UNIT 10: No technology? No way!

Essay: Technology

    Technology has become an important part in everybody’s lives. It is part of our daily routine, since we wake up until we go to bed, 24/7. The new advances are so useful in so many aspects and are in charge of making our lives easier.

    Nowadays, humans are so independent of these items, we can’t even think been without it. And it has become a necessary. For example, there are people that return to their houses when they realize that they have forgotten their cellphones at home. Besides, some others, they don’t even forget cellphones because it’s almost a part of their body. Another example, is the use of the cars; if we need to attempt somewhere, no matter how near is it, we are so used to go by car or bus.

    Technology is evolving so fast, that in a couple of years we are already outdated, we might find positive and negative sides. There things that are so nice, but so expensive. Also, I think it’s disturbing how important technology is for us. There are important tools but we shouldn’t be that independent. 

Grammar: Future Pefect and Future Progressive

 Both of them are commonly used to speak about events in the future. 

Future Perfect: Used to talk about a future action that will already have been completed by a certain time in the future. Used with Simple present tense to show the relationship between two future events.   To form the future perfect, active voice:  Use will + have + past participle

To form the future perfect, passive voice: Use will + have been +past participle

Future Progressive: Use it to describe actions that will be in progress at a specific time in the future. To form it: Use will + be + present progressive 

Vocabulary + Definition

Siren: Warning Signal

Sonic: Noise

Vibrations: Movements

Banned: Prohibited

Towed: Removed

Shattered: Destroyed

Wail: Long loud cry
Jolts: Shake
Defective: Faulty
Offense: Crime
Awful: Horrible
Faint: Weak
Low: Reduced
Soft: Gentle
Startling: Alarming
Shrill: Strident
Loud: Strong, high
Rhythmic: Rhythmical

UNIT 9: Finding a Niche: The challenge for young immigrants

Essay: Amercian Dream

     Thousands of people go to the United States every year, people of the entire world, who are in pursuit of the American Dream. These are the ideals of freedom, equality and opportunities; a life of personal happiness and material comfort.  U.S.A is seems as a land of opportunities and abundance for everyone.

     Even it promises the heaven, formers must face a lot of situations in order to keep living there. Illegally or legally, people have to overcome the discrimination of the natives. Also, most of the people go there looking for a job, which might not be the best one. They receive bad salaries by doing the hard work.

    The illegal people have to face a lot of different dangerous situations to cross the borders. They exposed themselves to death, sickness, being murdered or sexual abuse. Besides, they are without a health insurance. 

     I think we can get the "american dream", the successful life, without caring the country we are. But making right choices and with studiers. Doing the "illegal" things will always bring consequences.   

Grammar: Present and Past- Contrasting Verb Tenses

Present progressive and Simple Present 

Present progressive: Use it to describe something that is happenig right now. We can use it with simple present to describe a present action that is continuing while another present action takes place.

Simple present: Use it to describe a general fact or habit. But, it is also used with non- action verb to refers to states that are true at the moment of speaking.

Past Progressive and Simple Past

Past progressive: Use it to describe an action that was in progress at a specific time in the past. Alos,  is used with simple past to describe an action that was interrupted by another action.

Simple past:  Use it to describe an action that was completed in the past. Also, use it to describe 2 actions that happened in a sequence, one after the other. 

Present Perfet and Present Perfect progressive: Used to talk about things that started in the past, continue to the present, and may continue in the future. 

Vocabulary + Definition

Unique: Special

Native Tongue: First language

Flourishing: Growing and developing well

Mainstream: The common way of thinking or acting.

Tight knit: Connected

Assimilate: Adapt and adjust

Suppresed: Not allowed to express
Relieved: Happy that you don't have to worry about something 
Dialect: A distinct variety of language
Learn by doing: Learn in an active, practical way
Have a hard time: Have difficulty 
Punishment: Something that is done to make someone suffer
Do (your) part: Act in a similar way, not stand out or be noticed
Encouragement: Support
Deal with: Do what is necessary to solve a problem 
In the process: At the same time

UNIT 8: Goodbye to the Sit-Down Meal

Essay: Eating Outside

    Some time ago, people used to eat better. However, life style have change and the eating habits have change with it. Now, we are getting used to the “easy and fast” things, including fast food with it.

    Eating outside is okay once in a while, but we are adopting it as habit, these because of  lack of time, they don't like to cook or just because they’re lazy and don't want to do it.

    Eating outside might bring a lot of consequences. First, people spend a bunch of money eating outside and sometimes they are not conscious of the amount.  Then, they don’t know the amount of calories and energy pf the food, this might not be good for an healthy diet. Also, the hygienic conditions the food was prepared are unknown, been exposed to a disease.

    Nowadays people doesn’t have enough time to prepare a good meal; this is disturbing because it’s a basic necessity and they are letting aside. 

Grammar: Phrasal Verbs

It's two or three words put together to make one verb. Two-word phrasal verbs consist of a verb and a particle. Examples: 

• Keep + up with 
• Take + out
• Make + up
• Call + up

Intransitive: Do not take a direct object.

Transitive: Take a direct object 

Vocabulary

• Witnessing: Seeing
• Stacked: Full
• Shift: Change
• Workforce: Industrial workers
• Tough: Difficult
• Hard to swallow: Difficult to believe
• Put bread on the table: To earn money
• Hit: Popular
• Beaned someone: Hit someone
• New chain: Part of a group of stores
• Overrun: Invade, encroach on
• Delicacies: Luxuries
• Sit-down: Relaxed
• Intimate: Close
• Core: Key
• Call up: Phone
• Catch on: Become popular
• Check out: Investigate
• Ask over: Invite to one's home
• Turn down: Reject
• Put off: Postpone
• Call off: Cancel
• Let down: Disappoint