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Vocabulary

adopted (adj.)

as soon as (conj.)

begin, you (to begin)

bulk (noun)

"Bulk" refers to the "largest portion" of Aunt Stephanie's estate.

chair (noun)

claim (inf., to claim)

come home (inf., to come home)

descendants (noun, pl.)

Notice the negative construction "...she had no direct descendants." You could also say "She didn't have any other descendants."

direct (adj.)

discuss (to discuss)

each (adj.)

else (adj.)

enjoyed, she (to enjoy, past)

This lesson will look closely at the use of the simple past tense in English. Pay attention to the examples in this dialogue (i.e., "was," "thought," "had," "knew," "enjoyed," etc.).

envelopes (noun)

Articles usually associated with "letters" and the "mail" include "stationery," "stamps," "postage," "address," "return address," and "mailbox."

especially (adv.)

fell in love, she (to fall in love, past)

One may "fall in love" with a person or a place.

few (adj.)

fond (adj.)

give, I'll (to give, fut.)

immigrating (pres. part., to immigrate)

inheritance (noun)

An inheritance is received by an "heiress" (f.) or an "heir" (m.)

invites, he (to invite)

lady (noun)

The use of the word "lady" can be construed as complimentary (as in "she was a fine lady") or slightly pejorative (as in the ill-mannered "Hey, lady. Move it!") Some people prefer using the term "woman" to "lady" because of the slightly negative connotation of the former.

meet, you (to meet)

"Meet" here in the sense of "to fulfill" or "accomplish."

odyssey (noun)

Similar words include "trip," "journey," "excursion," "expedition," and "voyage."

often (adv.)

open! (imp., to open)

places (noun, pl.)

promptly (adv.)

requirements (noun, pl.)

San Francisco (prop. noun)

sealed (adj.)

seat (noun)

seems, it (to seem)

Another way to express "That seems easy enough" is to say "That appears (to be)...."

shakes, he (to shake)

Two people can "shake hands," called a "handshake," when they first meet. A person who is cold or afraid sometimes "shakes" or "trembles."

shows, he (to show)

sit down, you (to sit down)

small talk (noun)

"Small talk" is sometimes referred to as "chit-chat," and deals with general subjects like how one is doing and the weather.

stated (adj.)

strange (adj.)

Other ways to say that something is "strange" include the following adjectives: "odd," "unusual," "bizarre," "uncommon," "peculiar," "irregular," and "abnormal."

thought, she (to think, past)

treasure hunt (noun)

A "treasure hunt" is a game that both children and adults can play. The game usually involves groups of people who must gather items on a list. The first group to successfully collect the items wins a prize.

trouble (noun)

To say that something is "worth the trouble" implies that there will be a great payoff upon completion of a task. You will hear the expression "Is it worth it?" (meaning "Is it worth the trouble?").

visit (inf., to visit)

wanted, she (to want, past)

You will find new constructions in this dialogue using verbs that you're probably already familiar with such as "to meet some requirements," "to settle in a place," "to fall in love with something or someone," "to be fond of something or someone," "to want someone to do something" (as in "She wanted you to visit."), and "to be worth the trouble."

was, she (to be, past)

Washington (prop. noun)

Sometimes it is necessary to distinguish between the state of Washington and Washington, D.C. Many people say "Washington State" when referring to the state. People also call Washington, D.C., the U.S. Capital, "D.C." (as in, "I'm going to D.C."). "D.C." stands for "District of Columbia."

well! (interj.)

will (noun)

A "will" is sometimes referred to as someone's "Last Will and Testament."

worth (adj.)

Upon completion of this course, you will discover just how much Aunt Stephanie's estate is worth to the protagonist of the story.

Story

You arrive promptly at 10 a.m. the next morning for your appointment with Mr. Young, the lawyer. The receptionist asks you to have a seat. Five minutes later Mr. Young comes out and shakes your hand. He invites you into his office and shows you to a chair. You sit down. After a few minutes of small talk, you begin to discuss business.