Today’s photo: Franz Josef Glacier, South Island, New Zealand, May 2008

Part 1: Today's word

‘Discern’ is a very formal word meaning to see or notice. It can be used in a technical way, to see or understand a pattern that is not very clear. In business, ‘discerning consumers’ are those who can tell the difference in quality between products or services – so usually they demand higher standards. And the noun 'discernment' means 'good judgement'.

I was unable to discern any pattern in the data.

For more examples and exercises, see: www.academicenglishgenerator.com


Part 2: Test

Here are the first four questions from an interview about the English language teaching sector in New Zealand. But the questions have been cut in half. You have three different second halves - click on the one that you think matches the first half of the question.


How would you analyse _____


the language teaching sector is undervalued at present?

regarding language teaching in New Zealand?

the current situation in relation to language teaching in New Zealand?

What do you consider the crucial ______


skills that managers need in the language teaching sector?

issues that can easily be ignored by managers in this sector ?

targets from which managers can select their personal goals ?

How do language schools differ ______


in various organisational and environmental factors ?

from other educational or training institutions?

their products and services to meet the needs of individual clients?

You've described the current system of school assessments ______


is impossible to meet the complex demands of all stakeholders. Is that correct?

must be urgently reformed, haven't you?

as deeply flawed. Why is that?

Part 3: Practice Question:

Would you describe yourself as a discerning consumer when it comes to computers, clothes or food?


Part 4: Kiwi Quiz Question

How often do general elections have to be held in New Zealand?

Every three years
Every four years
Every five years
There is no fixed term


Part 5: Today's article:

Cheers as endangered turtle sets off on 20-year journey (from New Zealand Herald)
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=39&objectid=10519438

Vocabulary for the article:

To hatch / predator / a straggler / voracious / rehabilitate

Questions for the article:

How long has the turtle been looked after by humans?
How long have they been preparing her for release into the wild?
How will they keep track of her?
When is she next expected to return to land?

Today’s musical intro: from Mali
‘Sinsani’ by Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba. From the CD ‘Segu Blue’. 2007: Outhere Records
More information at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/release/bdcz/