Magnetism: Motors and Generators

Anyone who knew me at school may remember that I didn't really like Physics but studied it and passed final exams in it and there I stopped, thinking I had left it behind forever! Then TOEFL came along and those dreaded science reading and listening questions!

So, after trying a few practice questions for the AP Physics exam which I found online and realising I had not forgotton everything, I decided to post this pretty easy listening! If I can do it, so can you!

The video is introduced by a guy then changes to an American woman:

  


1 What are two of the most important applications of the relationship between electricity and magnetism?


2 What sort of energy does the electric generator convert into electrical energy?

3 Name the five parts of the motor described.

4 How does the commutator move?


5 What happens when current is passed through the circuit?


6 The electrical motor converts electrical c....................... into mechanical f.................

7 What two things were changed to convert the electrical motor into an electrical generator?

8 Did you notice these two idioms: "Like two sides of a coin" and "on the other hand"? Can you explain them?


This is easy to listen to but you do have to concentrate to understand the technical details which is so typical of TOEFL listening exercises.

Scroll down for answers below:

What are two of the most important applications of the relationship between electricity and magnetism?

The electric motor and the electric generator.

What sort of energy does the electric generator convert into electrical energy?

Mechanical energy is converted into electrical energy using electro-magnetic induction. 

Name the five parts of the motor described.

Battery, commutator, brushes, copper wire loop, permanent magnet

How does the commutator move?

It rotates freely rubbing against the brushes.

What happens when current is passed through the circuit?

It creates a magnetic field around the wire which interacts with the field of the permanent magnet to create a rotation of the loop.

The electrical motor converts electrical current into mechanical force.

What two things were changed to convert the electrical motor into an electrical generator?

A windmill rotor was attached to the copper wire loop and a bulb replaced the battery.

Did you notice these two idioms: "Like two sides of a coin" and "on the other hand"?

Can you explain them?

"Like two sides of the same coin" means two different ideas that are closely related. For example, reward and punishment are two different ways of controlling people.

"On the other hand" is used to introduce an alternative explanation of something that has just been explained.

Medieval and Byzantine Answers

Answers time!!

Here are the answers to the Medieval and Byzantine Art clip.

1 The first Empire that is described is the Roman Empire.

2 Who was the ruler who had to decide the "thorny question" of succession? It was Theodosius.

3 Who did he give it to and in which year? He split the Empire in two and gave one part to his son, Honorius and the other part to his other son, Arcadia, in 395 AD.

4 What did each part become known as and what languages did they speak? The west became known as the Western Roman Empire and they spoke Latin. The East became known as the Byzantine Empire and they spoke Greek.

5 Which groups of people invaded the Western Empire and how many years did the Empire survive after Theodosius's death? The Huns, Franks, Goths and Vandals invaded. The Empire only survived 81 years after Theodosius's death.

6 How long did the Byzantine Empire last? It lasted another 1000 years

7 What unified the empires?The Roman Catholic Church was the unifying force.

8 Based on a strict interpretation of the 10 commandments, what did Leo III decree in 730 AD?  He initiated a movement of iconoclasm which forbade the making and worshipping of graven images.

9 What was Pope Gregory II's reaction to this? He wrote a letter excommunicating the iconoclasts because he regarded iconoclasm as heresy.

10 As a result of having more creative freedom, what did Western artists produce and how was it different from the Byzantine artists who were allowed to produce art eventually? They produced art with religious themes and in wanting to create visionary experiences, their work developed more dimension and realism in the portrayal of people and the natural world. This was different from Byzantine art, which started again after the end of iconoclasm, because the Byzantine artists had strict rules and could only copy approved images from the past.

I don't know about you, but I certainly learnt something there!

Medieval and Byzantine Art

Joachim's sacrifice

Hi all

I love art - doing it and looking at it - so having experienced a Renaissance Festival, watched TV programmes on Medieval English Embroidery and Luxury in the Medieval times, and made Medieval Oatcakes, I thought it was high time that I did a listening exercise on Medieval Art!

I found this fantastic presentation about Medieval and Byzantine art. I found it very entertaining and informative and hope you do too.

Here is the link Medieval and Byzantine Art  and the questions are below:

1 The first Empire that is described is the ............................ Empire.

2 Who was the ruler who had to decide the "thorny question"* of succession?

3 Who did he give it to and in which year?

4 What did each part become known as and what languages did they speak?

5 Which groups of people invaded the Western Empire and how many years did the Empire survive after Theodosius's death?

6 How long did the Byzantine Empire last?

7 What unified the empires?

8 Based on a strict interpretation of the 10 commandments, what did Leo III decree in 730 AD?

9 What was Pope Gregory II's reaction to this?

10 As a result of having more creative freedom, what did Western artists produce and how was it different from the Byzantine artists who were allowed to produce art eventually?

Some of the vocabulary used in this recording is explained below:

*a thorny question - a question that is painfully controversial

To come down to - to result in

to break up - this is a multi-word verb with several meanings but here it means to destroy.

"Caught in the act" - found doing something which is not allowed


a scoundrel - a person who is disreputable, a rogue, a villain


Check your understanding (http://www.thefreedictionary.com):

Vandalism comes from the Vandals who invaded Western Europe. Nowadays, it refers to wilful or malicious destruction of public or private property.

Iconoclasm is the practice of destroying images, particularly of a religious nature.

Iconoclast is a person who destroys sacred images or seeks to overthrow popular beliefs, traditions or institutions.

That's all for today but drop by for the answers 

Baird's tapir answers - at last!

Aaagh! I am so late with the answers to the last quiz!

My excuses....the crazy end of semester report and exam marking took over and then suddenly it was the summer.....!

Here are the long-awaited answers to the Baird's Tapir:

1 How long has the tapir been around (on the Earth)?

35,000,000 years

2 For which country is it the official national animal and where is this country?

Belize. It is between Mexico and Guatamala.

3 What is its other name in the country above and what other animals is it actually related to?

Mountain Cow. It is actually related to the horse and rhinoceros.

4 How many toes does it have? How many on each foot?

 14 in total - 4 on each front foot and 3 on each rear foot.

5 How is its nose described and what is it perfect for?

Its nose is rubbery and flexible. It is perfect for eating leaves and aquatic vegetation.

6 What is the maximum it can weigh?

700 pounds (lbs)

7 What is happening to the population of tapirs and why?

Their numbers are dwindling and they are now endangered because their habitats are disappearing.

8 Why is it called Baird's Tapir? 

 It was discovered by a naturalist called Baird in 1843.

Normal service has been resumed! More new posts will be coming along regularly from now on.

Baird's Tapir

Baird's Tapir

The tapir is a strange animal and definitely worth an entry on the blog. I hope you enjoy it!

The Tapir

This is an easy video clip which gives 8 facts about the Baird's Tapir so all you need to do is listen and write down the facts as you hear them.

1 How long has the tapir been around (on the Earth)?

2 For which country is it the official national animal and where is this country?

3 What is its other name in the country above and what other animals is it actually related to?

4 How many toes does it have? How many on each foot?

5 How is its nose described and what is it perfect for?

6 What is the maximum it can weigh?

7 What is happening to the population of tapirs and why?

8 Why is it called Baird's Tapir?

That was a quick one for today.

SmartWater answers

 Here are the answers to the SmartWater post:

Which area in the US is the first to use SmartWater to fight crime? Southwater

What difficulties did the British ex-Police Officer talk about with regard to bringing criminals to court? When he was a police officer, he knew who his criminals were but if he didn't have enough evidence, he couldn't bring them to court.

What happens when a person breaks into a business that is protected by SmartWater? They get showered with SmartWater.

If that person is caught, what does the police officer do to show the effects of Smartwater CSI? He uses a blue light to show up the the speckles of green on the person's clothing.

How do they know if that particular person committed the crime they are investigating? Each droplet can be linked to one location only and no other.

How can SmartWater be used in the home? It can be used to mark valuable possessions.

Is Fort Lauderdale enthusiastic about using SmartWater? Yes. They have embraced the idea with gusto (lots of enthusiasm).

What is going to happen in the neighbourhood of South Middle River? Residents are going to receive kits to mark valuable possessions.

How is it going to be financed? Money from a Trust Fund will be used to pay for the kits.

"We're going to roll it out in Fort Lauderdale..." Can you explain this sentence? To roll something out is to introduce it gradually in a planned way. So this sentence means that they have a plan to gradually introduce Smartwater across Fort Lauderdale.

Give 3 synonyms of  "criminals" and which were mentioned in the commentary. Robbers, crooks, burglars.

More posts coming - remember to subscribe!!

Smartwater to fight crime

This came up on the news today so any plans I had for another post got pushed to one side as I thought this was such a simple yet effective idea and I wanted to share it with you.

It's the use of coded water to catch criminals after a crime has been committed - watch the video to find out more and answer the questions below!

Here is a link to a Fox news report about it:

SmartWater CSI 


Which area in the US is the first to use SmartWater to fight crime?

What difficulties did the British ex-Police Officer talk about with regard to bringing criminals to court?

What happens when a person breaks into a business that is protected by SmartWater?

If that person is caught, what does the police officer do to show the effects of Smartwater CSI?

How do they know if that particular person committed the crime they are investigating?

How can SmartWater be used in the home?

Is Fort Lauderdale enthusiastic about using SmartWater?

What is going to happen in the neighbourhood of South Middle River?

How is it going to be financed?

"We're going to roll it out in Fort Lauderdale..." Can you explain this sentence?

Give 3 synonyms of  "criminals" and which were mentioned in the commentary.

There you go - a quick listening exercise that includes some useful vocabulary.

And one more thing...........If you decide to follow my G+ group, then PLEASE say hello and who you are when you add me as it would be nice to hear from you - at least that way I know you are really human and not computer generated!

Thanks and Byeeeeeeee!

Answers to the Extreme Engineering post

Oops - a little later than I wanted but here are the answers to the last post and keep looking for more posts at the end of the week!

Answers to the Extreme Engineering post

Questions

What kind of technology holds the promise for a transatlantic train system? Maglev train technology

How fast might these trains travel? 5000 mph

What problem needs to be solved? Air resistance.

What happens as you travel faster? How much power would the trains use if they travel in a vacuum? The same amount of power as a train travelling at 200 or 300mph outside the vacuum.

When was vacuum tube technology invented? A century ago.

What was it used for? It was used in factories and offices to send small objects and documents around.

How does it work and what happens to objects placed in the tube? Air is pumped of a tube to create a vacuum. With no air, there's no air resistance to any object going through it. If an object is given a push, it goes into the equivalent of instant freefall and is literally sucked through the tube.

Where are engineers currently doing experiments on vacuum tube technology and Maglev trains? MIT

Can you describe the experiments they are doing and what happens to the speed of the train when it is in a vacuum? A miniature maglev train is placed in a tube that represents the transatlantic tunnel. Smoke is added to show the presence of air. The train slides slowly. Next all the air is removed with a vacuum pump. Now, when the train is added, its speed is tripled. Without air to push it back, the train slides completely unimpeded through the tube.

How long is the experimental tube and how long is the proposed transatlantic tunnel? It is 6 feet long and the transatlantic tunnel would be 3000 miles long.

Does the narrator think the experimental tube can easily become reality? He says, "Of course, removing the air from a 6 foot tube is one thing. Turning a 3000 mile long train tunnel into a vacuum is quite another matter." This implies that he thinks it will be difficult to make it become reality.

Hope you managed to get all those long answers! Send feedback below - I would love to hear from you!!

Extreme engineering and air resistance

Highlands of Scotland - Steam Train

How would you like to be able to travel between Europe and the USA, under the sea but at super high speed?

Apart from the obvious benefit of getting to your destination really quickly, it is possibly a greener solution to the current modes of transport.

The video today looks at how this could become a reality! It's full of science vocabulary to help with those science listenings and readings in the TOEFL!It is not too difficult and is just a short one so it won't take too long!

Here is the link: Air resistance


Vocabulary

To hurtle - to go at a very high speed. 

To do away with - to eliminate

Airless - without air

To shove - to push hard

To impede - to put obstacles in the way

Questions

What kind of technology holds the promise for a transatlantic train system?

How fast might these trains travel?

What problem needs to be solved?

What happens as you travel faster?

How much power would the trains use if they travel in a vacuum?

When was vacuum tube technology invented?

What was it used for?

How does it work and what happens to objects placed in the tube?

Where are engineers currently doing experiments on vacuum tube technology and Maglev trains?

Can you describe the experiments they are doing and what happens to the speed of the train when it is in a vacuum?

How long is the experimental tube and how long is the proposed transatlantic tunnel? 

Does the narrator think the experimental tube can easily become reality?


As I was doing this I wondered about the G-forces on people in the train....wouldn't they have an effect? I am sure someone out there can answer that! 

Remember to subscribe for more updates using the button on the right of the screen. 

Look out for my sister blog starting for younger people and have a nice day!!!

Link to the answers for Extreme Engineering

Answers to Steampunk

Well, it looks like people enjoyed the Steampunk post! Here are the answers to the questions....

Questions for the Introduction and Steampunk Craft

How is the world of Steampunk described right now? It's growing, it's hit a tipping point, it's mainstream.

In what way is it not purely Victorian? It's kind of Victorian but yet it's futuristic as you have these futuristic steam-powered contraptions.

What different elements create the world of Steampunk? Art installations, movement and performance.

What influence did the Industrial Revolution have? It made us forget how to make things with our hands. Steampunk is a world that never happened and has an alternate timeline to the development of the world after the Industrial Revolution.

What two kinds of power are combined in Steampunk? Steam and electrical Tesla power.

What does the narrator (Joey aka Mr Grymm) like to do with antiques? He likes to refurbish them or repurpose them if they can't be mended.

Questions for Steampunk Music

What inspired the narrator to start writing pieces of music about Steampunk? He visited a friend's house and saw Steampunk things lying around.

What connections did he make with the instruments? The instruments like the French horn and bassoon have complicated plumbing which looks very like steampunk design. The contrabassoon has crazy metal valves and tubing that in a Steampunk scenario, really fits the bill.

What is he aiming to do with this style of music? He is trying to make sense of the richness of the world to take the listener beyond the mundane things of day to day life.

Questions for Steampunk Theatre

Is Steampunk true to a particular period in time? No, it is not true to any particular period although it drifts towards the Edwardian era.

What does Steampunk give the performers? They have the freedom to create a new kind of space.

Is the performance a happy one? No, it's sinister.

Can you say why there are two Alices? There are 2 Alices because they are telling the story of a personality pulled hard in 2 directions with 2 conflicting sets of desires.

Questions for the Steampunk Haunted House

What is the aim of the "nightmarescape"? They were interested in the idea of "what is a nightmare", how could they make it contemporary and would people enjoy watching the performance.

Steampunk gave them the inspiration to do what? A lot of our work has to do with the collusion of disparate elements which might not otherwise be contiguous and putting them together to create new meaning.

Final section

What does Joey hope Steampunk will give artists and how does he view the future of Steampunk? He hopes that it will get artists to think more about their resources and what we are doing with our history, our yesterday and our memories. He thinks there is a lot out there and it (Steampunk) is growing

A new post about Extreme Engineering is going up today so check it out!

And for younger people, I have created your own blog so I will put something up for you in the next few days.

Steampunk

Steampunk inspired

Hey everyone!!

Prepare to enter the world of  

STEAMPUNK!

I love this style and although maybe it's not something to turn up to work in, I find the concept so fascinating that I thought it would be a good one to do a listening/vocabulary exercise on as it fits into the category of Arts.

The video clip I have found has a wealth of fantastic vocabulary and different accents so it will really test your listening abilities - I hope you enjoy finding out about a subject that could be new to some of you too!

The video is in sections so if you want, you can listen to a section then answer the questions before moving on.......It is not the easiest video I have posted but I hope you enjoy the challenge!

Here is the link to the video clip: Steampunk

Introduction and Steampunk Craft

Vocabulary

to hit a tipping point - to reach a stage when things start to change and gather momentum

the mainstream - the accepted normal, dominant course or trend in society

contraptions - a mechanical device or invention that is unnecessarily complicated, strange or improvised

electrical Tesla power - Nikola Tesla lived from 1856 - 1943 and is considered to be one of the most important contributeurs to electrical inventions.

refurbish - to renovate anything that is worn out and in need of repair

repurpose - to give something a new use or purpose.

Questions for the Introduction and Steampunk Craft

How is the world of Steampunk described right now? It's g....................., it's h..... a t.................. p............, it's m............................

In what way is it not purely Victorian?

What different elements create the world of Steampunk?

What influence did the Industrial Revolution have?

What two kinds of power are combined in Steampunk?

What does the narrator (Joey aka Mr Grymm) like to do with antiques?

Steampunk Music

 Vocabulary

scrap metal - unused pieces of metal

French Horn, Bassoon and Contra-Bassoon - wind instruments

valves - a device that alters the flow of air, liquid or gas

tubing - a long, hollow, usually cylindrical object for conveying air, liquids or gases.

to fit the bill (idiom) - to be a perfect match

Questions for Steampunk Music

What inspired the narrator to start writing pieces of music about Steampunk?

What connections did he make with the instruments?

What is he aiming to do with this style of music?

Steampunk Theatre

Vocabulary

an aesthetic - an artform

to drift - to tend to move in slow, unplanned way

the period - the era or point in time

sinister - evil and frightening

to be torn asunder - to be broken apart

Questions for Steampunk Theatre

Is Steampunk true to a particular period in time?

What does Steampunk give the performers?

Is the performance a happy one?

Can you say why there are two Alices?

Steampunk Haunted House

Vocabulary

a nightmarescape - this is not really a word but it can be understood from "nightmare" and "landscape". A nightmare is a very bad dream and a landscape is a panoramic view or scene. So together, a "nightmarescape" must be a very bad, dreamlike scene.

"..have them dig it!" - get them to really like something and appreciate it

to resonate - to understand and empathise with

collusion - a bringing together

disparate - different, distinct kinds, dissimilar

contiguous - touching or in close proximity

Questions for  Steampunk Haunted House

What is the aim of the "nightmarescape"?

Steampunk gave them the inspiration to do what? A lot of our work has to do with the c................ of d................... ................which might not otherwise be ............................ and putting ................ .................... to ....................... .................... .........................

Final section

What does Joey hope Steampunk will give artists and how does he view the future of Steampunk?

Finished? You did it all? You want more?!!!

Here are the answers to the questions above.

If this has got you interested to see more then here are some links to trailers to films that you could argue are Steampunk inspired, the first one being an old back and white movie!

The Fabulous World of Jules Verne

Dune

Steamboy

The final link is to a great, little short film made on a small budget over about 3.5 years. Go and get a coffee, put your feet up and enjoy it!

Aurora

Bye for now!

Answers to Aloysius Lilius and the Gregorian calendar.

 Here are the answers to the:

  Aloysius Lilius and the Gregorian Calendar post

Where was Aloysius Lilius born and in what year? He was born in Italy in

approximately 1510.

What was his profession and what was the year? He was a professeur of Medicine at the University of Perugia in 1552.

When did he present his manuscript to the Vatican? In 1576

What happened in the same year? He died.

Why did this system become known as the Gregorian calendar and when was it introduced? It became known as the Gregorian calendar because it was introduced by Pope Gregory 8th in 1582.

What do calendars pre-date? They pre-date the written word.

What was the calendar called that was used before the introduction of the Gregorian calendar? It was the Julian calendar, named after Julius Caesar.

How inaccurate was the previous calendar and why was this a concern to the Church? It was supposed to correspond with the orbit of the sun but as time passed it was inaccurate by more than 10 days and this was important for the Church's important events such as Easter.

Describe how the Gregorian calendar works. It is a solar calendar of 365 days divided into 12 months with an extra day added on in a Leap Year to create a small adjustment for inaccuracies. 

On the American Dream scale, what score does Aloysius get and why? He scores 1 because he died before the Catholic church instituted his invention and as a result, he never reaped any benefits. 

Give the score for the Benefit to Humanity scale and the reason why. He gets a 5 here because the Gregorian calendar united the world under one, single understandable system

Finally, what score did he get for the Ripple Effect scale and why? On the Ripple Effect scale, he gets a 5 because today most of the modern world uses the Gregorian calendar.

I hope you did OK and see you soon - check out the hint on the original Aloysius link and see if you guess correctly!

Aloysius Lilius and the Gregorian Calendar

Welcome to another week!

If you are new to my blog, then hello! The aim of my blog is to give students of English as a second language an opportunity to practise listening and answering questions, learn some new vocabulary and experience everyday language and cultural differences through the creative part of my blog.

Today, I found a Discovery video clip about the guy who invented the Gregorian calendar which most of the modern world uses today. You will find quite a lot of dates to test your numbers and as I know calendars have come up in TOEFL listening before, so it should give you some useful vocabulary.

Speaking of vocabulary, here is some that comes up in the script:
   

Behold !	Look !	To pass away	To die
To pre-date	To precede in time	Flawed	Faulty
Leap Year	Une année bissextile (Fr)	To reap	To profit from

Read the questions and try to answer them after the video has finished. It is better not to watch the video, but just listen to accustom your ear to the sounds as you will not have visual clues in an exam. Here is the link:

  The Modern Calendar

 Questions:

Where was Aloysius Lilius born and in what year?
What was his profession and what was the year?
When did he present his manuscript to the Vatican?
What happened in the same year?
Why did this system become known as the Gregorian calendar and when was it introduced?
What do calendars pre-date?
What was the calendar called that was used before the introduction of the Gregorian calendar?
How inaccurate was the previous calendar and why was this a concern to the Church?
Describe how the Gregorian calendar works.
On the American Dream scale, what score does Aloysius get and why?
Give the score for the Benefit to Humanity scale and the reason why.
Finally, what score did he get for the Ripple Effect scale and why?

OK that's all for today but rest assured, I have a whole BUNCH of ideas for more posts!

Here are the Answers to Aloysius Lilius and the Gregorian Calendar post
 

Here is a hint for the next one........... 

It's a design style and, for some, a way of life....

  -->

Sacagawea - an important woman in American History

Edgar Samuel Paxson [Public domain]

You probably know about Pocahontas but what about Sacagawea? The video clip today is about this amazing woman who is regarded as being a key woman in the development of modern USA.

 As TOEFL covers things US students learn about or know in their first year in University, it makes sense to know some of these names and dates just in case they come up in reading or listening! Or just because it is interesting!

Having watched several clips about her and read a few different posts, there doesn't seem to be total agreement about her story and so I would suggest that you look around the Internet to find out more and draw your own conclusions.

To set the scene..........

Lewis and Clark were hired by President Thomas Jefferson to lead an expedition across uncharted land back in 1804 - 1806. They spent the winter of 1804-1805 at Fort Mandan where they learnt more about the tribes they would encounter on their expedition.

Sacagawea was a Native American woman who was involved in the expedition.

Sacagawea Biography Part 1

Who was Sacagawea married to?

Name two of the Native American languages that Sacagawea could speak.

What was her role in the expedition?

How old was she and did she have a baby?

How did she know about the landmarks along the route?

Why was she considered to be a symbol of peace?

Describe the land beyond Fort Mandan.

Why was the boat sent back?

Scroll down to find the answers.....

Who was Sacagawea married to? Toussaint Charbonneau - a French trader

Name two of the Native American languages that Sacagawea could speak. Shoshone, Hidatsa, English and French

What was her role in the expedition? Interpreter and guide along with her husband.

How old was she and did she have a baby? She was 20 and had a newborn baby boy called Jean-Baptiste

How did she know about the landmarks along the route? She had been stolen from her tribe and brought to the East to the Missouri from the Rocky Mountains so she knew not only the landmarks but also the route.

Why was she considered to be a symbol of peace? She was a woman with a baby and this symbolised peace.

Describe the land beyond Fort Mandan .It was uncharted, untested, unknown terrain. It was indeed suspect terrain.

Why was the boat sent back? It was too cumbersome (too bulky or big). 

If you haven't tried the other listening exercises then have a go! 

Answers to Recolonisation of Seabirds

Answers to Recolonisation of Seabirds

Here is the link to the original post: Recolonisation of Seabirds 

What sort of Puffin is the film about and what is the name of the island they are on? It is the Atlantic Puffin and they are on Easter Egg Rock

Name some of the other birds that are mentioned. Laughing Gulls; Black Guillemots; Common, Arctic and Roseate Terns.

What did the actions of people do to the colony of birds on the island by 1887 and 1936? Hunters searching for eggs, feathers and meat, caused Easter Egg Rock to lose all the Puffins by 1887 and wiped out the Tern population by 1936.

What techniques were used in the 1970s to attract birds back to the island? They used decoys and recordings of busy Tern colonies to attract birds back to the island.

What happened in 1980 and 1981? In 1980, Terns returned to nest there and in 1981, 5 pairs of Puffins nested on the island after a 100-year absence.


Describe the accommodation for the researchers. 
They live in tents, have a wooden hut for a toilet and a solar powered research centre, which they call the Easter Rock Hilton, that serves as a both a kitchen and a conference centre.

What purpose do the numbers on the boulders serve?
They identify the burrows where the Puffins pairs nest and raise their young.

What is said about the relationship that Puffins have with their "partner"?They are monogamous and can last up to 30 years.

What do we know about the Puffin's ability to fly? They fly both in the sky and the sea.
  How deep to Puffins go to catch fish? 200 feet

Name some of the fish they bring back for their young. Sand Lance, Hake and Herring

What is "Head Flipping" and "Billing"? Head Flipping is when they make an abrupt toss of the head accompanied by a grunting sound and Billing is a behaviour that reinforces pair bonds. They tap each other's bills as if they are doing"la bise"!

Where else can this type of restoration work be carried out? Anywhere where recolonisation of seabirds is required and people are dedicated to conservation.

Recolonisation of seabirds

Courtesy of National Geographic.com

Hi all


I am quite excited about the video clip I have found here. Cornell Lab of Ornithology have put this success story video up of the work of Cornell Lab of Ornithology. It's a great story and there is a lot of useful vocabulary in it for your TOEFL exam. I hope you enjoy it!

A good idea would be to just listen to the recording instead of watching it and using visual cues that can help you. Answer the questions and then replay it, watching it this time so you can see what the narrator is talking about. I think it is quite difficult so you should stop and repeat as often as you need to gain full understanding of the narration.

Here is the link to the video clip:  Success Story

Here are the questions:

What sort of Puffin is the film about and what is the name of the island they are on?

Name some of the other birds that are mentioned.

What did the actions of people do to the colony of birds on the island by 1887 and 1936?

What techniques were used in the 1970s to attract birds back to the island? 

What happened in 1980 and 1981? 

Describe the accommodation for the researchers. 

What purpose do the numbers on the boulders serve?

What is said about the relationship that Puffins have with their "partner"?

What do we know about the Puffin's ability to fly?

How deep to Puffins go to catch fish?

Name some of the fish they bring back for their young.

What is "Head Flipping" and "Billing"?

Where else can this type of restoration work be carried out?



I hope you managed to get most of the answers correct. 

Here are the answers: Answers Recolonisation of Seabirds

Have a good day!

Crabs and Cars

Hi everyone!

Here is a video clip for you to watch and then answer questions about. It is from Science Daily which is a great resource for those of you doing TOEFL. It is a light-hearted look at some research that is currently underway and I hope you find it informative as well as entertaining.

Before getting to the video though, just run through this list of words/phrases and check your understanding of them using a dictionary:

Nimbly

Tricky

Strain

Guages

Wiggling

To set the stage

Common

Now here are the questions you need to answer after watching the video clip:

What is the main theme of this video clip ?

Why do the scientists want to study animals in particular ?

What sort of surfaces can the animals move through ?

In what two ways are their movements measured ?

- Ghost Crab

- Lizard

What is the other thing that the physicists are measuring ?

Why are they doing this ?

On what sort of creature is the robot designed by engineers at Pennsylvania University based?

Do they know how to design a car based on this technology yet ?

In what way is motion said to be changing ?

When you have read through the questions, play the video and try to answer them when it is finished. Here is the link: Crabs and Cars 

Here are the answers: Answers Crabs and Cars

I hope you enjoyed it and learnt something! Keep an eye on my blog and I will put more up to keep you going! 

 

 

Answers - Dry Ice and Dunes

Hi everyone

Well it has been really cold over the past few mornings where I live and I was happy not to be living anywhere near the Mars North Pole ;-)

Here are the answers to the Dry Ice and Dunes on Mars post. I hope you did OK if you tried to do it. Watch out for another post coming along in the next few days....!
    
What kind of planet do we tend to think Mars is? We think of Mars as a dead planet, where all the exciting geologic activity happened millions of years ago.

What sort of planet is it actually? It's a dynamic place.
 

What is at the North Pole of Mars? Mars has a permanent ice cap made up of water ice at its North Pole.

What surrounds this feature? Sand dunes surround this feature.

What is the name of the rock found there and what is it likened to on Earth? The rock is called Basalt. It is like the rock found around Hawaiian volcanoes.

In what seasons does it get extremely cold? It gets extremely cold in Fall and Winter.

What happens to the ground when it is cold? The ground gets covered with a layer of seasonal Carbon dioxide ice (or dry ice) that's about 1 to 2 feet thick.

 

The sequence of events during Spring is described several times. List the main events in the final explanation that is given.  The dunes are ice-covered in the early spring. Some areas of the ice rupture and crack, allowing sand and dust to escape along with the escaping gas. The gas from the dry ice destabilizes the slopes, reshaping the dunes. 
 

How often does this happen? It happens every Spring.

What conclusion is offered with regard to Mars and Earth?Mars may look Earth-like but in some ways it is a very different planet.

Any questions? Send me a message using the box below.

The Dry Ice and Dunes on Mars

 Today's short post is based on a video clip I found on the NASA website. It reminded me of those TOEFL lectures about natural phenomena and is nicely presented. It is also available for download and sharing so a big thank you to NASA for that!

I haven't put any vocabulary in today as I think for Upper Intermediate and Advanced students, this should be pretty easy! Just watch the video clip and answer the questions below. For students who are a lower level in English, let me know if you would like vocabulary included in this post by sending me a message in the box below!  

When you click on the link below, you should go directly to You Tube and the correct video clip. If it doesn't work, you can find the clip on the NASA.org website by typing Dry Ice and Dunes into the search box in the website.

Dry Ice and Dunes

1. What kind of planet do we tend to think Mars is?
2. What sort of planet is it actually?
3. What is at the North Pole of Mars?
4. What surrounds this feature?
5. What is the name of the rock found there and what is it likened to on Earth?
6. In what seasons does it get extremely cold?
7. What happens to the ground when it is cold?
8. The sequence of events during Spring is described several times. List the main events in the final explanation that is given. 
9. How often does this happen?
10. What conclusion is offered with regard to Mars and Earth?

And to finish, here is a link to some amazing images from Mars courtesy of National Geographic. Mars photos

Here are the Answers to this post: Answers Dry Ice and Dunes

Hope you enjoyed the clip...Bye for now!!

About Tsunamis Answers

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 Hi all,

Here are the answers to the post About Tsunamis. If you find the link disappears - let me know in feedback! 

Oh, and just so you know, I use Dictionary.com for most of my definitions but remember to take context into consideration!

Part A Vocabulary

To trigger something	To start something			To sweep onto	To move steadily and strongly onto
To shift	To move position			To engulf	To cover completely
A landslide	A downward sliding of a mass of earth and/or rocks			To near	To get closer
To be thrust up	To be pushed up violently			To brake	To stop
The body of water	The huge volume of water in total			Onshore	On the land by the sea
The ripples	Little waves

Part A Questions

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How is an ocean wave caused ?

An ocean wave is caused by the effect of wind on the surface of the sea.

What 3 things can cause a tsunami and what makes it so different from an ordinary wave ?

A volcanic eruption, or a landslide or an underwater earthquake.

A tsunami happens when a huge volume of water, not just on the suface, but right down to the ocean floor, is shifted in one sudden violent motion.

Exactly what happens to the ocean bed when an earthquake cracks the ocean floor ?

One side of the fault is thrust up.

What is the effect of this on the water above it ?

It pushes up the whole body of water above the fracture.

Describe the height and length of a tsunami.

A tsunami has a small wave height and a very long wave length, mid-ocean.

What 3 things happen as it reaches land ?

The water onshore gets sucked back 'drawback) ; the shallow water on the shore acts as a brake, slowing the front of the wave down ; the back of the wave is still travelling fast so it rears up.

How is the wave described ?

A wall of water.

Does it break onshore ? If not, what does it do ?

No it doesn't break onshore, instead, it sweeps onto land, engulfing everything in its path.

Part B Vocabulary

A slab	A broad, flat somewhat thick piece of stone, wood or other solid material				Saw-tooth	Having a zigzag profile similar to the teeth of a saw
Sheer	Perpendicular, very steep				To loom	To come into view in indistinct and enlarged form
A geological fault	A crack in the earth's crust caused by displacement of the two sides				A spring	A coiled wire
Sharp	Having angular lines

Part B Questions

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On what date did the tsunami being described, take place ?

26th December 2004

Why was it of interest to scientists ?

It was such a big tsunami, they wanted to understand how different the earthquake was that had caused it.

What was below the ship ?

A vast undersea chain of mountains.

How have these been formed and over how many years ?

They have been pushed up over millions of years through the action of two tectonic plates.

What did the scientists use to investigate the seabed ?

Remote equipment.

What did they find first ?

A sheer vertical cliff with a sharp, saw-teeth edge that was evidence of the formation of a recent fault.

What did they discover next ?

A second, bigger cliff above the first.

What did this give evidence of ?

A megathrust earthquake.

What is the magnitude of this kind of earthquake ?

Always over 9.

Why did it happen on this particular date ?

After hundreds of years of the plates pushing together, the pressure that had built up reached breaking point on that day.

Hope you did OK! 

 Bye...until the next post!