Reading

August 29, 2007

Book: The Piano
Border, Rosemary. The Piano. New York: Oxford University Press, 1989.
8:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m.
Pages 1-12

Sentences or phrases which structure were useful for me:
“… picture of Sir Anthony at the piano.”
“On my way upstairs…”
“Tony and his mother got on a bus…”

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September 7, 2007

Book: The Piano (cont.)
Border, Rosemary. The Piano. New York: Oxford University Press, 1989.
8:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m.
Pages 12-24

Sentences or phrases which structure were useful for me:
“Mr Wood came into the field.”
“Now,” said Mr Wood. “My new car…”
“School doesn’t start again until September.”


Book: The Piano (cont.)
Border, Rosemary. The Piano. New York: Oxford University Press, 1989.
13:00 a.m.-14:00 a.m.
Pages 24-39 (finished)

Sentences or phrases which structure were useful for me:
“It isn’t far away.”
“We can put it on Mr Wood’s lorry.”

Lorry: A large vehicle for transporting goods by road.
(from www.encarta.msn.com)


Brief summary: Sir Anthony is a very famous pianist who is about to give a concert; suddenly, a reporter enters his room. She explains that she wants a brief interview about his life. Sir Anthony tells his story to the girl.
Sir Anthony had four brothers; her mother was having economic problems; consequently, he decided to drop school and work. He got a job at a farm with the Wood family.
One day, Sir Anthony –who was Tony in that time- was working along with other two boys who were there on vacation. Mr Wood asked them to get rid of everything that was in a garage. Tony and the boys found a piano, and Tony felt attraction toward it immediately. Tony sat down at the piano and started to play something. Since Mr Wood wanted the garage to be clean, Tony asked their friends to help him hind the piano at a school, which was empty due to the vacation period.
Tony would go to the school every evening after work. One day, he was discovered by a teacher. This teacher talked to Mr and Mrs Wood, and recommended them to send Tony to a music school. Mr and Mrs Wood decided to pay a school for him.
Tony studied, came back to the farm and married Mr Wood’s daughter.
Now, Sir Anthony is going to give the last concert. He assures to be very happy about being married for so long.

Magazine: Traveler
Article: Series of Constellations.
14:00-15:00
Page 38

Sentences or phrases which structure were useful for me:
“… the very least Continental should have done is issue a prompt refund.”

Issue: To supply or distribute something officially.
Prompt: Done at once and without delay.
(from http://www.encarta.msn.com/)

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September 14, 2007

Book: The Rainmaker
Grisham, John. The Rainmaker. England: Text Copyright, Penguin Books, 1999.
8:00-9:00
Pages 1-4

Sentences or phrases which structure were useful for me:
“To get experience we visit a club for elderly people…”
“Benefit won’t pay for a bone marrow transplant.”

Marrow: Soft red or yellow fatty tissue that fills the central cavities of bones. Red marrow is the site of blood cell production.
(from www.encarta.msn.com)

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September 21, 2007

Book: The Rainmaker
Grisham, John. The Rainmaker. England: Text Copyright, Penguin Books, 1999.
8:00-9:00
Pages 4-14

Sentences or phrases which structure were useful for me:
“Don’t they get sued?”

Sue: To take legal action against somebody to obtain something, usually compensation for a wrong.
(from http://www.encarta.msn.com/)

Book: The Rainmaker
Grisham, John. The Rainmaker. England: Text Copyright, Penguin Books, 1999.
14:00-15:30
Pages 14-20

Sentences or phrases which structure were useful for me:
“… who drove through a red light.”
“Let me sleep on it.”

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September 25, 2007

Book: The Rainmaker
Grisham, John. The Rainmaker. England: Text Copyright, Penguin Books, 1999.
13:00 -15:30
Pages 20-40

Sentences or phrases which structure were useful for me:
“Let me sleep on it.”

Idiom: “Sleep on something”
Consider something overnight before deciding, as in I don't know if I want to go on such a long hike; let me sleep on it. This usage was first recorded in 1519 in the state papers of King Henry VIII: "His Grace ... said that he would sleep and dream upon the matter."
From http://www.answers.com/topic/sleep-on-something

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September 26, 2007

Book: The Rainmaker
Grisham, John. The Rainmaker. England: Text Copyright, Penguin Books, 1999.
9:30-10:00
Pages 40-53

Sentences or phrases which structure were useful for me:
“It’s a gray, cloudy day, a day for a burial.”

Burial: The act or ceremony of putting a dead body into the ground or into the sea.

Book: The Rainmaker
Grisham, John. The Rainmaker. England: Text Copyright, Penguin Books, 1999.
16:00-17:00
Pages 53-71

Sentences or phrases which structure were useful for me:
“I hang up and play the tape.”
“I look through the manuals.”
“You came by today.”
“… and everybody rises.”
“I call that greedy.”

Greedy: Having an overwhelming desire to have more of something such as money than is actually needed.

“I don’t want your rotten money.”

Rotten: Characterized by a lack of honesty or moral principles.

From http://www.answers.com/topic/lump-in-my-throat

“… I have a lump in my throat.”

Idiom: “Lump in my throat.”
A feeling of constriction in the throat caused by emotion, as in The bride's mother had a lump in her throat. This expression likens the sense of a physical swelling to the tight sensation caused by strong feelings. [Mid-1800s]
From http://www.answers.com/topic/lump-in-my-throat

Brief summary: Rudy is about to graduate from law school; he just needs to pass the bar exam. Certain day, a friend of his calls him and tells him about an insurance company. This company is Great Benefit. The problem with this company is that Dot Black, who is Rudy’s friend, and her husband, Bud Black, have been paying a medical policy for years. Recently, one of their sons, who are twins, is diagnosed leukemia. The boy, Donny Ray, needs a bone marrow transplant that costs $150,000. Great Benefit does not want to pay for it, alleging that the illness was diagnosed before signing the policy.
Rudy, who has neither a job nor enough money, takes this case to a trial. While doing this, he meets a girl named Kelly. Kelly is beaten by her husband. Rudy also takes this case to divorce Kelly from that man.
While the trial against Great Benefit is on course, Donny Ray dies since he did not receive the transplant.
Great Benefit is found guilty and is punished. They are also supposed to pay millions of dollars, which are going to be allocated to a leukemia association by Dot Black. However, the money seems not to be paid to anybody.
Kelly is released from her husband, and she and Rudy go to a far away place where he can work as a History teacher and they can be happy. Rudy decides to forget about laws.

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October 3, 2007

Magazine: Family Circle
Article: Meringue (recipe)
9:00-10:00

Sentences or phrases which structure were useful for me:
“caster sugar”
Caster sugar: Finely ground white sugar, often used in baking. It is finer than granulated sugar but not as fine as icing sugar.
(from http://www.encarta.msn.com/)

“Line a large baking sheet with parchment…”
Parchment: Strong, smooth or textured, usually off-white paper used for special documents, letters, or artwork.
(from http://www.encarta.msn.com/)

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October 30, 2007

Magazine: Newsweek
Article: Bipolar Basics by Kathleen Leighton
13:00-15:00

Sentences or phrases which structure were useful for me:
“Patients have persistent mood swings –far more extreme than the ones that most people have…”
Swing: To change from one feeling or condition to another, sometimes quickly or suddenly, or make something or somebody change in this way.

“There is some degree of shrinkage in the brain cells of bipolar patients.”
Shrinkage: The amount lost when something is decreased or reduced, or when it shrinks.

“This illness robs people of their lives.”
Rob: To deprive somebody or something of something, causing harm.

Article: Shot Talk, Vaccine Myths

“Now that the scourges of the past have been defeated…”
Scourges: Somebody or something that is perceived as an agent of punishment, destruction, or severe criticism.

“… outbreaks can –and do- occur.”
Outbreak: A sudden occurrence, usually of something unpleasant or dangerous such as illness or fighting.

“… and let vaccine rates lapse…”
Lapse: To come to an end or stop doing something gradually.

“After measles immunization rates dropped…”
Measles: A contagious acute viral disease with symptoms that include a bright red rash of small spots that spread to cover the whole body.

(from http://www.encarta.msn.com/)

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October 31, 2007

Magazine: Newsweek
Article: Restless Legs, Sleepless Nights by Avery Hurt
15:30-16:00

Sentences or phrases which structure were useful for me:
“… meaning that it flares with inactivity.”
Flare: To burn suddenly and brightly, or cause something to burn in this way.

“… can set off an attack…”
Set off: To make something start happening.

(from http://www.encarta.msn.com/)

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November 1, 2007

Book: I Know Whe the Caged Bird Sings
Angelou, Maya. I Know Whe the Caged Bird Sings. Random House, New York (1969)
14:00-15:00
Pages 1-5

Sentences or phrases which structure were useful for me:

“… was wiggling and giggling…”
Wiggling: To move side to side in small quick movements, or make something move in this way.
Giggling: To laugh audibly but not loudly, sometimes without meaning to, in a way that is characteristic of children.

(from http://www.encarta.msn.com/)

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November 12, 2007

Book: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Angelou, Maya. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Random House, New York (1969)
14:00-15:00

Sentences or phrases which structure were useful for me:

“… my dad must of been a Chinaman…”
Chinaman: An offensive term for a man of Chinese.

“… because my eyes were so small and squinty.”
Squinty: Ahe act of narrowing the eyes to try to see better.

“… to eat pig’s tails and snouts.”
Snouts: The projecting part of a vertebrate's head, consisting of the nose and mouth, especially that of a mammal such as a pig.

“… the rear of the church.”
Rear: The back of something, or the area near the back of something.

“Dimly, somewhere over my head…”
Dimly: Not clearly recalled or perceived.

(from http://www.encarta.msn.com/)

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November 27, 2007

Magazine: People
Article: Back on Track
16:00-17:00

Sentences or phrases whose structure was useful for me:

“Perennial party guy Colin Farrell has always thrived on living dangerously…”
Thrive: To be successful and often profitable.

“… while lifting weights to bulk up.”
Bulk up: To increase in size or volume, or make somebody or something do this.

“… when he tore up the town each night.”
Tear up: To tear something into small pieces, e.g. in order to destroy it.

“… to tame his way goes to his son…”
Tame: To make something much less harsh or extreme.

“… who has sued him three times for harassment…”
Harassment: To persistently annoy, attack, or bother somebody.

“… who is in London shooting Woody Allen’s next film…”
Shoot: To record a shot, scene, movie, or program on film with a camera.

F(from http://www.encarta.msn.com/)

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November 28, 2007

Book: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
9:00-10:00

Sentences or phrases whose structure was useful for me:

“… nature’s blessing of grogginess…”
Grogginess: Feeling weak or dizzy, especially because of illness or overindulgence.

“.. his left hand was only a mite bigger than Bailey’s…”
Mite: A tiny eight-legged invertebrate animal related to spiders and ticks. Some mites live freely and some as parasites that can carry disease, attack plants, and cause human allergies.

“Not frequently, but often enough, travelers pulled off the main road…”
Pull off: To achieve something impressive, particularly through a combination of skill and luck ( informal ).

“… I watched the red car scare chickens, raise dust and disappear toward Magnolia.”
(from http://www.encarta.msn.com/)

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November 30, 2007

Book: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
13:00-15:00

Sentences or phrases whose structure was useful for me:

“… excluding the scoop…”
Scoop: A utensil with a short handle and deep rounded sides, used for shoveling or ladling grain, flour, or other dry or semisolid substances.

“Put some more in that sack…”
Sack: A large bag, especially one that is made from coarse cloth or thick heavy-duty paper.

“… shredding off the fruit until nothing was left…”
Shredding: To cut or tear something into shreds.

(from http://www.encarta.msn.com/)