“Truce” – What does it mean?

 

truce meaning - English vocabulary - Free English Materials For You - femfy.jpg

Example sentences from the web:

TO BREAK A TRUCE => To start fighting again breaking a previous agreement of peace.

“The Story Behind Your Bowl Of Ramen Noodles” – AJ+ – Listening comprehension

This is a listening activity based on the AJ+ video “The Story Behind Your Bowl Of Ramen Noodles”. I suggest that you read the following vocabulary list before watching the video. Then, watch the video and try to complete the sentences with the correct word from the box.

VOCABULARY

Bowl: purple-bowl-th.png

Migrant: a person who goes from one place to another especially to find work.
Ex. Economic migrants move abroad to escape poverty and improve their financial condition.

Labor: workers considered as a group.
Ex. We had this huge harvest, so we had to hire all this cheap labor.

Shortage: a state in which there is not enough of something that is needed.
Ex. In many European countries, agricultural businesses complain about the shortage of skilled workers.

Wheat: wheat.png

Consumption: the act of eating or drinking something.
Ex. Alcohol consumption constitutes a major danger to road safety.

Uprising: an act of resistance or rebellion; a revolt.
Ex. He weighed 38 kilos when he escaped from prison during the 1956 Hungarian uprising and fled to the Netherlands.

To lead: to lie or go in a specified direction.
Ex. This way will lead us to the main entrance for sure.

Affordable: inexpensive; reasonably priced.
Ex. Railways have many benefits, as travelling by rail is affordable and environmentally friendly.

Lifestyle: the way a person lives or a group of people live.
Ex. Technology, the internet, they have changed our lifestyle.

Quintessential: the most important part of something.
Ex. Sheep’s milk cheese is the quintessential Corsican cheese.

Dorm: informal, short for dormitory.

dormitory

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Wildfire/ like wildfire: (informal) very quickly.
Ex. The news had spread like wildfire.

To devour: eat hungrily or quickly.

devouring meaning

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Downloadable PDF version: The Story Behind Your Bowl Of Ramen – Vocabulary

Fill in the gaps in the following sentences with the correct word from the box

Box - words

  1. This signature Japanese ___________ is now an international favorite.
  2. Ramen as we know it comes from Japan but its popularity in the country is actually ___________ new.
  3. Then Japan entered World War II which led to major food ___________ across the country and ramen’s popularity pretty much disappeared. 
  4. When the war ended the US occupied Japan and imported a whole lot of wheat to the country, leading to more noodle _____________________.
  5. And one reason why there was so much ______________ imported was because there was a fear that food shortages could lead to _________________uprising.
  6. After those really hard times, from the 1950s to 1970s Japan went through an _____________________ boom.
  7. And busy lifestyles led to the creation ________________ ramen in the 1950s.
  8. Then in the 1970s the super convenient just add water ________________ dorm food cup of noodles was made and it took off like ________________ in Japan and internationally. 
  9. But it wasn’t until the 1980s that ramen actually became an_______________  part of Japanese culture.
  10. Today the love for ramen is real in Japan and what was once a working men’s food is now a ___________________ love and __________________ dish around the world.

Downloadable PDF version (without answers): The Story Behind Your Bowl Of Ramen Noodles – AJ+ – Fill in the gaps exercise

Downloadable PDF version (answers): The Story Behind Your Bowl Of Ramen Noodles – AJ+ – Exercise’s answers

“Corny” – What does it mean?

corny meaning - English Vocabulary - Free English Materials For You.jpg

Image source: 1, 2.

Example sentences from the web:

  • My sister said the card was corny, but I thought it was sweet.
  • I don’t wanna sound corny, but it’s nice, you and I having one-on-one time.
  • I mean, it sounds corny, but my job means more to me than just a career.
  • I know it sounds corny, but we made a big difference in that person’s life.

Why are we wasting so much food? – Listening activity

Vocabulary

Wealthy: having a lot of money and possessions.
Ex. The fisheries sector may experience temporary crises even in some relatively wealthy countries.

To struggle: to experience difficulty and make a very great effort in order to do something.
Ex. The police report even said that she struggled with her assailant and broke a few fingernails.

To afford: to be able to buy or do something because you have enough money or time.
Ex. Tom told me that he couldn’t afford another divorce.

Deprivation: a  situation in which you do not have things or conditions that are usually considered necessary for a pleasant life.
Ex. She is studying the effects of sleep deprivation.

To feed: to give food to.
Ex. I usually feed the neighbour’s cat while she’s away.

Malnourished: not eating enough food or not eating enough healthy food.
Ex. Malnourished children experience developmental delays, weight-loss and illness as a result of inadequate intake of protein, calories, and other nutrients. 

Fossil fuel: any combustible organic material, as oil, coal, or natural gas, derived from the remains of former life.
Ex. Brown coal is the only source of fossil fuel available in Slovenia.

Blemished: to make (something) imperfect or less beautiful; to hurt or damage the good condition of (something).
Ex. The book is blemished by those long, ineffective descriptions.

Supplier: a company, person, etc. that provides things that people want or need, especially over a long period of time.
Ex. Electricity customers should be able to choose their supplier freely.

To dump: to throw away or discard (garbage, etc.).
Ex. The company dumped the toxic wastes into this canal.

To overflow: to flow over the edge or top of (something).
Ex. The river overflowed its banks.

Complicit: involved with others in reprehensible or illegal activity.
Ex. She was accused of being complicit in her husband’s death.

To use up: to finish a supply of something.
Ex. I’m sorry, I’ve used up all the milk.

Dumpster: a large metal container into which people put unwanted objects or building or garden waste, and which is brought to and taken away from a place by a special truck when people ask for it.
Ex. I found your dad’s toolbox in the dumpster out back.

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Image source

To toss: to throw, esp. lightly or carelessly.
Ex. She came in and tossed her coat on the chair.

Retailer: a person or business that sells things directly to customers for their own use.
Ex. The company is a leading retailer of women’s clothing.

Livestock: the horses, cattle, sheep, and other useful animals kept or raised on a farm or ranch.
Ex. This is a market where livestock is bought and sold.

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Image sources: 1; 2; 3

 

Subsidy: money that is paid usually by a government to keep the price of a product or service low or to help a business or organization to continue to function.
Ex. The planned subsidy is EUR 3.3 million.

Downloadable PDV version: Why are we wasting so much food – vocabulary – Free English Materials For You

 

Answer the following questions:

  1. How much food does the world waste?
  2. What do you need to grow food?
  3. What are the foundations of our food system?
  4. Why can’t farmers sell all of what they have grown?
  5. What is the image created by supermarkets?
  6. How are redistributed some of this nutritious surplus?
  7. How should governments use the subsidies they offer?

Downloadable PDF version (without answers): Why are we wasting so much food? – Listening Comprehension

Downloadable PDF version (with answers): Why are we wasting so much food? – Vocabulary

Fill in the gaps in the following sentences with the correct words from the list below:

 retailers – 30% – overflowing – wealthiest – fossil fuels – subsidies – feed – tossed – struggle – consumption – grown – customers – farmers – 1982 – wasted – tossing

  1. Even in the _____________nations millions suffer from food poverty.
  2. One in four Americans says they _________________to afford food.
  3. Over  _________________ of America’s food or a hundred and sixty billion dollars worth get _________________ just by grocery stores and their customers.
  4. Growing food demands land, water, ________________, and soil.
  5. The tragedy is that some farmers can’t sell half of what they’ve____________ due to cosmetic standards dictated by supermarkets.
  6. Supermarkets purposefully create an image of                                        
  7. […] meanwhile, over cautious date labels confused and frightened ______________ so they                                 out what is still good to eat.
  8. From _____________to 2002, the average pizza slice grew 70% in calories and the average chocolate chip cookie quadrupled.
  9. Food donations from                          and restaurants are proven ways of redistributing some of this nutritious surplus while is still fit for                                       .
  10. Instead of ________________ this food, supermarkets manufactures and caters must be pushed to directed charities that _____________ hungry people.
  11. Governments should use the vast ______________ they offer to incentivize                            to look after the land in ways that protect the planet.

Downloadable PDF version (without answers): Why are we wasting so much food? – Fill in the gaps exercise (without answers)

Downloadable PDF version (answers): Why are we wasting so much food? – Fill in the gaps exercise (answers)

 

“A problem shared is a problem halved” – English idiom

A problem shared is a problem halved meaning - Englishidiom - English Vocabulary - Free English Materials For You.jpg

 

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Online articles on this topic:

 

 

Conditionals

Zero Conditional - English Grammar - Free English Materials For You.jpg

Example sentences:
– If you heat water, it boils.
– If babies are hungry, they cry.
– There are few jobs for young people if the economy is bad.

First Conditional - English Grammar - Free English Materials For You.jpg

Example sentences:
– If you visit me, I’ll take you to Venice.
– If the weather is fine, we will go on a trip.
– If mum is at home, she’ll make a delicious pizza.

Second Conditional - English Grammar - Free English Materials For You.jpg

Example sentences:
– If Peter had a bike, he would ride it every day.
– If Emily got up early, she would be in time for school.
– Sally wouldn’t buy a car unless she needed it.

Third Conditional - English Grammar - Free English Materials For You.jpg

Example sentences:
– If dad had let me go to the party,  I would have been very happy.
– If I had seen Hellen, I would have given her your message.
– If it had snowed, we would have gone skiing.

“To steal someone’s thunder” – English proverb

To steal someone's thunder meaning - Englishvocabulary - English Proverb - Free English Materials For You.jpg
Example sentences from the web:

– Mike stole my thunder when he said he had done all the work. That isn’t  true. In fact, I did most of it!
– What do you mean by coming in here and stealing my thunder? I’m in charge here!
– She stole my thunder, just like she stole last week’s pantsuit design from Versace.

to steal someone's thunder meaning.jpg

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Pixton_Comic_Steal_someone_s_thunder_by_bloomsbury.png

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stealsomeonesthunder.gif

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Post & articles on the web with his saying (click on the images to read the whole post/article):

steal someone's thunder learning Enlgish

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“To juggle” – What does it mean?

 

To juggle meaning - Englishvocabulary - Free English Materials For You (2).jpg

Image 1 source; image 2 source

Example sentences from the web:

  • Many parents find it hard to juggle children and career. (meaning 2)
  • Charles juggled five tangerines! (meaning 1)
  • Mark learnt to juggle five balls at once. (meaning 1)
  • Sarah was hired as an administrator for her ability to juggle many tasks at once. (meaning 2)

 

“Be worlds apart” – English idiom

Be worlds apart - English idiom- Free English Materials For You.jpg

Example sentences from the web:

  • You are worlds apart from those men in the desert.
  • Your ideas and mine are worlds apart.
  • They are worlds apart in their political views.

“Be worlds apart” in the news: 

Two schools worlds apart in Lancashire

“Blinding” – British slang

Blinding - British slang - Free English Materials For You.jpg

Example sentences from the web:

  • I was waiting for a blinding revelation that never came.
  • He showed a blinding display of skills.

“Blinding” in the news: The Blinding Success Of The Lumineers