Internet Activity ESCO English Week 8 Grammar Reflexive pronouns When we use a reflexive pronoun We use a reflexive pronoun: as a direct object when the object is the same as the subject of the verb: I am teaching myself to play the piano. Be careful with that knife. You might cut yourself. We can use a reflexive pronoun as direct object with most transitive verbs, but these are the most common: amuse blame cut dry enjoy help hurt introduce kill prepare satisfy teach Some verbs change their meaning slightly when they have a reflexive pronoun as direct object: Page1 Would you like to help yourself to another drink? = Would you like to take another drink? I wish the children would behave themselves. = I wish the children would behave well. He found himself lying by the side of the road. = He was surprised when he realised that he was at the side of the road.
I saw myself as a famous actor. = I imagined that I was a famous actor. She applied herself to the job of mending the lights. = She worked very hard to mend the lights. He busied himself in the kitchen. = He worked busily in the kitchen. I had to content myself with a few Euros. = I had to be satisfied with a few Euros. We do not use a reflexive pronoun after verbs which describe things people usually do for themselves, such as wash, shave, dress: He washed [himself] in cold water. He always shaved [himself] before going out in the evening. Michael dressed [himself] and got ready for the party. We only use reflexives with these verbs for emphasis: He dressed himself in spite of his injuries. She s old enough to wash herself. as indirect object when the indirect object is the same as the subject of the verb: Would you like to pour yourself a drink? We ve brought ourselves something to eat. as the object of a preposition when the object refers to the subject of the clause: They had to cook for themselves. He was feeling very sorry for himself. Page2
Story Problems The Professor began his class by holding up a glass with some water in it. He held it up for all to see and asked the students How much do you think this glass weighs? 50gms!.. 100gms!.. 125gms! the students answered. I really don t know unless I weigh it, said the professor, but, my question is: What would happen if I held it up like this for a few minutes?.. Nothing..the students said. Ok what would happen if I held it up like this for an hour? the professor asked. Your arm would begin to ache said one of the student You re right, now what would happen if I held it for a day? Your arm could go numb; you might have severe muscle stress and paralysis and have to go to hospital for sure!.. Ventured another student and all the students laughed Very good. But during all this, did the weight of the glass change? Asked the professor. No. Was the answer. Then what caused the arm ache and the muscle stress? The students were puzzled. What should I do now to come out of pain? asked the professor again. Put the glass down! said one of the students Exactly! said the professor. Life s problems are something like this. Hold it for a few minutes in your head and they seem OK. Think of them for a long time and they begin to ache. Hold it even longer and they begin to paralyze you. You will not be able to do anything. It s important to think of the challenges or problems in your life, But EVEN MORE IMPORTANT is to PUT THEM DOWN at the end of every day before you go to sleep That way, you are not stressed, you wake up every day fresh and strong and can handle any issue, any challenge that comes your way! Page3
Vocabulary & Expressions ESCO English Page4
Reading Electric Cars Where do cars get their energy from? For most cars, the answer is gasoline (petrol). But some cars use electricity. These cars have special motors that get their power from large batteries. In addition, there are some cars that have both an electric motor and a gasoline motor. These types of cars are called hybrid cars. Most people tend to think of electric cars as a new invention, but they have been around for a long time. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries electric cars were popular because the technology for petrol engines was not very advanced. But once the petrol engine becme easier to make and more powerful, these types of engines became the most popular. Interest in Electric cars was high in the 1970s and 1980s because oil became very expensive. Recently, electric cars have again become popular because people want cars that pollute less. Electric cars are better than petrol cars in several ways. The biggest benefit is reduced pollution. In areas where there is a high percentage of electric cars, there is less pollution. But it is important to understand that electric cars still cause pollution. Remember that the electricity to power electric cars has to come from somewhere, which is most likely a power station. Unless these power stations run on solar or wind energy, they are most likely burning fossil fuels to make electricity. The second benefit of electric cars is a reduction in the dependence on foreign oil. There are several countries, including the United States, that don t want to rely on oil coming from other countries to power their transportation systems. They want the power to come from within their country, and since electric cars can run on electricity from coal or nuclear power stations, there is less of a need to import oil. Despite the benefits of electric cars, there are some problems with them as well. One disadvantage is that electric cars are more expensive than normal cars. This is mostly due to the high cost of the batteries these cars need. Electric cars run on batteries, just like a mobile phone does. But unlike a mobile phone, you cannot charge your electric car s battery by plugging it into a wall. They need to be charged in special places. Right now, there is a lack of places where people can charge the batteries of their electric car. Another problem is that electric cars cannot travel as far as gas cars. Some people are afraid that the battery will run out of electricity (and the car will stop) before they reach their destination. Despite these problems, many people, including automobile industry experts, believe that the percentage of electric cars will increase in the future. Page5
Writing How were your holidays? Did you all enjoy yourselves? I enjoyed myself. My children enjoyed themselves too! They got a new karaoke machine for Christmas. My daughter always sings to herself in the shower, so my husband thought it would be a fun idea to buy her some microphones and a singing machine. Now he is kicking himself. I myself thought it was a good idea for a gift. I never thought about how loud it might be to have a karaoke machine in the basement. We have no one to blame but ourselves. Did you notice a pattern in the paragraph above? A series of "reflexive pronouns" were used. Write a paragraph about your family and/or friends like Tara did above. You could also write your paragraph about your company. Try to use at least 5 reflexive pronouns in your paragraph. Use as many as you can (singular and plural). Page6