GOURMET
WORDS
One of my favorite “MASH” programs was the one
in which the personnel of the unit collect food items for the poor and
hungry of the countryside. Most donate standard items such as canned or
packaged meats, soups, vegetables, etc. But the Boston Brahmin, Charles,
donates some gourmet food selections. When ridiculed by the others, he
replies that the recipients might appreciate the chance to sample such
items and might even enjoy foods they would not ordinarily find on their
plates.
Our students, too, might likewise enjoy learning a “gourmet
word” that is not part of their everyday vocabulary, a word they
could proudly throw into the conversational hopper, impressing their listeners.
So… with that in mind, pick up on a word your student
has used in a story or conversation or in his/her writing for which an
appropriate “gourmet word” could be substituted.
Example: Student used the word fooled. Suggest deluded or deceived or hoodwinked.
Student used the word agree. Suggest concur or consent.
How to guarantee success:
- Stimulate your student’s interest in learning
such words.
- Seize occasions when it arises naturally in the course
of your sessions.
- Encourage your student to bring to your sessions gourmet
words he/she would like to own.
- Practice with your student the way in which the new
word might be used, including the kind of situation in which it could
apply
Caution: Don’t suggest “gourmet words”
that even an English professor would not use in casual conversation. (Eschew words like jejune and plethora, to mention just three.)
back to top
IDIOM
TIME AGAIN
Idioms, among other useful qualities, make language more
colorful than straightforward expressions.
Here are some idioms that you may wish to introduce to your student. For
each idiom, ask your student to tell you its meaning and speak or write
a brief sentence using it.
tell it like it is
|
easy as pie |
be into something |
hit the ceiling |
| turn over a new leaf |
freak out |
smell a rat |
walking on air |
| fed up |
get a life |
|
|
To all you Tutors: I think
of this page as a collaborative effort involving you, your students, the
office staff and me. In that spirit, we encourage you to tell us how the
page can be of more help to you. Which previous lessons did you find useful?
Are there any particular types of lessons you are looking for? Are there
lessons you devised that you would like to share with all of us? Lessons
that we receive from you will be printed with attribution – a good
way to see your name in print; it will look good on your c.v.
You can contact me at: leskowitz@adelphia.net
back to top
STUDENT
RESEARCH
This exercise will call on your student to use resources such as an encyclopedia,
an almanac, a dictionary or the internet as research tools. The subject
of this exercise happens to be scientists, but it could just as easily
be historical figures, politicians, athletes or any other category.
Scientists and their discoveries
Directions: Column A lists the names of some scientists
who made discoveries or inventions that changed the world. Column B lists
the contributions of those scientists or the field in which he/she worked.
Ask your students to match each scientist in Column A with the item in Column B for which he/she is known. Help your student use any of
he various resources named above. You can use this exercise either as
part of a lesson or as a homework assignment.
Column A
|
Column B |
| 1. Thomas A. Edison |
a) Circulation of the blood |
| 2. Louis Pasteur |
b) Vaccination against smallpox |
| 3. Jonas Salk |
c) Laws of gravitation |
| 4. Marie Curie |
d) Natural selection and evolution |
| 5. George Washington Carver |
e) E = mc2 |
| 6.William Harvey |
f) Prevention of poliomyelitis (infantile paralysis) |
| 7. Edward Jenner |
g) Medical use of radium and X-rays |
| 8. Charles Darwin |
h) Bacteria as cause of disease |
| 9. Albert Einstein |
i) Improvement of agricultural methods |
| 10. Isaac Newton |
j) Electric light |
Answers:1 – j; 2 – h; 3 – f; 4 – g; 5 – i;
6 – a; 7 – b; 8 – d; 9 – e; 10 – c.
Additional information for this exercise about scientists available upon
request leskowitz@adelphia.net.
Try this exercise using a list of historical figures, politicians, athletes
or other notable persons.
back to top
COUNT
AND NONCOUNT NOUNS
A count noun can be counted with numbers; can be preceded with a/an;
and has a plural form ending in s or es. (Examples: I have one cat. I have two dogs. I have two boxes.)
A noncount noun cannot be counted with numbers; is not preceded by a/an;
and does not have a plural form (more than one such item is indicated
by some, lots of, etc.) (Examples: I have one information.
I have an information. I have informations.)
Directions: For Column A, write a or an or some in the blanks. Write C next to the sentence if the
highlighted noun is a count noun; NC if a noncount noun. For Column B, add final –s/-es where possible, otherwise write
a slash (/) in the blank space.
Column A
|
Column B |
| 1. I have ___ homework to finish. |
1. The Great Lakes are large body __ of water. |
| 2. Susan asked ___ question. |
2. Engineers build bridge ___ across river ___. |
| 3. Did you have ___ assignment today? |
3. Joey likes baked potato ___. |
| 4. Do you like to listen to ___ music? |
4. I would like some advice ___. |
| 5. I have just finished ___ novel. |
5. Judy lost her sun glass ___. |
back to top
|