Welcome to Lexmatica



Lexmatica ist eine Reihe von kurzen englischen Texten.  Einige mit Audio und einige mit Vokabelhilfe.  Ideal für Anfänger.  Scrollen Sie nach unten und genießen Sie.  Die nächsten Lexmatica-Updates im Herbst.

Lexmatica is a series of short English texts.  Some with audio and some with vocabulary assistance.  Great for beginners.  Scroll down and enjoy.  Next Lexmatica updates this  autumn.

Toorington People - Karli Freund

 



Karli Freund

Karli Freund is a carpenter, He works with wood. Karli Freund needs many different tools for his work.
He needs sawschiselsplanesdrillshammers, screwdrivers, and a lathe. Karli Freund also uses lots of sandpaper and glue.

Karli Freund makes window framesdoor frames and furniture in his workshop.

And, Karli loves his weekends as well. He has a very nice little wooden house in the Vienna Woods, which, by-the-way, he built himself!

Karli Freund is a carpenter. He loves his job very much.

Vocabulary

built – gebaut (build/built/built)
by-the-way - übrigens
carpenter – Tischler
chisel – Meißel
different – verschieden
door frames – Türrahmen
drill – Bohrer
furniture – Möbel
glue - Klebstoff

lathe - Drehbank / Dressel (Öst.)
need – brauchen (need/needed/needed)
plane - Hobel

sandpaper – Schleifpapier
saw - Säge
screwdriver – Schraubenzieher
tools – Werkzeug
window frames – Fensterrahmen
wooden - hölzern
workshop - Werkstatt

Questions
1 – What tools does Karli Freund need for his job?
2 - Why does Karli Freund make in his workshop?
3 – What does Karli Freund do at weekends?
4 – Where is Karli Freund's little wooden house?
5 – Who built Karli Freund's little wooden house?
6 – Who chose the furniture?
7 - Why is wood beautiful?




 




Toorington LIfe - Inventions

  




Inventions

The world is full of inventionsSome good, some bad, and some good and bad! Aeroplanes are very good examples. They can take us to very nice places, and, they can drop bombs on our heads. Good and evilNight and day!

So, what does Maxi B. Acs say? He says that pencil cases are the most useful inventions he knows. He always knows where his pencils are.

And, what does Helga Indra say? Her favourite invention is the mobile phone. She can speak all-day-long to her friends!

But, for manpeople, the computer is the most important invention of all. I don't agree. I believe the wheel is the most important of all! Wheels make life very easy.  Imagine a car with no wheels.


Vocabulary

agree – zustimmen (agree/agreed/agreed)
all-day-long – den Ganzen Tag
believe – glauben (believe/believed/believed)
day – Tag
ever – jemals
evil – böse
examples – Beispiele
important – wichtig (important/more important/the most important))
impossible – unmöglich
inventions - Erfindungen
many – viele (much – viel)
mobile (phone) – Handy -used mainly without „phone“
night – Nacht
pencil case - Fedepenal
people – Menschen
say – sagen (say/said/said)
some are good – Manche sind gut
without - ohne
zero – Null

Questions and Points for Discussion!

Name four inventions which are good and bad!
What is the most important invention ever?
Why are computers very good inventions?
What have you invented?
Who invented the aeroplane?
What are the most important household inventions?
What do you think of cars?



San Marino

 

 


San Marino

San Marino is a long way from Toorington. San Marino is a very interesting place. It is the smallest republic in Europe. It has only 61 square kilometres. San Marino lives from  wheatgrapes, cheeselivestockpostage stampstourismtextilespotterychemicalspaints and wine.

San Marino is landlocked in the middle of Italy. Its border is 34 kilometres long. Its highest mountain, the Monte Titano, is 793 meters high. The River Ausa flows through San Marino.

The official language of San Marino is Italian, and the head of state is known as the Captains Regent. San Marino was founded in the 4th century by a Christian Saint.


Vocabulary

border -Grenze
cheese – Käse
flow (flow/flowed/flowed) – fliest
founded (found/founded/founded) gegrundet
grapes – Trauben
head of state – Staats Oberhaupt
landlocked – Ohne zugang zum Meer
language - Sprache
livestock – Vieh
paints - Farben
postage stamps – Briefmarken
pottery – Keramik
wheat – Getreide

Questions

How many square kilometres has San Marino?
How high is its highest mountain and what is its name?
Where is San Marino?
Which language is spoken in San Marino?
What does San Marino live from?
Which river runs through San Marino?
What is the head of state known as?
Who founded San Marino?


                                                    The Cinema in San Marino



Toorington Life - House Flies

 





House flies are small, black and everyone hates them. They share our homes and eat all they can get! House flies are very revolting.

But, these little miracles of nature have another side, too. They are good at surviving. House flies can fly at 11 kilometres an hour, and with their 6000 little eyes they can see danger coming and fly out the way. And, there's more! In their 34 day lifespan, house flies can lay more than 400 eggs.
But, not everyone hates them. House flies are perfect for lunch and are loved by spiders and birds.

And little Susie? She keeps a house fly under her bed in a box, and its name is Erich!

Vocabulary

danger – Gefahr
fly (fly/flew/flown) – fliegen
hate – (hate/hated/hated) – hassen
house fly – Stubenfliege
lifespan - Lebenszeit
miracle – Wunder
revolting - abscheulich
share (share/shared/shared) – teilen
surviving – überleben


The Verb Hate

I hate my job. She hates her job.
I hated my time at school.
I have hated my job since I started 10 years ago.



Questions

Why do you hate house flies?
How fast can house flies fly?
How many eyes have house flies got?
What do house flies eat for lunch?
How many eggs do house flies lay?
Where does Susie keep Erich?
For how long can a house fly live?
Who has house flies for lunch?

Arthur Miller -

 



Arthur Miller was one of America's greatest playwrights. He was born in New York in 1915.

Arthur Miller wrote his first play, The Villain, whilst studying at the University of Michigan. And then, after graduating, he started his careerer as a playwright. His most famous works were All My Sons, The Death of a Salesman and After the Fall.

Arthur Miller won many prizes for his work.

Arthur Miller was married three times. His first wife was Mary Slattery, his second Marilyn Monroe, and his third wife was Inge Morath.

Arthur Miller died at the age of 89 in 2005.

Vocabulary

died – starb
famous – berühmt
graduating – graduieren
married – heiratet
playwright – Dramatiker
whilst – während
wife - Ehefrau

Questions

Where was Arthur Miller born?
Where did Arthur Miller study?
Which play did Arthur Miller write at university?
Which three plays are Arthur Miller's most famous?
Who was Arthur Miller's second wife?
When did Arthur Miller die?

Toorington Life - A Lazy Weekend

 


Toorington people on their way to church

A Lazy Toorington Weekend!

This weekend was a very slow weekend.  We had a lazy time.  We spent most of our time in the garden.  A little bit here and a little bit there.  Nothing special.  

But, the grill  on Saturday evening was great. Two beautiful steaks. We bought them at the butchers on Saturday morning. And, the wine  came from The Toorington Wine Bar. Very good and a very good price. Only 10 pounds a bottle.  

After dinner we watched Grafenegg on TV.  Live from Austria.  Buchbinder was playing.  A sensational concert.  Brilliant as usual.   One day, we are definitely going to Grafenegg.  I love the atmosphere.  Classic and fine.

And, what's planned for next week?   We are meeting Mick of the Toorington theatre club.  See you next week.


Vocabulary

lazy . .

spent . . .

definately . . .



Ein faules Toorington-Wochenende!

Dieses Wochenende war ein sehr ruhiges Wochenende.  Wir hatten eine faule Zeit.  Die meiste Zeit haben wir im Garten verbracht.  Ein bisschen hier und ein bisschen da.  Nichts Besonderes.  

Aber das Grillen am Samstagabend war großartig. Zwei schöne Steaks. Wir haben sie am Samstagmorgen beim Metzger gekauft. Und der Wein kam von der Toorington Wine Bar war Sehr gut und ein sehr guter Preis. Nur 10 Pfund pro Flasche.  

Nach dem Abendessen haben wir uns Grafenegg im Fernsehen angesehen.  Live aus Österreich.  Buchbinder hat gespielt.  Ein sensationelles Konzert.  Brillant wie immer.   Eines Tages werden wir auf jeden Fall nach Grafenegg fahren.  Ich liebe die Atmosphäre.  Klassisch und fein.

Und was ist für nächste Woche geplant?   Wir treffen uns mit Mick vom Toorington Theater Club.  Wir sehen uns nächste Woche.

Toorington Life - The Toorington Market

 




The Toorington Market – Mary Went To The Market

Mary and Susan are in the kitchen. They are chatting about shopping. They love shopping very much. Last Saturday, Mary went to the market.

At the market, Mary bought many beautiful things. She bought a very nice pair of brown plastic shoes. Next week it's her mother's birthday. Mary also bought a garden spade for her husband and a wonderful goldfish bowl for her brother.

On the way home from the market, Mary saw a wonderful dress in a shop window. Unfortunately, it was too big and too expensive.

Next week, Mary is going to the market again. Maybe, she will find a beautiful cheap dress to buy!



Vocabulary

about …...................................................................
bought .. buy/bought/bought …..............................
also ….....................................................................
chatting …...............................................................
expensive …............................................................
garden spade …........................................................
it's …........................................................................
maybe …..................................................................
saw ...see/saw/seen …..............................................
too …........................................................................
unfortunately ….......................................................


Questions

Where are Mary and Susan?
What are they doing?
What are they chatting about?
Where did Susan go last Saturday?
When is Susan's mother's birthday?
What did Susan buy at the market?
What did Mary see on her way home from the market?
Why is Mary going to the market next week?
When is your birthday?




TOORINGTON LIFE - The Newsagents

 


The Toorington Newsagent's 

Alison and Trevor run the Toorington Newsagent's.  And, this too, is a very essential shop.   In Britain,  newsagent's don't only sell newspapers. Newsagent's  sell cigarettes, magazines, stationary, birthday cards,  wedding cards, and greeting cards, too. One can buy many other things as well.  One can find balls of string, scissors, paper hats, and diaries and calenders, too.  

Alison and Trevor open at 5 every morning. Early risers need their daily newspapers, and many need cigarettes as well.  Everyone needs the newsagents.

Alsion and Trevor Hughes.  The Toorington newsagent's.






Toorington Life - The Village Bakery

Hungry Children - by Nigel A. JAMES

The Toorington Bun

We already know quite a lot about Toorington.  And, today, we are meeting Liz Barge.  Liz is Rachel Hall's niece. And, Liz  is the owner of The Toorington Bun.  The baker's.  

Liz Barge's bakery shop is, without any doubt at all, one of the most important shops in Toorington.  Everyone must have bread.  Bread is an essential part of everyone's diet.  And, Liz Barge works very, very hard.  

Liz gets up every morning at 4. Liz's first job is lighting the oven.  Her second job is mixing the dough. Mixing and kneading the dough is no easy job,  Liz  kneads very much dough every morning.

Liz opens her bakery shop at six o' clock every morning.  Liz has a very hard job, and Liz makes very much bread.




Vocabulary

bun - 

meeting - 

Liz makes very much bread - 

niece

without and doubt at all -

get up -

lighting the oven -

knead -


Questions

Is Rachel Hall Liz's aunty?

What time does Liz get up every morning?

What time does Liz go to bed?

Is Liz's shop open on Sundays?

Is being a baker an easy job?

Describe the smell of freshly baked bread!

Does Liz make very much bread?


Toorington Life - Will Smith

 



Will Smith is a captain. On the cricket pitch and on the football field.   Will Smith loves Sport. Will  Smith is a leader of men.  But, Will has another side, too.   Will is an organist.

Will went to a very good school.  He was the best in Music. Will learned to play 7 instruments. The Organ was his favourite.  When Will left school, he went to London to study music at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.  Will was a very good student.

During his time at music school, Will played in Paris, Leipzig, Vienna, and Stockholm.

Now, Will is the organist at St. Paul's Church in Toorington.

- - - - - -




Toorington Life - The Toorington FC

 


In every English village, the football club is just as important as the church and the pub.  And, Toorington FC is no exception.

Toorington FC, or the Reds, meet every Thursday evening for training. This is usually a very long evening.  When training ends, the drinking starts.  

Matches are played every Saturday morning in the season. Football is a winter sport in England,

The Toorington FC plays in the local Devonshire league.  Last season,  Toorinton finished 15th. Not bad out of 40.

The captain's name is Will.  Will Smith.  Will is a very popular local man.  Will plays football in winter, and cricket in summer.

More about cricket and Will next time.

Vocabulary

as as - 

so as -

usually -

Devon / Devonshire

popular

local - 

Questions

What is the colour of Toorington FC?

When does the team practice?

Where does the team go after practice?

Who is the team captain?

When is football played in England?

Where did Toorington finish in the league at the end of last season?

Are matches played on Sundays?


 - - - - - - -

Our Old Kitchen Table

Our old kitchen table is at least 150 years old.  It started life as an acorn in the New Forest.  It then grew into a mighty oak. Years later, it was chopped down. The oak was then taken to a sawmill and sawn ito planks.  The carpenter then made the table.

My grandfather bought the table from a furniture shop.  That was in 1943.  The table has been in our kitchen ever since.  It has seen good times, bad times, hard times, and busy times.

Our old wooden kitchen table has been used for many different things.  Family breakfasts.  Fine Sunday lunches.  11's.  Afternoon teas. Evening meals or dinner.  Childrens parties. Rolling out pastry. And, making chocolate cakes.

Our old kitchen table has always been the heart of our home.  And, our old kitchen table has even seen many surprises.

One afternoon, the Queen came round for tea. She was on her way home from the north.  Cucumber sandwiches and a  nice cup of tea. What a great afternoon.

Our old Kitchen Table.

acorn -
mighty oak -
chopped down -
sawmill -
sawn -
11's -
surprises -
wooden -



  



 

Welcome to Lexmatica

Lexmatica ist eine Reihe von kurzen englischen Texten.  Einige mit Audio und einige mit Vokabelhilfe.  Ideal für Anfänger.  Scrollen Sie nac...