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ENGLISH PRACTICAL COURSE

1st year 1st and 2nd terms

Co-authors and Coordinators: Lecturer: Janeta Lup

Lecturer Drd. Ana-Maria Birtalan

Lecturer Drd. Oana Ionescu Buzea

I. INTRODUCTION

The present English Practical Course is meant to be used by first-year students with a

view to consolidating their knowledge of English. Consequently, it was conceived

according to the syllabus for the English PracticalCourse in the first year of study.

The course is divided into two parts, meant to be studied along the first term and the second term,

each of them dealing with some of the most important aspects of the English language, grammar and

vocabulary. Each part contains five units, and is based on different topics including sections which will help

the students to develop and improve their reading, writing and speaking skills in English. Every unit providesa wide variety of exercises and activities, which focus on different aspects of English: developing and

increasing the students vocabulary; helping students to understand, enjoy and appreciate reading passages;

studying in detail the most important grammar points; improving the students writing and composition skills;

developing English vocabulary, especially the use of idioms and phrasal verbs. As the students work through

the units they will be building their proficiency in English.

The Translation Practice provides a corpus of some interesting literary texts whose

translation from or into English will help the students both acquire a good command of

English and Romanian and develop their creativity in order to find the best way to decode

the text.

Our choice to add an essay writing section is justified by the fact that the student should

get acquainted from the very beginning with the basic rules of drawing up an essay,

following the steps that should be taken in conceiving it and providing useful and beautifulexamples and topics for essay writing. The final round up contains an important number of

exercises meant to introduce the students into some basic elements of building

vocabulary, offering them extensive vocabulary work, with particular focus on synonyms,

antonyms and their associations.

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THE STRUCTURE OF THE COURSE IN THE FIRST TERM

I. OBJECTIVES

In the first part of the course the students will study the verb tenses ( present , past and

future tenses in accordance with their perfect and progressive aspects), will be introduced

to different topics taken from everyday life, meant to be analyzed ,enlarged upon and

will learn and practice some of the most frequently used idioms and phrasal verbs. This first

section is completed by a series of literary translations from English into Romanian and

vice versa and an essay module within which the students are introduced into the

strategies of making up a well formed essay.

THE CONTENTS OF THE COURSE- IST SEMESTER

UNIT ONE: Topic: Education Future Prospects

Reading comprehension: Education Today

Language study: Present Tenses ..

UNIT TWO: Topic: Childhood the Best Time of Your Life?

Reading comprehension: The Post Modern Family

Language study: Past to Present Tenses

UNIT THREE: Topic: The World, Reality, Dreams and Deception

Reading comprehension: Dreams by J.B. Priestley

Language study: a. Past Tense (simple and continuous)

b. Past Tense versus Present Perfect

TRANSLATION PRACTICE

English text samples

Romanian text samples

ESSAY WRITING

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Strategies

Topics for essay writing

UNIT ONE

EDUCATION FUTURE PROSPECTS

PRE-READING State Education in England

NURSERY SCHOOL- voluntary

PRIMARY SCHOOL- at least six years primary education, from 5 to eleven

SECONDARY SCHOOL- at least five years secondary education, from 11 to 16.

GENERAL CERTIFICATE OF SECONDARY EDUCATION (GCSE) EXAMINATIONS

(TAKEN AT 15-16)

11 YEARS OF COMPULSORY EDUCATION

ADVANCED LEVEL (A LEVEL) EXAMINATIONS (TAKEN AT 18)

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HIGHER EDUCATION

university college of education polytechnic

( teacher training)

DISCUSSION

The chart above explains how state education is organized in England. In each town or

district, the system is decided by local authority and so it can vary, but this is the usual

system. Draw up a similar chart of your own state education. Do they resemble?

Discuss the following questions:

1. Did you have to wear a uniform during primary or secondary school?

2. Were there any rules or restrictions you had to observe?3. What sort of punishment did you face during primary school?

4. What does comprehensive school mean?5. What exams have you had to take so far?

VOCABULARY

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

John tells us about his educational background. Complete each sentence with one of the

words or phrases from the box below. You will need to put the verb into the right tense:

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Apply graduate grant higher degree

Honors degree job option PhD

Place primary school scholarship secondary school

Stay on study subject thesis

1. I started at.in London when I was 5.2. At the age of 11, I went to .., also in London.

3. At 18, I to university.4. I got a . at Manchester. Engineering.

5. In fact I was awarded a. .6. But at the end of the first year I changed to another.

7. I from university in1988.8. I have a first class.in Economics.9. I decided to.. at the university.

10. So I did. in business administration at the University of California.11. During the course, I did an . on small business development.

12. I found the topic so interesting that I applied for a to do a doctorate on thesame subject.

13. Once I got the money, I had to write a 50.000 word.. .14. So now I have a BA, an MBA and a . .

15. All I need now is a .

READING

You will read a text about the most recent and fashionable system of education.

Before you read talk with your colleagues about your first school, the system today, how it

has changed, if it has been for the better?

Education Today

There is no morning mayhem to get the kids off to school at the Over water home.

Alex,

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11, and his 10-year-old brother, Connor, roll out of bed, log on to their computers

and are ready to start their math and spelling lessons sometimes while still in their

pajamas.

Its really interesting on the computer, said Alex, who gives a quick nope when

asked if he misses attending traditional school.

On-line courses in university are not uncommon. Neither, increasingly, are the high-

school offerings. But now, the virtual world is creeping down to lower grades as a growing

number of public school boards make full-time cyber schools available to students as

young as 6.

Schools providing a virtual education say it offers home-schooled kids and those in

remote areas another choice. And as traditional school is portrayed as a haven for bullies,

cyber school can seem like the ideal option for parents to shelter their young,

impressionable children.

But not all education experts agree this is the way to go. Hidden behind acomputer, students in cyber school, they say, are missing out on one of the key things the

bricks-and-mortar elementary schools provide: socialization skills. Further, early research in

Canada has suggested virtually schooled kids are great at problem-solving, but dont

count on them to pay attention or even give an impassioned speech.

Is this the way we want to socialize kids? Do we want to teach kids in ways that

never bring them into contact with other human beings? Some kids are far from being

loners; for instance, Alex and Connor, their mother insists, take various lessons in tae kwon

do, piano and swimming, and they play basketball with friends. Corinne Over water

enrolled her sons at publicly funded St. Gabriel Cyber School last year, wanting morecontrol over their education. She noticed that Alexs grades were slipping at the public

school he attended and she felt it was time for her to take over and get those gaps filled.

Alex and Connor, who both have computers in their bedrooms, e-mail their

teachers daily, enter chat rooms and attend class from time to time in the virtual world

but there are never any faces on the screen. Even in a virtual classroom, students only see

the names of their classmates and can talk to the teacher using an audio device.

The St. Gabriel Cyber School started up 10 years ago as a middle school. It has since

expanded to include students from Grades 4 to 12. Enrolment has grown 1,100 students

last year from a mere 100 when the school first opened its virtual doors.

It is true that the traditional education system is not able to meet the needs of every

child, but, on the other hand, the idea of on-line schooling is so new that there is little

research into its lasting effects. Academics and teacher groups question its learning

outcomes and whether cyber school students are able to interact with others their age.

The only opinions we have got is that virtual students lag in listening and speaking skills, but

show greater improvement in critical thinking and researching.

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(Caroline Alphonso, education reporter, The Globe and Mail,

Sept. 6, 2004)

Questions for study, discussion and writing:

1. What do cyber schools offer home-schooled kids?

2. How deep did virtual education penetrate the western

education system?

3. What reproaches are brought forth by those educators

who are less optimistic?

.

4. How does a virtual classroom function?

.

5. What is the prospect of extending cyber schooling?

.

GRAMMAR PRACTICE PRESENT TENSES

SHORT REFERENCE

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Present simple Present continuous

Habitual action Temporary action

e.g. He often goes shopping e.g. He is eating at the moment.

Permanent state Repeated action

with always

e.g. She works in a shop (often to show

annoyance)

e.g. He is alwayschewing gum.

Arranged future action (timetables, Definite

arrangement or plan

programs, etc) e.g. They are

going on a trip tomorrow

e.g. School starts next week.

Permanent, general truths and facts

e.g. Oil floats on water.

British people drinka lot of tea.

Instructions, recipes, stage directions,

Sport commentaries etc.

e.g. First you chop the meat then you boil it.

He kicks the ball and scores.

The lady enters, waves to the crowd and says.

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NOTES:

1. State verbs describe a permanent state and do not have continuous forms. These

include verbs of senses (see, hear, smell, feel, taste) thinking (agree, believe, consider,

doubt, expect, feel=think), emotion &feelings (feel, forgive, hate, loathe, like, love, mind,

wish, etc) and other (appear/seem, be, belong, have=possess, keep=continue, matter,

own.

2. Verbs of senses can have continuous forms, but then there is a change in meaning

Compare: Im seeing the doctor tomorrow (I have an appointment)

and

Do you see those birds? (ability to see)

3. The verbs think, consider and expect can have continuous forms when they refer to an

activity.

Compare: Be quiet, please! Im thinking.

and

I think you are wrong. (I believe).

4. Have can have continuous form in certain expressions such as: have a bath, have a

nap, have fun etc.

Compare: We are having fun, why dont you join us?

and

Since you have his phone number, you can call him. (possess).

PRACTICE

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.1.1. Underline the correct verb form in italics for each sentence

1. The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbo houses/is housing Spains largest collection ofmodern art.

2. We try out/ are trying out a new paper supplier at the moment.

3. The children dont eat/ arent eating sweets and chocolate before they go to bed.4. These animals display/are displaying a great deal of aggression if disturbed.

5. We currentlyshow/are showing the film Star Wars at all Odeon cinemas in theregion.

6. Quick! Get rid of all this mess. Here come/are coming Mum and Dad!7. The rubbish collectors come/are coming on Fridays in this area.

8. You always complain/are always complaining and it really gets on my nerves!9. Does the orchestra play/ is the orchestra playing at the Town Hall this week? Id

really like to see their new concert.10. Swimming provides/ is providing exercise for more muscle groups than any other

physical activity.

1.2. Complete this news report. Write the verbs in brackets in the correct form, presentsimple or present continuous:

Its summer. A man is out for a quiet walk. Hes walking along country road and he .

(mind) his own business, when he. (be knocked out) and seriously injured by a minivan.

The man, a writer of thrillers and horror fiction,(survive) but he ..(become) obsessed with

the vehicle that mimed him. He doesnt bear a grudge against the driver. Instead, he

.(buy) the minivan and (hide) it.

This sounds like the plot of a Stephen King thriller, but it is in fact the latest chapter in the

writers real life. King has bought the van and (intend) to take sledgehammer to it. At

present King (recover) from his injuries at home , where he (suffer from) a broken

hip and a fractured leg. The story is uncannily like the plot of his novel Thinner, in which

the victims family ..(put) a curse on the driver. King, however ..(demand) only the

withdrawal of the drivers license. As for the minivan, we..(not know) if King will actually

carry out his revenge or if he is simply hatching the plot for a new novel!

1.3. Read each pair of sentences below, A and B. The sentence which follows each pairis related to one of the sentences in the pair .Write the letter of the correct sentence in

the box.

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e.g. A. John is a difficult child.

B. John is being difficult

He isnt usually difficult. A

1. A. This salmon weighs more than six kilos.B. We are weighing the salmon to put a price on it.

This is a characteristic of the salmon.

2. A. I invite everyone present to the opening of the new superstore.B. I m inviting everyone present to the opening of the new superstore.

Im offering this invitation to you now.

3. A. The dance group appears to have arrived at the theatre.B. The dance group is appearing at the theatre.

There are performances every evening.

4. A. My sister has a babyB. My sister is having a baby.

My sister is pregnant.

5. A. I think the house prices will rise again next year.B. Im thinking of selling my house next year.

This is my opinion.

6. A. Is this an inadequate explanation or am I being stupid?B. Im sorry, I dont understand. Am I really so stupid?

Is this a permanent characteristic of mine?

7. A. He is having a shower.B. he has a fantastic power shower in the main bathroom.

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Why dont you wait in the living room?

8. A. We guarantee that your children will be supervised by qualified instructors.B. My husband and I are guaranteeing the loan for Mrs. Brown.

The company takes full responsibility.

1.4. Put the verbs in brackets into simple or continuous forms of present tense:

John Simon is 1 .is (be) an architectwho 2..(work) for a London-based design firm.

Although he normally 3. (work) in the London area, at present he 4. .. (supervise) a

project in , Latin America which 5 ..( involve) the co-ordination of several multi-national

design and engineering teams. Although he 6 ( enjoy) the experience, he 7..(wish)

could be finished sooner than 8(be predicted) at present. The truth is that he 9

(miss) his wife and children, and would like to see what 10( happen ) in his garden in

England.

1.5. Expand one of the sets of notes below to complete each dialogue

continually/change/mind forever/moan/work forever/ask/me/money

constantly/ criticize/driving always/ complain/handwriting.

1. A: I cant read this. B: You are always complaining about my handwriting.2. A: Can I borrow $10? B: Youre.

3. A: That was a dangerous thing to do! B: Youre.4. A: I think Ill stay here after all. B: Youre5. A: I had a bad day at the office again. B: Youre..

VOCABULARY PRACTICE

IDIOM PRACTICE

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1.6. Read the advertisement and try to explain the idioms in bold

Get away from it all!

Tired of holidaying in the same old run-of the-mill places? Are you searching for

sandy white beaches where you can sunbathe till youre as brown as a berry orround-the-

clockbars and discos where you can dance all night? If so, your best bet is the Costa

Blanca in Spain.

Youll be over the moon with both the hotel Blanca and its delightful location on the

Spanish coast where youll find a multitude of ways to get into the swing of your holiday,

ranging from jet-skiing to paragliding. Food-lovers wont be disappointed either, as the

Hotel Blanca has two terrific restaurants. One word of warning, however, for more

conventional diners steer clear from Chili a la Blanca its hot!

So, if you fancy a holiday where you can let your hair down, and return home with a new

lease of life try Hotel Blanca we guarantee you wont regret it.

1.7. Match the items with the idioms from the text above:

a. to take a break from work and problemsb. a return of energy and enthusiasm

c. to relax and enjoy oneselfd. extremely pleased

e. the most appropriate choicef. all day and all night

g. to become accustomed to something and start enjoying ith. to avoid something or somebody

i. very suntanned j. ordinary and unexciting

1.8. Rewrite the following sentences using the words in bold.

1. Speaking in front of an audience can be very nerve-racking, but once you becomeaccustomed to it, youll find it easy. swing

2. My apartment block has 24-hour security system. clock

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3. Im tired of ordinary novels. I want to read something original. mill4. We decided to go to a desert island so that we could escape from our daily

problems. away5. I was extremely happy when I won first prize. Moon

PHRASAL VERBS PRACTICE

1.9. Read the text and match the words in bold to the definitions below:

Anyway, after wed been in the air for several hours and everything was 1) going along

nicely, we were told we would have to 1) stop over in Siberia - another problem with

the plane! We spent the whole time in the airport, and it was freezing. We were asked

to 3) line up just to get a bowl of hot soup.

Eventually, we arrived in Sidney. I was expecting the worst, of course but our luck

seemed to have changed. We 4) sailed through customs 5) got into a taxi and 6)

headed for our hotel.

I could have cried when we got there. When we tried 7) to book init 8) turned out the

hotel had given our rooms to somebody else by mistake. To make matters worse, every

other hotel in the area was 9) booked up. We finally found a tiny room with no shower.

We 10) checked out as soon as we woke up, and went looking for a hotel with

vacancies. We found a nice one in the end, so lets hope our troubles are over and

the holiday turns out to be enjoyable.

See you soon. Love to all.

Andrew

a- be full( i.e. have no more vacancies)b- happen (usu. opposite of what is expected)

c- make progress, developd- pay the bill when leaving a hotel

e- register at a hotelf- stay somewhere briefly during ones journey

g- go towardsh- enter a vehicle

i- pass/go through something easily j- stand in line, one behind /next to the other

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UNIT TWO

CHILDHOOD THE BEST TIME OF YOUR LIFE?

PRE-READING CHILDREN LEARN WHAT THEY LIVE

A B

If a child lives with criticism she learns to be patient

he learns to fight

If a child lives with hostility he learns justice

If a child lives with ridicule she learns to be shy

If a child lives with shame he learns confidence

If a child lives with tolerance she learns to have faith

If a child lives with encouragement he learns to like himself

If a child lives with praise she learns to condemn

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If a child lives with fairness she learns to appreciate

If a child lives with security he learns to fight

If a child lives with approval he learns to feel guilty

If a child lives with acceptance he or she learns to find love and friendship

in the world

DISCUSSION

1. The sentences above appear on a chart that is often found in baby clinicsand child centers. The second part has been mixed up. Match the first half ofa sentence in column A with the appropriate second half in column B, as in

the first example and comment upon them.2. Assess the effects of your upbringing on your lives today.

3. Devise a Good parents chart similar to the one above. One way ofstarting might be: Good parents should not be too critical.

4. How would you rate the way your parents brought you up? Would you makea good parent?

VOCABULARY

Match up definitions on the left with the correct compound on the right:

1. clumsy a. all-thumbs

2. terrifying b. pig-headed

3. conceited, boastful c. bed-ridden

4. stubborn d. hair-raising

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5. too weak to leave ones bed e. big-headed

6. a short sleep in a chair f. a black leg

7. smb. who attends a party g. a night cap

without being invited

8. a drink before going to bed h. a gate crasher

9. smb. who works when the i. a catnap

others are on strike

10. unnecessary, bureaucracy j. a scapegoat

11. a hopeless search k. an eyesore

12. smth. unpleasant to look at l. red tape

13. smb. who is blamed for

others mistakes m. a wild goose chase

READING

You will read a text about the concept of family as perceived nowadays. Beforereading, try to list down the values that prevail in the family of the last century. After having

read the text, enlarge upon the differences between the two family concepts.

The Post-modern Family

Over 30 years ago, C. Wright Mills described the post-modern period as one in

which the economy would shift employment from heavy industry to non-unionized clerical,

service, and new industrial sectors. He foresaw the rise of multinational corporations,

trouble in the social welfare system, and decline in human freedom and choice. At that

time he wondered how the human family would respond to and adjust to this new period

in world history.

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Post-modernism, by no means simple to define, is characterized by a close

reading of small units rather than the general theorizing about big ideas. The postmodern

tends towards elaboration, eclecticism, ornamentation, and inclusiveness; it dismisses the

existence of an absolute reality and is deeply suspicious of the concept of human

progress. Full consensus on the definition of the emerging post-modern family structure has

not been reached, despite recognition of the need for better understanding of the variety

of human families in the post-modern period and insight into how large-scale social

patterns affect personal and domestic relationships.

The post-modern world is shaped by pluralism, democracy, religious freedom,

consumerism, mobility, and increasing access to news and entertainment. Residents of this

post-modern world are able to see that there are many beliefs, multiple realities, and an

exhilarating but daunting profusion of world views a society that has lost its faith in

absolute truth and in which people have to choose what to believe.

In the 1970s, Shorter (1975) may have been the first to describe the emerging post-

modern family. He noted three important characteristics: adolescent indifference to thefamilys identity; instability in the lives of couples, accompanied by rapidly increasing

divorce rates; and destruction of the nest notion of nuclear family life with the liberation

of women. At that time, Shorter noted little change in patterns of child socialization. The

dramatic shift from mothers caring for young children in the home to the use of paid

providers occurred soon after in the developed world, reflecting mothers increasing

workplace participation.

While single-parent, surrogate-mother, and gay and lesbian families, and other

variants of the post-modern family may be viewed as the negative results of the trends

described above, or as breakdown products, they also reflect the following:

1. Disillusionment with the optimistic assumptions of human progress and with the

universality and the regularity of the laws of science; hence, lack of faith in the previously

established order.

2. The uncoupling of economic forces underlying social conformity, such as the

need for women to marry advantageously to survive financially and to transmit their class

status to the next generation, or the need to bear children in wedlock for them to inherit

family land or other property that would be their source of livelihood.

3. The influence of the electronic media, which both reflect and legitimize family

diversity.

In addition to reducing the separation that can be imposed between people by

physical distance, physical barriers, and social barriers, electronic communications and

other media also foster anonymous intimacy through radio talk shows, advice columns,

electronic mail, computer bulletin boards, and commercially provided

advisory/counseling and other personal services available in the United States provided

through area code 900. This relatively anonymous and instant intimacy in turn becomes a

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new basis for anonymous face-to-face social support, in which no names are mentioned,

through 12-step programs and similar self-help movements.

On-site day care, personal computers, electronic communications that permit work

at home, and the lack of a defined working day for the higher occupational classes

progressively blur the boundaries between the workplace and the home. This

interpenetration of home, work, and global media coverage creates the permeability ofthe post-modern family. The media gather the post-modern family around the campfire of

the global village, bringing the outside world into the living room and the bedroom.

Gergen (1991) has described the emerging family form as the saturated family,

whose members feel their lives scattering in intensified busyness. In addition to absorbing

exposure to myriad values, attitudes, opinions, lifestyles, and personalities, family members

have become embedded in a multiplicity of relationships. The technologies of social

saturation (e.g. the car, telephone, television, and jet plane) have created family turmoil

and a sense of fragmentation, chaos, and discontinuity.

The home, no longer a refuge of harmony, serenity, and understanding, may

become the site of confrontation between people of different ages and genders, who

have personal ideologies and social affiliations that are as diversely suspended as exotic

species in a tropical rain forest. Human potential organizations ease this jangling overload

by holding workshops in which participants learn to perceive their personal past history to

be as mechanical and meaningless as television images. The human potential movements

redefine personal identity in terms of the individuals choice of commitment to future

goals.

(Agency for International Development,

Family and Development, 1990)

Questions for study, discussion and writing:

1. How did Wright Mills describe the post-modern period?

2. What tendency is specific to the post-modern world?

3. What are the characteristics of

the post-modern world?

4. What are the features of the post-modern family?

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5. What do the negative results of the trends reflect?

6. How do the media affect family life?

7. What may the traditional home become?

INFO BOX: THE AVERAGE BRITISH FAMILY A STEREOTYPE

The average British family lives in a semi-detached house with a garden in the south

of England. They own their own house, which is situated in the suburbs of a large

town. The house has three bedrooms. On average, they have two children and a

pet. The family drives a second hand car, usually a Ford.

GRAMMAR PRESENT PERFECT TENSE

SHORT REFERENCE

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE

FORM: have/has + past participle

VALUES:

Habitual action or state started in the past and continued up to the presente.g. My family has lived in this town since 1967.

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A number of adverbs are commonly used with this value of present perfect:

ever, often, seldom, never, so far, already, still, etc)

Indefinite events which happened at an unknown time in the past.e.g. John has had three car accidents.

Recent events, without a definite time given (as it is of no importance). Therecentness is usually indicated byjust the hot news value. Other adverbs used in

this case are:recently, lately, yet (in negative and interrogative sentences).e.g. Ive just finished my coffee.

An action completed in the past which has some relevance to the present- theresultative value.

e.g. Jane has twisted her ankle (her ankle is swallow now).

Actions which happened in the past but may happen again in the future.e.g. Ive only been to Paris once, and Id live to go again.

Note: Sometimes we know the time is not finished because of the time phrases we use.

E.g. Ive seen three movies this week!

OTHER USES:

Present perfect simple is also used in news broadcasts and reports in order tointroduce a story, before moving into past tenses.e.g. The Hungarian president has died at the age of 77 in a New York

hospital. He came to New York three months ago..

We often use present perfect to introduce a new topic of conversation.e.g. I have heard that you are going to marry me.

In time clauses (e.g. after, when, etc) we use present perfect with future reference.e.g. Well go home as soon as the storm has calmed down.

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS (PROGRESSIVE)

FORM: has/have + been + present participle

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VALUES:

Ongoing actions and states which began in the past and still continuing in thepresent or lasts up to the present moment.

e.g. I have been looking for you everywhere.

Its common to usesince and forwith this use of the present continuous.

e.g. Ive been trying to find a job ever since I came to New York.

Incomplete activitye.g. Ive been working on and on but I still havent finished.

Duratione.g. Ive been reading all morning.

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE AND CONTINUOUS DIFFERENCES

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE PRESENT

PERFECT CONTINUOUS

1. COMPLETION 1. CONTINUATION

e.g. The party has welcomed the new e.g. The party has been

welcoming the

comers in the last few weeks newcomers for many

2. REPEATED ACTION 2.DURATION OF THE ACTION

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e.g. She has sung with the band three e.g. She has

been singing with the

times this season. band all season.

3. PERMANENT ACTION 3. TEMPORARY ACTION

e. g. People have eaten less meat over e.g. People have been

eating less meat

the last years. recently because of the

crisis.

4. FOCUS ON PRESENT RESULTS 4. FOCUS ON

THE ACTIVITY

e.g. Ive done the accounts here they are e.g. Ive been doing

the results. my accounts for weeks.

PRACTICE

2.1. Match each sentence (A and B) in the pairs below with its meaning:

1. A. Ive been writing the letters you asked me to write.B. Ive written the letter you asked me to write.

1. Ive finished writing the letter you asked me to write. ----

2. Im still writing the letters you asked me to write. ----

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2. A. The firm gives company cars to the junior managers.

B. The firm has been giving company cars to the junior managers.

1. This the companys usual policy. Its unlikely to change. ----

2. This isnt the companys usual policy. It may change. ----

3. A. Something has been killing the chicken in our yard.

B. Something has killed the chicken in our yard.

1. There are no chicken left in the yard. ----

2. There are some chicken left in the yard ----

4. A. Sony has placed some adverts in the press.

B. Sony has been placed some adverts in the press.

1. This is a one-off publicity move. ----

2. This is a continuing publicity campaign. ----

5. A. What a mess! Have you been decorating?

B. This room looks great! Have you decorated it?

1. You are in the middle of decorating. ----

2. You are not decorating anymore. ----

6. A. We learnt how to play poker.

B. We have been learning to play poker.

1. We are still learning ----

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2. We can play it now. ----

2.2. Look at the following dialogue:

A: You are covered in paint! What have you been doing?

B: Ive been decorating the dining room.

A: Have you finished it?

B: Not yet. I havent put up the wallpaper yet.

Specify the values and the differences between present perfect simple and continuous.

Make up similar dialogues, using the prompts below:

a. oil on your face /servicing the car

b. dirty hands/ working in the gardenc. eyes are bloodshot/learning for an exam

d. smell of onion/cooking

VOCABULARY PRACTICE

IDIOM PRACTICE

2.3. In order to found a family, be it modern or traditional one firstly has to marry and go

through all the rituals of matrimony, one has to find the true love who he or she will want to

spend a life with. Choose the word which best completes each sentence: You will discover

some of the idioms used in this case.

1. Anne always does whatever Franck tells her to do. She is like ..in his handsa. glue b. putty c. butter d. clay

2. Fred was in after he won the lottery..

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a. clover b. grass c. wheat d. barely

3. Perhaps because he was so different, he became the black.of the family.

a. cow b. cat c. sheep d. donkey

4. Laura thinks her son can do no wrong he is the apple of her.. .

a. eye b. ear c. heart d. mind

5. Why not ask your family for a loan- after all, blood is.than water.

a. denser b. heavier c. thinner d. thicker

2. 4. Your parents have just heard you are planning on getting married .They totally

disagree to your choice of marrying so young. Using some of the idioms below, debate the

situation.

head over heels in love, the man of ones dreams, all is fair in love and war, to tie the knot,

the black sheep of the family, the bees knees, to steal smbs heart, to see eye to eye, to

drive smb. round the bend, blood is thicker than water.

PHRASAL VERBS PRACTICE

2.5. Read the text and match the words in bold to the definitions below:

My twin brother Jack and I did not have an easy childhood. Our elder brother, Mark

was a natural sportsman, a gifted student and the most popular boy in our school. He was

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obviously our parents favorite son, too, and Jack and I (1) were subjected to constant

criticism for failing to (2) measure up to the standards set by Marks achievements.

I accepted the situation from an early age and never (3) felt up to challenging his

position as the blue-eyed boy of the family. Mark was too arrogant ever to do anything

for himself and both Jack and I had to (4) see to his every need. With no choice but to (5)

bow to his demands, we were treated as if we were his personal servants rather than hisbrothers. I sometimes wonder, in fact, if Mark would ever have (6) got to adulthood without

our pampering.

When we were teenagers, Jack would often (7) turn to me for advice on ways to

attract attention from our indifferent parents. No matter what we did, however, they never

showed the slightest interest in either of us.

i. submit to/comply with something.

ii. feel well/strong enough to do somethingiii. reach a particular place/level etc.

iv. achieve/match an expected standard

v. deal with something (usually routine task)

vi. be exposed to something, be made to experience something

vii. ask somebody for help/advice

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UNIT III

THE WORLD, REALITY, DREAMS AND DECEPTION

PRE- READING

Use these words to complete the following passage:

earth world the earth the world

Its surprising how many apparently down-to- (1) people are superstitious. It doesnt

make you especially other-ly (2) if you take an interest in astrology, but some people

take the subject far too seriously: they are willing to pay (3) to have their personalhoroscopes drawn up, and they think..of(4) their private astrologer. Why on (5)

are people so gullible? Ive seen friends thrown into despair, simply because the stars say

the trouble is in store: one minute they are on top of (6), the next they are in the depths

of depression. With the best will in (7) I simply cant understand them. I can see

no..ly reason (8) why objects that are millions of miles away should affect our daily

lives. When we make our way in . (9), we do so by our own efforts, not because of

some arrangements of the planets. Even if you are going to have some bad luck, its not

the end of the (10). Why worry before it happens?

DISCUSSION

1. Do you believe in stars, signs, horoscopes? Which sign are you?2. Do you agree to the authors opinion about leading your life according to some

arrangements of the planets?

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3. How can a horoscope bulletin influence your daily activities, state of mind etc?

VOCABULARY

Match the idioms with their explanations

1. down-to-earth a. a great deal of money

2. other-worldly b. value highly and admire

3. Why on earth? c. practically minded, realistic

4. the earth d. not concerned with material things

5. no earthly reason e. Why, oh, why?

6. think the world of f. extremely happy

7. on top of the world g. no matter how hard you try

8. not the end of the world h. no possible reason at all

9. make your way in the world i. not so tragic

10. with the best will in the world j. become reasonably successful

READING

The following text enlarges upon the idea of dreaming nowadays, the meaning

modern people attach to one dream or another. Do we still believe in dreams or consider

them merely actions and reactions of the brain?

Dreams

Now and again I have had horrible dreams but not enough of them to make me

lose my delight in dreams. To begin with, I like the idea of dreaming, of going to bed and

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lying still and then, by some queer magic, wandering into another kind of existence. As a

child I could never understand why grown-ups took dreaming so calmly when they could

make such a fuss about any holiday. This puzzles me. I am mystified by people who say

they never dream and appear to have no interest in the subject. It is much more

astonishing than if they said they never went out for a walk. Most people or at least most

Western Europeans do not seem to accept dreaming as part of their lives. They appear

to see it as an irritating little habit, like sneezing or yawning. I have never understood this.

My dream life does not seem as important as my waking life, if only because there is far

less of it, but to me it is important. As if there were at least two extra continents added to

the world, and lightning excursions running to them at any moment between midnight and

breakfast. Then again, the dream life, though queer and bewildering and unsatisfactory in

many respects, has its own advantages. The dead are there, smiling and talking. The past

is there, sometimes all broken and confused but occasionally as fresh as a daisy. And

perhaps, as Mr. Dunne (Finley Peter Dunne, an American satirist with whose writing the

author was familiar) tells us, the future is there too, winking at us. This dream life is often

overshadowed by huge mysterious anxieties, with luggage that cannot be packed and

trains that refuse to be caught; and both persons and scenes there are not as dependable

and solid as they are in waking life, so that Brown and Smith merge into one person while

Robinson splits into two, and there are thick woods outside the bathroom door and the

dining room is somehow part of a theater balcony; and there are moments of desolation

or terror in the dream world that are worse than anything we have known under the sun.

Yet this other life has its interests, its gaieties, its satisfactions, and, at certain rare intervals, a

serene low or a sudden ecstasy, like glimpses of another form of existence altogether, that

we cannot match with open eyes. Daft or wise, terrible or exquisite, it is a further helping of

experience, a bonus after dark, another slice of life cut differently, for which, it seems to

me, we are never sufficiently grateful. Only a dream! Why only? It was there, and you had

it. If there were dreams to sell, Beddoes (Thomas Lovell Beddoes, an English poet)

inquires, what would you buy? I cannot say offhand, but certainly rather more than I

could afford.

(by J. B. Priestley)

Questions for study, discussion and writing:

1. What common attitude toward dreams does the author object

to?

2. How does he regard dreams?

3. What characteristics of dreams does he describe?

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actions in progress at a point time in the past

e.g. We didnt hear the telephone because we were sleeping.

temporary past actions, changing or developing ones

e.g. During the training, I was earning less than usual.

ongoing actions which form the background or setting of past events

e.g. It was getting dark as James came back to college.

actions in progress at the same time

e.g. We were watching the sky and listening to the birds.

ongoing actions in the past with a single event which interrupts it. ( we usepast simple for the single event)

e.g. She was sleeping when someone knocked on the door

.

past continuous to describe past arrangements; the arranged event may ormay not have taken place. (this use is similar to the future in the past).

e.g. Lily was taking the next flight to Rome, so she had to leave at once.

Requests, suggestions and questions more tentative and polite by using thepast continuous.

e.g. I was wondering if you would like to come with us.

PRACTICE

3.1. Complete the sentences with suitable suitable verbs from the box. Use past simple or

past continuous.

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Announce blow collapse cook decide feel get up have

Hit leave live manage mention press run into see

Set off settle down soar spend stand take

1. I..at the bus when I the speeding car slam into a lamp post.2. The icy wind .through the trees as we ..on our journey into the forest.

3. Brad .. exhausted so he onto the sofa, .. the button on the remote controlandfor an evening vegetating in front of the box.

4. The twins ..the afternoon shopping because theyfor their flat mates thatevening.

5. Unfortunately for us, weon the wrong side of Miami when the hurricane . thecity.

6. Share prices when the government .record growth figures.7. Iearly the next morning, so I ..to have an early night.

8. They said that heher because he found out that she ..an affair with his bestfriend.

9. My younger sister.the driving times before she ..to pass.10. I. Jane at the supermarket the other day and she.. that you might be looking for

work.

3.2. Match the underlined phrases with the explanations. Each explanation matches one

phrase:

1. They took the same test eight times before they passed it.2. Food was in short supply throughout the war.

3. We had a busy morning. John answered the phone and I dealt with the e-mails.4. I opened the doors and walked out into the pitch dark night.

5. Yesterday the president resigned.

a. a single or completed action in the pastb. a sequence of actions in the pastc. two actions which happened at the same time in the past

d. repeated actions in the paste. a state in the past

Past tense vs. Present perfect

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Present perfect Past simple

Unfinished state/action finished state/action

e.g. Their little cottage has stood e.g. Their little

cottage stood on this spot

on this spot for over one from 1890 to

1994.

hundred years.

Unfinished time finished time

e.g. I havent seen Jane this I didnt see Jane

all this morning.

morning yet. (now it is

afternoon/evening.)

Present relevance No present relevance

e.g. Lily has twisted her ankle, so she Lily twisted her

ankle a couple of years

isnt able to walk. ago.

Indefinite time Definite time

e.g. Ive been to London twice. I went to

London in 1990 and

2000.

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PRACTICE

3.3. Choose the right form of the verb in brackets (present perfect or past simple):

1. When he was a student, he three years in a hostel.(live).2. She .in the office for eleven months. (work).

3. Hemingway. The Old Man and the Sea in 1952. ( write)4. When he. school he .. to work at a power station and he there ever

since. (leave, go, remain).5. Ianything since I the car. ( not save, buy).

6. I from Bucharest to London last week. (fly)7. .. todays paper? (read)

8. you. any difficulties with him lately? (have)

9. I. this tie for an year and its almost new.( wear)10. I. his lecture on radio. (miss)11. Nobody can understand what ..to him. (happen)

12. Dragos the Eastern Carpathians and in Moldavia. (cross, settle)

3.4. Put a tick or correct the sentences:

1. John drove to Timisoara last week to visit his father.2. I have known a woman once who had sixteen dogs.

3. Alexia already did four radio interviews about her new book4. Julia felt hungry .Then she has remembered the salad in the fridge

5. Ill introduce you to Dr. Davies- or have you met her before?6. I have talked to her yesterday about doing the work.

7. They still live in the small house they have bought 20 years ago.8. You have not explained clearly what you want me to do.9. We lived in Newcastle for three years now and like it a lot.

VOCABULARY PRACTICE

IDIOM PRACTICE

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3.5.Read the following paragraph. Match each idiom with an explanation from the list

below. Two of the explanations are used more than once.

Those born under the sign of Pisces are dreamers, and Bill is typical: he goes through

life with his head in the clouds (1). His wife, Donna, was just the opposite: she had both herfeet planted firmly on the ground (2), and she constantly accused Bill of living in a cloud

cuckoo land (3). He has always been fascinated by other peoples bare-brained schemes

(4). Ive lost count of the number of times he has been led up the garden path (5) by

unscrupulous businessmen who wanted his money. Once someone pulled the wool over

his eyes (6) and persuaded him to invest in a company that didnt even exist. Having lost

all his money, he simply buried his head in the sand (7). That was too much for Donna, and

she finally decided to leave him. We all thought that he might come down to earth (8)

after that, but he didnt. He is still just as gullible as before, and trusts everyone. It wont be

long before hes taken for as ride (9) again. But it never seems to upset him when he loses

all his money: he looks at the world through rose-tinted spectacles (10), and nothing willever make him change his attitude. By the way, he also tends to exaggerate, so whatever

he says, take it with a pinch of salt. (11).

a. deceive/deceived e. take a more realistic view

b. crazy impractical ideas f. take a over-optimistic view

c. (be) sensible and practical g. refuse to believe everything

you hear

d. (be) out of touch of reality h. refuse to face up to the

situation

3.6 Complete the following conversation with some of the idioms used above:

John: Look, Bill Im only trying to help. Its no use just.. (1) youve simply got to face

up to the fact that youve lost that money for good.

Bill: It might just be a temporary setback.

John: Good heavens, you really are.. (2) arent you? That mans left the country! He

has run off with the money. You should never have got involved in this . (3) in the

very first place . He simply (4).

Bill; I suppose you are right

John: Of course Im right. If Donna were here now, shed say exactly the same She would

never have been .. (5) like this; she always.(6) .

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Bill: So what should I do?

John: Just remember that there are some unscrupulous people around these days. Stop

looking at the world.. (7). And the next time someone tells you he knows how to

double your money in three months, (8).

PHRASAL VERBS PRACTICE

3.7. Underline the correct alternative in each sentence:

1. I have to put the new Stephen King bookin order/on order at thelocal bookshop.

2. Several people have written to the local MP out of regard to/with regard tothe state of the roads.

3. There are less than twenty thousand orangutans in existence/at existencetoday.

4. We shall have no option but to leave the matterwith the hands/in the handsof our solicitors.

5. Tim and Ryan have agreed to take it on turns/in turns to walk the dog .

6. It is not funny to make jokes out of the expense of/at the expense of otherpeople.

READING COMPREHENSION

Read the following passage about the so-called REM periods one experiences during

sleep, and tick one of the suggested answers given to the questions or unfinished

statements below:

It is amazing how many people still say I never dream for it is now decades since it

was established that everyone has over a thousand dreams a year, however few of these

nocturnal productions are remembered on waking. Even the most confirmed non-

dreamers will remember dreams if woken up systematically during the rapid eyemovement (REM) periods. These are periods of light sleep during which the eyeballs move

rapidly back and forth under the closed lids and the brain becomes highly activated,

which happens three or four times every night of normal sleep.

It is a very interesting question why some people remember dreams regularly-

perhaps several a night on occasion- while others remember hardly any at under normal

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conditions. In considering this, it is important to bear in mind that the dream unless we

awaken directly from it, and even then it has a tendency to fade quickly into oblivion.

Given this general elusiveness of dreams, the basic factor that seems to determine

whether a person remembers them or not is the same as that which determines all other

memory, namely degree of interest. Dream researchers have made a broad classification

of people into recallers- those who remember at least one dream a month- and non-recallers, who remember fewer than this. Tests have shown that cool, analytical people

with a very rational approach to their feelings tend to recall fewer dreams than those

whose attitude to life is open and flexible. Engineers generally recall fewer dreams than

artists. It is not surprising to discover that in Western society, women normally recall more

dreams than men, since women are traditionally allowed an instinctive, feeling approach

to life.

In modern urban industrial culture, feelings and dreams tend to be treated as

frivolities which must be firmly subordinated to the realities of life. We pay lip- service to the

inner life of imagination as it expresses itself in the arts, but in practice relegate music,poetry, drama and painting to the level of spare-time activities, valued mainly for the

extent to which they refresh us for a return to work. We discourage our children from

paying much attention to anything that might detract from the serious business of studying

for exams or making a living in the real world of industry and commerce.

1. Many people are unaware that they dream because

a. their dreams fade very quickly.

b. they do not recall their dreams.

c. they sleep too heavily.

d. they wake up frequently.

2. During REM periods, people. dream less.

a. wake up more easily.

b. remember their dreams more clearly.

c. experience discomfort

3. People who remember their dreams do so because they

a. find the content relevant.

b. are awakened suddenly.

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c. have retentive memories.

d. are regular dreamers.

4. Those who recall their dreams tend to be

a. practical.

b. unrealistic.

c. disorganized.

d. imaginative.

5. The writer believes that, in western society, dreams are considered to be

a. shameful.

b. beneficial.

c. unimportant.

d. artistic.

TRANSLATION PRACTICE

English text samples

1. One evening of late summer, before the nineteenth century had reached one-

third of its span, a young man and woman, the latter carrying a child, were approaching

the large village of Weydon-Priors, in Upper Essex, on foot. They were plainly but not ill clad,though the thick hoar of dust which had accumulated on their shoes and garments from

an obviously long journey lent a disadvantageous shabbiness to their appearance just

now.

The man was of fine figure, swarthy and stern in aspect; and he showed in profile a

facial, angle so slightly inclined as to be almost perpendicular. He wore a short jacket of

brown corduroy, newer than the remainder of his suit, which was a fustian waistcoat, with

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white horn buttons, breeches of the same, tanned leggings, and a straw hat overlaid with

black glazed canvas. His measured, springless walk of the skilled countryman as distinct

from the desultory shamble of the general laborer; while in the turn and plant of each foot

there was, further, a dogged and cynical indifference personal to himself, showing its

presence even in the regularly interchanging fustian folds, now in the left leg, now in the

right, as he paced along.

(Thomas Hardy The Mayor of Casterbridge)

2. Father Purdon developed the text with resonant assurance. It was one of the most

difficult texts in all the Scriptures, he said, to interpret properly. It was a text which

might seem to the casual observer at variance with the lofty morality elsewhere

preached by Jesus Christ. But, he told his hearers, the text had seemed to him

specially adapted for the guidance of those whose lot it was to lead the life of the

world and who yet wished to lead that life not in the manner of world lings. It was a

text for business men and professional men. Jesus Christ, with His divine

understanding of every cranny of our human nature, understood that all men were

not called to the religious life, that by far the vast majority were forced to live in the

world, and, to a certain extent, for the world: and in this sentence He designed to

give them a word of counsel, setting before them as exemplars in the religious life

those very worshippers of Mammon who were of all men the least solicitous in

religious matters.

(James Joyce Dubliners)

Romanian text samples

1.1 septembrie! Ce greu, ce groaznic de greu a trecut august. i ct de nereal mise prea altdat, n primvar de exemplu, data zilei de astzi: 1 septembrie! La fel de

ndeprtat, la fel de imposibil ct mi se pare azi 1 martie 1942. Timpul trece i nu rezolv

nimic. Teoretic tim c ne apropiem mereu mai mult de sfritul comarului dar

deocamdat suntem n plin ntuneric, ne zbatem n aceeai mizerabil nelinite.

Doi ani de rzboi! Dar am ajuns oare pn la fundul nefericirii noastre? Am urcat

ntreag panta deziluziilor? Ne putem socoti pe cellalt versant? Era o vreme cnd

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toamna anului 1941 mi se prea limita extrem a rzboiului. Acum ns, nc un an sau

nc doi sunt termene plauzibile, ba chiar moderate.

(Mihail Sebastian Jurnal 1935-1944)

2. Sunt nemulumit de tot ce am fcut. Am adesea vise cu aceeai tem:

confruntarea dintre mine i tatl meu. Pe cnd eram colar, licean, tatl meu venea n

camera mea s vad dac-mi fceam temele. M surprindea citind Dostoievski, de

exemplu, sau poate Cei trei muchetari. Se nfuria, mi controla temele. Erau n ele numai

poeme ncepute, caricaturi.

Ei bine,am visat ceva asemntor. Am visat c tatl meu mi spunea: Ai reuit n

via. Eti celebru. Eu sunt mort. Dar am auzit vorbindu-se de tine. Arat-mi ce ai fcut!

Atunci deschid un sertar i i art foi de hrtie abia ncepute, caricaturi, hrtii

nglbenite, hrtii rupte: nimic!

Cred c tot ce am fcut eu, cred c tot ce a realizat lumea nu nseamn absolutnimic.

(Eugne Ionesco Sub semnul ntrebrii)

3.Pentru a-l descifra pe Beckett, acest omseparat, ar trebui s meditm la expresia

a se ine deoparte, deviza tacit a fiecreia din clipele sale, la singurtatea i ndrjirea

subteran presupuse de ea, la esena unei fiine rzleite, ce struie ntr-o munc tenace i

fr sfrit.

El nu triete n timp, ci paralel cu timpul. Motiv pentru care nu mi-a trecut niciodat

prin minte s-l ntreb ce crede despre cutare sau cutare eveniment. E una din acele fiine

ce te fac s realizezi c istoria este o dimensiune de care omul s-ar fi putut lipsi. ...

Las impresia c nu vrea s se afirme defel, c-i snt la fel de strine ideea de

reuit ca i cea de eec. Ce greu s-l descifrezi! i ce clas poate s aib! Iat ce-mi

spun de fiecare dat cnd m gndesc la Beckett. Dac prin absurd n-ar ascunde nici un

secret, el tot mi s-ar prea Impenetrabilul nsui.

(Emil Cioran Exerciii de admiraie)

ESSAY WRITING

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An essay usually contains 250 to 300 words, and it will be a response to a question,

or a commentary upon a certain topic in which you must do one of the following:

a) express and support an opinion;b) choose and defend a point of view;

c) compare and contrast a topic;d) present an argument;

e) persuade an audience.

N.B. There are no right or wrong answers. You are scored only on how well you have

expressed yourself in addressing all parts of the question/topic and how well you have

organized and presented your ideas. Specific errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling

are counted against you when they affect the clarity of your essay.

STRATEGIES TO USE FOR THE ESSAY WRITING

1. Study the question/topic carefully.

Be sure you understand what the question is asking. Consider some of the ways to

address the question. Jot down a few of these ideas.

2. Organize your ideas with an outline.

Use the ideas that you have jotted down and organize them into a logical

progression of ideas by using an outline.

3. Budget your time so that you will be able to complete and correct your essay.

You have only 30 minutes to write your essay. Organize your time into the following

slots: reading and thinking about the question, organizing your ideas in an outline, writing

the essay, and making minor corrections on the completed essay.

4. Use sentence structures and vocabulary you know to be correct.

You are more likely to make grammatical mistakes if you write long, complex

sentences. Keep the sentences and vocabulary in your essay simple and precise.

5. Dont waste time worrying about spelling, punctuation, and grammar.

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Incorrect spelling, punctuation, and grammar will hurt your score if the errors make

your essay difficult to understand. You should attempt to write your essay as correctly as

possible, but dont waste time worrying whether or not each sentence is grammatical or

each word is spelled correctly.

6. Dont waste time worrying about whether the evaluator agrees with your opinions

and argument.

Your essay is evaluated on how you present your argument, not on whether the

evaluator agrees with you. Be sure you have supported your argument well and have

answered all parts of the question.

An essay is made up of several paragraphs. A paragraph contains a topic

sentence, controlling ideas, some supporting ideas, and details (facts, examples, personal

experiences, ordescriptions)

e.g. The Smithsonian Institution is worth visiting for a number of reasons.

The topic is the Smithsonian Institution, and the controlling idea is reasons for a

visit.

Look at the following supporting ideas and details:

Supporting idea 1

The Smithsonian Institution is composed of various museums that offer something for

everyone.

Details facts:

These museums consist of the National Museum of History and Technology, the

National Aeronautics and Space Museum, the National Collection of fine Arts, the National

Museum of Natural History, and several others.

Supporting idea 2

A person can do more than just look at the exhibits.

Details example:

For example, in the insect zoo at the National Museum of Natural History, anyone

who so desires can handle some of the exhibits.

Supporting idea 3

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The museums provide unforgettable experiences.

Details personal experience:

In climbing through Skylab at the Natural Aeronautics and Space Museum, I was

able to imagine what it would be like to be an astronaut in space.

Supporting idea 4

Movies shown at regular intervals aid in building an appreciation of our world.

Details description:

In the National Aeronautics and Space Museum, there is a theatre which has a

large screen. When the movie is shown, it gives the illusion that the viewer is in the movie

itself, either floating above the earth in a hot-air balloon or hang gliding over cliffs.

The parts of an essay are much like the parts of a paragraph. The essay begins with

an introductory paragraph which tells the reader what the essay is about, just as the topic

sentence tells the reader what the paragraph is about.

The body of the essay is made up of paragraphs that support the introduction, and

the concluding paragraph completes the essay.

Study sample essay 1

Question

Some people believe that a mother should not work. Others argue against this.

Consider the problems that a working mother faces. Do you believe a mother should

work? Support your opinion.

Essay

Introductory paragraph

Nowadays it is very common for mothers to work outside the home. Whether a

woman should stay at home or join the work force is debated by many people. Some

agree that the family, especially small children, may be neglected. The fact is, however,

that many women need to work because of economic reasons or want to work to

maintain a career. I believe that every mother has the right to work, and the decision to

work should be one that a woman makes on her own. But first she should carefully consider

the many problems that affect mothers who work.

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Supporting (developmental) paragraph I

The major problems a working mother faces concern her children. She must either

find a reliable person who will be loving toward the children or a good day-care centre

where the children can go. If a child gets sick, the mother must make special

arrangements for the child to be cared for at home, or she must stay home from work.

While at work, the mother may worry about her children. She may wonder if they are safe,

if they are learning the values she wants them to have, and if her absence is hurting them

emotionally. She may also regret not being able to take them to after-school activities or

participate in family activities with them.

Supporting (developmental) paragraph II

Even though a mother is frequently forced into working for economic reasons, she

soon discovers that there are added expenses. Her biggest expense is child care. Another

expense is transportation. This may include purchasing and maintaining a car. Yet anotherexpense is clothing, such as uniform or stylish suits to maintain a professional appearance.

Finally, if her company does not have a subsidized cafeteria, she will have to pay for food

in restaurants.

Conclusion

After a mother takes into account all of the above problems and perhaps other

problems unique to her situation, she must decide if a job is worth it. I believe that even

though she faces major obstacles, these obstacles are not insurmountable. Many mothers

do work and manage a family very successfully. In conclusion, it is a womans right to

make this choice, and only the woman herself should decide this matter.