International Students NZ

Today’s Picture: Cherry Blossom in Christchurch, September 2009

Part 1: Today’s Word:

‘Derive’ means to get something from something else – especially ‘energy’, ‘income’ ‘satisfaction’. It’s also used when we talk about the original meaning or source of a word or custom. So the word ‘science’ is derived from the Latin verb ‘to know’.

The company derives most of its profits from intellectual property.

Click here for interactive exercises on academic vocabulary and writing.

Part 2: Test

Students wishing to derive high marks on this paper need to pay attention to the presentation as well as the content of their assignments.

These cells derive their energy from the break-down of simple carbohydrates.

The custom of putting a tree inside the home at Christmas is said to derive from ancient beliefs in the special powers of evergreen plants.

It has been estimated that more than 50% of the local population derive their income from financial services.

Part 3: Practice Questions

Do you derive much satisfaction from writing assignments?
Where does New Zealand derive most of its income from?

Part 4: Vocabulary Review

extra time
double time
lead time
quality time
small-time
running time
a whale of a time
high time

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

David Tua and Shane Cameron will soon be involved in one of New Zealand’s biggest sporting occasions. In which sport?

Part 6: Today’s online listening

This is an interview from Radio New Zealand with Professor Dennis MacCaughn of Otago University. He talks about the different ways of counting time and distance used in different cultures.

Questions for the listening:

1) Where does the tradition of measuring time in units of 60 derive from?

China
Mesopotamia / Babylonia
Greece

2) What is the derivation of the seven-day week?

phases of the moon
the number of Gods in Ancient Egypt
a lucky number

3) Approximately how long did it take the 360 day calendar to become right again?

12 years
120 years
1200 years

4) The Egyptians were so concerned with time-keeping because of the need to predict ...

eclipses
floods
monsoons

5) Which of these cultures was more positive about numbers like 13?

the Greeks
the Egyptians
the Mesopotamians/Babylonians

6) What is the derivation of Imperial Measures, like inches, feet, pounds, stones and fathoms?

astrology
sailing
everyday use

7) What number is ‘three score and ten’ in old English measurements?

70
13
310

8) Which of these measurements is different in Ireland?

a furlong
a mile
a league

Today’s news story:
African windmill boy

Today’s Video suggestion:
All the time in the world by Louis Armstrong
________________________________________________________________