Chinese culture and traditions documentary

Idioms

(1:18) "He comes on the king tide."

King tide is a colloquial term for an especially high spring tide, such as a perigean spring tide. "King tide" is not a scientific term, nor is it used in a scientific context.

• A perigean spring tide is a tide that occurs three or four times a year when the Moon's perigee (its closest point to Earth during its 28-day elliptical orbit) coincides with a spring tide (when the Earth, Sun and Moon are nearly aligned every two weeks).

Answers - I Love Lucy English Exercise

• at a girl- a phrase of encouragement.  Short for "that a girl."
• sunk in- was understood.
• stay in their place- they do what they're supposed to do and don't try to go beyond that.
• you've got the vote- you're able to vote; you're allowed to vote.

I love Lucy- English exercise

Using context, figure out the meaning of the following phrases:

• 'at a girl
• sunk in
• stay in their place
• you've got the vote

Idioms- Running solo

0:08) "Agent Valerian, you'll be running solo."
Running solo- doing something alone

Idioms- "Dead men tell no tales." 0:27

"Dead men tell no tales." 0:27- The dead don't speak, so they died with any secrets they might have known in life. Or, they can't speak or tell others how they have died.

English- Evolving or Devolving Language?

Is English an evolving or devolving language?
As I use clips from various television programs for student exercises, I find students having more difficulty understanding what people are saying in recent shows, as opposed to older television programs.  Speech from older programs seems to be more intelligible (understandable).  I've chosen two clips from two programs- one is from Mike and Molly which is a very recent program, and the other is from I Love Lucy which was produced in the 1950's.

•  Please watch the two clips below and leave comments as to which was easier for you to understand.

Sorry your comments are not showing up!  I am going to have to work on this and fix it.  Thank you.

Which video can you understand better?  I Love Lucy or Mike and Molly?

English Pronunciation

ANSWERS- The Big Bang Theory- Did You Hate My Short Hair

1.     What did Sheldon head-butt?

The water fountain

2.     What did Sheldon mean to do?

Punch the water fountain.

3.     The girl says she can’t imagine Sheldon being violent.  His friend says to just picture what?

The three stooges

4.     What does Sheldon say is completely illogical?

Jealousy

5.     What is Roger jealous of?

Two of the couples having happy relationships.

6.     What does Roger’s family have that people are jealous of?

Money

7.     Sheldon’s girlfriend has been envious of what since she met Penny?

Penny’s looks

8.     She was happy when Penny did what?

Cut her hair off.

9.     Penny asks if they liked her hair cut, and one girl says she thought it was what?

Brave

10. Penny asks why no one is talking about Howard’s what?

Dopey haircut

The Big Bang Theory-Penny- Did You All Hate My Short Hair

 Vocabulary (idioms and phrases included)

Head butt- hit something on purpose with your head

The Three Stooges- a television show from the 1940’s featuring three silly men

Hot girl- a girl who is considered very beautiful

Dopey- dumb

Nerds- people who are exceptionally smart, and lacking social skills

 Questions

1.     What did Sheldon head-butt?

2.     What did Sheldon mean go to do?

3.     The girl says she can’t imagine Sheldon being violent.  His friend says to just picture what?

4.     What does Sheldon say is completely illogical?

5.     What is Roger jealous of?

6.     What does Roger’s family have that people are jealous of?

7.     Sheldon’s girlfriend has been envious of what since she met Penny?

8.     She was happy when Penny did what?

9.     Penny asks if they liked her hair cut, and one girl says she thought it was what?

10. Penny asks why no one is talking about Howard’s what?

ANSWERS- The Big Bang Theory- Sheldon Gets Injured

1.     Why does Sheldon admire Leonard?

Because he’s happy with who he is.

2.     Instead of being weighed down by ambition, what does Leonard do?

Float along like a dead body in a river.

3.     What have always been held over Leonard’s head?

His brother and sisters’ accomplishments.

4.     What was Sheldon surpassed by?

A geologist.

5.     What does Leonard recommend Sheldon do with the rock?

Visualize it as his anger and toss it out of his life.

6.     Sheldon says to the rock he is going to cast it far away and that the rock should feel free to what?

Take out a pigeon.

7.     Sheldon hurt his foot and what happened to Leonard?

He laughed so hard he burst a blood vessel.

8.     Instead of fixating on what Burt has, what should Sheldon do?

Appreciate all the good things in his life.

9.     How does Penny get Sheldon to stop feeing sorry for himself?

She calls him names.

10. What are men of Burt’s stature more susceptible to?

Life-threatening diseases.

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The Big Bang Theory- Sheldon Gets Injured

Vocabulary

Weighed down by ambition- feeling pressured to accomplish various goals

Take the compliment- accept a compliment

Held over my head- constantly reminded of something

Wet the bed- urinate in the bed

Paper beats it- this is a reference to the  “rock, paper, scissors game.

Primal urge- a basic, “uncivilized” urge

Toss it out- throw it away

Take out- kill

Encapsulates all my negative emotions- has all of the bad things he feels in it

Fixating- obsessively focusing on something

Roof over your head- a place to live

No one is lining up to be you- no one is envious of her life

Questions

1.     Why does Sheldon admire Leonard?

2.     Instead of being weighed down by ambition, what does Leonard do?

3.     What have always been held over Leonard’s head?

4.     What was Sheldon surpassed by?

5.     What does Leonard recommend Sheldon do with the rock?

6.     Sheldon says to the rock he is going to cast it far away and that the rock should feel free to what?

7.     Sheldon hurt his foot and what happened to Leonard?

8.     Instead of fixating on what Burt has, what should Sheldon do?

9.     How does Penny get Sheldon to stop feeing sorry for himself?

10. What are men of Burt’s stature more susceptible to?