Monday, September 22, 2008

Collective Nouns

A group of dogs is called a pack, a group of cows a herd
Lots of special groups have their own special word

A group of ducks is called a brace
A group of trees a stand
A group of donkeys is a pace
And a group of coyotes a band

A group of seals is called a bob
A group of leopards a leap
A group of kangaroos is a mob
And a drove is a group of sheep

And a lodge is a group of beavers
A group of snakes is a nest
A congregation is a group of believers
That's the kind that a preacher likes best

A group of dogs is called a pack, a group of cows a herd
Lots of special groups have their own special word

by Tom Meltzer ©The Princeton Review

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

English words That Came From Spanish

English words that came from Spanish

Someone who takes the law in his own hands, he
Is known as a vigilante
When your country is betrayed
The one who did it is a renegade

Someone who loads cargo from ship to shore
Is known as a stevedore
A cowboy who works hard for his dinero
Is known as a vaquero

A military government, in case you wonder
Is known as a junta

English words that came from Spanish

by Tom Meltzer ©The Princeton Review

Friday, September 5, 2008

Jerks

You can call someone a jerk
If that person is a worm
But rather than call him a jerk
Why not use a more precise term?

If someone's so rude and vulgar
That he's being quite an ass
Rather than call him a jerk
You can call him crass

If someone is such a tightwad
That it makes you furious
Rather than call him a jerk
Say that he's penurious

If someone acts holier than thou
But is a phony
Rather than call him a jerk
Accuse him of sanctimony

If someone complains so much
Talking to him is perilous
Rather than call him a jerk
Just say he is querulous

If someone is hated by
All who are nice and sensible
Rather than call him a jerk
Say he's reprehensible

You can call someone a jerk
If that person is a worm
But rather than call him a jerk
Why not use a more precise term?

by Tom Meltzer ©The Princeton Review