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No.239
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EFL, VIP, UN, ID, IT… LEARN 24 REALLY USEFUL ACRONYMS IN ENGLISH!
BRITISH ACCENTS: IN HOLLYWOOD
BRITISH CULTURE: GARDENS!
CAT IDIOMS!
ID FBI ISSN
15777898
9 771577 789001
00239
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EDITOR’S INTRO
Magazine Index
How you learn English with Hot English magazine
Pre-Intermediate (CEF level: A2)
Why are you learning English? To get a better job, to pass an official English exam, to travel, or just to communicate in English? Hot English magazine helps with all this. 1
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Increase your vocabulary. In every issue of Hot English you’ll learn over 350 English words and expressions! Plus you’ll learn lots of idioms, phrasal verbs, grammar and more. Improve your listening. Every magazine has 60 minutes of spoken English audio. You’ll learn to understand English, plus you can hear lots of different accents! Exam English. Hot English helps prepare you for official English exams (First Certificate, IELTS, TOEFL, etc.). How? Exams test your ability to speak and your range of vocabulary. Hot English improves your communication skills and your knowledge of words and expressions. Business English. Practical English for the office, for meetings, for talking to clients – it’s all in Hot English. Plus, read business tips from entrepreneurs.
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Travel English. Want to travel to English-speaking countries? With Hot English you’ll learn the words and expressions you need for international travel! Social English. How do native English speakers really talk? Learn with our natural English conversations. Also, learn English slang. Plus, in Hot English you’ll read about current events (news, culture, music, films) so you can make conversation with native English speakers. Want to learn even more? Get an English Unlocked book. You’ll learn extra vocabulary, grammar, social English and business English. The English Unlocked books are linked to the topics in Hot English magazine. Visit our website for more details.
Hi, and welcome to another issue of Learn Hot English – the fun magazine for learning English. In this month’s issue, we’re looking at 24 really useful acronyms – you know, words such as EFL, VIP, UN, ID, IT… We use acronyms a lot in writing and speaking. So, it’s important that you understand the most important ones. And that’s where we can help! Of course, that’s not all and we’re also looking the gardens (a very important part of British culture!), animal trivia, phrasal verbs, idioms, slang, vocabulary, UK-US word differences, a business topic, and lots, lots more. Well, we hope you enjoy reading and listening to this issue of Learn Hot English. Have fun, learn lots of English and see you all next month!
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Editorial
4
Fingers UK / US Words
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Fingers’ Pronunciation - Intonation
8
Vocabulary: The Weather
10 Story Time Intermediate (CEF level: B1)
12 Classic Songs 13 Hot Song 14 Crank Calls 16 Fingers’ Grammar Clinic 18 EFL, VIP, UN, ID, IT… learn 24 really
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useful acronyms in English! 20 4 really useful acronyms in English!
Exercises Upper Intermediate (CEF level: B2)
21 Crossword 22 Interview Horror Stories
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24 Animal Matching 25 Animal Triva 26 Idioms – Cat 28 In The News 30 Vocabulary - Gardens 32 Typical Dialogues - The Garden
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34 British Gardens 36 Gardens 37 Wordsearch & Matching 38 English Accents in Hollywood 40 English Baddies in Hollywood
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All material in this publication is strictly copyright, and all rights are reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. The views expressed in Hot English Magazine do not necessarily represent the views of Hot English Publishing SL, although we do think that gnomes are evil creatures, and that Alexander was a queer chappie.
Advanced (CEF level: C1)
42 The Interview 43 Dictionary Of Slang 44 British Bar Chat 45 Phrasal Verbs - To Give 46 Answers
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DR FINGERS’UK / US WORDS
DR FINGERS’UK / US WORDS This is another part in our series on the differences between British and American English. Here are some more objects that are described differently in Britain and the States.
US
BRITISH
Apartment
Flat
Attorney
Barrister =
Baby carriage
a lawyer who speaks in court; Solicitor = a lawyer who deals with all the legal paperwork.
US
BRITISH
Can
Tin
Can
Toilet
Candy
Sweets
Pram
Bell pepper
Red & green pepper
Closet
Cupboard/ wardrobe
Buddy
Friend
Cookie
Biscuit
Exercise Read the text below spoken by an American. There are eight typical American English words. See if you can find them and write the British equivalent. We have done the first one for you. Answers on page 50.
American English “I had a terrible day. As I was leaving my apartment, I met my attorney, who was pushing a baby carriage. She asked for the money I owe her, but I didn’t have it on me. Instead, I offered her a bell pepper, some candy and fourteen cookies. But she wasn’t happy and she told me she’d push my head down the can if I didn’t pay her back soon. I think I’ll have to hide in the closet.”
Exercise 1. Apartment = flat 2. _______________________________________________________ = _______________________________________________________ 3. _______________________________________________________ = _______________________________________________________ 4. _______________________________________________________ = _______________________________________________________ 5. _______________________________________________________ = _______________________________________________________ 6. _______________________________________________________ = _______________________________________________________ 7. _______________________________________________________ = _______________________________________________________ 8. _______________________________________________________ = _______________________________________________________
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AUDIO
DR FINGERS’ PRONUNCIATION
DR FINGERS’PRONUNCIATION INTONATION
Hello, everybody, and welcome to my pronunciation course! (The answers to the exercise are on page 46)
Hello everybody and welcome to my English pronunciation course. Over the next few months we’ll be looking at the differences between English and American pronunciation. I’ll be showing you some interesting things about the two languages, and then testing your knowledge with a few exercises. The speakers we will be using are representatives of standard British and American English. Of course, there are many different regional varieties of both British and American English, some of which are very hard to understand - even for native English speakers. However, just for now we’ll be focussing on the standard versions.
General Differences OK, let’s get started. One of the first things that many people notice is the difference between the vowel sounds. In many cases, American vowel sounds appear to be much longer. In fact, British people often say that Americans “drawl”, as if they were chewing on gum. If you listen carefully, you will also hear how Americans often speak in a very nasal way - as if they were talking through their nose. Anyway, that’s enough of that. Let’s start looking at some specific sounds.
Vowels This month we are looking at two vowel sounds: the Q sound, as in the word “pot”; and the ˆU sound, as in the word “go”.
1. The “Q” sound.
Exercise
In British English, the “o” sound is made with rounded lips; and in American it is a much longer vowel sound that is similar to the pronunciation of the word “arm”. Now we’re going to listen to a British and American person saying these words. The first speaker for each pair of words is British, and the second speaker is American. See if you can copy the way they say the words.
Now see if you can do this little exercise. Listen to each pair of sentences and say which one is being pronounced in British English. Write “a” or “b” next to the numbers below. We’ve done the first one for you. 1 _a 2 ____ 3 ____ 4 ____ 5 ____ 6 ____ 7 ____ 8 ____ 9 ____ 10 ____ 1. a) This food is hot. b) This food is hot.
British Hot Cot Sock Top Box Cod Fox Spot Pot Dot Dock
US Hot Cot Sock Top Box Cod Fox Spot Pot Dot Dock
2. a) I’ve lost my sock. b) I’ve lost my sock. 3. a) I think I saw a fox. b) I think I saw a fox. 4. a) There’s some food in the pot. b) There’s some food in the pot. 5. a) I know a good joke. b) I know a good joke. 6. a) I’d like you to meet Joe. b) I’d like you to meet Joe.
2. The “ ˆ U” sound In British English the “eo” sound is pronounced as a dipthong, with two vowel sounds; and in American English it is pronounced as a monophthong, with one vowel sound. Now listen to a British and American person saying these sounds.
7. a) I want to go home. b) I want to go home. 8. a) I need a bowl for this soup. b) I need a bowl for this soup. 9. a) Have you taken my coat? b) Have you taken my coat?
British Phone Joke Groan Home Boat Moan Woke Float Coat Joe Bowl Bone Stone Row Low
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US Phone Joke Groan Home Boat Moan Woke Float Coat Joe Bowl Bone Stone Row Low
10. a) I don’t think this boat will float. b) I don’t think this boat will float.
GLOSSARY to drawl vb to speak slowly and not very clearly and by using long vowel sounds in a nasal way exp as if they were talking through their nose
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AUDIO
Vocabulary:
THE WEATHER
r e h t a e w The (
sw
6)
Rainy
Windy
Sunny
Snowy
Dry
Wet
Lightning
A thermometer
Foggy
Icy
A Weather Forecast
Thunder
1
Listening
Discussion Ask and answer the questions.
Pam and Becky are discussing the weather. Listen once. How many weather words can you identify? 2
When was the last time it was cold? What did you wear? How cold was it? How did keep warm? When was the last time it was really hot? Where were you? How hot was it? What did you wear? What did you do to keep cool? When was the last time there was a storm? Where were you? Did you hear any thunder or lightning? What was it like? Have you ever slipped on ice? Where were you? What happened? What damage did it cause?
What was the weather like?
Listen again. Then, complete the sentences with the words from below. The audio script is on page 46.
black dropped year umbrella colder like feel raincoat outside? 1. What’s the weather 2. The temperature has . 3. That always makes it about 10º colder than it really is. . 4. The clouds are looking pretty 5. Do you think I should take an ? 6. And put on a and your wellies. 7. They say it's going to get even . 8. Possibly, although that would be a bit strange for this . time of
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Speaking activity
Use the phrases below to talk about the weather. There was a terrible storm last night. It’s really windy. They say it’s going to be warm and sunny tomorrow. It’s really cloudy. Be careful how you drive – it’s really foggy. There’s ice on the road. Did you see that lightning flash? The thunder made me jump. Temperatures are set to rise. Temperatures have dropped below zero.
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AUDIO
Jokes, stories and anecdotes as told by native English speakers
STORY TIME
e m i t y r o t S In this section you can hear native English speakers telling each other jokes.
The cat comes out of the bag
The Anniversary Gift
This guy is in a bar and he’s drinking shot after shot of whisky. And every time he downs the shot he moans, “Why? Why is life so unfair?” The bartender is watching this and getting more and more curious. Eventually he asks, “Hey, I’ve been watching you here. Do you wanna talk about something with me? It might help to get it out in the open.” And the man replies, “You know, I had it all: a beautiful house, a fast car and the love of a beautiful woman. Then, suddenly, it was all gone.” “Oh, that’s terrible,” said the bartender. “What happened?” “My wife found out.”
A couple are lying in bed. They are about to celebrate their twentieth wedding anniversary so the husband asks, “Hey, honey, what would you like for your anniversary? How about a new wardrobe full of designer labels?” “No, I don’t think so,” says the wife. “Then what about a new car?” “No, I don’t think so.” “OK, what about a holiday in Bali?” “No, I don’t think so. You see, what I really want is a divorce.” “A divorce?” says the husband. “Sorry, darling, but I wasn’t planning on spending that much!”
The Talking Dog This guy sees a sign in front of a house that says, “Talking Dog for Sale”. He rings the bell and the owner tells him the dog is in the back garden. The bloke goes round to the back and sees a black mutt just sitting there. “Do you talk?” the guy asks the dog. “Sure do,” the dog replies. “So, what’s your story?” The dog looks up and says, “Well, I discovered my gift of talking when I was young. I wanted to help the government so I joined the FBI; and in no time they had me jetting from country to country, sitting in rooms with spies and world leaders. It worked really well because no one figured a dog would be eavesdropping. After a few years I was voted “Most Valuable Spy”. But then I got tired of it all, so I signed up for a job at the airport to do some undercover security work, mostly wandering near suspicious characters and listening in. Later, I got married, had a few puppies, and now I’m just retired.” The guy is amazed, and he goes back in and asks the owner how much he wants for the dog; and the owner says, “Ten dollars”. The guy says, “This dog is amazing. Why on earth are you selling him so cheap?” And the owner replies, “Because he’s a liar. He’s never done any of that stuff.”
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GLOSSARY a guy n inform a man is exp notice how we use the present simple to tell jokes a shot n an amount of strong alcohol in a small glass to down vb to drink without stopping to breathe to moan vb to complain a bartender n a person who works in a bar serving drinks wanna abbr want to to get it out in the open exp to talk about a problem that is worrying you an owner n the person who possesses the object you are referring to a bloke n inform a man a mutt n an ordinary dog - not a special breed sure do exp yes, of course
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a gift n a special ability the FBI abbr the Federal Bureau of Investigation to jet from country to country exp to travel to many different countries in a jet plane to figure vb to imagine; to suppose to eavesdrop vb to listen secretly to a conversation to sign up for a job exp to accept a job and the conditions undercover adj secret to wander vb to walk in a place with no particular objective to listen in phr vb to listen secretly to a conversation to retire vb to stop working because you are 60/65 years old on earth exp inform this expression is used to show you are surprised, etc designer labels n clothes that are designed by famous designers
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CLASSIC SONGS
CLASSIC SONGS “Dancing Queen”
“Hard Day’s Night”
by ABBA (Swedish group)
by The Beatles (English group)
You can dance, you can jive, Having the time of your life, See that girl, watch that scene, Digging the dancing queen. Friday night and the lights are low, Looking out for the place to go, Where they play the right music, Getting in the swing, You come in to look for a king, Anybody could be that guy, Night is young and the music’s high, With a bit of rock music, everything is fine, You’re in the mood for a dance, And when you get the chance... You are the dancing queen, young and sweet, only seventeen, Dancing queen, feel the beat from the tambourine, You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life, See that girl, watch that scene, digging the dancing queen.
It’s been a hard day’s night, and I’ve been working like a dog, It’s been a hard day’s night, I should be sleeping like a log, But when I get home to you I find the things that you do, Will make me feel alright. You know I work all day, to get you money to buy things, And it’s worth it just to hear you say, you’re gonna give me everything, So why on earth should I moan, ‘cause when I get you alone, you know I’ll be OK. When I’m home, everything seems to be alright, When I’m home, feeling you holding me tight, tight, yeah.
“Voulez Vous Coucher Avec Moi?” by E-rotic (English group) Voulez-vous coucher avec moi, ce soir? Voulez-vous coucher avec moi? I want you, voulez-vous coucher avec moi? Te quiero, Voulez-vous coucher avec moi, Gimme all your love. Baby, it’s true, I must confess, You’re the only man I kiss, Cause I love your sweet caress, Come on, take me, Taste my cherry lips, It’s your body that I miss, Cover me with love. I wanna make you sweat and do you wet, Moon gone into the break of dawn, Give me sweet and you’ll never forget, Baby, baby, I’m gonna take your soul, Your sexy body is out of control, Making love to you is like a dream in heaven, Come on, baby, let me feel your passes, Oh-la-la and sans cesse, boom. Come on, make me wet, come on, make me sweat, Tell me all your dreams, I will make them real, Come into my bed, baby, I can’t wait, Gimme all your love, Just can’t get enough. GLOSSARY
GLOSSARY to jive vb to dance to have the time of your life exp to really enjoy yourself to dig vb inform to admire to get in the swing exp to start to enjoy the music; to start dancing in the mood exp if you are “in the mood”, you really want to do something the beat n the rhythm a tambourine n a musical instrument that you hit with your hand. It is round drum with pieces of circular metal around the edges
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GLOSSARY to work like a dog exp to work very much and very hard to sleep like a log exp to sleep very well and profoundly it’s worth it exp it is pleasant, it is nice gonna abbr going to ‘cause abbr because to hold someone tight exp to hold someone very hard in an emotional way
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voulez vous coucher avec moi? exp French would you like to sleep with me? ce soir exp French tonight te quiero exp Spanish I love you gimme abbr give me a caress n if you “caress” someone, you touch them gently and affectionately cherry lips n red lips (the part of your face that goes around your mouth) to miss vb if you “miss” something, you are separated from that thing and you really want to be with it wanna abbr want to to sweat vb when you “sweat”, liquid comes out of your body moon gone exp this should be: the moon is/has gone. The “moon” is the large object you can see in the sky at night the break of dawn vb very early in the morning when the sun comes up gonna abbr going to a soul n your spirit sans cesse exp French without stopping
AUDIO
Our monthly song from new artists and bands. This month: Heather Greene HOT SONG
HOT SONG Heather Greene is an artist from New York City. She has been playing to New York audiences for years with her excellent band, fantastic arrangements, and unique piano lines. She has toured extensively throughout the US, and has a new album called “Five Dollar Dress” that features musicians such as Bill Frisell and Steven Barber. Please visit her website for more information: http://www.fivedollardress.com/hg/home.cfm The song we have for you on the CD is called “Not Exactly”. Have fun listening to it.
“Not Exactly” by Heather Greene (female American singer)
I keep on seeing you in ways, All things about you start to sway, I can’t rely on my impressions, The road outside has turned away. You’re not exactly what I wanted, You might be what I need, I’m gonna ask my lucky stars, To help me find my way back home. Now I keep seeing me in ways, And all things about me start to sway, And I can’t rely on my reflections, The road outside has turned away. You’re not exactly what I wanted, You might be what I need, Gonna ask my lucky stars, To help me find my way back home. You’re not exactly what I wanted, You might be what I need, Gonna ask my lucky stars, To help me find my way back home. (fade out) You’re not exactly what I wanted, You might be what I need, Gonna ask my lucky stars, To help me find my way back home.
Practice English Conversations
GLOSSARY an arrangement n music that is specially prepared; music done in a special way to tour vb to travel around the country doing concerts and promoting your work to feature vb if someone “features” on a song, that thing is an important part of that song to sway vb literally, to move from side to side to turn away phr vb in this case: to disappear
gonna abbr going to a lucky star n an imaginary star that brings you good luck and good fortune to find your way back home exp to discover a way to go home can’t rely exp can’t trust, can’t depend on to fade out phr vb to slowly become lower and lower in volume
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AUDIO
Telephone conversations to help improve your listening skills.
CRANK CALLS
Crank Calls Telephone conversations to help improve your listening skills. Here are some more crank calls - those funny telephone calls that are designed to wind people up. Have fun listening to these two.(US English spelling)
Crank Call II - The Music Teacher For this call we answered an advert that we found in a local paper offering work as a music teacher in a local school. Listen to the conversation and answer this question: In your opinion, why wasn’t the school impressed with us?
Crank Call I - Car For Sale For this call we put a classified ad in the local newspaper advertising our car for sale (see ad). It didn’t take long for the phones to start ringing. This is the conversation we had with one of the callers. Listen to the conversation and answer this question: What are the two main problems with the car? Victim Hot: Victim: Hot: Victim: Hot: Victim: Hot: Victim: Hot: Victim: Hot: Victim: Hot: Victim:
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Oh, hello, I was phoning about the car. I saw an ad… Oh, yes, the car. Yes, it’s for sale. How many miles does it have on the clock? About 200,000. And what sort of condition is it in? It’s looking pretty good, apart from the wheels falling off this morning. The wheels? Yes, it must have been the glue I used. Glue? Yes, one of the wheels just fell off and I put it back on with glue. You’re kidding. Has the car got air-conditioning? Erm, sort of. You know, since I took the doors, took off the doors there’s a nice through-draught. Get out of here! You are very rude, if I may say so. Yeah, right.Hot: Oh, right, bye!
School: Hello, the Isaac Newton Grammar School, how can I help? Hot: Hi, this is Brian and I saw your ad in the paper for a new music teacher. School: Oh, very good. What sort of experience do you have? Hot: Yes, I have some experience. School: Well, what experience do you have? Hot: I played in an orchestra for three years. School: Oh, very interesting. Which one? Hot: Erm, I’ve forgotten. School: Well, what instruments do you play? Hot: I’ve been learning the electronic organ. School: The electric organ? Hot: Yes, I can play it really well. Listen. (sound of organ being played, badly) School: Well, that wasn’t really the standard of musical knowledge that we were looking for… Hot: Oh, please, I really need the job… listen, I can play “Happy Birthday” too… School: No, I was… (hangs up)
GLOSSARY to wind someone up phr vb to irritate someone and make them angry bodywork n the outside part of a car MOT n a test to see if your car is legally acceptable to go on the road ONO abbr this means: Or Nearest Offer. So, in the advert, it means 500 pounds, more or less a classified ad n some text you put in a newspaper offering to buy or sell something a local newspaper n a newspaper from the area you are referring to
a caller n a person who telephones you on the clock exp recorded in the car pretty good exp quite good wheels n the four round objects that a car travels on glue n a substance used to stick things together usually paper you’re kidding exp this expressions means: you are joking a through-draught n a current of air that makes a place cold
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AUDIO
DR FINGERS’GRAMMAR CLINIC
DR FINGERS’GRAMMAR CLINIC Dear Dr Fingers, I was wondering if you could explain the difference between “I am afraid + an infinitive” and “I am afraid of + a gerund (verb-ing)”. Paula (by e-mail) Dear Paula, Thank you very much for your e-mail. Of course, I would be delighted to help you with your question. Let’s look at each case individually.
Today ’s class: Afraid to & Afraid of
Afraid + to + infinitive In general, we use “afraid” + an infinitive to say why we won’t do something in the future, or why we don’t want to do something in the future because we are frightened. For example: a) “He is afraid to go out tonight because it is dark (he won’t go out because it is dark).” b) “She is afraid to tell her parents about the broken window because they will be very angry (she probably won’t tell because they will get angry).” c) “We are afraid to jump because it is so high (we probably won’t jump because it is so high).”
Afraid of + gerund “Afraid” + a gerund is used in a more general way. It is used to talk about the possible negative consequences of our actions, especially ones over which we have no control. It is used to say that you are frightened because something bad could happen in a particular situation. For example: “We were afraid of getting lost.” It would NOT be possible to say, “We were afraid to get lost.” Here are some more examples: a) “We were afraid of falling in the water.” It would NOT be possible to say, “We were afraid to fall.” b) “He was afraid of getting caught.” It would NOT be possible to say, “We were afraid to get caught.”
Afraid to / Afraid of - a comparison So, just remember, in general we use “afraid” + an infinitive to say why we won’t do something in the future, or we don’t want to do something in the future because we are frightened; and we use “afraid of” + a gerund to talk about the possible consequences of an action. The following sentences with both an infinitive and a gerund may help you see the difference: a) “I was afraid to go near the dog (intention) because I was afraid of being bitten (possible consequence).” b) “He was afraid to walk on the ice (intention) because he was afraid of falling (possible consequence) in the water.” c) “She was afraid to tell the police (intention) because she was afraid of getting into trouble (possible consequence).” d) “They were afraid to speak (intention) because they were afraid of saying something stupid (possible consequence).” Well, I hope my explanations have helped you. Yours, Dr Fingers.
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24 USEFUL ACRONYMS IN ENGLISH!
AUDIO
EFL, VIP, B2B, FBI… UNDERSTAND 24 USEFUL ACRONYMS IN ENGLISH!
How many acronyms* do you know in English? Acronyms are common in writing and speaking. So, it’s important that you understand the most important ones. In this article, you’ll learn some acronyms in English, which will really help with your listening and speaking skills. In most cases, it’s necessary to say each letter separately, unless indicated. 1 EFL = English as a foreign language
2 IT = Information technology
3 AM (ante meridiem) / PM (post meridiem)
An EFL course is an English language program for non-native students: “More and more EFL students are starting to use online learning systems.”
IT refers to the use of computer software, systems and networks: “We had to ask the IT department to help us with the computer virus.”
AM is before midday (12 in the afternoon) and PM is after midday: “I spoke to her at 5pm.” [17:00]
5 FAQs = Frequently asked questions
6 SUV = Sports utility vehicle
7 UFO = Unidentified flying object
A list of questions that people often ask related to a service or product: “You can find a list of FAQs on our website.”
A car that you can drive off-road (on trails in the country) because it has four-wheel drive: “They drove the SUV up the hill.”
An unusual object in the sky that might be from an alien planet: “There has been an increase in UFO sightings in this area.”
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BCC = Blind carbon copy
If you BCC someone in an e-mail, you include them in the list of people who receive the message, however, they can’t see the other e-mail addresses or names – they’re “blind”: “I forgot to BCC the e-mail recipients and got into trouble with my boss.”
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WHO = World Health Organization
An agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health: “The WHO has its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.”
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4
ID = Identification
An ID card has your photo, name and ID number on it: “You need to show your ID card to enter this building.”
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CC = Carbon copy
If you CC someone in an e-mail, you include them in the list of people who receive the e-mail: “Please CC me in all future emails.”
DIY = Do it yourself
Little jobs you do at home to improve, build or repair things: “I’m good at DIY jobs such as painting and putting up shelves.”
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B2B work involves selling things to other businesses or companies: “Most of our work here at Global Health is B2B.”
B2C = Businessto-consumer / Businessto-customer
HR = Human resources
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B2C activities involve selling things directly to customers: “We do mostly B2C through our shops and online store.”
The HR department in a company helps employees with things such as salaries, holidays, benefits, etc.: “The HR department’s main responsibility is hiring and firing people.”
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FBI = Federal Bureau of Investigation
CIA = Central Intelligence Agency
A law enforcement agency in the United States that investigates major crimes involving the Mafia, drug cartels, terrorists, etc.: “The FBI are investigating the murders.”
A spy agency of the US government which collects information about other countries: “The CIA operative prevented a terrorist attack.”
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EU = European Union
An organization of European countries: “Most EU countries use the euro as their official currency.”
R&D = Research & Development 15
If a company carries out “R&D”, it investigates things and develops new products and services: “By investing more in R&D, we can stay ahead of the competition.” [R&D&I = Research, Development and Innovation]
AUDIO
LISTEN & REPEAT! Listen and repeat these acronyms so you can learn how to say them. For this first set, you need to pronounce each letter separately: EFL, IT, AM, PM, ID, FAQs, SUV, UFO, CC, BCC, WHO, DIY, B2B, B2C, HR, R&D, R&D&I, FBI, CIA, EU, VIP, UN, ASAP The following acronyms are pronounced as words: ASAP, SWOT, NATO, NASA
*ACRONYMS
VIP = Very important person
UN = United Nations
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A famous or high-ranking person (such as a celebrity, diplomat, president, prime minister, etc.) who is given special treatment: “We sat in the VIP section of the club because we knew the owner.”
An international organization founded in 1945 (and based in New York City) that aims to maintain international peace: “Several members in the UN meeting voted against the proposal.”
SWOT = Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats
NATO = North Atlantic Treaty Organization
[pronounce this as a word]
An international organization which consists of the US, UK, Canada and many European countries: “NATO countries have agreed to support each other if they’re ever attacked.”
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SWOT analysis is a method for learning more about your company or business by looking at any possible dangers, areas where you can expand etc.: “We carried out a SWOT analysis.”
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[pronounce this as a word]
21 ASAP = As soon as possible [pronounce this as a
word, or the individual letters] “We need you to do this asap.”
NASA = National Aeronautics and Space Administration 24
[pronounce this as a word] NASA is the US organization that’s responsible for space missions: “She works as a NASA engineer.”
An acronym is an abbreviation formed from the initial letters of other words: NASA, NATO, SWOT... Strictly speaking, words such as IT, VIP and ATM are initialisms (and not acronyms) because we pronounce each letter separately. However, most people use the term acronym to refer to all these types of words. Interestingly, with most acronyms, we pronounce each letter separately – only a few are pronounced as words.
GLOSSARY a trail n a dirt road in the countryside that goes through a forest, over a mountain, along a river, etc. a sighting n if there’s a “sighting” of something, people see that thing (often something unusual or mysterious) blind adj someone who is “blind” can’t see a shelf / shelves n a wooden, metal or plastic flat object that’s fixed on the wall for books, food, photos, ornaments… to hire vb if you “hire” someone, you give them a job at your company to fire vb if someone is “fired”, they have to leave their job high-ranking adj someone “high-ranking” is a senior or important position in an organisation
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24 USEFUL ACRONYMS IN ENGLISH!
B2B = Businessto-business 12
24 USEFUL ACRONYMS IN ENGLISH! EXERCISES
EFL, VIP, B2B, FBI… UNDERSTAND 24 USEFUL ACRONYMS IN ENGLISH!
EXERCISES TO HELP YOU REMEMBER THE WORDS! Answers on page 46
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What do the acronyms stand for?
Say what each acronym (or initialism) stands for. 1. UFO = 2. WHO = 3. NASA = 4. EFL = 5. SUV = 6. SWOT = 7. AM = 8. DIY = 9. NATO =
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Guess the acronym
Write the correct acronym (or initialism) next to each definition. 1. Doing business directly with customers is known as… 2. A US spy agency that gathers information about other countries is the… 3. The department in a company responsible for hiring and firing people is the _______ department 4. A card with a photo of you on it is an ______ card. 5. An organization that aims to maintain international peace is the… 6. An organization of many European countries is the… 7. Investigation into new products and services is known as… 8. Doing business with other businesses is known as… 9. Eleven at night (after midday) is 11… 10. Typical questions that people ask are known as… 11. An important or high-ranking person is a… 12. A US police agency that investigates major crimes is the…
10. ASAP = 11. CC = 12. IT = 13. BCC =
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ANSWERS ON PAGE 46
CROSSWORD
CROSSWORD
Across
31: To stop a business from functioning. To ____ a business down
To do exercise so you have a good body: to get in _______ The crime of not paying tax that you should really pay. Tax ________ 5: A door that makes a lot of noise every time you open or close it. A squ_________ door 7: To leave a place, in your car. To drive ________ 9: To walk into a room without asking permission. To walk ________ in 13: To jump. To l_____ 15: An area in the garden for flowers. A flower _____ 16: Always planning how to get things without thinking about other people’s feelings 17: A box for dead bodies. A c_________ 19: To say that rumours are not true. To _________ rumours 20: To walk in an area with no particular purpose. To ________ around 22: To offer money to an official or police officer to convince them to give you special treatment 24: An abbreviation of “want to” 25: A small glass of alcohol. A s_______ 26: An area in the garden where you grow vegetables. A vegetable p_______ 27: Strange and unusual: bi_______ 30: A garden tool that you use for making holes. A sp________
Cruel and with a desire to hurt people To cut a design onto wood, metal, etc To put something somewhere in a casual or aggressive manner. To d____ 4: Happy and very pleased 6: To register in a hotel and to start staying there 8: To block an area so no one can enter that area. To _____ an area off 10: To make a big effort to do something. To go to a lot of ________ 11: An animal that makes tunnels underground. A m_____ 12: To secretly listen to a conversation. To listen _______ 14: To take fruit from trees so you can eat it. To _______ fruit 18: A coat made from animal skin and hair. A _______ coat 20: Money and valuable things. We_______ 21: To think that someone is inferior. To look _______ on someone 23: A person who is obsessed with keeping fit. A fitness ________ 25: To do something to attract the attention of other people 26: A small, round, green vegetable 27: The sharp edge of a knife 28: To be very happy: to be over the _________ 29: To establish and start a business. To ______ a business up
1: 2:
Down 1: 2: 3:
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INTERVIEW HORROR STORIES
AUDIO
INTERVIEW HORROR STORIES Have you ever had a bad interview? You know, the kind of interview in which you arrive late because you were caught up in traffic. Or one in which you can’t seem to express yourself properly. The following stories are all about people’s nightmare experiences during interviews. Read them and learn from other people’s mistakes. By Andrea (US Spelling)
Babble On Hadley Jones got into a real mess during a recent interview with a clothes manufacturing company. “I was applying for a position as senior accountant. The first interview went really well and I was called in for a final interview with a senior partner in the company. On the day in question, the imposing gentleman asked me all the usual questions. Then, towards the end he asked me something that I didn’t understand. And instead of asking him to repeat the question, I just launched into a long story about something totally irrelevant, thinking I could tie it all together at the end. I kept straying farther and farther from the original topic (whatever that was). Finally, I tried to wrap things up, and with beads of sweat trickling down my back, I said, ‘So, in answer to your original question ... the way this all ties in is ... you know? Erm, sorry but I’m not quite sure what your original question was, or how this ties in, but it all means that I’m great for this position. Don’t you think?’ The interviewer did not agree.”
Technical Problems If you ever apply for a job by e-mail, don’t do what twenty-four-year- old John Spokesman did. “I was looking to do an internship in a computer software company. One morning I did a mass e-mailing to hundreds of companies, attaching my resumé and a covering letter for a position as a technical writer. A few hours later I received a reply from one of the companies, and it wasn’t exactly the kind of response I was looking for. The message read, ‘Your resumé is infected with a virus and has been quarantined’. Needless to say I gave up after that.”
Dressed To Offend Carrie Pintoretta found that personality alone is not always enough to get you that job. “I’m a history major and I went to an interview for a job in a computer company. Unfortunately, I couldn’t afford a new suit,
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so I just dressed in a nice pair of slacks and a blouse. ‘Why aren’t you wearing a suit?’ the interviewer asked me just as I sat down. Almost crying, I explained that I didn’t have a lot of money to spend on clothes. Then the interviewer went off about how she didn’t come from a lot of money, but that she did manage to buy one suit! As you can imagine, I didn’t get the job.”
Word Jumble 32-year-old Jordan Muller made a very embarrassing spelling mistake on his CV. “I was applying for a job with a New York accounting firm. On my resumé I listed some of the more impressive courses that I’d taken, including econometrics, macroeconomics and “pubic” finance. Unfortunately neither myself nor my spell-checker caught the missing “L” in “pubic”. Nothing happened and I thought that I’d gotten off the hook. But a few days later, I got a call from one of the New York accounting firms. ‘Hey, Jordan,” they said, “we’d really like to know more about this course in ‘pubic’ finance.’ To this day I can still hear the roars of laughter in the background from the office staff who were listening in to the call.”
Doggies Mary Stevens had a very strange interview. “At the time I was a shy 21-year-old literature graduate applying for a job as assistant quality controller for a wellknown brand of pet food. During the interview there was a dog there. At first he behaved very well, but eventually he became especially interested in my leg. I kept shuffling to protect myself from the dog, but he wouldn’t stop. The funny thing was that the interviewer just completely ignored what was going on. Meanwhile, I was trying desperately to maintain my concentration, but I really lost it when he (the dog) climbed up on to my leg and started… well, you can guess what he started doing. ‘Stop!’ ‘Stop!’ I shouted, jumping up. I left shortly afterwards… without the job.”
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Nothing Goes Right 26-year-old Dan Goodman had one of the most unusual interviews imaginable. “On the morning in question, my neighbors called saying they desperately needed a babysitter for their three-yearold daughter. Of course, I agreed to help out, completely forgetting that I had an interview to go to. Then, just twenty minutes before I was due to be at the interview I suddenly remembered. In a panic, I phoned an ex-girlfriend, who agreed to come over and look after the baby girl. As soon as she arrived, I ran out of the house, but I was in such a rush that I forgot my belt. With five minutes until the interview I didn’t have time to go back. I arrived two minutes and thirty seconds late. But, as luck would have it, the interviewer was late too so he never realized that I’d only just arrived. But when I stood up to shake his hand, my pants fell down right in front of him. Being quick-witted, I made a joke about it, saying how I would do anything to work for him, including standing in the office in my boxer shorts. He smiled kindly, but, of course, the story gets worse. Next, the interviewer asked me for a copy of my resumé. Immediately, I reached into my binder and pulled out a resumé with a covering letter to a competing agency. The interviewer took one look at the title and subject of the letter and asked me to leave. Strange, but true.” GLOSSARY caught up in traffic exp trapped in your car because there is too much traffic to tie everything together exp to summarise your ideas to stray vb to start talking about another topic not the main one to wrap things up phr vb to conclude your talk by showing how all your ideas connect together with beads of sweat trickling down my back exp this means: “with liquid (sweat) falling down your back” to tie in phr vb to connect; to join an internship n a period of time when you work in an office or organization for free and in order to get work experience a mass e-mailing n the same message sent to lots of different e-mail addresses to attach vb to include a file on an e-mail message a covering letter n a letter that explains why you want the job and why you are good for the job needless to say exp people use this expression when they are about to say something that they think is obvious to give up phr vb to stop doing something slacks n loose trousers a blouse n a light, loose shirt often worn by women to come from a lot of money exp to be from a rich family pubic n relating to the area just above a person’s genitals a spell-checker n an automatic programme in the computer that checks spelling as you
write a document to get off the hook exp this means: “to escape the consequences of a bad action.” In American English the past participle is “gotten”; and in British English it is “got” a call n a telephone call roars of laughter n loud sounds of people laughing to listen in to a call exp to listen secretly to a telephone call shy adj timid a brand n a famous product produced by a company pet food n food for pets (animals such as dogs and cats that live in your house) to shuffle vb to move without lifting your feet off the ground to go on phr vb to happen to lose it exp to become very angry; to lose control of yourself; to stop being patient to help out phr vb to help by sharing a problem in such a rush exp with little time to do the things you need to do pants n US trousers quick-witted adj clever and quick at making funny comments boxer shorts n shorts that men often wear under their trousers instead of underpants a binder n a hard cover with metal rings inside it to hold loose pieces of paper
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ANIMAL MATCHING
Animal Matching Exercise See if you can do this matching exercise. Look at the list of things (1 to 12), and the photos ( A - K ). Write a letter next to the name of each thing in the list below. Answers also on page 46 1. Octopus 2. Cheetah 3. Mink 4. Insect 5. Puma 6. Donkey
C
7. Mule 8. Mosquito 9. Mockingbird
A
10. Mole 11. Parrot
G
12. Albatross
B
K
D
F
E
J
H
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I
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L
AUDIO
Animal Trivia The penalty for killing a cat, 4,000 years ago in Egypt was… death.
On average, pigs live for about 15 years.
The phrase “raining cats and dogs” (which means, “raining very much and very hard”) originated in 17th-century England. During this period many cats and dogs lived in the streets; and when it rained, many of them drowned and their bodies could be seen floating through the streets. This made it look like it had literally rained “cats and dogs”.
Parrots are the most famous of all the talking birds, but they can rarely use more than twenty words. However African Greys can learn more than 100 words. What clever birds!
The Pacific giant octopus, the largest octopus in the world, grows from the size of pea to a 75-kilo monster in just two years. The poison-arrow frog has enough poison to kill approximately 2,229.5 people. Incidentally, the world record for a frog jump is 10.3 metres over the course of three consecutive leaps. This jump took place during the 1977 World Frog Jumping Competition, which is held annually in South Africa.
ANIMAL TRIVIA
Here are some more interesting and fascinating facts about animals.
You can hear an adult lion’s roar up to five miles away; but the loudest sound is produced by the blue whale (188 decibels), which makes them the biggest noise polluters in the world. Sharks are the only animals that never get sick. And they are immune to every known disease including cancer. Snakes can’t die from their own poison.
The turbot fish lays approximately 14 million eggs during its lifetime.
Some baby giraffes are more than two metres tall at birth.
The cheetah is the only cat in the world that can’t retract its claws.
An albatross can sleep while it flies.
During the reign of Kublai Khan, the Chinese used lions on hunting expeditions. They trained the big cats to chase and drag down animals such as wild bulls and bears. The lions stayed with the animals until the hunter arrived.
An iguana can stay under water for 28 minutes. In some American states, the evidence given by a bloodhound is admissible in court.
The only dog to ever appear in a Shakespearean play was called Crab in “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”.
Ants are sociable insects and live in colonies which may have as many as 500,000 individuals. Incidentally, ants never sleep.
Fifty minks are needed to produce a fur coat for an average-sized lady. Eighty of the little creatures are required for a large-boned lady.
Beaver teeth are so sharp that Native Americans once used them as blades for their knives.
There are more insects in one square kilometre of rural land than there are human beings in the world. There are more than 900,000 known species of insects. There are more than 100 million dogs and cats in the United States. Incidentally, Americans spend more than 5.4 billion dollars on their pets each year, which is a lot more than they spend on foreign aid. Officially, there is no animal called a panther (except the pink one). The term “panther” is a general word that is used to refer to large cats such as leopards, pumas and jaguars. When a female horse and male donkey mate, the offspring is called a mule; and when a male horse and female donkey mate, the offspring is called a hinny. You are more likely to be bitten by mosquitoes if you eat bananas. Incidentally, only female mosquitoes bite. Mockingbirds can imitate any sound from a squeaking door to a cat meowing.
The English Romantic poet Lord Byron was so sad when his pet dog, Boatswain, died that he composed a poem for him. Here it is: “Beauty without vanity, strength without insolence, courage without ferocity, and all the virtues of man without his vices.”
GLOSSARY to drown vb to die in water a pea n a small, round green vegetable a leap n a jump to retract its claws exp a cat’s “claws” are the sharp part of its hands. Most cats can push the claws out, and take them back in (retract) a hunting expedition n a journey in which you look for animals to kill (hunt) to drag down phr vb to physically force an animal to go down on the ground a bull n a male cow a bear n a large, brown mammal that lives in forests a fur coat n a coat made of animal skin and hair large-boned adj this is a polite way of saying overweight
offspring n babies a squeaking door n a door that makes a high-pitched noise (a squeaking sound) when you open it to meow n the noise that cats make when they are hungry, etc a noise polluter n a thing that makes a loud noise and that contaminates the atmosphere a bloodhound n a type of dog that is often used to find escaped prisoners admissible in court n acceptable as evidence in court a beaver n an animal that is like a rat, but with a flat tail. It builds its home next to rivers a blade n the sharp edge of a knife
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CAT IDIOMS
CAT IDIOMS Here are some more cat idioms. Illustrations by www.carosia.com Look what the cat’s dragged in! We use this expression when someone arrives late or unexpectedly and we think they look ugly and badly dressed: “Look what the cat’s dragged in! Tell me, did you iron that shirt, or did you just use a hot brick?”
While/when the cat’s away, the mice will play This expression is used to describe a situation in which people (the mice) act badly because they are not being supervised, or because the person in authority (the cat) has gone away. Notice how we don’t use the complete idiom. This is because people already know the rest of the idiom. “Do you think it’s a good idea to leave your husband alone in the house for such a long time? You know, while the cat’s away… ”
To put/set the cat among the pigeons To provoke a very negative and bad situation by saying or doing something bad; to cause trouble and make a lot of people angry or worried “Telling the employees they’ve got to work over the weekend will really set the cat among the pigeons.”
No room to swing a cat If there “isn’t room to swing a cat” in a place, the place is very small. “You’ll be lucky if you get a sofa in this living room. There isn’t room to swing a cat.”
GLOSSARY
To play cat and mouse To try to defeat someone by tricking them or forcing them to make a mistake “The actress spent most of the summer playing cat and mouse with the press by phoning them anonymously and telling them where she’d be with her new lover. Then, she would just go somewhere else.”
Curiosity killed the cat This expression is used to tell people not to ask questions and to keep their mouths shut. “I wouldn’t ask too many questions about the illegal practices going on in this company if I were you. You know, curiosity killed the cat.”
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to drag in phr vb to physically pull something into a house, etc to iron vb to use an iron (a hot electrical object) to prepare your clothes so there are no creases (lines) a brick n a rectangular object made of a red stone that is used to build houses to swing vb to move something backwards and forwards in the air a pigeon n a fat, grey bird that lives in cities illegal practices n illegal activities; irregular things to go on phr vb to happen
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AUDIO
IN THE NEWS
In The News... Historical Breakthrough Professor Gruber of the “University of Garten Und Gnomen” in southern Germany stunned the scientific world last night with some spectacular news: the discovery of the missing link. “I was doing some digging in my garden when I suddenly hit on something hard. I brushed away the soil and found the upper part of a pointed hat. I pulled, and out came a perfectly formed gnome. I immediately named him “Brian,” the professor explained. Later analysis of Brian and carbon-dating now makes it certain that Brian is the missing link between the Neanderthal Gnome of pre-glacial Europe and Gnomo Sapiens, which appeared on the Earth around 30,000 years BC. “You can imagine my excitement,” Professor Gruber added. However, other experts were more sceptical. “I find it hard to believe that Herr Gruber has a neolithic burial site in his back garden,” said an Italian professor of archaeology.
A Common-Or-Garden Affair A well-known garden gnome is apparently at the centre of the separation of golden couple Hugh Grant and Liz Hurley. Grant (a famous British actor) has repeatedly denied rumours that anyone else was involved in the break-up. But photos taken secretly outside a London nightclub show Hurley (a famous British model) in the company of a playboy gnome, notorious for his hell-raising lifestyle. Hurley refused to comment on the relationship, telling journalists to “get lost!”. She was later seen driving off at high speed in the direction of a forest. So far, the gnome has declined to comment.
Murder on the Lawn A leading British politician was found stabbed to death in his garden in north London last night. Lord Plantpot was last heard by neighbours having a violent argument. The aristocrat was later found with a paper cone on his head and a note pinned to his chest which read, “Now you know what it feels like!” Police quickly cordoned off the area. A gnome found at the scene of the crime was later arrested. “The gnome in question had a suspicious look on his face so we took him down to the police station for questioning,” a police spokesperson explained. “We interrogated him intensively, but he refused to say anything. It is my firm belief that this gnome is responsible for the murder.” Lord Plantpot was the founder of Gordon’s Garden Gnomes, a family-run business that massproduced pointed hats - just like the one found on Lord Plantpot’s head.
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GLOSSARY the missing link n this is an archaeological term that refers to animal/human that existed just after the apes and just before homo sapiens to do some digging exp to make some holes in the ground to brush away phr vb to gently move the earth from an object with a brush so you can see what it is a pointed hat n a hat with a sharp point at the end out came a perfectly… etc exp this is another way of saying, “A perfectly formed gnome came out” carbon-dating n a chemical process that is used to say how old something is sceptical adj if you are “sceptical”, you don’t believe something a golden couple n two very famous people who are having a relationship to deny rumours exp to say that stories about you are not true a break-up n a separation notorious adj famous for something bad a hell-raising lifestyle n a type of life that consists of lots of drinking and aggressive or violent behaviour to drive off phr vb to leave a place in your car to decline to comment exp not to say anything to stab to death exp to kill someone by putting a knife in their body a paper cone n paper with a round base and a point at the top to pin vb to fix an object on something by using pins (thin, sharp pieces of metal) a chest n the upper part of your body at the front to cordon off an area exp to block an area so no one can enter that area refused to say anything exp would not say anything
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VOCABULARY GARDENS
VOCABULARY GARDENS Here is some useful vocabulary related to gardens Patio - this is an area of concrete in a garden close to a house where people can sit, drink tea or have barbecues. Conservatory - this is a room with glass walls and a glass roof which is attached to the side of a house. It is the ideal place for enjoying the outdoors without getting wet or cold, although apparently it reduces the value of your house (useful Hot English fact!).
Greenhouse - this is a little building in the garden that is made of glass that is used for growing flowers, cucumbers, tomatoes and grapes (yes, the British do make wine, even though the British are the only people who drink it). Flower bed - this is the area of land where flowers are grown. Unfortunately, these never quite look like they do on the packet of seeds.
Rockery - this is an artificial recreation of a typical Swiss mountain scene. Unfortunately there aren’t enough Swiss mountain rocks in Britain so they have to use bits of broken concrete.
Pond - this is the man-made area of water in the garden. It often contains goldfish, frogs and lilies. Children love to throw sand in it, and pick out the goldfish. Lawn - this is the area of grass in the garden. A good lawn is flat, smooth and a beautiful green colour; a bad lawn is overgrown and hasn’t been mowed for three years.
Garden gnome - these are little plastic or porcelain men with funny pointed hats. They are used to decorate a garden and give it a mystical feel. Avoid people who have gnomes in their gardens: they are the sort of people who believe that Harry Potter is a true story.
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Vegetable patch - this is the area in the garden where vegetables are grown. Vegetables produced from this patch are normally eaten by slugs.
Allotments - these are government-owned minigardens where people in towns can practise all sorts of gardening skills such as digging holes and dumping fridges.
Veranda - this is a wooden construction around the side of a house that has plants growing up the sides.
Bench - this is a long seat made of wood or plastic. It is the place where the British can sit and enjoy their garden for a couple of minutes, before doing some more gardening work. Soil (also known as “earth” and “dirt”) - this is the dark brown matter that is under the grass, plants and trees. It often turns into thick mud after a typically rainy English afternoon. Compost - this is the rich soil that is produced by rotting vegetables, broken egg shells and festering socks. A good compost heap has steam coming off it. Only the keenest gardeners ever use their compost. Most just admire it from a distance.
Shed - this is the small building with one room where the British like to keep all their tools, broken plant pots and any other junk.
Garden tools The spade - this is for digging holes The trowel - this is a small spade for digging small holes The lawn mower - this is the loud, noisy machine that cuts grass The hose - this is the object used for watering the garden, or spraying your neighbours/dog/children/Jehovah’s Witnesses, etc
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Take your first steps in English with our Beginner Book! GLOSSARY a frog n a green amphibian. Kermit is one a lily n a small, round plant that floats on water to pick out phr vb to take something with your fingers from a container, etc overgrown adj if a garden is “overgrown”, plants are growing everywhere with no control or order to mow (the lawn) vb to cut the grass (the lawn) a slug n a small animal that eats plants. It is like a snail but without the shell on its back to own vb to possess to dig vb to make a hole in the ground to dump vb to throw something somewhere casually and with no care a fridge n a refrigerator. A large, white electrical “box”
in the kitchen to keep food cold seeds n small things that you plant and that later grow into trees, etc mud n a mixture of water and earth rotting vegetables n vegetables that are very old and smell bad egg shells n the outside part of an egg festering socks n socks that are very dirty a compost heap n a mass of rotting vegetables, etc in a container that is producing compost steam n vapour that comes from something that is hot keen adj if you are “keen”, you are very excited and enthusiastic about something tools n objects you use to do manual jobs
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AUDIO
TYPICALDIALOGUES TYPICAL DIALOGUES
ANSWERS ON PAGE 46
THE GARDEN In this conversation, Mr Verdy comes home to find a strange man in his garden. Listen to the conversation and answer these two questions. 1. What destruction has the strange man caused to Mr Verdy’s garden? 2. What does the man offer to do at the end of the conversation? Why is this strange? (answers on page 46) Mr Verdy: Stranger: Mr Verdy: Stranger: Mr Verdy: Stranger: Mr Verdy:
Stranger: Mr Verdy: Stranger: Mr Verdy: Stranger:
Mr Verdy: Stranger: Mr Verdy: Stranger: Mr Verdy:
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What on earth are you doing in my garden? Oh, hello… This is private property. You can’t be here. I was just admiring your lawn, it’s very nice. And you are lying on my sun bed… naked. Yes, it is very comfortable. Here, my name is… No, please don’t stand up. Erm, sorry, but what is my favourite gnome doing with his head stuffed in the ground? He was staring at me and making me nervous. I thought I’d teach him a lesson. And I see that my collection of expensive garden tools is under the sun bed. May I ask why? Moles. Moles? Yes, moles. I thought I might need the spade if a mole appeared. They’re vermin, you know. You can never be too careful. And why is your chest covered with my earth? Oh, that’s some of your compost. I hope you don’t mind. It makes an excellent mud bath. Oh my God! What have you done to my vegetable patch? I was doing a bit of digging. I was hungry. And I must say, those potatoes were delicious. And three of my ceramic plant pots have been smashed. I have a good mind to call the police. And… Hey… wait a minute… Aren’t you the new chap from across the street?
Stranger: Yes, that’s right. Jones, Harvey Jones. Pleased to meet you. I work in the accounting firm down in the village. Mr Verdy: Pleased to meet you. Verdy, Nigel Verdy. I work in the estate agent’s. Stranger: Well, why don’t you make yourself at home? Mr Verdy: Oh, thank you very much. Stranger: Would you like a cup of tea? Mr Verdy: Yes, that would be nice. Milk with two sugars please. Stranger: Right, I’ll go and make us both one… Oh, erm, sorry, but where’s the kitchen? Mr Verdy: First on the right. The cups are under the kitchen sink, and the tea bags are on the top shelf. Stranger: Thanks. I’ll be right back.
GLOSSARY on earth exp inform people use this expression to show that they are angry a lawn n an area of grass in the garden a sun bed n a bed you can lie on in order to get sun tanned to stuff vb to put in a place in a casual and aggressive manner to stare at someone exp to look continuously at someone to teach someone a lesson exp to do something bad to someone as a way of punishing them a mole n a small animal that lives underground and who likes to dig holes in people’s gardens a spade n an object you use for making holes in the ground vermin n animals or insects that cause problems for humans a chest n the front area of your body below your head and above your legs
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compost n a mixture of dead plants and other organic material that is added to the earth to make plants grow better a mud bath n “mud” is a mixture of earth and water. If you give yourself a “mud bath”, you put mud on your body to improve the quality of your skin a vegetable patch n an area in the garden where you grow vegetables to dig vb to make a hole in the ground I have a good mind to… exp people use this expression when they are angry and when they are about to do something bad to someone a chap n inform a man an estate agent’s n a shop where you can buy or sell property to make yourself at home exp to make yourself comfortable a shelf n a flat piece of wood/metal/plastic on which you can put books
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BRITISH GARDENS
BRITISH GARDENS What are the most popular hobbies in your country? Swimming, fishing or skiing, perhaps? Of course the British are different and one of the most popular hobbies in Britain is gardening. Why? And what’s it all about? A Green Love Affair The British love their gardens; and British men and women spend hours and hours every week trying to make their garden look as perfect as possible, competing with one another to produce the flattest, greenest lawns in the neighbourhood. Deep down, they despise anyone who has a better garden than them; and they look down on anyone who doesn’t bother to look after their garden at all. Working in the garden provides the British with hours of fun, work and activity. The garden is the perfect place to relax and contemplate life, and to be in touch with nature, or to have a cup of tea on one of those rare English sunny days.
Cats and Fish So what can you find in a typical British garden? The average garden has a lawn and a flower bed. Others may have vegetable patches, where the British can pretend they are self-sufficient by growing their own food. The fact that the only thing they produce consists of a few potatoes and a bunch of tiny tomatoes is politely ignored. Another typical addition to the garden is the pond. These are small areas of water that are designed to look like authentic rock pools, with running water, fish, and vegetation. They are very popular with cats, who eat all the fish; and children, who enjoy throwing the cat in the water.
Little Men One particularly popular item of decoration for the garden is the garden gnome. Garden gnomes are strange creatures made of plastic or porcelain and with pointed hats on their heads. For many people, the gnome is the perfect adornment for a garden. But a gnome is much more than just decoration as the British like to think of their garden as a little fantasy world, peopled by funny
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looking men in pointed hats where they are the gentle, loving giants.
The British Man’s Retreat One of the most unusual objects to be found in a garden is the shed. This is a sacred place, particularly for British men. Sheds are little wooden or plastic constructions filled with gardening tools, and any other junk that finds its way there. The shed is a place where British men are truly at home. It’s a refuge from the harsh reality of the outside world, and a place where hobbies can be pursued in peace. Psychologists have been studying men and their sheds for centuries, but they still remain a mystery to modern science. No one is really sure what goes on in those sheds, but one look inside a British man’s shed will tell you all about his personality, his passions and his obsessions. So now you know what to do when you want to discover the truth about a British man.
Garden Activities So what do the British do in their gardens? Most of the time is devoted to hard gardening work. This may involve mowing the lawn, cutting roses, moving pots from one part of the garden to another (for no apparent reason), picking fruit, digging holes, laying paths, planting seeds, and watering things with the garden hose. Of course, not all gardening activities consist of hard work. The garden is also a place for relaxation and entertainment. The British love to organise barbecue parties in their gardens, and have their meals on garden furniture whenever possible. On particularly hot days they may even bring out the paddling pool, which is a plastic pool filled with water where the British can cool off their aching feet. Other garden activities include sitting, drinking tea
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BRITISH GARDENS
said, “You may know a Frenchman by his baguette; the German by his Frankfurter; the Belgian by his chocolates; and an Englishman by his garden.” So now you know.
on a white plastic chair, and killing insects.
Why? The big question is: why are the British so obsessed with their gardens? One of the main benefits is that being in the garden means dealing with plants, and not people. After all, plants won’t criticise you, be rude to you or laugh at the way you dance. Gardening is also a way of exercising power and control. It’s all about being the master and watching as your creations begin to grow. It’s also connected with the cycle of life, and about being in touch with nature. Having a garden is also a territorial thing. It’s a British person’s own private property and they are proud of this. “Everyone has a sense of territory,” the philosopher Roger Scruton once said, “and the more uprooted life becomes, the stronger the desire to beautify the home.”
Frankfurters Gardening is also an essential part of being British. As ex-prime minister Mrs Thatcher once said, “Whether it is our character which makes us gardeners, or gardening that shapes our characters, I’m unsure.” And as the French commentator Juscard Destang once
GLOSSARY flat adj smooth and with no high areas of ground a lawn n an area of ground with grass on it to despise vb to hate to look down on phr vb to think that someone or something is inferior not bother exp if you “don’t bother” to do something, you don’t do that thing because you are too lazy a flower bed n an area with flowers in it a pond n a man-made area of water in the garden a shed n a small building with just one room for keeping tools, pots, etc gardening tools n objects that you use to do gardening junk n rubbish; old things you don’t want to mow the lawn exp
to cut the grass with an electrical machine to pick fruit exp to take fruit from trees so you can eat it to dig vb to make a hole in the ground to lay a path exp to put pieces of concrete on the ground and to create a path (a little road for people to walk on) a seed n an object you put in the ground. A tree or plant grows from it a hose n a long tube. Water comes out of it a paddling pool n a small, plastic object that you fill with water and play in on hot days aching feet n feet that are hurting you uprooted adj if you are “uprooted”, you have no established home, and you are constantly moving
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GARDENS
AUDIO
GARDENS This is a fascinating interview with Dr Horatio Earthling, a British gardening and gnome expert. Find out why gardening is so popular in Britain, and what Dr Horatio has to offer. Jane:
Hello and welcome to Cult 2005. The show that brings you all the best in British culture. This week we’re talking to Dr Horatio Earthling about the gardening craze in Britain. Dr. Horatio, I understand that 75% of people have a garden or an outdoor space attached to our homes. And 66% of us considered gardening as a hobby, making it the most popular pastime. Why are we so obsessed with this hobby? Dr. Horatio: Yes, it’s, it’s fascinating. We spend 3 million pounds year on our gardens, including 80 million pounds on gnomes. 25% of women recently said they prefer gardening to sex. And people visit garden centres all the time. In fact, they’re more popular than visits to theme parks and the National Trust. In fact the industry is growing by 25% a year. This is just incredible. Jane: So, apart from gardening shops, who else is benefiting from this cultural obsession with gardening? Dr Horatio: Well, there’s things like book sales. In fact the second biggest selling author of the past decade is Dave Hessian, the author of the Expert Gardening guides that have sold more than 42 million copies world wide. Incidentally, the most popular in the series is The House Plant Expert, which has sold more than 11 million copies. Jane: So, do you think this is a class thing? Dr Horatio: Well, many people think so. For example there is the Chelsea Flower Show, which is quite a posh event, isn’t it really? But apart from that, it’s just about everyone who does gardening; and British gardening
36
has been going on for centuries and centuries. You know, you go to any village and they have village garden shows where people are choosing the best leek or the largest aubergine. It’s just incredible! Jane: Yes, erm, so what do you see as the future for gardening? Dr. Horatio: Well, these days they have lots of gardening holi days. They have holidays to, erm, Tuscany to see the secret gardens there; or to the Azores to see plants that don’t grow anywhere else in the world. Incidentally, I’ll be organising tours of my very own garden, where you can admire my lawn, poke at my pots and converse with my gnomes. Can you think of a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon? Jane: Well that sounds great. I’d like to come along. That’s all we got time for. Thank you Dr. Horatio. Dr Horatio: No problem.
GLOSSARY a craze n a fashion an outdoor space n an area outside attached adj fixed to, joined to a pastime n a hobby a gnome n a small plastic or porcelain (ceramic) man that British people put in gardens a garden centre n a large shop that sells things for your garden a theme park n a park (like Disney World) with lots of fun things to do the National Trust n an official organisation that is in charge of famous buildings, parks, etc a class thing n something related to the class system (working class, upper class, etc)
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the Chelsea Flower Show n a large flower show that is held in London once a year posh adj sophisticated, upper-class to go on phr vb to happen a garden show n an event in which people show their best flowers, and there are prizes a leek n a long, green vegetable. It is used to make the cold soup vichyssoise an aubergine n a large, purple vegetable a lawn n the area of grass in your garden to poke at phr vb to touch with your fingers as a way of investigating something
See if you can identify the word below. Then, try to find these words (here on the right) in the Wordsearch. Good luck! Answers on page 46.
DERANGED,
POND,
JOGGING,
SHED,
BRAKE,
DIG,
QUOTE,
MATCHING A: B: C: D: E: F:
Deranged Jogging To brake A quote To host A lawn
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
G: H: I: J: K: L: M: N:
To despise A pond A shed To dig A hose Sceptical An heir A butcher
7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.
HOSE,
HOST,
SCEPTICAL,
LAWN,
HEIR,
DESPISE,
BUTCHER
See if you can match the two columns. Answers on page 46.
A famous sentence or phrase from a book To hate A long tube. Water comes out of it Mad, insane, crazy The person who is going to inherit houses and wealth A small building with just one room for keeping tools, pots, etc in the garden An area of ground with grass on it A person who works in a shop that sells meat If you are like this, you don’t believe something A man-made area of water in the garden To organise and promote an event The sport of running in order to get healthy and fit To make a hole in the ground To stop
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37
WORDSEARCH
WORDSEARCH
ENGLISH ACCENTS IN HOLLYWOOD
ENGLISH ACCENTS IN HOLLYWOOD For decades now, Hollywood has been making films with goodies and baddies. Which ones do you prefer? These days there’s a new trend to use actors with posh English accents as the baddies. Why is this?
Russians and Germans Films with goodies and baddies are much easier to follow. It’s all so simple as the world is divided up into light and dark, night and day, and good and evil. Traditionally the goodie is the good-looking man or woman; and the baddie is the ugly one who smokes. Accents have also played an important part in identifying the goodies and the baddies. Just after World War 2 the baddies were the ones with heavy German accents. Then, during the Cold War, they had east European accents. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, it was the turn of the South Africans. But more recently, it’s been the English. And the English accent most commonly used is a posh, upper-middle-class one. If you’ve ever heard actors such as Laurence Olivier, Jeremy Irons, and James Mason, or people such as Prince Charles and the Queen speaking in English, you’ll know which accent we’re talking about. For many British and American people this accent has a ring of sophistication, cruelty and evil about it. It’s symptomatic of arrogance and snobbishness, and it’s the accent most associated with the image of the English as cold, calculating and superior.
English Actors So which films have baddies with posh English accents? There are lots of them to choose from. Rob Roy (starring Liam Neeson) is a good example with English actor Tim Roth as the sadistic English gentleman who rapes, kills and steals his way across Scotland. Another film to watch out for is Michael Collins (once again starring Liam Neeson), which is all about Ireland’s struggle for independence from the British Empire. Charles Dance plays the part of an English agent with a posh accent who’s been sent to Ireland to wipe out the Irish independence movement. Some other good examples include the film Robin Hood - Prince of Thieves (starring Kevin Costner), with the evil sheriff of Nottingham played by English actor Alan Rickman. In this film, the goody is played by Kevin Costner, who has an American accent; and The Silence of the Lambs, with Anthony Hopkins (OK, he’s Welsh, but he can speak with an English accent) who plays the role
38
of the intellectual psycho: Hannibal Lecter. Here are some other films featuring baddies with English accents: Basil Rathbone in The Mark of Zorro Christopher Lee in Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring David Warner in Titanic (not the version with Leonardo Di Carprio) James Mason in North by Northwest, Salem’s Lot and The Verdict Jeremy Irons in Die Hard With a Vengeance and The Lion King Jonathan Hyde in Jumanji Peter Cushing in Star Wars Richard Attenborough in Jurassic Park Sir Ian McKellen in X-Men Now turn over and see two extracts from a film with an English actor as a baddy.
GLOSSARY a goody n the hero of a film a baddy n the bad person in a film heavy adj strong posh adj upper class, sophisticated a ring of sophistication exp if something has a “ring of sophistication” about it, it sounds sophisticated symptomatic of exp a sign of, an example of snobbishness n thinking that you are superior to everyone
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else calculating adj always planning on how to get things without thinking about other people sadistic adj with a desire to hurt other people to rape vb to sexually attack a struggle n a fight wipe out phr vb to eliminate
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ENGLISH BADDIES IN HOLLYWOOD
ENGLISH BADDIES IN HOLLYWOOD For quite a while now, Hollywood has been using English actors with English accents to play the parts of baddies. And one of their favourites is Alan Rickman (London 1946). He’s starred in numerous films as a baddie, and plays them perfectly as the smooth-talking gentleman with a sadistic nature. Let’s look at Alan Rickman as a baddie in Die Hard (1988).
Die Hard “Die Hard” is directed by John McTiernan and stars American actor Bruce Willis. International terrorist Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) has taken over the Nakatomi corporation building, during an office party, taking everyone hostage. In this scene, Hans is talking to the Nakatomi Corporation president, Mr Takagi. Hans wants to know the access codes so he can get his hands on some valuable bonds. Hans: Hans: When Alexander saw the breadth of his domain, he wept. For there were no more worlds to conquer. [The] benefits of a classical education. Oh, that’s beautiful. I always enjoyed making models when I was a boy. The exactness, the attention to every conceivable detail... it’s beautiful. Takagi: Is this what this is all about? Our project in Indonesia? Contrary to what you people may think, we’re going to develop that region... not exploit it. Hans: I believe you. I read the article in Forbes. Mr. Takagi, I could talk about industrialization and men’s fashion all day, but I’m afraid work must intrude, and my associate, Theo, has some questions for you. Sort of fill-in-the blanks questions actually... Takagi: I don’t have that code...! You broke in here to access our computer? Any information you could get when they wake up in Tokyo in the morning, they’ll change it! You won’t be able to blackmail our executives or threaten our... Hans: SIT DOWN! Mr. Takagi... I’m really not interested in your computer. But I need the code key because I am interested in the $640 million dollars in negotiable bearer bonds that you have locked in you vault. And the computer controls the vault. Takagi: You want... money? What kind of terrorists are you? Hans: Who said we were terrorists? [inaudible chatting as John McClane (Bruce Willis) enters the room secretly.]
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The code key, please...? Takagi: It’s useless to you! There are seven safeguards on our vault, and the code key is only one of them! You’ll never get it open! Hans: Then there’s no reason not to tell it to us. Theo: I told you... Karl: It’s not over yet... Hans: It’s a very nice suit, Mr Takagi. It would be a shame to ruin it. I’m going to count to three. There will not be a four. Give me the code. One, two, three… Takagi: …I don’t know it. I’m telling you! Get on a jet to Tokyo and ask the chairman! I’m telling you! You’re just going to have to kill me? Hans: OK.[He shoots Mr Tagaki.] Search YouTube for “Hans Gruber needs the code”
GLOSSARY a baddy n the bad, evil person in a film smooth-talking adj capable of talking in a very nice and charming way to take over phr vb to take control of to take hostage exp to take someone as a prisoner in order to demand money, etc to get your hands on something exp to take something so it becomes yours a bond n an official certificate that is issued by the government or company and which has a value to weep vb to cry a model n a plastic or wooden object that looks like the original but is much smaller
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Forbes n a magazine all about the rich and famous fill-in-the-blanks questions exp questions that have simple answers. Literally, a “blank” is a space in some text to blackmail vb to demand money from someone. If the money is not paid, something bad will happen to threaten vb to promise to do something bad to someone a vault n a strong box or room where it is safe to keep money a safeguard n if something has a “safeguard”, it has a security system to protect it a suit n clothing that consists of trousers and a jacket of the same material and colour
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THE INTERVIEW
w e i v r e t n I e h T ish)
US Style (American Engl
There may come a time when you apply for a job with an American company. And you may get called for an interview. What will it be like? What will they ask you? And how can you best prepare yourself. Here are some guidelines to help you get through an interview in the States. By Andrea Lazipone
1.
Before you go to your interview, rehearse with a friend. As silly as you may feel, it actually works. And if you’re really good, maybe the acting business is for you.
6.
Listen intently and communicate what you want to say in the least number of words possible. Keep it short but sweet, and always be positive.
2.
As you are going to the interview, put yourself in a state of relaxed concentration. Take notice of your breathing. Calm the nerves in your stomach. And don’t listen to the voices in your head telling you to drive into the nearest tree.
7.
Eyes are meant to be looked at. In the US, eye contact is important. You should appear serious and interested in what the interviewer has to say. But be careful not to stare too much because that’s “kinda creepy”.
3.
Arrive at the interview early. When you get there, it is customary to shake the interviewer’s hand. Avoid kissing. After the initial shake, there should be no more physical contact… until the handshake at the end of the interview.
8.
Try to tell the truth on your resumé, which of course, you haven’t forgotten to bring with you to the interview. Also, don’t lie to your interviewer, unless you’re sure that no one can find out.
4.
Be prepared to answer the question, “Tell me about yourself.” And make sure to relate everything to the company you are interviewing for. Remember to only tell the interviewer the kind of things you would like to tell your mother.
9.
To Americans, salary is one of the most important parts of the job. To the interviewer it is not, so don’t mention it during the interview. Other things to keep quiet about are vacations, bonuses and retirements.
5.
The story goes like this: a man walks in for an interview and the nametag on the desk says Dumass. Then, the man then proceeds to say, “Hi Mr. Dumb Ass, pleased to meet you.” The moral: check out names beforehand. English names are sometimes confusing, so it is a good idea to ask the secretary the correct pronunciation of your interviewer’s last name.
10. Send a “thank you” card or e-mail after the interview, especially
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if you think it’s gone well. Cards are very popular in the US, and they’re a nice way of saying, “Don’t forget about me!” It also shows that you are determined to get the job. (Please turn to page 24 for some interview horror stories)
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AUDIO
DICTIONARY OF SLANG
Dictionary of slang Here we’ve got some examples of how to say things in different situations.
>
Situation
Formal
Relaxed
Informal
Please take down what I am saying
I’d take a note of this
Jot this down
Please remember to close the door next time
Pull the door to next time
Were you born in a barn, or what? Were you born in a field?
Money has been disappearing from the office. You want the person responsible to admit his/her guilt:
I would like the culprit to openly declare his or her guilt
I’d like the person responsible to own up
Just come clean
You are describing how the president verbally attacked you:
She launched a tirade of verbal abuse against me
She really let me have it
She gave me a real tongue lashing; she ripped me to pieces
A friend of yours is very handsome and attracts many women:
Women find him very charming
He’s really popular with
the ladies He’s a bit of a hit with the girls
A friend is going to a meeting with the president. The president is a very aggressive woman and you are sure there will be a lot of shouting:
She will deal with you in a very violent manner
You won’t be any match for her
She’ll have you for breakfast; she’ll have your guts for garters; she’ll make mincemeat of you
You are describing to a friend how your football team lost five games, one after the other:
We lost five games consecutively
We lost five games in a row
We lost five games on the trot; we lost five games on the bounce
You are talking to a friend. You are about to say something important and you advise your friend to write it down: A friend leaves the room and doesn’t close the door. You are angry about this:
GLOSSARY
Please note that the words in this glossary box are literal translations of parts of idiomatic expressions.
to jot vb to write a barn n a building for animals to own up phr vb to say you are responsible for a crime
guts n your insides, including your internal organs a garter n a piece of material that is worn on the top part of your leg to stop your stockings falling down
mincemeat n meat that has been cut into very small pieces. This is often used to make hamburgers to rip to pieces exp to break something into many, many pieces
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Authentic conversations by native British speakers
BRITISH BAR CHAT
AUDIO
t a h c r a b h Britis Pets This month two British men, Nick and Kerry, are talking about pets, and the pros and cons of keeping them. Listen to their conversation and answer these questions. Remember, you don’t have to understand every word in order to answer the questions. Just listen for the key words (the most important words in the conversation): 1. According to the speakers, what are the arguments in favour of having a pet? 2. What are the arguments against having a pet? Nick: Kenny: Nick: Kenny: Nick: Kenny: Nick:
Kenny:
Nick: Kenny:
Nick:
Kenny:
Nick:
Kenny:
Nick: Kenny:
Nick:
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Oh, I, er, got my son a pet dog for his birthday. A pet? A dog. Yeah. A dog? For your son? He’s been wanting that pet for ages and ages. He’s so happy. You should see him now playing with it all day. But you live in the middle of the city, for God’s sake. Well my son, you know, he needs something, he needs something to play with. You know he can’t go out because all of his friends live miles away. But an animal’s a living thing. It’s not, it’s not a plaything for, for someone’s kid. I mean, you know, it’s, it’s cruel. Well, it’s helping my son to learn how to care for things. I think, you know, it’s the best thing for my son. That’s great, but if you can’t care for it, it’s a big dog living in the centre of the city. It’s just, it’s just going to suffer, isn’t it? Well he’s got no friends. You know, he goes out, there’s a big busy road there, he can’t play in the street, all his friends live, you know, he’s got, he’s, he’s only five and he can’t, you know, get on the bus and go see them so I thought a dog would be his best friend from now on. No, he’s, he’s just, he’s not even gonna know how to treat it. Anyway, you’re going to have to teach him, and it’s just, like, it’s just [there’s] no room for him to exercise. I mean, you know, what, what’s he going to do? Well, it’s the best thing. And also there’s studies that say that having a pet reduces stress level, makes you, you can live longer, makes you healthier. Well, it does if the animal, if the animal’s healthy, like, out in the country where it can run around in the field. Oh, here he is. Oh, look! Here he comes. Here boy! Here boy! Oh, he’s so cute. Here boy! Oh, look I think he might… Oh, isn’t he so cute? Oh I’m getting one of these. Yeah, I can see you now. You’ll have one next week.
GLOSSARY a pet n an animal that lives in your house with you er/erm exp this is the noise that people make as they are thinking what to say next ages n for a long time for God’s sake exp inform this expression is used to show you are angry about something miles away exp far away you know exp
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people often say this to check that the other person is understanding a busy road n a road with many cars on it gonna abbr going to l ke exp people often use this when they are thinking about what to say next. It is used to fill space in a conversation and doesn’t mean anything cute adj nice and attractive
PHRASALVERBS TO GIVE Mum, they were giving these puppies away and I couldn’t resist a couple. I hope you don’t mind.
To give away = to give something to someone for free (this phrasal verb can be separated)
PHRASALVERBS
The verb “to give” has many different uses. Generally, we use this verb to refer to offering something. For example: “I gave him 30 euros.” Now let’s see some phrasal verbs with the verb “to give”. Are you going to give in, or are we going to have fight again?
To give in = to accept that you can’t win in a competition, fight, etc (this phrasal verb cannot be separated)
To give in = to give something to someone; to deliver an important document (this phrasal verb can be separated)
To give up (a bad habit) = to stop doing something (this phrasal verb can be separated)
But it’s Friday today! There goes our weekend!
I’ll have to give up smoking.
I want you to give this 10,000-word project in next Monday.
OK, OK, I give up!
Apparently he’s been in that jungle for 70 years. He never heard that the war was over.
To give up (fighting) = to surrender and stop fighting (this phrasal verb cannot be separated)
I suppose I have to give my seat up, don’t I?
To give up (a seat) = to offer your seat to someone on a bus/train, etc (this phrasal verb can be separated)
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Hot Staff Directors Managing Director Thorley Russell (00 34 91 543 3573) thorley@learnhotenglish.com
ANSWERS
Answers UK / US WORDS
1. Apartment = flat; 2. attorney = lawyer; 3. baby carriage = pram; 4. a bell pepper = a green/red pepper; 5. candy = sweets; 6. cookies = biscuits; 7. can = toilet; 8. closet = cupboard
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ANIMAL MATCHING
1c 2a 3l 4b 5e 6d 7i 8g 9f 10j 11h 12k
TYPICAL DIALOGUES
1. The stranger puts the garden gnome’s head in the ground, destroys the vegetable patch and smashes some plant pots. 2. At the end of the dialogue, the man offers to make some tea. This is strange because the man is in someone else’s house.
WORDSEARCH
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MATCHING
HEP
BRITISH BAR CHAT
ISSN 1577-7898 Depósito Legal M.14277.2001 April 2022
A4 B12 C14 D1 E11 F7 G2 H10 I6 J13 K3 L9 M5 N8 1. The arguments in favour of having a pet are that his son needs someone to play with because his friends live far away; it’s helping his son to learn how to care for things; there are studies that say that having a pet reduces stress levels and makes you live longer; and having a pet also makes you healthier. 2. The arguments against having a pet are that the dog will have to live in the middle of the city; a pet isn’t a play thing; it’s cruel; the dog is going to suffer; and the young boy is not going to know how to treat the dog well.
What is Hot English? A monthly magazine for improving your English. Real English in genuine contexts. Slang. British English. Practical language. US English. Fun and easy-to-read. Helpful glossaries. Useful expressions. Readers from 16 to 105 years old. From pre-intermediate to advanced (CEF levels A2-C1). Ready-to-use lessons. Fantastic 60-minute audio CD. Teacher’s Notes. Linked to the Skills Booklets and part of the Hot English Method. Great website with free material: www.learnhotenglish.com. All the English you’ll ever need!
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24 USEFUL ACRONYMS IN ENGLISH! 1 What do the acronym stand for? 1. UFO = Unidentified flying object 2. WHO = World Health Organization 3. NASA = National Aeronautics and Space Administration 4. EFL = English as a foreign language 5. SUV = Sports utility vehicle 6. SWOT = Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats 7. AM = Ante meridiem 8. DIY = Do it yourself 9. NATO = North Atlantic Treaty Organization 10. ASAP = As soon as possible 11. CC = Carbon copy 12. IT = Information technology 13. BCC = Blind carbon copy 2 Guess the acronym 1. B2C (Business-to-consumer / Business-to-customer) 2. CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) 3. HR (Human resources) 4. ID (identification) 5. UN (United Nations) 6. EU (European Union) 7. R&D (Research & Development) 8. B2B (Business-to-business) 9. PM (post meridiem) 10. FAQs (Frequently asked questions) 11. VIP (Very important person) 12. FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation)
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1a 2b 3a 4a 5b 6b 7a 8b 9a 10b 1. like; 2. dropped; 3. feel; 4. black; 5. umbrella; 6. raincoat; 7. colder; 8. year Pam: What’s the weather like outside? Becky: It’s freezing. Pam: Really? Becky: Yeah, the temperature has dropped, and it’s really windy. Pam: Oh, yes, the wind. That always makes it feel about 10º colder than it really is. Is it raining? Becky: Yes, a little bit, and the clouds are looking pretty black. Pam: So, do you think I should take an umbrella? Becky: Oh, yes. And put on a raincoat and your wellies. Pam: OK. Becky: And put some thermals on too. They say it’s going to get even colder. Pam: I know. I heard it may snow later. Becky: Yeah. Possibly, although that would be a bit strange for this time of year. Pam: We live in strange times. Becky: True.
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