Hugging

Read this New York Times article about teenagers and hugging, and watch the embedded video, Hugging is Hip. 
Does this change your idea of how Northamericans usually greet each other?
Use these materials in your classroom discussion on the ways you tend to greet each other.

Do you tend to take hugging as seriously as Martin Neufeld, author of "The Hugging Life"?



You may also enjoy the Free Hugs Campaign page, where you can find their video and the history of the movement.

Birth Order and Romantic Compatibility

If you want to know all about birth order and personality characteristics, go to birthorders.com

Both, Either, Neither, Nor and So

Take this online quiz and find out what cats and teenagers have in common.

ego4u quiz

A Heavy Collocation

Some collocations with heavy

CERTAIN TYPES OF WEATHER You can talk about:
• a heavy snowfall / heavy snow
• a heavy frost
• heavy rain
• a heavy storm
• heavy (storm) clouds
(But probably not, for example, a heavy typhoon or a heavy hurricane). 

WORK SCHEDULES You can talk about:
• a heavy schedule
• a heavy workload
• heavy day at the office
EATING, SLEEPING, DRINKING, SMOKING You can be a...
• heavy eater
• heavy sleeper
• heavy drinker
• heavy smoker
You can also eat a heavy lunch and certain types of cakes and sweets can be very heavy. (Fruit cake, for example is very heavy - eat a lot and you'll probably feel sick). 

TOO MUCH OF SOMETHING We can talk about:
• heavy make-up
• heavy traffic
DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND You can talk about:
• heavy reading material
• a heavy discussion
(But probably not a heavy explanation). You can also say that a person speaks English with a heavy foreign accent (also a strong foreign accent). 

RELATING TO LARGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY We often use this with large amounts money that we are unhappy about paying:
• If you park your car in the wrong place, you may have to pay a heavy fine.
• An investor can suffer heavy losses on the stock exchange.
(But probably not, for example, heavy phone bill. We would be more likely to say huge phone bill or hefty phone bill.

Short exercise

Rewrite the following sentences, using the word heavy.
1. Our office has been very busy today.
   - We've had a ______.
2. My brother smokes two packets of cigarettes a day.
   - My brother's ______.
3. Pierre's English is quite good, but he sounds very French.
   - Pierre speaks English with ______.
4. I'm sorry I'm late. I got stuck in a traffic jam.
   - I'm sorry I'm late. The traffic ______.
5. I dropped a candy wrapper on the street in Singapore and they fined me $400.
   - I dropped a candy wrapper on the street in Singapore and I was given ______.
6. She's quite pretty, but make-up is a bit excessive.
   - I wish she wouldn't wear such ______.
7. It was very frosty when we got up this morning.
   - The frost ______.

---

Thomas' Personal Information

You can copy some questions from Thomas' interview to use with your classmates.

Now you have all the information you need to write a paragraph about Thomas.

Identical Strangers

Paula Bernstein and Elyse Schein we're separated at birth in a secret twins study. They found each other as adults.

Reflexive Pronoun Quiz

Take this online quiz to see if you have mastered the use of reflexive pronouns.

Reflexive pronoun quiz

Reflexive Pronouns

Friends in Low Places

To have friends in high places is to know important people who can help you get what you want. The opposite situation was not usually expressed by switching high for low; that is, until the release of the song "Friends in Low Places" by American country music artist Garth Brooks. According to one of the song's composers, the idea of the song was born when he and some friends went out for lunch one day. When the check came, he realized he had forgotten his money. He was asked how he was going to pay for the meal, and he replied, "Don't worry. I have friends in low places. I know the cook."
"Friends in Low Places" entered the charts on August 18, 1990. It reached number one on October 6 and remained there for four weeks, but it is still popular in karaoke and as a sing-along party song. Brooks said once "We've had a lot of fun with that song, but it's nothing to base your values on."

Blame it all on my roots,

I showed up in boots,

And ruined your black tie affair.

The last one to know,

The last one to show,

I was the last one you thought you'd see there.

And I saw a surprise,

When I took his glass of champange,

I toasted you,

Said, Honey, we may be through,

But you'll never hear me complain,

(Chorus)

'Cause I got friends in low places,

Where the whiskey drowns,

And the beer chases my blues away,

But, I'll be okay.

Now I'm not big on social graces,

Think I'll slip on down to the oasis,

Oh I got friends,
In low places

I guess I was wrong 

I just don't belong
but then I've been there before,

Everything's alright
I'll just say goodnight 

and I'll show myself to the door.
Hey I didn't mean to cause a big scene

just give me an hour and then,

I'll be as high as that Ivory Tower
and you'll never know,

Chorus

Chorus

Identical Twins

An insight into the life of identical twins.

Some Strong Examples

A few examples of phrases using strong - for which weak is not a true opposite

strong-arm INFORMAL using physical force or violence. He tried to get his way through strong-arm tactics.

strong drink - drink containing much alcohol. She can't tolerate strong drink.

strong-minded - having a strong, unyielding mind or will. 

strong room  A strongly built fireproof room designed for the safekeeping of money or valuables.
strong silent type -A man of action who is reserved and masks his feelings. She always falls for the strong silent type.
strong suit. An area in which someone or something excels, as in  Writing is her strong suit. 


come on strong - SLANG to make a striking impression, often in an aggressive way

Artful Practice

For a little fun, and a little review of  reflexive pronouns, take a look at this presentation on Vincent VanGogh from starfall.com.
When you finish the VanGogh piece, keep going and look at Georges Seurat, Paul Gauguin, Marc Chagall, Ernie Barnes and Dorothy Strait. Each has something to say about the artist and about learning English.

Jumping Rope that's not Kids' Play

Double Dutch is a game in which two long jump ropes turning in opposite directions are jumped by one or more players jumping simultaneously. 

While Double Dutch began in the inner cities of America, it is growing in popularity throughout the US and the world. Competitions in Double Dutch range from block parties to the world level.

Playing Double Dutch involves at least three people: one or more jumping, and two turning the ropes. The ones holding the ropes are called the turners. A jumper usually performs tricks that may involve gymnastics or breakdance, and may also incorporate fancy foot movements.

Watch this introductory class

Then watch the champs

Used to...

Read about the uses of  "used to", then try the four exercises at the end of the article.

Used to Love U

Intercultural Differences

One way to constrast cultures is along the scale between individualism and collectivism.



If you enjoyed this video, try another which describes cultures, and their communications, as high context or low context.

Thanksgiving Traditions

Thanksgiving Day, currently celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November in the United States, has been an annual tradition since 1863.

It is thought that the first Thanksgiving was celebrated to give thanks to God for helping the Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony survive their first brutal winter in New England. The first Thanksgiving feast lasted three days providing enough food for 53 pilgrims and 90 Native Americans. 

In the United States, certain kinds of food are traditionally served at Thanksgiving meals. Firstly, baked or roasted turkey is usually the featured item on any Thanksgiving feast table (so much so that Thanksgiving is sometimes referred to as "Turkey Day"). Stuffing, mashed potatoes with gravy, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, sweet corn, other fall vegetables, and pumpkin pie are commonly associated with Thanksgiving dinner. All of these are actually native to the Americas or were introduced as a new food source to the Europeans when they arrived. 
The less fortunate are often provided with food at Thanksgiving time. Most communities have annual food drives that collect foods, and corporations sponsor charitable distributions of staple foods and Thanksgiving dinners.

The tradition of giving thanks to God is continued today in various forms. Various religious and spiritual organizations offer services and events on Thanksgiving themes the weekend before, the day of, or the weekend after Thanksgiving.

At home, it is a holiday tradition in many families to begin the Thanksgiving dinner by saying grace (a prayer before or after a meal). The custom is portrayed in the photograph “Family Holding Hands and Praying Before a Thanksgiving Meal.” Traditionally grace was led by the hostess or host, though in later times it is usual for others to contribute.

The Thanksgiving holiday weekend is one of the busiest travel periods of the year. Thanksgiving is a four-day or five-day weekend vacation for schools and colleges. Most business and government workers are given Thanksgiving and the day after as paid holidays. Thanksgiving Eve, the night before Thanksgiving, is one of the busiest nights of the year for bars and clubs, as many college students and others return to their hometowns to reunite with friends and family.

In New York City, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is held annually every Thanksgiving Day from the Upper West Side of Manhattan to Macy's flagship store in Herald Square, and televised nationally by NBC. The parade features parade floats with specific themes, scenes from Broadway plays, large balloons of cartoon characters and TV personalities, and high school marching bands. The float that traditionally ends the Macy's Parade is the Santa Claus float, the arrival of which is an unofficial sign of the beginning of the Christmas season.There are Thanksgiving parades in many other cities as well. 

American football is an important part of many Thanksgiving celebrations in the United States. Professional games are traditionally held on Thanksgiving Day; until recently, these were the only games played during the week apart from Sunday or Monday night. The National Football League has played games on Thanksgiving every year since its creation; the tradition is referred to as the Thanksgiving Classic. 

The Friday after Thanksgiving, although not a Federal holiday, is a holiday for many companies, except for those in retail. It is also a day off for most schools. It is popularly known as Black Friday, so-called because many stores reach sales numbers that take them out of the red and (hopefully) keep them in the black for the rest of the fiscal year. Black Friday has been considered by retailers to be the start of the Christmas shopping season since at least the 1930s. (adapted from Wikipedia)

For more information on Thanksgiving traditions visit Thanksgiving on the net or History.com, where you can watch videos about pumpkin pie, turkey, cranberries, and more.

Renaissance Festivals

Most Renaissance Festivals are arranged to represent an imagined village in England during the reign of Elizabeth I, as this period has been generally considered to correspond to the flowering of the English Renaissance.

In a modern Renaissance festival there are stages or performance areas set up for scheduled shows as well as audience participation comedy routines. Other performances include dancers, magicians, musicians, jugglers, and singers. Between the stages the streets ('lanes') are lined with stores ('shoppes') and stalls where independent vendors sell medieval and Renaissance themed handcrafts, clothing, books, and artworks. There are food and beverage vendors, as well as game and ride areas. Games include basic skills events such as archery or axe-throwing as well as Drench-a-Wench and Soak-a-Bloke, which allow a player with a good aim to hit a target and get a fair employee wet. Rides are typically unpowered—various animal rides and human-powered swings are common. Live animal displays and falconry exhibitions are also commonplace. Larger Renaissance fairs will often include a joust as a main attraction.

Fantasy elements, such as centaurs, are welcomed at some Renaissance fairs

In addition to the staged performances, a major attraction of Renaissance fairs is the crowds of actors - both professional and amateur - who play all sorts of historical figures and roam the fair, interacting with visitors. Visitors are encouraged to wear costumes. Many of the fair vendors sell or rent costumes for all ages and types. The Renaissance fair subculture's word for these costumed guests is "playtrons", a portmanteau of the words "patron" and "player", and they add a second level of enjoyment to their experience by "getting into the act" as Renaissance Lords and ladies, peasants, pirates, belly dancers, or fantasy characters.

Most fairs have an end-of-the-day ritual, a parade or concert where all employees gather and bid farewell to the patrons. For those who  work at the fair, the last concert that a festival holds for the season is traditionally an emotional moment. (from Wikipedia)

Take a look at the Renaissance Festival in Deerfield Park, Florida.

What activities would you most enjoy if you were to go to a Renaissance Festival?

What is a Survey?

This e-booklet "What is a Survey?" was written to help improve survey literacy among non-specialists.

To take a look at the information in the booklet,  use the Click here to read Chapter 1 link on the front page.

Kids' Play

Here are instructions for some kids' games. Did you play these games as a child? Where the rules the same or did you play differently?

Present Perfect with Time Expressions

American Family Traditions

How often has each of us seen something happen while with another person and much to our disappointment we each come away from the event with a different recollection? The cumulative effect of our life experiences creates in each of us a lens through which we observe what goes on around us. This lens focuses our attention on particular aspects of what we see. Society passes principles and values to future generations through Customs, Traditions and Rituals thatmold this lens through which we view our lives and shape our opinions. Throughout history, cultures have passed their Family Values to future generations by these means.
Americans have many Customs and Traditions rooted in the cultures of our forefathers who were either Native Americans or who settled this great land after journeying long distances from other nations in search of "The American Dream". Very often the display of an object or symbol that is meaningful to a family or to society can become a Custom, Tradition or Ritual. Family Values are reflected in the Customs and Traditions practiced.
Although tedious we must consider the definitions from the dictionary:
Habit: A behavior pattern acquired by frequent repetition or physiologic exposure that shows itself in regularity or increased facility of performance. An acquired mode of behavior that has become nearly or completely involuntary.
Custom: A usage or practice common to many or to a particular place or class, or habitual with an individual. Long established practice considered as unwritten law. Repeated practice. The whole body of usages, practices, or conventions that regulate social life.
Tradition: An inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior (as a religious practice or social custom). The handing down of information, beliefs, and customs by word of mouth or by example from one generation to another without written instruction. Cultural continuity in social attitudes, customs, and institutions. Characteristic manner, method, or style.
Ritual: The established form for a ceremony; the order of words prescribed for a religious ceremony. Ritual observance: system of rites, a ceremonial act or action or a customarily repeated often formal act or series of acts.


Several people have shared their family's Christmas Traditions on the americanfamilytraditions.com page.
How are they simlar to your family's tradition? How are they different?

Florida Festivals

The state of Florida is almost always hosting one festival or another. Between Miami, Orlando, Tampa, and Key West, you can be sure to find some grand tourist event on the calendar.
From the Gazparilla Pirate Fest in January each year, through Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party at year's end, Florida is always celebrating. 

If you're looking for something more small-town, these communities host some pretty amazing (and unusual) festivals. Read about 10 Small Towns and Festivals.


So, which festival would you most like to visit? Why?

How Culturally Aware are You?

Try a few of the cross-cultural quizes at kwintessential

Can you answer questions like:

 During a break for a meeting between you and a group of Saudis, you walk into the men's room to find a few of them washing their feet in the sink. You think:
They must have had smelly feet
They are simply freshening themselves up
Are preparing to read their prayers

2. You are asking a question of a junior Japanese colleague and he/she looks down and answers you. He/she :
Has something to hide and is looking for answers to cover his/her back
Is paying you respect

3. Your German colleague says about a proposal you have put together, "no offense, but this idea is ridiculous". He/she :
is merely expressing their opinion and means no harm
is being blunt and has no etiquette

There are many more questions - and the answers - at kwintessencial.

Time Expressions

There are many words and expressions to refer to time. You can use these to sequence events and to make stories more interesting.

The present – permanent

Use the present simple tense to refer to permanent situations in the present.

I now live in a small town.
Nowadays I live in a small town.
These days, I don't have much of a social life.

The present – temporary

Use the present continuous tense to refer to temporary situations in the present.

At present / At the moment I'm living in a small town.
For the time being I'm living in a small town, but I hope to move soon.

Talking about a period of time in the past

My mother started work as a nurse in the 1960s.
In those days she lived in London.
Back then nurses were badly paid.
At that time, nurses lived in special accommodation.

Talking about a single event in the past

At one time she lost her door key and had to stay in a hotel.
On one occasion she nursed the son of a famous politician.

Sequencing events in the past

There are many ways to sequence events in the past. Here are some of the more common ones.
After (in the middle of a sentence)
Afterwards / After that / After a while (at the beginning of a sentence)
Then / Before (in the middle or at the beginning of a sentence)
Before that / Previously / Until then (At the beginning of a sentence)
By the time (in the middle of a sentence followed by a past perfect tense)
By then / by that time (at the beginning of a sentence)
I went shopping after I finished work.
I worked all day in the office. Afterwards / After that, I went shopping.
I went shopping. After a while, I got bored.
I worked before I went shopping.
I went shopping at 6pm. Before that / Previously / Until then I had worked all day in the office.
I worked all day, then I went shopping.
I was desperate to go shopping by the time I had finished work.
I worked until 6pm. By then / By that time, I was glad for the opportunity to go shopping.

Other expressions to refer to the next event in a story

Later on
Before long
At that moment / Suddenly
Meanwhile
At the same time
Simultaneously (a more formal way of saying meanwhile / at the same time)
I worked and then went shopping. Later on I met some friends for pizza.
I waited for a while in the restaurant. Before long, the waiter came up and asked me…
At that moment / Suddenly, I heard the door slam.
Meanwhile / At the same time / Simultaneously my phone started to ring.

People who are no longer "around"

An ex-president = no longer the president: "The ex-president of France is still influential."
A previous / former boss: "A previous boss taught me how to make presentations."
"My former boss now works for a different company."
My late wife = my wife who has died: "My late wife painted watercolors."

(from english-at-home.com)

World's 10 Best Festivals

According to Lonely Planet...Being at festivals is like standing inside the mind of a culture as it dreams. They have the ability to be both extremely intimate and public spectacles at the same time. Here are 10 of the world’s best festivals. Let yourself go...And be sure to look through the picture gallery.

Poems

These two short poems are from the Library of Congress Poetry 180 program. A program which offers a poem a day for the 180 days of the U.S. school year. You can sign up to receive the daily poems by email.

This first poem uses the many meanings of the word "line" to talk about love.

Lines

Martha Collins

Draw a line. Write a line. There.
Stay in line, hold the line, a glance
between the lines is fine but don't
turn corners, cross, cut in, go over
or out, between two points of no
return's a line of flight, between
two points of view's a line of vision.
But a line of thought is rarely
straight, an open line's no party
line, however fine your point.
A line of fire communicates, but drop
your weapons and drop your line,
consider the shortest distance from x
to y, let x be me, let y be you.

This second poem expresses a belief in the impossible.

Foundations 

Leopold Staff

I built on the sand
And it tumbled down,
I built on a rock
And it tumbled down.
Now when I build, I shall begin
With the smoke from the chimney.

A Question Review

Look at this overview of Asking Questions.

Then try your hand at the exercises  - especially exercises, 6, 7 and 8

World Languages

Here is a map which classifies some of the large groups of languages in the world:



And if only we spoke them all, we could sing along with Simba.

Tag Questions

Tag Questions in Spoken English

Debating

Debate or debating is a formal method of interactive and representational argument. In a formal debating contest, there are rules for people to discuss and decide on differences, within a framework defining how they will interact. The outcome of a debate may be decided by audience vote, by judges, or by some combination of the two.  Formal debates between candidates for elected office, such as the leaders debates and the U.S. presidential election debates, are common in democracies.
The major goal of the study of debate is to develop one's ability to play from either position with equal ease. Debates are sometime organized for purely competitive purposes, particularly at the US high-school level, but also in other English-speaking countries. In schools and colleges, often, it takes the form of a contest with explicit rules. It may be presided over by one or more judges. Each side seeks to win, by following the rules, and even by using some rules to break other rules, within limits. Each side is either in favor of ("for, 'Affirmative' "), or opposed to ("against, 'Negative' ") a statement (proposition, moot or Resolution). 
In this video you can hear different types of talk: opening remarks, the statement of the rules of debate, and the beginning of the initial Affirmative presentation.


Want to hear more? The second of six parts of this championship is here.

Traditions at the University of Miami

What is the Freshman Walk? When is a boat burned in Lake Oceola? Where can you always find free pool and popcorn?


To learn about these and other details of campus life at the University of Miami see their School Spirit and Traditions page for prospective freshmen.

Famous American Speeches

The American Rhetoric site provides lists, videos and transcripts of famous American speeches.
On their list of Top 100 Speeches, the #1 slot is held by Martin Luther King, Jr. and his famous "I Have a Dream" speech. You can find excerpts from that speech, with subtitles, on the Cultural Access blog.
#2 is John F. Kennedy's inaugural address. A video of the first part of the address, and the complete text can be found on American Rhetoric.
Here is the end lines, which contain the famous "Ask not what your country can do for you..." quote, immediately recognized by any American.


The American Rhetoric site also presents a list of famous movie speeches,  Here's another presidential address, from a press conference in the movie The American President.

An Exchange Student in the USA

An AFS Exchange Student from the Ukraine hopes this video opens minds to a better world through student exchange. The student is hosted in the US as part of the FLEX program.

AFS

AFS Statement of Purpose

AFS is an international, voluntary, non-governmental, non-profit organization that provides intercultural learning opportunities to help people develop the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to create a more just and peaceful world.

The Core Values and Attributes of AFS

AFS enables people to act as responsible global citizens working for peace and understanding in a diverse world. It acknowledges that peace is a dynamic concept threatened by injustice, inequity and intolerance.

AFS seeks to affirm faith in the dignity and worth of every human being and of all nations and cultures. It encourages respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms without distinction as to race, sex, language, religion or social status.

AFS activities are based on our core values of dignity, respect for differences, harmony, sensitivity and tolerance.

Adopted at the 1993 World Congress.

World Englishes

A video and song (well - almost a song) about 30 countries with about a million (or more) speakers of English. In these countries English also has some official status. This is why countries like China which has millions of English learners are not listed. Nor are countries like Antigua which has fewer than a million speakers.

English as First Foreign Language Iniciative

The English as First Foreign Language Iniciative is working to instate English as the First Foreign language in  African countries.


Visit their web site.

What do  you think? Is their premise valid?

A new language

Read this newspaper article from USA Today, October 6, 2010; about the discovery of a new language in India.

By Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY

In the midst of a period of rapid language extinction, with a language estimated to die every two weeks, linguists have found a small ray of hope, a language previously unknown to science in far northeastern India.

A team of linguists working with National Geographic's Enduring Voices project uncovered this hidden language, known as Koro, in the state of Arunachal Pradesh. A member of the Tibeto-Burman language family, it has only 800 to 1,200 speakers and is unwritten.

The team was led by Gregory Anderson, who directs the Living Tongues Institute for Endangered Languages in Salem, Ore., and K. David Harrison, an associate professor of linguistics at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania. They videotaped speakers telling stories and talking, and made extensive word lists using the English alphabet to help classify the language.

Koro is very distinct from other languages spoken nearby, and the researchers hypothesize it may have originated from a group of people enslaved and brought to the area, though more research is needed.

Koro is so different from other Tibeto-Burman languages that the researchers have not been able to identify any in the language family that are closely related to it. The people who live in the area speak Aka languages, also very rare, and learn Hindi and English to speak to outsiders.

Koro was discovered when the research team went to the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh in 2008 to find out more about two poorly documented languages, Aka and Miji. To their surprise, they also began to hear a third, unknown language, Koro, which was not listed in any of the scientific literature.

Koro brings the number of known languages worldwide up to 6,909, Harrison says. He documents the discovery in a new book, The Last Speakers: The Quest to Save the World's Most Endangered Languages(National Geographic, $27). A scientific paper on Koro will be published in December in the journal Indian Linguistics.

Languages are important for many reasons, says Andrew Garrett, a professor of linguistics at the University of California-Berkeley.

Not only do they contain the essence of a culture, they also help us understand how the human mind works. "There's so much that we don't know yet about language, and so much of what we know is based on the set of big languages out of Europe."

Every time a language is lost, a complex and ancient constellation of stories, poems, myths and legends also dies, especially in smaller languages that are often unwritten, Garrett says. "It's as if we suddenly lost Greek and all the literature associated with it."

World Languages

A world language is a language spoken internationally, which is learned by many people as a second language. A world language is not only characterized by the number of its speakers (native or second language speakers), but also by its geographical distribution, and its use in international organizations and in diplomatic relations. In this respect, major world languages are dominated by languages of European origin. The historical reason for this is the period of European colonialism. World languages originating with historical colonial empires include English, Spanish, Portuguese and French 
The international prominence of Arabic has its historical reason in the medieval Islamic conquests and the subsequent Arabization of the Middle East, and also exists as a liturgical language in Muslim communities outside of the Arab World. Standard Mandarin is the direct replacement of Classical Chinese, and today serves the function of providing a common spoken language between speakers of different and mutually unintelligible Chinese spoken languages, not only in China but around the world. It is widely taught as a second language.


The native speaking population of Bengali vastly outnumber those who speak French as a first language, and it is one of the most spoken languages (ranking fifth or sixth) in the world with nearly 230 million total speakers, and is known for its long and rich literary tradition. However, it is not considered a world language. For while French is spoken intercontinentally and used as a diplomatic language and in international commerce, as well as having a significant portion of second language speakers throughout the world; the overwhelming majority of Bengali speakers are native Bengali people, with little to no influence outside of its regionally limited language space.
(from wikipedia)


Look at the world language maps provided by wikipedia.


Spanish and English are both Indo-European languages, Spanish in the Romance family and English in the Norse Germanic family. 

How to Read a Poem Out Loud

Former Poet Laureate of the United States, Billy Collins, offers these tips on reading poetry out loud, as part of his Poetry 180 program:

No doubt, most of the readers will be students with little or no experience in reading poetry out loud, especially to such a large group. And we know that a poem will live or die depending on how it is read. What follows, then, are a few pointers about the oral recitation of poetry. The readers, by the way, should not read cold; they should be given their poem a few days in advance so they will have time to practice, maybe in the presence of a teacher. In addition to exposing students to the sounds of contemporary poetry, Poetry 180 can also serve as a way to improve students' abilities to communicate publicly. Here are a few basic tips:

1. Read the poem slowly. Most adolescents speak rapidly, and a nervous reader will tend to do the same in order to get the reading over with. Reading a poem slowly is the best way to ensure that the poem will be read clearly and understood by its listeners. Learning to read a poem slowly will not just make the poem easier to hear; it will underscore the importance in poetry of each and every word. A poem cannot be read too slowly, and a good way for a reader to set an easy pace is to pause for a few seconds between the title and the poem's first line.
2. Read in a normal, relaxed tone of voice. It is not necessary to give any of these poems a dramatic reading as if from a stage. The poems selected are mostly written in a natural, colloquial style and should be read that way. Let the words of the poem do the work. Just speak clearly and slowly.
3. Obviously, poems come in lines, but pausing at the end of every line will create a choppy effect and interrupt the flow of the poem's sense. Readers should pause only where there is punctuation, just as you would when reading prose, only more slowly.
4. Use a dictionary to look up unfamiliar words and hard-to-pronounce words. To read with conviction, a reader needs to know at least the dictionary sense of every word. In some cases, a reader might want to write out a word phonetically as a reminder of how it should sound. It should be emphasized that learning to read a poem out loud is a way of coming to a full understanding of that poem, perhaps a better way than writing a paper on the subject.
   
   Now listen to a reading of one of Billy Collins' poems:

I Might Fall Back Down Again

This video is from the movie Ice Princess and the song is Get Up by Superchick. The songs expresses the future possibility of falling and getting up again many times before you succeed.

I'm not afraid to fall
It means I climbed up high
To fall is not to fail
You fail when you don't try
I'm not afraid to fall
I might just learn to fly and
I will spread these wings of mine

If I get up I might fall back down again
So let's get up come on
If I get up I might fall back down again
We get up anyway
If I get up I might fall back down again
So let's get up come on
If I get up I might fall back down again
And I might fall back down again
We'll just jump and see, even if it's the 20th time
we'll just jump and see if we can fly

I'm not afraid to fall
And hear I told you so
Don't want to rock the boat
But I just had to know
Just a greener side
Or can I touch the sky
But either way I will have tried

If I get up I might fall back down again
So let's get up come on
If I get up I might fall back down again
We get up anyway
If I get up I might fall back down again
So let's get up come on
If I get up I might fall back down again
And I might fall back down again
We'll just jump and see, even if it's the 30th time
We'll just jump and see if we can fly

I'm not afraid to fall
I've fallen many times
They laughed when I fell down
But I have dared to climb
I'm not afraid to fall
I know I'll fall again
But I can win this in the end

If I get up I might fall back down again
So let's get up come on
If I get up I might fall back down again
We get up anyway
If I get up I might fall back down again
So let's get up come on
If I get up I might fall back down again
And I might fall back down again
We'll just jump and see, even if it's the 40th time
We'll just jump and see if we can fly

If I get up I might fall back down again
So let's get up come on
If I get up I might fall back down again
We get up anyway
If I get up I might fall back down again
So let's get up come on
If I get up I might fall back down again
And I might fall back down again

Could

Look over this review of the uses of "could".

Then try out the exercises that appear at the bottom of the page.


Could you get the answers?
They could be a bit tricky.
You could always ask your teacher for some help.

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What bad eating habits do you have?

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