Name two Spanish film festivals with at least one fact about each. Write your answer in English.

1) San Sebastian International Film Festival - This prestigious film festival is held annually in the city of San Sebastian, Spain and was first established in 1953. It is one of the most important film festivals in Europe and showcases both Spanish and international films.

2) Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival - This film festival takes place in the coastal town of Sitges, Spain and focuses on horror, fantasy, and science fiction films. It is one of the oldest and most important festivals of its kind in the world, with its first edition being held in 1968.

Discuss the purpose of regional television in España. Write your answer in English.

The purpose of regional television in Spain is to provide programming that is specific to each region's culture, language, and interests. Spain is a country with a diverse mix of cultures and languages, each with its own unique traditions and customs. Regional television allows viewers to stay connected with their local community whilst showcasing the diversity and traditions of different regions. It serves to inform and entertain viewers with local news, programming, and events specific to their region.

Regional television channels also play a role in promoting cultural tourism within their respective regions. They often showcase local attractions, festivals, and events to encourage viewers to visit and experience the culture firsthand. Regional television channels also provide a platform for local artists, musicians, and performers to showcase their talents and reach a wider audience.

Overall, regional television in Spain plays a vital role in preserving and promoting the rich cultural diversity of the country while keeping viewers connected to their local community.

What is a Goya award, and why is it significant? Write your answer in English.

The Goya Awards (Premios Goya in Spanish) are the most prestigious film awards in Spain. They were established in 1987 by the Spanish Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences to honor the best Spanish films of the year.

The Goya Awards are named after Francisco de Goya, one of Spain's most prominent painters, and each year the statue awarded to winners is a small bronze bust of the artist.

The Goya Awards, therefore, recognize the achievements of Spanish filmmakers, directors, actors, screenwriters, and technical crew members in the film industry. The awards ceremony is highly anticipated each year and is broadcast on television, drawing a large Spanish and international audience.

Winning a Goya Award is considered a significant achievement for Spanish filmmakers, as it not only recognizes their hard work and dedication to their craft but also helps promote Spanish cinema to a wider audience. As such, the Goya Awards have become an essential event on the Spanish cultural calendar and play a vital role in promoting Spanish cinema both nationally and internationally.

Briefly discuss Emilia Pardo Bazán's most notable accomplishments. Write your answer in English.

Emilia Pardo Bazán was a Spanish writer, journalist, and feminist who lived from 1851 to 1921, and who achieved several notable accomplishments throughout her lifetime. Some of her most significant accomplishments include:

1. Literary career: Pardo Bazán was widely regarded as one of the most important and influential Spanish writers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She wrote dozens of novels, novellas, plays, and essays, many of which addressed social and political issues of the time, including women's rights.

2. Feminist activism: Pardo Bazán was a vocal advocate for women's rights and worked towards advancing women's education and social status. She founded a feminist organization called the Spanish Feminine Association and was the first woman to be admitted to the Royal Galician Academy.

3. Academic career: Pardo Bazán was a professor of literature at the Central University of Madrid, becoming one of the first women to hold a university chair in Spain. She was also a prolific speaker and delivered lectures on a wide range of topics, including literature, history, and feminism.

4. Cultural influence: Pardo Bazán was a prominent figure in Spain's cultural landscape and played a significant role in the literary and feminist movements of her time. Her work remains widely read and studied in Spain and has been translated into several languages, contributing to her legacy as an influential writer and feminist figure.

Explain how the verbs saber and conocer differ. Write your answer in English.

In Spanish, the verbs saber and conocer both translate to the English verb "to know," but they are used in different contexts and have slightly different meanings.

Saber is most commonly used to express knowledge of facts and information, such as knowing how to do something or knowing a piece of information. For example, "Sé hablar español" means "I know how to speak Spanish" or "Sé que el examen es el martes" means "I know that the exam is on Tuesday." It typically refers to having a clear, factual understanding of something.

Conocer, on the other hand, is used more to express familiarity or personal acquaintance. It is often used to refer to people, places, or experiences. For example, "Conozco a Juan" means "I know Juan" or "Conozco Madrid muy bien" means "I know Madrid very well." It typically refers to having experienced something or having a personal relationship with someone or something.

In summary, while both verbs can be used to express knowledge, saber is used more to refer to factual knowledge or skills, while conocer is used more to refer to personal experiences or relationships.

Imagine that you are taking a course on how to use the Internet. Describe three things you would do in the course. Write your answer in Spanish.

Si estuviera tomando un curso sobre cómo utilizar Internet, haría lo siguiente:

1. Aprender los conceptos fundamentales de Internet, como la definición de URL, navegador web, motores de búsqueda y enlaces. También aprendería cómo navegar por la red y cómo buscar información en línea.

2. Crear mi propia cuenta de correo electrónico y aprender cómo funciona. Aprendería cómo enviar y recibir correos electrónicos, cómo enviar y adjuntar archivos y cómo administrar mi bandeja de entrada.

3. Aprender cómo utilizar las redes sociales de manera segura y efectiva. Aprendería cómo crear perfiles en redes sociales como Facebook, Twitter y LinkedIn, y cómo compartir información en línea y interactuar con otras personas. También aprendería cómo proteger mi información personal y privacidad en línea.

Explain how to conjugate pedir and servir in the present tense. Write your answer in English.

To conjugate the Spanish verbs pedir (to ask for/to order) and servir (to serve) in the present tense, follow these steps:

Pedir:
1. Start with the stem, which is "ped-"
2. Add the appropriate endings to the stem:
- Yo: pido
- Tú: pides
- Él/ella/usted: pide
- Nosotros/nosotras: pedimos
- Vosotros/vosotras: pedís
- Ellos/ellas/ustedes: piden

Servir:
1. Start with the stem, which is "serv-"
2. Add the appropriate endings to the stem:
- Yo: sirvo
- Tú: sirves
- Él/ella/usted: sirve
- Nosotros/nosotras: servimos
- Vosotros/vosotras: servís
- Ellos/ellas/ustedes: sirven

By following these conjugation rules, you can use pedir and servir in the present tense to express an ongoing action in the present, such as "Yo pido un café" (I am ordering a coffee) or "Nosotros servimos la comida" (We are serving the food).

Explain the different functions of the aerospace centers in Houston and Cape Canaveral. Write your answer in English.

The aerospace centers in Houston and Cape Canaveral have different functions and are associated with different space programs.

Houston's Johnson Space Center is a major space center for NASA. It operates as the training center for astronauts, as well as the command center for NASA's International Space Station (ISS) program. The Johnson Space Center is responsible for developing and testing spacecraft systems, and it also researches new technologies and materials for space exploration.

Cape Canaveral, on the other hand, is home to the Kennedy Space Center. Located in Florida, this center is responsible for managing the production, testing, and launching of spacecraft. The Kennedy Space Center launched the Apollo missions to the moon as well as the Space Shuttle program and continues to support commercial launches with its specialized facilities.

In summary, the Johnson Space Center in Houston mainly focuses on training and research, while the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral focuses on launch operations and spacecraft production. Both centers play a crucial role in NASA's space exploration programs and have contributed to significant advancements in space exploration.

What "firsts" were achieved by Ellen Ochoa and José Moreno Hernández? Write your answer in English.

Ellen Ochoa and José Moreno Hernández are both notable Hispanic astronauts who have achieved significant "firsts" in the history of space exploration.

Ellen Ochoa became the first Hispanic woman to travel to space in 1993 when she served as a mission specialist aboard the space shuttle Discovery. During her career, she also logged over 950 hours in space and served as the director of NASA's Johnson Space Center. Ochoa's achievements have inspired many young people, particularly young women and girls, to pursue careers, especially in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields.

José Moreno Hernández became the first Hispanic astronaut to visit the International Space Station (ISS) in 2008 when he served as a mission specialist aboard the space shuttle Discovery. He was also only the second Mexican-American astronaut to go to space after Franklin Chang-Diaz. Hernández grew up in a migrant farmworker family and has used his experience to advocate for education and career opportunities in STEM fields for disadvantaged and underrepresented communities.

In summary, Ellen Ochoa and José Moreno Hernández were both pioneers in the field of space exploration, breaking boundaries and inspiring future generations. Ochoa was the first Hispanic woman to travel to space, while Moreno Hernández was the first Hispanic astronaut to visit the International Space Station.

Write a travel blog entry in which you describe a visit to one of the countries that you learned about during the semester. Describe what you saw and did. Give your opinion of the places. Use Spanish and the appropriate verb tenses and vocabulary in your entry.

Hace unos meses tuve la oportunidad de visitar Guatemala, un país fascinante en Centroamérica. Durante mi viaje, pude disfrutar de los impresionantes paisajes naturales, la cultura rica y diversa y la deliciosa comida.

Comencé mi visita en la ciudad colonial de Antigua, rodeada por volcanes y llena de hermosas iglesias y casas coloniales. Paseé por las calles empedradas, tomé muchas fotos y visité algunos mercados locales, donde pude comprar artesanías y probar algunos platos típicos como el pepián y los chuchitos.

También tuve la oportunidad de visitar algunos sitios arqueológicos mayas, como el Parque Nacional Tikal. Pasé un día entero contemplando los impresionantes templos, palacios y pirámides mayas. No podía creer lo avanzados que eran en términos de arquitectura, astronomía y matemáticas.

Finalmente, terminé mi viaje en el lago de Atitlán, rodeado de impresionantes montañas y volcanes. Tomé un bote para explorar algunos de sus pueblos cercanos y visité algunas cooperativas donde aprendí sobre la producción de café y otros productos locales.

En general, mi visita a Guatemala fue una experiencia increíble. Definitivamente recomendaría a cualquiera que quiera explorar una cultura diversa, una naturaleza impresionante y una rica historia que visite Guatemala.

What is a quinceañera celebration, and why is it important? Write your answer in English.

A quinceañera is a traditional celebration in many Latin American countries to mark a girl's 15th birthday and her transition from childhood to young adulthood. The celebration is often characterized by a religious ceremony, a formal reception, and various customs and traditions.

The celebration usually starts with a religious ceremony, where the young woman presents herself before God and the community to give thanks for her life and ask for blessings in her future endeavors. After the religious ceremony, a formal reception is held where family and friends gather to celebrate with music, dancing, and a special meal. During the reception, the quinceañera typically wears a formal gown and may also wear a tiara or crown.

The celebration of a quinceañera has significant cultural and social importance for many Latino families. It is often seen as an important rite of passage as it represents a young woman's transition from childhood to young adult - it symbolizes a formal presentation of the young woman to society as a mature and responsible person. The celebration also reinforces family and community values, including the importance of religious faith, a sense of community, and the value of family and cultural traditions.

Overall, the quinceañera celebration is a significant and meaningful event in a young woman's life and represents a time of celebration, reflection, and appreciation for her culture and community.

Answer the question with a complete sentence. Write your answer in Spanish.

¿Dónde duermes?

Duermo en mi casa.

How do you say, "Make the bed in the bedroom" in Spanish?

"Haz la cama en el dormitorio"

What kinds of professional support and resources are available to Hispanics and Latinos entering the technology fields at places like the Illinois Institute of Technology and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology? Write your answer in English.

Hispanics and Latinos entering the technology field can access various professional support and resources designed to support their academic and professional success at places like the Illinois Institute of Technology and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

These resources include research centers, academic programs, mentorship and networking opportunities, and student organizations that are dedicated to supporting Hispanic and Latino students in STEM fields. Many of these resources are designed to promote diversity and inclusion in the technology sector and address the underrepresentation of Hispanics and Latinos in STEM.

For example, at the Illinois Institute of Technology, the Center for the Study of Ethics in the Professions and the College of Computing offer several programs to support Hispanic and Latino students in technology fields, including the IIT Hispanic Leadership Academy and the Latino Mentorship Program. Both programs offer mentorship, academic support, and networking opportunities for Hispanic and Latino students.

Similarly, MIT has several programs and organizations dedicated to supporting underrepresented minorities in the technology field, including the Office of Minority Education (OME) and the Society for Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE). The OME offers academic support, mentorship, and networking opportunities to help Hispanic and Latino students navigate their academic and career paths in STEM fields, while SHPE provides opportunities for Hispanic and Latino students to connect with professionals in the technology industry and participate in leadership and community service activities.

In summary, Hispanic and Latino students entering the technology field can access a range of resources and support networks that aim to promote diversity and inclusion in STEM fields and support their academic and professional success.