Have a great weekend, everyone!

25th Friday Fun Quiz – Test your English vocabulary:

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As you can see on the map, Cambridge is north of London. It takes about an hour and a half to drive there from London but it’s better to take the train there. Cambridge is a crowded place and it’s really difficult to park there.

Walking or cycling are the best ways to get around Cambridge. If you are feeling adventurous, you could have a go in a special kind of boat called a ‘punt’. The boat does not have an engine, oars, or a sail. It is pushed along with a long stick and this is called ‘punting’. It’s good fun but a little difficult at first.

Cambridge is most famous for its university. It’s very old and divided up into lots of smaller colleges rather than being located in one big campus. Cambridge is one of the best universities in the world.

If you are there to study English, though, you don’t need to go to the university. There are lots of dedicated language schools around the city and because of the competition, they all have very high teaching standards.

Accommodation in Cambridge can be expensive but prices aren’t as high as in central London. If you go during the summertime, you may even be able to stay in one of the ancient university buildings because most of the students move our during the summer break.

If you would like to experience traditional England as you’ve seen it in the movies, Cambridge is the place for you. It can get crowded during the summer but that just adds to the fun. The winter months are cold and damp, though, so if you come from a warm country, remember to pack some thick clothes!

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There are lots of interesting English expressions and idioms using ‘light’. This week, let’s look at those that use ‘light’ meaning the opposite of ‘dark’.

the light of your life
Meaning: the person you love the most
Example: My daughter is the light of my life.

to light someone’s fire
Meaning: to cause someone to be attracted or exciting
Example: Come on, baby, light my fire! (the song)

a guiding light
Meaning: a person who guides or acts as a mentor to others
Example: My university professor really was my guiding light.

to give (something) the green light
Meaning: to approve or allow something
Example: The boss has given my plan the green light so let’s start working.

to be out like a light
Meaning: to fall asleep very quickly
Example: I was so tired after running today, I went out like a light.

a red-light district
Meaning: a place where there is a lot of prostitution.
Example: The red-light district in Amsterdam is very famous for sex shops.

to see the light
Meaning: to realise something is the truth.
Example: I used a PC for years but in the end I saw the light and bought a Mac.

Today’s image is by Bartosz Borecki.

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Today I thought I would go through all my favourite ways of taking notes when learning a language.

1. A notebook. Notebooks are great because they never break and are easy to carry anywhere. You can also look back on your notes later on to see how much progress you have made.

My favourite brand of notebook is Moleskine and I like their squared paper pocket notebooks best of all. The squared paper is great for writing sentences on or making tables of vocabulary and they have a little pocket at the back to keep other pieces of paper or notes in.

2. Index cards. Index cards are cheap and easy to make. You can throw them away when you are finished with them or keep them and use them to track your progress. They aren’t as durable as a notebook but they are lighter and cheaper.

3. An iPhone/iPod touch. These little gadgets are great and there are so many interesting applications being developed for them all the time. It’s easy to use one to take notes and you can even download flashcard applications to help you remember all the new vocabulary you write down.

If you like gadgets, though, it might be worth waiting for an iPad rather than buying a new iPod. It will have more space on the screen for reading and you can attach a keyboard in case you need to make more extensive notes.

4. A computer. If, like me, you work in front of a computer all day, why not use it to make notes on new vocabulary as you come across it? Using a Firefox addon like Quicknote is a great way to make a note of new words and expressions without disrupting your workflow.

5. Voice notes. A great idea for auditory learners. You could use your cell phone or a voice recorder to make your notes. This is a god way to practise your speaking skills, too.

6. A whiteboard. Whiteboards aren’t just for teachers. If you hang a whiteboard on your wall at home, you can write notes on it then wipe it clean when you are finished. Whiteboards are cheap and easy to maintain.

7. Post-it® Notes. These little sticky pieces of paper are another cheap way to make notes in English. The great thing about learning English using post-it notes is that you can stick them somewhere really obvious so you don’t forget whatever you have written on them.

What’s your favourite way to make notes when you are learning English?

Today’s image is by Elisa Nobe.

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Vocabulary in the video:

to fast-track
Meaning: to do something faster than it would usually be done.
See it in context: Barack Obama looks to fast-track health reform bill into law

to fall flat
Meaning: to fail badly
See it in context: Gaddafi joke falls flat

migraine
Meaning: a severe headache
See it in context: Hand-held device on trial for migraine sufferers

put your money where your mouth is
Meaning: to act rather than just talking about something
See it in context: Put money where our mouth is

peer
Meaning: a member of the UK House of Lords
See it in context: Peers propose blocks on sites hosting illegal content

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Anyway, have a great weekend everyone and good luck with this week’s English vocabulary quiz:

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