Monthly Archives: April 2012

Education Focus: Spelling Bees 1

Posted on 2012/04/30
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spelling bee

Who will be the spelling champion?

One of the subjects that American schoolchildren study is English.  Of course they must study reading, writing, and grammar, but another thing they need to study is spelling.  Every week the teacher gives the students a list of words to study, and the students are tested at the end of the week.  Sometimes, as a fun way to practice spelling, the teacher might have a spelling bee, or spelling contest.

Generally speaking, a “bee” is when people get together to accomplish some task.  When people help each other, it is easier to finish a project.  In the old days, for example, women would get together for quilting bees – where the women would work together to make quilts, or blankets – and men would get together for a barn-raising bee, and so on.  Other types of bees are apple bees, husking bees (or shucking bees), knitting bees, logging bees, paring bees, and spinning bees.

Spelling contests became especially popular in the 1800s.  The term “bee” was adopted to describe these competitive events, even though a spelling bee isn’t really a communal effort like a quilting bee or a husking bee.  There were spelling bees not only in schools, but also local ones which the community could participate in, sometimes for prizes.

Often, spelling bees are intramural:  a teacher will have a spelling bee for the class, and then the winner of the spelling bee might have the opportunity to compete against the best spellers in the other classes of that school.  For each round, the participants are each given a word to spell by the pronouncer.  Any participant that spells his given word incorrectly will be eliminated from the competition.  If all the participants in a round misspell, all remain in the competition, and there will be a new round.  If only one participant in a round spells correctly, there will be a final round, and the participant will have to spell that final word correctly to win the spelling bee.  If he misspells the final word, then all who had misspelled before that final round are back in, and a new round starts.  The spelling bee continues in this manner until only one speller is left – the champion.

In a formal spelling bee, the pronouncer is the one who reads the spelling words from a list for the spelling bee participants.  He has to pronounce the words as indicated in the dictionary.  The speller may request the pronouncer to repeat the word, define the word, use it in a sentence, provide the language of origin, provide the part of speech, or give an alternate pronunciation.  Judges uphold the rules, and make the final determination whether or not words are spelled correctly.  The speller must pronounce the word before and after it is spelled, and he must face the judges so they can tell by the speller’s lip movements if the word has been spelled correctly.

Sometimes, though, spelling bees are extramural – the winners might go on to compete against the best spellers from other schools in regional contests.  Excellent spellers can advance to the state level, or even the national level, competing against the very best from all across the country.  In the United States, the most famous of these national contests is known as the Scripps National Spelling Bee.  We’ll take a look at this well-known contest next week.

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Crossword – Basic Vocabulary 12 (solution)

Posted on 2012/04/30
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crossword puzzle solution

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Crossword – Basic Vocabulary 12

Posted on 2012/04/29
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crossword puzzle
Across
1 a particular part of a country, town, etc (4)
2 in addition to something else that you have mentioned (4)
4 sick (3)
5 a thick flat object made of cloth or rubber, used to protect or clean something, or to make something more comfortable (3)
6 sure, without any doubts (7)
9 something that makes someone or something move or react (8)
10 the fifth month (3)
11 a hard, white type of ceramic (5)
12 opposite of in (3)
13 the number between nine and eleven (3)
15 an accident in which two or more people or vehicles hit each other (9)
16 also (3)
17 the distance around a circle (13)
18 the final number, after everything has been counted (5)
19 when tears come from your eyes (3)
21 the sound a cat makes (4)
23 in or facing the inner part of something (6)
25 cloth made from the flax plant (5)
28 a preposition used to show what a part belongs to or comes from (2)
30 conjunction used for comparing two things (2)
31 nose hole (7)
33 to move from one place to another (2)
34 a solid food made from milk, which is usually yellow or white in colour, and can be soft or hard (6)
35 going far down (4)

Down
1 the number of years someone has lived, or something has existed (3)
2 a small change made to a machine, system, or calculation (10)
3 something that has been built, especially something large (9)
4 a person (10)
5 someone kept in prison as a legal punishment for their crime (8)
6 an organized event in which people or teams compete against each other (11)
7 a straight, narrow beam of light (3)
8 the process of getting faster (12)
9 a feeling of happiness or pleasure because you have achieved something or got what you wanted (12)
14 not wide (6)
15 an alcoholic mixed drink (8)
20 opposite of no (3)
21 an event where people come together, usually for discussion (7)
22 a preposition used to say that someone or something moves to a position on a surface, area, or object (4)
24 a preposition that refers to the inside or inner part of a thing, place, area, etc (4)
26 a word used when talking about something that might happen or be true, or might have happened (2)
27 the part of an object that is farthest from its center (4)
29 not empty (4)
30 a curved shape or line (3)
32 rock or earth from which metal can be obtained (3)

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Idiom Focus: Animal Idioms 19

Posted on 2012/04/28
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Every Saturday I’ll give you a couple of idioms to learn. An idiom is a saying or phrase whose meaning cannot be taken from the literal meanings of the words.

kangaroo court:    a self-appointed group that decides what to do to someone who is supposed to have done wrong.

Example:  

Tom has no hope for true justice – that kangaroo court will take one look at the manufactured evidence and convict him on the spot, I fear.

lead a dog’s life:    work hard and be treated unkindly

Example:  

Cinderella led a dog’s life when her stepmother and stepsisters came on the scene.

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Writing Assignment: On a Bus (Solution)

Posted on 2012/04/28
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public transportation

Click for larger image

1.    Where is this picture taken?
This picture is taken at a bus stop.

2.    What are the people in the picture doing?
Two of the people in the picture are getting on the bus.  One person is getting off the bus.

3.    Is this a city bus, or a long-distance bus?
This is a city bus.

4.    Where might the people be going?
The people might be going to work or school.

5.    What is the first thing you have to do when you get on the bus?
When you get on the bus, the first thing that you have to do is pay the fare.

6.    What are the different ways that the fare can be paid?
The fare can be paid with cash.  In many buses, you can also pay by swiping a card that has credit available on it.  Another option is to buy a pass, especially if you use the bus every day.

7.    If you pay with cash, can you get change back if you have big bills?
Some buses can give you change back if you pay with big bills.  Other buses will accept only exact change for cash fares.  This means that they are unable to give you change back if you use bills that are bigger than the fare.

8.    What is a bus pass?
A bus pass is special ticket that allows you unlimited rides within a certain time frame, like a monthly pass, a weekly pass, etc.

9.    What kind of discounts are available for bus fares?
Many bus companies have various discounts available:  student discounts, senior citizen discounts, or handicapped discounts.  If you don’t get a discount, you have to pay full fare.

10.    Where can you sit on the bus?
On the bus you can sit in a seat.  The seat may be in the front of the bus, at the back of the bus, or in the middle.

11.    What can you do if there are no more seats on the bus?
If there are no more seats on the bus, you will have to stand.  Holding on to a strap will make it easier for you to ride the bus standing.

12.    What can you do if you have to take a bike on the bus?
If you have to take a bike on the bus, some buses will let you put the bus in the back by the rear door.  Other buses have a bike rack (on the front of the bus, for example) where you can put the bike.

13.    What can you do if you have to take a baby stroller or baby carriage on the bus?
If you have to take a baby stroller or baby carriage on the bus, you can take it on board at the rear door, where there is more space.

14.    How can you tell which bus you should get on?
You can tell which bus you should get on by reading the route sign at the front of the bus.

15.    How can you tell when your bus is coming?
You can tell when your bus is coming by reading the bus schedule.

16.    What happens if you are late for your bus?
If you are late, you will have to run to catch the bus.  Otherwise, you will miss your bus.

17.    How can you notify the driver that you want to get off at the next stop?
If you want to get off at the next stop, you can let the bus driver know by pulling the communication cord.  This notifies the bus driver that someone wants to get off at the next stop.

18.    What kind of routes do city buses have?
City buses have routes that go all over the city.  They stop at many different places.

19.    What kind of routes do long-distance buses have?
Long-distance buses have buses that travel from city to city.  They usually do not stop at many different places within a city, but they might make several stops along the route between cities.

20.    How is a long-distance bus different from a city bus?
City buses are plainer than long-distance buses.  They have seats that are more utilitarian, and their overhead shelves hold more, but they don’t have a separate space for storing luggage.  They also have a front door and a rear door.  Long-distance buses are usually coach buses, so they are more comfortable, with nicer seats, curtains, individual air controls and lights, and a luggage area under the bus.  Coach buses have only a front door, and not a rear door.

Paragraph:  Going for a bus ride

One time I had to travel from one city to another.  The two cities were about 575 km apart, but I did not have a car.  So I had to take the train part of the way (about 450 km), and a bus the rest of the way (about 125 km).  After I got off the train, I walked over to the bus and had the driver put my luggage in the storage compartment under the bus.  I gave the driver my ticket, and got on board the bus.  There were no assigned seats, so I could pick whatever seat I wanted.  I found a seat in the middle of the bus, and sat down by the window.  I was traveling for Christmas vacation, so I also had some Christmas presents in a carry-on bag, which I did not want to put in the luggage compartment.  I put the Christmas presents on the seat next to me.  The seats were comfortable.  They had a foot rest, and they could recline, so I was set for the long bus ride.  We traveled down narrow country roads that wound along farms and fjords, and hugged mountains.  Halfway through the bus ride I had to transfer to another bus to get to my destination.  Even though the bus was comfortable, it was nice to get up and stretch my legs before continuing on the final leg of my journey.  At long last, the bus pulled into the terminal, bringing me home for the holidays.

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Writing Assignment: On a Bus

Posted on 2012/04/27
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public transportation

Click for larger image

Vocabulary

Bus stop
Door
Rear door
Front door
Seat
Driver
Fare box
Card reader
Communication cord
Transfer
Route
Ticket
Fare
Pass
Schedule
Line
Standing room only
Strap
Blinkers
Vent
Exact change
Bike rack
Catch the bus
Miss the bus
Pay full fare
Discount
City bus
Long-distance bus
Coach bus

1.    Where is this picture taken?
2.    What are the people in the picture doing?
3.    Is this a city bus, or a long-distance bus?
4.    Where might the people be going?
5.    What is the first thing you have to do when you get on the bus?
6.    What are the different ways that the fare can be paid?
7.    If you pay with cash, can you get change back if you have big bills?
8.    What is a bus pass?
9.    What kind of discounts are available for bus fares?
10.    Where can you sit on the bus?
11.    What can you do if there are no more seats on the bus?
12.    What can you do if you have to take a bike on the bus?
13.    What can you do if you have to take a baby stroller or baby carriage on the bus?
14.    How can you tell which bus you should get on?
15.    How can you tell when your bus is coming?
16.    What happens if you are late for your bus?
17.    How can you notify the driver that you want to get off at the next stop?
18.    What kind of routes do city buses have?
19.    What kind of routes do long-distance buses have?
20.    How is a long-distance bus different from a city bus?

Paragraph:  Going for a bus ride

Have you ridden a bus?  Was it a city bus, or a long-distance bus?  Where did you go?  Write a brief paragraph about your bus ride.

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Grammar Basics: Unit 38 – There is / There are (Solution)

Posted on 2012/04/27
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Exercise.  Look at the picture below.  Write sentences about this picture using “There is/are…” or “There isn’t/aren’t…”  in response to the prompts.

Example:

Any swings?  ==> There are swings.

1.    There are a lot of people.
2.    There isn’t a food stand.
3.    There isn’t a horse.
4.    There is a roller coaster.
5.    There are trees.
6.    There aren’t any benches.
7.    There is a lamp post.
8.    There is a trash can.
9.    There are stairs.
10.    There isn’t an elevator.

Exercise.  Complete the following sentences with there’s / is there / it’s / is it.

Example:

“________ a car with its lights on.”  “________ a red Ford?” ==> “There’s a car with its lights on.”  “Is it a red Ford?”

1.    “There’s a nice hotel in Flagstaff.”  “Is it close to the airport?”
2.    “Is there a pool at the hotel?”  “Yes, it’s an outdoor pool.”
3.    We don’t want to rent that apartment.  It’s too small.
4.    “Is there an English class for beginners on Monday nights?”  “Yes, but it’s full.  The class on Tuesday is open, though.”
5.    I like that restaurant by the mall.  It’s got the best pizza I’ve ever tasted.
6.    “There’s a spot on your shirt.”  “I’ve brushed it off.  Is it gone now?”
7.    I haven’t heard of that movie.  Is it good?
8.    “Is there a bank near the hotel?”  “Yes, it’s just two blocks away.”
9.    “There’s a wallet in lost and found.”  “Is it brown?”
10.     This ice cream is not very good.  It’s too sweet.

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Grammar Basics: Unit 38 – There is / There are

Posted on 2012/04/26
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When we introduce an item or a topic, we often use the phrase “There is…” (singular form) or “There are…” (plural form).

Pattern (singular form):  “There is…”  (“There’s…”)

Waiter, there’s a fly in my soup.
There is a beach at the lake.

Question:  “Is there…?”

Is there a pet shop at the mall? – Yes, there is.
Is there a library nearby? – No, there isn’t. / No, there’s not.

Negative:  “There is not…” / “There isn’t…” / “There’s not…”

I don’t want to go camping at that park – there isn’t any beach there.

Pattern (plural form):  “There are…”

There are some apples on the table.  Help yourself.
There are five cars waiting in line for the ferry.

Question:  “Are there…?”

Are there any eggs left in the fridge? – Yes, there are (three eggs left).
Are there eight days in a week? – No, there are seven (days in a week).

Also:  “How many…are there?”

How many months are there in a year? – There are 12 months in a year.

Negative:  “There are not…” / “There aren’t…”

Are there any rooms available at this hotel? – No, I’m sorry, there aren’t.

Note:  The phrase “There is…” (“There’s…”) is used to introduce an object or a topic.  After the introduction, we can use the pronoun “it” to refer to the introduced object or topic:   “It is…” (“It’s…”).

There’s a cat sleeping on the porch.  It’s white with black spots. (i.e., the cat is white with black spots)
There’s a museum in the city.  It’s very famous.  (i.e., the museum is famous)

Exercise.  Look at the picture below.  Write sentences about this picture using “There is/are…” or “There isn’t/aren’t…”  in response to the prompts.

Example:

Any swings?  ==> There are swings.

indoor amusement park

Click for larger image

1.    A lot of people?
2.    A food stand?
3.    A horse?
4.    A roller coaster?
5.    Any trees?
6.    Any benches?
7.    A lamp post?
8.    A trash can?
9.    Any stairs?
10.    An elevator?

 

Exercise.  Complete the following sentences with there’s / is there / it’s / is it.

Example:

“________ a car with its lights on.”  “________ a red Ford?” ==> “There’s a car with its lights on.”  “Is it a red Ford?”

1.    “________ a nice hotel in Flagstaff.”  “________ close to the airport?”
2.    “________ a pool at the hotel?”  “Yes, ________ an outdoor pool.”
3.    We don’t want to rent that apartment.  ________ too small.
4.    “________ an English class for beginners on Monday nights?”  “Yes, but ________ full.  The class on Tuesday is open, though.”
5.    I like that restaurant by the mall.  ________ got the best pizza I’ve ever tasted.
6.    “________ a spot on your shirt.”  “I’ve brushed it off.  ________ gone now?”
7.    I haven’t heard of that movie.  ________ good?
8.    “________ a bank near the hotel?”  “Yes, ________ just two blocks away.”
9.    “________ a wallet in lost and found.”  “________ brown?”
10.     This ice cream is not very good.  ________ too sweet.

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Culture Focus: Weather

Posted on 2012/04/25
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violent weather

Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it. ~ Charles Dudley Warner

Today I want to talk a little bit about weather.  Right now it is spring in the US.  The US is a big country, so spring weather is different for different regions.  However, one thing that is common is violent weather, such as thunderstorms and tornadoes.

There are three things that are needed to form a thunderstorm:  moisture (humidity), unstable air (meaning that one layer of air is unusually warm, and the other layer of air is unusually cool), and lift (rising air, such as from a weather front, or mountains, or the sea).  Since lightning occurs with thunderstorms, we also call them electrical storms.  You can estimate how far away a thunderstorm is by counting the seconds between a flash of lightning, and the thunder afterwards.  One mile is 5280 feet, and sound travels approximately 1000 feet per second.  So if you divide the number of seconds by 5, you will have an estimate of how far away the thunderstorm is, in miles.

If you are outside when a thunderstorm comes, you should get inside a building.  Some people have been electrocuted by lightning.  Golfers sometimes get hit by lightning because they think that taking shelter under a tree is safe.  But lighting often hits the tallest object in the area, so a lone tree on a golf course is a prime target for a lightning strike.

twister

Unstable air is also a cause of tornadoes – a warm air mass, or warm front, collides with a cold mass of air, or cold front.  Tornadoes are a spinning column of air, and this spinning comes from something called wind shear.  Wind shear happens when the wind changes direction suddenly.   When this makes the wind speed increase, the conditions are right for a tornado to form.   Many towns have a warning system, such as a loud siren, to alert its residents if a tornado has been spotted in their area.  In this case, people should take shelter – preferably in a basement, or at least in an interior room away from windows.

Emergency weather bulletins on radio and TV will alert people of approaching violent weather:

  • A severe thunderstorm warning will alert people of a coming thunderstorm, especially one that is particularly violent.
  • A tornado watch means that conditions are suitable for the formation of tornadoes, but none have been spotted yet.  It may not be necessary for you to take shelter if you are outdoors, but you should keep an eye on the sky and see if the clouds begin to take unusual shape, or start swirling.
  • A tornado warning, on the other hand, means that someone has spotted a tornado and notified the authorities.  If there is a tornado warning for your area, you should take immediate shelter.  Sometimes the tornado appears so suddenly that people only have minutes to take shelter.  You should remain in your shelter until the tornado warning has expired, or you hear otherwise that the danger is passed.

Other names for tornadoes are “twister,” “funnel cloud,” and “cyclone.”  A tornado that occurs over water is called a “water spout.”

The United States has more tornadoes than any other country in the world.  The average is about 1200 tornadoes per year.

 

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Grammar Basics: Unit 37 – Do this…, Don’t do that…, Let’s do… (Solution)

Posted on 2012/04/25
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Exercise.  Choose the correct verb and complete the following sentences.  Make them commands.

Example: 

________ the seeds 2 inches apart. (plant) ==> Plant the seeds 2 inches apart.

1.    Sit next to me.
2.    Write a letter to Aunt Edna.
3.    Take two pills after every meal.
4.    Please sign on the dotted line.
5.    Read the book and write a report on it for next Monday.
6.    Please dry the dishes and put them away.
7.    Say goodbye to Mrs. Wirth.
8.    Slice the vegetables and cook them in boiling water for three minutes.
9.    Bring a sack lunch for the field trip tomorrow.
10.    Wash your face and brush your teeth before you go to bed.

 

Exercise.  For each of the following sentences, suggest an alternative activity using the phrase “No, let’s…”

Example: 

Do you want to watch the late night movie?  (go to bed) ==> No, let’s go to bed.

1.    Do you want to go camping this year?  No, let’s stay at a resort.
2.    Do you want to leave now?  No, let’s wait a while.
3.    Shall we have Chinese for dinner?  No, let’s have Italian.
4.    Should we tell Bob someone dented his car?  No, let’s mind our own business.
5.    Would you like to play a game?  No, let’s watch a movie.

Exercise.  Answer each of the following sentences with either “No, don’t…” or “No, let’s not…”

Example: 

Should I turn up the heat? ==> No, don’t turn up the heat.

1.    Shall I call for a doctor?  No, don’t call for a doctor.
2.    Should we leave yet?  No, let’s not leave yet.
3.    Should we have a big party for Tom’s birthday?  No, let’s not have a big party.
4.    Should I make you a nice, hot cup of coffee?  No, don’t make me a cup of coffee.
5.    Should I tell Mr. Smith you broke his window?   No, don’t tell Mr. Smith.
6.    Shall we go for a walk?  No, let’s not go for a walk.
7.    Should we take the train?  No, let’s not take the train.
8.    Should I put this picture in the letter to your mother?  No, don’t put that picture in the letter.
9.    Shall I shine your shoes, sir?  No, don’t shine my shoes.
10.    Should we give Sally a puppy for Christmas?  No, let’s not give Sally a puppy.

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