The purpose of this paper is to examine some features of electronic résumés. Many résumeés are now read electronically by computers programmed to look for key words that correspond to the job requirements. Paper résumeés are scanned into the computer. E-mailed résumeés are also added to the collection in the computer. The electronic résumé therefore should be organized so that the computer can easily find specific content. This paper provides guidelines for producing a proper electronic readable résumé.

View full abstract

This paper aims to evaluate the MADE Format, a ready-made outlining structure presented by Dianna Booher. With advances in technology, the growth of the Internet and email has revolutionized our business practice, bringing possible information overload and increased communication. Organizing a business message in an easily-skimmed format is essential to save the recipient's time. Booher suggests using the descending arrangement placing the main idea at the beginning of a message. The MADE Format is an outline template for the descending arrangement, and its acronym stands for Message, Action, Details and Evidence, which means beginning with the point and the required action, followed by relevant details and reference materials. This format is derived from the structure of the technical report designed for different recipients with two basic components of a summary and the supporting information. The MADE Format emphasizes the major point clearly for recipients by separating the particulars and enables each recipient to skim and scan a message for key information. The MADE Format reinforces the importance of recipient-oriented messages and is suitable for the Internet age as an efficient communication strategy.

View full abstract

The purpose of this paper is to clarify the linguistic circumstances and contexts under which the adjective, “little” can have a “descriptive” meaning in nonstandard English such as African-American English, the American Southern dialect and American Southern dialect-like English. According to descriptions in most dictionaries and usage studies, both “little” and “small” have “small in size” as their first meaning. And, one of the main differences described is that “little” is “emotional, ” while “small” is “descriptive.” However, this description seems to be mainly for standard English. In The Color Purple and Forrest Gump, which are both written almost entirely in nonstandard English, the frequency of “little” is conspicuously higher than that of “small.” Therefore, it can be hypothesized that in nonstandard English “little” is also “descriptive” which most dictionaries and usage studies refer to as a characteristic of “small” in standard English. This paper also shows that in these novels the frequency of “big” is correspondingly much higher than that of “large, ” which is further evidence that “little” is the opposite of “big” and “small” is the opposite of “large.”

View full abstract

The purpose of this study was to find key adjectives used in beauty, clothing, food, and medicine advertisements. The author compared the English Advertisement Corpus, which consists of advertisements from Glamour, Prevention, Elle, and Cosmopolitan, published in the U. S. in 2006, with the Frown Corpus, which consists of general American English in 1992. From the data, keyword lists for each advertising genre were generated. The key adjectives were classified into several semantic categories so that their characteristics in each genre of advertisement could be clarified. It was found that characteristically: (1) for beauty advertisements, adjectives expressing good skin condition, (2) for clothing, adjectives displaying stylishness, (3) for food, adjectives describing health trends and good flavor, and (4) for medicine, adjectives specifying diseases and parts of the body, were used.

View full abstract

In order to develop students' language skills it is vital that opportunities to put language to use be expanded beyond the classroom. Within the International Department of Language and Expression at Nagoya Women's University, teachers have cooperated in developing a curriculum that is devoted to fostering independent language learners. In addition, an extra-curricular program has been developed that includes a self-access center with a full-time language learning counsellor, conversation salon, and all-English events. This paper will outline the steps taken to both facilitate learner autonomy and broaden the scope of language learning beyond the classroom.

View full abstract

Recently Japan's English National Center for University Entrance Examination (Center Test) has been gaining in importance among university preparatory students. As a result, these students may wonder: How large a vocabulary is needed to understand the Center Test? To answer this simple question, senior high school teachers might be confused, and worried about how well the English textbooks they are using prepare their students for the vocabulary of the Center Test?
The purpose of this paper is to compare the vocabulary of Japan's Center Test with the vocabulary of Japanese senior high school English textbooks, and examine how well the textbooks prepare university preparatory students for the Center Test vocabulary.
The finding of this paper is that about 91.2% of the Center Test vocabulary is covered in Japanese senior high school English textbooks. Thus, it can be said that the vocabulary of senior high school English textbooks in Japan is a good guide in both size and level for that of the Center Test.

View full abstract