Say with style... some tips to improve your vocabulary!

"An extensive knowledge of the exact meanings of English words accompanies outstanding success in this country more often than any other single characteristic we have been able to isolate and measure"

You need words to think and to think you need words. If you do not believe me, try to come up with a solution to a problem without thinking in words. You cannot – it is simply impossible. Language is the tool our minds use to think, plan, solve problems, and succeed. Therefore, it follows that knowing more words gives your mind more ways to think about things and more tools to plan and solve problems. Having a better vocabulary literally improves your ability to think. And believe me, like it or not, every time you speak to someone they are trying to figure out how competent, successful, and smart you are and the research has shown that people are more likely to be judged as competent and smart when they speak with a good vocabulary.

Nobody really knows for sure how many words there are in the English language because several sources do not seem to agree on what constitutes a word. However, the estimates I have seen suggest there are between 500,000 and 1,000,000 words. David Crystal, in the Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language, suggests that the average active (used, not just recognized) vocabulary for a college graduate might be 60,000 words. This means to have a firm grasp of the English language, we just need to learn about 10% of all the available words in the English language and not worry about the other 90%.

So why is having a good vocabulary important to your success? In short, if you speak like an idiot, people will treat you like one. I am not saying this is right, since it is a form of prejudice; however, it does happen in both personal and professional situations. Here are a few more reasons directly related to your success:

• Increasing your vocabulary allows you to use more descriptive words to better communicate your thoughts.
• Understanding the meaning of more words will allow you to better understand information that you are reading or listening to (comprehension), thus increasing your retention.
• Having a larger vocabulary to call upon will help your verbal communication flow and allow you to start eliminating noises such as, "umm" and "uhh".
• Being able to use more colorful words in speaking to others will allow you to project a more intelligent image.

Bookstores and libraries are full of vocabulary building courses. However, these courses all lack one important ingredient: focus on the words that will be beneficial to your specific needs and goals. For example, I recently completed an audio course on communication in which over one hour was focused on learning the collective nouns of animals. I do not think I will ever in my lifetime need to say, "Hey look! There goes a crash of rhinoceros". Before making the effort to increase your vocabulary, make sure you have your long-term goals in mind. Learn the vocabulary, terms, and jargon that will help bring you closer to your goals. For example, if you are currently a mechanic but your ambition is to become a doctor, then learn to speak and write like a doctor. By focusing on learning words relevant to your current and future environments, you can appear more learned while not wasting your time memorizing words you are unlikely to ever use or hear.

A word of caution... perhaps the biggest vocabulary blunder one can make is not misusing or misspelling words, but abusing them by trying to impress others with his or her vocabulary rather than focusing on effective communication. It is more important to build a strong rapport with your audience by using words you are quite sure they understand. When you must use a word you feel they might not understand, define it for them. This is especially helpful when using technical terms or industry jargon. Effective communication is about sharing ideas in a way that best translates one's thoughts into a form of communication that others can understand. Effective communication will get you much further than an extensive vocabulary ever will, and overuse of complex words can make you seem pretentious.
The goal of expanding your vocabulary should be to lift you slightly above the crowd without losing the audience in words unfamiliar to them. You should be able to understand and use the words and terms encountered in your daily life, as well as prepare yourself by learning the vocabulary needed to bring you closer to your goals. So here are some rock solid tips to effectively improve your vocab power. Expand your vocabulary and expand your opportunities.

• Read, Read, Read! Most vocabulary words are learned from context. The more words you are exposed to, the better vocabulary you will have. While you read, pay close attention to words you do not know. First, try to figure out their meanings from context. Then look the words up. Read and listen to challenging material so that you will be exposed to many new words.
• Improve your context skills. Research shows that the vast majority of words are learned from context. To improve your context skills pay close attention to how words are used. Doing a search on a word using internet will give you many examples of how that word is used in context. Play our Daily Context Vocabulary Quiz.
• Practice, practice, practice. Learning a word will not help very much if you promptly forget it. Research shows that it takes from 10 to 20 repetitions to really make a word part of your vocabulary. It helps to write the word - both the definition and a sentence you make up using the word - perhaps on an index card that can later be reviewed. As soon as you learn a new word, start using it. Review your index cards periodically to see if you have forgotten any of your new words. Also, do a search on a word using dejanews.com (for searching newsgroups) to get many examples of how the word is actually used.
• Make up as many associations and connections as possible. Say the word aloud to activate your auditory memory. Relate the word to words you already know. For example, the word GARGANTUAN (very large) has a similar meaning to the words gigantic, huge, large, etc. You could make a sequence: small, medium, large, very large, and GARGANTUAN. List as many things as you can that could be considered GARGANTUAN: Godzilla, the circus fat lady, the zit on your nose, etc. Create pictures of the word's meaning that involve strong emotions. Think, "the GARGANTUAN creature was going to rip me apart and then eat me!"
• Use mnemonics (memory tricks). For example, consider the word EGREGIOUS (extremely bad). Think EGG REACH US - imagine we've made a mistake so bad that they are throwing eggs at us and a rotten EGG Reaches US. Such funny little word pictures will help you remember what words mean, AND they are fun to make up. Also, find out which learning style suits you best. Everyone learns differently!
• Get excited about words! Come to appreciate the sometimes-subtle differences between them. Do you know the difference between something that denotes something else and something that connotes something else? If not, go look it up. Learn to say what you really mean and discover the joys of being able to express yourself in writing. Your future can depend on how rich your vocabulary is.. It will also determine the quality of your communication. So be in it for the long pull. Let building your vocabulary be a lifelong proposition. Remember: "In the beginning was the word." Until you have a word for something, it does not exist for you. Name it, and you have made your reality richer.
  So, go learn if you think you lack the vocabulary power....

Sorry You Are Not Selected…Please Improve Your English!!!

Friends the sentence mentioned above is a very comman sight in our country. I am not astonished if you are one of them who faced this sitiuation. Well I think the time has now come when you have to change the scenario and prove your dexterity, so here are some tips to improve your English speaking that will prevent you to be the victim of such awkward situations again.
As we know that English is the dominant international language in communications, science, business, aviation, media and even in diplomacy. The influence of the British Empire is the primary reason for the initial spread of the language globally, also the growing economic and cultural influence of the United States has significantly accelerated the spread of the language. On an average school day, approximately one billion people are learning English in one form or another.The importance of the English has grown up rapidly in all fields of human life, including not only research and education but also marketing and trade as well as entertainment and hobbies. This implies that it has become more and more important to enhance your English Communication skills.
There are many ways to improve your level of English, but only you if you are determined for doing so. Because every thing in the world turns impossible if you are not indomitable for achieving for that. Therefore, with your strong determination and a little bit of my assistance, I am sure that “Speaking English” will be just a cup of tea for you. So, just read on and try to follow each tip given and I am sure that you are gonna make it. Here are the tips.

• Remember, we all make mistakes when learning another language. No one likes to make mistakes, but, as the saying goes, the best way to learn is from your mistakes. If you never speak in class or outside your class, you will never improve your English, so I hope you got the first tip.
• Get an English to English dictionary, but if you have to use a dictionary in your own language, that is fine too. Just remember to bring it to class every day.
• Find the authors you like and read all their books. By doing this you will get used to the style of English and the typical vocabulary and grammar they use. As you read more of his/her books you will find it easier and easier.
• Make a habit of reading regularly. Read as many English books, newspapers and magazines as you can find. Again, this should be fun so make sure the texts you choose are not too difficult for you. If the book or article you are reading is a chore, then find something easier.
• If you have a local library, find out if they stock English books or if they have bilingual editions of English classics. Alternatively, ask them to stock English translations of books you are already familiar with.
• Try dictation exercises. You can do this online or get friends to read out text for you to write and then check your writing - concentrate on spelling, and punctuation mark.
• Practice forming meaningful sentences. Make positive statements, negative, turn statements into questions, and make active statements passive. Turn past tense sentences into present tense sentences etc.
• The most important thing to think about is can people understand you. If you have a problem being understood then find someone who speaks English clearly and try to mimic his or her accent.
• Try to make friends with other students of different nationalities and languages. This way you can practice your English all day. Also, seek out native English speakers. Talk to friends who are also learning English. Go out together for coffee and only speak English to each other!
• Spend your time on things that interest you. If you like cooking then buy an English-language cookbook or find recipes on the net and practice following the recipes. You will soon know if you have made a mistake!
• Films in English are an excellent language resource. Follow my tips on how to use films to improve your English. Keep up to date with current events and watch an English-language news station, such as BBC World. Watch news reports on events you are already aware of.
• If you are too tired to actively practice just relax and listen to some English pop songs or radio stations, how about learning with fun?
• Moreover, dear, before sleeping at night too you can have a good chance to improve your English… Write down in English what you have done in your whole day. It will not only be a permanent record of your life happenings, but will also get you to think and express yourself in English regularly. You can also see on paper your improvement on a daily basis.

I hope you it that it will not be just as another article you read, and you will serve its purpose by using the given tips to improve your English and hence make your personality more presentable… All the very best in this journey of learning, hope you come out with the vibrant colour of success!
- Sadiya Naseem

Set the goals………Set the ways to accomplish them!!!

In such an expensive world there is nothing but to dream is the cheapest to be ever achieved. But the scandalous cost of this cheapness gets enlightened when we grander our caliber, knack and dexterity to make that small part of imagination, an authentic visual. Then only we realize the difference between dreaming and turning the dream into reality. And then comes in light the need of selecting the paths to obtain your goals successfully. Because many times we find that we are constantly missing goals we have set for ourselves, even when we know perfectly well that we could have achieved them? Well you are not alone….infact this is something that goes with all of us and the three main factors causing this imbalance can be categorized as:

• You did not really want to achieve the goals in the first place.
• You wanted to achieve the goals but you did not have the skills to achieve them.
• You wanted to achieve the goals, even had the skills, but something totally outside of your control happened to stop you from turning your dreams in to reality.

Let’s explore these reasons one by one.

1) You did not really want to achieve the goals in the first place: People often set goals for themselves that they do not really want to achieve. They might set a goal to lose 20 lbs within 6 months but do not really want to change their behavior in order to be able to achieve the goal. This is quite simple to understand and resolve. If at the time you find it more painful to take all the necessary actions to achieve that goal then the likely outcome is that you won’t really go for it. And in life, not really going for something generally means not achieving it at all.

2) You wanted to achieve the goals but you did not have the skills to achieve them: Hey, it is Ok to have great goals for yourself. It is often said that once you really decide to do something the universe will make ways for you to achieve it. The teacher might even appear when you are “ready”. But you have to have learn how to walk so that you can go through those doors and get to the other side. You also have to be willing to do the homework that the teacher sets for you. So, once you decide to achieve a certain goal, help yourself by learning everything you can about how to achieve that goal.

3) Something totally outside of your control happened to stop you from achieving them: This is what most people claim to be the reason they do not achieve their goals. This is called making excuses for your failures. Don’t feel ashamed if you do this. We make excuses for not really making the effort to achieve what we have said we would. And since we do not want to admit that we are lying to ourselves we find external events to blame for our lack of effort. So….You have to start taking responsibility for your actions or lack of actions. Once you start doing it and stop blaming everything and everyone else, you begin to gain RESPONSE ABILITY. Failure to fully understand this powerful concept may stop you from fully realizing your full potential.

So what is the bottom line? The bottom line is that if you are constantly missing your goals then we must conclude that your conscious and subconscious are not aligned. When you state a goal to yourself, at a superficial level you probably believe everything you are saying. However, at a deeper level, the level we call your subconscious, things are a little bit more complex. Your subconscious looks at your history, your experiences (both real and imagined), and your beliefs. It then tries to compare this with the goal you have just set for yourself and projects the outcomes into the future.

Your conscious might make the initial decision. But it is your subconscious that determines what is possible. So the way to change your ability to achieve your goals is to actively bring your conscious and subconscious together. Make sure they agree and are aligned together. If not then either abandon the goal and find something else more agreeable, or start to train your subconscious to believe that you will go for your goal with intensity and that you are man or woman enough to accept the results no matter what. You can only achieve this by taking action to achieve your goals even when you are afraid. Don’t worry; we are all afraid, but taking action becomes easier with time and practice.

And Finally: Your subconscious loves you and is an integral part of the whole you. However, it is almost like an independent best friend or a loving parent. It loves and cares for you so much that it will do whatever it can to protect you from pain in the best way it knows. This could be either by stopping you from achieving your goals or by helping you achieve your goals. You have the power to influence which decision your subconscious makes. Align your conscious and subconscious and life will become much easier, more successful and more fun.

"So…Go ahead, if you have ever dreamt this is the right time to shape them.Go and astonish others by your definite accomplishment as its only you who can make the World ‘Impossible’ saying "I M POSSIBLE".

- Written by Sadiya Naseem

Design Your Career With Fashion!!!

Determining what’s in and what’s out, Fashion is an insignia of our society status and lifestyle. With the commencement of globalization and exposure to media the fashion industry in India has been recognized globally and today shares the same ramp as top designers of Milan and New York. Thus fashion designing turned to be the hottest career opportunity suddenly. A career in Fashion Designing not only involves meeting glamorous people and interacting with rich and famous but also gives a impetus to the creative flair of the people who possess a sense of style. Let’s help you out in making your career in fashion designing…

Most people conceive of a career in fashion designing as merely drinking cocktails, dressing celebrities up and attending chi-chi affairs. But fashion designing is more than that. Fashion is not just about clothes design either; designers pursue other interests like shoes, accessories, or bag designs. Of course, nothing gives a designer glory than a famous celebrity wearing and acknowledging her creations. Excited about pursuing a fashion designing career? Don't grab your pencil and paper yet, there is more to designing than just drawing.

In general terms FASHION DESIGNERS design clothing and accessory by creating original designs or by adapting fashions to suit local conditions, trends and buyers. They may plan the production and marketing of their creations. Designers specialize in one type of garment or accessory such as men's or women's wear, children's garments, swimwear, lingerie, handbags, or shoes. Some high-fashion Designers are self-employed and design for individual clients. They design original garments as well as follow the established fashion trends. They are like a mentor to their or her clients and are expected to figure out the customers’ taste, comfort level and preferences. An eye for detail, knowledge of fabrics etc. are also a big plus for those serious about a career as a fashion designer.

Once you chose this career, you open new doors of opportunities for you, because this vibrant career has varies job prospects in many field. You can find employment with professional designers as apprentices, with manufacturing units, export houses, boutiques, media as costume designers, freelancing for fashion houses and boutiques and at the same time it is a rewarding possibility for self employment by opening your own boutique. Some of the most demanding and booming careers in the fashion industry are:

Fashion coordinators arrange and supervise the marketing of fashion clothing for manufacturing houses, textile firms and retail stores. It is a highly competitive job involving a variety of functions. Coordinates may be required to travel widely to get an idea of the fashion trends.
Fashion Stylist has to coordinate the entire wardrobe for a fashion show or program to promote the sales of the products. It involves coordinating the dress, accessories; make up, hairstyle, even the colour of the nail polish of the model according to the theme and the overall look of the show. He/ she has to be well versed in the trends and happenings in the industry and also have a keen sense of current fashion trends.
Fashion Consultant must be aware of the trends and transitions in the fashion market along with knowledge about fashion designing. They are expected to offer ideas regularly on how to further develop a product to be readily absorbed in a market. He/she should be a sharp observer sensitive to changing trends.
Fashion Journalist is an overall in-charge of a fashion magazine. It is through them that the general public gets to know the latest fashion trends. He/she should have excellent taste for fashion and keep themselves abreast with latest fashion news, consumer reaction to new collections, fashion shows, current and future trends in colour, design and fabric. Today fashion journalist has a bright scope for employment as there is a need for exclusive articles and programs with the development of fashion industry.
Fashion Photography is an extremely creative and well paid profession. Fashion photographer needs to have a keen eye for aesthetic detail, a thorough knowledge of cameras and the technicalities involved in taking pictures, of light, distance and perspective to be successful. He/she should be inventive and able to visualize and communicate his ideas, at the same time must be sensitive to the moods of the models and interact freely with them. Fashion photography is one of the choices that photographers can diversify into. They can do freelancing and find employment with fashion houses, designers, fashion journals and news papers.

Remuneration mainly depends on the personal Ability and Skills of the Individual. Generally a fresh graduate can look for a monthly pay packet of Rs.10, 000 to Rs.15, 000. For those who are extremely talented, this can touch Rs.15, 000 to 20,000 and even more. Those people with higher experience can command a far greater salary. Even the increase in the annual salary is high for each level. With the increase in demand for the professionals in fabric designing the salaries are likely to increase.
Eligibility & Course Areas
Minimum eligibility for the Undergraduate course in this field is 10+2 with 50% marks and for Post Graduate courses graduation. In the prominent institutes, admission is strictly on merit- through written test, situation test, group discussion and interview. These courses are aimed at understanding concepts related to costume, jewellery, leather goods and many other similar products where fashion matters. The courses include Graduate, Post graduate, Certificate and Diploma in the following areas:

• Fashion designing and Accessory designing.
• Apparel marketing and Merchandising.
• Garment Manufacturing Technology.
• Leather and Garment Design and Technology.
• Knitwear Design and Technology.
• Textile Design and Development.
• Fashion Journalism and Presentation

While 10+2 is sufficient for Accessory designing and Fashion Designing, Graduates are preferred for other courses.
The training also includes internship in an organization which gives the students industry functions. Training is usually imparted keeping in mind the demands of the international market. Most training institutes have the latest technologies including laboratories, workshops, design and research centers, libraries, computers and information about the latest development in the industry.

In India the prominent institutes in Fashion Technology are National institute of Fashion technology (NIFT), National Institute of Design (NID), International Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi (IIFT); IEC School of Art and Fashion, New Delhi; Indian Institute of Art and Fashion Technology (IIAFT), Mumbai; Pearl Academy of fashion, New Delhi; J.D Institute of fashion Technology, New Delhi.Here is a list of some of the high-flying institutes of Fashion designing of Hyderabad.

• National Institute Of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Hyderabad, (Andhra Pradesh) NIFT Campus,Opp. Hi – tech City, Madhapur, Hyderabad.
• Academy of Design And Architecture1st Floor, Near Satya Apartments, Masab Tank, Hyderabad.
• IITC Bombay5-9-41/1/6, Opp.: Gandhi Medical College, Basheerbagh, Hyderabad
  Exterior - InteriorsUnit 13, 4th Floor, Linga Purtha, Builds Complex, Himayath Nagar, Hyderabad.
• Begum Babukhan Craft CentreBabhukhan Estates, Basheerbagh, Hyderabad.
  A.J. Institute of Fashion DesigningNappini Jr. College Lane, Hyderguda, Himayath Nagar, Hyderabad.
• Shaloom Institute of Fashion Designing & TailoringSt. Pius Church Premises, Ramnagar, Hyderabad.
• Apparel Training & Design CentreHill Fort Road, Skill Avenue, Second Floor, Behind Police Control Room,Kalanjali Show Room, Saifabad, Hyderabad.
• Govt. Institute Of Textile Technology, Guntur, (Andhra Pradesh)Nallapadu Guntur 522005.
• Govt. Polytechnic For Women, Choudarypet, Guntur, (Andhra Pradesh)Choudarypet, Guntur 522006.
  
  There are several short-term certificate courses as well offered by the same Institutes for super specialization, on part-time basis. To be a full pledged professional designer you have to knock the door of some of the Fashion Design Institutes of the country. A good institute will ensure that along with the requisite theoretical inputs, you also get adequate practical exposure to the entire gamut of processes right from formation of textiles and fabric to the most elaborate design elements.

“So if you have, Designing art, Creative Ideas, Active Learning power, Originality in your plans, Visioning power, dedication and coordination, I must not leave an opportunity to invite you to fly in the sky of fashion industry……..Come and reveal another YOU!!!”

-Written by Sadiya Naseem