Improve Your English – 175 [Archives:2003/627/Education]
Dr. Ramakanta Sahu
I. What to Say
Situations and expressions (44):
Making uncertain generalizations
Sometimes when the speaker assumes something, but is not sure about his hunch, he makes an uncertain generalization. Such statements are bound to be adhoc or tentative and marked by such words as 'seem', 'appear', 'perhaps', 'probably', to show the speaker's mood of uncertainty. The simple infinitive TO DO/TO BE is used to describe fixed habits as well as unchanging habits or situations. However, the continuous infinitive TO BE DOING is used to describe changing habits or situations.
Fixed or unchanging habits or situations (TO DO/TO BE)
– People in developed countries don't seem to worry too much about the pollution of the environment.
– Yemenis, in general, appear to ignore the harmful effects of qat on the individual's health and family economy.
– University students are supposed to give the national interest top priority.
– The mass of intelligentsia of any society are taken to be the custodians of the public morals.
– The eldest member of the family is expected to be the torch bearer of the family traditions.
– Children seem to be conscious of their duties and responsibilities.
– Perhaps, teachers fail to motivate the students to learn English in early years of schooling ('perhaps' in sentience-initial position)
– The EFL curriculum in Yemen, perhaps, doesn't address itself to the students' needs. ('perhaps' in sentence-medial position)
– If some one is not used to qat chewing, it is likely to produce mild reaction.
– Smoking too many cigars may lead to cancer of lungs.
– Thoughtless frittering away of time probably paved the way for his deterioration in standard.
– A rude culture shock, in my opinion, made him to decide to leave the country.
– Lack of adaptability to the environment is believed to have resulted in the extinction of many species from the face of the earth.
– His introvert nature presumably forces him to keep away from friends.
– In my opinion he has to blame himself for his desperate condition, to none else.
– However people blame fate or destiny, I believe man's character guides his destiny.
II. How to Say it Correctly
Correct errors, if any, in the following sentences
1. He hit the ball hardly.
2. I am hardly pressed for time.
3. This flower smells sweetly.
4. I will see you later.
5. If offered red or white shirt, I'd choose the later.
Answers to last week's questions
1. Why does she appear so sad?
2. I owe a great deal to my parents.
3. I am not well today.
4. He adores that political leader.
5. I enjoy travelling.
III. Increase Your Word Power
A) How to express it in one word
1. To use apparently serious language which is, in fact, mixture of sense and non-sense.
2. To believe two opposing ideas at the same time.
3. Double wages paid to people who work at weekends or on public holidays.
4. A man who does not easily believe things.
5. Flour mixed with water ready for baking.
Answers to last week's questions
1. Speech or writing that one cannot understand: double-dutch (n)
2. A person having a bad quality very strongly: double-dye (n)
3. Having two purposes or meanings, quite different from each other: double-edged (adj)
4. A cinema performance in which two main films are shown: double feature (n)
5. To block a road by parking a vehicle beside a vehicle already parked: double-park (vt)
B) Foreign phrases
Use the following phrases in illustrative sentences
1. bon voyage
2. bonafides
3. bourgeoisie
4. boutique
5. cafe oui lait
Answers to last week's questions
1. bijou (Fr) (Adj used only before a noun) (small and fashionable): He owns a bijou apartment near the sea beach.
2. billet-doux (Fr) (a love letter): When can he study? All his time is being spoilt in reading billet-doux.
3. bon bon (Fr) (a type of round sweet): Children are fond of bon bon.
4. bon homie (Fr) (a friendly feeling among a group of people): Consequent upon the sudden heated exchanges between the two friends the atmosphere of bon homie quickly disappeared.
5. bon mot (Fr) (a clever remark): A bon mot from my friend relieved the seriousness and monotony of the atmosphere.
6. bon vivant (Fr) (someone who enjoys good food and wine): A bon vivant as he is, he frequents fashionable star hotels.
C) Word commonly confused
Bring out differences in meaning of the following pairs of words
1. accept, except
2. exceptional, exceptionable
3. access, excess
4. accidence, accident
5. acclaim, claim, reclaim
Answers to last week's questions
1. abstention (n) (not to vote either for or against some one): His abstention from voting created a deadlock for the party.
abstinence (n) (the practice of not doing something you enjoy because it is morally wrong): Abstinence is austerely followed by all devout Muslims during the Holy Month of Ramadhan.
2. abstraction (n) (a general idea about a type of situation, thing or person, rather than a specific example from real life): How can one get a concrete idea about his intentions if he talks in abstraction?
obstruction (n) (act of blocking a road, passage, etc.): Obstruction of the highway is a cognizable offence.
3. abstruse (adj) (unnecessarily complicated way causing difficulty in understanding): The abstruse mode of presentation of the speaker made his arguments confusing and unclear.
obtuse (adj) (slow in understanding, stupid): It's no use making an obtuse fellow like him to understand the point.
4. abysmal (adj) (bottomless): In the abysmal depth of the ocean, many treasures lie hidden.
infinitesimal (adj) (extremely small): Some infinitesimal organisms floating in the air are responsible for air-borne diseases.
5. accede (vit) (agree to a request): The Dean acceded to our request to defer the exam by one week.
exceed (vt) (be greater than): His success exceeded all expectations.
D) idioms and phrases
Use the following phrases and idiomatic expression in illustrative sentences
1. bargain's a bargain
2. make the best of a bad bargain
3. be called to the bar
4. under the banner of
5. jump on the band wagon
Answers to last week's questions
1. as blind as a bat (not able to see well): The old man has to be helped up the stairs because he is as blind as a bat.
2. bask in (enjoy someone's favor or approval): He is doing all he can to bask in his employer's favor.
3. have a bash at (to make an attempt at): I'm trying to have a bash at learning computer.
4. base upon (give a reason): You should base your comments upon facts.
5. barter away (bargain away): I'm not prepared to barter away my self-respect for some monetary gain.
IV. Grammar and Composition
A) Grammar
Frame compound words using the root words given below.
Power, Energy, Muscle, House, Looms, Oil, Steam, Giant
Answer to last week's questions
1. Your bike is not running well.
Oh, yes. I shall buy a new one very soon.
2. I have no time to spare.
3. It would have been better if they had not come.
4. He did an extremely foolish thing.
5. He did not tell us how old he was. It is a complex sentence.
B) Composition
Expand the ideas contained in the saying
8. A LITTLE LEARNING
IS A DANGEROUS THING
Answer to last week's question
7. NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION
When we are in need we try hard to satisfy it. When we are faced with any challenge to our existence, we try our level best to overcome it. We devote all our energies to fulfill the demand and it is often seen that we succeed in our efforts. If one reads the story of inventions and discoveries, one will come across numerous examples to prove the truth of this saying.
In fact, the history of civilization is the story of man's struggle to fulfill the basic needs of life such as food, shelter, security against enemies, protection against nature's fury and so forth. Being propelled by the compulsions of his need, his intelligence and ingenuity has led him to find out ways and means of meeting the needs which gave birth to various scientific inventions and discoveries.
IV. Pearls from the Holy Quran
“Those who keep
Their plighted faith
And act aright, – verily
Allah loves those
Who act aright.”
S3:A76
V. Words of Wisdom
“Beauty is not caused, it is.”
)Emily Dickinson
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