Monthly Archives: March 2013

Crossword – Basic Vocabulary 39

basic vocab 39
Across
1 Sign (4)
3 ____ … then (2)
4 A, an, ____ (3)
7 Possess (3)
9 Fluffy white farm animal (5)
10 Plant part (5)
11 Not expensive (5)
12 Evidence (5)
14 You have two, one on each side of your head (3)
16 One after the other (10)
18 Not hard (4)
19 Branch of math (10)
20 Did as commanded (8)
21 Give words of admiration (6)
22 Minor alteration (10)
25 Liquid used in cooking (3)
27 Weapon (3)
28 Musical device (10)
31 A statement that is not strong enough to express how good, bad, etc something really is (14)

Down
1 Bodybuilder’s focus (6)
2 Go higher (4)
3 From the outside to the inside (4)
4 Kitchen furniture (5)
5 Mistake (5)
6 Emit liquid (9)
7 Completely different (8)
8 ____ and on (3)
9 Expert’s area of focus (14)
13 Exaggeration (13)
15 Good quality (5)
16 Female sibling (6)
17 Put money in a bank (7)
20 On top of (4)
21 Used for boiling water (3)
23 Title for a knight (3)
24 Bay (5)
26 Thought (4)
29 Look (3)
30 Domestic (4)
31 Not down (2)
32 Therefore (2)
33 None (2)

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Idiom Focus: Common English Idioms 20

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.  Currently, we’re looking at some common English idioms.

once in a while:  every now and then, sometimes, every so often

Example:

I don’t drink that much, but once in a while I have a glass of wine.

sharp:  exactly on time, precisely

Example:

I’ll see you Monday morning at 10 o’clock sharp.

Google

Writing Assignment: Around the House (Solution)

log cabin

1.    What type of building is this picture probably taken in?
This picture was probably taken inside a house.

2.    How would you get in and out of this building?
You would get in and out of this building using a door – either the front door, or the back door.

3.    What kind of room do we see in this picture?
In this picture we see a living room.

4.    What might you do in this kind of room?
In a living room we might relax:  read a book, watch TV, talk with friends, or enjoy a hobby.

5.    Where could you sit down in this room?
In this room you could sit down on a sofa (couch) or a chair.

6.    What other type of furniture might be found in this room?
Other types of furniture that you might find in this room could be a futon, a table, a coffee table, a bookcase, a china cabinet, or an ottoman.

7.    What do you see on the floor of this room?
We see a rug on the floor of this room.

8.    What could you have in this room if you wanted to know what time it was?
If we had a clock in the room, we would be able to know what time it was.

9.    What could you do if you needed more light in this room?
If we needed more light, we could turn on a lamp.  We could also let more light into the room by opening up the curtains or drapes.

10.    What could you do if you needed more heat in this room?
If we needed more heat, we could turn up the thermostat.  We could also light a fire in the fireplace, if the room has one.

11.    What could you do if you wanted to have fresh air in this room?
If we wanted to have some fresh air in the room, we could open up the windows.  We could also open up the doors.

12.    What could you do if you wanted to decorate this room?
If we wanted to decorate the room, we could put things on the walls, like pictures or wall hangings.  We could also paint the walls, or put up some wallpaper.

13.    What other rooms might this building have?
Other rooms that a house might have would be a kitchen, a bedroom, and a bathroom.  Some houses might also have a basement or an attic.

14.    What do you call the small room where you can store your clothes?
The small room where you can store your clothes is called a closet.

15.    What do you call the room where you can sleep?
The room where you can sleep is called a bedroom.

16.    What do you call the room where you can wash up and brush your teeth?
The room where you can wash up and brush your teeth is called a bathroom.

17.    What do you call the passageway that connects rooms to one another?
The passageway that connects the rooms in a house or apartment is called a hall(way).

18.    What kinds of storage rooms might there be in this building?
Other storages rooms that a house might have would be a basement, an attic, or a pantry.

19.    Where else could you put or display dishes or other items such as knickknacks or souvenirs?
If you want to display dishes, knickknacks, souvenirs, or the like, you could put them in a china cabinet, a corner cabinet, or a curio cabinet.

20.    What kind of table might be suitable for serving an afternoon coffee or tea?
A coffee table would be a good place to serve afternoon coffee or afternoon tea.

 

Paragraph:  Around the House

Write a brief paragraph about your home.  Do you live in a house, or an apartment?  Is it large, or small?  How do you decorate it?  In what room of your house/apartment do you spend most of your time?  What sort of features would your “dream house” (ideal house/apartment) have?

When I was growing up, I lived in a house.  It was a ranch house (one story) built on the side of a hill.  It was an average-sized house, neither extra big nor extra small.  The house had three bedrooms and one bedroom, connected by a hall.  Each bedroom had a closet and two windows, except for the middle bedroom, which had only one window.

The house also had a kitchen.  The kitchen had plenty of counter space, and was large enough for a kitchen table.  However, if the family came over for a holiday dinner, we had to set up a spare table in the living room, because there was not enough space in the kitchen.

The living room was the main room of the house.  Most of our time was spent there.  In the living room we had a fireplace, a piano, my brother’s fish tank, and the TV.  The living room had a set of six windows, which looked out over the hill and the road.  Across the road was the river, and in the winter time when the leaves were off the trees, we could get an unobstructed view of the river.

The house also had a basement and an attic.  In the basement was the garage, along with the washing machine, the dryer, and a spare refrigerator.  We also stored our bicycles, sleds, skates, and other outdoor toys in the basement.  The basement was unfinished, and much cooler than the rest of the house, especially in the summer.  In the attic we stored off-season clothes, old books and toys, and other seldom-used items, such as a spare roll-away bed.  The attic didn’t have windows, but at either end of the attic were a couple of screened openings for ventilation.  In the summertime, the attic became especially hot, much hotter than the rest of the house.

I was in college when my parents sold the house.  That made me sad, because it was the house I grew up in, and I had many happy memories there.

Google

Writing Assignment: Around the House

log cabin-bw

Vocabulary

Living room Bedroom Kitchen Bathroom Hall(way)
Closet Basement Attic Pantry Fireplace
Rug Carpet Sofa / Couch Ottoman Futon
Entertainment center Wall clock Grandfather clock Mantle clock Pictures
Wallpaper Chair Lamp Front door Back door
Screen door Window Curtains / Drapes Table End table
Coffee table Dining room table Kitchen table Bookcase Shelf
China cabinet Corner cabinet Curio cabinet Drawers

1.    What type of building is this picture probably taken in?
2.    How would you get in and out of this building?
3.    What kind of room do we see in this picture?
4.    What might you do in this kind of room?
5.    Where could you sit down in this room?
6.    What other type of furniture might be found in this room?
7.    What do you see on the floor of this room?
8.    What could you have in this room if you wanted to know what time it was?
9.    What could you do if you needed more light in this room?
10.    What could you do if you needed more heat in this room?
11.    What could you do if you wanted to have fresh air in this room?
12.    What could you do if you wanted to decorate this room?
13.    What other rooms might this building have?
14.    What do you call the small room where you can store your clothes?
15.    What do you call the room where you can sleep?
16.    What do you call the room where you can wash up and brush your teeth?
17.    What do you call the passageway that connects rooms to one another?
18.    What kinds of storage rooms might there be in this building?
19.    Where else could you put or display dishes or other items such as knickknacks or souvenirs?
20.    What kind of table might be suitable for serving an afternoon coffee or tea?

Paragraph:  Around the House

Write a brief paragraph about your home.  Do you live in a house, or an apartment?  Is it large, or small?  How do you decorate it?  In what room of your house/apartment do you spend most of your time?  What sort of features would your “dream house” (ideal house/apartment) have?

Google

Grammar Basics: Unit 64 – myself, yourself, etc. (Solution)

Exercises. Complete the following sentences using a reflexive pronoun: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves.

Example:

I knocked the glass over and spilled wine all over _______. ==> I knocked the glass over and spilled wine all over myself.

1. Our anniversary present to ourselves is an Alaskan cruise.
2. The harried mother treated herself to a relaxing afternoon at the spa.
3. You kids need to behave yourselves if you want to go on the field trip next week.
4. The dog injured itself in a coon fight.
5. The children had to clean up after themselves before the teacher would let them go outside for recess.
6. The roof of the abandoned building collapsed in on itself from the heavy snow.
7. Father chided himself for leaving the gate open and letting the pigs escape.
8. If I’m not home when you arrive, just let yourself in and wait for me.
9. One reason why Mark didn’t enjoy single life was because he got tired of cooking for himself all the time.
10. The campgrounds were nice and quiet – we had the whole place to ourselves.
11. The makeup artist did such a tremendous job that Aunt Elaine was hardly able to recognize herself.
12. If you boys are hungry, just help yourselves to some frozen pizzas.
13. The guards were ashamed of themselves for falling asleep on duty and letting the enemy sneak past them into the camp.
14. Sometimes I surprise myself when I have a good idea like that.
15. Careful – don’t hurt yourself!
16. I was angry at myself for forgetting my lunch at home, and having to go all day without eating.

Exercises. Write sentences with by myself, by yourself, etc.

Example:

He stayed home alone. ==> He stayed home by himself.

1. That’s a very nice drawing, Jack – did you draw it all by yourself?
2. I hope you girls can bake that cake by yourselves – I won’t be able to help you.
3. I usually sit by myself in the last row at the theater.
4. You’re going to have to do some weeding if you want some vegetables this year – the garden isn’t going to get weeded by itself, you know.
5. After Grandfather died, Grandmother had six children to take care of by herself.
6. Never mind – I think it’s better if I go to the store by myself, anyway.
7. Jim took a few steps by himself in physical therapy today.
8. The twins are such troublemakers – you can’t leave them by themselves for even a minute.
9. For our anniversary we are planning on staying home and having a quiet dinner by ourselves.
10. Grandmother sewed my sister’s wedding dress all by herself.
11. Building a patio fireplace was an easy project that we could manage by ourselves.
12. Last summer the Griswolds decided to hike the Appalachian Trail by themselves.
13. If you can’t do the homework by yourself, you should ask the teacher for some extra help.
14. Let Tommy tie his shoes by himself – he’s going to have to learn it one of these days.
15. You are big boys now – you should be able to get dressed by yourselves.
16. Come on, now – who broke Grandmother’s antique vase? I’m sure it didn’t get broken by itself!

Exercises. Look at the picture and write sentences using the phrase “each other.”

Example:

(clean) ==> They are cleaning each other.

(clean) ==> They are cleaning each other.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. They are chasing each other.

1. They are chasing each other.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. They are enjoying each other.

2. They are enjoying each other.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. They are holding each other.

3. They are holding each other.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. They are kissing each other.

4. They are kissing each other.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. They are resting on each other.

5. They are resting on each other.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. They are smiling at each other.

6. They are smiling at each other.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exercises. Complete the sentences, using “each other,” “ourselves/yourselves/themselves,” or “us/you/them.”

Example:

Mr. Brown and Mr. Black know _______. ==> Mr. Brown and Mr. Black know each other.

1. The teacher didn’t ask us if we understood the material.
2. You lazy salesmen have no one but yourselves to blame for your poor monthly figures.
3. Jack knew he had seen his keys earlier that morning, but he couldn’t remember where he had seen them.
4. The students in class 7B never behave themselves, it seems.
5. It was funny to see the two clowns throw pies at each other.
6. Most people talk to themselves, especially when they are trying to figure out a problem. It’s nothing to worry about.
7. There was so much food at the feast that we stuffed ourselves until we couldn’t eat any more.
8. Mr. and Mrs. Smith said to give them a call whenever you got home.
9. Didn’t Father give you the name of the gentleman he wanted you to call?
10. Sit down here next to me, and let’s talk. We can keep each other company until they it’s time for our flight to leave.
11. When we set up the April Fool’s prank, we didn’t realize it would backfire on us.
12. Congratulations, Team 6! Give yourselves a round of applause – you deserve it!
13. If I had wanted you to come to the party, I would have invited you.
14. Sometimes it’s good to remind ourselves of how much progress we’ve made in our English studies.

Google

Grammar Basics: Unit 64 – myself, yourself, etc.

In this lesson we’re going to continue our look at personal pronouns, focusing on the reflexive pronouns – pronouns that are generally used when the object of a sentence is the same as the subject:

  First person Second person Third person
Singular myself yourself himself, herself, itself
Plural ourselves yourselves themselves

What does it mean for the subject of a sentence to be the same as the object?  Let’s look at the following example:

The barber cut him while shaving.

Here, the barber is shaving another man – someone different than the barber – and it is this other man who was cut.

The barber cut himself while shaving.

Here, there is no other person.  The barber and the cut man are the same person – the barber is the one who is shaving, and the one who was cut.

More examples:

I burned myself while making Christmas candy.
If you’re hungry, there’s some leftover spaghetti in the refrigerator.  Help yourself!
John is so vain.  He looks at himself whenever he passes a mirror.
I think Sally should practice the piano more before her recital, but she seems sure of herself.
The baby cried itself to sleep.
We yelled ourselves hoarse, but no one came to rescue us.
You kids only got yourselves into trouble by cheating on the history test.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith enjoyed themselves on their honeymoon in Hawaii.

Note:  by myself / by yourself, etc. is a phrase that means “alone”:

Jack usually goes to the library and studies by himself. (= studies alone)
I don’t think Mary has any friends.  She’s always sitting by herself at lunch. (= sitting alone)

Note:  The phrase “each other” may seem similar to the reflexive pronoun “themselves,” but they are different.  Consider:

Kirk and Kevin gave each other a present.

Here, Kirk gave Kevin a present, and Kevin gave Kirk a present.

Kirk and Kevin gave themselves a present.

Here, Kirk gave himself a present (Kirk gave a present to Kirk), and Kevin gave himself a present (Kevin gave a present to Kevin).

Exercises.  Complete the following sentences using a reflexive pronoun:  myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves.

Example:

I knocked the glass over and spilled wine all over _______.   ==>  I knocked the glass over and spilled wine all over myself.

1.    Our anniversary present to _______ is an Alaskan cruise.
2.    The harried mother treated _______ to a relaxing afternoon at the spa.
3.    You kids need to behave _______ if you want to go on the field trip next week.
4.    The dog injured _______ in a coon fight.
5.    The children had to clean up after _______ before the teacher would let them go outside for recess.
6.    The roof of the abandoned building collapsed in on _______ from the heavy snow.
7.    Father chided _______ for leaving the gate open and letting the pigs escape.
8.    If I’m not home when you arrive, just let _______ in and wait for me.
9.    One reason why Mark didn’t enjoy single life was because he got tired of cooking for _______ all the time.
10.    The campgrounds were nice and quiet – we had the whole place to _______.
11.    The makeup artist did such a tremendous job that Aunt Elaine was hardly able to recognize _______.
12.    If you boys are hungry, just help _______ to some frozen pizzas.
13.    The guards were ashamed of _______ for falling asleep on duty and letting the enemy sneak past them into the camp.
14.    Sometimes I surprise _______ when I have a good idea like that.
15.    Careful – don’t hurt _______!
16.    I was angry at _______ for forgetting my lunch at home, and having to go all day without eating.

Exercises.  Write sentences with by myself, by yourself, etc.

Example:

He stayed home alone.  ==>  He stayed home by himself.

1.    That’s a very nice drawing, Jack – did you draw it all alone?
2.    I hope you girls can bake that cake alone – I won’t be able to help you.
3.    I usually sit alone in the last row at the theater.
4.    You’re going to have to do some weeding if you want some vegetables this year – the garden isn’t going to get weeded alone, you know.
5.    After Grandfather died, Grandmother had six children to take care of alone.
6.    Never mind – I think it’s better if I go to the store alone, anyway.
7.    Jim took a few steps alone in physical therapy today.
8.    The twins are such troublemakers – you can’t leave them alone for even a minute.
9.    For our anniversary we are planning on staying home and having a quiet dinner alone.
10.    Grandmother sewed my sister’s wedding dress all alone.
11.    Building a patio fireplace was an easy project that we could manage alone.
12.    Last summer the Griswolds decided to hike the Appalachian Trail alone.
13.    If you can’t do the homework alone, you should ask the teacher for some extra help.
14.    Let Tommy tie his shoes alone – he’s going to have to learn it one of these days.
15.    You are big boys now – you should be able to get dressed alone.
16.    Come on, now – who broke Grandmother’s antique vase?  I’m sure it didn’t get broken alone!

Exercises.  Look at the picture and write sentences using the phrase “each other.”

Example:

clean

(clean) ==> They are cleaning each other.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.  chase

1. (chase)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. (enjoy)

2. (enjoy)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. (hold)

3. (hold)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.  (kiss)

4. (kiss)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.  (rest on)

5. (rest on)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6.  (smile at)

6. (smile at)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exercises.  Complete the sentences, using “each other,” “ourselves/yourselves/themselves,” or “us/you/them.”

Example:

Mr. Brown and Mr. Black know _______.   ==> Mr. Brown and Mr. Black know each other.

1.    The teacher didn’t ask _______ if we understood the material.
2.    You lazy salesmen have no one but _______ to blame for your poor monthly figures.
3.    Jack knew he had seen his keys earlier that morning, but he couldn’t remember where he had seen _______.
4.    The students in class 7B never behave _______, it seems.
5.    It was funny to see the two clowns throw pies at _______.
6.    Most people talk to _______, especially when they are trying to figure out a problem.  It’s nothing to worry about.
7.    There was so much food at the feast that we stuffed _______ until we couldn’t eat any more.
8.    Mr. and Mrs. Smith said to give _______ a call whenever you got home.
9.    Didn’t Father give _______ the name of the gentleman he wanted you to call?
10.    Sit down here next to me, and let’s talk.  We can keep _______ company until they it’s time for our flight to leave.
11.    When we set up the April Fool’s prank, we didn’t realize it would backfire on _______.
12.    Congratulations, Team 6!  Give _______ a round of applause – you deserve it!
13.    If I had wanted you to come to the party, I would have invited _______.
14.    Sometimes it’s good to remind _______ of how much progress we’ve made in our English studies.

Google

Culture Focus: Citizenship

pledgeNations are independent.  Among other things, this means that they have the right to decide who is a citizen of their country, and who is not.  Citizenship is the status of being a citizen of a particular country.  In this Culture Focus, we’ll take a quick look at the basics of U.S. citizenship.

How does a person get U.S. citizenship?
There are two basic ways to be a U.S. citizen:  1) by birth, and 2) by naturalization.

Citizenship acquired by birth.  With few exceptions, a child born in the U.S. is assumed to be a U.S. citizen.  If the child is born abroad and the parents are married U.S. citizens, then the baby is a U.S. citizen as well.  If only one parent is a U.S. citizen, or the parents are not married, then the law is a little more complicated, but if certain extra requirements are met, the child can be considered a U.S. citizen.

Citizenship acquired through naturalization.  If a person does not have citizenship granted at birth, then they may get citizenship through a legal process, called naturalization.  Certain requirements must be met for a person to become a naturalized U.S. citizen:

  • The person applying for U.S. citizenship must be at least 18 years old.
  • He must be a legal permanent resident of the U.S. (have his “green card”) for at least 5 years at the time of his application (at least 3 years if he is married to a U.S. citizen).
  • He must have been in the U.S. for at least 30 months out of the past 60 months prior to his application.
  • He must not have been outside the U.S. for more than 6 continuous months.
  • He must be of “good moral character.”
  • He must pass a citizenship test.
  • He must have a working knowledge of English.
  • He must pass an in-person interview.

Can U.S. citizenship be lost?
A person 18 years or older may lose his U.S. citizenship if he performs an “expatriating act,” such as:

  • He becomes naturalized in a foreign state.
  • He serves in the armed forces of another country.

However, the key distinction is that these acts are willful – that is, they are done with the intention of relinquishing his U.S. nationality.  Because of this flexibility, it is possible to have dual citizenship (citizenship in two countries at the same time) if the person indicates that he did not intend to give up his American citizenship despite acquiring a second citizenship.

Another way to lose U.S. citizenship is by being convicted of treason.  This is obviously more serious than the above instances, and is not something that is likely to happen “accidentally.”

Note:  The above is intended merely as a guide providing general information.  It is not to be construed as giving legal advice.  For specific information and/or legal help, please consult an immigration attorney.

 

Google

Grammar Basics: Unit 63 – I, my, me, mine (Solution)

Exercises.  Complete the sentences, using the pattern of the following example.

Example:

I asked him _______.  ==> I asked him to bring my book home for me.

1.    We asked you to bring our books home for us.
2.    She asked them to bring her book home for her.
3.    He asked me to bring his book home for him.
4.    They asked us to bring their books home for them.
5.    I asked her to bring my book home for me.
6.    You asked him to bring your book home for you.

Exercises.  Complete the sentences, using the pattern of the following example.

Example:

I gave him _______.   ==> I gave him my business card, and he gave me his.

1.    She gave us her business card, and we gave her ours.
2.    You gave me your business card, and I gave you mine.
3.    We gave him our business cards, and he gave us his.
4.    I gave them my business card, and they gave me theirs.
5.    He gave her his business card, and she gave him hers.
6.    They gave you their business cards, and you gave them yours.

Exercises.  Complete the following sentences, using him, her, yours, etc.

Example:

Where’s Waldo?  Have you seen _______?  ==> Where’s Waldo?  Have you seen him?

1.    Father was busy, so Jack couldn’t meet him for lunch.
2.    The twins played a prank on their teacher.
3.    We had to change our plans at the last minute.
4.    Have you done your homework?
5.    Mike brought his girlfriend to the party.
6.    Every morning I take my dog for a walk.
7.    Mother wasn’t sure where she left her keys.
8.    Why don’t you relax and let me cook for you?
9.    I’m sorry – what did you say your name was?
10.    Mary wasn’t home, so I left a note for her.
11.    Although the team scored well in the second half, it wasn’t enough to help them win the game.
12.    Even though we have heard his stories many times before, Mr. Brown is unable to convince us that he was once a star wrestling champ.

Google

Grammar Basics: Unit 63 – I, my, me, mine

Let’s review what we’ve seen so far regarding personal pronouns:

Subject Form Object Form Possessive Adjective Possessive Pronoun
I

I love Mother.

me

Mother loves me.

my

That’s my pencil.

mine

That pencil is mine.

We

We love Mother.

us

Mother loves us.

our

Those are our pencils.

ours

Those pencils are ours.

You

You love Mother.

you

Mother loves you.

your

That’s your pencil.

yours

That pencil is yours.

He

He loves Mother.

him

Mother loves him.

his

That’s his pencil.

his

That pencil is his.

She

She loves Mother.

her

Mother loves her.

her

That’s her pencil.

hers

That pencil is hers.

They

They love Mother.

them

Mother loves them.

their

Those are their pencils.

theirs

Those pencils are theirs.

 Exercises.  Complete the sentences, using the pattern of the following example.

Example:

I asked him _______.  ==> I asked him to bring my book home for me.

1.    We asked you _______.
2.    She asked them _______.
3.    He asked me _______.
4.    They asked us _______.
5.    I asked her _______.
6.    You asked him _______.

Exercises.  Complete the sentences, using the pattern of the following example.

Example:

I gave him _______.   ==> I gave him my business card, and he gave me his.

1.    She gave us _______.
2.    You gave me _______.
3.    We gave him _______.
4.    I gave them _______.
5.    He gave her _______.
6.    They gave you _______.

Exercises.  Complete the following sentences, using him, her, yours, etc.

Example:

Where’s Waldo?  Have you seen _______?  ==> Where’s Waldo?  Have you seen him?

1.    Father was busy, so Jack couldn’t meet _______ for lunch.
2.    The twins played a prank on _______ teacher.
3.    We had to change _______ plans at the last minute.
4.    Have _______ done your homework?
5.    Mike brought _______ girlfriend to the party.
6.    Every morning I take _______ dog for a walk.
7.    Mother wasn’t sure where she left _______ keys.
8.    Why don’t you relax and let _______ cook for you?
9.    I’m sorry – what did you say _______ name was?
10.    Mary wasn’t home, so I left a note for _______.
11.    Although the team scored well in the second half, it wasn’t enough to help _______ win the game.
12.    Even though we have heard his stories many times before, Mr. Brown is unable to convince _______ that he was once a star wrestling champ.

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Education Focus: Holidays

holidayWhat holidays do American schools observe?
American school districts have the responsibility to decide which holidays to include in their school schedule.  So, it depends on which district a pupil’s school is in.  The advantage of this is that a particular school district would have the flexibility to give its students a holiday honoring a local hero.  For example, many schools in Chicago, and some in its suburbs, observe “Pulaski Day” in honor of the Polish-born Revolutionary War cavalry officer.  (This is related to the fact that Chicago has a large Polish population.)  Practically speaking, though, there are a set number of certain holidays that school districts choose to observe, regardless of the locale.

What are some typical holidays included in an American school schedule?
Holidays generally observed in an American school schedule include:

New Year’s Day (January 1, generally included in winter break/Christmas vacation).  This holiday celebrates the beginning of the year according to the Western (Gregorian) calendar.

Martin Luther King Day (third Monday in January).  This holiday celebrates the birth of the 20th-century civil rights figure.

Washington’s Birthday / Presidents’ Day (third Monday in February).  This holiday honors the lives and contributions of American presidents, past and present.

Good Friday (date varies).  This religious holiday recognizes the crucifixion of Christ.  Some school districts follow tradition in letting students have this day off, while others simply schedule a spring break/Easter vacation around this time, anyhow.

Memorial Day (last Monday in May).  This holiday honors the men and women who have given their lives in service in the United States Armed Forces.

Labor Day (first Monday in September).  This holiday celebrates the American worker and the labor movement.

Columbus Day (second Monday in October).  This holiday honors the man who is generally credited with discovering America.

Veterans Day (November 11).  This holiday originally commemorated the signing of the armistice that ended World War I, but has since been expanded to honor all surviving veterans of the United States Armed Forces.

Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday of November, along with the following Friday).  This holiday is a remembrance of the harvest festival held by the Pilgrims at Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts.

Christmas Day (December 25, generally included in winter break/Christmas vacation).  This religious holiday celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ.

Why are some people against giving students so many holidays?
Some people are concerned that letting students have so many days free from school sends the wrong message about the meanings of these holidays.  They believe that having these holidays off detracts from instructional time.  It would be better for the students to remain in school and learn why these dates and / or holidays are significant, instead of implicitly encouraging students to think of these dates as just another day free from school and homework.

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