A language learners’ forum

Bonne courage! I'll be working on my French too (that sounds weird--ah well).

I got a chance to look at some of those links you gave me: it's pity that Belgium isn't on the non-GMO list!

smallwhite wrote:

PeterMollenburg wrote:What's your Spanish level like currently, out of interest?

I think I can pass the C1 exam in Feb 2017.

I tried the DLI test like you did but in Spanish, and got a "3" for "current level" in the reading section also just like you did. I couldn't drag myself to continue on to the "target level" because the texts are so boring and depressing, and I think 3 is the maximum level in the reading section anyway.

If I plan to take the DELE exam then I'll have to practise reading more boring non-fiction texts. All I used to read were free Kindle novels about murder cases and short news articles about crabs crossing the road en masse

I think you are a super solid high B2 and could probably pass the C1 exam with a little prep (very little). All that wondering if you were really a B2 in the other thread was just silly. Since we all know you are going to take the exams in order regardless of necessity, you should just take that B2 exam so we can move on It is no use debating if you are already a C1 for exam purposes because you won't take it until you are a C2. :-p

Xenops wrote:Bonne courage! I'll be working on my French too (that sounds weird--ah well).

Good luck with your French Xenops! I hope we both have a great year in 2017 learning much more than one could've anticipated

Xenops wrote:I got a chance to look at some of those links you gave me: it's pity that Belgium isn't on the non-GMO list!

Thanks for taking the time to read these links. I wouldn't worry too much about Belgium not being on that list. For one, Wallonia was the only region recently trying to prevent the free trade agreement with Canada to go ahead. Perhaps it was just a political stunt, or perhaps it's indicative of a people who care. Anyway back on Belgium not being on that list, I think it's much more important to vote with your dollars/euros/rupees (ie purchasing power) than what laws are in place governing food production, because at the end of the day, the more people purchase companies that are kind to humanity and the natural environment, the better we and our planet stand to be. How can companies with poor/unhealthy practises continue to survive if we don't buy their products? Unfortunately lack of labelling laws in the U.S. make your choices much harder to make, and hopefully Belgium labels their products non-GMO/GMO, which gives you the power of choice. Still, being a small country, they would import a lot of food products, and generally it's only the products made within a country's borders that are subject to it's laws, such as labelling. So, I'm particularly careful for example, here in Australia of buying any products from the U.S. especially corn and soy.

smallwhite wrote:

smallwhite wrote:

PeterMollenburg wrote:What's your Spanish level like currently, out of interest?

I think I can pass the C1 exam in Feb 2017.

I tried the DLI test like you did but in Spanish, and got a "3" for "current level" in the reading section also just like you did. I couldn't drag myself to continue on to the "target level" because the texts are so boring and depressing, and I think 3 is the maximum level in the reading section anyway.

If I plan to take the DELE exam then I'll have to practise reading more boring non-fiction texts. All I used to read were free Kindle novels about murder cases and short news articles about crabs crossing the road en masse

I find it incredible smallwhite that you say your current level is A0 and you can score a 3 on the DLI ODA tests for Spanish. I don't say that with disbelief as my intent, but more like well done! You certainly could pass that exam with a bit of work. In my opinion there is a lot of good non-fiction material out there. I see fiction largely as a distraction, but so many people would disagree with me. Still, this is all a matter of opinion.

Ani wrote:I think you are a super solid high B2 and could probably pass the C1 exam with a little prep (very little). All that wondering if you were really a B2 in the other thread was just silly. Since we all know you are going to take the exams in order regardless of necessity, you should just take that B2 exam so we can move on It is no use debating if you are already a C1 for exam purposes because you won't take it until you are a C2. :-p

I appreciate your vote of confidence Ani. I probably under-estimate my skills from time to time. Better to under-estimate though, than over-estimate. However other times I feel like i still have SOOOOOOO much more to learn, and I don't know that I truly am C1 in any areas, nor do I believe I'm necessarily a 'solid high B2' as you say. I've really only in recent times have been able to follow the news. That's not a huge accomplishment and is evidence there's still a way to go yet, especially when I watch/listen to news occasionally and feel almost completely lost. The wondering may have been silly, but a little reassurance/discussion doesn't hurt imo. And that aside (the level issue), I got a lot of good advice on how to proceed from here on, which has led to me changing my study plan. That's something which I feel is definitely needed at this point, and something I feel, which I needed to be pushed/convinced by others to take that step. Still you are essentially perhaps correct, it may not of needed discussion, I probably already knew this and am the type that will not sit B2 until i'm C1, and C1 until i'm C2, like you say. Hope your studies are going well!

PeterMollenburg wrote:Unfortunately lack of labelling laws in the U.S. make your choices much harder to make, and hopefully Belgium labels their products non-GMO/GMO, which gives you the power of choice.

This may not have any practical affect on US imports into Australia, but I just wanted to point out as a matter of practice for us here in the US since there are no standard labeling laws. Most food producers are adopting a voluntary label for non-GMO foods from nongmoproject.org. It's distinguishable and easily identifiable on packaging. The common assumption is that, if it is not labeled non-GMO, it definitely does contain GMO ingredients. Of course without standard labeling laws, its possible that food that does not have the voluntary non-GMO label, may indeed have no GMO, but one has to assume that it does. At least I do, and I believe most others that are concerned, also do. I think more and more food producers are tuning into this - which helps us consumers. Non-GMO and organic foods are not hard to find here.

rlnv wrote:

PeterMollenburg wrote:Unfortunately lack of labelling laws in the U.S. make your choices much harder to make, and hopefully Belgium labels their products non-GMO/GMO, which gives you the power of choice.

This may not have any practical affect on US imports into Australia, but I just wanted to point out as a matter of practice for us here in the US since there are no standard labeling laws. Most food producers are adopting a voluntary label for non-GMO foods from nongmoproject.org. It's distinguishable and easily identifiable on packaging. The common assumption is that, if it is not labeled non-GMO, it definitely does contain GMO ingredients. Of course without standard labeling laws, its possible that food that does not have the voluntary non-GMO label, may indeed have no GMO, but one has to assume that it does. At least I do, and I believe most others that are concerned, also do. I think more and more food producers are tuning into this - which helps us consumers. Non-GMO and organic foods are not hard to find here.

Yeah I have heard of this too, and it's very good practise. My wife mentioned she bought something the other day which was an import from the U.S. and was corn, but she said it was clearly labelled as non-GMO, so yeah it does have an effect here.

My opinion on the U.S. in general is a country of extremes. Some of the best food products and good deal of them can be found there, while there is a huge amount of GMO crops produced there. Same goes with health care I think. Insurance is a big issue (or lack of) and yet some of the most cutting edge developments occur in the U.S. Earthships rock! and they are prevalent in Arizona. etc. Thanks for sharing Ron.

Well 2016 almost done with 763 hours of French in various forms. That's down from 926hrs in 2014 and 836hrs in 2015. I hope to outdo them all in 2017, while bringing more balance to my life and some furious advances in French. Dutch won't wait forever!

PeterMollenburg wrote:2017 starts here

I'm not sure about down under, but here in the US, 2017 starts on January 1st.

rlnv wrote:

PeterMollenburg wrote:2017 starts here

I'm not sure about down under, but here in the US, 2017 starts on January 1st.

No, not here- depends on what state you're in as to what year it is. Feel free to interpret "state" however you so please