Kamis, 19 April 2012

Softskill Meeting 3


 
In 776 B.C., the first Olympic Games were held at the foot of Mount Olympus to honor the Greeks’ chief god, Zeus. The warm climate for outdoor activities, the need for preparedness in war, and their lifestyle caused the Greeks to create competitive sports. Only the elite and military could participate at first, but later the games were open to all free Greek males who had no criminal record. The Greeks emphasized physical fitness and strength in their education of youth. Therefore, contest in running, jumping, discuss and javelin throwing, boxing, and horse and chariot racing were held in individual cities, and the winners competed every four years at Mount Olympus. Winners were greatly honored by having olive wreaths placed on their heads and having poems sung about their deeds. Originally these contests were held as games of friendship, and any wars in progress were halted to allow the games to take place. They also helped to strengthen bonds among competitors and the different cities represented.
            The Greeks attached so much importance to the games that they calculated time in four-year cycles called “Olympiads,” dating from 776 B.C. The contest coincided with religious festivities and constituted an all-out effort on the part of the participants to please the gods. Any who disobeyed the rules were dismissed and seriously punished. These athletes brought shame not only to themselves, but also to the cities they represented.

1.      Which of the following is NOT true?
a.    Winners placed olive wreaths on their own heads.
b.    The games were held in Greece every four years.
c.     Battles were interrupted to participate in the games.
d.    Poem glorified the winners in song

Answer : A. Winners placed olive wreaths on their own heads 
The Reason :  because the winners not only placed olived wreaths on their own heads but Winners were greatly honored by having olive wreaths placed on their heads.

2.      The word “elite” in line 5 is closest in meaning to...
a.    Aristocracy
b.    Brave
c.     Intellectuals
d.    Muscular

Answer : A. Aristocracy
The Reason : Elite and aristocracy is have the same meaning : privileged class holding hereditary titles or the most powerful members of a society.

3.      Why were The Olympic Games held?
a.    To stop wars
b.    To honor Zeus
c.     To crown the best athletes
d.    To sing songs about the athletes

Answer : B. To Honor Zeus
The Reason : in line 1 explained that the first Olympic games were held at the foot of Mount Olympus to honor the Greeks’ chief god, Zeus.

4.    Approximately how many years ago did these game originate?
a.    800 years       
b.   1200 years     
c.    2300 years    
d.   2800 years

Answer : D. 2800 years
The reason : In 776 BC until 2012 it is approximately 2800. So, The Olympic Games began over 2,700 years ago.

5.   What conclusion can we draw about the ancient Greeks?
a.    They were pacifists.
b.    They believed athletic events were important
c.     They were very simple
d.    They couldn’t count, so they used “Olympiads” for dates

Answer : B. They believed athletic events were important
The reason : The conclusion is They belived athletic events were important, because The greeks attached so much importance to the games that they calculated time in four year cycles called Olympiad. And The Greeks emphasized physical fitness and strength in their education of youth.

6.  What is the main idea of this passage?
a.    Physical fitness was an integral part of the lives of the ancient Greeks.
     b.    The Greeks severely punished those who did not participate in physical fitness programs.
c.     The Greeks had always encouraged everyone to participate in the games.
d.    The Greeks had the games coincide with religious festivites so that they could go back to war when the games were over.

Answer : A. Physical fitness was an integral part of the lives of the ancient Greeks.
The reason : Because the script is contain in that The Greeks emphasized physical fitness and strength in their education of youth. 

 
7.  In line 14, the word “deeds” is closest in meaning to...
a.    Accomplishments
b.    Ancestors
c.     Documents
d.    Property

Answer : A. Accomplishments
The reason : in Indonesian, deeds is meaning to ‘perbuatan’. But in this case, the winners of Olympic were having poems sung about their deeds, so ‘deeds’ more refers to ‘accomplishments’ that meaning to ‘pencapaian’.

8.  Which of the following was ultimately required of all athletes in the Olympics?
a.    They must have completed military service
b.    They had to attend special training sessions
c.     They had to be Greek males with no criminal record
d.    They had to be very religious

Answer : C. They had to be Greek males with no criminal record
The reason : in line 6 indicates that “ but later the games were open to all free Greek males who had no criminal record.

9.  The word “halted” in line 16 means most nearly the same as...
a.    Encourages
b.    Started
c.     Curtailed
d.    Fixed

Answer : C. Curtailed
The reason : in Indonesian language halted it’s meaning diberhentikan same with Curtailed which mean dibatasi/dikurangi

10.  What is an “Olympiad” ?
a.    The time it took to finish the games
b.    The time between games
c.     The it took to nfinish war
d.    The time it took te athletes to train

Answer : B. The time between games
The reason :
in article explain that  "The Greeks attached so much importance to the games that they calculated time in four-year cycles called “Olympiads”  and because the synonym of Olympiad could also be interpreted as The time between games.


 STYLISTIC PROBLEM

1.   The defendant refused to answer the prosecutor’s quetions...
a.    Because he was afraid it would incriminate him
b.    For fear that they will incriminate him
c.     Because he was afraid that his answer would incriminate him
d.    Fearing that he will be incriminated by it

Answer : C. Because he was afraid that his answer would incriminate
The reason  : Because the sentences is having antecedent for the pronoun “he” 

2.   Mrs. Walker has returned...
a.    A wallet back to its original owner
b.    To its original owner the wallet
c.     The wallet to its originally owner
d.    The wallet to its original owner

Answer : D. The wallet to its original owner
The reason  :
     (A) Style error. It is redundant to say returnback.
(B) Grammar error. When the indirect object precedes the direct object, no preposition is possible.
(C) Grammar error. Originally is an adverb and is not correct because it modifies the noun owner.
(D) “Original” is correct because it explain the noun “owner

3.  The hospital owes.....for the consrtuction of the new wing.
a.    The government twenty million dollars
b.    For the government twenty million dollars
c.     To the government twenty million dollars
d.    Twenty million of dollars to the government

Answer : A. The government twenty million dollars
The reason  : Because in this sentence cannot use a preposition (like for, to, and of) when the indirect object precedes the direct object.

4.   Sarah....that she could not attend classes next week.
a.    Told to her professors
b.    Said her professors
c.     Told her professors
d.    Is telling her professors

Answer : C. Told her professors
The reason  : The grammar told her professors is past perfect tense. And told must be followed directly by indirect object.

5.   The artist was asked to show some paintings at the contest because....
a.    He painted very good
b.    They belived he painted well
c.    Of their belief that he was an good artist
d.    The judges had been told of his talents

Answer : D. The judges had been told of his talents
The reason  : Because, The judges is a correct antecendent of pronoun and in the other option they and their can't use to this sentence. 

6.   If motorist do not observe the traffic regulations, they will be stopped, ticketed, and have to pay a fine.

The Incorrect Answer : D. Have to pay a fine
The reason  : fine should be fined. For parallel structure, all past participles are required

7.   Fred, who usually conducts the choir rehearsals, did not show up last night because he had an accident on his way to the practice.

The Incorrect Answer : C. Had
The Reason : had should be had had. The past perfect should be used; the accident happened first.


8.   A short time before her operation last month, Mrs.Carlyle dreams of her daughter who lives overseas.

The Incorrect Answer : C. Dreams
The Reason  : dreams should be dreamed. Use past time because it happened last month.

9.    The atmosphere in Andalucia is open, warm, and gives a welcome feeling to all who have the good fortune to visit there.


The Incorrect Answer : B. And gives a welcome feeling
The Reason : welcome should be welcoming. For parallel structure, all adjectives are required.

10.  Some of the people were standing in the street watched the parade, while others were singing songs.

The Incorrect Answer : C. Watched
The Reason : watched should be watching. Were standingwatching is correct parallel structure.

Selasa, 17 April 2012

ABORTION


Pro-Life - 10 Arguments Against Abortion
  1. Since life begins at conception, abortion is akin to murder as it is the act of taking human life. Abortion is in direct defiance of the commonly accepted idea of the sanctity of human life
  2. No civilized society permits one human to intentionally harm or take the life of another human without punishment, and abortion is no different.
  3. Adoption is a viable alternative to abortion and accomplishes the same result. And with 1.5 million American families wanting to adopt a child, there is no such thing as an unwanted child.
  4. An abortion can result in medical complications later in life; the risk of ectopic pregnancies doubles, and the chance of a miscarriage and pelvic inflammatory disease also increases.
  5. In the instance of rape and incest, proper medical care can ensure that a woman will not get pregnant. Abortion punishes the unborn child who committed no crime; instead, it is the perpetrator who should be punished.
  6. Abortion should not be used as another form of contraception.
  7. For women who demand complete control of their body, control should include preventing the risk of unwanted pregnancy through the responsible use of contraception or, if that is not possible, through abstinence.
  8. Many Americans who pay taxes are opposed to abortion, therefore it's morally wrong to use tax dollars to fund abortion.
  9. Those who choose abortions are often minors or young women with insufficient life experience to understand fully what they are doing. Many have lifelong regrets afterwards.
  10. Abortion frequently causes intense psychological pain and stress.

Pro-Choice - 10 Arguments For Abortion

1.      Nearly all abortions take place in the first trimester, when a fetus cannot exist independent of the mother. As it is attached by the placenta and umbilical cord, its health is dependent on her health, and cannot be regarded as a separate entity as it cannot exist outside her womb.
2.      The concept of personhood is different from the concept of human life. Human life occurs at conception, but fertilized eggs used for in vitro fertilization are also human lives and those not implanted are routinely thrown away. Is this murder, and if not, then how is abortion murder?
3.      Adoption is not an alternative to abortion, because it remains the woman's choice whether or not to give her child up for adoption. Statistics show that very few women who give birth choose to give up their babies - less than 3% of white unmarried women and less than 2% of black unmarried women.
4.      Abortion is a safe medical procedure. The vast majority of women - 88% - who have an abortion do so in their first trimester. Medical abortions have less than 0.5% risk of serious complications and do not affect a woman's health or future ability to become pregnant or give birth.
5.      In the case of rape or incest, forcing a woman made pregnant by this violent act would cause further psychological harm to the victim. Often a woman is too afraid to speak up or is unaware she is pregnant, thus the morning after pill is ineffective in these situations.
6.      Abortion is not used as a form of contraception. Pregnancy can occur even with responsible contraceptive use. Only 8% of women who have abortions do not use any form of birth control, and that is due more to individual carelessness than to the availability of abortion.
7.      The ability of a woman to have control of her body is critical to civil rights. Take away her reproductive choice and you step onto a slippery slope. If the government can force a woman to continue a pregnancy, what about forcing a woman to use contraception or undergo sterilization?
8.      Taxpayer dollars are used to enable poor women to access the same medical services as rich women, and abortion is one of these services. Funding abortion is no different from funding a war in the Mideast. For those who are opposed, the place to express outrage is in the voting booth.
9.      Teenagers who become mothers have grim prospects for the future. They are much more likely to leave of school; receive inadequate prenatal care; rely on public assistance to raise a child; develop health problems; or end up divorced.
10.  Like any other difficult situation, abortion creates stress. Yet the American Psychological Association found that stress was greatest prior to an abortion, and that there was no evidence of post-abortion syndrome.

My argument : I am one of those people who oppose abortion because I think abortion is a heinous act that violates religious law and violate human rights. every human being has the same rights ie right to life, although still in the womb. Abortion is not one perfect solution for those who say that abortion is a means to prevent the population increases. there are many other ways a more honorable and more dignified. many parents who deliberately to have an abortion because there is no valid marriage and is considered a disgrace. Religion is banning abortion, and is a great sin. but the fact of abortion has increased every year. many cases the parents have an abortion either by using the medical personnel or traditional. Abortion has a negative impact on the perpetrators. because many of those who experience health problems after an abortion. stop abortion! stop promiscuity!

Sources : http://womensissues.about.com/od/reproductiverights/a/AbortionArgumen.htm