VocaBularY - NInth LeveL

Main Entry: hy·per
Function: adjective
Etymology: short for hyperactive
Date: circa 1942
1 : high-strung, excitable; also : highly excited2 : extremely active


Main Entry: fizz
Function: noun
Date: 1842
1 a : a hissing sound b : spirit, liveliness2 : an effervescent beverage


Main Entry: slug·gish
Function: adjective
Date: 15th century
1 : averse to activity or exertion : indolent; also : torpid
2 : slow to respond (as to stimulation or treatment)
3 a : markedly slow in movement, flow, or growth b : economically inactive or slow
— slug·gish·ly adverb
— slug·gish·ness noun

RepoRted SpeecH

Backshift of tenses
from - to
Peter: "I work in the garden."
Peter said that he worked in the garden.
Peter: "I worked in the garden."
Peter said that he had worked in the garden.
Peter: "I have worked in the garden."
Peter: "I had worked in the garden."
Peter: "I will work in the garden."
Peter said that he would work in the garden.
Peter: "I can work in the garden."
Peter said that he could work in the garden.
Peter: "I may work in the garden."
Peter said that he might work in the garden.


this (evening) - that (evening)
today/this day - that day
these (days) - those (days)
now - then
(a week) ago - (a week) before
last weekend - the weekend before / the previous weekend
here - there
next (week) - the following (week)
tomorrow - the next/following day

AMeriCan FooD

http://americanfood.about.com/

Off on a Barbecue Safari to Santa Maria
Friday August 28, 2009
I'm driving down to Santa Maria, California today for a two-day expedition to research and report on this area's famous barbecued tri tip. Sunset Magazine has called this red oak roasted beef, "the best barbecue in the world," and the locals claim, with a completely straight face I assume, that Santa Maria is known nation-wide as the "Barbecue Capital of the World." Never one to believe everything (or anything) I read online, I decided to arrange a little excursion to investigate for myself. I'll be interviewing the local tri tip aristocracy to get the real history, and more importantly the real recipes and techniques. I've already posted my versions of the barbecued tri tip and the Santa Maria-style pinquito beans, which I enjoy very much, but I may have a few alterations to do once I see how they're truly supposed to be done. Stay tuned! Photo (c) John Mitzewich
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Simple Roasted Artichokes… If You Can't Stand the Heat, Don't
Wednesday August 26, 2009
Conventional cooking wisdom says that during the hot summer months, avoid using the oven. Seems to makes sense -- I mean, who wants to sit in a hot kitchen, made even hotter by a 425 degree oven? Well, I have an idea. Don't sit in the kitchen! I just posted a simple, but deliciously addictive roasted artichokes recipe that I love to make no matter how hot it is. Here's my game plan… Prep the 'chokes following these simple directions, pop them in the oven, set a timer, grab a cold beverage (I suggest beer) and a radio, and head out to the patio or porch. Set down the timer, find a baseball game on the radio, and sip your cold beverage (again, beer works really well here) while waiting for the timer to ring. By the way, this procedure also works very nicely without the artichokes. Enjoy! Photo (c) John Mitzewich
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Shrimp and Vegetable Couscous – Ancient and Easy!
Monday August 24, 2009
What was once an exotic, hard-to-find item, couscous is now a staple in American grocery stores, and can be seen right next to the rice and pasta in the dry goods aisle. Couscous is a tiny, granular type of wheat pasta, which is as delicious, as it is simple to prepare. Its origins go back thousands of years and while usually considered a Moroccan dish, this is a staple all across North Africa. The amazing thing about couscous is how fast it “cooks,” and how versatile it is. This shrimp and vegetable couscous is one of those recipes that should give you lots of ideas regarding ways to vary it to create your own combinations. Give this version a try to get the simple technique down, and then start experimenting. By the way, they sell regular and whole grain couscous for an even more nutritious dish. Enjoy! Photo (c) John Mitzewich
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It's Not a Pizza; it's a Vegetable Delivery System!
Friday August 21, 2009
As Homer Simpson would say, "Ah, pizza - is there anything it can't do?" When you are faced with a kitchen full of summer veggies, but simply can't eat another soup or stir fry - make pizza! That hot, cheesy slice is perfect for getting lots of those delicious (and yes, healthy) vegetables into your diet. This summer vegetable pizza recipe I just posted is one of my favorite combinations - sweet corn, basil, peppers, and sweet cherry tomatoes. This time of year there are so many different kinds of peppers and tomatoes to choose from, so you can really experiment. Many stores are carrying ready-made pizza dough, which works well, but if you are feeling adventurous, here's a pizza dough recipe that's really not that hard.

ItaLiaN FooD

The Capitanini Family- Preserving Tradition and History in Chicago
It is not so unusual to have three restaurants operating out of one building, but to have three that are all owned and operated by the same family for over 80 years---now that is remarkable! But this is what you have in Chicago ─ in the heart of the Loop ─ with the Capitanini Family and their wonderful trio of restaurants featuring different accents of Northern Italian cuisine: The Italian Village (traditional), La Cantina Enoteca (chophouse & seafood fare) and Vivere (upscale gourmet). It all started with Alfredo Capitanini who emigrated from Tuscany in 1924 and after working in local restaurants, struck out on his own in 1927 with The Italian Village. It is the oldest Italian restaurant in Chicago, and the three together represent the longest unbroken chain of family proprietorship in the city. They are favored by politicians such a Mayor Daly and in years past the likes of Al Capone and songster extraordinaire, Frank Sinatra.
Authentic Italian cuisine has been its hallmark since the very beginning in the late 1920s. Marketing director Pamela Capitanini proudly said, "Just until last year, from spring to fall every morning I would go to my great aunt's in the outskirts of Chicago to bring in our freshly grown vegetables with seeds brought from Italy." Tradition is something The Italian Village takes seriously. "My grandfather Alredo," continues Pamella, "introduced chicken alfredo to the US in 1927. We still use the recipe today." What is more is that ten of their employees have worked for them for over 40 years, and 27 for more than 20 years, which in the restaurant industry, speaks volumes.
Being in the Millenium Park area and right next to the theater district, good, quick and efficient service is demanded in addition to excellent cuisine. The Capitanini family has provided all of this and more. They serve 1,200-1,500 meals per day and have served over 16 million since 1927. Their restaurants annually receive the Wine Spectator Award, the Wine Enthusiast Award and International Dining awards. They are legendary for the expansive wine cellar which features over 1,600 selections.
Important to note is that the Family never forgets its community and is involved in nearly 350 charities a year. Of note, they coordinate with the Ferrari Club of America to showcase collector Ferraris in the Loop area, providing a wonderful Italian buffet with all proceeds going to the Children's Memorial Hospital.
We are delighted to have the Capitanini Family and their trio of superb restaurants in our GRI family. To learn more about this family of restaurants you can visit www.italianvillage-chicago.com.
GRI Unrolls New Individual Membership Program
GRI is pleased to announce the latest innovation to its organization, the Individual Membership Program. GRI is now offering membership to people, whether they be chefs, people in the restaurant industry or just individuals who like to explore and have a passion for authentic Italian products and cuisine.
GRI is planning monthly Individual Member Events. The events will all be held in New York City for the time being until individual membership is increased in other markets. Each event will feature a member restaurant and at least one corporate member. Be sure to check www.gruppo.com for upcoming events and details.
Individual membership will cost $95 and will include: free attendance to GRI Individual Member Events, a one-year subscription to La Cucina Italiana Magazine, subscription to the GRI Report and discounted Vino e Cucina tickets, GRI's flagship event held every fall in New York City. To register for membership, please go to: www.gruppo.com
GRI Announces First Individual Membership Event
On Tuesday, June 30th GRI will host an event at Macelleria Restaurant in NYC to launch our new Individual Member program. The event will focus on the foods and wines of Sardinia and will run from 5:30-7:30.
Macelleria is located at 48 Gansevoort St, NYC 10014
Orange County Italian Food Festival
The OC Italian Festival is the inspiration of well-known GRI Member and prominent Italian restaurant owner Bruno Serato of Anaheim White House. The OC Restaurant Association has come together with Bruno and other select restaurateurs to spearhead and produce the event after much success with Orange County Restaurant week and Happy Hour week.
The Festival will give Italian restaurant food enthusiasts an opportunity to enjoy specialty menus from many participating Italian restaurants in Orange County. This Italian Festival will showcase the county as a fabulous dining destination while highlighting its prowess in Italian cuisine.
Each participating restaurant will donate gift cards to go towards a sweepstakes drawing to be held on August 9th at the conclusion of the 21-day celebration. Partial proceeds of restaurant sales will also be donated to Caterina Boys and Girls Club which serves 100 pasta dinners every night to underprivileged children.
The Festival will take place during the fall. Diners will receive discounts and be offered 2-3 course lunches costing between $15-$25 and 3-4 course dinners costing between $25-$35. To see a list of the 40-60 participating restaurants and their menus, you can go to www.OCItalianFestival.com.
Special Pasta Tasting
Corporate Member Garofalo Pasta Teams Up with Restaurant Member Osteria del Circo and Boffi U.S.A. for a Special Pasta Tasting!
This week Garofalo Pasta and Boffi U.S.A. proudly invited GRI members to By New York, the exquisite SoHo showroom featuring Boffi's luxury kitchens for an evening of food, drink and FUN!
Renowned NYC restaurant Osteria del Circo's Executive Chef, Benedetto Bartolotta prepared three different cuts of succulent Garofalo Pasta with three of his signature sauces.

RePorTed SpEEch

1."Open the window, please." She ...
___________________________________________________
2."Are you going to help us?" Jim asked me ...
___________________________________________________
3."Will Mary arrive by five?" Fred asked me ...
___________________________________________________
4."Did you see that film last month?" Jane asked me ...
___________________________________________________
5."Don't touch that flower!" The old lady ...
___________________________________________________
6."When did you find the money?" She asked us ...
___________________________________________________
7."I'll visit Mary tomorrow." He said that ...
___________________________________________________
8."Do you want to go to the cinema?" Jill asked me ...
___________________________________________________
9."If I knew the answer, I would tell you." Mary said that ...
___________________________________________________
10."If you give me some money, I'll help you." The man said that if I ...
___________________________________________________

What is Voiceless?
Voiceless consonants do not use the voice. They are percussive and use hard sounds. Once again, you can test if a consonant is voiceless by putting your finger on your throat. You will feel no vibration in your throat, just a short explosion of air as you pronounce. Pronounce each of these consonant sounds and feel NO vibration in your throat.
ptksshchth (as in thing)
Careful! Some Consonants Voiced, but are Voiceless
When consonants are put in groups they can change the voiced or voiceless quality of the consonant that follows. A great example of this is the past simple form of regular verbs. As you know, regular verbs add -ed to the end of the verb in the past simple.
play - playedwash - washedlive - lived etc.
These past simple verbs all end in '-ed'. However, some of the verbs are pronounced with a voiceless 't' sound and some are pronounced with the voiced 'd' sound. Why? Here are the rules:
If -ed is preceded by a voiceless consonant sound (p, k, sh, etc.) -ed sounds as a voiceless 't'. Remember that the 'e' is silent.
If -ed is preceded by a voiced consonant sound (d, b, v, etc.) -ed sounds as a voiced 'd'. Remember that the 'e' is silent.
If -ed is preceded by a vowel sound (often 'ay') -ed sounds as a voiced 'd' because vowels are always voiced. Remember that the 'e' is silent.
Exception: If -ed is preceded by 't' pronounce a voiced -id. In this case, the 'e' is pronounced.
This pattern can also be found with plural forms. If the consonant preceding the 's' is voiced, 's' will sound as voiced 'z':
chairsmachinesbags
If the consonant preceding the 's' is voiceless, 's' will sound as voiceless 's':
batsparkspipes
Connected Speech
Finally, when speaking in sentences the ending consonant sounds can change based on the following words. This is often referred to as 'connected speech'. Here is an example of a change from a voiced 'b' in the word 'club' to a voiceless 'p' because of the voiced 't' of 'to' of the following word:
We went to the club to meet some friends.
Here is an example of a change from a voiced 'd' past simple verb changed to voiceless 't':
We played tennis yesterday afternoon.

FUTure PerfeCt / FuTure ConTinouS

1. This time tomorrow, Maria on a beach in Majorca. ______________________(sunbathe) 2. Wake me up by nine o'clock - I long enough by then. _______________________(sleep) 3. Look, I can give you a lift to the station - I that way anyway. _________________(drive)? 4. It's strange that when we get to Sydney, we half way round the world. ____________(fly)
5. Don't phone me between 7 and 8. We dinner then. _________________________(have) 6. Phone me after 8 o'clock. We dinner by then. _____________________________(finish) 7. Tomorrow afternoon we're going to play tennis from 3 o'clock until 4.30. So at 4 o'clock, we tennis. _________________(play)
8. Do you think you the same job in ten years' time? ________________________(still/do) 9. By the time you get home I the house from top to bottom. ___________________(clean) 10. Tom is on holiday and he is spending his money very quickly. If he continues like this, he all his money before the end of his holiday. _______________(spend)

Link -http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/futurecontinuous.html

http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/futurecontinuous.html

HenRy

TWins LOOkiNG HIGH

Future Perfect / Future Perfect Continuous

1. By the time we get to Chicago this evening, we _________________________(drive) more than four hundred miles. We are going to be exhausted.

2. When Sarah goes on vacation next month, she ________________________(study) German for over two years. She should be able to communicate fairly well while she is in Austria.

3. I have not traveled much yet; however, I _______________________________(visit) the Grand Canyon and San Francisco by the time I leave the United States.

4. By the time you finish studying the verb tense tutorial, you _________________(master) all twelve tenses including their passive forms.

5. Drive faster! If you don't hurry up, she ________________________________(have) the baby by the time we get to the hospital.

6. I came to England six months ago. I started my economics course three months ago. When I return to Australia, I __________________(study) for nine months and I ____________(be) in England for exactly one year.

7. Margie just called and said she would be here at 8 o'clock. By the time she gets here, we ________________________(wait) for her for two hours.

8. Frank just changed jobs again. If he keeps this up, he ______________________(change) jobs at least four or five times by the end of the year.

9. Come over to my house around 9 o'clock. By then, I ____________________(complete) my history essay and we can go see a movie.

10. In June, my grandmother and grandfather ___________________________(be) married for fifty years.

FuTuRe iS ReaL

Tech Tip 104 - The Future of Computer Technology
By Chris Herzog
Sunday, Nov. 26, 2006
In the past twenty years, there has been a dramatic increase in the processing speed of computers, network capacity and the speed of the internet. These advances have paved the way for the revolution of fields such as quantum physics, artificial intelligence and nanotechnology. These advances will have a profound effect on the way we live and work, the virtual reality we see in movies like the Matrix, may actually come true in the next decade or so.
NANOCOMPUTERS
Scientists are trying to use nanotechnology to make very tiny chips, electrical conductors and logic gates. Using nanotechnology, chips can be built up one atom at a time and hence there would be no wastage of space, enabling much smaller devices to be built. Using this technology, logic gates will be composed of just a few atoms and electrical conductors (called nanowires) will be merely an atom thick and a data bit will be represented by the presence or absence of an electron.
A component of nanotechnology, nanocomputing will give rise to four types of nanocomputers:
• Electronic nanocomputers• Chemical and Biochemical nanocomputers• Mechanical nanocomputers• Quantum nanocomputers
Electronic nanocomputersEletronic nanocomputers are created through microscopic circuits using nanolithography.
Chemical and Biochemical nanocomputers
The interaction between different chemicals and their structures is used to store and process information in chemical nanocomputers. In order to create a chemical nanocomputer, engineers need to be able to control individual atoms and molecules so that these atoms and molecules can be made to perform controllable calculations and data storage tasks.
Mechanical nanocomputers
A mechanical nanocomputer uses tiny mobile components called nanogears to encode information. Some scientists predict that such mechanical nanocomputers will be used to control nanorobots.
Quantum nanocomputers
A quantum nanocomputer store data in the form of atomic quantum states or spin. Single-electron memory (SEM) and quantum dots are examples of this type of technology.
Humanizing Nanocomputers
Apart from this, scientists aim to use nanotechnology to create nanorobots that will serve as antibodies that can be programmed. This will help to protect humans against pathogenic bacteria and viruses that keep mutating rendering many remedies ineffective against new strains. Nanorobots would overcome this problem by reprogramming selectively to destroy the new pathogens. Nanorobots are predicted to be part of the future of human medicine.


• SPRAY-ON NANO COMPUTERS
Consider that research is being done at the Ediburgh University to create "spray-on computers the size of a grain of sand” that will transform information technology. The research team aims to achieve this goal within four years. When these nanocomputers are sprayed on to the chests of coronary patients, the tiny cells record a patient’s health and transmit information back to a hospital computer. This would enable doctors to monitor heart patients who are living at home.
QUANTUM COMPUTERS
A quantum computer uses quantum mechanical phenomena, such as entanglement and superposition to process data. Quantum computation aims to use the quantum properties of particles to represent and structure data. Quantum mechanics is used to understand how to perform operations with this data. The quantum mechanical properties of atoms or nuclei allow these particles to work together as quantum bits, or qubits. These qubits work together to form the computer's processor and memory. Qubits can interact with each other while being isolated from the external environment and this enables them to perform certain calculations much faster than conventional computers.
By computing many different numbers simultaneously and then interfering the results to get a single answer, a quantum computer can perform a large number of operations in parallel and ends up being much more powerful than a digital computer of the same size. "In the tiny spaces inside atoms, the ordinary rules of reality ... no longer hold. Defying all common sense, a single particle can be in two places at the same time. And so, while a switch in a conventional computer can be either on or off, representing 1 or 0, a quantum switch can paradoxically be in both states at the same time, saying 1 and 0.... Therein lies the source of the power." Whereas three ordinary switches could store any one of eight patterns, three quantum switches can hold all eight at once, taking "a shortcut through time."
Quantum computers could prove to be useful for running simulations of quantum mechanics. This would benefit the fields of physics, chemistry, materials science, nanotechnology, biology and medicine because currently, advancement in these fields is limited by the slow speed of quantum mechanical simulations.
Quantum computing is ideal for tasks such as cryptography, modeling and indexing very large databases. Many government and military funding agencies are supporting quantum computing research to develop quantum computers for civilian and national security purposes, such as cryptanalysis.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
The term “Artificial Intelligence” was coined in 1956 by John McCarthy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It is a branch of computer science that aims to make computers behave like humans. Artificial Intelligence includes programming computers to make decisions in real life situations (e.g. some of these “expert systems” help physicians in the diagnosis of diseases based on symptoms), programming computers to understand human languages (natural language), programming computers to play games such as chess and checkers (games playing), programming computers to hear, see and react to other sensory stimuli(robotics) and designing systems that mimic human intelligence by attempting to reproduce the types of physical connections between neurones in the human brain (neural networks).
Natural-language processing would allow ordinary people who don’t have any knowledge of programming languages to interact with computers.
So what does the future of computer technology look like after these developments?
Through nanotechnology, computing devices are becoming progressively smaller and more powerful. Everyday devices with embedded technology and connectivity are becoming a reality. Nanotechnology has led to the creation of increasingly smaller and faster computers that can be embedded into small devices.This has led to the idea of pervasive computing which aims to integrate software and hardware into all man made and some natural products. It is predicted that almost any items such as clothing, tools, appliances, cars, homes, coffee mugs and the human body will be imbedded with chips that will connect the device to an infinite network of other devices. Hence, in the future network technologies will be combined with wireless computing, voice recognition, Internet capability and artificial intelligence with an aim to create an environment where the connectivity of devices is embedded in such a way that the connectivity is not inconvenient or outwardly visible and is always available. In this way, computer technology will saturate almost every facet of our life. What seems like virtual reality at the moment will become the human reality in the future of computer technology.

LinK - GraMMar

http://a4esl.org/q/j/

LiNk - GrammAr

http://www.smic.be/smic5022/exercisesgrammar.htm

LinK - GrammaR

http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises_list/alle_grammar.htm

FuTure - SimPle / PerfEcT

1) Tomorrow it ____________in the north-west. (to rain)
2) My friend ___________________12 next Monday. (to be)
3) Hey John! Wait a minute. I _____________a word with you. (to have)
4) She ______________her boss next week. (to contact)
5) I think you _______________this job. (to get)
6) They__________________ at about 6 pm. (to arrive)
7) We the washing by 8 o'clock. (to do)
8) She Paris by the end of next year. (to visit)
9) I this by 6 o'clock. (to finish)
10) Sam by next week. (to leave)
11) She this with her mother tonight. (to discuss)
12) The police the driver. (to arrest)
13) They their essay by tomorrow. (to write)
14) Paolo the teams. (to manage)
15) If we can do that - then we our mission. (to fulfil)

Link - ExerciSes

http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simple-present/form/exercises?02

RaFFy & Little JohnnY

SimPle PasT or PrEsenT PeRfEcT

Simple Past or Present Perfect Simple

Exercise 1
Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or present perfect simple).
Mother: I want to prepare dinner________________________(you / wash) the dishes yet?
Daughter: I ______________________(wash) the dishes yesterday, but I (have / not) the time yet to do it today.
Mother: ____________________________(you / do / already) your homework?
Daughter: No, I _________________________(come / just) home from school.
Mother: You _______________________(come) home from school two hours ago!
Daughter: Well, but my friend Lucy_________________ (call) when I _______________(arrive) and I _____________________(finish / just) the phone call.
Mother: __________________________(you / see / not) Lucy at school in the morning?
Daughter: Yes, but we ___________________________(have / not) time to talk then.

Simple Past or Present Perfect Simple

Exercise 2
Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or present perfect simple).
A: I ____________________________(cycle / just) 50 km.
B: I _____________________________(cycle) 100 km last week.
A: I ______________________________(write) an essay yesterday.
B: I ______________________________(write / already) two essays this term.
A: I _______________________________(ring / just) my friend.
B: I _______________________________(ring) my friend 10 minutes ago.
A: Two days ago, I _________________________(watch) a Madonna concert on TV.
B: I ____________________________________(see / already) Madonna live in concert.

Simple Past or Present Perfect Simple

Exercise 3
Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or present perfect simple).
A: ____________________________(you / be / ever) to London?
B: Yes, I _______________________(be) there three times.
A: When ________________________(be) the last time you (be) there?
B: Last summer. I ______________________________(spend) two weeks in Brighton with my parents and we _____________________________(go) to London one weekend.
_________________________(you / like) it?
Oh yes. We really ____________________________(have) a great time in London.
Lucky you! I______________________________ (be / never) to London.
A: I ________________________(spend) my summer holiday in Australia last year.
B: I___________________________ (be / not) to Australia yet.

Link ReporTeD SpEEch

http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/reported-speech

RepoRteD SpeeCh

Exercise on Reported Speech

Questions - Exercise 1
Complete the sentences in reported speech. Note the change of pronouns and tenses.
"Where is my umbrella?" she asked.→ She asked
_________________________________________________________
"How are you?" Martin asked us.→ Martin asked us
_________________________________________________________
He asked, "Do I have to do it?"→ He asked
_________________________________________________________
"Where have you been?" the mother asked her daughter.→ The mother asked her daughter
_________________________________________________________
"Which dress do you like best?" she asked her boyfriend.→ She asked her boyfriend
_________________________________________________________
"What are they doing?" she asked.→ She wanted to know
_________________________________________________________
"Are you going to the cinema?" he asked me.→ He wanted to know
_________________________________________________________
The teacher asked, "Who speaks English?"→ The teacher wanted to know
_________________________________________________________
"How do you know that?" she asked me.→ She asked me
_________________________________________________________
"Has Caron talked to Kevin?" my friend asked me.→ My friend asked me
_________________________________________________________

Questions - Exercise 2
Complete the sentences in reported speech. Note the change of pronouns and tenses.
"What's the time?" he asked.→ He wanted to know
____________________________________________________________
"When will we meet again?" she asked me.→ She asked me
____________________________________________________________
"Are you crazy?" she asked him.→ She asked him
____________________________________________________________
"Where did they live?" he asked.→ He wanted to know
____________________________________________________________
"Will you be at the party?" he asked her.→ He asked her
____________________________________________________________
"Can you meet me at the station?" she asked me.→ She asked me
____________________________________________________________
"Who knows the answer?" the teacher asked.→ The teacher wanted to know
____________________________________________________________
"Why don't you help me?" she asked him.→ She wanted to know
____________________________________________________________
"Did you see that car?" he asked me.→ He asked me
____________________________________________________________
"Have you tidied up your room?" the mother asked the twins.→ The mother asked the twins
____________________________________________________________

TenTh LeVeL

FuTuRe AgaIn

Verb Tense Exercise 26
Future Perfect / Future Perfect Continuous

1. By the time we get to Chicago this evening, we _______________________(drive) more than four hundred miles. We are going to be exhausted.

2. When Sarah goes on vacation next month, she _________________________(study) German for over two years. She should be able to communicate fairly well while she is in Austria. 3. I have not traveled much yet; however, I _____________________(visit) the Grand Canyon and San Francisco by the time I leave the United States.

4. By the time you finish studying the verb tense tutorial, you _________________________(master) all twelve tenses including their passive forms.

5. Drive faster! If you don't hurry up, she ______________________________(have) the baby by the time we get to the hospital.

6. I came to England six months ago. I started my economics course three months ago. When I return to Australia, I _________________________(study) for nine months and I __________________(be) in England for exactly one year.

7. Margie just called and said she would be here at 8 o'clock. By the time she gets here, we _____________________(wait) for her for two hours. 8. Frank just changed jobs again. If he keeps this up, he ___________________________(change) jobs at least four or five times by the end of the year.

9. Come over to my house around 9 o'clock. By then, I _______________________(complete) my history essay and we can go see a movie.

10. In June, my grandmother and grandfather ___________________(be) married for fifty years.

FutuRe

1.Margaret: Do you think everything will be finished when I get back from the store?

Jerry: Don't worry. By the time you get back, I ____________(pick) up the living room and __________________(finish) washing the dishes. Everything will be perfect when your parents arrive.

Margaret: I hope so. They ______________(arrive) around 6 o'clock. Jerry: Everything___________ (be) spotless by the time they get here.

2.Nick: I just have two more courses before I graduate from university. By this time next year, I ______________________(graduate) , and I will already be looking for a job.

Stacey: Does that scare you? Are you worried about the future?

Nick: Not really. I _______________________(go) to a career counselor and get some advice on how to find a good job.

Stacey: That's a good idea.

Nick: I am also going to do an internship so that when I leave school, I _____________(complete, not only) over 13 business courses, but I ___________________(work, also) in the real world.

3. Stan: Did you hear that Christine __________________(take) a vacation in South America this winter?

Fred: I can't believe how often she goes abroad. Where exactly does she want to go?

Stan: She _____________________________(visit) Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador.

Fred: At this rate, she __________________________(visit) every country in the world by the time she's 50.

4. Judy: How long have you been in Miami?

Elaine: I have only been here for a couple of weeks. Judy: How long do you plan on staying? Elaine: I love Miami, so I ______________________(stay) here for an extended period of time. When I go back home, I ___________________________(be) here for more than three months.

Judy: Wow, that's quite a vacation! You ______________________________(see, definitely) just about everything there is to see in Miami by then.

5. Jane: I can't believe how late we are! By the time we get to the dinner, everyone ___________________________(finish, already) eating.

Jack: It's your own fault. You took way too long in the bathroom. Jane: I couldn't get my hair to look right. Jack: Who cares? By the time we get there, everyone _____________________(left) . Nobody __________________________(see, even) your hair.

LinK - GrammaR ExeRicE

http://www.englishgrammarsecrets.com/

EboNics

ass

1)n. A type of donkey or mule
2)n. a slang term to discribe the buttox
3)n. A stupid or foolish person
1) I rode my ass up the mountain. 2) I'll sake my ass in your face. 3) Stop being an ass!

LInk -http://englishonline.sites.uol.com.br/english/intermediate.htm

http://englishonline.sites.uol.com.br/english/intermediate.htm

EnDanGeReD SpEciEs

Koalas are marsupials,related to kangaroos. Most marsupials have pouches where the tiny newborns develop. A koala mother usually gives birth to one joey at a time. A newborn koala is only the size of a jelly bean. Called a joey, the baby is blind, naked, and earless. As soon as it’s born, this tiny creature makes its way from the birth canal to its mother’s pouch. Using the two well-developed senses it’s born with—smell and touch—along with its strong front legs and claws and an instinct that tells it which direction to head, the baby koala reaches the pouch. There it stays, safely tucked away, growing and developing for about seven months. After a baby has been in the pouch for about six months, its mother begins to produce a special substance called pap. The joey feeds on this in addition to the milk it’s already getting. Pap comes from the mother’s intestines and contains bacteria that the joey needs to have in its own intestines so that it can digest an adult diet of eucalyptus leaves. At about seven months, the joey leaves the pouch to eat leaves, but returns to it to nurse. By the time the joey is about one year old, it stops nursing and eats just leaves.
The United States recently added the Koala bear to the endangered list. If you are thinking that Koalas aren't found in the wild in the U.S., you're right. But the government is hoping they can help koalas in Australia.
By adding this cuddly animal to the list, people will no longer be able to bring koalas into the states. Scientists also think everyone will now be more aware of the dangers of cutting down trees. Koalas live on eucalyptus trees, and a large percentage of these special plants are being cut down. The United States and Australia are working together to save the koalas from extinction.

PumP Up The JaM

WorD oF ThE DaY

pool
game[uncountable]DGO a game in which you use a stick to hit numbered balls into holes around a table, which is often played in bars
shoot/play pool
We went to the pub and played pool.

ThaT's RaFFy

My FaMilY

My FirsT Day aT SpA

My Day at the Spa
Do you remember those papers you had to write in grade school? You know, the ones where the teacher asks you to write about what you did last summer. That is kinda how I feel about this post. This is my report.
My Day at the Spa
I started the day with breakfast, a banana and a bowl of cereal. In my quirky makes no sense thinking, I had to shower and make sure I shaved. I just couldn’t abide the technicians having to touch an unshaven leg. Call me weird, but I do the same thing when I go to the gyno. Logically, I know they don’t even notice, but I would not be able to relax if I didn’t. After getting pretty, I drove to Ross Bridge. I try not to think about the fact that it is only 10 miles from my house. It felt like I was a million miles away.
I was checked in and immediately taken into the spa. Immediately to the right there is a quiet room with a whirl pool. I always forget to bring my suit, so I have never tried it out. It is nice to sit and listen to the water. Straight ahead is the sauna which is screened for privacy. To the left are the restrooms and showers. In that area, they provide all the necessities: combs, hair dryers, shampoo, conditioner, toothbrushes, deodorant, feminine products. Also to the right are the lockers and changing rooms. Just beyond the locker room is a holding area where you wait for your services. They provide snacks, water and tea. In the past, I have not been too impressed with this area. However, they have much improved. They had some of the best fresh fruit I have ever eaten. I am not usually one for fresh raspberries. I love their taste, however their texture usually keeps me away. Not yesterday. They were so juicy and flavorful, I couldn’t get enough!
After a very short wait, I was taken back for my Southern Comfort scrub. I did not intend for this treatment to necessarily be relaxing. I felt I needed it. It ended up being wonderful. Kristen was my tech. She and I ended up chatting the entire time. We discussed making our own beauty products, life and family. She was great. I would not hesitate to recommend both the scrub and the tech. Afterward, I felt light. You know how you feel when you get in the pool – almost weightless? That is how I felt afterward. I know it sounds odd, but that’s exactly how I felt. Light. I guess that isn’t too far off. Kristen said she removed about three layers of dead skin. (Yuck!) My intention when I booked this treatment was to start fresh and keep it up at home. Along that line, she says she uses baking soda once a week. At the end of the shower, sprinkle the soda on skin, rub in circular motions and rinse well. I’m sure I will use this technique. I really, really love how my skin feels.
I scheduled in time for lunch. My plan was to go into the hotel and eat at one of the restaurants. I ended up ordering lunch through the spa. From three sandwiches they offered, I chose the BLT. It came with chips and a fruit cup, and all of it was packaged in a cute little bag.
I thought it was a nice touch.
After more relaxation and reading, I got my very first Hot Stone Massage. I’ve always wondered about those. Every time I see an advertisement or brochure for a spa, there is always a poto of a client with stones on his/her back. I was curious. That is why I put it on my list. Overall the experience was very pleasently medical not indulgent. To me and indulgence is pure enjoyment, like chocolate cake or an ice cream sundae. No one can claim that either has any other purpose other than enjoyment. I look at a Swedish massage as indulgent. Very rarely does it do anything but make you feel good. The hot stone massage is more along the lines of a deep tissue massage. There was slight pain, but the results were worth it. Afterward, all the tension was released. I felt loose. I felt great! Karen, the tech, used stones to perform a good portion of the massage. The best way to describe it was a combo of laying on a heating pad and getting a massage. Mom, you would love it! I think anyone who has alot of muscle tension due to job stress or athletic endeavors would really benefit from this type of massage. I think, in the future, I will stick to the Swedish massage. However, I am not sorry I tried it. It has been a long time since I have been this loose. I wish I could afford to get a massage every week. That would be great.
After slinking back to the waiting room, I headed over for my mani and pedi. While I’ve never found the experience to be relaxing (I have very ticklish feet), I adore how my hands and feet feel afterward.

IdioMatic

A steal
If something is a steal, it costs much less than it is really worth.
A still tongue keeps a wise head
Wise people don't talk much.
A watched pot never boils
Some things work out in their own time, so being impatient and constantly checking will just make things seem longer.
A1
If something is A1, it is the very best or finest.
Abide by a decision
If you abide by a decision, you accept it and comply with it, even though you might disagree with it.
Abject lesson
(India) An abject lesson serves as a warning to others. (In some varieties of English 'object lesson' is used.)
About as useful as a chocolate teapot
Someone or something that is of no practical use is about as useful as a chocolate teapot.
About face
If someone changes their mind completely, this is an about face. It can be used when companies, governments, etc, change their position on an issue.
Above board
If things are done above board, they are carried out in a legal and proper manner.
Above par
Better than average or normal
Absence makes the heart grow fonder
This idiom means that when people are apart, their love grows stronger.
Accident waiting to happen
If something is an accident waiting to happen, there's definitely going to be an accident or it's bound to go wrong. ('Disaster waiting to happen' is also used.)
Ace in the hole
An ace in the hole is something other people are not aware of that can be used to your advantage when the time is right.

FaMiLy in AcTioN

WorD oF The DaY

stall1 S2
1 [countable] a table or a small shop with an open front, especially outdoors, where goods are sold:
a market stall
2 [countable]TA an enclosed area in a building for an animal such as a horse or cow
3 [countable usually singular]TTC if a plane goes into a stall, its engine stops working
4 [countable usually plural]TBB a seat in a row of fixed seats for priests and singers in some larger churches:
choir stalls
5
bathroom/toilet/shower stallTBB a small enclosed private area for washing or using the toilet
6
the stallsBritish EnglishAPT the seats on the main level of a theatre or cinema:
a good seat in the front row of the stalls

One of My FavoRiTE BAND

Counting Crows

Counting Crows became popular in 1993 following the release of their debut album “August and Everything After” featuring the hit song Mr. Jones. The band was formed by singer Adam Duritz (previously of The Himalayans and Sordid Humor) and guitarist David Bryson (Local producer and former member of the band Mr. Dog) in San Francisco, California in 1990. Counting Crows originally performed as an acoustic duo, playing gigs in and around Berkeley and San Francisco. For the first album, Adam and David added bassist Matt Malley, the multiinstrumental Charlie Gillingham, and Drummer Steve Bowman. David Immergluck was the second guitarist on the first album, but did not officially join the band until 1999. Guitarist Dan Vickery was added just as the band set out on their first tour.Counting Crows, with their intimate and melancholy approach, achieved a large fan base among Generation X alternative rock fans who were looking for something different from the raging guitars of the Seattle music scene. The band’s most recent success included a … 1 hit with the song Accidentally in Love, which was featured on the Shrek 2 soundtrack (which has sold over 1,000,000 copies), as well as nominations last year for a Grammy Award, a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award for the track. To date the band has sold over 20 million CDs worldwide. In 2004 the band released their first ever Best Of set, Films about Ghosts, which featured songs from every phase of the Counting Crows recording career.

ExoTiC FooD

Indulging in Exotic Cuisine in Beijing
While one might consider things eaten in China to be at times distasteful, you must bridge the cultural gap and look at it with an open mind. There have been periods of severe famine even as recently as the late 1960's when tens of millions died of starvation in the Great Leap Forward. Back then you would have been glad for what is on today's menu.
Dog is common in Korean restaurants in Beijing. The dogs used are not pets taken from people's homes but are specially raised for food - just as a cow, lamb or chicken would be in the west. If you have an urge to bite a dog, ask for "gou rou" - pronounced "go row" in one of the cities many Korean establishments.
If you are in Wangfujing you should be sure and get down to Wangfujing Snack Street (Wangfujing Xiaochijie, located through an ornamental arch on the west side). Don't let this put you off as the food on this street is mostly "conventional" Chinese and great for lunch or dinner.

There are many little food stalls down Wangfujing Snack Street serving a huge variety of cheap food.

Step up and have a close look.
Seahorse strengthens sexual ability.
Scorpion makes your blood hotter in cold weather and can cure certain diseases. Bad things attacking bad things.

I'm not sure what cicata does,but there's only one way to find out...Bite me!

If you're still hungry after all that - how about a starfish...?

WorD oF The DaY

sluggish
adjectivemoving or operating more slowly than usual and with less energy or power:A heavy lunch makes me sluggish in the afternoon.Something is wrong with the car - the engine feels a bit sluggish.The housing market has been very sluggish these past few years.

LiTTle JohNNy

LinK

http://www.americanfolklore.net/powers-darkness.html

LInK

http://www.americanfolklore.net/powers-darkness.html

MuSiK - Creed

Creed - One


Affirmative may be justified take from one give to another
The goal is to be unified take my hand be my brother
The payment silenced the masses sanctified by oppression
Unity took a back seat sliding further into regression

Chorus:

One oh One the only way is One
One oh One the only way is One
I feel angry I feel helpless, wanna change the world yeah..
I feel violent I feel alone, don't try and change my mind no..

Society blind by color why hold down one to raise another
Discrimination now on both sides seeds of hate blossom further
The world is headed for mutiny, when all we want is unity
We may rise and fall, but in the end we meet our fate together

Chorus:

One oh One the only way is One
One oh One the only way is One
I feel angry I feel helpless, wanna change the world yeah..
I feel violent I feel alone, don't try and change my mind no..
I feel angry I feel helpless, wanna change the world yeah..
I feel violent I feel alone, don't try and change my mind no..

I feel angry I feel helpless, wanna change the world yeah..
I feel violent I feel alone, don't try and change my mind no..
I feel angry I feel helpless, wanna change the world yeah..
I feel violent I feel alone, don't try and change my mind

HenRiquE - My tWin WIth an Ice CreaM

WorD oF thE DaY

thud1 [countable]
the low sound made by a heavy object hitting something else
a dull/hard/heavy thud
There was a dull thud as the box hit the floor.
His head hit the floor with a sickening thud.

LinKs

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/
http://www.infovisual.info/

OxYmoroNS

Oxymoron Example ListHere are our top 36 favourite oxymorons – oxymorons in a loose sense of the word:
open secret
larger half
clearly confused
act naturally
alone together
Hell's Angels
found missing
liquid gas
civil engineer
deafening silence
seriously funny
living dead
Microsoft Works
military intelligence
jumbo shrimp
Advanced BASIC
tragic comedy
unbiased opinion
virtual reality
definite maybe
original copies
pretty ugly
same difference
plastic glasses
almost exactly
constant variable
even odds
minor crisis
extinct life
genuine imitation
exact estimate
only choice
freezer burn
free love
working holiday
rolling stop

LinKS

http://www.englishgrammarsecrets.com/
http://thesaurus.reference.com/
http://www.merriam-webster.com/

EverYbody 2geTheR

StuDentS aT ViVenCiaL

WoRd oF the DaY

thrive past tense thrived or throve past participle thrived [intransitive] formal
to become very successful or very strong and healthy:
plants that thrive in tropical rainforests
a business which managed to thrive during a recession
thrive on something phrasal verb
to enjoy or be successful in a particular situation, especially one that other people find difficult or unpleasant:
I wouldn't want that much pressure, but she seems to thrive on it.

HaLLowEEn is coming - Marcelo and Andrea

WOrd Of thE DaY

fierce
1 done with a lot of energy and strong feelings, and sometimes violent:
fierce fighting in the city
fierce attack/opposition/criticism etc
The government's policies came under fierce attack.
a fierce debate
fierce competition between the companies
2 a fierce person or animal is angry or ready to attack, and looks very frightening:
fierce guard dogs
She turned round, looking fierce.
3 fierce emotions are very strong and often angry:
These people take fierce pride in their independence.
4DN fierce cold, heat, or weather is much colder, hotter etc than usual:
a fierce wind
5
something fierceAmerican English spoken more loudly, strongly etc than usual:
It was snowing something fierce.
—fiercely adverb
—fierceness noun [uncountable]

Beauty - Flavy

Word of the day

in‧cu‧bus plural incubuses or incubi [countable]
1 someone or something that causes a lot of worries or problems:
Joyce regarded his US citizenship as a moral and political incubus.
2 a male devil that in the past was believed to have sex with a sleeping woman ➔ succubus

My Minie

Flavy at school

blond girls

POEM - A NEGRO LOVE SONG / PAUL DUMBAR

Seen my lady home las' night,
Jump back, honey, jump back
Hel' huh han' an' sque'z it tight
Jump back, honey, jump back
Hyeahd huh sigh a little sigh
Seen a light gleam f'om huh eye
An' a smile go flittin' by --
Jump back, honey, jump back
Hyeahd de win' blow thoo de pine
Jump back, honey, jump back.
Mockin'-bird was singin' fine
Jump back, honey, jump back
An' my hea't was beatin' so
When I reached my lady's do'
Dat I could n't ba' to go
Jump back, honey, jump back
Put my ahm aroun' huh wais'
Jump back, honey, jump back
Raised huh lips an' took a tase
Jump back, honey, jump back
Love me, honey, love me true?
Love me well ez I love you?
An' she answe'd, "'Cose I do"
Jump back, honey, jump back

FLAVY AT PATIO BELÉM

my ballerina - Flavy

iron maiden - wasted years

From the coast of gold

across the seven seas

I'm traveling on

far and wide

But now it seems,

I'm just a stranger to myself

And all the things I sometimes do

it isn't me but someone else

I close my eyes, and think of home

Another city goes by, in the night

Ain't it funny how it is

you never miss it til it's gone away

And my heart is lying there

and will be til my dying day

Chorus:

So understand

Don't waste your time

always searching for those wasted years

Face up...make your stand

And realize you're living in the golden years

Too much time on my hands

I got you on my mind

Can't ease this pain, so easily

When you can't find the words to say

it's hard to make it through another day

And it makes me wanna cry

and throw my hands up to the sky

Chorus:So understand

Don't waste your time

always searching for those wasted years

Face up...make your stand

And realize you're living in the golden years.

rafael / helenluci - wow!!!

students of mine / oral test

Marcelo si hungry

live in Centur

my twins birthday is in august

my beautiful and beloved wife

musik - I am the highway / audioslave

Pearls and swine bereft of me
Long and weary my road has been
I was lost in the cities Alone in the hills
No sorrow or pity for leaving I feel
Chorus I am not your rolling wheels
I am the highway
I am not your carpet ride
I am the sky Friends and liars don’t wait for me
I’ll get on all by myself
I put millions of miles Under my heels
And still too close to you I feel
Chorus I am not your rolling wheels
I am the highway
I am not your carpet ride
I am the sky
I am not your blowing wind I am the lightning
I am not your autumn moon
I am the night The night
I am not your rolling wheels
I am the highway
I am not your carpet ride
I am the sky
I am not your blowing wind
I am the lightning
I am not your autumn moon
I am the night The night

my second book - My favorite pet

It was a Sunday morning when we decided to go to a square where an institution which takes care of animals was donating some dogs for families that wanted to have these beautiful creatures in their house as a member of their families.

At the moment my husband and my six-year-old daughter was with me to help me choose the perfect one for us.

idiomatic expressions

A bit much
If something is excessive or annoying, it is a bit much.
A chain is no stronger than its weakest link
This means that processes, organisations, etc, are vulnerable because the weakest person or part can always damage or break them.
A day late and a dollar short
(USA) If something is a day late and a dollar short, it is too little, too late.
A fool and his money are soon parted
This idiom means that people who aren't careful with their money spend it quickly. 'A fool and his money are easily parted' is an alternative form of the idiom.
A fool at 40 is a fool forever
If someone hasn't matured by the time they reach forty, they never will.
A hitch in your giddy-up
If you have a hitch in your giddy-up, you're not feeling well. ('A hitch in your gittie-up' is also used.)
A lick and a promise
If you give something a lick and a promise, you do it hurriedly, most often incompletely, intending to return to it later.
A little bird told me
If someone doesn't want to say where they got some information from, they can say that a little bird told them.
A little learning is a dangerous thing
A small amount of knowledge can cause people to think they are more expert than they really are.eg. he said he'd done a course on home electrics, but when he tried to mend my table lamp, he fused all the lights! I think a little learning is a dangerous thing
A long row to hoe
Something that is a long row to hoe is a difficult task that takes a long time.
A lost ball in the high weeds
A lost ball in the high weeds is someone who does not know what they are doing, where they are or how to do something.
A month of Sundays
A month of Sundays is a long period of time: I haven't seen her in a month of Sundays.
A OK
If things are A OK, they are absolutely fine.
A penny for your thoughts
This idiom is used as a way of asking someone what they are thinking about.
A penny saved is a penny earned
This means that we shouldn't spend or waste money, but try to save it.
A picture is worth a thousand words
A picture can often get a message across much better than the best verbal description.
A poor man's something
Something or someone that can be compared to something or someone else, but is not as good is a poor man's version; a writer who uses lots of puns but isn't very funny would be a poor man's Oscar Wilde.
A pretty penny
If something costs a pretty penny, it is very expensive.
A problem shared is a problem halved
If you talk about your problems, it will make you feel better.
A rising tide lifts all boats
This idiom, coined by John F Kennedy, describes the idea that when an economy is performing well, all people will benefit from it.
A rolling stone gathers no moss
People say this to mean that that an ambitious person is more successful than a person not trying to achieve anything. Originally it meant the opposite and was critical of people trying to get ahead.
A slice off a cut loaf is never missed
Used colloquially to describe having sexual intercourse with someone who is not a virgin, especially when they are in a relationship. The analogy refers to a loaf of bread; it is not readily apparent, once the end has been removed, exactly how many slices have been taken.('You never miss a slice from a cut loaf' is also used.)

my book - little johnny

Johnny: Titto, are you ok?

Titto: Yes, I’m fine.

Phoevee: I’m here listening both of you.

Johnny: Phoevee, I’m so happy to hear your voice.

Phoevee: Thank you Johnny.


- They return to the base and they are received like heroes –

- crowd shouting loudly–


Ruxulus: Doddy, I knew I could count on you and you proved me right. From this moment on, I honor you as a real Ghemakroyd warrior.

- crowd bursts in esctasy -

Doddy: I would like to say that I’m very happy to share this moment with all of you. And I’d also like to thank my friends: Titto and Phoevee. I’m sure that without them I could never have a chance to prove I was able to win this war. I’m so proud to be a Ghemakroyd warrior. You’ll always be on my mind for the rest of my life. The only thing I wish to do now is to go back home and tell my mother all this unforgettable adventure I’ve gone through. I hope I can see you as soon as possible. Good bye , Ghemakroyds !

- Crowd screaming: Doddy! Doddy!-

how to make new friends

How to Make Friends

There's a certain beauty in being a lone wolf. You have more time to do things you want to do, like take introspective walks, read books, write poetry, and other solitary endeavors. If you want to diversify your options, though, there are literally billions of potential friends in the world. What's more, many of these people want to make friends just as much as you do. So consider these suggestions to meet people and form strong, lasting friendships.


Spend more time around people. If you want to make friends, you first need to put yourself out there somehow. Friends seldom come knocking on your door while you sit at home watching TV. If the people you're already around (e.g. at work or school) aren't friend material for whatever reasons, it's really not the end of the world.
Join a club with people who have common interests. You don't necessarily have to have a lot of common interests with people in order to make friends with them. In fact, some of the most rewarding friendships are between two people who don't have much in common at all, but if you have something in common with people, it can make it a lot easier to start a conversation and plan activities together.
Use the web but get out! Websites like Meetup.com are aiming to bring people together with common interest. You can join any group or just start your own. If you don't know of a specific topic, try searching for just a location. It's a great way to meet new local people!
Join a sports team. A common misconception about this is that you have to be really good at playing a particular sport in order to make friends with others on the team, but not all teams are so competitive. As long as you enjoy the sport and support your teammates, joining a local team with a laid-back attitude could be a great way to make new friends.
Volunteer. Volunteering is a great way for people of all ages to meet others. By working together you build bonds with people, and you might meet others who have a passion for changing things the way you do—a common cause.
Talk to people. You can join a club, go to school, or go to church, and you still won't make friends if you don't actually talk to people. By the same token, you don't have to be involved with an organization to talk to people, and any time you talk to someone, you have a chance at making a lasting friend. You can talk to anybody: the clerk at the video store, the person sitting next to you on the bus, or the person in front of you on the lunch line. Don't be too picky. Most conversations will be a dead-end of sorts--when you may never talk to that person again, or you just remain acquaintances--but once in a while you'll actually make a friend.
Make eye contact and smile. If you have an unfriendly countenance, people are less likely to be receptive to your friendship. Look approachable by not squinting (get some glasses), frowning or appearing blankly deadpan, such expressions may look troubled or disinterested.
Start a conversation. There are many ways to do this; a comment about your immediate environment (The weather is a classic: "At least it's not raining like last week!"), a request for help ("Can you help me carry a few boxes, if you have a minute?" or "Can you help me decide which one of these is a better gift for my mom?") or a compliment ("That's a nice car." or "I love your shoes."). Follow up immediately with a related question: Do you like this warm weather? What kinds of gifts do you normally buy for your mom? Where did you get shoes like that?
Make small talk. Keep the conversation light and cheery. Even if you're complaining about something, make sure it's something you're both dissatisfied with, and emphasize the positive—how such a situation can be avoided in the future, or alternatives. Bounce a few words back and forth for a little bit.
Introduce yourself towards the end of the conversation. It can be as simple as saying "Oh, by the way, my name is...". Once you introduce yourself, the other person will typically do the same. Remember his or her name.
Initiate a get-together. You can chat your heart out but it won't get you a friend if you don't open up the opportunity for another conversation or meeting. This is especially important if you meet someone who you aren't otherwise likely to meet again. Seize the day!
If you've discovered that the person you're talking to has a common interest, ask him or her more about it and, if appropriate, whether they get together with others (in a club, for example) to pursue this interest. If so, this is a perfect opportunity to ask about joining them. If you clearly express interest (when? where? can anyone come?) they'll probably invite you. If you have a club, band, church, etc. that you think they might enjoy, take the opportunity to give them your number or email address and invite them to join you.
Ask them out for lunch or coffee. That will give you a better opportunity to talk and get to know each other a little bit better. A good way to extend yourself is to say: "Hey, well, I've got to go, but if you ever want to talk over lunch or coffee or anything like that, let me give you my number/e-mail address." This gives the person the opportunity to contact you; they may or may not give you their information in return, but that's fine. Maybe they don't have time for new friends—don't take it personally! Just offer your contact info to whoever seems to be potentially a good friend, and eventually somebody will get in touch.
Don't do anything to pressure someone into being friends with you. Never chide acquaintances for failing to invite you to a party, for example; don't call someone repeatedly or stop by uninvited (unless you have established that stopping by unannounced is o.k.); and refrain from overstaying your welcome anywhere. In general, take friendship slowly, and don't try to force intimacy to grow quickly; the move from acquaintance to friend can take a long time. It's understandable to want more of a good thing, but try to err on the side of less. If you are not sure about the pace of your new friendship, check in with your friend and ask directly. Too much, too fast can be scary or intimidating, and not everybody is able to say "Slow down..." - instead, they may run the other way!
Be a good friend. Once you've started spending time with potential friends, remember to do your part (i.e. initiating some of the activities, remembering birthdays, asking how the other person is feeling) or else the friendship will become unbalanced and an uneasiness or distance is likely to arise.
Be reliable. If you and your friend agree to meet somewhere, don't be late, and do not stand them up. If you're not going to make it on time or make it at all, call them as soon as you realize it. Apologize and ask to reschedule. Don't make them wait for you unexpectedly; it's rude, and it is certainly not a good way to launch a potential friendship. When you say you'll do something, do it. Be someone that people know that they can count on.
Be a good listener. Many people think that in order to be seen as "friend material" they have to appear very interesting. Far more important than this, however, is the ability to show that you're interested in others. Listen carefully to what people say, remember important details about them (their names, their likes and dislikes), ask questions about their interests, and just take the time to learn more about them. You don't want to be the guy or girl that always has a better story than anyone else or that changes the subject abruptly instead of continuing the flow of conversation. These people appear too wrapped up in themselves to be good friends--"one-ups-man-ship" is a put down.
Be trustworthy. One of the best things about having a friend is that you have someone to whom you can talk about anything, even secrets that you hide from the rest of the world. The key to being a good confidante is the ability to keep secrets, so it's no secret that you shouldn't tell other people things that were told to you in confidence. Before people even feel comfortable opening up to you, however, you need to build trust. Be honest about yourself and your beliefs, and don't gossip about others or spread rumors or they will think you like stories better than friends.
Be there. You've probably heard of fair-weather friends. They're the ones who are happy to be around you when things are going well, but are nowhere to be found when you really need them. Part of being a friend is being prepared to make sacrifices of your time and energy in order to help out your friends. If a friend needs help with an unpleasant chore, or if he or she just needs a shoulder to cry on, be there.
Choose your friends wisely. As you befriend more people, you may find that some are easier to get along with than others. While you always give people the benefit of the doubt, sometimes you realize that certain friendships are unhealthy, such as if a person is obsessively needy or controlling towards you, constantly critical, or introducing dangers or threats into your life. If this is the case, ease your way out of the friendship as gracefully as possible. Preoccupy yourself with other things, such as a new volunteer opportunity, so that you can honestly say that you don't have enough time in your schedule to spend time with them (but don't substitute their time for time with other friends; they may notice and become jealous, and more drama will ensue). Cherish those friends you make who are a positive influence in your life, and do your best to be a positive influence in theirs.