Newsletter from USA Embassy in Poland (for English Learners)

An informative newsletter published by the USA Embassy here in Warsaw. Showcasing various aspects of American society and culture, mainly for non-Americans. Great for English learners!

Every issue of "Zoom in on America" includes a contest. You can win a book...but you must live in Poland.

The topic this month is "High School Sports" (pdf file)

Zoom in on America: High School Sports

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Answer to Recent Science Tuesday Question - Fastest Elevator

The Question: Where is the world's fastest elevator?

Possible Answers
1) Singapore 45% 5
2) New York, USA 0% 0
3) Germany 0% 0
4) Japan 36% 4
5) Hong Kong 9% 1
6) Las Vegas, USA 9% 1

11 votes total

Correct Answer:
The fastest elevators that are normally used for human transportation are in the Yokohama Landmark Tower in Yokohama, Japan. The elevators operate at a maximum vertical speed of 28MPH (45KPH). They can take passengers from the 2nd floor to the 69th floor in 40 seconds. Wow! An elevator that gives you whiplash! At that speed, what elevator music do you play?

But maybe it's not actually Japan anymore, read here.

Answer to recent Science Tuesday quiz - Headless Cockroaches

The question: How long can a cockroach survive without its head attached?

Possible Answers:
1) Too long! 11% 1
2) 12 hours, and then it gets irritated 0% 0
3) More than one week 11% 1
4) Not more than 3 days 22% 2
5) Who would actually study this? 11% 1
6) It dies immediately after its head is removed. 44% 4

9 votes total

Correct Answer:
A cockroach can survive for more than one week without its head. Some reports say cockroaches have survived up to 9 days without a head. The brain tissue of a cockroach is distributed throughout its body. Without a head, the cockroach eventually dies of thirst because it cannot drink.

Answers to Recent Science Question - Chopstick Arthritis

The Question: What is 'chopsticks' arthritis?


Possible Answers:
1) A very strong Asian cocktail causing severe pain in body joints the next day 30% 3
2) A form of arthritis caused by repetitive motion required to eat with chopsticks daily 30% 3
3) An insulting way to talk about old Chinese ways of thinking 20% 2
4) A kind of arthritis of the hands thats can be cured by using chopsticks each day 20% 2
10 votes total

Correct Answer:
A form of arthritis caused by repetitive motion required to eat with chopsticks daily

"A study of more than 2,500 residents of Beijing found that osteoarthritis was more common in the hands used to operate chopsticks -- and in the fingers specifically stressed by chopstick use."

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?

If it's raining while the sun is shining, you call it...?

Go here to find out what kind of english you are familiar with....

Answers to recent Science Tuesday quiz

Our last Science Tuesday question was:

How does a whole colony of ants know when one ant has discovered food?

The results:

1) The ant brings a peice of the food back to the colony 13% 1
2) The ant sends an SMS to the colony 25% 2
3) The ant that discovers food waits until another ant come by and touches their antennae 0% 0
4) The ant that finds food lays down a scent trail for other ants to follow 25% 2
5) Ants are very strong for their size and just carry the food back to the colony 38% 3

8 votes total

Correct Answer:

4) The ant that finds food lays down a scent trail for other ants to follow

'Ain't' that nice!

Are native speaker teachers automatically the best teachers of a language?

Do you think native speakers are the best teachers for learning a foreign language? What has your experience been? Should the native speaker know at least some Polish?

For more, click HERE.

PEN World Voices: the New York Festival of International Literature

Polish culture: PEN World Voices: the New York Festival of International Literature: "On Friday, April 22, the first PEN World Voices concludes with a tribute to the great Polish Nobel laureate Czeslaw Milosz, who died last August at the age of 93. Participants include: Eva Hoffman, Ryszard Kapuscinski, Tomas Venclova and Adam Zagajewski"

About eighty of the world's leading writers have met in New York City, to launch a week-long series of public programs, readings, and debates showcasing great literature and ideas from around the globe.

Answer to quiz - How many words?

How many words are in the English Language?

Results:

About 20 million - 1
Approximately 550,000 - 3
About 125,000 - 1
Around 850,000 - 2
Too many! - 1
8 votes total

The correct answer is Around 850,000

For more info about this topic -- go to The Global Language Monitor

Answers to recent quizzes (4/8/05)

The Science Tuesday question last week was:

How how high can geese fly?

The Results:

1) Due to their large size, they can fly to about 2-3km high. 13% 1
2) Due to their poor eyesight, geese can fly to about 1km high. 13% 1
3) Geese have been observed flying over the Himalayas at about 8.8km high. 25% 2
4) Geese are strong flyers and can reach altitudes over 10km high. 50% 4
8 votes total

The correct answer is - Geese have been observed flying over the Himalayas at about 8.8km high.

Did you know that geese can play music?

Why do geese fly in a 'V' formation?

Answers to recent quizzes

1) The first quiz was about Easter - What is the origin of the word "Easter"?

RESULTS:

It was a sky deity associated with rain and agriculture. 14% 1
It comes from the Bible. 29% 2
It was the name of a spring goddess. 57% 4
It was a mythical beast that was crucified by his herd. 0% 0

7 votes total

CORRECT ANSWER: It was the name of a spring goddess.

2) The next quiz was our weekly Science Tuesday question: A bit represents the smallest unit of computer data, that is, a single digit that is either a 0 or a 1. How many bits to a byte?

RESULTS:

It's easy, 4 bits equals 1 byte 10% 1
Eight bits equals 1 byte 60% 6
Eight bytes equals 1 bit 0% 0
It depends on the latest Microsoft re-write 10% 1
I'm a user, don't ask me! 20% 2

10 votes total

CORRECT ANSWER: Eight bits equals 1 byte. Read more here.

3) Don't forget to answer our new Science Tuesday question on our blog site.

Easter Traditions & Tidbits in USA/Britain

Happy Easter! I have some eggs for you!

Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is the most important Christian festival , and the one celebrated with the greatest joy.

Catholics observe this ritual as they do fasting, holding the Easter vigil, and waving fronds on Palm Sunday More here

Easter Sunday for some people is all about candy, colored eggs and the universal celebration of spring, but for this band Easter is about Jesus and new life.

The tradition of 'egg rolling' has a long history in the USA. In the United States in the early nineteenth century, Dolly Madison, the wife of the fourth American President, organized an egg roll in Washington, D.C.

In 1880, the First Lady invited children to the White House for the Egg Roll because officials had complained that they were ruining the Capitol lawn. It has been held there ever since then, only canceled during times of war. The event has grown, and today Easter Monday is the only day of the year when tourists are allowed to wander over the White House lawn. The wife of the President sponsors it for the children of the entire country. The egg rolling event is open to children twelve years old and under. Adults are allowed only when accompanied by children!

Do you like chocolate bunnies? Read about the history of the Easter Bunny More links:


Easter Basket 

Candy USA! : "Each year, U.S. manufacturers produce more than 16 billion jelly beans for Easter "

The Galveston County Daily News: "Foreign observers of the American Easter scene can understand the flowers and the eggs and the pastel colors. Where they get confused is with the bunny. "

And of course, the Easter egg! For centuries, the egg has symbolized rebirth and nature.

IN the USA on the dinner table, for Easter, hams take center stage

What will the Pope be doing on Easter? The Vatican only has confirmed one appointment for the pontiff - an Easter Sunday blessing, for full story, click here

And, of course, some info on Polish Easter traditions .

In Poland, Catholic priests bless symbolic eggs and Poles celebrate 'the time of the egg'-a symbol of life." For more, go here

Palm Sunday Traditions in Poland - Easter Palms from Pussy Willows and other Customs - Polish Culture Here

A Blogger from Poland describes Easter : "The celebration of Easter in Poland is preceded by Holy Week, which begins with Palm Sunday. Palm branches and twigs are indispensable accessories of the events of this day."


Now you are ready to take the Easter Quiz !

Happy Easter!

Science/Tech Tuesday: Hacker vs. Cracker -- What's the Difference?

WE often hear in the news that a computer hacker broke into a computer system and wreaked havoc on the files and software -- even possibly stealing some information. But are hackers the real culprits here? What about computer crackers? They are not the same...


A Hacker is not a Cracker


For more info click here

For a vision into a possible future in the year 2015, click here

Answers to recent quizzes

So, how did you do on our latest quizzes? Here are the results...

1) IRISH QUIZ - This Nobel Prize-winning Irish poet and playwright was also a senator of the Irish Free State from 1922 to 1928: William Butler Yeats

2) Science Tuesday - Why don't karate chops on concrete break our bones too? Bones are able to withstand 40 times the force that breaks concrete.

Thanks for participating! Look for new quizzes every week.

St. Patrick's Day! in Poland

St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, is one of Christianity's most widely known figures.

Have you been to Ireland? What do you know about Irish folklore? Perhaps you would like to study there? Did you see any snakes? Did you know that the first St. Patrick's Day parade was in the USA? This year, New York City will host the 244th annual St. Patrick's Day parade. Or, check out what's happening in Dublin, Ireland.

Do you like Irish cuisine? What are Irish potatoes? Take a look at some dishes

Check out the latest news in the top Irish daily, The Irish Times.

Many people love Irish music and dance. For example, the Irish group called "River Dance" is famous around the world.

Take the Irish Quiz -- Are you Irish? Find out, click here

The History of St. Patrick's Day

Take a look at how Poland celebrates St. Patrick's Day.

Science Tuesday

Can you answer this?

Why don't karate chops on concrete break our bones too?

Please add your answer by clicking on 'comment'

The answer will be added on Friday, check this post again.

Green Idioms for St. Patrick's Day

Here are some useful idioms:

Give someone the green light
...to give permission to go ahead with a project
Ex. We were finally given the green light to begin setting up the new project.

To be green
...inexperienced, immature
Ex. He is rather green and doesn't have enough experience to drive the large piece of machinery yet.

Green thumb
...a talent for gardening, ability to make things grow
Ex. She has a green thumb and is able to grow one of the best gardens in our neighborhood.

Green with envy
...full of envy, very jealous
Ex. I was green with envy when I heard that she would be going to London for a month while I had to stay and work.

Grass in always greener on the other side
...a place that is far away or different seems better than where we are now
Ex. He realized that the grass is always greener on the other side when he saw that his new job wasn't perfect and had its own problems too.

Green belt
...an area of fields and trees around a town
Ex. The city has a policy of increasing the green belt around the city.

Do you know any more idioms with 'green' in them?

Monday Music Mania - Charlie Parker the self-destructive jazz hero still wields influence 50 years on...

Do you like jazz? There are a few good places in Warsaw, maybe you can tell us your favorite one (click on 'Comment').

Here is a story about one of the greats, Charlie Parker.

Saxophonist Charlie Parker, who helped invent the modern jazz style of be-bop, was also one of jazz's first existential heroes -- a famously self-destructive genius who died at age 34.

Compositions like "Ko-Ko" and "Scrapple From The Apple," and his edgy, lightning-speed improvisations, helped bring a modernity to jazz that had already touched other arts such as painting nearly a half-century before.

Asked about jazz history, trumpet legend Miles Davis said it could be summed up in only four words: "Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker.

For the full article, click here

Science Tuesday - Discovery Quiz

How much do you know about discoveries? You can learn a lot from this simple quiz

Test your knowledge, take the quiz here

Monday Music Mania - The Game : All Eyez on Game

"All Eyez on Game Rap's newest superstar is macking on R&B singers he used to dream about."

The Game : All Eyez on Game

Wednesday @ Work: Business English Exercises and Quizzes

From Pearson Brown:
Before you check all those e-mails, start your day with some Business English Exercises and Quizzes

Science Tuesday - Animal World

What do you think, how can humans influence animal evolution? Share some examples...the answer will be posted tomorrow --- stay tuned!

Science Tuesday - Take a science quiz

Take the science quiz.

Monday Music Mania - Bee's Knees Music Archive

Hey, great for your English! A music website with the name of an idiom "The Bee's Knees
A music information archive" -- Check it out...

And by the way, do you know what the idiom the bee's knees means?

Insect Idioms

Here are a few Idioms connected with insects...

The bee's knees
...someone who thinks they are very clever and important...More detail here.
Ex. With her first class honors degree and job with the UN, she thinks she's the bee's knees.

A fly in the ointment
...a difficulty which prevents total enjoyment
Ex. The only fly in the ointment is that Sue can't drive.

No flies on someone
...said of someone who is alert and clever, not easy to deceive
Ex. There are no flies on Jacob, he is fully aware of all aspects of the operation.

A busy bee
...someone who enjoys being busy or active
Ex. She's a busy bee, if there's a job to do, she just has to get on with it.

Have a bee in your bonnet
...be obsessed with something
Ex. She's got a bee in her bonnet about eating raw fish to stay fit and healthy.

Monday Music Mania - Hip Hop and Broadway -- Like a raisin in the sun

Check out this article, hip hop star P Diddy makes his Braodway debut --
it's a mixed reception.

What do you think? Is it a good idea for artists to try other venues? How many music stars do you know who have tried acting? Does it work the other way better -- actors who try music?

Monday Music Mania - Another Quiz

Here's another quick quiz, it's called the Music Vocabulary Quiz

Monday Music Mania -- Test your Music knowledge

How much do you know about musical instruments? Try taking
this quiz!

What can I do to improve my English outside the classroom?

Here are some good tips for improving your English outside the classroom...but, really, is there a place "outside" the classsroom when it comes to learning English? Someone famous (I forget) once said that life is a dictionary...

What do you do outside the classsroom? Share your personal tips...do tell!

Check out monthly events in Warsaw!

Got nothing to do today? Check out a new monthly events calendar...have a good one!

Do you use grammar properly? It depends...

How's your English grammar? This BBC article examines the issue, making some interesting points: "Suggesting that only Standard English forms are correct is like saying that you shouldn't differentiate between formal and informal situations. "

Listen to British Prose & Poetry

If you have the right set-up, you can listen to someBritish Prose and Poetry...one of my favorites Blake's The Tyger..enjoy!

What's your favorite British poem?

World Book Day 2005 (March 3)

Don't forget, on March 3rd -- World Book Day 2005...reading books in English (or any language) is an excellent way to expand your vocabulary...

Do you know? (2/21)

Do you know how much the human brain weighs? Does the female brain weigh more/less then the male brain? Does this difference actually make a difference or not? Please share your comments (in english, of course)...

Welcome to In English, of Course!

Greetings! Grüße! ¡Saludos! Salutations! Saluti! Cumprimentos! 挨拶! 인사 ! 招呼!

Please write "Greetings!" in your language and post here...thanks!