JERRY-BUILT

jerry-built     badly or hastily built with materials of poor quality 

Photocopies from 20th December 2016



Richard Ford: OK to Say Negro from Louisiana Channel on Vimeo.

THE DAILY GRIND

the daily grind  (someone's) everyday work routine; an activity that is tiring or boring and takes a lot of time

   I'm getting very tired of the daily grind.

   When my vacation was over, I had to go back to the daily grind.

Photocopies from 13th December
Photocopies from 15th December 
Sea lions_video 1
Sea lions_video 2
Sea lions_video 3

NO MATCH FOR HER

to be no match for someone/something to be not as good, strong, clever etc as someone you are competing against; to be easily defeated by someone; if one person or thing is no match for another, they are unable to compete successfully with the other person or thing:

Despite thorough preparation, England’s cricketers were no match for India.

He was no match for his opponent

I was no match for a man with such power

Hand-held guns proved no match for heavy armor

BEING ON THE SAME PAGE

to be on the same page informal. (of two or more people) having a similar understanding or way of thinking; to understand and agree with what is being done or suggested; to agree with someone or something; agree, go along with, concur, think in a similar way

[Usage notes: usually said about efforts made to solve a problem.]

≈ to be on the same wavelength, to be of one mind about sth, to see eye to eye, ...

   I think we’re all on the same page

   Louisa said she called the meeting to make sure everybody's on the same page.

   Parents should be on the same page about raising their children.

Photocopies from 29th November

TED talk: BE GRATEFUL TO BE HAPPY 

IT PAYS TO BE GOOD

to pay (of a business, activity, or an attitude) be profitable or advantageous:

[without object] Crime never pays

[with infinitive] It pays to be nice

              It never pays to take risks where human safety is concerned.

grammar test 24th November
answer key

WITH ALL THE TRIMMINGS

the trimmings  informal The traditional accompaniments to something, especially a meal:
   I look forward to roast turkey with all the trimmings.
   They were married with all the trimmings

BBC/Learning English/The English We Speak


Photocopies from 22nd November 1
Photocopies from 22nd November 2

RUN THE GAMUT

the gamut the whole range of things that can be included in something:

         In her stories she expresses the whole gamut of emotions, from happiness to sorrow.

to run the gamut to experience or show the whole range of something:

Jonson has run the gamut of hotel work, from porter to owner of a large chain of hotels.

photocopies from 17th November 

Creature Comforts_Being a bird

NAMED AFTER A FAMOUS PERSON

to name sb/sth  after sb/sth  (US also to name sb/sth for sb/sth) to give someone or something the same name as another person or thing:

   Paul was named after his grandfather.

   She told us about his brother, Apollo, born in 1969 and named for the US astronauts' mission to the moon.

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lgdyy/my_wife_is_pregnant_and_wants_to_name_the_baby/ 


C1 listening test_Galicia_2013_questions
C1 listening test_Galicia_2013_audio
C1 listening test_Galicia_2013_answer key

Photocopies from 8th November
Photocopies from 10th November 

BAR-HOPPING

to barhop  informal  (intransitive), barhopped, barhopping.   to go to a succession of bars or nightclubs, with a brief stay at each.

photocopies from 3rd November  

translation cards_second lot

Where there's a will, there's a way 

A SOFT TOUCH

soft touch  noun  (informal) a person who is easily  imposed upon, duped, influenced, or convinced, esp to give or  lend money.

photocopies from 27th October

Ted talk: instant vs delayed gratification

CAUGHT ON THE HOP

catch sb on the hop   to do something when someone is not ready for it and is not able to deal with it:

    I'm afraid you've caught me on the hop - I wasn't expecting you until next week.

 

photocopies from 25th October 

radio programme about homework 

HARVEST MOON

harvest moon    

The Harvest Moon is the full Moon nearest the start of fall or the autumnal equinox. This usually means it’s the September full Moon though it can also fall in early October, coming anywhere from two weeks before to two weeks after the equinox.

WHAT MAKES THE HARVEST MOON DIFFERENT?

There are just a fraction over 12 complete Moon cycles every year, on average (there being about 29.53 days in a synodic month). The Harvest Moon isn’t like the other Moons. Usually, throughout the year, the Moon rises an average of about 50 minutes later each day. But near the autumnal equinox, the difference is only 30 minutes.

Also,the Full Harvest Moon rises at sunset and then will rise near sunset for several nights in a row because the difference is at a yearly minimum. It may almost seem as if there are full Moons multiple nights in a row!

The abundance of bright moonlight early in the evening was a traditional aide to harvest crews, hence the “Harvest” Moon. Now you know!

photocopies from 20th October

speaking cards: first lot

WOLF WHISTLING

wolf whistle

A sound made with pursed lips in appreciation of superior beauty. It is in two parts; the first a rising note and the second a falling note. A wolf was a man on the hunt for women.

A chorus of wolf whistles emerged from the construction site as she walked by swinging her young, round hips.

by Eric Peterson July 07, 2005

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=wolf%20whistle

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/jul/15/is-wolf-whistling-a-woman-set-to-become-a-hate-crime 

Photocopies from 18th October

ALLEY CAT

alley cat  noun    a cat that lives on the streets; a homeless, usually mongrel, cat that scavenges for food in alleys, streets, etc.;  a stray cat;  a feral cat.
   photocopies from 13th October 

HOUSEHOLD NAME

Photocopies from 11th October

Article about pester power 

PESTER POWER

pester power  (also known as "the nag factor") 

noun

informal

1. the ability of children to pressurize their parents into buying them products, especially items advertised in the media.

   Photocopies  from 6th October 

   Audio about Toronto's raccoons 

I DIDN'T TAKE KINDLY TO HIS COMMENTS

(not) to take kindly to something [also (not) to take well to something]

(not) to willingly accept a particular behavior or activity; (not) to like something that someone says or does; (not) to be receptive to, attracted by, or pleased with:

Be careful what you say to Mike - he doesn't take kindly to criticism.

                                                                                                                                             noun

I didn't take kindly to being thrown out of the team.

                                                   v-ing

Emma doesn't take kindly to being told what to do.

                                                                    v-ing

I don't think the state would take kindly to the mental-health system being taken over by a judge.

                                                                                                              object                          v-ing

Henry won't take kindly to your    stepping on his newly planted grass

                                                                         possessive         v-ing

                                                                          pronoun

Henry won't take kindly to you   stepping on his newly planted grass

                                                                          object         v-ing

                                                                          pronoun

In general, Renee doesn't take well to change.

                                                                                         noun

Photocopies from 4th October

THE DONE THING

the done thing  or  not the done thing  are idiomatic expressions that are used to refer to what is or is not socially acceptable, politically correct.

Photocopies from 19th May 
Answer key to activity from 10th May 

NOT TO BE SNIFFED AT

Not to be sniffed at   good enogh to be accepted or considered seriously 

Photocopies from 17th May 

DOOMED FROM THE START

doomed   adj  somebody or something that is doomed  is certain to fail or be destroyed; destined to an unhappy end.

                   I used to pour time and energy into projects that were doomed from the start.  

                                                    

photocopies from 12th May 

listening test
   QUESTIONS               AUDIO 1   AUDIO 2               ANSWER KEY    

"Chrissie Hynde was right"

    




































   (Source:  https://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/music/chrissie-hynde-no-regrets-about-rape-comments/2015/09/03/de321e0c-5277-11e5-8c19-0b6825aa4a3a_story.html ) 

LIKE TWO PEAS IN A POD

Photocopies from 10th May

Who is Mrs Mills? 

Photo

Some of Mrs Mills' pieces of advice  

Lots of different writing tasks for you to choose ONE to be handed on 17th May

Listening (and watching) activity 
   Questions      Videos    answer key   

OPEN AND ABOVEBOARD

open and aboveboard

[also honest and aboveboard] Candid and fair, without deceit or trickery, as in

I'll join you, but only if everything remains open and aboveboard.

Both versions of this expression are redundancies, since they use 'open' and 'aboveboard' in the sense of “honest.” The latter word, dating from the early 1600s, comes from gambling and alludes to the fact that card players who do not keep their hands on the table (board) may be suspected of changing their cards under the table.

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/open-and-aboveboard

Listening activity we did on 5th May:  

    questions    audio     answer key    transcript 

Listening activity to do as homework: 

    questions    audio     answer key     transcript

(Both activities are part of the Listening test from the 2013 C1 Prueba de Certificación used in Extremadura) 

CAUTIONARY TALE

A cautionary tale is a tale told in folklore, to warn its hearer of a danger. There are three essential parts to a cautionary tale, though they can be introduced in a large variety of ways:

● First, a taboo or prohibition is stated: some act, location, or thing is said to be dangerous.

● Then, the narrative itself is told: someone disregarded the warning and performed the forbidden act.

● Finally, the violator comes to an unpleasant fate, which is frequently related in expansive and grisly detail.

(Source: Wikipedia) 

Photocopies from 28th April 

Photocopies from 3rd May 

Want to hear what Chrissie Hynde said about her controversial comments on her sexual assault? 

Listen to it!  

BY THE SKIN OF YOUR TEETH

by the skin of your teeth

  (informal)

• if you do something by the skin of your teeth, you only just succeed in doing it;
• by the smallest margin; just barely.;
• used to describe a situation from which one barely managed to escape -or, conversely, a situation in which one failed to win by a very narrow margin.;
• we usually say it when we have done something just in the nick of time or avoided/missed something by a very narrow margin, by a hair's breath.

 We escaped by the skin of our teeth.

England held on by the skin of their teeth to win 1-0.

I got to the airport a few minutes late and missed the plane by the skin of my teeth.

Lloyd escaped from the burning building by the skin of his teeth.

Photocopies from 26th April 

Oral presentations: what makes a good presentation?  VIDEO

Radio programmes about snoring: 
-- NPR 
-- BBC
-- Woman's Hour 
-- New Zealand Radio 

UPWARDS IN AGE

upward(s)

4: toward or into later years

...from youth upward

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upward

(adjective)

6. moving or tending upward; directed at or situated in a higher place or position.

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/upwards

5. To or into later life.

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/upwards

Photocopies from 21st April

Nola, the northern white rhino_TRANSCRIPT

Instructions for essay

Thesis statements: 
     http://www.cws.illinois.edu/workshop/writers/tips/thesis

     http://www.engvid.com/how-to-write-an-effective-essay/

   

WORDY expressions:
     http://www.eslwriting.org/25-wordy-expressions/