Conversation:

Steven: I’ve been trying to organize the class party, but I think I bit off more than I can chew.  I’m just a nervous wreck because my co-chair Carol isn’t cooperating.

Yuri: What’s the problem?

Steven: First of all, we don’t see eye to eye on the live entertainment.  I wanted to have a Rock and Roll band, but she wouldn’t go along with my choice.  She wanted Hip Hop.

Yuri: Why don’t you compromise and get a band that plays both styles?

Steven: Now there’s an idea.  But I also wanted to have an MC, and she threw cold water on that idea.  She said it was out of the question because of the cost.

Yuri: Actually, I’d love to do it, and I’d charge next to nothing.

Steven: Say, would you like to be in on organizing this thing?  We could use more help, and I’m fed up with Carol’s stubbornness.  Maybe together we can make her come around to our vision of the party.

Yuri: Sure, I’d love to help out.  What do you want done?

Steven: First of all, could you go get the soft drinks?  We have to start now and stock up so we have plenty on hand for the party.

Yuri: Anything you want.  I won’t let you down.

Vocabulary:

* co-chair:  a second leader of a committee.
* Hip Hop:  Rap music with spoken words and a heavy beat
* MC:  Master of Ceremonies.  Someone who introduces songs and activities at a party
* vision:  view, idea, plan
* soft drinks:  bubbly sweet drinks, pop

Idioms:

• bite off more than one can chew       try to do more than one can
• a nervous wreck                                         uncontrollably stressed
• see eye to eye                                                have the same opinion
• go along (with)                                           agree to (do something)
• throw cold water on                                discourage, take away someone’s enthusiasm
• out of the question                                   impossible, definitely not
• next to nothing                                          very cheap
• be in on (something)                              participate in or know about (something)
• fed up (with)                                               not able to accept anymore
• come around (to)                                     finally agree
• stock up (on something)                      get a large supply (of something)
• let (someone) down                                disappoint (someone)

© 2004 Ambien Malecot

by Arthur Benjamin

professor of math at Harvey Mudd College and entertainer using the title “Mathemagician,”  where he performs mental calculations, memorizations and other math magic.

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:

essentially:  basically
calculation:  adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing
application:  making use of math in the real world
inspiration:  getting surprising answers
patterns:  numbers that repeat
motivated:  making students want to learn
and so on:  and it continues
square:  multiply a number by the same number
consecutive:  one followed by the next
rectangle:  a long square
sum:  the result of adding things together
generate:  make
ratio:  the relationship between 2 numbers

More info on Leonardo Fibonacci:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fibonacci

Arthur Benjamin’s website:  https://www.math.hmc.edu/~benjamin/

© 2014 Ambien Malecot

by Jessie J

an English singer and songwriter who wrote and recorded this song for her  2011 album, “Who Are You.”  This song was released as a single before the album, and it topped the charts in 19 countries.

Okay, Coconut Man, Moon Heads and P.  You ready?
Seems like everybody’s got a price,
I wonder how they sleep at night
When the sale comes first
And the truth comes second
Just stop a minute and smile

Why is everybody so serious?
Acting so damn mysterious?
Got your shades on your eyes
And your heels so high
That you can’t even have a good time

Everybody look to their left
Everybody look to their right
Can you feel that, yeah
We’re paying with love tonight?

It’s not about the money, money, money
We don’t need your money, money, money
We just wanna make the world dance,
Forget about the price tag
Ain’t about the (uh) cha-ching cha-ching
Ain’t about the (yeah) ba-bling ba-bling
Wanna make the world dance,
Forget about the price tag

We need to take it back in time,
When music made us all unite
And it wasn’t low blows and video hos,
Am I the only one getting tired?

Why is everybody so all obsessed?
Money can’t buy us happiness
Can we all slow down and enjoy right now?
Guarantee we’ll be feeling alright

Everybody look to their left
Everybody look to their right
Can you feel that, yeah
We’re paying with love tonight?

It’s not about the money, money, money
We don’t need your money, money, money
We just wanna make the world dance,
Forget about the price tag
Ain’t about the (uh) cha-ching cha-ching
Ain’t about the (yeah) ba-bling ba-bling
Wanna make the world dance,
Forget about the price tag, ha

[B.o.B]
Yeah yeah
Well, keep the price tag and take the cash back
Just give me six strings and a half stack
And you can, can keep the cars; leave me the garage
And all I, yes all I need are keys and guitars
And guess what, in 30 seconds I’m leaving to Mars
Yeah, we leaving across these undefeatable odds
It’s like this, man, you can’t put a price on a life
We do this for the love, so we fight and sacrifice every night
So we ain’t gonna stumble and fall, never
Waiting to see a sign of defeat, uh uh
So we gonna keep everyone moving their feet
So bring back the beat and then everyone sing
And then everyone sing

It’s not about the money, money, money
We don’t need your money, money, money
We just wanna make the world dance,
Forget about the price tag
Ain’t about the (uh) cha-ching cha-ching
Ain’t about the (yeah) ba-bling ba-bling
Wanna make the world dance,
Forget about the price tag

It’s not about the money, money, money
We don’t need your money, money, money
We just wanna make the world dance,
Forget about the price tag
Ain’t about the (uh) cha-ching cha-ching
Ain’t about the (yeah) ba-bling ba-bling
Wanna make the world dance,
Forget about the price tag

Vocabulary:

everybody’s got a price:  people will do things for the right price
damn:  (a bad word), darn
mysterious:  secretive, not telling anyone what they’re doing
shades:  sunglasses
heels:  high heeled shoes
wanna:  want to
price tag:  the cost of something
ain’t:  it isn’t
cha-ching:  the sound of money
bling:  jewelry
unite:  come together
low blows:  words that attack somebody unfairly
video hos:  Sexy women dancing in videos
obsessed:  thinking only about one thing
guarantee:  it will surely happen
cash:  money
six strings:  a guitar
half stack:  an amplifier that makes the guitar louder
undefeatable odds:  impossible action
sacrifice:  give up something
stumble:  hit our feet on something
we gonna:  we are going to

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only

The difference between it and there is not as hard as you think.  Read this page at least twice or until you understand it, and then take the quiz afterwards to see how you do.

It is always singular and the verb that follows is in the singular form ( ‘s’ on the end in the present tense.)  It is a pronoun which refers to things or actions.

Examples:
Where’s the TV remote control?  It’s on the coffee table.  (It = remote control)
I got a haircut yesterday, but I don’t like it very much.  (it = haircut)
The roadblock was successful because it caught eleven drunk drivers.  (it = roadblock)
I love playing poker.  It’s my favorite activity.  (It = playing poker)
I have to put away my work every night, and I think it’s ridiculous.  (It = putting away my work every night)
We’ve been arguing a lot lately, and it’s getting worse.  (It = arguing)

It is also used with be + adjective + object.  It doesn’t really mean anything but is used as an artificial subject  The real subject is the object of the sentence.

Examples:
It is important to clean up after we finish.
To clean up after we finish is important.
It’s clear that he doesn’t know what to do.
That he doesn’t know what to do is clear.
It was brave of you to save that girl from drowning.
To save that girl from drowning was brave of you.

It is also used with be + a singular or plural noun (person, place or thing.)  It doesn’t really mean anything but is used as an artificial subject.  The real subject is the object of the sentence.

Examples:
It was Susan who cleaned the fridge this morning.
Susan cleaned the fridge this morning.
It is my friends who are giving me a going-away party
My friends are giving me a going-away party.
It was Vancouver that won the game against Calgary last night.
Vancouver won the game against Calgary last night.
It was Sochi, Russia, that was chosen as the host city for the 2014 Olympics.
Sochi, Russia, was chosen as the host city for the 2014 Olympics.
It is a traffic accident that is causing this slowdown.
A traffic accident is causing this slowdown.
It was his shoulders that were injured in the accident.
His shoulders were injured in the accident.

Similarly, it is used for weather, time and distance.  Again, it doesn’t really mean anything but serves as the subject of the sentence.

Examples:
It has been raining for four hours.
We’d better bring our boots because it’s going to snow.
It’s not even twelve o’clock yet.
I think it was four in the morning when we left the party.
It’s too far to drive, so let’s take the train.
It is 200 kilometers from here to Seattle.

There, on the other hand, can be singular or plural depending on the object that follows.  There is used to state that something exists, something is real.  There, like it, doesn’t really mean anything but is used as an artificial subject.  The real subject is the object of the sentence.

Examples:
There are 24 students in this class.
24 students are in this class.
There is only one correct answer.
One correct answer exists.
There are many reasons why he can’t help.
Many reasons exist for why he can’t help.
There must be an explanation.
An explanation must exist.

Notice that the verb is plural when the object is plural.

Here’s an exercise to test your understanding:

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

admire:  to think well of someone
I admire your patience with young children.
She admired her mother for raising four children by herself.

behave:  to act, usually in a good way
I’ll take my children to the movies if they promise to behave.
She behaved badly when she saw her ex-husband with his new girlfriend.

complete:  to finish doing
It took them three weeks to complete their garden.
She makes her children complete their homework before dinnertime.

destroy:  to make useless, to break
The fire destroyed the entire building.
He got so angry he destroyed his computer with a hammer.

fasten:  to close (something) so it doesn’t open
He didn’t fasten his briefcase and everything fell on the floor.
Fasten your seatbelt.  It’s the law.

improve:  to make (something) better
Is there any way to improve the taste of this stew?
I’m afraid Johnny isn’t improving much in math.

kneel:  to get on your knees
Grandfather kneeled to hug his granddaughter.
Kneel down and look under the desk for your lost keys.

lend:  to let (someone) use (something) that’s yours
Could you lend me $100 until pay day?
He lent her his guitar and never saw it again.

mind:  to be bothered (by something)
Do you mind if I close the window.  I’m a little chilly.
My wife doesn’t mind my snoring at night.

offer:  to give if the other accepts
We offered to help them, but they refused.
I can offer you some apple juice, but that’s all I have to drink.

protect:  to keep safe
It was his job to protect his younger brother and keep him out of trouble.
He took karate lessons to learn how to protect himself.

reply:  to answer
You don’t have to reply right now, but let me know by the end of the week.
When he called her name, no one replied.

seem:  to appear to be a certain way
You seem tired.  Have you been getting enough sleep?
I seem to be the only person who knows what to do.

succeed:  to get what you want
If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.
She went to university, where she succeeded in getting her bachelor’s degree.

wander:  to walk with no destination
He wandered around the park for hours thinking about his future.
While she was wandering through the town, she found a little coffee shop.

by Christina Aguilera

an America singer-songwriter, record producer and actress.  She is one of the 4 judges on the popular American TV show “The Voice.”  She has sold over 50 million albums worldwide.   This song is on her 4th album, Stripped, recorded in 2002.

Young girl, don’t cry
I’ll be right here when your world starts to fall, oooh
Young girl, it’s all right
Your tears will dry, you’ll soon be free to fly, oooh

When you’re safe inside your room you tend to dream
Of a place where nothing’s harder than it seems
No one ever wants or bothers to explain
Of the heartache life can bring and what it means

When there’s no one else, look inside yourself
Like your oldest friend just trust the voice within
Then you’ll find the strength that will guide your way
You’ll learn to begin to trust the voice within

Young girl, don’t hide
You’ll never change if you just run away, oooh
Young girl, just hold tight
Soon you’re gonna see your brighter day, oooh

Now in a world where innocence is quickly claimed
It’s so hard to stand your ground when you’re so afraid
No one reaches out a hand for you to hold
When you’re lost outside, look inside to your soul

When there’s no one else, look inside yourself
Like your oldest friend just trust the voice within
Then you’ll find the strength that will guide your way
You will learn to begin to trust the voice within
Yeah…

Life is a journey
It can take you anywhere you choose to go
As long as you’re learning
You’ll find all you’ll ever need to know
You’ll make it, you’ll make it
Just don’t go forsaking yourself
No one can stop you
You know that I’m talking to you

When there’s no one else, look inside yourself
Like your oldest friend just trust the voice within
Then you’ll find the strength that will guide your way
You will learn to begin to trust the voice within

Young girl don’t cry
I’ll be right here when your world starts to fall

Vocabulary:

accept:  to say yes to an offer
We accepted their invitation to dinner.
They told the letter carrier they don’t accept junk mail.

appreciate:  to be thankful for something you are given
Thanks again.  I really appreciate all your help.
She appreciates it when her family visits her in the hospital

borrow:  to take and use something for a short time that’s not yours
Could I please borrow your cell phone.
Her sister often borrows her clothes without asking.

cure:  to make (someone) healthy again
He cured his cold with vitamin C and plenty of water.
The doctor cured his patient of a nasty rash.

entertain:  to do something that people enjoy
The mime entertained the crowd for hours.
She entertained her children by playing a game with them.

gain:  to get more
She knew that she had gained weight over the holidays.
What do you have to gain by that action?

head:  to go 
If the alarm sounds, head for the nearest exit.
The soldier headed in the direction of the gunfire.

irritate:  to bother someone a lot
I can’t use that cream because it irritates my skin.
Their loud Saturday night parties irritate us.

memorize:  to learn (something) by repetition
He quickly memorized her phone number.
We have to memorize our lines for the play.

permit:  to allow, to give permission
Many parents permit their children to stay up later on Friday nights
The police would not permit them to walk in the street.

promise:  to do what you say you’re going to do
She promised to never leave him.
Do you promise not to laugh when I tell you my story?

recognize:  to know (something) from an earlier time
I recognize that music.  It’s Beethoven, isn’t it?
The old man didn’t recognize his own daughter.

switch:  to replace one thing with another, to exchange
Let’s switch seats.  I can’t see the screen very well.
I don’t like this toothpaste.  I’m going to switch to another brand.

suffer:  to feel pain for a long time
She suffers from migraine headaches.
Many teenagers suffer from not enough sleep.

warn:  to tell (someone) about a future danger
A sign warned motorists that there was black ice on the road.
He warned her not to go out after dark.

by Connie Talbot (with Jordan Jansen)

Connie is a 13-year-old English singer and songwriter who became famous in 2007 when she came in second in the TV competition Britain’s Got Talent.  Jordan is a 15-year-old Australian singer and songwriter who has half a million followers on Twitter.

You spend all day lying on the couch
Walk in your boxers round the house
Look at your pale ugly face
Enough to make a mirror break

More half-asleep than half-awake
Complaining that your body aches
Feeling sorry for yourself
Won’t get you anywhere

So I’m singing you a happy song
Just to cheer you up
When you got it rough
So I’m singing you a happy song
Just to cheer you up
I know how it sucks
Yeah, I’m singing you a happy song
But it can’t be that bad
Why you look so sad?
‘Cause better times ahead, oooh

The room smells like bad Mexican
Pull up those blinds let air come in
Your promises and blah-blah-blah
Won’t fix the strings on my guitar

We’ve been friends for much too long
For me to watch you carry on
Like this I miss the you I knew
You’d do the same for me

So I’m singing you a happy song
Just to cheer you up
I know how it sucks
Yeah I’m singing you a happy song
But it can’t be that bad
There’s better times ahead
So I’m singing you a happy song
But it can’t be that bad
Why you look so sad?

Watching shapes in the clouds all day
It’s okay sometimes we make mistakes
Let it go oh, oh
If it’s out of your control
Shrug it off like it’s a silly joke

So I’m singing you a happy song
Just to cheer you up
I know how it sucks
Yeah I’m singing you a happy song
But it can’t be that bad
There’s better times ahead
Yeah I’m singing you a happy song
But it can’t be that bad
Why you look so sad?
There’s better times ahead, oh
Better times ahead, oh
Better times ahead, oooh
Better times ahead

Vocabulary:

couch:  sofa
boxers:  underwear
pale:  colorless, white
aches:  hurts
feeling sorry for yourself:  feeling like something bad was done to you but not doing anything about it
won’t get you anywhere:  solve your problems
cheer you up:  make you feel happier
you got it rough:  life is hard for you
it sucks:  your situation is bad
ahead:  in the future
Mexican:  Mexican food
blinds:  window coverings
blah-blah-blah:  all of that stuff
carry on:  do things you shouldn’t
let it go:  don’t keep it inside of you
control:  power to fix
shrug it off:  don’t give it any importance
silly:  not serious
joke:  a quick story that makes you laugh

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only

According to studies started by Carl Jung, the famous Swiss psychiatrist and psychotherapist, and developed by psychologists since then, there are two ways people receive information from the outside world.  One way is with the senses, looking for details and facts, and the other way is with insight, trusting their own thoughts and feelings.  Similarly, there are two ways people make decisions.  The first is by thinking it out, and the second is by trusting their feelings.  These 2 variables make the 4 basic personality styles: controlling, promoting, supporting, and analyzing.

About 15% of people have a controlling style personality.  They are natural leaders and love to be in control.  They receive information through their senses and make fast and clear decisions with their feelings.  They are confident, disciplined, self-motivating, forward-looking people who want to get things done quickly.  They like to win, don’t mind stress, and often take risks.  They don’t like to waste time and don’t like other people wasting their time either.  They work best alone.  On the negative side they aren’t good listeners and can be seen as rude.  What they want most is to feel responsible and achieve a lot.

About 15% of people have a promoting style personality.  They are creative with many ideas, often at the same time.  They are friendly, energetic, and competitive people who start relationships easily and motivate others.  They receive information through their feelings and also make spontaneous decisions with their feelings.  They like to be the center of attention by telling good stories, driving fast cars, and doing things other people would never do.  They have good communication skills and can influence and motivate others.  They work best in groups, but like to do things the easiest way.  They don’t like details or anything boring.  On the negative side they talk before they think, are a bit disorganized, and can be forgetful.  What they want most is for others to recognize and approve of them.

About 35% of people have a supporting style personality.  They are friendly and good listeners.  They are dependable, trustworthy, patient, and loyal.  They receive information through their feelings and make slow, emotional decisions by thinking it out.  If they start something, they finish it, and if someone else starts something but doesn’t finish, they will often finish the job because they love to help.  They work best in groups and want to do things in an organized way.  They like to volunteer and be part of a group.  They don’t like public attention but prefer to stay unknown.  On the negative side they don’t take criticism well and don’t like sudden changes.  What they want most is to feel secure and needed.

About 35% of people have an analyzing style personality.  They are careful workers who hate to make mistakes.  They are conscientious, and sometimes unemotional people who like to gather information with their senses and make slow and careful decisions by thinking it out.  This often takes a long time because they need to gather more information to make the right decision.  They work best alone and don’t like to work under pressure.  They work well with details and schedules.  On the negative side they don’t like surprises or changes in their routine.  What they want most is perfection and truth.

Did one of these personality styles sound like you?  By knowing yourself and guessing what other people are, you can improve your communication and get along well with people with other styles.

Click on the audio recording below to hear the lesson.

Vocabulary:

psychiatrist:  a doctor who treats emotional, behavioral, or mental disorders
psychotherapist:  a doctor who treats people with emotional or mental disorders
psychologists:  scientists who study why people do what they do
senses:  seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching
details:  small things
insight:  a feeling or thought you have which does not come from your senses
similarly:  in a way that’s almost the same
decisions:  choices of what to do
thinking it out:  thinking about all the possibilities
variables:  things that can change
styles:  types, kinds
confident:  feeling sure about yourself, knowing you can do the job
disciplined:  always doing the things you have to
self-motivating:  giving yourself reasons to do something
forward-looking:  looking into the future
risks:  things that could  be dangerous
waste:  not use well
rude:  impolite
responsible:  feeling that it’s your duty to do something
achieve:  do important things
creative:  thinking of new things
energetic:  with lots of energy
competitive:  wanting to win
motivate:  encourages other people to do things
spontaneous:  done quickly without thinking
center of attention:  people seeing and listening to you
skills: abilities, things you can easily do
influence:  make people agree with you
recognize:  know who you are
approve: like what you are doing
dependable:  always there to help or support someone
trustworthy:  being a person that people can trust
patient:  able to continue for a long time
loyal:  always supporting another person
volunteer:  freely choose to do something
public attention:  lots of people looking at and listening to you
criticism:  telling someone what they’re doing wrong and how to improve
secure:  safe
conscientious:  always doing the right thing
unemotional:  not showing your emotions like anger, joy or fear
under pressure:  feeling that you have to finish the job quickly and do it well
schedules:  list of jobs to do and times to do them
perfection:  everything being perfect
get along:  interact
Pronunciation Exercise:  Listen and repeat the above vocabulary on the audio file below.

© 2014 Ambien Malecot

Like many other people, I’ve gotten into the habit of washing my hands every time I come back home.  You never know what you’ve touched out there, and you don’t want to get sick from it, so off you go to the bathroom or kitchen sink to do your duty.  If you’re like most people, you run the water until it’s warm, wet your hands and rub a bar of soap between them.  I did a little research online and found out that it makes no difference whether you wash your hands with hot or with cold water.  Studies have shown that they get just as clean either way.  But how long should you wash your hands to get rid of the bacteria and viruses that may be on them?  The answer is 30 seconds, but few people will watch a clock while they wash their hands.  However, there’s an easy way you can time your hand washing.  Just sing “Happy Birthday” to yourself three times, which takes 30 seconds.  You know – “Happy birthday to you.  Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear (your name). Happy birthday to you.”  By the way, if you start washing your hands every time you get home, it will take 30 days before it becomes a habit.  After that it will be something that you always do without thinking.

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

Vocabulary:

habit:  something you do all the time without thinking
come back:  return
duty:  thing you must do
bar:  solid piece that fits in your hand
research:  finding information
online:  on the Internet
found out:  got the information, discovered
whether:  if
studies:  scientific methods to find the truth
just as:  equally
get rid of:  make go away
bacteria:  tiny one-celled pieces of life
viruses:  tiny pieces of life that reproduce only inside the cell of an animal

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

Short video on hand washing:

© 2013 Ambien Malecot