BREAKING THE ICE

FIND A CLASSMATE WHO ----------------------------.

Get up and circulate! Try to find classmates who can answer "yes" to your questions. Be sure to ask a complete question each time.

Example: Natasha loves snow.  Question: Do you love snow?

1. --------------------------lives in my neighborhood.
2. --------------------------is single.
3. --------------------------is married.
4. --------------------------hates snow.
5. --------------------------loves junk food.
6. --------------------------takes the subway every weekday.
7. --------------------------is stressed-out.
8. --------------------------eats healty food.
9. --------------------------was born in January.
10. ------------------------is a workaholic.
11. ------------------------exercises atleast three times a week.
12. ------------------------is homesick.
13. ------------------------is going to go back to his/her country this year.
14. ------------------------speaks English at work.
15. ------------------------makes telephone calls in English.
16. ------------------------likes his/her job.
17. ------------------------wants to change jobs.
18. ------------------------studied in this program before.
19. ------------------------is a couch potato.
20. ------------------------is a bookworm.
21. ------------------------is a chocoholic.
22. ------------------------loves New York City.
23. ------------------------is going to get married soon.
24. ------------------------has more than two children.
25. ------------------------has been in New York City for more than five years.

Everyday Learn One Idiom

A Bird In The Hand Is Worth Two In The Bush:
Having something that is certain is much better than taking a risk for more, because chances are you might lose everything.

Idioms with Words That Go Together

A while ago, I decided o put together one of those five thousand-piece jigsaw puzzles all by myself. I was sure tht I colud do it because I'm got at all kinds of games - from crossword puzles to video games. But it wasn't seasy after all. First, I put all the pieces on the table, and I started to work on the sky part of the puzzle. But every other piece was bule and seemed to fit in the sky. I must have stared at the pieces for two hours. "Take it easy," I told myself. "Sooner or later you'll put some piece together." And I was right. Before long, I had several pieces together. But finishing the entire puzzle was a project that took me quite a few months. Of course, at the end, I learned the most improtant fact about putting together puzzles. The last piece is always missing! Just the other day I found that missing piece behind the sofa. No wonder I hadn't found it before! (By Shawn)

after all - different from what you expected
every other - this one but not the next, then the next but not the one after that, and so on
take it easy - calm down, relax, don't worry
sooner or later/before long - eventually, after some time
quite a few - many
the other day - a short time ago
no wonder - not surprising

ONLY

Professor Ernest Brennecke of Columbia is credited with inventing a sentence that can be made to have eight different meanings by placing ONE WORD in all possible positions in the sentence. "I hit him in the eye yesterday."
The word is "ONLY".
Hmm, sounds interesting? Let's take a look it...

- ONLY I hit him in the eye yesterday. (No one else did.)
- I ONLY hit him in the eye yesterday. (Did not slap him.)
- I hit ONLY him in the eye yesterday. (I did not hit others.)
- I hit him ONLY in the eye yesterday. (I did not hit outside the eye.)
- I hit him in ONLY the eye yesterday. (Not other organs.)
- I hit him in the ONLY eye yesterday. (He doesn't have another eye.)
- I hit him in the eye ONLY yesterday. (Not today.)
- I hit him in the eye yesterday ONLY. (Did not wait for today.)

Idioms from the Weather

For some folks, everything is easy. Life is a breeze. They're always healthy. They're never under the weather. If they walk into a room full of strangers, they make friends in five minutes. They have no trouble breaking the ice. They earn enough to save some money every week. They're saving money for a rainy day. So if trouble ever does come, they'll be able to weather the storm. Yes, some people have no problems if times are good or bad. They're okay come rain or shine.

a breeze - something easy for a person to do
under the weather - sick
breaking the ice - to begin a conversation with a stranger
saving money for a rainy day - to prepare for trouble, usually by saving money
to weather the storm - to wait and be patient until things get better
come rain or shine - no matter how hard it is to do

Some Useful Notes

strong coffe -  This coffee is too strong. Can I add a drop of water?
overdone steak  -  I prefer my steak medium rare.
stale bread -  This bread isn't very fresh. It is rather stale.
lumpy sauce -  My sauce came out rather lumpy.
hot curry -  The spicier the better!
burnt toast and weak tea. Terrible breakfast!
sour cream -  This cream has gone sour. Milk has gone off and it smells.
rotten fruit -   Fruit has rotten.
ripe tomatoes  -  They need a few days sunshine.
Don't eat that now. You'll spoil your appetite.

Which negative prefix?

un pleasant   This is a very unpleasent situtation.
un reliable    He never does what he says he is going to do. He is very unreliable.
un friendly   Nobody spoke to me. They are very unfriendly.
un selfish   He is very generous. You can say that he is unselfish.
un lucky    This is an unlucky chance.
un ambitious   He is happy doing a very menial job. He is totaly unambitions.
un happy   Why is she so unhappy?

dis satisfied   What a dissatisfied look she is wearing!
dis obedient   They never do as they're told. They are very disobedient.
dis honest   They cheat everybody. They are totaly dishonest.
dis loyal   He didn't stand up for me. It was terribly disloyal.

in capable   As an administrator, he is simply incapable.
in tolerant   He can't work with other people. He is very intolerant.
in decisive   He can never make up his mind. He is so indecisive.
in sensitive  What a terrible comment to make! She is so insensitive to other people's feeling.
in expensive

im mature    He is very childish. He is very immature.
im patient   Wait a while. Don't be so impatient.
im movable   Christman is the immovable feast.