Types of Adverb in English

Adverbs provide information about how, when or where something is done. It's easy to understand what adverbs do by looking at the word adverb: Adverbs add something to the verb! Let's take a look at a few examples:
Jack often visits his grandmother in Chicago. -> The adverb 'often' tells us how often Jack visits his grandmother in Chicago.
Alice plays golf very well. -> The adverb 'well' tells us how Alice plays golf. It tells us the quality of how she plays.
However, they must remember to clean up before they leave. -> The adverb 'however' connects the sentence to the independent clause or sentence that comes before it.
You may have noticed that the adverb placement is different in each of the three sentences. Adverb placement in English can be confusing at times. Generally, adverb placement is taught when focusing on specific types of adverbs. Adverb placement for adverbs of frequency comes directly before the main verb. Therefore, they come in the middle of the sentence. This is referred to as 'mid-position' adverb placement. Here is a general guide to adverb placement in English.

Adverb Placement - Initial Position
Adverb placement at the beginning of a clause or a sentence is referred to as 'initial position'.

Connecting Adverbs
Initial position adverb placement is used when using a connecting adverb to join a statement to the preceding clause or sentence. It's important to remember that these connecting adverbs take adverb placement at the beginning of a phrase in order to connect it to the phrase that has come before. Commas are often used after the use of a connecting adverb. There are a number of these connecting adverbs, here are some of the most common:
However,
Consequently,
Then,
Next,
Still,
Examples:
Life is hard. However, life can be fun.
The market is very difficult these days. Consequently, we need to focus on what works best for our customers.
My friend Mark doesn't enjoy school. Still, he's working hard at getting good grades

Time Adverbs
Time adverbs are also used at the beginning of phrases to indicate when something should happen. It's important to note that time adverbs are used in in a number of adverb placements. Time adverbs are the most flexible of all adverbs in their adverb placement.
Examples:
Tomorrow Peter is going to visit his mother in Chicago.
Sundays I like playing golf with my friends.
Sometimes Jennifer enjoys a relaxing day at the beach.

Adverb Placement - Middle Position

Focusing Adverbs
Adverb placement of focusing adverbs generally takes place in the middle of a sentence, or in the 'mid-position'. Focusing adverbs put the emphasis on one part of the clause in order to modify, qualify or add additional information. Adverbs of frequency (sometimes, usually, never, etc.), adverbs of certainty (probably, certainly, etc.) and comment adverbs (adverbs expressing an opinion such as 'intelligently, expertly, etc.') can all be used as focusing adverbs.
Examples:
She often forgets to take her umbrella to work.
Sam stupidly left his computer at home instead of taking it with him to the conference.
I'll certainly buy a copy of his book.
NOTE: Remember that adverbs of frequency are always placed before the main verb, rather than the auxiliary verb. (I don't often go to San Francisco. NOT I often don't go to San Francisco.)

Adverb Placement - End Position
Adverb placement is usually at the end of a sentence or phrase. While it's true that adverb placement can happen in the initial or mid-position, it's also true that adverbs generally are placed at the end of a sentence or phrase. Here are the three most common types of adverbs placed at the end of a sentence or phrase.

Adverbs of Manner
Adverb placement of adverbs of manner usually occurs at the end of a sentence or clause. Adverbs of manner tell us 'how' something is done.
Examples:
Susan hasn't done this report accurately.
Sheila plays piano thoughtfully.
Tim does his math homework carefully.

Adverbs of Place
Adverb placement of adverbs of place usually occurs at the end of a sentence or clause. Adverbs of place tell us 'where' something is done.
Examples:
Barbara is cooking pasta downstairs.
I'm working in the garden outside.
They will investigate the crime downtown.

Adverbs of Time
Adverb placement of adverbs of time usually occurs at the end of a sentence or clause. Adverbs of manner tell us 'when' something is done.
Examples:
Angie likes relaxing at home on weekends.
Our meeting takes place at three o'clock.
Frank is having a checkup tomorrow afternoon. 

source:http://esl.about.com 

Adverb (grammar exercise)

Use the following adverbs to fill in the gaps in the sentences. Each adverb is used once.

• always
• often
• never
• certainly
  eventually
• fluently
• yet
• hard
• carefully
•  just
• occasionally
• probably
• completely
• unfortunately
• definitely
• ever
• also
• quickly

Have you _____ wanted to learn a new language? My friend Tom has _____ wanted to learn Russian. _____, he _____ had the time until last year. He had _____ finished his studies at university and decided that he should _____ begin. He _____ wanted to do something _____ different. He knew he wouldn't be able to speak _____. However, he thought that if he worked _____, he would _____ be able to at least converse in Russian. He worked very _____ and only _____ missed a class. He _____ rented films in Russian to watch, and was surprised at how _____ he began to understand the basic meaning of the conversations. _____, he could even listen to pop songs in Russian and understand the texts. He hasn't been to Russia _____, but he will _____ go soon.

Financial Terminology (vocabulary exercise)

Fill in the blank with the correct answer!

1. It's an excellent university, but the _____ are rather high.
   • fares
   • fees
   • price
2. I made my _____ buying and selling stocks.
   • fortune
   • treasure
   • wealthy
3. I bought this coat on sale. It was _____ $50.
   • on sale
   • decreased
   • reduced
4. There's a small studio to _____ in James Street.
   • lent
   • hire
   • lease
5. I haven't got enough money for lunch. Could you _____ me some?
   • borrow
   • let
   • lend
6. How much does she _____ in her position?
   • gain
   • earn
   • pay
7. That house is too expensive. We can't _____ it.
   • allow
   • afford
   • pay
8. He's an excellent doctor, but he doesn't _____ too much.
   • charge
   • fee
   • spend
9. It was a very good dinner. Can we have the _____ please?
   • receipt
   • bill
   • note
10. Mary never carries cash with her and pays for everything by _____.
    • receipt
    • tip
    • credit-card
11. The old couple had only a small ___ to live on.
    • wage
    • wealth
    • pension
12. Fred didn't like the waitperson so he didn't leave a _____.
    • receipt
    • tip
    • loan
13. They wouldn't have been able to buy their camper without a bank ____.
    • borrow
    • lend
    • loan
14. The store won't change any merchandise without the original _____.
    • receipt
    • credit-card
    • recipe
15. The dime is such a small _____ that everyone dislikes it.
    • tip
    • coin
    • note
16. The apartment is not in very good condition so the _____ is low.
    • rent
    • lease
    • hire
17. The cd-player has a twelve month _____.
    • warrant
    • warranty
    • receipt
18. He keeps all his money and valuables in a _____ behind this painting.
    • tip
    • box
    • safe
19. My friend Tom made his considerable _____ selling cars.
    • wealthy
    • wealth
    • money
20. I've just bought a new _____ policy.
    • insure
    • insurance
    • uninsured
21. Jane saves as much money as she can and tries to never spend a dime. She is a ______.
    • retired
    • miser
    • heir
22. My friend just inherited a lot of money and property. He is ______ to a great deal of wealth.
    • miser
    • inherit
    • heir
23. Jack just became the boss at the bank. He is the bank's ______.
    • advisor
    • manager
    • client
24. My father is past 65, he is now a ______ man.
    • retired
    • pension
    • swindler
25. Someone who keeps or checks financial records for a company is a(n) _____.
    • manager
    • accountant
    • swindler
26. I love to go shopping often. Most shops consider me a great _____.
    • manager
    • customer
    • heir
27. If I need money from the bank, I go to a _____ to make a withdrawal.
    • teller
    • lawyer
    • cashier
28. If you have any problems with your insurance policy you should see your _____.
    • agent
    • teller
    • manager
29. People who like to buy and sell stocks are called _____.
    • swindler
    • investors
    • heir
30. Unfortunately, I bought a piece of worthless junk from a _____ who told me it was a masterpiece.
    • swindler
    • manager
    • miser

Irish History (reading exercise)

Irish History

A failed 1916 Easter Monday Rebellion touched __1___ several years of guerrilla warfare that in 1921 resulted in __2___ from the UK for the 26 southern __3___ the six northern counties (Ulster) remained part ___4___ Great Britain. In 1948 Ireland __5___ from the British Commonwealth; it __6___ the European Community in 1973. Irish governments have ___7___ the peaceful unification of Ireland and have ___8___ with Britain against terrorist groups. A peace settlement for Northern Ireland, approved in 1998, is __9___ being implemented.

1. • to
   • off
   • at
   • of
2. • freedom
   • independence
   • independent
   • freeing
3. • counties
   • countries
   • cities
   • areas
4. • of
   • at
   • to
   • in
5. • opted out
   • went
   • withdrew
   • left
6. • signed
   • left for
   • signed on
   • joined
7. • sought
   • observed
   • looked
   • seeked
8. • talked
   • fought
   • cooperated
   • helped
9. • already
   • currently
   • yet
   • still
    

source:http://esl.about.com

Daily Expression (speaking exercise)

following page.
pass away
postpone
put off
put up with
flattered
taxes
fee
installments
faint
lame excuse
never mind
ring a bell
shake
strike
no kidding
hate [something] with a passion
no wonder

1. Sally called me to ask whether I wanted to spend the weekend at a spiritual retreat with her. I'm not into such things, so I told her I couldn't go because I had already planned to visit my great-grandmother at her nursing home during the weekend. After I hung up, I thought to myself: "what a _____! But it was the first thing I thought of, because Sally caught me by surprise with this invitation!"
2. Carla, have you heard of Herbert von Karajan?
   Carla says: Bianca, this name _____, but I actually don't remember who he is.
   Bianca replies: He's a famous Austrian orchestra conductor.
3. John, you are the best cook I've ever known. The dinner you've prepared is awesome!
   John says: Oh, thanks! I'm _____. Your compliments are very generous!
4. Jennifer loves humanities and arts, but the only job she could find was at a bank, where she deals with numbers all day, at an isolated cubicle. She _____ her job _____!
5. I was having dinner at Lucy's yesterday when she asked me if I had brought her the CD I had promised to lend her.
   I said: Oh, no. I forgot it on top of my desk, at the office!
   Lucy replied: _____! You can bring it tomorrow.
6. When someone _____, it's polite to extend your sympathies to the grieving family.
7. My homework is due tomorrow-Friday. I've been promising myself that I would start working on it since last Monday, but I _____ it _____ and now I'll have to work all night to have it finished by tomorrow.
8. I'll never forget my visit to Sea World! It was such a hot day, that I almost _____ because of the extreme heat!
9. Brazilian people usually pay everything in _____ because most cannot afford to pay cash.
10. Some people in the Denver office branch were talking about how violent some South American cities were becoming. Since I live in Rio de Janeiro, I told them "_____!"
11. It is revolting to pay such high _____ and have nothing provided by the government in return!
12. Most colleges and universities charge a non-refundable application _____.
13. Dissatisfied employees go on _____ to demand higher wages.
14. One thing I can't _____ is disrespect.
15. When I asked him if he had done well on the test, he _____ his head and didn't say a word. I understood he was disappointed about it.

source:http://esl.about.com

First Name, Last Name or Title?

Talking TO People
There are different ways to talk to people depending on your relationship and the situation. Here are the basics of using first name, titles, and other forms in spoken English.
First Name Only
Use the first name in informal and friendly situations. Use first name with your friends, co-workers, acquaintances and fellow students.
Hi, Tom. Do you want to go to a film tonight? - Man to his friend
Excuse me, Mary. What did you think of that presentation yesterday? - Woman to a co-worker in the office
Do you know the answer to number seven, Jack? - Student to another student

If you are speaking with co-workers in the office about work, use a first name. However, if you are speaking to a supervisor or someone you manage, you may have to use a title and last name in more formal situations. The use of first name or title depends on the atmosphere in the office. Traditional businesses (banks, insurance companies, etc.) tend to be more formal. Young companies, such as internet companies, are often very informal.
Ms. Smith, could you come to the meeting this afternoon? - Supervisor speaking to a subordinate at work
Here is the report you asked for Mr. James. - Man to his supervisor

Title and Last Name
Use the title (Mr, Mrs, Ms, etc.) and last name in formal situations such as meetings, public speaking, or when speaking to superiors at work or school. Remember that some work places prefer an informal tone between management and staff. It's best to begin using a title and last name (Hello, Ms Anders!) and change if your supervisors ask you to use a first name basis.
Good morning Ms Johnson. Did you have a good weekend? - Student to her teacher
Mr Johnson, I'd like to introduce you to Jack West from Chicago. - Employee introducing a colleague to his supervisor
Talking ABOUT People
Speaking about other people also depends on the situation. Generally, in informal situations use first names. In more formal situations, use the title and last names. In addition to these choices, there are a few other possibilities.
First Name Only
Used in informal situations with friends and co-workers.
Have you heard that Mary is moving to Los Angeles? - Boy speaking to his friend
Peter's getting a promotion next month. - Woman speaking to a co-worker

Last Name Only
When speaking about public figures such as actors and politicians, it is also quite common to use just the last name.
Bush is finally leaving soon! - One man to another
Nadal is a monster on the court. - A tennis player speaking to his doubles partner

Sometimes, supervisors might use just the last name when speaking to a co-worker. Generally, this means the supervisor is not too happy.
Jones hasn't completed the report on time. - Boss complaining to another manager
Ask Anderson to come into the office as soon as he gets in. - Supervisor speaking to a co-worker

First and Last Name
Use both the first and last name in informal and formal situations in order to be more specific in identifying a person.
Frank Olaf was promoted to department head last week. - One co-worker to another
Isn't that Susan Hart over there? - One friend to another

Title and Last Name
Use the title and last name in more formal situations. Use this form when showing respect and / or being polite.
I think Ms Wright assigned some homework. - One student to a teacher
I think Mr Adams is the best candidate.


source:http://esl.about.com

Descriptive writing : introduction to a city (writing exercise)

Exercise

• Choose a city you would like to describe.
• Find a research page for reference purposes. You can use sites like Wikipedia, magazines, or other resources.
• Choose three or four broad topics you would like to discuss.
• For each topic, write down a list of specific facts using your reference materials. For example: Weather
  more than 80 inches of snow on average extremely hot summers etc.
  
• Take each fact and write a sentence about that fact. For example: Boulder receives more than 80 inches of snow on average each winter.
  
• Combine your sentences into a paragraph on each broad topic. Make sure to use linking language, pronouns, etc. to link the ideas in your sentences into a logical sequence.
• If you are using a computer, make sure to spell check your work.

source:http://esl.about.com

Gerund (grammar exercise)

USE OF THE GERUND

30 Gerund or Infinitive: "-ing" or "to"

01. I can't think of (go) to visit her in hospital without (buy) some flowers.

02. The examiner gave the students some time (think).

03. The band plans (start) (play) by 9pm.

04. The play is programmed (start) at 7pm, so we have decided (meet) at 6.30.

05. I am looking forward to (see) the film again.

06. I intend (study) English (understand) American business methods.

07. She still plans on (marry) him even after he refused (buy) an engagement ring.

08. I cannot resist (eat) fish and chips when I am in England.

09. She enjoys (go) to parties and (dance) in discos all night long.

10. I stopped (live) in London when I realised it was time for me (move) on.

11. Don't forget (turn) off the heating before (leave) the house.

12. I understood (buy) red roses for your girlfriend on St Valentine's Day was a bit old-fashioned.

source : http://www.englishforjapanese.com 

Presidential Elections (Reading Exercise)

Presidential Elections

 

This year Americans elect on a new president on November 6th. It's an important event that happens once every four years. Currently, the president is always elected from one of the two main parties in the United States: the Republicans and the Democrats. There are other presidential candidates. However, it is unlikely that any of these "third party" candidates will win. It certainly hasn't happened in the last one hundred years.
In order to become the presidential nominee of a party, the candidate must win the primary election. Primary elections are held throughout each state in the United States in the first half of any election year. Then, the delegates attend their party convention in order to nominate their chosen candidate. Usually, as in this election, it's clear who will be the nominee. However, in the past parties have been divided and choosing a nominee has been a difficult process.
Once the nominees have been selected, they campaign throughout the country. A number of debates are usually held in order to better understand the candidates' points of view. These points of view often reflect their party's platform. A party platform is best described as the general beliefs and policies a party holds. Candidates cross the country by plane, bus, train or by car giving speeches. These speeches are often called 'stump speeches'. In the 19th century candidates would stand on tree stumps to deliver their speeches. These stump speeches repeat the candidates basic views and aspirations for the country. They are repeated many hundred of times by each candidate.
Many people believe that campaigns in the United States have become too negative. Each night you can see many attack ads on the television. These short ads contain sound bites which often distort the truth, or something the other candidate has said or done. Another recent problem has been voter turnout. There is often less than 60% turnout for national elections. Some people don't register to vote, and some registered voters don't show up at the voting booths. This angers many citizens who feel that voting is the most important responsibility of any citizen. Others point out that not voting is expressing an opinion that the system is broken.
the United States maintains an extremely old, and some say inefficient, voting system. This system is called the Electoral College. Each state is assigned electoral votes based on the number of senators and representatives that state has in Congress. Each state has two Senators. The number of representatives is determined by the states population but is never less then 1. The electoral votes are decided by the popular vote in each state. One candidate wins all of the electoral votes in a state. In other words, Oregon has 8 electoral votes. If 1 million people vote for the Republican candidate and one million and ten people vote for the Democratic candidate ALL 8 electoral votes go to the democratic candidate. Many people feel that this system should be abandoned.

Answer the Questions:

1. How often does the United States hold presidential elections?
   • every two years
   • every four years
   • every six years
2. What is the 'third party'?
   • The Republicans
   • The Democrats
   • Neither of the two main parities
3. How many times has a third party won in the last 100 years?
   • Once
   • Twice
   • Never
4. What must a person do to become a presidential nominee?
   • Win the general election
   • Win a primary election
   • Decide to run for president
5. When are primaries held?
   • During the second half of the election year
   • During the previous year to the election
   • During the first half of the election year
6. Where is the nominee chosen?
   • In Washington D.C.
   • At the party convention
   • On the campaign
7. What is the main purpose of the debates?
   • Raising money for the election
   • Helping to understand the candidates' points of view
   • To attract advertising
8. What is the party platform?
   • The belief of a specific presidential nominee
   • The general beliefs and policies of the party
   • The place where the party is held
9. What is a stump speech?
   • A special speech for a particular group
   • The standard speech given by a nominee many times
   • A speech about the forest
10. What do many people believe about the campaigns?
    • They are too positive.
    • They are too negative.
    • They are perfect.
11. What is an attack ad?
    • An advertisement which presents a nominee's point of view on an issue
    • An advertisement which contains a sound bite which distorts the truth
    • A type of party platform
12. What has recent voter turnout been?
    • More than 60%
    • Less than 60%
    • Less than 30%
13. Which statement is false?
    • Many people feel that voting is a responsibility of citizens.
    • Many people feel that not voting is expressing an opinion.
    • Voting is required by law.
14. Which statement is true?
    • American voters elect their president directly.
    • American voters elect their president indirectly.
    • American voters have no say in the choice of a president.
15. Which statement is true?
    • In a state with 12 electoral votes, the majority of the popular vote takes all 12 electoral votes.
    • In a state with 12 electoral votes, the minority of the popular vote takes all 12 electoral votes.
    • In a state with 12 electoral votes, the electoral votes are split evenly based on the popular vote.
     

Source ; http://esl.about.com

Demonstrative (grammar exercise)

Fill in the blank with the correct demonstratives!

1. Look at the___newspaper here.
2. ___are my grandparents, and___people over there are my friend's grandparents.
3. ___building over there is the Chrysler Building.
4. ___is my mobile phone and ___is your mobile phone on the shelf over there.
5. ___photos here are much better than ___photos on the book.
6. ___was a great evening.
7. Are___your pencils here?
8. ___bottle over there is empty.
9. ___bricks over there are for chimney.
10. John, take___ folder and put it on the desk over there.

what is this? (writing exercise)

Please, describe picture above ! :)

Rainbows (Reading Exercise)

Rainbows are often seen when the sun comes out after or during a rainstorm. Rainbows are caused when sunlight shines through drops of water in the sky at specific angles. When white sunlight enters a raindrop, it exits the raindrop a different color. When light exits lots of different raindrops at different angles, it produces the red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet that you see in a rainbow. Together, these colors are known as the spectrum. These colors can sometimes be seen in waterfalls and fountains as well.

Did you know that there are double rainbows? In a double rainbow, light reflects twice inside water droplets and forms two arcs. In most double rainbows, the colors of the top arc are opposite from those in the bottom arc. In other words, the order of colors starts with purple on top and ends with the red on bottom. In addition, rainbows sometimes appear as white arcs at night. These rainbows are called moonbows and are so rare that very few people will ever see one. Moonbows are caused by moonlight (rather than sunlight) shining through drops of water.

Questions

1. Rainbows are often seen _________________.
   •   when it snows
   •   after the sun sets at night
   •   after a rainstorm
   •   before a rainstorm
2. Rainbows are produced when ___________________
   •   the spectrum causes a rainstorm.
   •   the sun comes out after a storm.
   •   light exits many raindrops at different angles.
   •   the sun causes a rainstorm.
3. What color is NOT in a rainbow?
   •   pink
   •   indigo
   •   yellow
   •   orange
4. Which of the following IS NOT true?
   •   Rainbows are usually seen after or during a storm.
   •   Moonbows are caused by moonlight.
   •   Double rainbows are two rainbows that are exactly the same.
   •   Spectrum colors sometimes appear in fountains and waterfalls.
5. What question is answered in the last paragraph?
   •   How to double rainbows form?
   •   How long do rainbows last?
   •   What colors appear in a rainbow?
   •   Why do waterfalls produce rainbow-like spectrums?
6. What would be a good title for this passage?
   •   Moonbows!
   •   Differences Between Normal Rainbows and Double Rainbows
   •   The History of Rainbows
   •   The Basics About Rainbows
7. The author describes moonbows as "so rare that very few people will ever see one." Which of the following might also be described as very rare?
   •   A pink diamond
   •   A fireman
   •   A ruler
   •   A squirrel
8. What color is a moonbow?
   •   yellow
   •   green
   •   the passage doesn't say
   •   white

 source : http://mrnussbaum.com

Paraphrase and Summary

When should I paraphrase, and when should I summarize?

To paraphrase means to express someone else's ideas in your own language. To summarize means to distill only the most essential points of someone else's work.
Paraphrase and summary are indispensable tools in essay writing because they allow you to include other people's ideas without cluttering up your essay with quotations. They help you take greater control of your essay. Consider relying on either tool when an idea from one of your sources is important to your essay but the wording is not. You should be guided in your choice of which tool to use by considerations of space. But above all, think about how much of the detail from your source is relevant to your argument. If all your reader needs to know is the bare bones, then summarize.
Ultimately, be sure not to rely too heavily on either paraphrase or summary. Your ideas are what matter most. Allow yourself the space to develop those ideas.

How do I paraphrase?

Whenever you paraphrase, remember these two points:

1. You must provide a reference.
2. The paraphrase must be entirely in your own words. You must do more than merely substitute phrases here and there. You must also completely alter the sentence structure.

It can be difficult to find new words for an idea that is already well expressed. The following strategy will make the job of paraphrasing a lot easier:

1. When you are at the note-taking stage, and you come across a passage that may be useful for your essay, do not copy the passage verbatim unless you think you will want to quote it.
2. If you think you will want to paraphrase the passage, make a note only of the author's basic point. You don't even need to use full sentences.
3. In your note, you should already be translating the language of the original into your own words. What matters is that you capture the original idea.
4. Make sure to include the page number of the original passage so that you can make a proper reference later on.

When it comes time to write the paper, rely on your notes rather than on the author's work. You will find it much easier to avoid borrowing from the original passage because you will not have recently seen it. Follow this simple sequence:

1. Convert the ideas from your notes into full sentences.
2. Provide a reference.
3. Go back to the original to ensure that (a) your paraphrase is accurate and (b) you have truly said things in your own words.

Let's look at examples of illegitimate and legitimate paraphrase. The original passage is from Oliver Sacks' essay "An Anthropologist on Mars":

The cause of autism has also been a matter of dispute. Its incidence is about one in a thousand, and it occurs throughout the world, its features remarkably consistent even in extremely different cultures. It is often not recognized in the first year of life, but tends to become obvious in the second or third year. Though Asperger regarded it as a biological defect of affective contact—innate, inborn, analogous to a physical or intellectual defect—Kanner tended to view it as a psychogenic disorder, a reflection of bad parenting, and most especially of a chillingly remote, often professional, "refrigerator mother." At this time, autism was often regarded as "defensive" in nature, or confused with childhood schizophrenia. A whole generation of parents—mothers, particularly—were made to feel guilty for the autism of their children.

What follows is an example of illegitimate paraphrase:

The cause of the condition autism has been disputed. It occurs in approximately one in a thousand children, and it exists in all parts of the world, its characteristics strikingly similar in vastly differing cultures. The condition is often not noticeable in the child's first year, yet it becomes more apparent as the child reaches the ages of two or three. Although Asperger saw the condition as a biological defect of the emotions that was inborn and therefore similar to a physical defect, Kanner saw it as psychological in origin, as reflecting poor parenting and particularly a frigidly distant mother. During this period, autism was often seen as a defense mechanism, or it was misdiagnosed as childhood schizophrenia. An entire generation of mothers and fathers (but especially mothers) were made to feel responsible for their offspring's autism (Sacks 247-48).

Most of these sentences do little more than substitute one phrase for another. An additional problem with this passage is that the only citation occurs at the very end of the last sentence in the paragraph. The reader might be misled into thinking that the earlier sentences were not also indebted to Sacks' essay.
The following represents a legitimate paraphrase of the original passage:

In "An Anthropologist on Mars," Sacks lists some of the known facts about autism. We know, for example, that the condition occurs in roughly one out of every thousand children. We also know that the characteristics of autism do not vary from one culture to the next. And we know that the condition is difficult to diagnose until the child has entered its second or third year of life. As Sacks points out, often a child who goes on to develop autism will still appear perfectly normal at the age of one (247).

Sacks observes, however, that researchers have had a hard time agreeing on the causes of autism. He sketches the diametrically opposed positions of Asperger and Kanner. On the one hand, Asperger saw the condition as representing a constitutional defect in the child's ability to make meaningful emotional contact with the external world. On the other hand, Kanner regarded autism as a consequence of harmful childrearing practices. For many years confusion about this condition reigned. One unfortunate consequence of this confusion, Sacks suggests, was the burden of guilt imposed on so many parents for their child's condition (247-448).

Notice that this passage makes explicit right from the beginning that the ideas belong to Sacks, and the passage's indebtedness to him is signaled in more than one place. The single parenthetical note at the end of each paragraph is therefore all the citation that is needed. The inclusion of explicit references to Sacks not only makes the job of providing citations easier. It also strengthens the passage by clarifying the source of its facts and ideas. And it adds an analytical dimension to the paragraph: the passage doesn't just reiterate the points in Sacks' passage but lays out the structure of his argument. Note that the paraphrase splits the original into two separate paragraphs to accentuate the two-part structure of Sacks' argument. Finally, notice that not all the details from the original passage are included in the paraphrase.

How do I summarize?

Summary moves much farther than paraphrase away from point-by-point translation. When you summarize a passage, you need first to absorb the meaning of the passage and then to capture in your own words the most important elements from the original passage. A summary is necessarily shorter than a paraphrase.
Here is a summary of the passage from "An Anthropologist on Mars":

In "An Anthropologist on Mars," Sacks notes that although there is little disagreement on the chief characteristics of autism, researchers have differed considerably on its causes. As he points out, Asperger saw the condition as an innate defect in the child's ability to connect with the external world, whereas Kanner regarded it as a consequence of harmful childrearing practices (247-48).

source : http://www.writing.utoronto.ca

Cinderella's Story

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful girl named Cinderella. She lived with her wicked stepmother and two stepsisters. They treated Cinderella very badly. One day, they were invited for a grand ball in the king’s palace. But Cinderella’s stepmother would not let her go. Cinderella was made to sew new party gowns for her stepmother and stepsisters, and curl their hair. They then went to the ball, leaving Cinderella alone at home. Cinderella felt very sad and began to cry. Suddenly, a fairy godmother appeared and said, “Don’t cry, Cinderella! I will send you to the ball!” But Cinderella was sad. She said, “I don’t have a gown to wear for the ball!” The fairy godmother waved her magic wand and changed Cinderella’s old clothes into a beautiful new gown! The fairy godmother then touched Cinderella’s feet with the magic wand. And lo! She had beautiful glass slippers! “How will I go to the grand ball?” asked Cinderella. The fairy godmother found six mice playing near a pumpkin, in the kitchen. She touched them with her magic wand and the mice became four shiny black horses and two coachmen and the pumpkin turned into a golden coach. Cinderella was overjoyed and set off for the ball in the coach drawn by the six black horses. Before leaving. the fairy godmother said, “Cinderella, this magic will only last until midnight! You must reach home by then!”
When Cinderella entered the palace, everybody was struck by her beauty. Nobody, not even Cinderella’s stepmother or stepsisters, knew who she really was in her pretty clothes and shoes. The handsome prince also saw her and fell in love with Cinderella. He went to her and asked, “Do you want to dance?” And Cinderella said, “Yes!” The prince danced with her all night and nobody recognized the beautiful dancer. Cinderella was so happy dancing with the prince that she almost forgot what the fairy godmother had said. At the last moment, Cinderella remembered her fairy godmother’s words and she rushed to go home. “Oh! I must go!” she cried and ran out of the palace. One of her glass slippers came off but Cinderella did not turn back for it. She reached home just as the clock struck twelve. Her coach turned back into a pumpkin, the horses into mice and her fine ball gown into rags. Her stepmother and stepsisters reached home shortly after that. They were talking about the beautiful lady who had been dancing with the prince.
The prince had fallen in love with Cinderella and wanted to find out who the beautiful girl was, but he did not even know her name. He found the glass slipper that had come off Cinderella’s foot as she ran home. The prince said, “I will find her. The lady whose foot fits this slipper will be the one I marry!” The next day, the prince and his servants took the glass slipper and went to all the houses in the kingdom. They wanted to find the lady whose feet would fit in the slipper. All the women in the kingdom tried the slipper but it would not fit any of them. Cinderella’s stepsisters also tried on the little glass slipper. They tried to squeeze their feet and push hard into the slipper, but the servant was afraid the slipper would break. Cinderella’s stepmother would not let her try the slipper on, but the prince saw her and said, “Let her also try on the slipper!” The slipper fit her perfectly. The prince recognized her from the ball. He married Cinderella and together they lived happily ever after.

source : http://shortstoriesshort.com

Asking and Diving direction (Speaking Exercise)

klick link below to do the exercise :)
http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=1434

source : www.englishexercises.org

Say Hello !

Assalammualaikum wr.wb

Hello everyone who visits my blog!
I am Sri Mulyati Safitri. I am ,officially, the owner of this blog (ofcourse!).
First of all, Thanks to Allah SWT for all his blessing for all of us.
Then, I also would like to thank you to all sources and all of my friends who help me to complete my blog.
Actually, this blog is one of my assignment from my beloved lecturer in CALL course.
I am a student of English Department of Mulawarman University.-just an additional information-

Then, this blog dedicated for everyone who want to learn English, especially for them who learn English as a foreign language.
Here, in this blog, I devided the materials into three parts, there are:

• For Beginner
• For Intermediate
• and For Advanced

Each parts completed with skills which we learn in English, there are :

• Listening
• Speaking
• Reading
• Writing
• and Grammar

This blog also facilitated with Dictionary and Idioms which will help the visitors to define a word and a phrase of idiom. You can do the exercise to improve your skills. And don't forget to play some games here! :)

Enjoy this blog!
Thanks for your visit.

Wassalammualaikum wr.wb.

Vacation Plans (Listening Exercise)

Klick link below to do the exercise :)
http://www.esl-lab.com/trip1/trip1.htm

source : www.esl-lab.com

Business meeting (Listening Exercise)

Klick link below to do the exercise :)
http://www.esl-lab.com/bs1/bs1.htm

source : www.esl-lab.com

The Japanese Economy (Listening Exercise)

Klick link below to do the execise :)
http://www.esl-lab.com/econ1/econrd1.htm

source : www.esl-lab

Friday's Weather Report (Listening Daily Exercise)

klick link below to do the exercise :)
http://www.esl-lab.com/weat1/weat1.htm

source : http://www.esl-lab.com

Baseball: It's a Home Run ! (Listening Daily Exercise)

klik link below to do the exercise :)
http://www.esl-lab.com/base/baserd1.htm

source: http://www.esl-lab.com

Emergency Call (Listening daily exercise)

Klik link berikut untuk latihan listening :)
http://www.esl-lab.com/call/911rd1.htm

source : http://www.esl-lab.com

How to Improve Your Listening Skills

Listening is the ability to accurately receive and interpret messages in the communication process. 

Listening is key to all effective communication, without the ability to listen effectively messages are easily misunderstood – communication breaks down and the sender of the message can easily become frustrated or irritated.

Listening is so important that many top employers provide listening skills training for their employees.  This is not surprising when you consider that good listening skills can lead to: better customer satisfaction, greater productivity with fewer mistakes, increased sharing of information that in turn can lead to more creative and innovative work.

Many successful leaders and entrepreneurs credit their success to effective listening skills. Richard Branson frequently quotes listening as one of the main factors behind the success of Virgin. Effective listening is a skill that underpins all positive human relationships, spend some time thinking about and developing your listening skills – they are the building blocks of success.

See our pages: Employability Skills and Customer Service Skills for more examples of the importance of listening in the workplace.

Good listening skills also have benefits in our personal lives, including:

A greater number of friends and social networks, improved self-esteem and confidence, higher grades at school and in academic work and even better health and general well-being. Studies have shown that, whereas speaking raises blood pressure, listening brings it down.

Listening is Not the Same as Hearing

Hearing refers to the sounds that you hear, whereas listening requires more than that: it requires focus.  Listening means paying attention not only to the story, but how it is told, the use of language and voice, and how the other person uses his or her body.  In other words, it means being aware of both verbal and non-verbal messages.  Your ability to listen effectively depends on the degree to which you perceive and understand these messages.

Source : http://www.skillsyouneed.com

Three Steps to Effective Listening Skills

Step 1: Tune in. Tuning in, of course, is the very first step to effective listening. In order to be a successful listener you must be physically and mentally prepared to tune in. For me, this means aligning my body with the other person and maintaining eye contact--giving him or her my undivided attention.
It also means turning off any mind chatter. Sometimes I’m still thinking about something else and I arrive late to the listening. Or sometimes, I start listening, but before my conversation partner finishes, I begin planning what I am going to say in response. Or worse, I pass judgment and think, “This isn’t important. This is stupid” and I stop listening. Good listeners suspend judgment and wait until the other person is finished before they create a response. If you feel like you might forget a point just take notes.

Show You are Listening

By the way, it’s also nice if you are able to show that you are listening: lean in, tilt your head, or occasionally nod at your partner. The idea is not just to listen, but also to encourage the speaker.
In this step, the key is to concentrate on the words you hear and the body language signals you see. Are they smiling? Are they talking rapidly? How’s their posture? Are the words and body language congruent?
For example, if someone is smiling and talking rapidly they’re likely to be genuinely excited and interested in the topic. If you notice slumped shoulders and a chin tilted toward the ground perhaps the person is experiencing sadness or a lack of self-esteem. The clues can be very subtle. It might be that you barely notice a slight side to side “no” headshake at the same time the person is saying, “Sure, we can do that.”
For this step, you need to tune in to what and how something is said and be alert for what is left unsaid.

Understand What You’ve Just Heard

Step 2: Decide what it means. Next, you’ll need to translate and interpret what you heard and observed. You’ve got to decide what it all means. We all create meaning based on our own experiences, so it’s important to confirm that your understanding of what was communicated is really what the speaker was trying to communicate.

Sometimes you’ll need to ask open-ended questions to confirm your understanding.

For example, even if I say something as simple as “I opened the door” what exactly are you imagining in your mind? Am I opening an office door? Am I opening a car door? Maybe it’s a door to a house?
The point is that sometimes you’ll need to ask open-ended questions to confirm your understanding. Such as, “When you said X, what did you mean?” “Why do you think X, is it because of A?” “Can you give me an example of what you meant by Y?” “Tell me more about your feelings regarding X”

Pay Attention to Non-Verbal Communication

In addition to paying attention to the meaning of the words, you’ll also need to understand the non-verbal behaviors you observed. Were the tone of voice, gestures, and words all in agreement? Did the words say yes, but the body language said no? Did your conversation partner seem excited, disappointed, angry, confused? These non-verbal gestures and actions reveal inner thoughts, attitudes, and emotions that may not have been expressed verbally. 

Avoid Miscommunication

Step 3: Paraphrase to confirm understanding. The final step to effective listening is to confirm your understanding. To do that you’ll need to paraphrase, or reword what you heard including the content and the emotion. For example, the speaker might say, “I can’t stand that I need to repeat the instructions three or four times in excruciating detail and she still doesn’t seem to understand how to complete the task.”
The listener might respond, “It sounds like you are frustrated because she’s not following instructions even after the steps of a task have been explained more than once.”
The structure of paraphrasing is:

• lead-in
  
• plus feelings summary
  
• plus content summary

- See more at: http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/business-career/public-speaking/how-to-improve-listening-skills#sthash.yYwkNZMc.dpuf

Three Steps to Effective Listening Skills

Step 1: Tune in. Tuning in, of course, is the very first step to effective listening. In order to be a successful listener you must be physically and mentally prepared to tune in. For me, this means aligning my body with the other person and maintaining eye contact--giving him or her my undivided attention.
It also means turning off any mind chatter. Sometimes I’m still thinking about something else and I arrive late to the listening. Or sometimes, I start listening, but before my conversation partner finishes, I begin planning what I am going to say in response. Or worse, I pass judgment and think, “This isn’t important. This is stupid” and I stop listening. Good listeners suspend judgment and wait until the other person is finished before they create a response. If you feel like you might forget a point just take notes.

Show You are Listening

By the way, it’s also nice if you are able to show that you are listening: lean in, tilt your head, or occasionally nod at your partner. The idea is not just to listen, but also to encourage the speaker.
In this step, the key is to concentrate on the words you hear and the body language signals you see. Are they smiling? Are they talking rapidly? How’s their posture? Are the words and body language congruent?
For example, if someone is smiling and talking rapidly they’re likely to be genuinely excited and interested in the topic. If you notice slumped shoulders and a chin tilted toward the ground perhaps the person is experiencing sadness or a lack of self-esteem. The clues can be very subtle. It might be that you barely notice a slight side to side “no” headshake at the same time the person is saying, “Sure, we can do that.”
For this step, you need to tune in to what and how something is said and be alert for what is left unsaid.

Understand What You’ve Just Heard

Step 2: Decide what it means. Next, you’ll need to translate and interpret what you heard and observed. You’ve got to decide what it all means. We all create meaning based on our own experiences, so it’s important to confirm that your understanding of what was communicated is really what the speaker was trying to communicate.

Sometimes you’ll need to ask open-ended questions to confirm your understanding.

For example, even if I say something as simple as “I opened the door” what exactly are you imagining in your mind? Am I opening an office door? Am I opening a car door? Maybe it’s a door to a house?
The point is that sometimes you’ll need to ask open-ended questions to confirm your understanding. Such as, “When you said X, what did you mean?” “Why do you think X, is it because of A?” “Can you give me an example of what you meant by Y?” “Tell me more about your feelings regarding X”

Pay Attention to Non-Verbal Communication

In addition to paying attention to the meaning of the words, you’ll also need to understand the non-verbal behaviors you observed. Were the tone of voice, gestures, and words all in agreement? Did the words say yes, but the body language said no? Did your conversation partner seem excited, disappointed, angry, confused? These non-verbal gestures and actions reveal inner thoughts, attitudes, and emotions that may not have been expressed verbally. 

Avoid Miscommunication

Step 3: Paraphrase to confirm understanding. The final step to effective listening is to confirm your understanding. To do that you’ll need to paraphrase, or reword what you heard including the content and the emotion. For example, the speaker might say, “I can’t stand that I need to repeat the instructions three or four times in excruciating detail and she still doesn’t seem to understand how to complete the task.”
The listener might respond, “It sounds like you are frustrated because she’s not following instructions even after the steps of a task have been explained more than once.”
The structure of paraphrasing is:

• lead-in
  
• plus feelings summary
  
• plus content summary

- See more at: http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/business-career/public-speaking/how-to-improve-listening-skills#sthash.yYwkNZMc.dpuf

Three Steps to Effective Listening Skills

Step 1: Tune in. Tuning in, of course, is the very first step to effective listening. In order to be a successful listener you must be physically and mentally prepared to tune in. For me, this means aligning my body with the other person and maintaining eye contact--giving him or her my undivided attention.
It also means turning off any mind chatter. Sometimes I’m still thinking about something else and I arrive late to the listening. Or sometimes, I start listening, but before my conversation partner finishes, I begin planning what I am going to say in response. Or worse, I pass judgment and think, “This isn’t important. This is stupid” and I stop listening. Good listeners suspend judgment and wait until the other person is finished before they create a response. If you feel like you might forget a point just take notes.

Show You are Listening

By the way, it’s also nice if you are able to show that you are listening: lean in, tilt your head, or occasionally nod at your partner. The idea is not just to listen, but also to encourage the speaker.
In this step, the key is to concentrate on the words you hear and the body language signals you see. Are they smiling? Are they talking rapidly? How’s their posture? Are the words and body language congruent?
For example, if someone is smiling and talking rapidly they’re likely to be genuinely excited and interested in the topic. If you notice slumped shoulders and a chin tilted toward the ground perhaps the person is experiencing sadness or a lack of self-esteem. The clues can be very subtle. It might be that you barely notice a slight side to side “no” headshake at the same time the person is saying, “Sure, we can do that.”
For this step, you need to tune in to what and how something is said and be alert for what is left unsaid.

Understand What You’ve Just Heard

Step 2: Decide what it means. Next, you’ll need to translate and interpret what you heard and observed. You’ve got to decide what it all means. We all create meaning based on our own experiences, so it’s important to confirm that your understanding of what was communicated is really what the speaker was trying to communicate.

Sometimes you’ll need to ask open-ended questions to confirm your understanding.

For example, even if I say something as simple as “I opened the door” what exactly are you imagining in your mind? Am I opening an office door? Am I opening a car door? Maybe it’s a door to a house?
The point is that sometimes you’ll need to ask open-ended questions to confirm your understanding. Such as, “When you said X, what did you mean?” “Why do you think X, is it because of A?” “Can you give me an example of what you meant by Y?” “Tell me more about your feelings regarding X”

Pay Attention to Non-Verbal Communication

In addition to paying attention to the meaning of the words, you’ll also need to understand the non-verbal behaviors you observed. Were the tone of voice, gestures, and words all in agreement? Did the words say yes, but the body language said no? Did your conversation partner seem excited, disappointed, angry, confused? These non-verbal gestures and actions reveal inner thoughts, attitudes, and emotions that may not have been expressed verbally. 

Avoid Miscommunication

Step 3: Paraphrase to confirm understanding. The final step to effective listening is to confirm your understanding. To do that you’ll need to paraphrase, or reword what you heard including the content and the emotion. For example, the speaker might say, “I can’t stand that I need to repeat the instructions three or four times in excruciating detail and she still doesn’t seem to understand how to complete the task.”
The listener might respond, “It sounds like you are frustrated because she’s not following instructions even after the steps of a task have been explained more than once.”
The structure of paraphrasing is:

• lead-in
  
• plus feelings summary
  
• plus content summary

- See more at: http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/business-career/public-speaking/how-to-improve-listening-skills#sthash.yYwkNZMc.dpuf

Three Steps to Effective Listening Skills

Step 1: Tune in. Tuning in, of course, is the very first step to effective listening. In order to be a successful listener you must be physically and mentally prepared to tune in. For me, this means aligning my body with the other person and maintaining eye contact--giving him or her my undivided attention.
It also means turning off any mind chatter. Sometimes I’m still thinking about something else and I arrive late to the listening. Or sometimes, I start listening, but before my conversation partner finishes, I begin planning what I am going to say in response. Or worse, I pass judgment and think, “This isn’t important. This is stupid” and I stop listening. Good listeners suspend judgment and wait until the other person is finished before they create a response. If you feel like you might forget a point just take notes.

Show You are Listening

By the way, it’s also nice if you are able to show that you are listening: lean in, tilt your head, or occasionally nod at your partner. The idea is not just to listen, but also to encourage the speaker.
In this step, the key is to concentrate on the words you hear and the body language signals you see. Are they smiling? Are they talking rapidly? How’s their posture? Are the words and body language congruent?
For example, if someone is smiling and talking rapidly they’re likely to be genuinely excited and interested in the topic. If you notice slumped shoulders and a chin tilted toward the ground perhaps the person is experiencing sadness or a lack of self-esteem. The clues can be very subtle. It might be that you barely notice a slight side to side “no” headshake at the same time the person is saying, “Sure, we can do that.”
For this step, you need to tune in to what and how something is said and be alert for what is left unsaid.

Understand What You’ve Just Heard

Step 2: Decide what it means. Next, you’ll need to translate and interpret what you heard and observed. You’ve got to decide what it all means. We all create meaning based on our own experiences, so it’s important to confirm that your understanding of what was communicated is really what the speaker was trying to communicate.

Sometimes you’ll need to ask open-ended questions to confirm your understanding.

For example, even if I say something as simple as “I opened the door” what exactly are you imagining in your mind? Am I opening an office door? Am I opening a car door? Maybe it’s a door to a house?
The point is that sometimes you’ll need to ask open-ended questions to confirm your understanding. Such as, “When you said X, what did you mean?” “Why do you think X, is it because of A?” “Can you give me an example of what you meant by Y?” “Tell me more about your feelings regarding X”

Pay Attention to Non-Verbal Communication

In addition to paying attention to the meaning of the words, you’ll also need to understand the non-verbal behaviors you observed. Were the tone of voice, gestures, and words all in agreement? Did the words say yes, but the body language said no? Did your conversation partner seem excited, disappointed, angry, confused? These non-verbal gestures and actions reveal inner thoughts, attitudes, and emotions that may not have been expressed verbally. 

Avoid Miscommunication

Step 3: Paraphrase to confirm understanding. The final step to effective listening is to confirm your understanding. To do that you’ll need to paraphrase, or reword what you heard including the content and the emotion. For example, the speaker might say, “I can’t stand that I need to repeat the instructions three or four times in excruciating detail and she still doesn’t seem to understand how to complete the task.”
The listener might respond, “It sounds like you are frustrated because she’s not following instructions even after the steps of a task have been explained more than once.”
The structure of paraphrasing is:

• lead-in
  
• plus feelings summary
  
• plus content summary

- See more at: http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/business-career/public-speaking/how-to-improve-listening-skills#sthash.yYwkNZMc.dpuf

Noun Clauses

Noun clause used as an object He said something. S V O He said that he was sick. Noun clause used as a subject Something is your business. S V Whatever you do is your business. Someone is still in the cafeteria. S V Whoever ate my lunch is still in the cafeteria.

What did he say? What is your business? Who is in the cafeteria?

The subordinator may take the "subject" or "object" position in a noun clause.

Note the usage of the following:

Henry loves Mary. (S V O) Mary loves Jim. (S V O) The person who(m) Lee loves is a secret. The person who loves Tim is a secret. Who(m) Henry loves is a secret. Who loves Tim is a secret.

Mary is the "object" of the sentence. Mary is the "subject" of the sentence. Relative clause (subordinator in obj. position) Relative clause (subordinator in subj. position) Noun clause (subordinator in obj. position) Noun clause (subordinator in subj. position)

Subordinators which are used in noun clauses:
(Some of these words are also used in Grammar: Relative Clauses and Grammar: Wh - Questions.)

that what who whoever whatever whether

which where when how why if

how much how many how long how far how often whose

Remember to preserve word order in noun clauses:

I don't know who he is.
Whoever she is is not important.
Whatever is in the box is a mystery.
Can you tell me what he is doing?
She doesn't undestand why he is leaving.
I wonder how much that costs.
Do you know how long it will take?

Writing Reports

Types of Reports

1. Business
2. Research
3. Scientific
4. Police
5. Personal

Writing Reports: The Process

1. Collect information

• Survey
• Experiment
• Research
• Investigation

2. Organize 

• Statement of purpose
• Give background information
• Tell how the report was conducted
• Present your findings/results
• Give your conclusions/recommendations

3. Write the Report
4. Revise/Edit
*In report writing, you must be as objective as possible. Do not approach the task with a lot of preconceived bias.
For example: "I am going to prove that smoking is dangerous to your health." It is better to begin with a question in mind and then do the research to find answers to your question. For example: "Is smoking really dangerous to your health?"
Write the report as if you were an "outsider."

source : http://www.eslgold.com

Technique for faster reading

Preview

Preview involves skimming over a reading passage to get a general idea of its content and to help focus the reader's mind on the topic. It is a very valuable tool in faster reading.
To preview, look at the title and subtitles, then read quickly over the first and last paragraphs and skim through the rest of the passage to get an idea of what the passage will be about.

Questions

If there are comprehension questions, read them after the preview to help focus the mind on specific ideas to look for. Then read the passage, looking for answers to the questions.
If there are no comprehension questions, try turning the title and subtitles into questions to help you look for meaning in your reading.

Reading

Read through the passage carefully, but not too slowly. Keep in mind the questions you have formed so that you will be able to concentrate and stay focused on the reading material. In reading, try to keep a steady pace and avoid going back over words or phrases.

Review

After reading, skim over the passage again to remember main ideas and subpoints. Think of the answers to the questions or form an outline of the passage in your mind as you review.

Vocabulary

It is best to check the meanings of words in the passage, either before or after the reading, not during, as this will slow down your reading pace. Try to guess the what the words mean from the context (surrounding words) and only check the dictionary as a last resort.

Practice

It is sometimes useful to check your progress by keeping track of reading time, rate (words per minute) and comprehension (a percentage of correct answers to questions). There are several texts which enable you to do this through exercises. One of the best is a series entitled Timed Readings. 

source : http://www.eslgold.com

Commenting

If you would like to make a comment or insert a remark in an ongoing conversation, it is polite to acknowledge what someone has just said before stating your own ideas.
 
Some phrases

• That's interesting. I think that...
• Interesting point. I would add...
• Hmmm. I hadn't thought of that before.

Questions can also be a useful way of bringing new ideas into a conversation:

• What do you think about . . .
• Have you considered . . .
• What about . . .
• Sometimes a more direct approach is appropriate:
• Can I add something here?
• (Do you) mind if I interject something here? 

source : http://www.eslgold.com

Interrupting

Interrupting politely

• Excuse me,
• Pardon me,
• Sorry to interrupt,
• May I interrupt (for a minute)?
• Can I add something here?
• I don't mean to intrude, but . . .
• Could I inject something here?
• Do you mind if I jump in here?

Getting back to the topic

• Anyway,
• Now, where was I?
• Where were we?
• What were you saying?
• You were saying . . .
• To get back to . . .

source : http://www.eslgold.com

Reading Comprehension Techniques

1. Three Step Method

• Preview
• Reading
• Review

2. Skimming
3. Outlining

• Underlining
• Note taking

4. Phrasing (grouping words)
5. Getting the Main Idea
6. Reading the Questions first
7. Predicting Questions
8. Questioning the Author

• What is the author's purpose?
• What is the author doing in this paragraph?
• Why did the author put this information here?
• What is being compared/contrasted here?
• What alternatives does the author offer?
• What is the author implying?
• What is the author not telling you?
• What is the author's tone?

source : http://www.eslgold.com