Improve Your English – 193 [Archives:2003/652/Education]

Dr. Ramakanta Sahu
I. What to Say
Situations and Expressions (55):
Emotional Reactions (II)

Emotional reactions present an array of responses which reveal a person's moods, attitudes and mental make-up. They represent an outlet to one's pent up feelings. Here are a few more expressions which are vehicles for conveying the varied moods and tones of the speaker.

– The speaker was put off (discouraged) by audience's constant interruption.
– He showed great disapprobation (disapproval) at my suggestion.
– The teacher was red in anger at the student's impertinence.
– She shook her head in disapproval.
– What a disappointing news!
– The employees were disgruntled (annoyed and disappointed) when their demands were not met.
– The food at the hotel filled him with disgust.
– The girl melted in shame at such lavish praise for her beauty.
– Her words affected me.
– I felt deeply hurt at the abusive words used against my parentage and my upbringing.
– The manager was furious (very angry in an uncontrolled way) to notice the acts of gross negligence.
– I was speechless with anger (surprised and confused) for his audacity.
– We were taken aback by the exorbitant price he quoted for the ticket.
– Unless you do what he wants, he will be upset.
– We listened with dismay (strong feeling of fears and hopelessness) the news of the rail accident.
– I was disconcerted (felt a sense if doubt and anxiety) to hear that I would have to make a speech.
– Don't feel disheartened (discouraged, hopeless) when you're confronted with difficulties.
– I saw a film that was quite moving (having a strong effect on feelings, causing feelings of pity).
– The scene where the mother bids farewell to her only son to go to the battle field was very touching, indeed.
– You should not be touchy (sensitive, easily offended) over comments made in a lighter vain.

II. How to say it correctly
Correct errors, if any, in the following sentences
1. The dog barked at the boy.
2. I have done it yesterday.
3. These all flowers are beautiful.
4. These are the news.
5. He came to home

Suggested answers to the last week's questions
1. He killed his enemy with a gun.
Note: “with” is used words performing the work as instruments.
2. John resembles his father.
Note: The verb “resemble” cannot be used in its passive form.
3. He is telling a lie.
4. Don't make a noise.
5, They had to abandon (or relinquish) their rights.

III. Increase your word power
A) How to express it in one word.
1- A race in which there is no single winner.
2- A letter that cannot be delivered or returned to the sender.
3- A date or time before which something must be done.
4- A disagreement that cannot be settled.
5- A solemn slow march for a funeral.

Suggested answers to last week's questions
1. A room for reading, writing, and amusement, used only during the day: day room (n)
2. Taking place during several days coming one after another: day-to-day (adj)
3. Make somebody stupid or unable to think clearly: daze (v.t)
4. Make somebody unable to see clearly because of too much of light: dazzle (v.t)
5. An end with no way out. dead end (n)

Suggested answers to last week's questions
1- dramaturgy (Gk. “dramatourgia”): The principles of dramatic composition and theatrical art.
2- eclogue (Gk. “selection”): A short poem-or part of a large one- in the form of a dialogue or soliloquy.
Ex: Virgil's Pastorals
3- ellipsis (Gk. 'leaving out'): Leaving out of a word or words from a sentences when the meaning can be understood without them.
4- encomium (Lat. from Gk. 'praise'): An expression of very high praise.
5- epigram (Gk. 'inscription'): A short, clever, amusing poem or saying.

C) Words commonly confused
Bring out the meaning differences in the following pairs of words
1. agog, amuck; 2. affront, confront;
3. infront of, opposite, 4. confirm, conform;
5. pray, prey

Suggested answers to last week's questions
1. ceremonial (adj) (as used for ceremonies): The President took the salute at a ceremonial parade.
ceremonious (adj) (marked by ceremony): The Director had to quit his job unceremoniously.
2. certifiable (adj) (that can be certified): He is a certifiable lunatic.
certificate (n) (printed statement made by somebody in authority): The Dean awarded certificates of merit to the winners.
3. chafe (v.t) (rub the skin to get warmth): A stiff collar may chafe your neck.
chaff (n) (outer covering of the grain): He is busy separating grain from chaff.
4. chance or opportunity (luckily possible): I had the chance to visit U.K
occasion (n) (a moment when something happens): Her friends and relatives were present on the occasion of her wedding.
5. bathos (n) (a sudden change from very beautiful or noble ideas to very common or foolish ones): An unexpected bathos has spoiled the dramatic effect of the scene.
pathos (n) (The quality in speech or writing that causes a feeling of pity): There is a touch of pathos in the ending of the story.

III. Idioms and phrases
Use the following phrases in sentences.
1. ask for trouble; 2. ask after;
3. look forward to; 4.set aside; 5. ashamed of

Suggested answers to last week's questions
1. make an ass of one self ( to behave in a foolish manner): I fail to understand why he sometimes makes an ass of himself.
2. aspire after (be filled with high ambition): Doctor Faustus aspired after infinite knowledge.
3. cast aspersion on (say false or unkind things about): It's unfair to cast aspersion on someone's honor.
4. as long as (as long as): You are safe as long as you don't intrude upon other people's self-respect.

IV. Grammar and Composition
(A) Grammar
Finish each of the following sentences in such a way that it means exactly the same as the sentence written before it.
1. Someone ought to cut the grass as it's getting very long.
The grass needs ____
2. Your cakes are so good that I think you could sell them.
I think your cakes are good ____
3. Jeddah is so far from Sana'a that you can't drive there in a day.
Jeddah is too ____
4. When they got back, someone had broken into the house.
When they got back, the house ____
5. The rise of kidnapping incidents has put off a lot of tourists this year.
This year a lot of tourists ____
6. There can be no doubt, he was working very hard for the exam.
He must ____
7. It's best to have your insurance documents with you, because there's always a chance you will have an accident.
It's best to have your insurance documents with you in ____
8. It's really important that you aren't late.
You'd ____
9. I didn't phone you because I didn't realize you were at home.
If ____

Suggested answers to the last week's questions
1- The children shouldn't be left alone. They're too young to look after themselves.
2- There aren't enough students for us to go on an excursion.
3- Word processing is very simple; all you have to know is how to give some simple commands.
4- I had to put off having the party because I was ill.
5- She wanted to help her mother, so she laid the table.
6- He went to college although he felt unwell.
7- Sometimes I wish I had more money.
8- The customs officers asked us where we had come from.

(B) Composition: Paragraph writing
Expand the idea contained in the saying
26. Money is a good servant,
But a bad master.

Last week' topics:

25. Duty performed is a moral tonic
Duty is what one is obliged to do because of one's job or because one thinks it right. In other words, it is carrying on promptly and faithfully the affairs before us. One should perform one's duty earnestly and wholeheartedly and leave the rest to the Almighty. As scriptures and lives of great men remind us the path of duty is the path of the glory and divinity. Work is worship. Worship is 'worthship'. We elevate and enhance our worth by discharging our duty diligently. It's well-said that duty is the greatest of ideas because it implies the idea of God, of the soul of liberty, of responsibility, of immortality. The scope of duty is wide ranging.
Man has duty to himself, to his family, his neighborhood, his country, and, above all, to the Supreme Creator. Performance of duty takes us nearer to the Kingdom of God. The path of duty is the path of discipline, self-sacrifice, patience, perseverance and persistence. It's a golden rule that “Duty performed is a moral tonic! If neglected the tone and strength of both mind and heart are weakened and the spiritual health undermined.”

V. Pearls from the Holy Quran
” Allah knoweth well
The secrets of your hearts.”
S.3 A. 154

VI. Words of wisdom
“All experience is an arch to build upon.”
)Henry Adams
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