Now that the Christmas vacation is coming up, we will probably play some board(1) games in the evenings. We have so many of them! There is a big collection of them, stuffed(2) into a closet in the lounge. Monopoly, Axis and Allies, and Scrabble are three of the more well known ones. My favorite is probably Monopoly; I love games that lead you along a path to a destination, with question cards, and unexpected(3) opportunities or problems along the way. I was actually playing a similar game this morning on the computer, except it wasn't(4) about buying streets or buildings. It was an information game created by a company that deals with retirement. I'm not close to retiring, in fact, I'm probably still about twenty years away from it(5). But the reason I was playing the game, was to try a win the 1st place prize of $50,000. I probably don't stand a chance of(6) winning, but you know, the game turned out to be very interesting. You had to spin a wheel, walk up to 5 steps along the path, and then answer questions, or read and watch informational video clips. The whole point is to get educated about retirement, health, finances, and volunteering. It was an interesting, casual(7) way to learn a lot about retiring. What I realized is that I don't know very much about retiring. One of the aims of this organization is to get retired people involved in the community, to keep them socially healthy. The game, with its spinner and pathway, is a great teaching tool for any subject.
1. A 'board game' is a game played on a board (ha! ha!). And by a 'board' I mean either a piece of strong cardboard with a picture on it which can be square or rectangular, or it can be wooden. The board serves as a table on which the other pieces are put. A board can also be a useful table-like structure, like an ironing board or a bread board. The word sounds exactly like 'bored' which has different meanings. It can mean that you are not entertained at all, or that you have drilled a hole. Let's look at some examples:
a. Where is the game board for Monopoly? I have the pieces and the houses but not the board.
b. I need to buy a new ironing board, because mine is broken.
c. I'm so bored; I don't know what to do.
d. The insects bored holes in the wooden door, so it had to be replaced.
2. 'To stuff' is a verb that I've covered before in a previous podcast, but it is very common, especially in England. It basically means to fill until very full. It can be used figuratively, and is also a noun. It also can be used in an insult, or a way of dismissing something.
a. He built the chair, and then stuffed the seat cushion so it was very soft and comfortable.
b. We ate too much and felt completely stuffed.
c. My attic is full of stuff!
d. I was so angry that I told him to get stuffed!
e. We can't go into work because the office is flooded. Stuff it! (forget it!)
3. 'Unexpected opportunities' is quite a mouthful; however, it's a great phrase, and will impress people if you use it correctly, so let's practice the pronunciation.
Un-ex-pected opp-or-tun-ities un-ex-pected opp-or-tun-ities un-ex-pected opp-or-tun-ities
4. The use of 'except' is a tool that is similar to saying 'similar but different'. A sentence is written or said, but then 'except' is put in half way, and then a contradiction is added.
a. I bought a coat just like yours, except it was red.
b. We also went to Mexico for a vacation, except we went in the winter not in the summer.
c. They'll come to visit again, except next time, they'll stay longer.
5. To be 'away from' in time means that you are not yet ready for something chronologically or in some other way.
a. He's a few years away from retiring, but he's thinking about it.
b. They are dating, but she is a long way away from getting married (marriage).
c. He's just started High School, so he's four years away from graduating.
6. 'To stand a chance' means to have a chance; both are interchangeable.
a. They stand a good chance of winning the race. They have a good chance of winning the race.
b. That boxer doesn't stand a chance of winning. That boxer doesn't have a chance of winning.
7. 'Casual' is relaxed, comfortable, and not formal.
a. It's just a casual dinner party, nothing formal.
b. When we go for walks we wear just casual clothes.
In a recent interview with Howard G. Buffet, farmer, philanthropist, and son of billionaire Warren Buffet, he commented on the relatively unknown problem of hunger in the U.S. Studies show that one in five children don't always know where their next meal will come from.
Interviewer:You've supported global(1) hunger relief for years; what made you turn your attention(2) to America?
Howard Buffet :Before, I never understood how difficult things were in this country, and how they were getting worse. In America, hunger is hidden; people are ashamed of it.The number of people who are living on the edge(3) has exploded. If you're choosing between medicine and food, or paying the electric bill and food, those are tough(4) choices, and they happen everyday. But there's no reason why we can't put hunger out of business(5) in this country. Farmers produce more food today than we did five years ago. People are hungry not because there aren't enough farmers or food, but because they can't afford it(6). There's also an estimated $3 billion worth of food(7) wasted because farmers either can't get the labor to harvest it or it doesn't look perfect enough for the store shelves(8). There are some great programs that collect produce that isn't acceptable for the supermarket and get it into the food banks. That's next on my list - making that system work better(9).
1. 'Global' is self explanatory. The word 'world' can also be substituted.
a. The global economy is in recession.
b. That piece of news will go global. *Here we wouldn't substitute with 'world'.
c. Global wheat prices will go up because of droughts.
2. 'To turn one's attention to...' is to focus on. You can imagine someone turning his head to look at something.
a. He finished fixing the broken pipe, then turned his attention to mopping the floor.
b. When I finish my essay, I will turn my attention to my art project.
3. 'To be on the edge' or 'to live on the edge' can mean a couple of things. The first could mean that you are at risk (in danger, eg. in poverty, likely to get ill). It can also mean that you are very stressed or close to having mental health problems. The second phrase implies that you either enjoy living a risky life, or that you are poor.
a. I sky dive in the morning, and cave dive in the afternoon; I like living on the edge.
b. That neighborhood lives on the edge (of society); most of the residents are hungry.
c. If he gets any more pressure from work, I'm afraid it'll push him to the edge.
4. 'Tough' is one of those miserable spellings in English that I'm afraid you just have to memorize. It's actual meaning is strong, durable, or hard to chew, but it's used often as the word 'difficult'.
a. That apple pie was as tough as an old boot!
b. Having a knee operation was a tough decision to make; but I can now walk without pain.
c. That truck is so tough; it can handle heavy loads and bad weather conditions.
5. 'To put something out of business' can be used figuratively meaning to stop something.
a. Good education will put ignorance out of business.
b. That chain store put the smaller shops out of business.
6. The format of this sentence is important to understand and use: '.....not because, .......but because....'. This is good practice.
a. The students do well in his class not because he's friendly, but because he explains things well.
b. He should be respected not because he's rich, but because he is generous.
c. The film was a success not because it was good, but because it was popular.
7. '....worth of ....'
a. There are 5 million pounds worth of gold coins in the chest.
b. There are $150 worth of lottery tickets in her bag.
c. There were $10,000,000 worth of investments in the project.
8. 'Store shelves' here means the shelves that are in the shops and supermarkets. Remember 'shelves' is the plural of 'shelf'. Words with similar singulars and plurals are:
Self, selves; elf, elves; half, halves;wife, wives.
9. More examples of this sentence are:
a. That's next on my list, - getting (to get) into shape.
b. That's what we need to do next, - employ more staff for each store.
c. That's his plan, - going (to go) to Germany and finding (to find) a job.
You're all welcome to join me on my FACEBOOK page called Anna Fromacupofenglish. My app is available for you in iTunes, and you can send any questions or comments to acupofenglish@hotmail.com or acupofenglish@live.com.
