Assignment #5: How do you like ESL Randall's Cyber Listening Lab as a language learning resource?

English listening is a problem for me.
I couldn't find  useful ways upgrading my listening level before I was in high school.
I think that English magazines is a good way to train my listening.
But I seldom use online website to learn English.
I obtained a lot of English website in the college courses because the teacher is very hard to introduce.
ESL Randall's Cyber Listening Lab is a great useful tool for learning English listening.
It provides a lot of articles to let us choose.
The most worthy thing to mention is that these articles distinguish three levels.
This advantage makes us to practice more convenient.
Each article also provides resolution.
Therefore, we can confirm right or wrong.
So, this is a wonderful website.

Assignment #4: Two clips from Randall's Cyber Listening Lab

1. Grocery Shopping

1.      give someone a hand (idiom): help someone, especially with something that requires physical work 
- A store employee gave my mom a hand to load the groceries in the car.

2.      groceries (noun): food and other things sold at a supermarket 
- She bought some groceries for the tonight's party.

3.      stuff (noun): type(s) of thing(s) (singular or plural)
- You can buy that stuff at any grocery store.

4.      receipt (noun): a small piece of paper that shows what you bought at a store
- You need the receipt to return that stuff to the store. Otherwise, they won't refund your money.

5.      essentials (noun): the most needed things
- You can buy all of the essentials for your trip in this section of the mall.

6.      speechless (adjective): unable to speech because you are angry, unhappy/happy, embarrassed, or surprised 
- His behavior left me speechless because he spent so much without talking with his wife.

7.      give away (phrasal verb): give something without selling it, especially when you do not need it anymore
- The store was giving away free samples of fried chicken.

8.      whatever (interjection): used when you don't care what the person says
- A: Are you really going to eat all that ice cream? 
B: Sure, why not?
A: Whatever. I told you before that you won't lose weight that way, but you never listen to me. I'm done giving you advice.

9.      case (noun): a large box or container in which things are sold or stored
- Could you pick up three cases of chicken soup? I thought we could give some away to family and friends who really need it.

10.   carton (noun): a small cardboard box that contains food or drink
- She drank a small carton of juice!

11.   adjust (verb): get used to a new situation
- It often takes time to adjust to new foods.

2. Security Systems

1.      stick-up (noun): a robbery where a gun is often used
- Three men burst into the story and announced it was astick-up, and they demanded that everyone get on the floor.

2.      stuff (verb): fill a space completely, often in a quick and careless manner 
- The shoplifter stuffed the stolen merchandise in his socks and pants before she left the store.

3.      good grief: an expression of disgust or surprise
- Good grief! I can't believe your hiding your money.

4.      get worked up about something (idiom): become upset or emotional about something 
- There was nothing we could have done to stop the robber from taking our money, so we shouldn't get worked up about the theft. We just learn from the situation and move on.

5.      chit-chat (noun): informal conversation about unimportant or trivial matters
- Be sure to read carefully the terms of the lease before you sign it because you will be bound to the agreement.

6.      cranky (adjective): easily annoyed or angered person
- Our manager was very cranky this morning when he found out someone had stolen money from the cash register.

7.      keep someone on (idiom): allow someone to remain in a position
- The company decided not to keep my boss on because he was somewhat responsible for not protecting merchandise from shoplifters.

8.      tow (verb): remove illegally parked vehicles
- The police have warmed shoppers in the downtown area that if they park illegally, the they can expect to have their cars towed without notice.

9.      poor devil (noun): someone you feel sorry for
- My roommate trashed our place while I was gone on vacation.

Assignment #3: Concordancer Exercise

1. rice dumplings

2. a large dumping of glutinous rice

3. tzung-tzu(zong-zi)