The Important of Learning English

            English language in this globalization era is used to business language, international association language, employee recruitment in a company with international scale. Therefore, nowadays the society demanded to be more known about foreign language or English. It’s even right to say that mastering English can be very convenient to apply a job in certain company. Thus, it’s not an odd thing if many companies demand the job applicant to have skills and know English.

            In Indonesia there are many still many people who have perception that English is difficult. Because of this perception, the young generation still reluctant or unwilling to learn English more. Below are some important matters to make learning English easier :

            1. Recognize the English language

            2. Start to like English

3. Listen,  read, and watch movies in English language, because if a person accustomed to hear English words then the brain will automatically record the word itself

4. Be brave to expressing self in English language

Some disadvantanges in workplace if ane haven’t mastered English :

            1. Failed to make negotiaton with foreign client because lack in communication

            2. Delayed work because of stammering communication

            3. Not being able to fully understand the contract with foreign client

4. Job application being rejected from global company that requires the applicant to master English

On the opposite, some advantages if one mastered English are :

            1. English is used as an acces for science source

Many of mass media use English as medium language. The example can be seen at electronic media such like computer, laptop, notebook, mobile phone, etc.

            2. Broad communication

Communication not only happen face-to-face relationship, but also withmedia likes chattingon internet.

            3. Getting a grip of internet

                        People might think that websites are translated into Indonesian. But in fact 80% electronic information only available in English while not all the remaining 20% dominated by Indonesian language. There are also many other languages like Chinese, Japanese, French, etc.

PASSIVE SENTENCES

In passive sentences, the thing receiving the action is the subject of the sentence and the thing doing the action is optionally included near the end of the sentence. You can use passive form if you think that the thing receiving the action is more important or should be emphasized. You can also use the passive form if you do not know who is doing the action or if you do not wany to mention who is doing the action.

Here is the formula to make passive sentences :

1. Simple Present

Subject + to be + verb 3

Example: They buy a book everyday (active) >> A book is bought by them (passive)

2. Present Continious

Subjet + to be + being + verb 3

Example : She is drinking a glass of milk (active) >> A glass of milk is being drunk by her (passive)

3. Present Perfect

Subject + have/has + been + verb 3

Example : We have done our homework (actice) >> our home work have been done by us (passive)

4. Simple Past

Subject + to be(was/were) + verb 3

Example : I swept the floor (active) >> the floor was swept by me (passive)

5. Past Continious

                                           Subject + to be (was/were) + being + verb 3

Example : we were typing a letter (active) >> the letter was being typed by us (passive)

6. Past Perfect

Subject + had +  been + verb 3

Example : he had done his homework (active) >> his homework had  been done by him (passive)

7. Simple Future

Subject + will + be + verb 3

Example : they will buy book tomorrow (active) >> a book will be bought by them (passive)

8. Future Continious

Subject + will + be + being + verb 3

Example : we will be typing a letter (active) >> A letter will be being typed by us (passive)

9. Future perfect

Subject + will + have + been + verb 3

Example : he will have done his homework (active) >> his homework will have been done by him (passive)

I. Change this active sentence to passive sentence

1. I called Budi last night (active)

Budi was called by me last night (passive)

2. They gave my sister a ticket (active)

`           A ticket was given to mey sister (passive)

3. We need water (active)

            Water is needed (Passive)

4.  I turn off the light at bed time (active)

            The light is turned off at bed time by me (Passive)

5. He is buying the novel (active)

            A novel is being bought by him (passive)

6. They will ask you several questions (active)

            Several questions will be asked to you

7. People will show the visitors the new building (active)

            The building will be shown to the visitors

8. Many tourists have visited that castle (active)

            That castle has been visited by many tourists

9. Someone will finish the work by 5:00 PM(active)

            The work will be finish by 5:00 PM (passive)

10. They will have completed  the project before the deadline (active)

            The project will been completed before the deadline by them (passive)

II. Change this passive sentence to active sentence

1. Once a week, the house is cleaned by Tom (passive)

            Once a week, Tom cleans the house (active)

2. The car was repaired by Sam (passive)

            Sam repaired the car (active)

3. The customer was being helped by salesman (passive)

            The salesman was helping the customer (active)

4. The bilss used to be paid by Budi (passive)

            Budi used to pay the bills (active)

5. The police were requested to find the girl (passive)

            We requested the police to find the girl (active)

6. A lot of cars are imported from Japan (passive)

            We import a lot of cars from Japan (active)

7. My picture were taken by Budi (passive)

            Budi took my picture (active)

8. I have been bitten by a mosquito (passive)

            A mosquito has bitten me (active)

9. A decision will be made at the next meeting(passive)

            We shall make a decision at the next meeting (active)

10. I was shocked by the bad news (passive)

            The bad news shocked me (active)

“ Global Warning ”

            If you use the internet, watch television, or listen to the radio, you may already be familiar with global warning. Global warning is an important issue that is widely discussed and debated all around the world.

            Global warning is a phrase that is used to describe the increase in the earth’s temperature. The basic cause seems to be a rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide. When people use fossil fuel like coal and oil, this adds carbon dioxide to the air. When people cut down the Earth’s forests ( deforestation), this mean less carbon dioxide is taken out of the atmosphere by plants.

            If the Earth’s temperature becomes hotters the sea level will also become higher. This is partly because water expands when it gets warmer. It is alson partly because warm temperature make glaciers melt. The sea level rise may cause coastal areas flood. Weather patterns, including where and how much rain or snow there is, will change.

            Deserts will probably increasein size. Colder areas will warm up faster than warm areas. Strong stroms may becaome more likely and farming may not make as much food. Tese effect will not be same  everywhere. The changes from one area to another are not wll known.

            People in government and intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC) have talked about global warning. They do not agree what to do about it. Some things that could reduce warningare to burn less fossil fuels,adapt to any temperature change, or try to change the earth to reduce warning. The Kyoto Protocol tries to reduce pollution from the burning to fossil fuels. Most governments have agreed to it. Some people in government think nothing should change.

Temperature Changes

            Climate change has happened many times over the history of the earth, including the coming and going of ice age. For more recent centuries, we have more details.

            Since the 1800s, people have recorded the daily temperature. By about 1850, there were enough places measuring temperature so that scientists could know the global average temperature. From 1920 to 1940, the temperature got warmer. From 1940 to 1970, the temperature got slightly cooler. From 1970 to today, the average temperature for the world has increased by about 0.6 ± 0.2°C. Starting in 1979, satellites started measuring the temperature of the earth.

            Before 1850, there were not enough temperature measurements for us to know how warm or cold it was. Climatologists use proxy measurements to try to figure out past temperatures before there were thermometers. This means measuring things that change when it gets colder or warmer. One way is cut into a tree and measure how far apart the growth rings are. Trees that live a long time can give us an idea of how temperature and rain changed while it was alive.

            For the most the past 2000 years the temperature didn’t change much. There were sometimes where the temperatures were a little warmer or cooler. One of the most famous warm times was the Medieval warm period and one of the famous cool times was the Little ice age. Other proxy measurements like the temperature until about 1000 years ago. Ice cores are also used to find out the temperature back to about half a million years ago.

 The greenhouse effect

            Coal-burning power plants, car exhaust, factory smokestacks, and other man-made waste gas vents give off about 23 billion tons of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the earth’s atmosphere each year. The amount of CO2 in the air is about 31% more than it was around 1750. About three-quarters of the CO2 that people have put in the air during the past 20 years are due to burning fossils fuel like coal and oil. The rest mostly comes from changes in how land is used, like cutting down trees.

The sun

            The sun gets a little bit hotter and cooler every 11 years. This is called the 11-year sunspot cycle. The change is so small that scientists can barely measure how it affects the temperature of the earth. If tha sun was causing the earth to warm up, it would warm both the surface and high up in the air. But the air in the upper stratosphere is actually getting cooler, so scientists don’t think changes in the sun have much effect.

Dust and Dirt

            Dust and dirt in the air come from natural sources such as volcanos,erosion and meteoric dust. People also add to it. Some is aerosol, so small that it could stay in the air for years.

            Some people try to stop global warning, usually by burning less fossil fuel. Many people have tried to get countries to emit less greenhouse gases. The Kyoto Protocol wal signed in 1997. It was means to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere to below their levels in 1990. However, this has not happened. Carbon dioxide levels are highest they have been since the start of the industrial revolution.

            Energy conservation is used to burn less fossil fuel. People can also use energy sources that don’t burn full, or can prevent the carbon dioxide from getting out.

            People can also change how they live because of any changes that global warning will bring. For example, they can go to places where the weather is better, or build wall around cities to keep flood water out. Like the preventive measures, these thingscost money, and rich people and rich countries will be able to change more easily than thje poor. Geoengineering is also seen by some as one climate change mitigation response.