I hope you've had a good week. We are all looking forward to a long weekend here in the UK (Monday is a 'Bank Holiday')

What have you been doing? If you have something fun to share, do tell us on Facebook


OK, let’s have a look at some of the unusual things that have been happening in the news this week:


GOOD WEEK FOR:

• The owner of the world’s biggest cockerel, who says he’s reared the animal entirely on a diet of popcorn.
  See the pictures and read the story here
  
  
• A drummer in the US who broke down on a highway – and then decided to get out a full drum kit and have a practice next to the road until help arrived!
  See the picture and read more here

BAD WEEK FOR:

• An American bride who was tackled by an over-enthusiastic dog and fell over!
  See the video here
  
  
• A man who planned to get his grandmother’s name immortalised on his arm – but then realised the tattooist had written the name on backwards! Read the story here

 
VIDEO OF THE WEEK:

This week we’ve got a selection of 10 of the best ‘viral’ sports videos that may or may not be fake – can you tell?
See them here


FACTS OF THE WEEK:

• 20% of all road accidents in Sweden involve an elk.
• The world’s biggest frog is bigger than the world’s smallest antelope.
• Humans and elephants are the only animals with chins.
• In an average year in Britain, trousers cause twice as many accidents as chainsaws!

QUOTATION OF THE WEEK:

“I would rather die of passion than of boredom.” – Vincent Van Gogh



HOMEWORK:

Now, here are the answers to last week's "Communicating" homework:

PART A:

1. The back legs of an animal are called their HIND legs.
2. If you want to listen to a particular radio station you need to know its WAVELENGTH.
3. A BUSH is smaller than a tree but larger than a plant.
4. When hunting some birds, people (known as "beaters") BEAT the ground and bushes to force the birds to fly up so that they can be shot.
5. BRICKS have been used to build houses for centuries.
6. Another word for 12 is a DOZEN.
7. Grapes grow on a GRAPEVINE.
8. An informal or slang word for "mouth" or "talk" is GAB.

PART B:

1. This is JUST BETWEEN YOU AND ME but I think Olga has got a drink problem!
2. I wish you would get to the point, Olga and say what you think. Stop BEATING ABOUT THE BUSH.
3. Honestly, Olga, I don't know how many times I've told you not to forget your keys. It's like TALKING TO A BRICK WALL.
4. Paul: How do you know that the head of the London office is leaving the company.
Olga: Oh, I HEARD IT ON THE GRAPEVINE.
5. If you've got a problem, Olga, then it's always best to talk to someone about it. GET IT OFF YOUR CHEST as soon as possible.
6. If Frank disagrees with you about something, he just doesn't stop. Once he starts you CAN'T GET A WORD IN EDGEWAYS.
7. If you decide to apply for the job in Sydney, Olga, let me know. I know one of the directors there so I can PUT IN A GOOD WORD FOR YOU.
8. You know when Amanda is excited about something because she starts TALKING NINETEEN TO THE DOZEN.
9. Whatever you do, don't get into a conversation with old Mrs Chapman. She can TALK THE HIND LEGS OFF A DONKEY.
10. Olga, please don't BREATHE A WORD OF THIS but I'm thinking of selling the Mayflower College!
11. Paul: You and Sharon seem to get on very well.
Olga: Yes, we seem to be ON THE SAME WAVELENGTH.
12. Tom is easily the best salesman in the company. He could sell ice to Eskimos! He's got THE GIFT OF THE GAB.

And the riddles?

Riddle 1: Why is it better to have round manhole covers than square ones?

A square manhole cover can be turned and dropped down the diagonal of the manhole. A round manhole cannot be dropped down the manhole. So for safety and practicality, all manhole covers should be round.

Riddle 2. What are the next two letters in the following series and why?
W A T N T L I T F S

A and W. The reason - The pattern is the first letter of every word in the sentence..



And now for this week's homework which is called "Water Idioms":

PART A

Match the following idioms (1-8) with the meanings (a-h):

1. like a fish out of water
2. water under the bridge
3. keeping our heads above water
4. spend money like water
5. land him in hot water
6. like water off a duck's back
7. watered down
8. doesn't hold water

a) get into trouble
b) is not credible
c) no effect on me
d) just surviving financially
e) feeling strange and out of place
f) made less forceful
g) past and forgotten
h) spend without thinking

PART B

now use the idioms above (1-8) to complete the following dialogues:

Paul: John says the two of you had a serious argument last week.
Olga: Yes, but that's all ????? now. We're friends again.

Paul: Have you found a better job yet, Olga?
Olga: No, not yet. Money's a bit tight but we're just about ?????.

Paul: Why haven't you got a credit card?
Olga: I know it would just make me ?????.

Paul: What I like about Steve is that he's not afraid to express his opinions.
Olga: That's all very well, but his opinions often ????? at work.

Paul: Weren't you upset by all the criticism you got at the meeting?
Olga: Oh no, I'm used to it. It's just ??????.

Paul: I thought the President's speech was very weak.
Olga: Yes, I think it has been ????? to avoid upsetting some people in his party.

Paul: The only thing which will help the economy is to raise interest rates.
Olga: But that argument ?????. Higher interest rates are bad for business.

Paul: After the meeting we were taken to one of those big London clubs.
Olga: I bet you felt ?????? !

And now a quiz for you. Which of the following were banned by the Taliban regime in Afghanistan?

FOR EVERYONE

1. Pork
2. Photographs
3. Playing Chess
4. Flying a kite
5. Pool tables
6. Pet pigeons
7. Clapping at sporting events

FOR WOMEN

8. Riding bicycles
9. Showing their ankles
10. Wearing shoes that click
11. Attending school
12. Laughing or speaking loudly


And finally, two more riddles:

Riddle 1:
What gets wetter the more it dries?

Riddle 2:
Take one out and scratch my head, I am now black but once was red. What am I?

That's it for this week - I hope you have a relaxing weekend and a not-too-stressful week next week.

"See you" next Friday.

Best wishes

Paul & Jill

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


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