Lesson #16
1. At last - here you are! - the last portion of the Opposite Words List!
NEWS!
shout - whisper - yell!
frequent - infrequent
shrink - expand
thaw - freeze
foolish - wise
simple - complicated
smart - dumb
soft - hard
merciful - cruel
miserable - happy
UH...
2. Now - we have a huge task to accomplish today (or tonight - depends on your schedule). We'll be doing our presentation! Sorry to say it - but I did my first - and I thought it was really perfect. Now... now I see how courageous a doer I was - knowing nothing - and DID it! And you may do it too...
But - really - how has it to be done properly?
I'll bring you some main items on the subject - and all will be clearly and distinctly in your wise head!
OK, the first thing to do is to make a structure of your presentation. It has to be logical - mostly the presentations are organised in three parts, followed by questions.
Here they are - all three of them
a) Introduction - you have to :
welcome your audience; introduce your subject; explain the structure of your presentation (the first item, next, the last one...); explain rules for questions( (that is - when the audience can give you their questions - during the presentation, or after it).
Then goes :
b) a body of presentation - there you present the subject itself... At the very beginning you have to decide will it be there place for jokes - or your meeting will be going in the strict academic way.
After - goes part c:
c) conclusion - where you summarize your presentation, thank your audience and invite questions.
OK, if you make the presentation - so, you have smth wise to say to all these people... And people make notes before the presentations!
Some people make notes on small, A6 cards. Some people write down just the title of each section of their talk. Some people write down keywords to remind them. In such a way you'll memorize everything you need to say!
After... It's a whole feast for your mind!
Rehearsal
Practiсe your presentation two or three times so that you: become more familiar with what you want to say; identify weaknesses in your presentation. In addition you can practiсe difficult pronunciations; also you can check the time that your presentation takes and make any necessary modifications.
Keywords And Notes
Keep in mind that you have to prepare notes and keywords instead of a text. Your objective is not to show everybody the top of your head while reading your beautiful text. The objective is speaking, (apparently) spontaneous speaking! In such a way you'll become a fascinated, knowing your subject speaker - not soporific as it could be instead!
As to the voice quality - VARY IT! So the subject will be more interesting for your audience - nobody will be asleep at your lectures! You can vary your speed, volume and intonation, make stresses where you think it is appropriate aiming to attract your audience's interest - and you can keep silence! Yes - you can stop completely! Silence is a very good technique for gaining your audience's attention.
Simplicity and Clarity of your massage:
If you want your audience to understand you properly - your language must be simple and clear: use short words and rather short sentences; never use jargon; talk more about concrete facts than abstract ideas; use active verbs instead of passive verbs for better understanding. Keep in mind that among your audience could be foreigners - not only native speakers, and they have to understand every word you have prepared to say to them!
DO REMEMBER THE GOLDEN RULE about repetition in presentations:
"SAY WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO SAY, SAY IT, THEN SAY WHAT YOU HAVE JUST SAID." In such a way you'll use the three parts of your presentation to reinforce your message! In the introduction, say what your message is going to be. In the body, say your real message. In the conclusion, say what your message was.
Remember: Practice Makes Perfect!
3. Grammar Time
Maybe you've understood - in language learning repetition is our EVERYTHING!
So - we do not cram here - we just repeat - as my teacher used to say in my school days: you must know the rule even if they awake you in the middle of the night! It has to jump from your teeth! and other bullshit - and she was half-right! The other way is just listening and speaking - create the English-speaking ambiance around you! In 6 months you'll be much more better than now!
4. Slang To Be Continued!
- FLOG
I managed to flog my car for a really good price! Slang word for 'sell'.
- FORTNIGHT
Две недели. Это сокращение от “fourteen nights”, четырнадцать ночей.
I’ve been really ill for the past fortnight, and still haven’t recovered. - means 'two weeks'.
- GOBSMACKED
Derives from mouth - gob; to slap - to smack It's rather simple, uh?
the whole expression means to be astonished, shocked...
I can’t believe I passed that exam! I thought I was going to fail, I’m completely gobsmacked!
Splashed out
- SPLASH OUT
I wanted to give Sarah a special treat for her birthday, so I splashed out on a very romantic trip. — means to spend too much money.
- GRUB / NOSH
The both words mean to snack on.
I’m going to get some grub for myself from the local takeaway. Do you want anything? - - BEE’S KNEES
Means smth amazing, awesome, startling or unique:
You should see my new sound-system, it’s the bee’s knees!
I don’t like Harvey very much, he thinks he’s the bee’s knees! (hub of the universe)
- GUTTED
to bowel, to paunch the usual meaning. Here: to be extremely upset
I’m so gutted I failed my driving test, again!
- PEANUTS
low cost, law wages - pennies, meager salary.
I hate my job. I have to work such long hours, and I get paid peanuts.
You should buy your clothes online. You can find some great designs for peanuts! Here: next to nothing
- TO HAGGLE
Means: to beat down the price, to bargain
The last time I went shopping with my mum, she was haggling for something that was already really cheap!
I managed to haggle the price of this dress down by 25 %!
I managed to haggle the price!
- JOLLY
The word used in varied situations, but its main meaning is 'very': jolly good= very well.
— Don’t worry, I will pay you back before the end of this month.
— I should jolly well think so! - I hope very much!
- THROW A SPANNER IN THE WORKS
Its main meaning :
interfere, obstruct, destroy. A spanner = a wrench.
I managed to keep the surprise a secret, right up until the day before my sister’s birthday, then he threw a spanner in the works by telling her! — Я хранил сюрприз в секрете почти до дня рождения сестры, а потом он все испортил, рассказав ей!
4. Now, please, give them freedom on Phrase me.com! Real feast for your hungry Memory, my dear friends!
5. And here the last item of our today's schedule - it's.. about that native way to pronounce the words in the UK!
Pronunciation: 8 steps with Papa
Now you know a lot about them - all these rhotic-schwa-silent sounds!
Good for you!
Bye!
