EFFORTLESS ENGLISH Flashcards
(14 cards)
Day of the Dead
I arrive in Guatemala on The Day of the Dead, November 1st. I’m curious about this holiday, so I go to the cemetery to see what’s happening. What I find is quite interesting.
The atmosphere is like a party. There are people everywhere. Families are sitting around the graves of their dead ancestors. They clean the graves and add fresh flowers. I walk through the cemetery and admire the beauty of all the colorful flowers.
There is also color in the sky, because many kids are flying kites. Some families are having a picnic next to the graves. They eat, drink, and chat together. People laugh and smile.
In the Unites States, cemeteries are always somber. We certainly never have festivals or parties next to graves. We don’t laugh or play music or fly kites in cemeteries either.
I find that I prefer the Guatemalan approach. I like the way they remember and celebrate those who have passed away. I like that they acknowledge death, instead of denying it the way Americans do. I like that there is life, as well as death, in their cemeteries.
Guatemalans call it “The Day of the Dead”, but it is also a day to appreciate life.
A Kiss
- Carlos buys a new car. It’s a very expensive car. It’s a huge, blue, fast car. While driving down the street, Carlos sees a girl on a bicycle.
- She has long blond hair and is beautiful.
- He yells to her, “What’s up?”
- She ignores him.
- He yells, “How’s it going?”
- She keeps going and ignores him.
- He yells, “Hey, why won’t you talk to me? I want to go to dinner with you. I’ll take you to an expensive restaurant.”
- The girl turns, gets off the bike, and looks at him. She says, “I don’t want to go to dinner. But if you give me your car, I will give you a surprise.”
- Carlos says, “OK!” He jumps out of the car. He gives her the keys and says, “Here are the keys.”
- The beautiful blond takes the keys and then kisses Carlos on the cheek. Then she jumps into the car and drives away.
- Carlos stands on the sidewalk. Now he has no car and no girl. He says, “That’s it, just a kiss on the cheek?” He gets on her bike and rides home.
Vocabulary
Huge: adj. very very big
What’s up: a greeting, “hello”
Ignores: v. doesn’t listen to
How’s it going: a greeting, “How are you?”
Keeps: v. continues
That’s it: idiom. “That is all”, there is no more, that is everything
Bubba’s Food
Sara Smith, who lives in San Francisco, went shopping for cat food.
Sara is 30, and lives at 3037 Market St. She has lived there since 1990. Sara is married. She is married to a man named John. She has been married for 7 years.
They have two children, and one very big cat. Their son Bob is five years old and their daughter Nancy is three. Their cat, Bubba, is 2 years old. Bubba is huge. He weighs 258 pounds (117 kilos)!
At 9am, Sara got into her car and drove to the pet store. She bought 68 bags of cat food for $10 each plus tax. The regular price was $15, so she got a good deal. The total was $680. She paid by credit card.
On her way home, Sara stopped at a convenience store to buy milk. Bubba loves milk. The milk was $3.00 for one gallon, and Sara bought 30 gallons. She paid $100 and got $10 back in change.
Sara got home at 11 a.m. Bubba was waiting at the door. He was very hungry.
Bubba’s Food - Topo Khan
Sara Smith, who lives in San Francisco, went shopping for cat food.
Sara is 30, and lives at 3037 Market St. She has lived there since 1990. Sara is married. She is married to a man named John. She has been married for 7 years.
They have two children, and one very big cat. Their son Bob is five years old and their daughter Nancy is three. Their cat, Bubba, is 2 years old. Bubba is huge. He weighs 258 pounds (117 kilos)!
At 9am, Sara got into her car and drove to the pet store. She bought 68 bags of cat food for $10 each plus tax. The regular price was $15, so she got a good deal. The total was $680. She paid by credit card.
On her way home, Sara stopped at a convenience store to buy milk. Bubba loves milk. The milk was $3.00 for one gallon, and Sara bought 30 gallons. She paid $100 and got $10 back in change.
Sara got home at 11 a.m. Bubba was waiting at the door. He was very hungry.
Changed
DEAR ABBY:
My husband of 39 years no longer hugs me or shows me any affection. I have seen him through cancer and diabetes. We have four grown children, and we have been seeing a therapist for a year and a half. He is kind, generous and friendly, but there are no compliments or any of the flirtatious banter we used to enjoy.
He swears he’s not having an affair, and he doesn’t know why he has changed. Perhaps you do?
GRACE IN PHOENIX
Drag
HIGH PRICE OF MOM’S HELP IS DRAG ON FAMILY BUSINESS
DEAR ABBY:
Twenty years ago, my sister and I bought a business from our mother. We all love and respect one another and get along well. We will be finished paying off the business in two years.
Our problem: Mom, who is now 77, still draws a salary from us above and beyond the payment for the business. Her workload has lessened greatly, as it should. She could do all of her work in one day and lessen the burden of her salary. However, she says she’d “go crazy” if she retired. We don’t want that. She could still come in as often as she wants and do her personal paperwork, banking, letter-writing, reading, etc. These are all things she does at “work” – on the clock.
If we try to discuss this, Mom gets hurt and says, “Just let me know when I’m not worth the money.” We don’t want to do that. We would hope she would see the fairness of this and suggest it herself.
Business expenses are going through the roof, and there are updates we should make, but we can’t do it as long as we are paying Mom at the level we are, on top of the money for the buy-out.
– DAUGHTERS DEAREST
Intimacy
DEAR ABBY:
My husband, “James,” and I have been married only three years. We are both in our 20s. Everything is really great between us – except our sex life. As far as he is concerned that’s fine, too, but I am not satisfied. It may seem odd to hear the female wants to have sex more frequently than a young and healthy male, but that’s the case in our relationship.
Abby, I work with the public and I get frequent remarks about what a beautiful woman I am. This makes it hard for me to believe that I don’t attract him at all. I have expressed many times that I wish we were more intimate. I have even expressed it to him in more than one letter, hoping to reach him.
I am at a total loss as to how to make him realize how important this is to me. Is there something wrong with my body? I just don’t know who to turn to for advice on this subject. Please help me.
– SHORT ON INTIMACY IN OHIO
SECRET LOVE
DEAR ABBY:
I am a single woman in my early 30s who has never been married. I recently fell in love with a wonderful man with whom I spend a great deal of time. He is unaware of the intensity of my feelings, and I’m afraid of telling him out of fear of rejection.
There are a couple of additional concerns: He is 15 years my senior and a medical doctor. I am a social worker in a lower economic class. In addition, we are of different religions, but we have similar spiritual beliefs and values. He is also my co-worker.
I am very interested in pursuing a deeper relationship with this man, but would like to hear your advice first. Thank you for your thoughts on this.
– LONGING FOR MORE IN CHICAGO
Double Standard
FAMILY IS UNEASY WHEN ONE SISTER DATES OTHER’S EX-LOVER
DEAR ABBY:
My sister, “Jane,” and I are both in our mid-50s. Jane has had numerous affairs over the past several years after her third divorce, and was involved in an “intimate relationship” with a terrific man, “Will,” that lasted about three months. Jane broke up with Will several months after she decided he wasn’t what she was looking for, and she’s presently engaged to be married to a very nice man (“Sam”) and seems very happy.
I dated Will several times before he and Jane became involved. We weren’t intimate at that time, and we started seeing each other again over the last month. This time we have fallen in love.
My problem is Jane is upset that Will and I are together and says I have “betrayed” her. She is worried about having her former and current lovers present at family gatherings, and our parents are also concerned. They say it’s “just weird.” The fact that my sister was intimate with Will doesn’t bother me or Will, but it sure bothers them.
Abby, I have always been the “good girl” in the family and bowed to their pressure, but my relationship with Will is more than I could have ever imagined, and I don’t want to give up my future happiness just to make my sister and my parents more comfortable. My adult children have all met and approve of Will and our relationship, but Jane and my parents won’t budge. Any suggestions?
– WANTS WILL IN WALLAWALLA, WASH.
DEAR WANTS WILL: Perhaps it’s time to stop being the “good girl,” begin acting like a woman who knows what she wants, and confront the double standard in your family. If your sister was “sophisticated” enough to have serial affairs, and your parents have been so worldly they have turned a blind eye to it, then they should all be adult enough to realize that you are entitled to your happiness, too.
Although this may make for some awkward first few family gatherings, as grown-ups, everyone should be able to get past it. But if they can’t, you are going to have to decide whether you want this man, or to be a peoplepleaser for the rest of your life.
Greek Family
WOMAN WILL NEVER BE GREEK ENOUGH FOR HUSBAND’S FAMILY
DEAR ABBY:
I married a Greek man whose family never accepted me. Being young and naive, I tried everything to fit in, converting from Catholicism to the Greek Orthodox faith, attending all family functions, including them in our lives. It was never enough.
My husband and I traveled to Crete with his family to visit his relatives there, and some extended family members refused to share the dinner table with me because I was not Greek. One of those family members was a priest!
Our daughter, “Athena,” was born four years later. What broke the camel’s back for me was a Christmas dinner when she was 6. My father-in-law gave cards with $100 to all the grandchildren of Greek heritage. Athena received nothing and cried for hours wanting to know why her grandfather didn’t love her. My husband just tried to stay neutral.
Abby, how far should someone have to go to fit in with their husband’s family?
– IRISH AGAIN IN NEW HAMPSHIRE
Lost Custody
YOUNG MOTHER IS FRIGHTENED BY THREAT OF LOST CUSTODY
DEAR ABBY:
I am 22 years old and have been married 17 months. “Derek” and I have a 23-month-old son. Derek hasn’t worked for about a year and refuses to help support our family. He also belittles me whenever he talks to me. I am not happy in this marriage, but I am not sure what to do about it.
On our honeymoon, Derek told me if I ever divorced him that he’d make sure he would get custody of our son. And his mom already said that she would tell the judge that I was an unfit mother.
My son is my world, Abby. He doesn’t even let his daddy hold him, so I know he wouldn’t be better off with Derek. But because I am on disability, I don’t know if I have a good chance of getting custody if I leave. I don’t feel Derek loves me or my son.
What should I do? Stick it out with my husband or take the chance of losing my son?
– TRAPPED IN NEW HAMPSHIRE
Meddling Mother-In-Law
WIFE READY TO WASH HER HANDS OF MEDDLING MOTHER-IN-LAW
DEAR ABBY:
How do I politely tell my mother-in-law to stop doing my laundry? It all started when I was on bed rest due to my pregnancy. I didn’t mind her doing an occasional load to help us out. But now she does it anytime she’s over to watch the kids.
I’m very picky about how I do my laundry, and this is the main reason I don’t want her doing it. Also, I’d prefer she spend time playing with the kids than with the laundry!
She also puts things away in the wrong places. She does it with my dishes, too. Once I told her not to worry about my laundry because I wasn’t done sorting it. She took it upon herself to do it anyway.
She’s very strong-willed. My husband and I have had problems with her not respecting our parenting, too. She often takes things the wrong way. What’s the best way for us to tell her that her help is not needed?
– DIRTY FAMILY LAUNDRY
Nudist
NEIGHBORS GET AN EYEFUL WHEN NUDIST STEPS OUTSIDE
DEAR ABBY:
We have a male neighbor I’ll call “Flash” who frequently walks out to get his newspaper – or the mail, or to retrieve something from his car – while he’s as naked as the day he was born. (He’s in his late 50s and divorced.)
Some of the women in the neighborhood know not to look toward Flash’s home if they’re out for a walk. They have discovered that he is most likely in the buff, standing at his glass door or sitting at his front office computer with the door open.
Flash is otherwise a likable and helpful neighbor. We hesitate to say anything. We do not want to say anything that might destroy that relationship. It’s not against the law to be a nudist, or for a woman to go topless in public in this city. However, to see a fella streak to his car is a little surprising and unsettling, even for another adult.
In the normal course of things, he may be spotted in the nude once a week. I can only assume this goes on daily, but thankfully, our paths don’t cross more than once a week. Is this something we should be concerned about?
– STARTLED IN AUSTIN, TEXAS
OBSESSIVE BEHAVIOR
DEAR ABBY:
My nephew, “Vincent,” is 16 and has had problems with obsessive handwashing for years. I have enough professional experience to strongly suspect that he suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
My brother and his wife refuse to believe their child has a problem and will not take him to get help. My nephew’s hands are chafed and raw, and his parents reprimand him for this behavior when he really needs professional help.
His mother is the biggest problem. She nixes all issues that suggest a problem, and my brother will not stand up to her. What can I do?
– WORRIED AUNT IN FLORIDA
Cafe Puccini
My favorite spot in San Francisco is Cafe Puccini- located in the North Beach neighborhood of the city. North Beach has a long and interesting history. It was originally the neighborhood for Italian immigrants in the city- and even today it has many Italian people, cafes, and restaurants. As a kid, the famous baseball player Joe Dimaggio lived in North Beach.
The most famous period for the neighborhood, however, was in the late 1950s and the 1960s–when North Beach served as the center of San Francisco’s literary renaissance. In particular, North Beach was home to the Beat writers and poets. The Beats developed a new, free, open style of writing. They also challenged the conservative society of America in the 50s, and helped create San Francisco’s uniquely liberal culture. Many credit the Beats as the fathers and mothers of the 1960s cultural renaissance in America.
Among the most famous Beat writers were Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, and Gary Snyder- all of whom lived in North Beach at various times in their lives. The focal point of the movement was City Lights Bookstore- owned by the anarchist poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti. In the 1950s, City Lights made history when they published Allen Ginsberg’s controversial poem “Howl”- which shocked mainstream Americans at the time. Soon after, Jack Kerouac followed with his books “On The Road” and “The Dharma Bums”– and the Beat movement was born. Ferlinghetti is still the owner of the bookstore, and City Lights is still a popular independent publisher.
And North Beach is still home to artists and writers, although it has become much more expensive and now attracts wealthier residents as well as tourists. Even though the literary scene is not what it used to be- North Beach still has many family owned cafes. You’ll find artists, writers, poets, entrepreneurs, musicians, businesspeople, and tourists relaxing together in them.
My favorite is Cafe Puccini, which is named after the Italian opera composer. The cafe owner is Italian. He often plays opera music, and every day he sits at a table in the back and chats with his friends. They hold long animated conversations in Italian, adding to the music of the place.
I go to that cafe often. I usually get a mocha, find a small table, and then write articles for Effortless English. Sometimes I study a little Spanish or Japanese. Sometimes I read. Sometimes I just watch the people walk by the windows. The staff never seems to mind that I stay a long time- they are always friendly. On sunny days I sit at a table on the sidewalk, but now, during the winter, I stay indoors.
If you get a chance to visit San Francisco, stop by Cafe Puccini. Its located near the intersection of Columbus and Vallejo streets, in North Beach. Be sure to bring a book by Kerouac or Ginsberg. Sit , enjoy the opera music, and relax for a while. No one will hurry you.
Vocabulary
spot: place
immigrants: foreigners who come to live in a (new) country
period: time
served as: was
literary: re: writing and books
renaissance: a time of artistic improvement; a time of art (and science)
in particular: specifically
developed: made, created
style: way of doing something
challenged: disagreed with
conservative: traditional; old; against change
uniquely: specially; not like others
liberal: new; wanting change and improvement; open
credit: compliment; identify
renaissance: a time of great art (and science)
various: different, some
focal point: center point; gathering place
the movement: a change in society; a group trying to change society
anarchist: political group that is against authority and control
made history: became famous; did something famous
controversial: creates conflict or disagreement
shocked: surprised and angered
mainstream: normal (society, culture) independent publishers: a small bookstore or publisher (not a chain)
wealthier residents: richer people (living in the neighborhood)
the literary scene: the writing situation (in the city)
entrepreneurs: businesspeople who start and own a business
named after: given the same name as someone or something
composer: someone who writes music
hold: have; do
animated: emotional; having a lot of movement and gestures
to mind: to be bothered; to care the intersection: where two (or more) streets cross each other
hurry: rush; make you leavequickly
Cafe Puccini
My favorite spot in San Francisco is Cafe Puccini- located in the North Beach neighborhood of the city. North Beach has a long and interesting history. It was originally the neighborhood for Italian immigrants in the city- and even today it has many Italian people, cafes, and restaurants. As a kid, the famous baseball player Joe Dimaggio lived in North Beach.
The most famous period for the neighborhood, however, was in the late 1950s and the 1960s–when North Beach served as the center of San Francisco’s literary renaissance. In particular, North Beach was home to the Beat writers and poets. The Beats developed a new, free, open style of writing. They also challenged the conservative society of America in the 50s, and helped create San Francisco’s uniquely liberal culture. Many credit the Beats as the fathers and mothers of the 1960s cultural renaissance in America.
Among the most famous Beat writers were Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, and Gary Snyder- all of whom lived in North Beach at various times in their lives. The focal point of the movement was City Lights Bookstore- owned by the anarchist poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti. In the 1950s, City Lights made history when they published Allen Ginsberg’s controversial poem “Howl”- which shocked mainstream Americans at the time. Soon after, Jack Kerouac followed with his books “On The Road” and “The Dharma Bums”– and the Beat movement was born. Ferlinghetti is still the owner of the bookstore, and City Lights is still a popular independent publisher.
And North Beach is still home to artists and writers, although it has become much more expensive and now attracts wealthier residents as well as tourists. Even though the literary scene is not what it used to be- North Beach still has many family owned cafes. You’ll find artists, writers, poets, entrepreneurs, musicians, businesspeople, and tourists relaxing together in them.
My favorite is Cafe Puccini, which is named after the Italian opera composer. The cafe owner is Italian. He often plays opera music, and every day he sits at a table in the back and chats with his friends. They hold long animated conversations in Italian, adding to the music of the place.
I go to that cafe often. I usually get a mocha, find a small table, and then write articles for Effortless English. Sometimes I study a little Spanish or Japanese. Sometimes I read. Sometimes I just watch the people walk by the windows. The staff never seems to mind that I stay a long time- they are always friendly. On sunny days I sit at a table on the sidewalk, but now, during the winter, I stay indoors.
If you get a chance to visit San Francisco, stop by Cafe Puccini. Its located near the intersection of Columbus and Vallejo streets, in North Beach. Be sure to bring a book by Kerouac or Ginsberg. Sit , enjoy the opera music, and relax for a while. No one will hurry you.
Bad Choices (A.J Hoge)
I am a 33 year old divorced woman with four kids. I was married for 12 years and I have been divorced for approximately 3 years. I met my new boyfriend during my divorce. We hit it off and have been together ever since. He is a 44 year old divorced man. When I met him he had been divorced for 2 years. Well, I met his exwife and she seemed to be an okay person. What I found out 3 months into my relationship with him was that he was fooling around with his ex-wife again– who also at this time had a boyfriend of her own. I figured that since I did not have a committed relationship with him, I had no place to say anything. The problem is it continued further into our relationship, up to the point when I found out I was pregnant. At the same time I found out that he and his ex-wife planned to go to his family reunion together. Of course before all of this, I drove by his house one night and saw her car parked outside his home. The excuse I got after all of this was that they were considering getting back together. I thought it was very funny that as soon as she met me, she found interest in him again.
I guess my issue is the fact that now I am still in this relationship. I have brought a child into this nonsense and I hate the fact that he keeps in contact with her. My boyfriend has taken responsibility for her son from a previous relationship. His excuse for having so much contact with his ex-wife is because of that boy. I know this is not true but I have no real proof otherwise. I have also dealt with him taking women to hotels and my gut tells me it was her, but he promises it was not her.
I have tried to get over all the cheating. I know that she is very close to his family and I also know that his family does not like me because I stand up for myself. I guess the bottom line is knowing how much contact his ex-wife has with him and the fact that he knows I can’t stand her. Am I in a weird relationship with a man that wants to have his cake and eat it too? Or am I being paranoid and need to trust him when he says he does not want her. I have never had so much animosity towards two people in my life. I do love this man, but I feel like I have put myself back in an unhealthy relationship with a man that is trying to lie to me.
To be totally honest, now that I have his child I even hate the fact that he helps her son. She never has to ask for anything regarding that boy, but I have to constantly remind him when our son needs something. He does it for the other boy without thinking, but my son is a second thought even when I have said, “Look at your son. He is in dire need”. I was married to a cheating man and hooked up with another cheating man. I wonder if it’s just my bad choices in men.
Bad Choices (other voice)
Publish date April 6 2007.
Dear Dr Tracy
I am a 33 year old divorced woman with four kids. I was married for 12 years and I have been divorced for approximately 3 years. I met my new boyfriend during my divorce. We hit it off and have been together ever since. He is a 44 year old divorced man. When I met him he had been divorced for 2 years. Well, I met his exwife and she seemed to be an okay person. What I found out 3 months into my relationship with him was that he was fooling around with his ex-wife again– who also at this time had a boyfriend of her own. I figured that since I did not have a committed relationship with him, I had no place to say anything. The problem is it continued further into our relationship, up to the point when I found out I was pregnant. At the same time I found out that he and his ex-wife planned to go to his family reunion together. Of course before all of this, I drove by his house one night and saw her car parked outside his home. The excuse I got after all of this was that they were considering getting back together. I thought it was very funny that as soon as she met me, she found interest in him again.
I guess my issue is the fact that now I am still in this relationship. I have brought a child into this nonsense and I hate the fact that he keeps in contact with her. My boyfriend has taken responsibility for her son from a previous relationship. His excuse for having so much contact with his ex-wife is because of that boy. I know this is not true but I have no real proof otherwise. I have also dealt with him taking women to hotels and my gut tells me it was her, but he promises it was not her.
I have tried to get over all the cheating. I know that she is very close to his family and I also know that his family does not like me because I stand up for myself. I guess the bottom line is knowing how much contact his ex-wife has with him and the fact that he knows I can’t stand her. Am I in a weird relationship with a man that wants to have his cake and eat it too? Or am I being paranoid and need to trust him when he says he does not want her. I have never had so much animosity towards two people in my life. I do love this man, but I feel like I have put myself back in an unhealthy relationship with a man that is trying to lie to me.
To be totally honest, now that I have his child I even hate the fact that he helps her son. She never has to ask for anything regarding that boy, but I have to constantly remind him when our son needs something. He does it for the other boy without thinking, but my son is a second thought even when I have said, “Look at your son. He is in dire need”. I was married to a cheating man and hooked up with another cheating man. I wonder if it’s just my bad choices in men.
