4 Ways to Master English Vocabulary

The best way to learn English vocabulary is by topics with explanations of meaning, examples of usage and subsequent exercises. It is possible to practice English vocabulary through exercises in listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. Learners of English should have lists of difficult word meanings and of phrases (expressions) on every topic with usage sentences. They must read those ready-made vocabulary usage sentences many times if needed. Longman Language Activator Dictionary (unique English Idea Production Dictionary) covers this issue thoroughly. It is essential that learners also make up their own sentences with that vocabulary, taking into consideration real life situations.Students of English can learn a lot of vocabulary on every topic from thematic English dictionaries. Good thematic English dictionaries provide clear word usage explanations and also a few usage sentences for each word meaning, which is especially important. It is essential that students of English also make up their own sentences with difficult vocabulary. They should think about the real life situations where and when that vocabulary can be used.Do ready-made exercises from textbooks in vocabulary practice. Exercises in vocabulary pra ctice can include dialogues, narrations (telling stories), thematic texts, questions and answers in various situations, discussions, talking points, and expressing opinions and views on real life topics and issues.Learners can also master new English vocabulary by reading thematic texts (materials) on everyday topics with important content, for example, Practical Tips and Advice to Make Everyday Life Easier and Better (practical solutions for everyday problems). Such self-help books on settling everyday matters are available at bookstores. Learners must write down unknown vocabulary in whole sentences. It is essential that they practice speaking the content of the texts that they have read. As people say, practice makes perfect. Thematic General English Dictionaries Longman Language Activator (Unique idea production English dictionary, very valuable for solid vocabulary acquisition). There is also Longman Pocket Activator Dictionary. Longman English dictionaries are the most authoritative.Longman Lexicon of Contemporary English.The Oxford-Duden Pictorial English Dictionary (by J. Pheby, 1995, 816 pages).Oxford Learners Wordfinder Dictionary.Word Menu (dictionary by Stephen Glazier, Random House, USA, over 75,000 words arranged by subject matter).Cambridge Word Selector/Routes.NTCs Dictionary of Everyday American English Expressions (over 7,000 phrases arranged by topics).

My Personal Feelings of Self Worth Essay - 579 Words

People’s self-esteem either high or low is shaped by their life experiences. I believe a person’s self-esteem begins to take shape at an early age, with their parents being a major influence. Kind, positive, knowledgeable and caring parents help children create a positive self-image. Parents who do not feel good about themselves or others, sometimes take it out on their childern by belittling them or discouraging them. This leads the child down a path of self-doubt and eventually given the right circumstances a lower self-esteem. My parents where very overprotective which sounds good on the surface, but this caused me to feel unequal to my peers since my parents would not let me play sports or even go on a field trip one time because†¦show more content†¦If that was not enough to deal with, I also have red hair and freckles so I was constantly teased about my appearance. All this contributed to my own lack of self-confidence and a feeling that I was not as good as my peers. These are some experiences that have shaped my self-esteem. I do not portend to make excuses for myself; I only want to illustrate that you can let these experiences either motivate you or de-motivate you, the choice is always yours. I let these life experiences de-motivate until I came to the realization that you should not let others determine your fate or what you can achieve. Years ago I read a passage in a book by: â€Å"Louise L. Hay† she said; every morning you can get up and look in the mirror and decide what kind of day you are going to have.† The beauty of it is, you can get up the following morning and decide all over again. This is a powerful statement, letting us know we have the power to control our feelings and shape our outlook on life. If you are telling yourself positive things, it will help you build a positive self-esteem. Example: Not long ago a golfer on the PGA Tour, was having trouble with his putting, he was losing confidence, it was starting to effect his whole game and his self-esteem since even the TV Announcers, where talking about his putting troubles. He choose to start telling himself that he was a great putter of the golf ball and in a shortShow MoreRelatedHow Therapy Should Be Focused On The Patient1523 Words   |  7 PagesMy opinion is that therapy should be focused on the patient, and a deeply important part of the patient is their culture. Culture is never the same for each person—even if they are the same race. Gender, race, ethnicity, social class and many other factors affect each individual differently, a concept known as intersectionality. Each one of us forms our own self-concept based on our own subjective experiences. The same way culture affects every person differently, each person has a motivating forceRead MoreEssay The Communication Process693 Words   |  3 Pagesmore. 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Music Appreciation Test 2 Study Guide Example For Students

Music Appreciation Test 2 Study Guide The word baroque has at various times meant all of the following except naturalistic Modern historians use the term baroque to indicate a particular style in the arts All of the following were baroque painters except Isaac Newton Baroque painters exploited their materials to expand the potential of ____ to create totally structured worlds. All answers are correct: color, ornament and detail, depth Baroque style flourished in music during the period 1600-1750 The baroque, as a stylistic period in western art music, encompassed the years 1600-1750 The two giants of baroque composition were George Frideric Handel and Johann Sebastian Bach All of the following were major baroque composers except Wolfgang A. Mozart Which of the following statements is not true? A. Baroque art is a complex mixture of rationalism, sensuality, materialism and spirituality. B. The late baroque period was one of the most revolutionary periods in music history. C. Early baroque composers favored homophonic texture over the polyphonic texture typical of Renaissance music. D. Regardless of form, baroque music features contrasts between bodies of sound. B. The late baroque period was one of the most revolutionary periods in music history. One of the most revolutionary periods in music history was the early baroque The early baroque was characterized by homophonic texture The early baroque period spanned the years 1600-1640 Monteverdi, an early baroque composer, strove to create music that was passionate and dramatic The early and late baroque periods differed in that composers in the early baroque favored homophonic texture The middle baroque was characterized by a diffusion of the style into every corner of Europe The middle baroque period spanned the years 1640-1690 Composers in the middle baroque phase favored writing compositions for instruments of the ________ family. violin By about _______, major or minor scales were the tonal basis of most compositions. 1680 Instrumental music became as important as vocal music for the first time in the ________ period. late baroque The late baroque period spanned the years 1690-1750 Affections in baroque usage refers to emotional states or moods of music A baroque musical composition usually expresses _________ within the same movement. one basic mood The baroque principle of _______ may be temporarily suspended in vocal music when drastic changes of emotion in a text inspires corresponding changes in the music. unity of mood The compelling drive and energy in baroque music are usually provided by repeated rhythmic patterns Baroque melodies often are elaborate and ornamental Baroque melodies give the impression of dynamic expansion Melodic sequence refers to the successive repetition of a musical idea at higher or lower pitches A characteristic often found in baroque melodies is a short opening phrase followed by a longer phrase with an unbroken flow of rapid notes Terraced dynamics refers to the sudden alteration from one dynamic level to another In the baroque era, dynamics consisted mainly of sudden alterations between loud and soft called terraced dynamics The main keyboard instruments of the baroque period were the organ and the harpsichord A popular keyboard instrument in which sound was produced by means of brass blades striking the strings was the clavichord The most characteristic feature of baroque music is its use of basso continuo A bass part together with numbers (figures) that specify the chords to be played above it is called basso continuo The orchestra evolved during the baroque period into a performing group based on instruments of the ________ family. violin The word movement in music normally refers to a piece that sounds fairly complete and independent but is part of a larger composition Which of the following statements is not true? A. A large courrt during the baroque period might employ more than 80 performers, including the finest opera singers of the day. B. Audiences in the baroque period were most anxious to hear old familiar favorites, and did not care for new music. C. In Italy, music schools were often connected with orphanages. D. Church musicians in the baroque period earned lower pay and had less status than court musicians. B. Audiences in the baroque period were most anxious to hear old familiar favorites, and did not care for new music. A large court during the baroque period might employ about ________ performers. 80 The music director of a baroque court was usually not responsible for publicity in reaching an audience Frederick the Great, king of Prussia, was a All answers are correct: flutist, general, composer The position of the composer during the baroque period was that of a high-class servant with few personal rights In the baroque period, the ordinary citizens opportunities for hearing music usually came from the church In Italy, music schools were often connected with orphanages To get a job, a musician had to pass a difficult examination A concerto grosso most often has ______ movement(s). three The large group of players in a concerto grosso is known as the tutti The concerto grosso most often has three movements whose tempo markings are fast, slow, fast The first and last movements of the concerto grosso are often in _____ form. ritornello Which of the following statements are not true? A. A concerto grosso normally involves two to four soloists, and anywhere from eight to twenty or more musicians for the tutti. B. A concerto grosso persents a contrast of texture between the tutti and the soloists, who assert their individuality and appeal for attention through brilliant and fanciful melodic lines. C. A concerto grosso normally involves a large group of soloists accompanied by an equal number of supporting players. D. The first and last movements of a concerto grossi are often in ritornello form, a form that features the alteration between tutti and solo selections. C. A concerto grosso normally involves a large group of soloists accompanied by an equal number of supporting players. The solo instruments in Bachs Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 are the _______, violin and harpsichord. flute Bachs Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 is unusual in that it gives a solo role to the harpsichord A musical ornament consisting of the rapid alteration of two tones that are a whole of half step apart is a trill A polyphonic composition based on one main theme is the fugue The main theme of a fugue is called the subject When the subject of a fugue is presented in the dominant scale, it is called the answer In many figures, the subject in one voice is constantly accompanied in another voice by a different melodic idea called a(n) countersubject Transitional sections of a fugue that offer either new material or fragments of the subject or countersubject are called episodes ________ is a musical procedure in which a fugue subject is imitated before it is completed. stretto A _______ is a single tone, usually in the bass, that is held while the other voices produce a series of changing harmonies against it. pedal point Turning the subject of a fugue upside down, or reversing the direction of each interval, is called inversion Presenting the subject of a fugue from right to left, or beginning with the last and proceeding backward to the first note, is called retrograde Presenting the subject of a fugue in lengthened time values is called augmentation Presenting the subject of a fugue in shortened time values is called diminution Very often an independent fugue is introduced by a short piece called a(n) prelude An _________ is a play, set to music, sung to orchestral accompaniment, with scenery, costumes and action. opera The text, or book, of a musical dramatic work is called the libretto Which of the following statements is not true? A. The terms ensemble and chorus are synonymous. B. Voice categories in opera are divided more finely than in other musical genres. C. Operas may contain spoken dialogue, but most are sung entirely. D. Opera soloists must create a wide variety of characters, and so need acting skills as well as vocal artistry. A. The terms ensemble and chorus are synonymous. A song for solo voice with orchestral accompaniment is called a/an aria ________ refers to a vocal line that imitates the rhythms and pitch fluctuations of speech. recitative A _________ is a singer with a low range who usually takes comic roles. basso buffo A _________ is a singer with a very low range and powerful voice, who usually takes roles calling for great dignity. basso profundo A(n) _________ is a musical number for two solo voices with orchestral accompaniment. duet A(n) ___________ is an operatic number involving three or more leading singers. ensemble The ____________ is the person who beats time, indicates expression, cues in musicians, and controls the balance among instruments and voices. conductor An ____________ is an orchestral composition performed before the curtain rises on a dramatic work. overture Members of the Camerata wanted to create a new vocal style based on the music of the ancient Greek tragedies The members of the Camerata wanted the vocal line of their music to follow the rhythms and pitch fluctuations of speech Most early baroque operas were based on Greek mythology and ancient history Which of the following statements are not true? A. Most early baroque operas were based on Greek mythology and ancient history. B. The members of the Florentine Camerata based their theories on actual dramatic music that had come down to them from the Greeks. C. The members of the Florentine Camerata wanted to create a new vocal style modeled on the music of ancient Greek tragedy. D. Polyphonic was rejected by the members of the Florentine Camerata because different words sounding simultaneously would obscure the text. B. The members of the Florentine Camerata based their theories on actual dramatic music that had come down to them from the Greeks. The first opera house in Europe to offer entry to anyone with the price of admission opened in 1637 in Venice The earliest opera that has been preserved is Jacopo Peris Euridice The stage machinery of baroque opera bordered on the colossal

Why is the study of dance history important free essay sample

To fully understand the history of dance we must look at what dance means to us today in our every day lives. How does dance influence what you do on a day to day basis, how has it shaped who you’ve come to be. I see dance today as both an art form, and something used socially to draw people together usually for celebratory purposes. Living in New York gives you the opportunity to come across various forms of dance. You could be taking the train and encounter break dancers giving you a performance, expressing themselves in order to survive. You could go to virtually any park in the city and encounter spontaneous dance shows of people showcasing their talents to the public. You also run into many informal versions of dance that still allow people a form of expression indoors, whether its at a party, a club, a theater, school, at home. All these versions of dance we encounter everyday and they shape our everyday lives. We as a society rely on dance as a form of entertainment, making a living, gathering socially, self expression, celebration, even can be used as a form of argument or protest. For some dance plays some of these larger roles and for some the latter, yet I can with confidence say dance plays a role in everyone’s lifetime, and therefore we should find importance in its study. This is why I think the study of dance history is important. Studying how dance has become such a vital part to our everyday lives, finding when and where its made the biggest social and political impacts. How each and every culture we encounter encounters dance in their lives as well. Dance seems to me to be a universal experience for everyone; it may not be any one form of dance, but dance itself that can bring us together. It also helps us understand what influences are in our forms of more modern dance, did these moves just appear or have they adapted from other historical forms of danced and have helped evolve into a new form of dance. Do modern day dances pull influences from past cultural dances. One form of dance that really grew fast, that is performed both professionally, and in our own homes, that truly can be seen as a realistic form of expression is hip-hop. Hip-hop and its influence on our ideas of personal identity Hip-hop has helped form ideas about race and class, in a time period that was also politically reforming these ideas. Hip-hop originated in New York in the 1960’s and 70’s in New York, more specifically in areas of financial squalor, and mainly originated form African American people. It could be seen as way for people to express themselves. Hip-hop wasn’t formed racially specific though, in a sense anyone who could do the dance would it wasn’t a way to show that one race was better than another. It was just a form of dance that became popularized because it didn’t require any formal training to be good at it, you could perform virtually anywhere and everywhere and it would still be considered a form of art, your audience didn’t have to be in a theater. This shows that any class of people whether you had money or not could be good at this. Hip-hop was a dance for everyone not one specific group or race or class, it was basically for anyone who was good at dancing to show people just how good they were. Another aspect of hip hop that was culturally different in the identity of people was that it had no set moves or restrictions. It was mainly freestyle, with influences form many other dances, and often used as a form of competition. Hip-hop really gained ground and popularity in the 80’s and 90’s. The reason that hip-hop became more of a universal dance, one that didn’t have to be seen as racially specific, is because in a sense it was a nonviolent way to bring on a new cultural beginning where equality was beginning to take place, society had to recognize that things would be different, Hip-hop grew because of its diversity, it included influence from all forms of dance, whether it was from Latin forms such as salsa or even more popularized dance from white culture such as ballet, it brought together all forms of dance into one. It helped a generation of young poor people a way to express what they were going through and to fight against it in an artistic expression. It was a more harsh aggressive form of dance, that helped bring on and shape a new era. With it it brought a new sense of American culture, influencing many one the way they act, dress, and communicate in social settings. It formed many peoples identities by giving them something they could identify with. Something that could culturally bring people together. Diedre Sklar,wrote an article in the DCA (Dance Critics Association) news, titled â€Å"Five Premises for a Culturally Sensitive Approach to Dance†. The very first premise, is the one I can connect most to hip-hop. â€Å"Movement knowledge is a kind of cultural knowledge,† hip-op movement is a cultural knowledge of the time period. A dance that shows the progression of broken down barriers and the submergence of the celebration of diversity. â€Å"All movement must be considers as an embodiment of cultural knowledge, a kinesthetic equivalent, that is not quite equivalent, to using the local language. Movement is an essential aspect of culture that has been undervalued and under examined and even trivialized. † We can consider hip-hop â€Å"an embodiment of cultural knowledge† because of when, where and how it emerged and became popularized. Hip-hops emergence out of less fortunate African American communities in the Bronx and Brooklyn just after a time period where there was much more racial segregation a time where you could not always verbally express yourself and speak out. It was a way of showing that even though you haven’t had the best opportunities or you cant reach people on a larger level verbally you could hit them at the heart of the streets through your movement. A movement that ties all influences of other dances together, in turn bringing different cultures other than African Americans into the popularization of hip-hop. It was a way to show how American culture itself was beginning to change, beginning to accept others, although I cannot say we are fully there, hip-hop has definitely has had a great influence on this change though. This leads me too believe that hip-hop can be seen as a culturally significant dance in the west. Although seemingly very different than some traditional dances, that have a set movement, and set steps, as well as dances that have some religious purpose, hip-hop in its own way creates a sort of tradition and influence on society like these dances do to their specific groups. Upon reading the article â€Å"An Anthropologist looks at ballet as a form of ethnic dance† by Joann Kealiinohomoku, I found myself applying this to the idea of hip-hop as an ethnic dance. In this article she argues that by current definitions of ethnic dance, and current definitions of dance ballet should be considered an ethnic dance not something seen universally. We are given a definition of ethnic â€Å"a group which holds in common genetic, linguistic, and cultural ties with special emphasis of cultural tradition. † Applied to dance this can be given to describe any number of forms of dances across the world whether it be hip-hop, salsa, or even line dancing. Hip-hop’s special emphasis is American cultural tradition, born out of a new age and out of poverty it brings together that generation of people and still continues to tie together this generation, often young adults. It is a form of western expression and creativity, although you wouldn’t conventionally consider it an ethnic dance; because it isn’t to speak to the gods or some part of religious ceremony; but by our definitions we have come to recognize it is indeed an ethnic dance. Kealiinohomoku states â€Å"every group has had its own unique history and has been subject to both internal and external modifications. The internal modifications of hip-hop could depend on new moves, new people, the area in the country at which it is being performed, the music being danced too. Some of the external modifications can be society, the media, and how the dance itself is being viewed by the world. Hip-hop is still alive and thriving today, but it does not necessarily follow the same movements form which it first originated. Hip-hop music in the 1970’s and 80’s certainly doesn’t match the modern day music we currently attribute to hip-hop although there are similarities in beat and subject matter. Hip-hop though is still popularized as a form of freestyle dance competition where merit is based on spontaneity and talent, rather than following a set choreographed list of movement. It allows for the culture to have more of an artistic expression in dance to form identities of yourself through your movement, rather than just the story or emotion tied to the movement. Dance in the entertainment industry used to be a predominately white industry, with virtually no African American influence. There were very few if any popularized African American dancers among the North American society. One of those few was Juba, he had mastered the art form of African American step/tap dancing and drew many of his influences form dances slaves passed from generation to generation. He was one of the â€Å"blackface minstrels† that would perform with white minstrels in shows and were to be considered exotic forms of dance (Winter). This type and many other types of dances that originated out of this era have a great influence on hip-hop. Before this time it was rare to see such performances by African Americans, but during this era there was such a movement at the heart of the streets that it became popularized by all ethnicities. The different step dances, tribal dances, street dances, and even ballet can be seen in te movements of hip-hop dancers, drawing their inspiration from all types of dances in American culture and centralizing it collectively into one singular form of dance known as hip-hop. The fact that Hip-hop is still continuing to be popularized today shows how universally strong it has influenced the culture of American society and has in turn become America’s form of ethnic dance. This in turn, is essentially why it is important to study the history of dance in order to understand where and how we came from the past to where we are today and how it influenced our current cultural experiences with dance. Some of the same moves we currently use today are influenced by the moves of past generations.