Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year is an important traditional Chinese holiday celebrated on the first day of the year of the Chinese calendar. In China, it is also known as the Spring Festival, the literal translation of the modern Chinese name. Chinese New Year celebrations traditionally run from Chinese New Year's Eve, the last day of the last month of the Chinese calendar, to the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first month, making the festival the longest in the Chinese calendar. Because the Chinese calendar is lunisolar, the Chinese New Year is often referred to as the "Lunar New Year".
The source of Chinese New Year is itself centuries old and gains significance because of several myths and traditions. Traditionally, the festival was a time to honor deities as well as ancestors. Chinese New Year is celebrated in countries and territories with significant Chinese populations, including Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Singapore,  Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mauritius,  Philippines,  and also in Chinatowns elsewhere. Chinese New Year is considered a major holiday for the Chinese and has had influence on the lunar new year celebrations of its geographic neighbors.
Within China, regional customs and traditions concerning the celebration of the Chinese new year vary widely. Often, the evening preceding Chinese New Year's Day is an occasion for Chinese families to gather for the annual reunion dinner. It is also traditional for every family to thoroughly cleanse the house, in order to sweep away any ill-fortune and to make way for good incoming luck. Windows and doors will be decorated with red color paper-cuts and couplets with popular themes of "good fortune" or "happiness", "wealth", and "longevity." Other activities include lighting firecrackers and giving money in red paper envelopes.

Why would you like to celebrate it or not? Write advantages and disadvantages. 200words.

Europe in ashes, Africa an oasis

The year is 2063. By now, all of Europe's volcanoes have come to life and erupted, spewing out thick plumes of ash into the atmosphere. Dense black clouds of dust envelop the murky sky, plunging the entire continent into total darkness. The whole of Europe lies in a pile of rubble. There is no sun here, the air is polluted, unbreathable, and chaos has descended -- to survive, one must flee south, to the only place where the sun continues to shine: Africa.

Set five decades from now, Usoni is a Kenya-based TV production that turns the issue of migration to Europe upside down. The futuristic show depicts Africa as mankind's last cradle of hope in the wake of a series of natural disasters.

Usoni follows the compelling story of Ophelia and Ulysse, a young couple who are desperately trying to escape Europe's terrible conditions and head to Africa, the land of the sun that holds the promise of a better future for them and their unborn child.

Setting off from Lampedusa, the Mediterranean port serving as the gateway to the African oasis, the two protagonists embark on an arduous journey fraught with peril and sacrifice as they try to reach Lake Turkana in east Africa.

Would you please follow the story in 200words?

People without kids are happier

When it comes to who is happier -- parents or child-free people -- most of the research up until now has concluded that it is the childless who are more satisfied with their overall lives.

As a married mom of two, I always find myself reacting a bit defensively to that research.

"I'm happy," I say to myself. I may be stressed, sleep-deprived and sorely in need of "me" time, but I am very satisfied with my life. Isn't it possible that I could be just as happy as someone without kids -- even if they have more time to sleep and take care of themselves?

According to two new studies, the answer might be yes and no.
 

But...what do you think? Write 200 words about it, advantages and disadvantages.
 

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/01/14/living/parents-happiness-child-free-studies/index.html?hpt=hp_mid
 

A film or a book?

We all know that both have advantages and disadvantages, can we know your point of view? Write 200 words.

Snow storm

What would you do if we had a snow storm in Seville? Write 200 words.

Video games

Social Effects

• Playing video games over an extensive period of time may cause social withdrawal outside of the gaming realm. Although this does not always occur, it is possible if you do not occupy your time with other hobbies and activities outside of the home or where you play video games. On a positive note, playing video games online with gamers around the world will allow you to socialize and communicate with various cultures with ease (although this method is not personal). You will have the ability to meet new gamers each day using online multiplayer gaming systems.

Team-Building Skills

• Many video games focus on team-building exercises and efforts to complete or pass a level. Playing team-building games online will increase your communication skills while teaching you to effectively problem-solve in a group of people. You will learn to direct and to take orders and guidance from other teammates while advancing through various levels and realms with a new set of gamers each round.

Health and Excercise

• A lack of exercise is a great health risk to which video games often contribute, depending on the types of games you are playing as well as the length you play each time. Taking breaks in between playing video games to complete a physical activity or exercise will dramatically improve your health if you are not currently getting working your body out. Purchase fitness games for your gaming system that allows you to track your body's progress over time -- motivating you if you can't seem to tear yourself away from the console.

Cost

• Over time, the cost of gaming systems, equipment and the games themselves add up to a hefty amount for dedicated gamers or collectors of games. Some game systems will require repairs throughout their use, adding to the original price of the console when you first purchased it. For those interested in online game play -- all online games must be purchased to prevent thievery or unlawful gamers using online gaming services for which they have not paid. This eliminates a less expensive route, such as renting online games -- meaning the full cost of the game is required to play.

Are you a video game player? In that case, which is your favourite game? and Why? Or... Why don´t you play computer games? Write 200 words.

25 of mankind's greatest engineering achievements

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/07/04/travel/engineering-feats/index.html?hpt=travel_hp_blogroll
 Have a look at this article and write 200 words about why you would  like to vist or explore one of these achievements.

How many seats is it okay to save at the movies

How Many Seats Is It Okay To Save At The Movies?

At some point or another, we’ve all made our way into a crowded movie theater, spotted a handful of empty beauties about halfway up the back portion and excitedly rushed toward them, only to hear, "These are taken." It’s a frustrating cockblock on the same level as stubbing your toe or overhearing something mildly offensive when walking into a room. Depending on the situation, it could also be a serious faux pas on the seat saver because while there aren’t firm rules on the subject, there are common sense ones the best among us follow.

The number of seats one can properly save at the movie theater is entirely related to the number of people in your party who are already present at the time you wish to do the saving. So, let’s do a little math. If you’re at the theater with your brother Darryl and your other brother Darryl, you can collectively save four seats. If you’re at the theater with your crazy cousin Shoshanna, the two of you can save three seats. Just count the number of people you’re with and add one to that number. Why? Because you cannot save any seat your ass does not butt up next to.

Let me hit you with this handy graphic I just made with my sweet Photoshop skills…



I know you’d like to save more seats than that. I know you’d like to play dead alongside two of your buddies in plank position across a cushy row about three quarters of the way up so nine of your friends can stroll in one minute before the film’s runtime to mooch off the hard work you did by showing up way the fuck early, but if half of your party can’t bother to stroll in early enough to camp out in a proper location, you guys needs to be a) split up, b) forced to sit in the front row or c) required to give a lengthy speech to everyone in the audience about why leaving twenty minutes later than you did was a necessity because of the crazy important shit you were all doing. After all, I think I speak for every last human being on Earth when I say all of us who aren’t weirdos would rather spend an extra fifteen minutes in the comfort of our own homes when the other option is staring at advertisements for local dentists and answering bad trivia questions about which one of our favorite Friends starred in a 2002 film alongside Liz Hurley.


What do you think of this article? Are you for or aginst saving seats? Write 200words

Pop music

You are going to do a quiz on pop music


Write in the Question words - How How long How much How often How old What When Where Which Who Whose Why and answer the questions. Example:1.When. 2006

1. (1)_________ did Shakira have a hit with 'Hips Don't Lie'?
   1. 2005 B) 2006 C) 2007
2. (2)_________ country won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2010 with 'Satellite'?
   1. Germany B) UK C) Spain
3. (3)_________ was Kanye West born?
   1. 1977 B) 1982 C) 1987
4. (4)_________ was Blur's "Song 2"
   1. 2 minutes B) 2 minutes 20 seconds C) 2 minutes 22 seconds
5. (5)_________ sang with Madonna on the 2008 single ‘Four Minutes’?
   1. Justin Beiber B) Lady Gaga C) Justin Timberlake
6. (6)_________ did the Beatles record?
   1. Penny Lane B) Coronation Street C) Abbey Road
7. (7)_________ album included the hits "Just Dance" and "Poker Face"?
   1. Shakira's B) Lady Gaga's C) Justin Timberlake's
8. (8)_________ had a hit with "One Way Or Another"?
   1. Robbie Williams B) Kaiser Chiefs C) One Direction
9. (9)_________ is the title of singer Beyonce’s album, released in June 2011?
   1. 2 B) 3 C) 4
10. (10)_________ was Amy Winehouse when she died?
    1. 25 B) 26 C) 27
11. (11)_________ were Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and John Bonham?
    1. The Rolling Stones B) Led Zeppelin C) Take That
12. (12)_________ daughter did Michael Jackson marry?
    1. Elvis Presley's B) Paul McCartney's C) Frank Sinatra's
13. (13)_________ famous actress did Elton John write Candle In The Wind about?
    1. Audrey Hepburn B) Marilyn Monroe C) Lauren Bacall
14. (14)_________ did the famous rapper Notorious B.I.G die?
    1. 1995 b) 1996 C) 1997
15. (15)_________ was Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" album in the Billboard album charts in the USA?
    1. 736 weeks B) 637 weeks C) 673 weeks
16. (16)_________ things did Miley Cyrus like / hate about her boyfriend?
    1. 5 Things B) 6 Things C) 7 Things
17. (17)_________ money did Robbie Williams get for signing a UK record deal with EMI in October 2002?
    1. £60m B) £70m C) £80m
18. (18)_________ did 1950s singer Buddy Holly die?
    1. A car crash B) A plane crash c) A drugs overdose
19. (19)_________ song did Bruce Springsteen win an Oscar for?
    1. Born in the USA B) Streets of Philadelphia C) Born To Run
20. (20)_________ was the title of The Beatles first single for EMI, released in 1962?
    1. She Loves You B) Love me Do C) From me To You
21. (21)_________ were Oasis from?
    1. London B) Liverpool C) Manchester
22. (22)_________ money did U2 make on their "U2 360°" Tour (2009 - 2011)?
    1. $736,584,421 B) $736,421,584 C) $584,736,421
23. (23)_________ revolutions per minute does a vinyl LP play at?
    1. 33 B) 45 C) 78
24. (24)_________ did David Bowie retire from live performances in 2004?
    1. He had a heart attack B) He was going deaf C) He got married
25. (25)_________ are the top 40 UK Singles Charts compiled in the UK?
    1. Every day B) Every Week C) Every month

Central Park People

On the 24th september 2012 I was walking in the wonderful Central Park, NY. My daughters were running, laughing and watching from a moderate distance a playful squirrel, I had told them previously they could be dangerous so they were cautious. The squirrel, tired of the girls climbed up a tree and looked at us triumphantly from above, my daughters exhausted, decided to sit on a bench opposite these people. I started to wonder what they were doing there... Can you write 200 words about what you think they were doing? Can you imagine their stories?

Mens Sana in Corpore Sano

Why should students exercise?

 Not only is exercise good for your overall health and fitness, but it also boosts your mental wellbeing.

Exercise will help keep you calm during exams. You’ll feel more energised and refreshed, and that will help you perform better in your studies.
Also, regular physical activity will help to keep you at a healthy weight and lower your risk of major illnesses such as heart disease and some cancers.
Keeping active doesn’t require a lot of time and effort. Doing 150 minutes (two and a half hours) of moderate intensity physical activity, such as fast walking or cycling, every week will give you many health benefits.
If you’re not interested in sport, or school PE lessons have put you off exercise, now’s your chance to try a new activity, such as dance or martial arts. You could be pleasantly surprised and make new friends at the same time.

Exercise the easy way

You don’t need to make a special trip to a sports centre to reach your weekly quota of exercise. There are easy ways to get some exercise into your daily routine.

• Walk to your lectures instead of getting the bus.
• Take the stairs rather than the lift.
• If you have a bike, ride it to classes or go for a bike ride with friends.
• Rent or buy an exercise DVD. Share the cost (and the fun) with your housemates.
• If you’re going out in the evening, dance. It’s a great way to meet new friends as well as to keep in shape. (Watch the video on street dancing at the end of this article for more details.)
• Go for a jog with friends before going to college, or between classes.
• At lunchtime or weekends, kick a football around with your friends in the park, or have a game of volleyball.  .

 What dort of exercise do you do? What would you like to do? Explain. 200 words

Do all animals sleep?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmCuelNxbCg

Can you write 200 words about the time you spend sleeping at weekdays, weekends, siestas, holidays...?

How to start a great school year

STEPS:

1.    1.   Resolve that this is a fresh, brand new school year. You can just leave all of your troubles, bad grades, grudges, enemies or fights behind. Start FRESH!

2.       2.Go school shopping for your school supplies. You will need a backpack, pencils, folders, etc. - all of the usual supplies. Buy the folders you like best. Dress them up with stickers or doodles. The more amusing your folders are to you, the more you will love to take them out and do your homework!

3.       3.Let people know by your actions that this is a fresh new you! Don't hunch over your books or shuffle with your head down while walking. Stand up straight and proud, walk tall, and let your books feel like they are in great hands! Be friendly in the hall, and say hi to your friends, and to new people you recognize from classes. If you are new, keep in mind that all the freshmen are new, too. You will all make new friends this year. Look for friendly people in class, at lunch, at your locker (or if you don't have a locker, then at your desk). Having good friends will boost your confidence, and you will have a great time at school!

4.     4.  Take notes in class and listen to the teacher! You may have heard this a lot of times before, but this is a good idea. If you do listen to the teacher and take notes, you will save so much time on homework, and you will actually "learn"! That is why you go to school! School is not just a place you sit at desks and stare at the chalk.

5.       5.Study. Decide right away that you will put some effort into it. If you find you have a hard time focusing when studying alone at home, see if you can find a study partner, or even better, a study group (three or four people who will agree to study together). You'd be surprised at how much your study improves when you have someone else to answer to - and how much less nervous you are about tests. Which brings us to...

6.      6. Do NOT panic when you hear, "There will be a test tomorrow on chapter 5-7 in your Math text book!" If you panic, it will not help. It may just make things worse. Relax and go over your notes and textbook. Read it through one time quickly. Then read it again - you will probably actually understand it. If you picture it in your head, it's more likely you will remember that picture while doing the test.

7.    7.   Find out how to graduate with honors. It may sound strange to think about this from Day One, but the truth is, if you ask your teachers and counselors early what you can do to earn honors for graduation, you will be better able to work toward them. It will give you a goal to strive toward.

8.      8. Treat everyone equally, with respect and dignity - just like you want them to treat you. Don't let people walk all over you. Be polite, but set your limits. Think about the nicest person you know - that person that everyone says, "Oh, she's nice, she never says anything bad about anyone," or "That guy is great - he's nice to everyone." Try to be like that yourself, and remember how good you feel when someone else is nice to you for no reason at all. It makes your day - and you can pay that forward to someone else every single day, whether it's the class jock or the class geek. There's an old saying: "It's very nice to be important. It's much more important to be nice." Being warm and friendly to everyone at school (even the not-so-cool kids) is good exercise for the rest of your life.

9.     9.  Be open to new friends and experiences. School is all about learning. Part of what you will learn is how to get along with different personalities, and that's really what life requires you to do. Don't be too upset if your old friends from middle or elementary school seem to be drifting away - they're probably making new friends, too. Growing up sometimes means that we have different interests than we did before, and the friends we used to have don't always share them - that's okay. It doesn't mean you can't still be friendly with them, it just means you're both moving on with your lives and growing in different directions.

10……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

From: http://www.wikihow.com/Start-a-Great-School-Year

Exercise:

Would you please add a possible 10^th step? Another piece of advice to begin a great school year? (200 words)

Flamenco students

Everyone of us, who is from Seville, who has gone to the Feria since we have been born, and many more people, are looking forward to going to la Feria one more year, I really don´t know what is the main feature to make it such desirable experience. It may because you just go there and you know you are going to meet family and friends in an enjoyable atmosphere. You know you are either going to sing or dance, eat and drink, ride a horse or in a carriage, enjoy a roller coaster or something like that, or just simply sit down in your caseta or a friend´s or a reltive´s and watch...The show is great! Music, wonderful horses, superb flamenco gowns and suits, rich wines and delicious meals, but it only lasts 6 days...We have to make the most of it before watching the fireworks which announce the end of the Feria.
The exercise for this post is either writing 200 words telling me what you do in Feria, or send a photo to p_vallejo@preuniversitaria.com

Juan Revuelta

Death Penalty

Craigslist killer Richard Beasley sentenced to death

Richard Beasley has maintained his innocence

Continue reading the main story

Related Stories

A US man convicted of luring men to their deaths with fake job ads on the Craigslist website will face the death penalty, a judge has ruled.

A jury had recommended execution for Richard Beasley, 53, who murdered three men and wounded a fourth in the US state of Ohio in 2011.
His teenage accomplice, Brogan Rafferty, was sentenced to life in prison without parole in November.
Relatives of the victims held back tears as the judge passed sentence.
In addition to three counts of aggravated murder, Beasley was also convicted of aggravated robbery, kidnapping and attempted murder.
Appealing verdict: Beasley declined the chance to make a statement to the court at Thursday's hearing.
He listened to the verdict with his head on this chest, sitting in a wheelchair that he uses to alleviate back pain.
Later, before a second sentencing hearing for the other charges, Beasley said he sympathised with the families of the victims, while maintaining his innocence.
He also said he believed his conviction would be overturned on appeal.
"This case will be reversed," Beasley said. His statement was cut short by the judge, who said he was only allowed to comment on the sentencing.
Rafferty, who was 16 when he was arrested, was too young to face execution.
One of the victims was killed near Akron, Ohio, while the other men were shot during interviews for fake jobs at a remote farm in south-eastern Ohio.
Scott Davis, 49, who was shot but survived his wounds, gave harrowing testimony during the trials.
He told the court he heard the click of a gun while walking in front of Beasley at the farm.
He said he was wounded in the arm but managed to push the gun aside and run into nearby woods, and report the incident to police.

 Craigslist (styled craigslist) is a classified advertisements website with sections devoted to jobs, housing, personals, for sale, items wanted, services, community, gigs, résumés, and discussion forums.









Are you for or  against the death penalty?  (200 words)

Holy week holidays!!!!!

We were all looking forward to these holidays for many reasons, first of all we all need a break from school, and then because I´m sure we are going to do something interesting: I´m going to prepare some things for school, enjoy my family, go downtown and watch some "pasos", and pray the exchange goes well. Can you tell me what do you usually do in this holidays? Write 200 words

Naughty children from our school (photos)

Patricia Malaver

Belén del Nido

Carolina Moro

Jaime feliú

Juan Revuelta

Manuel Sariego

Antonio Muñoz

Rosa Escandón

Juan Fernández Vial

Lourdes Lucio

Adela Jurado

Isabel Monzú

Angel Maya

Paula Villaraviz

Elena Espinal

Carmen Torrejón

Javier Bermejo

Carmen Muñoz

Alvaro Míguez

Ana García

Carmen Sánchez

Marta Hernández

Mercedes González

Palma Lobo

Paola Guerrero

Victoria Ocaña