What is Grammar?

Grammar is the system of a language. People sometimes describe grammar as the \”rules\” of a language; but in fact no language has rules*. If we use the word \”rules\”, we suggest that somebody created the rules first and then spoke the language, like a new game. But languages did not start like that. Languages started by people making sounds which evolved into words, phrases and sentences. No commonly-spoken language is fixed. All languages change over time. What we call \”grammar\” is simply a reflection of a language at a particular time.
Do we need to study grammar to learn a language? The short answer is \”no\”. Very many people in the world speak their own, native language without having studied its grammar. Children start to speak before they even know the word \”grammar\”. But if you are serious about learning a foreign language, the long answer is \”yes, grammar can help you to learn a language more quickly and more efficiently.\” It\’s important to think of grammar as something that can help you, like a friend. When you understand the grammar (or system) of a language, you can understand many things yourself, without having to ask a teacher or look in a book.
So think of grammar as something good, something positive, something that you can use to find your way - like a signpost or a map.
* Except invented languages like Esperanto. And if Esperanto were widely spoken, its rules would soon be very different.

Chicken or the Egg ?

The chicken or the egg causality dilemma is commonly stated as “which came first, the chicken or the egg?” To ancient philosophers, the question about the first chicken or egg also evoked the questions of how life and the universe in general began.
Cultural references to the chicken and egg intend to point out the futility of identifying the first case of a circular cause and consequence. It could be considered that in this approach lies the most fundamental nature of the question. A literal answer is somewhat obvious, as egg-laying species pre-date the existence of chickens. However, the metaphorical view sets a metaphysical ground to the dilemma. To better understand its metaphorical meaning, the question could be reformulated as: “Which came first, X that can’t come without Y, or Y that can’t come without X?”
An equivalent situation arises in engineering and science known as circular reference, in which a parameter is required to calculate that parameter itself. Examples are Van der Waals equation and the famous Colebrook equation.

Tips for Making School Cool

Follow these tips to prepare the way for a successful all the days that follow:

• Get enough sleep so you’ll be able to stay awake in class.
• Eat a balanced breakfast to give you the energy you’ll need.
• Try to go to school with a positive attitude every day (although it’s OK to have a blue funk sometimes).
• Give school your best effort.
• Develop good work habits. That means writing down your assignments and turning in your homework on time.
• Take your time with assignments in and out of the classroom. If you don’t understand something, ask the teacher.
• Keep a sense of humor. One teacher we know shows his new students a picture of himself graduating high school - a grinning ape in a red graduation cap and gown. This usually makes the kids laugh, and it’s a good way to remind them that school is fun!

TOEFL Lessons 3

Irregular Plurals

The vast majority of nouns in the English language are made plural by adding an “s” or “es” to the end of the word. For example, book, apple, house, table, door, cat, bush, boss are just some of the millions of words that become plural with the simple addition of an “s” (books, apples, houses, tables, doors, cats, bushes, bosses). However, certain nouns have “irregular” plurals which do not behave in this standard way.

EXAMPLES

• There are 4 mouses in my room.

• There are 4 mice in my room.

Non-count nouns

• have no plural form because they are assumed to be plural.

• Example:

• Hair à There are many different styles of hair.

• Grass à There are several kinds of grass.

• Mud à There are three different kinds of mud.

Plurals That Change its Form

• Mouse à mice

• Tooth à teeth

• Goose à geese

• Foot à feet

• Louse à lice

• Man à men

• Fungus à fungi

• Child à Children

• Person à People

• Curriculum à curricula

• Datum à data

• Analysis à analyses

Other Irregular Plurals

• For words that end in “fe,” you change the letter “f” to the letter “v” and then add “s” Knife = knives —–Wife = wives

• For words that end in “f” you change the “f” to a “v” and add “es” Half = halves —Loaf = loaves

• For words that end in “us,” change the “us” to an “i” —–Syllabus = syllabi

• For words that end in “o” add “es”—-Tomato = tomatoes

Un-changing nouns

• Fish à fish

• Deer à deer

• Sheep à sheep

• Series à series

• Bison à bison

Let's Guess!

What walks on 4 legs in the morning, 2 legs in the afternoon, and 3 legs in the evening?
A Man crawls as a baby, then walks on 2 feet, then uses a cane (3 legs) as an old man.
What thing that God made sleeps with its head down?
Bat
If he sits down he is high; if he stands up he is low.
Dog
He is ever eating garbage and waste.
The Pig
The king’s crown but not king; the priest’s cope, but not priest.
Cock

Read This ;)

1. When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling.
Live your life to the fullest so that when you die, you’re smiling and everyone around you is crying!
2. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past. You can’t go on well in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.
3. The happiest people don’t necessarily have the best of everything, they just make the most of everything that comes along the way.
4. A careless word may kindle a strife. A cruel word may wreck a life. A timely word may level stress. A lovely word may heal and bless.
5. Always put yourself in other’s shoes. If you feel that it hurts you, it probably does hurt the person too.
6. The best kind of friend is the one you could sit on a porch, swing with, never saying a word and then walk away feeling like that was the best conversation you’ve had.
7. May you have…Enough happiness to make you sweet
Enough trials to make you strong
Enough sorrow to keep you human
And enough hope to make you happy.
8. Dream what you want to dream, go where you want to go, be what you want to be, because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you want in life.
9. When one door of happiness closes, another opens. But we often look so long at the closed door, that we don’t see the one which has been opened for us.
10. Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they’ll love you back. Don’t expect love in return, just wait for it to grow in their hearts but if it doesn’t, be content it grew in yours.

Ordinary Girl - Miley Cyrus

I love who I am
I don't wanna be ungrateful
It probably sounds strange
I really love the role I play
The songs I sing
But with all the fame
The things that seem so simple,
suddenly, so far out of reach
Wish that they could see that underneath...

I'm just an ordinary girl!
Sometimes I'm lazy I get bored
I get scared, I feel ignored
I feel happy, I get silly
I choke on my own words
I make wishes, I have Dreams
And I still want to believe
Anything can happen in this world,
For an ordinary girl
(Like you, Like me)
For an ordinary girl
(Like you, Like me)

How are you?
Hello, Good-bye
One day here, One day there
And again it's time to go
Miss popular always on the road
But my best foot forward
Gotta get on with the show
Strike a pose for the front cover of a magazine
Every where I arrive, I get high-5's
They pay me larger than life
(Yeaheaaaa)

I'm just an ordinary girl!
Sometimes I'm lazy I get bored
I get scared, I feel ignored (Yeah)
I feel happy, I get silly
I choke on my own words
I make wishes, I have Dreams
And I still want to believe
Anything can happen in this world,
For an ordinary girl

So give it everything or nothin' at all
Get back on your feet when
You stumble and fall
A little luck can go a long way
So don't you worry about what people say
Who knows when the wind may blow
For an ordinary girl..(Mmmm)

I'm just an ordinary girl
Sometimes I'm lazy I get bored
I get scared, I feel ignored
I feel happy, I get silly
I choke on my own words (I choke on my own words)
I make wishes, I have dreams
And I still want to believe
Anything can happen in this world,
For an ordinary girl
(Like you, Like me)
(Yeah)
For an ordinary girl
(Like you, Like me)
For an ordinary girl
(Mmmmm)
For an ordinary girl
Like me, like you....

TOEFL Lessons 2

Form and Use of Verb

Verb ‘have’

◦ have/has/had + past participle (V3)

◦ Example :

– I have lived in Sleman since 1995.

– She had done the homework.

– I had been in seventh grade by 2009.

◦ Have/has for present tense

◦ Had for past tense

Verb ‘be’

◦ Be + V ing (kalimat aktif)

◦ Be + V3 (kalimat pasif)

◦ Example:

– I was drinking a glass of tea.

– The book is brought by Charles.

Modals

◦ Can, will, shall, must, may, etc. (present tense)

◦ Could, would, should, might, etc. (past tense)

◦ Structure:

– Modals + V1

Example:

I can do the test by myself.

I should not come there yesterday.

Three Little Pigs

Once upon a time there were three little pigs, who left their parents to see the world.

All summer long, they roamed through the woods and over the plains, playing games and having fun. None were happier than the three little pigs, and they easily made friends with everyone. Wherever they went, they were given a warm welcome, but as summer drew to a close, they realized that all drifting back to their usual jobs, and preparing for winter. Autumn came and it began to rain. The three little pigs started to feel they needed a real home. Sadly, they knew that the fun was over now and they must set to work like the others, or they’d be left in the cold and rain, with no roof over their heads. They talked about what to do, but each decided for himself. The laziest little pig said he’d build a straw hut.
“It will only take a day,’ he said. The others disagreed.
“It’s too fragile,” they said but he refused to listen.
Not quite so lazy, the second little pig went in search of planks of seasoned wood.
It took him two days to nail them together.
But the third little pig did not like the wooden house.” It takes time, patience and hard work to build a house that is strong enough to stand up to wind, rain, and snow, and most of all, protect us from the wolf!”
The days passed, and the wisest little pig’s house took shape, brick by brick. From time to time, his brothers visited him, saying,
“Why are you working so hard? Why don’t you come and play?” But the stubborn bricklayer pig just said “no”.
“I shall finish my house first. It must be strong. And then I’ll come and play!” he said.” He who laughs last, laughs longest!”
Now, it was the wisest little pig that found the tracks of a big wolf in the neighborhood.
The little pigs rushed home in alarm. Along came the wolf, scowling fiercely at the laziest pig’s straw hut.
“Come out!” ordered the wolf, his mouth watering. I want to speak to you!”
“I’d rather stay where I am!” replied the little pig in a tiny voice.
“I’ll make you come out!” growled the wolf angrily, and puffing out his chest, he took a very deep breath. Then he blew with all his might, right onto the house. And all the straw the silly pig had heaped against some thin poles fell down. Excited by his own cleverness, the wolf did not notice that the little pig had slipped out from underneath the heap of straw, and was dashing towards his brother’s wooden house. When he realized that the little pig was escaping, the wolf grew wild with rage.
“Come back!” he roared, trying to catch the pig as he ran into the wooden house.
“I hope this house won’t fall down! Let’s lean against the door so he can’t break in!” said the little pig to his brother.
Outside, the wolf could hear the little pigs’ words. Starving as he was, at the idea of a two course meal, he rained blows on the door.
“Open up! Open up! I only want to speak to you!”
Inside, the two brothers wept in fear and did their best to hold the door fast against the blows. Then the furious wolf braced himself a new effort: he drew in a really enormous breath, and went … WHOOOOO! The wooden house collapsed like a pack of cards.
Luckily, the wisest little pig had been watching the scene from the window of his own brick house, and he rapidly opened the door to his fleeing brothers. Soon after, the wolf came hammering furiously on the door. This time, the wolf had grave doubts. This house had a much more solid air than the others. He blew once, he blew again and then for a third time but all in vain. For the house did not budge an inch. The three little pigs watched him and their fear began to fade. Quite exhausted by his efforts, the wolf decided to try one of his tricks. He scrambled up a nearby ladder, on to the roof to have a look at the chimney. However, the wisest little pig had seen this ploy, and he quickly said.
“Quick! Light the fire!” With his long legs thrust down the chimney, the wolf was not sure if he should slide down the black hole. It wouldn’t be easy to get in, but the sound of the little pigs’ voices below only made him feel hungrier.
“I’m dying of hunger! I’m going to try and get down.” And he let himself drop. But landing was rather hot, too hot! The wolf landed in the fire.
The flames licked his hairy coat and his tail became a flaring torch.
“Never again will I go down a chimney” he squealed, as he tried to put out the flames in his tail. Then he ran away as fast as he could.
Then the three happy little pigs, dancing round and round the yard, began to sing. “Tra-la-la! Tra-la-la! The wicked black wolf will never come back…!”
From that terrible day on, the wisest little pig’s brothers set to work with a will. In less than no time, up went the two new brick houses. The wolf did return once to roam in the neighborhood, but when he caught sight of three chimneys, he remembered the terrible pain of a burnt tail, and he left for good.
Now safe and happy, the wisest little pig called to his brothers. “No more work! Come on, let’s go and play!”

From Mother to Son

Mother to Son
by Langston Hughes

Well, son, I’ll tell you:
Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.
It’s had tacks in it,
And splinters,
And boards torn up,
And places with no carpet on the floor—
Bare.
But all the time
I’se been a-climbin’ on,
And reachin’ landin’s,
And turnin’ corners,
And sometimes goin’ in the dark
Where there ain’t been no light.
So, boy, don’t you turn back.
Don’t you set down on the steps.
‘Cause you finds it’s kinder hard.
Don’t you fall now—
For I’se still goin’, honey,
I’se still climbin’,
And life for me ain’t been no crystal stair

Just for You, Friends ;)

Friendship in school
Friends in high school are forever young.
Unchanged, they’re where you always will belong.
The crowd is never gone, the pleasure stays,
The music of the moment always plays,
The time remains a field of wistful grace
To which you may return from anyplace.
Of course, you may still know them later on
When you are someone else and years have run;
And you may love them dearly, and they you,
But time must make their friendship something new.
Meanwhile, flourishing within your heart
There is a whole, of which you were a part:
A group of friends, one in love and pain,
In whom your longing comes alive again.

Feelings
Just as a wave is lifted by the shore,
Then breaks across the slowly rising sand,
So as I watch you weep my feelings pour
Across the wash of what I understand.
I wish I could just take you in my arms
And all your pain could melt into my chest,
And all the violence of passing storms
Could pass through me and finally come to rest.
No words can set things right or presence lend
A miracle to light your darkened way,
But there is solace in a loving friend
And comfort in what I don’t have to say.
Whatever circumstance you cannot bear,
Just turn to me, and you will find me there

TRUE FRIENDSHIP

True friends are for life
Until the end
They’re more than special
They’re your bestest friends.

They’re the ones you can go to
When you’re in despair
The ones that’ll help you
Even when you got gum in your hair!

They’re the ones who’ll laugh
And go laughing with you all through the night
The ones who’ll help you
Help you with all their might

To have a good friend
You have to be one
So be nice to one another
So you can be friends forever
And that’s how to be the best friend you can be.

The Ugly Duckling

Once upon a time down on an old farm, lived a duck family, and Mother Duck had been sitting on a clutch of new eggs. One nice morning, the eggs hatched and out popped six chirpy ducklings. But one egg was bigger than the rest, and it didn’t hatch. Mother Duck couldn’t recall laying that seventh egg. How did it get there? TOCK! TOCK! The little prisoner was pecking inside his shell.

“Did I count the eggs wrongly?” Mother Duck wondered. But before she had time to think about it, the last egg finally hatched. A strange looking duckling with gray feathers that should have been yellow gazed at a worried mother. The ducklings grew quickly, but Mother Duck had a secret worry.
“I can’t understand how this ugly duckling can be one of mine!” she said to herself, shaking her head as she looked at her last born. Well, the gray duckling certainly wasn’t pretty, and since he ate far more than his brothers, he was outgrowing them. As the days went by, the poor ugly duckling became more and more unhappy. His brothers didn’t want to play with him, he was so
clumsy, and all the farmyard folks simply laughed at him. He felt sad and lonely, while Mother Duck did her best to console him.
“Poor little ugly duckling!” she would say. “Why are you so different from the others?” And the ugly duckling felt worse than ever. He secretly wept at night. He felt nobody wanted him.
“Nobody loves me, they all tease me! Why am I different from my brothers?”
Then one day, at sunrise, he ran away from the farmyard. He stopped at a pond and began to question all the other birds. “Do you know of any ducklings with gray feathers like mine?” But everyone shook their heads in scorn.
“We don’t know anyone as ugly as you.” The ugly duckling did not lose heart, however, and kept on making inquiries. He went to another pond, where a pair of large geese gave him the same answer to his question. What’s more, they warned him: “Don’t stay here! Go away! It’s dangerous. There are men with guns around here!” The duckling was sorry he had ever left the farmyard.
Then one day, his travels took him near an old countrywoman’s cottage. Thinking he was a stray goose, she caught him.
“I’ll put this in a hutch. I hope it’s a female and lays plenty of eggs!” said the old woman, whose eyesight was poor. But the ugly duckling laid not a single egg. The hen kept frightening him.
“Just wait! If you don’t lay eggs, the old woman will wring your neck and pop you into the pot!” And the cat chipped in: “Hee! Hee! I hope the woman cooks you, then I can gnaw at your bones!” The poor ugly duckling was so scared that he lost his appetite, though the old woman kept stuffing him with food and grumbling: “If you won’t lay eggs, at least hurry up and get plump!”
“Oh, dear me!” moaned the now terrified duckling. “I’ll die of fright first! And I did so hope someone would love me!”
Then one night, finding the hutch door ajar, he escaped. Once again he was all alone. He fled as far away as he could, and at dawn, he found himself in a thick bed of reeds. “If nobody wants me, I’ll hid here forever.” There was plenty a food, and the duckling began to feel a little happier, though he was lonely. One day at sunrise, he saw a flight of beautiful birds wing overhead. White, with long slender necks, yellow beaks and large wings, they were migrating south.
“If only I could look like them, just for a day!” said the duckling, admiringly. Winter came and the water in the reed bed froze. The poor duckling left home to seek food in the snow. He dropped exhausted to the ground, but a farmer found him and put him in his big jacket pocket.
“I’ll take him home to my children. They’ll look after him. Poor thing, he’s frozen!” The duckling was showered with kindly care at the farmer’s house. In this way, the ugly duckling was able to survive the bitterly cold winter.
However, by springtime, he had grown so big that the farmer decided: “I’ll set him free by the pond!” That was when the duckling saw himself mirrored in the water.
“Goodness! How I’ve changed! I hardly recognize myself!” The flight of swans winged north again and glided on to the pond. When the duckling saw them, he realized he was one of their kind, and soon made friends.
“We’re swans like you!” they said, warmly. “Where have you been hiding?”
“It’s a long story,” replied the young swan, still astounded. Now, he swam majestically with his fellow swans. One day, he heard children on the river bank exclaim: “Look at that young swan! He’s the finest of them all!”
And he almost burst with happiness.

Comic 2

Micky was a very lazy rat.	Micky’s mother always warned him, “Micky, my son! You had better look out! Your laziness will land you in trouble one day!
But Micky never paid any heed to his mother’s advise. One day, a log with a big hole in it came floating along the river.	When Micky saw the log, he exclaimed, “Wow! A good place to sleep has floated up right to me!” He crept into the hole and fell asleep blissfully.
As Micky slept, a strong wind began to blow. It pushed the log along the river.	When the log reached the riverbank opposite, a cat saw the sleeping Micky.
The restless cat jumped on to the log to catch Micky. But he awoke just in time, leapt out of the hole, and swam to safety as fast as he could.	On reaching home, he got a good scolding from his mommy. Micky promised that he would not be lazy and take the easy way out ever again!

Comic

Champ was a smart fly. One day, losing his way he flew into a house.	He saw two fishes in an aquarium. He asked them, “Friends! Can you tell me the way out from this house?”
“Come here! Thereafter, we’ll tell you the way!” The fishes beckoned Champ to come near.	BLUP! When Champ went close to the aquarium, one of the fishes tried to catch him. But Champ escaped luckily.
“I must teach these cunning fishes a lesson,” smart Champ thought. “Catch me if you can!” said Champ, and he flew towards the fish.	“Hey! We’ve got him,” the fishes shouted gleefully as they jumped towards Champ. But Champ, by that time, flew away thus proving that he was too fast for the fishes.
BANG! The fishes collided with each other and they shouted out in pain.	Champ jumped for joy when he saw this. “Traitors should be taught a lesson,” he said as he flew out through a window.

Tongue Twister :P

A box of biscuits, a batch of mixed biscuits
Red lorry, yellow lorry, red lorry, yellow lorry.
Betty Botter had some butter,
“But,” she said, “this butter’s bitter.
If I bake this bitter butter,
it would make my batter bitter.
But a bit of better butter–
that would make my batter better.”
Nine nice night nurses nursing nicely.
Black background, brown background.
Six sleek swans swam swiftly southwards
Six thick thistle sticks. Six thick thistles stick.
One smart fellow, he felt smart.
Two smart fellows, they felt smart.
Three smart fellows, they all felt smart.
She sell sea shells on the seashore.
Shy Shelly says she shall sew sheets.
Knapsack straps.
A noisy noise annoys an oyster.
A quick witted cricket critic.
Lovely lemon liniment.
Fat frogs flying past fast
We surely shall see the sun shine soon.
A lump of red lead, A red lead lump.
Six short slow shepherds.
Old oily Ollie oils old oily autos.
The thirty-three thieves thought that they thrilled the throne throughout Thursday.
Tragedy strategy.
Dust is a disk’s worst enemy.
Can you can a can as a canner can can a can?
Twelve twins twirled twelve twigs.
Black bug’s blood.
If Stu chews shoes, should Stu
choose the shoes he chews?
Pirates Private Property
Black bug bit a big black bear. But where is the big black bear that the big black bug bit?
White eraser? Right away, sir!
Gertie’s great-grandma grew aghast at Gertie’s grammar.
Brad’s big black bath brush broke.
Truly rural.
A dozen double damask dinner napkins.
Stupid superstition!
I saw a saw that could out saw any other saw I ever saw.
Three free throws.
How much pot, could a pot roast roast, if a pot roast could roast pot.
Ed had edited it.
Good blood, bad blood.
Strange strategic statistics.
Wayne went to Wales to watch walruses.
Six slippery snails, slid slowly seaward.
Four furious friends fought for the phone.
The two-twenty-two train tore through the tunnel.
Selfish shellfish.
Double bubble gum, bubbles double.
I thought a thought.
A cheap ship trip.
Pick a partner and practice passing, for if you pass proficiently, perhaps you’ll play professionally.
The sinking steamer sank.

I Never Did Anything Wrong

One afternoon, there were loud noises coming from an 8 grade class room.  Someone’s necklace has been stolen. The one being accused is Clora Harine.

She is a very unique person. She always wanted to be a lawyer. When she explains it why; “They can find loopholes of a contract”. Some of her classmates think she’s a bit weird. Clora likes to bend the rules, and do things that are right but also wrong. For example; the rules in her school states that she can only wear black shoes to school, but Clora once went to school wearing white sandals. She is usually called by the teachers, but she is never afraid of being punished. Because she said she never did anything wrong.

This is the event that happened that afternoon….

The incident occurred on Clora’s very own class, as she was accused of stealing someone’s necklace. That day was the day that Clora’s class had P.E.; Clora didn’t join because her ankle got twisted. Even though it was okay when it was time for P.E.; she already got permission and she hated P.E. Her other classmates was on the school’s field, and she was alone in class. She left her class to go to the rest room. When she came back, she saw someone leaving the classroom in a hurry. Just in time when P.E. was over. All of the students went inside the classroom. Mia greeted Clora and asked about her ankle. Before Clora could answer there was a sudden scream.

All of the student gather to the source of the scream. The scream came from Ruby Herrian. Apparently she lost her special necklace. She claimed to have left it in her backpack when P.E. Everyone was very concerned, they all started to think who the culprit is. After a few minutes, they started staring at Clora.

“What? You think I did it?! I didn’t steal it!” cried Clora.

“Yeah, you took it!” said Marian. “You always like to bend the rules!”

Marian had a point. Clora can easily bend the rules and make it easy to break, but Clora didn’t steal it. Mia tried to convince everyone that Clora didn’t do it. Even with the help of Mial, Clora is having a tough time since she was the only one in class during P.E. Clora tried to explain that she was in the rest room. Marian then told her that Clora’s ankle was twisted, so she couldn’t have walked. Clora became frustrated, she then told everyone that her ankle did hurt, and now it’s better. Everyone then called her a liar because she said it was injured. Clora did’t lie, she said that her ankle was hurt, but she didn’t say when the ankle was hurt.

Because of this, Clora became more suspicious. Everyone was yelling and accusing each other. Clora sighed and saw something shiny on Marian’s pocket, it was Ruby’s necklace! Clora pulled it out from Marian’s pocket and showed it to everyone. They all gasped and surprised that Marian is the one who did it. Seeing that she’s been caught, Marian confessed and told why she did it.

Apparently, Marian wanted Clora to be hated by everyone and that when Clora was in the rest room; she entered the class room and took the necklace. She’ll return it after Clora was accused. Everyone apologized to Clora. Clora only smile at them and said…

“See, I never did anything wrong!”

Global Warming

Global warming is a serious issue posing a big threat to our Earth. Its time we all get to understand the concept and make effort in our own possible way to prevent the disaster. Well, lets begin with the clarification of the basic concepts related to global warming.

Global Warming - An introduction
Scientists believe that the Earth has warmed considerably from what it once used to be and that its continuing to get warmer. But how much more will it warm in the future is anybody’s guess. The scientists have reached the conclusion that the global surface temperatures (land and ocean) are approaching a 1 degree Celsius increase since the year 1880.;
In short, global warming refers to an average increase in the Earth’s temperature, which causes changes in climate. A warmer Earth may lead to a rise in sea level, changes in rainfall patterns, and can even adversely affect plants, wildlife, and humans.
Greenhouse effect
Earth is enveloped by a blanket of air called the atmosphere which comprises of several layer of gases. The sun’s radiation reach the Earth after passing through the atmosphere. The rays from the Sun travels back into the atmosphere after warming the Earth. But the greenhouse gases prevent most of the outgoing infrared radiation from the surface and lower atmosphere from escaping into outer space. This process is called the “Greehouse Effect” and has kept the Earth’s temperature about 60 degrees Farenheit warmer than it would otherwise be. Current life on Earth could not be sustained without the natural greenhouse effect. The name derives from the greenhouses which look like small glass houses, used to grow plants in the winter months. The glass panels of the greenhouse let in the sunlight and keep the heat from escaping which in turn helps the plant to survive the chill.
Greenhouse gases
Carbon dioxide, methane, halogenated fluorocarbons, nitrous oxide, ozone, perfluorinated carbons, hydrofluorocarbons and water vapor are the greenhouse gases. They absorb infra-red radiation in the atmosphere and make the Earth warmer by trapping energy in the atmosphere.
Causes of Global Warming
Some of the activities of man are accelerating the damage done due to the greenhouse gases. Burning of fossil fuels like oil and coal releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which in turn causes most of the warming. Another cause is cutting down trees or deforestation. Trees absorb carbon dioxide, one of the greenhouse gases, from the air.
There are a group of greenhouse gases, called chlorofluorocarbons. They are used in the manufacture of aerosol sprays, blowing agents for foams and packing materials, as solvents, and as refrigerants. Their presence in the atmosphere, even in small amounts, can be dangerous because they can trap large amounts of heat. Increases in all these gases are due to mankind’s explosive population growth over the last century, and increased industrial expansion.
Do you know you are also contributing to the damage?
You are sending greenhouse gases into the atmosphere when you engage in the following activities:-
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Watch TV
Turn on a light
Ride in a car
Listen to a stereo
Microwave a meal
Wash or dry clothes

You need electricity to perform many of these functions. Electricity comes from power plants. Most power plants use coal and oil to make electricity. Burning coal and oil produces greenhouse gases.
Effects of Global Warming
The effects of global warming are already being felt around the globe.It has a major effect on crops and weather conditions around the world.

Sea levels - When many people think of global warming, their first concern is the possible rise of sea levels. With a large number of the world’s cities in coastal areas, this is a crucial problem. There are two major causes of rising sea levels. First, extra water is produced when ice melts. Secondly, the natural expansion of sea water as it becomes warmer. The range of sea ice around both poles continues to shrink, as it melts. Even with the level of greenhouse gases present today, the earth may warm enough in the next 50 years or so to completely melt the sea ice located on the poles. Experts believe that global warming could increase the intensity of hurricanes by over 50 percent.
Weather - Some parts of the Earth will become considerably dry, others will become wetter. There will be countless number of storms, floods and drought.

Agriculture - Temperature increases may cause agricultural zones to shift northward, opening up new crops for some areas, while limiting them in others, where crops and livestock may be threatened by heat stress and drought. For example, food productivity in the tropics is likely to decline because many crops are already grown at their maximum temperature tolerance. Agriculture is also quite vulnerable to floods, droughts and hail, though these will vary regionally from year to year.


Human Health - Global warming brings in its trail health hazards which include deaths from more frequent temperature extremes (particularly heat waves) and an expanded range of vector-borne illnesses (those transmitted by rodents and insects). Diseases like malaria are likely to become common in the United States and Europe.


Plants and Animals - As temperature and weather changes, the homes of plants and animals will be affected at large. Polar bears and seals will have to find a new habitat if the ice in the Arctic melts. Many animals and plants may not be able to adapt with the climatic change and can die.

Ozone layer - The ozone layer is a layer of ozone gas which surrounds the Earth some 15 to 35 km above its surface. This 20 km wide layer acts like a natural filter and prevents most of the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays from reaching the Earth. Without this filter, more people would get skin cancer and eye diseases. Animals would also have been affected and so would farmers’ crops and the top layer of our oceans. This beneficial natural ozone layer accounts for about 90% of all the ozone gas that exists.
Global warming can increase ozone depletion
Continued global warming will accelerate ozone destruction and increase stratospheric ozone depletion. Ozone depletion gets worse when the stratosphere (where the ozone layer is), becomes colder. Because global warming traps heat in the troposphere, less heat reaches the stratosphere which will make it colder. Greenhouse gases act like a blanket for the troposphere and make the stratosphere colder. In other words, global warming can make ozone depletion much worse right when it is supposed to begin its recovery during the next century.
Things that can be done
Global warming is no doubt a grave problem but there are little things we can do to make a big difference. Remember conservation of energy is the keyword. Driving your car or using electricity is obviously not wrong, but just try to use it more sensibly. Carpooling is a smart option.

Use a bicycle whenever you have to travel a short distance. It has twin benefits. Your cycle does not add to the pollution and you get your your regular exercise.
Don’t forget to turn off the lights when you leave the room.

Turn off your computers when not in use. Less electricity will need to be produced and so less coal, oil and gas will have to be burnt in power stations, which means less air pollution and less carbon dioxide!

Talk to your friends and family in order to create awareness about global warming and listen to what they have to offer as solutions.
Offer to help your parents keep the air filters on your AC and furnace clean.

Planting trees is a great way to reduce greenhouse gases. Trees absorb carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, from the air.
Recycle cans, bottles, plastic bags, and newspapers. Recycling used materials uses less energy than making new ones.

Sun is a veritable source of energy. Make good use of solar energy to heat homes, buildings, water, and to make electricity.
Global warming is the greatest environmental challenge of the 21st century. Its about time we get conscious of our responsibilities and perform our duties to combat this environmental hazard.

TOEFL Lesson

Nouns and Pronouns

Singular and Plural Noun

— Penanda singular: one, a, an, every, each, single

— Example:

— I eat an apple.

— Every person must go to the field.

— I have a beautiful doll.

— Penanda plural: many, several, various, two, both

— Example:

— Many people come to the concert.

— I have two brothers.

— I got up several minutes ago.

Countable and Uncountable Noun

— Countable : dapat dihitung

— Penanda countable : many, few, fewer, number

— Example :

— There are many books in the library.

— The number of students here are 25.

— Uncountable : tidak dapat dihitung

— Penanda uncountable : much, little, less, amount

— Example :

— I drink much water this afternoon.

— Please add a little more sugar to the tea.

Subject and Object Pronouns

— Subject pronoun : I, they, we, you, he, she, it

— Example:

— They are smart students.

— We do not know how to use it.

— He brings a book from the library.

— Object pronoun : me, them, us, you, him, her, it

— Example:

— The test makes me confused.

— The teacher tells us that tomorrow is holiday.

— I hate him.

Possessive adjective & Possessive Pronoun

— Possessive adjective: my, his, her, their, your, its, our

— Example:

— My dog is cute.

— His picture is good.

— Their father is a teacher.

— Possessive pronoun: mine, his, hers, theirs, yours, ours

— Example:

— The book is mine.

— This laptop is yours.

— That ball is his.

Some Tips to Do Your Homework

Homework!! The word is perhaps the most yuckiest one in the dictionary of kids like you. Many of you even consider homework to be a unique way devised by your teachers and parents to keep you immured or even to punish you. But the fact is that homework is in essence, an extension of what you learn in school. It helps you to revise your lessons and also helps you to understand how much of the classroom lectures you have been able to grasp. It encourages discipline and a sense of responsibility. Trust me, homework is no big deal. What you have to do is simply follow certain guidelines and see how even the most boring thing in the world becomes a thing of the past.
Set some time aside for your homework. Make it a habit to sit with your homework regularly at the assigned time. Even if you don’t have any homework, make sure you read a book or engage yourself in some activities that will help you whet your academic skills.
You need a quiet and clutter-free place where you think you can concentrate. Put your t.v and music system off to make sure there are no distractions. That way you can be really fast in finishing off your homework and the chances of it’s being accurate is increased.
Make it your responsibility to be well supplied with paper, pencils, note pads, notebook paper, et cetera.
If you are facing some serious problems with your homework or with a particular subject, don’t shy away from it. Before you lag behind, speak up. You can talk about it openly with your parents or your teachers. While your teacher can help you deal with a specific assignment, your parents can give more generalised but equally useful advice.
Make sure you don’t get bogged down by your homework. This will only aggravate your dislike for a subject. Take a break of 5-15 minutes after completing a section of your homework.
Its high time you understand the difference between homework assignments and studying. You should keep the following things in mind:-
(a) Always take notes while reading a particular chapter.
(b) Try to arrange your reading material into tables and charts. This way it becomes much easy to memorise things.
(c) Learn to skim material.
(d)Try to summarize in your own words what you have read.
Study groups are often a good strategy. Get a few of your friends and sit down to study together. You can complement each other in the sense that your friend can help you with a subject he or she is strong in and vice versa. You may create a regular study group. You can set goals together and reward yourselves for completing your work.
Be responsible enough to utilise the time fruitfully.
Keep a dictionary close at hand. You should be able to access it whenever you want to. Each time you stumble upon a difficult word, don’t take the easy way out by asking your parents. It is advisable that you take out your dictionary and look for the meaning of the word yourself. This will also add to your vocabulary.
The public library is probably your best source of information. You can visit the one in your neighborhood. Most libraries have computers which students can use to do research and type assignments. Librarians
can be very helpful in guiding you in the right direction.
To keep track of the long term assignments and their due dates, write them down. See to it that your homework is completed each day.
Try out these strategies and see what wonder it works!!