Vocabulary related to Emotions

to feel uptight/ anxious
I'm sorry I snapped at you. I'm really feeling really uptight about things at work.

to take a toll

Actually, my stress at work is also taking its toll on my family life.

to have no patience for something

I have no patience for my coworkers

to go ballistic

Sometimes, I just go ballistic and start yelling at them!

to control one's emotions

I know I should control my emotions, but I can't help myself!

to be at the end of one's rope

I've tried everything, and now I'm at the end of my rope.

to get a grip

My manager just tells me to get a grip or I'll lose my job.

to blow off steam

Let's go out tonight. I need to blow off a little steam.

Aggravations and Amusements

Explain how you would react to the following situations. Focus on describing how you might feel in case and how you would respond.

·You accidentally lock your car with the keys inside.

·You have been taking an English conversation class and during one activity you accidentally make a mistake that makes everyone laugh including the instructor.

·You are running to catch a bus. The driver pulls away, just as you reach the door.

·You are out shopping and you make eye contact with someone you know quite well, but they just walk past you without saying a word.

·You get home after a long day only to find that there is nowhere to park your car.

·You are having a nice conversation with your friend on the subway, when an elderly man tells you an angry voice that it is a public place, and you are disturbing him by speaking too loudly.

·You are having dinner with a friend when someone at the next table suddenly collapses on the floor.

·You are on a crowded subway and a seat becomes available right in front of you. As you turn around to sit down, a speedy middle-aged woman darts into the vacant seat.

Feelings and Emotions Discussion:

1. Are you embarrassed when you are praised in front of other people? What do you usually do when this happens? What do you usually say?

2. Who is the most emotional person you know? Give an example of their behavior to explain why you think this way?

3. Are you good at hiding your emotions or do you wear your heart on your sleeve?

4. What was the most disappointing day of your life?

5. Do you hold grudges? Are you still angry about something somebody did to you in the past?
6. When was the last time you forgave someone for something bad they did to you?

7. Do you think men and women experience emotions differently? Can you understand the opposite sex's emotions?

8. Have you felt pity for someone? What were the circumstances?

9. What do you think is the most powerful emotion? (love, hate, jealousy, envy, etc) Why do you think so?
10. What is the most frightening thing that's ever happened to you? What do you dread the most?

11. What is the worst kind of pain (toothache, backache, mental anguish etc) Do you have a high tolerance for pain?

12. At what time of the day are you in your best mood? Why?

13. What would make you feel really happy these days? Why?

14. Do you think animals have emotions? What emotions do you think they have?

15. Do you anyone who is grouchy? Describe some of their actions.

16. When was the last you were really upset? What happened?

|

At one time, offices were the epitome of formality where bosses were addressed as "Mr." or "Mrs." and you wore only suits or dresses. Now, many workplaces have a business casual dress code with even more casual Fridays, and the bosses -- who go by their first names -- are your Face book friends.

Employers relaxed the rules to enhance workplace attitudes. If you're on the phone or on the computer all day, it doesn't matter if you're wearing a tie. At least you'd think so of course, as with all things good, too much can be detrimental. How can you have a relaxed, casual environment while still maintaining your professionalism?

Friendships are commonplace in all jobs. They exist between colleagues and sometimes between employees and their bosses. Try as you might, switching from friendship to professional mode while you're on the clock can be difficult. For the sake of your office, however, you might want to try harder. "We spend so much of our day at work that people often forget where the line between work and personal life should be drawn," says Roberta Chinsky Matuson, president of Human Resources Solutions. "Discussions regarding what you did last night and with whom are not necessarily conversations one should be having at work." what you say to a close co-worker can be overheard by many other people in the desks or cubicles within earshot. Even if no one else hears, you could be talking to the wrong person in the first place. You might be close with your boss, but giving information that could undermine your reliability or professionalism can harm your career down the road when it's time for a promotion.

Your words, appearance and behavior are three key factors in gauging whether work has become too casual. The use of expletives, overly familiar terms (calling someone by [his or her] first name or a nickname when few others do), using common slang deemed inappropriate for work communication or failing to use appropriate jargon for your particular work context. The obvious wardrobe error is dressing down too much, including jeans and belly-revealing shirts, not to mention showing a lot of cleavage or tattoos and piercings. When it comes to grooming, the rules are pretty much common sense: Keep the style and color appropriate to your field and bathe on a regular basis. And Lastly, Your behavior: "This could include too much socializing at work, socializing that is perceived as too personal and too often getting inside another person's personal space, which for most Western cultures is about arm's length.

VOCABULARY: discuss and give the meaning of the highlighted words.

ARTICLE DISCUSSION:

· Do you think it is appropriate for a workplace to have a strict dress code? Why and why not?

· When do you think should an employer and employee draw the line in a business environment? And will there be an advantage and disadvantage for doing so?

· According to the article, what are the no- no’s in a workplace attitudes?

· Do you think it is inappropriate or appropriate to be close to your boss?

· What are the standards of measure to determine whether work has become too casual?

· Do you have this kind of situation in your office? And if so, does it really affect the workplace environment?

IDIOMS:

Dressed to the nines - if you are in your very best clothes, you're dressed to the nines.
Dress to kill - when someone is dressed to kill, they are dressed very smartly.
Dress someone down - If you dress someone down, you scold them.

|

EMAIL FROM MY STUDENT " NICK "


hey~ It's nick. How r u? These are pictures taken from Eiffel Tower.

I hope you enjoy that~!


Talk to later~!

NOTE: You can also send your interesting pictures to

my email so that I can post here in our blog...

|

Nowadays companies are finding out many ways to reduce costs and improve their profitability. Expense management is a process where you narrow your company’s or organization expense/repayment transactions. This helps mainly in getting rid of the paper forms and make sure all your employees are working on one style in all places inside your company.

Expense management could be used for keeping employee data, accurate information on employees salary, recurring and nonrecurring expenses.

Implementing Expense Management software BenefitsImplementing expense management software means cutting out your major costs.

Saves money and time on all expense management process

Increase efficiency by reducing overall administrative time.

Reduce each expense type and make sure that employees do not go above their limit.

Advantage of having an expense policy compliance

Complete control over the entire corporate expense management process

Increase the accuracy of record keeping

Easily approve all cash advances and transactions

Accurate information data for real time analysis

In short expense management can save lot of money for your company/organization mainly to increase accuracy and productivity

|

THE HATCH REPORT

The internet is an amazing entity. It is constantly expanding, constantly updating and changing. New content is being posted all the time. People are recording thoughts and ideas; new products are being described, marketed, and sold. It seems like a place with limitless growth potential.

All that is fine and dandy, but is human knowledge expanding? The answer is yes. Of course, some of that information may be more beneficial to improving the human quality of life than other information. For example information about how to prevent disease improves human life in a much more direct way than the latest celebrity gossip does. But in both cases, the information satisfies someone’s human curiosity and in that respect at least in some way improves quality of life. The best part of the internet is the speed of dissemination and the ease of access and information retrieval. Those improvements over past methods of distributing and retrieving information are perhaps the biggest benefits of the internet.

How does this philosophical talk relate to the content of the website you are currently viewing. Well, this site does not portend any great revelations to human knowledge. Hopefully the writing will be of some interest in provoking thoughts. Hopefully the informational articles will be instructive in how to do things and think about things that are useful. Another than that, this site does not offer much else.

INTERNET DISCUSSION:

When did you first use the Internet?
About how many hours a day do you use the Internet?
About how many hours a week do you use the Internet?
What are some security issues you must think about when you access the Internet?
Have you ever bought something using the Internet?
How can the Internet be improved?
Do you think our lives have been improved by the Internet?
Do you have any ideas or ambitions to start an Internet company?
Do you think the Internet favors men or women?
Do men and women use the internet for different purposes?
What are the sites you most commonly access?
What is the best thing about the Internet?
What problems does the Internet create?
What problems does it solve?
Is it dangerous to meet people on the Internet?
Would you like to go on a date with someone you meet on the Internet?
Do you think that the Internet safe for children?
Why do you think that it is important for schools to have Internet access? Why?
Do you think that it is a good or bad habit for young people to play computer games?
Give me a reason why you think that email is a good way for people to communicate.
The Internet can help people work from home. Do you think that this is a good or bad?
Do you think that meeting people is easier than meeting people face to face?
Are old people disadvantaged by today's usage of the Internet? How?
Do you think that the Internet will replace Libraries?
Do you think that online banking (being able to do most of your banking by the Internet and ATM machines) will become popular in all countries? What is a disadvantage of this?
Do you think that some people spend too much time on the Internet and does this stop them from seeing their friends? Why?
In some countries you can sell personal items on the Internet (E-Bay). Do you think this is a good idea?
Many Universities are now offering online courses. Give me some reasons why this is a good thing.
Do you think that the Internet usage is an anti-social activity?
E-commerce (buying and selling things on the Internet) has become very popular. Give a reason for this?
Is the Internet making people more impatient?
Are we becoming a society where we all want instant satisfaction?

|

Dealing with Stress, Stepping out of your Comfort Zone

There’s no doubt about it: stress is one of the most common features of modern life. While it’s true that in the past, people were stressed too, the distinct characteristic of modern life, and what gives people these days even more tension than their ancestors is life’s complexity. When you think about it, the sheer number of choices facing people on a daily basis is jarring. From marriage and children careers and hobbies, we have more choices facing us than we can sometimes handle. The result is stress. So, how stressed are you? Care to know? Have a look at the following simple stress test to get an idea.

Stress Test

Answer each question using a number. When you complete the questionnaire, add up your total number of points. An answer key is provided below. Discuss the results.

1= Never True 2= Sometimes True 3= Often True 4= Always True


1. I try to do as much as I can in the time I have.
2. I dislike being interrupted and sometimes become irritable.
3. If I don’t win at games, I don’t really have a good time playing them.
4. I speed to get through intersections before the light turns red.
5. I don’t like to ask people for help on a problem.
6. The respect and admiration of others is very important to me.
7. I often check the time.
8. I look for ways of doing better and achieving more.
9. I don’t have enough time to do things I need to do.
10. I do more than one thing at a time.
11. I get angry or irritable.
12. I don’t spend time alone or have time to enjoy my hobbies.
13. I dislike talking with people who speak slowly.
14. I work at or near my limit.
15. My friends and relatives think I work at or near my limit.
16. I am involved in several projects at the same time.
17. I do most of my work to meet deadline.
18. If I am not doing something, I feel uneasy or guilty.
19. I take on too many responsibilities.
20. I am dissatisfied with the way other people do their work.

Answer Key
· If your score is between 20 and 30, chances are you are non-productive or your life lacks stimulation.
· A score between 31 and 50 indicates a good balance in your ability to handle and control stress.
· If you tallied up a score ranging between 51 and 60, your stress level is marginal and you are bordering on being excessively tense.
· If your total number of points exceeds 60, you may be candidate for heart disease.

Discussion:

1. Briefly describe your stress symptoms. Do you withdraw from people? Sleep more? Sleep less? Become irritable? Smoke more? Eat more? Experience muscle tension or pain? Get headaches?
2. What causes you the most stress? Family, relationships, work, colleagues, romance, personal issues?
3. How do you deal with your stress? Is it a healthy way to deal with it? Does your way of dealing with it lead to more stress?
4. What is the key to reducing stress in life? Exercise? Balance? Sleep?
5. Do you think that having some stress is a good thing? Why or why not?
6. Someone once said, “Having no stress is stressful.” What does this mean? Do you agree?
7. Korean workweeks are, on average, still longer than their counterparts in other countries. How does this affect you personally?
8. Have you participated in any physical activity to reduce your stress? How about yoga, tai chi, or meditation?
9. What is your perspective on drinking to relieve stress?
10. Does smoking really reduce stress? Why do so many people use stress as an excuse to smoke?
11. Which would you choose and why: a fast-paced, exciting, but stressful job in a large city or a relaxed, fulfilling, sometimes boring job in the country?
12. Koreans often describe themselves as the “hurry-up people.” Are you satisfied with the rushed lifestyle in Korea or would you like to see it become more relaxed? If you were suddenly President and could change something to make the country less stressful, what would you change? If you’re happy about the lifestyle, explain why?
13. The “hurry-up” mentality has caused some problems for Korea. Some say the collapse of both the Sam-poong Department Store and the Sung-soo Bridge are examples of this. What do you think?

|

I can't name a single person who doesn't have some fantasies about being filthy rich. I'm quite certain that most people also have the same daydreams. Just look at the lines of people buying lottery tickets and you'll see the stars in their eyes.

But, how in the world do you marry a millionaire? Do you just walk up to people in the streets, ask them if they're rich and single? It's a great fantasy but not one that most people have the pleasure of turning into a reality.

There are reality TV shows that allow people to compete for the opportunity to win the heart of and marry a millionaire. That just doesn't seem to be the proper way to court and fall in love. But, stuff like that brings in viewers and more viewers ensure profits for TV producers.

If you really want to marry a millionaire, make it happen. Just know that you might have to change your lifestyle before you even attempt to chase that dream. If you want to be rich, surround yourself with rich people. Just make sure you are able to fit in. Normal people can't marry a millionaire if they don't play the part. Think about it, millionaires are probably well educated, worldly and live life in a certain manner. Remember Marilyn Monroe's role in "How to Marry A Millonaire"? Pretend you're her. Woo the lady or man that you've always dreamed of. I can't say that just because you may get lucky enough to marry a millionaire, you'll be happy. As much as you may think money buys happiness, and for me it just might, it may have the opposite affect. Perhaps after the ownership of expensive materials gets boring, you may realize how much you don't enjoy your lifestyle. I'm not sure why, so don't ask. But it could happen. You've seen the shows and movies. There's always the lady who does marry a millionaire and has a miserable life. Maybe he's never around. Maybe he has girlfriends all over the place. Maybe she's lonely and empty inside. Maybe they need to spend some of their earnings on therapy.

You certainly didn't marry a millionaire, but he/she is one in a million. You struggle to pay our bills some months and have arguments about money. Sure, You'd absolutely love to have a huge house and expensive cars, constant shopping sprees and go on exotic vacations. In fact, that's what people think about when they are waiting behind all of those hopeful people in the lines to buy lottery tickets. They don't need to marry a millionaire; they just need a few lucky winning numbers.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Have you ever had fantasies/dreamed of becoming rich or marrying a millionaire?

2. Are there any reality TV shows in Korea?

3. What do you think about reality TV shows or dating game that allow people to compete for the opportunity to win the heart of and marry a millionaire?

4. Do you think this is a proper way to fall in love or is this a proper way to choose your lifetime partner?

5. What is your ideal courtship?

6. Do you believe that if you want to be rich you need to surround yourself with rich people?

7. What do you think about people who are social climbers?

8. What is your idea of a happy family?

9. If a person marries a millionaire is there an assurance that the person will be happy?

10. Do you believe that money can buy happiness?

11. What about king and queen do you think they enjoy their lifestyle?

12. If given a chance to choose would you like to be famous and rich but not happy or an ordinary person but happy?

|

They come around once a year and heaven forbid that you forget one! Wedding anniversaries are a time to let your partner know that they are special. It's a chance to show your romantic side. Some people like to be traditional and follow the set rules for anniversary presents, from paper for the first anniversary to diamonds for the sixtieth. It's a long time to wait for diamonds. It would be an achievement to follow the anniversary presents list every single year. You may want to use your own imagination and knowledge of your partner, perhaps honoring the crystal, silver, pearl, ruby, gold, and diamonds for the landmark years.

The anniversary doesn't have to be celebrated by anything tangible. Anniversary presents could include a special outing or experience. Perhaps you could organize a trip in a hot air balloon or a hang gliding lesson. You could put together your own romantic day, with a champagne picnic in a row boat on the river. That will probably be treasured more than expensive earrings or cuff links.

If you don't want to organize something yourself, you can buy anniversary presents in the form of experience days, where the whole day is set up and you just enjoy. There's everything from swimming with sharks (divorce is less dangerous), to a day in a health spa. If it's difficult to decide on something you both like, you could take it in turns to choose.

There are some presents that can't be gift wrapped but make a wonderful statement. Anniversary presents just need a bit of lateral thinking. A tree can be planted in your partner's name, maybe in a place that means a lot to both of you. You could go beyond earth and name a star for your beloved. That star will carry that name forever and there will be a certificate of registration, so no one can take the name away. When you promised them the moon and the stars, you sort of did it! While you're at it, you could have a favorite song played on the radio.

If you do want something that your partner can open and you can see the delight in their eyes when they unwrap their anniversary presents, you could buy a piece of original art. Make sure it's to their taste and not just yours. A painting, a sculpture, or an antique that your partner has mentioned or hinted at! Why not compose your own poem. Romantic anniversary presents don't come more personal than that. If your talents don't lie in that direction, buy a book of love poems to be on the safe side.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Have you ever celebrated anniversary?
2. What does anniversary mean to you?
3. What is your ideal anniversary presents?
4. Do you think celebrating anniversary is important?
5. How can you show and let your partner know they are special?
6. Which do you think a person will appreciate and treasured more, an expensive jewelry gift or a romantic day together?
7. Are you a romantic type of person?
8. Have you ever gave a card or letter to your partner?
9. Do you believe that anniversary is the time to celebrate the good year of your relationship and be thankful that your still together?
10. What are some of the qualities of your partner that you appreciate?

|

Scientists in the USA say they are a step closer to developing materials that could make people invisible. Researchers at the University of California have found a way to cloak humans and objects using special materials that redirect light around things. The findings, led by Professor Xiang Zhang, were published in the journals ‘Nature’ and ‘Science’. Zhang works at the Nanoscale Science and Engineering Centre at the university. His team developed a set of artificial “meta-materials” on a microscopic scale that is measured in billionths of a metre. The researchers said the special “fishnet structure” of the nano-sized objects do not absorb or reflect light, which makes them seem invisible. They compared the light to “water flowing around a rock".

The new discovery is a huge step forward from earlier technology that only allowed the concealing of two-dimensional objects. In the future, scientists could make “invisibility clothing” to hide people and large objects. However, scientists are still a long way from designing and manufacturing invisibility cloaks. The U.S. military is extremely interested in developing this idea to bring the technology to the battlefield. The U.S. Army Research Office funded part of Dr. Zhang’s research. The technology could also lead to more powerful microscopes that are able to look more closely at living cells and even tinier objects. This means scientists could look at how viruses are formed and how they grow.

INVISIBILITY discussion:

· What springs to mind when you hear the word “invisible”?
· Would you like the ability to become invisible?
· What would you do if you could become invisible?
· What uses could an invisibility cloak have?
· What do you think of Professor Zhang’s research?
· Do you think invisibility is something only from science fiction?
· What do you think of the idea of a two-hour invisibility pill?
· Would you like a job as a researcher?
· Can you remember how the new technology works?
· Are you interested in reading about new discoveries in science?
· How much would you pay for an invisibility cloak?
· How do you think invisibility cloaks would change the battlefield?
· What kind of large objects might people want to hide, and why?
· What other huge steps forward have you read about recently?
· Do you think other countries will worry about America’s invisibility technology?
· Do you think more powerful microscopes will find things we never knew existed?
· Do you think this new discovery will help in fighting diseases?

Idioms of the day:

give him the slip: leave him; hide from him
example: I think that man is following us. Let’s give him the slip!

a grey area: something that is difficult to define
example: I researched your case but there are not any black and white answers. Your situation seems to fall into a grey area.

give him credit: acknowledge an achievement or contribution of someone
example: Although he is not easy to work for, you have to give him credit for managing the company well.

|

Barack Obama was elected the first black president of the United States Tuesday night in a historic triumph that overcame racial barriers as old as America itself, The Associated Press reported.

The son of a black father from Kenya and a white mother from Kansas, the Democratic senator from Illinois sealed his victory by defeating Republican Sen. John McCain in a string of wins in hard-fought battleground states - Ohio, Florida, Virginia and Iowa.

A huge crowd in Grant Park in Chicago erupted in jubilation at the news of Obama's victory, according to AP. McCain called his former rival to concede defeat - and the end of his own 10-year quest for the White House. "The American people have spoken, and spoken clearly,"

McCain told disappointed supporters in Arizona.

Obama and his running mate, Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware, will take their oaths of office as president and vice president on Jan. 20, 2009. As the 44th president, Obama will move into the Oval Office as leader of a country that is almost certainly in recession, and fighting two long wars, one in Iraq, the other in Afghanistan.

South Korean government officials and diplomatic watchers in Seoul said the impending change of administration in Washington will have little impact on the solid alliance between South Korea and the U.S., though Obama is expected to take a different stand toward bilateral trade issues and North Korea from that of his predecessor, according to Yonhap News.The office of President Lee Myung-bak is also firmly convinced of the continuation of the strong bilateral alliance under the Obama presidency, as the new U.S. leader has repeatedly pledged to further solidify the U.S.-Korea relationship throughout his campaign.
Korea times

image by AP Associated Press

|

You will meet 20 different people in this clip.

This is the type of question that makes some people think a lot before answering, while others answer very clearly and immediately.

68the-best-year-of-your-life
Uploaded by realdogswimming

|

Grieving is usually associated with the death of someone important in your life. This can be referred to as "big death", since it usually involves a family member or friend. However, life is full of "little deaths" as well. They occur unexpectedly and take many forms such as: the unexplained loss of a job; the loss of a pet; loss of a budding romance; or an expectation of someone that is not fulfilled. Little deaths also can consist of such things as an investment that goes awry, or a dent in the fender of your new car. And there is always the unexpected illness or injury that forces an immediate alteration in one's lifestyle and relationships.

VOCABULARY BANK

grieve
• verb suffer grief; cause great distress.
awry
• adverb & adjective away from the expected course or position.
dent
• noun a slight hollow in a surface made by a blow or pressure.
• verb have an adverse effect on.
fender
• noun the mudguard or area around the wheel well of a vehicle.
alteration
• verb change in character, appearance, direction, etc.

DEATH / GRIEVING DISCUSSION
· Are there special rites or ceremonies performed when a person dies in South Korea?
· Are you afraid of death?
· Do you believe in life after death?
· Do you often think of death?
· Do you think that there is anything worth dying for?
· Do you want to know the date of your death? Why or why not?
· How do you cope with the death of someone special?
· Is organ donation/transplants an option where you live?
· Is the death of a loved one considered a joyful or a sorrowful occasion?
· Is there any person you would die for in order to save? Who is it?
· What are some ways which you can help a family which has just experienced the death of a family member.
· What are your beliefs pertaining to a person's soul once they have died?
· What do you think of suicide?
· What happens to a person's remains after death? (cremation, burial, etc.)
· What is the mourning process?
· Where do we go when we die?
· Would you consider physician-assisted suicide if you were suffering a painful dying experience?
· Who do you think would mourn for you after your death?
· If you were on death row, what would you request for your last meal?
· Why are so many people afraid of death, when it is unavoidable?
· What would happen if you died?
· On account of your beliefs or some other reason, do you look forward to dying?
· Have you ever had to put a pet to sleep?
· Do you believe that you will be born again?
· What should you say to someone who has lost a loved one?
· Why is facing death a difficult experience?
· How does a person cope with death of a friend or loved one?
· What are some reactions to death of a friend?
· How do your national customs surrounding death reflect the values of your country?
· What are some funeral customs in your country
· If you were given the chance to have someone die with you, who would that person be?
· Have you ever thought you'd like to die?
· How does it feel when your loved one dies and you were unable to see them for the last time?

DEATH IDIOM:

At death's door: If someone looks as if they are at death's door, they look seriously unwell and might actually be dying..

|

Part I:

Halloween Traditions

Halloween is thought to have originated among the ancient Celtic Druids. The Druids believed that on that evening, October 31 - the day preceding the Christian feat of All Saints Day, Saman, the lord of the dead, called forth evil spirits.

In modern times, Halloween has become a fun-filled secular holiday which focuses on ghoulish things like skeletons, cemeteries, warlocks, goblins and more. It is celebrated on October 31 in some English speaking countries including the USA and Canada. Some favorite Halloween traditions include children who go trick-or-treating. Young children dress-up in costumes as ghosts, witches, monsters and other imaginative things and go door-to-door saying "Trick or Treat". In other words, either you give me a treat or I play a trick on you. Of course, this is just tradition, and adults all hand out a treat to the children. Treats are usually little pieces of candy or candy bars.

Adults also like having wild parties on Halloween. Many times these parties are costume parties with some people wearing pretty strange costumes! One of the favorite activities at these parties is "bobbing for apples" - a game during which participants try to fetch apples out of a container of water using only their mouths.

In the United States, most homes also have a carved pumpkin, called a Jack-o-lantern, in front of the house. These pumpkins are usually hollow with a funny or frightening face carved into the pumpkin and lighted from inside by candle.

|

Part II:

Halloween Vocabulary

Study the following vocabulary related to Halloween.

·Bobbing for apples
Noun (game) - This is a traditional Halloween game. You put apples in a barrel of water and people try to take the floating apples out of the water using only their mouths.
·Cackling
Adjective - An evil, wild, other worldly laughing sound
·Carve
Verb - (regular: carve - carved - carved) to cut with a knive, in the context of a pumpkin to cut a face into the pumpkin.
·Evil
Very bad behaviour with cruel intent.
·Haunted
Location containing evil spirits or ghosts, usually a house or castle.
·Ghost
Noun - the spirit of a dead person which appears again. Ghosts at Halloween are usually dressed in white sheets.
·Hideous
Adjective - Something so ugly you cannot look at it.
·Horrified
Adjective - very frightened, afraid or scared.
·Jack-o-lantern
Noun - A carved pumpkin usually with a candle burning inside to illuminate the pumpkin.
·Pumpkin
Noun - A large, orange vegetable in the squash family associated with Halloween.
·Skeleton
Noun - The bone structre of a body without the flesh.
·"Trick or Treat"
Saying - Used by children when going from house to house asking for candy. The phrase also means that if you don't give me a treat I will play a trick on you!
·Wicked
Adjective - the same as evil.
·Witch
Noun - A woman with magic powers (usually evil).

|

Here is a list of common letter combinations with silent letters. This list contains most of the silent letters that give English as a second language students difficulties.

Silent B
B is not pronounced when following M at the end of a word.
climb
crumb
dumb
comb

Silent C
C is not pronounced in the ending "scle"
muscle

Silent D
D is not pronounced in the following common words:
handkerchief
sandwich
Wednesday

Silent E
E is not pronounced at the end of words and usually makes the vowel long.
hope
drive
gave
write
site

Silent G
G is not often not pronounced when followed by an N
champagne
foreign
sign
feign

Silent GH
GH is not pronounced before T and at the end of many words
thought
through
daughter
light
might
right
fight
weight

Silent H
H is not pronounced when following W. Some speakers whisper the H before the W.
what
who
when
where
whether
why

Silent H
H is not pronounced at the beginning of many words. Use the article "an" with unvoiced H. Here are some of the most common:
hour
honest
honor
heir
herb

Pronounced H
H is pronounced at the beginning of these common words. Use the article "a" with voiced H.
hill
history
height
happy
hangover

Silent K
K is not pronounced when followed by N at the beginning of a word.
knife
knee
know
knock
knowledge

Silent L
L is often not pronounced before L, D, F, M, K.
calm
half
salmon
talk
balk
would
should

Silent N
N is not pronounced following M at the end of a word.
autumn
hymn

Silent P
P is not pronounced at the beginning of many words using the suffix "psych" and "pneu".
psychiatrist
pneumonia
psychotherapy
psychotic

Silent S
S is not pronounced before L in the following words:
island
isle

Silent T
T is not pronounced in these common words:
castle
Christmas
fasten
listen
often
whistle
thistle

Silent U
U is not pronounced before after G and before a vowel.
guess
guidance
guitar
guest

Silent W
W is not pronounced at the beginning of a word followed by an R.
wrap
write
wrong

Silent W
W is not pronounced with these three pronouns:
who
whose
whom

|

Individuals often describe themselves through their musical taste, wearing particular clothes and using certain types of slang but the new study explains how music taste can solely reflect a person's character.

Broken down by genre, here is what your musical tastes say about you, the person:

Rock'n'roll: High self-esteem, creative, hard-working and at ease with themselves, but not very kind or generous.

Indie: Low self-esteem, not hard-working, kind or generous, but creative.

Rap: High self-esteem, outgoing.

Blues: High self-esteem, creative, outgoing and at ease with themselves.

Classical: High self-esteem, creative and at ease with themselves, but not outgoing.

Metal: Creative and at ease with themselves, but not very outgoing or hard-working.

Reggae: High self-esteem, creative, outgoing, kind, generous and at ease with themselves, but not very hard-working.

Country: Hard-working and outgoing.

Dance: Creative and outgoing, but not kind or generous.

IDIOMS

Blow your own horn – If you blow your own horn, you boast about your achievements and abilities.

example: I hate to blow my own horn, but I am a really fantastic cook.

Change your tune – If someone changes their ideas or the way they talk about them, they change their tune.

example: They'll change their tune when they see that their advice is making people angry with them.

Music to my ears – If something someone says is music to your ears, it is exactly what you wanted to hear.

example: The news of his resignation was music to my ears.

|

drink, drank, drunk, drinking

I drink.
I drank.
I have drunk.
I have been drinking.

He drinks.
He drank.
He has drunk.
He has been drinking.

They drink beer.
They drank beer.
They drank all the beer.
They have drunk the beer.
They have been drinking beer.

You drink.
You drank.
You have drunk.
You have been drinking.

What have you been drinking?
What did you drink?

I drink coffee in the morning.
I drank coffee this morning.
I have drunk coffee before.
I have never drunk whiskey.
I have been drinking coffee all morning.

Q: Where is the soda I was drinking?
A: Sheila drank it. She was thirsty.

I drank the orange juice last night.
I have drunk mugs of strawberry Kool-Aid.
I drank water from the tap.
I have drunk beer in the past.
Sheila has been drinking.
I drank a cup of tea.

|

ABASH

ABASHED is an adjective, not a verb.
meaning: is embarrassed, uneasy, feeling bad about the bad thing you just did.

example: Jen was ABASHED...

"Jen was abashed when her teacher saw her cheating on the test."

"When Jen looked in the mirror and saw how drunk she was, her dirty hair, her torn clothes, she was abashed and swore she would never drink this much again."

|

Many reasons can be listed for committing crime such as lack of education, poverty and peer pressure. Social structure plays a major role and forces people to commit crime at times. Most people feel that crime is a personal choice and those who choose to commit crime should be punished and be accountable for their behavior.

Many who commit crime either have not thought of the consequences of their actions or think that they are too smart to get caught. They also may have minimized the consequences.


CRIME DISCUSSION

· Are some parts of Seoul or Pusan considered more dangerous than others? Which parts?
· Are there any places you are afraid to visit because of the high crime rate? If so, where?
· Are there problems with drugs where you live?
· Are you apprehensive about walking outside after dark?
· Do you always lock your apartment? How about your car?
· Do you know someone who has been a victim of a violent crime?
· Do you think abortion is a crime?
· Do you think people who use illegal drugs should be put in jail?
· Do you think that the death penalty would prevent crime in your country? Why (not)?
· Do you think there is a link between drugs and crime?
· Do you think your country is a safe place to live? Why or why not?
· Do you walk alone at night in your home city?
· Have you ever done anything illegal? If so, what did you do?
· Have you ever had something stolen from you?
· Have you ever witnessed a crime?
· How can you avoid having things stolen from you?
· Is child abuse a problem in your country?
· Is drunk driving a crime where you live? If so, what is the punishment?
· Is it ever O.K. to break the law? If so, when?
· Is prison an effective punishment? (Why? or Why not?)
· Under what situations would you think of committing a crime?
· What are some things people can do to protect themselves from crime?
· What are some things that are legal that you personally think should be illegal?
· What crimes do you think will decrease in the future?
· What crimes do you think will increase in the future?
· What crimes have you heard about recently in the news?
· What do you think is the worst crime a person could commit? Why?
· What gangs exist in this country and in your home country?
· What are the characteristics of these gangs?
· What is the punishment for murder in your country?
· What is the punishment for stealing in your country?
· What kinds of crime are most common in your country? What are the penalties for these crimes?
· What makes some people become criminals? Is it poverty, upbringing, lack of education, unemployment or something else?
· What would you do if you heard a burglar in your house?
· Why do you think crime is more prevalent in some societies than in others?
· Why do you think people steal things?

CRIME IDIOM:

Crime doesn't pay: something that you say which means if you do something illegal, you will probably be caught and punished. Police arrests are being given maximum publicity as a reminder that crime doesn't pay.

Partners in crime (humorous): If two people are partners in crime, they have done something bad together. She'd kept watch and made sure no one saw us while I actually took the bike so we were partners in crime.

|

Men are naturally funnier than women. This is the claim of a UK male professor, Sam Shuster. He conducted research on 400 different people as he cycled around his town. He observed the reaction of onlookers and discovered that men made more jokes about him than women, and that men’s jokes were more aggressive. He said three-quarters of male “jokers” mocked him and made nasty comments, while most women tended to tease him with a smile. He said: "The difference between the men and women was absolutely remarkable and consistent." Professor Shuster believes the male hormone testosterone is the cause of men being funnier. He found that teenage boys were aggressive in their humor and this aggression changed with older men into a funnier form of joking.

Earlier research suggests women and men use humor differently. One study said women tend to tell fewer jokes than men and male comedians outnumber female ones. Another showed men look more for a punchline. Men also use people they know as the subject of their jokes, often in a negative way. Married men seem to like hearing and making jokes about mothers-in-law. British comedian John Moloney disagreed with Professor Shuster’s findings. He said that in his 21-year career in comedy, he had never noticed that men were funnier than women. He stated: "The difference is that if a group of women were together and the conversation lulls, they don't automatically start telling jokes, which men do. It then becomes a bit of a competition, but that doesn't mean to say men are funnier."

HUMOR DISCUSSION:

• What did you think when you read the headline?
• Do you agree that men are funnier than women?
• How do you think men and women use humor differently?
• Are the subjects of men and women’s jokes different in Korea?
• What kind of comedy do you enjoy?
• Who is your favorite comedian?
• What is your favorite type of entertainment? Movies, books, tv, sports? Is humor involved?
• Are you good at telling jokes? Tell me one! (if not a joke, try a funny story!)
• Do you think different nationalities have different senses of humor?
• Do you laugh at jokes told in English?
• How would you characterize Korean humor?

TALKING ABOUT HUMOR

appreciate: What kind of humor do you appreciate?
like: In life I like playfulness, in fiction I like mature humor.
enjoy: I really enjoy the humor the author used to lighten up the mood of the book.
find: Within our expat community, I found similar humor.
add: You seem tired today, so I will add a little humor.
see: He told me a joke, but I didn't see the humor!

Some related IDIOMS

“pulling your leg” = making a joke. He is pulling your leg.
“in bad humor” = in a bad mood. He’s in bad humor today.
“over the top” = too excessive. That comedian is over the top.
“go over like a lead balloon” = to be received badly by an audience.

|

“If you are going through a time of discouragement,

there is a time of great personal growth ahead.”

~ Oswald Chambers

|

Jimjilbang



A Jimjilbang is a kind of huge dry sauna facility, but it is different from typical saunas in that people absorb directly-radiated heat from rocks such as elvan, germanium, jade or yellow mud there, which is supposed to be good for their health.

People wear cotton shorts and T-shirts, and enter one room after another, and each room is filled with different radiating rocks. There are large and luxurious jimjilbangs with diverse facilities including cafeterias, massage rooms, nail salons, Internet facilities and health clubs, and open round the clock.

These facilities have made jimjilbangs popular among all groups of people, from senior citizens, housewives and families to couples on a date and office workers. Some male and female customers spend all night there, sleeping on open floors together. Of course, bathrooms are separate for males and females.

Ondol

The Ondol is a Korean traditional heating system in which a big stone constituting the room floor is heated by hot air circulating underneath it.

This unique heating system dating back to the Goguryeo Kingdom (37 B.C-A.D. 66 made Koreans adopt a “sitting culture.” They would take their shoes off and sit on the floor and sleep on the floor, instead of using chairs or beds.

Wood or holed briquettes were used to heat the room. The modern version of Ondol uses pipes embedded in the floor of the room, through which heated water circulates and warms the floor. Korean construction companies now export the system to other Asian countries.

Jeon-se

Korea has a unique housing rental system called Jeonse, which is very unusual for most foreigners. Instead of paying a monthly rent, the tenant hands over a large sum of deposit money, sometimes as much as 50 percent of the housing price, to the homeowner. The owner puts the money into a bank account to earn interest, invest in stocks, or do whatever he or she wants. The tenants get back the full amount of the deposited money when the contract ends.

This system has been popular as the high interest rate guaranteed the homeowner an income equivalent to monthly rent, without worrying about the delayed payments by the tenants, who were happy to get the full deposit money back when the contract expires.
An increasing number of people, however, are turning to monthly rent these days due to falling interest rates.

Adultery as a Crime

Korea is one of the few countries that legally prohibit extramarital sexual relations. Those committing adultery can face up to two years imprisonment upon complaint from the spouse along with a divorce suit.

It was introduced to protect women, who often were left unprotected in the male-oriented Confucian society that overlooked misconduct by men.

However, an increasing number of people are calling for abolishment of the law, saying it is an outdated intervention in private affairs. The debate is heating up again recently, as a judge solicited the Constitutional Court to rule it unconstitutional.

Envelope Culture (Marriage, Funerals, Births)

Koreans would help each other in joys and sorrows of life, preparing food together for wedding ceremonies or helping serving mourners. The busy modern society, however, made more people make do with “an envelope of cash.”

From weddings and funerals to baby’s first birthday party and grandpa’s 60th birthday, guests are expected to share the financial burden of the party or funeral with cash, placed in a clean, white envelope with one’s name written on it. This has become quite a burden to many, especially in the “wedding season.”

Private Tutoring Heat

Korea is definitely the land of private tutoring. Other countries also have cram schools that help get a high score in tests, but Korea boasts a wide variety of private institutes. Children not only learn English and math or violin, but also philosophy, storytelling, debating, chess, or drawing through private tutoring.

Parents can find just about anything they want. Each English institute, for example, has specialties, such as conversation, listening, grammar, reading, essay writing, or TOEFL studies.

The private tutoring isn’t over even when one goes to college. College students often rely on these private institutes to learn English, computer use, make-up, skills for a job interview or make a presentation. Private tutoring is estimated to be a 20 trillion won business here.

Beating the soles of the groom

After the wedding ceremony, friends of the groom take off his socks, tie a rope around the ankles, and beat his soles with dried yellow corvina.

There are various explanations regarding why this custom started, but the most convincing one is that it helps strengthen stamina of the groom, so that the newlyweds could have a wonderful honeymoon night.

Baby’s First Birthday Party

The first birthday party is special for any baby around the world, but Korea has a unique tradition of putting various things on the table in front of the baby and letting the baby pick one of these to tell the future of the baby.

On the table are usually money, thread, rice and pencil. The baby will be rich if it picks money, will live long with thread, and be a scholar by picking a pencil, which reflects Confucian tradition. Rice means that the baby will have enough food throughout his or her life, which was a huge blessing when people often suffered from famines.

The tradition is changing. Now some parents put a microphone on the table, which means the baby will become an entertainer, or a golf ball, wishing that the baby will be a famous golf player.

Delivery Service

Koreans don’t like waiting. They want everything ready right away. This “hurry up” temperament has made Korea boast of a widely available delivery service that includes not only pizza, Chinese meals and fried chicken, but virtually any menu one can think of.

One can get DVDs delivered to the house within 30 minutes, and there’s no need to visit a laundry to get back dry-cleaned clothes. Not only are milk and yogurt delivered in the morning these days, but some businesses get salads and breakfasts at the door every morning.

With the introduction of cell phones, Koreans often order food to eat in the park, and the Korean deliveryman never misses.

Sharing Liquor Glass in Rounds

Koreans have a unique custom of sharing a glass when drinking. After drinking up one’s glass, he or she fills it with the beer or whatever liquor is being drunk and passes it to a colleague, who does the same thing after drinking it.

This was regarded as the symbol of friendship and close ties between the two, but it also involves hygiene problem. A number of companies and organizations have started a campaign to get rid of this drinking custom.

|

Everyone whether they know it or not, has some sort of fear of something.

According to the American Psychiatric Association, a phobia is an irrational and excessive fear of an object or situation. In most cases, the phobia involves a sense of endangerment or a fear of harm. For example, those suffering from agoraphobia fear being trapped in an inescapable place or situation.

Types of Phobias

There are three types of phobias:
1. Social phobias—fear of social situations.
2. Agoraphobia—fear of being trapped in an inescapable place or situation.
3. Specific phobias—fear of a specific object (such as snakes).

There are four major types of specific phobias:
1. The natural environment—fear of lightening, water, storms, etc.
2. Animal—fear of snakes, rodents, spiders, etc.
3. Medical—fear of seeing blood, receiving injections, visiting a doctor, etc.
4. Situational—fear of bridges, leaving the home, driving, etc.


This Phobia list offers a glimpse of the many phobias that can have a serious impact on an individual's life.

Fear of darkness
Fear of heights
Fear of open spaces or crowds
Fear of injections
Fear of riding in a car/ accidents
Fear of men/women
Fear of thunder and lightening
Fear of imperfection
Fear of failure
Fear of being alone
Fear of marriage
Fear of speaking in public
Fear of blood
Fear of death or dead things
Fear of gaining weight
Fear of fire
Fear of strangers or foreigners
Fear of animals

Discussion Questions:

1． What do you think is the worst phobia on this list?
2． Do you have any phobias? If so, which one?
3． Do you think that everyone has phobias of something?
4． Why do think people have phobias?
5． What are the most common phobias in Korea?
6． What do you think is the best way to deal with a phobia? Get rid of it? Live with it?
7． Can you think of other phobias that are not on this list?
8． Name one positive aspect of having a phobia and one negative aspect.

|

How do you feel?

happy
okay, fine
great, wonderful
terrific, fantastic
tired, sleepy
comfortable
calm, relaxed
all right

He/She is . . .

hurt, upset, lonely

The situation is . . .

boring
interesting
exciting
embarrassing
amazing
shocking
surprising
scary
frightening
confusing
puzzling
frustrating
overwhelming
disgusting
depressing
irritating

I feel . . . / I'm . . .

unhappy, sad
sick, ill
terrible
awful, horrible
rested, (wide) awake
uncomfortable
nervous, stressed out
strange, weird
bored

interested

excited, ecstatic

embarrassed

amazed

shocked

surprised
scared, afraid
frightened
confused
puzzled
frustrated
overwhelmed
disgusted
depressed
irritated

We/They are . . .

angry, mad

|

|

Darryl and Donna have different opinions aboutlearning a 2nd language.

Who thinks Second Languages are important? He or she? Why?

83b-SecondLang-Clip-4-Subtitled ( Donna and Darryl )
Uploaded by realdogswimming

|

The SoBe Interviews "SoBe" is short for "South Beach' which is at the southern part of Miami Beach, Florida. It's a great place to videotape and meet people. It's one of those special places where you can feel the creativity in the air:

This topical clip is for Intermediate students.

Real English 55 - Women
by realdogswimming

|

Ga$


Real Life
Intro


It’s all over the news in the US. But Americans don’t need the news to tell them that gas is more expensive than it ever has been. They can see it at every fuel station.But what Americans haven’t seen yet is fewer cars on the road. It will take time for people to adjust to the high price of gas (although fuel in Europe is still more expensive than it is in the US) and for cities to provide more public transportation. At the moment, people are feeling the increased costs, and everyone’s talking about it.

Jason: If I see one more headline with the phrase “at the pump” in it, I’m going to shoot somebody.
Beren: “At the pump”? Like, “Prices at the Pump…
Jason: “Prices at the Pump”
Beren: ...Blowing up”
Jason: “Pinched at the Pump.”
Beren: “Pinched at the Pump.” What’s another one?
Jason: It’s like, yeah, gas is expensive, I know. I’ve been buying gas, I can see that it’s expensive.
Beren: What’s kind of mind boggling though is that gas is so expensive but it doesn’t seem to be…at least here, it doesn’t seem to be affecting who’s driving. I see just as many cars now as I did before.
Jason: Back when it was half as much a few years ago, you’d see just the same amount of cars.
Beren: Yeah, it’s weird. Especially since you’d think people would be like, “Oh, this is perfect opportunity to start biking or using public transportation.” Because it’s so expensive. I put $10 in my car which usually, like before this, used to get a quarter of a tank. Like, I’d drive to work and home or whatever. And now it lasts me a day, if that, if I’m driving. $10!
Jason: And like…what is it going to take? Like how expensive is it going to have to get for driving to taper off a little bit?
Beren: I don’t know. Like I feel like the people that drive a lot probably can’t afford to in a sense so maybe they’re cutting out other things. Like, “I want to drive so I guess we won’t eat out as much.” I don’t know. It’s weird.
Jason: A lot of people don’t have a choice. We really kind of messed up here because we built an infrastructure that pretty much makes it impossible to not drive in a lot of cities.
Beren: Yeah.


Discussion

Jason says that he’s tired of reading news about gas prices. He says he’s aware of how expensive it is because he has to pay for it all the time.Beren is surprised that she doesn’t see fewer cars. She spends as much as $10 a day on gas right now and wonders how many people can afford to drive at all.But do they have a choice? Jason thinks it’s a shame that US has built its entire transpiration system around cars, so much so that there aren’t other options for getting to certain places.Has the cost of fuel gone up where you live? What’s the main form of transport you use? Why?


Grammar Point

Beren says she “put $10 in her car.” That means she put $10 worth of fuel in the tank.

mind boggling adj.
*difficult to comprehend; hard to imagine but true
Example:The size of their company is mind boggling. They have thousands of employees in hundreds of offices.

infrastructure n.
*the facilities and services that serve a country
Example:A country's infrastructure is often much improved a few decades after it's destroyed by a war.

pinch v.
*to burden a budget
Example:Ever since the family sent their son to college, their cash flow has been a little pinched.

blowing up expr.
*increasing quickly
Example:The city has been blowing up for a few years now. It's population is twice what it was a few years ago.

feeling v.
*experiencing something difficult
Example:We've really been feeling the budget cuts in our department. It's been hard to get anything done.

all over expr.
*everywhere, in many places
Example:There are McDonald's restaurants all over the U.S.

cut out v.
*get rid of; stop spending money
Example:We need to cut out some of our expenses so we can hire a new employee.

taper off v.
*decrease slowly; lessen over time
Example:CD sales started to taper off when Mp3s became popular.

if that expr.
*if even that much; or perhaps even less
Example:Oh I only exercise twice a week if that.

public transportation system n.
*buses, subways, trolleys, trams
Example:The public transportation system in Washington D.C. is really great! You can get anywhere you need to go using the Metro or the busses.

|

(PARTICIPATING in a meeting)

Interrupting
May I have a word?
If I may, I think...
Excuse me for interrupting.
May I come in here?

Giving Opinions
I (really) feel that...
In my opinion...
The way I see things...
If you ask me,... I tend to think that...

Asking for Opinions
Do you (really) think that...
(name of participant) can we get your input?
How do you feel about...?

Commenting on Other Opinions
I never thought about it that way before.
Good point!
I get your point.
I see what you mean.

Agreeing with Other Opinions
Exactly!
That's (exactly) the way I feel.
I have to agree with (name of participant).

Disagreeing with Other Opinions
Up to a point I agree with you, but...
(I'm afraid) I can't agree

Advising and Suggesting
We should...
Why don't you....
How/What about...
I suggest/recommend that...

Asking for Repetition
I didn't catch that. Could you repeat that, please?
I missed that. Could you say it again, please?
Could you run that by me one more time

Asking for Clarification
I'm afraid I don't quite understand what your are getting at.
Could you explain to me how that is going to work?
I don't see what you mean. Could we have some more details, please?

Asking for Verification
Do you mean that...?
Is it true that...?

Asking for Spelling
Would you mind spelling that for me, please?

Asking for Contributions for Other Participants
What do you think about this proposal?
Would you like to add anything, (name of participant)?
Has anyone else got anything to contribute?
Are there any more comments?

Correcting Information
Sorry, that's not quite right.
I'm afraid you don't understand what I'm saying.
That's not quite what I had in mind.
That's not what I meant.

Keeping the Meeting on Time
Well, that seems to be all the time we have today.
Please be brief.
I'm afraid we've run out of time.
I'm afraid that's outside the scope of this meeting.
Let's get back on track, why don't we?
That's not really why we're here today.
Why don't we return to the main focus of today's meeting.
We'll have to leave that to another time.
We're beginning to lose sight of the main point.
Keep to the point, please.
I think we'd better leave that for another meeting.
Are we ready to make a decision?

|