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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Community colleges still don't get the dollars of their four-year counterparts(1), but they're standing very much in the spotlight(2) these days. President Barack Obama made them the focus last week when he unveiled(3) his proposed budget. Why all the attention? One reason is that so-called(4) 'middle skill' jobs - requiring more than high school but less than a full college degree - look like the most promising source of fuel(5) for quickly revving(6) up an economic recovery. Federal data show they account for roughly(7) half of all jobs, and even when unemployment was over 10 percent, companies reported shortages(8) of qualified workers.
1. Counterpart is a very effective word for referring to a related item, especially if you want to avoid repetition. So, instead of saying : Community colleges still don't get the dollars of four-year colleges, you substitute in 'their four-year counterparts. We usually use a possessive adjective with counterpart(s) because it relates to the subject. Also, often an adjective or two about the counterpart are often given in order to make it clear what the counterpart actually is. In the paragraph 'four-year' obviously relates to larger, full-time universities.
Ex: He was much faster than his stronger, heavier counterparts on theteam.
Ex: The country dental clinics are more personable than their larger, urban counterparts.
2. To be in the spotlight, or to stand in the spotlight means to have a lot of attention. It's a great visual description of someone or something having all eyes on them.
Ex: Senator Brown is very much in the spotlight after his comments on the new tax bill.
Ex: The financial difficulties of Greece are still very much in the global spotlight.
3. To unveil is to show something for the first time, or to show something that has been hidden.
Ex: The sculptor unveiled his latest statue that has been donated to the city.
Ex: The city has just unveiled plans for a new park.
4. So-called is used to qualify a description that might not be accurate.
Ex: He's the so-called 'King of Pop'. So-called here shows that perhaps not everyone agreed with the title. There is no way of measuring if he really is the king of pop.
Ex: The so-called free medical care has proven to be quite expensive.
5. Fuel, in this instance, doesn't mean actual combustible fuel. It is used to show the idea that the President wants to stimulate or ignite the economy. It is implied that he wants the economy to grow like a fire gets bigger and bigger.
Ex: I wouldn't argue with him. You'll just add fuel to his argument (fire).
6. To rev up is similar to the word fuel. It is short for revolutions. To rev is usually used with engines, when you push the accelerator in and out and make the engine noise increase and decrease. It is often used figuratively.
Ex: Wake up, have your coffee, let's get revved up for the meeting.
Ex: My neighbor likes to rev his engine, even though his car is tiny.
7. Roughly is often used instead of approximately or nearly.
Ex: The company has increased production by roughly 50 percent.
Ex: Roughly a third of elementary school children are obese.
8. Shortage(s) is often used for a lack of. We see it a lot when talking about employment or produce of some kind.
Ex: There is always a shortage of laborers and nurses.
Ex: There will be a global shortage of wheat this year.
Let's hear the paragraph one more time at normal speed.
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This title is the kind that gets attention, isn't it? I first heard about these two characters a few days ago. My three boys play an on-line game called Minecraft. It's actually quite fabulous. It is an unending arena, where you can discover and create different worlds made out of blocks. My sons' favorites are the survival worlds, where you have to find raw materials* such as wood, edible plants, animals, tools, and fire. In order to survive and prosper, you must build yourself a house, and be in it by nightfall*. The reason is that zombies, or 'creepers', come out at night and attack you if you are not safely hidden in your house. Every day, I hear of their new discoveries such as exotic animals, or useful tools of some kind, diamonds, gold, enemies, friends, and even lava. It is hugely popular and globally played and loved. I can see why. If you have a look at Minecraft, you will see that it is a perfect combination of computer game, interaction, creativity, and adventure. My boys tell me all the time how educational it is, "Mum, you have to read a little, and even type!" And, you know, compared to a lot of the mindless, destructive video games out there, Minecraft is superior because a player not only has to be creative and curious, but he can add his own personal touch in a world of his choice. As with many on-line games, you have the ability to chat with other players. Mind you, you have to be careful what you say. If you accidentally offend a person who has created the world that you are in, you get banned. There are rules. Two people who know these rules very well, are Xephos and Honeydew. They are gurus of the Minecraft world. Infact, they have made their knowledge and practice of this game into profit. They have a website with up-to-date* video blogs of their Minecraft activity and discoveries. They are two, young English gentlemen, who are friends, and devoted gamers. They give regular commentaries while they game together in the same world in Minecraft. They have, what we call in England, 'the gift of the gab', which means an ability to talk and entertain. They are funny, expressive, and energetic, and other gamers, like my boys, love to follow their progress and listen to their advice. They battle evil characters, build detailed and unusual homes, and even search other people's homes and 'borrow' items that they find. The accumulation of riches is an important theme in Minecraft, and Xephos and Honeydew are expert miners who manage to collect all kinds of precious metals and gems* from the ground. I have come to terms with the fact that* my boys are addicted to this game, as are millions of others. And, thanks to Xephos and Honeydew, they will be encouraged to continue for a long time.
Related vocabulary and expressions: raw materials, nightfall, up-to-date, gems.
1. Raw materials are materials that are obtained from nature, and have not yet been processed. Some examples of raw materials are: rock, wood, metals that have come straight from the mine, and unrefined oil and gases that are collected from the earth.
2. We must find shelter before nightfall. As soon as it gets dark, who knows what dangers will appear in this forest.
3. If you want to download from iTunes, you should get an up-to-date version of it first. You can get an update on the website.
4. Look at the gems in the Queen's crown. They are so beautiful. There must be ten different kinds.
Gems or gem can also be used as a compliment for a thing or a person using the word 'of':
Ex: He's a gem of a person. He'll do anything to help.
Ex: We bought a gem of an antique car; there is no other like it.
Ex: I've just finished reading a gem of a novel. It's probably the best I've read in ten years.
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Every Tuesday, I volunteer to drive several kids from school to the local swimming pool. They go once a week* for six weeks for a full hour*. It's actually a new experience for my children to be able to swim during school hours; usually, P.E., or Physical Education, doesn't involve getting wet. So, this is a real treat. The first week, the children were separated into swimmers and non-swimmers. Since then, the swimmers can spend half of their swimming session playing with beach balls on teams. They also are allowed to use various diving boards, while the non-swimmers have an intensive swimming lesson. You could call this their 'immersion' session, ha, ha, do you get the pun?* Anyway, for us, it's an unusual and exciting morning. Thankfully, at the swimming pool, there are comfortable seats near the pool, and even internet connection. Infact, I'm writing this as I watch the children swim. The pool is divided into three sections, so three different activities can take place at the same time.* Closest to the edge where I'm sitting is one lane for elderly* people. They usually do gentle exercises, in groups, often with floatation devices. From what I can see, it's more like a social get-together. Next to them are two lanes dedicated to adults who just want to swim laps. A lap is a length of the pool. They go back and forth at their own pace, and have about one hour to get their exercise done. They are the most serious swimmers out of everyone here. Perhaps they have a background in* swimming, or simply enjoy the sport, and wish to include it as part of their healthy routine. So, as you can imagine, I sit here on Tuesday mornings, looking out over the pool, and observe all sorts of interesting activity. This pool is well equipped as far as safety is concerned*. There are two lifeguards on duty at all times, who constantly scan* the pool. They wear red t-shirts and carry red floatation devices, and are ready at any second to either blow a whistle, or to jump in and rescue someone. As I look around the room, I see more safety devices: rubber rings, stretchers for enabling disabled people to float on and enjoy the water, and even a fire extinguisher! You would have thought that that wouldn't be necessary. The swimming teacher is explaining to the kids at the moment the importance of timing in swimming, how you have to use your arms and legs at different times in order to get fast movement through the water. She explains this with the help of a swimmer volunteer, and now the children are taking turns swimming a lap using her advice. And guess what? I see improvement already! She is a devoted swimming teacher. I've never seen her out of the water; it's as if she's a part of the pool. They've got ten minutes left to swim; the kids never want to get out of the pool. They would rather stay here than go back to school.
Related vocabulary and expressions: once a week, a full hour, a pun, at the same time.
1. She has a piano lesson once a week, and a painting class once a month.
2. I wish this class was longer. It's only 45 minutes. I would prefer to have it for a full hour.
3. 'Immersion' is a pun when talking about swimming. A pun is a joke created by words that reflect the situation you're talking about. In this example, immersion is exactly what you have in water when you are swimming. An intensive lesson is also immersion. So, when I say that the children's swimming lesson is like an 'immersion course', I pun.
4. He is a multi-tasker. He can do several things at the same time. Yesterday evening, he was making dinner, practicing Russian while listening to a podcast, and helping his son with his math homework!
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What's one of the best ways to get refreshed? Exercise. I find, that I am a different person after I've exercised. What I mean by this is that I feel very positive, focused, and inspired when I have pushed myself physically. Mind you, it isn't just going to the gym that does it. Walks in the country are the very best for me. I think it's because, not only do I get all the physical benefits of exercise, but being in nature reminds me deeply of what's real and what's good. You could say that it's a scientifically proven huge dose of medicine. However, when I don't have the time to walk in the country, I'll go to the gym. The one I go to is just a few blocks away. It's one of those places that you can go to any time of the day or night. Each member has his or her own entry card that opens the locked doors automatically. This sounds very fancy, but it's actually just a safety precaution, so only members enter the gym at night. And because there are no staff members in the gym, the cards guarantee that members can work out safely, and alone. I've only worked out at night once, as I prefer to do so during the day. I usually go there mid-morning. Generally, there are elderly people working out when I get there, and an occasional younger person. I often wonder what the non-retired people are doing there in the morning. Do they work a night shift*? Are they unemployed? Perhaps they are in college. Or maybe, like me, they are a stay-at-home-parent-blogger. But my imagination isn't enough to keep me walking uphill on the treadmill*, or lifting weights. I need something to help me. Music works best for me, dance music, in particular. My problem is that I'm fussy about what I listen to. I like a huge variety of modern hits, music from the eighties, jazz, and Motown. However, because I really pay attention to words, I get tired of songs if I have heard them ten or twenty times. The music and the beat* really keep me going in my workout, but the words, often, put me off*. Some modern songs have great beats, but the words are either appalling or cliches. "Baby, it'll be alright in the night, hold me tight, our love is right, let's fly a kite, here's my sandwich, take a bite...." you know what I mean; a good piece of music can very quickly become annoying because of the childish* lyrics*. If only my ears didn't care about words. But that's how I am; I'm into* words, and I listen to everything. So, recently, after seeing the movie Tron, I bought the soundtrack. No words. Just a lot of great techo beats and rhythmns. For now, that is doing the trick*. I hope I don't get tired of it. I need to go to a music shop and look for instrumental versions of dance hits. Hopefully, I'll find some good music with no words, if not, I'll have to develop a sense of humor about modern music's silly lyrics.
Related vocabulary: night shift, treadmill, the beat, to put someone off.
1. He prefers to work at night, so he has the night shift in the hospital.
2. A treadmill is the walking machine that can vary speed and gradient. It offers a really good, custom workout.
3. The rhythm of a piece of music is what we call the beat.
4. While I was eating lunch, he blew his nose really hard. It totally put me off my food. I couldn't eat anything after that because I was so disgusted.
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Some of my listeners have asked me to examine and explain English phrases and vocabulary in depth. I think that that is a great idea. In order to do this, I have selected a small paragraph from a magazine that is about wasting money. This will be the first in a series of 'Analysis time' that will, hopefully give you deeper understanding of certain, common vocabulary and phrases, so you will find them easier to use.
Stop wasting(1) food! With a little creativity(2), you can use commonly(3) trashed(4) items and save yourself some major(5) dough(6). Did you know that, on average, Americans throw out 25 percent of the food they bring home, worth(7) an astonishing(8) $2,200 per year. Think of what you could(9) do with that cash(10)!
1. Stop wasting...! It's a command. You could add various words at the end, such as, money, time, my time, the milk.
2. With a little creativity, a little thought, a little care, a little attention to detail. You're using your brain to think carefully. Ex: With a little effort, you could finish this project in an hour.
3. Commonly: normally, regularly, daily. It is used to describe the items that are 'trashed'. How often are they trashed? Answer is very often, normally, daily, commonly. This action is committed by most people; it is common.
4. Trashed, comes from the noun trash which means rubbish or garbage. It has become a verb, 'to trash'. Ex: We trashed the old car. This means that we threw it in the rubbish, or that we smashed it up first, and then threw it away. It is an Americanism. It essentially means the same as 'to waste'. Garbage and rubbish are only found in noun form; they are not verbs.
5. Major is also an Americanism. It means 'a lot of'. It implies an important amount, or an important position. Ex: I have major bills to pay. This could mean big bills, or a lot of bills.
6. Dough, is taken from bread dough, the uncooked bread. It means money, again slang. * A note about using slang. If you are going to use it, make it consistent. For example, in this paragraph, both 'major' and 'dough' go together well because they are BOTH slang. It sounds like a good fit. If you mix formal language with slang, it doesn't sound so good.
Ex: Save yourself quite a lot of dough. 'Quite a lot of' sounds more English, precise, and from England. Whereas 'dough' is definitely slang, street language, and very informal.
7. Worth means 'has the value of'. Ex: This coat is worth a lot more than $100.
8. Astonishing here means surprising and shocking. To be astonished. Ex: I am astonished by his progress! Ex: The opulence of the palace was astonishing.
9. Think of what you could..... is a very useful phrase to which you can add a variety of verbs:
Think of what you could eat at the buffet. Think of what you could learn if you went to that university. Think of what you could paint if you had the right equipment. Think of what you could achieve if you were President.
10. Cash, as you probably know is money. It's not as slang as 'dough', it can be used even in formal situations with more formal language.
So, let's hear the paragraph again, first slowly, and then at normal speed.
During Christmas vacation, we took a trip to Seattle to see the Nutcracker ballet, and to enjoy some time in the city. You might not know a lot about Seattle, but if you google it, you will see that it is a stunningly beautiful area, and a very cosmopolitan city. We stayed in a hotel, right downtown, and fortunately were on the thirtieth floor, so we had an impressive view of the city. After leaving our luggage in the hotel room, we decided to go for a walk around the center of town, and find a place to have lunch. We ended up choosing Ivar's restaurant, which is right on the water. It has been around for a long time, and is famous for its chowder. Chowder is a thick, creamy soup that has clams in it, though sometimes it can just have potatoes. Ivar's chowder is so popular, that it can be bought all over the Northwest in supermarkets. As Seattle is a prime spot* for seafood, we all had fish. While we were eating, our waiter gave the kids a mask each, called Ivar's diver. It goes with the sea theme, and has been Ivar's mascot since the 1960's. It was a sunny, Winter day, and we enjoyed sitting by the windows and watching the boats come and go. On such a day, this is the place to be. There is the view of the water, and also of the islands on the Puget sound, with ferries making their regular trips. We had over an hour before we had to be at the theater, so, when we finished our meal, we walked out onto the deck to have a look around. There were tables with people having lunch. They had company. There was a huge gathering of seagulls that were making a tremendous racket* begging for crumbs and leftovers. I was impressed at their size; they're much bigger than I realised. And they were quite aggressive as well. We had deliberately taken some leftover fries with us to feed them. My children threw them up into the air, over the water. These strong, hungry birds whipped* through the air, and ate most of the food before it even landed on the water. It was like watching an acrobatic display. And these birds are on to a good thing*. They are a permanent part of Ivar's because they know that there is a constant supply of food coming from the restaurant. Some people visit Ivar's just to feed the seagulls. Infact, I think that they would be a better mascot than Ivar's diver.
Related vocabulary: a prime spot/ location, a racket, to whip (through).
1. That place is a prime spot for a restaurant. It will be visible and accessible to pedestrians and drivers. We should get lots of business if we have it in that location.
2. What a racket! What a horrible noise! You don't call that music do you? It's awful!
3. The wind whipped through the building. It was so cold and uncomfortable. * Whip is both a noun and a verb. A whip is a nasty, long, leather device to control and subdue animal, and, in the past, slaves. So, here it describes the 'sting' of the wind, as if it is punishment.
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Studies show that the favorite food in the U.S is Mexican. The traditional hot dog and hamburger have to take second and third places, because the tasty and sometimes spicy food found south of the U.S takes first place. When I first came to the U.S., I had very little idea of how much influence Mexico has, in general, on this country. As I am English, and England is very far away from Mexico, I had only ever been to one Mexican restaurant that was in London. I didn't know much about Mexico either. Now, twenty years on*, I'm sure that there are many more, up and down the country, especially the popular food chains like Taco Bell and Taco Time. So, during my first visit here, I ended up eating more Mexican food than I had expected. You could say that while I have lived here, I have learned not only about the U.S way of life, but also about Mexico, its food, its culture, and its people. I've been fortunate enough to* go to Mexico a few times, see its capital, explore some of its major historical buildings, and experience some of its traditions. And Wenatchee, believe it or not, is very influenced by the Mexican culture. Although it is a small town, of about 40,000, a large percentage of the population is from Mexico. Their culture is attractive and lively, and very proactive*. There are more and more restaurants, bakeries, dance clubs, travel agencies, and daycares that are Hispanic and Spanish speaking. A healthy bicultural nature is emerging in this town. Because of this, even the traditional supermarkets are offering products that Hispanics like to buy. It's good business. And one of the prefered dishes is nachos. It is based on corn or flour tortillas, which are flat and round. These can be fried to become crispy, toasted slightly in a frying pan with no oil, or simply warmed in the microwave. Nachos typically are crunchy. Bags of tortilla 'chips' are purchasable anywhere, so it's easy and convenient. Some people make a simple nacho dish of tortilla chips with tomato salsa and shredded cheese on top. However, 'loaded nachos' is a much more substantial dish that is varied and filling enough to be a full meal. The word 'loaded' is used to mean that it is a full, and quite heavy dish. A loaded gun comes to mind; it's ready to do some serious firing, and the nachos are ready to deliver some serious taste. So, we have the tortilla chips, and on top, fried , seasoned, minced beef, salsa, sour cream, advocado slices, black olives, shredded cheese, and sliced chili peppers. Wow! Beat that! It is full flavored, as you can imagine. This dish is perfect for parties and get-togethers. Recently, the Superbowl was on, and it is a tradition to have loaded nachos available as one of the dishes to enjoy while watching the football on television. The supermarkets stock up with all the ingredients, so you can easily throw them all together to make this easy but satisfying dish.
Related vocabulary: ....years on, to be fortunate enough to..., proactive. (Get-together found on Facebook under Anna from A cup of English.
1. She started a naturopathic clinic. Several years on, she had to open two more; it was that popular.
2. We were fortunate enough to find five pairs of shoes on clearance.
3. He is so proactive. He is always making good things happen, and when there is conflict, he finds a way to create a good situation out of it.
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I haven't ever had a reason to visit a podiatrist (which is what we call a foot doctor), until recently. I don't have any problem with my feet, thankfully. I suppose, over the years, the shoes that I have worn have been good enough to keep me out of the clinics. My feet rarely complain, so I ignore them most of the time. However, my son Cass, who is twelve, has been complaining for a while of heel, ankle, and arch pain. I reasoned that he is growing fast at this stage, and that growing pains of all sorts are quite common. He does play a lot of sports, and so, any problem or tenderness* can get worse. As he practices basketball twice a week, and has to do lots of running, I researched a little on the internet the ways I could ease his pains. You know I love to Google; well, I also love to find tutorials on You-tube. It's a wealth of information! In an instant, I found a video clip that demonstrates how to wrap your feet before you take part in any sporting activity. It was surprisingly simple, and really made sense. It started by showing a 3-D image of the inside of a foot. I thought it looked freaky!* The visual* made it very clear how the foot works, and why a person might experience pain. So, I wrapped Cass's feet, and he told me after practice that it had really helped. I also made an appointment for him to see a podiatrist. It was just a few days later that we went to see Dr. Hoover, a softly spoken, straightforward man. After looking at Cass' feet and his shoes, he came to the conclusion that stress from sports, and the wrong shoes, have brought about the problem. Cass normally wears Adidas shoes. They are fine for walking, but they don't provide a lot of arch support, and the basketball shoes bend in the wrong place. Apparently, a good sports shoe bends where your foot does, basically at the toe area. If it bends in the middle, it puts stress on the joint that we have in the middle of our foot, because this joint is very limited, and is not supposed to move much at all. So, after he gave us a brief lesson on how the foot works, and a list of recommended* shoes and shoe inserts*, Cass had an xray. It turns out that he has normal feet, and just needs some good support during sports. That was a relief for me; I didn't have to worry about anything serious. The next day I bought him two kinds of inserts, and different basketball shoes. These things have made all the difference. He's much happier now after practice, and no longer has stiff, tender feet in the morning. How wonderful that we have such quick access to information that can educate us, and help us avoid making mistakes with our health.
Related vocabulary:tenderness, freaky, a visual, recommended:
1. When a part of your body is injured, the area around the injury can feel tender, sensitive to pain.
2. That Halloween costume is freaky! It's one of the wierdest and scariest I've seen.
3. It's much easier to study if you have a visual, because, as Shakespeare said, "A picture paints a thousand words."
4. That hotel is recommended; it has everything we need. However, the one next door isn't recommended at all.
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It was Friday night, and we had tickets for a special event. Our local Town Toyota Center was going to host a dirtbike show. We had six tickets, so there were enough for me, the kids, and my brother. I had never been to a dirt bike night at the arena, so I wasn't sure what to expect. But I do like motorbikes; I took a riding course many years ago, and my husband had several, so they are an area of interest for me. We had been told that a company in town had been asked to bring in ton(nes) of earth (soil) to make a course for the bikes. "That must mean that there are some jumps!" I said to my kids, who got very excited at the thought of it. And there certainly was a lot of earth. The view from our box showed a racing course that was made entirely of soil, with about seven hills for jumping. The arena slowly filled with spectators, while a giant monster truck revved* its engine, and gave people a short ride, forwards and backwards along the length of the course. It was an enormous vehicle that was perfect for the show, but I can't imagine using it in day to day life; it wouldn't fit anywhere. The announcer stepped forward, introduced himself and the sponsors of the show, and then called forward the first set of *bikers. They were semi-professional, looked like they were in their mid twenties, and they were all riding three to four hundred cc bikes. Ten of them lined up and revved their engines. There would be money for the winner, and you could tell that they were eager.*The flag signalled go, the line dropped, and they were off with a loud, drilling machine noise from their engines, and soil flying from their back tires. They rounded the corner, and came up to the a set of bumps in the course. They had to slow down substantially to get over them without falling off. Then there was another sharper bend, and two large jumps. One by one, they flew through the air, their colors blurring* with their speed. Two more lengths of the course and they were finished with the first round. Five rounds in total and they finished. One lucky one received five hundred dollars, but the rest went home empty-handed. There followed about nine more performances from different age groups and categories, ranging from five year olds (believe it or not), to professionals. Funnily enough, the shortest session, was that of the over fourties category. They looked heavier than the first lot, but just as enthusiastic. However, when they rounded the first corner, three of them fell over, two quite badly, and that was the end of that! Two of them limped off, injured, and none of the others completed the course. My brother and I looked at eachother and shook our heads. We're both in our fourties, and we both understand that people our age don't bounce like rubber anymore. Well, by the time each category had run the course, the arena was full of exhaust fumes, and we were more than ready to go home. It had been entertaining, though quite noisy. Actually, the noisiest part was the announcer, who felt like he had to shout through the entire evening for some reason. I was glad to get in my car, in the relative quiet, and drive easily and safely home, no bumps, and no falls.
Related vocabulary and expressions: a set of, eager, blurry, to rev the engine.
1. I bought a set of storage boxes and a set of flower pots that were on sale.
2. After swimming in the sea, my eyes were all blurry; I couldn't see clearly at all.
3. My neighbor was making such a noise revving his engine; does he think that he's a race car driver?
There has been a scraping sound in Wenatchee for about a week. It's the sound of snow shovels. Finally, the snow is here. And there isn't just a little of it. Out of the blue*, a storm moved in, just as we were getting used to a snowless Winter. It took us all by surprise*, and it has had its usual impact on everything. Our lives have adjusted by becoming slower. You can't rush around if you are walking or driving on snow and ice. You can't afford* to be a little late, because by the time you get to where you planned on going, you will be very, very late. One of my kids told me yesterday, that one of her classmates was late for school because her front and back doors were frozen shut! There are inconveniences everywhere, and you just have to get used to them. On my way to the grocery store, there was a hold up* in the traffic. One car had slid into the snow bank that was in the middle of the road. It was stuck, and sticking out*, right in the way of the traffic. People were looking out of their windows, honking their horns, and generally looking impatient. Finally, a hero turned up to rescue the stranded person. It was a policeman. He walked slowly over to the stranded driver who was desperately spinning his wheels, assessed the situation*, got back in his car, and literally pushed the car out of the way with his police car. It worked; problem solved. One thing about living in this area is that you become more flexible in the Winter. I think you become more understanding. Everyone has things to do; we are all in a hurry, but there is a white obstacle out there, in the streets and driveways, that slows us all down, and sometimes causes accidents. So what does all of this mean? It means we have to be more thoughtful. One of our neighbor's boys cleared the snow from my friend's driveway because she's in her late seventies, and lives alone. You'll often see people snow blow their own driveways and walkways, and then continue on to the neighbor's. I'll be going over to my mother's house today to clear her walkway while she's at work because she's terrified of slipping and falling. To avoid an accident, she wears attachable*, rubber crampons, believe it or not. They keep her stable and safe. Whoever sells those should be making some good money this time of year.
Related vocabulary and expressions: out of the blue, to be taken by surprise, you can't afford to, to stick out.
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It was a quiet, Spring day, when, out of the blue, a noisy jet screamed through the air, right above my house.
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I was in a daydream, looking at the flowers, when John came up to me and started talking. He took me completely by surprise.
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You can't afford to spend your time watching television when you have an exam tomorrow.
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I cut my leg on a nail that was sticking out of the step.
Something has grown in my mother's kitchen this Winter. It is tall, beautiful, and bright red. If you're in the room, you can't help but * look at it. It's an amaryllis. It was given to her as a Christmas present, and she has been growing it from a bulb since then. They are originally from South Africa, a member of the lily family. As there are no plants growing here in the Winter, it is common to give the gift of an amaryllis bulb in a pretty pot, as a plant to be grown inside the house. Once planted, it will quickly grow tall, and produce a stunning flower. It's the kind of plant that you want to photograph up close. Its stamen are a contrasting yellow, and hold a lot of pollen. It's similar to some of the orchids that my mother has grown through the years; they also have a very fleshy*, waxy feel to them, and have very rich colors. The other day when I visited her, I was reminded that I also have bulbs at home that need to be planted. Actually, in the Autumn, I bought three bags of bulbs, to be planted that season in the garden. Let's just say that I put them 'out of sight'*, and they are still in the bags. They have actually started to sprout, even though they are not in soil. Apparently, even though I missed the season, I can still plant them in pots and keep them in the house where they will slowly grow. Then, in the Spring, I can transplant them outside. It's a bit like the potatoes that I buy for making chips, baked potatoes or mashed potatoes. If don't use them in time, they will have sprouted all sorts of roots and become inedible. Plants are programmed to grow, and they will do it, whether or not we are taking care of them. A friend of mine told me that one year she planted too many zucchini plants (they are also called courgets). They had a car parked next to the vegetable patch that was not used much. Before anyone knew it*, the zucchini vine had grown all over and inside the car! All this talk of plants is making me yearn* for the Spring. First things first though; I need to find those bags of bulbs and get them planted!
Related vocabulary: you can't help but..., fleshy, out of sight, before you know it.
1. You can't help but admire him. Everybody thinks he is brilliant.
2. These apricots are so fleshy. They have a lot of body, and are filling.
3. He didn't really clean the houe. He just put everything away, out of sight, in the cupboard.
4. You'll have a child, and, before you know it, he will have grown, and will be leaving for college.
It's been such a mild Winter. There has been no sign of snow for weeks and weeks, which is very odd. Christmas didn't feel very Christmasy because of it. But there is an up side* to this strange weather. Everyone has been able to go for walks. Normally, when there is so much snow and ice around, you don't see people walking on the street at all. They stay in their cars, nice and warm, if they want to go anywhere. But this year, people are still walking and jogging on the streets. The parks are almost as busy with people as they are in the Spring or Autumn. Walking in the countryside is something that I love to do. It gets the heart pumping, the circulation going*, and clears the mind. So, a couple of days ago, my brother and I went up into the hills that are nearby. We followed a road called Horselake, up to a rough, primitive road, that took us winding up, away from the town. It was a cold day, with mist sitting on the tops of the hills. The grasses and bushes up there were all different hues* of brown, blonde, and pale greens, - very gentle on the eyes. We were hoping to see some wildlife: perhaps a coyote, or a deer. My brother noticed all kinds of foot prints in the mud. Some were definitely those of dogs, but a few looked as though they could have been cougar prints. We do have them in the area; we've even had a couple in town in recent years. Yikes!* I don't like the sound of that! Well, we walked upwards, following a ridge. On one side of it we could see a valley with the Wenatchee river cutting through it, and on the other side, a steep slope down into a ravine*. It was hard work, but worth it. The view was great. We ended up walking down onto the road because from there, we could access some sandstone caves. I had been up this way before, but had never seen the caves. They blend into the side of the hill, so they are very hard to see. We scrambled* down to reach them, and then spent some time exploring. It was fun. It reminded me of rock climbing in England when I was young, though I'm not as brave now as I was then. We crawled up to the biggest ones, and took photos, and looked for signs of animals. The wind and water had carved out fascinating shapes, mini bridges and arches, and little places that would be perfect for small animals. There was evidence of birds staying there: droppings*. After taking photos and having a good look around, we headed back to the car. There was still no sign of coyotes, but, then again, they are very smart animals, and had probably been observing us the whole time.
Related vocabulary: an up side to something, get the circulation going, a hue, yikes.
1. This weather is terribly wet. Mind you, the up side is that the garden is getting plenty of water.
2. That aerobics class is hard. It really gets the circulation in the body going.
3. She painted her whole house in different hues of yellow.
4. Yikes! I wouldn't want to hold that rattlesnake!
There was a special day to celebrate, back in November. A friend of mine was graduating from a nursing program(me) which she had been in for two years. Normally, as a young student, two years of study isn't that much. However, she is in her forties, married, and has two boys, so it was quite a challenge. Mijung, is my very good friend from Korea. We have known eachother for about seven years. Infact, our boys went to the same preschool, and it was there that we met eachother. We got together once after preschool and had lunch while the children played, and our friendship took off* from there. Mijung is both compassionate and intelligent, so I think that she has the right qualities to make an effective nurse. I actually haven't seen her much for the past two years because of her busy schedule*. Knowing how much effort she had put into her studies, and how difficult it had been to maintain a balance between studying full time, and also having a family, I was determined to go to her graduation ceremony to show my support. It took place in the gymnasium of the college that she studied at, here in Wenatchee. By the time I found a parking spot and ran into the building, it was packed with people, and the teachers were giving their speeches. It was warm in the gym. Families, dressed elegantly, were sitting in groups, holding flowers, and looking very proud. There was a surprisingly large number of children running around (girls in pretty dresses, boys in smart suits) unaware of the formality* of the occasion. They must have enjoyed the spacious feel of the room, and the shiny floors. A few mothers got up and told their kids not to roll around on the floor, and they did their best to wipe off their children's now not-so-clean clothes. Finally, the time came to give out the graduation badges. I took off my coat, got out my camera, and squeezed past* a few people so I could see my friend clearly enough to take a good photo. "We will hand out the badges in alphabetical order," announced the speaker. "Oh, great! Mijung's last name begins with 'W'; I'm going to be waiting for a while," I thought to myself. It was a school day, and I had just over an hour before having to pick the kids up. The graduates approached the podium* to say a few words and receive their badges. Most of them were tearful and happy; they thanked their family members for supporting them, and those with children said a big thankyou for everyone's patience. I actually grew impatient, listening to all of the mini-speeches. I didn't want to leave without seeing Mijung. I couldn't quite get to the perfect spot to photograph her: if I moved to the left, a flower arrangement blocked her face. If I moved to the right the podium was in the way. Finally, a little frustrated, I just walked out in front of the first row of seats and started to take pictures. Her name was called. She got up quickly and joined her family at the podium. She hugged her family and everyone applauded. She was one of the few students who received the extra honor of graduating with straight 'A's': Magna cum laude, I think it's called. During the applause, I managed to catch Mijung's eye, and I waved and blew her a kiss. What an accomplishment! She deserves to feel proud. I'm sure she'll make a positive impact on people who need physical help. It was such a happy moment for so many students. Even the very young children who were running around and sliding on the floor, clapped as if they knew what was going on. I checked my watch, and I was glad that I did, because I only had five minutes left before I had to leave. I fumbled* to get my camera back in the bag, I quickly handed a present for Mijung to her husband, and waved goodbye.
Related vocabulary:to take off, busy schedule, formality, to squeeze (past)
1. The business took off as soon as it opened. It has done really well since then.
2. I have to change my busy schedule; it's too much. I'm so busy that it's not even practical!
3. You must understand the formality of the occasion; the correct dress and etiquette should be used.
4. She squeezed through the crowd to get a better look at the pop singer.
It's that time of year when a lot of people are waiting to go South. Normally, by now, we would have snow, lots of it, and icy roads. This year, however, has been very strange. We experience hard frosts at night, but sunny days. Everyone is talking about how strange the weather is. Children have their winter boots, gloves, and hats at the ready*. At the first sign of snow, they will frantically get dressed, and run outside to play in the glorious white stuff. But, it's just not happening. By now, also, most migrating birds have left to go to either California, Florida, Mexico, or some other sunny destination. But, even some of them are hanging around* the town still, waiting for the snow to come. I was coming out of Walmart the other day, when I saw a cloud of birds swirling around in the sky, 'practicing' moving as a group. They looked playful, and amazingly skilled*. They moved to and fro* effortlessly like hundreds of acrobats working in unison*. As I got closer to my car, I saw that they had settled on a radio tower across the highway. I took out my new camera to zoom in and get a closer look. There were hundreds of them sitting on the metal poles. It was like a chatty, nervous group of people, waiting excitedly for something. I'm not surprised that they were excited. The thought of going somewhere sunny is very appealing right now. Many people I know have already made plans to spend a month or two in Arizona. They are usually retired, and therefore can afford to take off* for a long time. Younger people can usually only go for a couple of weeks because they have to come back and work, of course. Golf or tennis are usually the planned activities for those Winter vacations. And, when the travelers come back, they show off their tans to the rest of us. I'm sure, even though the weather is strange this year, the migrating birds will soon be gone, and our retired family members and friends will have packed their bags and left too. Perhaps a heavy fall of snow will come a month late, so we can enjoy a little more sun for a little longer. Either way, we'll cheer up our long, dark nights with Christmas lights, and stay cozy by the fire.
Related vocabulary: at the ready, to hang around, skilled, to and fro.
1. Water pistols at the ready! The water fight is about to begin!
2. A group of suspicious young men were hanging around our neighborhood last night. We should find out who they were.
3. Look how skilled the potter is! The detail she puts on her ceramics are amazingly fine. She is excellent and exact at what she does.
4. I watched the bird go to and fro from its nest, bringing worms and bugs to feed to its babies.
My morning routine has ups and downs*. First thing in the morning, I find myself rushing around like a frantic woman, trying to get my children up out of bed, and off to school. I'm usually still in my pajamas (pyjamas)* when I drop the kids off, and I drive off quickly before anyone sees me. But, when I get home, I can slow down a little before I start the chores of the day, or run errands. I take my time over my morning coffee, stretch, pet the dogs, check my emails and Facebook, have a bit more coffee, and then plan my day. I was doing that this morning, when there was a knock at the door. A Federal Express delivery man handed me a package, a large box. I had to sign in order to receive it, and then he went on his way. I assumed that the package was for my husband, who buys a lot of cycling and hunting equipment on-line*. However, it was addressed to me! I was instantly awake, and opened the box quickly. The side of the box said 'Greenvale Scottish baby potatoes'. I knew that I hadn't ordered any potatoes; why would I? But the word Scottish gave me a clue as to what was inside, and who it was from. My father lives in Scotland, on the West coast. And, yes, it was from him. Thankfully, the box wasn't full of potatoes, but rather, it was brimming with Christmas presents. I was so surprised! He and his wife had wrapped up all of the gifts in traditional wrapping paper, with colors of red, green, gold, and white. I took them out of the box, and tried to guess what they were. " The children will be so excited to see them under the Christmas tree when they get home," I thought to myself. This is their last week of school, and they are beginning to anticipate# the holidays. I noticed that one of the wrapping papers had one of my favorite English Christmas carols on it: The Holly and the Ivy. The first two lines were visible under the bow. It says: 'The Holly and the ivy, when they are both full grown, of all the trees that are in the wood, the holly bears the crown. And the rising of the sun, and the running of the deer, the playing of the merry organ, sweet singing in the choir.' It really sets the scene for Christmas. I must rush out and send off a package as soon as possible to Scotland. I hope it gets there on time!
Related vocabulary and expressions: ups and downs, pyjamas, on-line, (to anticipate at Anna From A cup of English on Facebook).
1. We all have ups and downs; sometimes we are positive and energetic, and other times we are the opposite.
2. Pyjamas is the English spelling. Pajamas is the American spelling.
3. I do a lot of my work on-line, which is very convenient. I can even do it in my pyjamas.
Do you ever watch the programs (programmes) on television that show the funniest international advertisements? They generally come out about Christmas time, and provide an hour of side-splitting* entertainment. Advertising is to be scrutinized*. Even my children will comment on whether or not an advertisement is any good. Some are very clever, some are downright* annoying, and some are confusing. I've found that as my children's critical thinking develops, so do their comments about anything in the media. "That advertisement sucks," one of them will say. Obviously 'sucks' is slang for something being awful or of very poor quality. I will ask why it 'sucks', and the answer will be something like, "It's not convincing," or "there's no point to it," or perhaps even, "they're trying to be funny, but they're not." I suppose the whole point of advertising is to catch the attention of the public, and to convince us to buy something. So, everyone should be a critic, and we should use our own brains to decide how good an advertisement is, and if the product is really worth buying. Sometimes the simplest advertisements are the best. I remember a series of Australian beer commercials for Foster's, that were really funny. They were very basic, showing how rugged* Australia is, and then indicating that Foster's beer is also rugged. The commercials used exaggeration to get their message across, and they did a good job. The other day I came across an unusual form of advertising: a large pretzel hanging in a tree. It sounds a little strange, doesn't it? It was outside a bakery, in the town of Leavenworth. Several pretzels were hanging on several trees along the street, and they had obviously come from the bakery which displayed pretzels. I thought that this was a genius idea. I went inside and asked a lady who was arranging cakes if there was a story or tradition around# the pretzel hanging in the tree. "Oh no," she said, "it's just for advertising." It had certainly sparked by interest. Infact, whether they intended it or not, that bakery had established its own tradition through advertising.
Related vocabulary and expressions: side-splitting, to scrutinize, downright, rugged (a story/ tradition around on Facebook at Anna Fromacupofenglish)
1. The comedy night at the local club was side-splittingly funny. When I got home, my stomach and my sides hurt from laughing.
2. My neighbors scrutinize everything that I do: how I park my car, when I mow the lawn, even how often I walk the dog.
3. She is downright lazy! She sits around, watching tv, and expects everyone else to work!
4. The men who live in this area are rugged; they are tough, hard working, and basic.
What kind of characteristics or behavior can get you the title of Student of the Month? What would you imagine them to be? Intelligent? Avid* reader? High scorer? Or, are there other qualities that can get you noticed by teachers and rewarded. It looks as if there are many traits* and behaviors that can get a student both noticed and appreciated. Recently, in my childrens' middle school, there was an awards ceremony for a group of students who had 'stood out'* as community builders. By community, I mean the student body*, and the overall atmosphere that it carries. When I received the letter from the school, that my son Cass, had been nominated by his teachers for a community award, I was intrigued. I assumed that he had done something for the community of Wenatchee, perhaps for a charity. When I asked him what it meant, he told me that he didn't really know. Knowing that the principal would give some kind of speech about the award, I decided to wait and see what he had to say. The ceremony took place at ten in the morning, during school. The students who were nominated were excused from their various classes, and joined the parents in the assembly hall. The principal introduced himself, and then started to talk about what 'community' actually means within the school, and why it is so important. He talked about students having a positive and caring attitude, and being the 'glue' that holds the student community together, and helps to create a generally positive environment. As I listened to what he was saying, I realised that, yes, community is essential in school. If the student environment is safe and friendly, the young people can learn so much more, and feel free to be themselves, and perhaps even enjoy their school days. The last thing that students need is stress, so if the school system rewards community, I suppose it elevates the comfort level of all members. I took lots of photos of Cass and the other students, who had all been nominated by various teachers. They stood on stage in a group, holding their certificates proudly. After the ceremony, there was time for refreshments#, and mingling# with the other families. I read Cass' award which said, "His maturity, friendliness, and willingness to accept all kids makes him a wonderful member of any group." I felt very proud. I have his award on my desk now, and plan to frame it and put it in a place where everyone can see it.
Related vocabulary:avid, traits, to stand out, student body (refreshments, mingling - found on Facebook, at Anna Fromacupofenglish).
1. He is an avid bird watcher; it is his main passion.
2. Characteristics and traits really mean the same thing, though traits can automatically mean physical features.
3. He stood out in the crowd; he was much taller than most people, and was wearing unusually colorful clothes.
4. The student body is putting on a play next week. Every student has his or her own part.
Join me on Facebook at Anna Fromacupofenglish, and find more related vocabulary!
Those of you who have been listening to my podcast for the past three years, will know that I have complained about my camera on quite a few occasions. Though it has been both useful and practical for my podcasts, and small enough to fit in my handbag, I have been frustrated with it most of the time. I've described it as a 'dinosaur' more than once. This is a term we often use for an out-of-date piece of technology, such as a computer, or an old cell phone. Well, my little camera is going to be handed down to one of my kids, recycled you could say, because I've got a new one. It's a Cannon, a birthday present from my husband. And, let me tell you, it was love at first sight!*I actually hadn't spent any time researching the best buy*, nor had I asked anyone for advice on the matter. However, I did have a mental list* of prerequisites*: 1. It should be compact enough to fit in my handbag (I'm more likely# to lose it if I have to carry it in a second bag), 2. It needs to take good quality video so I can get action shots of my children playing sports, and also be able to upload video easily to my app., 3. It needs a powerful focus to pick up small detail very clearly. I'm really into# detail when it comes to photos. You know the kind of photos that show the middle of a tiny flower, with pollen on the stamen, and by comparison the petals look huge; that's the kind that I would like to take. I'm going to experiment with my cannon, and find out just how much detail is possible. Perhaps I can focus in enough on a small flower, to be able to get a tiny bug sitting on a stamen. Or even better: I could shoot the hair on the back of the tiny bug that is sitting on the stamen! Wow, that would almost be ridiculous. Seriously, I would be quite happy with clear, close-up detail. I tried out# my camera the other day when we went for a walk up one of the local hills: Saddlerock. Most of it was a steep climb, but it was a perfect day, and everyone was enthusiastic about the exercise. Though the path was really muddy all the way up, the views of the town and surrounding hills were impressive. We reached the top, and sat down at a rocky outcrop. As the children played with the dogs, and my husband tried to spot deer, I took lots of photos. The ones that I like most from that trip, were those of the rock formations and the lichen. If you see the picture on the blog or the app, you'll be able to make out the cubic, stair-step pattern of the rock, and the different colors of lichen growing on it. Marvelous. I'm hoping to upload some impressive photos from now on. I'm so excited about the camera that I bought another, bigger handbag to make sure that all of my stuff plus my camera, can go everywhere I do. Well, that's my excuse.
Related vocabulary: Love at first sight, the best buy, mental list, prerequisites, (to be likely to, to be into, to try out).
1. Cinderella and the Prince looked at eachother, and it was love at first sight.
2. I got the best buy on this oven; three magazines say it's the best, plus it was on sale.
3. I've a good memory; I can make a mental list of what I need in the supermarket, and I remember everything!
4. The most important prerequisite we are looking for in a store manager is to be personable.
**If you join me on Facebook, at Anna Fromacupofenglish, you can read the last 3 items of related vocabulary.
The tenth of November was a day of great excitement for my son, Hudson. He had been waiting for months for a new video game to be released. Skyrim is a game of battling dragons, strange worlds lost in time, heroes, enemies, and lots of gore*! It was going to be released at midnight, so the very beginning of 11, 11, of 2011. Skyrim is one of a series of games called the Elder Scrolls, made by Bethesda. It's appeal is basically a concoction of everything that teenagers, and some adults, like in a game: knights, weapons, spells, fights, castles, and graphics guided by endless imagination. The music is awesome as well. You could say that it is epic and mythological. I'm actually a huge fan of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, so perhaps my son gets the love of such things from me. Well, it just so happened that all the schools in our area were going to be closed on Friday 12th because of Veterans Day. Perfect timing! Hudson could look forward to not only the whole weekend of playing his game, but Friday as well. However, someone had to go with him to the store, and wait in line. Now, who would that be? I can only think of one person: me. Of course I would do anything for my kids: climb the highest mountain, fight the fiercest dragon (or neighborhood dog), or even jump infront of the school bus if I had to. But lining up at midnight, in freezing weather, outside a video game shop didn't seem as heroic or appealing. But I did it. Infact, I did it twice. You actually had to turn up at ten o'clock and line up to get a ticket with a number on it. Then you had to come back at midnight, line up in numerical order*, hand in your ticket, and get the game. Well, it just so happens that Hudson had fallen asleep at about 9:30, so I had to drive over by myself to make sure that we got a ticket. Now, we did also have the option* of having a normal night's sleep, and just buying the game first thing in the morning* on Friday 11th. But where's the fun in that? This was special, so we had to do it the exciting way. Seeing that Hudson was asleep, I got in the car and drove to the video game store as quickly as possible, too quickly actually, because I forgot my coat. As I parked, I realised that there was already a long line of customers waiting, and they were all bundled up in warm clothes. I looked around the car in a panic, hoping to find an extra coat. There was one, belonging to my eight year old son. I took it and quickly lined up. Time went by really slowly; I stamped my feet and wrapped the small coat around my shoulders, finally squeezing the little hood onto my head. Of course, I looked ridiculous, but I just wanted to stay warm. An hour and a half later, I was handed my ticket: number eighty two. Phew! What a relief! I felt sorry for the other one hundred people behind me, but I was mainly thinking about getting back into my warm car. I drove home, picked up Hudson, and back we went. When we arrived, there were even more people there, still waiting for their tickets. Thankfully, we were able to walk straight into the store and get the Collector's Edition of Skyrim; I even took a photo of the occasion. Mission accomplished. I had proven my love for my son by braving freezing weather, and battling lines of evil customers. Now, it was time to kill some dragons.
Related vocabulary: gore, numerical order, to have the option, first thing in the morning.
1. I dont' like all that gore in the movies. There is far too much blood and guts!
2. We will announce the winners in reverse numerical order, from fourth place to the overall winner.
3. You know, you have the option of flying instead of driving; it's more expensive, but it will save you a lot of time.
4. The best light is early in the day, so we'll get up first thing in the morning and set up the camera.
Those of you have been following my podcasts over the past few months, will know that my husband has recently 'got into'*hunting. He is now fully licensed, fully equipped, and on his way to becoming an experienced hunter. Today, instead of leaving at six in the morning, as he usually does, to go to work, he spent the morning with me. He has taken a few days off to go with a friend to Minnesotta to hunt White Tail deer. He deserves a small vacation, so I have enthusiastically watched him pack all of his gear*, and listen to his plans for a successful hunt. Because he was ready ahead of time, he had a couple of hours to kill*, so we went up to the local shooting range to try out a couple of his rifles. I am a novice*, so I was quite happy to watch as he shot at the targets. It was freezing cold, and I had bundled myself up in three coats, a scarf, and a bobble hat: not exactly the right fashion sense for a tough shooter. The first rifle that Tom used was extremely loud; thankfully we both had heavy duty* ear protection on. The funny thing was, each time we said something to eachother, we couldn't hear; we spent the whole time saying,"What?" and having to repeat everything in loud voices. As Tom tested his rifles, I had a good look around. There wasn't that much to look at. The range is basically a long roof that shelters the marksmen. There are a few chairs here and there, but no houses around (who would want to live next to a shooting range?). There was nobody but us there; the hills surrounding us were bare, and there was no wind, not even a sound. Well, the only sound was the horrendously loud noise of the rifle, but other than that, it all felt desolate. I imagined someone whistling the theme tune from The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, but then I realized that with my woolly bobble hat, I had destroyed any image of cowboys. I did notice, however, some very interesting signs, three to be precise. Obviously, from the looks of them*, some people who come to practice get silly with the guns, and do dangerous things. I read the word "don't" over and over. Apparently, some people shoot beyond the shooting range on to private property, or they shoot at the ground (which is dangerous), or at objects that they shouldn't. T-t-t-t-t-t, very naughty. Someone needs to have his gun taken away, doesn't he? And someone needs to be put in time-out*. I'm glad that I'm not at the shooting range when other people are there; it's potentially very dangerous, and I wouldn't trust other people's sense of safety. Anyway, before we left, I had a go shooting a lighter rifle, one that would be good for hunting birds or rabbits. I found it hard at first to look through the scope, but I go the hang of it. I calmed my breathing, and tried not to move. The cross was over the bullseye, and POW! What a shot! Not bad at all; almost right on the bullseye!. That felt good. I continued, each time thinking carefully about keeping still and controlling my breathing. POW! POW! BANG! WHAMMO! And another BANG! Hey, I'm not a bad shot at all. I even brought the target home to prove it.
Related expressions: to get into something, gear, heavy duty, a novice.
1. She really got into sculpting a few years ago, and now is quite good.
2. To rock climb, you need the right gear. You should also check your gear after using it to see if any of it is worn out.
3. I need some heavy duty earplugs; my husband snores like a rhinoceros.
4. Novice hunters are potentially dangerous; the experts are much safer.
