Joining of sentences
 There are 93 days more before the MP Examinations for the academic year 2015-16 begin. As they say 'it is knocking at the door'. This is the most important examination of the student's life for more than one reasons. He/she is very young and immature. And a bit nervous too. A student needs proper guidance and advice at this stage. If he/she can keep his/her nerve and fare well in this examination it will do him/her a world of good. He/she will get a tremendous boost up if he/she does well. He/she will feel confident that he/she can crack any examination if he/she applies his/her mind to it. On the other hand if he/she fail to achieve good grades it will dampen his/her spirit and his/her self-confidence will take a nose-dive. My friendly advice would be not to think about the outcome. Just treat is as another class test and study normally as you have been doing so far. Don't waste your time and the result will take care of itself. For the next few days let us brush up our grammar lessons once again. Let us start with joining of sentences.

• Th e boy was lazy. He was punished. ( Single)= The boy was punished for being lazy. (simple) or The boy was punished as /because he was lazy.
• He was a famous man. His fame spread throughout the world. ( Join with a nominal compound) = He was a world famous man.
•  The little children saw the giant. He was playing in the garden. (use a relative clause) = The little children saw the giant who was playing in the garden. { The children saw the giant playing in the garden.= simple }
• I borrowed a book from the library. I have the return it today. (Relative clause)= Today I have to return the book which i borrowed from the library.
• He gave me a pen. It was green in colour.. (Relative clause )= He gave me a pen which was green in colour.
• Shakespeare was a great playwright. He wrote Othello. ( relative clause )= Shakespeare who wrote Othello was a great playwright. or Shakespeare who was a great playwright, wrote Othello.
• Have you seen my brother? He is an MA in English. ( single) Have you seen my brother who is an MA in English?
• Mahatma Gandhi was a true son of the soil. It is known to all. ( single) = It is known to all that Mahatma Gandhi was a true son of the soil.

• My parents went to Shillong. It is a beautiful hill-town.( single)= My parents to Shillong which is a beautiful hill-town.
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                                                       Idioms and phrases
 Here are some more useful idioms for the readers. We all know that English is a living language and 

 it is but natural that  there can be no limit to learning any particular aspect of the language. Almost every day the new idioms and phrases are being added. You have to flow with the tide, as they say or you will lag behind. Please don't rest on your oars.

• as deaf as a post (very deaf)= It is useless to tell him anything for he is as deaf as a post.
• an apple of discord ( a disputed matter )= Kashmir is an apple of discord between India and Pakistan and it will remain so till the dooms day.
• listen to reason ( accept logic )= My father is so egoistic that he would never listen to reason however hard you may try.
• without rhyme and reason ( illogical )= There is no rhyme and reason in banning the consumption of cow-meat. After all food should be a personal choice and the Govt. have no business in telling people what they should or should not eat.
• a bolt from the blue ( all of a sudden )= The news of his uncle's death at such a young age came as a bolt from the blue. He was not prepared for it

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Some advice for the MP students who are appearing for this year's ( 2015-16 ) MP Examinations.
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1. Don't burn midnight oil. In simple language , don't keep late night. Remember : a tired brain does not absorb much. It is better to get a full night's sleep.
2. Get up early in the morning. Do some free hand exercises or take a walk in the open before you sit down to study.
3. You have completed your Test Examinations. It is expected that you have already covered your allotted syllabus. So take no additional pressure upon yourself.
4. Make your own routine on a weekly basis for the month of November. You know your strong as well as your weak points. Plant your routine accordingly. At the end of the month reassess your priorities and make your plan of study for the next month.
5. Consult your notes and write them afresh. Write your answers as if you are in the exam room. Try to finish it before time. Check them. Repeat the procedure at least four times a month. Ask your parents to keep an watch on you.
6. Shun your mobile phone, smart phone , tabs or laptop for three months unless it is absolutely necessary.
7. Listen to music and watch a game of your favourite sport on TV or watch your favourite movies form time to time to get rid of your boredom or built-up anxiety. These activities will help you relax.

                                                  Feel confident. NOT OVERCONFIDENT.
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               Idioms and phrases

Happy Vijoya greetings to all the readers. Hope you have enjoyed your puja days with great deal of festivities and joy with your close friends and relatives. My Muslim friends have observed their Muharram with due respect and in tearful remembrance of the tragic death and supreme sacrifice of Hassan and Hussein.

It is now time for going back to the grindstone. As far as i remember we were discussing about the use of idioms. Let us resume our journey into the mysterious and fascinating world of the WORD.

• argue the toss ( to dispute a decision )= I am not going to argue the toss with the umpire.
• a tough customer ( a difficult person to deal with )= It is very difficult to convince Ranjit. He is a very tough customer.
• the Midas touch ( whatever one touches turns into gold=success )= It seems that Dhoni has lost his Midas touch with the cricket bat; he is no longer the great finisher of the game. 
• throw in the towel ( give up and admit defeat )= In the 5th ODI India threw in the towel after Rahane got out.
• have a sweet tooth ( fond of eating sweets )= My blood sugar level has increased alarmingly ,yet I can't give up eating sweet dishes. I have a sugar tooth since my childhood days.

                            Idioms and......(6)

•  the fur was flying ( having serious and heated argument )= When Ram's wife met his latest girl friend in a party they began to argue and within minutes the fur was flying.
• make a fuss ( complain )= Stop making a fuss over so trifle a matter.
• in the fullness of time ( at the right and proper time )= Stop chasing love at this tender age. You will get what you deserve in the fullness of time.
• make fun of ( to belittle somebody )= Don't make fun of your grandpa, he belongs to a different era when there was no smart phone.
• by hook or crook ( by any means )= Soumyo is desperate. He is going to get an i-phone by hook or crook.
• to hope against hope ( continue hoping )= His doctors have given up but I am hoping against hope that he will survive till his son comes next month.
• jump on the bandwagon ( opportunists ) =Since Mr Modi came to power with a popular mandate in the last election many intellectuals have began praising his leadership qualities. They have jumped on the Modi bandwagon hoping for some plum posts.
• as weak as a kitten ( very weak )= After her operation she has become as weak as a kitten.
• a ladies' man ( loves the company of women )= Nirenbabu is a very handsome man . Some call him a ladies' man behind his back for he loves to be  in the company of beautiful women.
• as happy as a lark ( very happy )= I saw Anuska on the beach at Puri with her parents. She was looking as happy as a lark.

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When my younger brother was 5 or 6 years old he was a very arrogant child. He was very intelligent too. He was clever enough to know how to get out of a sticky situation. One day he called an old man ( whom we addressed as 'dadu' ) a 'nonsense'. The old man was naturally and complained to my mother. She in turn brought this up to the notice of our father who was a very strict person. Naturally it made him very angry and he demanded an explanation from my brother. Our mother and I thought that he was sure going to be getting a good dressing down by my father. But my younger brother had already thought of his defense. He told father ,'' I am sorry baba, I didin't know that 'nonsense' was such a bad word.  I thought it meant ' fool'. I have seen it in the dictionary. At that moment of time we did not have a dictionary at our home but his explanation was valid. He got a scolding but was spared a beating. Whenever I talk with my students about the power of the language I recall this little story. Now you can say '' Mr SPK is talking nonsense. ( It means what he is saying has no meaning. ). If you say that Debnath is a man of letters, it we will understand that he is an educated man and not a postal peon. Similarly ' a big fish' does not mean a fish as such. ' A big mouth' does not refer to the size of Mr Modi's mouth. If you thought that catching ' a fish out of water' would be easy sure people will brand you as a 'fool of the first water.'
 
So be careful what words, phrases or idioms you use while speaking and writing. Consult your dictionary as often as necessary.
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Let us revisit the time prepositions. Once more:
At dawn, In the morning,at 8 am, At noon, At/In the afternoon, At dusk, In the evening, At night/midnight, In a day,/a week, a month, year, January etc, / a decade/century etc / on Monday etc./ 24th september/ In 2015, In the past/ In future/ At present etc.
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                                Idioms and......( 5 )

•  with flying colours ( come out successful )= I am sure you will come out with flying colours in the JEE .
• flesh and blood ( normal human being )= No flesh and blood can put up with such insult.
• play with fire ( doing something dangerous )= Hiten knows that he is playing with fire by having an affair with a married woman.
• of the first water ( rare quality )= Lady Diana was a beauty of the first water so it was natural for Prince Charles to fall for her.
• take the floor ( to rise to speak )= When Ranjit  took the floor it was already late but many people stayed back to hear him speak.
• a fool's paradise ( a false sense of optimism )= People are living in a fool's paradise if they believe that Modi will deliver the goods as promised.
• take French holiday ( take unauthorised leave)= When he was in school Mr Kundu used to take French holidays on the drop of a hat.
• the gift of the gab ( oratorial skill )= If you want to succeed in a democracy you must possess a gift of the gab to convince people to accept your point of view.
• play to the gallery ( to try to become popular by saying what the people want to hear )= Mr Modi is already become famous for playing to the gallery. He has promised so many things to so many people.
• a golden handshake ( offering monetary benefits for leaving a job before time)=Many bank employees have opted for the golden handshake policy as they want to enjoy their life with their family.

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Prepositions;::::::
--------------- You are a man with a soft and sympathetic heart. So you feel sympathy for everyone who appears to be needy and poor. You  are sympathetic to the slum dwellers of your locality and you want to do some charity work for them. You always sympathise with the poor of the country .

       You should listen to what your elder say. You must be devoted to your parents and care for and provide for them in their hour of need. Your friends are very precious to you so it is your duty to be loyal to them. It is your duty to be faithful to your employer. You may not agree with on all points but is it not your duty to agree to what your mother says?

     Mr Rajat Basu was travelling in a car. The car was running at a great speed and met with an accident. The driver of the car was killed on the spot but Mr Bose was rushed to a nearby hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. He was survived by his wife and two daughters. The police  has started an investigation into the accident.
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spk-19/9/15

                                      Idioms and...........(4 )

• a cock and bull story ( an absurd tale )=My friend told me a cock and bull story that he had discovered a treasure in the haunted house.
• under a cloud ( under suspicion ) = The manager was not dismissed but he left the company under a cloud of some wrong doings.
• clutch at straw ( trying desperately )= A drowning man tries to clutch at a straw to save his life.
• on cloud nine ( very happy ) =Ranjit Guha is now on cloud nine because his hotel Sikkim Aurora is making a lot of profit.
• through cold water on ( discourage )= Mr SPK threw cold water on our enthusiasm by announcing that he was not going with us to Pelling.
• as cool as a cucumber ( very calm ) = Everyone except Apratim was worried for the safety of him climbing down a stiff hill. He remained as cool as a cucumber.
• out of date ( old fashioned )= Debnathbabu does not support live-together for his ideas are out of date.
• take a dim view of ( disapprove )= I take a dim view of his attitude towards his parents ; he should be more supportive.
• a rough diamond ( unsophisticated but good at heart )= You have to bear with Ram's loud and harsh language but he is good at heart. He is a rough diamond.
• an apple of discord ( cause for dispute )= Kashmir was, is and will always remain an apple of discord between India and Pakistan.
• dog eat dog ( fierce competition )=We are living in an era when every company is trying to destroy another company. It is really a dog eat dog situation.

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My friend Ranjit Guha is a good samaritan at large. He always tries to help others, including me. Recently he has sent me a pictorial presentation of common prepositions and their appropriate uses. I thank him profusely for that. I am really indebted to him for his help and advice. I am really very fond of him. He has always been kind to me. We are going to Pelling on 2.12.15 by train. We will put up in his Hotel Sikkim Aurora for three nights. My friends Ram and Nirenda are going with me. We will have a blast of time there at Pelling. I am sure of it.

Last evening I was telling my students that boats sail on water but fishes live in water. We swim in the river but boys jump into the river.
 We sit on the benches but gas balloons go up into the sky. Being chased by the police the thief jumped over the wall. The sun is shining brightly above our head.
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                                                Idioms and.........( 3 )

•  Out of date ( old fashioned )= His ideas are out of date
• At the end of a day ( at last )= We may differ on many things but at the end of the day we all want to be happy and contented.
• from day to day ( temporarily )= I dont know what is in store for me in future ; I live from day to day.
• save the day ( prevent something from happening )= We were stranded midway and were in a fix but Ranjit saved the day for us by sending his personal car.
• some day ( sometime in future )= Urmi is passing through some difficulties but she hopes to get married some day.
• make someone's day ( to make someone very happy )= Apratim and Mamoni sent me a bunch of beautiful roses which made my day.
• fall on deaf ears ( not to be listened to )= All our appeals fell on deaf ears for the H.M. refused to declare it a rainy day.
• keep one's ears to the ground ( remain alert )= Dont get frustrated; keep your ears to the ground and you will soon get a job of your choice.
• easier said than done ( easy to talk about but difficult to do )= Getting a pair of tickets at the Eden Gardens is easier said than done.
• easy on the eye ( looks beautiful )= Debnath likes his new secretary. She is easy on the eye.
• at the eleventh hour ( at the last moment )= After we reached the station I remembered that I had forgotten to bring my extra pair of shoes. I remember things at the eleventh hour.
• a white elephant ( something which is useless and expensive to keep )= Buying a Mercedes is like keeping a white elephant these days. It guzzles gallons of petrol.

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Let us study the following sentences:
Hurry up lest you should miss the train.
Apratim gripped his father's arm firmly lest he fell from the running train.
Debnath was apprehensive lest he revealed too much.

The word lest means =to prevent something from happening. In the first sentence the meaning is obvious. It means a) you should hurry up and if you do hurry up you won't miss the train but b) if you do not hurry up there is every chance of your missing the train. So you are advised to hurry up to prevent the happening.

In the second sentence the following things happened a) Apratim was very alert and careful about his father. b) the train was moving and there was every chance that his father might fall down from the running train and in order to prevent that accident from happening he gripped his father's arm tightly.

In the third sentence the situation was a) Debnath was talking to somebody and he did not tell him the whole truth b) but he was apprehensive that if he were not careful he could have revealed the truth which he had no intention to reveal to that particular person.
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spk-15/9/15