The Quietest Night Ever

This past Saturday, my three children asked if they could have a sleepover party at their grandparents house. After a busy and exhausting week, I thought this might be just what I needed; a quiet Saturday night. After dropping off the children, my husband and I ran errands, did some shopping, and even had a relaxing dinner at a restaurant. We could not believe how much we accomplished in a few short hours, with no children running around, hiding behind things, touching things, or complaining that they were bored with shopping and wanted to go home. What a treat! We soon returned home, with big expectations of watching a program on television - uninterrupted, and sleeping through the night with no one waking us to say they had a bad dream, or needed to use the bathroom. As we sat there in front of the TV, the grim reality soon set in: the house was TOO quiet! Where were the little footsteps running through the hall, the last minute requests for hugs and kisses, and the traditional night time exchanges: "good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite," and "I love you mommy!" Before going to bed, I peeked into each bedroom, as I always do, only to be reminded of how empty the house was without these three special little people. On Sunday Alex, Sami and Aidan burst into the house in a whirlwind of shouts, giggles, and screams...my house is happily noisy again!

Vocabulary:

sleepover: to sleep at someone else's home

errand: a chore or task that one must do

grim: sad or unpleasant

traditional: something that is always done in the same way

whirlwind: a rushed, loud, or confusing situation

Complete each sentence with the appropriate vocabulary word:

1. The movie started out quite _______ , but had a very happy ending.

2. Everyone brought a sleeping bag and pillow to the ___________ party.

3. On the first day of school the children came off the bus in a _________ of excitement.

4. Our family has a ___________ way of decorating the house for the holidays each year.

5. The only _________ I have to do tomorrow is to go to the post office to buy stamps.

Grammar Point

Prepositions are words that tell us about relationships between nouns and other words in our sentences. For example, they may tell us if something is over or under something else, if it came before or after something, or if it is with or without something. Reread the passage above, and see how many prepositions you can find, and what parts of your sentences they are expressing relationships between.

Critical Decision Making

Have you ever been faced with making a difficult decision? So often in life we find ourselves at crossroads; some of minor importance, such as choosing which shoes to wear to a party; and some of great magnitude, such as deciding on a career path or area of study. Whichever the case may be, the basic essential questions are usually the same: What are my options? Should I or shouldn't I? Which choice is better for me? What will happen if I make this decision? What are the consequences? To facilitate decision making, it can be helpful to organize all the information and factors involved in the situation. First, acknowledge the decision you must make (eg., which shoes to wear to the party). Next, identify what your options are (eg., high heels or sneakers). Now consider the possible positive and negative outcomes of choosing each option (eg., high heels look pretty, but are difficult to walk and dance in; sneakers are not very dressy, but would be very comfortable, and would allow me to enjoy myself more). Finally, evaluate how important each of the possible outcomes may be to you, and why. Now make your decision...and if the shoe fits, wear it!

Vocabulary:

crossroad: a time when you have to choose between two or more different things

minor: small

magnitude: large, or of importance

essential: necessary

options: choices, things to choose from

consequences: results of one's actions (usually negative)

Use the vocabulary words to complete the following sentences:

1. Even though she fell off her bike, she only had a ________ bruise on her knee.

2. In order to follow this recipe exactly, we will need all the ___________ ingredients.

3. Tom loves kittens but Lauren loves puppies; they found themselves at a ________ deciding on a pet.

4. When you do not follow the rules in class, you must suffer the ___________ of your actions.

5. She knew the whale was large, but did not fully appreciate its ________ until she saw it in person.

6. The menu had so many ________ that it was easy to find something I liked.

Grammar Point: Causes and Results

As discussed in this passage, our decisions (causes) can lead to a variety of outcomes (results). We can expresss such relationships between events using words such as so, then, therefore, thus, hence, as a result, consequently, and in that case. Using the example of deciding which shoes to wear, write a sentence about the decision and the outcome including cause and result words or phrases. If you write a good sentence then you will have mastered this grammar point!

Are you LOST?

One of my favorite television programs is LOST. Now in its fifth season, I have been a loyal viewer of the show since the very beginning, when Oceanic Flight 815 first plummeted down onto the mysterious island. But lately I find myself on the verge of being lost! Ever since the Oceanic Six have returned from the island to their "normal" lives, viewers have experienced a series of flashbacks and flashforwards...not to mention the flashes back on the island, which have the remaining survivors traveling through time and history on the island. It is often difficult to keep track of what point in time we are visiting the Others or members of the Dharma Initiative. The characters may go from childhood to adulthood and back again with a simple flash of light. Perhaps, as John Locke believes, it was the fate of the passengers to end up in this odd new world, and this is why he is committed to getting the Oceanic Six to return to the island. He believes their return is a necessity not only to the safety of the remaining passengers, but also to the survival of the island itself. Is it possible that their return will stop the flashes, and allow them all to settle back in the present? Or will returning to the island be their demise? Stay tuned to find out...I know I will!

Vocabulary

1. plummeted: to fall quickly

2. on the verge: close to, on the edge

3. flashback: to see something that happened in the past

4. flashforward: to see something happening in the future (or present in the case of LOST)

5. fate: destiny, something that is meant to happen or to be

6. demise: ruin, end of existence, death

Complete these sentences with the vocabulary words:

1. The fly met its _________ when it landed in the spider's web.

2. When I heard the children playing, I had a __________ to my own childhood long ago.

3. They are such a great couple, it was their ______ to be together.

4. I was so exhausted that I was ____________ of falling asleep.

5. I often _________ to imagine what I will be doing 10 years from now.

6. The stockmarket has really __________ during this economic crisis.

Grammar Point

We can use a variety of words, including modal verbs, adjectives, nouns, and adverbs, to help us to express modal meaning: showing ability or possibility. The passage above demonstrates this by incorporating such words as perhaps, or possible. Can you find other examples of modal expressions?

Am I smarter than a third grader?

Every weekday we follow a strict routine in my family. Alex, Sami and Aidan get out of school at 2:30 in the afternoon and we go straight home. The first thing on our agenda is homework, but we often make some time for an after school snack. As it turns out, I am usually the most in need of some brain food as we undertake the evening's assignments. When did homework become so difficult? I am proud to say that I excel at Aidan's Pre-K assignments, and rarely come across a challenge that I cannot meet. Sami's first grade homework gets the juices flowing in my brain, neither for the content nor its difficulty, but instead for all the new terminology and methods that make the content almost unrecognizable to me. Then there's Alex's third grade homework. I used to consider myself quite a proficient mathematician, but I now find myself relying on my calculator to check his calculations. By the time all the assignments are complete, I feel as though I have just struggled through an entire school day, and that I have just barely lived to tell about it!

Vocabulary

1. routine: something you do on a regular basis; day to day
2. agenda: a schedule, or order of events
3. undertake: to start something, or take on something
4. terminology: words used in a process, or to describe something
5. unrecognizable: something you do not know, or have never seen before
6. proficient: to be very good at something

Use the vocabulary words to complete these sentences:
1. Sheila changed so much that she was _______________ to me.
2. When will you be able to _________________ that new project?
3. We always go to breakfast after Mass as part of our ____________.
4. She has studied Italian for many years, and is _____________ in the language.
5. Our travel ____________ states that we will go to London before Paris.
6. The teacher gave me a vocabulary list for the lesson so that I could learn the __________.

Grammar Point: Conjunctions
Conjunctions are words that act like glue. They help us connect one thought to another, or to connect two or more independent clauses to create a compound sentence. Two common examples of conjunctions are 'and' and 'but,' although there are many more. Reread the passage above and find examples of conjunctions. Then try to write your own sentence using a conjunction.

The Academy Awards

Oscar Night!

I grew up in an Oscar house. Dating back as far as I can remember, I would watch the annual Academy Awards ceremony with my entire family, with each of us equally starstruck and mesmerized by the gala festivities. It was a tradition we eagerly awaited each year. Whether we had seen all the movies with nominations, or just a few, our eyes remained glued to the television screen from beginning to end. Aside from no longer watching the program with my parents and sisters, last night's broadcast was no different. Starting with the Red Carpet arrivals, and ending with the last award of the evening for Best Picture, my husband and I watched attentively to see who would be victorious and go home with a golden statuette. I usually get a least one phone call from each of my sisters during the program to share a noteworthy Oscar moment. Some things never change!

Vocabulary

Academy Awards: a program honoring excellent films and actors
starstruck: to be very impressed by someone famous
nomination: choosing or naming someone or something as a candidate, or possible winner
eyes remained glued: an expression meaning you watched carefully, without turning away
broadcast: a program on television
statuette: a small statue or figurine, in this case given to an Oscar winner

Complete each sentence with one of the vocabulary words above

1. The hockey game was so exciting that our ________________________ on the rink.
2. The sculptor made a small ____________ to represent the original larger statue.
3. That movie was so wonderful that I am sure it will win an _____________________.
4. When I saw Harry Connick, Jr., I was too ______________ to ask for his autograph.
5. I checked the TV Guide to see what time the _______________ is beginning.
6. Many movie stars say that it is an honor just to receive a ___________________.

Grammar Point: Past Tense

This story recalls memories from long ago, as well as those from as recently as last night. However, all these memories are in the past, and are expressed using verbs in the past tense. Reread the paragraph noting how many verbs are included in the past tense.

Valentine's Day

Yesterday I spent a few hours helping my three children prepare Valentine's cards and treats for their classmates. My son Alex has 33 children in his third grade class, my daughter Sami has 24 first grade classmates, and little Aidan has 24 friends in his Pre-Kindergarten class...that adds up to a total of 81 Valentines! We sure had our work cut out for us! Alex and Sami were able to work fairly independently, using their class lists to address each card. Sami took special care to choose just the right card for her not so secret admirer! Aidan's task was slightly more challenging, as he is still mastering not only spelling his name correctly, but also writing in a suitable size to fit all the letters together. His teacher requested that the Valentines not be addressed, to facilitate distribution into the students' backpacks...this made his job a little easier! They were all very excited when the Valentines had been completed, and look forward to sharing them with their friends tomorrow at school. Once again, they have reminded me that it is just as exciting to give, as it is to receive! Happy Valentine's Day!

Vocabulary

Valentine: a special treat, often a card or chocolate, given to someone to celebrate St. Valentine's Day

classmate: a student or person in your class

independently: working alone, or without help

admirer: a person who likes something, or someone

facilitate: to make something easier to do

distribution: giving or delivering something

Exercise: Complete these sentences using the vocabulary words above.

1. I sorted the dirty clothes in the hamper to ____________ doing the laundry.

2. Mary is an ___________ of that author; she has read all of her books.

3. He knows John from school; he is his ____________.

4. Can you help me with the ___________ of the mail?

5. Do you need help with this, or can you work _______________?

6. I received a beautiful __________ with red hearts and ribbon.

Grammar Point: Idiomatic Expressions

An idiomatic expression, or figure of speech, is a phrase or saying whose meaning does not necessarily correspond to its literal definition. For example, to say that someone is "all ears" does not mean that someone is literally made of all ears, but instead that they are ready and eager to listen to what someone has to say. Can you find an example of an idiomatic expression in the paragraph above, and figure out its meaning?

FDIC

FDIC

President Franklin D. Roosevelt created the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) by signing the Banking Act of 1933. The FDIC was created in response to the thousands of bank failures that occurred during the Great Depression of the 1920s and early 1930s. During that time, which began with the stock market crash on October 29, 1929, banks were unable to collect on the loans and credit they had extended to borrowers. They were therefore also unable to meet the demands of their depositors who tried to withdraw all their funds at the same time in what became known as bank runs. Under the provisions of the FDIC, if a bank or financial institution should fail, its depositors funds are insured up to $250,000. Since the start of FDIC insurance on January 1, 1934, no depositor has lost a single cent of insured funds as a result of a failure.

Vocabulary

depression: a period of severe financial difficulty

stock market: a public or private forum for buying and selling stock in companies

borrower: an individual or group of people using funds from a bank or other lender

depositor: an individual or group of people who place money in a bank account

withdraw: to take money out of a bank account

bank run: a situation in which numerous bank customers try to withdraw their bank deposits simultaneously and the bank's reserves (funds) are not sufficient to cover the withdrawals

provisions: something being provided

insurance: promise of reimbursement (repayment) in the case of loss

1. The bank was crowded with nervous customers during the _________.

2. The _________ asked for a $5,000 loan from the bank.

3. Many people fear that our current economic problems will lead to another _________.

4. His _________ policy will cover any losses he may incur.

5. The __________ of her contract give her two weeks paid vacation time.

6. People can invest in companies through the ________________.

7. I will _________ $100 from my bank account to pay for the party.

8. The bank teller helped the ___________ put funds into her account.

Grammar Point: Acronyms

An acronym is a word created by using the first letters, or initials, of a group of words. The FDIC is an acronym which stands for Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. You may have seen or read acronyms without even realizing it. Test your acronym skills with the following exercises:

Can you identify what the following acronyms stand for?
SCUBA
MIA
SOS
SONAR
FAQ

Can you name three additional acronyms?