The Durrell Family’s Mediterranean Relocation to Corfu
My Family and Other Animals
By Gerald Durrell
Part I: Leaving England
Chapter 1: A Rainy Day in Bournemouth
It was August in Bournemouth. A cold wind from the English Channel blew the rain against the seaside houses. I was ten that year and I was lying on the floor labelling my seashell collection. The rest of my family was sitting by the fire trying to keep warm. Everyone was ill except for my eldest brother, Larry. Mother and I had colds. My other brother, Leslie, had earache and my sister, Margo,
Read MoreCelebrating Scottish Heritage: Clans, Culture, and Famous Figures
Celebrating Scottish Heritage
You can see big men tossing the caber, listen to Scottish music on the bagpipes, and watch Scottish dancing. Not all Scots men have kilts, but more and more of them wear one sometimes, and lots of people wear kilts to the Games. When a Scotsman wears a kilt, he is saying, ‘I like being Scottish.’ A kilt needs about six metres of tartan. When one of the big clans – like Clan Donald, Mackenzie, or Stewart – has a big meeting, people come from many countries. Many of them
Read MoreEssential English Vocabulary for Everyday & Business Communication
Understanding Purchase Terms: Discounts & Refunds
- 1. I was offered a small discount of 5% on the laptop if I bought anti-virus software with it.
- 2. I got this case with my new phone for no extra charge.
- 3. For a modest fee, you can upgrade to the full, ad-free version of the app.
- 4. According to the package I bought, there’s no limit to the number of texts I can send.
- 5. If you are not 100% satisfied with your purchase, you can exchange it or get a full refund.
- 6. The success of the game was in
English Sentence Rewriting Exercises
English Sentence Transformation Practice
Rewrite the following sentences without changing their original meaning. Pay close attention to grammar, capitalization, and punctuation.
What is the price of this jacket?
- How much is this jacket?
- How much does this jacket cost?
Our guests arrived during dinner. (while)
- Our guests arrived while we were having dinner.
We’ve decided to meet for lunch at one o’clock. (going to)
- We are going to meet for lunch at one o’clock.
I haven’t seen John for ages.
- It’s been ages
Classic Literary Analysis: Short Stories and Poetic Themes
Vanka’s Plight: A Christmas Eve Letter
Vanka, a nine-year-old orphan, was apprenticed to Alyakhin, a shoemaker. He had barely been in Moscow for three months when he arrived at the shoemaker’s house. The mistress, master Alyakhin, and other senior apprentices were cruel to him. Vanka longed for his grandfather, Konstantin Makarich, to come to his aid and save him from the master’s cruelty.
A Desperate Plea to Grandfather
He decided to write a secret letter to his grandfather, explaining his plight
Read MoreMastering Reported Speech: Direct to Indirect Transformations
Reported Questions Without Tense Change
- Do you know if I can park here?
- Can you tell me how long the film lasts?
- Do you know how often the buses run?
- Do you know if we are allowed to smoke?
- Could you tell me what time the flight is?
- Can you tell me how much a ticket costs?
- Could you tell me where the toilets are?
Reported Questions With Tense Change
Present Simple
Reported Question: She asked where I lived at that moment.
Present Continuous
Reported Question: He asked what I was doing that day.
Present Perfect
Reported
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