April 29-May 3

English in Mind, pages 21, 22
Problem Page
Grammar: Must, must not, don/t have to.

Ice cream

Ice cream, frozen dairy food and common dessert made from cream or butterfat, milk, sugar, and flavorings. Frozen custard and French-type ice creams also contain eggs. Hundreds of flavors of ice cream have been devised, the most popular being vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry. When the three flavors are combined, it is known as Neapolitan. Ice cream is also the basis of other desserts, such as baked Alaska, which consists of ice cream layered between a slice of sponge cake and a covering of meringue that is browned in either an oven at high heat or by a butane culinary torch.

Homemade ice cream

Making homemade ice cream usually involves a custard base that’s boiled. This mixture, along with flavors, is poured into a container surrounded by ice and salt, or into a refrigerated unit. Then, it’s stirred continuously using either a hand crank or an electric motor until the ice cream starts to freeze softly. After that, it’s often put in the freezer to harden further.

The earliest evidence of anything approaching ice cream being made was in China in the Tang period (A.D. 618-907). Buffalo, cows’ and goats’ milk was heated and allowed to ferment. This ‘yoghurt’ was then mixed with flour for thickening, camphor (yes camphor!) for flavor and ‘refrigerated’ before being served.

In the UK…

In this country Ice Cream was served at a banquet for the Feast of St. George at Windsor Castle in 1671. It was such a rare and exotic dish that only the guests on King Charles II’s table had ‘one plate of white strawberries and one plate of iced cream.’ All the other guests had to watch and marvel at what the Royal table were eating.

Such was the interest and demand for ice cream that wealthy people built ice houses on their estates. Ice, ‘farmed’ in winter from lakes, ponds and rivers was stored under straw and bark, until the summer when it was used for cooling drinks, making water ices and ‘iced creams’. The ice was of such a poor quality that it was never actually put in food, it was only ever used to chill and freeze food and drinks.

Ice cream making was a closely guarded secret and the knowledge of how to make it would have been a meal ticket for life, which is why the first recipe in English did not appear until 1718.

The technique of making a custard based ice cream using egg yolks started in France around the middle of the 18th century and this is the origin of custard based ice cream. The Americans had to wait until 1800 to get their first taste of ice cream.

Interesting facts about ice creams.

• Ice cream was invented in China.
• July is National Ice Cream Month.
• New Zealand consumes the most ice cream per capita.
• Iran makes noodle ice cream.
• It takes a weighty 12 pounds of milk to make one gallon of ice cream.
• Nature’s own ice cream exists in South America.

April 22-26

April 15-19

All over the place, everyday English.

1. Read the text and answer the questions following it.

Chinese New Year is the celebration of the New Year in Chinese communities around the world. The date of the Chinese New Year is determined by the lunar calendar, so festivities begin with the new cycle of the moon that falls between January 21 and February 19. Each year is named for one of 12 symbolic animals in sequence. The animals are: the rat, ox, tiger, hare, dragon, serpent, horse, ram, monkey, rooster, dog and boar. The New Year celebration is the most important and the longest of all Chinese festivals, traditionally lasting for two weeks. During the period, towns and villages are decorated with colored lanterns, floral exhibitions, and brightly colored banners with New Year greetings. Preparations traditionally began in the home the week before the New Year, when families thoroughly clean their houses to symbolically sweep away all traces of misfortune. They also pay of debts, add a new coat of red paint to doors and windowpanes, and decorate the home with flowers. To avoid bad luck, parents warn their children to be on their best behaviour. On the evening before the New Year, families gather for a feast of various dishes of seafood and dumplings. Each dish has symbolic meaning, often signifying good luck and prosperity. At midnight, families light fireworks to attract the attention of benevolent god and to frighten away evils spirits. The fireworks last until dawn, although celebrants may light more fireworks for the next two weeks.

1. How is the date of the Chinese New Year determined?

The date of the Chinese New Year is determined by the lunar calendar.

2. When do festivities begin?

Festivities begin with the new cycle of the moon that falls between January 21 and February 19.

3. Why do families light fireworks?

At midnight, families light fireworks to attract the attention of benevolent god and to frighten away evils spirits. The fireworks last until dawn, although celebrants may light more fireworks for the next two weeks.

4. The word various is synonymous to different

2. Write the verbs in the right tense form.

After I had lunch at a village inn, I (1) looked for my bag. (to look) (2). I had left it on the chair beside the door but it wasn’t there! (to leave). As I (3) looking it, the inn-keeper came in. (to look for)

“Did you have a good meal?” he asked.

“Yes, thank you. ” I answered, ” but I can’t pay the bill. I haven’t got my bag. “

The inn-keeper (4) smiled and immediately went out. (to smile). in a few minutes he returned with my bag and (5) gave it back to me. (to give)

“I am sorry, ” he said. My dog had taken in into the garden. He often does this”.

3. Translate the sentences form Armenian into English.

1. Եթե մենք նրան չօգնենք, նա չի կարողանա ավարտել աշխատանքը։
   If we don’t help him, he won’t be able to finish the job.
2. Թոմն ասաց, որ նա չի կարող ընդունել մեր առաջարկը։
   Tom said that he couldn’t accept our offer.
3. Ջորջը նկատեց, որ անձրևանոցը մոռացել է տանը։
   George noticed that he forgot his umbrella at home.
4. Տնօրենն ասաց, որ փաստաթղթերը պատրաստ կլինեն ժամը 3-ին։
   The director said that the documents will be ready at 3 o’clock.
5. Երբ ես խոսեցի նրա հետ, նա շատ բարկացած էր։
   When I spoke to him, he was very angry.

4. Speak on the following topic.

My hobby.

My hobby is tennis and painting. I think playing tennis is fun. Tennis is one of my favorite type of sports. Since I started playing tennis, First time I played tennis‚ I was nervous because I didn’t know how to play. My friends show me how to play the game. I love drawing because its cool․ I love drawing landscapes, oil paintings etc. And if I’m sad I’m drawing and its make me happy.

April 8֊12

March 18-22

English in Mind, pages 4,5,6

Classwork 2 3 4

Rewrite the sentences in passive voice.

1. She sang a song. – A song was sung by her.
2. Somebody hit me. – I was hit by someone.
3. We stopped the bus. – The bus was stopped by us.
4. A thief stole my car. – My car was stolen by the thief.
5. They didn’t let him go. – He was not let go by them.
6. She didn’t win the prize. – The prize was not won by her.
7. They didn’t make their beds. – Their beds were not made by them.
8. I did not tell them. – They were not told by me.
9. Did you tell them? – Were they told by me?
10. Did he send the letter? – What was done with the knife by him?

Fill in the verb in the Past Active or Passive Voice.

1. The Cape of Good Hope was discovered by Bartolomeo Dias.
2. The clown entertained the public.
3. We arrived at the camp in time.
4. Many experiments were done under water.
5. Many people were invited to the festival.
6. They discussed many exciting things.
7. I learnt many interesting things in this unit.
8. What artist painted this picture?

March 4-7

English in mind, pages 51, 52
Vocabulary: verb and noun pairs

Test

Choose from the following prepositions at, by, for, from, in, on, with and complete the sentences.

1. Where do you come from?
2. My cousin lives in Norway.
3. They are walking on the bridge.
4. I don’t like flying, so I went to Paris by bus.
5. You can stay with me tonight.
6. My birthday is on 29th February.
7. I’ll see you at Christmas.
8. Put the books on the table, please.
9. I haven’t seen you for ages.
10. I like this house by the river.

Use the verbs in brackets to complete the sentences. Use the correct tense.

1. When I looked out of the window, I saw John.

2.  Have you ever played the piano since you left school?

3. I have not seen him for two days.

4. When he was trying to open the door, he dropped his key.

5. They lived in this house since 1987.

6. My father washed his car while my mother and I were preparing dinner.

7. Did you meet her yesterday?

8. Mary was in London for three days.

9. The headmaster entered the classroom when they were writing their exams.

10. He bought a new car last week.

11. I think that they will arrive tomorrow morning.

12. Last Wednesday they played chess after they had done their homework

Choose the correct pronouns to complete the sentences.

1. The old woman lived alone, with no one to look after her.

A) someone / her
B) anyone / herself
C) everyone / she
D) no one / her
E) anyone / she’s
2. These two rings here on my little finger belonged to my grandmother.

A) These / my
B) That / mine
C) Those / me
D) The / myself
E) This / my
3. When the little boy grabbed the lizard, its tail broke off in his hand.

A) it’s / his
B) it / him
C) its / his
D) it / one’s
E) its / he’s

4. A baby learns the meaning of words as they are spoken by others and later uses them in sentences.

A) their / they
B) they / them
C) they / themselves
D) it / them
E) they / it
5. Some of these clothes are mine, and the rest of them belong to Zack.

A) yours / it
B) my / them
C) hers / their
D) me / they
E) mine / them

6. As for me, I prefer to let people make up their own minds.

A) myself / each other’s
B) I / his own
C) mine / one another’s
D) me / their own
E) my / theirs
7. The solicitor wrote a letter to Ann and me in which he asked us if we could settle the matter between us.

A) I / us
B) me / us
C) myself / ours
D) mine / our
E) me / we
8. As no one else cuts it as well as he does, I always have my hair cut at Johnson’s.

A) anyone
B) someone else’s
C) no one else
D) everyone
E) nobody’s
9. They decided to buy the house because its location would allow them to get to work very easily.

A) theirs / them
B) it / themselves
C) its / them
D) they / us
E) its / their
10. Our dog is of a very good breed as it is the offspring of two very champion dogs and inherited their features.

A) this / its
B) he / them
C) she / theirs
D) that / his
E) it / their

 Complete the following exercise with adjective or adverb form of the words.

1. That pitbull looks angry. (angry)

2. She spoke quietly. (quiet)

3. Erica listened to her mother carefully. (careful)

4. Mary makes careless mistakes. (careless)

5. Children grow quickly. (quick)

6. He is very happy today. (happy)

7. It’s raining heavily. (heavy)

8. Morgan was seriously hurt in a car accident. (serious)

9. His situation was very serious. (serious)

My Mom

The thing i love the most about you is that you are very kind, beautiful and that you always support me in difficult situations.

She makes me so happy when she cooks for me.

She is the best at making desserts.

She is 38 years old.

She weighs 50 pounds.

Her favorite color is purple.

Her favorite place to shop is Zara.

Her favorite food is sushi.

Her favorite movie is Home Alone.

When Mom was a little girl, she used to learn French language.

Now that she is older, she can communicate in French and make translations into French to Armenian and vice versa.

If Mom could take a whole day and spend it with me, her and i would travel to Spain.

My Mom is scared of spiders.

My Mom laughs when I make jokes.

If i had a TON of money…i would buy my Mom a trip around the world.

My Mom hugs better than my father.

She is as pretty as a fairy.

I wouldn’t trade her for all the money.

English Test

Test 2

Fill in the correct form of the PRESENT TENSE (simple and progressive)
Dear Editor!
I am writing  this letter because it seems  to me that far too many changes are taking  place in my country these days, and, as a result, we are losing  our identity. I live  in a small town but even this town is changing  before my eyes. For example, town authorities are building a burger place where my favourite restaurant used to be. Our culture belongs  to everybody, and I don’t understand why the town leaders aren’t doing  to preserve it. They simply don’t care .
In fact, I am thinking  of starting an action group. I am appearing  on a TV show on Friday evening to make people aware of how importance this issue is. It’s time for us to start doing something before it gets too late.

Test 3

Past Tense – Simple or progressive
It was raining when we came out of the shopping center.

It happened very quickly. The car came out of the side road and then the van drove into the back of it.

I was ill last week.

He broke his leg when he was skiing.

I looked out of the window and saw that people were walking in the park.
Emma passed her exam a few weeks ago.

When we saw the spaceship we stopped the car.

When did you buy the car? – I bought it a few years ago.

He was sitting in the garden when a wasp stung him in the nose.

Claire went to Egypt last month.

She was having a beautiful dream when the alarm clock rang.

The car stopped at the lights.

We were driving home in the middle of the night when we saw a flashing light.

Soft music was playing when I went into the room.

Did you buy that bag while I was looking after the children?

It was peaceful and the birds were singing.

Was Jimmy already waiting for you when you got there?

I rang at about 3 o’clock yesterday, but you didn’t pick up the phone. – What were you doing? – I was helping Dad in the garden so I probably didn’t hear it.

I was lying in the bath when the phone rang.

It stopped after a few rings.

It was cold when we left the house that day.

Test 4

1. The earth has been here for billions of years (be).
2. We have been playing cards for the last few hours (play).
3. We have been having / have had problems with our new car recently (have)
4. Have you been working on anything interesting lately ?(you work)
5. Cuba has been a socialist country since 1959 (be)
6. I have been taking care of my neighbour’s cats while they are away (take)
7. I have had my car for three years (have).
8. Has the boxer ever won an important fight? (the boxer , ever, win)
9. John and Mary have been quarrelling with each other since the day they got married (quarrel).
10. It has been raining hard since last night (rain).
11. I’m tired because I haven’t been feeling well lately. (not feel)
12. Have your parents always understood your problems? (your parents, always, understand)
13. The patient has been taking penicillin for several days now (take)
14. A big earthquake has not hit San Francisco since 1906. (not hit)
15. They have been living in San Francisco since they arrived in the USA 20 years ago. (live)
16. He got ill five weeks ago and has not recovered yet. (not recover)
17. Everyone in the Middle East has been worrying about the situation for decades (worry).
18. We have had/ have been having very cold weather this year (have)
19. Where have you hidden the money? (you, hide)
20. At last ,my favourite team has won against its most important rival (win)
21. I have been married for 6 years. (marry)
22. Dad has had a number of jobs in the last few years (have).
23. The bank is still closed. It hasn’t opened yet. (not open)
24. Our daughter has been wearing lipstick since she was 16 (wear).
25. She is angry because her boyfriend has not shown up yet and she has been waiting for half
    an hour. (not show, wait).
26. I’m still waiting for an answer. They haven’t made up their minds yet. (not make)
27. How many times has Kim fed the cat today? (Kim feed)
28. The kids have been getting on my nerves. They have been making too much noise (get,
    make).
29. My company has been making a lot of money in the last few years. They have been working
    hard on an important project. (make, work).
30. They haven’t delivered our new refrigerator yet, but they will any day now. ( not deliver)

February 12-16

The Power of Humor, page 48

Laughter is very good for us because it releases tension.

• Are you humorous?

Yes, I’m humorous.

• Can you tell about a time when you were very funny?

I think I’m always funny, because I enjoy the life.

• What kind of humor do you like? Do you like many kinds?

I like physical or slapstick humor. Yes, I like many kinds.

• Why do people say laughter is the best medicine?

Laughter can: Stimulate many organs. Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain. Activate and relieve your stress response.

• Can you tell about a time when you laughed at yourself?

No, because I don’t remember.

• What type of humor do you like?

I like physical or slapstick humor.

• Do you like to tell jokes?

I don’t, because I’m not a good joke maker in my opinion.

• Are you a good joke teller?

No I’m not.

• What sort of things make you laugh?

My friends and their crazy stories.

• How frequently do you laugh every day?

I think I laugh a lot.

• Do you laugh out loud or do you chuckle quietly?

Sometimes I laugh out loud and sometimes quietly chuckle.

• Do you sometimes laugh in situations which are not amusing?

Yes, it happened.

• Laughter is catching. Do you start laughing when you see or hear other people laughing? Why do you think this happens?

Yes. There is a physiological reason why laughter is contagious. The sound of a chuckle triggers regions in the premotor cortical region of your brain(front of brain), which is involved with moving facial muscles to correspond with sound.

• What is the difference between “laughing at someone” and “laughing with someone”?

If you are laughing with somebody, that means you or the other person messed up or goofed up, and you both think it’s funny and appropriate to laugh. If you are laughing at somebody, that means the other person did something stupid or embarasssing, but you are the only one laughing. The person who did something wrong or badly isn’t laughing and doesn’t think what you’re laughing at is funny at all.

• Does your language have equivalent expressions for
  • “I nearly died laughing!” or “I cracked up (with laughter)!”?
  • “He was the laughing stock”
  • “Don’t make me laugh!”

Yes.

February 5-9/Miranda’s Journey

Miranda’s Journey
Anytime Stories
Once upon a time there was a duck who lived in
Africa. She was an English duck and her name was
Miranda.1
Her one wish was to come to England and play with
the girls and boys who lived there. So she said good-bye
to all her friends: to the lions and tigers and monkeys but
not to the crocodiles. She hated crocodiles. She felt sad to
leave her friends, but she flew away bravely. For miles 2
there was nothing but forest; then she saw the sea.
Then she came to Italy. She could see children at the
sea-side, they were playing with the sand. The mothers and
fathers were sitting and doing nothing at all, and Miranda
thought it was so silly. Then she came to some mountains
1 Miranda [m rram daj— Миранда

• For m iles ~* На протяжении многих миль
  and had to fly high to get over them. The air grew colder
  and colder; snow began to fall. She heard the sound o!
  singing. It was coming nearer and nearer and Miranda
  recognized a popular French song.
  Out of the mist flew a whole flock of French swallows,
  it was flying south to Italy. As they passed they ah
  dipped their wings in s a lu te .1 And M iranda dipped hers.
  She was getting very tired and hungry. The snow fell
  faster and faster. She couldn’t see a yard 2 in front of her
  and flew on blinded by the snow, frozen with the cold.
  And all the time she thought of summer days on English
  ponds and of the children she was going to meet and play
  with. Her beak was always pointing towards London. She
  flew on for hours like this. The wind and the snow suddenly ceased. Above her she could see the stars, and
  below the bright lights of a big town. It was London.
  She flew down and landed on a pond near an*lnn.
  There was a little island in the middle of the pond, wilii
  an empty nest on it, just as i f 3 it was made for her. She
  was pleased. She ate some pond grass and got in the nesl
  and was just going to sleep when she heard someone
  shouting, “Miranda Duck! Miranda Duck!”
  “Неге I am!” she said, and jum ping out of the nest
  she swam to the bank of the pond, and there was a messenger boy. “Telegram for you,” said the boy, “sign here,
  please!” Miranda signed. Then /with the telegram in her
  beak she swam back to her nest.
  Oh! she was happy. She opened it. It was from the
  girls and boys in Africa, and in it was written:
  Miranda, Miranda, Miranda Duck,
  Here is a m essage to wish you good luck;
  From the children of Africa, oh Ducky dear, do
  Look after yourself, 4 we’re thinking of you. V
  The lights went out at the inn across the road. She
  could hear the people saying good night to each other.
  Then all was quiet. She put the telegram under one wing
  and her head under the other, and went to sleep.
  1 in salute — в знак приветствия
  2 a yard — английская мера длины, равная примерно 91 см
  3 just as if — словно
  4 do look after yourself — позаб

English/Grammar

She is collecting stickers, isn’t she?
We often watch TV in the afternoon, don’t we?
You have cleaned your bike, haven’t you?
John and Max don’t like maths, do they?
Peter played handball yesterday, didn’t he?
They are going home from school, aren’t they?
Mary didn’t do her homework last Monday, did she?
He could have bought a new car,  couldn’t he?
Kevin will come tonight, won’t he?

I hope Sissy won’t come to the party, will she?

2. Jack’s on holiday, isn’t he?

Yes, he’s in Portugal.

3. Let’s go out tonight,  shall we?

Yes, let’s.

4. Listen, will you?

OK, I’m listening.

5. There is a bus to 1st Street every hour, isn’t there?

6. Tom won’t be late, will he?

No, he’s never late.

7. You wouldn’t tell anyone would you?

No, of course not.

8. I am not your best friend, am I?

9. We had to wait for a long time, didn’t we?

10. You can speak English, can’t you?

Yes, but not very fluently.

11. You’re tired, aren’t you?

12. She hardly ever goes to the parties, does she?

13. She scarcely cares, does she?

14. We’d rather live in the country, wouldn’t we ?

15. Sue doesn’t know Ann, does she?

No, they’ve never met.

16. That suit is very expensive, isn’t it?

17. There are a lot of people here, aren’t there?

Yes, more than I expected.

18. This isn’t very interesting, is it?

No, not very.

19. You don’t like spinach, do you?

20. Harry and Loyd won’t have to go there tomorrow, will they?

“A Chaparral Christmas Gift” by O. Henry