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Showing posts from 2005

Decoding Skills

Some help along the way with a short vowel, long vowel, and consonant. Thanks to Mary Kay Linge who in her Reading Tutor points: 1. When one vowel appears between two consonants, the vowel usually says its short sound. 2. If there is an e at the end of a word, the vowel sound is long and the e is not pronounced -it's silent. 3. A vowel before a doubled consonant says its short sound. 4. When two vowels appear together, we usually hear only the first vowel, and it says its long sound(or, "When two vowels go walking, the first does the talking") 5. When a word has only one vowel and it appears at the end of the word, it usually says its long sound. 6. When c or g comes immediately before a,o or u we say its hard sound. 7. When c or g comes immediately before e, i, o or y we say its soft sound. However, there are many exceptions to every one of the rules, and learning them will only come with time and reading experience. No wonder so many struggle!

To Understand and Contractions

I wrote: "It come to my understanding..." -> "I have come to understand..." or simply "I understand..." "It has come to my attention..." could work too, but isn't really intended to be used like this, I don't believe. "Respect to the..." -> "With respect to the..." "Normal" contractions are fine even in formal writing (though not in legal writing), as long as they're not overused and not "slang" (jerga?) such as "ain't" (am not / is not).

More Language Corrections

Take note: "I don't care whether you call on me..." -> "I don't care whether you call me..." "...but we are going to polishing it (getting better)..." -> "...but we are going to polish it (improve it)..." or "...but we are going to be polishing it (improving it)..." however the (getting better/improve/improving) is redundant since that's what "polishing it" means as an expression. "...with teens in the High School even so I know superior Math." -> "...with teens in High School even though I know superior math." (or you could say "university-level math", if that's what "matemáticas universitarias" means) "I don't understand the correlationship." -> "I don't understand the correlation." or "I don't understand the relationship."

Minor Spelling and Grammatical Errors

My English: "I am not looking for dictionary or else in order to write something to you" could read "I am not looking at a dictionary or anything else when I write you" or "I am not using a dictionary...". Also, "ingenieering" is spelled "engineering" (in Spanish the sounds of "i" and "e" are generally reversed, but not always).

E-mail Exchanged

Two minor things: "Ossie David's wife on (the) Sunday night at the(in the) Memorial Day concert." and "Did you see the show on(at) channel thirteen?"  Watch how the prepositions were changed ( I mean corrected)

Auld Lang Syne

Words adapted from a traditional song by Rabbie Burns(1759-96) Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And auld lang syne ? CHORUS: For auld lang syne, my dear, For auld lang syne, We'll tak a cup of kindness yet, For auld syne! And surely ye'll be your pint-stowp And surely I'll be mine, And we'll tak a cup o kindness yet, For auld lang syne! We twa hae run about the braes , And pou'd the gowans fine, But we've wander'd monie a weary fit , Sin auld lang syne. We twa hae paidl'd in the burn Frae morning sun till dine , But seas between us braid hae roar'd Sin auld lang syne. And there's a hand my trusty fiere , And gie's a hand o thine, And we'll tak a right guid-willie waught , For auld lang syne.

English Wording

Four words in the English language end with -dous. What are they? Horrendous, stupendous, tremendous and hazardous  The seven words containing the word "light" are listed below, complete these words by replacing the asterisks with the correct letters. Follow the clues provided   1. LIGHT**** (flash produced from storm cloud)  2. ***LIGHT (the light from the sky at sunset)  3. *****LIGHT (outdoor lamp with strong beam) 4. *LIGHT (difficult predicament)  5. LIGHT*** (a device for viewing transparencies)  6. **LIGHT****** (understanding)  7. **LIGHT (great pleasure)   See my comments box to check your answers.

Barack Obama

Reading Dreams From My Father from Senator Berry Obama, the unique to represent black people in the Senate I found these expressions to be reminded: "I know that she was the kindest, most generous spirit I ever have known, and that what is best in me I owe to her" Referring to his mom. "Sometimes you can't worry about hurt. Sometimes you worry only about getting where you have to go" Lolo's chatting. But what impressed me the most is this questioning on page 40: -Have you ever seen a man killed? -Yes! -Why was the man killed? -Because he was weak!! Men take advantage of a weakness in other men. The strong man takes the weak man's land. He makes the weak man work in his field. If the weak man's woman is pretty, the strong man will take her. Better be strong! If you can't be strong, be clever, and make peace with someone who's strong. But always better be strong yourself. Always!!

Gabbing in a Foreign Slang

I think four expressions should be learned when you are in a country which is not yours. "Hello" "Thank You" "How Are You?" and "Please". To call one's beloved a cabbage is not always a good pick up line in America, but it seems choux is a term of rich endearment among french people. The Spanish see nothing odd when calling respectfully a "carrot guy". "Un tipo zanahoria". O when someone is very cute: "He's a tremendous cupcake" which translated means, "Es un tremendo bizcocho". Feeling tired in French you say "I've been hit by a pump". Winking, when you say you had a very good romantic time, you say, "We took our foot" But Spanish if they didn't take their feet so well and the woman dumps the man, it is said, "lo mandó a freir esparragos", meaning "she sent him to fry asparagus". Admiring a woman form the French will say that "The balcony is

ME I AM

Kack Prelutsky I am the only ME I AM who qualifies as me; no ME I AM has been before, and none will ever be. No other ME I AM can feel the feelings I've within; no other ME I AM can fit precisely in my skin. There is no other ME I AM who thinks the thoughts I do, the world contains one ME I AM, there is no room for two! I am the only ME I AM this earth shall ever see; that ME I AM always am is no one else but ME!

Clue Words

What do these words have in common, other than their first letter:  raise, rattle, repay, reserve, ride, rim, robe, rose, rude?    Answer: They form new words when preceded by the letter "p." Example: p + raise= praise

Farewell

Let me tell you something, from San Valentine Day on, I just missed a wonderful person. She was working with me until my boss asked me to send her upstairs. By then I've learned that Alexandra was moving to work with another boss and a different unit. How I miss her! She is a very well mannered person, happily married with a beautiful daughter. I hope her husband loves her badly as she deserves.