Friday, July 27, 2012

READING


Java hits the road
Wireless communication and the Internet promise to transform the car into an 'Intelligent Networked Vehicle'
1 - PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA - In the not-too-distant future, all vehicles will have their own websites. Vehicle service providers (Not Garages!) will monitor individual cars and inform their drivers of needed maintenance or repairs. Automobiles running low on fuel will communicate with nearby eGasStations regarding price of petrol, available movies for downloading, food services, etc.
2 - This is the scenario envisioned by Sun Microsystems Chairman and Founder Scott McNealy, who views the car as a "Java browser on wheels." He believes that the telematics industry promises big revenue-generating possibilities for those suppliers who foresee, and prepare for, the automobile's coming relationship with the Internet.
3 - To stimulate such thinking and demonstrate the concept, Sun has launched two projects, linked together for the first time at Covergence 2000, the biennial automotive electronics show held last autumn in Detroit. (…)
The eGasStation.
4 - The Sun eGasStation project demonstrates how the local petrol stop can act as a host for interactions with a Java-enabled car.
5 - At the eGasStation, Java technology and the Internet remotely monitor and control gas pumps, point-of-sale systems, and other service station devices. The Java technology-based control system communicates with the Java technology-enabled car via wireless access. A web-browser shows automotive diagnostic status and information on the gas pump display.
6 - Data downloads and uploads occur during fueling. For example, a car's operating history can be downloaded to collect operations and status information. Movies can be uploaded to the vehicle's infotainment system from an eGasStation's server, keeping the children in the back seat occupied during the trip.
7 - For the retailer, there are several benefits:
- Real-time knowledge of what gasoline products are selling by location, for optimal product supply and distribution.
- Remote monitoring and maintenance of gasoline pumps.
- Inventory tracking.
- Sale of operating data to parts supplier and other third parties.
8 - A number of major petroleum companies are in negotiations for evaluation of the technology at gas stations.
 
David Bak, Editor-in-Chief
February 2001 Global Design News        page 21
Test Yourself
Principio del formulario
Answer the following questions:
Right or Wrong? (choose a  button)
Soon your car will be connected to the Internet
Right 
 Wrong 
Mr McNealy thinks it will cost the telematics industry a lot of money ro build a real Java (= Internet) - connected car
Right 
 Wrong 
Petrol stations will interconnect with your car
Right 
 Wrong 
In addition to selling petrol, petrol stations  will provide many other services
Right 
 Wrong 
 
Final del formulario

Test Yourself
Principio del formulario
§1 "Provider": find a synonym in paragraph 2.
supplier 
chairman 

relationship 

§2 A "vehicle service provider" is
a vehicle for service providers 
a person (or company) that provides services to vehicles 

a service that is provided by a vehicle 
§3 "fuel":
refers to the liquid that is used to power lorries or other heavy-duty engines 
means a material like wood, petrol or coal that is burned to provide heat or energy 


§4 "automobiles running low on fuel": Look for context at the end of the sentence. This phrase means:
some automobiles consume very little fuel 
these automobiles have little fuel left so that they have to go a service station to fill up 

§5 "the telematics industry promises big revenue-generating possibilities"
This market  promises it is possible to  make big  money 
This market is full of  promises( = opportunities) and it will certainly generate a lot of revenues

This market is full of  money, so that  and it will generate a lot of opportunities 


§6 "the local petrol stop can act…"
a- Spot the verbs
The verbs are:
stop; can; act 
can; act 
b- Consequently, the general meaning is "stopping at a local service station can act …"
Yes 
No 

§7 " a Java-enabled car" means
a car that is allowed to interact with Java technology 
a car using Java technology enables the driver to do lots of things 

a car that is able to use Java technology 

§8 " The Java technology-based control system" means
a system for controlling which is based on Java technology 
Java is a technology based on a control system 

This technology is based on the control system made by Java 

§9 "to occur" means:
to buy 
to be done in a very short time

to happen, to take place 
§10 "fueling ":
the fact of putting fuel into the car’s tank (= tanking) 
the fact that the engine is running (= driving) 

the fact that the engine is going faster (= accelerating) 

Final del formulario

READING EXERCISE

Read the following comprehension and answer the following question.
  1. A leading Indian manufacturer in a current article one ways to reinforce India’s economy has drained notice to the tribulations of price rises and industrial illness among other things. One of the major reasons for industrial illness in our country has been the truth that the business and manufacturing managers, have not been able to look further than the instantaneous future. They have been too anxious with their effort to report positive results for the recent year, higher income and larger payment to the share holders. The preparation horizon has barely over exceeded five years. Savings have been insufficient for new plants and towards diversification and development, transformation and benefit creation has badly lagged behind.


    In business, development is required for endurance; one has to develop if one does not desire to be wiped out. This is mainly right today with liberalization of importation and increasing antagonism. Moreover, growth and higher competence create service and higher service creates better markets both for manufacturing and consumers goods. It was Henry ford who brought home the requirement for the formation of a better and a steadier middle class that is a better number of people who can have enough money more and more of goods and services. Even after forty years of sovereignty our manufacturers have not been able to shack the petty shopkeeper’s state of mind and our highly knowledgeable management has tagged along joyfully and without worry.

    1. According to the comprehension, development and rising production lead to
      1. Unequal superfluous of supplies
      2. Service and thus offer an opening to manufacturing and purchaser products
      3. Support to sell to other countries of surplus customer goods
      4. Obligation of constraint on importation
      5. None of the above
    2. Why did Henry Ford pressurize the requirements for a steadier middle class?
      1. Middle class people are generally service tilting
      2. People in that class can have enough money to buy more and more luxurious goods
      3. Middle class people are most wobbly
      4. Middle class people do not have shopkeeper state of mind
      5. None of the above
       
    3. The planning horizon has barely ever exceeded five years implies
      1. Planning should take care of all likely ups and downs in the next five-year time
      2. Planning must not be for a time of less than five years
      3. Five year period is too short for successful implementation of plans
      4. The planning procedure is very time consuming
      5. The planners are not prone to think of upcoming
       
    4. In order to develop the situation of Indian industries, the entrepreneur should do all of the following apart from
      1. Giving up the narrow state of mind which very small shopkeepers usually have
      2. Adopting policies for diversification and transformation
      3. Cheering antagonism from industrialists with in the country and from overseas
      4. Resorting to long term planning for industrial development and growth in varied fields
      5. Determined to make long term profits
    5. Which of the following shortcoming of Indian manufacturer has been pointed by the author of the comprehension?
      1. They are less worried for expense of payments to shareholders
      2. They spend irrational high sum on diversification and development
      3. They are unwilling to preserve the storekeeper state of mind
      4. They are more worried for instant net growth than for development activities
      5. None of the above
      http://www.bestsamplequestions.com/gre-questions/reading-comprehension/reading-comprehension-1.html

POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES AND PRONOUNS



 POSSESSIVES
Possessive adjectives and pronouns

En este ejercicio podrás practicar el uso correcto de los posesivos. Lee atentamente las oraciones y completa con el adjetivo posesivo o con el pronombre posesivo que corresponda.Versión para imprimir
Possessive Adjectives: my - your - his - her - its - our - your - their
Possessive Pronouns: mine - yours - his - hers - its - ours - yours - theirs
1. Paul and Jeannie are going to visit  friends tomorrow. 
2. He usually goes to England for  holidays. 
3. Sheila is buying a present for  mother. 
4. We are living in  new home. 
5. This is their car. It's  . 
6. This is my computer. It's  . 
7. You received a letter from  brothers. 
8. The dog has  own place here. 
9. This is his telephone. It's  . 
10. Monica and Sheila will meet  parents. 

POSSESSIVE 'S

http://elt.oup.com/student/project3rdedition/level1/unit2/grammar/exercise5?cc=global&selLanguage=en

Exercise 5: Possessive 's

Unscrambled the words correctly.
  1. Uncle dog? Is Bill's this 
    score
  2. teacher's umbrella. is my This 
    score
  3. he grandpa? Amy's Is 
    score
  4. sister. is Millie Mikey's 
    score
  5. birthday? your mum's When is 
    score
  6. bag. Filipa's isn't It 
    score

Thursday, July 26, 2012

PARTICIPAL ADJECTIVES




I do the same thing every day. My job is very ______ .
I have nothing to do. I'm ______ .
My job is very varied. I find it ______ .
I'm ______ in applying for the job.
I heard some very ______ news. I'm going to lose my job. I feel terrible
Cheer up . Don't feel so ______ . There are plenty of other jobs.
I heard a very ______ story. It will make you laugh.
It's not ______ that you failed the exam. You never did any work.
I don't understand this exercise. I'm very ______ .
I thought your behaviour at the party was ______ . You were sick in the middle of the room.
My trip to Paris has been cancelled. I'm really ______ . I really wanted to go.
The performance of the English team was very ______ . They played much worse than expected.
There are a lot of road signs. It's all very ______ .
I am very ______ in this subject. I find it fascinating.
The lesson was really ______ . I almost fell asleep.
I was ______ by her behaviour. It was very funny.
I was ______ by the news. I didn't expect it.
I was ______ by his behaviour. It was outrageous.
I'm ______ in finding out more about this. Where can I look?
When the students did badly, the teacher became really ______ and didn't smile for weeks.

ADJECTIVES WITH ED / ING


Adjectives ending in -ed and -ing list
ADJECTIVES (ING – ED)Spanish translation
alarmingalarmed Alarmante / alarmado
amusingamusedDivertido
annoyingannoyedFastidioso / fastidiado
boringboredAburrido
concerningconcernedPreocupante / preocupado
confusingconfusedConfuso / confundido
embarrassingembarrassedEmbarazoso / avergonzado
encouragingencouragedAlentador / animado
entertainingentertainedEntretenido
excitingexcitedEmocionante / emocionado
exhaustingexhaustedAgotador / agotado
frighteningfrightenedAterrador / aterrado
frustratingfrustratedFrustrante / frustrado
humiliatinghumiliatedHumillante / humillado
interestinginterestedInteresante / interesado
intriguingintriguedIntrigante / intrigado
overwhelmingoverwhelmedAbrumador / abrumado
perplexingperplexedPerplejo
pleasingpleasedAgradable / complacido
relaxingrelaxedRelajante / relajado
satisfyingsatisfiedGratificante / satisfecho
shockingshockedChocante / estupefacto
surprisingsurprisedSorprendente / sorprendido
tiringtiredCansador / cansado

ED / ING ADJECTIVES


Are you  in learning a foreing language ? (interested / interesting)
  The football match was a real battle....It was really . (excited, exciting)
 The kitchen was a pigstry....It was really ! (disgusted /disgusting)
  I was really   when they offered me the job! (amazed / amazing)
  It is sometimes    when you have to ask for a favor. (embarrassed/ embarrassing)
  When we heard the bad news we were all  . (horrified / horrifying)
   She wants to find a different job because she thinks its  .  (bored /boring)
   We went for a very long walk. It was really . (tired /tiring)
  He showed us his new invention and we were all . (fascinated/ fascinating)
   I really had a good time...The film was  . (amused / amusing)
  Karen is starting a new job next Saturday...She is very  about it. (excited / exciting)
  We were shut in that place for so long....We were . (horrified / horrifying)

Friday, July 20, 2012

SCANNING


Reading skills for academic study: Scanning for specific information.
Exercise 1
Read the following text quickly and fill in the table. What do the numbers given in the table refer to?
1%

2%

6%

13%

16%

30%

3/4

86%



Spoon-fed feel lost at the cutting edge
Before arriving at university students will have been powerfully influenced by their school's approach to learning particular subjects. Yet this is only rarely taken into account by teachers in higher education, according to new research carried out at Nottingham University, which could explain why so many students experience problems making the transition.
Historian Alan Booth says there is a growing feeling on both sides of the Atlantic that the shift from school to university-style learning could be vastly improved. But little consensus exists about who or what is at fault when the students cannot cope. "School teachers commonly blame the poor quality of university teaching, citing factors such as large first-year lectures, the widespread use of inexperienced postgraduate tutors and the general lack of concern for students in an environment where research is dominant in career progression," Dr Booth said.
Many university tutors on the other hand claim that the school system is failing to prepare students for what will be expected of them at university. A-level history in particular is seen to be teacher-dominated, creating a passive dependency culture.
But while both sides are bent on attacking each other, little is heard during such exchanges from the students themselves, according to Dr Booth, who has devised a questionnaire to test the views of more than 200 first-year history students at Nottingham over a three-year period. The students were asked about their experience of how history is taught at the outset of their degree programme. It quickly became clear that teaching methods in school were pretty staid.
About 30 per cent of respondents claimed to have made significant use of primary sources (few felt very confident in handling them) and this had mostly been in connection with project work. Only 16 per cent had used video/audio; 2 per cent had experienced field trips and less than 1 per cent had engaged in role-play.
Dr Booth found students and teachers were frequently restricted by the assessment style which remains dominated by exams. These put obstacles in the way of more adventurous teaching and active learning, he said. Of the students in the survey just 13 per cent felt their A-level course had prepared them very well for work at university. Three-quarters felt it had prepared them fairly well.
One typical comment sums up the contrasting approach: "At A-level we tended to be spoon-fed with dictated notes and if we were told to do any background reading (which was rare) we were told exactly which pages to read out of the book".
To test this further the students were asked how well they were prepared in specific skills central to degree level history study. The answers reveal that the students felt most confident at taking notes from lectures and organising their notes. They were least able to give an oral presentation and there was no great confidence in contributing to seminars, knowing how much to read, using primary sources and searching for texts. Even reading and taking notes from a book were often problematic. Just 6 per cent of the sample said they felt competent at writing essays, the staple A level assessment activity.
The personal influence of the teacher was paramount. In fact individual teachers were the centre of students' learning at A level with some 86 per cent of respondents reporting that their teachers had been more influential in their development as historians than the students' own reading and thinking.
The ideal teacher turned out to be someone who was enthusiastic about the subject; a good clear communicator who encouraged discussion. The ideal teacher was able to develop students involvement and independence. He or she was approachable and willing to help. The bad teacher, according to the survey, dictates notes and allows no room for discussion. He or she makes students learn strings of facts; appears uninterested in the subject and fails to listen to other points of view.
No matter how poor the students judged their preparedness for degree-level study, however, there was a fairly widespread optimism that the experience would change them significantly, particularly in terms of their open mindedness and ability to cope with people.
But it was clear, Dr Booth said, that the importance attached by many departments to third-year teaching could be misplaced. "Very often tutors regard the third year as the crucial time, allowing postgraduates to do a lot of the earlier teaching. But I am coming to the conclusion that the first year at university is the critical point of intervention".
Alison Utley, Times Higher Education Supplement. February 6th, 1998.



Reading skills for academic study: Scanning for specific information.
Exercise 2
Read the following text quickly and answer the questions.
1.   When were X-rays discovered?
2.   Who discovered them?
3.   What are the four characteristics of X-rays?
The Discovery of X-rays
Except for a brief description of the Compton effect, and a few other remarks, we have postponed the discussion of X-rays until the present chapter because it is particularly convenient to treat X-ray spectra after treating optical spectra. Although this ordering may have given the reader a distorted impression of the historical importance of X-rays, this impression will be corrected shortly as we describe the crucial role played by X-rays in the development of modern physics.
X-rays were discovered in 1895 by Roentgen while studying the phenomena of gaseous discharge. Using a cathode ray tube with a high voltage of several tens of kilovolts, he noticed that salts of barium would fluoresce when brought near the tube, although nothing visible was emitted by the tube. This effect persisted when the tube was wrapped with a layer of black cardboard. Roentgen soon established that the agency responsible for the fluorescence originated at the point at which the stream of energetic electrons struck the glass wall of the tube. Because of its unknown nature, he gave this agency the name X-rays. He found that X-rays could manifest themselves by darkening wrapped photographic plates, discharging charged electroscopes, as well as by causing fluorescence in a number of different substances. He also found that X-rays can penetrate considerable thicknesses of materials of low atomic number, whereas substances of high atomic number are relatively opaque. Roentgen took the first steps in identifying the nature of X-rays by using a system of slits to show that (1) they travel in straight lines, and that (2) they are uncharged, because they are not deflected by electric or magnetic fields.
The discovery of X-rays aroused the interest of all physicists, and many joined in the investigation of their properties. In 1899 Haga and Wind performed a single slit diffraction experiment with X-rays which showed that (3) X-rays are a wave motion phenomenon, and, from the size of the diffraction pattern, their wavelength could be estimated to be 10-8 cm. In 1906 Barkla proved that (4) the waves are transverse by showing that they can be polarized by scattering from many materials.
There is, of course, no longer anything unknown about the nature of X-rays. They are electromagnetic radiation of exactly the same nature as visible light, except that their wavelength is several orders of magnitude shorter. This conclusion follows from comparing properties 1 through 4 with the similar properties of visible light, but it was actually postulated by Thomson several years before all these properties were known. Thomson argued that X-rays are electromagnetic radiation because such radiation would be expected to be emitted from the point at which the electrons strike the wall of a cathode ray tube. At this point, the electrons suffer very violent accelerations in coming to a stop and, according to classical electromagnetic theory, all accelerated charged particles emit electromagnetic radiations. We shall see later that this explanation of the production of X-rays is at least partially correct.
In common with other electromagnetic radiations, X-rays exhibit particle-like aspects as well as wave-like aspects. The reader will recall that the Compton effect, which is one of the most convincing demonstrations of the existence of quanta, was originally observed with electromagnetic radiation in the X-ray region of wavelengths.


Monday, July 16, 2012

TUESDAY JULY 17TH


TenseSubjectVerbObject
Simple PresentActive:Ritawritesa letter.
Passive:A letteris writtenby Rita.
Simple PastActive:Ritawrotea letter.
Passive:A letterwas writtenby Rita.
Present PerfectActive:Ritahas writtena letter.
Passive:A letterhas been writtenby Rita.
Future IActive:Ritawill writea letter.
Passive:A letterwill be writtenby Rita.



Passive Voice - Exercises on Form

Write passive sentences in Simple Present.
  1. the documents / print 
  2. the window / open 
  3. the shoes / buy 
  4. the car / wash 
  5. the litter / throw away 
  6. the letter / send 
  7. the book / read / not 
  8. the songs / sing / not 
  9. the food / eat / not 
  10. the shop / close / not 
Write passive sentences in Simple Past.
  1. the test / write 
  2. the table / set 
  3. the cat / feed 
  4. the lights / switch on 
  5. the house / build 
  6. dinner / serve 
  7. this computer / sell / not 
  8. the car / stop / not 
  9. the tables / clean / not 
  10. the children / pick up / not 
  11. Write passive sentences in Future I.
    1. the exhibition / visit 
    2. the windows / clean 
    3. the message / read 
    4. the thief / arrest 
    5. the photo / take 
    6. these songs / sing 
    7. the sign / see / not 
    8. a dictionary / use / not 
    9. credit cards / accept / not 
    10. the ring / find / not