Italian Vocabulary The Proper Way to Use the Four Bs

Italian Vocabulary The Proper Way to Use the Four B’s Brooke Neuman Are you  confused about how to properly use the Italian vocabulary words, buono, bello, bravo, and bene? Below, Italian teacher Giulio G. explains the right way to use the four bs Buono, bello, bravo, beneâ€"the so-called four b’sâ€"are very common words in the Italian language. Their exact usage, however, can be quite difficult for beginner Italian students to master. That’s because when translated to English these Italian vocabulary words all mean, “good.”  Below are some tips and tricks that I hope will be useful for all of you who might be struggling with these four Italian vocabulary words. Bene: First, it is extremely important to emphasize that the Italian vocabulary words buono, bravo, and bello are adjectives and bene is an adverb. This means that the actual meaning of bene is ‘well’ in English and it cannot be conjugated following the gender and the number of the noun it precedes. Regarding its usage, bene is always used after the verb, and its function is to express a positive judgment. See example below: Joseph parla bene l’Italiano. (Joseph speaks Italian well.) Joseph speaks Italian in an excellent way. So, bene modifies the verb by giving the listener (or the reader) more information related to that specific action. Buono: This adjective is used to express a positive judgment related to the quality of a person, an animal, or an object. Specifically, buono is referred to: Morality: Lui è un buon uomo. (Meaning Lui  has a good soul or a good heart) Quality: è un buon film.  (Meaning  that the movie is well-made) Taste: La torta è buona. (Meaning that the cake tastes good. It is important to know that this Italian vocabulary word can be used with animals, people, and things. Bravo: Whereas the Italian vocabulary word buono can be used with animals, people, and things, the adjective bravo can be used only with people or animals. Bravo is used to underline that someone is good at doing something or that he/she has very good manners. See examples below: Lei è un brava pittore. (She is good painter/ She is good at painting.) Lui è un bravo ragazzo. (He has very good manners). Bello: Like the two Italian vocabulary words above, bello is used to express a positive judgment; however, it is usually used to emphasize another characteristic of the noun. It expresses a positive judgment related to the formal, aesthetic aspect. For example, the phrase “Un bell’uomo” (A handsome man) doesn’t refer to his behavior and kindness, but just to his physical attributes. Essentially, it means that man is attractive. Additionally, bello also has the purpose of intensifying a concept. For example, in the sentence, “Mi mangio una bella torta,” (I eat a beautiful cake) the speaker wants to emphasize his desire toward  a specific sweet. In other words, he cannot wait to eat it. Overall, the differences of these words are very small and it can be difficult to always choose the correct word. While you’re learning Italian, it is very normal to make occasional mistakes with the four b’s. Therefore, dont  worry if you mix up these Italian vocabulary words. Just keep  practicing with your Italian teacher and talking to natives and youll soon get it right! Photo by MC Quinn Post Author: Giulio Giannetti Giulio  G. teaches in-person Italian lessons in New York City. He is originally from Florence, Italy and is currently a student at the University of Florence for Languages and Intercultural Relations. He has been teaching lessons since 2009.  Learn more about Giulio  here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher

Ask an MBA Admissions Expert JoAnne Goldberg

Ask an MBA Admissions Expert JoAnne Goldberg Varsity Tutors brings you insider tips and advice straight from nationally recognized admissions experts. JoAnne Goldberg is the former Assistant Director of Admissions at Stanford Graduate School of Business, as well as a former admissions officer with InGenius Prep. While at Stanford GSB, she read and evaluated thousands of MBA applications over five years, earning the title of reader warrior along the way. She received her MBA from Stanford as well. How much time should be set aside to adequately prepare for and complete the application for anMBAprogram? Joanne: Ideally, your MBA application process should begin about 15 months before you plan to start the program. The schools publish their application requirements in mid-summer, and at that point you can take a look at the essay prompts for the programs that interest you. Writing your essays will consume the most time and energy so keep those prompts on a back-burner in your brain, with your responses percolating before you start your first drafts. As ideas hit you, make a note of them. Most of the schools send admissions representatives traveling around the world in the summer; make sure you sign up for school mailing lists so you can receive event notifications. Seek out students or alums of your target programs so you can ask them about their experiences. Of course, you will need to prepare for the GMAT or GRE, plus the TOEFL if you are an international student from a non-English-speaking country. And you will want to consider whom to ask for letters for recommendation, or LOR as we call them. The admissions process has lots of moving parts, each of which demands your attention. Much introspection and self-examination will occur, but if you give the process the attention it deserves, you will be in the right frame of mind to start your MBA program with clear expectations and a sense of direction. What would you say is the single most important thing to focus on for this kind of application? Joanne: Be your best and most authentic self. If you try to second-guess what adcoms want to read or model your essay on one you find online, your application will not be as effective. Experienced adcoms have seen the same canned stories 1,000 times, but this is the first time theyve met you. What doMBAadmissionsofficers look for most in the essayquestions? Joanne: In addition to the aforementioned authenticity, admissions officers want to see you answer the questions that have been asked. And make sure to start off fresh with each school. Youll notice when you read the essay prompts that schools all phrase their questions a little differently. If you try to modify your Harvard essay for a Yale application, your patchwork will be obvious to adcoms, who will ask themselves if this applicant cant be bothered to write an essay that responds to our prompt, why should we offer admission? What are the biggest mistakes one can make on this application? Joanne: In addition to the problems mentioned already, there are two big mistakes Ive seen a few times. First, the applicant has obtained a little too much assistance from a friend and submits an essay with change bars or parenthetical comments that are visible to any reader. Second, a letter of recommendation that has been written by someone who doesnt really know the applicant. What aspects of theMBAadmissionsprocess make it most different from undergraduateadmissionsprocess? Joanne: The process isnt so different, but its on an elevated level compared to undergrad. The MBA essays require you to take a deep and hard look at yourself, whereas for undergrad admissions, you can often get by with a decently written personal statement. And your LOR will have to convey more substance than great student! My high school senior acquaintances are applying to around 15-20 undergrad institutions. Thats viable for undergrad. I would not recommend applying to more than eight MBA programs because of the effort required to complete each application. Is there anything that automatically disqualifies an applicant from being considered for anMBAprogram (i.e. low GPA, lack of particular work experience, etc.)? Joanne: Lying or cheating in any way, violating the schools code of ethics, and yes, this includes writing your own recommendation letter. What kind of work experiences should be highlighted in theMBAapplication? Joanne: Tasks and achievements that you can quantify. Experiences that illustrate your taking charge, overcoming challenges, or playing a leadership role. Schools are trying to gauge your impact in your current job (or undergrad pursuits and internships, if you are still in college). If youve been working for more than a couple of years, they like to see that your responsibilities have continued to grow. What advice do you have regarding GMAT prep? Joanne: Theres no one-size-fits-all, so be honest with yourself about your own learning and review style. Some people can borrow a GMAT prep book from the library and work with it every night for a couple of weeks before the test. Other people need to sign up for a class or private tutor and get the extra motivation an instructor or a coach provides. As with everything else in MBA admissions, give yourself plenty of time. Ill review my old math notes the night before the test is unlikely to prove a winning strategy. Is it absolutely necessary to have work experience prior to starting anMBAdegree? Joanne: Absolutely not. Stanford has always been open to new graduates. Harvard and Yale offer special programs for undergraduates who apply. And other schools welcome applicants without extensive post-graduate work experience. There are quite a few programs, however, that remain adamant about requiring at least a couple of years of experience. So although recent graduates have options, if you have at least two post-graduate years of experience, the whole MBA universe is open to you. Without that experience, your choices are more limited. What are the characteristics of a greatMBAprogram? Joanne: From an academic and a career perspective, there are dozens of great MBA programs. I would cite the following as an incomplete list of characteristics: Everyone involved in the program, from the admissions officers to the behind-the-scenes administrators to professors, wants to help you learn and achieve your personal and professional goals. Students are enthusiastically engagedin class discussions, in study groups, in student organizations. Whether youre attending a student gathering or visiting a classroom, you can feel the energy and excitement. The curriculum is a mix of required courses and electives, carefully designed to give you the breadth of knowledge that you expect from an MBA and the freedom to dive deeply into the areas that interest you. Professors insist that they have the best job on the planet, and praise their students intellectual curiosity, persistence, and willingness to push themselves to the max. Students and alums tell you how much they love their school, and how they cannot imagine enjoying a greater level of satisfaction, better preparation, or a superior experience anywhere else. Check out InGenius Prep for more information. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Monday Link Roundup (December 4)

Monday Link Roundup (December 4) How to Get Your Mind to ReadIf you have a child who can technically read but who struggles to make sense of what theyre reading, this article is for you. Reading for understanding doesnt just require sounding out words on a page it also requires having enough factual knowledge to fill in gaps. (Editors note: this is a hugely underrated component of success on standardized tests like the SAT, which includes sophisticated passages about history, the sciences, etc.)10 Things to Know About Getting Into Your Dream CollegeOpen those emails. Connect with admissions officers. Let them know when you visit campus.Fractions: Where It All Goes WrongAn interesting discussion of the perennial challenge of teaching fractions. When asked whether 12/13 + 7/8 was closest to 1, 2, 19, or 21, only 24% of a nationally representative sample of more than 20,000 US 8th graders answered correctly. Hint: the answer is 2.Six Myths About Choosing a College MajorSTEMs not necessarily where the moneys at, you ma y not even need a major, and more.Journaling the Old-School WayIn an age of iPads, an English teachers plea for old-fashioned pen and paper.5 Strategies to Demystify the Learning Process for Struggling StudentsDrawing on neuroscience and cognitive psychology, professor and author Barbara Oakley outlines five ways to learn how to learn. Many of these are practices our tutors use with their students. Highly recommended.

Aulas em Inglês em universidades brasileiras Imperialismo ou evolução

Aulas em Inglês em universidades brasileiras Imperialismo ou evolução Image courtesy of arztsamui / FreeDigitalPhotos.netSempre foi comum ouvir relatos de pessoas que foram estudar em universidades fora do Brasil, muitas vezes em um país da Europa, nos Estados Unidos, Canadá ou Austrália. Contudo, com o surgimento de disciplinas ministradas em Inglês em universidades brasileiras e também com a melhoria em termos de segurança nas grandes cidades, mesmo que de forma pontual, cada vez mais ouvimos falar e conhecemos estrangeiros que escolheram o Brasil como país onde fazer intercâmbio.Há umas semanas li um artigo sobre universidades brasileiras que estão implantando aulas em Inglês, como forma de tentar quebrar o isolamento que a educação nacional sofre em relação ao resto do mundo, já que o Português, embora seja falado em todos os continentes, não é das línguas mais comuns. De acordo com especialistas, a forma adequada de tirar o Brasil do isolamento acadêmico é implementar uma estratégia que faça com que estudantes de outros paà ­ses se interessarem pelo Brasil. Somente assim será possível parar com a rota de mão única, que apenas envia estudantes para fora, e começar a recebê-los também, fazendo com que exista uma verdadeira troca de conhecimentos.Não há dúvidas de que o Inglês é o idioma ideal para internacionalizar o sistema de educação brasileiro, dado que, por norma, é a língua de aprendizagem obrigatória em países não anglófonos. Na Finlândia e no Japão, por exemplo, existem universidades que ministram todas as aulas dadas em Inglês, embora a língua oficial do país não seja essa.Porém, no Brasil, ainda não chegamos a esse ponto. Apesar de universidades públicas e particulares implementarem aulas de Inglês, há quem discorde da iniciativa por encará-la como uma perda de soberania. No entanto, especialistas defendem peremptoriamente que, além de ser uma forma de atrair estudantes estrangeiros, ter aulas em Inglês nas instituições de ensino brasileiras faz com que nós aprimoremos os nossos conhecimentos da língua sem termos que, necessariamente, sair do país para isso.Atualmente, ainda há um maior número de disciplinas ministradas em Inglês em universidades particulares, mas a intenção é que a iniciativa seja levada a cabo na mesma proporção por instituições públicas também. O que você acha disso? Ter aulas em Inglês acaba por ser uma forma de imperialismo ou é uma forma de internacionalização acadêmica?

Raha International School

Raha International School Raha International School Since opening its doors in 2006, Raha International School has become one of the most sought-after schools in Abu Dhabi. Rated outstanding by the Abu Dhabi Education Council, RIS is accredited by the Council of International Schools (CIS) and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). RIS was the first school in Abu Dhabi to offer the International Baccalaureate Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma programs. Raha International School aims to hire highly-qualified teaching staff. Each RIS teachers commitment to excellence will continue through ongoing learning so that they stay current with innovations in education, changes in the world and the issues important to their students. Situated on 14 acres of beautifully landscaped property, the campus features several large piazzas and wide walkways lined with palm trees, with an abundance of open space and play areas. The spacious and bright classrooms are equipped with computers, interactive whiteboards and Apple TV.

ACT Math tutor in Pittsburgh, PA

SAT/ACT Math tutor in Pittsburgh, PA Meet our new SAT/ACT Math Tutor Erika. She lives in Pittsburgh, PA and specializes in biology, chemistry, math, science, test prep: ACT English, ACT math, ACT reading, ACT science, PSAT, SAT math. Erica is currently a fourth-year medical student at the University of Pittsburgh. For her undergraduate studies, Erica studied molecular biology at Princeton University and graduated in 2012. She  spent the year after living in Denver and working as a full-time math tutor at a high school in Denvers far northeast region, where she  tutored two 9th graders at a time for 6 periods a day. Her  job was to work on getting those kids caught up to where they should be! Her proudest feat was helping a student improve his SAT score by 120 points after only 11 days of tutoring! He also ended up getting a 32 on the ACT! Erica also has tutoring experience from a summer internship in 2009, which had her  living in India for 2 months and tutoring middle school math to a handful of girls every morning. What she has learned from her  tutoring experiences (and also from being tutored) is that flexibility is paramount. Our minds work in different ways, and just because a strategy works for one person doesnt mean it will work for another. Erica thinks that tutoring an individual allows more flexibility because strategies can be tailored to that persons strengths and weaknesses. Feel free to contact Erica or other tutors on TutorZ.com if you have any questions. Our tutors are here to help you! SAT/ACT Math tutor in Pittsburgh, PA Meet our new SAT/ACT Math Tutor Erika. She lives in Pittsburgh, PA and specializes in biology, chemistry, math, science, test prep: ACT English, ACT math, ACT reading, ACT science, PSAT, SAT math. Erica is currently a fourth-year medical student at the University of Pittsburgh. For her undergraduate studies, Erica studied molecular biology at Princeton University and graduated in 2012. She  spent the year after living in Denver and working as a full-time math tutor at a high school in Denvers far northeast region, where she  tutored two 9th graders at a time for 6 periods a day. Her  job was to work on getting those kids caught up to where they should be! Her proudest feat was helping a student improve his SAT score by 120 points after only 11 days of tutoring! He also ended up getting a 32 on the ACT! Erica also has tutoring experience from a summer internship in 2009, which had her  living in India for 2 months and tutoring middle school math to a handful of girls every morning. What she has learned from her  tutoring experiences (and also from being tutored) is that flexibility is paramount. Our minds work in different ways, and just because a strategy works for one person doesnt mean it will work for another. Erica thinks that tutoring an individual allows more flexibility because strategies can be tailored to that persons strengths and weaknesses. Feel free to contact Erica or other tutors on TutorZ.com if you have any questions. Our tutors are here to help you!

The Importance of Early Detection for Mental Health Issues

The Importance of Early Detection for Mental Health Issues Photo by Tatiana from Pexels If this sounds like you or someone you know, these symptoms might be pointing to the onset of a mental health issue, according to a recent press release. You cannot diagnose yourself or anyone you know so it is very important to go in and see a mental health professional. And if you have any inkling at all that this could be the onset of a mental health issue, you should not wait to see a professional because early detection for any mental health disorder is critical. It could help prevent any increase in the severity of the disease, the persistence of the disease, and any other disorders from developing. •  Find healthcare providers you trust. •  Remember, you are not alone. •  Do what is most helpful to you. •  Explore treatment options. •  Continue to seek medical care (even if things feel like they’re improving). •  Keep going. Do not hesitate to reach out to a trusted medical professional in your area for assistance for yourself or a loved one. You can also get more information from such organizations as The Jed Foundation,  Mental Health America (MHA)  or the  National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI).