Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Happy New Year 2010


HAPPY NEW YEAR! 2010

New Year's Eve has always been a time for looking back to the past, and more importantly, looking forward to the coming year. It's a time to reflect on the changes we want (or need) to make. The new year is a time to resolve to follow through on those changes. If you haven’t made any new year’s resolutions, here are ten ideas.

1. Spend more time with family & friends.
2. Fit in fitness.
3. Lose weight.
4. Quit smoking.
5. Enjoy life more. Have more leisure time.
6. Quit drinking.
7. Get out of debt.
8. Help others.
9. Get organized.
10. Learn something new.

VOCABULARY
1. reflect (verb) It’s a time to reflect on what has already happened.
a. give back some money b. review; study c. think over; contemplate

2. resolve (verb) The new year is a time to resolve to do something.
a. to ring a bell b. to solve a problem c. to decide

3. From the short reading above, can you tell me what a New Year’s resolution (noun) is?
4. What does the verb “fit in” mean in #2?
a. be the right size. b. make enough time for c. be comfortable

5. fitness (noun)
a. good health or physical condition
b. happiness
c. able to ride a bicycle

6. What’s the difference between these two words?
lose (verb) [pronounced LOOZ] and loose (adj.) [pronounced LOOS]
Can you write a sentence for each one? YOUR TURN

lose ______________________________________________________________

loose _____________________________________________________________

7. leisure (adj.) [pronounced LEEzhur]
a. for sure; certain b. free time; freedom from work or duty c. tight clothes

8. debt (noun) [pronounced DET]

GRAMMAR

The verb in each of these resolutions is in the form of a command. It comes from the infinitive (base form), but as a command, it is directed to another person.
For example: Spend more time . . . is a command for someone else to spend more time doing something.

In the case of a resolution, it is you, yourself, you are talking to.
You say to yourself: I SHOULD SPEND more time . . .


What is the verb in each of these resolutions? Some are two-word verbs.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

CONVERSATION

1. How can you spend more time with your friends and family?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. How can you “fit in fitness”?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. How can you lose weight (or control your weight)?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
4, How can you quit smoking or how can you help someone else quit smoking?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. What can you do in your leisure time?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. How can you quit drinking or quit gambling or help someone quit.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
7. How can you get out of debt?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


8. How can you help others?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
9. What can you do to get more organized?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
10. How can you learn something new?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

11. Talk to your partner and find out two resolutions your partner made.
Write them down.

1. __________________________________________________________________

2. __________________________________________________________________


12. Write two resolutions YOU made for 2010.

1. __________________________________________________________________

2. __________________________________________________________________

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

White Christmas


BING CROSBY singing in HOLIDAY INN 1941


I’m dreaming of a white Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know.
Where the tree tops glisten
And children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow.

I’m dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card I write.
May your days be merry and bright,
And may all your Christmases be white.

VOCABULARY
1. glisten (verb) “tree tops glisten”
a. listen carefully
b. glitter; be shiny
c. stand tall

2. white (adj.) white Christmas
a. snowy
b. for white people
c. pretty

3. What words rhyme?
a. snow rhymes with ______________________
b. listen rhymes with ______________________
c. white rhymes with ____________________________________

4. How do you pronounce these words?
a. dresses b. dishes c. watches d. churches e. boxes
f. buzzes g. garages h. fences i. Christmases
What is the rule? _______________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

GRAMMAR
1. Make a list of the verbs. Tell what tense and give the infinitive.
Subject verb tense infinitive

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.


3. the ones I’m dreaming of a white Christmas, just like the ones I used to know.

a. I like Fuji apples. They are the ones I usually buy.
b. The 30 Stockton and the 45 are the busses I take to school, but they are the ones that
are always crowded.
c. I am taking Sally’s Grammar/Listening/Conversation class this semester. It’s the one
I’m going to take next semester, too.
d. I like Kung Fu movies. They are the ones I always go to see.
e. Toyota makes good cars. They are the ones you see everywhere in San Francisco.

YOUR TURN Please write a sentence using the one and the ones.

the one ____________________________________________________________

the ones ____________________________________________________________

4. USED TO (infinitive)
something you did (or was) before but don’t do (or aren’t) any more.

a. I used to smoke, but I don’t do it any more.
b. I used to be a teacher, but now I’m a student.

YOUR TURN Please write a sentence using USED TO and DIDN’T USE TO

used to ____________________________________________________________

didn’t use to ___________________________________________________________________
5. You can wish something good for someone by using
MAY and a VERB:
a. May your days be merry and bright..
b. May all your Christmases be white.
c. May you be happy and healthy in the year to come.
d. May you have a very Happy New Year.

Try the above sentences with I HOPE. (I hope that + a clause)
aa. I hope your days are (will be) merry and bright.


bb. I hope_______________________________________________________


cc. I hope_________________________________________


dd. I hope _________________________________________


CONVERSATION
1. What are you dreaming of? [day dreaming = fantasy thinking while awake, especially about happy, pleasant thoughts, hopes or ambitions about the future or reminiscences of the past.




2. Do you celebrate Christmas? If not, are there any holidays when you get together with friends or family and exchange gifts?