PRECIS 12

Kate Middleton works with personal shoppers for US and Canada wordrobe

Link:http://entertainment.stv.tv/showbiz/260390-kate-middleton-works-with-personal-shoppers-for-us-and-canada-wardrobe/

secure- to make certain that something is protected from danger or risk

The building has only one main entrance and would be easy to secure from/against intruders.

This form of investment money is an excellent way of securing your children's financial future.

upcoming- an upcoming event will happen soon

...the upcoming elections...

Tickets are selling well for the group's upcoming concert tour.

upmarket- upmarket services or goods are designed for people who have a lot of money/describes goods and products that are of very high quality and intended to be bought by people who are quite rich

...upmarket shops/ hotels/restaurants...

Anne chose an upmarket agency aimed at professional people.

lace- light delicate cloth with patterns of small holes in it

...a lace collar...

...pillows egded with lace

thumbs-up- a reaction that shows you like something such as a plan or idea, or that you will accept it

She checked the hall, then gave the others a thumbs-up sign.

So it's the thumbs-up for Brighton's latest night club.

outfit- a set of clothes worn for particular occasion or activity

I've got a cowboy outfit for the fancy dress party.

I need a new outfit for the wedding.

sport- to wear something, often in a way that shows you want people to notice it

He's sporting a T-shirt and a baseball cap like every other 17- year- old.

The front of the car sported a German flag.

Kate Middleton is preparing for her upcoming trip to the US and Canada. She is interested in making a good impression.  Kate is considered to be a fashion icon and she don't want to lose her status.  Because of that, she asked famous fashion designer, Sarah Burton of the Alexander McQueen for advice. Sarah Buron is a person who created a beautiful wedding dress for Kate. Moreover, style advisors from upmarket stores 'Selfridges' and 'Harvey Nichols' will be helping the Duchess of Cambridge. Kate want to be sure that she will have got an outfit for every possible occasion, like Montreal Jazz Festival or a glamorous black-tie reception.

PRECIS 11

Bank robber planned crime and punishment

Link http://www.gastongazette.com/articles/bank-58397-richard-hailed.html

anticipation- a feeling of excitement about something that is going to happen in the near future

There's been an atomsphere of anticipation around here for a few days now.

As with the most pleasures, it's not so much the experience itself as the anticipation that is enjoyable.
execute- to complete something that you have agreed or planned to do
We are going to execute our campaign plan to the letter.
The whole play was executed with great precision.
felon- a person who is guilty of a serious crime
He's a convicted felon.
Now he hopes to be booked as a felon and held in prison.
longevity- the fact of having a long life or existence
...a diet that promotes health and longevity...
To what do you attribute your longevity?
deplete- to reduce the amount of something or the number of things
Wars in the region have depleted the counry's food supplies.
The ilness depletes the body of important vitamins.
teller- someone whose job is to receive and pay out money in a bank
He is a teller.
He handed the teller a note demanding one dollar, and medical attention.
incarcerate- to put or keep someone in prison; imprison
It can cost $40,000 to $50, 000 to incarcerate a prisoner.
Thousands of dissisents have been interrogated and incarcerated.

James Richard Verone is a 59-year-old man who robbed a bank in order to get a medical care which he needed. His story is quite depressing. 

Verone worked as a Coca Cola deliverman for 17 years. However, 3 years ago, he lost his job. Soon afterwards, he found a new one,as a truck driver. Unfortunately, he was dismissed and became jobless again. Eventually, he took a part- time position  as a convenience store clerk. This job had a negative influence on his health. The bending and lifting made his back ache. Moreover he had problems with his left foot and suffered from carpal tunnel syndrome. To make things worse, he noticed a protrusion on his chest. He knew he needed medical help but he had not enough money. His family could help him but he didn't want to be a burden on his sisters and brothers. He decided to apply for Social Security but got only food stamps. He was in severe pain. He considered turning to a homeless shelter or other charitable organization. However, he changed his mind. He turned to a crime. He wanted to receive a free medical  are as a prisoner. On June 9 he robbed a bank. He didn't want to scare anyone. He demanded only one dollar from the teller. He didn't use any weapon. Then, he said the teller that he would sit over there and wait for the police. When the police arrived, Verone was arrested. He expected to be charged with a bank robbery, but was charged with larceny because he only demanded one dollar. However, he said that is his punishment wasn't severe enough, he would commit the crime again. In prison, Verone has already seen some nurses and is scheduled to see a doctor. He hopes to receive back and foot surgery. After spending a few years behind bars, Verone plans to move to the beach : p

PRECIS 10

Rest of Amy Winehouse's European tour in doubt

Link: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110620/ap_on_en_ot/eu_britain_amy_winehouse

overshadow- to cause someone or something seem less important or less happy

Karen has always felt overshadowed by her famous elder sister.

My happiness was overshadowed by the bad news.

meltdown- a complete failure 

The last few months have seen the progressive meltdown of the country's political system.

...fear of a global financial meltdown

shatter- to destroy or seriously damage something

The war shattered this country's economy.

Noisy motorbikes shattered the peace.

jeer- to shout or laugh at someone in an unkind way that shows you have no respect for them

The people at the back of the hall jeered (at) the speaker.

I didn't come here today to jeer: I want to give advice.

stumble- to fall or almost fall while you are walking or running; to walk in a way which does not seem controlled 

We could hear her stumbling around the bedroom.

Cheryl's horse stumbled, throwing her to the ground.

decipher- to discover the mening of something written badly or in a difiicult hidden way; to understand something mysterious or confusing

Can you decipher the writing on this envelope?

I always wonder how people manage to decipher my doctor's handwriting.

startling- surprising and something worrying

Nobody made any response to his startling suggestion.

...startling new evidence...

Amy Winehouse is a very popular singer,who won Grammy Award five times. However, Amy is addicted to alcohol and drugs. Her strong addiction have overshadowed her musical career. A few days ago, she had a very public meltdown on stage in Belgrade. The city was the frist stop of her European summer concert tour.The main goal od the tour was to show that Amy is a talented singer and to make people forget about her problems. Unfortunately, Amy's performance which was a complete disaster, shatterd the goal. The singer stambled around the stage, trying to recall the lyrics of her own songs. The audience had a lot of problems to decipher what song Winehouse was performing! A great number of disappointed and angry fans left the concert hall. After all, Serbian media called the concert a 'scandal', 'the worst in the history of Belgrade'. As a result, Amy refused the payment for the performance. Then, she cancelled the next concerts in Istambul and Athens and came back to London. The Belgrade disaster raised a lot of questions about her ability to perform on stage, before an audience. What is she going to now? In one of her well- known songs she sings "Thy try to make me rehab"..and " I said no, no, no".

PRECIS 9

Filipino declared world's shortest man

Link:http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110612/lf_afp/philippinesguinnessrecordshortest;_ylt=Ajvq355c5IU8ouhI9RWXEx3VJRIF;_ylu=X3oDMTM4dDlzb25iBGFzc2V0A2FmcC8yMDExMDYxMi9waGlsaXBwaW5lc2d1aW5uZXNzcmVjb3Jkc2hvcnRlc3QEcG9zAzE0BHNlYwN5bl9hcnRpY2xlX3N1bW1hcnlfbGlzdARzbGsDZmlsaXBpbm9kZWNs

blacksmith- a person who makes and repairs iron tools and horseshoes

He works as a blacksmith.

The shortest man in the world is a son of a blacksmith.

stature- someone's height

His red hair and short stature made him easy to recognize

She was a little short in stature

crush- a crowd of people all extremely close together, in an area that is too small for them

Franklin and his son somehow got separated in the crush.

...a crush of reporters...

We were scared we'd lose them in the crush.

throng- a large crowd of people

An official pushed through the throng.

A huge throng gathered round the speaker.

meagre- very small or not enough 

...a meagre food supply/ salary...

The prisoners existed on a meagre diet.

sickly- weak, unhealthy, and often ill

...a sickly child...

Her face was a sickly colour when she came out of the dentist's.

enroll- if you enroll at a school or other institution, or if someone enrolls you there, you put your name on the official list of its students or members

Andrew cannot enroll of his local scholl because the class is full.

Is it too late to enroll at the college?

Junrey Balawing from Philippines is celebrating his 18th birthday today. He is declared to be the shortest man in the world. He is only 59.93 cenitmetres tall. Junrey was born in the rural town of Sindagan. He is a son of a blacksmith and has four siblings. He stopped growing when he was a small child. Today, Craig Glenday, editor- in- chief of the Guinness Book of World Records officially measured the boy in front of a crowd of well-wishers. Then, Junrey's father, Reynaldo thanked for supporting his son. He said that Junrey was sickly as a toddler and now has problems with speaking and walking. The parents at first enrolled Junrey at a regular  school but he had to leave it because of his safety. His schoolmates were so curious about him that would even crush him. Junrey's parents and other villagers claim that the boy is someone special. They say he is God's blessing to the family and to the community. 

PRECIS 8

NM boy, 9, becomes youngest to fly balloon solo

Link: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_real_balloon_boy

accomplish- to succeed in doing something, especially something that you have been trying to do for a period of time

His job was to achieve the relesase of the hostages, a task he successfully accomplished.

We didn't accomplish much at work this week.

feat- something impressive and often dangerous that someone does

A racing car is an extraordinary feat of engineering.

...feats of strenght...

composure- the feeling of being calm, confident, and relaxed

I didn't want to lose my composure in front of her.

The interruption gave him time to regain his composure.

douse- to make something or someone wet by throwing a lot of liquid over them

They doused the boy with non- alcoholic champagne.

They hurled  abuse at their victim as they doused him with a petrol.

hazard- something that is dangerous and likely to cause damage

One of the most widespread natural hazards is flooding.

The busy traffic entrance was a hazard to pedestrians.

decorate- to give someone a medal because they have done something brave or good

They were decorated for their bravery. 

They were decorated for their part in the rescue.

solo- alone, without other people

...a solo performance/ flight...

Charles Lindbergh became the very first person to fly solo across the Atlantic.

Bobby Bradley is 9 years old boy. He is famous for his great feat. The boy is the youngest who flew solo in a hot air balloon. Bobby loves air balloons. He has been flying in them for more than half of his life with his parents and other famous pilots. His mother and father are licensed pilots. They won the America's Challenge Gas Balloon Race which is one of the country's biggest event in balloon racing. Bobby is too young to get his pilot's licence so his family and friends constructed the smaller balloon for him. This made his solo flight possible. The flight lasted 26 minutes. More than 50 friends and family members gathered to watch Bobbie's performance. He took off and landed in a perfect way. When he got off his gondola, he was doused with non- alcoholic champage by cheering crowd. His parents were very proud of him.

PRECIS 7

The cancer survivor allergic to modern life

Link: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1387972/Woman-allergic-electricity-Cancer-survivor-sensitive-gadgets-lives-candlelight.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

sensitivity- a tendency to have strong physical reaction to something

The drug can cause sensitivity to sunlight.

...the sensitivity of cells to damage by chemotherapy...

shield- if something or someone shields you from a danger or risk, they protect you from it

He shielded his head from the sun with an old sack.

The ozone layer shields the earth from the sun's ultraviolet rays.

insulation- material used for preventing heat, cold, noise, or electricity from passing through something; protection from heat, cold, noise, or electricity

High electricity bills point to a poor heating system or bad insulation.

The animal's thick fur provides very good insulation against the arctic cold.

deflect- if you deflect something that is moving, you make it go in a slightly different direction, for example by hitting or blocking it; to(cause) to change direction

He deflected the ball away from the goal. 

The crowd cheered as the goalkeeper deflected the shot.

immobilize- to make someone unable to move; to immobilize something or someone means to stop them from moving or operating

Most patients are immobilized by the illness.

...a car alarm system that immobilizes the engine...

susceptibility- the tendency to be easily affected or influenced by something

...his icreased susceptibility to infections

One of the side effects of the drug is an increased susceptibility to infections.

foil- very light, thin sheets of metal used for wrapping things, especially food

Wrap the cheese in foil to keep it moist.

...aluminium foil...

Jannice Tunniclife, who is 55 suffer from a rare condition called electrosensivity (ES). She has a tendency to be very easily affected by the electromagnetic fields produced by electrical devices. It makes her not able to watch TV, use computer, or mobile phone. Her neighbours, in order not to make her health state worse, stopped using wireless internet.

Mrs Tunniclife said that her allergy developed a few years ago and was caused by a course of chemotherapy during treatment for bowel cancer. This poor woman suffer from headaches, chest pains and tingling in her arms and legs when is close to any electrical appliances. She uses an electromagnetic field detector to keep herself away from electrical singnals. She had to remove all the common devices, like a kettle or a frigde, from her home, to diminish her pain. To make matters worse, NHS refused funding her treatment. They say that there is no proved connection between electromagnetic waves and ill health. On the other hand, an organisation which explore the effects of electromagnetic fields says they may influence people's health. 

To make herself feel better, Mrs Tunniclife spends every weekend in the countryside with her husband. It helps her rest from all the electrical signals.

 

:)

Congratulations! I heard that you passed this oral phonetic test well and got good scores. So far so good:-)

:(

I'm really trying to learn for all the exams I have in May but I think it is too much to study. I have to give up phonetics test, because I don't have even one day to learn the transcription:/ Now I'm packing my suitcase because I'm coming back home at 7 o'clock. Tomorrow my boyfriend's nephew has his first Holy Communion. I'll be wonderful day for sure, after the mass, we are invited for a reception in nice restaurant. Nevertheless, I'm still very stressed:-(

Happy Easter!!!

I wish you a very Happy Easter

May your life go well, may you be happy

And your dreams come true.

May your minds be filled with sweet memories and thoughts

And your stomach with good food

Once again I wish you a Happy Easter!

European WOW

I've a subject on my studies that is called: ' Financial institutions of Middle East Europe'. My teacher is a distinguished woman who is from Slovakia. Her polish is very poor. In October, she told us that we should write a paper about European WOW to to get 'zaliczenie'. We started to think what it is, this European WOW. We didn't ask her, because nobody was brave enough to formulate a question in slovak language. Yesterday, we had another lecture with her. She changed her mind and ordered us to write a paper about European Customs Code. It makes us laugh because we have european customs law nex year :p I suppose she is not going to check our papers:p So, the subject ' Financial institutions of Middle East Europe' will be added to the group of subjects titled: 'What's going on?' :p

PRECIS 6

Antisocial teens brains differ

Link: http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2011/04/01/teen-brain-boys-conduct-disorder.html

antisocial- showing a lack of care for other people or society in general; not interesting in meeting other people, or not enjoying friendly relationships with them

...antisocial activities such as dropping litter...

...teenagers who will become agressive and antisocial

conduct- behaviour

bad/excellent/disgraceful conduct...

The club has a strict code(= set of rules) of conduct.

adolescence- a period of your life when you change from being a child to being a young adult.

Some people become very self- conscious in adolescence.

He spent most of his adolescence in a children's home.

peer/peers- your peers are the people who are the same age as you or who have the same status as you

His engaging personality made him popular with his peers.

Few players have gained as much respect form their peers as Bobby Robson.

caution- (v) if someone cautions you, they warn you about problems or danger

Tony cautioned against misrepresenting the situation.

The statement clearly was intended to caution Seoul against attempting to block the council's action again.

grey matter- the grey- brown substance in your brain and spinal cord that consist mainly of the bodies of neurons(=cells that carry messages to and from your brain); you can refer to your intelligence or your brain as grey matter

... an unsolved mathematical equation which has caused his grey matter to work overtime...

It's an entertaining film but it doesn't exactly stimulate the old grey matter.

merely- you use merely to emphasize that something is only what you say and not better, more important, or more exciting; just;simply

Michael is now merely a good friend..

They are offering merely technical assistance

The scientific researches have shown recently that there is a kind of dissimilarity between the brains of belligerent and antisocial male teenagers and the common ones. They point at a difference in the brain's grey matter of boys with conduct disorder compared with the normal teenagers.

Conduct disorder means increased tendency to belligerent and antisocial behaviour and it can begin in an early childhood or later, in adolescence. Boys who suffer from this illness, have the two parts of their brains, the amygdala and the insula greatly smaller than the healthy boys. It makes clear why they have problems with recognizing other's people sentiments. That's because these two regions of the brain are responsible for emotion, perception and empathy.

The researchers say that new, additional tests are needed to find out if these transformations in brain are a cause or a result of the conduct disorder.

Sweet lover

I've just come back home. I'm feeling so sick:( I was in a nice cafe with my friend. I ordered a very large piece of chocolate cake, covered with cherries and liquer. In addition to this- a mug of coffee with a whipped cream. It was all so sweet..I think I oversweetened myself. I always do it because when I see such a wide variety of tasty, beautifully looking cakes I can't stop myself and want to eat it all. Why am I so greedy?:p

Is it beautifull, isn't it?

PRECIS 5

Census spotlights India's 'missing girls'

Link:http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110403/lf_afp/indiapopulationgendersociety;_ylt=AorezvhGHXuih7YVd3d5IobVJRIF;_ylu=X3oDMTMzYm5ycW43BGFzc2V0A2FmcC8yMDExMDQwMy9pbmRpYXBvcHVsYXRpb25nZW5kZXJzb2NpZXR5BHBvcwMxMwRzZWMDeW5fYXJ0aWNsZV9zdW1tYXJ5X2xpc3QEc2xrA2NlbnN1c3Nwb3RsaQ--

census- an occasion on which government officials count the people who live in a country and record other information about them

...statistics from the 2001 census...

...census returns...

spotlight- (v) if something spotlights a particular problem or situation, it makes people notice it and think about it

...a new book spotlighting female entrepreneurs...

The news spotlighted the city's financial problems.

bias- an attitude that you have that makes you treat someone in a way that is unfair or different from the way you treat other people; a tendency to prefer one person or thing to another, and to favour that person or thing; bias against/ towards

Bias against women permeates  every level of the judical system.

They were accused of bias against people over 50.

facilitate- to facilitate an action or process, especially one that you would like to happen, means to make easier or more likely to happen

The new airport will facilitate the development of tourism.

The counsellor may be able to facilitate communication between the couple.

heir- someone who will receive money, property, or a title when another person dies

Richard was now heir to the throne of the Angevin Empire.

Hesketh was the heir to a grocery fortune.

breadwinner- the person who earns the money to support a family,( the money that the family needs for essential things)

I've always paid the bills and been the breadwinner.

I am breadwinner of my family, as I am the only one who makes the money.

hefty- large and heavy

Richard is a really hefty bloke.

If he is found guilty, he faces a hefty fine.

Being a woman in India is very hard. Being a woman in this country is not a privilege. Hindus do not want to have daughters. That is why we can hear about the practice called "sex-selective abortion". This practice means terminating a pregnancy based upon the predicted sex of the fetus. This cruel procedure is now again in the public eyes, because of the last official caunt of the population. The census shows the proportion of female to male kids at its lowest level for 1947. There are only 914 girls for every 1000 boys.

The prejudice against women in India is very strong. Girl is usually seen a burden, because her family must gather a large amount of money, which is given as a dowry to girl's husband when they get married. The fact of killing girls infantis has in India a long "tradition". In the old days girls were choked, drowned, or poisoned. Nowadays, it is easier to get rid of unwanted foetus, using abortion facilitated by low-cost ultrasound technology.

Legal regulations which forbid sex-determination tests are ineffective and skipped all the time. About half a milion female foetuses are aborted every year in India. All the actions that the government has carried out during last years and all the efforts it has made to decrease this number, had a little effect. The matter is that Indian mentality and beliefs must be changed. Indians should understand that they do not have a right to choose if they want a son or a daughter.

...

For me this week was very short...too short truly saying:/ I didn't have a lot of time to learn for the tests:/ Luckily the weather is so good and it gives me a positive energy:-) And what's more, I stopped sneezing:p

PRECIS 4

10 Signs It's Time To Quit Your Job

Link:http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnews/20110328/ts_usnews/10signsitstimetoquityourjob;_ylt=AoM.ZA1YZ40S8qX43zLGtWes0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTQzNXE5a2YyBGFzc2V0A3VzbmV3cy8yMDExMDMyOC8xMHNpZ25zaXRzdGltZXRvcXVpdHlvdXJqb2IEY2NvZGUDbW9zdHBvcHVsYXIEY3BvcwM4BHBvcwM1BHB0A2hvbWVfY29rZQRzZWMDeW5faGVhZGxpbmVfbGlzdARzbGsDMTBzaWduc2l0c3Rp

diminish- to become less; to make something become less; to deliberately make someone or something seem less important than they really are

The intensity of the sound diminished gradually.

Federalism is intended to diminish the power of central state.

I did not intend to diminish the importance of her work.

dread-  (v) if you dread somothing which may happen, you feel very anxious and unhappy about it because you think it will be unpleasant or upsetting; (n) feeling of great anxiety and fear about something that may happen; (adj) terrible and greatly feared
I dread the day when she finds out.
She thought with dread of the cold winters to come.
...a more effective national policy to combat this dread disease...
co-worker- someone who works with you, especially someone with a similar position or status in an organization, colleague, fellow worker
J:Cool, she's hot! But you said you don't date co-workers.
P: She's in a different depertment, so that doesn't make her a co-worker, just a workplace acquaintance.
mesh- a piece of material like a net, made from a lot of closely connected wires, strings etc.
The ground-floor windows are obscured by wire mesh.
...a wire mesh fence...
recession- a period when trade and industry are not successful and there is a lot of unemployment
...the recession in the building industry
The economy was in recession.
jeopardy- if someone or something is in jeopardy, they are in dangerous situation where they might fail, be lost, or be destroyed
His political career was in jeopardy.
The crisis put thousands of jobs in jeopardy.
tell-tale signs- signs that clearly show something has happened or exist, often something that is a secret
They examined the child carefully, looking for tell-tale signs  of abuse.
Especially when it was impossible to hide the sheen on her hair, the colour in her cheeks, the swing in her step- all the tell-tale signs of happiness.

 Here is  a list of signs which suggests that it's a high time to look for another job:

• You do not increase your knowledge

If you don't have any chance to broaden your mind and get new skills, you should definitely start looking for another job, where you would be able to develop your knowledge.

• You never have a morning when you feel happy that you go to work

It's a really bad situation if you always get up miserable that you have to go to work. It would be much better if you took pleasure in your job.

• You surf the Internet instead of doing doing your job

Be careful! You lose your time and your employer money.

• You don't cooperate well with your work fellows

There are always a few coworkers that are impolite and uncooperative. But if you can't stand all your colleagues you should really think about changing a company.

• You earn to little money and are not able to pay the bills

Try to find a job where they appreciate your qualifications and efforts and pay you more.

• You spend time looking over job offers

If you do it, it's visible that you feel not comfortable in your job and want some change.

• You haven't received a rise for two years

If you are hardworking and provide your company with benefits, you should be rewarded for it. Ask for higher salary! If they refuse, just leave.

• Your boss is terrible

Do you hate your boss and think he/she is a stupid idiot who only takes advantage of your time and work? Start looking for a more understanding and friendly employer, with whom you'll have a good relationship.

• The company is in bad condition

If your company is sinking, with no development perspectives it would be a good idea to think about a new job.

• Your job is connected with constant stress

Being stressed all the time influences you in a negative way. Remember that you should think positive and enjoy your life. 

 

Helping my friend with a move.

I got up very early today. I needed to submit a motion for a new passport, so I went to the office at 7 o'clock to avoid queues. Luckiliy everything was OK and I'll have na new document in two or three weeks time:)
Now I'm sitting in my kitchen and drinking a sweet coffee to get stronger:p I promised my best friend to help her with a move to a new flat. She said that I will regret it when I see how much stuff she has:p But I can imagine how difficult is to pack everything and decide what is necessary and what can be thrown out. She has lived in this flat for 4 years so I'm sure she collected many things. In fact, I've changed my flat 3 times during my studies and every time I had to ask my dad to help me. But I hope we'll manage to do it today and drink next coffee after all:)

we don't have a car:p

" NICE PRACTICE"

I had a training today. I have been waiting for it for a few days so I felt very exciting in the morning. It was a kind of legal training to help us broaden our knowledge about writing legal documents. It seemed very interesting. When I arrived at the university I saw a huge crowd which gathered in front of the door. Everybody wanted to take part in this training, however the class was to small to contain such mass of people. In addition to this, they started to fight about seats, pushing one another:/ So, we had to find another, bigger, free class. It took nearly an hour. Then the training finally started. The teacher discussed two articles from a code and and said he had to finish because we used our time. Then he left the class. "It was very helpful and exciting training". 

Do you know that a tomato is a fruit?

Technically speaking a tomato is a fruit. If you want to find out what makes a fruit a fruit and a vegetable a vegetable you need to answer the question: does it have seeds or not? If the answer is: yes,it does -you have a fruit. If it doesn't have seeds, it's a vegetable. 

Now I know that I was lying to my mother when she asked me if I ate some vegetables when I was away from home:D

In fact, I usually eat tomatoes and cucumbers which are also fruits according to this botanical definition. 

PRECIS 3

Atlantic oil spill threatens endangered penguins

Link:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110322/ap_on_re_eu/eu_britain_penguins_in_peril;_ylt=AoOX_NmTZaJEy8DZRdaoR7kDW7oF;_ylu=X3oDMTMxbzE5a3QwBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTEwMzIyL2V1X2JyaXRhaW5fcGVuZ3VpbnNfaW5fcGVyaWwEcG9zAzUEc2VjA3luX2FydGljbGVfc3VtbWFyeV9saXN0BHNsawNhdGxhbnRpY29pbHM-

coated with/in- if you coat something with a substance or in a substance, you cover it with a thin layer of the substance

Coat the fish with seasoned flour.

TV pictures showed a dying bird coated with oil.

remote- far away from other cities, towns, or people; far away in distance or space

My grandparents were from a remote village in China.

She had never imagined being able to visit such remote countries.

livelihood- your livelihood is the job or other source of income that gives you the money to buy things you need to live

...fishermen who depend on the seas for their livelihood...

As a result of this conflict he lost both his home and his means of livelihood.

impact- an effect, or an influence

Her paper discusses the likely impact on global warming or climate change.

Tougher environmental laws could have negative impact on economic growth. 

salvage- if something is salvaged, someone manages to save it, for example from a ship that has sunk, or from a building that has been damaged; salve is the act of saving things from somewhere such as damaged ship or building

The team's first task was to decide what equipment could be salvaged.

The investigators studied recorders salvaged from the wreckage.

...the cost of salvage...

rodent- rodents are small mammals which have sharp front teeth; rats, mice, and squirrels are rodents

Rat is a small, prolific and extremely intelligent member of the rodent family. 

She knows a lot about rodents.

vessel- a large boat or ship 

New Zealand has banned  vessels carrying nuclear weapons.

...a fishing/navy vessel

A huge numbers of penguins have been in danger of extinction after a cargo ship crash which happened last week on a distant British South Atlanic area. The Malta- registered MS Olivia which was carrying 1,650 tons of crude oil and 66,000 tons of soya beans stranded on Nightingale Island in the Tristan da Cunha group and then divided into two parts.The crew was luckily salvaged but this accident caused big harm to the environment.

Tristan da Cunha is homeland to 200,000 penguins. This number includes nearly 50% the world's sum of northern rockhopper penguins, which are classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. The oil from the ship covered the bodies of thousands of the birds,what was very dangerous to their life.

What's more, this accident is perilous for people living in the Tristan da Cunha chain. This area is home for about  275 people who depend on lobster fishery to provide the things they need to live.This is one of the most separated society in the world, visited only by boats from Cape Town nine times a year. People are worried that this catastrophe may have a negative imapact on a spawning grounds.   

There is also one more risk. People are concerned about rats, which may come from the wreck and eat the chick and eggs of native seabirds. 

To make the situattion better, the specialists from South Africa  arrived to measure the environmental devastation. In addition to this,penguins need to be taken to the central island for cleaning because the Nightingale Island has no access to fresh water. British government is very alarmed about the case but said that it is too early to estimate material and environmental damages.

This picture shows the Malta- registered MS Olivia grounded on the Nightingale Island

This picture shows three oiled rock hopper penguins

I chose this topic for precis because a few days ago I experienced a situation which looked like the one described in the article. I was going through the park and saw a group of small kids (4-5 years) playing together and singing Shakira hit "Waka Waka":p

By the way, I like this song too:p

Here in a bit modified version:p

PRECIS 2

Children still play the old schoolyard favorites

Link:http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110315/lf_nm_life/us_britain_children;_ylt=Ati51ZgimgNjZSnAAffql0_VJRIF;_ylu=X3oDMTJvY3Bza2xkBGFzc2V0A25tLzIwMTEwMzE1L3VzX2JyaXRhaW5fY2hpbGRyZW4EcG9zAzMEc2VjA3luX2FydGljbGVfc3VtbWFyeV9saXN0BHNsawNjaGlsZHJlbnN0aWw-

coexist- to live or exist at the same time or in the same place

These communities have peacefully coexisted for centuries.

It is possible for local widlife to coexist with industry.

repertoire- all the songs, pieces of music etc., that a performer knows and is able to perform; the full range of things that someone or something can do

She has thousands of songs in her repertoire.

We teach the full repertoire of programming techniques.

subvert- to subvert something means to destroy its power and influence; to attack or harm government or estabilished system of law, politics etc., to destroy someone's beliefs or loyalty

They conspired to subvert the government.

They made an attempt to subvert the democratic process.

enrich- to enrich something means to improve its quality, usually by adding something to it, to make something better or more enjoyable; to enrich someone means to increase the amount of money that they have

Doing volunteer work has enriched my life .

It is important to enrich soil prior to planting.

garner- to collect or obtain a large amount of something useful or important 

His lawyer has garnered considerable evidence in his defence.

He has garnered extensive support for his proposals.

enact- when a government or authority enact a proposal, they make it into a law ( to make proposal into a law); if people enact a story or play, they perform it by acting; if a particular event or situation is enacted, it happens, used especially to talk about something that has happened before

The authorities have failed so far to enact a law allowing unrestricted emigration.

She often enacted stories told to her by her father. 

It was a scene which was enacted month after month for eight years.

multitude- a large crowd of people; the multitude or the multitudes- the ordinary people who have no power or influence; a multitude of- a very large number of people or things; cover/hide a multitude of sins- to hide a lot of faults or problems

A cheering multitude  greeted the Queen.

Can you imagine what effect that will have on the multitude?

The city's museums offer a multitude of cultural possibilities.

' Strong, centralized government ' is a term that can hide a multitude of sins.

According to a report published in Reuters, contemporary beliefs that children are completely dominated by computer games, mobile phones and television are untrue. Researchers at the Universities of East London, Sheffield and the Institute of Education spent a great deal of time observing the children's behaviour during the breaktimes at schools. They found out that children are still interested in old, common games like skipping, rhymes or hula-hoop. 

The researchers claim that playground activities still exist and what's more, cooperate greatly with modern kinds of entertainment connected with media. Kids take advantage of media and use it cleverly to their own goals. They imitate the action, the characters from television, computer games or pop music scene and then combine them with playground games. However, they do not simply copy it. They take basic elements and then create new stories and games. The new media stimulates children to be more creative and broaden their imagination.

For example, dancing and singing have been children's activities for ages but nowadays kids modernize them by refering to pop stars hits and Disney's films. 

Life

I'm trying to relax...from time to time I have some worrying thoughts..about my future...that it'll be difficult to make this legal training and than find a job..but I've to stop because it makes me very stressed:/

Keeping fingers for Robert Kubica!!!

I have just read that our famous Formula One driver who was a victim of a serious car accident that occured during the Ronde di Andora Rally last month is slowly recovering and has started rehabilitation. The doctors are quite optimistic about the future and say that Robert is very strong and determined. I wish you all the best Robert! I believe in you!

;)

After the wedding...it's high time to come back to reality..I mean to the psychology mainly. It's so strange and difficult for me, I can't understand it... especially I have a problem with question number 8... is the answer on pages from 100 to 110 in the book ( czynniki sytuacyjne, motywacyjne itd.)? Could somebody help? Because I am not sure...

PS.
I caught the bridge's bouquet :p do You believe in this superstition  that I should expect to be a new bridge  soon? Because all my friends( I mean girls of course:p) congratulated me on this occasion and I am a little bit confused:pp

Making preparations for a wedding....

Tomorrow is a day of massive shopping !!! I have to to buy a new dress, new high-heeled shoes, new handbag, new earrings and necklace. I need them for my cousin's wedding on Sunday. God help me!!! I hate such big shopping! It always makes me nervous because I have to waste a lot of time and money:(

PRECIS 1

No Smoking Day is a perfect time to stop smoking

Link:http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2011/02/28/no-smoking-day-is-the-perfect-time-to-stop-smoking-91466-28246251/

think ahead- to make plans about things that will or may happen in the future, so that you will be prepared for them
We're thinking ahead to the next meeting.
You must learn to think ahead if you want to get ahead. 
pledge- to promise seriously and publicly to do something
France, Germany and Britain were among the countries pledging their support. 
He has pledged to fight for a fairer system.
transition- the process of changing from one situation, form, or state to another
The author gives an interesting description of a society in tranistion.
It's not always a smooth transition from school to university.
ultimate- happening at the end of a process or activity
The incident affected the ultimate outcome of the war.
Independence remains their ultimate political goal.
discourage- to try to prevent something from happening ,especially because you do not approve of it or think it is harmful; to make someone feel less confident or hopeful
We hope the bad weather won't discourage people from coming along.
What she said didn't discourage me.
initiate- to make something start
The company initiated a management training programme for small businesses.
We shall initiate urgent discussions with our European partners.
eradicate- to get rid of something completely, especially something bad
Inflation will never be competely eradicated from the economy. 
They are already battling to eradicate ilnesses such as malaria and tetanus.


It's well known that many people who are addicted to smoking wish to give up. Smokers are afraid that their bad habit can influence their health badly. They are conscious of the danger however, they are not able to stop smoking.

Occasions like No Smoking Day in Wales, on March 9, are organised in order to support those who want to make an attempt to give up smoking. This year topic is "Time to quit" and it direct people's attention to the advantages of overcoming their addiction.

According to the research, the efforts to fight smoking are usually connected with significant changes in life, like marriage or setting up home. They may also be effects of illnesses. On the other hand, No Smoking Day organizers claim that any time is a perfect time to stop smoking. They inspire people to start thinking about positive sides of giving up. The profits are clear. After 10 years people become 50 % less probable  

to suffer from lug cancer than the smokers and after 15 years the chance of having a hearth attack is the same as for someone who has never smoked.

Desingers of Non Smoking Day believe that they manage to minimize smoking level in society. They also aim at protecting children from other people's smoke and decrasing subjection to second-hand smoking. Parents must remember that children imitate their behaviour and are more likely to begin smoking if they see that their parents smoke. In addition to this, the organizers adress the National Health Service and all health workers to encourage and help smokers to give up.

For more information about Non Smoking Day people can visit their official website: www.nosmokingday.org.uk

My new blog:)

Welcome all my friends from college on my new blog! I invite you to comment my posts:)