Videos:The Environment / Environment vocabulary

ESSAY WRITING

Maroon 5 - Memories (Lyrics)

SEVEN TRICKS AT A JOB INTERVIEW

In today’s world, looking through a candidate’s resume and having a standard interview with them is not enough in the quest for the perfect employee. That’s why employers have to use some tricks and most of them are so simple, that an applicant could fail one of these psychological tests and not even notice the test itself.

1. You are offered a cup of coffee for a reason.

After the interview, the employer carefully watches what the candidate will do with the cup — will they ask where to put it, will they simply leave the cup on the table, or will they wash it by themselves in the kitchen.

This trick speaks volumes about a person’s character and their manners, more than their answers to the actual interview questions. It can also show how fast the candidate will fit into the team. The best decision, in this case, is to go to the kitchen after the interview and wash the cup by yourself.

2. The boss deliberately keeps you waiting.

This trick can show how emotionally stable the candidate is in stressful situations and how much they want to get this position in general.

3. The interviewer suddenly starts to shout.

It's a chance to check the candidate’s ability to resist stress. Experts advise you to remain calm and answer these questions as calmly as possible.

4. The interviewer makes a strange request and asks you to jump out the window.

Another unpleasant surprise for a job seeker might be hiding behind an eccentric request. The employer wants to see the candidate’s ability to use “out of the box” thinking.

You can shock the boss by asking the counter-question with a win-win option: “How will the company benefit from my jump?”

5. The employer suddenly starts to behave weirdly.

This trick can show how the candidate is going to re-focus the interviewer’s attention or what ways they are going to use to get out of this situation. One of the most effective options is to ask the interviewer to reschedule the interview for another day.

6. The candidate is introduced to the whole team.

This is the employer’s way of finding out their employees’ opinions about the candidate.

7. The boss drops their pen on the floor.

If the candidate instinctively bends down and picks the pen up, they’ll likely be hired for the job. If the applicant lets the interviewer do it, likely, they won’t.

                       Adapted from Bright Side, 7 Invisible Tricks Job Interviewers Use to Test You

Where do superstitions come from? - Stuart Vyse . TED-ED

Are Bad Jokes for Intelligent People?

PLAYING WITH WORDS

Last night I dreamt I wrote The Lord of the Rings. Then I realized I was just Tolkien in my sleep

                ..............

Why does Sweden have barcodes on all of its ships? So they can Scan-di-navy-in.

 .................

What pencil did Shakespeare write with?

2B.

.....................

Who’s the King of the classroom? The ruler.

                                       .......................

I’m close friends with 25 letters of the alphabet… I don’t know Y.

.......................

Last night my classroom was broken into and all of the dictionaries were stolen. I’m lost for words.

....................

I’ve never met a three, but I have… "metaphor".

.......................

You can throw an envelope as far as you want, but it’ll still be "stationary".

..........................

I’ve been working on a Scandinavian joke. But it’s not quite "Finnish".

......................

What do you call a belt made from watches? A "waist" of time.

.............................

- Why did the scarecrow win a Nobel Prize? 

- For being “out standing” in his field.

..........................

- What do you call a Frenchman in sandals? 

- "Philippe Philoppe."

........................

How do you get Pikachu on a bus? You poke him on.

........................

- I don’t think I deserved zero on this test!
- Teacher: I agree, but that’s the lowest mark I could give you.

.........................

- I will always tell you to follow your dreams, but I’ll never let you sleep in class.

Tones And I - Dance Monkey (Lyrics)

Greta Thunberg & Sir David Attenborough

Greta's father has said he thought it was "a bad idea" for his daughter to take to the "front line" of the battle against climate change.

Millions of people have been inspired to join the 16-year-old in raising awareness of environmental issues.

But Svante Thunberg told the BBC he was "not supportive" of his daughter skipping school for the climate strike.

Mr. Thunberg said Greta was much happier since becoming an activist - but that he worries about the "hate" she faces......

                                                                                           BBC NEWS    30 December 2019

  Read and watch the video

READING COMPREHENSION: PERSONALITIES

What the Way You Walk Reveals About Your Personality

A particular study carried out in 2017, by Caleb Backe, a health and wellness expert, shared and compared the walking speed and styles with personality traits.

Read the text and do the activities.

A. The following categories distinguish how your walking style reveals your personality. Match them with the pictures.

Example: 1-A

1. THE EXECUTIVE

If you’re an executive, you normally walk very quickly with fast and focused strides. You walk with confidence with your head up and tend to be absorbed in your thoughts. You may easily bump into others. You’re goal-oriented and are great problem solvers, however, you can also come off as unfriendly and intense.

2. THE CORRECTOR

If you’re a corrector, you usually walk by taking small steps while hunched over. You also avoid making eye contact with those around you. This is because correctors are normally quite introverted and shy. They tend to be on guard before they make any strong or genuine connections.

3. THE POLITICIAN

If you're a politician, you often walk with liveliness with your head held high, chest forward, and shoulders back. You desire acknowledgment and appreciation. You also enjoy challenges and learning about new experiences but can get bored easily. You're a confident speaker and enjoy engaging with people.

4. THE WORRIER

If you're a worrier, you tend to walk very slowly and cautiously. You typically make short strides but may drag your feet. Worriers generally keep their eyes on the ground and seem unsettled. Worriers tend to be introverted and thoughtful, but they can also seem vulnerable and fearful.

5. THE CHILLER

Chillers are the easy-going type of walkers. They usually walk at a slow to medium pace with their body loose and their posture relaxed. Their gestures tend to be small and sometimes they can get caught up in an internal dialogue. If you're a chiller, you tend to focus on others more than your own tasks and might seem lost while walking. You're very calm and intuitive but can also appear to be a slacker and easily influenced.

6. THE SHOWBOAT

If you're a showboat, you tend to walk very confidently and with intent. You sway your arms and hips in an exaggerated way and enjoy attracting attention from everyone. If you find yourself in this group, your head is usually held high, your shoulders are back, and you're more focused on yourself. Showboats can come off as self-absorbed and unreliable with commanding and charismatic personality traits.

7. THE SUPPORTER

If you're a supporter, you tend to walk in medium-paced, confident strides. Supporters are also cooperative team players and good listeners who speak thoughtfully and value unity and relationships. They're helpful, loyal, and dependable.

A simple phone call from their loved ones can easily brighten their day. Similar to Politicians, they like gestures, making eye contact, and interacting with people while walking.

8. THE SHORT STRIDER

If you're a short strider, you usually take short strides and are more likely to be a self-centered and undemanding individual. However, for women, short strides might be due to aches in the calves and hamstrings or it could even be a sign of an emerging hip problem.

9. THE ARM CROSSER

If you're an arm crosser, it usually indicates that you prefer to be alone or even live alone. Walking while crossing your arms also signifies vulnerability. Communication experts highlight that crossing your arms while walking is dangerous, especially at night, since it could send a signal that you're weak and can be easy prey for attackers. 

10. THE STOMPER

If you find your walking style to be more of a stomp, you just might be a stomper. Stompers' walking style can signal anger, frustration, and persistence. But sometimes, walking with a stomp could mean your body is trying to send a signal to your brain. This can be due to the limbs' positioning and is usually a result of the loss of sensation in the limbs.

11. THE MULTITASKER

If you tend to be able to multitask and walk simultaneously, you're a multitasking type of walker. It's also quite unique and creative since this kind of person is imaginative as they walk. They can handle a number of things all at once, often answering a call, directing someone, and even crossing the road all at the same time. If you belong to this group of people, you're brave and a problem solver. You're always keen on helping your friends in need.

A

B

D

 

C

F

E

G

H

I

J

K

B. VOCABULARY

Match the words with their definitions and translations

Example

English	Definition	Spanish
1.wellness n	1. (physical and mental    health)	1. bienestar nm

2. traits                        footstep                                         reconocimiento

3. stride                       curved shoulders                           arrastrar

4. bump into               characteristic                                  darse contra

5. hunched                  recognition                                     ritmo

6. acknowledgment      leg tendon                                     rasgos

7. drag                         a lazy person                                 zancada

8. pace                        pull along the ground                     entusiasta

9, slacker                    enthusiastic                                    encorvado 10. hamstring              speed                                             tendón 11. keen                      collide with                                     holgazán                                                                                                                                                             https://www.wordreference.com/es/translation.asp C. SPEAKING/WRITING What does your walking style say about you?                                                                                                   Adapted from Bright Side ANSWERS

New Year's Resolutions: 10 TED-ED Lessons

videos

A Poem. Spring to Winter

A Poem: Spring to Winter  (Learn English - British Council)

Suffixes

2020: a Leap Year

 A leap year has 366 days instead of the usual 365 days, and occurs nearly every four years. The extra day during leap years is the leap day on February 29.

How to know if it is a Leap Year:

	Leap Years are any year that can be exactly divided by 4 (such as 2016, 2020, 2024, etc)
		except if it can be exactly divided by 100, then it isn't (such as 2100, 2200, etc)
			except if it can be exactly divided by 400, then it is (such as 2000, 2400) https://www.mathsisfun.com/leap-years.html

Speaking about the past

      

• Explain how/what/why/when/where...
• Why didn't you do it?
• Did you have any New Year's Resolutions? Did you stick to them?

* Stick- Stuck - Stuck