As a parent(1), I think a lot about my children's education(2). Is it good or bad? Is it varied, hands-on(3), relevant? The only way to really(4) find out, is to look at their text books, go to their schools, and talk to their teachers. And then, we have to remember that each person is unique; each has different preferences, ways of learning, and abilities. Some people are comfortable with academics, and others are not(5). Some students are good at taking exams, and others prefer to demonstrate their knowledge in other ways. Recently, my son Robert has been at home with a bad cough. He has been bugging me to buy him an electrical circuit. So, we shopped around until we found the perfect 'kit'(6). It has batteries, a light, a motor that spins, sound devices, and connecting wires. There is also a booklet(7) that gives instructions and warnings, pictures, and general advice. So Robert has spent hours connecting, fiddling(8), and creating, and every minute that goes by he learns something. Play and imagination are great teachers. And learning doesn't necessarily happen on paper, or on a computer screen. When I asked Robert what was so good about his kit, he said, "It's the energy hook-ups(9), and seeing what you can do with them."
1. 'As a parent' this kind of phrase is used with different nouns/titles.
a. As a teacher, I try to understand how my students learn best.
b. As a policeman, he tries to be observant.
2. 'I think a lot about my children's education'. This is a good format for other sentences.
a. We think a lot about our father's health.
b. They think a lot about their safety because they live in Hurricane Valley.
c. He thinks a lot about buying land in the future.
3. 'Hands-on' refers to activities that involve touch and manipulation.
a. The new children's museum in Spokane is hands-on; the kids can really touch, feel, and play with the displays.
b. Babies and toddlers learn most of their lessons in a hands-on way.
4. 'The only way to really +verb..., is to ...' another great format for a sentence.
a. The only way to really make money, is to work hard for a long time.
b. The only way to really make a point, is to speak intelligently.
c. The only way to really understand a culture, is to live in that country.
5. 'Some people are comfortable with academics, and others are not.' In this sentence, the adjective doesnot have to be repeated at the end.
a. Some people love chocolate, and others don't.
b. Some laws are fair, and others aren't.
c. Some people work eight hours a day, and others don't.
6. A 'kit' is usually a set of objects that all fit together or work together for a common purpose. Like Robert's kit, all the parts in the box can be used to build different electrical circuits.
a. I bought a kit to build a bird house for the garden. It had wood, nails, glue, and paint.
b. My husband always has a tire repair kit with him when he goes biking.
7. A 'booklet' is a small, soft book, similar to a pamphlet but bigger. We usually receive booklets with new appliances for instruction.
a. The booklet that came with my new vacuum cleaner is not clear.
b. You need to read the instructions that came in the booklet so you know how to put the drawers together.
8. 'Fiddling' comes from the verb 'to fiddle' which means 'to manipulate with your hands', 'to mess about', and 'to experiment physically with something'. Kids are good 'fiddlers'.
a. Someone has been fiddling with my alarm clock, and now it doesn't work.
b. I wish you wouldn't fiddle with my make-up; it's all untidy now.
9. A 'hook-up' is often used generally for a connection of some kind, especially electrical or metallic.
a. Where is the hook-up to the power supply?
b. We need the correct hook-up to connect the boat to the truck.
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Hello Mrs Fontaine.
Oh, hello Liz. Welcome back to Fontaine's Travel Agency, and this time as an employee.
Thanks, I'm excited to start.
Well, we're glad to have you.
What would you like me to do first?
I think if you sit at Angie's desk, she'll tell you what to do. Just watch her use the computer system, and maybe you can help her with paper work.
That sounds like a good plan.
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Sales of low-priced(1) homes here continue to feed(2) a housing market that has buyers eager(3), sellers satisfied and some real estate agents scrambling(4) to keep up the pace."Put an entry-level home on the market and - wham! It’s gone in no time," said a broker in Wenatchee. "They go almost as fast as we can list them. Sure, we’d like to see prices rising and more sales of higher-end(5) homes, but these low-end sales can be a good thing— sell a lot of entry-level homes now and, down the road, you’ll likely have a lot of second-home buyers."
Looser credit and some of the lowest interest rates in recent history(6), this week at 3.875 percent, have juiced(7) sales and spurred activity across the market, regardless(8) of price. "We’re seeing more interest, more showings in the $400,000 range than we’ve seen in years.“ It’s welcome activity. "Buyers are also wiser in their preparations to buy a home," said Paine, another broker. "They come to the table with cleaner credit, higher incomes and better documentation —They’ve got their ducks in a row and are ready to purchase."
1. 'Low-priced homes' is the opposite of 'high-priced homes'. 'Low' and 'High' can be added to other nouns as well.
a. Low-priced land is selling quickly in our area.
b. High-priced furniture is finally on sale.
2. 'To feed a housing market'. When it comes to markets, we say that they are 'fed' by sales or demand. 'To feed' is used figuratively in many situations.
a. What you say will only feed the fire of his anger.
b. Play feeds the imagination of children and adults.
3. 'Eager' is the same as 'keen' or 'very willing to'.
a. They're eager to find jobs and a home in their new town.
b. I'm eager to meet my new boss.
4. 'To scramble' means several things. We scramble eggs (beat them and add milk). It can also mean to hurry, or to run with both hands and feet on the ground, usually up hill, in an uncontrolled fashion.
a. The cat scrambled up the tree to get away from the dog.
b. I was late! I scrambled to get all of my things, and then I ran to catch the bus.
5. 'Higher-end' is similar to 'high-cost'. It is usually to describe property.
a. The higher-end houses are around the golf course.
b. The company party is always at a higher-end restaurant (high-end).
6. 'In recent history' the word 'recent' can be put in front of other nouns, such as 'years', 'months', 'governments' etc.
a. In recent weeks, demonstrations have increased.
b. In recent years, there has been less rainfall.
7. 'Interest rates have juiced sales' the word 'juiced' here is American terminology. It is the same as saying 'encouraged' or 'fed'.
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So, tell me about your job hunting.
Well, I needed something part-time. So, I tried several places.
And what did you end up with?
Believe it or not, I'm going to work on Saturdays in a travel agency.
Wow, that's interesting. You'll probably learn a lot.
Yes. I've done waitressing before, so I think this should make a nice change. Plus it leaves my week days free for studying.
Congratulations!
Thanks.
How was your night out?
Great, thanks. We went to dinner and then went to a club called 'Shapiro's'. We danced for hours.
You look tired.
I am. It was really loud, but we had a great time. What have you been up to?
I've been looking for a part-time job.
Really? Had any luck?
Yes, I'll tell you about it after class.
Those of you who have followed my podcast for a few years will know that I'm obsessed with gardening. Trees, bushes, flowers, vegetables, seeds, and even soil get me all excited. After a long, dull winter, it's time to spring into(1) life. People have been telling me, "Anna, it's too early to dig; the ground is still too cold," "you can't transplant anything now," "you have to wait to put (2)seeds in the ground." But, I've been doing all of that. I don't always 'go by the book'(3), sometimes feelings and instinct can be more accurate. Anyway, about one month ago, I got out the chainsaw. You know, a woman can have a wonderful time with a chainsaw. Using a chainsaw is usually the domain of men, like war, and boxing. However, as I told my husband, "It's not rocket science(4), you know." It really is quite simple, if you're careful. I cut down a large area of 30 year old bushes, then dug up(5) the huge roots. I've transplanted blueberry bushes there, and planted a lot of bulbs. My plan is to have a mass of flowers. Also, I've started flower seeds in containers on my kitchen window. They have all sprouted(6), and look like happy, little faces, all in a row. When they are bigger, I'll put them in this newly planted area and show you photos of all the pretty and colorful growth.
1. 'To spring into life' means to jump or leap into life. The verb can be used by itself to imply enthusiasm.
a. I had a good night's sleep, so when I woke up, I sprang out of bed.
b. The basketball players will spring into action when the game starts.
2. 'You have to wait to put...' this is a string of three verbs, as you can see. The sentence could have been written as 'You have to wait before putting...'. We often use the phrase 'to wait to + verb'.
a. You need to wait to go outside; it's still raining.
b. They'll have to wait to order their meal; the restaurant is very busy.
3. 'To go by the book' is a set phrase that means to follow the normal pattern of behavior, or what is generally recommended or taught.
a. The strategies for taking exams that we learn are helpful. It's best to go by the book to get a good result.
b. The artist doesn't go by the book when he uses color.
4. 'It's not rocket science' is also a set phrase that means 'It's not very difficult'.
a. I can build a shed; it's not rocket science.
b. Of course you can make dinner; it's not rocket science.
5. 'To dig up' the preposition 'up' implies that you're not just digging a hole, but you are removing, 'pulling up', 'lifting up' something from the ground. If you were digging a hole without removing anything, we would just use 'to dig'.
a. We must dig up the rocks before we can plant the trees.
b. I accidentally dug up a water pipe!
6. 'To sprout' is similar to 'to spring' but it refers to a plant emerging from a seed. It can be used figuratively.
a. The onions have sprouted.
b. Those children have really sprouted; they're getting big!
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What did you find out about retakes?
Oh, we can retake small tests, but not end of term finals.
That makes sense.
Thankfully, I did ok on the last test, so I won't need to.
Yes, my result wasn't too bad; I got 85%.
Good job! I got 80%.
Are you going to the library later?
No, I'm going to a club with friends; I need a break!
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What do you do when you have time to kill? It's a bit of a violent phrase, isn't it? It really means to use up spare time, or extra time. That is just(1) what I was doing this weekend, while I was waiting for my son's basketball game to start. We had a break of three and a half hours in between(2) games which is a long time. My thoughts were(3): lunch, a walk, Facebook, and maybe a podcast. And surprisingly enough(4), I got all of those things done. Robert and I went down to the lake for a walk, and watched the ducks and geese land on and take off from the water. It was there that I found the fox statue. Later in the gym I searched the web for info(5) on the statue. Well, that wasn't so easy. You know how web searches go(6); often they take you all around the world, and you end up with unimaginable(7) results. I ended up reading about a famous German sculptor called Julian Voss-Andreae who does sculptures about physics. One of his sculptures called 'Quantum Man' is here in Moses Lake, of all places(8). I looked through the list of his works and was amazed at his uniqueness(9). So, I'm glad I had time to kill because it led me to a lake, which led me to a fox, which led me to a very unusual German sculptor.
1. 'That is just what I was doing'. 'Just' here means 'exactly'. It can also mean 'only' or 'almost'. Let's see examples of it used as 'exactly'.
a. It's funny what you said. It's just what I was thinking!
b. They look just the same.
2. 'In between' can often be replaced with just 'between'. Both are correct.
a. You've got food in between your teeth. You've got food between your teeth.
b. I parked in between the bus and the truck. I parked between the bus and the truck.
3. 'My thoughts were...' is a short way of saying 'what I was thinking was....'/'what I was planning was'/ 'my thoughts about the matter were../. The use of 'thoughts' to express plans and ideas can be used with any person and in any tense.
a. The company needs to invest. What are your thoughts?
b. They were thinking: eat, play basketball, sleep. Those were their plans.
4. 'Surprisingly enough' in this phrase you can miss out 'enough'. The meaning of 'enough' is quite vague, and not always necessary. It's meaning when following an adverb is 'quite' or 'somewhat'.
a. Interestingly enough, he works nights and studies during the day.
c. Oddly enough, she works and he stays at home.
5. 'Info' is often substituted for 'information'.
6. Adding 'you know' at the beginning of a sentence is good practice, and there are many examples of this usage.
a. You know how much work it is.
b. You know when they're coming, don't you?
c. You know the teacher won't allow that.
d. You know what he's like.
7. Un-imagin-able un-imagin-able un-imagin-able un-imagin-able
8. 'Of all places' means 'it is really unlikely to be here'/'this place even though it is unexpected'. 'Of all' can be put in front of other nouns to show a similar 'surprise'/'disappointment'/'sense of irony'.
a. Of all people, I bump into my ex-husband in the middle of Tokiyo!
b. Of all places, we had to have a flat tire here (e.g in the middle of the desert).
c. Of all things, you had to lose your passport!
9. 'Uniqueness' is the state of being unique.
Join me on my FACEBOOK page at Anna Fromacupofenglish; you're all welcome. Remember, basic pronunciation practices are on Monday's and Wednesday's.
That test was really hard. How do you think you did?
Alright, I suppose. I'm glad I studied all of the notes that the teacher gave us.
Yes, me too.
When do we get the results?
Next Monday, I think.
Can we retake it?
I'm not sure. You'll have to ask the teacher. I know she let's us retake some of them. Let me know what she says.
Sure, I will.
Technology being(1) developed at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory could put(2) explosive-sniffing(3) dogs out of business. Just like dogs, the technology can 'sniff' the air to detect vapors from explosives. Unlike dogs, it doesn't need to be fed, exercised, rested, and given breaks(4). It also shows promise(5) to accurately detect minute(6) amounts of explosives. It takes in a sample of air from around an object and examines that air. An explosive called RDX does not easily vaporize, and so it is difficult for dogs to detect it. However, this new technology can detect vapors of RDX from a fingerprint when there are less than 25 parts per quadrillion. "This technology is more sensitive than anything out there(7) now," said a senior research scientist. The technology could be used to screen(8) passengers or luggage at airports or large containers at ports.
1. 'Technology being developed' is a shorter than 'technology that is being developed'. Both are accurate and work in the sentence. There are many other occasions when you can miss out the pronoun 'that' and the verb in the first half of the sentence, and simply use the second verb in the gerund form.
a. The teacher helping students every day can make a difference.
b. Clouds gathering show the promise of rain.
c. Flowers appearing show us that Spring is around the corner.
2. 'To put someone out of business'. We use the verb 'put' here when referring to a business or a person who is being forced to stop work, usually because of competition.
a. The bigger shops have put the smaller shops out of business.
b. High prices put the shop out of business.
3. 'Sniffing' comes from the verb 'to sniff'. I love this verb; it is onomatopeoic, which is a fancy way of saying that it sounds like its meaning.
a. "I have lost my last penny," sniffed the sad old lady.
b. The dog sniffed the air; someone was cooking bacon.
4. 'It doesn't need to be fed, exercised, rested, and given breaks.' This sentence shows how adjectives, or past participle verbs can be used in a list.
a. The car was washed, dried, waxed, and driven to my house.
b. The document was signed and delivered to the office.
5. 'To show promise' means that the subject gives signs of usefulness, hope, health, or some kind of positive capability.
a. He shows promise of becoming a great chef.
b. She always showed promise of singing success.
6. 'Minute' is spelled the same as 'minute'. The first means 'tiny'.
a. The shells are minute; you can hardly see them.
b. There was just a minute amount of bacteria left.
7. 'Anything out there' means 'anything available/ that can be found/on the market'.
a. This is the most powerful motorbike out there.
b. I don't think you'll find a cheaper computer out there.
8. 'To screen' is 'to examine for substances'.
a. All the passengers in the airport were screened before boarding the plane.
b. Screening luggage keeps us all safe.
That was a really good lecture.
Yes, it was. That professor keeps it interesting.
Well, I have a lot to study for the next test.
Me too.
Do you need a study partner?
That would be nice.
Okay, let's go to the library.
Join me on my FACEBOOK page at Anna Fromacupofenglish; you're all welcome. If you have questions or comments, email me at acupofenglish@hotmail.com. And remember that my app is available in iTunes called A Cup Of English.
Xylitol is a wood sugar that I've been using for a few years. It has many benefits. A dentist friend(1) told me that because its molecular structure(2) is different to normal sugar, plaque bacteria cannot absorb it; they try to, but they can't. Because of this, the plaque dies, and our teeth stay healthier. It might sound strange if you're unfamiliar with it. I'm impressed with it, and so I thought I would share(3) it's description as it is written on the packet that I buy.
Xyla has 40% fewer calories than processed sugar, and 75% less carbohydrate(4). Xyla is a natural sweetener derived(5) from 100% North American hardwood. With many benefits, it is a popular sweetener widely(6) used in Europe, Scandinavia, and many other countries for its similarity to sugar in taste and texture. It is a low-glycemic sugar, and is safe for diabetics or anyone seeking a healthier lifestyle. It is perfect for coffee, tea, and cereal. It doesn't promote(7) cavities, and it leaves no after taste, and dissolves quickly.
1. 'A dentist friend' this is a quick way of mentioning the occupation of a friend; you simply put the job title next to the word 'friend'.
a. An electrician friend of mine told me that our garage is electrically unsafe.
b. A plastic surgeon friend of mine told me that he can change my nose.
2. 'Molecular structure' is a great thing to say to impress people, so let's practice the pronunciation:
mol-ec-ular struc-ture mol-ec-ular struc-ture mol-ec-ular struc-ture
3. 'To share' here has a second, less common meaning. Normally it means 'to give what you have', 'to pass out to people'. It can also mean 'to tell' or 'to open up(in conversation)'.
a. He shared with me that he's having a lot of trouble at work.
b. She shared some difficult secrets with me.
4. 'Carbohydrates' is often shortened to 'carbs'.
a. They're eating a low-carb diet.
b. These growing kids need more carbs.
5. 'Derived' means 'to come from', 'taken from', 'produced from'.
6. 'Widely used', are two words that go together. When talking about a large usage, such as state-wide, nationally, or globally, we use the word 'widely' with 'used'.
a. Safety belts are widely used in Washington, but less so in Idaho.
b. Organic produce is widely used in Europe.
7. 'Promote' means to 'spread', 'accelerate', 'encourage'. In this podcast it means 'to cause'.
a. Schools are promoting the consumption of vegetables.
b. His words will promote a disturbance.
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After you (holding the door)
Thank you, that's very kind.
Are you new to the class?
Yes, I'm starting late because I've just moved here.
Well, I'm sure you'll fit right in. It's a great class.
I hope so. So far, so good.
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