Improve your study skills

2. Do word puzzles and play word games. Word puzzles are an excellent source of increasing your word knowledge because the puzzle creators will often need to resort to an array of unusual words to ensure that the words fit into their puzzles and that they are interesting for the puzzle doer. There are many varieties of vocabulary puzzles, including crosswords, find-a-word and hidden word puzzles. As well as strengthening your word knowledge, puzzles are also good for improving your critical thinking skills. For word games, try such games as Scrabble, Boggle, and Cranium to extend your vocabulary.

3. Learn a little Latin. Although it might seem like a dead and done language, knowing a bit of Latin is an excellent way to learn the roots of many words in the English language and can help you figure out the meaning of a wide range of words that you don't yet know without having to resort to the dictionary. There are online Latin learning resources, as well as plenty of texts (check out your favorite used books bookstore).

Tips

• There are many websites devoted to improving vocabulary. Find your favorites and make the most of them.

• One of the most commonly used word websites, Dictionary.com, has a small section at the bottom of their homepage showing popular searches of the day.

• Frequent use of filler words such as "Like...", "So...", "Um...", "Ain't" and "Yea..." can make even people with large, more constructed vocabularies sound unlearned. Stay away from the unnecessary words and contractions.

• Download a Free Dictionary App to your smartphone. Capture the image of the definition using the screenshot function so that you can easily review your words at a later point.

• You can purchase pre-attached, small, blank vocabulary cards which you can place into your bag or pocket and carry anywhere. Write the new words you're learning on them and pull out the flashcards while you're on the bus, in a queue, waiting to collect someone, and brush up your learning.

http://www.howcast.com/videos/259454-How-to-Improve-Your-Vocabulary

It is interesting to know

International Day of Families

The International Day of Families is observed on the 15th of May every year. The Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1993 with resolution A/RES/47/237 and reflects the importance the international community attaches to families. The International Day provides an opportunity to promote awareness of issues relating to families and to increase knowledge of the social, economic and demographic processes affecting families.

In its resolution, the General Assembly also noted that the family-related provisions of the outcomes of the major United Nations conferences and summits of the 1990s and their follow-up processes continue to provide policy guidance on ways to strengthen family-centred components of policies and programmes as part of an integrated comprehensive approach to development.

The International Day of Families has inspired a series of awareness-raising events, including national family days. In many countries, that day provides an opportunity to highlight different areas of interest and importance to families. Activities include workshops and conferences, radio and television programmes, newspaper articles and cultural programmes highlighting relevant themes.

( From: http://www.un.org/en/events/familyday/)

Practice

1. Listen to the song

“We are family!” (Sister Sledge)

We are family

I got all my sisters with me

We are family

Get up ev'rybody and sing

Ev'ryone can see we're together

As we walk on by

(FLY!) and we fly just like birds of a feather

I won't tell no lie

(ALL!) all of the people around us they say

Can they be that close

Just let me state for the record

We're giving love in a family dose

(CHORUS x2)

Living life is fun and we've just begun

To get our share of the world's delights

(HIGH!) high hopes we have for the future

And our goal's in sight

(WE!) no we don't get depressed

Here's what we call our golden rule

Have faith in you and the things you do

You won't go wrong

This is our family Jewel

(REPEAT CHORUS TO FADE)

2. Discuss how important family is for a person/society.

3. Give examples of important family traditions and why they are part of a family.

Communicating in English. Expressing opinions.

Role-play (optional)

A TV channel organizes a talk-show to discuss the problems of the modern family. The participants of the talk show are:

• a TV host (leads the discussion, prepare questions, helps the others to follow the script and the plan of the discussion);

• a famous politician who thinks that the government should pay more attention and give more support to families;

• a pop-star who considers families to be the thing of the past and believes that in future all people will lead free lives without any family ties;

• a big family (parents, their three children, a grandmother, a great-grandfather, father’ sister, who is divorced ) who live together;

• a single mother with her teenager son;

• a homosexual family who want to adopt a child;

• a lawyer who suggests to simplify the divorce process;

• a family consultant (a psychologist);

• a priest who proclaims traditional Christian family values;

• guests at the TV studio.

Project work.