Candy Quiz

Do you love sweet treats? Let us solve candy quiz this week! 😊 Actually, these candies are made in the States. I know this could be a culturally biased quiz for EFL students though... 

How many candy bars can you name from the following clues? Choose from the answers given in the box.

Chunky,     PayDay,  Bit-O-Honey,   Hersey’s Kiss,  Clark Bar,    M&M’s,  5th Avenue,    Almond Joy,    Milky Way,    Mars,     3 Musketeers,    Mounds,    Baby Ruth,    Butterfinger,   Snickers,    Oh Henry!,     Kit Kat,    Life Savers,    Hersey’s,   Nestle’S Crunch,    Milk Duds,    Sugar Daddy,   Starburst

   1.   A famous swashbuckling trio of old

   2.   Indian burial grounds

   3.   Galaxy

   4.   Red planet

   5.   Not laughing out loud

   6.   Can’t hold on to anything

   7.   A famous author

   8.   A famous former baseball player

   9.   A famous New York street

   10.               Twin letters

   11.               Superman’s other identity

   12.               A sweet sign of affection

   13.               A favorite day for working people

   14.               What bees make

   15.               Nut happiness

   16.               Pleasingly plump

   17.               Two female pronouns

   18.               A feline

   19.               Single women look for him

   20.               Round floatation devices

   21.               Sun explosion

   22.               Bite with a crackling noise

   23.               Dry cow

  

  Answer Keys

   1.   3 Musketeers

   2.   Mounds

   3.   Milky Way

   4.   Mars

   5.   Snickers

   6.   Butterfinger

   7.   Oh  Henry!

   8.   Baby Ruth

   9.   5^th Avenue

   10.               M&M’s

   11.               Clark Bar

   12.               Hersey’s Kiss

   13.               PayDay

   14.               Bit-O-Honey

   15.               Almond Joy

   16.               Chunky

   17.               Hersey’s

   18.               Kit Kat

   19.               Sugar Daddy

   20.               Life Savers

   21.               Starburst

   22.               Nestle’s Crunch

   23.               Milk Duds

Time to get English slang and idioms down pat! 😊

When I was teaching English in Seoul long ago, one of the American instructors working with me at the language institute said his English vocab and expressions had been too outdated to teach young people “today’s English” that were being used as he spoke in the States. It is because he had lived in Korea too long to be “idiom or slang- savvy” in English. Yes, looking back on what he said, I guess I would be totally lost in front of a Korean young ones who spit out fast a series of Korean slang or internet-based idioms or clipped words of which I would never get the meaning. 

This week, let us take a gander of some frequently used idiomatic expressions in English that are often used in the States today.

(*Source fromhttps://www.sheknows.com/living/articles/1026523/100-words-from-urban-dictionary-that-changed-the-world/2) 

   1.   to play hard ball: (phrase) you are going to get really serious and make every possible effort to get what you want

   2.   a dime a dozen: (phrase) cheap and common

   3.   to get one’s ducks in a row: (phrase) to complete one's preparations, become efficient and well 

   4.   It’s all good.: (sentence) It’s alright/ No problem/ It’s okay.

   5.   I’m good:(e.g., When asked if you want a refill for your drink, and you don’t want the offer) No thanks, I don’t want what you are offering.

   6.   cyberslacking: Using a companies’ computer and Internet for personal activities when one should be doing work.

   7.   cray-cray: (adjective) short for “crazy”.  By making it double as “cray- cray”, you would mean to say “that is super crazy!”

   8.   designated drunk: (noun) the individual who drinks all offers of free drinks sent to the designated driver

   9.   duck face: (noun) a face made by pursing and pouting one's lips in an attempt to make them appear fuller or to make the cheekbones appear more prominent (frequently utilized by young women in selfies or other photos in an attempt to look flirty or more model-esque)

   10.               extra: (noun=adjective) over-the-top, excessive behavior

   

   11. P.H.A.T.: (adjective)  (adjective) abbreviation for “Pretty Hot And Tempting or Thick” to describe a very beautiful girl

Why don’t we put the above expressions into practice? Fill in the blanks with proper phrases.

   1.   Why does Melissa always make that ____________ face in each of her selfie? I think she is so _____________ to look fab.

   2.   The team director hit the roof this afternoon when he found out that Tom had been _____________________ most of the time at work.

Tom was always on the social network on his work PC.

   3.   A: Sorry, I’m late. I snoozed the alarm twice this morning.

B: No, it’s ______________________. You’re only 10 minutes behind the meeting.

   4.   Rich should not be so arrogant and obnoxiously proud of himself. He’s just a ________________ a dozen in fashion industry.

   5.   Make sure to get all your ______________ in a row before the race. Check your bib, running gear, hydration and nutrition level, and you name it.

   6.   A: Did you hear that Josh was caught while DWI last weekend? He was _________________!!! How dare he even thought about drinking 3 bottles of wine and driving?!!

B: OMG! Wasn’t there a ____________________drunk in his company?

   7.   Waiter: Care for refills?

Diner: No, I’m _________________.

   8.   You’d better not mess with Peter. If you get him mad, I bet he will play _______________ to get even with you.

   9. A: Would this tankini make me look fat?

  B: No way! That would make you look _______________! Where did you get        that? Looking so dope!

Answer Keys

   1.   duck, extra

   2.   cyberslacking

   3.   all good

   4.   dime

   5.   ducks

   6.   cray cray, designated

   7.   good

   8.   hardball

   9.  P.H.A.T.    

Fun Riddles

What would you do to employ tedious hours or kill time? How about puzzles or brainteasers? This week, let us solve interesting riddles. Don’t be so serious or overthink to solve these riddles. 😊

  1.   What is as big as you are and yet does not weigh anything?

  2.   Paul’s height is six feet, he’s an assistant at a butcher’s shop, and wears size 9 shoes. What does he weigh?

  3.   What types of words are these: madam, civic, eye, level?

  4.   What ends everything always?

  5.   When you have me, you feel like sharing me. But, if you do share me, you don’t have me. What am I?

  6.   A cowboy rode into town on Friday, stayed three days, and rode out again on Friday. How did he do that?

  7.   The person who makes it has no need for it. The person who purchases it does not use it. The person who does use it does not know he or she is. What is it?

  8.   It is an insect, and the first part of its name is the name of another insect.

  9.   Two fathers and two sons go fishing. Each of them catches one fish, So why do they bring home only three fish?

  10.               You can hold it without using your hands or arms. What is it?

  11.               What do letter “t” and an island have in common?

  12.               Which is the word in English that has nine letters, and remains a word at each step even when you remove one letter from it, right up to a single letter remaining. List each letter as you remove them, along with the resulting word at each step.

  13.               Complete this sequence of letters: o, t, t, f, f, s, s, ___, ___, ___

  14.               From the beginning of eternity. To the end of time and space, To the beginning of every end. And the end of every place. What am I?

  15.               I can run but I can’t walk. I have a mouth but I can’t talk, a head but I can’t think, a bed but I can’t sleep. Who am I?

Answer Keys

  1.  your shadow

  2.  meat

  3.  They are palindromes; they read the same forward and backward.

  4.  the letter “g”

  5.  A secret

  6.  His horse’s name is Friday.

  7.  a coffin

  8.  beetle

  9.  Because the fishing group comprises a grandfather, his son, and his grandson, hence just three people.

  10.             your breath

  11.             Both are in water: WaTer

  12.             “startling” is the word. Begin by removing “L”, which makes it “starting”, then take away the “t”, making it “staring”, and so on. String; sting; sing; sin; in; and I

  13.             e, n, t- The first letter of the numbers from one to ten

  14.             the letter “e”

  15.             a river

Idioms that describe the Feelings of Happiness

Most of us have one wish in common in life: “to be happy”

Although I myself am still working on the definition of ‘being happy’, I know for sure that happiness is not lying in comparing me and others. It is found in what I am, what I have, and where I stand right here and now.

This week, let us brush up on some idiomatic expressions that are related to or describing the feeling of happiness.

(source from https://www.ecenglish.com/learnenglish/lessons/7-happy-idioms      &   http://www.grammar.net/top-22-idioms-about-joy-and-happiness)

1.   to be on cloud nine: extremely happy when something wonderful happens.

2.   like a dog with two tails: to look and be very happy.

3.   to be full of the joys of spring: When you are jubilant, energetic, cheerful and happy.

4.   to be as happy as Larry:

When you are as happy as Larry, you are, of course, very happy. But who is Larry? No one is certain but it is believed that 'Larry' refers to an Australian boxer called Larry Foley (1878 - 1917) who after receiving a large payment after winning a fight was described in a newspaper as being 'happy'. Somehow this description stuck and is now used all these years later.

5.   to be on top of the world:

You are on top of the world when you feel wonderful.

6.   to be over the moon

This idiom isn't used so much these days because it is considered a cliché (an overused, unoriginal expression), but it means to be delighted.

The team captain said he was over the moon with their win.

7.   to be in seventh heaven

Bliss; to be so happy it feels like you are in heaven

8.   a joy to behold: a thing or experience that creates a profound sense of pleasure or elation in the spectator

9.   buzzing: excited for something that’s going to happen/  to be stoked about…

10.        happy camper: to be content or satisfied with what is happening in the life and to have no complaints.

Let’s use them in sentences! Choose the right expression in the example sentences below.

  1.  Rian’s mom is really worried about her son’s hobby. He rides a motorbike in his leisure hours and always says he feels like being in seventh _________________ while enjoying the speed.

  2.  The concert hall was ____________________ as the audience was waiting for the music to start.

  3.  The Jackson couple has been on ________________ nine since they found out they are going to be parents this year!!!

  4.  Mr. Ray was always like a happy ________________ even when he was ill. He used to say “Life is good!” all the time.

  5.  Tim loves hiking and feels like being on ___________ of the world each time he explores new mountain ranges.

  6.  Patty’s loving doggie is such a ___________ to behold.

  7.  When I won my age group in the 10K road race, I felt as happy as ____________!!!!!

  8.  Nina will be like a dog with _______________________ if she is chosen as the prima donna at the upcoming opera.

  9.  When Judy happened to hear from her long lost friend, she was over the _____________________.

  10.             It’s amazing that you look like you’re full of the __________________________ on Monday morning while everyone else is suffering from Monday blues.

Answer Keys

 1.  Heaven

 2.  buzzing

 3.  cloud

 4.  camper

 5.  top

 6.  joy

 7.  Larry

 8.  two tails

 9.  moon

 10. joy of Spring

 

A piece of poem in the late Summer evening

Life is…

by Jean Lee

a lonely stroll in the canopy

sometimes shiny with woodnotes,

oftentimes hairy as a mapless navigation,

full of balmy breeze like a soft pat on your tired back,

tainted by unwanted noise from passers-by,

celebrated with ephemeral flame around a bonfire,

fascinated at something new in each twists and turns,

paused by thoughts and doubts at a forked road,

continuing with hopes, regrets, confidence, turbulence, love, peace, ….

and remembered by one or two

                 who will always keep you at heart, 

who will not judge your paths,

and who will be proud of you for just being you

                                               

Sayings about Diet and Weight Loss

One of the most difficult issues that many people are facing today is their relationship with food and appearance. Since small, slim body and toned muscles have become the ideal picture of human body regardless of their age and sex in modern society, almost everyone desires sylphlike or beautifully buff silhouette. Yes, it is possible for anyone to make that dream come true, but easier said than done. Some may say inside most of us is a very thin person struggling to get out but continuously sedated by cheese cake, chocolate chip cookies, and pizza. LOL. It could be a lifelong project to be on the healthy side. Let us eat healthy and rock on.

This week, let me introduce some interesting and fun-filled quotes and saying related to diet and weight loss.

(*source from http://www.quotegarden.com/dieting.html)

“Don’t dig your grave with your own knife and fork.” …. English proverb

“More die in the United States of too much food than too little.”

…..  John Kenneth Galbraith, the Affluent Society

“Diets are for those who are thick and tired of it.”

….Mary Tyler Moore

“People are so worried about what they eat between Christmas and the New Year, but they really should be worried about what they eat between the New Year and Christmas.”

…….Author unknown

“The one way to get thin is to re-establish a purpose in life.”

…….Cyril Connolly, The Unquiet Grave

“I keep trying to lose weight, but it keeps finding me.”

….Author unknown

“If nature had intended our skeletons to be visible it would have put them on the outside of our bodies.”

…..Elmer Rice

“I’ve been on a diet for two weeks and all I’ve lost is fourteen days.”

….Totie Fields

“Stressed spelled backwards is desserts. Coincidence? I think not!”

…..Author unknown

“The biggest seller is cookbooks and the second is diet books- how not to eat what you’ve just learned how to cook.” ……Andy Rooney

“No diet will remove all the fat from your body because the brain is entirely fat. Without a brain, you might look good, but all you could do is run for public office.”

…..George Bernard Shaw

“Life itself is a proper binge.”

…..Julia Child