Self- assessment of ESP learning

WRITING SKILLS
Summaries: We have tried to write analytical and restatement summaries. I found it quite interestning and useful. Generally I understand the structure of the summaries, but I think that I should be more attentive to my spelling and grammar mistakes.
ESP vocabulary tests: I found it easier than last term and my performance was better. The reason of this is that I am trying to understand the meaning of the words or definitions and to explain it in my own words. It helps to remember the words even after writing test.
Self-designed tests: It was really very interesting to create my own intelligence test. It helped to understand how questioner have to be responsible and well-informed . Designing of the tests on modules we have read helped to memorise the new information better, and try to use it in original way.
Dictations: It is always interesting to write dictations, because you can assess your writing abilities in quite confusing conditions (dictating). As last term there was the only one big problem with punctuation.
Contributions to weblogs: The themes for essays in blog were very interesting, especially about artificial intelligence. It was quite unknown field for me, so I had to search for information about it, and it was useful.
SPEAKING SKILLS
Participation in class discussions: I do not think that I was very active in class discussions, but when I had something to say, I was saying.
Presentations: I think that this term my presentation was quite at the same level as last term, but I think that I have made some progress.
Speaking in pairs: Speaking in pairs was easier than in class discussions. Especially about the interesting subjects. When you have some ideas about the topic, it is always very nice to share with partner your point of view.
LISTENING SKILLS
Listening activities in class: Listening was not very difficult, almost every time we were listening twice, so it helped to understand as better as possible. I found it not very difficult.
Listening to podcasts: It was more difficult than listening in class. I found much more easier to listen about interesting topic, than about politics or something like this.
Listening outside class if any: I had a lot of opportunities to listen and use English language outside the class, and again I persuade myself that I can understand quite well, but need to improve my vocabulary and practise more.
READING SKILLS
Home reading: Home reading this term was easier than last. Maybe because of the advance of my English level.
Class reading: More difficult than reading at home. Maybe it was hard to concentrate in the class. When we had only to skip the test, it was more easy to do it in class conditions.
Reading comprehension exercises: It was not so easy as I found it before. Anyway I have a lot to improve.
Computer tasks: Searching for some information online was useful not only for my English but for my as a person.
Generally I think that I have an improvement in my English skills.

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) - is the science and engineering of making intelligent machines, especially intelligent computer programs which can make similar tasks as human mind. There is a lot of opinions about AI but anyway fact is fact. We can see that computers are becoming smarter and smarter every year, truly every month or even day…
Professor of theoretical physics Michio Kaku presumes that after 15 years quantum computers will achieve the speed of human thought, whereas after 50 years robots can become a little bit dangerous and start to think about taking over the world. Anyway there are two basic problems in artificial intelligence, vision and common sense.
There is no room for doubt, artificial intelligence is becoming true. Our conscious is electric pulses, AI is absolutely the same. But if we ever create a true AI or AE (emotion), we have to consider whether it is artificial anymore at all. Anyhow there is no reason to worry, if AI is 100 years off, AE is about 1 million, at least. We have some additional time to get ready for this!

http://www-formal.stanford.edu/jmc/whatisai/node1.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PW8rgKLPHMg
http://lifeboat.com/images/artificial.intelligence.jpg

Psychology of body language

   
   In their book Social Psychology: Understanding Human Action, psychologists Robert A. Baron and Donn Byrne explain: "Information (about other people's behavior) is often provided by 'nonverbal cues' relating to others' facial expressions, eye contact, and body posture... Our current moods or emotions are often reflected in posture, position and movement of our bodies. Such nonverbal cues are usually termed body language."  

   In our everyday communication we all use our body language. Starting with walk, body position and completing with our countenance. All this factors indicates our feelings, emotions etc. Considering on the gestures of the person we can understand him even better
than considering  on his verbal intercourse.

    Understanding of the body language is useful in many situations. By understanding the signs we can change our behavior towards the person. For instance, individuals' hand movements - especially vertical one - can indicate a positive interpersonal relationship. Open and wide
shoulders mean "I would like to meet new people". Standing with hands on hips - readiness, aggression. Brisk, erect walk indicates confidence etc.

   It is important remember that some of us are not able to use verbal language at all. So in their 
case body language plays a huge role. So we should keep in mind that even without words we can
be complete.
   
   The main thing in understanding nonverbal behavior is to distinguish the main differences between the signs. When you distinguish the main signs you can use your knowledge and interpret the all 
behavior of the person. 

http://www.lifepositive.com/mind/psychology/body-language/body-gestures.asp

Restatement summary "Babies shows social inteligence"

The new research shows that babies are able to socialize since their first month in our world.

Research was held at Yale University by Kiley Hamlin and colleagues. For 12 six-month old and 16 10-month-old babies were represents two characters - positive and negative. Almost all babies reached out to play with the positive rather than with negative one.

This evidence shows how babies without having any foundations of morality are apt to learn basic social skills by their own observations.

Sleep and dreams

Meaning of the dreams, their importance and secrets have interested the humanity all the time.
Now is known that all the people are dreaming even 4-6 times per night. But not all remember that they have dreamed at all or what exactly they were dreaming. It is thought that people who are not interested in the content of the dream usually do not remember their dreams. But most of us frequently remeber our dreams.
Why do we dream? Do the dreams have any hidden meaning?

The person who has influenced me

During my life I have met a lot of people and everyone of them have influenced me. Some of that influences were very positive, some of them not. But I very appreciate each of them because they help me to grow up and become who I am.

When I was younger I used to be very associated with my sister. By the time I became a teenager our relationship get a little bit worse as we both were at the same age, and this period wasn't very easy. During the years rapport between us get much better, but actually I think I influenced her more than she influenced me. So I would like to distinguish one my friend Stas and now I'm gonna talk about him.

I met him about three years ago and summarily understood that this person is quite unique. He is a little bit older but so open and warm. When I saw it I get in with him soon.

Stas is one of those people who very easily communicate and I actually can absolutely rely on him. After meeting him my life have changed to the better side! I get a lot of new friends, met people who have a great and very positive influence on me. I have visited a lot of new places and even countries. And I think the most important think is that I have changed my attitude towards many different things.

I am very happy about this friendship and I hope it will go on forever!

Phobias

Phobia is an irrational and excessive fear of an object or situation. Usually phobia involves a sense of endangerment or a fear of harm. Phobic symptoms can occur through exposure to the fear object or situation, or sometimes simply thinking about the feared object can lead to a response. Symphtoms associated with phobia are: dizziness, breathlessness, nausea, a sense of unreality, fear of dying.
There are three types of phobias: Social phobias—fear of social situations; Agoraphobia—fear of being trapped in an inescapable place or situation; Specific phobias—fear of a specific object (such as snakes). Specific phobias are divided as the natural environment - fear of lightening, water, storms, etc; animal - fear of snakes, rodents, spiders, etc; medical - fear of seeing blood, receiving injections, visiting a doctor, etc; situational - fear of bridges, leaving the home, driving, etc.
So, if you feel a chill when you walk by a cemetery at night, do you have coimetrophobia? A little bit of fear is not a phobia. But a person who feels an overwhelming, irrational fear of a certain object or situation may have a condition known as a specific phobia.
People with specific phobias often know that their fears are irrational, but this logic does not prevent them from experiencing high levels of anxiety and even panic attacks when facing, or thinking about facing, their phobias.
Actually phobia can be treated. There are a lot of ways of treating it. For instance, exposure treatments or counter-conditioning. In exposure treatment a patient is exposed to the frear object in order to learn how to coupe with the fear. I counter-conditioning treatment patient is taught to the new reponse to the frear object.
Phobia is a very wide spreaded disorder. As ilustration of this I would mention few famous people who have or had some kind of specific phobias. For example, boxing champion Muhammad Ali suffer from fear of flying, or aviophobia (also known as aerophobia). Tennis star Andre Agassi is arachnophobic, or has a fear of spiders. Adolf Hitler was claustrophobic. Napoleon Bonaparte, who was the emperor of France, suffered from ailurophobia, a fear of cats. There are only few examples.

Many people all over the world suffer from this quite strange and irrational disorder. But it can be treated.

Information: http://psychology.about.com/od/phobias/Phobias.htm

Picture: http://www.fiahtherapy.com/phobia-fear.jpg