Month: January 2016

School Daze

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Class 3C recently penned some reminiscences of their elementary, middle, or high school days. Read one story below and take the quiz afterwards to test your undertsanding.

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Skipping Class

Yongsheng Zhang

I didn’t go to school one day when I was in middle school. It was a beautiful day. It was sunny and clear. The sky was blue. There were a few white clouds. I was very happy this day.

I ate breakfast then rode my bike to school. I met some good friends on my way to school. They were going to Cao Xian City. They wanted me to go with them. I said, ”I need to go to school. I can’t go with you.”

They didn’t let me go to school and asked me sincerely. Finally, I agreed. I called my teacher, and told him, ”I’m sick. I can’t go to class today.” The teacher said, ”Stay home and take care of yourself.”

My friends and I went to the city. We visited other friends. We hung out, ate and drank. We went to the shopping mall and saw a lot of things: some clothes stores, book stores, and many different fruits, such as apples, oranges, bananas, pears, etc.

Suddenly, I saw two of my school teachers. I wanted to hide behind my friends, but I didn’t have time. The teachers walked up to me and said hello. I thought, ”I’m finished, my teacher will know I lied.” I told my friends about it. They said, “It’s a nice day. We just visited anywhere we wanted to. Don’t worry about your teacher and school things.” Today was our day. I thought so.

The next day, I went to school, and my teacher called me to his office. I was afraid. I went into the office and I didn’t look into my teacher’s face. He asked me, ”What happened yesterday?”

I knew the teachers that I met yesterday had told my teacher about the shopping mall. I told the truth. He was very angry; he slapped me on the face a few times. My face became red and I was very afraid. I said to the teacher, ”I won’t do it again and I won’t lie anymore.”

After this, I never skipped a class.

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Thank Your Lucky Stars Revisited

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Here’s a song using last week’s Idiom of the Week. As you listen, fill in the blanks with the words you hear. When you’re finished, click on “Continue reading” to check your answers!

“I Thank My Lucky Stars”

Eddy Arnold

I thank my lucky stars for every day I spend with you
I thank my lucky stars because I found a girl so ____1____
Many times I see other girls I might have had
Watch them when they fall in ____2____, watch it turn out bad

So when I count my blessings, honey, you’re my number ____3____
And when I count my heartaches, thanks to you they number ____4____
So if I seem a little bit too much in love, it’s true
And I thank my lucky stars because I found a girl like you

I thank my lucky stars for every day I spend with you
I thank my lucky stars because I found a girl so ____5____
Many times I see other girls I might have had
Watch them when they ____6____ in love, watch it turn out bad

So when I count my blessings, honey, you’re my number ____7____
And when I count my heartaches, thanks to you they number ____8____
So if I seem a little bit too much in love, it’s true
And I thank my lucky stars because I found a girl like you

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New Year’s Resolutions

US Adult Literacy104 Comments

Here’s an article from Voice of America about what Americans want to do in 2016. Before you read, make a prediction about what you’re going to read. What do you think Americans will say they want to do in 2016? Will it be something about money, something about health, or something else?

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From Voice of America:

Americans don’t just want to work out more in 2016, they also want to firm up their savings accounts.

A  Nerdwallet survey conducted in December found that “increasing savings” was the top priority for 49 percent of Americans, followed by “working out” (44 percent).

“There’s definitely a connection between the two in the sense that both are about quality of life,” said Nerdwallet’s Sreekar Jasthi. “Both are about health: physical health and fiscal health.”

New Year’s Day is a federal holiday in the United States, which means most Americans have the day off from work to attend gatherings, eat special foods meant to ensure good fortune for the new year, and make a list of resolutions for 2016.

“Increasing savings” was the most popular answer on Nerdwallet’s New Year’s resolution poll. The average American only saves about 5 percent of their income, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

The other top priorities include losing weight (44 percent), spending more time with friends and family (37 percent), traveling more (35 percent) and getting organized (30 percent).

Paying off credit cards was most important to 29 percent of those surveyed. On average, Americans have about $15,000 in credit card debt.

“We actually thought that the percentage of the population polled that would mention credit card debt as a priority, would be higher,” said Jasthi. “This is a significant concern…a lot of people eventually have to file for bankruptcy because they can’t afford to pay it back. I think more education and more clarity around how to effectually manage use of your credit cards, and how to repay debt on your credit card, is something that’s absolutely needed.”

While 45 percent of Americans say they usually make New Year’s resolutions, only about 8 percent of those who make resolutions actually fulfill them. Making resolutions as specific as possible might help. For example, instead of just saying ‘increase savings’, determine an exact amount you’d like to save in 2016 and then set monthly milestones to help reach that goal.

“Solid, specific goals that you can actually visualize instead of just large umbrella terms always help,” Jasthi said. “Be realistic when you’re setting these resolutions or setting these milestones. Be as specific as possible but obviously be realistic about how you’re going to attain those goals.”

What about you? What do you want to do in 2016?

 

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Idiom of the Week: Thank Your Lucky Stars

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Meaning: To be thankful that something good has happened to you or that something bad didn’t happen to you.

Examples:

I wasn’t paying attention and I walked out into the street – I just thank my lucky stars no cars were coming.

They thanked their lucky stars he didn’t come to the party because he always gets drunk and starts trouble.

You make me so happy. I thank my lucky stars that you’re in my life.

Pop Quiz:

In which situation or situations would someone thank their lucky stars?

A.  After losing a wallet but then finding it again with all the money and cards still in it.

B.  After almost getting in a motorcycle accident.

C.  After buying the last available movie ticket.

To see the correct answer, click on “Continue reading”:

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Awesome Adjective: Impatient

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Meaning: The opposite of patient – describing someone who is restless and can’t wait.

Examples:

The students were impatient to start school again after their long holiday vacation.

Another train will arrive in just a minute. Don’t be so impatient!

The line at the bank was long and you could tell the customers were getting impatient.

 

Pop Quiz:

What does an impatient person do?

A.  They go to sleep.

B.  They walk back and forth and run their hands through their hair.

C.  They quietly look out the window and daydream.

To see the correct answer, click on “Continue reading”:

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Family Members Revisited

US Adult Literacy3 Comments

Here’s another story from Class 1B’s descriptions of one of their family members. When you’re finished, take the quiz to test your understanding!

Joyce Wu

My Mother-in-Law

My mother-in-law’s name is Qing Yan Wu. She’s 61 years old. She was born in Taishan, Guangdong, China.  She came to the United States in 2003.

My mother-in-law is a housekeeper. She works at the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut. Her work is from 4 pm to 12 am. She has worked there for about eleven years. She likes her job because it is not very hard and the employee benefits are good.

She has a daughter and a son. Her daughter’s name is Chun Xia Ruan and her son’s name is Li Ming Ruan. They’re both married. So I am the daughter-in-law. I live with her son and her grandson in Brooklyn. Her daughter still lives in Connecticut.

My mother-in-law lives with her daughter, but she comes back to Brooklyn and stays with us when she has days off. She rests on Wednesdays and Thursdays. She takes a casino bus from Connecticut to Brooklyn for about three hours. She got married to my father-in-law in 1974. They both work at the casino.

My mother-in-law is average height and average weight. She has short black hair.

My mother–in-law is very friendly and polite. She’s a very good mother, wife, grandmother, and mother-in-law. She’s responsible and honest. She likes to cook and watch TV. She cooks every day. She also likes to work in her yard. She planted some vegetables, fruit, and flowers in it.

My mother-in-law is healthy. She eats a lot of fruit and vegetables. And she exercises twice a week. In her free time, she likes to stay in bed and take a nap, because she has a backache.

“I like New York. When I am retired, I want to live in New York!” She said. Why? Because her family and many friends are here. And also going shopping and going to the doctor are very convenient.

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Click here to read more.

 

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