Lectia 37 – Engleza – grupa mixta – 01.04.2015

Recapitulare

The simple present tense
USES EXAMPLES
1.General truths or facts,permanent situations(no specific time) Fish lives in he water .
A baker bakes bread .
We go to work five days a week.
2.Habitual ,repetitive actions (with adverbs such as:aiways,often,never,every day in the morning etc.) I never study on Saturday .
I often watch TVin bed on weekends.
3.sequences of actions (narratives) Dan and Lorie start working together on a newpaper article
In the process, they fell in love with each other
4.Non-durative actions completed almost at the time they are performed such as raport of methods and processes stage directions,etc) Ann gets to the metro station ,buys a token drops in the token goes through the gate and boards the train.
5.officially scheduled future events (with verbs of motion :come ,go ,leave ;or verbs expressing scheduled activities :begin ,start,end, finsh .Adverbs of future time are obligatory) Our winter vocation ends on January5.
Classes begin the next day.
6.In temporal and conditional clauses, when the verbs in the main clause is in the present /future tense or in the imperative. Get a good night sleep before you have the test .
If you don`t have enough sleep you`ll do poorly on the test.

TTHE CONTINOUS PRESENT TENSE
Uses

1.An action taking place at the moment of speaking (the action has duration and is not complete)
2.An action that extends over a longer period of time not necessarily including the moment of speaking .
3.Atemporary action /behavior (+an adverbial phrase indicating limited present time)
4.The transition from one state to another.
5.A frequently repeated action that annoysthe speaker(+always)
6.One’s immediateplans for the near the future (the time of the action must be mentioned)
7.In subordinate (temporal and conditional clauses.

Examples
1.look !It’s raining.I`m not going out .
2.I’m working on my term paper .My friend is studying for his exam.
3.Why are you being so rude these days ?(you are usully so polite!
You’re eating so much tonight (what’s wrong with you ?you usually eat like a bird )
4.It’s getting dark .Turn on the light ,please.The weather is changing
5.you’re always watching TV.(It’s really bothers me.
6.We’re moving next Saturday (I’ve already

Lectia 32 – Engleza – grupa mixta – Textul 04.02.2015

The CARMEL ALERT – January 30th 2015
.;A compilation of news reports from the past week for the information of those committed to ..praying..for the restoration of Israel
David’s Comment: It Is a Holy War Between Islam & the West !
I
I wrote this comment more than 4 years ago. In light of dramatic he rise of Al Quaida and ISIS over the the last 2 years, and the denial by western politicians and ‘moderate’ Muslims that the plague of terror that is tormenting so much of the world today has nohing to do with true Islamic faith, I felt it is was timely to republish the article, to remind us all about the blood soaked history of the Islamic religion.
M
Mohammed founded the Islamic religion in the 6th century. Right from the outset Mohammed and his followers spread the religion by the sword. Islam spread right across Asia Minor, North Africa and Europe, eradicating much of the evangelistic work of Paul, Peter and the other early apostles. Then in the 11th and 12th centuries the Crusaders embarked on counter-attacks against Islam engaging in many violent, bloody battles with the armies of Salah-Ah-Din, the leader of the Muslim Marmelukes. From the 12th to the 15th century, the Marmeluke dynasty controlled most of North Africa and the Middle East, until they were defeated by the Ottoman Turks in AD 1571. The Ottoman empire, which included Jerusalem, reigned until the Marmelukes began to take back their lost empire in the 17th century. The Ottoman army massacred the Marmelukes in Egypt in 1811, and destroyed their counterparts in Baghdad in 1831. The Ottomans ruled over the area until they were defeated by the British in the early 20th century. General Allenby liberated Jerusalem from the Otterman Turks in 1917, paving the way for the resurrection of Israel on May 14th 1948.
Islam laid relatively low for several decades until the discovery of oil under the desert sands of the Muslim Arab countries. As the 20th century advanced, every form of motorised transport began to rapidly increase, and the fortunes of the Arab world turned around. After WW2, the British realised their future was very dependant on Middle East oil and thus were one of the first Western countries to compromise the well-being of the Jews, in the hope of protecting the supply of Arab oil. Hundreds of Jews who had made their way to the shores of Israel, having survived the Nazi death camps, drowned in Haifa bay as the British Navy fired on, and sunk several of the ships that had rescued them. With the rapid advancement of technology in the last 40 years of the 20th century, the oil based plastic and synthetic industries were born, and in just a few decades, the developed world’s appetite for oil based fuels, and plastic products increased exponentially. Today, almost the entire world is dependent on the supply of oil from the North African and Middle East Islamic nations.
It seems very obvious to me that this unsatiable appetite for Arab oil is the reason that the post Christian nations of the West are going to the extreme in trying to placate the Muslims and to convince us all that Islam is a peaceful religion. For more than 40 years Muslims have been flooding into Europe, Scandanavia, the UK. Canada and the USA. In a number of cities in the UK and Sweden, the percentage of Muslims is over 30% – a few of them are approaching the 50% mark. Once they get this close to being the majority, Muslim leaders begin to look for ways to implement Sharia law. At first they begin to demand for Sharia law for the Muslim community, but rest assured that once they get that, it wont be long before they will demand the whole nation come under Sharia law. In the UK Islamic law courts are now sanctioned and operative. You have to have your head stuck in the sand, not to see that the real goal of Islam is to take over the world – And that means your country !
Islam has not changed its spots in the last 1000 years. More than 30 years ago, ‘Old School’ American preacher preacher, the late Lester Sumrall, wrote a book called ‘JIHAD’, in which he stated that the Islamic leader’s intention was to establish beach-heads in London and other European cities, from which the holy war would be launched against the USA and the rest of the world. Brother Sumrall’s prophetic words have been proven to be correct. In the US an American-born former Muslim made this statement, “When I was a Muslim I attended about 20 mosques here in America. I can say that every single one of them preached the hatred of Jews, Americans and Israel. Americans are being deceived by their media, their leaders and their political commentators; political correctness is literally going to kill millions of you.” Even though they wont admit it, the Western nations are engaged in a holy war with Islamic fundamentalists. It is very clear from the other perspective that radical Islam is openly engaged in a Jihad against the Jewish people and the infidels of the West. And while the West is bending over backwards to be nice to Islam, they are planning and preparing for more 9/11′s and worse. The biggest mistake is giving in to their demands. What we see as gestures of peace, they see as pathetic weakness. It encourages them to continue their terror tactics and it works !!!
History is repeating itself. The 1400 year conflict between Islam and the West is increasing, as it has done several times before. This time Islam’s greatest weapon is the stupidity of an enemy who is in denial of the true situation. The more we try to pretend all is well, the worse the situation gets. Even if the so called Palestinians get their own state (may it never be) the Jihad will continue. The so called Palestinian issue is just a very well planned Muslim strategy to bring the nations against Israel. The West has been manipulated into choosing to stand with the wrong people and will soon pay a terrible price for doing so. In Genesis 12:3 God warns us that He will curse those who are against Israel , or who take Israel lightly.
To finish on a positive note, there is hope. Isaiah 19 says that one day Israel, Assyria and Egypt will be one. One day the sons of Isaac and the sons of Ishmael will be reconciled. And we can play a part in this reconciliation, not by compromising the Word of God and allowing Islam to take over our once Christian nations, but by boldly declaring the Word of the Lord over the Arabs and the Jews. Let’s take authority over the lying spirits that fuel the deep animosity between the sons of Abraham, and then decree salvation over both peoples – in the Name of Yeshua.
The Lord bless you as you bless Israel by standing in defense of her right to exist in the land given to the Jewish people by the God of Israel. Please pray that Israel will turn back to their God. Do not be silent at this most strategic time, but please share this..with all of your fellow Christians, share it with your pastors, and with anyone you have a chance to speak to. Please also pray for a…major breakthrough to the Muslim world, and remember to pray for all of the soldiers in the IDF. Even though they are not aware of it, they are defending and fighting for the soon coming of the Messiah and the Kingdom of God.

Lectia 32 Engleza – grupa mixta 04.02.2015

Ex.1 Say what these people were doing at noon yesterday. Supply verbs in the continuous past tense to indicate ACTIONS IN PROGRESS AT A PARTICULAR TIME IN THE PAST

1. The Scotts/their picnic lunch. The Scotts were preparing their picnic lunch at noon yesterday.
2. Sarah Scott/ the picnic table
3. Joe Scott/ chicken on the barbecue grill
4. A jazz band/ on a small wooden stage
5. The performers/their own composition
6. Two teenagers/in front of the platform.
Ex. 2. Either the simple or the continuous past tense can be used with a period of time in the past. The simple past is preferred when we refer to a number of past activities, each of which lasted some time. The continuous paste tense is more common in speech. Respond to the statements below to practice the simple/continuous past tense+ FOR.
THE INTERVIEW
1. Interviewer: Let’s see. From from 1963 to 1967 you trained as a teacher.
Mr.Dobbs: That’s correct. I trained as a teacher for four years.
2. Interviewer: and from 1968 to 1970 you were fighting in the Vietnam War.
Mr. Dobbs: That’s right. I was fighting in the Vietnam War for two years.
3. You were teaching at Central High School in this town from 1971 to 1980, am I right?
4. From 1980 to 1982 you studied for your master’s degree, didn’t you?
5. I think you were the Principal of the school from 1982 to 1988.
6. I know you served as a school supervisor from 1988 to 1995.
7. From 1995 to 1999 you were doing educational research, is that right?
8. At the same time you were co-ordinating classes for adults, weren’t you?
Interviewer: And now you just went back to Central High, didn’t you?
Mr. Dobbs: Yes, I did. I’m back at my old school.
Ex. Rephrase the comments below: Use the continuous past tense+ ALWAYS to express DISAPPROVAL OF PAST ACTIONS WHICH, in the speaker’s opinion, HAPPENED MUCH TOO OFTEN.

The Former Daughters-in-Law
1. Mrs. Dobbs: Angie used my things all the time.
Mrs. Dobbs: Angie was always using my things.
Mrs. Adams: So dis Christie. She borrowed my pots and pans every day.
2.D: Well, Angie invited her friends to her apartment every morning.
A: Christie, too. They listened to loud rock-and-roll music all day.
3. It caused Angie to neglect her housekeeping duties.
A: You’re right- and they were shopping much too often.
4. D: Every time Angie went out she bought expensive clothes.
A: Well, Christie and my son spent a lot of money, too. They ate out all the time.
5. D: Then they went around broke from Sunday to Friday.
A: Our daughters-in-law spent money as fast as our sons made it.
6. D: That’s right, and all the time they said they were looking for jobs. Did you believe it?
A: Of course not. But it doesn’t matter now. They aren’t our daughters-in-law any more!

Ex. Describe what the following pairs of people were doing at the theatre during the intermission. Supply verbs in the continuous past tense both in the main clause and the temporal clause to express TWO ACTIONS IN PROGRESS AT THE SAME TIME IN THE PAST.

1. Cathy/ a cup of coffee-her boyfriend/ at the posters on the wall. Cathy was drinking a cup ofcoffee while her boyfriend was looking at the posters on the wall. Or: While Cathy was drinking a cup of coffee, her boyfriend was looking at the posters on the wall.
2. Two women/about the actors in the play – their husbands/investments
3. The bartenders/drinks to the people –the ushers/programs
4. The director of the play/ to a group of reporters – the actors/their make-up
5. The leading actress/ a cigarette-her partner/his lines for the next act
6. The sound technicians/the speakers in the theatre- the prop master/the furniture on the stage.
Ex. Put the following dialogue in INDIRECT SPEECH. Use the simple and continuous past tense, as appropriate.
BEFORE DINNER

1. Tim: What are you doing, Mommy?
Mother: I’m cooking your dinner. Tim asked his mother what she was doing. She told him (that) she was cooking his dinner.
2. Tim: Are you cooking something just for me?
Mother: No, your father needs to eat, too. He’s coming home soon.
3. Tim: Mom, I want to eat something now. Can I have a cookie?
Mother: Tim, you know you can’t have dessert before dinner.
4. Tim: But Mom, I’m starving.
Mother: All right, I can give you a carrot or an apple. I hope that will be enough for you until we’re ready for dinner.
5. Tim: But Mom, the roast smells so good. It makes me even hungrier. Please hurry with the dinner!
Mother: That’s exactly what I’m doing, Tim. I’m hurrying with the dinner. So please go and play until dinner is ready.

Lectia 31 Engleza – grupa mixta – 28.01.2015. Textul

The CARMEL ALERT – January 23rd 2015
.;A compilation of news reports from the past week for the information of those committed to
..praying..for the restoration of Israel
Guest Comment: A Christian Defense of Israel by Peter Wehner Commentary Magazine 26 December 2014
I want to build on the thoughtful and timely article by Jonathan Tobin, https://www.commentarymagazine.com/2014/12/24/dont-fall-for-palestinian-christmas-lies/, in which he called attention to the catastrophe that is happening to Christians in the Middle East; why the outcome of the struggle over the region cannot be ignored; and why, in his words, Christians should never think they could better the lives of their co-religionists by aiding efforts to destroy the other religious minority in the region: the Jews. Jonathan made a compelling case speaking as a person of the Jewish faith;
I’d like to speak as a person of the Christian faith. For Christians to become identified with the struggle against Zionism and I’ve encountered individuals who have, to that point that it was the key factor in leaving a church I and my family were members of is a profound moral error. Set aside the fact that despite some obvious theological differences, Christians and Jews share a common history and affinity, from the Hebrew Bible to heroes of the faith like Abraham, Joseph, Joshua and Moses. And many Christians believe, for theological reasons (God’s coventantal relationship with Israel), that they cannot be indifferent to the fate of Israel. But as I mentioned, bracket all that. In judging Israel and its enemies, let’s use the standard of justice, which is the one liberal Christians who are highly critical of the Jewish state often invoke.
For one thing, even a cursory understanding of the history of the past 65-plus years makes it clear that the impediments to peace lie not with Israel but with its adversaries. And when it comes to the prolonged conflict with the Palestinians, it is they, not the Israelis, who are responsible for it. (For those who blame the so-called Israeli occupation for Palestinian hostilities, I will point out, as I have before, that the PLO, which was committed to the destruction of Israel, was founded in 1964, three years before Israel controlled the West Bank or Gaza. In addition, the 1948 and 1967 wars against Israel happened before the ‘occupied territories’ and settlements ever became an issue. And in Gaza in 2005, Israel did what no other nation, including no Arab nation, has ever done before: provide the Palestinians with the opportunity for self-rule. In response, Israel was shelled by thousands of rockets and mortar attacks and eventually drawn into a war with Hamas.)
The Palestinian people are suffering but the reasons they suffer are fundamentally a creation not of Israel but of failed Palestinian leadership, which from beginning to end has been characterized by staggering corruption, brutality, oppression and anti-Semitism. Since the creation of Israel in the first half of the last century, not a single Palestinian leader has been willing or able to alter a culture that stokes hatred of Jews and advocates the eradication of Israel. Until that changes, there is no possibility for peace or justice. Palestinians must do what they have, until now, refused to do: make their own inner peace with the existence of a Jewish state. That they have not done so, despite the terrible human costs to them, tells you quite a lot.
Beyond that, it is a delusion for Christians to believe that life in the Middle East would be better if the enemies of Israel were to prevail. The movement that is targeting Christians for death isn’t Zionism; it’s Islamism. The historian Philip Jenkins wrote in Christianity Today last month For Christians in the Middle East, 2014 has been a catastrophe. That catastrophe hasn’t been caused by Israel, where Israel’s Christian citizens enjoy the full blessings of freedom and democracy.
Ask yourself a simple question: If you were a Christian, would you rather live in Jerusalem or Tehran, Mosul, Damascus, or Riyadh? Would you rather live under the government of Benjamin Netanyahu or the rule of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi? Would you rather be photographed with a typical Jewish store owner in Israel or with a typical British national who has joined ISIS? The idea that Christians would prosper in the Middle East if Israel was weak and the mortal threats to Israel were strong is quite absurd. But beyond even that, Israel is worthy of the support, admiration and even the affection of Christians because of the type of nation Israel is: democratic, pluralistic, self-critical, respectful of human rights, minority rights and other faiths, a bulwark against militant Islam, bone weary of war and willing to make extraordinary sacrifices for peace, unmatched by any other nation on earth. Blessed are the peacemakers, said a famous Jew many years ago, for they shall be called the children of God.
Israel is imperfect, like all nations in this fallen world; but it ranks among the most impressive and venerable nations that this fallen world has ever produced. Christians who care about their co-religionists in the Middle East, who care about justice and who hate injustice, must keep faith with the Jewish state. To break with it would be to break with their history and some of the key moral commitments of Christianity. And that is very much worth recalling as Christians the world over have, during the last several days, once again focused their attention on the Holy Land. (end of article)
The Lord bless you as you bless Israel by standing in defense of her right to exist in the land given to the Jewish people by the God of Israel. Please pray that Israel will turn back to their God. Do not be silent at this most strategic time, but please share this..with all of your fellow Christians, share it with your pastors, and with anyone you have a chance to speak to. Please also pray for a…major breakthrough to the Muslim world, and remember to pray for all of the soldiers in the IDF. Even though they are not aware of it, they are defending and fighting for the soon coming of the Messiah and the Kingdom of God.
,
Shabbat Shalom …. David & Josie

Ps 1, Ps 15, Ps 20, Ps 81 si Ps 91 – in engleza – 13.12.2014

Psalmul 1

• Ferice de omul care nu se duce la sfatul celor răi, nu se opreşte pe calea celor păcătoşi şi nu se aşază pe scaunul celor batjocoritori!
• 2 Ci îşi găseşte plăcerea în Legea Domnului, şi zi şi noapte cugetă la Legea Lui.
• 3 El este ca un pom sădit lângă un izvor de apă, care îşi dă rodul la vremea lui şi ale cărui frunze nu se veştejesc: tot ce începe, duce la bun sfârşit.

• 4 Nu tot aşa este cu cei răi: ci ei sunt ca pleava pe care o spulberă vântul.

• 5 De aceea cei răi nu pot ţine capul sus în ziua judecăţii, nici păcătoşii în adunarea celor neprihăniţi.
• 6 Căci Domnul cunoaşte calea celor neprihăniţi, dar calea păcătoşilor duce la pieire.

Bible VersionsNKJVPsalms Psalm 1
Psalm 1 (New King James Version)
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1 Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. 3 He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. 4 The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Psalmul 15
• 1 Doamne, cine va locui în cortul Tău? Cine va locui pe muntele Tău cel sfânt?

• 2 – Cel ce umblă în neprihănire, cel ce face voia lui Dumnezeu şi spune adevărul din inimă.

• 3 Acela nu cleveteşte cu limba lui, nu face rău semenului său şi nu aruncă ocara asupra aproapelui său.

• 4 El priveşte cu dispreţ pe cel vrednic de dispreţuit, dar cinsteşte pe cei ce se tem de Domnul. El nu-şi ia vorba înapoi dacă face un jurământ în paguba lui.

• 5 El nu-şi dă banii cu dobândă şi nu ia mită împotriva celui nevinovat. Cel ce se poartă aşa, nu se clatină niciodată.

1 A Psalm of David
Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill? 2 He who walks uprightly, And works righteousness, And speaks the truth in his heart; 3 He who does not backbite with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend; 4 In whose eyes a vile person is despised, But he honors those who fear the Lord; He who swears to his own hurt and does not change; 5 He who does not put out his money at usury, Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved.

Psalmul 20
• Să te asculte Domnul în ziua necazului, să te ocrotească Numele Dumnezeului lui Iacov,

• 2 să-ţi trimită ajutor din locaşul Său cel sfânt şi să te sprijine din Sion!

• 3 Să-Şi aducă aminte de toate darurile tale de mâncare şi să primească arderile tale de tot! (Oprire)
• • 4 Să-ţi dea ce-ţi doreşte inima şi să-ţi împlinească toate planurile tale!

• 5 Atunci noi ne vom bucura de biruinţa ta şi vom flutura steagul în Numele Dumnezeului nostru. Domnul să-ţi asculte toate dorinţele tale!

• 6 Ştiu de acum că Domnul scapă pe unsul Său şi-i va răspunde din ceruri, din locaşul Lui cel sfânt, prin ajutorul atotputernic al dreptei Lui.

• 7 Unii se bizuie pe carele lor, alţii pe caii lor; dar noi ne bizuim pe Numele Domnului Dumnezeului nostru.

• 8 Ei se îndoaie şi cad; dar noi ne ridicăm şi rămânem în picioare.
• 9 Scapă, Doamne, pe împăratul şi ascultă-ne când Te chemăm!
Bible VersionsNKJVPsalms
Psalm 20
Psalm 20 (New King James Version)

1 To the Chief Musician
A Psalm of David
May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble; May the name of the God of Jacob defend you; 2 May He send you help from the sanctuary, And strengthen you out of Zion; 3 May He remember all your offerings, And accept your burnt sacrifice. Selah 4 May He grant you according to your heart’s desire, And fulfill all your purpose. 5 We will rejoice in your salvation, And in the name of our God we will set up our banners! May the Lord fulfill all your petitions. 6 Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven With the saving strength of His right hand. 7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the Lord our God. 8 They have bowed down and fallen; But we have risen and stand upright. 9 Save, Lord! May the King answer us when we call.

Psalmul 81
• Cântaţi cu veselie lui Dumnezeu, care este tăria noastră! Înălţaţi strigăte de bucurie Dumnezeului lui Iacov!
• 2 Cântaţi o cântare, sunaţi din tobă, din harpa cea plăcută şi din lăută!
• 3 Sunaţi din trâmbiţă la luna nouă, la luna plină, în ziua sărbătorii noastre!
• 4 Căci aceasta este o Lege pentru Israel, o poruncă a Dumnezeului lui Iacov.

• 5 El a rânduit sărbătoarea aceasta pentru Iosif, când a mers împotriva ţării Egiptului… Atunci am auzit un glas pe care nu l-am cunoscut: –

• 6 „I-am descărcat povara de pe umăr, şi mâinile lui nu mai ţin coşul.

• 7 Ai strigat în necaz, şi te-am izbăvit; ţi-am răspuns în locul tainic al tunetului şi te-am încercat la apele Meriba. – (Oprire)

• 8 Ascultă, poporul Meu, şi te voi sfătui; Israele, de M-ai asculta!

• 9 Niciun dumnezeu străin să nu fie în mijlocul tău şi să nu te închini înaintea dumnezeilor străini!

• 10 Eu sunt Domnul Dumnezeul tău care te-am scos din ţara Egiptului; deschide-ţi gura larg, şi ţi-o voi umple!”

• 11 Dar poporul Meu n-a ascultat glasul Meu, Israel nu M-a ascultat.

• 12 Atunci i-am lăsat în voia pornirilor inimii lor, şi au urmat sfaturile lor.

• 13 O! de M-ar asculta poporul Meu, de ar umbla Israel în căile Mele!

• 14 Într-o clipă aş înfrunta pe vrăjmaşii lor, Mi-aş întoarce mâna împotriva potrivnicilor lor;
• • 15 cei ce urăsc pe Domnul L-ar linguşi, şi fericirea lui Israel ar dăinui în veci.

• 16 L-aş hrăni cu cel mai bun grâu şi l-aş sătura cu miere din stâncă.

Psalm 81
To the Chief Musician
On an instrument of Gath. A Psalm of Asaph
Sing aloud to God our strength; Make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob. 2 Raise a song and strike the timbrel, The pleasant harp with the lute. 3 Blow the trumpet at the time of the New Moon, At the full moon, on our solemn feast day. 4 For this is a statute for Israel, A law of the God of Jacob. 5 This He established in Joseph as a testimony, When He went throughout the land of Egypt, Where I heard a language I did not understand. 6 “I removed his shoulder from the burden; His hands were freed from the baskets. 7 You called in trouble, and I delivered you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah 8 “Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you! O Israel, if you will listen to Me! 9 There shall be no foreign god among you; Nor shall you worship any foreign god. 10 I am the Lord your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt; Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. 11 “But My people would not heed My voice, And Israel would have none of Me. 12 So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart, To walk in their own counsels. 13 “Oh, that My people would listen to Me, That Israel would walk in My ways! 14 I would soon subdue their enemies, And turn My hand against their adversaries. 15 The haters of the Lord would pretend submission to Him, But their fate would endure forever. 16 He would have fed them also with the finest of wheat; And with honey from the rock I would have satisfied you.”

Psalmul 91

• Cel ce stă sub ocrotirea Celui Preaînalt şi se odihneşte la umbra Celui atotputernic,

• 2 zice despre Domnul: „El este locul meu de scăpare şi cetăţuia mea, Dumnezeul meu în care mă încred!”

• 3 Da, El te scapă de laţul vânătorului, de ciumă şi de pustiirile ei.

• 4 El te va acoperi cu penele Lui şi te vei ascunde sub aripile Lui. Căci scut şi pavăză este credincioşia Lui!

• 5 Nu trebuie să te temi nici de groaza din timpul nopţii, nici de săgeata care zboară ziua,
• • 6 nici de ciuma care umblă în întuneric, nici de molima care bântuie ziua în amiaza mare.
• • 7 O mie să cadă alături de tine, şi zece mii la dreapta ta, dar de tine nu se va apropia.
• • 8 Doar vei privi cu ochii şi vei vedea răsplătirea celor răi.

• 9 Pentru că zici: „Domnul este locul meu de adăpost!” şi faci din Cel Preaînalt turnul tău de scăpare,

• 10 de aceea nicio nenorocire nu te va ajunge, nicio urgie nu se va apropia de cortul tău.

• 11 Căci El va porunci îngerilor Săi să te păzească în toate căile tale;

• 12 şi ei te vor duce pe mâini, ca nu cumva să-ţi loveşti piciorul de vreo piatră.

• 13 Vei păşi peste lei şi peste năpârci şi vei călca peste pui de lei şi peste şerpi. –
• • 14 „Fiindcă Mă iubeşte – zice Domnul – de aceea îl voi izbăvi; îl voi ocroti, căci cunoaşte Numele Meu.

• 15 Când Mă va chema, îi voi răspunde; voi fi cu el în strâmtorare, îl voi izbăvi şi-l voi proslăvi.

• 16 Îl voi sătura cu viaţă lungă şi-i voi arăta mântuirea Mea.”

Bible VersionsNKJVPsalms
Psalm 91
Psalm 91 (New King James Version)

1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” 3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence. 4 He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. 5 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, 6 Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. 7 A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you. 8 Only with your eyes shall you look, And see the reward of the wicked. 9 Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place, 10 No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; 11 For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways. 12 In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone. 13 You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot. 14 “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. 15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. 16 With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation.”

Lectia a 28-a engleza grupa mixta – 13.12.2014

– continuare Reported Speech si Past Perfect Simple

Partea a 2-a REPORTED SPEECH: REQUESTS

When we report a request, we usually use ask + object +full infinitive.

“Can you lend me your headphones, please?” she asked.
She asked me to lend her my headphones.

(Also: She asked if I could lend her my headphones.)

“Please don’tell anyone”, he said.
He asked us not to tell anyone.

REPORTED SPEECH: REPORTING VERBS

We use say, tell and ask to report speech

Statements:

Say+(that)+clause
He said (that) he had enjoyed the concert.

Tell+(that)+object+clause

He told us (that) he had enjoyed the concert.

Questions:

Ask+question word+clause

He asked where the concert was being held.

Ask+if?whether +clause

He asked if/whether we had enjoyed the concert.

Commands

Tell+object+full infinitive

He told us not to go to the concert

Requests

Ask+object+full infinitive
He asked us to buy him a ticket for the concert.

We can also use other verbs such as promise, advise, deny and suggest to report speech. Notice the different structures.

Verb+object+full infinitive

Promise
“I’ll buy you a ticket for the concert”, he said.
He promised to buy me a ticket for the concert.

Advise
“If I were you, I’d buy tickets for the concert”, he said.
He advised us to buy tickets for the concert.

Verb+gerund (-ing)
Deny
“I didn’t take your ticket for the concert”, he said.
He denied taking my ticket for the concert.

Suggest

“Let’s buy tickets for the concert”, he said.
He suggested buying tickets for the concert.

Ex. Put the verbs in italics in the simple past or past perfect tense:

1. Alex (tell) me that he (never, meet) you.
2. Mr. Adams (be) in the garden for an hour when it (start) to rain.
3. Ann (leave) the store as soon as she (buy) the things she needed.
4. The lights (go out) the moment we (get) into the movie theater.
5. I (just, hear) about the accident when Bill (tell) me about it.
6. At 10 Betty (put) her book down; she (finish) reading it.
7. Hardly (the Scotts, buy) their car when it (have) a flat tire.
8. The driver (stop) his car wheb the lights (change) to red.
9. I (see) this movie last night. My friends (already, see) it.
10. When we (go out) again, the wind (stop)
11. Judy (think) she (win) the lottery, but she hadn’t.
12. When the policeman (blow) his whistle, the driver (stop) his car.
13. They (go) to see the play because they (hear) it was good.
14. He (wonder) whether he (leave) his wallet at home.

Ex. Put the verbs in italics in the simple past or past perfect.

1. Many of the guests (leave) by the time we (arrive).
2. The secretary (not leave) until she (finish) her work.
3. The couple (scarcely, enter) the house when they (begin) to argue.
4. The teacher (ask) the boy why he (not do) his homework.
5. The car (hardly, go) a mile when it (break) down.
6. The weather (be) far worse than we (expect).
7. They (be) married for six years when they finally (have) a child.
8. They (no sooner, sell) their house than they (regret) it.
9. When she (finish) her work, she (go) for a walk.
10. Martha (already, mail) the letter when she (realize) she (send) it to the wrong address.

Lectia a 27-a engleza grupa mixta – 10.12.2014

Past Perfect Simple

Test. Put the verbs in italics in the simple past perfect, the positive, negative or interrogative form.

MY GRANDMOTHER

1. Yesterday Grandmother showed me a letter Grandfather ((write) to her many years before.
2. I thought it was the letter in which he (propose) to her.
3. I was wrong. Apparently, he (not propose) to her, she (propose) to him. Why (that, happen) ? I wondered.
4. I knew that as a young woman Grandmother (work) in a lawyer’s office. She (be) a strong, independent young woman.
5. By contrast, Grandfather (be) very shy. He (not have) the courage to propose her. What (his parents, say)? I asked.
6. Grandmother acted as if she (not hear) my question. Without a word, she showed me her wedding photo.
7. Then she read what Grandparent (write) on the back of the photo all those years ago.
8. I was touched. It was obvious they (be) very much in love with each other. I stopped asking awkward questions.
9. When Grandmother (put) the photo back into the album, I carefully replaced it on the shelf.
Ex. AVOID UNHEALTHY EATING HABITS

1. Don’t have meals at irregular times. Cathy gained weight because she had had meals at irregular times.
2. Don’t eat large portions.
3. Don’t choose foods high in calories.
4. Don’t avoid fruits and vegetables.
5. Don’t select low fiber foods.
6. Don’t drink lots of soda, Coke and Pepsi-Cola.
7. Don’t take junk food to work as snacks.

Ex. The simple past perfect + JUST, HARDLY, BARELY, SCARCELY, NO SOONER indicates a past action completed immediately before another past action or point in past time (RECENT PERFECT). Answer Mrs. Adams’questions. Use the simple past perfect + JUST+WHEN+ past tense in your answers.

1. Mrs. Adams: Betty, did you get to the theater in time for the show? Betty: Yes, I did. I’d just got there when the show started.
2. Did you get into the theater before the lights went out?
3. Did Alex get to school in time for the first class?
4. Did he finish the test before the bell rang?
5. Did Joe get to the stadium in time for the game?
6. Did they finish the game before it started to rain?
7. Did Sarah get to the university in time for the lecture?
8. Did she get to school in time for the meeting?

Ex. Answer the questions in previous exercise again, this time using the simple past perfect +HARDLY+WHEN + past tense. Example:
1. Mrs. Adams: Betty, did you get to the theater in time for the show?
Betty: Yes, I did. I’d hardly got there when the show started.

Ex. Re-express the sentences below to practice the simple past perfect + NO SOONER+ THAN+ past tense

1. They turned the television on and it broke down immediately. They’d/They had no sooner turned the television on than it broke down.
2. The soccer game started and immediately the crowd began to boo.
3. The gardener watered the plants and immediately it started to rain.
4. My friend moved to the state of Washington and soon after he was offered a better job in Oregon.
5. He left on vacation and immediately he had to return home.
6. Joe Scott walked into the restaurant and immediately realized he had left his wallet in the car.
7. He bought a new care, and the next day he had an accident.
8. He started the car and immediately the engine stopped.

Lectia a 26-a engleza grupa mixta – 06.12.2014

Reported Speech: Statements

When we report direct speech, the tenses used by the speaker usually change as follows:
Present Simple – Past Simple

“He likes hip-hop”, she said. She said (that) he liked hip hop.

Present Continuous – Past Continuous

“He is listening to his new CD”, she said. She said (that) he was listening to his new CD.

Present Perfect Simple – Past Perfect Simple

“They have bought a new CD”, she said. She said (that) they had bought a new CD.

Present Perfect Continuous – Past Perfect Continuous

“They have been recording all day”, she said. She said (that) they had been recording all day.

Past Simple – Past Perfect Simple

“He watched a film on TV”, she said. She said (that) he had watched a film on TV.

Past Continuous – Past Perfect Continuous

“He was reading about Imiz”, she said. She said (that) he had been reading about Imiz.

Other changes in verb forms are as follows:

Can – could
“Jane can play the piano”, she said.
She said (that) Jane could play the piano.

May – might

“he may come to the concert”, she said.
She said (that) he might come to the concert.

Must – had to

“he must collect the tickets later”, she said.
She said (that) he had to collect the tickets later.

Will – would

“They will never like opera”, she said. She said (that) they would never like opera.

Note: Remember to change pronouns and possessive adjectives where necessary. “We are going to form a band”, he said. – He said (that) they were going to form a band.
“Those are my music magazines”, she said – She said (that) those were her music magazines.

2. we can leave out that.
They said that they had seen the film before. – they said they had seen the film before.
3. the following tenses and words don’t change in Reported Speech: Past Perfect Simple, Past Perfect Continuous, would, could, might, should, ought to, used to, had better, mustn’t and must when they refer to deduction.

SAY and TELL

We often use the verbs say and tell in reported speech. We follow tell with an object.
Julia said they would love her new single.
Julia told her friends they would love her new single.

REPORTED SPEECH: CHANGE IN TIME AND PLACE

When we report direct speech, there are often changes in words that show time and place too.

Now – then
“I’m playing the guitar now”, she said.
She said she was playing the guitar then.

Today- that day
“We are going to the theatre today”, he said.

He said they were going to the theatre that day.

Tonight – that night
“they can go to the cinema tonight”, she said.
She said they could go to the cinema that night.

Yesterday – the previous day / the day before

“I saw them in concert yesterday”, she said.

She said she had seen them in concert the previous day / the day before.

Last week/ month – the previous week / month / the week / month before

“He released the CD last month”, she said.
She said he had released the CD the previous month / the month before

Tomorrow – the next day / the following day

“I’ll buy the tickets tomorrow”, she said.
She said she would buy the tickets the next day / the following day.

Next week/month – the following week/month

“We’re going to the show next week”, she said.

She said they were going to the show the following week.

This/these – that / those

“This is my music magazine”, she said.
She said that was her music magazine.

Ago – before
“I bought that CD two weeks ago”, she said.

She said she had bought that CD two weeks before.

At the moment – at that moment

“He’s singing in a band at the moment”, she said.
She said he was singing in a band at that moment.

Here – there

“Your CD’s are here on the table”, she said.
She said my CD’s were there on the table.

REPORTED SPEECH: QUESTIONS

When we report questions, changes in tenses, pronouns, possessive adjectives, time and place are the same as in reported statements. In reported questions, the verb follows the subject as in ordinary statements and we do not use questions marks.

When a direct question has a question word, we use this word in the reported, we use if or whether in the reported question.

“when a direct question does not have a question word, we use if or whether in the reported question.
“Do you like classical music?” he asked.
He asked if/whether I like classical music.

REPORTED SPEECH: COMMANDS

When we report commands, we usually use tell+object+full infinitive.
“turn the volum down!” he shouted at me.
He told me to turn the volume down.
“Don’t take my MP3 player!” he said to his sister.

He told his sister not to take his MP3 player.

Textul pentru lectia de engleza din 03.12.2014, The Carmel Alert

.The Carmel Alert – November 14th 2014
……………………………………………………..A compilation of news reports from the past week for the information of those committed to praying
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….for the Restoration of Israel & the Jewish People.
k
………………..….Guest Comment: The End of Life as We Know It – Ready or Not !
………………..….
………………I felt strongly to share this report from you from World News 14 October 2014 … Christians must be warned and prepared as best
………………..…we can for what is about to hit the world. Keep in mind we are in a Shmitah year https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Flu1crlHPJo
……………….….There are substantial and profound changes developing .around the world today that eventually will affect just about everyone. The human race is
………………..….starting to feel the natural consquences of every sinister .thing we as a race have been about. Last week really shook markets, especially in
………………..….Europe?things are destabilizing across the board?oil prices are plunging hurting Russia and other producers right where it hurts. We are now
………………..….headed toward the greatest financial disaster in history. Nobody & nothing will stop it. Signs of it are everywhere in the mainstream media.
………………..….At the same time we have viral plagues facing the world?s populations and war increasing to the extent that has never been seen in world history.
………………..….There will be plenty of cover fire for governments to declare national emergencies and martial law to cover the coming collapse of the world as we
………………..….know it. The day the earth stands still as panic overtakes the herd when markets crash is still not yet upon us but you should be able to see that
………………..….eventuality even if you only read the mainstream news. World economic leaders are being urged to rally around a plan to let government do what it
………………..….does best ? spend money in an effort to buoy the global economy that remains slack & slowing. What they are now saying is sounding desperate.
………………..….International Money Fund managing Director Christine Lagarde issued a blunt warning last Thursday for the United States & Germany to open the
………………..….taps and spend more on infrastructure, a stark reversal from the Fund’s recent fixation on holding down government debt & lifting economies through
…………………. “structural reforms” that have proved politically difficult to implement.
………………..….The aim now is to use an old-fashioned tool, the public purse, to step in where households, the private sector, banks & others have not. That?s code
………………..….red meaning all sectors are in a depression, the ship is going down & for governments to save the day with debt. Praise be to the Lord what a brilliant
………………..….idea! .“There has been a big drop in aggregate demand. Someone has to fill that gap,” IMF Deputy Managing Director Min Zhu said. Most people
………………..….are too drunk on propaganda to walk and think on their own two feet.
………………..….It is a soundless noise announcing with a shout that the Titanic world economy is sinking quickly. This last week we are seeing extreme fear
……………..in the market place. ?You can print all of the money that you want, but if people are not borrowing it, if they’re not spending it, then you’re economy
……………..is collapsing even with money printing,? writes Jim Rickards.
…………….We are in global depression which started in 2007 and is going to continue indefinitely concludes Rickards in his book ?Currency Wars: The Making
…………….of the Next Global Crisis. In an interview with RT News Rickard said, ?So far people say: ?Where is the inflation?. We printed trillions of dollars, there…………….
……………is no inflation.? That is because we would have had deflation, extreme deflation, but for the money printing. It did produce inflation to the extent that it
…………….offset the deflation? The world is in depression, we are not getting out of it.?
…………….Rickards, who has been an advisor to the Pentagon in an interview said ?Very interestingly BIS (Bank of International Settlements) about a month ago
…………….issued a warning of systemic risk. They said that the system is getting dangerously close to collapse. A few weeks later the IMF issued a similar
…………….one. And then last week G-20 finance ministers meeting in Australia issued a warning. What was the last time you saw the three most powerful multi-
…………….lateral financial bodies BIS, IMF & G-20 issued warnings. I have never seen it before. They are telling you it is going to collapse. “They see what
…………….I say and they are warning you. I have been in international finance since 1974 – I have never seen a situationlike this.?
…………….This is not to say that the market will crash tomorrow. The good times, that are dependent on robbing our children of their future, are just about
…………….to come to an end. Don’t get blindsided by what is now coming down the pike. Evidence of the coming catastrophic breakdown is all around us.
. …………..The rich people know that something bad is looming on the horizon. They are rapidly moving out of paper assets into solid investments. What smart
……………rich person wants to be holding paper assets when the digital/paper financial fire burns the economy to the ground? It is only a matter of time before
……………the stock market plunges by 50% or more, according to several reputable experts. ?We have no right to be surprised by a severe & imminent stock
…………….market crash,? explains Mark Spitznagel, a hedge fund manager who is notorious for his hugely profitable billion-dollar bet on the 2008 crisis. ?In fact,
…………….we must absolutely expect it.” ?We are in a gigantic financial asset bubble,? warns Swiss fund manager Marc Faber. “It could burst any day !”
…………………Derivative & gold expert Rob Kirby says ?What?s at the heart of all the trouble in the world right now? The world?s reserve currency has been debased
…………….to the point that it is going to go supernova. This is the whole illusion behind the strength of the dollar. The dollar isn?t getting stronger, just like stars
……………aren?t going to have longevity when they go supernova. They get brighter & you might think the star is getting more viable when, in reality, the notion
…………….of it getting really bright before it goes supernova is exactly the opposite of the illusion of it getting brighter. This is what happens just before it goes
…………… black and dies.?
…………. .The collective debt of the developed economies has surpassed the $100 trillion mark which is a colossal bet that the future economy & populations
…………….will be larger than it is currently but this is simply not going to happen for a number of reasons like water, food & energy limitations. We have reached
…………….the zenith and passed it going down as our collective debt strangles the world economy. On a global level, growth is being steadily drowned under
…………….a rising tide of debt, threatening a renewed financial crisis, a continued squeeze to living standards, and eventual mass default is in the offing on a
…………….scale never seen before in the history of the world. What is happening is a global depression with no bottom in sight. It?s going to be carnage
…………….out there?actually it already is for uncountable millions of people. The global world economy is a jumbo jet on its way down ! The crushing effect
…………….of debt in a deflationary world will snuff the life out of the entire digital and paper world of finance. The bottom line – the present older generations have
…………….ruined the world for the next and in fact for all that will come.
…………….May the Lord bless you as you bless Israel by standing in defense of her right to exist in the land given to the Jewish people by the God
…………………of Israel. Please pray that Israel will turn back to their God. Do not be silent at this most strategic time, but share this with your fellow
…………………Christians, share it with your pastors, and with anyone you have a chance to speak to. Please also pray for a major breakthrough in the
…………………Muslim world. Please remember to pray for all of the soldiers in the IDF – they are defending and fighting for the soon coming of Messiah
…………….and the Kingdom of God.

Lectia a 25-a engleza grupa mixta – partea a 2-a

Interviul de angajare – partea finala

6. HOW TO ACE THE 50 MOST COMMON INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
I recently laid out the year’s most oddball interview questions. The Glassdoor list included queries from companies like Google GOOG +0.37%, Bain & Co., and Amazon, which are notorious for their perplexing and unusual job interview questions.
In 2012, the search giant asked a candidate, “How many cows are in Canada?” while Bain challenged an interviewee to estimate the number of windows in New York. Amazon asked a candidate, “If Jeff Bezos walked into your office and offered you a million dollars to launch your best entrepreneurial idea, what would it be?”
The moral of the story was that job seekers need to anticipate less conventional interview questions, and that they should think of oddball queries as an opportunity to demonstrate their thought process, to communicate their values and character, and to show the prospective employer how they perform under pressure.
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But as it turns out, most companies will ask more common interview questions like “What are your strengths?” and “What are your weaknesses?”—and it’s important that you prepare well for those, too.
Glassdoor sifted through tens of thousands of interview reviews to find the 50 most common questions.
The 50 Most Common Interview Questions:
1. What are your strengths?
2. What are your weaknesses?
3. Why are you interested in working for [insert company name here]?
4. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years?
5. Why do you want to leave your current company?
6. Why was there a gap in your employment between [insert date] and [insert date]?
7. What can you offer us that someone else can not?
8. What are three things your former manager would like you to improve on?
9. Are you willing to relocate?
10. Are you willing to travel?
11. Tell me about an accomplishment you are most proud of.
12. Tell me about a time you made a mistake.
13. What is your dream job?
14. How did you hear about this position?
15. What would you look to accomplish in the first 30 days/60 days/90 days on the job?
16. Discuss your resume.
17. Discuss your educational background.
18. Describe yourself.
19. Tell me how you handled a difficult situation.
20. Why should we hire you?
21. Why are you looking for a new job?
22. Would you work holidays/weekends?
23. How would you deal with an angry or irate customer?
24. What are your salary requirements?
25. Give a time when you went above and beyond the requirements for a project.
26. Who are our competitors?
27. What was your biggest failure?
28. What motivates you?
29. What’s your availability?
30. Who’s your mentor?
31. Tell me about a time when you disagreed with your boss.
32. How do you handle pressure?
33. What is the name of our CEO?
34. What are your career goals?
35. What gets you up in the morning?
36. What would your direct reports say about you?
37. What were your bosses’ strengths/weaknesses?
38. If I called your boss right now and asked him what is an area that you could improve on, what would he say?
39. Are you a leader or a follower?
40. What was the last book you’ve read for fun?
41. What are your co-worker pet peeves?
42. What are your hobbies?
43. What is your favorite website?
44. What makes you uncomfortable?
45. What are some of your leadership experiences?
46. How would you fire someone?
47. What do you like the most and least about working in this industry?
48. Would you work 40+ hours a week?
49. What questions haven’t I asked you?
50. What questions do you have for me?
WATCH: The Theory Behind John Paul DeJoria’s Hiring Practices
In Pictures: How to Prepare for Common Interview Questions
How to prepare for common job interview questions:
Do your homework. “One of the biggest complaints of hiring managers is that many job interview candidates know very little about the company they’re interviewing for,” says Andy Teach, author of From Graduation to Corporation: The Practical Guide to Climbing the Corporate Ladder One Rung at a Time, and host of the YouTube channel FromGradToCorp. Google the company you’re interviewing with and read some of the articles that pop up; study the company’s website; know the company’s mission, its products and services, its locations, and who their top executives are. Go to the Public Relations tab on their website and print out some of their latest press releases. “Study them so that you can talk in the interview about what’s going on with the company now,” he says.
Prepare a list of likely questions. Shweta Khare, a career and job search expert says getting a list of common questions for an interview is easier than ever before. “You can never underestimate the importance of preparation. It’s the first step and the most important,” she says.
Identify what the organization wants and needs. “While the focus of ‘Why should we hire you?’ (and other similar interview questions) is on ‘you,’ the interviewee, it’s important to remember the answer isn’t all about you,” says Miriam Salpeter, job search coach, owner of Keppie Careers and author of Social Networking for Career Success and 100 Conversations for Career Success.
The most successful interview responses focus on the hiring manager’s needs. “Framing replies that demonstrate you understand their problems, or ‘pain points,’ makes a big difference when competing with many other qualified candidates.”
Prepare by identifying the skills employers are looking for. “Use their in-depth job descriptions, view videos the employers post about their organization, and visit their Facebook page and Twitter feeds,” she suggests.
Google yourself. Find out what the company knows about you, Teach adds. “See what they see. If there’s anything negative about you, have a response ready as to why it’s negative but don’t get too defensive. Respond and then move on.”
Interview yourself for the position. Before every interview, ask yourself: “Why am I a good fit for this job?”
“I tell my clients to post the question, ‘Why should we hire you?’ on their bathroom mirror, refrigerator or anyplace they will see it during the day,” Salpeter says. “I instruct them to answer, out loud, keeping different companies in mind each time. Rehearsing this way will help you hone in on what you have to offer.”
Identify what is unique or special about you. How have you gone above and beyond the call of duty? What did you accomplish that no one else managed to do? Did you volunteer to tackle a problem and solve it? “Don’t underestimate the value of looking at yourself, your skills and your accomplishments and outlining the key points you will want to share with a prospective employer.”
Practice and plan. Role play answering typical interview questions with a friend, colleague, or coach, says Anita Attridge, a Five O’Clock Club career and executive coach. “Be prepared for the typical interview questions by thinking about what your response would be to them before the interview,” she adds.
If you are a college student, set up an appointment with your career center and have them conduct a mock interview with you. “Even if you’re a recent graduate, many college career centers will conduct mock interviews to help alumni,” Tech says. “Request that your interview is filmed so that they can critique you and you can study the film. Don’t worry if you’re nervous or you screw up. You’re much better off screwing up in a mock interview than in the real thing.”
You don’t necessarily want to memorize responses—but try to have a general strategy for answering common interview questions. “Today many organizations are using behavioral interview questions to better understand what you have done,” Attridge says. “They usually begin with, ‘Tell me about a time when…’” She suggests briefly describing what the situation was; how you handled the situation; and what the result was.
To prepare for these, you’ll want to think about workplace experience stories that describe your accomplishments or show how you dealt with a tough situation, Khare says. “If you don’t have any stories that you can recall now, set aside a few hours to think and write down at least two or three stories. A simple question like, ‘Tell me about a time you made a mistake,’ can take you off-guard and it is not easy to recall unrehearsed. Having a repository of work experience stories written down before an interview will make it easier to recall.”
Reflect on previous interviews. Keep a computer or paper record of your interviews, Teach says. “Keep a record of the time of your interviews, how long they are, your impressions of the hiring manager, and perhaps most importantly, what questions were asked of you, what answers you gave, and record any questions they asked you that you felt could have been answered differently. “ Study these elements and your interview skills will improve, he says.
Figure out how to articulate your goals. Most of the commonly asked questions during an interview either dig into your previous experience or want to explore your future goals, Khare says. “Prepare and articulate your goals, and remain honest here. Inconsistent answers won’t get you the respect and credibility that is a must to impress an interviewer.”
Be positive. When preparing for an interview and anticipating likely questions, plan to answer all questions positively. “Even if you were in a bad situation, think about how you can talk about the situation positively,” Attridge says. You always have a choice. It is much better to talk about a glass being half full then to talk about it being half empty. It’s all about your perspective, and in an interview being positive counts.
Never say anything negative about your prior employers or bosses, either–no matter how bad the situation may have been. “A negative answer actually is a reflection about your judgment and business acumen, and not about the employer or manager.”
Get comfortable. “Preparation and practice aside, the most important tip I would like to suggest to job seekers is to feel comfortable with the interview process,” Khare says. “You can read all the advice in the world about acing the interview, but none of the tactics will work out of you are not yourself during the process.”
Feeling comfortable and relaxed positively influences your confidence. “And interviewers always appreciate a relaxed and confident candidate, as opposed to a heavy promoter and edgy one,” she adds. Practice calming your nerves, and focus on how you can prove you’d be a valuable asset to the company.
How to answer 7 of the most common interview questions:
“Tell me about yourself.” While this isn’t exactly a question, answering this the wrong way could really hurt your chances of getting a job, Teach says. “I was once told by an HR executive that this can actually be a trick question. Hiring managers can’t ask you certain questions legally but if you go off on a tangent when answering, you may tell them some things about you that are better left unsaid.” The worst way to approach this request is to tell them your life story, which is something they’re definitely not interested in. The best way to approach this is to only discuss what your interests are relating to the job and why your background makes you a great candidate.
“What are your strengths and weaknesses?” It’s easy to talk about your strengths; you’re detail oriented, hard working, a team player, etc.–but it’s also easy to get tripped up when discussing your weaknesses, Teach says. Never talk about a real weakness unless it’s something you’ve defeated. “Many hiring managers are hip to the overused responses, such as, ‘Well, my biggest weakness is that I work too hard so I need try to take it easy once in a while.’ The best answer is to discuss a weakness that you’ve turned around, such as, you used to come in late to work a lot but after your supervisor explained why it was necessary for you to come in on time, you were never late again.”
“Where do you want to be five years from now?” “What employers are really asking is, ‘Is this job even close to your presumed career path? Are you just applying to this job because you need something? Are your long-term career plans similar to what we see for this role? How realistic are your expectations for your career? Have you even thought about your career long-term? Are you going to quit after a year or two?’” says Sara Sutton Fell, CEO and founder of FlexJobs.
Show them that you’ve done some self-assessment and career planning. Let them know that you hope to develop professionally and take on additional responsibilities at that particular company. “Don’t say something ridiculous like, ‘I don’t know,’ or “I want your job,” she says.
Teach says no one can possibly know where they’ll be in their career five years from now but hiring managers want to get a sense of your commitment to the job, the company, and the industry. “In fact, I would even mention that it’s hard for you to know what job title you may hold five years from now but ideally, you’d like to have moved up the ladder at this company based on your performance. You’re hopeful to be in some management position and your goal is to help the company any way you can.” If you give the impression that this job is just a stepping stone for you, it’s unlikely the hiring manager will be interested in you.
“Please give me an example of a time when you had a problem with a supervisor/co-worker and how you approached the problem.” “I think that the hardest thing about work isn’t the work, it’s the people at work,” Teach says. Most employees have a problem with a supervisor or co-worker at some point in their career. How they handle that problem says a lot about their people skills. If you can explain to the interviewer that you were able to overcome a people problem at work, this will definitely help your chances of getting the job, he says.
“What are your salary requirements?” “What employers are really asking is, ‘Do you have realistic expectations when it comes to salary? Are we on the same page or are you going to want way more than we can give? Are you flexible on this point or is your expectation set in stone?’” Sutton Fell says.
Try to avoid answering this question in the first interview because you may shortchange yourself by doing so, Teach says. Tell the hiring manager that if you are seriously being considered, you could give them a salary range–but if possible, let them make the first offer. Study websites like Salary.com and Glassdoor.com to get an idea of what the position should pay. “Don’t necessarily accept their first offer,” he adds. “There may be room to negotiate.”
When it is time to give a number, be sure to take your experience and education levels into consideration, Sutton Fell says. “Also, your geographic region, since salary varies by location.” Speak in ranges when giving figures, and mention that you are flexible in this area and that you’re open to benefits, as well. “Be brief and to the point, and be comfortable with the silence that may come after.”
“Why are you leaving your current job?” Hiring managers want to know your motivation for wanting to leave your current job. Are you an opportunist just looking for more money or are you looking for a job that you hope will turn into a career? If you’re leaving because you don’t like your boss, don’t talk negatively about your boss–just say you have different work philosophies, Teach says. If the work was boring to you, just mention that you’re looking for a more challenging position. “Discuss the positives that came out of your most recent job and focus on why you think this new position is ideal for you and why you’ll be a great fit for their company.”
If you’ve already left your previous job (or you were fired), Sutton Fell suggests the following:
• If you got fired: Do not trash your last boss or company. Tell them that you were unfortunately let go, that you understand their reasoning and you’ve recognized areas that you need to improve in, and then tell them how you will be a better employee because of it.
• If you got laid off: Again, do not trash your last boss or company. Tell them that you were let go, and that you understand the circumstances behind their decision; that you are committed to your future and not dwelling on the past; and that you are ready to apply everything that you learned in your last role to a new company.
• If you quit: Do not go into details about your unhappiness or dissatisfaction. Instead, tell them that while you valued the experience and education that you received, you felt that the time had come to seek out a new opportunity, to expand your skills and knowledge, and to find a company with which you could grow.
“Why should I hire you?” A hiring manager may not ask you this question directly but every question you answer in the interview should contribute to helping them understand why you’re the best person for the job. “Stay focused on why your background makes you an ideal candidate and tell them how you are going to contribute to that department and that company,” Teach says. “Let the interviewer know that one of your goals is to make their job easier by taking on as much responsibility as possible and that you will be excited about this job starting on day one.”
Salpeter suggests you print and highlight the job description, looking for the top three or four most important details. “Do they include terms such as, ‘cross-functional team,’ ‘team work,’ and ‘team player’ several times?” If so, your answer to, “Why should we hire you?” (asked directly or as an underlying question) should mention and focus on your abilities as they relate to teams.
In Pictures: How to Prepare for Common Interview Questions
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• Tips
o Get your wardrobe in order and give yourself more travel time than you think you might need.
o Visualize the interview. Picture yourself as poised, confident, articulate.
o Make a list of your strengths and weakness and practice how you will articulate them.
o Write out answers to the questions you don’t want to be asked. It will help alleviate your anxiety.
• Related How-Tos
o How to Stand Out from the Competition
o How to Discuss Career Setbacks in an Interview
o How to Protect Your Privacy When Job Hunting
o What to Say When a Recruiter Calls
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In the lead up to a big game, professional athletes visualize success, double-check their equipment or listen to a favorite song on their headphones – all before heading into competition. The minutes before you leave your house for that big job interview might not contain the same level of intensity, but mental preparation can still mean the difference between victory (getting the job) and defeat (back to the classifieds).
Experts recommend that job hunters visualize in their minds how the interview will go. A little edginess before an interview can be helpful if it makes you alert and energized, but too much anxiety can be disastrous. Practicing deep breathing or repeating a tranquil word like “calm” are popular methods people use to get themselves ready for a tense situation. And, again, mental preparation well in advance of an interview is key.
To gain confidence, executive coaches advise you write down several of your greatest accomplishments and then list the skills you used to achieve them. If you know your skills and how you make a difference, it will be easier to talk about them in an interview setting.
The same logic applies to your weaknesses. Long before the day of the interview, candidates should think of solid answers to three questions they don’t want to be asked. Write them down if you have to and go over them several times. This will go a long way toward relieving anxiety.
And what about everyone’s most hated question – how old are you? Most interviewers are savvy enough to know it’s illegal to directly ask, but often you’ll get a question such as, “What year did you graduate from college?” that indirectly probes at your age. If you tell the truth, the interviewer then knows your age and may not want to hire you because of it. If you say you don’t want to answer the question, you could come across poorly and may make the interviewer uncomfortable.
Here’s how you can finesse the situation. First, assume the interviewer doesn’t have ulterior motives. Instead, figure that he or she is trying to learn something, albeit clumsily, about your ability to do the job. So listen to the question, then ask your own question in return to determine the interviewer’s underlying agenda.
For instance, you could respond, “I’m curious to know why you are asking me this. Are you worried that my skills might be out of date?” or “That’s an interesting question. Are you probing to learn about the applicability of my skills or my course work?” The interviewer should then respond with the reason for the question, which allows you to say something good about yourself. Frame your response as a showcase of what you’ve learned and prove that your training is current.
Pre-interview assessment tests are another source of anxiety – or annoyance – for many heading into an interview. Candidates should take the assessments seriously, even if they feel they aren’t necessary. And clear your schedule. Ask recruiters about how long a pre-employment assessment might take, as you may need to devote anywhere from a few minutes to several hours of your time. You can also familiarize yourself with pre-employment assessments by taking free ones on the Web, such as eTest Inc., a pre-employment testing and assessment company in Atlanta. Practice tests can help you feel more comfortable for when it’s your turn in the hot seat.
Knowing you look your best for an interview creates confidence as well. Be sure to get that suit pressed well in advance of the big day, break in your shoes and don’t go overboard with flashy accessories or designer touches. Feeling rushed or worrying you might be late can throw off your mojo, too, so it’s a good idea to give yourself more travel time than you think you need.
Overall, before a big interview, psychological and career experts agree that it’s important to focus on the positive. The bottom line? Always think about, talk about, and practice exactly what you want to happen.
• Related WSJ Articles and Blog Posts:
o The Interview That’ll Bag a Job
o Candidates Singing Own Praises Fall Flat
o Interview Etiquette Begins the Minute You Walk in the Door
o Talking Too Much On a Job Interview May Kill Your Chance
o How to Answer Any Interview Question
o Be Prepared When Opportunity Calls
o How to Handle Age Questions Asked During a Job Interview
o You Can Say Too Much Without Even Speaking
o How to Best Ease Interview Jitters; Making It Simple
o Acing a Phone Interview