I am introducing a new feature today called 👉🏽 #Crash_Course in our channel. Hope you all like it. 👇🏽👇🏽
Upper Intermediate
#study_skills Time management is a vital skill for success both in the workplace and at school. Question number 1: How much time do I have available for studying? I always hear my students complain about not having enough time to study or do their homework.…
#Study_skills
I keep saying to my students all the time that learning a language is not difficult at all but what makes learning difficult is “studying”. With all the distractions that we are surrounded with -like playing computer games, chatting with friends, watching TV and so on- most of us find it quite difficult to sit down at our desks and study our lessons.
Therefore, it is very important to have not only the right mindset for success but also the right tools and know-how to get there.
The first thing I addressed in the #study_skills series was time management and you all were asked to fill in the weekly planner that was posted in the channel. The point was to find out how much free time you had available for studying. If you have done the first step, then let us move forward with more practical tips for speeding up your learning process.
I keep saying to my students all the time that learning a language is not difficult at all but what makes learning difficult is “studying”. With all the distractions that we are surrounded with -like playing computer games, chatting with friends, watching TV and so on- most of us find it quite difficult to sit down at our desks and study our lessons.
Therefore, it is very important to have not only the right mindset for success but also the right tools and know-how to get there.
The first thing I addressed in the #study_skills series was time management and you all were asked to fill in the weekly planner that was posted in the channel. The point was to find out how much free time you had available for studying. If you have done the first step, then let us move forward with more practical tips for speeding up your learning process.
#study_skills
If you set yourself tasks that are planned out hour by hour, day by day, you will achieve far more than you could ever hope to do.
There are several golden rules that you should follow when you make your timetable
**Golden rule – 1 (Establish a daily routine)
a. Try to pace yourself, working regularly each day.
Your brain is a muscle, not very different from the other muscles in your body. It performs best if you subject it to a regular rhythm. Think of two people climbing a steep hill. The one who gets to the top fastest is the one who establishes a steady, regular pace. The one who runs as hard as he can until he drops and then rests, only to rush on again, takes much longer to get there if he ever gets there at all.
==============
Answer the following questions about yourself (truthfully!).
1. How often in an hour do you feel the need to get up and stretch your legs while you are reading a textbook?
2. At what time of the day do you work best? (Morning, Afternoon, Evening, Late at night)
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b. Try to study in the same place each day.
Your mind will establish an association between your regular desk and work; this means that, your brain will automatically prepare itself for work when you sit down.
c. Do not try to study for long periods of time without a rest.
It is important to work hard while you are actually at your best, but it is just as important to allow your brain time to rest and relax fairly regularly. No one can concentrate for extended periods of time.
Allow yourself a ten-minute break every hour. Go for a walk round the building, have a look at the newspaper or just go and sit under a tree. When you take one of these breaks, make it a real break: do not keep thinking about what you have been reading. It will all still be there when you get back to your seat.
d. Give yourself at least half a day off each week.
During this time, do not think about your work. Think about anything else. Your brain needs a regular holiday, just as much as you do.
**Golden rule – 2
Set yourself easily attainable goals.
a. Do not set yourself a task that you cannot finish in the time available.
b. Define your goals as precisely as possible.
The first rule about reading anything for information is that you must have clearly in your mind the reason why you are looking at the book.
**Golden rule – 3
Recognize your own strengths and weaknesses and build them into your timetable.
It is not good writing out a timetable that you will not be able to keep to, even on the first day.
You must try to build in your own shortcomings as well as your own strengths. For instance, if you work best in the morning, it is silly to give yourself the morning free and put yourself in the library every afternoon, when you are at your worst.
(Adapted from 'A Study Skills Handbook' by Mike and Glenda Smith ©1990)
If you set yourself tasks that are planned out hour by hour, day by day, you will achieve far more than you could ever hope to do.
There are several golden rules that you should follow when you make your timetable
**Golden rule – 1 (Establish a daily routine)
a. Try to pace yourself, working regularly each day.
Your brain is a muscle, not very different from the other muscles in your body. It performs best if you subject it to a regular rhythm. Think of two people climbing a steep hill. The one who gets to the top fastest is the one who establishes a steady, regular pace. The one who runs as hard as he can until he drops and then rests, only to rush on again, takes much longer to get there if he ever gets there at all.
==============
Answer the following questions about yourself (truthfully!).
1. How often in an hour do you feel the need to get up and stretch your legs while you are reading a textbook?
2. At what time of the day do you work best? (Morning, Afternoon, Evening, Late at night)
==============
b. Try to study in the same place each day.
Your mind will establish an association between your regular desk and work; this means that, your brain will automatically prepare itself for work when you sit down.
c. Do not try to study for long periods of time without a rest.
It is important to work hard while you are actually at your best, but it is just as important to allow your brain time to rest and relax fairly regularly. No one can concentrate for extended periods of time.
Allow yourself a ten-minute break every hour. Go for a walk round the building, have a look at the newspaper or just go and sit under a tree. When you take one of these breaks, make it a real break: do not keep thinking about what you have been reading. It will all still be there when you get back to your seat.
d. Give yourself at least half a day off each week.
During this time, do not think about your work. Think about anything else. Your brain needs a regular holiday, just as much as you do.
**Golden rule – 2
Set yourself easily attainable goals.
a. Do not set yourself a task that you cannot finish in the time available.
b. Define your goals as precisely as possible.
The first rule about reading anything for information is that you must have clearly in your mind the reason why you are looking at the book.
**Golden rule – 3
Recognize your own strengths and weaknesses and build them into your timetable.
It is not good writing out a timetable that you will not be able to keep to, even on the first day.
You must try to build in your own shortcomings as well as your own strengths. For instance, if you work best in the morning, it is silly to give yourself the morning free and put yourself in the library every afternoon, when you are at your worst.
(Adapted from 'A Study Skills Handbook' by Mike and Glenda Smith ©1990)
#Shakespeare_Speaks
The whole world can see how you feel!
Many of Shakespeare's characters conceal their true feelings.
Shakespeare often explored the theme of appearance in his plays and many of his characters wear masks or disguises to conceal their true identity. He was very interested in the idea that people and events are often not what they appear to be!
The whole world can see how you feel!
Many of Shakespeare's characters conceal their true feelings.
Shakespeare often explored the theme of appearance in his plays and many of his characters wear masks or disguises to conceal their true identity. He was very interested in the idea that people and events are often not what they appear to be!
Upper Intermediate
Wear my heart upon my sleeve.3gp
Wear my heart on my sleeve
Meaning
Nowadays, the phrase to wear your heart upon - or on - your sleeve still means: to make your feelings and emotions obvious, even if it makes you vulnerable.
Example sentence
I wear my heart on my sleeve. If I'm in a mood, my mood shows.
___________________
Extra vocabulary
in disguise
the state of changing someone's appearance to hide their true identity
loyal
always reliable and very supportive
vulnerable
easily hurt or harmed
a mask
a covering used to hide or disguise your face
bend the truth
say something that is not true (usually not a serious lie)
be economical with the truth
say things that are not true, or to not tell everything that you know
keep your cards close to your chest
not tell people what you are thinking or planning
a poker face
a facial expression that doesn't show your thoughts or feelings
lay/put (all) your cards on the table
tell people exactly what you are thinking
above board
completely honest and legal
upfront
completely honest and not hiding anything
an open book
completely honest and not hiding anything
pour your heart out
tell someone all your secrets and worries
my heart sank
I suddenly felt very sad and disappointed
his/her heart's in the right place
he/she only has good intentions
my heart's not in it
I don't feel very interested and enthusiastic
by heart
from memory
a heart of gold
a kind and generous character
a heart of stone
an unfriendly and unkind character
Meaning
Nowadays, the phrase to wear your heart upon - or on - your sleeve still means: to make your feelings and emotions obvious, even if it makes you vulnerable.
Example sentence
I wear my heart on my sleeve. If I'm in a mood, my mood shows.
___________________
Extra vocabulary
in disguise
the state of changing someone's appearance to hide their true identity
loyal
always reliable and very supportive
vulnerable
easily hurt or harmed
a mask
a covering used to hide or disguise your face
bend the truth
say something that is not true (usually not a serious lie)
be economical with the truth
say things that are not true, or to not tell everything that you know
keep your cards close to your chest
not tell people what you are thinking or planning
a poker face
a facial expression that doesn't show your thoughts or feelings
lay/put (all) your cards on the table
tell people exactly what you are thinking
above board
completely honest and legal
upfront
completely honest and not hiding anything
an open book
completely honest and not hiding anything
pour your heart out
tell someone all your secrets and worries
my heart sank
I suddenly felt very sad and disappointed
his/her heart's in the right place
he/she only has good intentions
my heart's not in it
I don't feel very interested and enthusiastic
by heart
from memory
a heart of gold
a kind and generous character
a heart of stone
an unfriendly and unkind character
#MyStupidThings
Hi everyone
Hope you’re all doing well. The new English term started two days ago and we’ve already had two lessons. I’d like to thank all the new members who have recently joined the channel. It’s an honor to have you all aboard.
I’d like to apologize for not posting things every day. There are two main reasons for keeping a low profile; one is the fact that I am quite busy these days and the other is that I believe it to be more useful to post less; for you to have the time to digest the lessons thoroughly and also have the time to review the files and the lessons.
Good luck to you all
Hi everyone
Hope you’re all doing well. The new English term started two days ago and we’ve already had two lessons. I’d like to thank all the new members who have recently joined the channel. It’s an honor to have you all aboard.
I’d like to apologize for not posting things every day. There are two main reasons for keeping a low profile; one is the fact that I am quite busy these days and the other is that I believe it to be more useful to post less; for you to have the time to digest the lessons thoroughly and also have the time to review the files and the lessons.
Good luck to you all
#Shakespeare_Speaks
Supernatural Shakespeare
William Shakespeare's plays are full of ghosts, witches, fairies and magic and most of his audience would have believed in the supernatural. It was common for people to visit fortune tellers and astrologers, and Queen Elizabeth even had her own personal astrologer!
Supernatural Shakespeare
William Shakespeare's plays are full of ghosts, witches, fairies and magic and most of his audience would have believed in the supernatural. It was common for people to visit fortune tellers and astrologers, and Queen Elizabeth even had her own personal astrologer!
Upper Intermediate
Greek to me - Shakespeare Speaks.3gp
Greek to me
Meaning
The phrase It was Greek to me has become It's all Greek to me in modern English, and it's used when something – not just a foreign language – is difficult to understand.
Example sentence
I'll never understand the rules of cricket: out for a duck, silly mid-off, googlies… It's all Greek to me!
___________________
Extra vocabulary
supernatural
things that cannot be explained by science
fortune teller
someone who tells you what they think will happen to you in the future
have your fortune told
have your future predicted
astrologer
someone who studies the stars and planets and uses it to tell people how it will affect their lives
crystal clear
very easy to understand
get the gist
understand the general meaning
as clear as mud
very difficult to understand
gobbledygook
very difficult to understand (often because there are too many technical words)
go over somebody's head
be too difficult for someone to understand
can’t make head nor tail of something
can't understand something
get the picture
understand
gibberish
spoken or written words that have no meaning or are difficult to understand
go Dutch
agree to share the cost of something, especially a meal
talk for England!
talks a lot
when in Rome...
when you are visiting another country, you should behave like the people in that country
an Indian summer
a period of warm, dry weather that sometimes happens in the early autumn
excuse my French
sorry for using a word that may be considered offensive (said humorously)
Dutch courage
the confidence that some people get from drinking alcohol before they do something scary
Meaning
The phrase It was Greek to me has become It's all Greek to me in modern English, and it's used when something – not just a foreign language – is difficult to understand.
Example sentence
I'll never understand the rules of cricket: out for a duck, silly mid-off, googlies… It's all Greek to me!
___________________
Extra vocabulary
supernatural
things that cannot be explained by science
fortune teller
someone who tells you what they think will happen to you in the future
have your fortune told
have your future predicted
astrologer
someone who studies the stars and planets and uses it to tell people how it will affect their lives
crystal clear
very easy to understand
get the gist
understand the general meaning
as clear as mud
very difficult to understand
gobbledygook
very difficult to understand (often because there are too many technical words)
go over somebody's head
be too difficult for someone to understand
can’t make head nor tail of something
can't understand something
get the picture
understand
gibberish
spoken or written words that have no meaning or are difficult to understand
go Dutch
agree to share the cost of something, especially a meal
talk for England!
talks a lot
when in Rome...
when you are visiting another country, you should behave like the people in that country
an Indian summer
a period of warm, dry weather that sometimes happens in the early autumn
excuse my French
sorry for using a word that may be considered offensive (said humorously)
Dutch courage
the confidence that some people get from drinking alcohol before they do something scary