ESL Vocabulary: Ambition

1. Desire - noun - a strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for something to happen 

2. Audience - noun - people who watch or listen to an event such as a play, movie, concert, etc. 

3. Various - adjective - different from one another; of different kinds or sorts 

4. Arguments - noun - a heated discussion of opposite views, typically an angry one

5. Sacrifice - verb - to give up something important for something or someone else 

6. Satisfaction - noun - pleasure from the fulfillment of wishes, expectations or needs 

Idiom of the Day: To See Eye to Eye

Idiom of the Day 

to see eye to eye 

Example: My friend and I usually see eye to eye about business decisions. 

Definition: to agree with someone

ESL Conversation Questions: Social Mobility

1. What is social mobility? 

2. What barriers may prevent someone's upward mobility in your country? 

3.  Will there be any future consequences to the economy from the coronavirus shutdown in your country?

4. Which has a bigger impact on upward mobility: laws and policies or individual hard work?

5.   Do you believe social mobility is much more difficult in your country now than in past decades? Why or Why not?

6. Would you rather live in a country with a high potential for upward or downward mobility or a country with less social mobility but more consistent welfare for everyone? 

Giamo's Thoughts: Ambition

What is ambition? 

When I think of ambition I imagine someone who has a goal and will work hard to accomplish his goal.

 For example, Michael Jordan, who was a professional basketball player had the ambition to be the greatest basketball player ever, which many people think that he is the best. 

In short, ambition is a strong desire to do or to achieve something which usually requires  a lot of determination and hard work. 

Is completing your career goals important to you? 

I would say yes, even though I'm unsure of what career I want be in! However, my main ambition right now is to make money traveling the world and make educating and entertaining videos for a worldwide audience. 

Also I want to improve my skills as an online English teacher and curriculum developer. 

What is love? 

Love is such a complicated word that has various meanings for different people. But for me love is an intense feeling of deep affection. 

Obviously people love their family and spouses, but people can love many different things. For example one sport that I love to play is volleyball! I play almost every week and I don't know  what I'd do if I couldn't play! 

Why is love important? 

I think love is important because it's like the glue that connects people together. For example, sometimes family members may have fights and arguments, but usually they are able to forgive each other because of love. 

Also love can help people work. Sometimes I feel tired and maybe upset, but teaching is something that I genuinely love and I'm always excited to talk with students from different countries all over the world !

Would you be willing to sacrifice your life ambitions for your love? 

If I had to choose between my ambitions or a romantic love in my life, I think I would choose to sacrifice my love. 

Finding a romantic partner is special, but I feel like my life would be incomplete if I did not pursue my desire to travel the world and make videos. 

Do you think having real love or having a long list of accomplishments makes people happier? 

In an ideal world people would be able to balance these two things. But in general I think the accomplishments and milestones achieved in a person's life give people a higher feeling of satisfaction. 

ESL Vocabulary: Giamo's Friendship Thoughts

ESL Vocabulary: Friendship 

1. Acquaintance - noun - a person one knows slightly, but who is not a close friend

2. Curious - adjective - eager to know or learn something

3. Extroverted - adjective - outgoing and socially confident 

4. Memorable - adjective - worth remembering because of being special or unusual

5. Indifferent - adjective - having no particular interest or sympathy; unconcerned 

6. Platonic - adjective - intimate and affectionate but not sexual 

ESL Vocabulary: Giamo's Culture Thoughts

ESL Vocabulary: Culture

1. Complicated - adjective - consisting of many interconnected parts or elements; intricate 

2. Literature - noun - describes written works such as books that are seen as great or classic

3. Belong - verb - be a member of a party, organization, group, etc. 

4. Obese - adjective - very fat or overweight 

5. Foreigner - noun - a person born in or coming from another country other than one's own 

6. Diversity - noun - showing a great deal of variety; very different

ESL Grammar: Might and May

Forms of May and Might  

Affirmative

Subject + auxiliary verb + main verb 

Example: I may go to the store.  She might study French. 

Negative 

Subject + auxiliary verb + not + main verb 

Example I may not travel to Ghana. They might not be able to come. 

Question 

Auxiliary verb + subject + main verb 

May I go to the bathroom? Might I call you by your first name? 

Uses of May and Might 

1. These modal verbs are used to express  present or future possibilities.  I might win the game this year. She may do we really well in school this year. 

Note: One of the differences between may and might is that might is the past tense of may. 

Note: May is used to express what is possible, factual or could be factual. Might is used to express what is hypothetical, counterfactual, or remotely possible. 

May and Might Exercise 

1. If I work hard, ______________________ . 

2. If I save a lot of money, _____________________. 

3. If I drink a lot of coffee tonight, ______________ . 

4. If I eat a lot of sugar,_______________ . 

5. If I don't get enough sleep, ________________ . 

6. If I exercise regularly, _________________ . 

7. If I increase my computer skills, _________________ . 

8. If I win a lot of money, _________________ . 

9. If come late to class, __________________ . 

10. If I don't do my homework, _______________ . 

ESL Vocabulary: Corporate Culture

1. Embody - verb - be an expression of or give a tangible or visible form to an idea, quality or feeling 

2. Decor - noun -  the furnishing and decoration of a room 

3. Jargon - noun - special words that are used by a particular profession or group

4. Spontaneous - adjective - occuring as a result of a sudden inner impulse or inclination and without previous thought 

5. Profound - adjective - having or showing great knowedge or insight 

6. Outperform- verb - perform better than  

Life in Costa Rica: Interview with Alexa

Which city is your favorite to visit in Costa Rica? 

 My favorite city to visit is  Puerto Viejo de Limon. I like this city because there are many animals and nature there. 

Also the beaches are incredible! I love walking on the beach and sometimes I like to drink the coconut water that people sell. 

What food is popular in Costa Rica? 

The three dishes that are the most popular are gallo pinto, el casado and olla de carne. 

Usually for lunch people will eat el casado or married man in English, because it is very filling. Inside of el casado is rice, black beans, plantains, salad and either beef, chicken, pork or fish. 

My favorite dish is the gallo pinto. Usually Costa Ricans will eat this for breakfast. It consists of brown rice, black beans and sometimes people will add a fried plantain on the side. 

How did the coronavirus affect your city? 

A lot of people were affected by this virus in one of the popular cities named Heredia. I live outside of the city center so not too many people were infected in my neighborhood. But most of the jobs are in Heredia, so a lot of people in my neighborhood were unemployed. 

Fortunately the government helped a little bit and gave some financial aid, but the biggest affect the coronavirus had in my city was economically. 

What do you like to do with your friends in your free time in Costa Rica? 

I like to go hiking or sometimes we go to the river and swim.  Also I am learning to play the guitar, so I enjoy playing new songs to my friends. 

Is it easy to find a girlfriend in Costa Rica? 

Yes I think so. As a lesbian in Costa Rica it is easy because there aren't any homophobic people here. All you have to do is express yourself and find someone who is similar to you! 

ESL Conversation Questions: Ambition

1. What is ambition? 

2. Is completing your career goals important to you? 

3. What is love? 

4. Why is love important? 

5. Would you be willing to sacrifice you life ambitions for love? 

6. Do you think having real love or a long list of accomplishments makes people happier? 

Idiom of the Day: Read the Tea Leaves

Idiom of the Day 

read the tea leaves 

Example: Everyone says things are going great for our company, but if you read the tea leaves you will see a different future. 

Definition: to predict the future based on the current situation 

ESL Grammar: In spite of, Despite, Although, Even though

1. Even though the U.S. is a rich country, ______________________________ . 

2. In spite of the fact that my teacher doesn't speak my native language____________________ . 

3. ________________ , despite the low salary. 

4. Although she had no money, __________________ . 

5. Despite the fact that he has been living in Mexico for six years, _______________________ . 

6. In spite of the fact that there is a government issued curfew, ____________________ . 

ESL Grammar: Superlatives

1. Who is the best looking celebrity in your country? 

2. What is the best song? 

3. Who is the most creative person you know? 

4. What is the most disgusting food you have eaten? 

5. What is the saddest movie you have seen? 

6. Which is the best city in your country for vacation? 

7. What is the most difficult part of learning English? 

ESL Conversation Questions: Stress

1. What is stress? 

2. How does stress affect you? 

3. Do you think stress is ever good? 

4. How do you relieve stress? 

5. Is being single less stressful than being married? 

6. What advice would you give to someone who is experiencing a lot of stress? 

ESL Grammar: Comparatives

1. Is it better to be rich and dumb or poor and smart?

2. Is it better to study English in a group class or private class? 

3. Which is worse for your health marijuana or alcohol?

4. Is money more important than love in a relationship? 

5. Does technology make the world a better or worse place? 

6. Which is more difficult to learn, English or your language? 

 

Giamo's Thoughts: Community

What is community ? 

There are several different ways to define community. However for me community can be put into two different categories: a group of people that live in the same area and a group of people who have similar interests. 

One of the communities that I belong to is the Youtube community! I love making videos and even though I do not work with anyone face to face, I do enjoy collaborating on videos with other Youtubers. 

What do you like about your community? 

I live in the Miami community and one thing I enjoy about this community is the diversity. Here you can meet people from Cuba, Russia, Colombia, Haiti and many other countries. 

Also I enjoy my college community. I am currently a student at Miami Dade College. There is a lot of camaraderie with my classmates that helps me continue to be a better student. 

What do you think should be changed in your community? 

Miami has a great community, but I wish I could change the traffic. Sometimes the highway can be at a standstill because there are not enough lanes on the road. 

I think the local government should do a better job at making transportation easier for everyone here. 

How can you help your community? 

Well there are many ways I can help my community. The first one that comes to mind is by being more available for my social media community. On apps such as Facebook, Whatsapp, Skype, I have English groups where I sometimes ask questions in order for people to practice there English. 

Also another great way to help the community is by volunteering. Many people in Miami volunteer by cleaning up the beach. 

Why is community important? 

Community is important because people need to socialize. I think life would be boring if you didn't have someone to talk to. 

Also community is important because we all need help at some point of our lives. 

Would you like to raise your future children in your community? 

To be honest, I do not think so. Miami is a great city with many options, but I feel like there are too many distractions and eccentric people here. 

I would prefer to raise my children overseas somewhere where it is quiet and they can grow up to be bilingual. 

ESL Vocabulary: Logistics

1. Logistics - noun - detailed coordination of a complex operation involving many people, facilities or supplies 

2. Encompass - verb - surround and have or hold within 

3. Intangible product - noun - a product that does not have a physical nature or can not be touched 

4. Multifaceted - adjective - a person or thing that has many features or perspective to consider 

5. Supply Chain - the process of the production and distribution of a commodity 

6. Inventory - noun - the goods and materials that a business holds for the ultimate goal of resale