Nice to meet you!

Meeting new people can be hard and sometimes cause anxiety for some people.  I've never had that problem.  I am very outgoing and forthcoming, so introducing myself to someone comes easily for me.  When I meet someone new, I am always friendly.  I like to smile, extend my hand for a handshake, and I offer a simple "hello!" Usually, the person responds in the same fashion.  Then I try to talk about something that may be of a common interest, for example I may ask, "Do you like to read?" or "What's you favorite movie?"  These questions help to break the ice and helps us to get to know each other.  I like making new friends because it helps to expand my own interests and gives me the opportunity to learn new things.  When I am with my friends, some of the things we like to do include going out to eat, going to a museum, going to the beach and going for a bike ride.  My best friend's name is June.  We've known each other for 27 years, and she will always be my closest and dearest friend. Having friends is a great thing!  I encourage you to go out and make one new friend this week!

Vocabulary

anxiety - the feeling of being very worried about something
outgoing - likes to meet and talk to new people
forthcoming -willing to give information about something
extend - to stretch out a hand or leg
fashion - in a particular way
common - beliefs, ideas are shared by two or more people
break the ice - to ease nervous feelings and help to communicate
expand - to make larger
opportunity - the chance to do something
museum - a place where cultural, historical or scientific objects are kept and shown to the public
encourage - to try to make someone do something they may not ever try to do

Vocabulary Activity
Match the words to their definitions

anxiety                                   a. to stretch out a hand or leg

outgoing                                 b. a place where cultural, historical, or scientific objects are kept and shown

forthcoming                            c. to make larger

extend                                   d. the feeling of being very worried about something

fashion                                   e. beliefs, ideas that are shared by two or more people

common                                f. to try to make someone do something they may not ever try to do.

break the ice                         g.  in a particular way

expand                                 h. the chance to do something

opportunity                          i. likes to meet and talk to people

museum                               j. willing to give information about something

encourage                           k. to ease nervous feelings and help to communicate

Grammar Point
Idioms are phrases whose words are used together to have a meaning that is different from the dictionary definitions of the individual words.  For example:
"Break the Ice" means to ease nervous feeling
"Pulling my leg" means to tease someone by telling them something that is untrue

Grammar Activity
Look at the idioms below and try to figure out the meaning.  Then check your answers by looking up the idioms using the following website:

"Lay down the law"
"Go fly a kite"
"Icing on the cake"
"beat the clock"
"cream of the crop"
"In a jam"
"Hit the hay"
"down to earth"
"on cloud nine"
"get your ducks in a row"

Fast Food Fights

McDonald's or Wendy's?  In my family going to a fast food restaurant is a big treat, so choosing which one we visit is a huge decision.  I prefer Wendy's hamburgers over McDonald's, but my children prefer the opposite.  There is something about biting into a big, juicy, delicious, Wendy's hamburger that makes my mouth water just to think about it!  But some, however, do not feel the same.  Many people feel that McDonald's hamburgers are far more superb!  I will agree that McDonald's has the best french fries out of all the fast food places out there.  It is not surprising, then, that the company has been in business for over 60 years.  There have been arguments that fast food is not healthy and that it the major cause of obesity.  That is the main reason why my family does not frequent them.  Which is your favorite?

Vocabulary

McDonald's (n) - fast food restaurant where they serve burgers, fries, chicken and more
Wendy's (n) -  fast food restaurant where they serve burgers, fries, chicken and more
visit - (v)  to go and spend time in a place, especially for pleasure or interest
decision (n) - a choice or judgment that you make after thought
prefer (v) - to like someone or something more than someone or something else
opposite - (n) as different as possible from something else
delicious - (adj) - very pleasant to taste or smell
superb - (adj) extremely good
obesity - (n) when someone is very fat in a way that is unhealthy
frequent - (v) to go to a particular place often
favorite - (adj) - one that you like the most

Vocabulary Activity
Place the words in alphabetical order, then write the definition that matches that matches the word.

visit
McDonalds
decision
opposite
obesity
favorite
Wendy's
delicious
prefer
frequent
superb

Grammar Point
Using a comma can be tricky.  Use a comma between two independent clauses, before a coordinating conjuction (FANBOY) , to separate items in a series or list, after an introductory phrase or clause, and to set off interuptions.

Grammar Activity
Use my blog to identify the many uses of commas. Breifly respond to my question, "What's your favorite?" using a comma, at least 3 times, correctly.

Supermarket Bonanza

Going to the supermarket is a huge errand.  It not only takes time, but it requires a great deal of stamina.  First I have to make a grocery list.  I usually look in my pantry, refrigerator, and cabinets to see what I need to buy.  After I make a list, I look through the supermarket advertisement to see what is on sale.  Next, I check all of the coupons that I can use to save even more money.  When I get to the supermarket I grab a cart and begin my excursion through the store.  I always start at the produce aisle and make my way around the store until I end up in the junk food aisle.  I don't know about you, but I can NEVER pass up the junk food!  I also love to stock up on things that are non-perishable and are on sale; this way I can fill up my pantry for future use.  By the time I am done, my cart is overflowing.  Sometimes I walk out of the store with 50 bags full of food.  I never like going to the supermarket because it takes a long time and I spend way too much money.  But, I do love eating it all!!!



Vocabulary

errand -  (v) a short journey in order to do something
stamina - (adv) physical or mental strength that lets you continue doing something for a long time without getting tired
pantry - (n) a very small room in a house where food is kept
cabinets - (n) a piece of furniture with doors and shelves or drawers, used for storing or showing things
advertisement - (n) a newspaper/set of pictures & words used to show people products to buy
coupons - (n) a small piece of printed paper that gives you the right to pay less for something or get something free
excursion - (v) a short journey made for a particular purpose
produce - (n) food, like fruits and vegetables, that have been grown on a farm to be sold
junk-food- (idiom) food that is not healthy
stock up - (idiom) to fill up or store many of one item
non-perishable - (n) food that will not go rotten if stored for a long time
overflowing - (v) to be completely full
:
Vocabulary Activity

Use each word in a sentence.


Grammar Point
Pronouns can take the place of nouns as the subject of a sentence. Subject pronouns include: he,she, you, it, I, we, my, they and us.

Grammar Activity
Look through my blog entry and highlight all the pronouns.  Then write 3 sentences, of your own, using 3 different pronouns.