The Blog of Author Tim Ferriss “Everyone’s looking for rules to follow, and the sooner you realize there aren’t any, the better art can be.”– Jerrod Carmichael Jerrod Carmichael is pushing the boundaries of comedy with his groundbreaking work in stand-up, television, and film. Now just 29 years old, what this driven North Carolina native has accomplished is mind-boggling, and 2017 is going to be his biggest year yet. Jerrod stars in the hit NBC series The Carmichael Show, which he also writes and executive produces. Love at the Store is the funniest standup special I’ve seen in many years, and it’s the reason I reached out to Jerrod. In the summer of 2016, Jerrod reprised his role as ‘Garf’ in the Universal comedy sequel Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising opposite Seth Rogen and Zac Efron. Jerrod recently announced his upcoming authorial debut with an as-yet-untitled memoir. Please enjoy my wide-ranging conversation with Jerrod Carmichael! Want to hear another episode with a standup comedian?
Taking a Hotel Reservation in English | English for Work Here are some typical phrases and expressions to use when a guest makes a booking to stay at your hotel. Review these expressions and read the sample conversation. Then check your understanding with the quick quiz. Front Desk Receptionist Enterprise Hotels, Lise speaking. Guest I'd like to make a reservation for next week.Is it necessary to book ahead? Receptionist: Thanks for calling Quality Inn. Caller: Hello. Receptionist: I'm afraid we're totally booked for that weekend. Caller: Oh, I didn't realize. Receptionist: So... Caller: Yes. Receptionist: It looks like we have a few vacancies left. Caller: Okay. Receptionist: Yes, all of our rooms have two double beds. Caller: That's reasonable. Receptionist: We do, but we also charge an extra ten dollars per person for any family with over four people. Caller: Okay, but I'm not positive if she is coming. Receptionist: Yes, but we do require a fifty dollar credit card deposit to hold the room. Caller: Great, I'll call you right back.
Engineering the 10 000-Year Clock The year is 12011. Two hikers cut through a stretch of cactus-filled desert outside what was once the small town of Van Horn, near the Mexican border, in West Texas. After walking for the better part of a day under a relentless sun, they struggle up a craggy limestone ridge. Finally they come to an opening in the rock, the mouth of what appears to be a long, deep tunnel. As they head into the shadows, not quite knowing where the tunnel will lead, the sudden darkness and the drop in temperature startle their senses. A giant metal wheel sits in the middle of the platform, and the visitors each grasp a handle that juts out from its smooth edges. It sounds like science fiction, but this is the real vision for the 10 000-Year Clock, a monument-size mechanical clock designed to measure time for 10 millennia. This clock, the flagship project of Hillis's Long Now Foundation, is a wonder of mechanical engineering. But what's the point of building something to last 10 000 years?
Ireland timeline A chronology of key events: 1914 - Outbreak of World War I delays implementation of new home rule legislation which would have restored the Dublin parliament following centuries of unrest over British dominion in Ireland. 1916 - Nationalists stage Easter Rising, seizing the General Post Office in Dublin and proclaiming an independent Irish republic. The rising is crushed by the British who execute its leaders, including all seven signatories of the declaration of the republic. Irish public opinion is outraged. 1919 - Led by Eamonn De Valera, the nationalist movement Sinn Fein ('We Ourselves') sets up a Dublin assembly, the Dail Eireann, which again proclaims Irish independence. 1920 - The British parliament passes the Government of Ireland Act establishing one parliament for the six counties of Northern Ireland, and another for the rest of Ireland. The Irish Free State 1922 - The Dublin parliament ratifies the treaty despite the opposition of De Valera and others. 1937 - New elections.
Behind the TEDTalk: New mini documentary starring Sir Ken and Raghava KK With 300 million views since we started posting video in 2006, TEDTalks have become a powerful cultural force. But it all starts with a single person on a stage … At TED2010, we sent a video crew to follow two speakers as they prepared to give the talk of their lives. One, the artist Raghava KK, had never spoken at TED before. And watch these TEDTalks:Ragava KK’s Five lives of an artistSir Ken Robinson’s: Bring on the learning revolution! Video credits: Video by m ss ng p eces Executive producer Jason WishnowProduced by Ari Kuschnir and Ben Nabors Filmed by Josh Nussbaum and Todd BanhazlEdited by Adam McClelland Music credits: Music Supervision and Rights Coordination bySamuel Valenti IV & Jeremy Peters at Ghostly Songs Music Supervision “Legume Minimal”Written by Benjamin MullinsPerformed by Ben Benjamin© 2009 Copyright ControlLicensed Courtesy Benjamin Mullins “Legume Shotgun”Written by Benjamin MullinsPerformed by Ben Benjamin© 2009 Copyright ControlLicensed Courtesy Benjamin Mullins
Telephone Conversations Role Play Telephoning is an important part of doing business in English. Telephone conversations, especially business telephone conversations, follow certain patterns: Someone answers the phone and asks if they can help.The caller makes a request—either to be connected to someone or for information.The caller is connected, given information or told that they are not in the office at the moment.If the person who is requested is not in the office, the caller is asked to leave a message.The caller leaves a message or asks other questions.The phone call finishes. Of course, all business telephone conversations do not follow this rigid scheme. Example Business Telephone Conversation: Role-Play The following business telephone conversation can be used as a role-play in class to introduce a number of standard phrases to practice telephoning in English. Ms. Ms. Mr. Ms. Mr. Ms. Mr. Ms. Mr. Ms. Mr. Ms. Mr. Ms. Mr. Ms. Mr. Ms. Mr. Ms. Mr. Short Summary of the Telephone Conversation Ms. Answers Role-Play Cue 1 Bob
Business & formal English vocabulary for writing An important part of writing well is choosing the right vocabulary to use. The words we use are like the clothes we wear, they make an impression on the person who reads them. To help you to sound more professional when writing business or formal pieces of writing (e.g. emails, letters, reports, proposals etc...) and to use vocabulary which the majority of people will understand, I have created the below vocabulary list. In this list are 24 basic/simple words in English. When you press/click on any of the words, you will find a selection of formal and polite equivalents (synonyms) of it that you can use in your writing to make it and you sound more professional. In addition to this word list, you will also find below it a phrase/sentence list. Words Phrases/Sentences When to use the lists You can use these lists anytime you want, but I recommend that you use them to improve the vocabulary in your piece of writing after you have written it.
About the EU An official website of the European UnionAn official EU websiteHow do you know? All official European Union website addresses are in the europa.eu domain. See all EU institutions and bodies Cookies This site uses cookies to offer you a better browsing experience. Find out more on how we use cookies and how you can change your settings. Skip to main content European Union Europa About the EU Home About the EU EU Login About the EU - Easy to read version Basic information Institutions, bodies and agencies Work for and with the EU Downloads The General Report on the Activities of the European Union The European Union - What it is and what it does Europe in 12 lessons Back to top Give feedback about this website or report a problem Contact the EU Find a social media account Search for EU social media channels EU institutions European Parliament European Council Council of the European Union Presidency of the Council of the EU European Commission Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) European Central Bank (ECB)
36 Chinese Habits: Help You Know More About Chinese People - Let's Chinese China is a brand-new world for a foreigner, especially for those from western countries. I’m sure lots of people are very curious about the real Chinese lifestyle. Today I’m going to present to you the most common 36 Chinese habits to help know more about Chinese people. 1. Wooden floors are being widely used in most Chinese homes because they are used to be barefoot in the house. spending lots of times on sweeping the floors. 2. Western people are always willing to say good morning to each other for kindness. If people really have eyes contact with each other, at most, they will just smile a bit and that’s it. 3. I know lots of western people think showering in the morning is a good way to make them feel more energetic and kill the sleepy feeling. 4. Morning exercise has also been very popular for a long time in China. 5. Soybean milk is a common drink in China for a very long time. 6. 7. Drinking hot water can help you keep your stomach warm, improving your digestion. 8. 9. 10. 11.
Using past tenses correctly for storytelling in English Classroom activities to teach narrative tenses Are you looking for new grammar games for the classroom? Multiple winner of the TeachingEnglish blog award Mike Astbury shares some resources to download, print, and use in your class. What are narrative tenses? Narrative tenses are verb tenses that are used to talk about the past. You can often find them in stories, textbooks, spoken accounts and in descriptions of past events. The following are examples of narrative tenses: Past simple: 'We left for the airport on an exceptionally sunny day.' Past continuous: 'The sun was shining and it was really hot by midday.' Past perfect: 'It had been sunny on and off for the previous fortnight.' Past perfect continuous: 'We had been waiting at the airport for what seemed like an eternity.' Activities to practise narrative tenses The following games are designed to help students practise narrative tenses and don’t require teacher supervision. The games use 16 cards, which tell a short story when combined together. A. B. These are card templates. C. D.
BBC Learning English - Classroom teaching tips