ESL Listening: Inspiring Afro Peruvian Activist

Maria Elena Moyano Delgado was an Afro Peruvian social activist who fought for the rights of the people in her community of Villa El Salvador. During some of the most politically  violent times of Peru's modern history at the age of 25 in 1984 she was elected president of the Popular Federation of  Women  of  Villa El Salvador. This organization created projects to generate income for families to provide food for children and improve basic education. Before she was leading a women's federation Maria grew up in an impoverished situation, but as a high school student she did very well. Her excellence in the classroom allowed her to get a scholarship to attend university.

However after two years she decided to leave because of her desire to peacefully help lead movements to uplift her community. Unfortunately a violent Peruvian terroist group named The Shining Path believed it was necessary to use violence in order to change the chaotic world of Peru at that time. Their views contradicted those of Maria's and so on February 15th, 1992, they brutally assassinated her by shooting her in the head and blowing up her body in front of her two children.

I remember asking my friend from Peru who was the most inspirational leader that she looked up to and she told me Maria Elena Moyano Delgado. I had never heard of her before so inquisitively I searched the internet about her and very quickly found out about her story. At that moment when I learned all that she sacrificed for the community and how she was barbarically assassinated I really wanted to cry . Even though she was murdered 28 years ago the emotional and spiritual impact of her life and what she stood for still resonates on the earth today.

The images I have seen of her reminds me of an angel enwrapped in human form. She had skin like light brown sugar and her afro was dark brown. Her smile looked warm inviting and genuine which is what I imagine her personality was like as well. There have been many famous social workers and fighters of justice who have met an untimely death. However the murdering of Maria Moyano affected me differently in many ways.

To see such a strong beautiful Afro Latina woman stand up fight for her community is inspiring. Especially when you consider the fact that if she wanted to do well for herself she was on a path of individual success because of her accomplishments and scholarships in the classroom. Her decision to stay within the community and more importantly empower it is what makes her death so sad to me and is very relatable to a recent death of a leader in the African American community, Nipsey Hussle.

Like Moyano, Hussle didn't need to stay in the community, but wanted to because of his desire to empower it. These type of stories are what really get me down because as a black person who doesn't have the biggest following it's so important to support and uplift those members of the community that reach a place of influence and decide to shine their light on important matters and issues within the black community. Maria Elena Moyano Delgado didn't have a long life but her impact and her spirit to help others will continue to live on forever.

ESL Grammar Quiz (South Beach Fun in Miami)

ESL Grammar Quiz (South Beach Fun  in Miami)

Instructions: Read each pair of sentences and decide which sentence is correct. Explain why the incorrect sentence is wrong. 

A) 1. There are several different beaches in Miami.
     2.  There is several different beaches in Miami.

B) 1. He was successful in growing crops
     2. He was success in growing crops.

C) 1. There are a lot of different physical activities to participate in.
     2. There are a lot of different physical activities in which to participate.

D) 1. The Wellness Park has placed different tools such as pull up bars, weights and other things for tourist to use.
     2. The Wellness Park have placed different tools such as pull up bars, weights and other things for tourist to use.

E) 1. South Pointe Park Pier opened in October 25th, 1985, and became the nineteenth public park in Miami Beach.
     2. South Pointe Park Pier opened on October 25th, 1985, and became the nineteenth public park in Miami Beach.

ESL Conversation Questions (Leadership)

1. What is your definition of a leader?

2. Who are the first leaders that come to your mind?

3. What are the qualities of a bad leader?

4. Do you like accepting leadership roles?

5. What are some of the difficulties of being a leader?

6. Are some people natural leaders and other people natural followers?

ESL Grammar: Relative Pronouns

Uses of Relative Pronouns

A relative pronoun is used to connect a clause or phrase to a noun or pronoun. The clause modifies or describes the noun.

List of Relative Pronouns

Who

Whom

That

Which

Whoever

Whomever

Whichever

Relative Pronoun Exercises

Instructions: Fill in the blank with the correct relative pronoun

1. The festival, _______ lasted all day, ended with a banquet. ( A. That B. Who. C Which D. What)

2. I am looking for someone _______  can watch my dog while I go on my vacation. ( A. That. B What. C. Which. D. Who)

3. The police needed details ______ could help identify the robber. ( A. What B. Whoever C. That. D Which)

4. I'd like to take you to a cafe _____ serves excellent coffee. ( A. That  B. Whichever. C Who D. Which )

5. The clubhouse, in ______ the dance was held, housed about 200 people. ( A. That B. Which. C. Who. D. What)


Instructions: Create a sentence using the relative pronoun and the noun given. 

1. woman/who

2. mall/that

3. party/which

ESL Vocabulary (Living In The Dominican Republic)

ESL  Vocabulary (Living in the Dominican Republic)

1. Agriculture - growing crops and/or raising animals

2. Paradise - an ideal place or state ; heaven

3. Allure - quality of being powerfully and mysteriously attractive or fascinating

4. Hardships - severe suffering or privation

5. Sporadic - occurring at irregular intervals or only in a few places; scattered or isolated.

6. Homicide - unlawful killing of one person by another; murder

7. Take for granted - fail to properly appreciate (someone or something), especially as a result of overfamiliarity

ESL Conversation Questions (Living in the Dominican Republic)

ESL Conversations (Living in the Dominican Republic)

1. What is your country's main export?

2. What are some of your country's most popular tourist attractions?

3. In your opinion, how do people feel about immigrants living in your country? 

4. What are some hardships people face in your country that the average tourist may not know about?

5. In your opinion what are some of the root reasons for these problems?

6. Which city would you recommend for a foreigner to live in in your country?

ESL Vocabulary (Importance of Small Business)

ESL Vocabulary (Importance of Small Business)

1. Bazaar - a marketplace or street where goods and services are exchanged or sold

2. Time to Time - occasionally; sometimes; once in a while

3. Corporations - a form of business operation that declares the business as a separate, legal entity guided by a group of officers also known as board of directors.

4. Legitimacy - conforming to the rules or the law

5. Generates - cause (something, especially an emotion or situation) to come about or arise.

6. Rely- depend on with full trust or confidence

7. Determine - ascertain or establish exactly, typically as a result of research or calculation 

ESL Conversation Questions (Importance of Small Business)

ESL Conversation Questions

1. What is small business?  How would you define a small business?

2. Why are small businesses important?

3. Do you feel that large corporations are more important to your country's economy than small businesses?

4. What type of small business would you want to start?

5. What are some of the challenges of starting a small business in your country?

6. Do you prefer shopping at large or small businessess? 

Miami's Bazaar: The Importance of Small Business

Once every year Miami holds an event in the neighborhood of Opa Locka called the Opa Locka Bazaar which allows small businesses to display their products in front of potential customers. This event is important because from time to time these small operations need assistance in gaining more clientele. The government in Miami understand this, which is why recently the mayor of Miami, Francis Suarez, won the 2019 Partner America Small Business Award. In his acceptance speech he said, " They (small businesses) are the backbone of this community. As a government we have to make it easier for them to be successful. We have to get out of their way."

This attitude towards small businesses is important because in Miami there are over 82,000 small businesses that employ a little over 53 percent of the city's workforce. Even smaller than small businesses are microbusinessess, which is defined by having fewer than 10 employees, and this sector makes up 81.3 percent of businesses in Miami. Unlike most of America, small businesses actually have a bigger impact on the community than large corporations. This is why it is necessary to understand how a small business is defined and the national importance of this community.

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) a small business is determined by the amount of employees and the annual sales receipt. The amount of employees that classifies a small business is dependent upon the industry. For example the merchant wholesalers with a maximum of 100 employees is a small business, drilling companies with 500 employees is a small business and manufacturers with 1,000 employees or less is also considered a small business.

The annual revenue also determines the legitimacy of a business as small. Companies with average annual sales receipts between $750,000 and $5,500,000 fit into the category of a small business. However there are some industries such as janitorial services, security and patrol providers, staffing companies and others that gross more than the aforementioned range and the SBA still considers them as a small business.

Small businesses are the engine to the U.S. economy because of the workforce it generates. America is home to more than 28 million small businesses that employs over 57 million workers. When you combine small businesses owners and employees that is an overall community of nearly 85 million people, who rely on the success of small businesses.

In the private sector workforce,  small businesses create the majority of jobs. Between 1993 and 2013, U.S. small businesses accounted for almost two-thirds of the net new jobs, nearly 11.8 million new career opportunities. Unlike big businesses who typically replace retiring employees, small businesses are usually expanding in American communities. Without successful small businesses in American communities, the economy would turn on itself and there would be catastrophic consequences.

ESL Grammar: Simple Past vs Past Progressive

Forming the Simple Past (regular verbs) 

Affirmative  

Subject +  -ed verb

Example: I worked yesterday.  


Negative  

Subject + auxiliary verb + not + base verb 

Example: I did not drink water.

Question

Auxiliary verb + subject + base verb

Example: Did you finish the paper?


 Simple Past  vs Past Progressive

The simple past is used to describe an action that started and finished in the past.

The past progressive is used to describe an action that happened in the past, but for a period of time.

Example: While I was eating, my hot wife called.

Simple Past Exercises

Instructions: Fill in the blank with the verb given in the past simple tense. 

1. He ______ (to lose) the game.
2. They _______ (to run) to the volleyball.
3. We ______ (to fall) on the ice.
4. You ______ (to beat) the opposition.
5. I _______ (to grow) my basketball skills.

Instructions: Fill in the blank with given verb using the simple past or past progressive tense.

1. I dropped a cup while I ______ (to wash) the dishes.
2. John and Bill were washing the car when they _____ (to see) their friend Yani.
3. Tony came to see me while I _____ (to do) my homework.
4. The children _____ (to play) when their father left for work.
5. When Melissa was driving she _______ (to notice) an animal on the road.

Instructions: Ask your teacher a question with the given verb in the simple past. 

1. to play
2. to swim
3. to write

Simple Past Conversation Questions 

1. Who did you see yesterday?

2. Why did you decide to use Cambly instead of another online English application?

3. Was adolescence a fun or difficult time for you? (What is one of your favorite memories of your adolescence?) 

4. Where did you go yesterday?

5. How often did you go to parties during your university or high school years?

6. Did you date anyone during high school?

Living in the Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is a Caribbean country that resides on the island of the Hisponola and borders Haiti. This Spanish speaking country's economy relies heavily on the industries of agriculture and tourism. The main export from the Dominican Republic is cocoa, coffee, sugar, tobacco and several others. In 2018 alone, there were approximately 6.5 million tourists that visited the country that has a population of nearly 10.77 million people. There are many scenic beaches in the country's capital. Fortunately, six years ago, fresh out of high school, I got the opportunity to live in the Dominican Republic. I learned the positives of the country and also some of the uncomfortable realities as well.

The reason some people call Dominican Republic a paradise is because of the spectacular views people can enjoy on the beaches. The country is literally 9,784,847 square kilometers smaller than the United States, so anywhere a tourist stays they are relatively close to a beach. Tourists that visit the island for a short time usually interact with Dominicans who are very friendly, talkative and helpful. Dominican Republic is a country known for people who are very sociable and never shy away from a conversation.

 Also another component that adds to the allure of an island of paradise is the external beauty of the people. Dominican Republic has had two winners in the major international beauty pageants such as Miss Universe and Miss World. From the beautiful women, to the amazing beaches and even the sociable spirit, Dominican Republic seems like a paradise, but if you leave the tourist resorts it's easy to see some of the hardships that plague the island.

 Most people from developed countries in western culture may take for granted some of the basic necessities that a majority of the people in the Dominican Republic lack. For example, hot water and running water for the the bathroom or kitchen sink is not always available and the electricity for lights and internet can be sporadic.

The reason these necessities are not always met is because of the poverty that engulfs the country. According to the World Bank, 74% of Dominicans do not have access to clean water and 1 out of every 3 people live in poverty. The symptoms of these issues can be seen in the criminal activity of the country. The Dominican Republic was listed in 2017 as the tenth highest leader in the homicide rate for a country by the World Health Organization.

Even though there are many issues in the Dominican Republic I still would recommend the country as a destination for expatriates to live in. The beauty of the island and the people surpass the basic hardships from which the island suffers. Criminal activity in the country is undeniable, but is also avoidable by choosing to live in more secure cities and neighborhoods. When I look back at my time in the Dominican Republic the positive memories far outweigh dealing with some of the realities of the island.

ESL Conversation Questions (Miami Dade College)

ESL Conversation Questions (Miami Dade College) 

1. What are some important factors when deciding which university to attend? 

2. Should university be free for students seeking a bachelor's degree? 

3. Personally, would you rather go to a university with a high or low student population? 

4. Are athletics an important component to creating a great school culture? 

5. In your country do most university students live in dormitories or in their parent's home? 

6. Do you believe that getting a bachelor's degree is important to be successful financially in life?