Conversation:

Chuck:    Oh no!  Not another parking ticket!  I want to tear it up and throw it away.

Paul:    I know how you feel.  I keep getting speeding tickets over and over again.  I’ve gotten so many tickets, I could tell you what they say by heart.

Chuck:    You should watch out for radar vans and slow down when you pass one.  I do, and so far, so good – I haven’t gotten any speeding tickets in a long time.

Paul:    Just a minute.  I’m mixed up.  I thought the government wasn’t using radar vans any longer.

Chuck:    They aren’t, but some municipalities still are, so you have to be careful and pay attention.  And don’t forget about road blocks.  Have you ever run into one on a Friday or Saturday night?

Paul:    Sure.  Hasn’t everybody?  If I were king, I’d wipe out all those too.

Vocabulary:

•  ticket:  a penalty you must pay if you do something wrong
•  speeding:  going faster than the speed limit
•  just a minute:  wait, stop
•  radar vans:  large cars that have radar that takes a photo of a car that is speeding
•  municipalities:  cities or towns
•  road blocks:  when police stop all the cars on a street

Idioms:

tear up                              rip into small pieces
throw away (or out)    put in the garbage
over and over                again and again
by heart                           every word memorized
watch out (for)              be careful (of)
so far, so good              up till now, things are okay
mixed up                         confused / out of sequence
pay attention (to)        look or listen carefully
run into                           meet unexpectedly / hit with a vehicle
wipe out                          destroy completely

Notes:

Throw away and throw out have the same meaning.  They are also the same as get rid of.

Watch out (for) and look out (for) have the same meaning.

Mixed up has 2 meanings.  The second meaning is “out of sequence,”  the same as out of order.
Example:  I can’t find my coffee card in the file box.  They’re mixed up.

Run into and bump into have the same meaning, but bump into is only used for people.
Example:  Guess who I bumped into at the grocery store yesterday?

Run into has 2 meanings.  The second meaning is “hit with a vehicle.”
Example:  Michael went through a stop sign and ran into a truck on his way home from work.

© 2004 Ambien Malecot

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forbidden:    not allowed, against the rules or law
Smoking anywhere in this building is forbidden.
In some religions pork is a forbidden food.

fragrant:    having a nice smell
I only buy fragrant flowers that make my apartment smell nice.
This is one of the most fragrant wines I have drunk in a long time.

furious:     extremely angry
She was furious with him for lying to her.
They were furious that their table had been given to someone else.

greedy:    wanting all of it and not willing to share
Eating the whole pie is a greedy thing to do.
Don’t be greedy.  Leave me some of those potato chips.

hearty:    healthy or strong
We had a hearty breakfast of eggs, bacon, and pancakes.
They gave the soldier a hearty welcome when he arrived back home.

inferior:    not as good, poor in quality
Don’t buy that smart phone.  It’s inferior to the one I have.
Last year they put inferior tires on my car, and now I need new ones.

isolated:    separated from others, alone
The girl felt isolated in her new school.
There was one isolated tree in the middle of the field.

monotonous:    always the same, repeating and boring
His job in the box factory is monotonous.
She doesn’t enjoy the music because she feels it’s monotonous.

noticeable:    easily seen
The scar on his face is more noticeable in the morning.
The stain wasn’t very noticeable, so she didn’t have to change her dress.

outstanding:    better than all the others, excellent
Everyone agrees he’s an outstanding athlete.
The job you did on your last project was outstanding.

peculiar:    unusual and strange
She has a peculiar habit of twisting her hair with her fingers.
I think it’s peculiar that Susan missed our 4:00 meeting.

similar:     generally the same
The boys have a similar attitude toward their studies.
They both had similar experiences when they were young.

superior:    better in quality
That company builds cars that are superior in quality to other cars.
His writing is superior to his classmate’s.

unfamiliar:    not knowing about
We are unfamiliar with the customs of this country.
They found themselves in unfamiliar surroundings.

visual:    about seeing or sight
He will always carry a visual image of her in his mind.
It’s been a long time, and I have no visual memory of her face.

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 exercises.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

 

Simon Fraser University, located near Vancouver, British Columbia, has been one of Canada’s top universities for the past twenty years.  I went there myself in the early 1970s to get my teaching credentials so I could teach in the public school system.  The Times Higher Education world rankings of 100 universities ranks Simon Fraser University 2nd in Canada and 30th in the world.  The university, named after the famous explorer Simon Fraser, opened its doors in 1965 to 2500 students.  It has grown a lot since then.  Now it is a university known for its excellence and innovation in academic programs.  It also has a reputation for excellence in research.  It is a public university with half of its funding coming from the government.  There are eight faculties:  the Faculty of Applied Science, the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, the Beedie School of Business, the Faculty of Communication, Art and Technology, the Faculty of Education, the Faculty of Environment, the Faculty of Health Sciences, and the Faculty of Science.  There are almost 30,000 undergraduates, half of whom are full-time students.  The university has 946 faculty members and 3403 staff members.  Seventeen percent of the undergraduate student population is international students from China, South Korea, and other countries around the world.  International students are about 20% of the graduate student population, but are more highly represented in science and technology areas.  Simon Fraser University is on three different campuses.  The main campus is on the top of Burnaby Mountain, about 20 km. east of downtown Vancouver.  This campus has won many awards for its architecture.  A second campus is located in downtown Vancouver.  When SFU opened this campus in the 1980s, it was the first urban university classroom in British Columbia.  Now this campus has four buildings in the downtown core and serves 10,000 students.  The most recent SFU campus was opened in Surrey, a quickly growing suburb of Vancouver.  The student newspaper, The Peak, is distributed to all three campuses.  The school also has a radio station, CJSF-FM, at 90.1 FM or online at: www.cjsf.ca.  The newspaper and radio station are an excellent way to learn about what’s happening on campus.  Finally, there are over a hundred clubs on campus and many events for students to enjoy.  Simon Fraser University is an experience that any international student will benefit from and remember for the rest of their life.

Click on the audio recording below to hear the lesson.

Vocabulary:

top – best
credentials – educational requirements
rankings – list of best to worst
explorer – someone who discovers new places
innovation – introducing something new or different
academic – higher education
reputation – what others think of you
research – investigation into a subject
public – belonging to everybody
funding – money to operate
faculties – departments of learning
undergraduates – students before they graduate
faculty members – professors
staff members – people who work there but who aren’t professors
graduate – students who already have a bachelor’s degree
highly represented – a larger percentage (more than 20%)
campus – buildings and grounds of a university
architecture – the style of buildings
urban – city
core – area
suburb – district immediately outside a city
distributed – sent
event – something that happens
benefit – get success

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

© 2014 Ambien Malecot

 

by Danny Gokey

an American country music singer who became known on the 8th season of American Idol.  The song is from his 2010 debut album, “My Best Days.”

Blowing out the candles on another birthday cake
Old enough to look back and laugh at my mistakes
Young enough to look at the future and like what I see

My best days are ahead of me

Life hasn’t always been a party, but mostly it’s been good
There’s only one or two things that I’d change if I could
I don’t get lost in the past or get stuck in some sad memory, yeah

My best days are ahead of me

Age ain’t nothing but a number
Sometimes I have to wonder what does it really mean
But hey, I’m still putting it together
I keep getting better
If I keep getting better, I can be whatever I want to be

My best days are ahead of me

Age ain’t nothing but a number
Sometimes I have to wonder what does it really mean
Hey, I’m still putting it together
I keep getting better
If I keep getting better, I can be whatever I want to be

My best days are ahead of me

I got sunsets to witness, dreams to dance with
Beaches to walk on, and lovers to kiss
There’s a whole lot of world out there that I can’t wait to see

My best days are ahead of me

My best days are ahead of me

Vocabulary:

look back – look into my past
party –  a lot of fun
get lost in – think too much about
stuck – not able to come out
memory – something I remember
ahead of me – in my future
ain’t nothing – isn’t anything
wonder – think about
putting it together – trying to find the meaning
whatever – anything
witness – see

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only   

 

•  Adverb clauses of time starting with after, before, since, when, and while can be reduced, but only if the subjects in the adverb clause and in the independent clause are the same.  When they are the same, you can drop the subject and the verb BE (or if there is no BE, change the verb to the -ing form) in the adverb clause.

Examples:
I fell asleep while I was watching TV.
I fell asleep while watching TV.

Since he came back to town, he has seen all his old friends.
Since coming back to town, he has seen all his old friends.

Paul celebrated with his friends after he took his final exam.
Paul celebrated with his friends after taking his final exam.

Before she went to bed, Alice brushed her teeth.
Before going to bed, Alice brushed her teeth.

When you are standing in line, start talking with someone to pass the time.
[The missing subject in a command is “you.” (…, you start talking…)]
When standing in line, start talking with someone to pass the time.

•  When reducing an adverb clause of reason starting with because, since, or as, you must drop the marker.  This type of adverb clause is most often used at the beginning of a sentence.

Examples:
Because he forgot his password, Sam was unable to use the bank machine.
Forgetting his password, Sam was unable to use the bank machine.

Since she hadn’t slept much the night before, Sue was tired most of the day .
Not having slept much the night before, Sue was tired most of the day.
[In compound verb tenses like this, put the first verb (have) in the -ing form]

As we are all together today, we should do something memorable.
Being all together today, we should do something memorable.
[When the only verb is BE, change it to -ing]

•  When reducing an adverb clause of time starting with while, you can drop it if you want to, but you don’t have to.

Example:
While we were walking to school, we saw a dog fight.
While walking to school, we saw a dog fight.
Walking to school, we saw a dog fight.

•  There are 6 prepositional phrases that function like adverb clauses but are followed by a noun and not a subject and verb.  The markers for these phrases are:

because of                on account of              despite
due to                         in spite of                     during

Examples:
They didn’t want to go for a bike ride because of the rain.
COMPARE:  They didn’t want to go for a bike ride because it was raining.

Because of a test at school, Paul studied late last night
COMPARE:  Because he had a test at school, Paul studied late last night.

On account of his poor memory, Mark missed the meeting.
COMPARE:  Because he has a poor memory, Mark missed the meeting.

He got up late this morning on account of the party last night.
COMPARE:  He got up late this morning because he went to a party last night.

Allan didn’t feel tired despite his lack of sleep.
COMPARE:  Allan didn’t feel tired although he didn’t sleep much.

Despite instructions not to, Faye opened the test booklet.
COMPARE:  Even though she had instructions not to, Faye opened the test booklet.

Due to the poor economic forecast, we put our money in gold.
COMPARE:  Because the economic forecast was poor, we put our money in gold.

No one could understand me due to my poor accent.
COMPARE:  No one could understand me because I have a poor accent.

They lied to me in spite of our friendship.
COMPARE:  They lied to me even though we are friends.

In spite of their best effort, the team lost the final game.
COMPARE:  Although they played their best, the team lost the final game.

They kissed for the first time during the concert.
COMPARE:  They kissed for the first time while they were at the concert.

During the lecture after lunch, Paul fell asleep.
COMPARE:  While he was listening to the lecture after lunch, Paul fell asleep.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

 

An adverb clause is a group of words that modifies a verb.  It has a marker, a subject, and a verb.   Adverb clauses are usually found at the beginning or at the end of a sentence.  If they come at the beginning, then you must put a comma ( , ) after the clause, but when they come at the end, no comma is used.

Examples:

• After he finished his homework, he got ready for bed.
• They worked together before they became good friends.
• Because we are new to Vancouver, we don’t know the city very well.
• You can go to the game if you finish your work before noon.

The following markers are used for time:

after                              John turned on the TV after he arrived at home.
as                                    As Peter was cycling, he hit a tree and broke his leg.
as soon as                  He phoned her as soon as he got her message.
as long as                   As long as we have to sit here, let’s play some cards.
before                           Cynthia sat down and formed a plan before she did anything.
by the time               By the time I get to school, it will be almost 10:00.*
until / till                   I’ll wait here until you finish shopping.*
since                             Since I got back to Vancouver, it has rained everyday.
every time                Every time he falls, he gets right back up and continues.
anytime                     Give me a call anytime you feel like talking.  
the first time           She was just a little girl of six the first time I saw her.
the last time            The last time he played tennis, he wasn’t feeling well.
the next time          You pay for the gas the next time you borrow my car.*
when                            When they lived in Aspen, they went hiking everyday.
whenever                  Give me a call whenever you feel lonely, and we’ll go out.
while                             Shelly likes to listen to music while she is studying.

[*Note:  After all of these time markers, you cannot use any future tense; use the present simple in place of the future as in the examples with * ]

The following markers are used for reason or purpose:

because                     I want a new computer because my old one is too slow.
since                           Since you love coffee so much, why don’t you have a cup?
as                                   He was scared as this was the first time he had ever flown.
now that                   Now that you’ve graduated from college, what are your plans?
so that                        I told him my phone number so that he could call me later.

The following markers are used for contrast:

although                  He went to the movie with her although he had already seen it.
even though          Even though I’m tired, I’d like to go out for dinner.
whereas                    I like vanilla ice cream whereas my sister likes chocolate.
while                           While I love swimming, my wife is afraid of the water.

The following markers are used for condition:

if                                      I can be there in five minutes if you need any help.
in case                         In case there’s a fire, leave the building immediately.
in the event that   I’ll get a job in the event that my business fails.
even if                          Even if she comes soon, she won’t have enough time to eat.
unless                          I’ll volunteer to pick her up unless you want to do it.
whether or not     Whether or not they come to our party, I don’t really care.
only if                          He’ll lend me the money only if I promise to pay him back soon.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

 

Conversation:

Barb:    It’s too hot in here.  How do you turn on the air conditioning?

Bob:    It’s easy as pie.  Just push the button marked ‘start.’  Then turn the dial up to maximum.

Barb:    Okay.  But when we checked in, the desk clerk said it takes about half an hour to cool the room down.  I think I need something cold to drink now.

Bob:    Speak up.  I can’t hear you over that noisy air conditioner.

Barb:    I’m going to the vending machine in the lobby to get some pop.  Would you like anything?

Bob:    No thanks.  I’ll stick with ice water.  You could bring up some more ice, if you don’t mind.  I don’t want to run out.

Barb:    [Later]  I couldn’t get any pop.  The vending machine broke down, and they shut down the ice machine for servicing.  Let’s just check out of here and find a better motel.

Click on the audio recording  below to hear the lesson.

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

Vocabulary:

• maximum:   the highest setting
• desk clerk:   the person you talk to when you register.
• vending:   selling
• lobby:   the big room inside the front door of a motel or hotel
• if you don’t mind:  if it isn’t a problem for you
• servicing:  fixing and cleaning a machine

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

Idioms:

turn on                start the operation (of a machine, lights, etc.)
easy as pie         very easy to do
turn up                increase (sound, light, or heat) / arrive
check in (to)     register (at a motel or hotel)
speak up             speak more loudly / say something (at a meeting/in class)
stick with           continue using (something) / stay with (someone)
run out (of)       not have any more
break down       stop working (machine)
shut down          stop (a service or business) for a short time or permanently.
check out (of)   leave (a motel or hotel) / borrow (something) from a library

Notes:

Easy as pie and a piece of cake mean the same thing.

Turn up has 2 meanings.  The other one is “arrive.”
Example:  How many people turned up at the meeting last night?
It has the same meaning as show up. (Unit 03)

Speak up has 2 meanings.  The other one is “say something (at a meeting/in class).”
Example:  There are a few students who speak up in class, but most of them don’t usually say anything.

Stick with has 2 meanings.  The other one is “stay with (someone).”
Example:  When we go into the mall, stick with me.  I don’t want you to get lost.

Run out and be out are closely related.  Run out is an action, and be out is a condition (no action).
Example:  I ran out of milk, and if there’s one thing I don’t like, it’s to be out of milk.

Break down and out of order (Unit 01) are closely related.  Break down is an action, and out of order is a condition (no action).

Check out, meaning “leave (a motel or hotel),” is not followed by of if there is no object after it.
Example:  What time do we have to check out?

Check out has 2 meanings.  The second meaning is “borrow (something) from a library.”
Example:  You can’t check out reference material from the library.

 

© 2004 Ambien Malecot

 

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anxious:    greatly worried / wanting very much
Many students are anxious about the final exams.
We’re anxious to know the results of the election.

ambitious:    wanting very much to be successful
Olympic athletes have to be ambitious to win
I know he’ll do well in life because he’s ambitious

awkward:  not able to move very well
He’s not fun to dance with because he’s too awkward.
These golf clubs are awkward to use.  They’re for left-handed people.

capable:    having the ability
My brother is a capable carpenter who can build almost anything.
I swear I didn’t kill her.  I’m not capable of murder.

delicate:    easily damaged, fragile
She can never be a dancer.  She has delicate feet.
He noticed a spider’s delicate web in the corner of the room.

drowsy:    sleepy
This medicine makes me drowsy.
I studied all night and felt drowsy all during the test.

essential:    absolutely necessary
It is essential that you tell him to call me as soon as he arrives.
Banks are essential to the economy.

eternal:    unending, lasting forever
Their love for each other is eternal
The origin of life is an eternal question among scientists.

flexible:    bending or changing easily
Dancers have flexible bodies.
He has a job where he works flexible hours.

leisure:    free from work or other duties
They enjoy many leisure activities together, such as playing poker.
She spends her leisure time reading novels.

punctual:    on time, at the correct time
Your son has been punctual to class everyday this term.
I didn’t have to wait for our meeting.  He was punctual.

solid:    hard, strong, not hollow
This beautiful table is solid oak.
They built the house on solid rock.

violent:    with uncontrolled rough force
The violent storm is expected to hit the coast of Florida on Friday.
Stay away from him when he drinks because he gets violent.

visible:    able to be seen
He has a visible scar on his cheek.
On a clear night many stars are visible.

weird:    strange, very unusual
She has a weird habit of pulling on her left earlobe.
She felt weird when she saw her ex-husband kiss her sister.

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

When you come to Canada to study English, you’ll find five major banks; they are: the Bank of Nova Scotia (Scotiabank), the Toronto Dominion/Canada Trust (TD Bank), Bank of Montreal (BMO), the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC), and the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC).   The reason I mention these five is that you will want to choose one when you come here.  It’s a good idea to open a bank account to keep your money safe.  You should open a bank account with either cash or traveler’s cheques.  If you open it with a cheque or a bank draft, you may not be able to get your money for several weeks until the cheque or draft clears.  You should research the different banks to find out their fees for their services, and then choose the one that’s best for you.  There are different kinds of accounts you can open, for example, a savings account, a chequing account, and a chequing-savings account.  In my opinion, all you need is a chequing account, which lets you take cash out of bank machines all over the city.  Be sure to ask for a debit card to use in these machines.  You just insert the card, type your personal identification number (PIN), and then follow the prompts to do what you need to do.  The debit card can also be used in stores to pay for things.  When you open a chequing account, you need to have two pieces of identification.  One of these has to have your picture on it, like your passport.  The bank will ask you for your date of birth, your address in Canada (including postal code), your phone number in Canada, and your address in your home country.  There are other things you can do at the bank, too.  For example, you can also exchange money from your home country to get Canadian dollars.  You can buy auto insurance if you lease or buy a car here in Canada.  Every renter, home owner, and homestay student needs home insurance to protect their valuables, and a bank can help you do this.  The bank also offers travel insurance for those times you may want to go south to the US.  So as you can see, there are many things you need a bank for.

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

Vocabulary:

bank draft – a type of cheque where the first bank guarantees to pay the money to the second bank.
clears – the first bank has paid the money to the second bank
wondering – wanting to know
in my opinion – I believe
debit – money coming directly from your bank account.
insert – put into
personal identification number – a secret number that only you know
prompts – instructions
postal code – a  series of numbers and letters that identify a part of the country
exchange – trade
insurance – protection against losing something
lease – rent for a long period of time
homestay – staying with a Canadian family
valuables – things you have that you love or that are expensive

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

Conversation:

Teller:              Next.  Can I help you?
Student:         Yes.  I would like to open an account, please.
Teller:              Okay.  Do you have identification?
Student:         Yes.  Here’s my driver’s license and my passport.           .
Teller:              Thank you.  What kind of account do you want?
Student:          I think a chequing account is all I need.  Can I also get a debit card?
Teller:              Absolutely.  Start by filling out this form.  When you’re finished, bring it back to me.
Student:         All right.  [Later]  I think I’m finished.
Teller:              You forgot to put your occupation.  What is it?
Student:         Right now I’m a student.
Teller:              Okay.  I’ll write that in.  How much are you depositing today?
Student:         $350 cash and $2800 in traveler’s cheques.
Teller:              Okay.  Here’s your receipt, and here’s your debit card.  
Student:          Thank you.
Teller:              Now insert your card in this terminal and choose a four-digit PIN number.  It will ask you to do it twice.
Student:          That’s easy.  Is that it?  Are we done?
Teller:               Yes.  Have a nice day.
Student:          You too.

 

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

By Natasha Bedingfield

a  British singer-songwriter.  This song is from her 2004 debut album of the same name.  It was written by Danielle Brisebois with a little help from Natasha and Wayne Rodriguez.

I am unwritten
Can’t read my mind
I’m undefined
I’m just beginning
The pen’s in my hand
Ending unplanned

Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words
That you cannot find
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions

Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten, yeah

Oh, oh
I break tradition
Sometimes my tries
Are outside the lines
We’ve been conditioned
To not make mistakes
But I can’t live that way, oh

Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words
That you cannot find
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions

Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten

Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words
That you cannot find
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions

Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins

Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten
The rest is still unwritten
The rest is still unwritten

Vocabulary:

undefined – there’s no definition for me
staring – looking at continuously
blank – nothing written on it
illuminate – shine bright light so you can see
reaching for – trying hard to get
release – let go
inhibitions – the voice inside that tells you what you should do
let it in – experience it fully
drench – make very wet
the rest – everything else
tradition – things that everybody has always done
my tries – things that I try to do
outside the lines – not a good job
conditioned – trained

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only