Improve Your English – 278 [Archives:2005/878/Education]

Dr. Ramakanta Sahu
I. What to Say

Situation and Exressions (81)

Goodbye and good luck wishes

Good bye and good luck messages sparkle with the speaker's sincere desires for the person who is given the send off. The idiom captures this spirit of warmth, coordiality, friendliness and earnestness of purpose.

– If you are looking for a big opportunity, seek out a big problem.

– Bidding you a pleasant and warm good bye. To meet and part is the way of life. May luck always favor you.

– As you move on, may life treat you with all the joys and also bring out the best in you, making your world more happy and truly worthwhile.

– Bidding you goodbye:As you prepare to set out on a different path, here's wishing you good luck in all that you do. Wherever you go, whatever you do, just know that you are close to my heart and Iwish every happiness to be with you. Goodbye and good luck.

II.How to Say it Correctly

Correct errors, if any, in the following sentences

1. Although I like chocolate, but I can't eat it because I'm allergic to it.

2. I like to eat raw eggs for breakfast and everybody else in my family too.

3. A hardware store sells tools and nails and plumbing supplies and paint and etc.

4. My mother asked me when am I coming home?

5. Do you know where is the nearest gas station?

Suggested answers to the previous week's questions

1. Even though I was sick, I went to work

Or, I was sick, but I went to work.

2. Gold, silver and copper are metals.

3. I'd like a cup of coffee, and so would my friend.

4. I like coffee, but my friend does not.

5. Even if I'm very exhausted, I didn't stop working until after midnight last night.

III. Increase Your Word Power

(A) How to express it in one word

1. A person, thing or event that is mysterious and very hard to understand.

2. To make people or events more active, spirited, or cheerful.

3. To fill someone with great joy or delight.

4. A set of things that combine with each other to make a whole.

5. A friendly relationship between two or more countries.

Suggested answers to the previous week's questions

1. Diseases found regularly in a particular place: endemic (adj)

2. The natural qualities that a person is gifted with: endowment (n)

3. An agreement to marry: engagement (n)

4. To cut words, pictures, etc. on wood, stone, etc.: engrave (vt)

5. To destroy by swallowing up: engulf (vt)

(B) Words commonly confused:

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

1. addicted, devoted

2. adhesion, adherence

3. afflict, inflict

4. ago, since, before

5. air, atmosphere, airs

Suggested answers to the previous week's questions

1. interesting (adj) (holding the attention; arousing interest): He is an interesting person.

interested (adj) (having an interest in): Aisha is interested in music.

2. emulsion (n) (kinds of milky liquid): We have painted the house with emulsion paints.

immersion (n) (putting under the surface of water or other liquid): Immersion heaters are commonly used to heat water.

3. aspiration (n) (desire for something): He has aspiration to be a doctor.

inspiration (n) (person or thing that inspires): His lady love was a constant source of inspiration for him.

4. death (n) (ending of life): Better death than dishonor.

expiry (n) (act of something which lasts for a period of time coming to an end): You should examine the date of expiry of a medicine before taking it.

5. inhibition (restraint on an action for which there is an impulse or desire): He mixes with men of any background without any inhibition.

prohibition (n) (order that forbids): There is going to be a prohibition against the sale of soft drinks in Indian train compartments.

(C ) Synonyms and Antonyms

1) Synonyms

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

1. kindred

a. same b. pitiful

c. connected d. bright

2. vindicate

a. open b. ventilate

c. justify d. recommend

3. amphibian

a. eating both grass and flesh

b. capable of both walking and flying

c. living both on land and in water

d. growing in all seasons

4. confiscate

a. seize b. punish

c. impeach d. sue

5. impound

a. fill b. revalue

c. confiscate d. drown

Suggested answers to the previous week's questions

Word synonym

1. connive instigate

2. egregious shocking

3. immunity tolerance

4. mania madness

5. dredge clear away

ii) Antonyms

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

1. extant

a. destroyed b. extinguished

c. forgotten d. unheeded

2. ephemeral

a. spiritual b. ethical

c. permanent d. stable

3. dwindle

a. soar b. elevate

c. raise d. grow

4. politic

a. stupid b. simple

c. tactless d. unwise

5. vilify

a. comment b. pray

c. practice virtue d. worship

Suggested answers to the previous week's questions

Word antonym

1. erratic regular

2. endow divest

3. mundane spiritual

4. furtive open

5. turgid- deflated

(C) Spelling

Choose the correctly spelt word

1. a. rumatic b. rhehumetic

c. rheumatic d. rumetic

2. a. zodiac b. zodiec

c. zodek d. zodiak

3. a. rikerent b. recuurent

c. recurrent d. rekurrent

4. a. priferential b. prefirential

c. preferential d. preferantial

5. a. spontanity b. sponteneity

c. spontaniety d. spontaneity

Suggested answers to the previous week's questions

1. resonance

2. spatial

3. Fahrenheit

4. coalesce

5. mathematician

(D) Phrases and idioms

Use the following phrases in sentences

1. be rolling in money

2. stretch one's legs

3. lose one's voice

4. money is no object

5. eat like a bird

Suggested answers to the previous week's questions

1. broad in the beam (wide in the hips): His figure is disproportionate as he looks broad in the beam.

2. make it one's business (to do something): (to be determined to do something): -The detective has really made it his business to unfold the motive behind the crime.

3. to do things by halves (do things in a careless way): I don't like those who do things by halves.

4. steal a march on (some one): (to gain an advantage over some one): In the election campaign the opposition candidate stole a march on his rival.

5. cap in hand (humbly): Mohammed went to his father cap in hand and apologized to him for his misconduct.

IV. Grammar

(A) Grammar

a. If you mix the colors yellow and green, you get brown.

b. If I can afford it, we'll go and have a pizza.

c. If I were taller, I would join the police force.

– Which sentence suggests that something might happen?

– Which sentence is highly improbable?

– Which sentence tells you that something is always true?

Suggested answers to the previous week's questions

1. I wish you wouldn't shout. I'm not deaf.

2. When I was a teen ager I used to sing in the school choir.

3. I haven't got time to waste standing here and gossiping about the neighbors.

4. Come and whisper your secret in my ear.

5. As the bus ran into the lorry all the passengers screamed.

6. I can speak three languages: English, Hindi and Arabic.

7. He told me a wonderful story about his adventures in Africa.

8. She said that she did not agree with all our proposals.

V. Pearls from the Holy Quran

“He is Irresistibly supreme

over His servants, and He sets guardians over you..”

S.6: A.61

VI. Food for Thought

“The individual is capable of both great compassion and great indifference. He has it within his means to nourish the former and outgrow the latter.”

)Norman Cousins
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