Let's Talk about St. Patrick's Day!

Do you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in your country? New York City LOVES this day.

St. Patrick’s Day is March 17th. Let’s practice English and learn about this fun day!

FOR BEGINNER STUDENTS:

First, read the short text.

Second, do the 2 exercises.

The answers are below.

Saint Patrick’s Day

St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on March 17 every year.

It is NOT a national holiday. Banks, schools and libraries are open.

St. Patrick’s Day is a fun day to honor Irish Americans.

But a lot of other New Yorkers enjoy the day, too.

The St. Patrick’s Day parade 2025 in New York City starts at 11:00 AM on East 44th Street at Fifth Avenue. It goes up Fifth Avenue to East 79th Street.

About 150,000 people march in the parade. About 2 million people watch!

Will you be there? Let’s talk about it!

Green is the color that represents St. Patrick’s Day in the USA now. Many New Yorkers wear green clothes on March 17th.

Symbols for St. Patrick’s Day are: shamrocks (4-leaf clovers), leprechauns, gold and rainbows.

Exercise 1. Match the words with the pictures. (The answers are below.)

Exercise 2. Write YES or NO.

5. St. Patrick’s Day is in June.____

6.  St. Patrick’s Day is a national holiday in the United States.____

7. Banks are closed on St. Patrick’s Day.____

8. There is a parade up Fifth Avenue on St. Patrick’s Day. _____

9. Another word for four-leaf clover is shamrock. _______

10. I want to wear green on March 17! ______

Answers:

Exercise 1. 1.D 2.B 3.A 4.C

Exercise 2. 5.no 6.no 7.no 8.yes 9.yes 10.Maybe! :)

FOR INTERMEDIATE STUDENTS:

First, read the short text. Second, do the exercises. The answers are below.

Saint Patrick’s Day*

               St. Patrick's Day began as a religious holiday in Ireland and became a big celebration in the United States because of the number of Irish Americans. But guess what? Saint Patrick was not actually Irish! Patrick was a nobleman born in about 400 A.D. in Britain. When he was 16 years old, he was kidnapped by Irish pirates. He was kept as a slave for 17 years, but he escaped Ireland and managed to get back to Britain. Remarkably, he returned to Ireland later as a missionary. March 17th is the believed date of Patrick’s death.

New York City held the first St. Patrick’s Day parade way back in 1762. By the mid-19th century, parades were common. The parades celebrate Irish-American culture and background. The celebrations also often include a lot of drinking, especially of beer dyed green. In Chicago, the Chicago River is dyed green for the celebration - wow!

             Another surprise: the color originally associated with Saint Patrick was blue! Over the years, the color green became increasingly linked with Saint Patrick's Day. Green ribbons and shamrocks are worn for good luck. Leprechauns are imagined to lead people to find gold over a rainbow. So leprechauns, rainbows, pots of gold and shamrocks are common symbols for this celebration.

The St. Patrick’s Day parade is held annually on March 17th at precisely 11:00 AM in honor of St. Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland and of the Archdiocese of New York. The parade route goes up Fifth Avenue beginning at East 44th Street and ending at East 79th Street. Approximately 150,000 people march in the parade which draws about 2 million spectators.

Exercise 3. Synonyms – words that mean the same thing – or almost the same thing.

Which of these are synonyms for vocabulary in the text?

a. surprisingly

b. associated with

c. four-leaf clovers

d. got away, broke free

e. people who watch an event

f. a magical and mischievous elf

g. captured

h. a person whose goal is to share Christianity with others

i.  a wealthy man or aristocrat

 ____1. nobleman

____2. kidnapped

____3. escaped

____4. remarkably

____5. missionary

____6. shamrock

____7.  leprechaun

____8. linked

____9.  spectators

Exercise 4. Let’s check your understanding:

10. Where was Patrick born?

11. How many years was he held against his will?

12. Why did he go back to Britain after escaping?

13. Is the Hudson River dyed green for St. Patrick’s Day?

14. Have you ever celebrated St. Patrick’s Day? Have you ever marched in a parade?

To learn more about the NYC parade: https://www.nycstpatricksparade.org/

*Adapted from: https://www.history.com/topics/st-patricks-day

Answers:

Ex. 3. 1.i 2.g 3.d 4.a 5.h 6.c 7.f 8.b 9.e

Ex. 4. 10. in Britain 11. 17 years 12. to be a missionary and share Christianity 13. no, the Chicago River is dyed green 14. Let’s talk about it!

Baking Cookies for St. Patrick’s Day

I love to bake cookies for many holidays. Here is my favorite recipe for rolled sugar cookies. This year I made St. Patrick’s Day cookies. Do you recognize the shapes of my cookie cutters? I used 3-leaf and 4-leaf clovers plus a pot of gold. I wish I could share the cookies with you - they are pretty delicious! I hope you will make some, too. You can use any shape of cookie cutter with this recipe….

Do you like to bake? Let’s talk about it!

Robin’s Favorite Rolled Sugar Cookies

Use a hand mixer or a standing mixer:

Cream together (for 2 minutes):           

1 cup salted or unsalted butter (at room temperature)

2/3 cup sugar

Beat in (for 1 minute):

1 egg

Add and mix (1 minute):

1 tsp. vanilla

Add:

1/2 tsp. salt (Don’t add the salt if you use salted butter.)

2 1/2 cup sifted flour (Remember to sift the flour BEFORE you measure the 2 1/2 cups.)

Mix until all ingredients are well blended.

Form 2 flat balls of dough. Wrap in plastic wrap.

Chill the dough 3-4 hours or overnight before rolling.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Roll out 1/4” thick and cut.

Place on cookie sheets about 1/2 inch apart.

Decorate with sprinkles before baking, if desired.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until barely colored.

Remove from cookie sheets and cool on wire racks.

Enjoy!!!!

Let’s Talk about Thanksgiving and Practice Numbers!

All across the United States, people are preparing for one of our favorite holidays: Thanksgiving!

Families are planning their Thanksgiving dishes. Many people are buying ingredients for traditional Thanksgiving foods: turkey, stuffing, gravy, sweet (orange) potatoes and yams, yellow and white potatoes, cranberry sauce, corn, pumpkin and apple pies.

When is Thanksgiving? It is always the fourth Thursday in November.

For Beginner Students:

In English, we have cardinal numbers and ordinal numbers.

Cardinal numbers are used for counting things. They tell us “how many”.

READING 1

For example, Robin will cook for 8 people this Thanksgiving. She will need 4 pounds of sweet potatoes, 5 pounds of yellow potatoes, 1 pound of cranberries, 10 ears of corn, 1 pumpkin pie and 2 apple pies this year. We like to eat leftovers the next day!

Ordinal numbers tell us the order of things, or for a list.

READING 2

For example: First, Robin will cook the cranberries. Second, she will bake the apple pies. Third, she will bake the pumpkin pie. Fourth, she will cook the sweet potatoes with maple syrup, and make mashed potatoes. Fifth, she will prepare the corn. Sixth, she will take a break!

Exercise 1. Write the cardinal and ordinal numbers:

Cardinal Numbers, Ordinal Numbers, Abbreviations (= short form):

a. 1 = one, first, 1st

b. 2 =

c. 3 =

d. 4 =

e. 5 =

f. 6 =

g. 7 =

h. 8 =

i. 9 =

j. 10 =

You can check your spelling in the ANSWERS and our NUMBERS LIST below!

For a complete list of numbers and for more exercise practice, go to these links:

https://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/numbers-cardinal.htm

https://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/numbers-ordinal.htm

Exercise 2. Read the texts again. Practice your spelling. Write in the missing numbers and words.

Robin will cook for (k)__eight_ people this Thanksgiving. She will need (l)_____ pounds of sweet potatoes, (m)_____ pounds of yellow potatoes, (n) _____ pound of cranberries, (o)________ ears of corn, (p)_______ pumpkin pie and (q) ____ apple pies this year. We like to eat (r)________________ the next day!

Exercise 3. Now, answer the questions.

s. How many people is Robin cooking for this Thanksgiving?

t. What will Robin cook first?

u. How many pounds of sweet potatoes will Robin need?

v. How many pounds of yellow potatoes will she need?

w. What will Robin cook fourth?

x. How many ears of corn will she need?

y. How many pies will she bake?

z. When is Thanksgiving?

For Intermediate/ Advanced students:

READING 3

The first Thanksgiving was in November 1621 in Massachusetts. One group of colonists - the Pilgrims, who had fled Europe to escape religious persecution - had arrived the previous fall and barely survived the rough winter. In fact, about half of the original Pilgrims had died by spring. During 1621, their neighbors, the Wampanoag tribe of Native Americans, had taken the desperate Pilgrims in hand and taught them crucial skills: how to grow food in the rocky Massachusetts soil, catch fish and hunt indigenous animals.

The Pilgrims survived in the New World due to the help of the Native Americans. So the Pilgrims wanted to thank the Native Americans. The two groups had a big meal together to celebrate gathering the Pilgrims’ first successful harvest. This three-day feast is considered the first Thanksgiving celebration.

Over time, Americans have developed the tradition of “giving thanks” for the good things in their lives on Thanksgiving Day. Some people start the morning donating time and energy at a homeless shelter to help feed people who are in need. Then we get together with family and friends and eat a meal. Many Americans go around the dining table and each person mentions one thing they are thankful for, such as good friends, close family, work and homes. We relax together. The next day, many of us enjoy Thanksgiving foods again – we love our leftovers!

Exercise 4. Read the text above. Answer the questions.

aa. In what year did the Pilgrims first arrive in the New World?

bb. Why did the Pilgrims come to the New World?

cc. What’s the best meaning of the idiom “to take in hand”? 1. to speak directly to; 2. to assume responsibility for; OR 3. to hunt animals.

dd. What’s a synonym for “crucial”? 1. negligent; 2. difficult; 3. essential

ee. What’s a synonym for “desperate”? 1. distraught; 2. inexperienced; 3. hungry

ff. What’s a synonym for “indigenous”? 1. nearby; 2. healthy; 3. native, not brought to the area from another place

gg. What are “leftovers”?

For a complete list of numbers and for more exercise practice, go to these links:

https://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/numbers-cardinal.htm

https://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/numbers-ordinal.htm

ANSWERS:

Exercise 1.

a. 1 = one, first, 1st

b. 2 = two, second, 2nd

c. 3 = three, third, 3rd

d. 4 = four, fourth, 4th

e. 5 = five, fifth, 5th

f. 6 = six, sixth, 6th

g. 7 = seven, seventh, 7th

h. 8 = eight, eighth, 8th

i. 9 = nine, ninth, 9th

j. 10 = ten, tenth, 10th

Exercise 2.

k. eight; l. four; m. five; n. one; o. ten; p. one; q. two; r. leftovers

Exercise 3.

s. eight people; t. the cranberries; u. four pounds; v. five pounds; w. the sweet potatoes with maple syrup and the mashed potatoes; x. ten ears; y. three pies; z. the fourth Thursday in November

Exercise 4.

aa. 1620; bb. to escape religious persecution; cc. 2 – to assume responsibility for; dd. 3 – essential; ee. 1 – distraught; ff. 3 - native, not brought to the area from a different place; gg. extra food after you finish eating a meal – commonly eaten the next day

5 Easy and Fun Ideas to Help You Improve Your English

Happy New Year!

Do you have English goals for 2019?   (Goals = objectives, intentions)

Here are 5 easy and fun ideas to help you improve your English. Choose one, two, or all five. The most important thing is to make them part of your routine- part of your day, every day. Good luck!

1) Music in English: Listen, write, sing!

Lyrics = words of a song

We recommend these activities:

Choose an English song. Then…

• Find the song on the internet. Search on www.YouTube.com

• Listen to the song without stopping.

• Listen to the song again. Pause (stop) when you want. Repeat.

• If you understand all or most of the words, write them as you listen.

• Then search YouTube or the internet for “song name + lyrics”

• Read the lyrics as you listen to the song. Repeat.

• Sing along with the song! Imitate (copy) the accent.

• After you know the song very well, search “song name + karaoke” Now it’s your turn! Sing with the music!

For example: “Hey Jude” by The Beatles

Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQER0A0ej0M

Lyrics: http://www.songlyrics.com/the-beatles/hey-jude-lyrics/

Song and Lyrics on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhXU8c8qwXs

Karaoke: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=hey+jude+karaoke

2) Live more of your life in English!

Break the habit of translating into your language.

We recommend these activities:

• Talk to yourself in English when nobody is listening!  In the shower, when cooking, when walking your dog, anywhere!

You may feel strange at first, but remember: nobody is listening. (You can sing in the shower in English, too!)

• Change the language on your cell phone to English.

• Read one news story in English every day. See if these are a good level for you:

https://www.newsinlevels.com/

http://www.thetimesinplainenglish.com/

• Write about your experiences every day in an English diary. Don’t worry about your grammar and spelling, just write!

3) New words: make them YOURS!

Frequent = common; happens often

Frequency = the number of times that something happens during a period of time (High frequency English words are common.)

Flash card = a small card. One side has the new word; the other side has a picture, definition, or the word in your language.

We recommend these activities:

When you see or hear a new word:

• Try to understand the word first, then check the dictionary.

• Check the English frequency. Memorize common English words. In this online dictionary https://www.macmillandictionary.com/us/learn/red-words.html, frequent English words are red and have 1, 2 or 3 stars to indicate frequency.

• Write it in a personal vocabulary list. Keep the list in a small notebook or your cell phone. Write the correct pronunciation after the word. (Use the “pronunciation” button at www.macmillandictionary.com to hear the word.)

• Practice A LOT.

  Listen to and imitate the pronunciation. Repeat many times.

Write it 5 times.

Use it in a sentence.

Make flash cards. Carry them with you! Practice your new words when you take the subway or bus, wait on line at the supermarket - whenever you have a few minutes.

4) Writing: practice gratitude in English!

We recommend this activity:

• Every night, write 5 sentences in English: “I am thankful for _________.”

You can be thankful for something that is important, small, funny, or serious – you choose.

5 things that we at Let’s Go Speak English are thankful for:

1.    We are thankful for our awesome students.

2.    We are thankful for hot coffee.

3.    We are thankful for the beautiful parks in New York City.

4.    We are thankful for the opportunity to help English learners in our great city.

5.    We are thankful that you are visiting this blog!

5) Practice English in the real world!

We recommend this activity:

• Study with a private tutor who will help you learn and practice English while enjoying New York City. Contact us!

Let’s Go Bake Robin’s Favorite Pumpkin Bread!

Do you enjoy baking? We do! Let’s talk about baking together!

Last week we gave you some interesting reading and exercises to practice your English and learn about pumpkins. You can see it below!

We also promised to share Robin’s favorite pumpkin bread recipe. You can make it with cooked pumpkin, butternut squash or acorn squash. It makes 2 big loaves, or 4-5 small ones. These make great gifts! Bring a loaf to a friend’s house for Halloween, Thanksgiving or the December holidays. Or just enjoy it yourself! Here we go....

We have written important vocabulary words in CAPITAL LETTERS. Let’s match these words first - a little extra English practice:

VOCABULARY

___1. converting

___2. fluid

___3. ingredients

___4. to mash

___5. room temperature

___6. to steam

___7.  to measure

DEFINITIONS

a. the foods that are put in a particular dish

b. to cook food by heating it over boiling water

c. not chilled or heated, just at the temperature of the room

d. to take an exact quantity of something

e. changing from one measurement to a different one

f. liquid

g.  to crush food into a puree

ANSWERS: 1.e    2.f    3.a     4.g    5.c   6.b    7.d

Let’s Bake!

The first important thing to notice is that in the United States, cooking MEASUREMENTS are written in FLUID ounces, pints, cups, teaspoons and tablespoons. We do not use the metric system. So it’s very important to read the recipe carefully!

Changing metric measurements to the U.S. measures is called CONVERTING. If you need help converting your own recipes to U.S. measurements, here’s a useful link to do that:

https://www.infoplease.com/science-health/weights-measures/us-metric-cooking-conversions

It’s always a good idea to measure and organize all your INGREDIENTS before you start baking. This is called “mise en place”.  Yes, that’s French!  Thank you to our French friends!  It means, “put in place.”  You need to put everything in place first.  Now you know that you have everything you need. (Sometimes I need to run out to buy something that I’m missing!  Luckily, in New York City, some supermarkets are open 24 hours every day.)

The ingredients should all be at ROOM TEMPERATURE. So take the butter, eggs and juice out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before you plan to start baking.  MEASURE your ingredients carefully.  STEAM your pumpkin or squash, MASH it, and then let it cool a little. You don’t want to add eggs to hot pumpkin – the eggs might start cooking!

For extra help with baking actions, you can go to this link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RKYwD7wuFw

Good luck! Let us know how it goes!!!!

Robin’s Favorite Pumpkin Bread

This is a moist, sweet bread that keeps well and may also be frozen.  Delicious!

INGREDIENTS

2/3 cup butter

2 ½ cups sugar

4 large eggs

2 cups cooked, mashed pumpkin or squash (2 cups mashed = about 2½-3 pounds before you take off the skin)

1/4 cup orange juice, apple cider, or water (juices are recommended!)

3 1/3 cups sifted flour (Sift the flour FIRST, then measure 3 1/3 cups.)

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon allspice (optional)

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

2/3 cup raisins (optional)

2/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

(If desired, sprinkle another ½ cup chopped walnuts on top before baking.)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350° F (Fahrenheit).

2. Cut off the skin, throw away the inside seeds and pulp. Cut the pumpkin or squash into chunks. Steam until very soft. Mash them.

3. In a separate bowl, sift the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg.  Add to the sifted flour.  Mix well with a whisk.

4. Cream shortening and sugar for 2 minutes with an electric mixer.

5. Beat eggs into the butter/sugar for 2 minutes.  

6. Stir pumpkin and juice (or water) together, then blend into the wet ingredients.   

7. Blend in the flour mixture for 1 minute.

8. Stir in nuts and raisins, if desired.

9. Spoon batter into 2 greased, lightly floured loaf pans (8 ½ inches x 4 ½ inches). Or use 3-5 smaller pans. Fill each pan half to two-thirds full.  (You can see the photo of our different size pans and breads below.)

10. Bake in preheated 350° oven until they are lightly brown and slightly firm to the touch. A toothpick or cake tester should go in and out clean without any batter on it.

Baking times:

Tiny loaf: 25 minutes

Small loaf (5 in x 3 in): 38 minutes

Medium loaf (7 in x 3 ¾ in): 42 minutes

Large loaf pan (8 ½ inches x 4 ½ inches): about 50-60 minutes

Enjoy! And Happy Halloween!

Let's Talk about Pumpkins - Autumn in New York City!

Do you have pumpkins in your native country?  We love them here!

Pumpkins are everywhere in New York City in the fall.  We play with them, decorate them, drink them, and eat them.  Big pumpkins and very small ones.  We have pumpkin carving contests, pumpkin festivals, pumpkin coffee lattes, pumpkin beer, pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie!

Now, at Let’s Go Speak English, we’re English teachers – not botanists – but big orange pumpkins are squash or gourds. And they are actually not a vegetable – they are a fruit!

Want to learn more about pumpkins and practice your English?

First, read the online article at this link:

https://www.esolcourses.com/content/topics/food/fruit/pumpkin-fact-file.html

Second, do the exercises below to check your understanding. (Answers are at the end.)

And check back next week for Robin’s favorite pumpkin bread recipe!

Exercise 1. Match the vocabulary words with their definitions.

__E__1. crops                                                  

_____2. cultivated

_____3. popular

_____4. native

_____5. nutrients

_____6. edible

_____7. varieties

_____8. to carve

_____9. settlers

_____10. medicinal

_____11. ailment

_____12. to banish

A. you can eat it

B. a lot of people like it

C. people who go to live in a new place where there are only a few or no people

D. to cut something in a special way, such as into a picture

E. plants that are grown for food

F. types, kinds

G. produced or existing naturally in a particular area

H. a sickness or illness

I. things that plants, animals, and people need to live and grow

J. to make something go away 

K. raised, grown

L. used to prevent or cure sickness, like a medicine

Exercise 2. Fill in these missing words.

Thanksgiving Jack O’Lantern crops settlers popular

tribes edible varieties encourage carve

Many parts of the pumpkin are (a)_____________________; in other words, you can eat them.  Some (b)____________________ of pumpkin are better to eat and some are better to (c)__________________.  If you carve a face into a pumpkin and put a candle inside, it is now called a (d)__________________________________. 

Native American (e)____________________ lived in North America before European (f)_____________________ came here. The Native Americans grew different (g)________________ to eat, including pumpkins.

Pumpkin recipes are (h)____________________ in the United States through December and the New Year.  We enjoy them during the Halloween, (i)________________________ and Christmas holidays.  Robin’s favorite pumpkin recipe is below. It is sweet, moist and delicious! We (j)_____________________________ you to try it and let us know if you like it!

Answers:

Exercise 1:   1. E    2. K    3. B    4. G    5. I    6. A    7. F    8. D    9. C    10. L    11. H    12. J

Exercise 2:  a) edible   b) varieties   c) carve   d) Jack O’Lantern   e) tribes   f) settlers   g) crops   h) popular   i) Thanksgiving   j) encourage 

How did you do? We hope you can find a pretty pumpkin for yourself and some delicious pumpkin foods. Remember, check back here next week for Robin’s favorite pumpkin bread recipe!

Carve a pumpkin and add a candle - now it’s a Jack O’Lantern!

Pumpkins in NYC - ready to carve, cook, eat!

OUTDOOR CONCERTS IN NEW YORK CITY PARKS – LET’S GO!

The weather may still feel like spring, but outdoor events are starting!  If you enjoy music, you can listen for free - or play yourself! Two special events in June: 1) FREE concerts by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, 2) 51 "Sing for Hope" pianos are available to the public on NYC streets.

1) The New York Philharmonic Concerts in the Parks take place in all five NYC boroughs from June 12-17. For the exact schedule, visit their website:

https://nyphil.org/parks

All performances begin at 8:00 p.m. except the Free Indoor Concert in Staten Island, which begins at 3:00 p.m. There will be fireworks after the performances in the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn.

2) "Sing for Hope" will put 51 artistically-decorated pianos on the streets of New York City! Go play one yourself or listen to someone playing! The first piano will be available on June 4 at 12:00 noon at 28 Liberty Plaza.  For a complete schedule of the piano locations, visit this website: 

https://www.singforhope.org/pianos/2018-artists-map/

You can enter your zip code at the site to find a piano near you!

And to learn more about this event, visit this website:

https://www.6sqft.com/51-stunning-sing-for-hope-pianos-will-hit-the-streets-of-nyc-this-summer/

Let’s learn and practice some vocabulary to talk about these events!

(You can download a copy of these exercises - go down to the black button at the bottom: DOWNLOAD PDF.)

 

INTERMEDIATE AND ADVANCED English learners: Go down to Exercise 2 below for a more difficult activity.

 

BEGINNER English learners:  Exercise 1.  Choose ONE correct word to fill-in-the-blank. (Answers are at the bottom of the page.)

1. Every _______  (winter / January / June), people can go to FREE concerts in New York City parks.

2. The New York Philharmonic Orchestra plays ________ (baseball / classical music / soccer).

3. The FREE concerts are outside! Bring a _________ (blanket / car / computer) to sit on.

4. You need to pay _________  ($10 / $20 / nothing) because the concerts are free.

5. If you want to eat during the concert, bring _________ (picnic foods / a restaurant / nothing).

6. If you want to drink a ________ (hamburger / beverage / hotdog), bring some water, juice or soda.

7. After the concert, they have a noisy and pretty display of ________ (paintings / fireworks / books).  Beautiful!

INTERMEDIATE AND ADVANCED English learners:  Exercise 2.  Write in the missing words.  Choose from the list below.  (Answers are at the bottom of the page.) 

beverages   fireworks   no matter  opportunity  performs   picnicking   popular   recommend   sets   rain or shine

The New York Philharmonic Orchestra ____________(8)  free concerts in NYC parks every June.  This provides a very special _____________(9)  to sit outside and hear classical music by a world-class orchestra.

We ____________(10)  that you go early to get a good place to sit.  The concerts are very _______________(11), so they are usually very crowded.  They do place speakers around the area so you can hear reasonably well ______________(12)  where you sit.

Do you enjoy eating outside while sitting on the ground?  This is called _____________(13).  Bring food and _____________(14) to the concerts and have a picnic with your friends.  The music will wash over you as the sun ________(15).  And by the way, the concerts usually take place ______________________(16), so bring an umbrella if rain is expected!

Immediately after the 90-minute concerts, in all boroughs except Staten Island, there is a display of ______________(17) as a grand finale! 

Have a wonderful time at the concerts! Go play or listen to some of the 51 pianos!  Free music in NYC - let's go!

And check back here soon to practice your English and learn about more summer events in NYC!

ANSWERS: 1. June  2. classical music  3. blanket  4. nothing  5. picnic foods  6. beverage  7. fireworks  8. performs  9. opportunity  10. recommend  11. popular  12. no matter  13. picnicking  14. beverages  15. sets  16. rain or shine  17. Fireworks

NY Philharmonic on the Great Lawn in Central Park!

Sing for Hope Piano near Lincoln Center and West 62nd Street

Active Reading - Let's Go!

What is ACTIVE READING?

Active reading is reading with a goal. It’s reading because you want to learn something.

Sometimes we read to just pass the time. Just because it's relaxing and enjoyable. That’s OK, but you probably won’t remember or learn a lot that way. But with active reading, you are thinking about what you are reading, so you may remember more.

There are a few parts to active reading:

1. Look at the title. Say it out loud or write it down. What do you think the reading is about?

2. Look up 2-8 new words in a dictionary and write them down in your notebook. (You don’t need to understand everything! Try to be comfortable NOT understanding every word.)

3. What is the main idea (the most important idea)?

4. Identify 2 other important ideas.

5. Try to use some of the new words in conversation right away to help you remember them.

6. Tell a friend about the reading. This is important. Talking about it will help you really understand and remember it!

So now we will practice active reading using an inspiring, short online article. The exercises here will help you understand it. After you read it, do the exercises below. They will help you practice the vocabulary and grammar in the article, and to think about the ideas. The goal is to improve your English through active reading!

The article and most of the activities are for intermediate to advanced-level students. We also have two vocabulary exercises for beginners at the end. 

We love to work with ALL STUDENTS - beginner to advanced!

Are you ready? Let’s go!

This article is called:

“Garbage Collectors Open Library with Abandoned Books”

INTERMEDIATE TO ADVANCED STUDENTS:

1. Look at the title. What do you think the article is about? Choose one answer:

      A. a library that is in a garbage dump

      B. a library that has books people threw away

      C. books that garbage collectors don’t want to keep

Check the bottom of this blog post for the answer.

Now, please go to this link to read the article, and then come back here to do the exercises:

http://www.cnn.com/2018/01/15/europe/garbage-collectors-open-library-with-abandoned-books/index.html

2. Vocabulary: Match the words with their definitions. (Answers are on the bottom of the post.)

Words:

____ 1. abandoned, discarded       

____ 2. comprised of                         

____ 3. destined for                               

____ 4. landfills                                  

____ 5. to oversee (oversaw, simple past)

____ 6. nonfiction                                

____ 7. ideal                                        

____ 8. salvaged

Definitions:

A. to manage, organize

B. books based on facts, real people or events

C. thrown away, left behind

D. saved, rescued

E. made of

F. perfect, great

G. a place to bury garbage and cover it with soil   

H. going to, headed for                             

3. What is the main idea (the most important idea)? 

4. Identify 2 other important ideas. 

5. Now, try to use some of the new words in conversation right away to help you remember them.

6. And very important, tell a friend or family member about this article. Talking about it will give you a chance to practice the vocabulary and get comfortable sharing the ideas. Do this soon while it is fresh in your memory!

BEGINNER STUDENTS:

3. Vocabulary. What is the best answer?

1. Garbage collectors are:

a. people who help animals

b. people who pick up trash

c. people who buy books

2. Another way to say GARBAGE COLLECTORS is:

a. garbage men

b. sanitation workers

c. trash collectors

d. all of these

3. What are different kinds of books?

a. literature

b. nonfiction

c. foreign language

d. all of these

4. Examples of nonfiction books are:

a. biographies

b. dictionaries

c. history books

d. science books

e. cookbooks

f. all of these

4. Write these words in the blanks:

library       opened      helps         sanitation workers        families

In Turkey, _________________________ (a)  collected books from the trash.

Their friends and ____________________(b) could borrow the books.

But soon there were thousands of books.

So they ___________________ (c) a public library.

This library now _____________(d) people who live all over Turkey.

We hope you have enjoyed this short active reading lesson! Please check back here soon for more activities. Happy learning!

BEGINNER ANSWERS: 3. Vocabulary: 1. b   2. d   3. d   4. f

4. a. sanitation workers   b. families   c. opened   d. helps 

 

INTERMEDIATE-ADVANCED ANSWERS: 1. B - a library that has books people threw away.  

2. Vocabulary:  1.C      2. E      3. H     4. G    5. A     6. B     7. F    8. D  

3. The main idea: Garbage collectors in Turkey saved books that had been thrown away and made a successful library with them.

4. Examples of some important details:

• At first, the library was just for the friends and families of the garbage collectors, but then it opened to the public.

• The library is in a building that used to be empty (vacant) and has a lot of space for all the books.

• The library now has over 6,000 books of many kinds - fiction and nonfiction - and in different languages.

• There are now so many books that schools, organizations and prisons around the country borrow books from the library.

• The library is providing a much-needed and valuable service to its community. 

Happy 2018! Making New Year's Resolutions...and Watching Movies

The new year is here! We hope you had a safe and fun celebration. Is improving your English one of your goals this year? We can help!

Many people commit to new goals when the new year arrives. This is called making New Year's resolutions. Resolutions are things you decide to do - or decide to NOT do.  For example, many people make a resolution to exercise more, eat more healthy foods, or drink more water. People make a resolution to watch less TV, get more - or less - sleep, call their family more often, or simply to relax.

Here are some useful links to help you think about making resolutions and to practice your English skills.

You can practice listening with subtitles, and do follow-up exercises at this site:  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUgld1OR_vw

Many of us MAKE, KEEP, or BREAK resolutions. You can learn some related vocabulary about making resolutions and new choices at this site:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qf5OC9nPqkM

And treat yourself to this humorous look at resolution vocabulary with "Simon's Cat Guide to Resolutions" video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNEVjhCXZB4

So...if one of your resolutions is to improve your English, let's talk about one way to do that!

Watching movies is a fun way to work on your English. Thousands of films are available online with just a click!

1. One idea is to watch just 10 minutes of the movie - first with the subtitles on, and then repeat those same 10 minutes with the subtitles off. Or do the opposite - watch first without the subtitles and then watch again with them on. You can even watch a third time with them turned off again. This way you are practicing your listening skills.
2. Pause the movie to copy down new words into a notebook. Then look those words up in a dictionary. Try to use those words 3 times this week! That will help you remember them.
3. After you watch for 10 minutes, say OUT LOUD what happened. Or call a friend on the phone and tell them what happened. Tell them - or yourself! - what you think is going to happen next. Tell them if you are excited to watch more of the movie - and why. If you don't want to finish the whole movie, tell them why you don't like it. 
4. You can repeat this with the next 10 minutes and then the next. But after about 30 minutes, we suggest you just relax and watch the rest. You need to enjoy yourself while you are learning!

Check back here soon for some more ideas for improving your English. What are your resolutions for 2018? Good luck with them!

Happy New Year 2018!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving!

This is a time when many Americans relax with our family and friends. We like to think about the good things in our lives. In English, we say that we are THANKFUL FOR something. This means that we GIVE THANKS or FEEL GRATEFUL.

So, what are YOU thankful for?

For example, maybe you are thankful for having a loving family, or a warm home, or a good meal. You would say:

I am thankful for my mother and father.

I am thankful for my sisters and brothers.

I am thankful for my children.

I am thankful for my apartment.

I am thankful for my job.

I am thankful for my food.

Americans also know that there are many people in New York and around the world who don't have some of those good things. Some New Yorkers choose to work in shelters or churches on Thanksgiving morning. We volunteer to cook and serve food to people who need a good, hot meal. 

One wonderful organization that accepts volunteers all year around is New York Cares. Volunteers go through a short training. Then they sign up to volunteer at many different places. It's a great way to help other people, and you can practice your English, too. 

You can get more information at their website: https://www.newyorkcares.org/volunteer

City Meals on Wheels is another worthwhile organization. It delivers meals to thousands of people who can't go outside.  For more information and to volunteer to help, go to their website: https://www.citymeals.org/

Thanksgiving morning is also the Macy's Day parade. The big parade balloons are blown up all day and night on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. You can see them in progress on the Upper West Side in Manhattan near Columbus Avenue between West 77th and West 81st Streets. See photos of the balloons below. Wow!

On Thursday, the parade marched down Central Park West to Macy's on West 34th Street. This is a true New York experience!  Of course, you may have watched it on TV - and stayed warm - if you preferred.  But in person, it's VERY exciting!

Now, let's improve your English!

For beginner level students, practice your Thanksgiving vocabulary at this link: https://www.esolcourses.com/content/topics/thanksgiving/elementary-thanksgiving-gap-fill.html

Intermediate and advanced level students, check out this video and listening activity about making pumpkin pie: https://www.esolcourses.com/content/topics/thanksgiving/history-of-holidays-pumpkin-pie.html

So, enjoy Thanksgiving and the weekend with friends and family. Maybe cook traditional Thanksgiving foods - or something special to you. And if you know someone who is alone this year, invite them to join you. Most of all, Thanksgiving is a time to reach out and share with others. Happy Thanksgiving to you from Leah and Robin!

Macy's Thanksgiving
Parade 2017!

Thanksgiving in New York City!

Thanksgiving is a national holiday in the United States. Have you ever been here for it? The City That Never Sleeps does slow down for Thanksgiving. We relax with our families and cook.  And cook. And cook. And cook. And then eat and eat and eat. And reheat and eat some more. A great holiday!

The first Thanksgiving celebrated the first successful harvest of the Pilgrims in 1621.  They thanked the Native Americans for helping them survive the long, hard winter. Watch a fun video about the history of this holiday called, "Bet you didn't know: Thanksgiving" at this link:

So right now, we New Yorkers are planning our menus, cleaning out our refrigerators and getting excited to see our family.  Robin is baking Thanksgiving sugar cookies!  Do you like baking?  Let's talk about it and share recipes.  See one of Robin's favorite sugar cookie recipes below.

And for listening and reading practice about baking, go to this website for a great activity: http://www.esl-lab.com/bakingcookies/bakingcookiesrd1.htm

Check back next week for more Thanksgiving ideas and some photos of the Macy's Day parade balloons!

Robin's Rolled Sugar Cookies

Use a mixer at medium speed to cream together:  1 cup butter (salted or unsalted) and 2/3 cup sugar (about 2 minutes).

Beat in 1 large egg.

Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon salt (do not add salt if you used salted butter), and 2 1/2 cups sifted flour (sift the flour BEFORE measuring).

Mix all ingredients for 2 minutes until well-mixed.

Form 2 flat balls of cookie dough. Wrap them in waxed paper or saran wrap and put in a plastic bag.  Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (350°F).

Roll dough out on a lightly floured table to 1/4 inch thick.

Cut into shapes with cookie cutters and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Top with colored sprinkles.  Bake 8-10 minutes until just lightly colored. Remove from cookie sheets. Cool on wire racks. Makes: 24-30 delicious cookies! Enjoy!

Robin's Thanksgiving Cookies!