Topic: Describe a wild animal
Tuesday, August 30, 2016
Monday, August 8, 2016
a chance to have your say
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In our everyday lives we have choices – we make daily decisions from the simplest to the possibly life changing. For some people its easy, others tussle with the simplest notion of change and what impact it will have on them.
I’ve always been fascinated in how some people effortlessly move through life without seemingly never putting a foot wrong and, one assumes, making all the right decisions at the right time. Then there are the vast majority of us who have to work hard at creating our own ‘luck’ which includes a strong measure of making choices and then hoping we’ve done it right, often with no well of telling until we find out sooner or later.
Love, jobs, houses, children - life is the sum of all your choices as Albert Camus said. These are some of the themes that we’ll be looking at in this blog in the future.
I hope you’ll join us and add your viewpoints. The choice is yours.
Resource: ipassielts.com
I’ve always been fascinated in how some people effortlessly move through life without seemingly never putting a foot wrong and, one assumes, making all the right decisions at the right time. Then there are the vast majority of us who have to work hard at creating our own ‘luck’ which includes a strong measure of making choices and then hoping we’ve done it right, often with no well of telling until we find out sooner or later.
Love, jobs, houses, children - life is the sum of all your choices as Albert Camus said. These are some of the themes that we’ll be looking at in this blog in the future.
I hope you’ll join us and add your viewpoints. The choice is yours.
Resource: ipassielts.com
Sunday, August 7, 2016
Little food for thought
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For most families with young children its reasonably simple to feed them; nothing too complicated or sophisticated. Children have to be introduced to food or it’s far too easy for them to say ‘I don’t like that’ without even tasting it. Often our childhood prejudices we carry with us long into adulthood – mine is asparagus!
So, what shall we feed the children? Well, for many it seems a diet of junk food is the answer. In an article I read recently it said that hospitals in England were treating over 30,000 children a year with serious tooth decay, one of the reasons being as a result of sugary diets. Disturbingly, the most common age for a child having a rotten tooth out in hospital is five.
Don’t their parents know how to cook! Unbelievable, I hear you say. We’ve all microwaved the baked beans, fried some sausages, and boiled some peas. Not so for every Mother or Father with young families.
I was fascinated and horrified in equal measures when I saw an episode of Jamie Oliver’sMinistry of Food and saw some families in Rotherham who had never used their kitchen to cook anything and sat on the floor eating their fast food takeaways with their fingers as their children didn’t know how to use a knife and fork. And this happened every day!
When I showed it to some Portuguese friends as an example of our way of life in ‘modern’ Britain I suddenly became embarrassed as they stared with incredulity. They didn’t understand how you could do this to young children- what kind of parents were these people? They were genuinely shocked.
So, does it have to be this way? Is ‘convenience’ the answer? I hope not. However busy you are it doesn’t take too much to make something simple and reasonably healthy for children. Nothing fancy, but it’s got to be better than a daily dose of nutritionally empty fast food.
We are what we eat, but what choice are we giving our children?
Resource: ipassielts.com
So, what shall we feed the children? Well, for many it seems a diet of junk food is the answer. In an article I read recently it said that hospitals in England were treating over 30,000 children a year with serious tooth decay, one of the reasons being as a result of sugary diets. Disturbingly, the most common age for a child having a rotten tooth out in hospital is five.
Don’t their parents know how to cook! Unbelievable, I hear you say. We’ve all microwaved the baked beans, fried some sausages, and boiled some peas. Not so for every Mother or Father with young families.
I was fascinated and horrified in equal measures when I saw an episode of Jamie Oliver’sMinistry of Food and saw some families in Rotherham who had never used their kitchen to cook anything and sat on the floor eating their fast food takeaways with their fingers as their children didn’t know how to use a knife and fork. And this happened every day!
When I showed it to some Portuguese friends as an example of our way of life in ‘modern’ Britain I suddenly became embarrassed as they stared with incredulity. They didn’t understand how you could do this to young children- what kind of parents were these people? They were genuinely shocked.
So, does it have to be this way? Is ‘convenience’ the answer? I hope not. However busy you are it doesn’t take too much to make something simple and reasonably healthy for children. Nothing fancy, but it’s got to be better than a daily dose of nutritionally empty fast food.
We are what we eat, but what choice are we giving our children?
Resource: ipassielts.com
Google - innovation, disruption and still making the world a better place
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In just 12 years two people have revolutionised the world and how we search for information.
Larry Page and Sergey Brin met at Stanford University as students where they started to develope a search engine, the original name was ‘BackRub’, but in September,1998 they incorporated Google, a name that has now crept into the English language.
Why Google? Well, apparently it originated from a misspelling of the word “googol” the mathematical term for a 1 followed by 100 zeros.
So, what is Google? The company’s stated aims are “to organise the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful” and most people wouldn’t disagree with this as after a very short time (even for silicon valley), it now receives several hundred million queries a day, and to many it is the only source of information from train timetables, how to boil an egg to the best way to split the atom.
Is this a good thing? Well, it’s not a monopoly as there are other rival search engines – Yahoo, Alta Vista and Bing among others – but some people are worried about the dominance of Google. So much so that some have said that they believe that ‘…Google is a deceptive corporation composed of a massive group of technological geniuses on a conspiratorial vocation to take over and destroy the biological world’ and ‘…is destined to soon become the next world power’.
Sounds a little dramatic, especially for a corporation with an unofficial slogan of ‘Don’t be evil’, but clearly any large multinational the size and influence of Google is bound to have its critics and sometimes create controversy. Its Google Books – an attempt to digitalise every book in the world – which has outraged some nations, especially the French government, and its relationship with the Chinese government is often unpredictable.
But Google continues to innovate and acquire with a long list of products that have are now used by millions including gmail, Google Earth, Google Translate, Picasa, Chrome and YouTube as well as the Google Analytics, Adsense and Adwords. Only last week they launched Nexus to rival the iPhone.
So what about the future? Will Google continue to dominate – an unstoppable behemouth in the digital world – with its almost limitedless financial resources?
With the appointment of the steady hand of Eric Schmidt as CEO in 2001 many say the future looks more secure. He is ‘the future’ of Google and is the darling of investors and shareholders alike.
In a recent interview he candidly admitted:
“We suffer [because] we are global, we touch a lot of things, we are disruptive, and we operate in information and people have a lot of opinions on that. I don’t think that will change. I think we have adapted to the role that we now play in the information industry that the role is one of innovation, disruption and still making the world a better place.”
Sounds good.
Larry Page and Sergey Brin met at Stanford University as students where they started to develope a search engine, the original name was ‘BackRub’, but in September,1998 they incorporated Google, a name that has now crept into the English language.
Why Google? Well, apparently it originated from a misspelling of the word “googol” the mathematical term for a 1 followed by 100 zeros.
So, what is Google? The company’s stated aims are “to organise the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful” and most people wouldn’t disagree with this as after a very short time (even for silicon valley), it now receives several hundred million queries a day, and to many it is the only source of information from train timetables, how to boil an egg to the best way to split the atom.
Is this a good thing? Well, it’s not a monopoly as there are other rival search engines – Yahoo, Alta Vista and Bing among others – but some people are worried about the dominance of Google. So much so that some have said that they believe that ‘…Google is a deceptive corporation composed of a massive group of technological geniuses on a conspiratorial vocation to take over and destroy the biological world’ and ‘…is destined to soon become the next world power’.
Sounds a little dramatic, especially for a corporation with an unofficial slogan of ‘Don’t be evil’, but clearly any large multinational the size and influence of Google is bound to have its critics and sometimes create controversy. Its Google Books – an attempt to digitalise every book in the world – which has outraged some nations, especially the French government, and its relationship with the Chinese government is often unpredictable.
But Google continues to innovate and acquire with a long list of products that have are now used by millions including gmail, Google Earth, Google Translate, Picasa, Chrome and YouTube as well as the Google Analytics, Adsense and Adwords. Only last week they launched Nexus to rival the iPhone.
So what about the future? Will Google continue to dominate – an unstoppable behemouth in the digital world – with its almost limitedless financial resources?
With the appointment of the steady hand of Eric Schmidt as CEO in 2001 many say the future looks more secure. He is ‘the future’ of Google and is the darling of investors and shareholders alike.
In a recent interview he candidly admitted:
“We suffer [because] we are global, we touch a lot of things, we are disruptive, and we operate in information and people have a lot of opinions on that. I don’t think that will change. I think we have adapted to the role that we now play in the information industry that the role is one of innovation, disruption and still making the world a better place.”
Sounds good.
Resource: ipassielts.com
to be or not to be, that is the question
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For any actor there is probably only one part to aspire to in their theatrical career. To playHamlet can define you as an actor and ensure your legacy is forever talked and written about for generations to come.
Of course, it helps if you are famous to start with! Recently I saw Jude Law on stage in London in Shakespeare’s famous tragedy and was impressed. Jude Law - famous for his good looks and sex appeal - has recently had a patchy run of luck with his latest films. Nothing seems quite as successful as ‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’ when he played the playboy son of a shipping tycoon living a carefree life in Italy with his beautiful girlfriend on his father’s money. It was a part that saw him nominated for Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
So, did his portrayal of this Prince of Denmark mark a change in his theatrical fortunes? The character of Hamlet is difficult and complex; full of contradictions. How real is his madness? Is he consumed by grief at the death of his father? Does he really love Ophelia?
He shows Hamlet’s mental decline convincingly as well as his introspection – ‘to be or not to be’ – his rejection of Ophelia and rage against his mother. It is an intense, impassioned performance and it must be exhausting to be on the stage so much for almost 3 hours, but he certainly gives his all.
The audience were enthusiastic too. One fan described Jude Law’s performance as ‘totally absorbing’ and said ‘you get really drawn into the character and the cast are excellent’. It’ll be interesting to see how the New York audiences react when it opens there later this year.
Jude Law recently said of his acting “My only obligation is to keep myself and other people guessing.” However much you know about Hamlet I think he did that, which is the secret of any memorable performance of this play.
Resource: ipassielts.com
Of course, it helps if you are famous to start with! Recently I saw Jude Law on stage in London in Shakespeare’s famous tragedy and was impressed. Jude Law - famous for his good looks and sex appeal - has recently had a patchy run of luck with his latest films. Nothing seems quite as successful as ‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’ when he played the playboy son of a shipping tycoon living a carefree life in Italy with his beautiful girlfriend on his father’s money. It was a part that saw him nominated for Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
So, did his portrayal of this Prince of Denmark mark a change in his theatrical fortunes? The character of Hamlet is difficult and complex; full of contradictions. How real is his madness? Is he consumed by grief at the death of his father? Does he really love Ophelia?
He shows Hamlet’s mental decline convincingly as well as his introspection – ‘to be or not to be’ – his rejection of Ophelia and rage against his mother. It is an intense, impassioned performance and it must be exhausting to be on the stage so much for almost 3 hours, but he certainly gives his all.
The audience were enthusiastic too. One fan described Jude Law’s performance as ‘totally absorbing’ and said ‘you get really drawn into the character and the cast are excellent’. It’ll be interesting to see how the New York audiences react when it opens there later this year.
Jude Law recently said of his acting “My only obligation is to keep myself and other people guessing.” However much you know about Hamlet I think he did that, which is the secret of any memorable performance of this play.
Resource: ipassielts.com
Choices: is Big Brother watching you?
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In George Orwell’s classic book 1984, he predicted a society where everyone is under complete surveillance by the authorities and the phrase Big Brother is watching you, is a constant reminder of this.
Nowadays, if you live in the UK you might probably feel Big Brother has arrived with the constant ever-vigilant CCTV (Close Circuit TV) watching you almost everywhere you go.
There are an estimated 4.2 million CCTV cameras in Britain: more CCTV cameras in public spaces than any other country in the world and one for every 14 people. On average, an individual will appear on 300 CCTV cameras a day and those tapes are kept by many organisations for indefinite lengths of time.
Add to this facial recognition cameras and the introduction of the use of special listening devices which can be placed in lamp posts, street furniture and offices – the equipment can pick up aggressive tones on the basis of decibel level, pitch and speed at which words are spoken – and you soon realise that Britain is “sleepwalking into a surveillance society”, a warning that Richard Thomas, the information commissioner, gave in 2006.
Isn’t that enough? Apparently not as there was report this week that Police in the UK are planning to use unmanned spy drones, similar to those used in Afghanistan, for “routine” monitoring of antisocial motorists, protesters, agricultural thieves and fly-tippers, in a significant expansion of covert state surveillance. Principally this is for the 2112 London Olympics although they are developing a national drone plan.
Today, our movements and lives are watched or monitored in many ways including the systematic tracking and recording of travel and use of public services; automated use of CCTV; analysis of buying habits and financial transactions; and the monitoring of telephone calls, e-mail and internet use at home and in the workplace.
The level of surveillance will grow even further in the next 10 years as new technology and techniques are being used to gather a growing amount of information about UK citizens. The average person living in Britain has 3,254 pieces of personal information stored about him or her in one week, most of which is kept in databases for years and in some cases indefinitely.
Maybe fortunately, for reasons of cost, the Government seems to be having second thoughts on its plans to introduce a new system of biometric ID cards, including “biometrics” - fingerprints and iris scans - linked to a database of personal information.
So there you have it - every shopping trip, telephone call, card swipe, email sent and click of a mouse is being is recorded somewhere, and the information compiled and stored about Britain’s citizens. We are only missing telescreens in our living rooms to watch every move we make at home.
Should we have to live like this? There are concerns about the “creeping encroachment” on civil liberties created by this increasing intrusive surveillance into our daily lives. Some would argue that they - the authorities - are only safeguarding its citizens and protecting the public and you have nothing to fear if you are a law-abiding citizen going about your regular day-to-day business.
Is Big Brother watching you now?
Resource: ipassielts.com
Nowadays, if you live in the UK you might probably feel Big Brother has arrived with the constant ever-vigilant CCTV (Close Circuit TV) watching you almost everywhere you go.
There are an estimated 4.2 million CCTV cameras in Britain: more CCTV cameras in public spaces than any other country in the world and one for every 14 people. On average, an individual will appear on 300 CCTV cameras a day and those tapes are kept by many organisations for indefinite lengths of time.
Add to this facial recognition cameras and the introduction of the use of special listening devices which can be placed in lamp posts, street furniture and offices – the equipment can pick up aggressive tones on the basis of decibel level, pitch and speed at which words are spoken – and you soon realise that Britain is “sleepwalking into a surveillance society”, a warning that Richard Thomas, the information commissioner, gave in 2006.
Isn’t that enough? Apparently not as there was report this week that Police in the UK are planning to use unmanned spy drones, similar to those used in Afghanistan, for “routine” monitoring of antisocial motorists, protesters, agricultural thieves and fly-tippers, in a significant expansion of covert state surveillance. Principally this is for the 2112 London Olympics although they are developing a national drone plan.
Today, our movements and lives are watched or monitored in many ways including the systematic tracking and recording of travel and use of public services; automated use of CCTV; analysis of buying habits and financial transactions; and the monitoring of telephone calls, e-mail and internet use at home and in the workplace.
The level of surveillance will grow even further in the next 10 years as new technology and techniques are being used to gather a growing amount of information about UK citizens. The average person living in Britain has 3,254 pieces of personal information stored about him or her in one week, most of which is kept in databases for years and in some cases indefinitely.
Maybe fortunately, for reasons of cost, the Government seems to be having second thoughts on its plans to introduce a new system of biometric ID cards, including “biometrics” - fingerprints and iris scans - linked to a database of personal information.
So there you have it - every shopping trip, telephone call, card swipe, email sent and click of a mouse is being is recorded somewhere, and the information compiled and stored about Britain’s citizens. We are only missing telescreens in our living rooms to watch every move we make at home.
Should we have to live like this? There are concerns about the “creeping encroachment” on civil liberties created by this increasing intrusive surveillance into our daily lives. Some would argue that they - the authorities - are only safeguarding its citizens and protecting the public and you have nothing to fear if you are a law-abiding citizen going about your regular day-to-day business.
Is Big Brother watching you now?
Resource: ipassielts.com
Saturday, August 6, 2016
Choices: The parties we love to hate?
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Love it or hate it the UK General Election is here again.
On 6 May the British public will now decide who will be governing them for the next 5 years - or will they?
After three weeks of high-level persuasion by the various parties, the electorate will be given the chance to vote and choose a winning party, but the problem is that for this election it seems that nobody can be sure that any one party will win!
What’s happened? Well, it seems that the two main parties - the Labour party led by Gordon Brown, and the Conservative Party (also called the Tories) led by David Cameron - have seriously misjudged the mood of the country. They haven’t realised how fed up the British people are with their politicians who, as a result of revelations by a leading newspaper, were seen to be lining their own pockets and enjoying all the perks of being an MP – more than one house and huge expense accounts.
People want change and when Nick Clegg, the leader of the third party - the Liberal Democrats - started to offer real alternatives people started to be interested.
It all happened on a televised debate between the three leaders. The debate itself was a milestone as we have never had one before, but Nick Clegg turned the tables on the ‘old parties’ and showed the country that he had new policies and people could choose something new and different. His policies were all about ‘fairness’.
The opinion polls immediately showed that he had split the votes normally expected by either Labour or the Tories, and he seems to be able to maintain his popularity.
So as we approach Voting Day, the final result could be a hung Parliament – when no one party is the outright winner and the country could see a coalition government. Historically these have never been successful in Britain so we could also see new elections sooner than we think.
Whatever happens it looks as if British politics will never be the same again, but maybe we should wait to see what the British public really wants. Who knows, there could still be some more surprises yet to come.
Resource:ipassielts.com
On 6 May the British public will now decide who will be governing them for the next 5 years - or will they?
After three weeks of high-level persuasion by the various parties, the electorate will be given the chance to vote and choose a winning party, but the problem is that for this election it seems that nobody can be sure that any one party will win!
What’s happened? Well, it seems that the two main parties - the Labour party led by Gordon Brown, and the Conservative Party (also called the Tories) led by David Cameron - have seriously misjudged the mood of the country. They haven’t realised how fed up the British people are with their politicians who, as a result of revelations by a leading newspaper, were seen to be lining their own pockets and enjoying all the perks of being an MP – more than one house and huge expense accounts.
People want change and when Nick Clegg, the leader of the third party - the Liberal Democrats - started to offer real alternatives people started to be interested.
It all happened on a televised debate between the three leaders. The debate itself was a milestone as we have never had one before, but Nick Clegg turned the tables on the ‘old parties’ and showed the country that he had new policies and people could choose something new and different. His policies were all about ‘fairness’.
The opinion polls immediately showed that he had split the votes normally expected by either Labour or the Tories, and he seems to be able to maintain his popularity.
So as we approach Voting Day, the final result could be a hung Parliament – when no one party is the outright winner and the country could see a coalition government. Historically these have never been successful in Britain so we could also see new elections sooner than we think.
Whatever happens it looks as if British politics will never be the same again, but maybe we should wait to see what the British public really wants. Who knows, there could still be some more surprises yet to come.
Resource:ipassielts.com
Is the art of conversation dead?
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Sounds dramatic, doesn’t it? People not talking to each other, can this really be true?
Well, ask any teenagers and they will tell you that most of them spend their time texting not calling each other and having an ‘old fashioned’ chat.
Many teenagers send over 100 emails a day – interestingly, girls send more than boys – and if you think that sounds excessive, some send many more than that. With free text options, using more than one phone and having a large address book I met one young man the other day who claimed he sent thousands.
No wonder that there is new generation of young people developing larger thumbs!
It’s an easy and fun way to keep in touch with your friends and you don’t need a state of the art mobile phone to join in. It also is private and you can still use while you are doing other things – at school in class or even talking to your parents and no one knows what you are saying. How perfect is that?
In fact texting has completely taken over even from email – ‘What’s that? Something my Mum and Dad do at the office!’
Of course Twitter is the latest way to keep in touch with people and tell them what you are doing. You collect followers as well as friends so with clever networking you can reach many more people than you know and start telling them everything you are doing with your Tweet in just 140 characters.
Its one of the fastest growing social networking sites and with more and more people using their iPhone to stay online its an ideal way to communicate and stay in touch.
Its public access means that many people are using it to promote themselves. From politicians like Barack Obama (3.7 million followers) to movie stars like Demi Moore (over 2.5 million followers, although her husband Ashton Kutchner has nearly 5 million followers!) people are keen to read about their every move as well as Tweet back.
Resource:ipassielts.com
Well, ask any teenagers and they will tell you that most of them spend their time texting not calling each other and having an ‘old fashioned’ chat.
Many teenagers send over 100 emails a day – interestingly, girls send more than boys – and if you think that sounds excessive, some send many more than that. With free text options, using more than one phone and having a large address book I met one young man the other day who claimed he sent thousands.
No wonder that there is new generation of young people developing larger thumbs!
It’s an easy and fun way to keep in touch with your friends and you don’t need a state of the art mobile phone to join in. It also is private and you can still use while you are doing other things – at school in class or even talking to your parents and no one knows what you are saying. How perfect is that?
In fact texting has completely taken over even from email – ‘What’s that? Something my Mum and Dad do at the office!’
Of course Twitter is the latest way to keep in touch with people and tell them what you are doing. You collect followers as well as friends so with clever networking you can reach many more people than you know and start telling them everything you are doing with your Tweet in just 140 characters.
Its one of the fastest growing social networking sites and with more and more people using their iPhone to stay online its an ideal way to communicate and stay in touch.
Its public access means that many people are using it to promote themselves. From politicians like Barack Obama (3.7 million followers) to movie stars like Demi Moore (over 2.5 million followers, although her husband Ashton Kutchner has nearly 5 million followers!) people are keen to read about their every move as well as Tweet back.
Resource:ipassielts.com
The beauty of maps
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There’s a fascinating programme on BBC TV called The Beauty of Maps in celebration of ‘Magnificent Maps’ exhibition staring soon at the British Library in London.
It’s hard to underestimate the importance of maps in history. In fact the exhibition also has the title of ‘Power Propaganda and Art’, which shows their real significance.
Nowadays its easy to know where you are – SatNav, Google Maps and specialist maps galore – it is hard to get really lost almost wherever you are, and its impossible to imagine a world without maps.
As a pictorial representation of the world that we live in, maps were probably the earliest pictures that humans drew, but as people started to leave their own surroundings and travel around and then to other countries they needed some more accurate.
So maps making started to develop. First people had to understand the size of countries and places. When maps first started being drawn it was common for important places to be bigger in proportion to their size; often in the centre of the known world!
But people didn’t understand where they were in the world or the scale involved in distances. It was only when cartography became a science and mathematics could measure and represent size accurately, that maps really started to mean something.
When, in 1570, Mercator published his Atlas (a word Mercator chose to describe his first collection of maps) using his revolutionary ‘projection’, it transformed mapmaking. Using maths he constructed the first accurate view of the world and people could now travel from their armchair.
In fact this golden age of cartography came just at the right time as it changed the world of commerce. Nations became powerful as they began racing to expand overseas and discover the riches on the other side of the world.
So maps also became symbols of power – ‘the Empire on which the sun never sets’ was the phrase that was often used to describe the map featuring the British Empire coloured in red – as they helped show people their place in the world, create national identity and made politics real.
Hopefully those days are over and people will see and use maps for the objects of beauty and wonder that they are. You just have to look at those incredible satellite pictures of the earth to marvel at how Mercator got it so right all those centuries ago and what maps mean to us today.
Resource: ipassielts.com
It’s hard to underestimate the importance of maps in history. In fact the exhibition also has the title of ‘Power Propaganda and Art’, which shows their real significance.
Nowadays its easy to know where you are – SatNav, Google Maps and specialist maps galore – it is hard to get really lost almost wherever you are, and its impossible to imagine a world without maps.
As a pictorial representation of the world that we live in, maps were probably the earliest pictures that humans drew, but as people started to leave their own surroundings and travel around and then to other countries they needed some more accurate.
So maps making started to develop. First people had to understand the size of countries and places. When maps first started being drawn it was common for important places to be bigger in proportion to their size; often in the centre of the known world!
But people didn’t understand where they were in the world or the scale involved in distances. It was only when cartography became a science and mathematics could measure and represent size accurately, that maps really started to mean something.
When, in 1570, Mercator published his Atlas (a word Mercator chose to describe his first collection of maps) using his revolutionary ‘projection’, it transformed mapmaking. Using maths he constructed the first accurate view of the world and people could now travel from their armchair.
In fact this golden age of cartography came just at the right time as it changed the world of commerce. Nations became powerful as they began racing to expand overseas and discover the riches on the other side of the world.
So maps also became symbols of power – ‘the Empire on which the sun never sets’ was the phrase that was often used to describe the map featuring the British Empire coloured in red – as they helped show people their place in the world, create national identity and made politics real.
Hopefully those days are over and people will see and use maps for the objects of beauty and wonder that they are. You just have to look at those incredible satellite pictures of the earth to marvel at how Mercator got it so right all those centuries ago and what maps mean to us today.
Resource: ipassielts.com
No sex please! We’re not in New York!
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Maybe it was just a case of being surprisingly satisfied by something when your expectations are low rather than the usual scenario of being bitterly disappointed by an over-hyped, star-studded blockbuster which can only fail to deliver.
When a popular TV series transcends to the big screen, critics are quick to jump in with negative comparisons. And usually they are justified. But for me, SITC 2 had all the elements I would have expected from being a fan of the original show – crass humour, ridiculous outfits, soppy sentiment and cringe-worthy extravagance. Everything I love to hate!
I didn’t go to watch the movie for a cultural insight into US-Middle eastern relations, or to come away with an enlightened view of marriage and relationships, nor did I expect to relate to any of the over-indulgent, self-obsessed characters whose lives couldn’t be further removed from my own. And I doubt if that’s the reason that most people go to see this film.
It’s fantasy. It’s escapism. It’s your very ordinary life glammed up to the hilt which dares to dips a beautifully manicured toe into the day-to-day issues of modern life for middle-aged women. Family versus career? Marriage insecurities and infidelities. Motherhood guilt. Inequality in the workplace. The menopause!!
And while I said I didn’t relate to any of the Fab Four, there were moments in the film that struck a familiar chord. Charlotte locking herself in the larder on the verge of breakdown with two screaming children outside (we’ve all been there haven’t we?) and when career-driven Miranda finally jacks in her male-dominated job and as a result arrives just in time to witness her son winning 1st prize in his school science competition. Ahhh!
And while I said I didn’t relate to any of the Fab Four, there were moments in the film that struck a familiar chord. Charlotte locking herself in the larder on the verge of breakdown with two screaming children outside (we’ve all been there haven’t we?) and when career-driven Miranda finally jacks in her male-dominated job and as a result arrives just in time to witness her son winning 1st prize in his school science competition. Ahhh!
And then on the emotional flipside, there were slightly hysterical laugh-out-loud moments too. Charlotte’s initial reaction to her husband running off with the buxom bra-less nanny was “I can’t lose the nanny!” but for me the best laugh came towards the end with Samantha’s screaming confession in the middle of the Souk market, surrounded by shocked Arabs, “Yes, I have sex!” while the other three shamefully scrabble about on the floor picking up the impressive collection of condoms that have spilled from Samantha’s bag.
So, yes, it’s not very PC and could easily cause offense to those who take a serious stance on Middle Eastern values and the catastrophic consequences of Western greed. But you have to remember this was written as a comedy, not a social commentary intending to shed light on such delicate issues. It neatly sidesteps anything that might threaten to dampen its fluff and frivolity with off-the-cuff remarks about the credit-crunch and sexual inequality.
Agreeably, you have to be in the right frame of mind to enjoy this film. And that may involve emptying your mind of any right-on views or prejudices before you sit down to enjoy your popcorn.
Resource: ipassielts.com
Thursday, August 4, 2016
Online tuition vs Classroom tradition
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There has been a growing debate over the past decade as to the merits of traditional face-to-face teaching methods compared to the benefits of online learning. Those in favour of the traditional classroom environment with a live teacher presence will usually highlight the importance of real interaction, student collaboration, immediate feedback, and an overall ability to respond directly to student problems or areas of weakness. This is without mentioning of course the welcome absence of technical glitches that are part and parcel of any e-learning experience, no matter how advanced the technology.
On the other side of the coin, those technophiles who laud the far-reaching capabilities of the virtual classroom will champion its cost-effectiveness, its flexibility and convenience and its natural appeal to an increasingly techno-savvy student market.
But in the world of EFL, can language teachers really deliver a high standard of instruction without face-to-face contact? Engaging willing, enthusiastic students in collaborative language tasks doesn’t present a huge challenge, but encouraging weaker students, who naturally play a more passive role in the classroom, to participate in communicative activities is surely much harder without the aid of facial expressions, eye-contact and other forms of body language.
A lot also depends on individual learning styles. While independent learners who respond well to visual stimulus and have good IT skills may well benefit from an online course, someone who needs a more disciplined approach and responds better to kinaesthetic methods is more likely to achieve better results from physically attending a F2F course.
However, with the advanced capabilities of Web 2.0, the online courses available today are much more equipped to encompass a wide range of learning styles. With virtual classrooms now commonly using internet and webcam facilities for live video chats and interactive whiteboards to aid delivery of content, the role of the online tutor is becoming much more far-reaching than the traditional language teacher.
Personally, I believe that it all depends on the nature of the course you are studying and the type of learner that you are as to which method is best. The flexibility and convenience of e-learning is a real advantage to many, but it does require a certain degree of self-discipline and the role of the online tutor cannot be underplayed. In my view, a successful online learning experience should mirror the same motivational factors that would be expected in the actual classroom; encouragement, support, guidance, and above all, enjoyment!
Resource: ipassielts.com
Are we lost for words or simply losing words?
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With over 250,000 words in the English language, you’d think we would have enough words to describe just about everything, but apparently we don’t.
In Portugal, where I live, there is a word ‘saudade’ which even dictionaries admit is a word difficult to translate adequately. According to Wikipedia the word ‘describes a deep emotional state of nostalgic longing for something or someone that one was fond of and which is lost. It often carries a fatalist tone and a repressed knowledge that the object of longing might really never return’
It is said to have originated from the days when Portuguese sailors went round the world and they and their loved ones never knew if they would come back or when; a sort of ‘unrequited love’.
In later years after the famous earthquake of 1755 and Portugal’s sudden traumatic end to their ‘golden age’ it was said to take root in the national psyche and become a cultural characteristic as epitomised by ‘fado’.
So, are there other words?
There are plenty according to Adam Jacot de Boinod in his new book I Never Knew There Was A Word For It who researched over 300 languages and found words like:
Kaelling (Danish) - a woman who stands on her doorstep screaming obscenities at her children
Tantenverfuhrer (German) - a young man who tries to seduce his aunt
Physiggoomai (Ancient Greek) someone who is aroused by garlic
Maybe not the most useful words in any language but try these:
Gheegle (Filipino) The urge to pinch or squeeze something that is unbearably cute.
Cualacino (Italian) The mark left on a table by a cold glass.
Sgriob (Gaelic) The itchiness that overcomes the upper lip just before taking a sip of whisky
L’esprit de escalier (French) Staircase wit: The feeling you get after leaving a conversation, when you think of all the things you should have said.
Pari-pari and Saku-saku (Japanese) Hard-crispy verses Soft-crispy, i.e. a rice cracker versus fried chicken
Stam (Hebrew) An agreement out of amusement and frustration that something doesn’t have a satisfactory answer among those talking.
Forelsket (Norwegian) The euphoria you experience when you are first falling in love.
Pena ajena (Mexican Spanish) The embarrassment you feel watching someone else’s humiliation.
Maybe you know some more - let us know
Ironically there are words – non words or failed words - that don’t make it into the dictionary at all.
According to the The Daily Telegraph words like wurfing, dringle, sprogging and optotoxical have all been considered as possibly being included in the OED but didn’t make it. There needs to be enough evidence that people are using the words, but they aren’t permanently rejected and may be put in future dictionaries.
Perhaps I’d better go now, time for a bit of wurfing to do a bit of lexpionage or am I a stealth-geek?
In Portugal, where I live, there is a word ‘saudade’ which even dictionaries admit is a word difficult to translate adequately. According to Wikipedia the word ‘describes a deep emotional state of nostalgic longing for something or someone that one was fond of and which is lost. It often carries a fatalist tone and a repressed knowledge that the object of longing might really never return’
It is said to have originated from the days when Portuguese sailors went round the world and they and their loved ones never knew if they would come back or when; a sort of ‘unrequited love’.
In later years after the famous earthquake of 1755 and Portugal’s sudden traumatic end to their ‘golden age’ it was said to take root in the national psyche and become a cultural characteristic as epitomised by ‘fado’.
So, are there other words?
There are plenty according to Adam Jacot de Boinod in his new book I Never Knew There Was A Word For It who researched over 300 languages and found words like:
Kaelling (Danish) - a woman who stands on her doorstep screaming obscenities at her children
Tantenverfuhrer (German) - a young man who tries to seduce his aunt
Physiggoomai (Ancient Greek) someone who is aroused by garlic
Maybe not the most useful words in any language but try these:
Gheegle (Filipino) The urge to pinch or squeeze something that is unbearably cute.
Cualacino (Italian) The mark left on a table by a cold glass.
Sgriob (Gaelic) The itchiness that overcomes the upper lip just before taking a sip of whisky
L’esprit de escalier (French) Staircase wit: The feeling you get after leaving a conversation, when you think of all the things you should have said.
Pari-pari and Saku-saku (Japanese) Hard-crispy verses Soft-crispy, i.e. a rice cracker versus fried chicken
Stam (Hebrew) An agreement out of amusement and frustration that something doesn’t have a satisfactory answer among those talking.
Forelsket (Norwegian) The euphoria you experience when you are first falling in love.
Pena ajena (Mexican Spanish) The embarrassment you feel watching someone else’s humiliation.
Maybe you know some more - let us know
Ironically there are words – non words or failed words - that don’t make it into the dictionary at all.
According to the The Daily Telegraph words like wurfing, dringle, sprogging and optotoxical have all been considered as possibly being included in the OED but didn’t make it. There needs to be enough evidence that people are using the words, but they aren’t permanently rejected and may be put in future dictionaries.
Perhaps I’d better go now, time for a bit of wurfing to do a bit of lexpionage or am I a stealth-geek?
DICTIONARY OF NON WORDS
Accordionated – being able to drive and refold a road map at the same time
Asphinxiation – being sick to death of unanswerable puzzles or riddles
Blogish – a variety of English that uses a large number of initialisms, frequently used on blogs
Dringle – the watermark left on wood caused by a glass of liquid.
Dunandunate – the overuse of a word or phrase that has recently been added to your own vocabulary
Earworm – a catchy tune that frequently gets stuck in your head
Espacular – something especially spectacular
Freegan – someone who rejects consumerism, usually by eating discarded food
Fumb – your large toe
Furgle – to feel in a pocket or bag for a small object such as a coin or key
Glocalization – running a business according to both local and global considerations
Griefer – someone who spends their online time harassing others
Headset jockey – a telephone call centre worker
Lexpionage – the sleuthing of words and phrases
Locavor – a person who tries to eat only locally grown or produced food
Museum head – feeling mentally exhausted and no longer able to take in information; Usually following a trip to a museum
Nonversation – a worthless conversation, wherein nothing is explained or otherwise elaborated upon
Nudenda – an unhidden agenda
Oninate – to overwhelm with post-dining breath
Optotoxical – a look that could kill, normally from a parent or
spouse
Parrotise – a haven for exotic birds especially green ones
Peppier – a waiter whose sole job is to offer diners ground pepper, usually from a large pepper mill
Percuperate – to prepare for the possibility of being ill
Pharming – the practice of creating a dummy website for phishing data
Polkadodge – the dance that occurs when two people attempt to pass each other but move in the same direction
Pregreening – to creep forwards while waiting for a red light to change
Quackmire – the muddy edges of a duck pond
Scrax – the waxy coating that is scratched off an instant lottery ticket
Smushables – items that must be pack at the top of a bag to avoid being squashed
Spatulate – removing cake mixture from the side of a bowl with a spatula
Sprog – to go faster then a jog but slower then a sprint
Sprummer – when summer and spring time can’t decide which is to come first, usually hot one day then cold the next
Stealth-geek – someone who hides their nerdy interests while maintaining a normal outward appearance
Vidiot – someone who is inept at the act of programming video recording equipment
ResourcE: ipassielts.com
Word of the Week-Rise
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This week’s word can be used as a noun or a verb and is very useful for describing statistical information in Task 1 Academic IELTS writing questions.
The word is RISE and it generally means ‘to move upwards’ or ‘to increase’ but it can also mean ‘to achieve success’ or ‘to start a protest’.
Let’s look at how it can be used as a noun or a verb to mean ‘increase’. Remember it is anirregular verb (rise - rose - risen).
VERB examples
PAST - The price of petrol rose sharply again last month to reach an all-time high.
PAST up to the PRESENT - Temperatures have been rising gradually over the last few decades.
PRESENT - Rising unemployment continues to be the main challenge facing the present government.
FUTURE - Inflation is set to rise by another 2% in the next quarter.
PAST up to the PRESENT - Temperatures have been rising gradually over the last few decades.
PRESENT - Rising unemployment continues to be the main challenge facing the present government.
FUTURE - Inflation is set to rise by another 2% in the next quarter.
NOUN examples
Economists warn that the sudden rise in interest rates will have a damaging effect on consumer spending.
The dramatic rise in smartphone sales is bound to have a huge impact on e-commerce.
Although general crime figures have decreased in the last year, drug-related violence is on the rise.
Speculating on the rise and fall of the stock market is a very risky business.
The dramatic rise in smartphone sales is bound to have a huge impact on e-commerce.
Although general crime figures have decreased in the last year, drug-related violence is on the rise.
Speculating on the rise and fall of the stock market is a very risky business.
Note the difference between American and British English:
In British English you can use ‘a rise’ to describe an increase in pay, but in American English you would say ‘a raise’.
I’m going to ask my boss for a rise next month.
Staff in the New York office were awarded a raise of 3% this year
Staff in the New York office were awarded a raise of 3% this year
Resource: ipassielts.com
Word of the Week-Impact
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The word IMPACT has two meanings as a noun:
1. It means an EFFECT or INFLUENCE and is commonly used with verbs MAKE and HAVE.
For example;
Efforts to encourage recycling are making a major impact in rural areas.
The rise in e-commerce is having a significant impact on high street retailers.
The rise in e-commerce is having a significant impact on high street retailers.
Here are some other adjectives that are commonly used with ‘impact’:
BIG/IMPORTANT - dramatic, profound, serious
NEGATIVE - adverse, devastating, catastrophic
NEGATIVE - adverse, devastating, catastrophic
2. It can also be used to describe a collision between two objects or the force with which they hit each other.
For example;
The airbags will automatically inflate on impact. (when the car hits another object)
I was knocked unconscious by the force of the impact.
I was knocked unconscious by the force of the impact.
If you want to say that the impact is reduced by something, you can use the following verbs:
absorb / cushion / lessen / minimize / soften + the impact
For example; The Finance Minister failed to cushion the impact of government spending cuts.
IMPACT can also be used as a VERB, which means to have an effect or influence ON someone or something.
For example;
The high temperatures and lack of rain this Spring will impact dramatically on the agricultural sector.
Resource: ipassielts.com
IELTS Tip of the Week
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S tick to the question – don’t deviate and start talking about
something that is not relevant.
P ractice parts 2 and 3 – this is often where candidates start to
lose marks as they don’t have enough to say that is relevant.
E xtend and develop your answers, adding as much detail as
possible, to show the examiner you understand the question.
A sk the examiner to repeat the question if you’re unsure about
what they said – you will not lose any marks for this.
K eep speaking! Avoid yes/no answers. It’s better to say more
rather than less and don’t worry if the examiner stops you.
something that is not relevant.
P ractice parts 2 and 3 – this is often where candidates start to
lose marks as they don’t have enough to say that is relevant.
E xtend and develop your answers, adding as much detail as
possible, to show the examiner you understand the question.
A sk the examiner to repeat the question if you’re unsure about
what they said – you will not lose any marks for this.
K eep speaking! Avoid yes/no answers. It’s better to say more
rather than less and don’t worry if the examiner stops you.
O rganise your answers, but don’t memorize prepared speeches
as it will sound too unnatural.
U se interesting vocabulary but don’t try to use words that you are
not familiar with as you might use them incorrectly.
T ry not to be nervous! It’s easier said than done, but staying calm
will help you to think more clearly and perform better.
as it will sound too unnatural.
U se interesting vocabulary but don’t try to use words that you are
not familiar with as you might use them incorrectly.
T ry not to be nervous! It’s easier said than done, but staying calm
will help you to think more clearly and perform better.
Resource: ipassielts.com
Vocabulary Hot
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This week’s word is ADVICE - an opinion or suggestion that someone gives you about the best thing to do in a particular situation.
So when you have a problem or find yourself in a difficult situation you can seek advice(formal) or ask for advice. (informal)
And when someone gives you advice, you can decide whether to take their advice, act on their advice or simply ignore their advice and do nothing.
Example sentences;
I’m always giving my daughter good advice but she never listens to me.
I took my brother’s advice and quit my job.
If you’re having trouble at school why don’t you ask your teacher for some advice.
I have a serious problem with my neighbours and I’m thinking of seeking legal advice.
I took my brother’s advice and quit my job.
If you’re having trouble at school why don’t you ask your teacher for some advice.
I have a serious problem with my neighbours and I’m thinking of seeking legal advice.
REMEMBER - advice is an UNcountable noun so you CANNOT say ‘an advice’ or ‘advices’. You have to say ‘a piece of advice’ or ‘some advice’.
Other adjectives that you can use with advice: expert; financial; medical; practical; professional
Other verbs that you can use with advice: accept; follow; get; need; obtain; offer; provide; receive; want
Other verbs that you can use with advice: accept; follow; get; need; obtain; offer; provide; receive; want
So when do you advise?
Resource: ipassielts.com
IELTS reading test tips
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Check out our great new exam tips for the IELTS Academic Reading test!
R ead the question and instructions carefully
E nsure you check your answers
A nswer the questions one by one
D on’t write more than the stated number of words
I f you have time, go back to any unanswered questions
N ever spend too long on any one question, you don’t have time to do this!
G o through the questions and underline important information
E nsure you check your answers
A nswer the questions one by one
D on’t write more than the stated number of words
I f you have time, go back to any unanswered questions
N ever spend too long on any one question, you don’t have time to do this!
G o through the questions and underline important information
S kim and scan the texts to find information more quickly and easily
K nowledge of the subject will not always help you - read the text carefully
I f you are unsure of any answers, check and re-check the text thoroughly
L eave enough time to transfer your answers to the answer sheet
L ook for key words in each paragraph like dates, names and places
S pelling is important - you will lose points for bad spelling
K nowledge of the subject will not always help you - read the text carefully
I f you are unsure of any answers, check and re-check the text thoroughly
L eave enough time to transfer your answers to the answer sheet
L ook for key words in each paragraph like dates, names and places
S pelling is important - you will lose points for bad spelling
Resource: ipassielts.com
Summer Storywriting Competition
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All you have to do is write a story between 150-250 words which ends with the sentence:“That was the best summer of my life”.
Maybe it was the summer you had a fantastic holiday or maybe it was the summer that you finished all your exams. Whatever happened to make it your best summer ever, we would love to hear about it.
Don’t worry about your level of English - anyone can enter this competition. We are not judging the entries on grammatical accuracy. The winner will be the person who writes the most interesting story!
So if you can remember the best summer of your life so far, why not write and tell us about it. The lucky winner will be able to choose ANY iPass Course as their prize and will be announced in next month’s newsletter.
Resource: ipassielts.com
Word of the Week
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To ACHIEVE means to succeed in doing or having what you planned or intended, usually after a lot of hard work and effort.
But what sort of things can you achieve? Success? Popularity? Fame?
Well, it depends on who the achiever is?
A student achieves academic success after passing all his/her exams.
A writer might achieve worldwide acclaim if his/her books win important awards.
Actors whose films are great successes achieve fame and fortune.
An artist might achieve popularity if his/her paintings are sold all over the world.
A scientist might achieve a breakthrough if he/she discovers a new vaccine.
A sales team achieves its goals if they reach all their targets.
A writer might achieve worldwide acclaim if his/her books win important awards.
Actors whose films are great successes achieve fame and fortune.
An artist might achieve popularity if his/her paintings are sold all over the world.
A scientist might achieve a breakthrough if he/she discovers a new vaccine.
A sales team achieves its goals if they reach all their targets.
So, a person can be a low-achiever or a high-achiever, depending on how successful they are. You can also call someone an underachiever if they do not achieve the level of success that they are expected to.
If something can be achieved you can say it is achievable. Eg, I don’t think the sales targets are achievable this month.
If something is achieved you can call it an achievement. Eg, Winning the Nobel Peace Prize is an incredible achievement.
If something is achieved you can call it an achievement. Eg, Winning the Nobel Peace Prize is an incredible achievement.
And when you achieve something you often feel a sense of achievement - a good feeling from knowing that all your hard work has been worth it. Eg, Studying for a degree has been hard work but when I passed my final exams I felt a huge sense of achievement.
Resource: ipassielts.com
American English v British English
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That’s right!
In meaning, nothing. But, ‘holiday’ is British English and ‘vacation’ is American English. Do you know any other differences?
Here’s a little test for you. Read the following dialogue and decide if the speakers are using American English or British English.
Dialogue 1 - In a restaurant
A) I’ll have the steak with a side order of fries.
B) Have whatever you want, I’m paying.
A) No way! I’m getting the check today
B) Have whatever you want, I’m paying.
A) No way! I’m getting the check today
Resource: ipassielts.com
How to be more polite in English!
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Do you find it easy making requests in English? Or asking for information?
Do people sometimes look at you strangely even when you’re using perfect English?
It could be that your questions are a little bit toooooo direct for the native speaker. But what does that mean?
Look at these two questions:
1. Where’s the nearest bus station?
2. Do you know where the nearest bus station is?
Which question sounds more polite?
Number 2?
Resource: ipassielts.com
How to form indirect questions
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So how we do make our questions more polite? It’s easy! It’s a bit like joining two questions together:
TWO QUESTIONS: Do you know? + Where is the nearest bus station?
ONE QUESTION: Do you know where the nearest bus station is?
DIFFERENCE: The verb moves to the end of the question after the subject.
Resource: ipassielts.com
Test your grammar!
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an you change these direct questions into more polite indirect questions?
You can use ‘do you know’ or ‘can you tell me’ to start.
1. What time is the last bus?
2. Where is the tourist information office?
3. How much is a return ticket?
4. How far is the train station from here?
5. Why is the chemist closed?
2. Where is the tourist information office?
3. How much is a return ticket?
4. How far is the train station from here?
5. Why is the chemist closed?
Resource: ipassielts.com
Answers to grammar quiz
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Here are the answers to yesterday’s grammar quiz - changing direct questions into indirect questions.
1. Do you know / Can you tell me what time the last bus is?
2. Do you know / Can you tell me where the tourist information office is?
3. Do you know / Can you tell me how much a return ticket is?
4. Do you know / Can you tell me how far the train station is from here?
5. Do you know / Can you tell me why the chemist is closed?
How many did you get correct?
Resource: ipassielts.com
IELTS writing workshop - Task 2 questions
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IELTS candidate question:
If the question asks me to agree or disagree, should I give a balanced argument or a one-sided opinion? And what should I include in the conclusion?
iPassIELTS answer:
In all Task 2 questions you are expected to give your own opinion. If the question explicitly asks you to discuss both views then you should definitely present both sides of the argument before concluding with your own opinion.
If you’re being asked to agree or disagree then your answer could be more one-sided, especially if you strongly agree or disagree with the statement. The important thing is that you support your opinion/argument with relevant examples and reasons.
However, even if you are presenting a one-sided argument, it is still a good idea to include a contrasting view, because it shows that you have considered alternative opinions and it also gives you an opportunity to include some contrasting linkers!
For example, you might say ....
I strongly believe that the problem of rising crime, particularly in poorer areas, cannot be resolved by the police and prison system alone. However, there are many people who are in favour of giving the police more powers and increasing prison sentences in order to deter criminals from committing offences.
The reason why I think ...... is that ......
Resource: ipassielts.com
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