LYDAY LANGUAGE LESSONS :OWITZ AND STARR UC-NRLF liiiiiiiiillliilllllllliiiii B 3 13D Mfl? iig^ J i mM-^U^iMA BOOK COMPANY hKs<f L GIFT OF .y^Tv^^^y- ,y^ffy/->x-7 I Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2008 with funding from IVIicrosoft Corporation http://www.archive.org/details/everydaylanguageOOmarl<rich PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS IS^'f EVERYDAY LANGUAGE LESSONS PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS BY ALFRED J. MARKOWITZ AND SAMUEL STARR, S.B., M.D. FORMERLY TEACHERS OF NON-ENGLISH-SPEAKING PEOPLE IN THE FRANKLIN EVENING SCHOOL, BOSTON, MASS. AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY NEW YORK CINCINNATI CHICAGO Copyright, 1914, By ALFRED J. MARKOWITZ AND SAMUEL STARR. Copyright, 1914, in Great Britain. PRACTICAI ENGLISH. ^L^-'- PREFACE The aim of this book is to supply, or to suggest, to the teachers of adult New Americans in the evening schools material wherewith to teach their pupils in a reasonably short time, and in a practicable manner, to speak, read, and write the English language. The primacy of the need to converse is especially recognized and considered. This need is met by train- ing the pupils in the correct use of the words, expres- sions, and sentences that are interwoven with their environments. Instruction begins with object lessons pertaining to objects and interests in the schoolroom, and these are appropriately followed with lessons involving consideration of vocational matters, the home, and other conditions and interests in the life of a New American. These lessons are all constructed with the main purpose of using them as drills for con- versation, the teacher being reminded at every lesson to "use text for conversation." Examples of ques- tions, to be put to the pupils, are given occasionally, illustrating the method of introducing and encouraging conversation covering the texts. Also, in accordance with the idea of establishing at the outset an adequate foundation for the proper under- standing of and ultimate proficiency in the language, the lessons are built upon the correct use of verb forms 5 ^ .9QQ«in /,^, ,;c-,c,c. PREFACE and idioms. First, the verbs *'be" and *'have" are considered (in sentences illustrating their proper use in persons and tenses, and embracing objects and con- ditions interesting to the pupils). These in turn are followed by regular and irregular verbs in the three simple tenses, special attention being given to the auxiliaries "do" and "did" in the negative and inter- rogative. Special consideration of the idioms " do " and "did" is essential on account of^:he fact that these important idioms are not literalH^ translatable into the other languages. For instance, it is the most natural thing in the world for a New American to say, "Went you.^" instead of "Did you go .^" "I went not" for "I did not go," and so on. The objection that all these — the verb forms, idioms, etc. — can be taught without specialization, and therefore without bewildering the pupils with too ' many technicalities, may be met with the reminder that the best way to foster memory retention is to treat objectively, i.e. to specialize. To explain : it is uni- versally known that a person can retain a word or expression in his memory much better and longer by seeing it, or hearing it, in actual use in connection with things of interest than by merely meeting with the word or expression by itself, or by comparing it with a synonym. It surely ought to be much less bewildering to the pupil to be made familiar with the verb forms, idioms, and expressions gradually and in a logical, consecutive way than to be fed promiscuously with a mixture PREFACE 7 of all verb forms, idioms, exceptions, etc., in current colloquial use among those thoroughly conversant with the language. Here the reader may again be reminded that the les- sons in this book are constructed with a proper regard for the pupils' environments and needs — the sentences all being such as they are most likely to hear daily in the shop, street, and home. The idea, in general, is, of course, to provide a practicable working vocabulary and to show how to use the vocabulary correctly. Later in the book, after the pupils have become more proficient in reading and in the correct use of the language forms — that is, when they have reached a stage where they can profitably appreciate more serious reading — they are introduced through simple reading lessons to subjects dealing with educational matters, history, morals, civics, hygiene, and the like. A vocabulary of about fourteen hundred common words in English, Italian, Yiddish, and Russian has been prepared to accompan}^ this manual and will be of much practical assistance to all New Americans who are learning to use the language of their adopted country. CONTENTS METHOD OF APPLICATION Reading and Conversation Spelling .... Writing .... The Alphabet . Lesson i. Lesson 2. Lesson 3. Lesson 4. Lesson 5. Lesson 6. Lesson 7, Lesson 8. Lesson 9. Lesson 10. Lesson 1 1. Lesson 12. Lesson 13. Lesson 14. Lesson 15. Lesson 16. Lesson 17. Lesson 18. Lesson 19. Lesson 20. Lesson 21. Lesson 22. Lesson 23. Lesson 24. Lesson 25. Lesson 26. Lesson 27. Lesson 28. PRACTICAL LESSONS The Vowels .... The Vowels — Short a, Long a The Vowels — Broad a. Open a Thp: Vowels — Short e. Long e The Vowels — Short e. Long e^ continued The Vowels — ^before;- The Vowels — Short /, Long / The Vowels — Short o, Long o The Vowels — Short u. Long u The Vowels — y as vowel and consonant The Schoolroom . The Shop The Clothing Shop Trades .... Verbs — Be, Present Tense Numbers .... Verbs — Be, Past Tense . Verbs — Be, Future Tense Verbs — Have, had Review .... O followed by other vowels The Body The Progressive Form Silent Letters On the Car . Regular Verbs Like — Interrogative Form Like — Negative Form . 8 FACE II 13 14 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 26 28 30 31 33 34 36 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 46 48 49 50 52 53 CONTENTS Lesson 29. Our New Home . Lesson 30. The Voyage . Lesson 31. Irregular Verbs . Lesson 32. At a Fire Lesson 33. Conversational Forms Lesson 34. Our Trip to America Lesson 35. Work Lesson 36. The Home Lesson ^j. Foods Lesson 38. Clothes . Lesson 39. To, Too, Two Lesson 40. United States Money Lesson 41. The Meat Market Lesson 42. Singular and Plural Nouns Lesson 43. The Grocery Store Lesson 44. Weights and Measures Lesson 45. The Department Store Lesson 46. The Savings Bank Lesson 47. Plumbers at Work Lesson 48. Comparison of Adjectives . Lesson 49. Carpenters at Work . Lesson 50. The Music of Labor . Lesson 51. Pronouns .... Lesson 52. Applying for a Position Lesson 53. The Public Library Lesson 54. Education .... Lesson 55. Newspapers .... Lesson 56. Nobody's Child Lesson 57. The Order of Words in Sentences Lesson 58. Description of a Picture . Lesson 59. The Perfect Tense Lesson 60. List of Irregular Verbs . Lesson 61. Words of Opposite Meaning Lesson 62. Possessive Nouns . Lesson 63. Picture to be Described . Lesson 64. Telling Time Lesson 65. The Months of the Year . Lesson 66. Spring ..... Lesson 67. Summer Lesson 68. Autumn lO CONTENTS Lesson 69. Winter . . . . Lesson 70. Picture to be Described . Lesson 71. Weather Terms . Lesson 72. Public Signs Lesson 73. Public Signs to be Learned Lesson 74. Letter Writing . Lesson 75. Sample Short Letters Lesson 76. Common Abbreviations Lesson 77. Picture to be Described . Lesson 78. The Old Man and his Sons Lesson 79. The Dog and the Shadow Lesson 80. The Travelers . Lesson 81. The Goose and the Golden Eggs Lesson 82. The Lion and the Mouse . Lesson 83. Good Manners Lesson 84. Colors , . . . Lesson 85. The Discovery of America Lesson 86. The Landing of the Pilgrims Lesson 87. Thanksgiving Day Lesson 88. George Washington — I Lesson 89. George Washington — II . Lesson 90. Abraham Lincoln — I Lesson 91. Abraham Lincoln — II Lesson 92. Short Lessons in Civics Lesson 93. The Police Department . Lesson 94. The Fire Department Lesson 95. The Street Cleaning Department Lesson 96. The Health Department . Lesson 97. Hygiene .... Lesson 98 How the City raises its Money Lesson 99. State Government Lesson 100. National Government Lesson loi. Naturalization . Lesson 102. Registration of Voters Lesson 103. Elections .... Lesson 104. Rights and Duties Lesson 105. City Life and Country Life Lesson 106. Opportunities in Agriculture Lesson 107. America our Home Lesson 108. The United States Flag . METHOD OF APPLICATION For the application of the material contained in this book, the following method, used in classroom with marked success for the past several years, is recommended. READING AND CONVERSATION The printed combinations in Lesson i are put on the board in alphabetical order. The teacher gives the sound of short a, and then takes up each consonant in combination with that sound, the pupils following the teacher, individually and in concert, in pronouncing each combination. When these combinations have become familiar to most of the pupils, the final e is added to the syllable, and the resulting long a sound drilled on as with the short a. Lesson 2 is then taken up, the teacher and the pupils in turn pronouncing the words listed under the short a. The sentences are read, the teacher pronouncing each word distinctly, and the pupils following individually and in concert. The sentences are treated objectively to help the pupils understand their meanings. If the teacher can speak the mother tongue of the pupils, it is better in the first few lessons to translate the more diffi- cult words. The words and sentences in connection with long a. 12 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS broad a and open a are then studied similarly in the order given. It is advisable to go over the first few lessons thor- oughly, repeating the combinations and words again and again if necessary. This familiarizes the pupils with the simple sounds, and gives them a little con- fidence — conditions which have an important bearing on the facility with which they will grasp later lessons. The method described above should be followed through Lesson lo, the objects and actions as they are mentioned being pointed out, or illustrated vividly. It is expected, however, that the .amount of objective work needed at each lesson will be in inverse ratio with each successive lesson. It is well also to supplement these object lessons with conversation (simple questions and answers) covering the text or kindred topics. Lessons 12 to 14, inclusive, introduce objects and conditions found in the workshop. The words in these lessons should be familiar to most of the pupils. In consequence, these lessons (and the succeeding ones) should be supplemented with a great deal of pertinent conversation. In conversation the teacher should in- sist upon receiving complete answers to the questions. And in order to facilitate reading and prepare for con- versation, the more diflficult words should be taken up separately before the general reading. In the lessons following 14 the verb-forms are studied in sentences covering topics of interest to evening-school pupils. It is highly important that the PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 13 pupils be thoroughly drilled in these verb-forms in the sequence given. A famiUarity with them in the dif- ferent persons and tenses, and in the negative and inter- rogative forms, will gradually accustom the pupils to correct expressions and will be an invaluable aid in the conversations. To that end the teacher should so frame his questions as to eUcit replies containing the particular verb-forms studied at the time. Especial attention should be given to the interroga- tive and negative forms. They comprise a very impor- tant part of the language, and on account of the use of the auxiHaries "do" and ''did," offer very puzzling combinations to New Americans. It is, therefore, im- portant that the}^ be given special treatment. The value of judicious conversation cannot be over- rated. Every lesson should be supplemented by a great deal of conversation. It is undeniable that the more proficient the teacher is, the more conversation does he use. SPELLING Under the method followed in this book spelling may begin earUer than is usual under other methods. This is due to the relationship of speUing to the vowel- consonant combinations in the first part of the book — one being the converse of the other. The exact time when spelling is to begin depends on the teacher's preference and on the pupils' aptitude. For an average class it may begin with Lesson 2. V 14 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS The method of teaching spelHng is the converse of the method of teaching reading. In the latter the vowel is the skeleton of the syllable, while in speUing the consonants form the skeleton. For example, in teaching to spell the word man the m and the n should be placed on the board in the order given, with a space between the two (m..n). The pupils should then be required to find that (vowel) sound which will connect the two consonant sounds to form the word man. Place the following consonant-skeletons on the board, give sounds of words to be formed and require pupils to fill in the necessary vowels. . .n (man) . .V. .r (over) p . . n (pen) . .n (men) . .V. .r (ever) p. .n (pin) . .n. .*(mine) V. .r. . (very) . . p . . n (open) m. . rn . . ng (morning) s. . ng- ng (singing) br •ng. .ng (bringing) y- .St. .rd. . (yesterday) Continue with other combinations. WRITING In this book writing is more than incidental to the reading or to the spoken language. These are all inter- woven, and form a complete, inseparable whole. The small letters are taken up first because they are used more than the capitals. The alphabet, both of the small and the capital letters, is divided into groups. * Review case of final e in long sounds. PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 15 Each group is composed of letters common to a certain root-form. By beginning with the root-form the entire group may be learned together. The text in the book furnishes material for copying at first, while later the verb-forms and simple sentences serve as foundations and models for written sentence- building. It is also serviceable to copy daily, in blank books, the various verb-forms for home study. These verb-forms should be given gradually, starting with only the present tense positive, regular verbs, then gradually introducing the past and future in the posi- tive, negative and interrogative, regular, and soon only irregular verbs. This will serve a triple purpose. It will keep the ^' early birds" busy before the session opens ; will enrich the pupils' vocabularies ; and will accustom them to the correct use of the forms. When the pupils have become familiar with the art of sentence building they should be given short and easy compositions. The subjects for these compositions should be alternately prescribed and elective. The compositions should gradually be made longer and less simple, until finally letter writing is reached. For this it is best to begin b}^ putting a short letter on the board and then requiring the pupils to answer it in their own words. The pictures for description will also be found service- able in teaching composition. The pupils should be required to describe in their own words in writing what they see in each picture. The picture should then be made the subject of oral discussion with the class. l6 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS c7 f- ^ -7^^ THE ALPHABET a A % b B ^ c G d D e E f F ^ g Cx ^ h H u. i T -2/^ j J uy- k K ^ 1 L y m M ^^ 9^- nl^ /^ pp s S t T 11 U X X y Y z Z PRACTICAL LESSONS LESSON I THE VOWELS a, e, 2, o, u (Put short a combinations on the blackboard ; have the class pronounce them individually and in concert. Add final e to each combination and drill the class on the changed sound of a.) ab abe ag age an ane av ave ac ace* ak ake ap ape ax ad ade al ale as ase az aze af afe am ame at ate Hints on the Alphabet O^ (T (T (T (T (T ^ a^ a^ a^ a^ a^ ^. d^ d^ ^ {yL C/L f 1 1 f f- f (T a^ d^ a- a^ * c before e, i and y has the sound of s. MARK. PRAC. ENG. — 2 17 "^ 1 8 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 2 THE VOWELS — Short a am maii can has cap hand hat cat (Drill on the words before beginning with sentences, objectively as far as possible.) I am. a man. She is a woman. I see a man. I see a woman. I can see a m^n. I can see a woman. The n\an has a ca^. The m^n h(2s a C(3p in his h^nd, The woman has a h^^t. The h^t is on her head. It is a bkck hat. Treat Ware) take \ name make Long a late baker cakes bakes '3>*<^ He can\t. He camt \alt. He canxt \alt to schooL He is a b^ker. He b^^kes c<2kes. T(3ke the pen. M<2ke a mark. s" «»)*^ PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 19 LESSON 3 THE VOWELS - -Broad a tall wall small fall all call tall man a tall man tall woman a tall woman I am a t^ll man. She is a t^^U woman. He is a short man. She is a short woman. The man and the woman are taW. The man and the woman are short. This is a desk. It is a sm.<^ll desk. This is a chair, (.i^o^^" AW the chairs are sm^^U. I can see the w^^ll. The wall is white. I see a picture on the w^^ll. Open a car are far farm dark bark yard^ harm I see a car. It is a l^rge c^^r. We ride in cars. My home is far from the shop. It is dark. Hark ! the dog b<2rks. The dog is in the yard. V 20 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 4 THE ' VOWELS < Short e Long e eb en ebe ene ec ep ece epe ed es, esh ede ese ef et efe ete eg ev ege eve ek ex eke el ez ele eze ' 1 ^ints on 1 the Alphabet JJJJ ..^.^.UUa -I / / / / / 4- ^ # A A A -A A A A A Av -v -i^ -Th -m- PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 21 LESSON 5 THE VOWELS (Use ^* pen," "desk," "paper," etc., Short e in object lesson.) desk send bell ten pen Long e men me be her she we I have a pen. He has a p<fn. She has a p^n. I write. I write with a p^fn. I write on paper. I write on paper with a p<fn. pen The paper is on the d^sk. The book is on the d^sk. Please give me the book. We read in books. We write on paper. We can write on paper with a p^fn. We can write on paper with a pencil. I have a p^n and a p<fncil. V Pencil Note. Supplement each lesson with simple questii^ns. 22 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS her sister letter LESSON 6 THE VOWELS e before r mother paper farmer father better later Hints on the Alphabet ^ O ^ ^ ly Uy U^ OO OO Uy Uy ^ ^ ^ ^ ^- ^ Ay Ay A. yiy A. Ay -^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ c^ (I ^ C' ^ c^ ly J^ . Uy ^ Aly ^ d PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 23 LESSON 7 THE VOWELS Short I Long i Short i Long I ib ibe in ine ic ice ip ipe id ide is, ish ise if ife it ite ig ige iv ive ik ike ix il ile iz ize im ime > Short i Long i in him ink white ride nice big sit %^ time nine price is dip pencil mine line fine ir sir. bir4^ girl, shirt Here is a pen. I dzp the pen mto the mk. I write with the pen. I write on paper. You have no mk. You write with a penczl. The teacher writes wzth chalk. ^ ' The teacher writes on the board. The chalk zs white. The walls are white also. 24 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 8 THE VOWELS Short o ob oc od of og ok ol om Long o obe oce ode ofe oge oke ole ome Short o Con'; op or OS ot ov ox oz Long o one ope ore ose ote ove oze on clock Short o ■J of for or short Long o store hole stove home rose stone on the wall in the box on the desk with a pen clock a clock a big clock on the wall See the clock. It is a big clock. It hangs on the wall. Clocks tell time. What time is it .^ It is two o'clock. Here is a box. There are pens and pencils in the box. PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 25 What can you do with the pencil ? I can write with the pencil. Take a pen from the box for me. I can write with a pen. Put the pen on the desk. (/^u^-^ Here is some paper. Write on the paper. Hints on the Alphabet ^^ ^^ -T^ ^^ '7^ -7^ ^m ^?7L OTb ^T^TL ^7^n ^TTV '1/-' -ZA- ^y- a^ -2^ -TA- ^ <?^ O^ <r <K <K A^ A^ A^ A^ A^ A^ J- J- J- -Y- J- Y- T T T T T T -72- ^m ^1/- -x J- r 26 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 9 THE VOWELS Short u Long u ( Short u Long u ub ube un une uc uce up upe ud ude ur ure uf ufe us use ug uge • ut ute uk uke uv uve ul ule ux um ume uz uze Short u Long u shut cut nut pure sure tune plum much sun June use cure The door is open. Shut the door. Turn the knob. Open the door. The window is open. FuW it down. The window is closed. Open the window. Fush it up. The window is open again. Where is your book ? It is on the floor. Apple PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 27 Please pick it up. Put it on the desk. Here is an apple. Cut it in two. What have you in your hand ? I have some plz^ms. Do you like plwms ^ Yes, I like them very much. Do you like n^^ts ^ Yes, I like m^ts also. Here is some water. It is purt water. P^^re water is good to drink. Hints on the Alphabet Ph 71 71 n 71 n 7?l 771 771 7?t ''m^ <7r ^ J (znin ^ ^ J an 28 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON lo THE VOWELS ^ y is sometimes a consonant, sometimes a vowel, y is a vowel when it has sound of i. y is a consonant at beginning of words. 2/ as a vowel my try by cry many fly only why Harry y as a consonant Henry carry marry yes yet year your Exercises young yesterday 'hat is you r name ? My name is William. That is a pretty name. What is your brother's name } His name is Henry. We call him Harry. Harry is my brother. Fanny is my sister. There are five in my family. How many are there in your family ? PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 29 There are only four in my family. You have a small family. How old is your brother Henry ? He is ten years old. How old is your sister Fanny ? She is nine years old. Your little sister, Lucy, is very young. Yes, she is only three years old. Hints on the Alphabet ^7- (^ c? c? cr (^ CT' J J (Z (Z (Z (Z (Z (Z 30 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON II THE SCHOOLROOM I am in a schoolroom. Here is my desk. I have paper on my desk. I have a pen in my hand. I write with the pen. Henry has no pen. He has a pencil. He writes with the pencil. The teacher has chalk in her hand. She writes on the blackboard. The door is open. The windows are closed. Open the windows. Shut the door. Where is the clock .' The clock hangs on the wall. PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 31 LESSON 12 THE SHOP home a shop in a shop lunch clean work eight big walk I work. I work in a shop. Do you work in a shop } What kind of shop is it ^ What is made in it .? ride airy sunny 32 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS I work in a big shop. It is a clean shop. The shop has many windows. The shop is sunny. The shop is airy. The windows are kept open. I walk to the shop. We begin work at eight o'clock. We work until twelve o'clock. We go to lunch at twelve o'clock. After lunch we go for a walk. We return to work at one o'clock. We work again until five o'clock. We leave the shop at five o'clock. We ride home from the shop. I eat supper at six o'clock. I go to evening school at seven o'clock. I walk to school. The school closes at nine o'clock. I walk home from school. Phonic Drill ai au aw ay sail saucer saw say mail because straw pay train caught law day pain haul draw play PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 33 LESSON 13 THE CLOTHING SHOP machine shop clothing shop in a machine shop machinist our home coats in a clothing shop presser near our home trousers I am a presser. My brother is also a presser. We work in a clothing shop. We press coats and trousers and vests. We work with press irons. The irons must be hot. If they are too hot the cloth will burn. Our shop is near our home. We walk to the shop every day. My father works in a machine shop. He is a machinist. He makes steel tools. His shop is far from our home. He rides to work. MARK. PRAC. ENG. 34 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 14 TRADES made trade coats your shoe boys boots men shoemaker where our train live take home What is your trade ? I am a tailor. I make coats for men and boys. What is your trade ? I am a shoemaker. I work in a shoe shop. I make boots and shoes. Where is your shop ? My shop is in Lynn. Where is your home ? My home is in Boston. I take a train to work. Where is your shop ? My shop is in Boston. I take a car to work. (Let pupils copy writing from blackboard, using subject matter of above and previous texts.) PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 35 A LESSON IN WRITING O' o o a (J a a '' c ^ ^ j^ j3 J) J} ^ ry ry ry ry ry ry Cy Cy Cy Cy . Cy Cy /n /n /n /n /n ^ ' ^ c=xLy czxCy <=>y^ <=xCy <=><Ly c=><Ly c=><Ly Z Z X X z zz V 36 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 15 VERBS (Drill on these forms. Have pupils pronounce them aloud.) Be Present Tense is are I we you he, it, she you they I am am I ? \^ e are are we ? you are are you ? he is is he ? you are are you ? they are are they ? I am here. You are there. He is in the schoolroom. We are in the schoolroom. They 'are on the street. Where are you .^ I avi at home. Where is she ? She is m the shop. Who is that man ? He is Mr. Ross. What is his trade ^. He is a carpenter. PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 37 Where are your parents ? They are in America. My parents are in Russia. They are too old to come here. meat hear sea near tea v'^v dear -- cream (Provide pupils with blank books. Beginning with this lesson have pupils every evening copy verb-forms, in the tenses studied, for home study.) A Lesson in Writing Phonic Drill meet new feet few see blew feel flew heel threw free drew tree dew 71 71 71 71 U 71 26 V 38 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 16 NUMBERS I one 1st first 2 two 2nd second 3 three 3rd third 4 four 4th fourth 5 five 5th fifth 6 six 6th sixth 7 seven 7th seventh 8 eight 8th eighth 9 nine 9th ninth lo ten loth tenth II eleven nth eleventh 12 twelve 1 2th twelfth 13 thirteen 13th thirteenth 14 fourteen 14th fourteenth 15 fifteen 15 th fifteenth 16 sixteen i6th sixteenth 17 seventeen 17th seventeenth 18 eighteen 1 8th eighteenth 19 nineteen 19th nineteenth 20 twenty 20th twentieth 30 thirty 30th thirtieth 40 forty 40th fortieth 50 fifty 50th fiftieth 100 one hundred looth one hundredth 1000 one thousand loooth one thousandth PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 39 LESSON 17 VERBS Be Past Tense was were I was was I ? we were were we ? you were were you ? you were were you ? he was ^as he ? ] they were were they ? she was was she ? it was was it ? Where were you yesterday ? I was at the theater. Where was your sister ? She was with me. Was it a good play ? It was a very good play. Was your cousin there ? He was not there. Where was he ? He was at the store. Where was your brother } He was sick at home. Where were you last night ? We were all at home. We were too tired to go out. 40 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS Where were your parents last Sunday ? They were out for a walk. Were'you with them ? Yes, I was with them. (Frame simple questions that will elicit replies containing the par- ticular verb-forms. Have pupils copy pronouns and verb-forms in blank books.) LESSON i8 VERBS Be Future Tense I shall be shall I be ? you will be will you be ? he will be will he be ? we shall be shall we be ? you will be will you be ? they will be will they be ? I shall he at your home to-morrow. What time will you be there ? I shall be there after supper. Who will be with you ? My brother will he with mxe. Will your sister be at home ? No, she will not be there. Who else will be there ? My cousins will be with us. PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 41 I have you have he has LESSON 19 VERBS Have Present Tense have I ? we have have you ? you have has he ? they have . Past Tense have we ? have you ? have they ? had we ? had you ? had they ? Here are two books I had had I ? we had you had had you ? you had he had had he ? they had I have a book. It is a. small book. He has a green book. Have you a book .^ I have no book. Here is a book. Now, have all of you books ? We all have books. They are blue books The other pupils have books also. Have they blue books } No, they have green books. We had green books last week. They had blue books last week. Have you pen and ink .? I have no pen and ink. V 42 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 20 REVIEW be, am, is, are, was, were, have, had, has, shall, will What have you ? I have a pencil. I had pen and ink last night. Has he paper ? Yes, he has paper. Has she paper ? She has no paper. Here is paper for you. Where are you ? I am in a schoolroom. Where is your teacher ? She is also in the schoolroom. What have you in your hands ? We have books in our hands. Has your teacher a book ? Yes, she also has a book. Have you books every evening ^ Yes, we have books every evening. Were you in this room last month ^ We were not in this room last month. Where will you be next month .? We shall be in this room. PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 43 LESSON 21 O FOLLOWED BY OTHER VOWELS oa Ol 00 OU ow coat boil school our now coal toil look flour cow soap coin moon hour how boat join food sour down throat soil too out Review Drill bow air sail meat sea boy joy rain train tea • hear enjoy know saucer see show saw law day fleet free feel grow spoon spool pay say new few fun shut Sentence Building Require the pupils to build short sentences, using the following words : books pen teacher clock school desk 44 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 22 (Drill on use of "this," "that," etc. Use in object lesson.) THE BODY head see speak taste hair two mouth neck face nose breathe wear wash smell eat collar eyes ours teeth shoulders every hear tongue arms thumb finger ride hands legs feel walk toes feet shoes run stockings this that these those This is my head. I have hair on my head. That is your head. This is my face. I wash my face every day. These are my eyes. I have two eyes. I can see with my eyes. /g^ These are my ears. JM I have two ears. ^ I can hear with my ears. ■^^ -^^^ PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 45 This is my nose. I can smell with my nose. I can breathe through my nose. This is my mouth. That is your mouth. You can eat with your mouth. .^l^Z^x We can speak with our mouths. ^ These are my teeth. They are m my mouth. I bite anctchew with my teeth. You have teeth. They are in your mouth. This is my tongue. My tongue is between my lips. I touch my chin. I wear a collar around my neck. I have two shoulders. I have two arms. I have two hands. We can do many things with our hands. We can write with our hands. We work with our hands. I have eight fingers and two thumbs. We can feel with our fingers. I have two legs. We can walk with our legs. 46 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS The child can run with his legs. He has two feet. He wears shoes and stockings on his feet. He has ten toes, eight small and two big toes. Final s having sound of z has is hers yours was his ours , boys news pans days goes please hands shoes girls LESSON 23 THE PROGRESSIVE FORM (Drill on these forms. Show their significance clearly. Com- pare with the other forms.) Present Tense I am going you are going he is going we are going you are going they are going Past Tense I was going you were going he was going we were going you were going they were going PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 47 Who is that walking on the street ? I think it is my brother. Where is he going? He is going to the evening school. Where are you going? I am going there too. Do you go to evening school ? Yes, but I go to a different school. It is near my home. Where were you going^ this morning ? I was going to work. I am coming from work now. What is he doing? He is writing. What is he writing? He is writing a letter. What were you doing? I was reading a book. What is the teacher doing? She is talking to us. Where is the teacher ? She is standing at her desk. We are sitting at our desks. walk walking work working read reading stand standing come commg write writing move moving give giving sit sitting run running get getting dip dipping 48 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 24 SILENT LETTERS (For drill in enunciation.) silent b silent k silent I final e lamb ^nife wa/k fin^ comb y^neel ta/k shin^ dumb ^now r ca/m fixe thumZ? ^nee ha/f cam^ clim^ ^nock cou/d hom^ plumZ^er ^nob wou/d mor^ silent gh silent t silent w fight often writt Wght soften wxott night whis/le k ^rong right casde wring throug/^ husde wreck thou^At busde z^rench Mary had a Y\tt\e lam^, Its fleece was whit^ as snow ; And everywher<f that Mary went, The lam^ was sur<f to go. It went with her to school one day, Which was against the ruld" ; It mad^ the children lawgh and play To see a lam^ at school. PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 49 LESSON 25 ON THE CAR "Good evening, Sarah ; where are you going ?" "I am going for a car ride. It is very warm. Would you like to come with me, Jennie .?" "Yes, I shall be glad to go." "Here comes the car. Let us run to a white post. Raise your hand, Jennie, and the motorman will stop the car for us." "There are two seats in the third row. Let us take them." "The conductor is coming to collect the fares." "What is the fare to the park, Sarah .?" "The fare is five cents." "Here is a dime. Hand it to the conductor. I shall pay now, and you may pay coming back." "I wonder where all these people are going." "Some are going to their work. Some are going to the market. And some are going to the park." "Here are some children. They are going to school." "How fast the car runs ! " "Yes, we shall soon be at the park." "What a fine day it is ! How bright the sun is !" MARK. PRAC. ENG. 4 50 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 26 REGULAR VERBS (Show how the past tense of regular verbs is formed.) Present Tense work I work we work you work you work he workj I work^J you work^J he work^(i I shall work you will work he will work they work Past Tense worked we work^(f you work^^ they work^^ Future Tense work we shall work you will work they will work I work in a shop. He workj- in a store. They work in a factory. We work^<i hard yesterday. We shall work hard to-morrow too. PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 51 We are busy at our shop. It is a busy season now. You work fast. She workj slowly. I walk to the shop. He walkj home from work. He walked to the station. We shall walk to work to-morrow. I shall walk to school this evening. I talk. I talk to you. You talk to me. The teacher talkj to us. I shall talk to the teacher. You will talk to her, also. She will talk to the pupils. We shall talk while we walk. The children will walk while they talk. You will all talk to-morrow. (Have pupils fill in the following blanks with correct verb-forms, using parts of the verb "work" :) I hard yesterday. I every day. We to-morrow. He in an office. She in a store. They in my shop last week. 52 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 27 Like — INTERROGATIVE FORM Present Tense do like do I like ? do we like ? do you like ? do you like ? does he like ? do they like ? Past Tense did like did I like ? did we like ? did you like ? did you like ? did he like ? did they like ? Future Tense will like shall I like ? shall we like ? will you like ? will you like ?. will he like ? will they like ? Were you at the theater last night ? Yes, we were there. Did you like the play ? We liked it very well. Did you like your seats ? Yes, we had good seats. PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 53 ' LESSON 28 IzTee — NEGATIVE FORM Present Tense do not like I do not like we do not like you do not like you do not like he does not like they do not like Past Tense did not like I did not like we did not like you did not like you did not like he did not like they did not like Future Tense will not like I shall not like we shall not like you will not like you will not like he will not like they will not like Do you like to live in the city ? We do not like to live in the city. We like the country much better. Why do you like the country ? We like it because the air is purer there. 54 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS We do not like the noise in the city. Does Henry Hke the country ? No, he does not Hke the country. He Hkes the city. Did you Hke the weather yesterday ? I did not Hke the weather yesterday. It was too cold. (Drill persistently on the use of idioms "do" and "did.") Did you close the window ? No, I did not close the window. Joseph closed it. Do you not like it closed ? I do not like it closed. I like it open. I like the fresh air. Shall I open it ? Yes, please open it again. Did your brother work to-day ? No, he did not work to-day. Does he not work every day ? They are not busy now in the shop. Will he work to-morrow ? No, he will not work to-morrow. Your pencil is not sharp. Do you want a knife ^ No, thank you, I do not want a knife. I have my own knife. PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 55 Why do you not sharpen your pencil ? I shall not need it any more. Will you not finish your writing ? No, I shall not finish it to-night. I shall finish it to-morrow night. (Put questions on blackboard requiring pupils to write negative replies.) ^"f^t LESSON 29 ' OUR NEW HOME 1 live in America. I like America. My brother likes America. We all like to live in America. Where was your old home .? Our old home was in Russia. Where did you come from } I came from Italy. Where is your new home .^ My new home is in America. Are your parents here } They are not here. Where are they .? They are in Italy. They do not wish to come here. They are too old. 56 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 30 THE VOYAGE Did you like the voyage from Europe to America ? We did not like it. Why not ? The weather was very stormy and windy. Did you feel sick ? Yes, we were all seasick at first. We shall not cross the ocean again. We do not like a sea voyage. I have many friends in Russia. They are coming to America soon. Have they tickets ? They have tickets. Did you send them the tickets ? Yes, we sent them the tickets last month. How many tickets did you send ? We sent six tickets. LESSON 31 IRREGULAR VERBS To Go present past future I go I went I shall go you go you went you will go he goes he went he will go PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 57 we go we went we shall go you go they go you went they went you will go they will go I go to the public library every Sunday. I like to go there. I read books there. Do you go to the library ? Yes, I go there every Saturday. Where did you go last night .? I went to the evening school. Do you go there every evening ? Yes, I go there every evening. Where were you last night ^ I was sick at home. I shall go to school to-morrow night. Where will you go next Saturday night ? I shall go to the theater. Will you come with us ^ Yes, we shall go with you. We went visiting yesterday. My uncle went with us. Where did you go .? We went to see Mrs. Waters. She lives in Brooklyn. When did you go home ? We went home after supper. (Continue with daily copying of verb-forms, irregular, positive negative, interrogative, in the three tenses. — See Lessen 61.) 58 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 32 AT A FIRE *'Look, Henry, at the dark, thick smoke coming from that window." ** There must be a fire in that house, George." "I think so, too ; let us go and see." *'Here, Henry, this is the house. You stay here while I go upstairs to see if there is a fire there." "Very well, George." "Hurry, Henry ! Run to the alarm box at the corner and ring in the alarm. Some children overturned an oil stove and the room is burning." "The parents are away." "I rang in the alarm, George." "Listen ! I hear the engines coming." "Just see the crowd of people coming this way !" PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 59 "How the engines are tearing through the streets and how loud the bells are ringing !" ''Here are the engines now! The firemen are jumping off with their axes and are running up the stairs/' "I think, George, they will raise ladders to that window/* "Yes, see, they are doing it now. How quickly and easily they climb the ladders/' "The fireman at the top of the ladder is break- ing the windowpanes. There he is, now, going into the room. How thick and black the smoke is ! What noise ! Everybody seems to be shout- ing. The engines are puffing. The captain may be heard giving his orders to the firemen.'' "See, they are carrying out the little children." "They are carrying them into a neighbor's house." "Now they are playing the hose into those windows. Other firemen are carrying hose through the hallway." "There is no more smoke coming from the windows. Perhaps the fire is out now." "Yes, the firemen are carrying the hose back to the wagons. They are beginning to roll them up. They are also taking down the ladders." " Hear the bells ringing ! The engines are beginning to return. The fire is over." 6o PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 33 CONVERSATIONAL FORMS *' Good morning, Mr. Baker." " Good morning, Mr. Smith." " How are you ? " '^ I am well, thank you. How are you ?" '* Very well, thank you." '' How are your folks ^ " ^*They are quite well." "Take a seat, Mr. Smith." "Thank you." " What can I do for you ? " " I came to see you on business." " I beg your pardon, sir, where is Market Street .? " "I do not know, sir." " Pardon me, sir, where is Main Street .^ " " Main Street is the second street on your left." " Can you speak English ^ " " I cannot speak English very well." " Do you understand English ^ " "I understand it a little." " What is your name .^ " " My name is Antonio Rosetta." " Where do you live ? " PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 6 1 '' I live on Green Street." " Where were you born ? " ** I was born in Italy.'* ^* How do you do, William .? " " How are you, George ? " ^^X^ " I am glad to see you." " How is everything ? " '' Fine, thank you." " How is business ? " "Very good." " I beg your pardon, did you lose this purse, madam } " "Yes, sir. Thank you." " You are welcome." " Good evening, Mrs. Brown." " Good evening, Mrs. Olson." " Sit down, please. What is the news } " " I received a letter from home to-day." " Remember me to your folks when you write to them." "Yes, I shall send them your regards." "Good night, Mrs. Brown." "Good night, Mrs. Olson." "Call again." " Yes, thank you, I shall be glad to call." 62 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 34 OUR TRIP TO AMERICA come came last next stormy pleasant year seasick trip ocean steamship voyage train deck "When did you come to America ?" "I came here last year." **Did you come alone ?" "No, I came with my mother and sisters." "Did you come from Germany .^" "No, I came from Austria." "Did you have a pleasant voyage ?" "No, it was very stormy while crossing the ocean. it How long were you on the ocean ?" "We were on the water about ten days." "Tell me about your trip to America." "We went by train from Vienna to Hamburg. We remained in Hamburg a day. The next day we took the ocean steamship, President Lincoln, for America. We met some friends on board the ship. They were fine people. At first some of PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 63 US were seasick. Afterwards, we felt better. So we sat on deck reading books about America.'' (Conversation. Personal recollections of pupils on trip to America.) LESSON 35 ^ • WORK plumber wages dollars language work learn find English earn soon speak week '*Are you working now V *'Yes, I work in a shop on Market Street." "What kind of work do you do .?" "I am a plumber." "Did you find work as soon as you came to America .? " "No; it was hard to find work at first." "Why was it hard to find work .?" "I could not speak the English language." "How did you learn to speak so well .?" "I went to evening school every night." "Do you earn good wages ?" "I earn twelve dollars a week." "Do you work hard .^" "Yes, I do work hard, but I like the work." "Where do you live .?" "My home is on State Street." 64 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 36 THE HOME rooms home lounge furniture parlor rocking-chair best sitting room rug piano dining room sideboard sofa bedroom silverware chairs kitchen glassware carpet floor ice chest dishes hall sugar flour pantry- fruit There are six rooms in our house. One room is the parlor. It is in the front of the house. We have our best furniture in this room. We also have a piano, a sofa and chairs there. On the floor there is a very pretty carpet. The parlor is the room where we receive our friends. PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 65 The next room is our sitting room. This is the room where we sit and talk. We also read in this room. We have a lounge, a rocking- chair and other chairs there. This room has a rug on the floor. ^ ^ From this room we pass into the dming room. This is where we eat our meals. It has a large table with chairs around it. It has also a large sideboard where we keep our silverware and glassware. Across the hall are the bedrooms. These are the rooms where we sleep. At the end of the hall is our kitchen. That is the room where mother cooks, bakes and washes. Near the kitchen there is a very small room. That is the pantry. We keep dishes, flour, sugar, salt and other things there. We also have an ice chest in the kitchen. MARK. PRAC. ENG. 66 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS We use the ice chest in summer. We put ice in it. We also put butter, milk, eggs, fruit, vegetables and other things in it. The ice keeps all these things cool and fresh. Questions for Conversation How many rooms has George in his house ? Name them. Are the rooms large or small r Are they airy and sunriy .^ In which room does he keep his piano } In which room does he sleep } In which room does he eat .? On which floor does he live ^. (Supplement with additional questions.) LESSON 37 FOODS coff^ee tea cocoa milk cream eggs butter bread pie pudding orange apple banana pear grape chicken beef steak mutton veal **What did you have for breakfast this morn- ing t PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 67 "First I had an orange. I cut it into halves. Then I put sugar on it and ate it with a spoon. It tasted good. Then I had oatmeal with cream. After that I ate boiled eggs, and finished my breakfast with a cup of coffee." "Do you know what I had for dinner to-day r' "No, what did you have for dinner V "I had soup first. Then I had a steak. My mother gave me some chicken too, but I did not eat the chicken. When I finished my steak, I had apple pie with tea." "Did you have your supper V "Yes, I did." "What did you have for supper V "I had fried fi^ with potatoes and green peas. Then I ate some rice pudding with cream and drank a glass of milk." "What do you have on your table .? " "W^e have plates, cups and saucers, spoons, knives and forks." "We have a tablecloth on our table." breakfast cut halves eat dinner soup boiled ate supper peas fried drank spoon rice fish tasted cup potatoes sugar finished (Use text for conversation and dictation.) 68 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 38 CLOTHES hat shirt cuffs barber shop coat suit handkerchief Europe vest socks underwear store trousers stockings overcoat pair collar shoes brother morning necktie cap tired suit My brother Frank came from Europe last week. He was very tired when he came to my house. The next day I took him to the store to buy him new clothes. First I bought him a blue serge suit. There were three pieces to the suit, a coat, a vest and a pair of trousers. Then I bought him a hat. It was a straw hat. It had a black band around it. In the same store I also bought him two neckties, a half dozen collars, overshirts, some underwear and socks. Then we went to a shoe store, where I bought a pair of low shoes for myself. On the way home I took brother Frank to a barber shop and had his hair cut. When we reached home he had a bath. Then he put on his new things. When I saw him afterwards I was surprised. He looked so much better. He looked like an American. PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 69 Questions for Conversation Who came last week ? Where did Frank come from ? Who bought some clothes for him ? What clothes did she buy for him ? What did she buy for herself ? A friend in need is a friend indeed.'* (Conversation. The importance of neatness, etc.^ 76 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 39 To, Too, Two to — means motion towards two — is a number too — means also, or more than enough„ I went to the store yesterday. I stayed there tzvo hours. I could not stay longer because I was too tired My brother went to Boston two days ago. My sister wanted to go, too. I shall go to New York for two weeks. I wish to go there, too. How long do you wish to stay there .? I would like to stay tzvo months. That is too long for a vacation. It costs too much to stay away two months. Fill the following blanks with the right word There is much noise in this room. The boy went the store. This hat cost dollars. I like go the theater . Have you quarters for half a dollar ? boys fell from the tree the ground. They were eager get down. PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 71 LESSON 40 UNITED STATES MONEY money piece dime smallest metal copper nickel quarter gold bills cent half-dollar '*Take care of the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves." Coins A coin is a piece of metal money. The cent is the smallest United States coin. It is made of copper and tin. Five of these cents make a nickel. Ten cents or two nickels make a dime. Twenty-five cents make a quarter. Fifty cents make a half dollar. The dime, quarter and half dollar are made of silver. Paper Money Some of our money is made of paper. Such money is known as bills. The smallest paper money is the one-dollar bill. There are also two-dollar bills, five-dollar bills, ten-dollar bills and twenty-dollar bills. The larger bills, such as the fifty-dollar bills. 72 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS hundred-dollar bills and thousand-dollar bills, are not in very common use. There are also gold coins. These are not used as much as the silver coins. We have a dollar, 2^-dol- lar, 5-dollar, lo-doUar and 20-dollar gold piece. LESSON 41 THE MEAT MARKET '* Where do you buy your meat, Mr. Baker V **I buy my meat at Mr. Walker's meat market." "Does he sell good meat V "Yes, his meat is always good and fresh." "Does he sell mutton ?" "Yes, he has very good mutton. I think the price of it is twenty-five cents a pound. He also sells good beef, veal and pork." "What does he charge for good steak ?" "He charges thirty cents a pound for steak. He is very reasonable with his prices. He also sells fresh poultry and fish." At the Meat Market meat fish poultry lamb salmon chicken beef haddock turkey mutton flounders duck veal halibut goose pork cod squab PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 73 LESSON 42 SINGULAR AND PLURAL NOUNS Sing jular Plural ^-f a book a lady books ladies an apple a man apples men a house a loaf houses loaves a church a knife churches knives There is a loaf of bread on the table. There are two loaves in the pantry. There are many loaves at the bakery. We cut bread with a bread knife. There are other knives used at the table. These men and ladies are going to church. To which church are they going ? I do not know, there are so many churches in this city. There are pretty houses on this street. Who lives in that white house ? Mr. Perkins, the lawyer, lives there. Use the following words in sentences in singular and plural : children baby tooth mice leaf price feet body box potatoes scissors window 74 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS grocer grocery yeast cake salmon canned bread sardines quart beans horse wagon LESSON 43 THE GROCERY STORE price butter peck honey flour bill bag onions granulated order sugar bake It was Saturday morning, and Anna and her mother were very busy. "Anna, we must do our baking to-day," said her mother. ''To-morrow is Sunday, and your uncle Frank will be here for dinner.'' "What can I do to help you, mother ?" "You can do many things. But first, you may go to the grocery store, and give this order to Mr. Black, the grocer." Anna took the order and was soon at the grocery. Mr. Black met her at the door. "Good morning, Anna, what do you wish to buy to-day ?" "Mother wants you to fill this order." "Read it to me. I will make it up for you at once, for I am not busy now." "All right, Mr. Black. I want a bag of flour. Mother is going to bake some bread to-day." "Would you like some yeast ?" PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 75 //M, i II H {h~i H I **Yes, Mr. Black, mother has forgotten that, but I am sure she wants it. Give me a cake." "Very well, what else do you want .^" "I want two pounds of lump sugar and four pounds of granulated sugar, a pound of coffee, one box of canned salmon, two boxes of sardines and two dozen eggs." "What kind of eggs do you want .?" "I think mother wants the best." "Very well. What next .? " "You may also give me a peck of potatoes, a quart of onions and a pound of beans. That will be all to-day, Mr. Black. What is the bill .? I want to pay you now." r^ ^(^ PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS *'Here is your bill. It amounts to three dollars and ninety cents/' William Black, Boston, Mass. July 31, 1913. Sold to I bag of flour I 00 I cake of yeast 02 2 lbs. lump sugar 16 . 4 lbs. granulated sugar 22 I lb. coffee 35 I can salmon 23 2 boxes sardines 20 2 dozen eggs 70 I peck of potatoes 35 I quart of onions 10 I pound of butter 45 I pound of beans ! 05 I bag of salt 07 ^3 90 Anna looked over the bill and said, "Here is the money. Be sure and send the things soon.'' "I will send them as soon as the boy returns with the horse and wagon." PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 77 LESSON. 44 WEIGHTS AND MEASURES Weight 16 ounces (oz.) = i pound 100 pounds (lbs.) = i hundredweight 20 hundredweights (cwts.) = i ton 2000 pounds = I ton Liquid Measure 4 gills (gi.) = I pint (pt.) 2* pints (pts.) = I quart (qt.) 4 quarts (qts.) = i gallon (gal.) 31 gallons (gals.) = i barrel (bbl.) Dry Measure 2 pints (pts.) = I quart (qt.) 8 quarts (qts.) = i peck (pk.) 4 pecks (pks.) = I bushel (bu.) 2f bushels (bu.) = i barrel (bbl.) Long Measure 12 inches (in.) = i foot (ft.) 3 feet (ft.) = I yard (yd.) 5280 feet = I mile (mi.) 12 articles make a dozen 12 dozen make a gross 20 articles make a score 78 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 45 THE DEPARTMENT STORE elevator basement department floors dry goods furniture counters salesman upper Department stores are large stores where one may buy many different things. Such stores are found in all large cities and towns. In the larger cities they usually take up many PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 79 floors. The departments are generally separated. The dry-goods department may be on the first floor. The furniture may be in the basement, and the^ groceries on an upper floor. "^j Let us pay a visit to a department store in your city. As we enter we see all about us goods on counters, and salesmen and saleswomen waiting on customers. On the ground floor we can usually find dry- goods, jewelry, perfumes, etc. Let us take the elevator to the upper floors. On the second floor one can buy men's and ladies' shoes, millinery, etc. On the third and upper floors may be found glassware, crockery, pictures, carpets, rugs, rubber goods and a great many other things. Do you not think that a department store is a wonderful place ^ Make a list of the things you would be likely to find in the dry-goods department. Make another list of what you might buy in the furniture department. What is a shopper .? What is meant by shop- ping .? Write the names of all the department stores that you know. (Topics : Shopping ; Free Deliveries.) 8o PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 46 THE SAVINGS BANK It is a very good habit to be frugal. Do you know what frugal means r To be frugal means to be careful in spending money. No one ought to spend every cent that he earns. It does not matter how much or how little you earn, you can always put aside some money for future use. If you do save some money, it is not always safe to keep it at home. It is much better to put it \nto a savings bank. PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 8 1 Do you know what a savings bank is ? It is a place where you can save your money. Some people think that a person needs a great deal of money to open an account with a savings bank. This is not true. A person may start an ac- count with one dollar. When you open an account with a bank, the clerk gives you a bank book. In this book he 1257 UNION SAVINGS BANK in account imit/i t X //^ 7^^/^ /5 5^ tZ. /Ttl.yf^'-^-^- ^^' /^ /^ i3 33 records each time the amount of money you de- posit. You must always bring your book with you when you deposit or draw out any money. (Topic : Postal Savings Banks.) MARK. PRAC. ENG. 6 -I 82 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS NOTE $35%o Boston Mass, Jan., 5, 1912. Thirty days after date, I promise to ■pay to the order of John Waters, Thirty Five Dollars, for value received James Murphy. CHECK Boston, Mass.... 191....No.. State Street Trust Company. Pay to the ^ n n ■ n order of ..i(:r^^ $_5.a.&03^ ^ Ri.f.ly : .......%o- Collars William Shaw. RECEIPT $18 %o Boston, Mass. , Jan. 3, 1911 Received of S. Waters, Eighteen Dollars for rent of tenement on Cedar Street, for the month of January. J.B.Williams PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 83 LESSON 47 PLUMBERS AT WORK These are the plumbers. They are mending the water pipes in the cellar. Plumbing is very hard work. It takes a long time to learn the trade well. A plumber must know about the different kinds of pipes. When a new house is built the plumber is the man who puts in the gas pipes, the water pipes and the steam pipes. Plumbing is a good trade. There are schools where men can learn to be plumbers. A plumber must have a license. What is a license .? -I 84 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 48 COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES big bigger biggest small smaller smallest high higher highest low lower lowest far farther farthest near nearer nearest cold colder coldest warm warmer warmest hard harder hardest easy easier easiest good better best bad worse worst much more most many more most little less least Here are three boys. Which one is the shortest ? Which one is the tallest ? James is taller than George. George is taller than Henry. Henry is the shortest. James is the tallest. Here are two pencils. The longer pencil is the better one. It is cold to-day. It was colder yesterday. It may be warmer to-morrow. PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 85 LESSON 49 CARPENTERS AT WORK hammer screwdriver awl square nails rule dividers chisel screw oil can pliers gimlet In the picture you can see some carpenters at work. They are building a barn. One of them is holding a hammer. He is driving nails through a board. The other man is sawing a board with a saw. If a board is too long, he saws it off. If it is too thick, he will plane it off. 86 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 50 THE MUSIC OF LABOR I The banging of the hammer, The whirring of the plane, The crashing of the busy saw. The creaking of the crane, The ringing of the anvil, The grating of the drill, The clattering of the turning-lathe. The whirling of the mill. The buzzing of the spindle, The rattling of the loom. The puffing of the engine, The fan's continual boom, The clipping of the tailor's shears. The driving of the awl — These sounds of honest industry I love — I love them all. The clicking of the magic type. The earnest talk of man, The toiling of the giant press. The scratching of the pen. PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 87 The tapping of the yardstick, The tinkUng of the scales, The whisthng of the needles (When no bright cheek pales), The humming of the cooking stove, The surging of the broom, The pattering feet of childhood, The housewife's busy hum. The buzzing of the scholars. The teacher's kindly call — These sounds of active industry I love — I love them all. THE BLESSINGS OF LABOR Oh, there's a good in labor, If we labor but aright, That gives vigor to the daytime, A sweeter sleep at night ; A good that brings pleasure Even to the toiling hours, For duty cheers the spirit, As dew revives the flowers. Then say not that our God Gave labor as a doom — No ! 'tis the richest mercy From the cradle to the tomb. PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS Then let us still be doing Whate'er we find to do, With cheerful, hopeful spirits, And free hand, strong and true. — Anonymous. who LESSON 51 PRONOUNS I me my mine you you your yours he him his his she her her hers it it its its we us our ours you you your yours they them their theirs myself yourself himself ourselves yoi Lirselves themselves itself herself whose whom whosoever whomsoever (Use in sentence-building.) Love your neighbor as yourself. I am my own master and you are yours. PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 89 LESSON 52 APPLYING FOR A POSITION WANTED. A young man to work in the office of a manufacturing concern. Good reference required. advertisement properly manager newspapers before name old read shipping country position evening school " Is this the manager ^ " " Yes, young man, what can I do for you ^ " " I saw your advertisement in the newspaper, and came to ask for that position.'' " Very well, what is your name ? " " Harold Carter, sir." " How old are you ? " '' I am twenty years old.'' " Where have you worked before ^ " " I worked at the American Woolen Company six months." " What was your work ? " *' I worked in the shipping room." " How long have you been in this country ^ " " I have been here three years." 90 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS " Did you go to school." "I went to an evening school for one season.'* " Can you read and write EngHsh well .^ '' " I can read and write fairly well." " Well, for this position I want a young man who can read and write ver}^ well. I need one on whom I can depend for writing my letters and keeping the accounts in my books properly." "If at first you don't succeed, try. try again." LESSON 53 THE PUBLIC LIBRARY library borrow home public card librarian address reference privilege returned same person A public library is a place where one can read, or borrow books to take home. How many know where the public library in this city is .^ To take books from the public library one must have a library card. Any respectable person can get a library card. All a person has to do is to go to the librarian and fill out a paper. On that PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 91 paper the person gives his name and address, and the names of two persons for reference. With this card a person has the privilege of taking books home. These books can be kept only two weeks, and then must be returned. This is because others may want the same books. In the library reading room one can get all kinds of books, magazines and daily newspapers. These must be read in the reading room. They must not be taken out of the room. What kind of books do you read ^ Do you read books that will help you in your work and your life, or do you waste your time with stories that only amuse ? '*It is never too late to learn." 92 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 54 EDUCATION lesson education last enough hard people office better gain interested library spare time r 1 know 1 • r • . • very If you are looking for a position it is important to have an education. If a young man does not know English well enough it is hard for him to get a good position. Many people can find work only in shops, while other people have better work in offices and stores. Why is this .? It is because the best educated are best fitted for good positions. There are many ways to gain an education. One way is to go to school every night, and be interested in the school work. Another way is to read helpful books at the public library during spare time. Still another way is to read good newspapers. I mean English newspapers. "Industry is fortune's right hand, and frugality her left.'' (Impress pupils with the helpfulness of observing signs and advertisements in street cars, on windows, etc.) PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 93 LESSON 55 NEWSPAPERS (Show the class a local newspaper and discuss how and what to read.) newspaper dictionary important editorials cheaply read state happen politics help ought useful city welfare situations improve interesting meaning government advertisement How many of you read the newspapers ? All of you ought to read them. They will improve your English very much. They may be a little hard at first, but the more you read them the easier they become. When you read a newspaper have a dictionary near you. Then you can find the meaning of the words you do not know. Newspapers are interesting to read, and are useful for many reasons. In the first place, you may learn there about the important things that happen in your city, in your state, in the whole country and in other countries. Then you may also read the advertisements. When you want to buy anything cheap you may read in the papers about the sales which the department stores advertise. If you are looking for a position, you may look 94 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS for it in the ''Help Wanted" page, or you may advertise in the ''Situations Wanted" for the kind of work you want. There are many other parts of a newspaper which are interesting and useful. You will soon learn what these parts are when you can read English well. Study the advertisements below, so that you may be able to write one for yourself if you should ever find it necessary. Situations Wanted Male. . CHAUFFEUR.— Young; experienced; private family; references; willing to go anywhere. S 17 Times. _ CORRESPONDENT, &c., where executive training, export, general traffic work, with exceptional ability as stenographer., Corre- spondent, is recognized; ambitious; efficient: highest credentials; age 24. Address L. G., 2,819 Newklrlc Av., Brooklyn. CORRESPONDENT. &c.-Youn« German de- sires position with commission house aa correspondent or for general office work ; speaks English fluently; has foreign experi- ence ; references. B 134 Times Downtown. ESTIMATER and detailer; structural steel and ornamental iron work ; ten years' expe- rience; wide acquaintance among architects. B 143 Times Downtown. MECHANICAL ENGINEER.— Several years' experience in commercial testing of gas engines, carburetors, mufflers, &c.; also has knowledgo of electric starting and lighting systems and ignition work. B 142 Times Downtown NURSE (mala)— Care for invalid; any ca- pacity; best references. Slills, 63 Quincy 8t.. Brooklyn. PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 95 LESSON 56 NOBODY'S CHILD Only a newsboy, under the light Of the lamp post plying his trade in vain ; Men are too busy to stop to-night, Hurrying home through the sleet and rain. Never since dark a paper sold ; Where shall he sleep, or how be fed ? He thinks as he shivers there in the cold, While happy children are safe abed. Is it strange if he turns about With angry words, then comes to blows, When his little neighbor, just sold out, Tossing his pennies, past him goes .? *'Stop !" — some one looks at him, sweet and mild. And the voice that speaks is a tender one. **You should not strike such a little child. And you should not use such words, my son !" Is it his anger or his fears That have hushed his voice and stopped his arm ? ** Don't tremble," these are the words he hears; "Do you think that I would do you harm .?" "It isn't that," and the hand drops down; "I wouldn't care for kicks and blows ; 96 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS But nobody ever called me son, Because I'm nobody's child, I s'pose." O men ! as ye careless pass along, Remember the love that cared for you ; And blush for the awful shame and wrong Of a world where such a thing could be true ! — PnoeBE Gary. LESSON 57 THE ORDER OF WORDS IN SENTENCES I. What (or Who) 2. Where 3. When In general, what (or who), that is, the person or thing about which we are talking, should come first in the sentence. Where, that is, the part that has to do with place, should come after the what in the sentence. When, or the part that relates to the time of the action, should come at the end of the sentence. The verb follows what or who in the sentence. Examples Who Where When 1. The boy went home yesterday. What Where When 2. The book was on the desk last night. PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AiMERICANS 97 Who Where When 3. I went to the theater last week. Who Where When 4. My brother will go to school to-morrow. Who Where When 5. Albert was sick in the hospital last summer. What Where When 6. The horse was in the stable this morning. Exercise Correct the following sentences : 1. I was yesterday in the shop. 2. My brother last year came from Europe. 3. My brother was last night at home. 4. It rained yesterday here. Write sentences using the following words with time and place : book school work weather home letter dinner clothes Write the names of five persons. {Who.) Write the names of five things. {What.) Write the names of five places. {Where.) Write the names of the four seasons. {When.) Combine five of these words in sentences similar to the examples given above. MARK. PRAC. ENG. ^ 98 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 58 DESCRIPTION OF A PICTURE Ask simple questions tending to make pupils put in their own words what they see in the picture. t^^'^^Ji'-^^^.i^^^J^ PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 99 LESSON 59 THE PERFECT TENSE I have seen I have spoken you have seen you have spoken he has seen he has spoken we have seen we have spoken you have seen you have spoken they have seen they have spoken How have you been getting along ? I have been getting along very nicely. Have you had a busy season ? Yes, we have been quite busy. Have you seen Albert ? He has just spoken to me. He has been in town all the week. His sister is also in town. She has been here two days. Where have the boys gone? They have gone home for supper. Use the following verbs in sentences in the perfect tense : gone begun lost taken worked walked found given looked washed (Show significance of tense; compare with past tense. Touch lightly on pluperfect with "had.") V 100 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 60 LIST OF IRREGULAR VERBS (For use in making up verb-forms to be copied in blank books and for use in the study of the perfect tense.) Present Past Part. be was been begin began begun bend bent bent bite bit bitten blow blew blown break broke broken bring brought brought buy bought bought come came come cost cost cost cut cut cut do did done drink drank drunk . eat ate eaten fall fell fallen find found found fly flew flown get got gotten give gave given go went gone grow grew grown hang hung hung PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMEj^fCANS >lp% have had had hold . held . held keep kept kept know knew known lend lent lent lose lost lost make made made meet met met put put put read • read read run ran run say said said see saw seen sell sold sold send sent sent shine shone shone sit sat sat sleep slept slept speak spoke spoken stand stood stood steal stole stolen strike struck struck swim swam swum take took taken tell told told wear wore worn win won won write wrote written .02 IFR'ACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 6i WORDS OF OPPOSITE MEANING tall short begin end new old big small high low over under in out long short sleep wake up down save spend .many few rise fall thin thick best worst buy sell right wrong fast slow idle busy glad sorry more less find lose rich poor send receive laugh weep soft hard good bad give take heavy light easy hard with without remember forget dark light late early sick well inside outside (Use the above in dictation and sentence-building.) PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 103 LESSON 62 POSSESSIVE NOUNS boy boy's boys boys' man man's men men's This hat belongs to the boy. This is the boy's hat. Whose umbrella have you ? I have my brother's umbrella. It is a pretty one. How much did it cost ? It cost him two dollars. These books belong to the -girls. These are the girls' books. Where did they get them .? They bought them at the bookstore. Use the following in sentences : Singular Plural boy's boys' man's men's gentleman's gentlemen's girl's girls' lady's ladies' woman's women's friend's friends' brother's brothers' child's children's I04 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 63 PICTURE TO BE DESCRIBED Of what is this a picture ? Name the objects that you see. What articles of food do you see ? What is the young woman doing ? Make a Hst of things necessary in a kitchen. PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 105 LESSON 64 TELLING TIME time clock count seconds minute hour face space long hand numbers marks move faster open to-night close half noon midnight watches pocket shelves tide Hush, hear the clock tick. Tick, tick, tick ! Count sixty seconds. You have counted a minute. How many minutes make an hour ^ Look at the face of the clock. What do you see there ? The long hand is the minute hand. The shorter hand is the hour hand. The minute hand points to the minutes, the hour hand to the hours. Can you see the numbers on the face of the clock .? Count them. How many are there ? Each space between the numbers marks off five minutes. There are twelve spaces. This means that it takes 60 minutes or one hour for the minute hand to move once around the face of the clock. While the minute hand moves once around, the hour hand moves only one space. io6 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS Which hand moves faster ? What time is it now ? What time did school open to-night ? What time will it close ? Where will the two hands be at three o'clock, at half past three ? at a quarter of three ? Where will the hands be at noon ? at midnight ? Clocks and watches tell time. Watches are kept in pockets, while clocks are put on shelves, or hung on the walls in houses. Where is the clock in this room I Where is the clock in your house ^ Where is your watch ? 60 seconds make one minute 60 minutes make an hour 24 hours make a day 7 days make a week 2 weeks make a fortnight 4 weeks make a month 12 months make a year 365 days make a year TOO years make a c-entury " How doth the little busy bee Improve each shining hour, And gather honey all the day From every opening flower." — Isaac Watts. PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 107 LESSON 65 THE MONTHS OF THE YEAR January (Jan.) July February (Feb.) August (Aug.) March (Mar.) September (Sept.) April (Apr.) October (Oct.) May November (Nov.) June December (Dec.) Which are the winter months ^ Which are the spring months ^ Name the summer months. During which months do we have autumn ^ The Days of the Week Sunday (Sun.) Wednesday (Wed.) Monday (Mon.) Thursday (Thurs.) Tuesday (Tues.) • Friday (Fri.) Saturday (Sat.) On which days do you work .? On which days do you rest ^ ^'Thirty days have September, April, June, and November ; All the rest have thirty-one Save February alone. Twenty-eight is all her store, Which in leap year adds one more." io8 PRACTICAL . ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 66 SPRING Spring is here. The ice has melted ; the snow is gone. The earth is waking from its long winter slumber. The birds are beginning to return from the South to cheer us once more with their happy songs. The grass in the fields and gardens is growing green. The trees and the flowers are beginning to blossom. How happy nature seems ! Spring begins on March 21st. At that time the weather is still cool and windy. During the month of April the air is warmer and the days are getting longer. This month also brings showers to make the grass and flowers grow. By the month of May everything is in bloom, for as the poet says, "April showers Bring May flowers." LESSON 67 SUMMER "Is it not a fine day, George .? Let us take a walk to the park." "No, Frank, it is too warm. I should like to take a car ride to the beach." PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 109 "Very well, then, let us take the car here. See how clear and blue the sky is ! The sun is shining so brightly !'' ''We have been riding already for an hour. We shall soon be at the beach." ''Here we are now at the beach. Can you swim, Frank .?" "Yes, George, I learned to swim last summer." "Do you wish to go bathing .^" "Yes, I think it is the best way to cool off." "Oh, look ! The sky is beginning to get cloudy. I am afraid it will rain." "I did not expect that it would rain to-day. It looked so pleasant." "You can never tell in summer when it will rain. I hope it will be only a shower." "I hope so too, Frank." "Listen! Hear it thunder! Let us go back to the bath house." "Oh, see the lightning !" " How it is pouring ! It cannot last long for the clouds are beginning to roll away." "Here is the sun again, shining as brightly as ever." "Now we can go out and walk about the beach." "All right, but do not forget that I must be home in time for supper." (Conversation : Beach and park attractions.) no PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 68 AUTUMN The leaves are falling, for it is autumn, the fall of the year. Everywhere on the ground you may see the beautiful colored leaves. The days are growing shorter and the weather is getting cooler. We are gradually leaving be- hind the hot summer and are getting nearer to winter. The harvesting season is here in all its glory. The farmer rejoices in his rich harvest. He is gathering the corn, and picking the fruit and vegetables. These he will soon store away or sell at the market. What the twilight is to the day, autumn is to the year. The earth is preparing for its coming rest during the winter months. The people who have been in the country or at the seashore for their vacations are now return- ing home. The city is once more alive with busy people. When does autumn begin .? When does it end .? *'The melancholy days are come, The saddest of the year, Of wailing winds and naked woods, And meadows brown and sere.'' PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS in LESSON 69 WINTER It is snowing. The ground, the trees and the houses are being covered with the clear white snow. The air is sharp and cold, while the biting wind makes one hurry to get indoors. The children are joyful, for it is the season of snowballs, coasting and skating. Wherever you look you see boys and girls playing mimic war with snowballs, or building snow forts, or a snow man. They do not mind the cold. They are dressed warm, and the exercise also helps to keep them warm. Winter is also the merry season for grown-up people. On ponds, or in parks, you may see crowds of people skating and coasting. How happy everybody seems in the clear crisp air ! Hear their laughter and their shouting. Listen to the tinkling of the sleigh bells. Oh ! the glorious winter ! Which of the seasons do you like best ? Write one reason for liking spring. What pleasures does summer bring ^ Name some of the joys of winter. 112 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 70 PICTURE TO BE DESCRIBED ^" :.^*^^ _ ^- PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 113 LESSON 71 WEATHER TERMS sun storm chill sunny stormy chilly cloud thunder frost cloudy lightning frosty rain slush snow rainy slushy snowy fog mist ice foggy misty icy breeze mud wind breezy muddy windy fair freezing cold warm sleet dry sunlight moonlight wet sunshine blizzard dew frozen hail pleasant (Use the more common terms for building sentences.) Read the weather predictions in this morning's paper. By whom and where are these predictions made ? What is the Weather Bureau ? How is it aided in predicting the weather for any particular locality ? Are its predictions always true ? • MARK. PRAC. ENG. 8 114 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 72 PUBLIC SIGNS Public Signs seen at the Theater I went to the theater yesterday. When I arrived there, I went to the TICKET OFFICE (Box Office) and bought a ticket. I saw the sign ADMISSION 25^ on the window. The word admission means the price we must pay to enter. After buying the ticket I passed through a door over which was the sign ENTRANCE. This means the way in. On leaving, I walked through a door over which was the word EXIT. This means the way out. Public Signs at the Railroad Station Last week I went to Boston to see my cousin. I had to take a train at the Union Station. I did not know when my train was to leave. So I walked over to a window on which I saw the word INFORMATION. This is the place to find out when the trains leave. The CLERK told me that my train would not leave until four o'clock. It was then three o'clock. So I went to the WAITING ROOM. This is the room in which PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 115 people wait for their trains, or for friends arriving on trains. I wanted to smoke, but I saw the sign NO SMOKING on the wall. This meant that smoking was not allowed in that room. I then asked a man where the SMOKING ROOM was and he told me. At a quarter to four I went to the ticket office and bought a ticket. Public Signs on Doors, Walls, etc. You will often see the word PULL on the out- side of a door. This means that you must pull the door towards you to enter. On the other side of the same door you may read the word PUSH. This means that you must push the door away from you to get out. On the walls of houses and on fences you may often see the sign POST NO BILLS. This means that no one is allowed to put any advertisements or circulars on the wall or fence. You may see on the lamp posts of some street corners a red iron box, marked FIRE ALARM BOX. This is used to notify the firemen when there is a fire. You may also see on the lamp posts of some street corners another colored iron box different in shape from the fire alarm box. This is the U. S. MAIL BOX. This is used for the collection of letters. Il6 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 73 PUBLIC SIGNS TO BE LEARNED Elevated Subway Look out for the engine Waiting room Information Ticket office Smoking room No smoking No spitting No admittance No trespassing No passing through Private This way in This way out Entrance Exit Elevator Fire escape Toilet Lavatory Keep to the right Keep off the grass Wait until the car stops Do not talk to the motorman Doctor Apothecary Druggist Physician & Surgeon Telephone Pay Station Telegraph Office Fire Alarm U. S. Mail Police Station Admission 50^ To Let For Sale Hands off Push Pull Paint Danger Please do not handle PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 117 LESSON 74 LETTER WRITING (Put simple letters on blackboard and have pupils write replies. Then have them write letters on prescribed subjects.) Letter Form ^o^taru, iTlcim., CipUl 26, fcj/O. ISaLtimuyib, THcL. ^vcin£ Tflcyuvmaru. The heading of a letter should show the place where, and the time when, the letter was written. Ii8 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS The form of greeting is the term of poHteness, respect or affection with which the letter is intro- duced. Forms of Greetings Sir Madam Dear Sir Dear Madam My dear Sir My dear Madam Dear Mr. Jones Dear Mrs. Jones My dear Mr. Bell My dear Mrs. Bell My dear Harry My dear Rose My dear Cousin My dear Friend Gentlemen Dear Sirs Forms of Endings Yours truly Yours respectfully Yours very truly Yours sincerely Yours affectionately Your friend Your sincere friend PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 119 LESSON 75 SAMPLE SHORT LETTERS An Order for Goods Dear Sirs, — Please send me at once, by fast freight, one case of your lawn, and oblige, Yours very truly, James Broad. Letter to a Sick Friend My dear Mabel, — I met your friend Rose to-day, and she told me that you were sick. I can assure you that I was very sorry to hear it. I expect to visit you next Sunday afternoon. Hoping that I shall find you well again, I am^ Your sincere friend, Pauline. Letter applying for a Position 114 Delaware Ave., Buffalo, N. Y., March 22, 1911. F. P. Speedwell Co., City. Gentlemen, — I saw in to-day's Herald that you are looking for an experienced laster. I have had three years' ex- V I20 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS perience in that line of work. I worked two years for , and one year for , to which concerns I would respectfully refer you as to my character and ability. Hoping that you will be interested and grant me a personal interview, I remain, Respectfully yours, A. Kanter. Reply to Foregoing Mr. A. Kanter, 114 Delaware Ave., City. Dear Sir, — Will you please call at our office on Monday between 9 and 10 a.m. ? Please bring this with you, and also bring any recommendations you may have from your former employers. Yours truly, F. P. Speedwell Co. Exercises Copy each of the foregoing letters and supply whatever parts are missing, as dates, address, etc. Write a letter to a dealer in dry goods, ordering something of which you are in need. Suppose that you are seeking a position as night watchman in a factory. Write a letter to the superintendent applying for the place. PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 121 LESSON ^6 COMMON ABBREVIATIONS A.M. before noon. Ave. avenue. Co. company. C. 0. D. cash on delivery. Cr. creditor. cts. cents. D. C. District of Columbia doz. dozen. Dr. debtor, doctor. E. east. etc. and so forth. ft. foot, feet. Gov. governor. 111. Illinois. lbs. pounds. Mass. Massachusetts. Md. Maryland. M. D. doctor of medicine. mdse. merchandise. Messrs. misters (gentlemen) = Mich. Michigan. Mo. Missouri. Mr. mister. Mrs. mistress. Mt. mountain. 22 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS N., No. north. No. number. N.J. New Jersey. N. Y. New York. 0. Ohio. oz. ounces. Pa., Penn. Pennsylvania. PI. place. P.M. afternoon, postmaster. P.O. post office. p. s. postscript. pt. pint. qt. quart. rec'd received. R. R. railroad. S., So. south. St. street, saint. Supt. superintendent. u. s. United States. U. S. A. United States Army ; States of America. U. S. M. ' United States Mail. U. S. N. United States Navy. w. west. yd. yard. Y. M. C. A. Young Men's Christian ciation. United Asso- PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 123 LESSON ^^ PICTURE TO BE DESCRIBED What do you see in this picture ? Name the objects in the house. Name the objects outside of the house. Is it in the city or in the country ? What kind of a day is it ? Is the weather warm or cold ? How do you know this ? Write a full description of all that you see. 124 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 78 THE OLD MAN AND HIS SONS An old man had many sons who were often quarrehng with one another. He tried in many ways to make them Hve to- gether better, but all in vain. At last he tried the following plan : He tied together a bundle of sticks, and called his sons to him. He then asked each one separately to break the bundle of sticks. Each one tried to do so with all his might, but without success. Then the father untied the bundle and gave a single stick to each one, bid- ding them try again. This time they broke the sticks very easily. He then said to them: **You see, my sons, the power of unity. Now, if you keep together in the same way as the tied sticks, no one will be able to hurt you. But when you become separated and the ties of brotherly love are dissolved, you will fall to pieces and be easy prey for your en- emies." ** United we stand ; divided we fall.'' (Discuss the morals of this fable and of those that follow.) PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 125 LESSON 79 THE DOG AND THE SHADOW A dog was one day crossing a brook. He had a piece of meat in his mouth, and saw his shadow reflected in the stream. The dog fancied it was another dog looking up at him with a larger piece of meat than he had. So he greedily snapped at the supposed stranger. But in doing this he let go his own piece of meat, and got nothing instead but ■ a mouth full of water. As he ran home 126 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS growling with anger at the loss of his dinner, he could not help thinking, ''It is better to be content with a little than grasp at a shadow." LESSON 80 THE TRAVELERS Two men were traveling upon a road. One of them saw an ax lying on the ground. Taking the ax up, he said to the other man, ''I have found an ax/' ''Do not say, / have found, an ax, but we have found an ax," said the other man ; "for as we are companions, we ought to share it betwixt us." But the first man would not listen to such a thing. They had not gone far before the owner of the ax pursued and overtook them with a warrant. The finder of the ax, seeing the warrant, said to the other man, "Alas ! we are undone." "No," replied the other. "Do not say, we are undone, but / am undone ; for, as you would not let me share the prize, neither will I share the dan- ger with you." "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you." PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 127 LESSON 81 THE GOOSE AND THE GOLDEN EGGS A certain man had a goose which laid him a golden tgg every day. All went well for a time, and then the man became dissatisfied. He wanted more than one golden egg a day. He wanted them all at one time. He was in a hurry to become rich. So he made up his mind to kill the goose. He thought he would find a great treasure inside of her. But when he opened the poor goose, he, to his sorrow, found no gold at all. Everything is not gold that glitters." LESSON 82 THE LION AND THE MOUSE A lion, faint with the heat and tired, lay down to rest. It happened that while he slept a company of mice ran over his back and waked him. Start- ing up, he clapped his paw upon one of them. He was just about to kill the little mouse when it begged his mercy. It begged the lion not to stain his character with the blood of such a small beast. The lion took pity on the poor little mouse and let it go. 128 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS Not long after, the lion was caught in a net laid by hunters. Try as he might, he could not free himself. He, therefore, began to roar loudly. The little mouse heard the roar and recognized it as that of its friend, the lion. So it ran to the lion as fast as it could. When it saw the trouble the lion was in, it gnawed apart the cords and fastenings and set free the royal beast. Hearts like doors will ope with ease To very, very little keys. And don't forget that two of these Are 'T thank you," and ''If you please.' PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 129 LESSON 83 GOOD MANNERS There is a saying that actions speak louder than words. This means that a person is judged more by what he does than by what he says. It is not enough for a man to think that he is a gen- tleman. He must act like one. Gentlemanly conduct means consideration for others' feelings. "Do unto others as you would have others to do unto you," is a good rule to follow. Ladies and gentlemen are always polite. In a crowded car a gentleman always proffers his seat to a lady or an old man. A lady always says ** thank you" when proffered a seat. A gentleman never pushes his way roughly through a crowd. He always permits ladies and old men to board a car before him. He never annoys people in a theater by loud talking. He is always dressed neatly. He has his clothes brushed, and his shoes shined. He has his hair combed and his hands and face clean. A gentleman never uses improper words. He is always kind and pleasant to others. When visiting a house a gentleman wipes his shoes before entering. He removes his hat upon entering. He does not outstay his welcome. MARK. PRAC. ENG. Q 130 . PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS • At home a gentleman honors his father and mother. He is never ashamed of them because they are old-fashioned. He appreciates that it is not so easy for old people to learn American customs. He does his full share towards maintain- ing the house. At the table a gentleman eats slowly. He uses a fork. He does not put food into his mouth with his knife. He uses a napkin when eating. He sits at the table with clean hands and face, and with hair combed. He asks quietly for what he wants at the table. He does not reach over to grab anything. (Topic: Deportment as a factor in being successful.) PICTURE TO BE DESCRIBED PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 131 LESSON 84 COLORS red blue white rainbow orange violet gray flag yellow pink black shades green brown tan eyes In the summer, after a rainstorm, we often see the rainbow. It is made up of different colors. What are the colors of the rainbow .? The most important colors are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. Other colors may be made from these by mixing them. What is the color of the sky .? Name some objects which are green. Name some fruits which have a yellow color. What colors may roses have ? What color are your shoes .? What colors are in the United States flag .? Of what color are your eyes .? What color do you like best ^ It is better to wear quiet colors than loud colors. Refined people do not wear clothes of bright shades. (Topic : Color recognition. Give an object lesson on color se- lection. Impress pupils with the vulgarity of loud or glaring colors in dress.) 132 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 85 THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA America Isabella Italy Europe Columbus India Spain continent Up to a few centuries ago, most people thought that the earth was flat. At that time there lived a man in Italy named Columbus, who believed the earth to be round. Some people laughed at him and said he was crazy. In Columbus's time Europe carried on a large trade with India. In those days it took a long time for traders to go from Europe to India because they had to travel a large part of the way by land. To go to India they had to go eastward.' Columbus believed that, the earth being round, he could sail to the west and reach India in that way. After many disappointments he obtained help from Queen Isabella of Spain, who fitted out three small ships for him. Columbus, with about one hundred men, set sail from Spain in 1492. The voyage was a long one. The sailors became frightened and homesick. They thought they were lost and would never get home again. They wanted Columbus to turn back, but he refused ; he did not want to give up. ^ Show routes, etc., on geographical globe or map. PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 133 At last, after having been at sea ten weeks, they began to see signs of land. The water was green. Seaweeds floated past ; birds flew over the ship ; a log of wood came tossing by ; the smell of fields was in the air ; and once a great tree with roots and branches was seen floating on the water. Columbus and the men watched for land until the sun went down. When it was dark he saw a light far away. The men on watch saw it too. They shouted ''Land ! Land !" Then they hove to, and waited for day. When the sun rose next morning there was land indeed. It was a small island with many beauti- ful trees and flowers growing upon it. Columbus and his men went ashore. The natives, who were watching them, thought they were beings who had come down from the sky. The natives were different from white people. They had copper-colored skins, straight black hair, large dark eyes, high cheeks, and wide mouths. Columbus called them Indians, for he beheved that the island was a part of India. People did not know till several years later that this country which Columbus discovered was a great continent, the continent which we now call America. Columbus made three other voyages. He sailed along the coast of South America, and discovered many islands. 134 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 86 THE LANDING OF THE PILGRIMS pilgrims England freedom wished worship Holland country sailed church Dutch people remained In this country we have, as you know, reli- gious freedom. That is, a person can worship God in any way that seems to him best. Three hun- dred years ago, before this country was settled, people did not enjoy such freedom. In England, for instance, people were persecuted if they did not belong to the Church of England. Now, there were some people in England who wished to worship God in their own way. So they decided to leave England and go to some other country where they could have religious freedom. They, therefore, went to Holland, where they remained several years. These people are known as the Pilgrims. After a time they left Holland because they did not wish their children to grow up and know only the Dutch language and customs. One hundred and twenty of them set sail for America. They sailed in a ship called the Mayflower. They landed at Plymouth, Massachusetts, in the year 1620. PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 135 LESSON 87 THANKSGIVING DAY The Pilgrims landed in this country on a day in December. The- weather was very cold. They did not have warm houses to live in. They suffered also from hunger because they did not have much food. The first winter was a very hard one for them. Nearly half of their number died, but the rest endured their sufferings bravely. The following year, conditions improved for them ; they had plenty of food and shelter. They were, therefore, happy and gave thanks to God. The day they celebrated with thanks they named ''Thanksgiving Day." We now observe Thanksgiving Day every year. The Important Holidays Washington's Birthday February 22 Memorial Day May 30 Independence Day July 4 Labor Day First Monday in Sept. Columbus Day October 12 Thanksgiving Day Last Thursday in Nov. Christmas Day December 25 (Topic: Meanings of the holidays and the local festivals.) 136 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 88 GEORGE WASHINGTON — I It is almost two centuries since George Washington was born. It is more than a century since he died, and yet his name still stands first of all Americans. His birthday was Feb- ruary 22, 1732. It is cele- brated every year. On all public buildings flags are hoisted, and from every fort and ship of war cannon are fired. George Washington's father died when George was ten years old. His mother educated him for a land surveyor. At the age of twenty George was appointed a major and was sent on an important journey of 600 miles through the woods, amid cold and snow. Later he was made commander-in-chief of all the forces of Virginia. Twenty years later, when war broke out between the colonies and Great Britain, he was chosen to take command of the American army. This army was very small indeed. It was composed of only 14,000 men. Very few of these PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 137 men had been 'trained to arms. They were farmers and mechanics. They had but few can- non, scarcely any tents, and powder enough to last only a few days. Many of the men were sick. Some were discouraged and wanted to go home. George Washington took command of this army in Cambridge. Across the river in Boston were eleven thousand well-trained British soldiers, but George Washing- ton was not discouraged. Even during the war, when he had few men and no money, food or clothing, his courage kept up. It was this courage and spirit which inspired his men to endure every- thing bravely until the war came to a close in 1783. LESSON 89 GEORGE WASHINGTON — II At the close of the war Washington retired to his home at Mount Vernon. He was then fifty years old. He was very glad to return to his home. He had served his country long and well. Now he was tired and wished to rest. The people, however, did not let him rest long. They could not get along without him. They insisted that he become their first president. Though he wished now to live in peace, he could 138 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS not refuse the people's pleadings. He was too good and too great to live as a private citizen. He belonged to his country. On the way to New York to take the oath of office he was met everywhere by throngs of people trying to do him honor. The old and the young, women and children, thronged the highways to welcome him. Beauti- ful floral arches were erected, and the ground was strewn with roses. In all ways the people did their best to show their love for him. For two terms, eight years, George Washington was president of the United States. He refused a third term. He did not think it right for one man to be president longer than eight years. Washington had been great as a soldier. He was equally great as a statesman. His two chief qualities were integrity and fairness. He knew what was right, and did it. At the age of sixty- four he retired for the last time to Mount Vernon. There he lived for more than two years, when he died suddenly at the age of sixty-seven. The whole nation mourned his loss. He has ever since been called the Father of His Country. How many presidents have there been since Washington ? Give their names. Who is president now ? PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 139 LESSON 90 ABRAHAM LINCOLN — I February 12, 1809 marks the date of the birth of one of the greatest and best men our country has ever had. This man was Abraham Lincoln. He was born of very poor parents in a log cabin in the .- backwoods of Kentucky. There were no free schools in those days, and Lincoln's parents were too poor to send him to school. Lincoln, therefore, had to educate himself. He did not have any books, paper, pens or pencils as children now have. He sometimes walked many miles to borrow books from a friend. For practice in writing he used charcoal and a wooden shovel. He was always industrious, work- ing hard in the daytime and studying hard at night. Lincoln left home at twenty-two, to seek his for- tune. His first job was as clerk in a store. Then, he learned surveying. The people who knew him were not afraid to trust him, and almost everybody called him "Honest Abe." Lincoln became a candidate for the state legis- I40 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS lature.in Illinois and was elected. He did so well that he was reelected three times. Those were the days when the people of the South kept slaves. Many people in the North thought this was wrong. Lincoln thought that slavery was harmful to the nation. Lincoln became a lawyer. After a while he was sent to Washington as a representative from Illinois. He soon made himself heard and the whole country began to know him and trust him more and more. Finally, in i860, he was nomi- nated and elected president of the United States. . LESSON 91 ABRAHAM LINCOLN — II It was during Lincoln's administration that the North and the South were engaged in civil war. The South wanted to leave the Union and make a government of its own. The North said that the Union must be held together at any cost, and that the slaves must be freed. Four long years did the war last, and four dark years they were to Abraham Lincoln. He had to listen to everybody's complaints. He had to look on while thousands of homes were broken up. But he kept up his patience for his PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 141 country's sake. He knew that it was the only way the Union could be preserved. Finally, at the beginning of his second term, the war was ended. The North had conquered. Peace was restored. Then Lincoln began the work of reuniting the North with the South in brotherly affection. But he did not live long enough to finish it. A bullet from a pistol in the hands of a half-crazy actor crashed into his brain as he sat in the theater on the night of April 14, 1865". The next morning he was dead. The bells of the nation tolled mournfully. The whole world wept for the good man who had gone. We now realize that it was his greatness and goodness that preserved our country. LESSON 92 SHORT LESSONS IN CIVICS City Government Good laws and their proper enforcement are the main conditions that help to make a good govern- ment. Without these no person would be safe on the street or at home. To protect life and prop- erty the people make laws which all must obey. If a person steals or commits murder, he breaks the law. If he is found guilty, after a fair trial, he is sent to prison or punished in other ways. 142 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS I \ W. : A 'i'kP The City Hall, New York, in Winter In this country the laws are made by the people themselves. In some of the small towns the people get to- gether in a large hall called the Town Hall. Here they make laws for themselves and discuss public questions. In such a gathering every citizen has a direct voice in the management of the public affairs of the town. In large cities this is impossible. Therefore, the people elect men to make laws for them and to manage public affairs. This is what is meant by City Government. Now, in every kind of business, as in every family, there must be a head manager. So the PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 143 city, which is really a very big family, must also have a chief manager or leader. In your shop there is a manager or foreman who is responsible for all the work. In the same way the city must have a manager to take care of the city affairs. It is his duty to see that the men who make the laws, and the others who enforce these laws, do their duty properly. This manager or chief officer is called the mayor. A mayor has a great many important respon- sibilities. He must see that the laws are properly enforced. He must see that the streets are kept clean and the city buildings and yards kept in good repair. He must protect life and property from bad people and from fire. He must look out for the health of the people. He must see that the taxes are collected. He must see that proper schools are provided. Now, all this is too much for one man to do. So the mayor has other men to help him. Under him he has the police department, the street- cleaning department, the building department, the health department, the water department, assessors and various lesser officers. The department of the city government which makes the laws or ordinances is usually made up of two branches : the Board of Aldermen and the Common Council. 144 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 93 The Police Department In large cities there are many kinds of people. There are good people and bad people. There are honest men and thieves. We know that the good people will not break the laws, but the bad peo- ple have to be watched, or they will steal, rob and break the laws in other ways. We, therefore, have men to watch and prevent their lawbreaking. The police are the men who see that the laws are obeyed. It is the duty of the police to protect us and our homes day and night. They arrest lawbreakers and bring them into court. A policeman in this country is a friend to every one that he meets. He does all in his power to help people. He gives information to strangers. He returns lost children to their homes. He helps people cross busy streets. He stops reckless driving and regulates traffic. He looks out for accidents. He telephones for the ambulance for sick or injured persons. He is on duty in all kinds of weather. He stops disorders and does many other things for the protection of the people. '*An honest man is the noblest work of God. PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 145 LESSON 94 The Fire Department See the fire engines rushing through the crowded streets ! Hear the bells clanging and the people shouting ! You say to yourself, '* There is a fire somewhere ; I wonder if there are any people in danger." You do not think so much about the house or the goods being destroyed. You are not afraid of the house burning down because you have confidence in the Fire Depart- ment. You feel sure that the brave men on the fire engines and ladders will do their duty. When you see the engines rushing past, you feel that it will not take them long to reach the fire ; and that, when they reach it, it will not take them long to put the fire out. Now, do you ever stop to think how hard it would be to get along without the firemen ^ If you do, then perhaps you know what the Fire Department means to the city. It means that there are people in the city always ready to pro- tect your house in case of fire. That is why you sleep so soundly at night. You do not need to worry about fires. The Fire Department is always ready to protect you. (Conversation : Prevention, and the procedure in discovery of fires.) MARK. PRAC. ENG. lO 146 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 95 The Street Cleaning Department Clean streets are desirable for two reasons : first, the appearance of the city ; and second, the health of its people. If the streets are clean, it is an indication that the people are clean and careful. If the streets are dirty, it shows that the people are unclean and careless. It is the same way as in visiting a house. If the house is dirty, you do not have much respect for the people in the house. So with the city : if the city is not clean, strangers will think that the people do not take much interest in the city. No one likes to walk in the street and have his eyes, ears, mouth, nose and lungs filled with dirt and dust. It is very unhealthful to breathe dust. To keep all the streets clean and free from ice in winter, the city must employ a great many men. This is done by the Street Cleaning Department. The city spends a great deal of money to keep the streets clean. This money comes out of the people's pockets. Now, every person can help the city save some of this money by helping to keep the streets clean. If you are in the park, don't throw rubbish on the grass. Throw it into the boxes or barrels placed there for that purpose. (Topic : Relation of cleanliness to health.) PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 147 LESSON 96 • The Health Department There is a department in the city government which helps to keep the people in good health. This is the Health Department. It is the duty of this department to see that all dirty and filthy places are made clean. It must also try to keep the city free from diseases. This department employs men who inspect all bakeshops, grocery stores and meat markets. The law prohibits stores from selling bad or impure food. If the inspectors find any impure food in a store, the proprietor is summoned to court and punished. The department employs other men to visit the workrooms. These men see that the working people in all shops get good air and sunshine. The Health Department also tries to prevent the spreading of contagious diseases. If the oflScials find that a person has diphtheria, scarlet fever or any other contagious disease, that person is taken to the hospital. If the sick person remains in his own home, he is separated from other people in the house. This is done to prevent others from catching the disease. After the sick person is removed to the 148 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS hospital, or after he gets well at home, the rooms are fumigated in order to kill all germs. Thus it may be seen that the Health Depart- ment's work is very important. For that reason it is every person's duty to help the department as much as he can. Housekeepers should take care to keep their refuse outside. They should see that the garbage and refuse are collected every time the garbage collectors come around. It is very important that contagious diseases should be reported to the department as soon as possible. Otherwise, the disease may spread. Every person should be careful not to spit on sidewalks or in public places. Spit spreads dis- ease. Consumption is very often spread in this manner. Our to-days and yesterdays are the blocks with which we build." (Topic : Free medical and surgical service at hospitals and dispensaries.) '* Lives of great men all remind us We can make our lives sublime, And departing, leave behind us Footprints on the sands of time." PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 149 LESSON 97 HYGIENE Nothing is of more importance to a person than good health. Without it no one can be happy. It is, therefore, necessary to preserve it while we have it. To keep in good health we must be careful to breathe fresh air, eat good food and keep our bodies clean. No one can be healthy who is always breathing dust and foul air. Therefore, when you sleep at night, and when you work in the shop, keep the windows open. Breathe deeply whenever you can. This will develop the lungs and make them stronger and less liable to become diseased. Remember that sunlight is very good for you. Always try to have the sun in your room or in your workshop. The sun is your friend. The trees and the flowers cannot grow without sun- light. Sunlight is good for them, and it is good for you, too. It kills the germs of disease. Then always welcome it, and never keep it out of any room. Good food is necessary to good health. The food must be fresh and nourishing. Drink plenty of milk and eat fresh eggs every day. Good food, and plenty of it, makes one strong and enriches 150 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS the blood. With good blood one may be able to resist disease. Food, when not chewed well, fails to be as beneficial as it should. Every person should remember to chew his food well and to eat slowly. If your teeth are bad and you cannot chew your food properly, go to the dentist and he will take care of them for you. Bad teeth cause disease ; so, take care of your teeth. Clean them with a toothbrush and powder after each meal. Exercise is also necessary to health. Walking, rowing, running and ball playing are good forms of exercise. If one has time and opportunity, he should attend a gymnasium. There he can build up his muscles better than anywhere else. No person can keep in good health if he is not clean. Bathe often. Do not be stingy with soap and water. They are both cheap, and will do you a great deal of good. It is not enough to wash your hands and face. You must wash your body often. Cleanliness is next to godliness." (Topic : The benefits of open-air living.) PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 151 LESSON 98 HOW THE CITY RAISES ITS MONEY You know how much it costs you for food and clothes. If you are the head of the family, you also know how much it takes to support a family. Do you realize how much money the city needs for all its departments ^ You have read about the police, fire, street cleaning and health departments. You know that the city pays the men in these departments. You also know that the city maintains schools, lights the streets, purifies drinking water, collects ashes and refuse, and does many other things for its people. Where does the city get the money necessary to do all these things ? The city raises money through taxes. A tax is the money paid to the city by the people living in the city. Taxes are paid on houses, land, shops and stores. What is a poll tax .? Who are supposed to pay poll taxes ^ The city also raises money from licenses. What is a license ^ What is the tax rate in your city this year .? How is the tax rate determined ? If you buy anything in a store, you have to pay for it. You get nothing free there. Now, the 152 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS city furnishes you free schools, protects your life and property as well as your health, and does a great many other things for you. Is it not just that you should pay your share in return for all these things ? (Topic : Levying of taxes — federal revenue.) A young man idle, an old man needy." LESSON 99 STATE GOVERNMENT In your school the teacher has charge of the schoolroom. That is, she governs it. The prin- cipal governs all the schoolrooms in the school. Then, there is a superintendent of schools who has charge of all the schools in your city. That is, he governs all the smaller governments in the separate schools. In the same way your state government looks after the governments of the cities in the state. The state government is in many ways similar to the city government. It has a head manager and departments which are chosen by the people themselves. The head of the state government is called the governor. His term of oflfice in some states is PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 153 one year ; in others it is two years ; in others it is four years. It is the governor's duty to see that the laws of the state are faithfully executed. He also sees that the public business of the state is conducted properly. Like the mayor in the city government, the governor has departments to help him. The department of the state which enacts the laws is called the Legislature. The Legislature is made up of two branches, the Senate and the House of Representatives. These branches are also elected by the people. LESSON 100 NATIONAL GOVERNMENT We have read of the city government for the taking care of the city, and of the state govern- ment for the taking care of the state. Now, we shall read about the national government. By national government we mean the govern- ment that takes care of the whole nation. What the state government is to the city governments in that state the national government is to the state governments of the nation. The national government is made up of three departments : 154 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS The lawmaking department is known as Con- gress. It is to the nation what the Legislature is to the state, or the Board of Aldermen to the city. Congress is made up of two branches, a Senate and a House of Representatives, just like the Legislature of a state. How are representatives elected ^ How are senators chosen ^ Who are your senators ^ The executive department is composed of the president and his cabinet. The president does for the United States what a governor does for his state, or what a mayor does for his city. He takes care that the national laws are faithfully executed. The president has so many interests to attend to that he selects other men to help him. These men form his cabinet. Can you name the members of the present cabinet .^ The president is elected by the people for a term of four years. If, however, he does not perform his duties faithfully, he may be impeached by Congress. The judicial department is vested in the Supreme Court. What are the duties of the Supreme Court ? What is the Constitution ? PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 155 LESSON loi NATURALIZATION Becoming a Citizen If you wish to have a voice in your government, you must become a citizen. You cannot vote if you are not a citizen. The first step to become a citizen is to get your hrst papers. To get these, one must go to the United States Circuit Court and fill out a blank. This blank is as follows : — Name : (Do not abbreviate any part of name by initial or otherwise) Age : years. (Give age at last birthday) Occupation : Color : Complexion : Height : feet inches. Weight : pounds. Color of hair : Color of eyes : 156 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS Other visible distinctive marks : (If no visible distinctive marks so state) Where born : ; (City or town) (Country) Date of birth : , , (Month) (Day) (Year) Present residence : (Number and street) (City or town) (State, territory, or district) Emigrated from : (Port of embarkation) (Country) Name of vessel : (If the applicant arrived otherwise than by vessel, the character of conveyance or name of transportation company should be given) PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 157 Last place of foreign residence : (City or Town) (Country) I am now a subject of and intend to renounce (See note) allegiance to — (Name) (Title) Date of arrival in United States : (Month) (Day) (Year) Port of arrival : (City or town) (State or territory) Note. If applicant is a citizen of a foreign republic, he should fill in the following line in lieu of the above, writing the name of the republic only. I am now a citizen of and intend to renounce allegiance to the Republic of The clerk of the court helps a man to fill out the blank. When the blank is filled out, the man 158 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS must swear that he answered truthfully. The clerk then gives the man the filled-out blank. This is known as the '* First Papers." They cost one dollar. A man can get his First Papers as soon as he arrives in this country. These First Papers do not, however, make a man a citizen. He must get his ** second," or Final Papers. To get Final Papers a man must have lived in this country at least five years. Also, two years must elapse between the First and the Final Papers. To get the Final Papers a man must go to the court and fill out another blank. The witnesses who sign this paper must have known him at least five years. They must be United States citizens. They must fill out blanks in which they tell all they know about the man. The candidate must pay four dollars when he fills out his blank. When the blanks are properly filled, the candidate and witnesses are sworn in. They are then told to come again in about ninety days. After the ninety days the three must appear before the judge. They are first sworn in. Then the candidate is asked questions about the Consti- tution and the United States government. If the court is satisfied with the answers, the man is given PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 159 the oath of allegiance. That is, he swears that he will obey the laws of the land and will adopt this country as his own. He is then given the Final Papers, which means that he has become a citizen. LESSON 102 REGISTRATION OF VOTERS In most states it is necessary for every citizen to have his name registered before he can vote. In every election district there is a Board of Regis- trars. The duty of this board is to make out a list of all citizens in the district who have a right to vote. As a rule, a man wishing to vote must appear before the registrars several weeks before election day. He must state to them his name, age, birth- place, where he lives and what his occupation is. If he has but recently become a citizen, he must also show them his citizen papers. If the registrars find that the man has all the qualifications of a voter, his name is enrolled upon the voting list. That is, he is registered. Are you properly registered ? If so, you should make up your mind to vote wisely. Find out who are the best, the wisest, the most efficient among the candidates, and vote for them. l6o PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 103 ELECTIONS Voting You have already learned that in this country the people make their own government and choose their own public officials. They choose these officials by voting for them. Any citizen over twenty-one years of age may vote. The men for whom the people vote are called the candidates. These candidates are chosen from the different political parties by the members of those parties. On election day it is the duty of every good citizen to go to the polls and vote. The polls is a room where the voters of a district deposit their ballots. In this room also the ballots are counted after the voting ends. A ballot is a slip of paper used in voting. On it are printed the names of the candidates and the names of the great political parties. When a voter enters the polls, he gives his name to the election officers. These officers have the registration list before them. When the voter's name is found on the list, it is checked off. Then he is given a ballot. The voter takes his ballot and passes into a PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS i6l small private booth. In the booth he finds writ- ing material and a place to write upon. If he wishes to vote for certain candidates, he makes a cross opposite the name of each. He then returns to the place where the election officers sit, and his ballot is dropped into a large box. Counting the Votes On election day the polls close at a certain hour. After the polls are closed the ballots are counted. The counting is done openly before a number of people. The candidate who gets the largest num- ber of votes is declared elected. If you want a good government, you must help to elect good and honest officials. That means that you must try to learn as much as you can about the candidates. If you vote for a dishonest man, you may help to make the government bad. So always be careful with your vote. Actions speak louder than words." MARK. PRAC. ENG. l62 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS LESSON 104 RIGHTS AND DUTIES In this country every citizen is entitled to cer- tain rights. He has a right to hve, to be free and to be happy. The United States government guarantees him equahty before the law. It grants him the right of a fair trial if he is brought into court for any reason. Every citizen has a right to buy, sell and have a home. The United States protects his home as well as his life and liberty. He is given full freedom in his pursuit of happiness. He may do whatever he pleases so long as he does not interfere with the rights of others. Every citizen has a voice in the making of the government. It is his privilege to vote for the men he thinks will make the best public officials. These are his rights. But for every right a citizen enjoys there is a corresponding duty. The first duty of a citizen is obedience to the laws. Laws are made by the people, for the good of all the people. We cannot make special laws for some people. We cannot make exceptions for a few. The laws are made for everybody to obey, and everybody should obey them. Every citizen should always be ready to serve his city, state or country. He should be prepared, PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 163 if necessary, to give up even his life for his country. It is also important for every citizen to take an interest in the pubHc welfare. A good citizen pays his share of the taxes. He is interested in the public health, in education and in all things that are good for his city and state. A good citizen watches the work of the public officials. At election time he votes for honest and efficient candidates. A good citizen earns his own living. He does not become a burden on others. He is honest in all his dealings. He is always ready to help the poor and the helpless. A tree is known by its fruit." LESSON 105 CITY LIFE AND COUNTRY LIFE I. The Early Struggles of an Immigrant Joseph Belman landed in New York in 1902. He had left oppressive Russia to seek his fortune in free America. Joseph landed here with very little money. He could not afford to remain idle very long. So he started to look for work at once. He finally obtained a job as finisher in a skirt shop. l64 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS Joseph was not experienced in this kind of work. In Russia he had owned a small store where he did not have to work very hard. Now every- thing was changed. He had to work hard in the shop. And worse still, he received very small wages for his hard work. He also found the ways of living different from those in Russia. In Russia he lived in a very small town where there was plenty of air and grass. Also food and rent were cheap in that small town. But in New York he had to live in a small, stuffy room. Food was dear, and rent was high. However, these things did not discourage Jo- seph, for he had to think of his wife and two children whom he had left behind in Russia. He was looking forward to the time when he could send for them to come to America. So he worked as hard as he could. He also learned as much as he could about his work. As his work improved, his wages were raised. This was a blessing to him, for he was now able to send more to his family. Also he began to put money aside for the tickets that he hoped to buy to bring his family over. For himself he cared little. So, to save more, he lived in a cheap room and ate very plain food. His room was a small back room on the fourth floor of a tenement house. No sunlight ever PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 165 entered there. No fresh air ever came near the place. The only things Joseph could see from his room were the dirty windows and dirtier walls of his neighbors. The smell from the back yard was so bad that Joseph had to keep his window closed most of the time. All this soon began to tell on Joseph's health. It was impossible for any one that was used to fresh air to remain healthy under such bad con- ditions. He gradually grew thinner. His face became pale. His eyes were sunken. He coughed and he could not sleep at night. Still, Joseph kept on working hard and saving. Finally he had saved enough to buy the tickets. He was a proud man when he sent his wife the tickets and money for the journey. II. The Immigrant's Family arrives, and the Struggle becomes Harder It was in February and the weather outside was very cold. In a back room, on the top floor of an old tenement house, were a man and a woman with two children. They were sitting beside a small stove. They had their coats on, for the room was cold. There was a fire in the stove, but it gave forth very little heat. The fire had been built with paper and wood. There was no coal in the house. l66 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS ' Every few moments the man would cough dryly. It was clear that he was not well. The man was in fact too ill to work. The doctor had ordered him to stop work for a while. He had also advised him to go to the country to live in fresh air. But how was the man to get to the country with- out money ? He had not worked for a long time. The family's little savings were all gone. Their only income was from his wife's work. She had to do washing for others to keep her family from starving. The children were yet too young to work. This man was Joseph Belman of whom we read in the last lesson. His wife and children had come to him from Russia two years before. Things had not prospered with Joseph. His health had gradually failed after his family had come. His earnings had not permitted them to live in comfort. Prices of food were getting higher every day. The food value of a dollar was less than it had been for him in his small town in Russia. He earned more in New York, but the cost of living was much higher than in Russia. Rent was very high. A large part of his earnings had to go to his landlord. The Belman family had to live in cramped rooms under unhealthy conditions. The more uncom- fortable it was for his family, the harder Joseph PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 167 worked to earn more. And the harder he worked, the sicker he grew, until finally he became too ill to work at all. Fortunately for Joseph, his friends began to take an interest in his case. They raised some money which they lent to Joseph. They then helped him find a small farm at some distance from the city. They thought that the country air would help Joseph's health. They expected also that he would do better at farming than working in a shop. A first payment was made for the farm. The balance was to he paid by Joseph on easy terms. Joseph and his family, therefore, moved to the country. III. The Family moves to the Country and finds Prosperity Four years had passed since the Belmans had moved to the country. Great changes had taken place in this family's life. It was hard to believe that this same family had been starving in an old tenement house four years ago. Things had surely prospered with Joseph. He was now a happy and well-to-do farmer. He lived in a comfortable house, surrounded by grass, trees and beautiful flowers. He had a stable with horses and cows in it. l68 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS He raised plenty of corn and wheat. He grew abundance of fruit and vegetables. He had several cows and a great many chickens and hens. The Belmans were well supplied with food. They baked their own bread. They had their own meat, ...^I^^Pbrl*^- milk, butter and eggs. Everything they ate was fresh and pure. They had of these things a great deal more than they could use for themselves. So Joseph would sell at the markets and make a good profit. This profit, of course, did them a great deal of good. They could buy nice furniture and good clothes, and get other things for their comfort. But these were not the only things they now enjoyed. They breathed fresh air all the time. They had plenty of sunlight. There was plenty of room for the children to play. They could all sleep soundly at night. Everything was quiet and peaceful. All this made them healthy. Joseph was again the PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 169 same strong, healthy man that he had been in Russia. The Belmans were very happy now. The first year at the farm had been a hard one for them. They did not know very much about farming, and the results were poor. But farming is not hard to learn, and so the second year ended with much better results. It was during the third year, however, that things began to prosper. Joseph had learned his work well. He had learned how to get the best results. He worked hard and enjoyed the work. Good results were, therefore, bound to follow. LESSON 106 OPPORTUNITIES IN AGRICULTURE We have just read how one family, having struggled in the city, became prosperous after moving to the country. This is true of thousands of families all over the country. Too many of the new Americans settle in the large cities. It would be a great deal better for most of them if they would settle in the country instead. One reason is that the country is more healthful than the city. Another reason is that living expenses are much higher in the city. I70 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS In a large city one cannot have fresh air. The poor people there have to live in close, crowded tenement houses. These houses are surrounded by taller buildings which shut off all air and light. The only parts of the outside world one can see from the houses are the back windows of neigh- bors. The houses are mostly old and broken down. They are cold in winter and very hot in summer. In the hot summer evenings the people of these houses cannot remain indoors. They have to be on the streets, on the roofs or in the parks. To sleep in the houses at night is impossible. The fire escapes have to serve as beds. In winter many of these poor people suffer from cold. They have not enough coal. Thousands of them appeal to charitable organizations for fuel and shelter. These things are not to be wondered at. Most of you must know how difficult it is to be com- fortable in a large city. The prices of all foods, clothes, etc., are high. Rent also is very high, and the rooms are small and poorly ventilated. Yet earnings are very small. What chance has an ordinary working man of being comfortable under such conditions ^ Besides all this, a large city breeds consump- tion, for consumption is caused by living in impure PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 171 air. And a large city is the poorest place in the world for getting a supply of fresh air. The large city is especially harmful to the new Americans who have lived in small towns in their own countries. They have been used to fresh air, pure food and restful living. These things kept them healthy. When they come to a large city, they are obliged to live in air that is full of dust, smoke and unhealthful germs. They have very little rest. They must work hard and fast to earn enough. At night they cannot sleep well, there is so much noise and the air is so oppressive. In the country, new Americans would be health- ier and happier than in the city, for there the air is pure and healthful. Country people live better and quieter lives than do city people. Their food is purer and cheaper. There is more sunlight. Rents are lower. They do not have to work as hard as city people, for they do not have to earn so much. The best way to get all the advantages of country life is to take a small farm not too far from the city. It is not very difficult to get such a farm. One does not need a great deal of money. There are abandoned farms in some places that one can buy or lease on easy terms. The State Agricultural Department will tell one all about soils and climates and about abandoned 1/2 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS farms. There are many places where with a Httle money one can buy land lots. Many of these can be turned into good gardens for raising truck to be sold in the city. In the large cities there are associations that help poor people who wish to settle in the country. These associations lend worthy people money on easy terms. On a farm a family can usually raise enough for its own needs and have something to sell. If a man is careful and willing to work, he can always improve the land and increase the produce. If the poor people in the cities would begin to see the opportunities awaiting them in the country towns, there would not be so many of them sick and unhappy. " Happy the man whose wish and care A few paternal acres bound, Content to breathe the wholesome air In his own ground. " Whose herds with milk, whose fields with bread, Whose flocks supply him with attire ; Whose trees in summer yield him shade, In winter, fire." '—Alexander Pope. PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 173 LESSON 107 AMERICA OUR HOME Most of you who have come to America from Europe probably landed in the great city of New York. You may recall seeing the statue of Liberty in the New York harbor. It has been placed there to show the newcomers that they are welcome. It lights the way to liberty. It is meant to show that in this country the oppressed of other countries will find refuge and freedom. It is meant to show that here every citizen has a voice in the making of the laws. It is a reminder that all in this country have equal opportunities. The name America has come to mean oppor- tunity. Thousands of persons have come to this country poor and have become successful. They saw the opportunities and grasped them. They worked hard and succeeded. The chief secret of success is to work hard. In the school, in the shop, wherever you wish to succeed, you must do your best, and try to im- prove your mind. Is not then this a country to be proud of ^ Should we not all be glad that we live here ? This is our country — The Home of the Free — The Land of Opportunity — America. 174 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS Here is the United States flag. It is the flag that everyone respects and loves, for it stands for what is dear to every one's heart — justice and Hberty. PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS 175 This flag also tells the story of our country's freedom. The thirteen stripes — seven red and six white — represent the original states that fought in the Revolutionary War with England. It was these thirteen states that made this great govern- ment possible. The colors of the flag, red, white and blue, stand for certain national virtues. Red stands for bravery ; white, for purity ; and blue, for justice. In the upper left-hand corner of the flag is a blue square with white stars. These stars rep- resent the difl^erent states in the Union. There are in this blue field as many stars as there are states in the Union. Whenever a new state is admitted to the Union, a new star is added to the flag. OUR BANNER Flag of our country, far afloat, Over the land and sea ! The steadfast light on Glory's height, The banner of the free ! " Purity speaks from your folds of white, Truth from your sky of blue. Courage shines forth in the crimson stripes And leads to victories new. 176 PRACTICAL ENGLISH FOR NEW AMERICANS Fadeless, like stars in the arching skies, In glory your stars shine on, And promise the peace that ne'er shall cease. In the land by valor won. THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn's early light. What SQ proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming. Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight, O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming ? And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air. Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there : Oh, say, does that Star-Spangled Banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave ? RETURN TO the circulation desk of any University of California Library or to the NORTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY BIdg. 400, Richmond Field Station University of California Richmond, CA 94804-4698 ALL BOOKS MAY BE RECALLED AFTER 7 DAYS • 2-month loans may be renewed by calling (510)642-6753 • 1-year loans may be recharged by bringing books to NRLF • Renewals and recharges may be made 4 days prior to due date DUE AS STAMPED BELOW SENT ON ILL AUG 2 9 2003 U, C. BERKSLEY DD20 15M 4-02 I D U I DvJ7 / UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA UBRARY