Saturday, April 23, 2011

Contradictions of American Academic Writing

The Contradictions of American Academic Writing

Show you have done your research
---But---
Write something new and original
Appeal to experts and authorities
---But---
Improve upon, or disagree with experts and authorities
Improve your English by mimicking what you hear and read
---But---
Use your own words, your own voice
Give credit where credit is due
---But---
Make your own significant contribution
Since teachers and administrators may not distinguish between deliberate and accidental plagiarism, the heart of avoiding plagiarism is to make sure you give credit where it is due. This may be credit for something somebody said, wrote, emailed, drew, or implied.

Contradictions of American Academic Writing

The Contradictions of American Academic Writing

Show you have done your research
---But---
Write something new and original
Appeal to experts and authorities
---But---
Improve upon, or disagree with experts and authorities
Improve your English by mimicking what you hear and read
---But---
Use your own words, your own voice
Give credit where credit is due
---But---
Make your own significant contribution
Since teachers and administrators may not distinguish between deliberate and accidental plagiarism, the heart of avoiding plagiarism is to make sure you give credit where it is due. This may be credit for something somebody said, wrote, emailed, drew, or implied.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Cambridge Adv. Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Adv. Learner's Dictionary

Big Picture C15 Sports/Life Idiom Quiz

from 

http://www.englishclub.com/ref/Idioms/Quizzes/Sports_1/index.htm

http://www.englishclub.com/ref/Idioms/Quizzes/Sports_2/index.htm

Idioms Quiz: Sports 1

Many idioms are based on sports and games. Test your knowledge of English idioms with the questions below. To learn more about an individual idiom, click on the "more about this idiom" link.

1. a ballpark figure | a ballpark estimate

She gave us a ballpark figure for the cost because she
  1. didn't know the exact amount
  2. knew how much a ballpark cost
  3. wanted to tell us the exact amount

2. across the board

The staff cuts will be across the board, so staff will be cut from
  1. every department
  2. some departments
  3. one department
more about this idiom: across the board

3. ahead of the game

The best way to stay ahead of the game in the fashion business is to
  1. do market research and surveys
  2. copy what your competitors do
  3. spend less on salaries
more about this idiom: ahead of the game

4. another string to your bow

John's a truck driver, but he wants another string to his bow so he's going to
  1. take up archery
  2. do a bartending course
  3. go fishing on weekends
more about this idiom: another string to your bow

5. behind the eight ball

The report is due tomorrow morning, and Nayomi is behind the eight ball because
  1. her computer crashed and she can't print it
  2. she's still waiting for a few pages to print
  3. it's after 8 o'clock and she isn't asleep yet
more about this idiom: behind the eight ball

6. get off on the wrong foot

Peter got off on the wrong foot on his date with Wendy when
  1. he made her laugh at a joke
  2. he ordered an expensive bottle of wine
  3. he knocked over a glass of water
more about this idiom: get off on the wrong foot

7. jump the gun

Donny was playing the part of a detective in the play, but he jumped the gun on the first night. He
  1. accidentally fired his gun
  2. forgot what his lines were
  3. started saying his lines too soon
more about this idiom: jump the gun

8. jump through hoops | go through hoops

You'll have to jump through hoops before you'll be allowed to
  1. join the circus
  2. buy a motorbike
  3. adopt a baby

9. no holds barred

Our boss is a tough businessman, so it's no holds barred when he
  1. negotiates a deal
  2. withdraws money from the bank
  3. plays golf with customers
more about this idiom: no holds barred

10. off your own bat

The production manager decided, off his own bat, to change the quality of the raw materials used in the factory. He did it
  1. without being asked to
  2. without planning to do it
  3. without knowing much about it
more about this idiom: off your own bat

Idioms Quiz: Sports 2

Many idioms are based on sports and games. Test your knowledge of English idioms with the questions below. To learn more about an individual idiom, click on the "more about this idiom" link.

1. on the ball

Someone really needs to be on the ball if they work as
  1. a life model in a painter's studio
  2. a dishwasher in a restaurant
  3. an air-traffic controller at an airport
more about this idiom: on the ball

2. par for the course

If people say it's "par for the course" when a train arrives late, it means the train is
  1. usually on time
  2. always on time
  3. often late
more about this idiom: par for the course

3. plain sailing

We drove to Paris, and after getting out of London it was plain sailing all the way because
  1. there was hardly any traffic
  2. it rained so much it was flooding
  3. we had a strong westerly tailwind
more about this idiom: plain sailing

4. quick off the mark

If someone is quick off the mark, they do something
  1. before most other people
  2. after most other people
  3. better than most other people
more about this idiom: quick off the mark

5. run rings around | run circles around

After running rings around his competitor for the whole fight, the boxer from Cuba
  1. clearly lost the fight on points
  2. was disqualified for running too much
  3. won the fight easily

6. skate on thin ice

We'll be skating on thin ice if we go to the boss and
  1. ask for another pay rise
  2. give him a birthday present
  3. tell him what a good boss he is
more about this idiom: skate on thin ice

7. the ball's in your court

If you're bargaining with someone and they say "the ball's in your court" it means they think
  1. the negotiation is over
  2. it's your turn to name a price
  3. you're demanding too much
more about this idiom: the ball's in your court

8. the name of the game

Tiger says that in golf, the name of the game is
  1. knowing the right people
  2. wearing the right clothes
  3. keeping your concentration
more about this idiom: the name of the game

9. wide of the mark

The weather forecast for today was wide of the mark. It's been a beautiful sunny day, but the forecast said it would be
  1. fine and dry
  2. wet and windy
  3. clear and warm
more about this idiom: wide of the mark

10. You can't win them all.

I looked at my tennis partner and said, "You can't win 'em all"
  1. before we'd lost our match
  2. after we'd lost our match
  3. after we'd won our match
more about this idiom: You can't win them all.

Big Picture C15 Sports/Life Idiom Quiz

from 

http://www.englishclub.com/ref/Idioms/Quizzes/Sports_1/index.htm

http://www.englishclub.com/ref/Idioms/Quizzes/Sports_2/index.htm

Idioms Quiz: Sports 1

Many idioms are based on sports and games. Test your knowledge of English idioms with the questions below. To learn more about an individual idiom, click on the "more about this idiom" link.

1. a ballpark figure | a ballpark estimate

She gave us a ballpark figure for the cost because she
  1. didn't know the exact amount
  2. knew how much a ballpark cost
  3. wanted to tell us the exact amount

2. across the board

The staff cuts will be across the board, so staff will be cut from
  1. every department
  2. some departments
  3. one department
more about this idiom: across the board

3. ahead of the game

The best way to stay ahead of the game in the fashion business is to
  1. do market research and surveys
  2. copy what your competitors do
  3. spend less on salaries
more about this idiom: ahead of the game

4. another string to your bow

John's a truck driver, but he wants another string to his bow so he's going to
  1. take up archery
  2. do a bartending course
  3. go fishing on weekends
more about this idiom: another string to your bow

5. behind the eight ball

The report is due tomorrow morning, and Nayomi is behind the eight ball because
  1. her computer crashed and she can't print it
  2. she's still waiting for a few pages to print
  3. it's after 8 o'clock and she isn't asleep yet
more about this idiom: behind the eight ball

6. get off on the wrong foot

Peter got off on the wrong foot on his date with Wendy when
  1. he made her laugh at a joke
  2. he ordered an expensive bottle of wine
  3. he knocked over a glass of water
more about this idiom: get off on the wrong foot

7. jump the gun

Donny was playing the part of a detective in the play, but he jumped the gun on the first night. He
  1. accidentally fired his gun
  2. forgot what his lines were
  3. started saying his lines too soon
more about this idiom: jump the gun

8. jump through hoops | go through hoops

You'll have to jump through hoops before you'll be allowed to
  1. join the circus
  2. buy a motorbike
  3. adopt a baby

9. no holds barred

Our boss is a tough businessman, so it's no holds barred when he
  1. negotiates a deal
  2. withdraws money from the bank
  3. plays golf with customers
more about this idiom: no holds barred

10. off your own bat

The production manager decided, off his own bat, to change the quality of the raw materials used in the factory. He did it
  1. without being asked to
  2. without planning to do it
  3. without knowing much about it
more about this idiom: off your own bat

Idioms Quiz: Sports 2

Many idioms are based on sports and games. Test your knowledge of English idioms with the questions below. To learn more about an individual idiom, click on the "more about this idiom" link.

1. on the ball

Someone really needs to be on the ball if they work as
  1. a life model in a painter's studio
  2. a dishwasher in a restaurant
  3. an air-traffic controller at an airport
more about this idiom: on the ball

2. par for the course

If people say it's "par for the course" when a train arrives late, it means the train is
  1. usually on time
  2. always on time
  3. often late
more about this idiom: par for the course

3. plain sailing

We drove to Paris, and after getting out of London it was plain sailing all the way because
  1. there was hardly any traffic
  2. it rained so much it was flooding
  3. we had a strong westerly tailwind
more about this idiom: plain sailing

4. quick off the mark

If someone is quick off the mark, they do something
  1. before most other people
  2. after most other people
  3. better than most other people
more about this idiom: quick off the mark

5. run rings around | run circles around

After running rings around his competitor for the whole fight, the boxer from Cuba
  1. clearly lost the fight on points
  2. was disqualified for running too much
  3. won the fight easily

6. skate on thin ice

We'll be skating on thin ice if we go to the boss and
  1. ask for another pay rise
  2. give him a birthday present
  3. tell him what a good boss he is
more about this idiom: skate on thin ice

7. the ball's in your court

If you're bargaining with someone and they say "the ball's in your court" it means they think
  1. the negotiation is over
  2. it's your turn to name a price
  3. you're demanding too much
more about this idiom: the ball's in your court

8. the name of the game

Tiger says that in golf, the name of the game is
  1. knowing the right people
  2. wearing the right clothes
  3. keeping your concentration
more about this idiom: the name of the game

9. wide of the mark

The weather forecast for today was wide of the mark. It's been a beautiful sunny day, but the forecast said it would be
  1. fine and dry
  2. wet and windy
  3. clear and warm
more about this idiom: wide of the mark

10. You can't win them all.

I looked at my tennis partner and said, "You can't win 'em all"
  1. before we'd lost our match
  2. after we'd lost our match
  3. after we'd won our match
more about this idiom: You can't win them all.