It's Time to Play the NPR Sunday Puzzle!

I'm going to name two things from the same category. You name the only thing in that category that fits between my two things alphabetically.

Ex. Blue   Indigo   -->   GREEN (Category: colors of the rainbow)

 

1. August / February

 

2. Five / Nine

 

3. Bashful / Dopey

 

4. Tau / Upsilon

 

5. Kings / Lakers

 

6. Nixon / Pierce

 

7. Ventnor Avenue / Virginia Avenue

 

8. Cuspid / Molar

 

Answer Keys

    1.  DECEMBER (Category: Months)

    2.  FOUR (Category: Numbers)

    3.  DOC (Category: Seven Dwarfs’ Names)

    4.  THETA (Category: letters of the Greek alphabet (19th and 20th respectively)

    5.  KNICKS (Category: NBA TEAMS)

    6.  OBAMA (Category: The U.S. President’s last name)

    7.  VERMONT (Category: The street names from Monopoly board game)

    8.  INCISOR (Category: names of teeth)

LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE SERIES #14. The Analects of Confucius

LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE

Do you take delight in watching films or listening to pop music? For English learners, movies, songs, and books are one of the most wonderful sources to explore the language! You can indulge in your favorite pastime and still learn some expressions, words of wisdom, and oftentimes good lessons while you’re at it.

 

#14. The Analects of Confucius

 

1.   “The failure to cultivate virtue, the failure to examine and analyze what I have learnt, the inability to move towards righteousness after being shown the way, the inability to correct my faults – these are the causes of my grief.”

 

*”to cultivate virtue” means “to actively and intentionally try to develop or improve positive character traits such as honesty, courage, compassion, justice through consistent practice and habituation” This act of improvement is supposed to continue outside family and/or school boundaries to make our society a better place for all.

……………………………………………………………………………………….

2.   “I do not expound my teaching to any who are not eager to learn; I do not help out any one who is not anxious to explain himself; if, after being shown one corner of a subject, a man cannot go on to discover the other three, I do not repeat the lesson.”

 

*To expound something to someone means “to give someone elaborate and systematic explanation or commentary in detail.”

 

As well aware, the Analects of Confucius transcends time and space in teaching people the most fundamental philosophy or wisdom for living a good life not only as a private individual, but also as a citizen of a society in harmony with others. The Chinese philosopher Confucius and his disciples discuss a variety of qualities we need to improve ourselves and this world we live in.

 

** Jean’s Small Thoughts:

As a language teacher, I have often reflected on how I could better support my EFL students in Korea in developing both their language proficiency and their confidence to speak in class. When I think back on the Communicative English courses I taught, I realize that I sometimes imposed my own thoughts on students by completing their sentences while they were still quietly searching for the right English words to express themselves. I failed to consider how they might have felt when they were interrupted during that process. Without being aware of it, I likely raised the affective filter between my students and myself. Now, recognizing and regretting my impatience, I remind myself that, as Confucius suggested, I must first improve myself before trying to cultivate virtues in others.

Let's Go Over Some Buzzwords from the Latest World News!

BUZZWORDS from latest news!

Reading or following the news updates can make one good way to learn about trending words. Here are some of the buzzwords from latest world news from the last week of February.

 

    1.   contingent (noun): any one of the representative groups composing an assemblage or a specific delegation

E.g., The contingent of so-called new media arrived early to secure their spots at the conference.

 

 

    2.   floe (noun): a flat mass of ice drifting at sea

E.g., Scientists noted that polar bears were traveling from one ice floe to another while searching for food.

 

 

    3.   Gulag (noun): a Soviet Russian prison camp for political prisoners

E.g., Moscow’s Gulag History Museum, which has chronicled Stalin’s forced labor camps since its opening in 2001, is set to be replaced by a new institution dedicated to Nazi war crimes. This change occurs as the Russian government increasingly minimizes the violence carried out against its own citizens during the Soviet era, including abuses within its infamous prison camps.

 

 

    4.   "Operation Epic Fury": The codename for a massive joint military strike by the U.S. and Israel on Iran in late February 2026.

E.g., Operation Epic Fury is currently in progress in the Middle East. The United States and Israel have initiated airstrikes targeting multiple locations within Iran.

 

 

    5.   "Agentic AI": Referring to the shift toward more autonomous artificial intelligence systems in business.

E.g., Pioneers across IT, HR, finance, security, engineering, and customer support are leveraging agentic AI to minimize manual tasks, enhance precision, and speed up resolution processes.

 

 

    6.   stablecoin: a type of cryptocurrency designed to maintain a stable value, which offers a more consistent value for daily transactions

E.g., Businesses are more frequently adopting stablecoins to complete cross-border payments more quickly and at reduced costs compared to conventional banking methods.

Why don't we write some pieces of HAIKU poems?

Do you enjoy reading poems? One of the simplest, shortest, but intense (in conveying ideas) poems might be the traditional Japanese “Haiku”. A haiku is a three-line poem with a 5 (in the 1st line), 7 (in the 2nd line), 5 (in the last line) syllable structure, typically focusing on the theme of nature, that doesn't rhyme. 

Hoping you all find some time to stop and create your own Haiku poetry about anything that comes to your mind here and now!! I believe it might be one good way to welcome the upcoming season of Spring.

As a Haiku lover, I would like to share mine for each season in a year we live. 

Winter

by Jean J. Lee 

Start to see your breath?

Icicles deck the roof top

Watch your squeaky steps

Spring

by Jean J. Lee

Mizzle sounds quiet

Its petrichor smells so sweet

Daffodil paints town

Summer

by Jean J. Lee

Shades and sombreros

Hide and seek with the sunray

Long good books cool you

Fall 

by Jean J. Lee

Trees changing colors

Leaves keep dancing with rustles

Fill your plates with figs

What are you, friends?: MUMPSIMUS vs. SUMPSIMUS

Are you a mumpsimus or a sumpsimus?

The well-known phrase “teaching an old dog new tricks” always makes me think about the old generations called boomers, which could broadly include people at my age, and their own stubborn modus vivendi.  Although quite a few mid-aged fellas and the elderly folks around us are trying to stay young and refreshed, the way they think or see the world often renegades their labels down to the stick-in-the-mud or fossilized mumpsimus.  A mumpsimus is someone who sticks to a mistaken belief, habit, or usage despite clear evidence that it is wrong.  On the opposite side on the scale of tendency in life is a sumpsimus who’s willingly correcting form or accepting/ adopting the correction. Which side are you gravitating toward in life?

 

 

Where do I stand on the scale of being mumpsimus and sumpsimus?

When it comes to......

-          food choices, I am low-key mumpsimus because I would like to stay on the safe side by eating familiar food.

t     teaching grammar in a language, I make it a rule to let my students write and speak on the basis of the correct prescriptive grammar. However, I am also open to let them flexible in case the old prescriptive grammar has become way too outdated and the new descriptive grammar are more often in use. 

-          fashion statement, I try trendy styles now and then, but can’t stand skimpy clothes that I loved to wear in my 20s. Most of the time, I am wearing the same old comfy outfits even if they belong to the has-been styles that are not in vogue anymore.

-          exercise, running is definitely on top of my priority workout list albeit many people say it is not the best activity for ageing people.

-          relationships, I have never been a sociable “party person” or the one who takes delight in expanding the loop of friends or acquaintances. I tend to spend my life with those who are on the same wavelength with me. That is obviously why I can’t take full advantage of using social media platform to befriend total strangers.

-          movie genres or books, I love any kind of films of books as long as they help me understand the meaning of life.

-          love, I am still working on the definition of “L.O.V.E.” because it would be unimaginably challenging for me to venture out my comfort zone to fall in love with somebody outside my marital status. Some may argue that love cannot be restrained only to one person in life, and some others may assert that a true-blue love can only happen once in your lifetime.

 

By now, I believe you may have formed an opinion about me. That’s fair. I also consider myself somewhat of a mumpsimus—someone who sticks to their ways. Still, who can say? Tomorrow brings new opportunities for improvement. And what about you? Would you allow me to get to know you, my friend?

LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE SERIES #13. MARY POPPINS (1964 FILM)

LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE

Do you take delight in watching films, listening to pop music, or reading books? For English learners, movies, songs, and books are one of the most wonderful sources to explore the language! You can indulge in your favorite pastime and still learn some expressions, words of wisdom, and oftentimes good lessons while you’re at it.

 

# 13. Mary Poppins (1964) starring Julie Andrews & Dick Van Dyke

 

“Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!”

ð  You might not have heard anyone saying this weird but rhythmical word person, and neither have I. This super long word could be used as a holophrase or an imperative verb? God only knows! In Mary Poppins, this single word was used as "something to say when you have nothing to say," but these jaw-breaking nonsensical syllables certainly have brought you a sense of vivacity for decades.

 

 

“That's a piecrust promise. Easily made, easily broken."

ð  Mary Poppins said it to the children she looks after to describe a promise that is fragile, insincere, or unlikely to be kept, much like a delicate pie crust breaks easily. She used this witty metaphor to call out unreliable, untrustworthy, or "flaky" commitments that are made with good intentions but rarely followed through. It emphasizes the importance of action over words and warns against making others have false expectations, highlighting a need for deliberate, durable commitments.

 

“"Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, in the most delightful way!"

ð  Giving medicines to children, Mary Poppins said the above sentence to let them know that a little bit of fun or a positive outlook makes difficult tasks easier to handle. Yes, it all depends how you look at it!

 

** Jean’s Small Thoughts:

It was the very first time I ever went to the movies with my family. I was just a little girl—not even in elementary school yet—when my parents took my sister and me to see this delightful film. The movie was Mary Poppins, starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, which had been released in 1964.

 

The film opened with a wonderful scene of Mary (played by Julie Andrews) freshening up while perched on a soft, fluffy cloud. I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen as that magical moment unfolded so creatively. It was truly an “époustouflant” experience! Even though I was very young, the breathtaking way the film blended live-action with animation created unforgettable memories for me. To this day, I still find myself humming, “Chim chiminey, chim chiminey, chim chim cher-ee, a sweep is as lucky as lucky can be!” whenever I feel a little low or need encouragement. If anyone feels as though hope is out of reach, why not watch this timeless, joy-filled classic?

NPR Sunday Puzzle: TransformeR

I'm going to give you clues for two four-letter words. Put an "r" between them to complete a common nine-letter word.

Ex. World's Fair / tiny bell sound  —>  EXPORTING

 

1. Penny / friend in war

 

2. Shape of a frisbee / to change, as text

 

3. Take a breather / a variant of "isn't" that isn't considered grammatical

 

4. 18-wheeler / Russia's ___ Mountains

 

5. Jump into water headfirst / lady's partner, informally

 

6. Arrived / word said at the end of a prayer

 

7. To exist / place to swim [city name]

 

8. Sharp part of a wire fence / pointed tools used for punching holes [two words]

 

 

ANSWER KEYS

    1.  cent + r + ally: centrally

    2.  disc + r + edit: discredit

    3.  rest + r + ain’t: restraint

    4.  semi + r + ural: semirural

    5.  dive + r + gent: divergent

    6.  came + r + amen: cameramen

    7.  live + r + pool: Liverpool

    8.  barb + r + awl: bar brawl