Improve Your English – 207 [Archives:2003/680/Education]

Dr. Ramakanta Sahu
I. What to Say
Situations and Expressions (57):
Felicitating a teacher (Part 2)

Words are grossly inadequate to accurately capture the spirit of appreciation the beholden students would like to extend to their teachers who have been a beckon light for them and who have spared no pains to illumine the dark recesses in the students' minds. Here are a few more expressions which have attempted to capture the students' thankfulness.

– Good things come once in a life time. So do good teachers like you.
From the tip of the North Pole to the tip of the South Pole
And all those places in between
You rank amongst the greatest teachers that this world has ever seen. Many thanks Teacher!
– Thank you Teacher
For your caring, thoughtful ways,
for your willingness to listen
and your kind supportive praise
Thank you, Teacher,
for the special things you do
I feel so very lucky to have a teacher like you.
– For a very dear Teacher: 'Knowledge is power', it is said. And many thanks to you that I taste this power everyday. I truly look up to you.
– Teacher! You are like a candle
who dispels the darkness of ignorance
and spreads the light of knowledge.
I'm forever grateful to you.
– Dear Teacher!
With the torch of knowledge
You've lit up my world
You've helped me to see with a better vision.
Thanks a lot.
– Teacher!
Thank you for being the most marvelous, superlative magnificent, dedicated, caring, outstanding person. You'll forever be remembered with great respect and admiration.
– For you, Teacher, on the New Year
Here are good wishes for the future.
May each passing day of the coming year bring you good health and cheer. May each passing month bring you nearer to realizing your dreams, and may the years ahead be full of all the happy things you wish for yourself.
– Teachers! This card is a special loving token of the gratitude often felt but all too seldom spoken – may this special day meant for all of you, bring the things you treasure and may the year ahead be filled with happiness beyond measure.
Wish you all a lovely Teacher's Day
– Teachers are one of the priceless gifts of wisdom, very special people, indeed, and I thank you for being such a warm and considerate one.
With regards
– Wishing you a beautiful Teacher's Day
For bestowing the gifts of knowledge on your students,
For teaching and reaching out to them in every way
This comes to thank you for all your efforts and to wish you a beautiful Teacher's Day.
Happy teacher's Day
Happiness always.
– You're so enthusiastic and so dedicated. You always give your very best. Words fail to tell you how much you're admired and appreciated for being such a special teacher.
– There are many stars, but the moon is one
There are many teachers, but the best is one.
To forget us it is upto you, but
To forget you, we will never do.

II. How to Say it correctly
Correct errors, if any, in the following sentences
1. The patient died before the doctor arrived.
2. Each of these books are very useful for you.
3. She is more beautiful than anyone of her two sisters.
4. He is the same man who has helped us in our work.
5. He was taking exercise for three hours before he was called by his father.

Suggested answers to last week's questions
1. He never goes within an arrow's flight of her.
2. Good evening! I am very glad to see you again after a long time.
3. I asked him why he was beating about the bush.
4. Intelligent people always avail themselves of the opportunity.
5. Money has become modern God which every man is hankering after.

III. Increase your Word Power
(A) How to express it in one word
1. Subject to death.
2. Resulting in death.
3. Property inherited from one's father or ancestor.
4. A paper written by hand.
5. The result of a match in which neither party wins.

Suggested answers to last week's questions
1. A language that is no longer spoken: dead language (adj)
2. The word which is no longer in use: obsolete (adj)
3. The motive merely to get money: mercenary (adj)
4. Existing for ever without a beginning or an end: eternal (adj)
5. A speech made without preparation: extempore (adj)

(B) Foreign phrases and expressions
Give the sources of origin and meanings of the following:
1.basta 2. beau garcon 3. beau jour
4. beneficiare 5.bene qui latiut bene vixit

Suggested answers to last week's questions
1. Annie Christie (Lat.): In the year of Christ.
2. Ars longa vita brevis (Lat.): Art is long, life is short.
3. auf wiederschen! (Ger.): Till we meet again, goodbye.
4. au contraire (Lat.); On the contrary.
5. auto (Spanish): An act, a drama.

(C) Words commonly confused
Bring out differences in meaning of the following pairs of words
1. compare, compere 2. angle, angel
3. deny, refuse 4. alien, align
5. eminent, imminent

Suggested answers to last week's questions
1. medal (n) (Flat piece of metal, shaped like a coin, given as an award): He won a gold medal in the inter-university sports championship.
meddle (vi) (interfere with): I don't want to meddle in anyone's personal affairs.
2. team (n) (number of persons playing together as one side in some games): Our school football team won the trophy.
teem (vi) (have in great numbers): His head teemed with many mischievous ideas.
3. dissent (vi) (have a different opinion from): He dissented from the opinion of his classmates.
descent (n) (coming or going down): The plane is on descent.
4. in (prep.) (of place): The mount Everest is the highest mountain peak in the world.
inn (n) (public house): The travelers took shelter in a country inn.
5. dyeing (adj) (coloring): He is working in a dyeing factory.
dying (adj): The victim in his dying declaration named the culprit who attacked him.

(D) Idioms and phrases
Give illustrative sentences using the following phrases:
1. to be well off 2. bear away 3. break into
4. break with 5. bring about

Suggested answers to last week's questions
1. lead upto (culminate in): Quarrel between the children led upto a major conflict between the two families.
2. shake off (get rid of): He is trying his best to shake off his evil reputation.
3. long for (have a strong desire for): The youths now-a-days long for a life of luxury.
4. stave off (prevent, avert): As a good crisis manager he is expected to stave off the tension in the party.
5. trump up (concocted, fabricated): His account of an encounter with kidnappers sounds trumped up.

IV. Grammar and Composition
(A) Grammar
Rewrite these sentences using either 'enough for (somebody to do)' or 'too (much) for (somebody to do')
1. This dress is big. I can't wear it.
2. This car is cheap. We can buy it.
3. The restaurant is good. We can hold our party in it.
4. We have lots of food. We can feed everybody.
5. The room is small. We can't all sleep in it.
6. The book's language is difficult. I can't understand it.
7. It's wet. We can't go out.
8. It's hot. We can go for a swim.

Suggested answers to last week's questions.
When I was at school, I was good at languages and I (1)could speak French and German quite well. I (2)could even pass my exam, and got quite good grades. But what surprised me was that when I went to Germany for the first time, I (3)couldn't understand a word – it was as if they were speaking a completely different language from the one I had learned. Speaking was less of a problem, because on the whole I (4)managed to say more or less what I wanted but it was a long time before I (5)could have my first real conversation.

(B) Composition: Paragraph writing
Expand the idea contained in the saying
39: A FOOL SEES NOT THE SAME TREE THAT A WISE MAN DOES

Last week's topic
38: A MAN IS KNOWN BY
THE COMPANY HE KEEPS
A man's manners, behavior, temper, attitude, likes or dislikes potentially attract like-minded people to him. Men of a balanced, even-headed, and judicious mentality like to be in the company of men who are cool and calm, considerate and prudent. On the other hand, those with perverted minds shun the company of sensible people and love to loiter with notorious elements. In the same way, a noble soul always seeks company that is compatible with his character. It can, therefore, be said with a fair degree of certainty that a person's nature, character and propensities can be predicted from those of the people with whom he keeps company. Thus it becomes imperative to exercise utmost discretion in choosing one's friends. Proper counseling and guidance at a formative stage of life can serve to develop a sense of discretion and judgment in youngsters which would certainly stand them in good stead to judiciously select their friends and companions.

IV. Pearls from the Holy Quran
“A reward from Allah
And from Allah
Is the best of rewards.”
S3:A195

VI. Words of Wisdom
“All creatures are the family of Allah;
And he is the most beloved of Allah who does most good unto his family.”
Sayings of the Holy Prophet Mohammed (PBUH)
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