Advanced Conversation Vocabulary

Thursday, May 6, 2010

A bit of everything long overdue...

Here are some words and phrases that we have come across in our lessons:

To worship

To fulfill some requirements for a job
Above reproach = not deserving of blame or criticism (por encima de todo reproche)
A cock up
Complimentary gift = something given free to repay a favor or as an act of courtesy

e.g. complimentary copies of the new book

doble standards

La avaricia rompe el saco = if you're too greedy you end up with nothing
Posar la mà al foc = to stick one's neck out for somebody
Fer uns encàrrecs = to run some errands
To talk nonsense = dir bajanades
Mecenazgo = patronage

To harm = These pills won''t harm your system
To fund = to provide capital (funds) or other resources for a transaction, a project, a person, a business or other private or public institutions

To finance
To encourage = I encoraged him to apply for a position in the bank

laughing-stock = A figure or object of ridicule and laughter.
to prejudice
hatred = Hatred is blind, as well as love (Oscar Wilde)

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Beauty without brains

A non p.c. (politically correct) video on the subject of blondes and intelligence....

Types of humour

Here are some of the most typical kinds of jokes:

a put-down
a pun
offbeat humour
an epigram
black humour
a stock joke

And here is a link to The Devil's Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce , where words are defined in a different way:

DENTIST, n. A prestidigitator who, putting metal into your mouth, pulls coins out of your pocket.
POLITICS, n. A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. The conduct of public affairs for private advantage.
FAITH, n. Belief without evidence in what is told by one who speaks without knowledge, of things without parallel.

If you want to listen to jokes in English:

http://www.manythings.org/jokes/ (quite easy, though)

http://www.dailycomedy.com/jokes/mp3