Academic English

KIWI PHOTO Dragon in Hamilton Gardens

ACADEMIC WORD

If a date or time is auspicious, it means that, especially in a particular culture, it’s considered a good time to do something in order to achieve good fortune. For instance, in Chinese culture, the year of the dragon is considered an auspicious year to be born. That is why large numbers of Chinese couples are said to be planning to have a child this year. In Western cultures, on the other hand, Friday 13^th is considered an inauspicious date to start a new venture. 

TEST

Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out?

Given the uncertain financial situation in Europe, this may not be an auspicious time to be opening a new retail business there.

The investment initially lost money but became increasingly auspicious in subsequent years.

He scored in his first game for his new club, which the fans considered an auspicious start.

She arrived late and kept calling him by the wrong name, which was hardly an auspicious start to their relationship.

PRACTICE

In your culture, are there any auspicious or inauspicious dates to …

get married

have a child

start a journey or a business

KIWI QUIZ

Dragon is the name of one of New Zealand’s most successful …

theatre companies

rock groups

wildlife parks

VIDEO

Today’s video looks at investment.  It’s part of a question and answer session by the American investor, Warren Buffett, with MBA students. Click on pause on your podomatic player and click on play to watch the video and answer the questions below. When it’s over, click on ‘play’ again on the podomatic player to hear me give the answers to the questions.

1) The best investments are when ...

both quantitative and qualitative data are strongly positive

qualitative data is positive and quantitative data is mixed

qualitative data is mixed and quantitative data is positive

2) Warren Buffett regrets his investment in a windmill company because ...

it only generated a short-term return on investment

it was not an ethical investment

long-term losses cancelled out short-term gains

3) In order to make a good investment, Warren Buffett argues that it is essential that you ....

have comprehensive financial statements available

are already familiar with the area of business

have face-to-face meetings with the senior management team

4) A successful investor needs ...

to diversify their circle of competence

to understand their own limitations

to avoid investing where there is a possibility of making a loss

5) Warren Buffett used to investigate an industry by asking managers questions about ...

future plans

ex-employees

rival companies

6) Warren Buffett uses Wrigley’s Chewing Gum as an example of a company...

whose fundamentals change very little over the years

for which all the important details are collected in a database

whose owner contacted him after playing golf with a mutual acquaintance

7) Warren Buffett expects Coca Cola domestic sales to ...

increase modestly

decline steadily

remain steady

8) Warren Buffett attributes the steady growth in per capita consumption of Coca Cola largely to its ...

addictive nature

simple brand values

inherent qualities

KIWI PHOTO Accountancy Firm, Petone, New Zealand

ACADEMIC WORD

Austerity means a belief in a simple life without any luxury. Nowadays, it’s most commonly used to talk about the economic situation when the government has to reduce spending. For example, Greece and Italy announced austerity measures in 2011.

TEST

Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out?

She lived a simple life, characterised by austerity and dedication to her art.

Trade Unions have announced national protests against the Government austerity programme.

Doctors recommended an austerity programme with plenty of fresh vegetables and exercise.

Having grown up during a period of austerity, in later years he found it hard to tolerate any waste.

PRACTICE

Is your country going through a period of austerity?

What effect do austerity programmes have on everyday life?

KIWI QUIZ

Which party won the most seats at the 2011 New Zealand election?

National / United Future / New Zealand First

VIDEO

Today’s video looks at Government austerity measures.  It’s actually a presentation by a well-known Scottish economics professor, Mark Blyth, who now teaches at Brown University in the United States. Click on pause on your podomatic player and click on play to watch the video and answer the questions below. When it’s over, click on ‘play’ again on the podomatic player to hear me give the answers to the questions.

1) What was the size of debt caused by the financial crisis of 2008?

$2 bn                                                  2 000%                                               $2 tn  

 2) The bottom 40% of the US population hasn’t __________ since 1989.

 had a real wage increase               improved productivity          paid any interest

 3) Blyth compares leveraging to playing Blackjack. What is Blackjack?

a criminal activity                 a form of gambling                          a violent sport

 4) Governments felt they had to intervene to help banks because the banks were too big to _______

 fail                                           see                                          buy

 5) Blyth believes that Governments and Businesses need to pay down their debt

as soon as possible             at different times                  at the same time                 

 6) The fallacy of composition is the false belief that what is good for one part of the economy is ....

 bad for another                     good for all                            bad for all

 7) Blyth argues that Governments have chosen austerity measures because ___

 they are easier than raising taxes

raising taxes is more virtuous

they allow all citizens to contribute equally

 8) According to Blyth, austerity measures make the poor pay for the problems of debt ______

 through higher taxes           which they caused              twice

 VOCABULARY

 Can you guess the meaning of these expressions from the video?

 .. the slashing of government services

.. governments have bailed out the banks

.. austerity confuses virtue with vice

.. pay down the debt

KIWI PHOTO  Photo on the side of a Camper Van belonging to Australian Rugby fans

ACADEMIC WORD

Rhetoric means the use of words to influence people. Rhetoric is very important in every aspect of public life, since we are very often trying to influence people – for example, by impressing, criticising or persuading them. Rhetoric is also a very important part of academic writing, especially in essays, where you need to use your words carefully to establish your credibility as someone who knows what they are writing about and to build an argument to support your point of view. Rhetoric is a Greek word and the most famous writer about rhetoric was Aristotle, who lived more than 2000 years ago. He described three main rhetorical strategies – ethos, logos and pathos – which can be used to influence someone and make them see things in the same way as you do – or maybe to accept your proposal. These strategies are explained in today’s video. A common use of the word is in the expression ‘a rhetorical question’. This is a question you ask not in order to get an answer but to draw the reader’s or listener’s attention to a key point, which you are going to answer yourself. For this reason, it is very common to include rhetorical questions in essays and presentations. An example would be: ‘Given the complexity of the modern business environment, how can managers have confidence in their decision-making? This essay will critically evaluate three potential solutions to this fundamental management dilemma”. Sometimes, especially in the news or informal conversation, the word ‘rhetoric’ is used in a negative way. If you describe a speech as ‘just rhetoric’ or ‘empty rhetoric’, it means that you think that the person is not sincere in the way they are trying to influence you. So, this is another example of a word which has a more objective, technical meaning in academic writing, and a more limited, vague and emotional meaning in everyday use.

TEST

Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out?

The President used the full range of her rhetorical skills to persuade reluctant senators to back her economic recovery plan.

We’ve heard enough rhetoric from this Government – what we are waiting to see is action!

This study analyses the effect of specific rhetorical strategies in eliciting helpful responses on online forums.

Could I ask a couple of rhetorical questions? Firstly, what is your definition of ‘innovative’?

PRACTICE

What rhetorical strategies are commonly used in advertising?

Which of your teachers or lecturers would you say has the most impressive rhetorical skills?

KIWI QUIZ

Which famous New Zealand rugby player has been ruled out of the rest of the Rugby World Cup because of an injury suffered in training?

VIDEO

Today’s video is an amusing and very clear explanation of Aristotle’s influential theory of rhetoric.  Click on pause on your podomatic player and click on play to watch the video and answer the questions below. When it’s over, click on ‘play’ again on the podomatic player to hear me give the answers to the questions.

1) If you can make your audience believe that you are fair, knowledgeable and trustworthy, you have established your ...

rhetoric

credibility

consideration

2) Which rhetorical strategy is the boy using when he says to his mum, ‘I know you’re tired ...’

Ethos

Logos

Pathos

3) Which rhetorical strategy is based on the use of evidence and reasonable arguments?

Ethos

Logos

Pathos

4) Why was the boy’s reference to food pyramids a good example of Logos?

it provoked anger

it was a clever deception

it provided evidence

5) The main purpose of the rhetorical strategy of Pathos is to make the audience feel ...

guilty about their behaviour

the same way as you do about a question

sorry for the way you feel

6) The most effective rhetoric uses Ethos, Logos and Pathos ...

in an integrated way

in a logical sequence

as separate strategies

KIWI PHOTO Just Plane Crazy, Antique Shop, Oratia, Auckland

ACADEMIC WORD

When you evaluate something, you consider carefully the evidence of its strengths and / or weaknesses and reach a conclusion about its overall quality. Assignments at university often require critical evaluation of theories. This means that you have to summarise the arguments and evidence for and against the theory and reach a conclusion about its overall value.

TEST

Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out?

The performance of each player will be evaluated by our team of experts in the studio.

The study evaluated the effects of two different time-management training programmes.

We found that the evidence did not fully evaluate the conclusions which had been drawn.

Without a more detailed description of the procedures, It is difficult to evaluate the results of the experiment.

PRACTICE

What means are used to evaluate the performance of teachers or lecturers?

Are you usually asked to evaluate the papers which you have taken at University?

KIWI QUIZ

Which New Zealand organisation, owned by 19, 000 farmers, has announced record results for the last year, including over $10bn overseas earnings?

VIDEO

Today’s videos focus on Kiwi slang.  Click on pause on your podomatic player and click on play to watch the video to answer the questions below. When it’s over, click on ‘play’ again on the podomatic player to hear me give the answers to the questions.

1) If it’s ‘cold as’, it’s ...

still cold

getting colder

very cold

2) If someone says, ‘choice bro’ to you, they are ...

pleased

confused

selective

3) You might be called an ‘egg’ if you’ve done something ..

clever

practical

stupid

4) A skux should be popular with ..

the elderly

girls

teachers

5) If you live in the wop-wops, you probably won’t be very near ...

a beach

a cinema

a farm

6) Why would you not want to live near hoons?

they’ll be noisy

they’ll eat your veggies

they’ll use up a lot of water

7) Which of these words is used in a positive way (like ‘cool!&rsquo?

sad

bitter

mean

8) What does the bird offer the whale?

a fish

some plankton

a chip

9) What is deceptive about the whale?

its size

its colour

its position

10) The bird realises the whale is parched, when he asks for ...

a bed

some water

somewhere to live

KIWI PHOTO

The All Blacks Haka – interpersonal communication at its best!

ACADEMIC WORD

‘Inter’ means ‘between’, so ‘interpersonal’ means ‘between people’. In the modern globalised and interconnected environment in which we live, interpersonal communication skills are increasingly important – for any kind of work. As many IT professionals have found, it may be your technical skills that allow you to DO the job, but it is your interpersonal skills that will GET you the job.

TEST

Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out?

Unfortunately, the client took the criticism interpersonally, though it was intended to be constructive and focused on systems without laying blame.

Successful candidates will provide evidence of strong interpersonal skills.

Interpersonal Communication (101) focuses on analysis and practice of how messages are conveyed and received.

Proxemics is the branch of interpersonal communication which deals with personal space, its cultural determinants and its effect on delivery and comprehension of messages.

PRACTICE

In which aspects of your work and studies are interpersonal skills most important?

How effective do you think interpersonal skills training can be?

KIWI QUIZ

Daylight saving starts in New Zealand at 2.00 am on Sunday 25^th September. What do you need to do to your clock before you go to bed on Saturday night?

VIDEO

Today’s video features five different concepts in interpersonal communications.  Each one is illustrated by a brief roleplay. Click on pause on your podomatic player and click on play to watch the video and answer the questions below. When it’s over, click on ‘play’ again on the podomatic player to hear me give the answers to the questions.

1) While inviting his friend to watch a ball game, Sam shows that he’s a low self-monitor by ....

 failing to notice that his co-worker isn’t interested in his invitation

using few gestures or expressions to reinforce his message

speaking in a flat and unemotional way

 2) This is an example of ___________________self-disclosure

contradictory

tactful

inappropriate

 3) The woman is guilty of self-serving bias in her evaluation of ....

 her co-worker’s body language

the campaign

her boss

 4) Emblems are gestures which communicate ....

culturally- specific meanings

opinions about cultural events

in contexts where spoken language is not possible

5) Algebraic impressions ...

change as we learn more about a person

are based on numerical data

are increasingly positive

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