2017
A travel through my English level 6.
BY DAVID GARCIA. My experience in English Level 6 (L6-003). Yachay Tech University
A travel through my English level 6. By. David Garcia.
English Language Program Yachay Tech University. Teacher: Daniel Beall. January 9th, 2017.
Table of contents. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Portfolio Letter. Response Essay. Interpretation Essay. Argumentative Essay. Final Research Project. Miscellaneous. Thank you letter.
David Garcia. YachayTech University. December 12th, 2016.
Dear Portfolio Reader, First of all, thank you for taking your time to read this. In this letter, I have collected my best works and my experiences in the English course level 6. Certainly, all of these have improved my skills as an English speaker. So, hoping you like it, we start this review with the most outstanding highlights of my experience in level 6. In general, I learned to improve my speaking a lot and make better introductions and conclusions for my essays. It is important that you know that to enter in this level 6, I had to take a Crash Course in the summer for 3 weeks, a very short time if we compare with a complete semester. For this reason, some skills, specially speaking and listening, had not improved enough but with time this changed. In the conversation with the teacher Daniel, my ability to speak was not good because most times. I confused the tense and the person with the verbs. In my multimodal presentation for my midterm I tried to improve that and I achieved a little bit. But in my interpretation presentation I improved my skill to speaking because, throughout the semester, I participated in class talking with the professor and I think that all of these things improved my ability to express my ideas. In the debate, I participated actively here and I talked very well. I know that I need to improve my speaking but this is a big step to talk with eloquence.
An important part of level 6 is knowing how to do essays. For this purpose, the introduction and the conclusion play an important role. In my case, when I began this level these two things were a very hard for me. I improved my introduction very fast because the professor Daniel gave us tips to create good hooks and steps to do introductions. This was very helpful to me because in my response essay and in my multimodal presentation I did great introductions with great hooks, good backgrounds and strong thesis but my conclusion still was a problem. In my response essay I got a good grade and I think that I would get a better grade if I had done a better conclusion. In the interpretation analysis, the conclusion was better, as a result of practicing this in the whole semester. It might seem crazy but going every day 2 hours to English class helped me in a lot of ways. For example, I converse in English with my roommates or I listen to music in English. English becomes something normal in your daily life. You never stop practicing that. Thank you for taking your time to read this letter. I tried to put my best experiences here. This level 6 have had many moments (mainly bad and boring, it’s a joke) that served me to enrich my knowledge as a language speaker. Overall, I believe that I should graduate from the English Program here at Yachay Tech.
Sincerely,
David Garcia.
Response to “The Ethics of Human Enhancement” David Garcia Yachay Tech
Response to “Ethics of Human Enhancement ” Before I entered into the university, I did a test (SNNA), which was very large and my future depended on this. I worked very hard to have a good grade so I could enter in a good university. I achieved my goal but a friend had a grade better than me and, honestly, I cannot believe because he was very lazy. When I ask how he prepared for the test he answered that he used a medicine which keep you awake and improve your concentration. I was very angry because I was cheated. After, my friend told me that he slept all the day because this medicine spend your energies. I thought to myself, is it better to use the medicine to pass even knowing the side effects or is it better to employ natural effort? Would it be ethical if I use this type of medicine? Andy Miah (2016) expresses in his article “The Ethics of Human Enhancement” that we are entering in a “trans-human” age because people use many devices or substance to improve some aspects or characteristics. Although he thinks that technology is necessary in the human development, the ethical aspects depend on the way we use it and the availability thereof. I agree with the points that he gives us and I like the way that he answers the question about how far society is prepared to accept these kinds of applications and what ethical issues they create. Miah claims in his article that “one argument commonly used to challenge the value of human enhancement is this: The means by which people achieve their goals in life matter” (Miah, 2016). Scientists try to facilitate people’s lives. They constantly create new technology implemented in some devices, but sometimes people abuse this. I agree with the author with the idea that people think that if you use technology to achieve your goals, this takes away something of value because you use this like a shortcut. This take part of some aspects ethically right because effort and sacrifice is
more valuable and important than using technology like a shortcut. Technology is a tool. If we use technology in an indiscriminate manner, we would become depend on this. Another idea exposed in the article is the different effects that could be caused by the uses of pharmacological substances in the human body. Many people have “caution regarding human enhancement [because] it may narrow a person's prospects, violating the principle of preserving an open future” (Miah, 2016). Scientist must consider all the effects that a substance can cause in humans before they can use it. For this reason, it is not ethic that scientists experiment with humans, because they do not know the long term effects instead of some substance can solve problems. For instance, the use of antidepressant medications transform the patient into someone else (Miah, 2016). Another example if the uses of some pills to improve you concentration because this function very well but this spend all your energies and you will feel tired. Another ethical concern about biotechnology changes, according to Andy Miah, is to generate this changes is similar to “playing God”. This is an idea that needs to be analyzed very carefully because this involves some aspects such as religion. I think that if you create something to make changes in your body, for example medicine to cure a disease or implants to help people without arm or leg, you are not playing God. If this was true, doctors are always playing God when the truth is that they save lives, not create new lives. In this context, I think that if you create new life, a new complete human like Frankenstein probably you are playing God because I believe that this is an action only God can do . Although, this is a topic that need to be deeply thoughtful, doing biological changes necessary to live can not be regarded as playing God. However, creating new life or create a perfect human being if you should be because if we adhere to religious beliefs, the only perfect being is God.
Miah said that “the most interesting idea is that biggest ethical issues surrounding human enhancements is the question of governance� and I totally agree with this idea. I think that this is the most important because all of this improvements should be available to everyone. This is a topic of equality because it is unfair that a person can obtain a substance to improve your physical or mental conditions and another not. Otherwise, this topic could be considered as an economic discrimination. In this sense, is important to highlight that human rights defend the idea that no one must be discriminated due to their economic situation, and everybody should have the same opportunities. It is like the human right to education or health, this must be available for everyone. As time goes, technology advances. Scientists use all knowledge about it to improve some weaknesses or mistakes in humans, they want to create a perfect human. Nowadays, it exists many substances or drugs which improve the performance in some fields such as sports, for example steroids or viagra, education, for example pills to study better, or medicine, for example antidepressant medications but these need to be carefully studied before that we can use it. Also, governments need to create many laws which protect the integrity of people because they must look after people. Ethic involves some factors that need to be join with the human enhancement, for instance right humans such as equal opportunities. Although it results hard to achieve that ethics and changes to improve human enhancement coexist to satisfy all people, scientists must make the attempt because the true is that they cannot satisfy everyone.
References Miah, A. (2016). The ethics of human enhancement. Retrieved from: https://www.technologyreview.com/s/602342/the-ethics-of-human-enhancement/
Interpretation of “House Of Cards” Valentina Córdova, David García, David Lajones, Karen Sánchez Yachay tech
Interpretation of “House Of Cards” Twyla Tharp once said “Art is the only way to run away without leaving home”. In this sense, many artists express their feelings or their disagreements through their works. As an example we have Zinaida Yevgenyevna Serebriakova (1884-1967), who was a Russian female painter. She belonged to the artistic Benois Family, a family of famous artists in the 19th-20th centuries. From her youth onwards, Zinaida Serebriakova strove to express her love for the world and to show its beauty. Her earliest works, Country Girl and Orchard in Bloom, speak eloquently of this search (Olga's Gallery, 2016). She became a recognized artist with her work Self-portrait: At the Dressing Table. Also, she focused on rural life of Russian people in works, such as Peasants or Sleeping Peasant Girl (ARTINCONNU, 2009). Till that she had been painting with oil; a thing that changed when her husband died. By changing her paint, she saw the opportunity of getting more income. This moment of her life coincided with one of her most tragic works, “House of Cards”. In this work she painted her four orphaned children. This picture evokes some sensations and messages such as the strong relationship between siblings, the hard situation the artist’s family was going through and women as important part of society. The painting “House of cards” is a oil on canvas which has unknown dimensions. The picture presents four kids, two boys and two girls that are sitting around of pyramid of cards. One of the girls who is the youngest, is seeing with admiration to her sister that is in front of pyramid . The oldest girl has a heart card in her right hand and another card in her left hand. Both boys are staring the cards pyramid, but one them has a diamond card in his hand with intention to put it in the house of cards. The skin of the children is white and their cheeks are red as well as their lips. In general, they are all four focused on building a house of cards. The house of
cards is building on a table where there is also a doll with red dress, a part of book, and a pot with blue flowers which apparently are withered. The kids are wearing jackets that are blue as well as the table the flowers and the back of the some cards. The red color of the pyramid stands out in the painting which calls to the attention of the observers. Finally, the walls that surrounding the children in that room look a little dirty and with the paint stained. The characteristics of the rest of the room are not shown within the painting. On the other hand, the cohesion between siblings is the force that built this pyramid. This painting looks as if the children were siblings that strive to keep the pyramid of cards stable, which could mean a strong family bond between them. This might mean that the fundamental basis of their relationship as siblings are solidarity and cooperation which makes one think about the importance of these values in life. In another aspect, the children look like they were really concentrated in the structure of the pyramid because they put card by card into it carefully. This calls to our attention because it transmits the importance of concentration when people do some activity. This means that when you are focused on achieving goals, you have to try it many times until you get better results. Also, the little girl looks at the older sister as a leader in the cards game. This can mean that in this epoch there might have taken place a revolutionary deed that generated the change of the thought in favor of the feminine gender. In this sense, the role played by woman is underlined from a children’s game as in the history of humanity. This recognition makes us feel proud because throughout history it has been understood that men and women can both perform valuable work. More deeply than just the gender, objects in the painting can give another insight into the painting. Taking into account the clothes, the painting House of Cards looks as if the children were from a country with cold weather due to colors, blue scale, used by
the painter. Because the children’s coats are really obvious to the naked eye, it can mean the weather in the surroundings of house’s children was very cold. Also, the painter wanted to emphasize even more with blue color on the children’s coats that as is known is a “cold color” which leads us to go back to a cold city. Moreover, the red color in cheeks of the children could confirm the cold weather in their surroundings as is commonly known people from cold countries have red cheeks due to accumulation of red blood cells in this part of their faces. This can indicate that the temperature is cold, therefore the painting gives the sensation of a cold environment. Certainly Zinaida´s artistic work can be interpreted as the importance of women's role in the society in a period of change of mentality. However, “House of Cards” also could have another viewpoint for interpretation. For Dola (2013), art critic, the artistic work is more related with the economic and sentimental situation which Zinaida faced during her husband's death. Dola (2013) refers to the children that appear in the picture having a melancholic look for the painful situation experienced at that moment. Furthermore, Zinaida´s picture have a symbolic image that is the house of cards which reflects the instability in the life due to the fact that she had to take care of her children, and additionally to take care of her ailing mother. The author also argues that the image reveals harmony because even children are sad they seem to remain a strong bond and family union. Dola´s ideas are complemented with freedom and revolution issues previously raised. Both parts of interpretation keep relationship because authors just reflect in their artwork their feelings and experience and both revolution and loss of her husband happened until that stage. There are many ways of interpreting an artwork. And while they are mostly different, they coincide on the subjectivity of the analysis. One cannot go back in time to ask Zinaida about the thoughts she had for her painting or what ideas she wanted to
transmit to the audience. Even if we do so her answer will keep being subjective. This paper collected some analysis based on the genders present in the picture and the color palette used to make it. According with the analysis of objects and colors,the artwork reflect the hard situation the artist’s family was going through, and also the role of women in the society of the age. It lastly included the critique of an expert, Dola. When contrasted, both interpretations coincide in the hardness of the situation Zinaida´s family was living and the children’s thought about family union.
References R, Dola. (2013). Zinaida’s House of Cards. [online]. Retrieved from htps://ipseand.wordpress.com/2013/10/06/zinaidas-house-of-cards/ ARTINCONNU. (2009, June 11). Zinaida Serebriakova. Retrieved from ARTINCONNU: http://www.artinconnu.com/2009/06/zinaida-serebriakova1884-1967.html Olga's Gallery. (2016). Retrieved from http://www.abcgallery.com/S/serebriakova/serebriakovabio.html
Legalizing the collapse of a society. David Garcia. Yachay Tech University.
Thinking in a world where drugs are legal creates uncertainty and restlessness, for example to parents that could ask themselves if their kids are safe when they go in the street knowing that one day they can consume drugs. This has been a serious problem, currently, to governments around the world. In the article “Legalize it all” by Dan Baum, he defends the idea that the problem is not the drugs but it is prohibition. Supported in real cases, expert opinions and statistics, he show us his point of view. But when we talk about drugs and their legalization is necessary to analyze all aspects involved here as economic aspects. The legalization of drugs carries a lot of problems to the society. Consumption of drugs alters you state of mind doing that you commit reckless acts. It is a fact that drugs act like a psychotropic substance, this means that when you consume it, you do not control your actions. People that use drugs could rob or murder. According to this article “some crimes strongly associated with drugs use increased after decriminalization (street robberies went up by 66 percent, auto theft by 15 percent)” (Baum, 2016). To aggravate crime is a serious problem for society because the last thing that you want is make an unsafe city, where crimes happen all the time. Governments spend a lot of money on issues related with drugs. Treatments and campaigns against drugs are only two things in which governments invest money. If drugs become legal, it would exist the possibility that the number of addicts increase. In fact, according to Mark Kleiman “the prediction of a big increase in post-legalization addiction rates seems intuitively correct” (Baum, 2016). Government in USA spent one dollar to treat seven addicts. Although this is cheap, if we multiply this amount to miles of addicts, we would have a lot of money besides government has a budget to drugs issues. If drugs do not become legal, government can treat other problems such as education, public health, buildings with money invested in drugs issues.
The article presents real examples where legal drugs are a reality. Besides, this has different opinions given by experts in different fields, which open different points of view. But this article should give background information about the influence of drugs. Besides, he tries to “make up� the bias but is clear that he wants to legalize drugs. If the article would have this, it would be more complete. Drugs are a real problem now. Governments fight each day with the possibility of legalizing them. But this is a problem that it must take with seriousness, without take decisions faster. It is important to analyze with caution each aspect involved and their possible effects to make a decision that benefits to society.
References. Baum, D. (April, 2016). Legalize it all: how to win the war on drugs. Harper’s Magazine
Why shouldn’t the use of PEDs be legalized in sports? David Garcia Yachay Tech University
Abstract. The legalization of illegal substances in sports, nowadays, is a topic with many questions that need to be analyzed. Many people have raised the possibility of this happening in sports. In this work will expose three points, which are the health risks, ethical aspects and future projections, that defends the idea about legalization of drugs in sport is non-viable. Also, this paper will analyze the pros of this proposal and it will be refuted with critical thinking. After of analyzing all of these points, this work will conclude that, at least in this time, it is not a good idea to legalize performanceenhancing drugs. Keywords: legalization, athletes, illegal, sports, drugs.
Why shouldn't the use of drugs be legalized in sports? Would it be good to athletes that legalize drugs in sports, knowing that if this happens anyone could practice any sports and, as a consequence, many athletes would be devalued? Throughout history, athletes have been seen as a symbol of effort, competitive spirit and heroism. In ancient Greek, athletes participated for only one thing: to win. Athletes won a Laurel wreath and they received divinity. Nowadays, many athletes represent perseverance and they are admired by millions of people, but this would change considerably if performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) were legalized because although athletes improve their abilities, it would not be crazy to think that any person could play any sports, taking out the value and the meaning to sports. This is only one question about legalization of drugs in sports, but is clear that this carries out many other points such as health risk or moral and ethical point of view that it tells us that legalization of substances in sports is not a good idea for sports. First of all, legalization of drugs in sports can produce an abuse in the consumption of these, increasing health risks. Once a time that drugs become legal, athletes could start to consume these freely to achieve their purposes that in many cases are to win a competition. They could abuse the consumption of drugs, for example steroids, to improve some abilities, regardless of the side effects (health risks) that these anabolics may have. The National Institute on Drugs Abuse says that “anabolic steroid abuse has been associated with a wide range of adverse side effects ranging from some that are physically unattractive, such as acne and breast development in men, to others that are life threatening, such as heart attacks and liver cancer. Most are reversible if the abuser stops taking the drugs, but some are permanent, such as voice deepening in females� ( 2006). People that abuse these anabolic substances present issues in skin, liver, heart and other parts of the human body. A lot of examples exist in which athletes
have died due to the uncontrolled consumption of steroids, one of the most famous is the case of Lyle Alzado, an American football player. He died when he was 43 years old due to a brain tumor caused by the consumption of steroids that he took for 30 years (Thomas, 1992). Although drugs are common in these days and athletes consume it all the time, the prohibition of drugs allows that, in a way, the range of people that consume anabolic substances would not be high and this prevents more cases of addiction to these drugs. As the case of Lyle Alzado, there are many situations in which famous athletes have been involved and these cases have shocked people. Lance Armstrong, for example, has been seven times winner of the France Tour, the most famous cyclism tournament, but a search of the US Anti-Doping Agency showed that he used steroids in all the competitions that he participated in (2016). Other famous case was, tragically, the e death of Eddie Guerrero, who was a famous wrestler. He died from the abuse of anabolic substances (2015). But it is not just necessary to talk about this physical aspects because there are many ethical traits involved. In this context, it is wrong to legalize drugs in sports from a moral and ethical point of view. Morals and ethics have two closely related meanings that have to do with the behavior of humans and their ability to distinguish between what is right and what is wrong based on a set of rules that society accepts. It would be absurd to say that the ethical and moral part do not play a very important role in many fields of life. In sports it is very important to consider two moral and ethical aspects about the uses of illegal substances. In order to understand the first trait, it is important to make a distinction between gamesmanship and sportsmanship. According to Kirk Hanson, who is the executive director of the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, “gamesmanship is built on the
principle that winning is everything. Athletes and coaches are encouraged to bend the rules wherever possible in order to gain a competitive advantage over an opponent, and to pay less attention to the safety and welfare of the competition� (Hanson & Savage, 2012). A precise example of that is the use of doping because it is a way to go one step ahead of your opponent if you use it and he does not use it, regardless of whether they are illegal or not. The other meaning that we have to consider is sportsmanship. Matt Savage says that this is an ethical approach about sports because, under a sportsmanship model, healthy competition is seen as a means of cultivating personal honor, virtue, and character. Both authors say that this ethical point of view requires four keys to carry out it: fairness, integrity, responsibility and respect (Hanson & Savage, 2012). Knowing to distinguish between these two meanings, the legalization of PEDs would relate with gamesmanship because it is a way that athletes use to make sure about their victories, leaving aside the concept of sportsmanship. Inevitably, this would change the principal goal of any competition, which is to pursue victory with honor by giving the possible maximum effort because this is what we should do if we follow the concept of sportsmanship. The second point about ethics and moral aspects in sports is a consequence of the first, the uses of steroids is cheating. According to Michael Dillingham “since steroids work so well, they create an unfair advantage for those who take them, and this breaks the social contract athletes have implicitly agreed to: We are going to have a fair contest. Even if there were a safe performance enhancing substance, if it weren't available to everybody, using it would still be cheating� (Dillingham, 2004). Although legalization of drugs in sports would allow the legal obtaining of it, anybody ensures that steroids would be cheap and this provokes that there is only one selective group that
can buy it. It is a question about that all the athletes need to compete in equal conditions, in the opposite case this would be considered cheating. Third of all, legalization of PEDs would devalue sports. People admire athletes because they do things that normal people can do it or do it with a special way. For this reason, people spend money in sports shows to see athletes do amazing movements, for example incredible goals in soccer or unexpected baskets in basketball. Athletes are viewed as superhuman. The legalization of this substance would improve the skills of them but this means that anybody can take these drugs and do the same thing and, as a consequence, people would not need to go to see matches or competitions because they could do the same things that an athlete does, devaluing the sport. This would be a serious problem because if the sports shows are not attractive to people, they do not spend money in there. In a few years, practically no sports will exist. It is important to look at all the possible points of view, in this sense we need to analyze some pros about legalization of drugs in sports. In the article by Chris Smith published by Forbes, the author exposes some interesting points about why people must legalize the PEDs. He starts the article by giving us an excellent background and some historical cases in which famous athletes were involved. He focuses on, mainly, three points to support his ideas. First, he shows that steroids and doping must be legalized because this will improve the skills of athletes and, as a consequence, it will improve the show to become more attractive for people. This will have a positive effect from a business standpoint. This means that if games are attractive, people will sold out games and jerseys will fly off the shelves. The other idea is that the author claims is “legalizing PEDs would make life much easier for professional sports organizations currently tasked with managing convoluted anti-doping policies�(2012). Chris Smith concluding
his article saying that legalization of PEDs will bring many benefits in some sports, he focus on in the benefits instead of damages. In general, this article provides some strong points in favor of legalization or uses of steroids and doping. The examples and background that the author give us are appropriate. However, he only expose examples in baseball and cycling excluding other sports. Here, the author commit a fallacy when he think that because it happened in baseball or cycling it happens the same in other sports. Another important aspects is that the author does not provide scientific evidence, he only basis his ideas in real cases. For instance, in the article he mentioned that drugs have some negatives effects in persons. Here, it would be better if he mention these effects .Other aspect that it would improve the article could be the introduction of data based on statistics. For example, it would have been good if the author gave a comparison between the amount of jerseys sold and the jerseys that would be sold if the sports show was better. That is not bad, but a good article needs a mix of both. This would strengthen the ideas that the author tries to show us. In conclusion, legalization of drugs carry out many cons that are changing sports considerably. Sports is a lifestyle to many people that watching or practicing some kind of sports and, by the points discussed above, the fact of legalize drugs will generate a global change in this field. In this time, it is not appropriate to be exposed to this type of change because It does not exist enough research about the possible effects of the PEDs. Investigating more about these drugs and, moreover, creating mechanisms to ensure that no substance will have negative effects on athletes and that will be available efficiently for the whole world will lead us to consider in a future about the legalization of the PEDs.
References. Dillingham, M. (August 25, 2004). Steroids, sports and the ethics of winning. Markkula Center For Applied Ethics. Retrieved from: https://www.scu.edu/ethics/focus-areas/bioethics/resources/steroids-sports-andthe-ethics-of-winning/ Hanson, K. O, & Savage, M. (2012). What role does ethics play in sports?. Markkula center for applied ethics. Retrieved from: https://www.scu.edu/ethics/focusareas/more/resources/ what-role-does-ethics-play-in-sports/ National Institute on Drug Abuse (August, 2006). Anabolic steroid abuse. Retrieved from: https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/ anabolic-steroid-abuse/what-are-health-consequences-steroid-abuse Ryan. (March 1, 2015). Eddie Guerrero death. Wrestler Deaths. Retrieved from: https://wrestlerdeaths.com/eddie-guerrero-death/ Smith, C. (2012). Why it’s time to legalize steroids in professional sports. Forbes Retrieved from: http://www.forbes.com/sites/chrissmith/2012/08/24/ why-itstime-to-legalize-steroids-in-professional-sports/#3c3832a61c0d Telegraph Media Group (2016). The 10 biggest doping scandals in sports-is the Russian drugs expose top?. The Telegraph. Retrieved from: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/drugsinsport/11994684/The-10biggest-doping-scandals-in-sport.html?frame=3500256 Thomas, R (May 15,1992). Lyle Alzado, fierce lineman who turned steroids foe, is dead. The New York Times. Retrieved from: http://www.nytimes.com/1992/05/15/sports/lyle-alzado-43-fierce-lineman-whoturned-steroid-foe-is-dead.html
Figura 1. You can play while you learn.
Figura 3. Learning phrasel verbs
Figura 2. The teacher is your best friend in the classroom