Three useful words for the ESL student (3)

to crack down on something – this is when the government decides to take very severe or serious action against something they had been ignoring or avoiding in the past. i.e. New York City police have been cracking down on dangerous bicycle riders in Central Park now that two people have been seriously injured because of bicycle accidents. Or: There has been too much bullying in American schools. Teachers and administrators need to crack down on this type of harmful behavior. (bullying is when bigger and stronger kids harass or bother or beat up smaller kids)

outskirts – the outskirts of a city are the parts of the city farthest from the center of the city. i.e. When I lived and taught in Longgang, I almost felt like a prisoner because I was living on the very outskirts of Shenzhen and rarely traveled into the downtown area…it just took too long. Or: The poorest people of a city often live on the outskirts, far from the real life of the city.

to be looming – if something is looming, it is fast approaching. This term is usually used in regard to time and deadlines. i.e. I have to file my tax returns by April 15^th. It is already April 1^st, the deadline is looming. Or: Joe needed to finish his report by a tight deadline and he suddenly realized the day he needed to turn that report in was looming fast.