The eyes are said to be the windows of the soul. You've probably heard of "body language". "Eye language" is an interesting aspect of non-verbal communication through facial expression.
Read here to discover more about what we can learn from the language of the eyes:
http://itotd.com/articles/211/eye-language/r2
While you read, highlight or underline key words or phrases.
After you read, choose five important vocabulary items you don't understand. Check the words in a dictionary (such as as http://dictionary.reference.com/ ), and add them to your vocabulary notebook.
To reinforce your learning, use each of the new vocabulary items in a sentence.
Saturday, 27 October 2012
Instant Lesson on Perspective and Perception
When we change our perspective, we can change the way we perceive what we see.
Take a look at the image below. It's a type of "optical illusion".
What colours do you see in the upper and lower boxes?
Now, place your finger across the line separating the two boxes. Look again. The colours in the two boxes appear the same now, don't they?
Vocabulary:
perspective (n.) - view, outlook, angle of vision; view which shows the relationships of parts and the whole
perceive (v.) - to become aware of, to see, to understand
perception (n.) - the act of perceiving
optical(adj.) - related to the eyes or vision
illusion (n.) - an incorrect perception of reality
Do you enjoy hearing and seeing other people's perspectives on issues and events?
Can you think of examples of other times when your perception of "reality" has been challenged?
How can looking at life from different perspectives be helpful?
Take a look at the image below. It's a type of "optical illusion".
What colours do you see in the upper and lower boxes?
Now, place your finger across the line separating the two boxes. Look again. The colours in the two boxes appear the same now, don't they?
Vocabulary:
perspective (n.) - view, outlook, angle of vision; view which shows the relationships of parts and the whole
perceive (v.) - to become aware of, to see, to understand
perception (n.) - the act of perceiving
optical(adj.) - related to the eyes or vision
illusion (n.) - an incorrect perception of reality
Do you enjoy hearing and seeing other people's perspectives on issues and events?
Can you think of examples of other times when your perception of "reality" has been challenged?
How can looking at life from different perspectives be helpful?
The Benefits of Pets
Do you own a pet -- or does a pet, perhaps, own you? All pet owners know how rewarding the companionship of an animal can be.
"Owning a pet can decrease depression, stress and anxiety; health-wise, it can lower your blood pressure, improve your immunity and even decrease your risk of heart attack and stroke. But the positives don’t stop there."
Read about the numerous benefits pets bring at http://www.mnn.com/family/pets/stories/10-ways-owning-a-pet-benefits-your-health .
What kinds of animals do you think are the best pets? Why?
Should the number of pets per household be restricted? Why or why not?
What are the most important benefits of pets, in your view?
"Owning a pet can decrease depression, stress and anxiety; health-wise, it can lower your blood pressure, improve your immunity and even decrease your risk of heart attack and stroke. But the positives don’t stop there."
Read about the numerous benefits pets bring at http://www.mnn.com/family/pets/stories/10-ways-owning-a-pet-benefits-your-health .
What kinds of animals do you think are the best pets? Why?
Should the number of pets per household be restricted? Why or why not?
What are the most important benefits of pets, in your view?
Phrasal Verbs - Guide and Exercise with Answers
Phrasal Verbs
A phrasal verb has 2 or more words:
to run into
to run away with
to run over
It has a special meaning.
I must give up coffee. I can’t sleep at night.
To give up coffee is to stop drinking coffee because it is a bad habit.
Sometimes phrasal verbs have more than one meaning.
I’ve tried and tried to make my mother stop drinking coffee but she won’t.
I give up !
In this sentence, to give up is to stop trying because something is too difficult.
Practice: Put the phrasal verbs below into the appropriate sentences.
You may need to make some changes for tense & person.
get into get over take off try on
run over put on run into give up
speak up look for shut up put off
look up end up drop in break up
1. “Why is Christine crying ?” “Because she ………… with her boyfriend last night.”
2. You are welcome to ………… any time you go past my house.
3. We looked for the bus-stop for hours but we couldn’t find it.We …………….. getting a taxi.
4. I am really ……………… this book. I have read more than 100 pages since I came home from school.
5. You need to rest more if you want to ………….. your ‘flu.
6. I found the twenty dollars I thought I’d lost and it has stopped raining so we can go to the beach. Things ……………. !
7. Tomorrow you must tell your friend that you broke her mp3 player. You can’t …………………. any longer.
8. I want to change my seat in class. I can’t concentrate.The boy who sits next to me never ………………………..!
9. If you feel too hot, why don’t you ……………….your sweater ?
10. I’ll ask the shop assistant to bring me the next size to …………..This skirt is too tight.
11.I am late because I spent 10 minutes …………..my keys.
12. How terrible ! A car ………. her pet rabbit and killed it.
13. …………your jacket. It’s cold outside.
14. Could you ……………., please ? I can’t hear.
15. I must ……………. chocolate. I am getting too fat.
16. I ……………. James at the market yesterday . I hadn’t seen him for months.
1. broke up 2. drop in 3. ended up 4. getting into 5. get over 6. are looking up 7. put it off 8. shuts up 9. take off 10. try on 11. looking for 12. ran over 13. put on 14. speak up 15. give up 16. ran into
A phrasal verb has 2 or more words:
to run into
to run away with
to run over
It has a special meaning.
I must give up coffee. I can’t sleep at night.
To give up coffee is to stop drinking coffee because it is a bad habit.
Sometimes phrasal verbs have more than one meaning.
I’ve tried and tried to make my mother stop drinking coffee but she won’t.
I give up !
In this sentence, to give up is to stop trying because something is too difficult.
Practice: Put the phrasal verbs below into the appropriate sentences.
You may need to make some changes for tense & person.
get into get over take off try on
run over put on run into give up
speak up look for shut up put off
look up end up drop in break up
1. “Why is Christine crying ?” “Because she ………… with her boyfriend last night.”
2. You are welcome to ………… any time you go past my house.
3. We looked for the bus-stop for hours but we couldn’t find it.We …………….. getting a taxi.
4. I am really ……………… this book. I have read more than 100 pages since I came home from school.
5. You need to rest more if you want to ………….. your ‘flu.
6. I found the twenty dollars I thought I’d lost and it has stopped raining so we can go to the beach. Things ……………. !
7. Tomorrow you must tell your friend that you broke her mp3 player. You can’t …………………. any longer.
8. I want to change my seat in class. I can’t concentrate.The boy who sits next to me never ………………………..!
9. If you feel too hot, why don’t you ……………….your sweater ?
10. I’ll ask the shop assistant to bring me the next size to …………..This skirt is too tight.
11.I am late because I spent 10 minutes …………..my keys.
12. How terrible ! A car ………. her pet rabbit and killed it.
13. …………your jacket. It’s cold outside.
14. Could you ……………., please ? I can’t hear.
15. I must ……………. chocolate. I am getting too fat.
16. I ……………. James at the market yesterday . I hadn’t seen him for months.
1. broke up 2. drop in 3. ended up 4. getting into 5. get over 6. are looking up 7. put it off 8. shuts up 9. take off 10. try on 11. looking for 12. ran over 13. put on 14. speak up 15. give up 16. ran into
Friday, 26 October 2012
Prepositions of Time - Guide and Exercise with Answers
Prepositions of Time
WHEN ?
at : exact time - at 2.40 pm
name of a holiday - at Christmas
on : name of a day - on Saturday, on Christmas Day
in: part of the day - in the morning ( * but : at night)
name of a month - in July
name of a year - in 1996
name of a season - in summer
1. ….. Friday, Lisa and I walked to school together.
2. I always visit my brother ….. Easter.
3. My birthday is ….. March.
4. I was born ….. 1903.
5. ”When do you have dinner?” asked Diem.
“….. 6 o’clock,” said Kazia.
6. ….. Wednesdays, my brother has swimming lessons.
7. We started English classes …… Tuesday morning …. 8.30 a.m.
8. ….. the morning I go to school, ….. the afternoon I go to the library
and …. the evening I spend time with my family.
9. We finish school … two-thirty.
10. Australia Day is ….. January.
11. Every morning I get up … 6 o’clock.
12. I never walk home … night.
13. ….. Spring, the flowers bloom.
14. In Australia, the school year ends …. December and starts …. February.
15. Sarah’s baby was born ….. Friday …. one o’clock.
16. ….. 1983 I went to europe.
Answers: 1. on 2. at 3. in 4. in 5. at 6. on 7. on, at 8. in, in, in 9. at 10. in 11. at 12. at 13. in 14. in, in 15. on, at 16. in
WHEN ?
at : exact time - at 2.40 pm
name of a holiday - at Christmas
on : name of a day - on Saturday, on Christmas Day
in: part of the day - in the morning ( * but : at night)
name of a month - in July
name of a year - in 1996
name of a season - in summer
1. ….. Friday, Lisa and I walked to school together.
2. I always visit my brother ….. Easter.
3. My birthday is ….. March.
4. I was born ….. 1903.
5. ”When do you have dinner?” asked Diem.
“….. 6 o’clock,” said Kazia.
6. ….. Wednesdays, my brother has swimming lessons.
7. We started English classes …… Tuesday morning …. 8.30 a.m.
8. ….. the morning I go to school, ….. the afternoon I go to the library
and …. the evening I spend time with my family.
9. We finish school … two-thirty.
10. Australia Day is ….. January.
11. Every morning I get up … 6 o’clock.
12. I never walk home … night.
13. ….. Spring, the flowers bloom.
14. In Australia, the school year ends …. December and starts …. February.
15. Sarah’s baby was born ….. Friday …. one o’clock.
16. ….. 1983 I went to europe.
Answers: 1. on 2. at 3. in 4. in 5. at 6. on 7. on, at 8. in, in, in 9. at 10. in 11. at 12. at 13. in 14. in, in 15. on, at 16. in
Prepositions of Place - Guide and Short Exercise with Answers
Prepositions of Place
WHERE ?
in : when something is all around, on all sides
in the phone-box
in my pocket
in the garden
in the kitchen
swimming in the pool
in + town/country
Kate lives in Ma On Shan.
Sydney is in Australia.
in + street name
in Sai Sha road
on : for a surface
lying on the rug
walking on the footpath
a number on the door
egg on your shirt
on: for a line
a town on this road
a bridge on the river
on + floor
on the first floor of the building
at : for a position, a point in space
someone at the door
sitting at my desk
at the end of the street
at + house /address
at 65 Bridge Road
at John’s house
Some common phrases :
in prison
in hospital
in a book
in a movie
in a photo
in the country
in the sky
in the middle
on the farm
on the page
on the screen
on an island
on the beach
on the right/left
at the station
at the airport
at home
at school
at work
at the top
at the bottom
at the end
in / on / at
1. We spent the whole holiday ….. the beach.
2. I read about kangaroos ….. a magazine.
3. Suzy’s flat is ….. the twenty-first floor.
4. Julia was holding a small bird ….. her hands.
5. I’ll meet you ….. the airport.
6. London is ..... the Thames River.
7. There weren’t many books ….. the shelves.
8. We had to change planes ….. Beijing.
Answers: 1. at 2. in 3. on 4. in 5. at 6. on 7. on 8. in
WHERE ?
in : when something is all around, on all sides
in the phone-box
in my pocket
in the garden
in the kitchen
swimming in the pool
in + town/country
Kate lives in Ma On Shan.
Sydney is in Australia.
in + street name
in Sai Sha road
on : for a surface
lying on the rug
walking on the footpath
a number on the door
egg on your shirt
on: for a line
a town on this road
a bridge on the river
on + floor
on the first floor of the building
at : for a position, a point in space
someone at the door
sitting at my desk
at the end of the street
at + house /address
at 65 Bridge Road
at John’s house
Some common phrases :
in prison
in hospital
in a book
in a movie
in a photo
in the country
in the sky
in the middle
on the farm
on the page
on the screen
on an island
on the beach
on the right/left
at the station
at the airport
at home
at school
at work
at the top
at the bottom
at the end
in / on / at
1. We spent the whole holiday ….. the beach.
2. I read about kangaroos ….. a magazine.
3. Suzy’s flat is ….. the twenty-first floor.
4. Julia was holding a small bird ….. her hands.
5. I’ll meet you ….. the airport.
6. London is ..... the Thames River.
7. There weren’t many books ….. the shelves.
8. We had to change planes ….. Beijing.
Answers: 1. at 2. in 3. on 4. in 5. at 6. on 7. on 8. in
Halloween Vocabulary Exercise (Easy)
Halloween
Work with a partner. From the words in the below, find the best word to complete the sentences.
celebrate Halloween witches earth dress up scared costume pretend decorate skeletons carved pumpkins lanterns apple-bobbing blindfolds Trick or Treat ghosts evil spirits
1. Every year children like to …………. Halloween.The festival of ……………. is held on October 31st.Some people say that on this night many bad things walk around the ………… .
2. …………. are the spirits of dead people. Some people use firecrackers to frighten away …………. …………. . ………………… are women who wear black clothes and ride through the night on broomsticks. ……………… are the bones of people or animals. For Halloween, my sister is going to ………… ……. as a witch. I am helping her sew a black ………… . My brother wants to …………… he is a ghost by wearing a white sheet.
3. We bought some orange …………… at the market and we …………. them with scary faces. We put candles inside to make ……………. . We will …………. the house with pictures of other scary things, like spiders’ webs.
4 …………………… is a game in which children lift apples from a bowl of water with their teeth. In “House of Horrors”, another Halloween game, children wear …………… and touch things that feel strange. The most famous Halloween game is “…………………………………”.
Answers(in order): celebrate, Halloween, earth, ghosts, evil spirits, witches, skeletons, dress up, costume, pretend, pumpkins, carved, lanterns, decorate, apple-bobbing, blindfolds, Trick or Treat
Work with a partner. From the words in the below, find the best word to complete the sentences.
celebrate Halloween witches earth dress up scared costume pretend decorate skeletons carved pumpkins lanterns apple-bobbing blindfolds Trick or Treat ghosts evil spirits
1. Every year children like to …………. Halloween.The festival of ……………. is held on October 31st.Some people say that on this night many bad things walk around the ………… .
2. …………. are the spirits of dead people. Some people use firecrackers to frighten away …………. …………. . ………………… are women who wear black clothes and ride through the night on broomsticks. ……………… are the bones of people or animals. For Halloween, my sister is going to ………… ……. as a witch. I am helping her sew a black ………… . My brother wants to …………… he is a ghost by wearing a white sheet.
3. We bought some orange …………… at the market and we …………. them with scary faces. We put candles inside to make ……………. . We will …………. the house with pictures of other scary things, like spiders’ webs.
4 …………………… is a game in which children lift apples from a bowl of water with their teeth. In “House of Horrors”, another Halloween game, children wear …………… and touch things that feel strange. The most famous Halloween game is “…………………………………”.
Answers(in order): celebrate, Halloween, earth, ghosts, evil spirits, witches, skeletons, dress up, costume, pretend, pumpkins, carved, lanterns, decorate, apple-bobbing, blindfolds, Trick or Treat
Tuesday, 23 October 2012
What's your favourite colour?
If your answer to the question, "What's your favourite colour?" is "Blue", your answer is the same as that of approximately half the people in most parts of the world.
Read more about the special qualities of the colour blue at http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/23/science/with-new-findings-scientists-are-captivated-by-the-color-blue.html?
What's your favourite colour? Why do you like this colour?
Is your favourite colour the same as, or different to, the favourite colour of most people you know?
What are the special meanings of some colours in your home culture?
Read more about the special qualities of the colour blue at http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/23/science/with-new-findings-scientists-are-captivated-by-the-color-blue.html?
What's your favourite colour? Why do you like this colour?
Is your favourite colour the same as, or different to, the favourite colour of most people you know?
What are the special meanings of some colours in your home culture?
No apostrophe when "its" is an adjective!
Simple, isn't it?
When "its" is an adjective, like "my" or "your" or his" or "their", you don't use an apostrophe.
You don't write "hi's door", you write "his door"; you don't write "it's door", you write "its door".
Which door? His door! Its door!
Just too easy!
Friday, 19 October 2012
Unappetizing Lunch - A joke
Do you like to tell jokes? Here's one about an English teacher.
One day in America, a little boy pretended to be sick.
"Dad, I don't want to go to school today," said the boy.
"Why not, son?" asked his father.
"Well,” said the son, “One of the chickens on the school farm died last week and we had chicken soup for lunch the next day.”
“So?” said his Dad.
“And three days ago one of the pigs died and we had roast pork the next day…” said the boy.
"But why don't you want to go today?" asked his Dad.
"Because the English teacher died yesterday."
---
In your culture, do people like to "tell jokes"?
Is there a difference in the kinds of humour men and women prefer?
Using Adjective Clauses
Are you sometimes unsure how to make adjective clauses (also called "relative clauses")? Here's a useful summary chart:
Subject
Person: who/that
I met a girl. She fell in love with me. → I met a girl who/that fell in love with me.
Thing: which/that
I have a car. It is fast. → I have a car which/that is fast.
Object
Person: who(m)/that/Ø
The man was Mr. Jones. I saw him. → The man who(m)/that/Ø I saw was Mr. Jones
Thing: which/that/Ø
The movie was good. We saw it last night. →
The movie which/that/Ø we saw last night was good.
Object of a preposition
Person: who(m)/that/Ø
She is the woman. I told you about her. →She is the woman who(m)/that/Ø I told you about.
OR She is the woman about whom I told you.
Thing: which/that/Ø
The music was good. We listened to it last night. → The music which/that/Ø we listened to last night was good.
OR The music to which we listened last night was good.
Possessive: whose
I know the man. His bicycle was stolen. → I know the man whose bicycle was stolen.
Place: where/which/that/Ø
The building is old. He lives there (in that building). →
The building where he lives is very old.
OR The building in which he lives is very old.
OR The building which he lives in is very old.
OR The building that he lives in is very old.
OR The building Ø he lives in is very old.
Time: when/on which/that/Ø
I’ll never forget the day. I met you then (on that day). →
I’ll never forget the day when I met you.
OR I’ll never forget the day on which I met you.
OR I’ll never forget the day that I met you.
OR I’ll never forget the day Ø I met you.
For more information and exercises, go to http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/english-grammar/pronouns/relative-pronouns
Subject
Person: who/that
I met a girl. She fell in love with me. → I met a girl who/that fell in love with me.
Thing: which/that
I have a car. It is fast. → I have a car which/that is fast.
Object
Person: who(m)/that/Ø
The man was Mr. Jones. I saw him. → The man who(m)/that/Ø I saw was Mr. Jones
Thing: which/that/Ø
The movie was good. We saw it last night. →
The movie which/that/Ø we saw last night was good.
Object of a preposition
Person: who(m)/that/Ø
She is the woman. I told you about her. →She is the woman who(m)/that/Ø I told you about.
OR She is the woman about whom I told you.
Thing: which/that/Ø
The music was good. We listened to it last night. → The music which/that/Ø we listened to last night was good.
OR The music to which we listened last night was good.
Possessive: whose
I know the man. His bicycle was stolen. → I know the man whose bicycle was stolen.
Place: where/which/that/Ø
The building is old. He lives there (in that building). →
The building where he lives is very old.
OR The building in which he lives is very old.
OR The building which he lives in is very old.
OR The building that he lives in is very old.
OR The building Ø he lives in is very old.
Time: when/on which/that/Ø
I’ll never forget the day. I met you then (on that day). →
I’ll never forget the day when I met you.
OR I’ll never forget the day on which I met you.
OR I’ll never forget the day that I met you.
OR I’ll never forget the day Ø I met you.
For more information and exercises, go to http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/english-grammar/pronouns/relative-pronouns
Thursday, 18 October 2012
Using Perfect and Continuous Verb Forms in English
Understanding Tense and Aspect in English
To use English verbs correctly, you need to understand both tense and aspect.
Tense marks past, present and future time. Closely linked to tense is the concept of aspect, which adds a further time perspective. Aspect reflects the way in which the action of a verb is viewed with respect to time, answering questions such as: ‘Is the event or state completed or still in progress?’.
There are two forms of aspect in English, the perfect aspect and the progressive aspect (sometimes called the continuous aspect). The perfect aspect usually describes events or states which occur or begin during a previous period of time. The progressive aspect describes events or states which are in progress or continuing.
“I have read your letter.” uses the “present perfect” verb form, made with the present form, “have” + past participle, “read”.
“Present” shows the time and “Perfect” shows the aspect (completed).
There is a connection between something that happened in the past and the present time.
“I had read your letter.” uses the “past perfect” verb form, made with the past form, “had” + past participle.
“Past” shows the time and “Perfect” shows the aspect (completed).
There is a connection between something which happened in the past and another past moment in time.
“I have been reading your letter.” uses the present perfect progressive verb form, made with the present form, “have” + past participle, “been” + progressive form, “reading”
The perfect aspect shows that the action began in the past and the progressive aspect shows that it continued and may still be happening now.
(Adapted from Present perfect aspect – article http://www.onestopenglish.com/grammar/grammar-reference/verbs-and-tenses/present-perfect-aspect-article/152812.article by Kerry G. Maxwell and Lindsay Clandfield)
Check your understanding by trying the exercises:
http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/grammar-exercises/present-perfect
http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/grammar-exercises/past-perfect
http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/grammar-exercises/present-perfect-simple-and-present-perfect-continuous
***Don’t feel frustrated if you can’t always use these verb forms correctly! It takes time to fully understand and master the use of tense and aspect in English.
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