ESSAY 13. (UNIT 15)

EARLY PREGNANCY IN EL SALVADOR

       In our country, early pregnancy is one of the main problems the population day by day has to cope with. There is a great deal of teens who become pregnant every year. This is a worrying situation given that it gives rise to an increase of over-population. The term early pregnancy is based on the term adolescent pregnancy, is pregnancy in females before being 20.  Pregnancy can be a trying time, especially for girls whose bodies are not yet mature enough for childbearing. Globally, pregnancy-related complications are the leading cause of death among girls aged 15 to 19.

       The practice of sexual relations when being young without contraceptive methods is one the main causes to get pregnant. The epidemic of pregnancies in girls and adolescents is rooted in the Salvadoran culture that continues to allow free unions or marriages of the young teens with couples older than them. It is irresponsible that before having the adequate age to be engaged in a relationship, they start having sexual intercourses. After getting pregnant, they are left alone since that the guy who got them pregnant does not assume the consequences of his actions. Also, the marriage at an early age and the role of gender that is traditionally assigned to women, mainly in the rural area is one of the culprits. It is noticeable the fact that once the guy proposed, the girls think of doing whatever they want to without paying attention to the advices their parents give to them.

        A secondary issue is the family disintegration. The consequence of a pregnancy for girls and adolescents not only entails having to drop out of school, but also leaves them vulnerable to being rejected by the people responsible for their development. Even though there are some adolescents who receive the support of a close relative, there is a great deal of pregnant women who are forced to abandon their parents’ places so as to settle down in a new one where they are likely to get ill-treated. It goes without saying, this problem can lead to particular circumstances such as prostitution, rape, incest and adolescents with mental problems. Another concern is, the fear of being rejected socially; one of the consequences of adolescence and pregnancy is that the young woman feels criticized by her environment . As a result, she tends to isolate herself from the group.

        In conclusion, parents should provide children with information so as not to get involved in a preoccupying situation like this one. Also, the government should invest in order to prevent the spread of pregnancies at a young age. It is also requested to increase the use of contraceptives in order to avoid the risk of involuntary pregnancy. In addition, it is advisable to create policies to protect the young girls against abuse and forced sex so that they are able to voice against this background. While acknowledging these approaches, many women will have the benefit of getting ready to face any hurdle they can encounter later in their lives. The society must also contribute through awareness campaigns and informative trainings for young women so as to reduce the number of early pregnancies.

ESSAY 12. (UNIT 14)

THE PROBLEM OF OBESITY IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

          Accumulation of excessive body fat is known as obesity. Obesity is measured and defined in terms of body mass index (BMI). Body mass index is the numerical way of deciding the appropriate weight range according to the height of an individual. A body mass index of more than 30kg/m2 indicates obesity. It is further classified as severe, morbid and super obesity in the order as the BMI increases. Obesity is a lifestyle diseases which is spreading rapidly in the United States.  As The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reported, there is a staggering figure, estimating that 40% of Americans are obese (that is, having a body mass index of 30 or higher.) As shown in Figure 1, obesity in the U.S population has increased dramatically. While it appears that the rates of the obesity problem are reducing for young children, this trend is still likely to continue persisting and perhaps worsen in the future for older children.  

                                                                              Figure 1. 

      The causes of the aforementioned are worth highlighting. Doctors point out that when one tends to eat more than the body requirement, the extra fat start depositing in the body tissues giving rise to obesity. From the chart, it can be inferred that this problem has reached its peak and continue in the years that lie ahead. As The US Centers for Disease Control and Preventions (2012) points out, obesity is mainly caused when the intake of the calories exceed the dissipated calories In simple words, people gain weight when they eat more calories than they burn through activity. This imbalance is the greatest contributor to weight gain because of parental neglect. Also, the environment around us influences our ability to maintain a healthy weight. As an illustration, not having area parks, sidewalks, and affordable gyms makes it hard for people to be physically active. Genetic predisposition also plays a pivotal role as a causative factor.

       From the chart, it can be inferred that junk food is likely to be the main culprit. Individuals are fonder of such unhealthy food items and hence are getting more affected by the rising problems of it. The Figure 1 shows the quick fluctuation from 2011 to 2012, and it goes on until the modern days. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Volume 89, Issue 6, 1 June 2004 provides several possible consequences of the obesity problem, such as, sleep apnea, hypertension, heart disease, diseases of the bones, joints, muscles, connective tissue, and skin to name a few. Apart from physical issues, a study of obese children has shown that obesity can also lead to diseases associated with psychosocial functions which in the long run will generate social problems, for instance, being discriminated.  In addition, obesity shortens life, the effect of the increased fat mass and the enlarged fat cells is a decrease in life expectancy.

        In conclusion, there is an acute need to make the public aware about the morbid effects of obesity. From my standpoint, outdoor activities should be encouraged by both the school authorities’ and parents to tackle rising cases of it.  Parents, scientists, doctors, and policy makers all believe that this problem is a critical issue. Doctors recommend that a healthy eating habit and an active lifestyle should be adopted by the individuals of all groups and gender in order to prevent obesity. It is clear that a great deal of studies have demonstrated that the reasons for the rise in obesity are not easy to deal with. Therefore, the solution must involve everyone-parents, doctors, the media, as well as the community.

ESSAY 11. (UNIT 13)

THE IMPORTANCE OF READING

         To start with, reading has been a component of the social existence of man from his first steps in the broad fields of knowledge.  Moreover, after important advances in the anatomical and social structure of man, a point was reached in which it was necessary to adopt a mechanism that would record the events and data that for primitive man were important, writing was born at that time and by simple logic the reading of what was written. It is known that, although the first strokes of man were numbers, the letters or rather "representational graphics" did not take long to appear, whether in stones, clay tablets or papyrus, the man began to write and read for information and in some crude way "take control of their lives." As with everything, the writing along with reading, evolved from the role of carrying simple records to entertain the masses, and from that brilliant moment we, the humans beings have not stopped reading to inform ourselves, entertain us, and discipline us, etc.

      The aims of reading today lie in its wonderful ability to acquire the knowledge that we select in order to feed our minds. The fact that our mind is a wonderful place, it works in the same way as a computer that can be supplied with an infinity of informative data of all kinds. Moreover, reading, in a certain way, is like a USB tool with which we transmit in a better way all those files that we want to save in the memory of our PC. What is more, it is enough to look at the learning programs of an L2 in which one of the basic activities for teaching / learning is the "reading" that serves the practice of new cognitive abilities. So, it is quite necessary to focus on what the scarcity of not reading means, as well as the results one can get once it is decided to set aside time to do it on a regular basis.

      Some of the advantages of not reading or at least not making it a habit are: lack of information: a person who does not read a lot is usually behind in terms of current issues. Lack of capacity at professional level: the number of people who get involved in this habit has been decreasing all over the year, and has a result a weak unfolding as people. There are many professions, including teaching, which requires that the person has the habit of reading, otherwise we will be in front of "mediocre" professionals. I support the view that in order to become professionals who are aware of our reality, constant reading is necessary.

      Furthermore,  among the meaningful outcomes that it brings us to read we can mention the following: It develops our minds and gives them greater agility: Reading is like an exercise for the brain, which is the most important muscle, therefore, it is advisable to train it. Also, it provides knowledge and general culture: through reading we cultivate our thinking and disseminate ignorance. In my case, while being at University, I have been studying several kinds of readings that have aimed at helping me out in order to have a deep understandings of problems arising from society.

     In conclusion, it can be highlighted that reading is a vital part of the development of humanity and it should be treated as an "investment habit" in which man deposits a fund of invaluable knowledge. As an English learner, I have been experiencing the benefits of reading as it has helped me improve my vocabulary. As we have seen above, the need to read is enormous so as to turn over a new leaves later in our lives. The number of advantages of reading far outweigh any disadvantage.  Let's keep this precious habit, it's good, beautiful, and useful.

ESSAY 10. (UNIT 10)

ENGLISH AS A PART OF MY LIFE

          In today’s world, there are numerous languages which people communicate with. I want to point out what my experience has been since I decided to get engaged in learning the most spoken language all over the world, English. English has become the language that takes the first place when having the desire to learn a foreign tongue. It is my conviction that acquiring a second language is not as easy as it seems, it requires to put great effort on every single stage throughout the process. This process will be fruitful according to the capability of each person interested in gaining competence in mastering English. Having said this, what factors I encountered and what is my opinion about this?

          First of all, there several factors which I had to face while being exposed to it, that play a fundamental role while acquiring a L2. The first one, the cognitive learning style: not all learners are likely to learn at the same pace, there are certain students who have a questionable intellect. That’s the reason why those people that are in an environment where English is always spoken will find it easier to acquire it. Regarding to the second one, the cultural background:  it really depends on the environment for the outcomes of learning English to be gratifying, fruitful, and significant. For instance, a learner enrolls in an English course in which the only moment he or she practices it is on classroom, but when leaving the school setting, such as an academy, a university, or an institute, they simple do not because of the language spoken around them, in this case Spanish. 

         Therefore, this phenomena will bring some corrosive effects on their learning process due to the lack of exposure to English. The third one, the prior knowledge: almost always a person who teaches English is not a native one; as a result of it, students tend to focus on memorizing words, learning by heart vocabulary. However, these techniques in the long term will contribute little to improving their linguistic skills, such as conversation, listening and even speaking activities. That is to say, it is quite necessary for a teacher to concentrate on speaking aloud activities, having students share not only their recommendations but also concerns about the aforementioned process.

          Second of all, as an English learner for about five years, I have realized that acquiring English as a second language is not an overnight process, but thanks to my determination, motivation, and constant engagement in all English activities, I have gotten this far. Moreover, everything depends on how well disposed to learn we, as students, are so that the development of the English language  takes off. Besides that, it is necessary to build up the knowledge at the very beginning levels in order to get a full and total mastery of the whole process.  Up to now, my studies are going pretty well, I am on the up and up. Since I put aside time every single day to dedicate to brushing up on my lessons, I pass my exams with flying colors, and it motivates me to keep on going and fighting to the last. This language is so amazing. It has enabled me to meet new people from other countries, to learn different cultures, to see the world from another perspective.

          In conclusion, I consider that a complete mastering of languages can be done by taking into account language stays abroad. These chances are known to be advantageous for the reason that genuine knowledge comes from practice. This way, people will feel more confident as often as they look for a job. In today’s world, applicants are required to have an advanced level to be hired. Also, a change in the curriculum is essential so that future generations have a favorable unfolding in their lives. Now, they are expected to go beyond the program of studies. Hence, it is requested to include different methodologies for teachers to teach properly, for students to enhance their skills, and to broaden their horizons at the same time.  English has a huge use in our daily lives, however, its use should be continued along with Spanish and other regional languages such as French. I will continue giving my personal best all along.

ESSAY 9. (UNIT 9)

WHEN I WAS A KID…

       Everyone has several experiences while being a child. One day, we were planning to go to El Cuco beach when all of a sudden something happened.  My mom had a big headache; as a result of it, my stepfather and my siblings could not leave her alone at home. She was angry with herself given that she was looking forward to staring at the ocean, so were we. At that time,  my mother had already prepared the food, the clothing, the aid kit in case of an emergency. What is more, my cellphone had crashed onto the floor one week before, so I bought a new one to take pictures of us once we got there. I felt sad totally. Jane, who is my younger sister, had invited a friend of theirs, and she was on her way to my place for going to the beach. My older brother had asked her girlfriend to go as well. We all had to find a way out so as not to stop going. It took almost three hours for the headache to disappear. At the time, it was 11: 00 in the morning, my stepfather told us to stay home instead of going there, I started crying.

       In addition, we decided not to go. In the whole afternoon, we had a good time after trying to forget the nice trip that had been planned. That was the first time we did not go out because of something unexpected. I used to have a journal, which contained every single memory in my childhood, that day I noted down the interrupted trip to the beach. Later on, I understood that my mother’s health cared the most. I remember my stepfather telling me “we could not have predicted your mother was going to feel bad.” We were supposed to go there and celebrate your birthday, I know we might have gone, but your mother is your mother, so you have to respect what you are told. I felt sad inwardly, my mother was way too much disappointed by not carrying out my birthday’s celebration. She was also sad because of the way I behaved given that I had been complaining about cancelling the voyage. I went upstairs and started meditating upon what had happened. Despite of being ten years old, I actually could understand what the situation was. After having thought of it for a while, I decided to crawl back to her and apologize.

       Furthermore, before going towards her I was so nervous, I was afraid of her reaction. By that time, she had already talked to my stepfather, and my other siblings. I was wandering around the house, and my stepfather stopped me. He asked me how I felt. In a moment, I said to him I felt a bit shaken up, but I had already repented of my behavior during the morning. Once your mother is better, we are going to have a blast together, he said. Meanwhile, he told me to hold still and talk to her, I held him tight. The night was coming, and I finally went to look for my mom. I sat next to her, and we started talking in a calm way. I realized my mother was the better in the world, she hugged me and smothered me with kisses. Moreover, she congratulated me on my birthday number ten…I started crying along her. Then we went downstairs and we all went to eat out Pupusas nearby. In being there, she gave a new computer, and she told me that she was supposed to do it in the beach. I felt emotional. We spent that night together in a big way.

       At the end, we returned home. I was extremely happy. I embraced her so much, and told her I was very beholden to her for being the person she was. Finally, I spoke from my heart of hearts and promised her not to continue behaving like that. I was willing to change my mood for the better. I used to be a maudlin guy. I used to have a bad temper, but my mother has been the person who has been teaching me the basics so as to turn over a new leaf all the way through. From that day on, I have never had an argument neither with my mother nor my stepfather. My whole family lives happy, and I now expect it to be all along.

ESSAY 8. (UNIT 8)

THE BEST MOMENTS EVER IN MY LIFE

          As a human being, I have experienced many difficulties in life, but I have been able to take them as a new experiences to learn and new challenges to face. To start with, I would like to point out some relevant aspects such as my family, education, and my social life as well.

        First of all, when I as a child my mother had to leave me with my grandmother given that my older uncle had decided to start up his studies at University. The thing was, my family was running through serious money matters at that time; as a result of it, my lovely mother went to work to San Salvador in order to provide him what he needed to. In addition, I started living with my grandma from that time on. As you know, our grandmothers are so kind, adorable, and beautiful. They look after their grandsons without expecting anything in return, so it was noticeable the loving my grandma had by looking after me.

        Second of all, time was passing by, I was growing up as fast as my hopes to have my mother back by my side. Therefore, I started studying at a daycare center. There was the place where I had the worst memories I have ever had. I did not spoke to no one neither my grandmother nor my mom who was away from home, away from me. Moreover, I remember having had a good cry one day, but I also remember that the ones who love us the most are going to be there even when things are at their worst. Why do I say this?   Because my grandmother decided to take me back her place in a new school, new friends, and a new social environment. So, I began my elementary school where I was getting off a flying start since I almost always passed the exams with flying colors. Also, I was getting on a bit quickly, it was time to be engrossed in junior high school where I met up with some friends who I deem highly of, and to whom I really appreciate. Hence, my desires to learn languages given that I had a friend of mine who spoke English so well that I can say he had the gift of the gab. At this time, I was seventeen years old and my hopes to start my high school got up so as to get my bachelor’s degree and to work with people that I did not know of.

       Furthermore, I ended my high school and I was thinking of starting college. At first, I was a bit ambivalent about the major I wanted to study; I thought about medical studies, but in the end it turned out that I decided to learn foreign languages to broaden my horizons, and get a better standard of living in a foreseeable future. What is more, I wished to become a fluent English speaker, so I enrolled in an English course on Saturdays in order for me to get it better and improve my skills in that language. Also, I met new friends whom I currently practice my English with.

       To sum it up, anyone can experience a lot of whether happy moments or bad moments. It will depend on how I see them. As human beings, we do have to take advantage of the good ones and get rid of the bad ones by learning from them. Finally, my family will be always there as often as I am in need of something. I perfectly know I am devoid of many material possessions, but I have everything I could wish for thanks to them. Once I get a job, I will have to provide them with a better quality of life to continue living as my family deserves. I have always said that the first step is the hardest, and that I am able to do my utmost every single time I want to give my personal best. My friends and those people that surround me play a pivotal role in my life; hence friendship is something worth keeping. 

ESSAY 7. (UNIT 7)

COUNTRY AND CITY

          Nowadays, a vast majority of people are on the fence once they have to decide where to live. These people are always wondering whether the country or the city is the ideal place to settle in. If there is one preference which I take to make a conclusion-then it is the country rather than the city, which provides people with optimal living conditions. There are widespread reasons for it, and the primary ones are listed as follows.

         The foremost reason for dwelling in the countryside is the soothing and comfortable life that the pastoral view provides. Hardly anyone could resist the clean atmosphere, the friendly, hospitable neighbors, the closeness to nature and the gentle place of living. In addition, those who have enjoyed the first cock crow in the morning, the twittering of birds in the trees, and the breathtaking sight of the rising sun would go into rapture at any mere mention of the idyllic life. Moreover, relaxed and suburban dwellers are able to hold a more positive attitude for life and achieve more accomplishment. Besides that, in the countryside, everyone knows everyone and people actually say ‘’hello’’ when they meet each other, as well as offering a helping hand to anyone who is in trouble without asking anything in return; the cost of living there is not as high as that in cities.

       Conversely, the obvious things brought about by noisy and flashy city are more pressure and forever-lasting anxiety, agonizing and torching people’s mind day in and day out. Another subtle explanation rests on the fact that country habitants are fortunate enough to enjoy the cozy and pleasant ambience of the family without exhausting social life.

How satisfactory and refreshing it must be to have dinner together with my loved ones in the spacious and pastoral surroundings after a hectic day! Furthermore, nothing can be compared with the joy of watching heart TV programs, playing convivial games in the afternoons, sleeping in the tranquil, and relaxing atmosphere.

     Therefore, it would be far more difficult to get such pleasure for those urbanites. Consecutive and excessive recreations not only to thrift money but also to deteriorate people’s health, which is the last thing one would like to encounter. Naturally, it is possibly to reckless assert that nothing beneficial combines with city life since several accompanying merits also come along with it. Living in the metropolis means having more accesses to numerous people involved in multiple attractive cultures. Living in the city also provides plentiful opportunities both in career and studies.

       Nevertheless, the fact that city life makes it more convenient to purchase a job does not prevent me from concluding that country life is more enjoyable, fun, as well as healthful and placing a certain amount of reliance on the notion that country life is always the sensible choice. In sum, I do like living in the country for the simple reason that people are more respectfully, more hardworking.