Reflection Note

This semester has been filled with work and I believe me and my classmates have been very productive. I liked the system of our work: not only did we write essays, but we could learn about groupmates’ opinions and comment on them. What I found useful was constant practicing of writing. It helped me improve my skills for sure. Also I am very glad that we continued using The Guardian as it is a very good platform filled with many interesting news from all over the world. Besides, now I can easily find information on any topic I am curious about. Moreover, reading articles in English has really improved my vocabulary as the articles were rich in new words and expressions.

Unfortunately, I was disappointed with the website Blogger because sometimes it wouldn’t load the page for too long or had some technical difficulties. However, those are not really problems, just small disadvantages.

In the future I hope we can continue practice our writing and only improve it. Hopefully, next semester will be even more busy and productive because only practice makes perfect. I would like to learn more about the ways we can brighten up our written speech, maybe some techniques that can make our essays more unique or “native speaker-like” like using inversions, for example.

Some topics I can suggest for discussion in our classes are abortion, homosexuality, poverty, ecology. I think these problems are quite debatable, and it would be interesting to hear what my groupmates have to say about it.

For and Against

Such topic as same sex marriage has been a topic of debate for many years, and it has attracted special attention lately due to more and more people aiming for equality. It is very disputable and has been talked about a lot lately, not stopping to be on the agenda of numerous meetings of state leaders.

Supporters of same sex marriage, whose number has grown steadily over the past 15 years, say that a relationship and marriage between people of the same sex is normal. Homosexuals don’t choose their sexuality, so their preferences are natural and can’t be forbidden in any way. They are just as capable of marriage, living together, and raising children, as straight couples. More and more countries are legalizing same sex marriage every day. Taiwan has recently become the first Asian country to do that. This is historical.

On the other hand, there are lots of people whose opinion differs from the above-mentioned for some reasons. It can be because of their religious beliefs or their moral standards.  Some tend to think that same sex relationships have negative effects on the offspring and that such marriages are totally abnormal. Actually, there are nations around the world that ban gay marriage and strongly disapprove of it.

All in all, the problem of same sex marriages is quite debatable and needs closer examination. But it is clear that before jumping to conclusions people should learn more about the nature of people’s sexuality, their psychology and other aspects of their mentalities. Only after that it is possible to say whether gay marriage is something that should be banned or something that should be legal and considered normal.

Summary

I have chosen an article about a teenage Malaysian girl who killed herself after an instagram poll. This girl created a poll for her followers asking them to choose death or life. 69% of her followers voted death and she did what they voted for. Lawyers say that those who voted for her to die might be considered guilty of abetting suicide. Malaysia’s youth minister said the tragedy highlighted the need for national-level discussions about mental health in the country. This is the reason why I have chosen this article. It says a lot about the current state of young people’s minds. They live their virtual lives and let other virtual people make decisions for them. Their actions depend on virtual opinions. Kids these days have become very focused on what others think of them and what others see. Besides, there is cyber bullying existing in many forms. Voting “death” in such a poll may seem like a joke, but some people like this girl can be very sensitive and take it close to their heart. The truth is, social media is not real life, but it can be harmful and cause pain too. What I have learned from this case is that we have a deep responsibility to make sure people using instagram feel safe and supported. In the article it says that we can contact emergency services if we see any behavior that puts people’s safety at risk. Now I know that social networks can cause problems but there are crisis support services can be reached 24/7.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/may/15/teenage-girl-kills-herself-after-instagram-poll-in-malaysia

Reflection Note

This semester has been filled with hard work and I believe me and my classmates have been very productive. I liked the system of our work: not only did we write essays, but we could learn about groupmates’ opinions and comment on them. What I found useful was revising the essay structures. It helped me with writing better organized essays. Also, I consider it a good thing that you introduced “The Guardian” and other sources to us because now I can easily find information on any topic I am curious about. Moreover, reading articles in English has really improved my vocabulary as the articles were rich in new words and expressions.

What I didn’t like is how sometimes Blogger wasn’t quite a convenient platform to use. It wouldn’t let me log in and comment properly at first, but then the problem was fixed.

Next semester I hope we can continue working on writing our essays, constantly improving our skills. In the future I would like to learn more about the ways we can brighten up our written speech, maybe some techniques that can make our essays more unique or “native speaker-like” like using inversions, for example.

Some topics I can suggest for discussion in our classes are abortion, homosexuality, poverty, ecology. I think these problems are quite debatable, and it would be interesting to hear what my groupmates have to say about it.

For and Against

Legalizing marijuana Such topic as marijuana has been discussed for many years. According to a 2017 poll, 44 percent of American adults use marijuana. Today, many liberal countries have embarked on a path of legalizing recreational marijuana. Canada has recently made it legal to carry up to 30g of marijuana. This summer Georgia has become the first former member of the Soviet Union to decriminalize smoking it. And many others are debating whether or not to do the same. The first reason to legalize marijuana is the fact that it is safer to smoke it than to drink alcohol. You don’t get a hangover from using it. It is also healthier than smoking cigarettes. It is not as harmful as tobacco which is legal and widespread for some reason. Cannabis has proven health benefits. Scientists report that substance called canabidiol might extend lives of cancer patients. A substance called sativex is used in people with multiple sclerosis. Another good consequence of legalization is taking the trade out of hands of criminal gangs. Besides, high prices of product under black market conditions cause people to commit crimes. This move is most likely to improve the situation with crime worldwide. Not to mention that if marijuana is legalized and regulated, an estimated $8 billion will be saved annually in government spending on enforcement, including for the FBI and border security. In addition, legalization might create new workplaces and businesses. On the other hand, many people consider the usage of marijuana immoral. Long-term usage of marijuana can be harmful for your lungs and mental abilities. Weed is so addictive that 1 person out of 10 users is likely to develop an addiction, and there is a theory that the use of cannabis can lead to harder drugs introducing users to more serious substances. And consequently, pushers will keep pushing, and drugs will keep spreading. Drug sellers from Canada say that if big dealers are squeezed out of the market, they will just be supposed to take bigger risks and move into harder drugs. There is nothing positive about it, that’s why most people and countries are against legalization. All in all, the problem of marijuana is quite debatable and needs closer examination. We should learn more about the effects weed produces – both positive and negative ones – and then decide whether it is something that should be decriminalized or something that shouldn’t ever be legalized. Sources: "Arguments For And Against Legalizing Weed Counter Argument For Weed." Legalize Marijuana, Legal Weed, Marijuana Facts. Web. 22 Dec. 2018. <https://legalizationofmarijuana.com/arguments-for-and-against-the-legalization-of-marijuana>. White, Deborah. "What Are the Pros and Cons of Legalizing Marijuana in the U.S.?" Thoughtco. Dotdash. Web. 22 Dec. 2018. <https://www.thoughtco.com/pros-and-cons-legalizing-marijuana-3325521>. "Arguments for and against Legalising Cannabis." Debating Europe. Web. 22 Dec. 2018. <https://www.debatingeurope.eu/focus/arguments-legalising-cannabis/>. Davis, Nicola. "Substance in Cannabis 'could Boost Pancreatic Cancer Treatments'." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 30 July 2018. Web. 22 Dec. 2018. <https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/jul/30/substance-in-cannabis-could-boost-pancreatic-cancer-treatments>. Kollewe, Julia. "Legalising Cannabis Could Be 'win-win-win' for UK, Says Thinktank." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 28 June 2018. Web. 22 Dec. 2018. <https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/jun/29/legalise-cannabis-in-uk-institute-for-economic-affairs>. "'I Deliver to Your House': Pot Dealers on Why Legalization Won't Kill the Black Market." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 07 June 2018. Web. 22 Dec. 2018. <https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jun/06/canada-will-cannabis-legalization-affect-black-market>.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of ever-increasing use of technology

What are the advantages and disadvantages of ever-increasing use of technology. 

Today we can’t imagine our life without technology. It is due to constant usage of it everywhere. Not only do we use computers to talk to each other, do homework, or search for information, but we even have electronic money, electronic tickets, electronic queue management systems etc. So it’s appropriate to say that technology surrounds us wherever we go and whatever we do.

Technology has increased the productivity of almost every industry in the world. There are many advantages that come with it, such as speed, convenience, improvement of the quality of life. We can’t deny that our life has become much easier with the appearance of the Internet, email, contactless credit cards, tools used for medical purposes. At the medical level, technology can help treat more sick people, cure diseases, and combat dangerous viruses and bacteria. For companies, the progress is saving time and money. Exchanges of money are faster especially with the Internet, worldwide sales are possible. You can order something from another country and it will be delivered in a matter of 2-3 days, which signals the impact technology has on the speed of processes is big. Computers simplify our research, let us learn more about the world we live in and reach information any place we are at. Machines carry out a lot of hard work. For example, I’m using my computer to type this essay instead of handwriting it.

But there are also disadvantages that come with the boost in the usage of technology. Yes, it simplifies our lives, but sometimes it is too much simplification. People no longer need to go to the libraries, spend hours looking for a book they need, wait weeks or months for something to be delivered. They go online, they use mobile phones to talk, so they no longer need eye-to-eye contact. Many people, especially kids that were born in the era of technology, forget what it is like to live a real life. Watching entertaining content is more and more often preferred to reading a book. Eating fast food made by machines is preferred to eating something home-cooked. Not to mention that due to adoption of technology people lose their workplaces. I see the only solution in finding the right balance between using technology and doing something with our hands, because otherwise what fades away is our reality, and in some way our humanness.

All in all, there are great advantages that go along with disadvantages. The disadvantages are not as meaningful as the advantages for now, so there are more pros than cons, but we should be careful in order not to overuse technology and forget who we are – humans.

“Modern Technology: Advantages and Disadvantages.” Information Age, 19 Sept. 2018, www.information-age.com/modern-technology-advantages-disadvantages-123465637/.

Young people

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/nov/07/children-prison-not-coping-nobody-care-young-people

1. It's devoted to children imprisonment and tells a lot about how young people actually feel in such institutions.
2. I'm concerned because people do make mistakes and no one deserves treatment so poor that it makes you feel vulnerable & weak. And these are children which means their psyche could easily be affected in a bad way.
3. 1) the system of punishment in the world 2) the kids & their rights & duties 3) young people suffering when locked
4. Why does the system have to be like that (children taking drugs or alcohol to escape reality)
5. I think in Russia imprisonment of children makes them grow up to be very unhappy & cruel people.

Expressions:
young offender institutions - a type of prison in Great Britain, intended for offenders aged between 18 and 20, although some prisons (particularly Ashfield and Huntercombe) cater for younger offenders from ages 15 to 17, who are classed as juvenile offenders.

Good night sleep cures loneliness

We are a social species and we need to carry out communication every day in order to live. Researchers from the University of California found that sleep is closely connected with how we communicate. But this study is not new. Sleep and loneliness were linked by John Cacioppo in 2002. Later, numerous experiments from other parts of the world have shown the same result: sleep deprivation really does have great impact on how we interact in society. As you can see, good night sleep makes a person more open to new people preparing them for efficient interaction, and, on the contrary, the worse sleep we get the less productive we are and the fewer social contacts we are eager to make. But when it comes to deep feeling of loneliness, bad quality of sleep is just one of the factors, not the main reason standing behind it. "Loneliness is complex" says Alice Stride, a spokeswoman for the Campaign to End Loneliness. For some people experiencing loneliness, the idea that poor-quality sleep can be improved, and can reduce their social isolation, may be a wake-up call. Anyway, this field still needs to be properly examined since it has not been decided yet whether loneliness can cause sleep deprivation or deprivation can cause loneliness. Nevertheless, it is becoming clear that persistent loneliness and social isolation can have profound health consequences more dangerous than obesity. 

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/aug/16/good-nights-sleep-cure-loneliness