:

.

.

.

.

moc.liamg@enilno.odrak.gm

:sgniwollof eht ot sknaht laicepS

)retirW dna rotidE( itiG azetroM

)retirW( izooroN eyinaH

)retirW( naimalsE arhaZ

2

Contents

Interview With God Page 3

Music -Violin Page 4

Technology - Mercedes Corporation Page 6

Movies - Friends Series Page 5

10 Idioms About Home Page 7

Animals - Bears Page 8

20 Tips for Listening Section of IELTS Page 9

Customs of Iran - Part One: Marriage and Family Page 11

Famous Figures - Leonardo da Vinci Page 10

Sport - Ali Karimi Page 12

Vocabulary - Collocations with Plan

Science - Interview with Iranian ophthalmologist and inventor of LASIK

Vocabulary - Phrasal Verbs in Context

Around the World - Rome

Speaking - Find Your Tongue

Writing - Writing Business Letters

Grammar - Phrasal Verbs 1

Advertisements

Page 13

Page 14

Page 13

Page 15

Page 16

Page 17

Page 18

Page 19

3

I dreamed I had an Interview with god

So you would like to Interview me? God asked

If you have the time I saidGod smiled

My time is eternityWhat questions do you have in

mind for me?What surprises you most about

humankind?God answered

That they get bored with child-hood

They rush to grow up and then long to be children again

That they lose their health to make money

And then lose their money to re-store their health

By thinking anxiously about the

future thatThey forget the present

Such that they live in neither the present nor the future

That they live as if they will nev-er die

And die as if they had never livedGods hand took mine and we were

silent for a whileAnd then I asked

As the creator of people what are some of lifes lessons you

want them to learn?God replied with a smile

To learn they cannot make anyone love them

What they can do is let them-selves be loved

Learn that it is not good to com-pare themselves to others

To learn that a rich person is not

one who has the mostBut is one who needs the least

To learn that it takes only a few seconds to open profound wounds

in persons we loveAnd it takes many years to heal

themTo learn to forgive by practicing

forgivenessTo learn that there are persons

who love them dearlyBut simply do not know how to ex-

press or show their feelingsTo learn that two people can look at the same thing and see it dif-

ferentlyTo learn that it is not always enough that they are forgiven by

othersThey must forgive themselvesAnd to learn that I am here

Always.

Mini Health TipsStretch: Quick stretches no matter where you or what you are doing is relieving tension.Drink Water: Instead of soda, coffee or juice sips water. A hydrated body is a happy body!Pack a Healthy Lunch: Rather than buying an overly salted or sugary lunch, pack your own. Plus you will most likely save money too!

God didnt promise days without pain...Laughter, without sorrow, sun without rain...But He did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears...

The best cosmetic for lips is truth, for voice is prayer, for eyes is pity, for hands is charity, for heart is love, and for life is friendship...

4

Interview with God

Ther

e ar

e tw

o th

ing

s to

aim

at

in li

fe; f

irst

to

get

wha

t yo

u w

ant,

and

aft

er t

hat

to e

njoy

it. O

nly

the

wis

est

of m

anki

nd h

as a

chie

ved

the

sec

ond

. HistoryThe modern violin developed from the rebec, a three-string bowed instrument descended from the rebab, a Middle Eastern single-string instrument. The violin developed to assume its present form in Italy starting in the mid 1500s. It was at this time that luthier Andrea Amati of Cremona, started to create what are generally considered to be the first modern violins.

Growing ImportanceOriginally considered an instrument of low social standing, the violin was not a concert instrument initially. It was often used to create a double voice part while accompanying a singer or provided instrumental accompaniment for dancing. With its use in Orfeo, an opera by Italian composer Claudio Monteverdi, and a 24 violin musical ensemble for King Louis XIII of France, the violin started to gain prestige.

The InstrumentThe main strings on a violin are GDA and E, in order of lowest to highest pitch. A violin is often fitted with strings made of synthetic materials like nylon and steel.

Famous Violin MakersItalian luthier Antonio Stradivarius created what are arguably considered the best violins in the world. Stradivarius violins or strads, as these instruments are often called, have sold for millions of dollars and are played by professionals. They also attract violin collectors. Andrea Amati and Guiseppe Guarneri are the two other master violin makers who created instruments considered to be equal or nearly equal to Stradivarius.

Electric ViolinsElectric violins are manufactured by makers such as MSI, Zeta and John Jordan. Prices may start as low as about $150 and can be as high as $3,000 or more.

Many professional violinists choose to play the Stradivarius.Stradivarius violins can go for millions of dollars.The modern violin has been around for roughly 500 years. It was designed in the 1500s.The violin used to be known as the "kit" in Italy.The violin is part of the violin family which also includes the cello, the bass viol and the viola.The violin is the smallest member of the violin family.The violin is the most popular instrument among children.Playing the violin burns 170 calories an hour.Violins can be electric or non-electric.Violins are generally either maple or spruce.Violins these days are constructed from over 70 pieces of wood.Violins range in size. The smallest being just 37 millimeters.Violin strings are generally tuned to G, D, A, and E.Violinists are able to use both sides of the brain better than most non-violinists.Though the violin used to be an instrument for the lower class, today it is highly regarded and respected as a difficult instrument to learn.

Some Facts About Violins

Violin

descend: to have devel-oped from sth else

initially: at the begin-ning

accompaniment: back-ground music

equal: the same in value, size, number, etc.

manufacture: to produce

5

Don

t ju

dg

e ea

ch d

ay b

y th

e ha

rves

t yo

u re

ap, b

ut b

y th

e se

eds

you

pla

nt.

interwoven: closely related

tribulation: great trouble or suffer-ing

come up with sth: think of sth such as a plan, etc.

undergo: to experience

sarcastic: saying things that are the opposite of what you mean

aspiring: hoping to be successful in a particular job

idiosyncrasy: an unusual habit

compulsion: the act of forcing or sb to do sth they dont want

lampoon: to criticize sb or sth in a humorous way that makes them seem stupid.

quirks: a strange habit or feature of sbs character

6

No one-not even its creators-thought that the world would care about the interwoven lives, loves and tribulations of a close-knit group of impossibly attractive and witty twenty something New Yorkers. But theres no doubt Friends has become more than just a successful situation comedy-it has established itself as arguably one of the last great television phenomenons of the last century. Along the way, it has made its half-dozen lead actors household names; sparked trends in clothing and fashion; helped Chronicling the strong, near self contained friendship between a disparate group of three men and three women who frequently gather at each others apartments and at Greenwich Villages Central Perk coffee-house, Friends (originally to be called Friends Like Us; then Six Of One, Across The Hall or Insomnia Cafe) was created by television producers David Crane and Marta Kauffman (who came up with the surrealistic sitcom Dream On for Home Box Office). In 1993, the pair met producer Kevin S. Bright; the three became partners and got a deal to produce a new comedy for Warner Brothers. What they came up with was based on Crane and Kauffmans after college years, where pals hung out at the local coffee house and in-volved themselves into every aspect of their lives.

Debuting in 1994, the long-running, Emmy-winning sitcom FRIENDS centers on six Manhattan-dwelling friends as they undergo their twenties and become thirty some-thing. The sextet consists of neat-freak chef Monica (Courteney Cox), her thrice-di-vorced brother Ross (David Schwimmer), sarcastic quipster Chandler (Matthew Perry), batty singer/massage therapist Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow), aspiring actor Joey (Matt LeB-lanc), and former suburban princess Rachel (Jennifer Aniston). Storylines range from standard sitcom fare (hilarious misunderstandings, dating nightmares, etc.) to weight-ier plots involving lesbian ex-wives, friend hook-ups, unexpected pregnancies, and more. As the series progressed, episodes became more dramatic and less situational, wisely capitalizing on viewers decade-long relationship with the characters.

Is it any good?

While the characters take on careers and a bit more responsibility over the course of the series, in most ways the friends remain slaves to their idiosyncrasies and compulsions rather than display more maturity. Too many jokes that lampoon personality traits such as Joeys libido or Chandlers wispiness (hes sometimes made fun of for seeming gay) are one of the series weaknesses. Many of the juicier plot developments were obvious-ly thrown in to boost ratings and sometimes seem borrowed from soap operas. Still, the writing is often intelligent, and the acting is skillful. Long-time fans are often rewarded with jokes that reference past episodes and personality quirks; familiarity makes this show all the funnier.

There are trade-offs for families to consider. The comedy may be inappropriate for kids, and yet the storytelling can be more original and thought-provoking than in sitcoms geared specifically to younger viewers. Characters contradictions and mistakes make them questionable role models but also account for why so many viewers relate to them. The friends frequently talk through their problems openly and honestly with one another, which could be viewed as a model for communication within families.

F.R.I.E.N.D.SA group of friends share life in the Manhattan area of New York

No

one

can

clim

b t

he la

dd

er o

f su

cces

s, w

ith b

oth

hand

s in

the

poc

ket!

unveil: to show or tell people about a new product.

urban: relating to cities

consumption: the amount of energy, oil, etc. that is used

confirm: to show that sth is definitely true

release: to make news public

propulsion: the force that drives a vehicle forward

announce: to officially tell people about sth

Every second that you live you are never going to get back.. You are never going to get to change what you said, didnt say, did, or didnt do. Live how you want to live. Act how you want to be remembered, because you never know how long or short you are going to be here

7

TechnologyThe German automaker BMW in 2013 will launch a new elec-tric model i3, which are within its sub-brand new BMW i, the company unveiled the new concepts of models i3 (electric) and i8 (plug-in hybrid) .We are conducting another milestone in the history of the BMW Group. As the leading premium manufacturer in the world, our goal is to also offer electric vehicles to custom-ers, added company President Germanic, Norbert Re-ithofer.The concept car BMW i3 has a range of 150 miles without recharging the batteries and is designed for use in urban en-vironments. This vehicle has a 167 hp engine and has four

seats and a payload of 200 kilograms.For his part, the BMW plug-in hybrid electric drive riding a i8 that develops a maximum power of 348 horses, which allows the car accelerates from zero to sixty miles per hour in under five seconds and has a fuel consumption of less than three liters per hundred kilometers.This vehicle, which was launched in 2014, is capable of traveling up to 35 miles in electric and gasoline engine three cylinders, in combination with mechanical power, allows the car to a top speed of 250 kilometers per hour.

The 2013 Kia Soul hasnt really registered with those of us concerned about fuel economy and emissions. Thats despite the Soul Eco achieving a respectable 36 mpg highway and 32 combined in EPA testing. However, the Soul could get a lot greener in 2014, as Kia has apparently confirmed an electric version will make production in a few years.According to Autocar, the electric model will be based on the all-new Soul set to be launched next Spring at either the Chicago or New York auto shows. Very few details have been released at this stage, but given the current Souls chunky, youthful styling, an electric version could end up being one of the more distinctive EVs on the roads--and increase the cars appeal with younger buyers .Kia is no stranger to electric propulsion.It previewed the fantastic electric Pop concept at the 2010 Paris Auto Show, while last year it announced the Kia Ray, a home-market minicar, would be its first production EV.Currently, Kias most efficient model is the $25,700 Kia Optima Hybrid. The 2.4-liter hybrid sedan manages 40 mpg on the highway, and 37 combined.

10 idioms about home1.) Go home to get beauty sleep

Heres an example.

Jamie needs to get up early. Wed better let her go home to get her beauty sleep.

2.) Run home to mama

When someone runs home to mama, it means they are giving up something important like marriage to return to a comfortable place. Heres an example.

Whenever Paul gets hurt, he runs home to mama.

3.) Close to home

When something is uncomfortably near or real, its close to home. Heres an example.

Johns remarks about distracted drivers hit Mary close to home because her mother died in a car accident.

4.) Coming home to roost

Mistakes from the past often come back to haunt people. Heres an example.

Jerry tore his pants climbing over a fence. He knew the chickens would come home to roost when his mom noticed the tear.

5.) Until the cows come home

A herd of cows does what it wants on its own schedule. Theres no predicting their actions. They will return from the pas-ture in an indefinite period of time. Heres an example.

Mark told Miranda he would love her until the cows came home.

6.) The lights are on, but nobodys home

This humorous idiom does not mean that a family has gone out and left the lights blazing. It traditionally means someone is attractive but not very smart. Heres an example.

The male model was handsome but stupid. His lights are on, but nobodys home.

7.) Eaten out of house and home

This idiom is frequently applied to guests or children who are prone to raiding refrigerators and pantries. Heres an ex-ample.

When Irene visits her grandparents, she always eats them out of house and home.

8.) A home away from home

Some people have vacation homes, and other people have stomping grounds that they know intimately. Heres an ex-ample.

Mike goes to Baltimore every weekend. Its his home away from home.

9.) Its nothing to write home about

If something is particularly boring or mundane, it is nothing to write home about. Heres an example.

The meal was okay, but it was nothing to write home about.

10.) Home is where the heart is

In some cases, a home is an intangible location based on emotions. This idiom signifies individuals who follow their hearts, or it can describe individuals who wish to return to their beloved home. Heres an example.

Josephine decided to travel to China with her boyfriend. After all, home is where the heart is.

Sun

rise

s ev

ery

whe

re b

ut c

rop

gro

ws

only

whe

re t

he f

arm

er h

as w

orke

d h

ard

. Sim

ilarl

y G

OD

is

ever

ywhe

re b

ut h

is g

race

is f

or t

he o

ne w

ho w

orks

har

d

A man just got married and was returning home with his wife. They were crossing a lake in a boat, when suddenly a great storm arose. The man was a warrior, but the woman became very much afraid because it seemed almost hopeless. Continue Reading on Page 11

8

Imagine sticking your nose in the air and sniffing the smell of a hamburger cooking a mile away. Some bears can do just that. Bears have a keen sense of smell. They use this sense to help them find food. Bears are meat eaters, or carnivores. But most bears also eat fruits, nuts, and other foods. Bears live in North America, South Amer-ica, Europe, and Asia. They do not live in Africa, Australia, or Antarctica.

WHAT MAKES A BEAR A BEAR?

Bears are powerful animals with lots of thick fur and a short, stumpy tail. They have big heads with a long snout (nose and mouth) and small ears and eyes. They have four short legs that end in paws, each with five sharp claws. They use their claws to climb trees, dig up roots, or catch prey. Male bears are much bigger than female bears.

BEARS ARE LONERS

Bears usually live alone unless they are mothers with cubs. Each bear claims an area, or territory, as its own. It chases other bears away. A bear stands up on its hind legs to look frightening. It uses its claws to slash at enemies.Bears roam over large areas looking for food. They need to eat a lot of food for energy. Most bears can climb trees to find honey in a bees nest or other food. Polar bears and brown bears are too heavy to climb trees. These bears are the biggest of all the bears. They can weigh up to 1,760 pounds (800 kilograms).

WINTER SLEEP

Bears that live in cold places go into dens and sleep through most of the winter. They make their dens in caves, trees trunks, and other hollow places. They eat plenty of food during the summer to store up body fat. Their body fat gives them energy to sleep through the cold winter.

BEAR CUBS

Bears mate in the spring after they wake up from winter sleep. The cubs are born the next winter in the mothers den. Females usually have between one and three cubs at a time. The newborn cubs are tiny, blind, and helpless. They have no teeth or hair. But they are warm and safe in the mother bears den. They feed on their mothers milk. The milk is rich and helps the baby bears grow quickly. When they are three months old, the cubs are ready to go outside the den and look for food. The cubs stay close by their mother, however.

Cubs live with their mother until they are two or three years old. During this time, they learn what to eat and where to find food. Then they go off and find their own territory. When females are between four and seven years old, they are ready to have cubs of their own. Bears in the wild may live to be from 25 to 40 years old, but scientists do not know for sure.

Bears AnimalsM

ind

s ar

e lik

e Pa

rach

utes

; th

ey o

nly

func

tion

whe

n th

ey a

re o

pen

.

Vocabulary

9

sniff: to breathe air into your nose noisilykeen: sharp

fur: the soft thick mass of hair that grows on the body of some ani-mals

tail: the part that sticks out and can be moved at the back of the body of a bird, an animal, or a fish

claw: one of the sharp, curved nails on the end of an animals or a birds foot.

cub: a young animal, such as a young bear, lion , fox , etc.

territory: the area that an animal, bird etc regards as its own and will defend against other animals

slash: to cut or try to cut some-thing violently

roam: to walk or travel around an area without any definite aim or direction.

den: the home of some animals like lions, foxes, etc.

go off: to leave a place

20 Tips for Listening Section of IELTS1. In Listening, use the example at the beginning of the first section to familiarize yourself with the sound, the situation, and the speakers.

2. Keep listening until the recording stops, looking only at the questions that relate to the part being played.

3. There are often pauses in the recording between different sections. Use these to prepare for the next set of questions.

4. Answer listening questions in the order they appear on the Question Paper. Re-member that they normally follow the order of the information in the recording.

5. At the end of the recording you have some time to transfer your answers to the Answer Sheet. Check your grammar and spelling as you do so.

6. In Academic Reading, begin by going quickly through each passage to identify features such as the topic, the style, the likely source, the writers purpose and the intended reader.

7. As you read, dont try to understand the precise meaning of every word or phrase. You dont have time, and those parts of the text might not be tested anyway.

8. Reading tasks sometimes have an example answer. If this is the case, study it and decide why it is correct.

9. Some tasks require you to use words from the text in the answer; in others you should use your own words. Check the instructions carefully.

10. The instructions may also include a word limit, e.g. Use no more than three words. Keep to this by avoiding unnecessary words in your answer.

11. In Academic Writing, you must always keep to the topic set. Never try to pre-pare sections of text before the exam.

12. Keep to the suggested timing: there are more marks possible for Task 2 than Task 1.

13. Organize and link your ideas and sentences appropriately, using a wide range of language and showing your ability (in Task 2) to discuss ideas and express opinions.

14. If you write less than 150 words in Task 1 or less than 250 in Task 2 you will lose marks, but there is no maximum number of words for either.

15. When you plan your essay, allow plenty of time at the end to check your work.

16. In Speaking, dont try to give a prepared speech, or talk about a different topic from the one you are asked to discuss.

17. Always speak directly to the Examiner, not to the recording equipment.

18. Whenever you reply Yes or No to the Examiners questions, add more details to. your answer. In each case, aim to explain at least one point.

19. Remember that you are not being tested on your general knowledge but on your ability to communicate effectively.

20. Organize and link your ideas and sentences appropriately, talking clearly at nor-mal speed and using a wide range of structures and vocabulary.

The

bes

t co

smet

ic f

or li

ps

is t

ruth

, for

voi

ce is

pra

yer,

for

eyes

is p

ity, f

or h

and

s is

cha

rity

, for

hea

rt is

love

, and

for

life

is f

rien

dsh

ip.

to familiarize: to learn about sth

to prepare: make sth, sb ready

to transfer: to move from one place to an-other

to identify: recognize sb or sth

purpose: the aim of sth

intended: the particular reason

precise: clear and ac-curate

to require: to need sth

to avoid: to prevent sth bad from happening

appropriately: in a suit-able way

equipment: the things that are needed for an activity

aim: to try to achieve sth

communicate: to ex-change information

10

11

Leonardo da Vinci excelled as a painter, sculptor, architect, engi-neer, and scientist. He had endless curiosity. Leonardo wanted to understand how things worked. He wanted to put down on paper what he saw. He left thousands of pages of drawings and notes that recorded his thoughts.

GOOD AT EVERYTHING

Leonardo was born in 1452 in the small town of Vinci, near Flor-ence, Italy. He had little schooling and was largely self-taught.

The

Mon

a Li

sa w

as p

aint

ed b

y Ita

lian

artis

t Leo

n-ar

do d

a Vi

nci.

The

wom

ans

mys

terio

us s

mile

has

m

ade

the

pain

ting

one

of th

e m

ost f

amou

s pi

eces

of

art

in th

e wo

rld.

Leonardo da Vincis mural The Last Supper shows Jesus telling his disciples that one of them will betray him. This mural appears on the wall of a church in Milan, Italy.Leonardo seemed to be good at everything he tried. He was hand-

some, a good speaker, and a fine musician. He trained as a painter with Andrea del Verrocchio, a leading artist in Florence. Leonardo later worked for dukes and kings.

HIS MOST FAMOUS PAINTINGS

Leonardo produced a relatively small number of paintings, and he left some of them unfinished. But he had original ideas that influenced Italian artists long after his death. Leonardo believed painting was a science. He ap-plied scientific thinking in his art so that his paintings looked more like the real world. One of his most important painting techniques was sfumato, a blending of one area of color into another so there are no sharp outlines.

Leonardo used sfumato in one of his most famous paintings, the Mona Lisa. When you look at this portrait, notice how colors shade into each other on her face and hands. See how Leonardo has blurred the edges of her mouth to give her the hint of a smile. This mysterious smile has fascinated people for centuries. It looks as if Mona Lisas expression might change at any moment because of the way Leonardo has softened the edges of the mouth, eyes, and cheeks. She seems almost alive.

Many people consider a mural by Leonardo known as The Last Supper to be his masterpiece. Christ, seated in the middle of The Last Supper, has just an-nounced that one of his 12 apostles will betray him. Leonardo places the figures in this paint-ing in a way that increases the drama of the announcement. Christ is the calm center. His body, which is set slightly apart from the oth-ers, forms a stable triangle. The apostles are arranged in four groups, some leaning toward Christ and some leaning away. Their gestures and the expressions on their faces reveal their reactions to Christs words.

HIS DRAWINGS AND NOTEBOOKS

Drawing was Leonardos favorite tool. He said that drawing was a better way of communicating ideas than words were. He drew catapults and war machines. He drew the muscles and skeletons of human beings and other animals. He drew clouds, swirling water, and storms. He designed churches that were never built.

Leonardos drawings and theories are contained in numerous notebooks. His ideas were far in advance of what other people were thinking at the time. But the note-books were not published during his lifetime. Had his notebooks been published, they might have revolutionized scientific thinking in the 1500s. Leonardos deep love of research was the key to both his artistic and scientific endeavors. Leonardo died in 1519.

Leonardo da VinciTh

e Si

ze O

f C

and

les

May

Diff

er B

ut T

hey

Yiel

d T

he S

ame

Brig

htne

ss.

excel: to do sth very well.

influence: to affect

fascinate: to attract or interest extremely

mural: a painting that is painted on a wall

masterpiece: a work of art of very high quality

leaning: to bend your body in a particular direc-tion

reveal: to make known a secret

communicate: to ex-change information using signs, words, etc

edndeavour: an attempt to do sth new or difficult

The

bes

t co

smet

ic f

or li

ps

is t

ruth

, for

voi

ce is

pra

yer,

for

eyes

is p

ity, f

or h

and

s is

cha

rity

, for

hea

rt is

love

, and

for

life

is f

rien

dsh

ip.

The boat was small and the storm was really huge, and any moment they were going to be drowned. But the man sat silently, calm and quiet, as if nothing was happening.

The woman was trembling and she said, Are you not afraid ?. This may be our last moment of life! It doesnt seem that we will be able to reach the other shore.

Continue Reading on Page 12

12

Marriage and Family

Children usually live with their parents until they marry, regard-less of their age. Women marry between the ages of 16 and 25; men marry somewhat later be-cause of military service or be-cause they are not yet earning enough money to start a family. Most marriages are arranged by families. In the past, this meant that many young females mar-ried their cousins. More liberal attitudes have emerged in some areas regarding education, work, and freedom in selecting marriage

Customs of Iran - Part One

regardless of: paying no attention to sth or sb

liberal: respecting other opinions

regarding: about sb or sth

conventional: ordinary

oppose: to disagree strongly

privilege: a special right or advantage

consent: permission to do sth

commitment: a prom-ise to support sb or sth

blurred: not clear

flourish: to develop quickly

compromise: an agreement

partners. Weddings are occasions for elaborate celebrations. It is legal for a man to have up to four wives if he can provide for each equally; most men, however, choose to have only one wife. Divorce is rare.

In some cases, a couple may choose to have a temporary marriage (sigheh) that can last between a few days and 99 years. Couples might choose the sigheh as a trial marriage or because it is much less expensive than a conventional wedding. However, this type of marriage is not common, as many women oppose the practice. Under this arrangement, the woman and any children born to the marriage do not have the same rights and privi-leges as conventional wives and children, but the children are accepted as legitimate. Both a man and woman must consent to a sigheh, and a woman marrying for the first time must have the consent of her parents.

The father is usually considered the head of the household. The elderly are respected and cared for by younger members of the extended family. Relatives remain very close to one another. Parents feel a lifelong commitment to children, often providing them with financial support well after marriage. Distinctions between upper and lower social classes were blurred during the costly war with Iraq in the 1980s, but recent economic changes have allowed a small business class to flourish.

Before the rule of Reza Shah Pahlavi (19251941), people were identified by their given name and anoth-er name that was usually the name of their father or a description of their craft. The Shah required that people have both a given name and a family name. In the process of selecting these family names, some families chose the same surname. If the families could not compromise on which family should have the name, they could choose a second family name, which was usually a reference to their birthplace. For example, former president Rafsanjanis name is Ali Akbar; his first family name is Hashemi; and his second family name is Rafsanjani because he was born near the town of Rafsanjn. People are referred to by the last part of the family name.

The

bes

t co

smet

ic f

or li

ps

is t

ruth

, for

voi

ce is

pra

yer,

for

eyes

is p

ity, f

or h

and

s is

cha

rity

, for

hea

rt is

love

, and

for

life

is f

rien

dsh

ip.

Only some miracle can save us; otherwise death is certain.

The man laughed and took the sword out of its sheath. The woman was even more puzzled: What he was doing? Then he brought the naked sword close to the womans neck, so close that just a small gap was there, it was almost touching her neck.

Continue Reading on Page 14

13

Ali Karimi to Pursue Children's Rights after Parting from Professional Soccer

promote: to help sth to hap-pen or develop

exclusive: to be used by or given to a particular person or group

lament: to express great sad-ness about sb/sth

chivalry: rules and customs of knights

notion: opinion

deceit: cheat

glory: fame, praise or hon-our

contender: person who tries to win sth

"I like to continue my activities after soccer in other social fields like defending the children's basic rights and clean sports and I hope to be able to attain this goal," Karimi said in an exclu-sive interview with FNA in Tehran on Thursday.

Asked about his general view of soccer and sports, he said, "Sports is an arena for health and healthiness and it should, thus, be at the service of public health."

He stressed that borders, colors and races can-not set any limitation or restriction in sports and all people from healthy men and women to para-lytic can enter the field without any limitation.

Karimi lamented that a number of athletes try forbidden means like doping materials to em-brace victory and attain their goals. "I have been active in this sport (football) for years and my mind has always been busy with issues related to it. We should move on the right path in our sport activities and I believe that sports is a scene for chivalry, fairness, truthfulness and closeness of hearts."

"What is important is to always pursue honesty during our sports activities and avoid going after short-term results."

"I believe the notion of peace and a world free from lies and deceits are vital and essential concepts which should always be in our mind, and we should avoid thinking about short-term subjects," the Iranian legend said.

As regards his plans after retiring from the soccer world, Karimi said, "I am willing to focus my efforts on social issues such as children's basic rights and clean sports after my professional soccer life and I hope to reach my goal."

Asked to comment about his nomination as one of the three finalists for the 2012 Asian player of the year title, he said, "I thank God for being in the list of the finalists and this nomination is really sweet to me because I know that my people, the people of my country are glad too. I hope to gladden people's hearts with better matches in future, and I hope that our country's football community will win another honor and glory in the final ceremony of the 2012 Asian player of the year."

Ali Karimi of Iran has been nominated for the 2012 AFC Player of the Year award. Korea Republic and China have a player each in the list.

Ali Karimi, 2004 AFC Player of the Year, returned to the list of contenders while Lee Keun-ho, who helped Korea Republic side Ulsan Hyundai win the AFC Champions League this year, and Evergrande's defender ZhengZhi have also found a place in the top three.

Asian wizard Ali Karimi, who is one of the three nominees for the 2012 Asian player of the year af-ter winning the same title in 2004, said that he hopes to expand and boost his social activities to defend childrens rights and promote clean sports in Iran and the world after retiring from his professional soccer career. Asian wizard Ali Karimi, who is one of the three nominees for the 2012 Asian player of the year af-ter winning the same title in 2004, said that he hopes to expand and boost his social activities to defend childrens rights and promote clean sports in Iran and the world after retiring from his professional soccer career.

14

have plans I have no plans to retire yet.

change your plans We had to change our plans at the last minute.

abandon/give up your plans The city authorities have abandoned their plans to host the Super Bowl.

cancel your plans The weather got worse, and we had to cancel our plans to have the party outdoors.

shelve a plan (= cancel your plan, although you may do it later ) The plan had to be shelved because of lack of money.

have a plan Dont worry I have a plan.

make plans (= prepare for something ) Mary has been busy making plans for her wedding.

come up with a plan (= think of a plan ) The chairman must come up with a plan to get the club back on its feet.

devise/formulate/draw up a plan (= make a detailed plan, especially after considering something carefully ) He devised a daring plan to steal two million dollars. | The company has already drawn up plans to develop the site.

carry out a plan (= do what has been planned ) The bombers were arrested by the security forces before they could carry out their plans.

keep to/stick to a plan Were sticking to our original plan.

abandon/scrap a plan (= decide not to continue with it ) The plan was scrapped because it was too expensive.

announce/unveil a plan (= officially tell people about it ) The government unveiled its plans for a shake-up of the health system.

approve a plan The plan was approved at a board meeting on 24 December.

reject a plan The plan was rejected on the grounds that it would cost too much money.

outline a plan (= describe it in a general way ) They listened as he outlined his plan.

VocabularyCollocations with Plan

Pharsal Verbs In ContextLast year, Jack Peterson found out that he had come into a small fortune after his uncle Fester had passed on. His uncle had been a heavy smoker for many years and hadnt been able to cut down on his smoking. Jack got on well with him, and often dropped in on him to see what he was up to. He had often told Uncle Fester off in vain. Then, he came up with a brilliant idea to make him give up this nasty habit. He had the local Cancer Society telephone Uncle Fester. When they called, he told them to hold on and then put his uncle through. They proceeded to make out that they were look-ing for a volunteer to take on to help look after the patients. Well, that frightened Uncle Fester, and he immediately swore to give up smoking. In fact, he took up jogging in or-der to help him feel better and he began to look down on other smokers. He also went for a cute Dalmatian, and ended up taking on this new responsibility. Now, three years later, Jack had come into the small fortune which reminded him every day of his wonderful, if not wise, Uncle Fester.

find out: to get informationcome into: to inherit propertypass on: to diecut down on: to reduceget on well with: to have a friendly relationshipdrop in on: to visit sbtell off: to speak to sb angrilycome up with: to think of an ideagive up: to stop doing sthhold on: to waitput through: to connect sb to sb else on the telephonemake out: to pretendlook for: to try to find sthtake on: to agree to do sthlook after: to take care of sthlook down on: to think that you are better than sb elsego for: to try to get sthend up: to be in a particular situation after a series of eventscome into: to move towards you

The

Size

Of

Can

dle

s M

ay D

iffer

But

The

y Yi

eld

The

Sam

e Br

ight

ness

.

He said, Are you afraid ?

She started to laugh and said, Why should I be afraid ?,If the sword is in your hands, why I should be afraid? I know you love me.

He put the sword back and said, This is my answer. I know God Loves me, and the storm is in His hands

SO WHATSOEVER IS GOING TO HAPPEN IS GOING TO BE GOOD. If we survive, good; if we dont survive, good ,because everything is in His hands and He cannot do anything wrong.

Moral: Develop Trust. This is the trust which one needs to imbibe. and which is capable of transforming your whole life. Any less wont do! The End

15

general practitioner: doctor trained in general medicine

accomplish: to succeed in doing sth

patent: toobtain an official right for an invention

outstanding: excellent

innovation: new idea or method

cooperation: working together with a common purpose

cure: to heal

assuage: to relieve

Interview with Iranian ophthalmologist and inventor of LASIK

Born in Shiraz, Iran, Peyman left the country for Germany to study medicine at the age of 19. He received his MD as general practitioner from the University of Duisburg-Essen in 1962. In 1969 he accomplished his Specialist Doctorate course in ophthalmology at Essen. Then he moved to the US for a postdoctoral fellowship and was made Assistant Professor of ophthalmology at UCLA.He is currently Professor of Basic Medical Sciences at the University of Arizona. In December 2012 he was nominated for receiving the National Medal of Technology and Innova-tion for his innovation, LASIK. He will receive the medal officially from the President of the United States next month.Peyman revolutionized ophthalmological surgery when he

patented his innovation LASIK in 1989. In 2005, he was recognized by over 30,000 world ophthalmologists as a member of the Ophthalmology House of Fame.He holds patent for more than 135 innovations.Following Peyman's globally outstanding achievements, Mehr News Agency's Modern Tech-nologies group conducted an interview with him.MNA: Is your innovation LASIK likely to bring back sight to the non-congenitally blind?Peyman: This technology can correct the eyesight of the myopic, long-sighted, and the as-tigmatic. This is to say that LASIK can correct the visual abnormalities of the eye, whereas blindness relates to the function of the retina.MNA: Have you recently registered an innovation or are you doing some new research? If yes, explain a bit, please.Peyman: As a general question, the answer is yes. The innovations make a long list and do not relate to LASIK.MNA: Are you willing to cooperate with Iranian universities and researchers?Peyman: Sure enough I like working with Iranian researchers and institutions. I've had long cooperations with physicians at LabbafiNejad Hospital in Tehran and my colleagues at Farabi Hospital.MNA: Can we expect a day when there is no blind?Peyman: I have no doubt that we will see the day, when we prevent or treat major diseases that affect the eyesight and lead to blindness.MNA: What do you think of the role of stem cells in eye diseases? Have you conducted any studies in this regard?Peyman: Since the New Orleans' Hurricane Katrina, I lost my laboratory and I have not been able to follow my interests in this field. But I know this field is very promising. Currently, the role of stem cells in curing retina diseases and astigmatism is under study. Some promising results are also reached at for patients with systemic Lymphoma.MNA: What is your ultimate goal in medical research?Peyman: My goal, like any other ophthalmologists', is to prevent or cure disease which leads to blindness, so we may as-suage some of our patients' suffering.

The

Size

Of

Can

dle

s M

ay D

iffer

But

The

y Yi

eld

The

Sam

e Br

ight

ness

.

sprawl: to spread over a large area

monument: a large structure that is built in memory of sb or sth

mighty: powerful.

conquer: to take control of a country or city and its people by force.

spread: to exist across a large area

awesome: extremely impressive

landmarks: very large building.

dedicate: to give a build-ing sbs name in order to show respect

stare: to look at sb or sth for long time.

worldwide: every where in world

independent: not owned or controlled by sb

legend: an ancient story

raise: to help childern gow up. sys: bring up

overthrow: to remove a leader or a government from a position of power by force

Around the World

16

Rome is the capital of Italy. This sprawling modern city has many an-cient monuments. Romes history goes back more than 2,500 years. Be-cause of its age, Rome is often called the Eternal City. Romes many art treasures and historic buildings make the city an important center of European culture.

ALL ROADS LEAD TO ROME

In ancient times, Rome was the center of a mighty Roman empire. The empire lasted nearly 500 years, into the ad 400s. Roman armies con-quered the lands that are now Italy, Greece, Great Britain, France, and Egypt. The Romans built many roads from Rome to distant parts of their empire. This network of roads led to a saying that All roads lead to Rome.

Rome is one of the worlds most majestic and historic cities. As the capital city of Italy, it is home to about 2.7 million people.

The Colosseum is one of Romes landmarks. Parts of this ancient stadium, built almost 2,000 years ago, still stand today. During the Roman Empire it was used for festivals and sporting contests, including battles to the death between Roman gladiators.

The Roman Empires influence is still present. The Romans spread their language, Latin, through-out Europe. Latin is the basis for Italian, French, Spanish, and other European languages.

AWESOME ARCHITECTURE

The ancient Romans were great builders. Several of their buildings still stand today. They are among Romes famous landmarks.

The Pantheon is a temple dedicated to the many Roman gods of mythology. The Roman Colos-seum is a four-story amphitheater. An amphitheater is like a football stadium. The Colosseum is where Roman citizens once watched gladiators fight to the death. The Roman Forum was the political center of ancient Rome. The senate building and law courts were there, along with shops and religious buildings.

GREAT ART

Many artists painted in Rome. The most famous of them is Michelangelo. He lived 500 years ago. Thousands of people visit Rome each year to see his art.

Visitors to the Vatican stare in wonder at the beau-tiful murals that Michelangelo painted on the ceil-ing of the Sistine Chapel. The murals show scenes from the first book of the Bible, the Book of Gen-esis.

VATICAN CITY

Vatican City is the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church. The pope lives at the Vatican. He is the head of the Catholic Church. There are more than a billion Catholics worldwide, making Roman Catholicism the largest Christian religion.

Vatican City is an independent country within Rome. It is the smallest country in the world.

LEGENDARY BEGINNING

Did you know that a wolf is the official symbol for the city of Rome?Legend says that an evil king tried to kill twin baby boys called Romulus and Remus by throw-ing them into the Tiber River. A female wolf found the boys washed ashore. She raised the twins. When the boys grew to be young men, they overthrew the evil king.Romulus then founded the city of Rome on the banks of the Tiber. That was over 2,500 years ago.

RomeTh

e Si

ze O

f C

and

les

May

Diff

er B

ut T

hey

Yiel

d T

he S

ame

Brig

htne

ss.

Conversation TimeA: All right, people. Were holding this meeting today because weve got to do something about our sales, and we need to do it NOW! I want concrete solutions. How do you intend to drive sales...Roger?

B: Well, in fact, were the most expensive in the market, so maybe we need to lower our prices to match the competitors?

A: Lower our prices? Not very creative. Itll never fly with Swan. What kind of thinking is that? Geez. Anybody else have a better plan? Natalie?

C: Um, perhaps, um, a sales promotion. Maybe a two-for-one offer, or something like that!

A: What? Thats the same thing. Bad idea. Really bad idea. Dammit people come on! Think! The CEO will be here any minute.

D: Do we have any ideas yet?

C: Yes Mr. Swan, we were kind of considering a two-for-one offer to get more competitive.

D: A two-for-one promotion? Hmm. I kind of like the sound of that. It sounds like something we should consider.

A: Yeah, exactly. Just what I was thinking! In fact, thats a brilliant idea! Im glad we thought of that. Very creative.

Words

concrete solutions Phrase a real or specific solution to a problem

drive sales Preposition increase sales

in the market Phrase in the industry

to match the competitors to be the as good as or bet-ter than others companies in the same industry

will never fly Phrase will not work, will not be ap-proved

promotion Phrase some-thing done to make people aware of a product

be here any minute Phrase will arrive very soon

to consider verb to think about

Butterflies in my stomach: To be nervous Liam had butterflies in his stomach before he went on stage to play the violin.

Two wrongs dont make a right.When someone has done something bad to you, trying to get revenge will only make things worse.

English Idiom

English Slang

English Phrasal Verb

English Proverb

Find Your Tongue...

Guts: CourageJim had real guts to fight a man twice as big as himself.

Call something off: To cancelThe boss called the metting off.

The

Size

Of

Can

dle

s M

ay D

iffer

But

The

y Yi

eld

The

Sam

e Br

ight

ness

.

17

WR

ITIN

G B

USIN

ESS LETT

ERS

Take Your Pens...

Salutation Dear Mr Brown Dear Ms White Dear Sir Dear Sirs Dear Madam Dear Sir or Madam Gentlemen

Starting We are writing to inform you that to confirm to request to enquire about I am contacting you for the following reason. I recently read/heard about . . . and would like to know . . . Having seen your advertisement in , I would like to I would be interested in (obtaining/receiving) I received your address from and would like to I am writing to tell you about Referring to previous contact Thank you for your letter of March 15 Thank you for contacting us. In reply to your request Thank you for your letter regarding With reference to our telephone conversation yesterday Further to our meeting last week It was a pleasure meeting you in London last month. I enjoyed having lunch with you last week in Tokyo. I would just like to confirm the main points we discussed on Tuesday . . .

Making Request We would appreciate it if you would I would be grateful if you could Could you please send me . . . Could you possibly tell us/let us have In addition, I would like to receive It would be helpful if you could send us I am interested in (obtaining/receiving) I would appreciate your immediate attention to this matter. Please let me know what action you propose to take.

Succ

ess

is a

veh

icle

whi

ch m

oves

on

a w

heel

cal

led

HA

RD

WO

RK

.But

the

jour

ney

is im

pos

sib

le w

ithou

t fu

el c

alle

d S

ELF

CO

NFI

DEN

CE.

18

. .

. . :

sbreV lasarhPsbreV lanoitisoperPsbreV lanoitisoperp-lasarhP

?ybab eht retfa gnikool si ohW

breV lanoitisoperPretfa kool

eht ni rebmun ym pu kool nac uoY.yrotcerid enohpelet

breV lasarhPpu kool breV lanoitisoperP-lasarhPot drawrof kool .uoy gniteem ot drawrof kool I

sbrev lasarhp .

sbreV lasarhP + : tcejbO tceriD oN :evitisnartnI

tcejbO tceriD :evitisnarT

:

breV lasarhPgninaeMelpmaxE

evitisnartnIpu teg .pu teg ot ekil tnod I

ekorb rac sih esuaceb etal saw eH.nwod

nwod kaerb

.gniteem eht ffo tup ot evah lliw eW

evitisnarTffo tup

nwod nrut .reffo ym nwod denrut yehT

:

. :.reffo ym nwod denrut yehT.nwod reffo ym denrut yehT

eBts

el ss

noo

ffil

esi

il ts

net

ove

reoy

ena

dnel

ra n

rfmo

e ev

yrno

eb,

ceua

esn

bodo

ynk

wo s

vere

tyih

gna

dne

evyr

o en

k on

w s

osm

teih

gn.

91