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Friday, December 8, 2006
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Saving Private Ryan 1
Based on the screenplay by ROBERT RODAT
Introduction
Boys became men as they crossed the killing zone of Omaha Beach often dead men, but men. Running, shouting, screaming, crawling on hands and knees, they moved toward the sea wall. Men whose rifles had sand in them, or who had lost their weapons in the water, grabbed guns from the dead. Shell holes provided temporary shelter; a tank provided cover. As some men were hit, other soldiers picked up the wounded and carried them. Others could not be helped. The sound of wounded and dying men filled the air: "Mama! Mother! Mom!"
Thousands of kilometers from this Normandy beach, a mother in Iowa will soon receive terrible news. Three of her four sons are dead, victims of the war. The Pentagon comes to a quick decision. The fourth brother must com home safely, if it is not too late. The task of bringing him from the killing fields is given to Captain Miller and his men. But can they save him? And can they themselves? This is a story of the real horrors of war, but also of courage and self-discovery.
Praised by audiences and reviewers around the world, Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan is an unforgettable film achievement. The novel based on the movie was written by Max Allan Collins. He has written thrillers, film criticism, short fiction, songs, and other novels from movies and TV series, including In the Line of Fire, Waterworld, and Air force One. Collins has also written, directed, and produced independent films.
Introduction
Boys became men as they crossed the killing zone of Omaha Beach often dead men, but men. Running, shouting, screaming, crawling on hands and knees, they moved toward the sea wall. Men whose rifles had sand in them, or who had lost their weapons in the water, grabbed guns from the dead. Shell holes provided temporary shelter; a tank provided cover. As some men were hit, other soldiers picked up the wounded and carried them. Others could not be helped. The sound of wounded and dying men filled the air: "Mama! Mother! Mom!"
Thousands of kilometers from this Normandy beach, a mother in Iowa will soon receive terrible news. Three of her four sons are dead, victims of the war. The Pentagon comes to a quick decision. The fourth brother must com home safely, if it is not too late. The task of bringing him from the killing fields is given to Captain Miller and his men. But can they save him? And can they themselves? This is a story of the real horrors of war, but also of courage and self-discovery.
Praised by audiences and reviewers around the world, Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan is an unforgettable film achievement. The novel based on the movie was written by Max Allan Collins. He has written thrillers, film criticism, short fiction, songs, and other novels from movies and TV series, including In the Line of Fire, Waterworld, and Air force One. Collins has also written, directed, and produced independent films.
Sunday, November 26, 2006
Hairstyles in ancient times
People have been concerned with their hair since ancient times. In 1500 B.C., the Assyrians, inhabiting the area know today as North Iraq, were the world's first true hairstylists. Their skills at cutting, curling, layering and dyeing hair were known throughout the Middle East. In fact, they were obsessed with their hair, which was oiled, perfumed, and tinted. A fashionable courtier wore his hair cut in neat geometric layers. Kings, soldiers, and noblewomen had their hair curled with a fire-heated iron bar, probably the world's first curling iron. So important was hair styling in Assyria that law dictated certain types of hairstyles according to a person's position and employment. Facial hair was also important. Men grew beards down to their chests and had them clipped in layers. High-ranking women in both Egypt and Assyria wore fake beards during official court business to show their equal authority with men.
Like the Assyrians, the early Greeks liked long, scented, curly hair. Fair hair was favored over dark, so those who were not "natural blonds" lightened or reddened their hair with soaps and bleaches. The Romans, on the other hand, favored dark hair for men for high social or political rank. Early Saxon men were neither blonds nor brunets but dyed their hair and beards blue, red, green, and orange.
Over the centuries, societies have combed, curled, waved, powdered, dyed, cut, coiffed, and sculpted their hair, or someone else's during times of wig crazes. Churches and lawmakers have sometimes tried to put a stop to the human obsession with hair, but with little success. It seems hairstyling is here to stay, and the future will likely prove no exception.
Like the Assyrians, the early Greeks liked long, scented, curly hair. Fair hair was favored over dark, so those who were not "natural blonds" lightened or reddened their hair with soaps and bleaches. The Romans, on the other hand, favored dark hair for men for high social or political rank. Early Saxon men were neither blonds nor brunets but dyed their hair and beards blue, red, green, and orange.
Over the centuries, societies have combed, curled, waved, powdered, dyed, cut, coiffed, and sculpted their hair, or someone else's during times of wig crazes. Churches and lawmakers have sometimes tried to put a stop to the human obsession with hair, but with little success. It seems hairstyling is here to stay, and the future will likely prove no exception.
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
The Brain
The human brain weighs about 3.5 pounds. During the first six months of a baby's life, its brain doubles in size. A man's brain is heavier than a woman's brain. People's brains weigh more now than they did 100 years ago. Brain cells use up a lot of energy, so they need a constant supply of oxygen. The brain weighs one-fiftieth as much as the body, but uses one-fourth (25 percent) of the body's oxygen.
The brain can store 100 trillion pieces of information. In each second the brain receives more than 100 million nerve messages from the body. The brain loses 1,000 cells per day, which are not replaced, and yet memories are maintained.
The brain cannot feel pain. If a surgeon operates on the brain, the patient feels no pain.
The left side of the brain controls the right side of the body; the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body. Each hemisphere of the brain receives information about the opposite side of the visual field. If you are a right-handed, you have a strong left brain; if you are left-handed, you have a strong right brain. The left brain controls math, language, and logic. The right brain controls art, color, and music. A jazz musician has a dominant right brain. When you play a game of chess, you use the left side of your brain.
Grammar 1 – Nouns
Singular and Plural Nouns
Nouns can be classified into two groups: count name; which can be counted and which take an s, and noncount nouns, which cannot be counted and which usually do not take an s.
Look at the following examples:
Count noun
Singular
A cell - one cell
Plural
Cells – two cells – some cells – a lot of cells – many cells
Noncount noun
Information – some information – a lot of information – much information
Count nouns
1- Take a/an or one in the singular.
2- Usually take a final s/es in the plural.
Noncount nouns
1- Do not take a/an in the singular.
2- Do not generally have a plural form.
Some count nouns are irregular and do not take an s in the plural. Here are some common irregular count nouns.
Singular- Plural
man – men
woman – women
child – children
foot – feet
tooth – teeth
fish - fish
Noncount nouns cannot be counted because they come in a mass or in an uncountable form. Nouns such as blood, music, and excitement cannot be counted. The following is a short list of some noncount nouns:
Food:
rice, sugar, fruit, milk, bread, butter, cheese
Fluids:
blood, water, oil, coffee, tea, gasoline
Raw materials:
wood, paper, glass, iron, silver, wool
Gases:
oxygen, nitrogen, air, pollution, stream
General:
furniture, mail, money, traffic, equipment
Groups:
jewelry, machinery, luggage, clothing, cash
Languages:
English, Chinese, Japanese, Spanish
Academic subjects:
chemistry, mathematics, psychology
Abstract things:
education, health, intelligence, beauty, knowledge, sleep, sleep, hope, music, time
Quantifiers
A quantifier is a word that indicates an amount or quantity.
1- Some quantifiers are used only with plural count nouns.
both – many – a few – several – fewer
They are controlled by several nerves.
We have fewer cells as we get older.
2- Some quantifiers are used only with singular count nouns.
another – each – every
Each gland has a different purpose.
Every muscle has its own group of nerves.
3- Some quantifiers are used only with noncount nouns.
a little – much – less – amount
The amount of oxygen available to the brain is important.
If your brain gets less oxygen than it needs, you could become unconscious.
4- Some quantifiers are used with both plural count nouns and noncount nouns.
all – plenty of – any – a lot of – enough – most – lots of – some – more
Brain cells use up a lot of energy.
Most animals rely on instinct.
Compound Nouns
Compound nouns are two nouns that are used together to make one word or idea. The first noun acts as an adjective to the second noun and usually does not take s. The second noun can be plural.
brain cell – brain wave – computer scientists
Compound nouns may also be used with number expressions.
The brain uses as much power as a ten-watt light bulb. (noun used as an adjective)
The brain uses as much power as a light bulb of ten watts. (noun used as a noun)
He recited a 16,000-page book from memory. (noun used as an adjective)
He recited a book of 16,000 pages from memory. (noun used as a noun)
Numbers
Numbers such as hundred, thousand, million, and trillion are plural when there are no numbers before them.
The brain receives 100 million messages a second.
The brain stores trillions of messages.
Nouns can be classified into two groups: count name; which can be counted and which take an s, and noncount nouns, which cannot be counted and which usually do not take an s.
Look at the following examples:
Count noun
Singular
A cell - one cell
Plural
Cells – two cells – some cells – a lot of cells – many cells
Noncount noun
Information – some information – a lot of information – much information
Count nouns
1- Take a/an or one in the singular.
2- Usually take a final s/es in the plural.
Noncount nouns
1- Do not take a/an in the singular.
2- Do not generally have a plural form.
Some count nouns are irregular and do not take an s in the plural. Here are some common irregular count nouns.
Singular- Plural
man – men
woman – women
child – children
foot – feet
tooth – teeth
fish - fish
Noncount nouns cannot be counted because they come in a mass or in an uncountable form. Nouns such as blood, music, and excitement cannot be counted. The following is a short list of some noncount nouns:
Food:
rice, sugar, fruit, milk, bread, butter, cheese
Fluids:
blood, water, oil, coffee, tea, gasoline
Raw materials:
wood, paper, glass, iron, silver, wool
Gases:
oxygen, nitrogen, air, pollution, stream
General:
furniture, mail, money, traffic, equipment
Groups:
jewelry, machinery, luggage, clothing, cash
Languages:
English, Chinese, Japanese, Spanish
Academic subjects:
chemistry, mathematics, psychology
Abstract things:
education, health, intelligence, beauty, knowledge, sleep, sleep, hope, music, time
Quantifiers
A quantifier is a word that indicates an amount or quantity.
1- Some quantifiers are used only with plural count nouns.
both – many – a few – several – fewer
They are controlled by several nerves.
We have fewer cells as we get older.
2- Some quantifiers are used only with singular count nouns.
another – each – every
Each gland has a different purpose.
Every muscle has its own group of nerves.
3- Some quantifiers are used only with noncount nouns.
a little – much – less – amount
The amount of oxygen available to the brain is important.
If your brain gets less oxygen than it needs, you could become unconscious.
4- Some quantifiers are used with both plural count nouns and noncount nouns.
all – plenty of – any – a lot of – enough – most – lots of – some – more
Brain cells use up a lot of energy.
Most animals rely on instinct.
Compound Nouns
Compound nouns are two nouns that are used together to make one word or idea. The first noun acts as an adjective to the second noun and usually does not take s. The second noun can be plural.
brain cell – brain wave – computer scientists
Compound nouns may also be used with number expressions.
The brain uses as much power as a ten-watt light bulb. (noun used as an adjective)
The brain uses as much power as a light bulb of ten watts. (noun used as a noun)
He recited a 16,000-page book from memory. (noun used as an adjective)
He recited a book of 16,000 pages from memory. (noun used as a noun)
Numbers
Numbers such as hundred, thousand, million, and trillion are plural when there are no numbers before them.
The brain receives 100 million messages a second.
The brain stores trillions of messages.
Monday, November 20, 2006
Lesson 2- Idiom 1
I'm sure they will "give you a fair shake"
Debbie and Valerie are at an audition for the school musical.
Debbie: I can't believe I let you talk me into auditioning for the school musical. When I get this nervous, I can't carry a tune. Look at me! I'm breaking out in a cold sweat!
Valerie: Would you please stop going off the deep end and try to get a hold of yourself?
Debbie: You're right. I'm blowing this all out of proportion. It's just that every time I audition for anything, I feel like I've been put through a wringer when it's all over. I just want them to give me a fair shake. That's all I ask.
Valerie: Hey, there's Nancy. She's the best singer in the entire school. I didn't know she was going to audition for the same part as you.
Debbie: That does it! I'm leaving. I don't have a prayer.
Vocabulary
to talk someone into something :
to convince someone to do something.
to carry a tune:
said of someone who is able to sing on pitch.
to break out in a cold sweat:
to begin perspiring suddenly due to great fear or anxiety.
to go off the deep end:
1. to become upset and irrational
2. to become crazy
to get a hold of oneself:
to get control of one's emotions.
to blow something [all] out of proportion:
to exaggerate
to pu someone through a/the wringer:
to put someone through a strenuous and emotional experience.
to give someone a fair shake
to give someone the same fair treatment as you would give to others.
That does it! :
That's all I can tolerate!
not to have a prayer:
to have no possibility of success in something.
Explains
Dear friends
I will try to write something new 3 times a week.
If you want to read about a special topic please leave your coments here, and if you have any question about texts please do not hesitate to ask your questions.
Regards
Farzin
I will try to write something new 3 times a week.
If you want to read about a special topic please leave your coments here, and if you have any question about texts please do not hesitate to ask your questions.
Regards
Farzin
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