correction of the second exam

OPINION ESSAY

PREJUDICE & DISCRIMINATION

Prejudice and discrimination are a part of our everyday life. Not only our society but also the individual is affected. There are many opinions to this topic. In the following I will discuss this by looking at society and the individual and also at the counter measures.

Some people are thinking that foreigner people are mostly criminals, drug dealer or take the locals job away. These are prejudices partly based on the fear of everything different and foreign. In my opinion prejudice will be also supported by the media. One example for this is the reporting of a crime – if a foreigner is committed a crime, this would be pointed out in the media. Prejudice influences not only the individual but the whole society by the fact that they avoid that people are not open for new impressions. Because of this we did not notice the human being itself but only the colour of the skin and the cultural background.
Thereby we missed the opportunity to get to know someone better or learn from this person.
It is also interesting that people with prejudice are in foreign countries during their holydays more open minded as at home. They accept the locals and their culture.

A big problem is also that prejudices and discrimination could easily lead to hatred and violence. This is a huge danger for the individual but also for the whole society. Innocent people could be hurt or even killed. Terrorism is the fiercest kind of violence caused by prejudice and discrimination. In the recent part we had hardly learned this by the terrorist action in New York at the 11th of September.

In our everyday life it is also easier to blame the foreigner people for missing jobs than to look at oneself.

So the question is how we could solve the problems with prejudice and discrimination.
From my point of view we have to got up to each other and we have to be more open minded for foreign cultures. One way to do this is to create cultural events as for example “Kulinarischer Frühling” at Hohenems. But also in the media are have to change something – the reporting must be more neutral and without blaming foreign people.
However the foreign people have to do something against the prejudice and discrimination. They need the will to become integrated into the local culture. For me the most important measure that the foreign people learn germen in order to communicate with the locals.

Finally we could only prevent prejudice and discrimination by being ready to compromise and create areas to get to know each other.

ARTICLE

Searching a job in times of economic crisis

In the last weeks everybody’s talking about economic crisis.
Short time work, dismissals or insolvency are the key words.
But for everyone who’s looking for a job – don’t worry, there is one.

Jobs are not available in the supermarket, you have to search for them.
This means, you have to be flexible in your whole behaviour.
Posting resume on internet, mass mailing of resume, head-hunters or networking are good ways to get a new job. The letter of application has own rules. The first impression is important.
The documents have to be well structured and meaningful.

During the interview you have to be self-confident, your cloths have to be clean and your behaviour has to be friendly. But be careful, don’t wear a mask or dress your up.
Very important is also competence – you have to know your strength and your weak points.
So be informed!
Don’t mix-up self-confidence and arrogance. The biggest mistake in an interview is to be aggressive. Also lying, showing off are negative attitudes.

Everyone who is looking for a job could find one in this difficult time, when he kept the rules. It’s also important not to be very demanding. A job with good opportunities is better than none.
So don’t worry, kept at it!

Brucknerstraße 5a
31.1.2009

Mr. George Hemming
law office Hemming
13101 Washington Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90066
(310) 933 6270


Dear Mr. Hemming,


Application for the lawyer position

I am writing to apply for the lawyer position advertised in the Los Angeles Times. I read that you are looking for a qualified lawyer. I think I’m a eligible candidate
for this position. I have a good command of your language. Furthermore I’m good in dealing with people and I’m ready for all criminal cases. I made the general qualification for university entrance in Austria and after that I went to college in Boston. My affirmative premises for this position are :

I’m a alumnus of Harvard University. I’m well schooled in the area of criminal law and business law.
I’m always prepared to keep working hard and I’m a very truthful worker.
I worked for the Fish & Richardson and one year for Hart & Power in Dallas, USA.

I look forward to your reply and I can reached anytime via my cell phone, 77-765-7899.
Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
Magdalena Brändle

Correction of the 1st exam
Task A: „pro and con essay“ about „The Struggle for Beauty“

Nowadays you must look beautiful, because you see the beauty ideals on television, in fashion magazines, on posters and in boutiques. We want to look like them and for that we do a lot: We tan our skin, lose weight, have cosmetic surgery on everything from toes to noses and they do all for looking more like emaciated cover girls.
Furthermore I explain in my "pro and con" essay the advantages and disadvantages about the problem " The Struggle for Beauty"

First, I explain the advantages of this struggle: If you had a terrible accident and your body is deformed, then plastic surgery can be a good opportunity to get your body back. Or it's also suitable if you want to change your body because you have a blemish. You can change your body in the way you like. For example if someone has a very big nose, they can have changed into a small beautiful nose. If you change this blemish, you support positive effects on your well-being and your self confidence. You can improve yourself.

But on the other hand there are disadvantages, as well. We live in a world that strives for perfection. Many people want to be perfect and for this dream they begin a struggle. It's not a problem if you change your body in a slight way. But you shouldn't exaggerate it.
But some woman just overdo it. Plastic surgery can lead to addiction. A plastic surgery is very painful and risky. It can be dangerous or harmful. Because sometimes an operation goes wrong and afterwards you look uglier than before. So you destroy your body.
But in our time you always see the beauty queens in the media and on the pictures and you would look like them.

To conclude, my opinion is that beauty comes from the inside. Nowadays beauty can be bought. What about the natural beauties?! Beauty concerned with the character and the emanation. I know from my own experience that people can look much uglier or nastier if they have a bad character. When you change your body, maybe you lose your personality, when you want a nose like DA Vinci's Mona Lisa or eyes like Julia Roberts. It's very important to be healthy. In my opinion health is beauty. That's also what I think: If you are fit and healthy, you appear beautiful and young. Also don't destroy your healthy and body.

BEAUTY IS AN ART




PRO

- You can change your body in a way you like it
- The body has special attraction to produce art – because the body is like a special canvas
- You can improve yourself (ugly into beautiful)
- It’s art which you can show everybody and anytime you want
- The whole body is an art object
- Plastic surgeon is accepted, because it’s seen as a kind of art

CON

- A real body can’t be art – because it’s not an object
- You destroy your body because art shouldn’t damage your body
- Temporary permanent – because you can delete a picture, but not a body
- Everybody is an unique, there must be a reason why you look ugly / beautiful
- Maybe you loose your personality, your identity, when you want a nose like DA Vinci’s Mona Lisa or eyes like Julia Roberts.
- Can be dangerous or harmful (e.g. with plastic surgery)


ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS

- Decision of your own – (to change one’s body)
Accept your body
- natural beauty to a body which you should accept
- It’s not a problem if you change your body in a slight way – don’t exaggerate it !
because it’s unhealthy in most cases
- You can’t turn back time to look like before
- It’s your own opinion if you want to change your body or not
- You shouldn’t be too young

Marina - Alban - Magdalena

city or country

Last week we talked about two kinds of life and that’s why I want to write about these two different ways of life. First I want to tell you about the city life and then about the country life.

An advantage of the city life is the public means of transport. So I can reach every locality very quickly. Another good aspect is that there are more people than in a country and so I can get know more acquaintances and friends. I have more possibilities of shopping centres, supermarkets and fitness or sport centres. The last positive aspect of of the city life is that there are a lot of different discos, bars and a lot of free time activities. But don’t forget the negative points for example the plenty traffic and the waiting time of the traffic lights. The consequences of that are the air-and- environmental pollution.

In contrast to the city life there is still the country life. There live less people and everybody knows each other and so people have a better relationship to each other and they are more helpful. Another good spot is that they live in a calm area and that there is less traffic and the air is very pure and that’s why people gladly like being in nature. A further aspect is that nature lovers can go camping, make holidays or can make a walking tour. Although, it’s very boring for teenagers because on the country there are’nt very much possibilities to go out with friends or visiting a disco.

I’d prefer living in a big city because I’m a teenager who wants to experience all alternatives a city can offer. For example the good nightlife. You also get the chance to find a better job. So you have a better view for your future. That’s why people prefer living in a city than in a country.

MY STYLE

The first thing I want to mention is that I’m a typical example for an Austrian girl, because I have blond hair and blue eyes.
My fashion describes the style of the 80’s. It is modern but it has a little bit of old school because the old fashion comes back in style. For example : the leggings, the chequered patterns, shirts, trousers and pants, and gaudy colours. I’m a real fashion – conscious girl with a cultured look. My friends call me a fashion – fanatic, because I always wear the latest fashion. I prefer brand-name clothing for example: Ed Hardy, Dolce and Gabbana, Gucci and Prada. I accept various opinions of fashion for instance: the style of punks, hippies, skaters and so on ..
Although I don’t like scruffy people because of their appearance. You make bad or good thoughts about this person. I’m not a big fan of building groups because in my opinion every person should have his own style and position in his life.

Another important part of my live is music. I prefer house, RNB and hip hop music. Sometimes when I’m feeling sad I listen to a good song and then I feel better in this moment. During the weekend I really like to go out in my favourite club which is called “Nachtschicht” because there you can listen to very good house music. I can forget all of the school and private stress and trouble, which accrued in the last week, in only four hours

The last and most important part in my life is my religion and belief in god. I think that everyone should accept other cultures and religions but I know that this can be hard sometimes.
Finally, it’s not important how you look like, because we all have one similarity and this is that we only have one life. Nevertheless, I think that everyone should enjoy life and make the best out of it.

The Perks of being a wallflower

BOOK REVIEW

Recently, I read the book called “THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER” by Stephen Chbosky. He is an American novelist, screenwriter and film director and he is born in 1970. The book is one of the best coming-of-age novel.

Which consists exclusively of a series of letters from Charlie to an unknown person about him and his life. It really gives the reader a close-up look into the world through the eyes of Charlie. He is a young man who suddenly see’s himself in the middle of his life. He makes friends, goes on parties, and has problems that every other young person of his age has too.
Since he writes very emotionally, you can always recognize how he feels. Sometimes I had the feeling that I am the unknown person who read the letters of Charlie.

I really like the book because the writer is not afraid to talk about controversial topics, such as drugs, sex, homosexuality, abortion, rape and other things like that.
It is easy to read and not to long but there are still topics enough to think about seriously. I think the main message of the book is that you should be staying true to yourself. I like very much the explaining of the vocabularies.
I think Stephen Chbosky did a good job on well-developing the story and describing perfectly the characters especially Charlie, Patrick, Sam, and Charlie’s family.
In the end, I would say that it can surely be recommended to all teenagers.


THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER
DESCRIPTION OF CHARLIE


Charlie is the main character of the book.
He starts out in the novel at the age of fifteen, but by the end he reaches the sweet sixteen. In the beginning he is a shy, intelligent, sensitive, soft and lonely boy who is about to start high school. But as time rolls on, some of Charlie’s personality traits change somewhat. He lost his only important persons, Michael and his aunt Helen, already in his early years. Michael committed suicide and aunt Helen had a car accident that she didn’t overcome.
First he sees his life through the eyes of a child.
That brings him a lot of problems and he also doesn’t know why he is different.
Charlie is very emotional and cries a lot.
He is developing a special relationship with his English teacher, Bill, who gives him interesting books to read. He is very interested in books. It seems to help him to think about the meaning of life and other things like that.
He can tell Bill his problems at any time. So that, they are finally getting real good friends.
One day he meets his new friends, called Sam and Patrick. From that moment onwards his life changes completely. He started to consume alcohol, drugs, had sex and went on parties.
He loves his friends very much and make them feel good and wants to be needed.
In this time he learned much about dates, sex, homosexuality, love, friendship and other things.
In the end of the novel he changed to another person.

A pro / con essay : A BAN ON VIOLENCE IN MOVIES

Nowadays, violence is a big topic, reason for which I reflected on the pros and cons of a possible ban.

First of all, non-violent films are not only amusing but also successful.
Unfortunately, young people are often being influenced in a negative way by violent movies.
In the worst case, some people are invited to imitate a lot of things occurring in such films because otherwise they wouldn’t have thought of committing a crime.

In contrast, such a ban would also have disadvantages.

First, it is well known that horror films offer a welcome escape from everyday life. Some people who have a lot of stress appreciate that sort of thing.
Secondly, in most cases violence is being presented in a totally unrealistic way and can therefore not be copied.
The most important argument is that we certainly do not turn into a non-violent society just because violence is not allowed to be shown in movies.

Personally, I’m against an official ban of violence in movies because I enjoy the horror films. Although I have watched such films for years already I’m still a good girl and would never think of committing a crime myself.

Snow Falling On Cedars

Is a novel written by American writer David Guterson. We see the conflicts between the Americans and Japanese.

Kabuo Miyamoto, a Japanese American, is on trial for the murder of Carl Heine who is a respected fisherman. He was defended by his lawyer, the old Nels G.
The corpse is discovered in the fishing net from his boat, that has been found in the next morning.
Spearheading the prosecution are the town sheriff and prosecutor. They suspected Kabuo of the murder, because there is long quarrel between Kabuo’s and Carl’s family, over a piece of land. The field is contested in the trial because the land was originally owned by Carl. Kabuo's father approached Heine about purchasing seven acres of the farm.
In San Piedro Island, war erupted between the Us and Japan. Carl’s father died and his wife sold the land from Kabuo. When Kabuo returned he was extremely bitter. This is the reason why Carl’s mother, accuse Kabuo of murdering his son for personal reason.

The most people in the courtroom don’t believe Kabuo. Although there are no concert facts, it doesn’t look good for him.

One fact in the trial against Kabuo is the wound on Carl’s head. A doctor says that it is caused by kendo, a stick fighting, which Japanese are learned from they’re beginning. Another fact against him is the batteries. They were on the corpse boat, but they didn’t fit into his holder but in Kabuo’s they do fit. Last he gets also accused for not saying the truth. Kabuo’s wife asks Ishmael to write an article about the unfairness in the whole process. After that, it comes clear that Kabuo was guilty. Carl died because of an accident.

The truth is, that Carl wanted to get his lantern on his boat from the top while Another boat crashed into his boat because of the fog. Carl fell down and he hit the boat with the head and he got unconscious. After that, he fell into the water and drowned.

At the end the justice has won because nobody should be accused because of his nationality.

TASK 2

In my opinion art can be anything. Every person has another idea of art. I think its interesting to see what the artist wanted to express with his picture. The picture expresses a lifelike atmosphere with a woman in the middle. For me this picture is a photograph and it is art.

CORRECTION OF THE FIRST WRITTEN EXAM


TASK 1

Dear, Marina

Last night my sister show me a picture with the title “ The Problem we all live with”.

She found the painting in her new book “Artists”. The painter, who painted this picture is called Norman Rockwell. I’m going to send you the picture with my letter.

In this picture you see four policemen, called Deputy us Marshalls. In the middle of the policemen you see a small black girl. . In the upper right corner, there is blood on the wall. In my opinion the artist wanted to express the racism in the world, the violence ant the anger of the people. The girl expresses courage for me because she walks between the big policemen and is not scared about it. For me, the painting is very interesting and it makes me want to find out what the artist wanted to show us with his idea. I hope you enjoy the picture.

When I saw the painting my first thought was you. You are going to write me an answer. I’m interest of your answer and your thoughts and emotions about the picture.

Yours, Magdalena

Life after death

I totally agree with the opinion of Buddhists and Hindus that death is not the end of existence, but that there will be another type of life afterwards.
However, I disagree with the meaning that we have to undergo several rebirths until we reach the final goal.
I personally believe that problems in life are here to be solved, so that they will not occur again in our next life.
If, on the other hand, we are unable to solve them during the present life, they will come again. For example, when a woman is being hit regularly by her husband and she is just fleeing, she has not solved her problem directly; it will then arise again and again, maybe even after her transition into her next life. On the whole, I think that we shouldn’t too much bother about what is coming after death.

Letter

Dear editor,

I read the article “ Giuliani forced into climbdown” in the newspaper on Monday. It’s about a row between the mayor Mr Giuliani and Brooklyn museum about Ofili’s Virgin Mary. I disagree with the opinion from the mayor because he was against this art exhibition. Because he said Ofili’s Virgin Mary it’s a kind of “shock art” . I think every artist can shock with his art in another way.
In my opinion the picture is very amazing, because you don’t see that every day.
When I saw the picture it made me thoughtfully. For me, “shock art” is very interesting, because the artist shows what he feels an what he thinks in another way. I adore painters who aren’t ashamed for their art. Finally I want to say that every kind of art always says something about human passions or feelings. I totally agree with the end because the museum won.

Yours, Magdalena

MY FIRST LOVE

I still remember the day I have got to know my first love. It was in the time when I worked for Thornfield. I was about sixteen or seventeen years old. I can’t remember the age exactly. I liked the place at Thornfield very much, it was the best place that I had. I had much to work but it didn't disturb. The time was simply good for me there, because I liked the people very much who surrounded me. First life at Thornfield seemed very quiet, I only surrounded me by Adele, my pupil and the housekeeper of Rochester. By the time she got a friend of me, because she was always very kind and helpful. Before, I never had a real friend. My life changed drastically as, Edward Rochester, the owner of the estate arrived to us. First, I didn't have a lot to do with him. He was also much older than me. I think he already shut on the forty. I externally liked him, he was big, dark-haired, sporting and had an attractive face. But I already felt a feeling at our first meeting which, I didn't know before. Within the months following on this, we got to know us better and became friends. But this peculiar feeling got stronger and stronger. Until I recognized the truth of this feeling. I was in love into my work giver and friend. Whenever we met, tickled it in my belly and a smile conjured itself up on my face. But I was afraid to confess my feelings to him. He was my employer and to this still much more older than me. I knew that he didn't feel the same for me. But sometimes I couldn't conceal it any more and simply had to tell it to him. I wondered for a long time how I could tell him. I still know, when he picked me up with his black sports car. We briefly went to drink only a tea, then he brought me back again. Due to his atmosphere I didn't dare to confess my feelings to him. When I got out, he still gave me a letter with the label "my last thoughts". I read the letter, when I saw Rochester around the curve driving. He wrote in this letter about his senses of me and that he could conceal her no more. But he also wrote that he couldn't live with these feelings any more and that he would depart certainly on this following day. I didn't have a driver's licence. I nevertheless took the car from the housekeeper and went to the station. At the last moment I still could hold him back. I told him what I felt. In the end I was very happy despite of the events. Our relation held for only for 3 years. But I will never forget him.

Arrested boy released

London (mr). Yesterday the ten-years-old boy Oliver Twist, who was convicted of pick pocketing and stealing a man’s kerchief in front of a bookstore, was released and stays now at Mr Brownlow‘s house. The reason for this changing of the magistrate Mr Fang’s mind was the bookseller of the bookstore who was an eyewitness. He went to the magistrate and told that two other boys tried to steal the kerchief. “I just saw how the two other boys threw the kerchief to Oliver Twist. I felt sorry for him and so I tried to tell the truth,” the bookseller said.Some hours before three boys went nearby the bookstore and noticed Mr Brownlow in front of the store who was interested in a book. Two of those boys crept to the man and stole the kerchief in his pocket. The bookseller who noticed it raised the alarm while the two unknown boys ran towards Oliver Twist and gave him their booty. So Oliver was charged, chased and finally taken to a magistrate where the boy collapsed because of thirst. The magistrate, however, didn’t believe that the boy was ill and convicted Oliver until the bookseller told the magistrate what really had happened. After this the boy was released and taken to Mr Brownlow’s house who took the boy to his heart.“I really knew all the time that this boy wasn’t a thief. When I looked into his face I saw that this face wouldn’t lie and so I decided to give him a new home. Now he is still ill, but he already feels better and he’s got medical care and an own room in my house,” Mr Brownlow, who saved the boy’s life told.The bookseller who exonerated Oliver Twist also said, “I feel very sorry for the boy because he really wasn’t guilty. When the two other boys gave Oliver the kerchief he was so perplexed that he didn’t know what to do when he was persecuted and I can understand that he ran away.”So far the police are still searching for the real thieves, but there’s doubt that they get caught because there are so many thieves in London and there is no good personal prescription of the two other boys, but maybe Oliver Twist can help the police to catch the thieves.words:391

Interview

As part of our series about the Victorian time at the end of the 19th century.
Today we are talking to Mr. James Brown, 110 years old man who can tell us a lot about the Victorian time in Great Britain.

I: Mr. Brown can you please tell our readers something about your family and how you lived?
B: Well, I was born 1897 into a very poor family in Brixton. My father died before I was born and my mother had to bring through me and my other 7 siblings. My mother worked as a cleaning help in a rich family. She had to work very hard and long but didn’t get paid a lot.
I: That sounds quite hard. Did you children also had to work?
B: Of course we had to. I had to start with 10 years because I was a boy. Near our house a cotton factory had opened and they asked all children in our neighbourhood to come to work.
As we had nothing else to do and we needed the money I started there. I had to pick up cotton balls and put them on a production line. It was very boring and exhausting because it was incredible hot in the factory.
I: Was there anyone who had taken a look on the children?
B: Well in late 19th century there were laws enacted for the protraction of children. For example no child under the age of 10 was allowed to work in a factory or in the underground. My oldest brother though had to work with 5 years because there haven’t been any laws.
I: Did all children had to work?
B: Of course not. Children from rich families could go to school. At home most of them had their own room, where they could sleep ate and play.
I remember a girl from the neighbourhood, who was rich. She had a huge dollhouse and least 15 dolls. Children as me could only dream of having a toy.
I: Why couldn’t you attend school?

B: Well, from the age of 4 to 10 we had go to school. There was a school in every village. Afterwards we could have, but we had to go to work. Otherwise our family would have had less money and we wouldn’t have been able to survive therefore we all went to work somewhere.

I: Compared to nowadays was school different or the same?
B: In a way yes. For example our teacher sat in front of the class as it is also now. In every class there was a picture of the Queen Victoria and a bible. Though there were also differences, so the boys had separate lessons, for example maths and science. The girls had other specifies lessons but I don’t know what exactly. But I guess that the girls were mainly educated in housework because that was the main duty of women in our time.
I: But wasn’t I also the fact that woman got more duties, rights and respect in the Victorian time?
B: Oh yes that’s right, women became more important. In general the mother of a house was the moral guardian. Also fashion became interesting for women and the wanted to show there own identity. Therefore more and more magazines and newspapers occurred which were mainly read by women. In my own family though it was different. As we had no father are mum had no time for fashion or such things. She had to get us through and keep the household up.
I: As our last question to you Mr. Brown. Please describe the life in general in the Victorian time?
B: For my family it was a hard time. In review I think it was a very important time for all of us. Industries developed, so lather a lot of people had a good work. Too the people started to think about several things, as religion. The began to doubt if it was right what we were told about 100 of years.
I: So after all we could say the Victorian time was a hard but at the same a very important time for our country.
Thanks you Mr. Brown for giving our readers a view into life at that time.
B: You’re welcome. Thanks you.

To our regret we were informed a week after the interview that MR. Brown has passed away.

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