About Skimming

Skimming is a reading technique wherein one tries to find the main ideas of a reading material in order to know what it’s generally about. It helps save time because there’s no need to remember specific details. It’s all about the gist of the selection.

In skimming materials, often you will find the main ideas in topic sentences which are usually found in the first or last sentence of each paragraph. I say ‘usually’ because there are also times when the topic sentence can be located in the middle of the paragraph, and at times there’s no topic sentence at all. In this case, the main idea is implied. If it’s a very long selection, you can just usually read the first paragraph and/or the last paragraph, for the first paragraph introduces the topic and the last paragraph often summarizes all the ideas presented in the material.

Understanding English Pronunciation

It is quite common for non-native speakers of English to mispronounce English words. However, it is not something we have to be ashamed of, but something we ought to understand. We have to get to the root/s of the problems, in order for us to improve our pronunciation. Here are some tips I hope could help you understand English pronunciation better.

English is not phonetic
Unlike other languages, English is not phonetic. What does that mean? It means we don’t always say English words the way we spell them. Let’s compare two languages as an example.

Redundancy (Unnecessary Repetition of Words)

Unnecessary repetition of words which is also known as redundancy is a common mistake made by both native and non-native speakers of English. What does redundancy mean exactly and what are some of its most common examples?

“Let me repeat again.” Is this line familiar to you? To me, it is. I hear this so often I feel quite sick of it.^^ However, this redundancy is just one of the many examples of unnecessary repetition of words. Below are some more examples of redundant phrases you have to avoid using:

If prefixes and suffixes sometimes confuse you, read this handy guide to the most common ones:

• 6 prefixes with verbs:

-          re: revisit, rebuild, and restructure

-          dis: disappear, discontinue, and disconnect

-          over: oversleep, overwork, and overbook

-          un: unfasten, uncouple, and unbend

-          mis:mislead, misinform, and misidentify

-          out: outperform, outlast, and outbid

• 2 prefixes with nouns:

-          co: coauthor

-          sub: subcommittee

• 4 suffixes with verbs:

-          ize: stabilize, characterize, and symbolize

-          ate: differentiate, duplicate, and liquidate

Smokers can cause themselves serious health problems. The choice to smoke is made freely and with knowledge of dangers.
Smokers should therefore expect to pay more for medical treatment than non-smokers.

To what extent do you agree with this statement?

• You should write at least 250 words.
• You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Everyone has the choice of being a smoker or not. The people who choose to smoke do so knowing there is a risk of causing harmful damage to themselves. However, I do not entirely agree that these people should have to pay more to receive all the medical treatment they need.

We are becoming increasingly dependent on computers. They are used in businesses, hospitals, crime detection and even to fly planes.
What things will they be used for in the future? Is this dependence on computers a good thing or should we he more auspicious of their benefits?

• You should write at least 250 words.
• You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Computers are a relatively new invention. The first computers were built fifty years ago and it is only in the last thirty or so years that their influence has affected our everyday life. Personal computers were introduced as recently as the early eighties. In this short time they have made a tremendous impact on our lives. We are now so dependent on computers that it is hard to imagine what things would be like today without them. You have only got to go into a bank when their main computer is broken to appreciate the chaos that would occur if computers were suddenly removed world-wide.

For versus Since

For indicates a period of time. It answers the question “How long?”
ex. I have been living here for 4 months.

Since indicates a point in time. It answers the question”Since when?” or “When did it start?”
ex. I have been living here since October of last year.

Fewer versus Less

Is there a difference between ‘fewer’ and ‘less’? I noticed a lot of people get this wrong even native speakers at that. However, you need not worry, because the difference between these words is very simple and is very easy to learn.

Fewer is used for things you can count individually.
ex.
fewer people
fewer horses
fewer bags

Less is used for things you CAN’T count individually. It is used for measuring uncountable nouns such as liquid, gas, grain, etc.
ex.
less water
less air
less flour

That’s the difference between ‘fewer’ and less’.

Should parents be obliged to immunise their children against common  childhood diseases?
Or do individuals have the right to choose not to immunise their children?

• You should write at least 250 words.
• You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

(Second Version)

The issue of whether we should force parents to immunise their children against common diseases is, in my opinion, a social rather than a medical question. Since we are free to choose what we expose our bodies to in the way of food, drink, or religion for that matter, why should the question of medical ‘treatment’ be any different?