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International Students NZfrom the Student Learning Centre at Massey University, Auckland, |
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exponential
July 02, 2009 04:27 PM PDT
Today’s photo: Me recording my podcast Part 1: Today's word If something grows exponentially, it means that it keeps growing faster and faster. Social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, have experienced exponential growth rates, though the growth tends to tail off after a few months. Click here for more practice. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? After the Big Bang, the universe is thought to have experienced a sustained period of exponential growth. Digital music has been an exponential field over the past few years, with high levels of innovation and market penetration. The exponential increase in global travel over the last few decades has heightened the risk of pandemics. Unfortunately, the exponential growth in the company’s sales was not accompanied by the necessary restructuring and staff development. Part 3: Practice Questions: Apart from social networking, which other fields have experienced exponential growth over the last few years? Part 4: The Idiomatic Five get out of hand
change hands
to have the upper hand
have it in for sb
have it out with sb
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Which controversial 2004 Act of Parliament about ownership of New Zealand’s coastline is expected to be repealed by the new Government? Part 6: Today's online listening This is an interview from the BBC about freeconomics – the business model used by many online companies Vocabulary for the article: attribution
Questions for the article: 1) Which of these versions of the book will be offered free?
2) Google uses a ‘max’ strategy to ...
3) Which mistakes did Chris make when writing the book?
4) What economic principle is Wikipedia [and this podcast!] based on?
5) Which of these products follows the freemium approach?
6) Moore’s Law refers to the exponential growth in ...
7) The younger generation is accustomed to ...
8) Chris’s own company uses a freemium approach to market its ...
Today’s musical suggestion: From the UK / Zambia
June 30, 2009 05:35 PM PDT
Today’s picture: My niece Olivia, celebrating her first Holy Communion in Madrid last month I'd love some feedback on these podcasts! Click here if you can spare 10 minutes to complete a brief online survey. Part 1: Today's word If something is contingent, it means it’s not absolute – it depends on the situation. So, for example, acceptance onto a university course could be contingent on results obtained in an examination. And any plans for outdoor events are likely to be contingent on weather conditions. A contingency is something (normally bad) that may happen in the future – so planning needs to take into account contingencies. Sometimes organisations keep a contingency fund so that they have enough money if things go wrong. The noun ‘contingent’ can also mean a large group of people. Click here for interactive exercises on academic vocabulary and writing. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? Given the tight economic situation, any salary raise will be contingent on increased market share. The company built up a substantial contingency fund to cover the fixed costs of the venture. Government approval of the grant was contingent on the organization meeting a number of conditions. Socially responsible citizens accept that the privilege of owning a car is contingent on limiting its impact on the environment. Part 3: Practice Questions: Do you have any contingency plans? Part 4: The Idiomatic Five go against the grain
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question
Click here for more information Part 6: Today's online listening: This is a 25 minute lecture about genetics and morality from the famous American professor, Michael Sandel. Vocabulary for the lecture: a dissenter
Questions for the article: 1) Why were the parents in Michael Sandel’s first case criticised? they aborted their baby because it was deaf
2) Which new medical advance may be marketed for people in their sixties and seventies? cognition-enhancers
3) Which social problem does Michael Sandel highlight in China and some parts of India? in-vitro fertilisation
4) Michael Sandel argues that parental love should not be contingent on ... giftedness
5) Michael Sandel cites Singapore as a country which has implemented some ...... policies eugenics
6) Michael Sandel describes parenthood as a school for ... responsibility
7) Michael Sandel argues that our awareness of the contingency of our gifts makes us more willing to ... work hard to succeed
8) Michael Sandel’s underlying message is that societies should become more ... accepting
Today’s Video suggestion: from the UK
June 28, 2009 08:50 PM PDT
Today’s picture: Watch your speed on the luge track in Queenstown, NZ Part 1: Today's word A correlation between two sets of data means that there is an association between them. For example, there is a strong positive correlation between motivation and academic performance. This means the higher the motivation, the higher the results. On the other hand there is a negative correlation between hours of part time work and academic performance. This means that the more hours a student works in a part-time job, the lower their academic performance tends to be. If the sets of data are weakly correlated, it means that the correlation is still significant (because it’s not simply a matter of chance), but the effect is not very strong. If you are conducting quantitative research, you’ll need to show both the strength and the significance levels of any correlation you investigate. Click here for interactive exercises on academic vocabulary and writing. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? The researchers found a strong negative correlation between offending and the number of friends a person has. This comprehensive research project confirmed the strong correlation between diet and life expectancy. Research into the correlation of the disaster and its long-term effects is continuing. Previous studies have found only a weak correlation between English language proficiency and performance at university. Part 3: Practice Questions: Do you see a clear correlation between the amount of effort you put into your studies and the grades you achieve? Do you believe that income and satisfaction are strongly correlated? Part 4: The Idiomatic Five put your foot in it/ your mouth
give up the ghost
give as good as you get
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question How many bolts of lightning hit the north of New Zealand in last night’s storm? Read more about the storm here Part 6: Today's online listening: This is a short report about a study into the effects of having such a low driving age in New Zealand. Vocabulary for the listening: shed light
Questions for the listening: 1) How many participants are there in this Otago University study? 2) Is it a longitudinal study? 3) What particular correlation are they investigating? d age and crash 4) What takes place when the researchers find out one of the participants has been involved in a crash? 5) Is there anywhere in North America where the driving age is lower than in New Zealand? 6) How much more likely are teenage drivers to be involved in a crash than middle aged drivers? up to 7 7) What two changes are going to be considered by Parliament later this year? Today’s Video suggestion: from the USA
June 23, 2009 07:00 PM PDT
Today’s picture: The Reader – a statue in a garden next to Takapuna Beach Part 1: Today's word Eliminate is a more formal way of saying ‘get rid of’. So it’s used to talk about ending all kinds of problems. It’s often used with words like ‘risk’, ‘danger’ and social problems which people generally don’t want. If you want to say 'get rid of gradually', then you might also be able to use 'phase out'. This government will do all it can to eliminate homelessness. Since the elimination of human error is impossible, it’s essential that all work must be subject to careful review. Click here for interactive exercises on academic vocabulary and writing. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? The development of online services has eliminated the need for much time-consuming and expensive paperwork and meetings. We’ll need to eliminate the old photocopier to make space for the new one. It’s hoped that a more complete testing programme will eliminate – or at least greatly reduce - drug-taking within the sport. With the complete automation of the process, the risk of human error has been effectively eliminated. Part 3: Practice Questions: Has the government actually succeeded in eliminating any significant social problems? Could your university or department do more to eliminate waste? Part 4: The Idiomatic Five not lift a finger
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Which sea creatures have been visiting Auckland Harbour today? check the story here Part 6: Today's online listening: This is short programme from the BBC about useful suggestions for academic reading skills Which of the following sentences were included on the programme as suggestions for effective academic reading: Make sure you read everything on your reading list Start by skimming through the titles and sub-titles Ask other students for suggestions on which books to read Sometimes read slowly and other times read fast Always check new words in the dictionary Read the introduction and conclusion before the middle Reduce the number of fixations when you read Today’s Video suggestion: from Norway
June 21, 2009 05:09 PM PDT
Today’s picture: Lake House, Takapuna, June 2009 Part 1: Today's word If you are sceptical [skeptical in American English], it means that you are unwilling to believe something because you don’t find the evidence very convincing. It’s quite common that new ideas are greeted or treated with scepticism, which means that the community isn’t immediately convinced that they are true or valuable. Click here for interactive exercises on academic vocabulary and writing. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? I’m sceptical about the chances of the team gaining promotion this year. These claims need to be treated with scepticism until more convincing evidence is put forward in their defence. It was an innovative, sceptical theory which challenged accepted scientific understanding of the issue. She remained sceptical about the effectiveness of military intervention in such circumstances. Part 3: Practice Questions: Do you feel sceptical about: the reality of global warming?
Part 4: The Idiomatic Five an eye-opener
face to face
cut it fine / cut things fine
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Yesterday, June 21st was the Winter Solstice in New Zealand. How many hours of daylight were there? Part 6: Today's online listening: This is a 10 minute talk about one of the world’s most interesting animals, the platypus, by the famous British biologist and TV presenter, David Attenborough. [The talk starts on 00.59!] Vocabulary for the article: gullible
webbed feet
Questions for the article: 1) Why does David Attenborough start his talk with the topic of mermaids? early explorers thought the platypus was a mermaid
2) Why was the platypus given another scientific name? flat feet were not its most distinctive feature
3) Why does David Attenborough compare the platypus’s bill to a metal detector? it has a similar shape
4) Anatomically, the platypus seems to be a link between ... birds and reptiles
5) David Attenborough became interested in the platypus thirty years ago as part of ... A TV programme about evolution
6) The film of the platypus hatching was incomplete because of ... human error
7) His recent project succeeded in filming a platypus .. hatching from an egg
Click here to see a short film of the platypus and its cousin, the echidna (thanks to Monique for sending me this link) Today’s musical suggestion: from the USA
June 18, 2009 09:29 PM PDT
Today’s picture: Another autumn scene from my friends Glenys and Denise in Christchurch Part 1: Today's word To become or to grow accustomed to a new situation is a more formal way of saying ‘to get used to it’. So, for instance, it takes time to become accustomed to university life. If you have a verb after ‘accustomed to’, it needs to be in the –ing form (just like ‘get used to doing something’). So, since living in New Zealand, I’ve become accustomed to having late night phone calls with my family back home in Europe. Click here for interactive exercises on academic vocabulary and writing. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? He spoke with the authority of someone accustomed to giving instructions. In the old days, the department accustomed to receive several applications for each place on the course. Unemployment meant giving up those everyday luxuries we had grown accustomed to. One eventually becomes so accustomed to hearing church bells that one barely notices the noise after a few months. Part 3: Practice Questions: What changes in lifestyle have you grown accustomed to over the last year? Part 4: The Idiomatic Five take the edge off (your appetite etc)
at the end of your tether (UK/Aus) rope (US)
put sth down to experience / chalk sth up to experience
(not) see eye to eye
not bat an eyelid
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Which kinds of people are celebrated across the world and in New Zealand on June 20th? Click here to see a short announcement about this by the American actress, Angelina Jolie Part 6: Today's online listening: This is an episode of 'Asian Report' from Radio New Zealand which focuses on the refugee resettlement programme and the role of volunteers. Vocabulary for the article: asylum
Questions for the article: 1) How many refugees and their family members are accepted by New Zealand each year? about 50
2) What is John Parker’s involvement with refugees? voluntary settlement assistance
3) Which of these forms of support does John mention providing to the Burmese refugees in Nelson? translation
4) How does John describe the attitude to the refugees towards talking about their past experiences? enthusiastic
5) What does John describe as being ‘luck-of-the-draw’? employment opportunities
6) How did Noulien, the 14 year-old girl feel when she first attended school in New Zealand? relieved
7) How did John first hear about the possibility of helping refugees? personal invitation
8) John understands the importance of support for settlement in a new country because of his ... extensive reading
9) How does John describe the general attitude of the community towards the refugees? accepting
Click here for more information on volunteering for refugee services in New Zealand Today’s musical suggestion: from New Zealand
June 16, 2009 08:19 PM PDT
Today’s picture: Tree with berries, Christchurch, June 2009 (thanks to Glenys for the photo) Click on 'play' above to hear today's programme Part 1: Today's word Predominant means the most common, most noticeable or most powerful one of a number of different varieties or factors. Click here for interactive exercises on academic vocabulary and writing. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? Interaction is the predominant feature of the so-called ‘web 2.0’ sites. Taxation is, of course, the predominant means of raising finance for Government spending. The project began as a rather weak response to market pressures, but became increasingly predominant as the months passed. Research in psychology is still predominantly quantitative, despite the growing awareness of its limitations. Part 3: Practice Questions: What are the predominant features of your work or study? What’s your predominant feeling about the current economic downturn? Part 4: The Idiomatic Five make all the difference
get your foot in the door
down-to-earth
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question What is the current New Zealand strategy for dealing with the outbreak of the new form of influenza? prevention
Part 6: Today's online listening: This is a short programme about the new influenza – the H1N1 virus (often called ‘swine flu’). The programme includes two interviews: one with a New Zealander who is recovering from the flu and the other with someone responsible for the national health strategy. Vocabulary for the article: to contract (an illness)
Questions for the article: 1) Susie contracted ‘swine’ flu while travelling in ... Mexico
2) Which of these symptoms did Susie experience from ‘swine flu’ that she hadn’t experienced with flu previously? a runny nose
3) What gave Susie most relief from her symptoms? special flu medicine
4) During her period of isolation ... she had to stay alone in her own flat
5) Susie’s main complaint concerns .. the necessity of her isolation
6) According to Fran MacGrath, H1N1 cases in New Zealand are predominantly .. associated with overseas travel
7) The underlying aim of the containment strategy is reversing the current upward trend of cases
8) A move to a management strategy will mean ... an end to the policy of school or class closures
9) Based on historical records, it’s likely that this first outbreak of H1N1 flu ...
10) According to Fran MacGrath, tamiflu is an effective treatment .. for the H1N1 flu if taken early enough
Today’s musical suggestion: from the USA
June 14, 2009 06:26 PM PDT
Today’s picture: Scene from Berinzenne, Belgium (kindly supplied by Monique Sauvage) Part 1: Today's word Altruism is the opposite of self-interest. Altruistic behaviour aims to help other people or to contribute towards the common good, without receiving any direct benefit yourself. Click here for interactive exercises on academic vocabulary and writing. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? Business sponsorship is not merely altruistic, but may fulfil important commercial objectives. He argued that a moral foreign policy needs a strong element of altruism, rather than focusing exclusively on national interest. The organisation provide strong financial incentives for altruistic projects that would benefit the community. Voluntary organisations are hopeful that altruistic behaviour will be strengthened rather than weakened as a result of the credit crunch. Part 3: Practice Questions: Have you engaged in any altruistic activities this week? It has been argued that businesses work more efficiently if they are motivated only by self-interest? Do you agree? Part 4: The Idiomatic Five be in the dark
be out of your depth
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question How did Australian Rugby League players show their support for Breast Cancer Awareness last weekend? Click here for images Part 6: Today's online listening: Vocabulary for the article: spurious
Questions for the lecture: 1) A character in which TV series is said to have been based on Professor Sandel? Bro’ Town
2) Why does Professor Sandel describe economics as a spurious science? It has no theoretical foundation
3) The underlying argument of this series of lectures is for a public discourse based on ... individual self-interest
4) What does Professor Sandel identify as the underlying view of morality held by Western Governments over the last thirty years? economic growth is inevitable
5) What is the basic flaw with the ‘greed critique’? markets depend on self-interest
6) What is the main focus of Professor’s Sandel’s critique of markets over the last 30 years? their inefficiency
7) Professor Sandel uses the proposal for a market in refugees as an example of how markets... act as an unfair mechanism
8) What is the main point underlying Professor Sandel’s examples of the Israeli pre-school, the tourist in the Grand Canyon and polluting companies? the ambiguity of financial penalties
9) The relative success of blood donation in the UK is attributed to .. commercialisation
10) How does Professor Sandel summarise the main mistake made during the last 30 years? market economy
Today’s musical suggestion: from the UK
June 11, 2009 09:42 PM PDT
Today’s picture: Auckland seen from Michael Savage memorial, June 12 2009 Part 1: Today's word Hindsight means looking back, knowing now what you did not know then. We usually use it to express regrets, for instance, ‘In hindsight, I would never have sold my home’. In other words, looking back and knowing what I know now, I wouldn’t have done it. Click here for interactive exercises on academic vocabulary and writing. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? With the benefit of hindsight, it seems obvious that the plan would never work. Her hindsight into the problem was much appreciated. With the wisdom of hindsight, I realise my excessive coffee drinking must have contributed to my anxiety. In hindsight I probably shouldn’t have chosen that particular combination of papers. Part 3: Practice Questions: In hindsight, would you change any of the subjects you chose at university? Part 4: The Idiomatic Five be on the case
to be at cross purposes
off the cuff
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question The American duo Simon & Garfunkel are playing in Auckland this weekend. Which of these is one of their hits? Bridge over Waitemata Harbour
Part 6: Today's online listening: This is an interview from Radio New Zealand with the famous British psychologist and writer, Edward de Bono. He is one of the best-known experts on creative thinking. Vocabulary for the article: pioneer
Questions for the article: 1) What form of thinking does Edward de Bono define as ‘the habitual route to an obvious solution’? vertical
2) Edward de Bono believes that creative thinking has not been a part of .. Eastern philosophy
3) Edward de Bono’s idea of taking bugs from the stomachs of kangaroos and transferring them to cows is presented as a creative solution to ... diseases
4) Edward de Bono’s idea of a new kind of house purchase contract is designed to ... increase personal responsibility
5) Edward de Bono thinks that governments should have a Minister of .... sustainability
6) Edward de Bono argues that creativity in businesses is limited by the desire for ... sustainability
7) What is the major component of the current global financial crisis according to Edward de Bono? real economic conditions
8) Edward de Bono believes that one solution to the credit crisis would be to treat ‘toxic assets’ as .. debts
9) Edward de Bono argues that the current financial downturn is an opportunity for .. umbrella-makers
10) Edward de Bono was impressed by the Indian man’s idea that parents should have an extra ... tax
11) Which of these countries was NOT mentioned by Edward de Bono as having introduced his ideas in schools? New Zealand
12) Which of the six hats in Edward de Bono’s model is concerned with the emotions? black
13) What is Edward de Bono’s attitude towards computers? positive
14) Edward de Bono points out that, in hindsight, any great idea is .. strange
Today’s musical suggestion: from the USA
June 10, 2009 10:21 PM PDT
Today’s picture: Auckland seen from an unusual perspective – the top of Mount Eden Part 1: Today's word A perspective is a way of looking at something – your point of view. An economist, a sociologist and a psychologist will tend to have a different perspective on social issues. It’s similar to the words ‘standpoint’ and ‘viewpoint’. A less formal word is ‘angle’. Click here for interactive exercises on academic vocabulary and writing. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? Sky Tower is the highest perspective in Auckland, offering uninterrupted views of the whole city and nearby mountains.
You need to try and view your company from the perspective of existing and potential customers. Their research offers a new and unique perspective on the value of different forms of advertising. Part 3: Practice Questions: Do you see things from a different perspective now that you are a university student? Part 4: The Idiomatic Five the best / greatest thing since sliced bread
be banging/hitting your head against a brick wall
be on the brink of sth
be on (or in) the cards
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Next week, New Zealand’s soccer team, The All Whites, will be playing in a major tournament in South Africa. What is it called? Part 6: Today's online listening: This is another programme in the BBC series on academic listening. This short programme focuses on some useful marker phrases that are important to hear and understand in lectures. There are some questions on the recording. Here is one extra question for you. Which of these marker phrases is not mentioned in the programme? although / nevertheless / furthermore / on the other hand / in conclusion Today’s musical suggestion: from New Zealand / Scotland
June 07, 2009 07:37 PM PDT
Today’s picture: The daunting project to construct a new library in the middle of the academic year nears completion! Part 1: Today's word If a task is daunting, it makes you feel anxious because you know it will be a big challenge. Examinations can be daunting, but if you find out what you need to do in the test and revise the key information step-by-step, they should become manageable. Massey students who find they are suffering from a lot of stress at this time of year will find sympathy and practical support at the
Click here for interactive exercises on academic vocabulary and writing. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? Giving my first public presentation of my research was a daunting prospect, but good preparation and encouragement from my supervisor helped me through it. Although problems are daunting to their highest level in years, we remain confident in our ability to meet our targets. Meeting the daunting challenge of launching a new business in the midst of a deep recession will require 100% commitment from everyone in the team. Statistical analysis and interpretation of this huge amount of data is undoubtedly a daunting task for an inexperienced researcher. Part 3: Practice Questions: What is the most daunting personal or professional challenge facing you this year? Do you find public speaking a daunting prospect? Part 4: The Idiomatic Five push the boat out
have a bone to pick with you
get to the bottom of
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question When did people first settle in New Zealand (according to most evidence)? 3200 years ago
For a summary of the evidence on this click here Part 6: Today's online listening: This is the fourth programme in the BBC series on how to listen to lectures. It contains useful advice about what to listen for in the introductions to lectures. Complete the missing words in these selections from the programme. We argued that the first section, the introduction, is c __________ because this is where the speaker s __________ the scene and o ____________ the content of their talk The first part of a lecture has a number of functions. Speakers use the
The sort of ingredients you might find in the introduction – apart from the lecturer giving an idea of the organisation so the student knows when different sections are finishing and starting – perhaps the d ___________ of key terms, the scope of the lecture, how much work students will have to do by themselves after the lecture is over. And perhaps why the lecturer is interested – it's often s _____________ to know why people are enthusiastic about a subject, and what personal relationship they’ve got with it; Even though lectures play a key role in university teaching, many students find
Good note-taking technique is a matter of confidence. It's no good trying to write down
Today’s musical suggestion:
June 04, 2009 05:04 PM PDT
Today’s picture: My colleague Cathy planting a tree at Massey University, Albany, June 5th 2009 Part 1: Today's word When you acknowledge something, it means you are completely open about it, with no attempt to hide or ignore it – especially when you show that you accept the existence or importance of a person, thing or idea. So, for example, if you acknowledge that there is a problem, you let people know that you accept there is a problem. If you acknowledge the receipt of a letter, it means that you show or tell people that you have received it – nowadays, many email servers send this acknowledgement automatically. In academic writing, it’s important to acknowledge your sources by referencing them appropriately. And if someone has helped you in writing a long report or thesis, you can include their name in the acknowledgements section at the front, which is a kind of ‘thank-you’. Click here for interactive exercises on academic vocabulary and writing. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? Ferdinand de Saussure is generally acknowledged as the founder of modern linguistics. Frankly, I opted for qualitative research mainly because I didn’t acknowledge statistics at the time. Please accept this small gift as an acknowledgement of our appreciation for your hard work over many years. It is important to acknowledge the inherent limitations of surveys as a research tool. Part 3: Practice Questions: Which researchers or writers are acknowledged as the founding figures in other disciplines, such as management and sociology? What weaknesses or limitations would you acknowledge in your study skills? Part 4: The Idiomatic Five give sb a bell
blow-by-blow
to be above board
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Today, June 5th is Arbor Day in New Zealand. What do people do on Arbor Day? Part 6: Today's online listening: This is an interview with a leading New Zealand ecologist, Matt McGlone. He talks about the relationship between biodiversity and climate change. Vocabulary for the article: ecosystem
Questions for the article: 1) Which of these is an aspect of climate change that could have a negative impact on vulnerable species? biodiversity
2) Why does Matt McGlone think the tuatara should be able to adapt to warmer temperatures? it has begun laying deeper eggs
3) It is hard to know how the rock wren could adapt because .. they cannot be observed directly
4) Why do most scientists think the tree lines in the New Zealand study haven’t changed as much as expected as a result of global warming? winters have been too cold to sustain summer growth
5) Which of these is NOT one of the other threats to biodiversity in New Zealand mentioned by Matt McGlone? imported garden plants
6) What is Matt McGlone’s overall view about the most appropriate policy on climate change and biodiversity in New Zealand? A clear and separate policy is needed on the impacts of climate change on biodiversity
7) What does Matt McGlone believe is the most appropriate metaphor for understanding biodiversity? a mechanism
Today’s musical suggestion: from the USA
June 02, 2009 08:58 PM PDT
Today’s picture: Nuclear-free Hobbiton Part 1: Today's word If a project or business is viable, it means that it has everything necessary to survive. Changes in the external environment can threaten the viability of businesses or even whole industries, as has been the case with the American automotive industry over the last year. Click here for interactive exercises on academic vocabulary and writing. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? The government is actively seeking viable transport options to improve access to the city. Based on a careful evaluation of the pilot project, it was decided that full-scale production was not commercially viable. The team needs to raise its viability if it is to convince the university to provide increased funding. Falling enrolments are threatening the viability of less popular courses. Part 3: Practice Questions: Do you believe that solar and wind power are viable alternatives to fossil fuels (oil, coal and gas)? Do you think that completing a university degree in New Zealand will continue to be a viable option for international students? Part 4: The idiomatic five have a lot to answer for
get (or leap or jump) on the bandwagon
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question How much of New Zealand’s electricity is produced from nuclear energy? Part 6: Today's online listening: This is an interview about nuclear power from Radio New Zealand with Professor Ralph Sims from Massey University Vocabulary for the article: a prototype
Questions for the article: 1) In what way is France unique in nuclear power generation? It is the country which is most heavily dependent on nuclear power
2) The basic fuel for nuclear power stations is ... relatively cheap
3) In what form is the energy produced by a nuclear reaction? heat
4) Ralph Sims believes that nuclear power ... results in up to 5000 fatalities per year in China
5) Stockpiles of nuclear waste ... are being maintained in Finland, France and Nevada, USA
6) Nuclear fusion is produced from readily-available supplies of helium
7) Ralph Sims believes that nuclear power plants ... are not a viable alternative in small countries
Today’s musical suggestion: from the USA
________________________________________________________________ credible
May 27, 2009 06:47 PM PDT
Today’s picture: Chocolate brownie (with banana) - home-made by my niece, Mary Part 1: Today's word If something is credible, it is convincing and so, easy to believe and respect. Credibility is important in many areas of life, including law, business and research. For instance, a credible witness needs to give clear answers to questions, showing a good recall of the key events. And in business, it’s important that any offers or bids that you make are credible, since potential partners will not want to take unnecessary risks. In academic writing, it’s important to use credible sources to support the claims you make in your essays and reports. Generally, journal articles have greater credibility than internet sources because they are normally produced by experts, they are based on research, they include a critical review of previous research and they are peer-reviewed. That means that before publication, each article is sent to three other experts, whose evaluation and detailed comments are then sent back to the original author who then revises the article. Click here for interactive exercises on academic vocabulary and writing. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? The quantitative research course will help students to analyse and interpret numerical data in order to draw credible conclusions. Despite his relative youth, he gave a credible performance as King Lear in the recent award-winning London production. The ANOVA results indicated a weak correlation between the variables (p = 0.078) but this did not reach statistical credibility. He argued that prison sentences were necessary as a credible deterrent to hardened criminals. Part 3: Practice Questions: How could you improve the credibility of the sources you use in your academic writing? Do you think you could be a credible witness in a court of law? How do advertisers seek to enhance their credibility in the eyes of consumers? Part 4: Really useful idioms take XXXX into account and take account of XXXX
get in on the act
be out of action
be up in the air
all in all
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Which of these well-known international chocolate manufacturers has a large factory and visitors’ centre in Dunedin, New Zealand? Hershey
Click here and here for more information about New Zealand chocolate manufacturers Part 6: Today's online listening: This is in interview from Radio New Zealand with Paul Martin, the author of a book about the pleasures of chocolate Vocabulary for the article: malnutrition
Questions for the article: 1) Why do we have a predisposition to like chocolate? it’s high in calories
2) This predisposition is problematic because ... it is associated with pleasure
3) Addiction is fundamentally a case of uncontrolled ... pleasure
4) Premium quality chocolate tends to... have a higher sugar content
5) Consumption of chocolate during periods of sadness is likely to lead to .. self-medication
6) What is the main point of the analogy Paul Martin makes between chocolate and wine? they shouldn’t be too sweet
7) When chocolate was first exported to Europe it was used for what purposes? medicinal
8) Why was chocolate mainly commercialised by companies belonging to religious groups such as the Quakers? they were granted a monopoly over its production
9) Studies conducted into the Cuna Indians, who consume large quantities of chocolate, support the claims that chocolate ... reduces cardio-vascular disease
10) What attitude does Paul Martin have towards the idea that some people are ‘chocoholics’? sympathetic
Today’s musical suggestion: from Canada
May 26, 2009 09:20 PM PDT
Today’s picture: Autumn Leaves – outside the Study Centre, Massey Albany Part 1: Today's word If something appeals to (verb) you, it means you like it or want to have it. So, for example, extramural or distance education appeals to students who have busy lives or those who live a long way from a college. An appealing (adjective) argument is one which seems attractive and makes you want to agree with it. You can also say that the argument has a good deal of appeal (noun). Appeal has other meanings, especially in Law – you can check these in a good dictionary, like the MacMillan or the Cambridge online dictionaries Click here for interactive exercises on academic vocabulary and writing. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? The new course is expected to have a widespread appeal among international students. Despite his parents’ objections, his strong appeal to music led him to give up his business studies and concentrate on becoming a composer. Country and Western music has a broad popular appeal which transcends national and social boundaries. The study set out to explain the continuing appeal of smoking, despite its cost and negative effects on health. Part 3: Practice Questions: What is New Zealand’s main appeal for people considering emigrating here? Which performers have a broad popular appeal in New Zealand (or in another country you know well)? Which kinds of music do you find most appealing – and why? Part 4: The Phrasal Test – part 10 1) (you realise) it ………. to you
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Which form of creativity is being celebrated in New Zealand during the month of May? music
Part 6: Today's online listening: This is an interview from the BBC with the Chinese pianist Lang Lang Vocabulary for the article: a prodigy
Questions for the article: 1) What first introduced Lang Lang to the appeal of playing the piano? The Cultural Revolution
2) What kind of challenge did he have to overcome in order to win his first piano competition? psychological
3) How many hours did he use to practise piano on a school day at the age of seven? just under three hours
4) Which of these difficulties did he face during his early months in Beijing? his father was unable to live with him
5) For what reasons did he stop playing the piano for a while when he was in Beijing? psychological
6) He attributes his success in interpreting Chopin at the age of thirteen especially to ... technical ability
7) What did his American teacher suggest would be a good way to become famous? Winning a number of international competitions
8) When Lang Lang plays Chinese music he ... uses elements of Western classical piano playing
9) Lang Lang has set up a foundation in order to .. inspire classical pianists
Lang Lang’s autobiography is called Lang Lang - Journey of a Thousand Miles and his most recent CD is a collection of Chopin Piano Concertos Today’s musical suggestion: from China
May 25, 2009 08:35 PM PDT
Today’s picture: Student at the Massey Albany Cultural Fair, 2009 Part 1: Today's word Emerge (verb) means to come out or become known. So, for example, you can talk about problems or issues emerging from a situation. The emergence (noun) is when something first comes to public attention. 2009, for instance, has seen the emergence of Twitter as a major form of social networking – Twitter has existed for a few years already, but only came to the general attention of the media around the world in 2009. If something is just beginning to be noticed, then it is emergent (adjective). Click here for interactive exercises on academic vocabulary and writing. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? Having coded the interview data and then grouped it into categories, three major issues emerged. It later emerged that the company had, in fact, been losing money for years, despite the apparently healthy balance sheets presented to shareholders. If we consider the full range of sociocultural factors, a more complex picture of literacy begins to emerge. The team failed to emerge the data to a wider audience, which meant that their important findings were largely overlooked. Part 3: Practice Question: Apart from Twitter, what other social networking innovations have emerged over the last few years? Part 4: The Phrasal Test – part 9 Complete these phrasal verbs – the meaning is given in brackets
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question The Glenn Schaeffer Prize is New Zealand’s richest award for emerging writers. How much does the winner receive? $15, 000
For information on all New Zealand writing prizes, including those especially for university students, click here Part 6: Today's online listening: This is an interview from the BBC with the emerging Chinese writer and film-maker, Xiaolu Guo Questions for the article: What made Xiaolu Guo’s experience in Beijing a challenging one? What style did she write her English novel in – and why? There are many other programmes in this series, with questions, vocabulary and explanations here Today’s musical suggestion: from Canada / Mexico De cara a la pared – face against the wall by Lhasa de Sela Click here for more details of this emergent international star
May 24, 2009 09:46 PM PDT
Today’s picture: Jubilee Tower, Christchurch Part 1: Today's word Chronological means in the order in which things happened. Normally, stories are told in chronological order, starting at the beginning and going through the actions step by step until the end. Of course, sometimes in films, they start in the middle and then go back to an earlier time – this is called a flashback. Apart from stories, chronological order is normally followed in giving directions and instructions and when writing the procedure section of a research report. Click here for interactive exercises on academic vocabulary and writing. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? Please refer to the time line (appendix A) for a chronological overview of the project as a whole. The team comprises (in chronological order): Paul Matthews (60 years old – Senior Consultant), Mika Watanabe (46 – Research Officer), Bob Manahere (42 – Public Relations) and Sue Reynolds (27 – Administrative Assistant). Careful forensic analysis allowed the police to reconstruct the chronological sequence of the day’s complex events. The exhibition will follow the traditional chronological format, beginning with the artist’s earliest known works, even before she left her home town for art school. Part 3: Practice Questions: Have you structured any of your reports in chronological order? What are the potential drawbacks of following chronological order in an essay? Part 4: The Phrasal Test – part 8 Some of these sentences are correct, but others contain errors. Identify the ones which are correct and change the ones which are wrong Why did you have to go and mess things up? It took me ages to make it look neat. No one owned up to having poured paint over the teacher’s car. You ought to put in for a pay rise. Bill Gates set off to produce personal computers at a price anyone could afford. It’s time we all stood up for the new boss. He’s just a big bully! I was completely taken in by his lies. I think you ought to tone down your complaint, if you want it to be taken seriously. I’ve worn off three pairs of trainers preparing for the Auckland Marathon. She wrote off her car in an accident, which she fortunately survived. Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Can you put these events in chronological order? Massey University’s Albany campus opened
Part 6: Today's online listening: This is a short programme from the BBC on how lectures are organised. Task for the listening: Complete this summary of lecture organisation, based on the listening. You’ve been given the first three letters of the missing words: Typically, things are in three parts .. there’s a kind of introduction, giving the pur________ and bac __________ to the topic and the plan of the lecture. The bod _____ of the lecture, in which exa _________ are given, perhaps ideas out _________ and con ___________ and then a conclusion in which the various ideas are eva ___________ and perhaps the lecturer gives their own opinion .... Most lecturers approach their material in one of three ways: in the first, the lecturer presents a seq ______ of events in the order of happening .. we intuitively recognise that when we’re reading or listening and it’s rea ____________ , we know what to expect, we can ant_________ what’s going to come next .... there might be a division of ideas, a kind of mat_________ ... Another very common way of organising texts, both spoken or written, is the situation – problem – solution – evaluation for________ .... the next step is to offer a more refined solution and so on, in a cyc _________ process Click here for useful listening practice (with vocabulary) from the BBC Today’s musical suggestion: from the USA
May 21, 2009 09:38 PM PDT
Today’s picture: Korean students at the Massey Albany Cultural Fair, May 2009 Part 1: Today's word ‘Liaise’ is to work together – especially in the planning stage of a project. It’s often used with the word ‘closely’ if the partnership is a very good one. It can also be written 'liase'. It’s important that marketing managers liaise with a full range of colleagues to ensure everyone is aware of the company’s policies. Effective child protection requires close liaison between schools, social services and, in some cases, the police and community groups. Click here for interactive exercises on academic vocabulary and writing. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? They decided to liaise on their own instead of wasting time waiting to hear from all the other interest groups. The researchers hope to liaise with European and American teams on a new generation of software. We will liaise with our colleagues in Sydney to make sure that everybody is involved in the new developments. The police are liaising closely with local community groups to deal with the problems of rising crime in the area. Part 3: Practice Questions: Do you enjoy liaising with other students on projects? Do you feel there’s effective liaison between the different teachers and administrators involved in your course?
Part 4: The Phrasal Test – Part 7 Some of these sentences are wrong? Can you identify and correct them? 1) At first they threatened to call in the police, but they backed up when they realised they were in the wrong.
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Which of these is a popular – and very generous - bank in New Zealand? NatWest
Part 6: Today's online listening: This is an interesting news report about two people who received millions of dollars in their Westpac account Vocabulary for the listening: put into receivership
Questions about the listening How much did the bank customers ask for?
What would you do if it happened to you? Today’s musical suggestion: from the UK The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde by Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames
May 19, 2009 10:49 PM PDT
Today’s picture: Intrinsically good hospitality from Saudi students, Massey University Albany, International Cultural Fair, May 2009 Part 1: Today's word An intrinsic part or quality of something is an essential feature – it belongs to the thing itself . It cannot be added or taken away. So, if something is intrinsically good, it means that it’s good in itself, not just because it has good effects on something else. For instance, according to one view of ethics (the universalist or deontological view ),actions are intrinsically good or bad. Another view (a consequentialist or teleological view), goodness isn’t intrinsic to actions themselves, so you can only evaluate actions in context and their goodness or badness depends on the consequences they have on other people. Click here for interactive exercises on academic vocabulary and writing. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? It has been argued that a commitment to sustainability is intrinsic to organizational success. It is unsurprising that participation in the training programme was limited, as the employees viewed it as having little intrinsic value. Our research focused mainly on the intrinsic environment of the club, since our resources were not sufficient to investigate the wider social setting. The firm wrongly believed that by focusing on the intrinsic quality of the product itself, a market would somehow emerge of its own accord. Part 3: Practice Questions: What intrinsic qualities do you bring to your subject? Is it possible to say that any actions are intrinsically wrong? Part 4: The Phrasal Test - Part 6 1) The scientists had to s _______ a _______ their personal interests in order to work effectively as a team.
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question “English Language Partners” is an organisation which offers migrants to New Zealand individual help with English language in their own homes. How much do migrants pay for this service? For more information, click here Part 6: Today's online listening: This is an interview from Radio New Zealand with Philippe Legrain, a British expert on migration, who is visiting New Zealand and has given presentations at the English Partners National Conference and here at Massey University Vocabulary for the article: a prerequisite
Questions for the article: 1) Philippe Legrain argues that his own ethnic diversity .... is a prerequisite for understanding other cultures
2) Philippe Legrain argues that higher productivity is associated with ... economies in developing countries with uniform cultures
3) Philippe Legrain argues that diversity is essential for teams to produce .. consensus
4) Philippe Legrain argues that increasing diversity in the workforce is particularly important for New Zealand companies now because of ... legal requirements
5) Philippe Legrain concedes that societies which are not diverse can achieve economic progress if ... their economies are based on well-established technological industries
6) Philippe Legrain uses the examples of Barack Obama and Sergei Brin to argue that ... a more effective points based system is needed
7) Philippe Legrain points out that one major economic benefit to developing countries (such as Samoa) from migration of their citizens to developed countries (such as New Zealand) is ... overseas aid
8) Philippe Legrain cites the case of Polish migration to the UK in support of ... less control of migration
9) Philippe Legrain believes that demographic changes in developed economies will lead to ... the growth in environmental refugees
Today’s musical suggestion: from Scotland
May 17, 2009 04:55 PM PDT
Today’s picture: kiwi clock at Christchurch Tram Station Part 1: Today's word Insight is a clear understanding of a complicated issue. We say that someone has insight if they often show this kind of clear, deep understanding. One of the main purposes of a lecture is to give you an insight into a particular problem or theory. If you show a clear and original understanding of a problem in your writing, your lecturer may well comment you’ve produced insightful work. Click here for interactive exercises on academic vocabulary and writing. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? Her work provides a valuable insight into the minds of criminals. Can you give me a quick insight into the subject, so I can look into it in more depth later? The documentary focused on rather trivial issues in his private life and provided little insight into his artistic achievement. Her profound insight into the culture informed both her critical writing and her popular fiction. Part 3: Practice Questions: Which lectures do you recall that provided you with a real insight into a problem or theory? What’s the most insightful comment that you’ve ever received on your writing? Part 4: The Phrasal Test – part 5 1) The new professor’s dynamic style w ______ d ______ very well with the new students.
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question
Jane Campion
Part 6: Part 6: Today's online listening: This is part 2 of a short series from the BBC on how to listen better in university lectures and classes This is part 2 of a short series from the BBC on how to listen better in university lectures and classes Vocabulary for the article: daunting
Questions for the article: 1) Which of these is NOT one of the reasons given for attending lectures? you can get an overview of the main points
2) Which of these is described by Christine as the main challenge for students in lectures? the echo of the building
3) Which of these is a marker phrase used by lecturers to signal the structure of the lecture? ‘turning now to ...
4) How does a lecturer signal that he/she’s starting a new topic? falling intonation
5) Which of these is NOT recommended as a listening strategy during lectures? preparing in advance
Today’s musical suggestion: from Poland (composer) and China (pianist) Chopin nocturne opus 27 performed by Lang Lang
May 13, 2009 01:24 AM PDT
Today’s picture: Massey University Albany Library – old and new Part 1: Today's word ‘Assume’ is a more formal word meaning ‘guess’. It can also mean ‘accept’ – especially in the expression ‘to assume a responsibility’. However, it can also be used for any theory or principle which is accepted without analysing or questioning it. It’s very common to do this in research reports, because you can’t research everything and, in order to make predictions, you need to imagine some elements of the situation. For example, ‘The model presented here assumes a steady inflation rate of 5%’ and ‘Assuming a continuing rise in electricity demand, Auckland will begin to suffer shortages by 2015.’ The noun is ‘assumption’. When you critique research, you will often question the assumptions made by the other researcher. For example, ‘Brown’s 2006 study assumed that domestic students had English as their first language. However, that is not strictly accurate.’ I wrongly assumed she was American because of her accent. Actually, she’d only been to college there.
Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? ‘I assume this is your first day on the job’, she said, noticing the look of confusion on my face. For the sake of argument, let's assume that everyone has perfect knowledge of their first language - although, as we shall see, this claim can be challenged on a number of grounds. Is it fair to assume that as the manager you have full access to all company information? After finding clear evidence in his file, I assumed he was telling the truth. Part 3: Practice Questions: Before you started your course, what assumptions did you make about ... the way of teaching?
Part 4: The Phrasal Test – part 4 Academic research c _______ f ______a good deal of patience and hard work as well as interest in the subject. Have you ever c ______ a ______ a book called ‘How to make friends and influence people’? This college could d _____ w ______ some new computers. When we insisted that the government provide us with more information, they f ______ b _______ o ______ the old excuses about national security. Unfortunately, our research project f ______ t ______ due to a lack of funding. I'm trying to f _______ o ______ why the results vary so much each time I run the experiment. Unfortunately, her report was f _______ a _______ and never looked at again. He was so busy in the laboratory that he didn’t
Conferences are important opportunities for researchers to g ______ t ______ and discuss their findings. Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Who are we hoping will open the new library building at Massey University, Albany? Helen Clark
Part 6: Interview with our own campus librarian, Valerie Cohen, here at Massey University, Albany Vocabulary for the article: a steep learning curve Questions for the article: 1) What happened in 1993? Valerie started working as a librarian
2) What incorrect assumption is often made about library work? It is demanding
3) What arrives by truck five times a week? up to twenty-five new books
4) How do extramural students obtain library books? they can be requested from their nearest library
5) Why is the beginning of the first semester a special time for the library? They offer one-to-one support
6) Which of these innovations will be incorporated into the new library building? audio-visual facilities
Today’s musical suggestion: from the USA
May 12, 2009 12:31 AM PDT
Today’s picture: Scene from the United States Museum (photo courtesy of the Smithsonian Institute and Flickr Commons) Part 1: Today's word Legitimate has a narrow meaning which is when something is right and proper according to laws or customs. So, for instance, ‘legitimate business expenses’ are those expenses which can be claimed according to the rules. A wider meaning of ‘legitimate’ is when some behaviour is considered fair and reasonable. So, for instance, you could say that illness is a perfectly legitimate reason to ask for extra time to complete an assignment. A government may need to defend its legitimacy if it is challenged. They can do this in various ways – for instance, by showing that they have popular support or that they have gained power in the normal way. In fact, all claims can be challenged and so it is often necessary, to defend the legitimacy of the claim – even in academic writing. Click here for interactive exercises on academic vocabulary and writing. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? The legitimacy of their claim to customary ownership of the land has been challenged by other tribes. Post-modern approaches to sociological research call into question the legitimacy of the scientific method. Regardless of her good intentions, the excessive legitimacy of her spending was severely criticized. The legitimacy of this restraint of trade is likely to be challenged in the courts. Part 3: Practice Questions: Do you know any examples of governments whose legitimacy has been called into question? Do you know of any cases of illegitimate expenses claims? Part 4: The Phrasal Test – part 3 19) Do you know anyone who’s been stood ______ on a date?
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Which famous Maori leader challenged the legitimacy of the early British rule in New Zealand by cutting down the flagpole? More information about this can be found here Part 6: Today's online listening: This is an interview from Radio New Zealand with James Cuno, an American academic who has interesting views about the role of museums with the regard to national and global history and culture Vocabulary for the article: antiquity
Questions for the article: 1) Cuno argues that descent is one way in which governments seek to increase their ... legitimacy
2) Cuno argues that national claims on culture have the negative impact of ... weakening
3) Cuno argues that modern states such as Afghanistan and Turkey cannot claim ownership of the historical culture of their geographical regions, because culture is ... temporary
4) Cuno feels that the most negative aspect of national cultures is their effect on ... globalisation
5) What kind of national culture does Cuno believe to be legitimate? inclusive
6) Cuno believes the original purpose of the British Museum was linked to .. imperialism
7) Cuno argues that museums have a right to keep artefacts from far-away cultures in order to ...... protect national identities
8) Cuno uses the analogy of advanced healthcare to argue that ... all nations should have access to encyclopaedic museums
9) Cuno believes that visitors to museums... are given an interpretation by the museum
10) Cuno believes that individuals .... need to reject their own national culture
Today’s musical suggestion: from the USA
May 10, 2009 09:09 PM PDT
Today’s picture: Massey University Coat of Arms – ‘May Learning Flourish’! Part 1: Today's word If a process is optimized, it means it’s improved so that it works as well as possible. An optimal (or optimum) solution is the best one that can be found. Optimisation of a process involves a careful evaluation of the current methods and a careful consideration of the effects of modifications and alternative strategies until the best solution is found. Click here
Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? The recession means that funds for new equipment are simply unavailable, making it even more important to improve the optimization of current technology. An automatic optimization feature matches system response to the varying demands of the end-user, reducing energy costs by up to 50% during its life cycle. The so-called ‘intelligent management’ system focuses on the optimization of resources and is therefore particularly appropriate in conditions of scarcity. Optimisation of the VX Video Driver achieves higher levels of graphic performance through reallocation of memory from other systems. Part 3: Practice Questions: What time of day do you reach your optimal level of performance as a student? How can students optimise their limited study time? Part 4: The Phrasal Test – part 2 11) Where do teenagers normally hang ______ in your town?
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Sunday May 10th was Mothers’ Day in New Zealand. What percentage of New Zealand women in their forties have at least one child? 38%
More statistics about New Zealand mothers here Part 6: Today's online listening This is an interview from Radio New Zealand with mathematics professor Andy Philpott from Auckland University. He talks about the important practical applications of operations research, a form of mathematical modelling, Vocabulary for the article: algorithm
Questions for the article: 1) Which organisation has the team of Philpott and Everett saved millions of dollars? an airline
2) Which of these is mentioned as an application of operations research? staffing of airlines
3) Which of these is a true description of operations research? it produces optimistic solutions to problems
4) Developments in which area led to extensions of their model? commercial
5) Interest in the University of Auckland’s operations research work has ... exceeded expectations
Today’s musical suggestion: from the USA
May 06, 2009 08:11 PM PDT
Today’s picture: Support desk for international students at Massey University, Albany Part 1: Today's word A pitfall is a mistake or trap that is common in a particular situation. The word comes from ‘pit’, which is a hole which you can dig in the ground. In traditional societies, one use of pits was to trap animals. What you would do is dig a pit where you think animals were likely to pass and then cover the pit with branches. When the animal stepped on the branches, it would fall and be trapped. So pitfalls in modern life have both these elements – they are very basic and simple, and so, it’s rather embarrassing if we are caught by them. But at the same time, they are hidden, so if you don’t pay any attention, you are almost certain to make the mistake. Common pitfalls of essay-writing, for instance include not answering the question, not following a clear structure, not producing a step-by-step argument, not referring to sources. Our job at the Student Learning Centre is to help you avoid these common pitfalls – you can see some of our advice in our presentations on YouTube Click here for interactive exercises on academic vocabulary and writing. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? I am well aware of the potential pitfalls of going into a business partnership with my best friend. Critiquing research methodology is one of the major pitfalls of postgraduate writing. The Flying Start programme basically covered all the major pitfalls to avoid in your first year at uni. Unfortunately she stumbled right into the number one pitfall for beginning researchers – collecting meaningless data! Part 3: Practice Question: What do you think are the major pitfalls which students need to avoid? Part 4: The Phrasal Test 1 Complete these questions with a suitable adverb or preposition. 1) Did you ever use to answer your parents ______ when you were a teenager?
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question What have just been banned in the New Zealand city of Wanganui in order to combat crime? patches
Part 6: Today's online listening: This is a short introduction to English for Academic Purposes from the BBC. It includes opinions of experts as well as a range of international students. Vocabulary for the article: tips
Questions for the article: 1) Which of these issues was NOT mentioned by students as a challenge in academic English? the different accents of the lecturers
2) Which of these is NOT likely to feature within an EAP course? vocabulary
3) According to Simon Williams from London University, many international students suffer from overload, which affects their ability to focus on .. language
4) Which of these strategies is NOT recommended by Simon Williams? memorising texts from the internet
5) Which of these strategies is NOT recommended by the international students themselves? re-reading familiar books in an English version
6) What was the main point highlighted by the two stories about ‘Rocky’? the importance of dictionary use
Today’s musical suggestion: from the USA
May 04, 2009 04:11 PM PDT
Today’s picture: Tram Tracks in Christchurch – which way to go? Part 1: Today's word If you are rational, you make decisions based on reason, not emotions. A rational person carefully analyses the causes and effects, the advantages and disadvantages and makes a logical choice based on their values or objectives. Many traditional models of human behaviour, including economic theories, assume that people are basically rational. However, these models don’t explain decision-making very well, because most people do not actually make fully rational decisions. Many modern behavioural theories are based on the concept of bounded rationality which looks at the more limited role that rationality plays in decision-making and at the
Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? It’s hard to see any rational explanation for his decision to resign. Given the information and technology available at the time, their beliefs in the causes and treatment of illness can be seen as perfectly rational. Let’s all calm down and look at this problem rationally. The problem turned out to be not physical at all and presumably had rational origins. Part 3: Practice Questions: Do you generally make rational decisions about what to study or buy? Part 4: The Phrasal Three work on something
wrap something up
write sth off accept a loss / destroy a car
From tomorrow, I’ll be giving you some quizzes and questions on phrasal verbs covered during the last few weeks. Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question What is the average pay per hour in New Zealand? $ 14.56
For an overview of the key facts about New Zealand society, economy and culture in 2009, click on New Zealand in Profile Part 6: Today's online listening: This is a short interview, from the BBC, with a well-known behavioural economist, Dan Ariely, who talks about the irrational way most of us make money decisions. Vocabulary for the article: heuristics
Questions for the article: 1) Why was 2008 ‘a good year for behavioural economics’? 2) What’s the basic reason people make mistakes with money? 3) What rules of thumb do we use to make decisions about money? 4) What two major mistakes do people make in trying to reduce spending? 5) How do supermarkets take advantage of shoppers’ irrationality? 6) What is Dan Ariely’s main advice about improving the way we spend our money? Today’s musical suggestion: from the USA and Europe
May 03, 2009 11:45 PM PDT
Today’s picture: Pizza Preparation at the Ferguson Bar, Massey University, Albany Part 1: Today's word If a custom, product or idea originates somewhere it means that it came from there. Its origins can be found there. So, for example, it is believed that chocolate originated in Mexico. Click here for interactive exercises on academic vocabulary and writing. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? The company originated the concept of just-in time production, but was unable to fully implement it for complex socio-cultural reasons. The majority of plants seen as having potential medical uses originate in the rainforests of the world. Many of the customs of the modern university, such as its academic dress, originated in the monasteries of medieval Europe. Chess is thought to have originated in India, though it may have been refined in Persia before being transmitted to the West by Arabs. Part 3: Practice Questions: Do you know where your favourite sports or games originated? Part 4: The Phrasal Four take off
be worn out
wind up
wipe out
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question What colour shirts will the New Zealand All Blacks be wearing for their match against France in Marseille this November? white
Part 6: Today's online listening: This is an interview from Radio New Zealand with an American professor who has written a book about the history of the Pizza! Vocabulary for the article: pungent
Questions for the article: 1) The pizza originated in ... Rome
2) One of the original basic pizza toppings was .. tomatoes
3) Why was the tomato used as a pizza topping at a time when it wasn’t popular in the rest of Europe? local growing conditions were more favourable
4) In 1889, Queen Margarita decided to try a pizza because .. it was commonly praised by travellers
5) Pizza was typical of much nineteenth-century Italian food in that .. it provided a balance of protein, carbohydrates and fibre
6) The average American eats about how many slices of pizza a week? one
7) Pizza was often eaten on Fridays ... because workers had the afternoon off
8) The 1960’s in the USA saw the beginning of ... experimentation with different ingredients
the Italian-American community is widespread there
10) Which pizza-related product has grown into a $1bn business in the United States? pizza delivery
11) Dominos Pizzas targeted particular towns for their delivery business mainly because of their potential customers’ ..... nutritional needs
______________________________________________________________ Today’s musical suggestion: from the USA / Italy
April 28, 2009 02:58 PM PDT
Today’s picture: New Zealand’s volatile landscape – Craters of the Moon, near Taupo Part 1: Today's word If a situation is volatile, it means it is very unstable and so tends to change quickly and without warning. In chemistry, substances that are volatile can be dangerous – for example, they might suddenly explode. When there is a crisis in the world, it tends to cause volatility in oil prices and on the financial markets. Click here for interactive exercises on academic vocabulary and writing. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? Unfortunately, the manager had a rather volatile personality, which made life in the office exciting but very unpredictable. Manchester United defeated Tottenham in a volatile encounter earlier today, during which the lead changed hands three times. Although sales fluctuated from month to month, there was, nonetheless, an underlying volatility, which was a basis for long-term growth. In a volatile market, companies may seek to have their share offers underwritten in order to guarantee a sale. Part 3: Practice Questions: Do any of your friends have volatile tempers?
Part 4: The Phrasal Five turn up
walk out
warm up
wear off
wear out
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Which position does Auckland hold in the list of the world’s best cities to live in? Part 6: Today's online listening This is an interview from the BBC World Service with the leading Indian-born Management thinker, C. K. Prahalad (sorry for my mispronunciation of his name!) Vocabulary for the article: parsimonious
Questions for the article: 1) C. K. Prahalad believes that managers need strategic __________ clarity
2) Which of the following is NOT one of the strategies C. K. Prahalad recommends managers in the auto-industry to adopt in order to survive the current crisis? move core skills to other tasks
3) Which of these is the main source from which C. K. Prahalad synthesised his management theories? economic principles
4) C. K. Prahalad believes that managers in developing countries tend to be more ... risk-averse
5) For what reasons was Prahalad’s advice initially rejected by the CEO? operational
6) Why did he sell off his own company? to guarantee a healthy return for his investors
7) The current situation in the world has led to ... unstable markets
8) “Velcro organisations” ... need constant restructuring
9) One positive effect C. K. Prahalad sees coming out of the recession is .. learning
10) C. K. Prahalad believes that in order to work effectively, market forces require .. individual greed
11) What point does C. K. Prahalad make by referring to Cambridge? the decline of Western capitalism
Today’s musical suggestion: from the USA
April 26, 2009 05:37 PM PDT
Today’s picture: Hot dog on a stick – not the most nutritious Kiwi foodstuff Part 1: Today's word Nutrition is the process of taking in food etc in order to make your body work effectively. If a particular food item is good for you, you can say it is nutritious. Important nutrients which we derive from food include proteins and vitamins. Of course, the problem with our diet is that often food items are delicious but far from nutritious! Click here for interactive exercises on academic vocabulary and writing. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? Not only is the fruit known to be nutritious, but it is believed by the local people to possess special protective powers. Not only are there fewer plants available during the winter months, but those that can be found are less nutritious. Canned baked beans, though a convenient and nutritious foodstuff, provide little benefit to the body. Unfortunately, the children tended to go for junk food items, high in cholesterol, sugar and additives to the more nutritious alternatives provided by the event organisers. Part 3: Practice Questions: Is nutrition an important part of the curriculum in primary or secondary schools? How nutritious is your daily diet? Part 4: The Phrasal Five treat someone to something
trip someone up
turn into something
turn someone on / off
turn out
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Why has a group of pupils from our local secondary school, Rangitoto College been put in quarantine? Part 6: Today's online listening: This is an interview with Professor Jean Fleming from the University of Otago Medical School. She’s discussing the role of the small intestine Vocabulary for the article: depiction
Questions for the article: 1) The main role of the stomach is ... preparation for digestion
2) How long does food – or its waste products - normally stay in the body? a few hours
3) Where does the signal come from to let the processed food pass into the intestine? the duodenum
4) The small intestine is called ‘small’ because .. it’s relatively narrow
5) The main role of the small intestine is to ... crush food and filter out bugs
6) The main role of bile is to ... help the body break down fats
7) Which of these components of food is NOT broken down by the small intestine? fats
Today’s musical suggestion: from the UK
April 22, 2009 04:33 PM PDT
Today’s picture: an Anzac soldier (from the Australian War Memorial Collection – accessed from Flickr Commons) Part 1: Today's word ‘Significant’ is a more formal way of saying ‘important’ and special. But take care using this word when you write your reports because when you talk about statistics, the word ‘significant’ has a more exact meaning (above a certain level of probability)or instance, it is quite common for research articles to report significance at the 0.05 level. There has been a significant improvement in productivity in the agricultural sector.
Click here for interactive exercises on academic vocabulary and writing. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? A significant amount of research has been done in this area, but results so far have been inconclusive. The price rises are expected to have a significant impact on demand in the short term. It’s highly significant for all staff members to lock their offices when they leave, as there have been a number of thefts from the office recently. Her research revealed statistically significant variations between motivational levels of staff in the two groups. Part 3: Practice Questions: Anzac Day, next Saturday, has a special significance for Australians and New Zealanders. Do you know of any such days in other cultures? Do you feel you’ve made significant progress in your English this year? Part 4: The Phrasal Five throw up
tidy up
be tied up
be tied down
tone down
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Saturday April 25 is a National Holiday in New Zealand and Australia. The day commemorates the landings at Anzac Cove in 1915? Where is Anzac Cove? Here is a short film showing scenes from the Anzac Campaign Part 6: Today's online reading This is an article which explains the background and significance of Anzac Day. Vocabulary for the article:
Questions for the article: What was the main strategic aim of the Anzac landings in 1915? How long did the campaign last? How successful was the campaign? Which nation lost the greatest number of soldiers? Which campaign saw the greatest loss of New Zealand lives? What kinds of attitudes are associated with the Anzac campaign? What are the symbols of Anzac Day? Where and when do Anzac Day commemorations take place? When can shops open on Anzac Day? * sorry, on the recording, I said April 26th - I got confused! Today’s musical suggestion: from New Zealand
April 21, 2009 06:42 PM PDT
Today’s picture: Students from Hong Kong at the Massey University Cultural Fair, 2008 Part 1: Today's word
It’s important that marketing managers liaise with a full range of colleagues to ensure everyone is aware of the company’s policies. Effective child protection requires close liaison between schools, social services and, in some cases, the police and community groups. Click here for interactive exercises Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? They decided to liaise on their own instead of wasting time waiting to hear from all the other interest groups. The researchers hope to liaise with European and American teams on a new generation of software. We will liaise with our colleagues in Sydney to make sure that everybody is involved in the new developments. The police are liaising closely with local community groups to deal with the problems of rising crime in the area. Part 3: Practice Questions: Do you enjoy liaising with other students on projects? Do you feel there’s effective liaison between the different teachers and administrators involved in your course? Part 4: The Phrasal Five take apart
be taken in
take something in
think ahead
think something over
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Australia is the number one trading partner of New Zealand. In which position is China? For more information about China-New Zealand trade click here Part 6: Today's online listening: This is a short programme about a New Zealand University Professor, Bill Wilmott, who is taking his family back to visit his birthplace in Sechuan Province, China Vocabulary for the article: impetus
Questions for the article: 1) How many distinct ethnic nationalities are there in China? 2) Which kind of organisation does Eric (from Beijing) work for? 3) When Bill was a child, what was it like to live in Sechuan province? 4) What was the diet like for Chinese peasants back then? 5) What scandal did his father discover? 6) What disease is associated with a traditional farming practice in China? 7) Why couldn’t the family go on to visit his home town of Chengdu? 8) Why did Bill visit Kunming for the first time when he was 11? 9) What does Bill recall when he visits the market in Kunming? 10) Why did Bill have to drink castor oil when he was a child? 11) Why has China contributed so much to gardens around the world? 12) What did Bill’s grandson especially enjoy? 13) What shocked his daughter most? 14) Why was Bill Wilmott especially honoured during his visit? 15) What particular Chinese fruit does Bill mention? For more information about the New Zealand-China Friendship Society, click here Today’s musical suggestion: from China
April 20, 2009 10:58 PM PDT
Today’s picture: Duck and sculpture in New Plymouth Part 1: Today's word When two people, or two sides of an argument are reconciled, they found common ground between them so that they are no longer in dispute or conflict. If there has been a long dispute, the two sides may enter a reconciliation process, where they discuss their differences, as well as areas they can agree on and they find a way of living together without conflict. Reconciliation doesn’t necessarily mean complete agreement – sometimes even when the two sides can’t agree on everything, they can still dbe reconciled if they ‘agree to disagree’ and end their conflict. Click <here for interactive exercises Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? It is difficult to reconcile these two opposing interpretations of the event. It was hard to reconcile his calm and easy-going personality with the hard-headed business strategy he had developed. The negotiations were long and sometimes bitter, but in the end both sides reconciled and agree to stop the fighting. In setting interest rates, the central bank attempts to reconcile the needs of borrowers and those of lenders. Part 3: Practice Questions: Do you know of any successful cases where two bitter enemies have achieved reconciliation and resolved a long-standing conflict? Part 4: The Phrasal Five stand someone up
start up
step up (the pressure etc)
be taken aback by something
take after someone
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Which of these approaches to offending is related to reconciliation? Restorative justice
Part 6: Today's online listening or reading This is another episode in Charles Handy’s series on Management Gurus. In today’s presentation, he discusses the theories of the European partnership of Trompenaars and Hampden Turner. Vocabulary for the presentation: dilemma
Questions for the article: How did Trompenaars and Hampden Turner research cultural differences? What’s the difference between universalist and particularist cultures? How does management differ in these two kinds of culture? Which mistake did Handy make with the Chinese dealer? How many different dimensions does their cultural model have? What are the main strengths and weaknesses of individualistic cultures? What are the main strengths and weaknesses of communitarian cultures? How did IBM manage to reconcile the two cultures in their reward scheme for salespeople? Today’s musical suggestion: from the UK
April 19, 2009 09:58 PM PDT
Today’s picture: Being fleeced Part 1: Today's word An anecdote is a story people tell about something interesting that happened to them. So anecdotal evidence means information that a researcher has obtained informally, by listening to people’s stories. But it hasn’t been checked for reliability or validity. Click <here for interactive exercises Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? The researchers used random sampling and a double-blind research design to produce convincing anecdotal evidence on the health risks associated with kite-surfing. There is a growing amount of anecdotal evidence to suggest that business confidence is beginning to rise. Little is known about the reproductive habits of the species except for anecdotal evidence gleaned from hunters. Anecdotal evidence suggests that working while ill actually has a counter-productive impact on the organization. Part 3: Practice Questions: Have you told your family any anecdotes about your travels?
Part 4: The Phrasal Five spin off
splash out (on something)
split up
spread out
stand by (someone or a statement)
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Which United Nations conference has been boycotted by New Zealand (as well as the United States, Canada, Germany and some other countries)? Part 6: Today's online listening: This is a short report from Radio New Zealand about the growth of pyramid selling schemes in China Vocabulary for the article: swindle
crack down on Questions for the article: Why does the anti-Pyramid scheme activist know so much about them? How do the operators persuade people to invest? What is the reaction of the authorities towards pyramid schemes? Who are the main targets of pyramid schemes? How many victims are there now – and could there be in future – in China? Today’s musical suggestion: from Mexico (writer), Spain (performer)
April 15, 2009 10:03 PM PDT
Today’s picture: Cafe in Lyttleton, near Christchurch, New Zealand Part 1: Today's word When you seize something, you take control of it suddenly or without hesitation. It’s important to seize opportunities, for instance. During armed conflicts, it’s common for one side to seize control of a town or strategic target. When the army seizes control of the government, this is known as a military coup. A famous Latin phrase ‘Carpe Diem’ is translated into English as ‘Seize the day’ – and this means that it’s important to seize opportunities when they come up rather than delaying until it’s too late. Click here for interactive exercises Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? Military officers have tried to seize power three times during the last decade, but on each occasion their attempt has been thwarted. Over the course of the last two decades, the company has steadily seized a dominant position in the mining industry. After the interval, Arsenal seized the initiative with a more attacking line-up, which swiftly turned the game in their favour. During the police raid on the gang headquarters, more than 10 kilos of Class 1 drugs were seized and several arrests were made. Part 3: Practice Questions: Have you seized any opportunities over the last year? In which countries has the army seized control of the government, the court or the media over the last year? Part 4: The Phrasal Five shop around
show someone round / around
show up (turn up)
show somebody up
skim through
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Two motorcyclists were recently stopped by New Zealand police for exceeding 200 kph. What excuse did they give? they needed a coffee
Part 6: Today's online listening and reading This is a presentation from the BBC about Bill Gates by the well-known Management writer and thinker, Charles Handy. If you click above, you will open up the webpage. Then you can click on ‘Listen to the radio programme in full’. You will need a suitable media player installed on your computer – for example, the free basic player from www.real.com Vocabulary for the article: preach
Questions for the article: 1) According to Charles Handy, the first lesson we can learn from Bill Gates is that good managers are good .... teachers
2) Bill Gates has been successful because ... he’s a technological genius
3) What major development did Gates misunderstand in his first book? globalisation
4) Which strategy did Bill Gates follow in his deal with IBM? Aim for a high gross margin
5) DNS is a key component of .. the knowledge organisation
6) Gates’ reorganisation of Microsoft was inspired by .. traditional management theory
7) Which of these is NOT one of the five E’s of Microsoft organisational culture? Enrichment
Today’s musical suggestion: from the UK
April 14, 2009 09:06 PM PDT
Today’s picture: Satchmo’s Cafe, Lyttleton (port of Christchurch) Part 1: Today's word If you transcend borders, barriers etc, it means that you are not limited by them. So, for instance, it is said that the works of great writers like Shakespeare and Dickens transcend their own culture because they are appreciated by people in many different times and places. Click <here for interactive exercises Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? The beauty of the design was that it seems to transcend its function as a piece of furniture and make a statement about harmony and sustainability. The modern corporation transcends national borders, of course, and is the foundation of a global, rather than merely American, Japanese or European culture. The focus of the research was transcended in order to encompass a wider range of emerging issues in the global marketplace. Though clearly a romantic comedy, the film transcends its genre in embodying deeper themes of life and death. Part 3: Practice Question: Do you think it’s possible for works of art to transcend their culture? Part 4: The Phrasal Five see to something
set about doing something
set something aside
set back
set out
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Massey University, Albany and Victoria University, Wellington are home(s) to the New Zealand .......? Symphony Orchestra
Part 6: Today's online listening: This is an interview Lucinda Barlow, the spokesperson for the YouTube Symphony Orchestra Vocabulary for the article: audition
Questions for the article: What is unique about the way this new orchestra has recruited its members?
Today’s musical suggestion:
April 08, 2009 09:19 PM PDT
Today’s picture: Auckland Harbour Part 1: Today's word When you’re pragmatic, you try to address problems in a practical, realistic and flexible way, instead of sticking too closely to rules. This way of dealing with problems is known as pragmatism and a person who follows it is a pragmatist, rather than an idealist. A pragmatist is always ready to compromise. A famous pragmatic view of politics, for example, called it ‘the art of the possible’. The management followed a pragmatic approach in their dealings with their business partners, Click here for interactive exercises and Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? The legislation certainly looks good in theory, but we will have to wait and see what its pragmatic effect might be. One disadvantage of the highly pragmatic ethos within the organizational culture was that underlying principles were never really debated and policy development was uneven. We are not especially interested in the academic qualifications of the candidate, but feel their problem-solving experience will make them more capable of rigorous and pragmatic decision-making. She added that hers was an essentially pragmatic view of the issue and we might be wise to seek further research on the issue. Part 3: Practice Questions: Do you tend to follow fixed principles or take a pragmatic view towards life, relationships and work? Would you regard New Zealand culture as essentially a pragmatic one? Part 4: The Phrasal Five
rule out
run into
see off
see through
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Michael Cullen, the Minister in charge of the New Zealand economy in the last Parliament is to leave and join which organisation? The United Nations
Part 6: Today's online listening and reading The above link will open up the BBC page. To listen to the presentation, click on ‘Listen to the radio programme in full’. You will need to have a suitable media player installed on your computer. If you don’t have, you can download the basic player from real.com You can also read the transcript of this presentation here This is a presentation by the management guru Charles Handy about the work and ideas of Michael Porter – famous for his theories of competitive advantage and his ‘Five Forces’ model Vocabulary for the article: fad
Questions for the article: 1) Michael Porter’s academic success is underlined by .... the worldwide influence of his publications
2) Porter’s career has been characterised by ... increasingly complex theories
3) Which of these is NOT one of the three generic strategies described by Porter? cost reduction
4) Porter’s model of strategies, industries and forces .. was considered to be over-complex for practical use
5) Charles Handy argues that Porter ... prioritises one generic strategy
6) Porter argues that clusters ... depend on fierce domestic competition
7) Which aspect of Porter’s theories has been both criticised and seen as a major reason for their appeal? complexity
Today’s musical suggestion: from the UK
April 07, 2009 09:51 PM PDT
Today’s picture: Jeremy Bentham Part 1: Today's word 'Utilise' is a more formal and technical way of saying use. It’s especially common when talking about technology or resources. You can also write it 'utilize'. Our training program utilises the latest software.
Click <here for interactive exercises Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? Within a capitalist economy, money markets and price mechanisms determine the allocation and utilization of resources. The organization needs to work towards full over-utilisation of the equipment in order to maximize efficiency and output. Utilisation of the system was found to vary widely between different departments, which may relate to the different subcultures within the organization. The overall increase in customer satisfaction may be attributed to a better utilization of staff resources to meet the varying demands of our clientele. Part 3: Practice Question: Are the resources within your university or workplace fully utilised? Part 4: The Phrasal Five put someone down
put in for something
put (it) on
put someone out
put someone up
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question What is ‘The Edge’ in Aotea Square, Auckland? a theatre
Part 6: Today's online listening: This is an interview with Anne Kirwan from AUT University, Auckland about the English philosopher Jeremy Bentham – the founder of Utilitarianism Vocabulary for the article: prodigy
Questions for the article: 1) What is Jeremy Bentham’s ‘auto-icon’? 2) Why did the University of London agree to keep this ‘auto-icon’? 3) What are the two ‘masters’ of people, according to Bentham? 4) What is the basic definition of morality in Utilitarianism? 5) Why did Bentham prefer to use the term ‘well-being’ instead of happiness? 6) What two kinds of ‘well-being’ are there? 7) What criteria did Bentham suggest for the measurement of consequences? 8) Did Bentham’s view consider the issue of sustainability? Today’s musical suggestion: from the USA
April 06, 2009 08:27 PM PDT
Today’s picture: Windows, Christchurch 2009 Part 1: Today's word Intuition is the power to know things immediately without using logic or normal observation. We use the word to explain how people seem to know things without being able to explain how they know. An example would be where, for example, a mother has a feeling that there’s something wrong with her baby and when she goes to check, she finds that there really is a problem and she’s able to save the baby’s life. So, if you know something intuitively, it means you’re sure of it without having any real facts or logical argument to back it up. Click <here for interactive exercises Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? He argued that careful data collection and analysis was not enough; researchers need to use their intuition to interpret it. To produce a more personal interpretation, I analysed the data intuitively following the principles of Grounded Theory. With the intuition of a child, Anne somehow knew that the stranger was not to be trusted. Never having studied formal architecture, Roberto seemed to produce his designs by intuition, which continued to amaze his professionally-trained colleagues. Part 3: Practice Questions: Women are traditionally supposed to have higher powers of intuition than men. Do you believe this is true? Part 4: The Phrasal Five pull (it) off
pull over
pull up
push in
put aside
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Which event in the small New Zealand town of Te Kuiti attracted 7000 spectators last weekend, one of whom was slightly injured? The Running of the Sheep
For the full story, click here Part 6: Today's online listening: This is based on another in the BBC series on Management Gurus, presented by Charles Handy. Today’s programme focuses on the ideas of Kenichi Ohmae. Clicking above will open up the BBC page. Click on “Listen to the Radio Programme in full” and it should open up in your browser. If it doesn’t, you may need to install a suitable media player, such as the basic RealPlayer, which can be downloaded free of charge from www.real.com
Vocabulary for the article: make your mark
Questions for the article: 1) In his classic book, “The Mind of a Strategist”, Ohmae underlines the importance of .... perfectionism
2) Ohmae argued that the secret of the Japanese success was a focus on ... profitability
3) The modern business environment is said to be “an invisible continent” because ... much of it will be familiar
4) The platforms of the new continent .. are both real and artificial languages
Today’s musical suggestion: from Canada
April 05, 2009 10:35 PM PDT
Today’s photo: Christchurch City’s Coat of Arms The Latin motto can be translated as “Founded in Faith, Rich in its Fulfilment, Strong in the Hope for the Future” .... or perhaps just ‘A slice of heaven’? Part 1: Today's word A sample is a small amount which is analysed in order to find out what the whole thing or population is like. Sampling is a key element in research and the method of sampling chosen determines the statistical methods that can be used to make generalisations about the population. Most statistical methods assume that data has been randomly sampled – in other words, no control has been used during the selection. It is sometimes more appropriate to first choose a number of categories and then sample randomly within each one. So, for instance, if you wanted to research students in schools in the city, you might first choose some representative schools and then sample randomly within them. This is called stratified random sampling. Non-random methods of sampling include convenience sampling (for instance, standing on the street and asking a question to the first 10 people you see) or snowball sampling (for instance, asking one Brazilian person a question and then asking them to put you in touch with some other Brazilians who they know). But researchers who choose non-random sampling methods need to justify their decision and any use they make of statistical methods which are really designed for random sampling. Click here
Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? The most traditional form of random sampling is surely to pick names or numbers out of a hat. The survey was administered to a sample consisting of the whole population under consideration, in order to ensure statistical reliability. The population was first stratified according to age bands and then simple random sampling was used to select participants within each band. Sampling 2000 or so potential voters out of a total population of millions is statistically appropriate, providing the sample itself has sufficient variability. Part 3: Practice Questions: Have you ever had to sample a population as part of your research? If so, which sampling method did you choose – and why? Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question How did the New Zealand Prime Minister, John Key, help with the birth of a baby in the Solomon Islands? For the full story, read here Part 6: Today's online reading Questions for the article: Which sampling method was used for the survey? random sampling
The change in people’s attitudes to visiting the doctor is attributed to ... increased health insurance
New Zealanders feel unsafe in the City Centres at night because of .. fear of violent crime
Unlike urban dwellers, New Zealanders in rural areas feel ... more concerned about crime
The survey shows that the overwhelming majority of New Zealanders feel ... they are physically active
The full report on the Quality of Life survey can be viewed here Today’s Musical Suggestion: from New Zealand slice of heaven by Dave Dobbyn __________________________________________________________ intervene
April 01, 2009 03:26 PM PDT
Today’s picture: London teenagers making themselves useful, February 2009 Part 1: Today's word When you intervene in a difficult situation, you get involved and try to help. So, for example, during the current economic crisis, several governments have intervened in the economy to try and save some companies from going bankrupt and to make credit easier to obtain. Such intervention is always somewhat risky and causes a great deal of political debate. Intervention is also an important part of the work of all of the ‘caring professions’, such as social workers and speech and language therapists. Before intervening, it is important to conduct a needs analysis and risk assessment and to obtain informed consent from the client. Click here for interactive exercises Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? Obama intervened directly in the dispute, calling for more calm and negotiation from both sides. The Central Bank’s intervention in the money markets failed to halt the slide in the value of the dollar. The Police suspected that the brakes on the crashed vehicle might have been intervened with and immediately launched a murder inquiry. The CEO was reluctant to become involved in case her intervention might be seen as undermining the authority of the marketing team. Part 3: Practice Questions: Do you feel the Government intervenes enough or too much in the economy? Would you intervene if you saw somebody being abused because of their ethnicity, appearance etc? Part 4: The Phrasal Five pass out
pick on
pin down
point out
She pointed out that there was no guarantee that the program would work.
pop in (on)
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Which famous American musicians start their World tour in Auckland in June 2009? Simon and Garfunkel
Read more about the tour here Part 6: Today's online listening: This is an interview from Radio New Zealand with an Australian doctor, Leanne Rowe, who has recently published a book about teenage depression. Vocabulary for the article: epidemic
Questions for the article: 1) Depression is .... higher in New Zealand than Australia
2) Depression is different from normal sadness because ... it makes other people irritable
3) Cognitive behavioural therapy focuses on the ............ of behaviour modification
4) Leanne Rowe’s book is particularly targeted at .. health professionals
5) Parents are encouraged to ask themselves two questions in order to determine their parenting ... ability
6) The rise in teenage depression is principally attributed to ... sociocultural factors
7) Which of the following is NOT a contributing factor to depression among teenage girls? self-harm
8) In order to address the negative impact of certain media images, parents are advised to .. discuss the issues openly
9) Anti-depressants are often prescribed because .. they are the most effective overall treatment
10) The main objective of Dr Rowe’s book is ... treatment
Today’s musical suggestion: from the USA
March 30, 2009 04:13 PM PDT
Today’s picture: London's Chinatown, February 2009 Part 1: Today's word Outsourcing is a very common part of the modern business world. When a company outsources part of its work, it pays another company to do it. Outsourcing is especially associated with globalisation, because with better communications and a more integrated global economy, it has become easier for companies in richer countries to outsource manufacturing or services to companies in locations where labour costs are lower. A good example is the outsourcing of online and telephone support services from companies in the UK, New Zealand etc to Call Centres in India. So if you need help with your internet connection here in Auckland and you telephone the local help number, the person who actually deals with your enquiry is likely to be sitting in a Call Centre in India, because Telecom New Zealand has outsourced its support services. Click here for interactive exercises on academic English Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? The company continues to maintain its dominant market position by outsourcing its main competitors in both product quality and service delivery. As more companies outsource their graphic design work this ought to produce further opportunities for freelancers and specialist firms in the field. Alliances between companies may take numerous forms, from the outsourcing of specific functions, focusing on cost-cutting to involvement in joint ventures, which tend to have broader strategic objectives. In addition to cost reduction, well-planned outsourcing should also allow organizations to focus more effectively on their core business. Part 3: Practice Question: Which types of workers have benefited or suffered from the boom in outsourcing over the last decade? Part 4: The Phrasal Five jot or note something down
occur to you
own up to
pass away
pass on
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Which major infrastructure project is the New Zealand government planning to spend $1.5bn developing? trains
Part 6: Today's online listening: This is an interview with Professor Richard Heeks from Manchester University in the UK on his research into the new global industry of ‘gold-farming’. Vocabulary for the article: make-believe
Questions for the article: 1) What is ‘gold-farming’?
Today’s musical suggestion: from Wales Goldfinger performed by Shirley Bassey (from the opening credits of the 1964 James Bond film)
March 29, 2009 03:08 PM PDT
Today’s photo: This hotel in Christchurch reminded me a bit of the famous 'Bates Motel' from the film 'Psycho'! Part 1: Today's word ‘Paradigm’ is a very formal, academic word for a general framework of ideas or way of thinking about a topic. Subjects at university have different ways they can be approached. Often, there’s one ‘dominant’ paradigm, which is how most researchers approach a topic, and a number of alternative paradigms, which are used by a smaller group of researchers. For example, 50 or so years ago, behaviourism was the dominant paradigm in psychology. This mean that most researchers, even if they were looking at different questions and using different techniques, followed the same basic way of looking at the mind and how it learns and responds to the environment. However, especially during the 1960’s, these basic ideas were questioned, so there was a ‘paradigm shift’ in which the whole subject of psychology went through a kind of revolution and no longer had one dominant paradigm. His research was outside the established paradigm, which meant that it was difficult to attract funding. Click here for more practice. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? ‘Normal science’, as Kuhn describes it, takes place within a dominant paradigm. It has been suggested that the growth of online chat and text messaging has brought about a paradigm shift in written communication. Charles Darwin developed the paradigm that evolution is brought about through competition for survival. Labov’s ‘Metaphors we live by’ brought about a paradigm shift in the field of sociolinguistics. Part 3: Practice Questions: Do you know the names for the dominant paradigm in any of the subjects you study? Do you know if your subject has gone through any paradigm shifts that have completely changed the way people think about them? Part 4: The Phrasal Five mess around
mess something up
mix things up
move on
named after
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question What New Zealand savings and pension scheme has grown to nearly a million members over the last three years? Kiwi Saver
Click here if you’d like more information. Part 6: Today's online listening When you click here it opens the BBC page - click on 'Listen to the radio programme in full' to download it. You will need a media player such as RealPlayer on your computer to listen to it - you can download this player for free from www.real.com This is the fifth in the series of Management gurus. Today’s talk is about the Indian management expert, Sumantra Ghosal, whose work focuses on human capital. Vocabulary for the article: logjam
Questions for the article: 1) Ghosal believes that managers of multinational corporations need to pay more attention to their... impact on society
2) Ghosal and Bartlett argued that there are too many first-generation managers in second-generation organizations with third generation .. employees
3) Second-generation organizations are characterised by ... constant innovation
4) Successful organisations need to focus on three fundamental processes: entrepreneurial, integration and .. competitive advantage
5) The Japanese company, Kao, is given as an example of what kind of management structure? traditional
6) In addition to competencies, Ghosal believes that Human Capital also includes .. technical capital
7) Ghosal and Bartlett identify three new management processes: accumulating, linking and ... unfreezing
8) Within this new paradigm of management, Ghosal and Bartlett believe that employees should be seen as ... volunteer investors
Today’s Musical Suggestion: from France Les Feuilles Mortes [Autumn Leaves] performed by the Italian-born singer, Yves Montand _________________________________________________________ bias
March 26, 2009 05:47 PM PDT
Today’s photo: Christchurch Casino – lottery or investment?! This Saturday (28th March) 8.30 – 9.30 pm is Earth Hour Part 1: Today's word A bias is a lack of fairness or balance. So, for example, if a referee is biased, then he/she will tend to favour one team over another, instead of treating each one fairly. This bias is not always intentional – it has been argued that most of us have what are called ‘cognitive biases’, which affect the way we interpret information. So, for example, it’s very common to pay too much attention to small pieces of evidence, which means that we don’t see the ‘big picture’. The Government accused the newspaper of political bias. She argued that there was a systematic bias against women in the organisation. Click here for more practice. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? I have to admit to a bias against candidates who don’t pay attention to personal hygiene or appearance, even though the post doesn’t involve contact with the public. It is essential that examination materials are free of bias on any grounds, whether political, ethnic, gender or any other kind. It is essential that the jury shows equal bias to both the prosecution and defence cases in order to form an impartial evaluation of the arguments and evidence. Careful analysis of funding decisions shows a clear and consistent bias in favour of those regions in which the Government holds a narrow majority of seats. Part 3: Practice Questions: Have you ever suffered from bias at the hands of any of your teachers? Do you think there is a bias towards or against the capital city with regard to Government funding etc? Part 4: The Phrasal Five lay off
log in
look down on
look up to
make up become friends again
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Which famous New Zealander has been appointed as the new head of the United Nations Development programme? Hayley Westenra
And here’s an extra online quiz for you: How much do you know about China? Click here to test your knowledge Part 6: Today's online reading This is a short article from the Economist magazine about why managers sometimes make serious errors of judgement. Vocabulary for the article: hasty
Questions for the article: 1) Which of these companies is used as an example of poor decision-making? Google
2) The authors of ‘Think again’ focus on which aspect of decision-making? psychological
3) Richard Fuld’s error was attributed to ... past failures
4) Steve Russell’s error was attributed to .. lack of self-criticism
5) Which of these is a safeguard recommended by the authors of ‘Think again’? employment of professional advocates
6) Marks and Spencer, the British retailer, is given as an example of ... inappropriate management structure
Today’s Musical Suggestion - from the USA Shoulda Woulda Coulda by Beverly Knight
March 24, 2009 02:36 PM PDT
Today’s photo: Classic Car, Napier, New Zealand 2007 Part 1: Today's word Your ‘status’ is your position in society – in other words, the amount of respect that you receive from other people. If you have a high status, people respect you. Generally, doctors, architects and lawyers are seen as high status professions. Expensive cars, watches etc are seen as status symbols, because they show that you are rich enough to afford them. He enjoys a high status among his colleagues. Click here for more practice. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? The success of ‘Lord of the Rings’ undoubtedly contributed to the status of New Zealand film-making in a worldwide context. The company suffered a substantial loss of status following the scandal. The university enjoys a high status, particularly in the fields of management and economic research. The company is looking for a new status in the South Island in response to the growing demand there. Part 3: Practice Questions: Do you feel teaching is a high status profession? What are the most popular status symbols in your town or country? Part 4: The Phrasal Five hang around / about
hang out (with sb)
hit it off
hold sb back
hold on
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question What is New Zealand’s best-selling car? Part 6: Today's online listening This is a short report from Radio New Zealand on the launch of the world’s cheapest car, the Nano Vocabulary for the article: no frills
Questions for the article: How much does the Nano cost?
Today’s Musical Suggestion: from the UK Brand New Cadillac by The Clash _____________________________________________________________ competency
March 23, 2009 09:05 PM PDT
Today’s photo: Punting on the River Avon, Christchurch, March 2009 Part 1: Today's word A competency is a specific ability or skill. Identifying and measuring competencies is a common function of Human Resource Management. Leadership can be seen as comprising four underlying competencies, which together account for successful performance. Click here for more practice. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? Our performance management system is competency-based, setting core skills and detailing strategies for achieving objectives. A key challenge of retirement is the need to develop new competencies at a time when energy and motivation might be lacking. It is vital that each new employee undergoes a comprehensive competency, so that they can quickly play a full and active role in the organisation. The Health Commission has drafted a revised set of competencies to reflect the broader health management role of modern nursing. Part 3: Practice Questions: What would you say are the key competencies of a university lecturer? Part 4: The Phrasal Five go down well or badly
go for
go off something
go over
go through
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Which company is New Zealand’s biggest exporter? Fonterra
Part 6: Today's online listening you need to click where it says ‘Listen to the Radio Programme in full’ – you will need a media player such as Real Player installed on your computer. If you don’t have this, you can download the basic Real Player free from www.real.com This is a presentation about the Management Guru, Warren Bennis. It is presented by another famous Management thinker, Charles Handy and focuses on Bennis’s analysis of what it means to be a modern leader Vocabulary for the article: harness
Questions for the article: 1) For Warren Bennis, the main challenge of leadership is to harness individual talents for the benefit of ... society in general
2) Which of these leadership positions has Warren Bennis held? political
3) The hedgehog represents ... specialisation
4) Warren Bennis’s famous research in leadership found that .. leaders varied considerably in their personality
5) Which of these is NOT one of the four key competencies of leadership, in Bennis’ model? Management of people
6) When Bennis was asked if he enjoyed being President of the University, he realised he lacked management of .. People
7) Bennis believes that the most important aspect of leading creative groups is creating ... Order
8) Within a new ‘partnership’ model, leaders need to understand the Power of ... Unity
Click here to download a transcript of this talk __________________________________________________________ 'Questions from a Worker' by Bertold Brecht: Who built the town of Thebes of Seven Gates?
Today’s Musical Suggestion: from New Zealand Working by Katchafire
March 23, 2009 03:03 AM PDT
Today’s photo: A scene from Queenstown, 2008 Part 1: Today's word When something is augmented, its value or size is increased. Usually, this means something valuable is added to it. He sold things on TradeMe to augment his lecturer’s salary. Click here for more practice of academic English. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? Farmers in the area started offering accommodation to augment their incomes, but more recently have developed a more integrated ‘agri-tourism’ enterprise. In-store coffee shops have provided booksellers with a new income stream to augment the declining income from book sales. There is a danger that immediate repairs, while making the structure safe in the short term, may actually augment the long-term damage. Qualitative research methods have been used in this project to augment, rather than replace, more traditional quantitative methods. Part 3: Practice Question: How do the students on your course typically augment their incomes? Part 4: Idioms cash in on
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Queenstown, in the South Island of New Zealand, is said to have been named after which Queen? The British Queen Victoria
Click here for more information on visiting Queenstown Part 6: Today's online listening This is a short report from Radio New Zealand on the medical tourism Vocabulary for the article: quid pro quo
Questions for the article: What two factors might draw medical tourists to New Zealand? Where do the medical tourists mainly come from? What kinds of procedures would medical tourists be seeking? What benefit might this development bring to the Health Sector in Queenstown? Why might visitors having cosmetic surgery stay longer in Queenstown? Musical Suggestion: from UK / NZ Who wants to live forever performed by Sarah Brightman, from the Soundtrack of 'Lord of the Rings' - original song by Queen _________________________________________________________ ethos
March 22, 2009 03:36 PM PDT
Today’s photo: Arte Canela Flamenco Group, WOMAD 2009 Part 1: Today's word The ethos of a community is their values and attitudes, especially the unspoken rules of behaviour. It is an important part of culture. The boom in mergers and acquisitions took place within a general ‘Big is beautiful’ business ethos Click here
Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? She found it difficult to introduce a market ethos into this traditional academic organisation. I never agreed with the manager’s profit-focused ethos. It’s not enough for schools to exclude children who become involved in bullying; it’s a sign that the whole ethos of the school needs to change. Her research showed that the ethos of public service had its roots in the influences of family, schools and churches in early childhood. Part 3: Practice Question: What values and attitudes form part of the ethos of your college or community? Part 4: Idioms keep a tab on
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question How many internet users are there in New Zealand (out of a total population of 4.3 million)? half a million
Click here
Part 6: Today's online listening This is a short interview from Radio New Zealand with Mike O’Donnell, Business Manager of New Zealand’s most popular website, TradeMe Vocabulary for the article: incumbent
Questions for the article: Who was the founder of TradeMe? Who is the current owner of TradeMe? What is TradeMe's current weekly volume of sales: What advantages did TradeMe have in their start-up phase? What has the basis of TradeMe’s success been? What has their main achievement been in relation to the consumer? A piece of bread and something belonging to the Prime Minister are given as examples of what kind of item? What qualities do sellers need in order to succeed, even with unlikely merchandise? How are the staff celebrating their 10th anniversary? Today’s Musical Suggestion: from the UK click here to read a review of their concert last weekend at North Harbour Stadium, opposite Massey University’s Albany Campus _________________________________________________________ ambiguity
March 19, 2009 07:20 PM PDT
Today’s photo: Chinese stall at Massey University’s Cultural Fair, 2008 Part 1: Today's word ‘Ambiguous’ is when the meaning is so unclear that it’s impossible to know for sure what a person or a document said. This is a very important word in academic writing and in law. It’s often used with the words ‘advice’, ‘question’ ‘answer’ and ‘meaning’. It’s important to proof-read your own work, because very often, even if it seems clear to you, it may come across as ambiguous to the reader. Managers too have to avoid any ambiguity when they give directions or explain policy to employees, directors or investors. There was a lot of argument about the contract as people felt the wording was ambiguous. The instructions need to be written in standardised code as the software is unable to cope with any ambiguity. Click here
Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? I’d like to thank my professor for her ambiguous advice about my research. The contrasting characters of Desdemona and Lady Macbeth show how ambiguous Shakespeare’s attitudes towards women were. The wording of the proposal is ambiguous and will need to be changed before it can become company policy. I found the exam question ambiguous, so I had to explain how I understood it before writing my answer. Part 3: Practice Questions: Have you found any of your exam or assignment questions ambiguous? How did you try to resolve the ambiguity? Why is ambiguity a particular problem in law, computer programming, the military and management? Part 4: Kiwi Quiz Question By 2026, Asians are expected to comprise what percentage of the total New Zealand population? 4.5
For more information on the ethnic composition of the New Zealand population, click: here Part 5: Today's online listening This is a short report from Radio New Zealand on the first Chinese Oolong tea grown in New Zealand. Vocabulary for the article: fetch
Questions for the article: How long has it taken the tea trees to mature? How many plants are there in the plantation? How much can one kilo of Oolong tea fetch in China? Why is Waikato a good place to grow oolong tea? Who traditionally prepares tea in China? What other Chinese crop has been successful in New Zealand? Today’s Musical Suggestion: from New Zealand Four Seasons in One Day by Crowded House empathy
March 18, 2009 04:30 PM PDT
Today’s photo: Flowers in New Plymouth, March 2009 Part 1: Today's word Empathy is the ability to experience someone else’s feelings. If you want to empathise with someone, you need to imagine what it is really like to be them – to see the world through their eyes, to walk in their shoes. Empathy is a key aspect of the ethnographic research methodology called participant observation, which was developed by the anthropologist Malinowski in the 1920’s. The problem with the film was that it was really difficult to empathise with the central character. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? As someone who migrated here myself, I can empathise with the experience of culture shock which many international students go through. A biographer needs enough empathy to convey the character of their subject, but not so much that objectivity and balance is lost. It is crucial that researchers empathise strongly on their research question – or are prepared to change it if different issues emerge from the data. The many thousands of hours spent with dolphins allowed her to develop an extraordinary degree of empathy for these mysterious creatures. Part 3: Practice Questions: Which jobs require a high degree of empathy? Have any films or books you’ve read helped you to empathise with people you’d never previously known or understood? Part 4: The Phrasal Five give sth away
go about (doing sth)
go along with sb/ sth
go away
go by
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question What proportion of New Zealand men are overweight or obese? 25.4%
For more details on health in New Zealand, click here Part 6: Today's online listening This is an interview with an Australian personal trainer, Paul James, who is in the middle of an interesting experiment to understand why people are overweight. Vocabulary for the article: baffled
Questions for the article: What is the research question for this experiment? What is the main research method? What are the physical and psychological results so far? Which well-known previous experiment is mentioned? How supportive have organisations and university departments been in the project? What statistical evidence is given about the underlying social problem which the research question addresses? What health and safety measures has the researcher taken? What is the researcher’s view on government policy on this issue? Today's musical suggestion: from the UK Click here for a review of their wonderful concert last night in Auckland anomaly
March 17, 2009 09:15 PM PDT
Today’s photo: Detail from the Waka Huia performance, WOMAD 2009 Part 1: Today's word An anomaly is a kind of exception – something which doesn’t fit into a pattern and is difficult to explain. The status of Switzerland within Europe, at once a central part and yet at the same time not a member of key institutions, remains something of an anomaly. The private pension scheme of Education Ministry employees is an anomaly within the Public Sector. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? The Court of Appeal attempted to remove the anomaly whereby the law appeared to protect the profits made by criminals. Further research demonstrated that what at first appeared a strange anomaly was in fact perfectly consistent with the cultural beliefs of the tribe. The restriction of citizenship to those whose grandfathers (but not grandmothers) are from the country is a historical anomaly, which needs to be corrected. There is one major anomaly to the prohibition of the cultivation of the drug – it may in fact be grown in controlled environments for scientific purposes. Part 3: Practice Questions: British visitors to New Zealand are allowed to stay longer than those from other countries. Do you believe this historical anomaly needs to be corrected? In many countries, people can marry at 16, but are unable to vote until they are 18? Do you see this as an anomaly? Part 4: The Phrasal Five get by
get sb down
get down to sth
get through
get together
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question How many different words for ‘you’ are there in Maori language? Part 6: Today's online listening This is an interview from Radio New Zealand with Russell Gray from the University of Auckland about the origin of Pacific peoples and the Austronesian language family Vocabulary for the article: mutation
Questions for the article: Where are the Pacific peoples thought to have originated 5000 years ago? Taiwan
What proportion of the world’s languages are in the Austronesian family – spoken in the Pacific region? half
Which of these countries has a language in the same family as Maori? Australia
In order to identify if similar words in different languages have come from a common source or ancestor linguists look for a genetic identity of meaning
Words for family relationships are more likely to have come from the source language because such words are ... less common in everyday use
In order to analyse the data and generate the most likely family trees of the Austronesian languages ... computers were bought from a British university
The Maori word for ‘rainbow’ is an example of ... literacy
The linguistic evidence supports the view that timing of the emigration from Taiwan was dependent on .. cultural and technological innovation
Genetic evidence suggests that during the emigrations from Taiwan into the Pacific .. Sixty percent of Austronesian men had a Melanesian mother
Russell Gray believes that genetic and language evolution are always linked
Today's musical suggestion Pokarekare Ana performed by Naomi Bradfield Pökarekare ana (They are agitated)
E hine e (Oh girl)
Tuhituhi taku reta (I have written my letter)
Whati whati taku pene (My pen is shattered)
E kore te aroha (My love will never)
Courtesy of Maorilanguage.net) deteriorate
March 16, 2009 08:47 PM PDT
Today’s photo: Keeping a cool head at WOMAD Festival, Taranaki, New Zealand, 2009 Part 1: Today's word ‘Deteriorate’ is a more formal way of saying ‘get worse’. It’s the opposite of ‘improve’. If conditions on the road are deteriorating, you probably ought to stay at home. And deteriorating relations between countries may lead to conflict, if nothing is done about it. The noun is ‘deterioration’. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? The situation in the city centre has deteriorated, with gunfire reported from several areas. Changes take place in the sensory area too, with noticeable deterioration in sight, hearing and taste from the middle years on. The firm deteriorated its market position through an ill-conceived promotional campaign and poor distribution. Relations between the Church and State deteriorated as the educational reforms were implemented. Part 3: Practice Questions: In what ways has the economy deteriorated over the last year? Is your local environment deteriorating? If so, what can be done to arrest or reverse this deterioration? Part 4: The Phrasal Five frown on / upon sth
get along (with sb)
get around
get around to (doing sth)
get away with sth
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question What’s the life expectancy of a newborn baby girl in New Zealand? Part 6: Today's online listening This is an interview from Radio New Zealand with Rebecca Woods, an expert on ageing and Alzheimer’s from the UK. Vocabulary for the article: dementia
Questions for the article: According to new research, between what ages is the brain’s performance at its highest level? Does Rebecca Woods criticise the research? Is Alzheimer’s a disease which only affects the elderly? Which abilities continue to improve until about 60 years old? What advice does Rebecca give to help us counter the effects of ageing? Today’s musical suggestion (from France) Que reste-t-il de nos amours? written by Charles Trenet (original version – the theme of the film ‘Iris’) and performed here by Jasmine Roy and Philippe Saisse __________________________________________________________ infer
March 15, 2009 08:09 PM PDT
Today’s photo: Haka performed by the Waka Huia Group at WOMAD Festival, Taranaki, New Zealand, March 2009 Part 1: Today's word ‘Infer’ is a fairly formal way of saying ‘guess’ (or form an opinion) based on some evidence. So we use it when we talk about the results of research, but also in every day life when we decide on the meaning of signs, gestures or any kind of behaviour we see or hear. The expression 'draw an inference' is like 'make a guess', but it's more formal and also suggests that you have some evidence to base your interpretation on. What do you infer from the results of the experiment? Although he said nothing, the clear inference was that he agreed with what I had said. Click here for more practice. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? I wasn’t sure what to infer from his brief email and unfortunately, I couldn’t reach him by phone to check. The most that can be inferred from this data set is that the two factors are related in some way; however, the nature of that relationship requires further research. What do you infer from his silence during the last week? Does this mean our relationship is over or could there be some other explanation? If you ask me if this company will still be in business in five years’ time, well, I’d infer it probably will, though that’s just a shot in the dark. Part 3: Practice Questions: What inference can be drawn from the growing numbers of young Kiwis going to live and work in Australia? What could be inferred from a high staff turnover in a company? Part 4: The Phrasal Five fight back
figure sth out
file sth away
fit sb / sth in
freak out
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question What is the name of the famous mountain which overlooks the city of New Plymouth in the South-Western corner of the North Island? Mt Cook
Part 6: Today's online listening This is an interview from Radio New Zealand with Professor Jean Fleming from Otago University. She discusses the role of the stomach. Vocabulary for the article: bug
Questions for the article: 1) What other key role does the stomach play in addition to digesting food? killing pathogens
2) What is the average capacity of the human stomach? 0.5 – 1 litre
3) What’s the main role of the stomach muscles? production of enzymes
4) What is produced by the stomach glands in order to break down food and kill bugs? hydrochloric acid
5) The stomach muscles are categorised as .. skeletal and smooth
6) The phenomenon commonly referred to as ‘butterflies in your stomach’ is related to ... changes in blood supply
7) The experiment described by Dr Fleming investigated the connection between stomach activity and ... intuition
Today’s musical suggestion:
March 12, 2009 03:58 PM PDT
Today’s photo: Nelson keeping an eye on visitors to Trafalgar Square, on a rainy February day in London, 2009 Part 1: Today's word When you induce someone to do something, you make them do it by offering them something positive in return. It’s possible to induce someone to do something by offering them money, for instance, or by a promise that they’ll get something in return. A promise of money is a financial inducement. In medicine, when something is induced, it means that the doctors make it happen instead of waiting for it to happen naturally. So births are sometimes induced if it’s necessary or convenient now instead of later. Nothing could induce me to go back to that job again. The committee decided that he had been offered a financial inducement to change his vote. Click here for more practice. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? Research has shown that people can be induced to behave in unusual ways if they see others doing the same thing. He tried to induce me to join him in resigning from the company, but I told him I was basically satisfied with my job. The director managed to induce the committee that the company needed to increase its Research & Development budget by 50%. The drug has been known to induce vomiting, so please seek medical advice if you experience any abnormal symptoms. Part 3: Practice Questions: How can people be induced to try new food and drink products? What inducements are generally offered to managers to move to another company or country? Part 4: The Phrasal Five drop in (on somebody)
drop off
end up
fall back on
fall through
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Which Government Official “seeks to develop and promote a culture in which personal information is protected and respected” in New Zealand? The Privacy Commissioner
For more information about this topic, click here Part 6: Today's online reading This is an article about the ethics of Google’s new advertising strategy Vocabulary for the article: surveillance
Questions for the article: 1) What is the name for Google’s new advertising strategy? 2) Why is Google’s use of the technology of more concern than other companies? 3) How has Google addressed some of these concerns? 4) How would the critic, Jeff Chester, prefer Google to address these concerns?
Today’s Musical Suggestion (song from the USA/performer from the UK) Someone to watch over me performed by Amy Winehouse consult
March 12, 2009 01:29 PM PDT
Today’s photo: Women campaigning for the right to vote, England, 1900 (from Flickr Commons) Part 1: Today's word When you consult someone, you ask for advice, information or a second opinion. So normally, you’d consult someone who you thought knew more than you – perhaps a professional.
Please consult your supervisor if you have any queries about your assignment. You may have up to three individual consultations with a learning advisor for each of your assignments. Click here for more practice. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? I consulted my brother what he thought about my plans and he was very positive. I consulted the librarian who directed me to some useful online sources for my research. She advised me to consult the latest edition of the APA Style Manual for information on referencing online sources. We consulted an independent financial advisor who helped us to arrange a loan at a reasonable interest rate. Part 3: Practice Questions: Do you prefer to consult books or online sources when you have queries? Have you – or any members of your family – ever consulted a lawyer? Do you feel that there’s enough public consultation over large government projects? Part 4: The Phrasal Five be dying for sth
do sth up
could do with sth
dress up
drift apart
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question New Zealand is planning to build a 3000 km national route for ... walkers
Part 6: Today's online reading This is an article about a very successful food company set up fifty years ago by a group of Indian women Vocabulary for the article: defy
Questions for the article: 1) How big is the business now? 2) What is their main product? 3) What was the advice the women received at the beginning of the venture? 4) How many women work for the company? 5) What does their work give them? ___________________________________________________________ Today’s Musical Suggestion (from the USA) Sisters are doing it for themselves by The Eurythmics with Aretha Franklin assure
March 12, 2009 01:23 PM PDT
Today’s photo: The Kakapo Part 1: Today's word When you assure someone, you tell them something confidently in the hope that they'll believe you. It can also be used in a similar way to reassure meaning to make someone feel more confident and less worried. I can assure you, from personal experience, that these problems are much more common than you may have thought. He gave me his assurance that the problem would not be repeated. Click here
Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? You may rest assured that we are doing all we can to guarantee the safety and security of our customers. The guide assured us that the path was manageable even in dark and rainy conditions. I assured myself that I would never do business with them again. With a degree in accountancy under his belt and a confident manner he felt his future in the business world was assured. Part 3: Practice Questions: Do you feel you could assure ......
your customers that they've made the right decision in choosing your company or products? your teachers or lecturers that you are 100% committed to your studies? Part 4: The Phrasal Five come up
come up with
crack down (on sth)
cut sb off / be cut off
cut it out!
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Which of these is not a professional ‘Super 14’ rugby team? The Blues
Part 6: Today's online listening This is a short interview on conservation of New Zealand’s rarest bird, the Kakapo. Vocabulary for the article: hatch
Questions for the article: 1) How many kakapo are there now? 2) When will the next ‘milestone’ be? 3) How long has it taken to double the population? 4) Why has this been a good breeding season? 5) What are the main plans for the future? 6) How many people are working on the island?
Today’s Musical Suggestion (from the USA) consent
March 09, 2009 05:52 PM PDT
Today’s photo: Franz Josef Glacier, 1906 (Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand - from Flickr Commons) Part 1: Today's word ‘Consent’ is a more formal word for agreement, especially when that agreement is part of a contract or law. Often this consent must be written, so in this case, the person needs to sign a consent form. In law, the age of consent is the age when someone can legally agree to have sex – this is 16 years old in New Zealand . With growing concern about privacy, companies generally have to ask your consent in order to keep your personal details in their records. You’ll need to ask him to sign a consent form before you can use him in your research. Both parties must consent to any change in the terms of the contract. Click here for more practice. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? Informed consent was obtained from all participants, who were also given an information sheet. The majority of the committee consented with me on the need for substantial reform of the administration. By completing this form, you give your consent to the use of your organs for medical research or for transplants under the strict conditions outlined overleaf. She agreed not to disclose the identity of her informants without their prior consent. Part 3: Practice Questions: Would you consent to have any part of your body used for medical research after your death? Did your parents have to fill out any consent form for you to travel or study away from home? Part 4: The Phrasal Five check sth out
cloud over
come off
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Which international music festival takes place next weekend in New Plymouth? Woodstock
Part 6: Today's online listening This is a short programme from Radio New Zealand on the topic of photo sharing via the internet. Vocabulary for the article: harness
Questions for the article: How many users and photos does Flickr have? What’s the advantage of ‘tagging’ photos on Flickr? What photos are there in the Commons section of Flickr? What advantage does the National Library derive from putting their photos on Flickr? What criteria did the National Library use in selecting photos to upload onto Flickr? Normally, can you use any photos which you find uploaded publicly on Flickr? What has Paul Hagen linked the photos of Flickr Commons to? How has Sue Tyler used Flickr Commons?
Today’s Musical Suggestion (from Brazil) Chega de Saudade (Farewell to Sorrow) performed by Joao Gilberto and his young daughter, Bebel incoherent
March 08, 2009 03:23 PM PDT
Today’s photo: Entertainment on campus during Orientation Week Part 1: Today's word ‘Coherent’ means that all the parts fit together well. The opposite is ‘incoherent’. Normally, when a person is drunk, they are incoherent – there’s no logical connection between the different things they say. It’s important to develop a coherent argument when you write an essay, so that the reader can clearly see that you are answering the question and all the paragraphs are connected to each other and to the main question you’re answering.
Her essay contained some interesting points, but lacked overall coherence. Click here
Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? Incoherent with rage, she stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her. Unfortunately, my boss was incoherent to my request, explaining carefully that company policy did not permit it. Government policy on migration, made up of dozens of contradictory measures by several different departments, is totally incoherent and urgently in need of a complete overhaul. His essay was rambling and incoherent, as if he was simply writing down the first things that came into his head. Part 3: Practice Questions: Do you feel that your course provides you with a coherent introduction to the subject? How can you make sure that you present a coherent argument in your essays? Apart from drunkenness, what else can make people incoherent. Part 4: The Phrasal Five care for
carry sth out
catch on
chat sb up
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Which of these is NOT a visual arts event at the Auckland Festival? Factory of Found Girls’ Clothing
For more details on visual arts events at the Auckland Festival, click here Part 6: Today's online listening and reading This is another presentation by, Charles Handy. This time he summarises the work of the management guru Tom Peters. You will need to have a suitable audio player on your computer to download and hear the recording – for instance, the free one from real.com. You can also read the whole presentation here Vocabulary for the article: charismatic
Questions for the article: What evidence is given that Tom Peters is a successful management guru? What was the main focus of his first best-seller ‘In Search of Excellence’? What does Tom Peters mean when he says that successful organisations ‘stick to the knitting’? Why did Tom Peters apologise for ‘In Search of Excellence’? What are the hard and soft S’s? What does Tom Peters mean by W.O.W? What is Tom Peters’ main recommendation for people, given that most of our jobs will be transformed or eliminated in the next twenty years? How does he feel companies need to organise themselves to succeed in this ‘crazy environment’? What advantages does Tom Peters believe women have in the modern organisation? What does Charles Handy see as the main strengths and weaknesses of Tom Peters’ work? __________________________________________________________
On Verra Ca – by Orchestre Baobab regulate
March 05, 2009 08:25 PM PST
Today’s photo: Car Clamped for parking in a disabled space Part 1: Today's word To regulate is to control something, usually to make sure it’s working correctly, safely or within normal limits. Governments use interest rates as one means to regulate the economy and many laws are intended to regulate people’s behaviour. The noun is ‘regulation’ and the adjective is ‘regulatory’. So a ‘regulatory body’ has powers to control the way one sector of business etc operates. Many countries have reduced or eliminated regulation of the economy in order to create a free market – this is called ‘deregulation’. In New Zealand, this process of economic deregulation – especially during the 1980’s - is often called ‘Rogernomics’ after Roger Douglas, the politician who deregulated parts of the New Zealand economy as Minister of Finance in the Labour Government and later went on to found ACT. Transporting food is one of the most tightly regulated industries. Click here for more practice. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? I was so upset by the news that I couldn’t regulate myself for a few minutes. The content of advertisements is closely regulated by the Advertising Standards Authority. The Government attempts to regulate the economy by controlling interest rates and its own spending. The temperature and humidity of the room is regulated by sensitive automatic systems. Part 3: Practice Questions: How is temperature regulated in ovens, cars, computers and buildings? Is business in your home country more or less tightly regulated than in this country? How do parents seek to regulate their children’s behaviour?
Part 4: The Phrasal Five break sth off
build up
call for sth
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question
Pythagoras
Part 6: Today's online listening This is an interview from Radio New Zealand with Dr Dennis McCaughan from Otago University. He discusses some basic issues concerning numbers. Vocabulary for the article: numerical
Questions for the article: Choose the most appropriate answer according to information in the online listening 1) Birds may be able to count ... while feeding
2) In addition to counting, mathematics is also concerned with ... logic, evidence and interpretation
3) It is thought that mathematics was originally developed together with .. religion
4) Mathematics is an essential tool for understanding and controlling ... the human body
5) Ancient Greek geometry... was not merely functional in nature
6) Our modern ways of writing numbers derive from .. Indian and Arabic sources
7) Writing down numerical data became important as a result of ... population growth
8) Which of these was used in the ancient world for measuring time? a sundial
Today’s musical suggestion: Rock around the Clock – Bill Haley and the Comets stipulate
March 04, 2009 04:17 PM PST
Today’s photo: Cheltenham Beach, Devonport Part 1: Today's word ‘Stipulate’ is a formal word meaning to say exactly so it’s used a lot in contracts and regulations, where things have to be said or written down really exactly. University regulations stipulate that all theses must be double-spaced and submitted in hard copy. Click here for more practice. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? The Merchant Shipping Act 1833 stipulated that full lists of all crews needed to be submitted within 48 hours of a ship arriving at port. The constitution of the company stipulated the form, number and composition of the board of directors. The courts stipulated regarding the matter as the whole area was under consideration by Parliament. The treaty stipulated that each man supplied to the English king should bring three horses with him. Part 3: Practice Questions: Do you know which conditions are stipulated in your visa or residence document? What conditions are stipulated in your contract with the university regarding the completion of your degree? Part 4: The Phrasal Five allow for sth
answer sb back
back down
back sb up
beat sb up
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Which of these is NOT a necessary element of a contract in New Zealand Law? intention
Part 6: Today's online listening This is an interview from Radio New Zealand with an expert in Family Law, Catriona MacLennan. She discusses the problem with laws designed to help people achieve a clear division of assets in the event of a break-down in a personal relationship. Vocabulary for the article: matrimonial
back to square one
Questions for the article: 1) Which of these is NOT a new feature of the 2002 Property Relationships Act? trusts
2) Under the 2002 Act, courts have been given powers to set aside trusts if .. there is a marital breakdown
3) What is the limitation of Section 182 of the Family Proceedings Act? It only covers trusts set up after the parties were married
4) The case cited by Professor Piart was significant because .. the spouse had been denied access to the trust
5) A sham trust is one where ... there are no real assets
6) The fundamental problem which needs to be addressed by Parliament is .. the high rate of breakdown of relationships
7) The area where the law is weak is in dealing with situations where ... mature couples enter into Relationship Property agreements
8) She believes that there should be .. mandatory divorce planning at the beginning of relationships
Today’s Musical Suggestion: Click Breaking up is hard to do by Neil Sedaka allocate
March 03, 2009 10:31 PM PST
Today’s photo: The Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building, New York (photo taken by my sister Mary, who’s visiting there this week) Part 1: Today's word When you allocate, you decide how to use a resource. Businesses need to allocate their budget carefully, so that each department receives the right proportion of the available funding. Of course, departments often complain that their allocation is too small. In your studies, you need to ensure that your time is allocated sensibly, so that you don’t waste a lot of time doing one thing and have no time left for everything else The company allocates 10% of profits to research and development. Last year’s allocation exceeded $10m. Click here for more practice. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? There are 20 parking spaces available which will be allocated to staff living more than 5 km from the office. Room CT3 has been allocated for private study and prayer. I decided to allocate my holiday to working full-time in order to pay off my debts. The government has decided to allocate 10% of the total transport budget to cycle and pedestrian projects. Part 3: Practice Questions: How much time do you think lecturers should allocate to questions at the end of each lecture? How much time do you allocate for revision before exams? Do you feel that the allocation of public funds for the following is about right, too generous or not enough? sports?
Part 4: The Idiomatic Test Match the sentence halves to form four questions including common idioms Did you use to get ...
....of touch with real people’s lives ?
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Which food is being celebrated tonight at Sky City, Auckland after a national competition featuring more than 4000 entries? lamb
For the full story click here Part 6: Today's online listening (You need to have a suitable media player in order to play this file – like Real Player, available free from real.com. If you can’t play the file, you can read the text here This is a discussion of the work of the management guru, Gary Hamel, presented by another management guru, Charles Handy. It's part of a series which I have featured in previous podcasts here and here Vocabulary for the article: dignify
Questions for the article: Which two aspects of Gary Hamel were illustrated in the way he took Nokia executives on a shopping trip?
Today's Musical Selection: Go your own way by Fleetwood Mac restrict
March 02, 2009 04:33 PM PST
Today's photo: Aotea Square, Queen Street, Auckland Part 1: Today's word ‘Restrict’ is to limit something so that only some people – not all – are allowed to use it or they can use it some – but not all – of the time. Some of the papers that students study at university have restrictions – usually more advanced papers are restricted to students who’ve already studied the introductory paper. Access to laboratories is restricted to students undertaking approved research projects. There is no formal restriction on the number of references, but it is unlikely that students will want to include more than 20 in a 3000 word essay. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? The company has decided to restrict access to TradeMe and other auction websites during working hours. The company were granted a restricted licence to manufacture the drugs for local use only. He decided to restrict the information to himself until he could confirm all of the facts. The government introduced quotas on imported cars in an attempt to restrict the flood of second-hand cars from Japan. Part 3: Practice Questions: Do you restrict your intake of coffee or sugar? Do you think restrictions should be placed on the sale of knives, glue, matches or any other potentially dangerous articles? Are there any restrictions on mobile phone or internet use in the university? If so, do you think they are fair? Click here for an interactive exercise on report writing. Part 4: The Idiomatic Test Match the first and second halves to make six questions Have you ever failed to make...
...feelings about the spread of English language?
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Auckland is hosting a major Arts Festival for three weeks, starting this Thursday 5th March. As part of the Festival, Aotea Square on Queen St, which is the centre of the Festival, has been renamed ... Times Square
For full details of these fantastic event, click here Part 6: Today's online listening This is an online interview from Radio New Zealand about the efforts to fight the serious fires in Victoria, Australia. Vocabulary for the article: devastating
Questions for the article: Complete the information by listening to the interview Predicted maximum wind speed:
Today's Musical Selection:
March 01, 2009 03:01 PM PST
Today’s photo: Playing on the Breakwater at Devonport Part 1: Today's word ‘Convey’ is to give or communicate a feeling, impression etc. When you listen to some music, it conveys different feelings to you. A company has to try to convey a strong and clear message to consumers about their brands ‘Convey’ can also mean to carry, but normally it’s used in the sense of ‘carrying’ information – in other words to communicate a message or feeling. The company logo conveys a strong message of quality and simplicity. Click here for more practice. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? We try to convey with our customers face to face, though we do also have regular contact by email, fax or phone. Our company logo is intended to convey a strong message of tradition and trust. He was polite but his body language conveyed a complete lack of interest in what I had to say. On behalf of the team, I would like to convey our sincere apologies for any inconvenience that you have suffered. Part 3: Practice Questions: What messages do you tend to convey through body language? Do you feel your lecturers convey a love for their subject during their lectures? Part 4: The Idiomatic Test Match the first and second halves to make five questions Were you glad to see .....
.... good books ?
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question The current New Zealand Government has been in power now for 100 days. What is the name of the Governing Party? National
Part 6: Today's online listening This is an interview from Radio New Zealand with an IT expert from the UK, Bill Thompson. He explains why he thinks the social networking service, Twitter, is so interesting. Vocabulary for the article: venture capital
Questions for the article: What’s the main purpose of ‘Twitter’? What’s the main limitation? How much does it cost to use? How many users are there? What advantage do American users have? The British comedian and writer, Stephen Fry, has the most followers on Twitter. How many people receive his messages? What marketing purpose can it serve? When did the service start to take off? How much money has Twitter made so far? What is the social risk of Twitter? What does it mean to ‘follow someone’s tweets’? What useful applications have been developed so far using Twitter? What does Bill Thompson think the main achievement of Twitter is likely to be? Grammar Focus Boosting and Hedging One of the key functions in communication is making claims – and in order to manage the impact of these claims, we have ways to ‘boost’ the claim (by making it seem more important) and ways to ‘hedge the claim’ (by softening its impact). There are different ways to do this in written and spoken English. Here are some examples in spoken English taken from the interview: Boosting The idea behind Twitter was that it wouldn’t just be delivered via the web ... One of the finest things about Twitter was that you could get messages from your friends on your mobile phone and stuff like that What Twitter really does is it exchanges short messages in real time between a connected community. If Twitter’s done anything, it’s taken us towards a world where ... Hedging it’s taken us towards a world of, if you like, the real-time web
___________________________________________________________ reinforce
February 26, 2009 03:38 PM PST
Today’s photo: Building during a slump – Our new library in Albany Part 1: Today's word When you reinforce materials, you make them stronger. You can also reinforce attitudes, messages, security etc by making them stronger. The word is often used in psychology and advertising because there’s a lot of interest in how messages and attitudes can be reinforced. Some people would say that the main purpose of advertising is to reinforce existing attitudes.
I feel our campaign needs some reinforcement of the basic message because it is getting lost somewhere in the complexity of the media. Click here for more practice. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? These news stories about shark attacks reinforce the negative attitudes people have about these impressive animals. I’m working hard to reinforce my back through regular exercise. He took the opportunity to reinforce the message that such behaviour was entirely unacceptable. Security was reinforced after the recent inspection found several areas of weakness in the systems. Part 3: Practice Questions: How can society reinforce good habits and attitudes among young people? How do you reinforce your understanding of the basic principles of your subject? Part 4: The Idiomatic Test (2) 8) I’m finding it hard to get ................with this new accounting software. I feel like throwing it in the bin. to blows with
9) I always ask my brother Kevin if I have any problem with my car. He knows engines ………….. like his pocket
10) Bob does have a good sense of humour, but, you know, he just doesn’t know where to ………. He always takes it that step too far. park his car
11) I have ......................about living in Australia. I’d love the climate and the environment there, but, you know, it’s so far away from my family! mixed feelings
12) I was really sick over the way my last boss fired me - by fax ! Yeah, but I got
my satisfaction
13) We left the house in plenty of time, but the traffic was a nightmare and in the end we just about managed to catch the plane by................ the hair of our necks
14) I guess he must have been pretty upset, but I thought his reaction was completely over ... order
15) Hold on. I think you’ve got the wrong ................. . When I said I was thinking of leaving, I didn’t mean leaving you! I was talking about my job! side of the coin
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Which of the following rose in New Zealand last month (January 2009)? the number of overseas visitors
See NZ Statistics for up-to-date facts and figures on all aspects of NZ society Part 6: Today's online listening This is an interview with a leading New Zealand economist (and former Professor) Neville Bennett, who explains the meaning and key features of economic recessions and slumps Vocabulary for the article: unanimity
Questions for the article: 1) What’s the technical definition of an economic recession?
Today's musical selection: from the UK (singer) & the USA (the song) Nobody knows you when you're down and out - performed by Eric Clapton __________________________________________________________ adopt
February 25, 2009 08:01 PM PST
Today’s photo: House in Mission Bay, Auckland (February 26, 2009) Part 1: Today's word When you adopt a position etc, you start using it. The word is important in marketing. Early adopters are those people who like to try new products and services, so they’re very important for new technology etc. In an argument, you often need to adopt a certain position or stance in order to make your points clear. The 18 – 25 sector is crucial for technology companies as they’re the first to adopt new products. Click here for more practice. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? We decided to adopt Borg’s (2001) framework as the basis for our data collection. I feel it’s necessary to adopt a cautious stance given the uncertainty of the new technology. The team needs to adopt several new members with the IT skills we currently lack. If organisations wish to adopt the marketing concept, they need to ensure that all functions are based on the aim of profitably fulfilling customer aspirations. Part 3: Practice Questions: Are there any issues where you feel the government needs to adopt a completely different approach? What general strategy do you adopt towards your assignments? Part 4: The Idiomatic Test 1 Choose the correct word to complete the idioms in the following sentences 1) ‘How did you feel about your old boss leaving ?
the heels
2) ‘In one way it’s good being on a road with so many buses, but you know, sometimes when I’m in my apartment, the noise drives me ……... over the roof
3) I hadn’t heard anything from my family for months and then, ……… I get a whole box of presents! out of the blue
4) I’m tired of getting up at the ........ of dawn to drive to the city. I’m going to look for a job closer to my house. crack
5) I enjoyed the experience of being my own boss, but at the end of the......... , I just wasn’t making enough money to make it worthwhile. accounts
6) ‘Do you know who invented the computer ?’
the dimmest
nose in
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Which of these is NOT a major internet service provider (ISP) in New Zealand? Orcon
Part 6: Today's online video This is a great short animated film about the History of the Internet Vocabulary for the article: batch / incompatibility / node Questions for the article: match these developments in computing with the correct event or agency traditional mainframes - DARPA founded - ARPANET - NPL - Cuban Missile Crisis - End-to-End File Transfers - International Organisation for Standardisation - TCP-IP Protocol - ----------------------------------------------------------
Today’s Musical Selection: from Germany Computer Love (remix) by Kraftwerk
February 24, 2009 01:54 PM PST
Today’s photo: Scene from the top of Mount Victoria, Devonport, North Shore City, Auckland Part 1: Today's word 'Nonetheless' and 'Nevertheless' are other ways of saying 'but' or 'however'. They are often used at the beginning of a sentence which introduces an idea which contrasts with the previous sentence(s). This is very common in essay writing, so it's a good idea to use a wide range of different contrasting words. 'Nonetheless' and 'nevertheless' are especially used when you've said something negative and want to move onto something positive. They can also be used in the more general sense of 'anyway', especially at the end of a sentence. There were some problems with the initial design. Nonetheless, the company was sufficiently impressed to invest in a full production model. It may be an old-fashioned point of view, but a true one, nevertheless. Click here for more practice. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? It is believed that small and regular quantities of alcohol can have some health benefits for certain people. Nonetheless, this doesn’t alter the fact that it’s a dangerous and addictive substance for most users. Reaction to the new flavours has been disappointing. Nonetheless, we’ve decided to go ahead with the launch in the hope that positive marketing will win people over. With a full-contact sport like rugby, you can never eliminate the risk of injury. Nonetheless, I believe a good deal more can be done to reduce the risk of serious harm. Peter Jackson has shown great creativity and problem-solving abilities in his career so far. Nonetheless, he’s also demonstrated superb people management skills. Part 3: Practice Questions: It's possible to study most subjects online nowadays. Nonetheless, face-to-face teaching still seems to be the number one choice. Why do you think that is? Wikipedia is an online resource which can be altered by any registered users. Why do you think so many students use it as a source of information nonetheless? Part 4: The Idiomatic Three out of this world
the best of both worlds
get (hold of)the wrong end of the stick
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question New Zealander, Danny Lee, has just won his first professional tournament, in which sport? Part 6: Today's online video This is a promotional video for North Shore City Vocabulary for the video: people from all walks of life: people from a wide variety of backgrounds
Questions for the video: Match the information here to the figures given below
Number of major sports and cultural centres mentioned Cost (in millions of dollars) of the Westfield Albany shopping centre? Length of coastline and beaches (in km) in North Shore City Number of floors in the Sentinel building in Takapuna Number of university campuses Number of businesses (in thousands) based in North Shore City Number of express bus stations ___________________________________________________________ 30 210 3 141 26 5 2 It’s difficult to find the right tone in promotional videos and presentations. They are often criticised for being ‘cheesy’ – in other words, insincere, exaggerated and unconvincing. Do you think this one is cheesy? If you’d like to see more, here
Today’s Musical Selection: This is a classic Brazilian love song (performed in Portuguese) by one of Brazil’s most famous singer-songwriters subordinate
February 23, 2009 09:11 PM PST
Today’s photo: Treehouse in Devonport, Auckland Part 1: Today's word ‘Subordinate’ means less important, especially when you’re talking about positions, status, roles etc. The opposite is ‘dominant’ which means ‘having more authority or power’. These words are used in sociology to describe different groups in societies and also in business to describe the power structure of companies, partnerships etc. I can’t really claim much credit for the success of the project. I only played a subordinate role. Click here
Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? He always treated his own private interests as subordinate to the good of the company as a whole. You’ll be glad to know that you’ve been promoted to a subordinate position in the company. Welcome to senior management! Women were seen as having a subordinate role in public life, which made it extremely difficult for them to achieve their full potential. The study showed that those groups viewed as subordinate by the majority population received significantly fewer state benefits. Part 3: Practice Questions: Do you feel women continue to play a subordinate role in public life? Do you feel that most students on your course view academic success as subordinate to an active social and family life? Part 4: The Idiomatic Five over the top
be in touch
be out of touch
to drive someone up the wall
be / feel under the weather
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Plunket, one of New Zealand’s best-known organisations, today received a $3.75 m grant for its phone services. Who does Plunket help? the young
Part 6: Today's online listening This is an interview with Dr Kim Yates, a local medical researcher and practitioner here in Auckland. She reports on an interesting research project into the possible use of acupuncture to provide pain relief for patients arriving at hospital for emergency treatment. Vocabulary for the article: conflicting evidence: evidence on both sides of a question
1) Foreign research into the use of acupuncture for pain relief ... provides no clear evidence
2) The Auckland trial will use acupuncture ... together with drug treatment
3) Reasons for doing the acupuncture trial in Auckland now include requests from patients
4) Randomised controlled trials have been chosen as the research method for reasons of .. reliability
5) Placebo acupuncture involves ... use of needles in random parts of the body
6) The pain analogue scale used to collect data on pain relief is based on measurement of .. personal perceptions
7) If people who believe it’s going to work experience a reduction in pain, this could be an example of .. double-blind sampling
8) The training programme for acupuncturists working on this study involves .. a small team for a few hours
9) What proportion of people they asked agreed to participate in this study into acupuncture? one in five
it failed to distinguish between different medical conditions
.............................................................................................. refine
February 22, 2009 02:11 PM PST
Today’s photo: Tall Ship passing Rangitoto Island, seen from North Head, Devonport, February 2009 Part 1: Today's word When you refine things, you make them more pure or exact. So, oil has to be refined before it can be used, for instance. When ideas, arguments, techniques etc are refined, it means they’re made more exact. And a refinement is an improvement which makes something more exact or more appropriate. You have some interesting ideas, but you could refine your arguments so that you focus on your key points. Click here for more practice. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? I completely refined my opinion of him when I found out about the huge amount of charity work he’s been doing. The team was able to demonstrate that their device could detect the presence of shark but the technology will need to be refined before it can be used in safety equipment for divers. I found the first few weeks as a telesales operator rather discouraging, but once I’d refined my technique, I began to have more success and, believe it or not, actually enjoy the challenge. It’s important for the company to refine their brand identity because our research shows a worrying level of confusion among target consumers. Part 3: Practice Questions: Apart from oil, what other natural resources need to be refined before they’re used? What products have been refined and improved substantially over the last five years? Part 4: The Idiomatic Five to know your stuff
I can take it or leave it
to come to terms with
it’s on the tip of my tongue
to bite your tongue
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question How long is the famous Ninety-Mile Beach at the top of the North Island of New Zealand? Part 6: Today's online reading This is an article from the New Zealand Herald newspaper about a tour along ninety-mile beach, which is at the top of the North Island of New Zealand Vocabulary for the article: jollity: fun
Questions for the article: Why did the bus driver play the music from the cowboy TV series “Bonanza”? Why were the passengers afraid when they drove through the stream onto the beach? Where did the group of tourists come from? What funny nickname did the driver give Australia? Why was it given the name “Ninety-mile Beach”? How many coaches were lost on Ninety-mile Beach last year? What is the biggest annual event there? What other place do they visit on the tour?
Grammar Focus: The “The” (the definite article) is by far the most common word in English – and therefore, also the most common mistake! It occurs on average every 13th word – 7% of everything you read, write, say and hear in English is just the word ‘the’. Here are the main uses of the word together with some examples from today’s reading: Referring back to something mentioned before: Some passengers are aware that the beach is actually 64 miles long ...
When a word is made more specific – either by other words before or after:
... when using very specific adjectives, like ‘next’ ‘last’ or superlative adjectives – also if using another noun, you need ‘the’ The last place on earth I expect to experience this imaginary ride
notice that we don’t use ‘the’ with ‘last’ and ‘next’ when we mean the one before now (last week, last month, last year ..) and the future (next week, next month, next year). Here’s an example from the article: Last Christmas we had numerous cars stuck in the creek After a word ... (the technical name for this is ‘postmodification’) The most common form of this is a prepositional phrase. There are many examples in the article. Here are a few: ... the footbrake of the bus
Another common way to make words more specific is by a relative clause – using ‘that’, ‘which’, ‘who’ etc or by missing out these ‘relative pronouns’ and using a participle. I reflect on the hardship, sacrifice, drama and humour that can be found in the inter-tidal zone of Ninety Mile Beach. ............................................................................................................. prioritise
February 19, 2009 09:38 PM PST
Today’s photo: Devonport Village (venue for a Food and Wine Festival this weekend) Part 1: Today's word A priority is something that’s very important and needs to be done soon. Being able to identify priorities is a key to effective study and management. When you focus on the most important things, you are prioritising. You have to sort out your priorities and stop wasting time on trivial concerns. The emergency services need to prioritise calls so that the most urgent emergencies receive immediate attention. Click here for more practice. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? The company mission statement should serve as a means to prioritise equally between all the day-to-day operations. The failure to prioritise the most urgent educational needs of pupils results in poor long-term development and falling levels of motivation. Organisations, and individuals within them, must address the dilemma of which goals to prioritise among the many competing demands on their time and efforts. Given staff shortages, the hospital has been forced to cancel minor surgery in order to prioritise the most urgent cases. Part 3: Practice Questions: What are your priorities for the next semester?
Part 4: The Idiomatic Five in the long / short run/term
to get the sack
have second thoughts
by the skin of your teeth
(couldn’t) keep a straight face
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz 1) The Maori are the indigenous people of New Zealand. The Maori language is called ‘Te Reo Maori’ – often people just say ‘Te Reo’. The Te Reo word for New Zealand is "Aotearoa". This means "Land of the ..... hot pool
2) How long ago (approximately) did the first human being set foot in New Zealand? 60, 000 years
3) Apart from human beings and sea creatures, which were the first mammals to live in New Zealand? kiwis
4) Which of the following is true about New Zealand, but NOT about Australia? People drive on the left (of the road)
5) It's difficult to see the Kiwi bird, New Zealand's national symbol, because ... it's extinct
6) Which of these sports is NOT very popular in New Zealand sailing
7) The indigenous people of Australia spoke nearly 300 different languages at the time of the British colonisation. How many languages were spoken by the indigenous people of New Zealand? one
8) The Treaty of Waitangi, signed in 1840, is an important agreement between the British Government and the Maori tribes. It is considered the founding document of New Zealand. What did the British government promise the Maori in this treaty? the right to carry guns
9) American navy ships may not enter New Zealand waters because .. none of the ports in New Zealand are large enough to accept their ships
10) One third of the New Zealand population ... live in Auckland
11) The ‘waka’ is an important part of Maori culture – it’s often a feature of formal introductions, for instance. What is your ‘waka’? family
12) Which of these is NOT the nickname of one of New Zealand’s national sports teams? The All Whites
13) New Zealand was the first country in the world to … allow women to vote in general elections
14) Which of these films was NOT shot in New Zealand? Lord of the Rings
15) Which of these sentences about New Zealand is NOT true? The capital city is Wellington
February 18, 2009 04:20 PM PST
Today’s photo: Cannon at North Head, Devonport, Auckland Part 1: Today's word ‘Crucial’ means extremely important, so it’s a useful word when you need to say something stronger than ‘important’. If something is crucial, you can’t do without it! When you analyse something, you can try to identify the crucial elements – in other words, the most important parts. The noun is ‘crux’ – but it’s only really used in the expression, ‘the crux of the problem / issue / matter’ meaning the most difficult part of a problem. The quality of recruitment is crucial to the company’s success. I don’t think you’re focusing on the crux of the matter – how we’re going to pay for all of this. Click here for more practice. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? It’s absolutely crucial that someone is in the office at all times to answer the phone. The full involvement of the parents is crucial to the effectiveness of schools. We decided to cut out some crucial features in the design in order to reduce costs and achieve our production targets. This is a crucial point in the history of the company. If we take the wrong decision now, this could be the end of a long and proud tradition.
What are the crucial elements of a successful essay or report? Why would you argue that English is crucial for business people in the modern world? Part 4: The Idiomatic Five take your pick
the pros and cons
jump the queue
it serves you right
to bend / stretch the rules
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Which age group of New Zealand women had the highest fertility rate (number of babies born to each woman) last year? 16 – 20
Click here for more up-to-date statistics about New Zealand society and economy Part 6: Today's online listening: This is a report from Radio New Zealand about an important new national research project Vocabulary for the article: overlook: not notice or pay attention to
Questions for the article: What is the main focus of the study? Children’s growth How many participants are there in the research? Is it longitudinal research? In what way is the sampling different from previous studies? What has been the most important outcome of the earlier Dunedin study? How often will the researchers conduct interviews and how long will they be? ____________________________________________________ Grammar Focus Passive is often used in academic English because we are often interested in processes and developments, not in the person who is doing the action. Passive is formed by: subject + be (is/are/was/were/will be/has been/have been ...) + past participle Here are some examples from the report: Everything, including their health, cultural, educational, behavioural and social issues, will be documented Sue Lim, of Asian Health Support Services, says it is desperately needed .. Often academic writing is packed with information. This means that subjects are often postmodified – extra information is added after them. One common way to do this is with a relative clause (that / which ..). But when the verb in this clause is passive, we normally miss out that/which and the verb to be. Here is an example from the report. The evidence, gained across all sorts of families and all groups of children in New Zealand, will help us really to inform those who are making policy This sentence from the report includes both types of grammar – a full passive as the main verb and a reduced passive to give more information about the subject: The babies involved in this study will be scrutinised every year ...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- determine
February 15, 2009 03:06 PM PST
Today’s photo: Student Learning Centre Staff (Star Wars Version) Part 1: Today's word 'Determine' can be used as a more formal way of saying 'decide' - especially when it's a very important decision.
Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? I just can't determine what to do this weekend. Do you have any suggestions? A meeting will be need to be held to determine the future role and function of the committee. The precise details of the new policy remain to be determined. New democratic institutions needed to be developed in order to allow citizens to determine their own future. Click here to complete an interactive essay writing task based on an evaluation of an entrepreneur in aviation.. Part 3: Practice Questions: Who determines what kinds of penalties are available for drunk drivers? How are students' grades on their assignments determined? Click here for more practice. Part 4: The Idiomatic Five on the off-chance
have / keep an open mind
get your own back
get your own way
stand on your own two feet
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Massey University is named after ... a) a scientist
Click here to read more about the history of the university Part 6: Today's online listening This is an interview with a well-known British author, Peter Ackroyd. He’s talking about his new book about Mary Shelly, who wrote the book ‘Frankenstein’ when she was only 18 years old. Mary Shelly also had a very famous family – she was the daughter of Mary Woolstencraft – an early feminist - and was the wife of the famous English poet and radical, Percy Bysshe Shelly Vocabulary for the article: prolific
Questions for the article: How many books has Peter Ackroyd published?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- superiority
February 15, 2009 03:06 PM PST
Today’s photo: Student Learning Centre Staff at the Welcome Ceremony for Massey University Albany, 2009 Part 1: Today's word Superior is a more formal – and stronger – way of saying ‘better’. It’s especially used to describe performance, so is quite common in advertising or to talk about sports, wars etc. Though more expensive, the new model offers superior all-round performance. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? Once again the Ferrari team demonstrated the superiority of their engine in tighter circuits. Britain’s commercial success during the nineteenth century was built on a basis of naval superiority over its trading rivals. The firm was unable to turn their technological superiority into a sales advantage. Despite her all-round superiority, she managed to outperform her opponents in each discipline. Part 3: Practice Questions: How do sports people attain superior performance levels? Do you believe the iPod is actually superior to other digital music players? Click here for more practice. Part 4: The Idiomatic Five have mixed feelings about ...
be over the moon
make the most of it
get a move on
in a nutshell
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Which airline began offering budget seats on New Zealand domestic routes today? Pacific Blue
February 15, 2009 03:05 PM PST
Today's picture: 'Fountain' by Marcel Duchamp (considered the first piece of postmodern art) Today's word: When you’re neutral in an argument, you stay in the middle, not giving an opinion and not saying or doing anything to support either side. And in general, when something is neutral, it has no special features, colours etc, so no one pays any attention to it.
Switzerland has always tried hard to defend its neutrality in international relations. Test Auditors are required to present financial information in an objective and neutral way, which is nonetheless accessible to all stakeholders. The design team opted for bright, neutral colours, such as red and blue, in order to create a strong, vibrant atmosphere in the arena. Ireland remained neutral during the Second World War, despite pressure from the UK to join the Allies. Those respondents who had expressed no preference in the interview were given the neutral mid-point score of three. Questions for practice Apart from a chairperson, what other people always need to remain neutral as part of their jobs? Which countries tend to put a high value on neutrality in international relations? Click here for more practice. Kiwi Quiz Question Last week, Auckland had its hottest day in 137 years. What was the temperature? 29.9
Vocabulary: a conundrum: a difficult question or problem
Questions for understanding: What are the two different meanings of Modern Art?
January 18, 2009 05:45 PM PST
Today’s picture: A local couple from the North Shore, Auckland, wearing traditional dress from their country at the ESOL Home Tutors' End of Year Party Part 1: Today's word 'Objective' means 'fair and well-balanced'. So, if you wanted to give an objective assessment of a company's performance, you shouldn't be involved in the company in any way. If it was your brother’s company, it would be very difficult for you to give an objective assessment! Research should be objective, so that the results are not influenced by personal interests and could be repeated by other researchers. It’s also important for companies to use objective criteria to evaluate staff, so that everyone accepts that the evaluation is fair and relevant and not based on personal preferences. The hardest thing of all is to be objective about yourself, of course! The opposite is ‘subjective’.
Click <here for interactive exercises and here to hear another podcast about today’s word. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? You’ll probably find it hard to be objective about your own performance, so try to get someone to give you a second opinion. He may have his own objective opinion about the investment, but he needs to back it up with hard facts. The candidates were evaluated according to a set of objective criteria which were decided in advance of the interview procedure and carefully matched to the job description. An auditor is expected to give a factual and objective evaluation of a company, so it’s probably best if you keep personal contacts to a minimum. Part 3: Practice Questions: Did you use any objective criteria to help you choose your course or university? Do you feel your lecturers assess your work objectively? Part 4: The Idiomatic Five make a meal out of sth
bear / keep sth in mind
(the thought) crossed your mind
make up your mind
put / set your mind at rest
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Auckland is the city with the highest rate in the world of what disease? melanoma
Part 6: Today's online reading: This is an article about a set of online resources developed by the University of Auckland to help students to achieve better mental health, relationships and to explore meaning in their lives. Vocabulary for the article: antidote / resilience / myth / cliché / meditation / procrastination Questions for the article: 1) Who was the website originally designed for?
You can read and listen to the original site here implementation
January 11, 2009 02:45 PM PST
Today’s photo: Taupo Challenge bike 180km bike race (courtesy of my colleague Vanessa) Part 1: Today's word ‘To implement’ is to carry out a policy - in other words, to put something into practice. So, it’s used especially with ‘rules’, ‘policies’, ‘strategies’ which are first agreed in theory and then need to be implemented so that people actually use or follow them. Only a few of the recommendations were ever implemented. Click here
Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? Although the government has implemented some reforms, it’s a long way from satisfying investors that it’s a safe place to put their money. The new safety procedures were agreed a year ago but have not yet been implemented, due to a lack of funding and political will. We implemented detailed research into the spending, saving and investing habits of the children of Chinese migrants in Auckland. I felt it was a mistake to try to implement a complete smoking ban without first consulting all the users of the club. Part 3: Practice Questions: Are any changes being implemented in your course or department at the moment? Why do you think it has been so difficult for the United Nations to implement some of their resolutions? Part 4: The Idiomatic Five draw the line
loud and clear
keep a low profile
make it
make it up to someone
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Orcas are quite commonly seen around the New Zealand coast. By what other name are orcas known? killer whales
Click here to see pictures and a story about Orcas and Surfers from the New Zealand Herald Part 6: Today's online listening: This is an interview with Suki Tong from Singapore Polytechnic about an innovative course they have pioneered on human sexuality and relationships Vocabulary for the article: a cue / sulk / encompass / bonded / an illusion / plunge into something / segregated / pioneer / buy into Questions for the article: 1) What qualifications and life-skills are important for lecturers on the course? 2) What topics are covered in the course? 3) What difference is there in the memory of men and women? 4) What communicational advice does Suki give to women? 5) According to Suki, what reaction might a man and a woman have if they have sex too soon? 6) What evidence do they have regarding the success of these courses?
Here are three sentences from the interview which include key academic vocabulary featured in previous podcasts. Click on the word to go to the podcast Sex doesn’t only cover the physical aspect; it also encompasses the emotional aspect It’s almost, virtually impossible to fail the course. As long as they do their assignments, meet their requirements, they pass negate
January 08, 2009 05:15 PM PST
Today’s photo: Cool photo from Sweden (courtesy of my colleague Lilia Sevillano) Part 1: Today's word When something is negated, it’s cancelled out – in other words, its value is reduced to nothing. So a person’s good qualities can be negated by their faults. Or the value of something can be negated by other factors which make it seem less important. The positive benefits of the drug were negated by its unfortunate addictive qualities. Click here for more practice. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? In my professional view, alternative therapies like acupuncture and aromatherapy, do not negate the need for treatment by a qualified medical practitioner. Some students seem to feel that the value of face-to-face lectures is somehow negated by the fact that much of the content is available online. Just because you were trying to protect a friend does not negate the fact that you lied to me and actually broke the law. Unfortunately, bad weather has meant that the meeting scheduled for this evening has had to be negated. Part 3: Practice Questions: Do you agree that the potential benefits of setting up your own business are negated by the costs and risks involved?
Part 4: The Idiomatic Five You must be joking !
go to great lengths / go to any lengths
learn your lesson / teach someone a lesson
Get a life !
bring sth to light / come to light
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Yesterday, Thursday 8th January, was the hottest day of the year so far, with a temperature of 42 c recorded in which of these locations? Auckland
Part 6: Today's online video: This is an article and video from Auckland Museum showing the dissection of a Great White Shark Vocabulary for the article: dissect / autopsy / vulnerable / parasite / iconic / dispel a myth / apex / predator / Questions for the article: 1) How many people altogether saw the dissection being carried out live?
For more details on this story, read this article from the New Zealand Herald: sufficient
January 07, 2009 04:18 PM PST
Today’s photo: Rangitoto Island, Auckland Part 1: Today's word ‘Sufficient’ is simply a more formal word for ‘enough’. It’s often used to report on numbers or funding. The opposite is ‘insufficient’, meaning ‘not enough’. ‘Self-sufficent’ means that resources or production are equal or greater than consumption, so, if a country is self-sufficient, it doesn’t need to rely on imports.
The huge fields recently discovered should allow Brazil to become self-sufficient in oil by the year 2020, despite substantial increases in consumption. Click here for more practice. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? I only had sufficient funds for the trip which meant I had to postpone my plans. The numbers were not sufficient to make it cost-effective to run the programme again this year. Many people have asked if the government is paying sufficient attention to the needs of international students in our universities. If there is sufficient interest, the university will once again be offering an extra paper in business law during the summer school.
Part 3: Practice Questions: Do you feel sufficient attention is paid to the needs and interests of international students in your university? Do you think you are (or were) sufficiently prepared for university study?
Part 4: The Idiomatic Five laugh your head off
break sb’s heart
be at home
break the ice
know sth inside out
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Which place is New Zealand representative in the new Seven Wonders of the World competition? Milford Sound
Click here for more information about his competition. Part 6: Today's online research article: This is an article from the New Zealand Herald newspaper reporting American research into the online behaviour of teenagers. It provides important evidence that teenagers are willing to make positive changes in online security if they are given appropriate advice. Vocabulary for the article: boozing / misconception / an icebreaker / Questions for the article: 1) How were the participants selected in this research project?
January 06, 2009 04:39 PM PST
Today’s photo: Rangitoto Island viewed from Devonport (thanks to Vanessa Van der Ham for the photo) Part 1: Today's word When you confirm something, you show or say that it’s true or correct. Much academic research is about testing hypotheses – which are claims that something is true. A research project has to be carefully devised to test a hypothesis and if the results are positive, we can say the hypothesis has been confirmed. Very often, if the research is important, other researchers will replicate the study and if they obtain similar results this is further confirmation of the hypothesis. This process is known as ‘empirical’ research – empirical means that it’s based on testing hypotheses by collecting evidence. It’s important to use the word ‘confirmation’ instead of ‘proof’ for empirical research; ‘proof’ should only be used to talk about logical deduction – for example in mathematics or philosophy. In everyday life and in the business world, confirmation can also be used to mean that you make something more sure than it was before – for instance, you make a provisional booking when you’re not sure about the dates or numbers and then you confirm your booking when you know all the details and are ready to pay. The results of her research were confirmed by later studies. More than 100 people are reported to have been killed in the fighting but there has been no independent confirmation of this figure. Click here
Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? The financial markets suffered another blow today with the confirmation that another leading investment firm is facing liquidation. Full details together with an invoice will be sent out on confirmation of the booking. The new constitution was approved by Parliament, subject to confirmation by the people in a referendum to be held in the New Year. Confirmation of the research findings was proved in an independent study. Part 3: Practice Questions: Einstein’s theory of relativity was confirmed by observations of the sun during a solar eclipse. Do you know any other cases of famous theories and how they were confirmed? How would you confirm your suspicions that your flatmates were using your milk from the fridge? Part 4: The Idiomatic Five come/get to grips with
suit sb down to the ground
give sb a hand
get the hang of sth
give sb a hard time
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question This year is expected to be a very successful breeding programme for one of New Zealand’s critically-endangered species, the Kakapo, raising overall numbers to nearly 100. The kakapo is the world’s largest .... parrot
Part 6: Today's online reading: This is an article based on research done by Massey University lecturer Marco Van Gelderen into dating agencies Vocabulary for the article: blindfold / bonding/ unattached / ambivalence/ stigma / brainstorm/proximity/circumvent/applaud/ loaded / preconception/ frivolous Questions for the article:
Extra practice: Click here for a song (kind of) on this theme – with the lyrics on screen and this and this are two other well-known classic songs by the same group excess
January 04, 2009 07:31 PM PST
Today’s photo: New Year’s Fireworks from the Sky Tower, Auckland Part 1: Today's word ‘To exceed’ means to be more than. The adjective is ‘excessive’, which means too much. If your speed is excessive, you could be stopped by the police, for instance. The noun is 'excess' and the expression 'in excess of' is a more formal way of saying 'more than'. When your insurance policy includes an 'excess' of $ 1 000, this means that you have to pay the first $ 1 000 of any claim before the insurance company makes a payout - so it's a very important thing to check! Sales exceeded our wildest expectations. He claimed to have acted in self-defence, but it was clear that excessive force had been used. The bank holds deposits in excess of $ 2 bn. Click here for more practice. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? Our aim is certainly to achieve excessive levels of output while minimizing production costs through smart technology. While a full investigation of the accident remains to be completed, it appears clear that excessive speed was a major factor. Researchers concluded that excessive drinking seems to have become an integral part of youth culture in the country. Excessive profits may prove rewarding in the short term but in the longer term may undermine the sustainability of the enterprise. Part 3: Practice Questions: What is excessive about the behaviour of alcoholics, shopaholics and telly addicts? Have you done anything to excess over the holiday? What's the excess on your car, travel or health insurance policies?
Part 4: The Idiomatic Five put your foot down
make fun of / poke fun at
give the game away
(A bit of) give and take
take sb for granted
Part 5: Kiwi New Year’s Quiz Here’s a text about New Year’s Eve in Auckland. But there are 18 mistakes (I say 17 on the recording, but I found one more!). Some of the mistakes are vocabulary – for example, near the end, it should be ‘keep this up’ – and some of the mistakes are cultural / factual – for instance, in line 16, it should be ‘Sky Tower’. Listen and/or read and see if you can spot the other 15 mistakes. What a year it’s been! 2008 – I have to say, I’m glad to see the backside of it! So, I was especially keen to celebrate my Kiwi New Year here in Auckland. My friends had invited me to a barbecue at their place and asked if each guest could bring a tray, as is traditional for these things. So, I took along a Russian salad that I’d prepared at home in the afternoon. It was a cool evening – actually a little drizzly, but we were still able to sit outside on my friends’ stage, overlooking their garden, because they had big umbrellas to cover the tables. How nice it was to sit and chat with a group of friends, sharing our memories of the year that had passed and our hopes (and fears) for the year to go. A few of my friends were going to stay at their shack on the coast for a few days and invited me to join them - people can be so kind! Soon it was nearly midnight, so we switched on the radio to hear the midnight chimes of Big Ben. Our hosts had thoughtfully chilled the lemonade bottles and prepared our glasses so that we could toast the New Year. It’s always a wonderful moment as we shake hands with each other and wish everyone happy Christmas. What was really nice this year was that we had a great view of Auckland’s Sea Tower with its breathtaking fire display. Last, but not least, we all sang a couple of verses of that traditional Swiss New Year’s song, ‘Auld Lang Syne’. Even after all these years, it still brings tears to my ears! And so, it’s 2009! “Another year over – a new one just begun,” as the old Elvis Presley song goes. Let’s hope it’s a good one! I couldn’t agree more. I just have to make sure I keep at least some of the New Year’s disillusions that I’ve made! I’ve already taken up smoking and given up jogging, so that’s a good start – but it is only January 1st! If only I can make this up for the next 364 days, I’ll really have something to celebrate this time next year! Part 6: Today's online listening: This is an interview from Radio New Zealand with a dermatologist (someone who specialises in the health of the skin) from Newcastle University in the UK called Professor Birch-Machin, who received a lot of publicity in 2008 for his research into an interesting way of reducing sunburn. Vocabulary for the article: ranking / fragile / a placebo / Questions for the article: Choose the most appropriate answer to these questions based on the first 10 minutes of the interview. The researcher found that skin cancer can be reduced by ... recharging your batteries
This new approach can serve as a/an ............... existing methods, such as sunscreen replacement for
This new approach reduces the harmful effects of ............ lycopene
Which of these processes increases the bio-availability of the key element in this approach? cooking
What was the main research method used by the researchers? survey
What was the improvement in protection against sunburn provided by the treatment? 3.3 %
The participants in the study were female because ... the sponsor had requested this
To explain the function of mitochondria, Professor Birch-Machin uses the analogy of ... cell phones
Extra online practice: Click here for a short programme from the BBC with vocabulary and questions principal
December 11, 2008 08:27 PM PST
Today’s photo: Bulgarian dancers at the ESOL Home Tutors end-of-year party Part 1: Today's word Principal is a more formal word for ‘main’ or ‘most important’ My principal motivation in applying for the post was the prospects for training and promotion. Click here for more practice. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? The principal part of New Zealand is located over or near a major fault-line, which means that signs of past or present volcanic activity are easily found. As the principal shareholder in several large companies, the Government had a large degree of direct control over the economy. New Zealand is already one of the principal providers of fruit and dairy products to the United Kingdom and aims to strengthen its profile in related sectors, such as wine. The principal role of the Student Learning Centre is to help people to be the best students they can be by providing appropriate guidance and support when they need it. Part 3: Practice Questions: What was your principal motivation in choosing to study your subject at your university? What are the principal reasons why people migrate? Part 4: The Idiomatic Five not have the faintest/ foggiest (idea)
so far so good
put your feet up
at first sight / glance
get/set/start off on the wrong foot
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Sales of .............. fell by nearly 20% in New Zealand during the last 12 months? petrol
See the whole report from Statistics NZ here Part 6: Today's online listening: This is an interview with Jean Fleming from the University of Otago Medical school. She explains the key role of the hormone testosterone in the human body. Vocabulary for the article: to kick in / a precursor / a hair follicle / puberty / dormant / Questions for the article: Sleep apnoea is .... caused by snoring
Testosterone is ... only produced by males
Which of these is necessary in order for testosterone to work? chest hair
When is testosterone first produced by males? before birth
Which of these is NOT a trigger for the onset of puberty? increased activity in the pituitary gland
The level of testosterone is also associated with ... height
December 09, 2008 08:11 PM PST
Today’s photo: Scene from Cycle Challenge 2008 in Taupo (thanks to my colleague, Vanessa Van der Ham, one of the participants, for the photo) Part 1: Today's word When you attain something, you reach a certain level or receive some kind of reward, reputation etc. Your success in doing this is an attainment and the goal or level you are trying to reach is your attainment target.
65% of students reached the attainment targets for mathematics – a 5 % rise over last year, but still short of our goal. Click here for more practice. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? Many years ago, the company attained a reputation for slow delivery, which has proven to be very difficult to alter. The accountant reminded the board that such a level of income could not be attained without a risk to long-term capital growth. I hardly ever use the top shelf in the office because it’s simply too difficult to attain anything I need from there without standing on a chair. She checked her work very carefully, hoping to attain the highest grade for this important project. Part 3: Practice Questions: Have you already attained any important goals this year?
Part 4: The Idiomatic Five bite off more than you can chew
it’s not the end of the world
make (both) ends meet
keep an eye on sb/sth
Can you keep an eye on my bag while I’m at the bar?
couldn’t believe your eyes
the facts of life
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question What proportion of working New Zealanders are satisfied with their work-life balance? one in ten
Click here for more details from the national survey on working lives. Part 6: Today's online listening: This is a short radio report about the health problems of Indian men in New Zealand Vocabulary for the article: attributed / pakeha /stats / lumped in with / tailor-made / a burden/ off-the-peg / off-the-shelf Questions for the article: Indian men are at especially high risk of ... heart attacks
Which of these is NOT one of the causes of this health problem? diet
Why was this health problem not identified before? Indian ethnicity was not specified in health statistics
Which of these is NOT suggested as a response to the problem? An awareness programme targeted at Indian men
December 04, 2008 07:38 PM PST
Today’s photo: Young Korean Dancers entertaining us at the ESOL Home Tutors Party yesterday Part 1: Today's word ‘Somewhat’ is a more formal way of saying ‘a bit’ or ‘quite’. In other words, it makes an adjective or adverb weaker than it normally is. The situation has changed somewhat since our first meeting. Click here
Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? The two vegetables are somewhat similar in appearance and are in fact often confused by inexperienced shoppers. I found your analysis original and convincing but your conclusion was somewhat unclear. I was somewhat delighted to hear the news of my promotion to assistant manager. The management were somewhat disappointed with the sales figures, having expected a strong recovery during the summer period. Part 3: Practice Questions: Have you been somewhat disappointed with your grades at university? Part 4: The Idiomatic Five Frighten (or scare) sb to death
wouldn’t dream of (doing sth / it)
play it by ear
easier said than done
at the end of the day
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Which of these is the best selling model of car in New Zealand? The Holden Commodore
Part 6: Today's online reading:
This is a short article about a round-the-world trip in an electric car For the link, vocabulary and questions, go to: http://martinmcmorrow.podomatic.com Vocabulary for the article: a feat / viable / a prototype / gruelling / Questions for the article: How long did the trip take?
December 03, 2008 05:38 PM PST
Today’s photo: Jupiter, Venus and the Moon – over three days at the beginning of this month. Part 1: Today's word A perspective is a way of looking at something – your point of view. An economist, a sociologist and a psychologist will tend to have a different perspective on social issues. It’s similar to the words ‘standpoint’ and ‘viewpoint’. A less formal word is ‘angle’. From a New Zealand perspective, Britain’s entry into the European Community was widely seen as a potential disaster for the economy, since it meant it made access to New Zealand’s number one market more difficult. Click here for more practice. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? Sky Tower is the highest perspective in Auckland, offering uninterrupted views of the whole city and nearby mountains. We need to see the project from the perspective of potential investors in order to see and evaluate its chances of generating significant support. You need to try and view your company from the perspective of existing and potential customers. Their research offers a new and unique perspective on the value of different forms of advertising. Part 3: Practice Questions: What differences do you find in news stories which are reported from a New Zealand perspective? Have you begun to develop a new perspective on life or on your subject or career since coming to New Zealand? Part 4: The Idiomatic Five stand a chance Have a good chance of succeeding Small companies like us don’t stand a chance in the international marketplace. not have a clue
at the crack of dawn
not give a damn / shit *
Wouldn’t be caught (or seen) dead in sth
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Who is the Finance Minister in charge of the New Zealand economy? Bill English
Part 6: Today's online reading:
This is a short article highlighting the interesting and surprising facts about the planet Venus – which can be seen especially clearly in the December sky Vocabulary for the article: rendezvous / shed light / composition / constituent / opaque / free rein / succumb / copious / subside / Questions for the article: 1) What are the main similarities and differences between Venus and the Earth?
My poem about the sky a few days ago! Look up! Oh look up
The sky! Oh the sky
Here and now! Here and now
Can you hear? Can you hear
Hold my hand. Hold my hand
_________________________________________________________ The image above has been sourced from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Moon_and_Venus_conjunctions.jpg and is used subject to conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Licence - details at:http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ consultation
November 30, 2008 07:49 PM PST
Part 1: Today's word When you consult someone, you ask for advice, information or a second opinion. So normally, you’d consult someone who you thought knew more than you – perhaps a professional. The time you spend with that person is called ‘a consultation’. When the government or companies have important new plans, they normally go through a consultation process, where people have the chance to discuss the plans. A person whose job it is to give specialised advice is sometimes called a consultant. In particular, those people who give companies advice about their whole business are often called ‘management consultants’. Accenture (www.accenture.com) is one of the world’s largest management consultancies. Another example of a management consultancy which also deals with smaller companies is datamonitor: www.datamonitor.com. It’s also possible to consult a reference book or internet source, to check if something is correct. Please consult your supervisor if you have any queries about your assignment. You may have up to three individual consultations with a learning advisor for each of your assignments. Click here for more practice. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? Any decision on the future of the project will only be made in full consultation with all stakeholders. A typical consultation with a client ranges from thirty minutes to one-hour and may take a number of different formats. After a process of consultation with community representatives it was decided to put the contract out to public tender. After a chance consultation with an old friend from university, I decided to look into the Australian market in more detail. Part 3: Practice Questions: Do you prefer to consult books or online sources when you have queries? Have you – or any members of your family – ever consulted a lawyer? Do you feel that there’s enough public consultation over large government projects? Part 4: The Idiomatic Five drive (or send) sb round the bend
give sb the benefit of the doubt
It’s a bit much
out of the blue
be in someone’s good / bad books
Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Today, December 1st, is the first day of ....... in New Zealand? the new Parliament
Part 6: Today's online reading: This is a brief article about ‘Movember’. Vocabulary for the article: tally / donation / pegged / have a crack at / Questions for the article: 1) What is the purpose of Movember?
I tried to upload a photo of my colleague, Paul Fenton, and this moustache he grew for Movember, but the server rejected it! Possibly out of good taste. Anyway, if you’d like to donate – on behalf of Paul’s effort, you can do so here assessment
November 26, 2008 08:19 PM PST
Today's photo: surf at Westport, South Island Part 1: Today's word When you assess something, you check how good, how big or how important something is. For instance, after a storm or accident, you may need a damage assessment report to study and calculate how much damage was caused. Organizations also do research to assess the quality or effectiveness of their services. Normal assessment methods include comparison and measurement. So, if you want to assess the effectiveness of a salesperson, you might compare them to someone else doing the same job ), you could count how much they’ve sold or use a customer survey. Norm-referenced assessment compares individuals to other people, while criterion-referenced assessment focuses on how far they've met their targets. She put forward a research proposal to assess the effectiveness of online training. Click here for more practice. Part 2: Test Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out? The main purpose of the project is to assess the effectiveness of the programme and any financial risks involved. The research projects are directly assessed by their tutor and full feedback is given to the students on their strengths and weaknesses. Can you assess if the door is locked before you leave? Just give it a quick pull. My first objective will be to assess any progress made since my last visit 6 months ago. Part 3: Practice Question:
Part 4: The Idiomatic Five get your act together - get organised and take things seriously This council needs to get its act together and do something about the state of this city. clear the air - resolve a problem by talking openly about it I’d been upset with the boss for days but our meeting this morning helped to clear the air. be glad to see the back of sth / sb - dislike / look forward to the time when you don’t have to put up with it I’ll be glad to see the back of that photocopier. It’s been nothing but trouble since we bought it. set (or start) the ball rolling - start a discussion or process Good morning everyone. I’d like to start the ball rolling with a few questions. get out of bed on the wrong side - be in a bad mood (especially in the morning!) What’s up with you ? Did you get out of bed on the wrong side this morning ? Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question Which of these is a popular surfing beach in New Zealand? Raglan
Part 6: Today's online listening: This is an interview with Marty Clark, one of the organisers of New Zealand’s first surfing organisation for the disabled Vocabulary for the article: proponent / an amputee / rehabilitation / custom-built / the million-dollar question / tweak / Questions for the article: How many disabled surfers recently took part in an event in Sydney? 17
Marty ... learnt to surf after suffering an accident
Marty’s surfing technique involves .. lying down on the board
The main focus of the disabled surfing movement is fitness
Which of these is a major challenge for the disabled surfing movement? human resources
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