Choosing Between Chemicals and Physician Glasses

Choosing Between Chemicals and Physician GlassesChemical goggles for the surgeon or doctor can be a significant investment in safety and quality. A pair of glasses that protect your eyes from the chemicals and equipment used during surgeries and the way in which they function are paramount to patient safety. The glasses protect the eye by restricting light and heat, and it also controls the airflow around the cornea.There are many styles of glasses available on the market today. Some glasses will fit comfortably to a person's face and some will not. One way to assess whether a pair of glasses will fit is by trying on a pair with the colors of contact lenses, and if they are too big or small, it is a good idea to try on a pair of glasses with the colors of contact lenses.If the wearer of the chemical goggles is an asthmatic, the doctor may prescribe lenses that have been approved by the American Lung Association. People with severe allergies are also encouraged to use eye drops or wea r a full face shield to reduce the risks of having an allergic reaction. In some areas, wearing a dust mask may be required for all medical professionals in order to protect them from breathing in any chemical vapors. For other cases, these may be just accessories that can be worn depending on the patient's preferences.Contact lenses and prescription goggles should be replaced regularly because they are quite durable. The most common failure rate of glasses is three months, however that does not take into account people who change prescription glasses and who wear contact lenses. Another category of users include the ones who experience very high degrees of dry eye and who need continuous eye care. If a person is on a very long-term prescription eyewear, the company should keep records of the amount of time the glasses have been used.If you visit the doctor's office and purchase the chemicals and equipment, you should bring your contact lenses, prescription glasses, and goggles. Kee p all of your lenses in your purse or wallet so that you can easily replace them. If the person wearing the goggles forgets to bring his glasses, then the doctor should be able to swap with the patient in the eye exam room.Chemicals and equipment can react to the colors of the lenses and contacts, and the chemicals can make it very difficult to see in bright light. If this happens, the glasses will usually fog up very quickly and darken the vision of the wearer. This is also true for lenses that appear yellowish or reddish in color after several hours of use. The best way to combat this problem is to bring a light or use a flash during surgical procedures.Before ordering a pair of glasses, do some comparison shopping between different eye wear options, and visit the doctor's office before you make your final decision. You can also compare prescription lenses and contact lenses, as well as quality and prices of different stores. Most contact lens manufacturers offer a free prescripti on evaluation for contact lens wearers, so the patient can take his prescription glasses home and get to know if he likes them.It is a good idea to get a recommendation from someone that has had contact lenses for a while, or that has some experience with hospital contact lenses. Some people prefer the feel of wearing glasses, while others like the convenience of contact lenses. If you have the opportunity to choose between a pair of glasses and contacts, always opt for a pair of glasses.

Beware of Scam Online Tutoring Websites

Beware of Scam Online Tutoring Websites 0SHARESShare Although online tutoring is believed to be the perfect premise for virtual learning, there are some facts that should be known to students and their parents. There are some online tutoring services that have not been verified. Often times, these frauds go unnoticed. Therefore, it is important to recognize the tutorial â€" it should be a reputed and experienced one. There are some tutoring service providers online that have duped students. Scammer duping the enrolled students off their money is a common complain. Such scammers should be avoided. Before choosing an online tutoring service, one should ensure that these things have been verified. Tutor Pace, Inc. is verified by two organizations namely- VeriSign and McAfee Secure, which ensures that you get what you pay for. Relevance of study materials has also been another cause of concern. As there are a large number of online tutors available today, it is very difficult to choose one service that would give you the best quality study material. You would have to check the service provider for relevance of study material.   At Tutor Pace we provide our students with relevant and trusted study material. You can read our testimonials to learn more. [starbox id=admin]

The Secrets to Playing Guitar Chords.

The Secrets to Playing Guitar Chords. Play Guitar Chords Quickly, Smoothly, and Efficiently. ChaptersA Step by Step Guide to Learning ChordsA Few Things All Chords Have in Common.Changing between Chords.Tips and Tricks for Putting Chords TogetherIf you’re studying music, learning guitar is a great place to start. It’s the perfect instrument on which to learn how to play your favorite pieces of music.As soon as you know the basics of the instrument - guitar tablature, the odd chord, and a bit of the fretboard - you can begin composing and jamming straightaway.  Whilst the building blocks of music theory are the different notes, scales - from the major scale to the variations on the minor scale - and the ability to read music, for beginner guitar the methodology conventionally works a little differently. Particularly if you are playing rock guitar or folk guitar.Here, the most fundamental thing will be chords - power chords, open chords, barre chords, major chords, and minor chords - and chord progressions, the way that we string different chords together. These will provi de the basis of your favorite songs, and are an essential part of the repertoire of all guitar players.  If you want to learn how to play guitar, you need to get to grips with the guitar chord in all its variations. It’s impossible to avoid and it’s important to learn the proper finger positions for the chords so that you can learn how to play a whole series smoothly and quickly.Once you can do that, you can really say that you’re a guitar player.For most beginners, learning guitar can be a rocky journey - the strings hurt your fingers when you fret them, your right hand seems completely disconnected from your left, and there are tons of chords to learn which all seem impossible. The virtuosic flights of jazz guitar, or the guitar music of Hendrix, seem a long way off.For anyone who’s trying to learn guitar, we’d recommend starting with the basic chords. By these we mean the 'open chord', the chord shapes that really on notes from strings that you don't fret ('open' string s). In most pop songs you'll see and hear these being played - from the C major to the E major or D major chord. These are opposed to the 'barre chord', which requires all of the strings to be fretted.You will find that your index finger, middle finger, and ring finger will all hurt a little as you learn these shapes. You are pressing your fingers against metal wires after all.But, if you keep going, the next step is learning to play them in a series, hitting the right notes, and creating a bit of fluidity… and of course, for your fingers to stop hurting when you play.You can find tab sets in specialist magazines and on the internet - series of chords to play together and reproduce a piece of music. Many many many songs, you will find, follow the same chord progression - and these usually involve the open position chords. And, honestly, once you have nailed these basic guitar chords, you'll be able to play really a lot of guitar songs. If you don't believe us, check out this video here.But how do you put two chords together without losing your rhythm? How do you keep adding on chords until you’re actually playing a whole piece of music?Here are a few tips.A Few Things All Chords Have in Common.When you are first starting out and you have to stare at a different chord chart every time you search for different guitar tabs, chords can all look overwhelmingly different. However, they aren't.Because the secret of effective rhythm guitar is actually  efficiency  - by which we mean specifically the efficiency of your movements. From a major chord to a minor chord there is usually only the difference of one note - and the best guitar players around know how to make these movements incredibly efficiently.The secret here is knowing your fret board - and knowing where the notes are in a chord.Know Your Chords Well, and Know How to Recognize Them.To really achieve fluidity in your playing and begin putting chords together, you need to start by recognizing the common f actors.Two consecutive chords might have one or more finger positions in common, so you might be able to get to the next chord without moving all of your fingers. Efficiency here is the name of the game.If the shape of two chords is the same, but is up or down by one or two frets, don’t change the shape of your hand. Just pick up and move your whole hand along the frets.A chord chart is going to be one of the things most helpful to get you to learn to play chords.If   the finger position for the chords is the same, but just on different strings (say the E major chord and the A minor chord), there is no need to change your hand shape. Just practicing moving your fingers together as a group.Some notes are the same, but the finger positions change. Here you can have a play and try out new finger positions so that the chords have a few fingers in common. You might find it helpful to pivot around a particular finger (try this with your ring finger when moving from a D major chord to a G major)Sometimes there’s nothing in common between the chords, and you just need to learn the movements by heart to make the transition as fluid as possible. Learning to read tabs will help.Why do this?If you look closely at the different chords you’re trying to play, you can benefit from the points in common. Finding these points can help to reduce your movements and improve the fluidity of your playing.By finding the commonalities between easy guitar chords, you'll improve your fluidity in hand with your efficiency.Work on Your Fingers to Improve Your PlayingIf some of your fingers stay the same between chords, try to keep them perfectly still while you’re moving the rest of your hand.If you’re just picking up and moving your hand along without changing finger positions, make sure you aren’t moving your fingers as you move your hand. Even in the air your fingers should still stay in position.By practicing these tips your hand will begin to anticipate the movement of you r fingers and your playing will improve.With any new guitar technique, there will be exercises to help you to develop your dexterity. Practising moving your hand in different positions across the guitar neck will help you massively.Break a Movement DownIf two chords contain open notes, it’s an opportunity to play notes that are already there without actually having to put your fingers down. The open string is really a bit of a gift to guitar players to improve the efficiency of the movement.Learn how to dissect the positions. Check to see if you can play the note without having to add any extra fingers. Studying the chord diagrams and finding ways to play that are most comfortable for you will help.You’ll save time, and playing a series of chords together will become second nature.Changing between Chords.Putting two chords together is composed of up to six small steps that you can adjust based on your level.First, learn all of your chords by heart, and then work on changing from one chord to another.Be very clear where you need to place your fingers.It’s impossible to learn how to change chords and put them together all in one go, even in a guitar lesson.In summary, here's how to do it:Make the first chord with your left hand.Slowly change the position of your fingers to create the second chord - making sure that the chords you are making are the same positions as on the chord charts.Look at the positions of your fingers - are they the same? are your fingers crossing? are there any that don’t require moving at all?Go back and forth between the second and the first chord, slowly going forwards and backwards. Keep your fingers relaxed and as close to the guitar strings as possible to conserve your movements.It’s important to practice the transitions between the chords really slowly in order to gain muscle in your fingers, and to begin to build muscle memory.Then, you can begin to increase the speed and volume of your playing.Repeat this over and over u ntil it becomes comfortable. The goal is that the movements become second nature and instinctive, and that you stay relaxed.The last step is to repeat the whole exercise, but to strum the strings of the guitar with your right hand so that you can hear the chords.To check to see if you have the right notes, play each individual string and check its sound.This will help you get ready to play arpeggios!Tips and Tricks for Putting Chords TogetherPractice regularlyListen well - if you want to be able to play guitar like Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, or even Ben Harper, the most important thing that you can do is to practice regularly.What do we mean by that? How often do you need to practice guitar to begin playing well? Professional guitarists advise students to practice daily, or every other day, for 10 to 15 minutes so that the movements begin to become automatic and second nature. Then your muscle memory can take over when you’re moving your fingers between chords.Get Help from a Guitar TeacherIf you aren’t motivated to practice on your own, or you’re having trouble mastering the chords, ask a professional for help. They can guide you through the process in private lessons and give you advice on how to improve.They will show you if you’re sitting badly or picking up bad habits, and correct you where need be.Find a teacher who can help you improve your chords.Having a teacher will help generate immediate feedback on how you’re doing - they can mirror you, and your learning will be considerably enriched.So start looking for guitar lessons London to find the perfect teacher!Keep the BeatKeeping a consistent rhythm is a crucial part of playing guitar, and you need to keep the beat when you change chords.Don’t slow down to change chords and learn how to play with a metronome. This way, you won’t need to think too hard about the beat. Instead you’ll learn to keep a steady, even rhythm and play your chords.Once you’ve mastered the two chords and your move ments are smooth and easy, get a stopwatch to time yourself as you move up and down the neck of the guitar.Always give preference to quality over quantity - it’s always better to make five clean chord changes in one minute, than to try and get 15 chord changes in, but the sound is all wrong.Pay Attention to Your BreathingWe’re not talking about your physical breathing, but about the small pauses between chords when you let the strings vibrate and you move on to the next position.This pause should always happen between chord changes, and especially on the last note of a measure.If you want to get technical  when you’re using a pick and changing between two chords, instead of playing both with your pick, leave the last note of the measure empty and use the time to get your left hand ready.Visualize the Changing ChordsLearn to visualize changing chords.Close your eyes and picture your fingers in the correct position, and then picture them changing to the next chord.Focus on that mental image; it will help get your brain ready for the movement, and make the actual action smoother and easier.If possible, use the fingers that aren't holding strings as a ‘pivot’ to change positions between chords.And don’t forget to stay motivated and enjoy playing the guitar!

Exercising Safely with a Personal Trainer

Exercising Safely with a Personal Trainer Good Practices from Personal Trainers to Exercise Safely ChaptersHow Can You Work Out in the Best Possible Conditions?Your Relation with Your Personal TrainerYour Personal Trainer’s ResponsibilitiesOur Advice for Exercising SafelyThere are millions of people up and down the country who are working on their health and fitness in clubs or just for fun.If you're a professional athlete, you probably already get one on one training sessions and don't need to read this. In this article, we’re more concerned with with those whose personal fitness training takes place during their free time...Those doing sport for fun don’t often benefit from a fitness professional or certified personal trainer to ensure that they’re doing it right. This means that you run the risk of injuring yourself and hindering your progress towards your fitness goals. Even when you're in a group fitness class at a gym, you can't expect the instructor to keep their eye on your the whole time.You can avoid these types of annoyances and injuries by working with an accre dited personal fitness trainer who’ll know exactly how you should be exercising and will teach you safe training techniques. With the fitness industry booming, the gym isn't the only place you can do cardio or aerobic exercises, pilates, strength training, or just get fit. You can now do almost everything you can do at the gym at home (with the obvious exceptions like swimming and playing football or squash!).One of the most important aspects of a good coach is their enthusiasm (not to mention having a personal trainer certification). This enthusiasm for making people healthier is often why they decided to become a personal trainer. Your only worry will be how to match their enthusiasm towards your fitness training.Enjoyment is very important when working out and a personal trainer can help you enjoy every one of your personal training sessions and keep you motivated.In fact, personal trainers need to have a number of important qualities: they need to be able to communicate well, push you to your limits, motivate you, inspire you, be diplomatic, organised, and patient, as well as having an impeccable knowledge of human anatomy and nutrition.However, a coach’s most important quality is ensuring that you can exercise safely without injuring yourself. Most coaches with a personal training certification will conduct a fitness assessment during their free taster session so that they're aware of any preexisting conditions and how far they can push you without running the risk of injury.The German sports scientist Jürgen Weineck describes warming up as “All the measures taken to ensure an optimum state of psychological and physiological preparation for training or competition while at the same time playing an important role in injury prevention.”Generally speaking, it’s getting your heart and muscles ready.  Quality training is the best way to avoid injury and that's where a fitness instructor can help!Get informatoion about fitness classes near me here. C alumDrama School Entrance Teacher 5.00 (15) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliviaSchool support Teacher 5.00 (2) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkESOL (English) Teacher 4.76 (17) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JenniferMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouiseAutoCAD Teacher 5.00 (3) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyPercussion Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolasGuitar Teacher 5.00 (2) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MyriamOrganic chemistry Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JonathanEconomics Teacher 5.00 (9) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Oluwakemi imoleMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexPh ysics Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdamSinging Teacher 5.00 (14) £48/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValentiniMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MilenaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RashmiEconomics Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsHow Can You Work Out in the Best Possible Conditions?You should consider the exercises your coach recommends as a template to follow for the rest of your sporting life. This is one of the advantages of having a personalised fitness trainer. Even once you've stopped working with them, you can still enjoy the benefits.Their personal training qualifications attest their ability to keep you safe. If you don’t often exercise or do sports, a personal trainer can help you to learn as well as teaching you the right way to train safely.Your personal trainer will make sure that you're exercising safely. (Sour ce: Fancycrave)At the start of the training programme you decide upon with your personal trainer, you mightn’t immediately feel comfortable with the activities they have you doing as you've never done anything like them before in your life. However, after a few sessions with them you’ll be able to see the progress you’re making and you'll get used to them.Throughout the whole process, your personal trainer will teach you the best techniques for you to adopt in order to avoid injury while you’re exercising.Depending on the sport you’re training for, your personal trainer may have you practising in a variety of different places. You might be working out in gyms, health clubs, pools, running tracks or a football pitches, or in the comfort home.Each coach will have to carefully work out the best places for you to exercise in order to make the most progress and in order to ensure that you’re always exercising safely.As they get to know you better, your personal trainer will c ontinue to adapt their sessions to you. They’ll even work around your schedule and find the best times that work for you. When you take part in this kind of programme, you’ve decided to get involved as well as deciding to take your coach’s suggestions on board, too.You should always listen to your coach's suggestion since they are there to ensure that you’re exercising in the safest way possible.Your Relation with Your Personal TrainerOne of the advantages of having a personal fitness trainer is the interpersonal professional relationship you develop with them. If something doesn’t work for you, don’t hesitate to tell them and they’ll work out a way to make things better. If they can’t make things better, you’re well within your right to find another coach (depending on your agreement with them).Your personal trainer will also ensure that you have a friendly professional relationship with them. It’s very important to understand that no matter who you are, you’l l get no preferential treatment over any of your personal trainer’s other clients.Don’t ever try to get any preferential treatment from your personal fitness coach. They'll swiftly remind you that they’re a consummate professional.The aim is to work together to achieve your objectives while maintaining a professional relationship. This professional relationship ensures that your coach can always be looking out for your safety and well-being.Your personal trainer will put together a personalised programme for you. (Source: pixabay.com)A good coach is focused on your safety, well-being, protection, and improving you as effectively as possible.Each person is unique and has their own needs and body type. That’s why a personal trainer will concern themselves with these differences during a session. Their goal is to find the perfect balance between your physical and mental development while achieving your goals.The relationship between a personal trainer and their client is largel y based on trust. It is possible that during your sessions that your coach may be obliged to make physical contact with you in order to help you.  They will also be very clear and assure you that this is part of the coaching process.Every personal trainer will ensure that none of their actions are misunderstood and are in accordance with the good practices that were outlined in their coaching qualifications.Your Personal Trainer’s ResponsibilitiesYour personal trainer is responsible for helping you train in a safe environment. They must be able to assure you that there are no potential risks both in terms of the exercises you are doing and the area which you're exercising in.You should be given information on emergency exits and first aid for your own safety.If you decide to exercise in a room that isn’t designed for sporting activities, your personal trainer must take particular care when it comes to items such as radiators and windows in order to avoid injury. Your personal tr ainer should also ensure that the equipment you’re using has been checked and is in working condition.Make sure you're training correctly. (Source: Mali Maeder)Your coach may organise training sessions in places outside of where you usually train. In this case, your personal trainer should make sure that the location is clean, free of dog waste, class, and any other items that may cause injury.Before starting training, they need to ensure that the area is free of any potential risks.  They should also take the weather into consideration. This isn’t just because it isn’t as fun to train in the rain. In fact, some people prefer exercising in the rain. However, your personal trainer should ensure that adverse weather conditions won’t cause you to fall and injure yourself, for example. A nasty fall will very quickly break the trust you have with your personal trainer. They should always keep this in mind when they’re planning your sessions.Our Advice for Exercising SafelyHere are a few things to ensure your safety when exercising:Be safe when you're working out. Source: pixabay.com)Exercise in a safe environmentRespect your physical conditionEstablish a relationship of trustMake sure you’re well prepared for your workouts (warming up)Be aware of any potential environmental risks and dangersCommunicate as much as possibleRespect the safety rules of the places where you trainMake sure the equipment you’re using is in good conditionEvaluate your level to ensure that you’re carrying out the right exercisesCheck the weatherGet nutritional adviceIn theory, all good personal trainers will do all of the above for you in order to ensure that you can train in the best possible conditions. So don't be shy of trying out one of our Superprof trainers through a free first session - you will soon see that personal trainers are more affordable than you think anf give excellent results!Look for 'personal trainers near me' to see how you could transform your body.

Learning the Different Chinese Tones

Learning the Different Chinese Tones Learn the Chinese Tones Chapters What Are Tones? The Importance of Stress in Chinese Everything You Need to Know about the First Tone (??) Mandarin’s Second Tone (??) The Third Tone in Mandarin Chinese (??) The Fourth Tone (??) A Fifth Tone? (??) How Can You Master the Tones in Mandarin Chinese?There are lots of Brits who struggle to learn foreign languages. In fact, many of us “study” a language the whole time we’re at school and somehow manage to leave without ever being able to speak it.The Chinese language (and the Mandarin variety spoken principally in Beijing, in particular) has a reputation of being difficult to master.Learning Chinese Mandarin, which is principally spoken in mainland China and Taiwan (Republic of China), can seem impossible and the writing system is almost impossible to decipher if you've grown up using the Latin Alphabet. Chinese pronunciation isn't much easier, either!When you learn Chinese, you’ll quickly come across the concept of tones as you start to get to grips wit h some basic vocabulary and phrases.It's not uncommon for a gifted learner to give up private Chinese tutorials do so because of the seemingly insurmountable challenge of mastering the tones in Chinese.Something that started out as a minor annoyance can quickly into a massive thorn in your side. It’s better to avoid this kind of situation by getting to grips completely with this concept. You'll come across this almost immediately when you learn Mandarin so instead of shying away from this language learning challenge, why not embrace it and learn as much as you can during your Chinese lessons?Discover our tips for most effective Mandarin learning...   NingChinese Teacher 5.00 (10) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LorraineChinese Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JoyceChinese Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicoleChinese Teacher £60/h1st lesson free!D iscover all our tutors KatyChinese Teacher £16/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YangChinese Teacher £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ChengChinese Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors What Are Tones?English, much like German and Dutch, is not a tonal language.  Mandarin, on the other hand, is. This means the same syllables in different contexts can be differentiated by using different pitches.Linguists traditionally identify 4 different tones in Chinese.  They can add a 4th dimension to Chinese languages which distinguish them from other languages by their use of pitch to change the meaning of syllables.Turn your vocal chords into a musical instrument and see how pitch can be used to distinguish the four tones in Mandarin.The different tones in Chinese are indicated by different accents when using the Pinyin writing system. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)Thus, a syllable like “ma” (which is a common example used by Mandarin teachers) can have fo ur meanings depending on the tone used.  Tones in Chinese mean that several different phonetic interpretations of each character are possible.In comparison, with 9 tones in total, Cantonese has even more tones than Mandarin. This inevitably can lead to a huge number of misunderstandings for non-native speakers of the language.If you're struggling with written Chinese, don’t forget about the Chinese Pinyin system, either! The Importance of Stress in ChineseMastering tones in Chinese is essential if you want to speak well and make yourself understood.Intonation isn’t just used for expression emotions, after all. It’s used as an integral part of a sentence and should be considered as important to the meaning of a sentence as grammar is.  Imagine you want to be polite but instead say a swearword because your tone wasn’t right...With errors like this, it may be better to just focus on the tones and how Chinese is pronounced at the expense of learning the language.Of course, a beg inner isn’t expected to be able to decipher any given ideogram in their first year of Chinese classes. Instead, they can use Latin transcriptions of Chinese characters in order to better help them learn how to pronounce the words.  In this case, the tones are differentiated using different accents or “diacritics”.The best way to understand the importance of tones in Chinese is by looking at the Yuen Ren Chao’s Mandarin masterpiece, “The Lion-Eating Poet in the Stone Den”.  Throughout the poem, there is one syllable that keeps cropping up: shi.Without the use of tones, the text ends up completely incomprehensible when read aloud.  It should be added that this work was facilitated by calling the poet “Shi”, too.Also consider which variation of Chinese you should learn... Everything You Need to Know about the First Tone (??)The first tone in Chinese is arguably the simplest. It's a flat tone using a high pitch.  Logically, when written out in the Latin Alphabet, this to ne is indicated by a flat accent.  Let’s go back to the example we used before which will give us ma (mother) in the first tone.When studying a language, you should learn more about the culture and the cuisine! (Source: StockSnap)While this might seem easy, you need to pay attention: it can be very difficult to hold a note (given that your muscles tremble a little bit) and even harder when you have to hold a high note.Don’t worry about wavering in the beginning. If you remain calm and keep practising, you’ll get it!  The best way is to start with a quick “la” like a singer would do in their warm up exercises.Learn more about Chinese history, too! NingChinese Teacher 5.00 (10) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LorraineChinese Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JoyceChinese Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicoleChinese Teacher £60/h1st lesson fr ee!Discover all our tutors KatyChinese Teacher £16/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YangChinese Teacher £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ChengChinese Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Mandarin’s Second Tone (??)The second tone follows a rising curve: It starts low and gets increasingly higher.This uses an acute accent which points upwards just like the rising voice: má (to bother).It’s a bit like the intonation you use to answer the phone: “Hello?” The Third Tone in Mandarin Chinese (??)The third tone is probably the most unusual one for Europeans to pronounce.  You don’t follow a straight route but rather descend from a mid-level tone before rising upwards to an even higher pitch.That’s why this tone is indicated in the Latin Alphabet using a caron, an inverted circumflex accent.For example: ma (horse).In English, the accent would be a bit like pronouncing the word “what!?” as if you’ve been completely shocked by what you ’ve just heard.  As you can see, the third tone in Mandarin is probably one of the most complicated ones. It can sometimes seem completely impossible to say in certain sentences...Of course, there are always exceptions to the rules, too.Both the writing and pronunciation can be difficult for beginners. (Source: Bukejiuyao)If the third tone appears in a sentence followed by another third tone, the first of the two is actually pronounced like the second tone while both of them are still written as third tones.Generally speaking, when the third tone is followed by another tone (of any kind), it’s cut more so than it would be on its own and doesn’t rise as high.  This makes it easier to speak but harder for learners to distinguish it.Find out more about Chinese multilingualism...   The Fourth Tone (??)The last tone in Mandarin Chinese resembles the second tone but in reverse.  You start as high as possible (using the same pitch as the first tone) before steadily descending until y ou reach the same low point as the third tone.Unsurprisingly, this tone uses the grave accent (which points downwards) in the Latin alphabet: mà (to scold).  It’s a tone that can sound somewhat angry. You should pronounce it as if you were giving an order to somebody. A Fifth Tone? (??)Did you honestly think that we’d finished? Of course not!  While experts in Chinese generally agree that there are four tones in Chinese, there are lists where a fifth tone is added.  This is known as the neutral tone by specialists.It’s not as easy to hear as you might think. You’ll need a keen ear to be able to distinguish it.  This tone (or absence of tone, maybe?) is emphasised by an unchanging vowel: ma (an interrogative particle).Find out more about Chinese’s influence around Asia. How Can You Master the Tones in Mandarin Chinese?After reading about the complexities of tones in Chinese, you probably aren’t that interested in learning them any more!  However, you should grab the bull by the horns (or the dragon by the tail, perhaps?) and start practising. It’s not impossible, after all.Learning Mandarin Chinese isn't something you need to do alone! In fact, it’s very easy to get help from the comfort of your own home while sitting in front of your computer: You'll find absolutely tonnes of resources to learn Chinese online.Technology is great for those who’ve started to learn Chinese with a key goal in mind. You can listen to the language and find interactive and audiovisual resources to help you learn how to hear and use the different tones.Otherwise, you can always get Chinese tutorials from a qualified and experience private tutor. There are also plenty of academic establishments that are offering classes in Chinese either as night classes or as degrees in Chinese.When I settled on Chinese as my second language, I found a Superprof to give me Mandarin lessons!Private extracurricular organisations also offer group sessions and classes for younger studen ts wanting to learn Chinese since the demand for the language is increasing.A private tutor can adapt to the needs of their student. While nobody’s perfect, with just one student, an educator can focus on their strengths and weaknesses in order to ensure that they learn as much as possible during every hour spent with them.You could always travel to a country where they speak Chinese and work for either a Chinese or Western company. However, it can be expensive, complicated, and a long way to travel.If you’re not able to travel or attend classes, you could always do a correspondence course while looking for speaking activities on the Internet to boost your oral.Let us now shine a spotlight on learning Mandarin...  Are you looking for a Chinese tutor in the UK? Browse our catalogue of qualified tutors on Superprof.Chinese lessons LondonMandarin lessons LondonChinese classes Birmingham

A Day in the Life at University of California, Irvine

A Day in the Life at University of California, Irvine The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Wyatt is currently a junior at University of California, Irvine majoring in Mechanical Engineering. He is a Los Angeles tutor specializing in AP English tutoring, Calculus tutoring, Essay Editing tutoring, and more. Check out his review of his school: VT: Describe the campus setting and transportation options.How urban or safe is the campus?Are there buses or do you need a car/bike? Wyatt: I go the University of California, Irvine (UCI), and the campus is definitely very beautiful. It is centered around Aldrich Park, which is a large circular area roughly one mile in circumference with trees, open grass, and paths snaking through it. This makes it easy to get anywhere on campus; simply walk through the park and you'll reach basically anywhere in five minutes or less. The main options for transportation are commuting (which I do), living in on-campus dorms (and therefore needing no vehicle transportation), and living in slightly off-campus dorms. For the slightly off-campus dorms, and for anyone who needs to use them, there are shuttles that go from UCI to various housing areas to enable faster transportation. There are also bike racks on these shuttles so that you can ride your bike down to campus and then have the bus carry the bike back up when you aren't in a hurry to get to class. The downside to this is the shuttles are packed, and unless you have the schedule memorized, you can arrive at a bus stop right after a bus has left, and you have to wait for the next round. Personally, I have to deal with commuting and parking on campus very frequently, and I find that to be the one thing I like least about the campus. You have to pay a pretty hefty amount each month to get parking, but unless you actually live on campus, you cannot buy overnight p arking without paying $14.00 each night you do so. This makes studying all night with friends very costly, even though it is quite necessary sometimes. In sum, you do not need a car or bike, but having a bike is definitely nice for those times when you're out of sync with bus arrival, and having a car is great for exploring Irvine, as there are many great places to go if you just look around! VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Wyatt: The professors and TAs (teaching assistants) are very helpful in general when you go to their office hours and e-mail them. There has only been one professor that I've had so far that didn't respond to me within three to three hours via e-mail during the school week (of course, on the weekends it can take a little longer), and I am currently finishing my junior year here. Oftentimes, TAs are extremely crucial to your learning, and I've found that the people who think TAs and professors aren't available are really the ones who haven't taken the time to go meet them at their office hours or talk to them after class about their problems; most people are very shy in that regard. My advice, regardless of where you end up going for school, is to make sure you ask questions the second you don't understand something. The only dumb question is the one that isn't asked, and if you don't get it, there's a high probability your classmates don't either (unless you're consistently missing c lass). VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Wyatt: I have commuted for all three years, so I do not have a great deal of information on dorm life. However, rooms are shared generally between two to three people, and are rather small. Dining options are usually pretty good, since it is a buffet at most places, and the food has a lot of variety, including themed buffet bars like Mexican food day, Chinese food day, etc. However, some days their food of the day can be underwhelming, but their burgers are always really good! Dorms are located on either side of Aldrich Park, although between the complexes Middle Earth and Mesa, there is a trade-off. Mesa has much nicer dorm rooms, but is about five to ten minutes further from everything (except for the School of the Arts) than Middle Earth is. Middle Earth is close to most things, but the dorms are much smaller. However, each dorm has Resident Advisors, RAs, who keep you involved in various dorm activities and provide socialization options, so the dorms are very rich in that regard. VT: Which majors/programs are best represented and supported?What did you study and why? Did the university do a good job supporting your particular area of study? Wyatt: I am not exactly sure which majors are best represented/supported. I know there are many Biology majors, and many Engineering majors, but that could be simply because I basically live my life on the Engineering side of campus. I study Mechanical Engineering, as it is a field in great demand in society today, and there should be a good amount of jobs open when I graduate. I think there are many options open for people to get involved in extracurricular activities and learn more about new facets of their major, including ESC (Engineering Student Council) events, ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) events, Engineering fairs, and many more activities, so in that sense I think the university cultivates great interest in my major, and supports it well. VT: How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Wyatt: It was very easy for me to make friends as a freshman. I looked at the club fair when I was a freshman, and immediately found ASME and VeVo (Vermillion Vocalists, an acapella group). Once I joined ASME and auditioned for VeVo and made it in, I made many friends, and also made friends with classmates in my major-specific classes, as we began to see each other every quarter for freshman year (and for the next two years). So making friends as a freshman is not difficult, it just requires you to go out and explore your options, and do what interests you. By doing that, you'll automatically find people who share hobbies with you, and that can be the beginning of a great friendship. Greek life can be either a big deal and a huge commitment or almost non-existent, depending on the people you hang out with and what you choose to do with your spare time. I personally am not affiliated with any fraternities, and so it does not impact my life at all. However, a friend of mine is in a fraternity and spends much of his free time planning and going to events for it. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Wyatt: I've heard many great things about it, and have been meaning to check it out, but I personally have not been to the Career Center. They do have a lot of information, though, and companies do recruit on campus at places like the Engineering fair. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Wyatt: The libraries are usually pretty empty in the early weeks of the quarter, but from weeks five through eight (midterms I and II) and week 10-finals week, the libraries can get very packed. You can always find space there, even if it is very packedyou just might not get to go to your favorite spot. There are many other random places on campus that have lounges, however, and some are quite comfy, quiet, and conducive to studying. I have a personal favorite place that I go to that has excellent wi-fi signal, free printing, long, luxurious sofas that I frequently nap on, and tables for working, but I seldom reveal where that is; I don't want it to get crowded! If you end up going to UCI, you'll have to explore to find it. VT: Describe the surrounding town. What kinds of outside establishments / things to do are there that make it fun, boring, or somewhere in between?To what extent do students go to the downtown area of the city versus staying near campus? Wyatt: UCI is set in a very urbanized area, with downtown Irvine nearby, and many food options within a five to ten mile range of the campus, especially at the Irvine Spectrum, Diamond Jamboree, and The District (shopping centers). Here are a few suggestions for delicious food or a fun night that most people don't know about: -Mick's Karma Bar, about six to seven miles away. This place has burgers that are absolutely off the hook, amazing steak fries, and is set in the middle of a bunch of big business buildings, with a huge ring of palm trees encircling two half-circle pools of water, with neo-art benches situated on the outside. It is absolutely beautiful, and needless to say, it is a great place to take a date. My favorite is the fiery habanero burger with the strawberry-basil lemonade. -Cafe Rio, about ten to twelve miles away. A little bit further than Mick's, but this place is insane. Think of it like Chipotle, but with authentic Mexican food, even bigger portion sizes, and handmade real flour tortillas. Furthermore, they feature a delicious, creamy queso sauce that addicts every single person that I've had try it (including my lactose-intolerant girlfriend). -ImprovCity, less than five miles away. Located upstairs in Irvine Lanes, it's a little hard to find. However, for $10.00, you can have two hours of straight laughing, as these guys put together a great improv comedy show. Definitely merits a visit. These are just three places that stand out to me, but there are almost infinitely many to go to if you just drive down a major street like Jamboree and look at the places you pass. In sum, UCI is situated very nicely, due to its close proximity to many exciting, fun, or delicious establishments. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Wyatt: The student body is pretty huge, sitting at about 27,000 students. My class sizes really vary depending on what class it is. For a lot of Math and Physics classes, the classes were anywhere from 100-300 people. However, for Writing classes, I had 30 people in there, if that. Major-specific classes tend to be big as well, since everyone in that major has to take them, so an average Engineering class has about 300 students. This is good when you want to text or look up something on the internet or accidentally doze off, because its harder to be noticed, but this is bad for the same reason. I would advise, as I stated before, going to the professor's office hours to at least get some sort of facial recognition going (and to not sleep in classyou don't want to be the guy the professor notices and calls out in front of 300 people), so that you can possibly ask the professors for research advice/positions in the future. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Wyatt: While good experiences are definitely enjoyable and worthwhile, I find the most learning through my mistakes, and so here is the thing I most regret. The first quarter of my freshman year, I took entry-level physics (which everyone needs for general requirements). It was exceptionally easy, and without even studying, I aced the final and the class. To top this off, I had done well in all of my other classes that quarter, and so I grew complacent with Physics. The next quarter, I took Newtonian Mechanics. Still in an over-confident mindset from the past quarter's success, and unwilling to wake up in the morning at 6:00 or earlier in order to get to campus in time for my 8:00 a.m. class, I put the class on the back burners and missed many lectures. I scored a passable grade on the midterm, but still didn't realize I was making a huge mistake. Once the final came around, I tried to cram a bunch of end-of-quarter material, but was unable to do so, as Physics picks up in difficulty very quickly. I ended up doing very poorly on the final, receiving a D+ in the class (my first and only failing grade). I was absolutely livid (at myself) f or having done this. I spoke with my counselor, who said that a D+ in Physics was actually passing by the standards of the Physics department for that course, but I was obviously unsatisfied. I ended up retaking the course, actually trying this time, and got an A. From then on, I almost never missed class, and I take each class very seriously. The moral of this story is simply to not be lazy or complacent with any class, regardless of previous performance. Waking up for class at 8:00 is a real drag in college for some reason (it wasn't this painful in high school...), but it's just something that has to happen. Being there at every class is the only way to ensure that you can be as prepared as every other student in the class, and that you can therefore beat the curve. Check out Wyatts tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

How MCAT Prep can Make a Difference in Your Score

How MCAT Prep can Make a Difference in Your Score 0SHARESShare MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) is a tough exam and you definitely need online MCAT tutors to help you through. This is a very comprehensive test which analyses your knowledge in solving problems, principles of science, writing abilities and critical analysis. This test is now taken online. Under these circumstances your first mission is to find good but online MCAT tutors. They will sharpen your abilities in writing short analytical paragraphs. They will hone up your knowledge in biology and physics. They will interact with you daily to prepare you for the verbal reasoning session in the actual test. It should be clear to you at the outset that the MCAT is a tough exam and you need online MCAT tutors as much as you need your prep books. The core of your interaction will be constant practice in problem solving, subject knowledge, writing skills and verbal explanation. The online MCAT tutors will work with you at a convenient time and work diligently with you till you are so confident that you actually become eager to bell the MCAT. There is no doubt that MCAT prep will make a difference in your score. [starbox id=admin]