Pillars of Society
Friends say teachers are pillars of society. The grammar focus is on Conditionals.
Yadira: “Why don’t we have better teachers?”
Jaime: “They don’t get paid enough.”
Yadira: “Why not? Who is in charge of this society?”
Jaime: “Money-hungry fools.”
Yadira: “But if people get a good education, they make more money.”
Jaime: “Of course they do. But some people at the top have something else in mind.”
Yadira: “What do they want?”
Jaime: “If you are a good egg, you wouldn’t believe it.”
Yadira: “It’s that bad?”
Jaime: “Evil runs deep in some human souls.”
VOCABULARY WITH IDIOMS
In charge means in a position of control, authority, or responsibility (over someone or something). See online Idioms Dictionary.
Have in mind means plan or intend to do. See online Idioms Dictionary.
Something else means a completely different situation or set of circumstances. See online Idioms Dictionary.
Good egg means someone who is known to be trustworthy and kind. See online Idioms Dictionary.
Runs deep means it is very serious or strong and well established in the nature and character of something or someone. See online Idioms Dictionary.
ENGLISH GRAMMAR
Suggested Topic for Comments: Conditionals
“If people get a good education, they make more money.” This is a standard generic Factual Conditional, such as: “If you boil water, it gets steamy.” The present tenses is normally used in both clauses. This type of conditional is used frequently in scientific writing.
INTERMEDIATE-ADVANCED DIALOGUE
New Idioms are “Bring up” and “Get into.” The Grammar focus is on Prepositional Verbs vs. Phrasal Verbs.
Samira: “Can you believe these rent hikes?”
Tess: “No, I have no idea how half the population even survives. Do they all live with their parents, or each other?”
Samira: “I know a 50-year-old teacher who lives with her dad. I mean, her mother is already gone.”
Tess: “You should bring that up. Teaching is the worst profession in so many ways.”
Samira: “Beginning with low salary and lack of respect.”
Tess: “There is a mystique, too, around some school dropouts — Johnny Depp, Steve Jobs, Leonardo DiCaprio. Like there’s much better opportunities elsewhere.”
Samira: “Education should be one of the great pillars of a great society.”
Tess: “Maybe it depends on who is actually running the society?”
Samira: “I’m not sure I want to get into that.”
Tess: “I wouldn’t dream of offering any opinions on it.”
Samira: “Anyway no matter what kind of society you have, education definitely matters.”
VOCABULARY WITH IDIOMS
Rent hike means a raise in rent. See online Dictionary.
Bring up means to mention or introduce something into discussion. See online Idioms Dictionary.
Drop out means to withdraw from participation in a group such as a school, club, or game. The noun is spelled “dropout.” See online Idioms Dictionary.
Get into means to become involved in something, to develop an interest in something. See online Idioms Dictionary.
ENGLISH GRAMMAR
Suggested Topic for Comments: Prepositional vs. Phrasal Verbs
“I wouldn’t dream of offering any opinions” might cause a student to ask if “dream of” is a phrasal verb. It’s not, it’s a prepositional verb “dream” followed by the verb phrase complement “of” and the gerund “offering,” which takes this form as object of the preposition. Prepositional verbs are intransitive and differ from phrasal verbs in many ways, including the function of the preposition.
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