I have practice in this group to know more new words and vocabulary and know different new things, so I think reading stories or news is helpful for that. Let us help each other in doing this.I hope everyone will show a good story or interesting news.
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Kids Are Quick
____________________________________
TEACHER: Maria, go to the map and find North America .
MARIA: Here it is.
TEACHER: Correct. Now class, who discovered America ?
CLASS: Maria.
____________________________________
TEACHER: John, why are you doing your math multiplication on the floor?
JOHN: You told me to do it without using tables.
__________________________________________
TEACHER: Glenn, how do you spell 'crocodile?'
GLENN: K-R-O-K-O-D-I-A-L'
TEACHER: No, that's wrong
GLENN: Maybe it is wrong, but you asked me how I spell it.
____________________________________________
TEACHER: Donald, what is the chemical formula for water?
DONALD: H I J K L M N O.
TEACHER: What are you talking about?
DONALD: Yesterday you said it's H to O.
__________________________________
TEACHER: Winnie, name one important thing we have today that we didn't have ten years ago.
WINNIE: Me!
__________________________________________
TEACHER: Glen, why do you always get so dirty?
GLEN: Well, I'm a lot closer to the ground than you are.
_______________________________________
TEACHER: Millie, give me a sentence starting with 'I.'
MILLIE: I is..
TEACHER: No, Millie...... Always say, 'I am.'
MILLIE: All right... 'I am the ninth letter of the alphabet.'
_________________________________
TEACHER: George Washington not only chopped down his father's cherry tree, but also admitted it. Now, Louie, do you know why his father didn't punish him?
LOUIS: Because George still had the axe in his hand.
______________________________________
TEACHER: Now, Simon, tell me frankly, do you say prayers before eating?
SIMON: No sir, I don't have to, my Mom is a good cook.
______________________________
TEACHER: Clyde , your composition on 'My Dog' is exactly the same as your brother's. Did you copy his?
CLYDE : No, sir. It's the same dog.
___________________________________
TEACHER: Harold, what do you call a person who keeps on talking when people are no longer interested?
HAROLD: A teacher
__________________________________
Hi Tanya, Here is the history of cocktail. It's very interesting. Please check it out ^ ^ Source: www.drinkfocus.com
The History of the Cocktail
The true creation of a popular cocktail can be traced to the nineteenth century. One early written reference to the term "cocktail" (as a drink based on spirits with other spirits and additives) can be found in an American magazine, The Balance, published in May 1806. It stated that a "Cocktail is a stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water, and bitters..."
1860 to 1920 – California: The Birthplace of the First Cocktails
The cocktail's fragmented history begins in the nineteenth century. One of the first modern cocktails to be named and recognized is the martini. It can be traced back to an 1862 recipe for the Martinez. This American recipe consisted of four parts sweet red vermouth to one part gin, garnished with a cherry. "Professor" Jerry Thomas tended the bar of the old Occidental Hotel in San Francisco and reputedly made the drink for a gold miner on his way to the town of Martinez, which lay forty miles to the east. The recipe for the Martinez in Thomas' 1887 bartender's guide called for Old Tom gin, sweet vermouth, a dash of maraschino and bitters, as well as a slice of lemon and two dashes of gum syrup.
A modern day dry martini consists of gin and dry white vermouth, garnished with an olive. Obviously, gin has changed a lot since then, when it would have been relatively sweet compared to modern gins. Some even claim the martini was named after the Martini-Henry rifle used by the British army around 1870, as both the rifle and the drink had a strong kick!
What we do know is that by 1900, the martini had become known nationwide and had spread to the other side of the Atlantic. This is said by some to be the beginning of the golden age of cocktails. During this time a basic list of cocktails emerged and steadily became more and more popular.
1920 to 1933 - Prohibition in the USA
On January 16, 1920, the National Prohibition Act became the 18th Amendment to the United States Constitution. This meant it was illegal to manufacture, sell, transport, import, or export any "intoxicating liquors." Despite this, much of the general public still had ways to gain access to the illegal substance, often through speakeasies and private parties. Gangsters focused on bootlegging and moonshine, making Chicago a center of booze, gambling and prostitution. Al Capone was the most notorious crime boss and the power behind the illegal activities in Chicago during Prohibition. As a gangster and racketeer, Capone became one of the biggest bootleggers of all time.
The popularity of cocktails at that time was at least partly due to the need to cover up the bad taste of some of the crudely produced hooch smuggled by the bootleggers. Some of the cocktail recipes used today were invented in the days of Prohibition as cocktail recipes flourished in the illegal bars, parties and clubs of major American cities.
1934 to 1959 – The Margarita is Born
This period was one of great innovation. One of the most popular cocktails—the margarita—is said to have originated in 1948. A Dallas socialite named Margarita Sames purportedly hosted a poolside Christmas party at her vacation home in Acapulco, Mexico. The party game for Margarita was to mix drinks behind the bar and let her guests rate the results. When she mixed three parts tequila with one part triple sec and one part lime, it was such a success among her guests that it quickly traveled from Texas to Hollywood and the rest of the country, bearing her name.
Legend also says the drink originated in the early 1930s at the Caliente Racetrack Bar in Tijuana, Mexico. There is little evidence, though, for the story of showgirl Marjorie King who had an allergy to most alcoholic drinks and could only drink tequila. In 1938, she asked for a tequila cocktail rather than a shot at the Rancho Del Gloria Bar in Rosarita Beach, Mexico. The bartender, Danny Herrera, poured tequila over shaved ice then added lemon and triple sec. The drink was then named after Marjorie (or at least, the Spanish translation of her name).
1960 to Present – Commercialization and Innovation
In the second half of the twentieth century, the cocktail has taken on many guises as its popularity has flourished. Both literature and film have contributed to the images of wealth and class associated with the cocktail hour.
With the constant creation of new drinks (with some strange and interesting names), cocktails have become increasingly popular. With drink names such as the Freddy Kruger, pan galactic gargle blaster, Afternoon Delight and Sex on the Beach, it's no wonder cocktails are all the rage.
Hi Tanya,
Here is the history of cocktail. It's very interesting. Please check it out ^ ^
Source: www.drinkfocus.com
The History of the Cocktail
The true creation of a popular cocktail can be traced to the nineteenth century. One early written reference to the term "cocktail" (as a drink based on spirits with other spirits and additives) can be found in an American magazine, The Balance, published in May 1806. It stated that a "Cocktail is a stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water, and bitters..."
1860 to 1920 – California: The Birthplace of the First Cocktails
The cocktail's fragmented history begins in the nineteenth century. One of the first modern cocktails to be named and recognized is the martini. It can be traced back to an 1862 recipe for the Martinez. This American recipe consisted of four parts sweet red vermouth to one part gin, garnished with a cherry. "Professor" Jerry Thomas tended the bar of the old Occidental Hotel in San Francisco and reputedly made the drink for a gold miner on his way to the town of Martinez, which lay forty miles to the east. The recipe for the Martinez in Thomas' 1887 bartender's guide called for Old Tom gin, sweet vermouth, a dash of maraschino and bitters, as well as a slice of lemon and two dashes of gum syrup.
A modern day dry martini consists of gin and dry white vermouth, garnished with an olive. Obviously, gin has changed a lot since then, when it would have been relatively sweet compared to modern gins. Some even claim the martini was named after the Martini-Henry rifle used by the British army around 1870, as both the rifle and the drink had a strong kick!
What we do know is that by 1900, the martini had become known nationwide and had spread to the other side of the Atlantic. This is said by some to be the beginning of the golden age of cocktails. During this time a basic list of cocktails emerged and steadily became more and more popular.
1920 to 1933 - Prohibition in the USA
On January 16, 1920, the National Prohibition Act became the 18th Amendment to the United States Constitution. This meant it was illegal to manufacture, sell, transport, import, or export any "intoxicating liquors." Despite this, much of the general public still had ways to gain access to the illegal substance, often through speakeasies and private parties. Gangsters focused on bootlegging and moonshine, making Chicago a center of booze, gambling and prostitution. Al Capone was the most notorious crime boss and the power behind the illegal activities in Chicago during Prohibition. As a gangster and racketeer, Capone became one of the biggest bootleggers of all time.
The popularity of cocktails at that time was at least partly due to the need to cover up the bad taste of some of the crudely produced hooch smuggled by the bootleggers. Some of the cocktail recipes used today were invented in the days of Prohibition as cocktail recipes flourished in the illegal bars, parties and clubs of major American cities.
1934 to 1959 – The Margarita is Born
This period was one of great innovation. One of the most popular cocktails—the margarita—is said to have originated in 1948. A Dallas socialite named Margarita Sames purportedly hosted a poolside Christmas party at her vacation home in Acapulco, Mexico. The party game for Margarita was to mix drinks behind the bar and let her guests rate the results. When she mixed three parts tequila with one part triple sec and one part lime, it was such a success among her guests that it quickly traveled from Texas to Hollywood and the rest of the country, bearing her name.
Legend also says the drink originated in the early 1930s at the Caliente Racetrack Bar in Tijuana, Mexico. There is little evidence, though, for the story of showgirl Marjorie King who had an allergy to most alcoholic drinks and could only drink tequila. In 1938, she asked for a tequila cocktail rather than a shot at the Rancho Del Gloria Bar in Rosarita Beach, Mexico. The bartender, Danny Herrera, poured tequila over shaved ice then added lemon and triple sec. The drink was then named after Marjorie (or at least, the Spanish translation of her name).
1960 to Present – Commercialization and Innovation
In the second half of the twentieth century, the cocktail has taken on many guises as its popularity has flourished. Both literature and film have contributed to the images of wealth and class associated with the cocktail hour.
With the constant creation of new drinks (with some strange and interesting names), cocktails have become increasingly popular. With drink names such as the Freddy Kruger, pan galactic gargle blaster, Afternoon Delight and Sex on the Beach, it's no wonder cocktails are all the rage.
Do you know any other stories about this word? If so, please, share them with others. I do know one more but I am waiting for your replies.
Tanya said:
A Story about Cocktail
While sipping a cocktail, have you ever thought about the meaning of the word?
cock + tail = cocktail
Why is that? – Well, nobody knows for sure, but there are numerous theories about the origin of the name. Here are just a few, which I like most:
1. The drink used to be decorated with a plant that looked like a cock’s tail. Today, colourful stirrers and picks (e.g. umbrellas) are used instead.
2. Alcoholic leftovers that could not be drawn off through the taps of the barrels were all put into one jar and sold. Cock is said to have been the name of what today is called tap (or spigot). Alcoholic leftovers were called tailings. So according to this theory, the drink was first called cock-tailing, which later became cocktail.
3. Alcoholic leftovers from bottles and barrels were put into a large cock-shaped ceramic vessel, the tap of which was at the tail of that cock. According to this theory, the drink was first called cock’s tail.
4. A pharmacist in New Orleans used to offer his guests a drink (brandy, sugar, water and bitters) in an egg-cup. He called the drink egg-cup cocquetier. His guests shortened this to cocktay, which later became cocktail.
5. The term derives from cock ale, a drink for which the blood of a cock was used – yuck!
While sipping a cocktail, have you ever thought about the meaning of the word?
cock + tail = cocktail
Why is that? – Well, nobody knows for sure, but there are numerous theories about the origin of the name. Here are just a few, which I like most:
1. The drink used to be decorated with a plant that looked like a cock’s tail. Today, colourful stirrers and picks (e.g. umbrellas) are used instead.
2. Alcoholic leftovers that could not be drawn off through the taps of the barrels were all put into one jar and sold. Cock is said to have been the name of what today is called tap (or spigot). Alcoholic leftovers were called tailings. So according to this theory, the drink was first called cock-tailing, which later became cocktail.
3. Alcoholic leftovers from bottles and barrels were put into a large cock-shaped ceramic vessel, the tap of which was at the tail of that cock. According to this theory, the drink was first called cock’s tail.
4. A pharmacist in New Orleans used to offer his guests a drink (brandy, sugar, water and bitters) in an egg-cup. He called the drink egg-cup cocquetier. His guests shortened this to cocktay, which later became cocktail.
5. The term derives from cock ale, a drink for which the blood of a cock was used – yuck!
Hi, everyone! I'd like to place 4 short stories about different holidays together with the topics for discussions. Hope, you will enjoy such activity. Please, take part in the discussions.
1.New Year's Day
New Year's Day is the day when people celebrate the beginning of a new year. On New Year's Eve, family and friends often get together for dinner or have a party to welcome in the new year. People often count down the hours, minutes, and seconds before the new year arrives, and they sometimes set off fireworks or play loud music. New Year's Day is a time of new beginnings, so people often make new year's resolutions---promises or goals they hope to accomplish during the coming year. Such resolutions often include losing weight, getting in shape, or eating a healthy diet. Other resolutions might deal with improving one's relationship with a family member or friend. Sometimes, these resolutions are short lived, that is, people don't follow through on their plans. However, the new year gives people opportunities to change and improve their lives.
Discussion
How do people in your hometown celebrate the new year? What foods do they prepare, what activities do they participate in, and what meaning does this day have for them?
2. Halloween
Halloween is a fun holiday for kids in the United States. Its origins date back hundreds of years, but today, children celebrate this day by dressing up in scary and humorous costumes, attending Halloween parties, and going door-to-door trick or treating. When children trick or treat, they go from house to house carrying a bag or other container, and they knock on doors asking for a treat (some kind of candy), and they say that if they aren't given a treat, they will play a trick on the person. It is a carefree holiday, but parents still need to teach their children to be safe. Generally speaking, children are encouraged to visit the houses of people they know, and children and parents should carefully inspect the candy their receive to make sure it is safe to eat. Also, it is a good idea to carry a flashlight so you can see your way when it gets dark.
Discussion
Do you have any similar holiday like Halloween in your country?
3. Thanksgiving Day
Many countries have a day of thanksgiving sometime during the year. In the United States, Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of the month. Traditionally, this is the day when people get together with family and friends to give thanks for their many blessings including family, health, good fortune, and safety throughout the year. People usually prepare a wide variety of foods including turkey, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie, green beans, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce. The head of the house often carves the turkey, and the rest of the family sits down to eat when all of the food is ready and set on the table. Often, someone is chosen to offer grace, or a prayer, to thank God for his many blessings. After the prayer is finished, people start passing around the food and helping themselves to the dishes on the table. People usually engage in light conversation as they eat. After the meal is over, pumpkin pie is served, and then the family helps clean up the table and dishes. It is often common for family members to sit and watch American football on TV.
Discussion
Do you have a day of thanksgiving in your country? If so, what takes place on this day? What special foods are prepared? What meaning does this day have for you?
4. Christmas Day
In many parts of the world, Christmas is the day when people celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem two thousand years ago. People who remember Christmas as a religious holiday celebrate the birth of Jesus and his coming into this world. To them, he is recognized as the Son of God and the Savior of the world. According to the Bible, Jesus was born in a manger because there was no room for him and his parents, Mary and Joseph, in an inn. Today, people often attend church, organize family gatherings, and decorate their homes and businesses. People feel the giving spirit and donate their time and money to worthy causes, or provide volunteer service to the needy. Christmas is also celebrated as a secular holiday when parents and children talk about Santa Claus and Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer.
Discussion
Is Christmas celebrated by people in your country? If not, do you have other holiday traditions or days at the end of the year? What meaning does Christmas day have for you or other people you know?
I hope you all will enjoy this clips from a Nigerian Newspaper:
'The Federal Government of Nigeria had stated its readiness to offer succour to Nigerians hit by poverty arising from the ongoing global economic meltdown by implementing an integrated social security policy which will cater for the unemployed,disabled and retirees in the country. This social security will cover both the formal and informal sectors of the economy'
Spidy! Here is an American fiction for you. It goes together with audio file. It is thrue American speech. And the fiction is nice. Hope you will like it.
A baby-faced 13-year-old boy, has made headlines around the world after his 15-year-old girlfriend gave birth to his daughter. Alfie, who was twelve at the time of conception, shot to fame after he appeared on the cover of Britain's biggest selling newspaper holding his new-born baby. Looking much younger than his 13 years, Alfie said "I know I'm young, but I plan to be a good dad."
The news has sparked outrage in the UK where people see the birth as a sign of Britain's decline in values or 'broken Britain' as the media are describing it.
Alfie's parents have been criticized in the press for cashing in on all the media interest by selling their story to the newspapers. It's believed that Alfie's divorced parents have received thousands of pounds from the tabloid press for interviews and photos.
In a new twist it's been reported that the baby's mother has had a number of boyfriends, and that Alfie may not be the father after all.
A spokesman for the 13-year-old who reportedly fathered the baby said a DNA test would be performed to identify the dad for certain.
Dear Spidy! Thank you for starting this discussion. I'd like to add some news from American newspaper.
This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer has become America's first major daily newspaper to publish online-only. Hearst, the company that owns it, printed the final newspaper on Tuesday. The Seattle P-I was one hundred forty-six years old -- the oldest daily newspaper in Washington state.
Seattle P-I employees in early March, before the newspaper became online-only
One hundred seventy people worked in the newsroom. Now just twenty journalists will work for seattlepi.com. The city is left with one major local daily, the Seattle Times. Some people think it could also go online-only.
Denver, Colorado, became a one-newspaper city a few weeks ago: the Rocky Mountain News closed. Other cities could soon follow.
Mike Simonton is a media analyst at Fitch Ratings. He believes many two-newspaper markets will not survive through the end of next year. By that time, he says, there could even be some markets with no printed local paper each day.
Newspaper companies like Hearst, he says, are experimenting with new business models to see what works. But he says any new product will have to be different enough that people will not be able to find it anywhere else.
Some newspaper companies have recently sought bankruptcy protection. These include the Tribune Company, owner of the Chicago Tribune and the Los Angeles Times, among others.
Newspapers earn most of their money from sales of advertising. But a lot of that market has moved to free or low-cost advertising on the Internet, including sites like Craigslist. Losses have only been intensified by the recession.
Ad sales have always gone up and down with the economy. But one difference this time is that many newspaper companies are heavily in debt from buying other newspapers.
Papers are cutting costs. Gannett, the nation's largest newspaper publisher, has cut more than one-fifth of its jobs in the past two years. More than eight thousand jobs have been lost.
In Detroit, Michigan, the two big dailies are reducing home delivery to three days a week. In Ohio, the state's largest papers still compete but now share stories.
Newspapers have lost millions of readers as a new generation has grown up. Yet much of the news that people get online still comes from newspapers. Most papers give it away free on their own sites. The Wall Street Journal is one of the few that charge for its online version.
Last month bloggers celebrated what they called a historic moment. President Obama, at his first major press conference, called on a reporter for a Web-only operation, the Huffington Post.
The United States Constitution guarantees freedom of speech and the press. But as budgets shrink, newspapers are printing fewer pages, less news. They have fewer reporters not just in foreign capitals, but even in Washington.
Industry observers say quality reporting is being lost. The question now is to what extent it will find a new home on the Internet.
Replies
Kids Are Quick
____________________________________
TEACHER: Maria, go to the map and find North America .
MARIA: Here it is.
TEACHER: Correct. Now class, who discovered America ?
CLASS: Maria.
____________________________________
TEACHER: John, why are you doing your math multiplication on the floor?
JOHN: You told me to do it without using tables.
__________________________________________
TEACHER: Glenn, how do you spell 'crocodile?'
GLENN: K-R-O-K-O-D-I-A-L'
TEACHER: No, that's wrong
GLENN: Maybe it is wrong, but you asked me how I spell it.
____________________________________________
TEACHER: Donald, what is the chemical formula for water?
DONALD: H I J K L M N O.
TEACHER: What are you talking about?
DONALD: Yesterday you said it's H to O.
__________________________________
TEACHER: Winnie, name one important thing we have today that we didn't have ten years ago.
WINNIE: Me!
__________________________________________
TEACHER: Glen, why do you always get so dirty?
GLEN: Well, I'm a lot closer to the ground than you are.
_______________________________________
TEACHER: Millie, give me a sentence starting with 'I.'
MILLIE: I is..
TEACHER: No, Millie...... Always say, 'I am.'
MILLIE: All right... 'I am the ninth letter of the alphabet.'
_________________________________
TEACHER: George Washington not only chopped down his father's cherry tree, but also admitted it. Now, Louie, do you know why his father didn't punish him?
LOUIS: Because George still had the axe in his hand.
______________________________________
TEACHER: Now, Simon, tell me frankly, do you say prayers before eating?
SIMON: No sir, I don't have to, my Mom is a good cook.
______________________________
TEACHER: Clyde , your composition on 'My Dog' is exactly the same as your brother's. Did you copy his?
CLYDE : No, sir. It's the same dog.
___________________________________
TEACHER: Harold, what do you call a person who keeps on talking when people are no longer interested?
HAROLD: A teacher
__________________________________
Sweet dream said:
Here is the history of cocktail. It's very interesting. Please check it out ^ ^
Source: www.drinkfocus.com
The History of the Cocktail
The true creation of a popular cocktail can be traced to the nineteenth century. One early written reference to the term "cocktail" (as a drink based on spirits with other spirits and additives) can be found in an American magazine, The Balance, published in May 1806. It stated that a "Cocktail is a stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water, and bitters..."
1860 to 1920 – California: The Birthplace of the First Cocktails
The cocktail's fragmented history begins in the nineteenth century. One of the first modern cocktails to be named and recognized is the martini. It can be traced back to an 1862 recipe for the Martinez. This American recipe consisted of four parts sweet red vermouth to one part gin, garnished with a cherry. "Professor" Jerry Thomas tended the bar of the old Occidental Hotel in San Francisco and reputedly made the drink for a gold miner on his way to the town of Martinez, which lay forty miles to the east. The recipe for the Martinez in Thomas' 1887 bartender's guide called for Old Tom gin, sweet vermouth, a dash of maraschino and bitters, as well as a slice of lemon and two dashes of gum syrup.
A modern day dry martini consists of gin and dry white vermouth, garnished with an olive. Obviously, gin has changed a lot since then, when it would have been relatively sweet compared to modern gins. Some even claim the martini was named after the Martini-Henry rifle used by the British army around 1870, as both the rifle and the drink had a strong kick!
What we do know is that by 1900, the martini had become known nationwide and had spread to the other side of the Atlantic. This is said by some to be the beginning of the golden age of cocktails. During this time a basic list of cocktails emerged and steadily became more and more popular.
1920 to 1933 - Prohibition in the USA
On January 16, 1920, the National Prohibition Act became the 18th Amendment to the United States Constitution. This meant it was illegal to manufacture, sell, transport, import, or export any "intoxicating liquors." Despite this, much of the general public still had ways to gain access to the illegal substance, often through speakeasies and private parties. Gangsters focused on bootlegging and moonshine, making Chicago a center of booze, gambling and prostitution. Al Capone was the most notorious crime boss and the power behind the illegal activities in Chicago during Prohibition. As a gangster and racketeer, Capone became one of the biggest bootleggers of all time.
The popularity of cocktails at that time was at least partly due to the need to cover up the bad taste of some of the crudely produced hooch smuggled by the bootleggers. Some of the cocktail recipes used today were invented in the days of Prohibition as cocktail recipes flourished in the illegal bars, parties and clubs of major American cities.
1934 to 1959 – The Margarita is Born
This period was one of great innovation. One of the most popular cocktails—the margarita—is said to have originated in 1948. A Dallas socialite named Margarita Sames purportedly hosted a poolside Christmas party at her vacation home in Acapulco, Mexico. The party game for Margarita was to mix drinks behind the bar and let her guests rate the results. When she mixed three parts tequila with one part triple sec and one part lime, it was such a success among her guests that it quickly traveled from Texas to Hollywood and the rest of the country, bearing her name.
Legend also says the drink originated in the early 1930s at the Caliente Racetrack Bar in Tijuana, Mexico. There is little evidence, though, for the story of showgirl Marjorie King who had an allergy to most alcoholic drinks and could only drink tequila. In 1938, she asked for a tequila cocktail rather than a shot at the Rancho Del Gloria Bar in Rosarita Beach, Mexico. The bartender, Danny Herrera, poured tequila over shaved ice then added lemon and triple sec. The drink was then named after Marjorie (or at least, the Spanish translation of her name).
1960 to Present – Commercialization and Innovation
In the second half of the twentieth century, the cocktail has taken on many guises as its popularity has flourished. Both literature and film have contributed to the images of wealth and class associated with the cocktail hour.
With the constant creation of new drinks (with some strange and interesting names), cocktails have become increasingly popular. With drink names such as the Freddy Kruger, pan galactic gargle blaster, Afternoon Delight and Sex on the Beach, it's no wonder cocktails are all the rage.
Tanya said:
While sipping a cocktail, have you ever thought about the meaning of the word?
cock + tail = cocktail
Why is that? – Well, nobody knows for sure, but there are numerous theories about the origin of the name. Here are just a few, which I like most:
1. The drink used to be decorated with a plant that looked like a cock’s tail. Today, colourful stirrers and picks (e.g. umbrellas) are used instead.
2. Alcoholic leftovers that could not be drawn off through the taps of the barrels were all put into one jar and sold. Cock is said to have been the name of what today is called tap (or spigot). Alcoholic leftovers were called tailings. So according to this theory, the drink was first called cock-tailing, which later became cocktail.
3. Alcoholic leftovers from bottles and barrels were put into a large cock-shaped ceramic vessel, the tap of which was at the tail of that cock. According to this theory, the drink was first called cock’s tail.
4. A pharmacist in New Orleans used to offer his guests a drink (brandy, sugar, water and bitters) in an egg-cup. He called the drink egg-cup cocquetier. His guests shortened this to cocktay, which later became cocktail.
5. The term derives from cock ale, a drink for which the blood of a cock was used – yuck!
1.New Year's Day
New Year's Day is the day when people celebrate the beginning of a new year. On New Year's Eve, family and friends often get together for dinner or have a party to welcome in the new year. People often count down the hours, minutes, and seconds before the new year arrives, and they sometimes set off fireworks or play loud music. New Year's Day is a time of new beginnings, so people often make new year's resolutions---promises or goals they hope to accomplish during the coming year. Such resolutions often include losing weight, getting in shape, or eating a healthy diet. Other resolutions might deal with improving one's relationship with a family member or friend. Sometimes, these resolutions are short lived, that is, people don't follow through on their plans. However, the new year gives people opportunities to change and improve their lives.
Discussion
How do people in your hometown celebrate the new year? What foods do they prepare, what activities do they participate in, and what meaning does this day have for them?
2. Halloween
Halloween is a fun holiday for kids in the United States. Its origins date back hundreds of years, but today, children celebrate this day by dressing up in scary and humorous costumes, attending Halloween parties, and going door-to-door trick or treating. When children trick or treat, they go from house to house carrying a bag or other container, and they knock on doors asking for a treat (some kind of candy), and they say that if they aren't given a treat, they will play a trick on the person. It is a carefree holiday, but parents still need to teach their children to be safe. Generally speaking, children are encouraged to visit the houses of people they know, and children and parents should carefully inspect the candy their receive to make sure it is safe to eat. Also, it is a good idea to carry a flashlight so you can see your way when it gets dark.
Discussion
Do you have any similar holiday like Halloween in your country?
3. Thanksgiving Day
Many countries have a day of thanksgiving sometime during the year. In the United States, Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of the month. Traditionally, this is the day when people get together with family and friends to give thanks for their many blessings including family, health, good fortune, and safety throughout the year. People usually prepare a wide variety of foods including turkey, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie, green beans, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce. The head of the house often carves the turkey, and the rest of the family sits down to eat when all of the food is ready and set on the table. Often, someone is chosen to offer grace, or a prayer, to thank God for his many blessings. After the prayer is finished, people start passing around the food and helping themselves to the dishes on the table. People usually engage in light conversation as they eat. After the meal is over, pumpkin pie is served, and then the family helps clean up the table and dishes. It is often common for family members to sit and watch American football on TV.
Discussion
Do you have a day of thanksgiving in your country? If so, what takes place on this day? What special foods are prepared? What meaning does this day have for you?
4. Christmas Day
In many parts of the world, Christmas is the day when people celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem two thousand years ago. People who remember Christmas as a religious holiday celebrate the birth of Jesus and his coming into this world. To them, he is recognized as the Son of God and the Savior of the world. According to the Bible, Jesus was born in a manger because there was no room for him and his parents, Mary and Joseph, in an inn. Today, people often attend church, organize family gatherings, and decorate their homes and businesses. People feel the giving spirit and donate their time and money to worthy causes, or provide volunteer service to the needy. Christmas is also celebrated as a secular holiday when parents and children talk about Santa Claus and Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer.
Discussion
Is Christmas celebrated by people in your country? If not, do you have other holiday traditions or days at the end of the year? What meaning does Christmas day have for you or other people you know?
'The Federal Government of Nigeria had stated its readiness to offer succour to Nigerians hit by poverty arising from the ongoing global economic meltdown by implementing an integrated social security policy which will cater for the unemployed,disabled and retirees in the country. This social security will cover both the formal and informal sectors of the economy'
Isn't this nice?
A baby-faced 13-year-old boy, has made headlines around the world after his 15-year-old girlfriend gave birth to his daughter. Alfie, who was twelve at the time of conception, shot to fame after he appeared on the cover of Britain's biggest selling newspaper holding his new-born baby. Looking much younger than his 13 years, Alfie said "I know I'm young, but I plan to be a good dad."
The news has sparked outrage in the UK where people see the birth as a sign of Britain's decline in values or 'broken Britain' as the media are describing it.
Alfie's parents have been criticized in the press for cashing in on all the media interest by selling their story to the newspapers. It's believed that Alfie's divorced parents have received thousands of pounds from the tabloid press for interviews and photos.
In a new twist it's been reported that the baby's mother has had a number of boyfriends, and that Alfie may not be the father after all.
A spokesman for the 13-year-old who reportedly fathered the baby said a DNA test would be performed to identify the dad for certain.
This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer has become America's first major daily newspaper to publish online-only. Hearst, the company that owns it, printed the final newspaper on Tuesday. The Seattle P-I was one hundred forty-six years old -- the oldest daily newspaper in Washington state.
Seattle P-I employees in early March, before the newspaper became online-only
One hundred seventy people worked in the newsroom. Now just twenty journalists will work for seattlepi.com. The city is left with one major local daily, the Seattle Times. Some people think it could also go online-only.
Denver, Colorado, became a one-newspaper city a few weeks ago: the Rocky Mountain News closed. Other cities could soon follow.
Mike Simonton is a media analyst at Fitch Ratings. He believes many two-newspaper markets will not survive through the end of next year. By that time, he says, there could even be some markets with no printed local paper each day.
Newspaper companies like Hearst, he says, are experimenting with new business models to see what works. But he says any new product will have to be different enough that people will not be able to find it anywhere else.
Some newspaper companies have recently sought bankruptcy protection. These include the Tribune Company, owner of the Chicago Tribune and the Los Angeles Times, among others.
Newspapers earn most of their money from sales of advertising. But a lot of that market has moved to free or low-cost advertising on the Internet, including sites like Craigslist. Losses have only been intensified by the recession.
Ad sales have always gone up and down with the economy. But one difference this time is that many newspaper companies are heavily in debt from buying other newspapers.
Papers are cutting costs. Gannett, the nation's largest newspaper publisher, has cut more than one-fifth of its jobs in the past two years. More than eight thousand jobs have been lost.
In Detroit, Michigan, the two big dailies are reducing home delivery to three days a week. In Ohio, the state's largest papers still compete but now share stories.
Newspapers have lost millions of readers as a new generation has grown up. Yet much of the news that people get online still comes from newspapers. Most papers give it away free on their own sites. The Wall Street Journal is one of the few that charge for its online version.
Last month bloggers celebrated what they called a historic moment. President Obama, at his first major press conference, called on a reporter for a Web-only operation, the Huffington Post.
The United States Constitution guarantees freedom of speech and the press. But as budgets shrink, newspapers are printing fewer pages, less news. They have fewer reporters not just in foreign capitals, but even in Washington.
Industry observers say quality reporting is being lost. The question now is to what extent it will find a new home on the Internet.
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