LANGUAGE BIOGRAPHY

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I shall show you which my knowledge in language field is. I do not define myself as a bilingual person, my mother tongue is Spanish. As I told you in my autobiography, my parents are not the typical valencian ones. My father come from Albacete, and my mother does not have a very valencian family. So, the language used at home, every single day and with all the members of the family, is Spanish. However, as I started at school, I learnt both Valencian language and English. I have to say that I did not have a nice beginning with the second one, but with Valencian it was too easy because I had some friends to start practicing this language.

 

As I have said in the autobiography, my relation with English changed as the time went by, and also I started studying German. This lasted one year only, because of university problems, but it’s something I would like to restart as soon as possible.

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      LANGUAGE PASSPORT

 

• Spanish: mother tongue

• Valencian: Second language

• English: Second language

• German: Basic concepts.

 

English levels:

• Listening: B2 level: I can understand extended speech and lectures and follow even complex lines of argument provided the topic is reasonably familiar. I can understand most TV news and current affairs programmes.  I can understand the majority of films in standard dialect.

• Reading: B2 level: I can read articles and reports concerned with contemporary problems in which the writer adopt particular attitudes or viewpoints.

• Spoken interaction: B2 level: I can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible.  I can take an active part in discussion in familiar contexts, accounting for and sustaining my views.

• Spoken production: B2 level: I can present clear, detailed descriptions on a wide range of subjects related to my field of interest. I can explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.

• Writing: B2 level: I can write clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects related to my interests. I can write an essay or report, passing on information or giving reasons in support of or against a particular point of view. I can write letters highlighting the personal significance of events and experiences.

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• LANGUAGE DOSSIER

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This is a writing I did for my B2 level. I am very proud of it because it was the most important I did, at the end of the course. 

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                                                        ESSAY ON PETS, KIDS AND THEIR DEVELOPMENT

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In this essay I shall give reasons of how having pets at home contributes to sons and daughters in their social, emotional and affective development; but also for adults and old people. For this I shall give arguments, reasons and examples to carry out this idea.

 

First of all, I would like to stress that, since the early years, every single kid wants to have a dog or a cat, maybe other pets, just to make them his or her best friends. However, is that the main reason to have a pet at home?

Once a kid has a dog, starts to make of him his or her best friend, plays with him, lets the dog to sleep in his bed and makes sure that the animal has everything it needs. According to a study made from the Affinity Foundation of kids and animals, ‘A 90% of children would dedicate their free time to take care of their pets; 80% would give anything for his or her animal (even his or her most favourite toy), and 75% would wake up early in the morning to walk the dog.’ (‘Psicología y Mente’).

In Spain, there are dogs or cats in more than 26% of the Spaniards houses, and in Romania there is a pet in the half of the whole flats. More than that, countries such Czech Republic, Poland and Lithuania are the following ones which have more pets (more than 40%). Finally, in the States, the most common animals in every houses are dogs, cats, birds and horses. Far from using them just for caring, the Americans have this kind of animals to do working tasks. This examples show how important is for humans having something to take care of, instead of having children. This also let us see that having a pet is more than feeding it, and provides more advantages than disadvantages.

Some good arguments or reasons for having a pet are that loads of pets’ owners find in their animals a good reason to do exercise and sports, to go out for a run. This help them not to have a sedentary life, but an activity one. Furthermore, having dogs help humans to maximize time or use time wisely by teaching the animal a daily routine.

 

Other nice argument is that having a life being with us provides a very important sense of caring and responsibility. This pet develops children’s care and predisposition or inclination towards other, for instance, animals. Maybe, if the child has siblings, he or she would increase this care from that situation. Nevertheless, house pets improve the responsibility, and the commitment with other living being, of the kids.

Some specific animals, for example puppies, are fountains of affection that are endless, and they teach us how to express emotions such as love or sweetness, among other things.

 

There are loads of situations in which you may meet someone new, and do not know how to start a conversation. Animals could be a nice starting, would let us break the ice in these uncomfortable situations. Furthermore, could be the tie that would let us meet new people and new social groups.

 

Finally, animals are great allies for people with psychological disorders; exactly for that reason, there exist lots of alternative therapies in which pets are the main resources for achieving benefits and progresses in that people. Some of them refer to experiments with partial time pets, or even the experience in a farm or in a wild place to spend time with animals and wildlife.

Absolutely, having a pet includes a big responsibility. We should think about which animal is the best who adapts better to the features we live in, our address, our family and our ability to devote time to them. 

To sum up, is clear the many advantages that just one animal is able to bring to our life. The whole member of the family, as much little ones as older ones, could receive beneficial aspects from them. Animals allows us to improve our empathy, our responsibility sense, our communicative abilities, our expressions of feelings, and our relation with the environment. Nevertheless, every single pet (specially the one that need a jail or water to live) need care, cleanliness and attention. Pets are useful, but not toys.

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