An ESOL Resource from University Settlement's Adult Literacy Program
Author: US Adult Literacy
We offer free 10-month long ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Language) classes in Lower East Side of Manhattan. We help immigrant New Yorkers by providing them with intensive English language classes, and counseling. We're located at 175 Eldridge, Street, New York, NY. This is a blog for our students so they can get more practice in English language, and learn about life in New York City.
bucatini – a thick, spaghetti-like pasta with a hole running through the middle
fennel – a flowering plant species in the carrot family
sardines – a nutrient-rich, small, oily fish widely consumed by humans
pine nuts – Pine nuts, also called piñón, pinoli, or pignoli, are the edible seeds of pines
Ingredients
500g (1 lb) bucatini
Salt
1 onion, finely chopped
2 fennel bulbs, just the stems and fronds
4-6 anchovy filets
3 or 4 small (4 oz/124g) cans of sardines packed in olive oil
A handful of raisins soaked in warm water
A handful of pine nuts
A few threads of saffron, soaked in warm water
Olive oil
Salt
For the topping (optional):
100g (1 cup) breadcrumbs
Olive oil
Directions
Boil the fennel stems and fronds in a large pot of well salted water until tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer the fennel out of the pot with a slotted spoon, drain in a colander and let cool. Then chop the fennel and set aside for later use. (Do not discard the cooking water!)
While the fennel is cooking, sauté the breadcrumbs in olive oil over gentle heat, stirring so the breadcrumbs are all coated in the oil, until they turn a golden brown. Turn off the heat and set aside until needed.
In a large sauté pan, sauté the onions in olive oil. Add the anchovies and let them melt into the onions. Then mix in the chopped fennel and sauté for a minute or two. Then add the saffron with its liquid, along with the raisins and pine nuts. Simmer everything for a minute or two longer to let the flavors meld. Taste and season with salt if it needs it. Finally, add the sardines and give everything a gentle stir, letting the sardine filets break up but not disintegrate. Lower the heat as far as it will go to keep this sauce warm.
Meanwhile, add the bucatini to the same pot where you had boiled the fennel.
When the pasta has cooked, transfer it to the pan with the sauce and toss everything together gently.
We’re excited to share news about The Literacy Review, an annual journal that showcases powerful writing from adult literacy programs throughout New York City.
Each year, The Literacy Review brings together diverse voices and perspectives, providing a platform for writers from ESOL and ABE (Adult Basic Education) programs – including several students from our own program here at University Settlement.
The newest edition, Volume 23 (LR23),was recently released, and there was even a celebration for its launch at NYU.
April is known for many things: the start of spring, Arbor Day, as well as Easter & Passover. But did you know it’s also known as National BLT Sandwich Month and International Guitar Month 🤟🎸?
A B.L.T Sandwich ( Bacon, lettuce & tomato )Kirk Hammett – guitarist for Metallica
Here are a few more lesser known holidays to celebrate in the month of April…
The first Saturday of April is International Pillow Fight Day. “What is International Pillow Fight Day?” you ask. Read all about it here.
Sometimes getting dressed in the morning can be a challenge – no worries! On April 6th come to work/school in your pajamas for National Pajama Day.
No Housework Day on April 7th says it all. Take the day off from your household chores and rest; maybe watch a movie or drink some wine- do the dishes tomorrow, they can wait!
April 7th is also National Coffee Cake Day, so why not grab a cup of coffee to pair with this sweet treat. Not sure what coffee cake is? Check out this YouTube video and learn all about this deliciously mis-understood “breakfast” food.
Hug Your Dog Day is on April 10th – Show your dog some love with a big hug. Don’t have a dog, maybe consider adopting one!
National Siblings Day is on April 10th. If you have a brother or sister, reach out to them to send your love. If you don’t have a sibling, maybe consider volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters – “a mentoring organization that pairs adult volunteers with children to help them develop positive relationships and reach their full potential”.
National Pet Day 🐶🐱 is April 11th. Do you have a pet? Maybe you want another pet? Check out the ASPCA and adopt a new cat or dog today.
If you love bread and cheese, Grilled Cheese Day on April 12th is perfect for you. Check out this video on how to make the world’s greatest sandwich:
And finally, if you’re tired of all the music streaming services, maybe head to your local record store on April 20th for National Record Store Day. Check out this list of the top ten record stores in New York City.
Comparatives are used to compare differences between two objects (larger, smaller, faster, higher).
One Syllable / -er
small – smaller cold – colder young – younger
One Syllable ends in /e/ -r
safe – safer nice – nicer close – closer
Consonant + vowel + Consonant -(x)er
hot – hotter big – bigger fat – fatter
Two Syllable ends in /y/ -ier
happy – happier angry – angrier hungry – hungrier
Two or More Syllables >> more –
dangerous – more dangerous expensive – more expensive difficult – more difficult
Irregular
good – better bad – worse
Read the dialog and look for the comparatives.
Aimee: So Todd, you said before, that your mom is from San Francisco.
Todd: No, my dad is from San Francisco.
Aimee: So, your dad is from San Francisco and your mom is from Los Angeles.
Todd: Yes, that’s right.
Aimee: Okay, so which city is better?
Todd: Ooh, wow. They both are great American cities! They are very, very different. I think San Francisco is better, but some people think LA is better.
Aimee: So, is LA bigger than San Francisco?
Todd: Yes, it is much, much bigger. LA is huge. It is about 10 million people, maybe more.
Aimee: That is huge.
Todd: Yeah. San Francisco has only one million people.
Aimee: Oh, that’s tiny.
Todd: Yeah, it’s much smaller than LA.
Aimee: Okay.
Todd: Yeah, much smaller.
Aimee: And is LA more expensive than San Francisco?
Todd: I don’t think so. LA is expensive but San Francisco is more expensive. San Francisco is maybe the most expensive city in the US. Because of Google, Yahoo, Apple, all these famous companies.
Aimee: Right, okay. And so about the weather? Is LA warmer than San Francisco?
Todd: Yeah, it’s much warmer. It’s much, much warmer. LA has beautiful weather so most days it’s warm, no clouds, maybe 25 degrees Celsius.
Aimee: What about the looks? Is LA prettier than San Francisco?
Todd: No, not at all.
Aimee: No?
Todd: Which city sounds more interesting to you, Aimee?
Aimee: I want to go to both but I think I would prefer to go to San Francisco.
Movies are wonderful – for watching, for thinking about, and for escaping – just for a little while – everything else around us.
VOCABULARY:
Persistence – n., sticking with and doing something you believe in
Depict – v., to show, to tell about
Struggle – n., difficulty, a hard time doing something
Platforms – n., different internet sites and sources for watching movies and video
Defeating – v., to overpower, to conquer
Repressive – adj., when freedoms are limited
Political unrest – n., troubled government, conflict among leaders
Forcibly displaced – adj., forced to move out of one’s home
Intimate – adj., private, personal
Uprising – n., a movement that seeks to overthrow an established government or situations
Siblings — n.pl., brothers and sisters
Soon-to-be – adj., in the near future
brutal — adj., cruel, very mean
Khmer Rouge – n., a radical Communist group that ruled Cambodia in the ‘70s and killed millions of people
Diligence – n., strong and consistent effort
Empire – n., a large territory ruled by a single ruler
Access — n., entry, opening
Especially interesting, to us, are movies about the immigrant experience: stories of hope and courage and persistence, above all. To leave one’s home country, no matter the circumstances, is a brave and often dangerous step to take. Here are 6 films that depict and celebrate that struggle. All are available to borrow from the New York Public Library (free), or can be streamed on various platforms (cost about $4).
A Korean American family searches for their American dream on a farm in Arkansas, a state in the deep South of the USA. They face many challenges in their new life in the Ozark Mountains, but finally realize the strength of their family, no matter where home is.
This animated film tells the story of Marjane Satrapi, a yung girl whose family dreams of defeating the Shah in the 1979 Iranian Revolution. However, as Marji grows up, she sees how repressive the new Iran is. Her parents send her to study in Europe, but when she returns home, she finds that both she and her homeland have changed too much.
Surprised to see this Disney classic among movies about immigrants? After being forced out of their Colombian homeland by political unrest, the Madrigal family is blessed with magical gifts. When the family’s powers begin to fade, Mirabel – the only member of the family who was not granted a special ability – is the one to bring everyone together and save the magic. At the center of Encanto, the fear of being forcibly displaced again is part of this sweet story.
4. FOR SAMA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsvBqtg2RM0 FOR SAMA is an intimate journey into the female experience of war. A love letter from a young mother to her daughter, the film tells the story of Waad al-Kateab’s life through five years of the uprising in Aleppo, Syria. She falls in love, gets married and gives birth to Sama, all while terrible and life-changing conflict swirls around her. Should she leave to save her daughter? It is an impossible choice.
5. FLEE
FLEE – Official Trailer In FLEE, Amin’s life has been defined by his past and a secret he’s kept for over 20 years. Forced to leave his home country of Afghanistan as a young child with his mother and siblings, Amin now struggles with how his past will affect his future in Denmark and the life he is building with his soon-to-be husband.
6. THE DONUT KING
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sY2jXx0OP88 An immigrant story with a twist, The Donut King follows the journey of Cambodian refugee Ted Ngoy, who escaped the brutalKhmer Rouge and arrived in California in the 1970s. Through a mixture of diligence and luck, he built a multi-million dollar donut empire up and down the West Coast. A tale of success and loss – who gets access to the American Dream, and what happens when you achieve it.
