Very Interesting and Beneficial Facts about English Language

1. Do you know word 'alphabet' comes from first two letters Greek alphabet - alpha and beta?

2. Here is a very simple sentence which uses every letter of the alphabet ,it is 'The quick brown fox jumps over a lazy dog ' !

3. Do you know about 'crutch words' ?Crutch words are those words which we slip into sentences to give us more time to think or emphasize on some point. We start using them unconsciously but gradually they became part of our verbal tics. Few examples of these words are -actually, obviously, like, honestly, basically etc. Most of the times they don't add any value or meaning of a statement, for example, ‘I actually was absent that day.

4.The sentence 'Are you as bored as I am ' can be read backwards and would still make sense!

5. Do you know a funny fact about the word 'listen'? It contains the same letters as the word 'silent'!

6. Do you there are few words in English language, which only exist in plural form? Here are few –glasses, scissors, trousers, jeans, pants etc.

7. Do you know that the word "uncopyrightable" is the longest English word in normal use that contains no letter more than once?

8. If we place a comma before the word "and" at the end of a list, this is known as an "Oxford comma" or a "serial comma". For example: "I drink coffee, tea, and water.

9. The shortest complete sentence in English is the following. "I am."

10. The longest English word without a true vowel (a, e, i, o or u) is "rhythm".

William Shakespeare,a man who's soul transcends time and place!!

William Shakespeare is the most widely read of all Authors and the popularity of the works of Shakespeare, in English speaking countries, is second only to the Bible. He intrigues other authors. According to TS. Eliot, “I do not believe that any writer has ever exposed this bovarysme, the human will to see things as they are not, more clearly than Shakespeare”. Shakespeare’s ability to summarize the range of human emotions in simple yet profoundly eloquent verse is perhaps the greatest reason for his enduring popularity. If you cannot find words to express how you feel about love or music or growing older, Shakespeare can speak for you. No author in the Western world has penned more beloved passages. Shakespeare's stories transcend time and culture. Modern storytellers continue to adapt Shakespeare’s tales to suit our modern world, whether it is the tale of Lear on a farm in Iowa, Romeo and Juliet on the mean streets of New York City…

Here are his most popular quotes:

1. The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves. (Julius Caesar)
2. To be, or not to be: that is the question. (Hamlet)
3. The course of true love never did run smooth. (A Midsummer Night’s Dream)
4. If I lose mine honor, I lose myself. (Antony and Cleopatra)
5. All the world ‘s a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts. (As You Like It)
6. Now is the winter of our discontent. (Richard III)
7. Brevity is the soul of wit. (Hamlet)
8. Be not afraid of greatness. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon ‘em. (Twelfth Night)
9. Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.  (All’s Well That Ends)
10. Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow. (Romeo and Juliet)

Are we Reading more or less?

New technologies have had an equally huge impact on our world in a much shorter time. Just think of life without television, radio, and telecommunications: it almost seems impossible to imagine our world without these conveniences. They've become a huge part of modern life and many people spend hours each day using these media. Computers have grabbed a large slice of our available time and energies. To top it all off, the Internet, the medium that allows us to access the information playground that is the World Wide Web, has provided a whole new medium for information exchange. Although printed media still commands significant sales, you can read many of the same materials on-line via the World Wide Web. Books, traditional magazines, and journals are now distributed electronically. Blogs and other information resources (e.g. Wikipedia) are easily accessible, and searchable, on-line. There's plenty of material out there to read on paper and on computer screens. Are we still reading as much as we used to?

Reading habits are changing. What we read and how we read is evolving over time. But are we reading less than we used to? I don't think so!

 What do you think?

Montessori Theory of Teaching

Just recently, during the Philosophy of Education course I had the chance to know about the Montessori theory. I was really excited to know more about it so I did an online search to b

The Montessori approach to education requires that children are placed in a well-planned and structured environment which will meet their individual educational and cultural needs. The children are free to follow their own interests within this planned environment, rather than being forced to learn something that is inappropriate to their developmental stage. The result is that children develop in a natural way and are highly motivated. They develop good discipline and master basic skills, and in many cases earlier than in a more traditional system of education. To bring about these results the teacher is trained in specific skills, the curriculum is carefully planned to reflect the children’s own culture and educational needs, the support materials for the curriculum are specifically Montessori and the outcomes for the children are unique.

Initially the Montessori teacher carefully observes the children in her class to ascertain the developmental needs of each individual child. Then comes the task of preparing the environment and the materials in it to meet the various needs of the individual children within the group. As the children begin to make free choices and interact and discover the materials, the teacher facilitates and guides their learning. There are some small group lessons when the teacher introduces new concepts and encourages the children to ask questions, investigate and discover new ideas.

The most thrilling aspect is that children who experience a Montessori education are highly motivated and learn to be independent, self-confident and self-disciplined. It makes education a source of pleasure for them - something to be sought and enjoyed. Each and all are given the opportunity to develop their own innate abilities to the full potential in an atmosphere where competition is irrelevant and non-existent. As a result they develop drive and a high level of achievement.

What is really frustrating is that Montessori theory was initially conducted for all children, from different socio economic status, but in our modern life it changed to be restricted within the elite group. I really think that such elevated method of teaching should be, even partially, integrated in our schools; we really need to get out from the traditional and useless methodologies. 

Stress, between Management & Remedy

It may seem that there’s nothing you can do about stress. It is a part of life; the bills won’t stop coming, there will never be more hours in the day and your career and family responsibilities will always be demanding. But you have more control than you might think. In fact, the simple realization that you’re in control of your life is the foundation of stress management. Managing stress is all about taking charge: of your thoughts, emotions, schedule, and the way you deal with problems.

Treat yourself; untreated chronic stress can result in serious health conditions including anxiety, insomnia, muscle pain, high blood pressure and a weakened immune system. Research shows that stress can contribute to the development of major illnesses, such as heart disease, depression and obesity.

Here are five healthy techniques that psychological research has shown to help reduce stress in the short- and long-term:

• Take a break from the stressor, It’s important to not avoid your stress, but even just 20-minutes to take care of yourself is helpful.
•  Exercise, exercise benefits your mind just as well as your body.
• Smile and laugh. Our brains are interconnected with our emotions and facial expressions. So laughs or smiles can help relieve some of that tension and improve the situation.
• Get social support, call a friend, or send an email. When you share your concerns or feelings with another person, it does help relieve stress.
•  Meditate, when practicing a form of mindfulness, people can release emotions that may have been causing the body physical stress.

 

Okinawan Diet, Is It Really Helpful??

When I first heard about people living up to very old ages, and with excellent mental and physical state, I didn't believe that it is due to specific diet or specific region. I recently heard about the Okinawan Diet and it is really interesting; Elderly Okinawans have among the lowest mortality rates in the world from a multitude of chronic diseases of aging and, as a result, enjoy, not only what may be the world's longest life expectancy, but the world's longest health expectancy. The Okinawan diet is low in calories and high in fiber, so it can help you lose or maintain weight, which is important for avoiding chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, diabetes and some forms of cancer.

 

Okinawa is a region in the southernmost part of Japan where inhabitants.. The Okinawan diet is made up mostly of vegetables and legumes, especially soy. It's low in calories and fat, and high in complex carbohydrates. Most of those carbohydrates come from vegetables, with only a small amount of grains or seeds, and no sugar or refined sweets. There is only a little red meat and a minimal amount of dairy. Fish is consumed in moderation, and alcohol consumption is limited to an occasional drink.

I think that you’ll be interested in applying the Okinawa diet, just as I am! we don't have to follow the Okinawan diet religiously to see some benefit: Some of these components could be incorporated into our diet:

•Eat more vegetables, preferably the ones that are deep green or brightly colored. The star of the Okinawa diet is the sweet potato. They're easy to find in any grocery store.

•Choose soy and soy foods. Try adding tofu to a stir fry or switch from dairy milk to soy milk.

•Swap out your red meat for a serving of fish. Or better yet, up your intake of legumes.

 

•Add mushrooms to your meals -- try different varieties like oyster and King trumpet mushrooms. They're delicious and can be used in place of meat as the focus of a meal.

 

Chocolate & Happiness!!!

When I am really stressed I usually resort to my one and only, my addiction, chocolate. There’s a long history of people using chocolate to make themselves happier, but the question still remains: is there a scientific basis behind it?  Recently, I came across facts that prove my theory:

One of the things that could account for the satisfaction we feel upon eating a lot of chocolate is that it’s so sweet and rich. Even dark chocolate has a high percentage of fat and sugar, and these properties stimulate the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus is the part of our brain responsible for pleasing sensations. When we eat chocolate to improve your mood, the sensations distract you from whatever’s making you upset. In addition, chocolate can affect the amount of serotonin in the brain. This chemical is known for having an effect on mood, and is regulated by many anti-depressants. While the effect of chocolate is far less than that of medical remedies for depression, it does have a noticeable one on the way serotonin is released, so we feel happier.