POLL - answer

The most commonly used word in the English language is "THE"

There were 5 votes in this poll and most of them were right!!!

The English language is consisted of over 2 billion words, according to the Oxford English Corpus (collection of texts of written and spoken language)
The top 10 words listed as the most used ones in the English language are grammar words.

1 - the
2 - be
3 - to
4 - of
5 - and
6 - a
7 - in
8 - that
9 - have
10 - I

Best wishes,
André

EXAMS - practice

There are a few hyperlinks below for you to sharpen you English before you take a proficiency exam. You know, practice leads to perfection. So, indulge yourself!!!


http://www.english-test.net/toeic/vocabulary/words/015/toeic-test.php
http://www.english-test.net/toeic/vocabulary/meanings/004/toeic-test.php
http://www.english-test.net/toeic/vocabulary/words/017/toeic-test.php
http://www.english-test.net/toefl/vocabulary/words/010/toefl-test.php
http://www.english-test.net/toefl/vocabulary/words/017/toefl-test.php
http://www.english-test.net/toefl/vocabulary/meanings/011/toefl-test.php

Listening:
http://www.english-test.net/toeic/listening/autobahn.html
http://www.english-test.net/toeic/listening/the_bund_shanghai.html
http://www.english-test.net/toeic/listening/brooklyn_bridge.html

Best wishes,
André

POLL - answer

Which word best describes a place that is old, deteriorated and broken down?
decrepit
run-down
derelict
all of the above

There were 6 votes in this poll and they were divided like this:
2 = decrepit
1 = run-down
3 = derelict

Take a look at the explanation below:

A place or something that is old, deteriorated and broken down can be described as
DECREPIT; RUN-DOWN; DERELICT; WOEBEGONE; RICKETY; WORN-OUT.

All of the answers were right!!!

Examples:
- Most Subway stations in New York are decrepit.
- I won't pay more than $10,000 for this ugly derelict house.
- This neighborhood didn't use to be run-down.

Best wishes,
André

POLL - Answer

What's the opposite of "impecunious"?
Penniless
Well-off
Egregious
Onerous

There were 4 votes in this poll and they were divided like this:
0 = penniless
3 = well-off
1 = egregious
0 = onerous

Take a look at the explanation below:

Impecunious: lacking money; not having enough money to pay for necessities

Synonyms: impecunious = penniless = broke

Examples:
- If this bill gets approved, it will definitely make me impecunious.
- That impecunious cousin of mine drops by to borrow some of my stuff every other day.

Best wishes,
André

NEWS - SOUTH FLORIDA

Foreclosed Homes Consequences

"Once the lights and water were cut off at Cedars Pointe, a failed condo conversion in Miami's working-class Allapattah neighborhood, city officials had no choice: The building was deemed unsafe, and everyone in the 51 units was ordered out.
No sooner had the city locked the front gate, though, than the scavengers and squatters moved in, stripping out window frames, fixtures and wiring, and carting off stoves and refrigerators in the dead of night, neighbors say.

Until recently, city officials would have been largely powerless to put a quick stop to the looting. But Miami code enforcement officials, armed with a new ordinance that gives them unprecedented power to enter and secure unattended vacant structures, cleared mountains of trash from the grounds and sealed off the building before irreversible damage was done.

With the number of foreclosures and defaults sharply on the rise across South Florida, Miami and other municipalities in the region have been forced into aggressive action, adopting new measures that give officials greater resources to stem the spreading blight of vacant and abandoned homes and commercial properties.

Most municipalities have increased vigilance -- in some places, including Coral Springs and Miami, requiring owners of vacant or foreclosed properties to register and permit police and inspectors to gain access whenever necessary. The Miami-Dade County Commission is considering a registry, and a measure to create a statewide list has been introduced in the Florida Legislature.
Some municipalities, such as Miami, Miami Lakes and Palmetto Bay, have gone a significant step further: enacting legislation making it easier for code enforcement officers to spend what it takes to secure a blighted structure, then slap a lien on the owner for the cost without waiting for approval from a board or hearing officer -- a process that used to take months. The new rules allow authorities to begin to secure a property in a matter of days."

*source: http://www.miamiherald.com/

VOCABULARY:
condo / deem / scavenger / squatter / cart off / loot / lien

That's a good way of self-teaching yourself. Look the words above up in a dictionary and bring them back to the context so that you can clearly understand the piece of news that has been posted.

Best wishes,
André

POLL - Answer

What's the meaning of "sallow"?
Pale
Pink
Grayish
Shiny
None of the above

There were 4 votes in this poll and they were divided like this:
2 = pale
0 = pink
1 = grayish
1 = shiny
0 = none of the above

Take a look at the explanation below:

Sallow: of pale or yellowish color

Synonyms: sallow = pale = pallid = yellowish

Examples:
- She has to be taken to a hospital. Look at her sallow cheeks! Something's wrong.
- He is a thin, short man with a sallow face and a broad nose.

Best wishes,
André

Right Choice of Words

Communicating may be more than enough for some occasions. Still, you don't want to sound like a fool and have to depend on others' understanding to make a point. By thoroughly selecting the words you use, you won't ever have to go through an awkward situation. Take a look at typical cases below:

If you want to say that everybody knows a restaurant, you may avoid the following:
Look! That is a famous restaurant!
When you are actually trying to say:
Look! That is a popular restaurant.

If you want to say that a woman is an actress, you may avoid the following:
She is a movie artist!
When you are actually trying to say:
She is a movie star!

If you want to say it's difficult for you to comprehend, you may avoid the following:
I'm not understanding!
When you are actually trying to say:
I don't get it!

If you want to say you were on the beach for three days, you may avoid the following:
I passed three days on the beach.
When you are actually trying to say:
I spent three days on the beach.

If you want to say you are experiencing a difficult situation, you may avoid the following:
We are passing a difficult situation.
When you are actually trying to say:
We are going through a difficult situation.

All of the above are classic cases of translation. Sometimes we get so used to it that we forget there are inumerous words with slight differences among them. Next time, goad your mind into finding the most suitable option! if you can't, scan a dictionary definition for the best alternative.
Best wishes,
André

POLL - answer

What's the meaning of "utmost"?
scruffy
scrumptious
greatest
likely

There were 6 votes in this poll and they were divided like this:
0 = scruffy
1 = scrumptious
3 = greatest
2 = likely

Take a look at the explanation below:

Utmost: of the highest degree, amount or intensity; most extreme.

Synonyms: utmost = extreme = maximum = greatest

Examples:
- This matter deserves our utmost concern.
- You have to manage this project with the utmost care.

Best wishes,
André

POLL - answer

What's the meaing of "grisly"?
gruesome
gray-haired
smiley
unkempt

There were 5 votes in this poll and they were divided like this:
4 = gruesome
1 = gray-haired
0 = smiley
0 = unkempt

Take a look at the explanation below:

Grisly: inspiring repugnance; causing horror or dread.

Synonyms: grisly = gruesome = hideous

Examples:
- Those grisly pictures would make even the most experienced cop throw up.

- The grisly aspect of the crime caught all of us by surprise.

Best wishes,
André

TV COMMERCIAL - AIR TRAN

POLL - answer

What's the meaning of "rubberneck(er)"?
pillow
onlooker
old man
corpse

There were 4 votes in this poll and they were divided like this:
1 = pillow
1 = onlooker
1 = old man
1 = corpse

Take a look at the explanation below:

A RUBBERNECK(ER) is an... ONLOOKER
: person who is curious enough to stay somewhere just to see things

Synonyms: rubberneck = onlooker = bystander

Examples:
- The crime scene was surrounded by rubberneckers who wanted to see the bodies of the victims.

- A handful of rubbernecks watched the street performer.

Best wishes,
André

Top 5 Best Selling Vehicles of 2008

This study has been carried out in the US, of course:

1. Ford F-150 = 515,513 units
2. Chevy Silverado = 465,065 units
3. Toyota Camry = 436,617 units
4. Honda Accord = 372,789 units
5. Toyota Corolla = 351,007 units

Some experts are saying that 2008 could be one of the last years where trucks are the best-selling models overall...

Best wishes,
André

VOCABULARY IMPROVEMENT

Vocabulary is the stem of our English fluency along, clearly, with other parts of the language. Still, knowing what you listen to and communicating is crucial.

Practice or learn from the links below:

Bussiness:
http://www.better-english.com/vocabulary/workplaces.htm
http://www.better-english.com/vocabulary/Vocabulary2.htm
http://www.business-english.com/meetings/meetings1/exercise1.html
http://www.business-english.com/meetings/meetings1/exercise4.html

Best wishes,
André

LISTENING PRACTICE - HOMER SIMPSON IN THE VOTING BOOTH

Best wishes,

André

Funny Commercial

THE EFFECT OF BEER ON MEN:

NEWS - Crime

An FBI special agent was shot and killed Wednesday as he and other officials tried to serve a warrant in connection with a "violent drug distribution ring," an FBI official said.

FBI Agent Samuel Hicks was killed Wednesday while trying to serve a warrant in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The agent, Samuel Hicks, was with other members of a multijurisdictional anti-drug task force that included agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration and other agencies in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, said Michael Rodriguez, the special agent in charge of the Pittsburgh office.
Hicks was married and had a 3-year-old son.
"This is the most tragic information you can relay to any spouse, child, parent or colleague," Rodriguez said during a news conference. "He served with honor and bravery and will be greatly missed by his colleagues here in Pittsburgh and throughout the FBI."
Rodriguez said Hicks had been with the FBI since March 2006. Previously he had been an officer with the Baltimore Police Department and a teacher.
Rodriguez did not answer questions at the news conference.
A person at the home, about 10 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, was taken into custody, Rodriguez said.
CNN affiliate WTAE-TV reported that Robert Korbe, owner of the house where the warrant was served, was taken to Allegheny General Hospital. Police and staff members would not say why Korbe was at the hospital.
Shortly after noon, Korbe was taken from the hospital in handcuffs while wearing blue scrubs, WTAE reported.
Korbe was one of 35 people charged in a drug-trafficking indictment unsealed Wednesday, according to WTAE. The indictment accuses the defendants of conspiring to traffic cocaine and crack from October 2007 through September.

Source - cnn.com

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Look up the words you don't know in a dictionary, write their meanings down and think about examples to improve your English!!!

Best wishes,
André

FINANCIAL VOCABULARY

The words below are all related to some kind of payment. Pay close attention to the differences and learn how to properly use them.



CHARGE: amount of money paid for something. It can be used as a noun or verb.
- You don't have to worry about the charges. I got them all covered.
- The phone company charged me $1oo for a thirty-minute local call.

FEE: amount of money paid for a service.
- I will not study at that school because their fees are too high.
- Jack paid a forty-dollar fee to have his contract signed by an official.

RATE: 1. amount of money paid for a room at a hotel. 2. number / percentage indicator.
- How much is the daily rate?
- The rate of unemployed people has decreased in SP.
- SELIC is an interest rate.

TAX: amount of money paid to the government.
- Everybody has to pay taxes.
- Income taxes are deducted from your salary before you get it.

FARE: amount of money paid for transportation.
- I don't know how much a bus fare is in Sorocaba.
- Internet air fares are usually lower than the ones we check at travel agencies.

PRICE: amount of money paid for a product.
- Prices will probably go up next month.
- That store has such high prices.

TOLL: amount of money paid in order to do something, usually a privilege.
- You will have to pay a toll to take this highway.
- There is a toll that must be paid in order to cross the bridge.


Best wishes,
André

Present and Past simple

Practicing is never too much...

Present

http://worldofenglish.com/exe.php?Tenses/Simple/Present/build.tra
http://www.isabelperez.com/pr-simple.htm
http://www.isabelperez.com/pr-simple-neg.htm
http://www.isabelperez.com/q1.htm
http://www.isabelperez.com/q-a-easy.htm
http://www.isabelperez.com/presentne.htm

Past

http://worldofenglish.com/exe.php?Tenses/Simple/Past/forms.mem
http://www.isabelperez.com/happy/tenses/past_simple.htm
http://www.isabelperez.com/exer/pastmix.htm
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simple-past/exercises?04
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simple-past/exercises?02
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simple-past/exercises?05

Best wishes,
André

CONDITIONALS 4

ZERO CONDITONAL = TRUE FACT
.
The construction is:
.
IF + verb (simple preset conjugation) = verb (simple present conjugation)
.
.
If it doesn't rain, plants don't grow.
.
Water boils if you heat it to 100 degrees.
.
Turn the lights off if you want the room to get dark.
.
If I drink coffee, I get a headache.
.
OBS: The conjunction IF can often be substituted by the words WHEN or UNLESS.
.
Take a look at the links below:
.
http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/StudyZone/330/grammar/0cond1.htm
http://www.englishgrammarsecrets.com/type0/exercise1.html
http://www.englishgrammarsecrets.com/type0/exercise2.html
http://www.stclaresenglish.net/langprac/con0ex1.htm
.
Best wishes,
André

CONDITIONALS 3

THIRD CONDITIONAL = UNREAL / IMAGINARY PAST
.
The construction is:
.
IF + verb (past perfect conjugation) =
WOULD/COULD/MIGHT HAVE + past participle verb
.
.
If I'd known you'd bring cookies to the party, I would've brought sth different.
(we both brought cookies)
.
Mary could have injured herself if she hadn't been wearing the seat belt.
(she didn't injure herself)
.
Jack wouldn't have met his friends if he had stayed home.
(he met his friends)
.
If you'd been more careful, you might not have broken the glass.
(you broke the glass)
.
Take a look at this interesting explanation with illustrative examples:
.
http://www.learnenglish.org.uk/gr_movie/s_3_cond/index.htm
.
Take a look at the links below:
.
http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/StudyZone/410/grammar/3cond1.htm
http://www.better-english.com/grammar/con31.htm
http://www.learn4good.com/languages/evrd_grammar/3rdconditional.php3
http://www.mariposa-services.com/pages/e5cond3_match.htm
.
You should remember this kind of conditional indicates sth is IMAGINARY in the past.
.
Best wishes,
André