FACTS OF THE WEEK
Toblerone is a portmanteau of the candy’s inventor, Theodor Tobler, and torrone, a word for various Italian nougats. Native English speakers say adjectives preceding nouns in a specific order. "Old green metal chairs" sounds normal, but "Metal green old chairs" sounds strange. Madame Tussaud was nearly executed by guillotine during the French Revolution. Because the speed of Earth’s rotation changes over time, a day in the age of dinosaurs was just 23 hours long.
GOOD WEEK FOR:
Visitors to Iceland, as the Icelandic tourist board now provides a service that lets horses (!) reply to your emails while you are on vacation. The nonsense replies sent by horses as they trot over a giant keypad are intended to raise awareness that workers need to disconnect while they are on holiday!
27 May 2022
This weekend, the South West’s largest food and drink festival “Flavour
Fest” returns to Plymouth city centre. There will be lots of stalls
showcasing food from Devon and Cornwall as well as delicacies from
around the world.
As usual, we have been looking through the British media this week and
here are some of the stranger stories we found:
News and homework:
27 May 2022
VIDEO OF THE WEEK
A German surfer broke the World record for
riding the largest wave – an 26 metre gaint off
the coast of Portugal - here.
QUOTATION OF THE WEEK
“We must unlearn the constellations to see the stars”
~ Jack Gilbert
This week's homework is about Similes (as … as / like)
PART A
Complete the following as …. as … similes
1.
Paul is as mad as a ?????; you would not believe the crazy things he does.
2.
Julia, you're not eating enough; you're as thin as a ?????.
3.
John never says a thing; he's as quiet as a ?????.
4.
You'll have to shout. Mary is as deaf as a ?????.
5.
I'm afraid I can't read this newspaper. Without my glasses I'm as blind as a ????.
PART B
Complete the following sentences.
1.
I feel great now. I ????? like a log.
2.
No, it's not difficult. It's as easy as ????? off a log.
3.
After eating that bad food I was as sick as a ?????.
4.
When I knew she had cheated me I felt as sick as a ?????.
5.
Her face suddenly went as white as a ?????.
6.
She's very clever; she knew the answer as quick as a ?????.
7.
I must give this plant some water. It's as dry as a ?????.
8.
Paul is as strong as an ?????.
9.
David went to the pub and drank 6 beers; he was as drunk as a ?????.
10.
No wonder he's fat. He drinks like a ????? and eats like a ?????.
And finally your riddle this week:
An outing, maybe in the car,
It can be near or very far.
On paving stones, you hit the street,
Sometimes over your own feet.
Have a lovely week.
Air passengers who were left confused after a
“Welcome to Luton” sign appeared on the
approach to London's Gatwick airport. The 60
metre sign is the result of a prank by a Youtuber
and causes many passengers confusion as they
come in to land.
BAD WEEK FOR:
Squirrels, as officials at the University of Greenwich in the UK erected a sign warning staff not to feed bacon (!) to the squirrels as it makes them aggressive and attack people.
Positive role models, as a British footballer came
out as gay this week. This is the first time that gay
men have a role model on the football pitch in over
30 years, breaking a taboo that has hampered
inclusivity in the sport.
© MAYFLOWER COLLEGE english@maycoll.co.uk
MEANING:
Very disappointed.
USE:
Liverpool lost 3-0. I’m as sick as a parrot
AS SICK AS A PARROT
Paul Stevens - Director (based in San Diego, USA)
Jill Tyler - General Manager (based in Plymouth, UK)
1.
Paul is as mad as a HATTER; you would not believe the crazy things he does.
2.
Julia, you're not eating enough; you're as thin as a RAKE.
3.
John never says a thing; he's as quiet as a MOUSE.
4.
You'll have to shout. Mary is as deaf as a POST.
5.
I'm afraid I can't read this newspaper. Without my glasses I'm as blind as a BAT.
The answer is TRIP
1.
I feel great now. I SLEPT like a log.
2.
No, it's not difficult. It's as easy as FALLING off a log.
3.
After eating that bad food I was as sick as a DOG.
4.
When I knew she had cheated me I felt as sick as a PARROT.
5.
Her face suddenly went as white as a SHEET.
6.
She's very clever; she knew the answer as quick as a FLASH.
7.
I must give this plant some water. It's as dry as a BONE.
8.
Paul is as strong as an OX.
9.
David went to the pub and drank 6 beers; he was as drunk as a LORD.
10.
No wonder he's fat. He drinks like a FISH and eats like a HORSE
FACTS OF THE WEEK
Toblerone is a portmanteau of the candy’s inventor, Theodor Tobler, and torrone, a word for various Italian nougats. Native English speakers say adjectives preceding nouns in a specific order. "Old green metal chairs" sounds normal, but "Metal green old chairs" sounds strange. Madame Tussaud was nearly executed by guillotine during the French Revolution. Because the speed of Earth’s rotation changes over time, a day in the age of dinosaurs was just 23 hours long.
GOOD WEEK FOR:
Visitors to Iceland, as the Icelandic tourist board now provides a service that lets horses (!) reply to your emails while you are on vacation. The nonsense replies sent by horses as they trot over a giant keypad are intended to raise awareness that workers need to disconnect while they are on holiday!
27 May 2022
This weekend, the South West’s largest food
and drink festival “Flavour Fest” returns to
Plymouth city centre. There will be lots of stalls
showcasing food from Devon and Cornwall as
well as delicacies from around the world.
As usual, we have been looking through the
British media this week and here are some of
the stranger stories we found:
VIDEO OF THE WEEK
A German surfer broke the World record
for riding the largest wave – an 26 metre
gaint off the coast of Portugal - here.
QUOTATION OF THE WEEK
“We must unlearn the constellations to see
the stars” ~ Jack Gilbert
News and homework
20 May 2022
© MAYFLOWER COLLEGE english@maycoll.co.uk
Positive role models, as a British footballer
came out as gay this week. This is the first
time that gay men have a role model on
the football pitch in over 30 years,
breaking a taboo that has hampered
inclusivity in the sport.
BAD WEEK FOR:
Squirrels, as officials at the University of Greenwich in the UK erected a sign warning staff not to feed bacon (!) to the squirrels as it makes them aggressive and attack people.
Air passengers who were left confused
after a “Welcome to Luton” sign appeared
on the approach to London's Gatwick
airport. The 60 metre sign is the result of a
prank by a Youtuber and causes many
passengers confusion as they come in to
land.
Paul Stevens - Director (based in San Diego,
USA)
Jill Tyler - General Manager (based in
Plymouth, UK)
This week's homework is about Similes (as … as
/ like)
PART A
Complete the following as …. as … similes
1.
Paul is as mad as a ?????; you would not
believe the crazy things he does.
2.
Julia, you're not eating enough; you're as
thin as a ?????.
3.
John never says a thing; he's as quiet as a
?????.
4.
You'll have to shout. Mary is as deaf as a
?????.
5.
I'm afraid I can't read this newspaper.
Without my glasses I'm as blind as a ????.
PART B
Complete the following sentences.
1.
I feel great now. I ????? like a log.
2.
No, it's not difficult. It's as easy as ????? off a
log.
3.
After eating that bad food I was as sick as a
?????.
4.
When I knew she had cheated me I felt as
sick as a ?????.
5.
Her face suddenly went as white as a ?????.
6.
She's very clever; she knew the answer as
quick as a ?????.
7.
I must give this plant some water. It's as dry
as a ?????.
8.
Paul is as strong as an ?????.
9.
David went to the pub and drank 6 beers;
he was as drunk as a ?????.
10.
No wonder he's fat. He drinks like a ?????
and eats like a ?????.
And finally your riddle this week:
An outing, maybe in the car,
It can be near or very far.
On paving stones, you hit the street,
Sometimes over your own feet.
Have a lovely week.
AS SICK AS A PARROT
MEANING:
Very disappointed.
USE:
Liverpool lost 3-0.
I’m as sick as a
parrot
1.
Paul is as mad as a HATTER; you would
not believe the crazy things he does.
2.
Julia, you're not eating enough; you're as
thin as a RAKE.
3.
John never says a thing; he's as quiet as a
MOUSE.
4.
You'll have to shout. Mary is as deaf as a
POST.
5.
I'm afraid I can't read this newspaper.
Without my glasses I'm as blind as a BAT.
The answer is TRIP
1.
I feel great now. I SLEPT like a log.
2.
No, it's not difficult. It's as easy as
FALLING off a log.
3.
After eating that bad food I was as
sick as a DOG.
4.
When I knew she had cheated me I
felt as sick as a PARROT.
5.
Her face suddenly went as white as
a SHEET.
6.
She's very clever; she knew the
answer as quick as a FLASH.
7.
I must give this plant some water.
It's as dry as a BONE.
8.
Paul is as strong as an OX.
9.
David went to the pub and drank 6
beers; he was as drunk as a LORD.
10.
No wonder he's fat. He drinks like a
FISH and eats like a HORSE
