I made the mistake, last night, of turning up to the High School too early to pick up my son. He was in basketball practice, and still had almost an hour left(1). "Oh, silly me!" I thought to myself. There was no point driving back home and then returning later, so I decided to check my emails on my iPhone. Well, most of them were advertising or spam, and after deleting all that I could, I looked around for something to do. The hallway, where I was waiting, was covered in posters that High Schoolers had made. As I started to read them, I could see that they were all about drug addiction. This is a real problem in High Schools. Somehow drugs make their way(2) into the schools, and have become big business. Often students who are depressed or who have family problems, will start taking drugs as an escape. There is pressure also to look 'cool'(3), and to do what others are doing. I think that having informative posters on the walls about common drugs like LSD, Morphine, Crack, and Marujuana, is a good thing. I learned a lot by reading them, and I'm sure that there are many parents, like myself, who don't know enough about all the drugs that circulate in the High Schools. I was pleased to see that each poster had a section called 'drug prevention' which gave advice about avoiding the trap of taking drugs. They said things like: "Just say no," "Stand alone," "Avoid drug users", "Stay busy with healthy activities", and "Talk with a counselor". I talk to my children about the dangers of taking drugs, and how they should always respect their bodies, and never feel pushed into dangerous behavior, even by good friends. Reading the posters reminded me that High School can be a wonderful place of development and learning, but also an environment that has its potential dangers.

1. 'Left' is a word we use with 'time' to show that there is still time remaining. We also use the phrase 'to go' after an expression of time.

a. There are still three hours of daylight left.

b. You can finish writing your paragraph; there are still 45 minutes to go/ left.

2. 'To make one's way into something/ somewhere'. This phrase is used to describe how someone or something can get into/ appear in a location.

a. I don't know how it happened, but the rats made their way into the building, and started to live in the walls.

b. The soldier made his way slowly over the snowy fields.

3. 'Cool' is used, particularly in the U.S to mean sophisticated, confident, fashionable, individual, and a maverick (which means a person who does what he wants to do and is admired/ a person who is confident to go his own way). It is used a lot as slang, and can describe events and places as well as people.

a. Your new bike is so cool.

b. My English teacher is really cool; she's patient, kind, and teaches really well.

 

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Last year, for the first time, I got involved in(1) a political campaign. A friend of mine decided to run for a position(2) on the local School Board. She is a busy mother of four, and running for that position would take a lot of time and energy, so a group of us decided to help her. The campaign was like many others; she had to get her name out(3) into the community, talk on the radio, go to public events, and attend lots of meetings. It just so happens that(4) those are the sort of things that she does anyway; she is a natural politician. Where I had to help was handing out information flyers on her, and waving banners on the street corners. For years, I have seen other people do that. They stand in small groups, near busy roads, and wave banners that say, "Vote John Brown for Council," or "Vote Judy Green for Mayor". These people generally face the traffic, show the banners, and wave. I could never imagine myself doing that(5). However, when I found out that my friend Jennifer wanted to run for the School District position, I was willing to do anything to help her. For years she has volunteered in schools, and has helped on the Parent Teacher Association, so she knows about our education system, and where it needs help. The School Board represents all of the schools in our area, about ten of them. They help to decide on spending, renovations, employment, and program(me)s of all sorts. As Jennifer is energetic, studious, determined, and personable, I knew that she would be a perfect addition to(6) the School Board, and would help to make positive changes. So, I found myself on the busy street corners, waving banners, smiling and waving, and saying, "Vote for Jennifer!" My kids even helped me. They got plenty of attention from the passing drivers. And guess what? Even though the person running against(7) Jennifer was well known in the community, and had huge banners, Jennifer won. The campaign was a success. I look forward to hearing about the changes in the School District, now that a new, dynamic person is on the board.

1. 'To get involved' - means to become part of a project, goal, or work. To do something to help.

a. I want to get involved in the local community, to help solve some of its problems.

b. She is very involved with a volunteer reading program.

2. 'To run for a position', the verb 'to run' is used when someone is in a political campaign of any kind.

a. No woman has ever run for President yet in the U.S.

b. My uncle is running for Mayor.

3. 'To get one's name out' means to inform the public about yourself, your name, and what you do or wish to do. It's like 'spreading the word' about yourself.

a. Part of any campaign is getting your name out into the community.

b. The business will increase as its name gets out.

4. 'It just so happens that' is the same as saying, 'it happens that', 'coincidentally', 'it's significant that'. It shows a connection between two things.

a. My father makes shoes; it just so happens that he has huge feet, and finds it difficult to buy shoes.

b. We need a large location for the party; it just so happens that the school gymnasium is available on that day.

5. 'I could never imagine myself (doing something)..' / 'I can't imagine myself (doing something)...'

These phrases are interchangeable, but the first is also used when the action or event that you could not imagine, has taken place.

a. I could never imagine myself singing on stage, but then I did it, and I wasn't too bad! (the event actually took place).

b. I can't imagine myself as a politician. (the event hasn't taken place).

6. We talk about a person being 'a perfect addition to' a company, an organization, and even a family.

a. When Julie marries Peter, she will be the perfect addition to the family.

b. He's the perfect addition to the company; it will really benefit from his skills and experience.

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Liz: Excuse me Professor Cameron.

Prof: Yes Liz.

Liz: I just wanted to hand in my essay today. I know it's due tomorrow, but I won't be here, and I don't want it to be late.

Prof: Ok. What are you up to tomorrow?

Liz: Actually, I'm having an interview for the city newspaper.

Prof: Really? About what?

Liz: Well, I was just voted the President of the Student Union.

Prof: Congratulations.

Liz: Thanks. So I will be talking to them about my goals, raising money, and student activities this year.

Prof: I had no idea that you were political, Liz. I look forward to reading the article.

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When it's a special time of year, most cultures celebrate, among other ways(1), with traditional food. In England, we have lots of special food, both savory and sweet, that we enjoy during Christmas and the New Year. I have started my own tradition of making English trifle during the winters. It is a very well-known dish that can be enjoyed any time, really. But for me, because it is my favorite, I keep it for the winter holiday season. One reason for that is that it is creamy. In the long, cold winter months, most people I know feel like eating heavier food. Instead of salads and other light dishes, we feel like rich food, lots of calories, things like meat, potatoes, cheeses, and cream. Well, I'm a fan of cream, but it has to be respected: don't use too much, and don't make it too sweet. I make trifle from scratch(2), and cream makes it extra special. The base of a trifle is custard: a mixture of milk, eggs, flour, salt, sugar, and vanilla. My secret ingredient is evaporated milk which I add after I have cooked the custard. It's heaven! Then, I pour some sherry over 'ladies' fingers' which are like a very light sponge cake. Then the technique is simple: you layer everything. So, you layer the ladies' fingers with jam, thin slices of banana, and then custard. When the bowl is full, you make a layer of heavy, whipped cream (not sweetened), topped with toasted, sliced almonds. When you have finished, the trifle needs to be chilled all night. Then, finally, you use a long, large spoon to serve it, because each person needs to have several layers of the trifle. I suppose it's like making fine art; you have to take time, and work hard to produce something special.

1. 'Among other ways' in the first sentence means 'there are many ways, but we will focus on one particular way.' The phrase is used with other nouns, not just 'ways'.

a. What I need for college, among other things, is a laptop.

b. He explained, among other grammar points, the subjunctive and imperative.

c. We visited Stonehenge, among other sites.

2. 'From scratch' when you are talking about cooking, means that you made it yourself; no part of it was premade. 

a. If you make the meal from scratch, it will take longer than using premade food.

b. They never make anything from scratch; they always eat food from a box.

3. 'To whip' is the verb we use when we beat cream or butter. When we do the same thing to eggs, we use the verb 'to beat'.

a. Whip the cream and slowly add some powdered sugar, then spread it on the cake.

b. You must beat the eggs; add the spinach. Fry the omelette and then add cheese.

4. 'To chill' or 'chilled' are used in cooking.

a. You must chill the dessert to get the right texture.

b. He poured the martinis into chilled glasses.

5. 'To sweeten' is to add sugar or something else that is sweet.

a. Do you like to sweeten your coffee?

b. The Cherokee Indians would sweeten their food with honey or sap from the maple tree.

 

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I can't believe it's January, 2014. We say that Christmas 'came and went', which means that it was over very quickly, in the blink of an eye. I know that all around the world, people celebrate New Year's Eve with big parties, and in many different ways. Usually, we have a quiet, family time at home.We typically buy food like smoked salmon, cheeses and wines, and chocolates. As it's cold and dark outside, we always light a fire. And then we watch the New Year being celebrated around the world on telelvision. It's a quiet, lazy evening for us. However, this year was quite different. We were invited to the house of a couple who always have a big celebration on New Year's Eve. They have what we call an 'open house'. It means that anyone can turn up. Their house is really decorated with Christmas lights outside; it looks like something out of Disney Land. They have won awards for their decorations, and often you will see cars slow down as they drive by, so the people in the cars can have a good look. Well, this year, they had a fire pit outside, where we could roast hot dogs, and marshmallows. Inside, the kitchen was full of more food and drinks. We played Bingo in the lounge, and we also had fireworks outside. At one point, a policeman came by to warn us about the fireworks: they were too close to the road. But by then, Dan, the home owner, had already let off the big fireworks, so we were quite satisfied. The children ran around the property, through all of the Christmas lights, playing games, and squealing with delight. And I wandered around, as I usually do, with my camera, photographing all the pretty scenes that Dan and his wife had created for the holidays. I came upon an angel blowing a trumpet, next to a group of Christmas trees. "Perfect!" I thought. The scene glowed with hope, beauty, and goodness. It was a physical representation of what, I think, we all want for the New Year. It's interesting how a simple scene like that, even one made of plastic, can give a powerful image of the beauty that we can find in life, and of the meaningful future that the human family desires.

1. 'Came and went' is a useful phrase that emphasizes how time goes quickly.

a. Our vacation came and went. The time flew (by) because we were having so much fun.

b. I was nervous about the interview, but it came and went. It was over in the blink of an eye.

2. 'As it's cold and dark outside'.... Here the 'as' is used the same way as 'because'.

a. As it's raining, we won't go for a walk.

b. As the flight is cancelled, we will catch the train instead.

3. 'At one point, a policeman came by...' Here the phrase 'at one point' is used to mean 'at a certain time in the party', 'during the party', 'while the party was still going'.

a. At one point during the movie, we got up and left because it was so bad.

b. At one point during the lecture, I fell asleep. My friend had to wake me up!

4. 'To let off/ set off fireworks'. Two verbs are used when we talk about lighting fireworks. The preposition 'off' is used to add the meaning that the fireworks 'fly off' once they have been lit.

a. We all stood back, and Mr. Jones set off the first rocket.

b. He was in charge of letting off the fireworks.

5. 'Squeal' and 'shriek' are fabulous verbs that describe a kind of scream. They are both high pitched, the first probably being the highest. It is the noise made by young children having fun, or a pig and sometimes other animals stuck somewhere, or in pain (a squeal). 'Shriek' is like a scream when someone is scared or angry. Again, because it is a high pitched sound, it is associated with women more than men.

a. The children squealed with delight when the clown walked in the room.

b. The lady shrieked, "You clumsy fool!" when the waitress spilled red wine on her white dress.

 

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Jennifer: Hi Liz, I just thought I'd come by to say "Hi", and "Happy New Year."

Liz: Happy New Year to you too Jennifer. Did you have a nice time with your family?

Jennifer: Yes, we just had a quiet and relaxing time. A few friends came over and we had dinner. How about you?

Liz: I had an amazing time. A large group of us went to China Town for the celebrations. I was amazed at how exciting and lively they were. We usually have a quiet New Year's Eve, so I was really surprised at the difference.

Jennifer: So what did you all do?

Liz: Well, first of all we had dinner: fish and dumplings, delicious! You know how much I love fish! Then we walked through the center of China Town to see all the decorations; there were lanterns and red paper art everywhere. I bought an upside down 'Fu' and 'Dui Lian' to hang in my room, for future good luck and prosperity. Then the fireworks started. Oh my goodness, they went on all night. Infact, the celebrations go on for about two weeks! We actually stayed up all night, and went to the morning market which is traditional. They were selling lots of flowers, so I bought sunflowers and plum blossoms which are supposed to give me a good year.

Jennifer: Wow! You really had a cultural experience. My New Year's Eve was really boring compared with yours.

 

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Peter: Are you going home for the holidays?

Liz: Yes I am. We're going to have a big, family get-together. It'll be fun, but there's loads to do. I think my mother is already stressed.

Peter: Stressed? Why get stressed at such a fun time of year?

Liz: She doesn't choose to get stressed. It's just what often happens. She has most of the responsibility for the get-together, so there is a lot to think about.

Peter: I can't see what the fuss is all about. She just has to do the cooking, right?

Liz: No, there's much more to organize. She has to make the sleeping arrangements for all the visitors, including buying more bedding. We can't have eighty year old aunt Betty sleeping on the floor in a sleeping bag. Then there's the food. I don't think we have enough chairs, so where will everyone sit for dinner? My job will be to make a huge grocery list, buy everything, and then put it all away neatly. My Dad and I will drive to the airport to pick everyone up, but they're all arriving at different times.

Peter: What a headache! When I go home for the holidays, I just turn up!

Liz: Well you're lucky, and spoilt!

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A few weeks ago, I went to pick up my son from High School. Usually I park away from the heavy traffic, on the right side of the parking lot, and he meets me there. I usually sit waiting for a few minutes, and catch up with(1) my emails while I wait. This particular day though, I suddenly heard the back of the car open, and a voice say, "Hey Mom, can you help me with this?" I looked back and saw an enormous, brown, wooden tower. Hudson was carrying it, and it was so large that I couldn't even see him. "Wow!" I said, as I jumped out of the car(2). "Let me put the back seats down for you(3), otherwise, it won't fit in the back." I lowered the two back seats of the car, and helped Hudson put his creation from his art lesson in carefully. As we drove home he showed me the gift certificate(4) that he and his team mates had won for building this mini- Eiffel Tower. "Well done, darling," I said. "It's quite a work of art." The night before, he had asked me if I had any extra Christmas lights that he could use for his art project. I gave him some, but didn't ask him about the project. I actually expected it to be some normal, small art project, perhaps something that shows a certain painting technique, or some specific medium, like oil paint, clay, or metal paper. This, however, was much more than I had expected(5). It completely took me by surprise(6). It sits in his bedroom now, and is lit up. I'm considering bringing it downstairs for our Christmas entryway decoration. It'll make a change from a Christmas tree.

1. 'To catch up with my email' this verbal phrase can be used in many contexts. It means to get up to date, or to read the latest emails, to hear the latest news etc.

a. Yesterday I caught up with my bills; thankfully I paid every one on time.

b. Last week I caught up with my best friend. She had a lot of news to tell me.

2. "....as I jumped out of the car." In this part of the podcast, I don't literally mean that I jumped out of the car. In English, we often use a verb such as jump to describe a quick, enthusiastic movement or decision.

a. I jumped to volunteer; I could see that he needed help. (speed)

b. He jumped up from his chair and started to sing. (enthusiasm).

3. "Let me put the back seats down for you." Here in the podcast, I literally mean, " Let me fold down the seats so the project will fit," or "Let me fold down the seats so we can fit your art project in the back of the car." You can see that these two sentences would be quite long and unnecessary. As in any language, English will often use a shorter version. It is understood that we have to make room in the back of the car for the project, so it is much simpler to say, "Let me + verb for you." If you are helping someone do anything physical, you can just use this phrase instead of going into detail.

a. Let me open the door for you.  (to carry the old tv out and to bring the new one in).

b. Let me hold that up for you. (the sofa, while you look underneath for your phone).

4.  Gift certificates are a very popular present for all occasions.

a. I got a Starbucks gift certificate for my birthday.

b. Let's buy him a gift certificate to the hardware store.

5.  "This was much more than I had expected." I have included this sentence in the grammar notes because it is perfect to learn by heart in order to use it in multiple situations.

a. (Realising that there is a surprise party for you) "This is much more than I had expected."

b. (Being given the award for excellence by your company) "This is much more than I had expected."

6. "It completely took me by surprise." This is another 'ready made' sentence that you can use in your conversations.

a. The rain storm caught us/got us while we walked home. It completely took me by surprise.

b. He turned up with his luggage at midnight. It completely took us by surprise.

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'Luminous', 'glowing', 'radiating' are the words which came to my mind(1) after reading an article about a very special, new technology. It's called 'Starpath', an earth-friendly(2), inexpensive, and efficient way to light our streets. A company in England called Pro-Teq Surfacing, has developed a material made out of ultraviolet particles. These particles are spread onto a path, where they absorb sunlight during the day, and then they glow(3) blue at night. The first public demonstration of this took place in the city of Cambridge. I found a photograph of the path in the newspaper called 'The Telegraph', and it does show the path glowing at night. This is a very exciting development in lighting because it is clean, sustainable(4), and very cheap. I can imagine the cost of lighting our streets with traditional street lamps. However, this Starpath technology could cut our national lighting costs by hundreds of millions each year. We certainly cannot do without(5) light at night, to keep us safe, to help us find our way home, and to discourage crime. What a fantastic development. And this is just the beginning. Starpath technology offers the possibility of different colors of light as well. Also, the material used can last up to seventy years, so it is very sustainable stuff. As councils are turning off street lamps to save money and to meet carbon emissions targets, Starpath could be a valuable solution to both problems.

1. 'To come to mind' means that something reminds you of something else; it could be an image, a word, even a color.

a. When I think of my Kindergarten students, a tornado comes to mind.

b. When I think of my good friends, a garden of flowers comes to mind.

2. 'Earth-friendly' is a very popular and very important phrase. It means something that doesn't harm the natural environment.

a. This plastic bag is earth-friendly; it decomposes quickly and is not toxic.

b. My earth-friendly light bulbs take a few minutes to produce bright light.

3. 'Glow' is one of the main ideas in this podcast, and it means the same as 'radiate', or 'emit light'. It can be used figuratively as well.

a. His face was glowing with success when he found out that he had passed the exam.

b. The moon glowed through the clouds.

4. 'Sustainable' comes from the verb 'to sustain' which means 'to keep going' or 'to support'.

a. That forest is sustainable because the trees that are cut down are quickly replaced.

b. We need an educational program for prisoners that is sustainable.

5. 'To do without' is interchangeable with 'to go without', but the latter often means that a person lacks some basic necessity.

a. The homeless shelter cannot do without funding, even for a day.

b. The play cannot do without the main actor; it just wouldn't work.

c. People can only go without water for a few days, but they can go without food for about a month.

d. I can't do without/ go without my coffee in the morning.

 

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Brian: "What are all these boxes doing out in the hall?"

Liz: "I decided that it was finally time for me to get organized?"

Brian: "You? Organized?"

Liz: "I'm not that bad, am I?"

Brian: "Well, I don't know anyone else who loses her keys everyday, or her phone, or her bag."

Liz: "That's called being normal."

Brian: "Well, I don't lose my things everyday."

Liz: "That's because you're not normal, ha, ha! I've made a resolution: I will be more organized. I'll use my iPhone calendar. I'll get rid of my junk, and become more efficient."

Brian: "Wow! God help us all! An efficient Liz is hard to imagine."

Liz: "That's because overly organized people like you lack imagination."

 

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