14 AGOUST prepositions

Prepositions

Prepositions are words of groups of words, normally used before a noun or pronoun to express a relationship between one person/event etc. and another:

• She walked into the operating theatre.
• He seemed strangely out of breath.

Prepositions may relate to space, time cause, origin, purpose, source, agent, instrument, possession, topic or abstract ideas.

• They arrived at midnight
• He's done it for his own reasons.
• The shirt is made of cotton
• We live in hope.

Refer to section 8 of the Appendix (19th july)for a list of expressions with above, over, beneath, below, under, at, by, between, among, in, on, out of.

a) Use an expression with above, over, under, below or beneath to complete each sentence

• He's too young to be allowed in this bar. He's --------- above over under belowbeneath
• Nobody would ever suspect her. She's --------- above over under belowbeneath
• There'll be no trouble about repairing the television if it goes wrong. It's --------- above over under belowbeneath
• Don't let those children get too wild! keep them --------- above over under belowbeneath
• He's taller than most people. He's of --------- above over under belowbeneath.
• The main thing is, don't hurt him --------- above over under belowbeneath, keep him safe.
• That's rather unfair. You're hitting --------- above over under belowbeneath.
• I'm afraid I can't work for anyone else. You see, I'm --------- above over under belowbeneathto my present employers for two years.
• He whispered the answer. “yes” he said, --------- above over under belowbeneath
• Someone who robs an old lady of all her savings is --------- above over under belowbeneath, and deserve to be punished.
• Use one of the --------- above over under belowbeneathprepositions to complete this sentences.
• It's very frosty this morning. The temperature must have dropped --------- above over under belowbeneath.
• Shall we discuss the problem after lunch, --------- above over under belowbeneath?
• He's a freelance film director, and travels all --------- above over under belowbeneath making his films.
• The village is well --------- above over under belowbeneath, and at risk of being flooded if the sea wall is breached by a particularly high tide.
• Doctors think heart attacks are sometimes brought on by being --------- above over under belowbeneathat home or at work.
• You'll have to tell me the truth. Stop trying to pull the wool --------- above over under belowbeneath!
• If you don't bargain with the market traders, you'll be paying --------- above over under belowbeneath for their goods.

b) Match each expression with at on the left with its approximate paraphrase.

At a loss	unoccupied, with no purpose
at short notice	going very fast
at any rate	deep down inside (a person)
at present	no matter what it takes
at a loose end	without much advance warning
at once	fighting another country
at heart	immediately
at hand	unsure what to do
at first sight	taking the most hopeful view
at times	near, ready, available
at war	sailing, on a ship
at all costs	in danger
at sea	the first time (I) saw (her)
at best	anyway
at risk	occasionally
at high speed	now.

c) Complete the sentences with the correct preposition, choosing from between, among, out of, and over.

1. Bob's been ------ between among out of over work for six months now.
2. ------ between among out of over you and me. Smith hasn't got much of a future in the firm.
3. That book's too high up on the shelf. It's just ------ between among out of over my reach.
4. She's ------ between among out of over jobs at the moment, so she's struggling to make ends meet.
5. Unfortunately the catering committee can never agree ------ between among out of over themselves.
6. I went on waving until the car was ------ between among out of over sight.
7. We'll discuss the affair ------ between among out of over a cup of tea.
8. It's no good trying that snack machine- It's ------ between among out of over order.
9. The boys were hiding ------ between among out of over the bushes in the garden.
10. There's a footpath ------ between among out of over the canal and the main road.
11. No, I certainly won't give permission. It's ------ between among out of over the question!
12. I can only admire his conscientiousness. It's ------ between among out of over and above the call of duty.
13. I'm afraid those sandals are ------ between among out of over stock at the moment, madam.
14. General Gibson settled in quite happily ------ between among out of over the Polynesian natives.
15. I'm hoping to be reimbursed for my travelling expenses, otherwise I'll be rather ------ between among out of over pocket.
16. The lift wasn't working, so she was ------ between among out of over breath by the time she reached the top floor.
17. A prize was awarded to Fawzia, ------ between among out of over others.
18. Children, put your coats on if you want to play ------ between among out of over doors.
19. The photo's ------ between among out of over focus, unfortunately, but you can still make out the figure in doorway.
20. This information is rather ------ between among out of over date, so we can't use it in our new brochure.

D) Complete each sentence with the correct preposition.

1. ------ in on second thoughts, I'll have the lentil soup after all.
2. Giles was mortified to discover that he had sent Cordelia a Photograph of his ex-girlfriend ------ by at mistake.
3. The results will be published ------ in on due course.
   
4. “Could I possibly use your phone?” Oh, ------ by in all means.”
5. The intrepid women explored the remotest part of the sierra ------ by on horseback.
   
6. ------ in on all likelihood, we will never know the real reason.
   
7. kindly sign the contracts in triplicate and send back to head office ------ by on return.
   
8. Nobody helped him. He managed it all ------ by on his own
   
9. The company is keeping its head above water this year, but it will have to become more efficient ------ in on the long run
   
10. The proposal looks good ------ in on paper, but there may be snags in its practical application.
    
11. The victims of the industrial accident should, ------ by at rights, be compensated by the factory owners.
    

E) Complete the passage by putting a suitable preposition in each space

1) the whole, Flora was content with her life. 2) day she was a librarian in a large city library, but 3) her spare time she lived in a world of dreams. Her secret, all-devouring passion was reading – novels 4) particular – and she had read almost all the classics that the library had 5) stock. She read voraciously, 6) her lunch hour, her tea break, and the long evenings 7) home. She would even read 8) her way home, walking slowly 9) her book open.
The small flat where she lived 10) herself was piled high 11) books. Se knew fer favourites 12) heart, empathising with the characters and thinking 13) them as real people. 14) short, she had found that books fulfilled her emotional needs better than people did, and 15) any case, she had now completely forgotten how to relate to people other than characters in novels.

14 AGOUST difficult verbs.

Difficult Verbs

make v.s do

• Make usually conveys the idea of creating or producing something new:

• make a speech, a fuss, a noise, the beds, a (new) thing, (someone)ill/well/better, a mistake, a change.

• Do is used with work, obligations or general activities:

• do homework, housework, military service, your duty, a favour, (someone) good, with/without.

1. If you agreed, you'd be doing me a great favour
2. It's no good playing with Victoria. she make such a fuss if she doesn't win.
3. The visiting foreign dignitaries were invited to make speeches at the ceremonial opening of parliament.
4. What on earth have you done with the paper I was Reading just now?
5. If you make any noise, they'll hear us and call the police.
6. A complete rest would do you an awful lot of good.
7. Well, there just isn't any coffee. You'll have to do¿ without
8. The housekeeper always makes the beds straight after breakfast.
9. He's having a new suit made, as he can't find one in his size.
10. What do you feel like doing this weekend? walking? Eating out? Going for a swim?
11. Now that he's over eighteen, he'll have to do his military service.
12. Doctor, is this treatment really going to make me better?
13. Try to avoid make so many mistakes in the final version.
14. I didn't manage to do my homework, as I was at a rehearsal last night.
15. I expect the new manager will be make a few changes in some departments.
16. He always does the hoovering, but not without a bit of grumbling!
17. John, have you got a moment? I could do with some help.
18. I don't see what the problem is, Jess. You're making a mountain out of a molehill.
19. Shall I make a beef casserole for dinner?
20. I'm afraid I can't make it to the meeting tonight. I've got too much to do.

say/speak/tell/talk

• Say is used for direct or reported speech, with no personal direct object:

• tell the truth, a lie, fortunes, a story, someone something

• speak is often used for a single utterance or for knowledge of languages

• Can you speak French? note: He stopped speaking to me after our argument.
  

• talk is less formal, more conversational than speak, and refers to a longer activity:

• “The trouble with Marian is she talks too much.

• Can the baby talk yet?

• note: . Talk something over, talk about (discuss).

1. She was told to go home.
2. They told/ spoke quietly to each other for a long time.
3. “Come in”, he said.
4. The postman didn't tell me he had delivered a parcel.
5. How many languages do you speak?
6. Tell me! I must know! What did he speak to you?
7. Don't believe him. He always tells lies.
8. Now, stop talking everybody, and listen to me.
9. You must be silent while the judge is speaking.
10. There is nothing more to be said on the subject.
11. You can always tell the supervisor if you don't feel well.
12. I've just got one thing to say so listen carefully.
13. They will have to be told to pull their socks up.
14. Everything will be all right if you tell the truth.
15. I was so surprised I couldn't said a word.
16. Every time he tries to speak, he stutters.

arise/rise/raise

• Arise/arose/arisen means to occur (of a problem, difficulty or need) or to stand up (formal or poetic):

• Should any problems arise, let me know.

• Rise/rose/risen means to move upwards or stand up, and cannot take a direct object:

• He rose to his feet.

• Raise / raised / raised means to move something upwards, or cause something to grow or appear, and takes a direct object.

• He raised his eyes from his work.

• note: raise a smile/laugh, an army, a family, a protest doubts, fears, suspicions.

14 AGOUST_"TRUE BRIT: reading"

TRUE BRIT
I never know whether to apologise or stand on a soap box[1] and sing “Rule Brittania”. You see, I've currently got a couple of friends from foreign parts staying at my flat and ttthey are having a high old time.[2] London they think is a lovely place, exciting and beautiful, but just a trifle[3], well eccentric. To put it bluntly[4] the are confused and amused and amazed[5] and appalled[6] and distracted and attracted by just how peculiar a people we English are. They cannot get over [7]what a lot of idiosyncrasies this island race of ours has developed for itself.
It all began, I believe, with cricket. Because I was watching cricket on TV every day I thought it was my duty to educate these poor uncivilised souls in the rudiments of this glorious game. It was a mistake. I tried to explain about ins and outs, about LBW'S[8] and googlies, about why both teams wear the same kit, why each game lasts five days and why it doesn't really matter who wins. I even tried to explain the romance of village greens and leather on willow[9]. I shouldn't have.
The argument which ensued[10], ensured [11] that I learned a few home truths [12] about my country. The idiosyncrasies of Englishness as represented by the game of cricket were driven home to me by two foreigners speaking near perfect English. (We of course, refuse to learn a foreign language to remain isolated and aloof[13].) They argued that in England we build barriers of peculiarity in order to stay apart from other people. Thereby we feel different and special and everyone else just feels confused.
They pointed out [14] for example how we insisted on a completely different set of standards from every other European country. Where the rest measure weights in the decimal scale of grammes and kilos we stand proudly by ounces, pounds and stones. [15](Think how difficult it is to explain why there are 16 ounces to a pound and 14 pounds to a stone. Or at least I think there are.) Where he continent counts distance in metres and kilometres we alone have inches, feet, yards[16] and miles. We also have furlongs and acres and things, but I haven't got a clue [17]what they are. I will admit that we do even confuse ourselves sometimes.
Like temperature. we deal in Fahrenheit where freezing point is a very logical 32 degrees instead of that silly Centigrade with its ridiculous 0 to 100 degrees. I don't know how foreigners know whether they are hot or cold. Then again I don't know how they know when they see an English postage stamp because we alone refuse to put our name on them.
We also insist on driving on the left, just to confuse everybody including ourselves when we design to venture abroad. It also ensures that all our cars have to be specially made. We have a different system for shoe sizes and a different width of railway track so that our trains are only usable here. We even set our clocks on a totally different time scale to the rest of Western Europe so that things appear to happen here first.
Apparently, to the eyes of outsiders, we eat strangely: a fried dinner for breakfast and then the same for lunch and dinner. We drink copious amounts of beer even though the weather is rarely warm enough to raise a thirst. We also sit in deckchairs at the seaside when it is wet and windy when sane Continental souls would be inside with the central heating on. But if we ever did get midday sun we would insist on calling for some mad dogs[18] and going out to play. Probably cricket.
And it isn't just that. We all dress funny too, from fashion victims in clogs[19], tights[20] and pirate scarves[21], and that's the boys, to judges in wigs[22], businessmen in bowlers[23] and soldiers in bearskins. We treat animals like people, foreigners like fools, we say please perpetually, and apologise whenever anybody bumps into[24] us. All of this it seems makes us truly strange. I think I'll sing “Rule Brittania" [25]
[1] stand on a soap box – personal opinion, public place.
[2] a high old time. an enjoyable, fetive period or occasion.
[3] trifle. [ˈtraɪfl] to a small extent or degree; slightly: he is a trifle eccentric
[4] bluntly [ˈblʌntlɪ] 2. Abrupt and often disconcertingly frank in speech: "Onscreen, John Wayne was a blunt talker and straight shooter" Time. See Synonyms at gruff. “honest and direct”.
[5] amazed 1. To affect with great wonder; astonish. See Synonyms at surprise.
[6] appalled [] struck with fear, dread, or consternation aghast, dismayed, horrified
[7] get over. to overcome (a problem)
[8] LBW lbw Cricket leg before wicket. In the sport of cricket, leg before wicket (LBW) is one of the ways in which a batsman can be dismissed. An umpire will rule a batsman out LBW under a complex series of circumstances that primarily include the ball striking the batsman's body (usually the leg) when it would otherwise have continued to hit the wicket.

The LBW rule is designed to prevent a batsman simply using his body to prevent the ball from hitting the wicket (and so avoid being bowled out) rather than using his bat to do so.

Despite the word leg in leg before wicket, the rule applies if the ball hits the batsman on any part of his body, except for the glove of a hand in contact with the bat (which is considered part of the bat).
[9]googly. Cricket a ball bowled like a leg break but spinning from off to leg on pitching [Australian English]
[9]willow. Something, such as a cricket bat, that is made from willow.tree
[10] ensued .To follow as a consequence or result. See Synonyms at follow.
2. To take place subsequently.
[11] ensured. To make sure or certain; insure: Our precautions ensured our safety. See Usage Note at assure.
[12]home truths unpleasant facts told to a person about himself or herself
[13] aloof
adjective distant, cold, reserved, cool, formal, remote, forbidding, detached, indifferent, chilly, unfriendly, unsympathetic, uninterested, haughty, unresponsive, supercilious, unapproachable, unsociable, standoffish << style="font-weight: bold;">[14] point out comment, remark, notice.
[15]
[16] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_unit
[17]clue. not to have a clue
to be ignorant `How does that work?' `I haven't a clue.'
[18]mad dogs ”it is attributed to Noel Coward (1899-1973) from "Mad Dogs and Englishmen." The full quote is "Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the mid-day sun." I don't know if the phrase is original with Mr. Coward. I thought it was a comment by the natives, who knew how to sensibly deal with the heat.” http://members.aol.com/noelcow2/maddogs.wav
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdEnxNog56E
[19]clog. A heavy, usually wooden-soled shoe.
[20]tights leotards
[21] scarves (skärvz) A plural of scarf1. A long piece of cloth worn about the head, neck, or shoulders.
[22] wigs. An artificial covering of human or synthetic hair worn on the head for personal adornment, as part of a costume, or to conceal baldness.
[23]bowlers hats. bowler hat. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowler_hat
[24]bump into. To meet by chance: I often bump into him at the supermarket.
[25] Rule Brittania.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTZEcAY_95A&feature=related

5 AUGUST

clutching at straws- clutch/grasp at straws

1. to try any method, even those that are not likely to succeed, because you are in such a bad situation. He's hoping that this new treatment will help him but I think he's clutching at straws. (usually in continuous tenses)
2. to try to find reasons to feel hopeful about a situation when there is no real cause for hope. She thinks he might still be interested because he calls her now and then but I think she's clutching at straws. (usually in continuous tenses)
   

quiz
quiz [kwɪz] n (= game) → concurso: (TV, RADIO) → programa-concurso (= questioning); interrogatorio
vt → interrogar
verb-- question
season the soup .. add salt and pepper
season .. sea·son . [ˈsiːzn] n [of year] → estación f;
(sporting etc) → temporada;
(gen) → época, período
vt [+ food] → sazonar;
to be in/out of season → estar en sazón/fuera de temporada;
the busy season (for shops, hotels etc) → la temporada alta;
the open season (HUNTING) → la temporada de caza or de pesca
genius. [ˈdʒiːnɪəs]
jelous – envious
envious . en·vi·ous [ˈɛnvɪəs] adj → envidioso; [look] → de envidia
jealous jeal·ous [ˈdʒɛləs] adj (gen) → celoso (= envious); envidioso;
to be jealous → tener celos
grave – [greɪv] – (gräv) --
“a tight budget”
budget [ˈbʌdʒɪt] n → presupuesto
vi to budget for sth → presupuestar algo;
I'm on a tight budget → no puedo gastar mucho;
she works out her budget every month → planea su presupuesto todos los meses
“a burning ambition”
ambition Noun 1. strong desire for success 2. something so desired; a goal [Latin ambitio a going round (of candidates)]
burning . Adjective 1. intense; passionate 2. urgent; crucial: a burning problem
“crucial”- vital
a tip – piece of advice
tip [tɪp] n (= end) → punta (= gratuity); propina;
(BRIT) (for rubbish) → vertedero (= advice); consejo
vt [+ waiter] → dar una propina a (= tilt); inclinar (= empty) (also: tip out) → vaciar, echar (= predict) [+ winner] → pronosticar: [+ horse]; recomendar;
he tipped out the contents of the box → volcó el contenido de la caja
tip off vt → avisar, poner sobreaviso a
tip over vt → volcar
vi → volcarse
“go off the beaten track”
beat·en (btn) beaten: Worn by continuous use; familiar and much traveled: a village located well off the beaten path.

stick with staying --- continue to do it

1. stick with someone/something: to continue to be closely involved with someone or something

1. stick someone with someone/something: to force someone to do something or to have responsibility for someone. She claims that big power companies cut costs and stick their customers with high prices. They go out dancing and stick me with the baby.

“drifted into teaching” dift into =become involved in without planning
“all my papers were muddled up ” -- disorganised
mud·dle muddle [ˈmʌdl] v. muddle up
I'm all in the muddle-- I'm confused















sad.
feeling a bit blue ---

• blue - causing dejection; "a blue day"; "the dark days of the war"; "a week of rainy depressing weather"; "a disconsolate winter landscape"; "the first dismal dispiriting days of November"; "a dark gloomy day"; "grim rainy weather"
• dismal, drear, dreary, disconsolate, gloomy, dingy, drab, sorry, grim, dark
• cheerless, depressing, uncheerful - causing sad feelings of gloom and inadequacy; "the economic outlook is depressing"; "something cheerless about the room"; "a moody and uncheerful person"; "an uncheerful place"
  

be a bit down in the dumps ---

• down in the dumps Informal feeling depressed and miserable [probably from Middle Dutch domp haze]
• Examples: I'm sorry to hear that you are so down in the dumps. - Jack has really been down in the dumps lately, see if you can cheer him up.
  

felling a bit low/down today

Happy

I'm over the moon

• over the moon: extremely pleased and happy. When he sent me flowers and a note, I was over the moon.

ecstatic - ec·stat·ic [ɛksˈtætɪk]
adj.

1. Marked by or expressing ecstasy.
2. Being in a state of ecstasy; joyful or enraptured.
   

full of the joys of spring - joy [dʒɔɪ]

• be full of the joys of spring (British & Australian, humorous) to be very happy. He bounced into the office, full of the joys of spring.

Ill/sick

under the weather --

• not healthy. It's hard to keep working when you're under the weather.

be cook – australian
fell off colour--

• off colour. Adjective
  

1. slightly ill; unwell
2. slightly indecent: an off colour joke
   

Tired/ low energy

worm out

shattered. Adjective/ Informal

1. completely exhausted
2. badly upset: he was shattered by the separation
   

felling a bit low/down today

High energy

full of beans

1. Energetic; frisky: The children were too full of beans to sit still.
2. Badly mistaken: Don't believe him; he's full of beans.
   

angry

be like a bear with a sore head (British & Australian, humorous)

• to be in a bad mood which causes you to treat other people badly and complain a lot. If his newspaper doesn't arrive by breakfast time he's like a bear with a sore head.
• sore [sɔːʳ] adj (= painful) → doloroso, que duele (= offended); resentido
  

31JULY

31JULY
Profesions
actor/actress -or -er Vs ess
playwright
novelist
poet
biographer
screenwritter
Theatre -- stage
“waiting on the wings”
“break a leg”
curtains
blinds – telón
“All the world's a stage and we are ...”

William Blake
Tyger
Tyger, Tyger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare seize the fire?

And what shoulder, & what art,
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand? & what dread feet?

What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

When the stars threw down their spears
And water'd heaven with their tears,
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?

Tyger, Tyger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?










William Shakespeare - To be, or not to be (from Hamlet 3/1)
To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,