7th C1 writing - Write a description of your ideal work space

My present workspace is a bright roomy office. I have a very big window and the wall between me and the people who work in front of me is a windowpane. The two others are made of a kind of wood and painted in light gray. I have also a writing desk, a set of shelves, a big swivel chair and auxiliary table to have little meetings with three or four people. And the most important of all, a couple of plants which are with me since I started as a councilor, a really big “Yucca elephantipes” and a little “Saintpaulina Ionantha” this last also known as African violet. I take care of both, above all when I am nervous, as it is one of my relax methods.  As a benefit I can say that it is a quiet place to concentrate when I need it and the worse is that it is in the facade of the building that is near the railroad track, which is extremely noisy, but the luck is that I am not all my working time in it.

Talking about my ideal workspace I would say that this type of offices that we can see in American movies is what I like the most. A really roomy office, with lots of windows, on the top of a high skyscraper and with a breathtaking view of New York, for instance. Inside this marvellous space, I would like to have a big writing desk, a comfortable swivel chair and a sofa, this last for thinking on it when I have the need. I do not like a cluttered room, so probably I only would add on it a simple set of shelves. 

I love bright colours and I would like to paint the room in white and some corner in light gray to absorb the intense sun at noon. I would probably put up curtains, in light blue or light green, only to use it if I cannot stand the sun. I also would like to have some big pictures of my favourite places on the walls, like the sunset in Oia or the landscapes of the volcano and the sea since every beach in Santorini Island. And, of course, the two special plants that have been with me the last twelve years, if they do not die during the journey.

6th C1 writing - Composition: "Are we doing enough to help hungry people near us?

Most of us are aware that there are hungry people in the world. There is periodically some news on TV about really hard situations in faraway countries, sometimes as a consequence of war or natural disasters. However, are we aware of our nearest situation? Hunger is now very close to us. Actually, poverty can make it impossible for families, even whole communities to get enough food. 

Here are a few useful facts (from The Hunger site) that illustrate just how severe the problem is:

More than 1 billion people suffer from acute hunger or malnutrition. Additionally, almost 200 million children below the age of five suffer from malnutrition. Furthermore, seven out of ten of the world’s hungry are women and girls.

People who are hungry now range from those who do not quite get enough good nutrition to be healthy, to those who are so profoundly deprived of specific nutrients or sufficient calories that they will die without intervention. In addition to this, almost all of us feel sad when we hear about people going hungry, especially children. They are often the hardest hit when famine comes. In fact, when the hard times come, they are the ones most likely to die. And of course we want to do something to help, but we are not always sure how. Furthermore, sometimes we just feel that we do not have enough money to contribute to really make a difference. 

For this reason, it is important to know that money is not the only thing we have to offer. We can also donate our time. Likewise, take a little time each week to learn more about the problem and what others are doing to help. There is surely a group in your community where you could volunteer your time. In fact, even a couple hours of your time a couple of times a year can make a big difference to a local organization working on the problems of hunger and poverty. But whether you help out by packing "care packages" for the needy, or by collecting canned food from neighbours to deliver to a local food bank, another big way to make a difference is by talking to people about what you do. 

In conclusion, if you want to do more to help hungry people, some groups are trying to make a real difference in the world. Check out their websites and find out what they are doing to help and what they would like from you. In conclusion, your time will really make a difference.