I have been in and out of the sporting goods store recently, as my children are all involved in sports. I had to get some soccer shoes for my daughter, and some shin pads(1), so we made another visit to the place. I don't particularly like to shop; I have to do it more than I would like to(2). My daughter, however, adores shopping. It's always a problem taking her to any clothes shop, as she sees many things that she loves and wants to have. I usually move around the shop as fast as I can, buy what I need, and leave, before she can fall in love with trousers, t-shirts, shoes, and hats. "What's the rush, mum?" she'll ask me. "I just have a lot to do at home, darling," will be my reply, as I drag(3) her out of the shop. When we went to get her shoes, though, I took my time, gazing(4) at the latest Nike soccer shoes. They were so attractive and impressive. Bright colors are in fashion now, on the soccer field, so I had to photograph a row of beautiful Nike shoes. The company has a knack for design; they've been in business since the '60's, and have grown to become a Fortune 500 company. Most highschoolers here in Wenatchee wear Nike everything to school; it gets expensive for the parents, but it's great for the shops that sell the clothes. Professional basketball, advertising, and music videos totally influence teenagers to buy Nike; it's a huge business. I must admit, that the clothes are good quality, and last quite a while. My oldest son, thankfully, is beginning to experiment with other clothes, less well-known brands, and is enjoying being more of an individual in the way he dresses. Thankfully that stage is over, but I can understand why teenagers find it hard to give up their Nike addiction.
1. 'Shin pads' are pads that protect the front part of your leg, in between your ankle and your knee. Your shin is a thin bone that can easily get kicked in soccer.
a. He had bruises all over his shin after the soccer match.
b. My shins really hurt; I think I've been running too hard.
2. 'I have to do it more than I would like to'. This sentence is in the grammar notes because of its ending. It is actually short for 'I have to do it more than I would like to do it.' We do not want to sound repetitive, so we miss off the 'do it'. It is also common to miss off the final 'to' of the verb.
a. I have to work more than I would like (to).
b. She has to clean more than she would like (to).
c. They have to study more than they would like (to).
3. 'To drag' is a verb that is similar to 'to pull' in meaning. However, it implies that the object being pulled is on the floor, and it is either heavy or unwilling to be pulled.
a. I had to drag the heavy bag of tools to the garage.
b. I had to drag the dog away from the neighbor's cat.
4. 'To gaze' is similar to 'to stare'. You gaze at something when it is beautiful or fascinating; it isn't a quick look. It's as if you cannot stop looking at it.
a. We gazed at the sculpture for at least 20 minutes.
b. The children gazed at the fireworks with their mouths open.
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As I was cleaning the kitchen sink yesterday, I saw something move outside. There is a red leaved tree right outside the kitchen window, so the movement could have been one of the leaves. I looked carefully, and through the shadows, the lines of lights, and the leaves that were rising and falling(1), I saw a bird. It was hopping about on a branch, and looking at me. In its mouth was a white feather, which contrasted with its own dark brown color. "It's nesting," I thought to myself. All of the birds in my back garden are doing the same thing. They are busy, and noisy, and aggressive at the moment; they have a very important job to do, and a short time in which to do it. The eggs will be coming soon, and then the chicks, so their home has to be ready, and just right. Last year, I noticed another bird building a nest in the bird house that is also just outside of the kitchen. It was trying to get into the bird house, through the small, round hole. However, in its mouth were some long pieces of dry grass. It tried and tried, but didn't realize that it had to turn its head sideways(2) in order to get in. It finally just forced its way in, bending the grass. Most birds build new nests each year. However, eagles will often reuse a nest for many years. Incredibly, there are some birds, like the cuckoo, don't rear their own young(3). They steal an egg from another bird's nest, quickly lay an egg there, and leave. The other bird raises the chick, thinking that it is one of its family. There is a lot more going on in the bird world than we realize.
1. 'Rising and falling' describes the movement of the leaves in the wind; it is an up and down movement. We talk about leaves falling in the autumn, which means that they fall to the ground. However, rising and falling is a phrase in which both verbs go together.
a. I saw the balloon rise and fall as the wind took it into the sky.
b. His chest was rising and falling while he slept.
2. 'Sideways' is a perspective, movement, or position that is not straight on; it is when the sides face forward.
a. It's so funny to watch the crabs walk sideways.
b. He looked at my sideways, out of the corner of his eye, without turning his head.
3.'To rear their young.' Here we have the verb 'to rear' which we use when talking about animals raising their children. 'Their young' is the noun that describes the babies, as we do not use the word 'children' with animals.
a. Polar bears rear their young until they are fully independent.
b. Some birds rear their young only until they learn to fly, and then they leave them.
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1. Peter: Hi Liz, hey great jacket.
2. Liz: Thanks Peter. It's new. What do you think? Does it suit me?
3. Peter: Yes, its the perfect color for you.
4. Liz: I decided that it's time for a new coat. My other clothes are for the winter, and I end up getting too hot, now that it is spring.
5. Peter: I know what you mean. The weather changes a lot; sometimes the wind is quite cold, and then the next thing you know, it's sunny.
6. Liz: Exactly. That's why I bought this jacket. It's a wind blocker, and it's light. I can have more layers of clothing underneath.
Peter: I didn't know you were so fashionable, Liz!
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On Saturday, I scrambled(1) to buy as much chocolate as I could. It had to be really good chocolate, Swiss. I had a project in mind(2), and I only had a few hours to finish it. I had decided to make an English style chocolate Easter egg for my children. Traditionally, in England, that is the gift that we give on Easter Sunday. The egg represents new life, and new hope; it's one of the main symbols of Easter. And you wouldn't believe the sizes of some of the chocolate eggs that you can find in the shops in the U.K. Over here, a very different tradition takes place. People boil eggs, and then color them. They will then hide them all over the garden, or in a park, and children have to find them. The Easter bunny is also a well-loved(3) Easter character, but really a commercial one. It has taken me a very long time to get used to boiled eggs instead of chocolate ones. Honestly, I still haven't got used to that. So, I set about(4) making the Easter egg. I unwrapped several bars of chocolate and a couple of bags of wrapped chocolate pieces. I put them all in a bowl, melted them over hot water, and then coated the inside of a plastic mold(5). I did this four times, each time putting(6) the egg in the fridge to make the chocolate hard. Everything went well, until I had to remove the chocolate egg from the plastic. I had to bang, and squeeze, tap and shake it. The bottom piece actually broke into several pieces; however, the large top part of the egg came out in one piece. I was so happy. Instead of an egg, it was more like a dome, but at least it had worked. The kids loved it. I aim to improve the technique, so next year I can make excellent Easter eggs. They're a sweet way to celebrate new life.
1. 'To scramble' has a few meanings. We scramble eggs when we beat them. A radio message can be 'scrambled' if it is mixed up. And finally, to scramble to do something means to rush or hurry.
a. We scrambled to pack our bags and get to the airport on time.
b. We scrambled to clean the house before the guests arrived.
2. 'To have something in mind' is to have a plan or an idea. Once the idea is expressed, the speaker can say ,"I have ....." in mind (to add further detail) or a listener can ask 'What do you have in mind?' to get further details.
a. I'd like to buy a book. I have a horror story in mind.
b. I plan on going on vacation.
Oh really, where?
I have somewhere exotic in mind.
3. 'Well-loved'
a. Their pets are well-loved.
b. Those kids are well-loved by their grandparents.
4. 'To set about doing something' is to get on with, or to start doing a project. 'To set about' indicates that the project has several steps, needs equipment, ingredients, or stages, whereas 'to start' is very simple and can be used for 'one step' projects, like writing an essay.
a. I set about organizing all of my packets of seeds for my vegetable garden.
b. We set about painting the house; there was a lot to prepare.
5. 'Mold' is a growth of fungus, but it can also be a shape or frame that is used to create other similar shapes from different substances. Note that in England, both words are spelled 'mould'.
a. The plastic mold that I used for the Easter egg was too hard.
b. There is mold growing on the bread; throw it away.
6. 'I did this four times, each time putting the egg in the fridge.' The second part of this sentence (with the gerund) is a quick and fluid way of adding detail to a sentence. I could have said, 'I did this four times, and each time I put the egg in the fridge' which is correct, of course. But the first sentence flows better.
a. She vacuumed every room, each time making sure she got the corners really well.
b. He sent the invitations, writing each one by hand.
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There is a bird in my back garden that has a special meaning for me. Here they call it a dove; in England its name is a wood pigeon. It isn't spectacular to look at, in fact it's quite difficult to see because it is mainly grey. Its looks vary from country to country. Here it is totally light grey, whereas in England, it has a blue-green head, and some pink on its belly. Both, however, make a haunting(1) sound that takes me back to my childhood. As I grew up in a small, rural town, surrounded by farms and woods, I heard the call of the wood pigeon most of the year. I used to climb trees a lot, and sit and daydream(2) in them, so I became familiar with the sounds of all the different birds. The wood pigeon sounds like an owl; it hoots or coos(3) five times in a row. The sound is soothing(4). Now that I live in the country, after spending years in cities, I have found wood pigeons again, and it feels like I'm back, as a little girl, sitting in my tree daydreaming. They are a strong bird that eats a variety of things: young shoots(5), seedlings, pine nuts, worms and ants. They actually produce a thick milk, so their babies get fat quickly. They pair(6) for life, and each year both the mother and father sit on the eggs to keep them warm. The wood pigeons that live in cold, northern areas migrate, whereas those in warmer countries don't need to. I have two pairs in my garden who disappear in the winter, but return in early spring. They are always welcome here, my garden companions.
1. 'Haunting' comes from the verb 'to haunt'. Though the verb is related to ghosts, and their scary presence, the word haunting is used quite poetically and beautifully. A piece of music, a memory, or a sound can all be haunting. They leave a strong impression, an echo of some kind, often deep and emotional.
a. His words still haunt me.
b. Some of Mozart's music is haunting; I keep thinking about it.
2. 'To daydream' is simply to dream during the day.
a. Children need time to daydream; it's good to let their imaginations be free.
b. Sorry! I wasn't listening; I was daydreaming!
3. 'Hoot and coo'. Both are sounds. An owl hoots, other birds coo. Both sounds have the long 'oooo' in them. 'Coo' is often used to describe the noise that a happy, young baby makes when it is making an 'oo' sound.
a. I couldn't sleep. There was an owl on my roof hooting all night.
b. I love baby noises, especially the cooing.
4. 'Soothing' comes from the verb to soothe. It means to give relief, to ease pain or discomfort. It can be figurative as well.
a. The cold water on my hot forehead was very soothing.
b. After a stressful day, violin music can be very soothing.
5. 'Young shoots' refers to very new plants that are just emerging from the ground. Animals and birds like to eat these because they are sweet.
a. I will keep the pea shoots covered otherwise the birds will eat them.
b. I can tell its Spring; there are shoots all over the garden.
6. 'To pair' means to join together as a couple.
a. Pair (up) with a partner to practice the conversation.
b. Those monkeys pair for life; they stay with the same partner.
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Today, as I drove my oldest son to High School, we got stuck in traffic. The road where we were stuck isn't usually a busy one. It is a windy road that goes through a residential area. The people in the traffic jam were not adults going to work; they were highschoolers. Here in the U.S, most students who are 16 years old or older have cars. Often they work after school to pay for the gas and insurance, and perhaps also to make the monthly car payment(1). They spend a lot of time working, so they can afford to have a car. Of course, it's not necessary when there are buses; however, it's an expectation. As I sat in the traffic jam, I thought about how wasteful the situation is. If only half of the students had cars, a lot of people would save money and time. Two people could travel to school in each car, instead of just one per car. There could be a car pooling(2) system, so a car owner could receive a little money for giving other students a lift. That would help him to pay for the gas, and he might not need(3) to work after school, but focus on his homework instead. The first time that I heard about car pooling was years ago. My mother-in-law was driving me somewhere, and we drove past a sign that said 'Park and Pool'. "Oh," I said. "I didn't know that there was a park and a swimming pool there." My mother-in-law laughed loudly and said, "No Anna, that's where you park your car and then car pool to your next destination." I had never heard of car pooling. Soon, after that, I found myself carpooling with about 10 other people. We would park our cars in that parking lot, and then get on a van to go to Central Washington University. It was a very economical way to get there and back, much better than each person taking his or her own car. Car ownership(4) in this country is a huge part of the culture, an expectation. I think, though, that life would be much easier if more people car pooled.
1. 'The monthly car payment' is the payment made to the bank every month for ownership of a car.
a. Our monthly car payment is about $300 dollars.
b. They couldn't make their monthly car payment, so they sold the car and bought a smaller one.
2. 'To car pool'. The word 'pool' is often used in English to mean 'share'. So car pooling is basically sharing a car. Here are some examples:
a. The lost mountaineers pooled their resources, and found that they had enough to survive.
b. They pooled their ideas and came up with a great solution.
c. How about the four of us car pool, instead of driving four cars?
3. 'He might not need to' is a very native sounding phrase that introduces hypothesis.
a. If you work more hours during the week, you might not need to work at the weekend.
b. If you car pooled, you might not need to get an extra job.
4. 'Ownership' is the noun, like owner, that means that you possess something. It is the state of owning something. Let's see the examples.
a. House ownership is something that most people want.
(You could also say, 'Everybody wants to be the owner of a house/ everybody wants to own a house).
b. The company is focusing on land ownership because, at the moment, land is a good price.
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