Conversation:

Pat:  Hi Yumi.  Your office looks like a hurricane hit it.  What’s going on?

Yumi:  I’ve got to make way for a new computer work center I just bought, which means that I have to take apart this old center so I can move it out of here.

Pat:  I’ve got to hand it to you.  I didn’t think you’d ever get this business off the ground.  It seemed like such pie in the sky, but your hard work has paid off.

Yumi:  I’d never pat myself on the back, but thanks for saying that.  When I first started, there were a lot of problems I had to iron out, but now everything is running smoothly, and I’m having the time of my life.  I actually look forward to getting up every morning and coming to work.

Pat:  I wish I could say the same thing, but I don’t enjoy my job very much.  I do the same thing day in and day out, and I’m getting fed up with it.  I’m just not cut out for that type of work.

Yumi:  It sounds like things are coming to a head.  Do you think you might quit?

Pat:  I don’t know.  We’ll see.

Vocabulary:

hurricane:  very fast wind and rain that destroys things
running:  operating
look forward to:  expect something good in the future

Idioms:

• make way                                          make space for
• take apart                                          separate into pieces
• hand it to (someone)                  congratulate (someone)
• get off the ground                        start to be successful
• pie in the sky                                    an unachievable goal
• pay off                                                  result in success / pay completely
• pat oneself on the back             congratulate (oneself)
• iron out                                                solve (a problem)
• have the time of one’s life        have an outstanding experience
• day in and day out                         all the time, continuously
• not cut out for (something)     not have the talent or desire (to do something)
• come to a head                                reach a critical point

Notes:

Pay off has 2 meanings.  The other meaning is “pay completely.”
Example:  We’re celebrating tonight because we just paid off our Visa card.

Not cut out for can also be not cut out to be if it is followed by a trade or profession.
Example:  Jerry is not cut out to be a lab technician.  He’s too clumsy.

© 2004 Ambien Malecot

by American Authors

an American band consisting of Zachary Barnett, James Adam Shelley, Dave Rubin, and Matt Sanchez.  This song is from their debut album “American Authors.”

I had a dream so big and loud
I jumped so high I touched the clouds
Wo-o-o-o-o-oh, wo-o-o-o-o-oh
I stretched my hands out to the sky
We danced with monsters through the night
Wo-o-o-o-o-oh, wo-o-o-o-o-oh

I’m never gonna look back, wo
I’m never gonna give it up, no
Please don’t wake me now

Oo-o-o-o-oo
This is gonna be the best day of my life
My li-i-i-i-i-ife
Oo-o-o-o-oo
This is gonna be the best day of my life
My li-i-i-i-i-ife

I howled at the moon with friends
And then the sun came crashing in
Wo-o-o-o-o-oh, wo-o-o-o-o-oh
But all the possibilities
No limits just epiphanies
Wo-o-o-o-o-oh, wo-o-o-o-o-oh

I’m never gonna look back, wo
I’m never gonna give it up, no
Just don’t wake me now

Oo-o-o-o-oo
This is gonna be the best day of my life
My li-i-i-i-i-ife
Oo-o-o-o-oo
This is gonna be the best day of my life
My li-i-i-i-i-ife

I hear it calling outside my window
I feel it in my soul (soul)
The stars were burning so bright
The sun was out till midnight
I say we lose control (control)

Oo-o-o-o-o
This is gonna be the best day of my life
My li-i-i-i-i-ife
Oo-o-o-o-o
This is gonna be the best day of my life
My li-i-i-i-i-ife
This is gonna be, this is gonna be, this is gonna be
The best day of my life
Everything is looking up, everybody up now
This is gonna be the best day of my life
My li-i-i-i-i-ife

Vocabulary:

stretched:  reached
monsters:  part human animals that scare people
gonna:  going to
give it up:  stop doing it
howled:  screamed in a high voice like a wolf
crashing in:  coming where it’s not wanted
epiphanies:  moments of realizing something important
soul:  spirit
was out:  was shining
lose control:  become wild
looking up:  getting better

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only 

If you want to send a package through the mail, there are some things you should do.  First, get a box that is just a little bigger than your item.  If your item is heavy, then use a thicker box.  If you’re sending something that can easily break, then put newspaper, bubble wrap, or something soft around the item in the box.  Make sure the item can’t move when the box is closed.  Secondly, you should tape it up well.  Use packing tape to do this. Don’t use masking tape or duct tape, which may not be accepted by some companies. Never use string, which can come off during shipping.  Thirdly, put your address on the top of the box in the upper left corner, and the address you’re sending it to in the middle.  It’s a good idea to put clear tape over both addresses so the shipper can read them even if they get wet.  Fourthly, if your package is going to another country, you have to put a “Customs Declaration” sticker on it.  On the sticker you should write what is in the package, the value, and the weight.  The clerk will ask if you want the package to go by “air mail” or by “surface mail.”  Surface mail goes by truck, train, or boat, and is cheaper but slower.  Lastly, the clerk will measure and weigh the box and charge you for shipping.  You can also buy insurance if the item is expensive.

Click on the audio recording below to hear the above lesson.

Vocabulary:

item:  the thing you are sending
bubble wrap:  a packing material made of plastic air bubbles
masking tape:  a tape used for painting and other temporary jobs
duct tape:  a strong silver tape used for air ducts
value:  how much it cost
charge you:  get you to pay
shipping:  moving the package to the other person
insurance:  protection in case of loss or damage

Pronunciation Exercise:  Listen and repeat the vocabulary above on the audio file below.

Conversation:

Student:  I’d like to mail this package overseas, please.
Clerk:  Okay.  Let me weigh and measure it.  It weighs 765 grams, and measures 12 by 34 by 22 for a total of 68 centimeters.  Because it’s less than 2 kilograms and 90 centimeters, it is classed as a small packet, not a parcel.
Student:  What does that mean?
Clerk:  That‘s the cheapest rate.  Do you want to send it by surface mail or air mail?
Student:  I’d like it to get there by the weekend, so send it by air mail.  What’s the charge?
Clerk:  That’ll cost you $16.60 plus $1.00 GST.
Student:  That’s good.  Here’s a twenty.
Clerk:  Thanks.  Here’s your receipt and $2.40 change.  Fill out this customs declaration form, and I’ll stick it on the packet.  Do you want insurance on it?
Student:  No thanks.  It’s not very valuable.  There.  All finished.  Thank you for your help.
Clerk:  My pleasure.

Vocabulary:

overseas:  to another country
packet:  package under 2 kg
parcel:  package over 2 kg
rate:  the amount you have to pay
charge:  price
GST:  Goods and services tax (in Canada only)
receipt:  proof of payment
customs declaration:  a paper that says what’s inside a package
insurance:  a guarantee of getting your money back if it’s lost
valuable:  worth a lot of money

Pronunciation Exercise:  Listen and repeat the vocabulary above on the audio file below.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

by Suzana Herculano-Houzel

Associate Professor at the Federal University of Rio De Janeiro.  She is the author of six books on  the neuroscience of everyday life.  Suzana also appears on TV as the host of Neurologica.

First preview the vocabulary below.  Then do the exercise by first reading a single question and then listening for the answer.  When you hear the answer, pause the video and answer the question.  Then read the next question and do the same thing.  If you get the answer wrong, then go back to where the answer is given and listen again.

Vocabulary:

mammalian:  of mammals, the kind of animal that includes dogs, horses and humans
neurons:  brain cells
proportional:  equal
cognitive ability:  brain power
cerebral cortex:  the front part of the brain
complex:  complicated, not simple
vexing:  annoying
calories:  units of food energy
evolution:  the slow changing of an animal species
more modest:  smaller
literature:  written things about a topic
dissolving:  disappearing in tiny pieces in water
nuclei:  the center parts of cells [singular = nucleus]
agitate:  shake
homogeneous:  being the same throughout the mixture
rodents:  animals such as rats or mice
primates:  animals such as monkeys, apes and humans
calculate:  find the answer using math
generic: typical
function of:  result of
raw:  uncooked
limitation:  anything that limits something else
feeding:  eating
feasible:  practical or possible
liability:  negative thing
asset:  positive thing
© 2014 Ambien Malecot

advise:  to give advice
My doctor advised me to drink more water.
Go talk to Dad.  Maybe he can advise you about what to do.

arrange:  to make a plan and do it
I can arrange to have flowers delivered, if you like.
She arranged to meet him at the coffee shop across from the library.

communicate:  to talk to, text or email (someone)
We communicate every week by email.
My ex-girlfriend and I don’t communicate at all.

delay:  to do at a later time
They decided to delay the wedding for two months.
Traffic was delayed for an hour due to an accident.

explain:  to make (something) understandable
He had to explain why he was late again.
Can you explain to me how I can fix this.

handle:  to manage, be responsible for
Even when life gets hard, I can handle it.
I wanted to see if you could handle that problem.

include:  to make part of the group.
Don’t forget to include your email address on the form.
This is the first time he’s included me on his team.

measure:  to find out exactly how long, wide or high something is
You can’t measure my love for you.
Before we buy the paint, we should measure the living room.

order:  to tell (someone) what to do
The police have ordered everyone out of the building.
The doctor ordered her to stay in bed for a week.

pretend:  to act in a certain way even though it’s not truthful.
The children pretended to be asleep.
Although her heart was broken, she pretended to be alright.

reduce:  to make less
We must all do our part to reduce the pollution in this city.
All the prices in the store were reduced by 40%.

ruin:  to make unusable or unworkable
He ruined the wedding cake when he knocked it over.
I ruined the surprise party by accidentally telling her yesterday.

scrape:  to remove the top layer by force
He scraped his knee playing baseball.
There’s no need to scrape the pan.  Just soak it for an hour.

stretch:  to make longer
After waking up from his nap, he stretched his body.
He stretched his arm as high as he could  and grabbed the lowest branch.

trick:  to do or say something to fool (someone)
She tricked me into believing that she wasn’t going to the party.
He tricked her into giving him her phone number.

Pronunciation Exercise: Listen and repeat the above vocabulary on the audio file below.

Use these flashcards to help you study.

When you think you’re ready, do the following exercise.

Participle adjectives are made from verbs with either an -ing (present participle)  or an -ed (past participle) on the end.  How do you know which one to use?  There are 3 parts to that answer.

First, if the participle adjective is a feeling, then put -ing on the end if something gives you or somebody else that feeling and -ed on the end if you or somebody else have that feeling.  -ING = give the feeling.  -ED = have the feeling

Examples:
That is a boring game.  (The game gives me the feeling of boredom.)
I’m bored with that game.  (I have the feeling of boredom.)
That lecture was interesting.  (The lecture gave me the feeling of interest.)
I was interested in the lecture.  (I had the feeling of interest.)
Her photo was embarrassing.  (The photo gave her that feeling.)
She was embarrassed by the photo.  (She had that feeling.)
The book that he read was depressing.  (The book gave him that feeling.)
He was depressed after reading the book.  (He had that feeling.)

Secondly, there are participle adjectives that are not feelings.  To use these correctly, ask yourself if the object does the verb.  If the answer is yes, then put -ing on the end (present participle.)  If the answer is no, then use the past participle.  Remember that some past participles are irregular and don’t have -ed on the end.

Examples:
The losing team rode home in silence.  (Did the team lose something?  Yes – the game.)
The lost dog was finally found.  (Did the dog lose something?  No.)
He put on two coats in the freezing weather.  (Did the weather freeze something?  Yes – everything outside.)
He tried to warm his frozen hands.  (Did his hands freeze something?  No.)
The circling bees stung him many times.  (Were the bees circling?  Yes – they were circling him.)
The circled words were all misspelled.  (Did the words circle something?  No.)

Thirdly, if something is happening at that same time, then it is the present participle (-ing), but if it happened before, if it was already finished, then it is the past participle (-ed).

Examples:
She heard the sound of boiling water.  (The water was boiling at that time.)
The boiled water was very hot.  (The water had finished boiling.)
The falling snow made driving hazardous.  (The snow was falling at that time.)
The fallen snow was already starting to melt.  (The snow had already fallen.)
The opening curtains made a squeaking sound.  (The curtains were opening.)
The opened curtains signaled that someone was at home..  (The curtains were already open.)

Here is a list of participle adjectives and the verbs they came from:

amaze                                  amazed                                         amazing
amuse                                  amused                                         amusing
annoy                                   annoyed                                       annoying
boil                                         boiled                                            boiling
bore                                       bored                                             boring
circle                                     circled                                           circling
close                                     closed                                            closing
confuse                               confused                                      confusing
delight                                 delighted                                      delightful *
depress                               depressed                                    depressing
disappoint                         disappointed                              disappointing
embarrass                         embarrassed                              embarrassing
excite                                   excited                                           exciting
exhaust                               exhausted                                    exhausting
fall                                         fallen                                               falling
fascinate                            fascinated                                    fascinating
frighten                              frightened                                   frightening
freeze                                  frozen *                                         freezing
frustrate                            frustrated                                    frustrating
horrify                                horrified                                        horrifying
interest                              interested                                    interesting
intimidate                         intimidated                                 intimidating
lose                                       lost                                                   losing
open                                     opened                                          opening
please                                  pleased                                          pleasing
puzzle                                  puzzled                                          puzzling
satisfy                                  satisfied                                        satisfying
scare                                     scared                                            scary *
shock                                    shocked                                        shocking
startle                                  startled                                         startling
surprise                              surprised                                      surprising
terrify                                  terrified                                        terrifying
tire                                        tired                                                tiring
upset                                   upset *                                           upsetting
worry                                  worried                                         worrying

* = irregular forms

Study this lesson, and when you think you’re ready, do the following exercise.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

The superlative is used when you are comparing one thing to everything else in a group.  You can also do this using the comparative.

Examples:
David is a taller boy than everyone else in his class.  (Comparative)
David is the tallest boy in his class.  (Superlative)
This movie is more interesting than all the others we’ve seen.  (Comparative)
This movie is the most interesting one we’ve seen.  (Superlative)
You are lazier than all of my other friends.  (Comparative)
You are the laziest of all my friends.  (Superlative)

1. There are 3 ways to form the superlative.  The first way is to add -est.  Do this with all one-syllable adjectives or adverbs.  Also put the (or a possessive adjective) before the adjective/adverb.  The group is usually put last but can also go first.

Examples:
Peter runs the fastest in the whole school.
Of all the students in this class, Maria studied the longest.
That was my hardest test ever.

You don’t always have to put the group.

Examples:
Where is the nearest pharmacy?  (group = all the pharmacies in the city)
That’s not fair.  He took the largest piece.  (group = the whole pizza)
It was his proudest moment.  (group = all the proud moments in his life)

If a 1-syllable adjective ends in one vowel and one consonant, then double the consonant when adding -est.  If a 2-syllable adjective ends in one vowel and one consonant, and the accent is on the last syllable, then double the consonant when adding -est.  (This rule is the same for comparatives before adding -er.)

Examples:
They live in the biggest house in the neighborhood.
This pizza has the thinnest crust of any that they make.
She has the reddest hair of anyone in her family.

If an adjective or adverb has 2 syllables ending with y, change the y to i and then add -est

Examples:
This has been the cloudiest month since we moved here.
My younger brother goes to bed the earliest.  (in our family)
She’s the prettiest girl in school.

These adjectives/adverbs are irregular:  good/well, bad/badly and far/far.  The superlative forms are:  the best, the worst, and the farthest (or furthest.)

Examples:
That restaurant makes the best pizza in town.
Although she sang the worst in the choir, she had a lot of fun.
Voyager is the farthest human-made object from Earth.

2. The second way is to put the most before most adjectives of two or more syllables.  Two-or-more-syllable adverbs all have -ly on the end, and use the most.

Examples:
I want to see who can ask the most nicely.
He is the most caring person I know.
She types the most quickly of anyone in her class.

The following 2-syllable adjectives use -est or most but not both at the same time.  (This is the same list for comparatives.)

able        angry        clever       common       cruel        friendly      gentle      handsome     narrow      pleasant     polite     quiet      simple      sour

Examples:
Canadians are the politest people I know.
Canadians are the most polite people I know.
He’s the ablest programmer in the company.
He’s the most able programmer in the company.
The simplest way to do this is to follow the directions.
The most simple way to do this is to follow the directions.

Adjectives and adverbs of 3 or more syllables always use the most.

Examples:
That was the most interesting lecture I’ve heard in years.
She sings the most beautifully of anyone I’ve heard.
He bought the most expensive diamond ring he could afford.

The most can also be used with no adjective or adverb following:

Examples:
I eat a lot, but my sister eats the most.
It’s the most I can do at this time.
She does the most to help out the family.

The most can also be used before a noun.

Examples:
He picked the most strawberries.
When my brother and I went to Las Vegas, he lost the most money.
She has the most patience of anyone I know.

3. The third way is to put the least before the adjective or adverb.  This is done with all adjectives and adverbs regardless of how many syllables.

Examples:
Of all the people in this office, you seem to be the least busy.
The least costly iPad I could find sells for $150.
He was trying to breathe the least noisily that he could.

Not the least bit means not at all.

Examples:
I’m not the least bit tired, so let’s get started.
You’re not the least bit interested in what I’m saying, are you?
She told me she wasn’t the least bit nervous before her interview.

The least can also be used alone with no adjective or adverb:

Examples:
It’s the least I can do.
Of all the people in her family, her sister talks the least.
I’m the one who exercises the least in my family.

The least can also be used before a noun. In this way the least becomes an adjective for the noun.

Examples:
She makes the least money of anyone in her family.
The winning typist had the least number of mistakes.
We want to go when there’s the least amount of traffic.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

admit: to say that you did something wrong
There’s no way I’m going to admit to taking that money.
She admits lying to the police.

argue: to disagree with someone in a strong voice
Many couples argue over how to spend their money.
I don’t remember what we argued about, but it was serious.

complain: to say that you don’t like something
They complained several times about the loud music nest door.
He can complain all he wants, but it will do no good.

drown: to die by not breathing under water
Her husband drowned in a boating accident last summer.
If you don’t want to drown, you’d better wear that lifejacket.

frighten: to scare, to make afraid
Both cats were frightened by the loud thunder and ran under the bed.
You frightened me when you came in without knocking.

instruct: to teach, to show how to do something
The coach instructed him on how to play defence.
She was instructed in all the arts, especially music,

manage: to be able to
They managed to escape through the bathroom window.
I can’t manage three things at the same time.

notice: to see briefly
He noticed that she wasn’t wearing her wedding ring.
Did you notice the words on his T-shirt?

perform: to entertain people
He likes to perform magic tricks at children’s birthday parties.
She’s never performed before such a large audience before.

prove: to show something is true with evidence
You can’t prove that I was the last one to see him alive.
In the end they proved that he was responsible for the crash.

receive: to get
We received this package this morning, but we haven’t opened it.
Yesterday he received a phone call at about six o’clock.

release: to let go, to set free
He was released from prison last month.
She took a dove out of the cage and released it into the air.

soak: to be under water for a long time
The dishes are soaking in hot water. I’ll wash them later.
She likes to soak in the bathtub for hours.

surround: to be all around
The boys surrounded the campfire and started to cook their hotdogs.
They’ll catch him. The building is surrounded by police.

worry: to think bad things are going to happen
She is always worrying about her children.
Don’t worry. Everything’s going to be alright.

Pronunciation Exercise: Listen and repeat the above vocabulary on the audio file below.

Use these flashcards to help you study.

When you think you’re ready, do the following exercise.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

by Miley Cyrus

an American actress and recording artist.  She was the star of the Disney Channel television series Hannah Montana, where she was the character Miley Stewart.  The song was written by Jessi Alexander and Jon Mabe and was performed for the 2009 film Hannah Montana: The Movie. 

I can almost see it.
That dream I’m dreaming, but
There’s a voice inside my head saying
You’ll never reach it
Every step I’m taking
Every move I make
Feels lost with no direction,
My faith is shaken
But I, I gotta keep trying
Gotta keep my head held high

There’s always gonna be another mountain
I’m always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Sometimes I’m gonna have to lose
Ain’t about how fast I get there
Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side
It’s the climb

The struggles I’m facing
The chances I’m taking
Sometimes might knock me down, but
No I’m not breaking
I may not know it
But these are the moments that
I’m gonna remember most, yeah
Just gotta keep going
And I, I gotta be strong
Just keep pushing on, ’cause

There’s always gonna be another mountain
I’m always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Sometimes I’m gonna have to lose
Ain’t about how fast I get there
Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side
It’s the climb

Yeah

There’s always gonna be another mountain
I’m always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Somebody’s gonna have to lose
Ain’t about how fast I get there
Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side
It’s the climb

Yeah, yeah yeah

Keep on moving, keep climbing
Keep the faith baby
It’s all about, it’s all about the climb
Keep the faith, keep your faith, whoa, whoa, oh.

Vocabulary:

reach it:  make your dream real
faith is shaken:  beliefs could be wrong
gotta:  have got to
head held high:  dignity, self respect
gonna:  going to
mountain:  problem in life, difficult journey
wanna:  want to
uphill battle:  difficult struggle
ain’t:  it isn’t
struggles:  times when the work is hard
knock me down:  defeat me, make me lose
keep the faith:  don’t stop believing

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only 

This is the story of how a person of simple means became a legend in his own lifetime.  His name was John Chapman, born in 1774, and he was a strange man.  He prefered to go shoeless, wore non-stylish clothing, and wore a pot on his head.  However, people found him to be a kind and generous man.  His beliefs made him live a simple life, so although he owned land, he prefered to travel around the U.S. states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and northern West Virginia.  He traveled from farm to farm planting apple seeds in small nurseries.  From there they would eventually be planted in orchards by the farmer.  This is how he got his name Johnny Appleseed.  Since trees grown from seed produce apples that are sour, few people used them for eating or cooking.  Instead, most of the apples he was responsible for planting were used for making apple cider.  This was a free and abundant source of alcohol in frontier America in the early 19th century.  Along with apple seeds, John also brought knowledge of his religion to anyone who would listen.  He lived a mostly nomadic life, sleeping on the floors of the homes of the people who took him in while he was traveling.  He actually converted many Native Americans to his religion, and they had great respect for him, saying he had been touched by the Great Spirit.  John traveled through their lands with no trouble at all.  There are lots of tales about this man.  My favorite is this one:  One day on his travels when he was about to make a camp fire in a hollow log so he could sleep in it and stay warm at the same time, he found a mother bear and her cubs.  Rather than disturb the sleeping bears, he moved his fire to the other end of the large log and slept in the snow.  Lots of these kinds of stories are told about the man.   Johnny Appleseed was a simple man, but people all over the United States remember him.

Click on the audio recording below to hear the lesson.

Vocabulary:

simple means:  not much money
legend:  a story that is passed down through generations
pot:  the utencil that holds food that you cook
generous:  giving and sharing
beliefs:  things that you believe
prefered:  chose
nurseries:  small buildings where seeds can safely grow into plants
eventually:  after some time
orchard:  rows and rows of fruit trees together
sour:  opposite of sweet
apple cider:  an alcoholic drink made from apples
abundant:  found everywhere
frontier:  newly settled area
religion:  belief in God
nomadic:  having no home, always traveling
took him in:  invited him to stay the night
converted:  changed to a different religion
respect:  belief in someone’s goodness or knowledge
Great Spirit:  God
tales:  short stories
hollow:  only the outside is there
log:  fallen tree
cubs:  baby bears
disturb:  bother, make uncomfortable

Pronunciation Exercise:  Listen and repeat the above vocabulary on the audio file below.

© 2014 Ambien Malecot