Eating less meat could save lives - PAU 2015 Andalucía resuelto

>Exámenes selectividad inglés resueltos Andalucía

More than 45,000 lives a year could be saved if everyone began eating meat no more than two or three times a week, health experts claim today. Widespread change to low-meat diets would stop 31,000 early deaths from heart disease, and 9,000 from cancer, according to new analyses of British eating habits. Dramatically reduced meat consumption would slow down climate change and deforestation in South America, where rainforests are being chopped down to raise cows, which are later exported to Europe.

Eating too much meat, particularly processed meat, is unhealthy because it can involve consuming more fat than official guidelines recommend. "We don't need to go vegetarian to look after ourselves and our planet, but we do need to cut down on meat," said Peter Bennett. "While the government has ignored the environmental aspect of meat and dairy consumption, it can't ignore the lives that would be saved by switching to less and better meat."

Meat producers criticised the report. "The vast majority of consumers eat less than average recommendations of red meat already," said Chris Lamb. "It is over-simplistic to say that changing one element of the diet can have such a dramatic result. Red meat has a valuable role to play as part of a healthy diet." Jen Elford, of the Vegetarian Society, added: "Of course less meat is better than more, but we can't start solving the environmental and health problems without moving away from animal protein."

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)

Jet lag - PAU Aragón 2011

Jet lag is a combination of fatigue and other symptoms caused by travelling abruptly across different time zones. Travelling to a different time zone disrupts the circadian rhythm. And it can take many days to readjust to the new time zone. In fact, NASA estimates that you'll need one day for every one-hour time zone crossed to get back to your normal rhythm and energy levels. So a five hour time difference means that you'll need five days to get back to normal. There is no cure for jet lag, but its effects (memory lapses, irritability, digestive upsets,...) can be reduced with careful planning.

Flying east or west makes a difference. Your circadian rhythm (body clock) is less confused if you travel westward. This is because travelling west ‘prolongs’ the body clock’s experience of its normal day–night

cycle. Travelling eastwards, however, runs in direct opposition to the body clock. 

There is no evidence that popular strategies, such as fasting or eating complicated diets, have any effect. Suggestions to reduce the impact of jet lag while travelling include avoiding alcohol and caffeinated drinks, eating small meals frequently, choosing lighter foods like fruit and vegetables or wearing loose, comfortable clothing.

Some travellers use alcohol to help them get to sleep, but this actually disrupts the normal sleep cycles and can prolong jet lag. The impact of alcohol on the body is 2-3 times more potent when you're flying.

Computer education for young children: a growing concern

Over the past few years, computers have become a vastly popular household item. Our children's lives are already getting influenced by technology. Today, we find computers in use everywhere, whether we go to reserve a train ticket or to a bank. This is because it is faster and helps us complete our work without errors. So parents too have realized the need to help their children develop strong computer skills.

Slowly traditions are being broken and the computer is becoming a child’s learning tool. Children are reading their bedtime stories online instead of in bed with their parents. Parents are leaving the learning up to the computers and spending less quality time with their children. The most important learning step for children is interaction with others. If they are sitting in front of the screen all day, they do not learn to share, wait their turn, or even something as simple as manners.

Kids with access to software that is not age appropriate may be exposed to such negative influences as violence, strong language, and over-stimulation from fast-action graphics. Moreover, frequent and prolonged computer sessions may pose physical health risks like visual strain, and posture and skeletal problems.

Overall, however, the benefits seem to outweigh the drawbacks. And actively involved parents can control most of the drawbacks. This puts even greater responsibility on parents to be vigilant and conservative in their judgement about their children's computer usage, especially regarding the internet.

Des roses pour célébrer la centième Journée de la femme - FP Grado Superior 2011 - francés A2

Mardi 8 mars, c'était la Journée Internationale de la Femme. Une journée consacrée aux femmes du monde entier, pour rendre hommage à leur lutte, à leur talent et à leur travail, mais aussi pour ne pas oublier que l’égalité entre l’homme et la femme est encore loin. En 2010, au Parlement européen de Strasbourg, pour célébrer les cent ans de cette journée, une rose a été posée sur les sièges occupés par une femme députée.

Depuis la première Journée de la femme en 1910, le destin des femmes dans le monde a beaucoup évolué. Mais l'égalité avec les hommes est encore bien loin, et cent ans plus tard, ce 8 mars 2011 est l'occasion de faire un bilan sur la condition des femmes dans le monde et sur l’égalité des sexes.
En France, le droit des femmes a évolué tout au long du XXe siècle : elles ont obtenu le droit de vote en 1945 et il y a de plus en plus de femmes en politique et dans la direction des grandes entreprises. Malheureusement, ces avances ne se sont pas faites naturellement : pour parvenir à la parité entre hommes et femmes en politique et à l'égalité des salaires, des lois spécifiques ont été nécessaires.
Malgré ces avancées, des inégalités persistent dans la France de 2011. Les femmes sont toujours responsables de la majorité des tâches ménagères. Elles occupent généralement des postes moins bien payés que les hommes. Et pour un même travail, elles touchent un salaire inférieur à celui des hommes.
La situation de la femme dans le monde est pire encore. On calcule qu’une femme sur deux est victime de mauvais traitements.
Chaque année, la journée internationale de la femme est l’occasion d’une analyse particulière. En 2011, le thème central était la situation des femmes déplacées dans les zones en conflit, qui sont fréquemment victimes de violences sexuelles, de discrimination et d’intimidations.

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/

What’s in a Name? - PAU Madrid 2011

>Exámenes selectividad inglés resueltos C. Madrid

Recently, a couple in New Zealand was not allowed to name their baby son 4Real. Even though New Zealand has quite liberal rules about naming children, names beginning with a number are not allowed. They decided to call him Superman instead.

In many countries around the world, unusual names for children are becoming more popular, especially since the increasing fashion for celebrities to give their children silly names. In Britain, you can call a child almost anything you like - the only restrictions on parents relate to offensive words. Some parents choose names which come from popular culture. For example, there have been six boys named Gandalf after the character in the Lord of the Rings novels and films. Equally, names relating to sport are fairly common - since 1984, 36 children have been called Arsenal after the football team.

Other countries have much stricter rules about how parents should name their children. Countries including Japan, Denmark, Germany and Argentina have an approved list of names from which parents must choose. In China, there are some rules about what you may call a child - no foreign letters or symbols are allowed. As a result, just a year ago, a couple could not name their baby son @.

In Britain, some names which were previously considered old-fashioned have become more popular again, such as Maisie or Ella for a girl, or Alfie or Noah for a boy. But the most popular names are not the silly ones. The top names are fairly traditional - Jack, Charlie and Thomas for boys and Grace, Ruby and Jessica for girls.

Cleopatra was not killed by a snake - PAU 2011 inglés Madrid

>Exámenes selectividad inglés resueltos C. Madrid

The Queen of the Nile ended her life in 30 BC. According to legend, it was the bite of an Egyptian cobra which caused her death. After losing the Battle of Actium, her Roman lover, Mark Antony, is said to have committed suicide. Cleopatra did likewise, according to tradition, by killing herself. Her legacy survives in numerous works of art and the many dramatizations of her story in literature and other media. Cleopatra is usually portrayed as a great beauty and her successive conquests of the world's most powerful men are taken to be proof of her aesthetic and sexual appeal.
Now Christoph Schaefer, a German historian and professor at the University of Trier, has presented evidence on a television programme that drugs and not a snake were the cause of death. He said that the bite of a snake would have given her an agonizing death over several days. "Queen Cleopatra was famous for her beauty and was unlikely to have subjected herself to a long and disfiguring death," said Schaefer, the author of a best-selling book in Germany called Cleopatra.
"Cleopatra wanted to remain beautiful in her death to maintain her myth. The last female Pharaoh probably took a lethal cocktail, which, back then, was a well-known mixture that led to a painless death within just a few hours. We consulted eminent zoologists and toxicologists and they said that a snake bite would have been too uncertain and taken too long," Professor Schaefer added.

Viens chez moi, j'habite chez mes parents . PAU francés 2011

Exámenes selectividad francés resueltos Andalucía

Le bac, c’est fait, les études à l’université ont démarré, sa nouvelle vie commence… Mais son adresse est toujours celle de ses parents. Et forcément, vivre avec un «adulescent» demande quelques ajustements pour que sa nécessaire indépendance ne transforme pas le toit familial en hôtel. La solution ? Instaurer des règles à la maison.

En apparence, rien n’a changé. Elle porte toujours ses bottes UGG et se fait des tartines de Nutella. Il a encore son sweat à capuche et continue à jouer à des jeux bizarres d’Heroic fantasy. Sauf que sous cette enveloppe familière grandit un(e) inconnu(e) : un(e) étudiant(e)! De cette espèce très particulière, propre à Paris et aux grandes villes, qui continue à habiter sous le toit de papa-maman. Et qui partage toujours, parfois à contre-coeur, son quotidien avec eux. Comment intégrer que ce jeune adulte en devenir ne fasse plus tout à fait partie du collectif «les  enfants» ? Et lui permettre, sans perdre tout contrôle, de construire son «chez-soi» dans ce qui reste fondamentalement la maison familiale. Selon la sociologue Elsa Ramos, auteur de Rester enfant, devenir adulte, l’enjeu pour le jeune, «c’est de se ménager des espaces privés sans que cette séparation s’apparente à une rupture avec les autres membres de la famille».

Par Valérie de Saint-Pierre. 19 décembre 2010. lefigaro.fr

Un français champion du monde - PAU francés 2011

>Exámenes selectividad francés Madrid resueltos

Le Français Sylvain Quimene a remporté vendredi soir l’édition 2009 du Championnat du monde d’air guitar après avoir séduit le jury grâce à des mouvements de danse acrobatique et un costume de scène détonant*, ont annoncé les organisateurs finlandais.

Originaire de Paris, Sylvain Quimene -Gunther Love de son nom de scène- a conquis la première place de cette compétition qui consiste à mimer de façon dérisoire* la gestuelle d’un guitariste, le tout sans guitare. La compétition, qui s’est tenue dans la ville d’Oulu, dans le Nord de la Finlande, a récompensé le Français pour ses prouesses* acrobatiques  et ses solos de guitare imaginaires. Âgé de 28 ans, le Français avait, pour l’occasion, revêtu un costume léopard moulant* et doré. Sa performance lui a valu de récolter 35,1 points et de terminer devant l’ancien champion, l’Américain Graig Billmeir qui a obtenu la deuxième place. Les participants avaient 60 secondes pour exécuter une chanson de leur choix du répertoire rock ou heavy métal, en prétendant l’interpréter sans aucun instrument.

Le jury a décerné* des notes à chaque candidat en fonction du choix de la musique, de la présence scénique, de la prouesse technique et de l’impression artistique.

D’après Presse Papiers,
Mai, juin, juillet 2010

Exams come to the bedroom - PAU inglés Andalucía 2011 resuelto

>Exámenes selectividad inglés resueltos Andalucía

The US firm Software Secure Inc. has developed a new system that allows students to take tests from their bedrooms at any time of day or night. The University of Wales is already experimenting with this technology and dozens of others will be offered the service this summer. The system works through a unit that students plug into their computers and it incorporates software to prevent students from cheating.

Once a student feels ready to take the written exam, the technology takes a fingerprint to check his/her identity and a 360-degree webcam and microphone check that the student is not trying to cheat by receiving help from others. The computer also locks network access so that the student cannot search the internet for answers.

"The program acts in the same way as a normal invigilator. However, there are still some questions over whether a student would be able to cheat and how it would be possible, logistically, to use the system with thousands of students," said Mark Pelling, a senior administrator at the university.

Dans les moteurs de l’avenir - EOI francés B2

À l’avant-scène, une profusion d’informations contradictoires sur la fin du pétrole, le boom des énergies vertes et le bruit des éoliennes. Dans les coulisses, un ballet réglé d’intérêts: les forgerons de l’ordre mondial s’affairent. Spectacle à fronts renversés? Comprendre le grand jeu de l’énergie dont dépend l’avenir de l’humanité implique une démarche volontariste.

Trois traits caractérisent le paysage énergétique global. En premier lieu, les connaissances fiables dont nous aurions besoin pour peser sur les choix de demain sont confisquées au public: elles hibernent dans les coffres d’Etats et d’entreprises. Ensuite, les investissements nécessaires à la mise en oeuvre d’une nouvelle filière sont si lourds qu’ils engagent un pays sur plusieurs générations. Dès lors, les intérêts économiques priment, même lorsqu’ils fusionnent avec d’autres considérations d’allure plus présentable: aux questions géopolitiques, aux débats éthiques, aux controverses climatiques répondent presque toujours les profits des multinationales.

Selon l’Agence internationale de l’énergie (AIE), le «pic» pétrolier aurait été atteint en 2006. Mais il faut se méfier des effets d’annonce. Dans ce domaine, on ment et on bluffe pour influencer les marchés et justifier des investissements irrationnels. La perplexité est aussi de mise quand l’Organisation de coopération et de développement économiques (OCDE) affirme que les coûts de l’électricité solaire et éolienne rejoignent ceux du courant d’origine nucléaire ou fossile. Difficile d’oublier que les énergies dites «vertes» constituent le nouveau Graal des industriels. Les géants de l’économie mondiale tiennent désormais deux fers au feu: d’un côté, les «renouvelables» ; de l’autre, les hydrocarbures.

Contrairement au négoce des clarinettes, le commerce de l’énergie est condamné à tenir compte des enjeux stratégiques. Gazoducs et oléoducs doivent répondre à des critères de sécurité maximum pour irriguer les coeurs économiques. Au-delà du calcul classique de rentabilité, les sommes engagées intègrent une dimension politique et stratégique. Pour éviter les zones dangereuses et s’assurer le contrôle des routes, les grandes puissances se livrent des batailles épiques.

L’emprise des peuples sur leur avenir énergétique peut donc paraître bien limitée et la perspective d’une planète à dix milliards d’êtres humains obligera à rationaliser un secteur esclave des absurdités du marché. «En six heures, les déserts dans le monde reçoivent plus d’énergie que l’humanité entière n’en consomme en une année.» Cette citation orne le site Internet de la fondation Desertec, un projet intercontinental qui regroupe différents pays au sein d’un immense réseau de production d’énergie renouvelable spécialisée selon les milieux géographiques: panneaux solaires dans le désert, éoliennes sur les côtes, barrages dans les montagnes... Utopie éblouissante qui ne pourra nous faire oublier cette réalité: un tiers de l’humanité utilise encore exclusivement le bois et le charbon de bois pour se nourrir, se chauffer et travailler.

Source : www.monde-diplomatique.fr

Texte adapté pour cette épreuve

Concilier travail et vie de famille reste compliqué - EOI francés B2

Parce que la vie familiale relevait à leurs yeux de la sphère privée, les entreprises ont longtemps négligé les politiques de conciliation entre le travail et la famille. Mais depuis le début des années 2000, le vent a tourné: poussées par les instances européennes et les gouvernements français, elles sont aujourd'hui sommées, au nom de l'égalité hommes-femmes, d'inventer des politiques de soutien à la parentalité.

Mise en place, en 2004, du crédit d'impôt famille destiné à favoriser la création de crèches, lancement, en 2006, de chèques emploi-service pour financer les modes de garde: les pouvoirs publics demandent aux entreprises d'accompagner l'une des révolutions du XXe siècle, le travail féminin. De 1962 à 2005, le taux d'activité des femmes est passé de 42% à 82%: près de 60% des enfants de moins de 6 ans grandissent désormais au sein de couples "biactifs".

Pour mesurer les efforts des employeurs, l'Institut national des études démographiques (INED) a réalisé, en 2004-2005, une grande enquête sur les politiques de conciliation des entreprises. Près de 10.000 personnes de 20 à 49 ans et plus de 2500 entreprises de plus de vingt salariés ont été interrogées. Il s'agit, précise l'économiste Thomas Piketty dans sa préface, de "l'enquête la plus ambitieuse menée à ce jour sur l'articulation entre vie familiale et vie professionnelle".

Premier constat: malgré les efforts du secteur public et des grandes entreprises, les politiques de conciliation restent rares. Plus de la moitié des établissements (20% des salariés) n'offrent quasiment aucun soutien à la parentalité. "Les aides ne sont pas toujours bien ciblées et elles ne font que rarement l'objet d'une politique cohérente et délibérée".

Les entreprises font des gestes: beaucoup d'établissements ont ainsi mis en place des prestations financières à destination des familles, qu'il s'agisse de complément d'indemnisation aux congés maternité et paternité, de primes à la naissance ou d'aides aux frais de garde. Mais les services, notamment les crèches, restent rarissimes: en 2005, elles concernaient à peine 3% des établissements. Surtout, les entreprises rechignent à répondre à la principale revendication des salariés: l'introduction d'une certaine souplesse dans les horaires. "Lorsque des ajustements existent, ils concernent bien plus souvent des événements rares que l'organisation quotidienne du travail. Ainsi, des assouplissements d'horaires sont permis de façon ponctuelle le jour de la rentrée scolaire ou en cas d'enfant malade, mais il existe peu d'aménagements réguliers."

Deuxième constat: contrairement à ce que l'on dit souvent, l'entreprise est un lieu où les dissymétries hommes-femmes restent encore très marquées. Avant même de choisir un emploi, les femmes anticipent le fait qu'elles assumeront en moyenne 80% du noyau dur des tâches domestiques: elles accordent beaucoup plus d'importance que les hommes aux horaires, ce qui les cantonne souvent dans les emplois de "petits temps" (temps partiel).

Pour les chercheurs qui ont participé à ce travail, la conciliation travail-famille passe donc par une réflexion approfondie sur l'organisation du travail. Il faut, affirment-ils, rompre avec les cultures d'entreprises qui font de la présence un signe de motivation.

"Tant que les réunions importantes se tiendront à 19 heures, il est sans doute vain d'espérer une réelle égalité hommes-femmes dans les carrières professionnelles et les tâches domestiques".

Ils plaident aussi pour des politiques publiques ambitieuses - développement massif des modes de garde et création d'un congé parental plus court, mieux rémunéré et mieux partagé avec le père. Nicolas Sarkozy a promis une réforme du congé parental mais en matière d'offre de garde, les ambitions, en un an, ont été sérieusement revues à la baisse: après avoir annoncé la création de 350.000 places d'accueil pour les moins de 3 ans d'ici à 2012, le gouvernement évoque maintenant le chiffre de 200.000 places.

 Source : www.lemonde.fr
Texte adapté pour cette épreuve

Cable's big fear: Internet TV

Force of habit is a powerful thing. How else can I explain why I spend $200 per month for a package of Internet, TV and telephone –most of which I don’t really need? My wife and I make most calls on our cell phones. An even bigger waste of money is TV, which accounts for $125 of the $200 package. Nearly everything we want we could get online. So why not just pay for the Internet and forget the rest?
Nielsen recently reported that although online video viewing has risen, TV viewing is still done on a traditional TV. But that’s not the case for younger people, like my pal Dan Frommer. He gets shows from the Internet via a Macintosh computer hooked to his LCD television. He can’t get everything he’d like to see. The next generation will likely never sign up for cable TV at all.
Cable companies are faced with a dilemma: do they embrace the Internet and try to make money online, or do they fight the Internet and try to hold off the destruction? The answer is to do both –holding off the rising tide with one hand while racing to devise workable Internet business models with the other.

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

Le papa de Simon . Francés A1 Graduado ESO

« Midi finit de sonner. La porte de 1'école s'ouvre et les gamins courent au-dehors en se donnant des coups pour sortir plus vite. Mais lis ne s'en vont pas d'un côté et de 1'autre pour rentrer dîner, comme ils le font chaque jour; lis s'arrêtent à quelques pas, et par groupes se mettent à parler à voix basse.

C'est que ce matin-là, Simon, le fils de la Blanchotte, est venu en classe pour la première fois. Tous ont entendu parler de la Blanchotte dans leurs familles; on est poli avec elle en public mais les mères entre elles la regardent en la plaignant un peu et en la méprisant; les enfants pensent de même sans savoir pourquoi.

Simon, lui, ils ne le connaissent pas, car il ne sort jamais, et il ne court pas avec eux dans les rues du village ou sur les bords de la rivière. C'est pourquoi ils ne l'aiment pas beaucoup; et ils l'ont reçu avec une certaine joie et beaucoup d'étonnement. Ils se sont répété l'un à l'autre cette parole dite par un garçon de quatorze ou de quinze ans qui semble savoir beaucoup de choses car il cligne finement des yeux:

-Vous savez... Simon... hé bien, il n'a pas de papa. »

Guy de Maupassant (1850-1893). Cinq contes.

Addio sacchetto di plastica, arriva quello bio

Le buste per la spesa saranno biodegradabili

Da riutilizzare per la raccolta differenziata

Dal primo gennaio, stop ai sacchetti di plastica. Il ministro dell’Ambiente Stefania Prestigiacomo si è impuntata e alla fine ha vinto la sua battaglia contro chi chiedeva un ennesimo rinvio della legge. Così anche l’Italia si è adeguata alla direttiva dell’Unione Europea che vieta la produzione e la commercializzazione di sacchetti di plastica non biodegradabili.
Un anno di tempo. Il primo gennaio è entrato in vigore il divieto di produzione dei sacchetti di plastica, ma chi ha scorte in magazzino potrà venderle ancora fino al 30 aprile. Entro il 31 agosto gli shopper di plastica dovranno sparire dai magazzini della grande distribuzione, mentre chi vende al dettaglio e i negozi di vicinato avranno tempo fino al 31 dicembre per adeguarsi.
Una scelta irrinunciabile per l’ambiente: basti pensare che, secondo Legambiente, in Italia ogni anno si consumano più di 20 miliardi di sacchetti di plastica. Un quantitativo che potrebbe ricoprire un territorio pari a quello della Valle d’Aosta.
Con il loro utilizzo, poi, ogni famiglia media italiana produce ogni anno più di 10 chili di CO2 (anidride carbonica), responsabile dell’effetto serra e dei cambiamenti climatici. E non bisogna dimenticare che queste buste impiegano fino a 200 anni per decomporsi: tant’è che nell’oceano Pacifico, al largo delle coste californiane, vaga ormai da anni una specie di «isola di plastica» grande due volte la superficie del Texas.
Come sostituirli. I commercianti proporranno sacchetti in carta o in plastica biodegradabile, che potranno essere usati anche per la raccolta differenziata della frazione organica dei rifiuti.
Ma le vere alternative ecologiche sono il loro riutilizzo e l’abitudine a portare con sé un contenitore di tela o di fibra sintetica. Oppure scegliere cesti in vimini, molto usati per esempio in Germania. Sempre secondo Legambiente, anche il sacchetto di plastica potrebbe essere una buona scelta dal punto di vista ambientale, purché lo si riutilizzi: dal ventesimo utilizzo in poi, l’impatto ambientale è inferiore a quello del sacchetto di carta.
La sfida per l’anno appena incominciato è quella dunque di sensibilizzare i consumatori.
Con questo obbiettivo, molte associazioni di commercianti si sono alleate con i Comuni.
L’Associazione Comuni Virtuosi ha lanciato la campagna «Porta la Sporta», cui ha aderito per esempio il comune di Firenze in collaborazione con Confesercenti. Saranno distribuiti sacchetti con il marchio della campagna, riutilizzabili e personalizzabili dai commercianti che ne faranno richiesta.

Daniela FABBRI. Oggi (1 gennaio 2011), p. 110-111

Onorevole, si connetta - PAU Cataluña 2011

Dura ormai da 1.888 giorni una delle più incredibili anomalie italiane in materia di politica dell’innovazione. Un’anomalia che ha contribuito in modo determinante ad abbandonare il nostro Paese sul fondo di ogni classifica internazionale sulla diffusione di Internet.
Si tratta del cosiddetto «decreto Pisanu» (tecnicamente: decreto legge n. 144 del 27 luglio 2005), dal nome dell’allora ministro degli Interni che, all’indomani degli attentati di Al Qaeda a Londra e Madrid, preoccupato che un terrorista potesse sedersi in un bar, aprire il suo pc e, sfruttando la connessione WiFi che il gestore del bar gli ha messo a disposizione, progettasse un attentato, decise d’imporre a tutti gli esercizi pubblici di richiedere una licenza speciale al questore per l’istallazione di un punto di connessione WiFi, procedendo anche all’identificazione — con esibizione del documento d’identità — di ogni cliente, nonché alla registrazione e conservazione dei dati relativi alle attività di navigazione della clientela.
Appena quattro giorni dopo il decreto venne ratificato dal Parlamento e da allora è legge dello Stato (n. 155 del 31 luglio del 2005). E, sebbene abbia prodotto nel nostro Paese più danni che vantaggi, le disposizioni ottenute al suo articolo 7, originariamente destinate a rimanere efficaci sino al 31 dicembre 2007, sono state prorogate di anno in anno, attraverso una sequenza di tre «Milleproroghe», ovvero il perverso strumento normativo attraverso il quale, prima che l’anno finisca, il governo rinnova tutti i provvedimenti di legge dei quali non ha avuto tempo o voglia di occuparsi.
Nessuno in Parlamento si è mai interrogato circa la reale utilità — in termini di antiterrorismo — di imporre al gestore di un bar di identificare il suo cliente al quale «presta» un po’ di banda. Mai il ministero degli Interni o altri hanno riferito se, come e quando questa legge ha prevenuto un atto terroristico dal 2005 a oggi. In compenso è certo — e provato da diverse ricerche — che la norma (inesistente, ad esempio, negli Usa) ha tarpato le ali allo sviluppo della Rete senza fili in Italia.
Che cosa fare, dunque, per liberarci dal decreto Pisanu? Innanzitutto scongiurare il rischio che con il prossimo Milleproroghe, i cui lavori preparatori stanno per iniziare, il governo non confermi per la quarta volta l’obbligo per i gestori di richiedere una licenza al questore per l’installazione di un hot spot WiFi; e poi, esigere che l’esecutivo — in una sorte di tardivo pentimento operoso — utilizzi lo stesso decreto legge Milleproroghe per abrogare le disposizioni che impongono al gestore di un bar di trasformarsi in sheriff e identificare, con tanto di documento d’identità, i propri avventori.
C’è bisogno di rilanciare la diffusione Internet nel nostro Paese per colmare il ritardo rispetto al resto d’Europa. E questa appare, davvero, una ragione di straordinaria necessità ed urgenza: davvero, quindi, sarebbe giustificato il ricorso al decreto legge.

Testo adattato da Guido SCORZA. L’Espresso (8 ottobre 2010), p. 157

La nouvelle campagne qui accuse l'industrie du tabac . PAU francés 2011

Exámenes selectividad francés resueltos Andalucía

Le Comité national contre le tabagisme (CNCT) va lancer une nouvelle campagne télévisée au ton cynique et percutant pour dénoncer les pratiques de l’industrie du tabac à l’égard des jeunes et faire réagir devant l’inacceptable. Le spot, créé par l’agence EuroRSCG360, sera diffusé à partir de mardi et jusqu’à fin janvier sur TF1 et Eurosport notamment. Il sera aussi visible sur Daylymotion et YouTube. «Il faut que les choses soient dites et, si l’industrie du tabac n’est pas contente, c’est bien l’objectif», a déclaré le président du CNCT, Yves Martinet. «ll y a entre 200.000 et 300.000 jeunes qui sont de nouveaux fumeurs chaque année », a-t-il souligné. «On veut rappeler que le tabagisme est une maladie de l’enfant, puisque les jeunes commencent à fumer à 13 ou 14 ans et que ce sont encore des enfants », a-t-il ajouté. Le CNCT profite de cette campagne pour lancer une pétition en ligne pour dire non aux pratiques des cigarettiers qui recrutent des consommateurs de plus en plus jeunes. «Vous pensiez qu’en fumant vous étiez cool et rebelle? Vous avez tout faux; fumer, c’est être esclave du tabac». C’est le message véhiculé par l’Association des droits des non-fumeurs (DNF) via une campagne de prévention-choc contre le tabagisme.

L’Express.fr 21/12/2010

What makes a responsible learner?

>Exámenes selectividad inglés Galicia resueltos

What makes a responsible learner? Do they always do their homework and follow the teacher's instructions? Are they good team workers? Or do they volunteer to clean the blackboard? Are they diligent and obedient? They may not always be like that.

We do not think of responsible learners as role models (or teacher's pets), but as learners who accept the idea that their own efforts are crucial to progress in learning, and behave accordingly. So, when doing their homework or answering a question in class, they are not aspiring to please the teacher, or to get a good mark. They are simply making an effort in order to learn something.

Responsible learners do not have to be especially keen on team work, but they are willing to cooperate with the teacher and others in the learning group for everyone's benefit. Cooperation does not mean that they always obediently follow instructions: they may ask about the purpose of the activity first, or they may even offer suggestions on how to improve an activity.

Finally, responsible students may not always do their homework, but whenever they fail to do it, they are conscious of missing an opportunity to expand their knowledge of the foreign language. This is because they consciously control their own progress, and make an effort to use all opportunities to their benefit, including classroom activities and homework.

The saying goes: you can bring a horse to the water, but you cannot make him drink. Teachers can provide all the necessary circumstances and input, but learning will only happen if learners are willing to contribute. And, in order for learners to be actively involved in the learning process, they first need to realise that success in learning depends as much on the student as on the teacher.