Application letter

Response to a job ad

Dear Sir/ Madam

I am writing you in response to the advertisement you published in the April 30^th La Tercera. I would like to be considered for the job of English teacher in the south of Chile. I hope you find that my degree as English teacher and the highest score in the FCE would qualify me for the position.

I am a certificated English teacher. I graduated from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso one year ago. During my studies, I have teached to students from different schools and after I graduate I did classes in around 10 different schools in Valparaiso. Since I left the university, I have done extra courses to improve my English skills and also did a post-degree in translation.  Despite being rather young, I have enough authority and experience to stand in front of any classroom you assigned me. I have no problem to work with kids or adults.

Since I graduated, I have not stopped working because teaching is my passion. I was the first one in a exam made by the government to test our abilities in English, I got the best punctuation among a hundred other well qualified teachers. During the last year, I have worked in around 10 different schools which are top standard in Valparaíso. The latest month I have been working for an important library in Santiago doing some work in translation.

More information about my education and experience is on the enclosed résumé, I would be grateful if you could arrange an interview to discuss my application. If you require further information, please do not hesitate to contact me. You can reach me from Monday to Sunday after 5 o´clock at 035/133123456.

I am looking forward to hearing from you

Yours faithfully,

Mario Espinoza

Formal letter

                                                                                              111 Playa Ancha,Valparaiso

Dear Sir/Madam                                                                                                                                          

                                                                                            

I am writing to ask for more information about the "African safari week” which I saw advertised in the newspaper. My brother and I are very interested, but I would like detail.

Firstly, I would like to know more about the sort of conditions on the week. Could you tell us more about the accommodation provided and also if you are going to give us special equipment, we would prefer separate rooms, if possible.

Secondly, I wonder what kind of food you provide and if all meals are included. Also I would be graceful if you could answer ¿what kind of clothes are we going to need?

Thirdly, I would like to know how dangerous it is and your options to make an insurance. Something else I would like to know is ¿how experimented are your guides? What languages they managed?

Could you please send me complete information about your prices and about any extra charge?

Looking forward to hearing from you

Yours faithfully.

Mario Espinoza

Writing test

Today's news have shown an increase in "gene doping" and drug use by athletes. 

Society should not accept and promote that athletes take drugs to improve their performances in competitions such as the Olympics.

If we compare today´s athletes with those from the 30's or 40's, there is a big difference in the level of competition: Today's athletes are faster stronger and almost "superhumans".

On the one hand, it is impressive to see how drugs are making athletes everyday better and better. They heal faster, their performances are always improving and people like to see athletes breaking their own records.

However, they are just focused on the final objective which is the gold medal or the record. The real spirit of sport has been lost; they are just focused on doing everything to win even if that is equal to cheating. For example, Lance Armstrong won "the tour of France" 7 times in a row. He admitted that he cheated using steroids. He said: …"if I had not used drugs I would not have won 7 times, It is impossible without it”…

In my opinion, society in some points promotes and accepts the use of drugs. People are always pushing the athletes to go beyond the limits and be the best even if that means cheating. I would prefer to see "real athletes" to genetically modified super athletes. 

Group activity homework (Members: Francisca Medina, Paulina Vega and Mario Espinoza)

http://my.brainshark.com/Group-activity-749499865

Speaking: Group discussion (Francisca Medina, Paulina Vega and Mario Espinoza)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=554CyM7bXFk&feature=youtu.be

Description of an event

Freshmen's reception

Last week, I went to the freshmen´s reception. It was organized with many activities for them.

It started with an activity between freshmen and theirs "godfather" or "godmother". They had to look each other with half part of his or her picture around the campus. Once they got together, they went to the cafeteria to participate in a ceremony.

The ceremony began with a second year student doing standup comedy. Immediately after that, freshmen and second year students talked each other, sharing their experiences in the campus and feelings about this new journey. At the end of the ceremony, the freshmen took pictures with the second year students.

The best thing about the reception was the moment when second year students and freshmen spend time together, sharing and knowing each other.

To conclude, I would say that the freshmen reception was a huge success because both generations could spend time together and everything was perfectly organized.

Speaking online (Brainshark)

http://my.brainshark.com/The-asteroid-apophis-138583338