C1 - Noah van der Meij

Blog Assignments

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Blog 4 jaar 4

Dear Ms Grootenboer

The reason I’m reaching out for you is to evaluate the program Business English of the past three years. I’d like to go over some strengths and weaknesses of this course.

Fortunately, I must admit I’ve learned plenty of new terms and business expressions. The lessons have been so valuable to me, that makes me ecstatic. 

Although some things are great, I did experience some unpleasant circumstances. First of all, in my first and second year of Business English, the covid pandemic made us work from home a lot. Secondly, we had a rigorous instructor. On the positive side, you learn a lot this way, but it did make the lessons less enjoyable. 

To optimize our Business English program, I see groundbraking opportunities to improve this. One of the solutions seems to me, following the lessons at school. Being together and learning together is so much better than alone at home. Furthermore, I believe it’s important to practice a lot in class, but also have a laugh together. This makes the students enjoy the program more. 

After all, Business English has taught me a lot up to this point, and the lectures are getting better and better. Keep going!

Should you need any more information, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Kind regards

Noah van der Meij

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Blog 3 jaar 4

Nienke’s words

Discombobulate - to cause to be in a state of confusion: upset, disorient. … inventing cool new ways to discombobulate the old order.

Bamboozle – cheat or fool (like trick or mislead)

Kerfuffle – a commotion or fuss, especially one caused by conflicting views > drukte/ opschudding

Noah’s words

Serendipity (Engels) - Serendipiteit (Nederlands)

Engelse uitleg: Serendipity refers to the discovery of something valuable or interesting by chance, without intentionally looking for it. It's the unexpected fortunate discovery of something positive while you were actually searching for something else.

Nederlandse uitleg: Serendipiteit verwijst naar het vinden van iets waardevols of interessants per toeval, zonder opzettelijk te zoeken. Het is de onverwachte, gelukkige ontdekking van iets positiefs terwijl je eigenlijk op zoek was naar iets anders.

Ubiquitous (Engels) - Alomtegenwoordig (Nederlands)

Engelse uitleg: Ubiquitous describes something that is present everywhere or exists in many places simultaneously. It's often used to refer to products, brands, or technologies that are widely spread and omnipresent within a specific industry.

Nederlandse uitleg: Alomtegenwoordig beschrijft iets dat overal aanwezig is of zich op veel plaatsen tegelijk bevindt. Het wordt vaak gebruikt om te verwijzen naar producten, merken of technologieën die wijdverspreid en alomtegenwoordig zijn in een bepaalde branche.

Paradigm Shift (Engels) - Paradigma Verschuiving (Nederlands)

Engelse uitleg: A paradigm shift signifies a fundamental change in the way something is understood, approached, or done in a particular context. It typically implies a radical departure from the prevailing mindset or established norms within an industry or discipline.

Nederlandse uitleg: Een paradigma verschuiving betekent een fundamentele verandering in de manier waarop iets wordt begrepen, benaderd of gedaan in een bepaalde context. Het impliceert meestal een radicale afwijking van de heersende mindset of gevestigde normen binnen een industrie of discipline.

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Blog 2 jaar 4

In 2019 I started a job as an assistant in health care, where I worked with people with dementia. The target audience are elderly, with an altzimer diagnose. This job is a great experience, which thought me to be grateful for every day I receive from God. The connections I’ve made with patients and family is so valuable, I wouldn’t miss it for the world. I need to address the kindness of my coworkers, who have always been there for me. The work isn’t always easy, but together we always get through hard times. Another compliment I want to make is for the family of the patients. They’re so supportive and thankful for everything we do here. The last compliment I want to make is a big thumbs up for the management in the organization. We have about seventy coworkers, which is hard to manage. But they’re there for us, regardless of the high workload. Although, I must say, it would be good to evaluate the work prestation’s of coworkers. A personal development conversation wouldn’t be too bad. Nevertheless, I am very happy with my work. 

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Blog 1 jaar 4

Back in the days, in 2019, I started studying at the Christelijke Hogeschool Ede. I choose the study ‘social work’ because I was very eager to help people all around the world. Unfortunately, I discovered that this study was too soft for me. I am a businesswoman in blood and vains. So, I switched to Business Administration, also on the CHE. I found this one of the hardest mistakes in my life. It felt like a lost year. My parents and friends thought me that this was a year full of experiences and life lessons. Well, I will stick to this positive view. What I learned in this situation, is that it’s OK if things don’t work out the way you thought they would. This is a lesson I take with me in every new situation, like work, internships, and tests. Still, I want to combinate my passion for helping others in society with my strengths in Business Administration. For example, I work at the UMC Utrecht – a academical hospital located in Utrecht – in recruitment. This way I can work behind the scenes in helping people. 

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7. Let’s increase our vocabulary!

Throughout this program I have come across a number of new words, which i found in TED talks, news reports, among other things. I would like to share these words with you, with the definition of course.

Hazardous | involving or exposing one to risk

Plant nursery | place where plants are grown for transplanting

Likelihood | the state or fact of something's being likely; probability. So the difference between likelihood and likely is that likely is something or somebody considered likely while likelihood is the probability of a specified outcome

Gillick-competent | Children under the age of 16 can consent to their own treatment if they're believed to have enough intelligence, competence and understanding to fully appreciate what's involved in their treatment.

Deceptive marketing | when a business makes claims or representations that are likely to create a false impression in consumers as to the price, value or quality of goods or services on offer. This is against the law.

Greenwashing | a communication and marketing strategy used by some companies or other organizations. It consists in putting forward ecological arguments in order to forge an ecologically responsible image among the public.

Desirable | having pleasing qualities or properties

Vitality | the state of being strong and active; energy.

Externality | a cost or benefit for a third party who did not agree to it. Air pollution from motor vehicles e.g..

Thrive | to do well in a particular kind of situation, like; she thrives on attention or he actually thrives on stress.

Outgrowing | stop doing or having an interest in (something) as one matures. It can also mean growing faster or taller than something or someone else. 

Warden | a person responsible for the supervision of a particular place or activity or for enforcing the regulations associated with it.

Page turners | an exciting book.

Entreprenurial | the ability and readiness to develop, organize and run a business enterprise

Squandered | to spend extravagantly or foolishly

Conspectus | of the same species.

Perseverance | continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties

Quadrupled | become four times as big

Dismal | causing a mood of gloom or depression.

Benefactor | a person who gives money or other help to a person or cause.

Microfinance | a type of banking service provided to unemployed or low-income individuals or groups who otherwise would have no other access to financial services.

Established | having existed or done something for a long time and therefore recognized and generally accepted.

Inevitable | certain to happen; unavoidable

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My Cultural Experience

I like to travel very much. I have been to several countries in Europe, namely France, Belgium, Spain, Greece, Germany and England. I find it very interesting to notice cultural differences in these countries. Because I find this so interesting, I made a pot with 3 friends with cards with countries on it. Every week we draw a card and we cook and dress like that country does. Here you will learn many different dishes and cultural differences. We have already cooked and dressed for this: America could Italy, France, Asia, in that comma Spain and the Middle East. I think this is very good for you to look at how other cultures are, we can really learn something from this!

The biggest differences I've noticed in other countries are in England they are very polite. It is good to be aware of this, to also appear polite in other countries. In Spain they always rest in the afternoon. This is good to know because most shops are closed in the afternoon.

The nicest country I've been to is Greece, when we were on the island of Rhodes. The People were very welcoming and the food was very tasty I would definitely recommend this country.

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Thee rules for beter Work-Life balance.

3 rules for better work-life balance

Have you answered a work email during an important family event? Or taken a call from your boss while on vacation? According to behavioral s

Ashley Whilans talks about keeping work and private life separate. She says that people are very inclined to answer a message or e-mail quickly. Several studies have shown that this leads to feelings of loneliness and depression. It costs an average company 32 days a year of sick, depressed employees.

The speaker gives us 3 rules for a better work-life balance. The first rule is to make a new definition of rest, because rest is now in our minds as not being productive. she gives the tip to classify every weekend as a holiday, so that you can really rest and leave work behind.

The second rule the speaker gives is to set clear boundaries about when you are free. It is also very important to communicate with your colleagues about this, so that they know when you are available and when you are not.

The last rule the speaker gives is ask for more time If you need more time. This way you have a real weekend on the weekend, and the evenings off are also really evenings off. This way you keep a good balance between work and private life.

Finally, she tells us not to be afraid of your reputation. Employees who took more time for themselves and had clear boundaries had less chance of a burnout.

“Don’t Be Afraid Of Your Reputation”

I think this is a great ted talk, because this is an important topic for your work. You hear a lot about burn outs, and if this can be prevented, I think that is very important to do. In any case, spending time with yourself and your family in your spare time is very important. You already do enough work, so spending time with your family is very important outside of work. Also Because studies have shown that your relationship with your family improves if you keep work and private life separate.

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More accurate way to calculate emissions

In this TED talk a more accurate way to calculate emissions is being discussed. The speaker tells us we know little of climate change, we can’t smell or see it direct so most of the time we don’t measure this. She says targets and action plans are set on data. More than 2/3 of the company are aware, and only 7% of the companies take action. Carbon needs to go down, and we need to keep measuring this. It is crucial to set targets and get successful in this, this helps us accelerate in this challenge. This way emissions will be optimized. It is about a huge amount of information you need to collect. Transport is important in the supply chain, but also designing can be a high amount of emission. A company can move to action, as they can take initiatives and keep measuring the emission.

“The secret is to produce less, produce cleaner, set goals and keep measuring”

Measuring from different views and recommend optimal options can help companies to reduce emissions. There is no industry with no emission at al. artificial intelligence will help us measure and optimize this fast and cheap.

I really believe this is a important subject to discuss. As she mentioned, we can’t smell or directly see this happening. So, it is of great importance to keep measuring and setting goals for emissions. With a simple ted talk you can create awareness for this subject, which is very important. Charlotte Degot is convinced that artificial intelligence will help us measure and optimize this fast and cheap. I think it is good to consider this in your organization, to create a better and cleaner world.

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Article 3.3

What are big oil companies sending to Hurricane Ida flood victims? 'Thoughts and prayers'

Critics pillory big oil companies for cynical expressions of sympathy while continuing to block climate solutions

Major oil companies are being pilloried on social media for sending “thoughts and prayers” to victims of Hurricane Ida while sidestepping their role in the ongoing climate disaster. In the last 80 years, Louisiana has lost roughly 2,000 square miles, according to the US Geological Survey. The death toll from Hurricane Ida is now nearing 50. For years, as the climate crisis has intensified, oil companies have extended social media messages of sympathy without addressing climate change and the role of fossil fuel emissions as the root of the problem. Exxon is currently facing lawsuits that allege “deceptive marketing” and “greenwashing” – the practice of marketing a company as environmentally friendly to hide a true record of fossil fuel emissions.

"In the wake of Hurricane Ida, our thoughts and prayers are with our collegues, friends and neighbors"

I can very well understand that people get outraged when a company that causes a lot of damage to nature sends "thoughts and prayers". More or less they are part of the cause of all the misery in nature, becasue of what they do. Instead of thinking about and praying for the people there, they have to adjust things in their company, otherwise the misery will continue. I think the environment-friendly measures should be taken. The 2.000 square miles and 50 death people is more than enough.

I want to thank you for reading my blog about these three articles. I hope you learned something from it and maybe sparked some interest in news. Have a great day ahead!

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Inaccurate link between body ideals and health

The inaccurate link between body ideals and health | Nancy N. Chen

Global obesity rates are on the rise, but body shaming campaigns are doing more harm than good, says medical anthropologist Nancy N. Chen. R

I choose this to listen to this TED talk, because I am very interested in this subject about ‘body ideals’.

In this TED talk Nancy talks about the inaccurate link between body ideals and health. I am convinced that this subject should get attention, because a thin body is associated with gender, power and social classes. This is mostly because of skinny (social media) models. Fortunately, this body ideal is changing over time, and curvy bodies showed up at sports, social media, and fashion. I think this is great, because the ‘thin body ideal’ made the number of people with a eating disorder grow, which is awful. This is also why diversity activists are increasing body positivity. They say health can’t be judged from the outside at all. I stand fully behind body positivity, but I also believe this part is a bit tricky. Due to diseases like morbid obesities, which are actually very unhealthy, and can be seen from the outside.

"The gap between the size of average models and the average size of all women began to grow."

This is a very important fact. The average body size isn’t countable on Instagram or fashion shows. People can get insecure about their looks and develop eating disorders, in order to get as skinny as the role-figures.

"We come in all shapes and features that are desirable and beautiful. By caring for our bodies and collective well-being, we can heal by looking within ourselves." – Nancy N. Chen

In my opinion this a very appealing quote. I believe it is very important to appreciate your body and take care for it. I also think it is very important to first reflect on yourself, before you interfere with someone else (and the appearance of that person).

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Article 3.2

'My parents won't let me get the Covid vaccine'

In some countries, the Covid-19 vaccine can be given to all teenagers over the age of 12 but not all are allowed.

This is a story about a girl who wants the Covid vaccine, because she wants to protect herself and the people around her. Her parents won't allow this, even worse; they tell her she is stupid. This happens with many people all over the world. A 14 year old boy thinks this shouldn't be happening and started a platform to provide the parents all kinds of information about vaccinations. The UK government wants to help. They hope that parents will listen to their children and their own choices. Lucinda Fergison (a family law expert) tells us that children under the age of 16 years old should be 'Gillick competent'. This means that they know all of the consequenses. She also tells us that some cases end up in court.

“My parents call me stupid...”

I think it is very important that everyone is allowed to make decisions about their own life and their own body. It is logical that parents give you advise, but when it comes down to it, a child should be able to decide for themselves whether to take a vaccination or not. By the way, I think it's ridiculous that parents call their children stupid, because of a certain choice they make. I think parents should support you to some degree. Also I think it is good that children should be Gillick Competent, so that they know what they are doing. I am glad that the new platform can help parents and children through this proces.

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5. Yale Lecture

I choose a Yale lecture about “finding your purpose in a world of Financial Capitalism”. This lecture drew my attention, because it is a combination of information and personal growth.

First, the professor talked about the morality of Finance, about giving a fund to charity. Moral dilemmas do have a big influence on our finances. A part of our morality is doing good for the world and creating opportunities for someone.  

The second theme is about hopelessness of some, a lot of people think that ultimately there is nothing we can do; there will always be someone left in misery, which makes them hopeless.  

The world population is growing, while our resources are running out. Yet the lecturer isn’t afraid of it, he says that we dealt with it for years, centuries, so we will make it.  

Maybe you will die in war one day, so enjoy your life until that happens.  

In the following theme the speaker talks about wealth and poverty. Wealthy people and powerful organisations are controlling the world. This makes many people mad, but this is also how the world is evolving.  

After that, he lectures about the world of the next century, the democratization of Finance. Capitalism is getting less popular, “The winner takes all Politics”.  

An uneducated person with debts loses more and more opportunities, because of the failure of financial institutions to handle that well. The government provides some insurance – disability insurances. However, the education is the problem, many people are schooled for lost professions.  

Lastly, he talks about our career. A perfect job that serves good causes. You want to see your ability’s flourish and learn more. Technology will evolve and much more will change. You must reflect on your role in the next century.  

“I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all.” - Ecclesiastes 9:11

My opinion:

I found this lecture quite difficult; the teacher went through a lot of complicated material quickly. That's why I had to listen back from time to time, but this also made it very instructive. I'm still very figuring out what I want later, but I think it's a nice vision of this teacher not to worry too much. It's always been okay, even Bill Gates didn't finish school. Furthermore, I recognize myself in many examples that he gives, such as when giving to charity. This lecture inspires me to do more for the less fortunate. The bible text also motivates me to let go of more uncontrollable things. All in all, a very instructive lesson. 

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Exercise actually increases job performance!

Transcript of "The brain-changing benefits of exercise"

TED Talk Subtitles and Transcript: What's the most transformative thing that you can do for your brain today? Exercise! says neuroscientist

Wendy, a neuroscientist, tells us in this TED talk that a simple thing; physically movement, has got a long-lasting positive effect on your brain and your performance at work. I believe it is great that this subject gets more attention. A simple thing, that won’t take much time or effort, will increase job performance. This is also the reason companies give their employees free sport abonnements e.g..

Exercise is the easiest transformative thing you can do Wendy says. I think this is great because of the following reasons: it increases dopamine, provides better and longer attention, improves reaction times, and creates new brain cells.

Personally I try to workout twice a week, but I mostly fail. This TED talk helped me to motivate myself to move more and made me realize it doesn’t need to be a intensive workout, but it can also be a walk around the block. This way I can better my concentration and motivation at school and while working.

"I was able to focus and maintain my attention longer, and my long-term memory seemed to be better."

I am convinced that this is a great way to improve many things, just like you read. As I said before, this motivates me to exercise more.

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Article 3.1

When Hard Jobs Turn Hazardous

When Hard Jobs Turn Hazardous

Hi there, welcome to my new blog. The last few days I have read three business articles, which I will summarise and discuss here. Don't get bend out of shape, feel completely free to think otherwise 😜.

This is a story about a plant nursery justsouth of Portland. The drought, record heat and wildfire smoke make it very difficult for the farm owners to adapt. One of the farm owners collapsed and died, the official cause of death was heat related. It was 104 (!) degrees for several days, and because of this heat one of the largest wildfires in the US came up. OHSA adopted amergency rules for workplaces that could lead to heat illness. The rules are drinking cool water, a place under 80 degrees and more breaks over 90 degrees. They can put up tents for shadow and some coolness. A option is to work at night; it is way cooler. The heat isn't only a problem for the employees, fruit on the land also goes to waste. Which makes the income very low. The industry has to go where there's water.

“We need more federal and state government programs for farms to stay sustainable.”

I found it very distressing to read that an employee has died from the heat. This certainly indicates that not enough measures have been taken against the horrible heat in the US. I therefore think it is very good that organizations draws up rules for working conditions for the employees in this extreme heat. I can also understand that employees want the government to also draw up rules, so the employer cannot avoid doining it. It is also very unfortunate that the extreme heat also causes less good sales. We can defenitly say, the heat causes a lot of misery.

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My English Language History

Welcome to my new blog profile, I really appreciate you reading my first blog about my English language history :).

I will take you back in time when I was younger, my parents used to discuss important matters in English. Things we weren't allowed to know. My sister and I didn't understand this language, therefore the english language was something of great importance for us, we wanted to wrap our heads about this. I thought: If I can speak English, I can talk about important stuff too and I can hear what they are talking about.

I learned my first English words in elementary school, and my learning process continued from then on. I have always been very eager to learn, first off all because I like to broaden my knowledge. I also used to talk with a british accent with my friends on our way to secondairy school, we imitated this accent from 'Love Island' a reality dating game show with participants from all over the UK.

I've watched many many shows and movies from Netflix. I watched all English movies and shows with English subtitles, to keep training my English vocabulary and grammar. Here is a list of my four favorite English movies and shows:

1. Taken | a exciting movie about a girl being kidnapped.

2. Inception | a movie about intruding into other people's dreams. I would recommend this if you fancy something a little more complicated.

3. Sherlock | indispensable in this list of course, a show about a detective who solves all kinds of cases.

4. Peaky Blinders | Last but not least, is this a show about the Peaky Blinders, a criminal gang from Birmingham, and their activities in Birmingham shortly after the First World War. A little warning; they are showing a lot of violence.

To quickly recap, I have been interested in the english language for many years and I am mostly learning while watching TV. What is better than that?!

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Listening to spoken English improves your own speaking skills

Super Prof