Online Class Notes (Jesse)

clothes line 

Vocabulary

bestowed – to be given some kind of power or responsibility

bear / borne

prosperity – being rich / how rich we are

Jesse is the founder of Smart English = starter

forbearers – the people who managed / handled / created the country before

adversary – a person or force or experience that challenges or seems to fight or test you

because of = as a consequence of 
eg. I am fat because of eating too much = I am fat as a consequence of eating too much

plunge / plummet

Once upon a time there were 2 minions who was walking around a towering cliff which towered above their village. Suddenly, minion 1 spotted a bunch of ripe, yellow, tasty looking, and plump bananas. Minion 1 was about to pull a banana out of the bunch but suddenly minion 2 spotted it while shoving him aside and taking the banana for himself. Minion 2 held up the banana in the sky triumphantly, however, the boulder immediately tumbled down the hill as a consequence of minion 2 hauling out the banana. As that happened, the narrator said “finding a boss was the easy part, but keeping one was not”. The boulder tumbled down onto a t-rex, forcing it to run on it, or else he will be squashed flat like a pancake being sat on by a fat dog (Toffee after a big lunch). The boulder finally reached a small edge of a volcano with the t-rex making a “what in the world is happening” face, while the other minions chased with all their might to catch up with the boulder. When they reached the volcano, the first 3 of the minions stopped which triggered the others behind to bump into them, while that triggered the 3 minions to tumble down the rocky edge towards the boiling hot lava of doom!! 2 of the minions tried to stand up but that led them straight into the lava, turning into ash in an instant! The last minion unfortunately landed right under the boulder which was about to plummet down into immediate death / lava pit / earth core

My fellow citizens:

I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed (given), mindful of the sacrifices borne (taken / accepted / handled) by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.