A magician with numbers - EOI Aragón inglés B1 resuelto

Daniel Tammet has an extraordinary gift for mathematics. 

He can also speak 10 languages as well as his own invented language, "Mänti". 

Daniel’s mathematical abilities are so extraordinary that it took a long time for them to be recognised. He struggled at school. He got a B at Maths GCSE. He wasn't diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome until three years ago, at 25. Sooner would have been better "both for me and my parents".

 “As a child I didn't speak very much. I used to put my fingers in my ears to feel the silence. It was hard for me to find my voice because I was, for so long, absorbed in my own world," says Daniel "I had to teach myself to look in somebody's eyes," he explains. "Before that, I used to look at their mouth, because it was the part of their face that was moving."

Daniel's condition brings him great riches: his visualisation of numbers means he can perform extraordinary mathematical achievements. Daniel's world is a rich and strange one, where every number up to 10,000 has colour, texture and emotional resonance. More remarkable still, he has described it all in Born on a Blue Day, his memoir of his life with a rare form of Asperger's; consciousness-raising is part of his motivation for writing his book. "My condition is invisible otherwise."

Scientists at California's Center for Brain Studies were amazed when, two years ago, they discovered his facility for discerning prime numbers. They had assumed he must have been trained to do it. But to him, it is more like an instinctive process.

"The scientists and researchers come to me so I can help them design the parameters of their experiments," he says. It is important to Daniel that he uses his gifts responsibly, perhaps for science, perhaps for teaching: he is already devising a new system of visualisation to help with language learning and dyslexia.

Daniel was lonely. Forming relationships was difficult. "I was desperate for a friend and I used to lie in bed at night thinking about what it would be like. My younger brothers and sisters had friends and I used to watch them playing to try to work out what they did and how friendship worked. Then, I would have traded everything for normality”.

Falling in love with Neil has changed everything. They have been together for six years. Now his emotional life is more like everyone else's. "Neil is very patient with me, and the routines I need to have to help with my anxieties," says Daniel. "I don't know what I'd do without him."

Generally, Daniel feels he is progressing all the time towards "outgrowing" his autism." He is getting steadily better at social interaction. "Every experience I have I add to my mental library and hopefully life should then get easier." I've learned that being different isn't necessarily a bad thing." In this, he seems to sum up the progress we all hope for.

Working for the Royal Household - EOI Aragón inglés B1 resuelto

The Royal Household provides unique career opportunities for those who wish to take a new direction. 

REWARD AND BENEFITS

There is a wide range of benefits and facilities available to permanent and fixed-term contract employees of the Royal Household. These include the following:

•    Eligibility to join the Royal Household Stakeholder pension scheme and receive a 15% employer contribution to a portable pension, death in service cover (four times salary), and ill health cover after six months' service

•    25 days' annual leave rising to 30 days after 10 years' service (pro rata for part-time or fixed-term contracts)

•    Excellent staff dining facilities at Buckingham Palace. Staff at all sites are provided with a free lunch each working day

•    Supportive sick pay and family-friendly policies

•    For those who are eligible, subsidised accommodation and housing, for which an abatement is charged

•    20% discount in all Royal Collection Shops and 10% discount in Windsor Farm Shop

•    Complimentary tickets to the occupied Royal residences and galleries

•    Employee Assistance Programme (independent information and counselling service) open to all employees and their immediate family 

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

The Royal Household aims to ensure that all employees have the necessary knowledge, skills and experience to contribute to their maximum potential. Many training and development opportunities are available to staff, including:

•    Full induction training for all new employees

•    Structured on-the-job programmes

•    Technical training

•    IT training

•    Personal skills and management training

•    Financial support and study leave for relevant professional qualifications.

All employees receive a structured performance development review at least once a year, when there is an opportunity to discuss performance and training and development needs with managers.

EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY

The Royal Household aims to employ the best people from the widest available pool of talent. It also strives to ensure that all employees are able to contribute to their maximum potential, irrespective of gender, race, ethnic or national origin, disability, religion, sexual orientation or age. The Royal Household does and will:

•    Take steps to attract employment applications from talented individuals in all sections of the community;

•    Review periodically selection criteria and processes to ensure individuals are recruited and promoted on the basis of their merits and abilities relevant to the job;

•    Provide a working environment in which no employee experiences discrimination, harassment or intimidation.

Fathers fight for family flexy-time - EOI CyL inglés B1 resuelto

Growing numbers of men are rejecting the culture of working long hours in favour of spending more time at home, according to a study which reveals a social revolution is taking place as fathers become increasingly involved in bringing up their children.

Men are a substantial and fast-rising proportion of those seeking their employer's permission to work flexi-time, with shorter hours or fewer days. But they face more obstacles to securing a better work-life balance than women.

In the last two years 1.2 million men, around 10 per cent of the mat workforce. have asked their employer if they can work flexibly. That is far less than the 2.3 million women (19 per cent) who have sought the same change in their hours, but a big increase on previous years.

‘ More men are seeking the right to switch to working flexi-time, a nine-day fortnight or four-day week so they can be around to help their children and partners. And even more would do so if the rules on flexible working were changed so that all workers, not just parents, could do that', said Jo Morris, the1TUC'swork-life balance policy officer.

Jenny Watson, the chair of the Equal Opportunities Commission, said the TUC's research confirmed that Britain was in the middle of 'a social revolution' in how much time fathers want to spend with their families. More fathers are more concerned to be more involved with their families than ever before. Their desire to do so is moving faster than politicians' attitude to this. ‘This is a very private revolution, which often happens within a family that has to make a decision about childcare, and it has gone relatively unnoticed by those making public policy', said Watson.

'While some employers are good on flexible working, in other workplaces there can be an assumption that flexible working is for mothers, and fathers can find it not just hard to get but even hard to ask for it, because the prevailing culture is that, if you request it, you aren't serious about your job,' said Watson.

Since April 2003 parents of children under six have been able to ask their employer to vary their hours of work. But employers are only legally obliged to give "reasonable consideration" to such requests.

'Employers' greater unwillingness to let male workers change their hours is unhealthy because it reinforces the pattern of women with children being locked into low-hours and low-paid jobs and deepens wonen’s financial dependence on men, such as in their pension prospects in old age,' said Morris.

1 Trade Union Congress

Although allowing flexible working leads to happier, more productive employees and greater staff retention, some employers see it as difficult to implement and unfair to other workers. There is a slow but definite trend towards a woman being the bread-winner in a growing number of households. The number of men choosing not to work at all so that they can look after their home or children has risen according to the Office of National Statistics.

Adapted © The Observer 2006

Slow movement - EOI Canarias inglés B1 resuelto

The Slow Movement began with a protest against the opening of a McDonald’s restaurant in Piazza di Spagna, Rome that sparked the creation of the Slow Food organization. Over time, this developed into a subculture in other areas, such as Slow Travel, Slow Shopping and Slow Design. A principal characteristic of the Slow Movement is that it is propounded, and its momentum maintained, by individuals that constitute the expanding global community of Slow. Although it has existed in some form since the Industrial Revolution its popularity has grown considerably since the rise of Slow Food and Cittaslow in Europe, with Slow initiatives spreading as far as Australia and Japan.

 

Slow Parenting

Slow parenting encourages parents to plan less for their children, instead allowing them to enjoy their childhood and explore the world at their own pace. It is a response to hyper-parenting and helicopter parenting, the widespread trend for parents to schedule activities and classes after school every day and every weekend, to solve children´s problems, and to buy services from commercial suppliers rather than letting nature take its course. It was described most specifically by Carl Honoré in "Under Pressure: Rescuing Our Children From The Culture Of Hyper-Parenting".

 

Slow Travel

Supporters of slow travel argue that all too often the potential pleasure of the journey is lost by too eager anticipation of arrival. Slow travel is a state of mind which allows travellers to engage more fully with communities along their route, often favouring visits to spots enjoyed by local residents rather than merely following guidebooks. As such, slow travel shares some common values with ecotourism. Its supporters and devotees generally look for low-impact travel styles, even to the extent of avoiding flying.

 

Slow Art

Slow art is a developing movement championed by such proponents as Michael Kimmelman, chief art critic and columnist for the New York Times. It supports appreciating an art work in itself as opposed to a rapid, ephemeral state of art common in a chaotic societal setting. One of its central beliefs is that people often search what they already know as opposed to allowing the artist to present a journey or piece in itswhole.

Adapted from www.en.wikipedia.org

Reality TV - EOI Islas Baleares inglés B1 resuelto

There's a new kind of programme on television, and it's hardly like television at all! It's called reality TV and, as the name suggests, it is supposed to show us something very real. The participants aren't actors at all, but ordinary people in their daily lives. We, the viewers, might see them eating, sleeping, arguing or having a good time. We can hear all their conversations and watch their every move. Reality shows, therefore, are not regular television programmes at all. Instead they give us a close-up look into other people's lives. 

Why have reality shows become so popular? What makes us want to watch reality shows on TV? To begin with, we feel that we get to know the participants. We know their names from the beginning and gradually we learn more about them. We might even come to like some of them. Others, we might not like at all! Reality shows take us inside the lives of other people. Mostly, people wonder what it's like to be someone else. Experiencing other people's lives can be a great escape from our own. 

Some people say this has a very healthy effect on society and it's a harmless and entertaining way of passing the time. Other people, however, are not in favour of reality TV. Critics say that it is not really entertainment at all. What could be entertaining about two people doing their laundry or preparing the evening meal? Who wants to watch that? Who wants to hear all of their secrets and gossip? Some social scientists even say that reality TV could have damaging effects on society. 

What kinds of people take part in reality programmes? Well, since the participants may win a prize, they might be doing it for the money. There could be other reasons as well. For example, the participants on these shows become well known to the viewers. They may even become famous and find more work in TV after the reality show ends. Not only that, but some people may really like the attention of millions of eyes on them every day and night. Clearly, reality TV is not for shy people! 

New reality shows appear all the time. They can take place on a farm, in an apartment or even on an island. Each time a new show begins, it seems to be even more daring than the previous one. What do you think the future holds for reality TV? Could the next show take place in your city, neighbourhood or school? Eventually, the day may come when we can all be part of reality TV! 

Source: Adapted from article: “Reality Shows” by Chris Dufford.

Edinburgh cafés - EOI Asturias inglés B1 resuelto

Water of Leith Café Bistro

I visited it on a weekday at lunch time and had fortunately booked a table, as people were being turned away. Despite the place being busy, we did not feel rushed and service was very friendly. I had a good courgette quiche, followed by a delicious pear and almond cake. The café is family friendly and there were some noisy kids. Very friendly greeting both on the phone and when we got there. Nice atmosphere, tasty menu and the food did not let it down. We all really enjoyed our meal. Great to chat to the chef afterwards. Thoroughly recommend this little gem.

The Haven Café

This little gem is not that easy to find as it is on the shore at Newhaven and not actually in Edinburgh but it is well worth the trip out from the city. It is small and cosy and tables were never free for more that a few minutes. It is clearly a favourite with locals and visitors alike. The food is excellent. We had the all day breakfast which is a comprehensive Scottish breakfast which is full of flavour, freshly cooked and made with fresh local ingredients. Particularly of note is the haggis which is the best I have had in a long time. You get a large cup of tea, bigger than in most cafés, with plenty of milk on the table. The girls behind the counter work very hard to ensure a great eating experience. We will definitely be back.

Elephant House

Great little café. Obviously, if you're a big Harry Potter fan, you want to come to where it all started, and that alone is well worth the five-star review. The café itself is not catered specifically to fans (though they do have souvenir mugs and shirts for sale), which is nice, still the same atmosphere as when JK Rowling came here to write, I think. Make sure you check out the toilets if you're a fan, though, and bring your camera and a pen with you. For non-Potter fans, this little café is definitely still worth it. Breakfast was fantastic though a bit pricey. I got the pancakes with bacon, an almond croissant, and some tea. My companions got beans on toast and the full breakfast, respectively, and we all enjoyed our food. It's a nice, quiet atmosphere even for such a now well-known place and we stayed for over an hour. The food sustained us all day, so we ended up not eating "lunch" until almost 4 pm! Make sure you check out the view out the back windows, too, you can see the castle!

Ship on the shore

I went to the Ship on Saturday, and I have to say that I’m very pleased with the choice. The place is wonderful, it's like having dinner in a restaurant of centuries ago, candle light, foggy windows… super. Scallops and mussels are AMAZING, we've also had a paella which was OK - the fish was very good, the rice however, was overcooked. I tried the crumble pie for dessert. Price is expensive, but fair for the things you'll eat; good quality fish is expensive. I'll definitely come back.

Wildfire

This is a very small restaurant, with only about 30 places, and not having booked we were very lucky to get a table for two. We had the fish chowder, a steak and steak pie, and all the food was brilliant. Unfortunately, we could not manage a sweet, but they also looked great. The service was attentive and friendly.

Angels with Bagpipes

Fabulous little bar and restaurant. If we had known about it, we would definitely have eaten here as the food looked fantastic. Recommended by the lady on the bus tour.

From tripadvisor

Bats - EOI Asturias inglés B1 resuelto

Many people fear the small flying animals called bats. There are stories about bats attacking people and drinking human blood. However, bats are not dangerous. In fact, they are an important part of our environment. Bats are mammals, just like humans. There are about one thousand different kinds of bats in the world. Some weigh less than ten grams. Yet the largest bats are almost two meters long when their wings are extended.

Most people think bats are rare. That is because they hide during the day and are active only at night. However, bats can be found in almost every part of the world.

Not all bats spend their days underground in dark caves. Some rest in trees or other places that keep them safe from attack and changes in weather. Unlike other animals, their bodies are designed to hang upside down. This is the best position for them to take flight suddenly.

Bats are the only mammals that can really fly. Their wing structure, bones and muscles help them to move quickly. This helps bats in their search for food.

Most bats eat insects. Bats provide one of the most effective controls on insect populations. A single, small, brown bat can catch more than one thousand insects in just one hour. Twenty million bats live in Bracken Cave in the western American state of Texas. They eat about two hundred tons of insects every night.

Some bats eat fruit. Other bats like to eat pollen on plants. They help to make new plants by spreading pollen from flower to flower.  A few bats eat meat. They catch small frogs, birds or fish.

No report about bats is complete without a discussion of vampire bats. Three kinds of vampire bats feed on blood. They live in parts of Central and South America. These bats feed mainly on the blood of birds, farm animals and wild animals. They rarely attack people. The bats bite their victims and drink the blood, usually while the animal is sleeping. The harm from such bites comes not from the amount of blood lost, but from any resulting infection.

Source: The VOA Special English Science Report