Chemistry Unit 7 Worksheet 4 Answers - Why Some Of The Questions Are Not In Chemistry

Chemistry Unit 7 Worksheet 4 Answers - Why Some Of The Questions Are Not In ChemistryChemistry unit 7 worksheets include some of the questions asked by teachers and also some that are not. Because of this you should know the answer before moving on to the next one so that you do not need to consult your chemistry textbook to get the answer.Some questions deal with the ways of making the elements. For example, they ask if you know that iron is a metal, or if it is an alloy, which have many shades between them. They also question if you can combine carbon and hydrogen together to form carbon dioxide. The answers to these questions help you understand the different chemical properties of these two elements, and what it means to be metal and what it means to be an alloy.Answers also vary for how a substance reacts. For example, what reactions are used to make zinc and lead react, as opposed to another substance? This helps the teacher to prepare the students for their tests when they go back to school in a few years.This is only part of the homework worksheet, but it is a good way to prepare yourself for any type of test that you may take in the future. Other parts include the atoms of an element, the compounds formed from some of these atoms, the difference between elements and their molecular weights, different ways that a substance can get added or taken away, and the oxidation of a substance and the process of neutralization.These are all things that can be used to calculate the reactions between the atoms in a substance, but a lot of it is based on equations and calculations. For example, to find out how much chlorine is in a sample of water, you have to know what the atomic mass of chlorine is. Or, you have to determine the atomic weight of that same sample.This quiz lets you know what they are, and what the formulas are for their density, melting point, and boiling point. You can also look at the symbols and understand the difference between various amounts of chlorine in a certain substance. And, if you are interested in these things, you can use the formulas to determine the chemistry you will need to know when you take the next test.Questions like these are great, but they are only part of the worksheet. They give you an idea of what the answers will be. But, you should also have a complete understanding of chemistry before taking any tests.You should take the quizzes and explanations seriously. Because the only way that you can pass the class is by having a good grasp of the basics of the subject. Knowing how the elements work, how to make a substance, and knowing how their properties change when you mix them with one another is the only way that you can learn.

4 Brilliant Interactive Resources to Use in Your Language Learning

4 Brilliant Interactive Resources to Use in Your Language Learning 4 Types of Neat Interactive Tools for Learning a Language Online Humans need to interact.In our daily lives, we send each other pictures, text, chat, meet up for coffee and plan get-togethers.So why should language learning be any different?Books are great, but sometimes you need to add some fun, interactive resources into the mix!Interactive learning resources can mean a world of difference in your language learning.They can help create community, or simply provide feedback.Even online apps and tools can go a long way to making your learning feel relevant and connected.Theyre a breath of fresh air, and including them in your language learning journey will keep you motivated and having fun.So take a break from traditional learning methods, and start using some interactive resources online! 4 Types of Neat Interactive Tools for Learning a Language Online1. Journal with PurposeSome  of the coolest online resources are language-learning blogs and diaries. On these sites, you can post a blog entry in your target language, and native speakers will co rrect your grammar.Turnaround is quick, so you can often have your corrections within the same day. And since more than one native can correct your entry, you’ll often get more than one right way to express a conceptâ€"that’s great help in developing nuance. You also can ask them to clarify their corrections. All in all, it’s a great way to practice writing!Popular Journaling WebsitesLang-8: The most well-known journaling site, Lang-8 has a huge community, and you wont have difficulty finding native speakers to correct your work. Correct others entries in your native language to rack up points and increase your visibility on the site!italki: While italki is better known for its language exchanges and tutoring, it also provides a platform for those of us who want to focus on writing. The Notebook feature  works much like Lang-8, although the community often uses it more for asking questions about the target language.How to Maximize Online JournalsSo, you’ve decided to make an account on either Lang-8 or iTalki. Now what? How can you get the most out your language practice?Mix in SRSIf you use an SRS (spaced repetition system), you can enter corrected sentences into flashcards so that you review the corrections with regularity. You can enter the whole sentence with an English translation on the back, and you’ll remember the correction! If you get more than one correction, put both on the front of the card so you remember the variety. Simply seeing the corrected sentence over and over will solidify the correct grammar into your memory.If you enjoy SRS and want to make this tool as efficient as possible, you can combine this with Olly Richards Grammar Hero course, which is designed to help everyone master the building blocks of languages in a fun, easy way.Stick with a ScheduleWriting practice can be great, but youll reap more benefits if you stick with a schedule. Regular practice will help you improve far more than sporadic writing and feedback. Whethe r it’s daily, weekly or monthly, regularity  will ensure you make progress.Variety!This whole post is about adding interactive variety to your language learning, but we can add variety within these resources, too. To get the most out of online journaling, write about a host of different things. Diary entries are great and easy to compose, but they use limited vocab and grammar since you’re only talking about yourself and simple things that happened during the day.To branch out:Try writing book reviews for novels or comics you read in your target language.Summarize a TV episode or movie you watched.Type out your textbook exercises so that native speakers can correct them.If youre enrolled in a class, get feedback on your class assignments.Write faux (or real!) letters to friends, family, penpals, fictional characters, etc.And if you’re imaginative and creative, try your hand at writing short stories or poetry in your target language! Variety will stretch your linguistic muscles by forcing you to adapt to different styles and formats. The vocabulary youll use in a book review is vastly different than what you would use in a friendly letter. And variety means you wont get bored!Keep It AttainableIf journaling seems intimidating, keep your word count goals simple and attainable. If 200 or 300 words is all you can do on a weekly basis, that’s fine! Rememberâ€"consistency is better than sporadic wordiness.2. Learn Languages Through Interactive GamesGames are a great way to solidify vocab and grammar. They can make memorization fun by giving you achievable goals to strive for! Now, when you’re addicted to a game, at least you can say it’s educational.Popular Game-ified WebsitesDuolingo: Learn basic vocabulary and grammar by completing your Duolingo Skill Tree. Youll work through basic greetings to abstract concepts by taking quick and easy quizzes. Duolingo tracks your learning streaks if you play every day!FluentU: FluentU provides access to short snippe ts of native materials, along with all the resources you need to decipher and learn the language. Learn your target language through movie clips, trendy music and hilarious commercials!Memrise:  Memrise allows users create flashcard sets that take advantage of spaced repetition. There are plenty of language options, so Memrise is a great way to get started on a new language or to brush up on advanced vocabulary.How to Maximize Language Learning Games#goalsGet the most out of your gaming by, again, setting goals. If you commit to a certain number of lessons each day, the consistency is sure to pay off. Set alarms and reminders to make sure you put in the time!Play to Win!Many of these game sites tally your score in some fashion, which means you can compete! For example, Duolingo has its Lingot system where you rack up points for maintaining long streaks of consistency, Memrise tracks your points and posts them to your courses leaderboard and FluentU keeps track of what percentage of a video youve learned so far.Whether you compete against your real-life friends, strangers on the leaderboards or just yourself, youre sure to boost your progress! And if you cant find someone to compete with, check out point #4 on this list to find some language-loving friends to challenge.Dont Go OverboardAll that being said, games are supposed to be fun.  So, if you dont have much time to learn or are feeling stressed out, these game-ified methods will be most effective if you play in shorter spurts in between other tasks, language-related or otherwise, as opposed to forcing yourself to do a long stretch all at once.3. Hack Your Language ExchangesOnline language exchanges have never been more popular. Your speaking ability progresses by leaps and bounds when you can talk with a real live native speaker. The feedback and practice are priceless, and you can get all this without leaving the country!Popular Language Exchange WebsitesConversation Exchange: This is a general language e xchange website. You can search for conversation partners using a number of different criteria. Message someone who seems like a good bet, and go from there! This site is used only to contact people initiallyâ€"all speaking practice happens on Skype or a similar app. Conversation Exchange is great if youre looking for a long-term partner and regular practice.HelloTalk: HelloTalk is a twist on the traditional language exchange setup. With the HelloTalk app, you select your target language, and the app  gives you a list of matches for you to talk to. Choose one and start talkingâ€"no need to download Skype or anything else! HelloTalk is great for quickly finding someone to practice with; however, other language exchange sites might be better if youre looking for a long-term friendship.How to Maximize Your Language ExchangeFind a Great PartnerNo matter which resource you decide to use, including a language exchange in your study regimen really helps, especially after you’ve reached a n intermediate level or so. But finding a good language partner can be hard. A partner who has more in common with you will be easier to talk to than a random person.Consider:AgeCareer or field of studyMarried/single/kids/no kidsInterests and hobbiesLevel of language learning intensity (It’s hard to keep to a schedule if your partner is interested only in practicing when it’s convenient, and vice versa!)Get Some Conversation InspirationOnce you have a partner, you need to keep conversations going, and this can be difficult when there’s a language barrier and when you don’t quite know each other yet.Try questions from resources like Conversation Starters World. Sure, the questions are cheesy, but in language exchanges it keeps things varied and fun. It’s the same principle we talked about with language journalingâ€"you want to talk about a wide variety of topics to get the most out of your language exchange. Talking about the weather or what’s new isn’t going to keep yo u going for long!Connect to the CultureYou can also use your partner for native media suggestionsâ€"movies, music, books! When youre not a member of a particular culture, it can take time to get that “insider” level knowledge. With a new friend who’s grown up in it, you can access more pop culture!Take Notes and StudyAnd finally, take notes during your exchanges and review them regularly. SRS is helpful here, as always, but don’t let your conversations go by without digesting the helpful information you get.4. Take Advantage of Online Language Learning CommunitiesInteraction doesn’t have to come part and parcel with the resource itself. Instead, you can seek out interaction and community to support your language learning! We all know having a friend or two striving for the same goal keeps us all on track. But what if we can find more than that? There are a number of forums online with serious and newbie language learners alike. Commiserate with fellow newcomers and get adv ice from veterans. Everyone benefits!Popular Language Learning ForumsHow to Learn Any Language (HTLAL): This is the oldest and most popular language learning forum. These learners vary from people learning a language for work or study, to  serious hobbyists and polyglots.A Language Learners Forum: A sister site to HTLAL. The original forum had technical difficulties, so some users moved here to continue talking and practicing. The community, however, is not identical to HTLAL, and more recently, its grown into its own entity!Unilang: This site  has language-specific forums where people learning the same target language can share resources and advice. Whether youre learning Faroese or Spanish or Latin, youll find others who share your passion!How to Maximize Language Learning ForumsCompeteWhile the games listed in point #2 are great platforms on which to compete, these communities are where youll find fellow serious language learners. Language learning communities also get creative w ith their competitions, so dont feel limited to games that explicitly keep score!HTLAL and A Language Learners Forum regularly compete in Super Challenges where learners commit to watching a huge number of target language movies and reading a mammoth amount of target language books.For the less hardcore out there, there are six-week challenges, where learners keep score on Twitter. During a six-week challenge, learners commit to a goal they make themselves, and then try to put in the hours to achieve it within (obviously) six weeks. Learners with busy schedules are free to make achievable goals for themselves, while learners with more free time can shoot for the stars!Log Your ProgressAdditionally, language logs are an awesome feature of HTLAL and its sister site. The HTLAL and A Language Learners Forum logs can be found here and here, respectively. You can keep track of your language learning (goals, achieved goals, new materials, etc.) and other learners can comment. Iversen, an a ccomplished Danish polyglot, writes his log in multiple languagesâ€"use his example for inspiration!If youve decided to join Unilang, share your progress on one of the language-specific forums. Others will benefit from your breakthroughs.And if youre having a rough time, users can suggest resources or provide other help. It’s community at its finest!Keep trying out exciting interactive resources, and breathe new life into your studies!Experimentation is everything when it comes to learning a new language, so keep exploring and stay curious about all the great ways to learn and practice.

Career Options Of Students With Green Chemistry Institute

Career Options Of Students With Green Chemistry InstituteGreen Chemistry Institute is a registered non-profit educational organization that is dedicated to teaching the principles of organic chemistry, botany, plant and soil sciences and the art of herbal medicine. You can further take up science as an alternative career if you choose this course and find out for yourself how much you can earn. You must be aware of the online opportunities available to you and know about them.The core principle of organic chemistry is the study of the structure and properties of substances. Organic chemists are tasked with identifying the specific elements present in certain substances. To prepare the chemical reactions that can be used to synthesize new compounds, organic chemists have to study the pathways of the reaction and be able to predict the speed and efficiency of the process in order to select the appropriate reaction and use the most appropriate equipment. Their job also involves the anal ysis of properties and reaction rates of the desired substances, which are considered safe or dangerous to human health.One of the major concerns about chemistry is the concern on the chemical composition of the atmosphere, food products and medicines. A good knowledge of organic chemistry is crucial to help you understand the validity of the testing process, and thus be able to obtain the best results from your clinical testing. You will also be able to easily determine the presence of hazardous chemicals in your foods and medicines.You will be taught about herbal medicines and traditional medicine in detail. Some of the medicines known to have medicinal benefits are turmeric, cardamom, lavender, eucalyptus, and fennel. Though these natural drugs do not provide any treatment against diseases, they help to lessen the pain and discomfort of the body by masking it.You may choose to pursue a career in the field of organic chemistry after you complete your education. You will be exposed to the latest techniques and equipment for working in laboratories. You will also be taught about the biochemistry, microscopy, solid state chemistry, metabolism, fluid dynamics, physics, thermodynamics, bioeconomics, and chemistry applicable to organic chemistry.Many students and professionals from different fields are switching over to this career because of the working environment and busy lifestyle. With green chemistry institute, you will have an opportunity to perform laboratory work, designing research projects, assisting in lab work, and preparing data regarding the medicines you want to study. Besides this, you will also have a chance to discuss the latest developments and techniques in the medical field and to get a chance to observe the latest technologies in the pharmaceutical field.The curriculum will make you familiar with plant sciences and their applications in the various fields of knowledge. With this, you will be able to start your career right away and start ear ning money with few years of experience.

What Are the Benefits of Being a Member of Smart Tutor?

What Are the Benefits of Being a Member of Smart Tutor?Smart Tutor is a project by Cynthia Staunton that connect children with their needs through teachers who are certified and experienced in the areas of mathematics, social studies, and science. Staunton was able to get her children into some of the best public schools in their region of Tennessee. Now they are all attending the same high school, and it is a big transition for them.The blog is about their experiences as parents and the experiences of their children. It is also about a group of teachers who have been working together as a group for several years now. They regularly meet and share ideas, and communicate through email, instant messaging, and voice messages. They also connect with one another and offer help to other teachers, like the board of directors of a special-education organization.The project was originally intended to start with four tutors, but now there are eight members. Each member is an education teacher with a master's degree in education. Some of them have taught before, while others have been certified for many years. The project was started because the teachers felt there was a need for a program that was aimed at providing great teaching to disadvantaged students, and that they could network with others who wanted to do the same.This overall process of networking is what makes this type of endeavor so unique. Staunton wanted the teachers to get together and talk and build a sense of community among themselves. It is a good way to increase the overall satisfaction of the teachers' job and to also give them something to work on. Their mission is to improve the quality of education that children receive, and to provide it to children where it will matter the most.Smart Tutor is different than most online tutoring services because most of them involve connecting people online. That can be quite scary for some. That is one of the reasons it is so popular. Instead of giving kids a si mple test, like the one included in tests that usually test vocabulary and critical thinking skills, Smart Tutor gives teachers a test that requires everything from reading and writing to math and science knowledge.It can also give tutors' feedback on how they can improve the way they do their teaching. This is not a time for passive learning. You are responsible for your child's success or failure, and you have to put that into action in order to get the best results.Since tutoring with Smart Tutor is all done online, the teacher has many ways to be involved. They can set up meetings with teachers from other districts who are interested in their program. They can join discussion boards that allow them to interact with others who are also doing the tutoring. All of these ways to help to make the experience more productive for the teachers involved.

y Intercept Definition

y Intercept Definition The place on the graph where a line intersects the y axis is known as the y intercept of the line. Because x coordinate of all the points on the y axis is zero, therefore the value of x coordinate for y intercept is also zero. We put the value of x equal to 0 in the equation of a line to find its y intercept. Example 1: Find the y intercept for the line 2y = 6x + 3. Solution: The first step for finding the y intercept of the given line is to put the value of x equal to zero in the equation of the line and solve the equation for y. 2y = 6 (0) + 3 2y = 0 + 3 2y = 3 2y / 2 = 3 / 2 y = 3 / 2 Hence the y intercept of the line given above is (0, 3 / 2). Example 2: What is the y intercept for the equation given below: 2 x2 + 7 x 3 y2 + 6 y = 0 Solution: To find the y intercepts for the given equation, we will put the value of x equal to zero and solve the equation to find the corresponding value of y. 2 (0)2 + 7 (0) 3y2 + 6y = 0 0 + 0 3y2 + 6y = 0 - 3y (y - 2) = 0 - 3y = 0 or y 2 = 0 y = 0 y = 2 So the y intercepts of the given equation are (0, 0) and (0, 2).

5 Ways High Schoolers Can Wrap Up the School Year Right

5 Ways High Schoolers Can Wrap Up the School Year Right With summertime in the air, the last semester of the year can be the most exciting: theres warmer weather, end-of-the-year celebrations, and often lighter, more creative final projects. For this reason, its often the busiest time of year. Despite all the craziness, here are five ways you can wrap up the school year right. 1. Make the most of your classes Its easy to start slacking off this time of year. To wrap up your year right, though, youll want to keep going strong until the end. Grades often depend on final exams or projects, so you dont want to loosen up earlier in the semester only to scramble, or to have your grade suffer, in the last few weeks. Some teachers account for this by assigning more hands-on or creative projects; take advantage of those that are offered! In any case, stay on top of important dates, including final exams, project due dates, presentations, and/or AP exams by marking them clearly in your planner or phone. Break down larger assignments into smaller, more manageable tasks, and be sure to plan your schoolwork around any other extracurriculars. 2. Set up summer plans Depending on your school or community, theres often a lot of pressure around how summer is spent. The downside to this is that you can start comparing yourself to others, especially if you dont have a fruitful job or prestigious internship lined up. The upside to this, however, is that it can serve as motivation for finding summer plans that best suit you. Is it a job or an internship? Are there summer programs that would deepen your skills or interests? Is there a camp youd like to attend, or a test to start studying for? Dont forget to consider traveling or taking on a personal creative project. There are many ways you can make summer memorable and productive, and it doesnt have to be the typical 9-5 internship. Counselors, teachers, and other community members can have great resources and contacts for these types of activities. [RELATED: What I Wish I Knew When Graduating High School] 3. Schedule next years classes Some schools allow you to sign up for classes during your spring semester, while others may have you sign up in the fall. Regardless, now is a great time to speak with your guidance counselor or academic counselor about what classes are required for you to graduate, and which you can take as an elective. Scheduling out your classes noweven if you dont have to formally sign upcan help you plan out your summer also. You might find out theres a course you want to take over the summer or a subject youd like to be tutored in over the summer. Or, you may just want to take out a few books from the library or do some online research to stay fresh in a subject over the summer. 4. Enjoy end-of-the-year activities There are so many ways schools celebrate the end of the year, including banquets or dinners for clubs and teams, class gatherings, field trips, and of course, prom. If youre an introvert who may wish to shy away from some of these things, take a moment to select which activities will be most meaningful to you and your friends. If youre more of an extrovert, on the other hand, who would like to be sure to make it to all of these occurrences and more, take the time to carve out space in your schedule to ensure you dont miss these things (in addition to other important commitments related to academics or perhaps finding a job). Now is a great time to push yourself, in terms of your own personal standards, to enjoy end-of-the-year activities. Dont feel any pressure, however; pick the events that are right for you! 5. Thank your teachers, counselors, and/or coaches Take the time to thank your teachers, counselors, coaches, and any other school professionals in a way that feels most comfortable for you: verbally, with a card, with a small gift (handmade gifts are great, as well as baked goods, small mementos, or gift certificates), etc. You may even choose to go in with friends or with the whole class to put together a gift or small celebration for one of your favorite teachers. If you particularly liked a certain book or assignment you did in class, tell your teacher specifically; he or she will really appreciate the kind feedback! Its also a great way to start building a rapport with someone who will more than likely be able to write you a college recommendation letter in the future, act as a job reference, or simply be a great mentor in your life. As both summertime and end-of-the-year tasks approach, keep in mind the above ideas to wrap up the school year right. Make sure that whatever you do helps you appreciate the end of the year not only academically, but personally as well.

Benefit of Finding Common Ground in All 3 Sections of SAT

Benefit of Finding Common Ground in All 3 Sections of SAT 0SHARESShare A lack of strategically making a study plan may lead to confusion and chaos while studying for the SAT test. Tutor pace suggests that there are certain benefits of finding commonalities between all 3 sections of the SAT test. For instance, research has proven that those students, who were read bed-time stories during their childhood, became better math problem solvers. Hence, the students who are good in reading will not only do well in the SAT critical reading section but they have a higher probability of scoring well in SAT Mathematics as well. Tutor pace identifies 3 benefits of overlapping question content in the SAT test sections 1- Skill development:   Developing one skill can lead to a good score in more than one section. For instance, if the student is able to do well in the SAT reasoning test, then SAT mathematics section becomes relatively easy. Here there is a good chance that the student is doing well in the SAT reasoning test because of her English writing and reading skills.  2- Ability to compute faster solutions: The competency to compute faster solutions increases with overall skill development. A good performer in the SAT mathematics will have a better chance of doing well in the numerical problems in SAT reasoning test.  3- Reading and Math: Recent research has shown that, good readers perform well in math problem solving.   Tutor pace suggests students to inculcate regular reading habit for them to increase their overall competency in math and reasoning sections as well. [starbox id=admin]

How To Improve Your GRE Score

How To Improve Your GRE Score Update: Some of this article's advice is now outdated due to changes in the GRE. A more recent article on the exam can be found here.First things first: the GRE is for graduate schools, but not for MBA programs (that requires the GMAT); however, some business schools may accept it. Background: The GRE is a computer-based test that generates questions based on your previous answers. If you continue to correctly answer questions, they will get harder. The test has three sections: quantitative reasoning, verbal reasoning and analytical writing. The test was updated in August 2011 to more accurately reflect the current thinking skills needed in graduate schools. The quantitative reasoning/verbal reasoning sections are now scored on a 130-170 range with one point increments. The writing section is still scored 0-6 with half point increments. The test has six sections, the last being a research section, and the duration of the test is approximately 3 hours and 45 minutes. There is no new data on what test scores students will need to be accepted into certain schools because the scoring has changed so recently. Now, a scaled score of 150 (on each section) is considered to be an average score. See more score averages from the Educational Testing Services (the creator and administrator of the GRE) here. Understand test directions: On the GRE, time is precious, and you can save loads of it by learning the section directions before the test. Take practice tests: This is everyones first tip to performing better on any standardized test, mainly because it works. Taking practice tests can help your brain mold its thinking around the structure of the GRE and improve your speed. But, be careful about the test prep materials you use because most are outdated. See question types and further materials from the ERT here. Try to make your practice tests as similar to the real GRE as possible. Instead of practicing 30-minute sections at a time, try to practice the entire test in one sitting. Take your tests every Saturday morning around the same time you will take the GRE. Spreading out your studying can help your brain retain the information you learned while practicing, instead of just memorizing it. Its the same idea as studying in smaller increments for a test as opposed to pulling an all-nighter and cramming the day beforeand we all know which one is more beneficial. Try doing this for at least 12 weeks, and you will begin to see significant improvements. Use a GRE study book: They are very easy to find, although most can be expensive. The books will help you recognize patterns and common traps on the GRE. Find the most recent edition of the book to reflect the August 2011 changes. Work with a one-on-one GRE Tutor: Finding out where you struggle is the first (and easiest) step to improving your GRE score. Anyone can do that by taking a practice test. But, to significantly improve your score, you will need to improve in these areas. Thats the real challenge to raising your GRE score. A one-on-one tutor can give you the in-depth training and explanation you may need to improve in your problematic areas. Then, you can work to fine tune your skills in other sections. Taking a GRE prep class can help, but only a tutor can tailor each session to your specific needs. In New York City, GRE tutorsare our most requested tutors. First test in each section: Previously, the first 10 questions in every section were the most important because those would determine your scoring bracket. If you answered all 10 correctly, you would enter the highest possible scoring bracket, and from there, your score could only drop marginally. However, the new GRE is slightly different, although it still offers a tiered scoring system. There are multiple tests in the Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning sections. The first test determines your scoring bracket, and the difficulty of the questions in the following tests are determined by your performance on the first test. The scoring brackets are not as significant as they previously were. But, entering a higher scoring bracket early can ultimately improve your score. Answer every question: There is no penalty for an incorrect answer on the new GRE. Review high school math: By the time youre 22, you may want to forget just about everything you did, wore and listened to in high school. But, for the GRE you at least need to remember your algebra and geometry. Taking practice tests/questions or reviewing basic algebra/geometry books could help you. See math an updated math review from the ETS here. Make dictionary.com your homepage: Because you are going to need to know the weirdest, strangest, most-obscure, never-will-be-used-in-context vocab words out there for the GRE verbal section. Read as much high-brow literature as possible, and constantly check dictionary.com for definitions of words youre unfamiliar with. Subscribe for dictionary.coms word of the day. And start doing this early because you cannot grow your vocabulary overnight. Know writing topics: The writing section measures your ability to form an argument for or against a topic. You will be scored on your use of examples, development and support, organization, language fluency and word choice. See possible topics from the ETS here. Also, you can write a practice essay and submit it for scoring here.

When Did Latin Die (Did It Ever, Really)

When Did Latin Die (Did It Ever, Really) What Happened to Latin? ChaptersThe History of Latin: The Origins of the LanguageClassical Latin and Vulgar LatinLatin to the RenaissanceThe Birth of ItalianHow Come the Catholic Church Speaks Latin Now?Did Latin Ever Really Die?Examples of Italian Words Similar to LatinWhy Bother Learning Latin?You probably are aware that the Romans spoke Latin.  You probably also know that the Italians are the descendants of the Romans.However, if you’ve studied both languages, you’ll have noticed that they’re quite different to one another.How did Latin turn into Italian over the years?  Why did Latin change so much and become the Italian we know today? When did people stop speaking Latin - and why? Discover the history of learning Italian with us.It turns out that a lot can happen over the course of 2,000 years. Hopefully, this article should have the answers you’re looking for.Latin comes from the Italic languages. The Italic languages were generally spoken in what is now Italy.Latin was never the only language spoken in the region. In fact, the whole area was home to plenty of different peoples and languages.Italy has always been a fertile land for language. (Source: pixabay.com)Let’s go back to the 6th century BC.The Italic people we’re interested in resided in the centre and the south of Italy. At the time, this region was known as Latium. This area currently is home to the Vatican.The Italic languages, like almost every language spoken in Europe, are members of the Indo-European language family.  This includes a lot of languages that have since disappeared as well as languages such as Italian, French, Portuguese, Spanish, and Romanian.It should be noted that while the Italic languages were spoken around what we now call Italy, the speakers of the Italic languages weren’t originally from Italy.According to historians, they emigrated from the Balkans around 1500AD. Certain specialists think that the group that occupied Italy before them were the Ligures who are thought to be an It alo-Celtic people.Before the foundation of Rome in 753AD, we believe that the Italic languages were heavily influenced by Greek and Estrucans.Once Rome was created it became hugely important in spreading the Latin language around the region.  Latin inherited 6 of the 8 grammatical cases from the Indo-European languages.Including:The Genitive: used for possessionThe Vocative: used for addressing or calling peopleThe Accusative: used for the object of the verbThe Dative: used for nouns that are to or for somethingThe Ablative: used with nouns that are by, with, or from somethingThe Nominative: used for the subject of the verbClassical Latin and Vulgar LatinBefore speaking about Classical and Vulgar Latin, we need to look at Old Latin which was spoken until around the 1st century BC.Old Latin: Evolution and DeclineAfter the foundation of Rome and its expansion, Latin began to spread across the regions occupied.Thanks to colonisation, it reached as far as the limits of Western Europe, A sia Minor, and North Africa.The Romans left more than just words. (Source: pixabay.com)By the 3rd century BC, Latin was the official language of the Roman Republic.  It was used by the Roman administration as well as for law, politics, and religion.  While it coexisted with Greek dialects, Latin quickly took over the other languages.  This is due to leaders forbidding their people from speaking Greek in favour of Latin.Classical Latin entered its golden age between 75BC and 14AD when Latin literature played an important role in its propagation.  The two centuries that followed could be called Classical Latin’s silver age.While Rome was responsible for the spread of Latin, the fall of the Western Roman Empire led to its decline.How did we get from Classical Latin to Vulgar Latin?Before the Huns arrived from the East and forced migration to the West, the Roman Empire was weakening.  In the 5th century, some Germanic peoples were taking control of areas of Italy. The Eastern Roman Em pire, also known as the Byzantine Empire, survived the attacks and Greek culture began to spread.However, Latin only declined moderately. Latin's tough. It can roll with the punches.  We could say that rather than disappearing, Latin transformed when it came into contact with other languages (such as the Germanic languages).Furthermore, Classic Latin was used by leaders, intellectuals, and writers. The colonists and soldiers, on the other hand, spoke the Latin of the people, commonly referred to as Vulgar Latin. Think about the difference between standard English - used by politicians and academics and in written texts - and the language that we actually speak: there's quite a difference.Vulgar LatinVulgar Latin gave rise to a number of different languages: the Romance languages and Italian, namely.While already in decline in the 2nd century, Classical Latin became less important while the opposite was true for Vulgar Latin.  In fact, scribes and clerks began to rewrite civil and re ligious documents into Vulgar Latin which would take over Classical Latin.Classical Latin (which wasn’t in use by the people) lost its lustre once the empire collapsed. Since the connections between Rome and the other cities were complicated, the region began to fracture linguistically as there was no standardised form of the language for people to use.  However, the Romans did put the Latin alphabet into common use and nowadays is used by tonnes of languages all over the world.Latin to the RenaissanceWith the arrival of new peoples over the centuries, Latin transformed and evolved.By the 5th century, Italy was under invasion by the Ostrogoths.  In 6th century, the Lombards had a go. The Francs, under the reign of Charlemagne, came to Italy in the 8th century. We should also mention that Southern Italy was under the control of the Byzantine Empire and the Muslims.The large number of different cultures allowed the language to take on new terms.Medieval LatinBetween the 9th and 14th centuries there was Medieval Latin.  While Latin started to become less and less popular, priests and intellectuals still used it. They’d add new terms from Hebrew and Greek.And so, in the Middle Ages, you'd see a strange phenomenon in which, whilst nobody actually spoke the language - as they rather spoke the regional derivations of Latin - the Church and the Holy Roman Empire (Charlemagne's power) used the language in all of their official correspondence and records. In fact, Charlemagne promoted the use of the Latin language and literature in what became known as the Carolingian Renaissance.Consequently, the 'dead' language spread into territories that never had a history of speaking Latin, such as the German states. This was due to the fact that the Holy Roman Empire over which Charlemagne ruled conquered new states - and so officials and authorities in his extended kingdom were required to follow the desires of the Emperor.Yet, during this period, the nature of Latin was cha nging: Latin grammar, pronunciation, syntax, and vocabulary all changed, with different users, contact with each vernacular, and a move towards greater clarity, such as the use of the preposition.Renaissance LatinDuring the Renaissance (between the 14th and 16th centuries), we see the development of a cultural force known as Renaissance humanism.  This was a movement - in line with the Renaissance's broader project of the 'rebirth' of classical forms - that paid close attention to the study of classical antiquity. Many of those involved in the movement - such as Petrarch, Boccaccio, and Bracciolini - were collectors of antique manuscripts, and they were known for promoting classical models for the art and literature of the day.  However, the Latin that they studied and promoted was put promoted in opposition to what was Medieval Latin: they didn't so much like the then contemporary Latin with all its changes and developments than the 'proper' Latin spoken by the ancient Romans. For example, they looked to writers such as Cicero and Virgil as their models.  The importance of this movement cannot be overstated - as, all across Europe, Latin came to be taught in the humanist style. You find people like Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe having to learn the Latin of Virgil in London.  This language came to be known  as Renaissance Latin - and, whilst it was never spoken by the people as such, this language was written by diplomats, artists, politicians, and philosophers throughout the period.We know at some point that the Italian language we know today took over from written and spoken Latin.Placiti CassinesiThe earliest documents we have of written Italian come from the late tenth century - and they are rather prosaic. They are legal documents regarding a dispute between some monasteries and a landowner about fifty miles south of Rome.Rather than in Latin - in which most other legal documents were still being written at this time - these texts, known as the Plac iti Cassinesi, are written in a vernacular. They show a distinct difference from Latin, moving away from Latin grammar and with different spellings and syntax and new words. The dialect in which they are written developed straight out of the vulgar Latin we discussed above.The Renaissance and Italian VernacularWe can point to the Renaissance and Florentine writers such as Dante, Boccaccio, and Petrarch as a significant turning point in the death of Latin as the language of culture in Europe.Whilst these writers promoted classical culture and Latin as models and benchmarks of literary quality - and although they wrote in Latin too - these writers were also the first to compose poetry in the vernacular, meaning in the local language.Dante's Divine Comedy is one of the works responsible for making unifying Italy's linguistic landscape. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)Dante's  The Divine ComedyThanks to his work The Divine Comedy, Dante is one of Italian’s forefathers. The Florentine write r wanted to be understood by everyone and not just by the elite - and this work was one of the first poems ever to be written in something called Italian.  Who wrote in Florentine, a sub-dialect of the Tuscan dialect, and borrowed words from Latin, French, Lombard, and Provençal.  His goal was to show that everyday language was as noble as Latin - and his work  De vulgari eloquentia  (ironically, a defence of the value of the vernacular written in Latin) explained his decision.His gamble paid off since a number of other poets followed in his footsteps  - including Petrarch. And inspired by this vernacular poetry, writers across Europe moved away from Latin too: Geoffrey Chaucer and John Gower as examples.  The First Italian DictionaryHowever, 'Italian' as such was still far from existing at this point. Dante was writing in a dialect - in a peninsula in which there were nearly a thousand such dialects.It wasn't until 1612 that the first Italian dictionary was published, by a institu tion in Rome called the Academia della Crusca. Their  Vocabolario degli Accademici della Crusca, one of the first dictionaries in the world,  was an attempt to formalise the Florentine dialect (the language in which Dante was writing) and this became the basis for standard Italian subsequently.As Florence was such an important city state from the time of Dante into the seventeenth century, it was this Tuscan dialect that proved most influential in the development of the Italian language. Even today, Italian is based on this dialect - much as 'standard' English is based on the dialect spoken around London from the time of Chaucer.Modern ItalianBy 1861, when Italy was finally unified as a country, only 2.5% of the population could speak Italian. Everyone still spoke regional dialects.As the country entered into political union, 'Italian' became the language of the state - and so the common language of the people in the peninsula.It is thought that Alessandro Manzoni's novel  The Betro thed, published in 1827, set the basis for modern Italian.Tempted to type  Italian classes near me in google?   Save time and head straight to Superprof to connect with local tutors now.How Come the Catholic Church Speaks Latin Now?Bit by bit, Latin became the language of religion rather than of the people. Whilst, after the 16th century, we use the term New Latin (or Neo-Latin) to refer the Latin being used in international science, we use 'Ecclesiastical Latin' to refer to that spoken by the Catholic Church.  But now, Latin is only spoken in the Vatican as an official language. The reason for this is that the Church was, back in the Middle Ages, one of the main promoters of Latin as a language. Part of the demand of the Reformation in the sixteenth century was that church ceremony be performed in the vernacular.  Consequently, a strong attachment to Latin can be seen in the Roman Catholic Church. It wasn't until the 1960s that the Church allowed mass to be performed in languages o ther than Latin! However, even now, all official documents are written in Latin.Interestingly enough, whilst they speak Latin in the Vatican, pronunciation is based on Italian - so they may not be as different as they might seem!Did Latin Ever Really Die?The answer to this question is yes and no - and it is very hard to identify a precise moment at which it died definitively. Scholars make the helpful distinction between  extinct  languages - which no-one speaks - and  dead ones, which no longer has a native community that speaks it. In this sense, Latin is a dead language, but it has been dead for a very long time.Rather, the history of Latin is one of change: the populations speaking the language changed, Latin pronunciation and grammar changed, and it was heavily manipulated and reformed by the whims of different intellectual currents throughout history.But Latin, clearly, never became extinct - not in the same way as languages like Etruscan or Phoenician, for example. Rather, it remained as a language - at least, as a language that is studied and recognised - due to European culture's continued respect, not to say adoration, for the classical culture of ancient Rome.Throughout history, cultural movements and political powers strove to legitimise their own cultures and authority by appealing to the memory of ancient Rome. So, the Holy Roman Empire chose its name to hark back to that ancient culture - and there is no surprise that it was Charlemagne who had such an effect on the revival of the language.Similarly, figures during the Renaissance in Italy sought to give their artistic works a greater authority by returning to the models of ancient culture - and this in turn returned Latin to the centre of artistic production.This concern for ancient Rome continued long after this - with Roman architecture being the inspiration for cities such as Edinburgh long into the nineteenth century. With such an attention to the culture of the ancients, Latin is very unli kely ever to go fully extinct.You could also look at the history of Hebrew, a language that was successfully brought back from the dead when the state of Israel adopted it as its official language.Examples of Italian Words Similar to LatinLatin still has a huge influence on Italian vocabulary.To prove our point, we’ve put together a list of a few Latin terms and their almost-identical Italian counterparts.Here’s a non-exhaustive list, with the Italian listed first, followed by its Latin root and English translations:ItalianLatinEnglishAccelerareAccelerareAccelerateBibliotecaBibliothecaLibraryCalamitàCalamitasCalamity/DisasterDiplomaDiplomaDiplomaEnciclopediaEnciclopediaEncyclopaediaFondamentaleFundamentalisFundamentalGladiatoreGladiatorGladiatorIndeterminatoIndeterminatusUndeterminedLacrimaLacrimaTearMaggiordomoMajor domusButlerNegoziatoreNegotiatorNegotiatorOccasionareOccasionariCausePacificazionePacifiicatioPacificationQuerimoniaQuerimoniaLamentationThe are tonnes of expressi ons in Latin that have made their way into English, too.Latin also gave us our alphabet. (Source: pixabay.com)Why Bother Learning Latin?People still learn Latin today, and not just those people who are working in the Catholic Church, nor those who have chosen to study classical history or the history of medieval or early modern Europe.Rather, kids are still taught Latin at a lot of schools. Most famously, children at public schools learn the subject - but it is not uncommon in state schools too. If you are one of these people, you might benefit from a Latin tutor.If you are not one of them, you might wonder why you would ever bother learning Latin. But we've already told you that  Latin ain’t yet an extinct language - and it comes in useful a lot.  Help to Understand Your Own LanguageIf you love Italian culture and the lingua italiana, you can see how Latin can help you better understand your Italian lessons (as well as a number of English words).  It can help you learn Italian in school or in private tutorials or learn Italian online  - and it will help you make sense of  why  particularly rules are to be found in the language, as you will notice that all of the irregular aspects of the language come straight out of the Latin.  But it can also help you to understand French, Portuguese, Romanian, any of the Italian dialects - and even English, a language that has been influenced by Latin to a perhaps surprisingly huge extent. If you are interested in grammar, etymology (the history of the meaning of words), or syntax - pretty much any aspect of linguistics - a knowledge of Latin will be pretty essential.Develop Your Knowledge of History - and the History of LiteratureLatin tutorials won't only help you with your knowledge of language. But they could help you to understand ancient history better too. In studying Latin, you will be looking at the most important texts written in the language. And these so happen to be hugely important historical documents that help us understand what on earth was going on in the world back then as well. You can't study the Romans in any detail - or antiquity in general - without a pretty solid understanding of the Latin language.Finally then, knowing Latin also helps your understanding of literature. So, if you are a poetry nerd, you'll probably be thinking, where do we get all our literary forms, poetic themes and concerns, and motifs from? The answer to that is ancient literature - including Latin, but also Greek. So, if you want to develop your knowledge, Latin is the language to learn.If you’d like to learn Italian culture in general, you should learn Latin as it was used by Virgil.  Learn the Italian basics with our blog for Italian for beginners.   A private tutor can help you get the bases of the Italian language:Italian courses LondonItalian lessons GlasgowItalian lessons Birmingham