Improve Your English – 235 [Archives:2004/736/Education]
I. What to Say
Situations and expressions (66):
Mother's Day (II)
Words are too grossly inadequate to articulate our indebtedness to the mother. We can only earnestly pray for the perennial spring of her benediction and love to ennoble our lives. That is the most benign blessing we can ask for, and our profoundest gratitude is the only gift we can lay at her feet on the Mother's Day.
– A mother is someone who is the first finger you hold on to, the first step you follow around, the warm embrace with a loving touch, the sweet voice you grow to depend upon so much, the face-reader, the secret-keeper and the most precious gift of life. Happy Mother's Day
– You're thoughtful. You're considerate, so kind and loving, too. So hope this Mother's Day turns out just wonderful for you. With love.
– When this special day has passed, may you be left with treasured memories that remain in your heart for ever. Happy Mother's Day.
– May this special day that's yours alone be filled with every joy and happiness. Happy Mother's Day.
– Along with loving wishes for a happy Mother's Day and fondest love to you, there comes a great big 'Thank you' for everything you do.
II. How to Say it Correctly
Correct errors, if any, in the following sentences
1. Walid, Raydan and Nasry discussed the news at the former's house.
2. One should always carry a map when you are in an unknown place.
3. If I was you I'd go by train.
4. Ali's father was angry at the mess in the kitchen.
5. He needs his hair cutting badly.
Suggested answers to last week's questions
1. The children were so eager to go to the circus that they were all ready before lunch.
2. Bill's father asked him to put the car in the garage, but Bill told him that he had already done so.
3. The doctor advised me either to eat less or to take more exercise.
4. We discovered that, on Sundays, there was neither a train nor a convenient bus for the journey.
5. Candidates must answer both the first question in section A and the first question in Section B.
III. Increase Your Word Power
(A) How to express it in one word
1. An elderly unmarried woman.
2. Communication between mind and mind.
3. The branch of science that deals with principles of classification.
4. The art of preparing and mounting skins of animals in life-like manner.
5. That which relates to a barber or his work.
Suggested answers to last week's questions
1. Person who helps even a stranger in difficulty: Samaritan (n)
2. Hospital especially for patients with weak lungs, or convalescent people: sanatorium (n)
3. Breeding of silk worm for the production of raw silk: sericulture (n)
4. Speaking one's thoughts aloud: soliloquy (n)
5. One who walks in sleep: somnambulist (n)
(B) Foreign phrases and expressions
Give the source of origin and meaning of the following
1. masque 2. maxim 3. melodrama
4. metaphor 5. metastasis
Suggested answers to last week's questions
1. loco citato (Lat. 'in the place cited'): Often abbreviated to loc. cit., the term indicates a reference to a book or page or passage already mentioned.
2. magnum opus (Lt. 'great work'): A major literary work, perhaps a writer's masterpiece. Milton's Paradise Lost is his magnum opus.
3. malapropism (Fr. 'mal a propos', 'not to the purpose'): So called after Mrs. Malaprop, a character in Sheridan's The Rivals (1775), who had a habit of using polysyllabic words incorrectly.
4. manifesto (Lat. 'mani festus', 'struck by hand'): A public declaration, usually of political, religious, philosophical or literary principles and beliefs.
5. manuscript (Lat. 'codex manu scriptus', ' book written by hand'): Strictly a book or document of any kind written by hand rather than printed or typed.
(C ) Words commonly confused
Distinguish between the following pairs of words
1. liberty, freedom
2. principal, principle
3. lovable, lovely
4. memorable, memorial
5. popular, populous
Suggested answers to last week's questions
1. drown (vi) (die in water because unable to breathe): He fell overboard and was drowned.
sink (vi) (go down below the horizon): The sun is sinking in the west.
2. elicit (vt) (draw out): The police elicited the truth from the accused.
illicit (adj) (unlawful; forbidden): He was arrested for selling illicit liquor.
3. eruption (n) (outbreak of a disease): Measures are being taken to prevent eruption of malaria.
irruption (n) (sudden and violent entry): The violent irruption of soldiers into the building was condemnable.
4. fetch (vt) (go for and bring back somebody or something): Please fetch the doctor at once.
bring (vt) (cause to come): Please bring me the dictionary from the shelf.
5. formalism (n) (exact observance of forms and ceremonies): I have no love for official formalism.
formality (n) (strict attention to rules, forms, and convention): He observes a lot of formalities in his dealings.
(C) Idioms and phrases
Bring out the meanings of the following in illustrative sentences
1. the salt of the earth
2. have a nose for (something)
3. slip one's mind
4. be living on a shoestring
5. rope in
Suggested answers to last week's questions
1. be a bundle of nerves (to be very nervous): My friend is always a bundle of nerves when she has to sit an exam.
2. the wee hours (very early in the morning): The accident occurred in the wee hours.
3. get off to a flying start (to have a very successful beginning): The celebrations got off to a flying start with recitation from the Holy Quran.
4. lick someone's boots (to flatter someone and do everything which he wants): He got a out-of-turn promotion because he was always licking the manager's boots.
5. at a premium (in great demand and therefore difficult to get): Time is at a premium because of my hectic schedule.
IV. Grammar and Composition
The words in capitals at the end of each sentence can be used to form a word that fits suitably in the blank space. Fill each blank in this way.
1. I was very annoyed by her )) to help me. (REFUSE)
2. Governments around the world are becoming increasingly worried about both air and sea )). (POLLUTE)
3. I don't like Shakespeare; I find most of his plays rather )). (BORE)
4. The shops are in the )) area of the city. (CENTER)
5. The government has sent in more than a hundred military )) to help the army. (ADVICE)
Suggested answers to last week's questions
The word in each group which does not belong has been underlined
1. usual peculiar everyday ordinary
2. ignore recognize realize notice
3. depressed bored uninterested keen
4. kick kiss punch hit
5. swelling bruise medicine injury
6. ankle elbow knee heart
7. mend burst destroy smash
8. check reject examine inspect
9. damage ruin repair spoil
10. cost expense charge refund
(B) Composition
Expand the idea contained in the maxim
66: Humor is the salt of life
Suggested answer of last week question
65: He who pays the piper controls the tune
Money power plays a decisive role in our personal and social life. The donor or the benefactor is usually in control of the beneficiary and wields a major influence in mobilizing or moulding the latter in any manner he likes. One who is at the receiving end has little freewill to exercise his discretion or express his likes and dislikes. He is obliged to obey the overt dictates or covert wishes of his benefactor for the simple reason that the latter is the provider of funds. Thus, money buys people's independence and discretion. There is a lot of practical sense in R. L. Stevenson's statement when he says, “The price we pay for money is paid in liberty.” This is all the more discernible in the current global scenario where affluent countries are throwing financial aid packages to the developing third world countries and trying to control global political trends. In the ultimate analysis, one who is in possession of financial strength becomes the defacto controller of the affairs of the needy people who, not out of choice but for financial compulsions, are bound to obey their big bosses' capricious dictates.
V. Pearls from the Holy Quran
” whoever
Works evil, will be
Requited accordingly.
Nor will he find, besides Allah,
Any protector or helper.”
S4:A123
VI. Words of Wisdom
“Can earthly things seem important to him who is acquainted with the whole of eternity and the magnitude of the universe?”
)Cicero
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[archive-e:736-v:13-y:2004-d:2004-05-10-p:education]
