Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Famed Mountain Lion Settles In Under Los Angeles Home




Level: Pre-intermediate and up

Audio Time: 1 min 3 sec

Vocabulary:  To help learners fully understand the story, most vocabulary that might be unknown for this lesson’s level is provided. Vocab in bold is more useful for learners at the lesson’s target level. Try to choose 8 to 10 new words to learn from the story (in general, it’s best to try to learn no more than 8-10 new words a day), and use the rest of the vocab to fully comprehend the story.

Definitions are written with the help of various sources including Merriam-Webster’s Learner’s Dictionary

Famed: Famous.

Mountain Lion: a large brownish cat that was once common in North and South America; also called a cougar.

To settle: to move to a place and make it your home.

Proximity: the state of being near.

Affluent: having a large amount of money and owning many expensive things; rich; wealthy.

Community: a group of people who live in the same area or have common interests that bring them together or both these things.

Attracts its share: to attract a fair portion or amount of something.

Stargazer: Someone who gazes (to stare; to look at) stars.

Traffic: all the vehicles driving along a certain road or in a certain area.

Next door: next to your or someone else's house, apartment.

Erroneously: (formal) not correct.

Show up: to appear or arrive somewhere.

Underneath:  below or beneath (something).

Celebrity: a person who is very famous.

To frequent: to visit or go to (a place) often.

To prowl: of an animalto move quietly through an area while hunting.

Glow: a soft and steady light.

To coax: to influence or persuade (a person or animal) to do something by talking in a gentle and friendly way.

Crawlspace: a space under the first floor or roof of a building that is not high enough to stand up in.

Bean bags: a small cloth bag that is filled with dried beans or small pieces of another material and used as a toy.

To prod:  to push someone or something with your finger or a pointed object; to poke.

To be worth one’s salt: Good or competent at a job or task; someone who is useful and productive.

Elusive: hard to find or capture.

Media: the radio stations, television stations, and newspapers through which information is communicated to the public.

Drew (To draw): to cause (someone or something) to cometo attract (someone or something).

Frenzy: great and often wild or uncontrolled activity.

Paparazzi: photographers who follows famous people in order to take their pictures to sell to the media.

To slip away: to leave a place without being noticed.

Crew: a group of people who do a specified kind of work together.

Or so: used to say that a number, amount, etc., is not exact.

Gap: a hole or space where something is missing.

Escape: to get away from a place (such as a prison) where you are being held or kept; to get away from a dangerous or unpleasant situation.

To roll: (slang): to leave.

To not mind something:  not to be bothered by something; not to object to or dislike something.

Property: something that is owned by a person, business, etc.

To seal up: to close (something) tightly so that air, liquid, etc., cannot get in or out.


Grammar Tip:  Prepositions of Time

“On Monday, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife tried to coax the lion out of Archinaco's crawlspace”

“And then [at] 3:45 today they showed up again…” (this construction is more informal, but to be more correct, it should use at.

Use on with days of the week and with specific days:

We will start the project on Monday.

My birthday is on January 23th.

There was a big snowstorm on New Year’s Day.

Remember the difference between on Tuesday and on Tuesdays. Adding ‘s’ to the end of the day means that it happens regularly.

On Tuesdays I have an English lesson. (every Tuesday)

Use at for precise times:

The meeting will start at 2:00 PM, please don’t be late.

Can you tell us where you were at the time of the crime, Professor Moriarty?

Discussion questions:
1. Have you or someone you know ever had a ‘close encounter’ with a wild animal?
2. Have you or someone you know ever had a ‘close encounter’ with a dangerous wild animal?
3. If you were the person who lived in the house in the story, what would you have done?
4. How do you feel about sharing your property or community with wildlife?
5. How do you feel about animals like mountain lions, bears or other similar animals living near cities or towns?
6. Is it important to help protect animals like lions, bears, sharks, etc.?


Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Father-Daughter Travelers Return From Alaskan Wilds


Audio Time: 6 min 9 sec

Level: Intermediate and up

Vocabulary:  To help learners fully understand the audio and transcript, most vocabulary that might be unknown for this lesson’s level is provided. Vocab in bold is more useful for learners at the lesson’s target level. Try to choose 8 to 10 new words to learn from the story (in general, it’s best to try to learn no more than 8-10 new words a day).

Act: a law made by a group of legislators.

Sign into a law: to officially make an act into a law.

Mines: a pit or tunnel from which minerals (such as coal, gold, diamonds, etc.) are taken.

Refuge: a place that provides shelter or protection.

To trek: to walk usually for a long distance; to travel by walking through an area with many mountains, rivers, etc., for pleasure and adventure; to go on a long, difficult journey.

Mountain range: a series of mountains or hills in a line.

Headwaters:  the beginning and upper part of a stream or river.

Arduous: very difficult.

Paddle: a long, usually wooden pole that has a wide, flat part at the end and is used to move and steer a small boat (such as a canoe); to move a boat forward through water with a paddle; (in this text) the process of paddling.

Canoe: a long narrow boat that is pointed at both ends and that is moved by a paddle.

To catch up with someone: (in this text) to try to reach the same position or place as someone.

To bank on: to feel confident or sure about (something).

Bow: the front part of a boat or ship.

Stern: the back part of a boat or ship.

So far: until the present time: to this point.

Rapids: a part of a river where the water flows very fast usually over rocks.

Backpacking: to hike or travel with a backpack.

To howl: of a dog, wolf, etc.: to make a long, loud cry that sounds sad.
Grizzly sow: a female grizzly bear.

Cub: a young animal that eats meat, usually used for bears, big cats (lions, tigers, etc.), wolves, etc.

Lean: not having much fat: physically thin, strong, and healthy.

To bargain: (in this text)  to expect or plan on something; (In general) an agreement in which people or groups say they will do or give something in exchange for something else.
Next stretch: the next part of the trip or journey.

Boulder: a large rock.

Cozy: small, comfortable and warm.

Confines: the limits or edges of something.

Studio: (in this text) a place where radio or television programs are broadcast.

Compartmentalized : to separate (something)  into sections or categories.

Yeah: (informal) yes.

Existence: the state of being, or being real, or of living.

High sided on a rock: to get caught on a rock.

To grab: to quickly take and hold (someone or something) with your hand or arms.

Hypothermia: a condition in which the temperature of your body is very low.

To contemplate: to think deeply or carefully about (something).

Shack: a small house or building that is not put together well.

Incredible: difficult or impossible to believe.

Comfort zone: a place, situation, or level where someone feels confident and comfortable.

Self-sufficient: able to live or function without help or support from others.

Spectacular: causing wonder and admiration: very impressive.

Dictate: (in this text) to give orders to (someone).

Reversal: a change to an opposite state, condition, decision, etc.

Marvelous: extremely good or enjoyable.

To work out: to happen, develop, or end in a particular way or to have a particular result.

Definitions are written with the help of Merriam-Webster’s Learner’s Dictionary

Grammar Tip: Say and tell

 “So tell us about it.”

“Yeah, it feels like a different person saying those things”

Incorrect: Can you say me how to tell this in English?

Correct: Can you tell me how to say this in English?

Say is used in general to speak about something that has been said by someone. It’s used more often to report what someone else has said. Tell is used in a more specific sense to mean the process of instructing or informing someone about something. This is a one-way process and the verb tell must be followed by a direct object (tell us/him/her/the audience).

At lunch, John told his coworkers about his business trip to China.

John said that the business trip to China went very well.

Remember these collocations:

Tell a story, lie, secret, joke, the truth.
Say, yes or no, a few words, something/anything/etc.

Discussion questions:
1. What were the most interesting parts of this story for you?
2. Would you go on this kind of adventure? Would you go with your child?
3. What’s the most dangerous or scary experience that has happened to you?
4. What’s the most marvelous experience that has happened to you?
5. Have you ever seen or had any experiences with wild animals?
6. Do you enjoy spending time in nature or the wilderness?  Have you ever gone backpacking?
7. Should the government protect the wilderness by signing into law acts like the Wilderness Act, which protects land from development such as roads, mines, and buildings?