by Latif Nasser
an historian who got his PhD at Harvard in the history of science. He is Director of Research at Radiolab, a radio program produced by WNYC, a public radio station in New York City. The show is available as a podcast and focuses on topics of a scientific and philosophical nature.

First, preview the vocabulary below.  Then click the exercise below, read a question and then listen for the answer.  When you hear the answer, pause the video and answer the question.  Then read the next question and do the same thing.  If you get the answer wrong, then go back to where the answer is given and listen again.

Vocabulary:

remote:  far away from any town
fossil:  the remains of very old animals and plants
prehistoric:  before history
fragments:  small pieces
virtually:  using a computer
skulls:  head bones
species:  kinds of animals
snouts:  noses
extinct:  all dead
blizzards:  snow storms with strong winds
evolved:  changed over a long time
dynamic:  always changing

Offers are used to say what someone is willing to do for someone else.  The other person can accept the offer or refuse it.  Offers are always in the present because they require an answer.  To make an offer, you can use the modals:  would, can, could, may, shall, and will.  After any modal the following verb must always be in the simple form.  Following are examples of offers using these modals and positive and negative responses to these offers.  Whether it is accepted or not, it is customary to thank the person for the offer.

Would you like + noun:

Examples:
Would you like something to drink?
Yes, that would be very nice.  Thank you.

Would you like a napkin?
No thank you.  I’ve already got one.

Would you like + infinitive:

Examples:
Would you like me to read you a story?
Yes, please.

Would you like to come with us to the coffee shop?
I’m sorry.  I’ve got a lot of work to do.  Maybe next time.

Can I:  [What can I, How can I]

Can I help you?
Yes, could you tell me where the bookstore is?

Can I bring something to the party?
That’s not necessary, but thank you for the offer.

What can I do for you?
You could set the table if you don’t mind.

How can I help you?
I’d like to see your winter boots, please.

I could:

I could give you the rest of the day off.
Thank you.  I appreciate that so much.

I could stay with you while you’re sick.
Thanks for the offer, but I think I’ll be okay.

May I:

May I give you some advice?
I’d appreciate that.

May I be of assistance?
No, I can handle this, but thank you.

Shall I / we:

Shall we look for your glasses?
That’s a good idea.  Thanks for your help.

Shall I call you a cab?
No thanks.  I think I’ll take the bus home.

I will:

I will bring some beer to the barbecue.
Thanks, and I’ll get us a couple steaks.

I will help with the planning.
That’s not necessary.  Everything is already done.

When you’re learning a second language like English, the first skill that you develop is the listening skill.  All the other skills follow this one.  It’s the easiest skill to develop, and a learner usually makes a lot of progress in the beginning without doing much work.  Later on, however, a learner needs to develop a plan of action to keep on improving in this skill.  Following are some tips on the kinds of activities you can do to achieve this.

• Watch English TV and news programs. You can turn on the “closed captions” in the beginning to read the words that are spoken, but turn it off when you get to the point where you can understand without it.
• Listen to English songs.  If you need the lyrics, you can find them online.  This website has many excellent songs that you can listen to and learn so you can sing along.
• Listen to English news radio.  You can also listen to the ESL news at: www.esldivlabs.vcc.ca.
• Work on listening exercises on different websites.  On this website you can listen to TED talks and do listening exercises.
• Transcribe (write) a listening text.  You can repeat sections until you get all the words down on paper.
• Watch lectures online and take notes.  Your notes should include the main idea and supporting details.
• Listen to TED talks that interest you.  If they’re a little too difficult, listen 2 or 3 times.
• Volunteer at the library, food bank, community center, child’s school, etc. and start conversations with other people.  Conversations are a way to improve both your listening and speaking skills.
• Actively listen to other people’s conversations at the bus stop, in a store, in a restaurant, etc., but pretend like you’re not listening because you don’t want to appear to be “eavesdropping.” (listening to someone else’s conversation)
• Listen to newscasts in “Learning English” with the CBC.  Go to: www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/learning-english#newscasts
• When speaking with an English speaker, and you don’t understand something, say, “Could you repeat that?, What does that mean?, How do you spell that?”, etc.
• Attend events that are in English.  You can find them by googling “free events in Vancouver,” for example.
• Use context (words around the new word) to guess the meaning of new words.  Trust that your guess is right and continue listening.
• Pause a listening exercise that you are doing, and restate (put it in your own words) what you just heard.
• When listening to someone, be present and in the moment and pay attention to what is being said.  This is called “active listening” and is the best kind of listening you can do.  Don’t be thinking about anything in the past or future.
• Listen not only to the words but also to the tone of voice (high, low, loud, or soft).  Also pay attention to facial expressions and body language.  A lot of meaning is separate from the words a person uses.
• When you’re in a conversation, listen for key points and repeat them.  This shows understanding and also tells the other person that you understand what they’re saying.
• Listen to English Podcasts on YouTube.
• Engage in a conversation with a native speaker.  Because the person is right in front of you, it’s easier to understand them, and you have to listening actively, not passively.
• Join a Meetup group for conversation.  Go to: www.meetup.com and search for a group to join (such as “English conversation.”)
• Listen while you read a transcript.  A good site for this is: www.elllo. org

There are a lot of suggestions on this page, and you can’t possibly do all of them.  The best thing you can do is to choose one of these right now and get started.  If you like the activity, then continue to do a little bit of it every day.  Even ten minutes a day will produce result that will encourage you to continue.

Click on the audio recording below to hear the lesson.

© 2014 Ambien Malecot

by Aomawa Shields

an American astronomer/astrophysicist and classically-trained actor.  After completing her degree in planetary sciences from MIT, she earned her master of fine arts degree in theater from UCLA.  She hosted a science TV show on PBS called “Wired Science.”

First preview the vocabulary below.  Then do the exercise by first reading a single question and then listening for the answer.  When you hear the answer, pause the video and answer the question.  Then read the next question and do the same thing.  If you get the answer wrong, then go back to where the answer is given and listen again.

Vocabulary:

universe:  all of the stars, planets, and other matter everywhere
contradictions:  things that aren’t normally found together
orbit:  go around a star
reside:  live, be
exoplanets:  planets around stars other than our sun
climate:  the general weather
benign:  harmless, peaceful
etherial:  located in space
melt:  make solid into liquid
on steroids:  multiplied by a hundred
atmosphere:  the air around a planet
scorching:  burning
crucial:  absolutely necessary
dim:  with little light
concept:  idea
absorbs:  takes in
reflects:  bounces back
vital:  absolutely necessary

A lot of people around the world are trying to learn English because it’s a useful language that can help them get a better future.  It is estimated (because nobody knows exactly) that over one billion people use English as their second language, making it the most popular second language in the world.  If you are serious about learning this language, there are five important things you should know.

#1  Learn the language as a child would.  Have you noticed that children seem to learn a second language much faster than their parents do?  The reason for this is that children have no belief that learning a language is difficult, so they have a positive attitude.  This allows them to learn it faster than adults who believe that it’s difficult.  A child opens his mouth and uses the second language without caring if it’s perfect or not.  The only thing he cares about is being understood.  Mistakes are not important to him.  Adults, on the other hand, have learned through many years at school that mistakes are bad, so they try not to make very many.  This holds them back, and makes them afraid to open their mouths and use the language.  If you want to learn a language quickly, you must become like a child and not care if you make mistakes.  Mistakes are part of learning, not something to be avoided.

#2  Practice all 4 skills, listening, speaking, reading and writing in equal amounts.  The first thing you do is hear the language.  Then you copy what you hear and start speaking the language.  Later you see how that language is written and you read it.  Lastly, you write what you have seen written.  The order is always the same.  Listening leads to speaking which leads to reading and finally writing.  Therefore, you must balance your studying by doing work in all 4 skill areas.  A practical example of this is to listen everyday to the TV or talk radio, speak with your friends, classmates and neighbors, read the daily newspaper (the free ones are usually easier to understand), and write in a journal as well as send emails to your friends.  This balanced approach will help you develop all the skills equally so you won’t be weak in any one area.

#3  Build your vocabulary.  Your knowledge of vocabulary is a large factor of your general ability in the language.  Keep a list of new vocabulary that you see or hear.  Put them in your smart phone or write them down during the day.  In the evening make a list of them and look them up in the dictionary to get a definition.  It doesn’t matter if your definition is in English or a translation into your first language.  Then make flashcards with the word on one side and the definition (or translation) on the other side.  Carry these around with you and review them as often as you can.  When you know the word well enough, you can stop carrying it around and add more that you don’t know.  Research has shown that in order to recognize and understand a new word, you must see or hear it 7 times.  In order to make it an active word that you can use in speaking or writing, you must see or hear it 17 times.  So you see, it’s a numbers game.  All you need to do is see or hear the word repeatedly and you will learn it.  You don’t even have to study it.

#4  Develop a positive attitude.  You’ve been studying English for a while now, but you still aren’t very good at it.  This is natural.  Nobody learns a new language quickly.  For the average adult it takes between 3 and 5 years to learn a language well enough so you can easily function in that language.  Don’t be hard on yourself if you are not learning as fast as you want to.  Everyone learns at a different speed, so never compare yourself to other people.  Just know that one day in the future your English skills will be as good as anyone else’s.  It will happen.  It’s only a matter of time.  Knowing this should improve your attitude while you’re still in the beginning stages of learning.

#5  Take care of your body.  Your brain will follow your body.  If you eat well, get enough sleep, and exercise regularly, it’s not only good for your body, but also good for your brain.  These habits are beneficial whenever you are learning anything, especially a new language.

None of these things are difficult to do, but there is one problem.  Things that are easy to do are also easy not to do, so at first you have to develop the habit of doing these things.  Research has shown that to form a new habit, it takes 31 days.  At the beginning of this period you have to force yourself to do these things, but at the end they become habits that are automatic.  Don’t worry if you miss a day or two.  Just recommit yourself and you’ll be back on track.  It’s that easy.

Click on the audio recording below to hear the above lesson.

Vocabulary:

attitude:  way of thinking
avoided:  not done
balance:  do equal amounts
practical:  useful
factor:  reason, something that produces a result
definition:  meaning of a word
research:  studies done to find the truth
recognize:  know by seeing or hearing
function:  do things
compare:  think you’re better or worse
matter of time:  with enough time it will happen
beneficial:  good for you
period:  amount of time
automatic:  happen by themselves
recommit:  decide again
on track:  doing what you planned to do

Pronunciation Exercise: Listen and repeat the vocabulary above on the audio file below.

If the world were reduced to just 100 people, then one person would represent 1% of the population and 100 people would represent all of the population.  In other words, the same percentages would be true.  Here are the numbers.

There would be 50 men and 50 women.

There would be 14 Americans (North and South), 11 Europeans, 15 Africans, and 60 Asians.

There would be 27 people aged 0 to 14, 16 people aged 15 to 24, 40 people aged 25 to 54, 9 people aged 55 to 64, and 8 people over the age of 65.

There would be 12 native Mandarin speakers, 6 native Spanish speakers, 5 native English speakers, 4 native Hindi speakers, 3 native Arabic speakers, and 70 people who spoke the other 6500 languages.

There would be 31 Christians, 23 Muslims, 15 Hindus, 7 Buddhists, and 16 people with no religion.

There would be 86 people who could read and write and 14 who could not.

There would be 15 people who made less than $2.00 US a day, 56 people who made between $2 and $10 a day, 13 people who made between $10 and $20 a day, 9 people who made between $20 and $50 a day, 6 people who made between $50 and $90 a day, and 1 person who made over $90 a day.  In other words, one person would control 50% of all the money in the world.

There would be 21 people who were overweight, 63 people who had a healthy weight, 15 people who were malnourished, and 1 person who was starving to death.

There would be 87 people who had clean water and 13 who didn’t.

There would be 77 people who had shelter and 23 who didn’t.

There would be 44 people who had Internet access and 56 who didn’t.

There would be 75 people who had a mobile phone and 25 who didn’t.

There would be 7 people who attended college and 93 who didn’t.

Are you surprised by any of these numbers?

Click on the audio recording below to hear the lesson.

Vocabulary:

reduced:  lowered, made less
represent:  equal, be the same as
percentages:  numbers out of 100
Mandarin:  the official language in China
Hindi:  the official language in India
control:  have, be able to use
overweight:  fat, heavier than normal
malnourished:  not getting enough good food
starving:  having little or no food
shelter:  a home with a roof
access:  ability to use
mobile:  able to be carried
attended:  went to

Pronunciation Exercise: Listen and repeat the above vocabulary on the audio file below.

Statistics thanks to Gabriel Reilich

Tests are a reality of getting an education.  Every course a student takes has some form of testing to determine if the student passes or fails.  To pass a test, most students read the required chapters in their textbook, take notes that they can study later, review the notes they took in class, and hope that’s enough to get a good mark on the test.  Often, however, this is not enough, and students are disappointed in their test results.  Students don’t realize that there’s more to passing a test than they think.  Following are some things you can do to help you get the score you deserve on any test you take.

The first thing to do is to start early and give yourself enough time to study.  Not doing this is the major reason why students fail.  You need time to learn any material, so determine how much time you think you’ll need, double it and make a schedule of your study times.  Put this schedule on a calendar that you can easily see everyday.  You can also put this schedule in your smart phone.  Then all you have to do is stick to your schedule and don’t let anything interfere with these times.  More than a few students try to cram before a test because they didn’t plan their study times, so they didn’t study well enough.  Although you may get a passing score, cramming is not a good way to prepare for a test.  The reason is if you study late into the night before a test, your brain won’t function properly the following day.  You’ll feel sluggish and you’ll have trouble remembering things that you think you learned, so don’t put yourself in a position where cramming is the only thing that you can do.

The second thing to do is to take breaks.  Give yourself a mini-break of 5 minutes or so every hour.  During this break, stretch your body, dance, or do calisthenics.  Then eat a brain-boosting snack such as fruit or almonds, which allows your body to replenish the glucose it needs to feed the brain and keep it working well.  Short, repeated periods of study are often more effective than long periods of study.

The third thing you should do is to change the location of your studying.  Research has shown that if you study in different places, such as in your room, at a quiet coffee shop, or at the library, you don’t associate the material you learn with any one place, so it’s more easily recalled.  You can even study on the bus if you’ve brought flashcards with you.

The fourth thing is something you should not do, which is multitask. Multitasking is doing two or more things at the same time as you’re studying.  This is a bad idea because your brain can’t give enough attention to more than one thing at a time.  Give yourself dedicated study time and do the other things at another time.  The exception to this is listening to music, which can make you feel more relaxed and help you focus better on the material you’re trying to learn.  The music you listen to should be wordless, however, or part of your brain will be listening to the words and not remembering what you’re studying.

The fifth thing to do is get enough sleep the night before a test.  According to the National Sleep Foundation, teenagers aged 14 to 17 need 8 to 10 hours of sleep per night, young adults 18 to 25 need 7 to 9 hours, adults 26 to 64 need 7 to 9 hours, and older adults over 65 need 7 to 8 hours.  Getting less than this amount affects your mental abilities.  If you can’t get to sleep, try some warm milk or tea.  Many students have found that taking melatonin a half hour before bedtime is an easy way to fall asleep.  Unlike traditional sleep medication, melatonin is a hormone that your body produces to make you sleepy, so it’s a natural aid you can use without fear of addiction.

Click on the audio recording below to hear the first part of the lesson.

The sixth thing to do is to avoid any food too close to bedtime.  All that digesting will keep you awake at night.  However, it’s a good idea to feed your brain the evening before.  Fish that contains omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, help boost your brainpower.  You might also want to incorporate some eggs into your general diet.  Eggs contain choline, which is linked to memory and cognitive performance.  Avoid simple carbohydrates and processed sugar.  These may give you a temporary energy boost, but they cause your body to crash, which leaves you feeling super tired later.  If you crave something sweet, go for fruits, especially those that contain vitamin C, which help improve your mental abilities.  If you like salty snacks, eat pumpkin seeds or nuts, which have vitamin E and zinc, also good for your brain.  Lastly, on the morning of your test, eat a healthy breakfast with fiber and protein, which will keep your mind alert.  An example of a good breakfast is a glass of juice, an egg, toast, and cheese.

The seventh thing you should do is stay generally hydrated, especially before an exam.  One of the symptoms of dehydration is fatigue, so bring a bottle of water with you to the test.  A lot of students drink coffee or other caffeinated beverages not only when studying but also before taking a test.  However, be careful because caffeine is a diuretic, which means it will dehydrate you.  Dehydration can cause fatigue, so if you do drink coffee, also drink plenty of plain, clear water so you don’t get dehydrated.  Drinking coffee after dinnertime is also a bad idea because it keeps you awake, and you need to get a good night’s sleep before a test.  Chewing mints or mint gum is an alternate way to stay alert.  Studies have shown that mints or mint gum increase alertness, accelerate reaction time, and increase how people process information.  There’s one more thing.  Avoid alcohol, especially the night before a test.  In addition to the hangovers, alcohol also dehydrates you.

The last thing to do is use visualization, which is using your imagination to mentally create a situation.  There are two ways that visualization can help you prepare for a test.  You can use this technique to help you relax before a test or to help you create the outcome you want.  To relax and get rid of your stress, close your eyes and cover them with the palms of your hands to eliminate any light.  Then imagine a scene that’s very relaxing to you, such as a day at the beach or curled up in bed with a good book.  Picture as many details as possible to make it realistic, and spend a minute enjoying the relaxing scene.  Open your eyes and feel your body more relaxed than it was before.  Then repeat the same visualization scene.  The more you practice this, the easier it becomes.  This process creates a safe place for you to feel calm and relaxed before you sit down to take your test.  The other kind of visualization is about creating the result you want.  Imagine yourself achieving your goal of passing the test. What does it look and feel like?  Imagine your success in as much detail as possible.

On the day of the test, you can do the following things to insure that you do well on the test.  First, go to the bathroom so you won’t have the urge for the duration the test.  Find the place in yourself that is confident, and go to this place and stay there.  When you get the test, read the directions carefully and follow them.  Before you start, look over the entire test and identify which sections are the easiest and which are the hardest.  Answer the easy questions first, which will not only get them out of the way, but will also give you confidence for the harder parts.  Skip questions you don’t know and come back to them at the end if you have time.  Your job is to get the highest score you can on the test, and if you get stuck on hard questions, you’ll just waste time and may not get to the questions that you can answer.  Set a good pace that will allow you to finish the whole test in the time that you have.  Also, if it’s a multiple choice test, cross out any obviously wrong answers.  Even if you don’t know the right answer, you increase your chances of guessing correctly.  For essay questions, write an outline before you start.  In your outline write down your main point and the supporting details you want to mention.  This will help you stay on track as you write your response.  Lastly, review your answers before you submit your test.  Too often students forget to do this and turn in a test with careless errors.

Armed with these suggestions, you should do well on your next test.  Good luck.

Click on the audio recording below to hear the last part of the lesson.

Vocabulary:

determine:  decide, figure out
required:  necessary, assigned by the teacher
realize:  know
score:  mark, percentage
major:  most important, biggest
material:  information to learn
double:  multiply by 2
schedule:  plan of the days and times that something will happen
interfere:  stop something from happening
cram:  try to learn as much as possible in a short time
function:  work
sluggish:  slow
position:  situation
calisthenics:  exercises where you move your body in a repeated way
boosting:  making better
replenish:  put back, replace
effective:  working well and fast
research:  studies to find out something important
associate:  make a connection
recalled:  remembered
flashcards:  cards with a vocabulary word on one side and its definition on the other side
attention:  focus, concentration
dedicated:  doing only one single thing
according to:  as stated by
affects:  changes, makes worse
hormone:  a chemical your body makes
aid:  help
addiction:  dependency, something you can’t easily stop
avoid:  stay away from, not eat
digesting:  turning food into something the body can use
omega-3 fatty acids:  a chemical found in food that is good for your body
incorporate:  use regularly
cognitive:  brain
carbohydrates:  food composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.
processed sugar:  sugar that is made pure
crave:  really need
contain:  have
mental:  brain
fiber:  plant matter that cannot be digested
protein:  meat and similar plant food
alert:  focused, aware
hydrated:  watered
symptoms:  negative effects on the body
dehydration:  lack of enough water
fatigue:  great tiredness
caffeinated:  containing caffeine
mints:  green plants with a fresh taste
alternate:  other, different
accelerate:  make faster
process:  learn, remember
hangovers:  headaches and general pain that result from too much alcohol
technique:  practice, way of doing something
outcome:  result
palms:  the inside parts of the hands that aren’t the fingers
eliminate:  stop, cancel
scene: picture
realistic:  seem real
achieving:  being successful getting
duration:  length, time
confident:  feeling like you can do something successfully
entire:  whole, 100%
identify:  find out
skip:  don’t do
stuck:  not able to move forward
pace:  speed
multiple choice:  choosing the correct answer from a list
obviously:  easily seen or known
essay:  writing a long answer
mention: write about
on track:  on the topic
review:  look again at
submit:  give to the teacher
errors:  mistakes
armed:  knowing and using

This may seem like an easy piece of grammar to learn.  If the subject is singular, the verb is in the singular form, and if the subject is plural, the verb is in the plural form.

Examples:
He takes cream and sugar in his coffee.
They take cream and sugar in their coffee.

Her smart phone is an iPhone.
Their smart phones are both Samsungs.

And of course if there are 2 or more subjects joined with and, the verb is plural.

Examples:
John and Paul are leaving for Europe tomorrow morning.
Cats and dogs generally don’t like each other.

NOTE:  Don’t be confused when there is a clause or phrase between the subject and its verb.

Examples:
The man who is feeding the pigeons is homeless.
The colors of the rainbow are beautiful.

However, there are some subjects that are more challenging and must be learned.

Subjects that are singular:

•  Gerunds:

Examples:
Playing video games is his favorite activity.
Studying before a test is a good idea.

BUT:  2 or more gerunds joined by and take a plural verb

Walking and swimming are good ways to exercise.

•  Any word with any, some, no, and every:

Examples:
I don’t know if anyone is coming.  (others: anybody, anything)
Somebody is at the door.  (others: someone, something)
Nothing bad is going to happen.  (no one, nobody)
Everyone in this room has to leave.  (everybody, everything)

•  Each, every and one: (Be careful because sometimes these can be followed by plural nouns, but they’re still singular.)

Examples:
Each student in this school has to take this course.
Each one of those cars has had a previous owner.
Every answer on her test is correct.
Every one of these teas comes from Asia.
One student was late for class.
One of the cars that he owns is a Mercedes.

Subjects that can be singular or plural:

•  There and here are either singular or plural depending on the noun that follows. (The noun that follows is really the true subject.)

Examples:
There’s no reason to get upset.  (reason is singular)
There are two ways to solve this problem.  (ways is plural)

NOTE:  Many English speakers get lazy about this grammar and use only there’s for everything, singular or plural.  [There’s two ways to solve this problem.]

There was a fly in my soup.
There were many kinds of wines at the tasting.
Here is the information that I found.
Here are the answers to the last test you took.
Here was a man who could be trusted.
Here were people who could think for themselves.

Watch out!  If a noun is in a prepositional phrase, it cannot be the subject of the verb.

Examples:
The books on the table need to be put away.  (table is not the subject of need)
Julia, just like her friends, loves to hang out at the coffee shop.  (friends is not the subject of loves)

•  A lot , all, none, some, (fractions) and (percentages):  Unlike the examples above, for these words, you must look at the noun in the following prepositional phrase to see if they take a singular or plural verb.

Examples:

A lot of his advice was very useful.  (a lot is singular because advice is singular)
A lot of my classmates were from other countries.  (a lot is plural because classmates is plural)

All of the work is finally finished.  (all is singular because work is singular)
All of the universities she applied to are in New England.  (all is plural because universities is plural)

None of the information was useful.  (none is singular because information is singular)
None of his answers were correct.  (none is plural because answers is plural)

Some of the furniture needs to be cleaned.  (some is singular because furniture is singular)
Some of his friends are planning a surprise party for him.  (some is plural because friends is plural)

Three quarters of the student body wants a new class president.
Three quarters of the students want a new class president.

Eighty percent of the homework is easy.
Eighty percent of the exercises are easy

NOTE:  When the words all, any, more, most and some are used as adjectives, the following noun (countable or uncountable) determines if the verb is singular or plural.

Examples:
All the grapes are on the kitchen counter.
All the fruit is on the kitchen counter.

Any answers you can give are greatly appreciated.
Any money you can give is greatly appreciated.

More trees produce more oxygen.
More phytoplankton produces more oxygen.

Most jobs pay very little.
Most work pays very little.

Some suitcases are very light and easy to carry.
Some baggage is very light and easy to carry.

•  With question words the real subject is after the verb, so you have to look at the following noun to see if the verb should be singular or plural.

Examples:
Who are the brothers inviting to their party?
What is the teacher going to put on the test?
Where are all my friends going?
When is our final exam?
Why are those people staring at us?
How is your grandmother?

•  Nouns that look plural but are really singular: economics, mathematics , measles, the news, politics, physics, and statistics.

Examples:
The news is not good.
Measles is mostly a childhood disease.
Basic mathematics is used in daily life.

•  Nouns that look singular but are really plural: couple, majority, minority, and police

Examples:
The couple have finally arrived.
The majority like the food in the cafeteria.
A minority are natural blonds.
The police were present at the demonstration.

Now that you’ve learned the basic use of the articles a, an, and the, you’re ready for a more complete understanding.

Articles are dropped when used with Proper nouns:  (Proper nouns are capitalized names.)

Examples:
Microsoft has its head office in Redmond, Washington.
George got a managerial job at McDonald’s.

Exception:  If the proper noun has a “dictionary word” as part of the name, put the before the name because the proper noun is used as an adjective.

Examples:
The Nile River is the longest river in the world.  (Nile is used as an adjective for River.)
The New York Stock Exchange is the world’s largest.
The Hawaiian Islands are in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
The Rocky Mountains separate British Columbia from Alberta.

NOTE:  You can sometimes drop the “dictionary word” if it’s commonly known, but the is still used.

Examples:
The Nile is the longest river in the world.  (River has been dropped.)
The Rockies separate British Columbia from Alberta.  [Rockies = Rocky Mountains and mountains has been dropped.)
The Pacific is the largest ocean in the world.  (Ocean has been dropped.)

Exceptions:  Mount, Mountain, Lake, City, Street/Road/Avenue/Boulevard (etc.), State (when last), New, North(ern), South(ern), East(ern), and West(ern) are “dictionary words” but the is not used.

Examples:
Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world.
Whistler Mountain is a ski resort north of Vancouver.
Lake Louise is a tourist attraction in the Rocky Mountains.
New York City has a population of over 8 million people.
BUT:  The city of Vancouver gets half of its annual rainfall from November to January. (“city” is not part of the name)
The skytrain runs under Cambie Street.
Abbey Road was an album by the Beatles.
She went to school in New York State.  (BUT …in the state of New York.)
New Brunswick has an almost equal number of French and English speakers.
The state capital of North Dakota is Bismarck.
They moved here from Northern Ireland.
South Africa has eleven official languages.

BUT:  When north, east, south and west are used as a general area, the is used.

Examples:
In the American revolution, the North fought against the South.
Many manufactured products come from the East.
For most of the 20^th century, the developed countries were mostly in the West.

The is used when a proper noun is used as an adjective (to describe a noun.)

Examples:
The San Francisco earthquake of 1906 caused fires that lasted for several days
(The earthquake in San Francisco)

The Chicago fire of 1871 destroyed over 17,000 buildings.
(The fire in Chicago)

The New York countryside is full of forests.
(The countryside in New York)

No article is used with general nouns (nouns that refer to all of something):

Examples:
Gold is an expensive metal.
You should drink water everyday.
Honesty is a good quality to have.

However, if the noun isn’t used in a general way, then the is used.

Examples:
The gold in this ring is expensive.
You shouldn’t drink the water from the tap.
The honesty of that man is unquestionable.

Anxiety is when you feel really nervous before a test, so nervous, in fact, that you can’t think of answers that you’re sure you know.  This may happen over and over with each test that you take, so you develop the attitude that you just can’t take tests.  You aren’t alone, however.  Many students have test anxiety but have learned how to manage it so that they can do well on tests.  Of course, a little nervousness before a test is a good thing.  It helps you prepare and focus on something important that is about to happen.  It tells you that you need to prepare, so you study more effectively.  By studying effectively, you feel more confident and your test anxiety goes way down, which allows you to do well on the test.

What can you do, however, if you’re well prepared for the test but still have test anxiety?  Well, there are a number of physical things you can do.  First of all, you should get enough sleep the night before.  It’s more important to go into a test well rested than to stay up late at night trying to cram for a test.  If you don’t get enough sleep, your brain doesn’t work as well, and you can have trouble remembering answers that you know.  Secondly, you can do some physical activity such as taking a walk outside.  When you’re on your walk, notice the sounds and smells around you, the feel of the air on your face, the sidewalk under your feet, all of which will bring you into the present.  When you’re totally in the present, you’re not thinking about the future test, and this will lower your stress.  As a matter of fact, any form of exercise lowers anxiety because the brain releases endorphins, which make you feel good.

In addition to these actions you can take, there are a few mental techniques that you can use.  The first of these is a positive thinking exercise.  Just repeat to yourself, “I am prepared for this test, and I will do well.”  This creates a positive attitude and increases your confidence making the test much easier to take.

Another technique is a breathing exercise.  You focus your attention on your breathing while relaxing your body.  Briefly, you sit up straight with your feet on the floor and your hands on your lap, and you slowly inhale through your nose feeling the breath fill you up from your toes to the top of your head.  As you exhale through your mouth, you imagine all the stress of your body leaving with the breath.  This exercise slows your breathing and your heart rate and therefore lowers your stress.

A third technique is a ten-second vacation.  You imagine yourself in a relaxing place that makes you feel good using all your senses to mentally create this place.  Again, you start by sitting with both feet on the floor and your hands on your lap.  As an example, you picture yourself lying on a beach.  You feel the sun on your skin and the sand under your hands.  You smell the salt air and hear the waves hitting the shore.  The interesting thing about this technique is that your unconscious mind cannot tell the difference between what is real and what is not.  Therefore, a fantasy like this is just as relaxing as the real thing.

So far you’ve read about things you can do before a test, but there is also something you can do during a test.  Don’t get upset if you have trouble answering a hard question.  Understand that almost nobody gets a perfect score on a test.  It’s okay to get some questions wrong.  If you’re not sure your answer to the question is correct, just make your best guess and go on to the next question.  Don’t even think about the last question.  Get your attention on the question you now have to answer.  If you got the last question wrong, so what!  You can still do very well on the test.

Test anxiety is no reason to do poorly on a test if you use these exercises and techniques.  Good luck on your next test!

Click on the audio recording below to hear the above lesson.

Vocabulary:

anxiety:  a strong feeling of nervousness caused by fear of a possible result
attitude:  belief, thought, way of thinking
manage:  make less strong
focus:  concentrate, put your attention
about to:  ready to
effectively:  in a way that produces a better result
confident:  believing in your ability to do well
cram:  try to learn as much as possible in a short time
physical:  of the body
stress:  feelings of worry and fear
endorphins:  chemicals produced in the brain that make you feel good
mental:  of the mind
technique:  the steps you take to do something
confidence:  belief in yourself
inhale:  breathe in
exhale:  breathe out
heart rate:  the number of beats per minute
unconscious:  the largest part of your mind that you are unaware of
fantasy:  an unreal story or situation
during:  at the same time
perfect:  100%

Pronunciation Exercise: Listen and repeat the above vocabulary on the audio file below.

© 2014 Ambien Malecot