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Grammar Basics: Unit 66 – Indefinite Articles: a, an (Solution)

Posted on 2013/04/05
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Exercises.  Complete the phrases, using a or an.

Example:

______ old hat ==> an old hat

1.    an interesting book
2.    a new car
3.    a bank
4.    an office
5.    an exciting movie
6.    a TV show
7.    an unusual picture
8.    a crazy idea
9.    a big cookie
10.    a new restaurant

Exercises.  Complete the sentences, using a/an and with a word from the list.

Example:

A cat is ______. (mammal)  ==>  A cat is a mammal.

1.    Mars is a planet.
2.    A trumpet is an instrument.
3.    Cake is a dessert.
4.    A dictionary is a book.
5.    The Nile is a river.
6.    The Matterhorn is a mountain.
7.    A tree is a plant.
8.    A bee is an insect.
9.    A photograph is a picture.
10.    Milk is a drink.

Exercises.  Make a sentence that tells what each person’s job is.

Example:

He’s ______.

He’s ______.

 

 

 

==>  He’s a dentist.

 

 

 

 

 

1. He’s ______. 2. She’s ______.

1. He’s a doctor.
2. She’s a nurse.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. He’s ______.

3. He’s a teacher.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. He’s ______.

4. He’s an astronaut.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. He’s ______.

5. He’s a pilot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. He’s ______. 7. He’s ______.

6. He’s a policeman.
7. He’s a fireman.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8. He’s ______.

8. He’s a plumber.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9. She’s ______.

9. She’s a chef.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10. She’s ______.

10. She’s a student.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Exercises.  Write sentences, using words or phrases from each set.  Use a or an.

Example:

(Mr. and Mrs. Jones are going to have) + (baby).  ==>  Mr. and Mrs. Jones are going to have a baby.

1.    Let’s order a pizza.
2.    Can you play an instrument?
3.    The chicken laid an egg.
4.    The cat caught a mouse.
5.    Mrs. Brown is a teacher.
6.    We went out to see a movie.
7.    I’m going to take a shower.
8.    The boy scout lit a fire.
9.    Is that an exciting book?
10.    We flew on an airplane.

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Grammar Basics: Unit 66 – Indefinite Articles: a, an

Posted on 2013/04/04
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We use the indefinite article a (or an) when we are referring to one thing or one person:

Pattern:  a / an (adjective) N

a is used before words that start with a consonant sound:

I have a dog.  (not I have dog)
Pikes Peak is a mountain in Colorado.  (not Pikes Peak is mountain in Colorado)
What a lovely day!  (not What lovely day)
I saw a child at the playground.  (not I saw child at the playground)

an is used before words that start with a vowel sound (a, e, i, o, u):

An apple a day keeps the doctor away.  (not Apple day keeps the doctor away)
I ate an egg for breakfast.  (not I ate egg for breakfast)
We saw an orangutan at the zoo.  (not We saw orangutan at the zoo)
Mr. Jones is an important man.  (“man” does not begin with a vowel sound, but “important” does, so we use “an” here.)

Note:  We use “an hour” rather than “a hour” because “hour” starts with a vowel sound – the “h” is silent:

I worked on homework problems for an hour.

Note:  Certain words that begin with “u” may use “a” because they start with a consonant sound (/ju/):

I studied at a university after I graduated from high school.  (starting sound is /ju/)
We lived in a European country.  (starting sound is /ju/)
A computer is a useful tool.  (starting sound is /ju/)

But:

Do you have an umbrella? (starting sound is not /ju/, but /˄/)

We also use “a/an” when we are talking about what a person or thing is, a person’s job, occupation, etc.:

Stavanger is a European city.
A cow is a farm animal.
Jack is a tall boy.
Mr. Smith is a doctor.
My father is a banker.
Sally wants to be a musician when she grows up.
I am a student.  Actually, I am an English student.

 

Exercises.  Complete the phrases, using a or an.

Example:

______ old hat ==> an old hat

1.    ______ interesting book
2.    ______ new car
3.    ______ bank
4.    ______ office
5.    ______ exciting movie
6.    ______ TV show
7.    ______ unusual picture
8.    ______ crazy idea
9.    ______ big cookie
10.    ______ new restaurant

 

Exercises.  Complete the sentences, using a/an and with a word from the list.

Example:

A cat is ______. (mammal)  ==>  A cat is a mammal.

book drink instrument picture plant
dessert insect mountain planet river

1.    Mars is ______.
2.    A trumpet is ______.
3.    Cake is ______.
4.    A dictionary is ______.
5.    The Nile is ______.
6.    The Matterhorn is ______.
7.    A tree is ______.
8.    A bee is ______.
9.    A photograph is ______.
10.    Milk is ______.

 

Exercises.  Make a sentence that tells what each person’s job is.

Example:

He’s ______.

He’s ______.

 

 

==>  He’s a dentist.

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. He’s ______. 2. She’s ______.

1. He’s ______.
2. She’s ______.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. He’s ______.

3. He’s ______.

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. He’s ______.

4. He’s ______.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. He’s ______.

5. He’s ______.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. He’s ______. 7. He’s ______.

6. He’s ______.
7. He’s ______.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8. He’s ______.

8. He’s ______.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9. She’s ______.

9. She’s ______.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10. She’s ______.

10. She’s ______.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exercises.  Write sentences, using words or phrases from each set.  Use a or an.

Example:

(Mr. and Mrs. Jones are going to have) + (baby).  ==>  Mr. and Mrs. Jones are going to have a baby.

 

Can you play Is that Mrs. Brown is The cat caught We flew on
I’m going to take Let’s order The boy scout lit The chicken laid We went out to see

 

airplane exciting book instrument movie shower
egg fire mouse pizza teacher

1.    _________________________________________________________.
2.    _________________________________________________________.
3.    _________________________________________________________.
4.    _________________________________________________________.
5.    _________________________________________________________.
6.    _________________________________________________________.
7.    _________________________________________________________.
8.    _________________________________________________________.
9.    _________________________________________________________.
10.    _________________________________________________________.

 

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Culture Focus: Funerals – When Someone Dies

Posted on 2013/04/03
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funeralWhat happens when someone dies? Of course, it depends on how and where the person dies. I will describe to you what happens when someone dies at home from natural causes – for example, from old age or illness.

When someone dies, there are two phone calls that need to be made: one to medical personnel, such as a hospice nurse or attending physician, and one to a funeral home director (also known as an undertaker). The medical personnel is needed to confirm the person is indeed dead. Ultimately, the attending physician will sign the death certificate. Once the death has been confirmed by medical personnel, the undertaker can remove the body to the funeral home to prepare it for burial. Usually this includes embalming, but often the body is also cleaned up if necessary, and the hair may be done or makeup applied to help make the body look natural. The undertaker will also dress the body in a set of clothes selected by the family for burial.

Besides the clothes, there are other details that the family must arrange with the funeral home director. A casket (also called a coffin) must be selected, as well as a vault where the casket will be in the ground. Pallbearers, whose job it is to carry the coffin, must be asked to serve. Dates and times for the wake and funeral will be set, and the cemetery must be notified so the grave can be opened. The funeral service must be planned, including whether it will be in a church or a funeral parlor, whether a minister will officiate, whether someone will give a eulogy, whether there will be any special music, and so on. An obituary is usually written and submitted to the local newspaper. Flowers may be ordered for decorating the casket. There are so many things to think about. It may be overwhelming for a grieving family, so sometimes people “pre-arrange” their own funeral – they pick out the coffin, make other arrangements, and sometimes even pay for the funeral in advance. Making such plans ahead of time certainly helps the family out.

If a person is going to be cremated (rather than buried), the family will not have to make decisions such as what casket to select, or what clothes the deceased will be buried in. The body will still have to be prepared before cremation – for example, if the deceased had a pacemaker or other implanted medical devices, these would be removed before cremation. In the case of cremation, the body is sent to a crematory (place for cremating a dead body), and after that process has been completed, the crematory will send the ashes (called cremains) back to the funeral home. Some people choose to get an urn (a type of vase) for the cremains, and keep the cremains in their home. Others choose to bury the cremains in the grave at the cemetery.

Many times the family will choose to have a wake (also known as a viewing or a visitation) the day or night before the funeral. The purpose of a wake is to let friends and acquaintances, etc. pay their respects and extend their sympathies to the family. Sometimes a family may opt to have the funeral and/or burial be private (family only), and a wake would be the only opportunity for others to pay their respects. Others may have to work, and would therefore not be able to attend the funeral, which is during the day. At the wake, visitors may sign a guest book, and may choose to make a donation in memory of the deceased. Some might even send flowers as a gesture of sympathy.

On the day of the funeral, people gather at the church or funeral home for the service. A minister or other speaker usually shares a short message on the brevity of life, the blessedness of heaven or the afterlife, or something similar. A speaker, who may or may not be the same as the one who officiates, often gives a eulogy – a memorial speech honoring the life of the deceased. After the funeral service, the pallbearers carry the casket out to the waiting hearse (special car that can hold a casket). Those who are going to the interment (burial) get into their cars and line up behind the hearse. The cars in the cortege (funeral procession) will have their headlights on and be flagged with a “funeral” emblem to indicate that they are part of the procession. The hearse will lead the cortege on the drive to the cemetery. Traffic must yield to the funeral cortege: if the hearse goes through an intersection with a traffic signal and the light changes, the procession is allowed to proceed uninterrupted, even though the light is red. Furthermore, other cars are not permitted to interrupt the cortege. A funeral cortege also has the right-of-way at stop signs.

At the cemetery, the pallbearers remove the casket from the hearse and place it on a lowering device over the open grave. The speaker will give a few brief words, and then the casket is lowered into the waiting vault. The funeral and interment are over.

After the interment, it is customary to provide a luncheon or some sort of meal before everyone departs. If the funeral was held in a church, this luncheon might be prepared by the ladies of the church on behalf of the family. Otherwise, the family might invite those present at the interment to a nearby restaurant. Oftentimes the talk at the luncheon is of reminiscing about the deceased, or of family days gone by. At the conclusion of the luncheon, everyone makes his goodbyes and goes on his way, and the family begins a new chapter in their lives, a chapter without their loved one.

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Grammar Basics: Unit 65 – Possessive s: ’s (Solution)

Posted on 2013/04/03
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Exercises.  Write sentences about the people in the family.

Row 1 (L to R): Jack, Mary, Sarah, Peter Row 2 (L to R): James, Susan, Paulette, Mark

Row 1 (L to R): Jack, Mary, Sarah, Peter
Row 2 (L to R): James, Susan, Paulette, Mark

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jack and Mary are married.  Their son is James.  James is married to Susan.
Sarah and Peter are married. Their son is Mark, and their daughter is Paulette.
Jack and Peter are brothers.

Example:

(Jack / husband) ==> Jack is Mary’s husband.

1.    Mary is James’s mother.
2.    James is Mark’s cousin.
3.    Jack is Paulette’s (Mark’s) uncle.
4.    Susan is Mary’s daughter-in-law.
5.    Peter is Jack’s brother.
6.    Mary is Sarah’s sister-in-law.
7.    James is Peter’s nephew.
8.    Paulette is Mary’s niece.
9.    Sarah is James’s aunt.
10.    Peter is Mark’s (Paulette’s) father.
11.    Paulette is Mark’s sister.
12.    Jack is Sarah’s brother-in-law.
13.    Jack is Susan’s father-in-law.
14.    Paulette is Peter’s daughter.
15.    James is Jack’s son.
16.    Sarah is Peter’s wife.

Exercise.  Answer the questions by looking at the pictures.

Example:

Whose umbrella is that? (Timmy)

Whose umbrella is that? (Timmy)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whose umbrella is that? (Timmy) ==> It’s Timmy’s.

 

 

(Marcy) 1.Whose ball is that?

(Marcy)
1. Whose ball is that?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

—It’s Marcy’s.

 

 

(Jane) 2. Whose car is that?

(Jane)
2. Whose car is that?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

—It’s Jane’s.

 

 

(Steve) 3. Whose bicycle is that?

(Steve)
3. Whose bicycle is that?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

—It’s Steve’s.

 

 

(Edwin) 4. Whose horse is that?

(Edwin)
4. Whose horse is that?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

—It’s Edwin’s.

 

 

(Rob) 5. Whose tent is that?

(Rob)
5. Whose tent is that?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

—It’s Rob’s.

 

 

(Nancy) 6. Whose camera is that?

(Nancy)
6. Whose camera is that?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

—It’s Nancy’s.

 

 

Exercise.   Look at the following sentences and correct the underlined portion if need be.   If the sentence needs no correction, write “OK.”

Example:

The squirrel crawled on the roof of the house.  ==> OK
I rode in the car of my brother.  ==> my brother’s car

1.    I put the book of Jack on the table. ==> Jack’s book
2.    The fifth grade class gave a retirement present to the principal of the school. ==> OK
3.    The keys of Mr. Smith are hanging on the key rack. ==> Mr. Smith’s keys
4.    The coach displayed the trophy of the team in the school lobby. ==> the team’s trophy
5.    We took a rest in the shade of the tree. ==> OK
6.    Grandmother threw out the shoes of my sister. ==> my sister’s shoes
7.    The dog likes to sleep at the foot of the bed. ==> OK
8.    Mrs. Johnson always sits at the front of the bus. ==> OK
9.    Ride the subway until you get to the end of the line, and then get off. ==> OK
10.    The cat was hiding under the bed of the twins. ==> the twins’ bed
11.    Let’s have a party in the middle of the month. ==> OK
12.    Someone stole the trumpet of Mark. ==> Mark’s trumpet
13.    I can’t remember the name of the movie. ==> OK
14.    The car of  my dad had a flat tire. ==> my dad’s car
15.    The nose of my uncle was sunburned. ==> my uncle’s nose
16.    The floor of the cabin was made of rough planks of wood. ==> OK

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Grammar Basics: Unit 65 – Possessive s: ’s

Posted on 2013/04/02
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To show that someone owns something, or has something, we use “ ’s”.

Pattern:  N’s N:

My brother’s car is red.
I spoke to James’s teacher last week.
Mr. Smith’s house burned down.
The man’s horse ran away.

Sometimes we don’t need a noun after the ’s, if we can tell what the noun should be:

My classes are more difficult than Mary’s.  (= Mary’s classes)
Whose book is this?  Is it yours?  —No, it’s my sister’s.  (= my sister’s book)
We went to John’s for lunch.  (= John’s house)

Note:
If there is more than one owner (where the plural form already ends in s), we use s’ instead of ’s:

My friend’s vacation was cut short by bad weather.  (friend’s ==> one friend)
My friends’ vacation was cut short by bad weather.  (friends’ ==> more than one friend)
His father’s car was wrecked.  (father’s ==> only one parent)
His parents’ car was wrecked.  (parents’ ==> both parents, not just one)

Note:
’s is usually used for persons.  For things, we often use of ______:

Peanut butter always sticks to the roof of my mouth.
Tom sat in the back of the room.
Put the cups on the top shelf of the cupboard.
The cover of the book is blue.

Exercises.  Write sentences about the people in the family.

Row 1 (L to R): Jack, Mary, Sarah, Peter Row 2 (L to R): James, Susan, Paulette, Mark

Row 1 (L to R): Jack, Mary, Sarah, Peter
Row 2 (L to R): James, Susan, Paulette, Mark

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jack and Mary are married.  Their son is James.  James is married to Susan.

Sarah and Peter are married. Their son is Mark, and their daughter is Paulette.

Jack and Peter are brothers.

Example:

(Jack / husband) ==> Jack is Mary’s husband.

1.    (Mary / mother)
2.    (James / cousin)
3.    (Jack / uncle)
4.    (Susan / daughter-in-law)
5.    (Peter / brother)
6.    (Mary / sister-in-law)
7.    (James / nephew)
8.    (Paulette / niece)
9.    (Sarah / aunt)
10.    (Peter / father)
11.    (Paulette / sister)
12.    Jack is Sarah’s brother-in-law.
13.    Jack is Susan’s father-in-law.
14.    Paulette is Peter’s daughter.
15.    James is Jack’s son.
16.    Sarah is Peter’s wife.

Exercise.  Answer the questions by looking at the pictures.

Example:

(Timmy) Whose umbrella is that?

(Timmy)
Whose umbrella is that?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whose umbrella is that?  ==> It’s Timmy’s.

 

 

 

(Marcy) 1. Whose ball is that?

(Marcy)
1. Whose ball is that?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Jane) 2. Whose car is that?

(Jane)
2. Whose car is that?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Steve) 3. Whose bicycle is that?

(Steve)
3. Whose bicycle is that?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Edwin) 4. Whose horse is that?

(Edwin)
4. Whose horse is that?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Rob) 5. Whose tent is that?

(Rob)
5. Whose tent is that?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Nancy) 6. Whose camera is that?

(Nancy)
6. Whose camera is that?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exercise.   Look at the following sentences and correct the underlined portion if need be.   If the sentence needs no correction, write “OK.”

Example:

The squirrel crawled on the roof of the house.  ==> OK
I rode in the car of my brother.  ==> my brother’s car

1.    I put the book of Jack on the table.
2.    The fifth grade class gave a retirement present to the principal of the school.
3.    The keys of Mr. Smith are hanging on the key rack.
4.    The coach displayed the trophy of the team in the school lobby.
5.    We took a rest in the shade of the tree.
6.    Grandmother threw out the shoes of my sister.
7.    The dog likes to sleep at the foot of the bed.
8.    Mrs. Johnson always sits at the front of the bus.
9.    Ride the subway until you get to the end of the line, and then get off.
10.    The cat was hiding under the bed of the twins.
11.    Let’s have a party in the middle of the month.
12.    Someone stole the trumpet of Mark.
13.    I can’t remember the name of the movie.
14.    The car of  my dad had a flat tire.
15.    The nose of my uncle was sunburned.
16.    The floor of the cabin was made of rough planks of wood.

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Education Focus: Band Tour

Posted on 2013/04/01
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bandWhat is band tour?
A band tour is when a band goes around to various schools and gives a performance.  Usually, this is a high school band.  But a college or university band may also go on tour.  The different schools they visit may be elementary schools, junior high or middle schools, and other high schools.  They may even be colleges and/or universities.

Why do bands go on tour?
There are many reasons why bands go on tour.  For one thing, going on tour lets the band be exposed to multiple situations, giving them practice playing for these different audiences.

Also, a band visiting schools with younger students can serve as a source of inspiration for the children.  They can enjoy a short concert and learn about different types of music.  The band members can be role models for the younger students.  They can see what is possible if they join the band and are diligent to practice their instruments.

On the other hand, visiting colleges gives the band students a glimpse into college life.  The band students can also find out about study programs at various colleges.  They can start to consider their future.  They can begin thinking about what they are going to do after high school.  Furthermore, a college visit gives the band the chance to perform for the university music department.  There they can receive feedback and constructive criticism to help them improve as musicians.  If some band members are especially talented, they might even be recruited to attend that college.  They might get a scholarship or other incentive as a result of band tour.

When does a band usually go on tour?
A band usually goes on tour sometime in the spring.  When the band has a tour in the second semester, the band has plenty of time to practice several pieces of music.  They can build up a repertoire. Also, a spring tour gives the band time to raise the necessary funds to make the tour possible.

Where does the band go when they go on tour?
Where a band goes when it’s on tour depends in part on how much money they have available.  Usually, the band tours the local elementary and junior high/middle schools.  When picking colleges to visit, the band usually goes to schools that are within a reasonable driving distance.  If the tour involves overnight stays at a hotel, then they probably will not go further than a day’s drive.

How long is band tour?
The length of a band tour is another thing that is restricted in part by the funds that are available.  Longer tours cost more money!  But money is not the only thing to consider.  Since the band members are also students, there is the question of how much time off from classes they can take.  Taking off more than three or four days begins to be a problem for making up missed classes, homework, and exams.

How can they afford it?
Going on tour isn’t cheap.  Staying in hotels, hiring buses for transportation, eating meals, and filling up the gas tank are all expenses that must be covered.  Consequently, the band must raise enough funds to cover these costs.  The band has various options for earning money.  They can hold bake sales and car washes.  They can participate in a musical marathon, where people promise to pay them so much money for every hour they play.  They can have a concert.  All these are methods the band has for earning money for the band tour.  Even so, the band usually doesn’t have all the money they need for the tour by the time they are ready to travel.  So there is generally a per-student fee associated with the tour.  This fee might be reduced or waived in certain circumstances.  For example, if there are several band students in one family, maybe they might get a discount on the fee total.  Or if a student is a hardship case, then he might not have to pay the fee.  But most of the time, the per-student fee is reasonable enough that all the band members are able to go on tour.

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Crossword – Basic Vocabulary 39 (Solution)

Posted on 2013/04/01
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basic vocab 39-sol

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Crossword – Basic Vocabulary 39

Posted on 2013/03/31
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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

Posted on 2013/03/30
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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.  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.

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Writing Assignment: Around the House (Solution)

Posted on 2013/03/30
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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.

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