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carla

LANGUAGE: Grammar (3)

Grammar (3)

Past Continuous and Past Simple

a. The past continuous is used to talk about something that was happening at a specific moment in the past. The action or situation had already started, but had not yet finished at that moment.

  • At eight o’clock last night I was watching TV.

  • I saw you yesterday. You were waiting for a bus.

  • Was Sue working at 10 o’clock yesterday morning?

Compare the uses of the past continuous and the past simple:

PAST CONTINUOUS | PAST SIMPLE
I was writing a letter. | I wrote a letter.
(I was in the middle of the action.) | (I started and finished the action.)

b. The past continuous and the past simple are often used together in the same sentence. Observe what happens in this type of sentence.

PAST CONTINUOUS | PAST SIMPLE
I was driving along when suddenly a child ran across the road.
When Kate was watching TV, the telephone rang.
We were walking in the park when it started to rain.

The past continuous describes the longer action or situation that was in progress at a specific moment in the past; the past simple describes a shorter action that happened in the middle of the longer one, or interrupted it.

However, to say that one action happened after another, the past simple can be used.

  • When the telephone rang, Kate answered it.

  • We sheltered under a tree when it started to rain.

Compare:

  • When Kate came home, Ken was making some tea.

  • When Kate came home, Ken made some tea.

c. When telling a story, the past continuous is usually used to describe the background scene, and the past simple for the events and actions that take place within that setting.

PAST CONTINUOUS | PAST SIMPLE

I was standing outside the bus station.
It was getting late and I was feeling tired.
I was waiting for a man called Dan.

Suddenly, a woman came round the corner and walked right up to me.
“Are you Mr Marlowe?” she asked.

Passat continu i passat simple

a. El passat continu s’utilitza per parlar d’alguna cosa que estava passant en un moment determinat del passat. L’acció o la situació ja havia començat, però encara no havia acabat en aquell moment.

  • A les vuit del vespre d’ahir estava mirant la televisió.

  • Et vaig veure ahir. Estaves esperant un autobús.

  • La Sue estava treballant a les deu del matí d’ahir?

Compara els usos del passat continu i del passat simple:

PASSAT CONTINU | PASSAT SIMPLE
Estava escrivint una carta. | Vaig escriure una carta.
(Estava realitzant l’acció.) | (Vaig començar i acabar l’acció.)

b. El passat continu i el passat simple sovint s’utilitzen junts en una mateixa frase. Observa què passa en aquest tipus de frases.

PASSAT CONTINU | PASSAT SIMPLE
Estava conduint quan de sobte un nen va creuar la carretera.
Quan la Kate mirava la televisió, el telèfon va sonar.
Estàvem caminant pel parc quan va començar a ploure.

El passat continu descriu l’acció o situació de més durada que s’estava desenvolupant en un moment determinat del passat; el passat simple descriu una acció més curta que va succeir enmig de l’acció més llarga, o que la va interrompre.

Però per dir que una acció va passar després d’una altra, es pot utilitzar el passat simple.

  • Quan el telèfon va sonar, la Kate va respondre.

  • Ens vam refugiar sota un arbre quan va començar a ploure.

Compara:

  • Quan la Kate va arribar a casa, en Ken estava preparant te.

  • Quan la Kate va arribar a casa, en Ken va preparar te.

c. Quan s’explica una història, normalment s’utilitza el passat continu per descriure l’escena de fons, i el passat simple per als esdeveniments i accions que tenen lloc dins d’aquest marc.

PASSAT CONTINU | PASSAT SIMPLE

Estava dret davant de l’estació d’autobusos.
Es feia tard i em sentia cansat.
Estava esperant un home que es deia Dan.

De sobte, una dona va aparèixer girant la cantonada i es va acostar directament a mi.
«Vostè és el senyor Marlowe?», va preguntar.

Pasado continuo y pasado simple

a. Se emplea el pasado continuo para hablar de algo que estaba sucediendo en un momento determinado del pasado. La acción o la situación se había iniciado, pero aún no había concluido en ese momento.

  • A las ocho de la tarde de ayer estaba viendo la televisión.

  • Te vi ayer. Estabas esperando un autobús.

  • ¿Estaba Sue trabajando a las diez de la mañana de ayer?

Compara los usos del pasado continuo y del pasado simple:

PASADO CONTINUO | PASADO SIMPLE
Estaba escribiendo una carta. | Escribí una carta.
(Estaba realizando la acción.) | (Empecé y acabé la acción.)

b. El pasado continuo y el pasado simple se emplean a menudo juntos en una misma frase. Observa lo que sucede en este tipo de oraciones.

PASADO CONTINUO | PASADO SIMPLE
Estaba conduciendo cuando de repente un niño cruzó la carretera.
Cuando Kate estaba viendo la televisión, sonó el teléfono.
Estábamos caminando por el parque cuando empezó a llover.

El pasado continuo describe la acción o situación de mayor duración que se estaba desarrollando en un momento determinado del pasado; el pasado simple describe una acción más corta que sucedió en medio de la acción más larga, o que la interrumpió.

Sin embargo, para decir que una acción ocurrió después de otra, se puede usar el pasado simple.

  • Cuando sonó el teléfono, Kate contestó.

  • Nos refugiamos bajo un árbol cuando empezó a llover.

Compara:

  • Cuando Kate llegó a casa, Ken estaba preparando té.

  • Cuando Kate llegó a casa, Ken preparó té.

c. Al narrar una historia, se suele emplear el pasado continuo para describir la escena de fondo y el pasado simple para los acontecimientos y acciones que tienen lugar dentro de ese marco.

PASADO CONTINUO | PASADO SIMPLE

Estaba de pie fuera de la estación de autobuses.
Se estaba haciendo tarde y me sentía cansado.
Estaba esperando a un hombre llamado Dan.

De repente, una mujer apareció doblando la esquina y se acercó directamente a mí.
«¿Es usted el señor Marlowe?», preguntó.

by carla

LANGUAGE: English Oddities (2)

English Oddities (2)

English Oddities:

It’s amazing that any of us ever learned English! Each sentence below has two words spelled exactly the same, but each word is pronounced differently. The first few you may know. Ask your teacher how to pronounce the rest. (If you are pronouncing both words the same, you are incorrect!)

  1. We were too close (adj) to the window to close (v) it.

  2. I did not object (v) to the object (n) of your presentation.

  3. We must polish (v) my grandmother’s Polish (adj) furniture.

  4. He could lead (v) if he got the lead (n) out and walked faster.

  5. There was a row (n) among the oarsmen about who could row (v) the fastest.

  6. “No time like the present (n),” he said. “It’s time to present (v) her the award.”

  7. The wind (n) was so fierce that we couldn’t wind (v) the sail.

  8. We wound (v) the bandage around his leg to cover his wound (n).

  9. The soldier decided to desert (v) as they crossed the desert (n).

  10. Startled by the dogs, the dove (n) dove (v) into the bushes.

  11. A large-mouthed bass (n) was painted on the body of his bass (adj) guitar.

  12. The dump was full and had to refuse (v) taking any more refuse (n).

  13. The insurance on the invalid (n) was invalid (adj) because he hadn’t paid.

Estranyeses de l’anglès:

És sorprenent que cap de nosaltres hagi arribat mai a aprendre anglès! Cada frase següent conté dues paraules escrites exactament igual, però cadascuna es pronuncia de manera diferent. Les primeres potser ja les coneixes. Pregunta al teu professor com es pronuncien la resta. (Si pronuncies les dues paraules igual, és incorrecte!)

  1. Érem massa a prop (close, adj) de la finestra per poder-la tancar (close, v).

  2. No vaig objectar (object, v) a l’objecte (object, n) de la teva presentació.

  3. Hem de polir (polish, v) els mobles polonesos (Polish, adj) de la meva àvia.

  4. Podria liderar (lead, v) si es tragués el plom (lead, n) i caminés més de pressa.

  5. Hi havia una discussió (row, n) entre els remers sobre qui podia remar (row, v) més ràpid.

  6. «No hi ha temps com el present (present, n)», va dir. «És hora de presentar (present, v) el premi.»

  7. El vent (wind, n) bufava tan fort que no podíem enrotllar (wind, v) la vela.

  8. Vam embolicar (wound, v) la bena al voltant de la seva cama per cobrir la ferida (wound, n).

  9. El soldat va decidir desertar (desert, v) mentre travessaven el desert (desert, n).

  10. Espantada pels gossos, la coloma (dove, n) es va llançar (dove, v) dins els matolls.

  11. Un llobarro (bass, n) de boca gran estava pintat al cos de la seva guitarra baixa (bass, adj).

  12. L’abocador era ple i va haver de rebutjar (refuse, v) acceptar més deixalles (refuse, n).

  13. L’assegurança de l’invàlid (invalid, n) no era vàlida (invalid, adj) perquè no havia paga

Rarezas del inglés:

¡Es increíble que alguno de nosotros haya llegado a aprender inglés! Cada frase a continuación tiene dos palabras escritas exactamente igual, pero cada una se pronuncia de forma diferente. Las primeras quizá ya las conozcas. Pregunta a tu profesor cómo se pronuncian las demás. (¡Si pronuncias ambas palabras igual, es incorrecto!)

  1. Estábamos demasiado cerca (close, adj) de la ventana para poder cerrarla (close, v).

  2. No me opuse (object, v) al objeto (object, n) de tu presentación.

  3. Debemos pulir (polish, v) los muebles polacos (Polish, adj) de mi abuela.

  4. Podría liderar (lead, v) si se quitara el plomo (lead, n) y caminara más rápido.

  5. Hubo una pelea/discusión (row, n) entre los remeros sobre quién podía remar (row, v) más rápido.

  6. «No hay momento como el presente (present, n)», dijo. «Es hora de presentar (present, v) el premio.»

  7. El viento (wind, n) era tan fuerte que no podíamos enrollar (wind, v) la vela.

  8. Envolvimos (wound, v) la venda alrededor de su pierna para cubrir la herida (wound, n).

  9. El soldado decidió desertar (desert, v) mientras cruzaban el desierto (desert, n).

  10. Asustada por los perros, la paloma (dove, n) se lanzó (dove, v) a los arbustos.

  11. Un pez bajo (bass, n) de boca grande estaba pintado en el cuerpo de su guitarra bajo (bass, adj).

  12. El vertedero estaba lleno y tuvo que negarse (refuse, v) a aceptar más basura (refuse, n).

  13. El seguro del inválido (invalid, n) no era válido (invalid, adj) porque no había pagado.

by carla

FUN FACTS (6)

10 Fun Facts about New Zeland

  1. The Māori name for New Zealand is Aotearoa, which means “Land of the Long White Cloud.” These clouds helped early Polynesian navigators discover the previously uninhabited islands more than 800 years ago.

  2. The word “Kiwi” has three meanings in New Zealand: the fuzzy fruit you can buy at the market; a shy, flightless bird native to the country; and an affectionate nickname for New Zealanders themselves. (Great people—I’ve never met a Kiwi I didn’t like!)

  3. New Zealand was the first country in the world to grant women the right to vote, in 1893, long before many other nations (Australia in 1902—though not for the Indigenous population; Canada in 1917, limited to World War I widows and women serving overseas; the UK in 1918, but only for women over 30; the USA in 1920; Ireland in 1922; and South Africa in 1930).

  4. If you suffer from ophidiophobia, the fear of snakes, you’re in luck: New Zealand has no snakes anywhere in the country.

  5. Although now extinct, giant moa birds were once native to New Zealand. Standing up to 3.6 meters tall and weighing around 260 kg, these birds became extinct less than 100 years after humans settled in New Zealand due to overhunting. Imagine trying to cook one!

  6. Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu is the longest place name in the world. Located on the east coast of the North Island, its name roughly translates from Māori as: “The place where Tamatea, the man with the big knees, slipped, climbed, and swallowed mountains; known as the eater of land, he played the flute for his beloved.” Got that?

  7. Today, there are at least six sheep for every person living in New Zealand. In the 1980s, that ratio was about 22 to 1!

  8. Although bungee jumping was invented in Vanuatu, it first became popular in New Zealand during the 1980s. Other Kiwi inventions include the self-sealing lid, the postage stamp vending machine, the bobby pin, the electric fence, and jet boats.

  9. Known as the “City of Sails,” Auckland has the highest number of boats per capita in the world.

  10. All but one scene of The Lord of the Rings was filmed in New Zealand. The exception is the scene in which Boromir dies beneath a waterfall. Director Peter Jackson wanted a larger waterfall than New Zealand could offer, so he took the entire film crew to South Africa to shoot that single scene.

10 curiositats divertides sobre Nova Zelanda

  1. El nom maori de Nova Zelanda és Aotearoa, que significa «la terra del llarg núvol blanc». Aquests núvols, de fet, van ajudar els primers navegants polinesis a descobrir les illes deshabitades fa més de 800 anys.

  2. «Kiwi» té tres significats a Nova Zelanda: el fruit pelut que pots comprar al mercat; un ocell tímid i incapaç de volar, originari del país; i un sobrenom afectuós per a la gent del país. (Gent fantàstica. No he conegut mai cap kiwi que no m’agradés!)

  3. Nova Zelanda va ser el primer país a concedir el dret de vot a les dones, l’any 1893, molt abans que molts altres països del món (Austràlia 1902 —tot i que no a la població indígena; Canadà 1917, limitat a les vídues de la Primera Guerra Mundial i a les dones que servien a l’estranger; Regne Unit 1918, però només a les dones majors de 30 anys; EUA 1920; Irlanda 1922; Sud-àfrica 1930).

  4. Si tens ofidiofòbia, por a les serps, estàs de sort, ja que a Nova Zelanda no hi ha serps a tot el país.

  5. Tot i que ara estan extingits, els ocells gegants moa eren originaris de Nova Zelanda. L’ocell, que feia 3,6 metres d’alçada i pesava 260 kg, es va extingir menys de 100 anys després de l’arribada dels humans a Nova Zelanda a causa de la caça excessiva. Imagina cuinar aquell ocell!

  6. Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu és el nom de poble més llarg del món. Situat a la costa est de l’Illa Nord, el seu nom es tradueix del maori com una cosa semblant a: «El lloc on Tamatea, un home amb grans genolls, va relliscar, va escalar i es va empassar una muntanya; conegut com a menjador de terres, va tocar la flauta per a la seva estimada». Ho has entès?

  7. Avui dia, hi ha almenys sis ovelles per cada persona que viu a Nova Zelanda. Als anys vuitanta, aquesta proporció era d’aproximadament 22:1!

  8. Tot i que es va inventar a Vanuatu, el salt de pont (bungee jumping) es va fer popular per primera vegada als anys vuitanta a Nova Zelanda. Altres invents kiwi inclouen la tapa autoselladora, la màquina expenedora de segells, la forqueta del cabell, la tanca elèctrica i les llanxes a reacció.

  9. Anomenada la «ciutat de les veles», Auckland és la ciutat amb més vaixells per càpita del món.

  10. Totes les escenes d’El Senyor dels Anells menys una es van filmar a Nova Zelanda: la de la mort de Boromir sota una cascada. El director, Peter Jackson, volia una cascada més gran de les que oferia Nova Zelanda, així que va portar tot l’equip de rodatge a Sud-àfrica per filmar aquella escena.

10 datos curiosos sobre Nueva Zelanda

  1. El nombre maorí de Nueva Zelanda es Aotearoa, que significa «la tierra de la larga nube blanca». Estas nubes, de hecho, ayudaron a los primeros navegantes polinesios a descubrir las islas deshabitadas hace más de 800 años.

  2. «Kiwi» tiene tres significados en Nueva Zelanda: la fruta peluda que puedes comprar en el mercado; un ave tímida y no voladora, originaria del país; y un apodo cariñoso para la gente del país. (Gente estupenda. ¡Nunca conocí a un kiwi que no me cayera bien!)

  3. Nueva Zelanda fue el primer país en conceder el derecho al voto a las mujeres, en 1893, mucho antes que muchos otros países del mundo (Australia 1902 —aunque no a la población indígena; Canadá 1917, limitado a las viudas de la Primera Guerra Mundial y a las mujeres que servían en el extranjero; Reino Unido 1918, pero solo a mujeres mayores de 30 años; EE. UU. 1920; Irlanda 1922; Sudáfrica 1930).

  4. Si tienes ofidiofobia, miedo a las serpientes, estás de suerte, ya que Nueva Zelanda no tiene serpientes en todo el país.

  5. Aunque hoy están extinguidas, las aves gigantes moa eran originarias de Nueva Zelanda. El ave, que medía 3,6 metros de altura y pesaba 260 kg, se extinguió menos de 100 años después de la llegada humana a Nueva Zelanda debido a la caza excesiva. ¡Imagínate cocinar ese pájaro!

  6. Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu es el nombre de pueblo más largo del mundo. Situado en la costa este de la Isla Norte, su nombre se traduce del maorí como algo parecido a: «El lugar donde Tamatea, un hombre de grandes rodillas, resbaló, escaló y se tragó una montaña; conocido como comedor de tierras, tocó la flauta para su amada». ¿Lo pillaste?

  7. Hoy en día, hay al menos seis ovejas por cada persona que vive en Nueva Zelanda. En la década de 1980, esa proporción era de aproximadamente 22:1.

  8. Aunque se inventó en Vanuatu, el puenting (bungee jumping) se popularizó por primera vez en la década de 1980 en Nueva Zelanda. Otros inventos kiwi incluyen la tapa autosellante, la máquina expendedora de sellos, la horquilla para el pelo, la valla eléctrica y las lanchas a reacción.

  9. Conocida como la «ciudad de las velas», Auckland alberga el mayor número de barcos per cápita del mundo.

  10. Todas las escenas de El Señor de los Anillos excepto una se rodaron en Nueva Zelanda: la escena en la que Boromir muere bajo una cascada. El director, Peter Jackson, quería una cascada más grande de las que ofrecía Nueva Zelanda, así que llevó a todo el equipo de rodaje a Sudáfrica para filmar esa única escena.

by carla

LANGUAGE: Homophones (4)

Homophones (4)

The Most Common Homophones in the English language

8 Homophones / Homòfons / Homófonos:

Homophones are two words or more that have the same pronunciation but with different meanings and spellings. For example: new and knew are homophones. Make sure you can distinguish and use the words below correctly. Some are easy, some more difficult! (if you don’t know the meaning of a word, look it up!)

Els homòfons són dues o més paraules que tenen la mateixa pronunciació però amb significats i ortografies diferents. Per exemple: new i knew són homòfons. Assegura’t de poder distingir i utilitzar correctament les paraules següents. Algunes són fàcils, altres més difícils! (Si no saps el significat d’una paraula, busca-la!)

Los homófonos son dos o más palabras que tienen la misma pronunciación pero con significados y ortografías diferentes. Por ejemplo: new y knew son homófonos. Asegúrate de poder distinguir y usar correctamente las palabras que aparecen a continuación. ¡Algunas son fáciles, otras más difíciles! (Si no sabes el significado de una palabra, búscala!)

                      • blew               blue
                      • tear (n.)          tier
                      • flea                 flee
                      • berry              bury
                      • thrown           throne
                      • missed           mist
                      • jeans              genes
                      • boy                 buoy

by carla

JANUARY CALENDAR 2026

Each month we will give you a list of special happenings in the UK, USA, and other English-Speaking countries, some serious, others not so much!

1: New Year’s Day

It is a federal holiday in the UK, USA, and all English-speaking countries. Schools and most businesses are not open, and families and friends often have meals together. In the UK, certain foods are eaten for good luck: pork and black eyed-peas. In the US, families and friends gather for lunch and to watch college football games. Another very popular custom is to make resolutions—promises to improve oneself during the new year. Fun facts: One million people gather at New York City’s Times Square—about 45% of them make a New Year’s resolution, which half give up on before the month ends! Typical resolutions are to lose weight, save money, learn a new skill, quit smoking or drinking, and improve work-life balance.

New Year’s Day taditions include polar bear plunges, going for a walk with an empty suitcase, hanging an onion on your front door, banging pots and pans, writing a wish on a paper and then burning it, and many more. But, by no means sweep or clean your house, or do the laundry or take out the trash—these will all bring bad luck! Finally, let’s not forget that half the world’s population celebrates New Year’s Day on another date, especially in East Asia, South Asia, and the Middle East.

 


Ondrejk, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

2: National Introvert Day

It is dedicated to those individuals who do best in relaxed environments and gain energy from solitude and quiet places. Introverts value limited social interactions and find comfort in their own company. Of course, no celebrations are planned today! This global observance merely serves as a reminder that introversion is not a failing but a strength, as introverts simply prefer deep connections, think before speaking, and can be highly observant and thoughtful. Here are a few jokes that maybe only we introverts can fully appreciate:

  • How can you tell when an introvert likes you?  They are looking at your shoes instead of their own.
  • How do you make an introvert happy?
  • Happiness is successfully closing the elevator door before anyone else can get in.
  • How many introverts does it take to change a lightbulb? What’s wrong with sitting in the dark?
  • Two introverts walk into a room. One leaves.
  • Introvert nightmare: wait for just the right moment to say something, and someone interrupts you.
  • I wish my neighbors weren’t so friendly.
  • The next time a stranger speaks to you when you’re alone, just look at them shocked and whisper, “You can see me?”
  • Many introverts didn’t realize how anti-social they were until the Pandemic struck and their lives didn’t change much.


Larm Rmah larm, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

4: National Trivia Day

It is a holiday about general knowledge, and those people who can store the most obscure, irrelevant, but still interesting facts and quotes in their brains. It was founded in 1980 by the company that produced the family-favorite Trivial Pursuit board game. Over 100 million copies of the game have been sold in 26 countries in over 17 different languages. A few examples of trivia:

  • Women blink almost twice as often as men.
  • Wearing headphones for just an hour will increase the bacteria in your ears 700 times.
  • About 42,000 tennis balls are used at each Wimbledon Championship.
  • Scotland’s national animal is the unicorn.
  • You can’t hum with your nose plugged. Try it!
  • You could draw a line 55 kilometers long using the lead of a single pencil.
  • The expiration date on water bottles is for the bottle, not the water.
  • Vicent van Gogh only sold one painting in his lifetime. Anna Boch, the sister of a friend, paid the equivalent of16€ for The Red Vineyard, now in the Pushkin museum in Moscow.

JIP, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

9: Word Nerd Day

It celebrates people that love words. Who reads the dictionary or scans a thesaurus for entertainment? A Word Nerd! These people love words, their meanings and their etymology: the study, history, and development of words. Word Nerds excel at crossword puzzles, Wordle, anagrams*, pangrams*, palindromes*, and other word games. Word Nerds three favorite holidays? National Thesaurus, Librarian, and Dictionary Days. Word Nerds often have an annoying side: correcting other people’s spelling, usage, punctuation, and grammar—even on social media! BTW, just so you know, there’s a nerdy expression for this: “grammar pedantry.” But now there’s a solution: “Bad English,” a 255 page take down of linguistic snobbery, with come backs for all annoying word nerdery.

*An anagram: “silent” and “listen” words or phrase made by rearranging the letters of another word or phrase, using all the letters only once!

*A pangram: “The five boxing wizards jump quickly.” Uses all the letters in the alphabet!

*A palindrome: “racecar” / “kayak” / “never odd or even” the same read forward or backward!

 


Pope, Amy Elizabeth, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

10: Peculiar People Day

It celebrates people who are a little different than others, a bit out of the ordinary, eccentric. What a boring world it would be without these people who have unique ideas, behaviors, or styles. Imagine life without offbeat humors, quirks, and different perspectives. On “Peculiar People Day,” these non-conformists should be understood and honored. It is a day to celebrate differences, not look away from or down on others who are different: a day to celebrate all the originality in the world.

Note: Come on, it’s only one day. Tomorrow, you can go back to being a judgmental scold!

 

© Vyacheslav Argenberg / https://www.vascoplanet.com/, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Common

12: Clean Off Your Desk Day

It was made “to provide one day early each year for every desk worker to see the top of the desk and prepare for the following year’s paperwork.” An AI Overview claims, “a messy desk can signal creativity, high engagement, or being overwhelmed, but it can also be perceived negatively as disorganization, laziness, or lack of interest.” Many people with a messy desk claim it’s “organized chaos,” insisting they know exactly where everything is, their clutter a system that works for them. Others will admit to disorganization, poor time management, and laziness. Where do you stand? Or, is your desk perfectly organized, signaling “a disciplined and conventional person who follows rules and finishes tasks.” How boring.

 


Mack Male from Edmonton, AB, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

20: Rid the World of Fad Diets and Gimmicks Day

It takes place on the Tuesday of “Healthy Weight Week,” a week-long celebration focused on maintaining a healthy diet, exercise routine, and feeling good. This is a day for education and caution: “diet quackery runs the gamut from plans and supplements that contain dangerous, untested and potent drugs to the merely ridiculous.” A balanced diet combined with exercise is the best way to lose weight. It’s simple: eat fewer calories than are required to maintain your weight (caloric deficient); focus on whole foods, proteins, fruits, and vegetables (get rid of sugar and processed foods); and find some activity you like doing that involves movement: swimming, walking, running, gardening, etc. The secret? Stay with it. Don’t give up. Slow and steady wins the race. Not so Fun Facts:

  • Americans spend up to $100 billion on weight loss and dieting each year, including on diet products, programs, gym memberships, medications, and surgeries.
  • According to the FDA, more than 1 million Americans die each year from diet-related diseases, which include type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and certain cancers.
  • Overall, obesity and poor diet contribute to an estimated $1.1 trillion annually lost on healthcare, medical bills, lost productivity, absenteeism, and food insecurity. Note: only 19 countries have a larger GDP than that!
  • 40-42% of US adults are obese; about 31% are considered overweight. In Europe, those numbers are 17% obese and 51% overweight.


Tibor Végh, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

20: Penguin Awareness Day

It’s observed every year on this date to celebrate the charming birds that bring so much joy and love to the animal kingdom with their unique looks and way of life. Fun Facts:

  • Penguins have a special gland behind their eyes that allows them to drink and filter seawater, keeping the salt from their bloodstream.
  • Gentoo penguins can swim underwater at 35.4 kph—that’s just a little slower than Usain Bolt on land (37.6kph average in breaking 100-meter world record). They can also hold their breath underwater for 7 minutes. Try that, Usain!
  • There are 19 species of penguins, and they all live exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere.
  • A group of penguins in the water is called a “raft;” whereas, on land, a group is called a “waddle.” Other collective nouns include rookery, colony, and huddle.
  • Once a year, penguins have what’s called a “catastrophic molt,” which means they lose all their feathers at once, and must stay on land for 2-3 weeks until the new ones grow in!

 


Jason Auch, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

24: National Peanut Butter Day

It’s celebrated on this day, which is dedicated to the creamy, crunchy and versatile condiment. Whether you like it on a toast, in your sandwich, or even as a part of a salad dressing or noodle sauce, peanut butter has made its place in pantries and hearts across America and beyond. That said, most Europeans generally hate it or refuse to even try it: the average European eats less than one tablespoon per year! Or, perhaps, you just have archibutyrophobia, a real medical condition for people who have a fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of their mouth! More Fun Facts:

  • A 12-ounce jar of peanut butter requires around 540 peanuts and real peanuts are required by law to make up 90% or more of the product.
  • The average American child will eat 1,500 peanut butter & jelly sandwiches before finishing high school! It is the go-to lunchtime meal in many families, with 94% of US households having a jar in their kitchen cupboard.
  • Georgia, Florida, and Alabama grow 60% of the peanuts in the US—half of which are used for making peanut butter. The average peanut farm is around 200 acres.
  • About 1.3 percent of Americans are allergic to peanuts.
  • Peanut butter and banana sandwiches were the favorites of former US President Bill Clinton and Elvis Presley. The King often liked his fried!

 


Matias Garabedian from Montreal, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Common

25: Burns Night

It’s a celebration across the UK of the life and works of Scottish poet Robert Burns. The celebration commemorates his birth date and usually involves a ‘Burns Supper’ which includes haggis (below—that’s not a turd!), bagpipes, and dancing. It is not, however, a public holiday and so banks, businesses, and schools will remain open across Scotland and the rest of the UK. And Burns the family man? He was the father of 12 children, nine with his wife Jean Armour, and three more children with three different of his domestic household servants. Poetic licentiousness?

 


UKinUSA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

28: National LEGO Day 

It’s observed every year to honor the iconic little bricks that spark creativity and have helped in developing problem-solving skills for generations. It honors the date in 1958 when the son of LEGO’s founder, Godtfred Kirk Christiansen, patented the modern LEGO brick design. These simple, interlocking plastic bricks revolutionized the toy industry, laying the foundation for the global success of LEGO. Fun Facts: There are many, but let’s try these three: 1) the world’s tallest LEGO tower is 28.7m high, made from 465,000 bricks! 2) During the Christmas season almost 28 LEGO sets are sold worldwide each second. 3) Laid end to end, the number of LEGO bricks sold in a year would reach more than five times round the world.

Not without controversy, Lego has been criticized for its nonbiodegradable product, which breaks down into highly polluting microplastics; a concentration camp theme set, replete with human skeletons (what were these people thinking?); sexist and gender insensitive pieces; battles with Greenpeace; and have had their sets banned in various countries.

 


Father of Rathfelder, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Common

31: Hug an Economist Day

It’s observed this Saturday, January 31st. It celebrates economists for their insights and encourages others to learn about the so-called “dismal science,” an expression coined by the Scottish essayist Thomas Carlye in 1849. Economists study decision-making, research, and data to understand behavior and societal trends from personal finance to global policy—with an incredible track record for being wrong.  Here are few economist jokes:

  • Economic forecasting is like driving a car blindfolded and getting instruction from a person looking out the rear window.
  • An economist will know tomorrow why the things she or he predicted yesterday didn’t happen.
  • Economists have predicted six of the last two recessions.
  • Why was astrology invented? So economics would seem like an accurate science.
  • Economist Alan Greenspan, the former Federal Reserve Chairman once said: “If you think you understand what I said, you must have misunderstood my meaning.”
  • Economic forecasters assume everything, except responsibility.
  • There are two classes of forecasters: those who don’t know and those who don’t know they don’t know (J.K. Galbraith).

 


Debangana.mukherjee, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

by carla

LANGUAGE: Idioms (3)

Idioms (3)

The Ultimate Guide to Teaching Your Child 100 Idioms for Composition Writing

An idiom is a set expression that means something other than the literal meanings of its individual words. In other words, it seems almost designed to confuse language students! Like phrasal verbs, try to learn a few at a time and then sprinkle them into your speaking and writing. Warning: don’t overdo their use! It will sound unnatural or even ridiculous! They may not be perfect, but each idiomatic expression below has the best matching Spanish expression.

Un “idiom” és una expressió fixada que significa una cosa diferent del significat literal de les seves paraules individuals. En altres paraules, sembla gairebé dissenyada per confondre els estudiants! Igual que amb els “phrasal verbs“, prova d’aprendre’n uns quants cada vegada i després incorpora’ls a la teva expressió oral i escrita. Avís: no n’abusis! Sonaria poc natural o fins i tot ridícul! Potser no són perfectes, però cada expressió idiomàtica de sota té l’expressió castellana que hi coincideix millor.

Un “idiom” es una expresión fija que significa algo distinto del significado literal de las palabras que la componen. En otras palabras, ¡parece casi diseñada para confundir a los estudiantes de idiomas! Al igual que con los “phrasal verbs“, intenta aprender unos pocos cada vez y luego incorpóralos a tu expresión oral y escrita. Advertencia: ¡no los uses en exceso! ¡Sonaría poco natural o incluso ridículo! Puede que no sean perfectas, pero cada expresión idiomática de abajo tiene la expresión castellana que mejor coincide con ella.

1. “Between a rock and a hard place.” Says someone is faced with two undesirable alternatives, neither being a good choice. Vol dir que algú s’enfronta a dues alternatives indesejables, cap de les quals és una bona opció. Significa que alguien se enfrenta a dos alternativas indeseables, ninguna buena opción.

Example: Whatever James decides, he’s going to either lose his job or his home. He is between a rock and a hard place. (Entre la espada y la pared.)

2. “Caught with the hands in the cookie jar.” Says to be caught stealing or doing something wrong, usually in the middle of the action. Vol dir ser atrapat robant o fent alguna cosa malament, generalment en el moment de l’acció. Significa ser atrapado robando o haciendo algo incorrecto, generalmente en el momento de la acción.

     Example: She had no choice but to return the money, as she was caught with her hands in the cookie jar. (Con las manos en la masa.)

3. “Born with a silver spoon in his/her mouth.” Says someone was born into a rich family and benefited from all the privileges and advantages that this entails. Vol dir que algú va néixer en una família rica i es va beneficiar de tots els privilegis i avantatges que això comporta. Significa que alguien nació en una familia rica y se benefició de todos los privilegios y ventajas que esto conlleva.

Example: Janet never had to study hard or work a day in her life. She was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. (Nacer en cuna de oro.)

4. “By the book.” Says to do something strictly and according to the rules or laws. Vol dir fer alguna cosa estrictament segons les regles o lleis. Significa hacer algo estrictamente según las reglas o leyes.

Example: My tax accountant always goes by the book. (Al pie de la letra.)

by carla

LANGUAGE: Grammar (2)

Grammar (2)

Too and enough

  1. Too (“too much”) goes before adjectives and adverbs; enough (“enough, sufficiently”) goes after adjectives and adverbs.

                I don’t think I’ll go out tonight. I’m too tired. (=very tired)

                Slow down! You’re driving too fast.

                Are you warm enough, or do you want me to turn on the heating? (=vey hot)

                We aren’t working quickly enough. We’ better hurry.

  1. “Too many”, “too much” and “enough” are also used before nouns.

a. “Too many” is used before countable nouns (e.g., eggs) and “too much” is used before uncountable nouns (e.g., salt).

                I bought too many eggs. (= more eggs than needed = countable)

                There’s too much salt in this soup. (= more salt than needed = uncauntable)

b. However, “enough” is used before both countable and uncountable nouns.

                We can’t make an omelette. We haven’t got enough eggs. (= we need more)

                There’s enough salt in the soup. It doesn’t need any more. (= we don't need more)

“Too many,” “too much,” and “enough” can also be used on their own, without nouns.

                “Is there enough salt in the soup?”      “There’s too much. I can’t eat it.”

                We need more eggs. We haven’t got enough.

  1. Compare very and too:

“Too” (unlike “very”) means “more than necessary” or “more than is considered right.” Compare:

                She’s a good worker. She works very quickly 

     He works too quickly and makes a lot of mistakes.

     They arrived at the airport very late, but they caught their plane.                         

     They arrived at the airport too late and missed their plane.

Too y enough

  1. Too (“massa”) va davant dels adjectius i adverbis; enough (“prou, suficientment”) va darrere dels adjectius i adverbis.

                I don’t think I’ll go out tonight. I’m too tired. (=massa cansat)

                Slow down! You’re driving too fast.

                Are you warm enough, or do you want me to turn on the heating? (=prou calent)

                We aren’t working quickly enough. We’ better hurry.

  1. També s’empren too many (massa), too much (massa) i enough (prou, suficient) davant de substantius.

a. Too many s’utilitza davant de substantius comptables (p. ex., eggs) i too much davant de substantius incomptables (p. ex., salt).

                I bought too many eggs. (= masses ous)

                There’s too much salt in this soup. (= massa sal)

b. Tanmateix, enough s’utilitza davant de substantius tant comptables com incomptables.

                We can’t make an omelette. We haven’t got enough eggs. (= suficients ous)

                There’s enough salt in the soup. It doesn’t need any more. (= suficient sal)

Too many, too much i enough també es poden utilitzar sols, sense substantius.

                “Is there enough salt in the soup?”      “There’s too much. I can’t eat it.”

                We need more eggs. We haven’t got enough.

  1. Compara very i too:

Too (tot i que no very) té el significat de “més del necessari” o “més del que es considera correcte”. Compara:

                She’s a good worker. She works very quickly 

     He works too quickly and makes a lot of mistakes.

     They arrived at the airport very late, but they caught their plane.                         

     They arrived at the airport too late and missed their plane.

Too y enough

  1. Too (“demasiado”) va delante de adjetivos y adverbios; enough (“bastante, suficientemente) va detrás de adjetivos y adverbios.

                I don’t think I’ll go out tonight. I’m too tired. (=demasiado cansado)

                Slow down! You’re driving too fast.

                Are you warm enough, or do you want me to turn on the heating? (=bastante caliente)

                We aren’t working quickly enough. We’ better hurry.

  1. También se emplean too many (demasiados), too much (demasiado) y enough (bastante, suficiente) delante de sustantivos.

a. Se emplea too many delante de sustantivos contables, (p.ej., eggs) y too much delante de sustantivos incontables, (p.ej., salt)

                I bought too many eggs. (= demasiados huevos)

                There’s too much salt in this soup. (= demasiada sal)

b. Sin embargo, se emplea enough delante de sustantivos constables i incontables.

                We can’t make an omelette. We haven’t got enough eggs. (= suficientes huevos)

                There’s enough salt in the soup. It doesn’t need any more. (= suficiente sal)

Too many, too much y enough se puede emplear también por sí solos, sin sustantivos.

                “Is there enough salt in the soup?”      “There’s too much. I can’t eat it.”

                We need more eggs. We haven’t got enough.

  1. Compara very y too:

Too (aunque no very)   tiene el significado de “más de lo necesario” o “más de lo que se considera correcto”. Compara:

                She’s a good worker. She works very quickly 

     He works too quickly and makes a lot of mistakes.

     They arrived at the airport very late, but they caught their plane.                         

     They arrived at the airport too late and missed their plane.

by carla

LANGUAGE: Homophones (3)

Homophones (3)

The Most Common Homophones in the English language

8 Homophones / Homòfons / Homófonos:

Homophones are two words or more that have the same pronunciation but with different meanings and spellings. For example: new and knew are homophones. Make sure you can distinguish and use the words below correctly. Some are easy, some more difficult! (if you don’t know the meaning of a word, look it up!)

Els homòfons són dues o més paraules que tenen la mateixa pronunciació però amb significats i ortografies diferents. Per exemple: new i knew són homòfons. Assegura’t de poder distingir i utilitzar correctament les paraules següents. Algunes són fàcils, altres més difícils! (Si no saps el significat d’una paraula, busca-la!)

Los homófonos son dos o más palabras que tienen la misma pronunciación pero con significados y ortografías diferentes. Por ejemplo: new y knew son homófonos. Asegúrate de poder distinguir y usar correctamente las palabras que aparecen a continuación. ¡Algunas son fáciles, otras más difíciles! (Si no sabes el significado de una palabra, búscala!)

                        • die                     dye
                        • lessen                lesson
                        • band                  banned
                        • find                    fined
                        • so                       sew                  sow
                        • side                    sighed
                        • faze                    phase
                        • ate                      eight

by carla

LANGUAGE: Silent Letters (2)

Silent Letters (2)

Many words in English have silent letters. These are letters that we use in the written word but not when pronouncing them, which can cause mistakes in speech. Every letter in the alphabet, except “H” and  “V” have at least one word with a silent letter! Surprised? Probably not! This is just one more aspect of the English language to master!

Moltes paraules en anglès tenen lletres mudes. Són lletres que fem servir a l’escriptura però no a l’hora de pronunciar-les, cosa que pot provocar errors en la parla. Cada lletra de l’alfabet, excepte la “H” i la “V”, té com a mínim una paraula amb una lletra muda! Sorprès? Probablement no! Aquest és només un altre aspecte de la llengua anglesa que cal dominar!

Muchas palabras en inglés tienen letras mudas. Son letras que usamos en la escritura pero no al pronunciarlas, lo cual puede causar errores al hablar. ¡Cada letra del alfabeto, excepto la “H” y la “V”, tiene al menos una palabra con una letra muda! ¿Sorprendido? ¡Probablemente no! ¡Este es solo otro aspecto del idioma inglés que hay que dominar!

 

The letter “C” is usually silent after an “s”.  Note the final four oddities.

ascent                                 conscience                      conscious                        crescent

descend                             disciple                            fascinating                       fluorescent

muscle                                obscene                          scenario                            scene

science                               scissors                            indict                                yacht

acquire                               czar

 

by carla

WHO AM I? (5)

Who am I? (5)

Who am I? Where you are given information or clues about an actor, singer, athlete, politician, or other celebrity, and you guess who they are. Answer at the end. Were you correct?

Qui sóc? On se’t donen informacions o pistes sobre un actor, cantant, atleta, polític o una altra celebritat, i tu has d’endevinar qui és. La resposta és al final. Has encertat?

¿Quién soy? Donde se te da información o pistas sobre un actor, cantante, atleta, político u otra celebridad, y tú debes adivinar quién es. La respuesta está al final. ¿Has acertado?

by carla