MyESLCentral Blog

Happy Halloween, Everyone! High time for parties, costumes, Trick-or-Treaters, bobbing for apples, decorations, and scary movies that will make your toes curl!

Modern day Halloween is a melting pot of all kinds of history rolled into one. Many of today’s common practices are formed from different cultures’ beliefs. For example, the act of Trick-or-Treating is a tradition dating back to the early parades in England held on All Souls’ Day. During the parade, the poor villagers would beg for food and citizens would give them “soul cakes” in exchange for their promise to pray for the family’s dead relatives. On the other hand, dressing up in costume has both European and Celtic roots. It was believed hundreds of years ago that on Halloween ghosts would return from the dead and scare the pants off those that were still alive. In an interest to avoid this, people would wear masks that would make your blood run cold to trick the spirits into believing they were fellow ghosts.

Between 1920-1950, Trick-or-Treating turned into an inexpensive way for communities to share a Halloween celebration. It was thought that families could avoid tricks being played on them and their homes by distributing treats to the neighborhood children. This was the beginning of today’s tradition that goes hand in hand with Halloween. It is now the second largest commercial holiday in the US banking an estimated $6.9 billion annually!

I hope everyone has a very fun and safe Halloween this year, and don’t get the living daylights scared out of you!

GAME: There are 8 idioms highlighted in this blog post. Can you explain the meaning of each?

REFERENCE: Ronda Walker Weaver, Introduction to Folklore, Halloween Celebrations, 2000

Listening to music is a great way to learn English. The English as a Second Language director at LearningU, Sherri Sagers, recommends using music lyrics to improve your listening and speaking skills. Sherri is an expert in preparation courses for the TOEIC® and TOEFL® exams. She points out that songs are a way for learners to acquire vocabulary in content. (Be sure the lyrics don’t have incorrect or offensive language!)

Per my personal experience, I embraced music as a way to learn Spanish, from the melancholical lyrics of Argentine Tango to the pop hits of Colombian singers Shakira and Juanes. The lyrics of Juanes’ songs were especially helpful given his clean, clear voice. He has won 17 Latin Grammys and one Grammy for his music.

In a NPR interview with Viviana Hurtado, Juanes talks about his life, music, and new songs in English. While he has traditionally sung mostly in Spanish, Juanes expresses his love for the English language as well as Anglo music. Since his children were born in Miami, Juanes says he is becoming more “familiar with the language” Juanes’ motivation for singing in English? To break barriers.

Listen to the NPR interview in English with Juanes here!

References:

http://www.npr.org/2012/08/23/159916898/juanes-changes-course-on-english-language-songs

http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/culture/25358-juanes-records-songs-in-english-before-hollywood-bowl-performance.html

In this day and age, technology has become a growing and ever-changing monster. Companies are doing their best to stay on the cutting edge and invent the next best thing. Many common things have been swept up in this path including print media (newspapers, magazines, books, etc.), communication devices, and traditional classes now being held online.

While part of me is quite excited about what the future brings, another part laments what is being lost. I own an electronic tablet. I have, at my fingertips at the click of a button, newspapers, magazines, and books and other apps that I can access almost anywhere, including the dark! However, even though I’ve owned it for quite a few months, it still feels foreign, especially when I’m digging in to a good book. Often I like to go back and reread a section from the beginning and enjoy feeling the pages flip through my fingers. There’s a certain comfort, if you will, I feel in books. For example, being able to see how far I’ve gotten and how far I have to go gives me a strange feeling of well-being. Plus, I don’t need to shut down for ten minutes when I’m taking off in an airplane – I can just go ahead and keep reading!

A couple of years ago, I heard the very sad news that the Oxford English Dictionary would no longer be printed. This seemed devastating to me! Will books and dictionaries soon be a thing of the past? I doubt they will, but still, I urge you to hang on to your books, take care of them, and keep them safe. Some items just can’t be replaced with the click of a “download.”

October 16 is Dictionary Day. This day was founded in honor of Noah Webster, who is considered the father of the modern dictionary. But what is the modern dictionary? If you ask someone who grew up before the age of the Internet at our finger tips their answer will surely be a big alphabetized book of words with definitions, pronunciation and word use examples. When I asked my 11 year-old, her first answer was dictionary.com.

Think for a moment about how our usage of the dictionary has changed in just the past 20 years. Most of us use an online resource for a quick check on the spelling or usage of a word. Many times we just use the spell check functionality in our word processing software is spelling is the only concern. Does this mean that the printed dictionary will become as obsolete as the manual typewriter? It may eventually, but probably not too soon.

I think it’s still fun to just peruse a dictionary. Open up to a random page and see what’s waiting there for you. When you read the words in alphabetical order you get a sense of how they are connected to each other, how they share roots and other word parts from Greek and Latin. Even my 11 year-old reads a dictionary every so often. And when she does, she tells me about the new words that she learns that way.

So in honor of Dictionary Day and Noah Webster, blow the dust off your Webster’s Dictionary and take it for a spin. You might learn something that you didn’t anticipate.

Americans love to find any excuse to celebrate or create holidays. Holidays are genuinely enjoyable and certainly establish great traditions, memories, and most importantly, cherished time off from work, school, and the daily grind.

Everyone takes advantage of these particular holidays, but what a vast majority of people overlook are the lesser known celebrations and opportunities to shake things up. For example, we used to announce obscure or fun days, like "talk like a pirate day," at a previous job. Co-workers would dress up or talk like a pirate through casual conversation, or even with clients to inject elements of fun and socialization in the workplace. The appeal these "days" have is that there is more flexibility and originality that can be used to plan them. After all, we already know what will happen on Easter or Thanksgiving.

That brings us to today's special day. Oct 11th is national "It's Your Party Day." What an excellent chance to celebrate just about anything you can think of. You could throw a party for a personal milestone you have reached or surpassed or you could reward your kid(s) for achievements. Who would not want a party in their honor? Make it fun and spontaneous, elaborate or simple, but take a few minutes to "have a party!" I guarantee you will be better for it and remember to mark it on your calendar. If you were not aware or unprepared to properly celebrate "It's Your Party Day," there is always next year!

A fun debate between English speakers, whether a student or a teacher, is how many spaces one should put at the end of punctuation. 20+ years ago, when the typewriter was a popular form of producing text, fast, the rule was: 1 space between all words and all forms of punctuation, except for periods, question marks, and exclamation points, and in this case, there should be 2 spaces. Typewriters produce what is called “monospace,” meaning every character took up the same amount of space on a page, so an

“I” took up as much space as a “W.” This was so there was a visible difference between where a sentence ended and began, making the material more readable.

Those of you who learned to type on a typewriter or a word processor may have been taught this, and perhaps you still continue typing this way. There are also those of you who had instructors who had been taught this way, and so they perpetuate this form of punctuation.

In today’s world of computers and word processing programs, proportional fonts were introduced, meaning the spacing at the end of a period, exclamation point, or question mark, is automatically adjusted for a little more distance, hence easier readability.

If you are still hitting the space bar twice after these forms of punctuation, think again. One of the best ways to break this habit is to type a lengthy paper with your primary focus to remove all double spaces at the end of sentences. You can then do a find and replace, by putting “.  “ into the find bar and “. “ into the replace bar.

Welcome to the 21^st century – where this is no need for two spaces after any form of punctuation!

Have you ever asked what felt like a stupid question in your life? The secret is – we all have. I can personally attest to that! National ‘Ask a Stupid Question Day’ is celebrated on September 28^th, and originated back in the 1980’s by teachers hoping to give their students more confidence to ask questions in the classroom. We have all heard the cliché ‘there’s no such thing as a stupid question’. Well, it’s true! There is something to be said about a person constantly seeking to gain more knowledge.

When I was in school, I was like many other children and afraid of ridicule from my fellow peers. I would always secretly thank another student for asking a question that was burning in my mind. But that’s just it – I was stupid for just not asking myself! Most likely, ‘stupid question’ or not, someone else is asking themselves the same question. Think about what would happen if no one ever ventured to ask questions – many of today’s advances would have never happened.

I challenge you today to be a trail-blazer and ask a question you have never known the answer to – seek sources such as a teacher, coworker, peer, friend, family, or even the internet! Ask multiple people the same question and see how many different answers you get. Check multiple sources to see if the answer holds true across the board.

Do you know how many language are spoken in the world today?

More than 7,000.

However, every 14 days, one of these languages disappears. National Geographic’s Enduring Voices Project  focuses on identifying and preserving endangered languages around the world. One of the goals of this project includes understanding the connection between language diversity and biodiversity. Another goal centers on comprehending the ways in which humans communicate and store information in the brain.

This project provides an interactive map of hotspots, or places where a language is in danger of extinction. Do you see hotspots in your region of the world? In my part of the world, Southern South America, the language Aché of eastern Paraguay appears on the map with a high threat level for extinction.

One of the novelties of the “Enduring Voices Project” is a Talking Dictionaries resource, an audio catalogue of words and phrases from extinct or nearly extinct language. When you listen to the Talking Dictionaries, you can experience diverse sounds from languages ranging from Ho (India) to Muniche (Peru) to Tuvan (Siberia). The team members of Enduring Voices encourage local communities to record and document their languages and then share that information online.

Visit the Enduring Voices Project’s website to learn more about disappearing languages.

References:

http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/enduring-voices/
http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/enduring-voices/about/
http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/enduring-voices/talking-dictionaries/

False friends: False friends are words that look or sound similar, but have very different meanings. These answer traps most often affect students whose native language is related to Latin or Greek, such as Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Italian, but they can also affect students with other language backgrounds as well.

There are hundreds of false friends, depending on your native language and you can find lists of false friends between English and your language on the internet.

Let’s look at some quick examples…

Actual: In English, this word means real or genuine; in some European languages, however, it usually means updated or current.

Assist: In English, this word means to provide help; in Spanish, however, it can mean to attend a class or go to a place regularly.

Complexion: In English, this word means the clarity of one’s skin; in Spanish, however, it can mean a person’s physical build.

Deception: In English, this means fraud or deceit; in Spanish, it can mean a disappointment.

Demand: In English this means to require or ask with authority and force; in French and Italian, it doesn’t have the strong feeling of requirement and simply means to ask or request; in Spanish, it can mean to sue.

Gift: In English, this word means something that is given voluntarily as a kind gesture or favor; in German, Swedish, and Norwegian, it can mean poison.

Molest: In English, this word means to assault someone sexually; in Spanish it means to simply bother or annoy.

Success: In English, this means a favorable or prosperous outcome after trying; in Spanish, it can mean a crime or simply something that happens (without the very positive connotation it has in English).

Good luck as you begin to understand the language differences - and don't be afraid to make a mistake or two - just make sure you laugh at yourself!

Often, in the English language, knowing when to capitalize the first letter of a word, and when not to capitalize a first letter of a word can be confusing. Hopefully this short lesson will shed some light on this. 

First, what is a noun? A noun is a word or word phrase used to identify a person, place, thing, or idea. If something can be named, then it is usually a noun. Such nouns are: girl, home, religion, politics. 

What is a proper noun? A proper noun replaces the noun with something specific, and proper nouns are usually capitalized. These include: Sarah, White House, Buddhism, Democratic Party. So, if you are using a specific noun when writing, capitalize it; if you can replace the specific noun with a more general word, then you know the word is being used correctly.

Some examples are: He lives in a large white home. Tom lives in the White House. She always has trouble with math. Jane always has trouble with Algebra. Let's go to the zoo. Let's go to the Atlanta Zoo. I love visiting the mountains. I love visiting the Rocky Mountains. I enjoy learning about planets. I enjoy learning about Mars, Jupiter, and other planets. What he does for our town is a blessing. What John Weaver does for Pocatello is a blessing. The girl and the boy fell in love while visiting the ocean. Jennifer and Benjamin fell in love while visiting the Atlantic Ocean.

Some good resources for learning about nouns can be found at: http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/nouns.htm http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/nouns.htm http://www.schoolhouserock.tv/Noun.html

As second language learners are aware, it is difficult to not only learn a language, but one must also learn the grammar and the culture around the language. By way of assistance, today I share with you, as a part-time professor, my Academic Writing Checklist. I have put this list together based on more than 20 years of university experience. These points are universal, although I state they are academic, if writing for any profession, they are well worth remembering. This includes:

1. Use correct MLA/APA/etc. style within body of text and on works cited page.

2. Beware of sentence fragments: “Not to mention the people watching the tube.”

3. A dash, used for a pause or separation, is two hyphens: - - becomes – when hit consecutively, an “em” dash - - - three dashes hit consecutively looks like this when typed properly—this is used for emphasizing a point.

4. Do not use contractions in academic prose unless within a quote.

5. Keep prose parallel in both tense and number. Not: “That kind of pressure on a child makes them nervous.” Not: “My family drove to the beach and love the sights they see.”

6. Use semicolons and colons correctly. No semicolons in titles.

7. Do not begin a sentence with “also, therefore, insomuch, thus, but, and.”

8. Spacing: single space between all forms of punctuation.

9. Eliminate comma splices.

10. Eliminate fused sentences or non-parallel sentences.

11. Beware of repetitive phrases or words, especially in the same sentence or paragraph.

12. Cite every quote, paraphrase, or summarization with parenthetical documentation.

13. Capitalize titles according to the rules of capitalization.

14. Set off long quotes (four lines or more) with two left-side tabs. Do not use quotation marks when setting off long quotes.

15. Beware of making universal statements that can be contradicted by one exception.

16. Remember your title, thesis, and topic sentences as you write.

17. Possessive “its” does not use an apostrophe. “It’s” for “it is” does use an apostrophe.

18. Singular possessive: “My doctor’s office.” Plural: My doctors’ office.”

19. Remember the difference between “to” and “too.”

20. MLA is double-spaced throughout the paper–title, text, works cited, etc.

21. No comma between author’s name and a page number in parenthetical citation.

22. Ellipses have a space between each dot: “The author . . . is brilliant.” If words from more than one sentence are edited out, use four dots: “The author. . . .  returned to her roots in this story.” At the end of a sentence, use four dots before going into another sentence: “Sarah is the

author. . . .returned to her roots.”

23. For American punctuation, the punctuation mark goes inside the quotation mark: “Did September 11 seem like the end of the world?”

24. Numbers should be spelled out up until one hundred, then you can use the numbers themselves. The only exception is when using dates, then use numbers.

25. Do not use an acronym in a title unless it is well known. When using a less known acronym in the body of a paper, write the full title out the first time with the acronym in parenthesis.

26. Remember logical consistency.

27. Use spell check and grammar check. Remember that spell check does not catch all words - whole/hole, etc.

28. Edit out awkward or wordy phrases.

29. Perform a final edit for general structure, word choice, punctuation, concision, coherence, grammar, etc. It is always helpful to have someone else read your paper.

30. Keep pronoun use minimal and make sure your reader knows who is being discussed.

31. Keep tenses consistent - worked, works, working, said, says, saying.

32. Use feel, think, and believe properly.

33. That, which, affect, effect - use properly.

State Government

Each state in the United States of America has its own governing responsibilities. States’ governments also have branches similar to those of the Federal government. State governments are responsible for meeting the desires of the state, which vary from state to state. As well, state government agencies must address the challenges of blending into and supporting the federal government, with the federal government’s laws as the framework for each state’s needs.

Those elected for positions in their state governments are under the same regulations for term limits as the Federal government. State officials such as: Governor, lieutenant Governor, representatives, and judges are qualified elected individuals chosen through the election process by registered voters; all citizens, 18 years old and older, of the state they live in, except those in prisons (the exceptions are Maine and Vermont), are eligible to register to vote.

State governments are responsible for providing schooling: K-12 education, protection: police to enforce safety, and health departments, along with numerous other services.

States and their capitols: The United States of America has a capitol that is in Washington DC (District of Columbia). Washington DC is not a state, so there is no governor, Congress, or Senate. However, there is a mayor of this District.

Each of the fifty United States has symbols similar to the national emblems, from bird, to flower, to song, to dessert! Many states celebrate statehood days, such as Nebraska, whose “birthday” is March 1, 1867. This day is often acknowledged with speeches by state dignitaries, performances by local groups, and historic reenactments.

Local Government

Each city, township, or county in the United States of America is responsible for attending to the needs of the residents in their locality. They also report to the state, and are responsible for carrying forth the state’s laws.

Local officials are elected or appointed by the citizens of the community. These officials include: Mayor, City Council, and numerous boards and commissions such as: arts, parks and recreation, historic preservation, library, and transportation.

Local governments oversee building permits, sports and recreation programs, libraries, local police and fire departments, resources for senior citizens, along with many other services and opportunities.

Many cities celebrate their identity and their citizens by having community-wide celebrations such as: Richmond, Virginia’s CityCelebrations; Brigham City, Utah’s Peach Days; New York City’s Harlem Month; New Orleans, Louisiana’s Mardi Gras.

Often parents will give their children names that have emotional connections. Some reasons for this are family history, a connection to a person, place, thing, or a love of a certain item. Although this is true throughout the world, in the USA, names are given, then shortened, so that a person may have a proper name and a nick-name.

While understanding the background of a person's name is not always necessary, although interesting, if Charles is the name seen on the paper, do you call the person Charles, or do you call him Charlie, Chuck, Chick, Carl, or Chas? Some US names that have nick-named versions include:

Samantha or Samuel: Sam
Henry: Hank
Isabelle: Bella, Izie
James: Jim, Jim
Albert: Bert, Al
Robert: Rob, Robbie, Bob, Bobby
Bradley, Bradford: Brad
Margaret: Meg, Peggy
Elizabeth: Libbie, Beth, Eliza, Betty
Abigail: Abbie
Abraham: Abe
Addison or Adaline: Addie
Alexander: Al
Frederick: Fred
Christopher or Christine: Chris, Kristie
Donald: Don, Donnie
Victoria or Victor: Vicki, Torie, or Vic

Take a look around you; are your friends and colleagues known by their proper name, a version of that name, or a nick-name that doesn't have anything to do with their name but perhaps a characteristic or attribute, such as: Slim, Shorty, Bones, Sparky, and Red?

Today, August 16th, is “Stay Home With Your Kids Day” in the United States. This day is sponsored by WAHM.com, Work-at-Home Moms online magazine.

Stay Home With Your Kids Day has two main goals:

1. Celebrating and supporting parents who stay at home with their children.

2. Giving working parents a chance to take a vacation day at home and considering if they would like stay at home with their kids in the future.

Although this day has been promoted by the Work-at-Home Moms online magazine, there is a growing trend for dads to stay at home with the kids. In fact, according to a CNNMoney magazine article from May 2012, there has been an increase in stay-at-home dads. This increase reflects the rising incomes of women coupled by the job losses for men during the recent recession in the United States. While part of the choice is financial, many stay-at-home dads say they choose to stay home in order to participate more in their children’s lives.

One advantage for kids with bilingual parents at home is the increased time a young child interacts with a language and  develop those skills. For example, my older sister’s father-in-law, Nicolas, was born in the U.S. into a Greek immigrant family living in Virginia. I remember Nicolas telling me his story at a family gathering. His mother stayed at home with the kids and only spoke Greek. When Nicolas went to kindergarten for the first time, he didn’t even know that the English language existed! Thanks to all the time Nicolas spent with his Greek-speaking mother, he grew-up, and continues to be, bilingual.

Interestingly, many stay-at-home moms and dads do not return to the corporate world, rather they become entrepreneurs and start their own business. For more information on stay-at-home parents starting business, read this recently published Forbes article.


References:

http://homeparents.about.com/library/weekly/blstay.htm

http://money.cnn.com/2012/04/30/pf/stay-at-home-dad/index.htm

http://suite101.com/article/raising-a-bilingual-child-a33678

http://www.forbes.com/sites/sherylnancenash/2012/06/29/stay-at-home-parents-choose-to-start-businesses-instead-of-returning-to-work/

The Writing section of the TOEFL has been around for many years, but the integrated writing task is fairly new. In the integrated writing task, you need to read an academic test and then listen to a lecture on that same topic. Then you must write an essay that reports what you read and listened to. Here are some tips that will help you prepare for the TOEFL Writing section:

1. 1.Improve your typing skills on the English keyboard: You must type your essay in English, so if you are not comfortable typing on an English keyboard, you’ll lose valuable time as you struggle to type your ideas. Practice typing your ideas in English so that you can spend more time thinking of good ideas to write about in your essays and less time thinking about typing in English.
2. 2.Show how information relates to each other on the integrated task: Remember that the integrated writing task asks you to report about things you hear and read. The listening and reading passages will be directly related to each other, so you should focus on these ideas as you write your essay.
3. 3.Use the 5-paragraph essay format: The 5-paragraph essay format is not the most exciting form of writing, but it is very common in the U.S. academic system. If you learn to use this format in your writing, your essay will be much easier for American graders to follow and understand.
4. 4.Outline your essay before you write: Before you begin writing your actual essay, you should take some time to plan it out. A good strategy here is to type an outline of your 5-paragraph essay, adding some keywords to remind you of supporting ideas for each paragraph. Spending 5 minutes to plan your essay will ensure that your essay is organized and will help you get a better score.
5. 5.Only use words and phrases that you feel confident using: Never use big words or phrases that you don’t completely understand.
6. 6.Use transitions: As you write, use transitions to signal that you’re moving from one topic to another. This will also help your essay seem more organized.
7. 7.Leave time to review: Plan to leave the last 5 minutes to review your essay and fix any mistakes you might have made.
8. 8.Evaluate your essay using ETS’ criteria: Ask yourself these questions after you write an English essay:
   1. a.Did you answer the question completely?
   2. b.Is your organization clear and easy to follow?
   3. c.Did you introduce the topic and main ideas?
   4. d.Were your ideas logically connected?
   5. e.Were your ideas well supported?
   6. f.Did you conclude your topic and main ideas?
   7. g.Is the length sufficient to adequately address the topic?
   8. h.Did you choose precise vocabulary?
   9. i.Is there variety in your sentence structure?
   10. j.Does your grammar sound natural?
   11. k.Is your grammar accurate?

Founded in 1846, the Smithsonian is the world's largest museum and research complex, consisting of 19 museums and galleries, the National Zoological Park, and 9 research facilities. The Smithsonian's mission is to shape the future by preserving the past by "discovering new knowledge and sharing our resources with the world." The vision of the Institution is:

Discovery: Explore and bring to light new knowledge and ideas, and better ways of doing business

Creativity: Instill our work with imagination and innovation

Excellence: Deliver the highest-quality products and services in all endeavors

Diversity: Capitalize on the richness inherent in differences

Integrity: Carry out all our work with the greatest responsibility and accountability

Service: Be of benefit to the public and our stakeholders

The area surrounding the US Capitol and the White House is often referred to as The National Mall. The Mall houses several Smithsonian museums and art galleries as well as national monuments, including the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial.

Not only does the Mall house museums, galleries, and monuments, but it is also home to the "Castle," as the earliest building on the Mall is referred to - housing the Smithsonian headquarters.

The United States Department of the Treasury, since its establishment in 1789, has been responsible for the production of U.S. coins and currency notes. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing produces paper money, and the United States Mint produces coins. Currency is available for circulation in 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 dollar bills. Historically paper currency has been referred to as “greenbacks” because they are green.  Recently the bills have been altered in appearance in order to deter counterfeiting.

Coinage is based on the dollar, as well. One cent is 1/100 of a dollar, and all coins are measured in cents. Thus:
 

A 1 cent coin is called a penny.

A 5 cent coin is called a nickel.

A 10 cent coin is called a dime.

A 25 cent coin is called a quarter.

A 50 cent coin is called a half dollar.

One-dollar coins are also minted and put into circulation, but most people use paper dollars.

As the 2012 London Olympics have started, here are some interesting lesser-known facts about the Olympic games.

Did you know?

1. It is predicted that 4 billion people will watch the opening ceremonyfor the 2012 Olympic games.

2. The dining hall in the Olympic Village caters meals for up to 5,500 athletes at a time.

3. Athletes from 204 nations will compete in various competitions in London.

4. In London, more than 2,100 medals will be presented in 302 ceremonies.

5. The youngest Olympian ever was Dimitrios Loundras, a Greek gymnast in the 1896 Athens Olympics. He was 10.

6. The oldest Olympic medalist was Oscar Swahn of Sweden; he won his last medal, in shooting, at the age of 72.

 7. In 1900, in France, winners received paintings instead of gold medals. Gold, silver and bronze medals weren't given out until the third modern Olympics, in 1904.

8. Gold medals haven't been pure gold in 96 years. The 1912 Olympics was the last time gold medals were solid gold. Ever since, they've been silver with gold plating.

9. The Olympic rings cover every flag in the world: yellow, green, red, black and blue because at least one of those five colors appears in every flag in the world.

10. Traditionally the Olympic flame in Olympia, Greece is rekindled every two years using the sun's rays and a concave reflective mirror!

Knowledge is power. Perhaps you’ve heard this before - but have you understood it?

The first step in acquiring knowledge is to acknowledge when you don’t know. Don’t be afraid to say, “I’m not sure,” or, “I wonder … ” and then find the answer!

Second, begin searching for that answer. Gaining a formal education brings with it the opportunity to talk with like-minded people, those who yearn for more - those who enjoy discussing what they don’t know as much as what they do know. And, in formal education you will find a place where asking questions is encouraged rather than discouraged.

Third, become a critical thinker. Marvin D. Loflin, President of LearningU, says one must ask, “How do you know?” and, “What does it mean?” Being able to look at any situation or statement from different perspectives is an important skill to have. Analyzing what someone says, understanding why they said it, and learning how what they have to say, may or may not say, applies to a conversation and is an important skill to have in any career. It is also important to learn to think for yourself.

And fourth, you are never too old to learn. Gaining knowledge is a life-long pursuit. It doesn’t end at high school graduation, college graduation, or upon getting that dream job. There is power in this recognition. The more you learn, the more you know, and the more you know, the more you grow.

Did you know that the word "shampoo" (yes, the sudsy soap we clean our hair with every day) has an Indian origin? Some other English words with an Indian origin just might surprise you such as "avatar," "jungle," and  "typhoon."

One of the trademarks of languages has always been their adaptability and the ability of one to influence another. English influences and receives influence from a wide variety of languages. A recent BBC article titled, "Hobson-Jobson: The words English owes to India," discusses a dictionary that documents the Indian origin of English words. According to the University of Chicago, the Hobson-Jobson is a "glossary of colloquial Anglo-Indian words and phrases." Also known informally as the "legendary dictionary of British India."  

It was delightful to discover some of the English words of Indian origin which I use often, if not daily, were mentioned in the article. Here is a sample of 10 Anglo-Indian words:

A - avatar
B - bandana
C - cashmere
K - khaki
J - jungle
P - pyjamas
S - shampoo, shaw
V - veranda
Y - yoga

So next time you hear yourself mention a “typhoon,” a “jungle,” or a “guru,” you will be citing one of the Anglo-Indian words from the 1000-page Hobson-Jobson.

References:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18796493