RISKS

To laugh is to risk appearing the fool.

To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.

To reach outfox another is to risk involvement.

To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self.

To place your ideas, your dreams, before a crowd is to risk their loss.

To love is to risk not being loved in return.

To live is to risk dying.

To hope is to risk despair.

To try is to risk failure.

But risks must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing. The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, and is nothing.

 

The Next Generation TOEFL test

The Next Generation TOEFL' Test is the Internet-based test introduced worldwide in September 2005. This new version of the test replaces the earlier computer-based TOEFL Test (CBT). The new test has four sections covering the language skills of reading, listening, speaking, and writing. The test is approximately 3¹/₂ hours long, with one 10-minute break after the Listening section.

 

NEXT GENERATION TOEFL TEST
Section	Content	Number of Questions	Approximate Time
Reading	3 passages	36-42	60 minutes
Listening	2 conversations 4 lectures	34	50 minutes
Speaking	2 independent tasks 4 integrated-skills tasks	6	20 minutes
Writing	1 integrated-skills task 1 independent task	2	60 minutes

In the Reading section, students read three passages and answer questions about them. In the Listening section, students listen to two conversations and four lectures and answer questions about them. In the Speaking section, students speak in response to two questions about their own experience and four questions about texts that they listen to or read during the test. In the Writing section, students write in response to two questions. One question is about a reading passage and a lecture, and the other question is about a general topic.

The most important differences between the new TOEFL test and previous versions of the test are:

Ø Note taking is allowed throughout the test.

Ø Speaking skills are evaluated.

Ø Some questions involve integrated skills, such as reading-listening-speaking.

Ø Knowledge of grammar is not tested separately but is tested indirectly in all sections of the test.

The content of the new TOEFL test reflects the language that is used in real academic settings. The content is based on a collection of spoken and written language that Educational Testing Service obtained from educational institutions throughout the United States. The spoken language came from lectures, class discussions, office hours, study groups, and service interactions such as conversations at the library. The written language was collected from textbooks and other course materials.

 

Introduction

The Speaking and Writing sections of the test include some tasks that integrate, or combine, language skills. For example, a student might read a passage, listen to a lecture, and then write or speak in response. The integrated-skills tasks reflect how people use language in real life; thus, they give academic programs a more realistic measure of how well prospective students will be able to communicate in an English-speaking environment.

For the most current information about the TOEFL test, including information on test dates and how to register to take the test, visit the official TOEFL Web site at: www.ets.org/toefl.

Scoring on the New Test

TOEFL scores help the admissions staff of colleges and universities to determine if a student's English skills are adequate for enrollment in a specific program of study. There is no single passing score: rather, institutions set their own standards for admission.

The TOEFL score report will show:

       a separate score of 0 to 30 for each of the four language skills;

       a total test score of 0 to 120; and

       a TOEFL CBT score comparison.

In the Reading section, most correct answers will earn 1 raw point each, but some questions are worth 2, 3, or 4 points. In the Listening section, most correct answers will earn 1 raw point, but some questions are worth 2 points. In the Speaking section, each of the six responses will earn a raw score of 1 to 4 points. In the Writing section, the two responses will each earn a raw score of 1 to 5 points. In each section of the test, the total number of raw points earned will be converted to a scaled section score of 0 to 30.

 

NEXT GENERATION TOEFL* TEST
Section	Number of Questions	Raw Points per Question	Total Raw Points	Scaled Section Score
Reading	36-42	1-4	42-16	30
Listening	34	1-2	34-36	30
Speaking	6	1-4	24	30
Writing	2	1-5	10	30
Total Test Score				120

The four section scores will be combined to obtain the total test score, which is on a scale of 0 to 120. The score report will also show a comparison between the total score and a score on the previous version of the test, the TOEFL CBT. For example, a total score of 100 on the Next Generation TOEFL test is equivalent to a score of 250 on the TOEFL CBT.

 

TOTAL SCORE COMPARISON
Next Generation TOEFL Test	TOEFL  CBT Test	Paper-based TOEFL" Test
120	300	677
100	250	600
80	213	550
61	173	500
46	133	450

eagle

An eagle's egg was placed in the nest of a prairie chicken. The egg hatched and the little eagle grew up thinking it was a prairie chicken. The eagle did what the prairie chickens did. It scratched in the dirt for seeds. It clucked and cackled. It never flew more than a few feet because that is what the prairie chickens did. One day he saw an eagle flying gracefully and majestically in the open sky. He asked the prairie chickens: "What is that beautiful bird?" The chickens replied, "That is an eagle. He is an outstanding bird, but you cannot fly like him because you are just a prairie chicken." So the eagle never gave it a second thought, believing that to be the truth. He lived the life of and died a prairie chicken, depriving himself of his heritage because of his lack of vision. What a waste! He was born to win, but was conditioned to lose. The same thing is true of most people. The unfortunate part of life is as Oliver Wendall Holmes said, "Most people go to their graves, with music still in them." We don't achieve excellence because of our own lack of vision.

inside

There was a man who made a living selling balloons at a fair. He had all colors of balloons, including red, yellow, blue, and green. Whenever business was slow, he would release a helium-filled balloon into the air and when the children saw it go up, they all wanted to buy one. They would come up to him, buy a balloon, and his sales would go up again. He continued this process all day. One day, he felt someone tugging at his jacket.

He turned around and saw a little boy who asked, "If you release a black balloon, would that also fly?" Moved by the boy's concern, the man replied with empathy, "Son, it is not the color of the balloon, it is what is inside that makes it go up."

character

Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are. - John Wooden

The Turtles

A turtle family decided to go on a picnic. The turtles, being naturally slow about things, took seven years to prepare for their outing. Finally the turtle family left home looking for a suitable place. During the second year of their journey they found a place ideal for them at last!

For about six months they cleaned the area, unpacked the picnic basket, and completed the arrangements. Then they discovered they had forgotten the salt. A picnic without salt would be a disaster, they all agreed. After a lengthy discussion, the youngest turtle was chosen to retrieve the salt from home. Although he was the fastest of the slow moving turtles, the little turtle whined, cried, and wobbled in his shell. He agreed to go on one condition: that no one would eat until he returned. The family consented and the little turtle left.

Three years passed and the little turtle had not returned. Five years...six years... then on the seventh year of his absence, the oldest turtle could no longer contain his hunger. He announced that he was going to eat and begun to unwrap a sandwich.
At that point the little turtle suddenly popped out from behind a tree shouting, 'See! I knew you wouldn't wait. Now I am not going to go get the salt.'

[Some of us waste our time waiting for people to live up to our expectations. We are so concerned about what others are doing that we don't do anything ourselves.]

The Pretty Lady

Once upon a time a big monk and a little monk were traveling together. They came to the bank of a river and found the bridge was damaged. They had to wade across the river. There was a pretty lady who was stuck at the damaged bridge and couldn't cross the river. The big monk offered to carry her across the river on his back. The lady accepted. The little monk was shocked by the move of the big monk. 'How can big brother carry a lady when we are supposed to avoid all intimacy with females?' thought the little monk. But he kept quiet. The big monk carried the lady across the river and the small monk followed unhappily. When they crossed the river, the big monk let the lady down and they parted ways with her.

All along the way for several miles, the little monk was very unhappy with the act of the big monk. He was making up all kinds of acussations about big monk in his head. This got him madder and madder. But he still kept quiet. And the big monk had no inclination to explain his situation. Finally, at a rest point many hours later, the little monk could not stand it any further, he burst out angrily at the big monk. 'How can you claim yourself a devout monk, when you seize the first opportunity to touch a female, especially when she is very pretty? All your teachings to me make you a big hypocrite. The big monk looked surprised and said, 'I had put down the pretty lady at the river bank many hours ago, how come you are still carrying her along?'

[This very old Chinese Zen story reflects the thinking of many people today. We encounter many unpleasant things in our life, they irritate us and they make us angry. Sometimes, they cause us a lot of hurt, sometimes they cause us to be bitter or jealous .. But like the little monk, we are not willing to let them go away. We keep on carrying the baggage of the 'pretty lady' with us. We let them keep on coming back to hurt us, make us angry, make us bitter and cause us a lot of agony. Why? Simply because we are not willing to put down or let go of the baggage of the 'pretty lady'. We should let go of the pretty lady immediately after crossing the river, that is after the unpleasant event is over. This will immediately remove all our agonies. There is no need to be further hurt by the unpleasant event after it is over.]

Be an eagle.

Don't be a duck.

Be an eagle.

Ducks quack and complain.

Eagles soar above the crowd.

همچو مار تیز باش و همچو کبوتر ساده!

Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

St Matthew ch. 10, v. 16

Break the Rules

Life is Short, Break the Rules...

Forgive quickly, kiss slowly,

Love truly, laugh uncontrollably

and never regret anything that make you smile.

حسادت و عصبانیت

Envy and wrath shorten the life.

Ecclesiasticus ch. 30, v. 24