from the Longman Vocabulary Website
Use the context to help you define the term in bold.
1 . I hope we can reach an amicable agreement. I don’t like to fight.
shrewd
frank
enthusiastic
peaceful
2 . The governor is astute. He usually makes good decisions.
untrustworthy
having good judgment
careless
loving
3 . Please give me your candid opinion. Don’t hold back.
frank
loving
untrustworthy
arrogant
4 . Cheerleaders must be exuberant if they want to get the crowd excited.
enthusiastic
tired
boring
loving
5 . My parents were always careful how they spent their money. Sometimes I felt they were too frugal.
thrifty
boring
loving
tired
6 . Her remark was uncalled for and embarrassed the partiers. The remark was downright gauche.
appropriate
trusting
loving
awkward
7 . If you are a computer novice, it might be best to take a class to learn how a computer operates.
old hand
beginner
reader
veteran
8 . I remained brave and didn’t cry when the dentist drilled my tooth. After it was over, he said I was quite stoic.
a catastrophe
not affected by pain
untrusting
a baby
9 . The new accord assured the people there would be peace.
agreement
veteran
disagreement
fight
10 . The typhoon was a catastrophe. Many people lost their homes.
business owner
agreement
disaster
none of the above
18 June 2008
Context Clues
Whether you go on to college or to a job, you are going to meet an increasing number of new and unfamiliar words. Sometimes the context of an unfamiliar word will give you a definite clue to the meaning of the word. Here are four common types of context clues.
1. Definition. The most obvious and straightforward method of revealing meaning is by outright definition. A form of the verb “to be” signals a definition.
The sycophant can be found wherever there is power; he is the individual who works his way into favor with flattery.
2. Restatement. Sometimes a writer will explain a term by restating it in other words. Certain words act as signals that a restatement will follow. These signals are: in other words, that is, to put it another way, or, this means.
Sara was ambivalent about Jack. She couldn’t decide whether she admired him for leaving medical school to be a painter, or whether she considered him reckless and immature.
3. Example. One pr more examples are given to show the meaning of a word. Words that signal are these: such, such as, like, other, especially, particularly, for example, for instance.
There must be international agreement on punishments for hijacking and kidnapping. Such guerilla tactics cannot be tolerated by one nation without all nations being threatened.
4. Contrast. Occasionally a writer will make contrast that enables you to grasp the meaning of an unfamiliar word.
Unlike the other members of the band who resurfaced in other groups in later years, James was lost to the public after his meteoric fame as the lead singer.
How to Use There, Their and They're
from WikiHow.com
The English language is full of problems like the one presented by there, their and they're. Most native English speakers pronounce these words the same way; therefore, it is difficult for some to judge in which situation to use which spelling. Each spelling means a very different thing; if you'd like to learn the difference, read on!
1. Use there when referring to a place, whether concrete ("over there by the building") or more abstract ("it must be difficult to live there").
There is an antique store on Camden Avenue.
The calculus books are over there on the floor.
2. Use their to indicate possession. It is a possessive adjective and indicates that a particular noun belongs to them.
My friends have lost their tickets.
Their things were strewn about the office haphazardly.
3. Remember that they're is a contraction of the words they and are. It can never be used as a modifier, only as a subject (who or what does the action) and verb (the action itself).
Hurry up! They're closing the mall at 6 tonight!
I'm glad that they're so nice to new students here.
4. Test your usage. When you use any of these three words, get in the habit of asking yourself these questions:
If you wrote there, will the sentence still make sense if you replace it with here? If so, you're using it correctly.
If you chose their, will the sentence still make sense if you replace it with our? If so, you've chosen the correct word.
If you used they're, will the sentence still make sense if you replace it with they are? If so, you're on the right track!
5. Recognize incorrect examples and learn from the mistakes. By looking over others' work with a critical eye, especially by offering proofreading or copyediting help, you can become more sensitized to correct usage and practice it yourself.
Wrong: Their is no one here.
Wrong: Shelley wants to know if there busy.
Wrong: The dogs are happily chewing on they're bones.
RIGHT: I can't believe they're leaving their children there alone!
6. Practice, practice, practice! Get your English teacher or friend to say several sentences aloud that include one of these three words and write down which version they are using. Hire a private English tutor if you're still having trouble.
15 June 2008
On-line Quiz 1: There, Their, They're
Complete these sentences. Write the letter of your answers as a comment. Don't forget to include your name and section. The first to get a perfect score will receive a surprise.
1. ___ dog is a husky called Snowy.
a. Their
b. There
c. They're
2. ___ once was a bird called a Dodo.
a. Their
b. There
c. They're
3. My aunt and uncle are arriving today. ___ coming from New York.
a. Their
b. There
c. They're
4. Many years ago ___ weren't any cars so people used to travel by horse and carriage.
a. their
b. there
c. they're
5. Our neighbors have bought a second car. ___ new one is red.
a. Their
b. There
c. They're
6. Both of the cars are made by Ford. ___ both 4WD.
a. Their
b. There
c. They're
7. If you look over ___ you can see the sea.
a. their
b. there
c. they're
8. Can you see where ___ building the new road.
a. their
b. there
c. they're
9. Do you know what _____ phone number is?
a. their
b. there
c, they're
10. ___ address is 65 Ilang-ilang St., Legazpi City.
a. Their
b. There
c. They're
Congratulations to Sushmita De Leon of II-Acacia!
1. ___ dog is a husky called Snowy.
a. Their
b. There
c. They're
2. ___ once was a bird called a Dodo.
a. Their
b. There
c. They're
3. My aunt and uncle are arriving today. ___ coming from New York.
a. Their
b. There
c. They're
4. Many years ago ___ weren't any cars so people used to travel by horse and carriage.
a. their
b. there
c. they're
5. Our neighbors have bought a second car. ___ new one is red.
a. Their
b. There
c. They're
6. Both of the cars are made by Ford. ___ both 4WD.
a. Their
b. There
c. They're
7. If you look over ___ you can see the sea.
a. their
b. there
c. they're
8. Can you see where ___ building the new road.
a. their
b. there
c. they're
9. Do you know what _____ phone number is?
a. their
b. there
c, they're
10. ___ address is 65 Ilang-ilang St., Legazpi City.
a. Their
b. There
c. They're
Congratulations to Sushmita De Leon of II-Acacia!
12 June 2008
How to Improve your Vocabulary
from DailyWritingTips.com
Make it a priority to learn new words. If you want to improve your vocabulary more quickly, you have to make at least a small commitment. Decide to learn one new word every day or two.
Make your vocabulary practical. Start by learning the words that can express what’s most important to you. For example, learn more of your trade language - the words that are commonly used in your business or hobby or vocation. Go beyond the jargon and cliches. Find better, fresher, clearer words to express what your peers are talking about.
Find the right word for you and use it. When you’re writing something, use a thesaurus frequently. That will help you express yourself better. And every time you do that, you’ll learn a new word and you’ll use that new word. Start learning where you are. As you read, if you come across an interesting word that you don’t understand, don’t just bleep over it. See item number 1. Take the time to look it up in a dictionary. Write it down and use it later.
Learn roots. Most English words are built from common roots, prefixes and suffixes, often with Greek or Latin origins. They’re highly reusable. When you learn one root, you’ll start to understand the many other words that use that root.
When you learn a word, use it immediately and frequently. Make it a game. Slip your new word into conversation with as many different people as you can. Repeat it to yourself. Use it in sentences. Write it on a flashcard and practice it while waiting for red lights.
The key to a better vocabulary is regular practice and progress. Maybe you can’t learn a hundred new words a day, but you can learn one or two a day, totaling thousands of new words over the years.
How's your vocabulary?
| Your Vocabulary Score: A+ |
 You must be quite an erudite person. |
17 March 2008
More Personification Poems
Emotions
by Emma Luisa Pesebre, I-Venus
The worry that sits beside you
Speaks as fast as the sea
You were watching while
the sky is weeping
And a leaf burns to cry
It's hard to forget those worries
But tears are easy to weep
To let the people know
the emotion that speaks.
Happiness
by Lovely Mae Laborte, I-Mars
The beauty in happiness is that it never weeps
Though trouble keeps on groaning
Though dreams burn from giving up
Though beauty disappears because of age.
Why?
Because happiness knows
That she can always just dance with trouble
For it to slowly depart
that she can always bring dreams back
If dreams dance with her in regaining
confidence, perseverance and determination
For happiness surely does a lot of dancing
And she also knows that though one's beauty can wither...
The inner beauty can never fade.
by Emma Luisa Pesebre, I-Venus
The worry that sits beside you
Speaks as fast as the sea
You were watching while
the sky is weeping
And a leaf burns to cry
It's hard to forget those worries
But tears are easy to weep
To let the people know
the emotion that speaks.
Happiness
by Lovely Mae Laborte, I-Mars
The beauty in happiness is that it never weeps
Though trouble keeps on groaning
Though dreams burn from giving up
Though beauty disappears because of age.
Why?
Because happiness knows
That she can always just dance with trouble
For it to slowly depart
that she can always bring dreams back
If dreams dance with her in regaining
confidence, perseverance and determination
For happiness surely does a lot of dancing
And she also knows that though one's beauty can wither...
The inner beauty can never fade.
04 March 2008
Personification Exercise
I-Mars and I-Venus students came up with these short poems. They were given specific nouns and verbs which they randomly paired, allowing them to use personification as a literary device. These poems were written in less than thirty minutes.
Untitled
by Juvy Grace Garay, I-Venus
Ask the wind to swing with your life
The blanket of hope drinks all your tears
For you to see the wonderful world around.
Ask the beauty of the world to read your mournful story
And soon to wipe all your problems
Ask the moon to burn all the sorrowful pasts
For you to live in a world where
a beautiful life goes around.
Untitled
by Denvic Lensoco, I-Venus
One morning, the wind strongly weaves
As the train waits before it leaves
And as I wait outside I see
That all of the people are very busy
As I ride on the train, all are still busy
But they are still smiling at me
As I sit on the chair, I see from the window
The dusk that scatters from the meadow
As the train leaves and passes the shore
I see the waves swinging more
I feel that the time is so fast
Because I see that I’m on my way home at last.
Nature at Work
by Li-Anne Serrano, I-Venus
The tree folded his branches to pray,
And beside the rock, there he lay.
The stone yelled for he was hurt,
Then he complained to little Bert.
The sky swung his cloudy arms to signal,
To do a favor from his pal.
Dawn thinks it’s already time,
To brighten the day, what beautiful sunrise!
I Just Wrote This
by Marie Patricia Clemente, I-Mars
Happiness waits
As worry scatters
In every road of life
we pass by.
Dusk draws into the sky
Using the birds as its brush.
The windows hug the sceneries
That the curtain sees.
Happiness Builds on Me
by Ma. Jessica Joy Mantes, I-Mars
The leaf swims happily in the ocean,
The stone sleeps soundly on the shore.
As the nigh falls,
The morning sleeps.
As the sun rises,
Happiness builds on me.
My Teacher
by Jepee Jerome Celorico, I-Mars
The wind teaches you
As your anger waits.
The dusk weeps
And let your worries drown.
You just remember:
The wind teaches you
And let your worries drown.
18 February 2008
Mahabharata Video Clips
Finally, here is the four-part video clip of Mahabharata.
Thanks to Justin for uploading the vid!
Part 1
Part2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 1
Part2
Part 3
Part 4
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