Popular Posts

BUZZSPROUT EPISODES

Friday, September 22, 2017

HELEN KELLER

Image result for helen keller and anne sullivan at the water pump
HELEN KELLER

Helen Keller was born in Alabama in 1880. When she was less than 2 years old, she became very ill. While she recovered from her illness, she lost her eyesight and hearing. When Helen was 7, her parents hired a teacher for her. The teacher, Annie Sullivan, was able to bring Helen out of her dark, silent world by teaching her sign language. Helen would feel each sign with her fingers to determine the meaning. Helen Keller would go on to be a writer, lecturer and activist.
Questions
1.     Where was Helen Keller born?
2.     How old was Helen Keller when she lost her eyesight and hearing?
3.     Who was Helen Keller’s teacher?




“Because” And “Because Of” Grammar Exercise

Image result for because
“Because” And “Because Of” Grammar Exercise

Fill in the blanks with “because” or “because of”

1. We got into trouble ............................... you.
because
because of
2. We cancelled the trip ............................. bad weather.
because
because of
3. We hurried indoors ....................... it was raining.
because
because of
4. She passed the test .................................. her teacher.
because of
because
5. She passed the test .......................... she had a good teacher.
because
because of
6. I couldn't arrive on time .............................. I had missed the train.
because
because of
7. He can't walk .................................. arthritis.
because
because of
8. She didn't pass the test .......................... she hadn't studied well.
because
because of
9. Thousands of people lost their jobs ............................ the recession.
because
because of
10. I couldn't understand him .......................... his strange accent.
because
because of
11. The government banned that movie ........................ the public opinion was against it.
because
because of
12. He met with an accident ......................... he was driving too fast.
because
because of
Answers
1. We got into trouble because of you.
2. We cancelled the trip because of bad weather.
3. We hurried indoors because it was raining.
4. She passed the test because of her teacher.
5. She passed the test because she had a good teacher.
6. I couldn’t arrive on time because I missed the train.
7. He can’t walk because of arthritis.
8. She didn’t pass the test because she hadn’t studied well.
9. Thousands of people lost their jobs because of the recession.
10. I couldn’t understand him because of his strange accent.
11. The government banned that movie because the public opinion was against it.
12. He met with an accident because he was driving too fast.


Fortuitous vs. Fortunate

Image result for fortunate

Fortuitous vs. Fortunate

The word fortuitous is commonly used as an adjective that means “happening by accident or chance rather than design.” Its synonyms include accidental, unplanned, and coincidental.
Arsenal news: We’re conceding too many fortuitous goals, admits Petr Cech
The Independent
Episcopal finally gets a fortuitous bounce and knocks off Bullis on senior night
Washington Post
Fortuitous chat pays off in exemption into this week’s AT&T Byron Nelson Classic
Sacramento Bee
However, it may sometimes be used informally to mean “happening by a lucky chance” or as a synonym to fortunate.
A fortuitous find
Dalhousie University News
West Ham thanking their lucky stars after fortuitous home win over Hull
ESPN FC
Lucky bamboo: A fortuitous plant for Chinese New Year
Chicago Tribune
On the other hand, the term fortunate is used as an adjective meaning “favored by or involving good luck or fortune” or “bringing some good thing not foreseen as certain.” Its synonyms include lucky, auspicious, and favorable.
Singapore fortunate to have an equal, multiracial society
The Straits Times
Kids read to provide sheep and goats to less fortunate
Port Townsend Leader
Rescue crews say Prius driver fortunate after San Rafael bus accident
KGO-TV
Despite this original distinction, current writers use fortuitous and fortunate interchangeably. If you want to retain the traditional meanings of the words, remember that anything that happened by chance or accident is fortuitious, while people or events that are favored by good luck are fortunate.


Sunday, July 23, 2017

"Dare" as an Ordinary Verb and an Auxiliary Verb

Image result for "Dare" as an Ordinary Verb and an Auxiliary Verb
"Dare" as an Ordinary Verb and an Auxiliary Verb

Dare can be used as an ordinary verb and an auxiliary verb. When dare is used as an ordinary verb, it is followed by an infinitive with to. Also, questions and negatives are made with do.

When dare is used as an auxiliary verb, it is followed by an infinitive without to and questions and negatives are made without to.

Fill in the blanks.

1. She is a woman who ……………….. what she thinks.
dares to say
dares say
dare to say
dare say
2. I didn’t ……………………… the truth.
dare to tell
dare tell
dared tell
3. Do you ………………….. what you think?
dare say
dare to say
dares to say
4. I daren’t ………………… what I think.
say
to say
5. He ………………… out at night.
dare not go
does not dare to go
Either could be used here
6. She ................................... the truth.
doesn't dare speak
doesn't dare to speak
daren't to speak
7. The old man didn’t ………………….. the door.
dare open
dare to open
Either could be used here
8. I ……………………. at her face.
don't dare to look
daren't look
Either could be used here
9. Do you dare ………………….. your limits?
test
to test
to testing
10. She didn’t ……………….. her eyes.
dare open
dare to open
dared to open
11. I dare you ……………… across the river.
swim
to swim
Either could be used here
12. She dared me ………………. the truth.
tell
to tell
Answers

1. She is a woman who dares to day / dare say what she thinks.

2. I didn’t dare to tell the truth.

3. Do you dare to say what you think?

4. I daren’t say what I think.

5. He dare not go / doesn’t dare to go out at night.

6. She doesn’t dare to speak the truth.

7. The old man didn’t dare to open the door.

8. I don’t dare to look / daren’t look at her face.

9. Do you dare to test your limits?

10. She didn’t dare to open her eyes.

11. I dare you to swim across the river.

12. She dared me to tell the truth.

"Can" and "Could" Special Uses

Image result for "Can" and "Could" Special Uses
"Can" and "Could" Special Uses
Can and could are modal auxiliaries used to express ideas such as ability, possibility and permission. They also have some special uses. For example, they are often used with verbs that do not have a continuous form to talk about ongoing states and experiences.

Complete the following sentences with an appropriate word or phrase.

1. I …………………….. Mary coming.
can see
am seeing
see
2. ………………….. somebody coming up the stairs?
Are you hearing
Can you hear
3. What did you put in the soup? I ………………… something funny.
taste
am tasting
can taste
4. Suddenly I realized I ……………….. something burning.
was smelling
could smell
5. I ………………… what she wanted.
knew
could knew
had known
6. I ………………… what she wanted.
guessed
could guess
Either could be used here
7. You ………………… she is British from her accent.
tell
told
can tell
8. I …………………… what you are talking about.
can't understand
don't understand
Either could be used here
9. She is an arrogant woman, but somehow you can’t ………………… her.
help to like
help like
help liking
10. I couldn’t ………………. what they said.
help to overhear
help overhearing
help overhear
11. I can’t help ……………………. what she wants.
but to wonder
but wonder
but wondering
12. I can't help .......................... what I should do next.
but wonder
wondering
Either could be used here
Answers
1. I can see Mary coming.
2. Can you hear somebody coming up the stairs?
3. What did you put in the soup? I can taste something funny.
4. Suddenly I realized I could smell something burning.
5. I knew what she wanted.
6. I guessed / could guess what she wanted.
7. You can tell she is British from her accent.
8. I can’t understand / don’t understand what you are talking about.
9. She is an arrogant woman, but somehow you can’t help liking her.
10. I couldn’t help overhearing what they said.
11. I can’t help but wonder what she wants.
12. I can’t help wondering / but wonder what I should do next.

Monday, June 5, 2017

Grammar Exercise - Unless, Providing, Provided That, And As Long As

Image result for unless
Grammar Exercise - Unless, Providing, Provided That, And As Long As 
The expressions providing, provided that and as long as have very similar meanings and are usually interchangeable. They are used before saying the conditions that make something else happen or be true. Unless is similar to if not.
Test your understanding of these expressions with this grammar exercise.
1. We can win the championship, .......................... we avoid bad injuries.
providing
Unless
2. I will leave now, .............................. there is anything left to do now.
unless
as long as
3. We can hold the party in the garden ............................. it doesn't rain.
provided
unless
4. The public will be admitted to the galleries, ........................... they make a donation.
unless
providing
5. You can keep the puppy ................................... you promise to take care of it.
as long as
provided that
6. You can take my car ............................... you drive carefully.
as long as
provided that
Either could be used here
7. I can't help you ............................ you tell me what is wrong.
unless
providing
8. I can help you ............................... you tell me what is wrong.
unless
provided that
9. He wouldn't eat anything .................................. he cooked it himself.
providing
unless
10. You can take this seat, ............................... no one has reserved it.
unless
providing
as long as
11. My parents don't care who I marry .......................... I am happy.
as long as
unless
12. You can go out now .............................. you finish your homework first.
providing
provided that
as long as
All of these
Answers
1. We can win the championship, providing we avoid bad injuries.
2. I will leave now, unless there is anything left to do now.
3. We can hold the party in the garden provided that it doesn’t rain.
4. The public will be admitted to the galleries, providing they make a donation.
5. You can keep the puppy as long as you promise to take care of it.
6. You can take my car as long as you drive carefully.
7. I can’t help you unless you tell me what is wrong.
8. I can help you as long as you tell me what is wrong.
9. He wouldn’t eat anything unless he cooked it himself.
10. You can take this seat, providing / provided that / as long as no one has reserved it.
11. My parents don’t care who I marry as long as I am happy.
12. You can go out now providing / provided that / as long as you finish your homework first.



Spelling Exercise

Image result for spelling
Spelling Exercise
There are some words which can cause confusion in meaning if we are not careful about their spelling because they can be confused for another word which is very similar in spelling.
Here are some commonly confused verbs
die / dying / died
dye / dyeing / dyed
hop / hopping / hopped
hope / hoping / hoped
mop / mopping / mopped
mope / moping / moped
scrap / scraping / scraped
lie (recline) / lying / laid  or lain
lie (tell a lie) / lying / lied
Complete the following sentences.
1. The rabbit .......................... across the field.
hopped
hoped
2. I was ........................... that you could lend me a pound.
hoping
hopping
3. She ........................ the skirt to match her blouse.
died
dyed
4. The poor woman is ...........................
dying
dyeing
5. The rough surface of the floor made ........................ difficult.
mopping
moping
6. I slipped and .......................... an elbow.
scrapped
scraped
7. The witness .......................... to the jury.
lied
laid
8. The king ............................ now in his final resting place.
lays
lies
9. I .......................... down on the couch yesterday.
lie
lay
10. Please .................................. the plate down now.
lie
lay
lain
11. The tiles were .......................... in a geometric pattern.
lied
laid
12. It is a mistake to .............................. too much emphasis on grades.
lie
lay
Answers
1. The rabbit hopped across the field.
2. I was hoping that you could lend me a pound.
3. She dyed the skirt to match her blouse.
4. The poor woman is dying.
5. The rough surface of the floor made mopping difficult.
6. I slipped and scraped an elbow.
7. The witness lied to the jury.
8. The king lies now in his final resting place.
9. I lay down on the couch yesterday.
10. Please lay the plate down now.
11. The tiles were laid in a geometric pattern.
12. It is a mistake to lay too much emphasis on grades.


Grammar Exercise Too, Enough and So…That

Image result for too
Grammar Exercise - Too, Enough and So…That
The adverbs too and enough are used to indicate excess or sufficiency.
In these sentence structures, enough is always placed after the adjective it qualifies while too is placed before the adjective. Enough and too are followed by infinitive phrases (to + verb). Sometimes they are also followed by a phrase beginning with for.
Fill in the blanks with an appropriate word or phrase.
1. She wasn't .......................... to be discouraged by some of her teachers.
too weak
weak enough
Either could be used here
2. She soon grew ......................... to manage without a hearing aid.
so deaf
too deaf
deaf enough
3. The task was ............................ for any teenager fresh from a Scottish farm.
enough daunting
daunting enough
Either could be used here
4. Rahul was .......................... busy that he could not talk to me.
too
so
enough
All of the above
5. The car is ........................... to seat six people.
too large
so large
large enough
6. He walked ............................ fast that I could not catch up with him.
too
so
enough
7. She is ............................ to buy a car.
enough rich
rich enough
too rich
8. He was ......................... proud to apologize.
too
so
enough
9. None of the mangoes is .............................. to be eaten.
ripe enough
enough ripe
so ripe
10. She has ............................. many students in her class that she cannot give them individual attention.
too
so
very
11. He is ................................ to solve the problem.
enough intelligent
intelligent enough
too intelligent
12. The light was not .............................. for one to see things clearly.
enough bright
bright enough
too bright
very bright
Answers
1. She wasn’t weak enough / too weak to be discouraged by some of her teachers.
2. She soon grew too deaf to manage without a hearing aid.
3. The task was daunting enough for any teenager fresh from a Scottish farm.
4. Rahul was so busy that he could not talk to me.
5. The car is large enough to seat six people.
6. He walked so fast that I could not catch up with him.
7. She is rich enough to buy a car.
8. He was too proud to apologize.
9. None of the mangoes is ripe enough to be eaten.
10. She has so many students in her class that she cannot give them individual attention.
11. He is intelligent enough to solve the problem.
12. The light was not bright enough for one to see things clearly.


Grammar Exercise - Either or Neither

Image result for either
Grammar Exercise - Either or Neither
We use either before the first of two alternatives specified. It means one or the other of two people or things. Neither means ‘not one nor the other of two’.
Can you use either and neither correctly? Test your understanding with this grammar exercise.
Fill in the blanks.
1. I don't like ....................... of my science teachers.
either
neither
Either could be used here
2. You don't like him, do you? I don't ...........................
either
neither
Either could be used here
3. Peter isn't here today. Martha isn't ..........................
either
neither
4. I like ........................... of them.
either
neither
5. I am ............................ a conservative nor a liberal.
either
neither
6. He didn't remember and ........................... did I.
either
neither
7. ........................... of them invited me so I didn't go.
Either
Neither
8. ........................... of them seemed interested in the offer.
Neither
Either
9. Mary didn't turn up and ......................... did Ruth.
either
neither
10. John didn't pass the test, and Peter didn't .............................
either
neither
11. He ......................... smiled, spoke, nor looked at me.
either
neither
12. Alice can't dance and ..............................
Stella can't either
neither can Stella
Either could be used here
Answers
1. I don’t like either of my science teachers.
2. You don’t like him, do you? I don’t either.
3. Peter isn’t here today. Martha isn’t either.
4. I like neither of them.
5. I am neither a conservative nor a liberal.
6. He didn’t remember and neither did I.
7. Neither of them invited me so I didn’t go.
8. Neither of them seemed interested in the offer.
9. Mary didn’t turn up and neither did Ruth.
10. John didn’t pass the test, and Peter didn’t either.
11. He neither smiled, spoke, nor looked at me.
12. Alice can’t dance and neither can Stella / Stella can’t either.