Education Focus: Report Cards 1

Posted on 2012/04/02
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Straight As

Today I want to take a look at report cards.  A report card is an official record of a student’s grades in the various subjects that he is taking that school year.  Report cards are given quarterly in the lower grades through high school, but they are done on a semester basis in college.  Each course or class that the student is taking for that term (or each subject, for the younger students through the eighth grade) will be listed on the report card, along with the grade that the student has earned for that term.  Typical courses or subjects that grade school and high school students might have would be mathematics, science, history, English, PE (physical education), and art or music.

The grades are calculated based on the various assignments, tests, and quizzes that the student has had during the term.  American students are given grades that range from A (best) to F (worst).  Additionally, a letter grade might have a + or a – after it, indicating “better” or “worse,” respectively.  Thus, the full range of letter grades looks like this, along with the percentage cutoffs for the grades:

A+ (97%), A (93%), A– (90%)
B+ (87%), B (83%), B– (80%)
C+ (77%), C (73%), C– (70%)
D+ (67%), D (63%), D– (60%)
F

Why is there no “E”?  First of all, the letter “F” stands for “fail,” and is not necessarily supposed to be a continuation of the grade series.  This also explains why there is no “F+” or “F–,” since it doesn’t really make sense to say that failure can be “better” or “worse”:  failure is failure.

Another reason there is no “E” letter grade is purely practical:  if a student received an “F,” it would be rather easy to cheat and change the grade to “E,” since the two letters are so similar.

Letter grades are generally given to older students – the real young students (for example, first and second graders) are often given grades that indicate how well the student is progressing in learning the basics.  An example of this type of grading system might look like this:  “superior,” meaning that the student has learned the skills necessary not only for his grade level, but has learned skills that would be expected of older students; “satisfactory,” meaning that the student has learned the skills necessary for his grade level, but not advanced skills; and “unsatisfactory,” meaning that the student needs additional work to get caught up to the skill level that he should be at.

There is more to be said about report cards, so we’ll continue this topic next week.

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Crossword – Basic Vocabulary 9 (solution)

Posted on 2012/04/02
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crossword puzzle solution

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Crossword – Basic Vocabulary 9

Posted on 2012/04/01
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crossword puzzle
Across
2 a preposition used to say where someone or something goes (2)
3 acceptance of a plan, decision, or a person (8)
5 the long, thin part of a plant, from which leaves, flowers, or fruit grow (4)
7 to use your eyes (3)
8 to reverse an action (4)
10 to turn with a circular movement around a central point (8)
13 done, used, or experienced before now (4)
15 a strong, alcoholic drink made from sugar (3)
17 not closed (4)
18 ways of sending information (14)
20 to fasten things together using a piece of string or a rope (3)
22 a large pot, often used for making soup (6)
23 rock or earth from which metal can be obtained (3)
24 a promise to yourself (10)
27 what cars use for fuel (3)
28 a word used when talking about something that might happen or be true, or might have happened (2)
29 opposite of under (4)
30 on a line or course parallel and close to; continuously beside (5)
31 not dead, alive (6)
34 what the doctor gives you to eat to make you feel better (8)
36 admiration for someone because of their qualities (7)
37 a deep breath that you take when you are tired or sleepy (4)
38 opposite of yes (2)

Down
1 the act or process of destroying something (11)
2 a device used to measure how hot or cold something is (11)
3 a clear liquid with a strong, bad smell that is used for cleaning (7)
4 to move quickly by moving your legs more quickly than when you walk (3)
5 a salty body of water (3)
6 a dry, brown fruit inside a hard shell that grows on a tree (3)
9 as different as possible from something else (8)
11 pants; especially, men’s pants (8)
12 a car and driver that you pay to take you somewhere (4)
14 when you guess about the possible causes or effects of something without knowing all the facts (11)
16 mirror (7-5)
19 the movement of air, liquid, etc in a system (11)
21 someone kept in prison as a legal punishment for their crime (8)
25 what you hear with (3)
26 opposite of on (3)
29 a part of the body, like the heart or the lungs, that has a particular purpose (5)
32 what you are able to see; the whole area that you can see from somewhere (4)
33 to move from one place to another (2)
34 the fifth month (3)
35 the small drops of water that form on outdoor surfaces during the night (3)

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Idiom Focus: Animal Idioms 15

Posted on 2012/03/31
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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.

hold one’s horses:    wait, be patient

Example:

I know you’re hungry, but you’ll have to hold your horses – supper won’t be ready for another half hour.

holy cow:    used to express strong feelings like astonishment, pleasure or anger

Example:

Holy cow, you guys are making so much noise I can’t think!  Turn it down, ok?

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Writing Assignment: At a Barber Shop (Solution)

Posted on 2012/03/31
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In the Barber's Chair

1.    Where is this picture taken?
This picture is taken inside a barber shop.

2.    What kind of chair is the man sitting in?
The man is sitting in a barber’s chair, or a barber’s stool.

3.    What is the man in the barber’s stool doing?
The man in the barber’s stool is getting a shave.

4.    What is on the man’s face?
There is shaving cream, or shaving lather, on the man’s face.

5.    What is the barber doing?
The barber is holding a razor.  He is shaving the man in the barber’s stool.

6.    What tools can a barber use when giving a haircut?
The tools that a barber can use when giving a haircut are scissors (or shears), a razor, clippers, and a comb or brush.

7.    What tools can a barber use when he gives a shave?
The tools that a barber can use when giving a shave are a razor and a shaving brush.

8.    What must a barber do if his razor or scissors are dull?
If the razor or scissors are dull, the barber must sharpen them.  The razor can be sharpened using a barber’s strop, and the scissors can be sharpened by a scissors grinder.

9.    What other things might a barber have to take care of hair?
Some other things that a barber might have to take care of hair are combs, brushes, hair tonics, and gels.

10.    What can you use to make your hair look neat?
You can use a comb or a brush to make your hair look neat.

11.    How can you ask the barber to remove your beard or mustache?
You can ask for a shave if you want the barber to remove your beard or mustache.

12.    What is a slang expression for “getting your hair cut”?
“Getting your ears lowered” is a slang expression that means “getting your hair cut”:  Where are you going? —I’m going to get my ears lowered.

13.    What can you say to the barber if you want only a little bit of hair cut off?
If you want only a little bit of hair cut off, you can ask the barber for a trim.

14.    What can you say to the barber if you want a lot of hair cut off?
If you want a lot of hair cut off, you can ask the barber for a buzz cut, or a crew cut.

15.    What does the barber do to protect your clothes from hair clippings?
To protect your clothes from hair clippings, the barber will put a cape over your chest.

16.    If there are a lot of customers waiting, how can the barber keep track of who is next to get a haircut?
If there are a lot of customers waiting, the barber can keep track of who is next by having you take a number, and wait your turn.

17.    What can you do at the barbershop while waiting for your turn?
While you’re waiting for your turn at the barber shop, you can read a magazine or a newspaper.  Some barber shops have a TV that you can watch.

18.    What kind of sign does a barber often have outside his shop?
Many times a barber has a barber’s pole outside his shop.  This is a traditional sign or symbol for a barber.

19.    What are some different kinds of cuts a man might get?
Some of the different cuts a man might get are a crew cut (buzz cut), a bowl cut, a flat top, a Mohawk, or a jarhead cut (military cut).

20.    What else could you get at some barber shops, besides a haircut or a shave?
At some barber shops, you can also get your shoes shined.

Paragraph:  At a Barber Shop

Jimmy went to the barber shop.  His mother had given him money for a haircut, because his hair was getting long and it was hanging in his eyes.  He opened the door to the shop and greeted the barber, Mr. Williams.  Mr. Williams told him it would be about a ten-minute wait, so he could just have a seat.  Jimmy sat down in a chair and picked up the sports pages of the newspaper.  He didn’t care much for reading, but he liked to read about his favorite teams.  Before he knew it, Mr. Williams told him it was his turn.  Jimmy went over and sat in the barber’s stool.  Jimmy was a regular customer of Mr. Williams, so Mr. Williams knew exactly how Jimmy wanted his hair cut – a classic, Caesar cut.  Mr. Williams was an experienced barber, and he liked using a razor rather than scissors for cutting hair whenever possible.  He put a cape on Jimmy and began cutting with the razor.  He combed and cut, and combed again, all around Jimmy’s head.  Finally, Mr. Williams took his scissors for some light trimming, then handed Jimmy a mirror so he could see how he looked.  Jimmy looked all around, and nodded with satisfaction.  He paid Mr. Williams for the haircut and went home.

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Writing Assignment: At a Barber Shop

Posted on 2012/03/30
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In the Barber's Chair

barber’s stool
shave
haircut
trim
barber pole
razor
scissors
clipper
part
side part
beard
mustache
sideburns
crew cut / buzz cut
bowl cut
flat top
mohawk
jarhead cut / military cut
get a (haircut / trim / shave)
get one’s ears lowered
cape
shears
customer
take a number
part the hair (on the side / in the middle)
comb the hair back
shaving (cream / lather)
shaving soap
alum
aftershave
goatee
comb
brush
shave brush
barber’s (strap / strop)

1.    Where is this picture taken?
2.    What kind of chair is the man sitting in?
3.    What is the man in the barber’s stool doing?
4.    What is on the man’s face?
5.    What is the barber doing?
6.    What tools can a barber use when giving a haircut?
7.    What tools can a barber use when he gives a shave?
8.    What must a barber do if his razor or scissors are dull?
9.    What other things might a barber have to take care of hair?
10.    What can you use to make your hair look neat?
11.    How can you ask the barber to remove your beard or mustache?
12.    What is a slang expression for “getting your hair cut”?
13.    What can you say to the barber if you want only a little bit of hair cut off?
14.    What can you say to the barber if you want a lot of hair cut off?
15.    What does the barber do to protect your clothes from hair clippings?
16.    If there are a lot of customers waiting, how can the barber keep track of who is next to get a haircut?
17.    What can you do at the barbershop while waiting for your turn?
18.    What kind of sign does a barber often have outside his shop?
19.    What are some different kinds of cuts a man might get?
20.    What else could you get at some barber shops, besides a haircut or a shave?

Paragraph:  At a Barber Shop

Almost everyone has gone to a shop to get a haircut.  Write a short paragraph about the last time you had your hair cut.

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Grammar Basics: Unit 30 – might and may (Solutions)

Posted on 2012/03/30
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Exercises:  Use the given words to respond to the following questions, using the phrase “I don’t know / I’m not sure. I (He, They, etc.) might…”

Example:

What are you doing this afternoon? (store) ==> I don’t know. I might go to the store this afternoon.
Where is Tom going for vacation? (Florida) ==> I’m not sure. He might go to Florida.

  1. What are you going to eat for lunch? ==> I’m not sure. I might have soup or salad.
  2. Is Mary coming to the party? ==> I don’t know. She might have to work.
  3. When are you going to go to the library? ==> I don’t know. I might go after class.
  4. Did Bill and Jane name their new baby yet? ==> I’m not sure. They might have named him James.
  5. What’s the weather supposed to be like tomorrow? ==> I’m not sure. It might rain.
  6. Where is Mark going to college? ==> I don’t know. He might be going to the University of Illinois.
  7. Does Sally have any pets? ==> I’m not sure. She might have a cat.
  8. What color is Jill’s car? ==> I don’t know. It might be blue.
  9. How many books do the kids have to read for the summer program? ==> I’m not sure. They might have to read 15 books.
  10. Where would you like to go on your dream vacation? ==> I don’t know. I might like to go to Switzerland.
  11. How old is John’s son? ==> I don’t know. He might be six.
  12. Where did Tom and Susan move to? ==> I’m not sure. They might have moved to Colorado.
  13. Is there butter or margarine in this cookie recipe? ==> I’m not sure. It might be butter.
  14. Where does Jim work? ==> I don’t know. He might be a salesman for a manufacturing company.
  15. How fast can Tina type? ==> I’m not sure. She might type as fast as 80 words per minute.
  16. Where are the newlyweds going for their honeymoon? ==> I’m not sure. They might go to Hawaii.
  17. Who is the greatest basketball player? ==> I don’t know. It might be Michael Jordan.
  18. What present are you going to give your mother for her birthday? ==> I’m not sure. I might get her a box of chocolates.
  19. What is the name of Barbara’s older son? ==> I don’t know. It might be Christopher.
  20. Who’s calling on the phone? ==> I’m not sure. It might be the doctor’s office.

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Grammar Basics: Unit 30 – might and may

Posted on 2012/03/29
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“might” is used to indicate possibility. We use it when we are not certain if something will happen.

Pattern:

might + V (infinitive) …

Example:looking for something to do

I might cook spaghetti tomorrow night.
Be careful! You might slip and fall on the ice.
He might get a job working at the gas station.
We might see a movie next weekend.
They might close the store early.

Note: “might” is the same, regardless of person and number. First person singular, third person plural – it doesn’t matter :).

To form the negation, put “not” between “might” and its infinitive verb.

Negation:

might not + V (infinitive) …

Example:

I might not get to the appointment on time.
You might not make the team if you don’t practice.
Who knows, it might not rain tomorrow anyhow.
We might not see him again for a long time.
They might not be able to afford it.

“might” is often used with “I don’t know” or “I’m not sure”:

A: What are you going to eat?
B: I’m not sure. I might try the salmon.

A: Have you decided where you’ll go for your honeymoon?
B: We don’t know. We might go to the Bahamas.

A: Do you know if Tom is coming?
B: I don’t know. I suspect he might not make it.

Recall:

“am going to” indicates certainty – something will happen.
“might” indicates uncertainty – we do not know if something will happen.

Tom is going to stop by later. (He will certainly come.)
Tom might stop by later. (Maybe he will come, or maybe he won’t. We don’t know.)

I am going to take a nap after lunch. (I am so tired, I will certainly rest.)
I might take a nap after lunch. (I don’t know. I have a lot of work to do, so maybe I will do that instead.)

When we are talking about uncertainty, we can use “may” instead of “might”:

Tom may stop by later = Tom might stop by later.

Exercises:  Use the given words to respond to the following questions, using the phrase “I don’t know / I’m not sure. I (He, They, etc.) might…”

Example:

What are you doing this afternoon? (store) ==> I don’t know. I might go to the store this afternoon.

Where is Tom going for vacation? (Florida) ==> I’m not sure. He might go to Florida.

  1. What are you going to eat for lunch? (soup or salad)
  2. Is Mary coming to the party? (have to work)
  3. When are you going to go to the library? (after class)
  4. Did Bill and Jane name their new baby yet? (James)
  5. What’s the weather supposed to be like tomorrow? (rain)
  6. Where is Mark going to college? (University of Illinois)
  7. Does Sally have any pets? (cat)
  8. What color is Jill’s car? (blue)
  9. How many books do the kids have to read for the summer program? (15)
  10. Where would you like to go on your dream vacation? (Switzerland)
  11. How old is John’s son? (six)
  12. Where did Tom and Susan move to? (Colorado)
  13. Is there butter or margarine in this cookie recipe? (butter)
  14. Where does Jim work? (salesman for a manufacturing company)
  15. How fast can Tina type? (as fast as 80 words per minute)
  16. Where are the newlyweds going for their honeymoon? (Hawaii)
  17. Who is the greatest basketball player? (Michael Jordan)
  18. What present are you going to give your mother for her birthday? (box of chocolates)
  19. What is the name of Barbara’s older son? (Christopher)
  20. Who’s calling on the phone? (doctor’s office)

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Culture Focus: April Fools’ Day

Posted on 2012/03/28
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April Fools!This coming Sunday is April 1, also known as April Fools’ Day, or All Fools’ Day.  Although not an official holiday, this prank day is nonetheless widely celebrated around the globe.  The concept of some sort of a prank day dates back to the time of the Persians in the 6th century BC, and throughout history it has cropped up in various cultures and at various times of the year.  Some cultures celebrated a prank day on January 1; others celebrated it on March 25.  But in modern times, April 1 is the most common date for this prank day.

Not only have there been different dates for a prank day, but there have been different names as well – in Italy and in French-speaking cultures, for example, “April Fools’ Day” is referred to instead as “April’s fish.”

What sort of pranks are played on April Fools’ Day?  The vast majority of pranks are not malicious – they are not meant to harm anyone.  The main idea is to trick someone into doing something silly, which only causes a bit of embarrassment to the victim.  So, pranks range from the relatively simple (for example, attaching some paper money to a hard-to-see string and laying it on the sidewalk, then pulling it away whenever someone tries to pick it up) to the relatively complex (for example, the BBC played an April Fools’ joke in the 1950s about the “Swiss Spaghetti Harvest,” which had many people believing that they could grow spaghetti in their own back yards).

So, if you find yourself the victim of an April Fools’ joke, don’t let it upset you.  Laugh about it, and repay the favor by pranking one of your friends!

You can find some well-known April Fools’ pranks here.

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Grammar Basics: Unit 29 – will, Part II (Solution)

Posted on 2012/03/28
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Exercise: In the following sentences, choose either “will” or “going to” to make an appropriate sentence.

Example:

I’m tired, so I think I (will / am going to) go to bed. ==> I’m tired, so I think I will go to bed.

A: What are you doing tomorrow night?
B: We (will / are going to) go out for dinner and watch a movie. ==> We are going to out for a dinner and watch a movie.

1. It snowed a lot overnight. I will shovel the driveway before I go to work.

2.  A: I have a ton of work to do.
B: That’s all right. We will help you.

3. I’m confused. I think I will ask Sam to explain these instructions to me.

4. A: Have you done your homework yet?
B: No, I will do it later, I think.

5. I’m tired. I think I will skip exercising today.

6. A: Are you going to do anything this weekend?
B: No, I am going to stay home and get caught up on my reading.

7. Someone’s at the door. Will you answer it?

8. A: What are you doing after lunch?
B: I am going to go ice skating. Want to come?

9. Mother likes flowers, so I think we will get her a colorful bouquet for her birthday.

10. A: This room’s a mess.
B: Don’t worry – I will clean it up.

11. Do you know how expensive that wine is? If we buy that for the party, it will cost a fortune!

12. A: We’re having a potluck this Saturday.
B: Okay. I will bring a salad.

13. I’ve finished reading my library books. I think I will return then and get some more.

14. A: Why are you baking so many cookies?
B: I am going to gift wrap plates of cookie and give them away as presents.

15. We didn’t get a Christmas tree this year. We will get one next year, okay?

16. A: The car’s low on gas.
B: I will fill it up on my way to the store.

17. I’m hot. I think I will go swimming to cool off.

18. A: The plants need watering.
B: I will do it as soon as I’m done washing these dishes.

19. I will give you a call tomorrow, okay?

20. A: I have a taste for pretzels.
B: I will bake some.

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