Reading Comprehension : Going to a Concert Part 1

Going to a Concert Part 1

(view it in Google Docs)

I heard on the radio this morning that my favorite band was going to be in concert here next month. I was so excited. The first thing I did was to call my friend Ben who is also a big fan of the band. Not only was the band playing in town, they were going to play at a bar called the Whiskey. The Whiskey is known as a small, intimate venue so we’d be able to get close to the band. It's not a big amphitheater where you can't even see the band from the nosebleed section. This would be the ultimate concert experience if only we can get tickets.

• band: a group of musicians, especially a group that plays popular music.
• the band was playing old beatles songs.
• I joined the band 5 years ago.
• concert: a performance given by musicians or singers.
• a rock concert.
• a concert of french choral music.
• venue: a place where an organized meeting or concert takes place.
• the first thing to do is book a venue.
• the band will play (to perform) as many venues as possible.
• amphitheater: a large circular building with no roof and with many rows of seats.
• nosebleed: if you have a nosebleed, blood starts flowing from your nose. BUT here it means Seats in a theater, usually for a live show of some sort, that are so high and far away from the stage that you get a "nosebleed" from the high altitude.
• ultimate: the main and the most important.
• complete disarmament was the ultimate goal of the conference.

I was sure that the tickets would sell out fast when they went on sale on Saturday morning. So, Ben and I decided to camp out in front of the box office on Friday night. That way, when the box office opened on Saturday morning, we would definitely get tickets. We grabbed a bite to eat on Friday night, then we got dressed in our warmest clothes and took our sleeping bags to the ticket office. This was around 8pm. When we got there, I couldn't believe it! There were already about 15 people in line! And, I was sure we'd be the first ones. Oh well.

• to sell out: if a shop sells out of something, it sells all it has that there is no available.
• I went to get some bread. but the shop had sold out.  
• In a hot day, we can sell out all of icecream in one hour.
• went on sale: when something is on sale, then it is available for people to buy it.
• [go on sale price] for people available at a price that is less than the usual (normal) price
• [on sale] tickets for the performance are on sale at the post office.
• camp out: to sleep outdoors, usually in a tent.
• what he liked best about scouting was camping out.
• box office: the place in a theatre, or cinema where tickets are sold.
• collect  your tickets at the post office.
• grab a bite to eat: to get something to eat, or to get food that can be eaten quickly.
• I need a few minutes to grab a bite to eat. I am always trying to get a bite between meetings.
  

Reading Comprehension : StereoTypes

A stereotype is a fixed idea that people have about what specific social groups or individuals are like, especially an idea that is wrong. Other terms that are associated with the term stereotype are prejudice and cliche. The term has a Greek origin: stereos means solid or firm and typos mean blow, impression, engraved or mark. The term was first used in the printing business. The first modern English use of the term was in 1850, meaning "image perpetuated without change."

1. Stereotype: a belief or idea of what a particular type of person or thing is like.
   
2. Prejudice:an unseasonable dislike and distrust of people who are different from you in some way, specially because of their race, sex, religion, etc...
3. Cliche:a phrase or opinion that is overused and betrays a lack of original thought.
4. Firm:a business concern, especially one involving a partnership of two or more people.
5. Blow:an action or event that causes difficulty or sadness for someone
6. Engraved:to carve (cut) words or designs on metal, wood, glasses, etc...
7. Perpetuated: make something continue to exist for a long time.

Because stereotypes are standardized and simplified ideas of groups, based on some prejudices, they are not derived from objective facts, but rather subjective and often unverifiable ideas. As Sociologist Charles E. Hurst states* "One reason for stereotypes is the lack of personal, concrete familiarity that individuals have with persons in other racial or ethnic groups. Lack of familiarity encourages the lumping together of unknown individuals".

• lumping : a small piece of something solid.

The existence of stereotypes may be explained by the need of groups of people to view themselves as more normal or more superior than other groups. Consequently, stereotypes may be used to justify ill-founded prejudices or ignorance and prevent people of stereotyped groups from entering or succeeding in various activities or fields. The stereotyping group is, generally, reluctant to reconsider their attitudes and behavior towards stereotyped group.

• consequently: as a result (SYN: therefore)
  
• reluctant: unwilling or hesitant.

Reading Comprehension: How to be a good cizen ?

Citizenship is a sacred honor, a plaque we carry proudly on our chests and a burden pressing hard on our backs. A citizen is a member of a country. He has the right to ask for its protection, and the duty to protect it and obey its laws and rules. In other words, citizenship is the relationship between an individual and a state in which the individual belongs, and owes allegiance to the state and in turn is entitled to its protection.

• Plaque: a piece of flat metal, wood, or stone with writing on it, used as a prize in a competition or attached to a building to remind people of an event or person: 
• Burden: something difficult or worrying that you're responsible for
• Allegiance: loyalty to a leader, country, belief etc...

Fortunately, being a good citizen doesn't stop at the exchange of rights and duties, it requires a lot of civilized behavior, and responsible acts.
All the members of our community, from the youngest to the eldest, have to cooperate. By cooperating, I don't mean giving huge efforts. Simple acts and easy behavior can help us ameliorate our level of life. As citizens, and students in particular, all we have to do are the steps below:

• Ameliorate: to make a bad situation better or less harmful.
• Start with your own home, clean it regularly, and take care of your front door area.
• Being a good neighbor by caring about others."    Don't overuse water and electricity.
• Respect your neighbors, help them if necessary, and act politely.
• Don't litter, or throw trash in the street.
• Litter: waste paper, cans etc... That people have thrown away and left on the ground in a public place.
• Don't spit in the street, it doesn't only bother the other passers-by, but it also affects your discipline, and it's very far from being civilized.
• Try to cross the street in the crossing passage. The town will look organized, and it lowers the level of accidents.
• Let's try to walk in the sidewalk, or the pavement, because it causes fewer difficulties to drivers in the city.
• Respect your school, especially its doors, walls and windows. They are not yours; you only borrow them for a year or more.
• Being a citizen is a source of pride. Don't try to ignore your origins in front of foreigners. Have you ever seen any of them deny being who s/he really is?
• Act nicely with tourists. If we want our country to receive millions of tourists, try to be nice.
• If you can study about your country, it would be great. See the extreme diversity you have (the desert, the sea, the mountains, the different dialects, the traditions, the traditional clothes).
• If you don't vote, who will? A simple act can place the right person in the right place.
• In emergencies, don't be afraid. Help the people in need. (Blood donations, call the police, the ambulance, and help a lady in the street...) Imagine you were in their place; wouldn't you like to have other people standing by your side?

When you become a parent, teach this to your children. Citizenship starts from childhood, and only ends by the time you die. It's only by practicing those really simple acts that our daily life can get better. I hope this will help us understand another meaning of good citizenship.

Reading Comprehension : Reassessing the impacts of Brain Drain on Developing Countries

Brain drain, which is the action of having highly skilled and educated people leaving their country to work abroad, has become one of the developing countries concerns. Brain drain is also referred to as human capital flight. More and more third world science and technology educated people are heading for more prosperous countries seeking higher wages and better working conditions. This has of course serious consequences on the sending countries.

• abroad: in or to a foreign country.
• prosperous: rich and successful.
• wages: money you earn that is paid according to the number of hours, days or weeks that you work.
•  consequences: something that happens as a result of a particular action or set of conditions.

While many people believe that immigration is a personal choice that must be understood and respected, others look at the phenomenon from a different perspective. What makes those educated people leave their countries should be seriously considered and a distinction between push and pull factors must be made. The push factors include low wages and lack of satisfactory working and living conditions. Social unrest, political conflicts and wars may also be determining causes. The pull factors, however, include intellectual freedom and substantial funds for research.

SQL Server : How to generate a sequential number

In order to generate a sequential number in SQL Server, you can use the keyword 'ROW_NUMBER' in its correct format as follows:

1. type in the keyword 'NOW_NUMBER'
2. follow it by the keyword 'OVER', it takes two parameter:
1. The first one is to  indicate the column in which you want to reset the sequential number based on
2. The second is the order of that data in which the sequential number come along with.
3. Note: The fist parameter is optionally whereas the second is manadatory.
3. give an alias for the column using the keyword 'AS'

As an example how to generate a sequential number in SQL Server, look at the following example:

SELECT ROW_NUMBER() OVER(PARTITION BY ColumnName ORDER BY AnotherColumnName) AS ColumnAlias


References:

• http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms186734.aspx
• Training Kit (Exam 70-461) Querying Microsoft SQL Server 2012

Quran Weekly : No Action is Insignificant - Nouman Ali Khan

Key Words:

Word	Meaning	Example	Synonyms
Reflections	Careful thought, or an idea or opinion based on this.	A moment’s reflection will show the stupidity of this moment.
Deeds	Something someone does, especially something that is very good or very bad.	After morning’s good deeds, he deserved a rest
Acknowledgment	The act of admitting or accepting that something is true	We want an acknowledgment of the existence of the problem
Conscious	Noticing or realizing something	-           I became conscious of someone watching me. -          I was very conscious of the fact that I had to make a good impression	Aware of
Staring	To look at something or someone for a long time without moving your eyes.	What are you staring at?
Mundane	Ordinary and not interesting or exciting, of this earthy world rather than a heavenly or spiritual one.	-          The work is pretty mundane -          The mundane task of setting the table can be fun on holidays.	Boring
Dragged	To pull something along the ground, often because it is too heavy to carry	I managed to drag the table into the kitchen.
Era	A period of time in history that is known for a particular event, or for qualities	-          We live in an era of instant communication. -          His death marked the end of an era
Filthy	Very dirty  قذر	The house very filthy, with clothes and newspapers strewn [to scatter things around a large area] everywhere.
Introspection	The process of thinking deeply about your own thoughts, feelings, or behavior.
Terrified	Very frightened	I am terrified of heights
Compassionate	Feeling sympathy [ the feeling of being sorry for someone who is in a very bad situation] for people who are suffering. رحيم	He’s a caring compassionate man