Monthly Archives: July 2020

Being Locked Down is Better Than Being Locked Up

Posted on Monday - July 27, 2020 by Dr. Jeff McQuillan

Many countries have used lockdowns to respond to the coronavirus. A lockdown is when people in a place or area are prevented from leaving or traveling around freely: “There are lockdowns in many U.S. cities that have closed restaurants.” In … Continue reading →

Posted in Language & Terms | Comments Off on Being Locked Down is Better Than Being Locked Up

How Some Americans Cheat to Get Into College

Posted on Tuesday - July 21, 2020 by Dr. Jeff McQuillan

Getting into (being admitted as a student) to the best American universities can be difficult. Your application (information about you) is very important, and often includes one or more essays (short pieces of writing) in addition to test scores and … Continue reading →

Posted in Life in the United States | Comments Off on How Some Americans Cheat to Get Into College

Are You Working Hard or Hardly Working?

Posted on Tuesday - July 14, 2020 by Dr. Jeff McQuillan

There is an old joke that people at work sometimes say to each other: Are you working hard or hardly working? To work hard means to work with seriousness, to work a great deal, to work a lot. To hardly … Continue reading →

Posted in Life in the United States | Comments Off on Are You Working Hard or Hardly Working?

What Are the Most Popular Last Names in the US?

Posted on Tuesday - July 7, 2020 by Dr. Jeff McQuillan

Many students of English choose an “English” name for themselves when they begin to study English. These names are often used in professional settings as well. As far as I know, no one has actually studied how people go about … Continue reading →

Posted in Life in the United States | Comments Off on What Are the Most Popular Last Names in the US?