ISE 2 Vocabulary for controlled written exam

EDUCATION

Class claseco-educational/"co-ed" co-educativa / "co-ed"

Course cursoDiploma diploma

dormitories/dorms residencias / dormitoriosAlumna antigua alumnaAlumnae ex-alumnasAlumnus antiguo alumnoAlumni alumni

exam/examination examen / exámenesGrade grado

grading system sistema de clasificaciónholidays/vacation vacaciones / vacaciones

Homework deberesKindergarten kindergarten

Notebook Cuadernonursery school Parvulario

primary/elementary school la escuela primaria / elementalprincipal/headmaster principal / cabeza

private school colegio privadoFaculty Profesorado

school year año escolarschool year año escolar

secondary/high school la escuela secundaria / altaSemester SemestreStudent EstudianteSubject Tema

teacher/professor (university) maestro / profesor (universitario)to drop out a abandonar

to learn para aprenderto pass para pasar

to repeat a grade que repetir un gradoto take an exam tomar un examen

to teach para enseñar  

PRIMARY SECONDARYSKILLED

TRAININGHIGH SCHOOL UNIVERSITY

ages 6-11 12-16 16 onwards

courses divided

16-18

specialisation in

18 onwards

compulsory

 

compulsory

known as CSE

into modules or units for training in trades

not compulsory, although advisable

certain areas with compulsory subjects like English

Baccalaureate certificate to go to university

not compulsory

degree

not compulsory

Vocabulary Find the "odd one out".

There may be more than one answer. Give your reasons .

A B C

1. single sex Mixed coeducational

2. compulsory Voluntary Optional

3. independent school private school state school

4. nursery Primary Secondary

5. further education comprehensive school

non-selective school

6. streaming mixed ability grouping

ability grouping

7. continuous assessment

final examinations intelligence testing

In Spain, school is compulsory between the ages of five and sixteen, before that children can go to a nursery but because all are privately run families have to pay a monthly fee. When children are in the nursery, they are not taught much, academically speaking, although social interaction is considered a lesson in itself.

Primary education continues until the age of eleven. At the early stages of Primary Schooling children learn to read, write and do simple Maths. At the later stages English, History and Science together with Art and Music become part of the school syllabus.

Pupils who wish to enter university usually finish their compulsory secondary education, also known as CSE and baccalaureate course when they are eighteen.

There are other kinds of further education for those who want to learn a trade such as catering or specialize in, say, mechanics, at an early stage. Actually, they can choose a training course at the age of 16.

In recent years, the proportion of young people entering university has risen dramatically. The variety of degree courses on offer has also widened. It is now common for students who enter fields such as nursing to be based at university, in fact one of the best universities for nursing in Spain is right here in Santander.

In the past, there used to be only fee-paying schools, and only rich families could afford to send their children there. At that time money was a key factor in success at any degree the student wanted to do. The poor were relegated to menial jobs with few prospects.

But today, things are very different. Firstly, There are two kinds of independent schools, some are fee-paying and others are funded with state grants and very small fees from parents, both belong to the private sector. It is said these schools are selective although there is no actual proof, as long as the parents pay the fees the students are accepted.

The rest of the schools , which fall between primary and secondary education, are part of the state system. Most state secondary schools are non-selective . Unlike in some countries where children are tested at the age of eleven and the bright ones are creamed off, Spain does not test them at any age and depend solely on the school board, the teachers and tutors for "streaming" their students within the school.

Many parents and politicians argue that private schools should be abolished to allow equality of opportunity for all children. Others insist that a fast track is needed for gifted pupils and that diversity means more freedom of choice .

I believe freedom of choice is more important that's why if I had a child I would like this freedom to be respected. Don't you agree?

Possible questions for the portfolio:

1. What kind of education would you choose for your child?2. What have you got against single sex schools?3. Don't you think they distract one another when they become teenagers?4. How about boarding schools? Don't they teach children how to live together?5. Would you prefer your child to be educated privately or by the state?6. What's wrong with mixed ability teaching?7. How is bullying or peer pressure dealt with in your school?8. Have you ever suffered from bullying? or have you ever bullied somebody?9. What is the discipline like in your school?10. What does a teacher do when a student is noisy or disruptive in the classroom?11. What do you think of homeschooling?12. Are there boarding schools in Spain? What are the differences?13. What do the authorities do with truancy?

NATIONAL CUSTOMS  

RELIGIOUS

Weddings

Christenings

First Holy Communion

Christmas

The Three Wisemen's Day

Easter

All Saint's Day

 

LOCAL

The Virgin of the Sea

The Martyr Saints

The Holy Vision

Village Fêtes

Legends of ojancana....

Ides of March

Summer festival

9-pin Bowling

music festivals

Medieval Market

NATIONAL

Father's Day

Mother's Day

St. John's Night

St. Fermin

Carnival

Halloween

bull fighting

bull running

 

 

Words that go with the customs aboveorchestra water bulls mass sardinesparade market processions eggs heartspins tournaments picnics sing songs blessball folk music turkey stalls outdoor dancingcostumes fireworks Virgin Mary cross statuegifts spring presents bonfire harlequinshouse to house floats pray beach nougatmiracle clowns trick or treat ghosts camelsfishing boats parties tinsel candles statuedecorations witches specialities dances treeholidays seafood flowers traffic jams cake

Possible questions for the portfolio:

1. Which custom is your favourite and why?2. What do you do at Christmas?3. What customs are there in summer?4. Do you ever give presents?5. What was your favourite, which you received at Christmas?6. Do you believe in ghosts ?7. Have you ever dressed up?8. What did you do last Easter?9. Do Spanish people go on holidays at Easter?10. What is so special about summer?11. How ethical is bull fighting?12. Is it simply cruelty to animals or just a tradition?

13. Have you ever wanted to go bull running?14. What dangers are there to this activity?15. Do you know anybody who has taken part in bull running?16. Why do people take part in dangerous activities like bull running?17. Are there any traditions that have been imported from other countries? 

VILLAGE AND CITY LIFE

Accomodation Alojamientoadmission fee cuota de ingreso

Brochure Folletocamping site, campsite camping, camping

car rental (US) alquiler de coches (EE.UU.)car hire (GB) alquiler de coches (GB)car park (GB) aparcamiento (GB)

Caravan Caravanacity centre (GB) centro de la ciudad (GB)

Cruise Crucerodouble room habitación doble

double room with twin beds habitación doble con dos camasdowntown (US) centro (EE.UU.)

Flight VueloFortnight Quincena

Guesthouse casa de huéspedesGuide Orientar

high season temporada altahiking trail ruta de senderismo

holidays (GB) vacaciones (GB)Holidaymaker Turista

Hostel AlbergueHotel Hotel

hotel chain cadena de hotelesInn Posada

low season temporada bajamotor-home motor-home

one-way ticket (US) billete de ida (EE.UU.)package deal Paquete

parking lot (US) aparcamiento (EE.UU.)Resort Recurrir

return ticket (GB) billete de vuelta (GB)round ticket (US) billete de ida (EE.UU.)

Season Temporadasightseeing tour visita turísticasingle ticket (GB) billete sencillo (GB)

single room habitación individual

Sightseer Turista   

 

In the past, Spain was a country mainly dedicated to agriculture for its livelyhood. Villages were full of families with many children, all and I mean all of them worked on the land. Families were big, five children upwards and although nearly all the villages had a village school, education was not high up in the agenda. Most offspring followed in their fathers footsteps. Cities were for "cultured people" business men, engineers, architects and so on. These people usually had more money than villagers and often went to university.

Then, around the 60's there was a social change, a vast number of villagers left their homes in search of a better life in the cities. So slowly but surely villages were emptied of "young people" in fact there is a good number of "ghost villages up and down Spain".

The villagers who moved to the city found that they were actually better off. Spain's economy was growing and there were plenty jobs available. These people had fixed working hours, (unlike in the village where work was from dawn till dusk) they also had a month's holiday which was paid for by the company, (something which they never had in the village) their children could go to school instead of working the land. There were all the ammenities near at hand, all kinds of entertainment and so on....Indeed, they felt they were better off!

Nowadays things have changed yet again. Villages are filling up once again but not with farmers, in fact, townsfolk are trying to escape the stress of city life by going back to nature. These citizens are buying up old, deteriorated village houses and doing them up, so that at weekends they can get away from the hustle and bustle of the boring daily routine in the city. Other people have sold up their belongings and gone to live in the village, they make a living by converting large old houses into "village inns" where city folk who can't afford a house of their own can escape that stress.

Life in the village is now peaceful for most. Of course there are still farmers in villages, but their life today is much better than in the past as they have all kinds of machines and gadgets to make their work easier. I wonder what kind of changes there will be in the future. Maybe people will all decide to live in peace and quiet in villages and the cities will become empty!

If I had the chance to work from home, I would certainly choose to live in a village although I would need to be fairly near a big city so that I had the best of both worlds!

Possible questions for the portfolio

1. Where would you like to live in the future and why?2. What kind of entertainment is there in a village?3. What ammenities are there in a city that make life easier?4. Is there much pollution in the country?5. What disadvantages are there to living in a city? And in a village?

6. How has life in villages changed in the last 20 years?7. What job opportunities are there in a village and in a city?8. Is there much crime in cities and in villages?9. Where would you recommend living?10. What are the main differences to living in a city or a village?

NATIONAL AND LOCAL PRODUCE AND PRODUCTS.

EARLY MEMORIES

USED TO+ INF

DIDN'T USE TO + INF

DID YOU USE TO + INF ?

USO DE "WOULD" SIGNIFICANDO SOLIA

REMEMBER + ING

BE USED TO + INGGET USED TO + ING

SOLIA

O EL IMPERFECTO PARA HABLAR DE ALGO QUE HOY DIA YA NO SE HACE

ESTAR ACOSTUMBRADO A HACER ALGO

ACOSTUMBRARSE A ALGO

Possible questions for the portfolio:

How did you used to feel when you started going to school?Did you ever feel frustrated when your parents told you off for something that you did?Have you ever seen a film that made you feel afraid? How did you use to feel as a child after seen a scary movie?What things did you use to do five years ago?Can you tell me an anecdote about your childhood?Do you have an anecdote?

POLLUTION AND RECYCLING

acid rain lluvia ácidacarbon dioxide dióxido de carbono

Chemicals productos químicosclimate change cambio climáticoConservation ConservaciónContaminant Contaminante

Contamination ContaminaciónDeforestation Deforestacióneco-friendly respetuoso del medio ambienteEcological EcológicoEcologist Ecologista

Ecosystem EcosistemaEffluent Efluente

endangered species especies en peligro de extinciónEnvironment medio ambiente

Environmental Ambientalenvironmentalist Ambientalista

environmentally friendly el medio ambienteExtinction extinción

garbage disposal (US) recogida de basuras (EE.UU.)garbage separation (US) separación de la basura (EE.UU.)

global warming calentamiento globalgreenhouse effect efecto invernadero

noise pollution la contaminación acústicanuclear radiation la radiación nuclear

Organic orgánicoOzone ozono

ozone-friendly no dañador a la capa de ozonoozone layer capa de ozonoPollution polución

radioactive substance sustancia radiactivaradioactive waste residuos radiactivos

Radioactivity radioactividadRecyclable reciclableRecycled recicladoRecycling reciclaje

Reforestation repoblación forestalSewage aguas residuales

sewage farm (GB) las aguas residuales agrícolas (GB)sewage plant (US) planta de aguas residuales (EE.UU.)

sewage works (GB) obras de alcantarillado (GB)Smog niebla con humo

solar energy energía solar

sulphur dioxide (GB) dióxido de azufre (GB)sulfur dioxide (US) dióxido de azufre (EE.UU.)

toxic waste residuos tóxicoswaste separation (GB) separación de residuos (GB)waste disposal (GB) eliminación de residuos (GB)

wind power energía eólicato become extinct en vías de extinción

to conserve para conservarto contaminate para contaminar

to die out a morirto poison para envenenarto pollute a contaminarto recycle para reciclar

  The greenhouse effect is a global environmental problem as it affects all individuals in all the countries all over the world. This implies that international cooperation among countries will be needed to reach an efficient solution to this problem.

The greenhouse effect is the rise in temperature that the Earth experiences because certain gases in the atmosphere (water vapor, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane, for example) trap energy from the sun. Without these gases, heat would escape back into space and Earth’s average temperature would be about 60ºF colder. Because of how they warm our world, these gases are referred to as greenhouse gases.

The greenhouse effect is important. Without the greenhouse effect, the Earth would not be warm enough for humans to live. But if the greenhouse effect becomes stronger, it could make the Earth warmer than usual. Even a little extra warming may cause problems for humans, plants, and animals.

Global warming may be a big problem, but there are many little things we can do to make a difference. If we try, most of us can do our part to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases that we put into the atmosphere. Many greenhouse gases come from things we do every day.

As we have learned, these greenhouse gases trap energy in the atmosphere and make the Earth warmer. Driving a car or using electricity is not wrong. We just have to be smart about it.Some people use less energy by carpooling. For example, four people can ride together in one car instead of driving four cars to work.

 

Here are some additional ways you can help make the planet a better place!

Save Electricity: Whenever we use electricity, we help put greenhouse

gases into the air. By turning off lights, the tv, and the computer when you are through with them, you can help a lot.

Bike, Bus, and Walk: You can save energy by sometimes taking the bus,

riding a bike, or walking.

Talk to Your Family and Friends about global warming. Let them know what

you've learned.

Plant Trees: it is fun and a great way to reduce greenhouse gases. Trees absorb carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, from

the air.

Recycling: recycle cans, bottles, plastic bags, and newspapers. When you recycle, you send less trash to the landfill and you help save natural

resources, like trees, oil, and elements such as aluminum.

When You Buy, Buy Cool Stuff: There are lots of ways we can improve the

environment. One of the ways to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases that we put into the air is to buy products that

don't use as much energy.

Solar Energy: it is a fancy way of saying "energy that comes from the sun." Solar energy can be used to heat homes, buildings, water, and to make electricity. Today, more than 200,000 houses in the United States take advantage of the sun's energy.

Cars: they are an important part of life for most people. But cars also cause pollution and release a lot of greenhouse gases into the air. Fortunately, there are some cars that are better for the environment. These cars can travel longer on a smaller amount of gasoline. They don't pollute as much, either. Using these kinds of cars can help reduce the amount of greenhouse gases in the air.

Average global temperature has increased by almost 1ºF over the past century; scientists expect the average global temperature to increase an additional 2 to 6ºF over the next one hundred years. This may not sound like much, but it could change the Earth's climate as never before. At the peak of the last ice age (18,000 years ago), the temperature was only 7ºF colder than it is today, and glaciers covered much of North America! What Might Happen?

It is important to understand that scientists don't know for sure what global warming will bring. Some changes brought about by global warming will be good. If you live in a very cool climate, warmer temperatures might be welcome. Days and nights could be more comfortable and people in the area may be able to grow different and better crops than they could before. But it is also true that changes in some places will not be very good at all.

Human Health

Climate change may affect people's health both directly and indirectly. For example, heat stress and other heat related health problems are caused directly by very warm temperatures and high humidity. Untreated, heat stress can be a very serious medical problem. Scientists suspect that, in many places, global warming will increase the number of very hot days that occur during the year. More hot days increases the possibility of heat related health problems.

Indirectly, ecological disturbances, air pollution, changes in food and water

supplies, and coastal flooding are all examples of possible impacts that might affect human health.

How people and nature adapt to climate change will determine how seriously it impacts human health. Some people and places are likely to be affected more than others. Generally, poor people and poor countries are less likely to have the money and resources they need to cope with preventing and treating health problems. Very young children and the elderly adults will run the highest risks.

Ecological Systems

Climate change may alter the world's habitats and ecosystems – all living things are included in and rely on these places. Many of these places depend on a delicate balance of rainfall, temperature, and soil type. A rapid change in climate could upset this balance and seriously endanger many living things.

Most past climate changes occurred slowly, allowing plants and animals to adapt to the new environment or move somewhere else. However, if future climate changes occur as rapidly as some scientists predict, plants and animals may not be able to react quickly enough to survive. The ocean's ecosystems also could be affected for the same reasons.

Sea Level Rise

Global warming may make the sea level become higher. Why? Well, warmer weather makes glaciers melt. A glacier is a large sheet of ice that moves very, very slowly. Some melting glaciers add more water to the ocean. Warmer temperatures also make water expand. When water expands in the ocean, it takes up more space and the level of the sea rises.

Oceanfront property would be affected by flooding, and beach erosion could leave structures even more vulnerable to storm waves. Whether we move back from the water or build barricades in the face of a rising sea, it could cost billions of dollars to adapt to such change. Coastal flooding also may reduce the quality of drinking water in coastal areas.

Crops and Food SupplyGlobal warming may make the Earth warmer in cold places. People living in

these places may have a chance to grow crops in new areas. But global warming also might bring droughts to other places where we grow crops. In some parts of the world, people may not have enough to eat because they cannot grow the food that they need.