5 Ways to Improve YOUR English without even Trying! for people who speak English as a second language

by: Kim Rogers
Learning a second language can be a very stressful and arduous task if you let it. Somehow, the words you learn in the books don't seem to apply very well to real life situations. Those small and seemingly un-important elements the show a person to be in command of not only the language, but the culture of the people who speak it cannot be adequately expressed by words on paper. So, how do you learn these little secrets of mastering the ability to articulate yourself in another language? Here are 5 proven techniques that will help you improve your English without even trying, if you are learning to speak English as a second language. Do they really work? Yes. I've tried them myself as I've had opportunity to live somewhere where English wasn't the primary language. I found it to be a fun, exciting, and painless way to learn both the language and the culture. The culture is simply learning the way the natives express their own words. The genuine accent, facial expressions, hand gestures, sighs, moans, groans, laughter, smirks, and other things that go along with everyday conversation. Regardless of how extensive or not your vocabulary is, if you master the ability to "sound" like you know the language and can speak it, people will be more than generous to assist you.

1. Watch Movies!

Watching movies is always a fun thing to do. In order to get the most out of your movie watching experience, if your vocabulary is limited, watch a movie in English that you are very familiar with in your own language so you always know what's going on. Try not to translate as you go because you lose blocks of conversation this way. Instead, watch the picture and listen. Hear all the words, but determine what's going on by the pictures you see and the words you're hearing that you already know. Believe it or not, other words will sink in too, and so will the accent and everything else that went with what you saw and heard. As your vocabulary grows, expand your movie selections to other movies you'd like to see but are only available in English. Try to be able to see the film more than once if possible. According to the location and type of film you intend to view, you will be able to experience different accents, and other cultural expressions of the English language. Pick and choose the things that you think will suit you best. If it doesn't work out, pick and try something else! Have fun with yourself and your efforts.

2. Watch Soap Operas

The place where extreme expression and limited vocabulary meet! This is such a fascinating way to learn a foreign language. Every accessory that goes with the expression of a word is demonstrated on a soap opera. "Outrage" expressed with a word, facial expression or two, and perhaps even a subsequent face slap, all of that being understandable in any language. "Love", another universal subject, or violence, good versus evil can all be discerned quickly and easily on a soap opera. Plus, soap operas are naturally designed to allow anyone just tuning in to pick up the story quickly. The characters are easily loveable and deliciously "hate-able" so you turn to it again and again to see what's going on, and not only improve your English each time, but reinforce what you've already learned.

3. Read the Comics/Funny Papers

Very non-stressful! Pictures with words, or words with pictures, however you want to look at it, it's a great way to learn! For each thought presented there are words that match a picture, and vice versa. It doesn't matter if you read comic books, or the comics in the Sunday newspaper, read whatever will make you laugh and cause you to enjoy learning at the same time.

4. Read Children's books

If you know any little kids between the ages of 5-8, try reading one of their books to them. Usually little kids know their favorite books by heart, so if you stumble a little, they'll be able to help you. If you enjoy this method of improving your English, and you find yourself to be pretty good at it, then try reading a few Dr. Seuss books. The rhyming will challenge you, but once you master it, your pronunciation of English, and your delivery will have been considerably refined and improved.

5. Take a service job like waiter or waitress; bartender, or sales person.

This type of job can be done if you have a decent vocabulary of verbs, and know how to say "I, we, she, he, they", etc. The only other thing necessary is a working vocabulary of things relevant to your specific tasks and goals. For example, as a breakfast waitress, you want to be able to ask if they want their eggs, "scrambled or fried", if they want "more coffee", if everything is "alright", do they want "anything else", and the total of their bill in their own language! If you sell real estate, you'll want to incorporate words like "mortgage, loan, co-sign, 30 year fixed", etc. If you sell shoes, you need words like "how does that feel", are they "too tight, too loose, to short in the toe, to big", etc. The longer you work at your job, the more your working vocabulary will improve.

6. Learn these two sentences and you'll be set for life . . . seriously!

"How do you say (blank)", in English (Spanish, French, etc.), and "What is that called?" (Point if you have to, and smile too). Smiling is a universal language. Once I learned how to ask these two questions, I was on my way to being conversant in the language of my choice! I could use my limited vocabulary to ask the question and then when I got my answer I would repeat it a few times to make sure I was saying it correctly, and "BAM" I had a new vocabulary word. And, because I asked my question to the best of my ability in the native tongue, the natives realized my sincere desire to learn, and helped me!

7. What happens if you make a mistake?

Nothing. The world won't come to an end, and you haven't embarrassed yourself to the point where you can't show your face again. Just apologize if that's what's called for, or laugh at yourself, make the correction, and count it as a learning experience. Once I was in a restaurant and I wanted to ask the waiter for a "to go" box, however, I was speaking to my kids in English, and trying to think of what I wanted to ask for in Spanish, and I promptly and incorrectly asked him for a "house to go". He looked at me kind of funny, but he was very courteous, and didn't laugh until I laughed. I've committed other language faux pas as well over the years, all of which have been a learning experience, and if given enough time, will become a humorous story as well.

Raja Acharya to be handcuffed inside Jharpada Jail

Saturday, May 17, 2008
Bhubaneswar: Gangstar Raja Acharya the main accused in judo coach Biranchi Das's murder, is to be kept handcuffed inside the Jharpada jail premises following his reported threatening calls to Oriya album actress Leslie Tripathy and Bidusmita Mantri. The decision of the State Prison Department came a day after the two actresses sought the help of the city police.
"As the gangster is in judicial custody, we would approach the city SDJM court seeking permission to handcuff Raja, Inspector General (Prisons) V Thiagarajan told reporters here on Friday.
The IG further said that Jharpada jail officials have been asked to remain vigilant and keep a close watch on Raja's movements in jail. "It is very shocking, we would act only after getting specific leads," he added.
Sources said that the gangster was using SIM cards of different mobile service providers to fool both police and jail officials. A few lower ranking jail officials and Raja's co-accomplices were helping him in his nefarious activities. Raja's game plan came to light after he made threatening calls and sent SMS to Oriya album actress Leslie.
The actress received as many as six calls and eight SMS from mobile no 9938619653 since the last two days till Friday morning. Interestingly, after Leslie's allegation, the said mobile phone has been switched off.
The owner of this Airtel cell phone no seems to be either a lower ranking officer of Jharpada jail or another criminal.

What is love?

Love is No Guarantee! What you Need to Know before You fall in Love

by Peter Hector
Do I love you becauseI need you or do I need you because I love you?— Erich Fromm
What does it mean when you say to someone "I love you?" There are many answers and interpretations to this question, but when asked, the majority of people said that love is something they feel but cannot explain in words. People who genuinely feel they have fallen in love report a warm fuzzy inner feeling, sometimes giddiness. And, according to Psychiatrist Donatella Marazziti, of the University of Pisa, "Falling madly in love may really make you mentally ill."
People constantly ask, "How will I know when it's true love? How can I be certain if and when it hits me?" In an attempt to provide answers to these questions, our interviewers asked dozens of people who said that they had experienced the feeling of falling in love. Their answers and my own experiences over the years led me to the following conclusions:
People who fall in love recognize a strong force that draws them close to each other. Sometimes this force can be a strong physical attraction, which psychologists say is an important ingredient in romantic love. Sometimes, it's more than that. And modern research suggests that over the centuries, our bodies have developed processes to ensure we fall in love with the opposite sex, according to anthropologist Helen E. Fisher PhD.
A Biological explanation
An individual may begin a sexual liaison with a partner sometimes purely for sexual pleasure, then discover that he/she feels a strong attraction for the partner. In many such instances, one or both parties may mistake this attraction for lasting love. Many of us are no doubt aware of how costly such mistakes can be. Helen E. Fisher, PhD., in her study "Brains Do It: Lust, Attraction and Attachment," says that this attraction can be explained biologically. She discovered that, after orgasm, there is a rise in levels of the hormones vasopressin in men and oxytocin in women. These hormones are known for their attachment-causing properties, which led Fisher to conclude that the presence of these chemicals in the body is responsible for the closeness many couples experience after sexual intercourse.
A study referenced in an article in Cerebrum, a Dana Forum on Brain Science further explains three systems associated with mating, reproduction, and parenting. These systems are called Lust, Attraction, and Attachment.
Lust: This is nature's way of ensuring that a male and a female are sufficiently motivated to engage in the mating process.
Attraction: This system keeps both parties passionately focused on each other until insemination is accomplished. Fisher sees the evolution of the attraction system as a way for individuals to select and maintain focus on the most eligible partner. Individuals thought to be genetically superior were, and still are, considered to be more desirable as mating partners.
Attachment: This emotion system (termed 'compassionate love') has evolved to ensure that offspring are nurtured and cared for. The increased levels of the hormones vasopressin and oxytocin mentioned above indicates nature's intention to keep parents together for joint parenting, at least until offspring are able to care for themselves. It is interesting to note that the report suggests Lust and Attraction does not always go hand in hand. When men and women were injected with testosterone- a hormone known to increase sexual desire-their sex drives did increase but they did not fall in love.
In this report, Fisher also refers to studies carried out by D. Marazzitti and associates who concluded that falling in love is associated with low levels of the hormone serotonin. But according to Marazzitti, this chemical balance in humans does not remain constant, confirming that passionate attraction does not last forever. She noted that, when tested after a while, the levels of serotonin in the bodies of infatuated men and women change, returning to similar levels observed in subjects who had not fallen in love. Marazzitti and her team established the duration of infatuation between lovers from a period of 12 to 18 months.
This research is important because it explains how our biological system works in concert with our emotional processes. Whenever we find a suitable partner, we can then rely on our chemical and biological systems to assist us in achieving our emotional goals. And when we find that our partners seem less attracted to us, it does not necessarily mean they have fallen out of love with us. It may simply mean their biological processes are performing normally.
People say they are seeking their soul mates-the one person who shares how they view life itself, their most important values, and the driving force that moves them. Nathaniel Branden, PhD, says "When we meet another person, we sense how that individual experiences him or herself. We sense the level of that person's excitement or the lack of it. Our instant attraction or non attraction is automatic because our bodies and emotions respond faster than thought can take shape in words."
Each person is a unique being. What we sense at this moment is that the other person possesses what it takes to complement our lives. We sense that a union with such a person can bring new possibilities, which can make our existence richer. This is not to say this newfound person is the only one who can be right. There may be others. For this reason, it has been concluded that, for each person, more than one soul mate exists, according to Andrea N. Jones of Youth Outlook, a newspaper published by Pacific News Service.
This instant identification of compatibility can take place on your first contact or later as you become more familiar with each other. And because the events are too rapid for your logical thought processes, all you know is that you sense this instant connection but cannot explain reasons for it.
Later on, as you become more familiar with your partner and begin to understand his/her way of being, reactions to, and expression of emotions etc., you may be able to identify similarities, thus explaining the initial mutual attraction. It's true that the initial attraction can bring couples together, but love goes much deeper than that.
Falling In Love Is Not Being In Love
Many people meet, are attracted to each other, and fall in love but do not live happily ever after. Why? Because most of them are confused by the meaning of love.
Let's look at an explanation of love; there are many, but this one seems most accurate. When you love someone, you value that person highly-so highly that you have made a choice to offer your resources to nurture the one you love. You have also chosen to place her/his well-being and development as your highest priority. Yes, it is a choice, and to make a choice, you need information. Information gathering requires time. For this reason, there is no such thing as true love at first sight.
However, to offer yourself in this case does not mean to sacrifice or deprive you of resources. Most people relate "giving" to "relieving oneself of resources." But psychologists familiar with human behavior observe that "giving love" has a different meaning. When you give love, you experience strength, joy, and aliveness.
Therefore, those who give of themselves are bestowing on another the most precious gift they have to offer: their joys, their understandings, and their love for life. To them, these things are more valuable than money, yet they are willing to give them freely. Then something wonderful happens. By giving, they enrich another's life with the same joy, aliveness, and understanding that is a part of them. When all of these good things enhance the other person's life, that person radiates those feelings, giving birth to a new joy, which can be shared by them both. So by giving love, people automatically receive love in return, even though they do not give it with this intention.
Why Do We Need Love?
The greatest thing we ever learn isto love and give love in return."— Nat King Cole, Miles Davis
From the moment we are born and even before, nature provides us with the security of a mother's love. Without that love, it would be difficult to survive. A mother's love is synonymous with care, protection, and nurturing. Our relationship with "mother" represented our first perception of love. As we progressed in life, we learned that love means taking care of our own well-being.
It has been said that mother's love is the purest form of love that exists, love that requires nothing more than being alive. Some people continue to seek this kind of love in other relationships even after they have grown up and become adults. A friend of mine said his mother once told him if he could find a woman who can tolerate his faults the way that she (his mother) can, he should marry her immediately. My friend is nearly 50 years old and not yet married.
Mother's love, by its very nature, is one-sided; one party gives while the other receives. In romantic and other forms of love, equality rules; both parties mutually share giving and receiving. Relationships other than those between mother and child, which are built on inequality, stand little chance of survival. Of course we all know of relationships of exploitation where both parties are dependent on each other; the "exploiter" needs someone to exploit and the "dependent" one needs to be exploited. Such relationships function as long as such mutual dependency continues to exist.
Companionship
In addition to the basic need for existence, humans have always exhibited the need for companionship. People need at least one person with whom to share intimacy and their most important values of life.
People also need to find things, we value, things which give us pleasure, which we can love, which give us a reason for living. We have seen that people who find themselves alone due to the loss of loved ones and simply choose to be alone may keep a pet or a plant in their home. Remember, a healthy plant will not only bring life into your space, but also absorb toxins in the air.
Need for appreciation
In the year 2001, a CNN opinion poll named U.S. President George Bush "the most loved man in America." Bush has gained the approval of the American people for his effort in the war against terrorism. American people have recognized Bush and shown appreciation for his personal dedication and sacrifice. But why does he do it? Why does a man who has obviously had many great successes in his life continue to strive for even higher levels of excellence?
Many will say such men are driven by the need for power. This may be true, but psychological studies have linked the need for power with the desire to be loved. Many winners of the Academy awards for Motion Pictures have said their struggles are fueled by their need to be loved and appreciated by their fans. It is a fact that people who have achieved great levels of success in their lives are usually admired, respected, and loved for their achievements.
Is love forever?
Debbie, 33, a credit collector for a shipping company, recently ended a three-year relationship. "From the moment I met Jerry, I knew he was right for me but experience taught me to proceed cautiously. After about four months of dating, I decided my first impressions were right; he was everything I always wanted in a man. We had three happy years together and Jerry repeatedly told me how contented he was to have found someone with whom he could share his life.
"We did everything together, took business courses, went on vacations, even saw the same movies. Living together was comfortable, but for some reason the thought of marriage never appealed to me. We had talked about having a family some day, but whenever Jerry brought up the subject, I felt I was not yet ready. Jerry wanted to take our relationship to the next level but I felt comfortable with the way things were. For the first time in our relationship, it dawned on me that my relationship with Jerry may not be forever. This frightened me because I truly loved him but I knew that I was not ready to get married to him.
"When I finally realized Jerry really wanted marriage, a strange thing happened. I began to feel uneasy with our relationship. Things were not like before; I lost some of my excitement and desire to be with him. It's as if I was inconsiderate to him after he had been so good to me. I felt like I did not deserve to be with him. We finally agreed to go our separate ways, and even though I miss him, I feel that somewhere along the way the love I had for him was lost.
"It's been four years since Jerry and I ended our relationship, and I am still trying to understand what happened between us. I've been seeing other guys, but so far I have not experienced the closeness I had with Jerry. My friends tell me I'm not yet ready to settle down with anyone, and maybe there're right. In my relationship with Jerry I felt free to be myself. We lived together like buddies without feeling tied down to each other, (at least that's the way I felt). When he became serious about marriage, I no longer saw him as a buddy, but as someone who was going to tie me down. I just got scared."
Do you believe this relationship was one of true love? Some may say it was a mistake because Debbie and Jerry were not truly compatible and should not have been together in the first place.
In my opinion, this relationship was successful because both participants enjoyed three fulfilling years of their lives together. Someone once said if you can have one moment of true happiness in your life, grab it because true happiness is not easy to find.
Love is a living entity; if it stands still, it could die. To be alive means to move forward and go where life's journey takes you. Love may die only to be reborn again in a different form. Perhaps both Jerry and Debbie will move on to find love in different places, but they will always cherish the love they once shared with each other.
Seven ways to tell if he/she truly loves you
A woman once asked, "Ok, I heard all the love stories of people being on cloud nine or feel surrounded by fresh roses that bloom only for them. But after all this, how do I know that he truly loves me? How could I be sure after being together for more than a year that his love is real?"