Saturday, December 24, 2011
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Apple co-founder Steve Jobs dead at 56
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - APPLE (AAPL.NQ)Inc co-founder and former CEO Steve Jobs, counted among the greatest American CEOs of his generation, died on Wednesday at the age of 56, after a years-long and highly public battle with cancer and other health issues.
Jobs' death was announced by Apple in a statement late on Wednesday. The Apple.com homepage featured a black-and-white picture of him with the words "Steve Jobs, 1955-2011."
The Silicon Valley icon who gave the world the iPod and the iPhone had resigned as CEO of the world's largest technology corporation in August, handing the reins to current chief executive Tim Cook.
A survivor of a rare form of pancreatic cancer, he was deemed the heart and soul of a company that rivals Exxon Mobil as the most valuable in America.
"Steve's brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve," Apple said in a statement announcing Jobs' passing.
"His greatest love was for his wife, Laurene, and his family. Our hearts go out to them and to all who were touched by his extraordinary gifts."
Job's health had been a controversial topic for years. His battle with cancer had been a deep concern to Apple fans, investors and the company's board alike. In past years, even board members have confided to friends their concern that Jobs, in his quest for privacy, wasn't being forthcoming enough with directors about the true condition of his health.
Now, despite investor confidence in Cook, who has stood in for his boss during three leaves of absence, there remain concerns about whether the company would stay a creative force to be reckoned with beyond the next year or so without its founder and visionary at the helm.
The news triggered an immediate outpouring of sympathy. Among others, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said he will miss Jobs "immensely".
APPLE, NEXT, IPHONE
A college dropout, Buddhist and son of adoptive parents, Jobs started Apple Computer with friend Steve Wozniak in the late 1970s. The company soon introduced the Apple 1 computer.
But it was the Apple II that became a huge success and gave Apple its position as a critical player in the then-nascent PC industry, culminating in a 1980 IPO that made Jobs a multimillionaire.
Despite the subsequent success of the Mac, Jobs' relationship with top management and the board soured. The company removed most of his powers and then in 1985 he was fired.
Apple's fortunes waned after that. However, its purchase of NeXT -- the computer company Jobs founded after leaving Apple -- in 1997 brought him back into the fold. Later that year, he became interim CEO and in 2000, the company dropped "interim" from his title.
Along the way Jobs also had managed to revolutionize computer animation with his other company, Pixar, but it was the iPhone in 2007 that capped his legacy in the annals of modern technology history.
Two years before the gadget that forever transformed the way people around the world access and use the Internet, Jobs talked about how a sense of his mortality was a major driver behind that vision.
"Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life," Jobs said during a Stanford commencement ceremony in 2005.
"Because almost everything -- all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure -- these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important."
"Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart." (Reporting by Edwin Chan; Editing by Gary Hill -
www.eleconomista.es)
Jobs' death was announced by Apple in a statement late on Wednesday. The Apple.com homepage featured a black-and-white picture of him with the words "Steve Jobs, 1955-2011."
The Silicon Valley icon who gave the world the iPod and the iPhone had resigned as CEO of the world's largest technology corporation in August, handing the reins to current chief executive Tim Cook.
A survivor of a rare form of pancreatic cancer, he was deemed the heart and soul of a company that rivals Exxon Mobil as the most valuable in America.
"Steve's brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve," Apple said in a statement announcing Jobs' passing.
"His greatest love was for his wife, Laurene, and his family. Our hearts go out to them and to all who were touched by his extraordinary gifts."
Job's health had been a controversial topic for years. His battle with cancer had been a deep concern to Apple fans, investors and the company's board alike. In past years, even board members have confided to friends their concern that Jobs, in his quest for privacy, wasn't being forthcoming enough with directors about the true condition of his health.
Now, despite investor confidence in Cook, who has stood in for his boss during three leaves of absence, there remain concerns about whether the company would stay a creative force to be reckoned with beyond the next year or so without its founder and visionary at the helm.
The news triggered an immediate outpouring of sympathy. Among others, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said he will miss Jobs "immensely".
APPLE, NEXT, IPHONE
A college dropout, Buddhist and son of adoptive parents, Jobs started Apple Computer with friend Steve Wozniak in the late 1970s. The company soon introduced the Apple 1 computer.
But it was the Apple II that became a huge success and gave Apple its position as a critical player in the then-nascent PC industry, culminating in a 1980 IPO that made Jobs a multimillionaire.
Despite the subsequent success of the Mac, Jobs' relationship with top management and the board soured. The company removed most of his powers and then in 1985 he was fired.
Apple's fortunes waned after that. However, its purchase of NeXT -- the computer company Jobs founded after leaving Apple -- in 1997 brought him back into the fold. Later that year, he became interim CEO and in 2000, the company dropped "interim" from his title.
Along the way Jobs also had managed to revolutionize computer animation with his other company, Pixar, but it was the iPhone in 2007 that capped his legacy in the annals of modern technology history.
Two years before the gadget that forever transformed the way people around the world access and use the Internet, Jobs talked about how a sense of his mortality was a major driver behind that vision.
"Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life," Jobs said during a Stanford commencement ceremony in 2005.
"Because almost everything -- all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure -- these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important."
"Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart." (Reporting by Edwin Chan; Editing by Gary Hill -
www.eleconomista.es)
Saturday, October 1, 2011
THE BASSET-HOUND
THE BASSET-HOUND
The Basset was not familiarly known to British sportsmen before 1863, in which year specimens of the breed were seen at the first exhibition of dogs held in Paris, and caused general curiosity and admiration among English visitors. In France, however, this hound has been used for generations, much as we use our Spaniel, as a finder of game in covert, and it has long been a popular sporting dog in Russia and Germany. In early times it was chiefly to be found in Artois and Flanders, where it is supposed to have had its origin; but the home of the better type of Basset is now chiefly in La Vendee, in which department some remarkably fine strains have been produced.
There are three main strains of the French Basset--the Lane, the Couteulx, and the Griffon. The Griffon Basset is a hound with a hard bristly coat, and short, crooked legs. It has never found great favour here. The Lane hounds are derived from the kennels of M. Lane, of Franqueville, Baos, Seine-Inferieure, and are also very little appreciated in this country. They are a lemon and white variety, with _torse_ or bent legs. The Couteulx hounds were a type bred up into a strain by Comte le Couteulx de Canteleu. They were tricolour, with straight, short legs, of sounder constitution than other strains, with the make generally of a more agile hound, and in the pedigree of the best Bassets owned in this country fifteen years ago, when the breed was in considerable demand, Comte de Couteulx's strain was prominent and always sought for.
With careful selection and judicious breeding we have now produced a beautiful hound of fine smooth coat, and a rich admixture of markings, with a head of noble character and the best of legs and feet. Their short, twinkling legs make our Bassets more suitable for covert hunting than for hunting hares in the open, to which latter purpose they have frequently been adapted with some success. Their note is resonant, with wonderful power for so small a dog, and in tone it resembles the voice of the Bloodhound.
The Basset-hound is usually very good tempered and not inclined to be quarrelsome with his kennel mates; but he is wilful, and loves to roam apart in search of game, and is not very amenable to discipline when alone. On the other hand, he works admirably with his companions in the pack, when he is most painstaking and indefatigable. Endowed with remarkable powers of scent, he will hunt a drag with keen intelligence.
There are now several packs of Bassets kept in England, and they show very fair sport after the hares; but it is not their natural vocation, and their massive build is against the possibility of their becoming popular as harriers. The general custom is to follow them on foot, although occasionally some sportsmen use ponies. Their pace, however, hardly warrants the latter expedient. On the Continent, where big game is more common than with us, the employment of the Basset is varied. He is a valuable help in the tracking of boar, wolf, and deer, and he is also frequently engaged in the lighter pastimes of pheasant and partridge shooting.
The Earl of Onslow and the late Sir John Everett Millais were among the earliest importers of the breed into England. They both had recourse to the kennels of Count Couteulx. Sir John Millais' Model was the first Basset-hound exhibited at an English dog show, at Wolverhampton in 1875. Later owners and breeders of prominence were Mr. G. Krehl, Mrs. Stokes, Mrs. C. C. Ellis and Mrs. Mabel Tottie.
As with most imported breeds, the Basset-hound when first exhibited was required to undergo a probationary period as a foreign dog in the variety class at the principal shows. It was not until 1880 that a class was provided for it by the Kennel Club.
It is to be regretted that owners of this beautiful hound are not more numerous. Admirable specimens are still to be seen at the leading exhibitions, but the breed is greatly in need of encouragement. At the present time the smooth dog hound taking the foremost place in the estimate of our most capable judges is Mr. W. W. M. White's Ch. Loo-Loo-Loo, bred by Mrs. Tottie, by Ch. Louis Le Beau out of Sibella. Mr. Croxton Smith's Waverer is also a dog of remarkably fine type. Among bitch hounds Sandringham Dido, the favourite of Her Majesty the Queen, ranks as the most perfect of her kind.
The rough or Griffon-Basset, introduced into England at a later date than the smooth, has failed for some reason to receive great attention. In type it resembles the shaggy Otterhound, and as at present favoured it is larger and higher on the leg than the smooth variety. Their colouring is less distinct, and they seem generally to be lemon and white, grey and sandy red. Their note is not so rich as that of the smooth variety. In France the rough and the smooth Bassets are not regarded as of the same race, but here some breeders have crossed the two varieties, with indifferent consequences.
Some beautiful specimens of the rough Basset have from time to time been sent to exhibition from the Sandringham kennels. His Majesty the King has always given affectionate attention to this breed, and has taken several first prizes at the leading shows, latterly with Sandringham Bobs, bred in the home kennels by Sandringham Babil ex Saracenesca.
Perhaps the most explicit description of the perfect Basset-hound is still that compiled twenty-five years ago by Sir John Millais. It is at least sufficiently comprehensive and exact to serve as a guide:--
"The Basset, for its size, has more bone, perhaps, than nearly any other dog.
"The skull should be peaked like that of the Bloodhound, with the same dignity and expression, the nose black (although some of my own have white about theirs), and well flewed. For the size of the hound I think the teeth are extremely small. However, as they are not intended to destroy life, this is probably the reason.
"The ears should hang like the Bloodhound's, and are like the softest velvet drapery.
"The eyes are a deep brown, and are brimful of affection and intelligence. They are pretty deeply set, and should show a considerable haw. A Basset is one of those hounds incapable of having a wicked eye.
"The neck is long, but of great power; and in the _Basset a jambes torses_ the flews extend very nearly down to the chest. The chest is more expansive than even in the Bulldog, and should in the _Bassets a jambes torses_ be not more than two inches from the ground. In the case of the _Bassets a jambes demi-torses_ and _jambes droites_, being generally lighter, their chests do not, of course, come so low.
"The shoulders are of great power, and terminate in the crooked feet of the Basset, which appear to be a mass of joints. The back and ribs are strong, and the former of great length.
"The stern is carried gaily, like that of hounds in general, and when the hound is on the scent of game this portion of his body gets extremely animated, and tells me, in my own hounds, when they have struck a fresh or a cold scent, and I even know when the foremost hound will give tongue.
"The hind-quarters are very strong and muscular, the muscles standing rigidly out down to the hocks.
"The skin is soft in the smooth haired dogs, and like that of any other hound, but in the rough variety it is like that of the Otterhound's.
"Colour, of course, is a matter of fancy, although I infinitely prefer the tricolour, which has a tan head and a black and white body."
from: Dogs and All About Them by Robert Leighton
The Basset was not familiarly known to British sportsmen before 1863, in which year specimens of the breed were seen at the first exhibition of dogs held in Paris, and caused general curiosity and admiration among English visitors. In France, however, this hound has been used for generations, much as we use our Spaniel, as a finder of game in covert, and it has long been a popular sporting dog in Russia and Germany. In early times it was chiefly to be found in Artois and Flanders, where it is supposed to have had its origin; but the home of the better type of Basset is now chiefly in La Vendee, in which department some remarkably fine strains have been produced.
There are three main strains of the French Basset--the Lane, the Couteulx, and the Griffon. The Griffon Basset is a hound with a hard bristly coat, and short, crooked legs. It has never found great favour here. The Lane hounds are derived from the kennels of M. Lane, of Franqueville, Baos, Seine-Inferieure, and are also very little appreciated in this country. They are a lemon and white variety, with _torse_ or bent legs. The Couteulx hounds were a type bred up into a strain by Comte le Couteulx de Canteleu. They were tricolour, with straight, short legs, of sounder constitution than other strains, with the make generally of a more agile hound, and in the pedigree of the best Bassets owned in this country fifteen years ago, when the breed was in considerable demand, Comte de Couteulx's strain was prominent and always sought for.
With careful selection and judicious breeding we have now produced a beautiful hound of fine smooth coat, and a rich admixture of markings, with a head of noble character and the best of legs and feet. Their short, twinkling legs make our Bassets more suitable for covert hunting than for hunting hares in the open, to which latter purpose they have frequently been adapted with some success. Their note is resonant, with wonderful power for so small a dog, and in tone it resembles the voice of the Bloodhound.
The Basset-hound is usually very good tempered and not inclined to be quarrelsome with his kennel mates; but he is wilful, and loves to roam apart in search of game, and is not very amenable to discipline when alone. On the other hand, he works admirably with his companions in the pack, when he is most painstaking and indefatigable. Endowed with remarkable powers of scent, he will hunt a drag with keen intelligence.
There are now several packs of Bassets kept in England, and they show very fair sport after the hares; but it is not their natural vocation, and their massive build is against the possibility of their becoming popular as harriers. The general custom is to follow them on foot, although occasionally some sportsmen use ponies. Their pace, however, hardly warrants the latter expedient. On the Continent, where big game is more common than with us, the employment of the Basset is varied. He is a valuable help in the tracking of boar, wolf, and deer, and he is also frequently engaged in the lighter pastimes of pheasant and partridge shooting.
The Earl of Onslow and the late Sir John Everett Millais were among the earliest importers of the breed into England. They both had recourse to the kennels of Count Couteulx. Sir John Millais' Model was the first Basset-hound exhibited at an English dog show, at Wolverhampton in 1875. Later owners and breeders of prominence were Mr. G. Krehl, Mrs. Stokes, Mrs. C. C. Ellis and Mrs. Mabel Tottie.
As with most imported breeds, the Basset-hound when first exhibited was required to undergo a probationary period as a foreign dog in the variety class at the principal shows. It was not until 1880 that a class was provided for it by the Kennel Club.
It is to be regretted that owners of this beautiful hound are not more numerous. Admirable specimens are still to be seen at the leading exhibitions, but the breed is greatly in need of encouragement. At the present time the smooth dog hound taking the foremost place in the estimate of our most capable judges is Mr. W. W. M. White's Ch. Loo-Loo-Loo, bred by Mrs. Tottie, by Ch. Louis Le Beau out of Sibella. Mr. Croxton Smith's Waverer is also a dog of remarkably fine type. Among bitch hounds Sandringham Dido, the favourite of Her Majesty the Queen, ranks as the most perfect of her kind.
The rough or Griffon-Basset, introduced into England at a later date than the smooth, has failed for some reason to receive great attention. In type it resembles the shaggy Otterhound, and as at present favoured it is larger and higher on the leg than the smooth variety. Their colouring is less distinct, and they seem generally to be lemon and white, grey and sandy red. Their note is not so rich as that of the smooth variety. In France the rough and the smooth Bassets are not regarded as of the same race, but here some breeders have crossed the two varieties, with indifferent consequences.
Some beautiful specimens of the rough Basset have from time to time been sent to exhibition from the Sandringham kennels. His Majesty the King has always given affectionate attention to this breed, and has taken several first prizes at the leading shows, latterly with Sandringham Bobs, bred in the home kennels by Sandringham Babil ex Saracenesca.
Perhaps the most explicit description of the perfect Basset-hound is still that compiled twenty-five years ago by Sir John Millais. It is at least sufficiently comprehensive and exact to serve as a guide:--
"The Basset, for its size, has more bone, perhaps, than nearly any other dog.
"The skull should be peaked like that of the Bloodhound, with the same dignity and expression, the nose black (although some of my own have white about theirs), and well flewed. For the size of the hound I think the teeth are extremely small. However, as they are not intended to destroy life, this is probably the reason.
"The ears should hang like the Bloodhound's, and are like the softest velvet drapery.
"The eyes are a deep brown, and are brimful of affection and intelligence. They are pretty deeply set, and should show a considerable haw. A Basset is one of those hounds incapable of having a wicked eye.
"The neck is long, but of great power; and in the _Basset a jambes torses_ the flews extend very nearly down to the chest. The chest is more expansive than even in the Bulldog, and should in the _Bassets a jambes torses_ be not more than two inches from the ground. In the case of the _Bassets a jambes demi-torses_ and _jambes droites_, being generally lighter, their chests do not, of course, come so low.
"The shoulders are of great power, and terminate in the crooked feet of the Basset, which appear to be a mass of joints. The back and ribs are strong, and the former of great length.
"The stern is carried gaily, like that of hounds in general, and when the hound is on the scent of game this portion of his body gets extremely animated, and tells me, in my own hounds, when they have struck a fresh or a cold scent, and I even know when the foremost hound will give tongue.
"The hind-quarters are very strong and muscular, the muscles standing rigidly out down to the hocks.
"The skin is soft in the smooth haired dogs, and like that of any other hound, but in the rough variety it is like that of the Otterhound's.
"Colour, of course, is a matter of fancy, although I infinitely prefer the tricolour, which has a tan head and a black and white body."
from: Dogs and All About Them by Robert Leighton
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
STUDENTS´S DAY - SPRING DAY
Student’s day is a day of the year celebrated in many countries and is usually related with youth and spring.
In Argentina, Student’s day is celebrated September 21st this also coincides with the beginning of spring and the day of the repatriation of the remains of the famous Argentinean teacher and president Domingo F. Sarmiento. Therefore there is a kind of unification of three events and the day is celebrated by everyone in Argentina.
Its origin is traced back to a proposal made by Salvador Debenedetti (a student at the moment, then he became a famous archeologist) in 1902 when he was the president of a Student Center of the University of Buenos Aires. His proposal was accepted and applied first in the University and then in the rest of the country.
In this type of celebration, youth is the main protagonist. There are usually all kinds of outdoor activities, live shows, concerts, etc. The Argentineans celebrate mostly by getting together with friends, having picnics and enjoying the outdoor life.
In Argentina, Student’s day is celebrated September 21st this also coincides with the beginning of spring and the day of the repatriation of the remains of the famous Argentinean teacher and president Domingo F. Sarmiento. Therefore there is a kind of unification of three events and the day is celebrated by everyone in Argentina.
Its origin is traced back to a proposal made by Salvador Debenedetti (a student at the moment, then he became a famous archeologist) in 1902 when he was the president of a Student Center of the University of Buenos Aires. His proposal was accepted and applied first in the University and then in the rest of the country.
In this type of celebration, youth is the main protagonist. There are usually all kinds of outdoor activities, live shows, concerts, etc. The Argentineans celebrate mostly by getting together with friends, having picnics and enjoying the outdoor life.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Hey Jude - The Beatles (With Lyrics).
Just a little something... remember it is "afraid" not "afrait".
Enjoy it!!!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
"Baa, baa black sheep" Nursery Rhyme History
Baa Baa Black Sheep Rhyme
Share51
Educational reasons for the poem "Baa, baa black sheep"poem
The reason to the words and history to this song were to associate wool and wool products with the animal that produces it, not to mention the sound that a sheep would make! The first grasp of language for a child or baby is to imitate the sounds or noises that animals make - onomatopoeia (words sound like their meaning e.g. baa baa in "Baa, baa black sheep"). In some of the earlier versions of "Baa, baa black sheep" the title is actually given as "Ba, ba black sheep" - it is difficult to spell sounds!
The History and Origins of Baa Baa Black Sheep Nursery Rhyme
The wool industry was critical to the country's economy from the Middle Ages until the nineteenth century so it is therefore not surprising that it is celebrated in the Baa Baa Black Sheep Nursery Rhyme. An historical connection for this rhyme has been suggested - a political satire said to refer to the Plantagenet King Edward I (the Master) and the the export tax imposed in Britain in 1275 in which the English Customs Statute authorised the king to collect a tax on all exports of wool in every port in the country.
But our further research indicates another possible connection of this Nursery rhyme to English history relating to King Edward II (1307-1327). The best wool in Europe was produced in England but the cloth workers from Flanders, Bruges and Lille were better skilled in the complex finishing trades such as dying and fulling (cleansing, shrinking, and thickening the cloth). King Edward II encouraged Flemmish weavers and cloth dyers to improve the quality of the final English products.
Baa baa black sheep rhyme
Words and Music
The earliest publication date for the "Baa, baa black sheep" rhyme or poem is dated 1744. Music was first published for "Baa, baa black sheep" was in the early nineteenth century making it into a song for children.
Baa baa black sheep, have you any wool?
Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full!
One for the master, one for the dame,
And one for the little boy who lives down the lane.
Baa Baa Black Sheep rhyme
Share51
Educational reasons for the poem "Baa, baa black sheep"poem
The reason to the words and history to this song were to associate wool and wool products with the animal that produces it, not to mention the sound that a sheep would make! The first grasp of language for a child or baby is to imitate the sounds or noises that animals make - onomatopoeia (words sound like their meaning e.g. baa baa in "Baa, baa black sheep"). In some of the earlier versions of "Baa, baa black sheep" the title is actually given as "Ba, ba black sheep" - it is difficult to spell sounds!
The History and Origins of Baa Baa Black Sheep Nursery Rhyme
The wool industry was critical to the country's economy from the Middle Ages until the nineteenth century so it is therefore not surprising that it is celebrated in the Baa Baa Black Sheep Nursery Rhyme. An historical connection for this rhyme has been suggested - a political satire said to refer to the Plantagenet King Edward I (the Master) and the the export tax imposed in Britain in 1275 in which the English Customs Statute authorised the king to collect a tax on all exports of wool in every port in the country.
But our further research indicates another possible connection of this Nursery rhyme to English history relating to King Edward II (1307-1327). The best wool in Europe was produced in England but the cloth workers from Flanders, Bruges and Lille were better skilled in the complex finishing trades such as dying and fulling (cleansing, shrinking, and thickening the cloth). King Edward II encouraged Flemmish weavers and cloth dyers to improve the quality of the final English products.
Baa baa black sheep rhyme
Words and Music
The earliest publication date for the "Baa, baa black sheep" rhyme or poem is dated 1744. Music was first published for "Baa, baa black sheep" was in the early nineteenth century making it into a song for children.
Baa baa black sheep, have you any wool?
Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full!
One for the master, one for the dame,
And one for the little boy who lives down the lane.
Baa Baa Black Sheep rhyme
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
Friday, May 20, 2011
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
THE QUANTIFIERS
Some and Any
Some and any are used with countable and uncountable nouns, to describe an indefinite or incomplete quantity.
Some is used in positive statements:
I had some rice for lunch
He's got some books from the library.
It is also used in questions where we are sure about the answer:
Did he give you some tea? (= I'm sure he did.)
Is there some fruit juice in the fridge? (= I think there is)
Some is used in situations where the question is not a request for information, but a method of making a request, encouraging or giving an invitation:
Could I have some books, please?
Why don't you take some books home with you?
Would you like some books?
Any is used in questions and with not in negative statements:
Have you got any tea?
He didn't give me any tea.
I don't think we've got any coffee left.
More examples:
SOME in positive sentences.
a. I will have some news next week.
b. She has some valuable books in her house.
c. Philip wants some help with his exams.
d. There is some butter in the fridge.
e. We need some cheese if we want to make a fondue.
SOME in questions:
a. Would you like some help?
b. Will you have some more roast beef?
ANY in negative sentences
a. She doesn't want any kitchen appliances for Christmas.
b. They don't want any help moving to their new house.
c. No, thank you. I don't want any more cake.
d. There isn't any reason to complain.
ANY in interrogative sentences
a. Do you have any friends in London?
b. Have they got any children?
c. Do you want any groceries from the shop?
d. Are there any problems with your work?
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
MOTHERLAND NIGERIA
You will find lots of interesting information, adventure, stories, games, etc, etc,
You can even start learning a new language!!!
Have a look!!!!
http://www.motherlandnigeria.com/kidzone.html
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
TELLING THE TIME
Asking the time
Here are some phrases you can use when you want to know the time:
What's the time?
What time is it?
Have you got the right time?
What time do you make it?
Telling the time
To tell someone what the time is, we can say "The time is..." or, more usually, "It's...". Here is a typical dialogue:
Question: What's the time, please?
Answer: It's three o'clock.
The chart below shows you two different ways to tell someone what the time is.
more formal less formal
It's... It's...
3.00 three o'clock three
3.02 just gone three o'clock three oh two
3.03 three minutes past three three oh three
3.05 five past three three oh five
3.09 nine minutes past three three oh nine
3.10 ten past three three ten
3.15 a quarter past three three fifteen
3.20 twenty past three three twenty
3.21 twenty-one minutes past three three twenty-one
3.25 twenty-five past three three twenty-five
3.30 half past three three thirty
3.35 twenty-five to four three thirty-five
3.40 twenty to four three forty
3.45 a quarter to four three forty-five
3.50 ten to four three fifty
3.55 five to four three fifty-five
3.57 three minutes to four three fifty-seven
3.58 nearly four c'clock three fifty-eight
4.00 four o'clock four
GREETINGS AND INTRODUCTIONS
Formal Greetings: Arriving
Good morning / afternoon / evening.
Hello (name), how are you?
Good day Sir / Madam (very formal)
Informal Greetings: Arriving
Hi / Hello
How are you?
What's up? (very informal)
How are you doing? (very informal)
It's important to note that the question "How are you?" or "What's up?" doesn't necessary need a response. If you do respond, these phrases are generally expected:
Very well, thank you. And you? (formal)
Fine / Great (informal)
Formal Greetings: Departing
Good morning / afternoon / evening.
It was a pleasure seeing you.
Goodbye.
Note: After 8 p.m. - Good night.
Informal Greetings: Departing
Goodbye / Bye.
See you (later).
Later (very informal
More Social Language Key Phrases
Introductions
Greetings
Special Days
Speaking to Strangers
Traveling phrases
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Saturday, March 12, 2011
St Patrick´s Day - Celebrated on the 17th of March
Patrick was born in Britain in the year 387. His real name is Maewyn Succat. The name St. Patrick was given to him later in life by Pope Celestine. His parents, Calphurnius and Conchessa belonged to a high ranking Roman family. St. Patrick recorded most of the history of his life and his spiritual writings in the "Confessio" (Confession). St. Patrick also wrote letters to Coroticus. In this letter, he criticized a raid on Ireland conducted by Coroticus, a British chieftain. Several of Patrick's converts were killed during the raid. The letter also shows St.Patrick's resentment of the scornful attitude of British clergymen and nobility toward the Irish.
When he was 16, he was captured by pagan Irish raiders and sold into slavery to a chieftain named Meliuc in Antrim , Ireland. He spent his teen years and time alone as a shepard to tend to his master's sheep. During this time, his spirituality awakened and his belief in God became strong. He would pray many times in a day. After 6 years being in slavery, he had a dream that he would find a ship to take him to freedom. He escaped to follow his dream. He had to travel about 200 miles before he found a ship ready to set sail.
He managed to return to his family and home. Although Patrick was born a British, he considered himself an Irish because it was in Ireland that he discovered God. He had another vision. This vision would take him back to Ireland to preach the Gospel later. After his escape, he visited the St. Martin's monastry at Tours. He also visited the island sanctuary of Lerins. He placed himself under the guidance of a bishop named, St. Germain (Germanus). Patrick was promoted to priesthood later. He stayed in Britain for eighteen years. During those years, he was still haunted by memories of Ireland and would often speak of his experiences in Ireland with St. Germain. The Bishop, St. Germain recommended Patrick to the pope.
Patrick requested to be sent to Ireland but was denied. Palladius was chosen instead. When Palladius died, Patrick was chosen to be sent to Ireland. He was called to Rome and made a Bishop by Pope Celestine in 432 before he went on his mission to Ireland. It was during that occasion that the name "Patercius" or "Patritius" was given to him. The name comes from two Latin words, "pater civium" meaning "the father of his people".
He suffered many trials as a missionary in Ireland. St. Patrick was imprisoned by the Druids but managed to escape. There are also many legends which talks about the miracles and magical fights between him and the Druids. One of which is when he was confronted by a chieftain named Dichu. Dichu drew his sword to kill Patrick but could not do so because his arm became rigid until he declared himself obedient to St. Patrick. Dichu was overwhelmed by the miracle that he made a gift of a large sabhall (barn). This was the first sanctuary dedicated by St. Patrick.
Another legend St. Patrick is most known for is driving the snakes from Ireland. Some tales tell that he stood on a hill and used a wooden staff to drive the snakes into the sea and banished them forever from Ireland. Another legend says that the snake resisted. St. Patrick then tricked it into entering a small box and cast it into the sea. It is true that Ireland has no snakes.
However, he managed to win favor with the local kings later. He spent the next 28 years traveling across the countryside to spread the word of God. He could do this easily as he was fluent with the Celtic language. He succeeded in converting almost the entire population of the island.
Legend has it that St. Patrick would use the shamrock to explain the Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The word "shamrock" comes from the Gaelic word "seamrog" (In irish, it means "summer plant") meaning "trefoil" (three leafed) or "little clover". In Arabia, it is called shamrakh. It was a sacred emblem in Iran and to the Persian triads. It is also a sacred plant among the Druids. Shamrock is the national flower of Ireland. Many Irish people wear a shamrock on St. Patrick's Day. It is not the Irish national emblem. The harp has that honor. This explains the color green and shamrocks on St. Patrick's Day. Today, if you do not wear green on St. Patrick's Day, you will get pinched !!
St. Patrick died at Saul, Downpatrick, Ireland, on the 17 March, 461 A.D at the age of 76. He is believed to be buried in Downpatrick, County Down. This is why we celebrate St. Patrick's Day on the seventeenth of March. St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland.
The first St. Patrick's Day celebration in the United States was held in Boston in 1737. The largest St. Patrick's Day parade is in New York City.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Saturday, February 5, 2011
2011 - YEAR OF THE RABBIT
What Is Chinese New Year?
Chinese New Year is the most important of the Chinese holidays, and is a time of feasting with the family, celebration, fireworks, and gift-giving. It is a 15-day holiday, beginning on the first day of a new moon and ending with the full moon on the day of the Lantern Festival.
The Chinese calendar is based on the lunar year, so the date of Chinese New Year changes every year. The Chinese calendar follows a 12-year pattern with each year named after an animal. There are various stories which explain this. The simplest is that Buddha (or the Jade Emperor) invited all of the animals to join him for a New Year celebration, but only 12 animals turned up.
To reward the animals that did come, Buddha named a year after each of them in the order that they arrived, starting with the Rat, followed by the Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat (or Sheep), Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. (Find another version of the story to print, below)
Depending on the year you are born, you are believed to have the various character traits of that year's animal.
Ancient Chinese legends tell of the Nian, a man-eating beast from the mountains which came out every winter to feast on humans. To scare the Nian away, the people used loud noises such as firecrackers and fireworks, and bright colors, particularly red. These customs led to the first New Year celebrations.
HAPPY NEW YEAR FOR YOU ALL!!!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
VERBS FOLLOWED BY PREPOSITIONS
This list will help you remember English verbs and prepositions. Practise using them as much as possible to feel more confident.
accuse someone of something
"He accused her of stealing."
agree with someone / something
"I agree with you – you are absolutely right."
agree to do something
"She agreed to wait for him."
agree on something
"We've agreed on all the major points."
apply for
"I'm going to apply for a new job."
apologise for something
"She apologised for being late."
ask someone to do something
"She asked him to do the shopping for her."
ask someone for something
"She asked her boss for a day off."
believe in
"I believe in hard work."
belong to
"This pen belongs to me."
blame someone for doing something
"He blamed her for driving too fast."
blame something on someone
"He blamed the accident on her."
borrow something from someone
"He borrowed some money from the bank."
care about something
"I don't care about money."
care for someone
"She really cares for her grandmother."
take care of something / someone
"Please take care of yourself on holiday."
complain to someone (about something)
"He complained to her about the food."
concentrate on something
"The student concentrated on her homework."
congratulate someone on doing something
"He congratulated her on passing her exam."
consist of something
"The department consists of five people."
depend on someone
"She depended on her friends for support."
explain something to someone
"She explained the new system to them."
listen to someone
"The students listened to their teacher."
look at something
"Look at that view – it's wonderful."
look for something / someone
"Will you help me look for my book?"
look after someone
"I need to look after my mother – she's ill."
pay someone for something
"Can you pay me for the shopping later?"
prefer someone / something to someone
"I prefer coffee to tea."
protect someone from something
"A scarf will protect you from the cold."
provide someone with something
"They provide families with housing."
regard someone as
"She regarded her sister as her best friend."
rely on someone / something
"Can I rely on you to get the shopping?"
search for someone / something
"The police searched the building for bombs."
spend money / time on
"I spent all my money on books as a student."
think about someone / something
"I think about you all the time."
think about / of doing something
"I'm thinking about / of buying a new car."
think of something
"I've just thought of a new idea."
"What do you think of the new magazine?"
translate from something into something else
"Don't translate from English into French."
wait for someone
"I waited an hour for him, then went home."
warn someone about
"The doctor warned her about smoking."
accuse someone of something
"He accused her of stealing."
agree with someone / something
"I agree with you – you are absolutely right."
agree to do something
"She agreed to wait for him."
agree on something
"We've agreed on all the major points."
apply for
"I'm going to apply for a new job."
apologise for something
"She apologised for being late."
ask someone to do something
"She asked him to do the shopping for her."
ask someone for something
"She asked her boss for a day off."
believe in
"I believe in hard work."
belong to
"This pen belongs to me."
blame someone for doing something
"He blamed her for driving too fast."
blame something on someone
"He blamed the accident on her."
borrow something from someone
"He borrowed some money from the bank."
care about something
"I don't care about money."
care for someone
"She really cares for her grandmother."
take care of something / someone
"Please take care of yourself on holiday."
complain to someone (about something)
"He complained to her about the food."
concentrate on something
"The student concentrated on her homework."
congratulate someone on doing something
"He congratulated her on passing her exam."
consist of something
"The department consists of five people."
depend on someone
"She depended on her friends for support."
explain something to someone
"She explained the new system to them."
listen to someone
"The students listened to their teacher."
look at something
"Look at that view – it's wonderful."
look for something / someone
"Will you help me look for my book?"
look after someone
"I need to look after my mother – she's ill."
pay someone for something
"Can you pay me for the shopping later?"
prefer someone / something to someone
"I prefer coffee to tea."
protect someone from something
"A scarf will protect you from the cold."
provide someone with something
"They provide families with housing."
regard someone as
"She regarded her sister as her best friend."
rely on someone / something
"Can I rely on you to get the shopping?"
search for someone / something
"The police searched the building for bombs."
spend money / time on
"I spent all my money on books as a student."
think about someone / something
"I think about you all the time."
think about / of doing something
"I'm thinking about / of buying a new car."
think of something
"I've just thought of a new idea."
"What do you think of the new magazine?"
translate from something into something else
"Don't translate from English into French."
wait for someone
"I waited an hour for him, then went home."
warn someone about
"The doctor warned her about smoking."
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