What Is Business?

Business id a word that is commonly used in many different languages. But exactly what does it mean? The concepts and activities of business have increased in modern times. Traditionally, business simply meant exchange or trade for things people wanted or needed. Today it has a more technical definition. One definition of business is the production, distribution, and sale of goods and services for a profit. To examine this definition, we will look at its various part.

First, production is the creation of services or the changing of materials into products. One example is the conversion of iron or into metal car parts. Next, these products need to be moved from the factory to the marketplace. This is known as distribution. A car might be moved from a factory in Detroit to a car dealership in Miami.

Third is sale of goods and services. Sale is the exchange of a product or service for money. A car is sold to someone exchange for money. Goods are products that people either need or want; for example, cars can be classifeid as goods. Services, on the other hand, are activities that a person or group performs for another person or organization. For instance, an auto mechanic perform a service when he repairs a car. A doctor also performs a service by taking care of people when they are sick.

Business, then is a combination of all these activities: production, distribution, and sale. However, there is one other important factor is the creation of profit or economic surplus. A major goal in the functioning of an American business company is making a profit. Profit is the money that remains after all the expenses are paid. Creating an economics surplus or profit is, therefore, a primary goal of business activity. 

What is a Preposition?

A preposition links nouns, pronouns and phrases to other words in a sentence. The word or phrase that the preposition introduces is called the object of the preposition.
A preposition usually indicates the temporal, spatial or logical relationship of its object to the rest of the sentence as in the following examples:

The book is on the table.

The book is beneath the table.

The book is leaning against the table.

The book is beside the table.

She held the book over the table.

She read the book during class.

In each of the preceding sentences, a preposition locates the noun "book" in space or in time.
A prepositional phrase is made up of the preposition, its object and any associated adjectives or adverbs. A prepositional phrase can function as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb. The most common prepositions are "about," "above," "across," "after," "against," "along," "among," "around," "at," "before," "behind," "below," "beneath," "beside," "between," "beyond," "but," "by," "despite," "down," "during," "except," "for," "from," "in," "inside," "into," "like," "near," "of," "off," "on," "onto," "out," "outside," "over," "past," "since," "through," "throughout," "till," "to," "toward," "under," "underneath," "until," "up," "upon," "with," "within," and "without."
Each of the highlighted words in the following sentences is a preposition:

The children climbed the mountain without fear.

In this sentence, the preposition "without" introduces the noun "fear." The prepositional phrase "without fear" functions as an adverb describing how the children climbed.

There was rejoicing throughout the land when the government was defeated.

Here, the preposition "throughout" introduces the noun phrase "the land." The prepositional phrase acts as an adverb describing the location of the rejoicing.

The spider crawled slowly along the banister.

The preposition "along" introduces the noun phrase "the banister" and the prepositional phrase "along the banister" acts as an adverb, describing where the spider crawled.

The dog is hiding under the porch because it knows it will be punished for chewing up a new pair of shoes.

Here the preposition "under" introduces the prepositional phrase "under the porch," which acts as an adverb modifying the compound verb "is hiding."

The screenwriter searched for the manuscript he was certain was somewhere in his office.

Similarly in this sentence, the preposition "in" introduces a prepositional phrase "in his office," which acts as an adverb describing the location of the missing papers.

List of Prepositional Phrases

Prepositional phrases can be made up of single, double or triple words. The most important aspect of a prepositional phrase is its placement. A grammatically correct sentence conveying the desired meaning can be structured by choosing the right preposition and using it appropriately.

• abroad
• about
• absent
• above
• across
• after
• against
• along
• alongside
• amidst
• around
• among
• amongst
• aside
• astride
• as
• at
• athwart
• atop
• before
• behind
• barring
• below
• beneath
• besides
• before
• beneath
• beside
• between
• betwixt
• beyond
• by
• but
• concerning
• circa
• down
• despite
• during
• excluding
• except
• failing
• following
• for
• from
• given
• in
• inside
• including
• into
• like
• minus
• mid
• next
• near
• notwithstanding
• of
• off
• on
• opposite
• onto
• outside
• out
• over
• pace
• per
• plus
• past
• pro
• qua
• regarding
• round
• since
• save
• than
• throughout
• through
• than
• till
• to
• times
• towards
• toward
• unlike
• under
• underneath
• up
• until
• via
• versus
• vice
• with
• within
• worth
• without


Double Word Prepositions

• along with
• ahead of
• according to
• as of
• as per
• aside from
• as regards
• because of
• close to
• due to
• except for
• far from
• far away
• inside of
• next to
• near to
• on to
• out from
• owing to
• out of
• outside of
• pursuant to
• prior to
• regard of
• regardless of
• subsequent to
• thanks to
• that of


Triple Word Prepositions

• as well as
• as far as
• by means of
• in addition to
• in accordance with
• in case of
• in front of
• in lieu of
• in point of
• in place of
• on behalf of
• on account of
• on top of
• with respect to
• with regard to


Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/prepositional-phrases-list.html

 

20 TOEFL Tips

TOEFL is one of the most important test for English learner especially for the one who want to go to aboard, and this article contains tips that English learner have to know, those tips include what we have to do before taking test and what we have to do while taking test, because  preparation is important.
And those tips are:
1. Familirize yourself with the TOEFL format
2. Research TOEFL score requirements
3. Learn academic English
4. Use practice tests
5. Find a mentor
6. Build up your stamina
7. Arrive prepared
8. Pace yourself
9. Improve your typing skills
10. Become an expert note taker
11. Answer every question
12. Secrets for thr Reading section
13. Secrets for the Listening section
14. Secrets for the Speaking section
15. Secrets for the Writing section
16. Strengthen all 4 skills
17. Dress in comfortable clothing
18. Make sure to eat before the test
19. Refer to the official TOEFL website
20. Reward yourself

Comment:
Fortunately. i got this article befor taking TOEFL preparation test, so I can get more than normal score, this article very help me, but unfortunately this article doesn't give me specific strategies/tips soI have to keep searching for another TOEFL tips. In addition, I hope can find some articles providing specific startegies/tips, so I can get a better score for next TOEFL.
Overall, I recommend this article for those who want to take TOEFL, especially for the one who wants  to go abroad, because as far as I know TOEFL is one of the requirement if we want to go abroad.

toefl test

TOEFL EXERCISE ( Skill 1-3) : Choose the letter of the underline word or group of words that is not correct.

1. Nobody know when the process of glass-making was invented.

                  A                          B                               C        D

The incorrect word is : (A) Know

The reason : Nobody is singular subject. So, the verb is must be followed by s/es.

The correct sentence is :

“Nobody knows when the process of glass-making was invented”.

2. The languages of the world presents a vast array of structural similarities and differences.

                                                    A                B                          C                        D

The incorrect word is : (A) Presents

The reason : Because the languages is a plural subject. So, that it does not need to be followed by s/es in the end of the verb.

The correct sentence is :

“The languages of the world present a vast array of structural similarities and differences”.

3. The rise of multinationals have resulted in a great deal of legal ambiguity

                                            A          B

    because multinationals can operate in so many jurisdictions.

                                       C        D

The incorrect word is : (A) Have

The reason : The rise of multinationals is looks like a plural subject, but it can be change to ‘it’ which is a singular subject that has the auxiliary verb such as : is, was, does, has.

The correct sentence is :

“The rise of multinationals has resulted in a great deal of legal ambiguity because multinationals can operate in so many jurisdictions”.

4. All of the east-west interstate highways in the United States has even  

                                                                                              A

numbers, while northsouth interstate highways are odd-numbered.

       B                                                             C               D

The incorrect word is : (A) Has

The reason : All of the east-west interstate highways is a plural subject. So, it must be followed by the one of auxiliary verb for the plural subject, have.

The correct sentence is :

 “All of the east-west interstate highways in the United States have even numbers, while north-south interstate highways are odd-numbered”.

5. When a massive star in the large Magellanic Cloud exploded in 1987, a wave of

        A                                                                             B

neutrinos were detected on Earth.

                  C        D

The incorrect word is : (C) Were

The reason : A wave of neutrinos is singular subject. So, it must follow with was the one o auxiliary verb for singular subject.

The correct sentence is :

“When a massive star in the large Magellanic Cloud exploded in 1987, a wave of neutrinos was detected on Earth”.

6. Every open space in the targeted area that has grass and a few bushes are

                                              A                          B                                  C        

occupied by the white-crowned sparrow.

     D

The incorrect word is : (C) Are

The reason : Every open space is singular subject. So, it must be followed by is, not are.

The correct sentence is :

“Every open space in the targeted area that has grass and a few bushes is occupied by the white-crowned sparrow”.

7. Krakatoa is remembered as the volcano that put so much ash into the air that

                                A                                      B

sunsets around the world was affected for two years afterward.

                                              C                                     D

The incorrect word is : (B) Put

The reason : Krakatoa is singular subject. So, it must be followed by singular verb that contains s/es in the end of the word.

The correct sentence is :

“Krakatoa is remembered as the volcano that puts so much ash into the air that sunsets around the world was affected for two years afterward”.

8. The term “Yankee” was originally a nickname for people from New England,

                                   A

but now anyone from the United States are referred to as a Yankee.

                                                             B        C       D

The incorrect word is : (B) Are

The reason : Anyone is singular verb, and from the beginning of this sentence suggests the singular too.

The correct sentence is :

“The term “Yankee” was originally a nickname for people from New England, but now anyone from the United States is referred to as a Yankee”.

9. A network of small arteries, mostly sandwiched between the skin and the

                                                                A                                                     

 underlying muscles, supply blood to the face and scalp.

       B                         C        D

The incorrect word is : (C) Supply

The reason : A network of small arteries included in the singular subject. So, the verb must be followed by s/es.

The correct sentence is :

“A network of small arteries, mostly sandwiched between the skin and the underlying muscles, supplies blood to the face and scalp”.

10. Mesquite is a small tree in the Southwest who can withstand the severest drought.

                     A       B                                     C                  D

The incorrect word is : (C) Who

The reason : Who is pronoun used to refer to people. In this sentence referred to ‘tree’. So, ‘who’ change to ‘that’ or ‘which’.

The correct sentence is :

“Mesquite is a small tree in the Southwest that can withstand the severest drought”.

OR

“Mesquite is a small tree in the Southwest which can withstand the severest drought”.