Wednesday, February 14, 2007

MEMBANGUN KEMANDIRIAN ANAK DIDIK

Membangun Kemandirian Anak Didik I.Pendahuluan Kualitas anak didik, pemilik masa depan, sangat ditentukan oleh perlakuan kita terhadap mereka saat ini. Maju mundurnya suatu bangsa di masa depan sangat dipengaruhi oleh kesiapan mental, intelektual, fisik, maupun sosial generasi yang saat ini masih berada dalam fase bimbingan kita, baik sebagai pendidik maupun orang tua. Salah satu unsur penting yang jarang mendapat perhatian dalam upaya pengembangan kualitas anak didik adalah pengembangan mental, karakter, sifat jiwa anak didik. Tampaknya hal ini karena tidak tercantumnya pengembangan karakter dalam kurikulum setiap pelajaran ( hanya beberapa seperti Pelajaran Agama, PPKn dan sejenisnya untuk penanaman karakter kesabaran, keuletan, kerendahan hati, keberanian, cinta tanah air, dan sebagainya ).

Sebenarnya setiap pengampu bidang studi memiliki kesempatan untuk melakukan peningkatan kualitas karakter anak. Ada sejumlah fenomena yang menarik berkaitan dengan karakter anak didik kita. Di satu sisi,Beberapa fenomena positip berkembang dengan baik. Keadaan jumlah siswa yang sedikit, membawa mereka mampu mengembangkan kualitas sosial dengan tampak terjalin akrabnya hubungan sesama mereka. Dengan bergabungnya siswa tingkat dasar sampai tingkat atas di bawah satu atap, memberi kesempatan lebih besar bagi mereka mengenal hubungan junior – senior dengan mengembangkan ’respect’ oleh junior dan ‘love’ oleh senior. Berbeda dengan sekolah di tanah air, hal ini langka untuk ditemukan. Meskipun demikian, ada gejala-gejala karakter yang kelihatannyanya masih perlu dikembangkan lebih lanjut. Dalam PBM di kelas, misalnya, tidak jarang kita temukan fakta-fakta. Siswa jarang sekali bertanya ketika diberi kesempatan untuk bertanya. Sebagian siswa, sebaliknya, bertanya terus-menerus ketika diminta untuk menyelesaikan sebuah prosedur dengan menanyakan setiap langkah atau bahkan hal-hal yang sangat sepele. Pada kesempatan lain, ketika diberi tes misalnya, sejumlah siswa yang secara kualitas intelektual tidak diragukan, tidak mampu menyelesaikan soal dengan cepat. Gejala lain yang tidak kalah menariknya adalah karakter ‘menunggu perintah’ dari pengelola kelas. Dalam keseharian, baik di sekolah maupun di rumah kita acapkali menemukan sejumlah anak yang masih memiliki ketergantungan baik dalam cara berfikir, bersikap maupun bertindak. Ketergantungan itu umumnya dipengaruhi oleh tingkatan umur. Misalnya anak usia SD memiliki ketergantungan yang lebih tinggi dibanding anak SMP dan anak SMP lebih memiliki ketergantungan dari anak SMA. Meskipun demikian, tidak jarang juga kita temukan anak pada tingkatan lebih tinggi ternyata memiliki ketergantungan lebih dibanding anak tingkatan di bawahnya Masalah utama yang penulis bahas adalah masalah karakter. Hal ini karena penulis berpendapat pengembangan kualitas karakter tidak kalah pentingnya dibandingkan dengan pengembangan kualitas intelektual. Penulis menganggap Karakter yang berkualitas memiliki peranan penting bagi anak didik dalam mencapai keberhasilan, baik yang sifatnya antara seperti studi yang sedang dijalani, maupun kelak ketika menghadapi kehidupan nyata. Namun, karena masalah pengembangan karakter ini cukup luas, penulis membatasi masalah ini dengan memfokuskan diri pada masalah kemandirian. Dengan paparan pendek ini, penulis bermaksud untuk mengungkap dan menemukan aspek-aspek sekaligus melakukan langkah-langkah lebih lanjut yang bisa dilaksanakan dalam upaya pengembangan kualitas karakter anak khususnya mental kemandirian dan diharapkan bisa terus berkembang melalui diskusi PPG ini. II Bahasan Hampir sejalan dengan kualitas intelektual, watak kemandirian yang berkualitas pada sejumlah anak didik bisa jadi merupakan bawaan sejak lahir. Akan tetapi, realitas menunjukkan bahwa hal ini lebih banyak berkembang karena polesan dari pendidik/orang tua. Ketidakmandirian dan kemandirian pada anak didik bisa ditunjukkan dengan sejumlah indikator yang terwujud dalam pola tindak, sikap dan berpikir. Beberapa indikator ketidakmandirian : a. Adanya ketakutan/ kekhawatiran/ melakukan kesalahan. b. Sikap dan tingkah lakunya didasarkan pada apa yang dikatakan orang lain. c. Adanya perasaan malu. d. Senang tinggal di dalam suasana yang menyenangkan, lebih suka menghindari risiko dan selalu minta pendapat. e. Berupaya menutupi kesalahan / kelemahan. f. Cepat putus asa ketika hasil tidak sesuai rencana. g. Senang mencari jalan pintas yang mudah untuk mencapai tujuan h. Tidak memiliki inisiatif, apa yang dikerjakan berdasarkan perintah dan Setiap perintah/tugas dianggap sebagai beban Beberapa indikator kemandirian : a. Melakukan apa yang ia yakini benar meskipun orang lain mengkritik / mengejek bahkan mengancam b. Mau mengambil risiko & mau berupaya keras untuk meraih prestasi. c. Mau mengakui kesalahan secara terbuka & berupaya belajar dari kesalahan itu. d. Memandang tantangan sebagai kesempatan. e. Memiliki antusiasme & inisiatif yang tinggi. f. Mampu mengambil keputusan ketika dihadapkan pada pilihan yang agak pelik setelah mempertimbangkannya dan siap mengambil resiko yang mungkin mucul Langkah-langkah yang memungkinkan untuk dikembangkan dalam pembentukan kemandirian : 1. Bagi Pendidik a. Mengubah paradigma instruktif menjadi dialogis. Pendidik memposisikan diri sejajar dengan anak didik. Kita menjadikan mereka sebagai partner. Kita mencoba menyelami jiwa mereka, memahami keluh kesah mereka. Kekhawatiran mengenai wibawa pendidik akan turun perlu disingkirkan. Kewibawaan tumbuh dari penguasaan materi yang akan ditransfer dan kepiawaian mentransfer konsep dan skill kepada anak didik b. memberi dorongan dan kesempatan untuk berprakarsa kepada anak didik. Hal ini sesuai dengan dua dari tiga ajaran Ki Hajar Dewantara, bapak pendidikan nasional kita, ing madya mangun karsa, tut wuri handayani c. Menitikberatkan kepada ganjaran daripada hukuman Berilah ganjaran pada prestasi sekecil apapun kepada anak Didik. Meskipun hanya ucapan lisan seperti Bagus! Excellent! dsb. Dengan pemberian ganjaran ini akan menumbuhkan percaya diri. Sebaliknya, apabila kita menitikberaatkan kepada hukuman dan menyalahkan anak secara terus-menerus, mental kemandirian anak didik akan tumbuh kerdil, takut melangkah, takut melakukan kesalahan, dan sejenisnya. d. Hindari memberi label ‘Stupid’ Jika anak didik belum mampu melaksanakan tugas dengan baik, kita perlu menahan diri (dengan menarik napas dalam-dalam). Hindari ucapan negatif kepada anak didik karena hal ini bukan hanya akan memupus potensi kemandirian mereka tetapi juga menumbuhsuburkan watak kasar. e. Mendorong semangat anak didik untuk berprestasi Secara berkesinambungan memompa anak didik untuk meraih keberhasilan dengan memberi contoh orang-orang/tokoh tokoh, masyarakat, dan bangsa yang berhasil dan keberhasilan itu diraih dengan kerja keras. Untuk sekedar menunjukkan sebagai contoh kepada anak didik, tampakkan semangat kita ketika proses transfer pemahaman konsep dan ketrampilan berlangsung di kelas. 2. Saran Pendidik untuk anak didik a. Hilangkan keraguan, kekhawatiran, dan ketakutan akan kegagalan Kegagalan harus dimaknai sebagai kita belum berhasil. Kita harus memberikan kesadaran kepada mereka bahwa setiap orang pernah mengalami kegagalan menuju sukses. Masalah-masalah, kesulitan-kesulitan akan membuat kita menjadi lebih kuat kalau kita terus berusaha untuk mengatasinya. Mereka perlu sadar bahwa mereka sering meraih sukses. Yang paling pokok adalah kerjakan yang terbaik tehadap apa yang sedang dikerjakannya. b. Jadilah diri sendiri Jangan berupaya menjadi seperti orang lain. Kita perlu menumbuhkan kesadaran kepada anak didik bahwa setiap individu memiliki kelebihan-kelebihan masing-masing. Oleh karena itu kita tidak perlu mengritik diri sendiri ketika kita tidak sesukses, secantik,sepintar orang lain.Setiap individu adalah manusia yang sangat berharga dan patut mendapat penghargaan. c. Hilangkan rasa malu tidak pada tempatnya Malu adalah rasa enggan, tidak senang (karena rendah, hina) Malu yang baik adalah malu ketika melakukan ketidakbenaran. Sedangkan malu yang tidak pada tempatnya perlu dikikis, seperti merasa tidak mampu melakukan pekerjaan di depan tema-teman lain/orang banyak. Anak perlu berjuang mengatasi masalah ini diantaranya dengan berlatih rileks baik pikiran maupun fisik. Anak tidak bertanya ketika diberi kesempatan untuk bertanya kemungkinannya ada dua: paham atau tidak paham tetapi malu untuk bertanya karena bisa jadi ia beranggapan pertanyaannya tidak bermutu/terlalu sepele menurut teman lain. III. Penutup Kemandirian merupakan aspek mental yang penting untuk dibangun pada anak didik karena memiliki peranan penting dalam pencapaian keberhasilan bagi anak. Ada sejumlah indikator yang menunjukkan watak kemandirian dan ketidakmandirian. Ada Sejumlah langkah yang kemungkinan bisa diterapkan dalam pembangunan kemandirian anak didik. Mudah-mudahan kemandirian anak didik kita bisa terus berkembang dengan baik dan mereka mencapai keberhasilan di sekolah maupun ketika terjun di masyarakat kelak. Cairo, 15 Januari 2007
Referensi:
a. http//www.mindtols.com/selfcon.html
b. http//www.More-Self-Esteem.com/self_confidence_tips.htm
c. http//www.tokohindonesia.com/ensiklopedi/k/ d. http//www.queendom.com/psychotest/


NEXT......

LINGUISTIC INTELLIGENCE

Linguistic Intelligence is defined as having the following criteria:
a deep understanding of words and a sensitivity to the literal and figurative meanings of words,
highly developed oral and written communication skills,

knowledge of grammar rules and when it is appropriate to disregard those rules,
sensitivity to the musical qualities and rhythms of words,

knowledge of the many different uses for language, such as persuasion, information, or pleasure.
Poets, writers, and public speakers are examples of linguistically intelligent people.
Maya Angelou, William Shakespeare, and Abraham Lincoln are famous examples of linguistically intelligent people.


Linguistic Learner : "The Word Player"
Linguistic intelligence is the ability to use language to excite, please, convince, stimulate or convey information.

Linguistic Intelligence involves not only ease in producing language, but also sensitivity to the nuances, order and rhythm of words.

Poets exemplify this intelligence in its mature form.

Students who enjoy playing with rhymes, who pun, who always have a funny story to tell, who quickly acquire other languages -including sign language - and who write copious notes to their friends in class all exhibit linguistic intelligence.
Hi, my name is James and my main strength is Linguistic intelligence because I:
• Ask lost of questions
• Enjoy talking
• Have good vocabulary
• Can pick up new language easily
• Enjoy playing with words: word games, puns, rhymes
• Enjoy reading
• Like to write
• Understand the functions of language
• Can talk about language skills
• Am good at memorising names, places, dates and trivia
My best products are:
Novels Non-fiction
Speeches Stories
Myths/legends Lyrics
Poems Instructions
Manuals Newspapers
Magazines Plays
Arguments Debates
Jokes Puns
Crosswords Scrabble/word games
Scripts Advertising copy
I learn best by:

Saying, hearing and seeing words Talking
Writing Reading

When I grow up I could be a:

Novelist Poet
Barrister Politician
Actor Story-teller
Orator Journalist
Comedian Speech writer






NEXT......

Monday, February 12, 2007

Linguistic Intelligence

NEXT......

English Conversation

ENGLISHDPCONV.NUSRON





DAYS AND MONTHS OF THE CALENDER



105. Your friend was here a week ago,wasn’t he?





TALKING ABOUT OBJECTS



106. do you have a book?



107. yes,I do.



108. you have a radio,don’t you?



109. no.I don’t.



110. I don’t have a Phonograph,either.



111. does this radio belong to you?



112. yes,I think it does.



113. how many sisters and brother do you have?



114. don’t you have my hat?



115. yes, I have both your hat and your coat.



116. does Jhon have a yellow pencil?



117. yes, he does



118. he has radio, doesn’t he?



119. no, he doesn’t have one



120. he already has phonograph, but he doesn’t have a radio ye.





TELLING TIME.



121. what time is it?



122. it’s two o’clock



123. it’s a few minutes after two.



124. my watch is fast and your watch is slow



125. Excuse me. Can you tell me the correct time?



126. No, I can’t



127. I don’t know what time it is



128. I don’t think it’s four o’clock yet



129. it must be about three Thirty



130. I get up before six o’clock every day.



131. the restaurant doesn’t open until seven forty-five



132. will you be here at ten o’clock tomorrow?



133. yes, I will



134. we’ll be on time, won’t we?



135. I hope so.







TALKING ABOUT DATES





136. what’s date today?



137. today is November first, Nineteen sixty-three.



138. when were you born?



139. I was born on November first Nineteen thirty-five



140. today is my birthday



141. my sister was born in nineteen thirty-eight



142. I don’t know the exact date



143. where were you born?



144. I was born in a little town not far from here.



145. what do you know about the tenth century?



146. I don’t know anything about that.



147. let’s talk about something else.



148. where were you during the month of April last year?



149. I don’t remember where I wes then



150. Where will you be next year at this time?







TALKING ABOUT OBJECT AND PEOPLE







151. what do you want?



152. I want a cup of coffee.



153. what would you like to eat?



154. please give me a piece of pie.



155. which one would you like-this one or that one



156. it doesn’t matter to me.



157. I’d like to talk with Mr. Jones or Mr. Smith



158. I’m sorry, but both of them are busy right now



159 wouldn’t you like some coffee?

160. I’d rather have some ten, if you don’t mind

161. do you know any of those people?

162. two or three of them look familiar.

163. which one of those men is Mr.

164. which one of those friends of mine.

165. is he the tall man on the left?



TALKING ABOUT LANGUAGES

166. do you speak English?

167. yes, a little

168. does your friend speak English?

169. yes, he speak English perfectly

170. what’s his native language?

171. I don’t know what his native language is?

172. how many language do you speak?

173. my friend reads and writes several language.

174. How well do you know French?

175. He speak French with an American accent.

176. My parents speak English fluently

177. Mr. Jones can read French pretty well

178. Sometime I make mistakes when I speak English.

179. I have a lot of trouble with pronunciation.

180. how is her accent in French



TALKING ABOUT ACTIVITIES.




181. what are you doing?

182. I’m reading a book.

183. what’s your friend doing?

184. he’s studying his lesson

185. I’m not doing anything right now.

186. where are you going?

187. I’m going home.

188. what time are you coming back?

189. I’m not sure what time I’m coming back

190. what are you thinking about?

191. I’m thinking about?

192. who are you writing to?

193. I’m writing to a friend of mine in South America.

194. By the way, who are you waiting for?

195. I’m not waiting for anybody.

ASKING ABOUT AGE


196. How old are you?

197. I’m twenty-one years old.

198. My brother is not quite twenty-five.

199. John is not forty-five yet,is he?

200. Mr.Smith is still in his fifties.

201. I’m two years older than you are.

202. My brother is two years younger than I am.

203. How many are there in your family?

204. There are seven of us altogether.

205. My sister is the oldest.

206. I’m the youngest.

207. Guess how old I am.

208. I’d say you’re about twenty-three

209. I was thirty on my last birthday.

210. I’m going to be sixty-one nexy Tuesday.

TALKING ABOUT
DAILY ACTIVITIES

211. What time do you get up every day?

212. I usuallu wake up earl.

213. I get up at 6 o’clock everyday.

214. My brother gets up later than I do.

215. After I get dressed,I have breakfast.

216. Usually,I have a big breakfast.

217. I have juice.cereal,toast,and coffe for breakfast.

218. I leave the house at eight a.m. each day.

219. I get to work at nine o’clock every, morning.

220. I work hard all morning.

221. I go out for lunch at about 12:30.

222. I finish working at 5:45 p.m.

223. I eat dinner at about 7 o’clock.

224. Before I eat dinner, I read the newspaper for awhile.

225. I usually go to bed at about midnight.

TALKING ABOUT YESTERDAY’S
ACTIVITIES

226. What time did you get up yesterday morning?

227. I woke up early and got up at 6 o’clock.

228. My brother got up earlier than I did.

229. Did you get dressed right away?

230. Yes, I got dressed and had breakfast.

231. What kind of breakfast did you have?

232. What time did you get to work yesterday morning?

233. I left the house at 8 o’clock and go to work at 8:30

234. Did you work all day?

235. Yes, I worked from early morning until late at night.

236. At noon I had lunch with friend of mine.

237. I finished working at 5:30 and went home.

238. After dinner I read a magazine and made some telephone calls.

239. I went to bed at 11:30 p.m.

240. I went to sleep immediately and slept soundly all night.




MEETING A FRIEND

241. Where did you go yesterday?

242. I went to see a friend of mine.

243. Did you see Mr. Jones yesterday?

244. I didn’t see Mr. Jones, but I saw John Smith.

245. What did you talk about?

246. We talked about a lot of things.

247. I asked him a lot of questions.

248. What did you ask him?

249. I asked him is he spoke English.

250. He said he spoke a little English

251. Then I asked him if he knew anybody in New York.

252. He said he knew a lot of people there.

253. Finally, I asked him how old he was.

254. He said he would rather not tell his age.

255. He answered almost of my questions.

TALKING ABOUT
LAST YEAR’S ACTIVITIES

256. What time did you use to get up last year?

257. I used wo wake up early and get up at 7 o’clock.

258. I used to set my alarm clock for exactly 7 a.m.

259. I never used to oversleep.

260. I used to get dressed quickly every morning.

261. I always used to leave for work at 8:30.

262. I used to start working at 9:00 o’clock everyday.

263. I used to have lunch every day at the same time.

264. I used to work until nearly 6:00 o’clock each day.

265. I used to have dinner at 7:30 and go to bed early.

266. My brother and I used to go a lot of places together.

267. We used to go to movies about friends.

268. We used to have a lot of interesting friends.

269. My brother used to speak French to me al the time.

270. I always used to ask him a lot of questions.

ASKING ABOUT ADDRESSES

271. Where do you love?

272. I live on Washington Street.

273. What’s your address?

274. I live at 1203 Washington Street.

275. I’m Mr. Smith’s next door neighbor.

276. You live here in the city, don’t you?

277. I’m from out of town.

278. How long have you lived here?

279. I’ve lived here for over five years.

280. He’s known me for over ten years.

281. I’ve spoken English all my life.

Asking Questions

282. I’ve already read that book
283. Has he studied French very long?
284. Havr you had breakfast already?
285. Yes, I had breakfast two hours ago.
286. Where were you yesterday afternoon?
287. I was at home all afternoon.
288. I was writing some letters to friends of mine.
289. What were you doing at about 4 o’clock yesterday afternoon?
290. I was listening to the radio.
291. What ere you doing when I called you on the telephone?
292. When you called me, I was eating dinner.
293. When I saw Mr.Jones, he was talking with Jhon Smith.
294. While you were writing letters, I was reading book.
295. While we were having breakfast, John was talking on the telephone.
296. Can you guess what I was doing this morning?
297. I can’t remember what John was doing yesterday afternoon.
298. I’ve forgotten what he said his address was.
299. I’ve forgotten what time he said he had dinner last night.
300. They called us just as we wer having dinner.




Talking About Weather

402.Today is the first day of spring.
403.What's the temperature today?
404.It's about sevanty degrees
Fahrenhei this afternoon.
405.There's a cool breeze this evening
TALKING ABOUT SICKNESS AND HEALTH
406.How are you feeling today?
407.I din't feel very well this morning.
408.I was sick yesterday,but i'm better today.
409.My fever is gone,but i still have a cough.
410.My brother has a bad headache.
411.Which your arm is sore?
412.My rigt arm hurts.It hurts right
here.
413.What's the matter with you?
414.I've got a pain in my back.
415.Which fott huts?is it the left one?
416.How did you break your leg?
417.I slipped on the stairs annd fell down.I broke my leg.
418.Your riht hand is swollen.Does it hurt?
419It's bleeding .You' better go s doctor about that cut.
420.I hope you'll be well soon.
TALKING ABUT DAILY HABITS
421.I get out of bed about 7 o'clock
every morning.
422.After getting up, i go into ,the bathroom and take a shower.
423.Then, i shave ,brush my teeth and comb my hair.
424.After brushing my teeth,i put on my clothes.
425.After that ,i go downstairs to the kitchen to have breakfast.
426.After eating breakfast, i go back upstairs again.
427.Then it's usually time to wake up my little brother.
428.He can't dress himself yet because he's too young.
429.I wash his face and his hands,and then i dress him.
430.He tries to button his own shirt,but he can't do it.
431.My little brother takes a bathbefore he goes to bed at night.
432.He always forgets to wash behind his ears.
433.I'm always tiredwhen i come home from work.
434.At bed time , i take off my clothes and put on my pajamas.
435.Iget into bed at about 11:30,and go right off to sleep.
Getting other people's opinions and ideas.
436.What do you think?Is that right?
437.Certainly.You're right about that.
438.I think you're mistaken about that.
439.I like hot weather best.
440.Personally , i prefer winter weather.
441.Do you think it's going to rain tomorrow?
442.I don't whether it will rain or not.
443.In my opinion ,That's an excellent idea.
444.Why is mr.Copper so tired?Do you have an idea.
445.He's tired because he worked hard all day today.
446.What do you think of my children?
447.I think you havea very atractive children.
448.Please give me your frank opinion.
449.Do you really want to know what i think?
450.Of course i want to know what your opinion
MAKING PLANS
451.What do you plan to do tomorrow?
452.I doubt that i'll do anything tomorrow .
453.Please excuse me for a little while.I want to do something.
454.I imagine I'll do some work instead of going to the movies.
455.Will it be convenient for you to explain your plans to him?
456.There is nothing to do because tomorrow is holiday.
457.What's your brother planning to do tomorrow?
458.He can't decide what to do.
459.It is difficult to make a decision without knowing all the facts.
460.We are trying to plan our future?
461.That's a good idea.
462.I am hoping to stand a few days in the mountains.
463.Would you consider going north this summer ?
464.If there is a chance you will go ,I'd like to go with you.
465.After you think it over ,please let me know what you decide.
466.I am ancious to know what your decision is?
467.I am confident you have made the right choice.
468.I want to persuade you to change your mind.
469.Will you accept my advice ?
470.What have you decided ?


Eating In Restaurant

511. What would you like to eat ??
512. I’d like a bowl of tomato soup, please.
513. The waiter seems to be in a hurry to take our order.
514. Which would you rather have steak or fish ??
515. I want my steak well-done.
516. What kinds of vegetables do you have ??
517. I’ll have mashed potatoes and green beans.
518. Would you please pass the salt ??
519. They serve good food in this restaurant.
520. Are you ready for your dessert now ??
521. This knife is dirty. Would you bring me the clean one, please ??
522. may I have the check, please.
523. you have your choice of three flavors of ice cream.
524. we have vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry.
525. we invited two guests to dinner, but they didn’t come.

Going Out For The Evening

526. How long did the movie last ??
527. The feature started at 9 o’clock and ended at 11:30.
528. They say the new films is an adventure story.
529. A group of us went out to the theater last night.
530. The new play was good and everybody enjoyed it.
531. By the time we got there, the play had already began.
532. The ushers showed us to our seats.
533. the cast of the play included a famous actor.
534. after the play was over, we all wanted to get something top eat.
535. there was a big crowd and we had difficulty getting a taxi.
536. the restaurant was filled, so we decided to go elsewhere.
537. my brother wants to learn how to dance.
538. we don’t go go dancing very often.
539. which would you rather do—go dancing or go to a play ??
540. I’m not accustomed to going out after dark.

Making Appointments

541. I’d like to make an appointment to see Mr.Cooper.
542. Would you like to arrange for a personal interview ??
543. Your appointment will be next Thursday at 10 o’clock.
544. I can come any day except Thursday.
545. He wants to change the appointment from Monday to Wednesday.
546. She failed to call the office to cancel her appointment.
547. I’m going to call the employment agency for a job.
548. please fill in this application form.
549. are you looking for a permanent position ??
550. I’m going to call a plumber to come this afternoon.
551. I couldn’t keep the appointment because I was sick.
552. I’m a new employee I was hired yesterday.
553. please call before you come, otherwise we might not be at home.
554. let’s make a date to go shopping next Thursday.
555. will you please lock the door when you leave ??

Visiting The Doctor

556. I went to see my doctor for check-up yesterday.
557. The doctor discovered that I’m little overweight.
558. he gave me a chest X-ray and took my blood pressure.
559. he told me to take these pills every four hours.
560. do you think the patient can be cured ??
561. they operated on him last night.
562. he needed a blood transfusion.
563. my uncle had a heart attack last year.
564. they had to call in a heart specialist.
565. what did the doctor say ??
566. the doctor advised me to get plenty of exercise.
567. the doctor said I look pale.
568. if I want to be healthy, I have to stop smoking cigarettes.
569. the physician said smoking is harmful to my health.
570. it’s just mosquito bite. There’s nothing to worry about.

Making Telephone Calls

571. you’re wanted on the telephone.
572. what number should I dial to get the operator.
573. I want to make a long distance call.
574. pick up the receiver and deposit a coin in the slot.
575. I tried to call Mr.Cooper, but the line was busy.
576. you must have dialed the wrong number.
577. I dialed the right number, but nobody answered.
578. the telephone is ringing. Would you answer it, please ?
579. would you like to leave a message ??
580. who is this ?? I don’t recognize your voice.
581. would you please tell Mr.Cooper I called ??
582. is this empire 5-4093 ??
583. I have to hang up now.
584. put the receiver closer to your mouth. Ican’t hear you.
585. would you mind calling back sometime tomorrow ??

Writing Letters

586. how long has it been since you’ve heard from you uncle ??
587. when was the last time he wrote you ??
588. I can’t recall how long it’s been.
589. I’m always disappointed when I don’t get any mail.
590. I feel guilty because I haven’t written her lately.
591. what time is the mail delivered on Saturday ??
592. the postman always comes at 2 o’clock.
593. I wrote to my uncle last night. I couldn’t put it off any longer.
594. I enclosed some some photographs in my letter.
595. I didn’t know whether to send the letter airmail or not.
596. how long does it take for a letter to get to California ??
597. don’t forget to put stamps on the letter before you mail it.
598. he went to the post office to mail a letter.
599. I dropped the letter in the mailbox on the corner.
600. how did you sign the letter ? did you wrote,”sincerely yours”?

Telling About Past Experience

601. a strange thing happened to me this morning.
602. I was crossing the street and was almost hit by a car.
603. fortunately, I jumped back in time to avoid being hit.
604. it was a terrible experience, and I won’t forget it.
605. yesterday was such a beautiful day we decided to go for a drive.




606. We prepared apicnic lunch and drovw down by the river.
607. After a while, we found a shady plce under some poplar trees.
608. On the way back home, we had a flat tired.
609. It was after dark when we got back, and we were all tired.
610. I wish you would give me a more detailed description of your trip.
611. Speaking of trips did I ever tell you about the experience I had.
612. We used to have a lot of fun when we were that age.
613. I can’t recall the exact circumstance.
614. I never realized that someday I would be living in New York.
615. We never imagined that John would become a doctor.

ASKING ABOUT FURNITURE AND PLACE TOLIVE

616. We’re looking for a house to rent for the summer.
617. Are you trying to find a furnished house?
618. This split-level house is for rent. It’s a bargain.
619. That house is for sale. It has central heating.
620. We have a few kitchen things and a dining room set.
621. This is an interesting floor plan. Please show me the basement.
622. The roof has leaks in it, and the front step need to be fixed.
623. We’ve got to get a bed and dressed for the bedroom.
624. Does the back door have a lock on it?
625. They’ve already turned on the electricity.
626. I’m worried about the appearance of the floor. I need to wax it.
627. If you want a towel, look in the linen closet.
628. What style furniture do you have?? Is it traditional?
629. We have drapes for the living room, but we need kitchen curtains.
630. The house needs panting. It’s in bad condition.

TALKING ABOUT THINGS TO WEAR

631. What are you going to wear today?
632. I’m going to wear my blue suit.
633. I have two suits to send to the cleaners.
634. I have some shirts to send to the laundry.
635. You ought to have that coat cleaned and pressed.
636. I’ve got to get this shirt washed and ironed.
637. All my suits are dirty. I don’t have anything to wear.
638. You’d better wear a light jacket. It’s chilly today.
639. This dress doesn’t fit me anymore..
640. I guess I’ve outgrown this pair of trousers.
641. These shoes are wornt-out. They’ve lasted a long time.
642. I can’t fasten this collar button.
643. Why don’t you get dressed now? Put on your work clothes.
644. My brother came in, changed his clothes, and went out again.
645. I didn’t notice you were wearing your new that.
DISCUSSING DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW

646. You have your point of view, and I have mine.
647. You approach it in a different way than I do.
648. I won’t argue with you, but I think you’re being unfair.
649.That’s a liberal point of view.
650. He seems to have a lot of strange ideas.
651. I don’t see any point in discussing the question any further.
652. What alternativws do I have?
653. Everyonr is entitled to his own opinion.
654. There are always two sides to everything.
655. We have opposite views on this.
656. Please forgive me. I didn’t mean to start an argument.
657. I must know your opinion. Do you agree wirh me?
658. What point are you trying to make?
659. Our views are not so far apart, after all
660. We should be able to resolve our differences.

THINKING ABOUT POSSIBLE FUTUREACTIVITIES

661. If it doesn’t rain tomorrow, I think I’ll go shopping.
662. There’s a possibility we’ll go, but it all depends on the weather.
663. If I have time tomorrow, I think I’ll get a haircut.
664. I hope I remember to ask the barber not to cut my hair too short.
665. My son wants to be a policeman when he grows up.
666. If I get my work finished in time, I’ll leave for New York Monday.
667.Suppose you couldn’t to go on the trip. How would you feel?
668. What would you say if I told you I couldn’t go with you?
669. If I buy that car,I’ll have to borrow some money.
670. If I went with you, I’d have to be back by six o’clock.
671. One of these days, I’d like to take a vacation.
672. A soon as I can, I’m going to change jobs.
673. There’s a chance he won’t be able to be home for Christmas.



759. Politically , the country is divided into fifty states .
760. The industrial area is centered largely in the north .
761. The country is rich in natural resources . It has mineral deposits .
762. This nation is noted for its economic stability .
763. How old do you have to be to vote in the national elections ? .
764. Today we celebrate our day of independence . It’s a national holiday .
765. My home is in the capital . It’s a cosmopolitan city .
GEGRAPHY AND LAND FEATURES
766. Geographically , this country is located in the southern hemisphere .
767. It’s a beautiful country with many large lakes .
768. This part of the country is very mountainous .
769. The land in this region is dry and parched .
770. Along the northern coast there are many high cliffs .
771. There are forest here and lumbering is important .
772. The scenery is beautiful near the Pacific Ocean .
773. This mountain range has many high peaks and deep canyons .
774. What kind of climate do you have ? Is it mild ?
775. How far is it from the shore of the Atlantic to the mountains ?
776. Is the coastal plain good for farming ?
777. What’s the longest river in the United States ?
778. Are most of the lakes located in the north central region ?
779. As you travel westward , does the land get higher ?
780. The weather is warm and sunny here . Do you get much rain ?
SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION
781. Children enter school at age of five , don’t they ?
782. In elementary school , the child learns to read and write .
783. In secondary school , children get more advanced knowledge .
784. In universities , students train to become teachers and engineers .
785. He went to grade school New York and high school in Chicago .
786. In college I majored in science What was your major ?
787. My sister graduated from high school . Graduation was last night .
788. I’m graduate of Yale University . I have a Bachelor of Arts degree .
789. If you expect to enter the university , you should apply now .
790. This is my first year of college . I’m a freshman .
791. My uncle is a high school principal .
792. What kind of grades did you make in college ?
793. During your first year of college , did you make straight A’s ?
794. My brother is a member of the faculty . He teaches economics .
795. John has extracurricular activities . He’s on the football team .
WORK AND CAREERS
796. I’m a federal employee . I work for the Department of Labor .
797. What kind of work do you do ? Are you a salesman ?
798. As soon as I complete my training , I’m going to be a bank teller .
799. John has built up his own business . He owns a hotel .
800. What do you want to be when you grow up ? Have you decided yet ?
801. I like panting , but I wouldn’t want it to be my life’s work .
802. Have you ever thought about a career in the medical profession ?
803. My uncle was a pilot with the airlines . He just retired .
804. My brother’s in the army . He was just promoted to the rank of major .
805. I have good-paying job with excellent hours .
806. My sister worked as a secretary before she got married .
807. George’s father is an attorney . He has his own practice .
808. He always takes pride in his work . he’s vary efficient .
809. Mr. Smith a politician . He’s running for elections as governor .
810. After a successful career in business , he was appointed ambassador .

Farms and Factories

811. Because of the warm and sunny weather, oranges grow very well here.
812. In this flat country people grow wheat and corn and raise cattle.
813. The ground around here is stony and not very good for farming.
814. What are the principal farm products in this region?
815. Milk, butter, and cheese are shipped here from the diary farms.
816. They had to cut down a lot of trees to make room for farms.
817. At this time of the year farmers plow their fields.
818. On many farms you’ll find cows and chickens.
819. If you have cows you have to get up early to do the milking.
820. Tractors have revolutionized farming.
821. In the United States, there are many factories for making clothes.
822. Factories employ both male and female workers.
823. If you work in a factory, you usually have to punch a clock.
824. Is meat packing a big industry in your country?
825. Is it true that the manufacturing of automobiles is a major industry?

Hobbies and interests

826. My hobby is collecting stamps. Do you have a hobby?
827. I’ve always thought photography would be and interesting hobby.
828. Some people like horse back riding, but I prefer golfing as a hobby.
829. Do you have any special interests other than your job?
830. Learning foreign languages is just an avocation with me.
831. I find stamp collecting relaxing and it takes my mind off my work.
832. On weekends I like to get my mind off my work by reading good books.
833. My cousin is a member of a drama club. He seems to enjoy acting.
834. He plays the piano for his own enjoyment.
835. I’ve gotten interested in hi-fi. I’m building my own equipment.
836. He’s not a professional. He plays the piano for the fun of it.
837. I’ve heard of unusual hobbies, but I’ve never heard of that one.
838. The trouble with photography is that it’s an expensive hobby.
839. That’s a rare set of coins. How long did it take you to collect them?
840. I started a new hobby. I got tired of working in the garden.

Recreation and sports

841. Baseball is my favorite sport. What’s your favorite?
842. My nephew is a baseball player. He is a catcher.
843. When you played football, what position did you play?
844. We played a game last night. The score was tied six-to-six.
845. I went to a boxing match last night. It was a good fight.
846. When I was on the track team, I used to run the quarter mile.
847. I like fishing and hunting, but I don’t like swimming.
848. My favorite winter sport is skiing. I belong to a ski club.
849. Would you be interested in going to the horse races this afternoon?
850. The hardest thing to learn is to be a good looser.
851. Be a good sport. Play according to the rules of the game.
852. Our family went camping last summer. We had to buy a new tent.
853. This afternoon we went to the gym for a workout. We lifted weights.
854. What do you do for recreation? D
720. He won’t play attention to anybody. You’re just wasting you breath.




 

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Friday, February 9, 2007

Menyongsong Hari Esok yang Cerah

Hari esok yang lebih cerah bisa kita songsong dengan lebih mantap. Hal ini tentunya 
tidak lepas dari persiapan yang kita lakukan sekarang. Seperti pepatah mengatakan Berakit-rakit ke hulu, berenang-renang ke tepian. Kecerahan hari esok adalah hasil ukiran kita sekarang.   
Karena itu kita perlu menggali potensi yang ada dalam diri kita seoptimal mungkin. Kelemahan kita selama ini, seperti umumnya terjadi di negara-negara berkembang, adalah ketidakmampuan menggali seluruh potensi yang ada di dalam diri kita secara optimal. Hal ini berbeda dengan mereka yang ada di negara-negara maju pada umumnya.  Seperti kata Gardner: kita, ibarat tambang emas, yang belum 
digali sepenuhnya sehingga tambang itu menjadi sia-sia kartena tidak dimanfaatkan deangan baik.
Oleh karena itu marilah kita gali potensi yang adal dalam diri kita semaksimal mungkin untuk meraih kebahagiaan hidup kita di masa yang akan datang.

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