Improve Your English – 276 [Archives:2005/868/Education]

I. What to Say

Situations and expressions (79):

Commercial ads

'Promise, large promise is the soul of an advertisement,' says Dr. Samuel Johnson of 18th century. We, as consumers are broadly aware that advertisements mislead, falsify and fantacize the facts. Still we can't avoid them as they are all-persuasive. Advertisements both advnce and perpetuate the ideas and values which are indispensable to a particular socio-economic system.

– Experience a dream that won't vanish when you wake up!

– Experience beauty that mesmerizes the soul and rekindles a romance. (Real estate and urban housing)

– Have your cake and eat it too. (Real estate investment)

– Serving to grow)growing to serve. (Bank)

– What would you like more? The joy of making the RIGHT investment decision, or the feeling of being LEFT out? (Real eastate investment)

– The only thing bigger than our schedule is our welcome. (Airways)

– Adopt the winning formula. Let your business take wings. (Loan)

– No one can rival our range. Let alone our awards. (Commercial house)

– “I” will make the difference. I will take on the world. “I” am the future. (Electronic company)

– I don't want to follow a part. I would rather go where there is no part and leave a trail.

– Carrying power and prosperity across the globe.

– Did you know that ants regularly store more food than they consume? Typically what a prudent investor should do: Invest regularly.( guide to invest wisely)

– You can cream your toast, and spread it thick. (Bread spread)

– Thank you for your support. Figures speak the rest. (Bank balance sheet)

– It's said where ever there is fire, there is smoke. Except in the kitchen that has – Chimney. (Chimeny ad)

II. How to Say it Correctly

Correct errors, if any, in the following sentences

1. I thanked him for drive me to the airport.

2. Is difficult to learn a foreign language.

3. It is important getting an education.

4. Bobby is n't enough old to get married.

5. Do you want go to swimming tomorrow?

Suggest answers to the previous week's questions

1. When did you get here?

2. Have you read a book called ' Culture Shock?' Who wrote it?

3. Mohammed is a gifted painter, but up to now he hasn't got any award for it.

4. We saw Dr. Ismail in town the other day.

5. Did you ever go to Al.Riyad when you lived in Mahweet?

III. Increase Your Word Power

(A) How to express it in one word:

1. To go beyond what is right, usual, or natural.

2. A book dealing with every branch of knowledge.

3. To try to do as well as or better than another person.

4. To turn a message into an agreement by which certain signs are given a special secret meaning.

5. To be faced by a danger or difficulty.

Suggested answers to the previous week's questions

1. A person who is sent with an official message, often secret or unpleasant: emissary (n)

2. The quality of feeling or showing too much emotion: emotionalism (n)

3. Which causes or may cause strong feelings: emotive (adj)

4. The power of imagining oneself to be another person, and so of sharing his ideas and feelings: empathy (n)

5. People or methods guided only by practical experience: empirical (adj)

(B) Words commonly confused

Bring out the difference in meaning of the following pairs of words.

1. nonhuman, inhuman. 2. initiation, initiative.

3. compete, contest. 4. forth, fourth.

5. country, nation.

Suggested answer to the previous week's questions:

1. dubious (adj.) (doubtful ). He has a dubious character.

devious ( adj.) ( round about, not straight forward). It is improper to use devious ways to get to the top.

2. amend (vt.) (make or become better) He has taken a resolve to amend his ways.

emend ( vt.) ( take out errors from) The teacher emended the student's journals

3. emergence (n) (an act of coming into view). The woodcutter was mortally afraid at the emergence of a tiger in the forest.

emergency (n) ( sudden happening which makes quick action necessary): The government declared a state of emergency in the country.

4. begin/start/commence

These words are interchangeable in most cases

commence (vt.) ( used to indicate beginning on a formal occasion): The winter session of the parliament commences on Monday.

start (vt.) (make a sudden movement or give a signal to): Start the race now.

begin (vt.) (take the first step) He has begun (is reading, writing) a new novel.

5. ablution (n) (ceremonial washing of the hands or the body as an act of religion): We performed ablution before offering prayer.

washing (n) (making clean with or in water or other liquid): Washing your hands before eating should be made a regular habit.

(C) Synonyms and Antonyms :

A: Synonyms

Choose the word that is closest in meaning to the one given at the top

1. beneficiary

a. church official

b. one who receives benefits

c. one who gives benefits to others

d. one who does active good

2. freak

a. monstrosity b. fanciful thing

c. breach d. division

3. frantic

a. painful b. hurried c. novel d. excited

4. mammoth

a. wild b. greedy c. straight d. huge

5. aviary

a. prison b. reformatory

c. large cage of birds d. zoo

B: Antonyms

Choose the word that is most opposite in meaning to the one given at the top

1. pretentious

a. transparent b. humble c. clear d. obvious

2. considerable

a. inadequate b. inattentive c. usual. d. common

3. inquisitive

a. uninterested b. dull c. indolent d. careful

4. gratify

a. defect b. distress. c. frustrate. d. discourage.

5. fabulous

a. literary b. commonplace c. real d. poor

(D) Spelling

Choose the correctly spelt word

1. a. infllammatory b. inflamatory

c. inflammatory d. inflamatary.

2. a. communique b. communiqe

c. comunique d. communike

3. a homogenus b. homogenius

c. homageneous d. homogeneous

4. a. pernicious b. pernicius

c. parnishes d. pernecious

5. a. marrygible b. marriageable

c. marriagable d. marriageble

(E) phrases and idioms

Use the following phrases in sentences

1. do a U turn

2. at a pinch

3. put on a brave face

4. have one's heart in the right place

5. set one's heart on (something)

suggested answer to the previous week's questions

1. at crack of dawn (very early in the morning): Children got up at crack of dawn to get ready for the exam.

2. paint the town red (celebrate by going out to enjoy oneself in an extravagant, often noisy manner): When the national team won the world cup, the frenzied supporters painted the town red.

3. hope against hope (to go on hoping that something will happen when there is no reason to believe that it will): He was hoping against hope that he would come out successful in the exam.

4. not to have a clue about (something) (to be ignorant about something): The police don't have a clue about the murder case.

5. take the plunge (to take decisive action after some hesitation): After a lot of reflection about whether or not to join politics, he finally decided to take the plunge.

IV. Grammar and Composition

A. Grammar: Sentence completion

Choose from the four alternatives the word which best completes the sentence.

1. The latest negotiation came to a sudden close with the f renewed agitation.

a. demand b. threat c. note d. call

2. is he in Bombay than he calls his uncle.

a. while b. as soon as c. no sooner d. whenever

3. Though she was most eager to reveal the secret she exercised some .

a. check b. restraint c. moderation d. tolerance

4. Our forefathers would find the speed with which we can travel round the world.

a. wonderful b. rash c. miraculous d. staggering

6. To be I think you did not do the right thing.

a. clever b. free c. frank. d. straight.

Suggested answer to the previous week' questions:

1. to produce musical sounds: sing

2. to make a quiet secretive sound: whisper

3. To make a piercing sound: scream

4. To express an opinion: say

5. Ta raise the voice: shout

6. To produce words in an ordinary voice: speak

7. To discuss other people's affairs: gossip

8. To give an account of, or relate: tell

Composition

Expand the central idea contained in the maxim

98. Strike the iron when it is red hot

Answer to the previous week's topic

97. Poverty is the mother of ill health

Poverty is a pitiable state of having little money that forces one to have a low level of living, much below the usual standard. A man with meager means is unable to meet the minimum demands of his family and provide them a decent living. Consequently, he suffers from malnutrition and malnourishment. The society looks down upon a poor man. Even the basic human dignity is denied to him. Poverty of mind compels him to indulge in unlawful activities. As Bruyers puts it: “If poverty is the mother of crimes, want of sense is the father of them.” As such, a poor man is a victim of ill-health-physical, moral and psychological.

Pearls from the Holy Quran

Nothing is the life of

this world but play and amusement.

But best is the Home in the hereafter, for those. who are righteous.

5.6A.32

Food for thought

'Experience is not that what happens to a man.. It is what a man does with what happens to him.'

)Aldous Huxley
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