F2F Class Notes (Nick) [W]

Take another look at your previous homework and see if you can apply some of today’s grammar points to the second portion of the homework. See if you can find some mistakes and improve the story!

Continue editing the homework from this class.

Vocabulary

In your sensitive years/at a sensitive age – the first is a range, the second more a point
e.g. In your sensitive years, experiences can affect you more strongly.
e.g. I remember that time very well, because I was still at a rather sensitive age; perhaps you weren’t old enough for the experience

Ages – a very long time, probably more than a few weeks, but even centuries
e.g. I haven’t seen you in ages!
e.g. Europe during the Middle Ages was a dirty and crowded place. (500 – 1500)

Probably vs. Maybe – probably means that expect some result; maybe is less sure
e.g. Probably 15/16 years ago – I think there is likely to be some event during this time that fits the description
e.g. Maybe 15/16 years ago – this is more like a question; is there something 15/16 years ago which you remember happening to you?

Mind vs. Brain – the physical brain vs. what happens in it; the experience of thinking
e.g. Tell me what you’re thinking? What’s going on in your mind?
e.g. Doctor, are you ready to perform the brain surgery?

Spring up vs. Come up – to “spring” implies a surprise, a suddenness, some emotional impact; come up may be a surprise, but usually just because I didn’t know about it before
e.g. See how the flowers spring up each May?
e.g. I’m afraid I can’t make the meeting today. Something has come up which I must attend to.

To Daydream – to let your mind wander, often thinking about the past or a future you would like
e.g. Sorry, what did you say? I was daydreaming about traveling to Vietnam when you started talking.
Note: other “dreaming” is assumed to be while sleeping

Rollerblades – inline skates

Streamline – usually used to describe something which travels very smoothly through air or water
e.g. This boat is streamlined for racing. It really cuts through the waves.
(Usually not for something attached, like muscles as below, but the context there makes it ok!)

Grammar

In general, give background information, context, before more specific information.
e.g. I was fifteen years old when I got my first pair of inline skates.

Using the colon “:” – a colon is used to give examples of a something general, or to explain something previously mentioned
e.g. I am going to the store to get a few kitchen items: soap, trash bags, plates, spoons, chopsticks
e.g. You want to know what I told him? This is what I told him: Your English is very good!

From homework:

Do you remember something which happened in your sensitive ages, probably 15/16 years old? Although many years passed but it still spring in your brain as if carving in your heart. Sometimes you don’t think about it, but it always barges in your night dream.
That was a nice day, I put on my inline skates to try to skate, that was my first time to skate when I got my 15 years old birthday gift from my dad. I was exciting really since I wanted them for long time. this was a secret I never told anyone, I liked a boy who was tall with streamline muscles and tan skin. He skated very well like, you know, a ray of light. I wanted to skate with him one day, but I shamed with my terrible skills. I got carried away and practiced 3 hours straight but still hardly to stand stably and move forward, I fell again and again. I was upset until someone help to pull me up. It was him, romantic story happed like a prince encountered a princess. Although I thought he will help everyone if they fell and sat on the ground, but for me it was special, as if it was a link between us. he kneeled on the ground and checked if I hurt, my face turned red, I almost felt it. he looked at my eyes straight and asked: are you ok? I nodded slightly, he continued to say with a charming smile, can I ask you a question? I was ecstasy but kept peace seemed I didn’t care about it. Did you really want to learn to skate? I looked at the floor to avoid looking at him directly and said yes. He said nothing and showed me the skating skills step by step and then stopped, leaned back on a tree. Your turn the said. my heart jumped hardly inside of my chest and almost out of it, I would try but my feet didn’t follow my order, I just placed one foot strategically then another. He still stood there and watched me doing it without speaking but also without taking his eyes off me. I was very embarrassed and felt as a clown while he did it, I wish he would turn his back and went away.
After that time, I found he always appeared in my life, as if something happened between us and linked us together. I didn’t tell him I likes him, and I won’t do that forever.

Do you remember something which happened in your sensitive years, maybe 15/16 years old? Something that, although many years have passed, but it still springs up in your mind as if carved on your heart. Sometimes You don’t think about it, but it always barges into your night dream.
It was a nice day. I put on my inline skates to try to skate. I was 15 years old, and I had just gotten them as a birthday gift from my Dad. I was really excited because it was my first time and I had wanted these skates for a long time. This was a secret I never told anyone: I liked a boy who was tall with streamline muscles and tan skin. He skated very well like, you know, a ray of light. I wanted to skate with him one day, but I shamed with my terrible skills. I got carried away and practiced 3 hours straight but still hardly to stand stably and move forward, I fell again and again. I was upset until someone help to pull me up. It was him, romantic story happed like a prince encountered a princess. Although I thought he will help everyone if they fell and sat on the ground, but for me it was special, as if it was a link between us. he kneeled on the ground and checked if I hurt, my face turned red, I almost felt it. he looked at my eyes straight and asked: are you ok? I nodded slightly, he continued to say with a charming smile, can I ask you a question? I was ecstasy but kept peace seemed I didn’t care about it. Did you really want to learn to skate? I looked at the floor to avoid looking at him directly and said yes. He said nothing and showed me the skating skills step by step and then stopped, leaned back on a tree. Your turn the said. my heart jumped hardly inside of my chest and almost out of it, I would try but my feet didn’t follow my order, I just placed one foot strategically then another. He still stood there and watched me doing it without speaking but also without taking his eyes off me. I was very embarrassed and felt as a clown while he did it, I wish he would turn his back and went away.
After that time, I found he always appeared in my life, as if something happened between us and linked us together. I didn’t tell him I likes him, and I won’t do that forever.