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B2 NEWS

#2019-2020

EOI de LugoRolda Músico Xosé Castiñeira, 1 Lugo

Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere

Kicking off!

WELCOME

Postcrossing Project

Setting our GOALS

When was the last time you sent or received a postcard?

Goals provide a way to measure your progress, which helps improve your motivation to learn more.

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Postcrossing Project

@EOI Lugo

About Intermediate.....

Lugo is a quiet but engaging city, not only famous for its friendly and welcoming people, but also for its historic quarter which houses some of the best restaurants which have earned Lugo's gastronomy recognised acclaim.

Hi, there! We are a group of English learning students at the Official Language School in Lugo, a city in northwestern Spain in the autonomous community of Galicia. Lugo (Lucus Augusti) is the charming historical capital of the province, located on a hill on the banks of the river Miño. declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO.

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English Learning Goals B2.2

Goals and passion, that's all you need!

New School Year's resolutions are at the forefront of everyone’s minds at the start of September. Learning a language is a popular resolution but those of us already learning can also benefit from a September boost. Setting some realistic resolutions for language learning can give you a sense of renewed vigour and can help you redefine your long-term and short-term goals

When studying a new language it’s easy to lose motivation, so this time of the year is the perfect time to remind yourself why you started learning English in the first place and rekindle your passion for the language.

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A personal story

My Racing Day

After a few awfully long minutes, the time to drive arrived. I entered into the car, which a had lot of technology. "This is amazing but absurdly expensive... I love it!", I thought. Next, I turned on the engine and the sound fascinated me. Immediately, the instructor said "come on, push the throttle". Obviously I did it. Suddenly, an incredible force sticked me to the seat and I began to race around the circuit. I was hallucinated enjoying the driving when the instructor said "ok, go into pits". Two laps passed too fast! That was a breathtaking experience. I could only say: "I will repeat it for sure!"

The roar of the engines and the sound of skidding tires were getting louder and louder while I was approaching the circuit. I had an invitation to an event in which I would have the opportunity to drive a racing car. I was totally excited! My wife doesn't like driving, so I went alone, but there were a lot of people who adored racing, and I met some of them. Everyone was really friendly .My heart was beating faster as the moment of getting into the car approached. I was pretty nervous!

José Mª López Santiago

Memory Lane - A piece of music that brings back special memories for you

Susana Álvarez García

Patricia Rodríguez Carbajo

María Souto Prieto

"O Son do Ar" is an intrumental piece of music composed and played by Luar Na Lubre, a Galician folk group. The title means the sound of wind, you can hear, among other instruments, a violin, a guitar, a bagpipe, a drum, an accordion and a flute. I liked this song when I was a teenager, but it´s special for me since 4 or 5 years ago, because this song is used in a coreography that I created and composed with 4 members more of the Arde Lucus association, Mercenarios Galaicos. In this coreography 24 people participate dancing. The show is at night and we all carry a fire torch. Each time I listen to this song I remember all the good times that I've lived with my friends.

The song “Loves” was written by Alejandro Sanz in 1995, and it is included in the album named “3”. There are two versions, and my favorite one is the solo piano and voice version. I’ve listened to that piece of music since I went to high school, and I usually hear it when I feel nostalgic. I like it so much because it makes me remember a very special time of my adolescence, in which you put the photo of the singer you liked into your file, you had your first boyfriend, you went out with your friends to play with gaming machines, and so on. It makes me feel nostalgic, but calm and cheerful.

The piece of music that brings back special memories for me is "Desátame" by Mónica Naranjo.I used to listen to her when I was a child, and this was one of my favourite songs. I knew the song by heart and I would practise singing it like I was on stage. I thought the singer had a great voice and it was hard to imitate her. That's why I used to hum it if I didn't have the CD. This song made me live the music and transmitted me joy and positivism for its power.

Memory lane - A piece of music that brings back special memories for you

Carmen Rodríguez Ares

Yovania Gómez Gómez

Silvia López Álvarez

"The piece of music that brings back special memories for me is "Plany al mar". It was composed by Serrat in 1984. This song was a complaint about the mistreatment which we submit the sea to, in order to make us be aware of the problem.I have liked it for about 30 years, as I used to listen to Serrat when I was young because his songs had very good lyrics, and he had a great voice and musical talent. This song, specially in Catalan, makes me feel nostalgic for my hometown, as it brings me back memories of my childhood. Nowadays, I think it was a sort of prediction of what was going to happen years later, and besides it's a catchy melody.

A piece of music which is special for me is "Mi héroe". The author and singer of this song is Antonio Orozco, who is a Spanish artist."Mi héroe" was released in 2015, and it's a pop song. Antonio, in this song talks about peope who are suffering from serious illnesses, who he considers them to be true heroes. I listened to this song when my grandmother was sick in hospital and I was taking care of her. So this song is very important for me. I always hum the lyrics whenever I feel sad and nostalgic, and my grandmother always comes to my mind whenever I listen to it.

John Lennon's song entitled "Imagine" was composed by him and his wife Yoko Ono in 1971 and performed by the artist. This song is for me the best of John Lennon's songs after the breaking up of the famous British rock band "The Beatles" which he was part of. This song brings me back wonderful memories because when I was a teenager and on tour with friends, we used to play the guitar, so this song has played an important role in my life. From the very first time I heard this song, I felt it had an amazing message, reflecting on what the world would be like if there were no rules, no differences, and people didn't only think about possessions. That way, there would be no hatred and human beings would enjoy peace.

Paper books or E-books: Can you judge a book by its format?

There are multiple reasons why traditional books are present in people’s lives despite the electronic devices. Regarding technological aspects, paper books don’t need a battery, therefore you can read them everywhere and at any time. Besides, paper books can be lent individually, something impossible with E-books if the reader wants to continue reading another different book. But actually, the most relevant argument in favour of paper books is related to sensations, such as the smell of a new book or the touch of pages when caressing them.

* READING

Whether on a cold winter day sitting on a comfortable sofa, or on the beach enjoying a warm summer day, books are valuable friends for many people, who carry them in their leisure time. Moreover, it is very common to see commuters reading during the daily journey to their workplace or back home. Nowadays, technology is changing the way we read books, with E-books constantly increasing its sales. But paper books still have a lot to say.

Paper books or E-books: Can you judge a book by its format?

I strongly believe that paper books will not disappear. There are traditional book lovers all over the world, who escape from the technology that floods any corner of the so called “first world”. Nevertheless, electronic books have arrived to stay and can only increase their presence in our lives. I am truly convinced that both can live together. What can be more pleasurable than reading a book, any type of book?

Furthermore, environmental care is something to take into account. In fact, many natural resources are needed to produce paper. For instance, to produce 1Kg of paper 2.4Kg of wood, 200 litres of water and 7kWh of energy are needed, releasing 3.3Kg of CO2 into the atmosphere along with chlorine and other toxic waste. Fortunately, the awareness of this issue in the paper industry is definitely becoming bigger, with a huge evolve related to the use of recycled materials and ecological processes.

On the other hand, traditional books have some limitations and disadvantages. The most obvious is the space needed to carry them. Whereas an E-book reader can contain thousands of books, an only paper book needs more physical space than an E-reader. In addition, although the limitations of autonomy are present due to the nature of batteries, technological advances have improved their duration, even reaching one month of operation without recharging.

José Mª López Santiago

Opinion Article

Society & Politics

Since it is always easier to influence young people than mature ones, efforts of the political class are focused on controlling the view of this portion of the population. For this reason, teenagers and undergraduates are intentionally and gradually being disconnected from any kind of participation in political discussions; they simply don’t show interest in politics. While most of the individuals currently involved in politics are focused on their personal expectations rather than being involved in the management of the affairs of general interest, youths won’t change their opinion.

Youth & Politics

A democracy is a form of government in which the common people hold political power and can rule either directly or through elected representatives. In a democracy, all people have political freedom and equality. According to that, I consider that young people have a very important role in this system because they promote new forms of political participation. In my country young people feel a huge disaffection towards traditional political parties, which makes them often ignore the political topic. However, they also have championed relevant causes such as feminism, environmentalism or the fight for the acceptance of diversity.

In our country, young people are aware of the difficulties and challenges they expect to face in the future; however, they don’t rely on politicians to solve their problems. Despite the original purpose of politics suposedly servicing society, nowadays it has become in a job for earning money and establishing personal relationships for professional and social growth. In such a situation, the only purpose of politicians is to obtain support from population in general and youth in particular, in order to extend their careers and their salaries as far as possible. The way they do this is by influencing the opinion of the society by all kinds of means, such as controlling education and social media.

That is very important and I think that this kind of social protests will increase in the future because today’s teenagers feel more powerful to fight against injustice. In conclusion, we shouldn’t remove young people from the spaces where decisions are made, we have to listen to them and make them feel comfortable inside our democratic society.

Ana Ferreiros Méndez

María Elena Rosendo Vázquez

Opinion Article

Social Media & Youth Political Engagement

Secondly, they protest through street rallies at a certain place and date. That way, the population declares whether they are for or against a certain policy. The more people participate, the more successful the demonstrations will be. Finally, they also use street art, for instance, graffiti, to express political and protest messages. Although music was always a means of remonstrance for songwriters in the past. In conclusion, I think all political parties will end up disappearing and the population will communicate their ideas through digital technology.

Nowadays, young people should have more presence in politics and we have to encourage them to participate in it because young people are the future and they have to be more involved and to take decisions. I believe their opinion should be taken into account. There are different ways in which the young express themselves politically. Firstly, they use social networks, such as Facebook, Instagram or WhatsApp, to denounce a situation or to make a social protest. They can share impressions or exchange complaints and organize marches. Moreover, there are also forums to fight against the injustices of the world.

Silvia López Álvarez

Famous historical quotes

Elena Rosendo

Travelling leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller

Cruz Moldes Calvo

Olga López Viana

Rubén Novo Reguera

Carlos García Rodríguez

Travelling lets us disconnect from our daily routine and helps us to know more about ourselves. The most beautiful experience is meeting other people, other places, and getting out of our comfort zone to learn from and mix with other cultures.

Your own life and experiences have other point of view when you travel and see other people and cultures. Travelling and knowing other people, other places changes your life for ever. In othe words, travel opens your mind.

Life experiences that take place when you travel are unlike any other. Travelling allows us to see the way other people live and change the way we view our own life experiences. It also helps us to unplug, explore and discover new parts of ourselves and the best of all is the people we encounter and the places we visit.

Travelling leads you to discover your other self. It opens your mind to new cultures and new ways of life experiences, and also it helps you to see life differently. I find it very rewarding and interesting and something to keep in mind.

WHEN IN ROME, DO AS THE ROMANS DO

Travelling broadens the mind

My absolute favourite city in the world surely is Rome, in Italy. It has beautiful architecture, great shops and restaurants and lots of things to do and see. The centre is full of picturesque historical buildings, such as the Colosseum, or the Trevi fountain , whereas the Popolo's Square is packed day and night with colourful stalls and lively performance arts. And as if this was not enough, the Archaelogical Park of Ostia Antica and Tivoli Town are less than an hour away, offering the visitor spectacular views.

For me, this city is a blend of traditional charm and modern excitement that makes it completely unique. It seems that many other people feel the same way, as Rome is a major tourist destination. Another of the opportunities offered by this city is its gastronomy; its amazing pasta and peculiar pizza is recognised all over the world. If you haven't visited it yet, you must go soon. You'll never forget it!

María Souto Prieto

Cell phones affect memory

“Books are a uniquely portable magic.”

Are mobile phones reducing our memory? The answer is definitely yes. According to a recent research of the Trinity College of Dublin, most citizens in Britain have to remember a huge amount of figures in their daily life, like passwords or pin numbers. Memory devices like cell phones could be helpful in order to remember theses codes. The survey shows that the people group under the age of 30, could remember less details on important dates like birthdays or anniversaries than people over 50. Perhaps, we abuse of our devices to relax our brain, so the less we use our brain, the poorer it becomes.

Technology has evolved and the way to read has changed, and nowadays ebooks are winning the battle over print books. On the one hand, an advantage of Ereaders for the environment is that they are eco-friendly and trees don’t have to be cut down. Moreover, ebooks not only are reusable but also can contain thousands and thousands of different books in a lightweight device. Therefore, you can carry all of your favorite books in your backpack without suffering from back pain. Even more, ebooks have some interactive features, for instance, linking, bookmarking, highlighting, increasing the font size and so on. However, ebooks don’t smell like print books and you can’t touch their soft pages.

On the other hand, if you are thinking to give away a book, you have to know that an ebook is more expensive than a print book, although the files are easy to download from the Internet and have an affordable price. To sum up, we can say that nowadays technology is everywhere and ebooks are useful devices for avid readers.

Patricia Rodríguez Carbajo

Oscar M. Pérez Pombo

LEARNING FROM HOME IN TIMES OF CORONAVIRUS

Professors at the University of Vitoria explain how to get the most performance of studying at home. I think the advice given by the experts is very interesting, because no one is used to a situation of sanitary alert such as this, that we are unfortunately living these days. Simulating that students are in the classroom, when they are actually at home, and making effective the use of the time to study is sometimes complicated, among other reasons because normally there are many distractions at home. For this motive, the team of the Cabinet of Educational Orientation of the Universidad Francisco de Vitoria has developed a decalogue to manage better the distance study.

LEARNING FROM HOME IN TIMES OF CORONAVIRUS

Advice that I’m going to present:

First of all, the experts recommend setting an hour to get up, if it is possible, it should be the same every day. Then fix yourself. Before you sit down to study, take a shower and dress like you're going to class. Take care of the study environment. Find a quiet place with good lighting at home where you can study. Make a list of tasks. Make a list of everything you need to study and do it. It can help you review each subject and see if you have the notes of all the topics and what you need to study to stay up to date. Put a Schedule. Make a study schedule to yourself respecting your schedule of class and that will help you to establish routines during this time. It can help you to programme the tasks in days and concrete hours. And try to keep up with the beat of work. Take care of the breaks. Pause during the study and look for other things you can do to rest (some kind of exercise, read, etc.). Use a good study method. To make your study effective, remember to follow a good method: read, underline, make schemes, summaries, etc. all in order to better understand the subject and come to dominate it.

Mª Fe López López

Book Reviews

The Diary of Anne Frank

The pleasure of reading

However, the story ends suddenly in 1944 when they were discovered and taken to concentration camps. Unluckily, Anne died there due to a serious illness. It is an inspiring story because it defends the right of people to live in freedom and being respected whatever your race or religion is. Definitely, I would recommend this book to everybody who is interested in reading historical books based on real facts because it is very moving and it will change the way you see your life.

The Witching Hour

The story is gripping so you will want to have a break to continue reading it. In spite of it, at first it needs a bit of your patience because the author spends a lot of time describing the scene. In addition, there are two books continuing the trilogy, which is fantastic because when you finish the first book you even want to read more. Really, it is well worth reading.

The book was written by Anne Rice and it belongs to the horror and mystery genre. The story takes place in New Orleans, where a family with generations of witches is investigated by an organization, which has been observing the family for centuries to try to solve the mystery. The plot focuses on a witch woman for every generation, who is able to see a mysterious and dangerous man.

This book is based on the real diary of Anne Frank, a teenage girl who received the diary as a present for her 13th birthday. It tells the day to day of her Jewish family who lives in Frankfurt (Germany) and which has to be hidden with other Jews in Amsterdam as a result of Hitler and the Nazi Party’s treatment of Jews in Europe during the Second World War. In spite of being in an awful situation, Anne was a really happy and cheerful girl.

Beatriz Caballero Martínez

Ana Ferreiros Méndez

Book Reviews

The Piano

The pleasure of reading

The story takes place in a small town. Tony was a very quiet, big and slow boy who wasn't very clever at school, he only enjoyed singing classes. Apart from that he was from a poor family so at the age of thirteen he left school and began working on a farm. One day, the farmer ordered) him to take out the rubbish from a barn. There Tony found an old piano and he was able to play it, but he didn't know why, because he had never taken piano classes. After receiving some free piano lessons, he won a competition and afterwards he became a world-famous pianist and the happiest man.In my opinion, this is a gorgeous and fascinating story beautifully written. It was a pleasure to read it. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a sensitive story. If you have a chance to read it, don't miss it.

From the first chapters, the reader realizes the three protagonists live in a controlled environment, totally isolated from outside, however it is not until the end of the book, that we discover who these people really are and the dark role that they play for society. This excellent and well-written novel not only explores themes like friendship and love, but also poses a moral dilemma about the limits of science. Under my point of view, even though it is a rather cruel story, the book is brilliantly plotted and deeply moving. Overall, it is a highly recommended reading.

Never let me Go

One of the last books I have read lately is Never let me go, a science-fiction novel written by Kazuo Ishiguro. The novel focuses on three friends: Kathy, Ruth and Tommy, and their experiences together throughout three different stages of their lives, from their childhood, living in an unconventional boarding school, to the present, when Kathy, the main character, is 30 years old.

I especially remember a lovely book in English that I read some time ago. The title is “The piano” and it was written by Rosemary Border. The book tells the story of a famous musician called Anthony Evans, who tells the story about his life to Sally Hill, a Sunday Times journalist, before his eightieth birthday concert.

Ana Iglesias López

Carmen Rodríguez Ares

Book Reviews

La nueva educación

The pleasure of reading

It was written by Cesar Bona, one of the best teachers in the world according to the Global Teacher Prize. The book is based on his experience with students. The author claims that another education could be possible. The plot is absolutely exciting because Cesar uses a method without books, so he tells us what he does. However, he teaches each student differently, helping them with their characteristics with a common objective: they should work to get a better world. I consider that this book will change the way you see education. If you aren’t a traditional teacher, you could use it for learning new techniques to use with students. It surely is a "must" read!

Memoirs of a Geisha

This book was written in 1997 by Arthur Golden. It is a historical novel and the story takes place in Japan just before the de Second World War. The book starts explaining the poor life of the main character, called Chiyo, in her little town in Japan. Then, she is sold to a brothel with her sister because their family were so poor. From that moment, her new life starts and the book carefully explains the geishas´ world. Memories of a Geisha is a non-stop reading, I think is so interesting because the book describes this mystic and unknown world and how the author describes these women's exclusive lives and all you can imagine at this time in Japan.

It is a highly entertaining read, so I would recommend it to anyone. It is a romantic novel but I don´t want to tell you more because I prefer you to discover it by yourself.

I am going to recommend a book which is certainly on the top of my list: “La nueva educación”.

Carmen Puga Veiga

Rocío Loureiro Fraga

Book Reviews

The pleasure of reading

One day, Amir wins the kite competition, nevertheless , everything becomes tragic. He sees his friend suffering from a humillianting and absolutelly dreadful situation while he remains silent. This will change his life forever. His regret keeps on his entire life. Several years later, he’ll be able to manage his error when he lives in the USA as a refugee. Then, he receives an enigmatic and important call… The book is an inspiring inspirating story, that deals with touches human issues. It’s about friendship, guilt, betrayal and loyalty.It’s also a very thought-provoking novel . Should we judge situations without living them, how can we respond to extreme situations? Would we be victims or persecutors in a war?. I feel terrified and a shiver just thinking about some paragraphs. We should think very carefully about this. It is a well worth reading!

However, the self-proclaimed leader, a pig named Napoleon, betrayed the rebellion and established a dictatorship. As a result, the animals ended up in a situation even worse than they were before. This book is an allegory of the Russian Revolution of 1917. Although it broke out with the expectation of a better life for the lowest classes, finally they were harshly repressed by Stalin. The most relevant characters of the Bolshevik revolution are clearly represented in the book by personified farm animals. I strongly recommend it, even if you are not keen on history, because it is a fantastic tale, easy to read, with an unforgettable moral: the inspiring principles of the revolutions rarely succeed and only get to change the ruling class.

The Kite Runner

Animal Fam

“The kitte runner “ is a poignant and gripping drama about the friendship between two boys growing in Kabul. They were brought up in different worlds. Amir, the main character, is the son of a wealthy man while Hassan, is the son of Amir’s father servant. The story takes place in Afghanistan’s monarchy, during Soviet intervention to Taliban regimen The book relates how since his childhood Amir likes writing stories, he is a privileged but Hassan isn’t. They are good friends although with some tinges. Hassan will do whatever thing for Amir, however, we can not say the same of Amir. Too many prejudices between both boys.

Animal Farm is a satirical novel written by the British author George Orwell. The book was released in England in 1945 and became one of the best English-language novels and, of course, the masterpiece of Orwell. The book relates how a group of farm animals, fed up with working hard and starving, rebelled against the owner of the farm, Mr. Jones. All of them, free of human farmers, hoped to create a society in which the main rule was: “All animals are equal”.

Elena Rosendo Vázquez

Paz Ramil Pita

Book Reviews

The pleasure of reading

The Godfather

Regardless of all the opposition, Billy dreams of becoming a ballet dancer and fights against steoreotypes and prejudices of closed-minded people. Finally his family realised that ballet is something good for him, either male or female and he becomes the best ballet dancer in his area. Billy Elliot is a non-stop reading. The story is catching and you only wish a happy ending for the boy. It’s a well worth reading. The book will change the way you see life. It makes you realize society influences our decisions daily and what we really like.

The plot focuses on narrating meticulously the way how the family Corleone reaches the power in America, with lawful or illicit bussiness, extortion, buying police, judges and politicians and it is very important how the author explains how this organisations worked internally. The story is very gripping from the first page and the writer gets to keep the attention of the reader throughout for all the book. I highly recommend it if you like this kind of books.

Billy Elliot

Billy Elliot is a film that was rewritten as a book by Melvin Burgess. The story takes place in Durham and the plot focuses on a boy who is different from other boys. He doesn’t like playing football or boxing, he discovers ballet dancing, he really likes it and also he is very good at it. The hero is delighted but his family doesn’t agree with him, they consider that ballet is for girls not boys. His father and brother are miners and they are fighting for a job and he has to do the same, ballet is a waste of time for him and a shame for them.

The Godfather (Mario Puzo, 1969) is one of my favourite books, and I think that the film directed a few years later by Francis Ford Coppola, is probably the best film adaptation I’ve ever seen. The book relates the story of Vito Corleone, an American boy of Sicilian origin, who becomes one of the most important gangsters in the fourties in America, boss of an American mafia in New York, and the succession by his son Michael, after Vito’s retirement.

Rubén Novo Reguera

Natalia Martínez Pérez

HOPE DURING CORONAVIRUS CONFINEMENT

A Small Reflection

Therefore, we should never forget the deep life lesson of these confinement days: Education and Health would surely be the best investment for the development of a country, any country. In addition, this profit would reach substantial income for everyone and all sectors of the population. If you just let me do so, I’ll remind you the saying: “One size fits all”. So, to the attention of competent authorities, please, Why not give it a shot?

I´d like to see through my window that Coronavirus could bring us something positive. How many borders we have built, how many differences we see among us, how much money wasted and eventually, all people united fighting against the same enemy. But, don’t you think everyone has the same illusions and problems? Absolutely! The difference is how we want to resolve them.

Paz Ramil Pita

Spring is in the Air

My wings flutter and it's blocking my flight The wind howls it's calling me I see them all flying in the breeze Tangled in this cage My wings beat with my heart I can't uplift They swarm, they sting I want to fly with them And buzzing by I sit and regret Hoping for the rust to decay this cage

"Believe you can, and you are half way there"

EOI Lugo 2019-2020

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