LLS Winter 06 magazine

Simonetta's Pick 'N Mix:

Here we are again a few weeks away from Christmas. As I write this the weather is warm and cloudy. So far this year we have not had any cold weather. I am still looking forward to some nice cold, crisp days so I can go for long walks. As a result it doesn’t seem at all like Christmas. Also I moved house a short while ago, so we are very busy with redecorating and I’m finding it difficult to fit in all the Christmas preparations. At least we managed to buy the tree and it is now nicely decorated.

I wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy 2007.

Simonetta

A PERSONAL EXMOUTH CHRISTMAS

Christmas starts with a visit to church for the Christingle on Christmas Eve and is followed by a visit from Santa Claus later in the evening. On 25^th December everyone gets up early to make preparations for the Christmas meal and a few presents are opened. Hopefully the food is prepared by 11:00am and we can go and watch the Christmas swim. This is a fun event with people travelling from all over the country to witness it. Every year, more and more people enter and some stay in the water for quite a while. It’s great to see all the children with their new bikes and other toys as they walk to the seafront. About 1:00pm more members of the family arrive and between 1:30 and 2:00 we are ready to eat the meal. This traditionally consists of turkey and cranberry sauce, with roast potatoes and roast parsnips, Brussels sprouts, carrots and broccoli. For dessert there is Christmas pudding with brandy sauce or cream. At sometime during the meal, the Christmas crackers are pulled and hats put on and jokes read out. Of course after a big meal there is a lot of clearing up to do! Then it’s time to hand out the presents from the Christmas tree and relax for a few moments. Those who are feeling energetic go for a long walk on the beach or across Woodbury Common and the rest watch some television. Much later in the evening there is a chance for some tea, which might be turkey and salad or cheese and biscuits and of course mince pies and Christmas cake, followed by a sit down to watch a film or programme on television. This is the time for me to reflect on the joys of having my family around me and to hope that the following year will be a good time for everyone. Hope your Christmas goes smoothly.

PRONUNCIATION PRACTICE

These words all have a silent letter. Can you identify the silent letters and then complete the following sentences using these words.

BOMB	SWORD	WRITE
KNOW	WRIGGLE	COMB
PSYCHOLOGY	DEBT	KNIT
WRONG	KNIGHT	PSUEDONYM
WRESTLE	DOUBT	THUMB
KNOCK	SIGN	WHISTLE

The Queen uses a - - - - to - - - -- someone.
After buying the new furniture he was heavily in - - - - -.
The - - - - explosion was very loud and the force - - - - -ed him to the ground.
He failed to stop at the stop - - - - -.
She went to university to study - - - - - .
There was no - - - - that the answer was - - - - .
She didn’t - - - - how to - - - - the jumper.
The policeman - - - - - -d the robber to the ground.
The cat - - - - -d to leap from her arms.
A - - - - - - is an assumed name, not a person’s real one.
When he broke his - - - - he found it very hard to hold a pen and - - - - -.
The dog ran off a long way but quickly returned when his owner - - - - - d for him.
After being out in the strong winds I had to - - - - - my hair.

SUFFIXES

We most commonly use suffixes to change a word to a different part of speech. For example discuss → discussion (verb → noun)

Below are some more words. Can you choose the correct suffix to add to each word, changing its class. Most become nouns but a few will become adjectives –

eg depress + ion = depression. Some words will need an adjustment in spelling –

eg invite + tion = invitation

Choose from these suffixes:

ENCE

ANCE

QUARREL	CONFESS	FLUENT
HATE	TROUBLE	DIVERT
EFFICIENT	EXTEND	OPERATE
APPEAR	DREAD	ADMIT
POSSESS	EXIST	FREQUENT
DECORATE	TEND	ACCUSE
INSURE	GUIDE	EDUCATE
AWE	IMPRESS	IRRITATE
PERFORM	TIRE	DELEGATE

To finish, here are some proverbs for you to match with their meanings:

Variety is the spice of life	a. Some things last only for a short time
One good turn deserves another	b. People’s characters never change completely
Here today gone tomorrow	c. People like new interests, they become bored with the same things
Still waters run deep	d. don’t be persuaded to spend money on something you don’t really need or want
A stitch in time saves nine	e. Its better to have advice when in difficulty rather than working alone
The leopard cannot change its spots	f. if a job is shared it will be easier
There’s many a true word spoken in jest	g. If someone helps you, you should try and help them in return
Two heads are better than one	h. Quiet people are often the deepest thinkers
A fool and his money are soon parted	i. If you take action now, you save a greater problem later
Many hands make light work	j. Even when something is said in fun, I often contains an element of truth

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Paul’s Corner:

Hello everybody. How are you all? Working hard at school and getting good marks in English?

As for myself I’m fine, only our house is a little bit empty now as Anna, my sister, has gone to university in Birmingham and we only see her once a term. Not to worry, this weekend she is coming home for Christmas for three weeks, so together we can go and see Exeter City F. C. play. Actually, on Boxing Day, that is the 26th December the day after Christmas day, we all go to the football match. What happens is the following: My dad drives the LLS minibus and some of my friends and their mums and dads travel with us to the football match. This year we are playing Weymouth which is a town two hours along the coast from us. Kick off is at 1 o’clock so we will leave at 10 o’clock. Every family brings something, mince pies, sandwiches, cake and my mum makes a very big flask of tea for everybody. We usually stop on the way and have a picnic. After the game everybody comes back to our house and we have home made vegetable soup with freshly baked bread rolls and many other things. Then we go to our garage where my dad has a small snooker table, a darts board and table football. My parent’s friends drink some wine and beer, we play music and everybody has a good time especially if Exeter City win.

Finally, the turkey I told you about last year was saved, but guess what, they bought another one this year.

Enjoy your holidays and all those lovely presents. I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Cheers for now,

Paul.

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ANSWERS

SILENT LETTERS

BOMB	SWORD	WRITE
KNOW	WRIGGLE	COMB
PSYCHOLOGY	DEBT	KNIT
WRONG	KNIGHT	PSUEDONYM
WRESTLE	DOUBT	THUMB
KNOCK	SIGN	WHISTLE

The Queen uses a sword to knight someone.
After buying the new furniture he was heavily in debt.
The bomb explosion was very loud and the force knocked him to the ground.
He failed to stop the car at the halt sign.
She went to university to study psychology.
There was no doubt that the answer was wrong.
She didn’t know how to knit the jumper.
The policeman wrestled the robber to the ground.
The cat wriggled to leap from her arms.
A pseudonym is an assumed name not a person’s real one.
When he broke his thumb he found it very hard to hold a pen and write.
The dog ran off a long way but quickly returned when his owner whistled for him.
After being out in the strong winds I had to comb my hair.

SUFFIXES

QUARRELSOME (adj)	CONFESSION (n)	FLUENCY (n)
HATEFUL (adj)	TROUBLESOME (adj)	DIVERSION (n)
EFFICIENCY (n)	EXTENSION (n)	OPERATION (n)
APPEARANCE (n)	DREADFUL (adj)	ADMISSION (n)
POSSESSION (n)	EXISTENCE (n)	FREQUENCY (n)
DECORATION (n)	TENDCY (n)	ACCUSATION (n)
INSURANCE (n)	GUIDANCE (n)	EDUCATION (n)
AWESOME (adj)	IMPRESSION (n)	IRRITATION (n)
PERFORMANCE (n)	TIRESOME (adj)	DELEGATION (n)

PROVERBS

1 – c; 2 – g; 3 – a; 4 – h; 5 – i; 6 – b; 7 – j; 8 – e; 9 – d; 10 - f

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