T18-17-11-08.qxd
16.11.2008
15:14
Page 1
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Worry gives a small thing a big shadow.”
Swedish proverb
elementary
OSMAN TURHAN
READING
My friend Peter
advanced
ILLUSTRATIONS
My friend's name is Peter. Peter is from Amsterdam, in Holland. He is Dutch. He
is married and has two children. His wife, Jane, is American. She is from Boston in
the United States. Her family is still in Boston, but she now works and lives with
Peter in Milan. They speak English, Dutch, German and Italian! Their children are
pupils at a local primary school. The children go to school with other children
from all over the world. Flora, their daughter, has friends from France,
Switzerland, Austria and Sweden. Hans, their son, goes to school with students
from South Africa, Portugal, Spain and Canada. Of course, there are many children from Italy. Imagine, French, Swiss, Austrian, Swedish, South African,
American, Italian, Spanish and Canadian children all learning together in Italy!
PART 1: Comprehension
PART 2: True (T) or False (F)
Answer the questions.
Match the words with their definitions.
1. Jane is Canadian. ___
2. Peter is Dutch. ___
3. There are many children from different countries at the school.___
4. There are children from Australia at
the school.___
1. Where is Peter from?
2. Where is his wife from?
3. Where are they now?
4. Where is her family?
5. What are the children's names?
Elementary Activity
Fill the gaps with for, so that or to.
1. You should warm clothes…………….the weekend trip.
2. I am going out …………….get some milk.
3. I will buy a map………….I won’t get lost.
4. Let’s stop………….a cup of coffee.
5. We will go early…………get a good place.
6. I always come early…………I can have a cup of coffee before the class.
7. Speaking activities are good…………students.
8. I want to go to London………...see my family.
9. She is doing her homework on the bus………....her teacher doesn’t get
angry.
10. She studied really hard………….pass her exams.
ýntermedýate
READING
A nation of nicknames
Americans have a great love for informality, and
nowhere is this better expressed than in their love for
nicknames. Upon greeting strangers for the first time,
they will quickly introduce themselves by their nickname. These are shortened forms of their given name at
birth and reflect the casual relationships which exist
among friends and coworkers. Family names are hardly
ever used in daily situations and the use of one's father's
last name is saved only for rare and formal occasions.
In many traditional cultures, the use of the family
name is seen as a sign of respect. For Americans, however, it's the nickname that creates an immediate intimacy between two people upon which to build a relationship. By speaking to another on a first name basis
and using his nickname, walls are immediately torn
down and equality between two people is established.
At work, bosses will refer to their employees
by their nicknames. Should an employer use a
worker's family name, you can be sure that some
kind of correction or serious business will follow.
This love for nicknames can create a sense of closeness between people who are otherwise not related. Even
the presidents of the United States have borne nicknames.
Abraham Lincoln was known as Honest Abe, Franklin
Delano Roosevelt was simple called FDR; Eisenhower was
referred to informally as Ike; Richard Nixon was scorned
as Tricky Dick; President Reagan was affectionately called
The Gipper. John F. Kennedy was known as Jack or JFK
and William Clinton has no reservations in letting people
know he prefers to be called Bill, but those who look upon
him with disfavor may call him Slick Willy.
Not only people but also cities often carry their
own nicknames. Chicago is called the "Windy City"
because of the gusty winds which come down from
Canada throughout the year. Philadelphia is wellknown as the "City of Brotherly Love," St. Louis with
its Gateway Arch is called "The Gateway to the West,"
and New York City is considered the "Big Apple" for
reasons which are still obscure to most people, including many New Yorkers. Other cities are merely abbreviations for the sake of convenience. Washington is
simply called D.C., and Los Angeles is LA
When it comes to states within the Union,
there is no exception. All of them have a nickname. Especially noteworthy are New York as The
Empire State and Texas as The Lone Star State.
Even some of the natural wonders of the land have
been baptized with a nickname. Perhaps the most famous in this regard is the geyser at Yellowstone National
Park in Wyoming. Because it erupts on a regular basis
and without fail, it has been nicknamed Old Faithful.
Not every nickname, however, is a complement, and some can be downright rude and insulting. If someone should demonstrate a certain negative characteristic, a label will soon be attached to
describe that person in a non-flattering way.
Likewise, a person's physical traits which are very
dominant may lead to nicknames but not necessarily
to one's liking or choice. A nickname, therefore, is a
way of endearing, identifying, alienating or describing someone or something for better or worse.
Choose the correct answer
PART 2: True or false?
1. Why do Americans prefer to use nicknames when addressing one another?
a. Nicknames are easy to remember.
b. Americans are an informal people.
c. Nicknames help to create an informed casual relationship.
d. Nicknames are easy to use in daily life.
2. When do Americans prefer to use their family names?
a. When they are working.
b. When writing a business letter.
c. On formal occasions.
d. When they are in trouble.
3. How do many traditional societies see the use of one's family name?
a. It is a way to keep distant from another person.
b. It is seen as a sign of respect.
c. It is a sign of importance. d. It is a sign of gratitude.
4. How do many American employers refer to their employees?
a. By their job title.
b. By their family name.
c. By their work number.
d. By their first or nickname.
5. Which American president was referred to as "The Gipper"?
a. Ronald Reagan
b. John F. Kennedy
c. William Clinton
d. Franklin Delano
6. Which American city is nicknamed “The Windy City”?
a. Los Angeles
b. New York
c. Philadelphia d. Chicago
7. Which American city is called the “City of Brotherly Love”?
a. Philadelphia
b. Chicago
c. New York d. Washington, D.C.
8. What is nicknamed "Old Faithful"?
a. The 16th president of the United States b. St. Louis with its Gateway Arch
c. a geyser in Yellowstone National Park d. One of the States in the Union
9. Which of the following is true?
a. All nicknames have a positive meaning. b. All nicknames have a negative meaning.
c. Nicknames are endearing.
d. All nicknames can be either positive or negative.
10. Why is New York City called "The Big Apple"?
a. Because of the McIntosh Apple Computers produced there.
b. Because people sold apples on street corners during the Depression.
c. People are not really sure of the origin of this term.
d. Because New York is a city of great temptations.
1. Americans never use their family names. _______
2. Washington State is commonly referred to as “D.C.” ________
3. Some nicknames are offensive. __________
4. “Ike” was President Eisenhower’s first name. _________
5. Texas is known as “the Lone Star State.” ___________
apprehend v. To capture
The police apprehended the robbery suspect as he tried
to get on a bus to Chicago.
Parts of speech apprehension n
ascertain v. To make sure of
The police failed to ascertain that the man they arrested
was the
Gregory Brown they were really looking for.
Usage tips Ascertain is often followed by a that clause.
Notice that the root of the word is the adjective certain,
meaning “sure.”
bureaucratic adj. Related to a large organization with a
lot of complicated procedures
Before I could speak with the chief, I had to go through a
Beware!
Divorce is once again on the rise in
the United States. The same old
problems are responsible for the increase -– financial, family, romance,
etc. Why people marry nowadays in
the US is anyone’s guess.
Four out of five of my closest
friends in the United States are divorced. A host of reasons was responsible for their separations, none of
which needs to be deliberated here.
The primary purpose of this article is
for me to tell the women of the world
to stay away from my four friends.
Each of them is a predator, and the end
result of any attempt at a relationship
with one of them will result in disaster.
Let me explain this to you in detail.
Jon
He is always dressed to the
nines. Why? He’s totally loaded
(enough so that he has to pay his wife
$1,000 a week for alimony). Jon
works until the wee hours, then takes
off his tie and parties like there is no
tomorrow. The little time he would
have for you would be spent with his
BlackBerry. Or maybe his secretary.
Dom
This good friend is a weight lifter and
adventurer. If you want to keep him
happy, you had better be in continuous
perpetual motion. He’s 48, and is involved in Ironman competitions. This
might mean a trip to Jamaica, but instead
of chilling out on the beach, you’ll be
cheering him on from the sidelines.
John
John has many issues, but the worst
one is he’s a calculating killjoy with personality problems. He’s the type who
might stand at a bar wondering what
certain girls are doing with the guys they
are with when after all, they could be
with him. He always feels he’s being
overlooked and would be completely
unaware of any attention given to him.
Rick
Rick also has money and loves to
flaunt it. He scores his women with entertaining small talk. This guy is big trouble. He can pull anything off because of
his over-confidence. He might shower
you with attention, but there will be others he is doing the same thing to.
There you have it, girls. If you are
ever in Cortland, N.Y., beware of guys
with the above names. Especially if they
say they are friends of mine.
PART 1: Fill in the blanks.
1. host _____
a. single
b. multitude
2. to deliberate _____
a. to discuss
b. to interrogate
3. predator _____
a. herbivore
b. omnivore
4. dressed to the nines _____
a. in pajamas
b. nude
5. alimony _____
a. food
b. rent
6. wee _____
a. very late
b. very early
7. to chill out _____
a. to relax
b. to get cold
8. killjoy _____
a. acrobat
b. entertainer
9. to flaunt _____
a. to spend
b. to invest
10. to score _____
a. pick at
b. to pick out
c. book
d. summary
c. eliminate
d. to ideate
c. parasite
d. carnivore
c. in a swin suit
d. dressed nicely
c. loans
d. support
c. on time
d. hourly
c. to swim
d. to sail
c. drunkard
d. spoilsport
c. to broadcast
d. to give away
c. to pick on
d. to pick up
PART 2: Answer true or false.
1. All of the author’s friends are divorced. _____
2. The author’s friends would be perfect for any woman looking for a relationship. _____
3. Jon usually leaves work early. _____
4. Dom is your basic “couch potato.”
5. Rick is full of confidence. _____
Intermediate activity
Choose the Correctly Capitalized Sentence
Circle the correct answer.
1. Choose the correctly capitalized sentence.
a. There is something wrong with this cheese. b. there is something wrong with this cheese.
2. Choose the correctly capitalized sentence.
a. I visited California on my vacation.
b. I visited california on my vacation.
3. Choose the correctly capitalized sentence.
a. My friend lives in south Carolina.
b. My friend lives in South Carolina.
4. Choose the correctly capitalized sentence.
a. She lives in europe.
b. She lives in Europe.
5. Choose the correctly capitalized sentence.
a. Do you prefer Coke or Pepsi?
b. Do you prefer coke or pepsi?
6. Choose the correctly capitalized sentence.
a. I prefer to watch CNN whenever possible. b. I prefer to watch cnn whenever possible.
7. Choose the correctly capitalized sentence.
a. Elkton is the most beautiful city in Oregon. b. Elkton is the most beautiful city in oregon.
8. Choose the correctly capitalized question.
a. Do you have any time on monday?
b. Do you have any time on Monday?
9. Choose the correctly capitalized sentence.
a. The Neighborhood Players are presenting a musical next week.
b. The neighborhood players are presenting a musical next week.
10. Choose the correctly capitalized question.
a. Do you speak russian?
b. Do you speak Russian?
Advanced Activity
Sentence Changes
Complete the second sentence so that it is similar in meaning to the first sentence.
1. Tom understood immediately. -> Tom understood ________.
a. first of all
b. the very first time
c. first and last
2. You must never take your helmet off while you are riding a motorcycle. -> Helmets must be
worn _____ when riding a motorcycle.
a. all times
b. all the times
c. at all times
3. They wanted to apologize for their behavior: that's why they paid for dinner. -> They paid
for dinner ______ for their behavior.
a. in order for apologize
b. in order to apologize
c. order to apologize
4. It isn't necessary to bring skis as they are included in the package. -> You _____ bring skis as
they are included in the package.
a. have to
b. must have to
c. don’t have to
5. I thought parking was allowed here. -> I _____ that parking was allowed here.
a. under the impression
b. was under the impression
c. am under the impression
FRIDAY’S
ANSWER KEY
VOCABULARY
Must Have TOEFL Words
READING
bureaucratic runaround of identity checks and written
requests.
Usage tips Bureaucratic implies that something is inefficient and unnecessarily complicated.
Parts of speech bureaucracy n
Pun of the day
The man who fell into an
upholstery machine is
fully recovered.
condemn v. To speak out against something in very
strong terms
Religious radicals condemned the government for allowing alcohol to be sold in restaurants.
Parts of speech condemnation n
Facts of the day
Australians consume 60%
more coffee than tea.
The giant cricket of Africa
enjoys eating human hair.
evidence n. Something that makes the truth of a statement seem more likely
The most convincing evidence that Garner robbed the
store was a videotape from surveillance cameras.
Parts of speech evidence v, evident adj, evidently adv
Most often misspelled
words in English
Don’t Say: fisical
Do Say: fiscal
Comments: In fact, we
don't seem to like any con-
CM Y K
sonants together. Here is
another word, like athlete
and film that is often forced
to swallow an unwanted
vowel.
ELEMENTARY READING: Part 1: 1. F 2. T 3. F 4. F 5. F 6. T Part 2: 1. C 2.
F 3. A 4. G 5. D 6. E 7. B ELEMENTARY ACTIVITY: 1. d 2. f 3. i 4. h 5. b
6. c 7. a 8. e 9. g INTERMEDIATE READING: Part 1: 1. a 2. c 3. d 4. a 5. c
6. b 7. d 8. d 9. b 10. a Part 2: 1. T 2. F 3. T 4. F 5. F INTERMEDIATE ACTIVITY: 1. c 2. a 3. b 4. a
5. c 6. a 7. c 8. b 9. c 10. a ADVANCED READING: Part 1: 1. c 2. d 3. a 4. a 5. d 6. c 7. b 8. b 9. c 10.
a Part 2 1. Chocolate, presweetened cereal etc. 2. Cheese-flavored goldfish and colorful gummies. 3. Sodium 4. It contains alginate and sodium phosphate. 5. No. ADVANCED ACTIVITY 1. b
2. c 3. a 4. c 5. d 6. a 7. b 8. a 9. c POP QUIZ Part 1 1. bitterly 2. inaugurated 3. contest 4. polled
5. advocated Part 2 1. suspect 2. allegedly 3. offense 4. witness 5. verdict
Don’t Say: in parenthesis
Do Say: in parentheses
Comments: No one can
enclose an expression in
one parenthesis; at least
two parentheses are required.
In cooperation with English Time