It’s a crisp fall morning. I drive my kids to school as usual. A clown is standing in front of the school directing traffic. She laughs and dances and mimes with the kids as they cross the street. It’s a very happy moment that makes the kids look forward to a day at school. On…
Month: October 2022
Death adds emphasis to things
Around this time of year, we turn our thoughts to ghosts and spirits and skeletons— the world beyond. Since we’re already thinking about, er, death, let’s take a look at phrases that use it. Death, as we all know, is pretty final, at least on this end of things. So the word is sometimes used…
Why we like to scare ourselves
Way back in 1981, the extremely prolific horror writer Stephen King wrote an essay speculating about why Americans crave horror movies. He should know: he’s successfully terrified us with his books (many made into movies) for decades. Here’s King’s original essay (I warn you, even native English speakers have a hard time trying to follow…
Listening practice with music videos
Check out lyricstraining.com for a fun way to practice the sounds, words, and rhythm (grammar) of other languages. This site presents music videos with lyrics captioned beneath. But, wait! Some words are missing. Did you hear them? Can you remember what you heard? Here’s how it works: The song will start, with captions underneath. Soon…