Back to Basics Review Present Simple and Modals

Back to Basics Review Present Simple and Modals I dont know if youve heard, but a has started, and its amazing.  So, in the spirit of great David Attenborough documentaries, our listening exercise today is a clip from another one of his  incredible  shows-Africa.  Before we watch the clip and complete the exercises, lets review some basic grammar concepts: present simple and modal verbs.  Sometimes, when youre  learning a language and improving a lot (thanks to our talented LOI instructors!), its important  to make sure you  have a solid base.  Even advanced students need reminders about these conjugations at times.  As always, we love to hear from you, so write your answers in the comments section below!Present SimpleForm: (I/You/We/They) + (verb)     (He/She/It) + (verb)srepeated actions (hobbies, habits, daily events)  facts, generalizations  events in near futurenow (non-continuous verbs: be, have, need, want, like, hate, and more.)Practice:He (is not needing/does not need) help right now.My flight (leave/leaves) tomorr ow at 11:00.New York (are/is) a big city.I (wake/wakes) up at 7:00 each day.I (is/am) at your apartment now.Click here for more present tense conjugation practice.Modal Verbs:Form: (Subject) + (modal) + (base verb)Uses:Practice:You (could to be/could be) right.He (couldnt find/couldnt found) his car keys.Could (you gives/you give) me a ride to school?She  (cans watch/can watch) the game tonight.They (must to go/must go) to the repair shop.He (doesnt must go/must not go).The Drongo __  the Kalaharis greatest _________, and these ___ his victims.After warming  up in the morning sun, the meerkats _____  their search for breakfast.The Drongo ___ now _____ his tricks, but he _____ first ___ the confidence  of his victims.He _____ an eagle on the hunt and ______ a warning, one that _____ the meerkats gratefully scurrying to safety.Now, he ___ their trust.He ______ another warning, but this time, ___ a false alarm.The meerkats fell  for it.  The idiom, to fall for means to believe somethi ng without reservation.  Do you often fall for someones tricks?How is  the Drongo a trickster?This all _____ too easy.  He _____ the same trick again.The meerkats arent stupid.  Theyll only ____ for it once.No meerkat ___ _______ that.  Sentries never ___.  But, the sentry ____ no danger.Of course, ___ the Drongo.Now, he ___ _____ his prize.timelines source

Navigating the College Admissions Process

Navigating the College Admissions Process Improving Academic Performance One of the things I learned when applying to both undergraduate and graduate programs is that it’s not enough to simply strive for good grades and a good test score. Sure, the entire college application process is very competitive, so you should aim for the best possible grades and highest possible tests scores, not just something that’s above average. But, that’s not what I mean exactly. What I mean is that each school has a different approach to admissions and different criteria against which you’ll be judged. Each school is looking for a different “story” that aligns with their culture and admissions standards. For example, my college application had a well-rounded list of activities, three varsity sports, AP and Honors classes, a good GPA and a very good ACT score. However, I was only admitted to two of the five large, but highly selective, state schools to which I applied. What happened? Well, it turns out that large state schools tend to have a very simple sliding scale of GPA vs. test score they use to grant admission. My GPA, while above average, was pretty low for the schools to which I applied. For a highly selective state school to admit me, I would have needed an extremely high ACT or SAT score. While these schools do require application essays, etc. â€" they tend to place less weight on those. However, I learned later that many highly selective smaller private schools don’t have quite the same process, and my overall application may have better suited those schools. At these schools, your essays are ready very carefully, and more weight might be placed on the extracurricular activities you engaged in during high school. The lesson is that it’s important to begin thinking about where you want to go to school early, and then structure your high school experience so that it aligns with what those schools look for. In addition, when it comes to writing essays, it’s important to communicate your personal “story” effectively based on the culture of the school to which you’re applying. While MyGuru chooses to focus on 1-1 tutoring, we do partner with companies that can help you think through these issues and write excellent essays. One such company is called Accepted.com If you check out their web-site and think you might want to work with them or purchase one of their e-books on the college application process, let us know. They’ve agreed to offer MyGuru students exclusive discounts and benefits. To review other products, partners, and solutions we are currently working with, visit ourtools and resources page.