FOCUS ON THE TOPIC #1

 Why are some people geniuses and others being not? Does the
environment a person is raised (nurture) create a genius, or is
it because the person was simply born that way (nature)? Which
part do you think each of these plays in being a genius?

In my opinion nurture has more impact than nature because if

someone with a lot of skills doesn’t have the opportunity to improve
his talent, he would become a normal person years later. The case
of a normal person with good opportunities and preparation is totally
different, this is because he has more ways to increase his
knowledge. The case of people who never can exploit their talents
are more common in poor countries because the governments don’t
invest in education.

 What is one special talent or ability that you have? When did
you first become aware of it? Did it come naturally, or did you
have to practice a long time to perfect it? Explain. (You may
instead answer these questions about someone you know who
has a talent or ability.)

I think that I have abilities in math because I can solve problems very
fast. At the beginning it was difficult, but when I was in my sixth year
of primary, I was selected in the group of math. There I had the
opportunities to improve my skills and years later I represented my
school in contests of math.
 VOCABULARY LOG #1

 Compensate (verb)
Give (someone) something, typically money, in recognition of loss, suffering, or
injury incurred; recompense.
I don't really hope she will compensate me for my suffering.
 Disabled (adj.)
(of a person) having a physical or mental condition that limits their movements,
senses, or activities.
He suffered serious brain injuries which have left him mentally disabled.
 Savant (noun)
A learned person, especially a distinguished scientist.
Both he and his brother were child prodigies, but the world had never seen a
musical savant like in them.
 Estimate (verb)
Roughly calculate or judge the value, number, quantity, or extent of.
Officials estimate that Britons alone lose £150 million a year to such frauds.
 Retain (verb)
Continue to have (something); keep possession of.
Many seniors continue to retain one possession: their home.
 Anxious (adj.)
Feeling or showing worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an
uncertain outcome.
She was nervous and excited and anxious and hundreds of other things all at
once.
 Image (noun)
A representation of the external form of a person or thing in art.
Her images represent the transformations of the country and its people.
 Persistence (noun)
The fact of continuing in an opinion or course of action despite difficulty or
opposition.
With patience and persistence, we can overcome whatever obstacle.
 Expertise (noun)
Expert skill or knowledge in a field.
Each field requires its own expertise and in politics there are no simple solutions.
 Emerging (adj.)
Becoming apparent or prominent.
Dean could see her troubled profile in the emerging moonlight.
 FOCUS ON THE TOPIC #2

 There are many kinds of obstacles: Physical and economic are

two examples. What are some other examples of kinds of
obstacles that people face?

I the life avoid obstacles is impossible because we can find an

obstacle in whatever part of our life. There are a lot of types of
obstacles such as emotional problems, conflicts in the family,
pollution in the neighborhood.

 What are some ways that people overcome their obstacles?

To overcome my obstacles, first I analyze the complete situation to

determine the main causes of the problem after that I think in the
best way to face the causes one by one. At the end I analyze the
results and what I learn about the whole problem.

 What obstacles have you faced in your life? How have you tried
to overcome them?

In my first semester at the university, my team were all set to begin

a project when everything that could go wrong, did. While some team
members felt nervous and suggested a delay was unavoidable, I
tried to search alternatives for each challenge. We spent the morning
taking on alternatives and were able to start on time. It turned into a
good project.
 VOCABULARY LOG #2

 Meager (adj.)
(of something provided or available) lacking in quantity or quality.
Diego kept quiet about his meager half-lunch.
 Yearn for (phrasal verb)
Have an intense feeling of longing for something, typically something that one
has lost or been separated from.
The country is yearning for clean and honest leadership.
 Tormented (adj.)
Experiencing or characterized by severe physical or mental suffering.
We learn of his tormented childhood.
 Dilapidated (adj.)
(of a building or object) in a state of disrepair or ruin as a result of age or neglect.
Several of the children living in the dilapidated refuge had psychological
problems, officials said.
 Hopelessness (noun)
A feeling or state of despair; lack of hope.
I was overcome by the hopelessness of the situation.
 Shame (noun)
A painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong
or foolish behavior.
It is a country of freedom of speech, but the ignorance and the shame of the
essay writer is unbearable.
 Defeated (adj.)
Having been beaten in a battle or other contest.
The general of the defeated army escaped the war into a big plane.
 Sordid (adj.)
Involving immoral or dishonorable actions and motives; arousing moral distaste
and contempt.
Obviously, they thought there was something sordid to hide.
 Self-reliance (noun)
Reliance on one's own powers and resources rather than those of others.
Education is necessary to engender self-reliance into the children.
 Laborious (adj.)
Requiring considerable time and effort.
The colorful paintings are the result of laborious work.
 Accountable (adj.)
Required or expected to justify actions or decisions; responsible.
Parents cannot be held accountable for their children's actions
 FOCUS ON THE TOPIC #3

 What role can genes play in medicine?

In complex cases genes can grant us important information about

specific characteristics of our body, with that information the doctors
are more able to give us correct diagnosis.

 Do you think medical treatment could be more effective if

doctors had genetic information about their patients?

Yes, because the medicine becomes personalized. If doctors know

your genes, they can predict drug response and incorporate this
information into the medical decisions they make.

 Genetic testing is now available very cheaply. Would you want

to be tested to find out if you have the gene for a certain disease,
even if there were no cure for the disease?

I’m not sure because according to some information I read, the

results of genetic testing are not always correct. I don’t want to think
I have a disease when I don’t have nothing bad, that situation could
make me sick, but more for the preoccupation than other cause.
 VOCABULARY LOG #3

 Revolutionized (adj.)
Changed in the way people do something or think about something
The introduction of printing has a big impact in the revolutionized literature of the
country.
 Impact (noun)
The effect or influence that an event, situation etc. has on someone or
something
We need to assess the impact on climate change.
 Reliable (adj.)
Someone or something that is reliable can be trusted or depended
In many offices the most reliable people with the longest service are the
secretaries.
 Advocate (verb)
To publicly support a particular way of doing something
The government advocates state control of all public services.
 Consensus (noun)
A general agreement.
The government is struggling to find a consensus over proposals for the state
system.
 Linked (verb)
Made a connection between two or more events.
Once outside he linked arms with her
 Aspects (noun)
A part or feature of something.
We can’t discuss about the economical aspects of the life with our children.
 Skeptical (adj.)
Not easily convinced; having doubts or reservations.
The Prime Minister is skeptical and questions the new allegations of the
opposition.
 Elicit (verb)
Evoke or draw out (a reaction, answer, or fact) from someone.
I tried to elicit a smile from my girlfriend.
 Diagnosis (noun)
The identification of the nature of an illness or other problem by examination of
the symptoms.
I will try to give a satisfactory diagnosis despite we don't have modern equips in
the hospital.
 Conventional (adj.)
Based on or in accordance with what is generally done or believed.
Conventional signs and symbols are universally used in depicting these objects.
 WRITING #1

Lionel Messi is a soccer player from Argentina, and he is considered

by the people the best soccer player in the world because he
achieved many goals in his career. He is the only man who scored
more than 90 goals in a season and ho won four of the five UEFA
Champions League of Barcelona. His national team is not so good
as France or Brazil, but he made a good participation in the FIFA
World Cup 2014, tournament where he finished as the best soccer
player and Argentina as runner up. He is the only person who can
battle face to face with Cristiano Ronaldo if we talk about Golden
Balls. Although his small height he can do beautiful goals with his
head like the goal against Manchester United in the Champions
League final in 2009 so he is one of the best players of all time.
 WRITING #2

One year ago, I was struggling with a busy schedule in a whole semester.
I didn’t have time to relax or share time with my friends; that´s why I had
bad humor most of the day. This happened since I began to work form 7:00
am to 1:00 pm because I had to wake up at 5:00 am. The big distance
between the job and my house was a serious problem, but the most difficult
challenges I faced that semester were the subjects in the university
because sometimes I had to study until 1:00 am. In my job I had problems
with some people because they didn’t want to work well; consequently, I
had to do the whole work. Those problems generated bad humor in me, so
I didn’t want to talk about my day with my family. I think that semester was
one of the hardest in my life; however, I overcame it thanks to my effort and
my self-reliance to find solutions.