being exported to other countries like Australia.

 (adapted article from SPEAK UP 312)

Examen FP Grado Superior 2013 - Changing consumer behaviour

The present economic situation is affecting people’s spending habits. As living costs rise and incomes fall, consumers need to control their finances, cut spending habits and start saving. There is a general change in consumer attitudes and behaviours.

Consumers have a more selective attitude to shopping, they want good value. Price is important but products must offer more than low prices. They must be perceived as good value, that is, a combination of best price and best quality.

Consumers are planning their shopping. They do not want to waste money, food, time or fuel so they are shopping less and buying only what they need. They go shopping less frequently out-of-town to save fuel, cutting down on big shopping centres and increasing visits to local shops or supermarkets.

Leisure and entertainment occur at home and in local venues. This saves costs of travel and leisure activities. People dine at home with family and friends instead of visiting restaurants and they go to local coffee shops to meet rather than pubs and wine bars. They prefer downloading the latest film rather than going to the cinema.

Online shopping saves travel and time costs. Consumers can have easy access to instant information on prices, vouchers and promotions.

There are also changes in different age groups. Young shoppers are not immune to the economic crisis. Unemployment, university fees, inflation and poorer support from parents are seriously impacting their spending capabilities. Meanwhile, the older generations are expanding in number and becoming a large market but with restricted spending power.

(Source: http://www.sas.com/offices/europe/uk/downloads/press/sas-verdict- retail2012.pdf)

Examen FP Grado Superior 2013 - Technology is eating my family

I once wrote the article “Technology ate my marriage”. Since the introduction of the Internet, mobile phone and PC, my wife and I spent less and less time in face-to-face contact. Now, things have become worse. Technology is eating my family –myself included. Virtual space is eating physical space.

I asked my daughter not to ask for a tablet for Christmas. I knew very well what would happen. Since 25 December, she has spent 20% of her free time completely out of Earth contact. Computer games are now her principal family. My son sent me once an sms from his bedroom to ask for a cup of tea.

I cannot simply watch a film on TV together with my wife. She is tweeting simultaneously and she spends more time with her eyes on the computer than on the TV. Until I insisted she stopped, she used to take her computer to bed and surf while I was trying to get asleep.

I thought I was the exception to this virtualisation of family life, but I have gradually changed. Now I access my computer to check my tweets. I suffer from “tweet incontinence”. In the evenings, I often play Scrabble* online with a friend when I used to play real Scrabble with my wife.

The web has made the world more interesting. Too interesting. Real life, real people, real members of the family are monotonous and problematic in comparison. However, they have a unique advantage: they are real!

Adapted from article written by Tim Lott. 

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2013/jan/19

Examen FP Grado Superior 2014 - Vegetarian UK

Vegetarianism is increasing in the UK. A recent survey estimated that there are over 3 million vegetarians in the UK today. Vegetarians (people who don’t eat meat), and vegans (people who don’t eat or use any animal products) are becoming increasingly common in UK culture. Visit a British supermarket and you will see a wide range of vegetarian products and prepared meals including vegan cheese, vegetarian sausages and burgers.

So why are more and more British people changing to a meat-free diet? Many people do not eat meat or animal products for ethical reasons. They are unhappy about the cruel treatment of the animals and the effects of meat and fish production on the environment. People can also be worried about food safety (for example ‘mad cow disease’). Others change to improve their general health. According to the Vegetarian Society, a meat-free diet could help reduce the risk of certain cancers and the possibility of heart disease, as well as other health problems such as obesity and high blood pressure.

Another rising trend in the UK’s food culture is related to how our food is produced. Many people reject GM (genetically modified) food. They want their food to be organically produced. Organic food is produced in a more 'natural' way. Organic farmers use very few or no chemicals, pesticides or fertilisers. Organic meat is produced without the use of drugs and antibiotics. Although it’s often more expensive, fans of organic food say it tastes much better!

Adapted from: http://esol.britishcouncil.org/magazine/vegetarian-uk

Examen FP Grado Superior 2014 - The world's movie capital is not Hollywood but Bollywood

Bollywood is the nickname given to the Indian film industry. It is a combination of the word Hollywood and theletter “B” from Bombay (now known as Mumbai), a big city in India. Indian movies are becoming more and more popular around the world. Fourteen million Indians go to the movies every day (about 1.4% of the population of 1 billion) to see any of the over 800 films produced in Bollywood each year. That is more than twice the number of films produced in the United States.

Most Bollywood movies follow a similar format. They are three to four hours long. They have dozens of songs and dances with top stars and a hundred choreographed dancers. Between the songs there is a love story without any kissing or sexual contact, lots of action and a happy ending.The stars of Bollywood are very popular and highly paid. Movies are made so fast that actors can be working on four films at the same time.

Bollywood's biggest problem is piracy; not all films make more money than they cost to make, even though they can be seen by millions of people. Another problem is that younger generations sometimes find the stories a bit predictable and boring. Film-makers are trying to solve this by changing the movies to reflect real life stories.

The future looks good for Bollywood. Big US film companies such as Warner Bros and Twentieth Century Fox have opened offices in India. Indian film-makers have found it difficult to compete with Hollywood's special effects and this is seen as the next big area for Bollywood to develop.

Adapted from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/find_out/guides/2003/bollywood/ 

and http://geography.about.com/od/culturalgeography/a/bollywood.htm

Examen FP Grado Superior 2014 - Winning at any cost

To be ‘the best’ at any sport means long hours and a lot of effort. The training can be very demanding, and many coaches believe it is best to begin when you are young. But is the physical and mental cost too great? We asked three young sportspeople for their views.

Sixteen-year-old Sonia Martin believes that her swimming training made her ill: 

‘At first, entering national competitions was really enjoyable, because it gave me a real sense of achievement. But my coach, who was always shouting, told me I was fat and lazy. In fact, I practised for hours and I hardly ever ate. One day, I fainted. The doctor who treated me was really sympathetic. She said that instead of being fat, I was actually underweight and over-stressed. I got rid of my coach, and now I just swim for fun. I don't enter competitions any more—I eat normal food and have a normal life. I don’t have any regrets.

Mike Green, seventeen, is a basketball player who thinks that sport is too competitive: 

‘People are only interested in winners! No one cares about how hard you've tried or how passionate you are – if you aren't number one, you're nobody. Success is everything! I know some fifteen-year-olds who have taken illegal drugs like steroids to help them succeed. Often, young players haven't got anyone to talk to and advise them. Sportspeople usually view other sportspeople as rivals. So nobody wants to be friendly- everybody just wants to help themselves.

Brenda Jones, eighteen, worries that child stars are sometimes exploited by their families:

‘I was only twelve when I started training, but my parents wanted me to win trophies and earn money for the family. If I won, they bought glamorous clothes and expensive cars. But if I lost, they were furious, which make me feel dreadful. Once, when I had a painful fall on the ice, my parents shouted at me because I forgot to keep smiling’

So, what can we learn from these three young stars?

All have been very successful in their sports, but ultimately all have paid a high price for it. The long hours, intensive training, and highly competitive atmosphere of professional sports put young athletes under great pressure. Perhaps we should reconsider our attitude to sport. Perhaps winning isn't everything?

Examen FP Grado Superior 2011 - White House goes green with solar panels

Solar panels will be installed on the White House roof a quarter of a century after they were removed by President Ronald Reagan.

A mix of different panels will be fitted in spring 2011 to generate both hot water and renewable electricity.

The move will come as a surprise to many green campaigners after the White House apparently rejected a recent request by environmentalists to install the technology.

It will be the first time since 1986 that solar panels have sat on the White House, since Reagan removed a system installed by his predecessor Jimmy Carter. In 1979 Carter held a conference on the roof, showing off the 32 panels and his desire to reduce the US’s dependence on oil.

The return of solar at the White House follows other symbolic green efforts since Obama took power, including Michelle Obama’s creation of an organic vegetable garden in the White House grounds last year.

Green campaigners have been pressing the president to reinstate solar at the White House. They have been driving around the US in a biodiesel-powered van with one of the original panels installed by Carter.

The campaigners visited the White House in September and made a symbolic demand for the old panel to be reinstalled on the roof. But the request was rejected and no plans for future solar panels were given.

Bill McKibben, who led the campaign, welcomed Obama’s decision to fit new panels: “Solar panels on one house, even this house, won’t save the climate, of course. But they’re a powerful symbol to the whole nation about where the future lies.”

To mark last month’s 10/10/10 day of mass participation climate events around the world, the president of the Maldives also decided to use solar energy. Mohamed Nasheed, whose low-lying island country is at risk from rising sea levels caused by global warming, has installed 50 panels on his presidential home.

Original article by Adam Vaughan, rewritten by Janet Hardy-Gould. guardian.co.uk/weekly/

Examen FP Grado Superior 2013 - My best holiday

I've just come back from a school trip to Russia. It was for students who are studying art or history. The day before we left I was very nervous about going to a country with a culture so different from my own.

We arrived in Moscow at lunchtime. That afternoon we went to Red Square and the Kremlin. It really brought my history lessons alive. Over the next two days we saw a lot of squares and churches. At the end of the third day we took an overnight train to St Petersburg. I only slept for about half an hour because it was really hot. We tried to open the windows, but we couldn't. The next morning we discovered that we had passed an enormous nuclear power plant and the guards had closed all the doors and windows for security reasons!

St Petersburg was even more impressive than Moscow. In the morning we visited some beautiful squares and churches and after lunch we went to the amazing Hermitage Museum. The next day, our last day, in the morning there was snow everywhere and the sky was blue. I think it was the most beautiful sight I’ve ever seen. We all had a snowball fight in a park – it was brilliant fun.

I loved the trip because I saw some brilliant sights, I discovered a new culture and now I feel closer than before to my classmates.

The story of newspapers - EOI Madrid inglés A2

Read about the ancestors of our newspapers

The oldest British national newspaper is about one hundred and eighty-five years old, but news-sheets of various kinds have been known in different parts of the world for many centuries. The Romans sent news in the form of letters to their distant soldiers. There was no paper, as we know it, in those days. Few people could read. The messages were hand-written on a material made from the skin of a sheep, and read aloud to the soldiers.

In 60 B.C., Emperor Julius Caesar started a daily bulletin in the Forum at Rome. The Forum was the meeting place of the Senators who governed the city. The bulletin was fixed at a convenient point where the senators could read the news on their way to and from their discussions.

This method of giving information is still used today. Notices and bulletins are pinned to notice boards in offices and factories; schools and colleges run wall newspapers. Typed sheets of news or articles are placed on large notice boards. The entire contents of the board are changed at fixed intervals, in the same way as a new edition of a newspaper is printed daily or weekly.

In the 16th century, the commonest form of news-sheet was a leaflet, consisting of a single sheet printed on one side only. Leaflets were sold in markets and country fairs on the Continent, and English translations appeared in this country. The leaflets were published only when there was news of wars, battles or disasters. No-one had yet thought of publishing a bulletin regularly.

The first English publication to contain domestic news appeared in 1641. It was called Diurnal Occurrences, and it was concerned mainly with the activities of Parliament. This was just before the start of the Civil War, in 1642.

In 1665, the first number of a twice-weekly paper, The Oxford Gazette, was published. A few months later the name was changed to The London Gazette. This paper was the official paper of the Government. It did not contain news, and it did not try to entertain. It circulated among people such as bankers, solicitors and Members of Parliament.

Adapted from© The Story of Newspapers, by W.D. Siddle, Wills & Hepworth Ltd.

Pubs in Derry - EOI Extremadura inglés A2

1- Café Roc 1, College Terrace

Very fashionable pub that is divided into two parts. The best of these two parts is the ground floor with good music like pop or rock. There is a dance floor and also seats and tables. Although it is not one of the cheapest places in Derry, some days it is too busy and it is difficult to move around inside.

Pint price: 2.20 pounds (except special offers)

Anecdotes: The DJ is so nice that you are allowed to choose the music if there are just a few people.

 

2- Sandino's Water Street

It is more similar to a typical Irish pub at least on the ground floor. It is a suitable place to have your drink and talk without hearing loud music. The first floor is like a disco, where the music is louder. This floor is better for dancing.

Pint price: 2.20 pounds

Anecdotes: This pub is full of photos of Che Guevara, Sandino,…

 

3- The Ice Wharf 22, Strand Road

It is not a dancing venue, but it is a comfortable place to have a drink and to talk.

During the day you can also have meals. It is cheap, and also, every night, there are different promotions. The Ice Wharf is a big place and it has comfortable seats.

Opening hours: open during all day

Anecdotes: It has the best toilets in Derry. They are better than the bar itself.

 

4- Sugar Niteclub ( Downeys Bar) 33, Shipquay Street

Opposite the River Inn, Sugar Nightclub is a nice place playing all types of music to suit all tastes. It has two floors, but there is no difference between these ones.

Like most of the places in Derry, there is a dance floor and places to sit.

Anecdotes: One night they played songs by Bob Dylan, Shakira and Barry White in this order.

 

5- The River Inn Shipquay Street

It is the oldest pub in Derry. Good place, good atmosphere, good people, good offers. It has two floors. One of them is the typical Irish pub (the ground floor), the other one is like a club (the subterranean floor).

Pint prices: 2.20 pounds. ☺ 1.00 pound on Sundays and Thursdays

Anecdotes: One of the waiters has no idea about serving drinks. In the ground floor there are only old people.

 

6- Jackie Mullans: 13, Little James Street

Club with three floors with no difference between them. You only can hear disco, dance, techno music, and it is a really expensive place. The pint price is the most expensive one in Derry. It is really strangely decorated, and it is very hot.

Pint price: 3.20 pounds

Anecdotes: There was a horrible lamp decorated with dead fish.

The seats remind one of the TV programme (with Jennifer Aniston and Courtney Cox, hummmmmmm…) "Friends".

One of the waiters, apart from being really ugly, is really unfriendly and unpleasant.

 

7- Becketts 26-28 Foyle Street

It is an expensive pub without any interest. We have spent lots of nights there, and we are very ashamed about this. Becketts is the place where the biggest Spanish parties took place. The music is awful. Although the DJ is a very good guy.

Anyway, it is a good place to give up drinking and start studying English!

Pint price: 2.20 pounds

Anecdotes: The bouncers are really rude and they shout a lot. It is something very unpleasant for us.

Source: adaptado de un texto que se encuentra en la siguiente dirección: Isabel Pérez

Life in Japan - EOI Extremadura inglés A2 resuelto

1. During the mid-summer, it can be really hot and humid, which can be uncomfortable. Snow falls in part of the country during the mid-winter months. From summer to autumn, there are typhoons (tropical storms) every year. The months of June and July are the "rainy season" in Japan.

2. You usually go into a Japanese home after you take off your shoes. At most offices, you don't take off your shoes to enter, but there are some traditional businesses where you take off your shoes.

3. When you visit someone's house or a public bath, wash your body before you enter the bathtub. Do not wash your body inside the bathtub. Traditionally, in Japan, the hot water in the bathtub is not changed after every person takes a bath. When you finish your bath, leave the hot water in the bathtub.

4. At most Japanese and Chinese restaurants, chopsticks are usually served. If you can't use chopsticks, ask for a knife and fork.

In most restaurants and bars in Japan, you never pay for individual drinks or snacks, one at a time. You simply pay your total bill when you leave the restaurant or bar at the cash register.

5. For most shopping, you usually pay in cash, but nowadays, a limited number of places, such as hotels, restaurants, and supermarkets, accept credit cards.

6. A lot of government offices, banks and post offices are closed on Saturdays, Sundays and National Holidays in Japan, but a lot of department stores, shops and restaurants are open on these days. In Japan, if a National Holiday falls on a Sunday, the next day (Monday) is a holiday. A lot of public offices, banks and schools close for some days in mid-August too, for "Obon" (the Buddhist event), and at the end of the calendar year and the beginning of the new year (especially January 1 to 3).

My last birthday - EOI Extremadura inglés A2

Mathew

I've spent my last few birthdays in Japan - birthdays, along with Christmas, are the times that I miss family and friends back home a little more than usual. Last birthday all my friends were working but I had the day off, so after feeling sad about it all the day before, I went snowboarding for the day.

 

Alan

Last birthday.......I was floating in the Dead Sea in Jordan....;-)!! With about 11 new friends that I met during the trip from Egypt to Jordan!! It was an amazing experience ;-)!!!! I have been living in Dubai for over a year and when you live in the centre of the world you just use every opportunity to explore other countries....;-)!!

 

Jane

I was in San Francisco for my cousin's wedding. We are a big family, so we rented a huge house and all stayed in it together. In the morning I walked from the Golden Gate Bridge to downtown Toyko and back again for a day adventure. Truly one of my favourite cities to visit. When I got home my aunts had bought a huge chocolate cake and I blushed as they all sang to me in the dining room. Good family is an amazing gift.

 

Nikki

Today is my boyfriend's birthday. We are off to the zoo here in Munich when my daughter gets home from school. Then, afterwards, a restaurant in the centre of Munich and a walk around the old town with some ice creams.

The life of a record shop owner - EOI Asturias inglés A2

David Griffin left school at seventeen, went to college and then worked as an assistant in hisparents’ newsagent’s. After two years, he went to work for a big national chain record store as an assistant manager although very soon he got a job as a store manager. In May 2005, tired of working for others, he opened a shop called Elvis Shakespeare.

This is what he tells us about his job.

“As its name suggests, in my shop literature goes hand in hand with music -my main interests-. Prices go from £2 for second-hand books to £200 for rare collector’s items and I expect that, very soon, you can benefit from our excellent online payment facilities.

My shop is in Leith Walk and I spend most of my time buying small and large collections, which I get in the Edinburgh area. I hardly ever travel abroad.

Last week, I was alone in the shop and I had to work from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and with Christmas coming, next month I am going to work from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day but my working hours are normally from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.”

Adapted from different Internet sources

The Houses of Parliament - EOI Islas Baleares inglés A2

To know something about the world of Britain’s politicians, you should explore the Houses of Parliament. They are part of the Palace of Westminster, which stands on the banks of the Thames across the river from the London Eye. At the Northern end of the Palace there’s a clock tower. As soon as they see it, tourists shout “That’s Big Ben!” Actually, Big Ben is only the name of the impressive 13-tonne bell. You should visit the House of Commons’ public gallery, where you can observe debates on weekday afternoons and evenings. Once inside, visitors pass through the octagonal Central Lobby (where the public can meet members of parliament- MPs), and then enter the House itself. The Government and the Opposition sit on green benches divided by a long table and two parallel red lines. MPs mustn’t cross these lines. The debates are often noisy affairs where The Speaker has to control the proceedings: MPs must attract his attention if they want to speak. Sessions begin with open questions and then new laws are considered. The rest of the Palace of Westminster is only open to public tours during the summer, when you can see the Victoria Tower, the Royal Apartments and the spectacular Westminster Hall. This used to hold the law court where famous people like Guy Fawkes were condemned to death: he failed to blow up the House of Commons in 1605, but a German bomb destroyed the chamber in 1941. It was rebuilt to the original design in 1950.

Source: Speak Up

Travelling to the USA - EOI Galicia inglés A2

As part of your English course you are planning to go to The United States of America this year. You are looking for some information about travelling to the USA in the edupass web site.

Tipping

Restaurants do not include a service charge in the bill, so you should tip the waiter 15% of the total bill. If service was slow or particularly bad, some Americans will tip only 10%. Likewise, if service was particularly good, it is appropriate to tip 20%. If service was so bad that you would never eat in the restaurant again, leave two cents. This is a deliberate insult, because it tells the waiter that you didn't forget to leave a tip. Tipping is only appropriate in restaurants which offer table service. You do not tip the cashier in a fast food restaurant.

Taxi drivers expect to get a tip equal to 15% of the total fare. If the driver was especially helpful or got you to your destination more quickly than you expected, give a 20% tip. Hotel bellhops expect a $1 tip for helping you with your bags. If you order room service, the gratuity is included in the bill. Coat checkroom attendants expect $1 per coat. Hairdressers and barbers expect a tip of 15% of the bill. Valet parking attendants expect a $1 tip.

Gift Giving

If you are invited to a wedding, baby shower, or other celebration, it is expected that you will bring a gift. Unless you know the host very well, the gift should be modest in value, about $25.

For a wedding, the bride will have "registered" at one or two local department stores, indicating the items and styling she prefers. You can buy the couple a gift that isn't listed, but most people buy something listed on the registry. If you buy an item listed on the registry, be sure to tell the store that you are doing this, so that the couple doesn't receive duplicate gifts.

If you wish to give a gift when you leave to return to your home country, the best gift is something that is unique to your country. It does not need to be especially valuable or rare, just reminiscent of your home. Possibilities include a book about your country, an inexpensive handicraft or piece of art, or something else that reflects your culture. If the children collect coins and stamps, they would be very pleased with a set of your country's coins or a selection of mint stamps from your country. Items that are common in your country but difficult to find in the United States are also good.

When giving gifts to a business acquaintance, do not give anything of a personal nature, especially to a woman. Do not give cosmetics. A scarf is ok, but other types of clothing are not. Something appropriate for the office is best. But gift giving is not as important in America as it is in other countries, so there is nothing wrong with not giving a gift.

From: http://www.edupass.org/culture/

Black Friday - EOI Asturias inglés A2

The day after Thanksgiving has become America's biggest shopping day. Closed all day on Thursday, shopping centres all across the nation open early on Friday. Some of them open at 12:01 Friday morning, while others open at 4 a.m. Some "sleepyhead" shopping centres, like Target this year, don't open their doors on Friday until 6 a.m. From Friday to the day before Christmas, this is the season when businesses make nearly 25 per cent of what they earn in a year. This season puts many businesses "in the black", that is, they make the money they need for the year. Reporters from local TV stations interview people who sleep in tents in front of the shops a day or two before the doors open on Friday. These people patiently wait in queue to get products that are 50 per cent cheaper or more.

"Oh, we have fun," said one of the persons queuing. "We sometimes bring games to play, we watch TV and order lots of pizza, and we often meet interesting people. And, most important of all, we save a lot!" The problem, of course, is that only a very small number of products have big reductions in their prices. Apart from a few big discounts, each shop has other things that are reduced from 10 to 50 per cent, saving shoppers from $10 to $400 per item, and so Americans want to go shopping.

Not all Americans enjoy shopping. Reverend William Graham wants to change Black Friday’s name. "We want to call it Remember Jesus Friday. People should start the season with the right attitude. Christmas has become a Season of Shopping. We want to make it a Season of Giving. And we don't mean giving material things. We mean giving your back, your mind, and your hands. Help an old lady clean up her house. Teach a kid how to read. Visit sick people in the hospital or in nursing homes. Give food to the Red Cross. Celebrate Christmas by remembering Jesus and forgetting Santa Claus."

Adapted from http://www.eslyes.com