Improve your English through READING

Right now you are reading English. That means that you are using your brain in a very active way. Reading is a very active process. It is true that the writer does a lot of work, but the reader also has to work hard. When you read a text, you have to do some or all of these:

• imagine a scene in your head
• understand clearly what the writer is trying to say
• agree or disagree with the writer

Advantages of Reading
When you learn a language, listening, speaking and writing are important, but reading can also be very helpful. There are many advantages associated with reading, including:

Learning Vocabulary In Context
You will usually encounter new words when you read. If there are too many new words for you, then the level is too high and you should read something simpler. But if there are, say, a maximum of five new words per page, you will learn this vocabulary easily. You may not even need to use a dictionary because you can guess the meaning from the rest of the text (from the context). Not only do you learn new words, but you see them being used naturally.
A Model For Writing
When you read, it gives you a good example for writing. Texts that you read show you structures and expressions that you can use when you write.
Seeing "Correctly Structured" English
When people write, they usually use "correct" English with a proper grammatical structure. This is not always true when people speak. So, by reading you see and learn grammatical English naturally.
Working At Your Own Speed
You can read as fast or as slowly as you like. You can read ten pages in 30 minutes, or take one hour to explore just one page. It doesn't matter. The choice is yours. You cannot easily do this when speaking or listening. This is one of the big advantages of reading because different people work at different speeds.
Personal Interest
If you choose something to read that you like, it can actually be interesting and enjoyable. For example, if you like to read about football in your own language, why not read about football in English? You will get information about football and improve your English at the same time.
Five Tips for Reading
Tip #1
Try to read at the right level. Read something that you can (more or less) understand. If you need to stop every three words to look in a dictionary, it is not interesting for you and you will soon be discouraged.
Tip #2
Make a note of new vocabulary. If there are four or five new words on a page, write them in your vocabulary book. But you don't have to write them while you read. Instead, try to guess their meaning as you read; mark them with a pen; then come back when you have finished reading to check in a dictionary and add them to your vocabulary book.
Tip #3
Try to read regularly. For example, read for a short time once a day. Fifteen minutes every day is better than two hours every Sunday. Fix a time to read and keep to it. For example, you could read for fifteen minutes when you go to bed, or when you get up, or at lunchtime.
Tip #4
Be organised. Have everything ready:

• something to read
• a marker to highlight difficult words
• a dictionary
• your vocabulary book
• a pen to write down the new words

Tip #5
Read what interests YOU. Choose a magazine or book about a subject that you like.
Things to Read
Newspapers
You can find English-language newspapers in all large cities around the world. Newspapers are interesting because they are about real life and the news. BUT they are not easy to read. Try reading newspapers if your level is intermediate or above.
Some British newspapers:

• The Telegraph
• The Times
• The Independent
• The Guardian
• The Financial Times (business)
• The Sunday Times

Some American newspapers:

• The International Herald Tribune
• The New York Times
• The Wall Street Journal (business)

Magazines
Some magazines are published weekly, some monthly. You can find English-language magazines in many large cities around the world. If you cannot find the magazine you want in your town, you may be able to order it for delivery. Many magazines have pictures which can help your understanding. You will need an intermediate level for most magazines, but a pre-intermediate level may be ok for some magazines.
There are magazines on every subject:

• Politics
• Sport
• The House
• Cars
• Music
• Romance
• Travel
• Language
• etc

Books
Books are divided mainly into:

• Non-fiction (history, biography, travel, cooking etc)
• Fiction (stories and novels)

Some books are easier to read than others. It often depends on the author. Agatha Christie, for example, wrote in an easier style and with simpler vocabulary than Stephen King. You can buy books in specialised English-language bookshops in large cities around the world. You may also be able to find some English-language books in libraries. And if you have a British Council in your city, you can borrow many English-language books from their library.
Short Stories
Short stories can be a good choice when learning a language because they are...short. It's like reading a whole book in a few pages. You have all the excitement of a story in a book, but you only have to read 5,000 or 10,000 words. So you can quite quickly finish the story and feel that you have achieved something. Short stories are published in magazines, in books of short stories, and on the Internet. You can also find short stories at englishclub.com English Reading.
Readers
Readers are books that are specially published to be easy to read. They are short and with simple vocabulary. They are usually available at different levels, so you should be able to find the right level for you. Many readers are stories by famous authors in simple form. This is an excellent way for you to start practising reading.
Cornflakes Packets
By "Cornflakes Packets", we mean any product you can buy that has English writing on or with it. If you buy a box of chocolates, or a new camera, why not read the description or instructions in English? There are many such examples, and they all give you an opportunity to read real English:

• airline tickets
• cans or packets of food
• bottles of drink
• tapes and CD's
• user guides for videos, computers...
• etc

Poetry
If you like poetry, try reading some English-language poems. They may not be easy to understand because of the style and vocabulary, but if you work at it you can usually get an idea - or a feeling - of what the poet is trying to say. You'll find some classic poems, with explanations of vocabulary, at englishclub.com English Reading.
Good luck with your reading. It will help you make a lot of Progress!

Source: 
http://www.essaystart.com/Articles/Improve_Your_English.htm

Be a stoicism person

Every word from this song is really meaningful and gives me motivation.

I always listening to this song when i face the adversities in everyday life..
Actually, we cannot escape from facing the problems. It is part of our life and also our best friend..

Throughout this life, i have been facing many problems that really make me become more matured. Sometimes, when i cannot handle it, i will cry to the fullest and become better after that..
Every difficulty that we face has its hidden boon. We should be grateful with the problems that encounter our life. This is a sign from GOD that HE still loves us. HE wants to test the extent of our faith and  patience level.

Remember that He will not give us a test that we cannot afford. Therefore, take every test pleasantly because it can make us closer to HIM.

A meaningful quotation

When opening facebook just now, I found this quotation from iluvislam.com. 

It is really nice and meaningful.

'ISLAM' is a 'school'
'DUNIA' is a 'Class'
'WE' are 'Student'
'QURAN' is 'Syllabus'
'SOLAT' is 'Practical' ... 'MUHAMMAD (S.A.W)' is 'teacher'
'ALLAH' is Examiner'
'Qiamat' is date of 'Result'
'Jannah' is the best 'reward

Baby Dumping Cases

KUALA LUMPUR - More babies were dumped in the past few days despite the government announcement to take drastic measures to punish baby-dumping offenders. 

The most recent cases reported on Tuesday include unwanted babies found outside the houses of a policeman in Terengganu and a childless couple in Penang.

Policeman Marzuku Hameed, 44, and daughter, Nur Hafianna Marzuki, 19, were shocked to find a baby boy left outside the gate of their home in Seberang Takir at 10.30pm.

The newborn child was rushed to Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital while police hunt for the boy's biological parents.

The Penang childless couple surrendered the baby girl they found outside their home in Bukit Mertajam to the authorities after keeping the child for 36 hours.

The couple who has been childless for ten years planned to adopt the child but received advice from neighbours that it is an offence to keep the abandoned baby.

Also on Tuesday, a 20-something woman dumped her foetus in a dustbin outside the emergency ward of Malacca Hospital.

The tertiary student who was supposed to receive stomach cramps treatment had a miscarriage in the hospital toilet and confessed to the act when questioned by doctors during examination.

According to The Star, the police forensic team has found the dumped foetus in the hospital's main dumpsite after an overnight search on Wednesday.

According to the latest data, 472 babies were abandoned within the last four years in which more than half (258) were found dead.

Police have also confirmed that 65 babies were found in the past eight months (26 boys, 25 girls and 14 foetus), and if compared with last year figure (79 cases) it is evident that the worrisome trend is increasing.

The extensive coverage of baby-dumping cases recently by the media was followed by Minister for Women, Family and Community Development Shahrizat Abdul Jalil's proposal last Wednesday to charge irresponsible parents who abandoned and cause the death of the child under Section 302 of the Penal Code with murder.

The Cabinet's decision to accept the proposal triggered mix reactions from various ministers, representational bodies and individuals as to whether the death penalty was too heavy to tackle this social issue.

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has responded that the Cabinet's decision to accept the Minister's proposal does not mean every case will be classified as a murder case but will be decided by the Attorney-General to take actions deem fit. 

The latest comment came Wednesday from PAS Youth chief Nasrudin Hassan who blamed celebrations such as Valentine's Day and New Year gaiety which "originated from the West" as one of the causes behind baby-dumping acts, The Star reported.

Federal CID director Comm Bakri Zinin has pointed at the easy accessibility of pornography on the Internet and weakening family ties as causal factors to baby-dumping cases.

For example, it was reported last month that teenagers have confessed to sex addictions due to exposure to pornographic material downloadable from the Net.

The pervasiveness of sex culture plus lack of proper sexual education at an earlier stage have led to the inevitable changing social values of the youth to become more "liberated." Read more here

http://www.malaysianmirror.com/lifestyledetail/150-cyberspace/46876-sex-and-the-internet-kid

Among those who disagreed and were doubtful with the harsh move were MCA president Chua Soi Lek and vice-president Ng Yen Yen who maintained that education is the key solution.

DAP national chairman Karpal Singh proposed for a Royal Commision of Inquiry in which he said the core reason behind the baby dumping act must be thoroughly studied in order to solve the problem.

Source: Malaysian Mirror

http://www.malaysianmirror.com/media-buzz-detail/6-nation/48866-more-baby-dumping-cases-reported

* In my opinion, we should go back to the teaching of our religion. If someone have a strong faith to Allah, she/he would not do the forbidden things. So, parents should play an important role to educate their children at the early age with Islamic teachings.

BERGOPOH-GAPAH

Satu daripada penyakit kalbu yang berbahaya dan boleh menjatuhkan manusia ke jurang maksiat dan boleh meluputkan pahala segala kebajikan ialah tindakan bergopoh-gapah (isti'jal).

Mengikut Imam al-Gazali, gopoh-gapah merupakan penyakit kalbu yang mendesak seseorang agar segera mengerjakan sesuatu urusan sebaik-baik sahaja terlintas di hati, tanpa perancangan dan pertimbangan terlebih dulu. Khususnya dalam berbuat amal kebajikan, ada orang yang ingin segera mencapai martabat yang tinggi, lalu dengan tergopoh-gapah mengerjakan ibadat supaya segera mencapai hajatnya itu.

Orang yang bergopoh-gapah seperti itu hanya akan bersungguh-sungguh mengerjakan ibadatnya pada peringkat awalnya saja. Apabila hajatnya dab matlamat ibadatnya tidak tercapai dalam masa yang singkat, dia mudah menjadi lemah dan terus kecewa, lantas dia meninggalkan kesungguhannya itu.
Kesungguhan dan kegopohannya itu menyebabkan dia kepenatan dan tidak terdaya lagi hendak meneruskan ibadatnya. Sudahnya, kerja ibadatnya terbengkalai dan cita-cita ingin mencapai martabat idamannya itu luput dengan begitu saja.

Dalam keadaan bergopoh-gapah, kerapkali seseorang itu melakukan kesilapan sampai melakukan kerja di luar kebajikan pula atau menyeleweng dari syariat. Umpamanya, jika berbicara, akan tergelincirlah lidah menuturkan kata-kata yang keji atau sia-sia. Jika makan atau minum, akan termakan atau terminum secara berlebihan atau pun makanan dan minuman yang haram atau syubahat menjadi pilihan. Mendoakan keburukan untuk diri sendiri atau untuk orang lain juga termasuk dalam penyakit bergopoh-gapah, sebagaimana firman Allah yang mafhumnya:
"Dan manusia mendoakan kehajatan sebagaimana dia mendoakan kebaikan dan adalah manusia itu bersifat gopoh-gapah" (al-Isra' : 11)

Dalam keadaan tertentu, memang ada orang yang mendoakan keburukan untuk orang lain. Umpamanya, seseorang yang dizalimi akan membanyakkan doa supaya penzalim berkenaan mendapat pembalasan segera daripada Allah. Jika doanya itu dimakbulkan, tentulah hatinya berasa senang dan puas, tetapi dia dikira telah melakukan kerja maksiat kerana tindakannya itu.

Lawan "gopoh-gapah" ialah "anaah", iaitu ciri kalbu yang membimbing seseorang supaya berlambatan dan tenang, penuh hemat atau berhati-hati mengerjakan sesuatu urusan, yakni terlebih dulu dikaji-selidik, dibuat perancangan dan pertimbangan yang saksama dan berpandangan jauh dengan membuat andaian-andaian tentang kemungkinan akan berlakunya keburukan atau risiko, lalu lebih dulu dirancang cara-cara mengatasinya.

Keadaan yang demikian adalah merupakan ciri-ciri asas sifat warak. Sifat warak ini penting kerana pokok kepada ibadat itu ialah warak iaitu berhati-hati dan teliti dalam tindakan, penuh hemat dalam membuat pertimbangan terhadapa segala urusan. Apabila berbicara, pembicaraannya akan tergelincir daripada kebenaran. Apabila makan, akan termakan makanan yang haram atau syubahat. Demikianlah juga dalam urusan yang lain. Dengan yang demikian, maka luputlah sifat waraknya. Amalan atau ibadat tanpa warak tidak akan menghasilkan kebajikan.

Menurut Imam al-Ghazali : Sifat anaah itu merangkumi dua prinsip, iaitu tawaqquf dan taanni. Maksud tawaqquf ialah terlebih dahulu menyelidiki sesuatu urusan sebelum memulakan pelaksaannya sehingga ternyata kebenaran dan kebaikannya, manakala taanni bermaksud, berhati-hati-hati pada permulaan dan semasa melaksana sesuatu urusan supaya berjalan dengan lancar dan sewajaranya, sehingga tercapai matlamat. Tindakan berhati-hati dalam beribadat dan menangani segala urusan (mengikut konsep anaah) itu amat dituntut, manakala tergesa-gesa atau tergopoh-gapah (al-'ajalah) itu ditegah.

Rasulullah bersabda, maksudnya: "Tergopoh-gapah itu tindakan syaitan kecuali dalam lima perkara, iaitu mengahwinkan anak perawan, membayar hutang, menguruskan mayat, melayani tetamu dan bertaubat daripada dosa".

*Sumber - Artikel iluvislam.com

SEJUKKAN HATI DENGAN WUDUK

"Rasulullah SAW pernah menjelaskan orang yang kuat dalam pandangan syarak ialah mereka yang berjaya mengawal perasaan ketika marah untuk mengelak daripada bencana lebih buruk. Dia boleh mengalihkan situasi marah itu kepada satu keadaan yang lebih baik."

Hal itu dijelaskan Abu Hurairah, bahawa Rasulullah SAW bersabda yang bermaksud: “Orang yang kuat itu bukan terletak pada kemampuan berkelahi, tetapi orang yang kuat itu adalah yang dapat mengendalikan diri mereka ketika sedang marah.” (Hadis riwayat Imam Ahmad)

Islam mengajar umatnya bagaimana mengendalikan diri dalam keadaan marah supaya sifat marahnya itu tidak berlarutan. Antaranya jika seseorang yang sedang marah itu dalam keadaan berdiri, adalah lebih baik dia duduk.
Sabda Rasulullah SAW yang bermaksud: “Jika salah seorang antara kalian marah sedang pada saat itu ia dalam keadaan berdiri, maka hendaklah ia duduk. Namun jika tidak hilang juga marahnya, maka hendaklah ia berbaring.” (Hadis riwayat Imam Ahmad).

Selain itu, mereka yang sedang marah juga boleh memadamkan kemarahannya dengan berwuduk. Dua perkara kelebihan wuduk, pertamanya membersihkan diri daripada kekotoran hati dan keduanya secara fizikal menyejukkan hati yang melahirkan ketenangan.

Hadis diriwayatkan Abu Daud yang bermaksud: “Sesungguhnya marah itu daripada syaitan dan sesungguhnya syaitan itu diciptakan daripada api dan api itu hanya dapat dipadamkan dengan air. Oleh kerana itu, jika salah seorang daripada kamu marah, maka hendaklah ia berwuduk.” 

 Mereka yang berjaya menahan amarahnya supaya tidak merebak akan mendapat ganjaran di sisi Allah di dalam syurga kelak, di mana mereka boleh memilih mana-mana bidadari yang mereka sukakan.
Perkara ini dijelaskan Rasulullah SAW melalui sabda yang bermaksud:
“Barang sesiapa menahan amarahnya pada hal ia mampu untuk menumpahkannya, maka Allah akan memanggilnya di hadapan para pemimpin makhluk, lalu Allah memberinya kebebasan untuk memilih bidadari mana yang ia sukai.” (Hadis riwayat Tirmizi dan Ibn Majah)

Di samping mampu menahan sifat marah, seseorang itu juga perlu bersedia memaafkan pihak yang membuatkan mereka marah. Memaafkan kesalahan orang lain digalakkan bagi mengekalkan silaturahim dan keharmonian. Malah, sifat pemaaf meletakkan seseorang itu di tempat yang tinggi.

 *Control our anger..Insyaallah we will be succeed
SUMBER - http://www.iluvislam.com/design/e-kad/1581-sejukkan-dengan-wuduk.html

LEARNING SUPPORT CLASS

Today's class was really fun and joyful. I have to translate the video below into English. I had faced some difficulties because the speaker used colloquial language..Let us watch this video..




These are the lists of sentences that are quite difficult to be translated..
1.Tak payah nak jadi mak ketam nak ajaq anak ketam jalan straight.
* Don't be like a mother's crab who teaches her children to walk straight.
( my lecturer said we can use "she" or another pronoun for animals if we know their sex)

2. Kalau hang jadi mak aku, aku jadi anak ketam, aku tak mau ikut hang,
aku lebih rela ikut buaya darat.    
* If you are my mother and I am your child, I won't take your advices and I am rather follow the land crocodile.

3.Hang tak payah dok sembang kencang.
     * Don't speak like you know everything..

Actually, the learning process like this is very effective. It enable us to enrich our vocabulary and think creatively..So after this, I will find some Malay videos to be translated..

WEDDING COURSE

In The Name Of ALLAH the MOST GRACIOUS AND MOST MERCIFUL

Alhamdulillah.. I had finished my wedding course..Actually I did not plan to go to this course but my friend persuaded me to attend this course because there were many empty sit..so i just followed her..Moreover, i did not have any activities this week..

I gained lots of information through this course.Tthe first one is how to find a good husband..to all women, we should find a husband that has a strong faith to Allah and always keep praying(menjaga solat)..insyaallah, the marriage would be last longer..

Then, as a women, we should prepare ourselves to be a good wife and good mothers..This is because there are lots of thing that we should care when we have married..Without preparation, the conflicts would arise and lead to the downfall in marriage..

The most important thing in marriage is we should have a good communication with our partner..our marriage would not be happy if there is lack of communication between partners..

I'm not ready yet to marry and i went to this course just only to learn something valuable..in addition, the fee is really cheap....:)

*sorry for any grammatical mistakes because i am not really good in english..

DUHAI HATI, JANGANLAH TERKORBAN DENGAN DUNIA

Sesekali hati mengeluh dengan kesusahan dan kepayahan hidup. Terasa pedih dan rapuh, sakitnya seperti tiada hati lain yang mampu mengerti

Namun adakah kita sedar bahawa ia adalah ujian dari Allah?

Kepayahan itu sesungguhnya adalah satu bentuk tarbiyah-Nya kepada hati.

Pernah hati bersyukur kerana mendapat perhatian yang sedemikian dari Tuhannya?

Terlebih banyak mengadu dari bertahmid rasanya.

"Apakah manusia itu mengira bahawa mereka dibiarkan saja mengatakan; "Kami telah beriman," sedangkan mereka tidak diuji? Dan sesungguhnya kami telah menguji orang-orang yang sebelum mereka, maka sesungguhnya Allah mengetahui orang-orang yang benar dan sesungguhnya Dia mengetahui orang-orang yang dusta." (Surah Al-Ankabut ayat 2-3)

"...dan janganlah kamu berputus asa dari rahmat Allah. Sesungguhnya tiada berputus asa dari rahmat Allah melainkan kaum yang kafir." (Surah Yusuf ayat 87)

Tak tersedarkah hati bahawa segala yang diberinya itu adalah nikmat; kebahagiaan adalah nikmat, sakit adalah nikmat, perit itu adalah nikmat.

Duhai hati, sedarlah, bukannya Tuhanmu tidak mendengar segala jerit perih, betapa pedih peritnya derita apa yang dialami, betapa segala yang hati ingin, tidak semua kan hati perolehi. Bukankah Dia sudah terang-terang berfirman:

"Boleh jadi kamu membenci sesuatu padahal ia amat baik bagimu, dan boleh jadi pula kamu menyukai sesuatu, padahal ia amat buruk bagimu, Allah mengetahui sedang kamu tidak mengetahui." (Surah Al-Baqarah ayat 216)

Nah, Allah sendiri telah siap mengatur segala rencana perjalanan hidupnya hati. Mengapa harus merungut lagi dengan jalan yang ditempuhi?

Duri-duri dan halangan itu adalah rahmat. Redha dan pasrah lah, wahai hati.

Tidak sedarkah kita bahawa setiap langkah, setiap kudrat, setiap butir bicara, kerlip mata dan denyut jantung selama ini semuanya nikmat yang Allah beri dan pinjamkan kepada kita?

Selama ini, adakah setiap langkah dan kudrat digunakan untuk ke jalan kebaikan? Adakah setiap butir bicara hanya yang baik dan berhikmah sahaja?

Adakah kerlip mata dan sisa denyut jantung yang masih ada dimanfaatkan dengan amal ibadah?

Allah berhak mutlak ke atas hati kita. Kenapa hati kita masih perlu persoalkan mengapa ujian diturunkan kepada kita? Layakkah hati-hati ini mendapat syurga milik Allah SWT?

"Hai kaumku, sesungguhnya kehidupan dunia ini hanyalah kesenangan sementara dan sesungguhnya akhirat itulah negeri yang kekal. Barangsiapa mengerjakan perbuatan jahat, maka dia tidak akan dibalasi melainkan sebanding dengan kejahatan itu. Dan barangsiapa mengerjakan amalan yang saleh baik laki-laki maupun perempuan sedang ia dalam keadaan beriman, maka mereka akan masuk syurga, mereka diberi rezeki di dalamnya tanpa dihisab." (Surah Al Mu'min ; ayat 39-40)

Duhai hati, janganlah terkorban dengan dunia... sesungguhnya hidup hati sebenarnya untuk mencari mati yang sempurna...

P/s - Appreciate of what we have..Be a grateful person..

Sumber- Artikel iluvislam.com