On a hot summer day, you may agree that sometimes there is no better way to beat the heat than a cool glass of lemonade. However, there is a lesser-known beverage called a “root beer float” that you might like even better. It’s very simple to make, or, if you prefer, you can just buy one at a 1950s-style American diner like Johnny Rockets.

            So what is a root beer float? First of all, despite its name, there is no alcohol in this beverage. “Root beer” is a misnomer, which means that the actual object doesn’t match what its name says. In the same way, a “peanut” is neither a pea nor a nut, and “root beer” is not beer, it’s actually a kind of soda (although it is flavored with a type of root). In appearance, it looks like Coke or Pepsi, but the flavor is completely different. It has a particular flavor that some people don’t care for, but even if you have tried this soda and didn’t like it, you should still try a root beer float because it tastes very different and is almost magical. The difference is, the float has a scoop of vanilla ice cream in the root beer, preferably in a frosted glass mug. When a mug is “frosted”, it means it has been in the freezer and as a result, the glass has a thin layer of ice all over it. This is the best possible drink when it’s hot, in my humble opinion. You probably wouldn’t want one every day because it’s very sweet and kind of heavy, but every once in a while it can make your day.

            Sometimes people put the ice cream (only vanilla flavored) in other kinds of soda, but as far as I’m concerned, nothing else is even close to comparing to the deliciousness of the root beer version. Another reason I’m suggesting this summer beverage is that it’s kind of a part of American culture because root beer isn’t readily available in many other countries like it is here. So if you would like a different way to cool down in the heat, get yourself a root beer float!

Language Systems Lifestyle – Soccer Tournament 2016  By Carlos Takashima, PC NELA

Language Systems Faces

Iain McConnell is a teacher and an assistant program coordinator at the Los Angeles campus.

          Everyday new opportunities appear around us to fill our lives with fresh thoughts. It can be a simple drive to a new place, new film, or a walk with friends in an exotic restaurant. Last weekend I had a great opportunity to act like a fan and have a great time at the Language Systems’ soccer tournament.

          When my husband and I parked the car near the field, we looked around and saw a wonderful view on the hills. The sun shone so brightly that some of the players needed to apply sunscreen. The atmosphere was very friendly and fun. I heard all the students screaming the names of their teams loudly.

          About 200 steps away from the field there was a small building with restrooms, a few tables and benches outside. Between the games we went to the building and tried some food and drinks. I couldn’t say it was delicious, but I really liked the brownie cakes; they tasted like they came from a cafe! All the students were standing in line to grab a piece of hot pizza. It was very funny because Ligia, our esteemed Program Coordinator, was telling side-splitting jokes into a mega-phone.

          All the area near the field was full of life. I really enjoyed this place because of its location. Sitting in a place like this I can smell the fresh air and hear the wind in my ears.

Student Article 2Impressions of a Tournament: Language Systems in the Beautiful San Rafael Hills By Halam, level 6, DTLA

          I got a strong impression from the Language Systems soccer tournament. The first game pitted the Downtown campus against the Northeast campus. We were all sitting in the stands cheering for our teams when the game started. The energy, the force of our cheers pushed our team to score the first goal early. A little while later, our opponents kicked one in the net, tying the game 1-1. Moments later, our team scored another and a few minutes before the end of the first half, another goal brought our lead up 3-1! Because of our comfortable lead, we didn’t do much – just watched and enjoyed the game. By the time the second half finished, our team had scored two more goals to defeat our opponents 5-1!

          In the final game, Downtown faced off against last year’s tournament winner, Orange County. We cheered our team even harder! They scored first but we answered with two goals. In the second half, Orange County tied the game at 2. Later, they scored again and the game ended: Orange County 3 – Downtown 2. So our team lost, but this year our team came in second place and our players did a good job. It was very exciting and a good experience.