Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (April 21, 2020)
8B — THE OBSERVER & BAKER CITY HERALD College graduate seeks ways to boost English vocabulary DEAR ABBY: I am a 26-year-old col- lege graduate. I immigrated here in 2001, so English is my second language. I have no accent, and I have been doing well in my life overall, except I score low on reading and written communication when I take exams. I’m intelligent and a quick learner, but my vocab- ulary is kind of limited, and it makes me feel stupid, especially when I don’t score well on exams. I try to read, but I don’t always have the time. Do you have ideas on how I can improve my vocabulary or do better on exams? — SMART BUT FEELS STUPID DEAR SMART: I know someone who, like you, immigrated to the United States in her early 20s after having spent her fi rst 17 years in Russia. From there she went to Italy, where she learned to speak Italian. From there she came to the U.S. When I asked her how she learned English, she told me it was by watching American television. If there was a word she didn’t understand, she would look it up in a dictionary. Not only can this be fun, I have heard others say that’s the way they learned English, too. She also read books in English with a dictionary by her side. Audiobooks could be helpful, too. An adult education class might help you not only improve your vocabulary, but also help you sharpen your written English skills. Please con- sider it. DEAR ABBY: My 11-year-old niece sometimes calls my 7-year-old son fat, which hurts him to the core. He’s very close with his cousins, and we get together a lot. I have talked to my sister on numerous occasions about it. My son knows it’s not OK to make fun of how others look, and he doesn’t under- stand why she says these mean things to him. She’s old enough to know better. I don’t know how to get through to my sister that this behavior should be repri- manded when she doesn’t seem to care. — FED UP IN WISCONSIN DEAR FED UP: Your sister’s par- enting skills appear to be questionable. Because she refuses to teach her daughter consideration for the feelings of others, or reprimand her when she’s cruel and hurtful, see less of the two of them and TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2020 COFFEE BREAK spend more time with the other cousins. DEAR ABBY: When I take my dog for a walk, I always carry little doggy bags and pick up his business. I live in a residen- tial neighborhood with alleys behind the houses. After my dog does his business, I pick DEAR it up and often throw the ABBY tied-up bag in a trash can along the alley. Is this rude? Is it illegal to put things in other people’s trash cans? My dog may make several stops along our long walks, and I don’t want to carry his waste with me the whole trip. — CONSIDERATE IN COLORADO DEAR CONSIDERATE: Whether it’s illegal in your community is some- thing you should check locally because there may be an ordinance that forbids it. While I can’t speak for everyone, some of the homeowners those trash cans belong to would strenuously object to someone throwing dog doo-doo into them. That’s why my advice is, “When in doubt — DON’T. DEAR ABBY: My husband and I have been married nine years and have two major issues in our marriage: 1. He feels I spend too much money. 2. I think he spends too much time away from home doing things he wants to do. We have fallen into this cycle of him being away from home, so I spend money, which results in him spending more time away from home. Should we have sepa- rate bank accounts? Should I make him cancel some of his weekly activities? — STRUGGLING IN ST. LOUIS DEAR STRUGGLING: Separate bank accounts might be a good idea, provided you don’t use yours to mask the fact that you’re spending more than you should. As to “making” your hus- band cancel some of his weekly activi- ties, I don’t think it would work to your benefi t. A better solution/investment would be for the two of you to talk this out in the offi ce of a licensed marriage and family counselor, because it appears you’re spending as a way to punish your husband for his absence, which is not only not constructive but destructive. Doing activities outside the home TOGETHER might also be helpful. Let Your GRADUATES’ Accomplishments SHINE! With college commencements being canceled and uncertainty with high school graduations, HONOR YOUR SENIORS 2020 SENIOR SAMANTHA BACON in this special way with a custom 18” x 24” corrugated plastic, double-sided yard sign! Order by May 8th and we’ll deliver to your door before Memorial Day! ENTERPRISE HIGH SCHOOL 2020 SENIOR SCOTT DAVIS LA GRANDE HIGH SCHOOL 2020 SENIOR Just $ 9 each 2 $ or 2/ 49 SHANE ADAMS BAKER HIGH SCHOOL Call to place your order today! 541-624-6008 Center for Human Development, Inc. (CHD) The Centers for Disease Control is now recommending the wearing of a mask in public. Social distancing, frequent hand washing, and avoiding others when sick remain the mainstays of our public health efforts. Do not asume that wearing a mask takes the place of any of those healthy behaviors. There are a number of reasons to wear a cloth mask: • We now know that some people are contagious before they ever get symptoms and some never feel sick. They might spread the disease before they would ever consider masking up. • Droplets do indeed transmit the disease, but they can be generated from talking as well as coughing. Just standing next to someone talking could spread the disease if neither of you are masked. • Wearing a mask while sick is stigmatizing for those who wear them. Universal use wouldn’t identify who was sick and who wasn’t. • You’re less likely to touch your mouth and nose while wearing a mask. • DIY masks can possibly provide protection to the public without impacting the supply of maufactured masks currently prioritized for healthcare workers. If the medical community accepts the use of these masks in the healthcare setting, then these masks will be available and ready to go. • There is data that suggests that in countries where masking is encouraged for all citizens, the rate of disease transmission may be reduced by their actions. The principle is the same regardless of design. Having a physical barrier to prevent droplets from landing on others, discouraging the wearers from touching their faces, and possibly reducing large droplets from landing on mucous membranes are the goals for wearing masks in public. And they look good. Custom DIY face masks have already become popular with youths. People have been making and buying a wide variety of the fun and unique designs. This ad is sponsored as a public service by: T he O bserver and We are closed during the Covid-19 crisis 1520 ADAMS AVENUE La GRANDE, OREGON 97850 (541) 963-4144 • 888-449-2704 globef@eoni.com
