Investor, Podenglish, lesson 74

Proverbs part II

Source: www.voanews.com

 

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Now, the VOA Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.

A proverb is a short, well known saying that expresses a common truth or belief.  Many proverbs give advice about the best way to live.

We asked our listeners to send us their favorite proverbs.  A short time later, we received suggestions from around the world.  We heard from listeners in Africa, Asia, Europe and South America.

The top proverb among these listeners is this one: "Where there is a will, there is a way."This means that you can rise above your problems if you have a goal and work very hard.

Some listeners liked another proverb: "Strike while the iron is hot." This means it is best to take action quickly and at the right time.  Another favorite proverb was, "God helps those who help themselves."

Xu Da-ju from China wrote that his country has thousands of proverbs.  Several of them are also used in the United States.  One example is "Birds of a feather flock together." This means that people who are alike often become friends or spend time together.

Another proverb is "Blood is thicker than water." This means family ties are stronger than other relationships.  A similar proverb states "Charity begins at home." A person should help his family or close friends before helping others.

Alina from China sent us this proverb: "He who would climb a ladder must begin at the bottom." That is good advice when working around your home or looking for a job.

Antonio Jose from Brazil says his favorite proverb is "Tell me who walks with you, and I'll tell you who you are." Didier Vermeulen of France sent us this one: "It does not matter the speed you go.  The most important thing is to never stop."

Wafaa from Egypt says his favorite proverb is, "Think twice, act wise." He also says he is making an effort to use this saying in his life.

Another favorite proverb among our listeners is "Practice makes perfect."This means you will become good at something if you keep doing it.  Another popular proverb is: "If you want something done right, do it yourself."

Najeeb from Afghanistan sent us this proverb: "If you risk nothing, then you risk everything."

And, here is the favorite proverb of Marius Meledje in Ivory Coast: "Your defeat now is your victory in the future." He says it means you can learn from your mistakes.  This will help you do better when facing similar situations in the future.

(MUSIC)

This VOA Special English program was written by Shelley Gollust.  I'm Faith Lapidus.  We will present more programs about proverbs in the future.  And you can find more WORDS AND THEIR STORIES at our website, voaspecialenglish.com.

Cut from the same cloth

Source: www.sozoexchange.com

This is a phrase which means to be very similar.
This expression refers to two things which are made from the same piece of cloth or material. They will undoubtedly be very similar.
The phrase also means to have the same characteristics.
For example, you can say, “Those two are cut from the same cloth; neither is very honest.”

Never give up...

First of all, I encourage you, dear readers and English learners to continue to practice English. No worry about your mistakes, and of course, do not focusing in grammar structures, it is important, but looking for improve your listening, use Networking sites as Skipe, MSN, Facebook, Orkut among others, improve your comprehension, contextualize is the most important; develop your writing skill, but follow step by step. As much as possible keep in touch with Native learners or advanced students level. Dedicate at least 1 hour a day, studying hard, listen to music, podcasts, and useful websites and never give up.

Change the subject many thanks for those readers, Networking Blogs partners, teachers and students from worldwide. You are the most important here, thank you for visiting, comment, and share and spread my blog overseas. I’m going to travel to Juazeiro do Norte city, in Ceará State in order to take part of an Geo-Park’s International Latin-American and Caribbean Conference. I promise as soon as I return home, maybe on Saturday or Sunday, I’ll visit one by one blogs and replies the comments.

We cannot change the world, but we can do small things to improve the life conditions, in particular the poorest ones. Have a wonderful day. I love to be volunteer. Do not forget to help to continue spreading peace, love and knowledge overseas. 

Bite the Bullet

Credits: www.sozoexchange.com

This is a phrase which means to endure pain.

This expression originated in battlefields. Prior to anesthetics, soldiers were given a bullet to bite with their teeth to help them endure pain after injury or before an operation.

The phrase also means to be strong during pain.

For example, you can say, “It’s time to just bite the bullet and admit that you did wrong.”

The joke

Author of this Exercise: Liliana Rota
Source: www.englishexercises.org

The joke                    

 

CLICK THE RIGHT ANSWER

A very good actor was playing in  a comedy where she actedhe acthe acted the role of an aristocrat.

The aristocrat iswaswere in the Bastille prison where he mustshe hadhe hadto spend a lot of time.  In the second act a guard arrived alwaysalways arrivesalways arrived and gave the aristocratic prisoner a letter. The prisoner was takingtakestookthe letter andreadreadsreadingit aloud. The play had already repeatedhad already been repeatedwas been repeatedhundreds of times and the aristocrat knewhad knownknow the letter by heart but he always was insistinghad insistedinsisted that the letter should be written down completely.

One night the guard decides to playdecided playdecided to play a joke on the famous actor , just to find out if he knew the letter by heart, after so many performances.

When the guard enteredenteringenterthe prisoner's dark cell, the prisoner had been sitwas sittinghas been sitting on a small bed . Hegivesgavegaves the prisoner the letter, but this time there was nothing on the sheet: it was completely blank. The guard was lookinglookedlooked atthe aristocrat: he was so happy about his joke that he couldn't hide his smile. He wanted to see if the prisoner could recitecan recitecould to recitethe letter by heart. The prisoner looked at the letter for some seconds , then he saidtoldhe say:

"There is too little light. I can't see very well. Can you please read the letter for me?"

And he gave the letter to the guard.

The guard , who obviously did not rememberdid not rememberedremembered the letter, said:

" You are right. The light is really very dim. I must to getgo and getgomy glasses."

He leavesShe leftHe left the cell  and went to fetch the usual copy of the letter. Then he came back with the letter and the pair of glasses and started reading the letter to the prisoner. The prisoner was of course very much amused.

 

Comprehension:

1 Where was the play set?In FranceIn EnglandIn Germany

2Where was the prisoner when the guard brought him the letter?

Outside the Bastille prison.In his light cell.Sitting on his bed in prison.

3 What solution  did the guard find?He recited the letter by heart.He started to cry.He went to fetch the right copy.

4How did the good actor feel in the end?He was angry.He was amused.He didn't feel anything.

5Where is the Bastille?In MarseilleIn ParisIn Italy.

 

Respond as shown

He was so happy about his joke that he couldn't hide his smile

 

Respond as shown choosing from the adjectives provided.

 Sad  ,  Grateful ,  Happy,   Hungry,   Tired.

that he went to bed  immediately.

 that he ate three sandwiches.

that he never stopped saying thank you.

 that he  kept  smiling all the time.

 that he stayed  in his room all day long.

 

Revising irregular verbs

 

1 Givegiven.

2 Taketaken.

3 Readread.

4 Knowknown.

5 Sitsat.

6 Hidehidden.

7 Saysaid.

8 Seeseen.

9 Leaveleft.

10 Comecome.

The High Price of Low-Cost Travel

Language Level: ADVANCED

Source: SPEAK UP

Standard: British Accent

Since the release in 2006 of Al Gore’s Academy Award-winning documentary An Inconvenient Truth, the issue of climate change has been very much on the political agenda.

Some critics have questioned Al Gore’s data, but Miles Tight, a senior lecturer in transport planning at the University of Leeds, says that 99,9 per cent of scientists agree that climate change is already happening. He presented his opinions at a recent conference on traffic, which was organized by the British Council in Milan. He argued that whereas Industrial pollution in the UK had been reduced  in recent years transport-generated carbon emission were increasing. And, when he met with Speak Up, he said that it wasn’t only the automobile which was causing problems:

Miles Tight

Standard: British Accent

Aeroplanes are interesting one. I’ve seen a sort of mix of data on this as to how important their effects actually are. I you look at the emissions per travel kilometre, or per passenger kilometre, then I’ve seen some data which suggests that they, if you have a full aeroplane, compared to a car, then, per person per kilometre, it’s about the same level of emission, but that doesn’t take into account the fact that aircraft emit their fact that aircraft emit their gases high up in the atmosphere, where actually it’s having a much bigger effect on global warming. I’ve seen figures that suggest two to three times the level, so, per passenger kilometre, they are actually more polluting and, when you think about the energy that is required to get this huge multi-ton vehicle up into the air and keep it there, it’s obviously going to be huge.

SKY HIGH

And what we’re seeing with aircraft at the moment worldwide is a massive increase. I mean, in the UK and many other countries, we’ve had the takeoff –if that’s not a pun! –but the rapid rise in the low-cost airline market. I came here today for 15 Euros from Leeds, a ludicrous price and, if I was to come by train, which would obviously be much cleaner, it would cost me somewhere like 300, 400, for the same one-way trip. And somewhere, I think we have to address those kind of relative pricing of the modes.

IT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE

You know, I mean, it’s a reasonably good train, because we now have the express trains from Eurotunnel, you know, I could come all the way here in about 10 hours, I guess, compared to the sort of two-and-half hours, plus access and egress and security check-in time and everything else that goes with air travel, so it’s not hugely different. It’s the price which is massively wrong. And everything points towards a huge increase in air travel over the coming years and that, I think, will be sufficient to wipe out any benefits that we might get through more localized measures that we’re seeking to implement to effect ground-based travel, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Well, on the one hand, we’re reducing it, but on the other hand, we’re simply going to add to the problem in another way, and that doesn’t make sense.