ESL Podcast 723 - Things Associated with Autumn
changing of the seasons - the period of the time when the weather changes between winter/spring, spring/summer, summer/fall, or fall/winter
Lauren enjoys the warm weather living in a tropical town, but she misses the changing of the seasons.
autumn - fall; the time of year when the weather begins to cool, between summer and winter
A lot of kids would like autumn more if it didn't mean going back to school!
fall colors - the changing colors of leaves, especially red, orange, yellow, and brown
The fall colors are beautiful in Vermont and other northeastern states that have a lot of trees.
chill - a mild coldness that makes one feel uncomfortable; a slight feeling of cold
Be sure to bring a jacket because there's a chill in the air tonight.
to rake leaves - to use a plastic or metal tool with a long handle to sweep fallen leaves into large piles so that they can be removed from lawns or yards
We'll need to rake leaves before we can play soccer, because right now there are so many leaves we can't even see the grass!
grumpy - bad-tempered; annoyed or slightly angry
Stan woke up late and missed his bus, making him feel grumpy all day.
squirrel - a small animal that likes to climb trees and eat nuts and seeds
At the park, there are squirrels everywhere, running and climbing trees.
to squirrel away - to save; to store for use later; to keep for the future
Juan squirreled away enough money from his 20 years of working to retire early.
to put a damper on - to reduce someone's excitement, interest, or enthusiasm for something
The heavy rainstorm put a damper on the outdoor party.
homecoming - an event in high school or at the university that includes a sports game and/or a dance, to which former students are invited
Nearly 300 of our former students attended the homecoming game.
harvest festival - a celebration at the time when most food crops are harvested, usually with a lot of food, music, and dancing
We spent the afternoon at the harvest festival, eating fresh apples and listening to some great bands.
hayride - the experience of sitting on hay (dried grass) while riding on a trailer pulled by a tractor on a farm, usually done for entertainment
Each October, they go to a local farm where the kids can enjoy a hayride and pick out a pumpkin for Halloween.
bonfire - a very large, controlled fire outdoors
We spent the evening playing music and singing around the bonfire.
s'more - a dessert made by roasting (cooking) marshmallows over an outdoor fire and putting it between two graham crackers with a piece of chocolate, almost like a sandwich
S'mores are really messy, but they're delicious!
allergy - a physical reaction that makes one very sick or uncomfortable when exposed to a particular substance, especially sneezing or feeling itchy
Many children have allergies to peanuts and other nuts.
party-pooper - a person who ruins the fun that other people are having; someone who is negative and will not participate in what other people are doing, making it less fun for them
Everyone else is having a great time, so stop being such a party-pooper. Just relax and have fun!
hibernation - long periods of time when animals like bears sleep during the coldest parts of the year, not waking up during the day or night
Bears have to eat a lot during the summer so that they have enough energy to keep warm during hibernation.
epiphany - a sudden feeling of understanding about something; an experience that changes how one understands or experiences something
Traveling overseas for the first time was an epiphany that changed how Tamar viewed the world.