Labor Day is this Monday. Here’s a video with a nice history of the holiday. When you’re finished watching it, take the quiz to test your comprehension:
Tag: video
Summer’s Almost Gone
Here’s a fitting song for the end of summer – a classic from the immortal Doors:
Summer’s Almost Gone
By The Doors
Summer’s almost gone
Summer’s almost gone
Almost gone
Yeah, it’s almost gone
Where will we be
When the summer’s gone?Morning found us calmly unaware
Noon burn gold into our hair
At night we swim the laughin’ sea
When summer’s gone
Where will we be?
Where will we be?
Where will we be?Morning found us calmly unaware
Noon burn gold into our hair
At night we swim the laughin’ sea
When summer’s gone
Where will we be?Summer’s almost gone
Summer’s almost gone
We had some good times
But they’re gone
The winter’s comin’ on
Summer’s almost gone
Ready For a New School Year?
The 2014-215 school year here at the University Settlement Adult Literacy Program is set to begin. All students must attend one of the orientation sessions listed below (you should have already received a phone call about which one):
Wednesday, August 27 9:00 am: Classes 0A, 1A & 3A
Wednesday, August 27 11:00 am: Classes 0P, 1C & 3P
Thursday, August 28 9:00 am: Classes 1B & 2A
Thursday, August 28 11:00 am: Classes 1P & 2P
Tuesday, September 2 6:30 pm: All Evening Classes
Saturday, September 6 9:30 am: All Weekend Classes
To see what you’re in for, watch a video from last year’s orientation:
Word Crimes
Here’s a new video by Weird Al Yankovic, and it’s all about common mistakes people make with their English:
What Street Compares with Mott Street in July?
Here’s another classic song about summertime in New York. Click on the place names in the lyrics to learn more:
Manhattan
Written by Rodgers and Hart
Performed by Ella FitzgeraldSummer journeys to Niagara
And to other places aggra-
Vate all our cares.
We’ll save our fares.
I’ve a cozy little flat in
What is known as old Manhattan.
We’ll settle down
Right here in town.We’ll have Manhattan,
The Bronx and Staten
Island too.
It’s lovely going through
The zoo.It’s very fancy
On old Delancey
Street, you know.
The subway charms us so
When balmy breezes blow
To and fro.And tell me what street
Compares with Mott Street
In July?
Sweet pushcarts gently gli-
Ding by.The great big city’s a wondrous toy
Just made for a girl and boy.
We’ll turn Manhattan
Into an isle of joy.We’ll go to Yonkers
Where true love conquers
In the whiles
And starve together, dear,
In Chiles.We’ll go to Coney
And eat baloney
On a roll.
In Central Park we’ll stroll,
Where our first kiss we stole,
Soul to soul.And My Fair Lady is a terrific show, they say.
We both may see it close
Someday.The city’s glamour can never spoil
The dreams of a boy and goil.
We’ll turn Manhattan
Into an isle of joy.
It’s a Cruel, Cruel Summer
Here’s a song that pretty much summarizes our feelings about summer. Execpt where it says “dry” – because it’s really humid here!
Cruel Summer
by BananaramaHot summer streets and the pavements are burning
I sit around
Trying to smile but the air is so heavy and dry
Strange voices are saying (What did they say?)
Things I can’t understand
It’s too close for comfort
This heat has got right out of handIt’s a cruel, (cruel), cruel summer
Leaving me here on my own
It’s a cruel, (it’s a cruel), cruel summer
Now you’re goneThe city is crowded, my friends are away and I’m on my own
It’s too hot to handle, so I got to get up and goIt’s a cruel, (cruel), cruel summer
Leaving me here on my own
It’s a cruel, (it’s a cruel), cruel summer
Now you’re gone
Adios, Cliff
One of our longtime teachers here are the University Settlement Adult Literacy Program has left us for greener pastures. His name is Cliff Prisament, and he taught here from 2010 to 2014. We’ve collected some old material about Cliff as a way of commemorating his time with us, a video interview with him and a little something he wrote about his main hobby:
If you look carefully at my wrist while I’m teaching, you might notice I wear a different watch almost every day. Since 2005, I have been collecting and fixing watches as an amateur horologist (someone who fixes watches and clocks).
In 2005, I moved to Shanghai, China to teach children English. While I was there, I found several markets that sold very cheap, antique watches (watches that are very old). I fell in love with watches and it became my favorite hobby. I would sometimes buy 2 watches a week! In 2007, I owned almost 40 watches! Now, I only own about 15 watches.
My oldest watch is a Mickey Mouse watch made in 1933! It’s half a century older than me!
Most people just buy a watch because they think it’s beautiful or fashionable. When I buy a watch, I buy it because of its movement.
There are three types of watch movements. They are quartz, automatic and manual-wind.
1. Quartz watches are the most popular. Your watch is probably a quartz watch. Quartz watches have a small, round, silver battery that powers the watch hands. Quartz watches are the most accurate.
2. Automatic watches do not have a battery. They have a rotor, which winds a mainspring that moves the hands. So if you wear an automatic watch every day, you never need to change a battery.
3. Manual-wind watches only have a mainspring and no rotor or battery. You have to wind them every day or they will stop moving!
Any questions about watches? Let me know!
