Essay 1

Nowadays, there is a hot topic upon the subject of the most

important room in a house. People have so many different
opinions, that someone can barely understand which is the
most useful and functional room in a house. I am inclined to
believe that in somebodys house, his or her bedroom should be
the most significant room.
Firstly, one cannot deny that any individual requires privacy or
intimacy just for himself. It is widely known that spending time
only with yourself has unfortunately became so rare. People
usually tend to surround themselves with plenty of other
persons, when they should try to spend more time discovering
themselves. Therefore, I think that someones bedroom plays a
major role throught the personal development. Not only can the
individual meditate in tranquility, but he can also pay more
attention to his own thoughts, not being disturbed by others.
For instance, when I was a teenager I managed to overcome so
many difficulties just focusing on my solutions, my ideas in such
a profound peace that I could have only found in my bedroom.
Secondly, there is no argument against the fact that most
people have the tendency to fulfill all their requirements in the
most comfortable environment for themselves. Whether they
have to study for an exam or finish a project for a company,
people will always come with the best result when they can
work comfortably. Thus, being in a familiar place, in this case
their bedroom where they can also include their work desk,
people are more likely to work harder,better and more
efficiently. Morever, some persons might have outlandish habits
that would not irritate anybody as everything takes place in the
individuals house. For example, whenever I start working for
school projects I chew gum. I observed that certain people get
annoyed and cannot concentrate anymore on their work.
Consequently, being in my own room, I can behave as I please.
However, there is still a vast majority of people who claims that
there are more importants room in a house than someones

bedroom. These people point out that a bedroom does not offer
someone the chance to provide a dinner for his or hers kins,
thus it has a lower significance. Furthermore, they claim that it
is necessary to stay away from the place where a person sleeps
as nobody wants to constantly feel lazy and sleepy.
Summing up, I consider that even if there are lots of rooms that
can have numerous benefits in a house, a bedroom will always
play the most important role. Not only does it provide a
peaceful environment, but it also reperesents a private part
from someones life.

Essay 2
Nowadays, there is a hot topic upon the subject of one custom
from your country that you would other countries to adopt also.
Living in such a rich country in terms of traditions, one custom
from Romania I would like others to folow would definitely be
Martisor. Taking place on the 1st of March, there are a few
reasons for which I made this choice.
Firstly, one cannot deny that 1st of March also represents the
arrival of spring. The nature comes to life again, the
temperature rises and a feeling of happiness and serenity
surrounds the entire world. People seem to forget about the
harsh winter that has just passed and they are now ready to
face a new year full of challenges and new opporunities.
Therefore, through offering these little adornments of red and
white tied thread on this, people appear to gain a sense of hope
and cheer for the following periods of the year. Consequently,
the first reason for which I chose this custom of giving little
decorations to others is that people definitely need a tradition
which gives them profound joy and hope for better days.
Secondly, there is no argue against the fact that through this
simple custom of offering tiny talismans to someone to wear, an
individual can express his or her appreciation and respect for a
significant person. These red and white tied strings can have
attached either a three-leafed clover, either a heart, for
instance. Thus, someone can express his wishes towards a
particular person through this gift. Women and young ladies, for
example, often feel loved and cared after when they are given
such a decoration from a man. Not only do they attain feeling of
appreciation, but they also gain attention and interest from the
man offering them the adornment.
In addition, I think that this tradition can also play a major role
in peoples creativity. Some persons do not want to buy familiar

amulets and as matter of fact they often try to design their own.
As a result, they start adding the details they like, the colours
they prefer and in the end they have some unique adornments
for the persons they cherish. As a consequence, individuals
learn to develop their creative skills while creating their own
masterpieces.
Summing up, I consider that even if Romania has so much to
offer in terms of anything, this undemanding custom could
make a difference in any countrys culture. If I were to choose
any tradition from Romanias heritage, I would definitely pick
this one.

Integrated task 1
In the lecture the professor makes several points about Alan
Hobson and Robert McKarleys theory upon the origin of
dreams. Their theory is mostly based on a biological
perspective. This is different from the reading which states that
dreams are related to wish fulfillment.
The lecturer claims that due to a biochemical research on cats,
dreams are orginated from the firing of certain chemicals from
the brain stem. The professor points out that cats were used for
this experiment because their brain emits waves similar to the
human ones. Also, the professor adds the example of a a dream
in which a person is trying to escape from a place. Therefore,
even if the brain is imagining the person running, the legs do
not actually provide a response. Thus, the lecturer concludes
that there is no meaning in dreams, as they are strongly related
to a chemical process of the brain cells.
Meanwhile, the reading argues that dreams have a powerful
connection to human wishes. According, to Freuds theory,
dreams are represented through pictures which eventually form
meaningful symbols. Moreover, in the reading passage it is
cited the example of a student dreaming of an exam, which is
compared to a hurdle in a race. Consequently, Freuds theory
says that dreams also have active and latent levels, meant to
explain the unconcious mind. In this case the active level is the
hurdle, while the latent one is the actual exam from the dream.

The points made by the professor cast doubt on the reading

passage, by demonstration a more valuable and reliable theory
of dreams occouring.

Integrated Task 2 Supporting ideas

In the reading passage there are several points made about the
nebular hypothesis. Regarding this hypothesis, approximately 5
million years ago an enormous cloud ,consisting of mainly
hydrogen and helium, was formed in the place of the actual
solar system. Due to the gravitational power, the cloud suffered
a collapse and with further consequences, planetesimals, which
are tiny objects, eventually developed. These planetisimals
condensed in the places where now we have planets.
Meanwhile, the biggest planet of our system, the Sun, started to
alter into a star, which emited not only light, but also heat.
There rest of the planets were either formed from desintegrable
materials, either from helium, hydrogen and other elements.
The lecture supports the points made in the reading by
explaining that nowadays modern computer have become
useful in testing such hypothenis as the nebula hypothensis.
Through this technology, computers can have a closer look at
the conditions and consequences of the formation of a star. The
lecture also adds that the nebula hypothensys might be
valuable and reliable for the creation of stars in other solar
systems.

Essay 4
Nowadays there is a hot topic upon the subject of the most
beautiful years in someones life. Some claim that the childhood
is irreplaceable, while others argue that college years are the
best time in anybodys life. Opinions tend to differ dramatically
as peoples experiences are also different. I am inclined to
agree with the latter, for there are several reasons.
Firstly, one cannot deny that even if attending college is
sometimes an ardous activity due to the numerous exams, it
still leaves you plenty of spare time. Whether you attend
morning classes or whether you prefer night courses, there is
always enough time for ordinary students to enjoy themselves.
Therefore, this free time enables them to take part in lots of
parties, contests of different kind or even enroll for voluntary
activities. During college, most students have the chance to
experience all sorts of activities that they might not even heard
of. Not having such a busy schedule yet, students are usually
able to have fun and make their youth memorable by not
staying still for a second. For instance, I remember that when
my cousin was in College, she used to leave house Friday
afternoons and return Sunday mornings. She was the kind of

girl who never missed a party. Even so, she handled college
successfully and got a degree in Medicine.
Secondly, there is no argue against the fact that a vast majority
of students are often given the chance to discover the world.
College does not necessarily mean to listen to lectures and then
pass certain exams. Nowadays, most colleges offer students the
opportunity to experience everything on their own skin. Thus, it
is commonly heard that students take part in internhips, leaving
their country for another in order to work or even study, for
example. Consequently, not only do they have the possibility to
change their horizons, but they also get to meet new cultures,
make new relationships and to see beyond some books and
grades. Is is widely known that through all these events and
happening that students encounter, they can eventually find
their vocation in life.
In addition, another reason for which college can represent the
best time of someones life is that there is no such great
responsability, yet. Being a student does not imply raising
children or working full time to sustain a family, for instance.
College usually is about learning, developing and preapring for
the real world, for the real adult in formation.
However, there are plenty of people who point out the college
can sometimes be a real struggle for some students. There are
pupils who cannot integrate, who cannot be part in groups and
they constantly feel neglected. Others observe that college can
also mean terror because of the exams, degrees and marks.
Summing up, I consider that no matter the circumstances, the
college years make the best memories of any persons life. Not
only does college provides you a great background for evolving,
but it also fosters you to enjoy your youth.

Integrated task 3
In the lecture the professor makes several points about the
problems occuring when it comes to the graded school system.
Meanwhile, in the reading there are presented general facts and
positive aspects of this particular school system.
Firstly, the lecturer claims that one common issue to this
system is the actual difference between the readiness of pupils
in order to start school. He observes that there is a huge
discrepancy on the social, the mental and the physical levels of
todays children. This is different from the reading which states
that the graded school system, actually the European model,
generally encourages pupils to start school at the age six, the
age playing a major role. The lecturer casts doubt on the
reading by proving that age is not necessarily an important
factor when taking into account the readiness to start school.

Secondly, the lecturer states that another issue prevalent to

this system is the process of promotion. He points out that
repeating one school year, if marks are not high enough usually
leads to boredom and even more droppouts of schools. He also
adds that the standartized test focus mainly on groups of
students and not on the individuals, as each pupil has his own
pace of gaining information. Whereas, in the reading it is argued
that it is compulsory for students to achieve the minimum
marks in order to pass one grade. Thus, at the end of the
twelfth grade, most students obtain a high school diploma that
allows them to access further education such as university. The
professor doubts this point by stating that it is more important
to pay attention to each individual and to take into account his
own rhytm of approaching everyday lessons.
These points made by the lecturer challenge the points made in
the reading passage by proving that there are quite a few
things needed to be improved to this school system.