November Reading: How Do the Candidates Communicate?

Reading:

How DO the Candidates Communicate?

Notes:

mesmerize/ˋmɛsmǝˏraɪz/ [transitive usually in passive]

►if you are mesmerized by someone or something, you cannot stop watching them or listening to them because they are so attractive or have such a powerful effect [= captivate]

--The first time I saw Diana I was mesmerized by her beauty.

 

verdict /ˋvɝdɪkt / [countable]

►an official decision made in a court of law, especially about whether someone is guilty of a crime or how a death happened

--The jury has retired to consider its verdict.

►an official decision made by a person or group with authority

--The players anxiously awaited the verdict of the umpire.

verdict on

--What's your verdict on the movie?

 

cadence /ˋkedns/ [countable]

►the way someone's voice rises and falls, especially when reading out loud:

--the cadence of my mother's voice

 

scrutinize /ˋskrutnˏaɪz / [transitive]

►to examine someone or something very carefully:

He scrutinized the document.

 

primary season / primary election

►"Primary election" is the term used in America for the elections which will select the two parties’ presidential nomination. The primary elections start in January of election year in what is called the "primary season".

pork barrel [singular, uncountable]

►a government plan to increase the amount of money spent in a particular area, done in order to gain a political advantage -- used to show disapproval

--pork-barrel spending

 

cliché /kliˋʃed/ [countable]

clichéd [adjective]

►an idea or phrase that has been used so much that it is not effective or does not have any meaning any longer

--There is plenty of truth in the cliché that a trouble shared is a trouble halved.

eloquent/ˋɛləkwǝnt/

►able to express your ideas and opinions well, especially in a way that influences people

--an eloquent appeal for support

►showing a feeling or meaning without using words

--The photographs are an eloquent reminder of the horrors of war.

 

chant /tʃænt/ [intransitive and transitive]

►to repeat a word or phrase again and again:

--The crowd chanted their demand in front of the city hall.

 

fumble /ˋfʌmbl/ [intransitive and transitive]

►if you fumble with your words when you are speaking, you have difficulty saying something

fumble for

--Asked for an explanation, Mike had fumbled for words.

►(also fumble around) to try to hold, move, or find something with your hands in an awkward way

--She reached round to fumble the light on.

fumble at/in/with

--She dressed, her cold fingers fumbling with the buttons.

fumble for

--I fumbled around in my bag for a cigarette.

►to drop a ball after catching it

--Quarterback Rattay was hit and fumbled the ball.

 

project /prəˋdʒekt/ project your voice

►to speak clearly and loudly so that you can be heard by everyone in a big room

tune out [phrasal verb]

►to ignore or stop listening to someone or something

--A bored child may simply tune out.

 

mandatory /ˋmændəˏtorɪ/

►if something is mandatory, the law says it must be done [= compulsory, obligatory; discretionary]

--Crash helmets are mandatory for motorcyclists.

 

vie /vaɪ/ past tense and past participle vied, present participle vying, third person singular vies [intransitive]

►to compete very hard with someone in order to get something

vie for

--Simon and Julian were vying for her attention all through dinner.

vie with

--There are at least twenty restaurants vying with each other for custom.

vie to do something

--All the photographers vied to get the best pictures.

 

off-the-cuff [adj./adv.]

►an off-the-cuff remark, reply etc is one that you make without thinking about it first [= spontaneous]

 

ill at ease

►nervous, uncomfortable, or embarrassed

--He always felt shy and ill at ease at parties.

 

ˌwell-ˈmeaning

►intending to be helpful, but not succeeding

--A lot of problems can be caused by well-meaning friends.

 

constituent /kǝnˋstɪtʃuǝnt/ [countable]

►someone who votes in a particular area

►one of the substances or things that combine to form something

constituent of

--Sodium is one of the constituents of salt.

 

pick-up truck

vehicle [countable]

►a small truck with low sides that is used for carrying goods

 

ˌop-ˈed

op-ed page/article

►a page in a newspaper that has articles containing opinions on various subjects, or one of these articles

 

bamboozle /bæmˋbuzl/ [transitive]

►to deceive, trick, or confuse someone

 

charlatan /ˋʃɑlətn/ [countable]

►someone who pretends to have special skills or knowledge -- used to show disapproval

 

bona fide

►real, true, and not intended to deceive anyone

-- Only bona fide members are allowed to use the club pool.

October Reading: Set SMART Goals for Speaking Progress

Reading:

Set SMART Goals for Speaking Progress

Notes:

a means to an end

►Something that you are not interested in but that you do because it will help you to achieve something else.

--Mike doesn't have any professional ambitions. For him, work is just a means to an end. (not used with the)

 

audacious

►Showing great courage or confidence in a way that is impressive or slightly shocking

--His plan was audacious, and could have come only from a man combining cunning with iron determination.

 

see something through

►To continue doing something until it is finished, especially something difficult or unpleasant.

--It'll take a lot of effort to see the project through.

 

designation

►[uncountable] The act of choosing someone or something for a particular purpose, or of giving them a particular description.

--Lott opposed the designation of Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday as a national holiday.

►[countable] A name or title.

--Her official designation is Systems Manager.

 

anticipate

►[transitive] To expect that something will happen and be ready for it.

--Schools anticipate an increase in student test scores.

 

 

entrepreneur

►[countable] Someone who starts a new business or arranges business deals in order to make money, often in a way that involves financial risks.

--In the very early stages of the evolution of a business concern, the entrepreneur is not much concerned with security.

 

overwhelming

►Having such a great effect on you that you feel confused and do not know how to react.

--She found the city quite overwhelming when she first arrived.

 

brochure

►A thin book giving information or advertising something.

 

regimen

►[countable] A special plan of food, exercise etc that is intended to improve your health.

 

petition

►[countable] A written request signed by a lot of people, asking someone in authority to do something or change something.

--A petition signed by 1000 hospital doctors will be handed to the Minister of Health at lunchtime today.

[intransitive and transitive]

►To ask the government or an organization to do something by sending them a petition.

petition somebody to do something

--Villagers petitioned the local authority to provide better bus services.

December Reading: Spinning on the Stump

Reading:

Spinning on the Stump

Notes:

incredulous

►unable or unwilling to believe something

--She shot him an incredulous look.

 

cynical 

►unwilling to believe that people have good, honest, or sincere reasons for doing something

--a cynical view of human nature

cynical about

--The public is cynical about election promises.

►not caring that something might not be morally right, might hurt someone etc, when you are trying to get something for yourself

--a cynical disregard for international agreements

 

jaded

►someone who is jaded is no longer interested in or excited by something, usually because they have experienced too much of it

--The concert should satisfy even the most jaded critic.

 

rhetorician[countable]

►someone who is trained or skilful in the art of persuading or influencing people through speech or writing [↪ orator]

 

narrative

►[countable] a description of events in a story, especially in a novel

--At several points in the narrative the two stories cross.

►[uncountable]the process or skill of telling a story

 

parable[countable]

►a short simple story that teaches a moral or religious lesson, especially one of the stories told by Jesus in the Bible

 

anecdotal

►consisting of short stories based on someone's personal experience

--His findings are based on anecdotal evidence rather than serious research.

 

rapport[singular, uncountable]

►friendly agreement and understanding between people [↪ relationship];

a relationship of mutual understanding or trust and agreement between people

rapport with/between

--He had an excellent rapport with his patients.

 

discourse

► [countable] a serious speech or piece of writing on a particular subject

discourse on/upon

--a discourse on art

►[uncountable] serious conversation or discussion between people

--Candidates should engage in serious political discourse.

► [uncountable] the language used in particular types of speech or writing

--a study of spoken discourse

 

discourse[verb]

discourse on/upon something [phrasal verb]

►to make a long formal speech about something, or to discuss something seriously

 

benevolent

►kind and generous

--A benevolent uncle paid for her to have music lessons.

 

triumph

►[countable] an important victory or success after a difficult struggle

--Winning the championship is a great personal triumph.

►[uncountable] a feeling of pleasure and satisfaction that you get from victory or success

--a shout of triumph

►[singular] a very successful example of something

triumph of

►The gallery is a triumph of design.

 

retrench[intransitive]

►if a government or organization retrenches, it spends less money [= economize]

 

perish

►to die, especially in a terrible or sudden way

 

proponent[countable]

►someone who supports something or persuades people to do something [= advocate]

 

oppress 

►to treat a group of people unfairly or cruelly, and prevent them from having the same rights that other people in society have

 

abuse

►the use of something in a way that it should not be used [= misuse]

Auld Lang Syne (Learning by Singing)

Auld Lang Syne¹

Robert Burns, 1788

Should old acquaintance be forgot,

and never brought to mind ?

Should old acquaintance be forgot,

and days of auld lang syne?

[CHORUS]

For auld lang syne, my dear/jo (dear),

for auld lang syne,

we'll take a cup of kindness yet,

for auld lang syne.

 

And surely you’ll be (buy) your pint-stoup!

And surely I’ll be (buy) mine!

And we'll take a cup o’ kindness yet,

for auld lang syne.

[CHORUS]

 

We twa (two) hae (have) run about² the braes (slopes),

and pu’d (pulled) the gowans (daisies) fine;

But we’ve wandered mony (many) a weary foot,

since auld lang syne.

[CHORUS]

 

We twa (two) hae (have) paidl’d (paddled) in the burn (stream),

Frae (from) morning sun till dine;

But seas between us braid (broad) hae (have) roared

since auld lang syne.

[CHORUS]

 

And there’s a hand, my trusty friend!

And give us a hand o’ thine³!

And we’ll take a right gude-willie (goodwill) waught (draught⁴),

for auld lang syne.

[CHORUS]

----------

 

1 auld lang syne

►old long since; days of long ago; the good old days.

2 about

►[British English]  in many different directions within a place or in different parts of a place [= around]

--People were rushing about, trying to find the driver.

3 thine

►[old use] yours

4 draught [British English]

=draft[American English]

►Beer that is on draught is served from a large container rather than a bottle.

----------

Old Glory (Learning by Singing)

Old Glory[1]

Lyrics and music by Phil Stacey

In the midnight hour I see her waving proudly thru the night.
The stars and stripes she bares are a glorious site.
They represent all the heroes who couldn't stand to see her fall.
They represent this great nation and remind us all.

There is still a land of freedom and a home for the brave,
A nation under God where justice reigns.
There's a country united however different we may be.
We can walk a little taller[2] when we see, Old Glory.

There is strength within her colors and a courage all can see
That brings hope and peace to some and others to their knees[3].
There is power in her presence and a calm within her wave
And if you listen closely you can hear her say.

There is still a land of freedom and a home for the brave,
A nation under God where justice reigns.
There's a country united however different we may be.
We can walk a little taller when we see, Old Glory.

She's been tattered. She's been turned, been abused and even burned.
But she hasn't lost a thread of dignity, because her strength can't be found in her colors or her bounds. Her strength is found in you and me.

So let us all remember the sacrifices made,
The battle we've won and the prayers we've prayed.

Let's make sure that our heroes didn't sacrifice in vain.
Let us join together and proudly proclaim.

There is still a land of freedom and a home for the brave,
A nation under God where justice reigns.
There's a country united however different we may be.
We can walk a little taller when we see, Old Glory.
So let's walk a little taller when we see, Old Glory, Old Glory.
--------

[1] Old Glory

►The national flag of the United States of America.

[2] walk tall

►Show pride and self-confidence.

-- The most important thing she taught us was to walk tall.

[3] bring someone / something to their knees

►Make someone submit; reduce to a position of subservience; to destroy or defeat someone or something.

--You've got to bring the battle to a final effort to bring the enemy to their knees.

--Ignored for decades, even centuries, China's environmental problems have the potential to bring the country to its knees economically.

--Out-of-control inflation brought the economy to its knees.

--------

Old Glory is the American flag’s name. Many American songs are titled “Old Glory”. This is a new one written by Phil Stacey, the finalist of American Idol 2007, while he was on active duty in the Navy. The song is not only patriotic but also inspiring.

Phil Stacey performed it in public for the first time in Wichita, Kansas to help the people of Greensburg rebuild their town after suffering massive damage from a tornado.

Let's listen to the song:

http://tw.youtube.com/watch?v=Lx0eJtdUakE

http://tw.youtube.com/watch?v=SDerz26VEYY

Chaos (Word of the Day, 2009/1/7)

chaos /ˋkeɑs/(noun)

►A state of extreme confusion and disorder

--The country was plunged into economic chaos.

--There was chaos in the town after the hurricane had struck.

--Without rules, people would live in a state of chaos

►The formless and disordered state of matter before the creation of the cosmos

--The Greeks explained in their history that the Universe was created out of chaos.

Chaos (noun)

--In Greek mythology, Chaos (Xάος) or Khaos is the original state of existence from which the first gods appeared.

chaos(physics/mathematics)

►A dynamical system that is extremely sensitive to its initial conditions

-- The "chaos theory" is named after the fact that the systems which the theory describes are apparently disordered, but the theory is really about finding the underlying order in apparently random data.

Phrases

complete/utter/absolute etc chaos

--There was total chaos on the road

in chaos

--The kitchen was in chaos.

--The global economy is in chaos because of the greed of a few on Wall Street.

descent into chaos

--They attempt to balance excessive change with stability to prevent descent into chaos.

throw into chaos

►to make people feel very confused and not certain about what they should do

--The transport industry has been thrown into chaos by the strike.

Verbs used with chaos

bring, cause, control, create, end, lead, plunge, result, throw

--Human beings have themselves been responsible for bringing chaos and pain back to a world of ordered beauty.

--Flooding and snow have caused chaos in much of the Central South area.

--What would that do except create chaos?

--Unprepared liberalization can lead to economic chaos.

--Wholesale chaos occasionally results in selective progress.

chaotic/keˋɑtɪk/(adjective)

►Lacking a visible order or organization

►Completely unordered and unpredictable and confusing

--The city traffic was chaotic.

--The chaotic social and economic conditions could lead to civil war.

►Of or relating to a sensitive dependence on initial conditions

--Everyday examples of chaotic systems include weather and climate.