tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66138568222890735872024-02-07T13:36:25.281+08:00Free Daily English Lessons!Study English every day—absolutely free!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger520125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613856822289073587.post-56979097056127219472013-03-02T03:08:00.004+08:002023-11-01T15:54:10.545+08:00Please Stand By<span>Dear Friends,<br /><br />Because
of the unexpected travel required by the recent death of my father, I
have fallen behind a bit in the production of my lessons; I'll catch up
again in a few days. Thanks for your patience.<br /><br />James</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613856822289073587.post-77807108127772696362013-02-28T07:30:00.000+08:002013-02-28T07:30:02.169+08:00A Pig in a Poke 3Lesson from the Shenzhen Daily:<br /><a href="http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-05/18/content_627540.htm">http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-05/18/content_627540.htm</a><br /><br />Practice the conversation; study the vocabulary; then discuss the questions with a friend in English.<br /><br />Questions:<br />1. There are eight expressions in this lesson. Use some of them in sentences or short dialogues.<br />2. Have you ever lived "high on the hog"? "Gone whole hog" or "hog wild" for something? Talk about your experiences.<br />3. Do you believe one shouldn't "cast pearls before swine"? Or that "you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear"? Why or why not?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613856822289073587.post-51534526071000604522013-02-27T07:30:00.000+08:002013-02-27T07:30:02.247+08:00A Pig in a Poke 2Lesson from the Shenzhen Daily:<br /><a href="http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-05/14/content_623076.htm">http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-05/14/content_623076.htm</a><br /><br />Practice the conversation; study the vocabulary; then discuss the questions with a friend in English.<br /><br />Questions:<br />1. There are six expressions in this lesson. Use each one in a sentence or short dialogue.<br />2. Have you ever tried to catch "a greased pig" (literally or figuratively)? Or been used as a "guinea pig"? Talk about your experiences.<br />3. What do you think might happen "when pigs fly"?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613856822289073587.post-40717844847395718012013-02-26T07:30:00.000+08:002013-02-26T07:30:01.181+08:00A Pig in a Poke 1Lesson from the Shenzhen Daily:<br /><a href="http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-05/12/content_619900.htm">http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-05/12/content_619900.htm</a><br /><br />Practice the conversation; study the vocabulary; then discuss the questions with a friend in English.<br /><br />Questions:<br />1. There are nine expressions in this lesson. Use some of them in sentences or short dialogues.<br />2. Have you ever bought "a pig in a poke"? Saved money in a "piggy bank"? Been "as happy as a pig in mud"? "Made a pig out of yourself?" Talk about your experiences.<br />3. What could make you "sweat like a pig"? "Bleed like a stuck pig"? "Pig out?"Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613856822289073587.post-86747517425489511352013-02-25T07:30:00.000+08:002013-02-25T07:30:00.881+08:00Dog Eat Dog 2Lesson from the Shenzhen Daily:<br /><a href="http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-05/11/content_618770.htm">http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-05/11/content_618770.htm</a><br /><br />Practice the conversation; study the vocabulary; then discuss the questions with a friend in English.<br /><br />Questions:<br />1. There are ten expressions in this lesson. Use some of them in sentences or short dialogues.<br />2. Have you ever "fought like cats and dogs" with someone? Who? Have you ever had to "put on the dog"? Been in a situation where "the tail is wagging the dog"? Met someone "as crooked as a dog's hind leg"? Talk about your experiences.<br />3. Do you believe that "it's a dog eat dog world"? That "every dog has its day"? That you should "let sleeping dogs lie"? That "you can't teach an old dog new tricks"? Why or why not?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613856822289073587.post-36604291944426373702013-02-24T07:30:00.000+08:002013-02-24T07:30:00.718+08:00Dog Eat Dog 1Lesson from the Shenzhen Daily:<br /><a href="http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-05/07/content_614063.htm">http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-05/07/content_614063.htm</a><br /><br />Practice the conversation; study the vocabulary; then discuss the questions with a friend in English.<br /><br />Questions:<br />1. There are seven expressions in this lesson. Use each one in a sentence or short dialogue.<br />2. Have you ever been "in the doghouse"? In a situation that has "gone to the dogs"? Been "dog tired," or "sick as a dog"? Talk about your experiences.<br />3. Why do you think people used to believe in "the hair of the dog that bit you"?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613856822289073587.post-30501448018315267512013-02-23T07:30:00.000+08:002013-02-23T07:30:01.080+08:00Horsing Around 2Lesson from the Shenzhen Daily:<br /><a href="http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-04/28/content_603431.htm">http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-04/28/content_603431.htm</a><br /><br />Practice the conversation; study the vocabulary; then discuss the questions with a friend in English.<br /><br />Questions:<br />1. There are ten expressions in this lesson. Use some of them in sentences or short dialogues.<br />2. Have you ever had "a charley horse"? Been in "a one-horse town"? "Backed the wrong horse"? Talk about your experiences.<br />3. Do you prefer to "get things straight from the horse's mouth"? What are the advantages and disadvantages?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613856822289073587.post-64531574526136205232013-02-22T07:30:00.000+08:002013-02-22T07:30:00.642+08:00Horsing Around 1Lesson from the Shenzhen Daily:<br /><a href="http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-04/27/content_602159.htm">http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-04/27/content_602159.htm</a><br /><br />Practice the conversation; study the vocabulary; then discuss the questions with a friend in English.<br /><br />Questions:<br />1. There are five expressions in this lesson. Use each one in a sentence or short dialogue.<br />2. Have you ever "closed the barn door after the horse is gone"? "Looked a gift horse in the mouth"? "Put the cart before the horse"? Talk about your experiences.<br />3. Do you believe that "you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink"? Or that you "shouldn't change horses in mid-stream"? Why or why not?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613856822289073587.post-55539790476248411812013-02-21T07:30:00.000+08:002013-02-21T07:30:01.574+08:00By the NumbersLesson from the Shenzhen Daily:<br /><a href="http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-04/23/content_597113.htm">http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-04/23/content_597113.htm</a><br /><br />Practice the conversation; study the vocabulary; then discuss the questions with a friend in English.<br /><br />Questions:<br />Take the quiz before you answer these questions:<br />1. Use the expressions in sentences or short dialogues.<br />2. Do you work in a "nine-to-five" job? Have you ever been in "seventh heaven"? What do you do "nine times out of 10"? Talk about your experiences.<br />3. Do you believe that "two heads are better than one"? That "two wrongs don’t make a right"? That "two’s company, three’s a crowd"? Why or why not?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613856822289073587.post-78827150379548370302013-02-20T07:30:00.000+08:002013-02-20T07:30:00.385+08:00Earth Day VocabularyLesson from the Shenzhen Daily:<br /><a href="http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-04/21/content_594657.htm">http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-04/21/content_594657.htm</a><br /><br />Practice the conversation; study the vocabulary; then discuss the questions with a friend in English.<br /><br />Questions:<br />1. Use the words in sentences or short dialogues.<br />2. Do you practice the "Three Rs" or any part of them? Why or why not?<br />3. Is sustainability important? Why or why not?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613856822289073587.post-10943883703983327312013-02-19T07:30:00.000+08:002013-02-19T07:30:02.096+08:00You're Number OneLesson from the Shenzhen Daily:<br /><a href="http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-04/20/content_593367.htm">http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-04/20/content_593367.htm</a><br /><br />Practice the conversation; study the vocabulary; then discuss the questions with a friend in English.<br /><br />Questions:<br />Take the quiz before you answer these questions:<br />1. Use these expressions in sentences or short dialogues.<br />2. Has anyone ever "pulled a fast one" on you? Have you ever had "one of those days"? Or "one too many"? Talk about your experiences. <br />3. Do you know someone who is "one in a million"? "One of the boys"? Your "one and only"? Talk about these people.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613856822289073587.post-60810546938952560322013-02-18T07:30:00.000+08:002013-02-18T07:30:01.770+08:00For the birds 2Lesson from the Shenzhen Daily:<br /><a href="http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-04/16/content_588550.htm">http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-04/16/content_588550.htm</a><br /><br />Practice the conversation; study the vocabulary; then discuss the questions with a friend in English.<br /><br />Questions:<br />1. There are four "bird expressions" in this dialogue. Explain what each one means.<br />2. Use each one in a sentence or short dialogue.<br />3. Does your language have expressions that have the same meaning as these "bird expressions" but don't use the word "bird"? What are they? What do they mean?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613856822289073587.post-26042723812024930672013-02-17T07:30:00.000+08:002013-02-17T07:30:00.689+08:00For the birds 1Lesson from the Shenzhen Daily:<br /><a href="http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-04/14/content_585303.htm">http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-04/14/content_585303.htm</a><br /><br />Practice the conversation; study the vocabulary; then discuss the questions with a friend in English.<br /><br />Questions:<br />1. There are seven "bird expressions" in this dialogue. Explain what each one means.<br />2. Use each expression in a sentence or short dialogue.<br />3. Do you have expressions using "bird" in your language? What are they? What do they mean?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613856822289073587.post-59150683783251673032013-02-16T07:30:00.000+08:002013-02-16T07:30:01.519+08:00Roman NumeralsLesson from the Shenzhen Daily:<br /><a href="http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-04/13/content_584187.htm">http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-04/13/content_584187.htm</a><br /><br />Practice the conversation; study the vocabulary; then discuss the questions with a friend in English.<br /><br />Questions:<br />1. Try writing the following in Roman numerals. Follow the rules in the lesson: 19, 108, 692, 3461. Answers below.<br />2. Where might we find Roman numerals? Try to think of some places besides the ones in the lesson.<br />3. Can you imagine doing mathematics with Roman numerals? Like, "What's DCXCII - CVIII"? Try it! Answer below.<br />Answers: 19=XIX, 108=CVIII, 692=DCXCII, 3421=MMMCDLXI.<br />DCXCII (692) - CVIII (108) = DLXXXIV (584)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613856822289073587.post-79600750989733187612013-02-15T07:30:00.000+08:002013-02-15T07:30:02.463+08:00A Graphic Description 3Lesson from the Shenzhen Daily:<br /><a href="http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-04/09/content_579197.htm">http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-04/09/content_579197.htm</a><br /><br />Practice the conversation; study the vocabulary; then discuss the questions with a friend in English.<br /><br />Questions:<br />1. Use each of the words in a sentence or short dialogue.<br />2. Learn some other words, like "sonar" or "telephoto," that use some of the other parts of the words below--like "photo," "sono," or "tele."<br />3. Just for fun, try creating some new words using the roots in the last few lessons. What would "calliphone," "monophone," or "seismophone" mean?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613856822289073587.post-64130004094027084482013-02-14T07:30:00.000+08:002013-02-14T07:30:00.835+08:00A Graphic Description 2Lesson from the Shenzhen Daily:<br /><a href="http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-04/07/content_576569.htm">http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-04/07/content_576569.htm</a><br /><br />Practice the conversation; study the vocabulary; then discuss the questions with a friend in English.<br /><br />Questions:<br />1. Based on the information below, can you guess the meaning of "geology," "homophone," and "phonology"? Look them up after you guess.<br />2. Use each of the words in a sentence or short dialogue.<br />3. One who studies "oceanography" is an "oceanographer." Can we say one who uses a "phonograph" is a "phonographer"? Why or why not?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613856822289073587.post-31252976300849866522013-02-13T07:30:00.000+08:002013-02-13T07:30:00.469+08:00A Graphic Description 1Lesson from the Shenzhen Daily:<br /><a href="http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-04/06/content_575154.htm">http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-04/06/content_575154.htm</a><br /><br />Practice the conversation; study the vocabulary; then discuss the questions with a friend in English.<br /><br />Questions:<br />1. What is the difference between "an autographed copy" and "an autograph copy"?<br />2. In what sense is "choreography" related to writing or drawing?<br />3. Why are "ECG" and "EKG" (for "electrocardiogram") both correct?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613856822289073587.post-30360337340468698712013-02-12T07:30:00.000+08:002013-02-12T07:30:02.923+08:00Some University Degree AbbreviationsLesson from the Shenzhen Daily:<br /><a href="http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-04/02/content_571192.htm">http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-04/02/content_571192.htm</a><br /><br />Practice the conversation; study the vocabulary; then discuss the questions with a friend in English.<br /><br />Questions:<br />1. Look up other degrees (M.A., J.D., and others) and explain what they mean.<br />2. Bill Gates and Steve Jobs never finished college. How important is it for the rest of us? <br />3. Why do you think a list of degrees is sometimes called "alphabet soup"?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613856822289073587.post-8349217729531065512013-02-11T07:30:00.000+08:002013-02-11T07:30:00.654+08:00Latin Expressions 6Lesson from the Shenzhen Daily:<br /><a href="http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-03/31/content_568404.htm">http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-03/31/content_568404.htm</a><br /><br />Practice the conversation; study the vocabulary; then discuss the questions with a friend in English.<br /><br />Questions:<br />1. Can you think of other English abbreviations besides the ones given in today's (and yesterday's) lessons? Make a list and say what they mean.<br />2. Use the abbreviations in this lesson in sentences or short dialogues. Be sure to pronounce them properly.<br />3. In the age of computers, is there any need for "p.s." any more? How could it be used?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613856822289073587.post-88586149863153552302013-02-10T07:30:00.000+08:002013-02-10T07:30:01.028+08:00Latin Expressions 5Lesson from the Shenzhen Daily:<br /><a href="http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-03/30/content_567036.htm">http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-03/30/content_567036.htm</a><br /><br />Practice the conversation; study the vocabulary; then discuss the questions with a friend in English.<br /><br />Questions:<br />1. What abbreviations are used in your language? What do they mean?<br />2. Use the abbreviations in this lesson in sentences or short dialogues. Be sure to pronounce them properly.<br />3. Describe the difference between "e.g." and "i.e."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613856822289073587.post-55879978414404337372013-02-09T07:30:00.000+08:002013-02-09T07:30:00.627+08:00Latin Expressions 4Lesson from the Shenzhen Daily:<br /><a href="http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-03/26/content_562370.htm">http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-03/26/content_562370.htm</a><br /><br />Practice the conversation; study the vocabulary; then discuss the questions with a friend in English.<br /><br />Questions:<br />1. Practice using some of these expressions (and the ones from yesterday) in sentences or short dialogues.<br />2. Can you think of examples of these? For example, do you know of a book or movie that starts "In medias res"?<br />3. Two Latin prepositions on the list are the same as in English ("in" and "in," "per" and "per"); others are different. Why do you think this is?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613856822289073587.post-4329499357580463492013-02-08T07:30:00.000+08:002013-02-08T07:30:01.202+08:00Latin Expressions 3Lesson from the Shenzhen Daily:<br /><a href="http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-03/24/content_559901.htm">http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-03/24/content_559901.htm</a><br /><br />Practice the conversation; study the vocabulary; then discuss the questions with a friend in English.<br /><br />Questions:<br />1. What is a preposition? How are they used in English? In your language?<br />2. Learn the meanings of the eight Latin prepositions here.<br />3. Where else do we see these prepositions? For example, "ante" is in "anteroom," "de" is in "deplane," and so on.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613856822289073587.post-2091941800107388352013-02-07T07:30:00.000+08:002013-02-07T07:30:01.940+08:00Latin Expressions 2Lesson from the Shenzhen Daily:<br /><a href="http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-03/23/content_558642.htm">http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-03/23/content_558642.htm</a><br /><br />Practice the conversation; study the vocabulary; then discuss the questions with a friend in English.<br /><br />Questions:<br />1. Using the pronunciation guide, try to say these expressions.<br />2. Choose some of today's expressions and use them in a sentence or a short dialogue.<br />3. Have you seen some of these words (like "curriculum" or "magnum") in other uses? Talk about them.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613856822289073587.post-15010847001341282412013-02-06T07:30:00.000+08:002013-02-06T07:30:02.957+08:00Latin Expressions 1Lesson from the Shenzhen Daily:<br /><a href="http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-03/19/content_554329.htm">http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-03/19/content_554329.htm</a><br /><br />Practice the conversation; study the vocabulary; then discuss the questions with a friend in English.<br /><br />Questions:<br />1. What are the main periods of the Latin language? Why do you think there are so many?<br />2. Using the pronunciation guide, try to say the three expressions at the end of the article.<br />3. Use each of those expressions in a sentence or a short dialogue.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613856822289073587.post-3934559282370591372013-02-05T07:30:00.000+08:002013-02-05T07:30:00.858+08:00Classical Proverbs 3--LatinLesson from the Shenzhen Daily:<br /><a href="http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-03/17/content_551273.htm">http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2009-03/17/content_551273.htm</a><br /><br />Practice the conversation; study the vocabulary; then discuss the questions with a friend in English.<br /><br />Questions:<br />Be sure to do the quiz in yesterday's lesson first. Then answer these questions.<br />1. There are six proverbs in today's lesson. Make a short dialogue using each one.<br />2. Do you have any interesting proverbs in your language that mean the same as these? Talk about them.<br />3. Which proverb is the most useful for you? Why?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0