Academic Word of the Day
Today’s photo: Rangitoto Island viewed from Devonport (thanks to Vanessa Van der Ham for the photo) Part 1: Today's word When you confirm something, you show or say that it’s true or correct. Much academic research is about testing hypotheses – which are claims that something is true. A research project has to be carefully devised to test a hypothesis and if the results are positive, we can say the hypothesis has been confirmed. Very often, if the research is important, other researchers will replicate the study and if they obtain similar results this is further confirmation of the hypothesis. This process is known as ‘empirical’ research – empirical means that it’s based on testing hypotheses by collecting evidence. It’s important to use the word ‘confirmation’ instead of ‘proof’ for empirical research; ‘proof’ should only be used to talk about logical deduction – for example in mathematics or philosophy. In everyday life and in the business world, confirmation can also be used to mean that you make something more sure than it was before – for instance, you make a provisional booking when you’re not sure about the dates or numbers and then you confirm your booking when you know all the details and are ready to pay. The results of her research were confirmed by later studies. More than 100 people are reported to have been killed in the fighting but there has been no independent confirmation of this figure. Click here for more practice. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? The financial markets suffered another blow today with the confirmation that another leading investment firm is facing liquidation. Full details together with an invoice will be sent out on confirmation of the booking. The new constitution was approved by Parliament, subject to confirmation by the people in a referendum to be held in the New Year. Confirmation of the research findings was proved in an independent study. Part 3: Practice Questions: Einstein’s theory of relativity was confirmed by observations of the sun during a solar eclipse. Do you know any other cases of famous theories and how they were confirmed? How would you confirm your suspicions that your flatmates were using your milk from the fridge? Part 4: The Idiomatic Five come/get to grips with cope with I found it very hard to get to grips with the subjunctive, because we don’t have it in English. suit sb down to the ground suit sb perfectly Her new job suits her down to the ground. She’s never looked back since she joined the company. give sb a hand help Could you give me a hand with this box? get the hang of sth get used to doing or using sth I found the first few tango lessons pretty embarrassing, but I soon started to get the hang of it. give sb a hard time complain, criticise or make someone’s life difficult Look, I know I forgot to phone you last night, but there’s no need to give me a hard time about it. I said I was sorry. Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question This year is expected to be a very successful breeding programme for one of New Zealand’s critically-endangered species, the Kakapo, raising overall numbers to nearly 100. The kakapo is the world’s largest .... parrot eagle penguin swallow Part 6: Today's online reading: This is an article based on research done by Massey University lecturer Marco Van Gelderen into dating agencies Vocabulary for the article: blindfold / bonding/ unattached / ambivalence/ stigma / brainstorm/proximity/circumvent/applaud/ loaded / preconception/ frivolous Questions for the article: 1) What two major barriers do dating agencies face? 2) What’s the main point of blindfolded speed dating? 3) Which demographic changes underlie the growth in dating agencies? 4) Why is dating particularly awkward for older people? 5) What criticism has been made of Dr Gelderen’s research? Extra practice: Click here for a song (kind of) on this theme – with the lyrics on screen and this and this are two other well-known classic songs by the same group read less
Tue January 06 2009
Today’s photo: Rangitoto Island viewed from Devonport (thanks to Vanessa Van der Ham for the photo) Part 1: Today's word When you confirm something, you show or say that it’s true or correct. Much academic research is about testing hypotheses – which are claims that something is true. A research project has to be carefully devised to test a hypothesis and if the results are positive, we can say the hypothesis has been confirmed. Very often, if the research is important, other researchers will replicate the study and if they obtain similar results this is further confirmation of the hypothesis. This process is known as ‘empirical’ research – empirical means that it’s based on testing hypotheses by collecting evidence. It’s important to use the word ‘confirmation’ instead of ‘proof’ for empirical research; ‘proof’ should only be used to talk about logical deduction – for example in mathematics or philosophy. In everyday life and in the business world, confirmation can also be used to mean that you make something more sure than it was before – for instance, you make a provisional booking when you’re not sure about the dates or numbers and then you confirm your booking when you know all the details and are ready to pay. The results of her research were confirmed by later studies. More than 100 people are reported to have been killed in the fighting but there has been no independent confirmation of this figure. Click here for more practice. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? The financial markets suffered another blow today with the confirmation that another leading investment firm is facing liquidation. Full details together with an invoice will be sent out on confirmation of the booking. The new constitution was approved by Parliament, subject to confirmation by the people in a referendum to be held in the New Year. Confirmation of the research findings was proved in an independent study. Part 3: Practice Questions: Einstein’s theory of relativity was confirmed by observations of the sun during a solar eclipse. Do you know any other cases of famous theories and how they were confirmed? How would you confirm your suspicions that your flatmates were using your milk from the fridge? Part 4: The Idiomatic Five come/get to grips with cope with I found it very hard to get to grips with the subjunctive, because we don’t have it in English. suit sb down to the ground suit sb perfectly Her new job suits her down to the ground. She’s never looked back since she joined the company. give sb a hand help Could you give me a hand with this box? get the hang of sth get used to doing or using sth I found the first few tango lessons pretty embarrassing, but I soon started to get the hang of it. give sb a hard time complain, criticise or make someone’s life difficult Look, I know I forgot to phone you last night, but there’s no need to give me a hard time about it. I said I was sorry. Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question This year is expected to be a very successful breeding programme for one of New Zealand’s critically-endangered species, the Kakapo, raising overall numbers to nearly 100. The kakapo is the world’s largest .... parrot eagle penguin swallow Part 6: Today's online reading: This is an article based on research done by Massey University lecturer Marco Van Gelderen into dating agencies Vocabulary for the article: blindfold / bonding/ unattached / ambivalence/ stigma / brainstorm/proximity/circumvent/applaud/ loaded / preconception/ frivolous Questions for the article: 1) What two major barriers do dating agencies face? 2) What’s the main point of blindfolded speed dating? 3) Which demographic changes underlie the growth in dating agencies? 4) Why is dating particularly awkward for older people? 5) What criticism has been made of Dr Gelderen’s research? Extra practice: Click here for a song (kind of) on this theme – with the lyrics on screen and this and this are two other well-known classic songs by the same group read less
Sun January 04 2009
Today’s photo: New Year’s Fireworks from the Sky Tower, Auckland Part 1: Today's word ‘To exceed’ means to be more than. The adjective is ‘excessive’, which means too much. If your speed is excessive, you could be stopped by the police, for instance. The noun is 'excess' and the expression 'in excess of' is a more formal way of saying 'more than'. When your insurance policy includes an 'excess' of $ 1 000, this means that you have to pay the first $ 1 000 of any claim before the insurance company makes a payout - so it's a very important thing to check! Sales exceeded our wildest expectations. He claimed to have acted in self-defence, but it was clear that excessive force had been used. The bank holds deposits in excess of $ 2 bn. Click here for more practice. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? Our aim is certainly to achieve excessive levels of output while minimizing production costs through smart technology. While a full investigation of the accident remains to be completed, it appears clear that excessive speed was a major factor. Researchers concluded that excessive drinking seems to have become an integral part of youth culture in the country. Excessive profits may prove rewarding in the short term but in the longer term may undermine the sustainability of the enterprise. Part 3: Practice Questions: What is excessive about the behaviour of alcoholics, shopaholics and telly addicts? Have you done anything to excess over the holiday? What's the excess on your car, travel or health insurance policies? Part 4: The Idiomatic Five put your foot down Be stricter She lets those kids get away with murder - it’s time she put her foot down. make fun of / poke fun at Make jokes about someone / humiliate someone They used to make fun of me at school because I was the only boy who went to church every week. give the game away Reveal a secret Everything was going well with the surprise party till you gave the game away by telling him you’d see him later. (A bit of) give and take compromise You can’t always have it your own way. Every relationship needs a bit of give and take. take sb for granted Not appreciate what someone does for you My kids always took me for granted, till that time when I was in hospital for a month. Then they realised how much I did for them. Part 5: Kiwi New Year’s Quiz Here’s a text about New Year’s Eve in Auckland. But there are 18 mistakes (I say 17 on the recording, but I found one more!). Some of the mistakes are vocabulary – for example, near the end, it should be ‘keep this up’ – and some of the mistakes are cultural / factual – for instance, in line 16, it should be ‘Sky Tower’. Listen and/or read and see if you can spot the other 15 mistakes. What a year it’s been! 2008 – I have to say, I’m glad to see the backside of it! So, I was especially keen to celebrate my Kiwi New Year here in Auckland. My friends had invited me to a barbecue at their place and asked if each guest could bring a tray, as is traditional for these things. So, I took along a Russian salad that I’d prepared at home in the afternoon. It was a cool evening – actually a little drizzly, but we were still able to sit outside on my friends’ stage, overlooking their garden, because they had big umbrellas to cover the tables. How nice it was to sit and chat with a group of friends, sharing our memories of the year that had passed and our hopes (and fears) for the year to go. A few of my friends were going to stay at their shack on the coast for a few days and invited me to join them - people can be so kind! Soon it was nearly midnight, so we switched on the radio to hear the midnight chimes of Big Ben. Our hosts had thoughtfully chilled the lemonade bottles and prepared our glasses so that we could toast the New Year. It’s always a wonderful moment as we shake hands with each other and wish everyone happy Christmas. What was really nice this year was that we had a great view of Auckland’s Sea Tower with its breathtaking fire display. Last, but not least, we all sang a couple of verses of that traditional Swiss New Year’s song, ‘Auld Lang Syne’. Even after all these years, it still brings tears to my ears! And so, it’s 2009! “Another year over – a new one just begun,” as the old Elvis Presley song goes. Let’s hope it’s a good one! I couldn’t agree more. I just have to make sure I keep at least some of the New Year’s disillusions that I’ve made! I’ve already taken up smoking and given up jogging, so that’s a good start – but it is only January 1st! If only I can make this up for the next 364 days, I’ll really have something to celebrate this time next year! Part 6: Today's online listening: This is an interview from Radio New Zealand with a dermatologist (someone who specialises in the health of the skin) from Newcastle University in the UK called Professor Birch-Machin, who received a lot of publicity in 2008 for his research into an interesting way of reducing sunburn. Vocabulary for the article: ranking / fragile / a placebo / Questions for the article: Choose the most appropriate answer to these questions based on the first 10 minutes of the interview. The researcher found that skin cancer can be reduced by ... recharging your batteries using a cell phone eating tomatoes sunbathing regularly This new approach can serve as a/an ............... existing methods, such as sunscreen replacement for imitation of improvement of addition to This new approach reduces the harmful effects of ............ lycopene free radicals antioxidants ageing Which of these processes increases the bio-availability of the key element in this approach? cooking exercise fresh air relaxation What was the main research method used by the researchers? survey qualitative focus group experiment What was the improvement in protection against sunburn provided by the treatment? 3.3 % 13.3% 30.3% 33% The participants in the study were female because ... the sponsor had requested this their biology was more suitable they were more available sunburn is a more serious problem for women To explain the function of mitochondria, Professor Birch-Machin uses the analogy of ... cell phones batteries cosmetics shopping Extra online practice: Click here for a short programme from the BBC with vocabulary and questions read less
Thu December 11 2008
Today’s photo: Bulgarian dancers at the ESOL Home Tutors end-of-year party Part 1: Today's word Principal is a more formal word for ‘main’ or ‘most important’ My principal motivation in applying for the post was the prospects for training and promotion. Click here for more practice. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? The principal part of New Zealand is located over or near a major fault-line, which means that signs of past or present volcanic activity are easily found. As the principal shareholder in several large companies, the Government had a large degree of direct control over the economy. New Zealand is already one of the principal providers of fruit and dairy products to the United Kingdom and aims to strengthen its profile in related sectors, such as wine. The principal role of the Student Learning Centre is to help people to be the best students they can be by providing appropriate guidance and support when they need it. Part 3: Practice Questions: What was your principal motivation in choosing to study your subject at your university? What are the principal reasons why people migrate? Part 4: The Idiomatic Five not have the faintest/ foggiest (idea) Have no idea (see also: clue) I didn’t have the faintest idea what he was talking about. Where’s Paul ?’ ‘Sorry. I haven’t the foggiest.’ so far so good Everything’s ok up until now How’s the project going ?’ ‘So far so good.’ put your feet up relax I like to put my feet up in front of the television after a long day at the office. at first sight / glance On your first impression At first glance, the city looks like a concrete jungle, but as you get to know it, you learn to appreciate its hidden treasures. get/set/start off on the wrong foot Not have a good relationship at first I think we just started off on the wrong foot. As the months went by, things improved and now we get on very well with each other. Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Sales of .............. fell by nearly 20% in New Zealand during the last 12 months? petrol food cars televisions See the whole report from Statistics NZ here Part 6: Today's online listening: This is an interview with Jean Fleming from the University of Otago Medical school. She explains the key role of the hormone testosterone in the human body. Vocabulary for the article: to kick in / a precursor / a hair follicle / puberty / dormant / Questions for the article: Sleep apnoea is .... caused by snoring restricted to adults breathing while asleep linked to body weight Testosterone is ... only produced by males important for building muscles produced exclusively by the testes a form of oestrogen Which of these is necessary in order for testosterone to work? chest hair anabolic steroids receptors puberty When is testosterone first produced by males? before birth during early childhood at the onset of puberty after the enlargement of the testes Which of these is NOT a trigger for the onset of puberty? increased activity in the pituitary gland body weight production of steroids kissing The level of testosterone is also associated with ... height baldness sexuality eye colour __________________________________________________________ read less
Tue December 09 2008
Today’s photo: Scene from Cycle Challenge 2008 in Taupo (thanks to my colleague, Vanessa Van der Ham, one of the participants, for the photo) Part 1: Today's word When you attain something, you reach a certain level or receive some kind of reward, reputation etc. Your success in doing this is an attainment and the goal or level you are trying to reach is your attainment target. We need to work harder if we are to attain our goals of increased production. 65% of students reached the attainment targets for mathematics – a 5 % rise over last year, but still short of our goal. Click here for more practice. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? Many years ago, the company attained a reputation for slow delivery, which has proven to be very difficult to alter. The accountant reminded the board that such a level of income could not be attained without a risk to long-term capital growth. I hardly ever use the top shelf in the office because it’s simply too difficult to attain anything I need from there without standing on a chair. She checked her work very carefully, hoping to attain the highest grade for this important project. Part 3: Practice Questions: Have you already attained any important goals this year? Do you have any attainment targets for your subjects? Part 4: The Idiomatic Five bite off more than you can chew take on too many commitments I think she’s bitten off more than she can chew with the huge government contract. it’s not the end of the world Not so bad Don’t worry too much if you don’t get the job - it’s not the end of the world. make (both) ends meet Support herself (and family) She only earns $ 100 a week and she has two kids to support. I don’t know how she can make ends meet. keep an eye on sb/sth Look after OR Keep under constant observation Can you keep an eye on my bag while I’m at the bar? The police are keeping an eye on suspected drug dealers. couldn’t believe your eyes Be surprised to see something I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw her there. She looked a completely different person after the operation. the facts of life The truth about sex I was so naive. I didn’t know the facts of life until I was well into my teens Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question What proportion of working New Zealanders are satisfied with their work-life balance? one in ten one in five half three-quarters Click here for more details from the national survey on working lives. Part 6: Today's online listening: This is a short radio report about the health problems of Indian men in New Zealand Vocabulary for the article: attributed / pakeha /stats / lumped in with / tailor-made / a burden/ off-the-peg / off-the-shelf Questions for the article: Indian men are at especially high risk of ... heart attacks lung cancer skin cancer accidental death Which of these is NOT one of the causes of this health problem? diet lack of exercise vitamin deficiency drug-taking Why was this health problem not identified before? Indian ethnicity was not specified in health statistics The community was not aware of the scale of the problem The sample was too small to produce significant results The problem has grown sharply in recent years Which of these is NOT suggested as a response to the problem? An awareness programme targeted at Indian men English language teaching Government action Community responsibility read less
Thu December 04 2008
Today’s photo: Young Korean Dancers entertaining us at the ESOL Home Tutors Party yesterday Part 1: Today's word ‘Somewhat’ is a more formal way of saying ‘a bit’ or ‘quite’. In other words, it makes an adjective or adverb weaker than it normally is. The situation has changed somewhat since our first meeting. Click here for more practice. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? The two vegetables are somewhat similar in appearance and are in fact often confused by inexperienced shoppers. I found your analysis original and convincing but your conclusion was somewhat unclear. I was somewhat delighted to hear the news of my promotion to assistant manager. The management were somewhat disappointed with the sales figures, having expected a strong recovery during the summer period. Part 3: Practice Questions: Have you been somewhat disappointed with your grades at university? Part 4: The Idiomatic Five Frighten (or scare) sb to death Terrify Hey ! You scared me to death ! Can’t you at least knock before you come in ? wouldn’t dream of (doing sth / it) Would never consider ‘I’ll pay for the meal’ ‘No. I wouldn’t dream of it. I invited you here so it’s my treat.’ play it by ear improvise We can’t give you any real advice going into the negotiations - you’ll just have to play it by ear. easier said than done Hard to do My doctor says I should stop smoking, but that’s easier said than done. at the end of the day The basic point is … They played skillfully in midfield, but at the end of the day, what matters in this game is goals. Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Which of these is the best selling model of car in New Zealand? The Holden Commodore The Toyota Corolla The Honda Accord The Nissan Micra Part 6: Today's online reading: This is a short article about a round-the-world trip in an electric car For the link, vocabulary and questions, go to: http://martinmcmorrow.podomatic.com Vocabulary for the article: a feat / viable / a prototype / gruelling / Questions for the article: How long did the trip take? What was the main purpose? Was the car entirely dependent on solar energy? What will the next stage in the project be? read less
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