Today’s Photo: Crab in Crab Rock, Waiheke Island, Auckland, May 2008

Part 1: Today’s word

‘Component’ is a more technical word for a part. It can be used for physical parts – for example, for the parts of a machine – as well as for theories, models, plans etc.
Increased spending on direct advertising is a key component of our marketing plan.

For more examples and links to exercises, click here www.academicenglishgenerator.com and go to Unit 1

Part 2: Test

Here are four sentences with our word of the day - but only three of them are correct. Which is the odd one out?


English language is an important component of grammar.

Increased spending on direct advertising is a key component of our marketing plan.

Many illnesses have a strong psychological component.

It’s increasingly difficult to describe cars as British, German or Japanese, since the components that make up the car may have been manufactured in several different countries.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

What are the main components of a personal computer?

Are the different components of your course closely connected or completely separate?


Part 4:Kiwi Quiz Question

Which of these is NOT a requirement for new New Zealand citizens?

To have been in New Zealand legally for at least five years

To be able to understand and speak English

To give up any other passports they may have

To be of good character


Part 5: Today’s Article

World – Education (online video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGCJ46vyR9o

Vocabulary for the video:

Bewildered / fragmented / multitasking /


Questions for the video:

How many students took part in the survey?

How many of their teachers knew their names?

What was the average number of books, webpages and facebook profiles read by these students?

How much more writing do they do in the form of emails compared to essay writing?

What was the strangest thing about the normal daily routine of these students?

What’s strange about the jobs these students will be doing when they graduate?

What’s the big advantage of writing on the chalkboard (instead of using Powerpoint)?