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Vocabulary: Richmond walk on Sunday 16 September 2012

18/9/2012

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Dear all
Thank you so much for making this walk so enjoyable! We had so many laughs along the way ... I hope you all enjoyed it too. Richmond-upon-Thames is such a pretty area and I hope that you are able to return to explore is some more.

Here is the vocabulary from the walk. If I have missed anything, please add it.

I look forward to seeing you again.
Best Wishes
Gail


The layout (noun): The way in which the different parts of something are arranged. E.g. we talked about the way Henry VII rebuilt the palace of Shene (later to be renamed Richmond Palace) and the ‘layout’ of the buildings.

To locate (verb): To discover the exact place where something is.

Location (noun): The exact place or position where something is. E.g. We can find the exact location of Richmond Palace on the map.

A speedboat (noun):  A small, fast boat with a powerful engine.

A barge (noun): A long, flat-bottomed boat used to carry freight. In the past, freight included sugar, spices, timber, wool, livestock (live animals) etc. Today, freight on the Thames includes sugar, cement, fertilisers, animal feedstuffs, chemicals, crude oil etc.

 A toll (noun): When you have to pay to walk or drive over a bridge or on a road. E.g. We walked over Richmond Lock and Footbridge and we heard how it was a ‘toll bridge’ when it opened in 1894. People had to pay 1d (an old English penny) to walk across it to the other side. If they wanted to walk onto the bridge, enjoy the pretty views of the Thames and then walk back again, they had to pay 2d!

A hobby (noun): An activity that you enjoy in your free time. E.g. We talked about walking as a hobby as well as reading, painting, gardening and one of you studies insects! Plural = hobbies.

The tide (noun): When the sea rises and falls because of the influence of the moon. This is twice a day. The sea comes in and then goes out. The River Thames is a ‘tidal’ river i.e. it has a tide.

The embankment (noun): The wall that is built next to a river to stop floods. We often call the area that we walk along by a river ‘the embankment.’

‘No mooring’ (verb): The sign next to the riverbank said ‘No mooring’. To moor is when a boat stops and ties the rope onto the land so that it can stay there. This sign is telling boats that they cannot stay there!

To distract (verb): To take someone’s attention away from what they are doing. E.g. I was distracted by the man who thought he had caught a fish and I forgot to tell you which way to go next!

A tunnel (noun): An underground passage that has been constructed by people. Tunnels can be built through hills, under buildings or roads and even under a river. E.g. we saw the entrances to the tunnel that was constructed under the Thames at Richmond in 1769.

Odd (adjective): a) unusual, strange, different. E.g. My new manager is odd. She never sits down to do her work.

b) odd numbers = numbers that cannot be divided exactly by two e.g.1,3,5,7,9,11 etc. (the opposite of even numbers – 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 etc).

c) an oddball (adjective): the same as describing someone as odd. E.g. He’s an oddball.

Weird (adjective): Unusual or strange. E.g. I had a really weird dream.

Hardship (noun): Something that makes your life difficult, especially not having enough money. E.g. We talked about Richmond as a prosperous area but, after some discussion, we decided that there must be people suffering from hardship here too!

Bustling (adjective): A bustling place is full of noisy activity. E.g. the little ancient side-streets in Richmond were bustling with people when we walked through them.

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New vocabulary: City walks Monday 05 September 2012

5/9/2012

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Dear all
I thoroughly enjoyed meeting you and spending the morning with you ... showing you parts of the City of London as well as listening to your English (which is a very good standard!!).

Here is the vocabulary from the walk. If I've missed anything, please do add it yourselves.

I wish you all the very best when you return to your countries but hope to see you again when you return to London!
Best Wishes
Gail

The vocabulary:
A skyscraper (noun): A very tall building that has several floors. It looks as if it’s reaching up to the sky.

To scrape (verb): To drag a hard or sharp implement (e.g. knife) across a surface to remove dirt or something else. E.g. After he walked in the muddy fields, he scraped his boots with a stick to remove the mud.

Rope (noun): A long piece of cord. The cord is made by twisting strands of fibres from plants (traditionally hemp) together.

To climb (verb):  To go up, ascend something that is high or goes upwards e.g. a hill, a mountain, stairs, an escalator etc. E.g. he climbed the mountain using rope to help him.

An abattoir (noun): A place where animals are slaughtered.

Poultry (noun): A generic name for animals such as chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese and guinea fowl. Another generic name for these animals is ‘fowl’. E.g. In the 1840s Leadenhall Market sold poultry.

A crane (noun): a) A tall machine made of metal that is used for moving heavy objects. We saws lots of cranes while walking through the City.

b) a type of long-necked and long-legged bird.

A terminus (noun): The end of a transport route, usually railway. E.g. We walked through Liverpool Street station. This is a terminus because all the trains have to stop there and can’t go any further. It is the ‘end of the line’.

A pawnbroker (noun): A person who lends money on security of an article. E.g. She took her gold watch to the pawnbroker and he gave her money for it. When she could pay it back, she collected the watch again.

A beggar (noun): A person who asks for money so that they can live. E.g. when we were at The George Inn at the end, a man asked us to give him money.

A gherkin (noun): a) A small cucumber that is used for pickling (kept in vinegar).

b) The Gherkin = the Swiss Re building we walked past. It is commonly called the Gherkin because it looks like a cucumber shape!

A penthouse (noun): An apartment on the top floor of a tall building. It is usually luxurious and has lovely views from the window. E.g. We looked up at The Shard and talked about the apartments at the top. We said that they would be very, very expensive penthouses!

Classmates (noun): Another member of a class at school or college.

Fellow students (noun): The same as ‘classmates’.

Mate or matey (noun): An informal word we use for a friend or companion for someone we want to be friendly with. E.g. We can say, ‘Thanks mate’ to someone. Or, ‘Hey matey, you coming to the pub this evening?’

Traveller v traveller = ‘traveller’ is British English (‘traveler’ is US English).

Raisin (noun): A partially dried grape used in cakes, biscuits and other foods.

Currants (noun): A small dried fruit made from a small seedless grape. We use these in cooking.

Sultanas (noun): A small, light brown seedless raisin used in cooking e.g. cakes and puddings

Pudding (noun): a) A cooked sweet dish eaten after the main course. A dessert.

b) A sweet or savoury dish made with suet and flour. E.g. Steak and kidney pudding

To slam the door in someone’s face (verb / expression): a) Close the door very forcefully so that is nearly hits a person in the face.

b) E.g. a person looking for work might feel that employers have slammed the door in their face when they cannot find work.

To hang up (verb / expression): When you talk to someone on the phone and cut them off suddenly, possibly in anger. We also can say: ‘She slammed the phone down on me’

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    Gail Golding, English teacher and guide at English Walks

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