Dec 23, 2020
Lesson 1/ 45min
Hi Natalia!
Today we'll go over when to use the 7esl links for Hello, Goodbye, How are you? Thank you and You're welcome .
https://7esl.com/ways-to-say-hello/
https://7esl.com/ways-to-say-goodbye/
https://7esl.com/ways-for-saying-thank-you/
https://7esl.com/youre-welcome/
And we'll use the esl fast website again which offers dialogues about many topics.
https://www.eslfast.com/robot/topics/smalltalk/smalltalk.htm
How are you
Informal Ways.
Ways to say Goodbye.
Ways to say Hello
Ways to Say Thank You.
Dec 18, 2020
Lesson 10/10 45min
Hi Natalia!
Today we'll discuss casual speech and small talk. We can use the 7esl links for Hello, Goodbye, How are you? Thank you and You're welcome .
https://7esl.com/ways-to-say-hello/
https://7esl.com/ways-to-say-goodbye/
https://7esl.com/ways-for-saying-thank-you/
https://7esl.com/youre-welcome/
For more conversation practice we can use the esl fast website which offers dialogues about many topics.
https://www.eslfast.com/robot/topics/smalltalk/smalltalk.htm
Dec 16, 2020
Lesson 9/10 45min
Hi Natalia!
This time our topic is the many uses of industrial hemp, a highly valuable plant. This is not marijuana, but related to it. It's used to make rope and other things, but its cultivation has been greatly restricted since the early part of the last century. In recent years the medical community is calling for the testing of it's cousin, hemp, to verify the anti-inflammatory and healing properties associated with it.
Talking Points:
1. Hemp as fiber to produce paper: will reduce the amount of paper made from trees. Hemp plants mature in 90 days and can be replanted in the same soil. Do you know the Declaration of Independence has been written on paper made of industrial hemp?
http://www.theworldcounts.com/stories/Paper-Waste-Facts
2. Hemp as fiber to produce cloth instead of using cotton: Currently most people prefer cotton because it's a natural fiber, but most people do not know that almost all cotton is GMO and so contains pesticides. Hemp is a truly natural and organic fiber, pest resistant, more durable, flame retardant and mold resistant. Do you know that children's pajamas are currently treated with a flame retardant chemical?
http://www.theworldcounts.com/counters/cotton_environmental_impacts/world_cotton_production_statistics
This is an excellent website about hemp textile's antibacterial properties!
3. Hemp as oil for fuel instead of using petroleum: a natural, sustainable fuel and cheaper than petroleum.
Have you heard of the car that Henry Ford built which ran on hemp oil and using hemp plastic for the body of the car as well as the seats?
http://www.theworldcounts.com/counters/interesting_facts_on_energy/energy_use_in_the_world
4. Hemp as oil for producing lightweight plastic as strong as steel:
http://www.theworldcounts.com/counters/environmental_effect_of_mining/steel_environmental_impact_
http://www.theworldcounts.com/counters/environmental_effect_of_mining/environmental_impact_of_steel
Hemp plastic could change the world!
https://www.cannabisnewswire.com/7-ways-hemp-plastic-could-change-the-world/
5. Hemp as building material instead of wood: using hemp in building is cheaper than using wood, requires no insulation, is flame resistant, mold resistant and over time becomes as hard as solid rock. Hemp's carbon plus the calcium from the lime which is added becomes calcium carbonate like seashells and is called hempcrete. Have you heard that some hempcrete houses and buildings? https://www.cnbc.com/video/2018/04/12/hemp-is-a-miracle-material-for-homebuilding-but-its-barely-legal-in-the-us.html
http://www.theworldcounts.com/counters/degradation_and_destruction_of_ecosystems/facts_on_deforestation
http://www.theworldcounts.com/counters/degradation_and_destruction_of_ecosystems/why_is_deforestation_happening
6. Hemp as food instead of GMO and low-nutrition foods: hemp is a high source of protein and contains all essential amino acids as well as omega3 and omega6 oils. Do you know that hemp seed foods are available at supermarkets?
http://www.theworldcounts.com/counters/world_food_consumption_statistics/world_meat_consumption_statistics
7. Hemp as medicine: hemp oil has strong anti-inflammatory and other healing properties.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080720222549.htm_
This is a recent news article about a special session of the UN which took place on the 19th to the 21st of April 2016.
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/apr/15/cannabis-scientists-call-for-action-amid-mental-health-concerns
Dec 11, 2020
Lesson 8/10 45min
Hi Natalia!
This time we'll talk about this trans-humanism: transforming humans into technology with the goal of immortality.
1. What do you think about Rothblatt's statements about human consciousness duplicated in a mind file?
2. What is your reaction to his ideas about human mind clones existing in robots?
3. What do you think of Bina48 the robot modeled after his wife who tries to look, speak and think like her?
4. Why are the Rothblatts cryonicists if they believe they can live on in the future as robots?
5. The Rothblatts have started their own religious movement called Terasem which has four tenets: “life is purposeful, death is optional, God is technological and love is essential”. Terasem is a “transreligion,” meaning that you don’t have to give up your own religion to join, and its followers are called transhumanists. Have you ever heard of Terasem?
6. Of course, other super rich people are also trying to achieve "immortality". What do you think about this? http://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/esmagazine/survival-of-the-richest-how-londons-superrich-are-trying-to-buy-immortality-a3118071.html
Dec 10, 2020
Lesson 7/10 45min
Hi Natalia!
This tedtalk speaks of pharmacology, technology, and artificial intelligence which we have discussed recently. This ted talk is very shocking and controversial in many ways, still, I think that it is important to discuss this ted talk so we can be informed about what is going on in our world today in these specific areas, and what is happening today will shape our lives in the future.
https://www.ted.com/talks/martine_rothblatt_my_daughter_my_wife_our_robot_and_the_quest_for_immortality#t-507409
Martine Rothblatt on Wikipedia
1. What do you know about orphan diseases?
2. Why don't pharmaceutical companies develop drugs to treat rare and orphan diseases?
3. What hope do people suffering from rare and orphan diseases have?
4. Why didn't Glaxo Wellcome want to sell the drug to Rothblatt?
5. How did Rothblatt go about developing a drug from the chemical formula he received?
6. Why did scientists with great expertise tell him that developing an effective drug was impossible?
7. Could Rothblatt's approach be a model for developing other drugs?
8. The interviewer, Chris Andrews, says that Rothblatt "put this drug on the market by charging what it would take to make the economics work". What does this mean?
9. In most cases, only lung transplants are a cure for pulmonary hypertension, but there are not enough lungs available.
What solution does he propose?
10. What do you think about Rothblatt's solution or cure for the disease?
Dec 4, 2020
Lesson 6/10 45min
Hi Natalia,
This lesson we discussed the possible discovery of the childhood home of Jesus Christ.
https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2011/201125-ageing-process.html
Dec 2, 2020
Lesson 5/10 45min
Hi Natalia,
This lesson we'll read about how scientists can reverse the ageing process!
https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2011/201125-ageing-process.html
Quizlet:
We can read more in this longer article:
https://www.intelligentliving.co/scientists-reverse-human-ageing-process-for-first-time/