Grammar spot: Adverbs I

AWAY (adverb of Place or Motion) ; away from (preposition)

1. Place : away = "not her or not here"

E.g. "Is Mr. Cannon there?" - "No, I'm sorry, he's away on business"
       "Keep away!! This animal is dangerous"
       "I live thirty miles away"

2. Motion : away (from) = the opposite of "towards here" or "towards there"

E.g. "The dog was afraid, and ran away"
       "Please go away, I'm busy"

3. Away from (preposition) means the opposite of at or towards.

E.g. "He kicked the ball towards the goalkeeper, who fortunately headed it away from the goal"

  

Miscellaneous : Elizabeth Taylor 1932 - 2011

Elizabeth Taylor died at 1:28 AM at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles ... where she had been hospitalized for the past couple of weeks.  A private funeral will be held later this week.

Taylor's publicist says she was "surrounded by her children -- Michael Wilding, Christopher Wilding, Liza Todd, and Maria Burton."

Taylor's rep says the actress died "peacefully" from congestive heart failure, "a condition with which she had struggled with for many years." The rep adds, "Though she had recently suffered a number of complications, her condition had stabilized and it was hoped that she would be able to return home.  Sadly, this was not to be."

Source : http://www.tmz.com/

Elizabeth Taylor stars in Giant, Cleopatra, Cat on a hot tin roof, Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf?, and many others.

                                           Elizabeth Taylor alongside James Dean in "Giant"

Vocabulary : Jobs

Here are some words concerning different jobs and careers.

Lawyer : abogado
hairdresser : peluquera
teacher : profesor
professor : profesor (universidad)
cook : cocinero
fireman : bombero
doctor : médico
family doctor : médico de cabecera
vet : veterinario
nurse : enfermera
baker : panadero
air stewardess : azafata
steward : auxiliar de vuelo
ticket collector : revisor (trenes)
surgeon : cirujano
pilot : piloto
salesman : vendedor
computer scientist : informático
ballet dancer : bailarín
musician : músico
painter : pintor
gardener : jardinero
butcher : carnicero
grocer : tendero
architect : arquitecto

Song : Dixie Chicks "Travelin Soldier"

Here's one of the best country songs ever by Dixie Chicks, "Travelin Soldier". It's based on the Iraq War which took place in 2003.

Two days past eighteen
He was waiting for the bus in his army green
Sat down in a booth at a cafe there
Gave his order to a girl with a bow in her hair
He's a little shy so she gives him a smile
And he said would you mind sittin' down for a while
And talking to me,
I'm feeling a little low
She said I'm off in an hour and I know where we can go

So they went down and they sat on the pier
He said I bet you got a boyfriend but I don't care
I got no one to send a letter to
Would you mind if I sent one back here to you

Chorus: I cry
Never gonna hold the hand of another guy
Too young for him they told her
Waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier
Our love will never end
Waitin' for the soldier to come back again
Never Born to be alone when the letter said
Soldier's coming home

So the letters came from an army camp

From california then vietnam
And he told her of his heart
It might be love and all of the things he was so scared of
He said when it's getting kinda rough over here
I think of that day sittin' down at the pier
And I close my eyes and see your pretty smile
Don't worry but I won't be able to write for awhile

[Chorus]

One friday night at a football game
The lord's prayer said and the anthem sang
A man said folks would you bow your heads
For a list of local vietnam dead
Crying all alone under the stands
Was a piccolo player in the marching band
And one name read and nobody really cared
But a pretty little girl with a bow in her hair

I cried never gonna hold the hand of another guy too young for him they told her waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier our love will never end waitin' for the soldier to come back again never more to be alone when the letter said soldier's coming, {repeat chorus}

Bookaholic: FRANKENSTEIN

Here's an excerpt from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein or the modern Prometheus, which makes reference to the creator of this so-called beast. The excerpt I'm about to post talks about how Frankenstein Jr feels when he realizes he's different from any other person he's encountered. So he asks his creator to make another being just like him in order to feel comfortable and accompanied.

"For some days I haunted the spot where these scenes had taken place, sometimes wishing to see you, sometimes resolved to quit the world and its miseries forever. At length I wandered towards these mountains, and have ranged through their immense recesses, consumed by a burning passion which you alone can gratify. We may not part until you have promised to comply with my requisition. I am alone and miserable; man will not associate with me; but one as deformed and horrible as myself would not deny herself to me. My companion must be of the same species and have the same defects. This being you must create".

Miscellaneous : Just curiosity

Do you know when the expression "fuck"was used for the first time? and why? Or maybe the real origin of O.K. which might be considered the most used word worldwide and whose meaning has to be with the agreement of something.

FUCK :  Nowadays it's a term used to emphasize a state of rage or discontent. It has its origins in the old British Kingdom, where no one could make love without the consent of the king. When a couple wanted to have a child, an authorization by the king was required. The latter would give to the couple a plaque in order to be hung outside on the door while they were making love. The plaque would read "Fornication Under Consent of the King". So this is the origin of such a well-known word.

O.K : Throughout the American Civil War, when troops would go back to their headquarters without casualties they used to write on a blackboard  "0 killed". Hence the origin of this expression to say everything's all right.

GRINGO : During the war between the USA and Mexico in 1847, the american troops used to wear green uniform and the mexican troops used to shout at them by saying "Green go home".

SANDWICH : John Montagu, forth count of Sandwich (England) was a compulsive player and used to spend a lot of time at the table playing. One day, at lunch time, he was so engrossed in his playing that he ordered his servant to bring him "anything to eat in the open air". So the servant came with a tray full of food.

YOU ARE FIRED! : The members of the clans, many centuries ago, used to get rid of undesirable people by burning down their houses. That's why this expression is used in English for dismissing someone from his job.

SLOGAN : It is an English term that comes from Gaelic and its original form is "slaugh claim" from the old Scottish clans.

Grammar spot: PERFECT TENSES

USES OF PRESENT PERFECT

We use this verb tense to talk about things that took place:

- during a period that includes past and present: They've been waiting for us an hour.

- in the past, but we're not saying exactly when: Don't tell me he's bought another new car!

- in the past with an effect or result in the present: I'm afraid I've forgotten my key

- with the time adverb "just" meaning " a short time ago": She's just gone out.

USES OF PAST PERFECT

- before something else in the past: I took the decision after I had spoken to John.

- during a period before an event in the past: All day I'd been feeling nervous but the feeling vanished.

USES OF FUTURE PERFECT

- something that will be finished before a specified time in the future: I'll have signed nearly 100 letters.

CHECK YOUR GRAMMAR!

Correct these sentences:
1. It's the third time he missed a meeting.
2. As soon as he will finish, he's going home.
3. This is the best lasagne I eve have.
4. Since we've Known each other, he always shows impeccable manners.
5. Since I've met her, I've never seen her lose her temper.

ANSWERS:
1.he has missed
2.he has finished/ he finishes
3.I've ever had
4.he has always shown
5.Since I met her