English Tips Self-Taught

domingo, 12 de dezembro de 2010

Do and Make differencies

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Source: English practice

The general purpose do has several uses. It is sometimes confused with the verb make.These words have similar meanings, but there are also a few differences.

Uses of do

Do is commonly used with the words thing, something, nothing, anything, everything etc.

He did something strange.

I like doing nothing.

He did nothing.

We use do when we talk about work and jobs.

Would you like to do this job?

I don’t like to do any work.

Uses of make

Make is used to talk about constructing or creating.

Let me make some food.

I will make you some coffee.

When we want to sound casual about an activity we often use do instead of make.

‘What shall we eat?’ ‘Well, let me just do an omelette.’

Do is used in the following fixed expressions

Do good

Do harm
Do business
Do one’s best
Do a favor
Do one’s hair
Do one’s duty

Make is used in the following fixed expressions:

Make a journey
Make an offer
Make arrangements
Make a suggestion
Make an attempt
Make an excuse
Make a mistake
Make money
Make a phone call
Make peace
Make war
Make a bed

Words and Their Stories: Money, Part 2

Source: www.voanews.com

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

Many people believe that money makes the world go around. Others believe that money buys happiness. I do not agree with either idea. But I do admit that money can make people do strange things. Let me tell you about a person I once knew who liked to play card games for money. He liked to gamble.

My friend Bob had a problem because he liked to gamble at all costs. He would play at any time and at any price. To take part in a card game such as poker, my friend would have to ante up. He would have to pay a small amount of money at the beginning of the game.

Bob always played with cold, hard cash -- onlycoins and dollar bills. Sometimes my friend would clean up. He would win a lot of money on one card game. He liked to tell me that one day he would break the bank. What a feeling it must be to win all of the money at a gambling table!

Other times my friend would simply break even. He neither won nor lost money. But sometimes Bob would lose his shirt. He would lose all the money he had. He took a beating at the gambling table. When this happened, my friend would have to go in the hole. He would go into debt and owe people money.

Recently, Bob turned to crime after losing all his money. In his job, he kept the books for a small business. He supervised the records of money earned and spent by the company. Although my friend was usually honest, he decided to cook the books. He illegally changed the financial records of the company. This permitted him to make a fast buck. My friend made some quick, easy money dishonestly.

I never thought Bob would have sticky fingers. He did not seem like a thief who would steal money. But, some people will do anything for love of money.

Bob used the money he stole from his company to gamble again. This time, he cashed in. He made a lot of money. Quickly he was back on his feet. He had returned to good financial health. His company, however, ended upin the red. It lost more money than it earned. The company was no longer profitable.

It did not take long before my friend’s dishonesty was discovered. The company investigated and charged him with stealing. Bob tried to pass the buck. He tried to blame someone else for the deficit. His lie did not work, however. He ended up in jail. Today, I would bet my bottom dollar that my friend will never gamble again. I would bet all I have that he learned his lesson about gambling.

(MUSIC)

WORDS AND THEIR STORIES, in VOA Special English, was written by Jill Moss. I’m Faith Lapidus.

I swear All for One

I swear I'll never give up to struggle against the poverty, for a better and safe place. I swear I'll never give up my dreams. I promise I will always be there, struggling for the poor and to live in peace and love. I dedicate this song for those friends, teachers and students that take part of my blog, thank you and have a wonderful Sunday

I swear: All 4 One

Idioms and phrasal verbs with take

Idioms and Phrasal verbs with take, for more information visit http://www.englishpractice.com/vocabulary/idioms-phrasal-verbs/ recommend friends

Take something for granted: accept it as true, certain to happen

We take so many things for granted – like pure water to drink and good food to eat.

Take after somebody: resemble in looks

The baby takes after its father. (= The baby resembles its father.)

Take something down: write down notes etc.

The teacher asked the students to take down the notes.
Did you take down that number?

Take somebody down: lower his pride

Take somebody in: receive him / her as a guest

The hospital staff said that they won’t be able to take in any more patients.

Take somebody in: get the better of somebody by a trick

I can’t believe I am taken in by him. (= I can’t believe that I have been tricked.)

Take something in: understand

I couldn’t take in what she was saying.

Take somebody for: consider to be, especially wrongly suppose to be

He was taken for an Englishman.

Take off: start a flight; ridicule by imitation

Take over: succeed to the management or ownership of

When does the new manager take over?

Take to: adopt as a habit or practice

He took to gardening on retirement.

Take to: conceive a liking for

I took to the old man at once.

Take to one’s heels: run; try to escape

Family Album, Part IV

Source: Family Album USA

I think this can be useful, that's why I've been publishing some videos, belongs to USA's Family Album. Change of subject, as you can see, I've been struggling support and trying to maintain my blog here, as well as developing a volunteer project in my home town. Do not forget, to contribute with English tips via Paypal, however you can contribute twit me or sharing on Facebook. May you have a wonderful Sunday or Monday, one thing is sure, here you are the most important.

Noel and Adoniran: 100 years of samba

Recommend for Students and Teachers (Brazilian magazine) for more information visit www.maganews.com.br

Popular culture

Noel and Adoniran: 100 years of samba

They were born in 1910 and went down in MPB history with unforgettable sambas which told the everyday stories of cariocas and paulistas – songs that painted a picture of Brazil

Noel Rosa dropped [1] out of medical school to work as a composer. He was from a middle class family and could have gone to the most sophisticated places in Rio, but he preferred to visit the Riohillsides [2] and the bars in the Vila Isabel neighborhood to learn more about the samba players inRio. Noel was in poor health but instead of taking care of himself he kept on smoking and drinking, living the bohemian life. These are just some of the facts that stand [3] out in the life of this genius of MPB. Noel was born in the Vila Isabel neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, on December 11^th 1910, and died aged 26, of tuberculosis. He left behind a magnificent collection of over 300 compositions, among them the samba “Com que Roupa?”. In his lyrics Noel used humor, creativity and a critical sense to reflect the carioca society of the 1920s and 1930s.

Adoniran, the poet of “simple things”

Adoniran Barbosa was the most important samba composer in the history of São Paulo. His lyricsdealt [4] with the everyday lives of poor and simple people living in São Paulo city. He was born in Valinhos, São Paulo, on August 6^th 1910. Adoniran had a poor childhood and poverty was part of the final years of his life. Despite composing some of the great classics of Brazilian music, he was to die poor. During his brilliant musical career he made money but spent most of it helping friends and relatives. He had the same talent for making friends that he had for composing. Besides music, he was also an outstanding [5] comic actor. Adoniran died in 1982, leaving behind a legacy of some of the best Brazilian music ever written, such as Samba do ‘Arnesto’, Saudosa Maloca, Trem das Onzeand Tiro ao Álvaro. Several of his songs were recorded by the band Demônios da Garoa.

Matéria publicada na edição de número 57 da revista Maganews.

Áudio – Aasita Muralikrishna

Vocabulary

1 to drop out – exp. idiom. = pular fora / desistir

2 hillside – morro

3 to stand out – destacar

4 to deal – aqui = tratar / abordar

5 outstanding – destacado