| July 2005 Volume 3, Issue No. 4 |
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Learn Mandarin with Native Speakers on the Phone | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Mandarin By Phone, a language learning affiliate of Cleverlearn Ltd, brings convenient and readily accessible Mandarin learning by allowing students to communicate with live Mandarin teachers on the phone. Mandarin By Phone provides students with an opportunity to learn, practice and improve their Mandarin language skills in a more efficient and effective way. It focuses on the students' needs by giving them 10-hour private one-to-one Mandarin classes. With Mandarin By Phone, students can now talk – anytime, no matter where they are – to a native Mandarin-speaking teacher by dialing 1-866-805-7028. Guided by a native Mandarin teacher, students get to take lessons customized to fit their level and learning needs. A student can take any number of Mandarin classes and also choose the length of time of the phone sessions. All classes are conveniently scheduled to suit the student's preference. In addition, students can use a web browser to view the teacher's computer to check updates on their learning progress. To know more about Mandarin By Phone and details on the lessons, schedule arrangements, or how to avail yourself of the service, please dial 1-866-805-7028. You may also email your inquiries at info@mandarinbyphone.com.
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CleverTrainer Expands with New Idiom Game and TOEIC Reviewer Function CleverTrainer, the downloadable PDA application that enhances your English proficiency through vocabulary tests, has undergone product enhancements and is now equipped with new features for expanded service and more focused learning functionality. “The new CleverTrainer promises a new mobile learning experience for its users,” says Tobias Koenig, Cleverlearn's Product Development Head. Its added features will now allow users to take TOEIC® reading comprehension tests and play the idiom game right on their PDA's. “The idiom game is an initial step towards introducing more games to CleverTrainer,” continues Mr. Koenig, “while the TOEIC reading comprehension review is for Cleverlearn TOEIC subscribers who want to get ready for the TOEIC exam.” For a more focused approach to English learning reinforcement, CleverTrainer will no longer be synchronized with Clicktionary. This means words encountered on CleverTrainer will only be stored and accessed through the Personal Vocabulary, to effect a faster and more efficient word review. Soon CleverTrainer users can look forward to more features such as a full TOEIC review function, to include tests on listening and reading skills, PDA access to CleverGames and Clevercourses, and a wireless capability for CleverTrainer. To know more about CleverTrainer, go to http://www.cleverlearn.com/en/clevertrainer.jsp.
New Concept Mandarin Offers Intensive Mandarin Training with Native Speakers Recognizing China’s ascending force in world economy, NCM
has launched its learning institute that offers intensive Mandarin training with native speakers. NCM programs are designed for professionals and students who want to learn Mandarin. This new learning institute offers intensive Mandarin training with native speakers through programs designed for professionals and students who want to learn Mandarin.
Cleverlearn Launches “Refer-A-Friend Program”; Aims at Building a Community of English Learners Cleverlearn Ltd., a leading global provider of English learning solutions, has launched “Refer-A-Friend.” The program, which is aimed at building a community of English learners, allows a subscriber to share the Cleverlearn English learning experience to others.
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Cleverlearn Enters Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Thailand Markets Broadening its global scope to bring its expertise and experience in English learning to where it is most needed, Cleverlearn has officially introduced its services to three of the most dynamic and exciting markets in the Asian region, namely, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Thailand With this huge marketing leap, Cleverlearn launched websites in these countries' native languages, thus, giving English learners from these countries ready access to Cleverlearn's English learning tools and services. Watch out for exciting promos that Cleverlearn will offer soon in line with this launch. Visit any of these Cleverlearn websites for more updates.
Cleverlearn China Launches “Summer Surprise” Promo This summer Cleverlearn China will launch the “Summer Surprise” promo giving out a RMB600 gift coupon to those who are able to send their names and contact numbers, mobile, fax, and email address. Once Cleverlearn English Language Center students and subscribers have provided the required information, they can then register to a Cleverlearn English course in any of the language centers in China with a RMB600 discount coupon. “Summer Surprise” lasts through the summer and those interested may visit any of the language centers for more information on where they could leave their names and contact numbers to avail of this promo. For further details, contact:Mary Ma 4\F .Tower A .E S&T Building.No.2070.Shennanzhong Rd. Telephone: + 0755 3334 1019 Email: Mary@cleverlearn.com.cn
Cleverlearn China Redesigns Local Website for the Deaf and Mute Cleverlearn China has redesigned its local website — www.cleverlearn.com.cn — to promote a newly embraced advocacy: “Cleverlearn helps the deaf and mute English learners.” Cleverlearn strengthens its focus on English training by reflecting the reality of traditional English training in China, enabling students who are deaf and mute to navigate through the website with ease. Visually presenting the advantages of the Cleverlearn learning experience, the new design will give visitors, especially the deaf and mute learners, a more convenient time surfing on the website, allowing them to make quick decisions by choosing to contact or visit us first.
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Cleverlearn China Hosts Children’s Day Celebration and Mountain Climbing Activity for Student and Teachers The Cleverlearn English Language Center in China invited a large group of students on May 28, 2005 to spend an evening in the ZhongXin community to celebrate International Children's Day. At the gathering, games and other recreational activities were conducted by Cleverlearn's native English speaking teachers for the children of ZhongXin community. Participants in the activities were given prizes and Cleverlearn T-shirts. A week later, Cleverlearn students and foreign teachers went on a mountain climbing expedition to WuTong Mountain, said to be the highest peak in Shenzhen, China. Cleverlearn teachers initiated an English-speaking rule throughout the course of the activity, and the challenge of speaking English throughout the climb drew out excitement from everyone. All of these activities were held as part of Cleverlearn's thrust of giving students a holistic and enjoyable English learning experience.
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Cleverlearn Partners with TOEIC® Germany to Provide Worldwide Standardized English Test Cleverlearn TOEIC Preparation announced its partnership with TOEIC Germany (Berlin), to facilitate a thorough and efficient review for those who wish to undergo the TOEIC exam. In line with this agreement, TOEIC Germany is recommending Cleverlearn's online TOEIC preparatory course as an official TOEIC review program. Since early this year, Cleverlearn has been offering this interactive online tutorial course for only 19,95 Euro. The program aims to help professionals prepare better and more effectively for the TOEIC test and ensure the score they need whatever professional or career goals they have. Cleverlearn TOEIC Preparation boasts of one of the largest libraries of TOEIC exam-like questions and test exercises. It simulates the TOEIC test procedure, integrating approximately 2000 questions used in TOEIC exams into the program. The TOEIC preparatory course combines smoothly into the range of learning programs and tools Cleverlearn offers to its customers. According to Angelika Thormann, National Manager for Germany and Austria at TOEIC in Berlin, there is a noticeable increase in demand for TOEIC. She adds that more applicants are looking for means to prepare themselves accordingly for the test. “Provided an online learning method is preferred, we can directly refer [people] to Cleverlearn where a very professional and thorough preparatory course is offered,” says Ms. Thormann. After taking an online preparatory course with the goal of achieving a certificate, all applicants are then referred by Cleverlearn, as an added service, to a German TOEIC test center. “We want to support both applicants and companies, in view of the progressive globalization, to be able to communicate better in the English language,” says Heinrich Pletschacher, Cleverlearn's European Country Manager. The questions in the TOEIC are based on daily work situations that determine the spoken and written knowledge of the candidate. Questions cover primary English usage, such as, how to complete a contract, what needs to be considered when ordering in a restaurant or making a hotel reservation, how to compile a curriculum vitae, and the like. Nobody can fail the TOEIC, but the achieved score between the minimum of ten and maximum of 999 points shows the candidate's level of proficiency. To learn more about Cleverlearn TOEIC Preparation, click here.
Cleverlearn Vietnam Celebrates International Children’s Day with Children’s Festival Cleverlearn Vietnam English Language Center organized a Children's Festival for students held on May 29, 2005, to celebrate the International Children's Day. Aside from participating in recreational activities and getting a chance to communicate and interact with the center's native English speaking teachers, students at the festival received gifts, attended English book fairs, and a storytelling session sponsored by FAHASA and DPL. The festival was also the culmination of Cleverlearn Vietnam's eleven-week English learning summer program. The program sessions, which were held five days a week, gave students not only the chance to learn or polish English skills but also to take part in fun extracurricular immersion activities such as storytelling sessions, singing, English puzzle games, and picnics with the native English speakers at Dam Sen Park, Water World, Suoi Tien. The idea was to infuse fun into the learning experience and allow children to spend an educational and enjoyable summer vacation at the same time. One highlight of the summer program was the introduction of Movielearn, a new learning tool from Cleverlearn's affiliate, Movielearn Systems Pte Ltd. Movielearn is a pioneering innovative tool that brings together learning and entertainment by letting students learn English while watching movies.
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When and When Not To Use the Passive Voice Lately, we've been getting questions (via email) regarding when and when not to use the passive voice. One letter-sender even asked why her English teacher in writing class circled the sentences she wrote in passive voice to mean it was wrong to use the passive voice. The letter ended with this question: “If no one should use the passive voice, why is it in my textbooks?” Verbs show tense, number, person, mood, and voice. Voice shows whether the agent or the receiver of the action is the subject of the verb. In my classes, I always call the agent the “doer” (DO-er) and the receiver the “getter.” In active voice, the doer is the subject; in passive voice, the getter is the subject. The agent is the doer. He, she or it does something. “I ate the noodles.” Here, the subject - ”I” - is the doer of the action (eating). “Noodles” is the getter. That is, something gets done to the noodles (they are eaten). If we make “the getter” the subject, the sentence is in passive voice: “The noodles were eaten by me.” You can also write the sentence in passive voice without the doer: “The noodles were eaten.” Active voice stresses the doer; passive voice stresses the getter. Which one should you stress? It depends on what you are writing about. In this sentence: “My bicycle was stolen.” We don't know who stole the bicycle and, more importantly, we don't care. The important thing is that my bicycle was stolen! Most of the time, you'll want to write in active voice since the doer is usually the important thing. But if you want to emphasize the getter, passive voice is the way to go.
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Where Can You Find Cleverlearn Schools Dear Prof. Clever,
Thank you for writing us and for showing your keen interest in Cleverlearn’s English schools. Cleverlearn operates six language schools in key Asian cities in China, Vietnam and now in the Philippines. Our learning centers combine the best native English-speaking teachers and leading-edge technology to deliver the Cleverlearn method of learning. Because you are in Vietnam, you may visit either our Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh language center, whichever is nearest you. These learning centers offer the following courses to meet your individual English learning needs:
For inquiries, call Cleverlearn Vietnam at +848 930 2861 in HCMC or at +844 7261698 in Hanoi. Or visit us at:
At present, CELI has two campuses. One is located in the Bigfoot Center (Cebu Campus) right in the heart of the bustling city of Cebu in the Philippines, and another one in the historic Mactan Island, Cebu. To know more about our immersion school, email us at info@cleverlearninstitute.com. Cheers,
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CleverClass (general English)