Dialogue - Black Friday

-Hello Anne! I’m glad to see you.

-Hello Chloe! I’m so happy to see you again. How are you?

-I’m doing very well, thank you. And you?

-Wonderful, thank you. I’m thinking about going to shopping on Black 

Friday and take advantage of all the bargains, . My cousin told me that 

it’s awesome because the prices are very low. There are real bargains! 

Would you like to  come with me?

-Oh! No, sorry honey! But In my opinion this day only promotes consumerism 

and I don’t want to take part  in the manipulating strategies of our capitalist system. 

-No problem. That’s all right! Everybody has his opinion. 

-Although I would like to know one thing… Do you have any thoughts on that?

-Personally, I think you’re right, but you’re being a bit fussy and sometimes we 

have to have fun, enjoy the opportunities and forget all these serious things. Do 

you agree?

-Well, it has sense. But in any case I don’t want to, it doesn’t fit in with my principles. 

Anyway, May I offer you a coffee?

-Yes please, that would be lovely. 

For and against - Next academic year

2. Next academic year you may be living in a shared flat with other students or 

in auniversity residence, or maybe you’ll be staying in your own house with your 

family. Write a ‘for and against’ essay explaining the advantages and disadvantages 

of livingaway from home while you’re a university student. Make sure you do NOT 

use your ownname in your essay.

The end of a life cycle and the beginning of a new one is always a difficult change. 

This year, we’ll finish “Batxillerat” and we are going to begin a Univerisity degree. 

It can mean a little step in the transition of childhood into the adult world. Also, 

some of us could share a flat or a University residence with other students. But, if 

you are doing a degree, is living away better than staying at your home?

On the one hand, some people might say that it is better because it obviously gives 

you more time to do many things, for example, studying calmly, searching a petty 

job which helps you and your parents to pay the degree, etc. In addition, it gives you 

more autonomy and it’s more comfortable. Besides, you don’t have to pay the 

public transport every day .

On the other hand, others might argue that it’s worse, because you emancipate too 

soon, considering that you are already a child. Also, you would miss your family and 

your lifelong friends. And if you have a partner it’s difficult to keep the relationship if 

you are habitually far away. Furthermore, it might be more expensive than making all 

the journeys  depending on the city where you study, because for example Barcelona 

is dearer than Lleida.

In conclusion, there are a lot of advantages and disadvantages that each person has 

to consider depending on his or her priorities and features. Finally, having weighed 

up both sides of the issue, I believe that on the whole, the first years it is better to stay 

at home and do the necessary trips,  but later, when you are in the second or the 

third year, it can be a good option.

Does a person’s appearance influence his or her character?

1. Can we judge others by the way they look? Does a person’s appearance influence his or her character? Write an opinion essay.

It’s unacceptable to judge others by the way they look, without knowing how they actually are. I believe that nowadays society selfish stereotypes do a lot of harm, especially among young people.

As I see it, we are so much used to criticising and judging all the things and people, as if  we were perfect, when we aren’t. We all have faults and imperfections and we aren’t worse because of this. Besides, I strongly believe that appearance never influences character, because we all are too complex and we don’t show  our best features easily to everyone.

Therefore, in my opinion, firstly we have to look at ourselves and find how we can improve and how we can give the best of ourselves to the world. So we should begin to have more empathy and not to judge the other people in the way we don’t want to be judged by them. 

In conclusion, obviously we can have an opinion of a person’s appearance, but we can’t overcome the limit of judging them. Also, we must be constructive, although we really are heavily destructive and it’s insane because we haven’t realised that judging other people can hurt them.

Advantages and disadvantages of online shopping

2. Do you shop online, or do you like to go to stores? Does the type of product 

you are looking for make a difference in your decision? Are online stores fair 

competition for “real” stores? Write an essay in which you discuss some of the 

advantages and disadvantages of online shopping.

Nowadays we are too used to doing the majority of the things by technology and forget 

that outside there is a real world where we can do all of these things and probably enjoy the 

activity more the activity. So personally I prefer going to stores than shopping online because 

in my opinion it’s more trustworthy and comfortable.

First of all, I think that it depends on the person and his or her  personality and preferences, 

but in my view if you go to a real store, for example, you can try the clothes on  and see, before

 buying them, if they suit you. Also, like this you can appreciate the quality of different products,

 like meals or whatever you want. Besides, you are able to take advantage of the activity and go there 

with your friends and have a good time with them.

Secondly, I strongly believe that shopping online, although it’s probably quicker, it is colder 

and impersonal and you can’t actually know if the products are like in the image or if the thing 

that will arrive to your house will be the one that you’ve ordered. Obviously, in some sites you 

can get a refund, but in my view it’s a waste of time.

In conclusion, I gave a practical and general point of view, but actually we can use both options 

in relation to the situation or the product that we want to buy. But clearly I feel that a face-to-

face purchase is better.

Essay - Latest morphing technology

Write an essay on the consequences that the use of the latest morphing

technology might have for news agencies and the lack of trust in the media.

Why do we to think before in the negative consequences of a thing that means 

an advance of our technology and society? As I see it, we live in a selfish society, 

where it is more important a better appearance than a mechanical intelligent 

improvement. We have it instilled, so we are used to lying constantly. Therefore, 

I think that the latest morphing technology will increase the difficulties of news 

agencies to be credible and the lack of trust in media too.

First of all, we aren’t constantly controlled by robots, we are human beings and this 

is our life. So in my opinion, it’s necessary for people to lose the trust in media because 

obviously we don’t want to be puppets.

Secondly,  unfortunately  due to these reasons, trustworthy news agencies will lose 

credibility, because if we were aware of these things, we wouldn’t believe most of 

the news because we would think that they were fake.

In short, as a consequence, they trick us every time and manipulate our judgement 

and our behaviour, and it’s unacceptable. But I personally feel that as the technology 

is progressing, we have to do it too, and learn to differentiate  fake-news from the real one. 

Formal letter

3 Ctra. de Valls

Santa Margarida de Montbui 

Catalonia

30th March, 2020

The Au Pair Echange Programme

London

United States

Norfolk PE38 9PP

Dear Sir. / Madam.

I am writing in response to your advert posted on the Find Work Around the
World site on 14th March.

I would like to apply for the position of live-in babysitter (Au Pair) for a family
in London for 1 year. 

I am 17 years old and have secunOndary and “Batxillerat” graduates. In addition,
I have an instructor qualification, which I did in July last summer.  My work experience
includes taking care of my little siblings and cousings since I was a child,  as well as
working as a babysitter for two years with my mum’s friend daughters and working
as a supervisor in a summer camp. I have included copies of references from both
these last official work places.

Besides, I think that I am fluent in English, energetic and funNY, so I am able to entertain
children, responsible and trustworthy, and I am good at cooking, therefore I am able to
prepare night meals and whatever you want. 

I hope you will consider my application favourably. I would be happy to attend an online
interview whenever it is convenient. 

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Èlia Fernández.

Entry in a blog - Love-locks

Imagine you are Carolyn Barnabo. Write an entry in your blog 

explaining how your views on love-locks have changed over the years.

Hi dear followers,

Thank you so much about reading my blog another time. 

Well, today I’m going to talk about how my view on love-locks

has changed over the years, since I did it and I posted it here. 

Firstly, I have to say that I invite you to read carefully and to 

open your mind, because it’s a serious problem that is happening 

and we aren’t aware of it’s its importance. Because of it, nowadays 

I have given up this practice and I invite you to do it too. Here’s why:

At the beginning, it was cool and romantic, a thing that was a symbol 

of my relationship´s strength. But, now I’m seeing that it’s very harmful

to our heritage because authorities are saying that love-locks are destroying 

it, especially the breathtaking Paris bridges, but it has been happening in a 

lot of countries around the world. 

To sum up, that’s why we can’t allow this tragedy if we can do something 

to change or reduce it.

That’s all for now. Think on it, please. 

See you soon! Best wishes,

Carolyn Barnabo.