Strategies for Sight Singing

Strategies for Sight Singing Suzy S. It may seem like instrumentalists have it much easier when it comes to sight reading music; by simply pressing a key or a string, the notes are immediately available to them without any additional thought, and all that’s left to them is to work out duration, dynamics, and tempo. Singers, on the other hand, dont have an instrument to rely on. Taking a song previously unknown to you and delivering a reasonably accurate performance the very first run-through isn’t a talent that everybody has.  However, there are plenty of strategies you can employ to make yourself better at sight singing. Learn Your Intervals   With the advent of smartphones and tablet devices, there are a wealth of music apps available to put a keyboard in front of you whenever you need it.    Better still, with a pair of headphones, you can study your intervals throughout the day. As you have breaks in your day, listen to intervals until they become familiar to you.  Your ear will learn what a minor third, perfect fifth, and so on sounds like, and with time youll find it easier to translate your sheet music to singing! Also, don’t forget to put the bookwork in on your printed music â€" analyze your songs, and while you’re learning what an octave sounds like, learn what it looks like as well.  The more work you put into combining the look and the sound of an interval, youll find your sight singing improving on its own. Remember to Count The best thing you can do to lay the groundwork for your sight singing is to reinforce your knowledge of music theory, and how the notes on the page turn into music.  The more you learn about keys, harmonic structure, time signatures, common Italian musical terms, and note lengths, the easier it will be to translate those.  The quicker you can work out the note lengths and intervals, the more fluent your reading will become.  Pay special attention to more complex time signatures, and don’t ignore dotted notes and any articulation markings. Think of your printed music as a map â€" make a note of any landmarks, such as changes of key or time signature â€" and treat reading your way through it as a journey.  Read through your words before you tackle the music, note where phrases are going and the shape of them, and make sure you observe any accidentals. Practice Makes Perfect Sight singing is like riding a bike â€" for a while, you may need to take extra time and work out the notes slowly. But after a while, youll find that your sight singing skills have developed to the extent that you’re only looking a bar or so ahead as you read.  Practice your new skills as often as you can.   Set a steady tempo when you’re sight singing, and stick to it â€" don’t stop to correct mistakes or to work out intervals. Being a fluent sight reader is a valuable skill for a singer. Vocalists who can sight sing well are quite rare, and are in high demand, especially for good choirs and small ensembles.  Improving your sight singing will open all kinds of new opportunities! 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 Photo by donald judge

Things You Have to See in China

Things You Have to See in China China’s Unmissable Sights ChaptersWhich Cities in China Should You Visit?China’s Most Beautiful Tourist Attractions and MonumentsChina’s Most Famous Natural ParksUnusual Chinese Attractions for European Tourists“Great souls have wills, weak ones have only wishes.” - Chinese ProverbIf you want to visit China, you need to stop wishing! Unsurprisingly, China is visited mostly by Asian tourists; there were 4.7 billion tourists in 2018. That said, it doesn’t mean British tourists can’t go.  Europeans are fascinated by Chinese history and culture and more and more are going to see China.Which are the most popular things to see in China? Which monument and buildings do you have to see?In this article, we’re going to look at the cities you should visit, the most popular tourist attractions, natural parks, and unusual attractions worth visiting. NingChinese Teacher 5.00 (10) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LorraineChinese Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese T eacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JoyceChinese Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicoleChinese Teacher £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KatyChinese Teacher £16/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YangChinese Teacher £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ChengChinese Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhich Cities in China Should You Visit?China is a country in eastern Asia and it’s the one with the biggest population. It covers a huge area and is home to coasts, mountains, prairies, and deserts. In fact, China has over 8,000 miles of coastline!China is home to ancient customs and modern technology. (Source: sherisetj)Before we start talking about Chinese buildings, we need to have a look at China’s most important cities and the ones you should visit. There are massive metropolises, secondary cities, and iconic towns. For example, the most popular cities for international tourists includ e:Beijing, the Chinese capital.Hong Kong, a former British colony and world financial centre.Shanghai, a cultural and tourist centre.Hangzhou, a romantic city located on the Jingâ€"Hang Grand Canal.Here are some other noteworthy places to visit in China:Xiamen, a city in the south of China with many temples.Shenzhen.Yangshuo, famous for its beautiful rice fields.Zhangjiajie, in a region of natural beauty.Suzhou, with its canals.Chengdu, a beautiful city in the centre of China with many historic remains.Guilin, home to limestone hills and colourful grottos.Lijiang (Yunnan Province) where you can see the Tiger Leaping Gorge, a great place for a trek.Whether it’s for the beaches, impressive skyscrapers, historic sites, or the cuisine, the People's Republic of China has got it!Keep in mind that China is divided into:Provinces, like Yunnan and Sichuan.Autonomous regions, such as Xinjiang.Municipalities, Beijing and Tianjin, for example.Special administrative regions, including Macao.Ch ina’s a country with plenty of beautiful cities and places. For example, the Yunnan Province is famous for its beautiful treks in the lakes, rice fields, and mountains while Lijiang is home to ruins from the Song Dynasty.The Sichuan Province, in the south of China, is famous for its breathtaking countryside by the Yangtze River, especially in the Jiuzhaigou Valley or the forest where the Leshan Giant Buddha resides.As you can see, there’s a wealth of things to do and see in China.  Now let’s see China’s most beautiful tourist attractions!Find out more about the best cities in China.China’s Most Beautiful Tourist Attractions and MonumentsInterested in travelling off the beaten path?Luckily for you, China is full of ancient treasures and modern activities. Whether you’re in the north or south of China, there’s so much discover.The Forbidden City isn't actually that forbidden. (Source: Andyw1803)TripAdvisor lists plenty of things to do in China: 300 sites and monuments, 6 5 museums, and 151 outdoor activities.Here are some of the best sites in Beijing, Shanghai, and Xi’an:The Great Wall of China, the most visited tourist attraction in ChinaThe Temple of Heaven, a UNESCO World Heritage SiteThe Forbidden CityThe National Museum of ChinaJingshan Park, a great place to relax after a day in the heat of the cityThe Bund, a pedestrian area on the banks of the Huangpu riverThe Jade Buddha TemplePeople’s SquareThe Shanghai Grand Theatre, where you can see many beautiful local showsThe Yu Garden, a great place to relax after a long dayThe Pearl Tower, a television towerLingyin Temple, a 4th-century Buddhist templeLeifeng PagodaQinghe Lane, a great place to shopDreaming of the Tiger Spring, where you can have a nice walkTianmushan Nature ReserveThe botanical gardens.In China, you can enjoy ancient customs and modern marvels next to one another.Visiting China during the Chinese New Year is something else. Most of these sites can be visited at any time of the year. Whether it’s a day trip or a week in a resort, you can also go with a travel agent.Do you prefer nature?Visit China’s parks.Find out more about planning a trip to China.China’s Most Famous Natural ParksChina is a modern country but it’s also very rural, agricultural, and home to many national parks that are worth visiting. The most impressive parks are in Zhangjiajie in the Hunan Province. It’s home to:Quartz-sandstone pillars (Zhangjiajie National Forest Park)Tianmen Mountain (in the Tianmen Mountain National Park)Baofeng LakeThe Yellow Dragon CaveThere are 246 natural sites and natural parks in China including lakes, mountains, forests, and geological formations.If you want to see pandas, China is home to most of them. (Source: skeeze)China’s most famous natural parks include:Huangshan Park, in the Anhui Region, where you can see the sunset over the “Sea of Clouds”.Mount Wudang National Geopark, in Hubei, where you can find magnificent Taoist temples.Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park, famous for its red cliffs.Li River National Park, in Guilin, whose river is considered to be “one of the ten wonders of the world”.Jiuzhaigou Valley, with its beautiful lakes.There’s also the nature reserves in Wolong and Bifengxia where you can see wild pandas! These black and white fur balls can be seen in their natural environment and are cared for by researchers. There are 4 natural parks where you can see them and they’re all under 100 miles from Chengdu:The Wolong National Nature Reserve is home to 30 pandas.The Dujiangyan Panda Base, home to 20 pandas.The Bifengxia Panda Base, also home to 20 pandas.The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, with 50 pandas.These are all great places for tailored trips to China!Find out more about how long you should spend in China.Unusual Chinese Attractions for European TouristsIf you’re dreaming of taking a trip to China to discover something unusual, these sites should be worth a gander.F ancy something a little different? China's got you covered. (Source: yyyoe)In the Fujian Region, visit Hakka, a town where you can find traditional roundhouses. The Hakka people, a subdivision of the Han people, still live here. These houses are UNESCO World Heritage Sites and you can even spend a night or two in them.If you love photography, you might want to go to the Zhangye Danxia mountains where you can see coloured rock formations. They’re even more impressive at sunset and during the golden hour.Do you love beautiful photos? Want to get some yourself?If you’re looking for unusual places to visit, you might like the Panjin Red Beach in the north of China. This magnificent natural marsh is home to 300 wild species.Its unique colour is due to marine algae, Suaeda, but do you know what’s even weirder?It’s red in autumn but changes to green from April to August. It’ll take your breath away.If you’re wanting to have a laugh during your trip to China, why not visit the c ountry’s weirdest hotel?The Tianzi Hotel in Yanjiao looks like three 416-metre tall Taoist characters.  It got the award of China’s ugliest hotel in 2012.With everything to see and do in China, there’s no shortage of unusual and breathtaking sights and attractions to enjoy.So are you ready to pack?If you'd like to learn some Chinese before you go to Shanghai, you could consider enlisting the help of one of the many talented tutors on Superprof! The tutors on the site offer three types of private tutorials to help you learn the lingo: face-to-face tutorials, online tutorials, and group tutorials.Face-to-face tutorials are taught with one student and one tutor and tend to be the most costly per hour because you're paying for both bespoke lessons and a bespoke course. However, they're arguably the most cost-effective.Online tutorials are similar to the face-to-face tutorials but take place either on a call or over webcam. Of course, online tutorials can lack intimacy and while no t ideal for hands-on subjects, they're great for language lessons. Your tutor might even be from China!Finally, group tutorials are more like the classes you'll have had in school with one teacher and multiple students. While these tend to be the cheapest per student per hour since the cost of the tutor's time is shared, you'll also get far less one-on-one time with your tutor.Each different type of tutorial has its pros and cons and it's really up to you and your budget to decide how much you'll need to learn, how you want to learn, and what your budget is going to be for Chinese language lessons before you go.

Phrasal Verbs for Everyday Actions - Intermediate Level English

Phrasal Verbs for Everyday Actions - Intermediate Level English Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo. Phrasal Verbs for Everyday Actions - A Day in My Life This morning, like most mornings I woke up at around 6.30 am and got up  (rose from bed after sleeping)  quickly. Another busy day. I jumped into  (went to)  the shower and then dressed  quickly and put on  (got dressed)  my clothes. I went into the kitchen and put  together  (prepared)  a quick breakfast of porridge, toast and orange juice to kick start  (to begin)  my day.I noticed that the rubbish bin was full so I went to the garden to put out  (dispose of)  the rubbish and dropped it into  (placed it)  the correct bins as we recycle  everything. Once I had put away  (disposed of)  the rubbish I made up  (prepared)  my  plan for the rest of the day. There were many tasks to carry out  (to do). A friend had  called me yesterday and I had promised to call him back  (return his call)  and give him  some information. He was looking for some help with a project. I said I would look  into  (investigate)  it last night and call him today with my opinion. Phrasal Verbs for Everyday Actions - Infographic Enjoyed this infographic? Here's what you can do next: I spent several hours researching his problem and at last came up  with (discovered or  found)  a solution I thought would work. I sent him a text and told him I would drop in  (visit him)  on the way to the park. I usually go to the park most mornings for a quick  work out  (exercise). I also wanted to catch up  with (meet)  my friend as we had not met  face to face for a few weeks.Later I promised to call into  (go to)  the supermarket to pick up  (buy)  some food for the  next few days. I made a list of the food products that my wife wanted. She called  them out and I took down  (write on a list)  the details. I usually go to the same  supermarket every week but shop around  (visit several places before choosing)  for  the best quality meat and fish.When I returned home I switched on  (turned on)  my computer and logged on to the  internet. I had a lot of emails to go through  (to read)  and it took me several hours to  complete them. I looked through  (read)  a few reports and fl icked through  (looked  quickly at)  my presentation before my meeting scheduled for the next day.Time to relax. I usually chill out  (relaxed)  listening to some music either on my phone  or the radio. It was my turn to cook that night so I wanted to try out  (to cook)  a new  recipe I had come across  (found or discovered)  recently. It didn’t turn out  (it didn’t  taste too bad)  too bad and the family enjoyed something different. List of Phrasal Verbs for Everyday Actions to get up to rise from bed after sleepingto jump into to go toto put on to get dressedto put together to prepareto kick start to beginto put out to dispose ofto drop something into to place somethingto put away to dispose ofto make up to prepareto carry out to doto call someone back to return a telephone callto look into to investigateto come up with to discover or to findto drop in to visit someoneto work out to exerciseto catch up with to meetto call into to go toto pick up to buyto take down to write a listto shop around to visit several places before committing to buy somethingto switch on to turn onto go through to readto look through to readto flick through to look quicklyto chill out to relaxto try out to cookto come across to find or discoverto turn out to have a particular result

Asking for a Refund in English Useful English for everyday use

Asking for a Refund in English Useful English for everyday use Im sure that most of you at least once bought something that was the wrong size or colour, it didnt fit properly or youve simply changed your mind. Sometimes, the service was not as you expected. What did you do? Did you have to take an item back to a shop? Here are some useful expressions for asking a refund in English.   Asking for a Refund in English When you purchase an item in a shop or contract someone for their services (engage someone to  do some work) you expect that everything will work out well and the product you buy will work and  the service you contract for will be delivered satisfactorily. However, it is not always like this.There  are legal definitions that cover your rights in relation to refunds so I am not trying to challenge  those rights (I do not dispute people’s rights to a legal refund). What I am covering are the different English words and phrases you may need to use when asking for a refund in English. We usually start off in a very pleasant mood hoping the request  (when we ask) for a refund will be  easy and simple. This first request is usually recommended to be polite (well mannered)Could I  please have a refund/full refund. In most situations such a request will be met with a favourable  response (agreed).If you feel that a polite simple request may be ignored you might either pleadfor  (ask with tears in your eyes) or beg for  (almost down on your knees) your refund. However,  when such requests are refused (denied) you may need to up the anti (become a little more  forceful).You can then demand (a little stronger than polite) a refund with words such asI want  my money refunded immediatelyIf this also fails then you may need to go legal (threaten to refer  the matter to your solicitor/lawyer). This usually gets a response as companies may not wish to get  involved in a legal battle which could ultimately end up in court  (in front of a judge).In this situation  someone may n eed to go as far as to send a solicitors letter where a solicitor (your legal representative) will write on your  behalf to the individual or company involved requesting an immediate refund or the matter will be  taken further (this could mean trying to get a court appearance to make a claim for the loss).  The easiest way to avoid all of this is: insist on a receipt when you purchase a product or service, ask  about their refund policy before handing over (making any payment) any money.Other ways you can request a refund in English: I feel you should, at the very least, refund the sum of €50 I paid for (strong) I insist that you refund my money at once (strong) I must insist on a full refund immediately (strong) Id like a refund I want to have my money backEnjoy your shopping  experience! Making Complaints in English How to complain about something in English:I want to complain about (starting a complaint)Id like to make a complaintSomething needs to be done about this (emphasising your discontent)Im sorry, its just not good enoughIm really not happy about this Im running out of patienceIts a disgraceThats just not acceptableI shall expect a reductionHow to reply to a complaint in English:I do understand why youre unhappy about this (sympathising with a complaint)Im very sorry to hear thatIm sorry to hear theres a problemIll see what I can do (agreeing to act)Ill do everything I can to sort this outIll sort it out immediatelyThats really beyond my control, Im afraid (declining to act)Theres really nothing I can do about itI must apologise

Revision Courses

Revision Courses With less than two months before exams are here again, many students will be looking for revision courses to boost their chances of obtaining the grades they dream of. What are revision courses? Revision courses can provide students taking core subjects, a well-organised and highly structured course that can greatly boost a student's potential. They are designed to improve a student's performance in GCSE, AS, and A-level exams which focus on key subject areas and practice with exam-style questions. Revision courses can help with subjects that students have traditionally found difficult. Maths has a very high demand but English, Chemistry and Physics are also very popular requests for revision courses. Classes are usually small which allows some time to be spent on individual needs. How are courses structured? From intensive one day courses or courses that last more than 3 weeks there is plenty to choose from. Depending on the number of subjects a student wants to enrol for, time spent in class could range from a minimum of 90 minutes to several hours including scheduled breaks. Whether you are looking for intensive revision courses online or face to face group/class tuition, First Tutors now offer the chance to find companies that specialise in revision courses. Make a search with your postcode and subject, select either group tuition, centres or online courses to bring up a list of options. This FREE service lets you send a message to the company who will contact you by your preferred method. Take some time over the Easter holidays to revise. You will be surprised by how fast you progress and master exam technique after attending a revision course and ultimately, this could shape your career path.

Get Involved A Guide for Election Day

Get Involved A Guide for Election Day https://pixabay.com Work as an Election Worker While not everyone can do this especially if you work a Monday to Friday job, or have classes on Tuesday it is a worthwhile opportunity if you are able to do so. The job is relatively easy, and you do get job training either the week before or hours before. You normally help check voters in, hand out ballots, help with curbside voting and generally make sure that the voting process runs smoothly. And even though it is often seen as a volunteer opportunity, it IS a job! You do get paid some for your time and commitment, depending on the election jurisdiction normally around $100 for the day. You do have to stay the entire day, normally from 5 a.m. until the polls close around 7 p.m. On occasion, there is food available for workers, but again it does depend on the election jurisdiction. For more information on how to become an Election worker, go to  https://www.eac.gov/voters/become-a-poll-worker/ https://unsplash.com Shuttle Voters from and to Polling Places Not everyone can reliably and easily get to the polls. This is where you can come in! Many campaign offices both local and national and senior communities look for volunteers to help volunteers get to and from the polls. All it takes is a call to the local campaign offices and senior communities to see what you can do, as well as seeing if your family members or neighbors need a ride as well. Every citizen has the right to vote, so making sure that they can get to the polls can help them exercise their right. And on the topic of campaign offices…. https://pixabay.com Volunteer with a Campaign They are hard to find in some places, but they ARE there. There are offices for both parties democratic and republican who are always looking for volunteers. Campaigns normally start around June and end in November. Duties normally include making phone calls and going door to door. Contact whichever candidate or campaign you feel strongly about now if you do have free time to dedicate your time. Otherwise, contact them to, at the very least, help get out the vote on Election Day. At the very least, they will very much appreciate a donation of water bottles or any type of food from now until Election Day! (Especially water bottles in the summer heat). These offices run on donations, so if you are unable to dedicate your time, the next time that you are in the store, pick up an extra water to drop off. Or drop off some home cooked food or snack foods. While you’re there, make sure to pick up some bumper stickers and signs as well. They will greatly appreciate it! Do remember that although the national elections in November are heard about more frequently, there are elections on the local and state level! They do need poll workers for ALL elections, not just the major ones. Voters want to get the polls for ALL elections, not just the ones that “matter.” And while there may not be as many election campaign offices during smaller elections, do make sure to find out what offices are out there for the local elections. You never know how you may be able to help.

The World is a Book

The World is a Book The World is a book and those who do not travel read only one page. St. Augustine St. Augustine or Augustine of Hippo was a philosopher and arguably the greatest christian theologian of all times. He believed the grace of Christ is  indispensable  to human freedom. He endowed mankind with the notion of just wars.  Many Protestants, especially the Calvinists, consider him to be one of the father of the Reformation. To the Catholic church and the Anglican Communion, he is a Saint. In the Eastern Orthodox Church Augustine is considered to be holy  and called Blessed Augustine.