Hot English Magazine 222

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No.18
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12
ARE YOU USEFUL EXPRESSIONS FRANK
STRESSED TO IMPROVE YOUR M cCOURT’S
AT WORK?
SPOKEN TEACHER
MAN
FOOTBALL
STORIES ENGLISH! BIRD
IDIOMS
S H IN E
COME RA IN OR
HOT SONG: SING & LEARN! PIRATES, AHOY!

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00222
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EDITOR’S INTRO
How you learn English with Hot English magazine
Magazine Index
Pre-Intermediate (CEF level: A2)
Why are you learning English? To get a better job, to pass an official English exam,
to travel, or just to communicate in English? Hot English magazine helps with all this. 3 Editorial
1 Increase your vocabulary. In every issue of Hot English 5 Travel English. Want to travel to English-speaking
you’ll learn over 350 English words and expressions! Plus countries? With Hot English you’ll learn the words and 4 Grammar Fun
you’ll learn lots of idioms, phrasal verbs, grammar and more. expressions you need for international travel!
2 Improve your listening. Every magazine has 60
5 Phrasal Verbs
6 Social English. How do native English
minutes of spoken English audio. You’ll learn to understand speakers really talk? Learn with our natural English
English, plus you can hear lots of different accents! conversations. Also, learn English slang. Plus, in Hot 6 Are you stressed at work?
English you’ll read about current events (news, culture,
3 Exam English. Hot English helps prepare you for 7 Graffiti
official English exams (First Certificate, IELTS, TOEFL, music, films) so you can make conversation with native
etc.). How? Exams test your ability to speak and your range English speakers.
of vocabulary. Hot English improves your communication 8 Noise Nuisance
skills and your knowledge of words and expressions. 7 Want to learn even more? Get a Skills Booklet!
You’ll learn extra vocabulary, grammar, social English
4 Business English. Practical English for the office, for and business English. The Skills Booklets are linked 10 Parental Advice
meetings, for talking to clients – it’s all in Hot English. to the topics in Hot English magazine. They’re sold
Plus, read business tips from entrepreneurs. separately – see page 19 for more information. 11 Football Stories – Part II
Hi, and welcome to Intermediate (CEF level: B1)

another issue of Learn
13 Funny Product Products
Hot English – the fun
magazine for learning 14 Pirate Matching
English. In this month’s
15 Pirate Trivia
issue, we’re looking
at 12 expressions to 16 Famous Pirates – Anne Bonny
improve your spoken
English. They are
mostly two-word
06 18 12 useful expressions to improve
your spoken English!

expressions that are often used by native 20 12 useful expressions to improve
speakers. So, they’re really useful. Of course,
that’s not all and we’re also looking at bird your spoken English! Exercises
idioms, pirates, slang, jokes, grammar, useful Upper Intermediate (CEF level: B2)
advice, graffiti, football, work stress, a new
21 Cartoon
book and lots, lots more. Well, we hope you
enjoy reading and listening to this issue of
Learn Hot English. Have fun, learn lots of
English and see you all next month!
16 22 Story Time
23 Hot Song & Useful advice
24 Crossword
26 Trivia Matching
PS Remember to sign up for our newsletter 27 Weird Trivia

so you can receive lots of FREE language
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Advanced (CEF level: C1)
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to check out the blog on our website: www. 32 Dictionary of Slang
learnhotenglish.com/blog for free lessons and 33 In the News

articles on how to learn English. Or “like” us
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38 Interview: Frank McCourt
All material in this publication is strictly copyright, and all rights are reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. The views expressed
in Hot English Magazine do not necessarily represent the views of Hot English Publishing SL. although we do think that Superman is awfully
brave, Anne Bonny was terriblly cruel, and Jack Sparrow has an air of Keith Richards about him. 40 Answers
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AUDIO
The section that makes grammar easy and fun
“ Would” & “Used to”

Gram m a r f u n
GRAMMAR FUN
“Would” However, we can also use “used to” to describe past states and past
We can use “would” to describe repeated actions or habits from the situations that no longer exist (as opposed to repeated past habits or
past. For example: actions). “Would” is not possible in these cases.
a) When I was younger, I would get up early every morning. a) I used to have a Porsche. (In this case, you cannot say, “I would
b) I would go riding on my bicycle every day during the summer have a Porsche”.)
holidays. b) He used to be fat. (In this case, you cannot say, “I would be fat”.)
c) She would go swimming on sunny days. c) There used to be a church here. (In this case, you cannot say,
d) He would lie when he got into trouble. “There would be a church here”.)
However, we cannot use “would” to talk about an isolated incident. “Would” & “Used to” – A Comparison
For example: So, what’s the difference? Both “would” and “used to” can be used
a) We went to France in 1998 (it is not possible to say, “We would to describe repeated actions from the past. However, “used to” can
go…”). also be used to describe a past state or a past situation that no
b) I once went on a ship to India (it is not possible to say, “I would longer exists.
go…”.
“Used to” My husband would

always greet me
We can also use “used to” to describe repeated actions or habits from with a kiss.
the past. For example:

a) When I was younger, I used to get up early every morning. My Australian
cousin would
b) I used to go riding on my bicycle every day during the summer send me a
Christmas card
holidays. every year.
c) She used to go swimming on sunny days.
d) He used to lie when he got into trouble.
We used to live in
a fifteen-bedroom
I used to be a mansion, but now…
lot thinner, but
right now…
My grandfather
would bring me
tea in bed every
morning
I used to be in
the athletics
team.
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AUDIO
ARE YOU STRESSED AT WORK?

ARE YOU STRESSED AT WORK?
A recent survey has shown that more than 60% of workers say the pressure at work is too much for them.
Are you one of them? Do our quiz and find out whether you are stressed at work or not.
9. Your computer crashes. What do you do?
a) Rush out to a computer store, buy a new one with my own money and
carry on working.
b) Put my feet up and wait for the technician to come and fix it. Hopefully
she won’t come till tomorrow.
10. Just when you seem to be getting on top of things, your boss comes in
and gives you some more work to finish by tomorrow. How do you react?
a) I hurl the computer against the wall and stab myself in the leg with
a pencil
b) I smile nicely and tell her it’ll be on her desk first thing. Then, I give
it to someone else to do.
Now check your answers.
1. During the working day, you have, on average: Quiz Analysis

a) Ten cups of coffee and six anxiety attacks. Mostly “a” = You are stressed. Change jobs, or change lives.
b) Three glasses of champagne, served with strawberries and cream. Mostly “b” = You are leading a happy life, free of any stress or tension
Lucky you!
2. What do you fantasise about at work?
a) Jumping off the building.
b) The two-hour lunch break I’m going to have as soon the clock strikes
two.
3. Stress at work is when:

a) I lose all sense of feeling in the right-hand side of my body, I break
out into a strange rash, and my hand starts shaking uncontrollably.
b) Your favourite restaurant is fully-booked and you have to eat
somewhere else.
4. What would you consider a disaster at work?

a) The computer crashes and I lose everything.
b) My colleague cancels a game of tennis I had scheduled for 4pm.
GLOSSARY
5. What do you do to relieve the stress at work?
a) I shout, throw things at people, drink alcohol, and chain-smoke. to fantasise about something exp of time
b) I pop down to the gym and have a relaxing sauna. to think about a nice but imaginary situation unread e-mails exp
the clock strikes two exp e-mails that you haven’t opened/read
it is two o’clock exactly an inbox n
to break out into a strange rash exp the area in your computer where your e-mails
6. How many unread e-mails do you have in your inbox? to have red marks on your body suddenly and arrive
a) Three thousand, four hundred and twenty nine. without knowing why to break out phr vb
to shake uncontrollably exp to start
b) None. to make quick movements that you cannot due for exp
control expected to be ready for
fully-booked adj carry on working exp
7. A fire breaks out in the office building. What do you do? if a restaurant is “fully-booked”, there are no to continue working
more tables for you to put your feet up exp
a) Carry on working – I have some work to finish before five. to crash vb to stop working and to start relaxing
if your computer “crashes”, it breaks and to fix something exp
b) I make my way to the exit and leave the building in an orderly manner. stops working to repair something
scheduled for 4pm exp to get on top of things exp
planned for 4pm to complete jobs so you are in control of the
8. What is most likely to cause you stress today? to relieve the stress exp amount of work you have to do
to stop the tension to hurl vb
a) That report which is due for this morning, and which still hasn’t been to chain-smoke vb to throw (with violence/aggression)
touched. to smoke one cigarette after another to stab yourself exp
to pop down to a place exp to push a sharp object into your body
b) The 20,000-euro bonus I was expecting was only in fact 15,000 euros. to go somewhere quickly and for a short period
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AUDIO
GRAFFITI
GRAFFITI
m p les o f British to ilet graffiti.
e m o re e xa
Here are som
a t u r e ’s w a y of
Death is n lo w d o wn.
t o s
telling you e f ifty-
for t h
e t o l d y o u
exa g ge r ating.
I’ v im e, stop
CD track 3 - US woman & British woman
d t h t
thousan
B lo w y o u r m d e a d, but
in o t
smoke dynam d – God is n
w ell and
ite. a l i v e a n d
o n a m u c h less
workin g
ject.
ambitious pro
A: Is there any intelligent life on earth?
B: No I’m only visiting.
B: No I’m only visiting.
I wouldn’t be paranoid
if people didn’t pick on
Vampires are a pain in me.
the neck.
e c o p in y o u r head.
Guilt is th
e
N os t a lg ia is n ’t q u it
what it used to be.
GLOSSARY
to slow down phr vb suspicious, distrustful and afraid of
to start being more relaxed about other people
things to pick on someone exp
to blow your mind exp to be cruel to someone mentally or
to amaze you. Also, if you “blow physically
something up”, you cause that thing guilt n
to explode the bad feeling inside you that you
a much less ambitious project exp have done something wrong
a less complicated plan a cop n inform
paranoid adj a police officer
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AUDIO
DR FINGERS’DESCRIPTIVE NOISE
“NOISE NUISANCE ”
DR FINGERS’DESCRIPTIVE NOISE
In this new section, Dr Fingers will be 7. When he saw the snake, he screamed loudly.
teaching you some English words that 8. She seemed to have a cold because she
describe noises. Many of these words are wouldn’t stop sniffing. Hisssssss.
“onomatopoeic”. This means that they have 9. When I dropped the brick on his foot, he
been formed to sound like the noise that they shrieked with pain.
are describing. For example, “hiss” 10. I was about to speak when I suddenly sneezed
(the noise a snake makes), is onomatopoeic. loudly.
By the way, the word “onomatopoeic” is
Greek and means “name-making”. This is Part II
the first part of a new series. (Answers on Now, look at the following sentences. In each one
page 40.) there is a missing noise word. Listen to the sound
on the CD, then write in the correct word that
Part I describes the sound. Choose from the words below.
Listen to each sentence and the accompanying Sneezed, shrieked, screamed, groaning, moaning,
noise. Repeat each sentence as you hear it. yawned, sniffing, snoring, chattering, hiccups.
1. It was so cold that my teeth were chattering. 1. He was _____________.
2. He was lying on the ground and groaning with 2. She wouldn’t stop _________.
pain. 3. I ____________ loudly.
3. She was so tired that she couldn’t help 4. He __________ loudly.
yawning during the film. 5. He ___________ with pain.
4. We told him to sip on a glass of water because 6. She was ____________.
he had the hiccups. 7. He was ____________ with pain.
5. He seemed to be in pain as he was moaning in 8. He had the _____________.
his sleep. 9. My teeth were _____________.
6. The noise of her snoring was unbearable. 10. She ________________.
I think I’m going

to scream.
GLOSSARY
to groan vb
this is more or less the same as “moan”
to sip on a glass of water exp t o d r i n k
water very slowly and carefully
to scream vb
this is more or less the same as “shriek”
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AUDIO
PARENTAL ADVICE
What were your parents’ favourite phrases when

you were a child? Eat it up! Go to your room! Be
kind to your brother! Here is a collection of things
that parents typically say, and the lessons they
taught us. Do you recognise any of them?
My parents taught me logic: My parents taught me about

Things you learnt “Because I said so, that’s self-dependence:
from your parents. why.” “Don’t come crying to me if
you hurt yourself.”
PARENTAL ADVICE My parents taught me that

there’s a time and a place for
everything:
“If you’re going to kill each
My parents taught me about
the rules of silence:
“I don’t want to hear a pin
other, do it outside.” drop.”
My parents taught me My parents taught me

religion: foresight:
“You’d better pray that stain “Make sure you wear clean
will come out of the carpet.” underwear in case you’re in
an accident.”
time travel: My parents taught me about
“I wasn’t born yesterday, you contortionism:
know!” “Will you look at the dirt on
the back of your neck!”
logical impossibilities: My parents taught me about
“Shut your mouth and eat blind obedience:
your supper!” “Don’t do as I do, do as I say.”
GLOSSARY
to pray (that something will happen) exp

to hope that something will happen. Literally,
to “pray” is to speak to God
a stain n
a mark caused by coffee/ketchup/blood, etc
supper n
food eaten in the evening
I don’t want to hear a pin drop exp I
don’t want to hear any noise. Literally, a “pin” is
a very thin piece of metal used to make clothes,
etc
foresight n
the ability to predict what will happen
underwear n
clothing worn under your trousers, etc
contortionism n
the ability to move your body into very strange
positions
blind obedience n
doing exactly what someone says, without
questioning it
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AUDIO
FOOTBALL STORIES – PART II
FOOTBALL STORIES
This is another part in our mini-series on funny One move
and you’re
football stories. a dead ball.
Cruel Revenge
A game in Puerto Rico was interrupted as a young man jumped
onto the pitch with a gun. The fans screamed, the players ran,
and the referee tried to stop him. But just as everybody feared
the worst, the guy shot and killed… the ball. Apparently he
wasn’t happy with the way his team was playing.
Child’s Play
At a recent match in Ireland, one of the teams scored a
controversial goal. The players complained, but the referee
allowed the goal. The goalie who conceded the goal was so
angry that he stole an ice cream from a child who was watching
the game and threw the ice cream at the referee.
When the ref looked round to find the culprit, he saw the child
and his friend (who was also eating an ice cream) laughing.
So, the ref sent the two kids out of the grounds. And, for some
strange reason, he also booked the striker who’d just scored.
All Hung Up
Dur ing a game in Scotland, one of the goalkeepers found
himself in an embarrassing situation. For most of the game,
the goalie was really bored as the ball was always in the other
half. So, in order to pass the time, he started climbing the net.
However, just as he was climbing up,
things suddenly changed. The
other team star ted running
down t he pitc h int o t he
goalie’s half. Immediately,
the goalkeeper tr ied
to jump down, but
found that his foot was
caught. So, there he was,
hanging upside-down.
The goalie became more
and more frantic, but the more he
struggled, the worse it was.
However, just in the nick of
time, he fell down out of the net,
and made a spectacular save.
GLOSSARY
The First Football a pitch n

the area of grass/concrete, etc where you play
pitch, etc where a game is played
to book someone exp
Game football to give a player a yellow or red card
a referee n a striker n
Where did soccer the person who controls a game of football a footballer whose objective is to score goals
originate? It is a controversial goal n
a goal that some say is not valid
the other half n
the other half of the pitch
believed that the first to complain vb to say that you caught adj
aren’t happy about a situation trapped
recorded soccer game allowed the goal exp hanging upside-down exp
took place on a Shrove said that the goal was valid/legal, etc
a goalie n inform
with your head nearest the ground, and your
legs in the air
Tuesday in Derby, the person who stands in the goal and tries to to struggle vb
stop the ball going in the goal to move around in an attempt to free yourself
England, as part of a to concede a goal n just in the nick of time exp
if team A “concedes a goal”, the ball goes into just before something bad happened
festival to celebrate their net/goal and the other team scores Shrove Tuesday n
the victory of English soldiers over Roman troops the culprit n the Tuesday before Lent (the 40 days before
the person who has done something bad/illegal Easter)
(in the year 217). By 1175 the annual Shrove the grounds n
the area including the stadium, the seats, the
Tuesday soccer game was a regular event.
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AUDIO
FUNNY PRODUCT LABELS

Our mini-series on funny signs from English-speaking
FUNNY PRODUCT LABELS

countries. Here’s another part in our series
on funny product labels. Some companies seem to think
we’re somewhat simple-minded.
On a box of household
matches: “Caution: Contents
may cause fire.”
Oh, so I can’t eat them, can I?
GLOSSARY
a product label n the part of your body at the top of your arms,
a piece of paper on a product with under the shoulder
information about that product a minty-fresh smell n
somewhat simple-minded n a nice smell of mint (a herb used to make
a bit stupid toothpaste/tea, etc)
baby wet-wipes n a lighter n
wet towels for cleaning babies an object used to light cigarettes
to tear something open exp to ignite vb
to open something (a letter/package, etc) to make something burn
with force a spot n
On a packet of apply to bottom exp a small lump of grease on the face
to put on the part of your body that you sit on packaging n
baby wet-wipes: shaving foam n the plastic or paper that covers a product
“Directions: Tear a white substance that men put on their faces a floodlight n
open packet and when they shave (cut off their hair) a strong lamp used to create light outside
may n illuminating adj
apply to bottom.” could possibly 1) that creates light; 2) that
Oh, and I was going foam n informs you of something
if you “foam” at the mouth, small bubbles of an earplug n
to clean my tongue liquid come out of your mouth because you a small foam object that can be placed in the
with them. are so angry ear in order to eliminate noise
stuff n to swallow vb
things to drink
rubbish n tasty n
stupid things that has a nice taste
a brand n pepper spray n
a well-known product name a spray used to defend yourself against
On a bottle of men’s shaving foam: “May contain foam.” deodorant n someone who is attacking you
Really? Like the stuff that comes out of my mouth when I read a substance you put on your body to make matches n
you smell nice and to sweat less small thin sticks in a box used to make fire
rubbish like this on product labels? underarms n
On the bottle of a well-known brand of deodorant: “Use only on

underarms.”
But what if I want that minty-fresh smell all
over my body?
On the back of a lighter: “Ignite lighter

away from face.”
Oh, and I was hoping to burn off some
of those nasty spots.
Let’s be
On the packaging for a floodlight: “This
floodlight is capable of illuminating large
areas, even in the dark.”
Well, that’s illuminating, isn’t it?
On a box of earplugs: “These ear plugs are

non-toxic, but may interfere with breathing if
friends
swallowed.”
Oh, and they just look so tasty.
On a can of anti-robber Pepper Spray: “Caution:

Never aim spray at your own eyes.” (if we aren’t already!)
But what if I’m engaged in a criminal activity?
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Pirate Matching
PIRATE MATCHING
Exercise
See if you can do this matching exercise. Look at the list of things (1 to 10),
and the photos ( A - J ). Write a letter next to the name of each thing in the list below. Answers also on page 40
1. An eye patch
A B
2. A pistol
3. A pirate
4. A parrot D
5. An island
6. A shark
7. A sloop/a pirate ship
8. The skull and crossbones / the Jolly Roger C
9. Treasure
10. Sailors
E
I
Oh, ah, me
hearties.
Pretty
Polly. F
G
J
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AUDIO
Pirate Trivia
PIRATE TRIVIA
Here are some fascinating facts about pirates.
and the cook. A special share was set aside for
the maintenance of the ship. Most pirates
were paid four times as much as they had ever
received as sailors. However, if no plunder was
captured, no one would be paid.
Each pirate signed an agreement called

“articles” before they joined a ship. This
explained how much they would be paid. It also
explained the rules of behaviour (no gambling,
no stealing, and no fighting – except on land).
For breaking the rules, a pirate would be
marooned on a desert island with a flagon of
water and a pistol.
Two of the most famous pirates in literature The “Jolly Roger” is the classic pirate flag, with No pirate was permitted to wear “slops” – the
are Captain Hook, from JM Barrie’s book “Peter its skull and crossbones. There are a number of striped shirt worn by official British sailors.
Pan”, and Long John Silver, from Robert Louis theories as to its origins. One theory says that
Stevenson’s book “Treasure Island”. “Old Roger” was another name for the Devil. There were up to eighty pirates per ship. In
Another theory says the name was a corruption of contrast, most navy ships had only thirty men.
For a while, the British government approved the French words “Jolie Rougere”, a red flag that
of pirates. These ship robbers were known as told other ships that no prisoners would be taken. When pirates appeared on the horizon, most
“privateers” or “buccaneers”. There were many captains preferred to surrender and try to
of them during the 16th century when England A pirate ship was of ten organised negotiate with the pirates. This often worked…
was at war with Spain and the Dutch Republic. democratically: they divided up the treasure but not always as there were many pirates with
Queen Elizabeth ordered these privateers fairly, they sometimes voted on whether to a cruel, ruthless streak in them.
to rob the Spanish galleons that carried attack a ship, and they could all help decide
treasure through the Caribbean Sea to Spain. where to sail next. Many pirates also had a When pirates wished to show that they were
Sir Francis Drake was one of the most famous type of insurance policy, which meant that if going to kill everyone, they flew long red
privateers. However, when the privateers they lost an arm or leg, they received money. pennants from the main mast. This signal
started attacking the American colonies, the was called “No Quarter”.
British government declared war on pirates Contrary to popular belief, most pirates didn’t
and decided they were the enemy. have a parrot called Polly on their shoulder, These days there are pirates operating in
So, who were the pirates? Many were sailors and didn’t spend their time saying, “Yo, ho, ho, the waters around China, Brazil, Malaysia,
who lost their jobs at the end of the European a bottle of rum”, and “Oh, ah, me hearties” … Indonesia and the Philippines. The methods
wars against France and Spain. Others were just although some obviously did. are the same: board a ship, steal the goods, or
young men and women in search of adventure. simply take the ship. However, the means have
After attacking a ship, each pirate received an changed: pirates now have machine guns,
The word “buccaneer” comes from the word equal share of the booty, with a double share hand grenades, and high-powered speed
“boucan”, which is barbecued meat. going to the captain, the pilot, the carpenter, boats. Watch out!
GLOSSARY
treasure n an insurance policy n a shirt with coloured lines on it (blue lines on a white shirt, for
gold/jewels/money, etc a legal agreement that gives you money if you have an accident example)
to approve of something exp me hearties exp a navy ship n
to agree with something “my friends” in Pirate language a ship that belongs to the government
a galleon n an equal share n to surrender vb
a large ship with sails (pieces of white cloth) from the 15th – the same portion/part for everyone to stop fighting and to agree that the enemy has won the battle
17th century booty n inform a ruthless streak in you exp
a sailor n treasure/money, etc that has been stolen or collected a cruel side to your character
a person who works on a ship a carpenter n a pennant n
in search of something exp the person who makes things with wood a long, narrow triangular flag (piece of cloth with symbols/
looking for something to set something aside exp colours, etc)
barbecued meat n to save money in case of an emergency the main mast n
meat that is cooked over an open fire maintenance of the ship exp the biggest pole on the ship. Sails hang from the mast
jolly adj repairing and fixing a ship to board a ship exp
happy plunder n to enter a ship as part of a group with the intention of attacking
a skull and crossbones n money collected after an attack on another ship it
a piece of fabric with the image of a skull (the bone in your to sign an agreement exp a machine gun n
head) and two arm bones crossing one another to put your name on a formal document a gun that fires many bullets quickly, one after the other
to divide something up fairly exp to be marooned exp a hand grenade n
to share something equally to be left on a desert island with no food, etc a little bomb that you activate with your hand
to vote on something exp a flagon of water n a high-powered speed boat n
to decide on something by voting (giving your opinion about a container for water a very powerful small boat that can go very fast
that thing) a striped shirt n
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AUDIO
FamousPirates
FAMOUSPIRATES
Anne Bonny
Bluebeard. Blackbeard. Henry Morgan. Edward Teach. They’re all
famous male pirates. But what about female pirates? One of the
most famous ones was Anne Bonny. She led a fascinating life, and
had a lucky escape at the end of her career as a pirate.
The Female Pirate

Anne Bonny sailed with the pirate Calico Jack. She was his lover, and
together, they terrorised the seas during the 18th century. She was a
cruel woman, and it was even rumoured that when she was young, she
once killed a servant woman with a knife. Anne was an expert with a
pistol, was fearless in battle, and was often a member of the boarding
party. So, how did she become a pirate?
The Start
Anne was born in County Cork, Ireland. She was the daughter of a lawyer
and his maid. After news of the affair with the maid became public, the
lawyer was forced to leave Ireland in disgrace. He sailed to America and
settled in the Carolinas. It was here that he bought a large plantation
and got rich.
Years later, a sailor named James Bonny married Anne. James then took
Anne to the Bahamas where he became a stool pigeon, turning in pirates
to the governor in exchange for a handsome reward.
Leaving her Husband

Anne quickly grew to dislike her husband. To make matters worse, the rest she was sentenced to hang, even though she was pregnant at the
governor had passed an amnesty for pirates which left James out time. However, days before the execution, she mysteriously disappeared
of work. Eventually, Anne fell in love with a pirate called Calico Jack. from official records. It is believed that her father paid a large sum of
He was a handsome man who knew how to spend money… as well as money and took her back to the Carolinas. It was there that she assumed
steal it. He offered to buy Anne from a new name and a new life. It was a lucky escape.
James. James refused and reported On a final note, while Anne was in prison, her last words to Calico Jack
his wife and Calico Jack to the were, “I’m sorry to see you here, but if you’d have fought like a man, you
g o v e r n o r. T h e g o v e r n o r needn’t hang like a dog.”
ordered that Anne was to be
flogged and returned to her GLOSSARY
true husband. But late that
night Anne and Calico Jack to sail with exp North and South Carolina a whip (a thin piece of
to go on a ship with a plantation n leather)
escaped, stole a sloop and to terrorise vb a large farm where tobacco/ a sloop n
to frighten a lot cotton is grown a small sailing boat with one
began a life of piracy together. a servant woman n a stool pigeon n mast (pole)
a woman who works in a a person who gives the the crew n
house cleaning, washing, police information about the group of people who
Piracy cooking, etc criminals work on a ship
fearless adj to turn someone in exp to catch someone almost
They spent many years sailing the with no fear; not afraid of to give the police entirely by surprise exp
anything information about someone to catch someone when they
high seas, robbing any unprotected a boarding party n so the police can arrest that weren’t expecting it
ship. But it all came to an end a group of people who enter person to pass out phr vb
a ship with the intention of a governor n to lose consciousness
in October 1720. The governor of attacking it the person in charge of a to try someone exp
a maid n colony to start a legal process
Jamaica heard that Calico Jack was a woman who works in a a handsome reward n against someone to decide if
house cleaning, washing, a lot of money as thanks for they are innocent or guilty
close to the island. He sent an armed cooking, etc something to hang someone exp
sloop to catch Calico Jack, his ship an affair n to pass an amnesty exp to kill someone by putting a
a secret relationship with to say that all criminals can rope around their neck
the Revenge, and the crew. During the someone who isn’t your be free pregnant adj
husband/wife, etc to leave someone out of with a child inside you
attack, the pirates were caught almost in disgrace exp work exp to assume a new name exp
entirely by surprise as most of them if you are “in disgrace”, you to make someone lose to take a new name and
have done something that their job identity
were passed out from drinking too much other people disapprove of to refuse to do something
to settle in a place exp exp
alcohol. The pirates fought poorly and to stop travelling and to to say that you won’t do
start living in one place something
they were taken prisoner. the Carolinas n to be flogged exp
Anne was also captured. She was what are now the states of to be hit many times with
tried separately, and like the

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12
USEFUL EXPRESSIONS
IMPROVE YOUR SPOKEN ENGLISH!
TO IMPROVE YOUR
SPOKEN
ENGLISH!
Do you want to sound more fluent in English? In this lesson, we’ll help
you improve your spoken English with 12 really useful expressions. Most
of them consist of two words. And many of them rhyme or start with the
same sounds*. So, they’re easy to learn and remember. Best of all, native
speaker use them a lot, so they’re really useful. OK, let’s start!
1 Little by little 2 By and large 3 Come rain or shine

If something happens “little by little”, We use the expression “by and large” If something is going to happen
it happens slowly and in small bits, to say that something is mostly true. “come rain or shine”, it will definitely
not all at once or suddenly. Example: A: How were the sales results? happen, whatever the weather is like
Example: A: So, where did you and B: They were pretty good, by and large. (rain, snow, fog, extreme cold…).
Mike first meet? Example: A: Is the tennis competition
B: We worked together and became still on for this Saturday?
good friends, but little by little we B: Sure! It’s going to happen come
started falling in love. rain or shine.
3 On and off 4 Pick and choose 5 All or nothing

If you describe something as “on and If you “pick and choose”, you select If you describe a situation as “all
off”, you’re saying that it happens the best things from a variety of or nothing”, you’re saying that it’s
occasionally – sometimes yes, options. your last chance to either win or lose
sometimes no – but not all the time. Example: A: I want the big room with everything.
Example: A: So, how’s it going with the view of the mountain. Example: A: The game this Friday
Mike? You’re going out with him, B: I’m afraid you get the room that’s is our last chance to win the
aren’t you? assigned to you. You don’t get to pick competition.
B: Oh, it’s nothing serious. We’ve had and choose. B: Yes, it’s all or nothing!
an on and off relationship for about
six months now.
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6 Sooner or later 7 Safe and sound
Sooner or later” means eventually or in If you’re “safe and sound”, you aren’t in
the end. danger any more.
Example: A: This house is a bit small for a Example: A: How’s your brother? Did he

family like yours with three growing kids. manage to get out of the country before
B: Yeah, sooner or later, we’re going to the war started?
have to move. B: Yes, he’s all safe and sound. He got the
last flight out before the fighting started.
8 Do’s and don’ts 9 Black and white

The “do’s and don’ts” are a list of things If something is in “black and white”, it’s
that you should or shouldn’t do in a very clearly written down.
situation. Example: A: Can I give the signed contract
Example: A: Do you have any advice for my to you next week?
first day at work? B: No, it says quite clearly in black and
B: Yes, I’ve drawn up a list of do’s and white that you have to return it today.
don’ts for you. Number 1 is…
10 Hustle and bustle 11 Wine and dine *The same sounds

This expression refers to all the If you “wine and dine” a client (for Have you noticed how the
movement, activity, busy work and noise in example), you entertain them by taking words in some of these
a situation. them to nice restaurants, expensive expressions rhyme? This
makes the expressions
Example: A: Where’s Pete living these days? cocktail bars, exclusive clubs, etc. easier to remember.
B: He moved out to the country. They Example: A: How did it go with the potential
wanted to get away from all the hustle and clients? • In some cases,
bustle of the big city. B: Very well, we wined and dined them the words start with the
for 3 nights and they signed the contract same consonant sound.
For example:
before they left. The / s / sound:
safe and sound.
Or the / d / sound:
do’s and don’ts.
• In other cases, there are

rhyming sounds within the
words. For example:
The / aɪ / sound:
wine and dine.
The / ʌ / sound:
hustle and bustle.
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12
USEFUL EXPRESSIONS
TO IMPROVE YOUR
SPOKEN
ENGLISH!
EXERCISES
Complete the exercises to help you remember the words.
Answers on page 40
1 Gap fill 2 Sentence completion

Complete the sentences with the words from below. Complete the sentences with the correct words.
1. It snowed on and for most of the
white sound later don’ts dined bustle morning.
1. I’ve drawn up a list of some do’s and 2. This game is our last chance to win the competition.
for your first day at work. It’s all or this Friday!
2. Pete and Jessica wanted to get away from all the 3. We first met on a project we were both working on,
hustle and of the big city, so they but little by we started falling in love.
moved to the country. 4. She was so experienced and qualified that she could
pick and from the best jobs available.
5. We’ll be holding the football match this Saturday
come rain or .
6. The sales results were pretty good, by and
.
3. All the climbers were rescued from the mountain and

are now safe and .
4. We wined and the clients for 3 nights
before they signed the contract.
5. This car is too small for a growing family, so sooner
or , we’re going to have to get a new
one.
6. The contract says quite clearly in black and
that you are liable for any damage to
the equipment.
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THE JOB APPLICANT BY DANIEL COUTOUNE
CARTOON
...The name of
the guy who
pushed me in.
Well done, you there! Actually,

Bravo! You have I just want
shown how much you one thing...
want the job.
I’ve organised this
swimming competition.
The first person to
swim across this pool
filled with piranha fish,
gets the job. .
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AUDIO
S t o r y T i m e
STORY TIME
In this section you can hear native English

speakers telling each other jokes.
Ball & Chain

A woman goes into a chemist’s and speaks to the man behind
the counter. “Hi, are you the owner?” she asks.
“Yes, I am,” the pharmacist replies. “How can I help you?”
“Well,” the woman replies, “Do you sell heart medication?”
“Of course we do,” the pharmacist says.
“How about medicine for circulation?”
“All kinds.”
“Medicine for rheumatism?” the woman asks again.
“Definitely,” the pharmacist replies.
“How about Viagra?” Failing Memory
“Of course.” Two elderly men are enjoying a game of cards. They’ve been playing
“What about vitamins and sleeping pills,” the woman asks. together for many years now, and naturally they know each other
“Absolutely.” pretty well. One day, during an early-morning game, one of the
“And what about…” the woman begins. men suddenly looks up at the other and says, “I realize we’ve known
“I’m sorry to interrupt,” the pharmacist says, “But please tell me. each other for many years, but for the life of me, I just can’t re-
Who is all this for? Who is undergoing this terrible suffering? member your name. What is it? What’s your name?”
Please, tell me who it is.” There is dead silence for a couple of seconds. Then, very slowly, the
And the woman replies, “Oh, it’s for me. I’m getting married other man responds, “How soon do you need to know?”
next week.”
Jumpy Driver
A man stops a taxi in the main street and jumps in. As they’re
driving along, he taps the driver on the shoulder to ask him a GLOSSARY
question. Immediately, the driver screams, loses control of the a chemist’s n to jump in phr vb
car, nearly hits a bus, goes up on the pavement, and stops a few a shop where you can buy medicine, etc to enter a place quickly
the man behind the counter exp to tap someone on the shoulder exp
centimetres from a shop window. For a second everything goes the person who serves you in a shop. The to hit someone gently with your finger on the
“counter” is the long table in a shop shoulder (the joint at the top of their arm)
quiet in the cab, then the driver looks round and says, “Look, sleeping pills n the pavement n
mate, don’t ever do that again. You scared the living daylights tablets that make you go to sleep the area next to a road where people walk
to undergo vb a cab n inform
out of me.” to experience a taxi
suffering n mate n inform
The passenger apologises, and says, “I’m sorry, but I didn’t realise physical or mental pain a friend
that a little tap on the shoulder would scare you so much.” pretty well exp you scared the living daylights out of me exp
quite well
And the driver replies, “Look, I’m sorry too. It’s really not your but for the life of me, I just can’t… exp you really frightened me
it is impossible for me to… a funeral van n
fault. Today is my first day as a cab driver. For the last 25 years dead silence exp a car used for transporting a dead person to a
I’ve been driving a funeral van.” complete silence; not a sound funeral (the ceremony for that person)
AUDIO AUDIO
HOT SONG
HOT SONG & USEFUL ADVICE

Our monthly song from new
artists and bands.
Jen Tobey
Here’s another song from multi-talented Jen Tobey. She’s been
writing and performing music since the age of 4. For more informa-
tion, please visit www.jentobs.com
For a worksheet to accompany this song, please see the “Exercise
Pack” (check out our subscription page 38 for more information on
the “Exercise Pack”). Useful Advice
“Miss Know-it-all” by Jen Tobey How not to be bored
(American singer - US spelling) Learn how to keep yourself busy with these fun activities.
Music and lyrics by Jen Tobey. Copyright 2006.
Used by Permission. Hurt yourself by pinching your goes up at the end of each
arm hard for five minutes. After sentence, so that everything
Well, it’s all over again, you don’t like my point of view, a while, boredom will seem nice sounds like a question. Throw in
Cause it didn’t come from you, it came from me, compared to being in pain. a superfluous “isn’t it?” at the
So, go home to your walls, you can practice all your calls, end of everything you say and
I hope to see you soon, Miss Know-It-All, Miss Know-It-All. Pretend to be a car. Make all the you’re halfway there. Isn’t it?
appropriate revving noises as
Do you listen? Someone’s talking, you walk along. You may even Push your eyes for an
Someone’s talking over you. like to add a commentary as interesting light show. Press
You need attention, you breathe attention, you pass strangers in the street, against your eyes for a couple
But no one cares for what you do. “And here he goes, racing along of minutes. After a while, you
with no one behind him, etc.” will see a variety of stars and
Cos it’s all over again, you don’t like my point of view, For extra authenticity, use your flashes.
Cause it didn’t come from you, it came from me, hands to steer the car.
So, go home to your walls, you can practice all your calls,
I hope to see you soon, Miss Know-It-All, Miss Know-It-All. Try and sound Welsh. The key What fun!
is to make sure that your voice
It’s good to see you, great to leave you,
And all that knowledge in
GLOSSARY
your head.
Cause you know more than, a point of view n with a lot of force
an opinion to pretend to be something exp
Einstein and Freud and, walls n to act as if you are something, even if you aren’t
and I can’t take it anymore. barriers; the walls of your house really that thing
calls n revving noises n
phone calls. It could also mean “expressions” the noise a car makes as you inject fuel into the
a know-it-all n motor
Cos it’s all over again, you a person who thinks they know everything to steer vb
about everything to control the direction of the car by moving
don’t like my point of view, to talk over someone exp the steering wheel (the round object in front
Cause it didn’t come from to speak while someone else is speaking of the driver)
to breathe attention exp Welsh adj
you, it came from me, to be desperate for attention from the country Wales (next to England)
no one cares exp the key is to exp
So, go home to your walls, it is not important for anyone the important thing is to
you can practice all your I can’t take it anymore exp throw in exp
it is too much for me; I am tired and fed up of it add; include
calls, to keep yourself busy exp superfluous adj
to give yourself lots of activities to do extra; not necessary
I hope to see you soon, to pinch your arm exp you’re halfway there exp
to take part of your arm between your fingers you can almost do it
Miss Know-It-All, Miss and to apply pressure
Know-It-All. hard adv
(Repeat.)
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CROSSWORD ANSWERS ON PAGE 40
CROSSWORD
somewhere else = to ___________

out of a house
4: The place on your computer where
e-mails arrive = the i__________
5: To give something for free = to
__________ something away
6: To start a legal process against
someone = to t_________ someone
7: To really like something = to be really
i_________ something
8: To find a definitive solution to a
problem = to se_________ a problem
once and for all
9: Every kind of music you could possibly
imagine = every kind of music under
the ________
11: The food tasted bad and was old = the
food was ______________
12: You made me really sad = you
br__________ my heart
13: To relax and take things easy = to put
your f___________ up
15: Someone who you can go to
when things are bad and you
need someone to talk to = a
sh_____________________ to cry on
Across 20: To give information to the police 17: To decide something by voting on it =
1: Planned for a certain time = about someone = to t________ to v___________ on something
sch____________ someone in 18: To catch someone when they weren’t
8: To arrive = to s_________ up 22: To reduce tension = to re___________ expecting it = to catch someone by
9: To put your name on a formal stress su_____________
agreement = to s_________ an 24: Gold/silver/jewels/money, etc = 21: An attempt to find something on the
agreement tr____________ internet = a se__________ on
10: A legal policy that pays you money if 26: If a computer does this, it suddenly the internet
you have an accident = an stops working = to cr________ 23: To share something equally = to
in____________ policy 28: To take something violently and divide something up fai_________
13: To repair something = to f_________ quickly = to gr__________ something 25: To continue working = to
something 30: To take a new identity = to ____________ on working
14: To think about a pleasant but ass____________ a new name 27: To lose consciousness = to
imaginary situation = to fa_________ p____________ out
about something Down 29: A one-day holiday in Britain – usually
16: Plates, cups, etc = cr_____________ 2: A person who rescues people who on a Monday = a B_______ Holiday
19: With no more free tables in a have accidents at sea = a co_____
restaurant = fully-b____________ 3: To leave a house in order to live
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Trivia Matching
TRIVIA MATCHING
Exercise
See if you can do this matching exercise. Look at the list of things (1 to 10),
and the photos ( A - J ). Write a letter next to the name of each thing in the list below. Answers also on page 40
1. Crockery
A B
2. A typewriter
3. A mattress on a bed
4. A Christmas card
5. A mole (the animal)
6. A coastguard helicopter
7. A duck
8. A key (on a computer keyboard) C
9. A monkey I
Quack,
quack,
10. A volcano quack.
J
G
Another day, F
another hole.
AUDIO
Weird Trivia
This is another part in our mini-series on strange facts. Whoever thought the world could be so
WEIRD TRIVIA
sensational?
The only two Disney films with parents who don’t die during the
movie are 101 Dalmatians and Peter Pan. How not sad.
In a recent survey of the meaning of life, 27% of US male college

students agreed with the statement that “life is a meaningless
existential hell”. Now, that’s a bit depressing, isn’t it?
There’s a company in Taiwan that makes crockery out of wheat.

So, you can eat your food, and the plate it’s served on.
Apparently, a duck’s quack doesn’t echo. No one knows why.

Take a duck to a large canyon and encourage it to quack to see if
this fact really is true.
Incidentally, Bombay duck is not duck, it’s dried fish.
A mole can dig a 100 metre long tunnel in just one night.
The English place name with the greatest number of consonants

next to one another (6) is “Knightsbridge”.
The words “zenith, tariff, sherbet, algebra, carafe, syrup, cotton,

mattress“ and “alcohol” are all English words that come from Arabic.
The oldest Valentine card on record was sent by Miss Margery

Brews to her lover John Paston in 1477. It read, “To my
welbelovyd Voluntyne”. Apparently she couldn’t spell; in modern
English this would be “To my well-beloved Valentine”.
The pyramids of Egypt are about 5 kilometres from their original

location many thousands of years ago, which is truly amazing.
A Chinese typewriter has 5,850 characters on its keys

and even an expert typist struggles to type faster than
eleven words a minute.
A monkey was once tried and convicted for smoking

a cigarette in the town of South Bend, Indiana.
The fourth of May was a very special
When the volcano Krakatoa exploded it was day. Why? Well, at two minutes and
so loud that coastguards who were 3,000 three seconds past one o’clock in
kilometres away heard the noise four the morning, the time and date
hours after it happened. was “01:02:03” on “04/05/06”.
Incredible, or what?
During the 19th century the Post Office GLOSSARY
used to deliver Christmas cards on
a survey n a mole n computer or typewriter
Christmas morning, which is nice. a series of questions about a small mammal that makes to try someone exp
people’s opinions holes in the ground to st ar t a legal process
crockery n a tunnel n against someone in order to
plates, cups, bowls, etc a long hole in the ground find out if they are innocent
wheat n a typewriter n or guilty
a cereal used to make bread a machine for writing text a coastguard n a person who
a quack n a key n rescues people who have
the noise a duck makes an object on a computer accidents at sea
to echo vb keyboard with letters or a mattress n
if a sound “echoes”, it repeats numbers on it a soft object that goes on a
itself a typist n bed, and that you sleep on
a person who writes using a

PHRASAL VERB
CONVERSATIONS!
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PHRASALVERBS SHOW
The verb “to show” has many different uses. However, we generally use this verb in reference to
PHRASALVERBS
permitting someone to see something. For example, “I showed him my collection of stamps.” Now
let’s look at some phrasal verbs with the verb “to show”.
Show off Show someone up

To try to impress people by To shame someone; to make
demonstrating how good you someone appear ridiculous.
are at something.
You, the
slowest creature
on earth, won the
Yes, we all know race. I can’t believe
you’re good at it. You’ve really
football, so stop shown me up.
showing off.
Show up Show someone (a)round a house

To arrive at a place. To show someone a house, describing
the rooms, etc.
And this is my
house, Mr Pig.
Let me show you
around.
I fell asleep on the

sofa and didn’t hear
you come in last
night. What time did
you show up?
Show something off Show someone out

To show people a possession that To accompany someone to the door so
you are proud of; to show people they can leave, or in order to say goodbye.
something you are good at.
Are you showing me

out because of the
comments I made
I think the real about your wife. It
reason she invited was only a joke,
us round for dinner you know.
was to show off her
collection of guns.

Authentic conversations to help improve your listening skills
AUDIO
Briti s h b a r c h a t
BRITISH BAR CHAT
Tree Felling
This month, two British men, Fred and John, are talking about cutting
down trees. Listen to the conversation and answer these questions:
1) What does one of the speakers say in favour of tree felling?

2) What does the other speaker say against tree felling?
Fred: Er, I just heard that they’re going to cut down some trees in
the city centre to make way for a car park.
John: Great! You can never get anywhere to park in the city
centre.
Fred: What are you talking about? It’s terrible. It’s a crime! It’s
an environmental crime.
John: Oh, come on, look, it brings business in, helps the local
economies. It’s fantastic.
Fred: You can’t just go around cutting trees! They add so much to
the area. They add beauty, create fresh air, create a bit of
shade in the sun. It’s just everything positive!
John: Oh come on, have you seen all the water that they use for
just one tree? Come on!
Fred: They don’t use that much water! They create positive good
things for the air. They’re the lungs of the city. They’ve
been around for hundreds of years. Twice as long, you
know, three times as long as you!
John: Have you seen all the pigeons flying around and all
the dirt that they cause? You think that’s good for the
environment?
Fred: Well, you cut down the trees and then the pigeons will go
on the buildings, and that’s worse. You’ve got to spend
money to clean the buildings. And besides, I need my tree,
to hug my trees. I need to do my tree hugging every now
and then. It keeps me in touch with nature.
John: Yeah, but they’re old! You need to plant new ones. And if
you buy a nice flat in the city centre, you can’t see out the
windows because they block out all the light.
Fred: Well, no, I think you’re just thinking too selfishly there.
Trees, they bring, they bring so much. We can’t cut them GLOSSARY
down. They’re part of the history. They’re part of the city.
It’s like knocking down a really nice building. to cut down trees exp tree hugging n
to cut trees so they fall and die holding your arms around trees as a way of
John: And every time there’s a little bit of a storm the branches tree felling n connecting with nature
cutting trees so they fall and die to keep you in touch with nature exp
fall off and fall on top of people’s heads, so come on, let’s an environmental crime n to permit you to maintain contact with nature
get rid of them and let’s have a car park. an action that harms or pollutes the air/water/ to block out the light exp
environment, etc to stop the light from hitting a place
Fred: Well, I’m going to go and chain myself to one of those come on exp to think selfishly exp
an expression people use when they hear to think only about yourself and your own
trees. Anyone who tries to cut them down, they’ll have to something they consider to be silly particular needs
cut me down, too. to bring in business exp a storm n
to be good for the economy a period of violent weather with rain, thunder,
shade n lightning, etc
an area that is protected from the sun a branch n
the lungs of the city exp a piece of a tree with leaves on it
an area of the city with many trees; an area that to get rid of something exp
creates lots of fresh air to throw something away; to eliminate
been around exp something
been here to chain yourself to something exp
a pigeon n a to fix yourself to something with a chain (a
large, grey bird that lives in the city series of metal circles all connected together)
to hug something exp
to put your arms around something in an
emotional way
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AUDIO
Dictionary of slang
Here we’ve got some examples of how to say things in different situations.
DICTIONARY OF SLANG
>
Situation Formal Relaxed Informal
A friend has some new very Those are wonderful Nice glasses! Cool shades; nice bins.
nice sunglasses on. You spectacles.
comment on them.
A friend often makes you Sally really amuses me. Sally makes me laugh. Sally cracks me up;
laugh. she’s a real laugh; she’s
a hoot.
You met someone last We entered into a close We got on really well; there We really hit it off; we got
week. You became friends friendship. was good chemistry. on like a house on fire.
instantly.
You suspect that a I have an intuition that I think Frank might be I’ve got a sneaking
colleague may be thinking Frank is considering thinking of leaving. feeling that Frank is
of leaving his job. You tell departing. gonna go; I’ve got a
a friend. sneaking feeling that
Frank is out of here.
An elderly relative died My uncle passed away; My uncle died. My uncle popped his clogs;
recently. You tell a friend. uncle is no longer with us. he kicked the bucket; he’s
6 feet under.
A colleague makes a That was a highly That’s a good idea. Good call; you hit the nail
suggestion. You like it and intelligent suggestion. on the head; that’s spot
agree with it. on; that’s on the button.
I’m a real
laugh.
GLOSSARY Please note that the words in this glossary box are literal translations of parts of idiomatic expressions.
bins n inform a sneaking feeling exp a container for water

glasses. Literally, the “bin” is a container for a small suspicion. Literally, to “sneak” 6 feet under exp
rubbish somewhere is to go to that place secretly and 6 feet under the ground. Many holes for dead
to crack someone up exp inform quietly people are dug to this depth (about 2 metres)
to make someone laugh a lot clogs n a nail n
a hoot n inform large, wooden shoes worn by Dutch people a thin metal object used for holding things on
a person who makes you laugh a lot. Literally, (people from Holland) the wall
owls (nocturnal birds) “hoot” (make a noise) a bucket n

AUDIO
T h e v o ic e of truth
.
H -
.
H O T E N G L IS
int h e n ew s .
IN THE NEWS
Parrot Sn
Scott, a 2
i tch
9-y
How? A pa ear-old man disc
rr ov
one day, I ot told him. “I’ve g ered his girlfriend
came hom o w
name is S e and my p t a pet parrot calle as being unfaithfu
cott.” arrot said d Ziggy,” e l to him.
Scott, a co ‘hi, Gary’, xp
mputer pro which was lained Scott, “And
admitted grammer, strange b
th ecause my
away his e e aff air (with a m later confronted Yv
ight-year- an named onne, his
wasn’t so old parrot Gary) and live-in pa
rr a m rt
it really b y to see the back o fter the bird contin oved out. Later, S ner. She
roke my h f u c
eart to le Yvonne after what ed to call out Gary ott gave
t Ziggy go sh e h a d d ’s name. “I
.” one,” Sco
tt said, “b
ut
Fake Duke
A 22-year-old man who tr ied
to pass himself off as English
nobility says he just wanted some
respect. Stephen Border visited a
high school three times, posing as
“Caspian James Chrichton-Stuart
IV, the Fifth Duke of Beaverland”
and telling students he was 17.
He also tried to pass himself off
as 27th in line for the British
throne. GLOSSARY
But a quick search on the internet
to be unfaithful exp
by some of the school’s students to have a relationship with someone who isn’t your
soon re vealed t he tr ut h: no wife/husband/partner, etc
such Duke existed. Border was a pet parrot n
a colourful bird that talks and that you keep in
expelled from the school. “He was your house
demanding that we call him ‘Your to confront someone exp
to demand information from someone
Grace’,” said one student. “And we a live-in partner n
had to bow when he walked into a person who lives with you and who is having a
the room. He even demanded relationship with you
to move out phr vb
that the principal call him ‘Your to leave a house and to stop living there
Grace’.” to give something away phr vb
Border later said he was sorry for to give something to someone for free
I wasn’t sorry to see the back of Yvonne exp I
what he had done, adding, “I didn’t wasn’t sad that Yvonne left
mean to hur t anybody. That’s it really broke my heart exp
I was very sad
the one thing I can’t emphasise tried to pass himself off as X exp
enough. Becoming Caspian I was acted as if he was X
given respect, and that’s all I 27th in line for the British throne exp
the 27th person who will become king/queen if
wanted.” the current king/queen dies
a search on the internet n
an attempt to find something on the internet
to expel vb
to tell someone to leave a place permanently
to bow vb
to move your body forwards and downwards as a
Mouse Burning sign of respect

a principal n
the director of a school
to get rid of something exp
A man is in shock after an unusual incident involving a mouse. Roland to throw something away; to eliminate
Rawt, 69, of Brighton, found the mouse in his home and wanted to get a leaf n (plural leaves)
a small green object that grows on a tree
rid of it. “I had some leaves burning outside, so I threw it in the fire. injured adj
But seconds later, the burning mouse ran back into the house, causing hurt; wounded; with a cut or break
a fire which completely destroyed my house.” to reduce something to ashes exp
to burn something completely so only ashes (grey
No-one was injured, but the house was reduced to ashes. dust) are left
“I’ve seen numerous house fires, but nothing as unique as this one,” Fire an eyewitness n
a person who sees an incident/crime, etc
Department Captain Jim Burns said. An eyewitness claims the mouse
escaped through a back door.

DR FINGERS’ VOCABULARY CLINIC:
USEFUL EXPRESSIONS
DR FINGERS’ VOCABULARY CLINIC
Here are some more useful useful expressions for you to learn. Learning lots of collocations will
improve your level of English, and help you with exams such as First Certificate, Advanced and
Proficiency, which test your knowledge of these things. The images will help you associate the
expression with its meaning. The answers to the exercise are on page 40.
To top it all
Exercise
Complete each sentence with the correct expression. You
We use this expression at the end of a long list of bad
may have to change some of the forms, or parts of the words.
things to refer to the last and worst thing that happened.
Remember, after a preposition, the verb is in the gerund (verb,-
“He was late. Then, just to top it all, he was rude about
ing).
it too. “
1. While Mr and Mrs Smith were away on holiday, the cat

All-singing all-dancing:
With all the latest technology. _______________ of the house.
“This is an all-singing all-dancing computer. “
2. Jim said that he never wanted to see you again. Well, I don’t
know if they were his exact words, but it was something
_____________.
To be a blind alley
To be a way of thinking or acting that is not good or 3. A: Who do you prefer, Jim or John?
effective because it doesn’t produce any results. B: I’m going to ____________ on that.
“Don’t even think of doing that. It’s a blind alley.”
4. Rather than record another album with the band, I’ve decided
to ____________ and record a solo album.
Give somebody (a) free rein
To allow someone to do what they want, or to go where 5. The lawyer made millions as an _____________.
they want to.
“We gave the dog free rein of the house.” 6. Look at this computer: it’s got Wi-fi, a DVD player, a CD writer,
and a wireless keyboard. It’s an _________________
computer.
Go it alone
To do something by yourself and without help from other
7. I lost my job, my husband left me. Then, ____________ I
people.
crashed my car. What a day!
“She’s decided to leave the band and go it alone.”
8. There’s no point producing a magazine that focuses exclusively
on 17th-century furniture because no one is going to read it.
To be along the lines of something
To be similar to something It’s a ______________.
“It’s along the lines of what you were saying earlier.”
An ambulance chaser
A lawyer who finds work by persuading accident victims
to sue people or organisations.
“She’s an ambulance chaser.”
To take/plead the Fifth (Amendment)

To say that you are not going to answer a question.
“He took the fifth amendment.”

English language speed and fluency practice to help you improve your speaking.
AUDIO
Fluency Practice
Here are six quick activities for you to improve your pronunciation and fluency. Answer the questions as quickly as possible,
FLUENCY PRACTICE
and try not to think too much. Later, you can check your answers. You need to study the phrasal verbs and idioms before at-
tempting these exercises. (Answers on page 40.)
A: Tongue Twister 3. What time did you arrive? =

Try repeating this ten times as quickly as you can. Be careful with the 4. I’ll show you the house =
pronunciation of the “r” – don’t make it too hard: 5. She wanted to show us her car, which she is really proud of =
“Three grey geese in green fields grazing.” 6. I’ll accompany you to the door =
B: Pronunciation: connected speech with duck idioms F: Revision Drills – Third person present simple negatives
Listen to these sentences and see if you can write down the This revision drill is to practise using expressions such as present
words that you hear. Remember, some words are weak sounds simple negatives “she doesn’t live here”, etc. Here is an example of
and are unstressed, and as a result they are very difficult to how to do it:
hear. Question: Does your sister live in Paris?
Answer: No, she doesn’t live in Paris.
1. ___________________
2. ___________________ Now listen to the following questions and answer as quickly as you
3. ___________________ can, and with a full answer. Just invent an answer if you need to. Good
4. ___________________ luck!
5. ___________________
6. ___________________ 1. ___________________
2. ___________________
C: Sentence transformation – Fashion 3. ___________________
Listen to these sentences and try to make a question for each one. Do 4. ___________________
it as quickly as you can. Use the question words in brackets ( ). 5. ___________________
1. I usually wear a suit and a tie to work. (What)
_________________?
2. I was once given a bright green jumper – I hated it. (What) Three grey geese in
green fields grazing.
_______?
3. I suppose it’s green – it goes with my eyes. (What)
_____________?
4. I usually buy comfortable clothes to wear. (What kind)
__________?
5. I usually wear some jeans and a T-shirt on the weekend. (What)
____?
D: Rapid response – Fashion

Now answer these questions as quickly as you can. Try not to think too
much and just invent the answers if you need to.
1. What’s your opinion of fashion shows?
2. What is fashion?
3. What’s the strangest fashion you’ve ever seen?
4. Do you think clothes reflect personality? How?
5. What’s your favourite item of clothing? Why? Do you think my clothes
reflect my personality?
E: Phrasal Verbs with “Show”

Listen to each sentence then repeat it with an appropriate phrasal
verb. You should try to be as quick as possible.
1. Stop trying to impress me =
2. They made us appear ridiculous =
Visit www.learnhotenglish.com or ww.hotenglish.hu Page 35

AUDIO
Strange BUT True

STRANGE BUT TRUE
True stories from around the world that are hard to believe
Bear Attack back legs. It was time to get the hell out of there. With no time
All about a woman, a gun, and a big, brown bear. to pull up my pants, I grabbed the handgun. And just then the
bear sprang forward, growling ferociously. In a panic, I threw
Charlene Brownster had a frightening experience with a bear while the gun at the bear (that was dumb, I know). And with that, the
she was out hunting. Here she is to tell us all about it. bear started running at me. “Help!” I shouted, as I scrambled
down the hill.
A Good Idea
I’ve been hunting all my life. It’s my great hobby. One day last Escape
spring I decided to do a bit of bear hunting. I packed up a bag with I don’t know what happened next cos I lost consciousness. When
all my hunting gear: the bait, my hunting rifle, a big barrel, and I woke up, I was alone in the forest. I must have hit my head on
enough food for six days. a rock cos there was dried blood in my hair. I looked around. No
After a few hours driving, I arrived at the edge of the forest. I sign of the bear. When I got back to the camp, the barrel was gone,
parked the car and set off into the thick woods. I soon found the and, strangely enough, so was my rifle. That’s it, I thought, I’m
perfect spot. It was really isolated, with lots of dense brush. The getting out of here. So, I headed back to the car. And I never went
first job was to set up the bait. I found a tall tree and put the open bear hunting again.
barrel against it. I filled it with some bread soaked in honey, which
bears just love. Then, I tied the barrel to the tree (cause I didn’t
want the bear to run off with the barrel!).
My Camp
Next I had to set up my hideout. I chose a place about 10 yards No one’s gonna
catch me!
away from the tree with the bait. From this position I could see the
barrel. It was perfect.
Now comes one of the most important parts: letting the bear know
where your bait is. I usually make a “honey burn”. For this, I put
a small amount of honey in an old tomato can, and burn it till a
yellowish-white smoke starts coming out. Bears can smell this for
over a mile away. Now, it was just a question of waiting.
The Wait
This is the hardest part – the wait. Sometimes you can be there
alone, waiting quietly for up to six days. Well, after a few hours I
GLOSSARY
needed to go to the bathroom. I crept off quietly to an open area
just a few yards away, taking a handgun with me, just in case. out doing something exp a crackling sound n
outside engaged in an activity the sound that is made when someone walks
But, just as I pulled down my pants, I heard this crackling sound hunting n on dried leaves
behind me. I turned and there he was: a huge, brown bear. I backed trying to kill or catch animals to back off phr vb
bait n to move backwards slowly
off, but tripped on my pants. At this point, the bear rose up on his food used to attract an animal to trip vb
a barrel n to fall because your foot has hit something
a large container for liquids – often beer rose up exp
a forest n went high
an area with many trees get the hell out of there exp inform
to set off phr vb leave very quickly. The use of “the hell” is for
to start a journey emphasis
dense brush n to grab vb
with lots of little trees and plants close together to take in your hands suddenly and with force
to set up phr vb to spring forward phr vb (past: sprang)
to prepare/build/construct/put in place, etc to move forward in a quick and sudden
soaked in honey exp movement
covered in a lot of honey (the liquid that bees to growl ferociously exp
make and bears eat) to make a loud and aggressive noise
a hideout n dumb adj
a secret place that is difficult to see/find stupid
a tomato can n to scramble vb to move quickly,
a small metal container for tomatoes using your hands to help you
I crept off exp
I left very quietly and carefully
a handgun n
a small gun such as a pistol
BIRD IDIOMS Teacher Man
This month we are looking at some duck idioms. .
BIRD IDIOMS
A lame duck
1. A person or company that is in trouble and
needs help.
2. Also, an elected official who has lost control and
A sitting duck has no more influence.
Something or someone who is easy to attack or 1. ” The dying company was transformed from a
criticize. lame duck into a successful business”.
“The unprotected police officers were like sitting 2. “The president has lost the confidence of the
ducks as the crowd pelted them with rocks”. voters and now he’s a lame duck president”.
An ugly duckling
A dead duck Someone or something that is not successful when
Something or someone who is not successful or they are young or new, but they develop into
useful. something beautiful and successful later.
“The project was a dead duck from the start because “The most successful company of 2006 was last
of a lack of funding”. year’s ugly duckling”.
Like water off a

duck’s back
If criticism is “like water
off a duck’s back”, it has GLOSSARY
no effect on someone. to pelt someone with rocks exp
Take to something like a duck to water “I’ve told Mark a thousand to throw many stones/rocks at someone
To learn how to do something very quickly and to times not to leave his lame adj
unable to walk because of an injury
enjoy doing it. bag unattended, but a duckling n
“Young Charles started school last week and he’s it’s like water off a duck’s a baby duck
to leave a bag unattended exp
taken to it like a duck to water”. back – he never listens”. not to watch or look after a bag

Teacher Man
TEACHER MAN
International best-selling author Frank McCourt and his latest book “Teacher Man”. By Fred McLaughlan.
Teaching drunk and I am sure that nothing

Long before McCourt became a well-known author, he was a high I said was translated correctly
school teacher in New York City. “Those 30 years were a big part of for the audience. He could have
my life,” McCourt explained. “Everybody knows teachers get very been preaching revolution for all
little attention in the USA. Films that portray teachers are usually I knew.”
unrealistic. I wanted to get into the classroom and show what it’s
like from day to day, from minute to minute. So, the novel deals America
with the inside life of a teacher, the teacher in the classroom. McCourt also took the opportunity
Teaching is a very undervalued profession and you have to be t o t alk about t he discover y
many things, including a drill sergeant, a clown and a shoulder of Amer ica. “Amer ica was not
to cry on.” discovered by Columbus as most
people think but by an Irish Saint,
The Interview St Brendan, in the 6th Century.
At the start of the interview, McCourt said that it was a big surprise Columbus apparently knew this.
to him that so many people had shown up for the book launch. So, before crossing the Atlantic
“I’d expected something a lot quieter,” he said. he stopped of f at Galway to
McCourt was introduced by “Gomaespuma” (a famous Spanish radio get himself an Irish navigator. This navigator wanted to take
duo who translated for the writer). Because of all the laughter from Columbus north to the area around where New York is today,
the audience, McCourt said he was a bit worried that they weren’t however Columbus wanted to go further south, somewhere warmer
translating what he was saying very accurately for the audience. perhaps, to make a bit of a holiday of the trip, so they ended up
He didn’t think it was quite so funny. He said that he’d been on the in the Caribbean.” McCourt added that since it was the 500th
radio with them, so he knew what to expect. anniversary of the death of Columbus this week he would be having
“Once in France,” he said, “I had a translator who was totally a drink to celebrate.
I’ll show you

teachers as they
really are.

TEACHER MAN
Why Teaching? other gangs, not rumbles like the ones you see in
Later, we asked him why he had gone into teaching movies with starcrossed romances and dramatic
in the first place. McCourt said it was because he music in the background, but mean fights
didn’t want to work for a big company. He had where they grunt and curse one another, where
no loyalty to big corporations or governments, Italians, Blacks, Irish, Puerto Ricans attack
and since he liked books and children, it was with knives, chains, baseball bats in Central
the logical step to go into teaching. He said Park and Prospect Park and stain the grass
that teaching was much tougher than he with their blood, which is always red no matter
expected as the main preoccupation of high where it came from. Then if there’s a killing
school students in New York was to kill the there’s public outrage and accusations that
teacher. if the schools and teachers were doing their
He recounted an anecdote about an incident jobs these terrible things wouldn’t happen.
that happened on his first day in the classroom. Two students There are patriots who say, if these kids have the time and energy
were arguing over a sandwich and it ended up in the air and to be fighting one another why can’t we just ship them overseas
landed on his desk. “All I could say was, ‘Hey’. That was my to fight the goddam Communists and settle that problem for
first word as a teacher after four years of education at New York once and for all?
University: ‘Hey!’ Very eloquent! And the sandwich? What are
you going to do about a situation like that? No one at university
Frank McCourt is best known as the author
told us what to do about flying sandwiches. They are more into of the best seller “Angela’s Ashes”. He’s 78
the philosophy of education. There’s a sandwich. What are you now, and his first book was published when
going to do about it? In the end I picked it up. The aroma was he was 65. He was in Madrid recently to
delicious and it’s 9:00 in the morning. So I ate it. And that promote his new book “Teacher Man”. We
got the attention and respect of my students. That was the sent our top reporter, Fred, to speak to him.
breakthrough,” he explained. “No teacher had ever been seen
at 9:00 in the morning eating a sandwich. Then all the other kids
found out about it in the rest of the classes.” GLOSSARY
that portray teachers exp came up exp

Food that show teachers to be a certain way
to deal with phr vb
was mentioned
to stick to writing exp
During the interview, the inevitable question of whether he liked to be about only to write – not to do anything else
an undervalued profession n a lisp n
Spanish food came up. Yes, he said, he did indeed enjoy it, but a profession that isn’t respected as much as a way of speaking in which you pronounce the
at home he wasn’t much of a cook. His wife usually pushed him it should be “s” as a “th”
a drill sergeant n to give an accurate picture of something
out of the kitchen and told him to stick to writing. a soldier who orders soldiers what to do during exp
drill (on the parade ground) to describe something perfectly
He said he had learned “hola” (hello) and “muchas gracias” a shoulder to cry on n to sign books exp
(many thanks) so far on his visit. He asked why in Castillian someone to go to when you have problems and to write your name on books
want to talk to chat vb
Spanish the “c” was pronounced like “th”. Gomaespuma said it to show up phr vb to talk informally
to arrive a career n
was because King Carlos V had a lisp and everyone in the court a book launch n the profession you choose to do for the majority
copied him. a party/interview, etc to promote a book of your life
a duo n to fire someone vb
Finally, when he was asked whether the film version of “Angela’s two people who act/sing, etc together to tell someone to leave a job
to preach revolution n nothing remarkable exp
Ashes” was how he imagined it. “No,” he replied. “It was much to talk about rebelling and fighting against the nothing special/unusual
too sad. If I had made the film, I would have tried to make it a government to doubt vb
to end up phr vb to start to think that something might not be
happier film. But it did give an accurate picture of Limerick in to be somewhere eventually true
to have no loyalty to something exp teen unhappiness exp
those times.” not to feel any connection with something not being happy as a teenager
Mr McCourt ended by signing books and chatting to the it was the logical step exp a rumble n
it was the obvious thing to do a fight
audience. tougher adj starcrossed romances n
harder; more difficult relationships between people from different
a preoccupation n gangs
Extracts from the book a concern; something you think about a lot
to recount an anecdote exp
a mean fight n
which there is a lot of violence
a bad fight in
Here are a couple of extracts from the book. to tell a story to grunt vb
to argue over something exp to make a low noise because you are in pain
to have a verbal fight about something to curse vb
Extract I from “Teacher Man” to land vb
if an object “lands” somewhere, it hits that
to say taboo words
to stain vb
On the first day of my teaching career, I was almost fired for eating place after flying through the air if blood “stains” the ground, it leaves a mark
eloquent adj there
the sandwich of a high school boy. On the second day I was almost with an ability to talk very fluently/well, etc public outrage n
fired for mentioning the possibility of friendship with a sheep. into exp expressions of shock by the public
if you are “into” something, you like that thing goddam adj inform
Otherwise, there was nothing remarkable about my thirty years I picked it up exp an expression people use to show they are
I took it in my hands angry
in the high school classrooms of New York City. I often doubted if I to get the attention of someone exp to settle a problem once and for all exp
should be there at all. At the end I wondered how I lasted that long. to do something that makes someone notice to find a definitive solution to a problem
you
a breakthrough n
Extract II from “Teacher Man” an important development
There’s so much teen unhappiness they form gangs and fight

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E: Editorial Department
1. Stop showing off. James Blick assistant editor
2. They showed us up. Nathan Powell design
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5. She wanted to show off her car. Christine Saunders writer
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Contributors
F: Magnus Coney proof reading
1. Does your brother work for a newspaper? Marcie Lambert proof reading
No, my brother doesn’t work… Natalia T. Piekarowicz proof reading
2. Does your aunt go to work by bicycle? No, Laurent Guiard French depart.
my aunt doesn’t go to work… Peter Barton proof reading
3. Does your sister like watching films? No, Danielle Ott intern
my sister doesn’t like… Georgina Kiely intern
4. Does your uncle wear bright clothes? No, Rayner Taylor intern
my uncle doesn’t wear… Vanessa Simmonds writer
TRIVIA MATCHING 5. Does your cat sleep in your bed with you? Petra Bates writer
1G 2A 3I 4C 5J 6F 7E 8B 9H 10D No, my cat doesn’t sleep… Slim Pickens special intern
Nick Hargreaves writer
Printing
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ISSN 1577-7898
Depósito Legal M.14277.2001
November 2020
(if we aren’t already!) Published by Hot English Publishing, S.L.

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The number-one magazine for learning and teaching English!

HOT SONG: SING & LEARN! PIRATES, AHOY!

English… …with Hot English

1 IMPROVE YOUR 2 LEARN 3 BE SUCCESSFUL 4 PASS

(00 34) 91 455 0273

Hi, and welcome to Intermediate (CEF level: B1)

your spoken English!

23 Hot Song & Useful advice

PS Remember to sign up for our newsletter 27 Weird Trivia

learnhotenglish.com/blog for free lessons and 33 In the News

36 Strange But True

For great private language classes, e-mail classes@learnhotenglish.com / www.learnhotenglish.com / 3

“ Would” & “Used to”

“Used to” My husband would

the past. For example:

Access to all our Magazines…

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Each level will

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ARE YOU STRESSED AT WORK?

Now check your answers.

1. During the working day, you have, on average: Quiz Analysis

3. Stress at work is when:

4. What would you consider a disaster at work?

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I think I’m going

What were your parents’ favourite phrases when

My parents taught me logic: My parents taught me about

PARENTAL ADVICE My parents taught me that

My parents taught me My parents taught me

to pray (that something will happen) exp

These fantastic eBooks come

Travel English eBook

FOOTBALL STORIES – PART II

The First Football a pitch n

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FUNNY PRODUCT LABELS

FUNNY PRODUCT LABELS

On the bottle of a well-known brand of deodorant: “Use only on

On the back of a lighter: “Ignite lighter

On a box of earplugs: “These ear plugs are

On a can of anti-robber Pepper Spray: “Caution:

7. A sloop/a pirate ship

8. The skull and crossbones / the Jolly Roger C

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Each pirate signed an agreement called

The Female Pirate

Leaving her Husband

tried separately, and like the

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Reading, listening, pronunciation, vocabulary,

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1 Little by little 2 By and large 3 Come rain or shine

3 On and off 4 Pick and choose 5 All or nothing

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IMPROVE YOUR SPOKEN ENGLISH!

8 Do’s and don’ts 9 Black and white

10 Hustle and bustle 11 Wine and dine *The same sounds