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TOEIC Sample Questions

Learning Other Language and Culture in English

As an English learner, you probably think that by learning English you will be able to learn English culture and language. That's true. But it is not limited to it. People who can speak and understand English can learn other languages and cultures as well.

Bird Watching in Tropical Rainforest of Manokwari

While I was traveling with three Russian tourists to this mountain on 16 January 2010, we were able to locate a place where King Kakatoe birds live. They make their nests or holes in tall trees. It was not easy to take pictures of those birds if we did not use digital camera that was equipped with long distant lenses. Mikhail brought such camera with him so he could take some photos of the King Kakatoe (Kakaktua Raja). We have to be extra patient if we really want to see or watch wild birds in their natural habitat.

Simple Tips for English Learners

The followings are simple suggestions that English students should do to improve their English

Study English regularly. The first step is listening. We must listen to English words, sentences or pronunciation. The second step is trying to know how they are written. When we have known then the third step is reading. We need to read the words or sentences a few times until our English pronunciation is really correct. If we can read well then the fourth step is writing. Try to write the sentences or words in correct spelling.

Reading English Magazine

Reading English magazines is good to improve our English ability. By reading we can find many new words that we are not familiar with. There are many free magazines that we can download from the internet. We can also order new ones from English publishers. These magazines contain various articles ranging from music, culture to politics and economics. English magazine such as Cool English is published in Russia. It is good for young adults. Some of the old editions of Cool English can be downloaded from Ebookee by typing the magazine's name.

Learning English by Blogging

Learning English does not always have to do with attending English classes, or reading grammar books. We can study English through many ways. We can chat with people on the internet, we can take free English course that are available on the internet. Or we can write blogs. When we blog, we should not have to worry about grammar or spelling. We just need to write short articles. First we can use word processor such as Microsoft Word. If we make mistakes in spelling or grammar, it will inform us by showing red or green underlines on a word or sentences.

Is English difficult?

The answer depends on your own perception. For me, because I like learning English, I don't think that this international language is difficult. Yes, there were times when I got confused with grammar, vocabularies and pronunciation. That's some of the challenges that I faced during my early years in learning English. I still make grammatical mistakes therefore, I keep on studying English.

Souvenirs that tourists can and must not buy

Every time I accompany tourists traveling around Manokwari, I will bring them to Papuan artists who make souvenirs, or handicrafts. I know that foreign and domestic travelers usually buy them as memories associated with their vacations in this town or as gifts to their loved ones who do not make the trip with them. Souvenirs that the Papuan artists sell have been a significant financial contributor for their livelihood. It is not surprising if they feel happy when tourists come to their houses and buy their artworks. Artists work hard to make beautiful looking souvenirs. Most raw materials of the souvenirs are taken from their surroundings which may give negative impacts to the environment.

Nadia Siregar Master of Papuan Traditional Dance

Nadia Siregar, an Indonesian girl, began learning Papuan traditional dance in 1993 when she was still at grade 3 of elementary school. She likes dancing because she sees that Papua island has many tribes and every tribe has its own unique cultural characteristics. “They are very interesting but I only want to focus on the traditional dance,” she said.read more...