This entry is going to be a place for all useful or beautiful phrases and expressions I find worth memorizing or just reading. All these sentences and phrases are from English books, articles and movies.
I was giving you a call in regards to...
Got some good news for you
The specialist review has come back
And the decision is to overturn the previous denial.
The specialist has approved the appeal for the second Cochlear implant. (from movie "Sicko" by M.Moore)
It was necessary to retroactively cancel this agreement to the original effective date due to the omission of material medical information at the time of application.
All providers will be notified to bill the patient directly.(from movie "Sicko" by M.Moore)
He could barely contain his seething anti-Americanism.
If it persists for more than 24 hours.
There are no points for getting this process almost right.
Put you in direct alignment with everything you need in order to...
There are far too many stories of people failing to live the life they have always dreamed of.
My gray hair afforded me instant rapport with my patients.
Have a realistic appraisal of how competitive you are.
I'm still in to this habit and will be in to it.
I find that a long walk in nature is the best way to block out the busyness of life and open me up to listen to my inner spirit.
They cast the vitrol of their calumny over me.
susceptible of being exercised
Sometimes you know ahead of time...
This drug helped bring the fewer down.
It was all elaborate ruse.
You don't want to get caught in the American health system thing.
Are you in pain?
I put my shoulder out.
He needed to let to go out of his past.
It's really not that much information in the grand scheme of things
...the argument wrongly assumes that issues of educational opportunity, community vitality, and job availability have no bearing on crime.
sizeable layoff at a major nearby factory that pushed countless citizens out of work and onto the streets.
...the argument could be improved by appealing to the city’s history with fighting crime.
the argument wrongly concludes that an increase in the police force will address the root issue behind the crime
Just as it is unfair to pay for a service that is being poorly rendered
when a business or organization adopts a mentality that what matters are not results, it often fails and hurts stakeholders.
As a result of a mindset that what mattered were not results...
On the other hand, some may argue that a focus on results and success breeds corruption.
If anything good can come of the disaster at the power station, it may be to inject a sense of urgency into the renovation efforts..
It is just flat out confusing
-So let us suppose you had moved up the ladder in our pharmaceutical company, what would be your priorities in approaching your job.
-The first would be to make sure that I had the support of the people working underneath me.
The second would be to make sure my immediate boss also understood the role that i was trying to play within the company and third, would be to make sure that the customers were satisfied.
chickens come home to roost = Prov. You have to face the consequences of your mistakes or bad deeds
This type of error can immediately bring down the rating of a response because it shows that the speaker does not have a strong command of English grammar.
Wendy was careful to eat a good diet of foods
Sea bass had almost twice that level of mercury
to grin and bear it
I thought to myself...
Now, a few of these choices support the argument’s conclusion. But only one of them is actually necessary to the argument. Let’s looks at them one at a time.
It’s unfortunate, but hardly surprising, that these avoidable mistakes can result in an application being rejected.
Let’s have a listen now for some of those key phrases.
Rachel: Okay, uh, you let me go grocery shopping, and I buy laundry detergent, but it's not the one with the easy-pour spout.
Chandler: Someone's left a glass on the coffee table. There's no coaster. It's a cold drink, it's a hot day. Little beads of condensation are inching their way closer and closer to the surface of the wood...
it has been slammed by the global recession
The commission balked at freezing electricity rates for San Diegans instead asking for a federal investigation and rebates
I honestly figured I would get a decline letter, but they
called the very same day that I applied for one and I
should be getting it in the mail by next Wednesday.
They kept going to him = They continued to turn/appeal to him
Having to work at a job that robs them of valuable time they could be using to spend on developing their acting career, auditioning or something else
...but a lot don't vocalize it because you don't want to jinx yourself
His speech was barely intelligible
to singe one's reputation
Full-thickness burns cause the skin to take on a leathery appearance.
I have found myself liberated from any number of damaging misconceptions and stereotypes.
When it comes to weight gain, the timing of your meals may be just as important as what or how much you eat.
bend over backwards
Psychiatrists would like you to believe that there is an epidemic of mental disease—and that psychotropic drugs are the remedy. They market to the public that their drugs are indispensable to the problems of everyday living. Yet psychiatrists admit they do not know the cause of or cure for any mental disorder. In fact, there is a complete absence of scientific tests to confirm a psychiatric diagnosis.
Why, then, should its future rest on its achievement?
It may seem incongruous – it certainly caught me off guard when I first heard it.
and even then you will have no way of knowing that you have hit the target exactly.
The pursuit of admission to medical school and medicine is a bit like having more than 100 pounds to lose.
on Oct. 18, 1969, the government ordered cyclamate removed from all food products.
If these people have no brain function, like you have in a cardiac arrest, I think that is the best, closest model we're going to have to study whether or not conscious experience can occur apart from the physical brain.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Monday, August 10, 2009
Contemplating about learning English.
There are myriad English language courses here in Russia and almost each of these English language schools offers a unique method of learning English. Most of them promise you a magical way to boost your English language proficiency up to an incredible level through an intensive deep immersion (which usually lasts up to one week) into English speaking environment. Sounds impressive, doesn’t it? Especially when you look at their impressively high prices that try to convince you that their teaching quality is also that high.
What these coaching institutes usually forget to mention isthat whom this ambience is comprised of – teachers and English learners with different levels of English competency. Some of these students can even barely speak English. :)
So, don’t succumb to the temptation of believing in magic. :) Magic doesn’t work with the language! Hard work does. It doesn’t make sense to spend that much money for the opportunity to study English in a pseudo-English environment with pseudo-Native speakers. :) A good teacher, of course, is very important and you need someone who would correct your mistakes. But, even the best teacher in the world will not make your English fluent until you actively begin to work on your language by yourself. And the Internet can help you a lot in your pursuits of mastering a good spoken English. In order to be able to say that your English is fluent you must speak English without any long pauses and awkward phrases. Because even if you know thousands of English words, comprehend 100% of English speech and texts but can hardly speak, you indeed do not know English at all. What you really know is a sort of English Sanskrit :) because this type of English is nothing more than a dead language.
Recently I’ve come across a blog - http://engspeak.blogspot.comthat, which contains very good lessons that provide you with and lots of useful phrases. Such blogs may significantly improve your spoken language if you are doggedly persistent in making your English fluent. Practice, practice and practice, which means you have to speak, speak and speak. There are plenty of web sites out there that can help you and....they are free! And please remember - No pain, no gain!
What these coaching institutes usually forget to mention is
So, don’t succumb to the temptation of believing in magic. :) Magic doesn’t work with the language! Hard work does. It doesn’t make sense to spend that much money for the opportunity to study English in a pseudo-English environment with pseudo-Native speakers. :) A good teacher, of course, is very important and you need someone who would correct your mistakes. But, even the best teacher in the world will not make your English fluent until you actively begin to work on your language by yourself. And the Internet can help you a lot in your pursuits of mastering a good spoken English. In order to be able to say that your English is fluent you must speak English without any long pauses and awkward phrases. Because even if you know thousands of English words, comprehend 100% of English speech and texts but can hardly speak, you indeed do not know English at all. What you really know is a sort of English Sanskrit :) because this type of English is nothing more than a dead language.
Recently I’ve come across a blog - http://engspeak.blogspot.com
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Paraphrasing...
Many people, myself included, often find it difficult to write an essay introduction. Most of the TOEFL preparation books advise you to paraphrase an initial essay question, or to put it simply, write it in your own words. I have come across three different sentences (from two different articles) that suggest similar meaning and might serve as a good example of successful paraphrasing.
1. America is expected to remain the world’s pre-eminent economic and technological power for the next fifty years at least.
2. Indeed it seems to me very probable that the United States will still be the world’s most powerful nation for one or two decades yet, which, in practical terms is as far ahead as it is reasonable to make predictions.
3. But, though the position of the United States as the world’s pre-eminent power, is not likely to change, the context in which she holds that position is now certain to.
1. America is expected to remain the world’s pre-eminent economic and technological power for the next fifty years at least.
2. Indeed it seems to me very probable that the United States will still be the world’s most powerful nation for one or two decades yet, which, in practical terms is as far ahead as it is reasonable to make predictions.
3. But, though the position of the United States as the world’s pre-eminent power, is not likely to change, the context in which she holds that position is now certain to.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Essay
Some people believe that the best way of learning about life is by listening to the advice of family and friends. Other people believe that the best way of learning about life is through personal experience. Compare the advantages of these two different ways of learning about life. Which do you think is preferable? Use specific examples to support your preference.
There are many ways of learning about life as well as opinions which one is the most advantageous. I think that there may be no any universal rule for dealing with such types of questions and every person may have its own unique approach to these matters. Some people appeal to family or friends; others believe that personal experience is more effective when it comes to learning life skills. I believe that while family and friends can explain you a lot about life, your own experience provides the best way to prepare you for the life around you.
First, friends and family can teach you valuable life lessons by sharing their thoughts and views with you. People who are close to us can be the most important our teachers from the very beginning of our life. They can help you avoid making mistakes based on their personal experience and lessons they have learned. If you want to achieve more in you life a little advice may have a significant impact on channeling your aspirations in the right direction. For instance, parents may explain their children that childhood is not only about playing and hanging around with friends but also is the precious time when he or she needs to acquire knowledge and survival skills to thrive in his or her future life. Parents may also warn their children that there are paths in life they should never choose and shy away from drinking, experimenting with drugs or joining a bad company because this may have serious consequences for them.
On the other hand, family and friends is not the only source of wisdom and sometimes is not the best one. Your friends and family may try to dissuade you from doing what you want to do. They may posses a lot of experience but that doesn't mean that following your family’s or friends’ advices is always right for you. Your friends and family might not be able to see the whole picture or understand that you are indeed making the right choice. Even the best friend may derail your pursuits of a certain career because he or she tried to follow the same path but failed to make his or her dreams come true. So, it does make sense to be discreete and not to rely completely on your peers’ or parents’ experience.
In addition, your friends’ and family’s experience may not be relevant to modern life. It may be outdated. If you try to live only up to someone’s values you may become a second edition of that person and regret later that you did not fulfill your own desires, did not realize your potential and eventually lost your true self.
In conclusion, family and friends can pass on their life skills to us but pre-chewed food is not that tasteful as the fresh one. I think we gain courage, strength and confidence by every phase we go through. We should not scorn the value of our friends' or family's experience but should not overestimate it too and should always embrace the challenges the life presents because it forges a strong and capable person.
There are many ways of learning about life as well as opinions which one is the most advantageous. I think that there may be no any universal rule for dealing with such types of questions and every person may have its own unique approach to these matters. Some people appeal to family or friends; others believe that personal experience is more effective when it comes to learning life skills. I believe that while family and friends can explain you a lot about life, your own experience provides the best way to prepare you for the life around you.
First, friends and family can teach you valuable life lessons by sharing their thoughts and views with you. People who are close to us can be the most important our teachers from the very beginning of our life. They can help you avoid making mistakes based on their personal experience and lessons they have learned. If you want to achieve more in you life a little advice may have a significant impact on channeling your aspirations in the right direction. For instance, parents may explain their children that childhood is not only about playing and hanging around with friends but also is the precious time when he or she needs to acquire knowledge and survival skills to thrive in his or her future life. Parents may also warn their children that there are paths in life they should never choose and shy away from drinking, experimenting with drugs or joining a bad company because this may have serious consequences for them.
On the other hand, family and friends is not the only source of wisdom and sometimes is not the best one. Your friends and family may try to dissuade you from doing what you want to do. They may posses a lot of experience but that doesn't mean that following your family’s or friends’ advices is always right for you. Your friends and family might not be able to see the whole picture or understand that you are indeed making the right choice. Even the best friend may derail your pursuits of a certain career because he or she tried to follow the same path but failed to make his or her dreams come true. So, it does make sense to be discreete and not to rely completely on your peers’ or parents’ experience.
In addition, your friends’ and family’s experience may not be relevant to modern life. It may be outdated. If you try to live only up to someone’s values you may become a second edition of that person and regret later that you did not fulfill your own desires, did not realize your potential and eventually lost your true self.
In conclusion, family and friends can pass on their life skills to us but pre-chewed food is not that tasteful as the fresh one. I think we gain courage, strength and confidence by every phase we go through. We should not scorn the value of our friends' or family's experience but should not overestimate it too and should always embrace the challenges the life presents because it forges a strong and capable person.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
I like the way banks are concerned about their customers' safety
Today I had a phone call from my bank. They said they had blocked my card. I was taken aback for a second. However, the man said that they did it because of the suspicious transaction that had appeared on my card. He said he wanted to ask me some questions before making the final decision of reissuing my card.
Below is my dialogue with the bank manager:
- Could you name your secret word?
- Yes, if I haven’t changed it should be .....
- Yes, right.
- So, the reason we have blocked your card is because there is a particular transaction that made us alert. Let’s go through all of the transactions on your card for the last month.
- Ok.
- Well…the payment of XXX rubles made to… Do you confirm it?
- Yes, I do.
- Then goes the transaction that actually raised our concern and made us block your card. It was done through ATM. It was the balance inquiry.
- Through ATM of which bank was it done? Bank of ….?
- Yes, it is.
- Yes, I remember I did make a balance inquiry but I cannot remember what the reason was for.
- So, you did this inquiry?
- Yes, I confirm it.
- Ok. That’s everything we wanted to know. We are going to unblock your card. You should be able to use it within ten minutes. Thank you.
- Thank you.
After a while I thought that this call might be a good candidate for my blog to practice every day spoken language...
I think if it were happening in an English environment I doubt I would be able to speak fluently. There would be a lot of stuttering and pauses in my speech.
Below is my dialogue with the bank manager:
- Could you name your secret word?
- Yes, if I haven’t changed it should be .....
- Yes, right.
- So, the reason we have blocked your card is because there is a particular transaction that made us alert. Let’s go through all of the transactions on your card for the last month.
- Ok.
- Well…the payment of XXX rubles made to… Do you confirm it?
- Yes, I do.
- Then goes the transaction that actually raised our concern and made us block your card. It was done through ATM. It was the balance inquiry.
- Through ATM of which bank was it done? Bank of ….?
- Yes, it is.
- Yes, I remember I did make a balance inquiry but I cannot remember what the reason was for.
- So, you did this inquiry?
- Yes, I confirm it.
- Ok. That’s everything we wanted to know. We are going to unblock your card. You should be able to use it within ten minutes. Thank you.
- Thank you.
After a while I thought that this call might be a good candidate for my blog to practice every day spoken language...
I think if it were happening in an English environment I doubt I would be able to speak fluently. There would be a lot of stuttering and pauses in my speech.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Essay
Do you think that it is wrong for people to drink alcohol and then
drive? Do you think they should be punished?
There have been a lot of complaints that the road accidents are increasing and the statistics clearly proves it. Many people die because of the reckless driving behavior of those who drive the car after taking some alcohol. I think this inappropriate attitude towards the safety of others should be punished according to the law.
First of all, such irresponsible deeds should not be tolerated. People who drink and then drive are not concerned about other people. Drunk drivers are not able to think clearly. Their brain cannot process the information properly and there is a huge risk that this may result in an accident. For instance, they may think they are driving in the right direction while actually they are using the wrong lane.
Secondly, drunk drivers are the real threat to the people around them because there are so many factors that they may not asses or react quickly. In case of bad weather conditions drunk drivers may cause a disaster when their slow reaction leads to deplorable outcomes. It happens all the time. A drunk driver being unable to evaluate the distance correctly hits another car creating chaos on the road and leaving many people injured or even dead.
In addition, it is necessary for the government to intervene. Such rules as suspension of the drunk drivers’ licenses for a certain period of time should be implemented. Many people drive their own car on a regular basis and cannot run their errands effectively without a car. Therefore, such a punishment may be very helpful in making people aware of the road safety. Not so many drivers would like to have their driver’s license suspended.
In summary, people should understand that it is absolutely wrong to use car in a state of being drunk. They must hold a responsibility for drunk driving and the law should be made clear about that.
drive? Do you think they should be punished?
There have been a lot of complaints that the road accidents are increasing and the statistics clearly proves it. Many people die because of the reckless driving behavior of those who drive the car after taking some alcohol. I think this inappropriate attitude towards the safety of others should be punished according to the law.
First of all, such irresponsible deeds should not be tolerated. People who drink and then drive are not concerned about other people. Drunk drivers are not able to think clearly. Their brain cannot process the information properly and there is a huge risk that this may result in an accident. For instance, they may think they are driving in the right direction while actually they are using the wrong lane.
Secondly, drunk drivers are the real threat to the people around them because there are so many factors that they may not asses or react quickly. In case of bad weather conditions drunk drivers may cause a disaster when their slow reaction leads to deplorable outcomes. It happens all the time. A drunk driver being unable to evaluate the distance correctly hits another car creating chaos on the road and leaving many people injured or even dead.
In addition, it is necessary for the government to intervene. Such rules as suspension of the drunk drivers’ licenses for a certain period of time should be implemented. Many people drive their own car on a regular basis and cannot run their errands effectively without a car. Therefore, such a punishment may be very helpful in making people aware of the road safety. Not so many drivers would like to have their driver’s license suspended.
In summary, people should understand that it is absolutely wrong to use car in a state of being drunk. They must hold a responsibility for drunk driving and the law should be made clear about that.
Let's see the results now...
It was hard as usual but at least I managed to answer all the questions. Let's wait for the results. However, I will register for another test. Just in case. But why they've increased the price for Russia? It was $185. Now, it costs $225!!!
Anyway, I think it would be better to separate the speaking section from the whole test. As it once was. It was called TSE (Test of Spoken English). In that case you wouldn't need to spend all that money and retake the sections you are already good at.
I also think that it's not the best idea that the most difficult part of the test comes at the end of the exam when you've gone through the never-ending reading section and endless listening one and a bit tired trying not to lose the concentration when it's especially needed.
Anyway, I think it would be better to separate the speaking section from the whole test. As it once was. It was called TSE (Test of Spoken English). In that case you wouldn't need to spend all that money and retake the sections you are already good at.
I also think that it's not the best idea that the most difficult part of the test comes at the end of the exam when you've gone through the never-ending reading section and endless listening one and a bit tired trying not to lose the concentration when it's especially needed.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)