Coit Tower isn’t very tall – only 210 feet (64 m). In fact, it’s short compared to some of the other buildings on the San Francisco skyline (the shape made by hills and buildings against the sky). But it stands on top of Telegraph Hill, so it’s hard to miss (avoid seeing) by day or by night.

Telegraph Hill, which is popular with many tourists, is an important part of San Francisco’s history. It gets its name from a signal (something used to send messages), located at the top of the Hill, that was used to identify ships arriving in San Francisco harbor (place near the city where ships stop). In 1850, the signal alerted (sent a message to) San Franciscans that California had become the 31^st state in the U.S.

Coit Tower was built on Telegraph Hill as a gift from wealthy socialite (well-known rich woman) Lillie Hitchcock Coit. She was a little eccentric (unusual, odd) – for example, she loved to chase fires (go where fires are burning) – but she wanted to add “to the beauty of the city which [she] had always loved.” The Tower was designed in the art deco style – with strong, simple shapes and colors – that was popular in the 1920s and 30s. It was dedicated (officially opened) in 1933.

Many people have seen the Tower from the outside; fewer, however, know about the art treasure inside. The interior walls are covered with fresco murals created by 27 different artists and their assistants. Frescos are works of art created by painting directly on the surface of a wall or ceiling, often when the surface is still wet, so that the painting becomes a permanent part of the wall or ceiling. Leonardo Da Vinci’s The Last Supper is one of the most famous examples of fresco.

A mural is any work of art painted on a wall or ceiling, often as a part of the design of the building. According to a recent report, more than 2500 murals were painted in post offices, schools, and other public buildings in the U.S. in the 1920s. The murals in Coit Tower tell a story of life in California in the early part of the 20^th century. They include scenes of “the grim (serious) reality (truth) of city life, the pastoral (peaceful) beauty of California’s agriculture (farm life), and the worlds of food and leisure (relaxing activity).” Famous Mexican muralist (someone who paints murals) Diego Rivera influenced many of the artists who painted the Coit murals.

Many of the public murals in the U.S., including those in the Coit Tower, are in danger today. The U.S. Post Office, for example, is down-sizing (becoming smaller) and closing many of their buildings, including some with murals. The Coit murals, however, face a different peril (serous and immediate danger) – the San Francisco fog.

One of the problems with frescos is that anything in the environment that damages the wall or ceiling they’re painted on also damages the paintings. This kind of deterioration (becoming worse) seriously damaged Da Vinci’s Last Supper and required a major effort by art conservators (someone who repairs art) to rescue (save) the painting.

In the Coit Tower, moisture (small amounts of water) from the almost daily San Francisco fog penetrates (goes into) the walls. As it evaporates (dries), it moves through the wall to the painting on the face of the wall and leaves tiny white salt crystals (pieces of salt) that slowly destroy the paintings. This process causes the wall and the paintings that cover it to slowly crumble, or fall apart.

People in San Francisco have begun to raise money to try to preserve (save and protect) the tower.

If you’d like to learn more about the Coit Tower  murals and what’s being done to save them, you can read and listen to this story from the PBS Newshour.

*Peril = serious and immediate danger

~ Warren Ediger – English tutor and coach and creator of Successful English, where you can find clear explanations and practical suggestion for better English.

Photo by Thomas Hawk used under Creative Commons license.

It is the dream (goal) of many American politicians (elected representatives) to win the ultimate (highest) prize in American government: the presidency. Right now, there are elections in many U.S. states to determine who will be the candidates for the next presidential election in November of this year. Last week on Cafe 329, we talked about a former (past) president, Jimmy Carter.  Many of our more recent presidents have been young enough to live long lives after leaving the White House (the presidency). What exactly do ex-presidents (former presidents) do?

There are no official (legal) duties of an ex-president.  They can do pretty much (almost) anything they want to do.  Some write memoirs or autobiographies – stories of their own lives.  Most work on their presidential library – a place where their documents are kept and where scholars (researchers) can go to study their time as president.  Oftentimes, they are sent by the current president on some diplomatic mission (activity involving talking to or working with another government) or to help with some particular cause.  Some ex-presidents, like Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, start charitable organizations to help people in need (who need help).

In the past, a few ex-presidents have gone into (become a member of) another branch (part) of government.  After leaving the presidency in 1829, John Quincy Adams became a member of the U.S. House of Representatives (he had also been a U.S. Senator before being elected president). President William Taft (1909-1913) was later (1921 – 1930) the Chief Justice of the United States, head (leader) of the United State Supreme Court.

Even if President Obama wins the election this fall, he will still be a relatively young man when he finishes his job as president – only 55 years old in 2016.   It is possible that he could take another job in government.  It is more likely, however, that he will follow the path (do the same as) other recent ex-presidents and work in some charitable organization, write books, and look back on (remember) his days (time) as the occupant of (person living in) 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue (the White House’s street address).

What happens to ex-leaders of your country? Do they do what our ex-presidents do?

~Jeff

Photo credit: White House, Wikipedia CC

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………

ON MONDAY
ESL Podcast 758 – Showing Off a New Purchase

In the Learning Guide: Get a full transcript (written version of every word you hear), vocabulary list and sample sentences, and comprehension questions.

In “What Else Does it Mean,” learn the other meanings of “baby” and “to whip it out.”
In the “Culture Note,” learn about “Luxury Taxes and Sin Taxes.”
“A “luxury tax” is a “tax” (a way for a government to receive money) on “luxury goods” (products that are very expensive and nice, but “nonessential” (not necessary; optional)) such as…” - READ MORE in the Learning Guide
…

ON WEDNESDAY
English Cafe 330
Topics: American Authors – Toni Morrison; Homeboy/Homegirl Industries & Father Greg Boyle; screw versus bolt versus nut; to kidnap versus to abduct; to sharpen (one’s) ax

In the Learning Guide:  Get a full transcript (written version of every word you hear).
In “What Insiders Know,” you will read about “Gang Hand Signs.”
“Belonging to a group sometimes means “adopting” (taking on; accepting) certain types of “identifying” (showing who one is and where one belongs) things…” - READ MORE in the Learning Guide
…

ON FRIDAY
ESL Podcast 759 – Worrying About Your Children

In the Learning Guide: Get a full transcript (written version of every word you hear), vocabulary list and sample sentences, and comprehension questions.

In “What Else Does it Mean,” learn the other meanings of “natural” and “to take after.”
In the “Culture Note,” learn about “GPS Tracking of Children.”
“Parents always worry about their children, “wondering” (wanting to know) where they are, whom they are with, and whether they are safe. In the past, parents had to ask their children to share that information…” - READ MORE in the Learning Guide

A big shot is an informal adjective to describe an important person in an organization. When we say “big” we don’t mean they are physically big or tall.  But some new research suggests that people who are big shots really do think they’re bigger!

In a recent study, scientists measured the height (how tall someone is) of 100 male and female college students.  Then they gave them a test that (the researchers said) measured (indicated; showed) how much ability they had to be a leader (boss; manager). Finally, they asked students to role-play (pretend) that they were either managers or employees.

The students were assigned (put into a group) randomly (by chance) to play either a manager or an employee.  They were told that they were put into the manager or employee group based on (because of) their score on the leadership test, but in fact, their assignment wasn’t related to that score at all.

After they were assigned to a group, the students were then asked to give their own height.  There was no actual (real) difference in height between the two groups.  The employees gave their correct height, but the managers said that they were taller than they actually were!

Our perception (the way we see something) of ourselves psychologically is, according to the researchers, related to how we view ourselves physically.  Does this mean that if I imagine myself as being 20 years younger, I will be able to grow my hair back?

~Jeff

Photo Credit: Robert Wadlow, 1918; Wikipedia PD

In some ways it was an unusual musical event. In 2009, popular young Chinese pianist (a person who plays the piano) Lang Lang joined Herbie Hancock, an African American jazz pianist, and the Philharmonia Orchestra in the Royal Albert Hall in London to perform (play) Rhapsody in Blue by American composer (a person who writes music) George Gershwin.

Several things set this performance apart (make it unique or unusual). Rhapsody in Blue is the first piece of concert music to blend (mix) classical music and jazz (If you want to know more about jazz and blues, read this blog post that I wrote several months ago). So I suppose it is fitting (appropriate) to have the piano part of Rhapsody played by classical and jazz pianists together, especially since it is usually played by only one pianist.

What makes this performance even more interesting to me is that the story of jazz in China did not begin until 1981, almost exactly one year before Lang Lang was born.  Before then, jazz, which began in America, was virtually (almost) unknown in China.

American jazz was introduced to the Chinese by two other African American jazz musicians, Willie Ruff and Dwike Mitchell, when they were invited to Shanghai to spend (use time to do something) several days with the teachers and students of the Shanghai Conservatory (school for studying music and other arts) of Music. William Zinsser, who also traveled to Shanghai, tells their story in his book Mitchell and Ruff: An American Profile (an article or book that describes someone) in Jazz.

Zinsser writes that Ruff and Mitchell explained jazz and the blues to their Chinese audience and performed (play their instruments) examples of what they are talking about.

The Chinese musicians in Shanghai had never experienced anything like this. Jazz is not written or planned. It is like an unplanned musical conversation. There is always a theme – like a topic of conversation – but every player has a different idea of what to “say” about it. A piece of jazz develops like an after-dinner conversation where we all talk about the same thing but have different ideas or feelings about it.

“The audience buzzed (made an excited noise) with amazement and pleasure,” writes Zinsser after one number (piece of music) when Ruff told the audience, “That is called Shanghai Blues. We just made it up (created it now).”

One of the older professors got up and asked Mitchell and Ruff if they had a plan when they started to play Shanghai Blues. “No,” said Ruff, “I just started tapping (make a quiet noise by moving your foot up and down) my foot and played the first thought that came into my mind…. And Mitchell heard it. And he answered. And after that we heard and answered, heard and answered, heard and answered.”

The old professor asked if they could ever play the piece again. “No,” said Ruff, “We never can.”

“That is beyond our imagination (we can’t imagine that),” replied the professor. “Our students here play a piece a hundred times, or two hundred times, to get it exactly right. You play something once – something beautiful – and then you just throw it away.” For those of us who enjoy jazz, that is part of its attraction (what makes it interesting) – it’s always new, always different.

If you want to experience part of Mitchell and Ruff’s Shanghai experience, including hearing them create a new jazz piece based on (to use something to develop something new) a song written by one of  the Chinese students, you can do it by viewing this YouTube video.

Thanks to Mitchell and Ruff, and many other American jazz musicians, jazz has traveled around the world and is enjoyed today by people from virtually every country. And musicians like Lang Lang and Herbie Hancock can share the stage (perform together) to create something new.

~ Warren Ediger – creator of Successful English, where you’ll find clear explanations and practical suggestions for better English.

Photo credit: cover of Mitchell and Ruff: An American Profile in Jazz from Amazon.com.

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………

ON MONDAY
ESL Podcast 756 – Holding Structured and Unstructured Meetings

In the Learning Guide: Get a full transcript (written version of every word you hear), vocabulary list and sample sentences, and comprehension questions.

In “What Else Does it Mean,” learn the other meanings of “to fall to” and “free for all.”
In the “Culture Note,” learn about “Business Meeting Agendas.”
“At most business meetings, each “attendee” (person who participates in a meeting) is given a copy of the agenda. The agenda lists each item of business and the…” - READ MORE in the Learning Guide
…

ON WEDNESDAY
English Cafe 329
Topics: American Presidents: Jimmy Carter; The Lost Ship of the Desert Legend; phrases used to ask for status updates; to start off for; likely versus probable

In the Learning Guide:  Get a full transcript (written version of every word you hear).
In “What Insiders Know,” you will read about “Dune Buggies.”
“If you live in or near a desert, you may be familiar with “dune buggies,” which are vehicles that look like cars, but with very large and wide wheels…” - READ MORE in the Learning Guide
…

ON FRIDAY
ESL Podcast 757 – Getting Political Support

In the Learning Guide: Get a full transcript (written version of every word you hear), vocabulary list and sample sentences, and comprehension questions.
In “What Else Does it Mean,” learn the other meanings of “to sign on” and “first things first.”
In the “Culture Note,” learn about “Common Events Before an Election.”
“Most political candidates organize many events in the weeks and months “prior to” (before) elections. These events help them “garner” (gather; earn; get) support and…” - READ MORE in the Learning Guide

The Macmillan Dictionary company holds (has) a contest each year to determine the best English language website and blog on the Internet. This year, ESLPod.com and the ESL Podcast Blog have been nominated for the best website and best blog!  We are happy to be nominated, but we need your help to win.  

If you believe we have the best English language website and blog, please vote for us!  It’s easy and will take less than one minute to do.

To vote for us for the best website, click here and look for “ESL Pod.” (Do not vote for “English Cafe.” That is not our website.)

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Voting is simple: Just find our name and click on the “Vote” box.  That’s all you do!  You don’t have to give your email or sign-up for anything. Voting ends on January 31st, so vote today before you forget!

The most important reward for us here at ESL Podcast is knowing that we are able to help people improve their English. Because of this, we don’t normally pay much attention to awards, but since these awards are chosen by the users — people like you — we do care what you think!  So vote and wish us luck!

~ Jeff and Lucy

 

In today’s post, I’ll look at a newspaper story from today’s New York Times, explaining what the words in the headline mean, and what the story is all about.

N.H. Vote Seen as Gauge as Rivals Try to Slow Romney

N.H. is an abbreviation for “New Hampshire,” a state located in the northeastern part of the U.S. New Hampshire is in the news today because there is an election there to help decide who the Republican candidate for president will be this year, the person who will try to defeat Barack Obama in our presidential election in November. (For an explanation of our presidential election system, see here.)

You probably know there are two main political groups or parties in the U.S.: the Democrats (generally more liberal) and the Republicans (typically more conservative). The Democratic candidate for the presidency in 2012 will be President Obama. The Republicans are choosing their candidate from among several people.  The person with the most popularity right now is the former businessman and governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney.

The New Hampshire vote (election) is seen as or is being interpreted as a gauge.  A gauge is a tool or instrument you use to measure something.  Here it means an indicator, a sign of something. The election is a sign of whether Romney’s rivals will be able to slow him down.  A rival is a person who is competing with you for some prize or in some competition, a person who wants to defeat you. To slow someone or to slow someone down means to make him go less fast. In this headline, “to slow Romney” means to prevent him from winning the Republican nomination (the right to represent the Republican party in the presidential election) too quickly, before any of his rivals have a chance to win it themselves.

If Romney wins the first several state elections for the Republican nomination (he won the first one last week in the state of Iowa), it is likely that he will be able to beat (defeat) all of his rivals and become the Republican candidate. Of course, getting the nomination is just the first step. To become president, Romney will have to defeat President Obama in the November election. Right now it is too early to tell (to know) if he will be able to do that.

~Jeff

Photo credit: Mitt Romeny, Wikipedia PD

Do you want to improve your English in 2012? Start now by becoming an ESL Podcast member!

We designed the Learning Guide to help you learn English better and faster. Get more vocabulary, language explanations, sample sentences, comprehension questions, cultural notes, and more.

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………

ON MONDAY
ESL Podcast 754 – Being in a Flood

In the Learning Guide: Get a full transcript (written version of every word you hear), vocabulary list and sample sentences, and comprehension questions.In “What Else Does it Mean,” learn the other meanings of “soaked” and “go ahead.”
In the “Culture Note,” learn about “The Biggest U.S. Floods.”
“Most people are “familiar with” (have seen) images from the “horrific” (terrible; awful) flooding caused in and around New Orleans, Louisiana by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. But there have been many other large…” - READ MORE in the Learning Guide
…

ON WEDNESDAY
English Cafe 328
Topics:  The Scopes Trial; American Cities: Aspen and Vail, Colorado; The City of New York versus New York City; verge versus brink; to compliment versus to complement

In the Learning Guide:  Get a full transcript (written version of every word you hear).
In “What Insiders Know,” you will read about “The Play Inherit the Wind.”
“In 1955, two “playwrights” (authors of plays), Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee “debuted” (showed for the first time) a play called Inherit the Wind.  This play was a “parable”…” – READ MORE in the Learning Guide
…

ON FRIDAY
ESL Podcast 755 – Rejecting Newer Technology

In the Learning Guide: Get a full transcript (written version of every word you hear), vocabulary list and sample sentences, and comprehension questions.

In “What Else Does it Mean,” learn the other meanings of “to act up” and “spring.”
In the “Culture Note,” learn about “Classic Video Games.”
“Pong is one of the “classic” (traditional; one of the first of something and still admired) video games. Released in 1972, it was based on a tennis game…” - READ MORE in the Learning Guide

A recent article in the Los Angeles Times cites (refers to; tells about) a new poll (survey) that finds that fewer Americans are getting married. Saying “I do,” or getting married, has become less popular in the past few decades (periods of 10 years), with nearly 20% fewer adult Americans married now than in 1960.  In fact, it’s likely that within a few years, less than 50% of Americans will be married compared to 72% in 1960.

Those who are getting married, the report says, are getting married later.  In the past 50 years, the age when men and women first marry has risen (gone up) six years.  For men, the age is now 28.7 and for women, 26.5.

These days, other living arrangements have become more popular.  Couples, people who are together romantically, may cohabit (live together) instead of getting married, and many children live in single-parent homes (with only a father or mother, not both).  The study points out (shows) that the U.S. is not alone in this shift (change) in rates of marriage.  In most post-industrial countries (countries where manufacturing (making products) becomes less important and developing services, information, and research become more important), marriage has become less popular, regardless of (despite) good or bad economic times.

Are these trends (direction that change is moving) the same where you live?  Are you married?  Are you cohabiting, or living with (we would say, more informally), someone?  Are you part of a single-parent family?

~ Lucy

Photo Credit: Cakeinwhitesatin from Wikipedia