FINAL (END OF ESP COURSE) SELF-ASSESSMENT

WRITING:
Summaries
It is one of the hardest tasks for me, but I think I am starting to improve. It is much easier than at the beginning of the course, but I still need more practice and keep more focused on grammar, because it is my weak point.

SPEAKING:
Short talks
I think I improved, I can speak more fluently now and increased my knowledge on a lot of different subjects. I found it difficult to search for information for my short talks, but it is easier now.

Impromptu
To my mind, it is the area in which I am best, because I am used to speak impromptu, I think I improved a lot in last term and did not have much room to grow in this one.

Power Point Presentation
It was the hardest task of speaking, because I had a lot of information and not enough time. I think I could improve more in information selection, so that my power point presentations would be more interesting and I would not rush my speech.

LISTENING TO:
Online materials
It was one of the easiest tasks for me, because I am used to listening and do not find any difficulties in it. Online listening sound quality is quite good so it is easy to understand what is told.

Cassettes
Listening to cassettes was a bit harder than listening to the online material, because the sound quality was lower and often the tasks were harder, but despite that I that I think I done pretty well, but there still is some room to improve by practicing.

ESP VOCABULARY:
Formal tests in class
This task was hardest of all for me, because I hate to go over and over the same thing to learn something and for this task it was necessary. I done pretty bad formal tests in class, I think I could improve by reading modules more often.

Class tests online
I think it was easy I hardly made any mistakes over this year in this exercise, I think it is because i was well prepared in school.

Summary of “Scared to death: the link between stress and coronary heart disease”

It is widely known that heart diseases are caused by numerous physiological factors such as: smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, high levels of serum cholesterol, diabetes, lack of exercise. Recent studies focused of psychological factors and some evidence was found.

Firstly, in 1994 near Los Angeles after earthquake a lot of people who survived but remained in building crushed or trapped faced death from heart attack, it was called Northridge Effect. Most of those people, who died from heart attack, had history of coronary heart disease. Two studies were conducted considering heart attacks and coronary hearts disease as psychological risk factors. Results were shocking, stress and depression can cause a heart attack.

Secondly, the fact that psychological factors can cause coronary heart disease is undeniable. Not only that psychological factors causes risk related behavior such as smoking and poor eating habits, but also increase blood pressure, induce inflammation, cause physiological changes that damage blood vessels over time.

Thirdly, knowing that in modern life stress is unavoidable, scientists suggest activities which reduce stress. Researchers tried using thoughts about a supportive friend or watching a funny movie before stressful activity and it was helpful.

In the end, not only physiological factors cause stress, but also psychological, so people should try to protect themselves from both risk factors. Using the knowledge of science it can be done.