Final Composition 101


FINAL COMPOSITION REQUIREMENTS

You need to come up with a 500-WORD composition,
which you will hand in on the day of the final exam.

(Yes, I've changed the requirement for this assignment.
500 words will give you plenty to do, and enough
for me to see how well you've prepared.)

Using the conversational ideas given in each of the 
"NIVEL" sections of that pamphlet I've given you, develop
paragraphs that detail that information as best you can.

For your convenience, I've rewritten the tasks from your
pamphlet "Espanol: the Way of the Language" below.
Some have been slightly modified for this assignment.

If you follow them, and build a short paragraph around each one,
you'll see how quickly you get to 500 words.

Use the little conversational suggestions at the bottom of
each of the "Niveles" pages that you have, corresponding to 
the chapters that you are studying. That is, 101 is to use
Niveles 1-5; 102 is to use Niveles 6-10; 103 should use Niveles 
11-15; and 104 should use 13-18.

Those are SUGGESTIONS, only.  If you have a more grandiose idea 
and really want to play with the concepts (and are able to create
something where you use all the major grammar concepts and a lot
of the vocabulary we've covered in the course), feel free to go 
for it!


Here are the conversational suggestions for SPA 101:

NIVEL UNO

1.  Tell your name, age, telephone number and where you live.

2.  Tell where you and your family and various friends are from,
     along with nationality and ethnic background.

3.  Describe at least six of your daily activities, with the
    time (morning, afternoon, night) that you usually do them.


NIVEL DOS

1.  Tell me what you have to do during each day of the week.
    Include at least two items that you HAVE TO do for each day,
    and when (morning, noon, night) that you have to do them.

2.  Tell me what things you are going to do next week.  Include
    at least two items for each day, when you're going to do them,
    and with whom you're going to do them.

3.  Discuss your complete class schedule for this semester, including
    the days and times of each of your classes, who your professors are
    and how many pages of homework they give each week.

4.  Tell me what you like, and what you don't like, including actions,
    classes, food, books and movies.


NIVEL TRES

1.  Tell me what you do each day, and with whom.  (Use AR, ER and IR 
    conjugations and a good selection of verbs from page 75.)

2.  Tell me the following information about someone you know well:
      Nationality, age, sex, if he/she studies, if she/he works, and
      where, with whom she/he lives, if she/he likes to read (if so,
      what), if he/she watches TV (and which programs), if she/he 
      listens to music (and what kind), if she/he uses perfume,
      if she/he goes out on the weekends (if so, where).

3.  Tell me the following about your friends: how many you have, if 
     they are students or if they work, what kind of people they are
     (describe them with adjectives), what kind of students/workers
     they are (hard-working, lazy, etc.), what they like to do, and
     with whom.


NIVEL CUATRO

1.  Describe your daily routine, from the time you wake up, to the
     time you go to bed, including the time (hour on the clock) that
     you do each thing.

2.  Tell me when at least five people celebrate their birthdays,
     including the complete date.  (Follow this pattern: "The date
     in which she/he celebrates his/her birthday is January 1, 2003.)

3.  Tell me who you know (at least five people), and tell me a few
     things that each of them knows how to do.  Also, tell me five
     things that you know how to do well.


NIVEL CINCO

1.  Tell me what clothing you use in the summer, and what you use
     in the winter.

2.  Tell me what types of clothes are in fashion now.  Include the 
     clothing designs (stripes, plaid, polka-dots), colors, and which
     people (of what age, profession, and status) wear which kinds.

3.  Imagine that you've won the LOTTO, and you now have to tell
     what presents you are going to buy, for whom each gift is 
     bought, and how much each one costs.  


Here are the conversational suggestions for SPA 102:


NIVEL SEIS

1.  Discuss the price of things a university student needs for one
    year.  Talk about as many items as you can, but be sure to 
    include tuition, books, food, living accomodations and the
    phone bill.

2.  Discuss the dates of at least six major historical events.  Tell
    what happened, in real general terms, who was involved and what
    he or she did, and in what year the event occurred.


NIVEL SIETE

1.  Make a long-distance call which must be done from a hispanic
    country of your choice to the United States.  Play both the
    part of the caller and the part of the operator.

2.  Discuss at least five things that you don't do anymore, and
    how long ago you last did them.

3.  Discuss who you love, and why; who you help, and why; who 
    you wait for frequently, and why; what you need, and why;
    something you have, and why; a film you are going to see,
    and when; and someone you visited recently, and why.


NIVEL OCHO

1.  Describe at least six things that a friend or family member is 
    doing or wants to do, and your advice indicating what you really
    want her/him to be doing.

2.  Tell me about at least five rooms of your house or apartment,
    including a description of the furniture (color, size, etc.)
    and what activities you normally engage in within each of these
    rooms.

3.  Tell me about at least ten things you did today, in the order
    in which you did them.


NIVEL NUEVE

1.  Discuss your opinions of a particular political leader or other
    well-known person, parting from the following ideas: It's 
    evident that so-and-so is...; I doubt that so-and-so...; 
    I (don't) believe that so-and-so...; It's (not) certain that
    so-and-so...; It's (not) true that....

2.  Describe the preparation of one of your favorite dishes, including
    the food used, and the actions taken to prepare the food.

3.  Describe your emotional reaction to the various aspects of the 
    university and your experiences here.  Use phrases such as
    "I'm happy that..."  "It's fantastic that..." "It surprises me
    that..." "I hope that..." and so on.


NIVEL DIEZ

1.  Discuss how you felt about the following topics at the time 
    they occurred (that is, how they seemed to you...):  The last
    Superbowl game; the results of the latest elections; the 
    presidential scandals surrounding Clinton, Reagan or Bush;
    the latest Julia Roberts film; your classes of last semester;
    the latest album to come out by a popular artist.

2.  Tell me about at least six activities that you used to do 
    frequently at some point in the past.

3.  Tell me about at least six moments in the past when you were 
    engaged in a particular activity (it was ongoing at the time)
    and someone interrupted you with another action (calling on
    the phone, etc.)


Here are the conversational suggestions for SPA 103:

NIVEL ONCE

1.  Describe a time when you or a friend had to go to the doctor
    or the hospital.  What was the problem, where did you go and
    what treatment did you receive?

2.  Describe at least five different times in which you were going
    to do something, but were unable or unwilling to do because you
    had to do something else.

3.  Tell me about two things you found out recently, two people you
    met this semester, two things you knew about Spanish before 
    coming to class this semester, and two people you didn't know
    before joining this class.


NIVEL DOCE

1.  Talk about ten things that you used to eat all the time, or never
    used to eat when you were a child, according to your tastes, and 
    why you liked (or didn't like) to eat them.

2.  Tell me about the frequency with which you did the following 
    things in your life: go to the dentist, visit Disneyworld, go
    to concerts, eat turkey, watch movies, go to the theater, visit
    your grandparents, and break a window.

3.  Describe, in some detail, the area where you were born.  Be specific
    about geographical features.


NIVEL TRECE

1.  Tell me about five things that you have done in your life up to now,
    and five things that you haven't yet done that you want to do, and
    and indicate when you are going to do them.

2.  Tell me about five moments when something unexpected or unintentionally
    bad happened to you.  Include a time when you lost something, when you
    forgot something, and when you broke something.

3.  Tell me about five people you know by indicating things that they 
    like to do that you don't like or approve of, and tell me the 
    commands you might give them to urge them to do something different.


NIVEL CATORCE

1.  Tell me at least seven commands that you might give to a dog as you 
    train it to obey you.

2.  Tell me at least six commands that parents typically tell their 
    children, and explain why they do.

3.  Tell me about at least seven things that you and your friends all
    have, and tell me if yours or theirs are better or worse, bigger
    or smaller, more expensive or cheaper, and so on.


NIVEL QUINCE

1.  Discuss your position on at least three issues related to the 
    environment.

2.  Tell me about at least five different activities you have done 
    today, and how you're going to change your routine tomorrow.
    (Be aware to use the subjunctive to describe pending actions...)

3.  Describe, in colorful detail, at least three people that you know.
    Be especially descriptive concerning their personality traits.


Here are the conversational suggestions for SPA 104:


NIVEL DIEZ Y SEIS

1.  Tell me about someone (either you, or someone you know) who likes to
    take pictures.  Describe what kinds of pictures are taken, what kind
    of camera equipment is used, if the person prefers to shoot photos of
    people, places or animals, where the photos are devloped, and so on.

2.  We all lead busy lives.  Tell me about six things you WOULD do if you
    had money.  (For the phrase "If I had money..." use "Si tuviera dinero..."

3.  Tell me about seven things that you haven't done in the past, and then
    tell me when you will do them in the future.


NIVEL DIEZ Y SIETE

1.  Tell me about your likes, dislikes and preferences related to art and
    the world of art.  Be as specific as you can.

2.  Describe a time when you were, or someone you know, was in love.  Describe
    the relationship, from beginning to end (or non-end) in as much detail
    as you can.

3.  Describe the concept and appeal (or non-appeal) of "telenovelas". What
    is your opinion of them?  Does anyone you know watch any particular 
    telenovela every time it comes on?