3 Quotes & 3 Jokes - 3 (look up the meanings if you don't understand them)

3 Quotes and 3 Jokes by Cristina Sempere on Scribd

What you need to know to understand Trump.

British English and American English

With the appointment of the controversial 45th American president, Donald Trump, we'll be hearing a lot of American English over the next four years. 

Take a look below to see the differences between the Yanks and the Brits.

British people and American people can always understand each other – but there are a few notable differences between British English and American English

Grammar

Americans use the present perfect tense less than speakers of British English and a British teacher might mark wrong some things that an American teacher would say are correct.

• US Did you do your homework yet?
• Brit. Have you done your homework yet?

• US I already ate.
• Brit. I’ve already eaten.

In British English, ‘have got’ is often used for the possessive sense of ‘have’ and ‘have got to’ is informally used for ‘have to’. This is much less common in American English.

• Brit. I’ve got two sisters.
• US I have two sisters.

• Brit. I’ve got to go now.
• US I have to go now.

There are a number of other minor grammatical differences.

Vocabulary

There are a lot of examples of different words being used in British and American English. Here are a few of the commonest.

• angry (Brit.) = mad (US)
• autumn = fall
• boot (of a car) = trunk
• chemist’s = drug store
• cupboard = closet
• flat = apartment
• lift = elevator
• nappy = diaper
• pavement = sidewalk
• petrol = gas/gasoline
• rubbish = trash
• tap = faucet
• trousers = pants

There are British words which many Americans will not understand and vice versa. There are also words which exist in both British and American English but have very different meanings.

Spelling

There are also a number of different spelling rules between British English and American English.

1 Some words that end in ‘-tre’ in British English end in ‘-ter’ in American English. 

• US theater, center
• Brit. theatre, centre

2 Some words that end in ‘-our’ in British English end in ‘-or’ in American English.

• US color, labor
• Brit. colour, labour

3 Some words are shorter in American English than in British English.

• US catalog, program
• Brit. catalogue, programme

There are other minor spelling differences between British and American English.

U2 - Sunday Bloody Sunday

"Sunday Bloody Sunday"

"Sunday Bloody Sunday" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the opening track from their 1983 album War and was released as the album's third single on 11 March 1983 in Germany and the Netherlands. "Sunday Bloody Sunday" is noted for its militaristic drumbeat, harsh guitar, and melodic harmonies. One of U2's most overtly political songs, its lyrics describe the horror felt by an observer of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, mainly focusing on the Bloody Sunday incident in Derry where British troops shot and killed unarmed civil rights protesters and bystanders who were there to rally against Operation Demetrius-related internment (imprisonment without trial), while at the same time rejecting hate and revenge as a response noted in the lyrics, "There's many lost, but tell me who has won." Along with "New Year's Day," the song helped U2 reach a wider listening audience. It was generally well received by critics on the album's release.

The song has remained a staple of U2's live concerts. During its earliest performances, the song created controversy. Lead singer Bono reasserted the song's anti-sectarian-violence message to his audience for many years. Today, it is considered one of U2's signature songs, and is one of the band's most performed tracks. Critics rate it among the best political protest songs, and it has been covered by over a dozen artists.

If you’d like to read more about the song, follow the link directly below and if you’d like to read more about the events of that day, follow the second link

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunday_Bloody_Sunday

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloody_Sunday_(1972)

So now I want to hear your point of view.

What do you think about the events of 30^th January 1972?

Do you think that musicians should take a political stand?

Past habit – used to/would/past simple

Past habit – used to/would/past simple

When we talk about things that happened in the past but don’t happen anymore we can do it in different ways.

Used to

• We used to live in New York when I was a kid.
• There didn’t use to be a petrol station there. When was it built?

We can use ‘used to’ to talk about past states ….

• I used to go swimming every Thursday when I was at school.
• I used to smoke but I gave up a few years ago.

… or we can use ‘used to’ to talk about repeated past actions

Remember that ‘used to’ is only for past states/actions that don’t happen now – we can’t use it for things that still happen now. Also, ‘used to + infinitive’ should not be confused with ‘be/get used to + ‘ing’ form’ – this is covered in a separate section.

Would

• Every Saturday I would go on a long bike ride.
• My teachers would always say “Sit down and shut up!”

We can use ‘would’ to talk about repeated past actions.

Often either ‘would’ or ‘used to’ is possible. Both of these sentences are possible.

• Every Saturday, I would go on a long bike ride.
• Every Saturday I used to go on a long bike ride.

However, only ‘used to’ is possible when we talk about past states.

• We used to live in New York when I was a kid.
• We would live in New York when I was a kid.

Past simple

• We went/used to go/would go to the same beach every summer.

We can use the past simple in the same way as ‘used to’ and ‘would’ to talk about repeated past actions.

• I had/used to have a dog called Charlie.

We can also use the past simple for past states.

• I went to Egypt in 1988.

However, if something happened only once we can’t use ‘used to’ or ‘would’ – we must use the past simple.

3 Quotes & 3 Jokes - 2 (look up the meanings if you don't understand them)

3 Jokes & 3 Quotes by Cristina Sempere on Scribd

6 minute English - Women’s right to Vote

Here are some questions that I have prepared for a 6 minute English listening on the BBC website.   Follow the instructions below:

1. Read the questions.
2. Read the specific vocabulary.
3. Follow the link below and try to answer the questions as you listen. You might need to listen twice.                                                                                                             http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-161124
4. Scroll down the BBC web page  and listen again with the transcript so you can check your answers.

Women’s right to Vote - 6 minute English
Questions

1.      What is the name of the women who fought for the right to vote in the UK?

2.      What are the 3 countries in the question?

3.      When did women win the right to vote in the UK?

4.      At that point in time, what percentage of men didn’t have the right to vote?

5.      What was the name of the most famous female activist?

6.      What is the name of the book that Julia Bush has written?

7.      According to Julia what else did women want apart from the vote?

8.      What is June Purvis a professor of?

9.      According to June, what did women do to try to get the vote?

10.    What was Lyons Corner House?

11.   How long after the first world war did women get the vote?

12.   In what year did answer to question 3 give women the right to vote?

Vocabulary (if there are any words you don't understand, look them up before you start)
role models
lobbied
electorate
plight
raised their profile
impromptu
militant
direct action

6 Minute English - Is English changing?

Here are some questions that I have prepared for a 6 minute English listening on the BBC website.   Follow the instructions below:

1. Read the questions.
2. Read the specific vocabulary.
3. Follow the link below and try to answer the questions as you listen. You might need to listen twice.              http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-160804
4. Scroll down the BBC web page  and listen again with the transcript so you can check your answers.

Is English Changing? - 6 minute English
Questions

1.     What is the first example they give of English changing?

2.     What are the 3 options in the questions?

3.     What modal verb is on the way out (disappearing)?

4.     What is Bas Aarts’ job?

5.     What is the name of the programme on BBC radio 4?

6.     The use of what other modal verb is declining rapidly?

7.     According to Bas Aarts, when did the present progressive tense start being used more?

8.     What popular new progressive sentence does Michael use?

9.     What is Mark Pagel’s job and where does he work?

10.  According to Mark how long ago were our ancestors using answer to question 2?

11.  How long ago were our ancestors using number words?

Vocabulary

baffling
hard to understand

on the way out
disappearing; declining in popularity and use

interrogative
question

win out
succeed after a fight

obligation
having a duty to do something

authoritarian
demanding obedience from people

shying away from
avoiding

progressive
ongoing; continuing

stative
expressing a state of 'being' – as opposed to 'doing'

Prepositions: In, On, and At (with specific times and places)

Prepositions: In, On, and At (with specific times and places)

The prepositions in, on, and at can be used to indicate time and place. Notice how they are used in the following situations: Preposition Time Place In Year, Month, In 1999, In December Country, State, City In Japan, In Utah, In Taipei On Day, Date On Saturday, On May 1 Street On Main Street, On 1st Ave. At Time At 8:00, At 7:30 Address At 815 East Main Street In many languages, there is only one preposition for the above situations. In English there are three. Just remember that in usually indicates the "largest" time or place, and at usually indicates the "smallest" time or place. Examples: Q: Where's your office? A: In Taipei, Taiwan. Q: Really? What part of Taipei? A: It's on Chung Shan North Road. Q: I know that area. Where exactly is it? A: It's at 105 Chung Shan North Road, next to the bookstore. Q: When is the wedding? A: It's in June. Q: What day? A: It's on Saturday, the 25th. Q: What time? A: It starts at 6:00.

Prepositions with articles and locations

When talking about locations, use at to indicate the general vicinity or area, and in to indicate inside the building, enclosed area, etc. For example:

at the swimming pool (on site)		in the swimming pool (in the pool itself i.e. in the water)
at the post office/bank (general)		in the post office/bank (inside the building)
at the zoo (visitors, general area)		in the zoo (animals in their cages)
at school		in the classroom

Sample sentences:

I met my wife at the theatre. (while watching a movie)

I spilled my drink in the theatre (on the floor of the building)

She works at the library on Wednesdays.

She found a rare coin in the library (building).

Dr Jones works at the hospital every day.

John was in the hospital for a week with a broken leg.

For school, prison, and church, the is used to indicate the building. No article indicates the general situation. Note the following:

"practice"/situation		building
in school (studying, listening to teacher, etc.)		in the school (building)
in jail/prison (staying there as a criminal)		in the jail/prison (temporary)
in church (praying, listening to a sermon, etc.)		in the church (building)

Where's Dad?

in church (attending services)		in the church (fixing the windows)
at church		at the church
in prison (He committed a crime.)		at the prison (visiting his friend)

Verb phrases

Verb phrases

Verb phrases are groups of words that express action or state of being. They take on various forms.

The men live in the dormitory.	(Single verbs)
He stayed at the Hi Hat Hotel.	(Past tense verbs)
I am learning many new things.	(Progressive verbs)
She has been there before.	(Perfect verbs)
They have been working here five years.	(Perfect progressive verbs)
I could use some assistance.	(Verbs and modals)
The trip was approved by the professor.	(Passive verbs)
Do you want some more pie?	(Verbs in questions)

Other words can be added to enhance verb phrases:

The mayor works here.	(adverbs)
Neil is not a candidate.	(negatives)
They live in the suburbs.	(prepositional phrases)
She'll leave whenever she wants.	(adverbial clauses)
Don't talk while eating.	(phrases)