28th May – 3rd June, 2007.

This week’s edition by: David


Another week and another edition of your very own Speedo. Things are getting back to normal after a busy May, so this week we have the usual clubs to attend. Two, to be precise! Read on for more info.

Also, we have a birthday coming up. Daniel has his special day on Sunday, so wish him well when you see him in the corridor!

Enjoy!

NEWS AND REVIEWS

First up was Gosia’s Travel Club, which yet again nobody attended. With so many Polish people going abroad, I would have thought that Travel Club would have been more popular!

Next up was Brian and Sean’s Advanced Conversation Club. This was much more of a success, with five students attending to chew the fat about many things, including accents and dialects. Apparently Brian does a very good impression of a redneck…

The final club was Snooker & Pool Club with Daniel and Kel. This was a moderate success, with one student attending. Still, good fun was had, and I hear the student even stayed to watch the teachers’ weekly game of Dungeons & Dragons… Wonder if she understood any of it? Well done Jagoda!

The final event of the week was Paul’s lecture on the Glastonbury Music Festival in England, a great tradition. Sadly, nobody attended. Unlucky Paul, I’m sure you’ll still enjoy the festival this year!

This week sees two clubs. The first is Hugh and Caroline’s Intermediate Conversation Club, held at the usual Totu Café on Tuesday 29th at 7.30pm. Anyone who wants to go and chill out and chat, feel free to do so!

The second is my very own Card Club, with Paul. This takes place on Friday 1st June, at 7.30pm. It’ll most likely be held at my flat, so meet at the school at 7.30pm. Anyone is welcome! As with all clubs, sign up with the secretaries beforehand, or they won’t take place!

IDIOMS RELATED TO ANIMALS (Part One)

1. To have a bee in your bonnet – This means that something really bothers you. A bee is a small flying insect, usually gold and black. It makes a buzzing sound and can sting you. A bonnet is a straw hat for women, and is an old word.

2. To have butterflies in your stomach – This means you are nervous about something. For example, I have butterflies (it can be shortened to just this) about meeting my girlfriend’s parents!

3. To look like the cat dragged you in – This means you look very untidy and unclean. For example, after playing football in the rain my mother said to me “look what the cat dragged in!”

4. It’s raining cats and dogs – This means it is raining very heavily. The word “cat” can be used in at least ten different idioms in English!

5. A cock-and-bull story – This means that you told somebody something that was completely untrue. Usually it’s obvious that it’s untrue. A cock is a male chicken, and a bull is a male cow. Why are us guys the liars?

6. As the bird/crow flies – This means “in a straight line”. It is always the quickest way, that is if we could fly. For example, from outside McDonald’s on Zwyciestwa, it’s 1400km to Doncaster in England as the crow flies.

7. Donkeys years – This means a very long time, or a period of time that feels like a long time. For example, “I haven’t seen you for donkeys years!” I don’t know where this comes from.

8. To take to something like a duck to water - This means that you start to do something new, and you are very good at it almost immediately. For example, some teachers (Sean) take to the Polish language like a duck to water!

9. An eagle eye – This means you have very good eyesight, or an attention to detail. For example, he really has an eagle eye – he saw the bus a mile away!

10. To smell fishy – If something smells fishy, it doesn’t sound right. For example, if you are sitting on the Rynek, on a beautiful summer’s day, enjoying a cold beer, and someone who looks like the cat dragged him in comes up to you and asks for 2zl for a train ticket to Bulgaria, while scratching his arm, you could say that it smells fishy, or sounds like a cock-and-bull story. I really have a bee in my bonnet about people who do that!

See you next week guys! Keep reading to keep me in a job!