There is a festival in this town that brings in thousands of visitors, and livens(1) the valley for over a week. It's called Apple Blossom. By the name, you can tell that it coincides with the blossoming of the many apple trees that grow here. The weather is still playing a tug-of-war(2) between cold, windy days, and hot ones, but usually, by Apple Blossom, the sun is winning. For a few weeks leading up to the festival, groups of people are busy building floats that have varying(3) themes. There is always one for the three Apple Blossom princesses who have been elected by the local high schools. Their float is often something to do with Spring, or flowers. They stand and wave and look pretty; it must be a very hard job. And then there are all the floats of schools, sports groups, charities, and some businesses. If you are involved in one of these organizations, you have the opportunity to walk next to the float. My daughter, who does gymnastics, was chosen with her friends to hold the sign of the gymnastics group, while other girls and boys did cartwheels(4) and flips all along the road. I walked with the proud parents and handed out water bottles. It was very exciting. I was tempted to do a flip, just like the children were doing. But then I realized that if I did do one, it would be the very last thing that I ever did. So, I took photographs instead. I waved a little, trying to mimic(5) the princesses (my wave was better than theirs). A few people I knew were standing along the road; they called to me and waved. I began to feel famous. In fact, other people waved enthusiastically and called to me, “Oh hi there..” but then used a name like Angela, or Rebecca, or Mary. But I was caught up in the enthusiasm, so I waved back and smiled. What lovely confusion! The parade was a big event. There were bands and schools from all over the state, and visitors from Japan. A carnival had been set up down by the river, and a food fare was crammed(6) into one of the down town parks. There are so many people in the center of town for the parade that it's impossible to find parking close by, so you need to park far away on a street in the residential area. Our parade finished, we rested and had icecream, and then Domini and I had a long, hot hike back to the car.

1. To liven means to bring a place alive with excitement, movement, or color. It is often followed by the word 'up'.

   a. The new paint in the kitchen really livens up the place.

   b. When the DJ gets here, the party will liven up.

2. A tug-of-war is a game played where two people or groups pull on a long rope. The winning group is the one who manages to pull the opposing team over a half-way line.

   a. We played tug-of-war, but our opponents won; they were much stronger than us.

3. Varying comes from the word 'vary' or the verb 'to vary' meaning to offer variety. It's pronunciation can be a bit tricky, so here's some practice.

4. a. The artist's pictures were all blue, but varying in subjects.

   b. I think that everyone enjoyed the comedian, to varying degrees.

5. To mimic means to copy, usually in action or a facial feature.

   a. The monkey mimicked the lady drinking coffee.

   b. The boy mimicked his teacher when he wasn't looking.

6. To be crammed comes from the verb 'to cram' which means to stuff or pack something in tightly (do you remember the phrase 'jam packed'?)

   a. He crammed the crackers into his mouth and threw the empty packet in the bin.

   b. The pencils are crammed so tightly in the box, that I can't get them out!

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  I was fortunate enough (1)the other day to go on a field trip with the school that my son attends. As his school doesn't have a bus, parent volunteers are needed to transport the kids here and there. I am one of them, and, you know, I benefit from volunteering in many ways. That particular day, I learned a lot about the Wenatchi Indians, and the pioneer days of this area. We visited a museum in the town of Cashmere which is about eight miles from here. It's a small building, but jam packed(2) with artifacts and donations. I had been to the museum before, but this time, we had a very knowledgeable (3)guide who happened to be a Native American Indian. As time went on, and he took us from one display area to another, I began to realize that he had deep knowledge and deep personal interest in the museum. He was half Cherokee and half Sioux, and knew not only about those Indian nations, but also a lot about the Wenatchi nation. He told us that the baskets that were made by Wenatchi women are worth thousands of dollars. He went into detail, telling us how they would gather(4) the grasses, chew them, dye them with berry juice, and then weave them. These baskets were made so well, that they could carry water. In fact, the Wenatchis would boil water in the baskets by placing boiling hot stones from a fire inside a basket full of water. That kind of information, and many other things that I learned, gave me new respect for the history of this local area. Then, we moved to the outside area of the museum where there's a collection of original pioneer (5)homes. There was a home, a jail, a hat shop, a print shop, a school, and a hotel. My son's class loved the school. It was obviously very basic, all wood, dark, it had a stove, small chalk boards for the students, and a metal bucket that everyone drank out of. The guide told us that school was only available for a few months a year; during Winter it was too cold, and, as all the children helped to farm, they couldn't go to school during planting or harvest seasons either. My son thought that that (6)was great, “Only a few months of school? Awesome!” he said. If children could basically learn to read and write, and do a little mathematics, then the main goal was accomplished. Their lives were agricultural and they were hard working, so school was considered a luxury. How different it is today!

1. 'To be fortunate/lucky/unlucky enough' the use of 'enough' speeds up a sentence that could otherwise be a bit awkward.

   a. I was fortunate. I got into the theater for free. OR I was fortunate in that I got into the theater for free. INSTEAD with the use of 'enough' we can say : I was fortunate enough to get into the theater for free.

   b. She was unlucky enough to miss the bus, so she was late for work.

2. 'Jam packed' is an expression that means tightly squeezed or squashed into a place. It can describe the subject or object.

   a. The cinema was jam packed last night.

   b. The students were jam packed into the assembly hall for the graduation ceremony.

3. 'Knowledgeable' describes a person who knows a lot. Let's practice the pronunciation.

4. 'To gather' is the same as to collect or to pick (as in flowers); it also means to congregate.

   a. The Wenatchi Indian women would gather grasses to make their baskets.

   b. A group of protesters gathered in the main square.

    5.'Pioneer' means the first person to do something, or to settle somewhere.

a. The pioneers in this area were the first Europeans to settle and farm here.

b. Santiago Ramon y Cajal was the great pioneer in the field of neurobiology.

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Scientists say the notoriously dry continent of Africa is sitting on(1) a vast reservoir of groundwater. They say that the total volume of water in aquifers underground is 100 times the amount found on the surface. The British Geological Survey and the University College London team has produced the most detailed map yet(2) of the scale and potential of this hidden resource. Across Africa more than 300 million people are said to (3) not have access to safe drinking water, and the demand is growing because of population growth and the need for agriculture. "Where there is the greatest ground water storage is in northern Africa, in Libya, Algeria and Chad," said Helen Bonsor from the BGS. In fact, according to the studies, there are aquifers even across sub-Saharan Africa. Water, over many years, can collect in the spaces between rocks underground, and even in the tiny spaces inside sandstone. This watery, wet stone area is an aquifer. The water found in these reserves(4) is usually cleaner than surface water. These huge bodies of water are equivalent to(5) a quarter of the Mediterranean Sea, or three times the Red Sea. The British experts caution (6) that drilling for water should be done carefully, and with a lot more research. The UK's secretary of state for international development, Andrew Mitchell said, "This is an important discovery which the British Government has funded, and could have a profound effect on some of the world's poorest people, helping them become less vulnerable."(7)

1. 'To sit on' can be used to say "He sits on the chair", but it can also be used figuratively with words like 'a fortune' or 'a time bomb'.

a. That boy comes from an extremely wealthy family; he's sitting on a fortune, and doesn't even know it.

b. That situation is like sitting on a time bomb; any day disaster can strike.

2. 'Yet' can be used in many instances. In this particular case, it means 'so far'. Here are 2 similar examples:

a. I have had fifteen job interviews, and the last one was the best one yet.

b. I have tried this new cookie recipe a few times, but this batch (collection of cookies) is the best one yet.

3. 'To be said (to)' can be followed by a positive or negative verb, or the verb 'to be' followed by an adjective.

a. The whole population is said to be musical.

b. Now, after the disaster, the ground, the river, and the plants are said to be radioactive.

4. 'A reserve' means a place where something is conserved, either naturally or deliberately.

a. Because the bird is so vulnerable, an island in the very south of New Zealand has been dedicated as a reserve for the kiwi.

b. Poland, apparently, has some of the biggest reserves of salt in the world.

5. 'Equivalent to' basically means 'equal to' or 'the same as'.

a. My son and his grandmother are equivalent in height.

b. The time we spend sleeping is equivalent to a quarter of our lives.

6. 'To caution' is a verb that means to warn. Note the difference in these two following sentences.

a. We cautioned him about driving fast.

b. We cautioned him that driving fast in icy weather would be a mistake.

7. 'Vulnerable' is another way of saying easily affected, weak, or exposed. The pronunciation is a bit tricky, as the 'l' isn't  always silent.

a. He feels vulnerable without his glasses on.

b. Hopefully, as Africa utilizes its vast water reserves, its people will no longer be vulnerable to drought or famine.

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Today's podcast is going to test your knowledge of ethanol. What is it? How is it made? And what are the advantages and disadvantages of using it? I asked myself these questions recently, when I drove past a gas station that had a sign saying 'No ethanol in our gas'. I asked myself why it would be good to not have ethanol in petrol? I remember hearing about large amounts of the stuff being produced in this country, and how some people are for it, and others are against it. So, what exactly is ethanol, and what are the issues surrounding it(1)? Ethanol is a fuel that, for a long time has been produced from corn. In the U.S., the government subsidized (2)corn growers for many years specifically for the production of ethanol. But,  why would they do this? First of all, a desire to be self sufficient was at the heart of this project. If you can produce your own energy, then there is no longer any need to rely(3) on other countries. Secondly, some believe that the cost would be less than petrol. Thirdly, ethanol reduces greenhouse gases(4) by 18%-29%. Ethanol is easily mixed with petrol, so all cars can use gas (petrol) that is 10% ethanol. There are some cars that can use 85% ethanol with 15% gas. Continuing research has raised questions(5) about ethanol. If we are using millions of acres of agricultural land to produce corn that nobody eats, surely this will raise food prices globally. Also, farming corn is costly, and uses a lot of gas and gas products when you think of the heavy machinery, the transportation, and the petrol-based chemicals used on the plants. How much cleaner is this biofuel than traditional gas? And, should the government be spending tax payers' money on subsidies for a process that isn't overwhelmingly (6) beneficial? Well, as I continued to research ethanol, I found that globally, research has improved its production, and removed the two major problems: using food for fuel, and only reducing greenhouse gas emissions by a small percentage. Apparently, a new ethanol, called cellulosic ethanol is now produced from nonfood crops, such as bark, corn stalks and leaves, and switchgrass. These are agricultural and industrial leftovers, and switchgrass is a rapidly growing weed that is used to prevent erosion. So, instead of expensively growing corn, we can use by-products. Just think of the savings. The carbon footprint(7) is tiny compared to that of growing, transporting, and processing corn. And, talking about our carbon footprint, cellulosic ethanol reduces greenhouse emissions by 85%. Now, that is substantial. Don't you think that collaborative(8) research is always our best route to good ideas? Globally, this is already believed, because research into improving ethanol and making its production efficient and highly beneficial is continuing. Facilites for production are all over the globe, the biggest one being in Italy. People want a home-based, clean alternative to fossil fuels; it will improve global health and national economies. So, on our list of cleaner energy sources, we can add cellulosic ethanol.

1. 'The issues surrounding ..'  means the important questions or problems that are linked to something. The phrase gives a good visual of a central idea or thing being surrounded.

a. There are lots of issues surrounding the government's political agenda.

b. There are a lot of questions surrounding his proposal.

2. 'To subsidize' is when money is given to a project to protect and enourage it.

a. The corn growers of the U.S have been subsidized for many years.

b. Tax payers' money is often used to subsidize projects.

3. 'To rely on' is the same as to depend on.

a. I rely on him to tell me the truth.

b. We rely on email to keep in touch with family and friends.

4. 'Greenhouse gases'

a.Greenhouse gases are the gases produced by burning fossil fuels, such as coal or petrol.

b. Greenhouse gases can be reduced by using clean energy sources.

5. 'To raise a question' is slightly different from 'to ask a question'. It is less specific; the question might not have been vocalized yet. It might just be in someone's mind.

a. His actions raised a few questions in my mind: is he fit for the job? Does he need more training?

b. I'm sure questions will be raised when the employees hear about him leaving the company.

6. 'Overwhelmingly' here is used as an adjective, but of course, it comes from the verb to 'to overwhelm'.

a. The votes show that she is overwhelmingly the most popular singer.

b. I was overwhelmed by your act of kindness.

7. 'Carbon footprint' is the amount of greenhouse gas emissions we cause on a personal level.

a. This year, I'm going to do all that I can to reduce my carbon footprint.

b. There are some simple ways to reduce our carbon footprints, like recycling, and turning off lights that don't need to be on.

8. 'Collaborative' comes from the verb to collaberate, meaning to work together and share ideas.

a. The project was a collaborative effort; many experts were involved.

b. If we collaborate, we will probably find the best solutions to our problems.

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Waiting, waiting, waiting. It's difficult to do sometimes. I found myself waiting a couple of weeks ago at Seattle International Airport. My sister and my two nephews were coming for a two week visit, so I made the three hour drive over the mountains to pick them up. I don't often go to Seattle, but I love to. It's a gorgeous place, if you like forests, the sea, and modern buildings. So, I take any opportunity I can to drive there. The airport is actually outside of Seattle, half way between Seattle and Tacoma, and is therefore called Sea-tac airport. It is a smart, modern facility that, believe it or not(1), smells of coffee. How wonderful! You might think that I'm joking, but it's true. You know that Seattle is where Starbucks started, and Seattle is known for being the coffee capital of the U.S. In fact, it has more coffee houses per 100,000 residents than the U.S. has overall(2). So, even the airport is fully equipped with coffee all over the place. While I waited for my sister to arrive, I found myself(3)at one of the many coffee shops. I bought my soy latte, and wandered around a magazine shop. The plane had come in on time, there was no delay(4). However, because the flight was an international one, my sister and her boys had to go through immigration(4) and customs(4). That is a time consuming necessity. Also, the flight was full, so the two hundred or so sleepy passengers took extra long to arrive at baggage claim. I kept on returning to the arrivals escalator, to see if anyone from the flight had turned up. Nope(5). It took about an hour and a half for the travelers to arrive. It was interesting to stand back and see the different people step off the escalator. There was a real mix of shapes and sizes, ethnicities, and demeanours(6). Some people were dressed professionally, pulling behind them small, black cases on wheels, and obviously focused on business. Others were more casual, looking for family or friends, and openly emotional. There was a tall, military man returning from service abroad(7), who was greeted by his young wife and three year old daughter. She had stood at the top of the empty escalator and called "Daddy, daddy!" impatiently. When he finally arrived and picked her up, she stared at him for a long time with an unsure, curious expression. Then came the stragglers(8): a very hairy man carrying a large, framed picture, a tall African lady with tons of luggage, and a skinny young man with a huge cello case. What a variety of people! Then, last but not least(9), my sister and her two boys came up the escalator with big smiles. Finally, they were here. We hugged and kissed, and immediately started chatting and giggling about the journey. We picked up the luggage and were in the car before we knew it.

1. 'Believe it or not' is not an essential phrase. It is light hearted and introduces the idea that something interesting or unusual will be mentioned:

a. My daughter has, believe it or not, joined a traveling circus.

b. Believe it or not, that very small shop grossed half a million dollars last year.

2. 'Overall' is another way of saying 'all together' or 'in general' or 'added up':

a. There were some imperfections, but overall the performance was a success.

b. The population, overall, prefers coffee to tea.

3. To find oneself can be used with any person:

a. We found ourselves pennyless, out of petrol, and in the middle of nowhere.

b. So, you met the prince in the party, and before you knew it, you found yourself  in the palace! Unbelievable!

4. 'Delay, immigration, customs' are all useful words to do with international travel.

a. The plane was delayed, I had trouble in immigration, and customs confiscated my Elvis toothbrush!

b. The plane was on time, thank goodness. My visa was still valid, so I got through immigration quickly, and then I had nothing to declare in customs.

5.'Nope' is basically 'no' but with attitude. It is used frequently in the U.S.

a. Do you want to go out tonight?       Nope!

b. I've lost the receipt for the bookshelves. Could you look for it?      Nope!

6. 'Demeanor' means the manner or behavior of someone:

a. She looked elegant and formal, but her demeanor was unsure.

b. I can tell by his demeanor that he is confident.

7. 'Abroad' is often used instead of 'overseas'. The two are interchangeable:

a. She will study abroad for six months to learn a different language.

b. They had studied overseas all year, and had decided to stay longer.

8. 'Straggler' describes the odd, few people who are the last to arrive, either from a journey, trip, or race:

a. At the end of the Tour de France we see the stragglers coming in. Some are well known cyclists who unfortunately fell off their bikes, and others are less known riders.

b. The displaced villagers got to the shelter by nightfall, the stragglers arriving by midnight.

9. 'Last but not least' is a quick way of saying "I'm mentioning this person last (on the list) but he is just as important as anybody else".

a. Ladies and gentlemen, we have Princess Sofia, Prince Filipo, and, last but not least, their little sister Princess Angelica.

b. Here we have to crown your dinner tonight, last but not least, a pineapple chocolate bomb for dessert.

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Science can be so exciting. I was listening to the BBC World Service the other day while I was driving in my car. Their series called Science in Action, which, by the way, comes out in podcast form, is a lively presentation of the most up-to-date science innovations(1). I don't always listen to it, but the other day I was on my way to pick up the kids from school, when I turned on the radio just at the right time. By the time I reached the Middle School, I was bursting to(2) tell my boys the latest scientific news. They were impressed. Since then, I have told everyone I have been around. Well, you shouldn't keep good news to yourself, should you? There were two main points that I managed to catch(3). The first discovery was made by an Australian scientist who has been involved in genetically engineering plants. He and his team have successfully managed to grow and harvest from a salt tolerant(4) wheat plant. It can grow in salty soil, which up until now has been impossible for many kinds of grains. Changing its genetic makeup allows the plant to keep the salt at its roots, so it doesn't get into the plant and affect it at all. Just think what that could mean for global production. That kind of wheat could be grown in many more areas, and perhaps even be watered with sea water! The next discovery is also something to do with salt. An Irish scientist is finding a way to make the leftovers(5) of desalinization(6) profitable and practical. After salt water is processed so it can be used for drinking water, there is a super salty solution left over. He has found that if you add naturally occurring (7)bacteria, plus natural food for them, they begin to give off an electrical charge. When this happens, particles of metals from the salty water stick to the bacteria. The more they eat, the more metal sticks to them, until they get so heavy that they sink(8) to the bottom of the container, and can be easily separated. Metals such as Magnesium which are expensive and really useful, can be gathered in this way. By doing this, scientists will be able to use the waste product of desalinization, and offset(9) the cost of producing clean water by harvesting metals. I was blown away by all of this(10). It seems that, in spite of what the general media tells us, science may be innovating just in time to keep up with our global needs.

1. Innovation means a new idea, method, or device. It is often used in the fields of science and technology. We also use it in its verb form 'to innovate'.

a. These scientific innovations will improve our daily lives.

b. You have to be creative and have a vision to innovate.

2. To be bursting to tell someone something. This means that you are so excited that you can hardly wait to spread the news.

3. Catch is sometimes used when we talk about hearing the remainder of a conversation, perhaps the last part, or something that is hard to hear.

a. Did you catch what he said at the end? I'm not sure if he said that the bank is to the right or to the left.

b. I'm so glad that I caught the news summary when I turned the tv on; I really want to keep up with the daily events.

4. Tolerant means that you put up with, you cope with, you can manage something. You can be tolerant of people, conditions, or elements. We use the word tolerant a lot when we talk about peoples ability to digest food.

a. She is wheat tolerant, but lactose intolerant. She has to be careful with her diet.

b. I planted drought tolerant plants in the area of my garden that I don't water.

c. They are so intolerant of people who are different from themselves.

5. Leftovers are one of my favorite things. They are different foods that are left over, or have not been eaten by the end of a meal. You can also have leftovers of a process, similar to by-products.

a. Thanksgiving leftovers are yummy. There are usually enough to feed us for a whole day.

6. Desalinization, as you probably know, is the process of getting clean, drinking water from sea water. As it's a long word, let's repeat it a few times.

7. Naturally occurring is often used in science or natural history arenas.

a. There are naturally occurring minerals in that water.

b. The naturally occurring process of photosynthesis keeps our planet alive.

8. To sink is to fall down in water, to go down, to do the opposite of float. It is the same word and pronunciation as the kitchen and bathroom sink. The verb has an irregular preterite.

a. The ship crashed on the rocks and sank out of sight.

b. When I woke up at the end of the math exam, I had a terrible sinking feeling when I realized that I had slept through the whole thing.

9. To offset is to make up for, or to counteract.

a. The company's profits this month offset its losses from last month.

b. Planting hundreds of trees on the mountainside will offset the risk of erosion.

10. To be blown away by something means to be completely surprised. It can be used negatively and positively.

a. When he opened his mouth and started to sing, I was blown away.

b. I was shocked at his ignorant comments; infact, I was blown away by them.

Yakima is a small city located an hour and a half's drive(1) from Wenatchee. It is a wide valley, famous for its grapes and apples. We were there last weekend for a baseball tournament, the first of the season(2). One interesting fact about Yakima is that its name is taken from the Yakama indians who are from this area. There are actually indian names in many areas of the state. When the baseball tournament was over and we were leaving Yakima, we drove past a barren(3), rocky few miles and crossed over a bridge. Immediately after the bridge, I saw a sign 'Umtanum Canyon'. The name sparked my interest(4). "Now, that must be an indian name," I thought to myself. When I got home, I looked up the name on the internet. I found quite a few pages about Umtanum, but no translation of its name. Reading about the canyon made me even more eager to find out its name, because the land is geographically interesting, and has a wealth(5) of wildlife. Hunters would love it because there are big horn sheep, deer, and coyotes, aswell as pheasants and all kinds of rodents(6). Most of these creatures come to the creek, which is a small river, to drink. The predators obviously take advantage of this being the only water source for all the animals nearby. The canyon walls are steep and rocky, which are perfect for big horn sheep who are expert climbers. The banks of the creek are grassy with wildflowers, a perfect place for ground squirrels, marmots, and rabbits. They have to watch out for the coyotes all year round, and the rattlesnakes in the summer. Infact, it's recommended that hiking parties go during the autumn, winter, and spring, and avoid the snakes in the summer. Umtanum, I would say(7), is typical of eastern Washington. There are many such large expanses of land that look seemingly(8) empty, lifeless, dry, even boring. But, when you get out of the car, and walk deeper into the countryside, you find that it is full of life.

1. An hour and a half's drive. When the duration of something is between one and two hours, we use an apostrophe s to show possession.

a. It's a two hour walk. It's a three day hike. It's a four hour swim.

b. The mall is an hour's drive from here. It's an hour and a quarter's wait until the next bus.

Note that it is used mainly with one hour or when 'half' an hour is being used.

2. The first of the season is easily understood. I am emphasizing this because it is a very natural sounding add-on to a sentence that will make you seem more native.

a. On May 2nd there is a country dance, the first of the season. 

b. We waited to see the main ballerinas, the best of the dance troupe.

c. The politician answered the questions, the most difficult ones he has been asked.

3. Barren is a word often used for being lifeless, bare, or childless. It is quite poetic, and often used for bare landscapes.

a. The land looked like a barren wasteland.

4. To spark someone's interest means to get someone's attention and create curiosity. You can also spark anger.

a. The sudden movement of something in the dark sparked the cat's curiosity.

b. The conversation sparked his anger.

5. A wealth of wildlife. 'A wealth of' is used to describe a large quantity. It implies something positive.

a. On that beach, you'll find a wealth of different crabs.

b. My grandmother and her friends are a wealth of knowledge and experience.

6. 'Rodent' is the general name for mice, rats, rabbits, and other small ground creatures.

7. 'I would say' is a little phrase that expresses opinion. Sometimes 'you could say' is used in its place. It's rare now for people to use 'one could say' or 'one would say'.

a. Elizabeth, you could say, has the destiny of becoming a star.

b. I would say that growing wheat on that barren land is a rough, tough job.

8. Seemingly means to have an appearance of. It comes from the verb 'to seem' and, as you can see, it implies that perhaps reality is not what is seen.

a. The house was run down, lightless, and seemingly deserted. But then, from a distance they heard music coming from the upstairs.

b. When I spoke to him he didn't respond, was quiet, and seemingly uninterested.

 Let's hear the paragraph once more.

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Because many of you have responded positively to my new series 'Analysis time', we will continue with a particularly interesting one today taken from an article about 'break-through' scientific technology. If you haven't come across the phrase 'break-through', you might be able to imagine its meaning. It is literally the idea of breaking through a wall of ignorance, and arriving at new knowledge and new technology. A break-through is positive and exciting, and it can be used in many different areas: science, medicine, even psychology. Infact, you can even use it on a personal basis

Ex: I had a break-through with my counselor yesterday; I realize that I must forgive my parents.

So, there will be many more examples coming up. Let's here the article.

A plant that was frozen in Siberian permafrost for about 30,000 years has been revived by a team of Russian scientists - and borne (1)fruit, to boot(2). Bacteria and other simple organisms had been known to survive in the ice for thousands of years. But reviving a life as complex(3) as a plant is an entirely different matter(4), scientists said. For this study, the researchers managed to(5) grow a plant without even using a seed. Instead(6), they thawed, washed and disinfected the fruits and took out bits of nutrient-rich fruit flesh known as placental tissue(7). When bathed in the right broth(8) of chemicals, placental tissue acts like the plant version(9)of stem cells. The study is an encouraging sign that it may be possible to revive larger and more complex beings that were preserved in the frozen tundra.

1. Borne comes from the verb 'to bear fruit' . The sentence should have said 'and has borne fruit' to be clear. The plant has produced fruit. It is an irregular past participle that obviously looks nothing like the original verb 'to bear'. It is spelt the same as the predatory animal 'bear', is pronounced the same, but has nothing to do with it. It is also often used with other meanings, such as 'to accept' or 'to carry'. There are other meanings, but these are the most common.

Exs: a. He bore all the criticism, even though other people were guilty.

       b. I can't bear the pain anymore; I'll take a headache pill.

2. To boot is a funny little phrase that means 'also'. or 'besides'. It carries (or bears) more of a sense of surprise or significance than 'also'.

Exs: a.  He not only sailed the Atlantic, but he wrote a novel at the same time, to boot.

       b. I returned the dress to the shop and got my money back, and a gift certificate to boot.

3. Complex is a straight forward word meaning complicated or difficult. It is used in any arena.

Exs: a. She is a complex individual. Just when you think you know her, she says something very unexpected.

       b. The math that my son is doing in school is too complex for me!

4. 'An entirely different matter' is a very useful phrase that adds seriousness to a second idea.

Exs: a. Why they argued is one thing. The state of their marriage is an entirely different matter.

       b. Making austerity cuts might be necessary, but creating economic growth is an entirely different matter.

5. 'To manage to + verb' is a very useful and common phrase implying that some effort has been used to achieve an outcome.

Exs a. I managed to find my wedding ring; it had been missing for two months.

      b. I don't know how he did it, but he managed to pull himself out of the hospital bed and walk out of the building.

It is also used when asking questions in an accusatory way:

     c. How on earth did you manage to crash the car into the mailbox?

6. 'Instead' means 'as a substitute for' or 'as an alternative':

    a. I was going to call you, but I decided to walk to your house instead.

    b. I told him to study, but he played outside instead.

7. Tissue is the soft paper we use to wipe our noses. It is, however, also used as 'material' or 'substance' when talking about animal or plant life.

Exs: a. They took some brain tissue to do a biopsy.

       b. Some of the inside tissue of the leaf was studied.

8. Broth means a thin, watery soup that usually has meat or fish extract in it. It can be used, as in this case, in science when talking about a mixture.

Ex: To make the best chicken broth, boil the bones for at least half an hour, then add vegetables and seasoning.

9. The ... version of indicates that something is similar to something else in function or essence, but different in a fundamental way.

Exs: a. That boy is the young version of Elvis Presley!

       b. 'Lovesong' by Adele, is a slow jazz version of a song by The Cure.

       c. I met Mary's mother the other day. She is an older version of her daughter; they are so similar.

Let's here the excerpt one more time.

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Today we will analyze part of a newspaper article in depth.

 Wukan, China - The Chinese fishing village that went into open revolt(1) against government control last year held elections on Saturday, an event that(2) some local people said was the first time they'd been able to elect their leaders. After years of resentment(3) about real estate(4) deals (5)between local leaders and businessmen, villagers staged a series of demonstrations. "We will solve the land issue (6)step-by-step," said Lin, the newly elected chief of the village. If those efforts to reclaim land come up short(8), then the experience will have been an empty one, many said.

1. Open revolt is when people demonstrate, express disagreement, rally together, and do so in a very public and obvious way.

Ex: After the votes were counted, the people went to the town hall in open revolt at the result.

    There has been open revolt in Greece over the government's plans to raise taxes and cut public spending.

2. The arrangement of (2) 'the event that' is a good stylistic way of adding more information about the elections. Many nouns that describe times or events can be reviewed and have more detail added to them. The arrangement of words, reflecting on the event, avoids having to make two sentences out of one, or one that doesn't sound as well crafted:

The Chinese fishing village ..........held elections on Saturday, which some local people said was the first time..... .

Or it could have been written:

The Chinese fishing village........held elections on Saturday. Some local people said that this was the first time...... .

The sentence structure in the article is much better than these two:

The Chinese fishing village ........held elections on Saturday, an event that some local people said was the first time ...... .

Let's see some other examples of this structure, and how it improves the flow of a sentence:

Exs: The ball was a magical occasion, a special moment in time that Cinderella would never forget.

This sentence flows nicely because of its second part. It could have been split into 2 sentences:

Either: The ball was a magical occasion. It was a special moment in time that Cinderella would never forget.

Or       The ball was a magical occasion, and was a special moment in time that Cinderella would never forget.

Let me give you a few more examples of sentences using the more successful format:

a. They bought the company in 1902, a decision that changed their lives completely.

b. She sang "We'll meet again", a rendition that had everyone standing and applauding.

c. He will analyse the book for a class, a job that most people would hate.

d. We left town in winter of 1988, a season no one will ever forget because of the record snowfall.

e. Their private conversation was not quiet enough, a mistake that caused a lot of embarrassment.

3. Resentment is similar to anger, or holding a grudge, or not letting an offense be forgiven or forgotten.

Exs: He didn't get the promotion, so he was full of resentment.

     The teacher was unfair, and that caused resentment among the students.

4. Real estate is property in the form of land or buildings

Exs: She bought good real estate at just the right time; now it is worth ten times as much money.

     The real estate market is slow at the moment, a sign that the economy isn't healthy yet.

5. Deal is both a verb and a noun. To deal is to hand out cards in a card game. You can also 'deal a blow' which basically means to punch. That expression is used figuratively as in this example:

The financial crisis dealt a blow to the car companies.         It sounds old fashioned to use this expression when talking about punching someone; it's best to use 'punch'.

A deal is a business or personal arrangement, some kind of agreement:

Exs: The banks made a deal.  The buyers made a successful deal with the sellers.

Note that the word 'dealings' has a sense of something illegal or secret, or unpleasant:

Exs: The govenor's dealings with oil companies were exposed.     I don't want to talk about his dealings with the mafia.

6. Issue is an emotional or psychological problem. It can also be an important topic, or a disagreement with something.

Exs: The issue of raising taxes always causes a lot of discussion and emotion.

      He disrupts the class, is rude, and doesn't do any work. I think that he has serious issues.

     I have an issue with the way he talks to people. I don't like it, and I think he needs a different approach.

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Last week, as some of you know, I met with the Superintendent of Wenatchee Schools. I was very nervous, for some reason. I had never met him before, though I had seen him a couple of times in School Board meetings. My intention was to encourage changes in the school district, changes that have been wanted and recommended for a long time but haven't taken place. But, as I stepped into the office, and sat down in the waiting area, I began to feel very small. For some reason, I started to doubt my right to be there. Was I informed enough to have a pertinent conversation with this very busy man, a man who obviously knows more about the school district than me? Would I forget what I had planned on saying half way through a sentence? Would I stutter, or burp, or trip and fall and smash something important, like his laptop? "Okay Anna, what's your problem? Are you losing your edge?" (1)I said to myself, "Whatever happened to the girl who did public speaking, or the rock climber, or the hitchhiker? Pull yourself together!" (2)I talked reasonably to myself in order to calm down my thumping heart, and my sweating armpits. I did some deep breathing exercises, and focused on the meeting being over, rather than the meeting itself. "Hello Anna," a voice interrupted my thoughts. I looked up, and standing there was a smiling man, reaching out his hand to shake mine. I quickly got up and shook his hand, "Hello Mr Flones, how are you?" The Superintendent had just got back from lunch, and had approached me while I was in the middle of my deep breathing exercises. He led me to his office, which was moderate, and practical, and not intimidating at all, plus there was nothing that I could easily break, so I started to relax. "I appreciate you meeting with me, Mr. Flones. I will be brief, I won't take up much of your time." "That's fine," he replied, looking at the clock, "I'm good."(3) I realized that I could stop being apologetic, and could just get on with what I wanted to say and ask. It turned out, actually, to be the opposite of what I had expected. He was not only very open, but he was very candid about the state of schools, and changes that needed to be made. What a relief! We agreed on many things, and towards the end, I said, "Really, I want to offer my hand of friendship, and to help in this transition to an upgraded school district." I said this because I have felt in the past that there were two separate and conflicting groups: parents and the school district. Of course, it doesn't have to be that way. If we work together, we can get twice as much done in half the time, as long as we really listen to eachother. I left the meeting feeling very satisfied, and stood outside for while, taking in the early Spring sun. As I walked to my car, I pondered why I had been so nervous. Well, if you've recently raised four children, and not worked, then you've been out of the loop(4): no office meetings, no business lunches, no professional decisions etc. It can be intimidating to step back into that arena when my world has been diapers, a-b-c's, and the price of milk. But, the impression that I got from the Superintendent was that, as a teacher and a parent, I have very valuable things to say. It didn't take long to adjust back to the school-decision making world. So, I've planned for another meeting in a few weeks, to check on progress, but this time, I won't need the breathing exercises.

Related expressions: to lose your edge, pull yourself together, I'm good, to be out of the loop.

1. To lose your edge means to lose the quality of a skill through lack of use or fear.

Exs: I used to tell jokes at parties, but I haven't done that for years. I've lost my edge.

      I couldn't possibly skydive anymore; I've lost my edge.

2. To pull yourself together means to become brave by effort. You can use this as a command, even for yourself.

Exs: Pull yourself together, man, you only need one filling. Your other teeth are fine.

      I need to speak to him right now, but I really don't want to. "Pull yourself together Anna! Just do it!"

3. I'm good is used in the U.S. It's an expression that means "That's okay, I'm fine" or "I don't need anymore". It is used when people are asked if they want some more to eat, or if they want to communicate that they have plenty of time.

Exs: Do you want some more cake?

      No thanks, I'm good.       Here it means that he is satisfied and has had enough.

       I won't take up much of your time.

      I'm good. I've got plenty of time.        It can be used by itself without specifying 'I've got plenty of time' afterwards.

4. To be out of the loop means that you have been away from a certain arena, perhaps work, or a circle of friends, or an activity.

Exs: I haven't sung in the choir for a few months; I'm out of the loop.

      I used to meet with the ladies from my dance class, but I haven't been to it for two years. I'm out of the loop.              

Here, 'I'm out of the loop' is used because she hasn't been to class, and she hasn't had connection with her social group.

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