Try...

Here is you homework for tomorrow:

Make a list of 5 guidelines using "try + infinitive" and "try +gerund".
Your guide can be for someone who is visiting your country who needs to get around
or you can advise an incoming student to EF San Diego.

In your advice, give them things to do, see, visit and eat. Include both daytime and nighttime activities. For every suggestion that you make add "because...".

Culture Shock HW

Write about an experience of culture shock, an experience wherein you were shocked by another's behavior -yet it would be considered normal where he comes from- or you shocked someone else by doing something that is considered normal in your culture. How are the two cultures different? Did you learn anything about your own culture in the process? Could you adjust yourself to the new culture, or is it something you could never get used to.

For example, on a ferry traveling from England to Europe, I struck up a conversation with a man from Ghana, Africa. In Africa, people dont' like to raise their voices and they don't feel uncomfortable being physically close to one another. So this man spoke in a low voice and sat with his shoulder touching mine.

At first, I leaned away, feeling uncomfortable being so close to a total stranger. Then I remembered how it was in his culture and decided to try it his way. We sat shoulder to shoulder talking about politics and literature. We didn't talk about anything deeply personal, but the conversation had an intimate feel about it and we always knew that we had each other's undivided attention.

By adjusting myself to his culture, I realized how Americans can seem loud, abrasive and cold in comparison to softer-spoken Africans.

Unit 73: Extra Credit

Here is a a link a website that lists a variety of anecdotes in which an advertisement didn't quite translate into another language. Enjoy.http://faculty.css.edu/dswenson/web/335ARTIC/CULTCOMM.HTM

Which one was your favorite? Why?
Do you have any to add? If so, tell us about it here.

Family Law Essays

The following is due Monday in class.
Unit 71: Essay Topics for Family Law

Write a short essay (5 ¶s) on one of the following topics. Use a particular case as a profile of a wider issue.

1. What are “Children’s Rights”? What are a child’s legal options if these rights are violated? At what age do you think should a child be able to make these decisions?

2. What are “Parental Rights and Responsibilities”? When are parents overstepping their authority and how can they lose their rights as parents? Most people agree with spanking, but what about a belt? What about verbal abuse? How many chances should unstable parents be given to get their children back?

3. Where’s the line? When should a child be re-united with his/her birth parents and when should they not? What if a mother abandonned her baby, but later changed her mind? What if the parents have gone successfully thru their rehab program? What if the children don't want to be re-united?

4. Custody Battles: Who gets custody of the kids? Does a mother necessarily make a better parent? What factors should a judge consider when making this decision?

5. Adoption: What factors should an agency consider when choosing adopting parents? Should single people adopt? What about same-sex couples? Should the birth-mother stay in the picture or disappear? (On this question, research Open Adoption, an arrangement in which a birth-mother has visitation rights with her child.)

6. Same-Sex Marriage: Should same-sex couples have the same rights and privileges as married couples? Does this include the right to adopt children? Is marriage just about love and companionship, or is it about raising a family? There was a gay trio that went to the courthouse for a license. Is this going too far?

7. Polygamy: Can you have more than one spouse? Can a child have more than one mother or father? Should governments recognize such arrangements? If a state makes it illegal, doesn’t that conflict with religious freedom? If all parties concerned are consenting adults, why shouldn’t it be legal?

8. Mixed-Race Adoption: The National Association of Black Social Workers opposes the adoption of black children by non-black families stating that black children feel more comfortable, loved and nurtured when they are raised by people who look like themselves. Are they right or wrong? How important is it that children resemble their parents? How does this contribute to a child's sense of identity?

9. Early amnesty from parents: Can a child grow up quickly, faster than his/her peers? Can a child become an adult sooner if they are ready and willing to function as adults, earning their own income and attending to their own needs? When is a child ready and able to take this step. Under what circumstances should a child seek early amnesty to end his parents' rights over him?

10. The Big Decision: Who has the right to make decisions for those not capable of speaking for themselves? If a spouse, child or parent is on life support, who has the right to "pull the plug"? If the patient is a child, which parent should decide if they disagree? The patient is a parent, which child would make the best decision?  (For information on an actual case of this nature, google "Terry Schiavo." What should have stayed a family matter became a national media circus.)

 
If you have an idea for an essay not covered on this sheet, be sure to clear the topic with me, first.

Listening

This week is all about listening and developing better listening skills.

Below are links to websites with listening activities. Find one that may interest you, then come back to the blog and rate it.

:) :) = recommend highly

:) = recommend

: = not bad

:( = avoid this one

But don't just make a face. Explain why the site received this rating from you.

1. http://www.esl-lab.com/

2. http://esl.about.com/od/englishlistening/English_Listening_Skills_and_ActivitiesEffective_Listening_Practice.htm


3. http://www.wittcom.com/listening_quiz.htm


4. http://www.manythings.org/e/listening.html

Controversial Web Sites for Debate

The following are links to controversial web sites. It must be absolutely clear that neither EF, nor I, endorse the content or views of any of these sites. I have posted these links to show the potential benefits and pitfalls inherent in freedom of speech. The purpose of this exercise is for you to educate yourselves in preparation for Friday's debate.

The firstset are websites that could get you into big trouble if you logged on from a computer in China or Iran.

http://newton.uor.edu/Departments&Programs/AsianStudiesDept/china-rights.html

http://www.iran.org/

http://www.faluninfo.net/

http://www.underminingdemocracy.org/iran/

http://www.freetibet.org/

This link is an article about an operation that was shut down because of its content.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-511969/Snuff-movies-website-shut-Mail-Sunday-probe.html

The following are articles that -one may argue- should be shut down because the ideas are potentially dangerous to society. One may also argue that they are expressions of the freedom of speech and that true tolerance must by definition include viewpoints which are offensive.

http://www.normemma.com/arhemloc.htm

http://kkk.com/

http://www.americannaziparty.com/about/index.php

http://www.nambla.org/

Unit 70: Web Pages

Hello, Class.Here are links to web pages to organizations in San Diego. I would like you to critique them.

Consider the following:
1. Is it easy find the information you are looking for?
2. Is it visually interesting?
3. Is it too plain or too busy? (By "busy" I mean too much for your eyes to take in at one time.)
4. Do you want to explore it further?
5. If you wanted to remember the url, would you be able to remember the name and find it again easily?

http://www.sdmaritime.org
http://www.ieallaboard.org
http://www.sdrep.org
http://www.jazz88.org

Once you have perused these web pages, add your comments on the blog.