Daily routines

Buy Nothing Day

You have probably heard about Black Friday and all the offers and discounts stores offer today but, have you ever heard of the Buy Nothing Day?

BUY NOTHING DAY

Buy Nothing Day (BND) is an international day of protest against consumerism. In North America, Buy Nothing Day is held on the Friday after U.S. Thanksgiving, concurrent to Black Friday(November 27, 2015); elsewhere, it is held the following day, which is the last Saturday in November. Buy Nothing Day was founded in Vancouver by artist Ted Dave and then promoted by Adbusters magazine, based in Canada.

The first Buy Nothing Day was organized in Canada in September 1992 "as a day for society to examine the issue of over-consumption." In 1997, it was moved to the Friday after American Thanksgiving, also called "Black Friday", which is one of the ten busiest shopping days in the United States. In 2000, some advertisements by Adbusters promoting Buy Nothing Day were denied advertising time by almost all major television networks except for CNN. Soon, campaigns started appearing in the United States, the United Kingdom, Israel, Austria, Germany, New Zealand, Japan, the Netherlands, France, Norway and Sweden. Participation now includes more than 65 nations.

Activities

Various gatherings and forms of protest have been used on Buy Nothing Day to draw attention to the problem of over-consumption:

• Credit card cut up: Participants stand in a shopping mall, shopping center, or store with a pair of scissors and a poster that advertises help for people who want to put an end to mounting debt and extortionate interest rates with one simple cut.
• Free, non-commercial street parties
• Sit-in
• Zombie walk: Participant "zombies" wander around shopping malls or other consumer havens with a blank stare. When asked what they are doing participants describe Buy Nothing Day.
• Whirl-mart: Participants silently steer their shopping carts around a shopping mall or store in a long, baffling conga line without putting anything in the carts or actually making any purchases.
• Public protests
• Wildcat General Strike: A strategy used for the 2009 Buy Nothing Day where participants not only do not buy anything for twenty-four hours but also keep their lights, televisions, computers and other non-essential appliances turned off, their cars parked, and their phones turned off or unplugged from sunrise to sunset.
• Buy Nothing Day hike: Rather than celebrating consumerism by shopping, participants celebrate The Earth and nature.
• Buy Nothing Critical Mass: As the monthly Critical Mass bicycle ride often falls on this day or near, rides in some cities acknowledge and celebrate Buy Nothing Day.
• Buy Nothing Day paddle along the San Francisco waterfront. This event is promoted by the Bay Area Sea Kayakers to kayak along the notoriously consumptive San Francisco waterfront.
• The Winter Coat Exchanges that started in Rhode Island and now have locations in Rhode Island, Kentucky, Utah and Oregon in which coats are collected from anyone who wants to donate, and anyone who needs a winter coat is welcome to take one.

Criticism

While critics of the day charge that Buy Nothing Day simply causes participants to buy the next day, Adbusters states that it "isn't just about changing your habits for one day" but "about starting a lasting lifestyle commitment to consuming less and producing less waste."

Other campaigns, such as Shift Your Shopping, attempt to redirect spending away from corporate chains and online giants toward locally owned, community-based businesses as a means to combat consumerism. Even some independent business advocates, such as the American Independent Business Alliance, recognize "Black Friday" frenzy does little for independent businesses and instead encourage people to consider giving gifts but not necessarily "things."

Information from Wikipedia

The Dunedin Study

The Dunedin Study
The Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study (often referred to as the Dunedin Longitudinal Study) is a long-running cohort study of 1037 people born between 1 April 1972 and 31 March 1973 in Dunedin, New Zealand.

History
The original group of study members was selected from children born at the Queen Mary Maternity Centre in Dunedin who were still living in the wider Otago region three years later. In early years the study was not well funded and the local community helped collect data. The study members include 535 males and 503 females, 1013 singletons and 12 sets of twins. At the age 38 assessment, only one-third of members still resided in Dunedin, while most of the remainder lived elsewhere in New Zealand and Australia. Study members were assessed at age three, and then at ages 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 18, 21, 26, 32, 38, 40 and a future assessment is scheduled for age 50. "Phase 45" started in April 2017. Since 2000, Professor Richie Poulton has been the study's director.

During an assessment, study members are brought back to Dunedin from wherever in the world they live. They participate in a day of interviews, physical tests, dental examinations, blood tests, computer questionnaires and surveys. Sub-studies of the Dunedin Study include the Family Health History Study which involved the parents of Dunedin Study members to find out about the health of family members (2003–2006); the current Parenting Study which focuses on the Dunedin Study member and their first three-year-old child; and the Next Generation Study which involves the offspring of Dunedin Study members as they turn 15 and looks at the lifestyles, behaviours, attitudes and health of today's teenagers, and aims to see how these have changed from when the original Study Members were 15 (in 1987–88). This means that information across three generations of the same families will be available.

Great emphasis is placed on retention of study members. At the most recent (age 38) assessments, 96% of all living eligible study members, or 961 people, participated. This is unprecedented for a longitudinal study, with many others worldwide experiencing 20–40% drop-out rates.
The resulting database has produced a wealth of information on many aspects of human health and development. As of 2015 over 1,200 papers, reports, book chapters and other publications have been produced using findings from the study. The multidisciplinary aspect of the study has always been a central focus, with information ranging across:

• Cardiovascular health and risk factors
• Respiratory health
• Oral health
• Sexual and reproductive health
• Mental health
• Psychosocial functioning
• Other health, including sensory, musculo-skeletal, and digestive

A book, From Child to Adult: Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study, was published in 1996 and aimed at presenting the major findings in a form accessible to the non-specialist. It only includes information up to the age-21 assessment. Future plans for the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study include another popular science book, upgrading their website for more non-specialist appeal, and introducing more resources for the general public.
This study was awarded the 2016 Prime Minister's Science Prize.

Findings

• Temperament. Girls who have behavioural problems as children have more trouble adjusting to early puberty.
• Personality continuities. Undercontrolled 3-year-olds tend to grow up impulsive and antisocial; inhibited 3-year-olds tend to become unassertive and depressed
• Violence and gender. Women are as likely as men to commit intimate partner violence.
• Schizophrenia. Hallucinations in childhood predict an increased risk of adult schizophrenia.
• Persistent offenders. People who are violent and antisocial as children grow into violent adults more often than those whose antisocial behaviour is limited to adolescence.
• Genes and environment. Among maltreated children, those who produce low levels of the enzyme monoamine oxidase A are more likely to become violent adults.
• Stress and illness. People who were abused as children have higher markers of inflammation, indicating an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease.
• Self-control. Childhood self-control predicts physical health, financial success, and a lack of criminal behaviour among adults.
• Cannabis. Long-term heavy cannabis use that begins in adolescence is linked to cognitive decline in adulthood.
• Early aging. Multiple indicators reveal signs of rapid physical and cognitive aging in some adults in their 30s.
• Social ills. 22 % cent of the cohort accounted for the bulk of welfare, medical, and insurance costs; fatherless child-rearing; and crime. Many had poor brain health at age 3.
• Mental health. Dunedin and other studies show that most people have at least one episode of mental illness during their lifetime.

Sources

• https://dunedinstudy.otago.ac.nz/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunedin_Multidisciplinary_Health_and_Development_Study
• https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/02/two-psychologists-followed-1000-new-zealanders-decades-here-s-what-they-found-about-how

More ways to make us spend more

• Placing popular items at the back ─ Why, oh why do stores make parents with small children trek all the way to the back of the store for necessities like baby wipes and toilet paper? Because they’re hoping you and your kids will find plenty of irresistible items to pick up on your way. 
• 99 cents ─ When you look at a price and see $9.99, chances are your brain doesn’t automatically register $10, but that figure is closer to the truth. Typically, consumers will think of prices ending in 9 as a much lower price, and end up spending more money. In addition to the change in perception, making prices end in 9 makes calculating confusing. So for someone trying to see the difference between two smaller bags of an item at $1.99 versus a larger one at $4.99, it may be tricky to figure out exactly what the total cost would be for each.
• Coupons ─ Wait, coupons are supposed to save you money, right? Correct, but deal seekers often end up spending more than those that casually shop. First, coupons direct shoppers to the items retailers most want them to spend money on — and those items may not be bargains, even with coupons. 
• Limited time only ─ When deals are only available for a short period of time, it’s natural to want to get it before it’s gone. Combined with confusing discounts, like buy one, get the second 60% off, and you’ve got shoppers that are ravenous to get the great deal, even if they don’t know exactly what that deal is.
• Sales — It’s the traditional motivator. We go to the shopping centre. We see clothes on sale. We have plenty at home, but they were such a great deal, we buy one more pair. We can't help buying them because they are on sale, not because they are cheap or we need them.
• Store cards ─ You’ve seen the signs and have almost certainly been asked to sign up for one at the register — store cards exist to make sure you’ll spend lots of money right where retailers want you to.  With a discount as an incentive, shoppers with new store cards often overspend on their initial transaction, buying extra in order to maximize their sign-up discount.
• Return policies — The opposite of retail therapy is buyer’s remorse. The solution is to make returns easy for people who change their minds. According to the Washington Post, an estimated 25 to 30 percent of online purchases are sent back, about triple the rate for items bought in-store. Therefore, even if only one in 10 store buyers returns merchandise, they are more likely to make a more expensive purchase if they have the option.
• Aspirational buying — Many luxury goods firms never run sales. These expensive products make you feel you are entering a club or a higher category.
• Compliments — When shopping for clothing, telling a customer they look good in something sets the stage for the accessories they need to buy to complete the outfit. The more specific the compliment, the more effective.
• Handling the product — According to the Harvard Business Review, touching the product establishes a symbolic connection. Customers are willing to spend at least 40 percent more on certain products that are physically present vs. those described in photos or text.
• Extras you thought were standard — The main purchase might be a smart phone, but you need a screen protector, a memory card and a case.
• Paying by credit card — Purchases become abstract when you sign a receipt instead of actually counting out money. A study by Dun & Bradstreet shows people spend 12 to 18 percent more when paying by credit card.
• Loyalty programs —Customers often pay more attention to the benefits they might get from a loyalty programme than to the product they are purchasing.
• Extended warranties — When you buy an appliance or computer, you might think you are done. The store makes the case for continuing coverage in case something goes wrong.
• Automatic renewals — Your homeowner's or auto insurance are good examples. Once you become a client and pay on a monthly basis, the policy automatically renews at the end of the period. Often the price is higher. 
• Buying for another — Americans are generous people. We might watch our own spending, but we will splash out for another family member or friend. In the past, one of the extreme cases was funeral expenses after the death of a loved one.
• Celebrity endorsements – In 1934, Wheaties started putting athletes on cereal boxes. It’s grown and grown ever since. According to Forbes, celebrities inspire consumer confidence. People use the product to identify with the lifestyle of the celebrity.  
• Independent awards — People like impartial third-party evaluations. Lots of wine gets sold because scores are awarded by wine publications. These tags are called “shelf talkers.”
• Getting something free — Perfume companies often offer a free gift with a purchase over a specific threshold. You spend more to get the “free” gift.

Adapted from https://www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/how-to/marketing/2017/10/18-ways-to-encourage-customers-to-spend-more-than.html  and http://www.youngupstarts.com/2011/08/17/20-hidden-marketing-techniques-that-make-consumers-spend-more/

Marketing techniques that make us spend more

There's a reason your mother told you to make a grocery list and stick to it.

Every part of the supermarket from parking lot to checkout counter is designed to make you spend more money and buy more food than you need.

Banco Imágenes INTEF - by Paul Bangs

1. We'll start with the shopping cart. This 1938 invention was designed to let customers make larger purchases more easily.
2. Most supermarkets put high margin departments like floral and fresh baked goods near the front door, so you encounter them when your cart is empty and your spirits are high.
3. Another reason to start with flowers and baked goods is the smell, which activates your salivary glands and makes you more likely to make impulse purchases. Likewise, these pleasant departments put you in a good mood and make you more willing to spend.
4. Supermarkets hide dairy products and other essentials on the back wall so that you have to go through the whole store to get to them.
5. Once customers start walking through the 'racetrack' aisles, they are conditioned to walk up and down each aisles without deviating.

   

   Banco Imágenes INTEF

6. Most stores move customers from right to left. Due to this flow and the practice of driving on the right side of the road, the items you are most likely to buy tend to be on the right hand of the aisle.
7. The items the store really wants you to buy are at eye level. In the cereal aisle, for instance, bulk cereal is placed at the bottom. Healthy cereal is placed at the top. Expensive brand name cereal goes right at eye level. Favored items are also placed at the end of aisles.
8. And then there's kid eye level. This is where you'll find sugary cereal, Easy Mac and other items a kid will grab and beg his parents to buy.
9. Sample stations and other displays slow you down while exposing you to new products.
10. Size matters. In crowded stores people spend less time shopping, do less impulse shopping, purchase fewer items, are less social and more nervous
. Notably Asians are more tolerant of crowding, while the British are the least tolerant.
11. Warm colors attract people to a store. Cool colors encourage more contemplation and higher sales. We suggest brick exterior and cool blue interior.
12. Hear that music? Studies have shown that slow music makes people take their time and spend more money. Loud music makes them move through the store quickly without affecting sales. And classical music leads people to buy more expensive merchandise.
13. The most profitable area of the store is the checkout line. This is where after a few minutes in line you'll succumb to the temptation of the candy rack and a magazine you've been leafing through.
14. Time to present your Valued Shopper Card. While giving you the occasional deal, this card keeps you as a regular customer for the store. It also provides valuable tracking data.

by Gus Lubin

http://www.businessinsider.com/supermarkets-make-you-spend-money-2011-7

Saving tropical forests

Saving tropical hardwood forests from Ana Arias Castro

Reading comprehension: Two nuns steal money to spend in Las Vegas

PRE-READING:

• Some vocabulary:
• gamble: to play at a game of chance for money (like lottery or the roulette)
• funds: money
• remorse: deep regret for having done something wrong
• principal: director; manager (of a school)
• charges: accusations
• priest: clergyman, cleric
• parish: parochial unit
• parishioners: the people belonging to a parochial unit
• prayer: supplication to God
• audit: inspection
• tuition: classes; teaching
• findings: discovery
• Notes: 
• This is a real story from December 2018.

READ THE FOLLOWING TEXT:

Two nuns admit stealing cash for Vegas gambling trips

Two nuns who worked at a Catholic school in California have admitted stealing about $500,000  and using it to gamble in Las Vegas.

Image by BrendelSignature - CC BY-SA 3.0

Sisters Mary Kreuper and Lana Chang took the money from St James' Catholic School in the city of Torrance, near Los Angeles, to spend in casinos.

The pair, who are said to be best friends, took funds from an account holding tuition fees and donations.

The sisters, who recently retired, have expressed remorse for their actions.

Mary Kreuper was the school principal for 29 years, while Lana Chang worked as a teacher for about 20 years. They are thought to have stolen the money over a period of at least a decade to spend on travel and gambling.

On Monday, St James' Catholic Church said the nuns had expressed "deep remorse" over their actions, adding that while the police had been informed, no criminal charges would be brought against the pair.

"The Sisters have confirmed the misappropriation of funds and have co-operated in the investigation," the sisters' order, the Sisters of St Joseph of Carondelet, said on its website.

"Our community is worried and saddened by this situation and regret any injury to our long relationship with the families of the school," it added.

The priest of the church, Monsignor Michael Meyers, wrote in a letter to parishioners: "Sister Mary Margaret and Sister Lana have expressed to me and asked that I express to you, the deep remorse they each feel for their actions and ask for your forgiveness and prayers."

The Archdiocese of Los Angeles said the church discovered that the money was missing during a routine audit.

The nuns were able to hide their actions by depositing a number of cheques made out to the school for tuition and other fees into a separate bank account not used by the school.

Parents were  informed about the findings earlier this month.

Text adapted from: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-46515908

AFTER YOU READ THE TEXT:

Answer these questions:

1. How do the nuns feel now, according to the article?
2. How did people react to this discovery (the community, parents, ecclesiastical authorities...)?
3. In your opinion, what will happen to the nuns?
4. Imagine you are one of the nuns. Write a 100-150 letter to a friend telling him/her about this event and how you are feeling now.

Reading comprehension: Ten Study Techniques That Work

READ THE TEXT:

Studying effectively is not a matter of chance. Educators and psychologists have researched study methods for years. Some of the best studies come from the top universities: Stanford, Indiana, and Chicago where precise experiments with student groups have shed light on the most effective study methods. Students who follow these methods learn more easily, retain material for longer periods of time, and save themselves hours of study time. The ten study methods researchers have found that work are:

1. Making and Keeping a Study Schedule

Set aside certain hours of each day for study just as you do for nourishment and sleep. Keep the same schedule faithfully from day-to-day. The amount of time needed for study will vary for each individual based on skills with the subject matter. An average of two hours of study each day for each hour in class is recommended. Going to class is only the beginning; the real work begins afterwards!

2. Studying in an Appropriate Setting — Same Time, Same Place, Every Day

If concentration is your problem, then the right surroundings will help you greatly. Your study desk or table should be in a quiet place – free from as many distractions as possible. You will concentrate better when you study in the same place every day. It’s a mind set. For example, when you sit down at the kitchen table, you expect to eat. When you sit down in an easy chair, you watch TV, etc. Developing the habit of studying in the same place at the same time everyday will improve your concentration.

3. Equipping Your Study Area With All the Materials You Need

Your study desk or table should be equipped with all the materials you might need to complete the assignment, e.g., pencils, pens, erasers, paper clips, stapler, dictionary, snacks, and liquid refreshments, etc. For some assignments, you may require a calculator or other supplies. With your materials at hand, you can study without interruption. If you have an answering machine, let it do its job during your study time. You can return the calls after you have finished studying. Taking your snack food and drinks to the study location will eliminate those endless trips to the kitchen which break your concentration.

Image by Luana Fischer Ferreira

4. Not Relying on Inspiration for Motivation

Can you imagine an athlete-in-training waiting for inspiration to strike to practice in preparation for an event? Of course not. They train daily to stay competitive whether they want to or not. Like the athlete, you must get in training for tests and examinations by doing the assignments and preparing daily through review to be ready for the action.

5. Keeping a Well-Kept Notebook Improves Grades

Researchers tell us that there is definitely a relationship between orderliness and high grades. Knowing where to find your materials when you need them is crucial. Keep a special section for each subject in your notebook as well as a semester calendar so that you can write down all important assignments as they are announced. Having all of this information together in one place is vital to your success. A well-kept notebook is a part of good time management. If you’ve ever misplaced an important assignment, you know how much valuable time can be lost looking for it.

6. Keeping a Careful Record of Assignments

Put it down in black and white—including the details—and keep it in your notebook. Knowing just what you are expected to do and when you are expected to do it is the first giant step toward completing important assignments successfully and on time.

7. Making Use of “Trade Secrets”

Flash cards aren’t just for kids! They are a legitimate study tool. Use the front of the card to write an important term, and on the back, write a definition or an important fact about that term. Carry your flash cards with you. Use them during “dead time,” such as standing in a check-out line, waiting in a doctor or dentist’s office, riding a bus, or waiting at the Laundromat. Keep a set in the glove compartment of your car for long lines at your favorite fast food drive-in restaurant or bank. Post them on your bathroom mirror to review while shaving or applying make-up. You’ll be surprised how much you can accomplish during those otherwise “dead times.” Think about developing your own “trade secrets” that will improve your study skills.

8. Taking Good Notes as Insurance Against Forgetting

Learn to take good notes efficiently as your instructors stress important points in class and as you study your assignments. Good notes are a “must” for just-before-test-reviewing. Without notes, you will need to reread and review the entire assignment before a test. This may require you to read anywhere from 100-300 pages of material in one sitting. With notes, you can recall the main points in just a fraction of the time. The time you spend in note taking is not lost , but in fact, is a time-saver.

9. Overlearning Material Enhances Memory

Psychologists tell us that the secret to learning for future reference is overlearning. Experts suggest that after you can say, “I know this material,” that you should continue to study that material for an additional one-fourth of the original study time. The alphabet is an example of overlearning. How did you learn it? Probably through recitation which is the best way to etch material into the memory trace. Manipulate the material as many different ways as possible by writing, reading, touching, hearing, and saying it. In an experimental study, students who overlearned material retained four times as much after a month than students who didn’t overlearn.

10. Reviewing Material Frequently

A student who does not review material can forget 80% of what has been learned in only two weeks! The first review should come very shortly after the material was first presented and studied. Reviewing early acts as a safeguard against forgetting and helps you remember far longer. Frequent reviews throughout the course will bring rewards at test time and will alleviate pre-test anxiety.

Although these ten study methods do work, there is one other component needed when using all of them – taking responsibility for studying by following through on assignments. All the study methods in the world won’t help you if you don’t help yourself. As with most everything in your life, your motto should be, “I’m responsible for my success!”

If you put forth the effort to study effectively, the improved skills will soon become a habit and be just as natural as breathing. The result can be better grades, greater knowledge, and higher self-esteem. These skills will also serve you well in your professional and personal life.

ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS:

1. Choose the most important three techniques in your opinion.
2. Which other technique or techniques would you add?
3. Which is the least important? Why?
4. According to the text, what should you do in class?
5. And, what should you do at home?
6. What will happen to a student who does not work after school times?
7. How can ICTs (Information and Computer Technologies) help you follow the advice given in the text?

Singles' Day

Singles' Day or Guanggun Jie is a holiday popular among young Chinese people that celebrate their pride in being single. The date, November 11th (11/11), was chosen because the number "1" resembles an individual who is alone. The holiday has also become a popular date to celebrate relationships, with over 4,000 couples being married in Beijing on this date in 2011, compared to an average of 700 a day.

The holiday has become the largest offline and online shopping day in the world, with Alibaba shoppers exceeding 168.2 billion yuan (US$25.4 billion) in spending during the 2017 celebration.Rival JD.com hosts an eleven day shopping festival as well, which garnered US$19.1 billion, bringing the Chinese total to US$44.5 billion.

Origins

Image by Chrionexfleckeri1350

Chinese Singles' Day, or Bachelors' Day, originated at Nanjing University in 1993. Singles' Day celebrations spread to several other universities in Nanjing during the 1990s. The holiday was named "Singles' Day" because its date, 11/11 (November 11), consists of four "ones," representing four singles.

There are several theories explaining the creation of the Singles' Day festival.The most widely accepted theory is that the holiday grew out of Nanjing University's dorm culture. One origin story is that in 1993, four male students of Nanjing University's Mingcaowuzhu ("All single men") dorm discussed how they could break away from the monotony of being single and agreed that November 11 would be a day of events and celebrations in honor of being single.These activities spread through the university and eventually made their way into wider society. The spread increased with social media use, and the event has become increasingly popular within contemporary Chinese culture and society.

An apocryphal theory is based around the love story of a Nanjing University student called Mu Guang Kun, known as Guang Gun. The story goes that his girlfriend was diagnosed with cancer during his second year at the university and eventually died. The distraught Guang Gun took to placing candles on nearby rooftops in memory of his lover, and on his birthday in the subsequent year, his roommates joined him to keep him company. After this, the day became a holiday at the university and grew to become the national, commercialized festival that is celebrated today.

Description

Singles' Day serves as an occasion for single people to meet and for parties to be organized. The holiday was initially only celebrated by young men, hence the initial name "Bachelors' Day." However, it is now widely celebrated by both sexes. "Blind date" parties are popular on this day, in an attempt to alter the single status of the participants. Some universities organize special programs to gather singles together for the celebration. Singles may take on an annoyed or self-deprecating attitude in response to remaining single as a university student, but university initiatives have helped curb that negativity.Although this date is meant to celebrate singlehood, the desire to find a spouse or partner is often expressed by young Chinese people on this date, while other love-related issues are discussed by the Chinese media.

Shopping

The event is not an officially recognized public holiday in China, although it has become the largest offline and online shopping day in the world. Sales in Alibaba's sites, Tmalland Taobao, have reached US$5.8 billion in 2013, US$9.3 billion in 2014, US$14.3 billion in 2015, US$17.8 billion in 2016, and over US$25.4 billion in 2017. JD.com also achieved a sales record of US$19.1 billion in 2017, while Lazada drums up US$123 million.

As more people join in the celebration of this holiday many companies have taken the opportunity to target younger consumers; including businesses such as restaurants, karaokeparlors, and online shopping malls. For example, the Chinese online shopping mall Taobao sold goods worth 19 billion CNY (about US$3 billion) on November 11, 2012.

On Singles' Day 2017, Alibaba set a world record for most payment transactions during the festival. Its mobile wallet app Alipay processed 256,000 payment transactions per second. A total of 1.48 billion transactions were processed by Alipay in the entire 24 hours, with delivery orders through Cainiao (Alibaba's logistics affiliate) reaching close to 700 million, breaking the previous record set in 2016.The event is now nearly four times the size of America's biggest shopping days, Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

2011 marked the "Singles Day of the Century" (Shiji Guanggun Jie) as this date had six "ones" rather than four, increasing the significance of the occasion.In 2011, an above-average number of marital celebrations occurred in Hong Kong and Beijing on November 11.

Symbolism

The following symbolism has been associated with the special date:

"1": The digit 1 symbolizes an individual, a single person

"11": Two individuals, finding each other, and being together on one side of the special date (11.11)

2 x (11): A celebration of 2 (and more) different and separate couples, each comprising two single individuals finding each other on the special date (11.11)

In addition to meaning "single", the Chinese pronunciation of 11/11 sounds similar to the pronunciation of the expression "one life, one lifetime" ( 一生一世, yi sheng yi shi), a basis for the date's popularity for celebrating relationships among couples as well.

Outside China

Singles' Day has since been popularized through the internet and is now observed at several places outside of China as well. The holiday has particularly grown in Southeast Asia, with customers in the Lazada's Southeast Asian marketplaces ordering 6.5 million items in 2017. This is in part thanks to heavy promotions by the Lazada group in this region.

Mediamarkt, a German company, promotes Singles' Day in their stores. Belgian Mediamarkt also participates, but reactions have been negative since the 11th of November is the anniversary of the Armistice of 11 November 1918 that ended World War I, and the day is associated with somber commemoration of the war dead in Belgium.

text taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singles%27_Day

QUESTIONS:

1. Why is Singles' Day celebrated today (on November 11th)?
2. What other festivity is celebrated on the same date in Europe?
3. Is this date just a commercial event?
4. Who benefits from this celebration?
5. Do you know any similar celebrations? Which ones? Why are they similar?

Writing a text about everyday life

Every day I get up at 7:00 and I go downstairs for breakfast. I usually have a glass of orange juice and a large cup of tea and toast. I don't usually have coffee, just sometimes at the weekend. I always read the newspaper while I'm having breakfast.

Later I go upstairs, have a shower and get dressed. Then I pack my books for school and go to school by car. I drive to school in my car because I live 10 km away from school. After that I am at school for about 4-6 hours. I sometimes have lunch at school, a sandwich and some fruit but I don't like having lunch at school because it is rather stressful.

After school, at 4.30 I go back home and rest for about half an hour. Then I have another cup of tea and prepare my classes for the following day: check my students' work, prepare exams, etc.
At about 7,00 I often go for a walk or walk on a treadmill for one hour because I like to do exercise.
After that I have dinner, usually fruit or yoghurt but never meat or fish.

In the evening I always read for over an hour and I often watch TV or surf the net before I go to bed. However, I don't watch TV if I don't like the programmes they are showing.
On weekdays I go to bed at about 11:00 and fall asleep very quickly.

• RED: frequency and time expressions
• BLACK: frequency adverbs
• BLUE: sequencing
• ORANGE: sentence linking

Let's write an essay

Choose one of these topics:

• My favourite invention
• Internet: good and bad aspects

Write a three-part text:

• Introdution: short, introduction to the topic. Just one or two sentences.
• Body: Defend your ideas. Give arguments for and against. 
• In my opinion, personally...
• A variety of tenses and rich vocabulary
• Connectors of additions and/or contrast: besides, moreover, however, although...
• Conclusion: Summaries the ideas mentioned and back your opinion.

How to Write an Essay from Tino Grandio

Essay topics eso 4 from Tino Grandio

Environmental NGOs

International Women's Day

International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8 every year.It commemorates the movement for women's rights.

While the first observance of a Women's Day was held on February 28, 1909 in New York, March 8 was suggested by the 1910 International Woman's Conference to become an "International Woman's Day." After women gained suffrage in Soviet Russia in 1917, March 8 became a national holiday there. The day was then predominantly celebrated by the socialist movement and communist countries until it was adopted in 1975 by the United Nations.

The 8th of March is also the day when Hypatia of Alexandria, philosopher, mathematician and astronomer of Roman Egypt was curiously martyred in March 415, precisely because of her political influence as a defender of the sciences, of empiricism above dogmatism and the space of women in various intellectual circles of her time.

Text from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Women%27s_Day 

How to be a good friend

These are some tips for anyone who wants to be a good friend

Image by Will Richardson

1. Keep your promises. Don't ever make a promise that you can't keep -- or at least don't make a habit of it. If you say you'll hang out with a friend and a legitimate conflict arises, explain the situation and trust that the friendship is strong enough for the no's as well as the yes's. If you just cannot go, give your friend a gift and tell him or her sorry. Nobody's perfect, and it's okay if you skip out on a promise once in a blue moon, but don't make it a regular thing. If this is recurring over time then you will probably be seen as not trustworthy as you can not be trusted to be committed to someone such as your friend.
2. Be dependable. Being dependable is one of the most important aspects of being a good friend. Your friend will need you for support, especially in hard times. Nobody likes a fake, and nobody wants one for a close friend. It's hard to rely on a person who doesn't behave in a consistent and trustworthy way.
3. Apologize when you've made a mistake. If you want your friends to trust you, then you can't act like you're flawless. If you know you've made a mistake, own up to it instead of being in denial. 
4. Be honest. If you want to be a good friend and to have people trust you, then you have to be honest about your feelings, about your friends' actions, and about how you feel about your friendship. If you're honest about how you feel, that will open up direct lines of communication with your friends and will make them more likely to open up to you. If your friend hurt you, don't be afraid to talk about it; if something is upsetting you, don't feel too shy to open up to your friend about it.  
5. Don't use people. If one of your friends suspects that you're just using them, then they'll drop you like a hot potato. Good friendships don't arise from hoping someone else's popularity or networks will rub off on you.  
6. Be loyal. If your friend tells you something in confidence, keep it and don't talk about it with anyone else, just as you'd expect your friend to do for you. Don't discuss your friend behind his or her back, and don't spread rumors about the confidences they've imparted to you. Never say anything about your friend that you would not be prepared to repeat to their face. Be loyal to your true friends and be prepared to defend them if your new friends, or people you barely know, start gossiping about them.   
7. Be respectful. Good friends show respect for each other by being openly and mutually supportive. If your friend has certain values and beliefs that don't align with your own, respect his or her choices and be open to hearing more about them. If you want your friend to trust you, then your friend should feel comfortable voicing opinions that you may not agree with, or discussing a new perspective with you.
    

Text from https://www.wikihow.com/Be-a-Good-Friend

QUALITIES OF A GOOD FRIEND

Qualities of-a-good-friend from Ana Arias Castro

LISTENING TIPS

Listening tips from Ana Arias Castro

WAYS TO BE RESPECTFUL

Ways to-be-respectful from Ana Arias Castro

SOME QUESTIONS:

• Are you a good friend? Which good qualities do you have?
• Which ones don't you have?
• Which  qualities do you appreciate more in a friend?

Shopping for clothes

Shopping for clothes from Ana Arias Castro

Shopping for clothes from Ana Arias Castro

Marketing techniques that make us spend more

There's a reason your mother told you to make a grocery list and stick to it.

Every part of the supermarket from parking lot to checkout counter is designed to make you spend more money and buy more food than you need.

Banco Imágenes INTEF - by Paul Bangs

1. We'll start with the shopping cart. This 1938 invention was designed to let customers make larger purchases more easily.
2. Most supermarkets put high margin departments like floral and fresh baked goods near the front door, so you encounter them when your cart is empty and your spirits are high.
3. Another reason to start with flowers and baked goods is the smell, which activates your salivary glands and makes you more likely to make impulse purchases. Likewise, these pleasant departments put you in a good mood and make you more willing to spend.
4. Supermarkets hide dairy products and other essentials on the back wall so that you have to go through the whole store to get to them.
5. Once customers start walking through the 'racetrack' aisles, they are conditioned to walk up and down each aisles without deviating.

   

   Banco Imágenes INTEF

6. Most stores move customers from right to left. Due to this flow and and the practice of driving on the right side of the road, the items you are most likely to buy tend to be on the right hand of the aisle.
7. The items the store really wants you to buy are at eye level. In the cereal aisle, for instance, bulk cereal is placed at the bottom. Healthy cereal is placed at the top. Expensive brand name cereal goes right at eye level. Favored items are also placed at the end of aisles.
8. And then there's kid eye level. This is where you'll find sugary cereal, Easy Mac and other items a kid will grab and beg his parents to buy.
9. Sample stations and other displays slow you down while exposing you to new products.
10. Size matters. In crowded stores people spend less time shopping, do less impulse shopping, purchase fewer items, are less social and more nervous
. Notably Asians are more tolerant of crowding, while the British are the least tolerant.
11. Warm colors attract people to a store. Cool colors encourage more contemplation and higher sales. We suggest brick exterior and cool blue interior.
12. Hear that music? Studies have shown that slow music makes people take their time and spend more money. Loud music makes them move through the store quickly without affecting sales. And classical music leads people to buy more expensive merchandise.
13. The most profitable area of the store is the checkout line. This is where after a few minutes in line you'll succumb to the temptation of the candy rack and a magazine you've been leafing through.
14. Time to present your Valued Shopper Card. While giving you the occasional deal, this card keeps you as a regular customer for the store. It also provides valuable tracking data.

by Gus Lubin

http://www.businessinsider.com/supermarkets-make-you-spend-money-2011-7

Reading comprehension: How to save money

image from Wikipedia

1. Record your expenses. The first step to saving money is to figure out how much you spend. Keep track of all your expenses—that means every coffee, newspaper and snack you buy. Ideally, you can account for every penny. Once you have your data, organize the numbers by categories, such as gas, groceries and mortgage, and total each amount. Consider using your credit card or bank statements to help you with this. If you bank online, you may be able to filter your statements to easily break down your spending.
2. Make a budget.Once you have an idea of what you spend in a month, you can begin to organize your recorded expenses into a workable budget. Your budget should outline how your expenses measure up to your income—so you can plan your spending and limit overspending. In addition to your monthly expenses, be sure to factor in expenses that occur regularly but not every month, such as car maintenance. 
3. Plan on saving money. Now that you’ve made a budget, create a savings category within it. Try to put away 10–15 percent of your income as savings. If your expenses are so high that you can’t save that much, it might be time to cut back. To do so, identify non-essentials that you can spend less on, such as entertainment and dining out. We’ve put together ideas for saving money every day as well as cutting back on your fixed monthly expenses.
4. Choose something to save for. One of the best ways to save money is to set a goal. Start by thinking of what you might want to save for—anything from a down payment for a house to a vacation—then figure out how long it might take you to save for it. If you need help figuring out a time frame, try Bank of America’s savings goal calculator. Here are some examples of short- and long-term goals:
1. Short-term (1–3 years)
• Emergency fund (3–9 months of living expenses, just in case)
• Vacation
• Down payment for a car
2. Long-term (4+ years)
• Retirement*
• Your child’s education*
• Down payment on a home or a remodeling project
5. Decide on your priorities. After your expenses and income, your goals are likely to have the biggest impact on how you save money. Be sure to remember long-term goals—it’s important that planning for retirement doesn’t take a back seat to shorter-term needs. Prioritizing goals can give you a clear idea of where to start saving. For example, if you know you’re going to need to replace your car in the near future, you could start putting money away for one.
6. Choose the right tools.Ask your bank about the best financial products for your needs.
7. Make saving automatic. Almost all banks offer automated transfers between your checking and savings accounts. You can choose when, how much and where to transfer money to, or even split your direct deposit between your checking and savings accounts. Automated transfers are a great way to save money since you don’t have to think about it and it generally reduces the temptation to spend the money instead.
8. Watch your savings grow. Check your progress every month. Not only will this help you stick to your personal savings plan but it also helps you identify and fix problems quickly. These simple ways to save money may even inspire you to save more and hit your goals faster.

Adapted from https://bettermoneyhabits.bankofamerica.com/en/saving-budgeting/ways-to-save-money

SOME BASIC VOCABULARY:

• budget: an estimate of expected income and expenses
• to record: to set down in writing or the like
• savings: money saved by economy and put in a safe place:
• income: the monetary payment received for goods or services, or from other sources, as rents or investments.
• savings account: a bank account on which interest is paid, traditionally one for which a bankbook is used to record deposits, withdrawals, and interest payments.
• expenses: a cause or occasion of spending
• goal: the result or achievement toward which effort is directed; aim; end:
• long-term: covering or involving a relatively long period of time:
• short-term: covering or involving a short period of time:

QUESTIONS:

1. Do any of the tips above apply to you? How could you save money?
2. Which other ideas would you add?

Everyday routines

Eso 1 present-simple_review from Ana Arias Castro

Garfield`s routine from karolina cueva

Reading comprehension text: Back Together

Read the text and answer the following questions:

Back Together

Tamara Rabi had no idea Adriana Scott existed until students at a university in Long Island began confusing her with the other girl. The girls were born in Mexico and then adopted by different sets of parents in the US. Tamara grew up with Jewish parents on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Adriana was raised a Catholic in a Long Island suburb of the city. But each girl had no idea she had a twin until Tamara moved to Long Island.  

In 2003 a friend of Adriana's turned up at Tamara's 20th birthday party and could not believe his eyes. Tamara had already noticed how some people on her university campus smiled and said hello, clearly mistaking her for somebody else.

In 2004 they decided to meet so Tamara contacted Adriana by email and soon afterwards they met in a car park. "I didn't know what to say, except hi. I was just in shock to see myself", says Adriana. The funny thing is that they grew up just 20 miles apart.

“We have the same mannerisms, the same interests, the same grades in school," Adriana says.

"We had the same dream when we were younger. It was a nightmare... A really loud noise, followed by a real quiet one," adds Tamara.

Adriana's mother was the only family member on either side who knew she had a twin, but she had no idea where she might be. After agonising over it, she kept it secret to avoid the pain of a possibly fruitless search - a judgement which Adriana agrees with.

"In some ways it's the best of both worlds, as I have a sister but I haven't grown up in a state of sibling rivalry," she says.  

From http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3343763.stm

1. True or false:
• In 2004, Tamara met Adriana.
• Tamara met Adriana at a party.
• Tamara and Adriana are similar.
• Adriana knew she had a twin even before she met Tamara.
• The two girls grew up in different countries.
• They want to be rivals.
2. Answer the following questions:
• Why did people at university stare at them?
• How did Tamara contact Adriana?
• How are Tamara and Adriana similar? Give two examples.
• Why didn't Adriana's mother tell her about her sister?
• How do the girls feel about each other today?
3. Key to this exercise