Booze, boxing answers and the weather
Post categories: Teacher blog
| 14:57 UK time, Friday, 20 May 2011
Dear Lito (and everyone)
I'm just writing a quick entry today. I'll write a longer passage next week!
LANGUAGE
Lito, one of the great things about reading your blog is how your enthusiasm shines through your writing. Are you a travel agent? If not, I think you have missed your calling.
In this passage, I like the way you build up momentum by making a long list of ideas.
Bohol is also one of the best places to hit and enjoy in my country if you are really want a remarkable beach experience and an exciting expedition. Diving, swimming, hiking, having an underwater experience, taking a glimpse of the naturally landscaped Hills, Being an audiences of these friendly, playfulness, smooth skinny Dolphins, Beering, Well Beering shouldn't be absent on the list should it?
A couple of small points. In English we don't use capital letters in the middle of the sentence, unless it's a name.
Also, there is no such word as 'beering' - although I know exactly what you mean! We might use the informal word boozing, which means to drink lots of alcohol. Booze is a slang word for alcohol.
ANSWERS TO LAST WEEK'S HOMEWORK
Well done - nearly everyone got this right! Kirsti, I can understand your confusion about 'the gloves are off'. But think about it this way: if you punch someone without a boxing glove, it hurts them more. So, 'the gloves are off' means 'let's be tough'.
1. From now on, let's be really tough.
From now on, the gloves are off.
2. She's a very important politician.
She's a political heavyweight. (For some reason this sounds better than 'a heavyweight politician'!)
3. The teacher was about to ask me to read my homework when the class ended. Just in time!
Saved by the bell!
4. He used to be a successful pianist but now he is a failure.
He used to be a successful pianist but now he's down and out.
5. That's a bit unfair!
That's a bit below the belt!
6. This is the fourth time he's made this mistake. I'm going to tell him he's wrong and I'm not going to be easy on him.
This is the fourth time he's made this mistake. I'm going to tell him he's wrong and I'm not going to pull any punches.
THIS WEEK'S HOMEWORK
Like every Englishman I love to talk about the weather. The reason why we always discuss this topic is that England's weather is so changeable. Some days it is bright, other days it's overcast. Occasionally, it chucks it down but more often we will just have day after day of drizzle. At the moment it is rather muggy. But no-one is complaining because we had such a long and chilly winter. Everyone is hoping that this summer will be a scorcher!
Can you match the underlined words to these definitions?
- cold
- cloudy
- changing all the time
- a hot day / period of time
- light rain
- rains heavily
- humid
USEFUL LANGUAGE
- to shine through - to be clear, e.g. Her essay was a little confused, but her intelligence shone through.
- to miss one's calling - a phrase meaning to do a job that isn't the job you would be best at, e.g. You're such a great cook. You really missed your calling!
- To punch someone - to hit someone with your fist
Comment number 1.
At 20th May 2011, rzodkiewka wrote:1. cold = chilly
2. cloudy = overcast
3. changing all the time = changeable
4. a hot day / period of time = scorcher
5. light rain = drizzle
6. rains heavily = it chucks it down
7. humid = muggy
Hello everyone!
In Poland weather is very much changeable too, especially in spring. Last week it was overcast and few times it chucked it down (at least in Gdansk and in its vicinity). Whereas yesterday we had a scorcher. I love when it is sunny but not too hot. And I hope that we will have here that kind of weather this summer.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 1)
Comment number 2.
At 21st May 2011, euo wrote:Hi Will and everyone,
I grow up Okinawa which is located in southern part of Japan. The weather there is like the Philippines. We don't have any snow in winter, even so, I felt cold in winter. I live in Tokyo now, so finaly I've got to know what the real winter like!! But I never get used to it. I don't like winter at all.
Here are my answers to homework:
1. cold chilly
2. cloudy overcast
3. changing all the time changable
4. a hot day / period of time scorcher
5. light rain drizzle
6. rains heavily in chucks it down
7. humid muggy
look forward to your new entry, Will
Bye for now,
euo
Complain about this comment (Comment number 2)
Comment number 3.
At 21st May 2011, Mohammad Najmul Huda wrote:Hello will,
It seems to me you are so busy . I am glade for learning new words about weather .I can describe weather with new vocabulary. Thank You .
ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½work :
Cold= Chilly
Cloudy=overcast
Changing all the time= Changeable
A hot day / period of time=scorcher
Light rain =it chucks it down
Rains heavily=drizzle
Humid =muggy
Complain about this comment (Comment number 3)
Comment number 4.
At 23rd May 2011, Iva wrote:Hi Will and everyone,
I have just joined this club hoping to improve my spoken English and reach CPE level one day. I am a Bulgarian lady, currently living in The Netherlands where the weather is just like in Great Britain very CHANGEABLE and CHILLY. It DRIZZLES often here but one gets used to it. To be honest, I would rather enjoy some SCHORCHER days on the beach in Varna, Bulgaria, but for the time being I have to pass my time in MUGGY Amsterdam. Well, I must also admit that apart from the depressing OVERCAST winter in The Netherlands and my homesickness, I love the country and its friendly people.
Have a great day everyone wherever you are :-)!
Complain about this comment (Comment number 4)
Comment number 5.
At 23rd May 2011, Tatiana wrote:Hello Will and everyone
I'm hoping to visit London this summer. I heard so much about changeable England's weather. I'm ready to face drizzle or muggy weather. But I'm so keen to see London that I won't be upset if it chucks it down. Nevertheless it will be better if it's a scorcher! ;-)
@Iva
Hi Iva
two years ago in June I was lucky to stay in Varna for two weeks. I left my hometown when there was only 8* and was enjoing the beautiful Black sea and a scorcher in your wonderful Bulgaria where I met many good people.
Last June I was in Holland and could feel the changeable weather. Some days were so cold that my friend had to lend me her worm clothes. Then there were a few extremely hot days.
I guite agree with you that people in the Netherlands are very friendly. I'm sure you'll improve your English very quickly because the Dutch speak good English.
Best of luck,
Tatiana
Complain about this comment (Comment number 5)
Comment number 6.
At 24th May 2011, beatriz wrote:Hi Will and the rest of the group:
It´s true the weather in England is not "the best" but there are many things to compensate the bad climate.
My homework
1) cold: chilly
2) cloudy: overcast
3) changing all the time: changeable
4) a hot day/period of time: scorcher
5) light rain: drizzle
6) rains heavely: it chucks it down
7) humid: muggy
Looking forward to your news. My regards. Beatriz.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 6)
Comment number 7.
At 25th May 2011, vn_nghia wrote:Hi Will and everyone,
I'm from the southern of VietNam that the weather is almost SCORCHER and not CHANGEABLE. Occasionally, it is also rain but DRIZZLE. The hats are essential to avoid sunshine stroke when we go out. The People have not term "sunbathe", so i surprised when i see the foreigner do that. However, I still love this weather than England because i don't like the sky with dark, grey and it is often MUGGY.
Thanks for your reading and any feedback.
Below is my answers for homework on this week:
1. cold = chilly
2. cloudy = overcast
3. changing all the time = changeable
4. a hot day / period of time = scorcher
5. light rain = it's chucks it down
6. rains heavily = drizzle
7. humid = muggy
Complain about this comment (Comment number 7)
Comment number 8.
At 25th May 2011, Dmoishell wrote:Hi Will (and of course, everyone),
I have discovered the site "ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ learning english" thanks to an English teacher several months ago and I'm so happy to can improve my english with it. But I'm just discovering this part of the site, and I totally like the concept. So I'm French, and here it's sunny, but we had a very bad winter... I live in Brittany and here the weather is too changeable, you can have a very hot day and next day a very cold day! But I love it because I don't like very much heat.
Here are my answers to homework:
1. cold = chilly
2. cloudy = overcast
3. changing all the time = changeable
4. a hot day / period of time = scorcher
5. light rain = drizzle
6. rains heavily = it chucks it down
7. humid = muggy
Thanks for reading!
Complain about this comment (Comment number 8)
Comment number 9.
At 31st May 2011, U14887172 wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 9)