«Auld Lang Syne»

At midnight on 31st December in many English-speaking countries, people sing the words of Robert Burns, a great Scot poet.

Merry Christmas and a happy new year!!!

¡ADIÓS CORDERA! ,Leopoldo Alas Clarín

Haz clic en el siguiente enlace y lee el cuento. Después, realiza las  actividades de abajo.

http://www.ciudadseva.com/textos/cuentos/esp/alas/adios_cordera.htm

1. Explica el significado del título de este cuento.

2. Haz un breve resumen del argumento del cuento.

3. ¿Cuáles son los temas dominantes en la narración?

4. Explica las analogías y diferencias entre las distintas caracterizaciones de los personajes.

5. Discute el vitalismo/antivitalismo en los personajes que representan estos caracteres.

6. ¿Cuál es la estructura del cuento?

7. Haz una lista de los elementos simbólicos del cuento y su función.

8. ¿Cuál es el papel de la naturaleza en el cuento?

9. ¿Es un cuento costumbrista/regionalista/ cosmopolita? Indica los elementos de las tres categorías que encuentras en el cuento.

10. Explica el final del cuento y el mensaje que quiere dar el autor.

CUENTOS PARA PENSAR, Jorge Bucay

ELECCIONES: LEY D’HONT

CONNECTORS

Click on the link to help you with connectors

Pet dogs lower stress in kids

New research shows that having a pet dog can help to reduce children’s stress. A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the USA shows that petting a dog is a great way to help stressed kids. Researchers looked at 643 children aged six and seven over an 18-month period. They found that children who have a pet dog suffer from less stress than children without a dog. The researchers said that just twelve per cent of children with pets showed signs of stress. This compares with 21 per cent of children with no dog. The research will come as no surprise to the parents of children who have a dog. They have always known that a dog is great for helping a child’s development and mental health.
A researcher said there are many things about the research that she is still unclear about. She said she did not know if less anxious children have pet dogs, or if it is the other way round and pet dogs make children less anxious. She said the research just showed a link between pet dogs and children’s stress. She said pet dogs help children start conversations. This can often be difficult for children to do and can cause them stress. The researchers also said a pet dog can be a source of comfort for children. The dog can also act as a friend to a small child, who tells the pet all his or her secrets and stories. Sometimes the dog is so important that its name can be the first word the child speaks.

 

REPORTED SPEECH

If you need to review the Reported Speech, then listen, watch and  practice.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/course/upper-intermediate/unit-2/session-1

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/course/upper-intermediate/unit-2/tab/grammar

 

Facebook boss to take paternity leave

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is planning to take two months of paternity leave following the birth of his daughter. This sends a strong message to all would-be fathers to get involved in the earliest stages of their newborn’s life. Zuckerberg is only taking half of the time Facebook grants to male employees for paternity leave. Nevertheless, it sets a positive example to men worldwide on the responsibilities of fatherhood. The Facebook CEO wrote on his own Facebook page: «This is a very personal decision. Studies show that when working parents take time to be with their newborns, outcomes are better for the children and families.» He added: «We’re excited to start this next stage in our lives.»
Over the past few decades, more and more companies have been giving men fully paid paternity leave. However, many men appear somewhat reluctant to take advantage of this benefit. Technology companies are often in the forefront of looking after employees, but even their male employees have been hesitant to utilise the perk. Many male workers prefer to continue working out of fear of falling behind on projects or missing out on promotions. Just 2 per cent of businesses in the UK reported a significant increase in the amount of paternity leave taken recently. Chris Parke, an employment specialist from London, offered some advice for men who were unsure about taking paternity leave: «Be courageous,» he said.

IMPRESIONISMO

WRITING: Amazon enters UK grocery shopping market

The online shopping giant Amazon has entered the grocery delivery business in the UK. Its new service is called Amazon Pantry. A traditional pantry is a small room or cupboard in a house where people put food, plates and cutlery. Amazon’s new product will provide customers with a next-day delivery service of groceries. It will mean there will be a lot of competition for the UK’s traditional supermarkets. Amazon Pantry customers will be able to select from more than 4,000 goods ranging from food and drinks to health and beauty products. Customers will not be able to buy fresh fruit and vegetables yet. A new service for this called Amazon Fresh is in the planning stage and will be available later.
UK shoppers may not be all rushing to use Amazon’s new grocery delivery service. There is a charge. All customers must already be members of Amazon’s express delivery service Amazon Prime, which costs $120 a year. They will also have to pay a delivery charge of $4.50 for the first 20kg of shopping. Amazon Pantry spokeswoman Helene Parthenay said she thought people would like the convenience of the service. She said it would, «take the heavy lifting out of replenishing the basics and store cupboard essentials that people need every day.» She added: «We are always looking to innovate on behalf of our customers and find ways to save them time and money.»