Now let’s review the vocabulary.(DAY 1)

1.Everyday conversations: Winter activities.

An icicle is a (usually) pointed piece of hanging ice that is formed when water freezes as it drips from something, such as the roof of a building.

The eaves of a house are the lower edges of a roof that usually stick out past the walls.

A fireplace is a specially built space in a wall in a room where one can build a fire.

A student center (also known as a student union) is a building on a university campus for students to socialize, etc., and is the community center of the university.

A nap is a short period of sleep, especially during the day.

Cozy: comfortable, warm and safe, often within a small space.

Ice skating is the activity of using ice skates to move on ice.

Snowboarding is the sport of sliding down a mountain or hill of snow on a snowboard. A snowboard is a large board designed for someone to stand on and move down a mountain or hill on the snow.

Sledding is the act of riding a sled down a hill.

2.Take a class and learn a culture

Something that is misshapen has a shape that is not normal.

A vase is a container that is used to hold flowers.

Glassblowing is the art of forming hot glass into shapes by blowing air into the glass through a special tube.

Credit is a unit that measures a student’s progress toward earning a college or university degree. It is the value that a college or university course contributes to the completion of the degree.

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Traditional crafts: art, furniture, pottery, etc., that is skillfully made by hand in traditional ways.

When someone rubs off on you, it means that your actions or thinking have become like his/hers.

An anthropologist is a person who studies cultures, customs, societies and the human race.

To preserve something means to keep it as it is, especially to protect it.

Cultural heritage is the collective physical artifacts and traditions of a society that are passed from one generation to the next. An artifact is an object (such as a tool or ornament) that was made and used by people in the past and that often is interesting because of its historical or cultural meaning.

3.Protecting our culture

Archeology: the study of past cultures by studying the bones, tools, buildings and other objects of past people.

To protect means to keep someone or something from being harmed, hurt or damaged.

A cultural monument is a building, statue, etc., built to remind people of a famous person or event in history and that is important to the past or present culture of the people.

To prevent means to stop something from happening or to stop a person from doing something.

To vandalize something means to intentionally damage or destroy something without a good reason. “Intentionally” means that it is done in a way that is planned. The verb “vandalize” is often used in the passive form. For example: “My car was vandalized last night.”

Destruction: the act of destroying something so badly that it cannot be repaired or no longer exists.

In the conversation, restore means to repair a building, monument, work of art, etc., so that it looks similar to the way it did before it was damaged.

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A volunteer is someone who offers to do something without being paid to do it or without being asked to do it.

A project is planned work that is designed to improve something, produce something, or other purpose. It usually takes a lot of time.

To sign up means to show that you will do a job, join a team, etc. Sometimes, the person signs his/her name on a list to show that he/she will do or get something.

4.Let’s go to a museum

A collection is a group of objects (often of the same type) that has been brought together in one place.

An artifact is an object (such as a tool or ornament) that was made and used by people in the past and that often is interesting because of its historical or cultural meaning.

Indigenous: living naturally in a certain place or region; native.

A relic is something, such as an object or tradition, that is from a past time, place or culture.

A custom is an accepted way of behaving that is usual and traditional in a society or community.

An anthropologist is a person who studies cultures, customs, societies and the human race.

Ancient civilization: a society, and its culture and traditions, that existed thousands of years in the past.

The phrase at heart is used to say what a person is really like. For example: “He has a lot of friends, but he is a shy, private person at heart.”

5.Christmas traditions

A winter break is a period of vacation between semesters of college or other schools that includes the winter holidays, such as New Year’s Day.

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To volunteer means to offer to do something without being paid to do it or without being asked.

Christmas (also Christmas Day) is a holiday of Christian origin that is recognized by many people in the United States, as well as in other parts of the world. It is celebrated on December 25. Some traditions of Christmas include decorating a Christmas tree, giving and receiving gifts, and spending time with family and friends.

A tradition is a belief, custom or way of doing something that has been used by a particular group of people for a long time.

An Advent calendar is a large decorated card used to count down the days until Christmas. For each day in December, up until Christmas, there is a small opening with a door. Children open one door each day. Behind each door is a picture or piece of chocolate.

A Christmas market is a street market where food, drink and products are bought and sold. These markets sell traditional food and drink for Christmas as well as local crafts. They are set up and open during the Christmas season.

In the conversation, a square means an open area in a town or city, often in the shape of a square (a shape with four equal sides).

Local: belonging to or relating to a particular area or place.

Crafts are objects that are skillfully made by hand.

Christmas Eve is December 24, the day before Christmas Day

6.Let’s go to a restaurant

A dining hall is a large room in a school, university, etc., where meals are served and many people can eat at the same time.

In this context, to be biased is used in a positive way. Kayla has a tendency to believe that her grandmother’s cooking is better than everyone else’s cooking.

To be biased often has a negative meaning. Someone can be biased against something/someone; in this case, one believes something/someone is not as good

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as another. For example: He is biased against women; he believes women are not as smart, hard-working, etc., as men.

One can also be biased toward something/someone; in this case, one believes something/someone is better than another. For example: The professor was biased toward older students; the professor often helped older students study and gave them better grades.

A meal is an occasion when food is eaten. The word meal can also mean the food eaten. For example: Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. For breakfast, my father usually makes a delicious meal of eggs, toast and sausages.

A dish is food that is prepared in a particular way for a meal. The main dish is the largest or most important dish of a meal. Side dishes are smaller dishes served with the main dish.

A cosmopolitan city has people from many different parts of the world.

I would like… is one way to order in a restaurant. For example: I would like the fish. I would like a small coffee, please.

What do you have? This is asked when one wants more specific information about the food or drink offered, usually at a restaurant. It is often followed by the word for. For example: What do you have for dessert? What do you have for vegetarians?

7.Communities in the U.S.

A diaspora is a large group of people who have moved from their home country to live in other countries in the world. Often this move is not completely by choice but is because of war, political issues, famine, etc., in the people’s home country.

A diaspora community is a large group of people who have moved from their homeland and live in a different country.

Multicultural: relating to or including people who have many different customs and beliefs.

To have no idea is an informal way to say one does not know. For example: “I have no idea where I’m going” means “I do not know where I’m going.”

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Something that is prominent is well-known, important, easily seen.

When we use the phrase what something is like or the question What is something like, we want to know more about the place, object, event or person. For example: Q: What is Florida like? A: It’s hot and humid, but I like it. Q: What is Maria like? A: She’s thoughtful and friendly, and she’s an excellent student.

Dorm is short for dormitory. A dormitory is a large building at a college or university where students live.

Downtown refers to the main or central part of a town or city.

8.Holiday season in the U.S.

How’s (something) going? This question is used to ask someone about his/her progress or about life in general. For example, how’s the studying going means what’s the progress of your studying. The general question how’s it going is informal and similar to how are you.

Can’t wait means to be very eager, anxious or impatient for something.

A winter break is a period of vacation between semesters of college or other schools that includes the winter holidays, such as New Year’s Day.

Home-cooked or homemade food means food prepared at home and not made in a factory, store, etc.

Hanukkah or Chanukah is an eight-day Jewish holiday, usually in late November or December, that commemorates the rededication of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem more than 2,000 years ago.

Commemorate means to do something special to remind people of an important event or person from the past.

To go all out means to put all of your energy into what you are doing or to put a lot of effort into doing something.

To rave about something is to talk or write about something in an excited and enthusiastic way.

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A holiday meal is special food prepared and eaten for a certain holiday. Sometimes these foods are only made and eaten during a certain holiday season. For example, for many families in the U.S. on Thanksgiving, the holiday meal includes cranberry sauce. This is not a food that many people eat at other times of the year.

9.Talking about the weather

Freak out is a phrasal verb and informal. It means to become anxious, upset or afraid.

Global warming: the increase in the Earth’s temperature caused by the increase of certain gases in the atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide.

Permafrost is ground that stays frozen for two or more years in a row.

The Arctic is the area around the North Pole.

To melt means to change from solid form to liquid form because of heat.

The feedback loop in this conversation refers to a cycle that keeps repeating and increasing. The warmer temperatures of the Earth cause permafrost to melt. When the permafrost melts, carbon dioxide and methane are released into the air. Carbon dioxide and methane cause global temperatures to increase even more. This causes more permafrost to melt and then more carbon dioxide and methane are released into the air.

Carbon is a chemical element.

Microbes are very tiny living things that can only be seen under a microscope (a special device used to clearly see tiny objects).

Carbon dioxide is a gas that is produced when people and animals breathe out. Carbon dioxide is also produced when certain fuels are burned. In this conversation, tiny organisms that are frozen in the permafrost release carbon dioxide when the permafrost melts. Increased carbon dioxide in the air can cause the earth’s temperature to increase.

Methane: a gas that can be burned for fuel. Methane absorbs (takes in) heat very quickly and can contribute to global warming.

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10.Teaching young learners about the ocean(DAY2)

To drag someone somewhere means to make someone go somewhere he/she does not really want to go.

Ocean acidification is the decrease in the pH level (how acidic or basic a substance is) of the oceans. This is caused by an increase of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the oceans due to an increase of CO2 in the atmosphere.

Fossil fuel emissions: the carbon dioxide released into the air due to the burning of a fuel such as coal, oil, or natural gas.

The Earth’s atmosphere is the large amount of air and gases that surround it.

A marine ecosystem is everything that exists in a marine (ocean) environment, including living things, such as plants and fish, and things that are not living, such as rocks, soil and water.

11.Do you want to win a car

To drag someone somewhere means to make someone go somewhere he/she does not want to go.

Gonna is a shortened form of going to. It is used in informal spoken English.

For real is an informal phrase used in spoken English. It is used to emphasize that something is actually true and accurate.

An electric car is a car that uses an electric motor. It uses electrical energy stored in rechargeable batteries or another storage device.

Energy efficiency is using less energy to provide the same service. For example, light bulbs that are energy-efficient use less energy but still provide the same amount of light as other light bulbs.

Climate change means changes in the Earth’s weather, especially due to the increase in temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere that is caused in part by the increase in carbon dioxide.

A nudge is a small push or encouragement to do something.

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Alum is a shortened version of alumnus or alumna. An alumnus is a man who was a student at a particular school, college or university and has graduated from that school. An alumna is a woman who was a student at a particular school, college or university and has graduated from that school.

A raffle is a contest in which people buy numbered tickets in exchange for a chance to win a prize. Raffles are usually organized to make money for a good purpose.

12.Use less, pay less

A power strip is an electrical device that has a series of outlets attached to a cord with a plug on one end.

Phantom usage means the electricity used by electronic devices while they are turned off. “Phantom load” is the amount of energy an electric device uses while it is switched off.

A device is a machine or piece of equipment.

Greenhouse gas emissions: various gases (especially carbon dioxide) that are put into the Earth’s atmosphere (the air surrounding the Earth) and contribute to the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect is the warming of the Earth’s atmosphere caused by an increase in amounts of certain gases in the atmosphere.

Climate change means changes in the Earth’s weather, especially due to the increase in temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere that is caused in part by the increase in carbon dioxide.

An incentive is something that encourages a person to do something.

13.Tell me about your internship

A virtual internship is a work experience program where the intern (participant) works remotely and is not physically present at the job location.

Access is being able to use, see or get something.

Clean energy is energy that does not pollute the environment when used.

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A clean cookstove is a stove that burns fuel more efficiently and with less and cleaner smoke compared to traditional stoves.

A marketing campaign is a series of advertisements to promote a product or service.

Hazardous pollutants are pollutants (substances that make land, air, etc., dirty and unsafe) that are bad for people’s health and bad for the environment.

Black carbon emissions: Fine particles sent into the air from fossil fuels and biofuel. Black carbon is the part of the fuel that is not burned completely. Black carbon emissions have a negative effect on humans and the environment.

14.Let’s go to the rain forest!

A winter break is a period of vacation between semesters of college or other schools that includes the winter holidays, such as New Year’s Day.

A rain forest is a forest in a tropical area (an area that is very warm and near the equator of the earth) that gets a lot of rain.

To volunteer means to offer to do something without being paid to do it or without being asked.

Malaria is an infectious disease (a disease that can be spread) that causes fever and chills and is passed to people by mosquitoes.

To be vaccinated means to be given a substance (usually by injection with a needle) to protect against a particular disease.

Awareness: knowing that something exists and is important.

A mosquito net is a net (an object made with pieces of string, rope, etc., and woven together) that is hung over a bed, etc., to keep out mosquitoes.

Prevention: the act of stopping something bad from happening

15.Healthy eating!

The word dreaded is an adjective and means causing fear. It can be used seriously (such as, a dreaded disease) or humorously (such as, my dreaded homework).

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Freshman 15 is an expression used in the U.S. that refers to the number of pounds (15) students may gain during their first year of college. (Fifteen pounds equals nearly seven kilograms.) This number is not based on research, but many people refer to freshman 15 as a real and accurate amount.

An all-nighter is a night during which a person stays awake the entire time (often studying) instead of sleeping. To pull an all-nighter means to stay up all night, often studying.

A vending machine is a machine into which one puts money in order to receive drinks, food, etc.

Produce: fresh fruits and vegetables.

A salad bar is a place in a restaurant or dining hall with fresh vegetables, etc., where people can easily make their own salads.

A dining hall is a large room in a school, university, etc., where meals are served and many people can eat at the same time.

When a person is motivated, he or she is eager to do something and work hard to succeed.

16.What do you want to drink?

A straw is a thin, hollow tube that is used to suck water or other drinks from a container.

Water scarcity is the lack of water or the lack of access to clean, safe water.

A business model is a design for the success of a business, including its purpose, goals and ways to achieve its goals.

A filter is a device that removes unwanted things (such as particles) from a liquid or gas. In this conversation, a filter straw is a straw for drinking water. The straw has a filter, and this filter removes unwanted bacteria (very small living organisms that often cause diseases) and particles from the water.

When something is portable, it is easy to carry and move around.

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To purify means to remove bad substances from something. A water purifier removes harmful substances from water.

Essential: necessary; extremely important; absolutely needed.

Iodine is a chemical element. It is used in water purification because it kills many bad small organisms in water.

Charcoal is a form of carbon. It is used in water purification because it removes harmful materials in water and improves the taste of water.

Bacteria (plural of bacterium): very small living organisms that often cause diseases.

17.Women and the economy

Microecon is short for microeconomics. Microeconomics is the part of economics interested in economic decisions of individual people and businesses.

In economic terms, a market is a system of exchange, usually with buying and selling of products and services.

A consumer is a person who uses a product or service and often is the person who also purchases the product or service.

Global marketplace is a term for all the people who can buy products and services in all countries of the world.

An entrepreneur is a person who starts a business and is willing to risk loss in order to make money.

An investor is a person who uses money to earn more money, by purchasing part of a company, property, etc.

Purchasing power is the ability that a person or group has to buy products and services with his or her money.

The workforce of a country is the number of people who are available to work in that particular country.

To boost means to increase something or to make something better.

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Prosperity is the state of being successful, especially in making money.

Productive means doing or achieving a lot, getting good results as a result of work.

A win-win situation (or a win-win, for short) is a situation that produces a good result for everyone or everything involved.

18.Women and sports

MVP means most valuable player; the person who was the most outstanding player in a sport during a specific game or season.

A winning streak is the number of games won in a row, or the length of time a team wins without interruption.

Championship title is the status of being the winner in a series of matches or games in a sport.

Fans are the people who like and support someone or something, such as a sports team, in a very enthusiastic way.

To get recognized means to receive special attention and notice, often in a public way.

Take a back seat means to be given a less important position or role.

Front and center is to be in the most important position.

When a sports team is undefeated, it has not lost a game or match so far during the sports season.

In sports, a matchup is a competition between two teams or people.

A league is a group of sports teams that play against one another.

To recruit means to find new people to join something.

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19.Thanksgiving in the U.S.(day 3)

In the U.S., Thanksgiving Day is celebrated each year on the fourth Thursday of November. It is a major U.S. holiday. Families try to spend the holiday together and often eat a meal that includes turkey.

A tradition is a belief, custom or way of doing something that has been used by a particular group of people for a long time.

To volunteer means to offer to do something without being paid to do it or without being asked to do it.

A community center is a building where people from the same area can take classes, participate in activities, etc.

A feast is a special (and often large) meal, often to celebrate something.

Off campus means anywhere that is not within the college campus.

The phrase couldn’t ask for (something) means that this is the best you can imagine of the thing mentioned. I couldn’t ask for a better friend means that you are the best friend I can imagine having.

Turkey with all the trimmings means a turkey plus all of the other foods one traditionally eats at a Thanksgiving meal.

Get a move on means to hurry up.

20.Women’s leadership

In this context, the phrase “driving me crazy” means “making me annoyed and frustrated.”

A study break is a short period of time when a student stops studying and does another activity.

A head of state is a person who is selected to be the head of the government of a country. An elected head of state is a person who is selected by voting to be the head of the government of his or her country.

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To elect means to select someone by voting.

Leadership qualities are the characteristics that leaders often have or that people think leaders should have.

To multitask means to be able to do several different things at the same time.

To collaborate is to work with one or more other people in order to achieve a common goal, create something, or do something.

Strategic means related to a plan of achieving a purpose or goal.

To be decisive means to make decisions quickly and with confidence.

Grit is a characteristic that means having mental courage and determination.

The phrase in the face of opposition means the time you meet or deal with the people or group you are competing against, as in business or a game.

In this context, the word wait is short for wait a minute/second/moment. This means that the person speaking has just remembered or thought of something.

In colleges and universities in the U.S., there are often clubs. A club is a group of people who meet to participate in activities or events, such as a sport, hobby or other shared interest.

21.Inclusive education

A disability is an injury or condition that makes it difficult for someone to do some things that other people can do. For example, someone with a disability may not be able to hear or see.

Absent means to not be in the place where you should be, such as at school or work.

To be ignorant means to not have knowledge or information about something.

Blind means unable to see.

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Inclusive education means that students with disabilities are not separated from their nondisabled classmates in school. Instead, both students with disabilities and those without disabilities learn together in the same classes.

To take after someone means to be like someone or look like someone, such as a parent.

Visual means related to seeing.

To disrupt something is to interrupt the usual way of doing something.

A verbal explanation is using words to tell how something looks, works, etc.

22.Why teach STEM?

STEM is an acronym for “science, technology, engineering and math.”

An innovation is a new idea, new thing or new way of doing something.

Scientific innovations are new ideas, new things or new ways of doing something related to the fields of science, such as biology, chemistry or physics. Technological innovations are new ideas, new things or new ways of doing something related to technology.

In this context, subject matter means the information or topic taught in school.

The phrase “couldn’t agree more” is used to emphasize that one completely agrees with something a person says.

To think up something is to invent or imagine something.

Complex means made of a lot of different parts, difficult to understand, not simple.

To gather evidence means to find and collect different reasons something may or may not be true. After gathering evidence, one can evaluate it. This means to form an opinion about the value or quality of it.

Innovative means having new ideas or ways of doing things.

Prosperity is the state of being successful, especially in making money.

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23.The importance of global education

Some college students apply for and receive summer internships. A summer internship is a short-term work experience during the summer. It can be paid or unpaid. During the internship, the intern (the person doing the internship) gets an idea of what it is like to work in a particular field.

Global education: education that studies different cultures and countries and the issues that affect them. Through global education, students become more aware of the ways the world is interconnected and how actions impact others.

Interconnected: when two or more things are connected or related to each other.

A multinational company is a company that owns or controls the production of products or services in one or more countries than its home country.

A global issue is an issue or problem that affects people all over the world. Global warming is an example of a global issue.

To know something firsthand is to know it because you have experienced it yourself.

To be immersed in something is to be completely and fully involved in it.

Worldview: the way someone thinks about the world.

24.Women and education

Equal access to education means that everyone has opportunities to receive education.

A developing country is a less developed country that is trying to become more developed and more advanced economically.

Primary school is a school, before secondary school, where students receive primary (elementary) education. Usually, the age of the students is between 5 and 11.

In this context, a gap is a difference between two people or groups of people, or things.

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Literacy is the ability to read and write.

When a person is illiterate, he or she is unable to read and write.

Contribute to means to help make something happen.

To drop out of school means to stop going to school.

For starters means to begin, or as a start.

Trafficking is the illegal buying and selling of things or people.

To boost means to increase something or to make something better.

25.The cost and rewards of clean energy

A wind turbine is a rotating device that converts the movement of air into electricity.

A botanical garden is a place where plants are grown for the public to view and sometimes for scientific study.

To offset means to cancel or reduce the effect of something or to create an equal balance between two things.

The verb generate means to produce something.

An endeavor is an effort or attempt to do something.

Renewable energy is energy that comes from things that will not run out. It is energy that is naturally replenished. “To replenish” means to replace what has been used.

An entrepreneur is a person who starts a business and is willing to risk loss in order to make money.

An upfront cost is money paid before receiving a good or service. In this context, the upfront cost of purchasing the turbine means the money paid for the turbine before receiving any energy produced by the turbine.

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Payback is the money or reward one receives after investing in something. In this context, the payback of the turbine is low-cost and clean energy.

A subsidy (plural: subsidies) is money paid by the government or other organization to lower the cost of a product or service.

In the long run means eventually, or after a long period of time.

26.The business of seafood

A symposium is a formal meeting at which experts discuss a particular topic.

Sustainable fishing is fishing in a way that can maintain the population of the fish without harming the health or habitat of the oceans. Using sustainable fishing, the fish population does not decrease over time, and there are few or no environmental impacts.

When unsustainable fishing occurs, the populations of fish decline over time because of the methods of fishing used.

Overfishing is taking wildlife from the sea faster than the wildlife can reproduce (produce babies).

Sustainable seafood is seafood that is caught or farmed in a way that can maintain the population of the seafood without harming the health or habitat of the oceans.

The amount that consumers desire a product or service (based on its availability) is consumer demand.

A marine ecosystem is everything that exists in a marine (ocean) environment. This includes living things such as plants and fish, and things that are not living such as rocks, soil and water.

There are no more fish in the sea: The speaker is playing with the idiom “There are plenty of fish in the sea.” This idiom is often said to someone whose relationship has ended; it means that there are other people in the world to meet and date. In the conversation above, the speaker is using the phrase “there are no more fish in the sea” to mean that unsustainable fishing can kill all of the fish in the ocean.

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27.Developing a business plan

A business plan is a document that describes in detail the future plans of a business and how the business will achieve its goals.

A startup is a company working to solve a problem that doesn’t have a clear solution; it is a new business.

The word engineer used as a verb means to plan, design or build something. As a noun, engineer means a person who designs and builds machines, engines, bridges and other things.

A product is something that is made or grown to be sold, usually in large quantities.

A template is something that is used as an example or model in order to create a similar thing.

An executive summary is a short document that summarizes a longer one. The executive summary of a business plan summarizes the contents of the plan.

A table of contents is an organized list of the parts of a book or document.

A target market is a particular group of people who will most likely buy a certain product or service.

Marketing and sales plans are written documents that describe the ways a company plans to advertise and sell a product or service.

To advertise means to tell people about a product or service and encourage them to buy it.

Financial data is information related to a company’s financial (relating to money) status.

Funding is money to be used for a specific purpose, such as starting a business.

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28.Business startups (day 4)

A startup is a company working to solve a problem that may not have a clear solution; it is a new business.

An undertaking is a difficult or important task or project.

A product is something that is made or grown to be sold, usually in large quantities.

Prototype: the first design of something, such as a product. From the prototype, other forms of the product are developed.

Iteration is the process of repeating something over and over, in order to improve it.

Funding is money to be used for a specific purpose, such as starting a business.

An angel investor is a person who provides money for startups.

A launch is the event when something new, such as a new product or new business, is first offered or announced.

An entrepreneur is a person who starts a business and is willing to risk loss in order to make money.

29.Are you homesick?

Long time no see is an expression in spoken English. It is said when you see someone you haven’t seen for a relatively long period of time.

What’ve you been up to? is a question used in informal spoken English. It means What have you been doing recently?

To seem or be a little down means to seem or be a little sad or less happy/energetic than usual.

Homesick is the state of being sad because one is away from one’s family and home. Usually, the verbs used with homesick are be and feel. For example: She is homesick. I feel homesick.

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A person who is multilingual is able to speak and understand more than two languages at a high level.

Multicultural: relating to or including people who have many different customs and beliefs.

To acclimate means to adjust or adapt to a new place or situation. Often, acclimate is followed by the word to plus a place or situation. For example: She is acclimating to the new city. He quickly acclimates to the cultures of other countries.

In this context, nonsense is used to show that the speaker thinks the previous statement is untrue.

30.The college interview

Interview tips are useful information about interviewing given from one person to another.

The adjective nerve-wracking means causing a person to feel very worried and nervous.

To role-play is to pretend to be in a particular situation (or pretending to be a different person), especially as part of learning a skill.

A scenario is a description of a possible future event or actions.

In this context, pretty is used as an adverb meaning “very.”

To come up with means to find or produce.

To dress appropriately means to wear clothes that are suitable and appropriate for the occasion — in this case, a college interview.

To dress like a slob is to wear clothes that look untidy, messy and/or dirty.

To be oneself is similar to being genuine. To be genuine means to be sincere and honest.

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31.Writing a college essay

To revise means to make changes, especially to correct and improve something.

A masterpiece is something created with great skill and of excellent quality.

To end up with means to get as a result.

Writer’s block is the problem of not being able to think of something to write about or not being able to continue writing an essay, story or other document.

When you put pressure on yourself, you demand excellence from yourself or you expect to be able to do something well or quickly. As a result of the pressure, you can feel stressed and worried.

Concise means to give information but use few words. It means to not include extra or unnecessary information.

To ramble on means to talk or write for a long time without any clear purpose or direction.

Purple prose: writing that is elaborate (having much detail) or ornate (using fancy words).

When something is succinct, it is briefly and clearly expressed. A person uses few words to express his or her idea.

To be genuine means to be sincere and honest.

32.Applying to U.S. colleges

To be stressed out means to be worried about problems in your life, at school or work, etc.

In the context of school, a paper is a piece of writing that is done for a class. For example, I have to write a paper about the water cycle for my science class. It can also be called an essay.

In the U.S., the words college and university are often used interchangeably (meaning the words can be used to mean the same thing). Students go to college or university after high school to earn a degree.

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The college application process refers to everything one needs to do to apply to colleges and universities for undergraduate study. The process includes completing an application, writing an essay, taking standardized tests, and having an interview.

A college essay is part of the college application process. The person applying to college writes a short piece of writing that is about himself or herself.

A standardized test is a type of test. All people who take the test answer the same questions. The test is scored in the same way, so scores can be compared. Two examples of standardized tests are the SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) and the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language). The SAT is used as part of the college application process in the U.S. The TOEFL is used as part of the college application process in the U.S. for students whose first language is not English.

The common application, or “Common App,” is a standard college admission application that students may use to apply to a large number of colleges and universities.

The application fee is the amount of money a student needs to pay when he or she applies to a college.

33.What’s your Halloween costume?

Halloween is not a formal holiday, but it is one of the major celebrations in the U.S. It is celebrated on October 31 each year. On Halloween, children dress up in costumes and go trick-or-treating. Adults sometimes dress up as well and attend parties.

A costume is the clothing worn by someone who is trying to look like a different person or thing.

To dress up is a phrasal verb. In this context, it means to put on a costume. It can be followed by the word as to state what the costume is. For example, “I dressed up as Cinderella on Halloween.” “She will dress up as a robot.”

Trick-or-treating is a Halloween custom. children knock on people’s doors and say “trick or treat” to ask for candy.

In colleges and universities in the U.S., there are often clubs . A club is a group of people who meet to participate in activities or events, such as a sport, hobby or other shared interest.

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A haunted house is a Halloween attraction. A building or series of rooms is decorated to frighten people as they walk through the house.

Apple bobbing (also known as bobbing for apples) is a game played, often by children, on Halloween. A large tub is filled with water. Apples are put in the water, and they float to the surface. Players try to pick up apples using only their teeth. They cannot use their arms.

A student center (also known as a student union) is a building on a university campus. A student center is a place for students to socialize, etc., and is the community center of the university.

34.Taking a study break!

A study break is a short period of time when a student stops studying and does another activity.

A pumpkin patch is a small area of land where pumpkins are grown. A pumpkin is a large, round, orange vegetable that people eat or use for decoration. In October in the U.S., many people carve pumpkins and make jack-o’-lanterns for decorations, especially for Halloween.

To carve a pumpkin: to make objects, patterns, etc., by cutting shapes in a pumpkin.

A jack-o’-lantern is a pumpkin with its insides removed and a face cut into it for Halloween. It can have a candle inside so that light shines out through its carved eyes, nose and mouth.

A candy apple is a whole apple covered in a hard sugar candy coating. A stick is inserted into the apple to use as a handle.

A sugar rush is a sudden short period of energy a person gets from eating or drinking a large amount of sugar.

To have a sweet tooth means to like foods that contain a lot of sugar.

Candy corn is a small chewy candy that is shaped like a large kernel of corn.

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35.Thanks for volunteering!

To be stuck with someone or something means that one is forced to take care of or deal with someone or something. In this context, it is said as a joke.

To volunteer means to offer to do something without being paid to do it or without being asked to do it.

A fall festival is a type of outdoor celebration or fair in the fall. Fall festivals have a fall theme, often with seasonal food and drink, music, games and crafts.

The phrase without knowing what (one) was getting (one)self into means that the person did not know the details of a situation in advance.

An off-campus event is an event that does not take place on the campus of a school.

A maze is a complicated system of paths or passages that people try to find their way through for fun. A corn maze is a large maze created in a cornfield. Cornstalks are cut down to create the paths.

A dead end is a road or path that is closed at one end and does not join another road or path. As a result, one must turn around to exit a dead-end path.

A cornstalk is the thick, tall stem of a corn plant.

36.Going to a soccer game

When in Rome is a shortened version of the full phrase when in Rome, do as the Romans do. This phrase means that when one is in a different country, one should follow the customs of the country. It also means that when one is in an unfamiliar situation, one should follow the lead of those who are familiar with the situation.

In this context, the phrase I’m with someone means that the speaker agrees with the person named. For example, I’m with you means that I agree with you.

When someone is adamant, he or she is not willing to change an opinion or decision.

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Pretty intense means that something is done with great energy, enthusiasm, strength or effort. In the conversation, the soccer game was pretty intense. This means that the game was played with serious effort and energy.

A bonfire is a large outdoor fire. Sometimes bonfires are built for entertainment, such as a party with friends. In fall in the U.S., they are sometimes built to burn leaves.

The phrase by the way is used to introduce a statement that mentions another subject. For example: I went to the movies last night and saw the movie you recommended. By the way, I saw your sister there.

When someone can’t wait, it means they are looking forward to something.

37.What’s your major? (day 5)

To meet up means to meet a person or people in order to do something together.

The word guys is an informal way to refer to two or more people. Although the word “guy” means “man,” the informal guys can refer to men and/or women. Some people in the U.S. use the term guys in this way. However, there are others who do not agree with this usage because “guy” means “man” and does not include “woman” (or both man and woman) in its meaning.

To be in the same boat means to be in the same situation as others.

In university and college, each student choices a major. A major is a chosen field of study, the specialization of the student. “Major” can be used as a noun or a verb.

There are different ways to talk about one’s major. One of these ways is to say, “My major is _____.” For example: “My major is history.”

Another way is to use the word “major” as a verb. When using the word “major” as a verb, use the phrase major in. For example: “I’m majoring in ____.”

A student can also use “major” as a noun to refer to him- or herself. For example: “I’m an American studies major.”

One can also use the verb study to talk about one’s major. For example: “I’m studying biology” and “I study biology” both show the student’s major.

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38.How do I get to …?

One way to ask for directions is to use the question form: “Do you know how to get to _____?” For example: “Do you know how to get to Main Street?” “Do you know how to get to the post office?”

When giving directions, go straight means to move in the same direction without turning.

Take a left means to turn left.

On the right is used when giving directions. It means that a location (such as a building) is on the right side of the path or street.

Not exactly sure: The person is not 100 percent certain about something.

To head somewhere means to go somewhere.

The phrase by the way is used to introduce a statement that changes the subject being discussed. For example: “I went to the movies last night and saw the movie you recommended. By the way, I saw your sister there.”

An exchange student is a student from one country who attends a school in another country.

39.Making money

A mogul is an important person in business because of her/his power and/or money. Sometimes an adjective is used in front of the word “mogul” to describe the type of business in which the person works.

To make a killing means to have great financial success, to make a lot of money, often in a short period of time.

The stock market is the system and business of buying and selling stocks.

To be worth millions means to have the value of millions of dollars (or other currency).

A profit is money that is earned in business, investing, etc., after all the costs and expenses are paid. It is a financial gain.

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E-commerce is the buying and selling of products and services over the Internet or anything related to this type of business.

Stock is part ownership of a company that people buy, sell and trade as a way to make a profit.

To donate means to give money, goods, services and/or time to help a person or an organization.

A charity is an organization that gives money, food or other help to people who are in need of those things.

40.Financing a business

Microfinance is a type of financial service, such as giving small loans, that is provided to unemployed or low-income individuals or new businesses that do not have access to or cannot use traditional banking services.

A loan is money that an individual or company borrows from a financial institution (such as a bank) or an individual for a period of time with a promise that the money will be paid back. Often, the person must pay interest — money that is charged by the bank, other financial institution or organization for lending the money.

In this conversation, to borrow means to take money from a financial institution or other organization for a period of time before returning it, often paying interest as well.

An entrepreneur is a person who starts a business and is willing to risk loss in order to make money.

Production is the process of growing or making something to be sold.

To donate means to give money, goods, services and/or time to help a person or an organization.

Let me give you my card means that the speaker will give the listener his or her business card — a small card with the person’s name, job, company name and contact information.

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41.Starting a business

Capital is money, property, etc., that is used for investment or for starting a business.

A loan is money that someone or a company/corporation borrows from a financial institution or an individual for a period of time with a promise that it will be paid back; often the person must pay interest.

An interest rate is the percentage of the amount of money borrowed that the borrower must pay to the lending institution in addition to the amount of the loan.

A financial institution is a company such as a bank or investment company that provides financial services like loans, investments, etc.

Lenders are financial institutions or individuals who lend money that is then paid back with interest.

Borrowing means taking money from a bank or other financial institution with the intention of paying it back over a specified period of time, usually with interest.

Lucrative, especially when said of a business or job, means producing a lot of money or profit.

A venture capitalist is a person or financial organization that invests in new businesses or the expansion of small companies, becoming a partial owner of the business and with the goal of making a large profit.

42.Promoting a product

A launch is the introduction of a new product or service for sale to the public.

To promote means to make people aware of something, such as a new product, through some type of advertising, special event, sale, etc.

To advertise is to make people aware of a product or service that is being sold.

An accessory is something additional (extra) that is not necessary but is attractive or useful. Examples of cellphone accessories are screen protectors and cellphone cases.

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A brand is a product made or sold by a particular company.

A product is something that is made or grown to be sold, often in large quantities.

A trademark is a name or symbol that identifies a particular company’s product and that cannot be used without permission.

A consumer is a person who uses a product or service and often is the person who also purchases the product or service.

A promotional campaign is a series of advertisements using various marketing tools that share similar messages to promote a product or service, with the ultimate goal of creating sales.

43.After a debate

A debate is a discussion between people in which they express different opinions about certain topics.

A candidate is a person who takes part in an election and tries to be voted into a position.

To campaign (as a verb) means to lead or take part in a campaign to support someone or something or to achieve something. A campaign (as a noun) is a series of planned activities to produce a desired result.

A leader is a person who is able to guide, lead, manage and/or influence other people and their actions.

An opponent is a person (or group, team, etc.) who is competing against another person (or group, team, etc.), especially in politics or sports.

A policy is an accepted set of ideas or a plan for action followed by a business, government, political party or other group.

In this conversation, a race is a competition in which two or more people try to be elected to a political position. A close race means that the number of votes for each candidate are almost the same, and the winner cannot be predicted before all (or nearly all) of the votes are counted.

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44.At a debate

A turnout means the number of people who participate in or go to an event, meeting, election, etc. In this conversation, “turnout” refers to the number of people who are at the debate.

A debate is a discussion between people in which they express different opinions about certain topics.

Issues are matters that are of special importance to certain groups of people. They are subjects or problems that people are thinking and talking about.

To debate means to argue about certain issues or to participate in a debate.

To run on a platform means to make a promise about what you plan to do when you win the election.

In favor of means to be in support of something. In the conversation, to be in favor of no weekend homework means to support the idea of no homework on the weekends.

To support means to agree with or approve of someone or something.

A moderator is a person who manages a public discussion, such as a debate.

A candidate is a person who takes part in an election and tries to be voted into a position.

45.Class elections

An election is the process of choosing someone for a position by voting.

A candidate is a person who takes part in an election and tries to be voted into a position.

The polls are the places where people vote during an election.

A debate is a discussion between people in which they express different opinions about certain topics.

To vote (as a verb) means to officially choose a person for a position.

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A vote (as a noun) is the official choice a person makes in an election, meeting, etc.

Turnout means the number of people who participate in or go to an event, meeting, election, etc. In this conversation, “turnout” refers to the number of people who will go to the polls and vote in the student election.

46.At the playground (day 6)

A playground is an outdoor area where children can play. This area usually includes special equipment such as swings, slides and seesaws.

A skateboard is a small board with wheels on the bottom that a person stands on and uses to move across a smooth surface by pushing one foot against the ground.

A helmet is a hard hat worn to protect the head.

A swing is a seat hanging from chains or ropes that moves back and forth and is often used by children.

A seesaw is a long board that is balanced in the middle. Children play on a seesaw by sitting on each end and using their feet to push the seesaw up and down. (A seesaw is also called a teeter-totter.)

Monkey bars are bars in a structure that children can climb and swing on. Children can swing from bar to bar like monkeys in a tree that swing from branch to branch.

Only if: This is used to express a command or a requirement. For example: You can have dessert only if you eat all of your dinner.

47.In the yard

Grass is a plant with narrow green leaves that grows on the ground.

When you use how about at the start of a question, it can be a way to make a suggestion.

To mow is to cut something, such as grass, with a machine.

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A lawn is an outside area that is covered in grass and usually located in front of or behind a house.

A lawn mower is a machine used to cut grass on lawns.

A shed is a small building that is usually used to store things such as tools.

Shrubs are woody plants with multiple stems. Shrubs are smaller than trees.

A fence is a structure built outside, usually made of wood or metal. A fence usually either separates two areas or surrounds a single area.

48.Winter activities

Let’s plus a verb is a way of suggesting doing something with one or more people. “Let’s” is a contracted form of “let us.”

When you use how about at the start of a question, it can be a way to make a suggestion.

Ice skating is the activity of using ice skates to move on ice.

Ice skates are a type of shoe/boot with a blade on the bottom for moving across ice.

That sounds … fun, great, bad, etc. is a way to reply to an idea or suggestion.

Snowboarding is the sport of sliding down a mountain of snow on a snowboard. A snowboard is a large board designed for someone to stand on and move down a mountain on the snow.

Instead is used to suggest another choice.

Sledding is the act of riding on a sled down a hill.

A sled is a vehicle used to travel over snow. It has a flat bottom or narrow metal strips on the bottom to help it move over the snow. Children often use sleds to move quickly down small hills covered in snow.

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49.Going to the beach

Let’s plus a verb is a way of suggesting doing something with one or more people. “Let’s” is the contracted form of “let us.”

That sounds … good, great, bad, etc. is a way to reply to an idea or suggestion.

A beach umbrella is a large umbrella used on the beach to shade people from the sun.

A beach chair is a folding chair used outdoors, especially at the beach.

A surfboard is a long, narrow board used to ride ocean waves.

Sunscreen is a special lotion that protects your skin from the sun by blocking some of the sun’s rays.

Sunglasses are glasses with dark lenses to protect your eyes from the sun.

To get a sunburn means that your skin becomes pink or red from being in the sun too long. It can be very painful.

50.Suggestions using ‘let’s’

Let’s is the contracted form of “let us.” “Let’s” plus a verb is a way of suggesting doing something together.

A tennis racket is a piece of sports equipment used to hit a ball in tennis.

To try something out means to use something for the first time.

Basketball is a game played by two teams. The teams try to score points by throwing a ball through a net located above each end of the court. A basketball is also the name for the ball used in the game.

Instead is used to suggest another choice.

A court is a rectangular area where basketball and other sports are played.

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51.Isn’t rain good for the environment?

Acid rain is rain that contains dangerous chemicals (due to smoke from burning fossil fuels that contain sulfur) and that damages trees, crops, buildings, fish in lakes and streams, and other things.

To wipe out means to destroy something completely.

Biodiversity is the different kinds of plants and animals that exist in an environment. It is the variety of life.

An ecosystem is everything that exists in a particular environment, including living things, such as plants and animals, and things that are not living, such as rocks, soil, sunlight and water.

Reduce means to make something smaller or to decrease. In environmental contexts, it often means to use less of something or to use fewer resources.

A renewable resource is a resource that comes from things that will not run out or that is naturally replenished, such as solar power or wind power.

Solar power is energy that comes from the sun.

Wind power is energy that comes from the movement of air.

52.Climate change effects

Climate change means changes in the Earth’s weather, especially due to the increase in temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere that is caused in part by the increase of carbon dioxide.

Extinction is what results when something, such as a plant or animal species, has died out completely and no longer exists.

Plankton refers to the small organisms — the very small animal and plant life — that live in oceans, lakes and other waters.

An ecosystem is everything that exists in a particular environment, including living things, such as plants and animals, and things that are not living, such as rocks, soil, sunlight and water.

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To conserve energy means to use energy wisely or to use as little energy as possible so there is less waste.

53.Reduce, reuse, recycle

The environment is the natural world in which people, animals and plants live.

Scale back is to reduce or make something smaller in size or amount than it was before.

Something disposable is intended to be thrown away after one use or a few uses.

Takeout is food that is prepared in a restaurant and taken by a customer to be eaten in another place, often at home.

To recycle is to make new things from old materials. It also means to send things to a place where they are made into something new. Another meaning is to reuse something.

When people feel guilty, they feel that they have done something wrong.

Biodegradable means that something is able to break down into very small parts naturally and harmlessly.

To compost means to change organic material, such as leaves, vegetable/fruit scraps, coffee grounds, etc., into a decayed mixture that is used to improve the soil in a lawn or garden.

54.Coffee for your plants? To compost means to change organic material, such as leaves, vegetable and fruit scraps, coffee grounds, etc., into a decayed mixture that is used to improve the soil in a lawn or garden.

Yup: This is a very informal way to say “yes.”

Break down means to decompose. When something breaks down, it is reduced to its smallest parts.

Win-win: This means providing a good result for everyone or everything involved. A win-win situation means that everyone or everything has a good result.

A landfill is an area where garbage is dumped and covered with dirt. It is where garbage is buried.

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55.Going green (day 7)

The question what’s with something is an informal way of asking about something unusual or asking what the meaning of something is.

To go green means to adopt an environmentally friendly lifestyle by doing things such as reducing, reusing and recycling whenever possible.

Eco-friendly means that something is not harmful to the environment.

A hybrid is a car with an engine that uses gasoline and another type of energy, usually electricity.

Emissions are things, such as gas, sent into the air. This word generally refers to things that can have a negative effect on humans or nature.

Pollution means substances that make land, water or air dirty and/or unsafe.

56.Power from the sun

Belated means something happening or coming late. For example, yesterday was your birthday. I forgot. Today I remembered. I say, “Happy belated birthday.”

Solar power or solar energy is energy that comes from the sun.

Renewable energy is energy that comes from things that will not run out. It is energy that is naturally replenished. “Replenish” means to replace what has been used.

The environment is the natural world in which people, animals and plants live.

57.More informal greetings and invitations

Hey is an informal way to say “hello.”

What’s up? is a more informal way to ask “How’s it going?” or “What’s new?”

Can’t complain is an informal way to respond to the question “How’s it going?” or “What’s up?” The phrase can’t complain means that the person has no recent complaints about life.

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Nice to meet you is used when meeting someone for the first time. A response to nice to meet you is nice to meet you, too.

Starting a question with do you want to is an informal way to invite someone to do something.

Sure. That sounds great is an informal way to accept an invitation.

58.Formal greetings and invitations

How are you doing? is a longer form of the question “How are you?”

I’m doing well is a more formal way of saying “I’m good” and to answer the question “How are you?” or “How are you doing?”

By the way: This phrase is used to introduce a subject that may not be directly related to the subject being discussed.

I appreciate the invite, but: This is a polite way to say “no” to an invitation. Sometimes people give a reason for saying no. For example, “I appreciate the invite, but we have other plans tonight.” Sometimes people don’t give a reason. For example, “I appreciate the invite, but I can’t.”

Maybe another time: After declining an invitation, this phrase is used to suggest another time to do something.

59.Informal greetings and invitations

What’s going on? is an informal greeting in American English. It’s similar to “How’s it going?”

Not much is a response you can use when asked the question “What’s going on?”

Wanna is a shortened form in spoken English of the two words “want to.” “Wanna” is not used in written English unless it is very informal writing, such as text messaging.

Wanna come over is an informal invitation, used to ask someone to come to your house.

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60.What do you like to do?

Nice to meet you is used when meeting someone for the first time. A response to nice to meet you is nice to meet you too.

What do you like to do in your free time is a way to ask someone about his or her hobbies. There are different ways to respond to this question. One response is to use I like to and a verb in its simplest form. For example, I like to write songs. I like to play soccer. I like to learn English. Another way is to use I like plus a gerund. A gerund is a verb in the -ing form used as a noun, such as playing and reading. For example, I like playing tennis. I like reading. I like traveling. There are some slight differences in meaning between these two forms, but when talking about hobbies, it is generally okay to use either form.

61.What do you do?

Nice to meet you is used when meeting someone for the first time. A response to nice to meet you is nice to meet you too.

The question what do you do? is used to ask about a person’s job.

I’m a + a job: This is a way you can tell people your job. Use “I am” (or “I’m”) plus a job. For example, I’m a doctor. I’m a teacher. I’m a lawyer. I’m an accountant.

I work for + an organization or person: This is another way you can tell people about your job. Use “I work for” plus the organization or person. For example, I work for the government. I work for the mayor.

62.Giving advice

In formal conversation, giving advice is often suggested through modals: ought to / should / could / If I were you. In informal conversations, people tend to use words such as I think that / I feel that / in my opinion.

Listen for the emphasis on I know so and Trust me. These common phrases can be used to convey both positive and negative emotions. “I know so” conveys a deep belief or certainty. “To know” shows more certainty than “to think.”

Notice the use of command forms: Take the job. / Trust me. / Go for it! The command form can be used to gently persuade someone.

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63.Weddings

Doesn’t …? When you have a negative question, the expected answer is “yes.” As such, it expresses the exact opposite of what is being conveyed (i.e., the bride DOES look absolutely beautiful).

Listen to the stress on honeymoon. There are three syllables in “honeymoon,” with the stress on the first syllable (HO-ney-moon). This content word is culturally important, so it’s emphasized: It means a trip or vacation taken by a newly married couple.

Tie the knot is an informal way of saying “get married.” Can you find and explain the two usages of just in this dialogue? “Just” is

an adverb that can be used in two different ways: o A) To indicate a very recent past (I just heard the story). When used

to convey time, “just” is commonly used with a simple past verb because the action is complete. Sometimes it can also be used with the present perfect (He’s just finished writing a book).

o B) To indicate contrast or emphasis (Most people just go to the beach). In that case, “just” can be replaced by “simply” and emphasize the word it relates to (a verb, adjective or other adverb) by denoting contrast. Compare the following sentences: “They just got married yesterday” (adverb of time). “The wedding reception was just wonderful” (adverb of emphasis).

64.Hobbies (day 8)

Midterm: Students at universities in the United States often take exams midsemester, around October or March of every year. These exams are called midterms. Exams at the end of the semester are called finals, or final exams, and are usually in May.

Gonna is a colloquial form of “I’m going to.” Other similar constructions include “wanna” (want to) or “hafta” (have to). These are examples of transcriptions of spoken English and should not be used in a formal context. Some of these examples are now seen in text messages as a means of shortening sentences.

Awesome is a colloquial way of saying “excellent,” “cool,” “great.” Last night’s rock concert was awesome.

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65.Giving your opinion

Decide is a useful verb to express choice. The idiom to “make up my mind” also means “decide”: “There are so many choices in this menu. It’s going to take awhile to make up my mind/decide.” You can finish this sentence with either the idiom or the verb “decide.”

How about: This phrase presents an alternative. This phrase can be followed by a subject plus a conjugated verb or by a noun: How about we go swimming? / How about a movie tonight?

Many verbs express opinions: to think / to believe / to suppose / to assume, etc. They are not all synonymous. For example, “to suppose” and “to assume” express that the speaker has a preconceived idea: He came back late from work, so I assumed that traffic was bad. / I suppose that may not have been the case, and that he might just have had a lot of work.

66.At the pet store

Oh! What a beautiful cat. “Oh!” is used to show surprise or excitement. “What a …” is an expression that means “I think this is a very …” “What a(n) …” is followed by an adjective, which is usually emphasized. Notice the emphasis on “beautiful” here.

Dogs are more loyal than cats. Two things are being compared here: dogs and cats. Notice the structure of the sentences: (noun/s) plus “is/are more” plus (adjective) plus “than” plus (noun/s). The nouns and the adjective are content words here, so they are all emphasized.

Every single day: Notice that each word here is stressed. The speaker wants to make a point, so she emphasizes each word equally. “Every single day” is a lot!

Good point here means “I agree with you.” Take care of: This phrase is used with animals, people and things. It can

mean “watch a child while her parents are away,” “feed and house someone or something,” or “make sure things work properly.” (I always take care of my baby brother. / I take care of my bird by feeding it and cleaning its cage. / I need to take care of the broken sink.)

Yeah, you’re right. Notice the pronunciation of this expression — the words all blend together here. This casual expression is used to agree with someone that you know well.

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67.Taking a vacation

Ticket can refer to many different types of transportation (Metro, bus, train, plane, etc.). In general, you can guess the means of transportation by the context.

When discussing airplane travel, a red eye is a flight that leaves at night to arrive early the next morning. This is in reference to how red your eyes become when you don’t get a full night’s sleep.

68.A night at the theater

You are welcome. Elena replies “You are welcome” in this dialogue. She could also say, “Don’t mention it,” which is an example of downgrading. Downgrading a compliment varies with culture. When in doubt, just say “You are welcome.”

When getting a compliment from someone (for example: “You were such a talented ballerina”), you can either accept the compliment (“That’s very kind of you”) or downplay the compliment (“Oh, I wasn’t that good”).

Giving compliments in English often includes using superlatives (“the most …,” “the best …”). “This is the best musical playing on Broadway!” / “What’s the most entertaining movie you’ve seen?” However, compliments can also be given by using the construction “I’m a fan of …”: I’m a fan of the arts. / I’m a big fan of theater. / I’m a huge fan of this band. Notice the use of adjectives.

69.What’s your favorite sport?

What time is that soccer game on? means “When does the soccer game start?” “What time” plus something plus “on” is a common expression used to ask about the start time of a TV show or a movie.

I much prefer basketball here means “I like basketball a lot more than soccer.” Notice how “much” is stressed to show that the speaker really likes basketball.

Oh, really? Notice the rising intonation on “really.” This shows that the speaker is surprised. He thought that Jack liked tennis the best.

I’m a big fan of basketball is a way of saying “I like basketball very much” (“to be a fan of” is a casual expression used to describe something you really like).

How about a game here means “Let’s play a basketball game.”

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Sure thing! This is a casual expression used to mean “OK.” Shoot some hoops means to play an informal game of basketball. This is a

casual expression used between friends.

70.What are you good at?

So … Notice how the “o” sound is drawn out here, combined with the intonation, which shows boredom.

I’m really good at: “Really” means “very” and is used to emphasize “good.” It goes before the adjective.

What do you: Notice the pronunciation here — it sounds like “Whaddaya.” Hmm … is used to show that the speaker is thinking. It is also used to show

that the speaker disagrees with an idea. How about is used to make a tentative suggestion. The speaker is

introducing an idea and doesn’t want to sound too strong. Let’s is used to make a strong suggestion. The speaker feels confident about

the plan. Oh, yeah? We’ll see about that! “Oh, yeah?” is used in a joking way to

show a bit of friendly competition. Notice the emphasis on “that,” which refers back to “good at spelling.”

71.At the movies

The 3:30 show: Movies are shown at different times throughout the day. This refers to the movie that starts at 3:30. Notice the emphasis on “3:30.”

Enjoy the movie! Notice how the intonation rises on “movie.” This is said in a friendly way, and is followed by an exclamation point.

Would you mind is a polite way to ask “Can you do something for me?” Notice the verb ends in “-ing.” Compare this structure to “Would you mind if I” plus a verb that ends in “-ed” (Would you mind if I opened the window?).

Moving over one: Here “one” is short for “one seat.” No, not at all is a way of saying “No, I don’t mind” or “I will be glad to.”

Notice the answer to “Would you mind” is in the negative form.

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72.How old are you?

I’m really excited… Notice the emphasis on “really.” “Really” is used to emphasize the adjective “excited” here.

Birthday party Notice that the normal stress for a compound noun falls on the first element of the compound.

Aren’t you? This negative tag is used to show that the speaker expects a positive answer. Patty assumes that Susan is also looking forward to the party.

She’ll be 55 Notice that “55” is stressed here. This detail answers the question “How old is she?”

Fourteenth Notice that we use the “th” for ordinal numbers, starting with four [but first, second and third]. The stress is on the second syllable [fourTEENTH]. Compare this with “40th” [FORtieth].

She’s going to be… Notice how this is pronounced like “gonna be.” Instead of four syllables, “go/ing/to/be,” there are three syllables, “ga/na/be.”

Transportation (day 9) Should we…or…? Is a way of asking “Which is better?” “Should” is used to ask for an opinion. Note that we do not say “Will” here.

Take a taxi or a bus? The word “or” signals a choice here. Notice the rising intonation on taxi (the first choice) and falling intonation on bus (the second choice).

Let’s (Let us) means “I think we should do this.” Rush hour is the time of day when most people are going to or from work.

In most American cities, rush hour is from about 7:30 to 9 a.m. and from about 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Notice that “rush hour” is a compound noun, with the main stress on the first word.

Isn’t that: This is a negative question. The speaker expects an affirmative answer. It is used to check information.

Bus stop is a compound noun, with the main stress on the first word. Oh! is an exclamation used to express alarm or surprise. Oh, no! is an expression used to express disappointment. We just missed it here means “We arrived a moment too late to get the

bus.” Notice the emphasis on “just” to show the very recent past. No problem here means “It doesn’t matter.”

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73.Shopping(DAY 9)

Can I help you? or “May I help you?” is what a salesperson normally says to greet a customer.

I’m looking for a here means “I don’t know exactly which one I want.” Size medium. Clothing usually comes in small, medium and large sizes.

Some women’s clothing comes in number sizes, usually ranging from 2 to 16.

Let’s see… An expression used when a person wants to think something over to make a choice or decision, or to look for something.

I’d rather have it in here means “I don’t like this exact one. I would prefer it in a different color/size/material,” etc.

Would you like to…? is a polite way to ask “Do you want to…?” Try it on means to test the fit or appearance of a garment by putting it on.

“Try on” is a separable phrasal verb, so the object “it” goes between “try” and “on.”

How much is it? means “How much does it cost?” Notice that the main sentence stress falls on “is” in this question.

I’ll take it means “I will buy it.”

74.Catching up after class

Hey! is a friendly expression meaning “hello.” How did your physics exam go? is a way of saying “How was your physics

exam?” I’m just glad… Notice the stress on “glad.” “Just” is used for emphasis

before an adjective here. How about you… Notice the intonation falls here because the speaker is

going to follow it up with a detailed question. How’d your presentation… Notice the contraction for “How did” sounds

like /howdj/ and “your” sounds like /yer/. Do you feel like here has the meaning of “do you want to.” Notice “do you

feel like” is followed by an “-ing” verb (studying). Come over here has the meaning of “come to my house.” Notes Students take notes about what the teacher says during a lecture.

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75.At the post office

What can I do for you today? Notice that this question starts with “what,” so the intonation drops at the end of the question.

Or, you can send it priority: Notice the stress on “or,” which emphasizes that there is another possibility.

$11.35…$20.35: Notice the two different ways the postal clerk says the price. First, he says “eleven thirty-five,” without the words “dollars” and “cents”, then he says “twenty dollars and thirty-five cents.”

Oh, yeah! is an expression used here to mean “I just remembered something.” It’s often followed by “I almost forgot.”

Your total comes to is a way of saying “the cost is….”

76.Running errands

Hi, there. Notice the intonation in this greeting. It rises after “Hi” and falls after “there.”

Sure is a friendly expression to mean “OK.” Get my hair cut / have my new pants hemmed / have my car serviced.

Notice get/have + object + participle. This structure is used to describe actions that someone else does for us. “Get” and “have” are interchangeable here.

Is there anything else? here means “Do you need more information?” Before my long drive home! Notice the emphasis and intonation on

“home.” The speaker wants to show humor here. If she doesn’t get her car checked, she might not get home! She wants to be friendly and light with the receptionist.

No problem here means “Don’t worry.” Notice the stress on “No.” The receptionist laughs first, then puts emphasis on “No” by lengthening the word. This shows that she understands the car could break down if it doesn’t get serviced.

77.At the supermarket

How about is a casual way to suggest doing an activity. Notice that “how about” is followed by an “-ing” verb.

Hmm…: Notice that Julia pauses for a moment. “Hmm” is an expression used to think about something first before speaking.

That’s a great idea! Notice the emphasis on “great.” Julia has thought about it and then decided that she really does want to bake cookies.

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The recipe calls for is a way of saying “the recipe says we need.” The phrase “call for” can also be used to talk about the weather forecast. (“They’re calling for rain.”)

…flour, sugar and butter. Notice that this is a list, so there are short pauses between each item. Notice also that each ingredient is stressed because this information is important.

Why don’t you: This expression is used to ask someone to do something. It can also be used to give advice — but in this case two friends are deciding on who does which task.

Aisle: Notice the silent “s” in “aisle.” An aisle is an orderly lane in a supermarket, with shelved products on both sides. Each aisle has a number, so that it is easy to find what you need.

78.Calling for help Hey! This expression is used to show surprise. Notice how That car just

ran a red light and hit that truck! is said with a lot of energy. Is anyone hurt? This is a yes/no question, so the intonation rises at the end.

Notice how this question is asked in a worried way. 911 is the phone number you dial for emergency services. The person who

answers will ask you questions about the emergency situation and then send out the necessary emergency services, which may include police officers, firefighters and an ambulance.

I’d like to report a car accident near the post office on Charles Street. Notice how the key words “car accident,” “post office” and “Charles Street” are stressed. These are the important details that the emergency services need.

It just happened is a way of saying “It happened a moment ago.” Notice the stress on “just,” which emphasizes that the accident happened very, very recently.

What did they say? Notice how “say” is emphasized, but the intonation falls at the end of the word. This is a “what” question, so the intonation falls at the end.

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79.Asking directions

Could you tell me…is slightly more polite than “Can you tell me…?” Could you tell me where the library is? Notice that “library” is stressed

here because it is the word with the important information. This is an indirect question, so the subject (the library) comes before the verb (is). The word order is reversed in a direct question (Where is the library?).

Yes, it’s that way. Notice the stress on “that.” The speaker is pointing in a certain direction and wants to emphasize that direction.

I know how you feel is a way of saying “I understand.” Notice the emphasis on “feel.” The speaker wants to show empathy and understanding.

I still don’t know where everything is! Notice the word order of “where everything is.” The subject (everything) comes before the verb (is). This word order is different from the direct question (Where is everything?).

80.At the doctor’s office

What seems to be the problem? means “What is the problem?” Notice that the intonation falls at the end of the question. The doctor wants information, not a “yes/no” answer.

Well is used as an introductory word. Notice how the vowel is drawn out, to sound like “Weeeeeell…” This can be used as a way to “buy time” while you think about what you want to say next.

A bad cough…a sore throat…a headache: Notice the article “a” before each symptom.

About is used to mean “more or less.” It’s used here to give an estimate of time.

Take aspirin…get rest…Make sure…Call me: Notice the doctor uses the simple tense here to give instructions. This is the imperative form of the verb.

Still sick means “continue to be sick.”

81.Ordering a meal (day 10)

Can I start you off with something to drink? Notice how the question starts with “Can.” Since this is a yes/no question, the intonation rises at the end.

And I’ll have lemonade. Notice how Anna stresses “I’ll” and “lemonade” to emphasize her choice.

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Are you ready to order, or do you need a few minutes? The word “or” signals a choice here. Notice the rising intonation on “order,” and the falling intonation on “minutes” (the first choice is “Are you ready to order?” and the second choice is “Do you need a few minutes?”).

I’ll have the tomato soup to start, and the roast beef with mashed potatoes and peas. Notice that “tomato soup,” “roast beef,” “mashed potatoes” and “peas” are stressed because the food order is the important information here. Notice also that “tomato soup, “roast beef” and “mashed potatoes” are compound words. The stress falls on the second word in each phrase.

Well done, please. Notice that the subject and verb are omitted in the response; only the necessary information is given.

I’ll just have the fish. Anna says “just” here to mean that she does not want a starter.

82.Weather report

A “cold front” means a large mass of cold air. It can be plural: There were multiple cold fronts this January.

Here “supposed to” refers to something that is intended or expected to happen: I thought it was supposed to rain today. This phrase can be used for many situations: I thought the train was supposed to arrive at 9 a.m. sharp.

Yeah / Yup / Uh huh are informal conversational cues used by native speakers in conversation. Each of these responses could be used here for “yes.” Gabriela affirms what Jennifer is saying. The most polite way to affirm a response is to say “yes.”

Listen for the emphasis on “That’s what I read online this morning.” This useful phrase can be used with other verbs to convey information: That’s what I heard on the radio. / That’s what I saw on TV. / That’s what I read online.

Chill / freezing / cold: These words describe cold weather. I feel the wind chill. / I feel the chill. / I am freezing. / I am cold.

Wind chill is the effect of the wind making the temperature feel colder on a person’s skin. This is an uncountable noun. The temperature is 4 degrees, but with the wind chill it feels like -8. These phrases are used in weather reports as well.

The phrase “driving down” means “forcing to be lower” and can be used in many situations. An oversupply of new houses is driving down sales prices in the area.

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83.Coincidences

Well, hello there … Notice the emphasis on “hello,” which shows that Meg did not expect to see Julia.

Long time no see! This is a common expression used to say hello to someone you haven’t seen in a long time.

What a ___! This exclamation shows a great degree of surprise, joy, disappointment, etc. (What a surprise to see you here! What a joy to have you with us! What a shame that you have to leave so soon! What a wonderful idea that is!)

You always did have good taste! Notice the stress on “did,” which Meg uses to emphasize the fact that Julia DOES have good taste! Meg says it in a joking way because Julia likes the same thing that she does.

What a small world is a common expression used to describe a chance meeting or other such coincidence.

84.Can you say that again?

There are a few ways to express a lack of understanding and to request additional information. The most common ones are stated, but you can also say “Excuse me” or simply “I can’t hear you.” In a more formal situation, try saying “I’m sorry?” or “I beg your pardon?” (with a rising intonation).

When asking someone to clarify information, try saying Can you please repeat that? / Can you spell that for me? / Can you please write down the address for me?

Cutting out describes a difficulty in understanding a caller due to poor cellphone reception. If you are having trouble understanding the caller, you can also say The line is breaking up / I am losing you. If the phone call is disconnected because of poor reception, you can say The call dropped.

Talk to you later is the equivalent in a phone conversation of “See you later” in a regular, face-to-face conversation.

Reception here means the availability of cellular service, the possibility to receive and give calls on a cellphone. Cellphone reception can be limited in remote areas, inside large buildings or underground (in the subway, for instance).

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85.A telephone call

Hi, Alice, it’s John: Hi, ____, it’s ____ is a casual and friendly way to say hello on the phone. Although “it’s” means “it is,” it is used to mean “I am” here.

Oh, hi, John! Notice the rising intonation here. Alice is excited to hear from John and is very pleased that he called her.

I was wondering if you’d like to … This is a polite and indirect way of asking “Do you want to …?” John is nervous and does not want to appear too direct or bold. Notice how the question goes up at the end, which shows that he is not overly confident.

Sure! I’d love to means “Yes, I would love to.” Notice that Alice is very enthusiastic and friendly. She wants John to feel comfortable about asking her out on a date.

I was thinking about … / What do you think? Again, John does not want to appear too bold. He wants to give Alice a chance to suggest a movie.

Sounds great! is an informal way of saying “That is a good plan.” I’ll pick you up is an informal way of saying “I’ll come to your house so

that we can go together.”

86.What time is it?

It’s a quarter after 7. This phrase is one of the most common ways of stating this time. It means: “It’s 15 minutes past 7 o’clock.” Another possibility here is to simply say: “It’s 7:15.” In general you can say: “It’s a quarter past the hour.” How do we know the time of day? Look for context clues: “evening traffic.”

In the dialog, Natasha and Tony are going to a surprise party. They need to be on time. Therefore there is an element of stress and urgency. When someone is stressed for time you can use expressions like: Don’t worry. / Don’t stress. / We’re fine. / We will be on time.

Natasha thinks the surprise party begins at 7:30. There are two different ways to express this time. You may say simply “7:30” or “half past 7.”

Rush hour is the time of day—usually in the morning and evening—when traffic is heavy because of people commuting to and from their workplace by bus, by car, by subway, on foot, etc.

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87.Informal introductions

“Who’s” is the contracted form of “who is.” It is pronounced the same way as “whose” (/huwz/), but the meaning is different.

• Didn’t you meet her …? Notice that this is a negative question. Charles thought that Jim had met Mary before. He is now surprised that Jim does not know Mary, and so he uses a negative question to show his surprise.

• I wasn’t at Steve’s party. Notice that the emphasis here is on “at” although prepositions normally have weak stress. In this case, “at” means “there” (I wasn’t there).

• Mary, this is my friend Jim. This is a friendly way to introduce two people. It’s common to follow this with “Jim, this is Mary.” In this case, Mary says “Hi, Jim” first.

• Nice to meet you. This is a typical response after you’ve been introduced to someone.

• “Sure” is often used in informal conversation to mean “yes.”

88.Formal introductions

Mr. Wilson, I’d like you … Notice the rising intonation on “Mr. Wilson,” which is used to address someone. Listen for the “d” in “I’d like.” This means “I would like,” which is very different from “I like.” (“I’d like” means the same as “I would like” or “I want.”)

• Dr. Smith is an economist. Notice the stress on “economist.” This content word has new information, so it is emphasized. There are four syllables in “economist,” with the stress on the second syllable (e-CON-o-mist).

• He just finished writing … “Just” means the very recent past. “Just” is usually used with a simple past verb because the action is complete. However, it can also be used with the present perfect (He’s just finished writing …).

• Development program. Since these two words make a compound noun, the main stress falls on “development.”

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• By any chance? means the same as “possibly.” Notice the rising intonation, which is used in yes/no questions to confirm that something is true.

89.Informal greetings and farewells

“Hi” is an informal way of saying “hello.” Notice that the “i” sound in “hi” is extended, to show that Jane is very pleased to see Helen.

• “How’s it going?” is an informal way of saying “How are you?”

• “Fine, thanks — and you?” Notice the rising intonation on “and you?” This shows that Helen is interested in what Jane has to say.

• “Where are you off to?” is an informal way of saying “Where are you going?” Notice the falling intonation since this is an information question, not a “yes/no” question.

• “To the library.” Notice that Helen does not say “I’m going” here because that information was already established in the question “Where are you off to?”

• “Oh, no.” is a way of saying “I sympathize with you” or “I understand you are not happy.”

• “See you later” is an informal way of saying “goodbye.”

90.Formal greetings

The greetings good morning/good afternoon/good evening are used at different times of the day to greet people. “Good evening” is often used after 6 p.m. or generally when the sun has set.

• “Good night” is not a greeting: It is used when leaving a place or group of people. Thank you and good night!/Good night, and see you tomorrow.

• When people meet in the United States, it is customary for them to shake hands. A handshake should be firm and usually lasts for about two to three seconds — which allows enough time to say “Nice to meet you.”

• “Don’t mention it” is another way of saying “You’re welcome.” The phrase “You are welcome” is more formal. However, responses such as Don’t mention it/No problem/Happy to help are informal ways of responding to a thank you.

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91.Informal greetings and invitations

What’s going on? is an informal greeting in American English. It’s similar to “How’s it going?”

Not much is a response you can use when asked the question “What’s going on?”

Wanna is a shortened form in spoken English of the two words “want to.” “Wanna” is not used in written English unless it is very informal writing, such as text messaging.

Wanna come over is an informal invitation, used to ask someone to come to your house.

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