Hurricanes

I read an article in a magazine about tropical cyclone, as also named hurricane, typhoon, tropical storm, cyclonic storm, tropical depression, and simply cyclone. This is a natural disaster, is a storm characterized by a low pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and flooding rain. Tropical cyclones feed on heat released when moist air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapour contained in the moist air.
The term "tropical" refers to both geographic origin of these systems, which form almost exclusively in tropical regions of the globe, and their formation in Maritime Tropical air masses. The term "cyclone" refers to such storms' cyclonic nature, with counterclockwise rotation in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise rotation in the Southern Hemisphere. Depending on its location and strength
Something that I really surprised me was that as a result, tropical cyclones help to maintain equilibrium in the Earth's troposphere, and to maintain a relatively stable and warm temperature worldwide.
If the conditions remain favorable, the tropical disturbance intensifies, and can even develop an eye. If the conditions around the system deteriorate or the tropical cyclone makes landfall, the system weakens and eventually dissipates. In spite of this, it is not possible to artificially induce the dissipation of these systems with current technology.
I enjoyed read about this kinds of topics because is a problem close to me and actually we are very exposed and vulnerable to this natural disaster.

Source: Geography Section. Vuelo magazine. Number 169
Febrero 2008

Study sheds light on how brain processes languages

I red an article about how the brain process languages. This is a reporter of CNN in January 23, 1998.
Take a look about this interesting process: First, have you ever wondered why it seems harder to learn a second language as an adult than it does to learn one at an earlier age?
Researchers at the Sloan Kettering Cancer Center say our brains may process language learning differently as we grow older. While the scientists still have much to learn, brain surgeons already are benefiting from their work.
The Sloan Kettering researchers used a machine called a Functional MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, to map the language centers in the brains of 12 volunteers who speak more than one language.
Some of the volunteers learned a second language as children. Others learned a second language while in high school or college. In those who learned additional languages early in life, the study indicates the brain processed the languages in the same area. For example, if a yellow area represents the Croatian language, and a red area represents the English language, the study found a large orange area showing an overlap in the way the brain merges the language capabilities.
Scientists still don't know the best time to learn a second language. They hope more studies will answer that question. But parents seem to believe their children have an easier time learning a second language.
I think this is real because some adults’ person learned English, for example at 30 years old and some kids star to speak English at 3 years old. Amazing, right? Also this report mentioned that the brain used a different area if you learned another language. The brains find it more efficient which is dedicated to the second language. The parents always said that you should to be of use younger. That is the reason that I never stop in my life. Now I´m get accustomed to do a lot of things for learning more and more.

Source: Correspondent Ann Kellan contributed to this report.

Laurent Clerc

Would you believe that the first outstanding deaf teacher in America was a Frenchman? His name was Laurent Clerc. He became a friend of Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet and together they founded America's first school for the deaf.
He was born hearing, but when he was one year old, he fell into a fire. As a result, he lost both his hearing and his sense of smell. The right side of his face was badly burned, and was scarred for his whole life. The sign for his name was even based on the scar.
Meanwhile, in America, Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet was studying to be a minister when he met a young deaf girl, Alice Cogswell. He was upset to learn that there were no schools for the deaf in America. He was very concerned about the lack of educational opportunities for the deaf. Therefore, in 1815, Gallaudet sailed to London, England to seek ideas on how to teach deaf people. However, he was unable to get help and he became frustrated. While he was there, he met a French educator of the deaf who invited him to go to Paris to spend three months learning at the Royal Institution for the Deaf, the school where Laurent Clerc was teaching.
Gallaudet accepted the offer, and went to the Royal Institution for the Deaf, where Clerc became his Sign Language teacher. The two worked and studied well together. When the time came for Gallaudet to return to America, he asked Clerc to come with him.
The voyage across the Atlantic Ocean took 52 days; however, Clerc and Gallaudet put the time to good use. Clerc studied English, and Gallaudet studied sign language. They discussed the school for the deaf which they planned to open. On the long trip, they had many conversations about education and deafness. The year after they arrived, they founded a school for the deaf in Harford, Connecticut.
At the school, Clerc led a busy life. He taught signs to Principal Gallaudet; he taught the pupils; and he taught hearing men who came to the school to study deaf education. At that time, the state would only pay for each student to stay at the school for five years. Therefore, Clerc had to teach his pupils as much as he could as quickly as possible. Once, Clerc came to Washington, D.C. because he was asked to appear before the Congress of the United States.
In 1819, Clerc married Eliza Crocker Boardman, one of his pupils. They had six children. He retired from teaching in 1858. Although he had intended to return to France, he never did. He died on July 18, 1869 in the United States.

Reading Comprehension
Choose the answer that you think is correct.

1. Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet sailed to London because:
a.he needed to finish his studies to become a minister
b.it was the easiest way to get to France
c.he wanted to study their system of deaf education
d.he wanted to marry Alice Cogswell

2. From the information in this passage we can assume that:
a.Laurent Clerc was an intelligent man.
b.Clerc had difficulties learning language.
c.Clerc married Eliza in order to get his Green Card.
d.Clerc was paid well because he made such important contributions to society.

3. On their trip from Paris to America, Clerc and Gallaudet
a.played cards and socialized.
b.studied and discussed their plans for a deaf school.
c.founded a school for the deaf.
d.Gallaudet studied English and Clerc studied Sign Language.

4. Clerc did things in this order:
a.met Gallaudet, moved to America, got married, went to school in Paris.
b.met Gallaudet, went to school in Paris, moved to America, got married.
c.went to school in Paris, met Gallaudet, moved to America, got married.
d.got married, went to school in Paris, met Gallaudet, moved to America.

5. The main idea of this passage could best be stated as:
a.Clerc managed his time well, and was able to teach a lot of information in a short period of time.
b.Thomas Gallaudet was indebted to Clerc for all that he taught him.
c.Clerc preferred teaching deaf students to hearing students.
d.Clerc, an educated Frenchman, had a great impact on American Deaf Education.

6. "After he graduated, the school [in Paris] asked him to stay on as an assistant teacher." From this sentence we can assume that:
a.the school thought that his learning disabilities would make it hard for him to work outside the school.
b.the school was impressed with him, and thought he would do a good job teaching other students.
c.the school wanted him to be prepared to teach Americans how to sign.
d.the school wanted other deaf students to have deaf role models.

Vocabulary Check

Based on “Symbolic Systems and Meanings” I looked back at the reading to find words and phrases that match these definitions.
1. A type of symbol.....................
2. A king or queen.....................
3. A type of kin (family) group.....................
4. An animal that people believe their clan is descended from.....................
5. A system of ranked groups, especially in India.....................
6. A cooking place.....................
7. Establish hierarchy.....................
8. Changing the color of something.....................
9. Connected with; associated with.....................


· Metaphor and metonym are two types of symbol
· The monarch are the king
· Members of a clan
· Animal or bird that is their totemic ancestor
· The caste system of India consists of ranked groups, each with different economic specialization.
· In a house, each location had its own place. Could be the kitchen in our houses.
· Short or long hair becomes a symbol to determined hierarchy
· Change the color of the hair: fuchsia, blue, or orange is.
· People´s identity as members of a group is powerfully bound up which such symbols. The hair establish authority.



Source: Hartmann, Pamela; Blass, Laurie (2007) Quest 3, Reading and Writing
Second Edition. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Inc pages 12-17