Alternatives for Very #5

 

Avoiding Wordiness #8

 

How to Write an Essay Like the Pros

 

https://tinyurl.com/3j9emjju

Animals vocabulary – learn the names of 50 animals

 

Many people think that the topic animals is suitable only for children. Thus the learners learn the names of twenty animals when they are young and they think it is enough. However, intermediate students need to know more animals than the twenty they learnt as children. That is why I have created the following post. Here the intermediate students can practice what they learnt a long time ago and add some more new words.

Watch the video and repeat the names of the animals. Each word is pronounced twice.

Animals – mind map

For many people it is much easier to remember new vocabulary if it is organised. Here is a mind map which tries to do this.

https://tinyurl.com/ycxkk9tm

How to Prepare for Exams (Как подготовиться к экзаменам)

 

The most important thing any student can do to prepare for exam is to start early. The days of studying for an exam on the bus going to school are over. Even if you got A's this way, it's not going to work very often with college material. College courses require far more effort.

• Start preparing for the next test the day after you take the prior one. Daily preparation is crucial. At a minimum, review material once every week between exams.

• How much time is needed? The classic question. Some recommend 2-3 hours outside of class for every hour of class time. In some cases homework problems will require this much effort. For a straightforward lecture course try the following:

• Every day before class, preview the material for 15-20 minutes.

• Attend every lecture. Seems simple but it's the biggest mistake students make.

• Take good notes.

• Spend another 20-30 minutes after class going over the notes.

• Use this time to get any confusing points cleared up in your head; much better now than later. This will make later exam prep. MUCH easier.

• Once a week, review the material to get a more complete overview of the information.

Preparing to take an exam:

If you've been keeping up on everything on a daily and weekly basis you're in good shape when it comes time to get serious about preparing for an exam.

The first thing you need is a plan. You need to answer some questions:

• What is my schedule like during the week of the exam?

• Do I have other exams or papers due?

• Will I have all week to prepare or will I have to study over the weekend?

• How many pages of notes are there?

• How many chapters do I have to read?

All of these questions will help you answer one basic one: How much time will I need? The answer will depend on how much work you have done so far. It's a crucial question because the next step will be to come up with a plan.

Start with the day one week before the exam. That's the first day to start studying in earnest. Literally plan out how many hours you will spend each day studying until the exam. Make a schedule and stick with it. Be sure to leave time for group study or review sessions. Also break up the material in to parts and cover a little each day. Consider these questions:

• How much material will I cover each night?

• How much time will I spend studying with a friend?

• When are the review sessions?

• Will the Prof. or TA (TA - teaching assistant - помощник преподавателя, ассистент преподавателя) be available to answer any questions that come up?

Once you have a game plan it's time to get to work. There is no one way to go about this. Remember is important to come up with a system that works for YOU. Here's a suggested plan of action:

Step 1

Get a blank piece of paper and outline the material you need to study. This helps develop a "big picture" overview of the material. Start with big topics and leave room for subtopics. Fill in the information as best as you can. Get another sheet of paper and start over if necessary. Once you see all the units of information in front of you it will be easier to organize your studying. This will help you with the next step.

Step 2

Break the material into smaller chunks and study each one. Only once you understand each one should you move on to the next. Do this part alone in your quiet study place. This is when you start to memorize the information you'll need later. Write down any questions that you may have.

Step 3

The next step is to work with someone else to clarify anything that's confusing. Work with others, go to review sessions, see your tutor, or work with the professor or a TA. At this point it's important to make sure that everything is clearly understood. This is crucial. If this step is skipped then you're left with trying to memorize hundreds of useless factoids. It will never mean anything to you later.

Step 4

Now it's time to put the information into your brain for retrieval (восстановление, возвращение в прежнее состояние, исправление). If you've been working all along you will already remember much of it. Make sure nothing is left out. Many students focus on this step exclusively. It's called cramming. Just say no.

Step 5

This next step is not needed by everyone but it's useful if you are having trouble with the course. You've been studying for hours and hours but, do you really know anything? Try working with someone else who will ask you questions about the material. If you can answer and explain concepts without too much effort then you're in good shape. Usually this help to expose areas that require more attention and study.

Step 6

If the previous step went well then all you have left is to work on weak areas and a general overview the material. If you didn't do well explaining the material you'll need another round of steps 4 and 5. Hopefully you left time for this in your study schedule.

If you planned well and kept up with the work there should be little anxiety the night before an exam. If you started late or waited to get questions answered then you'll be busy the night before. This will add extra stress and you'll likely make stupid errors on the exam. At the very least you'll be more susceptible to getting sick which will worsen your situation.

The only thing that should be going through your mind the night before is a sense of confidence. It's ok to be a little afraid or anxious but not panicky.

Other tips:

• Flashcards - help to memorize facts NOT understanding

• Groups - good to work through difficult material, quiz each other for understanding

• Review sessions - only go to early ones, last minute reviews sometimes cause needless confusion

• Tutors - get help early, waiting till the last minute only fosters aggravation (ухудшение, обострение, усиление, нарастание) and panic

• Professors/TA's (TA - teaching assistant - помощник преподавателя, ассистент преподавателя) - same as above, don't email about material the night before, do it early

https://tinyurl.com/mtjzys6

Level 1. Lesson 15: I Love People-Watching!

 

Anna: Hello! People from all over the world come to Washington, D.C. When I’m at work, I love eating lunch outside. I like to watch people walking by. They all look very different. Today, my friend Ashley is eating lunch with me.

Anna: Ashley, today the weather is beautiful, isn’t it?

Ashley: Yes, it is. Ahh. Ooh, we have to return to work!

Anna: No, we have time! Let’s people-watch a little more.

Ashley: Okay.

Anna: Oh, I know her. She works in my office! Keyana, hi! Come and join us!

Keyana: Hi Anna, how are you?

Anna: I’m doing great! Keyana, this is my friend Ashley.

Keyana: Hi, Ashley!

Anna: We need to return to work. But the weather is beautiful and people-watching is fun!

Keyana: I love people-watching too!

Anna: Well, have a seat! It is fun to see how people are different or the same.

Keyana: It is. For example, Anna, you are tall. But Ashley and I are short.

Anna: And Keyana, you and Ashley have brown eyes; I have blue eyes.

Keyana: You two have light skin and I have dark skin.

Anna: Ashley, you have straight hair. Keyana and I have curly hair.

Ashley: You have very curly hair, Anna.

Keyana: I need to return to work. See you, Anna! Nice to meet you Ashley!

Ashley: Bye, Keyana!

Ashley: Anna, I have to go, too. Are you returning to work?

Anna: I still have time. And this sun feels so good!

Ashley: Um, Anna, what does your boss look like?

Anna: She is short. She has straight, light hair.

Ashley: Does she wear glasses?

Anna: Yes. Yes, she does.

Ashley: Is she wearing a blue sweater today?

Anna: How do you know that?

Ashley: She’s coming this way.

Anna: Oh no! Hide me!

Ashley: Um, bye, Anna. Call me later.

Anna: Bye, Ashley! Talk to you later!

Caty: Anna? Is that you?

Anna: Ms. Weaver! Hi!

Caty: What are you doing behind that bench?

Anna: I am looking for my, my … stick. Here it is.

Anna: I am people-watching. Oh! But it’s time to return to work!

Caty: No need to hurry. I love people-watching too! Let’s sit!

Anna: Sure! Ahh.

Caty: It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?

Anna: Yes. Yes, it is, Ms. Weaver.

Anna: People-watching in D.C. is fun. It makes me forget the time!

Anna: Until next time! Ahh.

Speaking Practice

Pronunciation

https://tinyurl.com/ye27cue9

Starting Business Еnglish - Деловой английский язык №13. Деловые поездки.

 

1 We have direct competition from J.K. Toys. We have to make sure that the sales and marketing campaign for Big Boss is the best we have ever done. So we are going to have to make an extra effort. We have brought the launch date forward to January 15th. It will be very tight, but I am sure that we can make this deadline. Do you agree? So, let's just outline what we are going to do. Kate, I think you should get the sales people in the States together as soon as possible. 2 Okay, I'll be on the first available flight. 3 You ought to make sure that they understand how important this Big Boss project is. 4 Should I talk to our UK agents as well? 5 No, I think you ought to leave that to Don. 6 Okay. 7 Derek, I think you should visit the component suppliers that Don saw last week. Confirm that they can meet these new deadlines. It's essential that they deliver on time, on spec and on price. 8 Okay. 9 Don, what are your plans? 10 I have arranged to go to see some of our overseas franchise holders next week. 11 What countries are you going to? 12 I'm going to Italy, Egypt and Germany. 13 I don't think you should go, Don. I think you ought to stay at head office. It's essential that you co-ordinate the new launch strategy. 14 Okay. I don't want to cancel those meetings. Could I send Edward? 15 Do you think he's ready for that? 16 Edward is very capable and I think a little international business travel will broaden his horizons. 17 Yes, certainly. Send Edward, but you ought to brief him very carefully. 18 Sure. 19 Good. I'll talk to the Bank. I'll try to re-schedule the loan. It won't be easy. 20 Geraldine, have you seen Edward? 21 He was here a second ago. 22 Jenny I am not going to be able to make the meetings with the franchise holders next week. 23 Oh, I have just finished typing up your itinerary. 24 Sorry. Ah, Edward are you interested in a little foreign travel. 25 Yes. Very. 26 How would you like to go to Italy on Tuesday? 27 That would be very nice. 28 Good. And Egypt on Thursday? 29 Oh yes! 30 And then back via Frankfurt. 31 How much cash do you think I should take! 32 Ah, you haven't got a corporate charge card. Cash is going to be a bit of a problem. We'll give you an advance against expenses. 33 Should I entertain any of the clients? 34 I'll give you a full briefing before you go. But yes, I don't see why not. You should buy Mr. Lang in Germany a meal. We owe him hospitality. In fact, he always pays for everything. 35 When you get to Italy, Mr. Barbetti, the Assistant Sales Manager, will meet your flight. He'll be at arrivals at Milan airport. 36 How will I know who Mr. Barbetti is? 37 I'll make sure he's carrying a Bibury Systems brochure. 38 Don't spend too much on room service. And get a receipt for everything. 39 How may I help you?

1 "Джей-Кей Тойз" - наш непосредственный конкурент. Мы должны сделать все от нас зависящее, чтобы наша кампания по реализации и маркетингу Большого Босса стала лучшей из всех, которые мы когда-либо проводили. Для этого мы должны предпринять дополнительные усилия. Мы передвинули дату выпуска на 15 января. Будет очень напряженно, но я уверен, что мы успеем к этому сроку. Вы согласны? Итак, давайте наметим, что нам нужно сделать. Кейт, я думаю, что ты должна собрать людей, занятых реализацией в США, как можно скорее. 2 Хорошо, я вылетаю первым рейсом. 3 Ты должна сделать так. чтобы они поняли, на сколько важен проект "Большой Босс". 4 Мне поговорить с нашими агентами в Великобритании тоже? 5 Нет, я думаю, ты должна предоставить это Дону. 6 Хорошо. 7 Дерек, я думаю, ты должен съездить к поставщикам комплектующих, с которыми Дон встречался на прошлой неделе. Надо убедиться, что они успеют к новому сроку. Очень важно, чтобы они сделали поставки вовремя, качественно и по приемлемой цене. 8 Хорошо. 9 Дон, какие у тебя планы? 10 Я договорился встретиться на следующей неделе с некоторыми из наших зарубежных дилеров. 11 В какие страны ты поедешь? 12 Я еду в Италию. Египет и Германию. 13 Я не думаю, что тебе стоит уезжать, Дон. Я полагаю, тебе надо остаться в главном офисе. Важно, чтобы ты координировал новую стратегию выпуска. 14 Хорошо. Но я не хочу отменять эти встречи. Я могу послать Эдварда? 15 Ты думаешь, он готов к этому? 16 Эдвард очень способный, и я считаю, что небольшой опыт в международном сотрудничестве только расширит его горизонты. 17 Да, конечно. Посылай Эдварда, но ты должен дать ему очень подробные инструкции. 18 Разумеется. 19 Хорошо Я переговорю с банком. Попытаюсь изменить сроки кредита. Это будет непросто. 20 Джеральдин, ты видела Эдварда? 21 Он был здесь секунду назад. 22 Дженни, я не смогу встретиться с нашими дилерами на следующей неделе. 23 О, я только что закончила печатать ваш маршрут. 24 Извини. А-а, Эдвард, не хочешь немного попутешествовать за рубежом? 25 Да. Очень. 26 Как насчет того, чтобы поехать в Италию во вторник? 27 Это было бы чудесно. 28 Хорошо. А Египет в четверг? 29 О да! 30 А затем обратно через Франкфурт. 31 Как ты думаешь, сколько наличных мне понадобится? 32 А-а, у тебя нет корпоративной платежной карточки. С наличными немного сложнее. Мы выдадим тебе аванс в счет расходов. 33 Я должен развлекать каких-нибудь клиентов? 34 Я проинструктирую тебя перед твоей поездкой. Но почему бы и нет. Тебе следует угостить г-на Ланга в Германии. Мы должны ответить на его гостеприимство. На самом деле, он всегда за все платит. 35 Когда ты прилетишь в Италию, г-н Барбетти, помощник управляющего по сбыту, встретит тебя. Он будет возле секции прибытия в миланском аэропорте. 36 Как я узнаю г-на Барбетти? 37 Я позабочусь, чтобы он держал в руках буклет "Байбери Системс". 38 Не трать слишком много на сервис. И бери квитанции за все. 39 Чем я могу вам помочь?

40 I'd like to send a fax to London, please. 41 Of course. If you could fill out this form and give it back to me, we'll send it off straight away. 42 And could I buy a street map of Atlanta, please? 43 Please have it with out compliments. Have a nice day. 44 Thank you. 45 AIRPORT ANNOUNCER'S VOICE: Passenger Clark please contact information desk. 46 Thank you. Have a good flight. Could I have your ticket and passport, please? Good afternoon, Mr. Green. Smoking or non-smoking? 47 Non-smoking, please. 48 Would you like a window or aisle seat? 49 A window seat, please. 50 And do you have any luggage? 51 Just one suitcase and one piece of hand luggage. 52 Put it on the scales, please. That's fine Mr. Green. Here's your boarding card, boarding at gate 3 in about half an hour. The duty free lounge is through passport control and turn left. 53 Thank you. 54 Hello. Are there any messages for me? I'm in room 1637. 55 Yes, Ms. McKenna, there is a fax here and a telephone message. 56 Thank you ... oh and I wonder if you could help me. A colleague of mine wants to meet me at this restaurant. Could you tell me the best way of getting there? 57 Well, it's a five minute walk or you can get a cab. Would you like us to call a cab for you? 58 That's very kind of you, but I would like to walk. Could you tell me where I am on this map? 59 Right. We are here. The restaurant is there. So you take a right outside the hotel, here, and it's a couple of blocks down. The entrance is just off the side-walk. 60 Edward, did you have a good journey? 61 Excellent. I brought you back a little souvenir. 62 Edward! Thank you and how was your meeting with Mr. Lang in Frankfurt? 63 Very successful, I think. 64 Did you go for a meal? 65 A very good meal. We had.... 66 And who paid for it? 67 I did. Or rather Bibury Systems did. 68 How did you manage that? 69 Just before the bill came, I asked to be excused and then I paid the waiter. 70 I'd like to check out, please. 71 Certainly madam. Have you taken anything from the mini-bar this morning? 72 No. There are two bags in my room. 73 I'll just call the bell captain. Here is your final account. Is something wrong? 74 No. I'm just not certain what this item refers to. 75 Ah ... let me check... That's a deposit against the use of the conference facilities on Thursday. 76 Oh, I see. Could I have a separate receipt for that please? 77 Of course, madam. I'll just print one out for you. 78 And can I just double check that I'm booked in here for two nights, starting Wednesday. 79 That's right Ms McKenna. We look forward to seeing you again on Wednesday evening.

40 Я бы хотела послать факс в Лондон, пожалуйста. 41 Конечно. Если вы заполните этот бланк и отдадите его мне, я сразу же отправлю. 42 А я могу купить карту улиц Атланты? 43 Пожалуйста, примите в подарок. Желаю приятно провести день. 44 Спасибо. 45 ГОЛОС ДИКТОРА В АЭРОПОРТУ: Пассажир Кларк, подойдите, пожалуйста, к справочному бюро. 46 Спасибо. Приятного полета. Ваш билет и паспорт, пожалуйста, Добрый день, г-н Грин. Места для курящих или некурящих? 47 Для некурящих, пожалуйста. 48 Вы хотели бы место у окна или около прохода? 49 У окна, пожалуйста. 50 И у вас есть багаж? 51 Один чемодан и одно место ручной клади. 52 Поставьте, пожалуйста, на весы. Все в порядке, г-н Грин. Ваша посадочная карточка. Посадка у выхода 3 через полчаса. В зал "Дьюти фри" вы можете пройти через паспортный контроль и налево. 53 Спасибо. 54 Здравствуйте. Для меня есть какие-нибудь сообщения? Я остановилась в номере 1637. 55 Да, г-жа МакКена. Есть факс и телефонное сообщение. 56 Спасибо... Не могли бы вы мне помочь? Мой коллега хочет встретиться со мной в этом ресторане. Не подскажете, как туда лучше добраться? 57 Ну, это в пяти минутах ходьбы отсюда или вы можете взять такси. Вы хотите, чтобы мы заказали такси для вас? 58 Большое спасибо. Но я бы хотела пройтись. Вы не покажете мне на карте, где я нахожусь? 59 Конечно. Мы находимся здесь. Ресторан там. Поверните направо, при выходе из отеля, вот здесь, и два квартала вниз. Вход прямо с тротуара. 60 Эдвард, хорошо съездил? 61 Отлично! Я привез тебе маленький сувенир. 62 Эдвард! Спасибо, а как прошла твоя встреча с г-ном Лангом во Франкфурте? 63 Я думаю, очень успешно. 64 Вы ходили покушать? 65 Очень хорошо покушали! Мы взяли ... 66 А кто платил? 67 Я. То есть "Байбери Системс". 68 Как тебе это удалось? 69 Перед тем как нам принести счет, я попросил извинения (чтобы сходить в туалет) и заплатил официанту. 70 Я бы хотела выписаться. 71 Пожалуйста, мадам. Вы брали что-нибудь в мини-баре сегодня утром? 72 Нет. У меня в комнате остались две сумки. 73 Я сейчас вызову коридорного. Вот ваш окончательный счет. Что-нибудь не так? 74 Нет, просто я не уверена, к чему относится этот пункт. 75 О ... разрешите я проверю... Это депозит за использование конференц-зала в четверг. 76 А-а, понятно. Можно выписать на это отдельную квитанцию? 77 Конечно, мадам. Я сейчас распечатаю ее для вас. 78 И я бы хотела еще раз проверить, забронирован ли для меня номер на два дня начиная со среды. 79 Совершенно верно, г-жа МакКена. Мы надеемся увидеть вас снова в среду вечером.

https://tinyurl.com/hs3dbvfj