newslinc - tcet · “martisor” is one of the oldest in the history of my people, and certainly...

APRIL 2005 NEWSLINC 1

NNEEWWSSLLIINNCCThe Official Newsletter of the LINC Home Study Program

April 2005

HOW TO READ THE NEWSPAPER Learning a language through distance education is often quite challenging, as the learner is expected to take responsibility for his/her learning. Although LINC Home Study students do have the support of their teacher during weekly conversation sessions, they are expected to do some independent reading, writing, listening and speaking in English. In this segment, I will provide a few tips that will help you read more confidently.

People read newspapers for a

wide variety of reasons, not least

of which is to keep informed in English. It

is useful to know that newspaper writing style tends to have three levels: Headlines, leading phrases, and article content. Each of these has its own style. Pick up a newspaper and try to identify these three levels. Headlines are usually written in simple tenses and do not use function words. Leading sentences are usually written in the present perfect tense and often give a general overview. The article content itself adopts proper tense usage, including a change from present perfect to past tenses to give detailed, specific information about what, where and when something happened. News stories are essentially “something happened” stories. They generally provide information about the main facts in the headline and in the leading sentence. The article content (or body) tells the story in greater detail. Feature stories in a newspaper often seem difficult to an ESL learner, but usually only the introduction is problematic. Once the

main part of the feature begins, it may become much easier to read. Here are some tips that could help you further: Take advantage of all the help the writer gives you. So pay special attention to the pictures, and the captions beneath pictures. Take a quick look through the story to see how it is organized. Usually a feature story consists of several distinct parts. Once you recognize them, the feature becomes easier to read. So pick up that newspaper, find a sunny spot and a comfortable chair, and enjoy the pleasure of reading.

Subhadra Ramachandran

LINC Home Study Program Coordinator

MARTISOR Spring is around the corner, and for all Romanians, this week is a special one. Starting with March the first, almost all the men present women with a little gift of a trinket called the ‘Martisor’, a diminutive of March, which perhaps can be shortened to ‘Marchy.’ Young ladies and women in general, wear this cute little trinket, which looks like an amulet. The amulet is usually pinned on the upper left side of the shirt or sweater and is worn for one or two weeks. However, the most important thing is not the amulet but the string from which the amulet is hung. In many archeological sites, Amulets dating back eight thousand years ago were found in many archeological sites. It’s interesting to note that these amulets

IN THIS ISSUE: How to read the newspaper……………...…1

By: Subhadra R.

Martisor………………...…1 By: Stefan T.

Pain Forever……….……..2 By: Chiwei W.

Travel Magazine……….…2 By: Lily B.

Looking for a job…………3

By: Cecilia C.

Mississauga Libraries……3 By: Sandra G.

Moving to Canada………..4 By: Hong Fang D.

Glory of Spring………...…4 By: Subhadra R. Spring…………….…….…4 By: Herrera F. Hazards of plastic waste…4

By: Sam R.

FEATURES THIS MONTH Jokes……………..……….5Web Corner………………5 Prepositions…………..….6

IN EVERY ISSUE Crossword……………...…7 Recipes from around the world……………..……….8 Answer Key……………….9


looked more or less like a small river stone. Today, the string part of the amulet is made from red and white being knitted together. The red colour symbolizes fire, blood and sun. It signifies life and is assigned to the woman. The white colour is the

symbol of water clearness and clouds. It signifies wisdom and is assigned to the

man. The string is the symbol of these two principles, man and woman, knitted together. The custom of the “Martisor” is one of the oldest in the history of my people, and certainly the most extended among the Romanians (named Dacians a few thousand years ago). There are many tales surrounding this custom. One such tale was written on the Internet by a young eight-year old girl by the name of Mariuca Dumitru. The story involves a young man who died in battle with a dragon that had stolen the sun. The sun was set free by the brave young man. As a result, it gave life back to the Earth. In the story, the white snow was falling and the first flowers of the spring were starting to appear while the red blood of the young man was dripping on the snow. Hope you enjoy this tale. Stefan T. Level 5 Lily’s class York Region PAIN FOREVER In Ottawa, the Rideau Canal meanders across the downtown area. It becomes the longest skating way in the winter. Did you ever skate under -20 to -40 degree wind-chill? Every time skating, it always is a cycle, from unbearable hardness to unforgettable delight. At first, the wind cut your face like knife. After changed shoes, hands are

almost numb. But ten minutes later, when you slide on the ice sweating a little bit, you will enjoy a perfect feeling. Learning English is the same. No one told me English is so hard even though I was taught English over 9 years before I came here. For a very long time period, I insisted that English should be the same as other courses I took in the university, where it is not too hard to get an A+. In the first 3 years, the reality taught that I am 100% wrong. I cannot find a job without functional English. Almost no employer responds to my tons of resume except thanks or receipt email that were generated by software. After all this time, I gradually received few telephone interviews. Of course the result is very much predictable. Today I still keep several sound records as souvenir. Finally I got a job. But I still need to outline what’s in my mind before talking with other people. However, my ability to guess other people mind is superb, although I cannot get 100% meaning while they treat me as normal English speaker, I still can understand job requirement and finish it on time without any problem. It impressed me (maybe others) and I am very proud of it. Just like, the tactility for a blind person is much stronger than a normal one; Or another smoking gun for existence of sixth feeling? Back then, RPG (Role Play Game) computer game is one of my favourites. In the beginning, you have nothing. You are poor, weak with no friend. The monster in the game can kill you so easily that you have to start over again and again. Then get into next level, same situation. 99.99% percent time are failure no success. But why do so many people like it? I often wonder myself: Because the final result could give me so great pleasure that I do not care about any difficulty; or I desire to enjoy first-

bitter-then-sweet’s happiness in the first place? If I will have learned English in the next years, what would be my next objective, French? While I heard my colleagues switch freely in French and English. Pain and Happy forever! Chiwei W. Level 5 Kelly’s class Ottawa Region TRAVEL MAGAZINE If you're going to be in the LCBO (Liquor Control Board) in the next while to buy your favourite wine or liquor do check out the free magazines that are available. One free magazine is called "Food and Drink" and the other is "Ontario Travel Discoveries." The travel magazine is excellent because you can find out about many wonderful places to visit. i.e. The Amish people in St. Jacobs (p.9 ); the best places to see the spring flowers blooming; heritage places/historical sites; provincial parks to visit in Ontario; art galleries & museums; summer theatre; general travel information, etc. A student from our LINC Home Study program - Bethzy Sanjur D. is mentioned on page 8. A travel writer by the name of Cathy Bennet speaks about a brief meeting with Bethzy aboard the "Island Princess" in Orillia. (Bethzy is from Orillia) There’s a very lovely photo of Bethzy aboard the ship. "I met Bethzy Davies on an Orillia boat cruise aboard the "Island Princess" when I was on an assignment for 'Your Ontario.' Bethzy was reading her own copy of the premiere issue of 'Ontario', and believe it or not, she was actually


reading one of my 'Great Escape' articles. When I tapped her own the shoulder and introduced myself as the author of the article, Bethzy said, “I love this magazine because it gives us ideas about where to go and what to see in Ontario." Bethzy is originally from Panama and lives with her husband Adam in Orillia. One of the highlights of their fall adventure- in addition to the boat cruise- was the Niagara Grape and Wine Festival." Lily B. LINC Home Study Instructor LOOKING FOR A JOB If you are new to Canada, looking for a job is a topic on everyone’s mind. It is a process that everyone has to go through. But the question is: how can I start if I don’t know English at all? Every question has its own answer, but the truth is you have to forget the fear about that and just start. I would like to share with you my experience. I am in a very dynamic field--Marketing and Advertising. In my country, Colombia, I worked for the most important magazine in my country that produces weekly news, fashion, business, and news about

famous people. It was a very interesting job. When I first came to Canada, I was

involved in a special program called Breaking Barriers and I learned from them so many things about how I have to present my resume, how to look for a job, how to do networking, and how to prepare for an interview. After that, I prepared answers to the following questions. I have written my answers below: Tell me about yourself? In this question you should show your experience, skills, and background and answer in powerful phrases like: I have valuable experience in the Marketing and Advertising field with more than eight years of experience in media.

What are your strengths and weaknesses? For strengths, mention something positive about yourself that is relevant to the position that you are applying for. For weaknesses, try to turn something positive into a slight negative. For example, you could say that you are a perfectionist and always pay attention to detail, but sometimes you pay too much attention to detail and you have to watch that. For

weaknesses, be sure that you don’t say

anything that is irrelevant to the

position. For example, if the position does not require French skills, you shouldn’t talk about how you can’t speak French to demonstrate a weakness. What are your salary expectations? Be focused and mention the average salary related to your qualifications and your experience. Also, you can discuss salary expectations and show them you are flexible. Find salary surveys at the library or on the Internet and check the classifieds to see salaries for comparable jobs. How do your skills match the position? Answer the skills that you have according to the advertisement or job posting. When all of these answers were ready, I was ready to go for it. Today I have a job and it is my first step to achieve what I want. I have been working for the biggest wholesaler in Canada, and the most important thing is that I found that job by myself. My advice is: be open to different positions and be ready for an interview. In conclusion, be prepared and be focused. The most important thing is: don’t give up. Today I participate in an important program called Career Bridge, which helps newcomers to find Canadian experience in their profession through placements in well-known companies such CIBC Bank, General Motors and more.

Websites Here are some websites where you can get more information about the Career Bridges program and other job listings: www.careerbridge.ca http://www.jobbank.gc.com www.job-search-engine.com www.workopolis.com Good luck in your search, Cecilia C. Level 5 Joanne’s class Halton Region

MISSISSAUGA LIBRARIES

The library close to my apartment was closed for renovation, and l looked on the computer for the closer library. Fortunately, l found "the Central Library" that is close too. l have gone to this library just two times. When l went to the library for the first time, l asked the librarian how l could get a library card, and she told me that l need some identification. l preferred to get one for my daughter, Paula, because she was very excited. She feels so happy with her library card. We spent half an hour in the children section and other 20 minutes around the library. That time l didn't take any book out. This library has four levels: in the basement, there is the children section. It is Paula's favourite, and she wants to stay there all the time. She usually borrows videos, and she can keep them for seven days, and books for three weeks. I don't know how much l would need to pay for overdue books because l always returned them on time. In the library there are computers, but I have not used them yet. I don't know how to use them, and maybe l need to make an appointment. Next time, l will ask the librarian. l really


don't have too much experience, but l will try to visit it often, because it is a very interesting and quiet place, and we can learn many things.

Sandra G. Level 4 Agnes’s class Halton Region

MOVING TO CANADA My name is Hong Fang Du. I immigrated to Canada from China in 2001 while I was pregnant for six months. Three months later, my daughter was born. Because of a very difficult financial situation at that time, I left Canada for China with my daughter. I came back to Canada last December. Now I live in Barrie with my family. My husband is working for an engineering consulting firm.

I felt English was my biggest problem to live and work in Canada, so I looked for a place to study English. Then I

found a LINC Class at YMCA this January, where I got much help. I studied very hard and improved my English. After half a year, I graduated from LINC level 4. But I found I still couldn’t understand what people said when they spoke fast. I clearly know my English is not good enough for working and communicating fluently. I would rather continue to study more English. I love Canada more and more. I appreciate the beautiful natural scenery in Canada. We have been to Ottawa, Quebec City, Algonquin Park, Niagara Falls, Midland and Wasaga Beach. I am not accustomed to Canada’s winter. It is too cold and snowy for me. I enjoy the fresh air in Canada, the clear blue skies and nice people. I was a city planner in China. When I came here, I couldn’t find a professional job, so I worked part-time

at Mandarin. Fortunately, my friend introduced me to work as a draftsperson at a surveying company after I had worked at Mandarin for half a year. I hope I can have a professional job and a good life in the future. Hong Fang D. Level 5 Atika’s class Barrie Region THE GLORY OF SPRING Spring has arrived in the nick of time The birds are singing all in a rhyme Trees are blooming from the long winter’s sleep Flowers are awaking with nary a creep Forget your worries, join in to celebrate This season is about love, not about hate Spring has arrived with its bountiful bloom To wash away all of our sadness and gloom So if you enjoy this time of year Pass around the joy, hope, love and cheer By: Subhadra R. SPRING To me, spring is the most important season because everything grows and blossoms in the spring. I was born in the spring. My wife and I were married in the spring. My daughter was born in the spring. So, spring is very special in my life and my family’s life, too. Strawberry is my favourite fruit, and strawberries grow in the spring. My mother and my wife know that I like strawberries, so one of them prepares

strawberry cake for my birthday party on October 24. I know that you are thinking that it is fall in October, but I am talking about Argentina's season. I know that I am living here and I need to adapt my opinion about seasons, but I can't and I don't like to change. I suppose I will naturally change my opinion as the season changes. Herrera Eduardo F. Level 5 Atika’s class Durham region HAZARDS OF PLASTIC WASTE Plastic waste management represents a huge problem in North America and the rest of the world. Conventional plastics are very widely used and are considered extremely durable. However, they pose great environmental risks as they will not decompose for long periods of time, often hundreds of years.

Plastics, once manufactured,

have a long life span extending

from decades to hundreds of years in some cases. The products, on the other hand, are discarded after a short period of use. Because of their non-degradable nature they either lie around as litter or go to disposal. Of the collected plastic waste, a very small percent is recycled or incinerated and the balance goes to landfills where it stays. Non-degradable plastic, of which most of the plastic products are made, does not decompose which can cause serious environmental hazards. In Canada, approximately 28 million kg of plastic bags go into our landfill sites every year. This equates to roughly 567 million bags per year. The life span of conventional bags is approximately 400 years, thus Canadian landfills will house 227 billion bags of plastic before a single


bag completely decomposes. There are about 46,000 pieces of plastic floating in each square mile of our oceans. Each year, this plastic kills up to 1 million sea birds, 10,000 sea mammals and countless fish. What Canada and the rest of the world needs is degradable plastic that can decompose easily. It is very important that proper attention is paid in this

area. The good news is that some plastic

engineering companies have

started work and research in this area and there has been some progress. For the sake of our environment, it is very important that the government and environmentalists pay attention to this area and give serious attention and thought to the work of these companies. Sam R. Level 5 Zakia’s student York Region Q: Why did the man throw the butter out the window? A: He wanted to see the butterfly. Q: Why did the man throw his watch out of the window? A: He wanted to see time fly. Q: Why is number six afraid? A: Because seven eight nine (seven ate nine) Q: Which room has no doors, no windows. A: A mushroom.

In last month’s Web Corner, I wrote about two news websites, one

of which had some pages

devoted to learning English. This month I’d like to focus solely on English language learning websites. I’ll share with you the ones that I’ve found to be useful for developing vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar and reading. Again, if you have any websites you’d like to share with other LINC Home Study learners, please feel free to send them in with a brief description. The more knowledge we have, the better! There are so many ESL websites out there these days that it is sometimes hard to know where to start. Here are three websites that could get you going in the right direction: Developing Vocabulary http://www.mw.com/dictionary.htm Of course reading is a great way to develop vocabulary, but you need a good dictionary to help you out with new words. I have found this Merriam Webster dictionary site to be a good one because you can easily find new words, and if you’re unsure of the pronunciation, you can click on the sound icon and the word will be said for you. Pronunciation www.soundsofenglish.org Speaking of pronunciation, I’ve found this site to be a really useful one because it has pictures of a mouth with the tongue position, and also provides a description of how to make the sound. Like the dictionary site (above), there are also some audio recordings, which help us to hear the words with that particular sound. All of this can be followed up with activities to make sure that you get

some pronunciation practice. Grammar, Reading and Vocabulary some pronunciation practice. Grammar, Reading and Vocabulary http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/index.htm This site comes from the University of Victoria in British Columbia and has some really clear grammar explanations as well as readings and some vocabulary exercises. The information is sorted by level, so you can start right from the beginning (if you need some review) and work your way up to advanced level information. There are also exercises included. Whether you’re looking for some review or you want to improve your English faster, try some of these websites. I’d be interested to know how useful you found them, and if you have any other websites you’d like to share. If you have any questions about the material on the websites, don’t hesitate to ask your Instructor for help. Happy surfing, Joanne Astley

Web Corner

Editing: Lesley Halcro Layout & Design: Glenda Mburu Web Corner: Joanne Astley Student exercises: Mary Anne Adam A special Thank you to all the students and staff who submitted their stories, recipes and activities for this issue.

CREDITS

Jokes


A. Rewrite the following sentences adding in, on, or at in time phrases: 1. We are leaving _____

Wednesday ____ three o’clock _____ the afternoon.

2. My birthday is _____ July 18.

3. I finished school _____ May, 2000.

4. My airplane landed _____ Pearson International Airport _____ June 5.

5. The course begins _____ Monday _____ 8 o’clock _____ the morning.

6. They rented the house _____ December 15.

7. We did lesson six _______ Friday.

8. Do you get up _______ noon every day?

9. Hallowe’en is _______ October.

10. We often go out _______ the evenings.

B. Rewrite the following sentences adding in, on or at in place phrases:

1. I live _______ Ontario.

2. The house is _______ 8th

Avenue.

3. My parents live _______ 628 – 9th Street.

4. Colombia is _____ South

America.

5. They worked _____ a farm last summer.

6. Let’s take a walk _____ the country.

7. I dropped my book _____ the floor.

8. When it’s cold my children stay _____ the house.

9. She always sits _____ the first row of the classroom.

10. My son is studying ______ the University of Toronto.

A. Insert the preposition near, by or with in the following sentences:

1. We go to work _________ bus.

2. Is there anything wrong

__________ your stove?

3. What’s the matter _____________ Saleh?

4. Do you make all your clothes __________ hand?

5. They like to travel ___________ car.

6. My grandfather walks ___________ a cane.

7. Mary often eats lunch _________ us.

8. I sit in the living room __________ myself.

9. The mall is ___________ the

school. 10. The grocery store is ___________ my home. B. Insert the preposition from, to or

for in the following sentences: 1. We were early _______ class

yesterday. 2. What did you eat _________

breakfast? 3. The Changs live across the street

__________ the Martins. 4. Give this key ___________ Mary,

please. 5. Do you like ________ listen

________ classical music? 6. He asked his friend _________ a

loan. 7. I run home __________ school

everyday. 8. We are flying ___________

Montreal tomorrow. 9. I don’t need any advice _________

you. 10.Roberto thanked me ___________

the gift. 1. daff____dil 2. butterc____p 3. bl____ebell 4. this____le 5. cr____cus

More Practice with Prepositions

Student Activities

Fill in the missing letters ***HINT – Flowering Plants

Prepositions with Time Phrases

Prepositions with Place Phrases


Crossword Puzzle


Yu Xiang Rou Si (Fish smell Pork Thread) Yu Xiang Rou Si is one of the most popular Sichuan style dishes in China. It is spicy and colourful. It was cooked in a traditional way of cooking fish dishes, which is the origin of its name. Ingredients: Pork 0.5 lb Mushrooms 3 Carrot 1 Green pepper 1 Chinese parsley 2 Garlic 4 Ginger a little Green onion 1/2 Oil 1/2 cup Starch 2 teaspoons Salt 1/2 teaspoons Sugar 2 teaspoons Bean paste 1 teaspoon Pixian thick broadbean sauce 2 teaspoons Shao Hsing cooking chiew 4 teaspoons Vinegar 1/2 cup Soy sauce 2 teaspoons 1. soak mushrooms in hot water for

one hour to make them soft. 2. slice pork into about 6-8cm long

threads. 3. put 2 teaspoons

Shao Hsing cooking chiew, 2 teaspoons starch and 1/2 teaspoon on pork thread, then mix them well, put aside.

4. slice mushrooms, carrot, pepper into about 6-8cm long thread, put aside.

5. chop ginger, green onion and garlic separately, put aside.

6. cut Chinese parsley into 1cm long pieces, put aside.

7. heat a pan and then put a little oil into the pan.

8. when the oil becomes warm, put pepper thread into the pan.

9. stir the pepper thread for 1 minute 10. pour the pepper out to the plate which is going to hold the dish later. 11. add 1/2 cup

oil into the pan.

12. when the oil becomes warm, add ginger, green onion into the oil, stir them until nice smell comes out.

13. add mushroom thread into the pan, stir them until nice smell comes out.

14. put the pork thread into the pan, stir the pork until the moisture in them was vaporized.

15. add 1 teaspoon bean paste and 2 teaspoons Pixian thick broadbean sauce into the pan and mix them with the pork thread well until the oil in the pan become red.

16. add 2 teaspoons Shao Hsing cooking chiew, 2 teaspoons soy sauce, 2 teaspoons sugar, 1/2 cup vinegar into the pan, stir all the stuff in the pan to mix them well.

17. put carrot thread into the pan, mix all the stuff well.

18. cover the pan with a lid for a while to make the carrot soft.

19. add the cooked green pepper into the pan, mix all the stuff well.

20. add the garlic into the pan, mix all the stuff well.

21. shut down the oven, pour the dish into the pan used to hold the green pepper before.

20. put the Chinese parsley pieces on the top of the dish and the dish is ready to serve.

Hui L. Level 4 Rani’s class Kitchener Region

Spicy Moroccan Couscous Pieces of lamb meat 3 tbs. olive oil 3 red onions chopped 2 sweet red peppers diced 1 clove of garlic minced 4 zucchinis chopped 2 tomatoes chopped 4 diced carrots 1 can cooked chickpeas 4 cups of boiling water 1 tsp salt 2 tsp curry powder 1 tsp ground cumin 2 tbs fresh parsley 2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp cayenne pepper ground ½ pound couscous 3 tbs of butter Method: 1. Heat the oil in a pan then add

onions, meat, garlic, tomatoes, all spices, and water.

2. Cook for 40 minutes or until the meat is cooked.

3. Add peppers, zucchini, carrots, chickpeas and cook for another 10 minutes.

4. Remove from the heat and keep it warm.

5. In a pot, boil 3 cups of water, add couscous, and salt.

6. Mix and leave it covered for 20 minutes until the liquid is absorbed.

7. Add 3 tbs of butter and mix with a fork.

8. Mix the cooked meat and vegetables with couscous and garnish with parsley.

Assia S. Level 3 Rani’s class Kitchener Region

Recipes from Around the World


A. 1. on, at, in

2. on 3. in 4. at, on 5. on, at, in 6. on 7. on 8. at 9. in 10. in

B.

1. in 2. on 3. at 4. in 5. on (or at) 6. in 7. on 8. in 9. in 10. at

A.

1. by 2. with 3. with 4. by 5. by 6. with 7. with 8. by 9. near (or by) 10. near (or by)

B. 1. for 2. for 3. from 4. to 5. to, to 6. for 7. from 8. to 9. from 10. for

1. daffodil 2. buttercup 3. bluebell 4. thistle 5. crocus

Answer Key

Prepositions with Time Phrases Pg. 6

Prepositions with Place Phrases Pg. 6



Fill in the missing letters ***HINT – Flowering Plants Pg. 6

Crossword Puzzle Pg. 7

Please send in your submissions for the May newsletter by Friday, April 22nd.

Suggestions for the newsletter:

¬ Stories ¬ Recipes ¬ Poems

newslinc - tcet · “martisor” is one of the oldest in the history of my people, and certainly...

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