PART I
Exercise 1
Are the following nouns count or noncount? Put an N next to the noncount nouns and a C next to the count nouns. If the noun can be either noncount or count depending on the context, put a D next to it.
world -C
textbook- C
acid- D
smoking- D
poetry -N
applause -N
thought -N
banana -C
conduct -N
progress -N
biology -N
essay -C
crystal -D
shopping -C
Exercise 2
Put an X next to the words in the following list that can be used as either count or noncount nouns, depending on the context.
defense -X
beauty -X
garbage
experience -X
baggage
rain -X
rug
nature-X
bag
emotion -X
Exercise 3
Fill in the blank with the form of the noun in parentheses that is appropriate to the grammatical context of the sentence and the meaning of the passage as a whole.
Diabetes: Beyond the Basics
Because diabetes can cause devastating damage to virtually all body systems, people with diabetes should not underrate the seriousness of their disease. Learning to live with a chronic illness such as diabetes must be an ongoing process.
The Hospital's Center for Family Life Education is sponsoring a five-part educational series on diabetes. The series will begin on April 30 and continue through May 29. The program will be held in the second floor classroom of the Education Center from 7-9 p.m.
The diabetes series is free and open to the public and will be of specific interest to people who have diabetes and their families and friends.
Exercise 4
On the basis of the rules for using articles, which combinations of words below are permitted and which ones aren't? Put an X next to the incorrect combinations.
a table
these person- X
this furniture
that assignment
a boy
the poetry
a difficulty
a research- X
this eggs- X
those argument -X
Exercise 5
Fill in the blanks with the appropriate article if one is needed.
The Computer Jungle
Though you can make a decision on purely economic grounds, buying a computer is often more like joining a religious cult. Buy an Apple, for example, and almost by default you join Apple chairman Steve Jobs in his crusade against IBM. Every machine has its "users' groups" and a band of loyal enthusiasts who tout its merits. That makes it all the more difficult for the uninitiated to decide what machine to buy. Students have a huge advantage, however. The computer companies are so eager for students' business (it builds "brand loyalty") that many offer huge discounts.
In the past six months, IBM, Apple, and others have brought out new computers, and the fierce competition has forced prices down. Also, time is on your side: next year at this time you'll have even more choice and more computing power and features for the same price. On the other hand, this will probably be true for many years. So for those who need or want a computer now, it's a great time to buy one.
PARTII
In the following sentences, substitute one of these expressions for the underlined words:
little, quite a little or quite a bit of , few, quite a few
To clarify, little means "not much," but quite a little (or quite a bit of) means "a rather large amount." Few means "not many," but quite a few means "a rather large number."
1. Quite a few students have trouble with economics.
2. It requires few of reading.
3. Few advisors spend as much time with their students.
4. He has little hope of passing his exams.
5. George's advisor spends quite a little or quite a bit of time with him.
6. He knows few people in the class.
7. Bill spends little money on clothes.
8. She spends quite a little or quite a bit of money on CDs.
9. He has few suits.
10. He understands little of the reading.
domingo, 30 de noviembre de 2008
The Missing Piece of a Puzzle
In Tao Te Ching I have read values and lessons that are usually the same in the society I live in. Nevertheless, there are only few values I have been raised with, giving me the perception of a totally different culture and perception of life.
In my life, I have always seen wisdom and knowledge as a gift that only few in the world have. However, I have always have in consideration that “ignorance is blessed”, and life can be more fun in a superficial life, but a shallow happy life is far worse than a complicated live having a lot of knowledge.
The Tao Te Ching is in controversy, and advises to take the path of the shallow life. “Give up learning, and put an end to your troubles.” (Tao Te Ching 20).
My mother has a saying, “never go to the extremes, nor too much nor too little”. I have always tried to use it in my life especially with feelings, such as pride or admiration. However, I felt as Tao Te Ching was completely erasing ambition, “Accept disgrace willingly” “Accept being unimportant. Do not be concerned with loss or gain.” (Tao Te Ching 13). I disagree with this saying, for a person or animal will always be making an effort, but for there to be effort there must be the encouragement that comes with a drop of ambition. I do recognize that ambition can be deadly if there is too much of it, but I also recognize that none of it can take the purpose of effort, of life.
The Tao Te Ching and I have different perceptions towards life, and there is no way of knowing witch is wrong or right, and I believe that every individual will choose its path, after lessons and experiences from their lives.
In my life, I have always seen wisdom and knowledge as a gift that only few in the world have. However, I have always have in consideration that “ignorance is blessed”, and life can be more fun in a superficial life, but a shallow happy life is far worse than a complicated live having a lot of knowledge.
The Tao Te Ching is in controversy, and advises to take the path of the shallow life. “Give up learning, and put an end to your troubles.” (Tao Te Ching 20).
My mother has a saying, “never go to the extremes, nor too much nor too little”. I have always tried to use it in my life especially with feelings, such as pride or admiration. However, I felt as Tao Te Ching was completely erasing ambition, “Accept disgrace willingly” “Accept being unimportant. Do not be concerned with loss or gain.” (Tao Te Ching 13). I disagree with this saying, for a person or animal will always be making an effort, but for there to be effort there must be the encouragement that comes with a drop of ambition. I do recognize that ambition can be deadly if there is too much of it, but I also recognize that none of it can take the purpose of effort, of life.
The Tao Te Ching and I have different perceptions towards life, and there is no way of knowing witch is wrong or right, and I believe that every individual will choose its path, after lessons and experiences from their lives.
Muiscas
Sometimes I have the perception that what the Tao Te Ching is telling, is that a human being is what it has cultivated inside of him and not the materials he has gained. Therefore, a person only grows with the touch of values, and not the touch of time. “Claim wealth and titles, and disaster will follow” (Tao Te Ching 9). This reminds me of a piece of information I recently learned in El Museo del Oro. I learned that a tribe called the Muiscas, said that the fetal position of a human being resembles a basket, and from every experience the lesson will be saved in the basket.
Quick Thought
“All can know good as good only because there is evil.” (Tao Te Ching 2)reminded me of a scientific term that says, “there is no such a thing as darkness, darkness is the absence of light”, because the value and the term are opposites. In the value there is good because there is evil, in the term darkness exists because there is light.
miércoles, 12 de noviembre de 2008
Spelling Exercise
PLEASE NOTE: The answer numbers on this quiz do not correspond to the question numbers. Each drop-down answer has a separate number even if it belongs to a differently numbered question. We're aware that it's confusing and we're going to switch to a new system.
1. Where is my jacket? I wanted to wear it today, and if I can't find it, we’re going to be late.
2. Jane wanted to go on the school trip, but her mother said that two hundred dollars was too much for the family budget.
3. As she waited for Rodney to become conscience , Selma was seized with an attack of concious -- was there anything she could have done to prevent the accident?
4. The map led the intrepid treasure hunters to a lead box of precious stones.
5. Have you seen their coats? They’re going to need them; it's cold outside. I last saw the coats over there.
6. After conducting careful research, Shufang had a brilliant idea; she'd write a paper on Thomas More's concept of the ideal society in Utopia.
7. Even though Bob would rather play than video games study, he decided to hit the books and then play some Halo.
8. Its easy to admire a business that puts so much effort into creating it’s signs and window displays.
9. You’re fortunate to have survived the car crash without a scratch; it must have been because you were wearing your seat belt.
10. I would advise you to seek qualified legal advice about how to handle this situation.
1. Where is my jacket? I wanted to wear it today, and if I can't find it, we’re going to be late.
2. Jane wanted to go on the school trip, but her mother said that two hundred dollars was too much for the family budget.
3. As she waited for Rodney to become conscience , Selma was seized with an attack of concious -- was there anything she could have done to prevent the accident?
4. The map led the intrepid treasure hunters to a lead box of precious stones.
5. Have you seen their coats? They’re going to need them; it's cold outside. I last saw the coats over there.
6. After conducting careful research, Shufang had a brilliant idea; she'd write a paper on Thomas More's concept of the ideal society in Utopia.
7. Even though Bob would rather play than video games study, he decided to hit the books and then play some Halo.
8. Its easy to admire a business that puts so much effort into creating it’s signs and window displays.
9. You’re fortunate to have survived the car crash without a scratch; it must have been because you were wearing your seat belt.
10. I would advise you to seek qualified legal advice about how to handle this situation.
martes, 11 de noviembre de 2008
No More Untamed Horses
The Essentials Analects is a very old book, and was written when customs were different. For example, philosophy is studied more than technology, and now it is the other way around. Also, I have the impression that being obedient and respectful to the elder was much more important then, and in the XXI century speaking up your believe has a greater priority.
In the Book Seventeenth, I found a difference that rather disturbed me. Before, women were in a lower status than men, and they had to make them obedient and had the right to treat them as they pleased. Unfortunately, in the Analects this was mentioned. “The Master said, “Women and servants are particularly hard to manage: if you are too familiar with them, they grow insolent, but if you are too distant, they grow resentful:” (17.25). As I read it, I felt as we were untamed horses and that the Master was giving some advice to the owners, so they could have a nice and obedient animal.
I can imagine what people in other time periods would say about our culture, and how they will arrange rules to benefit us. Nevertheless, the pain caused in the present will always have a prolonged effect, for example many Jews and African Americans are still bleeding from their past suffering, and a young Colombian girl is still mad for the way woman were treated.
In the Book Seventeenth, I found a difference that rather disturbed me. Before, women were in a lower status than men, and they had to make them obedient and had the right to treat them as they pleased. Unfortunately, in the Analects this was mentioned. “The Master said, “Women and servants are particularly hard to manage: if you are too familiar with them, they grow insolent, but if you are too distant, they grow resentful:” (17.25). As I read it, I felt as we were untamed horses and that the Master was giving some advice to the owners, so they could have a nice and obedient animal.
I can imagine what people in other time periods would say about our culture, and how they will arrange rules to benefit us. Nevertheless, the pain caused in the present will always have a prolonged effect, for example many Jews and African Americans are still bleeding from their past suffering, and a young Colombian girl is still mad for the way woman were treated.
domingo, 9 de noviembre de 2008
Eternity
I believe that being named a professor of any kind is one of the greatest triumphs a human being could have. They have to make a relationship with someone that will last forever, but it is not based in their mutual love. In addition, a teacher has to differentiate every single pupil, and treat him or her differently according to his or her needs.
For me there are three types of teachers. The first and most important is your parent/s or guardian/s, and later comes the mentor and the teacher. A mentor is the teacher that will only teach what a student is willing to learn, and has no need to beg the student. The Master will qualify in this category after saying,
“I will not open the door for a mind that is not already striving to understand, nor will I provide words to a tongue that is not already struggling to speak. If I hold up one corner of a problem, and the student cannot come back to me with the other three I will not attempt to instruct him again.” (7.8). Then comes the teacher, that is someone that is forced to teach, doesn’t bend according to the pupils needs and has to bed for attention.
“Ran Qiu is very cautious, and so I wished to urge him on. Zilu, on the other hand, is too impetuous, and so I sought to hold him back.” (11.22) explained the Master. There is no way a teacher can treat all of his students equally, therefore the teacher has to be very flexible and opened for change. Also, with any job or work that you do you can follow a specific order, but a professor may have a calendar but will most likely have to arrange dates, to serve the pupil’s week or strong points.
As a result, a mentor will have to be dough, that will bend for specific needs, create a relationship without love, and at the same time feed the students needs. With all of these accomplished I agree with Henry Adams when he said, “ A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.” (Tuesdays with Morrie. Pg. 79. Henry Adams).
For me there are three types of teachers. The first and most important is your parent/s or guardian/s, and later comes the mentor and the teacher. A mentor is the teacher that will only teach what a student is willing to learn, and has no need to beg the student. The Master will qualify in this category after saying,
“I will not open the door for a mind that is not already striving to understand, nor will I provide words to a tongue that is not already struggling to speak. If I hold up one corner of a problem, and the student cannot come back to me with the other three I will not attempt to instruct him again.” (7.8). Then comes the teacher, that is someone that is forced to teach, doesn’t bend according to the pupils needs and has to bed for attention.
“Ran Qiu is very cautious, and so I wished to urge him on. Zilu, on the other hand, is too impetuous, and so I sought to hold him back.” (11.22) explained the Master. There is no way a teacher can treat all of his students equally, therefore the teacher has to be very flexible and opened for change. Also, with any job or work that you do you can follow a specific order, but a professor may have a calendar but will most likely have to arrange dates, to serve the pupil’s week or strong points.
As a result, a mentor will have to be dough, that will bend for specific needs, create a relationship without love, and at the same time feed the students needs. With all of these accomplished I agree with Henry Adams when he said, “ A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.” (Tuesdays with Morrie. Pg. 79. Henry Adams).
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