I can learn English like a native speaker

“The use of traveling is to regulate imagination by reality, and instead of thinking how things may be, to see them as they are.” - Samuel Johnson

Heathrow Airport in London is tremendously vast. It is consisted of four separate terminals. Each of which has various duty-free shops, restaurants, airline representatives and so on.

I just had thirty minutes to find Air Canada Gate because the Iranian airplane was delayed for an hour. As soon as I got off the plane, I asked a police officer:”Where can I find flight number 557?” He pointed out to the yellow line on the wall and said: “Just follow the yellow line; you will get there very soon.”I did not have much time to make mistakes, so I was carefully looking at all signs and boards. Fortunately, there was no need to change the terminal. Air Canada was in the same building that I entered.

 Heathrow airport was really elegant and little strange for me. All shops were decorated with heart shapes chocolates, boxes tied with red ribbon, fancy mannequins wore tailored clothes and etc. I really wanted to stop to window-shop but time was flying and I had to find my Gate. More interestingly, cars and buses were in the left side of the roads and drivers were on the right. That gave me the strange and interesting feeling.

Eventually, I reached the counter that gave gate’s number. A busy blond lady told me: “Run! Run! You just have ten minutes left!”  By hearing that, I ran immediately. However, I was relatively sure that the plane would stay for me since I had my boarding card.

Running with a heavy back-pack and two bags in hand was exhausting and annoying. My back was aching and my hands were red because of holding too much weight. But, I was running as fast as I could. In some areas, I took escalators to be faster. I did not know that some small cars inside the building took special people to the gate and I could ask them to help me as well. My feet were weak and I could not stand on them. I was thirsty and hungry. My stomach was singing a song like a frog in swamp: I am hungry! Hungry! Hungry! 

Lastly, I found the gate. I could not see anyone in front of the gate. I was the last person to board. An old kind lady asked me: “Where have you been? We waited for you for so long.” “I am so sorry. The plane had delay and I arrived right now.” I said sadly. She seriously looked at me and said: “OK, You can go this way.” And pointed out to the gate number six. Finally, the last person boarded on the Canadian Airplane.

 By the plane’s door, a tall slim smiley flight-attendant welcomed me and I found my seat near a window.

One day, Nasreddin was up on the roof of his house, mending a hole in the tiles. He had nearly finished, and he was pleased with his work. Suddenly, he heard a voice below call “Hello!” When he looked down, Nasreddin saw an old man in dirty clothes standing below.

“No,” he said.

 This week I am practicing the song “Rhymes and Promises” sung and written by John Denver. I have to tell you that the more I practice singing this song, The more I am enthusiastic to practice it. It is meaningful, touching and incredible. Here is the poem.

 So you speak to me of sadness
And the coming of the winter
Fear that is within you now
It seems to never end
And the dreams that have escaped you
And the hope that you’ve forgotten
And you tell me that you need me now
And you want to be my friend

And you wonder where we’re going
Where’s the rhyme and where’s the reason
And it’s you cannot accept
It is here we must begin
To seek the wisdom of the children
And the graceful way of flowers in the wind

For the children and the flowers
Are my sisters and my brothers
Their laughter and their loveliness
Could clear a cloudy day

Like the music of the mountains
And the colours of the rainbow
They’re a promise of the future
And a blessing for today
Though the cities start to crumble
And the towers fall around us
The sun is slowly fading
And it’s colder than the sea

It is written from the desert
To the mountains they shall lead us
By the hand and by the heart
They will comfort you and me
In their innocence and trusting
They will teach us to be free

For the children and the flowers
Are my sisters and my brothers
Their laughter and their loveliness
Could clear a cloudy day

And the song that I am singing
Is a prayer to non believers
Come and stand beside us
We can find a better way

You can see the song on youtube by clicking on this address. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPpRyjTP0a0

“When we think of failure; Failure will be ours. If we remain undecided; Nothing will ever change. All we need to do is want to achieve something great and then simply to do it. Never think of failure For what we think, will come about.”

                                                                                                                   Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

I remember the registration day at our university. In the relatively small green brownish room, there were four scratched wooden desks. Behind each registration’s desk, three university employees with exhausted face were writing student’s name on a list. In that hot morning, more than eighty students were trying to reach desks in order to enroll. Why were they in hurry? Late registration caused students could not take any classes and therefore, they had to cancel all the courses of the semester. In other words, it was so significant to register very soon. But, the problem was that number of university employees was not enough for such huge population of students. More badly, they did not use any technological devices or computers. Three unmotivated clerks were using a pen and in front of them, there were piles of papers. Sometimes they became confused and crossed out a name, transferred to another list and then, they noticed that they had made a mistake. They did this process over and over. Furthermore, it was a chaos in the room. Some students were standing in line while others pushed each other. Clerks were encircled by some noisy students. It was like a fight in a battle ground.

When I arrived and saw the circumstances, I was really disappointed and decided to wait until other students register. I had been waiting for almost two hours until I could reach the desk. I wanted to enroll in Statistic course.

 There were two classes for this course. One was taught by a female professor who always was busy with her own researches. So, she had little time spending on her classes and most times her Master students taught instead. Another class was taught by a male professor who was exceedingly serious and knowledgeable. He was famous among students for his difficult exams. So, his classes were cancelled or a few students dared to take part. I wanted to anticipate in the second class, the difficult one, Mr.Kashi’s class.

Finally, the clerk asked me which class I wanted to enroll. I said Mr. Kashi. But the clerk said that it was cancelled due to student’s shortage. I was very sad, tired and frustrated. After spending two hours in that noisy room,” What should I do?” asked myself. I could not think of any other ways. I was really eager to learn from an excellent professor. The clerk suddenly looked at my tired face. She said that she could put my name in the waiting list. But, I have to register in Kazemi’s class. While writing my last name, she made mistakes. She corrected it three times and eventually, she wrote it correctly.

The next day, I had a call from principal’s office. The man told me that I could have a class with Mr. Kashi. I was surprised and extremely happy. I did not expect to be in his class.

Our class consisted of eight enthusiastic students. In a big bright class with empty wooden chairs, my classmates and I were listening to the professor. Suddenly, the door was opened and a tall skinny president came in. It was a bad sign. He told us that we must leave the room because at least ten students must be in the class. We had to join Mrs. Kazemi’s class. I was so angry that I could not stand this situation any more. I just wanted to scream and said how disorganized and stupid they were. Suddenly, I jumped like sparks on the burning fire. “ I do not move from here. This is your problem. You cancelled my registration three times and now you are telling me that I must leave the class?! I do not go anywhere.

Meanwhile, I noticed that all my classmates stared at me and shocked. I was a calm, patient and polite student. I was not even talking loudly. But it was an intense force inside me which encouraged me to take action. I was happy internally and proud. However, the other part of me was worried.  Finally, after many disputes between students and the president, he allowed us to remain in Kashi’s class and that was one of my strange experiences in whole life.

Since then, I think, we are very complicated machines. We change every second and differ from the past second. Although some conditions like tiredness, hunger and hot weather can affect our mind, we can change anything into whatever we want.

How about you? What have you done that has most surprised the people around you?

A faithful reader asks: “What is the characteristic of perfect practice? How can I know I practiced perfectly? Because when a learner practices English, the results of the practice do not show very quickly.”

In fact, there are two ways to study a language, and students must use BOTH ways. One way is to practice for fluency - this is called “extensive learning”. Watching TV shows or movies, listening to radio, reading newspapers, magazines or novels are all examples of extensive learning. With this kind of learning, we cannot see quick progress and must trust in our brains to improve over time.

The other kind of practice is for accuracy. This kind of very careful practice is called “intensive learning”. Doing dictations, reading short passages, or reciting sentences (such as the one I recommended in the video mentioned in my last post) are examples of intensive practice. With intensive practice, it IS possible to see your progress IMMEDIATELY. For example, my students tried to say the sentence in my video (”Don’t put off til tomorrow what you can do today”) but made many mistakes, such as leaving out sounds (”Don pu off…”), leaving out whole words (”Don’t put off tomorrow what you can today”) or mixing up word order (”Don’t put til off tomorrow what today you can do”). By carefully comparing your speech with what you hear, you can see instant improvement. You may have to repeat many, many times - that is the nature of intensive practice, especially for students who have never done it before - but it gets easier with practice. And THAT is “perfect practice”.

I am trying to keep track of some English sentences which I can use in writing or even in speaking with a little twist. I will complete this list of English sentences gradulay.

• Obsidian is a distinctive type of igneous rock that forms as a result of the melting of deep crustal granite rocks into magma.
• Obsidian can also take on a golden or silvery sheen or be striped in a rainbow of hues.
• Glass Buttes in Oregon are composed entirely of obsidian.
• Obsidian was prized in many ancient cultures.
• Obsidian is easily worked into shapes with razor-shape edges even sharper than the edges formed from flint.
• Obsidian was thus used in the production of simple hunting weapons.
• It can also be polished to an extremely high luster.
• It was thus held in a high regard in a number of cultures as a semiprecious stone.
• Amelia Bloomer was an important writer and crusader for women’s rights.
• She started her own journal to espouse her ideas on rights for women.
• While she was effective in her work in a number of areas of women’s rights, she is best known today for her attempts to improve the style of women’s clothing.
• The flared-out skirt were created with hoop skirts and petticoats.
• Amelia introduced a style of clothing for women that was considerably more practical but also proved quite scandalous.
  
• Her outfit consisted of a knee-length tunic with a flared skirt over a very wide-legged pant that was cinched at the ankle.
• Even though the tunic came down to the knee and the legs were completely hidden beneath the voluminous folds of the pants, society was shocked by an outfit that acknowledged women’s leg.
• In the philosophy of John Dewey, a sharp distinction is made between intelligence and reasoning.
• Intelligence involves” interacting with other things and knowing them,” while reasoning is merely the act of an observer.
• Completed in 1936, the vault is housed in a two-story building constructed of granite, steel and concrete.
• Naturally, the most up-to-date security devices available are in place at Fort Knox, and the army post nearby provides further protection.
• One identifying characteristic of minerals is their relative hardness.
• The Mohs’ hardness scale is used to rank minerals according to hardness.
• Ten minerals are listed in this scale, ranging from talc with a hardness of 1 to diamond with a hardness of 10.
• Hurricanes generally occur in the North Atlantic from May through November, with the peak of the hurricane season in September.
• Only rarely will they occur from December through April in that part of the ocean.
• Of the tropical storms that occur each year in the North Atlantic, only about five, on the average, are powerful enough to be called hurricaned.
• To be classified as a hurricane, a tropical storm must have winds reaching speeds of at least 117 kilometers per hour.
• Henry Lonfellow was perhaps the best-known American poet of the nineteenth century.
• His clear writing style and emphasis on the prevalent values of the period made him popular with the general public if not always with the critics.
• He was particularly recognized for his longer narrative poems.
• Evangeline was set during the French and Indian war.
• Evangeline devoted her lifetime to the search for Gabriel.
• With its emphasis on sentimental, undying love, Evangeline was immensely popular with the public.
• The tear-inspiring poem follows Hiawatha through the tragedies and triumphs of life.
• The Courtship of Miles Standish takes place during the early period of the settlement of New England, a period which was viewed as a time of honor and romance.
• It takes time for his friendship with Miles Standish to recover.
• As with Longfellow’s other narrative poems, the emphasis on high ideals and romance made the poem extremely popular.

My father told me that he had left three things for me, his good reputation, books and his cassettes. He gave me a notebook filled with famous poems from reknown poets. He gathered this collection since his childhood. This notebook accompanied him in life hardship and now he gave it to me. My father said he did not have huge money or property to leave, except these cultural products and he emphasized that nothing is important than righteousness and good reputation in life.These are his legacy for me. 

It has been more than seven hundred years that Genghis Khan has died-the cruelest Chinese emperor. Recalling his name even today brings fear into minds. Adolf Hitler does not exist any more. But, people hate him and curse him because of slaughtering innocent people, spreading agony, poverty, horror and genecide around the globe. Nobody wants to name children by their first name. I do not like to be remembered with such a bad reputation at the end of my life. I do not want my name bring horror and sadness into minds.

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was an Indian spiritual guru. He turned traditional meditation into scientific meditation called Transcendental Meditation. By doing this, he saved thousands of people around the world. This kind of meditation benefits body and mind causing relaxation, self-confidence, socialization, crime reduction and etc. When he died, all people from different continents suffered from the terrible loss. I want to serve public in order to be remembered even after my death. I want people remember me by works I had done for them.

In the notebook that my father gave me is a memorable poem. The poet narrates when we come to this world, we cry but people laugh. They are happy because of  our  birth. When we die, people cry and we laugh.  They are sad because we left them. So, I want to live my life in such a way  that  after my death , people cry and I laugh.

What do you think? At the end of your life, how would you most like to be remembered?

By The Associated Press Text of President Barack Obama’s inaugural address Tuesday, as prepared for delivery and released by the Presidential Inaugural Committee.

OBAMA: My fellow citizens:

I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and co-operation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because we the people have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America’s decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

We remain a young nation, but in the words of scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labour, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and travelled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.

Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology’s wonders to raise health care’s quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favours only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

As for our common defence, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our founding fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience’s sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater co-operation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the spectre of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defence, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world’s resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honour them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter’s courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent’s willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have travelled. In the year of America’s birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

“Let it be told to the future world … that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive…that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet (it).”

America, in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

The original source:

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/indepth/us_elections/s/capress/090120/world/20090120_inauguration_obama_text_tab_1