REASONS FOR STUDYING A SECOND LANGUAGE There are a number of reasons for studying a second language. However, most people would agree that by studying a second language, you increase exponentially your opportunities to find a job. Yet, I do not consider vital to know a second language at a high level for travelling. On the one hand, I think that learning a second language for travelling is advantageous in case you have to ask for directions if you are lost, to talk to locals, to buy some goods… Nevertheless, it is not a key factor to manage. Provided that you have a good map or navigation system and some charisma, you will surely have a good experience despite the lack of a second language. On the other hand, recruiters are mainly demanding a good command of English (among an endless list of things) in their ideal candidates. Therefore, since English profiles are in high demand, your application might be overlooked if you do not have either an upper-intermediate level of English or an advance level. As hard as it might sound, all the valuable working experience that you may have together with your postgraduate studies, no longer count as much as they used to if you do not master English. To conclude, and taking all this into account, I would encourage everyone to learn a second and even a third language. The reason why I firmly believe in the importance of this does not lie in travelling but in working. Because the economic crisis has hit our country and everywhere so badly, that there is a fiercely competition involved when seeking either a remunerated job or even a voluntary activity.

FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO JOB SATISFACTION There are a number of reasons why the employers should optimize the physical conditions of the offices and offer both, good prospects and training courses for their personnel. Firstly, it has been claimed that airy and bright offices are far better than offices which lack these two features. In fact, staff performances are thought to be beyond average within pleasant offices and, as a result, it is accrued more profit. In addition, it is much more beneficial for the companies to take on assertive co-workers who do not tend to throw a temper tantrum or mutter whenever things are done differently as they want them to be. All together contributes to enhance the employees´ performance. On the other hand, I firmly believe that prospects bring more motivation to the workplace than the physical and psychological characteristics of the work environment. This is because being promoted means that you are doing an excellent job and learning at a fast pace in your training courses. Accordingly, you will probably receive a better salary and take on positions of higher responsibility. The conclusion to be drawn from this last discussion is that training courses connected with the prospects will motivate the workers intrinsically and extrinsically. What is more, it is inherent of the human nature not to stop embracing new challenges once they have achieved another goal. Consequently, I would put the focus on the training courses and their professional development without overlooking the working environment. However, I think training courses and promotion are more important.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEM UNDER SCRUTINITY Introduction This report aims to examine closely the overall quality of the service provided by the public transport system of my area. Few people would dispute the fact that, even though there are some improvements to be made, it still has got some positive aspects. Positive features First of all, I am highly satisfied with the Smartphone application that allows me to know whether the bus is approaching my nearest bus stop or not. In terms of time management, it is very useful to being able to know precisely how long it will take for you to get on the bus. In addition, bus fares are quite reasonable. Possible improvements On the other hand, many people voice criticism of constant delays of our local buses. But I think that this situation might be highly improved if we change the payment system. Consequently, we could use cards and top them up instead of paying by cash. Apart from this, I am concerned about the short supply of buses which go straight to our university in the morning because I find it difficult to take them and, if I do take them, I breathe with difficulty inside due to their overcrowding conditions. Therefore, we could try to enlarge the tram rails and use this mean of transport in order to relieve the bus service´s high demand. Reasons for the improvements To sum up, the reasons why we should carry out the number of improvements stated above are logical and understandable. Firstly, the delays might be shortened by implementing a different payment procedure. Last but not least, regarding the shortage of buses and the existence of the tram, we could either increase the number of buses for university students in the morning, which is insufficient, or we could increase the tram rails.

ENCOURAGING SCIENCE CAREERS AMONG THE YOUNG There is a widely held belief that careers on science are by far harder and more reputable than a career on arts. But, scientific careers have proved to have the highest dropout rate because most students find it virtually impossible to keep up with the classes after a while. On the one hand, I firmly believe that to have lectures from professional scientists would be very exciting and inspiring for the students. Despite the outlay that this might bring to an ordinary school, I bet that the long-term advantages would certainly outweigh this minor disadvantage. Because there is no doubt that having a real scientist in a school would encourage many of the avid young learners to follow them on their footsteps. On the other hand, I would strongly advise to make science lessons at school more practical and enjoyable. This means to carry out more experiments in the labs, to work through the scientific method thinking of hypothesis and potential results, to discuss their findings, etc. In addition, I would also try to link science with the surrounding world. After all, our world is littered with proportions and scientific issues elsewhere whether we are aware of it or not. For instance, the so-called the golden ratio can be found either in a packet of cigarettes or in our face. Is not this fact amazing? To sum up, I would suggest that the education community make an effort to change the way science is taught. Consequently, we could possibly make the scientific careers more appealing by teaching science in a fun way. Personally, I think that we could increase our pupils´ and teenagers interest towards these subjects gradually day after day rather than holding a special event once in a blue moon.

AVOIDING ACCIDENTS, A COMMON CAUSE OF DECEASE IN CHILDREN Did you know that accidents are the most common cause of death in childhood? According to the statistics, the sixty per cent of children´s deaths occur as a result of an accident either at home or at school. Consequently, how can we prevent them from injuring themselves or dying? This is a question we will answer in the following paragraphs: On the one hand, as teachers, we should make them aware of all the potential dangers that exist all around the classroom and the school. We should preserve their physical integrity by covering plugs, or keeping chemicals out of their reach. Otherwise, they might get an electrical shock or they might either compromise their internal organs due to the ingestion of chemicals, or even kill themselves in the worst case scenario. On the other hand, as parents, we shouldn´t leave sharp objects within their reach and we should keep an eye on them constantly if our home doesn´t have the conditions for a small child to be safe. Furthermore, we should remove the architectonical barriers in those places aimed for them to run and play. All in all, these preventive measures mentioned above and many more are applicable in both places to create a safe place for them to stay, but do not be overprotective because that would be counterproductive.