Plans / A Plan

“Do you have any plans for the weekend?” is a very common North American phrase that you’re very likely to hear on any given Friday. “Plan” is always used in the plural (“plans”), and this expression means “What are you going to do this weekend?”

“Do you have a plan?” is used for when you have a specific goal in mind, and never to just ask about what someone is going to do during a certain time.

A: I am going to start a business.
B: What is your plan?
A: I will open a restaurant that sells the world’s best hamburgers.

Wrong: Do you have a plan for tonight?
Right: Do you have any plans for tonight.

Wrong: Do you have any plan for the weekend?
Right: Do you have any plans for the weekend?

…are you planning.. ...“What are you planning to do this weekend?” has the same meaning as “Do you have any plans for the weekend?” You can also use “…are you planning…” interchangeably with “Do you have a plan…?”, but need to add ‘on +verb-ing’ after planning to indicate the goal.

Ex. Are you planning to steal that girl away from her boyfriend?
Are you planning anything special for this weekend?

Partner / Keypal Activities- Do you have any plans this weekend?

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IDIOMS

1. A phrase that must be taken as a whole, usually having a meaning that is not clear from the meaning of the individual words, as hang around and a change of heart.
2. The use of particular words or of words in an order that is regarded as standard, the idiom is "wash up the dishes" but not "wash up your hands."
3. The language used by a people or group, in the scientific idiom.
4. a characteristic mode of expression in art or music etc.

Source: Oxford American Dictionary

idiom: To hang loose
meaning: To relax, to wait without anxiety, to take it easy in general.
usage: I got anxious waiting for her to call back, but I decided to just hang loose.

idiom: To get someone's drift.
meaning: To understand what someone is saying.
usage:
example 1:
A: Do you understand what I'm saying?
B: Yes. I get your drift.Example
2:A: Do you understand what I mean?
B: No, I'm sorry. I don't get your drift.

idiom: To screw up.
meaning: To make a mistake.
usage: I really screwed up.

idiom: To have egg on your face.
meaning: To feel embarrassed about something you have done.
usage: Oh no! I screwed up. I sure have egg on my face.

idiom: To bite the big one
meaning: to make a major mistake
usage: Sally really knows how to bite the big one.

idiom: to space-out, to feel spaced-out
meaning: To forget something, to be absent minded, to daydream
usage:
1) I couldn't sleep last night so I feel spaced out.
2) Sorry, what did you say? I just spaced out.
3) I'm feeling spacey today.

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Koreans - Killing & Eating Dogs

Did you know that in Korea there is a practice of killing dogs for food. Dog meat is touted as being a substance which can boost the sexual prowess of men. The fact that this theory is absolutely false, makes no difference. A profitable commerce has been established.

The eating of dogs for food is not a new controversy for South Korea, as this photo from 1988 indicates. The photo originally accompanied a story on dog meat sales by The Sun's Lorrie Goldstein during the 1988 Seoul Olympics. The government banned the killing of dogs for food, in locations frequented by visitors, during the Olympics. They were afraid of upsetting Westerners visiting their country.

The Koreans who eat these poor dogs, take great delight in watching the poor animals die, wagging their tails in a last moment's desperate, but futile plea for mercy. It is believed the more the dog suffers in death, the better tasting the meat! Slow hanging and burning the hair off with propane torches is common practice. Cats receive equal treatment, shoved into sacs which are then smashed against brick walls until the poor animals are pulverized. Then they are liquified in blender machines and sold as drinks.

Something to Think About!
Dogs and man have been living together, helping each other, for more than 30,000 years according to anthropoligists. That represents about 1000 generations. Geneticists believe the figure is closer to 100,000 years.

They were dangerous times, 30,000 years ago. Man's weapons for hunting and protection were primitive and enemies were everywhere, two legged and four. Often, a dog's warning of danger was how a man survived. If a dog saved the life of its master 30,000 years ago, then all descendants of that man, also owe their existence to that dog. Supose a man had two children in each generation and that there have been 1000 generations since that time, it means that 2 to the power of 1000 or 21000 would represent the number of people today, who owe their existence to that dog. That number, 21000 is a number greater than all the people who have ever lived! Saving its master's life was common place until fairly recent times. In the last 300 years St. Bernards alone, have been credited with saving over 3000 people from snow avalanches in Europe. Think about how many people today owe their existence to those St. Bernards. Newfoundland Dogs, better not forget them, because over the decades they have saved countless children, adults, and shipwrecked mariners from drowning. It doesn't take a genius to figure that every man and woman on the face of this earth probably owes his/her existence to some dog, way back. Don't you think that dogs have earned special protected status, worldwide.

WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ABOUT THIS ARTICLE?

THIS ARTICLE IS CREATED BY:
http://www.dogbiz.com/dont-eat-dog-meat.htm

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Week 1
Bored to death

"I have nothing to do. I’m bored to death."
"I hate it when I’m bored to death."
"Would you rather be super busy or bored to death?"

A: "Hey Seth, what are you doing?"
B: "I’m reading book. What are you doing?"
A: "I’m bored to death. Let’s do something."
B: "Sure. Come over and we can play some games.

"Other Common Sentences
"I’m so bored, I could die."
"I’m dying of boredom."

You've got to be kidding

A: "Hey Jared. Mom told me to tell you that you shouldn’t stay out too late."
B: "You’ve got to be kidding me. I’m 30 years old."
A: "Patrick won the school election by two votes."
B: "He’s not that popular how did this happen?"
A: "Nobody voted because they expected Jason to win."
B: "You’ve got to be kidding me."

Other Common Sentences
"I really hope you’re wrong."
"Please tell me it ain’t so."

Sick and Tired

"I’m sick and tired of eating the same thing for lunch everyday."
"I’m getting sick and tired of this song. They play it way too often at this club."
"I’m sick and tired of listening to him nag all the time."

A: "Where are you going for lunch today?"
B: "I don’t know… how about a burger?"
A: "No. I eat that almost everyday. I’m getting sick and tired of them."
B: "Let’s go eat teriyaki then."

Other Common Sentences
"I’m getting sick of this phone. I think I’ll buy a new one."
"I’m tired of the same routine. I need to find something new and different."

Call it a day

"Let’s call it a day. I’m too tired to continue working."
"We can’t continue working without Mike, so let’s call it a day."
"It’s already nine o’clock. Let’s call it a day."
A: "How much more work do we have for tonight?"
B: "I think we finished everything for the day."
A: "Good. Let’s call it a day then."

Other Common Sentences
"Let’s turn in for the night."
"I think we should pick it up from the morning."

pick it up = continue

Get on one's nerves

"You’re beginning to get on my nerves."
"Will you please stop doing that? It’s getting on my nerves."
"His whining is getting on my nerves."
A: "He doesn’t like his birthday present."
B: "He’s starting to get on my nerves. It’s one thing to not like it, but it’s another to complain about it. We tried our best to get him a good present."
A: "Yeah. It’s bothering me too."

Other Common Sentences
"You’re beginning to annoy me."
"His complaints are starting to bother me."

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in is used with:
years

in 1998

centuries
in the 19th century

parts of the day (exception: at night)
in the morning

decades
in the 1990s

seasons
in summer

months
in October

on is used with:

dates
on January 1, on May 2, 2004

days of the week
on Monday, on Sunday evening

“special days”
on my birthday, on Christmas Day

at is used with:

times
at 7:00, at midnight (12:00)

holidays
at Christmas, at Easter

no preposition is used with expressions with:

ago
one year ago
tonight, this morning, this afternoon, etc.
I'm going to see a movie tonight
tomorrow, tomorrow afternoon, etc.
See you tomorrow
yesterday, yesterday morning, etc.
I didn't go to school yesterday
expressions with last or next
I was in Japan last year

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1.) Choose the 3 worst problems the world faces today from the list below (or add your own ideas to the list) and number them 1, 2, 3.

International Terrorism

Overpopulation

Nuclear Weapons

Environmental Pollution

Destruction of Natural Resources

Drug Abuse

Crime

AIDS

2.) Give your 3 choices and state why you put them in that order.

3.) After each person has stated their choices and reasons choose the problem that you think is the worst and come up with solutions.

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Finding someone to be in a relationship is actually quite easy. Finding someone to be in a relationship that actually fulfills you, however, is a different story. So how do you find a relationship that truly fulfills your needs and desires? Setting your priorities straight and having realistic expectations will help guide you into the right direction in finding the relationship you have always wanted. Before you can do that though, you need to make sure that you feel fulfilled on your own first.


So many people end up in relationships that do not fulfill them because they are entering the relationship with the wrong expectations and for the wrong reasons. A big example of this is someone entering a relationship as a way to feel complete. Many people feel unsatisfied with themselves and their lives, and believe that someone else will be able to fill in that gap for them. Placing the responsibility for your happiness on someone else is unrealistic and will only result in disappointments in the relationship. You also need to acknowledge and accept the fact that there is no such thing as ?the perfect relationship? and that there will be issues that will require teamwork and compromise.


Most people have the idea that if a relationship is truly happy and meant to be, then there never will be any problems and should not require so much work- it should just be happy. Well, if this is how you view relationships, then it is time to change your way of thinking before you set yourself up for more painful reality checks. If you are interested in finding a person to build a strong romantic relationship with, the best thing to do would be to start by focusing on yourself first- and make sure that you are have your life sorted out, before deciding to share it with someone else. Majority of people would read this say ? of course, it?s common sense? and while this may true, people still enter relationship with unrealistic expectation, wrong reasons or before making sure they are fulfilled on their own first.


So if you feel you are ready to be in a serious, committed relationship, do your self a favor and take it one step at a time. Review the relationship you have with yourself first and make sure that you are truly happy with you are and where you stand currently in your life. Ask yourself why you feel the need to be in a relationship, what you are prepared to invest into it, as well as what you are expecting from your partner. Sorting this out will help you understand your relationship goals and will help you understand what it is you need to look for in a person when trying to find a romantic partner to share your life with.

http://www.love-sessions.com/fulfilling_relationship.htm

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Love, Lust and Romance what is the difference.

What is Love

All the beings in the world, mammals, birds, marine species, etc. have an in-born lust so that they are able to mate and reproduce. Reproduction is the only way to continue the existence of the species. As such, lust is a basic biological need.

For the male and the female to get attracted to each other as well as for the selection of the most suitable mate, romance is necessary. Both lust and romance are gender-specific and occur normally between a male and female. On the other hand, love is universal and love is neither gender-specific nor species-specific. A man could love a woman or another man or an animal or a bird. Love knows no bounds. Let us make a brief analysis on the manifestation of love, romance and lust in human beings and the resultant repercussions of each one of them.

Love is a tender but deep feeling of attraction towards a being or an object. Love is not limited to any one single thing. You can love your dog and at the same time, you can love your dress. Love is expanding by nature and the more you love, the happier you feel. It is very difficult to restrict love because it is a second nature for all of us. We cannot live without love. The reasoning is very simple. Our first love is we ourselves. Unless you love yourself, you would not be able to live. Think for a minute. Those who commit suicide do it only in that fraction of a moment when they hate themselves, whatever is the reason for that. Our personal love progresses further to include members of our family, relatives, friends, coworkers, neighbors, and others in our community. Love could be mild in nature or an intense one. The intense love or desire makes you obsessive and highly possessive of that person or object of your love. All our problems and conflicts start at this point only.


There is one more thing about love. Love does not get restricted to physical objects. Even our emotional aspects are part of our love. You say, ?I love swimming,? ?I love singing,? etc. We can love even physical and emotional activities. Many of us love to daydream about several things. This is emotional love.





In English language, so many idioms use love as their theme. A few examples are given below.

Love is blind
Make love
Puppy love
Labor of love
No love lost
Fall in love
Not for love or money
All is fair in love and war
Love at first sight

Diane Ackerman wrote, ?Everyone admits that love is wonderful and necessary, yet no one agrees on just what it is.? It is very difficult to describe love in words. To quote Barbara De Angelis, ?Love is a force more formidable than any other. It is invisible ? it cannot be seen or measured, yet it is powerful enough to transform you in a moment, and offer you more joy than any material possession could.?

While love encompasses everything, romance and lust occur normally between a male and female. Margaret Anderson said, ?In real love you want the other person?s good. In romantic love, you want the other person.? Romance is always considered to be a pleasant experience. Maximum numbers of novels are based on romance only. So are many movies and television shows. However, many romances end as a failure because the initial infatuation covers up the negative traits. Later on, when the knowledge of such negative aspects starts growing, disenchantment sets in. As such, for a romance to succeed, both the partners should be clear on what each one expects from the other. An open discussion on such matters makes understanding each other easier and results in a harmonious relationship. It is important to enjoy the companionship and remain relaxed in a romantic relationship.
Psychologists hold that romantic love emerges purely from a desire for self-gratification. They feel that the illusions that lead to romantic love are very powerful emotions and have to be properly controlled.

On the other hand, lust is a somewhat dangerous one because mostly lust is an intense feeling. Lust could be between human beings or you could even lust after money or other material objects. When one is in lust, normally the thinking cap slips off and the results could be disastrous. Hence, deep and clear analysis and understanding the nature of your lust is very much needed. Lust is also a desire for self-gratification but much more powerful than a romantic love. When you lust after somebody or something, your strong craving to get that person or object tends to make you transgress borders. Controlling the emotion of lust is very difficult. Most of the time, after you have attained the person or object that you lusted after, a guilty feeling sets in. Hence, proper restrain in needed when you have the feeling of lust.

QUESTIONS:
1. What is the difference of love, lust and romance?
2. Why do obsession and possessiveness can cause conflict in a relationship?
3. What is your own definition of love?
4. Do you believe that love can transform a person?
5. Do you think that romantic love are very powerful emotions and have to be controlled?
6. Will you still love a person even though you discover his/her negative traits?
7. Do you think that lust after money or other material things is the root of all kinds of evil or can harm others?
8. Is it possible to control the emotion of lust?
9. Have you ever felt lust with something?
10. Are you willing to break all boundaries/limitations just to get somebody or object?


http://www.love-sessions.com/love_or_lust.htm

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CHUSEOK (Korea's Thanksgiving Day)


Chuseok, the Korean version of Thanksgiving Day, is coming. Chuseok is one of the two biggest holidays in Korea. People from all parts of the country visit their hometowns. They hold ancestral memorial services with traditional foods. Kids dress up in traditional Korean dress that is picked out especially for the occasion.The main drawback to Chuseok is the horrendous traffic. The trip back home can take more than 10 hours by car, but people don't seem to mind the inconvenience. Instead, they look forward to seeing their families and friends.



Chuseok, also known as Hangawee, falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month and is one of the four main festive holidays of Korea. In ancient society, people used to worship and hold festivals under the full moon. It is said that Chuseok is derived from the full moon, which was on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month.

Dietary Customs

Chuseok is a period where wheat and fruits thrive. Yet during Chuseok, people mainly eat a rice cake called Songpyeon. Songpyeon consists of beans, adzuki, chestnuts, jujube and other grains, all picked from new crops.

CHUSEOK DISCUSSION
• What food do you eat at Chuseok?
• What day is Chuseok this year?
• Why is the traffic so bad?
• Where are you going for Chuseok?
• How many people in your family will be attending Chuseok this year?
• Do you celebrate Chuseok? If so, how?
• What do you know about the history of Chuseok?
• What foods are associated with Chuseok?
• What is your favourite Chuseok food?
• What are some Chuseok traditions?
• What are some Chuseok traditions in your family?
• Do you think Chuseok is a family holiday? Why?
• What does "Chuseok" mean to you?
• What day is Chuseok celebrated in Korea?
• What is your favourite Chuseok memory?
• What is your worst Chuseok memory?
• If you had to list your favourite holidays, what number would Chuseok be? Why?
• What did you do on Chuseok this year? What did you do last year?
• Who cooks Chuseok dinner in your home?
• What time do you start eating?
• Why do you think people celebrate Chuseok Day?
• What time of day does your family typically sit down to eat Chuseok dinner?
• What are some of the things you are thankful for?

PHOTO CREDIT
http://7ustm3.wordpress.com/2008/09/14/happy-chuseok/

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Welcome to our English class blog! I will start to post our

class materials on this blog so you can immediately access

our lessons.


PHOTO CREDIT

http://socialnetworking.lovetoknow.com/images/SocialNetworking/1/1f/Freebloglayouts.jpg

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