'put to good use' - have I used it in a right way? I can say I have put my bundle of the computer science knowledge to good use. Does this phrase look correct? (context: a cover letter)

Meaning of 'but' in these Kipling's lines Please don't mind my questions if they seem elementary. Obviously I was brave enough to attempt some classic poetry and the troubles were inevitable... I checked out the available dictionaries and it did not helped much, so I am kindly asking for your help. 1st instance:   *  ' And two have come back to Fort Bukloh where there went forth but one.' Does 'but one' mean here 'this time not by one'? Is 'there went' used to describe an actual movement, or does it, like 'there goes', mean that the object has appeared/vanished?   2nd instance:   *  'What is the flag of England? Ye have but my bergs to dare, ye have but my drifts to conquer. Go forth...' Is 'but' equal to 'only' here? 'You only have to conquer my drifts'?

Moving to a metropolis (Could you check this?) Cities are nucleuses of the civilization. Many of us will be eager to move to a metropolis as soon as we are given a decent job. However, it is questionable whether living in a big city makes us happier. Big cities are known for not only the great positions of employment and the rich cultural life; the city dwellers have to pay for the opportunities. The payment includes longer working hours, cramped apartments, and a challenging pace of life. By and large, big city life makes you feel insecure, especially when you are single, inexperienced, and have to rent quarters. Having been born in a million-plus city, I used to think that my hometown combine both the opportunities of a metropolis and the convenience of a smaller settlement. When I started to pave my out way in life, I felt that the size limited my growth. There were just not enough like-minded people, not enough well-paid positions, and my carrier prospects are not so pleasant as it seemed initally. And I am not that young. If I am ever to change this, it is the last call. Now, I am going to trade my manner of life for a flash of hope. I sell my car. I plan my personal finances with an eye to the bigger expenses. Frankly, I have mixed feelings about my endeavor.

How do you express "as you're here" in the future tense? "As you are here anyway, I can help you with your homework" How to say this in relation to the future? My best guess is: "As you are to come anyway, I will help you with your homework.", because I can't put it like "As you WILL be here", can I?

Usage of "on par" (also above, under, etc...) Please tell me how formal this expression is. Let's consider three examples a) [At home] - Do you feel alright dear? - I feel up to par. b) [At workplace] I wonder why she hasn't been promoted, her work is on a par with the best professionals. c) [In a CV] Archieved 12% client conversion rate, which is considered above par. Are they all fine? * One additional question: should I put an article after "on"? "on a par" or "on par"?

"Could have" to express a sense of gratitude

I know that "Could have" can be used to express a sense of regret about past events:

- We are already late. - We could have chosen the right way if you had not forgotten a map.

But I wonder if it can be used to express the same thing but in a positive way, let's call it "a sense of gratitude to fate":

- Look, somebody is hit by an avalanche!!
- That's terrible! It could have been us. /No joke intended/

Is the last sentence correct? If not, how would you say this?

My experience with tyke59 I am writing this to thank my tutor Robert (tyke59). His profile can be found here: http://www.italki.com/teacher/1079372?ref=1858102 . This spring, I suddenly decided that I needed to sit the IELTS exam, and my friend recommended Robert to me as a tutor for the Speaking part. What I like about the Robert's lessons is that he provides realistic IELTS experience, using questions which closely resemble the actual ones, and that he suggests you some advanced vocabulary for each topic. If vocabulary is your issue, you definitely should ask him for several lessons. Another good thing is that he has an academical background, so he can teach you how to structure your speech properly, and how to describe things with some eloquence. Last but not least, he teaches English for a living; this means that he has got a great experience. Also, he requests an affordable tutoring fee, so if you were on a budget, you might be especially interested in his service. The only unfortunate thing is that he is quite popular among Italki students and therefore you probably should book his lessons in advance. For me, it was fine.

My experience with Seth Enoka This is kind of recommendation for my tutor, Seth Enoka. You can find his profile here: http://www.italki.com/teacher/1557772?ref=1858102 Seth has really helped me to improve my English. He is unique in several ways: • He is an educated native speaker. He speaks English clearly. If you need so, he can adapt to your level by speaking slowier and using simple vocabulary. • He is available all day long, so there is a flexibility in choosing the time of your lessons. • He is friendly and amiable. He studies foreign languages himself, so he must be familiar with the troubles you have. • He can suggest specific improvements to your answers or rephrase them in a right way, if you need it (e.g. if you are preparing for an exam or have asked him to do that during the conversational practice). …And you could get all that for half of the price requested by some of the “top” Italki tutors. Needless to say, I am completely satisfied with his lessons. Don’t miss the opportunity, guys.

How to beat traffic jams Everyone has experienced traffic jams. They seem to be an incurable disease of modern cities. With billions of dollars invested in the road infrastructure, commute times continue to rise. Many people become frustrated by spending several hours a day in a slowly moving traffic jam. That situation is an inevitable result of the recent urban sprawl. Various measures have been proposed to solve the transportation problems, but the majority of them had little success. The most effective solutions is the most radical ones. To reduce traffic, we should either restrict the usage of land, or limit the usage of cars. The whole situation, in which a city dweller has to drive a car on everyday basis, is regarded as abnormal by a few famous urbanists (Vukan Vuchic to be mentioned). They argue that a megalopolis should rely primary on a public transportation system, which can include buses, trams, LRT trains, and a subway. Nevertheless, proponents of “car-free cities” have failed to prove efficiency of their concepts: while LRT (light rail transit) systems in European cities turned out to be a big improvement, we cannot say the same about but lines. Thus, the cars are not going to disappear. The most prominent solution for an excess usage of cars is reducing the actual need for transportation. That includes relocating offices from the city center to more distant areas, and using the Internet for new forms of employment, which do not require physical collocation of workers. If all stereotypes were disposed, and everyone were able to work in the most convenient way, cities as we know them would disappear. We would live in small cities again. There would be no need for motor vehicles then... (The photo is from my home city. That's what we have for several days per year, when the traffic lights is out of service)