2 . My first job was at a fast-food restaurant called Carroll’s in my hometown. One spring day my next-door neighbor _________ me to apply for work with her there, and I agreed to have a try.

One little _________ was that I wasn’t 16 yet, so I just changed my birth date on the application from July to _________. Luckily, they didn’t ask for any ID to prove my _________, because there were few applicants for the job. Both of us were _________.

The pay was _________, only $1.60/hour with no tips. I worked at the _________ and only boys were allowed to work in the kitchen. I got a chance to make milkshakes, though, which I considered kind of fun. I also _________ the relationships with all the other workers, who were mostly easy-going teenagers.

It was great to _________ different diners. The restaurant was located on a __________ entryway into town, so all kinds of people came in. One day a man in plain clothes __________ but ordered many signature dishes. When he came to my counter to check out, I was __________ to find he was my idol.

Besides __________ about my age, I also failed to inform the manager that I was leaving in June to attend summer camp, so my first job only lasted a few __________. It has been long gone, but the __________ in the restaurant remains a sweet memory of my life.

3 . Four Tutorials for Beginners

A series of textbooks by the renowned British publishing house DK specializes in nonfiction and teaching aids. Main topics: work, leisure, home and life. These are self-explanatory activities for self-study and implementation. The book includes vocabulary, texts and useful audio lessons (through the mobile application and online).

An excellent tutorial is Cutting Edge, which can be purchased in different combinations. The basic tutorial from DVD includes 12 lessons and consists of speaking exercises, video and audio exercises. Topics include global issues and cultural phenomena. The main advantage of this course is the online English laboratory MyEnglishLab, which contains audio and video materials for learning, interactive lessons with the ability to record your own speech which is useful for self-study of the language, while developing pronunciation and speaking skills.

Practice Makes Perfect is a training course with a wide variety of interactive exercises. This textbook is like a large workbook with short lessons and extended hands-on activities for fun. The course includes 53 lessons focused on the study of possessive pronouns, verb tenses, prepositions, 40 exercises to practice pronunciation, tasks for speaking and a graph of achievements. There is an application for a smartphone or PC.

The English Made Easy series of textbooks will be especially useful for those who are better at comprehending visual images. The entire tutorial is based on visual content containing numerous images. Available online, it consists of 20 lessons, at the beginning of which there is a mandatory list of active vocabulary, grammar, phonetic recommendations. Lesson topics: acquaintance, conversations on general topics, shopping, professions and time.

5 . Online book clubs have sprung up, breaking down physical barriers to bringing like-minded book lovers into your living room. The following clubs are for you to join in 2023.

Reese’s Book Club

Actress Reese Witherspoon has been recommending her favorite books since 2017. She picks a book with a woman at the center of the story every month. There’s no cost to join, which is definitely SOMETHING. What’s more, Reese’s international reputation has authors flooding into her feed to talk about books and answer your burning questions. Do note applicants must be unpublished, including self-publishing.

Oprah’s Book Club

Oprah’s first book club was launched nearly thirty years ago, and her picks have shot to the top of bestseller lists. On her book club’s website, you’ll find videos of Oprah introducing the month’s book and sitting down with the author for an in-depth interview. You can also join the conversation on Goodreads.

Book of the Month

Book of the Month, dating back to the 1920s, is about finding the best new reads. Each month some lovely people with great taste search through hundreds of new releases to find the five best books hitting the shelves. For $14.99 ($9.99 for your first book), you can have your favorite delivered to your door.

Andrew Luck Book Club

Quarterback by day and book lover by night, football player Andrew Luck founded his book club in 2016. The Andrew Luck Book Club features books hand selected by Luck each month. While it’s open to readers of all ages and levels, Luck does provide different reading options for club members.