International Students NZ

This is an interview from Australian radio with American linguist, John McWhorter. It is about the topic of language loss. You can read an article on the same topic here 

Questions for the article:

1) Eyak is an example of a language which

is full of beautiful words

has an extremely complex grammar

has recently become extinct

2) What percentage of the world’s languages are expected to survive the next 100 years?

6 %

10%

60 %

3) Generally how many generations does it take for language to die out when their speakers migrate?

one

two

three

4) New languages develop mainly through ..

geographical separation

development of new cultures

social and technological developments

5) What is John McWhorter’s general view of the link between culture and language?

the link is restricted to gender

evidence is very limited

vocabulary is more cultural than grammar

6) John McWhorter uses the analogy of Toyota cars to highlight how..

complex and yet effective languages can be

language diversity is not interesting to most people

important it is to preserve unique languages

7) People are uncomfortable about the role of English as a global language because ...

it is associated with British and American imperialism

it is a relatively difficult language to learn

it exists in a number of different dialects

8) John McWhorter refers to Japanese as a language which ...

has a simple grammar

has a complex writing system

is unlikely to die out

9) John McWhorter points out that language death is a sign of ...

globalisation

repression

apartheid

10) John McWhorter asks us to consider whether having only one language left in the world would be inherently ...

evil

good

possible

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Today’s news story:

Police say welcome in 14 languages

Today’s Video suggestion:

Marie Smith Jones, the last speaker of Eyak language

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Today’s picture: Hunting Lodge, Kumeu

Part 1: Today's word

If you anticipate something, it means you think that something’s going to happen and prepare yourself for it. A more formal way of saying that you are looking forward to something is that you are ‘eagerly anticipating’ it – eager means the same as enthusiastic.

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 university hadn’t anticipated the enormous interest there would be in their new part-time courses.

Fortunately, the organisation had anticipated the increase in interest rates and reduced their exposure to debt.

How many people are you anticipating to have at the conference dinner?

The meeting will need to be anticipated to the previous Tuesday as several managers will be away at a regional conference on the original date.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

When do you anticipate finishing your course?
What political, economic or social changes can be anticipated over the next few years?

Part 4: Vocabulary focus: Future expressions

in the near future
(not) in the foreseeable future
future-proofed
for future reference
what the future holds

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question
What proportion of New Zealanders do voluntary work?

Click here for up-to-date information on the Kiwi lifestyle

Part 6: Today’s online listening

This is a short interview with one of the scientists who first developed the internet 40 years ago. First press ‘pause’ on your podomatic player and then click on ‘today’s online listening’ above and, when the new page opens, click on the play button.

Vocabulary for the article:

ubiquitous
primacy
urban myth
on the verge of ...

Questions for the article:

1) The word ‘Lo!’ was the first message sent on the internet because ......

of a technical error
it was so concise
it was an appropriate word

2) Which aspect of the internet was not anticipated by the first developers?

accessibility
universality
social

3) The project that produced the first internet was a result of America’s need ..

to develop more modern weapons
to be number one in science and technology
for protection against nuclear attack

4) The designers of the internet failed to pay enough attention to ....

democratisation
commercialisation
security

5) According to Leonard Kleinrock, in future, the internet is likely to become increasingly ...

mobile and visual
secure and open
sustainable and efficient

6) Internet-linked devices will be embedded into ...

biological organisms
everyday spaces
social networking

Grammar Focus: The Future Perfect

The future perfect tense (will have done) is used to talk about actions we anticipate to have finished before a particular date in the future – so it can be useful when you are planning something.

Which of these actions will you have / won’t you have done by the end of this year?

completed your university course
enrolled on my papers for next semester
learnt a new skill
sold my old textbooks
found accommodation for next year
organised my finances for next year

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Today’s news story:
$22 000 found in an old lamp

Today’s Video suggestion:
history of the internet
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Today’s picture: A podcaster reaches the end of the Auckland half-marathon, undeterred by aching legs!

Part 1: Today's word

If you deter someone from doing something, you make them less likely to do it because they know that they’ll suffer. For instance, prison is supposed to have a deterrent effect because people should be less likely to commit crimes if they think they might go to prison. Deterrence is only an effective strategy of course if people are able to control their behaviour and know about its possible consequences.

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 possibility of completing their degree courses several months early acts as a major deterrent for students to continue studying during summer school.

High taxation and uncertainties about government policy act as a deterrent to foreign investors.

A highly visible burglar alarm box should act as an effective deterrent to any potential intruders.

Such an insignificant penalty acts as no real deterrent to those youngsters attracted by the excitement of wrongdoing.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

Do you believe that longer prison sentences are necessary to act as a deterrent to criminals?

What kinds of deterrents exist to control cheating in university exams?

Part 4: Vocabulary Focus

Collocation is a very important part of vocabulary. It means which words go together. Here is some practice based on the vocabulary in today’s listening. Match the verbs with the nouns the go with.
collocations

infringe
deplete
act as
raise
commit

a question
your rights
a crime
resources
a deterrent

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

How many glasses of wine are recommended as the safe weekly limit for women in New Zealand?

For more information see National Addiction Centre Report

Part 6: Today’s online listening

This is a very interesting discussion from ABC Radio (Australia) about addiction. It features a High Court judge, a neuroscientist and a moral philosopher.

Vocabulary for the article:

a double-edged sword
retribution
autonomy
abstinence
impaired
robust
rehabilitate

Questions for the listening:

1) What proportion of cannabis users will become addicted?

just under one in ten
over a quarter
one in twenty-five

2) Dan Lubman describes addiction as ...

a frightening social disease
a preoccupation with a failure to change
a self-destructive pattern behaviour

3) David Hodgson believes the view of addiction as a brain disease can be taken into account by judges when deciding

if a crime has been committed
if a person is responsible for the crime
if a criminal is to be punished

4) David Hodgson believes that punishment

should be given to those who deserve it
is a dangerous idea
must be used only to achieve good ends

5) Jeanette Kennett points out that people’s autonomy is limited by ..

criminal responsibility
social contingencies
individual achievement

6) Dan Lubman explains that drug addiction reduces the brain’s response to ..

everyday pleasures
dopamine overdrive
long-term abstinence

7) One serious psychological consequence for drug users is ..

complete loss of self-control
failure to focus on short-term goals
damage to the front part of the brain

8) David Hodgson believes that ..

people still have a free will despite all contingencies
criminal actions should be viewed only in terms of their consequences
the ability to act rationally is not affected by drug use

9) Dan Lubman refers to research which shows that addicts ..

are unable to regulate their behaviour
can only operate under stress-free conditions
need to use more brainpower to perform tasks

10) Jeanette Kennett argues that deterrence is ineffective in controlling drug addiction because drug addicts

are unable to think rationally
believe they will never get caught
already know the negative consequences of their actions

11) Dan Lubman argues that an effective treatment for drug addiction depends on putting addicts in ...

an environment with limited stimulation
an environment where access to drugs is strictly controlled
an environment where they experience other rewards

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Today’s news story:
heroin supply clinic cuts crime

Today’s Video suggestion:
I get a kick out of you by Cole Porter (performed by Frank Sinatra)
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Today’s picture: Fog in Christchurch

For poetry makes nothing happen: it survives
In the valley of its making where executives
Would never want to tamper, flows on south
From ranches of isolation and the busy griefs,
Raw towns that we believe and die in; it survives,
A way of happening, a mouth.

From In Memory of W.B. Yeats by W.H. Auden

Part 1: Today's word

If you nurture a person, a plant or a project, you give it/them the care and support, needed to develop. It’s important that an organisation has a culture which nurtures young talent, so that new members feel encouraged to learn, to be creative and to contribute to the organisation. The ‘nature versus nurture’ debate is an important one in philosophy and sociology. It is about what is more responsible for the way people are – is it their nature or is it the way they have been ‘nurtured’ by their parents and society?

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 young tomato plants are carefully nurtured in a greenhouse before being transported to the garden centre.

The club has a reputation for nurturing young players, but lacks the resources to keep them once they become successful.

He was remarkably gifted as a young pianist, but failed to nurture into a professional musician, due perhaps to a lack of motivation and encouragement.

As a teacher, I try to nurture a sense of self-esteem, respect for others and intellectual curiosity in my pupils.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

In relation to criminals, which side of the nature-nurture debate do you tend to take?

Did your teachers nurture your sense of self-esteem and curiosity?

Part 4: Vocabulary focus

there’s nothing to it
nothing ventured, nothing gained
it’s nothing to write home about
have nothing to show for ...
have nothing to lose

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

How are people raising money for Men’s health as part of Movember this month?

Part 6: Today’s online listening

This is an interview from Radio New Zealand with the philosopher Anne Kirwin, from AUT University, Auckland. She’s talking about the idea of ‘nothing’ in past and present day thinking.

Vocabulary for the article:

void
analogy
phenomenon
martyr
habituated

Questions for the article:

1) Which of these does Anne Kirwin use as an analogy to explain the importance of intervals?

music
sports
study

2) What is it called when there are a few seconds of silence on the radio?

frozen sound
information gap
dead air

3) Which of these systems of belief focuses on the importance of emptying the mind?

Nihilism
Taoism
Confucianism

4) In Zen Buddhism, the ability to experience nothing is considered ...

a significant challenge
an impossible goal
a common phenomenon

5) Cognitive psychologists have shown that people have a natural tendency to notice ...

additions more than deletions
missing people rather than new people
inferences more than deductions

6) The Christian view of the value of worldly experience is shaped by a belief in ..

martyrs
work
an afterlife

7) Having less to do as a result of the recession has made people more

anxious
content
depressed

8) Modern life has relatively little ...

extra time
play time
down time

9) Situational habitualisation explains how people

adjust their rate of speaking to their conversation partner
wish they could move to a more tranquil location
feel pressured because they don’t have enough to do

10) The example of conversations in hospitals illustrates ..

the postponement of people-rich times
the inability of people to communicate sincerely
the stories people tell to avoid thinking about death

11) One practical application of Anne Kirwin’s philosophy is ..

sharing her most profound thoughts with her students
paying more attention to small things
talking more slowly to friends and family

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Grammar Focus: Two different ways to use ‘would’

In a previous podcast, we looked at the most common meaning of ‘would’ – for imaginary or unreal situations. Here is an example from today’s listening:

If it wasn’t for the recession, most people would be getting busier and busier.

In fact, there is a recession and people are not so busy – so this sentence is about imagining a different situation.

However, ‘would’ can be used in a completely different way, to talk about past habits. Here is another example from today’s listening:

Harold Pinter would make his lines so that the pause between the words was the most significant.

Here, ‘would make’ means that he normally did this in the past. This use of ‘would’ is quite common when we talk about our childhood, but it can only be used with actions. So, you can say, ‘When I was a child, my granddad would take me fishing every weekend’ but you can’t say, ‘When I was a child, I would have a toy car’ – ‘take me fishing’ is an action, but ‘have a toy car’ is not.

Which of these uses of ‘would’ are correct?

1) When I was at University in the 1980’s, I would grow a beard just to see what it was like.

2) For my first job, I would cycle about 10km to work every morning and evening, whatever the weather.

3) When I first came to New Zealand, I would drive from Auckland to Invercargill, so that I could see the whole country before deciding where to settle down.

4) My favourite teacher, Mr Paul, would start nearly every lesson with some kind of game based on what we had studied in the previous lesson.

5) I used to spend a lot of time with my grandmother because she would like to tell me funny stories about the old days.

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Today’s Video suggestion 1:
A mindfulness session given to staff at Google by Jon Kabat Zinn

Today’s Video suggestion 2:
Seinfeld: a show about nothing
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Today’s picture: Early summer scene from Christchurch

What Skill is in the frame of Insects shown?
How fine the Threds, in their small Textures spun?
How close those Instruments and Engines knit,
Which Motion, and their slender Sense transmit?
Like living Watches, each of these conceals
A thousand Springs of Life, and moving wheels.
Each ligature a Lab'rynth seems, each part
All wonder is, all Workmanship and Art.
Rather let me this little Greatness know,
Then all the Mighty Acts of Great Ones do.
These Engines understand, rather than prove
An Archimedes, and the Earth remove.
These Atom-Worlds found out, I would despise
Colombus, and his vast Discoveries.

Greatness in Little - Richard Leigh (1675)

Part 1: Today's word

If a situation is stable it means it is not changing much and, in particular, isn’t becoming worse. So, for instance, it’s important to have a stable currency so that people can be confident about planning for the future. If a person has a stable temperament, it means they are not moody and tend to stay calm. In chemistry, if elements are stable, it means they don’t react very much, so that their state tends to stay the same. If a situation is very unstable, it may be necessary to do something to stabilise it. For example, when a patient is admitted to hospital, it may be necessary to wait until their condition becomes stabilised before the surgeons can think of operating. And, of course, there has been a focus on the stabilisation of the world economy over the last year or so.

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 main attraction of a fixed-rate mortgage is the opportunity to stabilize personal outgoings over an extended period.

The value of the Brazilian currency was stabilized against the dollar for several years in the 1990s in order to control inflation.

The plants play a major role in stabilizing river banks and preventing them being washed away by the current.

The political and security situation will need to be stabilized in order for free and fair elections to be held in the country.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

What chemical elements are particularly unstable?
Do any of your friends (or teachers!) have an unstable temperament?
What measures have been taken to stabilise the banking sector?

Part 4: Vocabulary Focus

Divide these words into two groups: words which mean ‘very small’ and words that mean ‘very big’

tiny
miniscule
vast
minute
enormous
gigantic
microscopic
infinitesimal
huge
giant

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

What has just become illegal to do while driving in New Zealand?

Part 6: Today’s online listening

This is an interview from Radio New Zealand with Professor Peter Schwerdtfeger from here at Massey University, Albany. He talks about what we know about the world of atoms and subatomic particles.

Vocabulary for the article:

the holy grail

Questions for the article:

1) Which particle helps to stabilise atoms?

electron
neutron
proton

2) Which of these is a component of a proton?

a quark
a nucleus
a quantum

3) Which of these is an example of an element existing in its ‘pure’ form in nature?

quartz
carbon dioxide
coal

4) Nitrogen atoms are unstable on their own because ...

they have undergone chemical bonding
there is an uneven number of electrons in the shell
there is an odd number of protons in the nucleus

5) Chemical reactions ...

involve a rearrangement of the shell
involve a rearrangement of the nucleus
involve a rearrangement of neutrons

6) Which of these is NOT one of the four fundamental forces of nature?

gravity
radiation
electromagnetism

7) Which of these scientists was one of the pioneers of quantum theory?

Heisenberg
Einstein
Rutherford

8) Which of these aspects of an electron cannot be determined?

its charge
its size
its mass

9) Which of these scientific ideas is especially strongly demonstrated in relation to gold?

the special theory of relativity

the uncertainty principle

The second law of thermodynamics

10) Electrons in the inner shell of a gold atom are travelling at great speed and therefore ..

are unstable
have a greater mass
are more reactive

11) Peter Schwerdtfeger is critical of ....

the focus on practical applications of research
the search for answers to fundamental scientific questions
the artificial separation between different disciplines in the sciences

12) Which force is particularly responsible for the solid quality of materials?

gravitational
electromagnetic
nuclear

Today’s media link:
Running the length of New Zealand

Today’s Video suggestion:
Fun Theory : a wonderful site with examples of ‘fun’ technologies to encourage better living
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Today’s picture: Spring bluebells

Part 1: Today's word

A stimulus is something that is designed to make something else happen as a response. So, for instance, an interesting research report will act as a stimulus for more research in the same area. Like many other Latin words ending in –us, the plural is irregular – it is stimuli. Many governments have announced fiscal stimuli to encourage more consumer spending – for instance, by giving people a discount if they exchange their old car for a new one. In psychology, the study of stimuli and responses is especially associated with behaviourism, for example, the famous experiment of Pavlov, where dogs were conditioned to respond to the stimulus of a bell ringing (because it was associated with food).

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 was rather surprised by her negative stimulus to my proposal, since she had encouraged me to develop it.

It is hoped that the new prize will be a stimulus to research in this important field.

The students were advised to treat the questions as a stimulus for exploration of their own ideas on the subject.

The new Free Trade Agreement is expected to provide a stimulus for growth in educational exchanges.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

What fiscal stimuli have been used by governments to encourage economic growth?

Part 4: Vocabulary focus

get your money’s worth
hush money
a money-spinner
put your money where your mouth is

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

With which Asian country has New Zealand signed a new Free Trade deal ?

Part 6: Today’s online listening

This is an interview with Dr Neville Bennett about the implications of the weak US dollar for the world economy

Vocabulary for the article:

bail out
stockpile

Questions for the article:

1) What evidence is there that the US dollar is in decline?

Fewer dollars are being bought by major central banks
A new gold-based currency has been launched
International banks are stockpiling Chinese currency

2) Which of these is a reason for the low value of the US dollar?

higher personal savings in the US
a growing national debt
a 10% rise in US taxation

3) Which of these currencies is pegged to the US dollar?

Chinese Yuan / RMB
Japanese Yen
UK pound sterling

4) How long does the effect of a recession output last on average?

7 years
4 years
3 years

5) What advantage does Dr Bennett believe that New Zealand has compared to the US?

Better public services
More advanced agriculture
A more multicultural workforce

Today’s news story:
Australia coastal living at risk

Today’s Video suggestion:
Shake your moneymaker by Fleetwood Mac

Today’s picture: Mountains near Marlborough, taken through an airplane window, October 2009

I saw Eternity the other night,
Like a great ring of pure and endless light,
All calm, as it was bright;
And round beneath it, Time in hours, days, years,
Driv'n by the spheres
Like a vast shadow mov'd; in which the world
And all her train were hurl'd.

from ‘The World’ by Henry Vaughan

Part 1: Today's word

The configuration of a system is the particular order or pattern in which it has been designed to work. It’s used in computing to talk about the way the system has been set up. It’s also used in art to talk about the way different shapes and patterns have been put together.

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?

By analysing the particular configuration of rocks, it was possible to determine the sequence of volcanic events in the region.

This particular bone configuration is nowadays only found in birds.

The project requires close configuration in order to organise its various components in a common purpose.

By mapping the current configuration of the universe and applying physical laws it is possible to determine its approximate age.

Part 3: Practice Questions:
What is the configuration of your desk?
What is the typical configuration of a large supermarket?

Part 4: The Idiomatic Five

a shooting star
once in a blue moon
over the moon
pie in the sky
the sky’s the limit

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

How many visitors does Auckland’s Stardome Observatory receive every year?

Part 6: Today’s online listening

This is a major public lecture by the Scottish astronomer, Brian Boyle, director of a project in Australia to build the world’s largest radio telescope (the Square Kilometre Array).

Vocabulary for the article:

feeble
resolution
scatter
faint
optical
extra-terrestrial

Questions for the article:

1) Why is Galileo such a famous scientist?

He was the first to use a telescope to view the stars
He was a great communicator
He was the first person to make a map of the moon

2) The new radio telescope will pick up in one day the same amount of information as ...

spoken in the history of the world
all the telescopes in the rest of the world
all the information uploaded onto the internet in one year

3) Brian believes that astronomy will move into ...

a knowledge age
a wisdom age
an information age

4) Radio telescopes are able to detect ...

gas
nearby stars
far away planets

5) Pulsars are so dense that one teaspoon of matter from a pulsar would have ..

five times the mass of every person on earth
ten times the mass of an elephant
three times the mass of the moon

6) Compared to normal light, radio waves are much ..

stronger and sharper
more regular and energetic
larger and weaker

7) The new radio telescope, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), will comprise ....

several thousand radio antennas
100 antennas
several antennas scattered over one kilometre

8) Apart from a strong scientific community, what other key factors make Australia and New Zealand good locations for this project?

climate and political stability
geography and population
economic growth and government support

9) How much of the universe is made up of normal matter?

25%
4%
75%

10) The SKA may provide evidence of which prediction by Einstein?

gravity waves
relativity
cosmic magnetism

11) The SKA could also be used to detect ....

the number of planets in the solar system
sunspots
life on other planets

12) How long is the SKA predicted to last?

50 years
500 years
10 000 years

13) Moore’s law predicts that computing power will double every

decade
year
18 months

14) How will the SKA be powered?

solar or geothermal energy generation
diesel fuel
electricity from the grid

15) Recently, Australian schoolchildren have used the existing radio telescope to ...

film a supernova
analyse a gas cloud
record a pulsar switching off

16) The new radio telescope, the SKA Pathfinder due to be ready in 2012, will be _______ times more powerful than existing other radio telescope?

100
1000
10 000

Grammar Focus: Unreal present / future

Quite often we imagine a different – unreal – present or future. Here is an example from the lecture:

If you had radio eyes and looked up at the heavens, you would see a very different picture to the one we see with our own eyes.

Really we don’t have radio eyes and we don’t see a different picture. Brian is asking us to imagine an unreal present. The grammar is:

If + past tense (in one half of the sentence)
would / might / could do (in the other half of the sentence)

One other thing to remember is that in these sentences, it’s more common to use ‘were’ instead of ‘was’, especially in the common expression ‘if I were you’.

Complete these example sentences, using the unreal present or future (it’s also called ‘the second conditional’)

1) If it (not be) Labour Day next Monday, we (have) lectures.

2) I (not wear) that shirt, even if you (give) me a thousand dollars.

3) I (not do) that if I (be) you.

4) If I (not have) to finish this assignment I (be) able to travel this weekend.

5) I (probably join) you for a bungee jump if I (not be) so scared of heights.

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Today’s news story:
Cosmos and Culture

Today’s Video suggestion:
Faraway So Close by U2
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Today’s picture: South Island scene

When in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes
I all alone beweep my outcast state,
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,
And look upon myself, and curse my fate,
Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
Featured like him, like him with friends possessed,
Desiring this man's art, and that man's scope,
With what I most enjoy contented least;
Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,
Haply I think on thee, and then my state,
Like to the lark at break of day arising
From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate;
For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings
That then I scorn to change my state with kings.

William Shakespeare Sonnet 29

Part 1: Today's word

If you inspire someone, it means you give them great confidence, belief and motivation to do something. The ability to inspire your team is an important component of leadership – inspirational leaders are especially important in hard times or when changes are needed. If you feel inspired, you’re able to do things well without worry or tiredness. Let’s hope you feel inspired in your exams!

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?

Inspired by her example, many other scientists have begun using a similar methodology.

I hadn’t studied much, but fortunately I inspired myself on the day of the exam.

He has a wonderful gift of inspiring students to do their own research.

After hearing the music, I felt inspired to take up the guitar again.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

Have you had any inspiring teachers?
Have you ever listened to any inspirational speeches?
What inspired you to study at university?

Part 4: Phrasal Verb Review

Here are five extracts from today’s listening. Fill in the missing words – the meaning of the phrasal verbs is given at the end to help you.

1) T.H. Huxley was turned ______ for a Professorship at Sydney. (refused)
2) Charles Darwin was too shy to stand ____ _____ himself. (defend)
3) An email arrived with the names of students who had dropped ____ ____ our course. (withdrew)
4) The boy who complained got ______ it, I think. (recovered)
5) As Huxley, I did not hold _______. I wrote it how I saw it. (control myself)

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

What public holiday is celebrated in New Zealand next Monday (26th October)?

Part 6: Today’s online listening

This is an interview with an inspiring science teacher from La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.

Questions for the article:

Who was Thomas Huxley?

What attitudes do science students generally have towards academic writing?

What assignment do Dr Lawlor’s students have to do?

How does she give them feedback on the assignment?

How do the students know what grade they have got?

Why does Dr Lawlor believe good writing is so important for scientists?

Grammar Review: Unreal Past

Look at this example from the listening:

It is possible that if he had not defended and supported Charles Darwin in London during the last half of the 1800s, I would not be teaching evolution and genetics at all. I would certainly be teaching it in a different way.

In fact, Huxley defended Darwin. So Dr Lawlor is imagining a different past – an unreal one. In the second half of the sentence, she imagines a different present. In fact, she is teaching evolution, but she imagines, as a result of that change in the past, she wouldn’t be teaching evolution now.

The grammar is:

If + past perfect tense (had done) in one half of the sentence and then ‘would’ / ‘might’ or ‘could’ (followed by ‘do’ ‘have done’ or ‘be doing’) in the other half.

Complete these other sentences – all of which include the unreal past.

1) If I (not come) to New Zealand, I (not see) a haka.
2) I (probably speak) American English if my parents (emigrate) to the United States.

3) Leeman Brothers (not go) bankrupt if their senior managers (behave) more ethically.

4) I (not start) working for Massey University if I (not see) an advertisement in The North Shore Times.

5) General Motors (close down) if the American Government (not step) in with a bail-out package.

Today’s online site:
Engage in Science – a great writing site for writing in biosciences

Today’s Video suggestion:
You raise me up performed by Celtic Woman
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Today’s picture: Transparent wave – Christchurch Art Gallery

Part 1: Today's word

Transparent means ‘see-through’. So for example, some elevators have transparent walls so that people don’t feel too claustrophobic inside them and it’s common to wrap food in transparent plastic film so that you can see what is inside. We also use transparent for processes which are completely open and public. So, it’s important that promotion is a transparent process, so that everyone can see that it’s fair. Transparency has become one of the major objectives of democratic systems.

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 rules, though transparent, were rather vague and difficult to interpret.

The new material is as transparent as glass, but warmer to the touch and with greater strength and flexibility.

The new system provides for efficient and transparent access to the decision-making process.

Her dress was certainly eye-catching, particularly as it became virtually transparent in the light of the sun.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

How transparent is the grading of your university assignments and exams?

Do you believe Government has become more transparent as a result of new technology?

Part 4: Phrasal Verb Review

Is this theme catching ___ ?

Kraft developed a competition where people had to come ___ with a name for their new snack.

The company chose the best four flavours and then had to work ____ how to manufacture them.

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

Which team does New Zealand need to beat in Wellington on November 14th in order to reach the Soccer World Cup finals for the first time in over 25 years?
More information here

Part 6: Today’s online listening

This is an interview from Australian radio with Professor Angelina Rousseau from Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne. She discusses the new phenomenon of crowd-sourcing and its implications for the field of design

Vocabulary for the article:

backlash

Questions for the article:

1) What mistake did Kraft make in the launch of their new product i-snack 2.0?

Failure to use crowd-sourcing to elicit feedback before launching the product
Their use of crowd-sourcing to select the original name
Lack of promotion of the new product

2) How did Kraft deal with the negative feedback after the launch?

They withdrew the product from the market
They used traditional methods to produce the new name
They used crowd-sourcing again to select a new name

3) Smiths use of crowd-sourcing was more ...

short-term
logical
transparent

4) These two examples support which approach to design?

participatory
traditional
post-modern

5) What is new about crowd-sourcing in design?

It includes audience participation
It provides a public forum for the development of new design
It uses media in the creative process

6) Professor Rousseau argues that designers need greater knowledge management skills to respond to a more ...

technologically-advanced customer base
creative solution to technological problems
demand-driven market

7) What is the response of the design community to crowd-sourcing?

suspicious
enthusiastic
mixed

Today’s news story:
Hunger to Learn: Girls going back to school in the Swat Valley, Pakistan

Today’s Video suggestion:
I’m looking through you by The Beatles
________________________________________________________________

Today’s Picture: Scene from Christchurch Art Gallery

Part1: Today’s Word:

If you diagnose an illness or disorder, you find out what exactly is wrong with someone. Diagnosis is usually carried out by a doctor – or sometimes by a specialist consultant. You can also diagnose faults in machines, software etc – by finding out what the fault is and what caused it. Like ‘crisis’, ‘analysis’ and ‘thesis’, ‘diagnosis’ also has an irregular plural – the ‘sis’ changes to ‘ses’.

Click here for interactive exercises on academic vocabulary and writing.

Part 2: Test

Earlier diagnosis of breast cancer has boosted survival rates over the last two decades.

More than ten percent of the participants were diagnosed with depression and there was no significant correlation between this diagnosis and ethnicity.

The doctor diagnosed a course of antibiotics to be taken twice daily after meals for fourteen days.

When these symptoms present, before diagnosing depression or dementia, it is wise to find out more about social and behavioural factors, such as alcohol intake.

Part 3: Practice Questions

How do doctors gather evidence on which to base their diagnoses?

Part 4: Vocabulary Review

Expressions with ‘mind’

have a lot on your mind
a one-track mind
(in the right) frame of mind
at the back of your mind
cross your mind

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

What percentage of the population of Auckland have Asian ethnicity?

Part 6: Today’s online listening

Click on ‘Today’s Online Listening’ to open the page and then you can click on the play button or on ‘Mp3 download’

This is a short interview and text from Australian Radio about a revolutionary way of diagnosing mental illness.

Questions for the listening:

1) Which of these is a key advantage of the new probe?

greater accuracy
savings in time and spending
more personalised treatment

2) The new probe can be used to diagnose ..

a range of psychiatric illnesses
hearing loss in children and adults
personality type

3) The locus coeruleus is

part of the inner ear
a type of delusional thinking
an area of the brain

4) The probe could be especially useful in diagnosing types of ..

depression
psychosis
anxiety

Today’s news story:
Facebook same name couple to wed

Today’s Video suggestion:
Mar Azul by Cesaria Evora (with Marisa Monte)
________________________________________________________________

Today’s Picture: Spring Flowers in Christchurch

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: Vocabulary Review

a skeleton in the cupboard
I’ve got a bone to pick with you
break a leg!
a bone of contention
to cut the budget to the bone
work your fingers to the bone
she doesn’t have a bad bone in her body

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

Which Indian cultural festival took place in Central Auckland last weekend?

More information here

Part 6: More information Today’s online listening

This is an interview from Radio New Zealand with Professor Jean Fleming from Otago University. She gives some fascinating information about our bones.

Questions for the listening:

1) Which of these is mentioned as a benefit of bones?

improvement of blood supply
protection of vital organs
ability to survive in water

2) Which of these is a common misconception about bones?

they are not living tissues
they are only found in land mammals
they tend to deteriorate as we grow older

3) Which of these is found in long strings which reinforce bone?

calcium
collagen
salt

4) Osteoblasts and osteoclasts work together to control the level of ..

calcium
collagen
salt

5) How many years does it take for your whole skeleton to be renewed?

40
25
10

6) Which of these groups of people would benefit most from a high calcium diet?

young female marathon runners
people in their twenties
middle-aged women

Today’s media link:

a visual guide to the skeleton, from the BBC

Today’s Video suggestion:

Dry Bones performed by the Delta Rhythm Boys

________________________________________________________________

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
________________________________________________________________

Today’s picture: Stream in Tongariro National Park, September 2009

Part 1: Today's word

If something oscillates, it moves back and forward between two positions again and again. So, if a person oscillates between two choices, it means they keep changing their mind.

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 fuel gauge was clearly unreliable, as the needle oscillated between ‘full’ and ‘empty’

If the system becomes blocked, it may be necessary to oscillate the parameters manually until normal functionality returns.

As the examinations approached, her mood oscillated wildly between the extremes of hope and despair.

Minor fluctuations in voltage will cause the signal to oscillate, which will trigger the alarm sensor.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

Do your moods oscillate between hope and despair as exams approach?

Which devices do you know which depend on oscillation?

Part 4: The Vocabulary Review:

Complete the words in these five sentences using words covered in recent podcasts.

1) The PenFriend is an optical device allowing people with _____aired vision to read audio labels.

2) In the public sector, ______teeism , whether due to sickness, low motivation or other causes, is a significant cost to the public purse.

3) In our society, there is still a sti_______ associated with people wearing hearing aids.

4) They were discussing the unforeseen complexities and ram_________ of medical care for elderly people.

5) In her novel, she doesn’t deviate from plain English nor use many met______

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

New Zealand was struck by a minor Tsunami today after a major earthquake near which Pacific Nation?

Part 6: Today’s online listening

This is an interview from Radio New Zealand with a researcher Leigh Signal, from Massey University’s Sleep/Wake Centre. The programme covers the science of sleep and the different kinds of sleep a person typically experiences.

Vocabulary for the article:

predominant
synchronised

Questions for the article:

1) The researcher places an electrode behind the participant’s ear because this area of the brain...

is not very active
plays an important role in sleep management
dictates changes in muscle tone during sleep

2) Rapid Eye Movement [REM] sleep is associated with ...

higher levels of physical activity
dreaming
near-paralysis of the cerebral cortex

3) High-quality sleep mainly depends on ...

extended periods of REM
frequent alternations between REM and non-REM sleep
a balance of different types of sleep

4) Disturbed sleep frequently comprises ...

too much stage 1 and stage 2 type non-REM sleep
extensive and tiring periods of deep sleep
inability to dream

5) Neurone activity when someone has their eyes closed is ...

at a lower level
more disorganised
more under control

6) When neurones fire between four and eight times a second, this is an indication that the person is ..

awake but with their eyes closed
asleep
awake and with their eyes open

7) What sort of process is falling asleep?

relatively sudden, like an on-off switch
gradual and cyclical
slow but one-way

8) Synchronised waves with large amplitude are associated with ..

Stage 3 and 4 non-REM sleep
Deep REM sleep
Disturbances in Stage 2 non-REM sleep

9) REM sleep occurs predominantly in ..

the mid-period of sleep
the second half of sleep
the early stages of sleep

10) The relationship between body and brain in REM sleep is described as ..

paradoxical
embedded
differentiated

11) Sleepwalking is associated with ..

REM sleep
growth
youth

Today’s news story:
School stars enjoy good health

Today’s Video suggestion:
Nightswimming by REM
________________________________________________________________

Today’s picture: Rocks and Moss on Mount Ruapehu, September 2009

When you’re down and troubled And you need a helping hand
And nothing, nothing is going right.
Close your eyes and think of me And soon I will be there
To brighten up even your darkest nights.

You just call out my name, And you know wherever I am
Ill come running, oh yeah baby To see you again.
Winter, spring, summer, or fall, All you have to do is call
And Ill be there, yeah, yeah, yeah. Youve got a friend.

If the sky above you Should turn dark and full of clouds
And that old north wind should begin to blow
Keep your head together and call my name out loud
And soon I will be knocking upon your door.
You just call out my name and you know where ever I am
Ill come running to see you again.
Winter, spring, summer or fall All you got to do is call
And Ill be there, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Song by James Taylor and Carole King

Massey Albany health and counselling centre

Part 1: Today's word

A metaphor is a way of explaining an unfamiliar thing by using a much more familiar thing. So, for example, organisations are often described using the metaphor of the human body – management is the head, workers are the hands etc. Abstract topics like time, arguments, feelings are very often explained through concrete metaphors. Arguments are often expressed through the metaphor of fighting - We talk about winning an argument, taking a position. Time is can be explained through the metaphor of a river and strong feelings through the metaphor of fire. Some of these metaphors are very common in many cultures, but others are different, so it’s important to try to notice those in English. And if you use them, be careful not to mix metaphors. Someone who says ‘The test going to be a real battle but I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it’ doesn’t make sense because he’s using a mixed metaphor – if someone starts by using the metaphor of fighting, they should continue by saying, for instance, ‘I won’t settle for anything less than victory’ instead of changing to the metaphor of a journey.

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 desert island in Robinson Crusoe is often seen as a metaphor for the condition of man, cut off from civilization.

The lecturer used the metaphor of the nuclear and extended family to explain the relationship between the internal and external environment of business.

The verbs we use to talk about time – spend, save and waste – show how much we depend on the metaphor of money to make such an abstract concept meaningful in our culture.

One of the most effective parts of the presentation was when the lecturer showed a wonderful metaphor of a building.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

Does your language use the metaphor of money to talk about time – for instance, by using the same verbs - ‘save, waste and spend’ – for both?

Do the metaphors used for people in English – for example, beaver, pig, workhorse, rat – have the same meaning in your culture?

Part 4: The VocabularyTest
1) It was hoped that saving the heritage building would set a _________ that would lead to better conservation of other threatened buildings.

pretext pretence precedent precondition

2) The new way children are taught to read will be successful if teachers' commitment doesn’t w _________.

waft wade wane waste

3) Migrant workers can even get free Kiwi slang classes where they learn that “hunky-________” means “everything is fine”.

monkey dory dumpty hefty

4) The fruit suppliers need fast delivery times because their goods are ___________

perishable sensible volatile vulnerable

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

Nearly 2000 people have attended the tangi for Sir Howard Morrison. What is a tangi?

More information here

Part 6: Today’s online listening

This is a programme from Australian radio which discusses depression and features an interview with Phillip Mitchell, the Professor of Psychiatry from the University of New South Wales.

Vocabulary for the article:

lethargy
impaired
absenteeism
diagnose
stigma
ramifications

Questions for the article:

1) What proportion of Australians are depressed?

5%
20%
25%

2) What metaphor did the MP, Andrew Robb, use to describe his depression?

a black dog
a black cat
a black cloud

3) Andrew Robb’s depression was described as one of ‘diurnal variation’ because ..

it was stronger at certain times of the day
it was more intense when he was with family members
it was associated with a lack of daylight

4) What metaphor does the presenter use for people who like to stay up late at night?

an owl
a moon
a star

5) Depression is ...

a combination of several different feelings
mainly characterised by extreme lethargy
mostly associated with mornings

6) In the workplace, depression is associated with ...

low performance
absenteeism
employees turning up late

7) Professor Mitchell believes that Andrew Robb’s treatment could include ..

prozac
aspirin
neurofen

8) Apart from medication, Andrew Robb’s treatment may include ..

CBT
ECT
DDT

9) What proportion of Australians with clinical depression are receiving treatment?

60%
20%
40%

10) Professor Phillips believes that Andrew Robb’s case will contribute to the ........... of depression

awareness
stigma
reduction

11) People with depression may be afraid of ramifications from ...

insurance companies
public figures
friends and family

12) The reaction of fellow politicians to news of Andrew Robb’s condition has been ..

sympathetic
combative
aggressive

Today’s news story:
Depression – causes, symptoms, treatment and support from the BBC

Today’s Video suggestion:
Black Dog performed by Led Zeppelin
________________________________________________________________

Today’s picture: Farm Preserves (from Christchurch)

Part 1: Today's word

A precedent is a similar event that has happened in the past. So, if something is without precedent, it means that it’s completely new and nothing similar has happened before. You can also say it is unprecedented. In British law – and systems like New Zealand which follow the same principles, precedent is very important. This means that important decisions in past cases are used as the basis for decisions in new cases. This is an important way of maintaining consistency of application of law over time.

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?

Many critics felt that allowing the Minister to escape punishment was setting a very dangerous precedent, not only for other politicians but for society in general.

Apple has been responsible for a series of important technical precedents in the fields of personal computing and mobile entertainment.

The unprecedented success of the Far Right in the European elections has caused a good deal of soul-searching among traditional parties across the political spectrum.

The status of English as a global language of academic research and business is not, of course, entirely without precedent; Latin once served similar purposes across the Western world at least.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

What areas of the economy have been experiencing unprecedented growth over the last few years?

What kinds of things do lecturers avoid doing because they don’t want to set a precedent?

Part 4: Vocabulary Review

Here are some more sentences including academic vocabulary from September’s podcasts. I’ve given you some of the letters in the missing words – see how many you can complete.

1) Their research takes a hol _________ view of the vacuum cleaner, including its acquisition, functions and social significance.

2) Broks neatly summarised the par________that his area of supposed expertise, neuropsychology, was at the same time the subject about which he felt the most profound ignorance.

3) Her novel was an intro___________ narrative where every event is reflected in the mirror of the main character’s mind.

4) Rather than taking mineral supplements and vitamins, she recommended a balanced diet including plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables – after all, the whole is greater than the s_________ of its p_________

5) Evidence of the Big Bang has acc ___________ to the extent that no serious astronomer doubts it.

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

What is regarded as the most important technological innovation in New Zealand’s history?

Part 6: Today’s online listening

This is an interview from Radio New Zealand with the economic historian, Dr Neville Bennett. He explains very clearly New Zealand’s worst recession and what lessons we can learn from it for the challenges we face today.

Vocabulary for the article:

wane
hunky-dory
perishable

Questions for the article:

1) The boom between the 1850s and 1880’s was mainly due to ...

industrialisation in New Zealand
wool exports
the Maori Land Wars

2) What was the main cause of the New Zealand depression between 1873 and 1895?

Britain’s comparative advantage
Britain’s financial problems
Britain’s high public spending

3) Why does Dr Bennett view railway-building in the 1880’s as a precedent for the bank rescues in 2009?

they both benefitted private individuals
they both stimulated the economy
they both led to a property boom

4) Which of these had a terrible effect on the whole New Zealand economy during the 1880s?

immigration
lack of competition
deflation

5) Which of these factors meant that the benefits of refrigeration were slow to emerge?

low profit-margins
unreliable technology
competition from Northern Europe and Canada

6) How does Dr Bennett feel about the long-term prospects for economic growth in New Zealand?

cautious
highly optimistic
confused

Today’s news story:
Reasons not to live in Australia – part 213

Today’s Video suggestion:
History repeating by the Propellerheads featuring Dame Shirley Bassey
________________________________________________________________

Today’s picture: Sculpture at Lake House, Takapuna

I am: yet what I am none cares or knows,
My friends forsake me like a memory lost;
I am the self-consumer of my woes,
They rise and vanish in oblivious host,
Like shades in love and death's oblivion lost;
And yet I am! and live with shadows tost

Into the nothingness of scorn and noise,
Into the living sea of waking dreams,
Where there is neither sense of life nor joys,
But the vast shipwreck of my life's esteems;
And e'en the dearest--that I loved the best--
Are strange--nay, rather stranger than the rest.

I long for scenes where man has never trod;
A place where woman never smil'd or wept;
There to abide with my creator, God,
And sleep as I in childhood sweetly slept:
Untroubling and untroubled where I lie;
The grass below--above the vaulted sky.

Part 1: Today's word

A paradox is an idea or situation that seems impossible because it includes two ideas or elements that contradict each other. A very old example of a paradox states that you can never close a door because each centimetre of distance the door travels can be divided infinitely and it is impossible to travel an infinite distance in a finite time. Although of course, we all know that we can close a door, it makes you think and question your assumptions. And that is the main purpose of paradoxes.

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 idea that drinking hot tea can cool you down seems kind of paradoxical.

I’ve often wondered about the apparent paradox of people watching sad films when they want to cheer up.

I found statistics totally paradoxical until I had a really good teacher at university who helped me make sense of the whole thing.

It’s something of a paradox that comedians, who seem to possess the gift of making others happy, often seem to lead such miserable lives themselves.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

Do you know any everyday paradoxes, like the one about drinking hot drinks in order to cool down?

Some people find it paradoxical that governments are pumping money into banks, while at the same time trying to create better financial discipline in the sector. Do you agree?

Part 4: Focus on idioms

Here are some examples of idiomatic language in the interview with the neurologist from part 6. Which is the correct word needed to complete each sentence?

1) There’s no central control system in the brain. It’s all over the _________

town shop house

2) Although that’s true, I can’t really get my ________ around it.

head brain mind

3) You need that biological machinery to make you ________ over

beep switch tick

4) Neuroscience and neuropsychology has come on in___________

leaps and bounds swings and roundabouts ups and downs

5) My __________ is that some time in the future we’ll find ways to repair damaged brain.

clue hunch sense

6) I think that the ethical issues are the ________ of the whole matter.

root branch trunk

7) Mostly, clinicians are pragmatic folk and they _________ through

step wade muddle

8) I’d put my ____________ on it that’s what they will find.

money hand life

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

Today, the New Zealand geographic board has ruled that the spelling of one of New Zealand’s towns must be changed. Which town is it?

More information here

Part 6: Today’s online listening

This is an interview from Radio New Zealand with the British neurologist, Paul Broks, author of ‘'Into the Silent Land: Travels in Neuropsychology' (Atlantic Monthly Press). They talk about the brain and the self.

Vocabulary for the article:

enlightening
benign tumour
tumour
recalibrate
introspective
the whole is greater than the sum of the parts

Questions for the article:

1) Paul Broks believes the main challenge for neuroscience in the 21st century is to determine the relationship between the brain and ..

the world
the body
the self

2) What does Paul Broks believe makes us the same person today as we were yesterday?

stories
ego
neurones

3) Those psychologists and neurologists that reject the notion of an inner essence are .............. theorists?

body
bundle
biological

4) What effect has this rejection had on scientists who believe in it?

confusing
disturbing
liberating

5) Francis Crick’s theory is that feelings, emotions and thoughts...

are no more than the behaviour of neurones
are simply a consequence of the behaviour of neurones
are given concrete form by neurone behaviour

6) Robert’s change of personality had .............. causes

psychological
biological
cultural

7) The true cause of his change of personality was found when he ...

developed epilepsy
left his family
changed jobs

8) Robert wasn’t given the choice of whether or not to have his condition treated for ...

ethical reasons
cultural reasons
medical reasons

9) Paul Broks points out the difficulty of translating ........... back into neurone activity?

perception and cognition
social and cultural concepts
grammar and logic

10) The more optimistic element of his book is evidence of ..

humanity
scientific progress
successful treatments

11) What is Paul Brok’s view of the ability of psychotherapy to change people?

sceptical
accepting
cynical

Today’s poem: I am by John Clare

Today’s Video suggestion:
close and open by Sliimy
________________________________________________________________

Today’s picture: Cape Brett, Bay of Islands, New Zealand

Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting: The Soul that rises with us, our life's Star, Has had elsewhere its setting, And comes from afar: Not in entire forgetfulness
And not in utter nakedness, But trailing clouds of glory do we come .... At length the Man perceives it die away, And fade into the light of common day. ...Those shadowy recollections, Which, be they what they may, Are yet the fountain light of all our day, Are yet a master light of all our seeing; Uphold us, cherish, and have power to make Our noisy years seem moments in the being Of the eternal Silence: Hence in a season of calm weather, Though inland far we be, Our Souls have sight of that immortal sea Which brought us hither, Can in a moment travel thither, And see the Children sport upon the shore, And hear the mighty waters rolling evermore.

William Wordsworth

Part 1: Today's word

A holistic approach considers the whole of an issue, including the context, and not only one particular part. A holistic approach to health, in particular, considers both the mind and the body.

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 called for a more holistic view of dentistry, as an integral part of overall health, rather than seeing people as walking sets of teeth.

The holistic course comprises 8 core papers, 10 papers connected with the chosen major and 2 elective papers chosen from outside the discipline.

The course aims to develop a holistic understanding of design within its social, historical and cultural context.

Her more holistic concept of the issue fitted well with the qualitative research methods she employed.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

Do you take a holistic view of your own health?

Do you feel you’ve developed a holistic understanding of your field (eg business studies, history etc) during your studies?

Part 4: Language Focus

Spoken English is full of ‘filler’ phrases used to make information less sharp and to create a relationship with the listener. Here are some examples from today’s listening – I’ve put in some gaps below. See if you can choose the correct ‘filler’ from the alternatives given for each sentence below:

1) Generally, everyone does ________ fit in.

a) sort of b) right c) like

2) We’ve been here ___________ 28 years.

a) quite b) sort of c) like

3) Different agencies know about us. __________, we’re quite unique ..

a) Yet b) Yeah, no c) I mean

4) The question is, _______, what do you want to eat?

a) you know b) I say c) I see

5) Anecdotally, people have been saying for centuries how therapeutic it is getting outside, ________ vitamin D

a) a heap of b) a bit of c) a lot of

6) You can grow it and eat it yourself, ________

a) I mean b) you know c) it figures

7) People are becoming more aware of environmental problems and they’re ____ “What can I do about it?”, you know.

a) so b) as c) like

8) And people are finally starting, _______, to do something about it.

a) you know b) I see c) yet

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

The Undie 500 car rally from Christchurch to Dunedin led to rioting and arrests, mostly of students from the University of Otago. What kinds of cars participate in the rally?

cheap
fast
solar-powered
New Zealand made

Part 6: Today’s online listening

This is a programme about an interesting community gardening project for people who’ve experienced mental illness

Questions for the article:

1) Long-term depression is said to be linked to deficiency of which vitamin?

B3
E
A

2) A British study found that one family-sized pizza contained 18 tablespoons of ...

sugar
salt
oil

3) What skills are the participants in the project expected to learn?

independent working
taking instructions
using chemicals safely

4) Many visitors to the farm describe it as .......?

an oasis
a village
a step back in time

5) Which condition is linked to a lack of vitamin D?

SAD
CBT
ECT

6) Which Government Ministry funds the project?

Social Development
Education
Agriculture

7) The involvement of local community members, as well as people who’ve been mentally ill, is described as a ___________ situation

win-win
quid pro quo
swings and roundabouts

8) Which of these objectives is given as an explanation for the boom in community gardening?

greater control of food
the greying of the population
rising price of land

Today’s news story:
Maori legend of man-eating bird is true

Today’s Video suggestion:
drao Gilberto Gil

________________________________________________________________

Today’s picture: Lake Tekapo, South Island, New Zealand

Thought for the weekend

"Everything that's already in the world when you're born is just normal; anything that gets invented between then and before you turn thirty is incredibly exciting and creative and with any luck you can make a career out of it; anything that gets invented after you're thirty is against the natural order of things and the beginning of the end of civilisation as we know it until it's been around for about ten years when it gradually turns out to be alright really.
Apply this list to movies, rock music, word processors and mobile phones to work out how old you are."

Douglas Adams

Part 1: Today's word

When something accumulates, it slowly builds up. It’s often used to talk about evidence, as in the first example below, so it’s a useful word to talk about research. In finance, it’s often used with words like ‘wealth’ ‘capital’ and ‘debt’ to talk about gradual growth.

Evidence has accumulated that passive smoking is a serious risk to public health.

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?

Over the next century, the city traders accumulated considerable wealth, mostly in the form of gold.

I’m impressed at how quickly the library building has accumulated over the last six months.

Over millions of years, these deposits accumulated and, under pressure, formed the fossil fuels we are now dependent on for much of our energy.

Gamblers, perhaps, believe too absolutely in the old saying: speculate to accumulate.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

What possessions have you accumulated during your time in this country?

In which areas have you accumulated most useful knowledge or expertise?

Part 4: Grammar Focus

Verbs followed by gerund and/or infinitive

Delete the form which is not possible. If both forms are possible, leave them both.

Examples

Do you ever threaten walking / to walk out of your job? (correct answer: to walk)
Do you like lying / to lie in on Sunday mornings? (correct answer: both lying and to lie)

1) Do you really miss sleeping / to sleep in your own bed?

2) Do you mind living / to live in someone else’s home?

3) Would you mind staying / to stay in New Zealand for more than a year?

4) Is there anything in your room that needs repairing / to repair?

5) Do you need buying / to buy any new clothes during the next month?

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question
Where can you visit the Stardome Observatory (Planetarium) in Auckland?

One Tree Hill
Mount Eden
Auckland Domain
Mt Victoria

More information here

Part 6: Today’s online listening

This is an interview with an astronomer, Alan Gilmour, from Mt St John observatory in the South Island of New Zealand

Vocabulary for the article:

Questions for the article:

How old is the sun?

Where did the sun come from?

How many elements existed at the beginning of the universe?

How long is the Sun expected to continue shining?

What’s the temperature in the middle of the Sun?

Which elements can only be created by a supernova?

What are we made of?

How much stronger is the sunshine now than when the Earth first formed?

How long has there been life on earth?

Which will be the best planet for human life in a billion years time?

How big will the Sun grow in 7bn years’ time?

Today’s news story:
China rush on lucky wedding day

Today’s Video suggestion:
Here comes the Sun performed by Nina Simone
________________________________________________________________

Today’s picture: Parc de la Boverie, Belgium

Part 1: Today's word

If people or systems are fallible, it means that they are not perfect and make mistakes. It’s important to back-up your data because no system is infallible – in other words, no system is perfect. The fallibility of the world’s financial system was shown during the recent credit crunch and this led to calls for greater regulation and government intervention.

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 underlying themes of her novel are the fallibility of human nature and the redeeming power of love.

No one checked the accuracy of the figures because we regarded the programme as infallible.

Unfortunately, I lost marks for my assignment because the grammar was fallible in several places.

I still prefer the warm fallibility of human operators to the cold reliability of a machine.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

Do your lecturers come across as fallible human beings?

Have you suffered because of the fallibility of a system?

Part 4: Vocabulary Test

Complete the sentences with words that appeared in the last few podcasts.

1) Of course the politician was friendly – he needs your vote! Honestly, sometimes you are so na _ _ _

2) Customer service is the corner _ _ _ _ _ of our business.

3) You aren’t automatically included in the health insurance scheme when you join the company. You have to _ _ _ in.

4) The crisis in the Middle East led to a sp _ _ _ in the oil price.

5) I decided to go on an organised tour of Vietnam, because booking all those hotels and buses on my own was too much has _ _ _ .

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

According to a recent survey, a quarter of New Zealanders drove last year after ...

drinking alcohol
smoking cannabis
sniffing cocaine

Part 6: Today’s online listening

This is an interview from Australian Radio with the famous behavioural economist Dan Ariely.

Vocabulary for the article:

mind-boggling
efficacy
arousal
pawn

Questions for the article:

1) Dan Ariely argues that people are fundamentally and predictably ....

irrational
emotional
selfish

2) Dan Ariely uses the example of house-buying to illustrate ...

the need for professional advice
the difficulty of rational decision making
the need for greater financial training

3) Dan Ariely’s original research was into ...

pain
healthcare
burn prevention

4) The auction exercise was used to illustrate ...

the influence of your first decision
the positive effects of competition
the randomness of bidding

5) The beer experiment shows the strong influence of ...

taste
expectations
ingredients

6) What effect did the price reduction have on the placebo effect of a treatment?

in increased it
it reduced it
it replaced it

7) His research with college students showed that ...

young men have less respect for women than they say they do
people’s attitudes vary sharply between different emotional states
sexual behaviour is strongly influenced by pornography

8) Which of these theories accepts the fallibility of human nature?

behavioural economics
classical economics
scientific management

Click here and then on ‘show transcript’ to read the interview.

Today’s news story:
Samoa switches to driving on the left

Today’s Video suggestion:
my mistake by Split Enz
________________________________________________________________

Today’s picture: Chalet at Whakapapa Skifield, August 2009

Part 1: Today's word

If you are naive, it means that you don’t have much experience of life in general, or of some aspect of life, and so you are easily influenced or tricked. If someone, for instance, seems to believe everything they see in an advertisement, you might say to them, “Don’t be so naive!”. Of course, one of the major aims of university study is to develop critical thinking, which is the opposite of naivety.

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?

This misconception is based on the naive belief that observation does not change the nature of what is being observed.

I was surprised at how naive she was in auditing, considering that she had a degree in the subject.

That seems to be a pretty naive view of what is clearly a complex issue with many potential causes.

She gave a rather naive account of the incident, which suggested a complete lack of understanding of its implications.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

Do you feel you’ve been naive in any of the decisions you’ve taken this year?
Have you felt like telling any of your friends, “Don’t be so naive?”

Part 4: Test of Academic and Colloquial language

1) You can reveal more about your likes and dislikes by taking the various quizzes that p___ up [on Facebook].

2) [People will get] greater control over who can acc____ and use their personal details

3) Anyone on Facebook can det___________ their privacy level

4) If I’m seeing an ad that you’ve honed and ref________ so it’s perfect for me, then you’ve caught me with my defences down

5) These tougher rules on personal data .. Facebook is pha______ them in over the next year or so

6) .. being able to absolute tar_____ advertising to an individual ...

7) Are we still rather na_____ about how we use these things?

8) Young people seem to be supremely untroubled by this pros_____ (of giving away their personal data)

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

What percentage of New Zealanders use the social networking site, Twitter?

Part 6: Today’s online listening

This is an interview from Australian Radio (ABC) about Facebook and especially, privacy and advertising.

Vocabulary for the article:

cornerstone
opt in
adjunct
quid pro quo

Questions for the article:

1) What is the cornerstone of Facebook’s business model?

2) What was the value of their business deal with Microsoft?

3) What’s the real ‘bone of contention’ regarding Facebook?

4) How can you ensure that your data on Facebook is relatively private?

5) What did the Privacy Commissioner in Canada insist that Facebook does when people delete their accounts?

6) How many Facebook users are there?

7) How does the company People Browser get their information?

8) What might Facebook users see as a quid pro quo of having a profile?

9) What major demographic difference is there between Twitter and Facebook?

Grammar: Double Comparison

This grammar is used to show that one change causes another change. Here is an example from the listening.

The older you get, the more concerned about this you become.

See if you can complete these other examples.

The younger you are, .....
The earlier you go to bed, .....
The more exercise you do, ....
The more interest you have in a subject, ...
The more practice you get, ...

Today’s news story:
New Zealand is voted the world’s second best travel destination (after Italy)

Today’s Video suggestion:
The Facebook song “I used to hang out with girls at the mall / Now I just wait till they write on my wall!
________________________________________________________________

Today’s picture: Historical village, Howick, Auckland (thanks to Satareh for the photo)

Part 1: Today's word

A residue is the part of something which is left after the rest has been used. So, for example, pesticides are chemicals which are used to kill insects which could harm crops like potatoes and corn. However, residues of pesticides may be left on the crops themselves and could harm people if the levels are too high. One major reason people might choose organic food is to avoid such residues. The adjective is residual – so residual income is what is left after the main spending has been done.

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 remove any food residue from cooking utensils before placing them in the dishwasher.

A good skin cleanser is recommended in order to remove make-up residue as well as dirt and sweat.

Used batteries must be carefully placed in the residue for safe disposal.

After deductions for death duties and expenses, the residue of the estate was divided among his living relatives.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

Are you concerned about the residue of pesticides in your food?

Part 4: The Idiomatic Test

Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. You must use between three and eight words, including the word given. Here is an example:

She made a spontaneous decision to leave home. (spur)
She decided to leave home on the spur of the moment.

1) Where to hold the conference remained an obstacle between the parties. (block)
The __________________________________________ between the parties.

2) I wasn’t able to say anything during the meeting. (edgeways)
I _____________________________________ during the meeting)

3) My sister told me that the film is worse than people have been saying. (up)
My sister told me the new film isn’t ____________________________ be.

4) It’s a well-known fact that a glass of water leads to a reduction in appetite. (edge)
It’s a well-known fact that a glass of water __________________________ your appetite.

5) She was taken aback by the news of her redundancy. (hit)
She didn’t _________________________ when she was told about her redundancy.

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

What do New Zealanders rate as the best smell to have in a home?

freshly-baked bread
French perfume
cut flowers

More information here

Part 6: Today’s online listening

This is an interview with the Massey University Professor Ralph Sims on the topic of biofuels and energy efficiency

Vocabulary for the article:

spike (example: Remember when the price of food spiked before the recession)

Questions for the article:

1) Which of these organisations does Ralph Sims belong to?

Auckland University the IPCC the Nobel Committee

2) What proportion of global fuel demand is currently met by liquid biofuels?

10 % 5.0% 1.5%

3) What was the relationship of biofuel production and the higher food prices in 2008?

biofuel prices rose as a result of higher food prices
biofuel prices and food prices both rose as a result of higher fuel prices
biofuel production was one of the factors causing higher food prices

4) Ethanol from sugar cane is considered relatively ethical because ...

it has little impact on the labour market
it comprises nearly a quarter of gasoline for cars in Brazil
its production doesn’t threaten biodiversity

5) Why isn’t forest residue being converted into biofuel?

technical issues
ethical concerns
cost-effectiveness

6) Ralph Sims sees a lot of potential for New Zealand to export ...

pellets made from forest residues
ethanol made from sugar cane
animal feed which is a by-product of biofuel production

7) Burning biofuels is better for the environment than burning fossil fuels because ...

C02 emissions are reduced by 90% compared to natural decay
it produces no more C02 emissions than would occur naturally
it has negligible production and transportation costs

8) Why is New Zealand not phasing out traditional light bulbs?

public opposition
environmental impact
fuel efficiency

Today’s news story:
Mohammed Ali's warm Irish welcome

Today’s Video suggestion:
Clown doctors bring good cheer to wards
________________________________________________________________

Today’s picture: Sunset at Mt Ruapehu, August 2009

Part 1: Today's word

A connotation is a feeling or idea that is suggested by a word. Words can have negative or positive connotations. So, for example, the word ‘home’ will carry positive connotations of comfort and security for most people. Connotations vary between people. So, for example, the word ‘feminist’ may have negative connotations for some people and neutral or positive connotations for others. It is important to know if the words you’re using in your writing have positive or negative connotations, so that you can ensure that you’re conveying the right message.

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 disliked the word ‘amateur’ because he felt it had connotations of lack of discipline or expertise.

The organisation preferred to use the word ‘appropriate’ in order to avoid the moral connotations of ‘correct’.

The replacement of the word ‘passenger’ with ‘customer’, with its more commercial connotations, signified a cultural shift in public transport.

Business communication needs to be based on clear messages without any connotations.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

What connotations does the word ‘Kiwi’ have for you?
Does your name have any positive or negative connotations?

Part 4: Vocabulary Review

Complete the words to fill the gaps in these sentences. All of these words have been covered in recent podcasts.

The owners designed a new logo to diff ____________ their shop from its regional counterparts.

Our two cherry trees are in flower at the same time and we hope the bees will pol __________ them effectively.

She should have kept t __________ of her blood pressure before going to see the general practitioner.

If those gardeners want to be hired, they should be prepared to p _______ their weight.

He was a good looking man, a successful banker, and he wanted to marry her but she knew nothing of his m _________past.

He was tempted by the job but it was in the g ______ area between public and private spending.

The dairy farmers, opposed to the new production q _____, were seeking compensation from the Government.

According to a general agreement and except for olive oil, there was a low t ________ on vegetal oils.

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

Why are New Zealanders behaving altruistically today (September 1st )?

More information here

Part 6: Today’s online listening

This is a short interview with an Australian writer, Mem Fox, who talks about why she changed her name.

Vocabulary for the article:

hassle
discard
ponderous

Questions for the article:

1) Apart from writing, what other job does Mem Fox have?

2) Why did people think it was funny when she got married?

3) How old was she when she changed her first name?

4) Is her ‘real’ name an ordinary one or an unusual one?

5) What connotations would her name have for Dutch people?

6) When does she have to use her ‘real’ name?

You can also read a transcript of the interview here

Today’s news story:
Teenage lottery winner blows prize money

Today’s Video suggestion:
Say My Name by Destiny’s Child
________________________________________________________________

Today’s picture: Scene from Mt Ruapehu, August 2009

Part 1: Today's word

Detriment is a more formal word for harm caused as a direct result of something, especially in the expression ‘to the detriment of xxxx’. To suffer a detriment is the opposite of to gain a benefit. So, for example, exercise is beneficial, whereas smoking is detrimental to your health.

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 methods used in the factory emphasised speed and volume to the detriment of safety and hygiene.

Her behaviour caused a good deal of detriment to her family and friends over a long period.

More students are working during their studies to the detriment of their academic achievement and engagement in university life.

An entertainment licence was rejected on the grounds that the noise and traffic would be to the detriment of neighbouring residents.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

Do you know anyone who is working or doing other activities to the detriment of their studies?
Do you have any habits which are detrimental to your health?

Part 4: The Idiomatic Test

Write one word only which can be used appropriately in all three sentences. Here is an example:

The question of who flew the first airplane is a _______ of contention between the USA and Brazil.
Hey, I’ve got a ______ to pick with you.
She had to have her leg put in plaster to allow the ______ to heal.

The correct word is ‘bone’. The first two are idioms; the third is the basic meaning of the word.

1 I’m afraid the ________ has fallen out of the housing market.
I have a sneaking feeling that we’ll never get to the ______ of this.
I’d like to thank you from the ______ of my heart.

2
I think this is a ______ for Scotland Yard.
I’m afraid that is simply not the ______ .
Don’t worry. I’m on the _______ .

3
I think we should ______ for port and sit out the storm.
The problem came to a ______ during the annual meeting.
She ended her career at the ______ of an international firm.

4 This simply isn’t the ______ or time to be having this discussion.
I felt so out of ______ in that formal atmosphere.
Everything fell into _____ when he confessed to the crime.

5 You’ll need a wide-angle lens for that ______.
He gulped down a _____ of whisky before striding out of the bar.
It’s not really my field, but I’m willing to take a ______ at it.

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question
Which well-known Hollywood celebrity is reported to be visiting New Zealand this week?

Tom Cruise
Brad Pitt
Leonardo di Caprio
Jim Carrey

Part 6: Today’s online listening

This is an interview from Australian Radio with a leading Canadian graphic designer, David Berman, who talks about why graphic design matters and why ethics is important in this field.

Vocabulary for the article:

clientele
culpable
throw the book at someone
to applaud
psyche

Questions for the article:

1) What is David’s main argument for the importance of graphic design in the 21st century?

its influence is much greater due to technological developments
it is crucial to the effectiveness of the marketing concept
the internet has had a huge impact on the level of expertise in the field

2) What does David describe as the cause of the biggest problem in the world today?

climate change
over-consumption
the credit crunch

3) How are graphic designers involved in making the problem worse?

arguing against policies of sustainability
promoting weapons of mass destruction
encouraging unnecessary spending through visual associations

4) Why is the Coca-Cola logo so effective?

it’s innovative
it’s colourful
it’s familiar

5) The greatest effect of good graphic design is on people’s ..

memories
enjoyment
understanding

6) What objection does David have to the use of sexual images in advertising?

immorality
inappropriateness
ineffectiveness

7) David believes that graphic designers should be certified in the same way as architects because ...

their work has the potential to cause great harm
complex design tools like Adobe software require professional users
this will allow their profession to have the same status as architecture

8) If David’s idea is implemented, over 5m hours a week will be spent by graphic designers worldwide working ...

on charitable projects
on socially useful projects
on certified projects

Today’s news story:
Shanghai seeks an end to Chinglish and some examples from various countries

Today’s Video suggestion:
What is design? by the very French Philippe Starck

________________________________________________________________

Today’s picture: Fragile flowers in Russell, August 2009

Part 1: Today's word

If something is fragile, it’s easy to break. So, for example, delicate computer equipment or objects made of glass are often fragile. You can also talk about the fragility of other things that can be broken. For example, a fragile agreement may easily be broken. And if someone has a fragile ego, it means they lack self-confidence.

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, many of the best vases of the Ming period can only be seen in China as they are too fragile to be sent overseas for exhibitions.

The company lacked investment capital and was fragile to takeover from larger overseas firms.

The collapse of Leeman Brothers and its huge global impact was a graphic illustration of the fragility of the world’s economic system.

The fragile coalition between the two parties appears to be holding, despite the unease of some party members.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

What is your most fragile possession?

Do you know anyone with a fragile ego?

Do you know of any fragile agreements or treaties between countries?

Part 4: The Idiomatic Test

I was hoping to talk to the boss about my new project, but the meeting was so busy that I never got a look.

I think you’ve really hit the nail on the head there. That’s exactly what we need to do.

I wasn’t really sure I was doing the right thing, but looking back, I’m happy I put my doubts behind me and took the dive.

I had reached a dead end in my research and had to start the whole thing over again from scratch.

He may not be the most charming man, but at least you know where you stay with him.

I stood like a sore thumb in my jeans and sweater among all those bankers.

I’m sorry to say, you’re not pushing your weight and we’re going to have to let you go.

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

Which of the following is NOT one of the research interests of the staff in the Information Technology Group at Massey University?

virtual communities
digital TV
online security
electronic music

Part 6: Today’s online listening

This is a short programme from the BBC about computer security and hacking.

Vocabulary for the article:

hacker
geek
surreptitious
malicious
chill out

Questions for the article:

1) The US Government is seeking 10, 000 people to work in ...

cyber-security
email surveillance
computer hacking

2) Recent cyber-attacks against the US resulted in ...

bodily harm
corruption of data
denial of service

3) One underlying problem for the US is ...

the low numbers of IT students
the high cost of internet security
the lack of investment in military defence

4) What example was given of the fragility of web services we rely on?

Twitter being for political purposes
Twitter being forced offline
the programming flaws in Twitter

5) What does ‘hacking’ consist of’ according to Mitt Altman, the founder of the hacker space, Noisebridge?

securing, destroying and replacing systems
developing, testing and distributing viruses
analysing, improving and sharing technology

6) Mitt Altman’s most successful hacking invention allows people to ...

replace their confusing remote controls
turn off TVs in public places
add a security key to their remote control

7) Why does Mitt argue that users should be able to hack into the Apple i-phone?

they own the product
they can improve the product
they need to understand the product

8) According to Bill Thompson, what features do hacking groups share with artists’ studios?

they are illegal and misunderstood
they are collaborative and creative
they are long-established and common

Today’s news story:
India’s water use is unsustainable

Today’s Video suggestion:
Fragile by Sting
________________________________________________________________

Today’s picture: Huka Falls, near Lake Taupo, New Zealand

Part 1: Today's word

If something is embedded, it means it’s fixed firmly in something else so that it becomes a part of the larger object. Sometimes after an accident, people have pieces of glass embedded in their skull that can be very difficult to remove.

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?

Five distinct processes are embedded within the project management life cycle: initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and closing.

Vygotsky viewed the mind, not as a self-contained organism, but one that was deeply embedded in the social environment.

The crystals are generally found embedded in metamorphic rock formations.

His main critique of SWOT analysis is that it is embedded within a backward-looking culture of conservatism, inappropriate in a fast-moving globalised business world.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

What different applications are embedded within Microsoft products?

Part 4: The Idiomatic Test

I had to hit him. He was a ___ for it!
We'll cross that b __ when we come to it
I hope the deal's above b ___
We were talking at c ___ purposes
She doesn't take a b ___ bit of notice.
We've been fighting a losing b ___
It was just a f ___ of her imagination
Actually, that's a bone of c ___
She was at the end of her t ___

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

How many lakes are there in New Zealand?

between 100 and 1000
between 1000 and 25 000
more than 50 000

More information here

Part 6: Today’s online listening

This is a 15-minute interview on Australian Radio with an English writer, Wendy Barnaby. She discusses the idea of water wars and explains the role of water in international trade. The interview contains useful ideas about globalisation, economics and history.

Vocabulary for the article:

self-sufficiency
net exporter
outweigh

Questions for the article:

1) What did the World Bank vice-President forecast in the 1990’s?

water wars
water trading
virtual water

2) What do most people assume you need in order to have water security?

economic diversification
embedded water
plentiful supplies of water in your land

3) Embedded water means the water ...

in deep basins
used to produce crops which are traded
contained within fruit and vegetables

4) How many tonnes of water are embedded in one tonne of grain?

10
100
1000

5) Embedded water is also known as . ...... water.

virtual
renewable
commercial

6) According to Wendy, how did Singapore solve its water shortage?

desalination of sea water
economic diversification
producing embedded water

7) What has the role of water been in past wars?

a primary cause of conflict
a tool of war
a symbol of peace

8) How does Wendy feel in general about the future of water?

cynical
anxious
optimistic

Language focus: collocation

Collocation means words which go together. It’s a very important part of fluency in a language. When you learn new words, pay attention to the words they naturally go together with. For instance, we say ‘heavy traffic’, not ‘big’ or ‘intense’. Here are some collocations from today’s interview. I’ve given you the first letter of the missing word – see if you can complete them.

They're using some other country's water to m ______ their own needs.

And for some countries, the difference is really d ___________. On balance, Jordan imports a volume of embedded water which is five times greater than its own annual renewable resources.

As poor countries diversify their economies, they turn away from agriculture and c ___________ wealth from industries that use less water.

The water supply that used to sustain Singapore is now only enough to s ____________ 5% of its rich-country needs

But it's h _____________ surprising that the rest of us should h _____ warnings from sources that seem to be authoritative.

[Politicians] f ___________ the illusion that their economy has been doing well;

... when relationships are good ...... countries co-operate o ________ water. Egypt is now co-operating w ______ other countries in the Nile basin.

Today’s news story:
Water policies suffer a sinking feeling which presents a less optimistic view of the issue

Today’s musical suggestion:
Cool Water performed by Nellie Lutcher
________________________________________________________________

Today’s picture: Sullivan’s Bay, Mahurangi (thanks to Satareh for this one!)

Part 1: Today's word

A dimension is an aspect of a situation, especially one which has an important impact on your attitude. So, for instance, you could say that distance education took on a whole new dimension with the invention of the internet. In other words, an important aspect was added which changed the basic character of the internet. When you are researching or analysing a social or business issue, you could look at the cultural, psychological, or ethical dimension in order to gain a more complete understanding of the issue. You may also come across the word dimension in mathematics, where it just means the length, width and height of an object.

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?

Learning a bit of the Maori language added a whole new dimension to her experience of New Zealand culture.

Her research focused on the effects on family life of a specific social dimension: the increased use of online networking.

The vast dimensions of the scheme made it necessary to employ a specialist project management team.

The researchers could have considered the sociological dimension of the issue.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

Have any of your assignments asked you to consider the cultural, ethical or social dimensions of a specific issue?
Have any of your university studies added a whole new dimension to your way of thinking?

Part 4: The Idiomatic Test

It's like water off a duck's b ___
The experience was a real eye- o____
She didn't lift a f ___ to help
At least you've got your f ___ in the door
An early election is on the c ___
I was totally out of my d ___
Everyone's getting in on the a ___
The copier's given up the g ____

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

Which of these is a well-known New Zealand fashion designer?

Trelise Cooper
Coco Chanel
Stella McCartney
Issey Mijake

More information here

Part 6: Today’s online listening

This is an interview on Australian Radio with a PhD researcher Bianca Price, who has researched the impact of how good-looking a sales assistant is perceived to be on purchase decisions.

Vocabulary for the article:

intimidated
flaw
flawless
metrosexual

Questions for the article:

What was the research question? Are women less likely to purchase clothing when they perceive the sales assistant as being more attractive than they are?

Where did the researcher get the idea from?

Where was the research published?

What were the research methods?

What were the findings?

What theory did she use to explain her findings?

What practical implications may the research have?

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(Young women) are more p __________ to eating disorders.

Women are con ___________ with a number of images from the media.

The emphasis on attractiveness for these young women can det____________ their social network, it can det__________ whether they find a relationship

You’re dealing with two dim ______________ here ...

Women asp ______ to be a celebrity.

Firms will want to ass__________ those images with their particular brand or product

The v ______ majority of (clothing) stores are targeted towards young women.

Women who don’t per________ themselves as attractive may be det__________ (from shopping in stores with attractive sales assistants)

A lot of men would enc__________ difficulties (with a similar situation)

Grammar Focus: Expressing tendencies

‘will’ doesn’t only refer to the future in English. It is often used to express a general tendency – it has a similar meaning to ‘tend to’ and is often used as an alternative. Both ‘tend to’ and ‘will’ are also used with adverbs like ‘generally’ and ‘typically’ to make the tendency a little weaker. This is an important grammar point if you are describing trends or habits – and when we are talking about people and society, we need this grammar a lot, since the real world is not black and white, but many shades of grey.

Here are a few examples from today’s listening:

Men tend to like buying things off better looking women. In fact, they’ll go out of their way to buy things they don’t need.

Women and women will generally be more competitive with each other.

Women tend to value their attractiveness.

Women will generally focus on their appearance first and foremost.

Today’s news story:
Internet cry for help finds answer across the world

Today’s Video suggestion:
Kath and Kim explore the various dimensions of swimwear purchase decisions
________________________________________________________________

Today’s picture: Magnolia in bloom behind the Study Centre, Massey University Albany

Part 1: Today's word

Vulnerable people or things are easily hurt or attacked and therefore need protection. So, for example, if your computer may be vulnerable to viruses if you don’t have the correct software installed to protect it. Young children and the elderly tend to have a higher vulnerability to infection, so need special care. And at times, everyone is emotionally vulnerable – for example, if you’ve had some bad experiences, you may feel vulnerable because your confidence is low.

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?

Despite their superior firepower, Western troops were vulnerable to attacks from roadside bombs.

The system is vulnerable to frequent attempts by hackers to obtain our customers’ details, which has required significant investment in the most powerful protection available.

Self-help and community groups can help vulnerable people to develop the social networks they need to survive and prosper.

Companies that depend on single products or services will always be vulnerable to threats from the external environment, such as copycat brands or changes in regulation.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

Which kinds of people have been most vulnerable to the effects of the HN1N (swine flu) virus?

Which businesses have been most vulnerable during the current credit crunch?

Part 4: The Idiomatic Five

(not) get a word in edgeways / edgewise
not given the opportunity to say anything
She talks so much, I can’t get a word in edgeways.

have your work cut out
have a challenge
Things are going more slowly than expected and we’re going to have our work cut out to finish this project on time.

a can of worms
a complicated or corrupt situation which has been hidden
He really opened up a can of worms when he tried to renogotiate the commission rates.

rub (sb) up the wrong way
make a bad impression on
Unfortunately, she managed to rub him up the wrong way on their first meeting.

from / since the year dot / one
for a very long time
This bakery has been here since the year dot.

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

Valerie Vili won a gold medal for New Zealand in the World Athletics Championship today – in which event?

Part 6: Today’s online listening

This is an interview from Australian Radio (ABC) about empathy in animals with the leading biologist Franz de Waal. To listen to the programme, just click on ‘Today’s online listening’ above and then click on ‘download audio’. The interview is the second item in the programme, so you can go forward five minutes or just click on the line about 2 cm from the left. If you click on ‘show transcript’, you can also read the interview.

Vocabulary for the article:

altruism
empathy
contagion
blush
offspring

Questions for the article:

1) In what way was Charles Darwin different from many modern biologists?

He believed animals evolve through natural selection
He believed animals also had empathy
He believed only humans were altruistic

2) What does Franz de Waal believe is the main evolutionary advantage of empathy?

it helps us care for vulnerable infants
it helps us find a suitable mate
it helps us identify weak points in our enemies

3) What kind of neurones seem to be involved in empathy?

motor
mirror
sensory

4) What research methods did Franz de Waal use in his work on apes?

observation and grounded theory
observation and experimentation
survey and experimentation

5) What comparison does Franz de Waal make between apes and politicians?

playing tricks
fighting over nothing
being nice to babies

6) What appears to be the evolutionary advantage of blushing?

it warns others not to trust the person who is blushing
it makes the person who is blushing seem more trustworthy
it discourages people from behaving dishonestly

7) The cruel way apes treat non-group members shows that empathy is ..

not consistent
weaker in males
only applied to family members

Today’s news story:
Dog eater needed education, not punishment

Today’s Video suggestion:
reading and empathy by Barack Obama

Today’s Musical suggestion:

Everybody Hurts by REM

________________________________________________________________

Today’s picture: Sunset in Russell, Bay of Islands, August 2009

Part 1: Today's word

If a person or society is prosperous, it means that they have a good income, based on successful business. One important aim of governments, therefore, is to increase overall prosperity. The meaning of prosperous is similar to affluent.

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?

Increasing traffic congestion and pollution is one of the unfortunate side-effects of increasing prosperity.

High levels of debt may threaten the long-term prosperity of the economy.

It is important to evaluate the prosperity and conditions of any new post before entering into contract negotiations.

New Zealand’s prosperity has always been based on strong agricultural exports.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

What is the prosperity of your country or city based on?

What are the main ways in which governments aim to increase the prosperity of their people?

Part 4: The Idiomatic Test

Here are some sentences using some of the idioms we’ve covered over the last few months. Which ones are correct? And how can you change the other ones to make them correct?

I’m not sorry I broke his nose. He was asking me for it.

I may be going to Europe on business but it’s still up in the air.

I’m happy to hear that staff morale has improved, but I have to remind you that the bottom line is sales, which are still low.

The award took me completely by surprise and I had to come up with an off-the-cuff thank-you speech.

Nowadays people hardly bat an eyelash when they hear scandals about the Royal Family.

I think that allowing only 30 minutes to get from the airport to the city centre cuts it a bit fine. Actually, an hour is more realistic.

It took over a year until our hard work really began to pick fruit.

I’ve been pulling my hair out over this new software. I just can’t work out what the problem could be.

If you’re so fed up with your colleague’s punctuality, you’ll just have to get it out with her. There’s no point letting it go on like this.

I was never really able to talk to my dad about leaving home, but I’m so glad I managed to have a face-to-face with him before he died.

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

Which is the main region in which New Zealand’s aid agency NZAID works?

Africa
Asia
The Pacific
Latin America

Part 6: Today’s online listening

This is a short programme about the success and limitations of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (ACOA) in increasing prosperity in Africa.

Vocabulary for the article:

tap the potential
untapped potential

Questions for the article:

Esther Betts, an African farmer

1) She would like help in ...

importing American seeds
understanding the American market
competing against American products

2) She feels that the American Government could help African farmers..

to meet international quality standards
to produce genetically-modified crops
to satisfy the local demand for fruits and vegetables

Brian Kaguro: International Aid worker

3) His main criticism of AGOA (African Growth and Opportunity Act) is that ...

its scope is too limited
it focuses too much on oil-importing countries
it completely excludes food and textiles

4) He feels that in order to succeed, there needs to be an adjustment to ...

financial aid
quality control
sustainability

Rosa Whitaker: Former US Trade representative

5) Her main defence of AGOA is that

oil exports aren’t a dominant part of the scheme
it has had a positive effect on employment in Africa
it has increased American exports to Africa

6) What is her main belief about quality standards for agricultural imports from Africa?

they are likely to be relaxed in the long-term
African farmers are capable of meeting them
America is willing to invest in quality improvement

Today’s news story:
Optimistic women live longer

Today’s Video suggestion:
doni doni by Africando ... petit a petit!
________________________________________________________________

Today’s picture: Bay of Islands, August 2009

No man is an island entire of itself; every man
is a piece of the continent, a part of the main;
if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe
is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as
well as any manner of thy friends or of thine
own were; any man's death diminishes me,
because I am involved in mankind.
And therefore never send to know for whom
the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.

Meditation 17 by the English poet John Donne (1624)

Part 1: Today's word

A compromise is a kind of agreement where both sides accept that they can’t have everything they want. When the sides finally agree, they reach, come to or arrive at a compromise. You can also use compromise as a verb. So, for example, Trade Unions may need to compromise on the timing of a pay increase in order to secure the amount they were looking for. But it’s important to avoid compromising your principles or beliefs.

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 Unions and Management have agreed to a last-minute compromise to avert costly industrial action.

A compromise was reached where the sign was written in both languages, with the English and Maori versions given equal prominence.

Foreign policy has to strike a delicate compromise between national interest and political principles.

Both sides were willing to sign the compromise after days of difficult negotiations.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

Have you had to make any compromises in your studies? For example, your subject, your university, your timing?

Have you ever reached a compromise with your parents? For example, about the use of the car, your social life or appearance?

Part 4: The Idiomatic Five

keep sb on their toes
not allow sb to become complacent
The army holds regular simulations in order to keep the soldiers on their toes.

on top of (a situation)
in control
We had a few difficulties, but we’re getting on top of the situation now.

keep track
keeping an up-to-date record
Is anyone keeping track of the score?

put two and two together
draw an obvious conclusion
She didn’t tell anyone she’d lost her job, but after seeing her around during the day, I just put two and two together.

(not) pull your weight
be lazy
There’s a lot of work to do, but if everyone pulls their weight, it won’t take too long.

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

What is the name of the team from Wellington which competes in the Australian A-League soccer competition (which started its new season last weekend)?

Knights
Kingz
Phoenix
Kiwis

Part 6: today’s online listening

This is a short interview from the BBC about free trade and the growing number of disputes. It features leading international trade lawyer, Gary Horlick. The interview runs from 1.44 – 7.22, as part of a general business programme.

Vocabulary for the article:

to blow hot and cold
murky
grey area
procurement
quota
tariffs

Questions for the article

1) One reason there are more trade disputes during a recession is ...

it’s easier to show you have been harmed
lawyers are forced to reduce their fees
courts are more favourable towards struggling businesses

2) The ‘Buy America’ clause is a compromise between ...

National and local government
President Obama and his party
The United States and Mexico

3) Gary Horlick argues that the ‘Buy National’ concept is ...

expensive
illegal
outdated

4) President Obama has a difficult decision about whether to impose a quota on Chinese ...

tyres
steel
electrical appliances

5) Gary Horlick is sceptical about the argument that ....

Reducing emissions needs global co-operation
Chinese imports to the US are damaging the environment
Free trade benefits the American economy

6) How does Gary Horlick feel about the completion of the Doha Round of Free Trade negotiations?

optimistic
sceptical
disappointed

Today’s news story: from India
Street theatre brings hope for women

Today’s Video suggestion: from the USA
Rocking in the Free World by Neil Young
___________________________________________________________

Today’s picture: Hot-Rod Differentiation in Russell, New Zealand

Part 1: Today's word

Differentiation means making things different. So, for example, differentiated instruction means that different students receive different information according to their needs and interests. In marketing, it’s important that brands are clearly differentiated in the minds of the consumers.

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 argued that societies were no longer differentiated so much by traditional social class, as by education and participation.

The organisation evolved from a highly-differentiated workforce to one where each highly-skilled member was expected to multi-task as required.

Market segmentation involves analysis of the total market demand into particular segments, so that consumers can be differentiated and therefore targeted more effectively.

The course differentiated from my expectations in several respects, particularly in its extensive use of online learning.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

Do you feel the criteria for distinction, pass and fail are clearly differentiated?

How do restaurants differentiate their brands?

Part 4: The Idiomatic Five

in the teeth of
in spite of
The Government managed to pass the legislation in the teeth of fierce opposition.

to wear thin
to run out
We’ve been waiting three weeks for this package and our patience is beginning to wear a bit thin.

ram it down sb’s throat
force it on sb
He’s welcome to his own opinions as long as he doesn’t try and ram them down my throat.

to be at eachother’s throats
to argue all the time
We used to get on well, but since we started living together we’ve been at each other’s throats.

tit-for-tat
in retaliation
There was a series of tit-for-tat murders among drug dealers in the city.

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

Last weekend’s telethon raised money for the
Kidscan charity. Who do they support?

Part 6: today’s online listening

This is a short interview with two scientists, Peter Dearden and Rosanna McCartney, from the University of Otago. They’ve been researching how honey bees are able to produce two distinct kinds of females.

Vocabulary for the article:

pollinate
in tandem

Questions for the article:

1) The evidence shows that the type of female bee produced (Queen or worker) depends on ...

nutrition
in-breeding
genetics

2) Rosanna’s research looks at ..

the early differentiation
the effects of hormone differences
the role of Queen bees

3) What’s the total development time of a worker bee?

just over a week
about two weeks
nearly three weeks

4) What is the effect of royal jelly on the developing bees?

switching on and off specific genes
providing RNA messages to cells
protecting the developing Queen

5) The researchers have differentiated the RNA from the two types of bee by ...

colour
weight
location

6) The newer technology of high-throughput sequencing provides them with ...

more data
more accurate sampling
more rapid interpretation

7) The next stage of the research will involve ..

completing the genome of the honey bee
controlling gene expression through RNA
manipulating the role of the worker bees

8) The active ingredient of royal jelly which leads to the development of Queen Bees is ...

a specific molecule
a set of proteins
currently unknown

9) Developmental plasticity is ...

their broader research topic
their underlying methodology
their system for data gathering and analysis

10) Geneticists are becoming more interested in the role of ...

the genome
the environment
RNA

Today’s news story: from the Pacific
Easter Island’s first ever soccer match

Today’s Video suggestion: from the USA
Queen Bee by Taj Mahal
________________________________________________________________

Today’s picture: Scene from the Study Centre Building, Massey University, Albany, August 2009

Part 1: Today's word

If two things are aligned, it means that they are organised so that they are both in a straight line or, more generally, that they match well together. So, for example, it is important that a company’s policies and strategies are closely aligned with their mission statement. In research, it is important that your methods are aligned with your research questions. If things are not aligned, there is a danger that they will contradict each other and the whole organisation or project will not work effectively towards a common goal. So, it is important that goals, methods and actions are in alignment.

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 was faced with the challenge of aligning its production methods with its philosophy of sustainability.

The organization underwent a process of close alignment in order to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in its environment.

An integrated strategy is required so that information systems are closely aligned with the needs and goals of the business as a whole.

An effective supply chain depends on close alignment of the systems of the supplier and the customer.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

Do you feel that the aims of your courses are closely aligned with the teaching methods and assessments?

How closely are you studies aligned with your future plans?

Part 4: The Idiomatic Five

a stumbling block
an obstacle (especially in negotiations)
The merger is nearly completed. The only remaining stumbling block is the location of the Head Office of the new company.

to follow suit
copy
If our competitors cut their prices, we’ll be forced to follow suit.

red tape
bureaucracy
I was hoping to open my own language school in Australia, but unfortunately there was so much government red tape, it didn’t seem worth the trouble.

stand / stick out like a sore thumb
be obviously different
I was a bit nervous about going on the beach because I thought I’d stick out like a sore thumb among all those tanned bodies.

have a sweet tooth
enjoy sugar etc
I always get my mum chocolates for her birthday. I know she’ll like them because she’s always had a sweet tooth.

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

What is the unemployment rate in New Zealand?

Part 6: Today’s online listening

This is an interview from Radio New Zealand with the leading economist Sir Howard Davies. He is the director of the London School of Economics and a board member of Morgan Stanley bank. He talks about how he believes the world can move out of the current economic crisis

Vocabulary for the listening:

poacher turned gamekeeper
to curb
doesn’t cut the mustard
mop up
bail out
pre-emptive
detrimental

Questions for the listening:

1) When targeting inflation, governments need to take account of the costs of credit and ...

commodities
assets
labour

2) Howard Davies criticises the US Federal Reserve and the Bank of England for having ignored ...

The CPI (Consumer Price Index)
The asset bubble
Interest rates

3) Alan Greenspan argued that ...

asset prices would contract gradually
it is impossible to know if assets are overvalued
asset prices need to be more strictly regulated

4) Howard Davies believes that asset prices need to be ...

scientifically determined
integrated into inflation targeting
aligned with interest rates

5) Howard Davies admits that he was mistaken about ...

banks’ need for large amounts of capital
the sharp increases in mortgage debt
the inevitability of government intervention

6) Howard Davies argues that increasing bank reserves will lead to ..

a reduction in interest rates
a slower economic recovery
an increase in bank lending

7) How much of a bank’s assets should be held as equity capital?

8%
12%
88%

8) Setting higher reserves for banks should also make them more ..

competitive
risk-averse
speculative

9) Howard Davies believes interest rate rises do have a significant effect on the economy because ...

most people do not have fixed rate mortgages
they affect all mortgages equally
they affect people’s expectations

10) Howard Davies believes that pre-emptive action by Governments will be ..

normal
unnecessary
unpopular

11) His main criticism of monetary policy over recent years is that it has been too ...

speculative
unclear
narrow

12) What does Howard Davies believe will be a major factor in slowing down economic recovery in countries like Britain?

a high balance of payments deficit
over-regulation of the banking industry
high levels of personal debt

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Grammar focus: is / are to do

In formal English, you can use is / are to do to talk about future possibilities. It’s used to talk about situations where a person can influence their future – not to talk about the weather etc, which are out of our hands. Here is an example from the recording.

More soul-searching is necessary about the causes of the financial crisis if the world is to stage a convincing recovery.

Questions:

What will you need to do over the next year if you are to pass all your papers?

If New Zealand is to reduce its high unemployment rate, what does it need to do?

Today’s news story: from New Zealand
trends in the Auckland region - comprehensive facts and figures from Statistics New Zealand

Today’s Video suggestion: from the UK
Bankrobber by The Clash
________________________________________________________

Today’s picture: Latin American dance champions, performing in Devonport, NZ last Saturday

Part 1: Today's word

A criterion is a standard which is used for assessing something. So, for example, customer service is an important criterion for the retail sector. Criterion is a Greek word and it has an irregular plural, criteria. Because there are normally several criteria which are used when assessing something, the word is usually found in the plural. For instance, safety, fuel-economy, comfort and performance are important criteria when choosing a car.

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 interviewers seemed to like me but unfortunately I didn’t pass the company criteria.

What criteria are we going to use for our selection procedure?

All applications which meet the criteria listed above will be considered by the selection panel.

The route of the new road was decided by carefully applying three basic criteria to the four proposals: operational effectiveness, environmental impact and cost-effectiveness.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

What criteria did you apply when choosing your course?

What criteria are used by your lecturers in assessing your assignments?

Part 4: The Idiomatic Five

on the spur of the moment
spontaneous
I wasn’t really intending to buy anything at the auction, but I started bidding on the spur of the moment and came away with an oil painting.

back to square one
start again from zero
Well, the company have rejected our original plans for the advertising campaign, so now it’s back to square one.

know where you stand
not be under any illusion
The old teachers were pretty strict, but at least you knew where you stood with them. These new ones leave you confused.

state-of-the-art
up-to-date / cutting-edge
She installed a state-of-the-art sound system with all the latest features. It must have cost thousands.

(not by any/ by no) stretch of the imagination
not at all
This can’t be called a double room by any stretch of the imagination. There’s only room for a single bed !

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

How many visitors arrived in New Zealand during the last 12 months

just over half a million
one and a half million
nearly two and a half million
over four million

Statistics NZ

Part 6: Today's online listening:

This is a short programme on micro-finance, questioning to what extent it really helps the poor

Vocabulary for the article:

counter-intuitive
a panacea

Questions for the article:

Mohamed Younus interview

1) Who are the typical clients who borrow from Grameen Bank? 97% women

women
investors
farmers

2) What evidence does Mohammed Younus use to show that microfinance works?

poverty-reduction
business sustainability
falling interest rates

Report from Zambia

3) Why are the interest rates so high in Zambia?

costs of infrastructure
high exchange rates
hyper-inflation

4) Which of these may lead to lower interest rates in Zambia?

reduction in the number of borrowers
introduction of a credit rating system
government intervention in the sector

Critical research into microfinance

5) What ‘counter-intuitive’ finding came out of the research in the Phillipines?

the number of businesses owned by borrowers reduced
the loans mainly went to overseas borrowers
loans were used to invest in infrastructure

6) What factor seemed to determine the outcome of lending?

gender
ethnicity
age

7) Which form of micro-finance does Dean Karlan recommend?

micro-credit
micro-savings
micro-investment

8) What does Dean Karlan think is the main criterion by which micro-finance should be judged?

sustainability
cost
impact

Today’s news story: from New Zealand
rock-jumping to catch Northland waves

Today’s Video suggestion: from the UK
money’s too tight to mention by Simply Red
________________________________________________________________

Today’s picture: Mosaic on a kindergarten wall in Bayswater, Auckland

Part 1: Today's word

If you dispute something, you argue about it. So, for instance, you might dispute someone’s authority or rights to do something. You might also dispute any claims they make. This is very common in academic argument. If an issue is in dispute, it means that negotiations are still going on and the issue has not yet been resolved. If something has been proved beyond dispute, it means that the evidence is so strong that everyone would have to accept it. Likewise, if something is so clear that no one could argue about it, then it is indisputable.

Her commitment to the company is indisputable.

Ownership of the site is disputed, which has made development impossible.

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 do not dispute the fact that the project has faced a number of difficulties; what I do dispute, however, is the claim that it is fatally flawed.

I agree with your general findings but strongly dispute that the problem was deliberately caused.

Residents of the village do not pay taxes since it is located in the no-man’s land of the disputed border between Chile and Argentina.

She disputed the manager’s account of events on the grounds that the manager wasn’t actually in the room when the incident took place.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

Have you ever disputed grades awarded for your academic work?

Are there any long-running border disputes in your region?

Part 4: The Idiomatic Five

lull sb into a false sense of security / give sb a false sense of security
make someone complacent
The good years of the early nineties lulled investors into a false sense of security leaving them totally unprepared for the crash that was to come.

to be in sb’s shoes
be in someone’s position
I wouldn’t like to be in Alex’s shoes when the boss finds out how much money he lost on that deal.

have / take a shot at/ give sth a shot
try
I haven’t tried surfing before but I’m willing to take a shot at it if you give me a few tips.

be snowed under
very busy
Last month was fairly quiet, but since we launched our new promotion last week, we’ve been snowed under. (especially with paperwork)

on the spot
at the time and place
If you’re caught speeding, the police can give you an on-the-spot fine.

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

What is New Zealand’s position on the Happy Planet Index?

10th
45th
79th
103rd

For more details, click here

Part 6: Today's online listening:

This is an interview with Nic Marks of the New Economic Foundation. He criticises the use of GDP as a way of measuring the performance of different countries and explains a new measure, the HPI, which he feels is more suitable for this purpose.

Vocabulary for the article:

think-tank
ivory tower

Questions for the article:

1) Which of these is one of the three principles of the New Economic Foundation?

sustained growth
social justice
corporate social responsibility

2) GDP became significant during and after the Second World War as part of a move to ...

reduce expenditure
maximise production
protect the domestic economy

3) Marks criticises the use of GDP because of its lack of attention to sustainable development and ...

invisible earnings
competitive advantage
distribution of wealth

4) He feels that the reporting of GDP in general news programmes is ..

inappropriate
inaccurate
incomplete

5) The HPI ....

has been adopted globally
combines three independent measures
is an objective measure of human development

6) The global footprint measure indicates that New Zealanders ...

have significantly more living space per capita than the world average
use three to four times as much fossil fuels as developing countries
are consuming an unfair share of the world’s resources

7) The data on happiness...

was based on detailed interview and observation
had already been collected by another agency
was sampled from every country in the world

8) The main reason why New Zealand has a relatively low HPI is ...

the high consumption of resources
the high rate of obesity
the high rate of military spending

9) Marks’ feels that low consumption of resources and a high level of happiness are ...

highly compatible goals
fundamentally inconsistent
typical of developing countries like Costa Rica

10) What is Marks’ defence against the charge that measurements of happiness are subjective?

qualitative measurements can be objective
subjectivity is inevitable in this field
he is working on more objective measures

Today’s news story: from New Zealand
Middlemarch singles

Today’s Video suggestion: from the USA
Happy Together by The Turtles
_____________________________________________________________

Today’s picture: Sculpture from Lake House, Takapuna

Part 1: Today's word

cultural heritage means the art, places, buildings, customs and traditions which are valuable for a particular society. So, for example, New Zealand’s cultural heritage includes elements of Western culture, as well as the indigenous culture of the Maori and the other communities which have come to New Zealand, such as Pacific Islanders and Chinese. Cultural treasures are the most valuable part of this cultural heritage. So, for England, for instance, the cultural treasures include the Alfred Jewel, the magna carta, the works of Shakespeare etc. The Maori word for cultural treasure is taonga. In the Treaty of Waitangi , Maori were promised ‘full and undisturbed possession of their land, forests, fisheries and all their treasures. Taonga in New Zealand include waiata [songs], places of special cultural significance, such as the Waikato River , designs, such as the Koru and the Maori language , called Te Reo. Maori language week celebrates the key role which Te Reo, Maori language, plays in the cultural heritage of New Zealand.

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 needs to do more to preserve the cultural heritage of indigenous peoples before it is too late.

Although his parents had left him several million dollars, he had managed to spend his entire heritage by the age of 25.

The rich history of samba is a key element in the cultural heritage of Brazil.

The network of villages forms a valuable part of the heritage of the region, which is under increasing threat from urbanization.

Part 3: July’s words

Here’s a short test to see how many words from the last month you’ve remembered! First see if you can complete the missing words – then check below and find the correct word (I’ve given you the first letter, which will make that part much easier!). If you can’t remember, take a look back at the podcasts over the last month – all the words are there!

She loved to mim _ _ her friend's accent. [copy - especially to make people laugh]

We travelled to see her mother, whom we found less rob _ _ _ than before.

They studied the to _ _ _properties of many chemicals.

Conditions had worsened in the rural hin _ _ _ _ _ _

The Government is full of tec _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _recruited from the top universities but lacking in practical experience.

They wanted their clients to keep up with the expo _ _ _ _ _ _ _ growth of market data.

She failed to include an att _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _to her original source, which led to accusations of plagiarism.

The decision to transfer a patient to an area of less intense care is often a col_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ one, involving the full range of medical staff.

The new drug can significantly inh _ _ _ _ the growth of cancer cells.

The advertisers were accused of including sub _ _ _ _ _ _ _ messages in their campaign in order to influence the consumers without them even being aware.

Clayton Weatherston was said to be suffering from nar _ _ _ _ _ _ _ because he had an exaggerated sense of his own importance, but the jury still found him guilty of murder.

He tried stopping suddenly, but found no tan _ _ _ _ _ evidence of people following him.

Mimic Robust Toxic Hinterland Technocrats Exponential Attribution collaborative Inhibit Subliminal Narcissism
Tangible Discrepancy Blip Embed Manipulate docile hunch captivity aesthetics impeachment replicate

Part 4: The Idiomatic Five

run-of-the-mill
mundane / very ordinary
Most of the buildings on Hobson Street are run-of-the-mill office and apartment buildings with no outstanding features.

to play (it) safe
not take a risk
I was tempted to invest in some technology shares, but in the end I decided to play it safe and put my money in a balanced investment fund.

it’s (not all) plain sailing
not easy
There are many advantages in running your own business. Mind you, it’s not all plain sailing, by any means.

behind the scenes
not in public
Ministers have been working behind the scenes to restore confidence in the currency.

from scratch
from zero
We lost everything when the firm went bankrupt and had to start over again from scratch.

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

The Maori population of New Zealand is approximately half a million. How many of them are fluent in Maori language [Te Reo]?

Part 6: Today's online listening and speaking

This is a set of short and fun, interactive exercises on the basics of Maori language (Te Reo) in honour of Maori Language week. And if you click on the left of the page, you can also find out more about Maori culture, listen to some Maori songs etc.

Today’s news story: from New Zealand
Maori language week

Today’s Video suggestion: from New Zealand
waiata performed by Ritana Kapa Haka group from Lytton High School, Gisborne, New Zealand
____________________________________________________________

Today’s picture: Strange creature (a friendly dragon, maybe?) encountered at Lake House, Takapuna

Part 1: Today's word

If you allude to someone or something, you mention them in an indirect way. It’s common for films, books and pictures to contain allusions to other works of art. This means, for instance, the writer, director or artist has deliberately included some features that make reference to a famous scene from an earlier film etc. Of course, because they are indirect, allusions can be very difficult to notice if you are not experienced or are not a member of the culture.

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?

She alluded to our earlier disagreement, but fortunately she seems to have accepted the outcome.

He mentioned some technical problems with the project; I assumed he was alluding to the new software.

The scene where the boy calls up to the girl on a balcony is an obvious allusion to Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’.

She alluded to me about the problem rather than explain the issue openly.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

Have you noticed any allusions to earlier famous films when you’ve been watching a movie?

Do you find it hard to follow some of the cultural allusions in your lectures or course books?

Part 4: The Idiomatic Five

to be on the right track
going in the right direction
We made our mistakes in the past, but now I’m sure we’re back on the right track.

put / set the record straight
correct an error
Listen everyone. I’d like to set the record straight. I don’t actually have a degree. I dropped out after the first year at college.

a rip-off / to rip sb off
exploitation
$100 for a theatre ticket ! What a rip-off.

to rub it in
continue criticizing
I know I was stupid to walk around with all that money in my pocket. There’s no need to rub it in.

to be on the run
to be a fugitive (from justice)
The criminals are believed to be two escaped prisoners who have been on the run from Mount Eden Jail for the last two months.

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

Which part of New Zealand has reached the finalists of the new seven wonders of the world?

Part 6: Today's online listening:

This is a short presentation from the BBC about the unique lizards known as Komodo Dragons by the famous British biologist and television presenter David Attenborough.

Vocabulary for the article:

docile
captivity
prey

Questions for the article:

1) The 16th century book describing dragons was published in ....

China
Japan
Italy
France

2) These descriptions of dragons can’t have been based on lizards or crocodiles because ...

they were unknown to the writer
the writer included descriptions of them in other parts of the book
they were too small
they were not described by travellers

3) The Komodo lizards were called dragons by ...

medieval travellers
20th century western media
indigenous people in Indonesia
19th century romantic poets

4) David Attenborough first came across a Komodo dragon ...

early on in his career
in London zoo
after being shipwrecked on the island
in a remote part of Java

5) There were once even larger lizards in ...

Indonesia
Australia
New Zealand
Komodo

6) When David Attenborough first heard local people’s claims that dragons attack people, he was ...

suspicious
impressed
afraid
sceptical

7) What did adult komodo dragons eat before people arrived on the island?

buffalo
goats
young komodo dragons
small lizards

8) Female Komodo dragons are parthenogenetic, which means they ...

don’t need males to reproduce
lay fertile eggs
eat their young
cannot reproduce in captivity

9) Parthenogenesis is associated with ...

slow takeover of new territory
great size
lack of adaptability
a single egg per female

Grammar check: Sentence inversion

Sentence inversion means that the subject and verb are inverted, so that the subject comes after the verb instead of in its normal place before. Sentence inversion is a common way of making questions – for example: Are you sure?
But there is one other time we need to use sentence inversion in English. That is, when the first clause of the sentence begins with a negative word or phrase like ‘no’ ‘not’ ‘hardly’ and ‘only’. Here is an example from today’s listening, followed by some other examples I’ve made up:

Only if a male contributes to the genetic make-up of the young, will there be variation.

Not only was he rude, he didn’t even pay his bill.

No sooner had she left the room than they started talking about her.

Hardly had I opened my mouth when he interrupted me again.

..........................................................

Here is a short grammar exercise on sentence inversion for you. Transform these sentences, beginning with the given word and using sentence inversion.

The room was cold and the shower didn’t work.
Not only ...

I left the house and it started raining.
Hardly ....

She left university and started her own business.
No sooner ...

You can only see such a wealth of unspoilt nature here in New Zealand.
Only ...

She was a talented artist and a successful businesswoman.
Not only ....

Today’s news suggestion: A cute animal story from Japan
snake befriends snack hamster

Today’s Video suggestion: from New Zealand
Albi - the racist dragon performed by Flight of the Conchords. The song makes an ironic allusion to this
________________________________________________________

Today’s picture: Presentation on Vocabulary Teaching

Part 1: Today's word

A discrepancy is a difference between things that should be the same. So, for example, it’s a problem if there is a discrepancy in the company books when the accountants check them or if there is a discrepancy between statements given by witnesses of a crime. In New Zealand, the discrepancies between the Maori and English versions of the Treaty of Waitangi caused a lot of misunderstanding and conflict.

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?

There are a few key discrepancies between the Harvard and the APA referencing systems.

If there is any discrepancy between the payments recorded and the supporting documentation, this must be noted and discussed with the client.

Although the country has seen impressive economic growth, there is a growing discrepancy between the regions.

The discrepancy between job titles and actual responsibilities in the organization meant that the survey method produced invalid results.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

Is there any discrepancy between the numbers of students enrolled on your course and the numbers who actually attend lectures?

What do researchers need to do if there’s a discrepancy between the predicted and the actual results of an experiment?

Part 4: The Idiomatic Five

it’s in the pipeline
going to happen
We don’t have much work at the moment, but there are various projects in the pipeline.

all over the place
everywhere or disorganised
I tell you, your keys are not in the house. I’ve looked all over the place and I didn’t see them.
What’s wrong with me? I’m all over the place today!

fall into place
seem logical
I was really confused about how the thieves managed to get into the building, but everything fell into place when I realised that someone had let them in.

take the plunge
Finally make a move (after hesitating)
I’d thought about working abroad for years, but it wasn’t until last summer that I finally took the plunge.

to blow sth out of (all) proportion
exaggerate
The company’s had a bad quarter, but I think the market has blown it out of all proportion, by talking about possible bankruptcy.

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

In which part of New Zealand is Waitangi, where the Treaty between the Crown (British Government) and the Maori Tribes was signed in 1840?

Part 6: Today's online listening:

This is a set of six interviews with children around the world talking about how the economic crisis is affecting them, their families and their communities. If you click on the link above it will open up the page and then you need to press play under each photo of the children. Each interview is about 5 minutes long.

Match the sentences below to the country the children come from.

One of her favourite shops has closed down

He’s worried he might have to leave school

She feels she has to do better at school

Her dad is busier because of the increase in crime

He has to wait longer to get nice things from shops

Her parents won’t discuss their financial problems with her

He describes the vicious circle of crime

She notices more homeless people on the subway

Her uncle gives them less pocket money

Do you know enough about swine flu? Try this interactive quiz from the BBC

Today’s Video suggestion: from New Zealand
The Leading Edge a classic film about skiing in New Zealand
________________________________________________________________

Today’s picture: Postgraduate students preparing a poster presentation for Organisations and Management

Part 1: Today's word

Empirical research is based on evidence. So that means that it focuses on gathering data and then analysing the data in order to support its conclusions. Empirical methods include experiments (especially in the natural sciences and in psychology) and surveys, interviews, focus groups and discourse analysis (widely-used in the social sciences).

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 claims were interesting but have not been supported by reliable empirical evidence.

Empirical studies have provided some support for the ‘use-it-or-lose-it’ approach to dementia.

It is important to review existing empirical literature before conducting one’s own research studies.

Data-first approaches, such as Grounded Theory (Glaser & Strauss, 1967) might be considered the most empirical of all social science research methods.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

Have you conducted any empirical research yourself?
What kind of empirical research do you think the university could use to improve its services?

Part 4: The Idiomatic Five

put / stick your oar in
interfere
Things were going fine till Sam went and stuck his oar in - I wish he’d mind his own business for a change!

open-ended
flexible
We decided to have an open-ended meeting to discuss whatever issues were on people’s minds.

out-and-out
absolute
Don’t believe a word he says - he’s an out-and-out liar.

be par for the course
normal
Pay varies a lot, but I’d say that $ 15 per hour is about par for the course over there.

I wouldn’t put it past him
I wouldn’t be surprised
‘Surely you’re not saying that Chris crashed his car deliberately just to claim the insurance money?’ ‘Well, I wouldn’t put it past him - he’s done similar things before.’

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

Which of these is a well-known New Zealand economist?

Tony Alexander
Milton Friedman
Adam Smith
John Maynard Keynes

Click here to see his regular reports on the NZ economy

Part 6: Today's online listening:

This is a 3 minute presentation from the BBC by the Nobel-Prize-winning economist George Ackerlof. He explains his suggestion for dealing with the current economic crisis.

Vocabulary for the article:

a blip
green shoots of recovery
aversion
grasping in the dark

Questions for the article:

1) Ackerlof starts out by stating that one objective of economic and fiscal policy should be ...

comparative advantage
demand and supply
full employment

2) The second major objective should be ...

more accessible credit
better product development
value for money

3) What does Ackerlof mean by a ‘cat-in-the-hat’ approach to the current crisis?

We need to be ready to try a number of solutions until one works
We need to listen to a wider range of expert opinions
We need to communicate in more simple, everyday language

4) Ackerlof believes economists need to pay more attention to ..

ideological debate
long-term sustainability
empirical data

Today’s online grammar exercise:
still, yet and already

Today’s musical suggestion: from those dim and distant days of my youth
The Cat in the Hat song by Dr Seuss (who else?)
___________________________________________________________

Today’s picture: My niece Mary at SnowPlanet [indoor ski centre] – 20 minutes from Massey Albany

I’d love some feedback on the Podcast. So I’ve made up this short online survey. It should only take you five minutes or so to complete. If you give your name and email at the end, I will enter your name in a draw for a $25 New Zealand book token.

Part 1: Today's word

To inhibit a process is to limit something or slow it down to make it weaker. If a person feels inhibited, they’re embarrassed to do something, especially in public. So, sometimes people give the excuse of wanting to drink in order to ‘lose their inhibitions’ – in other words, to be less embarrassed or shy.

The drug doesn’t cure cancer but it inhibits its spread.

As the course progressed people lost their inhibitions and began to discuss the issues more freely.

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 chemical is thought to inhibit the ability of viral enzymes to reproduce.

It was argued that the current telecommunications monopoly inhibits innovation in the sector.

Lack of this hormone may inhibit growth in the crucial early stages of human development.

My boss inhibited me from participating in the project.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

What factors might inhibit the growth of this country’s economy?

What advantages or disadvantages might there be in losing your inhibitions?

Part 4: The Idiomatic Five

breathe down sb’s neck
interfering / fault-finding
It’s no wonder I can’t get anything done, with my boss breathing down my neck the whole time.

get / grate on sb’s nerves
irritate
That noise is really getting on my nerves - can’t you turn it down?

get up sb’s nose
irritate
I can understand people trying to sell stuff at traffic lights, but when they tap on my window, it really gets up my nose.

poke / stick your nose in
interfere
Just because she’s my neighbour doesn’t give her the right to stick her nose in my business.

turn your nose up
regard sth with disdain
Her dog’s so spoilt - he turns his nose up at anything that comes out of a tin.

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

The tri-nations rugby tournament started in Auckland this weekend with a victory by New Zealand over Australia. Which other country takes part in the competition?

Part 6: Today's online listening:

This is a 15 minute interview from Radio New Zealand with Dr Jean Fleming from the University of Otago. She explains the difference between viruses and bacteria and how the body can fight infection.

Vocabulary for the article:

replicate
host
toxic
toxin

Questions for the article:

1) What interesting event do they chat about at the beginning of the interview?

an earthquake
a storm
a traffic accident

2) Which of these is NOT true about viruses?

they are 100 times smaller than bacteria
they can only replicate inside a host
the male is smaller than the female

3) Bacteria can spread very quickly because of their ...
exponential growth
rapid mutation
relatively large size

4) We are likely to contract bacterial infection from water which has ...

a high coloform count
a high mineral content
low levels of chlorine

5) Your ‘bacterial fingerprint’ means ...

the unique combination of bacteria in or on your body
the particular bacteria which is only found on one person
the bacteria which is passed between people by social contact

6) The harmfulness of bacteria in your gut partially depends on ...

your mood
your diet
your age

7) Stomach problems associated with bacteria are caused by ..

cholera
toxins
white blood cells

8) Why does she think the new cholera vaccine may not be available in New Zealand?

it’s genetically modified
it’s too expensive
it’s unnecessary

9) A vaccine works by .....

protecting the body against bacteria
training the body to fight bacteria
containing antibodies which will kill specific bacteria

10) Antibiotics work by ....

resisting infection by bacteria
stimulating the growth of antibodies
inhibiting growth of the cell wall of bacteria

Today’s Video suggestion: from the USA
I feel like a woman from the uninhibited Shania Twain
________________________________________________________________

Today’s picture: Bella, the mysterious, manipulator of Sunset Road!

I’d love some feedback on the Podcast. So I’ve made up this
short online survey. It should only take you five minutes or so to complete. If you give your name and email at the end, I will enter your name in a draw for a $25 New Zealand book token.

Part 1: Today's word

When you define something, you say exactly what it is or what it means. It’s important to define your terms early in an essay or report. In order to do this well, you need to analyse your assignment question and identify the topic word or expression. This should be defined in the opening paragraph. You can normally find a definition of this topic word in your textbook or recommended reading – don’t use a normal dictionary or Wikipedia! You can find out more about analysing assignment questions in my online presentation. Defining features are those qualities that make a person or thing special and different from the others. So, if you say that originality is what defines a good essay, you mean that originality is the most important quality that makes a good essay different from an ordinary one. By the way, to find out more about the defining qualities of a good essay, have a look at Ken's presentation. And if you are looking for a good online dictionary to find definitions and examples of new words, try this one.

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?

One reason many people found the referendum question ambiguous was that ‘smack’ was not clearly defined.

One of her less significant defining features was her ability to keep calm under stress.

The team needs clearly-defined roles if it is to function effectively.

The defining elements of scientific management are precise analysis and measurement of job functions by external experts.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

What are the defining features of a good lecture?

How would you define the words ‘work’, ‘friendship’ and ‘intelligence’?

Part 4: Review of Common Idioms

Here’s a short review test of some of the idioms we’ve covered over the past weeks. Choose the best alternative to complete the gaps in the sentences below. Each of them contains a common idiom.

1) We opened the first cybercafe here, but several other people have got in on the __________ in the last year.

bandwagon trend wave act

2) I think the parents of these young criminals have a lot to answer __________.

for about to back

3) The practice may seem a little unethical, but let me assure you, it’s totally above _________

table board desk shelf

4) Hey, I’ve got a __________ to pick with you. Is it you who keeps leaving the door of the building wide open?

nose scab row bone

5) I wish I could persuade him to stop smoking dope, but it’s like I’m hitting my head against a __________.

brick wall iron bar oak door goal post

6) ‘Is anyone dealing with these faxes?’ ‘Don’t worry. I’m on the __________.’

case job head hot seat

7) She was so used to her son bringing strange guests home that she didn’t __________ when he arrived back with a couple of transvestites one night.

bat an eyelid shrug her shoulders
put her nose out of joint pull her hair out

8) I think that old photocopier is about to give up the __________.

spirit angel ghost soul

9) We may not like the takeover deal, but in these economic times, we’ll just have to __________ and bear it

smile grin laugh frown

10) Did you hear that Andy’s been laid off? It was a real __________ after all the work he put into that company.

poke in the eye pat on the back
kick in the teeth punch in the mouth

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

Which university seeks to become New Zealand’s defining University?

Part 6: Today's online listening:

This is a five-minute interview from Radio New Zealand with a researcher from the UK who has investigated the effect of cat’s purring on their owners. I’ve provided a short task for you on the meaning, followed by a review of some of the academic vocabulary you’ve heard in previous podcasts. If you click on the ____________ in those questions, it will take you to the original podcast or page in the Academic English Generator. It’s important for you to review this common academic vocabulary, so that you can use it with more confidence in your own writing.

Vocabulary for the listening:

subtle
solicitation
embed
taps into
stimuli
subliminal

Questions for the listening:

1) What was the purpose of the study?

to investigate a correlation between the sound of a cat’s purr and its effects on humans
to evaluate two different forms of animal training
to compare the effects of the sounds of cats and babies on human emotions

2) How many participants were there in the study?

10
20
50

2) What was their main finding?

their hypothesis was confirmed
their hypothesis was rejected
results were inconclusive

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Academic Vocabulary Review

Researchers have xxxxxxxxxx what cat-lovers have long suspected

known determined confirmed clarified

Your moggy [cat] is deliberately xxxxxxxx you to gain attention and food.

attracting constraining manipulating devoting

Researchers ... identified a cat purr which xxxxxxxxxxxxx a cry similar to a human baby’s.

resembles incorporates embeds modifies

That solicitation purr has turned out to have a small cry ____________ in it.

embedded perceived offset possessed

.. the thing that xxxxxxxxx these solicitation purrs ...

defined differed comprised appealed

.. the thing that xxxxxxxxxx .... the pleasantness/urgency rating of the cry

interpreted differed determined obtained

.. whether the cry was xxxxxxxx as ‘urgent’

classified featured embedded manipulated

When you run this through one of them wave-form xxxxxxxxx things ...

attribution accrual analysis application

Today’s Video suggestion: from the UK
Love Cats by The Cure
________________________________________________________________

Today’s picture: Signpost in Westport, New Zealand

I’d love some feedback on the Podcast. So I’ve made up this

short online survey – It should only take you five minutes or so to complete. If you give your name and email at the end, I will enter your name in a draw for a $25 New Zealand book token.

Part 1: Today's word

If something is tangible, it’s real and important, especially when we talk of ‘tangible benefits’ or ‘tangible improvements’, which are real, important and noticeable. In accounting, ‘tangible assets’ are those physical things which have value in a business, such as equipment, stock etc. The opposite is ‘intangible’

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 stimulus package is already bringing about tangible improvements in the local economy.

This organisation needs tangible leadership if it is to survive the current downturn.

There is tangible evidence of a shift in attitudes towards ageing.

What are the tangible benefits of switching to online banking?

Part 3: Practice Questions:

What are the tangible benefits of studying at university?

Have there been any tangible improvements in your neighbourhood over the last few years?

Part 4: The Idiomatic Five

be at loggerheads
be in a bitter dispute
The State Government and the City Council are at loggerheads over who should pay for road improvements.

not get a look in
not get an opportunity
I don’t like group interviews. The other candidates are always so confident that I never get a look in.

be wide of the mark
completely wrong
Everyone tried to guess how old I was, but they were all wide of the mark.

take the mickey / mick / piss out of someone
make fun of
They used to take the mickey out of me at school because I was the only one in the class with glasses.

hit the nail on the head
identify a problem or issue precisely
She really hit the nail on the head when she said our real problem was a lack of belief in ourselves.

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

What was the New Zealand currency before the dollar was introduced in 1967?

The New Zealand Pound
The British Pound
The Australasian Shilling
The Commonwealth Guinea

Part 6: Today's online listening:

This is a short interview from Radio New Zealand about an Australian town which is launching its own currency, the Baroon Dollar

Vocabulary for the article:

hinterland
intensify
resilient
pilot

Questions for the listening:

1) Baroon is the name of the local ...

lake
city
indigenous people

2) The scheme is especially designed to support local

banks
government
small businesses

3) Which word does Dr Crawford use for money or business which is not kept local?

sewage
leakage
wastage

4) The local area is seeing a growth in ...

the dairy industry
organic vegetable production
agritourism

5) The baroon dollar is described as a local ..

credit crunch
stimulus package
get rich quick scheme

6) There was some opposition in the town to the involvement of ...

a major national retailer
an international rock star
a foreign-owned petrol station

Today’s Video suggestion: from the USA
Mind your own business by Hank Williams and performed by Willie Nelson
________________________________________________________________

Today’s picture: Michael Savage Memorial, Kohimarama, Auckland

I’d love some feedback on the Podcast. So I’ve made up this short online survey – http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=8z2tWq5snRuqjl1wfBtcTw_3d_3d It should only take you five minutes or so to complete. If you give your name and email at the end, I will enter your name in a draw for a $25 New Zealand book token.

Part 1: Today's word

Aesthetics is the study and enjoyment of beauty. So, if something is aesthetically pleasing, it means it’s beautiful. Normally, aesthetically pleasing objects also have harmony and balance. Designers have to consider the aesthetics of products like cars, home electronics, furniture etc as well as their functional efficiency.

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 products are also aesthetically packaged for maximum customer appeal.

The clean, functional lines of the furniture make it aesthetically suited to modern environments.

The new design is attractive but, unfortunately, too aesthetically impractical for mass production.

Preserving native bush produces not only an ecologically sustainable environment but actually a more aesthetically pleasing landscape.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

Do you find Massey’s buildings aesthetically pleasing?

Do you think you were strongly influenced by aesthetic considerations when you bought your car or media player?

Part 4: The Idiomatic Five

a kick in the teeth
very unfair treatment
Did you hear that Andy’s been laid off? It was a real kick in the teeth after all the work he put into that company.

laid-back
easy-going
He’s a pretty laid-back kind of guy, but he can get angry when he wants to.

not have a leg to stand on
have no defence
We both know the radio was broken before you left the shop, but unless you can find the receipt, you haven’t got a leg to stand on.

along the lines of
in the area of or with the same ideas
We’re looking for something along the lines of a ten-minute speech with a few jokes.
I’m glad to see we’re thinking along the same lines about the project.

sleep like a log
sleep very well
After such a hard week’s work, I slept like a log on Friday night.

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

Which city was voted New Zealand’s most beautiful in 2008?

Dunedin
Christchurch
Hamilton
Wellington

Part 6: Today's online listening:

This is 15 minute presentation by the Professor of Mathematics at Otago University, Dennis McCaughan. He talks about the Golden Ratio.

Vocabulary for the article:

ratio
the jury is still out on that

Questions for the article:

1) In which of these areas is the Golden Ratio important?

statistics
art
physics

2) The pentagon was especially valued by ...

the American government
gardeners
Ancient Greeks

3) You can produce a pentagon from a pentagram by ...

joining up the ends of the points
multiplying each side by the Golden Ratio
joining two pentagrams together

4) Why is it thought that temples, such as the Parthenon, were built according to the Golden Ratio ?

aesthetic reasons
engineering reasons
economic reasons

5) The Golden Ratio is similar to Pi because ..

it is close to 22 divided by 7
it not a rational number
you need a calculator to determine its absolute value

6) The sides of a Golden Rectangle ...

conform to the Golden Ratio
are equal to their diameters
are irrational numbers

Today’s musical suggestion: from the USA
Magic Number performed by Blind Lemon
________________________________________________________________

Today’s picture: Scene from Lake House, Takapuna

I’d love some feedback on the Podcast. So I’ve made up this short online survey – http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=8z2tWq5snRuqjl1wfBtcTw_3d_3d
It should only take you five minutes or so to complete. If you give your name and email at the end, I will enter your name in a draw for a $25 New Zealand book token.

Part 1: Today's word

When you manipulate people, it means you influence or control them in a clever (and usually) dishonest way in order to gain an advantage. So, politicians are often accused of being manipulative – in other words, that they manipulate the public in order to gain support for their own ‘agendas’. The media is also often accused of manipulation – usually because they have ‘twisted’ the facts to support their own position, or maybe asked unfair questions to try to make someone say something that will help the sell the newspaper sell more copies. Manipulation can be positive but only when you’re talking about the skilful use of equipment etc.

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 was accused of manipulating the figures in order to hide the financial problems from investors.

The evolution of opposable thumbs allowed our ancestors to manipulate objects and increase their control over their environment.

Your first draft is basically fine, but you’ll need to manipulate the conclusion, as it doesn’t flow well from the preceding argument.

She used her charm to manipulate her friends – only to abandon them as soon when they no longer served her needs.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

Do you know any manipulative people?
Do you know any cases where governments have manipulated the economy in order to win an election?

Part 4: The Idiomatic Five

hold your own
be as good as the others
My English may not be perfect, but I think I can just about hold my own in a business meeting.

put sb/sth on hold
delay
We’ll have to put the launch on hold till we have some more money to spend on promotion.

dig yourself into a hole
make the situation worse by your reaction
The minister just dug himself into a deeper hole by refusing to answer questions.

get / let sb off the hook.
give an opportunity to escape
I didn’t have the presentation ready, but lucky for me, they postponed the meeting, which let me off the hook.

it’s no joke
it’s hard
Think carefully before you buy a bike. Cycling up that hill in the morning is no joke, believe me !

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

Which song by Irish group U2 has a New Zealand connection?

City of Blinding Lights
One Tree Hill
Electrical Storm
Van Diemen’s Land

Part 6: Today's online listening:

This is a short presentation from the moral philosopher, Susan Nieman, on the value of giving people compliments

Vocabulary for the article:

pinpoint
narcissism

Questions for the article:

1) Susan Nieman believes that people don’t give enough compliments because of ...

ignorance
embarrassment
education

2) One negative use of compliments is to ... people

threaten
manipulate
abuse

3) Susan argues that there’s nothing wrong in feeling that your best efforts are ...

successful
impressive
recognised

4) Susan concludes with the argument that compliments are a way of valuing what’s .... in the world.

good
superior
rare

5) Arundhati, from India, feels that she wants ... from her friends

more compliments
more criticism
both criticism and compliments

6) Frank, from the USA, pointed out how ..... Bill Clinton was at giving compliments.

creative
insincere
repetitive

7) Susan concedes that her habit of giving compliments .....

comes from her American upbringing
tends to be misunderstood
is something she has learnt through travelling

Can you complete these everyday expressions used in the programme

Are you ready? Tell us what you’ve come ___ with
Thanks for standing up ____ that pompous ass at the meeting
There’s nothing wrong with .. standing up ____ a timid colleague
Generosity and gratitude: two major moral virtues that are in very short _____
wake up on a dreary morning and resolve to put the best _____ on the world
My closest friends are those who will tell me ____ it is

Today’s Video suggestion: from Ireland
One Tree Hill performed by U2
________________________________________________________________

Today’s picture: Common spaces in Auckland: Takapuna Beach, June 2009

Click here to complete a five-minute survey on how you use and what you think about this podcast. You could also win a NZ book token for your efforts!

Part 1: Today's word

If something is robust, it means it’s strong and unlikely to break. So, if you are sending electrical equipment through the post, it’s important that the packaging is robust. If a person has a robust constitution, it means they are tough and don’t get ill often. Robust attitudes are also strong and show determination. And if researchers produce robust findings, it means that they’ve been very careful in their methods and there are no obvious weaknesses.

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 Minister presented a robust defence of his Government’s handling of the economy.

It’s a robust paper, probably more suitable for advanced students with a good basic grounding in the subject.

She argued that the economy was sufficiently robust to withstand the current downturn.

The shed will have to be of robust construction as it will be in an exposed position.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

Do you have a robust constitution?
Are your own research methods sufficiently robust?

Part 4: The Idiomatic Five

come to a head
reach a crisis point
The problems really came to a head when the annual report showed a 50 % drop in profits.

lose your head
lose control / get very angry
I know you’re mad at her for what she did, but try not to lose your head. There’s no point getting into a shouting match with her.

a heart-to-heart
an intimate conversation
Things had been pretty tense between us, so I decided to have a heart-to-heart with her and see if we could sort things out.

be heavy going
dense, hard to read or watch
I’m finding the Applied Linguistics course heavy-going. I think it’s all the jargon they use that makes it so hard.

not know what hit you
be shocked and unprepared
Our rivals won’t know what hit them when we launch our new range of candies.

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

What’s the average distance people travel to work in Auckland?

Part 6: Today's online listening:

This is the last in the series of lectures by the American Professor Michael Sandel. Here he argues the need for a new politics of the Common Good. Click above to listen to the lecture while you answer the questions below. The actual lecture is just under 25 minutes long – it runs from 4.50 till 28.25 – the rest of the recording is an introduction and a question and answer session.

Vocabulary for the article:

impeachment
mimic
obstacle
hunch
technocrat
outweigh
discredited

Questions for the article:

1) Sandel’s main criticism of cost-benefit analysis is its ....

ineffective implementation
inappropriate use
complex outcomes

2) Sandel also criticises the cost-benefit analysis of cell phone use while driving because it is too ...

scientific
inaccurate
ambiguous

3) Sandel disagrees with the view that the main aim of governments is to correct ...

market failure
social inequality
historical injustices

4) Sandel concedes that at its best, what he calls ‘market-mimicking governance’ can satisfy us as ...

citizens
workers
consumers

5) Sandel believes that one basic reason for the rise of market-dominated politics is that economics was seen as ...

value-neutral
socially responsible
intellectually stimulating

6) In a Politics of the Common Good, Sandel believes that consumer preferences should be ...

widely respected
critically evaluated
increasingly equal

7) Sandel argues that a robust democracy needs more ...

common spaces
personal security
law reforms

8) Sandel argues that ethics and altruism are like ..

precious resources that need to be conserved
rare jewels that need to be admired
muscles that need to be used

Today’s Video suggestion: from Canada
Big Yellow Taxi performed by Joni Mitchell
________________________________________________________________

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
become chaotic
We decided to call in the police before the situation got completely out of hand.

change hands
be bought and sold
I wouldn’t buy this car if I were you - it’s changed hands five times in the last five years.

to have the upper hand
have an advantage
The war is not over yet, but we’re beginning to get the upper hand.

have it in for sb
look for opportunities to criticize or harm sb
I’m convinced my boss has it in for me. He checks up on me all the time looking for the slightest mistake.

have it out with sb
have an open argument
I was fed up of the way she kept using the company phones for personal calls. It was time to have it out with her.

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: Click here for more practice.
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
buck a trend
open source
collaborative
abridged
springs to mind
monetise

Questions for the article:

1) Which of these versions of the book will be offered free?
the paperback
the full-length audio version
the hardcover version

2) Google uses a ‘max’ strategy to ...
increase distribution
cut the workforce
diversify its product range

3) Which mistakes did Chris make when writing the book?
research
referencing
marketing

4) What economic principle is Wikipedia [and this podcast!] based on?
psychic
non-monetary
comparative advantage

5) Which of these products follows the freemium approach?
Apple iPhone applications
Wikipedia
Google search engine

6) Moore’s Law refers to the exponential growth in ...
state control of the media
affordability of technology
use of the internet

7) The younger generation is accustomed to ...
receiving products and services for free
looking on free services with suspicion
making money by providing free services

8) Chris’s own company uses a freemium approach to market its ...
intellectual property
mobile phones
model aircraft

Today’s musical suggestion: From the UK / Zambia
Everybody's Free by Rozalla

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
seem unnatural
British men find it hard to express their feelings in public - it goes against the grain.

grin and bear it
put up with it
We may not like the takeover deal, but in these economic times, we’ll just have to grin and bear it.

a guinea pig
someone used to test a product etc
I think the company was just using us as guinea-pigs for their new training programme.

stick to your guns / stand by your guns
not give in
I admire the way she stuck to her guns despite all the pressure on her to sign the new contract.

pull/tear your hair out
get very frustrated
We’ve been pulling our hair out wondering where you were.

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question
What is the celebration that marks the Maori New Year?

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
a predicament
to alleviate
cognition
dementia
unbidden
hubris
humility
eugenics
coercive
a blessing

Questions for the article:

1) Why were the parents in Michael Sandel’s first case criticised?

they aborted their baby because it was deaf
they chose to have a deaf baby
they prevented their child from hearing
their baby was born deaf

2) Which new medical advance may be marketed for people in their sixties and seventies?

cognition-enhancers
sperm-sorting
designer children
human growth hormone

3) Which social problem does Michael Sandel highlight in China and some parts of India?

in-vitro fertilisation
dementia
drug addiction
gender imbalance

4) Michael Sandel argues that parental love should not be contingent on ...

giftedness
attributes
humility
fairness

5) Michael Sandel cites Singapore as a country which has implemented some ...... policies

eugenics
coercive
fertilisation
sex education

6) Michael Sandel describes parenthood as a school for ...

responsibility
humility
ambition
multi-tasking

7) Michael Sandel argues that our awareness of the contingency of our gifts makes us more willing to ...

work hard to succeed
help the less fortunate
admire the successful
replace chance with choice

8) Michael Sandel’s underlying message is that societies should become more ...

accepting
complex
gifted
imperfect

Today’s Video suggestion: from the UK
Every kinda people performed by Robert Palmer
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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
make a blunder
I really put my foot in it when I started making fun of him. I didn’t know your mum was his biggest fan !

bear fruit
show tangible results
I hope that our research will begin to bear fruit before the end of the year.

give up the ghost
stop working
I think that old photocopier is about to give up the ghost.

give it a shot / a whirl
try
I’m not really a singer, but everyone wanted me to sing a traditional English song, so I decided to give it a shot.

give as good as you get
not be easily beaten
She looks pretty timid, but believe me, when the going gets tough, she can give as good as she gets.

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
information overload

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
Fun Fun Fun by the Beach Boys
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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
be very lazy
My husband doesn’t lift a finger around the house, despite the fact he’s been unemployed for ages.

put your finger on sth
identify
I just can’t put my finger on what exactly is wrong with me.

first come, first served
no booking in advance
There was no way to book tickets over the phone - it was strictly ‘first come, first served’.

go with the flow
be flexible – fit in with the others
I don’t have any strong opinions on the matter - I tend to just go with the flow.

(be) a fly on the wall
be present
I’d love to have been a fly on the wall when the boss gave Phil the sack. / British television viewers love fly-on-the-wall documentaries, especially ones set in hospitals.

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
Medieval HelpDesk
________________________________________________________________

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?
the usefulness of prison?
the policy of rescuing banks?

Part 4: The Idiomatic Five

an eye-opener
an experience that teaches you a lot
My experience of living in Auckland was a real eye-opener for me after growing up in a village.

face to face
direct (communication) – not over the phone
I think we need to talk about this face to face.

make / pull a face
show your disapproval in a gesture
The kids pulled a face when I told them it was bedtime.

a figment of your imagination
a fantasy
I don’t believe anyone ever made threatening phone calls to him. If you ask me, it was all a figment of his imagination.

cut it fine / cut things fine
not allow much flexibility – risk being late
I think allowing 30 minutes to get to the airport is cutting it a bit fine. I’d allow an hour to be on the safe side.

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
duplication
conspicuous
anomaly
malfunction

webbed feet
a bill / a beak
a burrow
captivity
breed / bred
hatch

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
to explain the scepticism of early scientists
both the mermaid and the platypus are very rare
both the mermaid and the platypus come from the Far East

2) Why was the platypus given another scientific name?

flat feet were not its most distinctive feature
the name had already been used
in order to make the name more appropriate
the first name hadn’t been correctly recorded

3) Why does David Attenborough compare the platypus’s bill to a metal detector?

it has a similar shape
it is equally accurate
it has a similar objective
both detect electromagnetism

4) Anatomically, the platypus seems to be a link between ...

birds and reptiles
reptiles and mammals
marsupials and mammals
mammals and ducks

5) David Attenborough became interested in the platypus thirty years ago as part of ...

A TV programme about evolution
a captive breeding programme
a scientific study of Australian mammals
an ecological project focusing on endangered wildlife

6) The film of the platypus hatching was incomplete because of ...

human error
a technical malfunction
an unexpected event
poor picture quality

7) His recent project succeeded in filming a platypus ..

hatching from an egg
in captivity
feeding its young
making a burrow

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
What a fool believes performed by the Doobie Brothers
________________________________________________________________

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)
I won’t have anything to eat now thanks. It would take the edge off my appetite.
reduce

at the end of your tether (UK/Aus) rope (US)
I’m at the end of my tether with all this work going on at the office. If my boss asks me to do one more thing, I’m going to quit.
at your limit

put sth down to experience / chalk sth up to experience
‘I paid so much money for this computer and now it doesn’t even work.’ ‘Try not to worry about it - put it down to experience.’
put it behind you / learn from your mistakes

(not) see eye to eye
Me and my father see eye to eye on most things, but we can’t agree about one thing : He supports the Blues!
not agree

not bat an eyelid
She was so used to her son bringing strange guests home that she didn’t bat an eyelid when he arrived back with a couple of transvestites one night.
not be shocked

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
settlement
luck of the draw
back off

Questions for the article:

1) How many refugees and their family members are accepted by New Zealand each year?

about 50
approximately 750
just over 1000
nearly 5 000

2) What is John Parker’s involvement with refugees?

voluntary settlement assistance
professional health care
language teaching
financial aid

3) Which of these forms of support does John mention providing to the Burmese refugees in Nelson?

translation
travel
education
religion

4) How does John describe the attitude to the refugees towards talking about their past experiences?

enthusiastic
reluctant
anxious
irritated

5) What does John describe as being ‘luck-of-the-draw’?

employment opportunities
family reunions
settlement support
skilled migration

6) How did Noulien, the 14 year-old girl feel when she first attended school in New Zealand?

relieved
excited
frustrated
lonely

7) How did John first hear about the possibility of helping refugees?

personal invitation
committee meetings
a training weekend
an internet advertisement

8) John understands the importance of support for settlement in a new country because of his ...

extensive reading
wide social contacts
religious beliefs
personal experience

9) How does John describe the general attitude of the community towards the refugees?

accepting
hostile
jealous
curious

Click here for more information on volunteering for refugee services in New Zealand

Today’s musical suggestion: from New Zealand
Welcome Home performed by Dave Dobbyn
________________________________________________________________

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
is important
It’s easy enough to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ but, believe me, it makes all the difference.

get your foot in the door
take a first step in business / career etc
I know it’s not the best job in the world, but at least you’ll get your foot in the door. They’ll train you up and who knows?

on your doorstep
local
It’s great living here in Ponsonby. All the shops, cinemas and restaurants are on your doorstep.

down-to-earth
realistic
I’ve always been a bit of a dreamer, but my wife is much more down-to-earth.

it’s like water off a duck’s back
it doesn’t bother me
They can say what they like about me in the Press. It’s like water off a duck’s back.

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

What is the current New Zealand strategy for dealing with the outbreak of the new form of influenza?

prevention
containment
management
treatment

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)
influenza
flu
epidemic
pandemic
outbreak
onset
contagious
stockpile
a dose

Questions for the article:

1) Susie contracted ‘swine’ flu while travelling in ...

Mexico
the USA
Australia
Europe

2) Which of these symptoms did Susie experience from ‘swine flu’ that she hadn’t experienced with flu previously?

a runny nose
dry mouth
sore knees and elbows
coughing

3) What gave Susie most relief from her symptoms?

special flu medicine
common non-prescription painkillers
phone support from the hospital A & E
staying in quarantine

4) During her period of isolation ...

she had to stay alone in her own flat
she wasn’t permitted to leave her room
she depended on family support
she had to give up work

5) Susie’s main complaint concerns ..

the necessity of her isolation
the lack of information
the effectiveness of the medication
the media coverage of the outbreak

6) According to Fran MacGrath, H1N1 cases in New Zealand are predominantly ..

associated with overseas travel
failures of local containment
community based
spread through family contacts

7) The underlying aim of the containment strategy is

reversing the current upward trend of cases
preventing person-to-person transmission in New Zealand
stopping overseas travellers from bringing the virus into New Zealand
reducing the overall impact of the outbreak

8) A move to a management strategy will mean ...

an end to the policy of school or class closures
a focus on letting people know which kind of flu they have
more emphasis on the wearing of masks by the general public
people with flu being encouraged to continue working and studying

9) Based on historical records, it’s likely that this first outbreak of H1N1 flu ...
will spread slowly
will not be too severe
will respond to antibiotics
will most severely affect the elderly

10) According to Fran MacGrath, tamiflu is an effective treatment ..

for the H1N1 flu if taken early enough
for reducing symptoms of all types of flu
for those sufferers who are not resistant
for anyone concerned about health risks from flu

Today’s musical suggestion: from the USA
Love is contagious performed by Taja Seville
________________________________________________________________

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
uninformed
Sorry, I can’t tell you more. We’re as much in the dark about the takeover as you are.

it’s early days yet
there’s still time to improve
Manchester United are one down against Barcelona, but it’s early days yet.

be in deep water
in big trouble
I think that politician is in deep water, now that the tax authorities have opened his bank accounts.

throw sb in at the deep end
give sb a lot of responsibility after minimal preparation
It’s a really practical teaching course. After a few hours preparation, they just throw you in the deep end with your first class.

be out of your depth
unable to cope
I don’t know why I agreed to help design the college’s homepage. I had no experience and was completely out of my 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
triumphalism
rein in
vice
virtue
benevolence
crowd out

Questions for the lecture:

1) A character in which TV series is said to have been based on Professor Sandel?

Bro’ Town
The Simpsons
South Park
Family Guy

2) Why does Professor Sandel describe economics as a spurious science?

It has no theoretical foundation
It can be used inappropriately
It is basically unimportant
It is uninformative

3) The underlying argument of this series of lectures is for a public discourse based on ...

individual self-interest
the common good
moral relativism
public accountability

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
globalisation is a major threat
public good is determined by market forces
human rights are fundamental

5) What is the basic flaw with the ‘greed critique’?

markets depend on self-interest
business people are not greedy
there is no evidence of irresponsible risk-taking
greed is not a personal vice

6) What is the main focus of Professor’s Sandel’s critique of markets over the last 30 years?

their inefficiency
their sustainability
their scope
their self-interest

7) Professor Sandel uses the proposal for a market in refugees as an example of how markets...

act as an unfair mechanism
put personal profit before public good
are becoming increasingly globalised
change the way we value people and things

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
the decline in public morality
the globalisation of morality
the need for better education

9) The relative success of blood donation in the UK is attributed to ..

commercialisation
altruism
market norms
efficiency of collection

10) How does Professor Sandel summarise the main mistake made during the last 30 years?

market economy
market society
market mechanisms
free markets

Today’s musical suggestion: from the UK
Money performed by The Beatles
________________________________________________________________

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
dealing with it
‘Is anyone dealing with these faxes ?’ ‘Don’t worry. I’m on the case.’

in cold blood
without mercy
The journalist was shot down in cold blood outside her London home.

not all (or what) it’s cracked up to be
not as good as they say
Yes, I went to that disco last weekend. Believe me, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be.

to be at cross purposes
to be misunderstanding each other
I think we’re talking at cross purposes here. When I wrote 1 / 4, I meant the first of April, not the fourth of January.

off the cuff
improvised
I told him I’d let him know in the next lesson, because I hate having to come up with off-the-cuff explanations.

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
Sound of Violence
Cecilia
Mrs Morrison

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
coin a phrase
tackle a problem
out of the box
hype
assets
toxic

Questions for the article:

1) What form of thinking does Edward de Bono define as ‘the habitual route to an obvious solution’?

vertical
narrow
lateral
straight

2) Edward de Bono believes that creative thinking has not been a part of ..

Eastern philosophy
Western culture
Entrepreneurship
inventions

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
greenhouse emissions
drug resistance
immune-deficiency

4) Edward de Bono’s idea of a new kind of house purchase contract is designed to ...

increase personal responsibility
stimulate the housing market
encourage accountability
introduce greater fairness

5) Edward de Bono thinks that governments should have a Minister of ....

sustainability
education
management
thinking

6) Edward de Bono argues that creativity in businesses is limited by the desire for ...

sustainability
continuity
change
profits

7) What is the major component of the current global financial crisis according to Edward de Bono?

real economic conditions
hype and panic
game-playing
speculation

8) Edward de Bono believes that one solution to the credit crisis would be to treat ‘toxic assets’ as ..

debts
money
real estate
penalties

9) Edward de Bono argues that the current financial downturn is an opportunity for ..

umbrella-makers
innovators
debt-collectors
speculators

10) Edward de Bono was impressed by the Indian man’s idea that parents should have an extra ...

tax
vote
room
child

11) Which of these countries was NOT mentioned by Edward de Bono as having introduced his ideas in schools?

New Zealand
the United Kingdom
China
Greece

12) Which of the six hats in Edward de Bono’s model is concerned with the emotions?

black
red
white
green

13) What is Edward de Bono’s attitude towards computers?

positive
negative
mixed
cynical

14) Edward de Bono points out that, in hindsight, any great idea is ..

strange
necessary
obvious
complex

Today’s musical suggestion: from the USA
Think etc performed by Aretha Franklin and Sammy Davis Jr.
________________________________________________________________

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.

From a New Zealand perspective, Britain’s entry into the European Community was widely seen as a potential disaster for the local economy.

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
best thing ever / often an ironic way of saying ‘arrogant’
She thinks she’s the greatest thing since sliced bread.

be banging/hitting your head against a brick wall
making no progress
I wish I could persuade him to stop smoking, but it’s like I’m hitting my head against a brick wall.

I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it
deal with a problem only when it arises
It’s true that money is going to be an issue at some point, but I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.

be on the brink of sth
very near
We were on the brink of bankruptcy when we were bought out by an American multinational.

be on (or in) the cards
Very likely to happen
An early election is on the cards, given the weakness of the ruling coalition.

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
the little cascade by Ben the Hoose
________________________________________________________________

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
Health and Counselling Centre.

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
make an effort to celebrate
They really pushed the boat out on their 25th anniversary.

a bone of contention
a sensitive and controversial issue
Actually, the question of who flew the first airplane is a bit of a bone of contention between the United States and Brazil.

have a bone to pick with you
tell someone you have a complaint
Hey, I’ve got a bone to pick with you. Is it you who keeps leaving the door of the building wide open?

the bottom line
the basic consideration
The company can talk all they like about their mission in society, when everyone knows the bottom line is sales.

get to the bottom of
find out the truth about
Everyone has given up the search for the lost money, but I’m going to get to the bottom of it if it kills me.

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

When did people first settle in New Zealand (according to most evidence)?

3200 years ago
1500 years ago
700 years ago
150 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
introduction to set the lecture in c ___________: in terms of what’s gone before and
what’s coming later in the series. They may also i ____________ the relative
importance of today’s topic within the subject area as a whole.
Now, we’ve said before that students can prepare for a lecture by reading
through the course outline and r _____________ on the title of the lecture. The
introduction is a good opportunity to start matching your p ___________ with
reality.

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
that they’re the most d ___________ aspect of university life. This is often because
they find it difficult to listen and take effective notes at the same time.

Good note-taking technique is a matter of confidence. It's no good trying to write down
everything because you won’t then understand what’s important and what can be l _____ o _________. What is important is to understand how things fit together. So it’s trying to keep a balance between understanding and having detail – in other words, knowing what the general ideas are and having concrete examples to b ________ u _______ those ideas.

Today’s musical suggestion:
Somewhere over the Rainbow performed by an undaunted young lady called Connie Talbot
________________________________________________________________

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
phone
I’ll give you a bell later and let you know if I’m coming or not.

not take a blind bit of notice
totally ignore
She doesn’t take a blind bit of notice what I say to her. She always goes her own way.

turn a blind eye (to something)
not enforce a rule
We’re not supposed to have food in the office, but the boss turns a blind eye to it if he knows we’re busy.

blow-by-blow
detailed
She gave me a blow-by-blow account of her marriage break-up. It was pretty astonishing.

to be above board
legal and proper
The practice may seem a little unethical, but let me assure you, it’s totally 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
biodiversity
consensus
flora
fauna

Questions for the article:

1) Which of these is an aspect of climate change that could have a negative impact on vulnerable species?

biodiversity
changes in tissues
changes in seasons

2) Why does Matt McGlone think the tuatara should be able to adapt to warmer temperatures?

it has begun laying deeper eggs
it can eat warmer vegetation
it has done so before
it is well-managed on offshore islands

3) It is hard to know how the rock wren could adapt because ..

they cannot be observed directly
they are nocturnal birds
there is a lack of historical records
they have many predators

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
global warming is subject to seasonal variations
there is no relationship between global warming and tree lines
New Zealand tree lines are more resistant to climate change than in other countries

5) Which of these is NOT one of the other threats to biodiversity in New Zealand mentioned by Matt McGlone?

imported garden plants
leisure activities
diseases
non-native animals

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
There is an urgent need for extra funding into the effects of climate change
A focus on climate change should be integrated into existing policy
Scientists need to acknowledge the relatively minor impact of climate change in this area

7) What does Matt McGlone believe is the most appropriate metaphor for understanding biodiversity?

a mechanism
a watch
a game
a book of rules

Today’s musical suggestion: from the USA
it may be winter outside but in my heart it’s spring by Love Unlimited
________________________________________________________________

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
are responsible (for a problem)
I think the parents of these young criminals have a lot to answer for.

asking for it
deserve (something bad to happen)
I’m not sorry I broke his nose. He was asking for it.

be in a bad way
in poor health or condition
I’m afraid your aunt is in a bad way and may not survive the operation.

fight a losing battle
struggling
Workers are fighting a losing battle to keep their mine open.

get (or leap or jump) on the bandwagon
follow a trend with enthusiasm
We were the first to include DVDs with our language courses but the other publishers were quick to leap 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
fission
fusion
isotype
ore
stockpile
worst-case scenario

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
It has the largest number of power stations
It exports the highest proportion of nuclear power
It was responsible for the world’s first nuclear power station

2) The basic fuel for nuclear power stations is ...

relatively cheap
mined near Alice Springs, Australia
found in the form of radioactive rods
dug up as ‘yellow cake’ ore

3) In what form is the energy produced by a nuclear reaction?

heat
steam
coal
electricity

4) Ralph Sims believes that nuclear power ...

results in up to 5000 fatalities per year in China
is essentially risk-free in modern plants
is relatively safe when compared to other energy sources
has to make significant improvements in safety systems

5) Stockpiles of nuclear waste ...

are being maintained in Finland, France and Nevada, USA
will accumulate until storage facilities are completed
total up to 50 000 tonnes worldwide
have been used as a source for ‘dirty bombs’

6) Nuclear fusion

is produced from readily-available supplies of helium
is only currently producing power in the South of France
produces a mix of uranium and plutonium
is not yet a practical form of energy generation

7) Ralph Sims believes that nuclear power plants ...

are not a viable alternative in small countries
require unacceptably high levels of initial investment
are more cost-effective than coal or gas power stations
are likely to account for up to 15% of world energy production

Today’s musical suggestion: from the USA
Atomic by Blondie

________________________________________________________________

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
consider
When they report crime figures they ought to take account of the fact that most crimes are not even reported.

get in on the act
follow a trend
We opened the first cybercafe here, but several other people have got in on the act in the last year.

be out of action
unavailable
I’m afraid the elevator’s going to be out of action for a few days.

be up in the air
undecided / unresolved
I may be going to Europe on business but it’s still up in the air.

all in all
All things considered
All in all, I think we can say Sao Paulo has a rich cultural life.

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
Kraft
Cadbury
Nestle

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
savoury
predisposition
hooked
cultivate
abundance
ceremonial
take off
catch on
frown upon

Questions for the article:

1) Why do we have a predisposition to like chocolate?

it’s high in calories
it was associated with religious ceremonies
it has a bitter taste
it contains pheromones

2) This predisposition is problematic because ...

it is associated with pleasure
there has been a change in food supply
chocolate has become less beneficial
it has become a luxury product

3) Addiction is fundamentally a case of uncontrolled ...

pleasure
desire
consumption
sensation

4) Premium quality chocolate tends to...

have a higher sugar content
be made in vineyards
be more bitter
be more addictive

5) Consumption of chocolate during periods of sadness is likely to lead to ..

self-medication
deepening depression
relief of symptoms
addiction

6) What is the main point of the analogy Paul Martin makes between chocolate and wine?

they shouldn’t be too sweet
they should be sucked
they should be enjoyed at room temperature
they shouldn’t be rushed

7) When chocolate was first exported to Europe it was used for what purposes?

medicinal
religious
ceremonial
financial

8) Why was chocolate mainly commercialised by companies belonging to religious groups such as the Quakers?

they were granted a monopoly over its production
it was seen as a way of reducing alcohol consumption
the Catholic Church had decided that chocolate was not sinful
these groups were excluded from other areas of business

9) Studies conducted into the Cuna Indians, who consume large quantities of chocolate, support the claims that chocolate ...

reduces cardio-vascular disease
contains high concentrations of flavenoids
contributes positively to dental health
has complex sociocultural associations

10) What attitude does Paul Martin have towards the idea that some people are ‘chocoholics’?

sympathetic
concerned
sceptical
hopeful

Today’s musical suggestion: from Canada
Ice Cream by Sarah McLachlan
________________________________________________________________

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
2) (die) …….. away
3) (visit briefly) ……….. in
4) (stop at the side of the road) _______ over
5) (cheat someone) ………... someone off
6) (say goodbye at the airport etc) ______ someone off
7) (cause someone to fall behind schedule) _______someone back
8) (read quickly) ______through
9) (increase pressure etc) ______ up
10) (dismantle) _______ something apart

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

Which form of creativity is being celebrated in New Zealand during the month of May?

music
painting
film
sculpture

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
a tyrant / tyrannical
an excerpt
to thwart somebody
to be reconciled with someone / a process of reconciliation
Your career took off big time
a household name

Questions for the article:

1) What first introduced Lang Lang to the appeal of playing the piano?

The Cultural Revolution
A Chinese cartoon
A television programme
The chance to win competitions

2) What kind of challenge did he have to overcome in order to win his first piano competition?

psychological
cultural
physical
political

3) How many hours did he use to practise piano on a school day at the age of seven?

just under three hours
three hours forty-five minutes
nearly six hours
seven hours forty-five minutes

4) Which of these difficulties did he face during his early months in Beijing?

his father was unable to live with him
his neighbours were noisy
his fellow pupils made fun of him
the police prevented him from practising piano

5) For what reasons did he stop playing the piano for a while when he was in Beijing?

psychological
cultural
physical
political

6) He attributes his success in interpreting Chopin at the age of thirteen especially to ...

technical ability
personal suffering
family ambition
romantic feelings

7) What did his American teacher suggest would be a good way to become famous?

Winning a number of international competitions
Substituting for a well-known pianist
Marrying an international celebrity
Becoming a household name

8) When Lang Lang plays Chinese music he ...

uses elements of Western classical piano playing
uses an adapted instrument
adapts folk tunes to the piano
imitates Chopin, Tchaikovsky and Debussy

9) Lang Lang has set up a foundation in order to ..

inspire classical pianists
improve the quality of popular music
help young classical musicians
enhance the image of classical music

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
Horse Race performed by Lang Lang and his father ________________________________________________________________

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
1) call __________ (return someone’s call)
2) __________ something out (have a look at)
3) __________ across (find by chance)
4) cut it __________ (stop)
5) drop __________ (fall asleep)
6) __________ out (go crazy)
7) get __________ (meet)
8) go __________sth (review)
9) __________ on (wait)
10) __________ up to (respect)

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
$ 65, 000
$ 125, 000
$ 225, 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
________________________________________________________________

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
The Auckland Harbour Bridge opened
Auckland Sky Tower was completed
Smoking was banned in public buildings in New Zealand
The New Zealand dollar was first launched
New Zealand’s current Head of State took office

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
Time after Time by Cyndi Lauper
________________________________________________________________

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.
2) I don’t care much for your attitude. You won’t get anywhere by being rude!
3) I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to go on about my holiday. I just got carried off!
4) It was a sunny morning, but it clouded up later on.
5) He tried a long shot, but it didn’t come off.
6) I’m dying of a rest. Can we sit down here for a bit?
7) She never really got along her brother.
8) I kept meaning to get in touch but I just didn’t get around to phone you. Sorry!
9) I never really hit off with my new boss.

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

Which of these is a popular – and very generous - bank in New Zealand?

NatWest
Westpac
Western Union
Westminster

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
overdraft
proceeds
flee
jurisdiction
misappropriated
in the vicinity of

Questions about the listening

How much did the bank customers ask for?
How much did the bank put into their account?
What excuse might they have used to transfer the money overseas?
Which kind of police officer is thought to have been sent to China?
Has any of the money been recovered?
How has the public responded to the news?

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
________________________________________________________________

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.
2) Though the course was difficult, I was determined to s ______ it t ______ in order to qualify.
3) The loss of data s ______ the project b ______ by several months.
4) In ‘The Origin of Species’, Charles Darwin s _______ o _______ to explain how evolution is the result of natural selection.
5) I s _______ t _______ several articles on the subject to get a general idea about current thinking.
6) The university has s ______ o _______ their profitable English language teaching division, which from now on will have a separate management and marketing structure.
7) What really s ______ o _____ from her research was the thoroughness with which she checked every detail.
8) Physicists were t _______ a _______ to discover that, according to their research, the rocks were older than the supposed age of the universe.

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
hostile
to mediate
homogenous
a fallacy
xenophobia
a backlash
a misconception
a zero-sum game

Questions for the article:

1) Philippe Legrain argues that his own ethnic diversity ....

is a prerequisite for understanding other cultures
is not immediately obvious
gives him a deeper insight into the refugee experience
was the basis for his academic success

2) Philippe Legrain argues that higher productivity is associated with ...

economies in developing countries with uniform cultures
developing countries with separate ethnic groups
knowledge-based and culturally-diverse economies
technological innovation by highly-educated experts

3) Philippe Legrain argues that diversity is essential for teams to produce ..

consensus
groupthink
innovation
interaction

4) Philippe Legrain argues that increasing diversity in the workforce is particularly important for New Zealand companies now because of ...

legal requirements
Treaty principles
economic recession
globalisation

5) Philippe Legrain concedes that societies which are not diverse can achieve economic progress if ...

their economies are based on well-established technological industries
their governments invest in precision engineering
their climate discourages emigration
their legislative framework protects the interests of minority groups

6) Philippe Legrain uses the examples of Barack Obama and Sergei Brin to argue that ...

a more effective points based system is needed
it’s impossible to predict immigrants’ future contributions to society
the United States has much to learn from New Zealand and Australian practices
immigrants are needed to fill gaps in key technological skills

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
remittances
liberalisation
trade

8) Philippe Legrain cites the case of Polish migration to the UK in support of ...

less control of migration
tighter visa regulation
spread of technology
cross-cultural training

9) Philippe Legrain believes that demographic changes in developed economies will lead to ...

the growth in environmental refugees
increasing incentives to migrate
the need to protect domestic industries
more positive attitudes to immigration

Today’s musical suggestion: from Scotland
Letter from America by The Proclaimers
________________________________________________________________

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.
2) Before I present my own views, I’d like to g _______ o ______ what other writers have said on the subject.
3) History shows that economies tend to g ______ t _______ cycles of boom and bust rather than steady long-term growth.
4) He felt his colleagues always l _______ d _______ o _______ him because he had never completed his doctorate.
5) The lecturer spoke so quickly that I only just managed to n ______ d ______ the main points of her presentation.
6) I wonder why it never o _______ t _______ anyone until the nineteenth century that simple hygiene could save lives.
7) Researchers have been unable to p _______ d _______ the exact cause of the explosion.
8) Sir William Jones p _______ o _______ that similarities between European and Indian languages could only be explained by the fact that they shared a common ancestor.

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question
Which New Zealand film director, who won an Oscar for ‘The Piano’, has launched her new film (about the poet John Keats) at the Cannes Film Festival?

Jane Campion
Dame Tiri de Kanawa
Dame Malvina Major
Sue Kedgeley

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

transcript for the listening

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
autonomous
cast doubt on something

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
you get an insight into how your department views a subject
you’re able to meet other students on your course
you find out what’s in the exam

2) Which of these is described by Christine as the main challenge for students in lectures?

the echo of the building
the speaker’s accent
taking notes on the main points
difficult vocabulary

3) Which of these is a marker phrase used by lecturers to signal the structure of the lecture?

‘turning now to ...
‘Right’
‘You know what I mean’
‘have you got that?’

4) How does a lecturer signal that he/she’s starting a new topic?

falling intonation
rising pitch
stressing each syllable
a long pause

5) Which of these is NOT recommended as a listening strategy during lectures?

preparing in advance
focusing on purpose
paying attention to intonation
reducing your level of stress

Today’s musical suggestion: from Poland (composer) and China (pianist)

Chopin nocturne opus 27 performed by Lang Lang
___________________________________________________________

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.

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 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?
the teachers?
the level of difficulty of the course?
how well you would do?

How many of these assumptions were correct?

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
g ______ a ______ t ______ attending faculty meetings and
e _______ u _______ losing his research funding.

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
John Key
David Rudd
Don Brash

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
Massey University’s Albany campus was founded
500 students moved from Palmerston North
2000 books were bought for the first library in Albany

2) What incorrect assumption is often made about library work?

It is demanding
It is straightforward
It is old-fashioned
It is systematic

3) What arrives by truck five times a week?

up to twenty-five new books
book requests from other libraries
both returned and requested books
boxes of 10 to 25 books

4) How do extramural students obtain library books?

they can be requested from their nearest library
they are sent to their home address
they are reserved for collection at their convenience
they are available for free download in electronic format

5) Why is the beginning of the first semester a special time for the library?

They offer one-to-one support
New books need to be distributed
Usage of library services is at a peak
there are excessive demands on staff resources

6) Which of these innovations will be incorporated into the new library building?

audio-visual facilities
an information desk
a cafe
self-study space

Today’s musical suggestion: from the USA
You can’t judge a book by its cover by Bo Diddley
________________________________________________________________

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?
20) How late do you tend to stay ______ over here?
21) Have you ever been taken ______ by some false story?
22) Would you be happy to be tied ______ to one employer on a long-term contract?
23) What aspects of the opposite sex really turn you ______?
24) What really winds you ______ about the English language?
25) Do you know anyone who’s written ______ their car in an accident?

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
descent
nationhood
entity
encyclopedic
legacy
enlightenment

Questions for the article:

1) Cuno argues that descent is one way in which governments seek to increase their ...

legitimacy
antiquity
nationhood
income

2) Cuno argues that national claims on culture have the negative impact of ...

weakening
distortion
confusion
limitation

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
fluid
universal
democratic

4) Cuno feels that the most negative aspect of national cultures is their effect on ...

globalisation
minorities
history
education

5) What kind of national culture does Cuno believe to be legitimate?

inclusive
transformational
democratic
ecological

6) Cuno believes the original purpose of the British Museum was linked to ..

imperialism
nationhood
enlightenment
colonialism

7) Cuno argues that museums have a right to keep artefacts from far-away cultures in order to ......

protect national identities
raise cultural awareness
increase their self-esteem
restore antiquities

8) Cuno uses the analogy of advanced healthcare to argue that ...

all nations should have access to encyclopaedic museums
specialisation is the only means of achieving progress
advances in technology will increase access to culture
a public-private partnership model is appropriate to cultural policy

9) Cuno believes that visitors to museums...

are given an interpretation by the museum
are unfairly influenced by the surrounding culture
are able to develop their own understandings of the artefacts
need to form a physical connection to the artefacts

10) Cuno believes that individuals ....

need to reject their own national culture
have a considerable degree of freedom of identity
are inevitably influenced by the market place
need to form cross-cultural relationships

Today’s musical suggestion: from the USA
Harvest for the World by the Isley Brothers
________________________________________________________________

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.

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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 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?
12) Which family members do you most look ______ ______?
13) Did you use to mess ______ in some of your lessons at school?
14) Were you named ______ any of your relatives?
15) Were you ever picked ______ by bullies at school?
16) Have you ever been pulled ______ while driving?
17) Would you rule ______ becoming a housewife or househusband?
18) What kind of things do you most like to splash ______ ______?

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%
52%
71%
86%

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
a knapsack

Questions for the article:

1) Which organisation has the team of Phi