On the day before a standardized test (such as the CATW, CATR/ACT Reading, Compass Math Exam, SAT, ACT, and GRE), you should not be studying or practicing - as I've mentioned at: http://cuny.SpirFit.com/2011/07/day-and-days-before-standardized-test.html
On the day before a standardized exam, it's good to relax and do some inspirational reading (not related to the exam). The following are some recommended inspirational readings:
Facing Uncertainty - Opportunity in Disguise (Part I)
http://Life.SpirFit.com/2009/06/power-of-uncertain-part-1-opportunities.html
Facing Uncertainty - Do Not Fear the Unknown (Part II)
http://Life.SpirFit.com/2009/07/facing-uncertainties-part-2-do-not-fear.html
Facing Uncertainty - UNDERSTANDING THE POWER OF YOUR MIND (Part III)
http://Life.SpirFit.com/2009/08/facing-uncertainties-part-3.html
Facing Uncertainty (Part IV)
http://Life.SpirFit.com/2009/08/facing-uncertainties-part-4-harnessing.html
How Do I Forgive
http://Life.SpirFit.com/2010/03/how-do-i-forgive.html
Dealing with People at Work
http://Life.SpirFit.com/2009/12/dealing-with-people-at-work.html
I'm Dying
http://life.SpirFit.com/2011/06/im-dying.html
Follow Your Heart, Don’t Live Someone Else’s Life
http://life.SpirFit.com/2010/10/follow-your-heart-dont-live-someone.html
Habitual Thoughts Determine What
http://spirfit.com/2009/05/habitual-thoughts-determine-results.html
Not Imprisoned by Our Past
http://www.myspace.com/constanzo/blog/164298676?MyToken=11305cd4-12b1-4da2-9b51-08aefe73f3fb
Don’t Leave the Great Project
http://Life.SpirFit.com /2010/08/dont-leave-great-project.html
Is There Room in Your Cup
http://www.myspace.com/constanzo/blog/278083247
From Other Teachers
http://www.innerself.com/Spirituality/becoming_spiritual.htm
http://www.franklincovey.com/tc/resources/view/art
http://peacepilgrim.com/book/chapt6.htm
http://www.drwaynedyer.com/articles/seven-secrets-of-a-joyful-life
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/richard_st_john_s_8_secrets_of_success.html
http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/frankl.html
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/questionofgod/voices/frankl.html
Funny or Fun
http://www.myspace.com/constanzo/blog/502076264
http://life.SpirFit.com/2010/12/smashing-video.html
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Pointers for the Day and Days Before Standardized Test
The following are pointers I've presented to students for preparation for standardized tests (including the CAT Writing and/or ACT Reading Exams). If I haven't presented this to you in person with full explanation of each point, some of these suggestions may or may not make sense to you. You'll just have to humble yourselves and take my word for it, if you want to improve your performance.
FROM NOW UNTIL 24 HOURS BEFORE THE TEST (APPROXIMATELY TWO DAYS BEFORE TEST)
Prepare as much as you can. For the writing test, practice writing clearly and persuasively. Do CATW practice within 90 minutes for each practice prompt. Just like a SWAT team or a military unit preparing for an operation by doing simulated drills, you should be doing CATW drills or simulation. Do each CATW practice within 90 minutes. (If you are practicing for CUNY ACT Reading, you have unlimited time.)
ON THE DAY (24 HOURS) BEFORE THE TEST
• Do NOT study or practice for the CATW/ACT the day before the test.
• Do NOT party or engage in similar activities
• Plan to sleep enough hours the night before the test. (For example if the test is on Thursday, don’t take a long nap in the afternoon on Wednesday if you know that will keep you from sleeping on Wednesday night. "Know thyself."
• Make it a calm relaxing day. Examples of good things to do the day before the test:
- Prayer
- Meditation
- Read inspirational or motivational materials
- Watch inspirational or motivational movies or TV programs
• Prepare everything you need to bring for the test as instructed by your professor (pens, pencils, watch,…) Prepare some hard candy (like Life Savers) to bring to the test for fueling the brain with sugar during the test.
• Know exactly the location of the test and arrange how you will get there. THE MORE PREPARED YOU ARE, THE LESS ANXIETY YOU WILL HAVE.
DAY OF THE TEST
• Keep drinking lots of water until 45 minutes before the test. (Lack of water may cause a decline in brain function.)
• Bring all you need to bring (according to your professor).
• Get to the testing site AT LEAST 30 minutes early.
• Relax. You’ll be fine. Whatever happens, it won’t be the end of the world.
• Before the test, go to the bathroom and empty your bladder and/or bowels. (Do so ahead of time. Don't be late to the test!)
• During the test, always keep a piece of hard candy in your mouth to keep fueling the brain. Do not chew the candy, but let it release sugar slowly and gradually (Do this only during a test. It helps in the short term, within those 90 minutes, but it's not a healthy practice for the long term.)
Copyright: © 2005, 2011. This document is the sole property of Amadeo Constanzo. You may use this article for free on your web site, blog, or other publication if and only if you include this entire copyright notice including the following links and statement. Other free teachings from Amadeo Constanzo can be found at SpirFit.org/Academics and CUNY.SpirFit.com
Keywords: Standardized Test Preparation, CATW, Day before test, Test preparation pointers, ESL, English, , CUNY, Kingsborough, Hunter, Baruch, CCNY, Queensborough, Brooklyn College, BMCC, writing, revising, paragraph
FROM NOW UNTIL 24 HOURS BEFORE THE TEST (APPROXIMATELY TWO DAYS BEFORE TEST)
Prepare as much as you can. For the writing test, practice writing clearly and persuasively. Do CATW practice within 90 minutes for each practice prompt. Just like a SWAT team or a military unit preparing for an operation by doing simulated drills, you should be doing CATW drills or simulation. Do each CATW practice within 90 minutes. (If you are practicing for CUNY ACT Reading, you have unlimited time.)
ON THE DAY (24 HOURS) BEFORE THE TEST
• Do NOT study or practice for the CATW/ACT the day before the test.
• Do NOT party or engage in similar activities
• Plan to sleep enough hours the night before the test. (For example if the test is on Thursday, don’t take a long nap in the afternoon on Wednesday if you know that will keep you from sleeping on Wednesday night. "Know thyself."
• Make it a calm relaxing day. Examples of good things to do the day before the test:
- Prayer
- Meditation
- Read inspirational or motivational materials
- Watch inspirational or motivational movies or TV programs
• Prepare everything you need to bring for the test as instructed by your professor (pens, pencils, watch,…) Prepare some hard candy (like Life Savers) to bring to the test for fueling the brain with sugar during the test.
• Know exactly the location of the test and arrange how you will get there. THE MORE PREPARED YOU ARE, THE LESS ANXIETY YOU WILL HAVE.
DAY OF THE TEST
• Keep drinking lots of water until 45 minutes before the test. (Lack of water may cause a decline in brain function.)
• Bring all you need to bring (according to your professor).
• Get to the testing site AT LEAST 30 minutes early.
• Relax. You’ll be fine. Whatever happens, it won’t be the end of the world.
• Before the test, go to the bathroom and empty your bladder and/or bowels. (Do so ahead of time. Don't be late to the test!)
• During the test, always keep a piece of hard candy in your mouth to keep fueling the brain. Do not chew the candy, but let it release sugar slowly and gradually (Do this only during a test. It helps in the short term, within those 90 minutes, but it's not a healthy practice for the long term.)
Copyright: © 2005, 2011. This document is the sole property of Amadeo Constanzo. You may use this article for free on your web site, blog, or other publication if and only if you include this entire copyright notice including the following links and statement. Other free teachings from Amadeo Constanzo can be found at SpirFit.org/Academics and CUNY.SpirFit.com
Keywords: Standardized Test Preparation, CATW, Day before test, Test preparation pointers, ESL, English, , CUNY, Kingsborough, Hunter, Baruch, CCNY, Queensborough, Brooklyn College, BMCC, writing, revising, paragraph
Monday, July 25, 2011
Introduction to the CATW - The Friendship Bond (Part 1)
Whether you are completely new to the CATW or you're quite familiar with it, this lesson will be helpful to you. Read the following and write your essay according to the writing directions.
The Friendship Bond
Friendship appears to be a unique form of human bonding. Unlike marriage or the ties that bind parents and children, it is not defined or controlled by law. Still, friendship fills a key role in our lives; it builds feelings of warmth and love between two people. In order for this to happen, the two most important building blocks of friendship are trust and acceptance.
A recent survey in Psychology Today questioned over forty thousand readers about what they looked for in close friendships. The survey participants stated that they valued, above all, loyalty and the ability to keep secrets. When commenting on friendship in general, similar words and phrases were repeated: "trust," "honesty," "accepts me even when he doesn't totally approve," "supports me," and "understands me." Learning about why a friendship ends can also give us valuable information about what we value in our friends. When asked why they ended a friendship, readers most often gave as their reasons feeling betrayed by a friend and finding out that a friend had very different views on issues that they felt were important.
Social psychologists have a theory for why trust and friendship seem to go together. Trust allows you to open up to another person and reveal the parts of yourself that are vulnerable. If the other person continues to accept you, then liking and affection will deepen, as well as trust. According to this theory, both members in a friendship must be open with and trust one another for their relationship to become deeper.
Excerpted and adapted from Parlee, M.B. (1996). The Friendship Bond. In W. R. Smalzer, Write to be Read: Reading, Reflection, and Writing. (pp. 69–71). New York: Cambridge University Press.
Writing Directions
Read the passage above and write an essay responding to the ideas it presents. In your essay, be sure to summarize the passage in your own words, stating the author’s most important ideas. Develop your essay by identifying one idea in the passage that you feel is especially significant, and explain its significance. Support your claims with evidence or examples drawn from what you have read, learned in school, and/or personally experienced.
Remember to review your essay and make any changes or corrections that will help your reader follow your thinking. You will have 90 minutes to complete your essay.
After you’ve written the essay, go to http://cunyEnglish.blogspot.com/2011/07/introduction-to-catw-friendship-bond.html to view a sample passing essay and a failing essay. However, don't rush to the end of the tutorial because the whole tutorial provides very important CATW ba
Other free teachings from Amadeo Constanzo can be found at SpirFit.org/Academy/catw and SpirFit.org
Keywords: CATW, CUNY Assessment Test in Writing, New CUNY ACT Writing, English, rephrasing,
Feel free to follow our SpirFit Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/pages/SpirFit/141881909215772
Feel free to choose the “Subscribe” options on the right side of
this page.
CUNY, Kingsborough, Hunter, Baruch, CCNY, Queensborough, Brooklyn College, BMCC, writing, Keywords: CATW, CUNY Assessment Test in Writing, New CUNY ACT Writing, English, rephrasing, CUNY, Kingsborough, Hunter, Baruch, CCNY, Queensborough, Brooklyn College, BMCC, writing, revising, paragraph
Introduction to the CATW: The Friendship Bond - Basic Tutorial and Sample Essays(Part 2)
This is part 2 of this introductory CATW lesson. If you haven't written your essay in response to the "Friendship Bond" in part 1, please do so before you continue with this lesson.
Before going to the sample passing essay below, keep in mind that writing is very much like art and sports where there are many different ways or styles of approach. You must consider finding your own style of writing. It would actually be dangerous if you try to play "copycat" and write in a style that does not fit you.
Let me use an analogy to explain this. Let's say you are a chef competing in a cooking competition and your background is in Asian-style cuisine where as your competitor has more of a Euro-Italian style of cooking. If you unwisely decide to copy your competitor's Italian cooking style (without having been trained in such a style), you will lose. In the same way, you do not want to write like another writer of a completely different style just because their essay is passing. You must find your own style of writing. Experiment with different styles and methods in your English labs and classes.
If you've written an essay in response to this prompt on your own, a sample passing essay and basic CATW information can be found at:
http://jjc.jjay.cuny.edu/erc/act/writing/ex1.pdf
Copyright: © 2011. This document is the sole property of Amadeo Constanzo. You may use this article for free on your web site, blog, or other publication if and only if you include this entire copyright notice including the following links and statement. Other free teachings from Amadeo Constanzo can be found at SpirFit.org/Academy/catw and SpirFit.org
Feel free to follow our SpirFit Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/pages/SpirFit/141881909215772
Feel free to choose the “Subscribe” options on the right side of this page.
Keywords: CATW, CUNY Assessment Test in Writing, New CUNY ACT Writing, English, rephrasing, CUNY, Kingsborough, Hunter, Baruch, CCNY, Queensborough, Brooklyn College, BMCC, writing, revising, paragraph
Friday, July 22, 2011
CATW Practice - Boys and Girls Together
Boys and Girls Together, Taught Separately in School
Michael Napolitano speaks to his fifth-grade class in the Morrisania section of the Bronx like a basketball coach.
“You — let me see you trying!” he insisted the other day during a math lesson. “Come on, faster!”
Across the hall, Larita Hudson’s scolding is more like a therapist’s. “This is so sloppy, honey,” she said as she
reviewed problems in a workbook. “Remember what I spoke to you about? About being the bright shining star that
you are?” Ms. Hudson, who is 32 and grew up near the school, has a room full of 11-year-old girls, while Mr. Napolitano, a 50-year-old former special education teacher, faces 23 boys.
The single-sex classes at Public School 140, which started as an experiment last year to address decreasing test scores and behavioral problems, are among at least 445 such classrooms nationwide. “We will do whatever works, however we can get there,” said Paul Cannon, principal of P.S. 140. “We thought this would be another tool to try.”
“Before it was all about showing the girls who was toughest, and roughing up and being cool,” said Samell Little, whose son Gavin is in his second school year surrounded only by boys. “Now I never hear a word from teachers about behavior problems, and when he talks about school, he is actually talking about work.”
The nation’s 95 single-sex public schools — including a dozen in New York City —have many critics. Kim Gandy,
president of the National Organization for Women, said separate classrooms reinforce gender stereotypes.
“A boy who has never been beaten by a girl on an algebra test could have some major problems having a female
supervisor,” she said. While some advocates believe that girls are more likely to participate in class when no
boys are present — and that boys, particularly those from low-income families, tend to focus better without
girls around — academic research has not definitively confirmed this.
Jennifer Medina (New York Times, March, 2009)
Writing Directions
Read the passage above and write an essay responding to the ideas it presents. In your essay, be sure to summarize the passage in your own words, stating the author’s most important ideas. Develop your essay by identifying one idea in the passage that you feel is especially significant, and explain its significance. Support your claims with evidence or examples drawn from what you have read, learned in school, and/or personally experienced.
Remember to review your essay and make any changes or corrections that will help your reader follow your thinking. You will have 90 minutes to complete your essay.
Michael Napolitano speaks to his fifth-grade class in the Morrisania section of the Bronx like a basketball coach.
“You — let me see you trying!” he insisted the other day during a math lesson. “Come on, faster!”
Across the hall, Larita Hudson’s scolding is more like a therapist’s. “This is so sloppy, honey,” she said as she
reviewed problems in a workbook. “Remember what I spoke to you about? About being the bright shining star that
you are?” Ms. Hudson, who is 32 and grew up near the school, has a room full of 11-year-old girls, while Mr. Napolitano, a 50-year-old former special education teacher, faces 23 boys.
The single-sex classes at Public School 140, which started as an experiment last year to address decreasing test scores and behavioral problems, are among at least 445 such classrooms nationwide. “We will do whatever works, however we can get there,” said Paul Cannon, principal of P.S. 140. “We thought this would be another tool to try.”
“Before it was all about showing the girls who was toughest, and roughing up and being cool,” said Samell Little, whose son Gavin is in his second school year surrounded only by boys. “Now I never hear a word from teachers about behavior problems, and when he talks about school, he is actually talking about work.”
The nation’s 95 single-sex public schools — including a dozen in New York City —have many critics. Kim Gandy,
president of the National Organization for Women, said separate classrooms reinforce gender stereotypes.
“A boy who has never been beaten by a girl on an algebra test could have some major problems having a female
supervisor,” she said. While some advocates believe that girls are more likely to participate in class when no
boys are present — and that boys, particularly those from low-income families, tend to focus better without
girls around — academic research has not definitively confirmed this.
Jennifer Medina (New York Times, March, 2009)
Writing Directions
Read the passage above and write an essay responding to the ideas it presents. In your essay, be sure to summarize the passage in your own words, stating the author’s most important ideas. Develop your essay by identifying one idea in the passage that you feel is especially significant, and explain its significance. Support your claims with evidence or examples drawn from what you have read, learned in school, and/or personally experienced.
Remember to review your essay and make any changes or corrections that will help your reader follow your thinking. You will have 90 minutes to complete your essay.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Reactive Writing in Response to Chihuahua Video
Here’s a fun writing exercise, which involves watching a video, to improve your writing skills. Much of the writing you are required to do in CUNY English classes involve your writing in response to a reading. There are many ways to respond to a reading. One way to approach this is being reactive to a reading, and writing your reactions in your essay. Being able to react and write your reactions is helpful for your assignments in CUNY English classes.
To train your “reactive writing” skills in a fun way, this should be an easy writing exercise. Watch this video and follow the writing prompt/instructions below.
Writing Instructions
Write a brief essay in response to the video. Your essay may address any or some of the following questions.
Is a Chihuahua good to have as a security measure against robbers? The robbers did not stay long enough to take all the money, but they did take away $200. Was the Chihuahua effective in helping the store owner in this incident? What protective measures did the owner have in place (seen in the video) for deterrence against robberies? (For example, the video camera.) What other measures could he have implemented beforehand in preventing such a robbery or minimizing the loss? Were the robbers experienced or amateurs? Did they expect a camera there and did they take measures to avoid being identified or captured? Can you speculate and analyze what was going on outside the store or what people were saying or doing outside?
You may also address any other issues you can think of from this video.
Hint: You may write from a point of view of a talk show host where they show a video and they comment on it. In the more serious news magazine shows, they would analyze what's happening in a video. This is just one suggestion. There are of course other approaches you may take.
Copyright: © 2011. This document is the sole property of Amadeo Constanzo. You may use this article for free on your web site, blog, or other publication if and only if you include this entire copyright notice including the following links and statement. Other free teachings from Amadeo Constanzo can be found at SpirFit.org/Academics and CUNY.SpirFit.com
Keywords: TOEFL, ESL exercises, English, rephrasing, revisiing an essay,, Kingsborough, Hunter, Baruch, CCNY, Queensborough, Brooklyn College, BMCC, writing, revising, paragrCUNYaph
To train your “reactive writing” skills in a fun way, this should be an easy writing exercise. Watch this video and follow the writing prompt/instructions below.
Writing Instructions
Write a brief essay in response to the video. Your essay may address any or some of the following questions.
Is a Chihuahua good to have as a security measure against robbers? The robbers did not stay long enough to take all the money, but they did take away $200. Was the Chihuahua effective in helping the store owner in this incident? What protective measures did the owner have in place (seen in the video) for deterrence against robberies? (For example, the video camera.) What other measures could he have implemented beforehand in preventing such a robbery or minimizing the loss? Were the robbers experienced or amateurs? Did they expect a camera there and did they take measures to avoid being identified or captured? Can you speculate and analyze what was going on outside the store or what people were saying or doing outside?
You may also address any other issues you can think of from this video.
Hint: You may write from a point of view of a talk show host where they show a video and they comment on it. In the more serious news magazine shows, they would analyze what's happening in a video. This is just one suggestion. There are of course other approaches you may take.
Copyright: © 2011. This document is the sole property of Amadeo Constanzo. You may use this article for free on your web site, blog, or other publication if and only if you include this entire copyright notice including the following links and statement. Other free teachings from Amadeo Constanzo can be found at SpirFit.org/Academics and CUNY.SpirFit.com
Keywords: TOEFL, ESL exercises, English, rephrasing, revisiing an essay,, Kingsborough, Hunter, Baruch, CCNY, Queensborough, Brooklyn College, BMCC, writing, revising, paragrCUNYaph
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Rephrase and Revise Example - Economic Development Paragraph
Revision is an important part of the writing process, if you want your writing to receive a higher grade. Rephrasing unclear and unpersuasive sentences is part of revising. After you’ve written an essay, make sure you go over the whole essay again to make improvements such as tweaking your unclear and weak sentences to make them clearer and more persuasive. Doing this may pull your grade up as much as ten points, depending on how well you do it.
The following is a sample paragraph from a student’s letter and how she improved the paragraph.
Original Paragraph
I understand that you want to improve economic development of some Brooklyn neighborhoods. One proposal is to offer support for more people to begin small businesses. Another proposal is to give college scholarship to students who want to major in business. Both of these ideas sound good, but I hope you will choose to college scholarships.
Revised Paragraph
I understand that you want to improve the economic development of Brooklyn and that there is enough funding for only one of two programs on the table. Out of the two programs proposed, I urge you to fund the program offering scholarships to students majoring in business. The other program, to provide support for small businesses, would not be as effective in improving economic development in Brooklyn.
Copyright: © 2011. This document is the sole property of Amadeo Constanzo. You may use this article for free on your web site, blog, or other publication if and only if you include this entire copyright notice including the following links and statement. Other free teachings from Amadeo Constanzo can be found at SpirFit.org/Academics and CUNY.SpirFit.com
Keywords: TOEFL, ESL exercises, English, rephrasing, revisiing an essay, CUNY, Kingsborough, Hunter, Baruch, CCNY, Queensborough, Brooklyn College, BMCC, writing, revising, paragraph
The following is a sample paragraph from a student’s letter and how she improved the paragraph.
Original Paragraph
I understand that you want to improve economic development of some Brooklyn neighborhoods. One proposal is to offer support for more people to begin small businesses. Another proposal is to give college scholarship to students who want to major in business. Both of these ideas sound good, but I hope you will choose to college scholarships.
Revised Paragraph
I understand that you want to improve the economic development of Brooklyn and that there is enough funding for only one of two programs on the table. Out of the two programs proposed, I urge you to fund the program offering scholarships to students majoring in business. The other program, to provide support for small businesses, would not be as effective in improving economic development in Brooklyn.
Copyright: © 2011. This document is the sole property of Amadeo Constanzo. You may use this article for free on your web site, blog, or other publication if and only if you include this entire copyright notice including the following links and statement. Other free teachings from Amadeo Constanzo can be found at SpirFit.org/Academics and CUNY.SpirFit.com
Keywords: TOEFL, ESL exercises, English, rephrasing, revisiing an essay, CUNY, Kingsborough, Hunter, Baruch, CCNY, Queensborough, Brooklyn College, BMCC, writing, revising, paragraph
Monday, July 18, 2011
Writing an Introduction (Method 1)
By Professor Karen Bowes and Shu Chan
There are various methods students should learn from journalists to attract the reader from the start. If a journalist wants her article to sell, she needs to interest the reader at the beginning. As a student, you should also aim to captivate the reader, your professor, as early as the introduction especially when she has to read too many student essays. Many of them are most likely to be boring and you want to make sure your essay is not one of them. You want to make sure your essay rejuvenates your reader (or at least stimulate her interest) instead of sedate her. Here is one method to attract the reader from the start, or in your introduction.
Method 1: Use of Statistics/Unknown Information to Attract the Reader
Example from “Victims of Vanity” by Lynda Dickinson
There are various methods students should learn from journalists to attract the reader from the start. If a journalist wants her article to sell, she needs to interest the reader at the beginning. As a student, you should also aim to captivate the reader, your professor, as early as the introduction especially when she has to read too many student essays. Many of them are most likely to be boring and you want to make sure your essay is not one of them. You want to make sure your essay rejuvenates your reader (or at least stimulate her interest) instead of sedate her. Here is one method to attract the reader from the start, or in your introduction.
Method 1: Use of Statistics/Unknown Information to Attract the Reader
Example from “Victims of Vanity” by Lynda Dickinson
- Lipstick, face cream, anti-perspirant, laundry detergent… these products and hundreds of other personal care and household items have one common ingredient: the suffering and death of millions of animals. An average of 25 million animals die every year in North America for the testing of everything from new cosmetics to new methods of warfare. Five hundred thousand to one million of these animals are sacrificed to test new cosmetics alone. Of all the pain and suffering caused by animal research, cosmetic and household product testing is among the least justifiable, as it cannot even be argued that these tests are done to improve the quality of human life.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Wednesday July 6th Schedule Change for KCC
If you are in the current Summer (or Spring Session B) Semester at Kingsborough, Wednesday July 6th will follow a Monday schedule. Be sure to go to your Monday classes on Wednesday July 6th.
You may confirm this information on the academic calendar at - http://www.kingsborough.edu/sub-registration/office_of_registrar/Pages/academic_calendar.aspx
You may confirm this information on the academic calendar at - http://www.kingsborough.edu/sub-registration/office_of_registrar/Pages/academic_calendar.aspx
Saturday, July 2, 2011
ESL Exercise: Common Expression 6
Where do you live? I live _________.
A. in the Park Avenue
B. on Park Avenue
C. at Park Avenue
D. on the Park Avenue
Scroll down for the correct answer
Choice B is the correct answer.
I live on Park Avenue (in a cardboard box.)
Generally, you use the preposition "on" when it comes to an avenue or street (in most cases.) When you are indicating that someone or something is located on a street or avenue, you use the preposition “on”. For fluent English speakers, we just immediately know this since we have seen it a million times. We don't pause for two minutes trying to rationalize why we choose the words “on Park Avenue”. The best way for you to learn this is to see or hear it a million times. Okay, maybe not that many times. Here are some examples of sentences using “on _________ Avenue”.
"I bought those bucks a couple of years ago at Jay Kos, when it was still on Park Avenue…” (Jon Caramanica, New York Times)
“I pulled up its map feature while leaning against a wall on Park Avenue South and 22nd Street and spent five minutes watching videos of the chef of a local Ping-Pong bar using a stool as a paddle, and of the in-house magician at a nearby magic shop doing a card trick.” (Joshua Brustein, New York Times)
“Joseph Evola, 42, who allegedly escaped a police chase after the shooting on Park Avenue around 9:25 p.m. Monday, was arrested without incident at a Northeast Philadelphia pizza shop on Thursday afternoon…” (Courier Post)
“The acclaimed company has built and shipped a replica of its home stage in Stratford-upon-Avon and is assembling it inside a 55,000-square-foot hall within an armory on Park Avenue.” (Mark Kennedy, Associated Press)
“Participants are geared up at Navitat’s small office on Park Avenue off Highway 2, then driven in army-green Unigogs on a dirt road leading up to the first treetop platform.” (Natasha Lindstrom, Daily Press)
“Two years ago, the cool scene was on the banks of the Gowanus Canal, where a group of artists set up a swimming pool in a converted dumpster. It got so much attention that the city invited them to set up at its 2010 Summer Streets event. Suddenly, hundreds of New Yorkers were dumpster diving on Park Avenue.” (Anne Kadet, The Wall Street Journal)
“She lives in a three-bedroom apartment on Park Avenue with her husband, their 17-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter.” (Candice Choi, Associated Press)
The following are similar phrases:
- on 34th Street
- on Park Row
- on Skid Row
- on Houston Street
Feel free to choose the “Subscribe” options near the upper right side of this page. It’s free.
Copyright: © 2011. This document is the sole property of Amadeo Constanzo. You may use this article for free on your web site, blog, or other publication if and only if you include this entire copyright notice including the following links and statement. Other free teachings from Amadeo Constanzo can be found at CUNY.SpirFit.com and SpirFit.org
Keywords: TOEFL, ESL exercises, English, grammar, phrase, common expression, CUNY, Kingsborough, Hunter, Baruch, CCNY, Queensborough, Brooklyn College, BMCC
A. in the Park Avenue
B. on Park Avenue
C. at Park Avenue
D. on the Park Avenue
Scroll down for the correct answer
Choice B is the correct answer.
I live on Park Avenue (in a cardboard box.)
Generally, you use the preposition "on" when it comes to an avenue or street (in most cases.) When you are indicating that someone or something is located on a street or avenue, you use the preposition “on”. For fluent English speakers, we just immediately know this since we have seen it a million times. We don't pause for two minutes trying to rationalize why we choose the words “on Park Avenue”. The best way for you to learn this is to see or hear it a million times. Okay, maybe not that many times. Here are some examples of sentences using “on _________ Avenue”.
"I bought those bucks a couple of years ago at Jay Kos, when it was still on Park Avenue…” (Jon Caramanica, New York Times)
“I pulled up its map feature while leaning against a wall on Park Avenue South and 22nd Street and spent five minutes watching videos of the chef of a local Ping-Pong bar using a stool as a paddle, and of the in-house magician at a nearby magic shop doing a card trick.” (Joshua Brustein, New York Times)
“Joseph Evola, 42, who allegedly escaped a police chase after the shooting on Park Avenue around 9:25 p.m. Monday, was arrested without incident at a Northeast Philadelphia pizza shop on Thursday afternoon…” (Courier Post)
“The acclaimed company has built and shipped a replica of its home stage in Stratford-upon-Avon and is assembling it inside a 55,000-square-foot hall within an armory on Park Avenue.” (Mark Kennedy, Associated Press)
“Participants are geared up at Navitat’s small office on Park Avenue off Highway 2, then driven in army-green Unigogs on a dirt road leading up to the first treetop platform.” (Natasha Lindstrom, Daily Press)
“Two years ago, the cool scene was on the banks of the Gowanus Canal, where a group of artists set up a swimming pool in a converted dumpster. It got so much attention that the city invited them to set up at its 2010 Summer Streets event. Suddenly, hundreds of New Yorkers were dumpster diving on Park Avenue.” (Anne Kadet, The Wall Street Journal)
“She lives in a three-bedroom apartment on Park Avenue with her husband, their 17-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter.” (Candice Choi, Associated Press)
The following are similar phrases:
- on 34th Street
- on Park Row
- on Skid Row
- on Houston Street
Feel free to choose the “Subscribe” options near the upper right side of this page. It’s free.
Copyright: © 2011. This document is the sole property of Amadeo Constanzo. You may use this article for free on your web site, blog, or other publication if and only if you include this entire copyright notice including the following links and statement. Other free teachings from Amadeo Constanzo can be found at CUNY.SpirFit.com and SpirFit.org
Keywords: TOEFL, ESL exercises, English, grammar, phrase, common expression, CUNY, Kingsborough, Hunter, Baruch, CCNY, Queensborough, Brooklyn College, BMCC
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
