Sunday, December 13, 2015

The Twelve Days of Christmas

Small Business Holiday Card Messages:

  1. Warmest greetings and best wishes for the new year
  2. May the magic and the wonder of the holiday season stay with you throughout the coming year
  3. Best wishes for a happy new year filled with health, happiness, and spectacular success
  4. Thank you for the gift of your friendship
  5. Tidings of Joy
  6. Peace on Earth. Best wishes for a wonderful holiday season and a new year filled with peace and happiness
  7. A World of Good Wishes. One of the real joys this holiday season is the opportunity to say thank you and wish you the very best for the new year
  8. Warmest thoughts and best wishes for a wonderful holiday and a very happy new year
  9. Wishing you the gifts of the season — Peace, Joy, Hope
  10. Merry Christmas
  11. Happy New Year. May you soar into the new year filled with health, happiness and prosperity
  12. Warm winter wishes for an enchanted holiday season
  13. Peace on Earth
  14. Happy holidays and best wishes for a wonderful new year
  15. Wishing you a festive holiday season and a very happy new year
  16. Joy! Celebrate the Season
  17. Happy Holidays. Wishing you every happiness this holiday season and through out the coming year
  18. Best wishes for a happy holiday season and a happy new year
  19. Happy Holidays
  20. Wishing you the gift of good cheer this holiday season
  21. Seasons greetings and warm wished for a happy new year
  22. Wishing you the joy of family, the gift of friends, and the best of everything in 2......
  23. Happy Holidays. Wishing you a beautiful holiday season and a new year of peace and happiness
  24. Warmest greetings of the season and best wishes for happiness in the new year
  25. Seasons Greetings. May your holidays be merry and bright
  26. Best Wishes. May every happiness be yours throughout the coming year
  27. Joy to the world
  28. Holiday cheer and a happy new year
  29. Wishing you a peaceful and joyous holiday
  30. Deck the halls with boughs of holly, wishing you a holiday so jolly!
  31. Wishing you a beautiful holiday season and a new year of peace and happiness
  32. Warm Holiday Wishes
  33. Seasons Greetings. In warm appreciation of our association during the past year, we extend our very best wishes for a  happy holiday season
  34. Best wishes for a happy holiday season and our sincere thanks for your loyalty and goodwill throughout the year
  35. May songs of joy fill your home with warmth and your heart with happiness this holiday season
  36. May the joy of the holiday be with you in the new year
  37. Celebrate the spirit of the season
  38. Here’s to a season filled with warmth, comfort and good cheer
  39. Noel. Peace and joy a Christmas and throughout the new year
  40. Joy. Best wishes for a holiday season filled with joy


Thursday, November 12, 2015

Words that Rhyme

Do you want to write a poem or a song? 
Look for words that rhyme. 

Click on the link to enter the Rhyme Zone.
Some examples:






Monday, November 9, 2015

Time Clauses: Grammar and Exercises

Future with time expressions 
(after, as soon as, before, till, when, while ... )

The time clauses in the English language are introduced by conjunctions such as after, as soon as, before, till, until, when, whenever, while or time expressions such as the minute, the moment, etc.

We do not use the future tense (will) in a time clause to describe future activities.



Compare:

  • I'll come back home and I'll do it.  
      I'll do it when I come back home.  (when I come is the time clause)
  • You will push this button and the door will open. 
       As soon as you push this button, the door will open.

  • Don't stand up. First I'll tell you. 

       Don't stand up till (until) I tell you.

  • You'll need my car. Take it. 

      Whenever you need my car, you can take it.

  • You'll tidy up the house and I'll do the shopping. 
       You'll tidy up the house while I do the shopping.

  • You will drop the bomb and it will explode. 
       The moment you drop the bomb, it will explode.

Similarly, other future forms also change to the present simple tense.

  • He is going to leave. The room will be empty. 

      As soon as he leaves, the room will be empty.

  • We are moving next week. Then we'll call you.
       When we move next week, we'll call you.

If we describe an action that is happening at the same time as another future action (the two activities are simultaneous), we use the present continuous tense in time clauses.


  • We are going to cut the grass. You'll pick the apples. 

       While we are cutting the grass, you'll pick the apples.

* The future perfect simple and continuous become the present perfect simple and continuous.


  • I'll have finished my grammar exercises in ten minutes. Then I'll go out. 

      After I have finished my grammar exercises, I'll go out.

  • They will have repaired our car by the weekend. And we will go on a trip. 
      As soon as they have repaired our car, we will go on a trip.

Exercise 1
Exercise 2
Exercise 3

                                                                                                                                                              (e-grammar.org)

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Guy Fawkes Day in the United Kingdom


Guy Fawkes Night celebrates the foiling of an attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London on November 5, 1605. The attack was planned by a group of Catholic conspirators, which included Guy Fawkes. The explosives would have been set off when King James I of England (King James VI of Scotland) and many parliamentary members were in the building. The conspirators were later arrested, tortured and executed.
The Guy Mask

Guy Fawkes Night is annually held on November 5. It is sometimes known as Bonfire Night and marks the anniversary of the discovery of a plot organized by Catholic conspirators to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London in 1605. Many people light bonfires and set off fireworks. 

What Do People Do?

light bonfires
set off fireworks

 

Popular foods:

 toffee apples

bonfire toffee

potatoes baked in the ashes of the fire

 The conspiration


 




Thursday, October 29, 2015

Halloween Trivia


Halloween is one of the most popular holidays of the year. But even if you have been celebrating it since you were a kid, how much do you really know about All Hallows Eve? 

Test your knowledge with these fun trivia questions:

1. What vegetable was traditionally carved before the pumpkin?

a. Beetroot
b. Melon
c. Turnip
d. Swede

2. What is the day after Halloween called?

a. All Sinners’ Day
b. All Saints’ Day
c. After Hallow’s Day
d. Hallowmass
 

3. What does the Halloween color orange represent?

a. The harvest
b. The twilight
c. The burning of spirits
d. The voice of spirits


4. What was the 6th most popular adult Halloween costume of 2009?

a. Bat
b. Pirate
c. Hangman
d. Cat
 

5. Apart from eating, how else are apples used on Halloween?

a. Bobbing for apples game
b. Good luck charms to hang on doors
c. Carve for miniature Jack O’ Lanterns
a. Protective potions using apples

6. Why do you wear masks on Halloween?

a. To protect our faces in case the dead attacks us
b. To keep the dead from recognizing the living
c. To protect the dead from seeing us happy
d. To stop the dead from touching our faces

7. How long does it take a pumpkin to grow?

a. 30-60 days
b. 40-80 days
b. 60-90 days
d. 90-120 days
 

8. Halloween is the third largest US party day of the year. Which is the second?

a. Christmas Day
b. Super Bowl Sunday
c. Thanksgiving
d. New Year’s Eve

9. Barnbrack is a traditional Halloween food. What is it?

a. A fruit cake
b. A meat dish
c. A pumpkin punch
d. A special bread
 

10. How do you spell ‘Sow-en’, the Celtic harvest festival where Halloween originated?

a. S-O-W-H-U-A-N
b. S-A-H-M-H-E-N
c. S-A-M-H-A-I-N
d. S-A-R-H-A-R-N

11. Jerry Ayers is the world’s fastest pumpkin carver. How fast was he?

a. 22 seconds
b. 37 seconds
c. 45 seconds
d. 53 seconds

12. In England, are white cats believed to be?

a. Bad luck
b. Good luck
c. Devil’s luck
d. Spirit protection

13. What was the trick originally in ‘trick or treat’?

a. Knock on the door and then run away
b. Throw water at the person opening the door
c. Sing a song to the person giving you the candy
d. Recite a good luck protection spell

14. What is Nos Calan Gaeaf?

a. Halloween in Irish
b. Halloween in French
c. Halloween in Icelandic
d. Halloween in Welsh

15. What does the color black signify in Halloween?

a. Death
b. Darkness
c. Uncertainty
d. The Devil

16. The pumpkin is related to the potato…
True?
or
False?

17. Halloween is the second most commercially successful holiday after what?
a. Easter
b. New Year’s
c. Christmas
d. Thanksgiving

18. Why do we ring a bell on Halloween?

a. To welcome the spirits
b. To scary away the spirits
c. To dance with the spirits
d. To comfort the spirits

19. Who was Jack O’Lantern?
a. A banished demon
b. A mischievous elf
c. A guardian angel
d. A shifty villain

20. In question 10, I asked you to spell ‘Sow-en’ (‘sow’ rhymes with ‘cow’). What does ‘Sow-en’ mean?

a. End of summer
b. Start of autumn
c. End of sunlight
d. End of autumn

 Click on the links for more trivia games


Kid Halloween Costumes 
Trivia Quiz 1 
 Halloween Origin trivia quiz – Answers

Halloween Fun Facts



The Origin of Halloween
The origin of Halloween can be traced back to the Celts, a tribe that resided in Ireland and Northern France. The Celts’ lives were dependent upon farming and thus, they worshipped nature. The Celts were superstitious. They believed that the winter season brought death. The last day of October marked the end of summer because November was the beginning of winter. The Celts celebrated the last day of October and believed the dead would visit them, so they left food and drink outside their homes for the spirits of the dead. Halloween is thought to have originated around 4000 B.C., which means Halloween has been around for over 6,000 years!
 
Samhain
Halloween Facts
Halloween, like any other time of celebration that has been around for a while, has many fun facts associated with it. Read through our list to become familiar with all the fun Halloween trivia.

The Origin of the Word “Witch”
The word “witch” comes from the Old English wicce, meaning “wise woman.” The plural for wicce is wiccan. Wiccan were highly respected people at one time. According to popular belief, witches held one of their two main meetings, or sabbats, on Halloween night.

Owls and Halloween
Owls are associated with Halloween because, in Medieval Europe, owls were thought to be witches. To hear an owl’s call meant someone was about to die.

Jack O’ Lanterns
Jack O’ Lanterns are pumpkins with a lighted candle inside. According to Irish legend, Jack O’ Lanterns are named after a stingy man named Jack who, because he tricked the devil several times, was forbidden entrance into both heaven and hell. Therefore, he was condemned to wander the Earth, waving his lantern to lead people away from their paths.


The Origin of Bonfires
During the celebration of Samhain, bonfires were lit to ensure the sun would return after the long, hard winter. Often Druid priests would throw the bones of cattle into the flames – “bone fire” became “bonfire.”

The History of Candy Corn
Candy Corn was invented by George Renninger, a candy maker at the Wunderle Candy Company of Philadelphia in the 1880s. Candy Corn was originally called “butter cream candies” and “chicken feed” because corn was commonly used as food for livestock. They even had a rooster on the candy boxes. Candy Corn had no association with Halloween or fall, and was sold seasonally from March to November. After World War II, advertisers began marketing it as a special Halloween treat due to its colors that match those of the fall harvest.

The History of Trick-or-Treating
Trick-or-treating has been around for a long time, with versions existing since medieval times. Originally, it was called “guising” and children and poor adults wore costumes and begged for food or money in exchange for songs or prayers during Hallowmas. This practice was also called “souling.”

Halloween Superstitions

·         Scottish girls believed they could see images of their future husband if they hung wet sheets in front of the fire on Halloween.
·         Some girls believed they would see their boyfriend’s faces if they looked into mirrors while walking downstairs at midnight on Halloween.
·         If a person wears their clothes inside out and then walks backwards on Halloween, they will see a witch at midnight.
·         Girls who place the apple they bobbed for under their pillows are said to dream of their future love.
Apple bobbing

Halloween Fun Facts


  • Agatha Christie’s mystery novel Halloween Party is about a girl who is drowned in an apple-bobbing tub.
  • In the United States, the first citywide celebration of Halloween was in Anoka, Minnesota in 1921.
  • More than 93% of children under the age of 12 go trick-or-treating.
  • Orange and black are Halloween colors because orange is associated with fall harvest and black is associated with darkness and death.
  • Over $1.5 billion is spent on costumes each year and more than $2.5 billion on other Halloween paraphernalia
  • Halloween is the second most commercially successful holiday; Christmas is the first.
  • Tootsie Rolls was the first individually wrapped penny candy in the US.
  • Halloween candy sales average about $2 billion annually in the United States and it is the largest candy-purchasing holiday.
  • Chocolate candy bars top the list as the most popular candy for trick-or-treaters with Snickers first.
  • Pumpkins are not only orange, but also white, blue, and green.
  • Black cats were once evil omens thought to be spirits of witches, or a witch’s familiar who protected their powers.
  • Apple bobbing is believed to have originated from a Roman harvest festival held in honor of Pomona, the goddess of fruit trees.
  • Vampires are mythical creatures who defy death by sucking the blood of humans.
  • Vampire bats do exist, but they are not from Transylvania. They live in South and Central America, and thrive on the blood of cattle, horses, and birds.
  • The common little brown bat of North America has the longest life span for a mammal its size – an average of 32 years.
  • If you see a spider on Halloween, it is considered a good luck, as it means the spirit of a loved one is guarding you.
  • The 1978 blockbuster, Halloween, was only made in 21 days on a very limited budget.
  • Hundreds of vampire clubs and societies exist and claim to have real vampires as their members.
  • In 1962, the Count Dracula Society was founded.
  • About 50% of adults dress up for Halloween
  • Sixty-seven percent of adults take part in Halloween activities, such as parties, decorating the house, and trick-or-treating with their children.
  • 86% of Americans decorate their house for Halloween.
  • Over 10% of pet owners dress their pets in Halloween costumes.
  • The Ouija Board ended up outselling the game of Monopoly in its first full year at Salem. Over two million copies of the Ouija Board were shipped.
  • The first Halloween card was made in the early 1920’s.
  • More than 35 million pounds of candy corn will be for Halloween. That equates to nearly 9 billion pieces – enough to circle the moon nearly 4 times if laid end-to-end.
  • The tradition of making Jack O’ Lanterns to ward off evil spirits is thousands of years old. Jack o’ Lanterns originated in Ireland where people placed candles in hollowed-out turnips to keep away spirits and ghosts on the Samhain holiday.
  • Halloween was brought to North America by immigrants from Europe, who celebrated the harvest around a bonfire, shared ghost stories, sang, danced, and told fortunes.
  • The ancient Celts, who thought that spirits and ghosts roamed the countryside on Halloween night, began wearing masks and costumes to avoid being recognized as human.
  • The fear of Halloween is known as Samhainopobia.
 QUESTIONS


Set 1 

1.                  In which country did Halloween originate?
2.                  Which Catholic Church holiday is Halloween linked to?
3.                  What was the name of Dracula’s sidekick?
4.                  From which words did ‘bonfire’ originate?
5.                  What does the name Dracula mean?
6.                  What was Dracula’s real name?
7.                  Who was the first actor to play Wolf Man?
8.                  Which phobia means you have an intense fear of Halloween?
9.                  Out of which vegetable were Jack O’ Lanterns originally made?
10.               Every Halloween, Charlie Brown helps his friend Linus wait for what character to appear?

Set 2
1.                  According to superstition, if you stare into a mirror at midnight on Halloween, what will you see?
2.                  From which region in the world do pumpkins originate?
3.                  Who wrote the novel Frankenstein?
4.                  Transylvania is a region in which country?
5.                  Halloween has its origins in which ancient Celtic festival?
6.                  Which actor played Dr. Frank-n-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show?
7.                  Is a pumpkin a fruit or a vegetable?
8.                  What is the significance of seeing a spider on Halloween?
9.                  Which country celebrates the Day of the Dead starting at midnight on Oct. 31?
10.               According to superstition, a person born on Halloween has what particular ability?

Set 3
1.                  Who directed The Nightmare before Christmas?
2.                  Which vampire said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m going to give you the choice I never had.”
3.                  How many people were hanged during the Salem Witch Trials?
4.                  Who is said to haunt the White House Rose Garden?
5.                  Pumpkins can be orange, white, green, or what other color?
6.                  In The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, how many people are killed with a chainsaw?
7.                  What’s the body count for the film Halloween?
8.                  Which year was the movie Freaks made?
9.                  In the original Alien film, how many alien eggs were made for the egg chamber inside the downed spacecraft?
10.               How many Oscars was Psycho nominated for?

                                                                                                                                                                 Adapted from http://icebreakerideas.com 
ANSWERS

Monday, October 26, 2015

Boo — A short film about Halloween, ghosts, and poop

Anyone who saw the original "Halloween" film can tell you that babysitting on Halloween night doesn't' always go as planned. In "Boo," a short film by Michael J. Goldberg, a young babysitter played by comedian Eliza Skinner encounters a trick-or-treating ghost who just won't leave her alone. And yes, hilarity ensues!
As if it's not enough to leave a bag of flaming excrement on the doorstep, this particular ghost plays some of the most elaborate pranks we've ever seen played on a babysitter. Wait until the end to see just who's behind the white sheet. Oh, and P.S.: ghosts can do lots of cool stuff!  (huffingtonpost)

WATCH:

Halloween Quiz (with answers)


ANSWERS

Halloween with Disney


Halloween Vocabulary


Sunday, October 25, 2015

Wishing 'happy birthday' in English. Some quotes

http://languagelearningbase.com

  • Birthdays are a new start, a fresh beginning, and a time to pursue new endeavors with new goals. Move forward with confidence and courage. You’re a very special person. May today and all of your days be amazing! 
  • Count the age, not the wrinkles you have. Count the blessings and wonderful experiences you’ve had, not the mistakes you’ve made.
  • Forget the past; look forward to the future, for the best things are yet to come.
  • Happy Birthday to a person that’s charming, talented and witty, and reminds me a lot of myself.
  • A birthday is a most special day in one’s life. Enjoy yours to its fullest.
  • It’s your birthday and you’re still just as beautiful, genuine and kind as the day I met you. Wishing you a Happy Birthday with gratitude.
  • My birthday wish for you is that you continue to love life and never stop dreaming. May beauty and happiness surround you, not only on your special day, but always.
  • The advantage of old age is that you get to spread your love to many others.
  • Words alone are not enough to express how happy I am you are celebrating another year of your life! My wish for you on your birthday is that you are, and will always be, happy and healthy! Don’t ever change.
  • Have a wonderful, happy, healthy birthday now and forever. Happy Birthday!


Apostrophe in Saxon Genitive


Thursday, October 22, 2015

Sight (A Futuristic Short Film)

A brilliant and disturbing short sci-fi film by Eran May-raz and Daniel Lazo, imagines a world in which Google Glass-inspired apps are everywhere.
 Is this the future waiting for us? Will technology make us free or slaves? Are we starting to risk too much in this race?


 Click here to see the video +  transcript and description

                                                                                                                   multimedia-english

Evanescence-Bring Me To Life lyrics

Rihanna Stay Lyrics

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Socializing at an office party

Socializing with co-workers is an important part of building good relationships, but it can be awkward if you find yourself at a loss for words. Fortunately, there are some great techniques for this situation that you can learn and practice.

Socializing at an office party 1
Socializing at an office party 2
                                                                                                             businessenglishpod.com      

Socializing

 
Click on the links to listen and read the conversations.



  • Going to a Party

  •                                                                                                                           eslfast.com                                                                             

    Thursday, October 15, 2015

    At the Store

    Here are some sample phrases and expression you might use at a store.

    When you enter the store/start a conversation with the clerk:
     
    What a clerk might say:
    May I help you?
    Can I help you?
    Can I help you find something?
    What can I do for you?
    What a customer might say:
    Excuse me. Do you work here?
    Can I ask you something?

    What a customer might respond:

      Yes. I'm looking for ________________.
      Do you have any ___________ (s)?
      Can you tell me where the ___________is/are?
    When you check out/leave the store: Clerk:
      Did you find everything you needed?
      Did you find what you were looking for?
      Did you find everything okay?
      Will that be all (for today)?
      Is that everything?
      (Will there be) anything else?
    Customer:  

    Wednesday, October 7, 2015

    LOVE VOCABULARY



    Here is some vocabulary to describe some of the different stages of a relationship

    Chat up - starting a relationship
    to chat (somebody) up - to talk to somebody in the hope of starting a romantic or sexual relationship
    to flirt (with somebody) - to behave playfully towards another person who you are - or pretend to be - attracted to romantically or sexually
    a flirt - a person who likes to flirt
    a blind date - a meeting (arranged by a third party) with a person you might be interested in romantically but who you have never met before


    lonely hearts
    small ads (in newspapers, magazines or on the internet) which give a short description of a person you would like to date. To save space, some of these abbreviations are used:
    WLTM - would like to meet
    GSOH - good sense of humour
    LTR - long-term relationship


    Loved up - being in a relationship
    to be smitten with somebody - to be deeply affected by your love for somebody
    to fall for somebody - to fall in love with somebody
    it was love at first sight -  two people fell in love with each other as soon as they met 
    to get engaged/married
    I can hear wedding bells - I suspect that they are going to get married soon


    terms of endearment
    names people in love give each other or call each other:

    darling
    sweetheart
    love
    pet
    babe/baby
    cutey pie
    honey bunny 


    Break up - finishing a relationship
    they are having a domestic (informal) - they are having an argument
    they have blazing rows - they have very serious, often noisy arguments

    (s)he is playing away from home - (s)he is having an affair
    to break up with somebody - to finish a relationship with somebody
    to split up - to break up
    to dump somebody - to finish a relationship with somebody without much thought for the other person

    break-up lines
    (fixed) expressions, often sweet or apologetic, used to tell a partner that the relationship is finished or is going to finish:
    We need to talk
    I just need some space
    It's not you, it's me
    I hope that we can always be friends
    This is hurting me more than it is hurting you
    It's not enough that we love each other
    It simply wasn't meant to be

    A secret admirer
    Someone who fancies someone else but keeps it a secret


                                                                                                                      Adapted from BBC English

    WATCH THE VIDEO AND TELL THE STORY