Never Ending English Lessons

Quote of the Day: “It matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be.”   J.K. Rowling ,  Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Go for ZNO 2019: usage problems: All ready, already: All ready, which functions as an adjective, is an expression meaning “ready.” Already, an adverb, means “by or before this time or “even now.” Adjective: We are all ready to listen to the proposition. Adverb: We have already arrived at a decision.

The Most Useful Phrasal Verbs: Put Up With When you put up with something you do not like or are not happy about, you accept it and do not try to change it. E.g. Her neighbors have loud parties every night, but she doesn't complain. She just puts up with it.

Idiom of the Day: Barking up the wrong tree = looking in the wrong place. Accusing the wrong person

On Mercury a day lasts 1,408 hours. Just like every Monday does on Earth.

Black Friday (USA)   Black Friday is the day following  Thanksgiving Day in the United States  (the fourth Thursday of November). Since 1952, it has been regarded as the beginning of the  Christmas shopping season  in the U.S., and most major retailers open very early (and more recently during overnight hours) and offer promotional sales. Black Friday is not an official holiday, but California and some other states observe "The Day After Thanksgiving" as a holiday for  state government  employees, sometimes in lieu of another federal holiday such as  Columbus Day . Many non-retail employees and schools have both Thanksgiving and the following Friday off, which along with the following regular weekend, makes it a four-day weekend, thereby increasing the number of potential shoppers. It has routinely been the busiest shopping day of the year since 2005.

Thanksgiving Day  is a national  holiday  celebrated in  Canada , the  United States , some of the  Caribbean islands , and  Liberia . It began as a day of giving thanks for the blessing of the  harvest  and of the preceding year. Similarly named festival holidays occur in  Germany  and  Japan . Thanksgiving is celebrated on the  second Monday of October  in Canada and on the  fourth Thursday of November  in the United States, and around the same part of the year in other places. Although Thanksgiving has historical roots in religious and cultural traditions, it has long been celebrated as a  secular holiday as well.

The Most Useful Phrasal Verbs: Pull Through When you recover  from a serious illness or injury , you pull through. E.g. The doctor didn't think his chances were very good, but he pulled through.

Idiom of the Day: Ball is in your court = i t is up to you to make the next decision or step

Why is Monday so far from Friday, and Friday so close to Monday? -

Go for ZNO 2019: Improving Your Listening Skills Try some or all of these tips, and practice a little bit every day as far in advance as you can! ·         Have conversations with other people in English. It doesn’t matter if they are native or non-native speakers. Any practice helps! ·         Speak English as much as you can, even if you speak to yourself, alone. Speaking practice helps with listening skills. ·         Practice taking notes as you listen to radio and watch movies or television shows. You can use the “subtitle” option on DVDs of movies   to check the accuracy of your notes. ·         If you visit an English-speaking country these winter holidays, call information numbers on the telephone and follow the directions to press specific buttons or you can call businesses that have recorded information about hours and services. Take notes on the information you hear.

Puzzle of the Day: Suppose you have only two egg timers, a 5-minute and a 3-minute. Can you use these two measuring devices to time an egg that must be boiled for exactly 2 minutes?

The wise man said just walk this way To the dawn of the light The wind will blow into your face As the years pass you by Hear this voice from deep inside It's the call of your heart Close your eyes and your will find The passage out of the dark The wise man said just raise your hand And reach out for the spell Find the door to the promised land Just believe in yourself Hear this voice from deep inside It's the call of your heart Close your eyes and your will find The way out of the dark                               “Send me an Angel” Scorpions

Go for ZNO 2019: usage problems: Affect, effect: Affect is normally a verb meaning “to influence.” Effect is usually a noun that means “result.”   Sometimes effect is a verb that means “to cause.” E.g. I would not let my personal problems affect the quality of my work. The effect of the earthquake on Beijing was disastrous. She effected policies that benefited the entire organization.

Idiom of the Day: Back to the drawing board = When an attempt fails and it's time to start all over.

The Most Useful Phrasal Verbs: Look After When you look after somebody or something it means you are taking care of somebody or something. E.g. Babysitters look after children.

Quote of the Day: "Behold the turtle. He makes progress only when he sticks his neck out."  James Conant, former president of Harvard University  

Love English, Write in English Imagine coming home and finding a dragon in your house.What would you do? Would you keep it as a pet? Where would you keep it?  What would  his or her name be? What would you feed him/her? What would you do to entertain him /her? Of course, you have to give reasons and explain why.  

…If you're lost and alone Or you're sinking like a stone Carry on May your past be the sound of your feet upon the ground  Carry on…                                  “ Carry On” by Fun

Guy Fawkes Day (UK)   This Day in History: Guy Fawkes Night , also known as  Guy Fawkes Day ,  Bonfire Night  and  Firework Night , is an annual commemoration observed on 5 November, primarily in  Great Britain . Its history begins with the events of 5 November 1605, when  Guy Fawkes , a member of the  Gunpowder Plot , was arrested while guarding  explosives  the plotters had placed beneath the  House of Lords . Celebrating the fact that  King James I  had survived the attempt on his life, people lit  bonfires  around London, and months later the introduction of the  Observance of 5th November Act  enforced an annual public day of thanksgiving for the plot's failure.