This week we’ve been basking in warm May sunshine and we’re all looking forward to our extended, May Bank Holiday weekend! Our students have two excursions to look forward to this weekend, on both Saturday (when they go to a local stately home called Landhydrock) and on Monday (when they’ll be going on a lovely boat trip). It’s going to be great!

OK, let’s have a look at some of the more bizarre things that have been happening in the news:
 

GOOD WEEK FOR:

• Historical British figures, after they were given a contemporary ‘makeover’ by a group of artists.
  Have a look at what they would like now here
  
  
• Fans of ancient ruins, as a new project shows lots of them as they look from space.
  See the pictures here

BAD WEEK FOR:

• A Women’s Institute group in Britain, who dressed up as pirates for a talk on what they thought was historical piracy by a retired sea captain – not realising that he had been captured by Somali pirates only the year before.
  Read the story here
  
  
• A UK woman who has been left with permanent airsickness after enduring a disastrous flight eight years ago.
  Read the story here

 
VIDEO OF THE WEEK:

This week we have a stunning and amazing video made by an astronaut on the International Space Station, where he wrings out a wet cloth in zero gravity – with incredible results. See the video here



FACTS OF THE WEEK:

• Sitting on the toilet for 8 hours uses the same number of calories as 1 hour’s jogging.
• Sudan has more pyramids than Egypt.
• All 10 species of the most venomous snakes in the world live in Australia.
• Half the world’s black pepper is produced in Vietnam.

QUOTATION OF THE WEEK:

“Sex without love is a meaningless experience, but as far as meaningless experiences go it's pretty damn good.” - Woody Allen


HOMEWORK:

OK - enough of the news. How did you find last week's "Being Positive" homework? Well, here are the answers:

PART A:

1. Look on the BRIGHT side.
2. There's plenty more FISH in the sea.
3. It's not the end of the WORLD.
4. Tomorrow's ANOTHER day.
5. You can't WIN them all.
6. Things can only get BETTER.
7. There's LIGHT at the end of the tunnel.
8. That's LIFE !

PART B:

Paul: Amanda has failed her driving test again. That's twice now.
Olga: Oh well. Third time lucky!

Paul: We still haven't heard anything from the hospital.
Olga: Oh well. I suppose No news is good news!

Paul: I bet we don't get a pay rise again this year.
Olga: You never know!

Paul: I'm so nervous about speaking at the meeting tomorrow. I wish I had done more preparation.
Olga: Don't worry, Paul. It'll be all right on the night!

Paul: I hope they get home safely. That old car doesn't look as if it is very reliable.
Olga: Well, fingers crossed.

PART C:

Paul: I'm thing of applying for the manager's position with British Airways.
Olga: Yes, good idea. YOU'VE GOT NOTHING TO LOSE.

Paul: I haven't met Mr Kramer yet. People tell me he's got a hot temper.
Olga: Oh, he's not so bad. HIS BARK IS WORSE THAN HIS BITE.

Paul: I bought a shirt last month for $40 and now it's in the sale for only $10.
Olga: Oh well. YOU WIN SOME YOU LOSE SOME.

Paul: I don't know how many jobs I've applied for since I left university.
Olga: I'm sure you'll find something soon. WHERE THERE'S A WILL THERE'S A WAY.


This week's homework is called "Annoyance and Frustration":


PART A

Fill in the following words in the definitions below:

• TETHER
• INSULT
• BANG
• PATIENCE
• DISTRACTIONS
• STRAW
• INJURY
• BEND
• TEAR
• WITS

1. A comment made to hurt somebody or to make them feel stupid is an ?????.
2. Some people have all the ???? in the world, while others have none.
3. If you are in a difficult situation, you need to use your ?????.
4. A curve in a road is a ?????.
5. You tie a farm animal, for example a goat, to a post with a ?????.
6. When I'm trying to read a book, I don't like any ?????.
7. If you get an ????? to your back, it can take months to clear up.
8. It really annoys me when people ????? pages out of the telephone book.
9. Be careful. This is a very low doorway. Don't ????? your head.
10. Many farm animals eat and sleep on ?????.

PART B

Put these words into the expressions below.

• NERVES
• STRAW
• NOSE
• END
• INSULT
• WITS

1. I'm at the ????? of my tether.
2. We're at our ?????' end.
3. It's getting on my ?????.
4. That sort of thing really gets up my ?????.
5. to add ????? to injury.
6. the last ?????.

PART C

Complete these sentences (based on the expressions in PART B):

1. Do you think you could stop whistling, Olga? - ?????.
2. Jack's been crying all day. The baby won't go to sleep. I've got a terrible headache. I can't take any more. ?????.
3. First he told me he wanted to end the relationship. Then, ?????, he asked to borrow some money to take a taxi home.
4. The bank has just charged me £25 because I was overdrawn for one day. One day! That ?????.
5. I've asked my flatmate to move out. She never tidied the place or cooked. ????? was when she brought a stray dog home!
6. We don't know what to do with Jane. She's 15. She won't do her homework, she isn't interested in anything, she hardly speaks. ????? !

That's it for this week, Olga. We hope you have a good weekend and look forward to writing to you next Friday. Take care.
Paul & Jill

Paul Stevens - Director (based in San Diego, USA)
Jill Tyler - General Manager (based in Plymouth, UK)



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