Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and exercises for English for University

Dependent and independent clauses

Independent Clause Defined

An independent clause is a clause that can stand on its own, by itself. It does not need to be joined to any other clauses because it contains all the information necessary to be a complete sentence.

Independent clauses have three components:

1. They have a subject - they tell the reader what the sentence is about.

2. They have an action or predicate - they tell the reader what the subject is doing.

3. They express a complete thought - something happened or was said.

An independent clause can be as simple as a subject and a verb:

• Jim reads.

Jim is the subject. Reads is the action or verb. A complete thought was expressed - something was said, and the reader now knows that Jim likes to...

Essential English Vocabulary and Expressions

• Poor: Pobre
• Buzz: Diversión
• Guess: Adivinar
• Rarely: Raramente
• Research: Estudio
• Citizens: Ciudadanos
• Civil servant: Funcionario
• Time off: Tiempo libre
• Richer: Rico / Ganar dinero
• Government: Gobierno
• Remind: Recuerdo
• Enjoyable: Disfrutable
• Relaxing: Relajante
• Dull: Aburrido
• Exciting: Excitante
• Interesting: Interesante
• Frustration: Frustrante
• Minority: La minoría
• Majority: La mayoría
• Less than half: Menos de la mitad
• Survey: Encuesta
• Average: Media
• Percentage: Porcentaje
• Annoying: Molesto
• Waste time: Perder el tiempo
• Have a break: Tener un descanso
• Have a laugh: Reír
• Spend pocket money: La paga
• Owns: Poseer
• More: Más
• Findings: Resultados
• To set up: Organizar
• Sponsor: Patrocinador / Espontáneo
• A helping hand: Echar una mano
• Earthquake:

Ozymandias — Percy Bysshe Shelley

Voice

Voice: Several voices appear in this poem. It begins in the first person, and the poet introduces a traveler who tells the story in the third person.

Mood

Mood: (Nostalgic?) Ironic. At the beginning of the poem the mood is narrative and natural; there are no expressed feelings (lines 1–5). Lines 6–8 present irony. In the final six lines the mood is arrogance.

Summary

Summary: The speaker reports what an exotic traveler told him about a monument in the middle of the desert: the broken statue, the king's pride, and the irony of his ruined legacy.

Topic

Topic: SIC TRANSIT GLORIA MUNDI (Así pasa la gloria del mundo). El tiempo que pasa.

Parts

Parts:

• Lines 1–2: Introduction: elements of the story; temporal distance.

1. Constructing Questions from Answers (1.5 points)

1. Answer: Mrs. Smith told me I should get in touch with you.
   Question: Who told you that you should get in touch?
2. Answer: We'll probably be staying till Friday.
   Question: How long are you staying here?
3. Answer: IBM
   Question: Who do you work for?
4. Answer: Usually twice a year for financial meetings.
   Question: How many times do you come here?

2. Converting Informal to Formal Language (1.5 points)

Transform the following informal sentences into a formal style:

1. Informal: Want to wait.
   Formal: Can you wait a moment, please?
2. Informal: Who are you?
   Formal: May I ask you to introduce yourself?
3. Informal: Tell him I called.
   Formal: Excuse me, could you please tell him to call me?
4. Informal: Galaxy Computers.

Cleaner Ruins $80,000 Artwork She Thought Was Rubbish

Comprehension Questions

1. Why did the cleaner...? (P2)
2. What happened to...? (P6)

True or False Statements

• A. FALSE: The sculpture by the German... in Dortmund.
• B. TRUE: He thought it was art. The cleaner... of the bucket.
• C. FALSE: Cleaning crews had been... received the memo.

Vocabulary Matching

• A. Eliminated: Removed
• B. Deteriorated: Damaged
• C. Rubbish: Litter
• D. Show: Display

Multiple Choice

1. 1. A: (They had to keep...)
2. 2. C: (Around 4,000)
3. 3. A: (Didn't realize that...)

What the Titanic Means Today: A Century Later

Comprehension Questions

1. What are people...? (P2-3)
2. Why does the author...? (P3-4)

True or False Statements

• A. FALSE: The great lesson... beyond our control.
• B. TRUE: For 100 years, the Western... through

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