F2F Class Notes 5th May (Peter)

Corrections

She needs to get shot – she needs to get her shots (vaccinations)

Vocabulary

Compulsive – adjective, a person who is such a perfectionist that they make their own lives inconvenient

Ex. I’m so compulsive that after washing my cup, I have to dry every last drop, otherwise I’ll be paranoid that the tap water will contaminate my drinking water.

Impulse – the first decision that a person makes or wants to make, usually without thought

Ex. My husband is an impulsive shopper and always regrets spending so much money on things he doesn’t need.

Instinct – a feeling that comes naturally and guides a person’s decisions

Ex. Most people agree that when taking an exam and answering a difficult question, you should always trust your instincts because more often than not, your first answer is the right one.

Voluntary – done on purpose or a by a person’s own will

Ex. Although I changed jobs voluntarily, I didn’t realize that I would dislike the second job so much.

Ex. He claims that he didn’t do it on purpose, but I think that he voluntarily chose to spill his drink on her.

Involuntary – done without thinking or trying, something that happens out of your control

Ex. Although coughing and sneezing are involuntary, doing them in the wrong places can get you some unwelcome stares.

Polluted – having pollution

Ex. The water in Shanghai cannot be drunk because it is so polluted that it could be dangerous to your health.

Present – adjective, there, existing

Ex. If you are not present for class, your friends may worry that something has happened to you.

Potable – able to be drunk

Ex. Shanghai’s public water supply is not potable because it is too polluted and there is too much bacteria present.

Contaminant – something that causes pollution

Ex. Most water contaminants come from improperly disposed-of trash.

Contamination – noun, pollution, the state of being impure

Ex. After a gas leak contaminated the air in the school, all of the children had to be evacuated from the building.

Expressions

The phrase “thoughts become things” simply means that if you think something, it will actually happen. This is a common idea in both Western and Chinese culture.