Showing posts with label intermediate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label intermediate. Show all posts

Saturday, 7 February 2015

Splinter, Sprinter, Spinster, Speedster - Words that sound alike! B2+

Splinter Sprinter Spinster Speedster...

What do they mean? Have you tried saying these words quickly? Difficult, right?

Splinter; (noun) that tiny little piece of wood that gets stuck in your hand, finger, foot or toe... 

Jack: "Ouch! I have a splinter in my finger and I can't get it out!"  

Jill: "How did you manage that?"

Jack: "I was lifting up that wooden table, when I felt something sharp go into my middle finger,"

Sprinter; (noun) someone who runs really fast.  Sprinting; (verb) Running really fast.

Jack: "I wanna be a 100 m sprinter when I grow up".

Jill: "You know you have to train really hard to be a sprinter!"

Jack: "Yeah, I know... It'll be a piece of cake."

Spinster; (noun) an unmarried woman, who lives on her own nor has a partner.

Jack: "If you don't go out with me, you're gonna end up an old Spinster!"

Jill: "So be it... I'd rather be a spinster than put up with you!"

Jack: "How rude!"

Speedster; (noun) a person or a thing that operates well at high speed, for example a fast car!

Jill: "Please don't speed in the car Jack! It's dangerous!"

Jack: "No need to worry Jill! I'm a speedster!"






Sunday, 12 October 2014

Arriving on time.... B1 +

Punctuality... What's your view?

Is it ok to keep someone waiting?

Would you be late for an interview? No! To meet the Queen or Antonio Banderas or Penelope Cruz? Then why arrive late when meeting a friend?

I don't like being late, it's physically impossible for me to be late. So, why is it so hard for others to keep time?

I live in a country where it's "acceptable " to be late... My students are sometimes late, my friends are late and some even turn up late for Zumba class. Some people do find it a challenge to be on time, especially with kids, etc. But I'm talking about single people.

For me it's quite simple... I know how long it takes me to get ready, I know that it takes an X amount of time to get somewhere (on foot, by car is different because your subject to traffic delays) and I leave enough time to do all this... The result? I arrive bang smack on time!

I try not to take it personally when someone is late.... I take a book and pretend that I'm having some quiet time alone to contemplate life... When really I look like Billy no mates, all dressed up and alone! Why? Cause my so called "best mate" could not be bothered to keep our engagement or simply got sidetracked on facebook and lost track of time! Is that a good enough excuse? I think not!

In my opinion, if you can't make it to the bar/restaurant for 8pm, make it 8.30!

What do you think?
Should people be on time?
Do I sound too condescending?
Maybe I should just chill out and not get annoyed about such trivial things....

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