Online Class Notes (Nick)

What is your favorite place that you have lived in? What is your favorite place that you have stayed in/at?

OR

Write about your recent trip or the situation between the US and Iran.

(bonus points if you can use sarcasm — but be careful!)

Vocabulary

Heater – a machine that makes something warmer
Space Heater – something you plug in and use to heat a room
(Hot) Water Heater – for heating the water you use to shower, to wash you hands, etc.
Furnace – a large machine for heating your house
e.g. My apartment is unheated but I keep a heater in my room during the winter.
e.g. Our house has a furnace, so we keep it at about 21C during the winter

Water Fountain / Drinking Fountain – in the US we don’t drink much hot water, but these fountains are very common for people to drink cold water in the US; providing water for the public is very common in the US; the one on the left is an indoor machine, the one on the right would be common in parks

Water Fountain – a decorative piece in a park or public place that shoots water into the air and has a pool of water around it

By all means – I strongly support you doing something; stronger than “go ahead”
e.g. Can I serve dinner? By all means! (I also think that this is a very good idea, and I would like you to do it)
Go (right) ahead – I have no problem with you doing something (I have no reason to stop you); very general
e.g. Can I submit this document to our partners? Yes, go ahead. (this action is approved by the person you are asking; they see no problems with doing it)
Be my guest / Help yourself – if you would like to do it, you are welcome to do it (you are generally free to use my things, as a guest); sometimes “be my guest” can also be a little sarcastic, when you don’t want someone to do something, but you also don’t feel that you can stop them, when you think that something is a bad idea
e.g. Do you mind if I grab a snack from your refrigerator? I don’t mind at all! Please, help yourself! (whenever you feel hungry, you can go into the fridge yourself and pick out what you want to eat)
e.g. If you’re going to serve that terrible salad, well be my guest, but don’t expect me to eat it! (like “suit yourself”)

Sarcasm – when you say something to show that it is ridiculous, that you think it’s a stupid or bad idea, or obviously wrong; saying something meaning the opposite of what the words mean
e.g. Well, since Donald Trump is the best President we’ve ever had, I guess this decision MUST be the right one!

Even a broken clock is right twice a day – even when the hands on a clock aren’t moving, twice a day the time is technically correct
e.g. I don’t like DJT, but even a broken clock is right twice a day…

Grammar

Up the mayor is the Central Government – above the mayor is the Central Government

I lived in a hotel in Lujiazui – I stayed in/at a hotel in Lujiazui
— “Lived” is somewhere that you stay for a long time, a place that is like your home for some time
— “Stay” is when you go somewhere for some other reason (not to live there) and have to be there for a while, but without feeling that that place is your home; usually a shorter time

Pronunciation

Mayor vs. Major – the “y” is softer
— “Mayor” is the top leader in a city
— “Major” means large or important