Paper 2 planning

Subway life

Subway life by anonymous

Third Culture Kids: Where is Home?

So after studying TCKs for the last few classes, here is a song that, in my opinion, can be related to the language confusion these kids have: The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?) by Ylvis.

Lyrics:

Dog goes woof

Cat goes meow

Bird goes tweet

and mouse goes squeek

Cow goes moo

Frog goes croak

and the elephant goes toot

Ducks say quack

and fish go blub

and the seal goes ow ow ow ow ow

But theres one sound

That no one knows

What does the fox say?

Ring-ding-ding-ding-dingeringeding!

Gering-ding-ding-ding-dingeringeding!

Gering-ding-ding-ding-dingeringeding!

What the fox say?

Wa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pow!

Wa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pow!

Wa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pow!

What the fox say?

Hatee-hatee-hatee-ho!

Hatee-hatee-hatee-ho!

Hatee-hatee-hatee-ho!

What the fox say?

Joff-tchoff-tchoffo-tchoffo-tchoff!

Tchoff-tchoff-tchoffo-tchoffo-tchoff!

Joff-tchoff-tchoffo-tchoffo-tchoff!

What the fox say?

Big blue eyes

Pointy nose

Chasing mice

and digging holes

Tiny paws

Up the hill

Suddenly youre standing still

Your fur is red

So beautiful

Like an angel in disguise

But if you meet

a friendly horse

Will you communicate by

mo-o-o-o-orse?

mo-o-o-o-orse?

mo-o-o-o-orse?

How will you speak to that

ho-o-o-o-orse?

ho-o-o-o-orse?

ho-o-o-o-orse?

What does the fox say?

Jacha-chacha-chacha-chow!

Chacha-chacha-chacha-chow!

Chacha-chacha-chacha-chow!

What the fox say?

Fraka-kaka-kaka-kaka-kow!

Fraka-kaka-kaka-kaka-kow!

Fraka-kaka-kaka-kaka-kow!

What the fox say?

A-hee-ahee ha-hee!

A-hee-ahee ha-hee!

A-hee-ahee ha-hee!

What the fox say?

A-oo-oo-oo-ooo!

Woo-oo-oo-ooo!

What does the fox say?

The secret of the fox

Ancient mystery

Somewhere deep in the woods

I know youre hiding

What is your sound?

Will we ever know?

Will always be a mystery

What do you say?

Youre my guardian angel

Hiding in the woods

What is your sound?

(Fox Sings)

Wa-wa-way-do Wub-wid-bid-dum-way-do Wa-wa-way-do

Will we ever know?

(Fox Sings)

Bay-budabud-dum-bam

I want to

(Fox sings)

Mama-dum-day-do

I want to

I want to know!

(Fox sings)

Abay-ba-da bum-bum bay-do

Punk for a month

After reading the text we had to answer some questions:

1. Is Julie fair to her old friends in the change she makes? How might she have handled the change differently so as not to alienate her friends?

I think she takes a personal decision that doesn't really affect her friends, so she didn't have to ask for permission. Actually, her friends are the ones who don't accept her and alienate her.

Although, Julie should have tried to convince her friends about accepting her.

2. Julie makes new friends once she changes her appearance. What problems can you predict with these new friends?

These new friends might only like her because she is punk, but once she becomes "normal" again they might betray her and leave her alone.

3. Does Julie change internally as a result of changing externally? Can simply dressing differently influence a person's character? Why, or why not?
She changed, of course, and became a much happier person who's accepted and taken into consideration. By changing externally, she also started accepting herself and took another perspective about life. By changing the way you dress, you are able to change your personality, but only if you want to.

4. What does appearance indicate about a person? In what ways may appearances be misleading? When is it appropriate to judge people based on appearances? When is it inappropriate?
Appearance might lead to prejudices which, in most cases, is misleading. In my opinion, it is never good to judge people based on appearances because, according to my experience, appearance never shows what a person is really inside.

We also had to relate the story of this girl Julie to a movie, so I chose "Legally Blonde" as in both stories the main character transforms from being "no one" to a recognizable or popular person. Here is the trailer of the movie: 

Personal Response

“The Akanksha clinic is at the forefront of India’s booming trade in so-called reproductive tourism — foreigners coming to the country for infertility treatments such as in vitro fertilization. The clinic’s main draw, however, is its success using local women to have foreigners’ babies. Surrogacy costs about $12,000 in India, including all medical expenses and the surrogate’s fee. In the U.S., the same procedure can cost up to $70,000.”

There are many congenital diseases known to affect fertility and make women unable to get pregnant. Throughout the years, developments in medicine and genetics have helped these women to have a child. Nowadays, it is possible for people to “rent” a uterus so that the surrogate mother gets an in vitro fertilization and carries the baby for another woman during gestation. Once the time has passed, the surrogate mother gives the baby to the “real mother”. These techniques are also used for women who are too busy to have a child, so that they can have one without being pregnant.

In this text, something that might be considered as a problem for many people is presented. Women in need of money "rent their wombs" so that other women, who are unable to get pregnant because of the problems mentioned before, can have a child. The main focus of the fragment is that these procedures are six times cheaper in India than in the United States, which makes people do the "reproductive tourism". According to many people, this might be a problem because of unregulated procedures, possible exploitation of surrogates or surrogates not really taking care of their selves during pregnancy.

I think this is a good alternative for women to have a child, because of the price and in the end it is a mutual benefit both for the mother and for the surrogate, and it depends on each one of us to consider this possibility as a good one or not. I think if someone is able to pay and wants to take this option, then she's able to do so with complete freedom.

Surrogate Mothers: Womb for Rent

After reading this interesting article, answer the following questions:


1. What does “reproductive tourism” mean?
It refers to people who travel to another country in order to get infertility treatments such as in vitro fertilization.
2. What issues might cause an American woman to seek an Indian surrogate?
It seems that in India it is much cheaper and they speak English too.
3. What risks and benefits exist for the surrogate mothers in India?
Some risks are that surrogates may be exploited due to the lack of regulation or may become attached and don't give the baby. Some benefits are that people get money and may have a chance to get a better life and support their family.
4. What risks and benefits exist for the women who hire a surrogate?
People don't know if the surrogate actually takes care during her pregnancy or the living conditions she has. On the other hand, women get a baby without actually having one.(being pregnant)
5. Do you agree with the people who believe that the Indian women are being exploited? Why or why not?

I don't think they are being exploited because women choose to do it or not. 

Image Analysis

Robots are becoming increasingly sophisticated and lifelike.

Description
Caption
Possible Functions: NASA
Robots in society: Limitations and benefits
Relate to class

Presentation Audio

The Vaccinator 3000

This week's task is to plan a robot, that would help to solve a problem. My group is also formed by Mr. Reynolds and Mr. Barriga.

Here are some questions that will help to guide our planning:

What materials will it be made out of? Why?

It will be made of metal and the corresponding circuits to assure its functioning, because it's the easiest way to create and program a robot.

How will the robot sense its surroundings? 

It will have thermal sensors, to perceive if it's in front of a person or of an object. It will also be able to communicate, and "understand" (through a variety of computational programs). 

How will it move and respond to the environment?
It will have wheels, to guarantee an easy movement through the room, where it will go from bed to bed, and from patient to patient, also helped by its thermal sensors. 

How or why is a robot better equipped to handle this challenge than a human? 

A robot would be faster than a human, and also it would make doctors only occupate on other issues in which they might be more required.

What will the robot look like? Will it look human-like? Why or why not?

It will be the cheapest possible. Probably a "box" (cube) with an arm.

How will the robot’s appearance influence how people interact with it?

At first people may be scared, but then they'll get used to it and it will be the same as being vaccinated by a person or a human-like robot.

Stem Cells Breakthrough & Seeds of Hope

Stem Cells: Seed of hope?
Stem Cells Breakthrough

After watching these videos, we had to answer some questions:


Why are stem cells considered so valuable for medical research?
Because stem cells are pluripotent (they can transform into many different specialized cells) and can fix many diseases.

Why did the researchers have to narrow the spectrum of genes within stem cells?
Because, by doing that, they could reproduce them from skin cells, having a much wider spectrum afterwards. As in the beginning, 20000 genes is too much, the possible combinations had to be narrowed.

What are the sources of stem cells and the advantages and disadvantages associated with using each?
Stem cells used for this kind of investigations are the one that embryos have. The advantages could be that you could eventually regenerate any kind of cell, and potentially heal an organ. Disadvantages could include that, apparently to produce one of those cells and organs, you have to create life, use what you and then need and destroy it. It is also possible to obtain stem cells from organs that still ave some residual stem cells, mainly the spinal cord. Another possibility is to create them with the gene combination obtained.

What are the three cases presented at the beginning of the second video?
A hockey player whose spinal cord was damaged. Diabetes in a young man. Two girls who were cousins had a genetic disorder (Tay- Sachs disease)

How might a stem cell be used to treat spinal cord injuries?
They have to insert the stem cell in the damaged spinal cord, and then wait for it to make the "bridge" and communicate both sides of the cord.

Explain the outcome of the experiment with injured rats presented in the second video?
Rats whose spinal cord was damaged, were treated and then they could almost walk normally.

What issues surround the debate over of stem cell research?
Ethic issues. The importance of preserving life.

What issue do you think needs to be debated as we make decisions about stem cell research?
The importance of having the power to create life carries a huge responsibility, and how can we be sure than this knowledge will be used only for the good of the people. and not create weapons or something that could damage humanity in the future.

Genetic Tool Kit

What do homeobox genes code for in animals?

They produce basic body parts, such as wings, legs and heads, in all animals.

Why are homeobox (also called homeotic) genes called the master control genes, or master switches?

Because the research indicates that animals descended from a single common ancestor that passed along to them a set of homeobox genes, used to build a wide variety of forms from just a few basic body plans.

What other organisms besides fruit flies have homeobox genes?

Every animal has homeobox genes.

What did the experiment with fruit flies and mice show?

That every animal may have evolved from a common ancestor, which means that evolution is a simpler process than it was thought.

What does the presence packages of information suggest about evolution?

That genes are the same, but external factors determine different evolution conditions, which makes organs differentiate among animals. This means that evolution is triggered by external factors such as food, weather, etc.

How has evolution tinkered with genes of animals?

Evolution can be considered to be the process in which new combinations of genes are created, commonly triggered by external changes.
What role has embryos played in the study of evolution?

They have been the main study object because during this stage genes start to be expressed and scientist can study the similes between different species.

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