I love to learn, especially when what I'm learning is practical and meaningful. And, also, being from England, I love Indian food. Most people who are not from England think of English food as boring, or that we only eat fish and chips, or roast beef. Tut-tut. Oh, those stereotypes can be so wrong. For a very long time, our national dish in England has been curry, which, yes, is absolutely Indian. In fact, there are more than 10,000 Indian restaurants in England. We're crazy about the spicy, rich food. And if you know your history(1), you will know that the English-Indian connection comes from the days when India was a British colony. Well, a few weeks ago, when I was having dinner in the only Indian restaurant in Wenatchee, I saw a poster there advertising Indian cooking classes. I quickly signed up. So, yesterday, I and about fifteen other people turned up at the house of the restaurant owners. We were each given a booklet(2) of recipes. Deedee, the master chef, did all of the cooking while we stood around and took notes. Her house filled with the smells of garlic, ginger, coriander, and masala. One by one(3), we had samples of each dish. The four hour class went by fast, and I drove home imagining myself producing these dishes for my family. The first thing that I'm going to make for them will be chicken curry, with cream and coconut milk. I can already smell it!
1. 'If you know your history'. This is an interesting phrase because of the word 'your'. The phrase doesn't mean 'your own' history at all. What it means is 'the history that you should have learned', or 'the history that you should remember.'
a. If you know your history, you'll remember that the West of the United States was settled only about 150 years ago.
2. 'A booklet' is a small, paper book that is usually only a few pages long. The suffix 'let' indicates that it is small.
a. My new vacuum cleaner came with a booklet of instructions.
b. The local council produced a booklet about the statues in the local parks.
3. 'One by one' is like saying 'one at a time', but its use is more 'storybookish'. 'One at a time' is also used as a command, when you're telling people to take turns.
a. One by one the children stepped into the dark, abandoned building.
b. We let the balloons go, and one by one they floated up into the sky, their colors shining brightly against the blue.
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I'm sure that many of you who are listening to this podcast have been to Trafalgar Square. It is one of the most famous places in downtown London. In fact, if you visit London, you will find that all the major landmarks(1) are concentrated in the central area of the city. When I went there this summer with my children, we caught the bus every day to Trafalgar Square. The bus terminated(2) there which was perfect for us. So, the first day that we were there, we got off the bus and proceded to sightsee. My children were quite impressed when they looked around: the statues, the fountains, the great circle of architecture around the square, and of course, the lions. Everybody climbs on the lions to have their photo taken; it's a tradition. Another great thing about the square is the street entertainment. There is always someone doing something, either dancing, singing, playing a musical instrument, or doing something extraordinary(3). On this particular day, we found a man dressed in a silver suit, being extraordinary. He was sitting up in the air on what looked like nothing. He was suspended above the ground with nothing but a walking stick touching the floor. Was he magic? Or was his floating just a clever trick? My youngest children were fascinated. With smiles on their faces, they gave him some money and said, "How do you do that?" Of course the mysterious silver man couldn't talk; that would have destroyed the mystery. He simply lifted his hat as if to say "Hello, and thank you" and continued looking shiny and magical. I wonder how long he sat like that. And I also wonder if anyone saw him get down from his invisible chair.
1. 'Landmark' is a building or structure that is historically or culturally important.
a. Stone Henge is one of the oldest and most famous landmarks in England.
b. Look! There's some kind of landmark. Let's head in that direction.
2. 'Terminated/ to terminate' simply means 'to finish' but it sounds more official or not so every-day.
a. My contract was terminated suddenly.
b. This train terminates in New York at 7pm.
3. 'Extraordinary' is a wonderful word for 'out of the ordinary', 'amazing' or 'odd'. Notice that we don't pronounce the 'a'.
a. His photographic memory is extraordinary.
b. What an extraordinary creature! It is so strange that it's actually a bit scary.
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