Take pity on (someone)

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Do you know the English expression “to take pity on (someone)“? Read the conversation below. Can you guess the meaning?

Barbara: How is your husband? Has he found a new job yet?

Julie: Yes, his cousin took pity on him and offered him a job with her company.

Does it mean:

a) envy someone

b) feel sorry for someone and try to help them

c) feel sorry for someone and cause them trouble

d) say kind words

The answer is below!↓

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Answer: b) feel sorry for someone and try to help them

[Easy English Blog] Birds

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woman wearing black jacket standing near ocean with swan and birds

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I have lived in many different places. Sometimes I have lived in cities and sometimes I have lived in the country. I have lived in apartments in the middle of big cities. There were no birds. Now I live 3km from a small city. Our garden has many trees. Some of the trees have berries that birds like to eat. We always have birds in our garden. Some of them are English birds – sparrows, blackbirds, thrushes, starlings. We have New Zealand birds too – tui and kereru. Tuis are very interesting. They are fighters. They chase other birds away. Their song is difficult because they copy the song of other birds.

We also have kereru in our garden. I love these birds. They are a kind of pigeon. They have big bodies and small heads. I think their brain is small. They are very crazy birds. They cannot fly well. They sit in small trees. The trees are not strong. The kereru fall off the trees. Then they have trouble flying. They do not have a song. The only sound we hear from kereru is the sound of their wings, and sometimes a bang because they fly against windows and walls.

Patricia @ I Talk You Talk Press

When one door closes…

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Can you complete this famous English expression? It means when we lose a chance to do something, a chance to do something else appears.

“When one door closes….”

a) another one closes too

b) another one opens

c) we can’t leave the room

d) we go home

The answer is below!

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Answer: b) another one opens

“When one door closes, another one opens”

[Easy English Blog] Cats and dogs

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There is an idea that ‘some people are cat people, and some people are dog people’. Which do you like? Dogs? Or cats? Maybe you like both animals. If you have a family pet, you will know that dogs and cats are very different.

Dogs like people. Dogs need people.

Sometimes I think that people like cats. People need cats.

I think that cats are more beautiful than dogs. I also think that dogs are friendlier and more loyal than cats.

Cats are very easy pets. Dogs are more like children.  We need more energy to have a dog as a pet. What do you think?

A cloud on the horizon

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Do you know the phrase “a cloud on the horizon“? Read the conversation below. Can you guess the meaning?

Pauline: Are you looking forward to your vacation?

Jean: Yes, but there is a cloud on the horizon.

Pauline: What’s that?

Jean: I have to go into hospital when I come back.

Does it mean:

a) an exciting time

b) the weather is cloudy

c) something good that will happen in the future

d) something bad that will happen in the future

The answer is below!↓

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Answer: d) something bad that will happen in the future

[Easy English Blog] Sissies

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Our neighbour drives a truck. I don’t know how old he is, but he has a message on his truck.

It says ‘old age is not for sissies’.

Maybe this idiom is strange for you. A ‘sissie’ is someone who is weak and scared.

I think his message means – older people are strong – they can do anything. When we are old, people can think that we are weak.. But many older people feel young. They are strong. They do everything they want to do. They are not ‘sissies’.

Patricia @ I Talk You Talk Press

Weary of (something)

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Do you know the English expression “to be weary of (something)“? Read the conversation below. Can you guess the meaning?

Kate: Why did you stop going out with your friends on Friday nights?

Marcy: I grew weary of it. We went to the same place every week and talked about the same things.

Does it mean:

a) interested in something

b) feel sleepy

c) feel old

d) bored with something

The answer is below!↓

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Answer: d) bored with something

[Easy English Blog] Thai restaurant

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sliced vegetable and cooked food on white ceramic plate

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I went to a Thai restaurant for lunch today. This restaurant has been in my town for 30 years, but I never went there before. I like curries, but I usually make Indian curries. I don’t know so much about Thai food. The food was very nice, and not so hot.

I had chicken kebabs with peanut sauce. I thought this is more like Indonesian food. Maybe this Thai restaurant is international?

Then I had a soup with prawns and vegetables – it was very nice too. I think I should buy a Thai cookbook and learn some new recipes.

Patricia @ I Talk You Talk Press

Jubilant

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Do you know the adjective “jubilant“? Read the conversation below. Can you guess the meaning?

Martin: How did you feel when you heard you had passed all your exams?

Ned: I was jubilant. I went out with my friends to celebrate!

Does it mean:

a) feeling sad

b) feeling annoyed

c) feeling very happy

d) feeling confused

The answer is below!↓

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Answer: c) feeling very happy

[Easy English Blog] Visiting an elderly relative

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I went to visit an elderly relative yesterday. She is 91, and now she has to live in a care facility. She moved there last week. It was very interesting. It has apartments, a care facility and a hospital. It was like a small village. There were restaurants, dining rooms, TV viewing areas, a coffee shop, a hairdresser and libraries. There is also a bar!

There are many activities every day. I saw a sign advertising exercise classes, craft classes, a mahjong tournament and some trips to interesting places.

In the entrance area I saw many boxes. They were filled with Christmas decorations. I guess there will be Christmas trees everywhere.

It is a very busy and noisy place. While I was visiting, there was a concert. The group was very good. They sang songs from the 1950s and 1960s.

I was sorry that my relative had to go to such a place, but now I am not so sure. Maybe it will be fun for her.

Patricia @ I Talk You Talk Press