GROUP DISCUSSION

                                                    A GROUP DISCUSSION (GD)

TOPIC - Are we getting addicted to TV serials?

PARTICIPANTS: Ajay, Eva, Binila, Chandru and Salim

Welcoming all to the GD...Let's start.

Ajay: Dear friends, with your permission I would like to initiate the group discussion on       “Are we getting addicted to TV serials?” Could you please lend me your ears?

Eva: Of course, we are all ears. Please do continue.

Ajay: Well, Television today, has become an important member of our family. There are many kinds of TV channels showing a variety of programmes like News, Sports, Movies, Music,Travel etc. However, in the evenings, people usually prefer to watch their favourite serials or soap operas. I am afraid this has now become a kind of addiction. Some of us find it very difficult to skip an episode. We empathise with the characters so much that we always think about these characters and eagerly wait to see them again. And most of the serials are tearjerkers trying to attract the viewers by arousing the emotions of sympathy, sadness, anger etc. In short, serials have become a kind of opium for the masses. And the MNC’s which sponsor these serials show the advertisements of their products in between the episodes at the drop of a hat. They therefore make hay while the sun shines.

Binila: I do agree with Ajay that serials aren’t influencing us in a good way and watching them for a long time does make us empathize with the characters deeply. Some of us take a liking to these serials which show the protagonist as an innocent, vulnerable and gullible person who is made to suffer endlessly for no fault of theirs. The same formula has been repeated in an umpteen number of serials.  

Chandru: Nowadays besides tearjerkers there are horror serials, comedy serials, mythological ones also, catering to the taste of a wide variety of audiences spanning across genders, ages and regions. The number of couch potatoes in our society is going up every day.

Ajay: But I doubt whether other types of programmes hook our audiences as much as these sentimental serials. Can anybody explain why?

Salim: Well, as Miss Binila rightly pointed out, the serials makers fill the episodes with a lot of emotional melodrama, gorgeous faces, twists in the plots etc. All the tricks of the trade are employed to play to the galleries. They take inspiration from popular movies, contemporary events and the present trends in the society. And I must say that some serials do make a good viewing experience giving the audience some food for thought as well.

Eva: With due regards to all your noble opinions, I think youngsters like me care two hoots for these silly tearjerkers that enthuse only the namby pamby ones. I watch TV for movies, musical contests and reality shows that keeps me enthused.  And unlike serials there is no fear of addiction as there is no suspense element in these programmes. They are magnificent with spectacular visuals, sound effects and choreography.

Binitha: Talking about visuals I think the computer graphics has made TV viewing a really enthralling with a lot of edge of the seat experiences.

Ajay: I am afraid, we are deviating slightly from the main topic ie., are we getting addicted to TV serials?

Salim: I think the main reason for some people getting addicted to TV serials is that they don’t consider their leisure time an opportunity to develop various other aspects of their personality that remains passive during the day’s work.

---------------------------------------------------

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

PHRASAL VERBS TEST

Use the right phrasal verbs in the sentences below.

                                                                                  1. The Chairman hasn’t come. I am afraid the meeting might be put ____.

2.   2. Hang on. There’s still a hope. The Vice Chairman can preside _____ the meeting.

3.   3. I will keep my fingers crossed. The chairman may turn ____ unexpectedly.

4.  4.  But have you made _____ your mind about what needs to be the main topic  of  discussion.    

5.   5. Well, I have zeroed _____ on some important ones.

6.   6. Do speak ______on the incentives to be given to the employees.

7.   7. Of course. I will. Do remind of some more points in case I miss _____ any.

8.   Yeah I will. Can I run ______ the list of topics?

9.   Here you are. I hope the meeting is not called _____.

Yeah. I am quite hopeful. Things will turn _____ as we expected.

ANSWERS

1. off                                                                                            

2. over

3. up

4. up

5. in

6. up

7. out

8. through

9. off

10. out                                                              

TO BE CONTINUED...

MAKE THE RIGHT CONNECTIONS

Using Wh-words,Wh-ever and Prepositions for connections.

While communicating in English it's very easy to connect information,ideas,thoughts etc. 

Let's see how:

First we will use wh-words for making connections. 1.HOW: I really don't know how to thank you for this.

2.WHAT:He actually doesn't know what to do next.

3.WHEN:Of course,she knows when the train will reach Kannur.

4.WHY:They don't know clearly why he cried while speaking.

5.WHERE:We do know where you had gone.

6.WHO: It(the dog) probably doesn't know who you are.

7.WHOM:You don't know the person with whom your boss is having the meeting now?

8.WHICH:You know very well which dress to wear for the function, don't you?

9.WHOSE:Ram knows for sure whose handwriting is this. Now let's see wh-ever words for making strong connections.

Wh-ever connections: 

WHICHEVER: I will be on time whichever be the occasion.

WHATEVER: I will do the work whatever be the problems.

WHEREVER: She will find friends wherever she goes.

WHENEVER: He will have food whenever he comes to our house.

WHOEVER:I will have to follow the rules, whoever you are.

HOWEVER:We will find a way, however difficult be the mission.

Prepositions for connections:

Now let's see how we can use prepositions to make connections. Jass has come...to meet you...with his father...for giving the invitation...of his sister's marriage...on 21 st of next month...at 11 am...at their house...in Beypore...near the LP school... So it is very easy in English to keep on adding  information to a sentence by using prepositions as in the given example.


USING "IF" AS A CONJUNCTION: 

Which sentence given below is the most powerful in terms of belief?

If I get a job in an International company, I will go places.

If I started a business, I would earn a lot of money.

If I had got a job in government service I would have become very happy.

Now in these sentence types using the three IFs, the first sentence is spoken by a very confident person having a very strong belief, the second by a not very confident person having a weak belief and the third by somebody who is living in the past.

So by changing the IF pattern in a sentence, can we enhance our confidence and belief in a particular outcome?  The answer is clear from the above example.

TO BE CONTINUED...

THINK IN ENGLISH WITH IDIOMS

AN IDIOMATIC CONVERSATION

(The meanings of all idioms used here is given in the answer section)

May I start now?  I hope you are all very much alive and kicking(1), aren't you?
You seemed to be all ears(2) when I spoke. Thank you.
Now what's the acid test(3) to find out who is the real winner?
Without any beating around the bush(4) let me come to the main point.
The ball is in your court(5) now.
Take the bull by the horns(6). That's the best way to deal with the issue.
I am going to ask you a question. Listen to the options carefully.  Don't jump the gun(7).
I don't know the right answer. I am keeping my fingers crossed(8).
Your team is going great guns(9). Cheers.
What is getting your goat(10) when you start working in that team?
I know how to face the music(11). Leave it to me.
It's a catch 22 situation(12). But let's be positive.

ANSWERS

1.energetic
2.attentive
3.a test which reveals the truth 
4.indirectly referring to something
5.the responsibility is yours to decide
6.face the situation in a direct manner
7.act in a hurry
8.hoping for the best
9.doing very well
10.making you irritated
11.deal with the demanding situation
12.a situation where one has to make some very difficult choices

FOLLOW THIS CONVERSATION WHICH USES IDIOMS LAVISHLY...

You look all at sea....like a ship which has lost its sense of direction and is now wandering in the vast ocean. What's the matter with you man?

I feel very unhappy in my present job. Nothing is working in my favour. I am demotivated with all the kind of work I am doing here.

See, if you are in the corporate sector you have to face the music every minute...I mean be ready for challenges. There's no way out.

But what if starts affecting your health...This job is sapping my enthusiasm for life. I am feeling drained...

Come on...you look alive and kicking...like a fish which has been caught just now. There's absolutely nothing wrong with your health.

OK, OK...you don't find anything wrong with my health...fine. But don't you think the job we are doing here is a bit too demanding.

Yes, you are right...but as they say, the ones who pay the piper can decide the tune, so they pay us our salary and hence make us do what they want.

So what you mean is that we are helpless.
Yes, perhaps. Because we have to play by their rules I mean the rules made by them. We can not change the rules...we cannot be the game changers.
Well...I think that is what we should do now...be game changers. Thank you for the new thought.
You are welcome always.

.......TO BE CONTINUED

THINK IN ENGLISH WITH PROVERBS

The ENLIGHTENING PROVERBS

(The meaning of all the proverbs used is given in the answer section)

I am going to make a blog on English Communication which doesn't look like an easy job. But "Where there is a will, there is a way"(1).

I think I should do this work alone as it is said "Too many cooks spoil the broth"(2).

I understand the difficulties in this mission but remember "Every cloud has a silver lining"(3).

I never criticize others when they make mistakes because I know very well that "Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones at others"(4).

I am not going to do this too fast, "Slow and steady wins the race"(5).

I am happy that the first part of the blog is over."Well begun is half done"(6).

I am going to correct the mistake immediately. "A stitch in time saves nine"(7)

This blog will help all those who want to learn English. "A friend in need is a friend indeed"(8).

There may be many blogs on the same subject but "All that glitters is not gold"(9).

I have done my best. Now I am leaving it to its destiny."Man proposes, God disposes".(10) 

ANSWERS

1. A strong belief can achieve anything.
2. Too many hands at work may not achieve the desired results.
3. There is something good in every bad situation.
4. You cannot blame somebody if you are also imperfect.
5. Real success comes to those who wait and take wise decisions.
6. A good start motivates us till the end.
7. A fault if fixed on time can save us from a lot of trouble later.
8. A true friend renders help when it is needed the most.
9.  Let's not judge something by how it looks initially.
10. No matter how hard we try, there are always some things beyond our control.

Let's think about the: values,qualities,virtues,human tendencies and attitudes preserved for ages... in these proverbs .

All that glitters is not gold.
Handsome is what handsome does.
A stitch in time saves nine.
No pain, no gain.
A friend in need is a friend indeed.
One who laughs last, laughs best.
There is no smoke without fire.
A rolling stone gathers no moss.
Prevention is better than cure.
Man proposes, God disposes.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating.
A penny saved is a penny gained.
Penny wise, pound foolish.
One swallow does not make a summer.
You cannot have your cake and eat it too.
Necessity is the mother of invention. 
Look before you leap.
A man's house is his castle.
Make hay while the sun shines.
All that glitters is not gold.
Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones at others.
Forewarned is forearmed.
Familiarity breeds contempt.
Birds of the same feather flock together.
Charity begins at home.
Too many cooks spoil the broth.
Do not count your chickens before they are hatched.
Better late than never.
Truth is stranger than fiction.
Time and tide waits for none.
Slow and steady wins the race.

TO BE CONTINUED...

SPEECHES MOST COMMON

"WELCOME" SPEECH

Mr./Ms. ...................President/Chairman of the Royal Club, Mr./Ms. .................. the Dist. Collector of Calicut and the chief guest of this function, Mr./Ms. ................... Joint Secretary of the Royal Club, dignitaries on and off the dais, media persons, members of the Royal club and all those present here at this venue.

It's an honour and privilege to be entrusted with this pleasant task of welcoming all of you. On behalf of the Royal Club, I hence welcome one and all of you to this programme which would shortly be inaugurated by Mr./Ms. ..........., the Dist. Collector of Calicut who has been very kind in accepting our invitation and being present here this morning in spite of his/her busy schedule. I wouldn't like to take much of your time, so wishing this programme all success, I now call upon the President of the Royal Club Mr./Ms. ............ to deliver his/her Presidential speech.

"VOTE OF THANKS" SPEECH

I take this opportunity to thank one and all of you for having helped us to make this function a success. And I specially thank Mr./Ms. ................ the Dist. Collector of Calicut for readily accepting our invitation and finding time inspite of a busy schedule to inaugurate this programme. IRS Calicut deserves a special mention as it is they who willingly came forward to sponsor this camp. I hereby acknowledge their contribution and thank them on behalf of Royal Club for having helped us to organise this programme. I also thank all representatives of both the print and audio-visual media for having shown keen interest in today's proceedings. 

Our President Mr.Prakash Dhar also deserves a special thanks for without his initiative and drive, the programme would not have received the kind of enthusiasm and response it has received today. Finally I once again thank all the members of Royal Club and their guests who have understood the social relevance of the work done by Royal Club and have turned up in good numbers to make this inauguration function a grand function.

THANK YOU

CONDOLENCE SPEECH

Dear friends,

We are all gathered here on a very sad occasion. Our former manager, Mr. R.Kamesh, breathed his last on his parental farm at Rampur. The news has come to us a great blow.

You all know that he was associated with our printing press for three decades. From a humble ten year old boy in the paper cutting section, he rose to become the mananger of the press. His life is truly an example of how a man need not blame his circumstances. One can rise in life by sheer hard work.

Mr. Kamesh was a farmer's son. Even when he became a manager here, he never lost his simplicity and love for the poor. We offer our heartfelt condolences to his family.                                                                           

                                                                                                                                                                      FAREWELL SPEECH

Dear friends,

It is not an easy task to say good bye to someone whose name has become synonymous with that of our organisation and its aims.

Miss Rema Sunil has been associated with PK Mills for the last ten years serving as a typist in the beginning and then getting promoted to managerial posts. As the secretary of PK Mills for the last one year she has been serving our organisation with a rare sense of dedication. Although we cannot imagine a time when she will not be with us, we have to face the fact that she is leaving us. Failing health has forced her to do so. His absence will be felt deeply by all of us, to whom she was like a mother. As a token of our gratitude and regard we wish to present her with this small gift.

                                                         

FELICITATION SPEECH 

It gives me great pleasure to say a few words on this happy occasion. As we all know our colleague/teammate Mr.Raj has been recently selected as the best teacher of the year by the Teachers' Guild. It is a recognition of his contribution to his area of profession. Mr. Raj has been in this profession for ten years now and this is an honour well deserved and well timed. I and all my fellow teachers congragulate Mr. Raj on his sweet success and would like to invite him to say a few words. 

"RECEIVING THE PRIZE" SPEECH

Respected Principal, dear colleagues and students,

It is indeed a great honour to receive such an award and I am grateful for your congratulations. I owe whatever little talent I have in this field to my parents, teachers and friends who have encouraged me off and on by their appreciation. I thank you all for honouring me at this meeting. 

                                                                                                        
TO BE CONTINUED...

  

GUESS THE TUNE GAME

This game highlights the importance of non verbal communication(the importance of tune in this case)

In this game, a participant comes and writes on the board four verses from a song and the other teams/participants have to guess the tune of the song.  

(7 %- 38 %- 55 rule: The 7-38-55 Rule indicates that only 7% of all communication is done through verbal communication, the words we speak, whereas the nonverbal component of our daily communication, such as the tonality of our voice, make up 38% and 55% from the speaker's body language and facial expressions as stated by Albert Mehrabian)

------------------------------------------------------

THINK IN ENGLISH WITH ANIMATED IDIOMS

"Animate" your talk !"

If you are an English enthusiast then you will find many such words to "animate" your conversation.  Have a look...

I was foxed(1) by the problem which started dogging(2) me for a while. 

It was the issue of how to get my work done of building a house within a year.The contractor seemed to be a bit fishy(3) at first. 

He started bullying(4) me to pay him an advance of Rs.1lac.

I decided not to be cowed(5) into any sort of agreement.

So I told him frankly that he was in a cloud cuckoo land(6) if he thinks that I would chicken out(7) of the mission and leave the work undone. 

Then he started crowing(8) about his honesty and faithfulness.

I remarked that his tall talk was like a cock and bull story(9).

He undertood that it would be a wild goose chase(10) if he apes(11) other contractors and takes me as a lame duck(12).

So like a duck to water(13) he changed his plan and agreed to do things as I wanted to.

And things changed for better.Answers

1. Confused

2. Followed

3. Dishonest 

4. Frightening

5. To do something out of fear

6. An imaginary state of mind

7. to back out being afraid

8. keep talking in a proud manner

9. hard to believe

10  a futile effort

11. imitates

12. not confident and depends on others

13. adapting quickly to a new situation

TO BE CONTINUED...