MY ENGLISH CHANNEL

Justin Beiber on Ellen De Generes

2011-11-12T06:52:00.000-08:00

Posted by:
MaisieVMiddleton on www.youtube.com

Listen to the conversation and answer the questions
on your activity sheet.

Selena Gomez ~ The Ellen DeGeneres Show

2011-11-12T06:33:00.000-08:00

Posted by:
BeautifullyD1sturbed

Grammar: sound/look/feel smell/taste

2011-09-04T05:06:00.000-07:00

Example:
I love your perfume. It smells like roses.
The margarine is very good. It tastes like butter.

1.She has a good voice. She ____ a professional singer.
2.He said something stupid. Now, she feels like an idiot.
3.That man is very tall. He ____ a basketball player.
4.I like the way he talks. He ___ like an actor.
5. It’s very cold outside. It ___ like winter.
6. This soup is very delicious. It ______ homemade soup.
7. We’ve heard a lot about your sister. She ___ a nice person.
8. I like this shampoo. It ____ lemons.
9. This bed is really hard. It ___ a rock.
10. Barbie is very pretty. She ___ like a movie star.
11. With her good voice, she ______ Mariah Carey.
12. Have you just taken the shower? You ______ soap.
13. This is the best hamburger I have eaten. It ___ like steak.
14. Your car is very comfortable. It ____
a BMW.

Drill: Question and Answer
1.Who do you look like in the family?
2.What does your favorite actor look like?
3.What do you think it feels like to be the president of the United States?
4.How do you feel if someone gives you a compliment?
5.What does your mother’s cooking tastes like?
6.Name something that you think smells good.

Grammar: Past Perfect Tense

2011-09-04T04:59:00.000-07:00

Past Perfect Tense
Pattern:
I/we/they/you
he/she had + past participle

Example: She had seen the concert.
Examples:

1. I didn’t know who she was. I had never seen her before.
2. We weren’t hungry. We’d just had lunch.
3. The house was dirty. They hadn’t cleaned cleaned it for weeks.

Drill: Continue the phrase

1. When I got home yesterday _______
2. When I finished doing my homework my friends __________
3. My mom told me to buy something in the supermarket but _______
4. When I arrived in the Cinema, ______________.

Organize the sentences below.
Example:
1. a. somebody broke into the office during the night.
b. We arrived at work in the morning.
c. We called the police
Answer:
We arrived at work in the morning and
found that somebody had broken into
the office during the night. So we called the police.

2. 2. a. Ann went out
b. I tried to phone her this morning.
c. There was no answer

3. a. Jim came back from vacation a few
days ago.
b. I met him the same day.
C. He looked relaxed

Source: Grammar In Use Intermediate

Seoul "World's Most Wired City"

2010-07-08T23:19:00.000-07:00

Listen and prepare to summarize and give your opinion on the news article below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvM1fxhjWw0

Talk to you later

Nerisse

CNN on racist Cartoon: New York Post ; Obama - Monkey (2/18/2009)

2009-03-02T16:01:00.000-08:00

Let's discuss

How did the editor defend the editorial cartoon in New York post?

this is posted by OBUaction on youtube.com

Proof Israel Started This War January 2009 CNN UN Reports Hamas Rockets False Flags

2009-01-27T20:40:00.000-08:00

This is posted by 10FoylHat on www.youtube.com (thanks for posting it)
Who really started it? Gather some information from the people on this interview.

CNN student News by fancyenglish

2009-01-27T20:37:00.000-08:00

Summarize the content of this news.

Article on Lifestyle

2009-01-27T19:08:00.000-08:00

From the book, express yourself 1

People have different attitudes toward living. Some seek self oriented happiness without any consideration for others. But most of these people turn out to be disappointed in their pursuit of happiness since man's desire is endless,nothing can fully satisfy their needs.

Other people believe that the first steps of attaining happiness is to restrict personal desire. Priest, monks and nuns are the most common representatives of this group. By refraining from wordly passion, they think they are happy because they live their lives in accordance with religious commands. But can anyone without personal autonomy be genuinely happy?

A third group consists of very ordinary people. They have no great wealth or political authority. While they may have religious beliefs, they do not turn their back on the world. But they treasure their families, they value the little things of everyday life. They are happy if they have three meals a day, a car, a home, a vacation, enough money to educate their children.

Which group of people are the happiest? Who knows? If you think you are happy then you are. Happiness is the result of how you think about the world and your place in it.

Questions

1. How do you define happiness?
2. What do you think about becoming a nun, a priest or a monk?
3. How do you spend your free time? Do you prefer spending it alone or with friends?
4. Do you think the quality of life is improving or getting worse?
5. Have you ever done volunteer works?
6. How do you relieve your stress?
7. Do you think you are happy?Why or why not?

Expressions on Lifestyle

1. Some people treat life as a slot machine- putting in as little as possible while hoping for the jackpot.

2. The tragedy of life is what dies inside a man when he lives.

3. People who are afraid of death are usually afraid of life.

4. Death is not a period but a comma in the story of life.

5. The world is full of people making a good living but poor lives.

This article is taken from the book "Express Yourself 1- Duane Vorhess 2005

Family Values ( Article to Check Reading Comprehension)

2009-01-19T06:01:00.000-08:00

Family Values (Richard R.Day and Junko Yamanaka)
Book;Impact Issues

I was in the kitchen helping my mother when I heard the crash. I knew at once what had happened. I turned and started to run toward room where the guests were, but my mother stopped me.
“Wait, she said. “Let’s return to our guests as if nothing has happened. Do not show how upset and angry you are.”
“But mother, how can you say that? You know what has happened. Our family vase has been broken. You heard the crash. This is terrible.”

My mother smiled at me and replied, “Yes, I know. The vase that has been in our family for over 200 years is broken. But we mustn’t let our guests know how priceless it is.”
With that, she picked up the tea, we returned to our guests. When we entered the room, I saw at once my worst fear was right- the priceless vase was in pieces on the floor. And standing next to the broken vase was the 4-year old son of Mrs. Kim.
Mrs. Kim had a horrified look on her face. The boy was starting to cry. He looked very guilty. “I…I.... well, somehow….,”Mrs. Kim began to explain. My mother quickly said, “That’s all right. It was an old vase. It was not valuable.
“But the vase just fell off the shelf,” Mrs. Kim replied. “Oh, don’t worry about it. Everything is just fine. Would you like some tea? And what about some of these sweets?”
After our guests had gone, I asked my mother. “Why did you say that the vase was worthless? You know that it was very valuable.”
“What else could I say?” My mother replied. “Could I say that it was valuable? That the boy had broken our family’s most precious treasure? Could I say that?”
“Well,” I said, “It’s the truth. We should always tell the truth.” “Not always,” explained my mother carefully. “Sometimes we must not tell the truth. Sometimes it’s best to hide our true feelings.”
“Is there no other way?”I asked.
“Believe me, I know there’s no other way.”

Pronounciation: The American L

2009-01-15T08:55:00.000-08:00

The American L
(By: Ann Cook- American Accent Training)

How to pronounce “L “
First the tip of the tongue must touch the roof of the mouth behind the teeth but then the back of the tongue must then drop down and tensed.
Practice;
1. Fill Full Fool Fail Fell Feel Fuel Furl
Silent Ls
1. would could should
2. chalk talk walk
3. calm palm psalm
4. already alright almond
5. although almost always
6. salmon alms Albany
7. folk caulk polka
Practice more;
Little Lola felt left out in life. She told herself that luck controlled her and she truly believed that only by loyalty following an exalted leader could she be delivered from her solitude. Unfortunately, she learned a little late that her life was her own to deal with. When she realized it, she was already eligible for Social Security and she had lent her lifelong earnings to a lowlife is Long Beach. She lay on her linoleum and slid along the floor in anguish. A little later, she leapt up and laughed. She no longer longed for a leader to tell her how to live her life. Little Lola was finally all well.

Some more;
Bull ball bowel bell bale bowl Beal bottle
Hall howl hell hail hole heel huddle
Pull pall Powel pell pail pole peel poodle
Wool wall well whale whole wheel wheedle
Full fall foul fell fail foal feel fetal

L sound

L and D
(Posted by eslspells)
http://eslspells.com

English Conversation Topic 1

2009-01-14T07:02:00.000-08:00

When was the last time you ...... (watched a movie)?

When was at the last time you....

1. went shopping
2. visited museum
3. went on a date
4. cried at a movie
5. went at a trip
6. fought with your parents
7. rode a bike
8. got sick
9. sent an email
10. read a book
11.got angry
12.took a trip

Possible answers;
Yesterday, Last week, Last year, Two weeks ago...

Life English #2

2009-01-13T10:57:00.000-08:00

Give an Advise using the following phrases;

1. If I were you, I would.....

2. Why don't you......

Use the following situation
Try!

1. I'm hungry.
2. The food tastes terrible.
3. My neighbor always plays loud music.
4. I always get stuck by the morning traffic jam.
5. I'm broke.
6. My friend's boyfriend is cheating on her.
7. I was offered a large sum of money by my company's biggest competitor.
8. I forgot my girlfriend's birthday.
9. I lost an important family heirloom.
10.I missed the last bus.

Listening Activity- I dream of Jenny

2009-01-12T10:43:00.000-08:00

Listen to their conversations and pick up some sentences and expressions that you can hear.
(thanks suzyq1984 for posting it)

Native Speeches-- Common American Expressions 1

2009-01-06T23:05:00.000-08:00

I just have to stop off ( to visit or stay at a place briefly when you are going somewhere else ) in the bathroom.

Shona : " Jeannie, may I use your bathroom ? "

Jeannie : Go ahead, but make it snappy, okay ? ( to tell someone that you want them to do something immediately and to do it quickly )

And could I have a long-sleeved jacket this time ? The short-sleeved ones are so babyish.

Sorry, I am terrible with names !

If it's any consolation, Mom yells the most at the students she thinks are the best.

Hugh MacKendrick is a real slave driver.

He's so cute that it's a shame he's not nicer.

... even though Hugh is obviously out of my league.( to be too good or too expensive for you ) The championship doesn't have to be ....

Oh, Shona. You are such a party pooper. ( someone who spoils other people's enjoyment by disapproving of or not taking part in a particular activity )

You could if you put your mind to it.

I saw them going into that pizza parlor on Austin Street. Are they dating ?

..... hoping she didn't sound too breathless.

I thought it might brighten up my practices.

Well, we're just starting out, so we foul up sometimes.

Don't you need a jacket or anything ? It's freezing out.

Hugh : And here you are spending your coffee break with another Highland dancer.

Shona : But that's by choice.

If you keep working on it hard, I think you have a real shot at it this year, ...

Thanks to; http://www.englishdaily626.com/cs.php

Reading Article: Communication

2009-01-05T07:20:00.000-08:00

Taken from the Book, Express Yourself by Duane Vorhess (2005) LESKorea

Today communication methods are becoming more diverse as technology advances. Everybody has a telephone at home plus a mobile phone and many people with some knowledge of computers can communicate with each other around the clock on global networks. These communication skills are becoming a part of our life.
However, the traditional forms of communication are still hard to replace and may even be gaining influence over people’s minds. For example, a letter makes people more pleased than just a phone call, even if there’s no difference in the message. The more the technology develops, the more the people seem to miss the personal touch.
Vocabulary: (words and phrases)
1. diverse
2. around the clock
3. global networks
4. hard to replace
5. influence
6. personal touch
Let’s talk:
1. Talk about the difference between making phone call and writing a letter.
2. What was the most impressive letter you ever received?
3. Talk about the courtesy in using mobile phones in public areas

Thoughts about communication;
Explain:
1. You’re totally middle age when the telephone rings and you hope it’s not yours.
2. Only an optimist thinks a woman in the telephone booth will be right out because he heard her say goodbye.
3. When a man answers the phone, he reaches for a pencil; when a woman answers the phone she reaches for a chair.

Opinion:
I know there are many merits in having a beeper or a mobile phone, and there are many inconveniences I have to suffer by not carrying it, but still resist wearing one. I would feel like I was wearing a dog collar if I had a mobile phone, and that someone was always watching me and I will have to carry a mobile phone sooner or later. But I do not want to be reduced to being a line in a switchboard.

Today's "Life English"..

2009-01-04T09:49:00.000-08:00

Taken from; http://www.focusenglish.com

Bernard is trying to get a hold of Herbert, but he forgets his phone number, so he asks Beatrice....

Bernard: Do you know what Herbert's phone number is?
Beatrice: Oh, Herbert's phone number? I don't have my address book on me....hmmm...I can't think of it right off hand. Bernard: That's too BAD! I've got to find him. It's urgent! If I can't find him today, I'll be dead! Beatrice: Well, why don't you call Michelle? She has his phone number.
Bernard: I've tried, but no one ANSWERED!
Beatrice: Oh, you are so dead!
2.Butch recently moved to California and has to take a written driving test in order to get a California driver's license. Although he has been driving for years, he still needs to brush up on the rules in case he has forgotten most of them.

Gerri: I heard you're going to take the written test to get your driver's license?
Butch: Yeah.
Gerri: You've been driving for years. There shouldn't be any problems.
Butch: But I still need to brush up on traffic rules a little bit.
Gerri: You'll be fine. Just use your common sense.
Butch: Yeah, but sometimes I sense things wrong. 3.Erica is planning the menu for the dinner party next week. All of a sudden, she remembers that she has forgotten to invite Linda....

Erica: I've sent out the invitations for the dinner party.
Manuel: That's good. Now what should we do?
Erica: We've got to plan the menu.
Manuel: Oh, that's right. Do you have anything in mind?
Erica: I think I'm going to make the chicken salad we had at Pompa last time. Remember I asked the chef for the recipe?
Manuel: Yeah, but did you forget that Linda doesn't eat chicken?
Erica: Linda? Oh, my Gosh! I forgot to invite her! She'll be mad at me. It just slipped my mind.
Manuel: Well, it's not too late yet. I'll make a phone call. Don't worry.
Erica: Thanks! I think I'm getting old!
Manuel: Looks like you ARE!

Thanks to; www.focusenglish.com

Chinese Women in Modern Society

2008-12-22T08:13:00.000-08:00

CNN Student News December 3, 2008

2008-12-17T06:02:00.000-08:00

Greece struggles to contain growing unrest - 9 Dec 08

2008-12-15T07:26:00.000-08:00

Listen and answer the following questions that follow;
1. Where did the riot occur?
2. Why were the police criticized?
3.How did the riot start?
4. What happened to the 15-year old boy?

CNN news in Greece, Athens 09 December 2008

2008-12-15T07:18:00.000-08:00

What's going on in GREECE?
Listen and React!

Obama's Speech in Chicago

2008-11-19T06:54:00.000-08:00

Listen carefully.

Amy Goodman on CNN Newsroom with Rick Sanchez

2008-11-19T01:35:00.000-08:00

What are these people discusing?
Watch and Discuss

Does Birth Order Affect Your Presidential Prospect?

2008-11-14T05:22:00.001-08:00

Watch and Comprehend
React:
Does birth order matter in choosing a leader?

Tainted Milk Scandal Leads to Chocolate Recall

2008-10-29T07:19:00.000-07:00

watch and explain.

CNN student new by fancyenglish

2008-10-23T07:18:00.000-07:00

Peter Schiff September 22 2008 CNN - Anderson Cooper

2008-10-14T06:23:00.000-07:00

Summarize the news below...

CNN-Remerbering Carol Cafferty-Sept-5-2008

2008-10-14T06:21:00.000-07:00

Listening Activity

2008-10-09T08:03:00.000-07:00

Listen carefully and answer the questions at the end of the listening exercise.

The Fairy Tulips

2008-10-06T05:41:00.000-07:00

taken from the site:http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/spring/short-stories/the-fairy-tulips.html

An English Folk-tale

Once upon a time there was a good old woman who lived in a little house. She had in her garden a bed of beautiful striped tulips.

One night she was wakened by the sounds of sweet singing and of babies laughing. She looked out at the window. The sounds seemed to come from the tulip bed, but she could see nothing.

The next morning she walked among her flowers, but there were no signs of any one having been there the night before.

On the following night she was again wakened by sweet singing and babies laughing. She rose and stole softly through her garden. The moon was shining brightly on the tulip bed, and the flowers were swaying to and fro. The old woman looked closely and she saw, standing by each tulip, a little Fairy mother who was crooning and rocking the flower like a cradle, while in each tulip cup lay a little Fairy baby laughing and playing.

The good old woman stole quietly back to her house, and from that time on she never picked a tulip, nor did she allow her neighbors to touch the flowers.

The tulips grew daily brighter in color and larger in size, and they gave out a delicious perfume like that of roses. They began, too, to bloom all the year round. And every night the little Fairy mothers caressed their babies and rocked them to sleep in the flower cups.

The day came when the good old woman died, and the tulip bed was torn up by folks who did not know about the Fairies, and parsley was planted there instead of the flowers. But the parsley withered, and so did all the other plants in the garden, and from that time nothing would grow there.

But the good old woman's grave grew beautiful, for the Fairies sang above it, and kept it green - while on the grave and all around it there sprang up tulips, daffodils, and violets, and other lovely flowers of spring.

When the Clock Got Sick

2008-10-01T05:21:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time, in a land not too far from where you live, there was a bank whose outside clock was the talk of the town. Clocks usually don't cause people to talk about them, unless they're not working right. This clock wasn't working right at all.

The clock was a digital clock, meaning that it was the kind of clock with large neon red numbers that glowed both day and night. You could read the clock from an entire block away.
The clock sat prominently a few yards above the main doors to a respected bank, right on the corner of a major intersection in town. In some ways, the clock represented the very center of town.
One day, a few months ago, the time on the clock started slipping backwards a few minutes. At first this didn't cause any alarm. After all, if you are two minutes late, or two minutes early to an appointment, is there any harm done?
But then the clock's health got even worse. Not only did the clock slip back more than a few minutes, sometimes it would actually jump forward an hour or two, and then jump back to being a few minutes late. It was clear to everyone in town that this was a sick clock.

What do you do with a sick clock, though? Take it the clockerenarian? Take it a clockpital? Visit a clocktor?
You're right. Healing a sick clock is not an easy thing to do. First you need to find what's wrong with the clock, and then you need to find a place that sells the particular part that needs replacing.
The bank, being a respected bank, was eager to get the clock fixed and working again. The bank became even more eager after last month's birthday party.
You see, a young child on the way to a birthday party burst into tears when he looked up at the clock and realized that he was going to be late. On that day, the clock was running about two hours fast, and the child was in perfect time for the party. The child just thought he was late, because who would ever doubt the time on a public clock?
And then there was the whole wedding fiasco last week. A groom, on the way to his wedding ceremony, noticed that he was two hours early, so he stopped off at the cybercafe to do some web surfing. When he showed up to the ceremony two hours late, the bride and everyone else were not overjoyed to see him.
The straw that broke the camel's back, though, was last week when an army major was traveling through town. Being an army major, he would regularly adjust his wrist watch to make sure it was perfectly on time. When he saw the clock above the bank, he immediately reset his watch three hours ahead of time. And the next morning he woke his troops at 3 AM to do their regular 6 AM ten mile morning run.
The troops were not amused. And so they stopped by to pay a friendly visit to the bank manager. "Please, please, please repair the clock above the door of your bank," they spoke in military unison. "Each one of us would like to chip in $20 to repair the clock," they added.
The bank manager, a kindly young woman, promised that she would do whatever she could to find a part to repair the clock. She would even take the clock to a clockerenarian, if need be. And she had not ruled out the possibility of driving the clock straight to the clockpital, herself. Her own doctor had recommended some skilled clocktors that she could use when she received the replacement part.
Until the clock was repaired, though, she decided to switch off its electricity. For three weeks the lights on the clock were entirely dark. And then one day a UPS truck drove up the bank with a very small package. Inside that very small package was a very small part that made the clock healthy again.
The town sighed a huge sigh of relief when the clock was switched on again. And then everyone reset their watches and went on their merry way.

CNN News - Mytchell Mora's challenge to the Cuba Travel ban

2008-09-23T09:33:00.000-07:00

Answer the following questions after watching the news below;

1. What kind of violation did Mora do?
2. What happens to Americans caught traveling to Cuba illegally?

Bill Gates Introducing Microsoft Windows Vista on BBC News

2008-08-24T06:52:00.000-07:00

It's OFFICAL! Google confirms YouTube aquisition - BBC News

2008-08-24T06:47:00.000-07:00

August 19, 2008 CNN Student News

2008-08-20T05:12:00.000-07:00

August 19, 2008 CNN Student News

1. What are the rescuers searching for?
2. What happened?
3. Where did it happen?
4. What caused the incident?
5. He mentioned the figure "5 million" what does it refer to?
6. What should the hikers do before hiking in the area?

Kimmel Takes On Gawker Stalker

2008-08-15T11:19:00.000-07:00

Assignment number one

TOEFL conversations (Listening tasks)

2008-08-11T07:32:00.000-07:00

Activity 3

TOEFL conversations (Listening tasks)

2008-08-11T07:30:00.001-07:00

Speaking and Listening Test

2008-08-11T07:18:00.000-07:00

Activity number 1

Assignment: DaKota Fanning (speech and interview)

2008-08-07T08:59:00.000-07:00

1.Listen to her talks about Shirley Temple's contribution to
the entertainment industry.

2.What are they (Joey and Dakota Fanning talking about?)

3.Watch as they talk about the movie Charlotte's Web.
After watching, talk about
1. Dakota Fanning
2. The movie-Charlotte's Web
3. The difficulties they encountered in shooting the film.

Tomato Story

2008-08-04T08:46:00.000-07:00

Announcement:

Tomato Story
A Jobless man applied for the position of "office boy" at Microsoft.
The HR manager interviewed him then watched him cleaning the floor as a test.
"You are employed" he said. Give me your e-mail address and I'll send you the application to fill a, as well as date when you may start.
The man replied "But I don't have a computer, neither an email".

"I'm sorry", said the HR manager. If you don't have an email, that means you do not exist. And who doesn't exist, cannot have the job."

The man left with no hope at all. He didn't know what to do, with only $10 in his pocket. He then decided to go to the supermarket and buy a 10Kg tomato crate.
He then sold the tomatoes in a door to door round. In less than two hours,
he succeeded to double his capital. He repeated the operation three times,
and returned home with $60.
The man realized that he can survive by this way, and started to go everyday earlier, and return late. Thus, his money doubled or tripled everyday.
Shortly, he bought a cart, then a truck, and then he had his own fleet of delivery vehicles.
5 years later, the man is one of the biggest food retailers in the US
He started to plan his family's future, and decided to have a life insurance.
He called an insurance broker, and chose a protection plan.
When the conversation was concluded the broker asked him his email.
The man replied,"I don't have an email."
The broker answered curiously, "You don't have an email, and yet have succeeded to build an empire. Can you imagine what you could have been if you had an e mail?!!" The man thought for a while and replied, "Yes, I'd be an office boy at Microsoft!"

Moral of the story

Moral 1
Internet is not the solution to your life.
Moral 2
If you don't have Internet, and work hard, you can be a millionaire.
Moral 3
If you received this message by email,
you are closer to being a office boy/girl,than a millionaire..........

P.S - Do not forward this email back to me,
I am closing my email account & going to sell tomatoes!!!

Montauk Monster' Creature Found !

2008-08-04T08:06:00.000-07:00

What's this creature?
Watch, Summarize and React!

CNN Business Traveller - brought to you by P1DBiz.com

2008-07-31T09:01:00.001-07:00

Watch, Summarize and React!

CNN: Edgar Mitchell UFO Disclosure, CNN 24th July 2008

2008-07-29T07:04:00.000-07:00

Watch, Summarize and React!

CNN News :Soulja Boy

2008-07-18T11:35:00.000-07:00

NATURAL GAS CAR NGC CNN REPORT JULY 2008

2008-07-16T07:02:00.000-07:00

Summarize and React!

CNN: Australia: saving the bush

2008-07-13T07:48:00.000-07:00

Watch, summarize and React!

CNN Business : Energy : Bashing Big Oil

2008-07-07T08:25:00.000-07:00

Watch, React and Explain

issue#1 CNN June 11th 2008

2008-07-05T00:18:00.001-07:00

Watch, React and Summarized

Have a nice weekend everyone!

Idioms and Expressions

2008-07-01T06:46:00.000-07:00

Taken form: http://www.sonnerct.com/Glossaries/ComEx_A-D.htm

agree on
to have the same opinion about something.
– We agree on the importance of quality.

agree to
to accept something (suggestions, proposals, prices, …).
– We agree to your conditions.

agree to do
to promise to do something.
– We agree to supply you with the parts you need.

agree with
to have the same opinion as someone.
– I agree with you on this point.

ahead of time
Before the announced or agreed time.
– If you want a good seat, get there ahead of time.

aim to do
To intend to do something.
– I aim to speak to David about this.
– We aim to please! (a common motto for stores)

alive and kicking
Well and healthy; in good condition.
– A: How is Tom? B: Oh, he’s alive and kicking. (He is fine.)

alive and well
See: alive and kicking

all at once
(1) Suddenly
– All at once, he sat up and spoke.
(2) All at the same time
– I couldn’t understand anything; everyone was talking all at once.
– Time is nature’s way of preventing everything happening all at once.

all day long
For a long time; to any degree.
– You can argue all day long, but it won’t change my mind.

all for
Very much in favor of something.
– We’re all for buying more shares in that company.
– I’m all for a new start.
– I’m all for starting again.

all gone
Completely used up; no longer existing.
– I’m afraid the coffee is all gone.
– The days of easy profits are all gone.

all Greek to me
Completely unintelligible to me.
– I heard his speech, but it was all Greek to me.
– The fine points of economics is Greek to the average investor.

all in a day’s work
Part of what is expected; typical performance.
– You don’t have to thank me. Good customer service is all in a day’s work here.

all in all
Considering everything (including negative factors).
– Our truck division didn’t do as well as expected, but all in all we had a good year.

all over
(1) Finished.
– You are too late for the speech. It’s all over.
(2) Everywhere.

CNN-Vocabulary (Brad Pitt* Building Green Homes in New Orleans)

2008-07-01T01:22:00.000-07:00

Larry King Live
Brad Pitt* Building Green Homes in New Orleans
* Brad Pitt 브래드 피트: 1963년 미국 오클라호마에서 태어난 배우 겸 사회운동가. <델마와 루이스>에 단역으로 출연하면서 주목을 받았고, <흐르는 강물처럼>, <가을의 전설>, <뱀파이어와의 인터뷰>, <세븐> 등에서 주연을 맡았다. 2000년 <프렌즈>의 스타인 제니퍼 애니스톤과 결혼했으나 2005년 이혼했고, 현재는 배우인 안젤리나 졸리와 동거하며 입양한 세 아이를 포함하여 4명의 자녀를 키우고 있다. 2005년 발생한 허리케인 카트리나로 아직도 새 보금자리를 찾지 못한 뉴올리언스 지역 이재민을 위해 친환경 주택 150채를 짓는 프로젝트를 진행 중이다.
1) obtain 어렵게 손에 넣다, 획득하다
2 ) debut 첫 출연, 첫걸음
3 ) extraordinary 비범한, 특별한
4 ) charity 자선[구호] 기금[단체]
5 ) much-needed (사람들이) 몹시 필요로 하는
6 ) (in the) first place (우선) 첫째로
7 ) unique 독특한, 특유의
8 ) vitality 활력, 활기, 원기
9 ) home 본거지, 고향
10) Mardi Gras 마디그라 축제: 뉴올리언스 최대의 축제로 사순절 금식을 시작하기 전 치르는 음식, 술, 음악, 춤, 퍼레이드의 축제. '마디그라'는 사육제의 마지막 날인 참회의 화요일을 가리킨다.
11) silly 장난스러운, 신나는
12) back up ...을 지원하다, 후원하다
13) call in (조언·원조를) 구하다
14) mind (정신·지적 능력의 소유자로서의) 인간, 인물
15) architecture 건축(술), 건축학
16) take on (일을) 떠맡다, 경영하다
17) sustainability 지속 가능성: 경제, 사회, 환경적 문제가 혼합된 개념으로, '미래 세대의 필요를 충족시킬 능력을 훼손하지 않으면서 현 세대의 필요를 충족시키는 것'으로 정의된다.
18) affordability 주택 구매력: 자기 수입으로 주택을 마련하거나 유지하는 능력.
19 ) be true to ...에 충실[성실]하다
20) aesthetic 미학의, 심미적인
21) Make It Right 메이크 잇 라이트: 허리케인 카트리나로 피해를 입은 이재민들을 위해 저가 주택을 지어주는 프로젝트. 뉴올리언스는 2005년 허리케인 카트리나로 인해 도심의 80%가 물에 잠겨 1천여 명의 사상자와 100만여 명의 이재민이 발생한 바 있다. 브래드 피트는 2008년 여름까지 최대 수몰 지역 중 한 곳인 나인스워드(Ninth Ward)에 150채의 친환경 주택을 건설하겠다고 발표했다. 재해지에서 만난 주민이 집을 '복구해 달라(make it right)'고 청한 말에서 따온 명칭
22) kick off with ((구어)) ...으로 시작하다[되다]
23) debate on (...에 대해) 토론[토의]하다, 논의[심의]하다
24) multiple 다양한, 다수의
25) disperse 흩어지게 하다, 쫓아 버리다
26) clear-cut 뚜렷한, 명확한
27) relocate (주거를) 이전[이동]하다; 재배치하다
28) potential 가능성, 잠재력
29) intelligent building 지능[스마트] 빌딩: 에너지 절약형 건축 계획, 친환경 자재의 사용을 전제로 하여 건축 환경 및 설비, 정보통신 등 주요 시스템을 유기적으로 통합하고 첨단 서비스 기능을 제공함으로써 경제성, 효율성, 기능성, 안전성 등을 추구하는 건축물
30) define 정의하다, 말을 뜻을 분명히 하다
31) front porch 앞마당[뜰] cf. porch 베란다; 현관
32) period ((문장 끝에서)) 바로 그대로임, 이상 끝
33) the late 고(故); 작고[별세]한
34) line (글자의) 행, 시구, (배우의) 대사
35) squabble 하찮은 일로 다투다
36) give attention 주의를 기울이다, 관심을 갖다
37) upbringing (어릴 적의) 교육, 훈육, 양육(education)
38) Angelina (Jolie) 안젤리나 졸리: 미국의 여배우 겸 UN 난민기구의 친선 대사. 배우인 존 보이트의 딸로 두 번 이혼한 끝에 현재 브래드 피트와 동거하고 있다. <처음 만나는 자유>, <본 콜렉터>, <툼 레이더> 시리즈, <미스터 앤 미세스 스미스> 등의 영화에 출연했으며 아카데미상과 골든글로브상을 수상했다.
39) dedicated 헌신적인, 몰두하는
40) inventive 재주 있는, 창의력이 풍부한
41) protective 보호하는, 방어하는
42) rewarding 가치가 있는, 보람이 있는
43) come up (해, 달이) 떠오르다
44) discipline 훈련[훈육]하다, 징계하다
45) out of line 규칙에 따르지 않는, 적당치 않은
46) fulfillment 성취(감), 충족(감)
47) keep on ...ing 계속 ...하다
48) game ((구어)) (경쟁이 따르는) 일, 직업; 전문, 능한 분야
49) character actor 성격파 배우: 등장인물의 독특한 개성과 특징적인 성격을 능숙하게 표현해 내는 배우
50 ) some day 언젠가, 훗날
51) drop in (일 등에) 잠깐 끼어들다; 잠깐 들르다
52) (Paul) Newman 폴 뉴먼: 1925년생 미국의 영화배우. <뜨거운 양철지붕 위의 고양이>, <내일을 향해 쏴라>, <스팅>, <컬러 오브 머니> 등에 출연했다. 내면적인 고독을 표출하는 깊은 연기를 보였고, 후에 제작·감독으로 진출해 다양한 재능을 발휘했다. 그는 현재 '뉴먼스오운(Newman's Own)'이라는 식품업체를 운영하면서 수익의 전부를 수많은 자선단체에 기부하고 있다.
53) elegance 우아, 고상, 기품
54) class 품위, 기품, 격조
55) theater 연극(계), 극작품
56) calling 직업, 천직; (강한) 희망

(CNN-Vocabulary) New Awareness* of Stars and Depression*

2008-06-30T23:32:00.000-07:00

* awareness 자각, 인식, 의식
* depression 우울증, 우울병
1) showbiz (연극, 영화, TV 따위의) 연예 사업(show business)
2) Owen Wilson 오웬 윌슨: 미국 영화배우. 주요 출연작은 <박물관이 살아있다>, <웨딩 크래셔>, <스타스키와 허치> 등이다.
3) privacy 사생활; 사적(私的)[개인적] 자유; 남의 눈을 피하기, 은거
4) issue a statement 성명을 내다[발표하다]
5) commit suicide 자살하다(kill oneself, take one's own life) cf. suicide attempt 자살 시도
6) be in good condition (사람이) 건강이 양호하다; (기계가) 상태가 좋다
7) give no details 자세히 설명하지 않다
8) personality disorder 인격장애[이상]: 성격장애라고도 한다. 개인 인격상의 특징들이 일반인들에게는 관찰되는 범주를 벗어나 매우 경직되고 반사회적인 상태 cf. personality 명사(名士), 개인; 성격. 개성
9) apparent 외관상의; 분명한, 뚜렷한
10) funnyman 희극배우; 익살스런 사람
11) hospitalize 입원시키다
12) paramedic 의료 보조원(간호사, 검사기사 등); 구급 의료사
13) struggle with ...와 싸우다[분투하다]
14) celebrity 연예인, 유명인
15) Halle Berry 할리 베리: 미국의 유명 영화배우. 주요 출연작은 <파이널 디시전>, <엑스 맨>, <몬스터 볼> 등이며 흑인 여배우 최초로 아카데미 여우주연상을 수상
16) get ... right ...을 바로잡다
17) open up to ...에게 마음을 터놓다
18) fall apart (부부가) 헤어지다; (일이) 실패로 끝나다; 심리적으로 동요하다
19) be ashamed of ...을 부끄러워하다, 수치스러워하다
20) expose 드러내다, 노출하다, 폭로하다
21) psychologist 정신 분석의; 임상 심리사
22) courageous 용기 있는
23) exceptionally 예외적으로, 특별히, 매우
24) torture 극심한 고통[고뇌]; 고문
25) Marie Osmond 마리 오스몬드: 1973년에 데뷔한 미국의 영화배우 겸 가수. 1960년대와 70년대에 걸쳐 마이클 잭슨의 잭슨가와 쌍벽을 이루는 오스몬드가의 일원으로 'Paper Roses'라는 히트곡을 냈다.
26) steal one's heart ...의 마음을 훔치다[사로잡다]
27) star in ...에 (주연으로) 출연하다
28) "The Donny & Marie Show" <도니 앤 마리 쇼>: 마리 오스몬드와 가수로 활동하고 있던 그녀의 남동생 도니 오스몬드가 함께 진행을 맡았던 1976년도의 TV 음악 버라이어티 쇼
29) glamorous 매력적인, 멋진; 성적 매력이 넘치는
30) wear out ...을 지치게[질리게] 하다; 닳아 없애다
31) put on a smile (억지로) 미소짓다
32) sob 흐느껴[목메어] 울다
33) on one's way home 집에 돌아가는 도중에
34) Brooke Shields 브룩 쉴즈: 미국의 영화배우. 주요 출연작은 <프리티 베이비>, <블루 라군>, <엔드리스 러브>, <아웃사이더> 등이다.
35) postpartum depression 산후우울증 cf. postpartum 산후(産後)의
36) anti-depressant 우울증 치료제
37) "Down Came The Rain" <다운 케임 더 레인>: 브룩 쉴즈의 자서전으로 산후우울증을 겪었던 그녀의 경험담을 담고있다.
38) stand on one's soapbox 자기 의견을 주장하다 cf. soapbox 비누상자; 가두 연설의 연단
39) stigma 불명예; 오명, 오점
40) surrounding ...을 둘러싼, ...에 관한
41) mental illness 정신병
42) Mandy Moore 맨디 무어: 미국의 영화배우 겸 가수. 주요 출연작은 <프린세스 다이어리>, <워크 투 리멤버>, <철없는 그녀의 아찔한 연애코치> 등이다.
43) deal with ...와 관련을 맺다, ...에 관계하다
44) bout 일시적인 기간; (병의) 발병 기간; 발작; (일, 동작 따위의) 한바탕, 한 차례
45) glass-half-full 긍정적인: 잔 속에 물이 반쯤 담겼을 때 반이나 찼다는 긍정적인 시각으로 볼 수 있는가 하면 반이나 비었다는 부정적인 시각으로 볼 수 있다는 뜻에서 나온 말
46) ups and downs 오르내림, 기복; 인생의 화복
47) judge on ...에 대해 판단하다
48) get across to ...에게 통하다, 이해되다[이해시키다]
49) psychologically 심리적인, 심리학적으로

CNN (Vocabulary) --Delhi* Deals With* Primate* Problem

2008-06-30T23:25:00.000-07:00

* Delhi 델리: 인도 북부의 연방 직할 지구. 올드 델리로 알려진 구시가와 새로 생긴 뉴델리로 나뉜다. 1931년 이래 뉴델리가 정식 수도로 정해졌다.
* deal with (문제, 사건 따위를) 처리[처치]하다; ...에 관계하다
* primate 영장류 동물
1) at first glance 얼핏 보기에, 겉으로 보기에
2) crawl 기다, 기어가다
3) court 궁전, 왕궁; 왕실; 법원
4) slide down 미끄러져 내려가다
5) pole 막대기, 장대; 기둥
6) style 독특한 방법, 우아
7) aesthetically 미학적으로, 심미적으로
8) pleasing 매력적인, 유쾌한
9) in some way 어떻게든 해서, 이럭저럭해서
10) once in a while 때때로, 이따금
11) catch a captivating glance 매력적인 광경을 보다 cf. (1) captivating 매혹적인, 매력적인 (2) captivation 매력, 매혹
12) in the middle of ...의 한복판에, ...의 중앙에
13) snatch 와락 붙잡다, 잡아채다
14) raid 침입하다, 급습하다
15) in large numbers 떼로
16) bite 물어 뜯다, 물다
17) apparently 명백히; 분명히
18) annoyance 성가심, 곤혹, 난처함
19) struggle to ...하려고 고군분투하다
20) fix 해결하다; 고치다
21) push 분투, 분발, 노력
22) walk the beat 걸어서 순찰을 돌다 cf. beat 순찰[담당]구역; (집배원 등의) 배달 구역
23) literally 말 그대로, 문자 그대로
24) livelihood 생계, 살림
25) corral (가축 따위를) 우리에 넣다, 가두다
26) reserve 특별 보류지, 지정 보호 지역
27) chase off ...을 쫓아내다
28) slingshot 새총
29 ) scare off ...을 겁주어 쫓아버리다
30) revere 숭배하다, 존경하다
31) Hanuman 하누만: 고대 인도의 산스크리트 서사시 <라마야나>에 등장하는 원숭이 영웅으로 하누마트(Hanumat)라고도 함
32) solution 해명, 해결, 해석
33) questionable 의심 나는, 미심쩍은
34) to say the least 줄잡아 말해도, 적어도

Truth or White Lie

2008-06-28T06:58:00.001-07:00

Taken from the book "what do you think"

Do you believe that a child who is 6 1/2 years old should be told the truth, regardless of what it is?

Here is the situation: Dad is in jail for one year. Please understand, my husband didn’t steal anything, nor did he commit a violent crime. However, he was found guilty of drunk driving- it was his third offense. If you think our son should be told the truth, how do you feel about my taking him to visit his father in jail? Or do you think it would be better to tell him that daddy is away “on business” and he may be gone for quite a long time?

I can’t describe the humiliation our family has endured. It was reported in the newspaper, but this is a large city and not everyone is aware of it.

Flight 777

2008-06-28T06:50:00.000-07:00

taken from the book: What do you think?

Joe has an experience that brought him close to death. Read the story and find out: What saved Joe’s life?

Something really weird happened to me. Let me say that I am a young man, 25 years old, with both feet on the ground. Which is to say that I am an ordinary guy, not very different from everyone else?
I am a salesman. I put in a lot of time traveling around the country trying to sell men’s clothing-you know, shirts, pants, sweaters, that sort of thing.
This particular day, I am in Toronto and have fly to Vancouver. No big deal. I am at the airport, waiting to get on my plane. It is a beautiful day. Not a cloud in the sky. But I get this funny feeling about that flight to Vancouver. It is like I hear a voice in my head, saying that I should not get on that plane.
Now I am just an ordinary guy-I am not a kind of person who hears voices or sees things that aren’t there. At first, I don’t pay much attention. But as I walk toward the gate, this weird feeling gets worse and worse. It won’t go away. It’s like I hear someone saying in my ear, “Don’t get on that plane. Don’t get on that plane.”
I looked around. Everything is OK. Everybody is fine. The other passengers are in line, getting on the plane.
I ask you, what would I do?
Well, I turn around, walk back to the ticket counter and buy a ticket

for another flight.
You, know the rest of the story. That’s right. The Vancouver plane-the one I didn’t take-crashed into the side of the mountain, killing everyone on board. One hundred twenty-one people. Dead.
I can’t believe what happened. I was saved. But how?

What do you think? How do you explain the “inner voice” that Joe heard?
Check the opinions you agree with.

1. Maybe it was Joe’s dead father or some ancestor who is always with him, protecting him.
2. Joe probably has a sixth sense like a fortune teller.
3. It was just a feeling, just luck. Nothing more.
4. I think it was God’s voice.
5. I believe in angels. I think Joe has an angel who is watching over him.

Reading Comprehenshion Check-up - THE MISER

2008-06-27T06:47:00.000-07:00

Read the story and answer some questions that follow;

The Miser
picture taken from:http://www.faculty.fairfield.edu/rjregan/Miser11.JPG

A miser sold all that he had and bought a lump of gold, which he buried in a hole in the ground by the side of an old wall and went to look at daily. One of his workmen observed his frequent visits to the spot and decided to watch his movements. He soon discovered the secret of the hidden treasure, and digging down, came to the lump of gold, and stole it. The Miser, on his next visit, found the hole empty and began to tear his hair and to make loud lamentations. A neighbor, seeing him overcome with grief and learning the cause, said, "Pray do not grieve so; but go and take a stone, and place it in the hole, and fancy that the gold is still lying there. It will do you quite the same service; for when the gold was there, you had it not, as you did not make the slightest use of it."
1. What did the miser bury in a hole in the ground?
2. What happened to the one the miser burried in the hole?
3. How did it happen?
4. What is the message of the story?

Reading Comprehenshion Check-up

2008-06-27T06:43:00.000-07:00

Read the story below:
source and title: Unknown

It was 10 p.m. Fritz said good night to his wife. She was watching TV. He went to bed. Tomorrow was a big day. It was his last day of work. Thirty years with the federal government. Thirty years of flying out of town for weeks on end. Thirty years of interviews, meetings, and heavy briefcases. Tomorrow it would all be over. Not that he didn’t like it. He had enjoyed his career.
Fritz felt blessed. His father had had a tough life as an unskilled laborer. Whenever Fritz was a bit discouraged or upset, he thought about his overworked and underpaid father. He thanked God for his own good life, and for the fact that he had been able to make his dad’s last years comfortable.
His two children were married and had their own careers. His wife Paige kept busy with, among other things, her bridge club. She had tried to get him interested in bridge, but without success. Fritz was content with his own Friday night poker group.
Friday morning, he went to work for the very last time. Those who knew him well would miss him. Fritz was a genuinely nice guy. He never had a bad word to say about anyone. Some people might have thought he was a little dull, but he was intelligent, a hard worker, and a team player. He had taken only three weeks of sick leave in 30 years.
A small group took him out to lunch. When he returned from lunch, the whole office gathered around for cake, ice cream, a farewell card, and a few short speeches. They presented him with various going-away gifts, including a big, paperback US atlas. It listed all the motels, campgrounds, national parks, tourist spots, and other information to help guide a leisurely traveler throughout the good old USA. He had told his friends that he and Paige were going to spend a couple of years visiting all the places that he never had gotten to explore while there on business. As a final gift, his supervisor told him to take the rest of the day off.
Paige’s car wasn’t in the driveway when he got home. She was probably shopping for some traveling clothes. Maybe she was out arranging a dinner at a restaurant that evening for just the two of them. That would be nice.
But something was wrong. When he hung up his jacket, he saw that the bedroom closet was half empty. Paige’s clothes were gone. Her shoes were not on the closet floor. Confused, he looked around the bedroom.
He saw an envelope on the lamp stand. Inside it were two pieces of paper. One notified him of a divorce proceeding. The other was a hand-written note from Paige. “I’m so sorry,” it began. She said that her lawyer had told her to wait until today. If she had sought divorce a year earlier, like her boyfriend had suggested, she would not have been able to qualify for 50 percent of Fritz’s pension. She hoped that he would find it in his heart to forgive her. She felt terrible about this, she wrote, because “you’ve been so good to me. But I can’t ignore my own heart.”
Fritz sat immobile on the edge of the bed. Her note was in his hand; her words were burning in his brain.
Maybe an hour later, the phone rang. He picked it up on the fifth ring. It was Bob, wondering if Fritz was going to play poker later that night.

BeautifulPeople.com on CNN Showbiz tonight

2008-06-26T09:23:00.000-07:00

Watch and answer the following questions:

1.How did they start this website?
2.Describe the website.

As the World Turns "Kiss Controversy" - CNN Showbiz Tonight

2008-06-26T09:19:00.000-07:00

Watch, Comprehend and React!

Answer the following questions;

1. What is the controversy all about?
2. Do you think people want the gay couple to kiss on the soap opera?

Issue 30 THE ZOO

2008-06-26T04:28:00.000-07:00

"WHAT DO YOU THINK"
Written by LIS and Copy-Edited by Duane Vorhees

Today, many zoo managers are concerned that the zoo, as an institution for research, education and preservation, is becoming as endangered as some of the animals it houses. Financial support has dropped, and the costs keep climbing. Rising too is the clamor from critics, who claim that zoos are no better than prisons, designed for the amusement of mindless gawkers. The more militant activists want to shut zoos down altogether.

The globe is losing valuable species day by day; 20% to 50 % of the world’s biological diversity may be gone before the end next century and the irony is that human beings will have contributed overwhelmingly to that loss. The human population is expected nearly to double within the next few decades. For third agrarian economies especially the competition for space and resources will grow during this “demographic winter,” and the losers will be the wild animals.

Comprehension Check-up

1. What are zoo managers concerned about today?
2. What do critics think about zoos?
3. How much is the biological diversity expected to become extinct by the next century?
4. What is mainly responsible for that loss?

Issue 14 PUBLISHING NAMES

2008-06-26T03:58:00.000-07:00

"WHAT DO YOU THINK"
Written by LIS and Copy-Edited by Duane Vorhees

I’m frustrated by the retired school teacher who advocated publishing the names of parents of juvenile lawbreakers.

A few years ago, when my son was 16 he took up smoking. I repeatedly warned him that he could not afford the habit and sooner or later he would be tempted to steal a pack of cigarettes.

Well, on his 17th birthday he was caught shoplifting. He went to court, did 12 hours of community and made restitution. Since then he has never been in any kind of trouble.

So what would be gained by putting our names in the paper as being irresponsible parents? and what about families with more than one son or daughter? Wouldn’t the siblings suffer unnecessarily?

What does it mean?

1. juvenile lawbreakers
2. he took up smoking
3. he would be tempted to steal
4. he was caught shoplifting
5. made restitution

Comprehension Check-up

1. What is the writer upset about?
2. When did the writer’s son start smoking?
3. Has the son been in any trouble since he made restitutions?
4. What would happen to other family members if the names of wrong-doers’ parents were published?

What do you think?

1. Are you for or against publishing the names of juvenile lawbreakers or of their parents?

Common American Slang

2008-06-25T06:58:00.000-07:00

From the site: http://www.schandlbooks.com/AmericanSlangIdiom.html

He who laughs last laughs longest!
= the person who plays the last joke (trick) has
the longest laugh!

Bob made fun of Lou's pronunciation but the next day, Lou put a toy snake on Bob's chair.
Bob thought it was real and screamed when he
sat on it. Lou thought it was really funny.
He who laughs last laughs longest!!!

to lend a hand
= to help
The Smiths' neighbors lent a hand when they were building their new fence (The neighbors helped them build the new fence).

in hot water
= in trouble
Bob didn't do his homework, so he's going to be/get in hot water! (from the teacher)

Put your money where your mouth is!

= If you believe that what you are saying is
true/right, let's bet on it!

Like mother, like daughter
Like father, like son
(this refers to the personality)

That takes the cake!

= That's unbelievable/incredible/ridiculous!

Not playing with a full deck
= crazy

That guy always talks and shouts to himself.
He's not playing with a full deck!

Put a lid on it!
= Be quiet!!!

Two heads are better than one!

= Two people who work together will have more
ideas than just one person!

TO LOSE YOUR SHIRT
= to lose all of or most of your money

I lost my shirt at the casino!
Joe lost his shirt betting on the horses

TO LOSE TOUCH

= to fail to keep in contact/communication with
someone

After I graduated from university, I lost
touch with most of my classmates

PAINT THE TOWN (RED)

After the exam, let's go out and paint the town!

= Let's go out and enjoy the exciting
entertainment of the city!

A picture is worth a thousand words!

= A picture explains things better than words can
explain things

Let's get the ball rolling!

= Let's start now!
(usually said about an important project)

I HEAR YOU!
= I agree with what you are saying!

YOU BET!

= Yes, sure, of course!

ONCE IN A BLUE MOON
= Once in a while, occasionally

I go swimming outside once in a blue moon.

IT'S A DEAL!

= Okay, I agree, it will be done!

TO BET ON THE WRONG HORSE

= To make an incorrect guess about the future

If you think the Queen plans to retire, you're
betting on the wrong horse!

TO BE FULL OF HOT AIR!

= When someone talks a lot about something
he/she can or will do but in reality, there is no
truth in any of what he/she is saying - just hot
air!

He went on the job interview because the company said they would be able to offer him a good position, but during the interview, he realized it was too small, with no opportunities. The manager was just full of hot air!

WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE
TOUGH GET GOING!

= When there are problems, strong people
take action to solve the problems!

When the going gets tough =
When life becomes difficult
the tough get going =
strong people take action and do something

MONKEY SEE, MONKEY DO!
=When one person does something, everyone
follows and does the same thing!

TO BLOW ONE'S OWN HORN
= when a person boasts about how great
he/she is ...!
Don always blows his own horn. In staff
meetings, he tells everyone how great HIS
ideas are!

BIRDS OF A FEATHER FLOCK TOGETHER!
= People who have something in common feel
comfortable together.

HIT THE BOOKS
= to study, prepare for class

Tonight I'm going to hit the books!

I can have my cake and eat it too!
= I can have EVERYTHING I want in life!

a poker face
= a face with no expression

This idiom originates from the card game of poker
because no gambling poker player should have an
expression that is easy to read! (that way, the other
players in the game won't be able to guess how
good/bad his/her cards are)

George has a poker face so you never know
what he's thinking!

to look like a million dollars
= to look great, to be very well dressed!

Julia Roberts looked like a million dollars at
the Oscars!

a dime a dozen
= very common, easy to find
(countable nouns in plural form)

In North America, shopping malls are
a dime a dozen!

You have a one track mind!

= You always think about the same (one) thing!
(we can also say he/she/we/they "has/have a one
track mind")

To have the inside track

= To have an advantage because you know
certain people or you have special information

Bob knows what the president is going to
announce in his televised speech this evening
because he has the inside track!

I would write an article about Julia Roberts'
life if I could get the inside track!
get = obtain

ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE TRACKS

= in a bad/poor/undesirable neighborhood

Sam grew up on the wrong side of the tracks.

Curiosity killed the cat!

= It's not good to be too curious!

The cat's out of the bag!

=The secret is not a secret anymore!

It's raining cats and dogs!

= It's raining hard (a lot)!

There's no time like the present!

= It is best to do it now!

Time heals all wounds

= With time, sadness will pass

Time out!

= Stop, calm down! (usually said in the middle
of a discussion or argument)
= Let's take a break now!

CNN reports pregnant man Thomas Beatie

2008-06-19T07:57:00.000-07:00

How can a man be pregnant?
Watch this and prepare for a discussion tomorrow.

Janet Jackson on Larry King Live

2008-06-17T09:28:00.001-07:00

check out the link below...
on the upper right you can see CC , click on that to see the caption or the "subtitle"

http://www.topsocialite.com/janet-jackson-larry-king-live-video/

Qbic hotels at CNN

2008-06-13T09:06:00.000-07:00

Watch and answer the following questions;

1. What makes Qbic Hotel one of a kind?
2. What do you think about Qbic Hotel?

South Korea beef protests escalate - June 11 2008

2008-06-13T08:54:00.000-07:00

Democracy on the Street of South Korea (U.S. beef)
(It's so moving...if you were there, would you join?)

THE BRICK

2008-06-11T08:23:00.000-07:00

A young and successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was
watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car
passed, no children appeared. Instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door!
He slammed on the brakes and backed the Jag back to the spot where the brick had been thrown. The angry driver
then jumped out of the car, grabbed the nearest kid and pushed him up against a parked car shouting, 'What was that all about
and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing? That's a new car and that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money
Why did you do it?' The young boy was apologetic. 'Please, mister...please, I'm sorry but I didn't know what else to do,' He
pleaded. 'I threw the brick because no one else would stop...' With tears dripping down his face and off his chin, the youth
pointed to a spot just around a parked car. 'It's my brother, 'he said 'He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I
can't lift him up. Now sobbing, the boy asked the stunned executive, 'Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair?
He's hurt and he's too heavy for me. 'Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. He hurriedly lifted the handicapped boy back into the wheelchair, then took out a linen handkerchief and dabbed at the fresh scrapes
and cuts. A quick look told him everything was going to be okay. 'Thank you and may God bless you,' the grateful child told the
stranger. Too shook up for words, the man simply watched the boy! push his wheelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk
toward their home.It was a long, slow walk back to the Jaguar. The damage was very noticeable, but the driver never bothered to
repair the dented side door. He kept the dent there to remind him of this message: 'Don't go through life so fast that someone has
to throw a brick at you to get your attention!' God whispers in our souls and speaks to our hearts. Sometimes when we don't
have time to listen, He has to throw a brick at us. It's our choice to listen or not..
Thought for the Day:
If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. If He had a wallet, your photo would be in it.He sends you flowers every
spring.
He sends you a sunrise every morning Face it, friend - He is crazy about you!

God didn't promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun without rain, but He did promise strength for the day, comfort f
or the tears, and light for the way.
ad this line very slowly and let it sink in....
If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.

CNN Larry King Live/ Space Alien Caught On Tape pt1

2008-06-10T08:47:00.001-07:00

CNN Larry King Live UK/UFO/Files pt2

03 Jun 08: CNN reports: end of line for Clintons?

2008-06-10T08:43:00.000-07:00

Watch, React and Explain!

Jackie Graff R.N. B.S.N on CNN Headline News with raw food

2008-06-06T08:38:00.000-07:00

Watch and answer the following questions;

1. What is a 100 % live food according to Jackie Graft?
2. Why did she choose to have that kind of diet?
3. Describe the foods that they are talking about.
4. How did Jackie Graft come up with different recipe of raw food?

Have a nice day!

CNN: Full Obama Speech as he Wins Nomination (Part 1)

2008-06-06T08:29:00.000-07:00

CNN: Full Obama Speech as he Wins Nomination (Part 2)

CNN: Full Obama Speech as he Wins Nomination (Part 3)

CNN: Full Obama Speech as he Wins Nomination (Part 4)

CNN Politics : Clinton 3am ad parodies

2008-06-05T08:48:00.000-07:00

CNN on The Uprising - June 1, 2008

2008-06-03T08:55:00.000-07:00

If Clause and Some Exemptions

2008-06-03T08:49:00.000-07:00

taken from the web

'if-clauses' containing 'will'

Marcin from Poland writes:

Hello. Could you help me? I would like to know if there are three exceptions in the first conditional when the 'if-clause' clause includes 'will'.

Roger Woodham replies:

I think we can find three exceptions Marcin, but let's just confirm the more normal patterns first of all.

first conditional - future possibility / probability

if-clause = present tense/modal; main clause = will/going to/modal

The normal patterns in the first conditional when we are discussing future possibility, as you suggest, Marcin, is for the if-clause to be in the present tense or to contain a modal verb. It is then the main clause that includes the will future or possibly the going to future or a further modal verb. Here are some examples:

If I don't see you at the match on Saturday, I'll pop round on Sunday morning.

If the conditions are good over Christmas or the New Year, we may go skiing.

If you go to the pub again tonight, I'm going to lock you out of the house.

If you can't come to see us next weekend, we'll come and visit you.

If you complete the work by lunchtime, you can take the afternoon off.

In all of these examples, we are talking about conditions that must apply for something to happen.

However, if we are talking about future results rather than conditions, an if - will clause is used. So here is your first exception to the rule, Marcin:

If (you think) it will save our marriage, I'll try to give up drinking.

I'll help to pay the course fees, if that will persuade you to apply to university.

Take the whole of next week off, if that will help you to recover.

if you will... = if you insist on...

This could be the second exception to the rule, but this use of will in the if-clause does not refer to future possibility, but instead has the same meaning as the verb insist on. In this usage a lot of word stress if placed upon will:

If you will smoke twenty a day, it's not surprising you have a hacking cough. =

If you insist on smoking so much, it's not surprising you have a hacking cough

If she will eat so many chocolates, it's hardly surprising she has a spotty face.

if you won't... = if you refuse to...

Similarly, the negative of will in the if-clause has the same meaning as refuse to. As you read these examples, remember to place heavier word stress than normal on won't:

If she won't come to Sardinia with us, there's nothing we can do to make her.

If she refuses to come to Sardinia with us, there's nothing we can do to make her.

What shall we do, if she won't agree to have the operation?

if you will / would = if you wouldn't mind...

This third exception to the rule doesn't have a conditional meaning either. This helps to explain why they are exceptions. Here we are using if + will or if + would as polite requests with the same meaning as if you wouldn't mind:

If you'll just fill in this form before you go, you can hand it in to reception. =

If you wouldn't mind filling in this form before you go, you can leave it with reception.

If you would take a seat, the doctor will see you in five minutes.

If you wouldn't mind taking a seat, the doctor will see you in five minutes.

If you'd be so kind as to take a seat, the consultant will see you in five minutes.

CNN "Korean Wave" across Asia

2008-06-02T08:12:00.000-07:00

What do you mean by Korean Wave?
Watch, Explain and React!

Enjoy!

CNN Stupid Americans

2008-06-01T03:53:00.000-07:00

Money Falling from the Sky

2008-05-30T01:00:00.000-07:00

Indonesian man sends thousands of dollars down from the sky Sun Jun 1, 2:41 AM ET

JAKARTA, June 1, 2008 (AFP) - An Indonesian businessman sparked a scramble for cash when he dropped 100 million rupiah (10,700 dollars) in banknotes from an aircraft Sunday to promote a book he has written.

A 13-year-old girl lost consciousness running after the notes and had to be rushed to a nearby hospital, the Detikcom online news service said.

Tung Desem Waringin, who is promoting his second business motivation book, got the aircraft to fly four times over a soccer stadium in Serang city, some 60 kilometres (40 miles) west of here.

He had wanted to release the money over Jakarta but was refused permission from police.

The money was released in bills of 1,000 and 5,000 rupiahs (11-53 cents).

Detikcom said that on the first and second run, the notes fell around 500 metres from the stadium, and on the latter runs mostly inside the grounds.

Rumours of the stunt had been circulating since Saturday, and many people were waiting in the open air for the plane to fly over.

Waringin has been quoted in his blog as saying he would rather share money earmarked for a conventional promotional campaign with people who needed it.

Improve your English through Reading

2008-05-29T05:36:00.000-07:00

Josef Essberger

Right now you are reading English. That means that you are using your brain in a very active way. Reading is a very active process. It is true that the writer does a lot of work, but the reader also has to work hard. When you read a text, you have to do some or all of these:
• imagine a scene in your head
• understand clearly what the writer is trying to say
• agree or disagree with the writer
Advantages of Reading
When you learn a language, listening, speaking and writing are important, but reading can also be very helpful. There are many advantages associated with reading, including:
Learning Vocabulary In Context
You will usually encounter new words when you read. If there are too many new words for you, then the level is too high and you should read something simpler. But if there are, say, a maximum of five new words per page, you will learn this vocabulary easily. You may not even need to use a dictionary because you can guess the meaning from the rest of the text (from the context). Not only do you learn new words, but you see them being used naturally.
A Model For Writing
When you read, it gives you a good example for writing. Texts that you read show you structures and expressions that you can use when you write.
Seeing "Correctly Structured" English
When people write, they usually use "correct" English with a proper grammatical structure. This is not always true when people speak. So, by reading you see and learn grammatical English naturally.
Working At Your Own Speed
You can read as fast or as slowly as you like. You can read ten pages in 30 minutes, or take one hour to explore just one page. It doesn't matter. The choice is yours. You cannot easily do this when speaking or listening. This is one of the big advantages of reading because different people work at different speeds.
Personal Interest
If you choose something to read that you like, it can actually be interesting and enjoyable. For example, if you like to read about football in your own language, why not read about football in English? You will get information about football and improve your English at the same time.
Five Tips for Reading
Tip #1
Try to read at the right level. Read something that you can (more or less) understand. If you need to stop every three words to look in a dictionary, it is not interesting for you and you will soon be discouraged.
Tip #2
Make a note of new vocabulary. If there are four or five new words on a page, write them in your vocabulary book. But you don't have to write them while you read. Instead, try to guess their meaning as you read; mark them with a pen; then come back when you have finished reading to check in a dictionary and add them to your vocabulary book.
Tip #3
Try to read regularly. For example, read for a short time once a day. Fifteen minutes every day is better than two hours every Sunday. Fix a time to read and keep to it. For example, you could read for fifteen minutes when you go to bed, or when you get up, or at lunchtime.
Tip #4
Be organised. Have everything ready:
• something to read
• a marker to highlight difficult words
• a dictionary
• your vocabulary book
• a pen to write down the new words
Tip #5
Read what interests YOU. Choose a magazine or book about a subject that you like.
Things to Read
Newspapers
You can find English-language newspapers in all large cities around the world. Newspapers are interesting because they are about real life and the news. BUT they are not easy to read. Try reading newspapers if your level is intermediate or above.
Some British newspapers:
• The Telegraph
• The Times
• The Independent
• The Guardian
• The Financial Times (business)
• The Sunday Times
Some American newspapers:
• The International Herald Tribune
• The New York Times
• The Wall Street Journal (business)
Magazines
Some magazines are published weekly, some monthly. You can find English-language magazines in many large cities around the world. If you cannot find the magazine you want in your town, you may be able to order it for delivery. Many magazines have pictures which can help your understanding. You will need an intermediate level for most magazines, but a pre-intermediate level may be ok for some magazines.
There are magazines on every subject:
• Politics
• Sport
• The House
• Cars
• Music
• Romance
• Travel
• Language
• etc
Books
Books are divided mainly into:
• Non-fiction (history, biography, travel, cooking etc)
• Fiction (stories and novels)
Some books are easier to read than others. It often depends on the author. Agatha Christie, for example, wrote in an easier style and with simpler vocabulary than Stephen King. You can buy books in specialised English-language bookshops in large cities around the world. You may also be able to find some English-language books in libraries. And if you have a British Council in your city, you can borrow many English-language books from their library.
Short Stories
Short stories can be a good choice when learning a language because they are...short. It's like reading a whole book in a few pages. You have all the excitement of a story in a book, but you only have to read 5,000 or 10,000 words. So you can quite quickly finish the story and feel that you have achieved something. Short stories are published in magazines, in books of short stories, and on the Internet. You can also find short stories at EnglishClub.com English Reading.
Readers
Readers are books that are specially published to be easy to read. They are short and with simple vocabulary. They are usually available at different levels, so you should be able to find the right level for you. Many readers are stories by famous authors in simple form. This is an excellent way for you to start practising reading.
Cornflakes Packets
By "Cornflakes Packets", we mean any product you can buy that has English writing on or with it. If you buy a box of chocolates, or a new camera, why not read the description or instructions in English? There are many such examples, and they all give you an opportunity to read real English:
• airline tickets
• cans or packets of food
• bottles of drink
• tapes and CDs
• user guides for videos, computers...
• etc
Poetry
If you like poetry, try reading some English-language poems. They may not be easy to understand because of the style and vocabulary, but if you work at it you can usually get an idea - or a feeling - of what the poet is trying to say. You'll find some classic poems, with explanations of vocabulary, at EnglishClub.com English Reading.
Good luck with your reading. It will help you make a lot of Progress!
© 2000 Josef Essberger

The Art Club (CNN) - Wellington, New Zealand - Part 1

2008-05-28T09:08:00.000-07:00

Gather details about New Zealand's culture.
Write it on a sheet of paper and prepare to discuss
it tomorrow.

Have a nice day!

Heath Ledger CNN Biography

2008-05-23T01:08:00.000-07:00

Improve your listening Skill.
Watch and React!

Have a nice weekend everyone.

A Special Person

2008-05-21T04:06:00.000-07:00

by:anonymous

You're a very special person.
and you should know.

How I loved to be your teacher,

how fast the time did go.

I wish that you could visit me,

as through the grades you go.

Try hard to learn all you can,

there's so much to know.

The one thing that I tried to teach you

to last your whole life through,

The Prince's Valentine

2008-05-20T05:49:00.000-07:00

Author Unknown
Once upon a time there was a little Prince, and he wanted to give a valentine to a little Princess who lived in a neighboring kingdom. She was a very beautiful little Princess indeed, for her smile was as bright as her golden hair, and her love for her subjects was as deep as the blue of her eyes.
"What kind of a valentine shall I get for the Princess?" the Prince asked.
"A heart, your Highness; nothing but a heart will do!" said the Court Wise Man.
"A beautiful heart, your Highness; nothing but a beautiful heart will do!" said the Court Ladies.
"A priceless heart, your Highness; nothing but a priceless heart will do!" said the Court Chancellor.
So the Prince started out to get a heart valentine for the little Princess that would be both beautiful and beyond price, and he did not know where to find it.
Before long, though, he came to a jeweller's shop that was full of pretty, costly things to wear. There were pins, and bracelets, and necklaces made of silver and gold, and set with rubies, and sapphires, and emeralds, and diamonds.
"This is the place to find a valentine for the little Princess," thought the Prince, and he selected a diamond heart hung on a gold chain as thin as a thread for the little Princess to wear about her neck.
The Prince gave the jeweller his bag of gold and started out of the shop with the diamond heart in his hand. But he stopped at the door, looking at the heart. It was dull, and no longer shining. What was the matter with it, he wondered. Then he remembered. It was not the right valentine for the little Princess because it had been bought with his bag of gold. So the Prince gave the diamond heart back to the jeweller, and went on again.
.".
Now he went a long, long way, and he came to a bird seller beside the road. He had little gold birds, and bright-colored ones in green basket cages. They were all singing as if their throats would burst, but the Prince could hear one soft note above the others, because it was so clear and sweet. It was the cooing of a little dove who sat in her cage apart from the others. The Prince thought he had never seen such a beautiful little dove, as white as snow, and with rose red feet.
"Why does she sing so much more sweetly than the others?" the Prince asked, pointing to the little white dove.
The bird seller smiled.
"She sings because of her heart," he said. "The other birds sing in the sunshine, but look"—he held up the dove's cage, and the Prince saw that the little white dove had closed, blind eyes. "She sings in the dark because of her happy heart," the bird seller said.
"May I buy her," the Prince asked, "to give as a valentine to a little Princess?"
"Oh, I will give her to you," the bird seller said. "Very few people want to take care of a blind bird."
But the little Princess did. She liked the white dove better than any of her other valentines. She hung her cage in a pink rose tree in the sunniest part of the garden, and she often invited the Prince to sit with her under the tree and listen to the dove's sweet song.

Texting While Walking

2008-05-16T08:36:00.000-07:00

1.What is consider as the worst disaster waiting to happen?
2.What is consider as the worst offenders?
3.Last year, how many percent of people in London had an accident due to texting?
4.What is the solution?
5.What do you think of this problem?

Have a great weekend everyone!

nerissa

10 Quick Ways to Improve Your Article Writing Skills

2008-05-15T05:36:00.000-07:00

unknown (from the web)

Here are some quick and easy ways to improve your article writing skills:

1. Establish Your Theme and Stay Focused

Learn to express one central theme in your article and develop that theme to its fullest potential. Don't start with one idea and then move onto an entirely different one. This will confuse your reader. As you write your article, continuously ask yourself if you're still focused on your original topic.

2. Express One Idea Per Paragraph

You've chosen the theme you want to develop in your article. Once you've established your overall theme, use each paragraph to express a single idea about that theme. Don't try to express several ideas in the same paragraph. You want your thoughts to be discrete and well defined so our reader can identify exactly what point you're trying to make.

3. Keep Your Paragraphs Short

When you're writing for the online market, you want to keep your paragraphs brief with lots of white space on your page. It can be tedious reading an article on a computer screen and white space makes your writing more restful on your reader's eyes. If possible, restrict your paragraphs to no more than four sentences.

4. Make Your Writing Specific

When you write, your readers want more than just regurgitated facts. Give them details and examples to support the points you're trying to make. This adds interest to your writing and helps you to both educate and entertain your reader.

5. Remove Any Unnecessary Words

After you've completed your article, go back and remove any excess words that are acting as useless filler. A prime example is use of the word "that". Many people sprinkle their articles with this word in a repetitive manner that serves no useful purpose. Remove as many filler words as you can from your article. It will make your article much easier to read. This is a quick and easy way to improve your writing skills.

6. Write In An Active, Not Passive Voice

Give your article impact and drama by writing in an active voice. Which sounds better?

"The burly man lifted the massive car from the snake infested waters using his bare hands."
Or,
"The car was lifted from the snake infested waters by the burly man using his bare hands."
The first example has much more impact and gives your reader a clear and concise picture of what you're describing. The drama of the second sentence is weakened by use of the passive voice.

7. Read and Reread Your Article

After you've completed your article and reviewed it for the first time, put it away and reread it again the next morning. You'll be amazed at the mistakes you'll notice upon reviewing your writing with a fresh perspective.
8. Have Someone Else Review Your Work Before Publishing It
Ask a trusted friend or family member to read your article and give you feedback. Does it hold their interest? Take their feedback seriously as they're relating to your article in a manner similar to your prospective reader.

9. Add Personality to Your Writing

If readers want just the facts, they'll consult an encyclopedia. They want to hear your unique voice on the subject you're discussing. Don't be afraid to let your personality shine through and even be a bit controversial. Let people know where you stand in your article.

10. Run Spell Check

It sounds basic but you'd be surprised at how many people skip this step. Spelling errors and typos in your articles can undermine your credibility. Don't develop the reputation of being a sloppy writer.

My Busy Day

2008-05-15T04:15:00.000-07:00

"Mommy, look!" cried my daughter, Darla, pointing to a chicken hawk soaring through the air.

"Uh huh," I murmured, driving, lost in thought about the tight schedule of my Day.

Disappointment filled her face. "What's the matter, Sweetheart?" I asked, entirely dense.

"Nothing," my seven-year-old said. The moment was gone. Near home, we slowed to search for the albino deer that comes out from behind the thick mass of trees in the early evening. She was nowhere to be seen.

"Tonight, she has too many things to do," I said.

Dinner, baths and phone calls filled the hours until bedtime.

"Come on, Darla, time for bed!" She raced past me up the stairs. Tired, I kissed her on the cheek, said prayers and tucked her in.

"Mom, I forgot to give you something!" she said. My patience was gone.

"Give it to me in the morning," I said, but she shook her head.

"You won't have time in the morning!" she retorted.

"I'll take time," I answered defensively. Sometimes no matter how hard I.tried, time flowed through my fingers like sand in an hourglass, never enough. Not enough for her, for my husband, and definitely not enough for me.

She wasn't ready to give up yet. She wrinkled her freckled little nose in anger and swiped away her chestnut brown hair.

"No, you won't! It will be just like today when I told you to look at the hawk. You didn't even listen to what I said."

I was too weary to argue; she hit too close to the truth. "Good night!" I shut her door with a resounding thud.

Later though, her gray-blue gaze filled my vision as I thought about how little time we really had until she was grown and gone.

My husband asked, "Why so glum?" I told him.

"Maybe she's not asleep yet. Why don't you check," he said with all the authority of a parent in the right. I followed his advice, wishing it was my own idea.

I cracked open her door, and the light from the window spilled over her sleeping form. In her hand I could see the remains of a crumpled paper. Slowly I opened her palm to see what the item of our disagreement had been.

Tears filled my eyes. She had torn into small pieces a big red heart with a poem she had written titled, "Why I Love My Mother!"

I carefully removed the tattered pieces. Once the puzzle was put back into place, I read what she had written:

Why I Love My Mother

Although you're busy, and you work so hard You always take time to play I love you Mommy because I am the biggest part of your busy day!

The words were an arrow straight to the heart. At seven years old, she had the wisdom of Solomon.

Ten minutes later I carried a tray to her room, with two cups of hot chocolate with marshmallows and two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. When I softly touched her smooth cheek, I could feel my heart burst with love.

Her thick dark lashes lay like fans against her lids as they fluttered, awakened from a dreamless sleep, and she looked at the tray.

"What is that for?" she asked, confused by this late-night intrusion.

"This is for you, because you are the most important part of my busy day!" She smiled and sleepily drank half her cup of chocolate. Then she drifted back to sleep, not really understanding how strongly I meant what I said.

CNN Exposes Dolphin Slaughter Cruelty

2008-05-13T07:47:00.000-07:00

1. What is the issue here?
2. What did Masaru Matsushita say?
3. What do you think about this issue?
Should we understand it as a part of their culture
or this is over the top?

Watch, React and Summarize!

Have a nice day!

Arkansas Traveler retold by S. E. Schlosser

2008-05-12T07:50:00.000-07:00

One rainy autumn, a traveler got lost in the mountains of Arkansas. He was tired and hungry, and so was his horse. Night was approaching. All at once, he saw a cabin. A squatter sat on the porch fiddling the same tune over and over.
The traveler asked the squatter for food and water for himself and his horse. The squatter replied: "Ain't got a thing in the house."
The traveler asked where the next house was. The squatter said: "Dunno. I ain't never been there." The frustrated traveler asked if he could spend the night. The squatter replied: "House leaks. My wife and me sleep on the only dry spot."
"Why don't you mend the roof?" asked the traveler.
"Can't mend the roof on a rainy day." The whole time, the squatter continued to fiddle the same tune, over and over.

The traveler snapped: "Why don't you finish that tune?"
"Can't get the turn of the tune." The traveler took the fiddle, played the turn of the tune and finished it.
"Stranger," said the squatter, "Grab yerself a chair and set down. Sal, cut a hunk outta that deer and cook it. Son, get the whisky and put the horse in the shed. You jest play away, stranger. Tonight, you can sleep on the dry spot!"

Busy

2008-05-12T07:41:00.000-07:00

by: Stephen Covey, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Once upon a time a very strong woodcutter applied for a job in a timber merchant, and he got it. The salary was really good and so were the work conditions. For that reason, the woodcutter was determined to do his best.

His boss gave him an axe and showed him the area where he was supposed to work.

The first day, the woodcutter brought 18 trees.

"Congratulations," the boss said. "Go on that way!"

Very motivated for the boss’ words, the woodcutter try harder the next day, but he only could bring 15 trees. The third day he try even harder, but he only could bring 10 trees. Day after day he was bringing less and less trees.

"I must be losing my strength", the woodcutter thought. He went to the boss and apologized, saying that he could not understand what was going on.

"When was the last time you sharpened your axe?" the boss asked.

"Sharpen? I had no time to sharpen my axe. I have been very busy trying to cut trees..."

Korea's humanoid robot made his CNN debut - 1/6

2008-05-08T08:17:00.000-07:00

Watch and Summarize!
Write your summary on a sheet of paper..

Have a nice time!

How Machines Affect Our Lives By Jane Runyon

2008-05-08T04:47:00.000-07:00

1 It was Earth Week in Mrs. Kim's class. They had been doing jobs all around their school. They raked leaves. They picked up trash. They weeded the flower beds. They had piled up all of the trash they had found.

2 "Whew!" exclaimed C. J. "I'm really tired. I have been working hard all week on that trash pile."

3 "That's not work," said Sarah. "That's helping the environment!"

4 "I have too been working," said C.J. "Haven't I, Mrs. Kim?"

5 "According to the rules of science, you certainly have worked," answered Mrs. Kim. "Work is what occurs anytime a force moves an object any distance."

6 "So there," said C.J. "I moved trash from around the school to here. That is a lot of work."

7 "We're not done yet," said Mrs. Kim. "We have more work to do before our job is complete. We must move all of this trash into the back of that truck. Once we are done, Mr. Jeffries can take the load of trash to the dump."

8 The children started to gather round the back of the truck. They looked at each other and then at the pile of trash. "How are we going to get all of that trash up into the back of the truck?" asked Matthew.

9 "We are going to use machines," said Mrs. Kim.

10 The class looked all around. "I don't see any machines around here," said Maddie. "Is someone going to bring them here?"

11 "No," said Mrs. Kim, "everything we need is already here at school. We are going to use simple machines."

12 Mrs. Kim showed the children some items she had laid out on the sidewalk. There were a long board, a wheelbarrow, and a shovel. "Here are our machines," she said.

13 "Those are garden tools like my mom uses," said Mike.

14 "Yes," questioned Mrs. Kim, "how does your mom use the tools?"

Vocabulary:
1. raked-a machine for gathering hay(mowed grass)
2. weeded-
3. dump-to get rid of

1 It was Earth Week in Mrs. Kim's class. They had been doing jobs all around their school. They raked leaves. They picked up trash. They weeded the flower beds. They had piled up all of the trash they had found.

2 "Whew!" exclaimed C. J. "I'm really tired. I have been working hard all week on that trash pile."

3 "That's not work," said Sarah. "That's helping the environment!"

4 "I have too been working," said C.J. "Haven't I, Mrs. Kim?"

5 "According to the rules of science, you certainly have worked," answered Mrs. Kim. "Work is what occurs anytime a force moves an object any distance."

6 "So there," said C.J. "I moved trash from around the school to here. That is a lot of work."

7 "We're not done yet," said Mrs. Kim. "We have more work to do before our job is complete. We must move all of this trash into the back of that truck. Once we are done, Mr. Jeffries can take the load of trash to the dump."

8 The children started to gather round the back of the truck. They looked at each other and then at the pile of trash. "How are we going to get all of that trash up into the back of the truck?" asked Matthew.

9 "We are going to use machines," said Mrs. Kim.

10 The class looked all around. "I don't see any machines around here," said Maddie. "Is someone going to bring them here?"

11 "No," said Mrs. Kim, "everything we need is already here at school. We are going to use simple machines."

12 Mrs. Kim showed the children some items she had laid out on the sidewalk. There were a long board, a wheelbarrow, and a shovel. "Here are our machines," she said.

13 "Those are garden tools like my mom uses," said Mike.

14 "Yes," questioned Mrs. Kim, "how does your mom use the tools?"

Vocabulary:
1. raked-a machine for gathering hay(mowed grass)
2. weeded-
3. dump-to get rid of

The Story of Two Friends

2008-05-08T04:39:00.000-07:00

TWO FRIENDS WERE WALKING
THROUGH THE DESERT.
DURING SOME POINT OF THE
JOURNEY, THEY HAD AN
ARGUMENT; AND ONE FRIEND
SLAPPED THE OTHER ONE
IN THE FACE.

THE ONE WHO GOT SLAPPED
WAS HURT, BUT WITHOUT
SAYING ANYTHING,
WROTE IN THE SAND:

TODAY MY BEST FRIEND
SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE.

THEY KEPT ON WALKING,
UNTIL THEY FOUND AN OASIS,
WHERE THEY DECIDED
TO TAKE A BATH
THE ONE WHO HAD BEEN
SLAPPED GOT STUCK IN THE
MIRE AND STARTED DROWNING,
BUT THE FRIEND SAVED HIM.

AFTER HE RECOVERED FROM
THE NEAR DROWNING,
HE WROTE ON A STONE:

"TODAY MY BEST FRIEND
SAVED MY LIFE ".

THE FRIEND WHO HAD SLAPPED
AND SAVED HIS BEST FRIEND
ASKED HIM, "AFTER I HURT YOU,
YOU WROTE IN THE SAND AND NOW,
YOU WRITE ON A STONE, WHY?"

THE FRIEND REPLIED
"WHEN SOMEONE HURTS US
WE SHOULD WRITE IT DOWN
IN SAND, WHERE WINDS OF
FORGIVENESS CAN ERASE IT AWAY.
BUT, WHEN SOMEONE DOES
SOMETHING GOOD FOR US,
WE MUST ENGRAVE IT IN STONE
WHERE NO WIND
CAN EVER ERASE IT."

LEARN TO WRITE
YOUR HURTS IN
THE SAND AND TO
CARVE YOUR
BENEFITS IN STONE.

THEY SAY IT TAKES A
MINUTE TO FIND A SPECIAL
PERSON, AN HOUR TO
APPRECIATE THEM, A DAY
TO LOVE THEM, BUT THEN
AN ENTIRE LIFE
TO FORGET THEM.

CNN-Myanmar Cyclone

2008-05-07T02:16:00.000-07:00

Questions:

1. Describe the place where the cyclone hit.

2. What causes the devastating phenomenon in Myanmar last 5th of May?

3. Describe the place after the cyclone hit.

Have a nice day!

Relationships & Love; Idioms

2008-05-06T06:35:00.000-07:00

ask for someone's hand in marriage
- ask someone to marry you
After dating his girlfriend for several years he finally asked for her hand in marriage.

attracted to (someone)
- feel a physical or emotional attraction to someone
I was attracted to the woman at the party from the moment that I first met her.

blind date
- a date where the two people have never met before
I went on a blind date in university but it did not work out very well.

break someone's heart
- cause someone emotional pain
The man broke his girlfriend's heart when he told her that he was no longer in love with her.

break up
- end a relationship
They broke up after dating for more than three years.

crazy about (someone)
- think that another person is wonderful
My cousin has been crazy about the bank manager for many months now.

date someone
- go on or have a date with someone
My sister has been dating her boyfriend for over two years now.

dig someone
- like someone a lot (dig someone is not a commonly used idiom now)
She really digs the boy in her chemistry class.

double date
- a date where two couples get together to do something
It was a good idea to go on the double date even though everybody wanted to do something different.

dump someone
- end a relationship by telling someone that you don't want to see him or her
The woman dumped her boyfriend after they began to have many fights.

fall for (someone)
- fall in love with someone
She always seems to fall for the wrong person and is never happy.

fall in love (with someone)
- begin to feel love for someone
He fell in love with a woman from his university class and they got married several months later.

find Mr. Right
- find the right or perfect person
She is always hoping to find Mr. Right but so far she hasn't had any luck.

first love
- the first person that one falls in love with
Her first love was with a boy in her high school art class.

get along with someone
- have a good friendly relationship with someone
The woman gets along with her friends very well.

get back together
- return to a relationship or marriage after breaking up
The man got back together with his girlfriend after separating for several months last winter.

get engaged
- decide to marry someone
He got engaged to his wife several years before they actually got married.

get hitched
- get married
My sister and her boyfriend surprised everyone by suddenly getting hitched last weekend.

get serious
- a relationship becomes serious and long-term
The two students dated for several months before they began to get serious.

give someone (or something) a second chance
- try to save a relationship by forgiving and welcoming the other person back
The girl's boyfriend left her for several months but when he wanted to come back she was happy to give him a second chance.

go dutch
- a date where each person pays half of the expenses
In university many of the students had little money so they often went dutch when they were on a date.

good together
- two people who get along well with each other
They are very good together and nobody has ever seen them argue.

go out with someone
- go on a date or be dating someone
I have been going out with a woman from my hiking club for several months now.

go steady
- date one person regularly (not so common recently but at one time used often by teenagers)
The two students have been going steady for three years now.

have a crush (on someone)
- have strong feelings of love for someone (often for a short time and with no results)
The young girl had a crush on her teacher in junior high school but of course it was an impossible situation.

have a thing for (someone)
- be attracted and care a lot about someone
She seems to have a thing for the new guy who just started to work at her company.

head over heels in love with someone
- be very much in love with someone
My friend is head over heels in love with the accountant in his new company.

hit it off (with someone)
- get along well with someone (usually from the beginning)
I hit it off with a woman in my photography class and we have been dating for several months now.

hung up on someone
- be obsessed with another person
The young woman has been hung up on a member of her tennis club for many months now.

interested in (someone)
- have a romantic interest in someone and possibly want to date that person
My sister has been interested in one of the students in her university biology class for many months now.

kiss and makeup
- become friends again after a fight or argument
After they have a fight the couple is always very quick to kiss and make up.

leave someone for someone else
- end a relationship with your partner and start a relationship with someone else
The man left his wife for his secretary but soon discovered that his life was worse than before.

love at first sight
- fall in love with someone (or something) the first time that one sees him or her
When I saw the woman at the party it was love at first sight and I knew that I wanted to meet her.

made for each other
- two people who get along extremely well
Although we had some differences we got along very well together and seemed to be made for each other.

make eyes at someone
- look at someone in a way that makes it clear that you like that person and find them attractive
The man became angry when he thought that his girlfriend was making eyes at someone else at the party.

make up
- when two people forgive each other after an argument or begin to see each other again after ending a relationship
The couple had a big fight at the restaurant but they quickly made up and things quickly got back to normal.

a match made in heaven
- a couple who get along perfectly
When the two people finally got together it was a match made in heaven and everyone thought that they would stay together forever.

meet/find the right girl/guy
- find the right partner, the one to marry
When she moved to Madrid she joked that she would never return home if she met the right guy.

on the rocks
- a relationship or a marriage that is experiencing problems
They are experiencing many problems at the moment and their relationship appears to be on the rocks.

the one (for someone)
- the right partner, the one to marry
As soon as I introduced my girlfriend to my mother she said that she was probably the one for me.

one and only
- the only person that one loves
She was his one and only and he felt lost when the relationship ended.

patch up a relationship
- repair a broken relationship
Although the couple had been fighting and wanted to separate they managed to patch up their relationship and are now very happy together.

perfect couple
- two people who appear to get along perfectly
Our neighors have always seemed to be the perfect couple.

pop the question
- ask someone to marry you
He put much thought into his possible wedding before he actually decided to pop the question.

puppy love
- infatuation (strong feelings of love) between school-age children or teenagers
The two teenagers thought that their love was the greatest in the world but everyone knew that it was only puppy love.

say "I do"
- get married (during a wedding ceremony it is common to say "I do" when you agree to marry your partner)
He loved the woman very much and was hoping that she would say "I do" as soon as they could make the wedding arrangements.

seeing someone
- be dating someone on a regular basis
The woman was not seeing anyone when she met a man who she liked at the party.

set a date
- decide on a date for a wedding
After thinking about marriage for a long time they have finally decided to set a date.

settle down
- establish a regular routine after getting married
After dating dozens of women the young man finally decided to settle down.

split up
- two people in a relationship decide to end their relationship
My sister's daughter and her boyfriend decided to split up after being together for seven years.

steal someone's heart
- cause someone to fall in love with you
She quickly stole the heart of the man who was working beside her at her office.

take one's vows
- get married and take your wedding vows (promises)
They were taking their vows down at the county courthouse when I came for a visit.

those three little words
- the words "I love you"
After several months of dating the young man finally said those three little words to his girlfriend.

tie the knot
- get married
After dating for several years the young couple suddenly decided to tie the knot.

true love
- a genuine feeling of romantic love
It seemed like true love until we began to fight all of the time.

unrequited love
- love that is not returned, one-way love
The woman was in love with the president of her company but from the beginning it was a case of unrequited love.

walk down the aisle together
- get married (in this case in a Christian church where many weddings take place and where the bride walks down the aisle to the altar)
They get along very well and they have finally decided to walk down the aisle and begin their life together.

walk out on
- abandon your partner and end a relationship
The man walked out on his wife and their small baby and nobody knew the reason why.

whisper sweet nothings in someone's ear
- romantic, intimate talk
The movie was rather romantic and most of the scenes had the actor whispering sweet nothings in the ear of the actress.

Let's talk!

2008-05-05T06:45:00.000-07:00

modified, taken from:Barbara D. Martin
http://kiwiyert.tripod.com/ideas_for_debate_topics.htm

1. Should your students be permitted to go on a field trip?

2. Should students be required to wear uniforms at school?

3. Should you be permitted to choose whatever clothes you want to wear outside of school?

4. Should you be permitted to have a job such as mowing yards or baby-sitting if your grades are poor?

5. Should you be permitted to purchase or buy whatever you want to with your own money or allowance?

6. Should you be permitted to get any style of haircut you want?

7. Should you be permitted to have a birthday party and invite friends other than family?

8. Should you be allowed to go anywhere you want to with your friends?

9. Should you be given an allowance or maybe an increase in the amount of your allowance?

10. Should you be permitted to go to a PG-13 or R rated movie?

11. Should you be permitted to have or attend a sleep-over party?

12. Should you be permitted to have a pet?

13. Should you be permitted to join any group you want to--basketball, soccer, girl scouts, martial arts, or others?

14. Should you be required to do chores around the house? Which jobs?

15. Should you be permitted to have your own bedroom?

16. Should you have to dress up for those special occasions that your parents feel are important?

17. Should you be allowed to take up any hobby that you want to?

18. Should you be allowed to take lessons to play any musical instrument you like?

19. Should you be allowed to stay home when the family goes to visit someone for the day?

20. Should you be permitted to have a TV in your bedroom?

21. Should you be allowed to have your ears pierced or maybe pierce other body parts?

22. Should you be allowed to get a tattoo?

23. Should you be required to wear mandatory bicycle helmets?

24. Should you have homework assignments every night?

25. Should there be corporal punishment at school?

26. Does society have a right to put someone to death?

27. Should you have a curfew? If so, what time and on what days?

28. Should the cafeteria offer fast food lunches instead of cafeteria food.

29. Should school hours be changed to 12:00 to 6:00 pm.

30. Should students be allowed to bring their pets to school.

31. Why their favorite book is better than one the school makes them read.

32. Why they should have the freedom to choose their own bedtime.

33. Why they should be able to watch a certain program.

34. Why they should raise or lower the age to vote, smoke or drink.

35. Should kids between the ages of ten and thirteen be dropped off at the mall without adult supervision?

36. Should skateboards be allowed on sidewalks?

37. Should animals be used for scientific experimentation?

38. Should Pokemon cardds be allowed in schools?

and more...

Television is better than books.

Girls have it better than boys.

Cats make better pets than dogs.

Animals should not be kept in cages.

Computers should replace teachers.

School should be two hours longer.

Beauty is only skin deep.

The Olympics are a waste of money.

modified:
Submitted by: Barbara D. Martin
http://kiwiyert.tripod.com/ideas_for_debate_topics.htm

CNN Eco Solutions : Canada : Climate change & poverty

2008-05-02T08:43:00.000-07:00

Watch and React!

Answer the following questions:
1. Who is more affected by climate change in Canada?Why?
2. How does the Energy Green Box try to help?
3. What does Biatrice Olivastri try to say?
4. When did Earth Canada start distributing the project?
5. What do you think about this Eco Solution project?

Read: DON'T GET MAD, GET EVEN-

2008-05-02T06:37:00.000-07:00

Read the story below and do the following;

1. Based on the story, give the meaning of the following;
a. get even
b. trail
c. call Kane a name or call someone a name
d. efficient
c. ditch
d. felony vandalism
e. culprit

2. In your own words, retell the story.

3. Give the message of the story

Check your reading comprehension.

DON'T GET MAD, GET EVEN

“Look out!” Kane heard the shout and turned around to see who was shouting. A second later, a mountain biker whooshed past him. The biker turned his head and shouted “Bikes only, asshole!” and disappeared from view. Kane was walking on a mountain bike trail. He had already seen a sign saying Bikers Only, but he had figured that the trail in the woods was wide enough for him and for the bikers.
This was public land. Who were bikers to hog this trail for themselves, he thought. Where was he supposed to take his nature walks—through the spider webs and the underbrush? And who did that biker think he was, to call Kane a name? The more he thought, the angrier he got. He’d fix them.
The next Saturday, he visited the trail again, but this time with a shovel. It was an old GI shovel that he still had from his Army days. It was small but efficient. He found a slight curve in the trail and, just after sunrise, he started digging. He dug a ditch all the way across the bike trail. The ditch was four inches deep and twelve inches wide. He would have liked to hang around and watch the action, but there was no place to conceal himself. Maybe later he could set up one of those spy cameras people use for home security, he thought as he walked back to his car. Then he could upload the really good crashes to the Internet.
An hour later, a 15-year-old girl hit the ditch. She flew through the air and landed among some small trees. Because she was wearing a helmet, knee pads, and elbow pads, all she suffered were bruises, scratches, and a sprained wrist. Her $700 bike was moderately damaged. She used her cell phone to call her dad. Despite her soreness, she stood guard on the trail to warn others.
Police investigated the scene of the "accident." An officer said if they caught who dug the ditch, the culprit would be charged with felony vandalism, which might result in a year in prison.

Austrian 'admits daughter abuse' (BBC News)

2008-04-29T08:46:00.000-07:00

CNN Eco Solutions : Japan : First hybrid train

2008-04-24T09:21:00.000-07:00

Watch, Summarize and React!

1. What makes this train surpass other ordinary train?
2. How did the train conductor feel about operating the new train?
3. What did Nobuyuki Morokuma say?
4. How does this train help the environment?

Have a great Weekend!

World Book and Copyright Day - April 23

2008-04-23T04:35:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BOOKS DAY EVERYONE!...

Hold the world in your hand

Find pleasure in reading
Discover more

Go places beyond your imagination

Learn from experiences

Let it be a torch to guide you along

See the world in different perspective

Be in everybody's shoes

Love as others fall in love
Get hurt and cry as others get hurt and cry

Laugh at the failures but value the lessons learned

You don't need to die to know pain...you

just need to read!

Nerissa

by:www.unesco.org/culture/bookday/
By celebrating this Day throughout the world, UNESCO seeks to promote reading, publishing and the protection of intellectual property through copyright.

23 April: a symbolic date for world literature for on this date and in the same year of 1616, Cervantes, Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega all died. It is also the date of birth or death of other prominent authors such as Maurice Druon, K.Laxness, Vladimir Nabokov, Josep Pla and Manuel Mejía Vallejo. It was a natural choice for UNESCO's General Conference to pay a world-wide tribute to books and authors on this date, encouraging everyone, and in particular young people, to discover the pleasure of reading and gain a renewed respect for the irreplaceable contributions of those who have furthered the social and cultural progress of humanity.
The idea for this celebration originated in Catalonia where on 23 April, Saint George's Day, a rose is traditionally given as a gift for each book sold.

CNN: Are asian students smarter? LD15

2008-04-21T23:25:00.000-07:00

Watch and React

Have a great day!