Here is our schedule for December:
Sunday, December 4th, Bible Study Class at Riverdale Baptist Church at 9:30 a.m. We will study, "How Should We Respond To Problems?" from Rick Warren's book, "The Purpose Driven Life".
Monday, December 5th, Bible Study Class at Riverdale Baptist Church at 9:30 a.m. We will study, "Christmas Prophecies" and the learn the words to some popular Christmas songs.
Friday, December 9th, Ornament Swap at Ava's House. You don't need to bring any food or drink to share. You do need to bring a wrapped store-bought or home-made Christmas ornament. If you have a child that will be with you and you'd like for them to participate, please bring a wrapped ornament for them, too. We will swap ornaments and enjoy a simple breakfast.
Here are a few more December activities and links for more information:
The Bethlehem Marketplace at Southeast Baptist Church--12/3 and 12/4 AND 12/10 and 12/11. The times aren't posted on the website, but it usually 1-5? If you are planning on going, let me know and I will call and ask for you.
http://www.sebaptist.org/tp40/page.asp?ID=171773
Christmas Lights--The Murfreesboro Post usually posts information about the best Christmas lights in Murfreesboro. This information will be on-line sometime in December:
http://www.murfreesboropost.com/
Santa in the neighborhood--Santa will visit several Murfreesboro neighborhoods and other locations. The 2011 schedule will posted on-line on Thanksgiving Day. You may check the schedule any time after Thanksgiving:
http://www.santaintheneighborhood.com/Santa_Express.html
Santa Downtown--Santa will be at the courthouse and carriage rides around the Square will be offered. Information and schedules are posted on-line:
http://www.downtownmurfreesboro.com/category/events
AFTER Christmas--if you want to recycle your Christmas Cards, you can send them to the St. Jude's Ranch for Children. They use the fronts of your old cards to make new cards for next year. I usually only send the fronts of the cards because it is cheaper to mail them that way. The address is below.
St. Jude's Ranch for Children
Card Recycling Program
100 St. Jude's Street
Boulder City, NV 89005
If you have questions about any of these things, please let me know. Enjoy all of these fun things and remember that Jesus is the reason for the season!
Friday, November 18, 2011
Idioms XVI
1. hit the nail on the head—describe a problem exactly—A good newsman can hit the nail on the head when he is telling a story.
2. hit the roof—get really mad—When the owner of the company found out that his workers were napping in their offices, he hit the roof!
3. hit the sack—go to bed—At the end of a long day, it always feels good to hit the sack.
4. hold down the fort—look after a place while the usual person in charge is away—A lot of secretaries have to hold down the fort when their bosses go on business trips.
5. hold your head high—feel proud about something—You can hold your head high when your children do well in school.
6. hold your own—do as well as others at something—Masae and I aren’t professional tennis players, but we were able to hold our own at the city tennis tournament!
7. hot under the collar—get angry or annoyed at a situation—It’s easy to get hot under the collar when someone is cheating you.
8. an ivory tower—a place that is separated from normal life—Celebrities live in ivory towers and don’t know what it’s like to work and raise children without help.
9. I owe you one—say this when you need to repay a kindness or favor to someone—I told my neighbor I owed her one after she let me borrow some sugar.
2. hit the roof—get really mad—When the owner of the company found out that his workers were napping in their offices, he hit the roof!
3. hit the sack—go to bed—At the end of a long day, it always feels good to hit the sack.
4. hold down the fort—look after a place while the usual person in charge is away—A lot of secretaries have to hold down the fort when their bosses go on business trips.
5. hold your head high—feel proud about something—You can hold your head high when your children do well in school.
6. hold your own—do as well as others at something—Masae and I aren’t professional tennis players, but we were able to hold our own at the city tennis tournament!
7. hot under the collar—get angry or annoyed at a situation—It’s easy to get hot under the collar when someone is cheating you.
8. an ivory tower—a place that is separated from normal life—Celebrities live in ivory towers and don’t know what it’s like to work and raise children without help.
9. I owe you one—say this when you need to repay a kindness or favor to someone—I told my neighbor I owed her one after she let me borrow some sugar.
Famous Quotes About Thanksgiving
“It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness.” – Charles Haddon Spurgeon
The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving. ~H.U. Westermayer
If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice. ~Meister Eckhart
A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all the other virtues. ~Cicero
Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it. ~William Arthur Ward
God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say "thank you?" ~William A. Ward
"If you want to turn your life around, try thankfulness. It will change your life mightily." Gerald Good
If a fellow isn't thankful for what he's got, he isn't likely to be thankful for what he's going to get. Frank A. Clark
Who does not thank for little will not thank for much. Estonian Proverb
God gave us our relatives; thank God we can choose our friends. Ethel Watts Mumford
The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving. ~H.U. Westermayer
If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice. ~Meister Eckhart
A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all the other virtues. ~Cicero
Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it. ~William Arthur Ward
God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say "thank you?" ~William A. Ward
"If you want to turn your life around, try thankfulness. It will change your life mightily." Gerald Good
If a fellow isn't thankful for what he's got, he isn't likely to be thankful for what he's going to get. Frank A. Clark
Who does not thank for little will not thank for much. Estonian Proverb
God gave us our relatives; thank God we can choose our friends. Ethel Watts Mumford
Friday, October 21, 2011
November Schedule/Future Lesson Plans
Sunday, November 6th, 9:30 a.m. at Riverdale Baptist Church. We will study, "The Purpsoe Behind The Problem".
Friday, November 18th, 9:30 a.m. at Riverdale Baptist Church. We will study, "What Does The Bible Say About Thankfulness?". We will also have 2 English lessons, "Famous Quotes About Thanksgiving" and "Idioms XVI"
In December, the Friday class will study, "Christmas Prophecies" and have English lessons about Donations and Fundraising.
In January, the Friday class will study, "Prophecies That Haven't Been Fulfilled, Yet"
Childcare is provided for all the classes. Children are welcome to stay in the class with us. Japanese translation and Japanese Bibles are provided for all class members.
Friday, November 18th, 9:30 a.m. at Riverdale Baptist Church. We will study, "What Does The Bible Say About Thankfulness?". We will also have 2 English lessons, "Famous Quotes About Thanksgiving" and "Idioms XVI"
In December, the Friday class will study, "Christmas Prophecies" and have English lessons about Donations and Fundraising.
In January, the Friday class will study, "Prophecies That Haven't Been Fulfilled, Yet"
Childcare is provided for all the classes. Children are welcome to stay in the class with us. Japanese translation and Japanese Bibles are provided for all class members.
Halloween Safety Tips
1. Stay with your children at all times. Only go to houses that have their porch lights one or are homes of people you know. It’s okay to let your kids walk up to the door alone, but make sure you are watching them at all times.
2. Be careful walking up and down the streets. It will be dark and people will be pulling in and out of driveways. Make sure your children are walking on sidewalks or near the curbs. If you are driving, drive at slow speeds. There will be a lot of people on the streets on Halloween night!
3. If it rains on Halloween night, many people will drive their children around for trick-or-treating. If you do this, use your hazard lights so that other people will know that you will be stopping and starting a lot. Also, be very careful passing a car that has stopped with their hazard lights on. Children could be running around the front or back of the car and not be able to see you.
4. If you or your children are wearing masks, make sure you will be able to see properly with them on. If you or your children are carrying any kind of costume props, make sure they don’t have sharp points and that they are flexible enough to bend if you fall on them. Also, make sure your costumes aren’t too long so that you won’t trip when you are walking. It’s a good idea for at least one person in your group to have a flashlight. It’s also a good idea to have some reflective tape or material on your costumes.
5. Don’t eat any treats until an adult has inspected them. Adults should make sure the candy is in original, untorn, wrappers. Don’t eat any homemade treats. Stay in familiar neighborhoods when you are trick or treating. Also, it’s best to trick or treat with a group of friends.
2. Be careful walking up and down the streets. It will be dark and people will be pulling in and out of driveways. Make sure your children are walking on sidewalks or near the curbs. If you are driving, drive at slow speeds. There will be a lot of people on the streets on Halloween night!
3. If it rains on Halloween night, many people will drive their children around for trick-or-treating. If you do this, use your hazard lights so that other people will know that you will be stopping and starting a lot. Also, be very careful passing a car that has stopped with their hazard lights on. Children could be running around the front or back of the car and not be able to see you.
4. If you or your children are wearing masks, make sure you will be able to see properly with them on. If you or your children are carrying any kind of costume props, make sure they don’t have sharp points and that they are flexible enough to bend if you fall on them. Also, make sure your costumes aren’t too long so that you won’t trip when you are walking. It’s a good idea for at least one person in your group to have a flashlight. It’s also a good idea to have some reflective tape or material on your costumes.
5. Don’t eat any treats until an adult has inspected them. Adults should make sure the candy is in original, untorn, wrappers. Don’t eat any homemade treats. Stay in familiar neighborhoods when you are trick or treating. Also, it’s best to trick or treat with a group of friends.
Halloween Traditions
Halloween is a contraction of a Catholic holiday, “All Hallows Eve”. “All Hallows Day” is November 1 and that is a day to honor saints. So, Hallows Eve is October 31st.
Trick or Treat
The custom of trick or treating probably has several origins. One explanation is that early Catholics would walk from village to village begging for "soul cakes" made out of square pieces of bread with currants. The more soul cakes the beggars would receive, the more prayers they would promise to say on behalf of the dead relatives of the donors. Catholics believe that the dead remained in limbo for a time after death, and that prayer, even by strangers, could expedite a soul's passage to heaven.
Jack-O-Lanterns:
Irish children used to carve out potatoes or turnips and light them for their Halloween gatherings. They commemorated Jack, a shifty Irish villain so wicked that neither God nor the Devil wanted him. Legend says Jack wanders the world endlessly looking for a place to rest. His only warmth is a glittering candle in a rotten turnip. The Irish Potato Famine (1845-50) prompted over 700,000 people to immigrate to the Americas. These immigrants brought with them their traditions of Halloween and Jack o'Lanterns, but turnips were not plentiful in America. So, the Irish immigrants used pumpkins as a replacement.
Halloween Masquerade Mask and Costumes:
From earliest times people wore masks when droughts or other disasters struck. They believed that the demons that had brought their misfortune upon them would become frightened off by the hideous masks.
Trick or Treat
The custom of trick or treating probably has several origins. One explanation is that early Catholics would walk from village to village begging for "soul cakes" made out of square pieces of bread with currants. The more soul cakes the beggars would receive, the more prayers they would promise to say on behalf of the dead relatives of the donors. Catholics believe that the dead remained in limbo for a time after death, and that prayer, even by strangers, could expedite a soul's passage to heaven.
Jack-O-Lanterns:
Irish children used to carve out potatoes or turnips and light them for their Halloween gatherings. They commemorated Jack, a shifty Irish villain so wicked that neither God nor the Devil wanted him. Legend says Jack wanders the world endlessly looking for a place to rest. His only warmth is a glittering candle in a rotten turnip. The Irish Potato Famine (1845-50) prompted over 700,000 people to immigrate to the Americas. These immigrants brought with them their traditions of Halloween and Jack o'Lanterns, but turnips were not plentiful in America. So, the Irish immigrants used pumpkins as a replacement.
Halloween Masquerade Mask and Costumes:
From earliest times people wore masks when droughts or other disasters struck. They believed that the demons that had brought their misfortune upon them would become frightened off by the hideous masks.
Idioms XV
1. hang in there/hang on—words of encouragement—When I found out my neighbor was trying to give up smoking, I told him to hang in there because I know that’s a hard thing to do.
2. hard to come by—difficult to find—Good husbands are hard to come by. So, if you get one, treat him well.
3. hard to swallow—difficult to believe—Stories about UFO’s are hard for most people to swallow.
4. have a heart to heart talk—have an honest talk and share your true feelings with someone—Having a good heart to heart talk with your husband can help your marriage.
5. have a soft spot for—have a warm feeling or affection for—Grandpas usually have a soft spot for their granddaughters.
6. have second thoughts—have doubts—Bill was having second thoughts about marrying Susie. So, he postponed the wedding.
7. have your hands full—be busy—Young mothers always have their hands full.
8. have your head in the clouds—be unrealistic—Every time I hear the President speak, I think he has his head in the clouds.
9. have your work cut out for you—have a challenge or difficult task to do—Kindergarten teachers really have their work cut out for them.
10. hit it off—meet someone for the first time and get along really well with them—I knew they would be a cute couple. They really hit it off when I introduced them to each other.
2. hard to come by—difficult to find—Good husbands are hard to come by. So, if you get one, treat him well.
3. hard to swallow—difficult to believe—Stories about UFO’s are hard for most people to swallow.
4. have a heart to heart talk—have an honest talk and share your true feelings with someone—Having a good heart to heart talk with your husband can help your marriage.
5. have a soft spot for—have a warm feeling or affection for—Grandpas usually have a soft spot for their granddaughters.
6. have second thoughts—have doubts—Bill was having second thoughts about marrying Susie. So, he postponed the wedding.
7. have your hands full—be busy—Young mothers always have their hands full.
8. have your head in the clouds—be unrealistic—Every time I hear the President speak, I think he has his head in the clouds.
9. have your work cut out for you—have a challenge or difficult task to do—Kindergarten teachers really have their work cut out for them.
10. hit it off—meet someone for the first time and get along really well with them—I knew they would be a cute couple. They really hit it off when I introduced them to each other.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Pronouncing "ed" words
Pronouncing “-ed” words can be tricky. Sometimes “-ed” sounds like a “d” (warned). Sometimes “-ed” sounds like “id” (wanted). Sometimes “-ed” sounds like a “t” (worked). The pronunciation rules are complicated, but usually the sound of the syllable before the “-ed” decides how the “-ed” is pronounced. Let’s try some:
1 Started
2 needed
3 reached
4 regarded
5 decided
6 propped
7 locked
8 realized
9 noticed
10 bolted
11 descended
12 glanced
13 looked
14 renovated
15 closed
16 discovered
17 examined
18 painted
19 permitted
20 pulled
1 Started
2 needed
3 reached
4 regarded
5 decided
6 propped
7 locked
8 realized
9 noticed
10 bolted
11 descended
12 glanced
13 looked
14 renovated
15 closed
16 discovered
17 examined
18 painted
19 permitted
20 pulled
Idioms XIV
1. grin and bear—accept a difficult situation and make the best of it—If you don’t like your job, you have to grin and bear it until you can find a new one.
2. gift of gab—natural ability to talk to and persuade people—A good salesman usually has the gift of gab.
3. your hands are tied—you are unable to control a situation—The banker wanted to approve the loan, but his hands were tied due to the new regulations.
4. your heart goes out—you have sympathy for someone—My heart goes out to anyone who has lost a loved one.
5. your heart is in the right place—you are trying to do the right thing even if you don’t always do it—I don’t always agree with my son’s coach, but I know his heart is in the right place.
6. your heart isn’t in it—you don’t want to do something—I agreed to work in the yard with my husband, but my heart really wasn’t in it.
7. a head start—an advantage over other people—If you can graduate from college with good grades, you will have a head start over other job seekers.
8. a hidden agenda—a secret motive—We thought the Susan really loved Bill, but she had a hidden agenda to get his money.
9. half-baked—not well thought out—It’s hard for me to deal with people who have half-baked ideas.
2. gift of gab—natural ability to talk to and persuade people—A good salesman usually has the gift of gab.
3. your hands are tied—you are unable to control a situation—The banker wanted to approve the loan, but his hands were tied due to the new regulations.
4. your heart goes out—you have sympathy for someone—My heart goes out to anyone who has lost a loved one.
5. your heart is in the right place—you are trying to do the right thing even if you don’t always do it—I don’t always agree with my son’s coach, but I know his heart is in the right place.
6. your heart isn’t in it—you don’t want to do something—I agreed to work in the yard with my husband, but my heart really wasn’t in it.
7. a head start—an advantage over other people—If you can graduate from college with good grades, you will have a head start over other job seekers.
8. a hidden agenda—a secret motive—We thought the Susan really loved Bill, but she had a hidden agenda to get his money.
9. half-baked—not well thought out—It’s hard for me to deal with people who have half-baked ideas.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Idiioms XIII
1. go for broke—risk everything—It’s not a good idea to go for broke in Las Vegas. You could lose everything you have!
2. go out of business—close down—A lot of stores have gone out of business during the past couple of years.
3. go out on a limb—put yourself in a risky position—If you mortgage your house to buy a car, you’re really going out on a limb!
4. go over someone’s head—ask a person’s boss because that person won’t help you—When the clerk wouldn’t give me a refund, I had to go over his head and get the manager.
5. go overboard—be overly excited or do too much—A lot of parents go overboard and have really big birthday parties for their kids.
6. go with the flow—not put up any opposition to other people’s plans or ideas—Sometimes, it’s easier to just go with the flow than to try to change somebody.
7. going down/going on—what’s happening at a particular time or place—We heard sirens, but we didn’t know what was going down/going on.
8. grease someone’s palms—bribe people—Unfortunately, there are a lot of business owners who grease politicians’ palms and get laws passed in their favor.
2. go out of business—close down—A lot of stores have gone out of business during the past couple of years.
3. go out on a limb—put yourself in a risky position—If you mortgage your house to buy a car, you’re really going out on a limb!
4. go over someone’s head—ask a person’s boss because that person won’t help you—When the clerk wouldn’t give me a refund, I had to go over his head and get the manager.
5. go overboard—be overly excited or do too much—A lot of parents go overboard and have really big birthday parties for their kids.
6. go with the flow—not put up any opposition to other people’s plans or ideas—Sometimes, it’s easier to just go with the flow than to try to change somebody.
7. going down/going on—what’s happening at a particular time or place—We heard sirens, but we didn’t know what was going down/going on.
8. grease someone’s palms—bribe people—Unfortunately, there are a lot of business owners who grease politicians’ palms and get laws passed in their favor.
Raising Children In America
America is a great place to live, but sometimes people do bad things to children. It’s important to protect them. Here are some things to remember:
1. Never leave your children alone in the car.
2. When you are out in public places or in other people’s homes, always watch your children at all times.
3. Don’t let children go in public restrooms alone. When mothers are in public with their sons, this can be tricky. Try to make your sons use the ladies restroom for as long as possible—and always go with them. When your sons are too old to use the ladies restroom, try to find a family restroom. If a family restroom isn’t available, wait outside the door until your son comes out of the restroom. (I still do this with Paul and he’s 13!)
4. Don’t let your children stay home alone until they are at least 10 or 11 years old. Even then, they should only stay home for a short time by themselves. Tell them not to answer the door or the phone for any reason. Teach your children what to do in case of an emergency (call 911, call a neighbor, or call a friend).
5. Don’t let your children undress, scream, or run wild in public. Also, don’t spank your children in public. Someone may call the police and report you as an abusive or negligent parent. This is rare, but it has happened.
1. Never leave your children alone in the car.
2. When you are out in public places or in other people’s homes, always watch your children at all times.
3. Don’t let children go in public restrooms alone. When mothers are in public with their sons, this can be tricky. Try to make your sons use the ladies restroom for as long as possible—and always go with them. When your sons are too old to use the ladies restroom, try to find a family restroom. If a family restroom isn’t available, wait outside the door until your son comes out of the restroom. (I still do this with Paul and he’s 13!)
4. Don’t let your children stay home alone until they are at least 10 or 11 years old. Even then, they should only stay home for a short time by themselves. Tell them not to answer the door or the phone for any reason. Teach your children what to do in case of an emergency (call 911, call a neighbor, or call a friend).
5. Don’t let your children undress, scream, or run wild in public. Also, don’t spank your children in public. Someone may call the police and report you as an abusive or negligent parent. This is rare, but it has happened.
Monday, July 25, 2011
August Schedule
Here is the schedule for our upcoming classes:
9:30 a.m. Sunday, August 21st--Sunday Bible Study Class at Riverdale Baptist Church--We will study, "Real Fellowship" from The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren.
9:30 a.m. Friday, August 26th--Friday Bible Study Class at Riverdale Baptist Church--We will study, "Delilah" and have an English Lesson after the Bible Study lesson.
I hope you can join us!
Ava
9:30 a.m. Sunday, August 21st--Sunday Bible Study Class at Riverdale Baptist Church--We will study, "Real Fellowship" from The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren.
9:30 a.m. Friday, August 26th--Friday Bible Study Class at Riverdale Baptist Church--We will study, "Delilah" and have an English Lesson after the Bible Study lesson.
I hope you can join us!
Ava
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Friday The 13th
1. There are superstitions about Friday and the number 13.
2. A lot of sailors refuse to set sail on a Friday. Some people think it’s bad luck to get married on a Friday.
3. Most buildings in America don’t have a rooms or floors with the number 13. Many people won’t eat at a table with 13 people. If they do, they think the first person to leave will be the next person to die.
4. In ancient times, the number 13 represented the unknown. Even now, children are taught their multiplication tables through 12 X 12.
5. When Friday falls on the 13th day of the month, some people think it is an unlucky day. One of the main reasons has to do with Jesus’ death.
Jesus was crucified on a Friday. Before Jesus died, he had the Last Supper with His 12 disciples. He said one of them would betray Him:
７０「あなたがた十二人を選んだのはわたしです。だが、なんということでしょう。悪魔が一人まぎれ込んでいます。」７１イエスが言われたのは、イスカリオテのシモンの子ユダのことでした。ユダは、十二人の弟子の一人でありながら、イエスを裏切ろうとしていたのです。(John 6:70-71).
Judas did betray Jesus. Judas was also the first person to leave the Last Supper and the next person to die.
6. Many people think a lot of other bad things in the Bible happened on a Friday.
(For example: Eve eating the fruit, Abel’s murder, Stephen’s stoning) There is no way to prove what day these things happened.
7. Personally, I don’t think Friday the 13th is an unlucky day. I believe God is in control of every situation.
９神様の考えを無視して、計画を立ててはいけません。Proverbs 16:9
神様は全人類を、一人の人間アダムから造り、すべての国民を全世界に散らされました Acts 17:26
７ばかばかしい理論や、くだらない作り話を、あれこれ議論し、むだに時間を費やしてはなりません。むしろ、時間と労力とを有効に使って、いつも霊的に高められるよう、自分を訓練しなさい。 1 Timothy 4:7
2. A lot of sailors refuse to set sail on a Friday. Some people think it’s bad luck to get married on a Friday.
3. Most buildings in America don’t have a rooms or floors with the number 13. Many people won’t eat at a table with 13 people. If they do, they think the first person to leave will be the next person to die.
4. In ancient times, the number 13 represented the unknown. Even now, children are taught their multiplication tables through 12 X 12.
5. When Friday falls on the 13th day of the month, some people think it is an unlucky day. One of the main reasons has to do with Jesus’ death.
Jesus was crucified on a Friday. Before Jesus died, he had the Last Supper with His 12 disciples. He said one of them would betray Him:
７０「あなたがた十二人を選んだのはわたしです。だが、なんということでしょう。悪魔が一人まぎれ込んでいます。」７１イエスが言われたのは、イスカリオテのシモンの子ユダのことでした。ユダは、十二人の弟子の一人でありながら、イエスを裏切ろうとしていたのです。(John 6:70-71).
Judas did betray Jesus. Judas was also the first person to leave the Last Supper and the next person to die.
6. Many people think a lot of other bad things in the Bible happened on a Friday.
(For example: Eve eating the fruit, Abel’s murder, Stephen’s stoning) There is no way to prove what day these things happened.
7. Personally, I don’t think Friday the 13th is an unlucky day. I believe God is in control of every situation.
９神様の考えを無視して、計画を立ててはいけません。Proverbs 16:9
神様は全人類を、一人の人間アダムから造り、すべての国民を全世界に散らされました Acts 17:26
７ばかばかしい理論や、くだらない作り話を、あれこれ議論し、むだに時間を費やしてはなりません。むしろ、時間と労力とを有効に使って、いつも霊的に高められるよう、自分を訓練しなさい。 1 Timothy 4:7
Telling People About Yourself
When you meet a new friend or you are asked to introduce yourself, here are some things you can say:
1. My name is ___________________. I am from ______.
2. I came to America _____________weeks/months/years ago.
3. My husband is a/an _______________ at ___________.
4. We will stay in America for ______________ months/years.
5. I don’t have any children.
OR
6. Or, I have ____________ child/children. My child/children goes to ________ school.
7. I have many hobbies. I like to ______, ______, and ______.
8. I don’t have a pet.
OR
9. I have a pet. It is a _________. His/Her name is __________.
10. When I lived in ______, I used to _____________. That is one thing I miss about ______.
11. My favorite thing about America is _________.
12. When I go back to _____, I will ________.
13. In my country, the weather is different. It is _______.
1. My name is ___________________. I am from ______.
2. I came to America _____________weeks/months/years ago.
3. My husband is a/an _______________ at ___________.
4. We will stay in America for ______________ months/years.
5. I don’t have any children.
OR
6. Or, I have ____________ child/children. My child/children goes to ________ school.
7. I have many hobbies. I like to ______, ______, and ______.
8. I don’t have a pet.
OR
9. I have a pet. It is a _________. His/Her name is __________.
10. When I lived in ______, I used to _____________. That is one thing I miss about ______.
11. My favorite thing about America is _________.
12. When I go back to _____, I will ________.
13. In my country, the weather is different. It is _______.
Idioms XII
1. get away from it all—escape from your daily routine—Sometimes a long, hot bath is all you need to get away from it all.
2. get cracking—do something faster—We need to get cracking or we’ll miss our plane!
3. get it off your chest—to tell someone something that has been bothering you—You usually feel better once you’ve gotten bad news off your chest.
4. get off on the wrong foot—make a bad first impression—It’s never a good thing to get off on the wrong foot with your husband’s boss.
5. get to the bottom of it—find out the true story—A good reporter will always get to the bottom of any rumors.
6. get your act together—improve your attitude and performance—Sometimes, teenagers need to be reminded about getting their act together.
7. give it a shot/whirl—try something for the first time—I’ve never played golf, but I should give it a shot/whirl sometime.
8. give it your all—try as hard as you can—I love to see people give it their all when they are playing a sport.
9. give someone a hard time—make things unpleasant for someone—Do you give your husband a hard time if he forgets your anniversary?
10. give the green light—give permission—I gave my son the green light to go to a concert with his friend.
2. get cracking—do something faster—We need to get cracking or we’ll miss our plane!
3. get it off your chest—to tell someone something that has been bothering you—You usually feel better once you’ve gotten bad news off your chest.
4. get off on the wrong foot—make a bad first impression—It’s never a good thing to get off on the wrong foot with your husband’s boss.
5. get to the bottom of it—find out the true story—A good reporter will always get to the bottom of any rumors.
6. get your act together—improve your attitude and performance—Sometimes, teenagers need to be reminded about getting their act together.
7. give it a shot/whirl—try something for the first time—I’ve never played golf, but I should give it a shot/whirl sometime.
8. give it your all—try as hard as you can—I love to see people give it their all when they are playing a sport.
9. give someone a hard time—make things unpleasant for someone—Do you give your husband a hard time if he forgets your anniversary?
10. give the green light—give permission—I gave my son the green light to go to a concert with his friend.
Infinitives--Using "to" and "ing"
Sometimes we need to decide whether to use a verb in its “ing” form or its infinitive form (with a “to”).
When to use -ing
The -ing form is used when the word is the subject of a sentence or clause:
• Swimming is good exercise.
• Doctors say that smoking is bad for you.
The -ing form is used after a preposition:
• I look forward to meeting you.
• They left without saying "Goodbye."
The -ing form is used after certain verbs:
- avoid, dislike, enjoy, finish, give up, mind/not mind, practice
• I dislike getting up early.
• Would you mind opening the window?
When to use the infinitive
The infinitive form is always used after adjectives, for example:
- disappointed, glad, happy, pleased, relieved, sad, surprised
• I was happy to help them.
• She will be delighted to see you.
This includes too + adjective:
• The water was too cold to swim in.
• Is your coffee too hot to drink?
The infinitive form is used after adjective + enough:
• He was strong enough to lift it.
• She is rich enough to buy two.
The infinitive form is used after certain verbs:
- forget, help, learn, teach, train
- choose, expect, hope, need, offer, want, would like
- agree, encourage, pretend, promise, recommend
- allow, can/can't afford, decide, manage, mean, refuse
• I forgot to close the window.
• Mary needs to leave early.
• Why are they encouraged to learn English?
• We can't afford to take a long holiday.
Some verbs can be followed by the -ing form or the infinitive without a big change in meaning: begin, continue, hate, intend, like, love, prefer, propose, start.
• It started to rain.
• It started raining.
• I like to play tennis.
• I like playing tennis.
Now, let’s try a few:
1. We like (to visit, visiting) our grandmother on Sundays.
2. I might want (to borrow, borrowing) your cookbook.
3. My husband hates (to wear, wearing) a tie.
4. We can’t afford (to take, taking) a vacation this year.
5. My grandmother was happy (to receive, receiving) your letter.
6. Would you mind (to open, opening) a window?
When to use -ing
The -ing form is used when the word is the subject of a sentence or clause:
• Swimming is good exercise.
• Doctors say that smoking is bad for you.
The -ing form is used after a preposition:
• I look forward to meeting you.
• They left without saying "Goodbye."
The -ing form is used after certain verbs:
- avoid, dislike, enjoy, finish, give up, mind/not mind, practice
• I dislike getting up early.
• Would you mind opening the window?
When to use the infinitive
The infinitive form is always used after adjectives, for example:
- disappointed, glad, happy, pleased, relieved, sad, surprised
• I was happy to help them.
• She will be delighted to see you.
This includes too + adjective:
• The water was too cold to swim in.
• Is your coffee too hot to drink?
The infinitive form is used after adjective + enough:
• He was strong enough to lift it.
• She is rich enough to buy two.
The infinitive form is used after certain verbs:
- forget, help, learn, teach, train
- choose, expect, hope, need, offer, want, would like
- agree, encourage, pretend, promise, recommend
- allow, can/can't afford, decide, manage, mean, refuse
• I forgot to close the window.
• Mary needs to leave early.
• Why are they encouraged to learn English?
• We can't afford to take a long holiday.
Some verbs can be followed by the -ing form or the infinitive without a big change in meaning: begin, continue, hate, intend, like, love, prefer, propose, start.
• It started to rain.
• It started raining.
• I like to play tennis.
• I like playing tennis.
Now, let’s try a few:
1. We like (to visit, visiting) our grandmother on Sundays.
2. I might want (to borrow, borrowing) your cookbook.
3. My husband hates (to wear, wearing) a tie.
4. We can’t afford (to take, taking) a vacation this year.
5. My grandmother was happy (to receive, receiving) your letter.
6. Would you mind (to open, opening) a window?
Monday, May 2, 2011
The Legend of the Dogwood Tree
When Christ was on earth, the dogwood grew
To a towering size with a lovely hue.
Its branches were strong and interwoven
And for Christ's cross its timbers were chosen
Being distressed at the use of this wood
Christ made a promise which still holds good:
"Not ever again shall the dogwood grow
To be large enough for a tree, and so
Slender and twisted it shall always be
With cross-shaped blossoms for all to see.
The petals shall have bloodstains marked in brown
And in the blossom's center a thorny crown.
All who see it will think of me,
Nailed to a cross from a dogwood tree.
Protected and cherished this tree shall be
A reflection to all of my agony."
Is This Legend True?
The Bible doesn’t say what kind of wood was used for Christ’s cross and Dogwood trees aren’t native to Israel. So, this legend probably isn’t true. Dogwood trees and this legend are nice reminders of what Jesus did for us on the cross. People think the tear shaped petals are a symbol of the sadness of Jesus’ death. People think pink dogwoods are a symbol of the shame of shedding Jesus’ innocent blood.
To a towering size with a lovely hue.
Its branches were strong and interwoven
And for Christ's cross its timbers were chosen
Being distressed at the use of this wood
Christ made a promise which still holds good:
"Not ever again shall the dogwood grow
To be large enough for a tree, and so
Slender and twisted it shall always be
With cross-shaped blossoms for all to see.
The petals shall have bloodstains marked in brown
And in the blossom's center a thorny crown.
All who see it will think of me,
Nailed to a cross from a dogwood tree.
Protected and cherished this tree shall be
A reflection to all of my agony."
Is This Legend True?
The Bible doesn’t say what kind of wood was used for Christ’s cross and Dogwood trees aren’t native to Israel. So, this legend probably isn’t true. Dogwood trees and this legend are nice reminders of what Jesus did for us on the cross. People think the tear shaped petals are a symbol of the sadness of Jesus’ death. People think pink dogwoods are a symbol of the shame of shedding Jesus’ innocent blood.
The Legend of the Sand Dollar
There’s a lovely little legend
That I would like to tell,
Of the birth and death of Jesus
Found in this lowly shell.
If you examine closely
You’ll see that you find here,
Four nail holes and a fifth one
Made by a Roman’s spear.
On one side the Easter Lily,
Its center is the star,
That appeared unto the shepherds
And led them from afar.
The Christmas Poinsettia
Etched on the other side,
Reminds us of His birthday
Our happy Christmastide.
Now break the center open
And here you will release,
The five white doves awaiting
To spread Good Will and Peace.
This simple little symbol
Christ left for you and me,
To help us spread His Gospel
Through all Eternity
２０世界が創造されてからこのかた、人々は、天地や、神様がお造りになったすべてのものを見て、神様の存在と、その偉大な永遠の力をはっきり知っていました。ですから、彼らには弁解の余地がないのです。Romans 1:20
That I would like to tell,
Of the birth and death of Jesus
Found in this lowly shell.
If you examine closely
You’ll see that you find here,
Four nail holes and a fifth one
Made by a Roman’s spear.
On one side the Easter Lily,
Its center is the star,
That appeared unto the shepherds
And led them from afar.
The Christmas Poinsettia
Etched on the other side,
Reminds us of His birthday
Our happy Christmastide.
Now break the center open
And here you will release,
The five white doves awaiting
To spread Good Will and Peace.
This simple little symbol
Christ left for you and me,
To help us spread His Gospel
Through all Eternity
２０世界が創造されてからこのかた、人々は、天地や、神様がお造りになったすべてのものを見て、神様の存在と、その偉大な永遠の力をはっきり知っていました。ですから、彼らには弁解の余地がないのです。Romans 1:20
Thursday, March 24, 2011
April 2011 Schedule
Friday, April 8th--Bible Study Class--We will study, "Easter Questions". We will meet at Riverdale Baptist Church at 9:30 a.m. If you have a child in the nursery, please bring an Easter basket or bag for them. We will have an Easter Egg Hunt for the children after the class. Also, I'm planning on going to Cracker Barrel for lunch when we are finished. I hope you can join me. :)
Sunday, April 17th--Bible Study Class--We will study, "4 Ways To Worship God". We will meet at Riverdale Baptist Church at 9:30 a.m.
Thursday, April 21--English Conversation Day at Ava's house from 12:00 (noon) to 2:00--Please eat before you come. You don't need to bring any food this time. We will study, Easter Traditions and Symbols. Then, we'll dye Easter Eggs.
Japanese translation and Japanese Bibles are provided for the Bible Study Classes. Children are welcome to join our classes or children's classes are provided at the church. Please invite any new ladies to join us.
If anyone is interested in playing tennis, we are going to play on either Mondays or Wednesdays for a while. Please let me know if you want me to add you to my tennis email list. Sometimes we will play at noon and sometimes we will play 10:00 a.m. depending on my schedule and the weather.
I hope to see you soon.
Your Friend,
Ava
Sunday, April 17th--Bible Study Class--We will study, "4 Ways To Worship God". We will meet at Riverdale Baptist Church at 9:30 a.m.
Thursday, April 21--English Conversation Day at Ava's house from 12:00 (noon) to 2:00--Please eat before you come. You don't need to bring any food this time. We will study, Easter Traditions and Symbols. Then, we'll dye Easter Eggs.
Japanese translation and Japanese Bibles are provided for the Bible Study Classes. Children are welcome to join our classes or children's classes are provided at the church. Please invite any new ladies to join us.
If anyone is interested in playing tennis, we are going to play on either Mondays or Wednesdays for a while. Please let me know if you want me to add you to my tennis email list. Sometimes we will play at noon and sometimes we will play 10:00 a.m. depending on my schedule and the weather.
I hope to see you soon.
Your Friend,
Ava
Knock Knock Jokes VI
1. Knock Knock. Who’s There? C’s. C’s who? C’s the day. (Seize the day.)
2. Knock Knock. Who’s There? Pig. Pig who? Pig up your feet or you’ll trip. (Pick up your feet or you’ll trip.)
3. Knock Knock. Who’s There? Aaron. Aaron who? Aaron on the side of caution. (Erring on the side of caution.)
4. Knock Knock. Who’s There? UCI. UCI who? UCI had to knock because the doorbell didn’t work. (You see I had to knock because the doorbell didn’t work.)
5. Knock Knock. Who’s There? I-8. I-8 who? I-8 lunch in the cafeteria. (I ate lunch in the cafeteria.)
6. Knock Knock. Who’s There? Honey Bee. Honey Bee who? Honey Bee a dear and bring me a drink. (Honey, be a dear and bring me a drink.)
7. Knock Knock. Who’s There? Ally. Ally who? Ally gator. (Alligator.)
8. Knock Knock. Who’s There? Iguana. Iguana who? Iguana hold your hand. (I wanna (want to) hold your hand.)
9. Knock Knock. Who’s There? Who. Who who? Is there an owl in here?
10. Knock Knock. Who’s There? Ear. Ear who? Ear you are! I’ve been looking for you. (Here you are! I’ve been looking for you.)
2. Knock Knock. Who’s There? Pig. Pig who? Pig up your feet or you’ll trip. (Pick up your feet or you’ll trip.)
3. Knock Knock. Who’s There? Aaron. Aaron who? Aaron on the side of caution. (Erring on the side of caution.)
4. Knock Knock. Who’s There? UCI. UCI who? UCI had to knock because the doorbell didn’t work. (You see I had to knock because the doorbell didn’t work.)
5. Knock Knock. Who’s There? I-8. I-8 who? I-8 lunch in the cafeteria. (I ate lunch in the cafeteria.)
6. Knock Knock. Who’s There? Honey Bee. Honey Bee who? Honey Bee a dear and bring me a drink. (Honey, be a dear and bring me a drink.)
7. Knock Knock. Who’s There? Ally. Ally who? Ally gator. (Alligator.)
8. Knock Knock. Who’s There? Iguana. Iguana who? Iguana hold your hand. (I wanna (want to) hold your hand.)
9. Knock Knock. Who’s There? Who. Who who? Is there an owl in here?
10. Knock Knock. Who’s There? Ear. Ear who? Ear you are! I’ve been looking for you. (Here you are! I’ve been looking for you.)
Idioms XI
1. for the time being—for a limited time—Tyler’s truck is in the repair shop. So, Paul and I are sharing a car for the time being.
2. forty winks—a short nap—Sunday afternoons are a good time to catch forty winks.
3. friends in high places—people in powerful positions of business or politics—If you want to run for President, you need friends in high places.
4. from all walks of life—diverse groups of society—Music concerts attract people from all walks of life.
5. from now on—starting today and going into the future—I am going to take a calcium supplement from now on because I want my bones to stay strong when I am old.
6. from time to time—occasionally—We usually eat at home, but from time to time we go eat at a restaurant.
7. full of himself—thinks he’s better or more important than he really is—Even though he runs a very small company, my boss is very full of himself.
8. gut feeling—a sense of something that you know is true even though you can’t prove it—Sometimes, I get a gut feeling that someone is lying to me.
9. get a word in edgewise—not able to speak because someone else is talking too much—It’s hard for anyone to get a word in edgewise when they are with Sally.
2. forty winks—a short nap—Sunday afternoons are a good time to catch forty winks.
3. friends in high places—people in powerful positions of business or politics—If you want to run for President, you need friends in high places.
4. from all walks of life—diverse groups of society—Music concerts attract people from all walks of life.
5. from now on—starting today and going into the future—I am going to take a calcium supplement from now on because I want my bones to stay strong when I am old.
6. from time to time—occasionally—We usually eat at home, but from time to time we go eat at a restaurant.
7. full of himself—thinks he’s better or more important than he really is—Even though he runs a very small company, my boss is very full of himself.
8. gut feeling—a sense of something that you know is true even though you can’t prove it—Sometimes, I get a gut feeling that someone is lying to me.
9. get a word in edgewise—not able to speak because someone else is talking too much—It’s hard for anyone to get a word in edgewise when they are with Sally.
Syllable Rules
1. When a word ends with ing, er, est, or ed, those endings usually form separate syllables.
Examples: ski-ing, dark-er, long-est, crook-ed
2. When two or more consonants appear in the middle of the word, the syllables are divided between them. This rule does not apply if the two consonants are ch, tch, ph, sh, or th. These consonant combinations aren’t separated for syllables.
Examples: syl-la-ble, rich-er, watch-ing, graph-ic, dish-es, bro-ther, trig-ger
3. When only one consonant appears between two vowels, divide the word before the consonant.
Examples: bi-king, hi-king, ta-king, sho-vel, vo-wel
4. When a two syllable word ends in a consonant plus le, the consonant and le form the last syllable. If the preceding syllable ends in a consonant, use the short sound of the vowel. If the preceding syllable ends with a vowel, use the long sound of the vowel.
Examples: wig-gle, pur-ple, peo-ple, ta-ble
5. When a two syllable word ends in a consonant plus re, the consonant and re form the last syllable. If the preceding syllable ends with a vowel, usually the long sound of that vowel is used. If the preceding syllable ends with a consonant, usually the short sound of that vowel is used.
Examples: a-cre, me-di-o-cre, mas-sa-cre
6. Never break apart the following vowel combinations:
ai, ay, ea, ee, oa, ow, oo, oi, oy, ou, ie, and ei.
Examples: wait-ing, may-or, teach-er, keep-ing, coach-ing, cow-boy, cook-ing, poi-son, joy-ful, doubt-ful, friend, nei-ther
7. Syllables that end in a consonant usually have a short vowel sound.
Examples: rab-bit, bal-lot, with-in
8. Syllables that end in a vowel usually have a long vowel sound.
Examples: ti-ger, li-on, ma-king
9. When a vowel is followed by an r, the r usually affects the vowel sound and appears in the same syllable. (Elementary school teachers call this the “Bossy R”.)
Examples: par-ty, per-son, whirl, morn-ing, turk-ey
10. When a syllable has a consonant/vowel/consonant/”e”, usually the long vowel sound is used.
Examples: hope, di-ver, bi-ker, lo-cate, mo-ment
11. Divide compound words between the two smaller words. If either or both of the two smaller words have more than one syllable, follow the general rules above.
Examples: side-walk, house-wife, grand-mo-ther, af-ter-noon
Examples: ski-ing, dark-er, long-est, crook-ed
2. When two or more consonants appear in the middle of the word, the syllables are divided between them. This rule does not apply if the two consonants are ch, tch, ph, sh, or th. These consonant combinations aren’t separated for syllables.
Examples: syl-la-ble, rich-er, watch-ing, graph-ic, dish-es, bro-ther, trig-ger
3. When only one consonant appears between two vowels, divide the word before the consonant.
Examples: bi-king, hi-king, ta-king, sho-vel, vo-wel
4. When a two syllable word ends in a consonant plus le, the consonant and le form the last syllable. If the preceding syllable ends in a consonant, use the short sound of the vowel. If the preceding syllable ends with a vowel, use the long sound of the vowel.
Examples: wig-gle, pur-ple, peo-ple, ta-ble
5. When a two syllable word ends in a consonant plus re, the consonant and re form the last syllable. If the preceding syllable ends with a vowel, usually the long sound of that vowel is used. If the preceding syllable ends with a consonant, usually the short sound of that vowel is used.
Examples: a-cre, me-di-o-cre, mas-sa-cre
6. Never break apart the following vowel combinations:
ai, ay, ea, ee, oa, ow, oo, oi, oy, ou, ie, and ei.
Examples: wait-ing, may-or, teach-er, keep-ing, coach-ing, cow-boy, cook-ing, poi-son, joy-ful, doubt-ful, friend, nei-ther
7. Syllables that end in a consonant usually have a short vowel sound.
Examples: rab-bit, bal-lot, with-in
8. Syllables that end in a vowel usually have a long vowel sound.
Examples: ti-ger, li-on, ma-king
9. When a vowel is followed by an r, the r usually affects the vowel sound and appears in the same syllable. (Elementary school teachers call this the “Bossy R”.)
Examples: par-ty, per-son, whirl, morn-ing, turk-ey
10. When a syllable has a consonant/vowel/consonant/”e”, usually the long vowel sound is used.
Examples: hope, di-ver, bi-ker, lo-cate, mo-ment
11. Divide compound words between the two smaller words. If either or both of the two smaller words have more than one syllable, follow the general rules above.
Examples: side-walk, house-wife, grand-mo-ther, af-ter-noon
Monday, February 21, 2011
Valentine Jokes
1. What did the stamp say to the envelope? I'm stuck on you.
2. What did the light bulb say to the switch? You turn me on.
3. What did the boy sheep say to the girl sheep on Valentine's Day? I Love Ewe!
4. What did the boy owl say to the girl owl on Valentine's Day? Owl be yours!
5. What did the boy squirrel say to the girl squirrel on Valentine's Day? I'm nuts about you!
6. What did the paper clip say to the magnet? I find you very attractive.
7. What did one light bulb say to the other? I love you a whole watt!
8. What do farmers give their wives on Valentine's Day? Hogs and kisses!
9. Knock knock. Who's there? Howard. Howard who? Howard you like a big kiss? (How would you like a big kiss?)
10. Knock knock. Who's there? Sherwood. Sherwood who? Sherwood like to be your valentine! (I sure would like to be your Valentine.)
11. Knock knock. Who's there? Pooch. Pooch who? Pooch your arms around me, baby! (Put your arms around me, baby!)
12. Knock knock. Who’s there? Luke. Luke who? Luke, I got a Valentine! (Look, I got a Valentine!)
2. What did the light bulb say to the switch? You turn me on.
3. What did the boy sheep say to the girl sheep on Valentine's Day? I Love Ewe!
4. What did the boy owl say to the girl owl on Valentine's Day? Owl be yours!
5. What did the boy squirrel say to the girl squirrel on Valentine's Day? I'm nuts about you!
6. What did the paper clip say to the magnet? I find you very attractive.
7. What did one light bulb say to the other? I love you a whole watt!
8. What do farmers give their wives on Valentine's Day? Hogs and kisses!
9. Knock knock. Who's there? Howard. Howard who? Howard you like a big kiss? (How would you like a big kiss?)
10. Knock knock. Who's there? Sherwood. Sherwood who? Sherwood like to be your valentine! (I sure would like to be your Valentine.)
11. Knock knock. Who's there? Pooch. Pooch who? Pooch your arms around me, baby! (Put your arms around me, baby!)
12. Knock knock. Who’s there? Luke. Luke who? Luke, I got a Valentine! (Look, I got a Valentine!)
The History of St. Valentine's Day
1. Valentine's Day started during the time of the Roman Empire.
2. In ancient Rome, February 14th was a holiday to honor Juno, the Queen of the Roman Goddesses and the Goddess of marriage.
3. Young Roman boys and girls rarely saw each other because they had separate schools and activities. However, on February 14th the names of Roman girls were written on slips of paper and placed into jars. Each boy would draw a girl's name from the jar. Then, they would be paired together to attend a special festival. Sometimes this pairing lasted an entire year. Sometimes the couples would fall in love and get married.
4. After this time, Rome had many wars and it was hard to get soldiers to leave their families and fight in the wars. So, Emporer Claudius II cancelled all marriages and engagements in Rome.
5. Saint Valentine was a priest in Rome during this time. He secretly married couples who wanted to get married. He was arrested and put into prison. Legends say he fell in love with the jailer’s daughter while he was in prison. He sent the first “valentine” to her. He declared his love for her and signed it from “Your Valentine”.
6. St. Valentine was condemned to death. He was killed on February 14th, 270. Eventually, February 14th became the date for couples to exchange love messages and Saint Valentine became the patron of saint of lovers.
7. In America, the first valentines were sold in the 1800’s. Valentines Day has become very popular. Many couples exchange gifts, become engaged, or get married on this day.
2. In ancient Rome, February 14th was a holiday to honor Juno, the Queen of the Roman Goddesses and the Goddess of marriage.
3. Young Roman boys and girls rarely saw each other because they had separate schools and activities. However, on February 14th the names of Roman girls were written on slips of paper and placed into jars. Each boy would draw a girl's name from the jar. Then, they would be paired together to attend a special festival. Sometimes this pairing lasted an entire year. Sometimes the couples would fall in love and get married.
4. After this time, Rome had many wars and it was hard to get soldiers to leave their families and fight in the wars. So, Emporer Claudius II cancelled all marriages and engagements in Rome.
5. Saint Valentine was a priest in Rome during this time. He secretly married couples who wanted to get married. He was arrested and put into prison. Legends say he fell in love with the jailer’s daughter while he was in prison. He sent the first “valentine” to her. He declared his love for her and signed it from “Your Valentine”.
6. St. Valentine was condemned to death. He was killed on February 14th, 270. Eventually, February 14th became the date for couples to exchange love messages and Saint Valentine became the patron of saint of lovers.
7. In America, the first valentines were sold in the 1800’s. Valentines Day has become very popular. Many couples exchange gifts, become engaged, or get married on this day.
Pronunciation Lesson
Word Stress
1. The first “key” to English pronunciation is word stress. To understand word stress, you have to understand syllables.
2. Every word is made from syllables. Each word has one, two, three or more syllables. For examples look at the chart below:
word number of syllables
quite quite 1
quiet qui-et 2
orange or-ange 2
table ta-ble 2
expensive ex-pen-sive 3
interesting in-ter-est-ing 4
realistic re-al-is-tic 4
unexceptional un-ex-cep-tion-al 5
3. Notice that every syllable contains at least one vowel (a, e, i, o or u) or vowel sound.
4. Word stress is very important for speaking English. In every multiple-syllable word, one syllable is accentuated more than the other syllables.
Examples: TEACHer. photoGRAPHic, deMAND, imPORtant
5. There are two very simple but important rules about word stress:
1. Every word only has 1 stress—if you hear 2 stresses, you are hearing 2 words
2. The stress is always on a vowel.
Sentence Stress
1. Just as English uses word stress, it also uses sentence stress. The basic rules of sentence stress are:
1. content words are stressed
2. structure words are unstressed
3. the time between stressed words is always the same
2. Content words are necessary to understand the meaning of the sentence.
main verbs SELL, GIVE, EMPLOY
Nouns CAR, MUSIC, MARY
adjectives RED, BIG, INTERESTING
adverbs QUICKLY, LOUDLY, NEVER
negative auxiliaries DON'T, AREN'T, CAN'T
4. Structure words aren’t necessary to understand the meaning of the sentence, but they are necessary for correct grammar.
pronouns he, we, they
prepositions on, at, into
articles a, an, the
conjunctions and, but, because
auxiliary verbs do, be, have, can, must
5. Example: I will sell my car when I go back to Japan.
In this sentence, you would stress the words in boldface type.
6. Exception: Sometimes we can stress a word that would normally be only a structure word to correct information. For example:
"They've been to China, haven't they?"
"No, THEY haven't, but WE have.
1. The first “key” to English pronunciation is word stress. To understand word stress, you have to understand syllables.
2. Every word is made from syllables. Each word has one, two, three or more syllables. For examples look at the chart below:
word number of syllables
quite quite 1
quiet qui-et 2
orange or-ange 2
table ta-ble 2
expensive ex-pen-sive 3
interesting in-ter-est-ing 4
realistic re-al-is-tic 4
unexceptional un-ex-cep-tion-al 5
3. Notice that every syllable contains at least one vowel (a, e, i, o or u) or vowel sound.
4. Word stress is very important for speaking English. In every multiple-syllable word, one syllable is accentuated more than the other syllables.
Examples: TEACHer. photoGRAPHic, deMAND, imPORtant
5. There are two very simple but important rules about word stress:
1. Every word only has 1 stress—if you hear 2 stresses, you are hearing 2 words
2. The stress is always on a vowel.
Sentence Stress
1. Just as English uses word stress, it also uses sentence stress. The basic rules of sentence stress are:
1. content words are stressed
2. structure words are unstressed
3. the time between stressed words is always the same
2. Content words are necessary to understand the meaning of the sentence.
main verbs SELL, GIVE, EMPLOY
Nouns CAR, MUSIC, MARY
adjectives RED, BIG, INTERESTING
adverbs QUICKLY, LOUDLY, NEVER
negative auxiliaries DON'T, AREN'T, CAN'T
4. Structure words aren’t necessary to understand the meaning of the sentence, but they are necessary for correct grammar.
pronouns he, we, they
prepositions on, at, into
articles a, an, the
conjunctions and, but, because
auxiliary verbs do, be, have, can, must
5. Example: I will sell my car when I go back to Japan.
In this sentence, you would stress the words in boldface type.
6. Exception: Sometimes we can stress a word that would normally be only a structure word to correct information. For example:
"They've been to China, haven't they?"
"No, THEY haven't, but WE have.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Who Was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.?
1. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia. His father was the preacher of Ebenezer Baptist Church.
2. When Martin Luther King, Jr. was a child, black people faced great discrimination in America. Martin wasn’t allowed to play with white children. Many times when he and his family went to restaurants or businesses, they were asked to give up their seats or use separate and less-quality facilities than white people used. These events left a deep impression on Martin.
3. Martin always did well in school and he was able to go to college early. He graduated from Morehouse University when he was 19 years old. He then went to graduate school at Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania. He earned his PhD. at Boston University. He met his wife, Coretta Scott, while he was in Boston. They had 2 sons and 2 daughters.
4. Dr. King’s first job after graduation was as pastor of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. Blacks were segregated from whites all over the South and Montgomery was the city where Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat for a white person on a bus. When Dr. King was in college, he had learned about the teachings of Ghandi and “passive resistance”. Dr. King helped organize peaceful protests such as boycotts and sit-ins. Dr. King became a leader of the Civil Rights movement and gave his “I Have A Dream” Speech in 1963 in Washington, DC. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.
5. Dr. King’s prominence in the Civil Rights Movement caused him to have many enemies. One of his enemies, a white supremacist, killed Dr. King in Memphis in 1968.
6. In 1986, Martin Luther King Day was established as a national holiday. Martin Luther King Day is always celebrated on the 3rd Monday in January.
2. When Martin Luther King, Jr. was a child, black people faced great discrimination in America. Martin wasn’t allowed to play with white children. Many times when he and his family went to restaurants or businesses, they were asked to give up their seats or use separate and less-quality facilities than white people used. These events left a deep impression on Martin.
3. Martin always did well in school and he was able to go to college early. He graduated from Morehouse University when he was 19 years old. He then went to graduate school at Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania. He earned his PhD. at Boston University. He met his wife, Coretta Scott, while he was in Boston. They had 2 sons and 2 daughters.
4. Dr. King’s first job after graduation was as pastor of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. Blacks were segregated from whites all over the South and Montgomery was the city where Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat for a white person on a bus. When Dr. King was in college, he had learned about the teachings of Ghandi and “passive resistance”. Dr. King helped organize peaceful protests such as boycotts and sit-ins. Dr. King became a leader of the Civil Rights movement and gave his “I Have A Dream” Speech in 1963 in Washington, DC. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.
5. Dr. King’s prominence in the Civil Rights Movement caused him to have many enemies. One of his enemies, a white supremacist, killed Dr. King in Memphis in 1968.
6. In 1986, Martin Luther King Day was established as a national holiday. Martin Luther King Day is always celebrated on the 3rd Monday in January.
Quotes From Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
1. I Have A Dream Speech:
I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today.
Other Quotes:
2. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
3. Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.
4. We will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.
5. A man can’t ride your back unless it’s bent.
6. A man who won’t die for something isn’t fit to live.
7. Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.
8. At the center of non-violence is the principle of love.
9. I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too big of a burden to bear.
I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today.
Other Quotes:
2. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
3. Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.
4. We will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.
5. A man can’t ride your back unless it’s bent.
6. A man who won’t die for something isn’t fit to live.
7. Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.
8. At the center of non-violence is the principle of love.
9. I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too big of a burden to bear.
Idioms X
1. fair and square—honestly and straightforwardly—Susan won the singing contest fair and square because she was the best singer.
2. fall from grace—do something to lose the respect and support of other people—The Senator fell from grace because he accepted bribes.
3. few and far between—not many around—Good men are few and far between. So, if you get one you need to take good care of him!
4. fight a losing battle—keep trying in an impossible situation—Women do a lot things to try to stay young, but in the end it is a losing battle.
5. fight fire with fire—use the same methods or “weapons” as your opponent—Both politicians promised to run positive campaigns. Unfortunately, the first one ran a negative ad, so the second one decided to fight fire with fire and started running negative ads, too.
6. fill somebody’s shoes—try to replace another person—It would be hard to fill Rie’s shoes if I had to find another translator.
7. fly off the handle—get mad and pitch a fit—The lady embarrassed her husband because she flew off the handle and walked out of the restaurant.
8. for a song—really cheap—In some rural areas, you can buy a house for a song.
9. for my money—means the same as “in my opinion”—For my money, Cracker Barrel has the best salads in town.
2. fall from grace—do something to lose the respect and support of other people—The Senator fell from grace because he accepted bribes.
3. few and far between—not many around—Good men are few and far between. So, if you get one you need to take good care of him!
4. fight a losing battle—keep trying in an impossible situation—Women do a lot things to try to stay young, but in the end it is a losing battle.
5. fight fire with fire—use the same methods or “weapons” as your opponent—Both politicians promised to run positive campaigns. Unfortunately, the first one ran a negative ad, so the second one decided to fight fire with fire and started running negative ads, too.
6. fill somebody’s shoes—try to replace another person—It would be hard to fill Rie’s shoes if I had to find another translator.
7. fly off the handle—get mad and pitch a fit—The lady embarrassed her husband because she flew off the handle and walked out of the restaurant.
8. for a song—really cheap—In some rural areas, you can buy a house for a song.
9. for my money—means the same as “in my opinion”—For my money, Cracker Barrel has the best salads in town.
Knock Knock Jokes
1. Knock Knock. Who’s There? Wendy. Wendy who? Wendy last time you took a bath? (When’s the last time you took a bath?)
2. Knock Knock. Who’s There? Ken. Ken who? Ken I come in? It’s freezing out here! (Can I come in? It’s freezing out here!)
3. Knock Knock. Who’s There? Sherlock. Sherlock who? Sherlock your door or somebody will break in. ((You) Should lock your door or somebody will break in.)
4. Knock Knock. Who’s There? Formosa. Formosa who? Formosa summer, I was away on vacation. (For most of the summer, I was away on vacation.)
5. Knock Knock. Who’s There? Venice. Venice who? Venice your mother coming home? (When is your mother coming home?)
6. Knock Knock. Who’s There? Adore. Adore who? Adore is between us. Please open it. (A door is between us. Please open it.)
7. Knock Knock. Who’s There? Beezer. Beezer who? Beezer black and yellow. (Bees are black and yellow.)
8. Knock Knock. Who’s There? Voodoo. Voodoo who? Voodoo you think you are? (Who do you think you are?)
9. Knock Knock. Who’s There? Butter. Butter who? Butter open quick! I need to use the restroom. (Better open quick! I need to use the restroom.)
2. Knock Knock. Who’s There? Ken. Ken who? Ken I come in? It’s freezing out here! (Can I come in? It’s freezing out here!)
3. Knock Knock. Who’s There? Sherlock. Sherlock who? Sherlock your door or somebody will break in. ((You) Should lock your door or somebody will break in.)
4. Knock Knock. Who’s There? Formosa. Formosa who? Formosa summer, I was away on vacation. (For most of the summer, I was away on vacation.)
5. Knock Knock. Who’s There? Venice. Venice who? Venice your mother coming home? (When is your mother coming home?)
6. Knock Knock. Who’s There? Adore. Adore who? Adore is between us. Please open it. (A door is between us. Please open it.)
7. Knock Knock. Who’s There? Beezer. Beezer who? Beezer black and yellow. (Bees are black and yellow.)
8. Knock Knock. Who’s There? Voodoo. Voodoo who? Voodoo you think you are? (Who do you think you are?)
9. Knock Knock. Who’s There? Butter. Butter who? Butter open quick! I need to use the restroom. (Better open quick! I need to use the restroom.)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)