International Students NZ

Today’s picture: Another autumn scene from my friends Glenys and Denise in Christchurch

Part 1: Today's word

To become or to grow accustomed to a new situation is a more formal way of saying ‘to get used to it’. So, for instance, it takes time to become accustomed to university life. If you have a verb after ‘accustomed to’, it needs to be in the –ing form (just like ‘get used to doing something’). So, since living in New Zealand, I’ve become accustomed to having late night phone calls with my family back home in Europe.

Click here for interactive exercises on academic vocabulary and writing.

Part 2: Test

Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out?

He spoke with the authority of someone accustomed to giving instructions.

In the old days, the department accustomed to receive several applications for each place on the course.

Unemployment meant giving up those everyday luxuries we had grown accustomed to.

One eventually becomes so accustomed to hearing church bells that one barely notices the noise after a few months.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

What changes in lifestyle have you grown accustomed to over the last year?

Part 4: The Idiomatic Five

take the edge off (your appetite etc)
I won’t have anything to eat now thanks. It would take the edge off my appetite.
reduce

at the end of your tether (UK/Aus) rope (US)
I’m at the end of my tether with all this work going on at the office. If my boss asks me to do one more thing, I’m going to quit.
at your limit

put sth down to experience / chalk sth up to experience
‘I paid so much money for this computer and now it doesn’t even work.’ ‘Try not to worry about it - put it down to experience.’
put it behind you / learn from your mistakes

(not) see eye to eye
Me and my father see eye to eye on most things, but we can’t agree about one thing : He supports the Blues!
not agree

not bat an eyelid
She was so used to her son bringing strange guests home that she didn’t bat an eyelid when he arrived back with a couple of transvestites one night.
not be shocked

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

Which kinds of people are celebrated across the world and in New Zealand on June 20th?

Click here to see a short announcement about this by the American actress, Angelina Jolie

Part 6: Today's online listening:

This is an episode of 'Asian Report' from Radio New Zealand which focuses on the refugee resettlement programme and the role of volunteers.

Vocabulary for the article:

asylum
settlement
luck of the draw
back off

Questions for the article:

1) How many refugees and their family members are accepted by New Zealand each year?

about 50
approximately 750
just over 1000
nearly 5 000

2) What is John Parker’s involvement with refugees?

voluntary settlement assistance
professional health care
language teaching
financial aid

3) Which of these forms of support does John mention providing to the Burmese refugees in Nelson?

translation
travel
education
religion

4) How does John describe the attitude to the refugees towards talking about their past experiences?

enthusiastic
reluctant
anxious
irritated

5) What does John describe as being ‘luck-of-the-draw’?

employment opportunities
family reunions
settlement support
skilled migration

6) How did Noulien, the 14 year-old girl feel when she first attended school in New Zealand?

relieved
excited
frustrated
lonely

7) How did John first hear about the possibility of helping refugees?

personal invitation
committee meetings
a training weekend
an internet advertisement

8) John understands the importance of support for settlement in a new country because of his ...

extensive reading
wide social contacts
religious beliefs
personal experience

9) How does John describe the general attitude of the community towards the refugees?

accepting
hostile
jealous
curious

Click here for more information on volunteering for refugee services in New Zealand

Today’s musical suggestion: from New Zealand
Welcome Home performed by Dave Dobbyn
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