Legend Story

The Legend of Lake Toba Indonesia 

 

Long time ago, there was a wanderer, named Sibuatan. After wandered over so many places, he finally decided to stay in one place; it was on the river bank near the valley. He was so pleased staying in this new place because it has beautiful scenery, fresh air, and the most fertile land. He did his daily works like cultivating the land, collecting vegetables and firewood, and catching fish for his meal diligently.

             One afternoon, when he went fishing, he caught a very big fish which has golden scales. "Hurray! I got a giant fish. I will have a big dinner tonight!" said Sibuatan happily. He walked home quickly to cook the fish. When arrived in his house, he put the fish on the table in the kitchen; meanwhile he went down to get some firewood underneath the house. However, when he came back from collecting fire-woods he was so surprised to find out a beautiful woman in his house instead of the fish. Sibuatan’s heart beat very fast, he knew he fell in love with that woman which he soon learned was a transformation of the big fish he had caught that day. Without second thought Sibuatan proposed her to marry him. The woman agreed to marry him on one term, Sibuatan wouldn't ever mention her origin (she was a fish) to anyone. Sibuatan agreed about it. He was too happy to have such a beautiful wife.

A year past and they had already a son named Sam. Since he was a little, her mother spoiled him. So, when he was big enough his behavior was bad. He was a lazy boy, just played around the river and never helped and respected his parents. He was good at swimming and diving and did it everyday, but his father wants him (Sam) to help him in the field.

One day when Sam's mother told him delivering his father's lunch, he ate it little by little while walking. When he arrived at the field, the rest of the food was a little. His father (Sibuatan) got very angry finding this fact. Everyday Sam's only playing... playing... and playing around; and when he for the first time was given a task delivering his father's lunch, he didn't only arrived late but also had eaten the lunch. Sibuatan could not control his anger anymore. He smacked and cursed his son. "You are really area son of a fish! You can't be taught well. All you want to do is playing in the river like fish. Get out of my sight!" he was furious.

 

The boy ran home, crying and then told his mother that he was cursed as a son of a fish by his father. His mother was very sad to know that his husband had broken his oath. Sibuatan told about her origin to their son. The woman then told Sam to climb the hill behind their house as high as he could. Without asking anymore, Sam went away. When his mother saw.his son had climbed high the hill, she walked to the bank of the river. Then, thunder struck one after the other. The woman jumped into the river. She transformed back into a big fish. The rain came down hardly with thunder rumbled. The river overflowed so fast and kept overflowed till the big valley that circled the hill where Sam had climbed up was covered by water. Sam cried when he watched from top of the hill, what had happened. The overflow from the river became a big lake with an island in the centre. That lake is known as Lake Toba, meanwhile the hill is named as Samosir Island. The name came from the words "the son (Sam) that was chased move away (diusir)".

 

The End  

  

source:http://indonesiantale.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-legend-of-lake-toba-indonesia.html

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Fable Story

The Ugly Duckling

 

Once upon a time down on an old farm, lived a duck family, and Mother Duck had been sitting on a clutch of new eggs. One nice morning, the eggs hatched and out popped six chirpy ducklings. But one egg was bigger than the rest, and it didn't hatch. Mother Duck couldn't recall laying that seventh egg. How did it get there? TOCK! TOCK! The little prisoner was pecking inside his shell.    "Did I count the eggs wrongly?" Mother Duck wondered. But before she had time to think about it, the last egg finally hatched. A strange looking duckling with gray feathers that should have been yellow gazed at a worried mother. The ducklings grew quickly, but Mother Duck had a secret worry.    "I can't understand how this ugly duckling can be one of mine!" she said to herself, shaking her head as she looked at her last born. Well, the gray duckling certainly wasn't pretty, and since he ate far more than his brothers, he was outgrowing them. As the days went by, the poor ugly duckling became more and more unhappy. His brothers didn't want to play with him, he was so clumsy, and all the farmyard folks simply laughed at him. He felt sad and lonely, while Mother Duck did her best to console him.    "Poor little ugly duckling!" she would say. "Why are you so different from the others?" And the ugly duckling felt worse than ever. He secretly wept at night. He felt nobody wanted him.    "Nobody loves me, they all tease me! Why am I different from my brothers?"    Then one day, at sunrise, he ran away from the farmyard. He stopped at a pond and began to question all the other birds. "Do you know of any ducklings with gray feathers like mine?" But everyone shook their heads in scorn.    "We don't know anyone as ugly as you." The ugly duckling did not lose heart, however, and kept on making inquiries. He went to another pond, where a pair of large geese gave him the same answer to his question. What's more, they warned him: "Don't stay here! Go away! It's dangerous. There are men with guns around here!" The duckling was sorry he had ever left the farmyard.    Then one day, his travels took him near an old countrywoman's cottage. Thinking he was a stray goose, she caught him.    "I'll put this in a hutch. I hope it's a female and lays plenty of eggs!" said the old woman, whose eyesight was poor. But the ugly duckling laid not a single egg. The hen kept frightening him.    "Just wait! If you don't lay eggs, the old woman will wring your neck and pop you into the pot!" And the cat chipped in: "Hee! Hee! I hope the woman cooks you, then I can gnaw at your bones!" The poor ugly duckling was so scared that he lost his appetite, though the old woman kept stuffing him with food and grumbling: "If you won't lay eggs, at least hurry up and  get plump!"    "Oh, dear me!" moaned the now terrified duckling. "I'll die of fright first! And I did so hope someone would love me!"    Then one night, finding the hutch door ajar, he escaped. Once again he was all alone. He fled as far away as he could, and at dawn, he found himself in a thick bed of reeds. "If nobody wants me, I'll hid here forever." There was plenty a food, and the duckling began to feel a little happier, though he was lonely. One day at sunrise, he saw a flight of beautiful birds wing overhead. White, with long slender necks, yellow beaks and large wings, they were migrating south.    "If only I could look like them, just for a day!" said the duckling, admiringly. Winter came and the water in the reed bed froze. The poor duckling left home to seek food in the snow. He dropped exhausted to the ground, but a farmer found him and put him in his big jacket pocket.    "I'll take him home to my children. They'll look after him. Poor thing, he's frozen!" The duckling was showered with kindly care at the farmer's house. In this way, the ugly duckling was able to survive the bitterly cold winter.    However, by springtime, he had grown so big that the farmer decided: "I'll set him free by the pond!" That was when the duckling saw himself mirrored in the water.    "Goodness! How I've changed! I hardly recognize myself!" The flight of swans winged north again and glided on to the pond. When the duckling saw them, he realized he was one of their kind, and soon made friends.    "We're swans like you!" they said, warmly. "Where have you been hiding?"    "It's a long story," replied the young swan, still astounded. Now, he swam majestically with his fellow swans. One day, he heard children on the river bank exclaim: "Look at that young swan! He's the finest of them all!"    And he almost burst with happiness.

The End

 

source : http://www.ivyjoy.com/fables/duckling.html

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Fairy Tale Story

The Little Match Girl (by: Hans Christian Anderson)

       Her little hands were almost stiff with cold. Oh, one little match would do some good! If she only dared, she would pull one out of the packet and strike it on the wall to warm her fingers. She pulled out one. R-r-sh-sh! How it sputtered and blazed! It burnt with a bright clear flame, just like a little candle, when she held her hand round it. Now the light seemed very strange to her! The little girl fancied that she was sitting in front of a big stove with polished brass feet and handles. There was a splendid fire blazing in it and warming her so beautifully, but - what happened? Just as she was stretching out her feet to warm them, the flame went out, the stove vanished - and she was left sitting with the end of a burnt match in her hand.

       She struck a new one. It burnt, it blazed up, and where the light fell upon the wall, it became transparent like gauze, and she could see right through it into the room. The table was spread with a snowy cloth and pretty china. A goose stuffed with apples and prunes was steaming on it. And what was even better, the goose hopped from the dish with the carving knife sticking in his back and waddled across the floor. It came right up to the poor child, and - the match went out, and there was nothing to be seen but the thick black wall.

        She lit another match. This time she was sitting under a lovely Christmas tree. It was much bigger and more beautifully decorated than the one she had seen when she peeped through the glass doors at the rich merchant's house this very Christmas. Thousands of lighted candles gleamed under it's branches. And many colored pictures, such as she had seen in the shop windows, looked down at her. The little girl stretched out both her hands towards them - then out went the match. All the Christmas candles rose higher and higher, till she saw that they were only the twinkling stars. One of them fell and made a bright streak of light across the sky.

"Someone is dying," thought the little girl, for her old grandmother, the only person who had ever been kind to her, used to say, "When a star falls, a soul is going up to God."

Now she struck another match against the wall, and this time it was her grandmother who appeared in the circle of flame. She saw her quite clearly and distinctly, looking so gentle and happy.

"Grandmother!" cried the little creature. "Oh, do take me with you. I know you will vanish when the match goes out. You will vanish like the warm stove, the delicious goose, and the beautiful Christmas tree!"

She hastily struck a whold bundle of matches, because she did so long to keep her grandmother with her. The light of the matches made it as bright as day. Grandmother had never before looked so big or so beautiful. She lifted the little girl up in her arms, and they soared in a halo of light and joy, far, far above the earth, where ther was no more cold, no hunger, and no pain - for they were with God.

In the cold morning light the poor little girl sat there, in the corner between the houses, with rosy cheeks and a smile on her face - dead. Frozen to death on the last night of the old year. New Year's Day broke on the little body still sitting with the ends of the burnt-out matches in her hand.

"She must have tried to warm herself," they said. Nobody knew what beautiful visions she had seen, nor in what a halo she had entered with her grandmother upon the glories of the New Year.

The End

source : http://www.digregor.com/FairyTales/matchgirl2.html 

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Punctuation Marks

(source : https://www.englishclub.com/writing/punctuation-marks.htm )

Summary of common punctuation marks
The following table of commonly used English punctuation marks shows:

• a graphical representation of each punctation mark (black) with text block (grey)
• name of punctuation mark with link to more information
• very simple example sentence (more examples on individual pages)

punctuation mark	name	example
	full stop or period	I like English.
	comma	I speak English, French and Thai.
	semi-colon	I don't often go swimming; I prefer to play tennis.
	colon	You have two choices: finish the work today or lose the contract.
	hyphen	This is a rather out-of-date book.
	dash	In each town—London, Paris and   Rome—we stayed in youth hostels.
	question mark	Where is Shangri-La?
	exclamation mark exclamation point (AmE)	"Help!" she cried. "I can't swim!"
	slash, forward slash or oblique	Please press your browser's            Refresh/Reload button.
	backslash	C:\Files\jo.doc
	double quotation marks	"I love you," she said.
	single quotation marks	'I love you,' she said.
	apostrophe	This is John's car.
	underline	Have you read Harry Potter?
	underscore	b_l@cia.gov
	round brackets	I went to Bangkok (my favourite city) and stayed there for two weeks.
	square brackets	The newspaper reported that the hostages [most of them French] had been released.
	ellipsis mark	One happy customer wrote: "This is the best program...that I have ever seen."

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Persuasive Text

Persuasive Text

Persuasive text is a text that has function to persuade someone about information in text. here the example of persuasive text.

Example :

Lockers for Everyone

What would you think if you had to put your personal belongings in a crate, and every time you turn around something of yours were stolen? That is why I think students should have lockers. To protect their things, keep their things somewhere clean, and so they won't have to complain about carrying everything at once.

Students should have lockers because it will stop people from stealing their stuff.  For example, the children won't have to worry about their books, homework assignments, and personal belongings being stolen. The reason for this is that the children will have their own lockers plus their own locks, which only they have the combination to.  This will reduce cases where things are being stolen.

Students also should have lockers so they will have a clean place to put their books. What I mean by this is that many desks are rusty and have gum stuck under them.  Also, if you put you stuff into a crate then it is easily collecting dust. This connects to my argument because their stuff will be kept very clean in a neat environment if students are given lockers to use.  

My final reason why I think students should have lockers is so students won't complain about caring everything at once.  The things that they may be caring everyday are very heavy.  This is important because students may suffer health problems from having to carry all their stuff everywhere.  Why carry books everyday why you can eliminate the pain by having a locker to store the things you don't need?  Also, they're always whining about having to carry all their books.  If we had lockers everyone would be happier.

          In conclusion I think students should have lockers. If we have lockers stealing in school would go down, it would create a safe and clean place for students to put their things, and students would complain less and be healthier.  If we had lockers, the school would be a happier place for everyone.  If you don't want your things stolen, contact your principal and demand lockers for your school.

source of example : http://www.ereadingworksheets.com/writing-worksheets/persuasive-essay-examples.htm

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Descriptive Text

Descriptive Text

 

Descriptive text is a text that give information about how something or someone looks, sounds, etc. : using words to describe what something or someone is like.

Example :

Borobudur Temple

    Borobudur is Hindu – Buddhist temple. It was build in the ninth century under Sailendra dynasty of ancient Mataram kingdom. Borobudur is located in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia.

   Borobudur is well-known all over the world. Its construction is influenced by the Gupta architecture of India. The temple is constructed on a hill 46 m high and consist of eight step like stone terrace. The first five terrace are square and surrounded by walls adorned with Buddhist sculpture in bas-relief. The upper three are circular. 

     Each of them is with a circle of bell shape-stupa. The entire edifice is crowned by a large stupa at the center at the center of the top circle. The way to the summit extends through some 4.8 km of passage and stairways. The design of Borobudur which symbolizes the structure of universe influences temples at Angkor, Cambodia.

    Borobudur temple which is rededicated as an Indonesian monument in 1983 is a valuable treasure for Indonesian people.

  




source of example : http://bos-sulap.blogspot.com/2011/03/example-of-descriptive-text-borobudur.html

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Example of Narrative text

Example of Narrative text

Narrative text has function to entertain the reader about the story of that text. Narrative text can improve the student's vocabulary and imagination. Student also can get moral value from that story. here I will give you the example of narrative text.

The Arrogant Swan

In a far away kingdom, there was a river. This river was home to many golden swans. The swans spent most of their time on the banks of the river. Every six months, the swans would leave a golden feather as a fee for using the lake. The soldiers of the kingdom would collect the feathers and deposit them in the royal treasury.

One day, a homeless bird saw the river. “The water in this river seems so cool and soothing. I will make my home here,” thought the bird.

As soon as the bird settled down near the river, the golden swans noticed her. They came shouting. “This river belongs to us. We pay a golden feather to the King to use this river. You can not live here.”

“I am homeless, brothers. I too will pay the rent. Please give me shelter,” the bird pleaded. “How will you pay the rent? You do not have golden feathers,” said the swans laughing. They further added, “Stop dreaming and leave once.” The humble bird pleaded many times. But the arrogant swans drove the bird away.

“I will teach them a lesson!” decided the humiliated bird.

She went to the King and said, “O King! The swans in your river are impolite and unkind. I begged for shelter but they said that they had purchased the river with golden feathers.”

The King was angry with the arrogant swans for having insulted the homeless bird. He ordered his soldiers to bring the arrogant swans to his court. In no time, all the golden swans were brought to the King’s court.

“Do you think the royal treasury depends upon your golden feathers? You can not decide who lives by the river. Leave the river at once or you all will be beheaded!” shouted the King.

The swans shivered with fear on hearing the King. They flew away never to return. The bird built her home near the river and lived there happily forever. The bird gave shelter to all other birds in the river.


source : http://www.english-for-students.com/The-Arrogant-Swans.html

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Australian Informal Greeting

Greetings

source : http://alldownunder.com/australian-slang/dictionary-greetings.htm

Ga day or G'day	: a friendly welcome, same as hello or hi. It's a shortened form of Good Day and pronounced as gidday. It can be used at night as well as during the day.
Cheerio	: goodbye. Not to be confused with Cheerios which are cocktail sausages in Australia.
Hooroo	: goodbye or see you later. Sometimes spelled "ooroo" and pronounced with and without the H
Toodle-oo	: goodbye
Ow ya goin'	: a friendly greeting, shortened from "how are you going"
Cheers	: thanks
Ta	: thank you
You right?	: do you need any help?
Crikey	: wow, used as an exclamation point in a conversation. Old slang, made famous by croc hunter Steve Irwin, but seldom used today by other Aussies.
Aussie Salute	: not actually words, but a gesture with your hand brushing flies away from your face
Tingle	: will call you as in "I'll give you a tingle this arvo". In the USA you'd say "I'll ring you this afternoon."
Cooee	: someone calling out so their voice can be heard over a distance
Ooroo	: see Hooroo (above)

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English Conversations at a Hotel

source : http://www.theenglishspace.com/useful-english/hotel/conversation.html

Arriving at the Hotel

There are a few different conversations you might have with the hotel receptionist when you arrive at a hotel.

Conversation 1

Mike: I'd like a room for two people, for three nights please.

Hotel Receptionist: Ok, I just need you to fill in this form please.

Hotel Receptionist: Do you want breakfast?

Mike: Yes, please.

Hotel Receptionist: Breakfast is from 7 to 10 each morning in the dining room. Here is your key. Your room number is 345, on the third floor. Enjoy your stay.

Mike: Thank you.

Conversation 2

Lisa: I'd like a room please.

Hotel Receptionist: Do you have a reservation?

Lisa: No, I don't.

Hotel Receptionist: How many nights?

Lisa: Two nights, please.

Hotel Receptionist: For two people?

Lisa: Yes.

Hotel Receptionist: Do you want breakfast?

Lisa: No, thank you.

Hotel Receptionist: Ok, that will be $210. Do you want to pay now, or when you check out?

Lisa: I'll pay now.

Hotel Receptionist: Can you fill this in, and sign here please.

Hotel Receptionist: Thank you. Here is your receipt and your key. You are in room 231, on the second floor.

Leaving the Hotel

Mike: I'd like to check out please.

Hotel Receptionist: What room number?

Mike: 231.

Hotel Receptionist: That's $250 please.

Mike pays the hotel receptionist.

Hotel Receptionist: Thank you. Sign here please. Have a good journey.

Mike: Thank you.

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English Conversations In a Restaurant

English Conversations In a Restaurant

these conversation help you to use English in countries which use English for their native language.

Booking

"I booked a table for two for … (8pm).
"It's under the name of …"
"A table for two please."
What the restaurant staff say:
"Of course. Please come this way."
Or…
"Your table isn't quite ready yet."
"Would you like to wait in the bar?"
"We're fully booked at the moment. Could you come back a bit later?"

Asking about the menu

These are phrases you can ask the waiter if you aren't sure of something on the menu.
"What's … exactly?"
"Is this served with … (salad)?"
"Does this have any … (seafood) in it?"
"What do you recommend?"

Ordering

What the waiter says:
"Are you ready to order?"
"Can I take your order?"
"Anything to drink?"
"Would you like … (chips) with that?"
What the customer says:
"I'll have…"
"I'd like…"
"Can I have …"
"We'd like to order …"
If there are problems with the order, the waiter can say:
"I don't think we have any more … (lobster) left. I'll check with the kitchen."
"I'm sorry, but the king prawn soup is finished."

Dealing with problems

The customer can say:
"Excuse me, but I didn't order this."
"I'm sorry, but this is cold."
"Can I change my order please?"
The waiter can say:
"I'm so sorry about that…"
"Let me take it back for you." (take it back = return it to the kitchen)
"Let me change it for you."

Getting the bill

"Can we have the bill please?"
"Could we get the bill?"
"Could we pay please?"
("bill" in British English; "check" in American English.)

source : http://www.english-at-home.com/conversations-restaurant/

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Types of Simple Sentences

source : https://www.dlsweb.rmit.edu.au/lsu./content/4_WritingSkills/writing_tuts/sentences_LL/simple.html

There are three main types of sentences. The first of these is called a simple sentence.

• A simple sentence has one independent clause and expresses one idea.

Example

• A simple sentence must have one subject - verb combination but the subject may be compound, ie have more than one element.

Example

• A simple sentence can also have a compound verb construction.

Example

Simple sentences can only have only one subject-verb combination and commas are not used. Below are some examples of the different combinations that you might find in simple sentences.

Examples

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Changes of Adverb in (Direct speech --> Indirect speech)

 

 

Changes of Adverb

1. Today              : That day
2. Now                : Then
3. Here                : There
4. Tomorrow      : The next day
5. Yesterday       : The day before
6. This year        : That year
7. May                : Might
8. Ago                 : Before
9. Last night       : The night before
10. Last week     : The week before
11. Last month   : The month before
12. Last year      : The year before
13. Tonight         : That night
14. Next week     : The following before
15. Next year      : The following year
16. These             : Those
17. Over here      : Over here
18. This                : That

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Example of Speech text

Peace

Good Morning.

    Before i begin my speech, i would like to invite you to thank with God the almighty who has given us mercy and blessing, so we can meet together in this blessing place.

the Honorable our speaking lecturer and all of my friends that i love. it be great to stand here in front of all of you to give a speech about "peace".

    According to Wikipedia peace is an occurrence of harmony characterized by lack of violence, conflict behaviors, and freedom from fear of violence. every people are created belonging and affection that is where the establishment of peace. But now, sense of affection and having each other aren't important things in this life. The important things in this world now are greed, power, and wealth that make peace will gradually disappear from the human heart. 

    Today, only strength and hardness that make they will get what they want.

Today, peace is just a fairy tale from ancestors to us.

And today, peace will be fade from the human heart.

    So, its time to us to build up the peace in our heart. Its time for us to realize that all people in this world are born to be loved not hurt. We must know that all people in this world entitled to be happy in their life through the peace. Grow our affection. like Ralph Waldo Emerson said that "peace can't be achieved through violence, it can only attained through understanding.

Ok, maybe that's all from me. I am sorry if i had mistake and thanks for your attention. Thank you.

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British Idiom

 

 

British Idiom

a drop in the ocean

If an amount is a drop in the ocean, it's a very small portion of the amount that's needed.

a new lease of life 

If someone has a new lease of life, they have a new enthusiasm for living.

a piece of cake 

If you say that something is a piece of cake, you mean that it is extremely easy.

an axe to grind (2) 

If you have an axe to grind, you have a strong opinion about something and you express this opinion whenever you can.

another string to your bow 

If you have another string to your bow, you have another way of making a living.

at a loose end 

If you're at a loose end, you have nothing to do.

can't see the wood for the trees 

If you can't see the wood for the trees, you can't see the whole situation clearly because you're looking too closely at small details, or because you're too closely involved.

come a cropper ( INFORMAL)

If you come a cropper, you fall over, or you make a mistake which has serious consequences for you.

come up trumps 

If you come up trumps, you succeed in something that you may not have been expected to succeed in.

eat humble pie 

If you eat humble pie, you admit that you are in the wrong and behave apologetically.

go down a treat 

If something goes down a treat, it's a great success and everyone enjoys it.

itchy feet ( INFORMAL)

If you have itchy feet, you feel the need to go somewhere different or do something different.

jobs for the boys 

If you say "jobs for the boys" you're referring to the fact that people in positions of power sometimes use their power to give jobs to their friends or family members.

just the ticket 

You can say something is just the ticket if it's the perfect thing or if it's exactly what's needed.

make a song and dance about something 

If you make a song and dance about something, you make a big deal out of, or a fuss over, something that isn't very important.

off your own bat 

If you do something off your own bat, you do it without being asked to or told to.

right up your street 

If something is right up your street, it would be perfect for you or ideal for your skills and interests.

take the mickey | mick out of someone ( INFORMAL)

If you're taking the mickey out of someone, or taking the mick out of them, you're making fun of them or copying their behaviour for a laugh.

  um and ah 

If you "um and ah" you're having trouble deciding what to say, or you're having trouble telling somebody something.

  zebra crossing 

A zebra crossing is a pedestrian crossing that is marked on the road with painted black and white stripes.

 

Source : https://www.englishclub.com/ref/Idioms/British/index.htm

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Compound Sentences

Compound Sentences

compound sentences is join with two simple sentences by using coordinating conjunction. they are and, so, but, or, yet, for, nor.

1. And : to joins the sentences that are like.
    Ex : I do love music and you do love music.

2. So : to joins the sentences when the second sentences expresses the result of something describe in the first sentence.
    Ex : Lisa gets toothache today, so she doesn't come in campus

3. But : to joins sentences that are opposite or shows contrast. 
    Ex : Amanda likes fruits, but Doni doesn't like those.

4. Or : to joins sentences that give choices or alternative.
    Ex : Rosa isn't cooking or Rosa isn't eating.

5. Yet : shows contrast or join opposite. We can use yet more often when the second part of the sentence says something unexpected.
    Ex : She didn't love him, yet she married him.

6. For : to give a reason or cause.
    Ex : some people are starting to leave, for the weather is beginning to change.

7. Nor : to joins 2 negative sentences.
    Ex : The rain isn't coming nor is the wind isn't blowing.

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The Ways We Pronounce -Ed

The Ways We Pronounce -Ed

We can find -ed style in the simple past tense or past participle in the regular verb. I'm sure that all of you are confusing when you try to speak the verb which use that style.
ex : I cooked a cake for you.

we can pronounce the -ed in 3 ways:

• /ɪd/
• /t/
• /d/

If the base verb ends in one of these sounds		example base verb*	example with -ed	pronounce the -ed as	extra syllable?
/t/		want	wanted	/ɪd/	yes
/d/		end	ended
unvoiced	/p/	hope	hoped	/t/	no
	/f/	laugh	laughed
	/s/	fax	faxed
	/ʃ/	wash	washed
	/ʧ/	watch	watched
	/k/	like	liked
voiced	all other sounds, eg	play	played	/d/
		allow	allowed
		beg	begged

*Note that it is the sound that is important, not the letter or spelling. For example, fax ends in the letter x but the sound /s/; like ends in the letter e but the sound /k/.

Exceptions

The following -ed words used as adjectives are pronounced with /ɪd/:

• aged
• dogged
• ragged
• blessed
• learned
• wicked
• crooked
• naked
• wretched

So we say:

• an aged man /ɪd/
• a blessed nuisance /ɪd/
• a dogged persistence /ɪd/
• a learned professor - the professor, who was truly learned /ɪd/
• a wretched beggar - the beggar was wretched /ɪd/

But when used as real verbs (past simple and past participle), the normal rules apply and we say:

• he aged quickly /d/
• he blessed me /t/
• they dogged him /d/
• he has learned well /d/ or /t/

Source :https://www.englishclub.com/pronunciation/-ed.htm

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General Strategies for the Listening Section

General Strategies for the Listening Section 

1. Be familiar with the direction.

Before you listen the section of your speaking, you must be familiar with the direction of those tasks.

2. Be familiar with computer adaptivity

it means that you will start with medium level question until the difficult one, these question will increase in step by step. so, you must be familiar about that.

3. Set the volume carefully before you start the listening section.

You have to set the volume to make you comfort and easy to get information from that section.

4. Dismiss the directions as soon as they come up.

you have to save your time to do the important things like try to be familiar with the options. So, you can dismiss the direction to save your time.

5. Listen carefully to the spoken material.

you will hear the spoken material one time only. You may not repeat the spoken material during the test.

6. Make calm yourself in the question.

you have to control yourself when the spoken material is played. 

7. Do not spend too much time on a question you are unsure of

if you truly do not know the answer, simply guess and go on. The computer will automatically move you into a level of questions.

 

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Finding the Main Idea in Paragraph

Finding the Main Idea in Paragraph

 

Main idea is the point of paragraph. We can find that usually in the beginning of paragraph or the last of the paragraph . The main idea usually is a sentence. 

if we want to search  main idea we have to know the topic first, it makes you easy to find main idea of that paragraph. And this case, i want to give you the examples of the paragraphs and the main idea of those paragraphs.

Summer is a wonderful time to spend at West Beach. It is a beach with light- colored, soft sand. The coastline goes on for a long way and many people enjoy walking along it. Children like to play in the surf and walk along the rocks that are visible at low tide. This is a fun beach for people of all ages.

In this paragraph:   

• the topic is West Beach
• the main idea (what the writer is saying about the topic) is that summer is a wonderful time at West Beach
  
  
  (in this paragraph, the main idea in the first sentence.)
  
  
  
  

  Most teenagers and young adults do not know what they want to do for the rest of their lives. It is a big decision. There are a number of things you can do to narrow the choices. For example you can take an interest test, do some research on your own about a career, try volunteer work in the field in which you are interested, or "job-shadow", in which you spend a day with a person who is working in a field that interests you. These are just a few helpful ideas as you begin to choose a career.

   In this paragraph:
• the topic is jobs or career choices
• the main idea is a few ideas to help the reader choose a career
• 
  
  
  
  (in this paragraph, the main idea in the last sentence)
  
  

source of example : http://www.landmarkoutreach.org/publications/spotlight/finding-main-idea

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American Idioms A-E

American Idioms

A

About time:
Nearly time, high time. ex. "It's about time you bought a new car!"
Absence makes the heart grow fonder:
Proverb that means that our feeling for those we love increases when we are apart from them.
(To) act high and mighty:
To act proudly and arrogantly. ex. "He has been acting all high and mighty ever since he chased away that burglar."
Actions speak louder than words:
Proverb meaning that's it's better to do something about a problem than to talk about it.
(To) act one's age:
To behave in a more mature way. Frequently said to a child or teen. ex. "Bill, stop throwing rocks! Act your age!"
(To) add fuel to the fire:
To make a bad problem even worse. ex. "He added fuel to the fire by bringing up old grudges while they were arguing."
(To) add insult to injury:
To make a bad situation even worse.
Against the clock:
To attempt to do something "against the clock" is to attempt to do something as fast as possible, usually in order to make a deadline. ex. "They were working against the clock to finish the project."

B 

To) be a fan of someone/ something:
To like, idolize, admire someone/ or something. ex. "I'm not a big fan of heavy metal music."

(To) be in one's element:
To be completely comfortable doing something; to do something that comes very naturally to someone. ex. "When it comes to speaking in public, the Senator is in his element."

(To) be up to no good:
To be planning something bad, mischievous, etc. ex. "I could tell from the look in his eyes that he was up to no good."

(To) beat around the bush:
To avoid getting to the point. ex. "Stop beating around the bush and tell me what you really think."

(To) beg to differ:
A polite way of saying "to disagree", most often heard in the phrase "I beg to differ!"

Behind (someone)
In the past. ex. "I used to smoke, drink, and take drugs, but all that is behind me now."

Believe it or not:
Used at the beginning sentence to state that something is true whether one chooses to believe it or not. ex. "Believe it or not, I still care for her." 

Big fish in a little sea:
A person who's famous/ well-known but only in an unimportant place (city or area).

(To have a) big mouth:
To not be able to keep a secret. ex. "Don't tell her anything. She's got a really big mouth."

Big-shot (noun/adjective):
An important person. ex. "All the big-shots at headquarters never listen to what we have to say."; "A big-shot reporter." 

C

 

(To) call it a day:
To end work and go home. ex. "Let's call it a day. It's getting late."

(To) carry a tune:
To be able to sing on key (accurately). ex. "She has an awful voice! She can't carry a tune."

(To) cash in on something:
To profit from something. ex. "The actor wanted to cash in on his popularity by opening a restaurant."

(A) catch:
When talking about wives, husbands, girlfriends, etc., people sometimes say "He's quite a catch" or "She's quite a catch", which means that the person in question is a great partner, or that it's good to be in a relationship with him/her (usually because of his/her personality, money, or looks).

(To) catch someone's eye:
To get someone's attention through eye contact.

(A) cheap drunk:
Also knows as "a cheap date". A person who becomes drunk after only one or two drinks. ex. "Victor had one gin and tonic and was already slurring - what a cheap drunk!"
 

D

To) drive someone crazy:
To make someone very agitated, upset, or emotional (either in a good or bad way).ex. "That teacher is so awful! He drives me crazy with his attitude."

(To) drop it:
To stop talking about something. ex. "I told you to drop it! I don't want to talk about it."

(To) drown one's sorrows:
To get/ become drunk. ex. "Drowning your sorrows won't solve anything."

(To) drop the ball:
To make a mistake. (WARNING: This idiom is overused in the business world). ex. "So it was John's fault? Yes, John really dropped the ball on this one."

(A) dream come true:
A great thing; a dream or wish that has become reality. ex. "Living in California is like a dream come true."

Down in the dumps:
Sad. Depressed. 

E

As) easy as pie:
Very easy.

Easy come, easy go:
PROVERB. Said to explain the loss of something that was very easily obtained in the first place.

Easy-going:
Tolerant; laid-back; relaxed. ex. "Bill is one the most easy-going guys that I know. He never gets upset about anything."

(To) eat one's heart out:
To be envious or jealous (used mostly as a command). ex. "Eat your heart out Frank, I'm going to Paris!"

(To) eat out of someone's hands:
To do whatever someone else wants. ex. "James would do anything for Vicky. She had him eating out of her hands."

(To) eat one's words:
To admit that what one said was wrong. ex. "You think I won't be able to find work in one week? I'm going to make you eat your words."

Elbow room:
Enough space (room) to feel comfortable.
 
Source : http://www.learnenglishfeelgood.com/americanidioms/lefgidioms_e.html

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The Differences between Paraphrase, Summary, and Synthesis

The Differences between Paraphrase, Summary, and Synthesis.

in academic writing we can't put someone else idea without change the words with our own words or conclude it into the main information. we must make paraphrasing, summary, or synthesis in our academic writing if we use argument for someone else. in this case, I will show you the differences of paraphrasing, summary, or synthesis. 

1. Paraphrase
paraphrase is an activity to look at small part of the text and rewrite it in your own word.
ex :
Original sentence:
Giraffes like Acacia leaves and hay, and they can consume 75 pounds of food a day.
Paraphrase sentence:
A giraffe can eat up to 75 pounds of Acacia leaves and hay every day. ( source of example: http://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-paraphrasing-definition-examples-quiz.html ) 

2. Summary
Summary is an activity to look at the whole text and reduce it into a few sentences using your own word. 
ex :

                          Original

The amphibia, which is the animal class to which our frogs and toads belong, were the first animals to crawl from the sea and inhabit the earth.
Summary
The first animals to leave the sea and live on dry land were the amphibia. (source of example :http://www.uefap.com/writing/report/rep_sum.htm )

3. Synthesis
Synthesis is an activity to combine 2 information or more into a small sentences with your own words.
ex :
information A + Information B = Information AB

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Article

ARTICLE

Article is a kind of word that is placed before a noun to represent the existence of the world.

There are two kinds of article, they are indefinite article and definite article.
1. The indefinite article are "a" and "an"
2. The definite article is "the"



How we use article ?

a. we use indefinite article to show expression of speed, number, price, etc.
b. we use indefinite article before singular countable noun.
c. we use "a" before noun beginning with constant or vowel sounded like consonant.
     ex : a pen and a university
d. we use "an" before noun beginning with VOWEL or consonant sounded like VOWEL.
     ex : an apple and an honorable man
e. Indefinite article aren't used before plural noun, uncountable noun or names of person.
f. definite article is "the". we used to show the certain or special thing, we used before the object that is only one in the world, and we also used before superlative degrees of comparison.
     ex : 1. I met a Lady, the Lady is my neighbor.
            2. The Moon.
            3. The biggest one.

we can't use any article before names of person, games, roads, country, meals, special diseases, or public places when they are use in order.

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