From: Advanced Expert CAE: Ed. Pearson/Longman
Monday, April 6, 2009
Friday, April 3, 2009
Marie Douglas-David demands $100m divorce settlement
Read the following article and then watch the video.
Ms Douglas-David's expenses include $4,500 for clothes, $8,000 for travel, $700 for limousine service and $1,570 for horse care
A 36-year-old countess is demanding that her husband double her divorce settlement to $100 million (£69 million) as she hasn’t enough to cover weekly expenses of more than $53,000. Marie Douglas-David wants to tear up /tɛər/a postnuptial agreement with George David– formerly one of the most respected chief executive officers in American corporate life, and 30 years her senior – under which she would receive just $43 million.
She says she was coerced ( pressure) into signing the agreement by her husband, the former head of United Technologies Corporation, who is worth an estimated $329 million, during their six-year marriage.
The Swedish countess, previously an investment banker, says she has no income and has listed her weekly expenses in a court document. These include $4,500 for clothes, $1,000 for hair and skin treatments, $1,500 for restaurants and entertainment, $8,000 for travel, $700 for limousine services, $2,209 for an assistant, $1,570 for horse care and $600 for flowers.
Accusations of infidelity, bullying and extortion have been flung (thrown) back and forth (backward and forward)at the divorce hearing in a Connecticut courtroom this week as the pair have fought for the sympathy of the judge.
The couple met when Countess Marie Douglas, a descendant of Grand Duke Ludwig I of Baden, was 30 and an asset manager for Lazard Asset Management, investing in United Technologies stock. Mr David, who had divorced his first wife and mother of his three children several years earlier, built United Technologies, the Connecticut-based conglomerate that owns a wide range of businesses from aerospace manufacturing to lifts, into an international success.
The couple joined the New York charity set and jetted around the world. They separated initially in 2004, allegedly over her infidelity. In 2005, after a series of reconciliations, the couple signed a postnuptial agreement giving Ms Douglas-David $43 million should they divorce. Mr David, 67, was accused in court of coercing her to sign it by preying (being a victim of) upon her fears of being divorced and childless.
William Beslow, a prominent New York divorce lawyer, who represented Marla Maples in her divorce from Donald Trump, said his client thought that she was in “a loving, sound(untroubled) marriage” when her husband pushed her into signing the deal. “He put a [figurative] gun to the back of her head,” Mr Beslow told Judge Stephen Frazzini in his opening statement.
Ms Douglas-David wants nearly $100 million in cash and shares, plus about $130,000 a month in alimony(maintenance) payments. Her expenses include maintaining a Park Avenue apartment and three homes in Sweden.
Mr Beslow accused Mr David of pushing his wife into quitting her job so that she could travel and entertain with him. “He ridiculed her as a professional. He diminished her self-confidence,” he said. Mr Beslow said the final straw for his client came in 2008, when she found e-mails disclosing an affair between her husband and a younger woman.
Mr David’s lawyer, Anne Dranginis, accused Ms Douglas-David of nagging (criticizing) and hounding(acosar) her husband with “extensive, long diatribes”(criticism ) over little things “like how he held his fork or how he drafted (designed) invitations”.
Mr David, who stepped down (resigned) as United Technologies chief executive in 2008, argues that he and his wife have already fulfilled some of the terms of the agreement, and that she had tried to have it enforced during a previous court case. He says those facts support the agreement’s validity and is asking the judge to uphold (preserve) the agreement and order his wife to vacate their Park Avenue apartment.
In his court filings, Mr David said that he spends more than $200,000 a week, including $95,943 to own and operate his 90ft yacht. He spends $18,042 a week on charities, $7,491 on travel, $7,125 on entertainment, $2,500 on clothing and $1,773 on food.
Outside court, Ms Douglas-David said: “I’m just very sad that we are where we are.”
tear up: to cancel or annul
formerly:previously
Her senior: older or elder
back and forth: the back-and-forth movement of a clock's pendulum.
Jetted:to transport by jet plane
Quit:to cease from doing something; stop
the last straw
The last in a series of grievances or burdens that finally exceeds the limits of endurance: “The management has given me nothing but trouble since I took this job, and now they've cut my benefits! Well, that's the last straw: I quit!” It comes from an old expression, “the straw that broke the camel's back.”
to diminish:to make or cause to seem smaller, less, less important, etc.; lessen; reduce.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Love and marriage
How important is it to say ‘I love you’?
Telling your partner that you love them every day has just been revealed as one of the secrets of a happy marriage – but for many people such declarations don’t come naturally. Some would rather show their affection through actions rather than words, and others feel it cheapens feelings to express them too often. So what happens when you and your spouse feel differently about those three little words? Journalist Angela Epstein and Paul Taylor, senior lecturer in communications theory at University of Leeds join Jenni to discuss.
Patti Smith: Because the night
Take me now baby here as I am
pull me close, try and understand
desire is hunger is the fire I breathelove is a banquet on which we feed
come on now try and understand
the way I feel when I'm in your hands
take my hand come undercover
they can't hurt you now, can't hurt you now, can't hurt you now
because the night belongs to lovers
because the night belongs to love
because the night belongs to lovers
because the night belongs to us
have I doubt when I'm alone
love is a ring, the telephone
love is an angel disguised as lust
here in our bed until the morning comes
come on now try and understand
the way I feel under your command
take my hand as the sun descends
they can't touch you now, can't touch you now, can't touch you now
because the night belongs to lovers ...
with love we sleep
with doubt the vicious circle
turn and burns
without you I cannot live
forgive, the yearning burning
I believe it's time, too real to feel
so touch me now, touch me now, touch me now
because the night belongs to lovers ...
because tonight there are two lovers
if we believe in the night we trust
because tonight there are two lovers ...
Monday, March 30, 2009
Speaking: Relationships
From: Ready for First Certificate. Ed. Macmillan
Below are some pictures of different types of relationships.Talk about the positive and negative aspects of each relationship and then decide which two are the most important to you.
Below are some pictures of different types of relationships.Talk about the positive and negative aspects of each relationship and then decide which two are the most important to you.
TWINS
Listen to the podcast about twins and put the following statements in the order they are mentioned.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Jobs
From Advanced Expert CAE ed. Longman.Pearson
I'd like you to compare and contrast these photos, saying what personal qualities these jobs would require.
Sample answer
Right ... Well, these photos show a teacher, a doctor and a hairdresser. Looking first at the teacher and the doctor, I think these jobs are similar because they both require sensitivity and tact. To do either of these jobs, you must need a lot of patience. I suspect neither of these
people would survive without a good sense of humour because their work must get quite stressful at times. In my opinion, these jobs are both more important than being a hairdresser, but the hairdresser must also make people feel good about themselves and be patient if they have difficult customers!
Th e most obvious difference between the jobs is that a doctor needs a lot of knowledge and technical skills, whereas for a teacher of young children, I imagine the most important thing would be creativity and energy. A hairdresser is somewhere in the middle. You would also have
be creative to be a hairdresser but also have technical skills,
Although I think they are easier skills to learn than a doctor's. And I suppose being a good listener might not be quite as essential for a teacher as for a doctor. To be a hairdresser, you must listen a lot too, or you might give people haircuts that they don't like!
RELATIONSHIPS
From Advanced expert CAE. Pearson.Longman
Speaking
In this part of the test, I'm going to give each of you some pictures showing different relationships. I'd like you to talk about them on your own for about a minute,
- saying how important you think the relationships are and how they might change.
Sample answer: Speaking
In this part of the test, I'm going to give each of you some pictures showing different relationships. I'd like you to talk about them on your own for about a minute,
- saying how important you think the relationships are and how they might change.
Well, two of the photos show relationships between parents and children. One is a mother with a very young baby, and the second one is a father with a young child. The third photo is a young couple.
Er, in the photo of the mother with the baby there's definitely a feeling of tenderness, whereas in the picture with the father and the young son there's more excitement and fun - they're engaged in an activity that they're both enjoying. The last photo is slightly different as it shows a personal moment in a couple's relationship. They are holding hands and sitting close together, and they look very happy.
How might these relationships change? Well, obviously at some point the baby is going to become less dependent on its mother, and therefore that relationship is bound to change. And with the father and son, the child may well become interested in other things that the father's not particularly bothered about. So, if they don't have common interests, that could affect their closeness. For the couple, who knows how things might change? Anything could happen in the future for this couple!
Er, in the photo of the mother with the baby there's definitely a feeling of tenderness, whereas in the picture with the father and the young son there's more excitement and fun - they're engaged in an activity that they're both enjoying. The last photo is slightly different as it shows a personal moment in a couple's relationship. They are holding hands and sitting close together, and they look very happy.
How might these relationships change? Well, obviously at some point the baby is going to become less dependent on its mother, and therefore that relationship is bound to change. And with the father and son, the child may well become interested in other things that the father's not particularly bothered about. So, if they don't have common interests, that could affect their closeness. For the couple, who knows how things might change? Anything could happen in the future for this couple!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Friday, March 13, 2009
Friday, March 6, 2009
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Charity: Bono on CNN
Story Highlights
Bono says he's "punching the air" after plan to eradicate malaria won funding
Global activist says you can change the world with $25 billion investment
Campaigning is "most inspiring" work, but pop star also still loves playing with band
ROBERTS: So you're hearing what you want to hear from these candidates?
BONO: Yeah. And you couldn't imagine a few years ago that you would have candidates so close to an election talking about this stuff, so yeah. Watch Bono say how he uses his star status on politicians »
ROBERTS: You were talking to Christine Romans outside the studio, who just did that piece for us a few minutes ago on what else could you do with $700 billion. What could you do with $700 billion?
ROBERTS: For $25 billion, you could put every kid who's out of school in the world into school? That seems like a lot of people for $25 billion. Pretty good return on your investment.
BONO: It's a great return on investment. You heard me on your program before talking about debt cancellation. Strangely Americans don't know that because of debt cancellation there are already an extra 29 million African children in school. That's incredible. Because people got out on the streets on the (RED) campaign and stuff like that, there's now 2.5 million Africans on AIDS drugs, which are expensive. So your country is turning for me in the right direction on these issues.
ROBERTS: So you're hearing some of what you want to hear, particularly on the malaria issues. But the European Union had promised to increase aid by $50 billion between 2005 and 2010. It looks like they're going to fall $40 billion short.
ROBERTS: You talk a lot about these United Nations Millennium Development Goals. Let me go over a couple of those. It was supposed cut global poverty in half by the year 2015. Universal access to HIV/AIDS treatment by 2010. Begin to reverse the incidence of malaria by 2015. How far along that road are we?
BONO: The Millennium Development Goals are in a bit of trouble. It is astonishing to me ...
Bono says he's "punching the air" after plan to eradicate malaria won funding
Global activist says you can change the world with $25 billion investment
Campaigning is "most inspiring" work, but pop star also still loves playing with band
(CNN) -- Global activist and U2 frontman Bono attended the United Nations General Assembly in New York to push world leaders to join his ONE campaign in fighting disease, poverty, and hunger. He talked to CNN's John Roberts on "American Morning" about recent successes and what's next.
ROBERTS: All this talk has been about the economy collapsing, $700 billion bailout. Congress is absolutely absorbed with that. Did that in any way affect what you were trying to do this week? Are people more focused on this economy than in helping out developing nations?
ROBERTS: All this talk has been about the economy collapsing, $700 billion bailout. Congress is absolutely absorbed with that. Did that in any way affect what you were trying to do this week? Are people more focused on this economy than in helping out developing nations?
BONO: We got good news this week. I know normally I'm on your program with bad news -- the whingeing rock star -- but it's great. There's a disease, malaria -- it's 3,000 African kids die every day of mosquito bites. Sounds mad, but it's true. And people have committed and it looks like the funds are on the table so that that disease will be no more by 2015. That makes people like me punch the air and everyone who wears a ONE T-shirt and all our white band campaigners on college campuses all over the country -- it was a great day for them yesterday so we're celebrating that. I know it's extraordinary, that while you're having this meltdown on the markets, that people could even concentrate on this stuff, but I'm really grateful that they did. We had both [presidential] candidates make very powerful statements about the necessity for nonmilitary tools, for instance, in foreign policy. This is an America that both candidates want to show to the rest of the world -- the greatness of America.
ROBERTS: So you're hearing what you want to hear from these candidates?
BONO: Yeah. And you couldn't imagine a few years ago that you would have candidates so close to an election talking about this stuff, so yeah. Watch Bono say how he uses his star status on politicians »
ROBERTS: You were talking to Christine Romans outside the studio, who just did that piece for us a few minutes ago on what else could you do with $700 billion. What could you do with $700 billion?
BONO: We wouldn't be asking for that kind of money. These are serious matters, people have lost their jobs. But I think the bill for the whole world -- so America would be like a third of it -- for $25 billion you could absolutely change the world. You could put kids in school, most kids in school. You could eradicate diseases like malaria, as we're saying. We could change the water supplies. But what's important is that people who want to change the world, want to see their country, they see it as a patriotic act to show the world innovation of America, technology of America, pharmacology of America.
ROBERTS: For $25 billion, you could put every kid who's out of school in the world into school? That seems like a lot of people for $25 billion. Pretty good return on your investment.
BONO: It's a great return on investment. You heard me on your program before talking about debt cancellation. Strangely Americans don't know that because of debt cancellation there are already an extra 29 million African children in school. That's incredible. Because people got out on the streets on the (RED) campaign and stuff like that, there's now 2.5 million Africans on AIDS drugs, which are expensive. So your country is turning for me in the right direction on these issues.
ROBERTS: So you're hearing some of what you want to hear, particularly on the malaria issues. But the European Union had promised to increase aid by $50 billion between 2005 and 2010. It looks like they're going to fall $40 billion short.
BONO: They are, but they're still ahead of America. That's the bad news. You don't want to get me into the ring.
ROBERTS: Absolutely! Come on.
BONO: We've had meetings with Sarkozy this week as well as talking with McCain and Palin and as well as always talking with the Obama campaign. We do keep up the pressure on the Europeans, but the Europeans are way ahead of America on aid, just to put it in context. But you're right. They're not coming through on all of it. We will torture them too. That's our job.
BONO: We've had meetings with Sarkozy this week as well as talking with McCain and Palin and as well as always talking with the Obama campaign. We do keep up the pressure on the Europeans, but the Europeans are way ahead of America on aid, just to put it in context. But you're right. They're not coming through on all of it. We will torture them too. That's our job.
ROBERTS: You talk a lot about these United Nations Millennium Development Goals. Let me go over a couple of those. It was supposed cut global poverty in half by the year 2015. Universal access to HIV/AIDS treatment by 2010. Begin to reverse the incidence of malaria by 2015. How far along that road are we?
BONO: The Millennium Development Goals are in a bit of trouble. It is astonishing to me ...
ROBERTS: Whose fault is that?
BONO: You know, politicians. They love signing checks, but they don't like cashing them. They love the photograph. These G-8 meetings, you'll see myself and my partner Bob Geldof arm-wrestling with politicians up against the wall.
BONO: You know, politicians. They love signing checks, but they don't like cashing them. They love the photograph. These G-8 meetings, you'll see myself and my partner Bob Geldof arm-wrestling with politicians up against the wall.
ROBERTS: You're very effective at doing that. You get access to a lot of places. I remember I was on a trip with President Bush once, and you walked on Air Force One.
BONO: It's the absurdity of celebrity. I don't consider myself a celebrity in this sense, I think I'm an activist who knows what I'm talking about. But yeah, we get access, and we use it. It's true that there was a very ambitious plan signed up in 2005 that further committed what was decided in the year 2000, that we could actually across eight goals completely change the face of poverty and hunger in the world. And there was a $25 billion bill by 2010 that would enable them to do that. They haven't come through on that. And another day I'll tell you why, but today I'm punching the air because malaria will be no more by 2015. And it's Americans, people from the private sector -- Peter Chernin, Ray Chambers, all kinds of people, Bill Gates, your mayor of this city, [Michael] Bloomberg, is an amazing guy. He's working on this stuff. I just want Americans to know that side of their country because I'm a fan of America. And, again, you would have candidates, you know, like John McCain taking time out this week to talk to us, Barack Obama before. This is fantastic.
ROBERTS: I was reading your blog on financialtimes.com. You've been writing all week, doing a great job too. You mentioned in one of your pieces you've been writing some lyrics. And I'm wondering where the lyrics are going.
BONO: Statistics don't rhyme. Songwriting comes from such a different part of my brain and such a different part of who I am.
BONO: Statistics don't rhyme. Songwriting comes from such a different part of my brain and such a different part of who I am.
ROBERTS: Are you writing about all this?
BONO: No, it's strange. It's very strange. I used to work in a garage when I was a kid pumping gas, and I used to dream when I was pumping the gas about getting to rehearsals on a Saturday so I could be with my band and write songs. The work that I'm doing now, as we say, we're working like a dog, living like a shih tzu. We're spoiled people. We travel well, but we work. On these issues, because you're working for the world's poor, we work like dogs. But I find myself at times, sometimes I just wake up in the morning, and I just want to be back with my band in a rehearsal room.
BONO: No, it's strange. It's very strange. I used to work in a garage when I was a kid pumping gas, and I used to dream when I was pumping the gas about getting to rehearsals on a Saturday so I could be with my band and write songs. The work that I'm doing now, as we say, we're working like a dog, living like a shih tzu. We're spoiled people. We travel well, but we work. On these issues, because you're working for the world's poor, we work like dogs. But I find myself at times, sometimes I just wake up in the morning, and I just want to be back with my band in a rehearsal room.
ROBERTS: You will be soon. New CD coming out next year.
BONO: I'm not complaining about the work. This is the most inspiring thing I've ever been involved in in my life, and it's working. It really is working. And that's why I'm on your show this morning. I just want to thank Americans.
ROBERTS: Good luck on the new CD coming out next year. We're looking forward to it.
BONO: I'm not complaining about the work. This is the most inspiring thing I've ever been involved in in my life, and it's working. It really is working. And that's why I'm on your show this morning. I just want to thank Americans.
ROBERTS: Good luck on the new CD coming out next year. We're looking forward to it.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Countable and uncountable nouns. Determiners
Uncountable nouns
1 These refer to things we think of as a 'mass', rather than individual, countable things. They usually have no plural form and are used with a singular verb: accommodation, advice, clothing, equipment, food, flu, luggage, patience, weather, etc.
Progress is very slow.
2 We do not normally use the indefinite article (a/an) with uncountable nouns. Instead, determiners like some, any, etc. may be used:
Here is some advice. There isn't any evidence.
3 We can use the definite article with uncountable nouns when we are talking about a specific example of something:
Can you give me back the money I gave you?
However, we do not use the definite article to talk about things generally:
Money is the root of all evil.
4 To make uncountable nouns countable, we use phrases like these:
a bit of help, a piece of evidence/information, a pile of rubbish/books, a slice of bread/cake, a spoonful/two spoonfuls of (sugar)
B Countable or uncountable nouns?
1 Many nouns can be countable or uncountable depending on the context:
Uncountable
Life here is very good.
Time is short.
Don't stay out in the cold.
Science is not a popular subject.
Countable
Many lives were saved.
Times were hard.
Colds are common in winter.
The sciences are squeezed of funds.
2 Some uncountable nouns can be used with the indefinite article. They are usually qualified by an adjective or phrase:
Uncountable
Knowledge is power.
I've got no time.
Tolerance is a virtue.
Countable + adjectival phrase
He has a good knowledge of the area.
Have a good time.
He showed a great deal of tolerance.
C Subject-verb agreement
1 Uncountable nouns ending in -s are followed by a singular verb:
aerobics, athletics, genetics, maths, news, physics, politics, etc.
No news is good news.
2 These nouns are always followed by a plural verb:
• Nouns ending in -s, usually clothes and tools: pyjamas, shorts, trousers; glasses (= spectacles), pliers, scissors
To make these singular, we usually use a pair of: a pair of trousers
• Nouns made up of many 'parts':
the authorities, belongings, cattle, contents, goods, (the) people, (the) police, remains
3 The noun whereabouts can be followed by a singular or plural verb:
His whereabouts is/are unknown.
4 Collective nouns (nouns referring to groups)
• These may be used with a singular verb if we think of them as a single unit, or with a plural verb if we are referring to members of the group. We use the with these nouns:
The staff is excellent. (= thinking of an impersonal unit)
The staff are excellent. (= thinking of the people who work there)
The media is/are very powerful.
Other examples include: army, audience, choir, committee, headquarters, orchestra, press, public, team
• We generally use a singular verb after a/an + collective noun:
An army of volunteers is on its way.
• We generally use a plural verb after the following expressions when they are followed by of + plural noun: the majority/minority (of), a number (of), a couple (of)
Only a minority of people support the new law.
A number of people still cling on to the old beliefs. Compare:
A small minority disagree/disagrees with the ruling.
5 If a plural subject describes a single unit, e.g. an amount or quantity, we usually use a singular verb:
Thirty kilo metres is a long way.
Five euros is not much.
Six per cent is a big increase.
D Determiners, pronouns and quantifiers
1 Before nouns
• With a countable or uncountable noun: some/any, (not) enough, half/all (of), a lot of/lots of, more/most, no, plenty of
• With a countable noun:
a few (= some), few (= almost no), (not) many, one/both (of), each (of), every, either/neither (of), several
• With an uncountable noun:
a little (= at least some), little (= almost none), (not) much, less, the whole
2 Determiner or pronoun?
Most of the words in the above section can be used as determiners (before a noun) or pronouns (on their own).
Most people enjoy sport. (determiner)
Some of your ideas are crazy. (pronoun)
'Which one do you want?' 'Either is OK.' (pronoun)
Notes
• no and every are determiners, never pronouns.
• none is a pronoun, never a determiner.
3 each, every
• We use each to talk about two or more things or people, considered separately:
She held a bag in each hand.
• We use every to refer to all the people or things in a particular group (more than two):
Every road in the centre was blocked. (= all roads)
• In some contexts, we can use each or every interchangeably:
Each/Every person in the group joined in.
• We can use each (not every) as a pronoun:
We each have our own skills. Each of us went our own way.
• We can use each/every + one of:
We played several games and lost each/every one of them.
• Each and every are followed by a singular verb:
Each of us has a job to do.
4 all, both
• We use both to talk about two people, things, etc. together, and emphasise that each is included:
Both films were boring. (determiner)
'Which one shall I buy?' 'Why not get both?' (pronoun)
• We use all to refer to the whole of an amount, thing, or type of thing, or everyone of a number. We don't usually use all as a pronoun on its own:
I haven't seen him all week. (determiner)
"Which one do you like?' 'I like all of them.' (pronoun)
5 the whole (adjective, noun)
We use (the) whole to refer to all of something, often instead of all of:
We wasted the whole day looking for it.
Climate change affects the whole (of the) planet.
6 either, neither
We use either and neither to refer to one or the other of two things or people. Strictly speaking, they are followed by a singular verb, but a plural verb is common in spoken English.
'You can have either tea or coffee.' 'Neither, thank you.'
I wouldn't want to do either of these jobs. Neither of them is very interesting.
7 no, none
No is a determiner, none is a pronoun. In formal English, they are followed by a singular verb, but a plural verb is more common:
'For those who believe, no explanation is necessary. For those who do not, none (= no explanation) will suffice.' None of us is/are perfect. (= not one of us, for a group of three countable nouns or more)
1 These refer to things we think of as a 'mass', rather than individual, countable things. They usually have no plural form and are used with a singular verb: accommodation, advice, clothing, equipment, food, flu, luggage, patience, weather, etc.
Progress is very slow.
2 We do not normally use the indefinite article (a/an) with uncountable nouns. Instead, determiners like some, any, etc. may be used:
Here is some advice. There isn't any evidence.
3 We can use the definite article with uncountable nouns when we are talking about a specific example of something:
Can you give me back the money I gave you?
However, we do not use the definite article to talk about things generally:
Money is the root of all evil.
4 To make uncountable nouns countable, we use phrases like these:
a bit of help, a piece of evidence/information, a pile of rubbish/books, a slice of bread/cake, a spoonful/two spoonfuls of (sugar)
B Countable or uncountable nouns?
1 Many nouns can be countable or uncountable depending on the context:
Uncountable
Life here is very good.
Time is short.
Don't stay out in the cold.
Science is not a popular subject.
Countable
Many lives were saved.
Times were hard.
Colds are common in winter.
The sciences are squeezed of funds.
2 Some uncountable nouns can be used with the indefinite article. They are usually qualified by an adjective or phrase:
Uncountable
Knowledge is power.
I've got no time.
Tolerance is a virtue.
Countable + adjectival phrase
He has a good knowledge of the area.
Have a good time.
He showed a great deal of tolerance.
C Subject-verb agreement
1 Uncountable nouns ending in -s are followed by a singular verb:
aerobics, athletics, genetics, maths, news, physics, politics, etc.
No news is good news.
2 These nouns are always followed by a plural verb:
• Nouns ending in -s, usually clothes and tools: pyjamas, shorts, trousers; glasses (= spectacles), pliers, scissors
To make these singular, we usually use a pair of: a pair of trousers
• Nouns made up of many 'parts':
the authorities, belongings, cattle, contents, goods, (the) people, (the) police, remains
3 The noun whereabouts can be followed by a singular or plural verb:
His whereabouts is/are unknown.
4 Collective nouns (nouns referring to groups)
• These may be used with a singular verb if we think of them as a single unit, or with a plural verb if we are referring to members of the group. We use the with these nouns:
The staff is excellent. (= thinking of an impersonal unit)
The staff are excellent. (= thinking of the people who work there)
The media is/are very powerful.
Other examples include: army, audience, choir, committee, headquarters, orchestra, press, public, team
• We generally use a singular verb after a/an + collective noun:
An army of volunteers is on its way.
• We generally use a plural verb after the following expressions when they are followed by of + plural noun: the majority/minority (of), a number (of), a couple (of)
Only a minority of people support the new law.
A number of people still cling on to the old beliefs. Compare:
A small minority disagree/disagrees with the ruling.
5 If a plural subject describes a single unit, e.g. an amount or quantity, we usually use a singular verb:
Thirty kilo metres is a long way.
Five euros is not much.
Six per cent is a big increase.
D Determiners, pronouns and quantifiers
1 Before nouns
• With a countable or uncountable noun: some/any, (not) enough, half/all (of), a lot of/lots of, more/most, no, plenty of
• With a countable noun:
a few (= some), few (= almost no), (not) many, one/both (of), each (of), every, either/neither (of), several
• With an uncountable noun:
a little (= at least some), little (= almost none), (not) much, less, the whole
2 Determiner or pronoun?
Most of the words in the above section can be used as determiners (before a noun) or pronouns (on their own).
Most people enjoy sport. (determiner)
Some of your ideas are crazy. (pronoun)
'Which one do you want?' 'Either is OK.' (pronoun)
Notes
• no and every are determiners, never pronouns.
• none is a pronoun, never a determiner.
3 each, every
• We use each to talk about two or more things or people, considered separately:
She held a bag in each hand.
• We use every to refer to all the people or things in a particular group (more than two):
Every road in the centre was blocked. (= all roads)
• In some contexts, we can use each or every interchangeably:
Each/Every person in the group joined in.
• We can use each (not every) as a pronoun:
We each have our own skills. Each of us went our own way.
• We can use each/every + one of:
We played several games and lost each/every one of them.
• Each and every are followed by a singular verb:
Each of us has a job to do.
4 all, both
• We use both to talk about two people, things, etc. together, and emphasise that each is included:
Both films were boring. (determiner)
'Which one shall I buy?' 'Why not get both?' (pronoun)
• We use all to refer to the whole of an amount, thing, or type of thing, or everyone of a number. We don't usually use all as a pronoun on its own:
I haven't seen him all week. (determiner)
"Which one do you like?' 'I like all of them.' (pronoun)
5 the whole (adjective, noun)
We use (the) whole to refer to all of something, often instead of all of:
We wasted the whole day looking for it.
Climate change affects the whole (of the) planet.
6 either, neither
We use either and neither to refer to one or the other of two things or people. Strictly speaking, they are followed by a singular verb, but a plural verb is common in spoken English.
'You can have either tea or coffee.' 'Neither, thank you.'
I wouldn't want to do either of these jobs. Neither of them is very interesting.
7 no, none
No is a determiner, none is a pronoun. In formal English, they are followed by a singular verb, but a plural verb is more common:
'For those who believe, no explanation is necessary. For those who do not, none (= no explanation) will suffice.' None of us is/are perfect. (= not one of us, for a group of three countable nouns or more)
Friday, February 20, 2009
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Writing an Essay
Essay
Model answer
You have been doing a class project on technology. Your teacher has asked you to write a composition giving your opinion on the following statement:
People in the modern world depend too much on computers.
(1)In today 's world, nearly every aspect of life is affected by computer technology. Computers are used for business, public services, education and entertainment.
(2) Some people are concerned by this development. They fear that vital skills are being lost as computer technology replaces traditional ways of working in a wide variety of areas, from art and design to banking and commerce.
(3) They point out the chaos that can occur when computer systems fail, leading to the breakdown of essential services such as transport, law and order.
(4) However, people could not continue to enjoy their present standard of living without computer technology. There are now far more people in the world than there were a generation ago. The fact that there is enough food for them, that they can travel safely from one place to another, and that they can be provided with medical care, is largely due to computer technology.
(5) In my opinion, therefore, we have to accept our dependence on computers, but at the same time we should work to find ways of making this dependence less dangerous.
(1) Do restate the question in your first sentence.
(2) DON'T start by saying I agree with this - your essay should present your own argument.
(3) Do include supporting detail for the points in each paragraph.
(4) Do use linking expressions to introduce points.
(5) Don’t forget to express your opinion in the conclusion.
USEFUL LANGUAGE
You have been doing a class project on technology. Your teacher has asked you to write a composition giving your opinion on the following statement:
People in the modern world depend too much on computers.
(1)In today 's world, nearly every aspect of life is affected by computer technology. Computers are used for business, public services, education and entertainment.
(2) Some people are concerned by this development. They fear that vital skills are being lost as computer technology replaces traditional ways of working in a wide variety of areas, from art and design to banking and commerce.
(3) They point out the chaos that can occur when computer systems fail, leading to the breakdown of essential services such as transport, law and order.
(4) However, people could not continue to enjoy their present standard of living without computer technology. There are now far more people in the world than there were a generation ago. The fact that there is enough food for them, that they can travel safely from one place to another, and that they can be provided with medical care, is largely due to computer technology.
(5) In my opinion, therefore, we have to accept our dependence on computers, but at the same time we should work to find ways of making this dependence less dangerous.
(1) Do restate the question in your first sentence.
(2) DON'T start by saying I agree with this - your essay should present your own argument.
(3) Do include supporting detail for the points in each paragraph.
(4) Do use linking expressions to introduce points.
(5) Don’t forget to express your opinion in the conclusion.
USEFUL LANGUAGE
I think/believe that ...
Some people claim that (your teenage years are the best years oj your life).
It is often said that (TV is a bad influence on young people).
However, in my view/opinion, .
Firstly it is clear that (money cannot buy happiness).
While it is true that (computer games are stimulating, they may not be good for you in the long term).
From my point oj view, job satisfaction is more important than a large salary).
Finally, it is important to remember that ... On balance then, I feel that ...
To sum up/In conclusion, it seems to me that ...
Some people claim that (your teenage years are the best years oj your life).
It is often said that (TV is a bad influence on young people).
However, in my view/opinion, .
Firstly it is clear that (money cannot buy happiness).
While it is true that (computer games are stimulating, they may not be good for you in the long term).
From my point oj view, job satisfaction is more important than a large salary).
Finally, it is important to remember that ... On balance then, I feel that ...
To sum up/In conclusion, it seems to me that ...
Friday, January 30, 2009
Article or no article?
We don't use an article:
1. to talk about plural and uncountable nouns or when talking about things in general:
I'm terrified of heightsI'm into drum and bass. I hate cheese.
Article or no article?
This is a complex area and correct use of articles is one of the most difficult things to get right in English. However, there are a few basic ground rules which we can try to follow:
This is a complex area and correct use of articles is one of the most difficult things to get right in English. However, there are a few basic ground rules which we can try to follow:
referring to particular 'definite' things or people: we use the
When it is clear to both people in the interaction which things or people are being referred to, we use the:
The children (= our children) must be awake. I can hear John playing the piano in the sitting room (i.e. in our house)
The book you gave me last weekend was so exciting. I couldn't put it down.
When you next go to the supermarket, could you get me some pizza bases?
second or subsequent mention: the
When we refer to something for the first time, we use an indefinite article (a/an) because the person we are talking to knows nothing about it. But when it is recognized or known, we use the:
I saw a squirrel in the garden (= our garden) this morning ~ Was it a red squirrel or a grey squirrel? ~ It was a grey squirrel. I think the squirrel was looking for a nut it had buried under the apple tree (i.e. the apple tree in our garden).
unique objects: the
When we refer to unique aspects of our environment that everybody is familiar with, we use the:
I love listening to the wind and the rain beating on the window panes when I am inside my cottage.
One day I would like to fly to the moon and visit the nearest planets.
categories or groups of people: the
If we are referring to groups of people the is required. Here are some examples:
The homeless are well looked after at Christmas, but not at other times of the year.
The poor may benefit more from the tax change than the better-off.
When we refer to unique aspects of our environment that everybody is familiar with, we use the:
I love listening to the wind and the rain beating on the window panes when I am inside my cottage.
One day I would like to fly to the moon and visit the nearest planets.
categories or groups of people: the
If we are referring to groups of people the is required. Here are some examples:
The homeless are well looked after at Christmas, but not at other times of the year.
The poor may benefit more from the tax change than the better-off.
with superlatives: the
It is normal to insert the before the adjective + noun in superlative sentences as there is only one of its kind in this category:
Jane is quite a good swimmer.
Rachel is a better swimmer.
But Jacky is undoubtedly the best swimmer in the class
seas / rivers / mountain ranges / island groups / deserts : the
I would never swim in the English Channel. It's far too polluted.
Did you see the fireworks on the Thames on the Eve of the New Millenium?
Have you ever been skiing in the Alps?
Would you choose the Leeward Islands or the Windward Islands if you were thinking of a holiday in the Caribbean?
The Gobi Desert is one of the most inhospitable places in the world.
continents / most countries / counties / states / towns / buildings / most streets / lakes / most single mountains : zero article
'Most' in the above listing indicates that there are occasional exceptions to the general rule of no article before examples in these categories. See below:
Cairo is a good example of a city in Egypt where Asia and Africa meet.
The UK, Ireland, the US and Canada are all popular destinations for students of English who want to study overseas.
Buckingham Palace, the main residence of the Queen is located at the end of the Mall in central London
Lake Como has always been popular as a holiday retreat for the English.
Kent and Essex are to the Thames what Lousiana and Mississippi are to the Mississippi river.
Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn are two well-known mountains in the French and Swiss Alps.
It is normal to insert the before the adjective + noun in superlative sentences as there is only one of its kind in this category:
Jane is quite a good swimmer.
Rachel is a better swimmer.
But Jacky is undoubtedly the best swimmer in the class
seas / rivers / mountain ranges / island groups / deserts : the
I would never swim in the English Channel. It's far too polluted.
Did you see the fireworks on the Thames on the Eve of the New Millenium?
Have you ever been skiing in the Alps?
Would you choose the Leeward Islands or the Windward Islands if you were thinking of a holiday in the Caribbean?
The Gobi Desert is one of the most inhospitable places in the world.
continents / most countries / counties / states / towns / buildings / most streets / lakes / most single mountains : zero article
'Most' in the above listing indicates that there are occasional exceptions to the general rule of no article before examples in these categories. See below:
Cairo is a good example of a city in Egypt where Asia and Africa meet.
The UK, Ireland, the US and Canada are all popular destinations for students of English who want to study overseas.
Buckingham Palace, the main residence of the Queen is located at the end of the Mall in central London
Lake Como has always been popular as a holiday retreat for the English.
Kent and Essex are to the Thames what Lousiana and Mississippi are to the Mississippi river.
Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn are two well-known mountains in the French and Swiss Alps.
things in general: zero article
When we are discussing things in general, we normally use zero article with plural and uncountable nouns:
Formal education in Britain begins when children reach the age of five.
Basketball is more popular in China than football.
Patience and gratitude are qualities which are rarely observed in the youth of today.
But note, when we want to be specific:
The education I received was substandard.
The football played by Liverpool in their last match was awesome.
common expressions: zero article
There are a number of common fixed expressions used with certain prepositions involving everyday time and place nouns where zero article is required:
At university I never bother with lunch, but always eat breakfast and supper. At school I always ate lunch and dinner, but never breakfast.
In Newcastle, you can always get into town late at night and home again by tube, bus or taxi.
Note that the prepositions listed above are often not the only prepositions possible. We can also say e.g. to/at/into/from church and to/in/into/out of bed/prison.
When we are discussing things in general, we normally use zero article with plural and uncountable nouns:
Formal education in Britain begins when children reach the age of five.
Basketball is more popular in China than football.
Patience and gratitude are qualities which are rarely observed in the youth of today.
But note, when we want to be specific:
The education I received was substandard.
The football played by Liverpool in their last match was awesome.
common expressions: zero article
There are a number of common fixed expressions used with certain prepositions involving everyday time and place nouns where zero article is required:
At university I never bother with lunch, but always eat breakfast and supper. At school I always ate lunch and dinner, but never breakfast.
In Newcastle, you can always get into town late at night and home again by tube, bus or taxi.
Note that the prepositions listed above are often not the only prepositions possible. We can also say e.g. to/at/into/from church and to/in/into/out of bed/prison.
Report: Fund-raising day
From Advanced Expert CAE
Suggested answer
JULY FUND-RAISING DAY
Introduction
This report is intended to:
1 give an overview of our recent fund-raising day for your charity;
2 indicate who raised the money and how:
Introduction
This report is intended to:
1 give an overview of our recent fund-raising day for your charity;
2 indicate who raised the money and how:
3 make recommendations for next year.
Overview
On 22 July this year, a substantial sum of money was raised for the charity. The total raised for disadvantaged children exceeded the sum achieved last year. In the main, the day was very successful.
Participation
Most of the 50 volunteers were students from the university.
How the money was raised
The largest part of the total raised (40%) came from visiting houses and knocking on doors. Collections were also carried out in the street, accounting for 3010, and we raised a further 20% from a jumble sale. The remainder came from a variety of sources.
Recommendations
In the light of this year's experience, I would make the following recommendations:
1 that we organize a wider variety of activities, including street parties (if we could make them work successfully);
2 since some members of the public thought our street collectors were not legitimate fund raisers, we should, in future, issue them with special badges to avoid misunderstanding.
Conclusion
To sum up, I would say that this year's fundraising day was a great success and that we could make it even more successful next year. (220 words)
Overview
On 22 July this year, a substantial sum of money was raised for the charity. The total raised for disadvantaged children exceeded the sum achieved last year. In the main, the day was very successful.
Participation
Most of the 50 volunteers were students from the university.
How the money was raised
The largest part of the total raised (40%) came from visiting houses and knocking on doors. Collections were also carried out in the street, accounting for 3010, and we raised a further 20% from a jumble sale. The remainder came from a variety of sources.
Recommendations
In the light of this year's experience, I would make the following recommendations:
1 that we organize a wider variety of activities, including street parties (if we could make them work successfully);
2 since some members of the public thought our street collectors were not legitimate fund raisers, we should, in future, issue them with special badges to avoid misunderstanding.
Conclusion
To sum up, I would say that this year's fundraising day was a great success and that we could make it even more successful next year. (220 words)
Westfield shopping centre
It’s a bright new future for London shoppers; the Westfield Mall is finally open, 20 years the making at a cost of about 3 billion dollars
Well, it’s opening day here at the Westfield but as you can see it’s packed in fact they expect more than 20 million people a year to walk at these doors. The question is in the middle of a financial crisis will people be buying. It’s got all the big names and a few luxury ones too, but are our customers shopping or just window shopping.
The Westfield is not the only shopping centre hoping for such optimism. The Dubai mall is due to open next week after several delays. The developers say it will be one of the world‘s largest, with an ice-skating rink and aquarium. But behind the glids there’s genuine concern. Retail sales in the UK has slumped for six out of the last seven months and the story is the same across Europe and the US.
Managing Director Michael Gutman insists that Westfield can weather the storm.
“These building are built for the long term and lastly we prefer building in a different environment and retailers is a cyclical business and I think retailers understand that we are investing for the long term. To build up a business in a new location and there’s a huge level of confidence”.
How long will it be before window shopping becomes actual sales.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Writing an essay
In about 200 words write an essay, giving your opinion on the following statement.Plastic surgery is worth the health risks and the money. Do you agree?
Introduce the topic in the first paragraph, giving "the whole picture" and an introduction to both sides of the argument.
Explain the topic giving specific examples.
Use linking words to show the sequence of your ideas and when you are making an extra point.
First ........................... Besides, ...............In my opinion, there are many advantages to ..............
Have a separate paragraph for the other side of the argument. On the other hand, there are some drawbacks .......
Summarise your view in the conclusion, using different words from the introduction. You might want to add some further comment.
In my view ...................... However, ....................... , I think
More useful language:
I think/believe that/ It is often said that/ People claim However, in my view,/opinion
Firstlly it is clear that ..........While it is true that ..............From my point of view .........Finally it is important to remember that ...............On balance then, I feel that ..........To sum up/ In conclusion, it seems to me that ........................
Linkers of contrast: however, nevertheless, alhough, is spite of , whereas, on the other hand
Hypnosis Giving up smoking
www.bbc.co.uk/kent/content/articles/2007/06/28/smoking_hypnosis_video_feature.shtml
script
His role essentially is to help a client to bypass the conscious thinking mind in a clinical context; a client will be guided into very deep relaxation, their conscious thinking mind rather like a screen saver switches off and their unconscious mind becomes more receptive to suggestion. It’s not something that the therapist does to their client so it’s not like it’s portrayed on television where you have a hypnotherapist saying things like: look into my eyes, you won’t go will go under, that’s very authoritarian. That doesn’t tend to work.
In order to give up smoking one condition is necessary which is that the clients need to be motivated, they’ve got to want to give up in the sense that if a client rings up and says I really want to give up smoking because it’s bad for my health and it costs me a lot of money bla, bla , bla , that’s really good but if they round it off with “but I really enjoy my cigarette after a meal” or “my wife sent me here” or “I really enjoy that cigarette with the boys, you know, I can’t smoke at work” then they don’t really have the motivation, they are doing it for somebody else.
They’re more likely to relax, they’re more likely to go back to smoking and after for a slight trauma or incident like for example having an argument at work, they might go back smoking or if they find they had a particularly stressful day, they go back smoking but if the client comes in and says “I really don’t want to smoke any more, it’s really affecting my health, I’ve got two young children, it’s costing me a lot of money, I really want to stop but I don’t know how to do it”.
Then I can help them and any good therapist can then help. GPs, surgeons, the medical profession as a whole is beginning to recognize that hypnotherapy and self-induced relaxation is a very powerful therapeutic tool and often is used for where medicine can’t be used or when drug therapy is not a viable option. In fact a lot of my clients have actually come having been recommended to go and find a hypnotherapist by the GP. Hypnotherapy has grown a lot in the last few years.
Smoking is a good success rate because I do paradoxically; I do try to put my clients off, because I really want to test whether they want to give up. It is a one non-stop session but it is full on, in the sense, you know, there’s a lot of information that I give clients and it’s for two and a half hours, that’s the bad part, but after the two and a half hours they will no longer smoke. From the feedback that I’ve got we are looking at between about eighty-ninety per cent so it ¡s quite high Hypnotherapy is according some research the most effective technique to give up smoking simply because it by-passes your conscious mind and it gets to the root cause of why people smoke which is the stress.
In order to give up smoking one condition is necessary which is that the clients need to be motivated, they’ve got to want to give up in the sense that if a client rings up and says I really want to give up smoking because it’s bad for my health and it costs me a lot of money bla, bla , bla , that’s really good but if they round it off with “but I really enjoy my cigarette after a meal” or “my wife sent me here” or “I really enjoy that cigarette with the boys, you know, I can’t smoke at work” then they don’t really have the motivation, they are doing it for somebody else.
They’re more likely to relax, they’re more likely to go back to smoking and after for a slight trauma or incident like for example having an argument at work, they might go back smoking or if they find they had a particularly stressful day, they go back smoking but if the client comes in and says “I really don’t want to smoke any more, it’s really affecting my health, I’ve got two young children, it’s costing me a lot of money, I really want to stop but I don’t know how to do it”.
Then I can help them and any good therapist can then help. GPs, surgeons, the medical profession as a whole is beginning to recognize that hypnotherapy and self-induced relaxation is a very powerful therapeutic tool and often is used for where medicine can’t be used or when drug therapy is not a viable option. In fact a lot of my clients have actually come having been recommended to go and find a hypnotherapist by the GP. Hypnotherapy has grown a lot in the last few years.
Smoking is a good success rate because I do paradoxically; I do try to put my clients off, because I really want to test whether they want to give up. It is a one non-stop session but it is full on, in the sense, you know, there’s a lot of information that I give clients and it’s for two and a half hours, that’s the bad part, but after the two and a half hours they will no longer smoke. From the feedback that I’ve got we are looking at between about eighty-ninety per cent so it ¡s quite high Hypnotherapy is according some research the most effective technique to give up smoking simply because it by-passes your conscious mind and it gets to the root cause of why people smoke which is the stress.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Keep to your resolutions
American Morning “ Keep to your resolutions”
Jeff Gardere, Clinical Psychologist
You need to be specific, realistic and you need to make a plan. If you say you’ve gonna lose weight whatever you do be specific as to how much weight you wanna lose. Be realistic as whether you can actually lose it by a certain amount of time and of course make that plan written down and follow it.
Interviewer : Any plan I make I’m prone to change it immediately.
So see how you can improve it and see how you can follow through. The other thing you have to do is to write down your goal, put them on the fridge so you can remind yourself and chart your progress.
Smoking for instance:
Even if you don’t quit completely the fact that you quit for maybe 20 days is more days. It’s ok to slip.
What about family and friends?
Your mother haranguing
Family and friends are there for you and that’s great. That’s reinforcement. Maybe you can find family and friends who have made the same kind of resolution and you can do it together and be an informal support for one another. It’s the important thing that you have the tenacity, move forward and follow through. (pursue)
What should you do when you fail?
Don’t look at it as a failure. Look at it as a temporary setback because if you see it as a failure our chances are we gonna give it up, we’re not perfect and that’s part of the picture.
Understanding odds. Winning the lottery
6,399,818 dollars.
Late one evening in 1993 Judy purchased 20 dollars for a ticket at 7.11 in Richmond. That night when the number came in Judy and her husband Frank were the only winners.
To win Judy had to match 6 out of 6 numbers between 1 and 44. That may sound easy enough but when you consider all the possible sets of numbers changing just one number at a time. You find 7 million 59 thousand and 52 different combinations.
The odds against winning them are 7 million 59 thousand and 51 to one.
Frank and Judy beat the odds. Over 5 years before they won they purchased maybe 2 or 3 thousand dollars worth of tickets wherever they could afford to lose that wig.
I’ve been telling her you never win the lottery unless you have a ticket in your pocket.
Ron Howard.
Someone might buy a lottery ticket which has a very poor chance of paying off and he might win. Well, that would be a bad decision with a good outcome.
Ron Howard is a professional decision theorist. He helps people and corporations learn how to make better decisions.
The fundamental distinction that you have to make is between the quality of the decision and the quality of the outcome and the consequences that follow from it.
By buying 20 tickets Judy try to improve her odds of winning even though she won, buying a lot of tickets didn’t help much.
Buy one ticket in seven million chances and you have a 99. 99999 % chance of losing.
Buy 20 your chance of losing is 99.99972% at a dollar each you would have to buy 3 and a half million different tickets to have almost a 5050 chance of winning.
The numbers are just too big to carry them in your mind. So instead of figuring the odds people trust in luck.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Shopping Online
Have you ever bought anything on the internet?
Online shopping is becoming more and more common in the UK and in Weekender, we hear BBC business reporter Russell Padmore explain where else internet shopping is popular and what kinds of things people like to buy on the internet. And people in the UK tell us what they really think about buying online. Before you listen to the programme, read these comprehension questions. Try to answer them as you listen.
1: Can you name one of the 'developed' countries mentioned in the programme?
2: Can you give an example of something people prefer not to buy on the internet?
3: What worries people about internet shopping?
Christmas shops
If you walk into many London shops at the moment, you might find it difficult to believe that Christmas is still many weeks away. In this programme, with the help of a market researcher, we find out why Christmas seems to be getting earlier and earlier.
Listen to London Life October 2005
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/radio/specials/1128_london_life/page56.shtml
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/radio/specials/1128_london_life/page56.shtml
Vocabulary from the programme
Christmas has become too commercialized it's too concerned with making money
to hold out to wait for as long as possible to get what you want
consumers people who buy things
retailers people/firms who sell things
a buyers' market a situation where consumers have more power than retailers
to rail against something to protest against something
to be rushed off your feet to be very busy
nerve-wracking difficult and stressful
it's convenient it doesn't cause too many problems, it's simple
Christmas has become too commercialized it's too concerned with making money
to hold out to wait for as long as possible to get what you want
consumers people who buy things
retailers people/firms who sell things
a buyers' market a situation where consumers have more power than retailers
to rail against something to protest against something
to be rushed off your feet to be very busy
nerve-wracking difficult and stressful
it's convenient it doesn't cause too many problems, it's simple
Thursday, December 18, 2008
How to buy on EBay
How to buy on EBay: VideoJug presents a simple guide to buying items on EBay. From registering on the website itself, to completing the sale, this video helps you through it all when buying on EBay.
Step 1:
Register
Before you can begin bidding in eBay auctions, you have to choose a user name and register your contact details and e-mail address. If you use an internet based e-mail address such as Hotmail, you will have to verify your identity using a credit or debit card. Your personal information will be kept confidential by eBay, as stated in their user agreement, which you must agree to register. Use the instructions in the e-mail eBay sends you after you agree to complete your registration.
Step 2:
Searching eBay
Items for sale on eBay are put into categories, listed down the left-hand side of the site. Clicking on one of these categories brings up a series of sub-categories. If you see the sub-category that you are looking for, clicking on it will bring up all the items currently for sale within it. Alternatively, if you know exactly the name of the item you are looking for, you can use the search box at the top of the page. Enter your search and eBay will bring up every item listed that includes your keywords.
Step 3:
Advanced searches
The sheer volume of items for sale at any one time means that you may have to narrow down your initial search results. Clicking onto the advanced search page gives many more search options, including searching by time left on sale, price, location of the item and type of payment accepted. These options also appear on the left-hand side of the screen when searching within a sub-category.
Step 4:
Researching an item
Clicking on an item will bring you to its individual auction page. All the information about the item is contained on this page. Check carefully details such as current price, the description the seller has written about the item's condition and features, postage costs and payment options the seller accepts. There is also an option to e-mail the seller if you have a question about the item not answered on the auction page.
Step 5:
Researching the seller
The number next to a seller's username is the percentage of feedback he has received that is positive. Clicking on the number will show you the total feedback received, and the comments left about the seller by his buyers. This will help you to get an idea of how trustworthy a particular seller is before buying.
Step 6:
Placing a bid
Clicking on the 'place bid' button will take you to the bidding screen. This screen will tell you the current item price and the next bid price. Enter the maximum price you would be willing to pay, and eBay will automatically bid up to that price, if another buyer bids against you. eBay will e-mail you if you have been outbid. Remember that when you bid for an item, you are entering into a contract with the seller to buy if you win the auction.
Step 7:
Buy it now
Some items will be being sold using eBay's 'buy it now' option. This means a seller is willing to accept a fixed price for an item, and first come, first served. You can pay for a buy it now item instantly through Paypal, or use any other payment option accepted by the seller.
Step 8:
Paying
If you are paying via Paypal, click the 'pay now' button located on the item listing page or on the confirmation e-mail sent to your e-mail address. If you are paying another way, the e-mail will include contact details for the seller.
Step 9:
Completing the sale
When you receive the item, make sure it fits the item description. If you are pleased with the item, leave positive feedback about your seller through your my eBay page. The seller will also leave feedback about you as a buyer. Leaving feedback is an important part of the sales process, as you will be helping other buyers make decisions, just like their feedback helped you. If you have a complaint about the item, try and contact the seller to reach a solution. If this fails, you can report the seller to eBay, who will consider what action, if any, to take.
To find out how to sell on eBay, please check out our other eBay films.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
An interview to Tracy Chapman
On how her early success has shaped her long career.
Tracy Chapman was just 24 when she became a worldwide star after performing at Nelson Mandela's 70th birthday concert in London in 1988. Her eponymous debut album earned three Grammy Awards, and became the most successful album by a female artist in UK chart history. Hits such as 'Fast Car', 'Talkin' Bout A Revolution' and 'Baby Can I Hold You' became firmly lodged in our collective memory. But despite releasing seven more well-received albums she never regained the same level of success. But all this could be about to change with a new album, Our Bright Future, and a European tour. She talks to Jane about her life, music and politics, and performs some tracks for Woman’s Hour.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/01/2008_46_mon.shtml
Saturday, December 13, 2008
A review of a film
Paragraph 1: Introduction/Title/ of film/overall impression
Paragraph 2: Plot summary
Paragraph 3: Opinion in detail: acting, direction, music
Paragraph 4: Conclusion/recommendation
Sample review: (from CAE Result . Oxford)
Pirates of the Caribbean is a highly enjoyable action/adventure film. It is a gripping action movie that contains adventure, horror and comedy.
Pirate captain Barbosa and his crew of skeletons are in search of the gold coin that will release them from a curse. When they kidnap the local governor’s daughter (Keira knightly), courageous Will, played by the gorgeous Ornaldo Bloom , sets out to rescue her, assisted by Jack Sparrow, whose ship has been stolen by Barbosa.
The acting in Pirates is superb throughout, with all the actors turning in enthusiastic performances, but Johny Depp is outstanding as the sly, rather crazy Sparrow.
The film would make for a great evening’s entertainment. Pirates is a superb family film with something for everyone.
Paragraph 2: Plot summary
Paragraph 3: Opinion in detail: acting, direction, music
Paragraph 4: Conclusion/recommendation
Sample review: (from CAE Result . Oxford)
Pirates of the Caribbean is a highly enjoyable action/adventure film. It is a gripping action movie that contains adventure, horror and comedy.
Pirate captain Barbosa and his crew of skeletons are in search of the gold coin that will release them from a curse. When they kidnap the local governor’s daughter (Keira knightly), courageous Will, played by the gorgeous Ornaldo Bloom , sets out to rescue her, assisted by Jack Sparrow, whose ship has been stolen by Barbosa.
The acting in Pirates is superb throughout, with all the actors turning in enthusiastic performances, but Johny Depp is outstanding as the sly, rather crazy Sparrow.
The film would make for a great evening’s entertainment. Pirates is a superb family film with something for everyone.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Cosmetic/plastic surgery
How acceptable is it?
The number of cosmetic surgery procedures in Britain has risen by at least 50 per cent in the past year.
Around 75,000 of these procedures are carried out annually, many by surgeons who lack specialist qualifications, and at an estimated cost of £225 million.
The Government is today launching plans to regulate the industry. But does the wider and open use of 'nips and tucks' for women and men, make it acceptable, or should we be concerned about this worship of youth and glamour?
Martha talks to psychotherapist, Susie Orbach, and Zoe Williams
nip and tuck: plastic surgery to remove wrinkles and other signs of aging from your face; an incision is made near the hair line and skin is pulled back and excess tissue is excised; "some actresses have more than one face lift" [syn: face lift]
Listening exercise:
Listen to the six first minutes, note down the main ideas mention in the conversation and later ckeck with the summary-script if you were right.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/2005_04_fri_03.shtml
A report by the Health Care commission, which regulates private medicine, estimates that fewer than half of the surgeons working in the field have the relevant specialist qualifications.
Earlier I spoke to Lord W. the Health Minister
We are concerned about:
a. Are all the facilities where this is done appropriately licensed?
b. Are all the people who are carrying out the procedure s appropriately qualified?
c. Is the public well informed enough about whether the places and the people who are undertaking work on their bodies are faithful purpose?
Are there at the moment doctors carrying out procedures who aren’t properly qualified in cosmetic surgery?
The great majority of people who are carrying out cosmetic surgery are on the specialist register or have a specialist qualification in this area
We have not evidence that unqualified in the sense that they are not registered doctors are doing this work
But there’s a small proportion 60/70 out of nearly 800 who are practising in this area who are not in the specialist register………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
They are dealing with the situation. They want to make this more secure given that it’s a rapidly expanding area of activity.
There’s particular concern about non-surgical procedures, we read in newspapers gruesome stories about botox parties.
I agree with you that there are rather gruesome stories that certainly wouldn’t be my cup of tea as a way to spend my time
And we want to ensure that these people only have these procedures with competent people and on licensed premises which are licensed by the Independent Health Care commission.
What seems to be happening is that the government and the regulation are unable to keep pace with the speed which this industry is growing.
…………………………………………………………. Not the same level of supervition……………..
I admit that there’s been a bit of free-lancing here and there and less supervision.
(Martha talks to psychotherapist, Susie Orbach, and journalist, Zoe Williams.)
Sisie, this huge rise in cosmetic surgery seem to become more and more socially acceptable is that something that concerns you?
Why is the number of women drawn into cosmetic surgery increasing?
Susie Orbach : absolutely I think we are fascinated with the programmes we first imported from the United States and we almost look at them like an anthropologist trying to discover another culture another country but they work on us at a certain level, but in a big global study of beauty I participated in:
Women are saying they are affected by the visual images in the world around them and are undermining their own sense of their own physical attractiveness and that they are drawn to plastic surgery because they don’t quite fit in with what they see, so there is a direct relationship between what we see on the billboards or on TV.
Is there a crisis of self-esteem?
People should be a bit tougher with themselves really, I mean we’ve got part of maturity is understanding that there is physical perfection just as there is kind of intellectual magnificence and you might not actually reach it. It’s accepting that some exists and just because you don’t fi t into it doesn’t mean that the whole world is undone.
I think female beauty and male beauty actually have been praise and loaded and depicted and iconographiesed ............................................
It goes on for another 7 minutes…………………………………
Note: Nip/Tuck is an American television medical drama series created by Ryan Murphy for FX Networks. The show follows the lives of two plastic surgeons, Sean McNamara (Dylan Walsh) and Christian Troy (Julian McMahon).
The number of cosmetic surgery procedures in Britain has risen by at least 50 per cent in the past year.
Around 75,000 of these procedures are carried out annually, many by surgeons who lack specialist qualifications, and at an estimated cost of £225 million.
The Government is today launching plans to regulate the industry. But does the wider and open use of 'nips and tucks' for women and men, make it acceptable, or should we be concerned about this worship of youth and glamour?
Martha talks to psychotherapist, Susie Orbach, and Zoe Williams
nip and tuck: plastic surgery to remove wrinkles and other signs of aging from your face; an incision is made near the hair line and skin is pulled back and excess tissue is excised; "some actresses have more than one face lift" [syn: face lift]
Listening exercise:
Listen to the six first minutes, note down the main ideas mention in the conversation and later ckeck with the summary-script if you were right.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/2005_04_fri_03.shtml
One of my Christmas presents this year was a box-set of nip/ tuck, the American Drama about plastic surgery, perhaps it was not such a subtle hint , but I found every all sort of entertainment watching grues and bits of operations behind my fingers generally. But I guess it’s reflexion of the current obsession with cosmetic surgery.
The number of procedures in Britain has risen by 50o% in the last year and there are growing concerns about the standard of care. Today the government is announcing tough new controls over the industry.
A report by the Health Care commission, which regulates private medicine, estimates that fewer than half of the surgeons working in the field have the relevant specialist qualifications.
Earlier I spoke to Lord W. the Health Minister
We are concerned about:
a. Are all the facilities where this is done appropriately licensed?
b. Are all the people who are carrying out the procedure s appropriately qualified?
c. Is the public well informed enough about whether the places and the people who are undertaking work on their bodies are faithful purpose?
Are there at the moment doctors carrying out procedures who aren’t properly qualified in cosmetic surgery?
The great majority of people who are carrying out cosmetic surgery are on the specialist register or have a specialist qualification in this area
We have not evidence that unqualified in the sense that they are not registered doctors are doing this work
But there’s a small proportion 60/70 out of nearly 800 who are practising in this area who are not in the specialist register………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
They are dealing with the situation. They want to make this more secure given that it’s a rapidly expanding area of activity.
There’s particular concern about non-surgical procedures, we read in newspapers gruesome stories about botox parties.
I agree with you that there are rather gruesome stories that certainly wouldn’t be my cup of tea as a way to spend my time
And we want to ensure that these people only have these procedures with competent people and on licensed premises which are licensed by the Independent Health Care commission.
What seems to be happening is that the government and the regulation are unable to keep pace with the speed which this industry is growing.
…………………………………………………………. Not the same level of supervition……………..
I admit that there’s been a bit of free-lancing here and there and less supervision.
(Martha talks to psychotherapist, Susie Orbach, and journalist, Zoe Williams.)
Sisie, this huge rise in cosmetic surgery seem to become more and more socially acceptable is that something that concerns you?
Why is the number of women drawn into cosmetic surgery increasing?
Susie Orbach : absolutely I think we are fascinated with the programmes we first imported from the United States and we almost look at them like an anthropologist trying to discover another culture another country but they work on us at a certain level, but in a big global study of beauty I participated in:
Women are saying they are affected by the visual images in the world around them and are undermining their own sense of their own physical attractiveness and that they are drawn to plastic surgery because they don’t quite fit in with what they see, so there is a direct relationship between what we see on the billboards or on TV.
Is there a crisis of self-esteem?
People should be a bit tougher with themselves really, I mean we’ve got part of maturity is understanding that there is physical perfection just as there is kind of intellectual magnificence and you might not actually reach it. It’s accepting that some exists and just because you don’t fi t into it doesn’t mean that the whole world is undone.
I think female beauty and male beauty actually have been praise and loaded and depicted and iconographiesed ............................................
It goes on for another 7 minutes…………………………………
Note: Nip/Tuck is an American television medical drama series created by Ryan Murphy for FX Networks. The show follows the lives of two plastic surgeons, Sean McNamara (Dylan Walsh) and Christian Troy (Julian McMahon).
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Obama pledges urgent and sweeping measures to prop up US economy
Barack Obama has promised urgent action to tackle the US job crisis through the biggest infrastructure spending programme since the 1950s.
Speaking in his weekly internet address, and after figures showed the US economy shed 533,000 jobs last month, the US president-elect promised "action now" to get Americans back into work.
"We will create millions of jobs by making the single largest new investment in our national infrastructure since the creation of the federal highway system in the 1950s," he said.
Obama gave more details of a recovery plan to save or create at least 2.5m jobs, and said that states that did not spend the money fast would be penalised. "We'll set a simple rule - use it or lose it," he said. But he claimed he would not simply throw money at the problem.
"We'll measure progress by the reforms we make and the results we achieve - by the jobs we create, by the energy we save, by whether America is more competitive in the world."
His jobs promise came as new figures showed that more than 300,000 people have already applied for posts in his White House team.
The vast majority of applicants will be disappointed – there are likely to be only around 3,300 jobs in the incoming administration when Obama takes over from George Bush on January 20.
In his address, Obama promised "the most sweeping effort to modernise and upgrade school buildings that this country has ever seen".
Obama, who was urged by Democratic members of Congress to "be more assertive than he has been" over plans to help America's beleaguered car industry yesterday, said the nation felt "rising unease and frustration" as the total number of jobs lost in the recession reached almost 2m.
"We need to act with the urgency this moment demands to save or create at least two- and-a-half million jobs so that the nearly two million Americans who've lost them know that they have a future," he said.
Obama also set out plans to increase access to broadband internet connections in schools, libraries and hospitals.
"It is unacceptable that the United States ranks 15th in the world in broadband adoption," he said.
He added: "Every child should have the chance to get online."
Speaking in his weekly internet address, and after figures showed the US economy shed 533,000 jobs last month, the US president-elect promised "action now" to get Americans back into work.
"We will create millions of jobs by making the single largest new investment in our national infrastructure since the creation of the federal highway system in the 1950s," he said.
Obama gave more details of a recovery plan to save or create at least 2.5m jobs, and said that states that did not spend the money fast would be penalised. "We'll set a simple rule - use it or lose it," he said. But he claimed he would not simply throw money at the problem.
"We'll measure progress by the reforms we make and the results we achieve - by the jobs we create, by the energy we save, by whether America is more competitive in the world."
His jobs promise came as new figures showed that more than 300,000 people have already applied for posts in his White House team.
The vast majority of applicants will be disappointed – there are likely to be only around 3,300 jobs in the incoming administration when Obama takes over from George Bush on January 20.
In his address, Obama promised "the most sweeping effort to modernise and upgrade school buildings that this country has ever seen".
Obama, who was urged by Democratic members of Congress to "be more assertive than he has been" over plans to help America's beleaguered car industry yesterday, said the nation felt "rising unease and frustration" as the total number of jobs lost in the recession reached almost 2m.
"We need to act with the urgency this moment demands to save or create at least two- and-a-half million jobs so that the nearly two million Americans who've lost them know that they have a future," he said.
Obama also set out plans to increase access to broadband internet connections in schools, libraries and hospitals.
"It is unacceptable that the United States ranks 15th in the world in broadband adoption," he said.
He added: "Every child should have the chance to get online."
Talking about learning a foreign language
Discussion 1:
Compare and contrast these photographs, saying which you think is a better way of learning English.
Discussion 2: What might help you to improve your English? Talk to other students and decide which of the following activities are the most important, why, and in what order.
Reading books
Reading newspapers and magazines
Using dictionaries
Practising writing
Speaking to other students
Watching TV programmes and films without being dubbed.
Having a good teacher
Doing homework (grammar, vocabulary etc..)
Listening to songs
Using Internet
Using the language at work
Going to the country where the language is spoken
Useful language:
Giving opinions
I just think the best way ..........................
In my opinion, ...................................
I have my doubts whether/about ................
I just don't think that .........................
I've always thought that.......................
................. is an important factor for me
Personally, I haven't the faintest idea about/whether .....
I'd just like to say ........
Asking for the opinion of others
What/ How about you?
What's your opinion?
what do you think?
don't you think..........?
Agreement
So do I
Neither do I
That's true
I agree .............
I couldn't agree more
I think so
Saying you aren't sure
Hmm.. I'd have to think about it.
Well, I'm in two minds about it really.
I can't make up my mind.
Disagreement
Yes, but what about?
but, don't you agree that....?
Actually, I think ..................
I see what you mean but I'm not at all sure/convinced that ...........
Yes, but i don't think that......
True, but I'm afraid I disagree (with) .....
Perhaps, but I can't help thinking that......
I see your point but that's not the way I see it.
What defines who a person is?
Discussion: What defines who a person is? Order the following from the most to the least important.
Clothes race work nationality gender family food hobbies language beliefs
Useful language:
Why don’t we start with the least important? That might make it a bit easier
That’s a good idea/good idea yeah
So what do we think is the least important then? Why don’t you start?
Well, you know, for me it’s definitely .......................I mean.. well...... I just don’t think that ............ has anything to do with a person’s identity at all?
How about .......................then?
It’s a bit more complicated than that though. For many people ...............
Yeah, that’s a good point / that’s exactly the point
I know what you mean.
I still feel that ........................... is more important.
What about ..........................
Clothes race work nationality gender family food hobbies language beliefs
Useful language:
Why don’t we start with the least important? That might make it a bit easier
That’s a good idea/good idea yeah
So what do we think is the least important then? Why don’t you start?
Well, you know, for me it’s definitely .......................I mean.. well...... I just don’t think that ............ has anything to do with a person’s identity at all?
How about .......................then?
It’s a bit more complicated than that though. For many people ...............
Yeah, that’s a good point / that’s exactly the point
I know what you mean.
I still feel that ........................... is more important.
What about ..........................
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
-ing form
'- ING' FORM
the gerund
This looks exactly the same as a present participle, and for this reason it is now common to call both forms 'the -ing form'. However it is useful to understand the difference between the two. The gerund always has the same function as a noun (although it looks like a verb), so it can be used:
a. as the subject of the sentence:
Eating people is wrong.
Hunting elephants is dangerous.
Flying makes me nervous.
b. as the complement of the verb 'to be':
One of his duties is attending meetings.
The hardest thing about learning English is understanding the gerund.
One of life's pleasures is having breakfast in bed.
c. after prepositions. The gerund must be used when a verb comes after a preposition:
Can you sneeze without opening your mouth?
She is good at painting.
They're keen on windsurfing.
She avoided him by walking on the opposite side of the road.
We arrived in Madrid after driving all night.
My father decided against postponing his trip to Hungary.
This is also true of certain expressions ending in a preposition, e.g. in spite of, there's no point in..:
There's no point in waiting.
In spite of missing the train, we arrived on time.
d. after a number of 'phrasal verbs' which are composed of a verb + preposition/adverb
Example:to look forward to, to give up, to be for/against, to take to, to put off, to keep on:
I look forward to hearing from you soon. (at the end of a letter)
When are you going to give up smoking?
She always puts off going to the dentist.
He kept on asking for money.
NOTE: There are some phrasal verbs and other expressions that include the word 'to' as a preposition, not as part of a to-infinitive: - to look forward to, to take to, to be accustomed to, to be used to. It is important to recognise that 'to' is a preposition in these cases, as it must be followed by a gerund:
We are looking forward to seeing you.
I am used to waiting for buses.
She didn't really take to studying English.
It is possible to check whether 'to’ is a preposition or part of a to-infinitive: if you can put a noun or the pronoun 'it' after it, then it is a preposition and must be followed by a gerund:
I am accustomed to it (the cold).
I am accustomed to being cold.
e. in compound nouns
Example:
a driving lesson, a swimming pool, bird-watching, train-spotting
It is clear that the meaning is that of a noun, not of a continuous verb.
Example:
the pool is not swimming, it is a pool for swimming in.
f. after the expressions:
can't help, can't stand, it's no use/good, and the adjective worth:
The elephant couldn't help falling in love with the mouse.
I can't stand being stuck in traffic jams.
It's no use/good trying to escape.
It might be worth phoning the station to check the time of the train.
the gerund
This looks exactly the same as a present participle, and for this reason it is now common to call both forms 'the -ing form'. However it is useful to understand the difference between the two. The gerund always has the same function as a noun (although it looks like a verb), so it can be used:
a. as the subject of the sentence:
Eating people is wrong.
Hunting elephants is dangerous.
Flying makes me nervous.
b. as the complement of the verb 'to be':
One of his duties is attending meetings.
The hardest thing about learning English is understanding the gerund.
One of life's pleasures is having breakfast in bed.
c. after prepositions. The gerund must be used when a verb comes after a preposition:
Can you sneeze without opening your mouth?
She is good at painting.
They're keen on windsurfing.
She avoided him by walking on the opposite side of the road.
We arrived in Madrid after driving all night.
My father decided against postponing his trip to Hungary.
This is also true of certain expressions ending in a preposition, e.g. in spite of, there's no point in..:
There's no point in waiting.
In spite of missing the train, we arrived on time.
d. after a number of 'phrasal verbs' which are composed of a verb + preposition/adverb
Example:to look forward to, to give up, to be for/against, to take to, to put off, to keep on:
I look forward to hearing from you soon. (at the end of a letter)
When are you going to give up smoking?
She always puts off going to the dentist.
He kept on asking for money.
NOTE: There are some phrasal verbs and other expressions that include the word 'to' as a preposition, not as part of a to-infinitive: - to look forward to, to take to, to be accustomed to, to be used to. It is important to recognise that 'to' is a preposition in these cases, as it must be followed by a gerund:
We are looking forward to seeing you.
I am used to waiting for buses.
She didn't really take to studying English.
It is possible to check whether 'to’ is a preposition or part of a to-infinitive: if you can put a noun or the pronoun 'it' after it, then it is a preposition and must be followed by a gerund:
I am accustomed to it (the cold).
I am accustomed to being cold.
e. in compound nouns
Example:
a driving lesson, a swimming pool, bird-watching, train-spotting
It is clear that the meaning is that of a noun, not of a continuous verb.
Example:
the pool is not swimming, it is a pool for swimming in.
f. after the expressions:
can't help, can't stand, it's no use/good, and the adjective worth:
The elephant couldn't help falling in love with the mouse.
I can't stand being stuck in traffic jams.
It's no use/good trying to escape.
It might be worth phoning the station to check the time of the train.
Verbs followed by the gerund or infinitive
GERUND OR INFINITIVE?
A. Verbs where there is little or no difference in meaning:
allow attempt begin bother cease continue deserve fear* hate* intend* like love
neglect omit permit prefer* recommend* start
Notes:
1. Allow is used in these two patterns:
a. Allow + object + to-infinitive:Her parents allowed her to go to the party.
b. Allow + gerund:Her parents don't allow smoking in the house.
2. Deserve + gerund is not very common, but is mainly used with passive constructions or where there is a passive meaning:
a. Your proposals deserve being considered in detail.
b. These ideas deserve discussing. (= to be discussed).
3. The verbs hate, love, like, prefer are usually followed by a gerund when the meaning is general, and by a to-infinitive when they refer to a particular time or situation.
You must always use the to-infinitive with the expressions 'would love to', 'would hate to', etc.
Compare:
I hate to tell you, but Uncle Jim is coming this weekend.
I hate looking after elderly relatives!
I love dancing.
I would love to dance with you.
B:Verbs where there is a clear difference in meaning:
Verbs marked with an asterisk* can also be followed by a that-clause.
come forget* go on mean* regret* remember* stop try
NOTES:
Come:
Come + gerund is like other verbs of movement followed by the gerund, and means that the subject is doing something as they move:
She came running across the field.
Come + to-infinitive means that something happens or develops, perhaps outside the subject's control:
At first I thought he was crazy, but I've come to appreciate his sense of humour.
How did you come to be outside the wrong house?
This word has come to mean something quite different.
Forget, regret and remember:
When these verbs are followed by a gerund, the gerund refers to an action that happened earlier:
I remember locking the door (= I remember now, I locked the door earlier)
He regretted speaking so rudely. (= he regretted at some time in the past, he had spoken rudely at some earlier time in the past.)
Forget is frequently used with 'never' in the simple future form:
I'll never forget meeting the Queen.
When these verbs are followed by a to-infinitive, the infinitive refers to an action happening at the same time, or later:
I remembered to lock the door (= I thought about it, then I did it.)
Don't forget to buy some eggs! (= Please think about it and then do it.)
We regret to announce the late arrival of the 12.45 from Paddington. (= We feel sorry before we tell you this bad news.)
Go on:
Go on + gerund means to continue with an action:
He went on speaking for two hours.
I can't go on working like this - I'm exhausted.
Go on + to-infinitive means to do the next action, which is often the next stage in a process:
After introducing her proposal, she went on to explain the benefits for the company.
John Smith worked in local government for five years, then went on to become a Member of Parliament.
Mean:
Mean + gerund expresses what the result of an action will be, or what will be necessary:
If you take that job in London it will mean travelling for two hours every day.
We could take the ferry to France, but that will mean spending a night in a hotel.
Mean + to-infinitive expresses an intention or a plan:
Did you mean to dial this number?
I mean to finish this job by the end of the week!
Sorry - I didn't mean to hurt you.
Stop:
Stop + gerund means to finish an action in progress:
I stopped working for them because the wages were so low.Stop tickling me!
Stop + to-infinitive means to interrupt an activity in order to do something else, so the infinitive is used to express a purpose:
I stopped to have lunch. (= I was working, or travelling, and I interrupted what I was doing in order to eat.)
It's difficult to concentrate on what you are doing if you have to stop to answer the phone every five minutes.
Try:
Try + gerund means to experiment with an action that might be a solution to your problem.
If you have problems sleeping, you could try doing some yoga before you go to bed, or you could try drinking some warm milk.
'I can't get in touch with Carl.' 'Have you tried e-mailing him?'
Try + to-infinitive means to make an effort to do something. It may be something very difficult or even impossible:
The surgeons tried to save his life but he died on the operating table.
We'll try to phone at 6 o'clock, but it might be hard to find a public telephone.
Elephants and mice have to try to live together in harmony.
A. Verbs where there is little or no difference in meaning:
allow attempt begin bother cease continue deserve fear* hate* intend* like love
neglect omit permit prefer* recommend* start
Notes:
1. Allow is used in these two patterns:
a. Allow + object + to-infinitive:Her parents allowed her to go to the party.
b. Allow + gerund:Her parents don't allow smoking in the house.
2. Deserve + gerund is not very common, but is mainly used with passive constructions or where there is a passive meaning:
a. Your proposals deserve being considered in detail.
b. These ideas deserve discussing. (= to be discussed).
3. The verbs hate, love, like, prefer are usually followed by a gerund when the meaning is general, and by a to-infinitive when they refer to a particular time or situation.
You must always use the to-infinitive with the expressions 'would love to', 'would hate to', etc.
Compare:
I hate to tell you, but Uncle Jim is coming this weekend.
I hate looking after elderly relatives!
I love dancing.
I would love to dance with you.
B:Verbs where there is a clear difference in meaning:
Verbs marked with an asterisk* can also be followed by a that-clause.
come forget* go on mean* regret* remember* stop try
NOTES:
Come:
Come + gerund is like other verbs of movement followed by the gerund, and means that the subject is doing something as they move:
She came running across the field.
Come + to-infinitive means that something happens or develops, perhaps outside the subject's control:
At first I thought he was crazy, but I've come to appreciate his sense of humour.
How did you come to be outside the wrong house?
This word has come to mean something quite different.
Forget, regret and remember:
When these verbs are followed by a gerund, the gerund refers to an action that happened earlier:
I remember locking the door (= I remember now, I locked the door earlier)
He regretted speaking so rudely. (= he regretted at some time in the past, he had spoken rudely at some earlier time in the past.)
Forget is frequently used with 'never' in the simple future form:
I'll never forget meeting the Queen.
When these verbs are followed by a to-infinitive, the infinitive refers to an action happening at the same time, or later:
I remembered to lock the door (= I thought about it, then I did it.)
Don't forget to buy some eggs! (= Please think about it and then do it.)
We regret to announce the late arrival of the 12.45 from Paddington. (= We feel sorry before we tell you this bad news.)
Go on:
Go on + gerund means to continue with an action:
He went on speaking for two hours.
I can't go on working like this - I'm exhausted.
Go on + to-infinitive means to do the next action, which is often the next stage in a process:
After introducing her proposal, she went on to explain the benefits for the company.
John Smith worked in local government for five years, then went on to become a Member of Parliament.
Mean:
Mean + gerund expresses what the result of an action will be, or what will be necessary:
If you take that job in London it will mean travelling for two hours every day.
We could take the ferry to France, but that will mean spending a night in a hotel.
Mean + to-infinitive expresses an intention or a plan:
Did you mean to dial this number?
I mean to finish this job by the end of the week!
Sorry - I didn't mean to hurt you.
Stop:
Stop + gerund means to finish an action in progress:
I stopped working for them because the wages were so low.Stop tickling me!
Stop + to-infinitive means to interrupt an activity in order to do something else, so the infinitive is used to express a purpose:
I stopped to have lunch. (= I was working, or travelling, and I interrupted what I was doing in order to eat.)
It's difficult to concentrate on what you are doing if you have to stop to answer the phone every five minutes.
Try:
Try + gerund means to experiment with an action that might be a solution to your problem.
If you have problems sleeping, you could try doing some yoga before you go to bed, or you could try drinking some warm milk.
'I can't get in touch with Carl.' 'Have you tried e-mailing him?'
Try + to-infinitive means to make an effort to do something. It may be something very difficult or even impossible:
The surgeons tried to save his life but he died on the operating table.
We'll try to phone at 6 o'clock, but it might be hard to find a public telephone.
Elephants and mice have to try to live together in harmony.
Dictionaries on line
http://dictionary.reference.com/
It shows IPA Pronunciation and you can hear words
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/default.asp?dict=a
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