Adding numbers is an important skill.
This program does this:
Let’s you choose how many numbers to add from 2 to 25.
Presents the number list vertically.
Waits for you to add the numbers.
Presents the answer when you press enter.
You can change the length of the number list.
I have included the BBC BASIC for WINDOWS CODE and
a exe program to run on WINDOWS.
NEW VOCABULARY STORY 11
CAN YOU MAKE A STORY CONTAINING THESE FIVE WORDS?:
ADVOCATES
HYPOTHETICAL
AESTHETIC
BELITTLE
ADVERSITY
MY VOCABULARY STORY:
The advocates of a hypothetical aesthetically pleasing world
are belittled by those suffering adversity in the real world.
SIMPLE VERSION:
Those calling for a make believe beautiful world
are laughed at by those suffering in the real world.
PARAPHRASE:
These is a division in those wanting a make believe happy world
and those slugging it out in the cruel reality of the world
as it is.
NEW VOCABULARY STORY 10 THE CAPTURED JOAN OF ARC
CAN YOU MAKE A STORY CONTAINING THESE FIVE WORDS?:
DEFINITIVE
DEFINITION
DISPERSED
DISPARITY
RECANT
MY VOCABULARY STORY:
The definitive hero is Joan of Arc; the very definition of
faith and bravery. When she was captured, her army dispersed because of
the disparity with the English; she refused to recant her faith.
SIMPLE VERSION:
The perfect hero is Joan of Arc; a model of faith and bravery,
When she was captured, her army scattered because of
the mismatch with the English; she refused to refused to renounce her faith.
PARAPHRASE:
Joan of Arc is a perfect hero and model. She was captured by the
English who out numbered her army and made them run away. She refused
to give in to their demands that she renounce her faith.
New vocabulary Story 9
CAN YOU MAKE A STORY CONTAINING THESE FIVE WORDS?:
ADVERSARY
ADHERENT
ADROIT
ADOPT
AVERSE
MY VOCABULARY STORY:
His adversary was an adherent to yoga which he said made him adroit.
He adopted a vegetarian diet and was adverse to meat.
SIMPLE VERSION:
His opponent was an follower of yoga which he said made him resourceful.
He took up a vegetarian diet and was against eating meat.
PARAPHRASE:
The person he was against did yoga and ate a strict vegetarian diet.
He claimed it helped him cope better.
New vocabulary story 8
CAN YOU MAKE A STORY CONTAINING THESE FIVE WORDS?:
INCLUSIVE
INCISIVE
INCIDENTAL
INCITE
INCOMPATIBILITY
MY VOCABULARY STORY:
It is now the policy to be inclusive. But a wise man made this incisive
observation: Even incidental differences can incite trouble, causing
incompatibility.
SIMPLE VERSION:
It is now standard practice to include different people in groups.
But a wise man made this cutting comment: Even minor differences can start
trouble, causing people not to work together properly.
PARAPHRASE:
The practice of mixing people with difference is doomed to failure
according to a wise observer. He devastatingly said even little things
can be the basis of fighting and the inability to work together.
New vocabulary story 7
CAN YOU MAKE A STORY CONTAINING THESE FIVE WORDS?:
EDIFY
ECONOMY
INDEFATIGABLE
INDICATIVE
EGOTISM
MY VOCABULARY STORY:
Bad times may have the power to edify, but it is important to
realize the economy is indefatigable indicative of the egotism it
is built on.
SIMPLIFIED STORY:
Bad times may have the power to build morality, but it is important to
realize the financial system is untiring showing it is based on people’s
sense of self importance.
PARAPHRASE:
Bad times may create spirituality, but you have to admit the world
of money and business will always rebound because it is based on greed.
New vocabulary story 6
CAN YOU MAKE A STORY CONTAINING THESE FIVE WORDS?:
FEASIBLE
COMPILE
FLUCTUATE
FIGURATIVE
FLAGRANT
MY VOCABULARY STORY:
When it became feasible to compile data on how
train car temperatures fluctuate, it was found they are
figuratively hot as hell in the summer and cold as ice in the winter.
This was due to the flagrant disregard for passenger comfort.
SIMPLIFIED STORY:
When it became possible to collect data on how
train car temperatures change, it was found they are
literally hot as hell in the summer and cold as ice in the winter.
This was due to the complete disregard for passenger comfort.
PARAPHRASE:
It became possible to collect data on train car temperatures.
Very unacceptable levels were found which varied widely with the seasons.
It showed that the train company did not care about the passenger’s
comfort at all.
CAN YOU MAKE A STORY CONTAINING THESE FIVE WORDS?:
DISPUTATIOUS
GUILE
DELINEATED
DELETERIOUS
GULLIBLE
MY VOCABULARY STORY:
The disputatious salesman by guile delineated the
deleterious properties of his competitor’s products
to his gullible clients,
SIMPLIFIED STORY:
The argumentative salesman craftily outlined the
harmful properties of his competitor’s products
to his naive clients.
PARAPHRASE:
The salesman could argue. He liked to play with his customers
by listing the bad effects of products sold by other companies.
many people readily believed him.
New vocabulary story 4
CAN YOU MAKE A STORY CONTAINING THESE FIVE WORDS?:
POLEMICAL
PONDEROUS
OBTUSE
OFFICIOUS
OBSTINATE
MY VOCABULARY STORY:
Many people find the polemical writing of Marx ponderous and obtuse.
He is also obstinately officious in his desire to change the world.
SIMPLIFIED STORY:
Many people find the argumentation writing of Marx heavy, awkward and
difficult.
He is also unreasonably bent on offering his services in his desire to
change the world.
PARAPHRASE:
The works of Marx rub many people the wrong way. He is tedious
and difficult. He continually rants about advice to turn the world inside out;
which seems totally unreasonable.
WHY AM I WRITING MORE VOCABULARY STORIES:
I am embarking on writing yet more vocabulary stories; I already
have 1000 similar stories on TES. So, I should explain the reasons for
offering these to you:
My common word stories are a flop. Not many people want those.
But many people have looked at and have downloaded my fancy vocabulary stories.
(It is a thrill to see my work go all around the world!)
There is a continuing desire for fancy vocabulary learning; these
words have earned their way in the world! It also seems that
certain subjects attract interest in themselves.
The new format with 5 words is quick, easy and clear.
WHAT THESE STORIES CAN BE USED FOR:
Vocabulary words can be used for do nows. You can challenge students
or yourself to make A story out of 5 fancy words. It is easy and
gets easier with practice.
Paraphrasing stories, makes it clear that you know what the words mean.
Short interesting stories can delightfully made by cleaver minds. There
can be different takes on the same set of words.
You can add a paraphrase to rephrase the ideas to make the story
clearer; not stilted by the need to get words used.
I feel energized to write these stories.
Words are flexible enough to serve as a medium to express ideas
I am currently thinking about. For example; I really went to a casino
spa that was shockingly charging $100 dollars extra to its hotel guests; this
found itself into story 1.
I hope you use my word sets and stories to improve your vocabulary and thinking - to keep your gray matter in the pink, along with me.
Paul Skittone
New vocabulary story 3
CAN YOU MAKE A STORY CONTAINING THESE FIVE WORDS?:
PLAUSIBLE
POLARIZE
OMINOUS
DEBUNK
PLACATE
MY VOCABULARY STORY:
There are many plausible ominous theories about the Kennedy
Assassination that have polarized American society ever since 1963.
To placate conspiracy theorists and debunk their ideas, many government
documents have been declassified.
SIMPLIFIED STORY:
There are many believable alarming theories about the Kennedy
Assassination that have torn American society ever since 1963.
To calm conspiracy theorists and discredit their ideas, many government
documents have been declassified.
PARAPHRASE:
The Kennedy Assassination has been controversial ever since it happened in 1963. There are shocking theories that many people believe. Government
documents have been declassified in an attempt to disprove many of these
ideas and satisfy critics.
VOCABULARY STORY:
Discerning people enumerated the discordant amounts of actual
discounts disclosed in a court case and the promised discounts
in deceptive ads by a cruise ship company.
SIMPLIFIED STORY:
Alert people listed the different amounts of actual reductions in prices revealed in a court case and the promised cuts in tricky ads
by a cruise ship company.
PARAPHRASE:
A court case was brought against a cruise ship company. It was
claimed that it was wrongfully offering lower prices that it did not
honor. Those following the story closely counted all the difference
in the advertised prices and the actual prices charged.
Vocabulary Word Version:
The inadvertent misconception made by the casino in its ads that its
spa facilities are a free compliment to people checked into its hotel
rooms was decried by people when they went to the spa and were
told there is a $100 dollar entrance charge even to those in the hotel.
Simplified Version:
The unintentional impression made by the casino in its ads that its
spa amenities are a free addition to people checked into its hotel
rooms was disapproved of by people when they went to the spa and were
told there is a $100 entrance charge even to those in the hotel.
Paraphrase: The casino ran an ad showing its spa. It made it look like
this was part of the deal when you went there and got a room. This
was not done on purpose. People complained when they went to the
spa and were told there is an additional $100 dollar entrance fee even to those in the hotel.
Do Some Bingo Cards Win More than Other Cards? - An Experiment
There are theories that predict more winable bingo cards;
namely Tippett and Grandville Theories. These seem like plausible theories made by respected mathematicians. This is an experiment to see if some cards win more often than other cards.
I play bingo in a club. There are twenty to fifty players.
I noticed that you must win in at least twenty five turns. I wrote a computer
program to make bingo cards and play with them; this is easy for a computer
which is very mathematical. I was able to play 1000 games a second with my
home computer. I count the wins in less than 26 as a measure of quality.
I play 1000 cards 1000 times each. I compare these cards to a master list with high scoring cards. I replace lower scoring cards with higher scoring cards.
In this way, I get the highest scoring cards concentrated on a master list.
Regular cards win about 80 times in 1000 tries. The master list boosted wins to 108 wins per 1000 games.
I use a number seed to make cards so I can make a card again. What I did to see if cards
win more was to use the master list cards to play again and see there winability then.
I played 530 million games to make a master list of 1000 top winning cards. However;
when I played with these top cards again, they proved to be no better than a randomly made card.
This seems to indicate that all bingo cards have an equal chance of winning and no card
is any better than any other card.
In this product I include: the program, the master top scoring card list, the top scoring
list when used again, more details about the program.
If cards did show more winability, I would have pursued a reason for this - different last digits, average near the mean as the bingo theories indicate they should be like.
My explanation to this project is this: A card may score very high by chance. That is, a
card may win more times in 1000 trials by chance. Every 1000 cards, a few may excel by chance.
It is like winning a lottery.
If you win a lottery, than does not mean you are more likely to win another lottery again.
You have an equal chance to win another lottery as anyone else.
I am sure this is not the final word on this matter and some other thing may come up, but
this is solid evidence against bingo theories.
Paul Skittone
2023
How many syllables are in the English language?
A learned professor says 15,000; however; he uses uncommon words
and dubious sound combinations.
Here is my list using common words.
It is under 5,000 syllables.
Do you want to run multiple choice tests with students
working together?
The Testing Machine allows students to enter multiple choice
answers together using one prepared keyboard.
The Testing Machine was sought after by the founders of machine
learning. This invention uses a standard computer and keyboard
to accomplish this task.
Because computers have buffers, several keystrokes can be
reacted on that are close together. This makes it possible
for several students t use on computer.
This is useful for teachers working in small groups.
A full explanation is included in the program.
THE BASIC MATH EVALUATOR and COURSE explained
The math product I offer, Basic Math Evaluator and Course, is special to me.
I was a Speech Improvement Teacher in a high school in the 1990’s.
My students always failed a basic math course that was offered to them
in place of the regular course. The way they were taught was degrading
and ineffective. This hurt me because I was poor in math in high school
in a similar way. I resolved to write a program with my new found BASIC programming skills.
The staff of my school was cooperative and supportive.
The program, as you see it, was the result of this effort. It can be
used in a course. Problems can be presented so that several types of problem
appear in a sequence. Students must recall how to do them again and again.
Because they work individually, tutoring in place is possible.
After a test, the program shows you a list of the skills you know and don't
know based on your answers.
We had great success with this approach. The program has been upgraded
to work with BBC BASIC for Windows and has three variations of questions.
The problem of images was cleaverly side stepped by presenting images as pictures,
instead of being generated each time.
With modern computers and the internet, it is now available to you!
Thank-you TES, Thank-you Russell! (BBC BASIC creator). I hope you use it and
it’s ideas will be adopted.
How are your basic math skills?
This product has sixteen tests to find out.
It then gives your an evaluation of your skills.
You can pick questions on these topics to improve your abilities.
This is a writing exercise.
It will get you to creatively write a story.
Make a story from this list, using at least ten words:
(I have included my story answer, with a paraphrase of it.)
tape
controversy
stuff
celibacy
eat
cull
caucus
gospel
waxen
goat
korean
perspicacious
animate
divination
tawny
fort
brazen
coroner
mindset
flake
SAINT STEPHAN THE FIRST MARTYR
Saint Stephan was the first martyr. He denounced devination
in an animated way, causing controversy in the pagan city.
To tempt him, he was asked to eat brazen goat offered to idols
that the pagans stuff themselves with.
He grew waxen and began preaching the gospel with a firm mindset
and refused; so they killed him.
Saint Stephan was the first person killed for the faith. He condemned fortune-telling
in an lively way, causing a commotion in the pagan city.
To catch him up, he was asked to eat grilled goat offered to pagan gods
that the pagans gorge themselves with.
He grew pale and began preaching the gospel with a steady attitude
and said no; so they killed him.
AN ENGLISH WORD LIST
Many attempts have been made to list a complete list of
common English words. Here is mine. It took one year to compile.
It is 17,000 words long.
THE RULES
I have tried to make it short but inclusive
Any word that I have never heard or seen has been left out.
I have usually only included one form of a word: government not
governmental.
THE REASONS FOR A COMMON WORD LIST
Not to say I climbed it because it was there but such a project
should be done; that is, any word you can think of is (or should be)
on this list. I guess it is useful to learn English. It does display
the richness of English; how any idea can be communicated.
A BIOGRAPHY
Such a list is a reflection of the interests and activities of the
compiler. English peoples have participated in all the interests and
activities of mankind. New words are continuously entering (and leaving)
the “list”.
I myself at 73 years old have many interests on an introductory
level; without being boring and tedious.
A spelling program is possible - a w then you see the word can be read, you can attempt
a spelling, word.
AVAILABLE AND FREE
So here it is. Amazing how it fits in such a small space.