Call it a day. IDIOM. 30-04-2011.

call it a day Informal

Meaning: If you call it a day, you stop doing something that's usually related to work.
For example:

·                           We couldn't do any more work because of the rain, so we called it a day and went home.

·                           After running a hotel for nearly thirty years, we decided to call it a day and do something else.

Quick Quiz:

We decided to call it a day because

a.  we had so much to do b.  we were short of time c.   it was getting late ENGLISHCLUB.COM

Click for answer c.

GOOSE. SLANG. 30-04-2011.

goose (2)

Meaning: to poke someone in the bottom
For example:

·                           Amanda goosed Clyde in the gym and he jumped so far that he tripped over a running machine.

·                           When we were at school we'd goose each other for a joke when playing rugby.

Quick Quiz:

Larry snuck up behind Jim and goosed him with

a.  his left leg b.  his middle finger c.   his right shoulder ENGLISHCLUB.COM

Click for answer b.

Say well or be still. SAYING. 30-04-2011.

Say well or be still

Possible interpretation: If you cannot speak good of someone or something, then it is better not to speak.

Note: say well (verb): say something good or nice | still (adj.): not moving; motionless; quiet (because you don't move your tongue)

Quick Quiz:

If you always "say well or be still", then you

a.  always say nice things about everyone b.  never say anything c.   never say anything nasty about someone CLUBENGLISH.COM

Click for answer c.

DROP OFF. PHRASAL VERB. 30-04-2011.

drop off (1)

Meaning: to drive someone to a place they need to go to and leave them there
For example:

·                           drop sb off Every morning I drop my kids off at school on my way to work.

·                           drop off sb Sergio stopped at the mall and dropped off his mother, and then drove on to the golf course.

Quick Quiz:

If you're going to drop someone off somewhere, you'll need to have

a.  a parachute b.  a map c.   a vehicle CLUBENGLISH.COM

Click for answer c.

Catherine Tate- Gazpaccho. Thanks to my teacher Paul H.

FOTOS DE UNA MADRE INFORMÁTICA DE FINLANDIA A SU BEBE. 30-04-2011.

FOTOS DE UNA MADRE INFORMÁTICA DE FINLANDIA A SU BEBE. on PhotoPeach

ON AT THE CINEMA. BABIES - Official Trailer [HD]

Comic strip by Ed. Stein. 04-30-2011. 30-04-2011.

ACCORDING TO WIKIPEDIA, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_panel)
"Death panel" is a political term coined by former Governor of Alaska Sarah Palin in August 2009 on her Facebook page. She said that the health care legislation then being debated in the House of Representatives would require Americans such as her parents or her child with Down syndrome, "to stand in front of Obama's 'death panel' so his bureaucrats can decide, based on a subjective judgment of their 'level of productivity in society,' whether they are worthy of health care."^[1] The trigger for the "death panel" claim was a provision in the House of Representatives Bill 3200 (2009)that would have reimbursed physicians for counseling Medicare patients about living wills, advance directives and other end-of-life issues.

The uproar that the phrase produced was described by TIME Magazine and The Washington Post as almost taking down President Obama's health care reform.^[2][3] PolitiFact.com called "death panels" the "Lie of the Year".^[4] FactCheck.org referred to it as one of their "whoppers" of 2009,^[5] and the American Dialect Society said that "death panel" was their "most outrageous" word for 2009.^[6] In November 2009, Palin said the term should not be taken literally, but rather was meant to get people thinking about the issue as when Ronald Reagan called the Soviet Union the "evil empire".^[7]
READ MORE: http://www.obamadeathpanel2009.com/

Anorexia nervosa 'link to spring birth'. BBC NEWS. 27-04-2011. READING PRACTICE 04-30-2011.

Spring babies have a slightly higher incidence of anorexia nervosa.

Continue reading the main story

Related Stories

·                                 Brain chemistry link to anorexia

·                                 Anorexia 'has genetic basis'

·                                 Scrubbing Up: Anorexia

Babies born in spring are slightly more likely to develop anorexia nervosa, while those born in the autumn have a lower risk, say researchers.

A report published in the British Journal of Psychiatry suggests temperature, sunlight, infection or the mother's diet could be responsible.

Other academics said the effect was small and the disorder had many causes.

The researchers analysed data from four previous studies including 1,293 people with anorexia.

The researchers found an "excess of anorexia nervosa births" between March and June - for every seven anorexia cases expected, there were in fact eight.

There were also fewer than expected cases in September and October.

READ MORE:

SOURCE: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-13208401

Entertainment News: Royal Wedding News A Gown Fit for a Princess. 04-29-2011. LISTENING PRACTICE WITH TRANSCRIPT.

pp

Multisource political news, world news, and entertainment news analysis by Newsy.com

TRANSCRIPT ON COMMENTS BELOW. TRANSCRIPCION DEL VIDEO EN COMENTARIOS.

Google+ADVANCED DAILY ENGLISH VOCABULARY WITH IMAGES. 01. FORCEPS. 04-30-2011.

forceps [plural]

a medical instrument used for picking up and holding things:

a pair of forceps

Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

BASIC DAILY ENGLISH VOCABULARY WITH PICTURES 02. ARM. 04-30-2011. 30-04-2011.

arm [countable]

1

body

one of the two long parts of your body between your shoulders and your hands:

Dave has a broken arm.

left/right arm

He had a tattoo on his left arm.

Tim's mother put her arms around him.

Pat was carrying a box under his arm.

He had a pile of books in his arms.

They walked along the beach arm in arm (=with their arms bent around each other's).

take somebody by the arm (=lead someone somewhere by holding their arm)

She took him by the arm and pushed him out of the door.

take somebody in your arms (=gently hold someone with your arms)

Gerry took Fiona in his arms and kissed her.

cross/fold your arms (=bend your arms so that they are resting on top of each other against your body)

He folded his arms and leaned back in his chair.

The old lady rushed to greet him, arms outstretched.

Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

BASIC DAILY ENGLISH VOCABULARY WITH PICTURES 03. 04-30-2011. 30-04-2011. PATCHWORK HAT.

patchwork

1 [uncountable] a type of sewing in which many coloured squares of cloth are stitched together to make one large piece:

a patchwork quilt

2 [singular] something that is made up of a lot of different things

patchwork of

a patchwork of woods and fields, typical of the English countryside

The area was a patchwork of local industries.

Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

ADVANCED DAILY ENGLISH VOCABULARY WITH PICTURE. 04. 04-30-2011. 30-04-2011. Mouldy.

mouldy British English ; moldy American English

covered with mould:

mouldy cheese

go mouldy British English (=become mouldy)

The bread's gone mouldy.

Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

GRAMMAR. Dependent prepositions. 30-04-2011. 04-30-2011.

Complete the following sentences with the correct

preposition.

1 All new models have been fitted with a safety lock.

2 You look really scruffy. Can't you tuck your shirt

into your trousers at least?

3 The main part of the house is very old. It dates

back more than 400 years.

4 The sudden movement of the train threw me

of balance and I fell head-first down the

steps.

S Erica is an excellent colleague. She goes about

her job calmly and efficiently.

6 The school ran into: financial trouble when

80% of the staff went on strike.

7 As soon as the President stepped out of the car,

guards moved into action to hold back the

crowds.

8 The price of shares in the company went up

by 50% when they announced the

discovery of the new oilfield.

9 We've decided to switch electricity

from solar power in an attempt to be more ecofriendly.

10 The over-use of fertilisers and pesticides is one of

the greatest threats to wildlife today.
Source: Focus on advanced English. CAMBRIDGE.

Doubling consonants.

Doubling consonants

Remember that in verbs of more than one syllable the

final consonant is (usually) doubled only if the stress is on

the syllable before it:

referred   but offered

forgetting but remembering

http://www.studyladder.com/learn/literacy/activity/1824

Doubling consonants,

Doubling consonants

Remember that in verbs of more than one syllable the

final consonant is (usually) doubled only if the stress is on

the syllable before it:

referred   but offered

forgetting but remembering

Disconnect to connect. A good advertisement about communication with others. Thanks to Laura R.

http://www.wimp.com/disconnectconnect/

FRANCIS BACON was an English philosopher and statesman, and a pioneer of modern scientific thought.

Bacon was an English philosopher and statesman, and a pioneer of modern scientific thought.

Francis Bacon was born on 22 January 1561 in London. He was the son of Sir Nicholas Bacon, keeper of the great seal for Elizabeth I. Bacon studied at Cambridge University and at Gray's Inn and became a member of parliament in 1584. However, he was unpopular with Elizabeth, and it was only on the accession of James I in 1603 that Bacon's career began to prosper. Knighted that year, he was appointed to a succession of posts culminating, like his father, with keeper of the great seal.

However, Bacon's real interests lay in science. Much of the science of the period was based on the work of the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle. While many Aristotelian ideas, such as the position of the earth at the centre of the universe, had been overturned, his methodology was still being used. This held that scientific truth could be reached by way of authoritative argument: if sufficiently clever men discussed a subject long enough, the truth would eventually be discovered. Bacon challenged this, arguing that truth required evidence from the real world. He published his ideas, initially in 'Novum Organum' (1620), an account of the correct method of acquiring natural knowledge.

Bacon's political ascent also continued. In 1618 he was appointed lord chancellor, the most powerful position in England, and in 1621 he was created viscount St Albans. Shortly afterwards, he was charged by parliament with accepting bribes, which he admitted. He was fined and imprisoned and then banished from court. Although the king later pardoned him, this was the end of Bacon's public life. He retired to his home at Gorhambury in Hertfordshire, where he continued to write. He died in London on 9 April 1626.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/bacon_francis.shtml

PAINTINGS ARE A USEFUL TOOL FOR LEARNING ENGLISH. Crouching nude on a rail. FRANCIS BACON. 04/29/2011.

CROUCHING NUDE ON A RAIL www.pintura.aut.org

crouch   [kraUtS]

I. vi

to crouch (down) agacharse 

to be crouching estar en cuclillas

II. n

to lower oneself into a crouch agacharse

SOURCE: CAMBRIDGE DICTIONARY.

Crouching Nude on a RailThe English artist Francis Bacon was one of the most powerful and original figure painters in the twentieth century. He was particularly noted for the obsessive intensity of his work.

Early life

Francis Bacon was born in Dublin, Ireland, on October 28, 1909, to English parents. Raised with three siblings, Francis Bacon is a descendant of the sixteenth-century statesman and essayist of the same name. He left home at the age of sixteen and spent two years in Berlin, Germany, and Paris, France. In Paris he saw an art exhibit by the painter Pablo Picasso (1881–1973). Though he had never taken an art class, Bacon began painting with watercolors. He then settled in London, England, with the intention of establishing himself as an interior decorator and furniture designer. However, he soon turned to painting exclusively.

Bacon began oil painting in 1929. The few early paintings that survive (he destroyed most of them) show that he began as a late cubist (a twentieth-century movement that used geometric shapes). By 1932 he turned to a form of surrealism (using fantastic imagery of the subconscious) based partly on Pablo Picasso's works from about 1925 to 1928. Bacon began to draw attention in 1933 with his work Crucifixion, and the same year he took part in exhibitions in London.

source self-portrait: http://www.theartwolf.com/self-portraits/bacon-autorretrato.htm

Read more: Francis Bacon Biography - life, parents, name, death, book, old, information, born, siblings, time http://www.notablebiographies.com/Ba-Be/Bacon-Francis.html#ixzz1Ku0CMiPg

Pet peeves. Idea from my teacher Maria José G. Thanks a lot. 04/29/2011.

When you genuinely ask someone what's wrong (when there obviously is something wrong) and they respond half-hearted, "hmmm? oh nothing..."

Comic strip by Ed. Stein. 29-04-2011.

IDIOMS 29-04-2011. Year in, year out.

year in, year out

Meaning: If something has happened year in, year out, it's happened every year for many years in a row.

For example:

Our family gets together year in, year out at Christmas time. 

Let's go somewhere new. We've been going to the same old places year in, year out since we were married.

Quick Quiz:

If you do something year in, year out, you do it

all year long every year every second year

 englishclub.com

ID. Slang. 29-04-2011.

ID

Meaning: identification; a document that identifies someone, like a driver's licence or a passport

For example:

You'll have to show your ID to the guy at the door or they won't let you in. 

When you come for the exam, don't forget to bring some ID with your photo on it.

Note: pronounced "eye-dee"

Origin: short for "identification"

Quick Quiz:

You'll need to bring some ID, such as

a photo or drawing a licence or passport cash or credit cards source: englishclub.com

Play around. Phrasal verb. 29-04-2011.

play around (2) Informal

Meaning: to have sex with someone other than one's spouse or partner

For example:

play around Did you hear about Ben? His wife caught him playing around with the woman next door.

play around In several traditional societies, it's perfectly normal for married couples to play around. Nobody expects them to be loyal to their partners.

Quick Quiz:

After finding out that her husband had been playing around, Barbara decided to:

a)divorce him b)get a new hobby c)learn how to play

 source: englishclub.com

A fool and his money are soon parted, Saying. 04/29/2011. 29-04-2011.

A fool and his money are soon parted

Possible interpretation: Stupid people spend their money carelessly and soon become poor.

Note: fool (noun) = a silly person; someone who acts unwisely or without care | be parted (verb) = be separated

Quick Quiz:

"A fool and his money are soon parted" suggests that stupidity doesn't mix with

"A fool and his money are soon parted" suggests that stupidity doesn't mix with a)fools b)money c)partners     source: englishclub.com