Mini-Lessons from Monday, Apr. 23, 2012

These Mini-Lessons are posted on Twitter, and in China on Weibo, throughout the day. You can follow them there!

To get the most from them, you should try to use them in sentences, or discuss them with friends. Writing something on Twitter or Weibo is a great way to practice!

• Tip: Read aloud. Some of us learn better by listening; so listen to yourself! Makes you move your mouth too. Read naturally; don't shout.
  
• Proverb: No news is good news: Because most news is BAD news! "My boss hasn't said anything about my raise." "Well, 'No news is good news.'"
  
• Academic Vocabulary: phenomenon: anything that happens; especially, something special. "Who can explain the Lady Gaga phenomenon?"
  
• Literature: millennium: a period of 1,000 years; especially, a future time when Christians say Jesus will rule the earth before it is destroyed.
  
• Art: phallic symbol: item representing a penis in art or stories. "The knights' spears in the King Arthur stories may be a phallic symbol."
  
• Slang: Go for it!: expression of encouragement. A: "I don't know if I should take this job." B: "Why not? It sounds great! Go for it!"
  
• Geography: British Columbia: most western province of Canada, known for natural beauty. + US states Oregon and Washington = Pacific Northwest.
  

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NOTES:

1. Academic Vocabulary is the Academic Word List from Oxford University Press. This is "a list of words that you are likely to meet if you study at an English-speaking university."
2. The Proverb, and the Literature, Art, and Geography words are from lists in the Dictionary of Cultural Literacy. I wrote the definitions and examples myself.
3. The Tip and Slang words are from my own lists, and I wrote the definitions and examples myself.

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This lesson is ©2012 by James Baquet. You may share this work freely. Teachers may use it in the classroom, as long as students are told the source (URL). You may not publish this material or sell it. Please write to me if you have any questions about "fair use."

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