tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39423359364388582982024-03-13T11:46:23.196+01:00The Inglesitaon words and other Anglo eccentricitiesCatherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456733048897264107noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942335936438858298.post-20606071509693150442010-11-16T21:52:00.004+01:002010-11-18T21:50:44.985+01:00Takes and double takes<div class="sds-list" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><i>Take</i>.</b> <b>The filming of a scene without interruption.<br />
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</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In filmmaking, a ‘<b>take</b>’ is a scene shot without interruption. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">On the other hand, a <i><b>double take </b></i>is <b>a delayed reaction to an unusual remark or circumstance</b>. For example, if you walk down the road dressed as Darth Vader, a passerby might glance at you, continue on their way, and then a second later, stop and turn around in surprise.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Double takes are used as a comic device in the cinema. In the clip above from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinner_at_Eight_%28film%29">Dinner at Eight</a>, when Jean Harlow mentions she's reading a book about the future, Marie Dressler does a fabulous double take. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="sds-list" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">An interesting variation on this is a </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i><b>spit take</b>, </i>in which the double take causes the character to spit out whatever they are drinking, like this <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMUds6D4_a0">talk show host</a>. </span><span class="illustration"> </span><span class="illustration"></span>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456733048897264107noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942335936438858298.post-82583740152277355472010-11-03T17:42:00.001+01:002010-11-16T22:06:53.704+01:00Courage<span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: default; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><b>Courage</b></i>. <b>The</b></span><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: default; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></b><b><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: default; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">quality</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: default; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">of</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: default; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">mind</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">or</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: default; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">spirit</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><b><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">that</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></b><b><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">enables</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">a</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: default; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">person</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">to</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">face</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: default; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">difficulty,</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: default; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">danger,</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></b><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: default; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>or pain</b> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: default; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><b><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: default; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">without</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></b><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: default; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>fear</b></span><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: default; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">, e.g.<i> it takes courage </i></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>to stand up for your rights</i>.<a name='more'></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Courage is indeed a noble virtue. History is full of admirable examples of courageous people, while no less great acts of courage take place every day all around us. </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Hemingway described courage as "grace under pressure", which is a lovely way to put it.<br />
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Being human, sometimes you need a little help to overcome your fears. </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The <a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/brewery">brewery</a> in the photo above tells you <i>"</i></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>take courage</i></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>" (with a pint or two of their beer). </i></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This is what we call "<b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_courage">Dutch courage</a></b>", "courage or bravery gained from intoxication by alcohol".<br />
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While this might not be a bad idea, for example, to find the courage to approach that tall, dark stranger in the local pub on a Saturday night, it's less recommendable for preparing to take your driving test or ask your boss for a raise, never mind for leading a crusade.</span><br />
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<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Following on the drinking theme, in Britain we also refer to courage as "<b>bottle</b>". If you "bottle out" it means you lose your courage or nerve to do something, e.g. "<i>I was going to get up and sing at the karaoke, but I bottled out</i>" (I was too afraid to do it!)</div>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456733048897264107noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942335936438858298.post-73066648811886650312010-10-02T22:32:00.028+02:002010-11-03T17:44:27.370+01:00Boulevard<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><i>Boulevard</i></b>. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A</span> </span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">wide, usually tree-lined road in a city, often used as a promenade.<a name='more'></a></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">An untypically quiet moment on Rambla Poble No<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">u</span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Often it takes an outsider to notice something special you've always <b><i>taken for granted</i></b>.<br />
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Last week we had some visitors from Canada. What struck them most on our walks through Barcelona were the </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">long pedestrian and bike-friendly <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">avenues,</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> which here is called a <i>rambla.</i><br />
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What would you call this in English? Perhaps it's <b><i>boulevard</i></b>, "</span><i><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">a broad city street, often tree-lined and landscaped</span></b></i>."<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Though a boulevard often refers to </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">something </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">on a larger scale and more traffic-orientated, like the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champs-%C3%89lys%C3%A9es">Champs-Élysée</a> in Paris or our own <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passeig_de_Gr%C3%A0cia,_Barcelona">Passeig de Gràcia</a>.<br />
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Whereas the majority of <i>ramblas </i>are the arteries of day-to-day life on foot in the neighbourhood. Maybe <b><i>promenade</i></b> would suit them better: "<b><i>a public place for leisurely walking as a social activity</i></b>". <br />
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Whatever their name, boulevards make beautiful and walkable cities. <b><i><a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/take+for+granted"><br />
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Take for granted</a></i></b>. To underestimate the value of.</span>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456733048897264107noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942335936438858298.post-62889000258373306812010-09-13T13:00:00.010+02:002010-10-02T22:48:57.842+02:00Fuss<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><b>Fuss. </b></i>1) a<span class="ssens"> <b>state of agitation</b> especially over a <b>trivial matter.</b></span><br />
<span class="ssens">2)<b> </b></span>a <b>display </b>of <b>affectionate excitement</b> and attention.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As the advertisement for this London launderette suggests, a fuss is 1) needless worry or activity. Why sweat unnecessarily over your laundry </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">if they can do it for you (at a price)?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Of course fuss is very subjective. What one sees as a trivial matter may be of great importance to another! </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Look at this headline from <a href="http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2996812/Bomb-Lets-not-make-a-fuss.html">The Sun</a></span><i style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">.</i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
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Fuss is also 2) a display of affectionate excitement and attention, which has a far more positive </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">connotation</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">: e.g. </span><i style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Everyone made a fuss over her when she came out of hospital.</i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b> </b><b><br />
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Make a fuss</b> also means to express annoyance or to complain, <i>e.g. I don't want to make a fuss, but.. (the chips are cold, etc.) A</i>nyone who has worked in customer service will be familiar with this gem - a fuss or complaint is exactly what they intend to make.<i><br />
</i></span>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456733048897264107noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942335936438858298.post-32302467037138901342010-09-11T15:26:00.007+02:002010-09-13T11:08:25.807+02:00Do good<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><b>Do good</b></i>. Be <b>beneficial </b>for<b>. </b><i>e.g. People should exercise regularly. Exercise does you good.</i><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Make vs. do. So the basic rule is: </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
<b> Make = </b>producing, creating or building something, <b><i>a mess, </i><i>a cake</i></b> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Do =</b> carrying out something in general, often daily activities, <b><i>a job</i>, </b><i><b>the housework</b>, etc.</i></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But make and do are also the basis of lots of standard expressions:</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i></i></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><i>MAKE </i></b><i><b>plans, a mistake, money, an excuse, noise</b>.</i></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><b>DO </b></i><i><b>a favour, business, </b></i><i><b>good</b></i><i>.</i></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i></i></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Why don't you review the </span><a href="http://www.learnenglish.de/grammar/doormake.htm" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">make and do expressions</a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> and test yourself with a </span><a href="http://esl.about.com/library/vocabulary/blmakedo1.htm" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">quiz</a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> or <a href="http://www.better-english.com/grammar/makedo.htm">two</a>?</span>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456733048897264107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942335936438858298.post-42701223277834294462010-09-06T18:45:00.004+02:002010-09-11T15:34:19.067+02:00Chilling out<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><b>Chill out</b></i>. To <b>relax</b>, especially after <b>energetic dancing </b>or <b>hard work</b>.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a name='more'></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WUOUodbJERY/TIUKeD1ZTHI/AAAAAAAAAP0/lTs3miCOzKo/s1600/small+coronita.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WUOUodbJERY/TIUKeD1ZTHI/AAAAAAAAAP0/lTs3miCOzKo/s400/small+coronita.jpg" width="370" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
<a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/chill">Chill</a> (<i>noun</i>) is a feeling of coldness, and chill (<i>verb</i>) is when you put a chocolate mousse you've made in the fridge to make it set.<br />
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But chill out (<i>verb</i>) has nothing to do with temperature, it's about relaxing or the <a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/dolce+far+niente"><i>dolce far niente</i></a> after some activity, e.g. lying back in a hammock after a morning's gardening and contemplating the leaves on the trees above.<br />
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Chilling out in the summer often involves friends, terraces and cold drinks, like these beers we had on the seafront in <a href="http://www.visitlescala.com/EN/47/Home.html">L'Escala</a> just watching life go by (sure you'll agree that holidaying is always such hard work).</div>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456733048897264107noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942335936438858298.post-49031997897778185832010-08-17T23:02:00.016+02:002010-09-11T15:33:35.553+02:00Raining cats and dogs<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><b>Raining cats and dogs</b></i> is an <b>English idiom</b> meaning <b>especially heavy rain</b>.<br />
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I am relieved to read in Wikipedia that <i>"raining animals is a rare meteorological phenomenon</i><i>". </i>It tells us that <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raining_animals">the animals most likely to drop from the sky are fish, frogs and birds, in that order</a></i>. Curious.<br />
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But the idea of it raining "cats and dogs" is wonderfully <i><b>nonsensical</b>. </i>I love the humour there.<br />
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We use lots of rain words in the UK. Some for fine rain, like <i><b>drizzle </b></i>- also what you do with the olive oil on your tomatoes - and <i><b>spitting </b></i>- a light rain as well as an unsociable behaviour.<br />
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For heavy rain, you can say <i><b>it's pouring, </b></i>just like what you do with a bottle of Rioja into a wine glass, or <i><b>it's chucking (i.e. throwing) it down </b></i>which makes me think of someone up above filling and emptying a bucket.</span><br />
<b><i><a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/nonsensical" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</a></i></b><b><i><a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/nonsensical" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Nonsensical</a></i></b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">. Incongruous, inviting ridicule.</span></div>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456733048897264107noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942335936438858298.post-31218562149868857922010-08-17T17:28:00.003+02:002010-09-13T10:36:36.649+02:00Take off<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><b>Take off</b></i> has <a href="http://www.answers.com/topic/take-off">many meanings</a>, but one is "to become successful or popular, especially suddenly", <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">e.g.</span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> This product was a huge success. The way it</span></span></span><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <i>took off </i></span></span></span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">was really unexpected.</span></span><o:p></o:p></span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Test yourself with this <a href="http://www.usingenglish.com/quizzes/205.html">quick online quiz</a> with <b>take + prepositions</b>. Good luck!</div>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456733048897264107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942335936438858298.post-90000804779309111882010-08-08T21:33:00.029+02:002010-08-17T17:29:28.972+02:00Class<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/class"><i><b>Class</b></i></a>. A <b>set, collection, </b>or <b>group of members </b>seen as having<b> certain attributes in common</b>.<br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This week I travelled in a "second-class" carriage on a train from Paddington to Cardiff and sent a letter by "first-class" post to Spain (well I didn't really, but I did take a photo of the postbox, see below).</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_WUOUodbJERY/TF7H11xT45I/AAAAAAAAAPk/p7hwg2Uo-K0/s1600/P1200829.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_WUOUodbJERY/TF7H11xT45I/AAAAAAAAAPk/p7hwg2Uo-K0/s400/P1200829.JPG" width="340" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For me, dividing people on trains with the word "class" is not modern-day Britain. It makes me think of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Poppins_%28film%29">Mary Poppins</a>'s London of bankers and chimney sweeps.<br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I understand that in an efficient market, the same or similar products should be sold at different prices on various pretexts. In fact, since reading <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Undercover_Economist">The Undercover Economist</a> it fascinates me that someone - even me - is willing to pay double the price for their coffee if it has chocolate sprinkled on the top.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But hey, why not give the train carriages a new name? Luxurious, quiet, or more chocolatey?</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456733048897264107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942335936438858298.post-19892332022595812392010-08-02T09:05:00.003+02:002010-08-08T21:34:21.623+02:00Unputdownable<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><i><b>Unputdownable</b></i>. A <b>book </b>so <b>well written </b>and <b>entertaining</b> it is <b>difficult to put down</b>.</div><a name='more'></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_WUOUodbJERY/TFXab3_JDmI/AAAAAAAAAPc/fvLKkbODylI/s1600/P1200712.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_WUOUodbJERY/TFXab3_JDmI/AAAAAAAAAPc/fvLKkbODylI/s320/P1200712.JPG" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
Forget rich media and instant messenging, there is nothing like a good book to keep us up late on a school night, whether that's a printed </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">or </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_Kindle" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Kindle</a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> one.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A book that is so involving you don't want to stop reading is "</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">unputdownable" or "a </span><a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/page-turner" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">page-turner</a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">".</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
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It might be great literature - like the brilliance of </span><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Great-Gatsby-Penguin-Popular-Classics/dp/0140620184" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Great Gatsby</a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> where you feel like clapping at every clever sentence - or the incredible </span><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Heart-Darkness-Joseph-Conrad/dp/0140620486" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Heart of Darkness</a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">, which keeps you turning the pages, getting more and more depressed but compelled to continue.</span><br />
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But it might equally be an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airport_novel">airport book</a> or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chick_lit">chick lit</a>. The only essential requirement is that it tells a good story. What unputdownable books have you read lately?</div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"></div>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456733048897264107noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942335936438858298.post-76000261951527678772010-07-27T23:31:00.004+02:002010-08-02T09:08:12.995+02:00Baking<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>Baking</b></i>. The <b>process of cooking bread, cakes</b>, etc.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a name='more'></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
I am fortunate to live above a cake shop. This means I sometimes wake up to delicious smells of baking cakes, pastries and bread travelling up six floors to my nose.</span><br />
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In Spain pastries and biscuits are something you have for breakfast, and eating cake forms part of the Sunday lunch ritual. These cakes are almost always shop-bought, cost <i><b>an arm and a leg</b></i> and are eaten with great ceremony, never - god forbid - on a park bench.</div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_WUOUodbJERY/TE9KZPj154I/AAAAAAAAAPM/nNLa4IJQeVQ/s1600/baking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_WUOUodbJERY/TE9KZPj154I/AAAAAAAAAPM/nNLa4IJQeVQ/s400/baking.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In the UK and North America baking </span><span style="font-size: small;">cakes and </span><span style="font-size: small;">biscuits is a home-based activity with the focus on the production side. </span><span style="font-size: small;">The fun is in the baking process - if it burns, just throw it in the bin. </span><span style="font-size: small;">Birthdays and parties are often occasions for baking, but a rainy day is just as good.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><b>An arm and a leg</b></i>. A <b>high price to pay</b></span>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456733048897264107noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942335936438858298.post-27815566193213172472010-07-07T00:32:00.007+02:002010-07-27T23:59:25.640+02:00Cyberbulling<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyber-bullying"><b>Cyberbullying</b></a></i> is the <b>use of information and communication technologies</b> to <b>support deliberate, repeated and hostile behavior</b> intended to <b>harm others</b> (Wikipedia).</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a name='more'></a><br />
Like many adults who were bullied at school, I have vivid memories of feeling lonely and frightened. Bullying is a horrible experience for any child (or adult for that matter) which can have serious repercussions.<br />
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Worringly, with mobile phones, email and social media, cruelty to kids by other kids is not confined to name-calling or the playground:</div><br />
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Cyberbullying can be as simple as continuing to send e-mails to someone who has said they don't want any more contact, to insulting, making threats and posting false information to humilliate them. </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It's not just between kids either. For example, <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/mar/30/teachers-bullied-online">one in seven teachers in the UK are said to be victims of cyberbullying by pupils and parents</a>. When cyberbulling happens in the workplace or on company websites, blogs, etc. it's called <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyberstalking"><b>cyberstalking</b></a></i>.<br />
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Luckily, action is being taken. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keVe44R4jOQ">High-profile campaigns</a>, <a href="http://www.need2know.co.uk/relationships/bullying/article.html/id=1131">government schemes</a> and <a href="http://www.actagainstbullying.com/">charity efforts</a> have been developed to combat this new cyber-danger.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456733048897264107noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942335936438858298.post-72472218759289501352010-07-02T12:28:00.008+02:002010-07-07T00:34:21.477+02:00American English<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><b>American English</b></i> is a <b>set of dialects </b>of the<b> English language</b> <b>used </b>mostly <b>in the</b> <b>United States</b> (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_English">Wikipedia</a>). <br />
<a name='more'></a></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The grammar differences between British and American English are minor and NORMALLY do not affect mutual intelligibility. However, their differences in phonology, phonetics and vocabulary are a source of amusement on both sides of the Atlantic. </div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In the UK we note that British English is becoming increasingly "Americanised". Naturally, estate agents find it easier to sell fancy <i>apartments </i>rather than boring old <i>flats</i>, and cinemas advertise the latest <i>movie</i> showing - now that's entertainment, not like those <i>films</i> we used to watch.</div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: medium none; color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><div style="background-color: transparent; border: medium none; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">David Mitchell talks about some of the differences between the two Englishes, British and American. Check you understand the two idioms below and see what he says<i><b>. </b></i><br />
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</b><b>Couldn't care less. <a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/CARE">Care</a> </b></i>is to be concerned or interested, so if you <b>couldn't care less</b>, it means it is impossible for you to have less interest, since you are already totally indifferent.</div></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><b>To hold the fort.</b></i> To look after something or assume someone's responsibilities while they are away.</div><br />
<object height="238" width="380"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/om7O0MFkmpw&hl=es_ES&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/om7O0MFkmpw&hl=es_ES&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="398" height="243"></embed></object>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456733048897264107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942335936438858298.post-8602397858974514012010-06-28T00:39:00.004+02:002010-07-02T12:29:52.412+02:00Thumbs up<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><i>Thumbs up</i>. </b>An <b>act </b>or <b>sign </b>of<b> approval.<a name='more'></a></b></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_WUOUodbJERY/TCfINnAQ2uI/AAAAAAAAAPE/jcGfasVDOh8/s1600/thumbs+up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_WUOUodbJERY/TCfINnAQ2uI/AAAAAAAAAPE/jcGfasVDOh8/s400/thumbs+up.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>T</b><b>humbs up</b> or <b>thumbs down</b> is a hand gesture represented by a closed <b><i>fist </i></b>with your <i><b>thumb </b></i>pointing up or down in approval or disapproval respectively. (The cute hand in the Disneyland ad belongs to a fairytale world as it only has three fingers). </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">These gestures have become metaphors in English: <i>"The audience gave the film the thumbs-up"</i> means the audience liked the film.</div><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The thumbs up gesture (and not the expression) is a <a href="http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-tips-articles/th">serious insult in some cultures</a>. It's fascinating how gestures vary worldwide, how emotions are the same in China, Iran or Italy but we use our hands and bodies to express them differently. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A gesture touching next to the eye might mean "</span><i style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I've seen a handsome man</i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">" or "</span><i style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I don't believe you</i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">", or "<i>let's have a look</i>" but if you don't know the language of gestures, you can't translate. :-)</span><br />
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<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><b><a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/fist">Fist</a></b></i>. The hand closed tightly with the fingers bent against the palm.</div><b><i><a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/thumb" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Thumb</a></i></b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">. The first and shortest "finger" on your hand. </span>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456733048897264107noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942335936438858298.post-46297543285859512662010-06-21T01:52:00.025+02:002010-06-28T10:15:01.074+02:00The Wire<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><b><a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/wire">Wire</a> </b></i>1. a pliable <b>metallic strand </b>or </span>2. a <b>hidden microphone</b></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a name='more'></a></div><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wire" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Wire</a></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> is a </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">TV crime-drama series set on the streets and in the institutions of the city of Baltimore. Watch it, if you haven't. You'll be <i><b>hooked</b></i>.</span></span><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There are 5<b> </b>seasons, each as <i><b>gripping </b></i>as the last. The Wire is an epic story of urban life, poverty, crisis and, above all, humanity. Unlike most police series, there are no baddies or goodies, and it's impossible to have just one favourite character, they all shine, from the cops with their vices to the street urchins or drug addicts (Bubbles, I love you!). And, the script, though not for delicate sensibilities, is the work of a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Simon">very gifted guy</a>. </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If you haven't seen The Wire, don't sit down till you have the whole box set. Wait for a rainy day and silence your phone. "Baltimore" will never mean the same to you again.</div><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here are some classic The Wire one-liners. <i>Warning</i>: strong language! Beware of using outside Baltimore :-)</span><br />
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</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/hooked">Hooked</a></i>. Captivated, devoted, addicted.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i><a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/gripping">Gripping</a></i>. Holds your interest or attention.</span>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456733048897264107noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942335936438858298.post-28601493236354095722010-06-13T22:31:00.016+02:002010-06-28T10:14:35.237+02:00Screw top<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screw_cap"><b>Screw top</b></a>: a <b>metal cap</b> that is <b>screwed on and off </b>a bottle</span>.<br />
<a name='more'></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_WUOUodbJERY/TBUuduWpGbI/AAAAAAAAAO8/2gbi05JeVMo/s1600/KellyWineCaps_jpg_630x1200_upscale_q85.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_WUOUodbJERY/TBUuduWpGbI/AAAAAAAAAO8/2gbi05JeVMo/s400/KellyWineCaps_jpg_630x1200_upscale_q85.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This cartoon from </span><a href="http://www.theonion.com/" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Onion</a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> caught my eye.</span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">On a recent trip to the UK I was sad to see that almost all wine bottles now have screw tops. Not just cheapo but good wine. Now I know screw tops have <a href="http://www.azom.com/Details.asp?ArticleID=2535">advantages</a>, but I miss corks! The ceremony of the corkscrewing, the pop <span style="font-size: small;">sound.</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">While over half of cork forests are in Spain and Portugal, <a href="http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5362e/x5362e03.htm">the US is the biggest manufacturer of cork products</a>. The cartoon suggests the Chinese have a plot to destroy ("wipe out") the US industry by replacing corks with screw tops. The American consumers are shown as naive, i.e. they have no critical judgement, saying that the new screw tops are "neat" i.e. cute.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What do you prefer, </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">screw top or cork?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/wipe+out"><i><b>Wipe out</b></i></a>. To destroy.<a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/naive"><i><b><br />
Naive</b></i></a>. Lack of sophistication or critical judgement </span>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456733048897264107noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942335936438858298.post-856342184168772122010-06-13T13:49:00.001+02:002010-06-14T00:12:34.058+02:00Answer to quiz: pros and cons<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Question</b>:<i> I'm not sure what to do. I'll make a list of the ____________ and then decide.<a name='more'></a></i> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i> </i></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Answer</b>: <i>Pros and cons. </i></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i> </i></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><b>Pros and cons </b></i>are <b>strategic advantages and disadvantages</b> regarding a particular situation. This comes from the Latin phrase, <i>pro et contra</i>, which means "for and against". </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i> </i></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In decision-taking it's useful to make a list of the pros and cons. For example, if you are deciding whether to take up a job offer, your <b>pros </b>might be higher salary, more interesting work, staff canteen, a fresh start. <b>Cons </b>might be a temporary contract, further to travel, no summer holiday this year, stress of changing.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i> </i></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In business people often use a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SWOT_analysis">SWOT analysis</a> to weigh up the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of a project.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456733048897264107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942335936438858298.post-50414357975779054082010-06-09T23:44:00.014+02:002010-06-28T10:15:28.407+02:00Man flu<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The <b>term "<a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=man+flu">man flu</a>"</b> is used<b> to refer to men</b> <b>"who think a cold is the flu and a headache is a migrane"</b> (<a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1260180/Why-man-flu-isnt-fault-hes-macho.html">Daily Mail</a>). </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a name='more'></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It is suggested that men tend to present common illness as life-threatening and has become a popular joke in the UK.</span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Listen to David Mitchell's </span><i style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>soapbox</b></i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">. What does he think of the concept of man flu? What do YOU think of it?</span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <i><b><a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/soapbox"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Soapbox</span></a></b></i>.<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <b>Impromptu </b>or non-official<b> public speaking</b>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<object height="250" style="clear: left; float: left;" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ug9oc-mg4e0&hl=es_ES&fs=1&rel=0&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ug9oc-mg4e0&hl=es_ES&fs=1&rel=0&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="250"></embed></object><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></div>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456733048897264107noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942335936438858298.post-76813384632458624012010-06-09T00:58:00.009+02:002010-06-09T23:49:27.972+02:00Lend a hand<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/hand"><b>Giving / lending a hand</b></a>. To<b> help someone</b>.</span><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WUOUodbJERY/TA7GowtVm8I/AAAAAAAAAO0/pKjAvyoucV0/s1600/Give+a+hand+to+wildlife.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WUOUodbJERY/TA7GowtVm8I/AAAAAAAAAO0/pKjAvyoucV0/s400/Give+a+hand+to+wildlife.png" width="340" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In this ad the conservation organisation <a href="http://www.worldwildlife.org/">World Wildlife Fund</a> uses a hand painted as a crocodile to ask people to support the cause or "<i>give a hand to wildlife</i>".</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
If you ask someone if they <b>want/need a hand</b> you are asking if they want help, <i>e.g. can I give you a hand with cleaning-up after the party?</i> (Not many people offer this so you will probably make a friend-for-life :-)<i><br />
</i></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There are loads of <a href="http://www.english-at-home.com/idioms/body-idioms/">body idioms</a> in English, <a href="http://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/idioms-body.htm">read these and try the quiz</a>.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1098935631"><br />
</a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><b><a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/wildlife">Wildlife</a></b></i>. Wild animals and vegetation,</div>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456733048897264107noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942335936438858298.post-44532810077225568632010-06-05T00:17:00.003+02:002010-06-09T01:09:54.653+02:00Answer to quiz: go astray<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Question</b>: <i>These measurements don't look right. My calculations must have ________ somewhere.<a name='more'></a></i></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Answer</b>: <a href="http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/go+astray"><b><i>Gone astray</i></b></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><b>Go astray</b></i> means when something <b>fails to arrive where it should</b>, e.g. "I don't understand how my e-mail went astray".</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There is an English proverb "<i><b>Better to ask the way than go astray</b></i>".</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If you are a bit untidy like me, a lot of things tend to "go astray". They are not actually lost as they might still appear one day :-)</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">However, if you <a href="http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/lead+astray"><i><b>lead someone astray</b></i></a>, it means you<i><b> </b></i>influence someone in a negative way or lead them in the wrong direction, e.g. <i>She was led astray by her addiction</i>. <br />
<span class="bodybold"><a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/r/rogervonoe392243.html"></a> </span> </div>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456733048897264107noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942335936438858298.post-17624105846475528642010-06-02T07:38:00.013+02:002010-06-05T00:31:07.347+02:00Afford<a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/afford"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Afford</b></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>. 1. To have the money for.<a name='more'></a></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://blaugh.com/2007/10/19/do-what-you-love" rel="bookmark" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Do What You Love" class="comic" height="210" src="http://blaugh.com/cartoons/071018_do_what_you_love.gif" title="Do What You Love" width="380" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The guy in the cartoon says sarcastically that </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">he is more worried about covering his costs (affording toilet paper) than self-fulfillment. :-)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Afford also means <b>2. to be able to do (something) without causing oneself trouble or difficulty</b>, e.g. <i>I can't afford to be rude to my boss</i> (because he or she might fire me, not give me a salary rise, etc.).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GoFj8Fc9iM"><b>Youtube video</b></a> campaigning for the (now approved) US health care reform uses the word in both senses (the people 1. don't have the resources for private treatment and 2. if they don't have it their health will suffer).</span>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456733048897264107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942335936438858298.post-46774168162379494242010-05-27T17:30:00.123+02:002010-06-05T00:48:00.422+02:00Epic<span style="font-family: Arial;"><b><i>Epic.</i></b> An <b>extended narrative poem</b>, celebrating the feats of a legendary or traditional hero.<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">Homer's<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iliad"> Iliad</a> and the Icelandic <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snorra_Edda">Snorra Edda</a> are examples of true epics.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_WUOUodbJERY/S_7ZEDFBezI/AAAAAAAAAOc/JkGpS12qGUc/s1600/epic+fail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_WUOUodbJERY/S_7ZEDFBezI/AAAAAAAAAOc/JkGpS12qGUc/s320/epic+fail.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border: medium none;"> <span style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
"Epic" is also a <i><b>genre</b></i>: any work showing human drama on a grand scale. <br />
<br />
There are tons of e</span><span style="font-family: Arial;">pic films. They are normally ambitious, so some are spectacular and unforgettable (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben-Hur_%281959_film%29">Ben-Hur</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gone_with_the_Wind_%28film%29">Gone With the Wind</a>, etc.) and others are </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">embarrassingly bad</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> (have you seen <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia_%282008_film%29">Australia</a>? Oh dear!). </span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Nike have just released a mini-epic advert for the World Cup, "<b><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idLG6jh23yE">Write the Future</a></b>". What do you think of it? It seems <i><b>bizarre </b></i>to me - and what is Homer Simpson doing in it? A very unmoving "epic ad" for an epic event :-)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In modern language "epic" is more frequently is used to describe something extraordinarily good and unusual e.g. "<i>That's an epic haircut, man!"</i><br />
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Lastly, an<b> <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=epic+fail">epic fail</a></b> means total failure (see pic of boy on bike). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><b><a href="http://www.yourdictionary.com/genre">Genre</a>.</b></i> A kind, or type, as of works of literature, art, etc.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><b><a href="http://www.yourdictionary.com/bizarre">Bizarre</a>. </b></i>Very strange.</span>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456733048897264107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942335936438858298.post-82592271542244635202010-05-26T00:14:00.008+02:002010-06-05T00:24:38.866+02:00Answer to quiz: fit in<span style="font-family: Arial;"><b>Question</b>: "<i>I sometimes find it difficult to _______ at social gatherings with my girlfriend's family</i>".</span><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Answer: </b><i>Fit in</i><b><br />
</b><i><b>Fit in</b></i> means <b>to belong to or conform</b>, e.g. <span class="illustration"><i>She doesn't fit in with the other children </i>(she is a bit different and doesn't mix with them easily). </span><br />
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<i><b>Fit in</b></i> also means <b>to find a time or place or time for something</b>, e.g.<i> The dentist fit me in for an emergency appointment (ouch!) <span class="illustration"></span></i><br />
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<span class="illustration">Wasn't easy - the verb fit has <b><a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/fit">hundreds of uses</a></b></span><b><i><span class="illustration"></span></i></b><span class="illustration">. </span><i><span class="illustration"></span></i><span class="illustration">Test your knowledge of fit + prepositions with this <b><a href="http://www.usingenglish.com/reference/phrasal-verbs/verb-fit.html">quick online quiz</a></b><i>. </i></span><i><span class="illustration"><br />
</span></i></div>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456733048897264107noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942335936438858298.post-78572192997274625062010-05-23T22:26:00.004+02:002010-05-26T00:16:23.568+02:00Make room<a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/room"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><i>Make room</i></b></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">. <b>Rearrange </b>or <b>organise </b>existing people, </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">objects or activities <b>to create space for new things</b>.<a name='more'></a></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_WUOUodbJERY/S_mB9nWQK3I/AAAAAAAAAOM/kvHXVezUAUg/s1600/make+room+for+hiking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="260" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_WUOUodbJERY/S_mB9nWQK3I/AAAAAAAAAOM/kvHXVezUAUg/s400/make+room+for+hiking.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I love this ad from the sports shop Decathlon, "<b>Make room for <i>hiking</i></b>". A man and two children carrying rucksacks are rolling up the urban landscape as if it were a carpet, to make room (or space, time) for the countryside (and walking).</span><br />
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<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><b><a href="http://hiking/">Hiking</a></b></i>. To walk a great distance, especially through rural areas, for pleasure or exercise</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/carpet"><b><i>Carpet</i></b></a>. A thick heavy covering for a floor, usually made of wool or synthetic fibre.</div>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456733048897264107noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3942335936438858298.post-53921458381411427292010-05-20T13:19:00.006+02:002010-06-05T00:39:45.278+02:00Following the herd<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herd_mentality"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><i>Herd</i></b></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">. A <b>group of animals</b> who have a<b> collective life</b> together. Or a <b>crowd of people</b>.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_WUOUodbJERY/S_UPbUwf7YI/AAAAAAAAAN8/f5Wa6HKLXbw/s1600/shops.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_WUOUodbJERY/S_UPbUwf7YI/AAAAAAAAAN8/f5Wa6HKLXbw/s320/shops.gif" wt="true" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The cartoon is <b><i>making fun</i></b> of people who, like sheep, copy everyone else or "<b><i>follow the herd</i></b>".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Herd mentality</b> is when people do the same things at the same time. For example, buy an Ipod, or go to the same coastal resort in the same car.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Of course, it's <b>human nature</b>. Who wants to be the only one wearing leg-warmers when everyone else is doing cowboy hats?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">But being different is definitely more fun. Like Jenny Joseph says in her <b>fabulous poem, </b><a href="http://www.luvzbluez.com/purple.html"><b>don't wait till you're an old woman to wear purple</b>.</a> :-)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/make+fun"><b><i>Make fun</i></b></a><i>.</i> Subject to laughter or ridicule.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/follow"><i><b>Follow the herd</b></i></a><b>.</b> Do something because most other people are doing it.</span>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16456733048897264107noreply@blogger.com1