World Culture Forum set to kick off Sunday

 

Around 1,000 participants from 30 countries are expected Sunday to attend the World Culture Forum (WCF), which aims to discuss ideas to include culture in the goals for the post-2015 UN sustainable development agenda.

The event, themed “The Power of Culture in Sustainable Development”, will be held Nov. 24-27 at the Bali International Convention Center (BICC) in Nusa Dua.

Deputy Education and Culture Minister Wiendu Nuryanti has said through the event, Indonesia hoped to be a world cultural leader.

WCF was initiated after a debate in the UN General Assembly in New York in June on the significance of the role of culture in development.

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said in the debate that “the significance of the nexus between culture and development for the post-2015 agenda is not yet fully grasped”.

The forum is presenting a space to address the urgent need to promote cultural democracy as an
empowering tool.

The event aims to result in a shared vision and strategic directions among the participating countries on how to, among others, promote knowledge communities for intercultural, intergenerational and interfaith dialogues, and further ethical investment and business practices for creative and cultural industries.

Besides Yudhoyono, invited keynote speakers expected to attend the conference are Indian Nobel Laureate for Economic Sciences Amartya Sen, UNESCO director general Irina Bokova and noted journalist and writer Fareed Rafiq Zakaria.

A gala dinner and cultural performance will start the series of events on Sunday. The conference will start on Monday. Yudhoyono is scheduled to officially open the forum, which will be attended by 12 cultural ministers from 12 countries, including China, Russia, Poland, Malaysia and Bangladesh.

As many as 64 speakers from 30 countries will talk during several parallel sessions held over two days, discussing global culture, including its relationship with the economy, democracy and environment.

Source :

http://www.thejakartapost.com/bali-daily/2013-11-23/world-culture-forum-set-kick-sunday.html

Grammar Side :

1. “Deputy Education and Culture Minister Wiendu Nuryanti has said through the event”

Sentence number one using Past Perfect Tense (has said). Which is the form of past perfect tense is :

Present Perfect Tense :
Positive    : S + have/has + V3
Negative    : S + have/sas Not + V3
Introgative : Have/has + S + V3

2. “Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said in the debate”

Sentence number two using Past Tense (said). Which is the form of Past Tense is :

Past Tense:
Positive    : S + V2
Negative    : S + did not + V1
Introgative : Did + S + V1

 

3. “A gala dinner and cultural performance will start the series of events on Sunday.”

Sentence number 3 using Future Tense (will). Which is the form of Future Tense is :

Future Tense :
Positive    : S + will + V1
Negative    : S + will + not + V1
Introgative : Will + S + V1

Noun Clause

Definition of Noun

            According to Oxford Dictionary (Pearsall, 1999:945), noun is a word used to identify any of a class of people, places or things, or to name a particular one of these. It can be concluded that noun is a word that functions to identify someone or something.

            Azar (1996: 131) divided noun into three types, they are:

1. A noun is used as the subject of a sentence. As the example:

Birds fly

Birds is a NOUN. It is used as the subject of the sentence.

1. A noun is used as the object of a verb.

John is holding a pen

Pen is a NOUN. It has the article a in front of it; a pen is used as the object of the verb is holding. But not all of the verbs are followed by an object. A verb that are followed by an object called transitive verbs. Then a verb that are not followed by an object called intransitive verbs.

1. A noun is also used as the object of a preposition.

Birds fly in the sky

in is a preposition (prep.). The noun sky (with the article the in front) is the OBJECT of the preposition in. Examples of some common preposition about, across, at, between, by, for, from, in, of, on, to, with.

2.2       Definition of Clause

            According to Nesfield (1939: 3), A clause is a sentence which is part of a larger sentence.

            Azar (1999: 239) stated that, A clause is a group of words containing a subject and a verb. For instance:

1. I believe
2. She knows

It can be conclude that clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb, which can take the place of different of speech. In english, there are two kinds of clauses, they are independent clauses and dependent clauses.

She likes dancing                                who likes dancing

Independent clause                                                     dependent clause

Where does Doni live?                         where Doni lives

         Independent clause                                              dependent clause

An independent clause (main clause) is a complete sentence; it contains a subjct and a verb. It expresses a complete thought in both context and meaning and makes sense by itself.

A dependent clause (subordinate clause) is not a complete sentence. It is a part of a sentence; it contains a subject and a verb, but does not express a complete thought. It doesn’t make sense by itself, and it is dependent on the rest of the sentence for context and meaning.

2.3       Definition of Noun Clause

            According to Longman (2004: 81), A noun clause is a clause that functions as a noun; because the noun clause functions as a noun, it can be used in a sentence as an object of a verb (if it follows a verb) or an object of preposition (if it follows a preposition).

Why he said such things.

The examples that researcher took are:

            Idon’t know

Why he said such things.

                                NOUN CLAUSE AS OBJECT OF VERB

            I am thinking about                                                    

                                NOUN CLAUSE AS OBJECT OF PREPOSITION

In the first example, there are two clauses, I don’t know and he said such thing. These two clauses are joined with the connector why. Why changes the clause he said such things into a noun clause which functions as the object of the verb don’t know.

In the second example, the two clauses I am thinking and he said such things are also joined by the connector why. Why changes the clause he said such things into a noun clause which functions as the object of the preposition about.

Azar stated (1992: 346), A noun clause is a dependent clause and cannot stand alone as a sentence. It must be connected to an independent clause (a main clause).

           S      V                O

1. I   know   where he lives

                            (noun clause)

In (a): where he lives is a noun clause. Where he lives is the object of the verb know.

           S     V                 O          

                                S   V

1. I   know   where he lives

A noun clause has its own subject and verb.

In (b): he is the subject of the noun clause; lives is the verb of the noun clause.

A noun clause can begin with a question word. The following question words can be used to introduce a noun clause: when, where, why, how, who, whom, what, which, whose.

INFORMATION QUESTIONS	NOUN CLAUSE
Where does he live?	I don’t know where he lives
When did they leave?	Do you know when they left?
What did she say?	Please tell me what she said
Why is Tom absent?	I wonder why Tom is absent

A noun clause can begin with if or whether. When a yes/no question is changed to a noun clause, whether or if is usually used to introduce the clause.Whether is more acceptable in formal English, but if is quite commonly used, especially in speaking.

YES/NO QUESTION	NOUN CLAUSE
Is Eric at home?	I don’t know if Eric is at home
Did Alice go to Bandung?	I wonder if Alice went to Bandung
Will she come?	I don’t know whether she will come Whether she comes or not is unimportant to me.* (the noun clause is in the subject position)
Will it rain tomorrow?	I wonder if it will rain tomorrow

A noun clause can begin with that. According to Azzar (1992: 357), common verbs followed by “THAT-CLAUSES” are:

Assume that               Guess that                    Learn that                    Realize that     Believe that                Hear that                      Notice that                   Suppose that Discover that             Hope that                     Predict that                  Suspect that Dream that                 Know that                    Prove that                    Think that Agree that                  Forget that                   Remember that            Feel that

1. I know that the word is round.

                                                (noun clause)

 

1. I hope that you can come to the party.

                                                 (noun clause)

 

1. I feel that everyone forgets my birthday

                 (noun clause)

 

            Chomsky (1957: 27) says that the function of a Noun clause divided into five functions. They are:

1. Subject of verb

• What Alicia said made her friends cry.
• What Megan wrote surprised her family.
• What the man did was not very polite

1. Object of verb

• She didn’t know that the directions were wrong.
• Can you tell me if Fred is here?
• They now understand that you should not cheat on a test.

1. Subject complement

• Carlie’s problem was that she didn’t do the wash.
• Harry’s crowning achievement was his 4.0 GPA.
• Darla’s television was a 60 inch screen.

1. Object of a Preposition

• Harry is not the provider of what Margie needs.
• The gossip was about why she left early.
• Allie is the owner of that blue car.

1. Adjective Complement

• The group is happy that Meg returned home.
• The child is sad that his stomach hurts.
• The family is excited that they bought a new house.

In English, the conjunction that used are what, when, where, why, how, whatever, whenever, wether, if, that.

For the examples:

I   know    when she will arrive        The noun clause as an Object of verb

S    V                       O

 

She  is concerned  about   why he will go      The noun clause as an Object of prep

S           VP           Prep               O

 

Where he will go  is    not important            The noun clause as Subject

             S              V    Complement

 

 

The question   is   how she will get the money      The noun clause as Complement

        S             V             Complement

 

Health Article

Benefits of Green Tea

Green Tea Benefits

Green tea is known to provide 10-40mg of polyphenols and has antioxidant activity greater than a serving of spinach, broccoli, carrots, or strawberries.

Studies show that green tea contains antioxidants, polyphenols, theanine, as well as a wide variety of vitamins and minerals. Studies show that green tea benefits your body greatly.

Green Tea Benefits 1: Enhances Health

Green tea is known for its incredible power to prolong life. In recent research into green tea, results show its power in preventing disease as well.

Green Tea Benefits 2: Prevents Cancer

The death rate from cancer is known to be significantly lower for both women & men in Japan. Why is this you may ask? As much as 5-6 cups of green tea daily are consumed in areas that produce green tea, making it the main beverage to drink. Japanese people drink green tea more than water. This suggests that the main ingredients of green tea (tannin, catechin); in sufficient amounts lower the standard mortality rates for stomach cancer.

Green Tea Benefits 3: Restricts Blood Cholesterol

There are two types of cholesterol, one is “bad” cholesterol (LDL), and heavy accumulation of these in tissues can lead to atherosclerosis. The other is good cholesterol (HDL) that prevents accumulation of excessive “bad” cholesterol. It has been proven and demonstrated that green tea catechin restricts the excessive buildup of cholesterol.

Green Tea Benefits 4: Controls High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is a serious burden on the vascular system and is known to cause heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases. Green tea is known for lowering blood pressure.

Green Tea Benefits 5: Lowers Blood Sugar

Green teas given to diabetes patients cause a decrease in the blood glucose levels. Green tea has the capability of lowering blood sugar. The sugars and carbohydrates in our food are digested mainly in the duodenum, where it is converted to glucose and then absorbed into the blood stream.

The agent that regulates the intake of blood sugar into tissues is insulin. Diabetes is characterized by lack of insulin or not the body not using insulin properly, which does not allow proper absorption of glucose into tissues and leads to a high blood sugar level that must eventually be excreted into urine. If this high concentration of blood sugar continues for a long period, it will affect the vascular system and cause serious diseases including arteriosclerosis and retinal hemorrhages.

Green Tea Benefits 6: Suppresses Aging

Oxygen plays a key role in metabolism, but can also be an unhealthful agent. As a free radical, oxygen in the body can corrode cell membranes, which will damage DNA and the fats. This then leads to diseases such as cancer, cardio-vascular disease and diabetes. Lipid peroxide created by fats combined with oxygen tends to build up in the body and create aging.

Consumption of antioxidants such as vitamins E and C promises longer life, and we already know that green teas are rich in those two vitamins.

Green Tea Benefits 7: Refreshes the Body

Green tea caffeine taken in proper quantity stimulates every organ in the body and clears your mind. The small amount of caffeine (about 9 mgs of caffeine) present in a normal serving of green tea can stimulate the skeletal muscles and smooth the progress of muscular contraction.

Green Tea Benefits 8: Deters Food Poisoning

It has long been known that green tea has the ability to kill bacteria and is known to deter food poisoning. Treating diarrhea with consumption of strong green tea. Green tea is a powerful sterilizing instrument for all sorts of bacteria that cause food poisoning.

Green Tea Benefits 9: Prevents and Treats Skin Disease

Soaking in green tea has been successful as a treatment for athlete’s foot. Bedsores and skin disease can be prevented or healed by using a green tea bath.

Green Tea Benefits 10: Stops Cavities

Green tea contains natural fluorine and is thought to aid in the reduction of cavities in schoolchildren. It has been known for some time that small amounts of fluorine can strengthen teeth and help prevent cavities.

Green Tea Benefits 11: Fights Viruses

Green tea catechin and theaflavin, which are both present in black tea, have a strong effect on the flu virus. It is also thought that the anti viral capability of green tea catechin may have some beneficial effect on the AIDS virus.

Additional Information

· Green Tea drinkers appear to enjoy better health.

· Catechin is 100 times more potent than vitamin C and 25 times more potent than vitamin E.

· Green Tea drinkers have half the risk of fatal heart attacks. Compounds in the tea called flavonoids stop blood platelets from forming clots, much like aspirin does.

 

Source :

http://www.chinatownconnection.com/benefits-of-green-tea.htm

American Culture (Article)

When most people think about the “American culture”, images of Coca-Cola, hot dogs, baseball games, big cars and suburban mansions come to mind. But there is a deeper side to American culture than Hollywood and Disney World. Underneath the layers of TV advertising and hyper-consumerism, there is a cultural DNA that makes America what it is. Here is a brief look at several cultural “genes” that influence the way Americans think and act.

Individualism

Individualism is a way of life by which a person places his or her own desires, needs, and comforts above the needs of a broader community. This does not mean that Americans have no concern for other people, but it does mean that they give high priority to their personal ambitions. This can turn in to an extreme form of selfishness, which makes good relationships almost impossible. In a classic book about American culture, called Habits of the Heart, the authors say that Americans often enter into relationships only if their own needs are met first. And if those needs aren’t satisfied, then they usually end the relationship. Perhaps this is one reason why fewer Americans are getting married.

The positive side of American individualism is that people are encouraged to express themselves in unique ways. Because the culture values individuality, Americans admire those who do something new and innovative. Perhaps this is one reason why so many technological inventions and new ideas come from the U.S. It’s certainly one reason why so many new artistic and musical movements—such as Jazz—have been born in America.

Individualism also fuels hyper-consumerism in the U.S. The best physical example of America’s individualistic consumer culture is the Mall of America in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is a monument to individualism, a place where you can fulfill any material desire. The shopping center has 520 stores, two full-sized indoor roller coasters, and a large saltwater aquarium with sharks, stingrays and other exotic ocean life. The place is so big that 32 Boeing 747s or seven professional baseball stadiums would fit inside. If a person spent 10 minutes in each store it would take 86 hours to go through the entire mall.

It’s important to remember that individualism in the U.S. hasn’t suffocated the American community spirit. When tragedy strikes—a natural disaster or terrorist attack—Americans set all differences aside and pool their efforts to help one another. Americans have formed thousands of professional and recreational associations, groups of people who bond around a common activity aimed at serving the community or just having fun. One of the best ways to get connected with new friends is to find an activity you enjoy and join a local association.

Work: You are what you do

One of the first questions that Americans ask each other when they meet is, “So, what do you do?” This is a common question because most people in the U.S. define who they are by the work they do. In other cultures, people might define themselves in relation to family lineage, ethnic heritage, or religious belief. But for many people in the U.S., “you are what you do.” Work is a central part of a person’s identity.

Americans work more hours and have fewer vacation days than most Europeans. According to Robert Reich, former Secretary of Labor, the average American worker now spends two weeks more on the job than he or she did 20-years ago. And the average married couple’s combined annual workload is now seven weeks longer than it was just a decade ago.

Needless to say, all this work puts tremendous limitations on relationships with family and friends. People have very little free time. Most parents struggle to balance work and family. Americans are always searching for faster and more efficient ways to accomplish their work. This need is one factor that drives the technology and computer industries. But because it’s impossible to “save time,” these advances usually mean that people just end up doing more work.

For a better understanding of how Americans perceive work, you might read the book called Working, by Studs Terkel (who is the son of Russian parents).

Religion

The individualism described above influences the way Americans express spirituality and religion. There are so many different religious expressions in the U.S. that it can seem like a spiritual Mall of America—a religion for every taste and style. Read more here about American religion.

The American culture is far more complex and diverse than we have described here. But these three factors—individualism, work, and religion—are among the most important factors that make the culture what it is today. For those interested in understanding more about the American culture, there are at least three books worth reading: Habits of the Heart, by Robert Bellah; Democracy in America, published in 1835 by a French researcher named Alexis de Tocqueville; and, for an overview of American youth, Millennials Rising, by Neil Howe and William Strauss.

Source :

http://www.rususa.com/usa/articles.asp-tc-americanculture

Education Article

How to Teach 1st Grade

 

Teaching 1^st grade will be different by teaching high school students. Required certain techniques so that the child can absorb lessons more fun considering the psychological child is still in the early learning stages.

The voice sounded clear enough by children, intonation, etc. are things that are very important to be possessed by the teacher. For early elementary grades, they are still considered early childhood, before providing early childhood learning, as teachers need to recognize the characteristics of elementary school age children first. Do not forget to always give something new and varied for them. No need expensive, objects in the environment can be the object of exploration for children.

The period is also very short of their concentration. Thus, teachers must have a second plan, and even third, fourth plan needs to be prepared for them so they do not saturate. Keep in mind that early childhood is a period play. Thus, the instruction given to them should be based on the principles of play (fun, children can explore, gain a lot of experience).

Children are not miniature adults but they have the characteristics and uniqueness of each. So, do not equate them with the high school kids that are easier on the set and was able to concentrate for a long time.

—

Source :

http://artikel-bahasainggris.blogspot.com/2013/01/how-to-teach-1st-grade.html