Improve your spoken English. Learn English.

English poem - Tree - Reading and answering question

2012-02-12T19:18:00.000-08:00

POEM
TREE

Under the greenwood tree
Who loves to lie with me,
And turn his merry note
Unto the sweet bird’s throat,
Come hither, come hither, come hither:
Here shall he see
No enemy
But winter and rough weather.
Who doth ambition shun,
And loves to live i’ the sun,
Seeking the food he eats,
And pleased with what he gets,
Come hither, come hither, come hither:
Here shall he see
No enemy
But winter and rough weather.
- W Shakespeare

William Shakespeare (1564-1616) is a great playwright and poet. He has written a number of plays and poems. He has also written 154 sonnets. Here, in this poem, he invites us to be friendly with Nature where there is always joy and harmony and no enmity. This is taken from the play ‘As You Like It’.

Glossary
greenwood /'gri:nwUd / - an area abounding in trees
note /n@Ut / - tune
hither /'hID@ / - here
ambition /{m'bISn / - strong desire

Answer the following
1. Where does the poet invite us?
2. What shall one see in the world of Nature?
3. What should one keep away from to become one with Nature?
4. Does the poet live in the greenwood?

II. Pick out the words that rhyme with :
e.g. tree - me
note -
shun -
III. What is the theme of the song?

Learn English - take particapate in survey - Describe your village

2012-02-10T19:13:00.000-08:00

I. Strategic competency

Read the following statements. Give your opinion on each of the statements by marking the relevant box:

Task 1: Share your opinions with your group members.

Task 2: Find out the opinion of your teacher.

Task 3: State how your school literary association helps you.

Creative Competency

Read the following passage.

Jayanth, a student, describes his village.
Veerapandianpatanam is my village. It is a coastal village, situated on the coast of Gulf of Mannar. It is between Tiruchendur, one of the six abodes of Lord Muruga, and Kayalpatnam, a town where most of the people are Muslims. My village too sets an example for communal harmony. Here, people of different religions and castes co-exist peacefully. We take pride in calling our village a “village of gardens”. Naturally our village people are ecofriendly.
My village is very green. Neem trees line all the streets. All houses boast of kitchen gardens. Above all, the cool sea breeze makes my village a pleasant place to live and an ideal place for living.

Task 1: Write a passage describing your village.

Task 2: Tell your friends about your village and know from them about their villages.

Filling up the form - Example form in English

2012-02-04T18:03:00.000-08:00

G. Writing

1. Think of the few occasions when you have to fill in a form.

1. Admission
2. Bank transaction
3. .............................
4. ...............................
5. ..................................

2. What sort of information do you normally have to provide?
1. Name
2. Details of parents : Father Mother
3. Date of Birth
4. Age
5. ..................................
6. .................................
7. .................................
8. ................................

3. Fill in the following columns:
Write your name in capitals : ...............................
Strike out that which is not applicable : student / employee
Put a tick in the relevant box : |_|Female |_|Male
Your signature : .............................

Task: Fill in the application form to join the ECO-Club:

H. Occupational competency

Given on the next page is the time table of Tamilnadu State Express buses departing from Chennai to various destinations. Look at it carefully. Your class is to make field trips to Courtallam, Thanjavur and Tiruchendur in three batches. You are the group leader. Decide for your group the place of visit, the bus number and the timings.

Tamilnadu State Express Buses -
Departures from CMBT
(Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus), Koyambedu, Chennai.

Improve your vocabulary by solving riddles

2012-01-29T09:15:00.000-08:00

D. Vocabulary

I. Solve the following riddles: (Just for fun)

1. The man with whom you have to speak with your mouth wide open ............................
2. The man who checks your body and checks your pulse and purse ...........................
3. The man who is closer to your heart and treats you ................
4. The man who “hits the iron when it is hot” ............................
5. The man who is not happy with the proverb, “All that glitters is not gold.”................................

II. With the help of your teacher, refer to the dictionary and find the meanings of the following words. Before that, arrange the words in alphabetical order.

dentist, blacksmith, cardiologist, doctor, goldsmith, plumber,
lawyer, banker, priest

III. Fill in the columns below. Get guidance from your teacher and refer to the dictionary.

Specialist/professional ----------------------- What he does
1. dentist -----------------------treats the teeth
2. doctor
3. cardiologist
4. blacksmith
5. goldsmith
6. lawyer
7. banker
8. priest
9. plumber

Improving vocabulary - Remembering new words

2012-01-25T01:57:00.000-08:00

IV. Read the following story and identify the words with which you are not familiar. Find out how these words are used in this context.

The Cherry Tree
When George Washington was about six years old, he was presented with a small axe. Like most little boys, he was extremely fond of it. He went about cutting everything that came his way.

One day, as he was wandering about the garden, he happened to find a beautiful, young cherry tree. His father had planted this tree. Naturally he was very fond of it. George tried the edge of hisaxe on the bark of the tree. Ultimately the cherry died. Sometime after this, his father found out what had happened to his favourite tree. He came home in great anger and wanted to know who the guilty person was. But nobody could tell him anything about it. Just then George, with his little axe came into the room.

“George,” said his father, “do you know who killed my beautiful little cherry, yonder in the garden?”
This was a difficult question for George to answer. He was silent for a moment. But quickly recovering himself, he answered,

“I don’t want to hide the fact from you father. Sorry, I was the one who cut it with my new axe.”
The anger subsided. Taking the boy lovingly in his arms, George’s father said, “My son, you should not be afraid to tell the truth. Telling a lie is as sinful as cutting a 100 trees.”

E. Study Skills
One would get the following grammatical information if he refers to a standard dictionary.
1. the part of speech of a word
(whether it is a noun, verb, adjective, adverb, etc.)
2. If it is a noun whether it is countable [c] or uncountable [u]
3. If it is a verb, whether it is transitive [vt] or intransitive [vi]
4. The derivatives if any

Task: Write the dictionary entries for the following words. modern, oasis, provide, sleep, medicine, grow

Grammar Exercise - Subjcct Verb Object

2012-01-22T01:58:00.000-08:00

F. Grammar
Look at the following sentences.
1. Trees/ preserve/ the soil.
        S         V           O
2. The neem trees / are grown/ in villages and towns.
             S    V                  A
3. We/ have planted/ neem saplings/ in our school campus.
     S           V                  O A
4. Trees / give / us / shade.
       S        V   IO     DO
5. The villagers / call / the neem tree / their village pharmacy.
            S V O                       C
6. The neem trees / are / useful / in many ways.
            S    V       C A
Note: A sentence is a group of words arranged in a specific order which makes complete sense. It comprises smaller units called elements. They are: Subject (S), Verb (V), Complement (C), Object (O) and Adjunct (A).
Subject : It denotes the person or thing about which something is said. It can be a noun, a pronoun, an infinitive, a gerund, a noun phrase or clause.
Verb : Write, read... are called transitive verbs. Trasitive verbs have objects. Sleep, come, go, become.... are called intransitive verbs. They have no objects. If the transitive verbs have two objects (answer to what and to whom) they are called ditransitive verbs.
Object : The object that answers the question ‘what’ is the DO. The object that answers the question ‘to whom’ is IO.
Complement : It completes the predicate of a sentence. It is an essential part. The subject complement describes or characterises the subject. The object complement describes or characterises the object.
Adjunct : It gives additional meaning. It answers to the question how (manner), when (time), where (place) etc.
Task 1 : Read the following anecdote. Identify the sentence patterns. Circle the number corresponding to the correct pattern of the sentence. The first one is done for you.
1. S V
2. S V O
3. S V A
4. S V O A
5. S V O A A
6. S V IO DO
7. S V A A
A penguin joke
1. A man and his wife were walking along a street. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
2. They came across a penguin. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
3. They were surprised. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
4. They thought for a while. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
5. They took it to the police station. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
6. The policeman asked them to take it to the zoo. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
7. The policeman was walking down the same street the next day. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8. He saw the couple again. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
9. He saw the penguin in their hands. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
10. They gave him the explanation. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
11. “We took her to the zoo yesterday.” 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
12. “We take her to the Golden beach now.” 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Task 2: Make sentences of your own using the sentence patterns SVC, SVO, SVA, SVOA, SVCA. Use the given picture to make sentences.

Reading the story and answering exercise - Learn English

2012-01-19T09:03:00.000-08:00

Read the following incomplete story.

Once there was an old farmer. He was about to die. Before he died, he wanted to teach his three sons how to be successful farmers. So he called them to him and said, “My boys, before I die, I want you to know that there is a great treasure buried in our barren land. Promise that you will look for it when I am dead”
The sons promised. The farmer died. The sons started digging the land in search of the treasure. They laboured and toiled day and night. They dreamt that they would be getting boxes of gold coins, diamonds and jewels ......................................................................... .....................................................................................................
Task 1: Read the above passage once more. Try to predict how the story will end.
............................................................................
............................................................................
Task 2: Here are three guesses about the ending of the story.
Which guess do you think is the least likely ending?
Which do you think is the most likely ending?
1. They sold the land and became poor.
2. They found the treasure and became rich.
3. They had a good harvest. They became rich.

Improve your English by exercise - Listen the conversation and answer

2012-01-15T05:49:00.000-08:00

Task 1: The teacher will read the following words. Listen carefully and repeat.

1. cakes / keIks /
2. dates / deIts /
3. Jane / dZeIn /
4. Joan / dZ@Un /
5. phone / f@Un /
6. mango / m{Ng@U /

Task 2: Your teacher will read the following pairs of words. Listen and repeat.

laid / leId / load / l@Ud /
sail / seIl / soul / s@Ul /
raid / reId / road / r@Ud /
cane / keIn / cone / k@Un/
lane / leIn / loan / l@Un /
bail / beIl / bowl / b@Ul /
paste / peIst / post / p@Ust /
gale / geIl / goal / g@Ul /
gate / geIt / goat / g@Ut /
rate / reIt / wrote / r@Ut /

Task 3: Your teacher will read out five sets of words. In each set of three words, one word will be heard differently. Circle the corresponding number. The first one has been done for you.

a. 1 2 3
b. 1 2 3
c. 1 2 3
d. 1 2 3
e. 1 2 3

B. Speaking

I. The teacher will read a story. Listen carefully. (The teacher reads)

Task 1: Recall the story you have just heard. Narrate it to the class in your own words.

Task 2: Now, some students from the class can take roles and enact the first story from the Supplementary Reader. After they complete enacting, one student should come forward and narrate the story to the class.

Task 3: Narrate any story that you know to the class.

II. The teacher will read the following dialogue. Listen carefully.
(It is a telephone conversation between Ramya and the receptionist at the youth hostel, Pitchavaram.)

Ramya : Hello, I’d like to visit Pitchavaram on 15th August.
Receptionist : Would you like to have accommodation here?
Ramya : Yes.
Receptionist : Would you like a single room or a double room to be booked?
Ramya : I would rather have a double room booked. I would like to stay for two days. I would like to go boating in the lake in the mangrove forest there.
Receptionist : Which would you prefer, a rowing boat or a mechanised one?
Ramya : I’d prefer a rowing boat.
Receptionist : That’s fine. We’d arrange for the room and for boating.

Answer the following:
1. Which place would Ramya like to visit?
2. How long would she stay there?
3. Where would she like to go boating?
4. Which would she prefer, a rowing boat or a mechanised boat?
Task1: Take turns playing the roles of Ramya and the receptionist.
Task2: Look at the words/phrases in italics in the dialogue.
They are used to ask about or to express preference. Now, practise the dialogue in pairs. Then practise the dialogue, making use of the cues given.
Arul : What would you like to have, coffee or tea?
Abdul : I prefer tea to coffee.

Now, what would you like to have, apples or oranges?
................................................ buttermilk or tender coconut
................................................ chappathi or idli

THE VILLAGE PHARMACY - Reading Practice

2012-01-08T05:49:00.000-08:00

It was already six in the evening. Neema, a student of standard VIII, had not yet returned home from school. Iniyavan, her father, a paediatrician at the city hospital, her mother, Vembu and her grandparents who had come from the village were very much worried. Neema entered just then, with a sapling in her hand.

ALL : What happened to you? Why are you so late from school?

Neema : It was a tearful homage that we paid at our school to the ninety four children who died under the most tragic circumstances in Kumbakonam.

Vembu : It was a terrible accident!

Grandma : Neema, how did your school children pay homage?

Neema : Grandma,we have planted 94 neem saplings in our school campus in memory of the departed souls. We see in the saplings the images of the children whose lives were mercilessly nipped in the bud. I have brought home one sapling to be planted in our garden.

Vembu : That’s a fitting gesture on the partof your school. Iniyavan : Yes, I agree. By the way, Neema, do you know that the neem has a lot of medicinal values?

Neema : No, I don’t. I would certainly like to know.

Grandma : I think your grandpa will be the right person to tell you about it. He has lived in the village all his life, and he knows better than anybody else, that it is the ‘village pharmacy.’

Neema : Grandpa, do tell me about the medicinal value of the neem. In fact we have a Science exhibition in our school next week. Maybe our class could prepare something on the ‘Neem.’

Grandpa : It’s true that we villagers call the neem tree our ‘village pharmacy.’ To begin with, look at my teeth.

I am eighty. Can you believe? Thanks to the neem twigs that I use to clean my teeth every morning.

Look at my skin - still blemishless as a child’s. Thanks again to the neem paste that I apply regularly. I’m hale and hearty even at eighty. Thanks once again to the neem juice that I drink. It purifies the blood and cures all ailments. Do you know what motivated your father to become a doctor? Well, he used to watch my father preparing medicines from various parts of the neem - its bark, seeds and leaves. Thatcreated an interest in ‘medicine’. Traditionally, in India, the neem has been used widely as a medicine, for many centuries. It can fight inflammation, hypertension and ulcers. It can combat diabetes and malaria. Boils, rashes and wounds disappear in no time. Jaundice, leprosy, chicken pox, measles, cancer, AIDS and what not! You name it and the neem cures it. It cures even your incurable diseases. It is the panacea for all ailments. Even as early as 4000-4500 years ago, various parts of the neem tree were used in cosmetics and medicinal products by the ancient East Indian Harappans. Evidences of these uses exist in the remains excavated at the Harappan site.

These days, even toothpaste, soap and shampoo are made from the neem. And I must tell you something here about Mahatma Gandhi. The prayer meetings at the Sabarmati Ashram were conducted under a Neema tree and neem leaf chutney was a part of his everyday diet. And Neema, if you thought that the Neem had medicinal properties alone, you would be mistaken. The neem is a natural air purifier and helps improve the fertility of the soil.

Thus it is eco-friendly. It is a good insect repellent. In fact research has proved that its chemical makeup is such that it is resistant to more than two hundred different types of insects. It has also proved to be a good pesticide. Neems are thus agro-friendly too. They protect crops from harmful insects, viruses and bacteria. The litter of its fallen leaves is rich in organic content and hence serves as good manure. The neem is also an ideal source of timber for carpentry, for its wood is termite resistant. You would be surprised to know that during the hot summer months, the temperature under the neem tree is 100 C less than the surrounding temperature. Even 10 of your air conditioners operated together may not match the cooling effect of the neem. A ‘free air-cooler service!’ These evergreen, perennial trees can grow in any type of soil. They grow very fast. They can reach a height of 30 feet in 5 years. And if they escape your axe, they can survive for even 200 to 300 years. Is that all you want to know, or ...

Simple conversation between father and daughter

2012-01-07T00:35:00.000-08:00

(The mother is away on a pilgrimage. The father and daughter are at the dining table.)

Daughter : Papa, I’m so hungry. Have you got anything to eat?

Father : Oh, darling, sure! Here I’ve got chappatis for you.

Daughter : No, dad. I don’t feel like eating now.

Father : But why? You said you were hungry.

Daughter : Yes, I’m hungry. I’m sorry to say this, but you’ve been giving me bread and chappatis for the past
two days. I can’t eat them anymore.

Father : Please, bear with me dear. We’ll have a grand dinner tonight. Your mom comes home this
evening.

Daughter : Really! Thank you, Dad.

English Exercise - Finding new words and fill in the blank - children English

2012-01-03T00:28:00.000-08:00

Task 1: Find more words for each of the following categories.

Books                                       Mountains
The Mahabharatha                            The Himalayas
...................................         ...................................
...................................         ...................................
...................................         ..................................


Rivers                                       Oceans
The Ganges                                   The Pacific
...................................          ...................................
...................................          ...................................
...................................          ...................................

Task 2: Complete the sentences using the words given in brackets. Use ‘the’ if necessary.
(sun, veena, sky, dinner, Bible, bed, bus, sugar, television, Red fort)

1. We had ................................... at a restaurant last night.
2 .......................... is a star. It gives us light and warmth.
3. Can you play........................... ?
4 ........................ is very clear tonight. You can see all the stars.
5. Good night! I’m going to...............................

6. Paul reads ...................................... everyday.
7. Raj goes to school on .....................
8 ........................ is bad for teeth.
9. Don’t watch ................................... too much.
10. The Independence Day parade was held at
.............................

Reading practice - English story - THY NEED IS GREATER THAN MINE

2011-12-30T00:26:00.000-08:00

It was Christmas time.

But the sisters Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy were at home feeling very unhappy because it just didn’t feel like Christmas. There was a war in America and their father was a soldier in the army.

Their mother had given them a dollar each to spend for Christmas. They were dreaming of what they would get for themselves. Meg, the oldest longed for pretty things, Jo wanted a book, Beth wanted to buy some sheets of music, for she played the piano and Amy, the youngest, wanted to buy some coloured pencils.

Jo held out mother’s shoes over the fire in order to warm them. The shoes were worn out and Jo murmured, “She needs a new pair”. Beth thought that she would get her mother a pair with her dollar. Immediately an argument began among them, as to who should buy mother the shoes. Finally Beth had an idea. She said, “Let’s each get her something for Christmas, and not get
anything for ourselves”.

They decided that Meg would get her a pair of gloves, Jo a sturdy pair of shoes, Beth a set of handkerchiefs and Amy, a small bottle of cologne which would leave enough money for the coloured pencils. Once they had made up their minds they felt much happier. Christmas morning arrived. They were all hungry and eager to begin eating. But mother came in just then and told them of a family that stayed nearby that had nothing to eat and no warm clothes. Hearing this, the girls went silent for a minute, then they heroically offered to take them their own breakfast.

So they trooped out, four girls and one woman, bringing goodwill and comfort to a sad, cold and hungry family in a bare miserable room that they called home. It was a very happy breakfast for the sisters, even though they did not get any of it.

It was even better when they went home. Mother came into the room as Amy threw open the door and Beth played her happiest tune. Meg escorted her to the table and all of them watched as she opened her gifts. She was surprised and touched and was very proud of her daughters. She wore the new shoes, put a hanky cented with Amy’s cologne into her pocket, and put on the gloves. The other girls were surprised and happy to see that Amy had got a large bottle of cologne after all, spending her full dollar on mother’s
present. The morning passed quickly as all of them hugged and kissed and laughed and talked at once.

They began to prepare for the evening’s festivities. They had planned to put up a play for their friends. Everything went off well. The audience was delighted with the play. The cook arrived and announced that dinner was ready. The sisters were amazed when they saw the dinner laid out on the table. There were cakes,
fruits, sweets of all sorts, and lots of ice-cream. The girls stared

first in shock and then in delight. Such a wonderful treat was a thing of the past, when they had plenty of money.

“Did the fairies bring this?” Amy asked in a hushed voice.

Beth clapped and said, “It’s Santa Claus!” But they were both wrong. Mother smiled at them as she said, “Our neighbour Mr. Laurence sent it. Our cook told one of his servants about your breakfast party. He was so pleased when he heard that you had sacrificed your breakfast. So now you have a feast to make up for
what you gave up.”

“And also to make up for the Christmas gifts that we gave up”, thought the four sisters.

It was the happiest Christmas ever.

Children English learning - Our body parts

2011-11-27T08:43:00.000-08:00

Motivational story in English

2011-11-25T03:14:00.000-08:00

Purity of Mind
Once upon a time, a rishi called Gautama did tapasya to obtain certain powers. For several
days, months and years, he observed rigoruous austerities. He did not eat and drink; he stood on single
foot; he controlled the senses; he meditated on the chosen deity; one day in the morning, he went to the
river for a holy dip. On the bank of the river there was a tree. A crane which was sitting on a branch
of the tree, defiled the rishi’s head. The rishi was disturbed, annoyed and looked at the bird an agent. It
fell down dead. The rishi was happy that with his power, he could kill a bird.

After a while, he went begging for food. At one house, the house -wife was busy which again
made him annoyed. She came out, looked at him gently and said, “Sir, I’m not a crane to be killed by
your stare, sorry for the delay. I’m serving my husband and feeding my children. Please accept the
food.” The rishi was wonderd how she was able to know the fate of the crane. Then as per her
suggestion, he went to a butcher to know more about purity of mind. The butcher was duty - conscious
and served his parents. He did not preach anything. By observing him, the rishi learnt that
“He who is sincere in service, faithful in doing duties and loving without selfishness is PURE”.
The power of purity is high and priceless.

Model concept to write a poem

2011-11-23T02:15:00.000-08:00

Task 1:Write a brief image of your own for each month of the year. Follow this form:

(Month) is (colour) -
(an idea for the colour and season)

When you have images for all twelve months, use them to make a poetry calendar. Or, as a group, combine images about the same months or seasons.

Task 2: Write a poem on any three of the following. A model is given below.

Things

If I were a toaster
I’d heat up like a brainstorm.
My mind would pop ideas up
like golden toast.
I’d have …………………… etc.

Animals

If I were a(n) ……..(animal)
I’d ………………… (sound)
I’d ………………… (slither, hop, creep, etc.)
like ………………..
I’d ………… and ………… and ……………..

Habitats

If I were a …………(desert, ocean, rainforest, etc.)
I’d be …………………………..
I’d have ………………………..
I’d ……………………………...

If people were

Another way to use the ‘If’ format is to shift the focus from the writer to someone else. This shift allows for a more objective kind of observation.

If people were weather
their hair would be clouds.
Their breath would be great winds.
Their ………… would be ……………. etc.
or more particularised:
If people were buildings
Uncle Zack would be a skyscraper
with steel girders for bones
and big windows for eyes.
But mom would be a tepee
in a field of goldenrod
with deer skin flaps for
her soft ears and the
smoke of a cookie baking fire
swirling upward towards
the stars.

Tasks:
1.Pick a topic for comparison (weather, buildings, trees)

2.Brainstorm parts of the chosen topic.

3.Compare each part to its human counterpart.

Poems as Stories

Some activities lend themselves more easily to a story format, for example, “If I Were from Outer Space”, “Music Poems” and “Kingdoms”. “Writing a poem as a ‘story’ does
not compromise the nature of a poem. Words sometimes need to spill out as stories before they can be constructed into poems.But poems often tell stories in their own right. It’s the careful
choice of words and use of language (similes, metaphors) that sets a poem apart from prose. In fact, many small stories are often structured to look like poems.

How to write a book review - sample book review

2011-11-20T02:16:00.000-08:00

II. Writing a book review

Why a book report?

Before you decide to spend your hard-earned money on a movie, you most likely check your local newspaper to see what the movie reviewer had to say. You know that you can rely on his
ratings – so, you are selective. The same holds true for the book review.We expect the professional reviewers give us their reactions before we decide whether or not to read the book.

Ideally, the function of the reviewer is to let you know if it will be worth your while to read the book. Of course, the reviewer, in order for his judgments to have validity, must have certain
qualifications much as the sports writer must know all there is to know about the sport he is reporting on.

What is a Book Review?

The review is basically a statement of opinion about a piece of writing (or any other work of art, such as dance, sculpture, or music)which is substantiated with specific facts and incidents from the work itself. Its primary purpose is to let the reader know whether it would be worth their while to read the work under discussion. Though you will have to include some information about the content of the work, never forget that the object of the review is the presentation of the reviewer’s opinion.
Thus the primary concern is to make the reader aware of what you think and/or feel about the work of art. When the work is being analysed is literature, the critical essay is called literary
criticism. It is this type of essay that encompasses the book review, and, hence, the primary concern of this section.
In the book review, you as the critic can concern yourself with any one or several of the following:

1. Impressions – What are your reactions to the work? Did you like it? Did it appeal to your emotions, to your intellect, or to both?
2. Analysis – How does the author accomplish his/her avowed objective? Is the style effective? Is the genre appropriate for the subject matter? How effective is his/ her diction? The
character delineation? The choice of setting? Is the work too long or too short? How extensive is the author’s knowledge of the subject matter?
3. Interpretation – What does the work mean? What is the author trying to tell us? Can the work be understood without relying on such extrinsic factors as the author’s background?
4. Orientation – Where does the work fit within the history of literary development? How does it relate - to other works written by the same author? to works on the same subject by
other authors? to comparable works of different time periods?
5. Valuation – Does the work have some general value - some unique value? Is its appeal limited to any special group or would it appeal to most readers? Is its appeal limited in time
or is it universal?
6. Generalisation – What broad, general statements can be made about the work?

Authoritative vs Impressionistic reviews

Book Reviews can be either authoritative or impressionistic.The kinds of reviews you will find in scholarly journals and in literary magazines will generally be authoritative. Here, the writer is extremely well qualified by nature of his/her education, training, extensive reading, and scholarly background to discuss the work with great authority. Such a critic can readily cite other works, critical theories, and literary history to substantiate the views.Needless to say, this is not the kind of review that you are expected to write.

You will be expected to write impressionistic reviews, which are honest reactions to the work you have read. That, of course, is not to say that your review can be superficial; any expression of taste must be substantiated with ample proof. But your review should be an expression of your personal reaction bounded by your experience, your knowledge, and backed up by sound
reasoning and logic. Such reviews, when effectively organised, logically thought out, and cogently presented, are perfectly valid forms of literary criticism.

Subjectivity vs Objectivity

A good review should incorporate both a subjective and an objective view of the work. Although the impressionistic review is essentially a subjective reaction, if the review lacks any kind of
objectivity, it lacks validity. As a reviewer you should be fair to the author, judging his work on how successfully he has attained his objective.

The only thing worse than a totally subjective review is an objective review. Actually, an objective review is not a review at all. At best, it is a report, for the term review strongly implies and demands the reviewer’s statement of opinion.

Remember, then, that a good review is the proper blending of the subjective with the objective; the writer’s opinion of the work, his critical judgment substantiated with details from and about
the book, and the factual density that lends credence to the review. The review should never be only one or the other.

Substantiation

Any expression of opinion – or taste - not backed up with facts or sound reasoning is not very acceptable. You want more than someone’s statement that “that’s a great little car”. You want to know why and you want proof. This is substantiation. Telling someone that ‘The Lord of the Rings’ was the greatest movie you’ve ever seen is not very convincing unless you can also explain why. This is substantiation.

The same holds true when reviewing literature. Reviewing demands a careful thinking and analysis of the work under discussion; it demands that you keep asking yourself why you
reacted the way you did; it demands that you present ample proof to your reader to substantiate your views. This does not mean that your reader will automatically agree with you, but at least she will know on what you based your judgment. It is the substantiation, the citing of specific details and incidents from the work, which lends credence to your impressions and judgments.

Preparing to write the review

Now that you have some understanding and awareness of what constitutes a book review and what qualifications you will need as a reviewer, you are ready for the next step – preparation for the writing. This does not mean that you sit down and jot down whatever comes to mind, making your first draft your last draft. The emphasis here is on preparation, which is getting ready to
write. Good writing requires preparation, organisation, writing, revision and rewriting.

Reading the work to be reviewed

Here is a checklist you can use for your reading:

1. Avoid reading blurbs, summaries, and commentaries prior to the reading of the work.
2. Read only when you are fresh and alert.
3. Read with proper lighting and with a minimum of disturbances and interruptions.
4. Give careful thought to the title of the work and its significance and implication.
5. Read the preface to familiarise yourself with the author’s intent.
6. Look over the table of contents (if there is one) so that you will be aware of the book’s basic organisation.
7. Know the genre to which the book belongs so that you may judge the work accordingly.
8. Get your own copy of the work, if possible, so that you can read actively.
9. If you use somebody else’s book, then keep slips of paper available for jotting down your reactions. Insert these slips within the book.
10. Read the entire book: Get a general impression and think about the work. Let it lie fallow in your mind until you see it in proper perspective.
11. Read the work again, this time for details to substantiate your initial impression or to modify that impression.
12. Be thorough and perceptive in your reading so that you can be fair to the author.

Taking notes

No doubt your normal pattern is to avoid taking notes at all costs, especially if you are reading aesthetic literature. After all, you argue, why destroy the pleasure of reading by stopping to jot down notes. Besides, you feel that your reaction to what you have just read is so firmly implanted in your mind that you will never forget it, certainly not within the next few days. but as experience has probably taught you by now, you know that this isn’t true; that
although you may recall that you had a reaction, by the time you finish reading the work you are no longer quite certain what that reaction was. The only logical solution, then, is to take notes. You will find that the time spent doing so will be very worthwhile in helping you to organise the review when the time comes to write.

Do not begin by taking copious notes on long sheets of paper.Rather, as has been suggested before, try to get a personal copy of the work so that you can underline and make marginal notes. If not, put in slips of paper to mark those pages that you want to refer to later. In
this way, there will be a minimum of interference with your reading pleasure, but do keep that pencil by your side and read actively, much as you would if you were involved in a
direct discussion with the author. Don’t be passive: react, agree, argue, debate and rebut!

Here are some of the items that you should concern yourself with as you read:

1. Point of view – From what point of view is the work written? This is especially important in the realm of fiction writing. Does the writer write in the first person (referring to herself as “I”)? Is the “I” of the work (the person) actually the writer speaking or is it a literary device where the “I” is one of the characters in the work? Would the work be more effective if we could see the story through the eyes of another character? Is the omniscient point of view used?
2. Title and preface – How accurate and effective is the title? Having read the work, do you feel that the title effectively created the tone and mood? Did the title become increasingly meaningful as you continued reading? Was the title mainly a means of capturing the reader’s attention?
Was it too broad or too narrow in scope? How much does the effectiveness of the title depend on the reader’s outside knowledge? Does the title perhaps appeal to only one segment of the reading public and is it the same segment that the work is aimed at? If the author stated her purpose in the preface, how effectively did she accomplish that purpose in the work? Did she adhere to her stated thesis? To what extent did she introduce tangential material? Is the reading of the preface necessary for an understanding of the work?
3. Organisation – How well is the work organised? If the work is fiction, then is the story told chronologically or in medias res (beginning in the middle and relating events through a series of flashbacks as in Homer’s ‘The Iliad’)? If the work is nonfiction, does one chapter logically lead
to the next? Is there ample substantiation? Are chapter titles clear and concise? If the work is a collection, how sound is the rationale for the selection of the shorter works? Are they logically organised? Is it necessary to read the selections in order? If so, is this a weakness in the organisation?
4. Style – What style of writing does the author utilise? Is it formal or informal? Is it apropos to her subject and to the tone? What about her diction? Is it too difficult for the average reader? Does the style tend to appeal to only a select audience, for example, one ethnic group? How effective is the style in furthering the theme, that is, is how the author is saying it an aid or a hindrance to what she is saying? How much effort is required on the reader’s part in comprehending the work (e.g. Joyce’s stream-ofconsciousness)?
5. Theme – What is the theme of the work? How readily apparent is that theme? How effectively does the writer make the reader aware of the theme? Is it logically and/or cogently presented? If the work is fiction or poetry, then how much symbolism does the writer employ and is the symbolism apparent to the astute reader? How convincing is the writer?
6. The ending – The ending of any work should be a logical outgrowth of what has been p esented to that point. How effectively has the writer achieved this goal? Does the ending seem contrived,or deus ex machina? Does the work just sort of stop? Is the main character’s conflict resolved satisfactorily, albeit not necessarily happily? Should the work have been ended before it did? After you have finished reading the work, how do you feel? Do you forget about it almost immediately or does it stay with you for a while?Were you able to guess the ending long before the end of the work?
7. Accuracy of information – Assuming that you are qualified to make such judgments, how accurate was the information in the work? Were the facts distorted in any way? Were the author’s prejudices apparent? Did she omit some significant events, thus affecting her accuracy? Does she document her sources? Are they reliable sources? In works of fiction, does she make ample use of factual density and supply enough facts to make the work credible?
8. Literary devices – What kinds of literary devices does the author employ, if any? Does she use symbolism? Allusion? Figurative language? Are the devices recognisable? Are they effective? If they seem obscure, could it be your misunderstanding?
9. Typography - What about the layout of the book? Is the type too small? If pictures and/or illustrations and graphs are used, do they add anything to the work as a whole or are they simply there to fill out the book? Are the illustrations and graphs clear and readily understandable? Does the work contain an overabundance of footnotes?Are any textual notes clearly and concisely presented on the same page, or must one constantly turn to the back of the book? Is the overall layout attractive? How relevant is the book jacket to the book’s content?

Of course, you will not be able to incorporate all of the foregoing into any one review, nor should you. But even though some of these items may not even be applicable to the work you
are about to review, it is good to keep them in mind as you read. Which of these you will use will depend on the work and on your reaction to the work.

Once you determine which of these items you will utilise, look the book over again (better yet, reread it) and begin marshalling the details, incidents, examples, quotations, and paraphrases to help you substantiate your viewpoint. Choose your documentary evidence carefully.Avoid citing or quoting portions out of context so that the author’s meaning is distorted. Do not focus on minute points. In quoting, quote accurately, and be sure to punctuate the quotation correctly; but do not over-quote. Avoid lengthy quoted passages.

At this point, do not be overly concerned with the relevance of your notes. You should be taking many more notes than you will actually use in the writing of your report. The main purpose at this time is to collect all information that might have some potential value for you and that will help you later on in formulating your thesis and in outlining your paper. Where possible, avoid
taking notes on separate sheets of paper, but utilise the margins of your copy of the work. Or insert slips of paper with such comments as “Quote from ‘Humble to language’ in last para”, or “good example of humour” or “ridiculous argument”. Don’t hesitate to use abbreviations, since these notes are there only to serve as reminders to you.

Sample review

The following is a sample review. In reading this sample, concentrate on how the reviewer presents his/her thoughts.

Sample review – novel

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. By Mark Twain. Edited by Henry Nash Smith. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1972.

Those who have been attacking Mark Twain’s ‘Adventures ofHuckleberry Finn’ for almost fifty years for its racism and anti-Negro stance are totally wrong: they have missed the essence of
Twain’s work – the humanism of Jim, the runaway slave. The book, written in 1885, a mere twenty years after the end of theCivil War, is a strong indictment of slavery – certainly stronger
than Stowe’s ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’ – and of society’s view ofBlacks. Jim is the only character in the book who does not change; he is a good person throughout. It is Huck’s perception – and ours along with his – that changes, making us realise that Jim is a kind, compassionate human being, more so than any Caucasian in the book. Through the characters of Huck and Jim as they travel down the Mississippi, Twain, with humour and pathos, makes us aware of the conflict between the individual mores and society’s mores.

It is to Twain’s credit that through deft characterisation of Jim we become fully cognizant of Jim’s humanity. At first, we perceive him as the stereotypical slave – lazy, superstitious, and subservient. But Jim is like this because these are society’s expectations. Once on the raft with Huck, however, he seemingly takes on a new personality, much to Huck’s amazement. The raft, symbolising freedom from society’s restrictions, enables Jim to be himself. He selflessly shields Huck from knowing that the body in the house floating down the river is that of Huck’s Pap by throwing some rags over it. He teaches Huck about human dignity by making him aware that “…. Trash is what people is datputs dirt on de head er dey fren’s en makes ‘em ashamed” (73), so ashamed that Huck humbled himself to a “nigger”, and he “… warn’t ever sorry for it afterwards, neither” (74). We are truly touched when Jim recounts how bad he felt after punishing his daughter for not listening to him only to realise that she was deaf. Then there is Jim’s native intelligence in pointing out that the famous story of Solomon’s wisdom in resolving the conflict of the rightful mother wasn’t so wise. After all, Jim points out, it is in the way Solomon was raised: “…….. a man dat’s got ‘bout five million chillen runnin’ roun’ de house …….. as soon chop a chile in two as a cat” (67). A careful reader of the book will realise that Jim is innately good.

It is through Jim that Huck unconsciously learns about Jim’s humanity and counteracts society’s attitude that Blacks are unfeeling property. Huck’s limited education was not sufficient to
instil society’s corrupt values in him, but enough to make him think that when he did something good in our eyes that it was bad. For example, in the most powerful moment in the book he has to decide between returning Jim to his owner or go to Hell for “…… people that acts as ………[he’d] been acting about that nigger foes to everlasting fire” (178). After thinking about all that he and Jim had been through together and how good and kind Jim had been to him, Huck makes the most difficult decision of his life: he would rather go to Hell than return Jim to slavery. This is all the more significant when contrasted with how the “good” people looked upon Blacks. Aunt Sally is a good, kind, woman; she’s no Simon Legree. But when she hears that a Black was killed in a boat accident, she responds, “Well, it’s lucky; because sometimes people (emphasis added) do get hurt” (185). Here, again, Twain has managed to capture society’s mores, emphatically emphasising Huck’s heroic decision.

There can be no doubt that Mark Twain has written a sharp, clear indictment of slavery and society’s attitude towards Blacks as well as the corrupting influence that society can have. No other character in the book exemplifies natural goodness, as does Jim for he rises to heights of natural dignity. This is especially noteworthy, for most of the other characters tend to be cruel,
wittingly or unwittingly. As Huck so often observes, “Human beings can be awful cruel to one another” (194). Through Huck we can see that man’s natural mores are superior to those of society. By all means, read ‘Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’; it is, as considered by many,Twain’s finest work.

Task 1: Read the book reviews in English dailies.

Task 2: Read at least two books of your choice from your school/ local library and write reviews keeping in mind the points dealt with in this section.

Children English learning activities

2011-11-17T03:10:00.000-08:00

Presenting the content

1. Newspaper cuttings with advertisements, announcement,
cartoon pictures and competitions. Introduce the
new words such as ‘advertisement’, ‘cartoon’ etc., of this
lesson through pictures, newspapers or through creating
situations.

2. Choose three children. Ask them to write the names,
Ravi, Balaji and Ragupathy (each child a name) on pieces
of paper. Pin the paper pieces on their shirt. Ask them to
stand infront of the class at various places. Place the TV
model on the table; and the Radio model on the chair.
Write the sentences “Save money in the post office...” on
a paper strip paste it on the radio model. Similarly write
the sentence: “A patient needs ....” and paste it on the TV
model. Enact the lesson through mono acting. When you
take up Balaji’s role, stand near Balaji. Do other
characters in the same way. When the news from radio
and TV are said, act as the News Reader from Radio / TV
respectively.

3. Help the three children to find out the dialogue of their
character in the lesson. Ask another child to stand near
radio and give the announcement in the right context. Do
the same for TV announcement. Help the five children
read aloud their respective part sequentially.

4. Ask some simple questing such as,
Who is Ragupathy?
Who switched on the TV?
Where does the announcement about blood come from?
Help the children answer the questions.

Speaking Tips - conferences and meeting

2011-11-15T05:03:00.000-08:00

B. Speaking

I. Participating in conferences / meetings

It is necessary to develop certain cooperative skills to function successfully as members of a group or team when participating in a meeting or seminar. You need to practice communication techniques and interactive behaviour because the most effective teams spend time “working” on their team as well as working on the project they have been assigned.

Meetings need to have three defined roles:

. The Facilitator helps the group achieve their goals, guides the process of the meeting and creates an environment for open discussion.
. The Recorder records what happens in a meeting on newsprint, stays neutral and captures distinct ideas.
. Group Members contribute ideas, make sure the recorder writes down ideas correctly, state concerns openly, encourage participation of other group members and share the power of decision making.

The Principles of a Successful Meeting are:

.Shared Responsibility - everyone in the meeting should play an active role in making the meeting a success.
.Collaborative Attitude - It is the mind-set that guides individuals to act in a cooperative manner. It is the realisation that it is important to take time to get everyone on board - going slow to go fast.
. Strategic Thinking - The process of selecting an appropriate course of action during a meeting.
Some methods help create a productive environment for team cooperation and collaboration.These include,
Preventions - actions used before or during a discussion to keep the group focussed and
Interventions - actions used during a meeting to help get the team
refocussed.

At the end of the meeting, the process by which we reflect on an experience and come to conclusions based on that experience is called ‘closure’ or ‘debriefing’. This is when much of the learning takes place. This involves asking questions which allows members
of the group to think through an experience from beginning to end. It is another way of making observations about group processes and applying what is learned to new situations.

Task 1:

a. Three managers are holding a meeting. Put the sentences in the box into the correct spaces to complete the conversation.

b. Find out the meanings of the words and phrases that have been highlighted in the conversation.

a. Are we sure it would save money?
b. Yes, I am.
c. That’s true. We can’t expect long-term commitment from people who have short-term contracts.
d. That’s a good point. Any reaction to that Ramesh?
e. It wouldn’t be right. It would cause disputes.
f. It’s a very good idea. It’d enable us reduce our wage costs.

Rupa : We need to decide whether we should subcontract the security work to independent operators. What do you think, Manoj?
Manoj : (1) ……………………………………………
Ramesh : Are you suggesting we should make the present security staff redundant then?
Manoj : (2) …………………………………………….
Rupa : How do you feel about that, Ramesh?
Ramesh : (3) ……………………………………………
Manoj : Not in today’s economic climate. We’d consult the unions and we’d try to get our present staff taken on by the subcontractors.
Rupa : (4) ……………………………………………
Manoj : Yes – and it’d save time as well. We’d be able to delegate all the management tasks associated with security to the subcontractors. It’d mean we could concentrate on the core business.
Rupa : (5) ……………………………………………
Ramesh : Yes, I don’t like it. It’d be risky to have security staff who were not directly employed by us. You know how these security firms are like. People work for them for a couple of weeks and then disappear.
Rupa : (6) …………………………………………
Ramesh : Exactly. It would be very short-sighted to subcontract this work.

Task 2: You are the senior manager of a large company which employs approximately 400 people. Last year staff absenceeism due to stress-related illnesses cost the company Rs.5,85,000. You have a budget of Rs.10,00,000 to spend over the next three years on reducing staff stress levels.You must make a decision during this meeting as the
managing director must report your suggestions to the board of directors tomorrow.

Use the following options while discussing:

1. How many employees could benefit
2. The physical and mental health advantages
3. How long the benefits might last

Also include the provisions to be made for implementing the programme -

1. small multi-facility gym
2. swimming pool
3. stress management course
4. on-site doctor, masseur and counsellor
5. subsidised health food in staff canteen
6. flexitime for all workers
7. unwind rooms with comfortable furniture, books, plants, etc.

Task 4: Prepare a 5 minute presentation on any topic of your
choice.

English Learning Activities - Reading newspaper - Motivating children

2011-11-12T02:43:00.000-08:00

Learn to read some simple headlines such as, ‘Tendulkar hits century’, ‘Elections in four states
on November 25th etc., in English news papers.

􀃄 Read some simple advertisements in English
newspapers and TV as given in the text.

􀃄 Listen to TV and radio advertisements and
understand the message.

Motivational Activity

1. Ask the children ‘what is the important news today?’ or
‘Is there any important news about cricket / hockey?’ Let
the children answer even in Tamil. Translate their news
in English. If the same news is in the English newspaper,
read it aloud.

2. Ask the children the following question:
Do you listen to Radio?
What are the programmes you listen to?
Do you watch TV?
What are the items you watch?
Have you ever listened to English news from Radio / TV?

usage of numbers in English sentence

2011-11-07T18:44:00.000-08:00

USAGE PROBLEMS AND ERRORS 1

You have learn already that usage refers to the customary manner in which a language is spoken or written by its educated users; and that unless you are careful you are likely to be trapped into ‘problems’ or ‘errors’ leading to communication of wrong meanings.

Further to some of these problems you learnt previously, this unit helps you to be aware of other types of common usage problems/ errors. Classified under different heads, the problems are presented with relevant explanations and ways to avoid them in your use of English.

Number: is the form of a word that indicates whether the word is singular or plural.
A word that refers to one person or thing is singular in number.A
word that refers to more than one is plural in number.
Agreement of Subject and Verb:
A verb should agree with its subject in number.
Singular subjects take singular verbs
Examples: My grandfather trains dogs.
The senator is in favour of the bill.
They own and operate a video store.

Like the one-word verb in each of these examples, a verb phrase must also agree in number with its subject. The number of a verb phrase is indicated by the form of its first auxiliary (helping) verb.

Examples: This song was performed by Bonnie Raitt. (singular subject and verb phrase)

These songs were performed by Bonnie Raitt. (plural subject and verb phrase)

Intervening phrases and clauses:

The number of the subject is not changed by a phrase or a clause following the subject.

Examples: This tape is by the Boston Pops Orchestra.

This tape of songs is by the Boston Pops Orchestra. (The prepositional phrase of songs does not affect the number of the subject tape.)

The characters represent abstract ideas.

The characters in an allegory represent abstract ideas. (The prepositional phrase in an allegory does not affect the number of the subject characters.)

The number of the subject is also not affected when the subject is followed by a phrase that begins with an expression such as along with, as well as, in addition to, and together with.

Examples: The history teacher, as well as her students, was fascinated by the exhibit of artefacts at the DusableMuseum of African History. (singular subject and verb)

The history students, as well as their teacher, were fascinated by the exhibit of articles at the DusableMuseum of African American History. (plural subject and verb)

Task: Identifying subjects and verbs that Agree in Number - For each of the following sentences, identify the subject of the verb in parentheses. Then choose the verb form that agrees in number with the subject.

Example: The many varieties of American quilts (reflect, reflects) the spirit of the people who developed them. varieties – reflect

1. The abilities that someone needs to make a quilt (include, includes) patience, coordination, and a good sense of colour and design.

2. A scrap-bag full of colourful bits of cotton and wool fabrics (was put, were put) to good use in a quilt.

3. Amish quilts, which are often brightly coloured, (seem, seems) to convey the joyous spirits of their makers.

4. Several quilters, gathering at one person’s home for a quilting bee, often (work, works) on a quilt together.

5. Quilts designed by the Amish usually (include, includes) only solid- colour fabrics, not patterned ones.

6. This quilt, which features colours typical to Amish quilts, (glow, glows) with red, purple, blue, pink, and green.

what is indefinite pronouns

2011-11-03T02:25:00.000-07:00

Indefinite Pronouns

The following indefinite pronouns are singular:
one, anybody, anyone, each, either, everybody, everyone, neither, nobody, no one, somebody and someone

Examples: Neither of the books contains any illustrations.
Everyone in the Pep Club is wearing the school colours.
One of the most beautiful places in North Carolina is the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest.

The following indefinite pronouns are plural: both, few, many and several
Examples: Both of the poems were written by Claude McKay.
Many of our words are derived from Latin.
Several of the juniors have volunteered.

The following indefinite pronouns may be singular or plural: all, any, most, none and some

These pronouns are singular when they refer to singular words and are plural when they refer to plural words.

Examples: Some of her artwork is beautiful. (Some refers to the singular noun artwork)
Some of her paintings are beautiful. (Some refers to the plural noun paintings.)

writing invitation letter - sample letter - writing tips

2011-10-27T18:35:00.000-07:00

INVITATIONS

An invitation should contain specific information about a planned event, such as the occasion, the time and place, and any other special details guests might need to know.

The text of the invitation should be short, and should mention:

(i) the name of the person sending out the invitation
(ii) the name of the person to whom the invitation is sent
(iii) the object of the invitation, i.e., School Day,Inauguration, Farewell, Conference, etc.
(iv) the exact time and date when the guest is expected to attend
(v) the place where the function is to be held

Sample Letter of Invitation

From
D. Ravi Kumar
School Pupil Leader
WISDOM Vidyashram
K.K. Nagar
Trichy

To
Dr. R. Ganapathy
Professor of English
Bharathidasan University
Trichy

Sir,
I am happy to invite you to be the Chief Guest at the inauguration of ‘Literary Club’ to be held at our school auditorium at 3 p.m. onMonday, 13th Sep. 2005.

We request you to confirm your availability on that date, so that we can proceed further.

Thank you,

Yours sincerely,
………………..

LETTERS OFACCEPTANCE OR REGRET

If you have been invited to a function and will be able to attend the function it is good to send your acceptance or, if you will be unable to attend, it’s polite to send a letter of regret. A written reply is especially appropriate if you were sent a written invitation.

Task: Using the model given above, write a letter of invitation to the Chief Education Officer of your District, inviting him to be the Chief Guest at your School Day Celebrations.

THANK-YOU LETTERS

The purpose of a thank-you letter is to express appreciation for a gift or a favour someone gave you. Try to say more than just “thank you”; Give details about how the person’s gift or how his efforts were helpful or appreciated.

LETTER TO GET PERMISSION

Example:

Write a letter to the Manager - HR, TI Cycles of India Ltd.,Ambattur, Chennai 600 053, seeking permission to visit the factory. Give the number of students and the date on which you propose to visit.

Chennai Public School
R. A Puram
Chennai.

The Manager - HR
TI Cycles of India Ltd.,
Ambattur
Chennai 600 053.

Sir,
This year, visiting some factories to see the actual working of their plants is a part of our science curriculum. In this connection, the members of the Science Club of our school wish to visit your
factory during August 2005. Being the Secretary of this Club, I have been deputed to make all necessary arrangements.

We are a group of thirty students and two teachers. I hope you will grant us permission and encourage us.

We are looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours faithfully,
Raman Lamba
Secretary, Science Club

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Read the following letters to the editor published in a leading English daily:

Sir, - Veerappan is no martyr who lost his life fighting for the nation or a cause. The undue hype in the media over him and his family is unwanted.

B K Moorthy,
Chennai

Sir, - Veerappan was a nightmare for many people and a RobinHood for some. Our social structure needs to be revamped to prevent Veerappans, Phoolan Devis, naxalites and others from challenging the existing order. They are manifestations of social imbalance.

K Singh,
Gopalganj, Bihar

Sir, - All praise to the STF for ending the menace afflicting TamilNadu and Karnataka for almost two decades….

V. Ravi,
Chennai

Task 1: Which of the above letters -

(a) appreciates?
(b) criticises?
(c) looks at a social problem?

Here is an example of a letter, a type which is seen often:

Sir, - In the 5th lane of Subramanian Garden Cross Street in Perambur, sewage mixed with rainwater has been stagnating for the last one year.We have requested the Corporation to clean the street, but nothing has been done.

B. Abdullah,
Perambur

Task 2: Write letters to the editor –

(a) appreciating
(b) criticising
(c) highlighting a social problem

WRITING FORMAL LETTERS - request for information

2011-10-25T18:28:00.000-07:00

WRITING FORMAL LETTERS 2

Here is a sample “letter of request for information”. The writer is asking a college to send information and an admission form.

The Principal
The City College of Engineering and Technology
13, College Road,
Chennai – 31.

Sir,
Sub: Requisition for catalogue of courses and application form for admission

Please send me a catalogue of courses as well as an application form for admission to your College. I am now in Class XII, and beginning to consider my choices among colleges.

Along with the catalogue and application, please also send a list of the admission requirements for both the School of ComputerScience, and the School of Engineering.

Yours sincerely,
………………..

Encl. A self-addressed stamped envelope

When you are writing a request or order letter, follow these guidelines.

1. State your request clearly.
2. If you’re asking for information, enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
3. If you’re asking an individual for a special request, make sure your request is reasonable and that you have allowed enough time for the person to answer you well in advance of the time you must have the information.
4. If you’re ordering something, include all important details, such as the size, colour, style and price. You might include information about the magazine or newspaper in which you saw the item advertised. Compute correctly if there are costs involved, including any necessary sales tax or transport charges.

Task: Write a letter to the Manager, Land Mark Books, Spencer Plaza, Mount Road, Chennai, ordering books for your classroom Library.

Task: You are the Secretary of the Sports Club of your school.Write a letter to a sports dealer requesting him to supply you some sports material for the coming Sports Meet of your school. (A model is given below.)

St. George School
Model Town
Ooty, The Nilgiris

The Manager
Modern Sports Company
R.S. Puram, Coimbatore

Dear Sir,
I am pleased to place the following order with you in view of the Annual Sports Meet to be held in the first week of August.Kindly send the goods latest by the 28th of this month. Please also
see that the goods supplied by you are of good quality and in accordance with the specifications quoted by you earlier.

The goods should be neatly packed and the parcel should be addressed to the Principal of the School. Payment will be made immediately after the parcel is received.Yours faithfully,
Ravi Shankar
Secretary, Sports Club

You should be familiar with two types of letters of request:
from an individual to an individual and from an individual to an organisation.

Letter from an individual to an individual:
When you want to invite/thank someone formally, respond to an invitation extended to you, or congratulate someone on an accomplishment, you should write letters that are formal in style
and language.

How to write a poem, getting started, lyrics, feelings and concepts

2011-10-22T06:34:00.000-07:00

B. Writing

I. Writing a Poem

This section offers step-by-step strategies for helping students to write poetry.

Getting Started

Before the process of writing can begin, it’s important tobrainstorm as to what a poem is. Some possible responses could be:

• A poem tells a story
• A poem can rhyme, but it doesn’t have to
• A poem is suggestive in meaning
• A poem can be about anything

Some people say that poems are feelings or experiences set to words. Share with your neighbours what comes to mind when you think about poetry.Write a response to each question below to help you clarify your ideas.

1. Are poems harder to understand than stories? Why?
2. Are the best poems the ones that are funny or silly?
What other kinds of poems can you think of?
3. Should poetry always rhyme?
4. Why is reading poems aloud a good way to appreciate
them?
5. Can poems be about anything? List some things you
might like to write poems about.

Poets’Word Box

In poetry, more than almost any other form of writing, every
word counts!

The glossary given below on this page provides definitions of some key words used to discuss elements of poetry. alliteration the repetition of beginning consonant sounds (jingle, jangle, jamboree)
assonance the repetition of vowel sounds (same, rain, makes, pavement)
consonance the repetition of consonant sounds anywhere in the words (Carlos wore a black jacket)
end rhyme the rhyming of words at the ends of two or more lines of poetry
free verse poetry that does not include patterned rhyme or rhythm
haiku a three-line Japanese poem about nature; the first line has five syllables; the second, seven; and the third, five imagery pictures that are created with words
limerick a funny verse in five lines; lines one, two and five rhyme, as do two and four
metaphor a comparison without using the words like or as
narrative a poem that tells a story
onomatopoeia words whose sounds make you think of their meanings
personification a comparison in which something that is not human is described with human characteristics
repetition the repeating of a word or phrase to add rhythm
rhythm the pattern of accented and unaccented syllables in a line of poetry
simile a comparison that uses the words like or as

Task 1: Annotate the above list of terms with examples drawn from the poems you will explore during this section. For example, “Packing Up” is a good example of
personification, and Poe’s poem “The Bells” illustrates onomatopoeia:

Packing Up
Winter,
Put your things away!
Into your store-box
Let there go
The myriad flakes of whirling snow.
Pack up the winds
That sway the trees
And fold them neatly.
Over there,
Pile the layers
Of ice and frost
One by one, stack on stack,
Put the crystal icicles back—
Let none be lost!
When all are in, shut the box,
And turn the key, and snap the locks.
Then, leave a note for all to read:
WINTER HAS GONE TO SPRING AND SEED

From The Bells

Hear the sledges with the bells—
Silver bells!
What a world of merriment their melody foretells!
How they tinkle, tinkle, tinkle
In the icy air of night!
While the stars that oversprinkle
All the heavens seem to twinkle
With a crystalline delight;
Keeping time, time, time,
In a sort of Runic rhyme,
To the tintinnabulation that so musically wells
From the bells, bells, bells, bells,
Bells, bells, bells –
From the jingling and the tinkling of the bells.

Scrap book Journals

A poem begins long before it’s written down. It often begins with sudden sights and other sensory impressions. No wonder so many poets keep a small journal handy in which to capture those fleeting, vivid impressions. By setting up and keeping scrapbook journals, you will build your sensory awareness and learn to value it as a source of poems that are yet to be.A scrapbook journal is a way to “bank” sights, sounds, and other sensory impressions so they won’t be forgotten. Head each page with the day’s date. Ideally, these pages will record an example of each of the senses and show objects or pictures as well as written phrases. Record your most vivid sensory impressions.

Your journal pages will be private, to share or not to share as you wish. You should use your scrapbook journals at least three times a week.

Poets move from impressions and sensations to words. As you build your scrapbook journal pages, you can begin to add to them phrases and sentences that represent the three special characteristics of poetry: imagery, feelings and insight.

Imagery Words, phrases, or sentences that are interesting in themselves because of the way they sound or because of the
mental pictures they conjure up. Examples:

.I heard someone say blue poodle.
.I saw floating feathers on a silent pond.
.My dad said, “I need a dollar”, but I thought he said, “I need a collar”.

Feelings Statements or questions based on emotional reactions to what was sensed. Examples:

.I felt angry that someone would dye a poodle blue.
.Why do I feel sad when I see those floating feathers?
.I felt giggly picturing my dad with a collar.

Insights Ideas or beliefs that pop into the mind. Examples:

.Pets have to put up with a lot of nonsense from their owners.
.The natural world is like a mirror for my mind.
.You have to listen closely to hear the message.

Moving into Poems

You will now realise that the images, feelings, and insights you noted in the scrapbook journals are the stuff of which poems are made. To affirm this, use the modelling strategy to know to
juggle and play with, add to and subtract from, written phrases and sentences to create a poem. Example:
Floating feathers, silent pond…..
Why am I sad to see them?
May be I am sad already,
And the pond is my mirror.

Task:Work with your partners or independently to write poems that emanate from journal notes; share your poems with the class.

Note: Poetry is a thoughtful way to explore everyday environments through the use of their senses and feelings. It provides a vehicle that is so versatile; it can offer insight into those odd, funny moments we encounter every day. Poetry assists you to make eloquent, daily commentaries about the joys and sorrows happening in your lives, but it doesn’t stop there. It can also suggest worlds of subject for you to explore, such as the life cycles of plants, animal habitats, newspaper headlines, imaginative kingdoms, biography and autobiography, or the personification of kites, toasters, dwellings, blades of grass, sunsets, snow, etc., etc. The list of possible subjects for poetry goes on and on. Poetry, ultimately, is a language of the heart.

More Concepts
The ‘Like What’ List

The building blocks for all good poetry programmes are similes and metaphors, the most frequently used figures of speech. The following activities will help you recognise and even write them on your own.

Task 1: Using Similes to Write Self-Portraits -Touch your hair. “What does your hair feel like?” Possible answers might include -

“My hair feels like dry summer grass.”
“My hair feels like tangled thread.”

Besides the texture of your hair, you might consider its colour and shape. For instance, someone with long flowing hair might say:“My hair looks like a waterfall flowing down rocky mountain shoulders”

What is a Metaphor?

A metaphor is similar to a simile since it also compares two things.What makes a metaphor different is that it is a more powerful assertion of the comparison and doesn’t include like or as.

For example, removing the word like in the following simile transforms it into the stronger comparison of a metaphor.

“My hair is like a swirling black cloud” becomes
“My hair is a swirling black cloud”.

Imagery Colours

Images can create moods and impressions about the seasons. What senses do the following images stir in you?
May is lavender -
A spray of lilacs.
August is yellow -
Butter melting on sweet corn.

Read the following poem:

ALEXANDER THE GREAT

Alexander, you are like a gold lightening bolt.
Alexander, you have steel for arms and legs.
I am envious toward you, Alexander,
You have the strongness of an ox pulling a cart.
You are a vicious night in winter
You grab me into your time
When you conquered the world, a place
Where I can wonder about life as it was.

Task: Write a poem on each of the following personalities using the model given above.

Mahatma Gandhi
Gandhi, you are like a………………………………………
Your body……………………………………………………
But your spirit…………………….,your smile…………….

President Abdul Kalam

Mr. President, you are like a…………………………………
Your hair………………………………………………………
Your heart……………………………………………………..
Your love for children………………………………………..
Your vision of India…………………………………………..

Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin, you are like a……………………………………….
Your …………………………………………………………

Rhythmic Patterns

Recognising Rhythm

Rhythm is an important part of poetry. These activities can help you get a better idea about what rhythm is and how it works in poetry.

What is Rhythm?

Imagine the sound of a horse galloping. “Listen” for the strongest part of the hoof beats. Now say each of these words out loud: lion, elephant, kangaroo. Which word has that galloping feel?
Rhythm in poetry comes from the way words are chosen and combined.We feel accents (strong beats) in words.

Lyrics

Some songs are really poems set to music. Lyrics, or the words of a song, are written so that the rhythm of the tune and accents of the words fit together.

Task: Think of lyrics to a song you know. Write them out as if they were a poem. Then highlight the words (or syllables) that get accents. Draw vertical lines with a pencil to show where the main beats are, or the places where you might clap to keep time.

Rhyme Patterns

Cat - Hat, Mouse - House

Many poems rhyme, while others don’t. If you choose to use rhyme in a poem, here are some rhyme patterns you can play with.

Task: In the poem “The Dawn Wind,” find the ‘a’ rhymes and the ‘b’ rhymes. Write or say the rhyming words in the order they appear.

The Dawn Wind

At two o’clock in the morning, if you open your window and listen,You will hear the feet of the wind that is going to call the sun.And the trees in the shadow rustle and trees in the moonlight glisten,And though it is deep, dark night, you feel that the night is done.

The rhyme pattern in “The Dawn Wind” is called abab. This is -

Task:Make up a rhyme pattern. Jot down some lines for a poem.See if you can make your poem fit the pattern. If the pattern doesn’t fit your ideas and word pictures, change to a pattern that does fit them. Remember that ideas and images are the most important parts of poems. Rhyme is what you add later, if you want.

Post-writing Strategies

1. Listen to one another’s poems. Let each one come to the front of the room and read his or her poem.
2. Display your poems on notice boards for other classes to view.
3. Collaborate with the computer teacher and have your class take the poems to the computer lab where you can type them and possibly illustrate them with computer art.
4. Have a poetry reading for the entire school at an assembly, or have a series of mini-readings where students present their poems to selected groups from other classes.
5. Make a booklet of students’ poems and put it in the library on a designated shelf for all student publications.

Spoken English - Saying our preference in conversation

2011-10-15T02:37:00.000-07:00

ASKING FOR AND SHOWING PREFERENCE

Indian government prefers negotiation to confrontation
with Pakistan for solving the Kashmir problem.

Discuss -
1) What do we mean by ‘negotiation’ and ‘confrontation’?
2) Why does the Indian government prefer negotiation to
confrontation?

LET’S ROLE PLAY

In a stationery shop

Student : Have you got pens?
Shopkeeper : Would you like a ball pen or a micro tipped
one?
Student : I prefer a micro tipped pen.
Shopkeeper : What colour do you want?
Student : I want green.
Shopkeeper : Here are some green colour pens. You can
choose from them.
Student : (Chooses a pen) How much does this pen cost?
Shopkeeper : Cello pen? This costs Rs.11/-
Student : Here you are.
Shopkeeper : Thank you.

A telephone talk between a VIP and the Principal of a
college. The VIP will be the chief guest for a function in the
college.

VIP : Hello, Good morning, I’m Chandrasekar
speaking from Bangalore.
Principal : Hello, Good morning, Sir. I’m the Principal of CAT
College at Chennai. This is about your stay.
The choice is yours, Sir. Our guest house or a suite
in a hotel.
VIP : I generally find a suite in a hotel more satisfactory.
Principal : We’ll book a suite in the Hotel Alankar.
VIP : That’s very kind of you. I’ll be there on Wednesday
morning by nine.
Principal : We’re looking forward to your visit, Sir.
VIP : Thank you, see you bye.
Principal : Good-bye, Sir.

tips for making successful presentation

2011-10-12T02:12:00.001-07:00

II. Making Presentations

Speaking in public is an essential skill, be it participating in conferences, seminars, symposiums or meetings. Taking time to prepare and rehearse your presentation will ease the anxiety and the following notes are provided as guidelines to help you.

Planning the Presentation

1. Prepare

The first step in making a really effective presentation is to prepare. As the saying goes, “failing to prepare is preparing to fail.” You will also need to spend some time thinking about the audience. Who will be there? What will their expectations be? What level of knowledge do they possess at the moment, and so on.

2. Structure

Once you know what you want to include in your presentation, you will need to put it into a structure so that you can speak coherently. Your structure will look something like this:

Introduction - Opening courtesies, purpose of the presentation, and an outline. Don’t forget to introduce yourself!

Main Body - Go through the main points in a logical and coherent
fashion. Back up what you say with supporting facts, and remember to summarise often so people know where you are.

Conclusion - Summarise your main points again and emphasise what you want the audience to remember about your presentation. Thank them for their time.

Questions - This is a compliment, showing that the audience has been paying attention. Admit when you don’t know an answer, as you can always get back to them in the future.

Making the Presentation

To make a really effective presentation, you will need to do more than just get the words out in the right order.

.Enthusiasm is essential. Try to smile, and make eye contact
with members of the audience as often as possible. Remember, if you look bored, why should anybody else want to listen.
. Never mumble or gabble. Remember to speak slowly and
clearly, and keep your voice at a steady pitch. Pause regularly to allow the audience to digest what you havesaid.
. Short words and simple sentences will have more impact than the long and complicated syntax. Be sure to avoid jargon, too.
.Experienced presenters will use gestures to emphasise their points.
. Convert statistics into charts and graphs wherever possible, and put any lengthy detail into a handout which people can read at their leisure. PowerPoint is a very useful program for using in presentations.

Task 1: Using the following notes and suitable aids, make a short presentation of 1 minute on ‘The Works of Shakespeare.’

Any discussion of William Shakespeare’s life is bound to be loaded with superlatives. The 37 plays, 154 sonnets and miscellaneous verse constitute the literary cornerstone of Western
civilisation. Taken individually, several of them are among the world’s finest written works; taken collectively, they establish Shakespeare as the foremost literary talent of his own Elizabethan Age and, even more impressively, as a genius whose creative achievement has never been surpassed in any age.

Between the early 1590s (The Comedy of Errors) and the second decade of the seventeenth century (The Tempest written in 1611), Shakespeare composed the most extraordinary body of
works in the history of world drama. His works are often divided into periods, moving roughly from comedies to histories to tragedies and then to his final romances capped by a farewell to the stage in The Tempest.

In general, Shakespeare’s work falls into four major periods. The first period, 1590-1594 includes history plays and the early farces, The Comedy of Errors and The Taming of the Shrew, as well as the early romantic comedies, The Two Gentlemen of Verona and Love’s Labours Lost. The second period, 1595-1600, includes additional history plays, the great comedies, and The Merry Wives of Windsor. The third period, 1600-1608, is the period of Shakespeare’s great tragedies, and his three unusual “problem plays,” of which All’s Well That Ends Well is an example. Even in comedy, Shakespeare seems to be concerned with the darker aspects of the human spirit, and it is only because All’s Well and its companion piece, Measure for Measure, end happily that they are classified as “comedies.” There is a great deal of bitterness and near tragedy in both. The final period, 1609-1613, seems totally different in tone from the former works. This is the time when Shakespeare is writing his dramatic romances, represented here by The Winter’s Tale. The playwright is moving away from his earlier methods and is creating a new, symbolic, and reconciliatory kind of drama which is extremely subtle in its presentation of ideas. These late romances always contain elements of tragedy, but they conclude in reconciliation and, in their almost circular organisation, they seem to represent the repetition and varied occurrences of life itself.

The most famous of his comedies were As You Like It, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Taming of the Shrew, The Merchant of Venice and Twelfth Night. Of the history plays, portraying the lives of kings and royalty in most human terms, Henry IV and Richard II were greatly acclaimed. It’s in the tragedies that Shakespeare is at his best – they include, Antony
and Cleopatra, Hamlet, Julius Caesar, King Lear, Macbeth, Othello, and Romeo and Juliet. The Tempest and The Winter’s Tale were Romances. Shakespeare also wrote poetry of which the Sonnets, 154 in number, is the most noteworthy.

Task 2: Collect information on ‘The Great Barrier Reef’ to prepare a 2 minute presentation. Elaborate on the points given below to prepare notes:

The Great Barrier Reef is undisputed as one of the world’s most important natural assets. It is the largest natural feature on earth stretching more than 2,300 km along the northeast coast of Australia from the northern tip of Queensland to just north of Bundaberg…

Task 3: Answer the following questions by going through the extract below. Then make a 3 minute presentation on the information gathered.

1. What is the Jarkov-mammoth?
2. Where was it found?
3. How old was the mammoth?
4. How was the age of the mammoth determined?
5. What was taken to laboratories for analysis?
6. Briefly explain the methods used by scientists to thaw the ice block.
7. How are the expectations of the scientists different from what they are hoping?
8. What are the larger outcomes of the project?

The icy block containing the remains of the so-called Jarkov mammoth was carved out of the permafrost in northern Siberia.In essence, the giant block and other remains constitute a “slice of life” as it was 20,380 years ago, the age of the Jarkov mammoth as established by radiocarbon dating.

Samples of everything from mammoth hair to bone marrow to tiny Pleistocene plants have been taken to laboratories around the world for analysis. Much of the material comes from the original 23-ton block that was airlifted to an ice cave in the town of Khatanga. It still isn’t clear how complete the Jarkov mammoth’s remains are, as the gradual process of defrosting the giant chunk of permafrost continues. Scientists are using hair dryers in a frozen cave to thaw the block, millimeter by millimeter, and collect everything that doesn’t melt. Only a small fraction of the block has been revealed, but mammoth bones, hair and other items have
been found. It is still possible that meat or even organs lie farther down, but scientists have seen enough to determine that the mammoth is not as unbroken as they had originally hoped.

However, the project has never been just about a single mammoth; the intent has always been to learn about the animal in its environment, to find out about all the other fauna and flora that existed in the Pleistocene epoch in which it lived
.

Improve your vocabulary - Idioms

2011-09-21T03:49:00.000-07:00

1. drag up a child- bring up a child without proper training
2. done to a turn - extremely well done
3. drop out - cease to complete
4. drop-outs - those who withdraw
5. exact from - demand and get from
6. feather in one's cap - something one may feel proud of
7. follow something up - pursue
8. heart and soul - completely, with utter dedication
9. A penny for your thoughts? - What are you thinking about?
10. a chance in a million - either no chance at all or a very slim chance
11. two sides of the same coin - two contrasting characters in the same category
12. a million dollar question - a question with a much awaited and
valuable answer
13. as good as gold - very well behaved
14. to cash in on - to take advantage
15. thirty pieces of silver - the money paid to Judas lscariot for
betraying Jesus. Christ (This phrase is
used as a symbol of betrayal)

Poem Piano By D.H Lawrence

2011-09-19T03:39:00.000-07:00

Softly, in the dusk, a woman is singing to me;
Taking me back down the vista of years, till I see
A child sitting under the piano, in the boom of the tingling strings
And pressing the small, poised feet of a mother who smiles as she sings.

In spite of myself, the insidious mastery of song
Betrays me back, till the heart of me weeps to belong
To the old Sunday evenings at home, with winter outside
And hymns in the cosy parlour, the tinkling piano our guide.

So now it is vain for the singer to burst into clamour
With the great black piano appassionato. The glamour
Of childish days is upon me, my manhood is cast
Down in the flood of remembrance, I weep like a child for the past.

The Falling Man story - Reading practice

2011-09-16T03:38:00.000-07:00

"The Falling Man" IS a nickname , given to a man who fell From the North Tower of the World Trade Center during the September 11 attacks in New York City, and is also the title of a photograph,
magazine story and documentary film about the incident. The photo was taken by Richard Drew at 9::41:15 a.m. on September 11,2001. The story, written by Tom Junod, appeared in the September
2003 issue of Esquire magazine, and was latermade into a film.

The Subject of the image - whose identity remains uncertain, although attempts have been made to identify him -was one of the people trapped on the upper floors of the skyscraper who apparently chose to j1.1rnp rather than die from the fire and smoke, while the buildings collapsed. As many as 200 people jumped to their deaths; there was no time to recover or identify those who jumped prior to that. Officially, all
deaths in the attacks except those of the hijackers were ruled to be homicides (as opposed to Suicides)a, and the New York City Medical Examiner's Office stated that it does not classify the people who fell to their deaths on September 11 as "jumpers": ("A 'jumper' is somebody who goes to the office in the morning prepared to commit Suicide..). These people were forced out by the smoke and flames or blown out."

This picture is somewhat deceptive; it gives the impression that the man is falling straight down. In reality, this is just one of a dozen photographs of his fall. In the other photos, it is evident that he is tumbling through the air out of control.

Five years after the attacks, Jonathan Briley, a 43-year-old employee of the Windows on the World restaurant, was identified by chef Michael Lomonaco as The Falling Man. Briley was a sound engineer who lived in Mount Vernon, New York and worked in the North Tower restaurant. According to the film, the victim was initially
identified by his brother in the morgue by the victim's hands and shoes. Lomonaco claims that he was able to identify Briley by his clothes and body-type. In one of the pictures, The Falling Man's clothes were blown away, revealing an orange undershirt similar to the shirt that Briley wore to work almost every day. His older sister, Gwendolyn, asserted he was wearing that shirt on the day of the attack. However, the
identity of The Falling Man has never been officially confirmed.

Reading skill practice and exercise

2011-09-13T03:27:00.000-07:00

Reading Skill :

It took three long years for my coming into existence, after the idea of a new currency was conceived. I was first conceived and named on 1st Jan, 1999, when eleven European countries a decided to have a new money form i.e. Euro. My value was determined as per the conversion rate fixed by these countries in terms of their own currencies. On 1 January 2002, 1 was circulated as currency notes when twelve countries adopted me as their currency. Some countries opposed the idea of using me and initially refused to accept me. But now almost all the European countries have accepted me as valid currency. My brother Dollar who is in America, my brother Lira residing in Italy and my sister Sterling were quite jealous of me but soon they accepted my existence and started respecting me. I now enjoy a place of pride among all the currencies in the world and almost everyone accepts me freely.

Questions
1. When did Euro come into worldwide acceptance?
2. Euro was accepted without opposition- Is this statement true or false
3. Bring out the sibling rivalry in the family of Euro.
4. What is the present status of Euro?
5. To which continent does this currency belong? Find out the lianies of at
least three countries whose currency is the Euro.

Speaking skill in Group - activity and tips

2011-09-08T03:18:00.000-07:00

Group activity

a) The class is to be divided into two groups. The topic for
discussion is "The aspiration to become an author or a
journalist is not strong in students of today."

Remember the following

Say "Excuse me" when you need to interrupt the one who is speaking.
Say, "I'm sorry, I don't agree with you" when your viewpoint differs.
Start with "In my opinion.. ."; "I think ..." or "I would say that. .." when you express
your impressions.

b) Imagine this situation. You have not seen your uncle, who has been living abroad
for over a decade. One day he knocks at the door, when you are alone at home.
You mistake him for an inquisitive stranger and enquire his whereabouts,
profession etc. While you are arguing with him, your parents return home and
clarify the matter. Narrate this incident to your friends.

Tongue twister

Faithful friends freely forgive.
Tie twine to three tree twigs.

Funny answer

What is the difference between a bottle of
medicine and a door mat?

One is shaken up and taken and
the other is taken up and shaken.

Understand Question tags with example and exercise

2011-09-03T02:59:00.000-07:00

"Do you have a pen?"
You ask this question because you do not know if the person has a pen.

Now if you thought the person had a pen but you were in doubt, you would ask the
question thus :

"You have a pen, haven't you?"
If you thought the person did not have a pen, but you weren't sure and wanted to
confirm it, you would ask,

"You don't have a pen, do you?"

Note that the first part of your question is a statement followed by a question tag. If
the statement is affirmative, the tag will be negative and if the statement is negative,

the tag will be affirmative. The tag will take the pronoun in the place of the noun in the
statement.

example. This lesson is easy, isn't it?

Students of Std X have no time to waste, have they?

You can study well, can't you?

The bell has not rung, has it?

The sun sets in the west, doesn't it?

People shouldn't be rude to one another, should they?

Exercise - Form question tags for the following statements.

1. The bus is early today,___ ?
2. There is no water in the tank, ___ ?
3. People ought to keep the streets clean,___ ?
4. 1 shall carry the bags for you, ___?
5. The conductor will not give you change for Rs. lo/-, ___?
6. Our team will win the match, ___?
7. The flag has four colours on it, ____ ?
8. 1 haven't answered your questions, ___ ?
9. Plants give out oxygen during the day, ___?
10. You should treat each other with respect, ___?

Example Idioms - Blow your own horn, Bolt from the Blue & Break the Ice

2011-09-01T02:47:00.000-07:00

Blow your own horn

Try to be modest in spite of your achievements. Don’t blow your own horn.

Meaning: to praise yourself; to call attention to your own merits (intelligence, skills, success or abilities); to brag about yourself.
Origin: In ancient Roman times, a blare of trumpets announced the arrival of a great hero. So the blowing of horns meant someone important was coming. Today, people who blow (or toot) their own horns are boasting about their superior qualities. Sometimes you have to do that a little (when you apply for a job, for instance), but if you do it too much, you could be called a braggart.

Bolt from the Blue

Tendulkar’s tennis elbow injury on the eve of the match came as a bolt from the blue.

Meaning: something sudden, unexpected, and shocking.
Origin: This expression has been used since at least the early 1800s.Picture a calm, clear, blue sky. You’d probably be surprised, even startled, if a bolt of lightning suddenly cracked down. In the same way, any big surprise is like lightning shooting out of a clear, blue sky.You just don’t expect it to happen. (Note: this expression usually refers to very bad news.) A related idiom is “out of the clear, blue sky”.

Born with a Silver Spoon in your Mouth

Frank always buys the finest, most expensive things. He could afford for he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.

Meaning: born to wealth, comfort, and privilege.
Origin:A spoon made out of pure silver is expensive. Sometimes a silver spoon is given as a gift to a newborn baby. If a rich baby has many expensive things from the start of life, like a silver spoon (almost as if he or she were born with the spoon in his or her mouth), we can use this well-known idiom to describe that person. The phrase was used by Cervantes, the Spanish writer, in the early 1600s in the book Don Quixote.

Bottom Line

“If we don’t win this match, we’re out of the finals. That’s the bottom line.”
Meaning: the most crucial fact; the net result.
Origin: For hundreds of years accountants have added up the profits and losses of companies. The sum appears at the bottom line of a column of numbers. While “bottom line” still means a bookkeeping figure showing profit or loss; it has taken on a more general meaning since the mid-1900s and now refers to any crucial decision or final result, financial or not.

Break the Ice

“Pozhil was very shy when she met Pavithra. She didn’t know how to break the ice.”
Meaning: to overcome the first awkward difficulties in a social situation by a friendly gesture; to ease the nervousness in a situation.
Origin: As early as the late 1500s and early 1600s, writers likeShakespeare were using this expression. It originally came from navigation through waterways frozen over with ice. Special boats had to break through the ice, clearing the way before any ships could sail. The meaning was transferred to getting a conversation started or making an acquaintance. “Ice” in this idiom represents a cold or awkward feeling among people, especially strangers.

Name of the organisation - Singular or Plural

2011-08-30T10:57:00.000-07:00

The name of an organisation, though plural in form, usually takes a singular verb:

Examples:
The United Nations was formed in 1945.
Avalon Textiles is located on King Street.

The names of some organisations, however, may take singular or plural verbs. When the name refers to the organisation as a unit, it takes a singular verb. When the name refers to the members of the organisation, it takes a plural verb.

Examples:
The New YorkYankees has won the World Series twentytwo times.
(The New YorkYankees has won as a unit.)
The New YorkYankees are signing autographs.
(The players are signing autographs.)

Note: Many nouns ending in -ics, such as acoustics, athletics, ethics, politics, statistics, and tactics, may be singular or plural.

Examples:
Statistics is a collection of mathematical data.
The statistics are misleading.

If you do not know whether a noun that is plural in form is ingular or plural in meaning, refer to a dictionary.

Subjects preceded by ‘every’ or ‘many a’ take singular verbs:

Examples:
Every sophomore and junior is participating.
Many a person supports the cause.

Task: Selecting the Correct Verb - For each of the following sentences, choose the correct verb form in parentheses.

1. The girl guides (is, are) a scouting organisation that began inGreat Britain.
2. (Does, Do) every boy and girl in the city schools vote in the student council elections?
3. Two teaspoonfuls of cornstarch combined with a small amount of cold water (makes, make) an ideal thickener for many sauces.
4. One indication of African Americans’ influence on our culture (is, are) the use of many black originated slang expressions by people of other ethnic backgrounds.
5. “Seventeen Syllables” (recounts, recount) the story of a Japanese American family.
6. This (doesn’t, don’t) make sense to me.
7. Microelectronics, the area of electronics dealing with the design and application of microcircuits, (has, have) made possible many of the tremendous advances in computers and robotics in recent years.
8. There (is, are) many a slip between the cup and the lip, as my grandpa says.
9. When she is doing needlepoint, Aunt Chandra’s scissors always (hang, hangs) around her neck on a red ribbon.
10. The majority of high school juniors (think, thinks) that computer literacy is important.

Type of Direct speech and Indirect speech with examples

2011-08-27T02:52:00.000-07:00

Statements (Direct speech and Indirect speech)

(Direct speech) "What can I do for you?" the Headmaster asked the boy.
"I have come to ask you for a scholarship", the boy said.

(Indirect speech) The Headmaster asked the boy what he could do for him.
The boy replied that he had come to ask him for a scholarship.

Interrogatives (Yes or No questions)

(Indirect speech) The doctor asked the patient, "Do you smoke?"
(Indirect speech) The doctor asked the patient whether (if) he smoked.

Interrogative wh questions

Direct speech - The teacher said to the boys, "Where do you want to go?"
(1ndirect speech - The teacher asked the students where they wanted to go.

imperative sentences

D.speech - The teacher said to the boys, "Don't write on both sides of the
paper."
(Indirect speech). The teacher asked the boys not to write on both sides of the
paper

Exclamatory sentences
D.Speech - "What a beautiful view it is!" said my friend.
My friend said that it was a very beautiful view.

Note: When a sentence in the direct speech is transformed into the reported speech, it
undergoes certain changes. Can you identify them?

Avoiding Misplaced modifiers and two - way modifiers

2011-08-24T21:11:00.000-07:00

Misplaced Modifiers:

A modifying phrase or clause that sounds awkward because it modifies the wrong word or group of words is called a misplaced modifier.

Avoid using a misplaced modifier:

To correct a misplaced modifier, place the phrase or clause as close as possible to the word or words you intend it to modify.

Misplaced : Uncle Bill saw a dog gnawing a bone on his way to work. (Was the dog on his way to work?)
Clear : On his way to work, Uncle Bill saw a dog gnawing a bone.
Misplaced : They were delighted to see a field of daffodils climbing up the hill.
Clear : Climbing up the hill, they were delighted to see a field of daffodils.
Misplaced : The anxious hunter watched the raging lion come charging at him while readying a bow and arrow.
Clear : While readying a bow and arrow, the anxious hunter watched the raging lion come charging at him

Two-Way Modifiers:

Avoid placing a phrase or clause so that it seems to modify either of two words. Such a misplaced modifier is often called a twoway, or squinting modifier.

Misplaced The prime minister said in the press interview her opponent spoke honestly. (Did the prime minister speak in the press interview, or did her opponent?)
Clear In the press interview, the Prime Minister said her opponent spoke honestly.
Clear The Prime minister said her opponent spoke honestly in the press interview.
Misplaced The Mayor said when the city council met he would discuss the proposed budget.
Clear When the city council met, the Mayor said he would discuss the proposed budget.
Clear The Mayor said he would discuss the proposed budget when the city council met.
Misplaced The manager told the two rookies after the game to report to the dugout.
Clear After the game, the manager told the two rookies to report to the dugout.
Clear The manager told the two rookies to report to the dugout after the game.

Task: Revising sentences by correcting misplaced modifiers - The following sentences contain misplaced modifiers. Revise each sentence so that its meaning is clear and correct.

Example:
We listened eagerly to the stories told by Scheherazade in
The Arabian Nights, munching peanuts and crackers.
Munching peanuts and crackers, we listened eagerly to
the stories told by Scheherazade in The Arabian Nights.

1. Louise projected the photographs on a large screen that she had taken at the zoo.
2. Mr. Martinez promised in the morning he would tell a NativeAmerican trickster tale.
3. I pointed to the fish tank and showed my friends my new puffer, swelling with pride.
4. Roshan said during an interview Richard gave him inspiration to become a writer.
5. I talked about the problem I had in writing my first draft withMohan, and he said he had the same problem.
6. My aunt had finally mastered the art of making stuffed cabbage, filled with a sense of accomplishment.

Dangling Modifiers:

A modifying phrase or clause that does not sensibly modify a word or words in a sentence is called a dangling modifier.

Avoid using a dangling modifier

You may correct a dangling modifier by adding a word or words that the phrase or clause can sensibly refer to or by adding a word or words to the phrase or clause.
Dangling Having selected a college, a trip to the campus was planned. (Who selected a college?)
Clear Having selected a college, my friend and I planned a trip to the campus.
Clear After we selected a college, my friend and I planned a trip to the campus.
Dangling After winning the Pulitzer prize for poetry, the novelMaud Martha was written.
Clear After winning the Pulitzer prize for poetry, GwendolynBrooks wrote the novel Maud Martha.
Clear After Gwendolyn Brooks won the Pulitzer Prize for poetry, she wrote the novel Maud Martha.
Dangling While correcting papers, the message came from the principal.
Clear While correcting papers, the teacher received the message from the principal.
Clear While the teacher was correcting papers, the message came from the principal.

Note:A few dangling modifiers have become standard in idiomatic expressions.

Examples:
Generally speaking, Americans now have a longer life
expectancy than ever before.
To be honest, the party was rather boring

Giving Inaugural and Farewell speech - How to start

2011-08-21T11:06:00.000-07:00

II. Formal, Prepared Speeches

a) Giving an Inaugural Address

Follow all the suggestions given above and the outline shown below, to practise formal speeches for inaugurations of various functions, seminars and conferences:

.Preamble: Formal salutations and greetingsGood morning / Good evening to the assembled. Respected chairperson, and other dignitaries on the stage and my dearfriends.It is a golden opportunity to inaugurate this conference / seminar / workshop on “the need for computer literacy”.

.Importance of the topic:
Nothing can be achieved without computers in this world of technology. I hope this meet will throw new light on the different aspects of computer literacy.

.Inaugurating:
I declare open the conference / seminar / workshop / science meet.
I wish all success.

b) Giving a Farewell Speech:

Follow all the suggestions given above and the outline shown below, to give farewell speeches :
.Preamble: Formal salutations and greetings Respected Principal, teachers and my dear friends.
.Introduction:
With a heavy heart I stand before you today. I stand here as a representative of my batch.
.Reminiscing:
Our association with this institution over the years, hasmoulded us positively to face the future even against any odds
We have benefited much from this association. The education
and experience gained here will go a long way in shaping our
future.
.Thanking and taking leave:
Parting is very much a part of life and it is inevitable.As we stand at the crossroads of life, we owe our sincere gratitude to this renowned institution. I also wish a bright future for my friends and batch-mates.

Thank you ………..

Task 1: You have been selected to chair the child jury for the best documentary. Using the tips given above prepare an inaugural address.

Task 2: It is the last day of a national meet for youth leaders.Having represented your school, you take leave. Prepare a farewell speech.

Task 3: Recall the famous speeches that have changed the world.
Practise them.

Burn the Candle at both Ends & Burn the Midnight Oil - English Idioms

2011-08-19T11:02:00.000-07:00

Burn the Candle at both Ends

“Mr. Murphy goes to college during the day and works in a restaurant at night. He doesn’t have rest at all. He’s burning the candle at both ends.”
Meaning: to overwork yourself mentally or physically and until you’re exhausted.
Origin: This was a French expression that came into English in the late 1500s. If you really took a candle and burned it at both ends, it would be used up twice as fast. That image changed to refer to people who work hard night and day and use up all their strength. We also say that you can “burn yourself out” this way.

Burn the Midnight Oil

I have a crucial test tomorrow, so I have to burn the midnight oil.

Meaning: to stay up very late at night studying or working.
Origin: This saying goes back to the days when lamps were lighted by oil and people went tobed earlier than they do today. When you burned the midnight oil in those days, you were up late working or reading by the light of an oil lamp.

Singular and Plural with Expression Example

2011-08-17T20:50:00.000-07:00

An expression of an amount may be singular or plural: An expression of an amount is singular when the amount is thought of as a unit and is plural when the amount is thought of as many parts.

Examples:
Five thousand bricks is a heavy load for this truck. (The bricks are thought of as a unit).
Five thousand bricks are what we need. (The bricks are thought of separately).

A fraction or a percentage is singular when it refers to a singular word and is plural when it refers to a plural word.

Examples:
One fourth of the student body is employed part-time after school. (The fraction refers to the singular noun student body.)
One fourth of the students are employed after school. (The fraction refers to the plural noun students.)
Seventy-five percent of the junior class is sixteen years old. (The percentage refers to the singular noun class.)
Seventy-five percent of the juniors are sixteen years old. (The percentage refers to the plural noun juniors.)

Expressions of measurement (length, weight, capacity, area) are usually singular.

Examples:
Four and seven-tenths inches is the diameter of a CD.
Eight fluid ounces equals one cup.
Two hundred kilometres was the distance we flew in the hot-air balloon.

Note: In the expression of number, the word number is singular when preceded by the and is plural when preceded by a.

Examples:
The number of students taking computer courses has increased.

A number of students taking computer courses belong to the Computer Club.

Task: Selecting verbs that agree with their subjects - For each of the following sentences, identify the subject of each verb in parentheses. Then choose the verb form that agrees
in number with the subject.

Example: The band (is, are) tuning their instruments. band - are

1. The gigantic Colossus of Rhodes (was, were) one of the SevenWonders of the AncientWorld.
2. The stage crew (is, are) working together to make a rapid scene change for Hamlet’s entrance.
3. On display in the entrance to the library, there (is, are) several oil paintings of famous local people.
4. In our block alone, over two hundred rupees (was, were) collected for the Cancer Society.
5. Rice and dhal (is, are) often served as a main dish at lunch.
6. Either brisk walks or jogging (serves, serve) as daily exercise.
7. A number of the seeds (has, have) failed to sprout.

The title of a creative work (such as a book, song, film, or painting) or the name of a country (even if it is plural in form) takes a singular verb:

Examples: Those who ride the night winds was written by the poetNikki Giovanni.
“Tales from the Vienna Woods” is only one of Johann
Strauss’s most popular waltzes.
The United States calls its flag “Old Glory”.
The Philippines comprises more than 7,000 islands.

Back to Square One , Beat around/about the Bush

2011-08-15T21:39:00.000-07:00

Back to Square One

Our design for a solar-powered washing machine didn’t work, soit’s back to square one.

Meaning: return to the beginning because of a failure to accomplish the desired result.
Origin: There are many board and street games that have squares or boxes. Each player must start at the first square and try to advance to the finish line or last box to win. If, for any reason, you have to go back to square one, you’re starting over from the beginning. A similar
saying is “back to the drawing board”, where architects begin blueprints or sketches for each project. When a project fails to work out, you may have to start over again from the original drawings to improve your chances for success.

Beat around/about the Bush

“Stop beating about the bush. What exactly are you doing now?”

Meaning: to avoid answering a question; to approach something carefully or in a roundabout way.
Origin: This expression goes all the way back to the 1500s when hunters hired people called beaters to drive small animals out of the bushes so the hunters could get a better shot at them. The problem for the beaters was that they might drive the birds or rabbits or foxes out
too soon. They had to be careful not to drive the animals into the open before the hunters arrived. So the beaters might use their long sticks “around the bush” rather than directly on it. Today, the expression “to beat around the bush” means talking about things in a roundabout way without giving clear answers or coming to the point.

Who is copy - cat

2011-08-13T10:45:00.000-07:00

Copy-cat, Copy-cat!

Authors and artists consider the result of their creative effort their most valuable property. The law concedes this sentiment and protects them from theft. It has been decided long ago by English courts that whatever a man produces through his labour, intellect or skill is his property. This principle was followed in this country for a long time. Now the law of copyright is governed by the Copyright Act, 1957 which treats copyright as a form of moveable property. Section 14 of the Act defines copyright. It means the exclusive right in the case of a literary, dramatic or musical work to do and authorise the doing of any of the following acts, namely:

(1) to reproduce the work in any material form
(2) to publish the work
(3) to perform the work in public
(4) to produce, reproduce, perform or publish any translation of the work
(5) to make any cinematograph film or a record in respect of the work
(6) to communicate the work by radio, loudspeaker, or any other similar instrument
(7) to make an adaptation of the work
(8) to use a translation or adaptation in any of the ways mentioned above

Tips for Dressing Properly for a Job Interview

2011-08-10T04:32:00.000-07:00

Most people go on an interview thinking that their resume and skills are all that matter. But if you really want to land that job, you need to make a good impression too by dressing well for that interview. You must then dress to look smart and tidy, but most importantly, you have to look professional. It is best to learn about what position you are applying for or learn about the company culture to have an idea on how to dress for a job interview.

There are different dress code and tips to live by for men and women. If you want to make a lasting good impression, then you need to start with a few basic tips. Dressing up for an interview does not solely refer to what you wear, but also how you groom yourself. Below are tips categorized for men and women.

Proper Interview Dress Code for Men:

• Choose a conservative and professional-looking suit. Preferably, it must be navy blue, black, or dark grey in color.
• If you do not have a suit, wear a long-sleeved polo shirt on the interview.
• Wear a necktie with basic color and patterns. Avoid jazzy designs or too colorful ties that look unprofessional.
• If possible, do not wear any jewelry except for basic items such as a watch.
• Wear socks that match the color of your pants.
• Carry your resume or other important documents required to bring during interview in a briefcase.
• Cut your hair short or neatly style it.
• Do not wear perfume, especially the ones that have pungent scent.
• Clean your fingernails by trimming them. Also, clean shave your face.

Proper Interview Dress Code for Women:

• Wear a conservative business suit, whether you prefer pants or skirt. For women wearing skirt, opt for ones that are knee-length or below the knees in length. Make sure that the skirt or pants are well fitted and not too tight.

• When pairing your pants or skirt, choose professional and no-frills blouses. Opt for professional colors such as cream, pale blue, or white. Avoid wearing blouses that have a low neckline.

• Wear leather shoes. If you can find any, opt for shoes that match the color of your outfit. If not, then settle for neutral colors so it would suit whatever you are wearing.

• Minimize your use of jewelry. Stick to the basics such as a watch or earrings.

• Wear simple and natural looking makeup. If you wear your makeup too thick, it does not exhibit a professional look and it would create a completely different impression on your employer.

Remember the above tips for dressing up properly for a job interview if you want to secure your job. It might not guarantee that you will be hired, but it will give you a good enough impression, especially if they are considering a lot of applicants.

SMS & WAP - Writing Example in English

2011-08-07T10:45:00.000-07:00

English for Computers

Not long ago, mobile phones could just transmit voice andSMS messages. Now they can display Internet information thanks to Wireless Application Protocol or WAP. Some hybrid models
combine a phone with a PDA. They look like a regular phone with a dial-pad and a small screen on its front. But if you flip up the front cover you find a larger screen that is touch-sensitive.Some include a virtual keyboard, which pops up when you want to enter email text or a WAP address. But the future is called ‘Thirdgeneration’(3G) mobiles. They transmit a caller’s picture and voice simultaneously. UMTS mobile phones deliver users information,e-commerce, games and videoconferencing via fixed wireless and satellite networks.

Virtual reality lets people interact with artificial objects and environments through three – dimensional computer simulation.In a VR system, you are hooked to a computer through a controlling device, such as a glove, and head-mounted displays give you the feeling of being propelled into an artificial three – dimensional world. The computer brings to life events in a distant, virtual world using databases or real-time objects and sounds. Your senses are immersed in an illusionary yet sensate world. VR can be applied to anything from video games, testing motor vehicle, visiting a virtual exhibition, to checking out imaginary kitchen designs.

English for Business and Commerce

A. Listening

I. Banking shares suffered sharply on the Bombay Stock Exchange today due to heavy selling following the ReserveBank of India proposal regarding the maximum holding by a
group in a private bank.
II. Trading was in a narrow range for most part of the session.The 30-share BSE sensitive index ended with a gain of 35.88 points to close at 4993.76. The Sensex opened at 4973.88 and touched a high of 5041.19.
III. Reliance Industries and IT counters hogged the limelight even as the market ended fractionally lower in lacklustre activity amidst alternate bouts of buying and selling by foreign
institutional investors coupled with short-covering by operators a day ahead of expiry of July contract in derivatives.
IV. The Government’s decision to grant oil public sector undertakings freedom to fix fuel prices prompted a smart stocks rally helping the Sensex end higher by 45 points on
Monday. Oil PSUs rallied smartly and scored impressive gains as the decision to allow state-run oil companies to fix petrol and diesel prices within a narrow price band was in the interest of the sector.

Bite off more than you can chew & Birds of a Feather Flock Together - English Idioms

2011-08-05T10:29:00.000-07:00

Birds of a Feather Flock Together

“Everyone at that table plays soccer. No wonder they are friends. After all, birds of a feather flock together.”

Meaning: people who have things in common, such as interests and ideas, usually hang out together; people who are alike often become friends.
Origin: This saying, which is over 2,000 years old and comes from the Bible, is based on the observation that birds of the same species flock together on the ground as well as in the air. The meaning has been broadened over the years, so that “birds” means “people” and “of a feather” means “of the same type”.

Bite off more than you can chew

“You can’t captain the team, keep wickets and open the innings. Don’t bite off more than you can chew.”

Meaning: to take on a task that is more than you can accomplish; to be greedy, overconfident, or too ambitious by taking on more jobs or responsibilities than you can deal with at one time.
Origin: Versions of this saying were used in Europe in the Middle Age and ancient China. If you take a bite of food that’s too big for your mouth, you won’t be able to chew it. This idea came to mean undertaking (“biting off”) a job that’s too much for you to handle (“more than you can chew”).

Reading Practice in English -

2011-08-03T10:49:00.000-07:00

(1) It taught us all we know.
It’s not all bad being a tortoise.
They do live to a very old age.
They suffer few mechanical breakdowns.
They have a very poor appetite
They’re not, as we know, the swiftest of creatures.
But need we remind you of the story of the hare and the
tortoise?
So – it’s ‘Cedar’ for you – yes – ‘CEDAR’ - the age old –
reliable car!
(2) With more people in more places you can always count on
our in-depth knowledge to deliver on time, every time –
without wasting time.
Your shipment is cleared for customs even before it lands.
We move the world - That’s us – ‘Swift’ - as swift as swift
can be!
(3) No more Travellers’ cheques. No more cash. Just carry this
magic card to access ATM and shop anywhere in the World.
A prepaid card for travel abroad - the ‘Vishwa Yatra’ card –
with you all the way! - From the ‘Bania Bank’.
(4) ‘Kaana’ a leader in TFT technology, memory chips and semi
conductors, brings a host of unique and never before
features – Phones - styled by world famous designers –
larger screens - more colours - multi lingual - easy to use
menus - crystal clear sound in every call - so no matter what
your addiction is, there’s one for you - go for it!

English for Academic purposes - within the class room

A. Listening

Task 1: Listening for the main idea -Some of the reasons for the depletion of water resources are simple to understand: population growth and the spread of economic activity on an industrial scale have led to a dramatic increase in the demand for fresh water. Meanwhile, the rapid spread of urbanisation has changed the patterns of consumption, while the need to increase the area of productive land has caused greater demand for irrigation. Another “key” factor is deforestation. Forests act like vast sponges, retaining water and gradually releasing it into freshwater ecosystems. Take the forest away, and that water is going to be wasted. Then, there are the effects of climate change. Weather patterns are becoming more erratic, with drought in some places matched by severe flooding in others. As a result, there is no water where it is needed and too much where it is not. Without any reduction of CO2 emissions, annual rainfall is projected to decline by 10 to 40% by 2100. (Data source: Green peace)

Truth vs Myth - Real story in English

2011-08-01T03:36:00.000-07:00

Truth vs Myth

Once upon a time our land came to be invaded by white philistines. They were so strong that neither the blade of steel nor the blast of gunpowder could destroy them. However, like Samson with long locks or like Superman who dreaded Krypton, the white philistines had one weakness – they could be destroyed by salt. So they banned salt-making in the lands they occupied. Then came a prophet – who told the enslaved people that there was salt on the golden shore of a sea on the other side of their land. A man of purity of mind and body alone could procure it. One day there came such a David, frail and semi-clad. The great knights of the land scoffed at him, but he undertook the difficult journey, procured the Holy Grail of salt and sprinkled it on the philistines. They vanished.

Couldn’t the story of Gandhi’s Dandi march be mythified thus? Not in this age of the Internet and interplanetary voyages. But if Gandhi’s salt satyagraha had happened, say, when the Buddha lived, a story like the one above would by now have been part of our great mythology.

Each culture has its own ideas of history. If every Chinese emperor believed that history began with him (so he burnt all the records of preceding reigns), we Indians mythified everything and
became the world’s greatest myth-makers.

Often it is the myth that stays in the mind of the listener more than the history. No wonder, the fictitious Anarkali is better remembered than the historical Nurjehan.

Perhaps we are bad in history because we have more myths. History to us has been an intangible collective memory of facts,myths and magic ……

Speaking Good English - Giving an Extempore Lecture / Talk - 3 Best points

2011-07-29T06:16:00.000-07:00

I. Giving an Extempore Lecture / Talk

When you are required to give a talk / lecture without prior information and time for preparation, you are giving an extempore talk or speech. Such an occasion is challenging; but it can also be an interesting experience, if you learn the basic skills of speaking effectively. Mastering the art of speaking is the most important requirement today to find a good job and to chart a good career.

In this section you will learn the basics of ‘effective speaking’ in general, and giving extempore talks and speeches for specific occasions in particular.

Structuring your speech with ‘3 Ts’

A good speech has generally the following simple ‘structure’, called ‘3 Ts’:

(a) ‘T’elling the audience what you are going to tell them
(b) ‘T’elling them (what you want to tell them)
(c) ‘T’elling them what you told them

In the first part of your speech, tell the audience your major points in outline form. (“Tell ’em what you’re going to tell ’em”)In the middle part of your speech, repeat your points, filling
them out. (“Tell ’em”)

In speeches, repetition is not only required, it’s good. A speech is very different from a book. Because a listener can’t go back and review, it is important that you repeat your main points.

At the end of your speech, say the points again. Announce that you are repeating, or recapping, or summarising, so the audience doesn’t think you are making a mistake (“Tell ’em what you told em”), but don’t skip this step.
The “3 – T” structure works like a charm. It makes it easy for your
audience to follow, and believe what you say.

Sticking to ‘4 Points’

One of the biggest mistakes speakers make is trying to say too much. That’s understandable: a speech is a golden opportunity, so you want to say all you can. The problem is, the more points you make, the less likely the audience is to remember what you say.It’s much better to limit yourself to four points and hammer them home. Ideally, the first two or three points should add up to your last point.

Task 1: Given below is an outline of an extempore talk on ‘Rain Water Harvesting’; let the class practise it, giving opportunity to every student to add his/her own ideas in the outline:
.Preamble: Formal salutations and greetingsGood morning / Good evening. Respected chairperson & other dignitaries on the stage and my dear friends. I am glad to present my views on……
.Introduction –Topic:
I would like to present my views on Rainwater harvesting.
.Issue:
There is scarcity of water throughout the State.
.Speaker’s motive:
Since the ground water level has gone down, remedial measures have been taken by the TN Govt. to provide drinking water facility all over the State.
.Supportive points:
No water release from the neighbouring State:
1. Insufficient water due to various factors.
2. Insufficient rain in the catchment areas.
3. Large use of motor to tap the ground water for irrigation and domestic purposes.
.Conclusion:
Due to the reasons mentioned above RWH cannot be neglected & serious steps have to be taken by every individual on a warfooting, to save ourselves from the cruel hands of draught.
.Recommendations and obligations:
I request the public to install RWH infrastructure in their homes and offices.

Task 2:Take more practise in other topics of current interest like:

a) The importance of computers in today’s life
b) Spirituality as the universal binding force
c) Education should help students develop their total personality, not just the intellect
d) Actors must stay away from politics
e) The telecast of TV channels must be regularized in both quantity and quality

English Learning Exercises - Idioms

2011-07-27T11:01:00.000-07:00

Task 2: Complete the following idioms. Then make sentences with each so as to bring out their meanings.

1. buy a _ i _ in a poke
2. c _ _ _ it a day
3. catch someone r _ _ - h _ _ _ _ _
4. close s _ _ _ _
5. _ _ _ humble p _ _
6. e _ _ _ _ _ _ _ hour
7. _ _ _ _ out of w _ _ _ _
8. _ _ _ as a fiddle
9. hard _ _ _ to c _ _ _ _
10. in a n _ _ sh _ _ _
11. keep one’s _ _ _ _ _ _ _ crossed
12. pay through the _ _ _ _
13. put your best _ _ _ _ forward
14. raining c _ _ _ and d _ _ _
15. throw _ _ _ _ water on something

Know Idioms - Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea & A Bird in the Hand is Worth Two in the Bush

2011-07-25T10:27:00.000-07:00

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

“Guna had to choose between confessing that he hadn’t studied or trying to fake it. He was between the devil and the deep blue sea.”

Meaning: caught between two great dangers and not knowing what to do; in a very difficult position.
Origin: In the early 17th century the heavy plank fastened to the side of a vessel as a support for guns was called the devil. Sometimes a sailor had to go out onto this plank to do repairs to the boat. In heavy seas he would be in great danger of falling overboard and drowning
because he was between “the devil and the deep blue sea.” Over the centuries the meaning of this expression expanded to include being between two equally difficult perils of any kind.

A Bird in the Hand is Worth Two in the Bush

Take this job now because you don’t know if you’ll get the other one. Remember that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

Meaning: what you already have is better than what you might or might not get in the future; a guarantee is worth more than a promise.
Origin: This saying began as an ancient Greek proverb. Aesop used it in some of his fables. The ancient Romans repeated it, and in the 1400s it was translated into English. It comes from the sport of hunting birds. Hunters thought that a bird that you had already captured (“in
the hand”) was better than two you hadn’t yet caught (“in the bush”). Today we often hear the same advice: It is better to be content with what you already have than to reject it because you hope that something better will turn up.

The Dos and Donts at a Job Interview

2011-07-24T04:26:00.000-07:00

We could also call them tips and tricks for interviews and we should start with being there on time. Do not be late because that will show that you are not reliable even before the actual interview starts.

Appearance is crucial at interviews. Avoid excessive jewelry; go for neutral colors, elegant clothes and tidy nails and hair. Avoid excessive make-up and piercing if possible; they are not what employers are looking for.

Ask intelligent questions addressing stupid or no questions to your interviewers is certainly a dont if you want real chances of getting a job.

Be informed! Information means power, so knowing what the company and its products are all about is a required thing for a successful interview.

Be sure of yourself! No matter if you end up employed or not, with every interview you get more experience and self confidence for future interviews, so youll have nothing to lose in the end.

Try to overcome your emotions! Remember that the interviewer is also human, and he can make mistakes and have emotions too, so you are not the only one with some butterflies in the belly.

Show your future employer that you can handle stressful situations. A candidate that can prove, with his former activities, that he or she solved some problems on the former job, came up with solutions and took control in desperate situations, will be much more interesting in the eyes of his/her employer. Initiative and interest are two valuable traits an employee should have.

If you had a job before, be certain that one of the questions you will receive will involve the reasons of why you left your previous work place. Do not talk rude about your last boss or company even if that is true because that will not help you obtain employment. Your future employer will think that you are the complaining type and that wont help with the morale of his other employees.

When asked for references from other people you should only provide persons that gave you their consent to be used in this sense, because this will save you from an unpleasant situation.

Remember these basic tips and tricks and try to control yourself from making stupid mistakes that might ruin your chances despite what is wrote in your resume. If you need it, you can even practice answering to different possible questions in front of your mirror. There is no shame in not knowing something, but there is no excuse for indifference. As a rule, any employer wants a person that can commit to their job and looks for the specific signs from the interview.

Dangling Modifiers and Double Negative Modifiers

2011-07-20T21:21:00.000-07:00

Task: Revising sentences by correcting Dangling Modifiers - The following sentences contain dangling modifiers. Revise each sentence so that its meaning is clear and correct.

Example:
Waiting at the bus stop, my older brother drove by in his new car.
While I was waiting at the bus stop, my older brother drove by in his new car.
1. Frightened by our presence, the rabbit’s ears perked up and its nose twitched.
2. To interpret this poem, a knowledge of mythology is helpful.
3. All bundled up in a blanket, the baby’s first outing was a brief one.
4. When performing onstage, the microphone should not be placed too near the speaker cones.
5. To be a good opera singer, clear enunciation is extremely important.
6. To help colonial soldiers during the Revolutionary War, Solomon’s efforts raised money to buy food and clothing.

The Double Negative:

A double negative is a construction in which two negative words are used where one is enough. Although acceptable until Shakespeare’s time, double negatives are now considered non-standard.

Non-standard She has not read none of Nadine Gordimer’s books.
Standard She had not read any of Nadine Gordimer’s books.
Standard She has read none of Nadine Gordimer’s books.
Non-standard I do not know nothing about the Peloponnesian War.
Standard I do not know anything about the Peloponnesian War.
Standard I know nothing about the Peloponnesian War.
Nonstandard Grandma said that she hadn’t never seen another pumpkin that was as large as this one.
Standard Grandma said that she hadn’t ever seen another pumpkin that was as large as this one.
Standard Grandma said that she had never seen another pumpkin that was as large as this one.

Note: Avoid the common error of using n’t, the contraction of not, with another negative word, especially barely, hardly, or scarcely.

Nonstandard I can’t hardly take another step in these new boots.
Standard I can hardly take another step in these new boots.
Nonstandard The film is so long that we couldn’t scarcely see it in one class period.
Standard The film is so long that we could scarcely see it in one class period.

The words ‘but’ and ‘only’ are considered negative words when they are used as adverbs meaning ‘no more than’. In such cases, the use of another negative word with ‘but’ or ‘only’ is considered informal.

Task: Revising sentences to eliminate double negatives - Revise each of the following sentences to eliminate the double negative. Although the following sentences can be corrected in more than one way, you need to give only one revision.

Example:
He hadn’t no pencils on his desk.
He had no pencils on his desk.
Or
He hadn’t any pencils on his desk.

1. Tom didn’t have no time to buy the books.
2. Haven’t none of you seen the dog?
3. Isn’t nobody else interested in going to visit the exhibition this morning?
4. We haven’t but one day to visit the fair.
5. She didn’t contribute nothing to the project.
6. The lights were so dim that we couldn’t barely see.

English for Veterinary Science

2011-07-19T10:42:00.000-07:00

Rabies – a terrifying and deadly viral infection of the central nervous system is still very common in Asia, but eradicated in much of the rest of the world. It’s usually transmitted by bites
from infected animals. Over three million Asians are bitten by rabid animals each year, and 45,000 die. According to the WorldHealth organisation (WHO), in India alone the disease kills a staggering 30,000 people annually.

How can you tell if an animal is rabid? A common clue is a sudden change of behaviour, like drooling, unprovoked aggression, biting, aimless running and difficulty in breathing.

In humans, rabies symptoms can sometimes take weeks or months to appear. When an infected animal bites a person, the rabies virus travels along the nerves to the central nervous system, where it may incubate for up to three months. During this time, the victim shows no outward signs of illness. By the time symptoms develop it’s always too late to prevent death. At the end of this incubation period, the virus multiplies rapidly, spreading to the brain and throughout the body. Initially the symptoms may be mild – a slight fever, headache, nausea and a persistent cough. There may also be pain, itching, tingling or a sensation of cold at the bite
site. Later the symptoms become increasingly frightening. For the next two to seven days, the patient becomes nervous, agitated, restless and irritable, and may salivate excessively. As the virus replicates in the brain, the victim experiences eye problems such as enlarged pupils, weakness of the facial muscles and hoarseness.In one out of six persons, there’s hydrophobia – a fear of water. Finally, the virus overwhelms the brain and central nervous system. The patient falls into a coma, becomes paralysed and dies.

What should you do if you’re bitten by an animal? Attend to the wound immediately.Wash it with plenty of soap and running tap water. Then apply an antiseptic like iodine or Betadine. Once
the wound has been cleaned seek medical help immediately.Victims must be immunised as soon as possible, so that antibodies have time to develop and kill the virus before it incubates. Once the virus reaches the brain, the antibodies are no longer effective.

Prevention is the best defence against rabies. One of the most effective weapons is pre-exposure vaccination, especially for children in areas where rabies is endemic.

Vaccinating pets and livestock can help prevent rabies, too.Pets, especially dogs, are the usual carriers of the rabies virus.Rabbits, squirrels, cats, bats, rats, chipmunks, mice may also be infected. If they bite or scratch you, see your doctor. In dogs and cats, immunisation usually involves a single shot, but it is important that booster shots are taken regularly once a year.

English for Catering

A. Listening

Hello listeners! This is your host Poovan, with your favourite radio programme ‘Cooking for fun’. With us, in our studio today is the famous Chef, Jeevan Khana, from the ‘Parris-Trichy Restaurant.’And he is going to tell us how ‘Mango Fool’ is made. This is a favourite dish in his restaurant, during the Mango season. Over to Chef Khana.

Chef K: Good afternoon, listeners! I’m here to tell you how to
make ‘Mango Fool’. Get your note-books and pencils
ready. First ......... the ingredients.
You need 2 large ripe mangoes
½ cup sugar
1 tsp gelatine
1½ cup thick milk/cream

Method

First soak gelatine in 6tsps of warm water. Stir it until all the gelatine is dissolved. Keep the gelatine in a dish of cold water, or on ice, to set. The jelly will be ready in ½ an hour. Now wash the mangoes well. Then peel and chop them into pieces. Put the mango pieces in a blender. Beat well. Add sugar and beat again. Now add the jelly to this mixture and beat again in a blender till it is smooth. When done, pour this mixture into a ceramic/glass bowl. Stir in the thickened milk/cream, gently with a spoon. Place on ice / or over a bowl of cold water to set. After an hour or so it is ready to eat.

Enjoy your ‘Mango fool’! Here’s a tip for you. You can also use seasonal fruit like pineapple or papaya instead of the mangoes.
That’s all for today. Good-bye!

How to Determine whether You Did Well In a Job Interview

2011-07-17T04:24:00.000-07:00

When you are invited for an interview, you often have lots of question about how well you did. However, you do not have to wait for the employer’s call to determine the answer to that question since you can use a few common parameters to assess your own performance.

In addition, you will do well when you are well prepared for the interview in all aspect. Being in time is important thus you already made good impression for the company.

Lengthy interview
The interviewer will not bother to waste time if he is not interested in you. When the conversation takes a long time, you are doing well in answering his questions and he wants to know more about you. The more information they get from you, the more plus point that could add in evaluating you.

Follow up interview
The interviewer shows interest on you if they called you up for the next round of interview. This means that you have been chosen as a candidate for the job. The manager might see potential in you thus he wants to ask more questions which are not been ask in the initial interview. In this way, they will be able to test your consistency after doing well in the first round of interview.

Salary Discussion

Once the manager took the conversation in salary discussion, it is certain sign that you are hired. It is like the company is dealing with you about the price of your work. It is where they figure out how they invest in you.

Request for reference

Request for reference at the closing stages is a sign that the interview gone well. They just have to check your background to support the interview through asking references.

Planning for the future

If the interview gone in a part where you were making future plans, it indicates that the manager wants to visualize your facility. After you impressed the manager, he wants to look beyond after seeing your capability.

Body Language

This is one the signs we often noticed to the interviewer during the process of the interview. Showing positive body language also expresses that you’ve been like. If you feel comfortable with your conversation with the interviewer, he shows politeness, pays attention and smile at you, you’re doing well. You will also notice if the interviewer is not interested to hire you at all when he seems don’t listen to you and in a hurry.

Contact
Another obvious way to determine if you are doing well in an interview and enticed the interviewer is when he tells you to call him for further questions or give you a business card. Obviously they won’t bother to communicate with you if they are not interested.

Bed of Roses, Choosers & Better Half - Idioms in English

2011-07-15T10:26:00.000-07:00

Bed of Roses

“Life is not always a bed of roses.”

Meaning: a wonderful, pleasant situation or position; an easy, comfortable life.
Origin: English poets have used this phrase for centuries. Roses are such lovely, sweet-smelling, soft-petaled flowers that a bed of them suggests a lively, sweet, and soft condition. The meaning was stretched to mean any easy and comfortable situation in life. Beggars can’t be

Choosers

“Beggars can’t be choosers. If you don’t have money to go out forpizza, you’ll have to eat in the cafeteria.”

Meaning: needy people have to take whatever they can get and cannot be concerned about the quality if they cannot afford to buy it for themselves.
Origin: This proverb has been around since the mid-1500s. It means that people who need something but who have little or no control over their situations can’t choose what they get. They have to accept what is offered.

Better Half

I’m not making a decision until I check with my better half.

Meaning: either partner in marriage.
Origin: Puritans were English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who favoured strict religious discipline. They said that each person was made up of two halves, body and soul, and that the soul was the better half because it was the spiritual side. Sir Philip Sidney, an English writer, said that a marriage was made up of two halves, and that the better half was the better spouse. Today when the phrase “better half” is used, it almost always means someone’s wife, although there’s no reason why a wife can’t use the term to describe her husband. In either case, “better half” is a compliment.

Model Quiz in English

2011-07-13T03:24:00.000-07:00

Quiz Master : Now on to some of Man’s greatest feats of engineering – man-made ‘Holes’ in the ground!
QM : Team A -
How deep is the world’s deepest open mine?
(a) 2000 feet (b) 2540 feet (c) 2700 feet
Team A : 2540 feet!

QM : Right! Now team B -
How deep is the world’s deepest water well?
(a) 7320 feet (b) 5000 feet (c) 9000 feet
Team B : 5000 feet!

QM : Wrong! The correct answer is 7320 feet. And do
you know where it is? You get a bonus point if
you answer correctly. Team B? No? Team A?
Team A : In India?

QM : No, ….. It’s in Montana, USA.
QM : Next question to Team A -
Where is the deepest mine in the world?
Team A : Sorry ….. we pass.
QM : Team B?
Team B : Is it in South Africa?
QM : Yes indeed, it is. Do you know what it is called?
…. No? …..‘The Western Deep’. And do you know
that nearly all the deeper mines are gold mines?
Question to Team B now,
Where is the tallest structure in the world?
Team B : In Poland! …. the Warsaw Radio Mast.
QM : Correct! Now a simple question to you Team A -
Where is the only gold mine in South India?
Team A : In Karnataka.
QM : Right! And do you know what it is called?
Team A : Is it the Kolar Gold Mine?
QM : Yes! But the mine has run dry now and there are
no longer any mining operations today.
Now one last question each to both the teams.
Team B first - Where was the world’s deepest
drilling done?
Team B : (after much whispering) Sorry ………
QM : The question passes to TeamA -
Team A : (after a quick discussion) Was it the USSR?

QM : That’s right, it was! Well done, Team A! Did you know they had drilled to a depth of 31,911 feet!

Right!Well done, both teams! It’s time to say good bye now.
Good bye and good luck!

How to build your resume

2011-07-12T04:23:00.000-07:00

Your resume is what your potential employer will first learn about you, so it should be built in such a manner in which to put you in a good light as you have plenty of time at your disposal to elaborate it, but remember to keep it clean, to the point and as real as possible. Too many lies can be eventually noticed and that can lead to unemployment.

Your resume is the main document necessary when you are applying for a job and since your future employer doesn’t know you, he has to rely on your image presented in this document.

The ideal size for a resume consists of one page written on both sides that involves your name, studies, past experiences and related extra curricular activities that might provide some insight for the kind of person you are or the other work that you have performed in a relevant field.

If you are still in school, then you will need a transcript to show your possible employers. Anyone who plans to apply for a new job will find the transcript useful in creating their resume. Starting from your transcript you should build an achievement resume.
What do you want to do in life? Is probably the question that every one of us considers when taking their first official exams. The lucky ones, who have already decided their career in the early stages of life before choosing what college to join, have probably created a plan of action already on how to measure their goals.

If you don’t know what you want to do yet and you are still trying to figure it out, you have to consider the direction of your present actions and studies.

Many application forms contain the following questions:

“What are your career objectives?” and “Why have you chosen field x?” and they will be expecting a well reasoned answer. If you had a plan of action, you can elaborate on the direction you took from the start and explain what motivated you in a convincing way.

“What other fields are you considering?” This is another question that is often used for young college graduates that apply. Your future plan should also include back up solutions, just in case your favorite choice won’t work.

You should not mention your current income unless it is explicitly requested by the employment ad so try to avoid giving this information away until the time of your interview because if you are earning less than the offer in question, you can be considered to weak for the job.

Hospital English terms

2011-07-11T03:13:00.000-07:00

English for Medicine

A doctor’s instructions to his patients:

• Come back on Tuesday for the dressing.
• Use this antiseptic cream on the abrasions.
• Tilt your head.
• Avoid exerting yourself too much.
• Take one capsule twice a day – one in the morning and one at bed-time – both before every meal.
• You should go to the lab, on an empty stomach for the test.
• Take two teaspoons of this syrup at night.
• Take a bland diet. Avoid hot, spicy food.
• Take half a tablet after every meal, three times a day.
• Lie down with your feet raised. You could use a pillow.
• Take one puff of this inhaler in the morning and one at night.

D. Writing

BE POSITIVE HOSPITAL DISCHARGE SUMMARY

Case Summary: Child admitted with H/o recurrent sore throat – fever – treated for tonsillitis each time – No ear discharge – Nasal stuffiness present – Admitted for Tonsillectomy
Examinations: Afebrile – comfortable – BP 120/70 mm. Hg –Pulse 82/mt. Reg. – Throat-no congestion
Operation Notes: Tonsillectomy – Under GA tonsillectomy done both sides fossa clear
Post Operative Course: Uneventful
Treatment Given: Syp. Chemotrin forte 2 tsp./bd Syp. Ultragin 2 tsp./tds Syp. Ostocalcium B12 2 tsp./bd
Condition on Discharge: Pt conscious Afebrile Pulse 92 mt No bleeding from oral cavity
Advised: Syp. Chemotrinforte 2 tsp./bd for 7 days Syp. Ultragin 2 tsp./tds
Diet Advised: 1st day – ice cream, rose milk, ice water 2nd day – biscuits, bread, tea, coffee, bournvita, horlicks, curd rice 3rd / 4th / 5th day- idli, rice kanji, curd rice, pongal, bread and biscuits 6th & 7th day – vegetable rice, green rice, dhal rice

No ‘hair wash’, no hot, spicy food – 15 days

Confidence is the Key to a Winning Job Interview

2011-07-09T04:22:00.000-07:00

Job applicants always put their best foot forward during job interviews to ensure that they can overcome tough competition and land the job they want. Making a good first impression might be an overused tip for those who want to ace their job interview, it still holds true. You must therefore exhibit confidence during a job interview because it helps you to stand out amongst other applicants. If you want to be remembered, then make sure that you showcase this confidence during your interview. However, there is a fine line separating confidence and arrogance and you must learn how to tread that carefully.

If this is your first time to attend a job interview, make sure to educate yourself on what you should do and what to expect. That way, you won’t be surprised and know how to carry yourself throughout the interview. The more you know about what is waiting up ahead for you, the more confident you can be about your ability to perform well during the interview. Also, take the time to learn more about the position you are applying for and the company that is hiring to answer all the questions asked on you during interview with confidence.

Indeed, this is true not just during interviews but in life in general. If you are familiar with a given situation, you can tackle it with more confidence because you know what is waiting for you up ahead and know how to deal with the situation. The same principle applies during a job interview – knowing about what possible questions are going to be asked will enable you to prepare how to respond to them in such a way that you’d make a good impression on the prospect employer.

Once you are at the actual job interview and you are asked a question that you did not anticipate, do not panic. Just answer the question truthfully. Sometimes, employers will appreciate an honest answer from you. However, never lose the confidence in your demeanor. Or else, it might hint the interviewer that you are not capable of handling yourself during stressful situations.

Another secret to maintaining confidence during a job interview is to always think positive. With the economy’s dire situation, it can be easy to become frustrated and feel like you have no chance of taking the position that you are applying for. But when you are confident, you can easily plan your ways to reach your goal, and then the rest is history. If you do not believe in yourself first, how do you expect your future employer to trust your own capabilities to do the job?

Collective Noun - Singular or Plural

2011-07-07T20:38:00.000-07:00

None of the equipment was damaged. (None refers to the singular noun equipment)
None of the machines were damaged. (None refers to the plural noun machines.)
Most of the food has been eaten. (Most refers to the singular noun food)
Most of the sandwiches have been eaten. (Most refers to the plural noun sandwiches)

Note: The word none is singular when it means “ not one” and plural when it means “ not any.”

Examples:

None of the hats fits. (No one fits)
None of the hats fit. (Not any fit)

Task: Identifying Subjects and Verbs that agree in Number -For each of the following sentences, identify the subjectof the verb in parentheses. Then choose the verb form that agrees in number with the subject.

Example: Not one of the pears (look, looks) ripe. one-looks

1. Many of the recipes in this cookbook (is, are) adaptable tomicrowave cooking.
2. Neither of my parents (has, have) any trouble using the metric system.
3. I know that all the workers (is, are) proud to help restore the Statue of Liberty.
4. Most of the English classes in my school (stresses, stress) composition skills.
5. Few of the students (was, were) able to spell bureaucracy correctly.
6. (Do, Does) each of you know what you’re supposed to bring tomorrow?

Compound Subjects

A compound subject is two or more subjects that have the same verb.

Subjects joined by ‘and’ usually take a plural verb:

Examples: Basil and thyme are plants of the mint family.
A compound subject may name a single person or thing. Such a compound subject takes a singular verb.

Examples: The secretary and treasurer is Govind. (one person)Grilled chicken and rice is the restaurant’s specialty.
(one dish)

Singular subjects joined by ‘or’ or ‘nor’ take a singular verb:

Examples: Neither Juan nor Jeff wants to see the movie.
Either Faridha or Tara plans to report on Latha.
Has your mother or your father met your teacher?

When a singular subject and a plural subject are joined by ‘or’ or ‘nor’, the verb agrees with the subject nearer the verb:

Examples: Neither the performers nor the director was eager to rehearse the scene again. (The singular subject director is nearer the verb.)
Neither the director nor the performers were eager to rehearse the scene again. (The plural subject performers is nearer the verb.)

Task: Correcting Errors in Subject-Verb Agreement - Most of the following sentences contain verbs that do not agree with their subjects. If the verb does not agree, give the correct form of the verb. If the verb agrees with its subject, write C.

Example: Each of the issues were resolved. was

1. One or both of the Shakespearean plays about Henry IV are likely to be performed this summer.
2. The effective date of the new regulations for nuclear power plants have not yet been determined.
3. The fact that compact discs do not wear out and do not have to be flipped over make them attractive.
4. The sales representative, with the help of her assistant, are making plans to expand her territory.
5. Not one of the speakers in the debate on South America were eager to suggest a solution to the problem.
6. Neither the proposals of the air traffic controllers nor the report of the FAA’s committee have been heeded.

Collective nouns may be either singular or plural:

A collective noun is singular in form but names a group of persons or things.

A collective noun takes a singular verb when the noun refers to the group as a unit and takes a plural verb when the noun refers to the parts or members of the group.

Singular : The band practices every day.(The band practices as a unit.)
Plural : The band buy their own uniforms.(The members of the band buy separate uniforms.)
Singular : The tour group is on the bus.(The group as a unit is on the bus).
Plural : The tour group are talking about what they expect to see. (The members of the group are talking to one another).
Singular : A flock of geese is flying over. (The flock is flying as a unit.)
Plural : The flock of geese are joining together in a V-shaped
formation. (The members of the flock are joining together.)

WRITING FORMAL LETTERS in English - part of the letter

2011-07-05T18:15:00.000-07:00

WRITING FORMAL LETTERS 1

You have already learnt (last year), the various kinds of letters and the essential features of a good letter. You have also learnt how to write letters for different occasions under ‘informal’ or
‘personal’ type, and a few sample situations under ‘formal’ type.

Let us now recall the layout, and the various parts of a formal letter.

The Parts of a Formal Letter

A formal letter contains seven parts:
1. the heading
2. the inside address
3. the salutation
4. the body
5. the closing
6. the signature
7. address on the envelope

There are two styles used frequently for formal letters. With the block form, every part of the letter begins at the left-hand margin, and paragraphs are not indented. In the modified block
form, the heading, the closing, and the signature are aligned along an imaginary line just to the right of the centre of the page. The other parts of the letter begin at the left-hand margin. All paragraphs are indented.

The Heading: The heading usually consists of three lines:
.your street address (or post office box number)
.your city, state, and PIN code
.the date of writing

The Inside Address: The inside address shows the name and address of the person or organisation you are writing to if you’re writing to a specific person, use a courtesy title (such as Mr.., Ms..,Mrs., or Miss) or a professional title (such as Dr. or Professor) in front of the person’s name. After the person’s name, include the person’s business or job title (such as Owner or Sales Manager),followed by the name of the company or organisation and the address. If you are writing to the organisation use ‘Messrs’.

The Salutation: The salutation is your greeting. If you are writing to a specific person, begin with Dear, followed by a courtesy title or a professional title and the person’s last name. End the salutation with a colon, or a comma (like Dear Mr. ……; or Dear Dr. ……..) If you don’t have the name of a specific person, you can use a general salutation, such as Dear Sir or Madam. You can also use a department or a position title, with or without the word Dear. To address the organisation use ‘Sirs’.

The Body: The body, or main part, of your letter contains your message. If the body of your letter contains more than one paragraph, leave a space between paragraphs.

The Closing: In closing, you should end your letter in a courteous manner. Closings often used in formal letters include Sincerely,Yours truly, Respectfully yours, and Regards. Capitalise only the first word of the closing.

The Signature: Your signature should be written in ink, directly below the closing. Sign your full name. Do not use a title. If you type your letter, type your name neatly below your signature.

Address on the envelope: Give correct address with pin code here.

Guidelines for the contents of a formal letter

Formal letters usually follow a few simple guidelines:

.Use a courteous, positive and professional tone. Maintain a respectful, constructive tone – even if you’re angry. Rude or insulting letters are counterproductive.
.Use formal, standard English. Avoid slang, dialect, contractions or abbreviations. Formal letters are usually formal in tone and use of language.
.State your purpose clearly and quickly. Assume that the person reading your letter is busy. Tell why you are writing in the first or second sentence of the letter.
.Include all necessary information. Provide all the information your reader needs to understand and respond appropriately to your letter.

As in the case of personal letters, there are various types of formal letters, like: Request or Order letters, Complaint or Adjustment letters, Appreciation or Commendation letters.

In this unit, we shall learn how to write letters of request and order.

Request or order letters:

Often, you may require something that you can obtain by writing a request letter. For example, you might write to a college to request a catalogue of courses offered, or you might write to a
state’s tourism agency to request a brochure about a travel destination. An order letter is a special kind of request letter that is written to order merchandise by mail, especially when you do not have a printed order form.

Creator Hands - Topic for English Discussion - Grammar - Conjunction

2011-07-03T03:34:00.000-07:00

Creator’s hands

Everything is good
when it leaves the Creator’s hands;
Everything degenerates
while in the hands of man.

Do you agree with this saying?

If yes, how do things degenerate in the hands of man?

If no, why not?

THEME FOCUS

Do you know?

1. A female mouse is ready to have babies when she is seven weeks old.
2. The swift (a bird) sleeps, feeds and even mates while it is flying.
3. The male penguin incubates the eggs laid by the female until it hatches about two months later.
4. Whenever a stick insect is attacked it falls to the ground and lies stills so that it cannot be seen by its enemy.
5.A sperm whale can spend over an hour under water before it comes to the surface to breathe.
6. An orb spider weaves its web after it fixes threads in a box shape.
7. As soon as a lizard flicks out its tongue it can pick up signals about food.

GRAMMAR FOCUS

In all the sentences above each has a main clause and an
adverbial clause of time, having one of the following as
conjunction: when, while, until, whenever, before, as soon as,
after.

In sentence 1, ‘when’ is used to talk about two events that happen
at the same time, sometimes if one causes the other.

e.g. When you press the button, the door opens automatically.

In sentence 2, ‘while’ is used to show two longer actions that go
on at the same time.

e.g. While I was reading my lesson, all others at home were
watching TV.

In sentence 3, ‘until’ is used to say how far away a future event is.

e.g. I was reading the newspaper in the library until my friend
joined me.

In sentence 4, ‘whenever’ is used to denote the action repeatedly
occurring.

e.g. Whenever my friend called me over phone, I was not able to
be at home to receive it.

In sentence 5, ‘before’ is used when the action in the main clause
continues until the time represented in the adverbial clause.

e.g. My friend used to live with me before he got a transfer to
Madurai.

In sentence 6, ‘after’ is used to denote two separate actions taking
place one after the other.

e.g. After you switch on the computer, press ENTER key.

In sentence 7, ‘as soon as’ is used to mean ‘immediately after’.

e.g. As soon as I turned the ignition key, the engine started.

Caution

In the use of ‘before’ and ‘until’, depending upon the context (a)
both may be interchangeably used (b) only ‘before’ can be used or (c)
only ‘until’ can be used.

‘until’ or ‘before’

e.g. I didn’t like yoga until/before I tried.
Only ‘before’ (at some time before)

e.g. I left home before my father arrived.
Only ‘until’ (upto the time)

e.g.Wait here until the bus number 72 comes.

TASK 1: Match the sentence parts from A with their
corresponding parts in B:

TASK 2: Underline the appropriate conjunction from the two
printed in bold letters:

1. While / Whenever I go in the rain I catch cold.
2. Immediately after / before I get up in the morning I sneeze
many times.
3. While / when I take the medicines prescribed by the doctor they
cause side effects.
4. Sneezing stops until / soon after I take the medicines.
5. Until / Once I stop taking the medicines, cold relapses.

TASK 3: Fill in the blanks with the conjunctions given below:

before, until, while, when, after

Sometimes it rains ……… the sun shines. We call this a sun
shower. ……… strong winds blow it rains from the clouds that
are far away. Sometimes ……... the sun shines it may rain from
very high clouds. The clouds disappear ……... the rain can reach
the ground. Children enjoy these showers jumping in the open air
……... these rains stop.

Learning English - Basic tips

2011-06-30T00:09:00.000-07:00

You don't need to be worried, learning English can actually be fun, don't worry about, take a deep breath and just try your best.

Have you ever thought that maybe people cant understand you when you speaking to them? Well don't feel nervous when you speaking English as this will cause you to pronounce English words wrong even more. Don't feel annoy at yourself if you get a word wrong, just talk clearly and slowly so that the person you are speaking with understands you and you can have a great, relaxed, in depth informative conversation with someone.

All you need to do is ask yourself, why is English hard to learn? If you ask this question to yourself you should be able to answer it with, well.. English isn't that hard to learn, 5 year old children can speak great English, this means that I should be able too speak advanced English quite easily. It all comes with practice.

All you need to do is watch many English videos, possibly on Youtube or another free video hosting website, it doesn’t matter what its about as long as you can understand what they are saying, all you need to do then is repeat after them, build up your confidence, repeat what people on videos are saying and it will help you pronounce the words better.

Don’t blame yourself if your English isn’t that good, every one has trouble with language at some point in there life.
Its not your fault and you are not the problem, the reason why you are finding the English language quite difficult is because it is a very complicated language to start with.

As long as you want to help yourself then you will be ok, make sure you take your time listening, reading and writing these are the 3 main key steps to becoming a master of the English language.

Spoken English is the main thing you need to focus on, try speaking to people even if its just on Skype, someone you have never spoken to before, Skype is a free voice instant messaging program you can use on your computer for free, you can speak to people in chat rooms there who usually all speak English, even if you just listen to what there saying and take notes and ask questions if you need to, usually a lot of people in these chat rooms will speak with you and help you out.

When it comes to speaking English you need to make sure your grammar is brilliant, you need to make sure you pronounce the words correctly, have you ever felt that your knowledge of the English language is letting you down? Have you felt embarrassed that your spelling mistakes are happening too often when your writing?

When I was learning English this is what I did, I watched Youtube videos and also spoke with people who I didn’t know so I didn’t feel embarrassed if I made a mistake because I would possibly never speak to that same person again.

5 Points to avoid During Interview - Do This and You Won’t Get a Job!

2011-06-27T04:22:00.000-07:00

The job interview process is a critical step towards sealing the job position that you are applying for. Indeed, you need to be able to put your best foot forward in order to create a good impression on your future employer. However, your chances of landing that job can be put in jeopardy if you commit some of the common mistakes that job applicants do. To save yourself from the possibility of ruining your job application, make sure to take note of what these common mistakes are.

1.    Arriving late for your job interview. This is one of the most fatal error committed by a lot of job interviewees, and yet they take it lightly especially for those who think they have high qualifications. Work ethics is an integral part used by employers in evaluating job applicants and there is nothing more that creates a negative impression than not getting to your scheduled interview on time. You have to consider that a hiring manager considers their time valuable and you can’t waste it by making them wait. In addition, it will create a negative impression on you because employers consider time as a valuable business asset.

2.    Trashing their former employers. Even if you have had a bad experience with a previous employer, resist the urge to talk negative things about them. Even if the cause of your separation from a previous employer is negative, try to play it coy instead because it will leave your hiring manager or prospective employer wondering if you’d do the same to them.

3.    Don’t try too hard to be friendly. Here is another complaint by hiring managers during a job interview. In an effort to show off confidence, most job applicants seem to forget that this is not a casual conversation but a formal job interview. It is acceptable if you try to maintain a good conversation but you have to observe proper interview etiquette, as well.

4.    Dressing up for an interview in an inappropriate manner. Some job applicants can’t dress up properly for a job interview, which makes them look cheap or informal. This is one of the most common mistakes committed by job applicants and is something that you should not commit. Women are often the most common culprits, such as those that wear blouses with plunging necklines, very short skirt, or putting on too much makeup.

5.    Asking for pay or benefits too early. When you do this, it gives the employer the wrong impression on you – that you have no commitment to the growth of the company and that all you are in it for is the pay. While this might be true, you do not have to be blatant about it, especially during your initial interview process.

Letter Writing - How to draft a Letter

2011-06-25T10:12:00.000-07:00

Drafting a letter

Whether you are writing a letter of invitation to a friend or a letter of complaint to your Member of Parliament, it is important to start with a rough draft of what you want to say. This will make
for a more concise and effective end result. For some of us letter writing comes easily, but although words may flow when writing to a friend, stating a case or making a forceful complaint needs careful thought and exact expression.

First work out precisely what you want to say, the points you need to make, and the most telling way of putting them across.Always remember that it is vital to have these points clear in your mind before you even begin the rough drafting. A mind churning with words and phrases, but without any firm ideas to harness them to, will get you nowhere.

When preparing to write a letter, decide what the main point is. This should come first, followed by the ‘evidence’, or similar m aterial, and then a brief conclusion. If you think the result sounds
too abrupt and clinical, remember that a good letter writer could well follow the advice given to a public speaker: ‘Stand up, speak up. And shut up.’ In other words, say what is essential, but no more.
Language

Making a rough draft will also enable you to weed out from your letter certain phrases that are natural and acceptable when spoken but which can be damaging if they appear in a formal letter.When you read over your draft before writing or typing the final version, make sure you remove those phrases.

Be careful about phrases like ‘OK’, ‘haven’t a clue’, ‘couldn’t care less’ and ‘puts you off’. Cut out all the slang expressions and colloquialisms, which you might normally use in casual conversation. They can make easy reading in a newspaper or magazine article, where they are quite appropriate, but are out of place in a formal letter. Furthermore, they are a sign of the inexperienced letter-writer, and that is not the impression you want to create.

You must also avoid phrases that go to the other extreme and which are left over from a business age that is long dead.

You should not write of ‘your letter of the 10th inst.’, but ‘your letter dated the 10th of this month’. One should not ‘beg for the favour of an early reply’, but ask ‘for a reply as soon as possible’.‘I am desirous of’ is only a more pompous way of saying ‘I wish to’. Avoid saying ‘This is OK by us’, but also avoid saying that you ‘find the aforementioned entirely in accordance with our views’. It will be better if you just say ‘I approve of your idea’. People ‘die’ rather than ‘pass away’, and it is better to say that you ‘do not think’ rather than that you ‘are not of the opinion’. Another horror is ‘re’ when what you really mean is ‘about’.

There are also some words, which are quite suitable in one context and utterly unsuitable in another. For instance, it is correct to write of ‘per cent’ or ‘per capita’, but wrong to write as per my letter’ when what you really mean is ‘as I said in my letter’. The rule should always be to use short, simple phrases which are quite clear, rather than those which are complicated and ambiguous.

These are examples of the stilted English which try to give an air of importance to a simple statement and should be avoided at all costs. The rule of thumb is to use the plain, straightforward expression, the precise word in an economical sentence, so ask your self whether you have said what you wanted to say exactly and simply.You can get a lot of help in this very essential process from ‘A Dictionary of Modern English Usage’ by H.W. Fowler,
published by the Oxford University Press.

Computer English terms

2011-06-25T05:51:00.000-07:00

C. Reading

Task 1: What is the function of the operating system in a
computer? Discuss in groups of four.

Task 2: Read the following descriptions of various operating
systems, then answer the questions given.

Operating Systems:

MS DOS: This operating system was developed by Microsoft in 1981.
Today it’s used in old PC’s. Some basic DOS commands include -
DIR ( shows a list of all the files in a directory ), COPY (makes a
duplicate of a file ), DEL ( deletes files).
WINDOWS:Most home PCs use Windows.

With Windows 98, Internet access becomes part of the user interface.
The system includes Outlook Express for e-mail, NetMeeting
conferencing software, a chat programme and a Web-page editor.
Windows 2000 is designed for business uses.
Windows Millennium is designed for home use. It includes new system
safeguards and supports DVD, music players and mobile computers.
Windows XP is an update to all Windows versions, with a new visual
design. It’s more secure and reliable. It offers support for the latest
technologies.
POCKET PC This is developed for handheld computers (or palmtops)
that use a stylus or a small keyboard for input.
Mac OS The Mac OS combines the elegance of Macintosh and the
power of UNIX. The new Mac OS, offers Internet capabilities, support
for Java, and Airport technology for wireless connections.
OS/2Warp This is the PC world’s most technically sophisticated
operating system. It provides true multi-tasking, allowing a
programme to be divided into ‘threads’, many of which can run at
the same time. Thus, not only can numerous programmes run
simultaneously, but one programme can perform numerous tasks
at the same time.
UNIXThis OS, designed by Bell Laboratories for minicomputers and
workshops, has been widely adopted by many corporate installations.
From the very first, it was designed to be a multi-tasking System. It is
written in C language. Unix is the most commonly used system for
advanced CAD programs.
LINUX (Linus Torvalds) Protected under the GNU general public
licence, Linux is the open source, cooperatively-developed multitasking
operating system. Linux is used as a high value, fully
functional UNIX workstation for applications ranging from Internet
Servers to reliable work group computing.
SOLARIS This is a Unix based operating system developed by
Sun Microsystems. It supports multi-processing – many CPUs and
processes on a single system. It includes Java technology, which
allows Web pages to display animation, play music and interact
with information.

Which operating system do the following lines refer to?

1. This is the most secure and reliable version of the Windows
family ……………..
2. This system combines the elegance of Macintosh and the
power of UNIX .…………………..
3. This system was developed for computers that use a stylus
………………………….
4. This was designed for minicomputers ……………..
5. This system is now used in old PCs …………………
6. This system includes new system safeguards and supports
DVD, music players and mobile computers
.……………………..
7. This system was designed as a multi-tasking system and is
written in C language ……………………
8. This system can run not only several programs simultaneously, but
also enables each program to perform numerous tasks at the same
time ………………

Task 3: Several Acronyms have been used in the given text.
Work with a partner and make a list. Then say what
each Acronym stands for. Ask your Computer teacher
to help you with the words you don’t know.

Understand Idioms - Ace up your Sleeve & Achilles’ Heel

2011-06-24T10:21:00.000-07:00

Ace up your Sleeve

“I don’t know how Henry is going to get his mom to buy him a bike, but I’m sure he has an ace up his sleeve”.
Meaning: a surprise or secret advantage, especially something tricky that is kept hidden until needed.
Origin: Back in the 1500s most people didn’t have pockets in their clothes, so they kept things in their sleeves. Later on, magicians hid objects, even small live animals, up their sleeves and then pulled them out unexpectedly to surprise their audiences. In the 1800s dishonest card players secretly slipped a winning card, often an ace, up their sleeves and pulled it out when nobody was looking to win the game.

Achilles’ Heel

I’m an ‘A’ student in math and science, but English is my Achilles’ heel.
Meaning: the one weakness, fault, flaw, or vulnerable spot in one’s otherwise strong character.
Origin: In the Iliad, the famous story about the TrojanWar by theGreek poet Homer, Achilles was a great hero and warrior. However,he had one weak spot, the heel of one foot. When he was a baby, his mother wanted to be certain that her son could never be harmed, so

she dipped little Achilles upside-down in the magical River Styx. Wherever the water touched his body, he became invulnerable. But since she was holding him by his heel, that part of him never got wet. Years later Achilles was killed in the TrojanWar by an enemy who shot a poisoned arrow into his heel.

Idioms - Add Fuel to the Fire, All Ears & Apple of your Eye Meaning in English

2011-06-23T10:21:00.000-07:00

Add Fuel to the Fire

“I was already angry with you, and when you forgot to pick me up, that really added fuel to the fire”.
Meaning: to make a bad situation worse; to do or say something that causes more trouble, makes someone angrier.
Origin: Thousands of years ago the famous Roman historian Livy used this expression. If you pour water on a fire, it goes out. But if you put fuel (like coal or wood) on a fire, you make it burn hotter and brighter. If “fire” represents any kind of trouble, then anything you do to make that trouble worse is “fuel”. A similar expression is “fan the flames”.

All Ears

“You said you had something important to tell me. I’m all ears!”

Meaning: eager to listen; sharply attentive; curious
Origin: The ear is the organ by which a person hears. So, if we figuratively say that you’re “all ears,” it means that at that moment you’re keenly listening to whatever is being said. It’s as if no other part of your body mattered except your ears. This idiom is about three
centuries old.

Apple of your Eye

“Kareem is the apple of my eye”.

Meaning: a person/thing that is greatly loved/treasured/ adored.
Origin: This saying is used in the Bible. Ancient people thought that the pupil of the eye was solid and shaped like an apple. The pupil (“apple of the eye”) was precious because without it, you couldn’t see.

What are Idioms and where did come from

2011-06-21T21:29:00.000-07:00

IDIOMS

What are idioms?

Idioms are groups of words with special, specific meanings. They are often confusing because the meaning of the whole group of words that form an idiom has little, often nothing, to do with the meanings of the words taken one by one.

Idioms appear in every language, and English has thousands of them.

In order to understand a language, you must know what the idioms in that language mean. If you try to figure out the meaning of an idiom literally, word by word, you will get befuddled. You have to know its “hidden” meaning.

For instance, to “let the cat out of the bag” means to reveal a secret. Today the phrase has nothing to do with a cat or a bag, but hundreds of years ago, it actually did.

We use idioms:
• to be different
• to play with words
• to be amusing or witty
• to put other people at ease, even in the most formal situations
• to communicate more clearly and more visually
• to express something which other words do not quite express

Where did all these idioms come from?

Idioms come from all different sources, from the Bible to horse racing, from ancient fables to modern slang. Sometimes famous authors and storytellers such as Homer, Aesop, Geoffrey Chaucer, or William Shakespeare made them up to add spark to their writings.
The authors were popular, so the expressions they created became popular. Often, however, we don’t know the name of the first author or speaker who used a particular expression.

Some idioms come from Native-American customs (“bury the hatchet”) and others from African-American speech (“chill out”).

Some became popular because they rhyme (“snug as a bug in a rug”) or have alliteration (“spic and span”). Some idioms originated as colloquialisms (informal speech) or slang (casual, playful, non-standard language). Some were well-known proverbs and adages (short sayings that express practical, basic truths). Some popular idioms began as folksy sayings used in particular regions of the country and spoken in local dialects. Many came from other
countries, although most of the idioms in this book are Americanisms. Some idioms go back in time to the ancient Greeks and Romans, thousands of years ago. Others are more recent.

How to use Punctuation in Letter writting in English

2011-06-20T10:14:00.000-07:00

Punctuation

Right punctuation should be used to make your meaning clear. Whether you are writing a complaint to a business concern, or an application for a job, making yourself clear is essential.

Every sentence requires a full stop at the end to show that it is completed, and long sentence may require one or more commas, a semi-colon or even a colon. Commas should not be scattered about; instead, each should indicate there is a pause in the sentence. In other words, there would be a physical pause to help make the meaning clear if the sentence were being read aloud. There should be a mental pause if the sentence is being read to oneself.

The purpose of the comma in bringing about a pause is the reason behind most of the ‘rules’ which have grown up about its usage. One of these rules is that when an adjective is immediately
followed by one or more adjectives, a comma is always placed after each except the last. For example, ‘I am selling a good car’,‘I am selling a good, economical car’, ‘I am selling a good,
economical, trustworthy car’. But if the succession of adjectives is interrupted by ‘and’, then this itself has the effect of creating a pause and you would write: ‘This is a good, economical and trustworthy car’.

Sometimes the use or non-use of a comma can affect the actual meaning of a sentence. If, for instance, you write: ‘I am returning your cheque, which lacks a signature’ you are really saying: ‘I am returning your cheque. It lacks a signature’. If, however, you leave out the comma and write: ‘I am returning your cheque which lacks a signature’, this means that you are returning one out of many cheques received, i.e., the one which lacks a signature.

In some cases the job done by commas can be carried out by brackets or by two dashes. These devices were more popular years ago, when sentences in most business letters, as well as some
private letters, tended to be longer than they are today. A long sentence spattered with commas can be confusing, however well they are used, and it was quite common to see such sentences as
‘Mr. Jones (who was not very co-operative at our last meeting) seemed most anxious to help, although it is still apparent, I am afraid, that he is not very much in favour of the scheme – if, in
fact, he is in favour of it at all – and that we may well face opposition in the future’.

Shorter sentences are less confusing, and the use of both brackets and dashes could be avoided. Do not use either, unless you feel that it is really necessary.

Other important marks of punctuation are the semi-colon and the colon. The semi-colon is used to break up a long sentence into more easily understood parts. The head of a firm might write, ‘We are going to give the staff an outing; we are going to take them to the Golden Beach for the day; and if the idea is a success we are going to repeat it next year’. The colon is used when you have to make a statement and then follow it up with an explanation. For example, ‘There were six of us present: Ram, John, Kumar, Mary, Mala and myself’.

If the colon is used before a number of words, phrases or even paragraphs, it shows that all these are governed by the preceding sentence, which does not have to be repeated. This is a way of setting it out:

Would you please note the following points?

1. Whatever dates are arranged, it is vital we are back in Chennai by the end of May.
2. The total cost of the trip must not exceed Rs.10,000/-
3. Train travel must be kept to a minimum.

A punctuation mark to avoid is the exclamation mark,particularly in business letters. In private correspondence it does not matter so much, but it should still be used with care. If you
feel that an exclamation mark is necessary and that the sentence is not sufficiently emphatic without it, try re-wording the sentence. There is no rule against writing: ‘You have done this entirely without my permission!’ but it is better to re-word the sentence as follows: ‘I want to protest strongly against this having been done without my permission’.

Another form of punctuation where caution should be taken is the inverted comma or quotation mark (either single or double), which is always used in pairs. There are three general uses for quotation marks:

1. To show the words between them are not the writer’s own, but someone else’s, and at the same time to emphasise their importance.
2. Another use of inverted commas is to show that a word or phrase is not used in its normal literal meaning. Thus you might write: ‘WhatI am most concerned about is the “atmosphere” of the meeting’.
3. The third use involves enclosing in inverted commas a phrase that is not normally used in a letter. You might write: ‘If we did this the younger members of the group would probably think that we were not “with it”.’

Modifiers in English - Forms and uses of Modifier with Example

2011-06-19T21:01:00.000-07:00

Forms of Modifiers

A modifier is a word that limits the meaning of another word. The two kinds of modifiers are the adjective and the adverb.

Uses of Modifiers

Use an adjective to modify the subject of a linking verb:

The most common linking verbs are the forms of be: am, is, are, was, were, be , been and being. A linking verb is often followed by a predicate adjective – a word that modifies the subject.

Examples:
Our new computer system is efficient.
The Governor’s comments on the controversial issue were candid.

Use an adverb to modify an action verb:

Action verbs are often modified by adverbs – words that tell how, when, where, or to what extent an action is performed.

Examples:
Our new computer system is operating efficiently.
The Governor candidly expressed her view on the controversial issue.
Some verbs may be used as linking verbs or as action verbs.

Examples:
Geetha looked frantic. (Looked is a linking verb.
The modifier following it is an adjective, frantic.)
Geetha looked frantically for her gold ring. (Looked is an action verb. The modifier following it is an adverb, frantically.)

To help you determine whether a verb is a linking verb or an action verb, replace the verb with a form of ‘seem’. If the substitution sounds reasonable, the original verb is a linking verb. If the substitution sounds absurd, the original verb is an action verb.

Examples:
Geetha looked frantic. (Since ‘Geetha seemed frantic’ sounds reasonable, looked is a linking verb.)
Geetha looked frantically for her gold ring. (Since
‘Geetha seemed frantically for her gold ring’ sounds absurd, looked is an action verb.)

Like main verbs, verbals may be modified by adverbs:
Examples:
Barking loudly, the dog frightened the burglar. (The adverb ‘loudly’ modifies the participle ‘barking’.)
Not fastening the bracket tightly will enable you to adjust it later. (The adverbs ‘not’ and ‘tightly’ modify the gerund ‘fastening’. The adverb ‘later’ modifies the infinitive to ‘adjust’.)

Task: Selecting modifiers to complete sentences - Select the correct modifier in parentheses for each of the following sentences.

Example:When you look (careful, carefully) at these pots, you can see the tiny figures etched on them. carefully

1. The woman in the picture is Rosemary Apple BlossomLonewolf, an artist whose style remains (unique, uniquely) among Native American potters.
2. Lonewolf combines (traditional, traditionally) and modern techniques to create her miniature pottery.
3. In crafting her pots, Lonewolf uses dark red clay that is (ready, readily) available around the Santa Clara Pueblo in New Mexico, where she lives.
4. These miniatures have a detailed and (delicate, delicately) etched surface called graffito.
5. Because of the (extreme, extremely) intricate detail on its surface, a single pot may take many months to finish.
6. The subjects for most of Lonewolf’s pots combine ancientPueblo myths and traditions with (current, currently) ideas or events.

Six Troublesome Modifiers

Bad and Badly:

‘Bad’ is an adjective. ‘Badly’ is an adverb. In standard English, only
the adjective form should follow a sense verb or other linking verb.
Non-standard If the meat smells badly, don’t eat it.
Standard If the meat smells bad, don’t eat it.

Note:Although the expression ‘feel badly’ has become acceptable in informal situations, use ‘feel bad’ in formal speech and writing.

Good and Well:
‘Good’ is an adjective. ‘Well’ may be used as an adjective or as an adverb. Avoid using ‘good’ to modify an action verb. Instead, use ‘well’, an adverb meaning ‘capably’ or ‘satisfactorily’.
Non-standard The school orchestra played good.
Standard The school orchestra played well.
Non-standard Although she was nervous, Arathi performed quite good.
Standard Although she was nervous, Arathi performed quite well.

Used as an adjective, ‘well’ means ‘in good health’ or ‘satisfactory in appearance or condition’.

Examples:
He says that he feels well.
She looks well in that band uniform.
It’s midnight, and all is well.

Slow and Slowly:
‘Slow’ is an adjective. ‘Slowly’ is an adverb. Avoid the common error of using ‘slow’ to modify an action verb.
Non-standard Do sloths always move that slow?
Standard Do sloths always move that slowly?

Note: The expressions ‘drive slow’ and ‘go slow’ have become acceptable in informal situations. In formal speaking and writing, however, use ‘drive slowly’ and ‘go slowly’.

Task: Determining the correct use of ‘bad’ and ‘badly’, ‘well’ and ‘good’, and ‘slow’ and ‘slowly’. Each of the following sentences contains an italicised modifier. If the modifier is incorrect, give the correct form. If the modifier is correct, write C.

Example: When I painted the house, I fell off the ladder and hurt my right arm bad.
badly

1. The renowned conductor Leonard Bernstein led the New YorkPhilharmonic Orchestra well for many years.
2. Despite the immense size and tremendous power of this airplane, the engines start up slow.
3. I can hit the ball good if I keep my eye on it.
4. Before Uncle Chand’s hip-replacement surgery, his gait was painful and slow.
5. After studying French for the past three years in high school, we were pleased to discover how good we spoke and understood it on our trip to Quebec.
6. Some of the experiments that the chemistry class has conducted have made the corridors smell badly.
7. During the Han dynasty in China, candidates who did bad on civil service tests did not become government officials.
8. Whenever I watch the clock, the time seems to go slow.
9. When my parents correct my little sister, they tell her not to behave bad.
10. After hearing how her grandmother overcame many problems, Anne felt well.

English Glossary - Learn new words

2011-06-18T06:12:00.000-07:00

Glossary:

razor sharp : clever
packed : fit into limited time
fuss : worry
excerpt : part / passage taken from a book
streamlining : making more efficient by simplifying
threat : indication of harm, danger, pain
contender : rival
stringer : a part-time journalist
correspondent : a person employed by a newspaper to send
reports
surplus : amount in excess
inched : moved very slowly in small steps
outclassed : surpassed in quality
broadcast : to transmit or radio/television
sporting : fair.just
sellout : all tickets sold
staged : performed a show
punishing form : in perfect form
scarcely : hardly
fine leg : a fielding position (oblique to and behind
the wicket)
ropes : boundary line
boundary : marked limit of a playing area
mission : specific task / duly assigned to a person /
group
full toss : a ball that reaches the batsman without
bouncing
sweep : to play a ball (butting technique)
boom : prosper vigorously
pundit : an expert
cyber : indicatingcomputers
e-zine : electronic (online) magazine
decade : ten years
allied : related
flexible : adaptable
online : internet while it is operating/ functioning
fm radio : frequency modulation radio
evolving : changing
relevant : applicable
commerciall : profitable / marketable
medium : means ofcommunicationthat reach large
numbers of people such as television.
newspapers and radio
impact : force
dormant : undeveloped
hushed : quiet
ceremonial : traditional/ritual
flavour : essence /zest
culminate : end/close
parade : procession/display
reverence : respect/admiration

Overcoming Job Interview Jitters - 3 Best Points

2011-06-16T04:25:00.000-07:00

Anyone going into a job interview is naturally going to feel nervous. After all, your ability to land a job depends on how well the interview goes. More pressure is then added by the fact that you will be asked a lot of questions and you need to deliver well to ensure that you will make a good impression.

To avoid these common jitters, you need to follow a three-step action plan that will increase your chances of becoming successful at this interview process.

Step 1: Know Yourself Better

There is only one goal for companies when interviewing applicants: to get to know more about the applicant and determine if they are a good fit for the job. Hence, you need to know yourself better. If not, then how are you supposed to showcase what you can offer to the employer through the interview?

You can therefore overcome job interview jitters by reviewing your resume. Focus on the specific details that you know will enable you to stand out from competition. You might want to review the list of requirements provided by the employer for the position you have applied for. Hence, you know which qualities or accomplishments in your resume to focus more on.

Step 2: Practice What to Say

Upon stepping into a job interview, most employers would tell the applicants this: “Tell us something about you”, or any variants of that question. For job applicants, this can be a source of great stress. Hence, the first step above is very important so you know exactly what to share to your potential employer about who you are and what you can do.

You must therefore prepare a recap of your life, job experiences, skills, and accomplishments within 30 to 60 seconds. Think about the interview process as a way of selling yourself. Focus on your professional accomplishments, not your personal hobbies or interest. Think about what details about yourself will be beneficial for the company, or at least would make them think that your addition into their company will benefit them. You must then practice this piece over and over until you have become more comfortable with this.

Step 3: Have a Goal

It is important to set a goal during the job interview so you know how to respond to your interviewer. However, you can have several goals to ensure a successful interview. You can start by familiarizing yourself with the company. The more you know about the company, the better able you are to respond to the questions of your interviewer, especially if you intend to become a part of their company. By educating yourself about the company, not only are you able to overcome job interview jitters but also in creating a good impression during the interview.

You must also have a personal goal because corporate professionals prefer to hire individuals that are goal-oriented. With a goal, it will be easier for you to provide focus in your answers and respond to specific questions with ease.

Learn English by video

2011-06-15T10:45:00.000-07:00

Writing Letter in English - Example Letter

2011-06-13T17:47:00.000-07:00

WRITING LETTERS

COMPETENCIES

1. Writing Formal – Letters for various functions letters

(a) inviting
(b) accepting/declining an invitation
(c) asking for information
(d) asking for permission to visit
(e) asking for permission for projects
(f) requesting goods to be supplied(placing an order)

2. Writing letters to the Editor

(a) congratulating
(b) criticising
(c) discussing social problems

Although form and formalities in letter writing change with time, there are basic rules and methods of approach that should be followed in all kinds of letters, for all occasions, under all circumstances.
The general principles of letter writing are outlined in the first few pages of this unit, with advice on basic points. They are then applied to the writing of communications with the authorities, businesses and the media.

Thus, in this unit you will learn:

.how to lay out your letter
.the correct way to begin and end a letter
.the advantages of making a rough draft before you write or type the final version
.which punctuation is best to use, and which is best avoided

Whatever kind of letter you are writing, there are important rules to be observed. Whether you are making an application for a job, raising a query about a holiday booking, or writing a protest to the local authority, if these rules are followed you are more likely to achieve the results you are looking for.

You will want your letter to be read easily, and without too much effort by the reader.You will want the letter’s contents to be taken seriously and to create an impression that you are a person whose requests, complaints or views cannot be brushed aside.

Laying out your letter

In a semi-formal letter, if the paper has no printed heading, your address should be written in the top right-hand corner. Slightly below this goes the date on which you are writing. Opposite, on the left (or on the left at the bottom of the page, level with your signature) goes the name and address of the person to whom you are writing; this is necessary with business letters, but not with private letters.

Dear Mr.Vijay,

My wife and I have only recently moved to Nungambakkam.When we lived in Bombay we enjoyed playing tennis at our local club, and I would be most grateful if you could let me have membership details for the StarTennis Club.

Yours sincerely,
James

Sub: (subject) When writing a business letter it is sometimes useful to put a brief, underlined heading as an indication of what the letter is about just below the ‘Dear Mr. Brown’. It might be,
for instance, claim for cancelled hotel booking or Proposed Ending of a Bus Route.
Ref: (Reference) If you are replying to a business letter, this may have a reference number, in which case you can put this in place of the identifying words above – i.e.Your Ref. No. 123. This should at least prevent your letter from floating around various uninterested departments before finding its way to the right desk.

There is now the layout itself to be considered, and this will depend on the length of your letter. It will look at its best if it is well spaced on the page, with rather more white space below the
end of it than there is at the top, and with good margins at the sides. Two problems should be avoided. The first is writing a short letter with the lines close together, so that the final product has an immense area of white space filling the bottom two-thirds of the paper. The second is bringing the end of your letter so close to the bottom of the paper that there is hardly any room left for the conclusion and signature. The first mistake can be avoided by double - or even triple-spacing the letter if you are typing, or by giving enough space between the lines, an equal amount of ‘air’ if you are writing by hand. In the second case just leave an inch or
two of white at the foot of the page and continue on the other side.

Interview exercise - roleplay as interviewer and job seeker

2011-06-09T05:01:00.000-07:00

Task 2: You have been called for an interview in a reputed school for the post of teacher of Mathematics. A panel of experts on the subject is conducting the interview. Complete the mock interview given below and role-play with a partner.

Savita : Good morning gentlemen.
Member 1 : Good morning Ms. Savita. Please take a seat.
Savita : Thank you, sir.
Member 1 : We learn from your bio-data that you have an excellent academic record. Why do you want to teach and not study further?
Savita : Teaching is my passion sir. And teaching mathematics to children is a real challenge. I want to excel in it and plan to take up higher studies after gaining some teaching experience.
Member 2 : Have you taught before?
Savita : Yes sir. I worked in a rural school in South TamilNadu for three years, soon after completing my graduation.
Member 3 : As you must be aware this school places a lot of importance on academic excellence.How will you motivate students to give their best?
Savita : Sir, I believe in making learning fun and that’s the only way students will enjoy learning. Once they enjoy themselves they will apply it in the examinations.
Member 1 : Well, we have …………………….. If selected when would you join us?
Savita : …………………………………………………

Task 3: In pairs go through the Classifieds section of anyEnglish newspaper. In the “situations vacant” section choose any one job that you might be interested in applying for. Write down the job requirements and other relevant information and write a role-play using the mock interview as model. Then present to the class.

Task 4: Given below is a job profile. Using it as a model make a job profile of your own ‘dream job.’

Creative Director

As a Creative Director, the responsibilities are to develop graphic representation of company product lines in print and electronic media, and to create and implement plans for introduction of new product lines.
Education A Bachelor’s degree in graphic arts, marketing or related field.
Experience A minimum of two-years’ experience working with manufacturers in creative development, and familiarity with computer design and word processing software.
Résumé Builders Work with start-up sporting goods manufacturer. Develop computer experience with broad range of software packages.
Salary Ranges from Rs.25,000, average Rs.35,000, to the top Rs.50,000.

Interview on internet - How to prepare - tips

2011-06-09T04:53:00.000-07:00

Preparing for an interview over the Internet (Chat with
web camera)

Hiring experts are using the Internet to conduct interviews more often these days because it is a cost-effective way to sort through candidates without flying them all in.

Tips for preparing for an interview over the Internet:

.Be sure to spend time up-front to chat informally with the interviewer; get acquainted and feel comfortable, just as you would for in-person interviews.

.Be careful of what information you are passing over because the electronic record of an interview can theoretically be used to discriminate against a candidate based on their appearance, a violation of equal opportunity laws.

.Look at the camera, not at the screen: it creates the impression that you are looking directly at the person at the other end.

.Dress smartly and sit comfortably. Be conscious of your body language. You are on camera!
.Make sure the headphones or microphones are adjusted properly.

.Chat room lingo is highly informal; in an interview avoid being too casual; and ‘flaming’ (insulting remarks) is definitely unacceptable.

.Be alert and prompt in answering questions.

Task: At the computer lab or Internet centre conduct a mock interview in pairs based on the transcript given in the section ‘Preparing for an Interview’. Make sure you follow the instructions. Save the chat transcripts and review in class.

Example interview conversation in English

2011-06-07T04:59:00.000-07:00

The following mock interview will give you an idea of what to expect from a potential employer, as well as suggested responses and answers to avoid. Practising with a friend or teacher will give you confidence for when you have to do the real thing.

The Interviewer

Ms. Lalitha Raj -
Associate Director of Personnel Services
Retail Services Corporation (RSC)

Introduction Session

Interviewer: “Hello, I’m Lalitha Raj, Associate Director of Personnel Services. It is very nice to meet you this morning. Please follow me back to my office. Could I offer you a cup of coffee or a soft drink?”
Recommended Answer: “Thank you, Ms. Raj, it’s very nice to be here. I appreciate the opportunity to speak with you this morning.Thank you for the offer of coffee, but I’m just fine right now.”
Answer to Avoid: “I’m just glad I could find the place. Sure, I’ll take a cup of coffee, extra cream and sugar. Nice office you have here.”
Remember: Maintain eye contact and offer a firm handshake.

The Interview

Interviewer: “Have a seat; I’d like to ask you a few questions this morning if I may. Tell me a little bit about yourself, what you like to do in and out of school. How would you describe the way you deal with people?”
Recommended Answer: “Thank you for the opportunity to meet with you today. I would describe myself as a typical teenager. I enjoy school, extracurricular activities, and I work a few hours a week after school. Dealing with people is one of my strong points, as I seldom find someone I cannot work with. I have many friends at school and get along with all kinds of people. I’m involved in a club at school in which I am often called upon to mediate between groups with very different ideas.”
Answer to Avoid: “I don’t do much besides going to class. I hang out with my friends a lot and we play video games. I guess I get along with people OK, and this job looks like it is something fun to do.”

Next Question

Interviewer: “What makes you interested in retail sales as a place to start your career? Have you ever had any retail sales experience?” Recommended Answer: “I have retail experience in several areas, from selling raffle tickets for the marching band to my experience in the high school bookstore. I’m interested in a retail career because I enjoy working with people, and I’m looking for a position which offers both personal and financial growth based on my sales initiative.”
Answer to Avoid: “I don’t have much work experience. I’ve done a few things in higher secondary school sort of like this, but I don’t know how much it is really like it.”

Next Question

Interviewer: “It sounds like you’ve had interesting experiences;I appreciate your honesty. Would you describe yourself as apunctual person? How would you rate your maths and computer skills compared to others in your class?”
Recommended Answer: “I have always been an early riser and enjoyed getting to high school on time. I don’t think I’ve been late for school during my entire high school career. I enjoyed maths, although English was my favourite subject. I have taken several computer courses and feel my skills are among the best in my class. I used a computer to track the inventory and ordering in the school bookstore.”
Answer to Avoid: “I get to school on time most days and don’t skip classes. I really didn’t like maths much. I took a computer class; it seemed pretty easy. I play video games, so I know how to use one.”

Next Question

Interviewer: “Unfortunately, many young people do not develop a strong commitment to their work; how will you be different?Why should I hire you for this position?”
Recommended Answer: “Sticking with a job to its completion is a value I truly believe in. I’ve learned through my school studies and my music lessons that the only way to succeed is to do the best job from beginning to end. You should hire me for this job because I am the type of person you need to continue your success.I’m a hard worker who learns quickly, I already possess many of the skills you’re looking for, and I have the personal motivation to
get the job done right!”
Answer to Avoid: “I don’t mind working; it’s what we all have to do. I know you will make it clear what I have to do and I’ll get it done. I think I can do a good job for you and you won’t have to watch over me all of the time.”

Exiting the Interview

After the interview, don’t forget to say thank you and good-bye to any individual with whom you have had contact during the day. Leaving the potential employer with a positive attitude is as important as walking in the door with one!

Interviewer: “I’ve enjoyed our conversation today. Thank you for your answers and observations. We have several days of interviews scheduled for the position, so I will be in touch with you over the course of the next several weeks. Good-bye.”
Recommended Answer: “I have enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about the Customer Service Representative position. The opportunity this job affords me is of great interest. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Again, thank you for taking the time to see me today.”
Answer to Avoid: “Thanks. I am interested in what might develop
out of this, too. Bye.”

Additional Suggestions

Watch your language. You are in a professional setting, and your choice of words should reflect that. Avoid using slang or any trendy phrases. And for heaven’s sake, don’t swear.Remember that everything you say and do is being observed and evaluated. Be careful to avoid other possible turnoffs, such as:
chewing gum
smoking
slumping in your chair
fidgeting
cracking your knuckles
wearing excessive makeup or jewellery
checking your watch
failing to use proper titles (Mrs., Dr., Mr., etc.)
mumbling

Common Mistakes to Avoid During a Job Interview

2011-06-06T04:21:00.000-07:00

There are plenty of common mistakes that one should avoid during a job interview because they can put you in a bad light in front of your future employer and you certainly don’t want this, especially with today’s lack of jobs and increase in the number of people applying for the same job.

If you had a job before you will be asked why you left and it is best if you don’t talk rude about your ex-boss even if he was the worst out there. So be sure to avoid condemning your other employers.

You should show your possible employer that you know how to solve problems, not create them, so be sure to avoid talking about the fact that you have participated in a court room no matter the outcome, because it will not increase your credibility in the eyes of a future boss.

Although you are encouraged to ask questions during the interview you should avoid being to anxious about the offered salary because this will be discussed for sure. You don’t want to seem desperate for a job, as this will put you in an unfavorable light in relation with your future company and you can forget negotiating for a better salary.

If you are going to use a person when asked for people who can vouch and talk about your activities during your last job or college performance, you should make sure that you have the consent of that person, because this will save you from embarrassing yourself.

Many employers often request potential candidates to fill out a standard application. Although they have probably read your resume, they want the information of all candidates to be presented in a standard format that will offer them an easier comparison. Never write “see resume for requested info” on an application form, be sure to always write down the wanted information again.

Show interest in the company or product. A candidate who does not care and has no information regarding either the company or its products is likely to fail, so make your own research before you go to the interview.

Appearance is not everything, but make sure to have decent clothes, adequate to the job and the company you are applying, take care of your hair, nails and avoid excessive jewelry.

Remember that you are trying to make a favorable impression, so do your best to avoid a possible rejection because of clumsy mistakes.

Improve spoken English video series

2011-06-05T08:09:00.000-07:00

Telephone conversation between interviewer and job eeker

2011-06-05T04:54:00.000-07:00

ask 1: Role-play the following dialogue between a company representative and a job seeker.

Ram: Hello, can I speak to Ms. Gita?
Gita : This is Gita. May I know who’s calling?
Ram: I’m Ram Prakash from Accel Computers. You have been short-listed for the first round of interviews. I need some more information from your side.
Gita : Oh sure Mr. Prakash. Please go ahead.
Ram: You have completed your MCA with high first class. Why did you apply for this job?
Gita : Market sources say Accel Computers is among the front runners in computer education. I therefore thought it was the best place to start a career.
Ram: I see. But given your academic background, won’t you be tempted to try for bigger and better prospects abroad? What kind of a commitment can you give us?
Gita : I have no intention of going abroad, Sir. I prefer to work for an indigenous company rather than faceless MNCs or foreign companies.
Ram: That’s very interesting. When will you be available for employment?
Gita : Immediately, Sir.
Ram: Great. I will get back to you in a couple of days through e-mail.
Gita : OK, Sir. And thank you for your time.
Ram: You are welcome Gita. Have a good day.
Gita : Thank you, Sir.

Task 2: In pairs role-play the taking and making of calls from different employers.

e.g. A Call Centre Supervisor for a prospective team member.

Bleeding Heart , Blessing in Disguise & Blood is Thicker than Water - Idioms with Example

2011-06-04T10:30:00.000-07:00

Bleeding Heart

“Ravi is such a bleeding heart. He’ll donate to any charity that asks him for money!”

Meaning: an extremely soft-hearted person who feels compassion or pity towards all people, including those who may not deserve sympathy.
Origin: This controversial term comes from America in the 20th century. Some people say that government or private charities should do more to help relieve the suffering of the sick, the homeless, or the unemployed. These well-meaning citizens might be called “bleeding hearts” by others who feel that many people on welfare or charity should stop taking so much from others.

Blessing in Disguise

“We thought Summer school denied us holiday pleasures. But it proved to be a blessing in disguise. The next year we were ahead in our class.”

Meaning: something that at first seems bad but turns out to be good; a hidden benefit.
Origin: This saying was first used in a poem 200 years ago by a writer named James Hervey. When something looks like bad luck, it may turn out to be a false appearance.
(a “disguise”) that hides something that’s really useful or fortunate (a
“blessing”) of course, you don’t know that at first because the blessing is in disguise.

Blood is Thicker than Water

“Mrs. Ponni chose her grandson, instead of me to work in her store. I
guess blood is thicker than water”.

Meaning: one can expect more kindness from a family member than from a stranger; a person will do more for a relative than for anyone else.
Origin: This saying, that means that family ties count more than friendship, comes from Germany in the 12th century. Perhaps it comes from the idea that water can evaporate without leaving a trace, but blood leaves a stain and is more permanent. This suggests that relatives (“blood”) are more important (“thicker”) than people who are not related (“water”).

successful telephonice interview tips - do's and don't list

2011-06-02T04:44:00.000-07:00

Telephonic Interviews

The dearth of time has set off a new-fangled recruitment practice these days - most organisations have now begun to interview the candidates telephonically as a preliminary assessment to sift through the large number of applicants. The desired response of a telephone interview is to secure a face-to-face interview. The response of a telephone interview is slightly different from that of a face-to-face interview.

Successful Telephonic Interview Tips

. Although, it is customary for interviewers to give you an advance notice of a telephone interview, some will not. They will just ring up and go for it. Once you start sending out applications, be prepared for telephone interviews. That call can come at 8 am Monday morning, 7 pm Friday evening or 9 pm Sunday night.

. Practise your voice projection. Speak aloud to practise. Ask someone else to listen to you or even record and play yourself back. It’s amazing how different you sound. You will notice the bad habits...the “errrrrrs” and “ummmmmms.”

. Obviously, telephone practice as well as general interview and question practice are essential. Further, you should be able to demonstrate a good knowledge regarding the job, the company, its products and services and even its competitors...that means undertaking research.

.Try to anticipate the questions you’ll be asked that demonstrate you can do the job. Then, prepare accordingly. Technical questioning on the telephone is common - as a means to screen candidates. The questions may not be in great depth, but should be known by a good candidate.

.During the interview, the interviewer has only ears with which to judge you, and that is something you must exploit.

.Have your research and company notes to hand. You should also have a copy of the résumé that you sent to that company. Remember, the most effective résumés are those that are especially tailored.

.Take a “surprise” call in your stride. If you are looking for work then no telephone interviews should really be a “surprise.”

.Be calm and collected. Remember to slow your breathing...at least try by counting to 5 with each inhale and exhale.

.Smile - it really makes a difference in your voice so much so that the person on the other end can tell when you are smiling.

.Sound positive, friendly, and collected.

.If you need time say... “Thank you for calling. Would you wait just a moment while I close the door?” Rest the phone as you pull out your resume and company information.
.Be professional, as if it was a face-to-face interview. Don’t be over-familiar with the interviewer. It does happen!

.You should always refer to the interviewer by his or her surname until invited to do otherwise.
.Listen carefully to the interviewer. Listening and communication skills are essential.

.Be factual in your answers.

.Do not smoke or eat while on the phone.

.Shut out all background noise, such as pets, children playing and the television.

.Take notes. They will be invaluable to you in preparing for the face-to-face meeting. No need to record the conversation...that is a bit over the top!

.Prompt the interviewer to invite you to interview by saying, “I am immediately available for interview if you would like to arrange one now.”

.Taking care to ascertain the correct spelling and pronunciation of the interviewer’s name shows your concern for the small but important things in life - it will be noticed.

.If you require more details like a Job Description or Person Specification ask for one.

.Thank the interviewer for her time and that you hope to hear soon. No harm in saying that you are very keen for a face-toface interview. One school of thought asserts that you should ask three times for an interview; subtly of course. “I am immediately available for interview.”

“I really would like an opportunity to meet you and look around the company.” “I will be in the area on Monday and it is no problem to pop in.”

.It is difficult to evaluate an opportunity properly over the telephone. Even if the job doesn’t sound right, go to the interview. At the very minimum it will give you practice. Moreover, once you attend a face-to-face interview the job may look that bit more attractive as you gather more facts. You might even discover a more suitable opening elsewhere within the company; it does happen.

Spoken English Video

2011-05-31T04:37:00.000-07:00

Principal giving speech to students - example one

2011-05-30T03:50:00.000-07:00

Imagine the Principal / Headmaster of your school speaking in the assembly, read the following speech silently.

Good morning students,

I am here to speak to you on some of your duties and responsibilities at school here. I noticed many of you walking in a very disorderly way during interval. When you use the staircase,
you should keep to your left. When you disperse from the assembly, you must form a line. When the teacher has already arrived in the class, you have to take his permission to enter the classroom.

Every morning when you meet a teacher, you should first of all, greet him or her. When you need to clarify a doubt with the teacher, you must ask him or her politely. When you want to enter the teacher’s room, you mustn’t barge in. You have to wait to me and get the permission of one of the teachers sitting there. Only then can you get in.

This kind of conduct will help you become respectful and responsible citizens of our country.

Questions:

Look at the speech again and pick out the verb groups such as ‘must form’ which denote obligations.

TASK: Which of the pairs of sentences convey the meaning given under each pair?

1. You have to obey your parents.
You ought to obey your parents.
(The speaker is giving advice)
2. You have to submit the assignment.
You must submit the assignment.
(You are required to submit)
3. The manager should be at the office by now.
The manager should have been at the office.
(In fact he wasn’t)

ACTIVITY

In the following dialogue, the turns are scrambled. Unscramble them and role-play.

A. That’s fine, you have to meet him very soon.
B. Do you know my coach has already sent word for me?
A. Have you heard that India has got five gold medals in the Olympics?
B. You must be kidding.
A. O.K. Go ahead.
B. Yes, I’ll have to request him to coach me 2 hours a day.
A. You are a sprinter; you must get ready for the next Olympics.

preposition - for, on, from, with - small example

2011-05-27T01:00:00.000-07:00

A ride on a tiger

There was a young lady of Riga

Who went for a ride on a tiger

They returned from the ride

With the lady inside.

And a smile on the face of the tiger.

* Do you understand what happened to the lady after the ride?

* Look at the words (prepositions) in bold. Try to make out the meaning without these prepositions. The meaning is either funny or not clear.

Preposition between, beside,behind,above, below - usage and exercise

2011-05-26T04:35:00.000-07:00

A. Preposition of Location

Some of the prepositions of location are between, beside, behind, above, below, etc.

e.g.
1. The state of Andhra Pradesh is situated between Tamilnadu and Orissa on the East Coast.
2. Kanyakumari assumes importance because it is a town beside the sea on the southern-most tip of land.
3. When the police was on search operation for the poacher, he suddenly ran from behind a tree and disappeared.
4. As for her studies Nithya is well above average in herclass.
5. The BP of the patient is below normal; call the doctor.

TASK 1: Pick out the prepositions and say whether each indicates place, time or location.

Shyamala from India writes a letter to her pen friend Miss. Caroline in England.

Dear Caroline,

Thank you for your letter describing your life at school. What a world of difference between your situation in England and mine here!

As you are eager to know about my daily routine, I am writing about it.

In my family as both my parents go to work, life is hectic for everyone here.

My parents get up at 5 in the morning. My mother would be busy cooking in the kitchen and my father reading newspaper till eight. All the three of us leave home around nine. I have to be in the school by half past nine.

At the end of the day all of us return home after six in the evening. My father arrives a bit late. We all can meet only at dinner.

During the exam days I have to be reading throughout the day except those three hours I write the exam. I even burn the midnight oil if I have a lot to read for the next day’s exam.

My birthday is on April 4th and the celebration this year will be simple because my brother is not with us. He is in Malaysia at the moment. I think your birthday is in the middle of May. I’ll surprise you with a novel gift.

Please write me how you spend your holidays in your country.

Looking forward to your early reply.

With love,
Shyam

TASK 2: Eleven people live in a block of flats. Complete the
sentences with on / between / behind / above / below.
One is done for you.

1. Mani lives on the ground floor.
2. Ragul lives …………… Senthil and Ahamed.
3. Mohamad lives ……………… Ragu.
4. Jose lives …………………. Ragul.
5. Srinath lives …………… the first floor ………Ahamed.

TASK 3:In the following dialogue, fill in the blanks each with one of the following prepositions, appropriate to the context:

at, in, above, behind, beside and between

A: What day is day after?
B: Day after? Let me check. Where is the calendar?
A: It is ………… the shelf.
B: It is Friday today.
A: Friday? O my goodness! Today is the last day for paying the electricity bill.
B: Shall I go and pay the bill? But I don’t know where the electricity office is.
A: Walk down the main road. ......... the signal, turn right, you will see the Hotel Tamilnadu. Just ……… this Hotel you will see the office.
B: I think I have seen this. Is there a theatre ………. the office?
A: Exactly. That is theatre Ramya. In fact, the office is ……….. the hotel and the theatre.
B: Give me the bill and the money. I’ll be back ….. an hour.

Where to use - should and ought to - word

2011-05-23T04:33:00.000-07:00

GRAMMAR FOCUS

A. The modals ‘should’, ‘ought to’ are generally used to denote
obligation and probability.

Obligation

* Giving advice or making a recommendation.

This bulb doesn’t burn; you should/ought to replace it with another.
You’ll be drenched if you go in the rain; you should/ought to
carry an umbrella.

Caution:

We should use ‘should’ or ‘would’ and not ‘ought to’ when we give advice.

e.g. If I were you, I should/would accept that job in Malaysia.

* Probability

I enjoyed the lunch in this restaurant last week, so the dinner also should/ought to be good.

.* Responsibility / Duty

The students should/ought to respect their teachers.

B. The modals ‘must’ and ‘have to’ are used to denote compulsion,\ that is, when it is necessary to do something.

e.g.
1. If you want to be sure of your ticket to Mumbai, you must / have to book in advance.
2. To secure a seat in medicine, you must / have to work
hard throughout the year.

Caution:

A subtle difference between ‘must’ and ‘have to’ need to be understood.
You have to meet the warden (the warden has already called
you).
You must meet the warden (If you want a change of room).

English conversation role play exercise

2011-05-21T04:31:00.000-07:00

Role-play the following dialogues:

A. : Anand is a student of Physics studying at Presidency College in Chennai. He is interviewed by an officer from a charitable organisation for a scholarship.

Anand : Good morning, Sir.
Officer : Hello, Anand! Good morning, be seated.
Anand : Thank you, Sir.
Officer : Anand, please tell me something about your present studies.
Anand : I am a first year student of M.Sc Physics at Presidency College in Chennai. I was indeed a success at school.
Officer : How about your parents?
Anand : My father works on a farm and my mother in a school.
Officer : OK Anand, say something about your aim in life.
Anand : My aim! I want to become a scientist at the Indian Institute of Science.
Officer : That’s fine. Do you know where IISc is?
Anand : It is in Bangalore.
Officer : Where is it located in Bangalore?
Anand : It is on the Tumkur Road.
Officer : Well, how much of financial help do you expect from our charity?
Anand : I’d be grateful to you Sir, if I could get the course fee reimbursed.
Officer : Oh, I see, we’ll try to help you.
Anand : Thank you, Sir.

B.
A :Hello, could I speak to Mr. Dinesh?
B :May I know who I am speaking to?
A :I’m his friend Satish.
B :I am afraid he isn’t here at the moment. Just a minute! Yes, here he comes.
Dinesh : Hello, Satish. How are you?
Satish : I’m fine and you?
Dinesh : I’m fine too.
Satish : By the way, where are you now?
Dinesh : I’m in my office at the moment.
Satish : When will you be available at home?
Dinesh : I hope I’ll be at home on Friday.
Satish : What time shall I come?
Dinesh : Either in the evening or at night.

How to increase reading speed - tips and test

2011-05-19T04:28:00.000-07:00

Increasing reading speed

You can improve your learning power very much by speeding
up your reading. It is equally important that you are able to
comprehend the meaning of what you are reading. You can lose
speed in your reading in three ways:

* By reading one word at a time – You should read in groups
of words.

* By going back over what you have read – Your eyes
should move steadily forward.

* By moving your lips or tongue while you are reading –
Keep your lips closed and your tongue and head still.

Task 1: The following passage has 106 words in it; read it in
one minute making sure you are not just automatically
reading the words. Make sure you understand what you
are reading.

Shelly Mann loved to swim; it came naturally to her. But
breaking an Olympic Record was a distant dream, afflicted as she
was with severe polio at age 6. But then Shelly was mentally strong.
She took up swimming when she was 10 and by the time she was
12 she began competitive training in Washington, DC.
In the early 1950s she won the US National Championship.
And by sheer hard work and grit Shelly moved mountains, not just
muscle! She set a 1 minute 11 seconds Olympic record in the 100-
metres butterfly in the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne at the
age of 17.

Now answer these questions without looking at the passage:

1. What came naturally to Shelly Mann?
………………………
2. What was a distant dream for her?
………………………

3. What was she afflicted with?
………………………
4. And at what age?
………………………
5. Where did she take up competitive training?
………………………
6. What record did Shelly set at the age of 17?
………………………

Task 2:

1. Write the most important sentence in the passage.

2. Write the least important sentence in the passage.

Task 3: Take a passage of about 250 words and read it rapidly
within 2 minutes. You could do the same with passages
of varying length and time your reading.

Task 4: (Note to the teacher: Find an interesting text, which you
think may appeal to most of your students such as a joke from a
magazine, a brochure about Disneyland, or anything that is
colourful and fun. Then, type that passage on a page using large
margins so that the text itself is not spread from one end to the
other but rather it is squeezed up into a thin column. Make enough
copies to go around and then grab a pair of scissors as you go to
class. Cut along a line so that the last one or two words at the end
of each line are cut off. Hand out the papers and ask the students
to read the text and try to find the missing word(s) for about five
minutes. You can tell them to work in pairs or groups and discuss
it. They will engage in a true communicative negotiation while
they are attempting to prove to the others that what they have
come up with as the answer is correct. After you let them work for
a while, you will hear the words they have found. You will be
amazed to find out how creative they may become when they shout
out words that are not the originals but are quite correct as
alternatives.)

good reading skill tips and test

2011-05-18T07:56:00.000-07:00

C. Reading

The ability to read quickly and accurately is an essential skill. Reading slowly will not improve comprehension because we are interested not in the meanings of separate words but in the meaning of a whole passage or sentence. Accuracy is of great importance if you are studying a scientific document.

I. Interpreting what is read

The following is an extract from an interview given by Indian born American astronaut Kalpana Chawla just before taking off on her final mission. Read through it carefully but as quickly as you can and then try to answer the comprehension questions with as little reference as possible to the passage.

‘ “I was not born for one corner. The whole world is my native land.” So said Seneca, the philosopher. I have felt that connection and stewardship for Earth for as long as I can remember. And not just for Earth, but the whole universe. In summers, while growing up in India, we often slept in the courtyard under the stars. We gazed dreamily at the Milky Way, and once in a while caught some shooting stars. Times like those gave me the opportunity to wonder and ask all those very basic questions. That sense of awe for the heavens started there. The family and the surrounding community were mostly folks who had come to the area after Partition, most of them without many possessions. You couldn’t lose by working hard and everyone seemed to follow that rule. It helped instil the notion that no matter what the circumstances, you could indeed follow your dreams.

The central element of success, in one word – is perseverance.There have been other factors too, like reading and exploring, that have helped widen perspectives and enriched the journey.

My message for Indian children is that material interests are not the only guiding light. It is something you’d enjoy doing in the long run. Take time to figure out how to get there. The quickest way may not necessarily be the best. The journey matters as much as the goal. Listen to the sounds of nature. Wishing you the best on your trek towards your dreams. Take good care of our fragile planet.’

Task 1:Answer the questions by saying whether true (T) or false (F):

1. Kalpana Chawla believed that she was a citizen of the world. ( ___ )
2. She did not feel a sense of responsibility for the Earth and the universe. ( ___ )
3. During winter she slept in the courtyard under the stars. (___ )
4. Chawla’s fascination with space began when she was in the USA. ( ___ )
5. Chawla’s family & surrounding community were very rich people. ( ___ )
6. ‘You couldn’t lose by working hard’, was the rule followed by the community Chawla belonged to. ( ___ )
7. Three things, according to Chawla, led to success –
perseverance, reading and exploring. ( ___ )
8. Material prosperity is of prime importance. ( ___ )
9. The quickest way is always the best. ( ___ )
10. For Chawla the goal was more important than the journey.
( ___ )

Task 2: Scan through the passage and find the words whose
synonyms are given below:
1. home land:
2. thinker:
3. managing:
4. open space:
5. galaxy:
6. meteor:
7. sense of amazement:
8. separation:
9. belongings:
10. determination:
11. point of view:
12. delicate:

Task 3: Read the passage carefully and answer the following
questions in one or two sentences:
1. Which lines tell you that Kalpana Chawla’s fascination for
space began at an early age?
2. What experience paved the way for a career in NASA?
3. Why was the concept of dreaming important to her?
4. What was the message she had for future generations?
5. What highlights her great sense of responsibility?
208

Legal English - Glossary - law of jungle

2011-05-16T04:25:00.000-07:00

Task: Meet a lawyer and learn the meanings of these words.
You could also invite a lawyer for a talk in your school, on ‘Law
as a career’.

extradition, mandamus, quorum, writ, aberration, judgement
reserved, pliant, summon, power of attorney, litigation, claimant

F. Extensive Reading

THE LAW FOR THE WOLVES

Now this is the law of the jungle, as old and as true as the sky, And the wolf that shall keep it may prosper, but the wolf that shall break it must die.

As the creeper that girdles the tree trunk, the law runneth forward and back;

For the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack.

Wash daily from nose tip to tail tip; drink deeply, but never too deep;

And remember the night is for hunting and forget not the day is for sleep.

The jackal may follow the tiger, but, cub, when thy whiskers are grown,

Remember the wolf is a hunter—go forth and get food of thy own.

Keep peace with the lords of the jungle, the tiger, the panther, the bear;

And trouble not Hathi the Silent, and mock not the boar in his lair.

When pack meets with pack in the jungle, and neither will go from the trail,

Lie down till the leaders have spoken; it may be fair words shall prevail.

When ye fight with a wolf of the pack ye must fight him alone and afar,

Lest others take part in the quarrel and the pack is diminished by war.

The lair of the wolf is his refuge, and where he has made him his home,

Not even the head wolf may enter, not even the council may come.

The lair of the wolf is his refuge, but where he has digged it too plain,

The council shall send him a message, and so he shall change it again.

If ye kill before midnight, be silent and wake not the woods with your bay,

Lest ye frighten the deer from the crop and thy brothers go empty away.

Ye may kill for yourselves, and your mates, and your cubs as they need and ye can;

But kill not for pleasure of killing, and seven times never kill man.

If ye plunder his kill from a weaker, devour not all in thy pride,

Pack-right is the right of the meanest; so leave him the head and the hide.

The kill of the pack is the meat of the pack. Ye must eat where it lies;

And no one may carry away of that meat to his lair, or he dies.

The kill of the wolf is the meat of the wolf. He may do what he will,

But, till he is given permission, the pack may not eat of that kill.

Lair right is the right of the mother. From all of her years she may claim

One haunch of each kill for her litter, and none may deny her thesame.

Cub right is the right of the yearling. From all of his pack he may claim

Full gorge when the killer has eaten; and none may refuse him the same.

Cave right is the right of the father, to hunt by himself for his own;

He is freed from all calls to the pack. He is judged by the council alone.

Because of his age and his cunning, because of his gripe and his paw,

In all that the law leaveth open the word of the head wolf is law.

Now these are the laws of the jungle, and many and mighty are they;

But the head and the hoof of the law and the haunch and the hump is—Obey!

Reflect:

Would you agree that ‘the law of the jungle’ is prevailing in
our society today?

Glossary:

concede : admit unwillingly or allow
franchise : the right to vote in an election
petitioner : one who requests action from a court of law
intimidation : threat