Click the link below to read the article:
http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Ganzfeld+experiment
http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Ganzfeld+experiment
Monday, 5 December 2011
Thursday, 20 October 2011
Reading Comprehensions
Passage-1 "Good monsoon but bad forecast"
The rains have been good during this year's south-west monsoon. The season ended with the country, as a whole, receiving one per cent more rain than the long-period average. The rains have been geographically well distributed too, with the north-west, the central region, and the southern part of the country getting more than average rainfall. Only the north-east recorded a deficit. Consequently, the country is looking forward to a bumper harvest in the kharif season. In this optimistic scenario, it is easy to forget that the India Meteorological Department's forecasts had gone awry.
In mid-April, the IMD put the countrywide seasonal rainfall at 98 per cent of the long-period average, with an error bar of five percentage points. In June, the agency revised it as 95 per cent with an error bar of four percentage points. While the country received excess rain in June, the rains in July were considerably below par. By the end of July, the nationwide deficit for the season stood at about four per cent. On August 1, the IMD declared that countrywide rainfall during August-September was likely to be 90 per cent of the long-period average, with an error bar of eight percentage points. This forecast raised the possibility of the monsoon fizzling out. But, as things turned out, the rains were well above average during both August and September.
In its end-of-season report, the IMD agreed that its operational long-range forecasts had not been “very accurate.” It explained that the sudden re-emergence of a La Nin˜a — the cooling in the equatorial Pacific Ocean that is usually beneficial for the monsoon — led to increased rainfall in the second half of the season. What is clear is that the department needs to re-evaluate the parameters that go into the statistical model used for its seasonal predictions. These parameters have remained unchanged for the past five years. It is possible that the correlation of some of them with the monsoon's outcome has dropped sharply and must therefore be replaced with new ones. There is also a good case for focussing on probabilistic forecasts. The IMD's April forecast indicated a 93 per cent probability that the monsoon would be ‘normal', with the nationwide rainfall between 90 per cent and 110 per cent of the long-period average; in June, that probability had dropped only to 80 per cent. Rainfall data for over a century show that seven years out of ten fall into this category. Thus, the probabilistic forecasts showed that this year the odds favoured a normal monsoon. And that, mercifully, is just how things have turned out.
Passage-2 "A Visionary Passes"
When Steve Jobs was asked in 1985 why should people make a heavy investment on a new computer built by Apple, he replied that if one asked Alexander Graham Bell about the possible uses of a telephone, he would have been able to say. Moreover, he envisioned a time when computers like the one he had made would be linked to a nationwide communications network. That uncanny understanding of the future course of technology, the intuition, vision and courage necessary to build it marked the extraordinary life of Steve Jobs. When he died at the age of 56, he left the venture he co-founded in his parents’ garage the most valuable technology company in the world. A restless diviner of digital future, Jobs made things for people before they knew they needed it. The first Macintosh computer brought technologies such as the Graphical User Interface and the mouse to the mainstream, scoring a giant leap over text-based displays. The iPod, the iPhone and the iPad werw products of his belief that humans, as instinctive users of tools, would love them. These creations successfully disrupted the universe of gadgets and entertainment, creating new benchmarks for products.
A quarter century ago, at a time when the computer business was focussed on big corporations and mainframes, Jobs pursued a vision to take the productivity of the computer to the small business person and the home user. He used innovation and reliability as growth engines. He was the digital woodworker who never compromised on design, materials, or craftsmanship, in hardware and software. Early in his career, Jobs argued that creativity was an asset of the young. As people grew older, they got struck in the patterns etched in their mind by their thoughts. Companies with many layers of middle management filtered out the passion for products. Jobs was the great exception - mercurial, driven and eagar to connect the dots of the future till the end. Unceremoniously thrown out of the company he co-founded, he returned to it enormously enriched with creative ideas. Despite suffering from rare form of Pancreatic cancer diagnosed soon after he unveiled the iTunes music store, he persevered with the development of new products such as iPhone. In his famous commencement address at Stanford University in 2005, he reflected on the inevitability of mortality: “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living somebody else’s life. Don’t be trapped by Dogma – which is living with the result of other people’s thinking ... And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition”. This summed up the life and work of a college dropout who, by connecting the dots and having the courage to follow his heart and intuition, changed the world.
Passage-3 “How Pathogens are killed”
Inside our body can be found the bloodiest of battlefields, where millions of organisms are massacred daily, without cease. It is a battle waged by our body’s immune system against a wide variety of pathogenic bacteria, virus, fungi and parasites. What makes the defence mechanism powerful is the two-level protection conferred by the immune system. The innate immune system that serves as the first line of defence is not antigen-specific; it readily targets all pathogenic organisms the moment they enter the body. The antigen-specific adaptive immune mechanism acts as the second line of protection to keep us healthy. This year’s Nobel prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to Bruce A. Beutler, Jules A. Hoffmann, and Ralph M. Steinman for revolutionising our understanding of the immune system by discovering the key principles that activate the defence mechanism. Beutler and Hoffmann will share half the prize money for discovering receptor proteins that recognize micro-organisms and activates the innate immunity. In 1996, Hoffmann found that the Toll gene was responsible for sensing pathogenic micro-organisms and that its activation was required for mounting innate immune response. Two-years later, Beutler discovered that components of micro-organisms bind to Toll-like receptors located in many cells. The binding activates the innate immunity, which results in inflammation and destruction of the pathogens.
The other half of the prize money was awarded to Steinmann for discovering, way back in 1970s, that dendritic cells were responsible for adaptive immunity. As they are antigen-specific, dendritic cells take time to react to an invading organism on first exposure; but immunological memory allows them to react more rapidly to the same antigen on subsequent exposures. This is the attribute researchers exploit while designing preventive vaccines.
Adaptive immunity holds great medical promise. The immune system can be directed to attack the tumour. Blocking the excessive production of cytokines when diseases show up can ameliorate autoimmunity. Even preserving autoimmune diseases may become possible when certain cells of the immune system are successfully silenced. Steinmann will go down history as not just a highly worthy Nobel Prize winner. He was (as a Rockefeller University statement explains) “diagnosed with pancreatic cancer four years ago... his life was extended using dendritic-cell based immunotherapy of his own design,” and he died three days before his Nobel was announced.
Passage-2 "A Visionary Passes"
When Steve Jobs was asked in 1985 why should people make a heavy investment on a new computer built by Apple, he replied that if one asked Alexander Graham Bell about the possible uses of a telephone, he would have been able to say. Moreover, he envisioned a time when computers like the one he had made would be linked to a nationwide communications network. That uncanny understanding of the future course of technology, the intuition, vision and courage necessary to build it marked the extraordinary life of Steve Jobs. When he died at the age of 56, he left the venture he co-founded in his parents’ garage the most valuable technology company in the world. A restless diviner of digital future, Jobs made things for people before they knew they needed it. The first Macintosh computer brought technologies such as the Graphical User Interface and the mouse to the mainstream, scoring a giant leap over text-based displays. The iPod, the iPhone and the iPad werw products of his belief that humans, as instinctive users of tools, would love them. These creations successfully disrupted the universe of gadgets and entertainment, creating new benchmarks for products.
A quarter century ago, at a time when the computer business was focussed on big corporations and mainframes, Jobs pursued a vision to take the productivity of the computer to the small business person and the home user. He used innovation and reliability as growth engines. He was the digital woodworker who never compromised on design, materials, or craftsmanship, in hardware and software. Early in his career, Jobs argued that creativity was an asset of the young. As people grew older, they got struck in the patterns etched in their mind by their thoughts. Companies with many layers of middle management filtered out the passion for products. Jobs was the great exception - mercurial, driven and eagar to connect the dots of the future till the end. Unceremoniously thrown out of the company he co-founded, he returned to it enormously enriched with creative ideas. Despite suffering from rare form of Pancreatic cancer diagnosed soon after he unveiled the iTunes music store, he persevered with the development of new products such as iPhone. In his famous commencement address at Stanford University in 2005, he reflected on the inevitability of mortality: “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living somebody else’s life. Don’t be trapped by Dogma – which is living with the result of other people’s thinking ... And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition”. This summed up the life and work of a college dropout who, by connecting the dots and having the courage to follow his heart and intuition, changed the world.
Passage-3 “How Pathogens are killed”
Inside our body can be found the bloodiest of battlefields, where millions of organisms are massacred daily, without cease. It is a battle waged by our body’s immune system against a wide variety of pathogenic bacteria, virus, fungi and parasites. What makes the defence mechanism powerful is the two-level protection conferred by the immune system. The innate immune system that serves as the first line of defence is not antigen-specific; it readily targets all pathogenic organisms the moment they enter the body. The antigen-specific adaptive immune mechanism acts as the second line of protection to keep us healthy. This year’s Nobel prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to Bruce A. Beutler, Jules A. Hoffmann, and Ralph M. Steinman for revolutionising our understanding of the immune system by discovering the key principles that activate the defence mechanism. Beutler and Hoffmann will share half the prize money for discovering receptor proteins that recognize micro-organisms and activates the innate immunity. In 1996, Hoffmann found that the Toll gene was responsible for sensing pathogenic micro-organisms and that its activation was required for mounting innate immune response. Two-years later, Beutler discovered that components of micro-organisms bind to Toll-like receptors located in many cells. The binding activates the innate immunity, which results in inflammation and destruction of the pathogens.
The other half of the prize money was awarded to Steinmann for discovering, way back in 1970s, that dendritic cells were responsible for adaptive immunity. As they are antigen-specific, dendritic cells take time to react to an invading organism on first exposure; but immunological memory allows them to react more rapidly to the same antigen on subsequent exposures. This is the attribute researchers exploit while designing preventive vaccines.
Adaptive immunity holds great medical promise. The immune system can be directed to attack the tumour. Blocking the excessive production of cytokines when diseases show up can ameliorate autoimmunity. Even preserving autoimmune diseases may become possible when certain cells of the immune system are successfully silenced. Steinmann will go down history as not just a highly worthy Nobel Prize winner. He was (as a Rockefeller University statement explains) “diagnosed with pancreatic cancer four years ago... his life was extended using dendritic-cell based immunotherapy of his own design,” and he died three days before his Nobel was announced.
Saturday, 15 October 2011
Awakenings (1990) - Movie Watch
Storyline:
Based on a true story as related by neurologist Oliver Sacks, Awakenings stars Robin Williams as the Sacks counterpart, here named Dr. Malcolm Sayer. Something of a klutz and naif, Dr. Sayer takes a job at a Bronx psychiatric hospital in 1969. Here he's put in charge of several seemingly catatonic patients who, under Sayer's painstaking guidance, begin responding to certain stimuli. Apprised of the efficacy of a new drug called L-DOPA in treating degenerative-disease victims, Sayer is given permission to test the drug on one of his patients: Leonard Lowe (Robert De Niro), who has not communicated with anyone since lapsing into catatonia as a child. Gradually, Lowe comes out of his shell, encouraging Sayers to administer L-DOPA to the other patients under his care.
Cast:
Robert De Niro (Leonard Lowe), Robin Williams (Dr. Malcolm Sayer), Julie Kavner (Eleanor Costello), Ruth Nelson (Mrs. Lowe), Penelope Ann Miller (Paula).
Trailer:
Trailer:
Reviews:
Spenser S. (Rotten Tomatoes) says,
Awakening to the world after thirty years, lost youth, the incomprehensible loss of who you were in contrast to who you could be in the future, is a heavy subject matter. Luckily we have the extraordinary efforts of actors Robin Williams and Robert De Niro to encapsulate the spectrum of human behavioral science and emotion. The aspects of the film that make it true are for certain the most astounding, drawing on the experiences of neurologist and author Oliver Sacks, who worked with catatonic patients from the 1917-1928 encephalitis epidemic. What is really very disturbing about the film, is watching fictionalized Dr. Malcolm Sayer come to the conclusion that these patients are in fact only sedate, and have the mental faculties to make a full recovery. This is both good news for their future state, and devastatingly horrifying to think of their mental prison for the past thirty years, trying to communicate with the broader world but being limited by their own body. We watch the good doctor bring back Leonard Lowe (De Niro), a child at the time of his crisis, and now a full grown man with the faculties of an infant. His transformation is subdued, nothing overall astounding about his awakening, since no one seems able to witness them when they happen. He wakes from sleep, recognizes that he's back with the tender joy of a child, and remembers the death of his former state, but not the events of the past thirty years. As the other patients also awaken, and their journey begins, we're fed the horror of wasted life, the principle of the film to drive you into living when others cannot. The premise was executed in a fairly original way, the acting was sincere and realistic for the otherworldly circumstances that developed from it, and everything is believable and neither sappy nor unenjoyable. It's only the long winded approach to certain sections that keeps me from enjoying it through and through, the lack of true depression at the very end, only the possibility for Sayer to finally live now that he's seen the worst of unused potential. It's too bittersweet a taste for me when I've gone through the rigmarole of this film.
Rotten Tomatoes: 90%
Tuesday, 11 October 2011
Passage Reading on "Assessments for Process Improvement in an Organizations"
Para-1
An aborted or misguided assessment will do little good and can even make situation worse. Prior to an assessment the professionals are generally aware of their worst problems and often assume management is not. While this leads them to view management as mildly inept, they frequently assume management doesn't understand the issues and cannot be expected to solve them. After an assessment, this is no longer the case.
Para-2
A small team of outside experts cannot hope to identify in a few days the most critical problems in any organization. Complex problems rarely have simple answers, and the subtleties of most organizations are far too intricate for any group to fathom quickly.
Para-5
Exhortations that ask for increased productivity without providing specific improvement methods can handicap an organization. They do nothing but express management's desires. They do not produce a better product or service, because the workers are limited by the system. Goals should be set that are achievable and are committed to the long-term success of the organization. Improvements in the process can be made only with adequate availability of tools and methods.
Para-6
Instead of management by objective, management must learn the capabilities of the processes and how to improve them. Internal goals set by management, without a method, are a burlesque. Management by numerical goals is an attempt to manage with our knowledge of what to do. An excellent analysis supporting this point is given by Castellano and Roehm.
Para-7
Punitive supervisions of workers in an organization, Inadequate or ineffective equipments for performing the required work, Poor designs leading to production of junks, Inadequate training, Workers blamed for system problems can be a barrier that rob people of Pride of workmanship. Restoring pride will require a long-term commitment by the management, by doing so, workers can work for common good.
Para-8
Proven methodologies like Total Quality Management (TQM) should be adapted. TQM enhances traditional way of doing business. It is a proven technique to guarantee survival in world-class competition. Only by changing actions of management will the culture and action of entire organization be transformed. TQM is the art of managing the whole to achieve excellence. TQM provides a firm base for continuous improvement in an organization. It applies quantitative methods and human resource to improve all the processes within an organization and exceed customers need now and in the future.
Para-9
TQM ensures the following aspects:
Para-5
Exhortations that ask for increased productivity without providing specific improvement methods can handicap an organization. They do nothing but express management's desires. They do not produce a better product or service, because the workers are limited by the system. Goals should be set that are achievable and are committed to the long-term success of the organization. Improvements in the process can be made only with adequate availability of tools and methods.
Para-6
Instead of management by objective, management must learn the capabilities of the processes and how to improve them. Internal goals set by management, without a method, are a burlesque. Management by numerical goals is an attempt to manage with our knowledge of what to do. An excellent analysis supporting this point is given by Castellano and Roehm.
Para-7
Punitive supervisions of workers in an organization, Inadequate or ineffective equipments for performing the required work, Poor designs leading to production of junks, Inadequate training, Workers blamed for system problems can be a barrier that rob people of Pride of workmanship. Restoring pride will require a long-term commitment by the management, by doing so, workers can work for common good.
Para-8
Proven methodologies like Total Quality Management (TQM) should be adapted. TQM enhances traditional way of doing business. It is a proven technique to guarantee survival in world-class competition. Only by changing actions of management will the culture and action of entire organization be transformed. TQM is the art of managing the whole to achieve excellence. TQM provides a firm base for continuous improvement in an organization. It applies quantitative methods and human resource to improve all the processes within an organization and exceed customers need now and in the future.
Para-9
TQM ensures the following aspects:
- A committed and involved management to provide long-term top-to-bottom organizational support.
- An unwavering focus on the customer, both internally and externally.
- Effective involvement and utilization of the entire work force.
- Continuous improvement of the business and production process.
- Treating suppliers as partners.
- Establish performance measures for the process.
Tuesday, 4 October 2011
Word List from Psalms.
- Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have led a blameless life; I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.
- I do not sit with deceitful men, nor do I consort with hypocrites.
- I abhor the assembly of evildoers and refuse to sit with the wicked.
Reference:
The Ages Digital Library Bibles - New International Version - Old Testament, Version 1.0 1996
Audio Bible @ : Biblegateway.com
Saturday, 24 September 2011
The Lady is a Tramp! - Tony Bennett ft. Lady Gaga
She gets too hungry for dinner at 8 (I'm starving)
She loves the theater but she never comes late
I never bother with people i hate
That’s why this chick is a tramp
She doesn't like crap games with barons and earls
Won't go to Harlem in ermine and pearls
And I definitely won’t dish the dirt with the rest of those girls
That’s why the lady is a tramp
I love the free fresh wind in my hair
Life without care
Oh, I'm so broke, IT'S OH!
I hate California. It's crowded and damp
That’s why the lady is a tramp
I'M A TRAMP!
Sometimes I go to Coney Island
Oh, the beach is divine
I love the yankees
Jeter is just fine
I follow rounders and park
She sings every line
That's why the lady is a tramp
I love the prize fight
That isn't a fake
No fakes
And I love to rowboat with you and your wife in Central Park Lake
She goes to the opera and stays wide awake
YES I DO
That's why this lady is a tramp
She likes the green (green) grass (grass) under her shoes
What can I lose? cause I got no dough
I'm all alone when I'm doing my hair
That's why the lady is a tramp, GO!
I love your free fresh, I love your handkerchief in my hair
Life without care
But I'm so broke, THAT'S OH!
Hates California, it's cold and it's damp
THAT'S WHY THE LADY IS A TRAMP
THAT'S WHY THIS LADY IS A TRAMP
THAT'S WHY THE LADY IS A TRAMP.
Tuesday, 13 September 2011
Do not confuse one word with another
Ability, Capacity. Ability means the power to do something, mental or physical ("ability to manage an office"). Capability is the ability to hold, contain or absorb ("a suitcase filled to capacity").
Affect, Effect. Affect as a verb, means "to assume" or "to influence". ("Her voice affected me strangely"). Effect, as a verb means "to cause"; as a noun, it means "result". ("Being captain effected a change in his attitude"). "The decision had a profound effect on labor relations").
Among, Between. The former indicates a relationship of more than two objects; 'between' refers to only two, or to more than two when each object is considered in relation to the others. ("The land was divided among seven farmers". "The rivalry between Joe and Kate is intense". "Trade between nations is desirable".
Complement, Compliment. Complement means something which completes. ("This hat will complement your wardrobe"). A compliment is a flattering comment. ("When she remarked that he was awesome, Ted thanked her for the compliment").
Continual, Continuous. In some uses, these words are synonymous. A subtle distinction is that 'continual' implies 'a closed recurrence in time', in 'rapid succession'; continuous implies, "without interruption". ("I objected most of my sisters' continual quarreling"). "The continuous dripping of water from that leaky faucet unnerved me").
Council, Counsel. Council means 'an assembly', 'a group'. ("A council of labor leaders voted to the proposal"). Counsel is both a noun and a verb ans means 'advice' or 'to advice'. (" 'Work hard and save your money' is indeed wise counsel"). "Our minister will counsel me whenever problems arise").
Emigrate, Immigrate. The former means to 'to leave'; the latter means 'to enter'. ("The foreman emigrated from Russia in 1918"). "In the future, a great number of people from Latin countries will immigrate to Canada").
Envelop, Envelope. The verb en-vel' op (accent on second syllable) means 'to cover', 'to wrap'. ("Fog will soon envelop the island"). En'vel-ope (accent on first syllable) is noun meaning 'a covering'. ("Your invoice is contained in this envelope").
Farther, Further. These are interchangeable; however, some writers prefer farther to indicate 'space', 'a measurable distance', and further to indicate 'greater in quantity, degree, or time' and also 'moreover', 'in addition to'. ("I drove eight miles farther". "Let us give the matter a further consideration").
Formally, Formerly. The first word means 'in a formal manner', 'precisely', 'ceremonially'. The latter means 'in the past'. ("The artist was formally introduced to the President"). ("I was formerly treasurer of my class").
Fort, Forte. Fort means an 'enclosed place', a 'fortified building'. Forte means 'special accomplishment or ability'. ("The old fort has been turned into a museum". "I am not a golfer; tennis is my forte").
Gourmand, Gourmet. These words have to do with eating, but they are different meaning. A gourmand in a large eater. ("Teen-age boys are notorious gourmands'). A gourmet is a fastidious eater, an epicure, 'a person who knows a lot about food and cooking, and who enjoys eating high-quality food'. ("Les Chevalier du Tastevin is an association of well-known gourmets").
Healthful, Healthy. These words are often used interchangeably, but healthful precisely means 'conductive to health'; healthy means 'possessing health'. In other words, place and food are healthful, people and animal are healthy. ("An athlete must be a healthy person because of his healthful daily activities").
Human, Humane. The term human refers to a person. Some particularly precise writers and speakers do not use the word alone to refer to man as man; they say or write 'human being'. However, use the word alone as a noun has a long and respectable background. Humane means 'tender', 'merciful', 'considerate'. ("The general insisted upon humane treatment of all prisoners").
Impractical, Impracticable. Distinctions in the meanings of these words have broken down somewhat, but the former means 'speculative' or 'theoretical'. Impracticable means 'not capable of being used', 'unmanageable'. ("His plan is impractical and his instructions are impracticable").
Jealous, Zealous. The former means 'resentful' or 'envious'; idiom decrees that jealous should be followed by of, not for. ("Ingrid is jealous for Margaret's ring"). Zealous means 'diligent', 'devoted'. ("They were zealous workers on behalf of their candidate").
Later, Latter. The spelling of these words is often confused. They also have different meanings. Later refers to time. ("The train arrived five minutes later than usual"). Latters means 'near or towards the end of something'. ("Building of the new library should begin in the latter part of next year.").
Least, Lest. The former means 'smallest', 'slighest'. The latter means 'for fear that'. ("It was the very least I could do"). ("Close the door lest our secret be overheard").
Leave, Let. Both words are common in several idiomatic expressions implying permission, but Let is standard whearas Leave is not. ("Let [not Leave] me help you wash the dishes").
Loan, Lend. Many careful writers and speakers use 'Loan' only as a noun ("to make a loan") and 'Lend' as a verb ("to lend money"). Because of constant and widespread usage, loan is now considered a legitimate verb to be avoided only in strict formal English.
Luxuriant, Luxurious. 'Luxuriant' refers to abundant growth; 'Luxurious' pertains to luxury. ("The blooms in her garden were luxuriant"). ("Silk curtains gave the simple room a luxurious touch").
Maybe, May be. The first means 'perhaps'. ("Maybe I will go bowling today"). May be (two words) is used to express possibility. ("There may be some food in the refrigerator").
Most, Almost. Most is the superlative of many and much and means 'greatest in amount, quality or degree'. Almost indicates 'very nearly', 'but all'. Most is colloquial when used for Almost. ("He has almost [not most] come to a decision").
Passed, Past. The first word is the past tense of the verb to pass; in its use as a verb, the latter is the past participle. ("He passed quietly by the open doorway". "The years of struggle are now past"). 'Past' is not only a verb; it is also a noun. In one or the other of these two categories, it appears in many expressions which are either colloquial or slangy, among them pass the buck, make a pass at, a pretty pass, pass up, pass out.
Regard, Regards. The latter is used with as to mean 'consider' or 'think'. ("He regards me as a brother"). 'In regard to' and 'with regard to' are idiomatically sound, but both phrases are wordy and jargonistic. In these same phrases, regards is nonstandard. Limit your use of regards to the plural form of the noun regard and singular form of the verb. ("Please give your aunt my regards").
Reference:
Harry Shaw, "Handbook of English" - Second Canadian Edition, McGraw Hill Publications, 1970. [258/59a]
Among, Between. The former indicates a relationship of more than two objects; 'between' refers to only two, or to more than two when each object is considered in relation to the others. ("The land was divided among seven farmers". "The rivalry between Joe and Kate is intense". "Trade between nations is desirable".
Complement, Compliment. Complement means something which completes. ("This hat will complement your wardrobe"). A compliment is a flattering comment. ("When she remarked that he was awesome, Ted thanked her for the compliment").
Continual, Continuous. In some uses, these words are synonymous. A subtle distinction is that 'continual' implies 'a closed recurrence in time', in 'rapid succession'; continuous implies, "without interruption". ("I objected most of my sisters' continual quarreling"). "The continuous dripping of water from that leaky faucet unnerved me").
Council, Counsel. Council means 'an assembly', 'a group'. ("A council of labor leaders voted to the proposal"). Counsel is both a noun and a verb ans means 'advice' or 'to advice'. (" 'Work hard and save your money' is indeed wise counsel"). "Our minister will counsel me whenever problems arise").
Emigrate, Immigrate. The former means to 'to leave'; the latter means 'to enter'. ("The foreman emigrated from Russia in 1918"). "In the future, a great number of people from Latin countries will immigrate to Canada").
Envelop, Envelope. The verb en-vel' op (accent on second syllable) means 'to cover', 'to wrap'. ("Fog will soon envelop the island"). En'vel-ope (accent on first syllable) is noun meaning 'a covering'. ("Your invoice is contained in this envelope").
Farther, Further. These are interchangeable; however, some writers prefer farther to indicate 'space', 'a measurable distance', and further to indicate 'greater in quantity, degree, or time' and also 'moreover', 'in addition to'. ("I drove eight miles farther". "Let us give the matter a further consideration").
Formally, Formerly. The first word means 'in a formal manner', 'precisely', 'ceremonially'. The latter means 'in the past'. ("The artist was formally introduced to the President"). ("I was formerly treasurer of my class").
Fort, Forte. Fort means an 'enclosed place', a 'fortified building'. Forte means 'special accomplishment or ability'. ("The old fort has been turned into a museum". "I am not a golfer; tennis is my forte").
Gourmand, Gourmet. These words have to do with eating, but they are different meaning. A gourmand in a large eater. ("Teen-age boys are notorious gourmands'). A gourmet is a fastidious eater, an epicure, 'a person who knows a lot about food and cooking, and who enjoys eating high-quality food'. ("Les Chevalier du Tastevin is an association of well-known gourmets").
Healthful, Healthy. These words are often used interchangeably, but healthful precisely means 'conductive to health'; healthy means 'possessing health'. In other words, place and food are healthful, people and animal are healthy. ("An athlete must be a healthy person because of his healthful daily activities").
Human, Humane. The term human refers to a person. Some particularly precise writers and speakers do not use the word alone to refer to man as man; they say or write 'human being'. However, use the word alone as a noun has a long and respectable background. Humane means 'tender', 'merciful', 'considerate'. ("The general insisted upon humane treatment of all prisoners").
Impractical, Impracticable. Distinctions in the meanings of these words have broken down somewhat, but the former means 'speculative' or 'theoretical'. Impracticable means 'not capable of being used', 'unmanageable'. ("His plan is impractical and his instructions are impracticable").
Jealous, Zealous. The former means 'resentful' or 'envious'; idiom decrees that jealous should be followed by of, not for. ("Ingrid is jealous for Margaret's ring"). Zealous means 'diligent', 'devoted'. ("They were zealous workers on behalf of their candidate").
Later, Latter. The spelling of these words is often confused. They also have different meanings. Later refers to time. ("The train arrived five minutes later than usual"). Latters means 'near or towards the end of something'. ("Building of the new library should begin in the latter part of next year.").
Least, Lest. The former means 'smallest', 'slighest'. The latter means 'for fear that'. ("It was the very least I could do"). ("Close the door lest our secret be overheard").
Leave, Let. Both words are common in several idiomatic expressions implying permission, but Let is standard whearas Leave is not. ("Let [not Leave] me help you wash the dishes").
Loan, Lend. Many careful writers and speakers use 'Loan' only as a noun ("to make a loan") and 'Lend' as a verb ("to lend money"). Because of constant and widespread usage, loan is now considered a legitimate verb to be avoided only in strict formal English.
Luxuriant, Luxurious. 'Luxuriant' refers to abundant growth; 'Luxurious' pertains to luxury. ("The blooms in her garden were luxuriant"). ("Silk curtains gave the simple room a luxurious touch").
Maybe, May be. The first means 'perhaps'. ("Maybe I will go bowling today"). May be (two words) is used to express possibility. ("There may be some food in the refrigerator").
Most, Almost. Most is the superlative of many and much and means 'greatest in amount, quality or degree'. Almost indicates 'very nearly', 'but all'. Most is colloquial when used for Almost. ("He has almost [not most] come to a decision").
Passed, Past. The first word is the past tense of the verb to pass; in its use as a verb, the latter is the past participle. ("He passed quietly by the open doorway". "The years of struggle are now past"). 'Past' is not only a verb; it is also a noun. In one or the other of these two categories, it appears in many expressions which are either colloquial or slangy, among them pass the buck, make a pass at, a pretty pass, pass up, pass out.
Regard, Regards. The latter is used with as to mean 'consider' or 'think'. ("He regards me as a brother"). 'In regard to' and 'with regard to' are idiomatically sound, but both phrases are wordy and jargonistic. In these same phrases, regards is nonstandard. Limit your use of regards to the plural form of the noun regard and singular form of the verb. ("Please give your aunt my regards").
Reference:
Harry Shaw, "Handbook of English" - Second Canadian Edition, McGraw Hill Publications, 1970. [258/59a]
Sunday, 28 August 2011
Vocab Builder - Part-2 - (Braingle)
A) Doctrine
- An in-closed place in which heat is produced by the combustion of fuel, as for reducing ores or melting metals, for warming a house, for baking pottery, etc.
- Cognizance; view; especially, reach of sight or knowledge.
- To pronounce especially publicly to be blameworthy or evil.
- To be, or come, in the way of; to hinder from passing; to stop; to impede; to retard.
- That which is taught; what is held, put forth as true, and supported by a teacher, a school, or a sect; a principle or position, or the body of principles, in any branch of knowledge; any tenet or dogma; a principle of faith
- Fatigued by overwork: EXHAUSTED.
- Great tumult; violent disturbance and noise; noisy confusion; bustle and clamor.
- To win ower; to gain from a state of hostility; to gain the good will or favor of; to make friendly; to mollify; to propitiate; to appease.
- A body of officials disposed organically in ranks and orders each subordinate to the one above it; a body of ecclesiastical rulers.
- Drooping or flagging from exhaustion; indisposed to exertion; without animation; weak; weary; heavy; dull.
C) Lucubrate [TFD]
- To negotiate over the terms of a purchase, agreement, or contract: HAGGLE.
- A substance that enters into and is altered in the course of a chemical reaction.
- Write in scholarly fashion.
- Rough with hair; set with bristles; shaggy.
- Any violent agitation of the mind approaching to distraction; violent and temporary derangement of the mental faculties; madness; rage.
Answers: A-5, B-4, C-3
Saturday, 27 August 2011
Vocab Builder - Part-1 - (Braingle)
A) Shrill:
- Extremely heinous; full of enormous wickedness.
- To denounce; to condemn publicly or solemnly.
- A cute; sharp; piercing; having or emitting a sharp, piercing tone or sound; -- said of a sound, or of that which produces a sound.
- Likely to be useful for a purpose.
- An arrangement of a body of troops when its divisions are drawn up in parallel lines each to the right or the left of the one in advance of it, like the steps of a ladder in position for climbing. Also used adjectivally.
B) Apropos
- Being both relevant and opportune.
- To free from allegation or blame.
- The art of memory; a system of precepts and rules intended to assist the memory; artificial memory.
- Having the lees or sediment disturbed; roiled; muddy; thick; not clear; -- used of liquids of any kind.
- To deride or tease with taunting words.
Answers:
A. 3 B. 1
Friday, 1 July 2011
One word substitute
- Extreme old age when a man behaves like a fool:
- A.Imbecility B.Senility C.Dotage D.Superannuation
- That which cannot be corrected:
- A. Unintelligible B. Indelible C. Illegible D. Incorrigible
- A person who insists on something:
- A. Disciplinarian B. Stickler C. Instantaneous D. Boaster
- A state in which the few govern the many:
- A. Monarchy B. Oligarchy C. Plutocracy D. Autocracy
- A style in which a writer makes a display of his knowlwdge:
- A. Pedantic B. Verbose C. Pompous D. Ornate
Answers: C, D, B, B, A
Wednesday, 15 June 2011
June-15's Reading Comprehension
Should we really care for the greatest actors of the past could
we have them before us? Should we find them too different from
our accent of thought, of feeling, of speech, in a thousand minute
particulars which are of the essence of all three? Dr. Doran's
5 long and interesting records of the triumphs of Garrick, and other
less familiar, but in their day hardly less astonishing, players,
do not relieve one of the doubt. Garrick himself, as sometimes
happens with people who have been the subject of much anecdote
and other conversation, here as elsewhere, bears no very distinct
10 figure. One hardly sees the wood for the trees. On the other hand,
the account of Betterton, "perhaps the greatest of English
actors," is delightfully fresh. That intimate friend of Dryden,
Tillatson, Pope, who executed a copy of the actor's portrait by
Kneller which is still extant, was worthy of their friendship;
15 his career brings out the best elements in stage life. The stage
in these volumes presents itself indeed not merely as a mirror of
life, but as an illustration of the utmost intensity of life, in
the fortunes and characters of the players. Ups and downs,
generosity, dark fates, the most delicate goodness, have nowhere
20 been more prominent than in the private existence of those devoted
to the public mimicry of men and women. Contact with the stage,
almost throughout its history, presents itself as a kind of
touchstone, to bring out the bizarrerie, the theatrical tricks
and contrasts, of the actual world.
Adapted from an essay by W H Pater
Questions:
1. In the expression “One hardly sees the wood for the trees”, the author apparently intends the word trees to be analogous to
A. features of Doran’s language style
B. details learned from oral sources
C. personality of a famous actor
D. detail’s of Garrick’s life
E. stage triumphs of an astonishing player
2. The doubt referred to in line 7 concerns whether
A. the stage personalities of the past would appeal on a personal level to people like the author
B. their contemporaries would have understood famous actors
C. the acting of famous stage personalities would appeal to us today
D. Garrick was as great as he is portrayed
E. historical records can reveal personality
3. Information supplied in the passage is sufficient to answer which of the following questions?
I Who did Doran think was probably the best English actor?
II What did Doran think of Garrick?
III Would the author give a definite answer to the first question posed in the passage?
A. I only
B. II only
C. I and III only
D. II and III only
E. I, II and III
Answers:
- B
- A
- C
- The “wood” refers to the bigger picture, the “trees” to the details. One apparently does not get a picture of Garrick the man, but one does get along and interesting record of his triumphs. We are also told that Garrick has been the subject of much conversation and anecdote. Hence the “trees” refers to the details of Garrick’s life learned mainly from oral sources.
- “Should we care for the greatest actors” means “should we like them”. The author goes on to ask whether we would find their ways and ideas too different from our own. These are the doubts that he raises. The author is not really concerned whether we would like their acting. Hence, A is the best answer.
- The quotation marks around "perhaps the greatest of English actors," tell us that the author is quoting from the book he is reviewing, and hence the author of that book, Doran, thinks Betterton was probably the best. Doran writes “long and interesting records of the triumphs of Garrick” but we cannot infer Doran’s opinion of the actor from that. The author would not give a definite answer to the question because he says the writings of Doran “do not relieve one of the doubt”. We can answer question I with the word “Betterton” and question III with the word “no”.
Tuesday, 14 June 2011
Barack Obama speech on Race - Part 4/4
Barack Obama's Philadelphia speech on race, given March 18, 2008, captioned for the hearing impaired and second language viewers
Barack Obama speech on Race - Part 3/4
Barack Obama's Philadelphia speech on race, given March 18, 2008, captioned for the hearing impaired and second language viewers
Barack Obama speech on Race - Part 2/4
Barack Obama's Philadelphia speech on race, given March 18, 2008, captioned for the hearing impaired and second language viewers
Barack Obama speech on Race - Part 1/4
Barack Obama's March 18 Philadelphia speech on race, captioned for the hearing impaired and second language audience
Monday, 13 June 2011
Communicate with Confidence - Part 4
The fourth part is a series of videos on "Communicative Competence," this one discussed the fourth component: strategic competence, or recovering from miscommunications with a definition and examples with American English scenarios.
Communicate with Confidence - Part 3
This video is the third in a series defining "Communicative Competence" and specifically deals with "Discource Competence" or conversational language giving both a definition and examples of challening issues non-native speakers face in their communication.
Communicate with Confidence - Part 2
This is a second in a series of videos on "Communicative Competence." The second component is "Socio-linguistic" Competence - a definition and examples are used to further elaborate on this concept.
Communicate with Confidence - Part 1
This video defines the concept of "Communicative Competence" and identifies the first component, "Grammatical Competence" with examples from common mistakes non-native speakers of American English in their speech and explains the importance of understanding your own speech patterns to create noticeable and lasting change in your speech.
Overcoming Sluggish Articulation - Rebecca Linquist
Many non-native speakers find it challenging to articulate sounds clearly and distinctly. This video discusses factors that contribute to this quality and offers suggestions for practice to strengthen articulation muscles and increase vibration on the vocal folds to improve sound quality, especially for southern Chinese males.
Sunday, 12 June 2011
Saturday, 11 June 2011
Is therapy the Answer???
Read:
Joseph Luciani, the psychologist said, " I find the most people who come for therapy usually arrive with a guarded ambivalence about whether it's possible to change. For some, after years of struggle and frustration, therapy is often the last hope to learn life's secrete formula for happiness. And who is the keeper of this secret? The psychologist, of course. There's no doubt about it: a psychologist can inherit a lot of projected power. The psychologist become the healer, the teacher, the guru - and all before a single word is exchanged! Because of this projections, most people go through an initial infatuation period where just being in the psychologist's presence sends them off feelings "the best I've felt in years" and touting the amazing benefits of therapy. Then as the session progresses, things begin to slow down. Symptoms, initially eclipsed by euphoric belief that finally you're getting the help you need, begin to return, along with distressing realization that nothing has changed. Or worse, the fear that nothing will change! This can be a real letdown as the infatuated energy gets replaced by the mundane work of historical exploration, week after week. Its during this post-infatuation period that many begin to feel disillusioned, recognizing there's no abracadabra magic involved in change.
As therapy, progresses, most people reluctantly give up hope for an epiphany or secret insight, one that's supposed to set them free. Instead of waiting for that startling breakthrough or quick fix, they're left with the tedious work of figuring out why they do what they do. And by this time they're months into therapy and still acting like the same old wretch. What can they do? They've already invested all this time and money... may be a few more sessions? A few more months?
What's the verdict? When it comes to therapy, what's the consensus? It is just a palliative shoulder to lean on and nothing more, or is it a tool for legitimate personality change? The question needs to be asked: Does therapy work, does it hold the secret of change? The short answer is yes and no. But before making sense of this paradox, I first need to tell you what I learned from my one years of struggle and from my training analysis.
I took my personal analysis very seriously. After all, if I was going to dispense sage psychological advice, I couldn't feign being healthy - I had to become healthy. This I did manage to accomplish. I'm not bragging, I'm just letting you know from the outset that yes, change is, in fact, possible. I actually became a different person, with different thoughts and different behavior. "Different" may not be the correct word because I was still me. But my experience of life certainly was different. I no longer felt congested and bottled up with my habits over-thinking and worry. I began to relax and enjoy a spontaneity that had always eluded me. I was actually living my life for the first time rather than thinking about living my life. And the experiences have made all the difference.
Joseph Luciani, the psychologist said, " I find the most people who come for therapy usually arrive with a guarded ambivalence about whether it's possible to change. For some, after years of struggle and frustration, therapy is often the last hope to learn life's secrete formula for happiness. And who is the keeper of this secret? The psychologist, of course. There's no doubt about it: a psychologist can inherit a lot of projected power. The psychologist become the healer, the teacher, the guru - and all before a single word is exchanged! Because of this projections, most people go through an initial infatuation period where just being in the psychologist's presence sends them off feelings "the best I've felt in years" and touting the amazing benefits of therapy. Then as the session progresses, things begin to slow down. Symptoms, initially eclipsed by euphoric belief that finally you're getting the help you need, begin to return, along with distressing realization that nothing has changed. Or worse, the fear that nothing will change! This can be a real letdown as the infatuated energy gets replaced by the mundane work of historical exploration, week after week. Its during this post-infatuation period that many begin to feel disillusioned, recognizing there's no abracadabra magic involved in change.
As therapy, progresses, most people reluctantly give up hope for an epiphany or secret insight, one that's supposed to set them free. Instead of waiting for that startling breakthrough or quick fix, they're left with the tedious work of figuring out why they do what they do. And by this time they're months into therapy and still acting like the same old wretch. What can they do? They've already invested all this time and money... may be a few more sessions? A few more months?
What's the verdict? When it comes to therapy, what's the consensus? It is just a palliative shoulder to lean on and nothing more, or is it a tool for legitimate personality change? The question needs to be asked: Does therapy work, does it hold the secret of change? The short answer is yes and no. But before making sense of this paradox, I first need to tell you what I learned from my one years of struggle and from my training analysis.
I took my personal analysis very seriously. After all, if I was going to dispense sage psychological advice, I couldn't feign being healthy - I had to become healthy. This I did manage to accomplish. I'm not bragging, I'm just letting you know from the outset that yes, change is, in fact, possible. I actually became a different person, with different thoughts and different behavior. "Different" may not be the correct word because I was still me. But my experience of life certainly was different. I no longer felt congested and bottled up with my habits over-thinking and worry. I began to relax and enjoy a spontaneity that had always eluded me. I was actually living my life for the first time rather than thinking about living my life. And the experiences have made all the difference.
Answers:
- Ambivalence - Having two opposing feelings at the same time, or being uncertain about how you feel.
- Infatuation - Strong but not usually lasting feelings of love or attraction; A foolish, unreasoning, or extravagant passion or attraction.
- Touting - To advertise, make known or praise something or someone repeatedly, especially as a way of encouraging their sale, popularity or development.
- Eclipsed - Surpassed.
- Euphoric - Extremely happy and excited.
- Distress - A feeling of extreme worry, sadness or pain.
- Mundane - Very ordinary and therefore not interesting.
- Disillusioned - Disappointed and unhappy because of discovering the truth about something or someone that you liked or respected.
- Epiphany - A sudden manifestation of the essence or meaning of something; A comprehension or perception of reality by means of a sudden intuitive realization.
- Startling - surprising and sometimes worrying; causing surprise or fear; striking; astonishing.
- Wretch - A person who experiences something unpleasant.
- Consensus - A generally accepted opinion or decision among a group of people.
- Palliative - Something that makes a problem seem less serious but does not solve the problem or make it disappear.
- Paradox - A situation or statement which seems impossible or is difficult to understand because it contains two opposite facts or characteristics.
- Feign - To give a false appearance.
- Brag - To speak too proudly about what you have done or what you own.
Monday, 6 June 2011
A Gathering Light - Jennifer Donnelly (P1)
Reading Passage:
When summer comes to the North Woods, time slows down. And some days it stops altogether. The sky, grey and lowering of much of the year, becomes an ocean of blue, so vast and brilliant you can't help but stop what you're doing - pinning wet sheets to the line maybe, or shucking a bushel of corn on the back steps - to stare up at it.
The guests up from New York, all in their summer whites, will play croquet on the lawn for ever. The children of doctors and lawyers from Utica, Rome and Syracuse will always run through the woods, laughing and shrieking.
Synonyms:
Shuck - to remove the shell or natural covering from something that is eaten.
Bushel - a unit of measurement equal to approximately 36.4 litres in Britain or 35.2 litres in the US.
Croquet (/kroʊˈkeɪ/)- a game in which two, three or four players use mallets (= long wooden hammers) to hit wooden balls through small metal hoops (= curves) fixed into the grass
Saturday, 28 May 2011
Missing Daughters [The Hindu - Editorial Pg:12 (May-28,2011)]
Question:
The Census of 2011 revealed that sex ratio in the 0-6 age group is worse now than in any decade since Independence. It is indisputable that this distressing trend is the result of more people having easier access to medical technologies that reveal the sex of the foetus, and opting for sex-selective abortions. New research published by The Lancet provides further insights into the phenomenon of ‘missing women': as family size in India declines over time, there is a bias against having a second female child when the first is a girl. Based on data drawn from the National Family Health Survey between 1990 and 2005 and the Census of 1991, 2001, and 2011, the paper estimates that for second-order births where the first is a female, the conditional sex ratio fell to an abysmal 836 girls per 1,000 boys in 2005. It is equally a matter of concern that most of India's population now lives in States where selective abortion of girls is common. What stands out in the findings is the positive correlation that education and affluence seem to have with a decline in the sex ratio; the decline was higher in the case of women with ten years or more of education than for mothers with no education. Such a trend calls for closer study of the factors that reinforce the son preference, especially in States and districts with a worsening ratio.
What is fundamentally underscored by the research is the failure of the Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act even in its amended form, and the need for a multi-pronged strategy to remove the prejudice against the girl child. Any serious review of the law in the States with the worst child sex ratios should begin with the quarterly reports they are required to file on diagnostic centres, laboratories, and clinics, the action taken against unregistered bodies, search and seizure, and the outcomes of awareness campaigns. Not all States have been filing such reports regularly.
The level of involvement of laggard States in implementing the PNDT Act can be gauged from the fact that in Haryana, a crucial notification on setting up Appropriate Authorities was not published in the gazette for 12 years from 1997, and it had to be reissued as an ordinance with retrospective effect. But then, while enforcement measures may have a salutary effect, the more challenging task is to make India a less male-dominated society. The place to start for that mission would be Parliament and the State Legislative Assemblies. Political parties must lead by enabling 33 per cent representation for women in legislatures and raise their visibility. Liberal scholarships for all levels of study and improved economic security may tilt the balance for the less affluent sections.
Answers:
The Census of 2011 revealed that sex ratio in the 0-6 age group is worse now than in any decade since Independence. It is indisputable that this distressing trend is the result of more people having easier access to medical technologies that reveal the sex of the foetus, and opting for sex-selective abortions. New research published by The Lancet provides further insights into the phenomenon of ‘missing women': as family size in India declines over time, there is a bias against having a second female child when the first is a girl. Based on data drawn from the National Family Health Survey between 1990 and 2005 and the Census of 1991, 2001, and 2011, the paper estimates that for second-order births where the first is a female, the conditional sex ratio fell to an abysmal 836 girls per 1,000 boys in 2005. It is equally a matter of concern that most of India's population now lives in States where selective abortion of girls is common. What stands out in the findings is the positive correlation that education and affluence seem to have with a decline in the sex ratio; the decline was higher in the case of women with ten years or more of education than for mothers with no education. Such a trend calls for closer study of the factors that reinforce the son preference, especially in States and districts with a worsening ratio.
What is fundamentally underscored by the research is the failure of the Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act even in its amended form, and the need for a multi-pronged strategy to remove the prejudice against the girl child. Any serious review of the law in the States with the worst child sex ratios should begin with the quarterly reports they are required to file on diagnostic centres, laboratories, and clinics, the action taken against unregistered bodies, search and seizure, and the outcomes of awareness campaigns. Not all States have been filing such reports regularly.
The level of involvement of laggard States in implementing the PNDT Act can be gauged from the fact that in Haryana, a crucial notification on setting up Appropriate Authorities was not published in the gazette for 12 years from 1997, and it had to be reissued as an ordinance with retrospective effect. But then, while enforcement measures may have a salutary effect, the more challenging task is to make India a less male-dominated society. The place to start for that mission would be Parliament and the State Legislative Assemblies. Political parties must lead by enabling 33 per cent representation for women in legislatures and raise their visibility. Liberal scholarships for all levels of study and improved economic security may tilt the balance for the less affluent sections.
Answers:
- Abysmal - Very bad.
- Prong - Pointed, Projecting part.
- Prejudice - An unfair and unreasonable opinion or feeling, especially when formed without enough thought or knowledge; to judge prematurely and irrationally; An adverse judgment or opinion formed beforehand or without knowledge or examination of the facts.
- Laggard - Someone or something that is very slow.
- Ordinance - An authoritative command or order.
- Retrospective - Looking back on, contemplating, or directed to the past; Looking or directed backward; Applying to or influencing the past; retroactive.
Friday, 27 May 2011
May-27th's Word List
Questions:
Answers:
- Your body language is your autobiography in motion. On the stage of real life, every physical move you make subliminally tells everyone in eyeshot the story of your life.
- Women - Did your women's intuition make you accept or reject an offer? On a conscious level, we may not be aware of what the hunch is. But like the ear of the dog or the eye of the bat, the element that make up subliminal sentiments are very real.
- With the zillions of subtle actions and reactions zapping back and forth between two human beings, can we come up with concrete techniques to make our every communication clear, confident, credible and charismatic? Intrepid social scientist left no stone unturned in their quest to find the formula.
- Dale Carnegie's How to win friends and influence people says, "The success is in smiling, showing interest in other people, and making them feel good about themselves". "That's no surprise," I thought. Dale Carnegie and hundreds of others offer the same astute advice.
Answers:
- Subliminal - not recognized or understood by the conscious mind, but still having an influence on it.
- Hunch - An intuitive feeling or a premonition (A presentiment of the future; a foreboding). An idea which is based on feeling and for which there is no proof.
- Subtle - So slight as to be difficult to detect or describe; elusive; Difficult to understand; abstruse.
- Zap - to destroy or kill something or someone, especially intentionally.
- Charisma - a special power which some people have naturally which makes them able to influence other people and attract their attention and admiration.
- Intrepid - Resolutely courageous; fearless.
- Astute - clever and quick to see how to take advantage of a situation; Having or showing shrewdness and discernment, especially with respect to one's own concerns.
Thursday, 26 May 2011
May-26th's Word List
Questions:
- Over the years, people who seem to "have it all" have captured the hearts and conquered the minds of hundreds of others who helped boost them, rung by rung, to the top of whatever corporate or social ladder they chose.
- Wanna-bes wandering around at the foot of the ladder often gaze up and grouse that big boys at the top are snobs.
- When big players don't give them their friendship, love or business, they call them "cliquish" or accuse them of belonging to an "old-boy network". Some grumble they hit their heads against a "glass ceiling".
- The complaining Little Leaguers never realize the rejection was their own fault. They'll never know they blew the affair, the friendship, or the deal because of their own communication fumbles.
- Many years ago, a drama teacher, exasperated at my bad acting in a college play, shouted, "No! No! Your body is belying your words.
- Every tiny movement, every body position, he howled, divulges your private thought.
Answers:
1. Rung - A rod or bar forming a step of a ladder; A crosspiece between the legs of a chair; The spoke in a wheel.
2. Wanna-bes - Some-one who acts like and wishes they are of a certain clique, but in truth aren’t, often they fill the more complex criteria of the clique, but miss the defining quality. Their character often seems forced.
3. Gaze – (n) A steady, fixed look. (v) To look steadily, intently, and with fixed attention.
4. Grouse – (n) A cause for complaint; a grievance. (v) To complain; grumble.
5. Snob – (n) One who tends to patronize, rebuff, or ignore people regarded as social inferiors and imitate, admire, or seek association with people regarded as social superiors. One who affects an offensive air of self-satisfied superiority in matters of taste or intellect.
(N1): a) a person who strives to associate with those of higher social status and who behaves condescendingly to others Compare inverted snob. B) (as modifier) snob appeal
(N2): a person having similar pretensions with regard to his tastes, etc. an intellectual snob.
6. Cliquish - behaving like a clique, not making other people feel welcome.
7. Fumble - To proceed awkwardly and uncertainly; blunder: fumble through a speech; To touch or handle nervously or idly; To grope awkwardly to find or to accomplish something; To touch or handle clumsily or idly; to do something awkwardly, especially when using your hands;
8. Exasperated - To make very angry or impatient; annoy greatly.
9. Belying - To give a false representation to; misrepresent; contradict.
10. Divulge - to make something secret known
6. Cliquish - behaving like a clique, not making other people feel welcome.
7. Fumble - To proceed awkwardly and uncertainly; blunder: fumble through a speech; To touch or handle nervously or idly; To grope awkwardly to find or to accomplish something; To touch or handle clumsily or idly; to do something awkwardly, especially when using your hands;
8. Exasperated - To make very angry or impatient; annoy greatly.
9. Belying - To give a false representation to; misrepresent; contradict.
10. Divulge - to make something secret known
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