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The Great Debaters(2007) is a movie directed by Denzel Washington. It is a drama based on the true story of Melvin B. Tolson, a professor at Wiley College Texas. In 1935, he inspired students to form the school's first debate team, which went on to challenge Harvard, an Ivy League University, in the national championship.
Here's a preview of the movie:
An essay is usually a short piece of writing which is quite often written from an author's personal point of view. Essays can consist of a number of elements, including: literary criticism, political manifestos, learned arguments, observations of daily life, recollections, and reflections of the author.
Essays have become a major part of a formal education. Secondary students are taught structured essay formats to improve their writing skills, and admission essays are often used by universities in selecting applicants and, in the humanities and social sciences, as a way of assessing the performance of students during final exams.
Essays have become a major part of a formal education. Secondary students are taught structured essay formats to improve their writing skills, and admission essays are often used by universities in selecting applicants and, in the humanities and social sciences, as a way of assessing the performance of students during final exams.
This semester, we learned how to write an essay providing solutions to problems. These were the three possible topics:
• How to learn English (and never forget it!).
• How to look 10 years younger.
• How to get along well with your parents.
• How to look 10 years younger.
• How to get along well with your parents.
We have already gone through the Composing, Drafting and Revising stages. You may now write your final drafts as a comment to this post. Remember that this piece is part of our preparation for the actual Writing test.
How to learn English (and never forget it)
ReplyDeleteNowadays English is the most important language in the world. For many professionals, to know English is completely basic and necessary. And people are look for English courses, to learn this language and have a better placement in the labour market. To learn English is not easy, it is necessary to have determination and effort.
Sometimes we need to be an autodidact to improve our English and never forget it. A useful suggestion would be watching movies in English, not using subtitles in Portuguese. By doing this you can practice your listening and have a fun time watching television.
Another solution is to start to talk with people in English, of course if you know that this people know how to speak English. The consequence of talking in English is train your pronunciation, vocabulary and listening. In this way you and the other person can practice your English. This is very important.
There are many ways to learn English and never forget it. By adopting and creating forms to study and practice your English, with this way, of course you will never forget it, because you will be in constant contact with the language.
Guilherme Eduardo Brugnolo
How to look 10 years younger (The fountain of youth)
ReplyDeleteIn our society, the standards of beauty make people think that being young is better than growing up and looking like it, and take this idea as a goal to achieve in life. But how could we look 10 years younger?
It could be an option to put on some botox or make some plastic surgery, but there are cheaper and healthier ways to look young, and gorgeous. A useful solution would be to have a balanced and healthy diet, with lots of fruits, vegetables, vitamins and proteins, associated with gelatin that contains collagen, a substance that helps avoid those so undesirable wrinkles. Associated with these measures, it would help doing some regular exercise like swimming, or some aerobics, or just run at the park at the end of the day.
Another solution to this question would be to avoid stress, irritations, or overload the tasks of the day. Research shows and it is evident that stressed people tend to not only look older more quickly , but have more health problems too. Then, if you take care of your inside, your outside would get better and look youger too. In fact, we all know that appearance only does not mean so much, people need to be beautiful first inside of themselves to start thinking of the perfect body.
So, if you have good habits in life, you might prolong your youth, but don`t forget that a beautiful soul, attracts much more than just a beautiful face without a good character.
Ana Carolina Barcellos
How to Learn English (and Never Forget It!)
ReplyDeleteSince the boom of English schools in Brazil, during the 80s, a new problem has been seen among Brazilians: the fact that most of the people forgot almost everything they learned and some of them do not know how to recover it. The main reason for the oblivion of English is because most of them don’t practice the language, and being surrounded by a Portuguese speaking world, they tend to forget English.
Many people almost never listen to English programs on TV(like Movies or Series), so a useful suggestion to learn English would be to watch television in English, specially news, which is the best way, because you relate images, subtitles and what you hear, getting used to the language.
Writing and reading are excellent tools for learning English also, but they have less use than conversation. Another suggestion would be to turn everything you can in your home to English (like the internet). By adopting these tips you will start to think in English.
There are many ways of recovering lost years of English studying, and adopting these suggestions, you might not forget it anymore and also improve your English skills very fast.
Emanuel Cassou dos Santos Advanced 1
How can one learn English?
ReplyDeleteNowadays it is hard to stop for anything, including studying other languages. People are so occupied with work, social life, friends and family that they forget what they have learned. So, what efficient ways can we use to never unlearn English?
It would be helpful to use different kinds of media, such as the Internet, television, magazines, and so on. By doing this, people could always be in touch with the English language without spending hours of the day studying.
Another solution is to practice the language by speaking with friends and family. With these English conversations, the person would improve his/her vocabulary and grammar. Beyond that, this short exercise saves time.
Despite the lack of time, this modern and dynamic world provides us with painless ways to keep studying English. Following these measures, for example, would certainly result in a better learning of the language.
Tobias Pinheiro Queluz
Advanced I
HOW TO LEARN ENGLISH AND NEVER FORGET IT?
ReplyDeleteWhen people finish an English course, they often make a question: what can I do to never forget everything I have learned? And it is a problem because most people never practice English in their everyday routine.
A useful suggestion would be to have constant contact with the language. When you use and practice English, you improve your memory so probably you will never forget it. It would be a good idea if you practiced your English by listening to music, reading magazines, watching movies or television shows in English and paying attention to words or if you have opportunity, to talk with someone in English. You should try it.
Another solution is going to another country and tried your English. You have many options in agencies and programs, for one month or one year. These programs are good because you always need to speak in English and you will not have a teacher to help you.
Finally, you only forget your English if you want to. There are many things you can do to never forget your English. If you want to never forget it, you should try some of these suggestions to help you.
Fernanda Cristina de Souza Colla
How to look 10 years younger.
ReplyDeleteDoing physical activity and eating health foods is hard to you? If it isn’t, you should start it now, but if you think that it is hard, you have a problem! You will not look younger.
Is it not a good idea you do physical activities? Of course it is. Doing physical activities your body will become more resistant and will look younger. Don't need spend a lot of money to make your body look better. We can walk or run in the parks, swim on the beaches or go to our work by bike. Doing this, you will not just look younger, you will live better.
Have you already thought talking with a nutritionist, or searching on the Internet, about how to eat healthier? It Is better when you do this earlier. When you start to eat vegetables and fruits, or drink water and natural juice, you will see that your skin will become more beautiful and you will become thinner and healthier than before.
There are many ways for you look younger, and these are just two suggestions. Talk with a doctor and find the best way to live better,look and feel younger.
Danilo Poleza Kolczycki
It is sometimes said that you have to live the moment and enjoy it as if it were the last one, without thinking about tomorrow. Well, I do not think so. In my opinion, we have to live the moment, but also prepare ourselves for the future.
ReplyDeleteIn the first place, the idea of “tomorrow never comes” is romantic and beautiful, but it just works in movies and stories. In real life, we have to work hard for what we want. For instance, if you want a job, you must fight for it.
On the other hand, some people spend all day working or studying and forget the most important things, such as being with the ones you love, walking with your dog in the park, watching your favorite TV program.
To sum up, the Carpe Diem philosophy is not so useful. But it would also be pointless to get what you want and not know how to enjoy it. But even this way, realizing your objectives depends on how hard you work on them. As my grandfather says, “no pain, no gain”.
“Students learn more in smaller groups than in bigger ones”
ReplyDeleteToday, it is common for students stay for remedial or need to take a second test for a better grade. Is it because there are a lot of students in a classroom? In my opinion, it is easier to learn when I am in classroom with a small number of students.
When we are in a big group, the interests are not always the same, sometimes a person who is uninterested talks a lot and this confuse the other students who really want to learn.
With a lot of people, you do not have the opportunity to talk, to show yourself, and with all these things you do not know if you are correct or not. For example, in an English class it is very important for the teacher to hear how you are speaking, so he can correct you.
All things considered, in a smaller group, you have more contact with the teacher, you have the time and opportunity to ask your questions, and the teacher can teach you the exact pronunciation of words. The contact is more direct and the result is better, you can learn more.
Nowadays, with the big cultural diversity around the world, the ways of life become diversified. Basically, the lifestyles can be divided into two groups. One group is composed by the people who work hard and are prepared for the future. The other group is represented by people who do not care about the future and want to enjoy life to the fullest today. In my opinion, the best lifestyle is the first one, when you work hard and plan your own future.
ReplyDeleteIn the first place, people who work hard may have a good salary and, consequently, more money to enjoy life in a great style. For example, money brings the possibility to have a good and comfortable house, to wear great clothes and to visit a lot of different and sophisticated places. In addition, when the people are prepared for the future, the crisis around the world may not affect them too much, giving them more stability and fewer headaches.
On the other hand, people who do not care about the future and enjoy the life as intensive as possible, may have a happier and more pleasant life. For instance, fewer commitments and more time available to do different things, provides a less complicated and much more enjoyable days. Furthermore, their health may be improved, because of the less stressful routine.
Taking everything into account, it seems to me that people who work hard have the best way of life. This lifestyle provides a more stable and comfortable life, and it is impossible to maintain it without money. But, it is necessary to watch out to not become a “workaholic”.
William Bessa - ADV. III
A common preoccupation of politicians is how to improve the education system in their countries. In my view, although investments are necessary, it is fundamental to provide education in smaller groups, because students can learn more.
ReplyDeleteIn the first place, students in smaller groups need to be concentrated and do not have different option but to pay attention, because the teacher controls all the students. For instance, in a smaller class you cannot sit in the back of the class and sleep or talk with someone.
Furthermore, if you study in a smaller group you have the chance to interact with the class and always ask the teacher a question when you have a doubt. For example, if you do not know the meaning of a word, in a smaller class you will feel more comfortable to raise your hand and ask the teacher.
On the other hand, it can be argued that it is impossible to have smaller classes in schools because of the number of students. In addition to this, a bigger class results in fewer expenses with classrooms and teacher’s salaries.
All things considered, I strongly believe that students learn more in smaller groups than in a bigger one and the investment necessary can provide a high quality of education. In smaller class, students are supposed to pay more attention, be more concentrated and, therefore, they will learn and participate more.
Leandro Grzybowski - ADV III
Learning nowadays can occur in several ways, by the classical way, learning alone or at a distance by means of computers with essays and digital exams. However, although people can learn in various ways, when they come to smaller groups through verbal explanations and an accompanying teacher, they can learn better. That justifies that learning in small groups is the best path.
ReplyDeleteIn the first place, one of the determining factors in this type of teaching is the proximity between teacher and student, which maintains a strict and productive relationship, generating better results. Also, the attention given to students in small groups is higher and does not allow an indirect relationship between teacher and student, thus creating the impossibility of a disengagement between them.
Moreover, it is ideal for the teacher to be a person with experience in this type of education. Seeing how that type of management generates results, it is needed a real qualification and a method from the teacher to care and do the exercises to the students. Thus, competitiveness is more intense, resulting in a greater commitment from both, the teachers and the students.
In addition, this system has no way of being implemented in our society, since it cannot cover a very large group of people who need to learn at the same time, which facilitates the creation of large groups and certain types of organization of teaching.
Taking everything into account, on specific groups of certain content, small groups are essential, as is the case of language courses, arts, music, theater, cuisine and etc. In these courses the time is shorter, but the knowledge gained is bigger, proof that small groups are a better way to study. However, since small groups eventually became on the second plane they are no less important than teaching in large groups, both of those two ways are necessary for learning today.
Arthur Seratiuk – ADV. III
We make choices every day. We can choose either to prepare for the future or enjoy the present day without thinking about tomorrow. My choice is to work hard today to reach the stability.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, we need to know about our body. We will get old. Our muscles and strength will decrease, our bones structure will become weaker, our eyesight will be worse than before. The age will disturb your performance, however if you are young, you will have more willing to work.
Secondly the survival. To survive, the crocodile decreases his metabolism and saves energy. By doing this, when he hunts he has the necessary energy to open his square jaw and catch the prey. With people, it happens in the same way. We have to work, earn money and save it for our needs.
On the other hand, becoming a workaholic is not so amazing. Too much time spent only on working results in stressful people which have no time for anything.
To sum up, we need work a lot while we are young and strong to survive. This behavior will assure ourselves and we will reach the desired stability.