Thursday, 4 March 2010

The tests of knowledge about life in the United Kingdom

Start to read  Life in the United Kingdom, a journey to Citizenship, the official publication valid for tests taken from 2007, by Home Office.

The tests of knowledge about life in the United Kingdom was brought in during 2005 for people who want to become British Citizens.

From 2 April 2007, people who apply for permanent settlement in the United Kingdom - which must be obtained before someone can apply for citizenship - have to pass the same test. A person who qualifies for settlement (permanent residence or 'indefinite leave to remain') will not need to go through the same process again if he/she later decides to apply for British citizenship.

The applicants can have one of two ways to show their knowledge of the English language and of life in the United Kingdom: a special ESQL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) course, or the new Life in the UK test, which consists of 24 questions. The Life in the UK Test will be taken in English and requires an understanding of the English Language at ESQL entriy 3 level. I know some Chinese asylum seekers who are working in restaurants or Chinese takeaways, seems to me they  are almost impossible to pass an ESQL level 3 test, they just have no time to learn, they spend their times in the kitchen, or in bookies when one day off work.


Sunday, 28 February 2010

Round Trip Time (RTT)

RTT is short for round-trip time, the time required for a network communication to travel from the source to the destination and back. RTT is used by some routing algorithms to aid in calculating optimal routes.

Friday, 26 February 2010

Buzz by bridget brigitte from Buzz

Buzz by bridget brigitte from Buzz: "This is a weird morning:
My boyfriend is on Tweeter
I'm on Buzz
My son is on Facebook
One of my girl playing with her iphone
My other little girl is Texting
My dog is Watching TV
My cat is playing with my mousse

Hey guys!!! Do I need to call a doctor ???"

But the doctor is busy with his new Googlephone.

Tuesday, 9 February 2010

Cinderella's real name is Ella

I bought a second-hand book from the Community Charity Shop for my daughter.

There is another Cinderella story among the Fairy stories. My daughter asked me to read it,
She was dressed in rags, and because she spent so much time in the kitchen among the cinders, they called her "Cinderella".
So, Cinderella actually was a nickname, What's Cinderella's real name? Was it Ella?

Ella is a female given name, it seems not very common, according to statistics, 1 in 990 females called Ella; and its popularity rank in the U.S. is #210.

The original story was written by the Brothers Grimm, In one very early English version, translated by Margaret Taylor (1884), explaining the origin of Cinderella's Name,
Besides this, the sisters did her every imaginable injury -- they mocked her and emptied her peas and lentils into the ashes, so that she was forced to sit and pick them out again. In the evening when she had worked till she was weary she had no bed to go to, but had to sleep by the fireside in the ashes. And as on that account she always looked dusty and dirty, they called her Cinderella.
In this version, the story was much different from modern retold versions, though. Cinderella's father still lived from the beginning of the story to the end, together with her stepmother and two cruelty sisters, he seemed as cruel and ignorant of her daughter's misery; There were no Fairy Godmother who helped Cinderella's dreams came true, instead of that, two white birds which came to live on the hazel tree by Cinderella's mother's grave; The shoe that "Prince Charming" (the King's son in the original story) used to find her true bride was not made of glass instead of golden; The two cruel sisters were punished for their " wickedness and falsehood" by the white birds, in the wedding, two white pigeon came to sit on her shoulders, her two sisters came and wanted to get into favour with Cinderella and share her good fortune,
When the betrothed couple went to church, the elder was at the right side and the younger at the left, and the pigeons pecked out one eye of each of them. Afterwards as they came back, the elder was at the left, and the younger at the right, and then the pigeons pecked out the other eye of each.
The original story itself is more darker, cruelty, even bloodier than the modern retold version, another plot was Cinderella's sister tried to fit into the golden shoe, one cut off her toe and another cut off heel, they swallowed pain, blood dripped within the shoe.

In modern version, Cinderella's father was made dead to keep him a loving baron; Glass shoes is more romantic than gold; Fairy Godmother can do magic instead of pigeon; Cruelty and bloody has been concealed, the whole story become brighter and happier.

Thursday, 28 January 2010

Valentine Disco

"Wear something red" (a rose?) to to celebrate Day of Love! Girls and boys in the nursery last year made Valentine cards for their Dads and Mums respectively, and I received my "special card" from my daughter, no card for her Mum.

There will be Valentine Disco for all school children from Reception this year. The party for Reception/ Year 1/Year 2 starts at 4.30, and last for one hour.

Tickets £1 on sale from Monday 1st February, Drinks and snacks on sale at the Disco.

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