Answer keys ka:)

Reading (p. 33-34)

1. The right food can help your level of concentration, ensure your sleep more soundly and lower anxiety levels.
2. Glucose which comes from carbohydrate--rich foods like cereals, breads and pasta
3. Our brain needs constant glucose replacement to keep it functiong at its best.
4. They will have an energy boost.
5. Fresh or dried fruits, unsalted nuts, a sandwich
6. Students who drink plenty of water have an easier time concentrating, taking in information, and doing mental arithmetic.
7. You are more likely to feel tired and panicky the following day.
8. Caffeine tablets
9. Deeply
10. A high-protein or high-fibre breakfast like eggs, beans or mushrooms on toast, honey on toast, or else a slowly absorbed wholegrain cereal like porridge or muesli

Strawberry Muffins (p. 40)

........

Next, the liquid and strawberries are drained and kept separately. The oven is then preheated to 425 degrees. Flour, baking soda, nutmeg and salt are combined and set aside. After that, the eggs, butter, vanilla extract and 1/4 cup of sugar and liquid from strawberries are mixed in a medium bowl. Next, the flour is added into the mixture and stirred until it is combined. Then, the reserved strawberries are folded in. Next, the mixture is spooned into 12 greased muffin pans and baked for approximately 20 minutes. Finally, they are served warm.

Vocabulary (p. 79)

1. horrifying
2. seized
3. Fortunately
4. terror
5. maintain
6. unimaginable

(p. 80)

1. a. plunge
2. c. unaware
3. c. increase
4. a. stressful
5. c. ablaze

Please submit your homework here na ja:)

As promised, here's the place for you to post your homework ka. There are many ways to compare things, so each comments should be different na ka.

Have fun ka!

Teens prefer hi-tech life

I have read this article from Today's Bangkok Post. Is this the way you and your friends are? How do you spend your time? Why don't you like reading? This news article is not difficult to read. There are more like this in the newspaper. Try it ka!

More than 95% of Bangkok's teenagers spend three hours a day on their mobile phones and 88% spend a similar amount of time glued to their computers, according to a recent poll. Assumption University's Abac Poll, which questioned 1,262 teenagers in the capital from Oct 26 to Dec 2, found that around 95.7% said they spent at least three hours a day on their mobiles while another 88.3% spent the same amount of time in front of their computers.

Watching television was another favourite pastime, with 94.6% of respondents claiming they spent more than four hours a day in front of the TV set.

The vast majority of students said they spent only 16 minutes a day reading newspapers.

Noppadol Kannikar, Abac Poll director, concluded that young people in the city are not interested in reading but prefer talking, watching TV and listening to the radio rather than following up current affairs themselves

Improve your listening skills

Hi! class

I really enjoy reading your comments and some of you are very creative and thoughtful. I'm impressed. However, there are some who have 'external help' when writing your comments. Please don't do that. I want you to practice your English. It's ok to make mistakes. It will get better, trust me na ka.

Today a friend of mine has suggested a wonderful website: www. esl-lab.com.

This website contains lots of listening practice ranging from easy to difficult. It suits everyone! So, I would like you to visit this website and listen to "Shopping for the day". Then tell me what you think. What do you feel after listening to this conversation? What are you going to do for your father this coming Father's day?

If you are interested, you can frequently visit this website and listen more and more. Your listening skills will definitely improve!

Have fun na ka:)

Violence among teenagers

I have read a news article about an 11-year-old girl being raped by a group of 17-year-old boys. This is certainly not the first time that this kind of things happened. We have seen it all the time. The question is 'why?' What made those teenagers do such a horrible thing?

Fifteen years ago you rarely experienced this kind of violence in kids. Now it happens so often it could become a 'fashion from hell'. What happened to teenagers nowadays. We are still living in the same city, still speak the same language, still live with our family just like people 15 years ago did. But what causes this change? What do you think?

Material Kids in Town

Have you noticed that kids your age are obsessed with 'material' things like mobile phones, mp3 players, and digital cameras?

These things are expensive and can be outdated in a very short time. When you pay for these items--let's say a mobile phone, do you really pay for the phone or the 'image' the phone company created through advertisements?

Digital cameras and mp3 players also sell their 'images'. Many of them have the same specifications. What makes them different (in price) is the 'image'! Those sleek-style, brand-name gadgets cost a lot more than plain-looking ones.

So, are you one of the 'material' kids? Tell me what you think.

Let's introduce ourselves

My name is Primchai Bhromsuthi. I have been an English instructor for more than 15 years. I had my BA from the Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn university and then went to the US to complete my MA.

Teaching Foundation classes at KU is not easy. I sometimes find it really difficult to motivate my students. Most of them agree that English is very important, however, they still find it hard to learn and use the language properly. I think it's because they don't have any chance to use the language. And that's why I created this blog!

I want my students to have a place to practice their English. I plan to post several topics and let my students share their opinions. I hope they like it.