~ A Cold Winter Day ~

The fat chunky snowflakes drifted down over the sidewalk, over the grass, over my car, over my weekend plans. No mall shopping, no visiting friends; maybe we could still go out to a nice restaurant later tonight? Well, make the best of it. Get the kids into their outdoor gear, hats, gloves, boots, and jackets. Get my stuff on, out into the cold, everyone gets a snow shovel and an area to start working on.


The white stuff is heavy but it is fun to push to the side and expose the brick, the blacktop, the sidewalk. The white everywhere reminds me of sand everywhere. Hopefully, the warm weather will arrive soon. The beach is waiting for me, with no shoveling to be done, except by some other mother's younger kids. I can almost feel the hot sun, the lounge chair, a cold drink. Oops, I forgot how cold it is out here, it is time to let my husband finish the job.

Vocabulary:

1. chunky (adjective) - large and solid

2. blacktop (noun) - paved driveway surface

3. shoveling (verb) - using a tool to move snow aside

4. lounge chair (noun) - low, reclining seat used at a resort or beach

5. sidewalk (noun) - concrete pathway for pedestrians

6. gear (noun) - outdoor clothing and accessories worn to keep warm

Practice:

1. Half of the students liked smooth peanut butter and half liked the ______ variety.

2. The color of the bricks made a nice contrast to the _________.

3. After a winter snow storm, people have to spend many hours _________.

4. It gave little support, but the ______ ______ was great for relaxing on the beach.

5. With so many cars passing, it was prudent to stay on the ___________.

6. The mountaineers were very careful that their _______ was in order.

Grammar point:

In this post, I have used a few nouns. A noun is used to describe a person, place, animal, or thing. Can you identify any additional nouns used in the blog?

What a great book!!!

Hurray!!! I finally completed reading El Amor en los Tiempos del Colera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Love in the Time of Cholera). Reading this novel in my native Spanish was a great experience, however, so many obstacles were thrown in my path to always prevent my sitting down with the book for more than ten minutes at a time. Work, children, dogs, and others managed to interrupt my reading sessions.

Then, on the beach in Aruba, peace and quiet at last. The richness of the language, the tempo and perfect choice of words transported me to another time and place during my childhood. I was transported to the setting of this amazing book, as well as to the setting of growing up in a Spanish speaking country. It has been at least 20 years since I read a novel for pure enjoyment in my native Spanish and it truly was an indescribable experience.

Vocabulary:

1. native (adjective) - first language learned growing up
2. obstacles (noun) - difficulties or items that stop you from doing something
3. interrupt (verb) - stop an activity without notice
4. sessions (noun) - periods of time set aside for an activity
5. tempo (noun) - pace and speed
6. transported (verb) - taken to another place physically or mentally
7. indescribable (adjective) - unable to describe with words

Practice:
Please write a comment about a similar experience you have had in which you felt truly moved by the words in a book or by the story itself in a book you have recently read?

Grammar point:
Adjectives are words used to describe or modify another person or thing in a sentence. Can you find any other adjectives used in this blog?

To blog? Is this an official new "verb"?

When I started my current ESL class at Molloy College, I was totally freaked out about the concept of "blogging". Due to multiple personal responsibilities, I have not been keeping up to date with the advancements of technology in the new millennium in the school environment, so when I when I was asked by my professor to start a blog, create a "voki", and add a "podcast" or "vodcast", I did not know where to begin to file the new English words into my ESL brain.



I have been aware that technology is an inseparable part of every day life. The developments in technology are simply amazing. No one is free from technology. Technology has taken over the world - the internet, texting, twitter, e-mail, and more. These words did not exist in my world twenty years ago when I learned to speak English. I am deeply concerned about the future of English Language Learners because even though I know that technology is a great, indispensable asset in our lives, it is creating additional new challenges for our students which requires the acquisition of complex language skills in order to successfully navigate in the world of technology.

Vocabulary:

1. freaked out: (idiom) big surprise, shock

2. blogging: (verb) communication via internet

3. multiple: (adjective) many

4. up to date: (idiom) the present, current

5. advancements: (adjective) new developments with a positive effect

6. environment: (noun) surrounding, the world

7. to file: (verb) to keep organized

8. inseparable: (adjective) can not be separated

9. indispensable: (adjective) can not live without it

10. asset: (noun)to gain

11. acquisition: (noun) to obtain

12. navigate: (verb) to move from one place to another with ease

Practice:

Please write a short comment about your own experience using technology. Were you "freaked out" with a recent development in technology? Do you agree or disagree that technology and our lives are inseparable?

Grammar point:

Verbs are words used in a sentence that convey actions. Can you identify any other verbs used in this blog?