Improve Your English – 199 [Archives:2003/664/Education]

Dr. Ramakanta Sahu
I. What to Say
Situations and Expressions (55)
Expressions of Emotion (VIII)

S.T. Coleridge, the celebrated Romantic poet says, “Poetry is the blossom and fragrance of human knowledge, human thoughts, human passions, emotions, language.” The poet Shelley holds the view: “Poetry is the record of the best and happiest moments of the happiest and best minds.” According to Wordsworth “All good poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings” and is marked by “impassioned expression which the countenance of all science.”
The following expressions, we believe, would bear eloquent testimony to these. Mark the intensity of emotion and the beauty of expression.

– In small proportions we just beauties see:
And in short measures life may perfect be.
B. Jonson: The Noble Nature
– Yet this inconstancy such
As you too shall adore;
I could not love thee, Dear, so much,
Loved I not Honor more
Col Lovelace: To Lucasta
– But a smooth and steadfast mind,
Gentle thoughts, and calm desires
Hearts livith equal love combined,
Kindle never dying fires:
Where these are not, I despise
Lovely cheeks or lips or eyes.
T. Carew: The True Beauty
– Give me, instead of beauty's bust,
A tender heart, a loyal mind,
Which with temptation I would trust,
Yet never link'd with error find,
G. Darley: The Loveliness of Love
– Sweet, be not proud of those two eyes
Which starlike sparkle in their skies;
R. Henrick: To Dianeme
– Drink to me only with thine eyes,
And I will pledge with mine
Or leave a kiss but in the cup
And I will not look for wine.
B. Jonson: To Celia
– There is a garden in her face
Where roses and white lilies blow;
A heavenly paradise in that place
Wherein all pleasant fruits do grow;
Cherry: Ripe
– A sweet disorder in the dress
Kindles in clothes a wantonness
Do more bewitch me, than when act
Is too precise in every part.
R. Herrick: The Poetry of Dress

II. How to Say it Correctly
Correct errors, if any, in the following sentences
1. Babies grow up very quickly.
2. What is the cost of this watch?
3. Only I and my brother are present.
4. Both of them didn't go to school.
5. The ship was drowned in the ocean.

Suggested answers to last week's questions
1. Do not approach him.
2. I tore my shirt on a nail.
Note: 'To tear' means to divide along a straight or irregular line, sometimes by accident; “to tear up” means to destroy by tearing to pieces.
3. This boy is older than that one.
Note: “Older” and “oldest” are applied to both persons and things; while “elder” and “eldest” are applied to persons only, and most frequently to related persons. Remember, “elder” cannot be followed by 'than'.
4. The wind has almost stopped blowing.
5. My friend shared his books with me.

III. Increase Your Word Power
A) How to express it in one word
1. Showing decorum, propriety, good taste, etc.
2. A thing or person used to lure or tempt into danger or trap.
3. An official order, or decision of court.
4. Broken down or worn out by old age.
5. To speak against strongly and openly.

Suggested answers to last week's questions
1. Give political independence to: decolonize (vt)
2. Reduce the pressure of or on something: decompress (vt)
3. A medicine that reduces swelling and blocking, especially in the nose: decongestant (n)
4. Remove dangerous, impure substances from: decontaminate (vt)
5. The ornamental furnishing and arranging of a room: decor (n)

B) Foreign Phrases
Give the sources of origin and simple meanings of the following
1. magnum opus 2. malapropism 3. mal mariee
4. mantra 5. maqama

Suggested answers to last week's questions
1. literati (Lat. 'the learned'): Men of letters and learned men.
2. litterateur (Fr. 'a man of letters'): One who devotes himself to the study of writing of literature.
3. loco citato (Lat. 'in the place') (often abbreviated to op. cit): The term indicates a reference to a book or a page or passage already mentioned.
4. logogram (Gk. 'logos' = word + 'gramma' = letter): a single sign for a word. Abbreviated to 'logo'.
5. macrology (Gk. 'long language'): Verbose repetition by way of long words and phrases.

C) Words Commonly Confused
Bring out the meaning differences in the following pairs of words
1. recently, shortly 2. imprudent, impudent
3. previous, preceding, last 4. predictor, predicator
5. for, fore

Suggested answers to last week's questions
1. dose (n) (exact amount of a medicine): You have to take the medicine regularly according to the prescribed dose.
doze (vi) (to sleep lightly): I dozed away the hours on flight.
2. cook (n) (someone who prepares and cooks food as their job): Latif works as a cook in a local restaurant.
cooker (n) (a piece of equipment for cooking food on or in): I use a pressure cooker for my cooking.
3. cynical (adj) (believing that people are motivated in all their actions only by selfishness): Cynical as he is, he sees little or no good in anything and often makes unfair remarks about people and things.
snobbish (adj) (having contempt for those whom one considers his inferior): His snobbish attitude has earned him many enemies.
4. drench (vt) (to make wet all over thoroughly): I was drenched in the rain.
wet (adj) (covered with water or other liquid, not dry): Wipe the table with a piece of wet cloth.
5. dead (adj) (no longer living): Sanskrit is a dead language.
deed (n) (a thing done, an act): The soldiers were honored for their heroic deeds.

D) Idioms and Phrases
Use the following phrases in sentences
1. in anticipation 2. anterior to 3. posterior to
4. antagonistic to 5. answer for

Suggested answers to last week's questions
1. work of art (a painting, film, piece of writing etc. which has a high artistic value): Satyajit Roy's films are works of art.
2. under arrest (kept by the police): He is under arrest on charges of cheating.
3. arrange for (organize or make plans for something): I have arranged for the passport to be delivered to you.
4. get around (to avoid or solve a particular problem or difficult situation): How do we get around the problem of stiff immigration rules?
5. get around to (to finally do something that you have been intending to do for a long time): I will get around to completing the book in foreseeable future.

IV. Grammar and Composition
A. Grammar
Match the sentences on the top with the sentences or clauses on the bottom that continues the meaning in the best way.

1. He tried to cheat in the exam;
2. He tried cheating in the exam; 3. I like to go to the cinema once a week;
4. I like going to the cinema;
5. I stopped t talk to my neighbor
6. I stopped talking to my neighbor yesterday
7. I regret to tell you I don't like her;
8. I regret telling you I don't like her;

a) that's why I was late home.
b) I know you do like her.
c) he kicked my dog.
d) but he still got a very low mark.
e) you immediately told her what I said.
f) but he was caught.
g) but I hardly even get the chance
h) it helps me up-to-date with good films.

Suggested answers to last week's questions
1. She is so charming that everybody likes her.
2. Before going to India my father worked for an American bank for three years.
3. You'll never guess who I met in the street today. Mrs. Jackson!
4. Jane is a very good friend. I have known her for a long time.
5. They tried to prevent me from going with them because they thought I had measles.

B) Composition: Paragraph Writing
Expand the idea contained in the proverb
32. SLOW AND STEADY WINS THE RACE

Last week's topic:

31. A STITCH IN TIME SAVE NINE
This proverb literally means that if there is one hole in a piece of cloth and if it is stitched at the nick of moment, it spares one the trouble of making more stitches in future. The board significance of the statement is the one should be cautious and take care of a problem as and when it appears. If neglected the problem is likely to be compounded and become complicated so as to need more time, money and effort to remedy the situation. If appropriate remedial steps are taken when early symptoms of a disease begin to appear, then the disease may be arrested preventing it to complicate further. Otherwise, it may aggravate and demand a lot more efforts for its remediation. Similarly, if students attend to their studies in time, they would save themselves a lot of botheration when the exam is round the corner. So we should be prompt in taking action in case of a difficult or emergent situation.

V. Perals from the Holy Quran
VI. Words of Wisdom
“Alternate rest and labor long endure”
)Ovid
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