True International Experience

2008-05-06T06:47:00.000-07:00

What Does 'It turns out' mean?

The expression: It turns out

Dialog: Speaker 1 How are the repairs going on your house?

Speaker 2 It turns out that we need a new roof.

Meaning: The final result is

Explanation: ‘It turns out’ usually introduces a result that wasn’t expected; the result could be positive or negative.

‘that’ is often omitted: It turns out we need a new roof.

Other examples: It turns out I’ll be able to go to your party (I thought I couldn't go)

It turns out that I won’t be meeting with him (At first, I arranged
to meet him but now it's canceled)

Similar expressions: After all; in the end

2008-04-28T22:16:00.000-07:00

What's the difference between an 'injury' and a 'wound'?

First, try this question: Is a wound a type of injury or
is an injury a type of wound?
Answer: a wound is a type of injury.

An injury is any damage done to a person's body.
It could be because of an accident, a fight, etc.
"He is suffering from a back injury" "She was injured in a fire"

A wound is an injury caused by a weapon, such as a knife or gun.
"The patient has a bullet wound in his chest" "He has a deep knife wound"

By the way, 'injury' and 'wound' are both difficult to pronounce.
They sound like 'Inchery' and 'wooned'

2008-04-24T23:24:00.000-07:00

Why do some American guys wear their pants hanging down, so that you can see their underwear?

Ok, first, who are these guys? Well, in college in 1992 I was one of them! I was a hip hop dj and most of my friends wore really baggy jeans.

This style definitely originated in the hip hop culture of the early 90s. And it has lasted until today.

Where did the style come from? Some people say prison culture. When you go to jail, you are given clothing to wear that may be too big for you--so your pants hang low. Furthermore, prisoners are not allowed to wear belts, for fear that they might hang themselves in their cells.

The idea is this: tough guys bring the baggy clothes style with them when they get out of jail. Kids on the street think the tough guys look cool, and they copy their style.

But other people say it came from sports culture. In the 1990s, stars like Michael Jordan started wearing loose shorts instead of tight ones.

Can you imagine a law against jeans that hang too low? Check out this link to find out!

2008-04-06T20:05:00.000-07:00

He is married to someone (not with someone!)

Many students make this mistake because the preposition

'with' makes sense ("he is with her" is correct).

And in many languages, using 'marry' + 'with' is correct!

And there's another confusing thing. When we use the verb

'marry' in the active voice, we don't use any preposition at all:

"I want to marry her" (not 'to her' or 'with her')

2008-04-01T20:11:00.000-07:00

Here is a question one of my students asked me today.

What's the difference between 'definitely' and 'obviously'?

Wow, these are two very confusable words for English students!

Both are adverbs that are used to emphasize how we feel.

I want to see that movie. I definitely want to see it.
She is upset. She is obviously upset.

Dictionaries say that both 'definitely' and 'obviously' can mean 'clearly', but I think this is usually not true. Let's put the word 'clearly' into our examples.

I want to see that movie. I clearly want to see it.
She is upset. She is clearly upset.

Which sounds more natural? If you think it's this one:

She is upset. She is clearly upset

then I think you are right! 'obviously' is most similar to 'clearly' (I want to see that movie. I clearly want to see it sounds strange)

A good definition of 'obviously' is ' Easily perceived or understood; quite apparent.'
A good definition of 'definitely' is 'Certainly'. Without a doubt'

The word 'definitely' is used to express how sure we are about something.

I want to see that movie. I definitely want to see it. (I'm sure I want to see it)
I will definitely call you tonight. (without doubt)

Both 'definitely' and 'obviously' can be used in the same sentence, but the meaning changes.

-Are you going to come to my party?
-Yes, definitely (I'm sure I will)
-Yes, obviously (You clearly know that I will)

It's definitely true (I'm very certain)
It's obviously true (Everyone can see that it's true)

I HOPE THIS HELPS!

2008-03-31T14:31:00.000-07:00

I love the questions my students ask me about American culture. Usually something that is very confusing for them takes just a few moments for me to explain.

Here is a great example. Can you guess what this sign means? Do you think it means that drugs are free near a school? That's what many students think, but it doesn't make sense to them!

Actually, 'drug-free' means 'no drugs'. Think about 'sugar-free' or 'fat-free'.

This sign tells illegal drug dealers that they will get into more trouble if they sell drugs close to a school. The idea is to discourage drug dealers from selling drugs near schools. Does it work? Actually, I have no idea!

2008-03-27T18:52:00.001-07:00

Here is a picture of me teaching a TOEFL class in New York City. I don't usually sit down---I'm way too hyper! Do you see the cup of coffee in my left hand? Maybe I hadn't had a sip yet...

2008-03-26T19:15:00.000-07:00

"Raining Cats and Dogs?"

Today one of my students said, "Tomorrow it will rain cats and dogs". This idiom means that it's raining A LOT!

This is a very interesting idiom and it's in many ESL books. But Americans rarely use it!

What do we say instead?

It's raining hard
It's pouring (rain) (out)
It's raining like crazy

So, my student could say:

"Tomorrow it's supposed to rain really hard"

"It's going to be pouring tomorrow"

2008-03-25T11:27:00.001-07:00

Here is a picture of my son and daughter. They are four years apart.

My son is usually nice to her, but sometimes he loses his patience.

This picture was taken at my father-in-law's house in February. He lives in Benin, which is a country in West Africa.

We went there for a three week vacation!

2008-03-20T21:16:00.000-07:00

This Blog is for All of You!

Do you have a question about how to use English?
Are you confused about an idiom from a TV show?
Is there something about American Culture that you want to know?
Do you need advice on living in the U.S.?
Is it hard to speak English with Americans?
Are you struggling to make friends here?

E-mail me!

True International Experience. For me, this phrase means many things. First and foremost, it means making genuine, meaningful connections with people from different countries. As an ESL instructor in the United States, my mission is to facilitate these connections between English learners and native English-speaking Americans.

Why do I feel that this is my mission? Why not just stay in the classroom teaching ESL lessons, assigning homework, and giving tests?

Simple. True International Experience (TIE) is the best (and fastest) way to learn English, discover American culture, make friends, get into universities, get jobs, and have fun. It's why people decide to study English in a foreign country instead of in their own. I mean, it's not logical to travel so far away and pay so much for ESL classes if you don't spend time with Americans and your English doesn't improve.

Is it?

But what happens to most international students in the U.S.? Do they make American friends easily? What happens to most international businesspeople? Do they socialize with their American co-workers? What happens to most of the spouses of these businesspeople? Do they find opportunities to speak English?

(These are what we call 'rhetorical questions'; if you're not sure what I mean, look up 'rhetorical' in a good English-English dictionary (Cobuild's my favorite). Oh, and please be sure to notice the stress in the word: rhe-TOR-i-cal and practice saying the word out loud!)

If you need to make more genuine, meaningful connections with native English speakers...

E-mail me!

If you need to learn more about American English and American culture...

E-mail me!

If you need a way to practice your English...

E-mail me!

E-mail me your questions, thoughts, stories, problems, or concerns. I will post and respond to as many as I possibly can. When you e-mail me, PLEASE tell me if I can write your name and where you're from on the blog or if you prefer to be anonymous (a-NON-y-mous)

Let's do this together for True International Experience! Let's do this for TIE!!!!

jrhlevine@gmail.com

2006-06-08T09:12:00.000-07:00

American Culture, Part 3

Do Americans have a "win-lose" mentality?

Of course, it depends on the person, but I think in many cases, yes. One example is the notion of the "American Dream". Is it possible for a poor person--perhaps uneducated, perhaps an immigrant--to achieve success in American society? Most people think that if a person tries hard enough, he or she will win. If not, the person will lose. People that are rich are the winners; people who are poor are the losers. I think this is how may of us deal with the reality of the huge separation between the rich and poor in the U.S.

Similarly, if another country disagrees with us, this country is against us because we are "the winners"--others are jealous of our power; they are the losers. Fortunately, not everyone thinks this way. The people who do feel a greater sense of patriotism for America and generally are more supportive of fighting the "losers" in order to protect our power as Americans.

2006-06-01T18:45:00.000-07:00

American Culture: Part 2

Is there a true American culture? Naturally, as a young country, the U.S. doesn't have a long historical tradition. But if culture is family life, work, food, religion, language, sports, etc. then of course every society has culture, including the United States.

Sometimes when people say "America doesn't have its own culture" I think they mean that there are many different cultural influences here. Since Protestant, Western-European influence has been the most powerful in shaping this country's history and lifestyle, it also makes sense when people say that someone like Bill Clinton or George Bush represents American culture. However, doesn't that sound too simplistic?

Let's take African Americans, for example. Is their culture separate from that of other ethnic groups in the United States (the 'salad' idea)? Or does African American culture mix together with the cultures of other ethnic groups to create one American culture that all of us share (the 'melting pot' idea)? I think the answer to both questions is "Yes" In some ways, African American life is very inclusive--in other words, if you're not Black, you are not connected to many important aspects of their culture. On the other hand, if you're not black but you are an American, your culture is affected in many important ways by African American culture (especially language, music, sports, food, and humor).

The 'melting pot' idea sounds good. It says that, as Americans, we all influence each other and we share the same culture. But is George Bush's culture the same as a Black person's or a Jewish person's or an Asian-American person's? If the answer is "No" (and I think it is), then we are not a true 'melting pot'. However, since we do influence each other, we are not a 'salad' either. I guess we're something in the middle---a 'melting salad'? :)

2006-05-30T16:40:00.000-07:00

"What is American culture?"My ESL teacher who is from the U.S. always asked me this question in class. She said that we were not a historical country and we didn't have a culture like Japan. What do you think? And also, a dictionary says "win-or-lose culture is American culture." Is it true?

Part 1:

"What is ______ culture?" (Japanese, Swedish, Peruvian, Nigerian...) is such a tough question to answer. You have to consider cultural differences among people who live in the same country. Well, in the case of the United States, this is especially complicated! Some people feel that American culture is simply a story of individual immigrant cultures (including the early Europeans who came here first). But then there are the diverse cultures of the Native Americans who were already here when the Europeans came.

Is there anything that unites all Americans? Is this country a 'melting pot', where various cultures meld together to create a new, shared culture? Or are we more of a 'salad', where the cultures people bring to this country remain separate? I will try my best to answer these questions.

2006-05-20T18:00:00.000-07:00

Question:
I am in trouble to hear the native speakers conversation. I think it is so difficult to understand. If it is possible could you advise something about this?For example why can't I catch their conversation? How can I improve my ability?

I think the toughest thing about listening in English conversations is the "shrinking and linking". In other words, the way that native English speakers stress some sounds and reduce (shrink) the others.

Only one syllable in each word is stressed. And only some words in each sentence are stressed. The other sounds shrink; they sound very different from what you expect. For example, "What do you think you are going to do tonight?" sounds like "Whadyathinkyagonnadot'night"
The sounds in bold are stressed; the other sounds shrink (so 'going to' sounds like 'gonna' and 'tonight' sounds like 't'night').

But the shrinking of sounds is not the only problem. The other problem is the linking of words. Instead of hearing 'What do you...' you hear 'Whadya' The words run together, so often a sentence containing 10 words sounds like just 3 or 4 words (like in the example above).

Of course, some people talk especially fast, speak with different accents, and use lots of idioms or slang. But I think "shrinking and linking" causes the most difficulty for listeners. What can you do?

One thing is to become aware of how native English speakers stress and reduce sounds. Watch a a scene from a favorite DVD and do dictation. Compare what you wrote down to the subtitles. Then watch with the subtitles and try to notice how the sounds match the words. Try to notice which words and sounds are stressed. Then shadow the actors: speak out lound, trying to sound like them. In this way, you'll begin to teach your mouth and your brain to recognize the natural rhythms of English in the future.

2006-05-15T03:05:00.000-07:00

Please ask a question!

Especially if it's something you're wondering about American Culture. Please leave me a comment. You can include your name or not, depending on how you feel.

2006-04-24T20:23:00.000-07:00

A Question from Fumi:

"Actually, I am student at Encare, and Jason's student. I appreciate your very kind-hearted help; someday I want to do something for you. Anyway, I have a question or want to know your opinion. Actually, I think that students at Encare are very motivated because of their desire and teachers such as Mune, Jason and Dylan. However, what do you recommend to do or advise for Japanese students at Encare or in NY, outside of the classroom? Especially me? Thank you so much."

This is such an important question, and one that is of course difficult to answer briefly, but I'll try. My answer may seem a bit general; but then perhaps another student (or Fumi!) might follow-up with a more specific question, and in this way we can create an on-going dialog.

I feel that if your goal in the U.S. is to learn English quickly and effectively, you need to immerse yourself in American culture. This means spending most, if not all of your time, with American people. Living with a host family is one way; having a job is another. I've known certain Japanese students who cut themselves off from the Japanese language and society while they were in New York. They only communicated with Korean and Spanish-speaking friends (using English), and made friends with Americans rather quickly.

To many people, however, these options may be impossible, or else sound too extreme. Doing volunteer work is another, perhaps more accessible way to connect to Americans and American culture. If you don't make or find opportunities to be in English-only environments, you can create them for yourself. Watch DVDs in English, using print-outs of scripts to help you; watch movies in Japanese first (to understand the plot and character development); then watch them again in English. Read, read, read!! Read only materials that interest you; it doesn't matter if it's a cheesy romance novel for teenagers, TV Guide, a book about sports, or a comic strip...or an English teacher's blog :). And read materials that are not so difficult for you--you'll stay more motivated and absorb more grammar and vocabulary that way. Finally, keep a journal in English (oh, yes: and practice your writing by sending your questions to me!)

2006-04-22T13:30:00.000-07:00

"What is Passover?" (this question comes from Ami, a student at encare)

Passover is a Jewish festival of freedom remembering when the Jews were led out of Egypt and out of slavery by Moses. It's an eight-day festival celebrated at the first full moon after the Vernal Equinox. According to legend, an angel "passed over" the homes of the Jews which were marked with the blood obtained from animal sacrifice. The same angel murdered the first-born son and first-born animals of every Egyptian family whose doorway was not marked.

Passover is always in March or April, around the same time as Easter. Many non-religious Americans celebrate Easter, but Passover is mainly celebrated by practicing Jews.

Although my father's side is Jewish (and I have a very Jewish last name--Levine), he didn't grow up in a Jewish environment. My mother's family is Protestant. To be recognized as a Jew, I would have to convert to Judaism because my mother isn't Jewish.

2006-04-19T18:23:00.000-07:00

"Why do people dye eggs for Easter?"

This is from the Web:

The exchange of eggs in the springtime is a custom that was centuries old when Easter was first celebrated by Christians. From the earliest times, the egg was a symbol of rebirth in most cultures. Eggs were often wrapped in gold leaf or, if you were a peasant, colored brightly by boiling them with the leaves or petals of certain flowers. Today, children hunt colored eggs and place them in Easter baskets along with the modern version of real Easter eggs -- those made of plastic or chocolate candy.

My family wasn't religious at all, but we celebrated Easter (without going to church); most kids did, unless their families were Jewish. When I was growing up, we dyed eggs because it was fun to do an art project with your parents. The only chocolate thing we had was a chocolate bunny. These days, with how hectic people's lives are, I think it's less common to slow down and dye Easter eggs at home.

"Why is a bunny rabbit associated with Easter?"

From the Web:

The Easter Bunny is not a modern invention. The symbol originated with the pagan festival of Eastre. The goddess, Eastre, was worshipped by the Anglo-Saxons through her earthly symbol, the rabbit. The Germans brought the symbol of the Easter rabbit to America. It was widely ignored by other Christians until shortly after the Civil War. In fact, Easter itself was not widely celebrated in America until after that time.

I also think that Americans connect rabbits with the idea of birth (they reproduce so quickly!); and I think spring is a time of re-birth (not only because Christ supposedly was reborn during this time).

2006-04-17T11:14:00.001-07:00

The sky above Kyoto

2006-04-17T11:14:00.000-07:00

A view of Kyoto (taken by a student)

2006-04-17T10:24:00.000-07:00

"How do you celebrate your anniversary?"

My wife and I usually don't do anything very special or fancy--just go to dinner. We exchange cards and I sometimes get her flowers (we don't give each other any big gifts). Actually, our anniversary is April 12; we've been married for seven years. Last Wednesday, we had dinner at a restaurant in Montclair, NJ, close to our home. It was a beautiful evening, so we strolled around a bit before and after dinner. Because we spend a lot of time with our son, it was good to do something like that--just the two of us.

2006-04-13T04:00:00.000-07:00

"If you go to Japan, which prefecture or city do you want to go to (besides Tokyo)?"

There are two places where I'd most like to go. One is Kyoto. I'm actually very embarrassed that I've never been there because my brother lived there for 8 years! There were several times when I almost went but then didn't for some reason. I prefer old, more traditional cities, so I think I'd like Kyoto more than I liked Tokyo. If possible, of course, I'd like to go with my brother.

I know I would also really like the outer islands of Okinawa. But who wouldn't like beautiful, unspoiled sub-tropical islands like the Keramas? I guess I'm not very original...

2006-04-12T02:39:00.000-07:00

"Why isn't soccer more popular in the U.S.?"

I think this is a fascinating question--especially when you consider how popular soccer is throughout the world and that, up until high school, the most popular sport for kids in the States is... soccer (yes, it's true!).

So what happens when kids get to high school? One thing is that because soccer is not a big sport for adults, kids stop playing. Also, there aren't any really famous American professional soccer players to look up to.

But why aren't American adults more interested in soccer? I can think of a few possible reasons. One is that, unlike baseball, football, or basketball, soccer does not put so much emphasis on the individual; teamwork is much more important. This is not very "American". Also, it is less of a contact sport. And, traditionally, it is associated most with Europe (we often try to dissassociate ourselves from Europe!). Finally, there's an important reason why soccer games are not shown very much on TV: it's hard for networks to run lots of commercials during them! Baseball, basketball, and football are much more suitable for the amount of commercials on American television.

Can you think of any other reasons? Please leave your comments.

2006-04-12T02:36:00.000-07:00

Questions for an American

I'd like to start something new on this blog. If you have a question about the U.S., American culture, or you just want to know what an American would think about a particular issue or topic, please leave it in the comment section or e-mail me directly!

2006-03-08T16:59:00.000-08:00

Overheard #3

It turns out

Speaker 1 How are the repairs going on your house?
Speaker 2 It turns out that we need a new roof.

Meaning: The final result is

Explanation: ‘It turns out’ usually introduces a result that wasn’t expected; the result could
be positive or negative.

‘that’ can be omitted: It turns out we need a new roof.

Other examples: It turns out I’ll be able to go to your party; it turns out that I won’t be meeting
with him

Similar expressions: After all; the end result is; in the end