Some Help With An Out of Office Email Reply

It is important to remember who will receive your out of office e-mail response and listed below are some real examples of error messages and an explanation of why they are wrong. Please feel free to use in your lessons or to copy and paste for your work.

Should you or your company need an English language school in Switzerland, we hope the provision of resources like this will help you think of The Boston School when you next review your learning needs.

Common out of office email mistakes (all are real examples)

Date Confusion

I will be out of the office starting 09/08/2007 and will not return until 23/08/2007.

In Europe and many other places in the world, 09/08/2007 means August 9th, 2007. In the US, the month comes before the day so would be understood as the 8th of September, possibly causing some confusion.

Mixing Language

Thank you for your message. Sorry I'm not in the Office until 20th of Mai and I have no access to my Emails.

In urgent cases please contact XXXX. (Phone +41 .... Email: xxxx)

Freundliche Grüsse

Kind regards

XXX XXX

Use of Slang / Informal

*** BIZ trip until 12. Sept 2007 ***

*** please contact XX XXX ***

*** for urgent calls: +41 xx xxx xxx ***

The use of asterisks, biz instead of business project an informal relationship which may not be in line with your corporate standards.

Acceptable examples include:

Example 1

Thank you for your e-mail.

I am out of the office till Monday, 27th of April 2009 and your email will not be forwarded.

Should the matter be important, please contact XXXX XXX ( email address) in my absence.

Best regards

Your Name

Example 2 (refer to a colleague whilst you are away)

Dear Mail Sender,

Thank you for your mail. I will be out of office from today and will be back on Tuesday, May 29th. I will have limited access to my e-mail during this period.

In my absence, please feel free to contact XX XX on +41 44 310 30338 or e-mail XXX@thebostonschool.com.

Thank you for your understanding.

Best regards,

Your Name

Example 3

I will be out of the office till October 24th 2008. I will respond to your e-mail as soon as possible on my return.

Please note, that your mail will not be forwarded. For any urgent matters, please contact XX XX at XX@thebostonschool.com.

Thank you for your understanding.

Best regards,

Your Name

Example 3 (popular)

Thank you for your email. I am out of the office from [DAY, DATE] to [DAY, DATE] and unable to respond at this time.

I will review your message following my return on [DAY, DATE]. If you need immediate assistance, contact [Name, phone number and email address].

Thank you for your understanding.

Best regards,

Your Name

G20 pledges to slash debt in 3 years

Url: http://www.abc.net.au

Pronunciation:
debt - det
uneven - ʌnˈiːvn
mar - mɑː(r)
torch - tɔːtʃ


New words:
slash - slæʃ - to make a long cut with a sharp object, especially in a violent way
Example: Someone had slashed the tyres on my car.

debt - det - 1) a sum of money that sb owes 2) the situation of owing money, especially when you cannot pay
Example: He died heavily in debt.

pledge - pledʒ - pledge (to do sth) a serious promise
Example: Will the government honour its election pledge not to raise taxes?

tackle - ˈtækl - to make a determined effort to deal with a difficult problem or situation
Example: The government is determined to tackle inflation.

to stunt - stʌnt - to prevent sb/sth from growing or developing as much as they/it should.
Example: The constant winds had stunted the growth of plants and bushes.

uneven - ʌnˈiːvn - not level, smooth or flat
Example: The floor felt uneven under his feet.

lasting - ˈlɑːstɪŋ - (adjective) continuing to exist or to have an effect for a long time
Example: Her words left a lasting impression on me.

mar - mɑː(r) - to damage or spoil sth good
Example: The game was marred by the behaviour of drunken fans.

torch - tɔːtʃ - to set fire to a building or vehicle deliberately in order to destroy it
Example: The summit was marred by violent protests, with shops and police cars torched.


Useful phrases:
1) pledges to slash debt in 3 years
2) choke off - To choke off financial growth means to restrict or control the rate at which a country's economy can grow.
3) measures will have to be implemented on a country-by-country basis
4) world is coming out of recession
5) according to the draft communique
6) The summit was marred by violent protests
7) hops and police cars torched
8) Police used tear gas on some protesters
9) next G20 leaders meeting will be held in South Korea

Lesson 23.06.2010

Pronunciation:
Burger - ˈbɜːgə(r)
Easter - ˈiːstə(r)
CHristian /k/

New words:
spirit - 'sp?r?t - a strong alcoholic drink

to dissolve - dissolve (in sth) (of a solid) to mix with a liquid and become part of it
Exampel: Salt dissolves in water.

ABV - mean as Alcohol by volume - a standard measure of how much alcohol (ethanol) is contained in an alcoholic beverage



THE SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD
recommend that sb _ (should) V
suggest that sb _ (should) V
it's necessary that sb _ (should) V
it's important that sb _ (should) V

INFINITIVES with TO
it is a good idea to V
it makes sense to V
it is possible for sb to V

CONDITIONALS
If I V2/ed ... , I would V ...
If I were (a tourist), I would V ...
I would recommend Ving if SB asked me for advice on what to visit in Russia/Moscow.

COMPARE
IF(*) I V2/ed ... , I would V ...
I would V ... IF (*) I V2/ed ...

Australia has first woman PM as Gillard replaces Rudd

Url: http://news.bbc.co.uk

New words:
ruling - 'ruːlɪŋ - ruling (on sth) an official decision made by sb in a position of authority, especially a judge

oust - oust sb (from sth / as sth) to force sb out of a job or position of power, especially in order to take their place.
Example: He was ousted as chairman.

defeat - dɪ'fiːt - to win against sb in a war, competition, sports game, etc.
Example: He defeated the champion in three sets.

wrangle - 'ræŋgl - wrangle (with sb)(over sth) | wrangle (between A and B) an argument that is complicated and continues over a long period of time
Example: a legal wrangle between the company and their suppliers

unopposed - ˌʌnə'pəuzd - not opposed or stopped by anyone
Example: The party leader was re-elected unopposed.

dogged - 'dôgid - (approving) showing determination; not giving up easily
Example: their dogged defence of the city

indigene -'ɪndɪʤiːn - местный, туземный

landslide - 'lændslaɪd - an election in which one person or party gets very many more votes than the other people or parties
Example: She was expected to win by a landslide.

shelve - shelv - to decide not to continue with a plan, either for a short time or permanently
Example: The government has shelved the idea until at least next year.

cowardice - 'kauədɪs - fear or lack of courage
Example: moral cowardice

pivotal - 'pɪvət(ə)l - of great importance because other things depend on it
Example: a pivotal role in European affairs

gutless - 'gətləs - lacking courage or determination
Example: gutless was the oft-heard word

slump - sləmp - slump (by sth) | slump (from sth) (to sth) to fall in price, value, number, etc., suddenly and by a large amount
Example: the polls slumped again.

forthcoming - fɔ͟ː(r)θkʌ̱mɪŋ - going to happen, be published, etc. very soon.
Example: The party powerbrokers and factional leaders decided the government would fare better at the forthcoming federal election with Julia Gillard at its head.

Fast Food Thoughts Lead to General Impatience

Url: http://www.scientificamerican.com

Phrases:

are we really in such a rush that we can’t wait like, 10 minutes for
a study in the journal Psychological Science shows
drive-through dinner has become a way of life
Granted, sometimes we
But psychologists got to wondering
In a series of experiments, the scientists showed
fast-food chains
they also expressed a preference for time-saving products
they tended to opt for immediate rewards
So if you want to ease the pace, forget meditation.


New words:

gratification - the state of feeling pleasure when sth goes well for you or when your desires are satisfied; sth that gives you pleasure
Example: instant gratification

scoff - skɒf - scoff (at sb/sth) to talk about sb/sth in a way that makes it clear that you think they are stupid or ridiculous
Example: He scoffed at our amateurish attempts.

drive-through - a restaurant, bank, etc. where you can be served without having to get out of your car

Lesson 22.06.2010

Useful phrases:
that is an old method
have a big list consistING of
The calorific value of something, or its calorific content, is the number of calories it contains. (TECHNICAL)
...food with a high calorific value.
If a food item is RICH in ...
If a food item containS ...
calorific value = калорийность
dietary fibre
it depends on ..
FIBRE = ROUGHAGE
I'm trying to cut down on carbohydrates.
essential proteins and vitamins
Peas, beans and lentils are a good source of vegetable protein.
nature vs nurture
The human organism learns partly by nature, partly by nurture.
genetically modified food additives
less capable of survival
without pesticides or fertilizers
it's become trendy to V
keep cows, sheep, POULTRY (дом. птица): chickens, geese, turkeys


New words:
unflavoured - без вкусовых добавок
artificial flavourings - усилители вкуса
artificial colorants - красители
food additives - пищевые добавки
preservatives - консерванты
a greenhouse - парник
a country house OR a land plot (земельный участок)
a farmhouse
pesticide - пестицид, "убивающее насекомых-вредителей вещество"
insecticide - a chemical used for killing insects

Pronunciation:
pro-teins / preu - ti:nz
сa(r)boHYDrates
nurture - ˈnɜːtʃə(r)
additive - ˈædətɪv
orchard - ôrchərd

How do food manufacturers calculate the calorie count of packaged foods?

Url: http://www.scientificamerican.com

In order to answer
to define a calorie
a unit that is used to measure
is 1,000 times larger than the
an apparatus known as a bomb calorimeter
In this system, calories are not determined directly
total caloric value is calculated by adding up the calories


add up - (especially in negative sentences) to seem reasonable; to make sense
Example: His story just doesn't add up.

Round-Up - Pre-test 1 (Units 1-4)

Round-Up 5
Pre-test 1 (Units 1-4) - pp. 177-180

Pre-Test 1
a) 10 mistakes
b) 4 mistakes
c) 8 mistakes
d) 2 mistakes
e) 8 mistakes
f) 9 mistakes
g) 5 mistakes
h) 6 mistakes
i) 6 mistakes

100 Questions and 58 mistakes

May be this level too difficult for me? See it after I study forth units.

Difference of using Will, Going to, Doing to

INSTANT DECISION - a promise, a threat (угроза), a prediction, an opinion, a reaction to a stimulus - an on-the-spot decision / a solution = an offer / a suggestion

BE GOING TO - a personal intention, a professional forecast, an inevitable event or action resulting from what is going on now = commentary

BE DOING + when - an arrangement, a contract, 2+ participants

EXAMPLE:

What will you do tonight? (high probability - c высокой долей вероятности будете)

What are you going to do tonight? (намереватесь - intend)

What are you doing tonight? (точно делать будете - есть договорённость с третьими лицами / an arrangement)


WILL vs GOING TO

PLANS

+ private = PRESENT CONTINUOUS arrangements
+ public = PRESENT SIMPLE timetable, a TV guide, shop opening and closing times, departure and arrival times, concerts, events, etc

Multimodal (RK) learning preference

Прошел тест: http://www.vark-learn.com/

Your scores were:

* Visual: 4
* Aural: 5
* Read/Write: 8
* Kinesthetic: 8

You have a multimodal (RK) learning preference.

http://www.vark-learn.com/english/page.asp?p=readwrite

Multimodal Study Strategies

If you have multiple preferences you are in the majority as approximately 60% of any population fits that category.

Multiple preferences are interesting varied. For example you may have two strong preferences V and A or R and K, or you may have three strong preferences such as VAR or ARK. Some people have no particular strong preferences and their scores are almost even for all four modes. For example one person had scores of V=6, A=6, R=6, and K=6. She said that she adapted to the mode being used or requested. If the teacher or supervisor preferred a written mode she switched into that mode for her responses and for her learning.

So multiple preferences give you choices of two or three or four modes to use for your interaction with others. Positive reactions mean that those with multimodal preferences choose to match or align their mode to the significant others around them. But, some people have admitted that if they want to be annoying they may stay in a mode different from the person with whom they are working. For example they may ask for written evidence in an argument, knowing that the other person much prefers to refer only to oral information.

If you have two almost equal preferences please read the study strategies that apply to your two choices. If you have three preferences read the three lists that apply and similarly for those with four. You will need to read two or three or four lists of strategies. One interesting piece of information that people with multimodal preferences have told us is that it is necessary for them to use more than one strategy for learning and communicating. They feel insecure with only one. Alternatively those with a single preference often "get it" by using the set of strategies that align with their single preference.

We are noticing some differences among those who are multimodal especially those who have chosen fewer than 25 options and those who have chosen more than 30. If you have chosen fewer than 25 of the options in the questionnaire you may prefer to see your highest score as your main preference - almost like a single preference. To read more about Multimodality you can download an article written by Neil Fleming.

First, China. Next: the Great Firewall of... Australia?

Url: http://www.time.com

Useful phrases:

web censorship
Australia may soon become the first Western democracy to join the ranks of Iran
access to the Internet is restricted by the state
watch it on a DVD or at the cinema and it is not shown on television
give a false sense of security
breach of privacy
poll conducted on the web site of the Sydney Morning Herald

Pronunciation:

censorship - ˈsensəʃɪp

New words:

clearing-house - a central office that banks use in order to pay each other money and exchange cheques, etc.

condone - kənˈdəʊn - to accept behaviour that is morally wrong or to treat it as if it were not serious
Example: Terrorism can never be condoned.

efficacy - ˈefɪkəsi - the ability of sth, especially a drug or a medical treatment, to produce the results that are wanted
Example: Recent medical studies confirm the efficacy of a healthier lifestyle.

circumvent - ˌsɜːkəmˈvent - to find a way of avoiding a difficulty or a rule
Example: They found a way of circumventing the law.

breach - briːtʃ - breach of sth a failure to do sth that must be done by law
Example: They are in breach of Article 119.

press ahead = press on - If you press on or press ahead, you continue with a task or activity in a determined way, and do not allow any problems or difficulties to delay you.
Example: He was persuaded by his advisers to press ahead...

crowbar - a straight iron bar, usually with a curved end, used for forcing open boxes and moving heavy objects

Lesson 16.06.2010

Pronunciation:

has enabled/allowed access
re /ri:/ - design /di:/
pre /pri:/-interMEdiate /mi:/
encycloPEdia /pi:/
wikiPEDia /pi:/
mass me-dia /mi:/
se-ries /si:/
one RE-searcher /ri:/ has ANalyzed /zd/ ...
empathy - ˈempəθi
so many friends /dz/
cyberCAfe - ˈsaɪbəkæfeɪ
audience - ˈɔːdiəns

Useful phrases:


1) a series of articles about the influence of ... on ..
2) their security policy IS very complex
3) has enabled/allowed access to ..
4) they use colour-coding
5) couldn't socialize with so many people
6) another factor /fэ that has an IMpact on this situation is (our) lack of time
7) on the INternet
8) they live their own lives
9) repreSEntativeness
10) construct validity
11) who were logged into ...
12) from the DB administrator's perspective, ...
13) to gain in popularity
14) to enjoy widespread popularity among teenagers
15) the audience is comprised of users whose ages ranger between ... and ...
16) has enabled/allowed access

Age
the middle aged 40-60
the elderly 60+
young adults 20-39/40
13-19 teendagers

The Green Apple: How Can Cities Adapt to Climate Change?

Url: http://www.scientificamerican.com

New words:

flash flood - a sudden flood of water caused by heavy rain

debris - 'deɪbriː - pieces of wood, metal, brick, etc. that are left after sth has been destroyed
Example: Emergency teams are still clearing the debris from the plane crash.

precipitation - priˌsipə'tāshən - rain, snow, etc. that falls; the amount of this that falls
Example: an increase in annual precipitation

span - spæn - the length of time that sth lasts or is able to continue
Example: I worked with him over a span of six years.

bulk - bʌlk - the bulk (of sth) the main part of sth; most of sth
Example: The bulk of the population lives in cities.

grate - grāt - a metal frame for holding the wood or coal in a fireplace

fleet - a group of military ships commanded by the same person or a group of ships fishing together
Example: a reduction in the size of the British fleet

fuel-efficient - топливосберегающий

upstate - 'əp'stāt -in or to a part of a state that is far from its main cities, especially a northern part.
Example: upstate New York

forestall - fôr'stôl - prevent or obstruct (an anticipated event or action) by taking action ahead of time
Example: vitamins may forestall many diseases of aging

foul - faul - dirty and smelling bad
Example: His boss has a foul temper.

Visit To San Francisco

Phrasal verbs:

think back - If you think back, you make an effort to remember things that happened to you in the past.
Example: I thought back to the time in 1975 when my son was desperately ill...

cram in - kræm - cram (sth) into / onto sth | cram (sth) in to push or force sb/sth into a small space; to move into a small space with the result that it is full.
Example: I could never cram in all that she does in a day.

go with the flow - to be relaxed and not worry about what you should do (to do without planning)

catch her flight - to board or get on airplaine

grab a bite - to eat some food
Example: we go out and grab a bite to eat

we're off - we are leaving to go somewhere
Example: we're off to see that concert at the Warfield.

landmark - Something, such as a large building, that you can see clearly from a distance and that will help you to know where you are
Example: The Empire State Building is a familiar landmark on the New York skyline.

pretty shocked - very surprise
Example: I think she was, uh, pretty shoked.

breathtaking - 'breθˌteɪkɪŋ - very exciting or impressive (usually in a pleasant way); very surprising
Example: The scene was one of breathtaking beauty.

take for granted - fail to properly appreciate (someone or something), especially as a result of overfamiliarity
Example: the comforts that people take for granted

far and wide - over a large area
Example: They searched far and wide for the missing child.

the best of both worlds - the benefits of widely differing situations, enjoyed at the same time
Example: We have the beach. We have mountains. We have the trees. Like, we have the best of both worlds here.

Writing phrases

Beginnings
Thank you for/Many thanks for your (recent) letter/postcard.
It was good/nice to hear from your recently.
I'm sorry I haven't written/been in touch for such a long time.
It's ages since I've heard from you. I hope you're well/you and your farmily are well.

Apologies
I'm writing to apologize for missing your party last week. The thing is that I was in bed with flu.
I am writing to apologize for the things I said at our last meeting. I lost my temper. I assure you it won't happen again.

I'm really sorry that I didn't get in touch earlier, but I had a hell of a lot of work to do. My belated congratulations on your 30th birthday! Many happy returns of the day!

I would like to say how sorry I am about the trouble I have caused/that you were disturbed.
The reason I missed the meetings was that my car had broken down on the way to the office.
I assure you that this will never happen again.

If you let me know how much you paid for it, I'll be glad to reimburse your expenses.
Please let me know how much it costs, so that I could pay for it.
If you let me know where you bought it/how much it cost, and I'll pay it gladly/ I will replace it gladly.
Could you forward me the bill so that I could reimburse your expenses?
Could you forward me the bill/invoice so that I could pay it already this week?



Complaints
I am writing to complain about a holiday I booked with your company.
I am writing to say that I am not satisfied with the standard of service at your restaurant.
I must insist that you refund the cost of the bill.
In this regard, I insist on getting a refund of my full payment
I must ask you to .....

Inquiries
I am writing to enquire about....
I was interested in your advertisement in "The daily News" and I would like to have further information about ...
I would be grateful if you could send me full details of ....
Could you send me your brochure/catalogue?
I look forward to hearing from you/receiving the information.

Invitations - Accepting/Rejecting
I'm/We're having a party on Friday 19th and I/we hope you I'll be able to come.
Would you like to come/go to see 'Room With a View' with me at the weekend?
I was wondering if you'd like to go to the theatre/come on holiday withg us?
Could you let me/us know if you can come/you'd like joint us?
Thank you very much for your invitation. I'd love to come.

Letters of Request
To begin letter:
I'm writing to ask for your help/you (if you could do me) a favour.
I wonder if/I was wondering if you could help me/do me a favour.
I hope you don't mind me asking but could you (possibly)....?
I'd be very/really/terribly grateful if could ....
I wonder if I might ask you for/request your valuable advice on/concerning.....

To end letters:
I hope that my request will not inconvenience you to much.
I hope that you will forgive me for taking up your valuable time.
I look forward to hearing from you/receiving your reply as soon as possible.

Letter of Opinions
To begin letters:
I am writing to express my disappointment/dissatisfaction with ....
I regret to/feel I must inform you how appalled/shocked I was

I strongly disagree with/I completely agree with Mr Smith's letter, which appeared yesterday.
I was interested to read the article on immigration on Manday's edition of your newspaper but I don't think gave all the facts.
I was interested/fascinated/amused/delighted to see/hear/read ....
I was horrified/shocked/disgusted to ...
In my opinion there is far too much violence in television dramas these days.
In conclusion I feel/I believe ....

To end letters:
I hope/trust this matter will be dealt with/resolved as soon as possible
I hope/trust this matter will recieve tour immediate attention.
I feel that you should ... /I am entitled to compensation/a refund/ a replacement.
I will have no choice but to/I will be forced to take further/legal action.

Thank you / Congratulations / Good luck
I'm writing to thank you for your hospitality/the wonderful present.
It was so kind of you to invite me to stay with you.
I really appreciated all you help/advice.

Congratulations on passing your exams/your excellent exam results!
You really deserved to succeed after all your hard work!

I wish you good luck/Good luck in/with your exams/your driving test/your interview.
Don't worry, I'm sure you'll do well/pass.
Do be on time, won't you, and don't forget to ...

News/Information
I thought you might be interesting to hear about/know that...?
This is just to let you know that...
By the way, have you heard about/did you know that...?

Letters applying for a Job
To begin letters:
I am writing to apply for the position of .... advertise in yesterday's ...
I was interested in the advertisement in (newspaper/magazine) on (date) and i would like to apply for the position of (job title)


Experience/Qualifications:
I am 21 years of age and I have a Diploma in Business Administration.
My reason for applying is that I am interested in tourism ad I would like to be able use my foreign languages.
I am currently/At present I am employed/working as ....
I was employed as (position) by company from (date) to (date)...
My qualifications include .... / I am presently studying/attending a course....
I have successfully/recently completed a course in (subject) at (place).

To end letters:
I would be happy/able to attend an interview at any time which is convenient to you.
I enclose/Please find enclosed my CV/references from....
I would appreciate a reply at your earliest convenience/as soon as possible.
Please contact me should you have any further questions/queries.

Endings
I look forward to/Looking forward to hearing from/seeing you.
See you soon./Write soon./Hope to hear from you soon.
Once again, thank you for all your help.
Give my regards/love to ...

Yours sincerely - фраза в конце письма, начинавшегося с обращения, в котором указывается фамилия адресата, например, Dear Mr Wiggins или Dear Ms Higgins
Yours faithfully - заключительная фраза в официальном письме, начинающемся с обращения, в котором не указывается фамилия адресата, например, Dear Sir или Dear Madam

College Students Are Less Empathic Than Generations Past

Url: http://www.scientificamerican.com

Useful phrases:

1) social media sites
2) “Generation Me”
3) Is there any actual scientific evidence for that view?
4) a study of 14,000 college students found
5) Researchers analyzed data from studies
6) sharpest drop
7) for instance
8) social lives is done through a computer
9) through real life interaction
10) they’re spending much more time working on
11) students are facing increasing competition
12) force yourself to step outside the computer a little bit each day

Pronunciation:

emphatic - em'fatik
interact - ɪntərˈækt
resume - rɪˈzuːm
socialize - səʊʃəlaɪz
association - əˌsəʊʃiˈeɪʃn

New words:

accompany - əˈkʌmpəni - to happen or appear with sth else
Example: Each pack contains a book and accompanying CD.

Language, communications

Pronunciation:

laughter -'laftər
tongue - tʌŋ
syllable - ˈsɪləbl
stressed - strest
palatalize - ˈpælətəlaɪz
intonation - ˌɪntəˈneɪʃn
pictogram - pɪ̱ktəgræm
morphology - mɔːˈfɒlədʒi
syntax - ˈsɪntæks
determiner - dɪˈtɜːmɪnə(r)

New words:

glottal stop - a consonant formed by the audible release of the airstream after complete closure of the glottis. It is widespread in some nonstandard English accents, and in some other languages, such as Arabic, it is a standard consonant

state schools - a school that is funded and controlled by the government and for which no fees are charged

attainment targets - success in achieving sth (= for example in education)

special education - the education of children who have physical or learning problems

lingua franca - (pl. lingua francas) a language that is adopted as a common language between speakers whose native languages are different

phonology - fəˈnɒlədʒi - the speech sounds of a particular language; the study of these sounds

conjunction - kənˈdʒʌŋkʃn - a word that joins words, phrases or sentences, for example 'and', 'but', 'or'

pronoun - ˈprəʊnaʊn - a word that is used instead of a noun or noun phrase, for example he, it, hers, me, them, etc..

interjection - ˌɪntəˈdʒekʃn - a short sound, word or phrase spoken suddenly to express an emotion. Oh!, Look out! and Ow! are interjections.

determiner - dɪˈtɜːmɪnə(r) - (abbreviation det. in this dictionary) a word such as the, some, my, etc. that comes before a noun to show how the noun is being used

inflection - ɪnˈflekʃn - a change in the form of a word, especially the ending, according to its grammatical function in a sentence

Lesson 11.06.2010

Pronunciation:

cerTIFicate - səˈtɪfɪkət
NOWadays - ˈnaʊədeɪz
configure - kənˈfɪgə(r)
pole - pəʊl
polo - ˈpəʊləʊ
polar - ˈpəʊlə(r)
can you play pO(eu)lo(eu) in pO(eu)lar areas?
source - sɔːs
hieroglyphics - ˌhaɪərəˈglɪfɪks


Useful phrases:
it concerns all of us
we have one more year left
shared accommodation with a

Mountain scenery words.

New words:

glade - gleɪd - a small open area of grass in a wood or a forest

tributary - ˈtrɪbjətri - a river or stream that flows into a larger river or a lake
Example: a tributary stream

pass - pɑːs - to move past or to the other side of sb/sth :
Example: The road was so narrow that cars were unable to pass.

the snowline - ˈsnəʊlaɪn - the level on mountains above which snow never melts completely

boulder - ˈbəʊldə(r) - a very large rock which has been shaped by water or the weather

glacier - ˈglæsiə(r) - a large mass of ice, formed by snow on mountains, that moves very slowly down a valley

ridge - rɪdʒ - a narrow area of high land along the top of a line of hills; a high pointed area near the top of a mountain.
Example: walking along the ridge

plateau - ˈplætəʊ - an area of flat land that is higher than the land around it

slope - sləʊp - an area of land that is part of a mountain or hill
Example: The town is built on a slope.

precipice - ˈpresəpɪs - a very steep rock face or cliff, typically a tall one
Example: The country was now on the edge of a precipice.

foothill - ˈfʊthɪl - a hill or low mountain at the base of a higher mountain or range of mountains.
Example: the foothills of the Himalayas

gorge - gɔːdʒ - a deep narrow valley with steep sides
Example: the Rhine Gorge

scree - skriː - an area of small loose stones, especially on a mountain, which may slide when you walk on them
Example: Occasionally scree fell in a shower of dust and noise...

Polar science diary

Url: http://news.bbc.co.uk/

Useful phrases:

conference, which is taking place in
Hard times are coming.
set tongues wagging
lost in translation
It took a second glance


New words:

Inuit - ˈɪnjuɪt - a race of people from northern Canada and parts of Greenland and Alaska. The name is sometimes also wrongly used to refer to people from Siberia and S and W Alaska.
Example: Inuit communities

reindeer - ˈreɪndɪə(r) - a large deer with long antlers (= horns shaped like branches), that lives in cold northern regions :
Example: herds of reindeer

embroider - ɪmˈbrɔɪdə(r)- embroider A (on B) | embroider B (with A) to decorate cloth with a pattern of stitches usually using coloured thread.
Example: She embroidered flowers on the cushion covers.

shawl - ʃɔːl - a large piece of cloth worn by a woman around the shoulders or head, or wrapped around a baby
Example: embroidered shawl

caribou - ˈkærɪbu - (pl. same or -bous) a large North American reindeer
Example: We eat caribou three times a day.

clad - klæd - clad (in sth) (often used after an adverb or in compounds) wearing a particular type of clothing
Example: She was clad in blue velvet.

dismay - dɪsˈmeɪ - a worried, sad feeling after you have received an unpleasant surpris
Example: She could not hide her dismay at the result.

Objective IELTS Intermediate WB (Unit 1 - Communicate)

Done all task from workbook Objective IELTS Intermediate WB. pp 4-5.

Task 5 - Irregular verbs (5 mistake from 12 variants)

Task 8 - mistake in this phrases:

offer advice
make a speech
have an answer
express surprise

Conclusion: I should learn Irregular verbs and repeat passive form in sentence.

Countries and capitals of Europe

Europe

France - frɑːns
Derivatives: Frenchman -'frenʧmən
Capital: Paris - 'pærɪs
Nice - niːs

Norway - 'nɔːweɪ
Derivatives: Norwegian - nɔːˈwiːdʒən
Capital: Oslo

Sweden - ˈswiːdn
Derivatives: Swede - swiːd
official language, Swedish
Capital: Stockholm - 'stäkˌhō(l)m

Finland - 'fɪnlənd
official languages, Finnish
Derivatives: Finn - fɪn
Capital: Helsinki

Estonia - es'təunɪə
official language, Estonian - es'təunɪən
Capital: Tallinn - 'tælɪn

Lithuania - ˌlɪθjuˈeɪniə
Derivatives: Lithuanian - ˌlɪθjuˈeɪniən
Capital: Vilnius - 'vɪlnɪəs

Latvia - ˈlætviə
Derivatives: Latvian - 'lætvɪən
Capital: Riga - 'riːgə

Moldova - mɒlˈdəʊvə
Derivatives: Moldovian - mɔl'deɪvɪən
Capital: Chisinau - ˌkɪʃɪ'naʊ

Poland - 'pəulənd
official language, Polish
Derivatives: Pole - pəul
Capital: Warsaw - 'wɔːsɔː

Bulgaria - bʌlˈɡeəriə
Capital, Sofia - 'səufɪə

Hungary - ˈhʌŋɡəri
Capital, Budapest - ˌbuːdə'pest

Slovenia - sləˈviːniə
Capital, Ljubljana - ˌljuːb'ljɑːnə

Croatia - krəʊˈeɪʃə
Capital: Zagreb - 'zɑːgreb

Switzerland - ˈswɪtsələnd
Derivatives: Swiss - swɪs
Capital: Bern(e) - bɜːn

Belgium - 'belʤəm
Derivatives: Belgian - 'belʤ(ə)n
Capital: Brussels

Portugal - ˈpɔːtʃʊɡl
Derivatives: Portuguese - ˌpɔːtʃuˈɡiːz
Capital: Lisbon - 'lɪzbən

Ireland - 'aɪələnd
Derivatives: Irish
Capital: Dublin - 'dʌblɪn

Pronunciation spelling and numbers

Source: Objective IELTS Intermediate Student's Book

p.11 Ex. 8

New words:
1) treble tree (consisting of three parts)
2) centigrade

Conclusion:
Very often mix up 2 and 4

and mix up fifteen hundred pounds with fourteen hundred pounds

p.11 Ex. 9

1) Two mistake 16 and 60
2 ) and T insted I in model of printer

In nutshell:
First of all I should more precise listen differ between *teen and *ty numbers. Moreover face up all task with a lot of attention.

Countries and capitals of North America

North America

Greenland - ['griːnlənd]

Canada - 'kænədə
Derivatives: Canadian - kəˈneɪdiən
Capital: Ottawa - ˈɒtəwə
Toronto - təˈrɒntəʊ
Vancouver - vænˈkuːvə(r)
Quebec - kwɪˈbek

Iceland - 'aɪslənd
Derivatives: Icelander - ˈaɪsləndə(r)
Capital: Reykjavik - 'reɪkjəvɪ

United States
Kansas - 'kænzəs
Iowa - 'ʌɪəwə
Wyoming - wʌɪ'əʊmɪŋ
Tennessee - ˌtɛnə'siː
Maine - meɪn
Philadelphia - ˌfɪlə'delfɪə

Mexico - ˈmeksɪkəʊ
Derivatives: Mexican - ˈmeksɪkən
Capital: Mexico City

Countries and capitals of Australia and Oceania

Australia and Oceania

Venezuela - ˌvenəˈzweɪlə
Derivatives: Venezuelan - ˌvenəˈzweɪlən
Capital: Caracas - [kə'rækəs]

Australia - ô'strālyə
Derivatives: Australian
Brisbane - ˈbrɪzbən
Sydney - ˈsɪdni
Perth - pɜːθ
Melbourne - ˈmelbən
Adelaide - ˈædəleɪd
Capital: Canberra - ˈkænbərə

New Zealand
Capital: Wellington - ˈwelɪŋtən

Indonesia - ˌɪndəˈniːʒə
Capital: Jakarta - dʒə'kɑːtə]

Philippines - ˈfɪlɪpiːnz
Capital: Manila - məˈnɪlə

Illegal immigrant survives flight after hiding in landing gear

Url: http://www.news.com.au/

Useful phrases:
apprehended by local police
survival in such conditions is

New words:

stowaway - stəʊəweɪ - a person who hides in a ship or plane before it leaves, in order to travel without paying or being seen
Example: Stowaway found on Sheik's jet

landing gear - 'lændɪŋˌgɪə - the undercarriage of an aircraft, including the wheels or pontoons on which it rests while not in the air
Example: hiding in landing gear

stow - stəʊ - to put sth in a safe place
Example: She found a seat, stowed her backpack and sat down.

apprehend - ˌæprɪˈhend - (of the police) to catch sb and arrest them
Example: apprehended by local police

Countries and capitals of Latin America

Latin America

Venezuela - ˌvenəˈzweɪlə
Derivatives: Venezuelan - ˌvenəˈzweɪlən
Capital: Caracas - [kə'rækəs]

Colombia - kəˈlɒmbiə
Derivatives: Colombian - kəˈlɒmbiən
Capital: Bogotá - [ˌbɔgə'tɑː]

Ecuador - ˈekwədɔː(r)
Derivatives: Ecuadorian - ˌekwəˈdɔːriən
Capital: Quito ['kiːtəu]

Peru - pəˈru
Derivatives: Peruvian - pəˈruːviən
Capital: Lima ['liːmə]

Paraguay - ˈpærəɡwaɪ
Derivatives: Paraguayan - ˌpærəˈɡwaɪən

Argentina - ˌɑːdʒənˈtiːnə
Derivatives: (Argentine - ˈɑːdʒəntaɪn) & (Argentinian - ˌɑːdʒənˈtɪniən)
Capital: Buenos Aires [ˌbwānəs 'e(ə)rēz; 'īriz]

Panama - ˈpænəmɑː
Derivatives: Panamanian - ˌpænəˈmeɪniən

Costa Rica - ˌkɒstə ˈriːkə
Derivatives: Costa Rican - ˌkɒstə ˈriːkən
Capital: San José [ˌsan (h)ō'zā ˌsän hô'sā]

Nicaragua - ˌnɪkəˈræɡjuə
Derivatives: Nicaraguan - ˌnɪkəˈræɡjuən

Honduras - hɒnˈdjʊərəs
Derivatives: Honduran - hɒnˈdjʊərən

Guatemala - ˌɡwɑːtəˈmɑːlə
Derivatives: Guatemalan - ˌɡwɑːtəˈmɑːlən
Capital: Guatemala City [ˌgwætə'mɑːləˌsɪtɪ]

Source:
1) http://learninglatinamerica.wikispaces.com
2) http://www.ilike2learn.com

Russia charges soldiers over Polish plane wreck theft

Url: http://news.bbc.co.uk/

Useful phrases:

had been charged - accuse
arrests had taken place
theft carried out by a group

New words:

prosecutor - prɒsɪkjuːtə(r) - a public official who charges sb officially with a crime and prosecutes them in court.

counterfeit - ˈkaʊntəfɪt - (of money and goods for sale) made to look exactly like sth in order to trick people into thinking that they are getting the real thing
Example: Are you aware these notes are counterfeit?

Australia orders Google 'privacy breach' investigation

Url: http://news.bbc.co.uk/

Useful phrases:

breach of privacy
police to probe the
to be in error

Lesson 4.06.2010

Pronunciation:

bizarre - bɪˈzɑː(r)
claustroPHObic / -fəubik/
Australia Day - ɒˈstreɪliə deɪ

Grammar tests

Preposition time on/in/at test:

1) http://www.tolearnenglish.com/exercises/exercise-english-2/exercise-english-69006.php (0 mistake from 10 variants)

2) http://www.tolearnenglish.com/exercises/exercise-english-2/exercise-english-10086.php (4 mistake from 18 variants)

3) http://www.tolearnenglish.com/exercises/exercise-english-2/exercise-english-18565.php (1 mistakes from 10 questions)

4) http://www.tolearnenglish.com/cgi2/myexam/voir2r.php?id=11455 (3 mistakes from 10 questions) Use 'ON' in phrase "ON Friday afternoon" and "ON Saturday evening".

5) http://www.tolearnenglish.com/exercises/exercise-english-2/exercise-english-48582.php (2 mistake from 10 variants)

6) http://www.tolearnenglish.com/exercises/exercise-english-2/exercise-english-39154.php (1 mistake from 10 variants)

Brumby spotting in the Snowy Mountains

Url: http://www.news.com.au

New words:

The trek begins
trek - trek - a long, hard walk lasting several days or weeks, especially in the mountains

handed the reins
rein - reɪn - a long narrow leather band that is fastened around a horse's neck and is held by the rider in order to control the horse.

issues a few quick rules before we head out

the rowdy card games
rowdy - ˈraʊdi - (of people) making a lot of noise or likely to cause trouble

unsaddle - ʌnˈsædl - to take the saddle off a horse

breeding horses and tending to the land
tend - tend - to be likely to do sth or to happen in a particular way because this is what often or usually happens

Good tucker
tucker - [tʌ̱kə(r)] - food

One of my greatest fears was sleeping through breakfast
sleeping through - If you sleep through something, it does not wake you up.

Lunches consist of lavish spreads of sandwiches, cakes, fruit.
lavish - ˈlævɪʃ - large in amount, or impressive, and usually costing a lot of money

brumby - ['brʌmbɪ] - необъезженная лошадь

The final day is tinged with sadness
tinge - tɪndʒ - to add a small amount of colour to sth

US says 80% of al-Qaeda leaders in Iraq removed

Url: http://news.bbc.co.uk/

New words:

he cautioned against complacency
complacency - [kəm'pleɪs(ə)n(t)sɪ] - a feeling of smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's achievements

temporary setback in the peace process
setback - ˈsetbæk - a difficulty or problem that delays or prevents sth, or makes a situation worse

made some significant inroads
inroad - ˈɪnrəʊd - inroad (into sth) something that is achieved, especially by reducing the power or success of sth else

a military crackdown on student protesters
crackdown - ˈkrækdaʊn - crackdown (on sb/sth) severe action taken to restrict the activities of criminals or of people opposed to the government or sb in authority

Mars500: Just like the real thing?

Url: http://news.bbc.co.uk/

New words:

pageantry - ['pajəntrē] - impressive and exciting events and ceremonies involving a lot of people wearing special clothes.

horde - hɔːd - a large crowd of people
Example: There are always hordes of tourists here in the summer.

mock - mɒk - that is a copy of sth; not real
Example: entering their mock spaceship

hatch - hætʃ - an opening or a door in the deck of a ship or the bottom of an aircraft, through which goods to be carried are passed

confinement - kənˈfaɪnmənt - the state of being forced to stay in a closed space, prison, etc., the act of putting sb there.
Example: such lengthy confinement in such claustrophobic and bizarre conditions

let out - (of school classes, films / movies, meetings, etc.) to come to an end, so that it is time for people to leave.

solemn - ˈsɒləm - not happy or smiling
Example: A solemn-faced official slowly closed and sealed it behind them.

seal - siːl - o close an envelope, etc. by sticking the edges of the opening together.
Example: A solemn-faced official slowly closed and sealed it behind them.

thrill - θrɪl - thrill (of doing sth) a strong feeling of excitement or pleasure; an experience that gives you this feeling
Example: There is no thrill of a blast-off and flight through space.

blast-off - the moment when a spacecraft leaves the ground
Example: There is no thrill of a blast-off and flight through space.

Lesson 2.06.2010

Pronunciation:

E-mail - ['ē ˌmāl]
PROverb - ['prɔvɜːb]
EPisode /s/ - ˈepɪsəʊd
inFORmative - ɪnˈfɔːmətɪv
methoDOLogy - meθəˈdɒlədʒi
talked / to:kt/
suPPORT - səˈpɔːt
lecture - ˈlektʃə(r)
dollar - ˈdɒlə(r)

Useful phrases:

to draw smb.'s attention to smth. (The movie is drawing large audiences.)
I should/must (not use to) pay a 100-dollar fine
laws are harsh, but there is nobody to enforce them
law enforcement - to put in to practice
regrettably the reality is such that ...
security, defence and law enforcement agencies
spend (cash) on sth/doing sth
invest money INTO sth

Words for remembering:

schwa - [ʃwɑː] - vowel sound in parts of words that are not stressed, for example the 'a' in about or the 'e' in moment; the phonetic symbol for this, /ə/

Executive Team Building - Resolving Communication Breakdowns on Teams

Url: http://ezinearticles.com/

Useful phrases:

1) communication breakdowns
2) free flow of communication
3) fails on teams is lack of trust
4) had a hand in setting the goals
5) is another reason for breakdowns in communication
6) iron out - If you iron out difficulties, you resolve them and bring them to an end.
7) stress is difficult to judge because
8) communication breakdowns will occur even with
9) to keep it at bay

The Functions of Language.

Source: Objective IELTS Intermediate Student's Book.pdf pp 12-13.

Useful words and phrases.

define the range of runctions to which smt. can be put
to communicate our ideas
we are using language in order to
it would be wrong to think
emotional expressions
swear words
express positive feelings
conventional words or phrases
maintain a comfortable relationship between people
have no content at all
these illustration apply
apparent reason

Words for remembering:

get rid of - take action so as to be free of (a troublesome or unwanted person or thing)

scenery - the natural features of a landscape considered in terms of their appearance, esp. when picturesque

interjection - ˌɪntəˈdʒekʃn - a short sound, word or phrase spoken suddenly to express an emotion. Oh!, Look out! and Ow! are interjections.

sneeze - sniːz - to have air come suddenly and noisily out through your nose and mouth in a way that you cannot control, for example because you have a cold.
Example: I've been sneezing all morning.

violently - vaɪələntli - with great energy or strong movement, especially caused by a strong emotion such as fear or hatred.
Example: She shook her head violently. to shiver violently.

Orange City council bans smoking in city centre

Url: http://www.news.com.au/

light up - to begin to smoke a cigarette
put forward - выдвигать, предлагать
refrain from smoking
The move has split the community.
who voted against the move
paying up to $20 - ??? достигла, или учеличилась на ???
to take a tougher stance on smth.

Words for remembering.

empower - ɪmˈpaʊə(r) - to give sb the power or authority to do sth
Example: The courts were empowered to impose the death sentence for certain crimes.

harvest - ˈhɑːvɪst - the time of year when the crops are gathered in on a farm, etc.; the act of cutting and gathering crops.

cigarette butt - A cigarette butt or a cigarette end is the part of a cigarette that you throw away when you have finished smoking it.

punitive - ˈpjuːnətɪv - intended as punishment
Example: There are calls for more punitive measures against people who drink and drive.

outrage - ˈaʊtreɪdʒ - a strong feeling of shock and anger.
Example: The judge's remarks caused public outrage.

stance (on sth) the opinions that sb has about sth and expresses publicly SYN position
Example: What is the newspaper's stance on the war?

Whistling in La Gomera.

Source: Objective IELTS Intermediate Student's Book.pdf pp 8-9.

Useful words and phrases.

whistle - ['(h)wisəl] - the sound made by blowing a whistle
Example: He scored the winning goal just seconds before the final whistle.

Summit is not only an official meeting or series of meetings between the leaders of two or more governments it is also the highest point of sth, especially the top of a mountain :)

disjoint - [dis'joint] - [dɪs'ʤɔɪnt] disturb the cohesion or organization of
the loss of the area disjointed military plans

made up - not true or real; invented

basics - The basics of something are its simplest, most important elements, ideas, or principles, in contrast to more complicated or detailed ones.

Settlers up synonym of emigrants.

relies on - depends on

Cambridge English Vocabulary in Use Unit 70-100

Source: Cambridge English Vocabulary in Use Upper-Intermediate


Unit 70 - Speaking

Words for remembering:

mumble - ˈmʌmbl - to speak or say sth in a quiet voice in a way that is not clear
Most likely mood: nervous or insecure
Example: She mumbled an apology and left.

mutter - ˈmʌtə(r) - mutter (sth) (to sb / yourself) (about sth) to speak or say sth in a quiet voice that is difficult to hear, especially because you are annoyed about sth.
Most likely mood: irritated
Example: I muttered something about needing to get back to work.

shriek - ʃriːk - shriek (with sth) | shriek (at sb) to give a loud high shout, for example when you are excited, frightened or in pain.
Most likely mood: frightened or amused
Example: The audience was shrieking with laughter.

stutter - ˈstʌtə(r) - to have difficulty speaking because you cannot stop yourself from repeating the first sound of some words several times
Most likely mood: nervous or excited
Example: I managed to stutter a reply.

boast - bəʊst - boast (about / of sth) to talk with too much pride about sth that you have or can do.
Most likely mood: proud of oneself
Example: I don't want to boast, but I can actually speak six languages.

object - ˈɒbdʒɪkt - object (to sb/sth) | object (to doing sth / to sb doing sth) to say that you disagree with, disapprove of or oppose sth :
Most likely mood: unhappy
Example: Many local people object to the building of the new airport.

groan - grəʊn - groan (at / with sth) to make a long deep sound because you are annoyed, upset or in pain, or with pleasure
Most likely mood: despair, pain
Example: We all groaned at his terrible jokes.

confess - kənˈfes - confess (to sth / to doing sth) to admit, especially formally or to the police, that you have done sth wrong or illegal
Most likely mood: repentant
Example: She confessed to the murder.

repentant - rɪˈpentənt - feeling or showing that you are sorry for sth wrong that you have done
Example: repentant for one's sins

beg - beg - beg (sb) (for sth) | beg (sth) (of / from sb) to ask sb for sth especially in an anxious way because you want or need it very much.
Most likely mood: desperate
Example: They begged him for help.

grumble - ˈgrʌmbl - grumble (at / to sb) (about / at sb/sth) to complain about sb/sth in a bad-tempered way.
Most likely mood: displeased
Example: She's always grumbling to me about how badly she's treated at work.

crossly - ['krɔslɪ] - Syn: angrily
Example: Well what did you expect?’ she said crossly.

furious - ˈfjʊəriəs - furious (with sb) | furious (at sth/sb) | furious (that ... ) very angry
Example: She was absolutely furious at having been deceived.

gloomy - ˈgluːmi - nearly dark, or badly lit in a way that makes you feel sad, SYN depressing :.
Example: It was a wet and gloomy day.

unease - ʌnˈiːz - the feeling of being worried or unhappy about sth, SYN anxiety.
Example: There was a growing unease about their involvement in the war.

anxious - ˈæŋkʃəs - anxious (about sth) | anxious (for sb) feeling worried or nervous
Example: Parents are naturally anxious for their children.

eager - ˈiːgə(r) - eager (for sth / to do sth) very interested and excited by sth that is going to happen or about sth that you want to do. SYN keen.
Example: eager crowds outside the stadium

bold - bəʊld - (of people or behaviour) brave and confident; not afraid to say what you feel or to take risks.
Example: It was a bold move on their part to open a business in France.


Unit 100 - Discourse markers

Useful phrases:

Well, where shall I start?

Mind you - used to add sth to what you have just said, especially sth that makes it less strong.
Example: I've heard they're getting divorced. Mind you, I'm not surprised — they were always arguing.

You see - sed when you are explaining sth.
Example: You see, the thing is, we won't be finished before Friday.

hold on - used to tell sb to wait or stop
Example: Hold on! Let me tell what he said!

I know almost all phrases but I should use it in my speaking.