Weeklies

Summer in Finland

See "High times in Helsinki" (Horizons section, page 3)
Lesson by John Ross

Good morning. In this week's look at the Horizons section we will read about Helsinki, the capital of Finland. Normally, when we think of Finland we think of very cold weather because the country is located in the far north with some of the country in the arctic zone. But as we can see from the pictures that accompany this article, the weather in the summer is quite warm and sunny.

Read through the story using the vocabulary below and answer the questions to summarise the information about Helsinki and travel in Finland.

1) Why is summer a time of excitement in Finland?

2) What are some of the natural attractions of Finland?

3) What are some of the interesting buildings in Helsinki? What are some of the features of those buildings?
    a) building: ________________________
        features: __________________________________________________________________

    b) building: ________________________
        features: __________________________________________________________________

    c) building: ________________________
        features: __________________________________________________________________

4) What other country has had a cultural influence on Finland?

After learning about the attractions of Finland and Helsinki, you can pretend to be a travel agent and a tourist with your friend or classmate. Use these questions to help get you started:

tourist: Good morning. I have heard that Finland is a very interesting place to visit. Can you give me some information about traveling there? 

travel agent: Certainly. What would you like to know?

tourist: What is the best time to go there?
           Where should we go?
           What can we do there?
           How can we get there?
           I have heard about the Helsinki card. Can you tell me what it is and where I can get it?


VOCABULARY

high times - good times, fun
arctic zone - the area above the Arctic Circle near the North Pole
vitality - life, excitement
throngs - crowds, many people
oozes - has a lot of
via - by way of, using
proximity - closeness, nearness
distinctive - unique, one-of-a-kind
ambience - atmosphere, feeling
runs - lasts an amount of time 
in force - with many people, in crowds
board - get on, enter
sweltering hot - very hot and humid
the fuss - the excitement
decade - a period of ten years
spurs - causes, makes
frenzy - excitement
harsh - difficult
prolonged - lasting a very long time
twilight - the time just before the sun rises or just after it sets when there is still some light in the sky
polar - related to the North or South Pole
the mercury dips - the temperature drops
embarked - began
jaunt - a short journey
running commentary - continual description
well-preserved - clean and undamaged
picturesque - beautiful like a picture
extensive - very wide and large
initially - at first, originally
acoustics - the sound inside a building
entitled to - receive, get
purchased - bought
valid - good, can be used, not expired

Posted by Terry Fredrickson at 11:33 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

A fun way of building your language skills

See 'Language builder back from the abyss', Learning Post, page L6
From Boon Boonprayoon

Today our Learning Post editor Professor B James Johnson introduces something fun and useful for your language skill building. It is a set of games developed by Arcademic Skill Builders (Arcademic) and found its website. There are three games provided on the website and they are loosely based on old video arcade games such as Pac-Man. For some of you who are young students, you may be wondering what an arcade game is. It is something that most children in 1980's were addicted to. It is similar to your addiction to mobile phones today.

One of the games is the language skill builder game called "Verb Viper". According to Dr Johnson, although the game is still in the beta version and may not support the current communicative teaching and learning trend, it is so innovative that its gets an A+ for taking advantage of teenager's addiction to computer games. Also, the game achieves certain teaching goals such as fluency and automaticity. These two basic skills are essential tto a young student's language acquisition. To make the most of the game, teachers, however, need to follow manual closely to prevent students' being immersed in it. Otherwise, it could be a double-edge sword!

Skim to find answers for the following questions from the text before starting your careful reading. These questions will help you understand the reading faster and more correctly.

Questions from the story:
1. How does the Verb Viper reinforce the students' skills?
2. What was the Arcademic games developed from?
3. What basic skills can the students acquire by working on the Verb Viper?
4. Why are 'fluency' and 'automaticity' important?
5. What are two disadvantages of the games?
6. Why does Dr Johnson say that the game should get A+ for innovation?

Vocabulary from the introduction

loosely [adv] - in a way that is not exact
based on [verb passive]- if something is based on another, it uses it or is developed from it
arcade games [noun]- games played on machines in  buildings usually found in shopping centres
beta version [noun] - the version of a new product, especially computer software, that is almost ready for the public to buy or use, but is given to a few customer to test first
innovative [adj] - introducing new ideas or ways of doing something
automaticity [noun] - a state of being able to do something without thinking 
acquisition [noun] - the act of getting something, especially knowledge, a skill, etc.
immerse [verb] -  to become completely involved in something
double-edge sword [noun] - to be something that has both advantages and disadvantages
acquire [verb] - to gain through experience

Vocabulary from the story

phenomenon [noun] - a fact or an event in society, especially one that is not fully understood
motivate [verb] - to be the reason why somebody does something or behaves in a particular way
intrigue [verb] - to make somebody interested and want to know more about something
captivate [verb] - to keep somebody's attention by being interesting or attractive
reinforce [verb] - to make a feeling, an idea, etc. stronger
adhere to [verb] - to follow a particular set of beliefs or a fixed way of doing something
protocol [noun] - a system of fixed rules and formal behaviour  
adjustable [adj] - that can be moved to different positions or changed in level
suit [verb] - to be right or good for something
facilitate [verb] -  to make an action or process possible or easier
fanatic [noun] - a person who is extremely enthusiastic about something (frequently shorten to 'fan')
intense [adj] -  very great, very strong, extreme
console [noun] - a flat surface which contains all the controls and switches for a machine
harness [verb] - to control and use the force or strength of something to produce power or to achieve something
endurance [noun] - the ability to continue doing something difficult for a long period of time without complaining
groundbreaking approach - a way of dealing with something by using new discoveries or methods
pedagogy [noun] - the study of teaching method
accurate [adj] - correct and true in every detail
effortless [adj] - needing little or no effort, so that it seem easy
intonation [noun] - the rise and fall of the voice in speaking, especially as this affects the meaning of what is being said
anticipate [verb] -to expect something
underscore [verb] - to underline; to emphasise or show that something is important or true
strategies [noun] - a plan that is intended to achieve a particular purpose
the whole enchilada [noun] - the whole thing; everything
recognise [verb] - acknowledge
albeit [conjunction] - although
caveats [noun] - a warning that particular thing need to be considered before something can be done
lector [noun] - a person who teaches in a university, especially somebody who teaches their own language in a foreign country
efficacy [noun] - the ability of doing something well with no waste of time 
emergent [adj] - new and still developing
concurrent [adj] - existing or happening at the same time
rote learning [noun] - the process of learning by repeating it until you remember it rather than understanding the meaning of it
sparingly [adv] - carefully use or give only little of something

* adj = adjective
   adv = adverb

Extra lessons on subject-verb agreement:

Choose the correct answer. You can check your answers by looking back at the stories.

1. Arcademic Skill Builders (Arcademic), at http://arcademic.altec.org/, (is, are) loosely based on old video arcade games.
2. The Verb Viper (reinforces, reinforce) childrens' abilities to use proper verb tenses and to adhere to subject-verb agreement protocol.
3. Each of the three games (is, are) designed to teach a variety of basic educational content.
4. Fluency (also involve, also involves) the ability to anticipate what will come next in the text or conversation.
5. The on-line games come with a teacher's manual, which (underscores, underscore) the idea that Arcademic is something special.
6. Students and parents are advised that the whole enchilada (is, are) coming soon with additional bells and whistles.
7. Emergent students are concurrently exposed to other activities that (is, are) complementary: for example, activities that (requires, require) the student to verbally construct a proper sentence.
8. Even within the current communicative teaching and learning trends, learning about language still (has, have) a place, and repetitive and rote learning (is, are) good tools that should be used sparingly.

Posted by Terry Fredrickson at 10:43 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Riding the big wheel

See "Ferris wheel pulls in visitors", Horizons section, page 3
From John Ross

Hi and welcome to our weekly look at a travel article from the Horizons section. Today we look at an interesting story about Suan Lum Night Bazaar and its ferris wheel. As you can see in the picture, a ferris wheel is a very large ride in the shape of a circle that takes the riders up high and then back down again. Ferris wheels are usually found in amusement parks and may also be found in urban parks and other public spaces. The ferris wheel was named after George Washington Gale Ferris, Jr., who designed a 75-meter wheel for the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Illinois in 1893. In the United Kingdom it is often called a 'big wheel'. The article also gives us some information about shopping at the night bazaar itself.

Read through the story using the vocabulary below and answer the questions to summarise the information about the Ferris wheel and the night bazaar.

1) When was the ferris wheel brought to Suan Lum?
2) Where is the wheel from?
3) How tall is the wheel?
4) What cities was the wheel located in before it was brought to Bangkok?
5) How long will it be located in Bangkok?
6) How many people can it carry at one time?
7) What are some things that you can buy and do at the Suan Lum Night Bazaar?

After learning about the ferris wheel and the night bazaar, you can role play with your partner as two people talking about the night bazaar. Use these questions to help get you started:

first person:   Have you ever been to the Suan Lum Night Bazaar?

second person: No, I haven't. Where is it located?
                        When did it open?
                        What can we do there?
                        How much does the ferris wheel cost?
                        What time does it close?
                        What can we see from the ferris wheel?
                        How can we get there?

If there is time you can also talk about the night bazaar using the true information if you have been there using these questions:

first person:   Have you ever been to the Suan Lum Night Bazaar?

second person: Yes, I have.

first person:    When did you go?
                     Who did you go with?
                     What did you do there?
                     How was it? What did you think?
                     How did you get there?
                                    


VOCABULARY

pulls in - attracts
a dose - a piece, a part, some
flair - excitement, style
a bird's eye view - a view from the sky
ushering in - bringing in, welcoming
foundation - base
ballast - a heavy weight used to keep something from moving around or falling over
extremely - very
portable - can be moved , movable
remain in place - stay 
open-air - outdoors, outside
transformation - change
earmarked - chosen
hanging in - not giving up
will change hands - will have new owners
alternative - choice
commercial - business, for selling
residential - where people live
hub - centre

Posted by Terry Fredrickson at 10:38 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Another way of learning

See 'Teacher, what did I learn today?', Learning Post, page L2
from Boon Boonprayoon

Have you ever asked yourself by the end of the day at school 'What did I learn today?'  While many students in Bangkok rush off to tutoring schools after their long regular hours at school, a group of students from Rayongwittayakom School in Rayong province stay behind after class. What do they do?

    This group of students participates in the UNESCO's project called SchoolNet project. What they do is that they take advantage of the Internet by using it purposefully, and by make themselves become better, more intelligent, and healthier people. Under the SchoolNet project, students communicate and work with other students and teachers overseas in such activities called the 'learning circle'. 

    What we learn from the article is that the process of learning does not need to be limited to the classroom. Getting good grades and a high GPA does not mean that you have acquired necessary skills and knowledge. One of the best ways to learn is to utilise what you are taught in class and apply it in real life. 

Questions:
1. What is the main purpose of the SchoolNet Project?
2. When was the project launched (begun)?
3. Who are the participants? Where are they from?
4. What is a "learning circle activity"?
5. What subjects are the ICT-integrated lesson plans about?
6. What is the key factor of the success of the SchoolNet project?

Vocabulary from introduction

stay behind - to continue being at a particular place without moving away
purposefully - to do something in a useful way; to act with a clear aim and with determination
overseas - abroad; in a foreign country
acquire - to gain something by your own effort
utilise - to make use of something


Vocabulary from the article

pose a question - to ask a question, especially one that needs serous thought
co-ordinator - a person who organises the different parts of an activity so that it works well
launch - to start an activity, especially an organised one
primary - most important, basic or main
objective -  goal or something you are trying to achieve
strengthen - to make something stronger
integrated - in which many different parts are closely connected and work successfully together
individual -  a person considered separately rather than as part of a group
effectiveness - the state of being able to produce a successful result
facilities [always plural in this sense of meaning] - buildings, services, equipment, etc. that are provided for a particular purpose
supervision - being in charge of something or somebody and making sure that everything is done correctly and safely
given - considering
keep on - to continue

Extra activity:

Now try to fill the words from the reading in new sentences.

integrate, launched,effectively, primary, acquired, overseas, strengthen, purposeful,

1. The product is sold both at home and ____________.
2. She looked ____________ and determined.
3. The new operating system for Macintosh computers will be ______________ in the symposium in September.
4. The exercises are designed to _________ your stomach muscles.
5. Our ____________ concern must be the children.
6. They have not made any effort to ______________ with the local community.
7. The readers of 'readbangkokpost.com' have _____________ a good knowledge of English.
8. The company must reduce costs to compete ________________.

Posted by Terry Fredrickson at 10:45 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

How internet browsers remember things

See "AJAX - The glue behind Web 2.0" (Database)
By Jon Fernquest

Note: This site is updated quite often so you may need to refresh your browser to see the latest version.

How do internet browsers work with internet servers to provide information to people over the internet?

This is the question that IT consultant David Judge answers in his weekly Web 2.0 column today.

Common examples of browsers include Firefox or Microsoft's Internet Explorer. The most used server in the world is the free open source Apache.

Learn what cookies, sessions, client-server, state, and shopping carts are all about.

Here are some reading questions to guide your reading (See end for answers):

1. Under the first web paradigm (Web 1.0) how did communication between the user and server occur?
2. What was the web user experience like under Web 1.0?
3. Under Web 1.0 what did the server not need to know? What did it not need to know ?
4. What did users need that Web 1.0 couldn’t provide?
5. What do browsers need to provide for user interaction?
6. What information is in a cookie?
7. Where are cookies stored?
8. Why are cookies useful?
9. What problem do cookies overcome?
10. Are cookies required by many sites?
11. Why did many users disable cookies in their browsers when cookies were first introduced?
12. What are sessions?
13. How do sessions differ from cookies?
14. What problems do sessions and cookies have?
15. In the client/server model what does the server do?
16. Describe how data is processed in the client/server model.
17. How does XMLHttpRequest in Ajax differ from GET and POST that browsers
Normally use?

[Check back shortly for vocabulary and questions to guide your reading]

Answer Key:

1. Under the first web paradigm (Web 1.0) how did communication between the user and server occur?

Communication was "a one-way process." The user would request information and the server would deliver it. The server only stored and delivered information.

2. What was the web user experience like under Web 1.0?

Using the web was like "browsing an encyclopedia and looking up related references."

3. Under Web 1.0 what did the server not need to know? What did it not need to know ?

The server didn't "need to know anything about the user" and it didn't need to "perform any complex data manipulations."

4. What did users need that Web 1.0 couldn’t provide?

Users wanted more interaction. Businesses wanted e-commerce which requires interaction with customers.

5. What do browsers need to provide for user interaction?

They needed "state".

The user entered information into the browser changing the state of the browser. The browser then requested information from the server. When the browser received the new information from the server, the browser forgot all the old information (state).

In other words, browsers needed to remember things. They needed persistent state, state that persisted over many server requests.

6. What information is in a cookie?

Cookies contain information like "your name, your address, items in your shopping cart, etc."

7. Where are cookies stored?

Cookies are stored on the user’s computer.

8. Why are cookies useful?

Cookies save browser state. They allow browsers to remember what they are doing.

The web site server locates the information that it stored in the cookie when you last visited the site.

When you revisit a site or go to a different page in a site, the server can remember you.

9. What problem do cookies overcome?

They overcome the problem of browsers not saving state.

10. Are cookies required by many sites?

Yes: "Many sites will not work properly unless you have cookies."

11. Why did many users disable cookies in their browsers when cookies were first introduced?

Many user disabled them because they were afraid that their privacy would be violated.

12. What are sessions?

Sessions are another way besides cookies that browsers save state and allow users to interact with a site.

13. How do sessions differ from cookies?

Instead of saving user information (state) in a cookie, information is saved inside the web page URL (as a query string). Sometimes information is also saved within the web page in places hidden from the user.

14. What problems do sessions and cookies have?

Both sessions and cookies have security problems. Hackers could cause problems with your site if they really wanted to.

15. In the client/server model what does the server do?

The server is the "data store". Data could be stored as web pages or in a database like MySQL.

16. Describe how data is processed in client/server models.

In client/server models:
1. "the server was the data store"
2. "most processing was carried out on the clients"
3. "only changed data or new data was sent between client and server or vice versa"

17. How does XMLHttpRequest in Ajax differ from GET and POST that browsers
Normally use?

XMLHttpRequest is asynchronous which means that requests for information are sent to the server "in the background without interfering with the user’s interaction with the browser."

Asynchronous tasks execute independently of each other and their timing is not synchronized.

"Asynchronous" means that two things are done at the same time (in parallel), so that 1. the user can be working in the browser while 2. the browser is loading information into the browser from the web site server.

Posted by Jon Fernquest at 08:26 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Setting an example for Thai students!

See "Harvard Bound", Learning Post, page 1

From Boon Boonprayoon

What is the key to first-class academic success? What characteristics do you have to possess to fit the traditional mould of a prospective scholar at an Ivy League university? (Find out more about the Ivy League here.) Today's story on a graduating senior at Ruamrudee International School, Voranaddha Vacharathit explains what they are!

Apart from being academically excellent, Voranaddha clearly comes with the right package for success. That package includes the right attitude toward life, the ability to adapt herself to new environments, a broad vision,  perseverance, and a good personality. Voranaddha admits that all of these factors have helped secure two full scholarship offers — one from Mahidol University and the other from Harvard University.

The story about this young scholar will broaden your horizons. To a larger extent, to reach your academic accomplishment, you have to earn it outside a classroom, too. The first and easiest step to start paving way to the success is to develop the right attitude. Take a close look at how Voranaddha does it and that sweet success could be on your way!

Before working on the exercises, I would like to remind you again that being successful at your academic performance is a rewarding experience. Yet, it is not the only thing that matters in your life. Taking part in extra-curricular activities and sports, being able to get along well with your peers, and helping your parents whenever you can are also essential to your success at being a complete human being.


Reading exercise

A good passage must have clear outline: main idea, supporting details or example and a conclusion. In the second paragraph of the introduction, you will find an outline of the article. Find out what Voranaddha has done to become a scholar at one of the most prestigious universities in the world.

The key to Voranaddha's outstanding achievement

1. Excellent academic performance
     -
     -
2. Right attitude toward life
    -
    -
    -
3. Ability to adapt herself to new environments
    -
    -

4. The good personality
  -
  -

When you have finished working on the exercise above, you have a rough idea of how to organise your own writing. Try to write about the previous academic year of yours. The answers to the following questions are an outline of your essay.

1. Do you think you had a good academic performance last year?
2. If yes, explain how you did it.
3. If no, think of what contributed to the fairly poor performance. What are they?
4. How will you maintain your academic performance? or
5. How will you improve your performance to get a better grade and gain more experiences and knowledge?

Now, the last activity for a holiday (for students in Bangkok). Try practicing your speaking. Imagine you are in an interviewing session and you are asked to tell the interviewers or the committee about your previous academic performance. Use your own essay to work on this!

Vocabulary from the introduction

key - most important; essential; vital or critical
fit a certain mould - to be suitable for a particular style showing characteristics or behaviour that are typical for something
prospective scholar - a student who has been given a scholarship to study at a school, college or university in the near future
Ivy League - The Ivy League consists of eight private institutions of higher education located in the northeastern United States. The term is used to refer its connotation of academic excellence, selectivity in admissions, and a reputation for social elitism among these institutions.
attitude toward life - the way you think and feel about life
vision - the ability to think about or plan the future with great imagination
perseverance -a quality of continuing to try to achieve a particular aim despite difficulties
broaden your horizons - to increase your experience, knowledge, etc.
to a large extent (an idiom) used to show how far something is true or how great an effect it has

Additional vocabulary from the reading


concrete [plan] - [a plan] that is based on facts, not on ideas, or guesses
come down to - to be able to be explained by a single important point
secure - to obtain or achieve something, especially when this means using a lot of effort
prior to -  before something
initial agenda - a plan that is at the beginning
assume - to accept that something is true but without having proof of it
possessions (usually plural in this sense of meaning) -belongings or something that you own 
to a large extent (an idiom) used to show how far something is true or how great an effect it has
constantly - all the time, regularly
acknowledge - to accept or admit that something is true
challenging - difficult in an interesting way that tests your ability
encounter - to run into, to experience something, especially something unpleasant or difficult, while you are trying to do something else
intellectual limit - the limit of your ability to think in a logical way and understand things
extra-curricular activities - activities that are not part of the usual course of work or studies at school or college
convey - to make ideas, feelings, etc. known to somebody; to communicate
walk out of interviews - to leave an interview
whetted your appetite- to increase your desire for or interest in something; to make you want more
roughly - approximately but not exactly
coincidental - happening by chance; not planned
set out to -  to begin a job or task
determined voice - a voice that show your firm decision to do something and that you will not let anyone prevent you

Posted by Terry Fredrickson at 08:14 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Getting the big picture about new web technologies

See "JavaScript the missing piece in the puzzle" (Database)

By Jon Fernquest

[Introduction|Reading Questions|Vocabulary|Answers]

[Check back shortly for more including vocabulary definitions]

Help! I'm lost in a forest of details. My computer manual isn't helping me find the way out of the forest. Please explain how it works in a few easy sentences. Please give me an example. Please just give me the big picture.

It's easy for people to get lost when they start using new computer technologies like Web 2.0.

Eventually they learn how to find their way around the dark forest full of big trees that block their path. Is there a quicker way through the forest?

Today's article continues sketching the big picture of Web 2.0 that last week's article began.

---

Reading Questions

Here are some questions to guide your reading:

1. What web problem did Ajax help solve?

2. What three technologies does Ajax consist of?

3. Which of the three technologies is least essential?

4. What function does XML have in Ajax?

5. What does an "intelligent browser" for web applications have to be able to do?

6. Why is it difficult for everyone to change to a more intelligent web application browser?

7. Instead of changing the browser, what other approach was taken to make browsers more intelligent so that they could run web applications?

8. What is the Microsoft version of Javascript called?

9. Is the Microsoft version of Javascript a lot different from regular Javascript?

10. What is Javascript?

11. What does Javascript allow browsers to do?

12. What check must Ajax web applications make on a user’s browser?

13. What steps must Ajax web applications take if the check fails?

14. Why might a user have disabled Javascript?

15. How can I learn to program web applications with Ajax without spending large amounts of money on expensive computer books?

16. What is the biggest criticism of the use of Ajax?

17. What other problems can Ajax cause?

18. What makes Ajax driven web applications more difficult to write, test, and debug than traditional web sites?

19. What does the increased difficulty of Ajax imply about cost?

20. Is Ajax always necessary? When is it necessary?

---

Vocabulary

untangling Ajax – making it easier to understand how Ajax works
interacts dynamically with the user, execute programs dynamically – works immediately in response to user commands or mouse movements, unlike a CGI program on a server where the user has to hit enter and wait for the server to send the result back to the browser
asynchronous – data is exchanged between the browser and server with the user initiating the exchange by hitting the submit or refresh button or enter, the computer program XMLHttpRequest is used to fetch XML data
data format – data structure, the way that information is organized in a data file, for example on every line of the file from character 5 to character 10 is the user id number…
server – serves or sends information from a web site to the user in his browser, Apache is the most popular open source server
resolve a problem – solve a problem
client – the user working in his browser, the client and server work together in getting and presenting information to the user over the web (See client-server architecture)
user-side processing – what the browser does with information for the user, client-side processing
web transactions – reading or changing data in a database over the web, the term “transaction” usually means a unit of work that must be completed as a whole or rejected to maintain database consistency (for example you want to change a customer’s phone number, so you request the customer’s information from the web database, you change it and submit it but someone was changing it at the same time, so the change is rejected, and you have to begin over again, retrieving and changing the new user’s information)
maintain state during web transactions – important information that is still in the browser, after the user hits enter and the browser sends its next request to the server, the information received back from the server will change (update) this state
functionally equivalent – has the same functions (but the functions may not have the same names)
refer to them collectively – talk about a group of things by using a name for them all
embedded in a browser – part of the browser, not a separate part
tasks implemented with Javascript – Javascript is used to do the tasks
opening pop-up windows – little windows with with information in them, usually ads, open up on top of your web page, this is considered annoying by many people so many use tools to automatically block them (See Wikipedia:Pop-up_ad)
validating data in forms – checking data to make sure it has the necessary form, for example a telephone number has to have only numbers in it and not letters
bookmark – mark a web page so that you can find it in the future and go back to it, in Microsoft Explorer “Favorites”
break the behaviour of – make it so that it does not work in the standard and predictable way anymore
goes on behind the scenes – things that the browser does like Javascript processing that the user can’t see
latency – delay, the time it takes from the user sending a request from the browser to the server and receiveing a response back from the server
Ajax driven sites – web sites that use Ajax for everything
debug – find out why a problem is happening and make changes to solve the problem
the path of user interaction – the actions that the user takes each time like hitting enter, the submit button, or the refresh button in response to the information sent by the server
easy to trace – easy to follow a program step by step while it is working so you can see what it does wrong and fix the problem
many more states and paths to cover and test – the program is more complicated so that many more possible executions are possible
development costs – the initial cost of writing the programs in a web site (before you begin to use them)
maintenance costs – the cost every year to keep programs working (that have already been developed and are working)

---

Answer Key:

1. What web problem did Ajax help solve?

Ajax helped solve the problem of “Creating web applications which interact dynamically with the user similar to traditional desktop applications.”

2. What three technologies does Ajax consist of?

i. Asynchronous sending and receiving data between the server and the client (browser).
ii. Javascript.
iii. XML

3. Which of the three technologies is least essential?

The least essential part of Ajax is XML.

4. What function does XML have in Ajax?

In Ajax, XML is the “format of the data transferred between server and browser.”

5. What does an “intelligent browser” for web applications have to be able to do?

An “intelligent browser” for web applications has to be “capable of handling the user side processing necessary for the client to maintain its state during web transactions.”

6. Why is it difficult for everyone to change to a more intelligent web application browser?

“Millions of web surfers” have to be convinced to change their browsers which is very difficult, if not impossible.

7. Instead of changing the browser, what other approach was taken to make browsers more intelligent so that they could run web applications?

Javascript was used to make browsers more intelligent so that they could run web applications.

8. What is the Microsoft version of Javascript called?

The Microsoft version of Javascript is called Jscript.

9. Is the Microsoft version of Javascript a lot different from Javascript?

No, they are functionally equivalent which means they have roughly the same functions even through these functions may have different names.

10. What is Javascript?

Javascript is “a programming language embedded within all modern web browsers” like Microsoft Internet Explorer, Firefox and on Apple computers, Safari.

11. What does Javascript allow browsers to do?

Javascript allows browsers to do tasks that are impossible with html alone, because html is only a data format.

These tasks “include such things as opening pop-up windows, validating data on forms before sending the data to the server and visual effects such as buttons highlighted automatically when the mouse was moved over them.”

12. What check must Ajax web applications make on a user’s browser?

Sites that have Ajax web applications must check the user’s browser to make sure that Javascript is enabled (turned on).

13. What steps must Ajax web applications take if the check fails?

If the check fails and Javascript is not enabled then the web application must alert the user and tell them to turn Javascript on or not use Ajax and change to “an old-style ‘Web 1’ interface.”

14. Why might a user have disabled Javascript?

A user might have disabled Javascript for security reasons. Also, in the past, disabling Javascript was necessary to block pop-up advertisements.

15. How can I learn to program web applications with Ajax without spending large amounts of money on expensive computer books?

Use Web tutorials on the internet. We will present some of these later in further reading.

16. What is the biggest criticism of the use of Ajax?

The biggest criticism of Ajax is that “the URL viewed by the user does not change” so the user cannot bookmark a page or provide a link to within the Ajax site. This makes it difficult to share information or web applications with others.

17. What other problems can Ajax cause?

Ajax can “break the behaviour of the back button in the browser.”

It is also more difficult for users to isolate the cause of problems (troubleshoot problems) when they occur: “there is so much that goes on behind the scenes by actions that are not always initiated by the user, that when something goes wrong with these, the latency introduced makes it difficult for the user to know what is going on. Is it a slow connection? Has the browser hung?”

18. What makes Ajax driven web applications more difficult to write, test, and debug than traditional web sites?

Because Ajax sites are asynchronous the web application is often doing things and sending and receiving data from the server even when the user is not interacting with the browser like pressing the submit button, hitting enter, or the refresh button.

This means that “there are many more states and paths to cover and test.” Tracing “the path of user interaction,” like one does in traditional html sites, is not enough

19. What does the increased difficulty of Ajax imply about cost?

Because writing, testing, and debugging is more difficult, Ajax sites are likely to be more expensive. This will probably change in the future as Ajax becomes the norm, programming standards develop, and programmers become more familiar with the problems of programming in Ajax.

20. Is Ajax always necessary? When is it necessary?

Ajax is not always necessary: “too much can be worse than none at all.” Ajax is necessary if you want a “truly dynamic interface.”

Posted by Jon Fernquest at 06:38 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Prevention and cure

See "Drugs abuse: what parents should know, learning post, page 1

This cover feature is aimed at parents, but there is a lot of good information for everyone here about one of Thailand's most serious problems.  The article is a bit long — about 1100 words — but it is conveniently divided into three parts, so you don't need to try it all at one time. None of the parts are especially difficult.

First section

You can hear this section by clicking here.

The first part of the story deals with a recent survey of young people. In it you will meet Dr Suchart Threetipthinkul who comments on the surveys findings. What kind of a doctor is he and where does he work? 

Now, here are some questions for you to think about as you read this first section.

1. What was the age range of this group?
2. What percentage of this group of people have experimented with an addictive substance by the time they reach the upper end of this age group?
3. Which type of substances are more popular, those that are legal or those that are illegal?
4. Did the survey show the group generally had a very good understanding which substances were addictive or a poor understanding? (Be care of this question, you'll have to do some thinking to answer it?)
5. Why is having a good understanding of addictive substances especially important for young people?
6. Both smoking and drinking alcoholic drinks are legal — providing, of course, you are old enough. According to Dr Suchart, what is the problem with these substances?

addictive – causing people who take a substance to be unable to stop taking it
substance abuse – overusing a substance so that the person who takes it is in danger of becoming addicted to it
appreciation of – understanding of
amphetamines – addictive drugs which increase people’s energy, makes them excited and reduces their desire for food
inhalants – substances that you breathe in
morphine – an addictive drug normally used to relieve pain
psychiatrist – a doctor who treats people suffering from mental illnesses or pyschological problems
plays a determining role – is the factor that can cause something to happen
threshold – the level or stage at which something starts to happen

Second section

You can hear this section by clicking here.


The second part of the feature deals with the stages of addiction victims of substance abuse typically go through. It also talks about the types of treatment typically used for the victims.

7. How many stages are mentioned?
8. What are they called?
9. What are typical features of each stage?
10. Although this section of the article does say so directly, at which stage do you think parents should take their child to a doctor?
11.The section talks about two different types of treatment. What are they/

manifest – to become visible or obvious
symptoms – signs of an illness or condition
habitual – done regularly
dependence – a situation where a person has a strong need for something, i.e., they have an addiction for something
frequency of usage – how often something is used
withdrawal symptoms – feelings or signs of illness after someone stops taking a substance they were addicted to
witness – to see; to notice
temperament – the way you react to situations or to other people
apparent - noticeable
lavishly – in large amounts
aggression – violent and attacking behaviour
vulgarity – rudeness; unpleasantness
prolong – to make last longer, in this case lengthen the time before seeking treatment
negotiate – to try to make some kind of arrangement
detoxification – the process of removing poisonous or dangerous substances from a person’s body
rehabilitation – the process of helping a person lead a normal life again
subterfuge – a trick or dishonest way of getting what you want


Third section

You can hear this section by clicking here.



The final section of the feature deals with prevention through education programmes.

12. Drug education is now part of the Thai national curriculum. In which subject areas is it typically taught?
13. According to Dr Suchart, what is the biggest consideration in what kind of an education programme to use?
14. Explain how the programme typically changes from group to group.

misconceptions – ideas that are not correct; misunderstandings
composition – what something is made of
consequences – results or effects
delicate – requiring very careful treatment
explicit – expressed or shown clearly and openly
tar – one of the poisonous substances in tobacco
self-esteem – the respect a person feels for himself or herself
minimally effective – having very little positive effect
collaborative – working together

You be the psychiatrist

Which state of addiction are each of these young people at?

You have been observing five young people with possible drug problems. You, as a psychiatrist, are trying to figure out at which of the three stages of addiction each patient is at. Below are statements made by each of the patients to friends of theirs. Read them carefully and then use information from the story to make your diagnosis.

diagnosis - the discovery and naming of what is wrong with someone

1. “My hands are shaking? Yeah, maybe a little. It’s nothing. I didn’t get enough sleep last night. It will go away after I take my pill.”

2. “Please mom, I really need the money. It’s only three thousand baht. You can afford it. I’m taking extra math classes at Siam Square. I used the two thousand baht last week for my chemistry lab fees.”

3. “I only smoke about a pack every two days. I can handle it.”

4. “Let’s have some fun. You know what I mean. This party's going to be boring unless you have a little something inside you to liven things up. It won’t cost you more than 400 baht for one of these.”

5. “Why are you looking at me that way? I’ll punch you in the face if you do that again. That’s an ordinary cigarette I'm smoking. Now get out of my way, you *#%& !”

Changing lives

Below are descriptions of several young people who have been identified as being high risks of becoming addicted to dangerous drugs. Some already are showing signs of the problems others come from an environment that could easily lead to drug addiction. Using information from the story, consider what type of an education programme might work best for each.

Arunee is fourteen years old. She is growing up fast and has several good girlfriends and boyfriends. All of them have started smoking because it seems like such a grownup and “cool thing” to do. One of her friends has an older boyfriend who buys beer for them occasionally. That’s cool too because everyone knows that beer isn’t dangerous.

Nop is nine-years old and all the adults in his family smoke and drink rather heavily. One of his uncles was arrested for selling drugs and spent two years in jail. Nop has tasted beer, but he still doesn’t like it very much. He has tried a few cigarettes though and everyone said he looked like a little man. He was very proud.

Wimol is eighteen and has smoked since he was fourteen. Lately, he has been smoking openly for everyone to see. He dresses like some of the pop stars you see on TV with wild hair, loose-fitting shirts and trousers and expensive trainers on his feet. Smoking makes him feel older and stronger. Recently, he has been starting to go to parties where alcohol flows freely. He is developing a taste for mixed drinks. The more he drinks, the more relaxed and confident he feels. He hasn’t taken any illegal drugs yet, but he isn’t afraid of them. Most of what adults tell about drugs are probably lies anyway, he thinks.

Great Source of Knowledge Online for All!

See "Truly an educator's best friend", Learning Post, page 6
from Boon Boonprayoon

I would say that today's feature on this education website is intricately intertwined with what we do on our 'readbangkokpost.com' website. It provides an online guide and help for ESL teachers and students. 'EducationWorld.Com', however, does not limit its visitors to the ESL group, but it also offer educational related material for everyone involved in the education industry. Thus, that the 'EducationWorld.Com' bills itself as "the educator's best friend' is not an exaggeration at all, according to Dr. BJ Johnson, who is the writer and editor of Learning Post. Find out what makes its such a good friend!

    This feature is a 'how-to' of the EducationWorld.Com website. At first glance the feature is very difficult to understand because there are lots of unfamiliar lists of vocabulary. Don't be discouraged, yet! Such groups of vocabulary are often found in a piece of formal writing or academically-related articles. Study the vocabulary listed at the bottom of this article prior to (before) your reading. 

    Like searching for information for your papers in a library, you have to know exactly how to start in order make the most of the vastness of the available knowledge. Dr. BJ Johnson clearly mentioned how to do so. What he simplified is listed in a PDF file here. Preview the chart, start reading and then come back to answer the following questions:-

1. What makes the website the educator's best friend?
2. What does the website mainly consist of?
3. What are the real-time events that make the website correlate to most lesson plans?
4. How can the administrator benefit from the website?
5. Give two examples of the interactive lessons offered on the website.

intricately - to be fitting in a very close way
intertwined - to become very closely connected with something else i.e.
bill - to advertise
exaggeration - making something sound bigger, more important, worse, etc. than it really is
glance - a quick look 
vastness - largeness; hugeness
real-time - occuring immediately; of an activity that occurs while you wait
correlate - closely connected and affect or depend on each other (mostly used with a fact and figure) 
initial - first
nugget of information - a small  but valuable idea or fact
elicitation - an act of getting information or a reaction from somebody with difficulty
asinine - ridiculous; stupid or silly
micromanages - to direct or control in a meddlesome manner
reservoir - a large amount of something that is available to be used
galore - in large quantity
staid - boring and old-fashioned
scavenger hunt - a game which individuals or teams try to locate and bring back  miscellaneous items on a list
bountiful - in large quantities
heed the call - to pay attention to somebody's advice
hassle - a situation that is annoying because it involves doing something difficult or complicated that needs a lot of effort
devoid - completely lacking in something
grave - very serious and important
oversight - the fact of making mistake because you forget to do something or you do not notice something
empower - to authorise
plethora - an amount that is greater than is needed or can be used; excess
penchant - a special liking for something
regalia - finery
authenticity - the quality of being genuine or true
interdisciplinary - involving different areas of knowledge or study
indigenous people - native people; people who belong to a particular place such as the hill tribe people in the north of Thailand 
diamante - decorated with glass that is cut to look as diamonds
top of your game - to be at the highest point of what you are doing
tweaking - slightly change
cluttered - covered with, or full of, a lot of things in a way that is untidy

Extra Activity:  

Try working on the vocabulary just for fun. There are two distinct sets of vocabulary. The first set has a positive meaning and the other is negative. Find out as many words as possible that belong to either of these two sets.

Words containing a positive meaning                                                  
-
-
-
-
-

Words containing a negative meaning
-
-
-
-
-

Posted by Terry Fredrickson at 06:48 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Football and more

See "Football not the only draw", Horizons section, page 8

From John Ross

Hi and welcome to our weekly look at a travel article from the Horizons section. Today we look at an interesting story about Germany. As you probably know, Germany is the host of the World Cup Football matches this time starting next week. Football, or soccer as it is called in the article, is very popular around the world and the article tells us that more than one million people will come to visit Germany to see the World Cup. But football is not the only attraction, or draw, in Germany. The article tells us about some of the other places visitors can see and activities that they can do before and after they watch the football matches.

Read through the story using the vocabulary below and summarise the attractions of the seven major cities that will host World Cup matches.

1) name of city
    __________________________________
    attractions
    __________________________________
    __________________________________
    __________________________________

2) name of city
    __________________________________
    attractions
    __________________________________
    __________________________________
    __________________________________

3) name of city
    __________________________________
    attractions
    __________________________________
    __________________________________
    __________________________________

4) name of city
    __________________________________
    attractions
    __________________________________
    __________________________________
    __________________________________

5) name of city
    __________________________________
    attractions
    __________________________________
    __________________________________
    __________________________________

6) name of city
    __________________________________
    attractions
    __________________________________
    __________________________________
    __________________________________

7) name of city
    __________________________________
    attractions
    __________________________________
    __________________________________
    __________________________________

After learning about the cities and the attractions, you can role play with your partner as travel agent and tourist. Use these questions to get you started:

Tourist:  Hi, we would like to go to Germany for the World Cup
            What cities are hosting the matches?
            How about Berlin? What is there to do there?

Continue by asking about the other cities.

VOCABULARY

draw - used as a noun meaning 'attraction'
slice - piece, part
ale - a type of beer
marvel - feel amazed
admire - enjoy
stroll - walk slowly
medieval - the Middle Ages, from about the years 600 - 1500
savour - enjoy
perennial  - always, continual
spare - extra
take in - experience
schweinshaxe/ham hock - a dish made with pork
sauerkraut - finely chopped, fermented cabbage; a very famous type of German food
pilsner - a group of ships, in the case the navy
brewery - a place that makes beer
tournament - championship
authorities - officers
clustered - grouped
superb - excellent
altar - a table used in religious ceremonies
exquisite - excellent
bust - a statue of a person's head and shoulders
replica - a model, a copy
shack - a small house
Friedrichstrasse - the name of a street, 'strasse' means street in German
hauled - carried, taken
free of charge - free, without cost
duck into  - go into quickly
animated - moving, life-like
epitome - the best
mugs of suds - large glasses of beer
concentration camp - a jail for people captured during a war
splendour - beauty
sobering - making you feel sad
awe-inspiring - very wonderful
sarcophagus - a coffin for a dead body
mosaics - pictures made from small pieces of coloured tiles
taverns - pubs
pedestrian-only - only for people who are walking, cars are not allowed
maritime - related to the sea
fare - food
brew - here this word means 'beer'
tangy - sweet and sour
goes straight to your head - has a strong effect
spanning - crossing

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