Visit to Costa Rica

Visit to Costa Rica.

Audio name on I-tunes and the I-pod: "Podcast #46 Visit to Costa RIca.mp3".

Audio name on your CD: "Podcast #46 Visit to Costa RIca.mp3".

Exercise.

Listen to this audio about Costa Rica and answer the exercise down below.

Vocabulary.

howling monkey. Noun.
lion. Noun.
Seal. Noun.

manglar trees. Noun.
roots. Noun.
oxygen. Noun.

Expressions.

Good deal of. A lot of.

Exercise about Context.

Listen to the story and then try making a story in your own words.

Script

Find it at http://englishvillemexico.blogspot.com/2010/04/scripts-lesson-18.html

Jobs in New York.

Extra Work: Stories About Jobs in NY (in your CD).


Audio in your I-pod: "storiesAboutJobsinNewYork".

Audio name on your CD: "storiesAboutJobsinNewYork.mp3".

Exercise.
Listen to the audio and share stories about previous jobs.

Questions about Context
1. Mention some details of the crappy job Frankie had before
2. Mention some details about the other guy's previous jobs


Vocabulary
Balance. Verb.
Crappy. Adjective.
Drop. Verb.
Sip. Verb.
Stalk. Verb.

Useful Phrases.
Get fired.
Graveyard shift.
Out of pity.
Put it on my bill.
Minimum wage job.
Wear my contacts.

My Family in Russia

My Family in Russia.

Lesson 21.

http://nyti.ms/165Vh6k

Life in Japan

Extra work: Life in Japan (in your CD)
Audio name on I-tunes and the I-pod: "Life in Japan". From 0'28'' to 3'28''.
Audio name on your CD: "AboutTokioSuburbs.mp3". From 0'28'' to 3'28''.
Vocabulary.
Scooter.
Shock.
Lie.
Hassle.
Ache.
Bed town.
Commute.
Underground.

Exercise.
How's it like to live in Tokio compared to your life style? How's it like compared to London? Tell us about it.
Script.
Find it at script at http://englishvillemexico.blogspot.com/2010/04/scripts-lesson-10.html .

Eating with the Locals.

Eating with the Locals.
Lesson 13.Video name on I-tunes and the I-pod: "Travel Skills: Eating with the Locals".
Video name on your CD: "Travel Skills: Eating with the Locals" MPEG4 video file.

Questions about Context.
1. What's the main suggestion when traveling to another city.
2. Mention a few suggestions when you go to Rome.
3. Mention a few suggestions when you go to Paris.
4. What's the suggestion when you visit London?


Script.
Find it at http://englishvillemexico.blogspot.com/2010/06/scripts-lesson-13.html .

Having an Open House

Having an Open House.
Lesson 15.

Audio name on I-tunes and the I-pod: "546 - Having an Open House.mp3".
Audio name on your CD: "546 - Having an Open House.mp3".

Questions about context?
What is this couple doing outside their home? Why?
What's the signing sheet for?
What is the stager doing while these guys are outside?

What is “Home Staging” and How Does it Help Sell My House?

by Lori Matzke

“Home staging” is not a new term, but for many homeowners and real estate agents the concept of “professional home staging” is shedding new light on how to promote a home in the real estate marketplace.  In past years, homeowners were left to their own discretion as far as preparing for home showings. Though they could occasionally rely on an agent for instructions, more often than not real estate agents were just as perplexed at working out the details as the homeowner.

While agents are experts in the field of selling and closing, many are not design savvy.  Agents usually know exactly what factors can help sell a home. It’s just not always easy to get a home into selling condition in a timely manner without some sort of experienced assistance.

Professional home stagers are practiced in the art of preparing a home for resale. They work with the “flow” of a home, eliminate clutter, edit and arrange furniture, and even assist in enhancing curb-appeal.  With the aid of a professional home stager, your house can make a notable first impression on potential homebuyers.

Definition found at realestateabc.com.

Vocabulary.
Square Footage. 1 square foot = 0.09290304 m²
De-clutter. to simplify or get rid of mess, disorder, complications, etc.

Script.
Find the script at http://englishvillemexico.blogspot.com/2010/04/scripts-lesson-15.html .

Finding a Place to Live

Finding a Place to Live.
Audio name on I-tunes and the I-pod: "ESL Podcast #175 - Places to Live".

Audio name on your CD: "ESL Podcast #175 - Places to Live.mp3".


Vocabulary.
Condo. A condominium may be simply defined as an "apartment" that the resident owns as opposed to rents.

Townhouse. The name townhouse is used to describe units mimicking a detached home that are attached in a multi-unit complex. It is also a house on a small footprint in a city, but because of its multiple floors (sometimes six or more), it has a large living space, often with servant's quarters. The small footprint of the townhouse allows it to be within walking or mass transit distance of business and industrial areas of the city, yet luxurious enough for wealthy residents of the city.

Backyard.
Penthouse.
Duplex.
Bungalow. In Britain and North America a bungalow today is a residential house, normally detached, which is either single story, or has a second story built into a sloping roof, usually with dormer windows ("one and a half stories").

Useful Expressions.
Down payment. It is a payment used in the context of the purchase of expensive items such as a car and a house, whereby the payment is the initial upfront portion of the total amount due and it is usually given in cash at the time of finalizing the transaction. A loan is then required to make the full payment.


Of my own.
Real estate agent.
Single-family home.
Multi-story building.
Love at first sight.

Questions about Context.
1. Describe the places to live he would never look for.
2. Describe the place he ended up buying.
3. Describe where you live in a single sentence.

French Culture and Hand Kissing

French Culture and Hand Kissing.
Lesson 18

Exercise.
Read or Listen to the story and tell us how this compares to your country or to the US.

News Report.
You can listen or read the story at http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/17/operation-seduction/?scp=1&sq=hand%20kiss%20france&st=cse .