Saturday, September 26, 2009

¡A leer!

This week, I'd like you to work on reading skills.

Go to one of these sites to find an article:
1. http://www.bbcmundo.com
2. http://www.elpais.com
3. http://latino.msn.com

Read the article, using the following strategies:
1. Figure out the meaning of the title (and subtitles, if applicable) so you know what the article is discussing.
2. Look for cognates. (Words that look the same in English and Spanish.)
3. Guess at word meanings based on context and your knowledge of the topic being discussed.
4. If you get stuck, go to this site and paste the URL of your article in the text box and click "Read!" This will open your article in a web-reader that will provide you with translations and pronunciations as you mouse over words.

For your post, do the following:
1. Post the link to the article (use the link button right next to the italics button to create a hyperlink).
2. Write a brief summary (one or two sentences) of the article in English.
3. Give your opinion about the article in English. (100-150 words)
4. List five words you didn't know with their definitions.

MODELO:
1.
http://www.elpais.com/articulo/Pantallas/Preparados/nube/elpepurtv/20090924elpepirtv_1/Tes


2. This article discusses the new trend of cloud computing; in other words, migrating software and storage to 3rd party sites and not storing it on your own PC. It discusses some of the advantages and disadvantages that cloud computing has.

3. This articles touches on my main concern with cloud computing: data security. I store a lot of information on my computer, including gradebooks, W-2s, files for my research and more. If I migrated it to an online site, I'd want it to be secure in two ways. First, I'd want to make sure that it wouldn't disappear without warning. I was storing some non-sensitive but really important large files for my research on a 3rd-party site this summer, but under their terms of service, if you don't log in for 60 days, they delete all of your files. Since I wasn't working with the files this summer, I didn't log in, and all of my important files are gone. (I had them stored in another place online, too, but they were also deleted from there. If I'd stored them on my computer, I'd still have them.) The other data security issue is, of course, protection against hackers. I don't trust the cloud enough to upload any document containing sensitive information.

4. (There were only 2 words I didn't know, so I'm only posting those 2.)

esgrime: argue/maintain that
recelo: apprehension, mistrust

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Mi familia

This week, please talk about your family. This week's post can be written or audiovisual, whichever you prefer.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

¿Qué haces en una semana típica?

Write a short paragraph (75-100 words) describing the activities you do in a typical week. Pay attention to verb forms, and work on connecting ideas with the following connectors:

y and
o or
pero but
también also
tampoco neither
excepto except
aunque although
mientras while (at the same time; can't be used to make contrasts in Spanish)


En una semana típica, yo trabajo casi todos los días. Los lunes, miércoles y viernes, enseño clases de español por la mañana, y durante la tarde, contesto mensajes de correo electrónico, preparo las lecciones y leo la tarea de los estudiantes. No miro la televisión mucho durante una semana típica, aunque en el otoño la miro más porque me gusta el fútbol americano. Sí escucho la música jazz con frecuencia mientras leo la tarea de los estudiantes. Para divertirme, normalmente leo o hablo por teléfono con mis amigos y mi familia.

¿Y tú? ¿Qué haces durante una semana típica?