Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Healthy and delicious
Recently we have looked at good mood foods and ways to stay healthy in our LS classes. Why don't you share your favourite recipes for delicious healthy dishes?
Ways to live forever assignment
Ways to live forever assignment
Directions: Sam likes to collect fantastic facts. Your task is to collect some Fun Facts about a topic you like, then present them on a A4 poster.
Your poster must:
•Be in colour
•Have at least 5 facts
•Be about a topic you and your teacher have agreed on.
Due Date: Friday 11th March 2011
Directions: Sam likes to collect fantastic facts. Your task is to collect some Fun Facts about a topic you like, then present them on a A4 poster.
Your poster must:
•Be in colour
•Have at least 5 facts
•Be about a topic you and your teacher have agreed on.
Due Date: Friday 11th March 2011
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN TEAM SPORTS AND INDIVIDUAL SPORTS
Do you prefer tennis or volleyball? Both tennis and volleyball are very popular and fun sports, though they are different in many ways. Tennis is an individual sport and volleyball is a team sport. Personally, I would prefer volleyball which is a team sport, however I admit that both team sports and individual sports have their own advantages.
Although I like team sports, I am aware that individual sports have a lot of joys that team sports do not have. First of all, in individual sports, players can do anything when they want, and how they want. They can give quick decisions without asking anybody. On the other hand, in team sports, no one can play personally. They have a responsibility to their teammates. Moreover, team sports teach you how to struggle by yourself. For example, tennis taught me what to do when I’m alone because when you are playing no one else is on the court with you.
As I mentioned before, team sports have totally different advantages. Being alone can be a nice thing for a person, but having friends around is definitely more fun. Team sports allow people to socialize and make new friends. What is more, in a team sport players are never alone when they need help. That is why I like playing volleyball. In volleyball, my teammates always help me when I’m stuck in a bad situation. Another good thing about team sports is the opportunity to learn from others. I learned volleyball from my friends.
To conclude, I like team sports however, in my opinion, both team sports and individual sports are enjoyable. I think all people should try both types of sports because they will experience very different pleasures.
Gusef Bage
11 Science B
Although I like team sports, I am aware that individual sports have a lot of joys that team sports do not have. First of all, in individual sports, players can do anything when they want, and how they want. They can give quick decisions without asking anybody. On the other hand, in team sports, no one can play personally. They have a responsibility to their teammates. Moreover, team sports teach you how to struggle by yourself. For example, tennis taught me what to do when I’m alone because when you are playing no one else is on the court with you.
As I mentioned before, team sports have totally different advantages. Being alone can be a nice thing for a person, but having friends around is definitely more fun. Team sports allow people to socialize and make new friends. What is more, in a team sport players are never alone when they need help. That is why I like playing volleyball. In volleyball, my teammates always help me when I’m stuck in a bad situation. Another good thing about team sports is the opportunity to learn from others. I learned volleyball from my friends.
To conclude, I like team sports however, in my opinion, both team sports and individual sports are enjoyable. I think all people should try both types of sports because they will experience very different pleasures.
Gusef Bage
11 Science B
THE BEST VACATION
I have always liked travelling. Maybe the word “like” is not enough for my passion. Everyday, before I sleep, I dream of exotic places that I have never been to. Lately, I’ve been dreaming of a new place: India. I have a special interest for this place. Of course I have many reasons for wanting to go there; India is a very popular place for tourists, however what I feel for this place is more like an obsession. I do not want to die before I see India.
Think of a place that hasn’t got anything familiar. It would be so fun to be continuously in a learning process. This whole new culture makes India so attractive for me. First of all, the cuisine is really sophisticated. Once when I was in London, I went to an Indian restaurant. The food was really spicy but delicious. I remember I was really surprised seeing people eating with their hands, but I tried it, and it was fun. They also have traditions, such as eating with the left hand is considered to be rude. Moreover, life in India is so colourful -I mean literally colourful. Colour is a part of their culture: dresses, houses… I know I have an artist in me, so India is a treasure island for me, there are lots of things to make art from. I know exactly what I will do. I will take my backpack, sketchbook and camera, get on the train and travel all around the country. I will meet new people everyday.
Another reason I want to go to India is that I have friends living there. Last year when I was in London, I met Aalia whose family is still living in India, Agra. When we were in England she invited me to their family home which she visits every year. She promised me to take me around and show me how everything works. She also said we could meet her friends and even more, we could go to Bollywood unless it is the rainy season. I would love to see a Bollywood movie.
To conclude, India will be my first choice while deciding where to go for my summer holiday this year. It would be the adventure of my life. I am looking forward to seeing this marvellous country and I want to finish my essay with an Indian word which means ‘goodbye’. Namaste.
Gusef Bage
11Science B
Think of a place that hasn’t got anything familiar. It would be so fun to be continuously in a learning process. This whole new culture makes India so attractive for me. First of all, the cuisine is really sophisticated. Once when I was in London, I went to an Indian restaurant. The food was really spicy but delicious. I remember I was really surprised seeing people eating with their hands, but I tried it, and it was fun. They also have traditions, such as eating with the left hand is considered to be rude. Moreover, life in India is so colourful -I mean literally colourful. Colour is a part of their culture: dresses, houses… I know I have an artist in me, so India is a treasure island for me, there are lots of things to make art from. I know exactly what I will do. I will take my backpack, sketchbook and camera, get on the train and travel all around the country. I will meet new people everyday.
Another reason I want to go to India is that I have friends living there. Last year when I was in London, I met Aalia whose family is still living in India, Agra. When we were in England she invited me to their family home which she visits every year. She promised me to take me around and show me how everything works. She also said we could meet her friends and even more, we could go to Bollywood unless it is the rainy season. I would love to see a Bollywood movie.
To conclude, India will be my first choice while deciding where to go for my summer holiday this year. It would be the adventure of my life. I am looking forward to seeing this marvellous country and I want to finish my essay with an Indian word which means ‘goodbye’. Namaste.
Gusef Bage
11Science B
ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS
“Do what I say, not what I do.” a Turkish proverb says. I have always hated those words. During all my childhood, people said that to me. The ones that I most hated were the smokers. They advised me not to smoke and denigrated cigarettes, but they continued to smoke. And I thought “then quit smoking!”. And this did not change over the years. In my opinion, people should support their ideas with their actions.
First of all, for one to understand something truly, one should experience or see it in first person rather than hearing it from another person. This is especially true for children. For children, their biggest idol is one of their parents. If parents do not encourage the child to good things by being a solid example, no one can. For example if a boy’s parents do not read in front of him, the boy will not acquire a reading habit.
Secondly, if someone wants to sound trustworthy, they should do what they say. No one would pay attention to a person who says something and just after that does the opposite. People should be consistent. For instance, if a politician does not keep the promises he made after he is elected, nobody should vote for him in the next elections. This is a matter of trust between people.
To conclude, I completely agree with the quote “Actions speak louder than words.” And I always try to apply this in my life. After all, who likes a corrupt person whose actions contradict his words? As far as I’m concerned, all people should embrace this principal to be happy in their lives.
Gusef Bage
11 Science B
First of all, for one to understand something truly, one should experience or see it in first person rather than hearing it from another person. This is especially true for children. For children, their biggest idol is one of their parents. If parents do not encourage the child to good things by being a solid example, no one can. For example if a boy’s parents do not read in front of him, the boy will not acquire a reading habit.
Secondly, if someone wants to sound trustworthy, they should do what they say. No one would pay attention to a person who says something and just after that does the opposite. People should be consistent. For instance, if a politician does not keep the promises he made after he is elected, nobody should vote for him in the next elections. This is a matter of trust between people.
To conclude, I completely agree with the quote “Actions speak louder than words.” And I always try to apply this in my life. After all, who likes a corrupt person whose actions contradict his words? As far as I’m concerned, all people should embrace this principal to be happy in their lives.
Gusef Bage
11 Science B
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN AMERİCAN AND TURKISH FILMS
When you decide to go to the cinema on a Saturday evening, is it usually because you want to see either a Turkish film or an American film? Does it really matter? If so, what is the difference?
There are lots of fantastic American and Turkish films that give great pleasure to watch. However, they are for the most part very different from each other. There are two main differences between American and Turkish films: subjects and techniques.
Firstly, the subjects of American and Turkish films do not resemble with each other. The main reason for this is that the concerns of the two nations do not correspond. One case can intrigue all Turkish people but American people may find it shallow. In Turkish films, emotions stand in the front and signs of daily life and public issues are usually seen. Therefore, there is a possibility that an American person might not understand or be interested in our films. And vice versa, as well. For example, the film that caught the general public’s imagination, “Güneş’i Gördüm”, has a profound subject which normal people in foreign countries would not get easily. Similarly, many Hollywood productions do not even come to Turkish cinemas for this reason.
Secondly, the film techniques of American and Turkish cinema are nowhere near the same. This mainly is a matter of money. In the USA, the industry in Hollywood is fully-developed and has a magnificent budget in contrast to Turkey, where the film industry is still growing. That is why in Turkey there are not as many people working in the business and there are not as many people going to cinemas regularly as in USA. This is again due to financial circumstances. Turkish investors do not believe that they will have a considerable return. On the contrary, in the USA, cinema culture has its roots strongly attached to the ground. So American investors do not have to worry about whether they get their money back or not. What is more, they buy the newest techniques and this makes their films even more enchanting. For instance, the film “Avatar” had the latest film technology of 3D and this made it really popular all around the world. Unfortunately, Turkish cinema does not have this standard yet.
To conclude, there are both good and bad Turkish and American films. Next time when you are trying to decide on the film you are going to watch, please consider those differences between homemade and foreign films. Enjoy!
Gusef Bage
11 Science B
There are lots of fantastic American and Turkish films that give great pleasure to watch. However, they are for the most part very different from each other. There are two main differences between American and Turkish films: subjects and techniques.
Firstly, the subjects of American and Turkish films do not resemble with each other. The main reason for this is that the concerns of the two nations do not correspond. One case can intrigue all Turkish people but American people may find it shallow. In Turkish films, emotions stand in the front and signs of daily life and public issues are usually seen. Therefore, there is a possibility that an American person might not understand or be interested in our films. And vice versa, as well. For example, the film that caught the general public’s imagination, “Güneş’i Gördüm”, has a profound subject which normal people in foreign countries would not get easily. Similarly, many Hollywood productions do not even come to Turkish cinemas for this reason.
Secondly, the film techniques of American and Turkish cinema are nowhere near the same. This mainly is a matter of money. In the USA, the industry in Hollywood is fully-developed and has a magnificent budget in contrast to Turkey, where the film industry is still growing. That is why in Turkey there are not as many people working in the business and there are not as many people going to cinemas regularly as in USA. This is again due to financial circumstances. Turkish investors do not believe that they will have a considerable return. On the contrary, in the USA, cinema culture has its roots strongly attached to the ground. So American investors do not have to worry about whether they get their money back or not. What is more, they buy the newest techniques and this makes their films even more enchanting. For instance, the film “Avatar” had the latest film technology of 3D and this made it really popular all around the world. Unfortunately, Turkish cinema does not have this standard yet.
To conclude, there are both good and bad Turkish and American films. Next time when you are trying to decide on the film you are going to watch, please consider those differences between homemade and foreign films. Enjoy!
Gusef Bage
11 Science B
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
5 YEARS AGO
As time goes by, people change, either for good or bad. Change is always hard at first but you get used to it eventually. Time is the main cause for change. Time passes and things transform. This includes me; 5 years ago I was a different person. I now have become more mature in so many ways; I have learned to just be myself.
Everyone wants to be liked by everyone. That was my main goal 5 years ago. If people wanted me to be funny I would give them funny, if they wanted me to be nice I would give them nice. Shortly, what mattered to me didn’t matter at all. What really mattered was what my friends thought of me. I had no self control over my actions because I was being controlled by others or shall I say I wanted to be controlled by others. That was 5 years ago. Now I know that nobody else matters but myself. You can’t please everyone so please yourself. I learned that trying to be like someone else is like if everyday were Halloween. Like Oscar Wilde says; “Be yourself because everyone else is taken”.
While time passes you learn that life get tougher. This means you have to put up with all the hard parts in life. To be strong, you have to think and act more mature. You have to see thing is a different perspective. In the stage of my life now, I see that being strong and not giving up is the only way to survive. And clearly wanting to be loved by everyone was making my life harder. Now I know keeping everything simple is the key to leave in peace. 5 years ago I definitely would not have agreed with this point of view.
5 years ago I was hibernating but now I am awake, I can see the difference between right and wrong. All along the way to happiness I was just feeling satisfied with myself. If I went back to my age of 5 years from now, I would definitely criticize myself everyday. From now on my new motto is “be happy with yourself only”.
Ayşe Güneş
Everyone wants to be liked by everyone. That was my main goal 5 years ago. If people wanted me to be funny I would give them funny, if they wanted me to be nice I would give them nice. Shortly, what mattered to me didn’t matter at all. What really mattered was what my friends thought of me. I had no self control over my actions because I was being controlled by others or shall I say I wanted to be controlled by others. That was 5 years ago. Now I know that nobody else matters but myself. You can’t please everyone so please yourself. I learned that trying to be like someone else is like if everyday were Halloween. Like Oscar Wilde says; “Be yourself because everyone else is taken”.
While time passes you learn that life get tougher. This means you have to put up with all the hard parts in life. To be strong, you have to think and act more mature. You have to see thing is a different perspective. In the stage of my life now, I see that being strong and not giving up is the only way to survive. And clearly wanting to be loved by everyone was making my life harder. Now I know keeping everything simple is the key to leave in peace. 5 years ago I definitely would not have agreed with this point of view.
5 years ago I was hibernating but now I am awake, I can see the difference between right and wrong. All along the way to happiness I was just feeling satisfied with myself. If I went back to my age of 5 years from now, I would definitely criticize myself everyday. From now on my new motto is “be happy with yourself only”.
Ayşe Güneş
Turkish and American Movies
Today in the 21st century, the film productions are getting costlier each and everyday. Comparing them to the past, films are not only filled with waves of emotion but there are actually amazing special effects too. Today rather than hearing “I cried throughout the whole movie” we hear “the effects were outstanding”. Of course, you don’t usually hear this after you watch a Turkish movie: These reactions are given after you have watched an American Movie.
The American film industry spends an impressive amount of money on films. They really put in a lot of effort to make an unbelievable show for the audience. Americans have got it all down when it comes to shooting movies. On the other hand, Turks aren’t at their level yet. Of course, Turkish movies are good too but when you generally look at all of the films, they are just packed with emotions. Usually there aren’t any science-fiction movies. The reason for this is the Turkish film industry doesn’t have the budget to shoot films like that, and if you compare the number of movies Americans produce a year to the number of films Turks produce a year, you will see that Turks are very low in film production. Also there are differences “inside” the films as well. Turkish movies are more conservative when it comes to sexual scenes in movies. America films are the exact opposite. The reason for this is because of Turkish and American cultural differences. So, naturally Turkish films are more conservative compared to American films.
All in all, when you look at the two countries’ films you can see that there is a big gap between them and that economy, culture and other side effects can really be your invisible guide to how your film may turn out. But I do believe that someday Turkish films will be where American films are today.
Ayşe Güneş
The American film industry spends an impressive amount of money on films. They really put in a lot of effort to make an unbelievable show for the audience. Americans have got it all down when it comes to shooting movies. On the other hand, Turks aren’t at their level yet. Of course, Turkish movies are good too but when you generally look at all of the films, they are just packed with emotions. Usually there aren’t any science-fiction movies. The reason for this is the Turkish film industry doesn’t have the budget to shoot films like that, and if you compare the number of movies Americans produce a year to the number of films Turks produce a year, you will see that Turks are very low in film production. Also there are differences “inside” the films as well. Turkish movies are more conservative when it comes to sexual scenes in movies. America films are the exact opposite. The reason for this is because of Turkish and American cultural differences. So, naturally Turkish films are more conservative compared to American films.
All in all, when you look at the two countries’ films you can see that there is a big gap between them and that economy, culture and other side effects can really be your invisible guide to how your film may turn out. But I do believe that someday Turkish films will be where American films are today.
Ayşe Güneş
Does Foreign Aid Work?
For many years, the international community has donated big amounts of money to help the poorest countries. Has it been successful? Many critics say it has not. This shows that because of foreign aid, poor countries are being encouraged to follow bad policies, and donations from rich countries are the reason for foreign aid reliance.
Countries that are suffering from poverty are many today. The problem is that they have bad economic habits. Donor countries which are helping poor countries are actually encouraging them to continue with their bad policies. It strengthens the roles of the state sector and of those who control it, who are generally unelected, incompetent and corrupt officials. These results lead to disadvantages that affect the large majority of the population, mainly the rural population. Steve Radelet, a senior fellow at the center for global development in Washington D.C. says that aid is least effective in countries such as Somalia and Haiti, where governments are especially weak.
There also is another problem which is that poor countries tend to rely on the donating countries. American University economist George Ayitey, a native of Ghana, says that foreign aid has failed especially in Africa. In African nations like Uganda, the budget is 53% aid dependent. This means that some countries are not able to use the money effectively. That is actually very unlikely to happen because poor countries don’t really know how to manage their money, because they don’t have any money to start out with and the problem leads to this; poor countries just expect more donations.
All in all, foreign aid has not really done any good to countries who are suffering from poverty. I think that foreign aid should develop more strategies in order to help poor countries. From the looks of these results just giving out a trillion dollars is not going to work.
Ayşe Güneş
Countries that are suffering from poverty are many today. The problem is that they have bad economic habits. Donor countries which are helping poor countries are actually encouraging them to continue with their bad policies. It strengthens the roles of the state sector and of those who control it, who are generally unelected, incompetent and corrupt officials. These results lead to disadvantages that affect the large majority of the population, mainly the rural population. Steve Radelet, a senior fellow at the center for global development in Washington D.C. says that aid is least effective in countries such as Somalia and Haiti, where governments are especially weak.
There also is another problem which is that poor countries tend to rely on the donating countries. American University economist George Ayitey, a native of Ghana, says that foreign aid has failed especially in Africa. In African nations like Uganda, the budget is 53% aid dependent. This means that some countries are not able to use the money effectively. That is actually very unlikely to happen because poor countries don’t really know how to manage their money, because they don’t have any money to start out with and the problem leads to this; poor countries just expect more donations.
All in all, foreign aid has not really done any good to countries who are suffering from poverty. I think that foreign aid should develop more strategies in order to help poor countries. From the looks of these results just giving out a trillion dollars is not going to work.
Ayşe Güneş
Using Animals For Research
There has been a conflict between animal rights supporters and scientists about whether it is ok to use animals in experimental research. Although such research is very beneficial in finding a cure for diseases, animal rights supporters do not support this.
I believe that people and animals cannot be seen as equal, and therefore the death of an animal cannot be the same thing as the death of a person. For that reason, causing animals to die for science, for the sake of saving human lives, may be considered ethical to some if it will contribute to the advancement of science and will be to the benefit of humanity in general. Furthermore, animal rights supporters label scientists as “evil” for causing animals to die in medical experiments, while they do not oppose the people, mostly farmers, who kill animals for food.
People and animals may not be the same, but to some degree there are similarities which can at least give scientists an idea about their experiments. From this point of view, scientists are right to use animal models to provide themselves with information about what is happening at a level of detail that could not be achieved in humans. Although there might have been some incidents when animal testing did not prove to be useful and some effects of some drugs observed on animals could not be observed on people, there are also a lot of examples that show that using animals resulted in significant developments and helped to cure some serious illnesses. Besides, if we do not use guinea pigs for research, then we don’t have any chance to see if the scientific research is going to work or not.
All in all, it can be said that using animals for medical research is ethical as long as it contributes to scientific development and helps scientists find ways to improve human health. And this practice is only acceptable on the condition that necessary precautions are taken and animals are treated humanely.
Cihangir Zülfikar
I believe that people and animals cannot be seen as equal, and therefore the death of an animal cannot be the same thing as the death of a person. For that reason, causing animals to die for science, for the sake of saving human lives, may be considered ethical to some if it will contribute to the advancement of science and will be to the benefit of humanity in general. Furthermore, animal rights supporters label scientists as “evil” for causing animals to die in medical experiments, while they do not oppose the people, mostly farmers, who kill animals for food.
People and animals may not be the same, but to some degree there are similarities which can at least give scientists an idea about their experiments. From this point of view, scientists are right to use animal models to provide themselves with information about what is happening at a level of detail that could not be achieved in humans. Although there might have been some incidents when animal testing did not prove to be useful and some effects of some drugs observed on animals could not be observed on people, there are also a lot of examples that show that using animals resulted in significant developments and helped to cure some serious illnesses. Besides, if we do not use guinea pigs for research, then we don’t have any chance to see if the scientific research is going to work or not.
All in all, it can be said that using animals for medical research is ethical as long as it contributes to scientific development and helps scientists find ways to improve human health. And this practice is only acceptable on the condition that necessary precautions are taken and animals are treated humanely.
Cihangir Zülfikar
Advantages and Disadvantages of Video Games
Do you believe video games are killing our time? Do you believe the cyber world is useless? It’s always discussed whether video games are just a waste of time and do not provide anything beneficial for us. I believe just like we need food and water, we also need time to have fun. Some people do sports, some people prefer dating, I prefer computer games.
Video games such as computer games or play station games help us relax. After long study hours we need some time to rest and have fun. Video games can provide these. Also, as long as the game is in English, it helps you improve your speaking and listening skills by listening to the dialogues throughout the game. Next, it has a fictional world inside which helps develop your imagination and you can get some inspiration in your daily life from these fictional characters.
Unfortunately, it has some disadvantages too. First it causes addiction and it could waste a lot of your time. Secondly, spending too much time in front of the screen could damage your eyes. Finally, video games cost money and you spend lots of money on them if you’re a shopaholic and a computer addict.
To sum up, video games are beneficial for us if we can arrange the time to study and the time to play. If we don’t become a massively addicted gamer, video games are beneficial for us.
Cihangir Zülfikar
Video games such as computer games or play station games help us relax. After long study hours we need some time to rest and have fun. Video games can provide these. Also, as long as the game is in English, it helps you improve your speaking and listening skills by listening to the dialogues throughout the game. Next, it has a fictional world inside which helps develop your imagination and you can get some inspiration in your daily life from these fictional characters.
Unfortunately, it has some disadvantages too. First it causes addiction and it could waste a lot of your time. Secondly, spending too much time in front of the screen could damage your eyes. Finally, video games cost money and you spend lots of money on them if you’re a shopaholic and a computer addict.
To sum up, video games are beneficial for us if we can arrange the time to study and the time to play. If we don’t become a massively addicted gamer, video games are beneficial for us.
Cihangir Zülfikar
The Pursuit Of Happiness
People can’t lead their lives without desires. If you want to be happy, surely, you have to find out the desires that provide you with a happy life. Some of these desires that help us to live our lives can be acceptance in our relationships, a good family life and strong social relations. Trying to satisfy these desires is a great way to achieve happiness for me.
To start with, however embarrassed I am about this desire of mine, I have an obsession with expecting people to accept my thoughts and manners in every situation. Yes, this is not a good characteristic and sometimes it makes me an unfriendly person but trying to be accepted by someone can give you happiness, too. Besides, if you can manage to make someone love you knowing and accepting everything about you, I think that is the absolute happiness. Furthermore, it seems to me that the family is the basic source of happiness. Certainly, I can’t always be a good guy and sometimes I make them upset but I can’t stand seeing them upset. Therefore, I try to do whatever is necessary to make them happy. Consequently, when I see happy family faces, I feel deeply happy. Thirdly, to have friends is one of the most meaningful aspects of life. I believe that one should have three very close friends at least. For example, I can’t bear loneliness and if I couldn’t share all my heart with these close friends, I believe that I could never be happy. As a consequence, if you feel like me, it will be worth improving your close relationships in order to be happy.
To conclude, humankind has a short life but we are given a lot of desires to be happy. Moreover, if one wants to discover the meaning of this short life, one should look for it in desires. Whether one finds it or not, one will taste happiness just by looking for it.
Cihangir Zülfikar
To start with, however embarrassed I am about this desire of mine, I have an obsession with expecting people to accept my thoughts and manners in every situation. Yes, this is not a good characteristic and sometimes it makes me an unfriendly person but trying to be accepted by someone can give you happiness, too. Besides, if you can manage to make someone love you knowing and accepting everything about you, I think that is the absolute happiness. Furthermore, it seems to me that the family is the basic source of happiness. Certainly, I can’t always be a good guy and sometimes I make them upset but I can’t stand seeing them upset. Therefore, I try to do whatever is necessary to make them happy. Consequently, when I see happy family faces, I feel deeply happy. Thirdly, to have friends is one of the most meaningful aspects of life. I believe that one should have three very close friends at least. For example, I can’t bear loneliness and if I couldn’t share all my heart with these close friends, I believe that I could never be happy. As a consequence, if you feel like me, it will be worth improving your close relationships in order to be happy.
To conclude, humankind has a short life but we are given a lot of desires to be happy. Moreover, if one wants to discover the meaning of this short life, one should look for it in desires. Whether one finds it or not, one will taste happiness just by looking for it.
Cihangir Zülfikar
Monday, February 21, 2011
France
Most people want to go on holiday to relieve stress, to have fun, to rest, and to see all those fantastic places that you've read about. France is the place where I want to go, and I will visit France as soon as possible.
France is a popular country to visit and there a lot of people from different backgrounds who live there. The most famous city is Paris. There are many places to visit like the river Seine, the Champs-Élysées, Notre-Dame, the Eiffel tower and Disneyworld. Many of my friends have advised me to go to Paris and to have fun. The first thing that I want to see is the river Seine which is the second longest river in France. You can directly see it when you come to Paris first. You may have a tour on a boat on the river. Then I will climb the Eiffel tower, and I will see all Paris under my feet. I am curious about that. I will not leave before climbing the tower. Next, the second place I want to go to is the Champs-Élysées. It is a famous street where there are still street lamps from the time of Napoleon. People go to churches to pray to God for wishes and light some candles. Is there better place than Notre-Dame to do it? Of course not. I know the history of Notre-Dame and there are many books, songs, theatres, films, musicals about the Hunchback of Notre-Dame. I will both fulfill my desires and see the beauty of the church. For fun, Disneyland is the best place in Paris. Just go by underground, you will be in there in 30 minutes. All of us know the cartoons and the fantastic films like Peter Pan, Pirates of the Caribbean. In EuroDisney, you can have a great time on the roller coasters, trains, boats and houses. Then you can learn how cartoons, animation films, and normal films are made. Sometimes there are some shows with cars and motorbikes . To conclude, if I had just one chance to travel somewhere, I would choose France to go to. If I visited France a hundred times, I would still want to visit France again. Most people dream of going to some places, and for me it is France all the time.
Naz HOŞSES
France is a popular country to visit and there a lot of people from different backgrounds who live there. The most famous city is Paris. There are many places to visit like the river Seine, the Champs-Élysées, Notre-Dame, the Eiffel tower and Disneyworld. Many of my friends have advised me to go to Paris and to have fun. The first thing that I want to see is the river Seine which is the second longest river in France. You can directly see it when you come to Paris first. You may have a tour on a boat on the river. Then I will climb the Eiffel tower, and I will see all Paris under my feet. I am curious about that. I will not leave before climbing the tower. Next, the second place I want to go to is the Champs-Élysées. It is a famous street where there are still street lamps from the time of Napoleon. People go to churches to pray to God for wishes and light some candles. Is there better place than Notre-Dame to do it? Of course not. I know the history of Notre-Dame and there are many books, songs, theatres, films, musicals about the Hunchback of Notre-Dame. I will both fulfill my desires and see the beauty of the church. For fun, Disneyland is the best place in Paris. Just go by underground, you will be in there in 30 minutes. All of us know the cartoons and the fantastic films like Peter Pan, Pirates of the Caribbean. In EuroDisney, you can have a great time on the roller coasters, trains, boats and houses. Then you can learn how cartoons, animation films, and normal films are made. Sometimes there are some shows with cars and motorbikes . To conclude, if I had just one chance to travel somewhere, I would choose France to go to. If I visited France a hundred times, I would still want to visit France again. Most people dream of going to some places, and for me it is France all the time.
Naz HOŞSES
A PRECIOUS RESOURCE
Although water covers about two-thirds of the Earth's surface, one person in five has no access to safe water. So how did this happen? Water has been the Earth’s most precious resource since the beginning of human civilization but now we are facing a global water crisis, which needs an urgent solution.
There are several reasons for the water crisis. One is the simple rise in population, and the desire for better living standards. A bathtub contains 150L water however, lots of poor people cannot obtain even 30L water just for their daily needs. Moreover, an American taking a five-minute shower uses more water than a typical person in a developing country slum uses in a whole day. Another reason is the wrong policies. For example, the Aral Sea, which is in the center of Asia was turned into a lake. In 1900 the Soviet Union cut the connections of rivers which provide water to the Aral and used that for growing cotton in desert areas of Asia. There are lots of examples of wrong policies all around the world that brought us to where we are today. Thirdly, pollution is making more of the water that is available to us unfit for use. An estimated 700 million Indians have no access to a proper toilet, and 1,000 Indian children die of diarrheal sickness every day. All in all, there are various reasons which have brought us to this situation.
Mankind has created the water crisis and therefore should find solutions to stop it. First of all, rulers should enlighten people to make them understand the urgency of this problem. Secondly, governments should provide credits to farmers for establishing a water friendly solution which is called the drop system. The drop system gives plants water drop by drop and it does not waste a single drop. Thirdly, more serious precautions are needed for population. For example punishments should be higher for a factory which has not got a waste treatment facility. I have just found three solutions however, if all people think seriously on this topic I am sure we can solve this problem.
To sum up, we have a history of meeting great challenges using imagination and our great capacity to adapt. We must use our knowledge, experience and institutions to catch up with the overwhelming progress of science and technology, and learn how to become both good neighbors for each other and good guests of the natural environment.
Elif Tahmiscioğlu
11 TMA 21
There are several reasons for the water crisis. One is the simple rise in population, and the desire for better living standards. A bathtub contains 150L water however, lots of poor people cannot obtain even 30L water just for their daily needs. Moreover, an American taking a five-minute shower uses more water than a typical person in a developing country slum uses in a whole day. Another reason is the wrong policies. For example, the Aral Sea, which is in the center of Asia was turned into a lake. In 1900 the Soviet Union cut the connections of rivers which provide water to the Aral and used that for growing cotton in desert areas of Asia. There are lots of examples of wrong policies all around the world that brought us to where we are today. Thirdly, pollution is making more of the water that is available to us unfit for use. An estimated 700 million Indians have no access to a proper toilet, and 1,000 Indian children die of diarrheal sickness every day. All in all, there are various reasons which have brought us to this situation.
Mankind has created the water crisis and therefore should find solutions to stop it. First of all, rulers should enlighten people to make them understand the urgency of this problem. Secondly, governments should provide credits to farmers for establishing a water friendly solution which is called the drop system. The drop system gives plants water drop by drop and it does not waste a single drop. Thirdly, more serious precautions are needed for population. For example punishments should be higher for a factory which has not got a waste treatment facility. I have just found three solutions however, if all people think seriously on this topic I am sure we can solve this problem.
To sum up, we have a history of meeting great challenges using imagination and our great capacity to adapt. We must use our knowledge, experience and institutions to catch up with the overwhelming progress of science and technology, and learn how to become both good neighbors for each other and good guests of the natural environment.
Elif Tahmiscioğlu
11 TMA 21
EVERY MINUTE THAT WE HAVE
Who can say: “I am who I am, time cannot change me”? Life is moving so fast. However, when we look back, we see a sequence of events which changes us. I was 12 but now I am 17, five years changed lots of things in my life.
Five years ago I was a twelve year-old girl and did not know anything about life. Of course, I cannot say I know everything about life now. However, at least I am much better than that girl who was 12. Being at the age of 12 was the most difficult year of my life. I was at the most sensitive age, the blue age. I was easily affected by everything. I was questioning who I was and why I was there. In addition to this, I had to study for high school exams and there was a great pressure on my little shoulders. I could not find time for myself and it made me more aggressive. I had tons of dreams on my mind but I did not want to work to make them real. So, I was between teenager and child because of that I thought I knew lots of things about life however, I did not know exactly who I was.
Now I am seventeen and I think I am more mature than I was at twelve. I have just one year to reach the age of discretion. I have targets and I am working very hard to reach them. I am more understanding towards my parents and friends. I am more realistic in my expectations. At least I know what I am capable of and I am closer to the real world.
Everyday is a new experience for all of us and it affects our life sooner or later. 5 years is not a long time for a 70 year old man but a very long time for a 5-year old child. We should seize every minute that we have.
Elif Tahmiscioğlu 11 TM A 21
Five years ago I was a twelve year-old girl and did not know anything about life. Of course, I cannot say I know everything about life now. However, at least I am much better than that girl who was 12. Being at the age of 12 was the most difficult year of my life. I was at the most sensitive age, the blue age. I was easily affected by everything. I was questioning who I was and why I was there. In addition to this, I had to study for high school exams and there was a great pressure on my little shoulders. I could not find time for myself and it made me more aggressive. I had tons of dreams on my mind but I did not want to work to make them real. So, I was between teenager and child because of that I thought I knew lots of things about life however, I did not know exactly who I was.
Now I am seventeen and I think I am more mature than I was at twelve. I have just one year to reach the age of discretion. I have targets and I am working very hard to reach them. I am more understanding towards my parents and friends. I am more realistic in my expectations. At least I know what I am capable of and I am closer to the real world.
Everyday is a new experience for all of us and it affects our life sooner or later. 5 years is not a long time for a 70 year old man but a very long time for a 5-year old child. We should seize every minute that we have.
Elif Tahmiscioğlu 11 TM A 21
Retirement Problems
Retirement is the point where a person stops employment completely. A person may also semi-retire by reducing work hours.
Firstly, many people choose to retire when they are eligible for private or public pension benefits, although some are forced to retire when physical conditions don't allow them to work any more -by illness or accident- or as a result of legislation concerning their position. In most countries there is an official retirement age. That age depends on the economical situation of that country, population and unemployment rate. In Turkey, the retirement age is 65.
Secondly, even though 65 is higher than some of other countries, it's better for the Turkish workers, because retirement wages are lower than the normal salary and it is paid every 3 months. But not just that, after working for years people get lost in their retirement ages. They try to fish, to find some hobbies, to spend some time with grandchildren; but it never feels the same.
In conclusion, retirement is important if governments can solve what will happen afterwards and try to find beneficial solutions. It might be better for those people and for their peace of mind .
Deniz ÖZDOĞRU
Firstly, many people choose to retire when they are eligible for private or public pension benefits, although some are forced to retire when physical conditions don't allow them to work any more -by illness or accident- or as a result of legislation concerning their position. In most countries there is an official retirement age. That age depends on the economical situation of that country, population and unemployment rate. In Turkey, the retirement age is 65.
Secondly, even though 65 is higher than some of other countries, it's better for the Turkish workers, because retirement wages are lower than the normal salary and it is paid every 3 months. But not just that, after working for years people get lost in their retirement ages. They try to fish, to find some hobbies, to spend some time with grandchildren; but it never feels the same.
In conclusion, retirement is important if governments can solve what will happen afterwards and try to find beneficial solutions. It might be better for those people and for their peace of mind .
Deniz ÖZDOĞRU
A NEW OLD COMMUNITY
How many years do you expect to live? Seventy, Eighty, Hundred ... People used to think it was impossible to live untl the age of 90. Now, we read articles about people who got married when they are over 90 years old. So, populations are aging worldwide and it brings lots of implications both positive and negative.
Some experts think this old age wave is causing lots of problems. A graying population can cause a collapse in the retirement system. It means that there will be fewer people to support the pensions. On one hand, some analysts think with immigrants this problem can be solved in developed countries. On the other hand, integration of the immigrants can be difficult. Another solution is spreading leisure time throughout life. Nevertheless, we cannot expect a 90 year old person to work on a job. Maybe increasing the quality of working conditions can lead old people to work. All in all, it has economically and politically implications which are very hard to solve.
Increasing longevity has some positive implications too. It creates lots of sectors like household things for old people, door knobs, hair dyes, plastic surgery, health care, and nursing which support the economy. For example, my grandmother is 83 and she is very healthy. However, she complains when she goes to shopping malls because she cannot find proper clothes for her age. As you see, developing things for old people will help the economy.
To sum up, we are faced with a graying population but it has both pros and cons. All we need is to be ready and prepared to meet the new old community.
ELİF TAHMİSCİOĞLU
11 TMA 21
Some experts think this old age wave is causing lots of problems. A graying population can cause a collapse in the retirement system. It means that there will be fewer people to support the pensions. On one hand, some analysts think with immigrants this problem can be solved in developed countries. On the other hand, integration of the immigrants can be difficult. Another solution is spreading leisure time throughout life. Nevertheless, we cannot expect a 90 year old person to work on a job. Maybe increasing the quality of working conditions can lead old people to work. All in all, it has economically and politically implications which are very hard to solve.
Increasing longevity has some positive implications too. It creates lots of sectors like household things for old people, door knobs, hair dyes, plastic surgery, health care, and nursing which support the economy. For example, my grandmother is 83 and she is very healthy. However, she complains when she goes to shopping malls because she cannot find proper clothes for her age. As you see, developing things for old people will help the economy.
To sum up, we are faced with a graying population but it has both pros and cons. All we need is to be ready and prepared to meet the new old community.
ELİF TAHMİSCİOĞLU
11 TMA 21
SPAIN, WHERE I WANT TO BE
Imagine a place with sea, sun, art, sport, history, music, dance all together. Which place comes to your mind? Spain. Spain is the place where I would like to go because I want to see whether it is like what I see in the movies and learn the fascinating language.
I would like to go to Spain to see the magnificent cities which I watched in the movies and heard from my friends. I watched lots of movies about Spain like Vicky Christina Barcelona and Volver. In both of them I was affected by the sites like Sagrada Familia or Palau de la Musica Catalana which is the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Moreover, Spain is the capital of art so I want to visit the galleries and houses of the famous Spanish artists like Picasso and Salvador Dali. All in all, I am curious about these historical places and learn more about them.
I would like to learn more about the Spanish language and culture because I find it sensational. Spanish is a Romance language Many English words are also of Latin origin, and so when you learn vocabulary in Spanish you will simultaneously be expanding your English vocabulary. In addition to this, Spanish is phonetically perfect; you can look at a word and correctly guess how to pronounce it. I want to get to know people and their culture for this reason I need to know Spanish. Also, I am a big fan of Latin Music. Besides, I want to taste Spanish dishes. So, I hope one day I will visit Spain to learn about Spanish language and culture.
To sum up, Spain is a magnificent place and I would like to visit it to see the place and the culture. I want to make my dream become a reality. I hope it will happen soon.
Elif Tahmiscioğlu
11 TM-A 21
I would like to go to Spain to see the magnificent cities which I watched in the movies and heard from my friends. I watched lots of movies about Spain like Vicky Christina Barcelona and Volver. In both of them I was affected by the sites like Sagrada Familia or Palau de la Musica Catalana which is the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Moreover, Spain is the capital of art so I want to visit the galleries and houses of the famous Spanish artists like Picasso and Salvador Dali. All in all, I am curious about these historical places and learn more about them.
I would like to learn more about the Spanish language and culture because I find it sensational. Spanish is a Romance language Many English words are also of Latin origin, and so when you learn vocabulary in Spanish you will simultaneously be expanding your English vocabulary. In addition to this, Spanish is phonetically perfect; you can look at a word and correctly guess how to pronounce it. I want to get to know people and their culture for this reason I need to know Spanish. Also, I am a big fan of Latin Music. Besides, I want to taste Spanish dishes. So, I hope one day I will visit Spain to learn about Spanish language and culture.
To sum up, Spain is a magnificent place and I would like to visit it to see the place and the culture. I want to make my dream become a reality. I hope it will happen soon.
Elif Tahmiscioğlu
11 TM-A 21
LEARNING A NEW LANGUAGE
LEARNING A NEW LANGUAGE
Do you think that learning a new language is difficult? Everyone can have problems with it. because it is not easy to understand quickly if you are a new learner.We have to work hard to learn it. I strongly believe that learning vocabulary and pronunciation are the most difficult aspects of learning a new language.
Firstly,most of the time we compare our language with the second one.We always try to think in our first language. Sometimes we use prefixes which come at the beginning of the word, and sometimes suffixes at the end. It is hard to learn,because we are not used to that situation.Once,I had an experience when I was ten.I was trying to talk with an American girl but I was not able to speak English correctly and I was trying to translate what I thought in Turkish literally. It was so hard for me and I made lots of mistakes.
Moreover, learning vocabulary is the hardest aspect of learning a new language.There are thousands of new words if we are starting learning from scratch. Some of the words can be similar to each other so we can mix them up.We should practice all the time so as not to forget them. 2 years ago, I was in an English exam and I mixed up words so I could not get full marks in the exam.
In addition to this, pronunciation is an important factor .To be effective, we should imitate very closely the real pronunciation which language we are learning new.It is hard to learn a French accent for Turkish people for example. Also all nations speak English in a different accent because of tongue movement.For instance I can never understand the Italians when they speak English.
All in all,learning a new language is very hard for everyone in many ways. We should work hard to undersand,talk and write in the second language you are learning.All languages are different from each other.Our new language and ourfirst language can be very different, and speaking can be hard and learning new vocabulary is very difficult so generally learning a new language is not easy.
Ebru Ergenç
Do you think that learning a new language is difficult? Everyone can have problems with it. because it is not easy to understand quickly if you are a new learner.We have to work hard to learn it. I strongly believe that learning vocabulary and pronunciation are the most difficult aspects of learning a new language.
Firstly,most of the time we compare our language with the second one.We always try to think in our first language. Sometimes we use prefixes which come at the beginning of the word, and sometimes suffixes at the end. It is hard to learn,because we are not used to that situation.Once,I had an experience when I was ten.I was trying to talk with an American girl but I was not able to speak English correctly and I was trying to translate what I thought in Turkish literally. It was so hard for me and I made lots of mistakes.
Moreover, learning vocabulary is the hardest aspect of learning a new language.There are thousands of new words if we are starting learning from scratch. Some of the words can be similar to each other so we can mix them up.We should practice all the time so as not to forget them. 2 years ago, I was in an English exam and I mixed up words so I could not get full marks in the exam.
In addition to this, pronunciation is an important factor .To be effective, we should imitate very closely the real pronunciation which language we are learning new.It is hard to learn a French accent for Turkish people for example. Also all nations speak English in a different accent because of tongue movement.For instance I can never understand the Italians when they speak English.
All in all,learning a new language is very hard for everyone in many ways. We should work hard to undersand,talk and write in the second language you are learning.All languages are different from each other.Our new language and ourfirst language can be very different, and speaking can be hard and learning new vocabulary is very difficult so generally learning a new language is not easy.
Ebru Ergenç
Gender roles
In today's world, gender roles shape the way people live and interact with their society. From the day of their birth, people learn a certain way to behave depending on what sex they are.
People's sexes are determined by genetics but genders are determined by social effects. It is a well known fact that women tend to be nurturing and men tend to be providers. Due to the gender roles, each gender has special and strict rules that affect their whole life.
First of all, children are influenced by gender roles caused by the toys that they play with even by the age of three. Families have roles for children in society, define strict lines and push boys and girls in different directions. When boys start to play with dolls , everyone even their families chastises them. However, children do not know about femininity and masculinity, they just play. Children should pick the things that they enjoy in life based on what appeals to them most.
Secondly, TV is the most important part of the media and has a great impact on determining gender roles. Because of this, both men and women are stereotypically presented in TV programs. In TV women are shown as sensitive,gentle, non-competitive and dependent. However, men are shown as tough, competitive, ambitious, independent, self-confident and successful.
Finally, in male dominated societies women are assaulted by men. Males are the majority in society. There are many types of violence against women such as sexual, physical and emotional abuse and sexual harassment. The social and economic costs of violence against women have significant effects on society. As a result of this, women have lost their self-confidence ,and they are isolated from their society and are unable to work.
In conclusion, gender roles affect women and men in their lives. The media definitely has the most significant affect on people's attitudes toward the opposite sex.The world is developing and improving day by day. People should break down the idea that women are dependent, cannot earn money and cannot do what men do. It depends on who they are and what they want.
Deniz ÖZDOĞRU
People's sexes are determined by genetics but genders are determined by social effects. It is a well known fact that women tend to be nurturing and men tend to be providers. Due to the gender roles, each gender has special and strict rules that affect their whole life.
First of all, children are influenced by gender roles caused by the toys that they play with even by the age of three. Families have roles for children in society, define strict lines and push boys and girls in different directions. When boys start to play with dolls , everyone even their families chastises them. However, children do not know about femininity and masculinity, they just play. Children should pick the things that they enjoy in life based on what appeals to them most.
Secondly, TV is the most important part of the media and has a great impact on determining gender roles. Because of this, both men and women are stereotypically presented in TV programs. In TV women are shown as sensitive,gentle, non-competitive and dependent. However, men are shown as tough, competitive, ambitious, independent, self-confident and successful.
Finally, in male dominated societies women are assaulted by men. Males are the majority in society. There are many types of violence against women such as sexual, physical and emotional abuse and sexual harassment. The social and economic costs of violence against women have significant effects on society. As a result of this, women have lost their self-confidence ,and they are isolated from their society and are unable to work.
In conclusion, gender roles affect women and men in their lives. The media definitely has the most significant affect on people's attitudes toward the opposite sex.The world is developing and improving day by day. People should break down the idea that women are dependent, cannot earn money and cannot do what men do. It depends on who they are and what they want.
Deniz ÖZDOĞRU
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Links to Inspiritional Videos
Dear 11th grade TOEFL students, please watch the following videos so we can discuss them in class. Thank you for taking the time to do this!
www.storyofstuff.com
http://www.ted.com/speakers/hans_rosling.html
(click on the video entitled Hans Rosling's new insights on poverty)
www.storyofstuff.com
http://www.ted.com/speakers/hans_rosling.html
(click on the video entitled Hans Rosling's new insights on poverty)
Teens
1-Many teenagers put a very high value on exams and marks. If they pass their classes, everything is fine. In many cases, there is no one to tell them otherwise.
Can you call yourself a successful teen just by being a good student? Why? Why not?
Can you call yourself a successful teen just by being a good student? Why? Why not?
2-If you were to create your own rules at school, what would you do? Make up your own rules/laws as a teen.
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