Since Judy and I are back in the USA and not planning to return to Elektrostal on a full-time basis, I won't be updating this blog regularly. I will keep it here as an archive (and a reminder to myself of all the joy of working with our dear students and colleagues).
I'll also stay active on facebook and vk.com. Questions about English usage are always welcome. Also be sure to let me know if you're planning to visit the USA!
Many of the images embedded on these pages were hosted by photobucket. I am in the process of transferring these images to another server. If you see a page with broken image or media links, and you'd like me to fix that page, just let me know. (johan@canyoubelieve.me).
In class, we heard Hans Theessink performing his virtuoso version of the song, starting at about 1 minute, 10 seconds:
This classic was originally written and recorded by Rufus Thomas. In this great video from 1988, we see him performing with legendary musicians Steve Cropper (guitar), Matt "Guitar" Murphy, and Donald "Duck" Dunn (bass guitar):
Many other great musicians have recorded this song, including the Rolling Stones:
Mary Mack dressed in black
Silver buttons all down her back
Hello tipsy toes
She broke the needle and she can't sew
Walking the dog
Just a walking the dog
If you don't know how to do it
I'll show you how to walk the dog
Come on now, come on, come on
I asked her mama for fifteen cents
To see the elephant jump over the fence
He jumped so high, he touched the sky
Never got back till the fourth of July
Walking the dog
Just a walking the dog
If you don't know how to do it
I'll show you how to walk the dog
Come on now, come on, come on
Mary, Mary, quite contrary
Tell me, how does your garden grow?
You got silver bells and you got cockleshells
Pretty maids all in a row
Walking the dog
Just a walking the dog
If you don't know how to do it
Show you how to walk the dog
Come on now, come on, come on
Oh oh, just a just just a walking
just a just a just a walking
just a just a just a walking
oh, yeah, if you don't know how to do it
I'll show you how to walk the dog ... oh ...
I can’t promise you that I won’t let you down
And I
I can’t promise you that I will be the only one around
When your hope falls down
But we’re young
Open flowers in the windy fields of this war-torn world
And love
This city breathes the plague of loving things more than their creator
I ran away
I could not take the burden of both me and you
It was too fast
Casting love on me as if it were a spell I could not break
When it was a promise I could not make
But what if I was wrong? What if I was wrong?
Oh what if I was wrong?
But hold on to what you believe in the light
When the darkness has robbed you of all your sight
Oh hold on to what you believe in the light
When the darkness has robbed you of all your sight
And now this land
Means less and less to me without you breathing through its trees
At every turn
The water runs away from me and the halo disappears
I’m not whole when you’re not near
So what if I was wrong? What if I was wrong?
Oh what if I was wrong?
But hold on to what you believe in the light
When the darkness has robbed you of all your sight
And oh hold on to what you believed in the light
When the darkness has robbed you of all your sight....
Here are the two singers we heard in class, performing Hans Theessink's song "Shelter from the Storm" live in concert. Terry Evans, on the left, is from Vicksburg, Mississippi, USA; Hans Theessink is from the Netherlands, and now lives in Austria.
The version of the song we heard in class is here on the right. On this 2012 album the famous guitarist Ry Cooder also performed on the track, as Hans Theessink explains in introducing the song on the video above.
"Shelter from the Storm" (transcription) by Hans Theessink.
When cold raging winds
bring you pain and misery
you're caught in a tempest baby
like a ship that's lost at sea
when the light from the lighthouse
no longer leads you on
let me be your harbor baby
give you shelter from the storm
[chorus:] shelter from the storm
shelter from the storm
let me be your harbor baby
give you shelter from the storm
let me be a shoulder for you to lean on
give you comfort when things go wrong
when your sail is tattered and torn
you're out there all alone
let me be your harbor baby
give you shelter from the storm
when cold raging winds
bring you pain and misery
you're caught in a tempest baby
like a ship out on the sea
when the light from the lighthouse
no longer leads you on
let me be your harbor baby
give you shelter from the storm
Charlie Musselwhite (at left in a photo I took at the Waterfront Blues Festival in Portland, Oregon) performed the version I used in our first class of the year.
Want to try the gapfill exercise before you read the lyrics below?
First, here's the song itself, via YouTube (but audio only). As you listen, fill in the blanks below.
Here's where to fill in the blanks:
Chorus: In a ________ this size, there’s no ________ to hide
Everywhere ________ ________, you meet _________ you know
You _________ steal a kiss in a place like this
How the rumors would fly in a _________ this size.
In a smoky _________, in the back seat of a car,
In your own little _________, someone’s sure to find you out,
What you _________ and what you think, what you eat and what you _________,
If you smoke a _________, they'll be talking about your breath.
Chorus
(he) Oh, I _________ a fight with my _________ last night,
Before the moon went down, it was _________ _________ town
(she) How I made him _________, how I said _________,
If it’s true or _________, it don’t count a lot.
(performed by Charlie Musselwhite with Kelly Willis)
In a town this size, there’s no place to hide
Everywhere you go, you meet someone you know
You can’t steal a kiss in a place like this
How the rumors would fly in a town this size.
In a smoky bar, in the back seat of a car,
In your own little house, someone’s sure to find you out,
What you do and what you think, what you eat and what you drink,
If you smoke a cigarette, they'll be talking about your breath
In a town this size, there’s no place to hide
Everywhere you go, you meet someone you know
You can’t steal a kiss in a place like this
How the rumors would fly in a town this size.
He: Oh, I had a fight with my girlfriend last night,
Before the moon went down, it was all over town She: How I made him cry, how I said goodbye,
If it’s true or not, it don’t count a lot
In a town this size, there’s no place to hide
Everywhere you go, you meet someone you know
You can’t steal a kiss in a place like this
How the rumors would fly in a town this size. In a town this size. In a town this size.
At the concert where I took the picture above, Charlie Musselwhite sang this song about his first days in Chicago. I'm somewhere in the front of the audience.
There are actually two Fractured versions of Goldilocks. But this is the version we used in class....
We worked on these words and phrases (and, of course, on the stereotypes ... the world looked a bit different in 1959).
...
upon reaching his 21st birthday ...
"You
go out in your bare feet and you'll catch cold." [note:
“You go out … and you’ll...” – instead of standard “If
you go out, you’ll...]
But
he paid his mother no heed and took a three hour
constitutional in what amounted to a torrential
downpour. Oddly enough he didn't catch cold, but he did
contract a severe case of up and down fever which ran up
and down the coast at that time of year.
The
fever-rackedbruin had a nasty time and for a
while it was doubtful whether he would ever pull through.
And
then, suddenly, instead of taking a turn for the worse, he
took a turn for the nurse.
Mr.
and Mrs. Bear reside in this cozy cottage. They have a
ten-year-old bear son, well, that is he doesn't run around bare, he's
a bear -- little bear -- I mean, well, you know what I mean.
"There's
so much junk lying around here I can't even find the front
door."
Oh,
it's true, the house was a mess, and it was all because Mrs.
Bear sat around all day watching television and munching
chocolates.
"I'm
over in the corner, watching the radio."
"The
narrator said you were watching television."
"The
television's busted; I'm watching radio."
She
cleaned up, all right. She started by mopping up the floor
with Mr. Bear.
This
deplorable situation existed for one year and then, one day, Mr. Bear
put his foot down.
It
took one full week but, by tracing the wire, he finally
located the instrument.
"Hello,
home economy bureau? Say, ah, send over a home economist, will
ya??"
"Why
are you doing that?"
"Because
somebody's going to come over and see how we're living, that's
what. You'll send one over? Keen-o, lady. She's on her way."
"So
is dinner. Porridge is on the table."
"Whereabouts
IS the table?"
"It's
in the dining room somewhere, we'll find it."
Thanks
to the steam emanating from the porridge bowls, they found the
table and prepared to dine.
"Yeah,
you're right, it is a trifle warm."
"No,
no, I mean, suppose she gets here and finds nobody home?"
Well,
as if you hadn't guessed by now, the home economist was named
Goldilocks.
I
don't know how she did it but the next thing she saw was the porridge
on the table.
"Bettersample this and make out a consumer's report. Brand X
is far superior to Brand Y and Z. And it tastes just like
the higher-priced mush."
Next
in line was the durability test on the furniture. "They're
all Danish Modern." Making a note of it, she then went
upstairs to examine the bedroom....
"Three
beds. Leaping lizards!"
Anyway,
our little home economist tested all three beds and eventually fell
asleep on the smallest of the three.
"Whoever
ate mine even ate part of the bowl!" "Mush burglars!"
"Don't be silly, it was probably the home economist."
"We've been invaded!" "Calm down! I tell you, it's
probably the home economist."
It
was then that Goldilocks' snoring fell upon their ears.
"I
hope it isn't those boys from UCLA looking for another mascot!"
It
was a mighty concerned threesome that ascended the stairs.
"You
in the little bear's bed! Give your name, rank, and serial
number!"
"See,
I told you. Say, what do you think of our living conditions,
Annie?"
"I
think you're living in squalor."
"Isn't
that near, uh, Beverly Hills?"
"By
'squalor' I mean that your living conditions are deplorable, awful,
real bad. … I shall see to it that you live in a nice,
clean, modern apartment specifically designed for bears."
The story may be a bit strange and the stereotypes are awful but there are many useful English phrases. Maybe you can use your better English to explain (or just ask) why the stereotypes are awful.
Some of the most interesting or useful phrases are underlined.
A
young man should have three things: money, good looks, and a
sense of humor -- in that order.
"Gosh, I'm
handsome."
But when it came to money, he was
woefully lacking.
Ah,
but money isn't everything. Alden was constantly besieged by a
bevy of beautiful maidens. And he laughed easily at
anything and everything.
It
was while he was strolling through the kingdom one day that his
life took the wrong turn on the freeway. For up ahead, a dark
figure was bent over, pulling weeds.[пропалывать]
Alden
couldn't resist. … "Mother of pearl, I kicked a witch."
"I
cast a spell on them. … From this day on, you'll be as
ugly as all get-out. And you will remain ugly until the day that
a fair maiden kisses you."
Well,
you couldn't get much more ugly than what Alden became. He was
beastly-looking.
Ah,
but that third commodity, the one he had always lacked,
suddenly came his way.
"What
are you talking about? I just had lunch."
"If
you don't eat me, ogre, I will remunerate you." "What does
that mean?" "I'll give you money." … By sundown, 43
passers-by had passed by Alden and donated to the cause.
"I'm
rich. Now I can live in the manner to which I'm unaccustomed."
[usually "the manner to which smb is accustomed."]
The
first thing on his list was an abode to dwell
in.
"I'll
tell you what, buddy. If you don't eat me, I'll let you have
it for cheap."
The
price was right, so Alden moved in. Then he settled
down to a life of luxury. And every hour, on the hour, he
counted his money.
Whenever
he wanted to bolster or replenish his monetary supply,
he simply walked through the streets of a nearby village, shouting
"Yoo hoo, it's me, Alden! I've come to eat you!"
Inside
of a year, Alden was a millionaire ten times over.
It
was just about that time that the old witch, whom Alden had kicked,
received a group of visitors.
… That name rang a bell. And,
sure enough, there on page 462 of her income tax report was
the story of how she had changed Alden into a beast, which was
deductible. [вычитаемый на налоговом отчете]
"Then
the beast that lives in the castle is really our beloved
Alden?"
"Yes,
and all you have to do is kiss him. That breaks the spell,
and I'll no longer be able to claim him as a dependant."
"I
have come to kiss you, Alden, and return you to your former
handsome self."
Then
Alded realized that he would lose his livelihood if he were no
longer a beast.
"Let
me take you away from all this."
But
the damsel was dedicated. He sought refuge in the castle
basement. "Kiss me, my fool."
Finally,
on the castle roof, "They've got me outnumbered, but
they'll never find me up here."
"Halt
and desist! Pursue me one step more and I shall fling myself over
the parapet."
"Well,
we can't let you throw your life away." "Well, I'm
glad you've come to your senses."
"Aren't
you going to kiss us goodbye?" "Well, I suppose it's
the least I can do."
But
the money ran out and he also became penniless again.
"I
don't want to be handsome! I want to be ugly and rich! I want to be a
beast again!"
And
so, dear friends, whenever you are bending over and pulling weeds and
someone gives you a good solid kick, don't be too harsh on them.
It may be Alden Farquahar.
To review the wonderful array of set phrases and cliches in this video from Rocky and Bullwinkle, and to help you count the puns, here are some of the video's best lines:
There was no such thing as monotony in Merry Olde England
Whenever things got dull ...
Eventually, one solitary knight emerged victorious to receive the plaudits of his king.
On this particular occasion, it was a gallant but rotund fellow named Sir Cumference.
It was discovered to everyone's horror that that last chap was not a chap at all ...
I've a good mind to de-knight you. Instead I shall send you to Chickenshire.
Chickenshire, the most cowardly town in the nation, was well-named.
Run for your lives! There's a lion in the streets.
Sir Cumference and his wife set up housekeeping in a large but run-down castle on the edge of town.
Each day, one or more Chickenshireans would run up to the drawbridge, grab the trumpet that hung from the tree, and let go with a deafening blast.
It was occurences like that that turned a once-proud knight into a lazy loafer.
The years went by, and the only fighting Sir Cumference did was with his wife.
Dragon U. [University] ... where dragons of all shapes and sizes studied in the art of combat.
We're just in time for graduation exercises.
It is with the utmost pride that I hand out these diplomas.
Dragon after dragon took his scroll, received a heartfelt pawshake, and left the stand. All but one, named Milo.
I'm afraid you've flunked again, Milo.
I've been a senior for forty years and I still haven't granulated. [graduated]
Calculus, Milo. You're weak in calculus.
There must be some way I can become a full-fledged dragon.
A dragon could slay 13 knights and thus attain dragonhood.
It was either that or another semester....
I wouldn't know a knight if I saw one.
His meanderings eventually took him to a tiny hamlet where he spotted something of great interest.
There, nestled snugly beneath the tree stood a helmet shop.
And the helmet I should like you to get belongs to a knight named Sir Cumference.
It's not one of the villagers, lovey, it's a dragon.
All my days are draggin' ... but I'll take a look.
I said, bring down your battle-axe!
Under cover of darkness he stole into the castle and made off with Sir Cumference's wife.
Jumping into his armor, he rushed out of the castle and engaged the dragon in mortal combat.
Look, Milo, why are you after my scalp?
And Sir Cumference was filled in on his opponent's plight.
I'm proud of you, my boy.
It was nothing, Dean.
There is one small formality.
And after eating them, he wasn't much good for anything. You might say, he had one too many ... knightcaps. (nightcap = стаканчик спиртного на ночь)
Reason With Me, Sinéad O’Connor and Geoff Smith (performed by Sinéad O’Connor)
Hello, you don't know me,
but I stole your laptop
and I took your TV.
I sold your granny's rosary
for 50 p.
And I even pulled a hijack, said I had a hypodermic in me backpack,
but I was only bluffing.
Oh so long I've been a junkie,
I ought to wrap it up and mind my monkeys.
I really want to mend my ways,
I'm gonna call that number one of these days.
It's not too late.
I'm the one who sits in the backroom,
I'm the one who doesn't know how to have fun.
I'm the one to smoke amiss all around me,
'Cause I don't like no one around me.
'Cause if I love someone, I might lose someone
If I love someone, I might lose someone.
Oh so long I've been a junkie,
I ought to wrap it up and mind my monkeys.
I really want to mend my ways,
I'm gonna call that number one of these days.
I'm gonna reach a hand out to you, saying would you pull me up, now could you?
I don't want to waste the life God gave me, and I don't think that it's too late to save me.
It's not too late.
Reason with me, let's reason together
Reason with me, let's reason together...
Here's a wonderful video of co-author Paul McCartney performing "Drive My Car." (Audio and lyrics follow.)
Is this song fast enough for you?
Amazon.com download link (not available)
"Drive My Car," Paul McCartney and John Lennon
(performed by the Beatles)
Asked a girl what she wanted to be
She said baby, can’t you see
I wanna be famous, a star on the screen
But you can do something in between
Baby you can drive my car
Yes I’m gonna be a star
Baby you can drive my car
And maybe I’ll love you
I told that girl that my prospects were good
she said baby, it’s understood
Working for peanuts is all very fine
But I can show you a better time
Baby you can drive my car
Yes I’m gonna be a star
Baby you can drive my car
And maybe I’ll love you
Beep beep’m beep beep yeah
Baby you can drive my car
Yes I’m gonna be a star
Baby you can drive my car
And maybe I’ll love you
I told that girl I can start right away
When she said listen babe I got something to say
I got no car and it’s breaking my heart
But I’ve found a driver and that’s a start
Baby you can drive my car
Yes I’m gonna be a star
Baby you can drive my car
And maybe I’ll love you
Beep beep’m beep beep yeah
Beep beep’m beep beep yeah
(to fade)
Baby when you call me
Honey when you need me
I come running I come running
Baby I come running home
When I get a notion
When I'm out across the ocean
I come running I come running
Baby I come running home
I want to feel your heartbeat
I want to see you smile
My love for you is so strong
I come running a thousand miles
You is where I belong.
Baby when you call me
Honey when you need me
I come running I come running
Baby I come running home
I'll travel highways I'll travel byways
Get a ticket on some homebound plane
Ain't nothing now gonna stop me now
Just to hold you in my arms again
Baby when you call me
Honey when you need me
I come running I come running
Baby I come running home
Heaven opens when you smile
Your voice sounds like music to me
Sweet look in your eyes still gives me butterflies
They drive me crazy after all these years
Baby when you call me
Honey when you need me
I come running I come running
Baby I come running home
I'll travel highways I'll travel byways
Get a ticket on some homebound plane
Ain't nothing now gonna stop me now
Just to hold you in my arms again
Baby when you call me
Honey when you need me
I come running I come running
Baby I come running home
I come running I come running
Baby I come running home
Groups 203 and 204: Your final test in my class will be on Thursday, May 22.
Groups 201 and 202: Your final test in my class will be on Wednesday, May 28.
Are you familiar with the test blanks used for the exam? I will be using them for our tests in case you need some practice using them. (Don't laugh; every year, some students put their answers in the wrong places.) Here are the blanks (at least for now) as shown at the official site:
At the official site, there is also a registration form, but we won't use that; you will write your name and group number at the top of each answer blank.
I love the lyrics of this song ... here are some of my favorite lines:
I ain't no porcupine, take off your kid gloves ... are you ready for the thing called love? Whether your sunglasses are off or on, you only see the world you make
Here is a recent performance of this song--Bonnie Raitt on stage with the song's writer, John Hiatt:
Bonnie Raitt's "official" music video version of this song. Yes, it's a bit cheesy, but you get some good glimpses of Bonnie's bottleneck guitar playing.
Words by John Hiatt:
Don't have to humble yourself to me
I ain't your judge or your king
Baby, you know I ain't no Queen of Sheba
We may not even have our dignity, this could just be a powerful thing
Baby we can choose you know we ain't no amoeba
Chorus: Are you ready for the thing called love
Don't come from me and you, it comes from up above
I ain't no porcupine, take off your kid gloves
Are you ready for the thing called love
I ain't no icon carved out of soap
Sent here to clean up your reputation
Baby, you know you ain't no Prince Charming
We can live in fear or act out of hope
For some kind of peaceful situation
Baby, how come the cry of love is so alarming
Chorus
Ugly ducklings don't turn into swans
And glide off down the lake
Whether your sunglasses are off or on
You only see the world you make
Chorus
Are you ready for the thing called love
… Are you ready for it …
Are you ready for love, baby
Oooh yeah babe
Are you ready for love
You have received a letter from your English-speaking pen-friend Tom who writes:
I rarely have dreams. But yesterday I had a very interesting dream. I was on a ship in a huge storm. It was chaos. Then I saw a wall of water ahead of us−it fell on our ship and broke it like a mirror. I found myself on an island, where I began living like Robinson Crusoe. How often do you dream? Can you tell me about a dream? Do you sometimes try to dream the same dream again? My brother bought us two tickets to the cinema.
Write a letter to Tom. In your letter
answer his questions
ask 3 questions about the cinema tickets. Write 100 – 140 words. Remember the rules of letter writing.
This is your last homework assignment of the year!
With thanks to Rami (Group 201, last year) for his original version of this letter.
These words and phrases are from the reading comprehension section of Afanasyeva's unit 17. Please use them in complete sentences. (As always, you may use more than one word or phrase in a sentence.)
Please bring your homework to our class next week (May 14 or 15).
page 132
to take to the streets
(caught in) the act
to stand out (from the rest)
to enter (transitive)
to come up with
brainchild
pages 134-5
a/an (time period) away
smooth, smoothly
to make time for
speechless
Standing in the Shadows of Motown is a 2002 documentary film directed by Paul Justman. It recounts the story of The Funk Brothers, the uncredited and largely unheralded studio musicians who were the hand picked house band by Berry Gordy in 1959. They were the band who recorded and performed on Motowns' recordings from 1959 to 1972.
The film was inspired by the 1989 book Standing in the Shadows of Motown: The Life and Music of Legendary Bassist James Jamerson, a bass guitar instruction book by Allan Slutsky, which features the bass lines of James Jamerson. The film covers the Funk Brothers' career via interviews with surviving band members, archival footage and still photos, dramatized re-enactments, and narration by actor Andre Braugher. The film also features new live performances of several Motown hit songs, with the Funk Brothers backing up Gerald Levert, Me'shell Ndegeocello, Joan Osborne, Ben Harper, Bootsy Collins, Chaka Khan, and Montell Jordan.
The impetus behind making the film was to bring these influential players out of anonymity. In addition to bassist James Jamerson, The Funk Brothers consisted of the following musicians: Jack Ashford (percussion); Bob Babbitt (bass); Joe Hunter (keyboards); Uriel Jones (drums); Joe Messina (guitar); Eddie Willis (guitar); "Pistol" Allen (drums); "Papa Zita" Benjamin (drums); "Bongo" Brown (percussion); Johnny Griffith (keyboards); Earl Van Dyke (keyboards); and Robert White (guitar). The Funk Brothers produced more hits than The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Beach Boys together. It was their sound, according to Mary Wilson (of The Supremes) that backed The Temptations, The Supremes, The Miracles, the Four Tops, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Mary Wells, amongst other noteworthy bands during their tenure from 1959 to 1973.
Here is a guide to some of the phrases we hear in this film:
I heard it through the grapevine: I found out about something through rumors passed from person to person
To dash all over: to run quickly, usually frantically, especially from task to task. “He was dashing all over, getting ready for the party.”
Between the two of us: together we are enough to get the task done—“Between the two us of us, we’ll finish by five.” Also, holding something confidential: “This is just between the two of us—nobody else should know.”
To run over to (somewhere – store, etc.): to go somewhere quickly. “I’ll just run over to the store to get some milk. I’ll be back in a minute.”
Traffic got tied up: a traffic jam started. “As usual, traffic got tied up at the exit ramp to I-95.”
(something was) holding up traffic: interrupting or interfering with the flow of traffic. “An accident was holding up traffic”
I was used to (doing something): I was accustomed to… “Russians are used to the cold.” Also, “get used to.” “After living in Russia, I got used to the cold.” Also used with verbs. “I got used to leaving my shoes at the front door when I lived in Russia.”
to find peace of mind: to come to terms with a emotional event, decision, etc. “I think he’s found some peace of mind now, after coming home from the war.”
his piece: his pistol
to wear a smirk: a derisive or sarcastic smile with one end of the lip curled up … “Wipe that smirk off your face! Listen to me when I talk!”
you do (me, him, them, etc) wrong: treat someone unethically , unfairly; “you did me wrong”
cocky: arrogant and careless, usually applies to youth
took on a life of its own: began to take on an existence, or began to circulate, independently of its creator—for example, an idea, song, text, saying, rumor
she’s getting down: “getting down” is doing something well and enthusiastically, especially in music, dance, etc.
doing our own thing: very American expression; finding what’s uniquely ours to do, what suits our personality and talents; “We didn’t like the way he told us to do it, so we did our own thing.”
you guys – in casual conversation, has almost become an informal plural in American English; it now applies to both men and women, especially among young people
you beat me to the punch: you scored a point (figuratively) by taking the initiative or anticipating what I might do
he kicked it off: when someone begins with the expectation that others will join in. In American football, the game begins with a kick-off.
work it out: in a conflict, means to come to an agreement – with a problem, to find a solution to a problem. “They worked it out so they could still work in the same office.” Or, “the computer crashed, so together they worked out a way to do it by hand.”
we couldn’t make a living: didn’t receive wages high enough to support a family. “I couldn’t make a living on a small farm anymore, so I took a job at the store.”
we ended up (doing, going, etc.): without planning, or through eventual lack of choice – “After getting lost a few times, we ended up going on the freeway.”
to stand a chance: have a possibility - “Thirty years ago, a black person didn’t stand a chance of being elected president of the U.S.”
gonna: short for “going to”; “The pilot radioed the control tower, ‘We’re gonna be in the Hudson’.”
lay the groundwork: prepare for a complex event, etc. “He laid the groundwork for the company’s move to Chicago.”
to raise Cain: a biblical reference to a child who grew up to kill his own brother; means to make a big, noisy fuss. “After the manager refused to pay their back wages, the workers sure raised Cain about it.”
to make up your mind: to decide. “He’s coming in ten minutes. Make up your mind what you’re going to wear.”
to become a permanent fixture: to be always present; “He came to the gym so often he was a permanent fixture.”
will see you through: to help you get through a difficult time. “I’ll stay with you in the hospital, to see you through your son’s surgery.”
my head’s in a haze: to be unable to think clearly, mostly because of an emotional event. “Ever since she left me, my head’s been in a haze.”
it gets to you: something that becomes upsetting after awhile. “Everyone was paid more than me. Being treated like that gets to you.”
to skip school: to be absent from school. “He skipped school so often he had to repeat eighth grade.” (However, to skip a grade in school means to advance or be promoted two grades higher rather than just one grade higher, usually owing to the student's ability to do schoolwork at a higher level than their current class level.)
what he was about: plans, interests, intentions, dreams for the future, etc. “He explained to me what he was about.”
to hang out with: spend time with. “I was just over at his house, hanging out with him and his brothers.” Has been shortened to “hangin’ or “hangin’ around.” “What you doin’ hangin’ with someone like him?”
to sit back: to relax, or to take yourself out of the general action; “We were discussing it – it really got heated, but the director just sat back and let us work it out.” Or, “sit back, enjoy the show…”
mainstream: the majority, or what the majority believes, does, etc. “We didn’t talk to the most conservative or the most liberal – just mainstream America.” When used negatively, its meaning is similar to “conventional”—that is, the opposite of “avant-garde.”
Stuff is a word we often use when we don’t want to be specific:
a whole lot of stuff
the instruments and stuff
stuff happens
Nonstandard or regional English usages:
he done learned (the word “done” becomes an intensifier or modal verb, something like a past-tense equivalent to “do” in the sentence “I do want you to finish that task”, or the “went and” construction in “he went and learned” ...)
it wasn’t never going to be happenin’
I didn’t have no full set of drums
that weren’t nothin’
hurry up, man! – the use of “man” is different from so-called “standard” English. Historically, “the man” sometimes meant “the white boss” or white people generally, or the authorities.
our people came north: refers to the migration of blacks from the southern states to work in the factories in the northern states after 1920 or so, and especially during World War II. Blacks often use the phrase “our people” to mean blacks. Low-income whites migrated, too.
the truck had a accident Use of article a before a word starting with a vowel, when standard English would use “an”.
Use of the double negative ("I didn't have no full set of drums") is characteristic of certain dialects and the youth slang influenced by them; it is not recommended for standard English or for university exams.
Here are some examples of language specific to music or musicians, especially jazz, blues, R & B, soul, rock, etc. … sometimes crossing over into general use:
cat: a musician (usually but not always a jazz musician); (sometimes) a musician one really admires
a take: one attempt to record a song, symphonic movement, etc., from beginning to end. “We recorded that song in one take.” Also refers to movie-making. “Filming that scene took 30 takes!”
to cut a track: to record a song (refers to the production process for gramophone records, in which record masters were actually cut with an electromechanical record cutter that cut a spiral groove into the master disk)
axe: musical instrument (often guitar or trumpet)
ivories: piano or piano keys (also 88’s)
harp: harmonica (also blues harp or Mississippi saxophone)
funky: originally, having a strong odor, and by extension “earthy”; having a strong syncopated, danceable beat, a groove driven by coordination between drums and bass and a rhythmic use of repeated musical phrases, sometimes with flattened notes and chords
gig: a performance, usually for pay (now sometimes used in non-musical contexts)
countoff: the signals (often by voice or drum) to coordinate the start of a song, typically “one two three four” or “one, two, one two three four”—or in Sam the Sham’s famous case, “Uno dos, one two tres quatro!” (“Wooly Bully”)
pickup: among other meanings, the opening drum flourish of a song
riff: a short musical phrase, often repeated or used as the basis for improvisation; as an opening theme that catches the listener’s attention, it is sometimes called the hook, as in Robert White’s opening guitar notes of “My Girl.”
bridge: typically a contrasting musical interlude between the two main parts of a song, or between parts two and three of a three-part song
groove: the emotionally satisfying sensation resulting from musicians playing in rhythmic cohesion (from the era of gramophone records, when the needle was literally in the groove of the record)
I wandered alone to my home by the river
Where in youth's early dawn I was happy and free
I looked for my friends but I never could find them
I found they were all rank strangers to me
Everybody I met
Seemed to be a rank stranger
No mother or dad
Not a friend could I see
They knew not my name
And I knew not their faces
I found they were all
Rank strangers to me
"They've all moved away," said the voice of a stranger
"To a beautiful home by the bright crystal sea"
Some beautiful day I'll meet them in heaven
Where no one will be a stranger to me
Everybody I met
Seemed to be a rank stranger
No mother or dad
Not a friend could I see
They knew not my name
And I knew not their faces
I found they were all
Rank strangers to me
Note: "Rank" here means "complete" or "completely" ... see definition number 7 here.
When you imagine your future, do you sometimes think about what it would be like to become famous? Fame has its advantages, but on the other hand, fame isn't always easy to cope with. For you personally, what might be some of the pluses and minuses of fame?
This time, write in your own voice, replying directly to the questioner: "I think that...."
You may quote other people, including celebrities, journalists, commentators, and so on, but if you do, please please please give the name of the person you are quoting, put "quotation marks" around exact quotes, and tell us where you got the quotation. Do not copy answers from Internet homework sites and give them to me as your own work.
Example:
Johnny Depp told interviewer Larry King, "... There are moments in a man's life when you just kind of want to feel somewhat normal."(1)
[at bottom of essay: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------]
Write 200-250 words, using something like the following plan.
1. title
2. introduction: how did you get interested in this topic, or why?
3. list the advantages of fame and give reasons/examples
4. list the disadvantages of fame and give reasons/examples
5. draw a conclusion (give your opinion or a balanced summary of the topic).
Bring your essay to our next class. Together we'll consider the advantages and disadvantages of being famous.
Exercise adapted from Olga Afanasyeva, Virginia Evans, Victoria Kopylova, Practice Exam Papers for the Russian State Exam, 2010 Revised Edition, Moscow: Express Publishing/Prosveshchenie Publishers.
Singing, sharing, that's what words are for
Loving, caring, that's what words are for
They let us know each other, they open lots of doors
There's love all around this world
Your skin, my skin, it looks about the same
Black skin, white skin, it looks about the same
It sparkles in the sunshine, it glistens in the rain
There's love all around this world
Your hand, my hand, fingers, palms and thumbs
Left hand, right hand, fingers, palms and thumbs
If we put our hands together, who knows what we'll get done
There's love all around this world
Your turn, my turn, that's the way we play
His turn, her turn, that's the way we play
We'll have lots more fun tomorrow, just like we did today
There's love all around this world
Your song, my song, I like the way we sing
Low song, high song, I like the way we sing
When our voices turn together, they make a golden ring
There's love all around this world
There's love all around this world
There's love all around this world
Here's a video of Bill Jolliff and his son Jacob, not doing this song but a similar one. Enjoy! (Jacob is playing mandolin.)
