Academic English Skills with Dr. Byrnes

  1 What is Bode's law about?  A different interpretation of Newton’s gravitation Measurement of the distance between  the sun and the earth Distance of planets from the sun Prediction of how many planets there are 2. Why does the professor explain Bode's Law to the class?  To explain some patterns in numbers To explain how the asteroids belt was discovered  To explain how gravitational forces influence the planets To explain how telescope helped finding Uranus 3. How does the professor introduce Bode's Law?  By demonstrating how it is derived mathematically By describing the discovery of Uranus By drawing attention to the inaccuracy of a certain pattern By telling the names of several of the asteroids 4. According to the professor, what two factors contributed to the discovery of the asteroid Ceres? Click on 2 answers  Improved telescopes Advances in mathematics The discovery of a new star based on Bode’s law The discovery of Uranus based on Bode’s law 5. What does the p

  Hi, guys. I want to talk about how to solve the question #1 of TOEFL listening, i.e., the main idea question. These are the two clues: The main idea can usually be found in the first segment (or paragraph if you take notes the way I explained) of the lecture. The professor will say it explicitly or implicitly. Of course there are exceptions, and the main idea might not start until after the second paragraph. This is usually the case when the professor has to set the stage (has to explain various concepts) before she can talk about the main topic of concern.  The correct choice is normally phrased using a general term  I am going to discuss two hard questions today. The first one is hard since the clue phrase is implicit. The second question is hard since the main point appears much later in the lecture.   Example 1. Bryce Canyon (hard) TPO 63 Lecture content:  The professor begins the lecture with a field trip to Bryce Canyon National Park, adding this phrase, “remarkable geologic ph

  Degrees of rise Beginning pitch level The normal beginning with a prehead (a sentence that does not begin with a stressed word) is pitch level 2, which indicates no marked attitude. If it starts either higher or lower than level 2, attitudinal meaning is involved. If it begins at level 3, the sentence can show a surprise, excitement or insistence. On the other hand, if a sentence with a prehead begins at a lower pitch, at level 1, it can mean indifference, timidity or boredom. Level 1 pitch can also mean that what is to be said is obvious or redundant. For instance, She is the teach er. (neutrality: information)      2 3 She is the teach er. (excitement)      3 4 She is the teach er. ( indifference)      1 2 This is another example: I think I am right . (neutrality: simply stating) 2   3-1 I think I am right . (attitude of insistence) 3   4-1 I think I am right . (attitude of timidity) 1   2-1 When pitch does not rise in the content words