Here/There
The English-Speaking Union
English in Action
July 19, 2016
Volunteers helping newcomers speak English
Culture Corner
Coney Island
Did you know that New York City has its own roller coaster? Coney
Island, in Brooklyn, is home to several amusement parks with all
sorts of games and rides, including the Coney Island Cyclone. Ride
it if you dare!
Despite its name, Coney Island is not a true island but rather a
peninsula (a piece of land surrounded by water on three sides). It
started becoming a popular destination in the nineteenth century
for New Yorkers looking for a vacation spot by the water.
After the subway allowed easy access across New York City, amusement parks opened on Coney Island, changing
the peninsula into a day trip destination. During the decades leading up to World War II, Coney Island was the
largest and most popular amusement park in the United States, housing famous amusement parks such as
Dreamland and Astroland. Today, Coney Island remains a popular spot for New Yorkers of all backgrounds to
enjoy a day of rides and street food.
How to get there
Take the D,F,N or Q subway lines to the Coney Island/Sitwell Avenue stop, right at the southern tip of Brooklyn.
What to do
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Ride the Coney Island Cyclone, a wooden roller coaster that
opened in 1927.
Enjoy the view from the Wonder Wheel, a Ferris wheel (a type of
amusement park ride) that opened in 1920.
Sunbathe or swim at the Coney Island Beach. If you want to get
close to the ocean without getting wet, take a walk on the pier,
which extends out into the sea.
Eat a hot dog, or watch the world famous hot dog eating contest,
at Nathan’s Famous hot dog stand, opened in 1916. The contest
takes place every July 4th.
Walk into the nearby neighborhood, Brighton Beach. Many
Russian-speaking immigrants moved there after the fall of the
Soviet Union, and Brighton Beach is today nicknamed “Little
Odessa.” There are many Russian shops and restaurants there.
Visit the Coney Island Museum to experience the old Coney Island.
The price of admission is only 99 cents!
Water Idioms
English has many idioms about water. Use some of them in your conversation today.
1) I have too many bills to pay and not enough income. I can’t keep my head above water.
2) The teacher is mad at the students for behaving badly. They are in hot water.
3) I’m not sure if I will become a regular yoga student. Right now, I’m testing the waters.
4) A younger doctor has disproven the professor’s medical theory. Now the theory doesn’t hold water.
5) After work, let’s meet for a drink at the local watering hole.
6) I’m trying to get along with everyone on the field trip. I don’t want to make waves.
7) I’m not going outside. It’s raining cats and dogs!
8) She’s very quiet, but I would not underestimate her. Still waters run deep.
9) That pizza looks so delicious, it’s making my mouth water.
10) I’ve cleaned up the kitchen, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The rest of the house is a complete mess!
Match the water idiom with its definition:
1) to keep one’s head above water
A) to be in trouble
2) to be in hot water
B) isn’t true
3) testing the waters
C) a small and known part of something larger and possibly unknown
4) doesn’t hold water
D) to make someone hungry
5) a watering hole
E) quiet people often have the deepest and most insightful thoughts
6) to not make waves
F) raining very heavily
7) raining cats and dogs
G) a bar; a location where many people gather to drink
8) still waters run deep
H) to manage to survive financially
9) to make someone’s mouth water
I) trying something out before fully committing
10) the tip of the iceberg
J) to avoid making trouble; to avoid attention
ANSWERS: 1H; 2A; 3I; 4B; 5G; 6J; 7F; 8E; 9D; 10C
Group Story
In this activity, everyone in the group works together to tell a story. The first person starts the story with a short sentence
such as “Once upon a time, there was a man who wanted to visit Coney Island.” The person sitting to the right continues
the story by adding one new sentence, such as “Unfortunately, the man lived in Los Angeles, California.” Each person adds
another sentence, until the story comes to an end.
Remember, a good story should have a plot (what happens), a setting (where the story takes
place), a timeframe (when the story takes place), and characters (who is in the story).
Here are some story starters. Or, create your own.
“Once there was a girl who was taller than a mountain.”
“Last week, the zookeeper forgot to lock the elephant’s cage.”
“The man was in such a hurry, he accidentally got on the wrong train.”
Here/There is a publication of English in Action, a program of
the English-Speaking Union. Karen Ruelle, Editor
Karl Hart, Contributing Editor
The English-Speaking Union
English in Action
The English-Speaking Union of the United States
144 East 39th Street,
New York, NY 10016
212-818-1200 www.esuus.org