Today is my last day...at LTRC

Today is a special day in my working life. Now I'm going toward *leaving* officially, the day can be Dec-30 this year. The mail has sent, it's really hard to say goodbye the team, but it has to be for my new venture.

This is Thanks email just sent this morning. List of To are: Tuan Truong; #LTRC_BOM; Marc Nguyen; Chau Tran; Thao Nguyen; #LTRC_EngServices_LeadsManagers; #LTRC_RnD

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

Dear All,

First of all, congratulations to Hoang, Thuyen and Quang. I wish you all the best and much success in life. (3 of these people just got a promotion, Hoang is the man run the QA team next term)

As you are aware in the announcement, I’m no longer the lead of Rnd-QA. I will be leaving LTRC at the end of this month to pursue my own plans. Believe me, I’m very proud of being a part of the LTRC family in general and particularly, a member in RnD. We had great times as well as ‘not-so-bad’ time together :) both to me are memorable. The last two years has helped me to understand how challenging TESTING can be (before this, I was a web-developer) and enjoyed it during the time here. It has been very exciting is all I can say.

I’d like to say THANK YOU so much to my managers: Hans Buwalda, and Tuan Truong for everything, and RnD Staff (Nhan Ha, Phuc Phan, Thuyen Do, Dung Truong, Khuong Ngo, Cong Hoang and other dear members) and special thanks QA Staff as well (Hoang To, Quang Tran, Minh Tran, Tu Le, Aticah Chau, Khanh Tran, Dinh Vo, Vu Tran) who helps me so-much to make the work more enjoyable. I also would like to thank: anh Dinh, anh Long, Thao, Chau in HR Dept who are ready to respond to my inquiries in the most effective and efficient manner.

It’s also an honor to be a student of anh Hung Nguyen, Michael Hackett, chi Hoa, Marc Nguyen for all the Technical and English courses; from the first lesson in Quang Trung about Boundary Condition to the latest course of Lead-360.

I could not thank you enough for all the Lead@Service who supported me and to have feedbacks of TA as a contact group. They are: Kim , Quoc , Quynh , Hien , Hung , Xuan , Thach , Tuyen , Phuc N, Thang, Duong H, Vinh and Hieu P. Thank you all once again…my dear friends.

And finally, I love you all and wishing you success in what you are undertaking. I wish nothing but the best to come true at LTRC – The Vietnam World Leading Testing Company

Thank you and Regards,

Duong Pham

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Prepositional Phrases (1)

We are all experienced that preposition is annoying us in learning English. It's a bit confusing when we decide to use a strange Prepositional Phrases. Actually, it's not a big deal in conversation but it will help our writing sharply.

I have just received some kind of tips like that from about.com via email. Here are they, enjoy it with me, to make them not strange at all :)
(I just extracted some interesting sentences along with the phrases)

according to

in case of

on the behalf of

in front of

without regard for (She was a fearless woman who acted _____ her health.)

with regard to (______ your proposal Tom, I'm afraid we won't be able to approve your project.)

by means of (We finally solved our problem ____ a new device created by our research and development department.)

because of

lack of

due to (_____ the large number of requests we have received, we are going to extend the sale to the end of the month.)

instead of

in favor of ( I'm all ____ helping out the poor when in need.)

in addition to (_____ our friendly staff, you'll find our hotel provides everything you could ever desire.)

as for ( _____ me, I will be happy to dedicate a few extra hours to the cause.)

apart from

in common with (How can they be going out?! Jane has nothing _____ Peter.)

by far (Learning English is sometimes difficult. However, you should remember that communication is ______ the most important thing.)

by mistake (I'm afraid I've charged you too much _____. Sorry about that!)

regardless of (You are going to have to work overtime _____ your responsibilities at home)
>> the boss is most likely to say this sentence by somehow, I hate this kind of boss :(

on purpose (Please don't be angry with me. I didn't break the toy ______.)
>> I like this one most

For the full quiz please go here

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Jingle Bells

Perry Como

Dashing through the snow
On a one-horse open sleigh,
Over the fields we go,
Laughing all the way;
Bells on bob-tail ring,
making spirits bright,
What fun it is to ride and sing
A sleighing song tonight

Jingle bells, jingle bells,
jingle all the way!
O what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh

A day or two ago,
I thought I'd take a ride,
And soon Miss Fanny Bright
Was seated by my side;
The horse was lean and lank;
Misfortune seemed his lot;
He got into a drifted bank,
And we, we got up sot.

Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells,
Jingle all the way!
What fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh.

A day or two ago,
the story I must tell
I went out on the snow
And on my back I fell;
A gent was riding by
In a one-horse open sleigh,
He laughed as there
I sprawling lie,
But quickly drove away.

Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells,
Jingle all the way!
What fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh.

Now the ground is white
Go it while you're young,
Take the girls tonight
And sing this sleighing song;
Just get a bob-tailed bay
two-forty as his speed
Hitch him to an open sleigh
And crack! you'll take the lead.

Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells,
Jingle all the way!
What fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh.

--------------------------------
At the stroke of midnight on Christmas, if a fat man dressed in a red suit jumps through your window, grabs you and puts you in a sack, don't panic. I told Santa I wanted YOU for Christmas!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2008

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Heroes – The New Frontier (2/2)

This is printed version which I have used to deliver for group. Unluckily, last Friday I didnot have much time to share with group all of this because I was the last one in class :(, the last one always is the apple of all other eyes in class. All will look toward him/her and make them
embarrassed sometimes. I was in that case. Anyhow, I note down here just to share few of interesting thing about the article Heroes. This article is about 5 pages A4 long (fontsize 12pt)

1/ My favourite sentences:

- The world has changed, and so has heroism

- No-one is fooled into thinking that fame-----or even success-----is the same as heroism
(How to use the symbol ----- ?)

- Has TV----as it is so often accused of doing----diminished the possibility of heroes, and devalued the every word, by feeding us to many stories about too many celebrities, surrounded by too much hype?
(abreviation, symbol----usage, a long question..)

- Today’s potential hero (or was he/she a mere celebrity) is soon pushed aside by tomorrow’s headline
(An example of bracket usage in the sentence)

- Unsung heroes have always been a part of us, of course; not necessarily buried in an organisation, but possibly just chipping away, year after year, making personal sacrifies that enrich our lives and encourage us to aspire something beyond the everyday in our own lives.(semi-colon usage, a very long sentence, a new word Unsung)

2/ My favourite vocabularies:

+ Hero >> Heroine (women) >> Heroic(a) >> Heroism (n)

+ “sm” suffix of the noun:
- Feminism: the movement aimed at equal rights for women (feminist: a supporter of feminism)
- Heroism

+ unsung: having value that is not acknowledged not famous or acclaimed

+ accuse: (v) make a claim of wrongdoing or misbehavior against

+ diminish (v) decrease in size, extent, or range+ aspire (v) have an ambitious plan+ mere (adj) being nothing more than specified (chi3 là)+ hype (n) blatant or sensational promotion

+ celebrity (n) a widely known person (or the state of being widely honored and acclaimed)

+ triumph (n) a successful ending of a struggle or contest

+ inspire (n) truyen cam hung

+ sophisticated technology: cong nghe tinh vi, hien dai

---------------------------------
Click here for Heroes – The New Frontier (1/2)

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Một món quà

Hôm qua 21/12 thật là một ngày khó quên đối với mình khi bất ngờ nhận được món quà ý nghĩa của LogiGear Vietnam từ tay Mr. CEO, anh Hung Nguyen.

Món quà được trao trong quán Karaoke Nike L.V.Sỹ, tối ngày hôm qua. Đó là tăng 2 của một bữa tiệc chia tay V.Hùng, a key-manager bên service. Vì tăng 1 mình vướng một bài test mid-term at Acet, nên không tham gia được, tiếc ghê. Nếu không chắc cũng được chụp tấm hình trao quà với sếp trước rất đông lead&manager participants.

Anyway, cách trao quà này cũng đủ làm mình động đậy...sau khi khởi động một vài bài...mọi người đang hát vừa hết bài, thì bổng nhiên someone Stop the song, no sound heard any more, Mr. CEO stand in front of the crowd with the mic and say something about me (?). Oh what's is it..., it's surprised me a lot at that time, I feel a bit embarrass, then I understood and stand up, move forward to him. After a few word, he gave the gift to me, shaking hand... I did not know what to say, just Thank you everyone :). And then getting 2 hugs from 2 dai ca a.Hoang & a.Tuan.

It's impressed me much again khi mình nhìn thấy tấm thiệp với đầy những chữ ký và lời chúc của đồng nghiệp RnD. Wow, it's really nice, and unforgettable moment.

Không biết nói gì hơn là Cảm ơn tất cả mọi người vậy.


Thật là một món quà ý nghĩa.

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Don't worry, be happy

"Don't Worry, Be Happy" is the title and famous principal lyric of a song by musician Bobby McFerrin, the first a cappella song to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, holding that position for two weeks in September of 1988. It also peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart on its fifth week on the chart. At the 1989 Grammy Awards, "Don't Worry Be Happy" won 'Best Song of the Year'. The song's title is taken from a famous quote by Meher Baba. The original music video stars Robin Williams and Bill Irwin. Every "musical" part of this song was noises that McFerrin made, and compiled together. There are no instruments in this song.

For further information, please visit here


Don't Worry, Be Happy

Bobby McFerrin



Don't Worry, Be Happy
From the Movie "Cocktails"
Performed by Bobby McFerrin

Here is a little song I wrote
You might want to sing it note for note
Don't worry be happy
In every life we have some trouble
When you worry you make it double
Don't worry, be happy......

Ain't got no place to lay your head
Somebody came and took your bed
Don't worry, be happy
The land lord say your rent is late
He may have to litigate
Don't worry, be happy
Lood at me I am happy
Don't worry, be happy
Here I give you my phone number
When you worry call me
I make you happy
Don't worry, be happy
Ain't got no cash, ain't got no style
Ain't got not girl to make you smile
But don't worry be happy
Cause when you worry
Your face will frown
And that will bring everybody down
So don't worry, be happy (now).....

There is this little song I wrote
I hope you learn it note for note
Like good little children
Don't worry, be happy
Listen to what I say
In your life expect some trouble
But when you worry
You make it double
Don't worry, be happy......
Don't worry don't do it, be happy
Put a smile on your face
Don't bring everybody down like this
Don't worry, it will soon past
Whatever it is
Don't worry, be happy.


Please click here for downloading the song

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Heroes – The New Frontier (1/2)

Here after is the reading sheet scheme using in Friday reading group at Acet. I have used this content to present to other students of what I have learnt from the reading article.

Title of the text:
Heroes – The New Frontier (P.108)

Author: Hugh Mackay

Publisher: MacMillan, date: 1999

Type of the text: (eg: short story, novel, critique, magazine article, report)
A social research, maybe a series research (this is chapter eight)

What is the purpose of the text (eg: to inform, argue, entertain, recount, …)
Informative new definitions of Heroes in modern time

What is the text about?
All kinds of Heroes. Who is the hero? How to be a hero in ancient time as well as modern time.

What are the main ideas of the text?

- First, the author sees the turning point of the century’s end. The world has changed, and so has heroism. Then the author gives an opinion of Hero “..no-one is fooled into thinking that fame, or even success, is the same as heroism… Heroes inspire us because they show us what we human are capable of going…”
- Second, the names of old-style heroes are detailed with some name listed as: Christopher Columbus, James Cook and ways to be heroes at that time.
- Finally, comparing old and new style of heroes is the theme of the article.
“…Edmund Hillary on the Everest, Neil Armstrong on the moon, John Landy on the track (not for winning, but for upholding the noblest standards of sportsmanship when he stopped in the middle of an important race to help a fallen competitor.)”. Just three names from many examples of new-style heroes. On the other hand, we are fed too many stories about many celebrities, surrounded by much hypes by mass media. Today’s potential hero (or was he/she a mere celebrity) is soon pushed aside by tomorrow’s headline.

What is your opinion of the text? Would you recommend it to other students?

I really like the way Hugh Mackay talks about the unsung heroes. “..Unsung heroes have always been a part of us”. Let’s think about this, all of us are also a hero of someone else. Phuc Nguyen, a friend of mine and a colleague at LogiGear, turns into a helper for poor children at the end of every year, a time when people enjoy a lot of fun together during Christmas and New-year parties. Phuc enjoys this time differently, this year she and her friends organized a charity campaign to help poor children in Kon-Tum, such as: collecting old-clothes, cash for rice from LTRC employees. To me, she is a hero of those children. I can imagine how happy the children are when they receive the clothes and rice on a cold Christmas holiday.

Please click here to get there "Heroes – The New Frontier (2/2)" for sharing my extracted interesting thing from the article.

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Hugh Mackay at a glance:

He is a Psychologist, Social researcher, Newspaper columnist (weekly in the Sun-Herald and West Australian, and occasionally in The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age) and authors of 11 books, including 4 novels.

Please go here for further information: http://www.myspace.com/hughmackay

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Thức khuya cùng 16/12

Non sông bốn mặt ngủ mơ màng
Thức chỉ mình ta dạ chẳng an.
Bóng nguyệt leo song sờ sẫm gối
Gió thu lọt cửa cọ mài chăn
Khóc giùm thân thế hoa rơi lệ
Buồn giúp công danh dế tạo đàn
Chỗi dậy nôm na vài điệu cũ
Năm canh tâm sự vẫn chưa tàn.

(Thức khuya của Hàn Mạc Tử)

và bài họa của cụ Phan Bội Châu:

Chợ lợi trường danh chí chẳng màng.
Sao ăn không ngọt ngủ không an?
Trăm năm nhắn đó tuồng dâu bể,
Muôn họ nhờ ai bạn chiếu chăn?!
Cửa sấm gớm ghê người đánh trống,
Tai trâu mỏi mệt khách đưa đàn.
Lòng son đằng đẵng tơ sen vướng,
Mưa gió bao phen gốc chẳng tàn.

-------------------------------------------
Một bài thơ rất hay và nhiều ý nghĩa cho chúng ta cùng suy ngẫm thời điểm này, ngày 16/12 vừa xong. Nhứt là bài hoạ lại của cụ Phan, bài thơ ra đời tận năm não năm nào (1930 thì phải?), không hiểu sao mà mình cứ cảm thấy như cụ vừa tả lại cuộc biểu tình sáng hôm nay. "Cửa sấm gớm ghê người đáng trống", mấy đồng chí mặc áo veste đen đứng chỉ trỏ như người đáng trống trận, có khi chửi luôn cả bác Bình, "Bắt thằng này nè, nó cầm đầu" (blog Nguoibuongio), rồi "Lòng son đằng đẵng tơ sen vướng", CA-an ninh giăng như tơ sen lưới hết mấy cái băng rôn, biểu ngữ, nhưng cũng chỉ là tơ thôi, sao giăng nổi lòng người. "Tai trâu mỏi mệt khách đưa đàn" phản ánh một số nhận thức vô tư của bạn trẻ không/chưa biết/hiểu gì về vụ biểu tình, về Tam Sa. Và cụ cũng nhắn nhủ thêm "Mưa gió bao phen gốc chẳng tàn." nghĩa là thúc giục các cháu hãy tiếp tục tiến bước vào tuần sau, hãy nổi lửa lên dù có mưa gió bao phen, đừng để lụi tàn.

Đọc xong mình thấy lâng lâng...buồn, phải chi giờ này còn Bác.. thức khuya cùng chúng ta nhỉ. Không biết bác Thủ tướng Dũng có đang đau đầu không, đêm nay ngủ được không??? ...nhưng mình thì phải đi ngủ thôi...canh 3 rồi :)

Xin cảm ơn một lần nữa tất cả các bạn đã tham gia biểu tình sáng nay.

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Hai chữ thôi: Buồn và Nhẫn

Cũng như tuần trước, tối nay CN 16/12 vào net, điều đầu tiên tôi làm là tìm đọc các địa chỉ blog quen thuộc để theo dõi diễn biến HTS và cuộc biểu tình 16/12.

Osin (nhà báo Huy Đức, người viết bài "Chiến Tranh!" được BBC đăng lại) thì im lặng kín đáo còn blast là: người dân Tp đã chi ít nhất 600 tỉ for helmet và một lời xin lỗi, phải chăng Osin đã nhận được điện thoại từ anh Ba Thành Uỷ nào đó giống như nhà thơ Đổ Trung Quân kể lại trên blog của mình (anh Ba Đua bên Thành Uỷ nhờ DTQ tuần hành và can thiệp giải tán đoàn biểu tình) và xem đó là một chuyện vui nữa khuya,

nhà báo Đức Hiển chỉ có 2 chữ: Làm việc (?). Nhà báo tự do Xuân Bình, người đã nổi tiếng với bài "Tổ quốc" sau khi được BBC đăng lại, ko blast, ko entry, mặc dù bác ấy là người dẩn đầu đoàn biểu tình và là *linh hồn* của đoàn biểu tình (theo blog người buôn gió). Blog Trangha thì có nổi buồn lớn như định mệnh.

Chỉ có blog người buôn gió là tường thuật rất chi tiết cộng với hình ảnh rất đầy đủ, hy vọng bài viết này được lên BBC để mọi người cùng được biết. Diễn đàn hoangsa.org thì có bài "Cầu xin một lời giải thích" được mấy chục comment đồng cảm chỉ sau vài phút đăng bài.
Còn tất cả các trang báo chính thống khác ko hề có một dòng tin (???), what's the hell...TV cũng vậy, bặt tin vô âm :((

Qua một số các trang blog khác, mình có thể cảm thấy một không khí hừng hực uất ức và nhục nhã, khi sáng nay tất cả băng rôn và biểu ngữ bị tịch thu hết, có người còn bị lột áo, thiệt là hết biết.

Một chữ Buồn...

Nhân đây tôi xin tặng tất cả các bạn thanh niên yêu nước (dù biết msg này ko đến được), các bạn member hoangsa.org (cũng như tặng chính tôi) một chữ : Nhẫn

"...Chữ Nhẫn hay thật, nó nhắc người ta phải luôn luôn kiên trì học tập, rèn luyện và lao động sáng tạo. Đôi lúc còn phải biết chấp nhận những khó khăn thử thách, biết chấp nhận tạm thời những thực tại khách quan chưa đúng với mong muốn của mình. Có khi phải chấp nhận cả những thực tế cay đắng phũ phàng, khi những thực tế đó không dễ gì thay đổi. Trong khi kiên nhẫn chấp nhận, người ta còn phải biết tìm cách thích nghi vì chính "thích nghi là quy luật sống của muôn loài". Thích nghi ở đây KHÔNG đồng nghĩa với "cơ hội chủ nghĩa", KHÔNG đồng nghĩa với sự đầu hàng hay thoả hiệp. Thích nghi không chỉ là cam chịu mà chính là để tiếp tục tìm cách giải quyết, thực hiện thắng lợi từng bước những hoài bão và mục đích của mình.

>> Như vậy, nếu chữ Tâm thể hiện tính người thì chữ Nhẫn thể hiện bản lĩnh của con người. "
(Trích nguồn: mofa.gov.vn_trang web bộ ngoại giao Việt Nam, bài viết: Sống đơn giản trong đời thường).

Mong Việt Nam chúng ta vượt qua cơn bĩ cực này..

[i]Đoàn kết, đoàn kết, đại đoàn kết
Thành công, thành công, đại thành công[/i]

Và cùng nhau hy vọng một ngày mai tươi sáng hơn...

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Hoàng Trường Sa và Google Earth

Bài này mình vừa viết bên diễn đàn HoangSa.org, chỉ mong được mọi người ủng hộ HSTS Việt Nam có tên trên "bản đồ thế giới" Google Earth

-------------------------------------------------
Subject: Hoàng Trường Sa và Google Earth, một ý kiến

Chào các bạn,

Mình vừa đọc qua tất cả các bài các bạn viết cho Hoàng Sa-Trường Sa (mình xin gọi tắt là Hoàng-Trường Sa _ HTS), thật vui khi được nghe rất nhiều ý kiến/hành động vì HTS thân yêu. Bạn thì nói nên mua bản đồ, nhìn kỹ xem HTS xem thế nào rồi đem dán chổ dể nhìn để luôn nhớ về HTS, có bạn thì đề nghị đọc Đảo chìm (mình nhớ đã đọc lâu lắm, phải tìm đọc lại thôi, sau khi xong bài này) để biết thêm về Trường Sa. Mình cũng xin góp một ý kiến nhỏ.

Sau khi mình tham khảo qua chương trình Google Earth mình không thấy một dấu ấn nào của Việt Nam cả, buồn :(. Theo mình biết thì mọi người cũng có thể MODIFY và UPLOAD hình lên như bọn TQ đã làm với những nơi chúng đã chiếm đóng (rất tiếc phải nói là rất nhiều). Vậy thì ai có được những tấm ảnh chụp tại HTS Việt Nam không? Như kiểu bọn Tàu đã làm như trong file ảnh đính kèm, thì vui lòng post lên đây share với mọi người, hoặc đến trực tiếp panoramio.com để upload ảnh đó lên. Nhân tiện diễn đàn cũng nên mở một thư viện ảnh về HTS dù xưa hay là nay

Sau khi đọc xong bài này các bạn hãy download Google Earth về xem nhé (12.8 MB thôi). Không nhất thiết phải có card đồ hoạ, (nhưng có thì tốt hơn, tốc độ load ảnh sẽ nhanh hơn). Nếu bạn muốn xem demo trước, có thể đến link bên dưới mình đã cố gắng chụp tất cả các đảo HTS có công trình xây dựng, rất tiếc là mấy công trình đó toàn của bọn Tàu :(, mình còn thấy cả mấy chiến hạm, nhiều nhất là ở "Woody island", 4 chiếc. "Woody island" (trên bản đồ hành chính của mình là đảo Linh Côn thuộc Hoàng Sa) cũng có thể là từ khoá để bạn search trong Google Earth cho lẹ.

Hãy chung tay đoàn kết xây dựng một hình ảnh Hoàng-Trường Sa of VietNam trên Google Earth.

Mong các bạn tiếp tục đóng góp ý kiến!

Thân mến,

PKDuong

Album Google Earth về HTS:
http://picasaweb.google.com/pkduong/HoNgSaParacelVTrNgSaSpratlySThTTGoogleEarth

Nơi upload ảnh đính với Google Earth place
http://www.panoramio.com/map/

Một ví dụ (bọn Tàu đã làm)
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/1901744

Download Google Earth: version 4.2 FREE
http://earth.google.com/download-earth.html

--------------------------------
Link bài viết ở đây:
http://hoangsa.org/diendan/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=544

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Reading group at Acet

There are some new methods which I have never learnt before at another English school but Acet. Reading group is one of them. Students have amount of time to read and understand a topic choosing by themselves, and then share the story in couple of minutes speaking with the others. The topic sometime is a chapter from famous story, sometime is a report or an article about Australia or England. These topics are collected thoroughly by Acet staff and binding as book called 'Reading book'.

How does it works?
Students are divided in groups of 3-4, then go to choose an article/story in the reading book. We have 2 weeks for understanding the chosen-topic. Assignment usually come up on Monday and report/re-tell day will be on Friday of the week after next. Students are mixed together to make sure that everyone with different topic is put in a group. One by one will stand up and speaking about the story -which they read- in front the group in about 2-3 minutes, student is advised not necessarily summarize the whole article/story but possibly just re-tell their favourite part or interesting vocabulary.

Benefits
This is a really good idea for self-learning as well as encouraging reading a very long parapraph. Students may continue reading the rest of story because of curiosity after they found themselves appealed. I myself is in the case, after finishing chapter one of "The Client" (John Grisham) I have tried to figured out what it is with Mr. Google. And then I may buy one to continue following the rest of story in leisure time. Moreover, student can take advantage of
collocation from the native writer, then avoid confusing in gathering words together. The sentence which has very nice structure and grammar will be extracted and saved in notebook for later usage. In addition, new interesting vocabulary is also advised mentioning in the speaking. This is absolutely helpful not only for enriching the knowledge but also the culture.

Yes, I really enjoy this activity so much that I will post here some sort of the preparation for the Friday speaking just to share how enjoyable it is.

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Christmas greeting messages

X'mas and the new year are coming, now it's time for us to share the happiness with whom we love. Here as following are the greeting text for Christmas you may use to decorate the life. Thanks so much my Mother, my Father who gave birth a baby called PKDuong. And wishing you all the best luck and happiness on the way you undertake.

Quote from famous people:

1. “The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other.”
~Burton Hillis

2. “I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.”
~ Charles Dickens

3. “The magi, as you know, were wise men - wonderfully wise men who brought gifts to the Babe in the manger. They invented the art of giving Christmas presents.”
~O. Henry

4. “Christmas, my child, is love in action. Every time we love, every time we give, it’s Christmas.”
~Dale Evans Rogers

5. “Christmas gift suggestions:
To your enemy, forgiveness.
To an opponent, tolerance.
To a friend, your heart.
To a customer, service.
To all, charity.
To every child, a good example.
To yourself, respect.”
~Oren Arnold

6. “Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.”
~Norman Vincent Peale

7. “Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.”
~Hamilton Wright Mabi

8. “I have always thought of Christmas as a good time; a kind, forgiving, generous, pleasant time; a time when men and women seem to open their hearts freely, and so I say, God bless Christmas!”
~Charles Dickens

9. “Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind . To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.”
~Calvin Coolidge

10. “Love came down at Christmas; love all lovely, love divine; love was born at Christmas, stars and angels gave the sign.”
~Christina G. Rossetti

11. “Where charity stands watching and faith holds wide the door the dark night wakes - the glory breaks, Christmas comes once more.”
~Phillips Brooks

12. “Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childhood days, recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth, and transport the traveler back to his own fireside and quiet home! ”
~Charles Dickens

13. “The only real blind person at Christmas-time is he who has not Christmas in his heart.”
~Helen Keller

14. “Bless us Lord, this Christmas, with quietness of mind; Teach us to be patient and always to be kind.”
~Helen Steiner Rice

15. “There is no name so sweet on earth, no name so sweet in heaven, The name, before His wondrous birth, to Christ the Savior given.”
~George W. Bethune

16. “Christmas is a season for kindling the fire for hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart.”
~Washington Irving

17. “Like snowflakes, my Christmas memories gather and dance - each beautiful, unique and too soon gone.”
~Deborah Whipp

18. “It is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas, when its mighty Founder was a child Himself”
~Charles Dickens

19. A Christmas candle is a lovely thing; It makes no noise at all, But softly gives itself away; While quite unselfish, it grows small.
~Eva K. Logue

20. It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air.
~W. T. Ellis

21. I wish we could put up some of the Christmas spirit in jars and open a jar of it every month.
~Harlan Miller

22. “The mystery of the Holy Night, which historically happened two thousand years ago, must be lived as a spiritual event in the ‘today’ of the Liturgy,” the Pope clarified. “The Word who found a dwelling in Mary’s womb comes to knock on the heart of every person with singular intensity this Christmas.”
~Pope John Paul II

23. At Christmas I no more desire a rose
Than wish a snow in May’s new-fangled shows,
But like of each thing that in season grows.
~William Shakespeare.

(Source: www.ambimama.com)





From ordinary people

* If there is no joyous way to give a festive gift, give love away.

* May Peace be your gift at Christmas and your blessing all year through!

* Christmas carolers sing about peace on earth, but they don’t tell us where.

* Wish you a Merry Christmas and may this festival bring abundant joy and happiness in your life!

* May this Christmas be so special that you never ever feel lonely again and be surrounded by loved ones throughout!

* You are special, you are unique; may your Christmas be also as special and unique as you are! Merry Christmas!

* Here's wishing you all the joys of the season. Wish you and your family a Merry Christmas!

* May joy and happiness snow on you, may the bells jingle for you and may Santa be extra good to you! Merry Christmas!

* May this Christmas be bright and cheerful and may the New Year begin on a prosperous note!

* Love, Peace and Joy came down on earth on Christmas day to make you happy and cheerful. May Christmas spread cheer in your lives!

* Sending the warmest Christmas wishes to you and your family. May God shower his choicest blessings on you and your family this Christmas.

* May all your days be merry and bright and may your Christmas be white! Merry Christmas!

* It is that time of the year again, when you are thankful for everything merry and bright. May this Christmas be a delight! Wishing you a Merry Christmas!

CHRISTMAS MESSAGES

* Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, making everything softer than snowflakes and all the more beautiful. Wish you a Magical Christmas.

* Jingle Bells are ringing the wishes of Christmas. Sending the warmest Christmas wishes on soft snowflakes just for you!

* Faith makes all things possible; Hope makes all things work and Love makes all things beautiful. May you have all the three for this Christmas. Merry Christmas!

* On this Christmas, remember, the joy that you give to others, is the joy that comes back to you. So be joyful and make others joyful too! Merry Christmas!

* Joy resonates in the hearts of those who believe in the spirit of Christmas! Wishing you all the peace, joy, and love of the Christmas season!

* Christmas is a state of mind when you cherish peace and goodwill. The real spirit of Christmas is to have mercy, love and faith.

* At the stroke of midnight on Christmas, if a fat man dressed in a red suit jumps through your window, grabs you and puts you in a sack, don't panic. I told Santa I wanted YOU for Christmas!

* May this Christmas end the present year on a cheerful note and make way for a fresh and bright new year. Here's wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

* Jingle the bells and play the music loud, for Santa Claus is coming to town! Merry Christmas!

(Source: nguyenhonganhtesol.blogspot.com)

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Game: Getting to know each other

This game "Getting to know each other" is not only for group of all *new* people who just meet one another at the first time, but also for the *old* people who are colleague knowing each other already. This game will let people introduce themselves in a natural way. I got this game in the Acet English club which is organized on every Wednesday afternoon (run by Ms. Trang). Here is the game:


1/ The host need to print the form (as in picture above) out to a number of copies depends on how many member in the game.

2/ Then separate the crowd into 2 groups: A and B

3/ One of each group should have a speaker who will read slow and loud line by line in the paragraph to the group. And remember the speaker also write down the answer as well.

4/ Speaker need to stop for a second and wait for the group finish each line in the paragraph.

5/ After all members in A and B complete the form. Then the host inform that every person in group A can swap the paper to anyone in group B.

6/ With the swap like this, person-A got person-B's paper and vice versa. So they can guess the information of each other in a curious method. That's called "Getting to know each other"

This is just a version of it, the host can do in variation way, you may change the content of paragraph to appropriate your need, more funny, more creative. I have written the content of this version and applied this one to my staff and it has worked well, people enjoy this game very much so that the crowd turn to be noisy because of talking. I intent to do this in 20 minutes, but it has run for half an hour and it has been forced to stop :)

After getting done to know each other. Mr. Marc, company English instructor, suggested that everyone must have some words to describe the partner. Yup, this was a very good idea till then we went through it and discovered new and funny thing about colleague during the introduction. It was really a good time to start my English club every Friday for the QA team.

I think this game is also a good candidate game for team building purpose.

>> This is MS. Word for the game download here or here

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Let, Make and Help - common error

This short lesson which I got from "Tip of the day" - About.com is very helpful. Most of learners confuse this tip, me too, always adding "to" without the reason. Now we got the clue why not to use "to" all the time. Here we go:
-------------------------------------
Let, Make and Help

With the verbs "let, make and help" we use the following structure: S + let, make or help + object + verb without to

For other verbs that take this structure we use: S + verb + object + verb with to

>> Example Sentences:

She let him stay out late.

What did your father make you do?

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Đoàn kết, đoàn kết, đại đoàn kết

Mấy hôm nay đi đâu cũng nghe vụ Tam Sa... của Tàu thành lập thành phố mới bao gồm 2 huyện đảo Hoàng Sa và Trường Sa. Khí thế yêu nước hừng hực truyền nhau qua blog, yahoo msger, các báo thì dè dặt đưa tin lè phè, bác Dũng nhà ta vẫn cứ tiếp tục ...có một bài ca không bao giờ quên, "Chúng tôi cực lực phản đối...". Chưa bao giờ "báo blog" (chủ là nhà báo) được săng lùng đến thế. Sáng nay CN (Dec-9-2007) cuộc biểu tình đã thành sự thật ở hai thành phố Hà Nội và Sài gòn (có lúc đông đến hơn 500 người), vậy mà mình cứ đoán già đoán non sẽ rất ít hoặc không có ai đến vì có một công văn của một trường ĐH ở Hà Nội kêu gọi Sinh Viên KHO^NG tham gia biểu tình (?)


Cũng nhờ sự kiện này mà giờ đây mình tin chắc nhiều bạn trẻ (kể cả mình) nhận thức rõ được rằng Hoàng Sa đã mất từ lâu rồi , hãy xem đoạn bên dưới từ TTO:
"...Và xa hơn một chút, ngày 19-1-1974, hải quân Trung Quốc cũng đã dùng nhiều chiến hạm và phi cơ cưỡng chiếm toàn bộ Hoàng Sa. Trong trận hải chiến lịch sử và không cân sức này, 58 binh sĩ quân đội Sài Gòn đã ngã xuống nhưng không giữ được mảnh đất thiêng liêng của ông cha. Hoàng Sa từ ấy rơi vào tay Trung Quốc...." (TTO)

Chổ này mình thấy thiệt là cười tức tưởi :(, vì Đà Nẵng vẫn tuyên bố hùng hồn "...UBND huyện Hoàng Sa có trụ sở đặt tại 132 đường Yên Bái, TP Đà Nẵng."(TTO)

Cũng nói thêm dường như bọn Tàu này nó tính hết rồi, lên kế hoạch cả mấy chục năm nay..., cách đây mấy hôm nó tập trận ỳ đùng, ý là hù doạ chăng (?), rồi sau đó Quốc vụ viện mới ra tuyên bố: Tam Sa= (Đông + Hoàng + Trường) x Sa.

Nguy hiểm hơn nữa, hãy nhìn bức hình bên dưới, nếu ta khoanh vùng bốn đảo lại Hải Nam, Đông Sa, Hoàng Sa, Trường Sa thì diện tích lên đến 2,6 triệu km2 ~ 1/4 diện tích Trung Quoc hiện thời (blog Trangha). Vậy mới thấy bọn Tàu nó nham hiểm đến thế nào.


Thôi thì chúng ta biết làm gì hơn hãy đoàn kết một lòng vì tổ quốc thân yêu, vì Hoàng Sa-Trường Sa thân yêu, hãy cùng nhau kêu gọi bà con họ hàng, bạn bè TẨY CHAY HÀNG TÀU

Một số link bài viết hay liên quan:
- Trang web thông tin về Hoàng Sa: hoangsa.org
- Bài của bác Dương Trung Quốc trên Vietnamnet:
- Bài blog của nhà báo Huy Đức
- Hình ảnh buổi biểu tình tại blog của K'lu
- Một số tài liệu của bác Nguyễn Nhã, người nghiên cứu vấn đề HS-TS từ rất lâu.
- Còn đây là mấy hình mình tự *chụp* từ Google Earth về bác Sa nhà mình, thậm chí mình còn chụp được cả tàu chiến của Tàu nữa, mà tiếc quá không thấy bóng cờ VN mình đâu cả :(
picasaweb.google.com/pkduong/ (link này hơi lâu, mọi người ráng chờ chút, 87 pictures lận)

À quên nữa, hôm T6 tuần trước (Dec-7) có nhận một msg nói rằng 1 trang web chính phủ Tàu .gov.vn đã bị hack bởi hacker Vietnam, đến giờ vẫn còn (Dec-10), nhưng đã đổi thông điệp so với hôm bửa mình thấy. Vậy là cuộc chiến đã bắt đầu rồi

Hình thứ sáu: Dec-7 (T6)

Hình hôm nay: Dec-10 (CN)

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Advertising techniques which are used to target children

This is the first assignment at Acet which I just handed last Friday. It's 293 word count. (the expected is 300).

Assignment : Write an information report identify and describing 3-4 advertising techniques which are used to target children.


No one can deny the fact that advertising is indispensable in promoting products to consumers who are both adults and children. Advertisements that target children have its specific features apart from the adult ones. The ads for children usually have colorful cartoons, loud sounds, and jingles. Three of the popular techniques are cartoon characters, free offers, and role models.

First, the most popular approach; “cartoon characters” in television advertising aimed at children. Advertisers not only use the well-known characters, such as Mickey mouse and Donald duck, but also creating new ones. Izzy Snack is an illustration of this type of scheme. In this advertisement, there is a funny robot voice, singing a song, while a piece of snack is flying in a house, then to downtown where crowds of children are waving their hands to catch the flying snack.

The other popular technique is “free-offers” which are also named as "giveaways" or "premiums". As a successful method used on adult, advertisers hope that it produces the same effects on children. Kido Ice cream from Kinh Do is another example. Children are encouraged to collect the characters of gifts such as a bicycle or a computer. These characters are engraved on ice-scream sticks.

Last but not least, the “role model” is a method that utilizes older children who looks professional in certain activities related to the products, that younger children admire or look up to. Targeted audience evidently wants to imitate the idols whom they viewed as a role model. For instance, in Dutch's Lady Milk advertisement on television, a fifth-grade boy sits in the middle of the crowd and looks on while the older seventh-grade boy wins the first prize of swimming, Tae Kwon Do, and mathematics in competitions.

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Eternal flame

Bangles




Close your eyes, give me your hand, darling
Do you feel my heart beating, do you understand?
Do you feel the same, am I only dreaming?
Is this burning an eternal flame?

I believe it's meant to be, darling
I watch when you are sleeping, you belong to me
Do you feel the same, am I only dreaming
Or is this burning an eternal flame?

Say my name, sun shines through the rain
A whole life so lonely, and then you come and ease the pain
I don't want to lose this feeling

[break]

Say my name, sun shines through the rain
A whole life so lonely, and then you come and ease the pain
I don't want to lose this feeling

Close your eyes and give me your hand
Do you feel my heart beating, do you understand?
Do you feel the same, am I only dreaming
Or is this burning an eternal flame?

[break]

Is this burning an eternal flame?

An eternal flame?

(Close your eyes and give me your hand
Do you feel my heart beating, do you understand?
Do you feel the same, am I only dreaming
Or is this burning an eternal flame?)

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