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 glasses

Books and reading

Types of criminals

Reading math symbols

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

International Book Day

Tips for a healthy life

1. Eat a variety of foods
For good health, we need more than 40 different nutrients, and no single food can supply them all. It is not about a single meal, it is about a balanced food choice over time that will make a difference!
A high-fat lunch could be followed by a low-fat dinner.
After a large meat portion at dinner, perhaps fish should be the next day’s choice?

2. Base your diet on plenty of foods rich in carbohydrates
About half the calories in our diet should come from foods rich in carbohydrates, such as cereals, rice, pasta, potatoes, and bread. It is a good idea to include at least one of these at every meal. Wholegrain foods, like wholegrain bread, pasta, and cereals, will increase our fibre intake.

3. Replace saturated with unsaturated fat
Fats are important for good health and proper functioning of the body. However, too much of it can negatively affect our weight and cardiovascular health. Different kinds of fats have different health effects, and some of these tips could help us keep the balance right:

• We should limit the consumption of total and saturated fats (often coming from foods of animal origin), and completely avoid trans fats; reading the labels helps to identify the sources.
• Eating fish 2-3 times a week, with at least one serving of oily fish, will contribute to our right intake of unsaturated fats.
• When cooking, we should boil, steam or bake, rather than frying, remove the fatty part of meat, use vegetable oils.

4. Enjoy plenty of fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are among the most important foods for giving us enough vitamins, minerals and fibre. We should try to eat at least 5 servings a day. For example, a glass of fresh fruit juice at breakfast, perhaps an apple and a piece of watermelon as snacks, and a good portion of different vegetables at each meal.

5. Reduce salt and sugar intake
A high salt intake can result in high blood pressure, and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. There are different ways to reduce salt in the diet:
When shopping, we could choose products with lower sodium content.
When cooking, salt can be substituted with spices, increasing the variety of flavours and tastes.
When eating, it helps not to have salt at the table, or at least not to add salt before tasting.
Sugar provides sweetness and an attractive taste, but sugary foods and drinks are rich in energy, and are best enjoyed in moderation, as an occasional treat. We could use fruits instead, even to sweeten our foods and drinks.

6. Eat regularly, control the portion size
Eating a variety of foods, regularly, and in the right amounts is the best formula for a healthy diet.
Skipping meals, especially breakfast, can lead to out-of-control hunger, often resulting in helpless overeating. Snacking between meals can help control hunger, but snacking should not replace proper meals. For snacks, we could choose yoghurt, a handful of fresh or dried fruits or vegetables (like carrot sticks), unsalted nuts, or perhaps some bread with cheese.
Paying attention to portion size will help us not to consume too much calories, and will allow us to eat all the foods we enjoy, without having to eliminate any.
Cooking the right amount makes it easier to not overeat.
Some reasonable serving sizes are: 100 g of meat; one medium piece of fruit; half a cup of raw pasta.
Using smaller plates helps with smaller servings.
Packaged foods, with calorie values on the pack, could aid portion control.
If eating out, we could share a portion with a friend.

7. Drink plenty of fluids
Adults need to drink at least 1.5 litres of fluid a day! Or more if it's very hot or they are physically active. Water is the best source, of course, and we can use tap or mineral water, sparkling or non-sparkling, plain or flavoured. Fruit juices, tea, soft drinks, milk and other drinks, can all be okay - from time to time.

8. Maintain a healthy body weight
The right weight for each us depends on factors like our gender, height, age, and genes. Being overweight increases the risks of a wide range of diseases, including diabetes, heart diseases, and cancer.
Excess body fat comes from eating more than we need. The extra calories can come from any caloric nutrient - protein, fat, carbohydrate, or alcohol, but fat is the most concentrated source of energy. Physical activity helps us spend the energy, and makes us feel good. The message is reasonably simple: if we are gaining weight, we need to eat less and be more active!

9. Get on the move, make it a habit!
Physical activity is important for people of all weight ranges and health conditions. It helps us burn off the extra calories, it is good for the heart and circulatory system, it maintains or increases our muscle mass, it helps us focus, and improves overall health well-being. We don't have to be top athletes to get on the move! 150 minutes per week of moderate physical activity is advised, and it can easily become part of our daily routine. We all could:
use the stairs instead of the elevator,
go for a walk during lunch breaks (and stretch in our offices in between)
make time for a family weekend activity

10. Start now! And keep changing gradually.
Gradual changes in our lifestyle are easier to maintain than major changes introduced all at once. For three days, we could write down the foods and drinks we consume throughout the day, and make a note of the amount of movement we made. It won’t be difficult to spot where we could improve:
Skipping breakfast? A small bowl of muesli, a piece of bread or fruit, could help slowly introduce it into our routine
Too few fruits and vegetables? To start with, we can introduce one extra piece a day.
Favourite foods high in fat? Eliminating them abruptly could fire back, and make us return to the old habits. We can choose low fat options instead, eat them less frequently, and in smaller portions.
Too little activity? Using the stairs daily could be a great first move.

from https://www.eufic.org/en/healthy-living/article/10-healthy-lifestyle-tips-for-adults

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: 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?

Graded readers sheet

Graded readers sheet 2018-2019 from Ana Arias Castro

How to read numbers in English

BASIC NUMBERS

Remember that large numbers are separated by commas: 123,456,789 and decimals need dots: 1.25

MORE DIFFICULT NUMBERS
We don't normally write numbers with words, but it's possible to do this and, of course, this will show how we say the numbers.

In writing large numbers, American English uses a comma ( , ) to separate thousands, millions, etc. American English also uses a hyphen ( - ) to separate "tens" words (twenty, fifty, etc.) and
"ones" words (one, three, six, etc.)

Examples:

written   said
1,011   one thousand eleven
   
21,011   twenty-one thousand eleven
   
721,011   seven hundred twenty-one thousand eleven
 ....................................................................................................................................
1,256,721   one million two hundred fifty-six thousand seven hundred twenty-one
   
31,256,721   thirty-one million two hundred fifty-six thousand seven hundred twenty-one
   
631,256,721   six hundred thirty-one million two hundred fifty-six thousand seven hundred twenty-one
 ....................................................................................................................................
1,492,638,526   one billion four hundred ninety-two million six hundred thirty-eight thousand five hundred twenty-six
   
41,492,638,526 forty-one billion four hundred ninety-two million six hundred thirty-eight thousand five hundred twenty-six
   
941,492,638,526  nine hundred forty-one billion four hundred ninety-two million six hundred thirty-eight thousand five hundred twenty-six
__________________________________________________________________

 NOTES:

1. In American English, the order of large numbers is thousand, million, billion, trillion, etc. (1,000; 1,000,000; 1,000,000,000; 1,000,000,000,000; etc.)
2. In American English a thousand million is a billion, but in British English, a thousand million is a milliard.
3. When saying large numbers, do not make thousand, million, billion, trillion, etc. plural. (WRONG: *twenty thousands dollars; *five millions people; CORRRECT: twenty thousand dollars; five million people)
4. Commas separate thousands, millions, etc. (21,011-31,256,721-941,492,638,526)
5. People often say "a" instead of "one" before hundred, thousand, etc. and they often add "and" before the last number (a hundred and twenty-one / a thousand and eleven)

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BRITISH AND AMERICAN ENGLISH (from Wikipedia)

	Common British vernacular	Common American vernacular	Common British vernacular
	"How many marbles do you have?"	"What is your house number?"	"Which bus goes to the high street?"
101	"A hundred and one."	"One-oh-one." Here, "oh" is used for the digit zero.	"One-oh-one."
109	"A hundred and nine."	"One-oh-nine."	"One-oh-nine."
110	"A hundred and ten."	"One-ten."	"One-one-oh."
117	"A hundred and seventeen."	"One-seventeen."	"One-one-seven."
120	"A hundred and twenty."	"One-twenty."	"One-two-oh", "One-two-zero."
152	"A hundred and fifty-two."	"One-fifty-two."	"One-five-two."
208	"Two hundred and eight."	"Two-oh-eight."	"Two-oh-eight."
334	"Three hundred and thirty-four."	"Three-thirty-four."	"Three-three-four."

ORDINAL NUMBERS AND FRACTIONS

Ordinal numbers are also used for fractions:

• 1/10 - one tenth
• 3/4 - three quarters
• 15/16 - fifteen sixteenths

SPECIAL NUMBERS

Some numbers have special names in certain contexts:

0:

• Zero: formal scientific usage
• Naught / nought: mostly British usage
• Aught: Mostly archaic but still occasionally used when a digit in mid-number is 0 (as in "thirty-aught-six", the .30-06 Springfield rifle cartridge and by association guns that fire it)
• Oh: used when spelling numbers (like telephone, bank account, bus line [British: bus route])
• Nil: in general sport scores, British usage ("The score is two–nil.")
• Nothing: in general sport scores, American usage ("The score is two–nothing.")
• Null: used technically to refer to an object or idea related to nothingness. The 0th aleph number (\aleph_0) is pronounced "aleph-null".
• Love: in tennis, badminton, squash and similar sports (origin disputed, often said to come from French l'œuf, "egg"; but the Oxford English Dictionary mentions the phrase for love, meaning nothing is at risk)

1:

• Ace in certain sports and games, as in tennis or golf, indicating success with one stroke, and the face of a die, playing card or domino half with one pip
• Birdie in golf denotes one stroke less than par, and bogey, one stroke more than par

2:

• Couple
• Pair
• Eagle in golf denotes two strokes less than par
• Duo

3:

• Trio

6:

• Half a dozen

12: 

• A dozen (first power of the duodecimal base), used mostly in commerce

100:

• A century, also used in cricket scores and in cycling for 100 miles.
• A ton, in Commonwealth English, the speed of 100 mph[5] or 100 km/h.

120:

• A great hundred or long hundred (twelve tens; as opposed to the small hundred, i.e. 100 or ten tens), also called small gross (ten dozens), both archaic

144: 

• A gross (a dozen dozens, second power of the duodecimal base), used mostly in commerce

10100: 

• Googol (1 followed by 100 zeros), used in mathematics; not to be confused with the name of the company Google (which was originally a misspelling of googol)

COMBINATIONS OF NUMBERS IN SPORT

• 1–0    British English: one-nil; American English: one-nothing, one-zip, or one-zero
• 0–0    British English: nil-nil, or more rarely nil all; American English: zero-zero or nothing-nothing, (occasionally scoreless or no score)
• 2–2    two-two or two all; American English also twos, two to two, even at two, or two up.

REFERENCE:

• http://www.studyenglishtoday.net/cardinal-numbers.html
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_numerals

Reading Club session

The Ghost Teacher by Julie Hart

These are the two next books for our Reading Club session in English.

THE GHOST TEACHER
This book is for 1º and 2º ESO students.
You can download the audio files here.

Summary:













THE CALL OF THE WILD
This classic novel is for 3º and 4º ESO students.

The Call of the Wild by Jack London

You can download the audio files here.
The Call of the Wild (25 pages)
The Call of the Wild (85 pags)
This is the original ebook. You can select the type of file you need for your ebook, tablet or computer.

Summary:

International Book Day

Books for our next Reading Club session

The Ghost Teacher by Julie Hart

These are the two next books for our Reading Club session in English.

THE GHOST TEACHER
This book is for 1º and 2º ESO students.
You can download the audio files here.

Summary:













THE CALL OF THE WILD
This classic novel is for 3º and 4º ESO students.

The Call of the Wild by Jack London

You can download the audio files here.
This is an easier version.
This is the original ebook. You can select the type of file you need for your ebook, tablet or computer.


Summary:

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 

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