Trevor Noah’s Mother: Courage and Rebellion Under Apartheid

Analysis of Trevor Noah’s Mother

Direct Quote + PageExplanation
“She had a level of fearlessness that you have to possess to take on something like she did.” (p. 22)This shows Noah’s mom was brave because she made dangerous choices even under apartheid.
“If you stop to consider the ramifications, you’ll never do anything.” (p. 22)This shows she did not let fear stop her from doing what she wanted.
“Still, it was a crazy, reckless thing to do.” (p. 22)This shows Noah understands that
Read More

English Proficiency Exam Practice and Sample Answers

Vocabulary and Sentence Completion

  • The plane finally arrived after a delay of three hours.
  • Appliances and electronics are sold on the second floor.
  • Jennifer said she would forbid her son to play online games if he got low marks on his report card.
  • A notable feature of the symposium was the speech by a famous entrepreneur.
  • You have been an enormous help since I moved out here a few months ago.
  • The black rhinoceros is listed as a critically endangered species.

Reading Comprehension: Festivals and Travel

The

Read More

Essential Writing Samples for English Proficiency

Informal Letter and Email

Hey Sabrina,

It’s great to hear from you. I’d love to tell you about my experience of countryside living.

It’s incredibly quiet here, especially at night. There’s hardly any traffic on the roads, unlike in the city. Another thing is that because of the tiny population, everyone knows everyone else. Luckily, the locals are incredibly friendly—always saying hello to us when we meet them in the street. That’s nice because, in the city, most people just ignore you!

Read More

English Grammar Exercises and Informal Letter Writing Tips

English Sentence Transformation Exercises

  • It’s said that the way people learn will change in the next few decades. The way people learn is said to change in the next few decades.
  • Although the test was very easy, they decided to use a cheat sheet. Despite the test being very easy, they decided to use a cheat sheet.
  • You won’t pass the test if you don’t speak to your teacher and apologise. Unless you speak to your teacher and apologise, you won’t pass the test.
  • No other city in Spain is as big as
Read More

How do computers affect the way you spend your free time

Muddy → embarrado / lleno de barro

  • Filthy → asqueroso / muy sucio
  • Stunning → impresionante / espectacular
  • Efficient → eficiente
  • Unbearably hot → insoportablemente caluroso
  • Overlooked → pasado por alto / ignorado Overwhelming → abrumador
  • A bit of a dump → un poco cutre / bastante descuidado
  • Facilities → instalaciones / servicios
  • Isolated → aislado
  • Deserted → desierto / abandonado
  • Homesick → nostálgico de casa / con añoranza del hogar
  • Moan about → quejarse de / protestar por
  • Foreigner
Read More

Master English Writing Structures and Essential Vocabulary

Master English Writing Structures

Standard Essay Template

Structure: Introduction, Body (3 paragraphs), Counter-argument, and Conclusion.

  • Introduction: Nowadays, it is well known that… Most people share the view that…
  • Body: 1) First, it is undeniable that, as a result… 2) Secondly, … is also an important point to consider because… 3) Last but not least, … should be mentioned since…
  • Counter-argument: However, although, or instead of…
  • Conclusion: To sum up, from my point of view…

Engaging

Read More