Original Passage I:
Height connotes status in many parts of the world. Executive offices are usually on the top floors; the underlings work below. Even being tall can help a person succeed. Studies have shown that employers are more willing to hire men over 6 feet tall than shorter men with the same credentials. Studies of real-world executives and graduates have shown that taller men make more money. In one study, every extra inch of height brought in an extra $1,300 a year. But being too big can be a disadvantage. A tall, brawny football player complained that people found him intimidating off the field and assumed he "had the brains of a Twinkie."
Let’s first identify the main points in the original passage.
Thursday, 8 October 2009
Unreal Past 08/10/09
Unreal Past for hypothetical or imaginary situations in the present:
e.g. It’s raining now, if it wasn’t raining we could eat outside
Is it raining?
Can we eat outside?
Can we change the fact that it’s raining?
e.g. I live in Italy, if I lived in U.S, I would speak English everyday
e.g. If I were you, I’d stop smoking
Wish sentences:
e.g. I wish I could speak Spanish
Can I speak Spanish?
Do I want to speak Spanish?
Wish & would (n’t):
(to express annoyance)
e.g. I wish people wouldn’t be so rude!
I wish she would hurry up!
Compare:
I wish you’d be more positive (= possibility of change)
I wish you were taller (= no possibility of change)
e.g. It’s raining now, if it wasn’t raining we could eat outside
Is it raining?
Can we eat outside?
Can we change the fact that it’s raining?
e.g. I live in Italy, if I lived in U.S, I would speak English everyday
e.g. If I were you, I’d stop smoking
Wish sentences:
e.g. I wish I could speak Spanish
Can I speak Spanish?
Do I want to speak Spanish?
Wish & would (n’t):
(to express annoyance)
e.g. I wish people wouldn’t be so rude!
I wish she would hurry up!
Compare:
I wish you’d be more positive (= possibility of change)
I wish you were taller (= no possibility of change)
Translation - Being a parent
Translation
Fare genitori è sempre stato un mestiere difficile, ma in questi ultimi anni lo è diventato molto di più. Oggi, poche madri possono permettersi di rimanere a casa per fare la mamma a tempo pieno, e anche quando riescono a dedicare del tempo ai figli, devono competere con la televisione, i videogiochi e altre attrattive tecnologiche che non favoriscono la creazione di buoni rapporti in famiglia. È vero che i padri sono più coinvolti adesso di una volta, ma in generale entrambi i genitori passano poco tempo con i figli e si sentono in colpa. Per quanto riguarda la disciplina, quasi nessuno adotta più i metodi permissivi degli anni settanta, ma picchiare i bambini è considerato un gesto quasi criminale. Cosa fare, quindi, quando tua figlia di tre anni si rifiuta di vestirsi? Come reagire al figlio che va male a scuola? Una cosa è certa: i genitori hanno un’enorme influenza sullo sviluppo dei figli e dovrebbero fare di tutto per crescerli nel mondo più equilibrato possibile.
Being a parent has always been a difficult job, but over the last few years it’s become much more so. Nowadays, few mothers are able to stay at home full time and even when they manage to dedicate some time to their children, they have to compete with the television, videogames and other technological attractions that/which do not help in the creation of good family relations. It is true that fathers are more involved now than in the past, but generally, both parents feel guilty about not spending enough time/spending little time with their children. In terms of discipline, hardly anyone adopts/ uses the permissive methods of the seventies anymore, but hitting children is considered to be almost criminal. So, what do you do when your three year old daughter refuses to get dressed? How do you react when your son does badly at school? One thing is certain, parents have an enormous influence on the development of their children and should do their utmost/best to bring them up in the most balanced environment as possible
Fare genitori è sempre stato un mestiere difficile, ma in questi ultimi anni lo è diventato molto di più. Oggi, poche madri possono permettersi di rimanere a casa per fare la mamma a tempo pieno, e anche quando riescono a dedicare del tempo ai figli, devono competere con la televisione, i videogiochi e altre attrattive tecnologiche che non favoriscono la creazione di buoni rapporti in famiglia. È vero che i padri sono più coinvolti adesso di una volta, ma in generale entrambi i genitori passano poco tempo con i figli e si sentono in colpa. Per quanto riguarda la disciplina, quasi nessuno adotta più i metodi permissivi degli anni settanta, ma picchiare i bambini è considerato un gesto quasi criminale. Cosa fare, quindi, quando tua figlia di tre anni si rifiuta di vestirsi? Come reagire al figlio che va male a scuola? Una cosa è certa: i genitori hanno un’enorme influenza sullo sviluppo dei figli e dovrebbero fare di tutto per crescerli nel mondo più equilibrato possibile.
Being a parent has always been a difficult job, but over the last few years it’s become much more so. Nowadays, few mothers are able to stay at home full time and even when they manage to dedicate some time to their children, they have to compete with the television, videogames and other technological attractions that/which do not help in the creation of good family relations. It is true that fathers are more involved now than in the past, but generally, both parents feel guilty about not spending enough time/spending little time with their children. In terms of discipline, hardly anyone adopts/ uses the permissive methods of the seventies anymore, but hitting children is considered to be almost criminal. So, what do you do when your three year old daughter refuses to get dressed? How do you react when your son does badly at school? One thing is certain, parents have an enormous influence on the development of their children and should do their utmost/best to bring them up in the most balanced environment as possible
Thursday, 23 April 2009
Free writing - 1st Year
Planning your writing
1)Read the question
2)Brainstorm ideas
3)Decide how many ideas to include (e.g. 2 advantages, 2 disadvantages)
4)Decide how many paragraphs (about 4)
5)Organise your ideas into paragraphs (for main part of essay)
Introduction: What the topic is
What you are going to say on the topic
Main Part: Your ideas/the main points e.g. a paragraph on advantages of…, a paragraph on disadvantages of….. You could give reasons for these ideas, examples.
Conclusion: an outline/summary of the main points (what you have written)
1)Read the question
2)Brainstorm ideas
3)Decide how many ideas to include (e.g. 2 advantages, 2 disadvantages)
4)Decide how many paragraphs (about 4)
5)Organise your ideas into paragraphs (for main part of essay)
Introduction: What the topic is
What you are going to say on the topic
Main Part: Your ideas/the main points e.g. a paragraph on advantages of…, a paragraph on disadvantages of….. You could give reasons for these ideas, examples.
Conclusion: an outline/summary of the main points (what you have written)
Linkers
Linking expressions:
1.ordering points: to sum up, previously, in addition, in the first place
2.reason: on account of, owing to, in view of the fact that,
3.contrast: whereas, on the other hand, and yet,
4.conditional: unless, even if, provided that,
5.result: consequently, therefore, subsequently, as a result,
1.ordering points: to sum up, previously, in addition, in the first place
2.reason: on account of, owing to, in view of the fact that,
3.contrast: whereas, on the other hand, and yet,
4.conditional: unless, even if, provided that,
5.result: consequently, therefore, subsequently, as a result,
Confusing words
What are the differences in meaning between the following group
of words:
1.bring,take,carry,fetch
2. earn, gain, win, beat
3.let,allow,permit,enable
4.miss,lack,lose,waste
5.sorry,afraid,apologise,excuse
6.travel,trip,journey,tour voyage
7.actually,currently
8.comfortable,convenient
9.manifestation,demonstration
10.physicist, physician
11.pretend, expect
12.realize, create
13.receipt, recipe
14.sensible, sensitive, over sensitive, a psychic
15.serious, professional
16.smoking, a dinner jacket/tuxedo
17.camping, a campsite
18.sympathetic
1.bring,take,carry,fetch
Bring=coming towards the speaker
Take=going away from speaker
Carry=transport in arms/hands
Capacity of some machines e.g. The lift carries up to 10 people
Fetch=Get
2. earn, gain, win, beat
Earn=to acquire e.g. money, respect, a reputation
Gain=to acquire e.g. Experience, time, capital
Win=used with objects
Beat=used with people
3.let,allow,permit,enable
Let, allow, permit=to give permission
Enable=to facilitate
4.miss,lack,lose,waste
Miss=fail to see, catch or attend something
Lack=someone or something hasn’t got something e.g. He lacks concentration
To be lacking in something
Lose=don’t have anymore
Waste=to use or consume unnecessarily e.g. Energy, paper, time, money, food
5.sorry,afraid,apologise,excuse
Sorry=to apologize for something
Apologize=more formal
Afraid=when we have to say something to someone that they may not like
Excuse (me)=to apologize for disturbing or interrupting someone
6.travel,trip,journey,tour, voyage
Travel=go from one place to another (verb, adjective or noun)
Trip=a noun, time away from home e.g. day trip, work trip
Journey=most often used as a noun, only the ‘travel’ time
Voyage=usually a long journey, especially by sea
Tour=a journey including one or more destinations (verb or noun)
1.Actually= really, in reality
Currently= at the moment
2.comfortable= allows one to relax
Convenient=situated nearby, suitable
2a.cheap=low cost
3.manifestation=giving a clear example
Demonstration=public gathering to express opinion
4.physicist=somebody who studies/does physics
Physician= a doctor
5.pretend=fake, claim
Expect=aspire to something
6.realize=to begin to understand
Create=make, develop
7.receipt=proof of purchase
Recipe=how to cook something
8.sensible=reasonable, practical
Sensitive=to understand situations and feelings of others
Over sensitive=easily offended
A psychic=person with special ability to read your mind/the future
9.serious=not humorous
professional=to follow the correct conduct in a situation
10.sympathetic=understanding somebody’s situation
11.Smoking=the act of smoking
A dinner jacket/tuxedo=elegant jacket
12.Camping=the act of camping
A campsite=place where you go camping
of words:
1.bring,take,carry,fetch
2. earn, gain, win, beat
3.let,allow,permit,enable
4.miss,lack,lose,waste
5.sorry,afraid,apologise,excuse
6.travel,trip,journey,tour voyage
7.actually,currently
8.comfortable,convenient
9.manifestation,demonstration
10.physicist, physician
11.pretend, expect
12.realize, create
13.receipt, recipe
14.sensible, sensitive, over sensitive, a psychic
15.serious, professional
16.smoking, a dinner jacket/tuxedo
17.camping, a campsite
18.sympathetic
1.bring,take,carry,fetch
Bring=coming towards the speaker
Take=going away from speaker
Carry=transport in arms/hands
Capacity of some machines e.g. The lift carries up to 10 people
Fetch=Get
2. earn, gain, win, beat
Earn=to acquire e.g. money, respect, a reputation
Gain=to acquire e.g. Experience, time, capital
Win=used with objects
Beat=used with people
3.let,allow,permit,enable
Let, allow, permit=to give permission
Enable=to facilitate
4.miss,lack,lose,waste
Miss=fail to see, catch or attend something
Lack=someone or something hasn’t got something e.g. He lacks concentration
To be lacking in something
Lose=don’t have anymore
Waste=to use or consume unnecessarily e.g. Energy, paper, time, money, food
5.sorry,afraid,apologise,excuse
Sorry=to apologize for something
Apologize=more formal
Afraid=when we have to say something to someone that they may not like
Excuse (me)=to apologize for disturbing or interrupting someone
6.travel,trip,journey,tour, voyage
Travel=go from one place to another (verb, adjective or noun)
Trip=a noun, time away from home e.g. day trip, work trip
Journey=most often used as a noun, only the ‘travel’ time
Voyage=usually a long journey, especially by sea
Tour=a journey including one or more destinations (verb or noun)
1.Actually= really, in reality
Currently= at the moment
2.comfortable= allows one to relax
Convenient=situated nearby, suitable
2a.cheap=low cost
3.manifestation=giving a clear example
Demonstration=public gathering to express opinion
4.physicist=somebody who studies/does physics
Physician= a doctor
5.pretend=fake, claim
Expect=aspire to something
6.realize=to begin to understand
Create=make, develop
7.receipt=proof of purchase
Recipe=how to cook something
8.sensible=reasonable, practical
Sensitive=to understand situations and feelings of others
Over sensitive=easily offended
A psychic=person with special ability to read your mind/the future
9.serious=not humorous
professional=to follow the correct conduct in a situation
10.sympathetic=understanding somebody’s situation
11.Smoking=the act of smoking
A dinner jacket/tuxedo=elegant jacket
12.Camping=the act of camping
A campsite=place where you go camping
Summary Task - Arguing answers
Topic Sentence: Knowing how to argue is a useful skill.
For this exercise, you’ll have to choose the main points. Choose the main points from the passage in the selection of sentences/phrases below.
1. “We must use it on ourselves in order to arrive at decisions”
2. “members of the local PTA”
3. “we use it with others”
4. “drafting a letter to the editor of our hometown paper”
5. “Our ability . . . will allow us to make some difference in public life”
6. “we are condemned to sit on the sidelines”
7. “saving whales”
Once you’ve identified the main points in the passage you can check your answers here. Your next step will be to draft a summary based on the main points that you’ve chosen.
Exercise I: Choose the Main Points (Answers)
In addition to the topic sentence, numbers 1, 3, and 5 represent the more important points in this paragraph.
Exercise II: Sample Summary
The ability to argue is valuable because we use it for so many reasons: both to make choices for ourselves and to persuade others. Without this ability to argue we lose our power to affect change.
For this exercise, you’ll have to choose the main points. Choose the main points from the passage in the selection of sentences/phrases below.
1. “We must use it on ourselves in order to arrive at decisions”
2. “members of the local PTA”
3. “we use it with others”
4. “drafting a letter to the editor of our hometown paper”
5. “Our ability . . . will allow us to make some difference in public life”
6. “we are condemned to sit on the sidelines”
7. “saving whales”
Once you’ve identified the main points in the passage you can check your answers here. Your next step will be to draft a summary based on the main points that you’ve chosen.
Exercise I: Choose the Main Points (Answers)
In addition to the topic sentence, numbers 1, 3, and 5 represent the more important points in this paragraph.
Exercise II: Sample Summary
The ability to argue is valuable because we use it for so many reasons: both to make choices for ourselves and to persuade others. Without this ability to argue we lose our power to affect change.
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