GRE: A Temporary Farewell

ets_gre GRE, a famous exam that is required by most graduate schools overseas, ranging from top universities like Harvard and MIT, to some ordinary schools, carries the dream of the youngsters who are willing of going abroad. Since its first in mainland of China in 1980s, millions of excellent young students and scholars has started their career. And for me, within the new generation of the dreamers, comes into the team as well with the first step of preparing for TOEFL and GRE.

Thanks to my solid foundation that I formed in high school and college, I get a reasonable result on TOEFL, though it is not very high, but acceptable considering my two week preparation without any guidance from the experienced takers. However, the good fortunate on my trial stops here. The experience that I obtained during the process of my GRE seems to be totally different, with one word in general, it is a experience full of depression, from the first attempt in June to this time. The only difference here is that the flu gets involved.

Preparing for the GRE do occupy quite plenty of spare time. For Chinese students like us, especially like me who don’t have that solid foundation on vocabulary, and little experience of living abroad that can help building up the routine of thoughts with the language of English. Unlike TOEFL that is focus on the basic vocabulary and grammar points referring to the ordinary usage of the language, GRE is a academic ability test, with the English as a medium. That is, if you are a GRE taker, you are expected to read and write as the native speaker does.

Taking the lesson from the failure in June, I focused on the vocabulary. After the hard-working of some months, my vocabulary is somewhat improved. Though I cannot correctly tell all the words but I can approximately figure their meanings. But then the flu comes again after the cold at the beginning of October. In a day my temperature was boosted to 39.8 degrees and was sent to the hospital by my dorm mates. I really appreciate their kindness in this very moment; it is their kindness that accompanies me in that two days that withdraws the homesick that a patient can always suffer from. While, my best female friend, tingting, came to my dorm mate and help me doing some cleanings. They are indeed my best friends permanently!

Now that the failure of my attempts on GRE is partially determined, I don’t want to be depressed again. Instead, I would prefer some alternatives besides going abroad. Though it is my initial power of learning English, which directly drove me the boost on my English since high school, but it is not the only purpose. With solid foundation on English that was built during the preparing of these two most difficult exams in mainland, I get some benefit on preparing for the graduate entrance exams in China. I wish I can successfully obtain a PhD degree in China, though it is not the best choice that I am longing for.

Maybe such is the nature of the life!

Cold or Flu: Be Seriously Distinguished

pill-tamiflu For those who take English as a foreign language and seldom stay in a native language environment, we may find many mistakes when speaking English. Here is quite a common example that we always confuse the word of ‘cold’ and ‘flu’, what’s more, very few English teachers put this in their explanation that where are the differences. Quite occasionally I get a table from the official site of Timaflu when google for it.

Here is a comparison table between the flu and the cold.

Symptom

Cold

Flu

Fever Fever is rare with a cold. Fever is usually present with the flu in up to 80% of all flu cases. A temperature of 100°F or higher for 3 to 4 days is associated with the flu.
Coughing A hacking, productive (mucus- producing) cough is often present with a cold. A non-productive (non-mucus producing) cough is usually present with the flu (sometimes referred to as dry cough).
Aches Slight body aches and pains can be part of a cold. Severe aches and pains are common with the flu.
Stuffy Nose Stuffy nose is commonly present with a cold and typically resolves spontaneously within a week. Stuffy nose is not commonly present with the flu.
Chills Chills are uncommon with a cold. 60% of people who have the flu experience chills.
Tiredness Tiredness is fairly mild with a cold. Tiredness is moderate to severe with the flu.
Sneezing Sneezing is commonly present with a cold. Sneezing is not common with the flu.
Sudden Symptoms Cold symptoms tend to develop over a few days. The flu has a rapid onset within 3-6 hours. The flu hits hard and includes sudden symptoms like high fever, aches and pains.
Headache A headache is fairly uncommon with a cold. A headache is very common with the flu, present in 80% of flu cases.
Sore Throat Sore throat is commonly present with a cold. Sore throat is not commonly present with the flu.
Chest Discomfort Chest discomfort is mild to moderate with a cold. Chest discomfort is often severe with the flu.

For details, you can visit: http://www.tamiflu.com/about/coldflu.aspx

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