Sunday, August 31, 2008

Potluck weddings aren't so bad


“Dear Abby” is a daily advice column. Readers who have problems write to Abby for advice, and Abby advises them. She gives advice on how to solve the problems. She also includes readers’ opinions about her advice.

There are other columnists who give advice. “Miss Manners” gives advice on how to be polite and how to act in social situations. “Beth” gives teenagers advice on teen problems.

One important note is this: People who write their letters to Abby never sign their real names. Instead, they sometimes sign the place they live in along with a made-up name referring to the problem.

Potluck weddings aren’t so bad is from the San Francisco Chronicle is a “Dear Abby” from Thu., July 17, 2008.

(1) Look at the headline: POTLUCK WEDDINGS AREN’T SO BAD.

(2) Ask yourself, “Are there any new words? What are they?
Do you know what a “potluck” is? What is a “potluck”? _______________________________________

(3) Is this headline a complete sentence? _______ What’s the verb? What’s the subject? ________ _______

(4) This headline sounds like a conversation? Try this with a partner.

A: I think potluck weddings are a bad idea.
B: You think they’re a bad idea?
A: I sure do.
B: In my opinion, potluck weddings aren’t so bad. I think they’re a good idea.
A: Why do you say that?
B: Potluck weddings can save the bride and groom a lot of money.
A: Maybe you’re right.


VOCABULARY (words and expressions)

(1) “I had to laugh” doesn’t have anything to do with “funny” and “laughing.” It really means –“Ha, you’re kidding. How can you think that? I disagree with her.”

(2) What word from the article means “to pause” or “not to do something right away.” _______________________________

(3) “a potluck” is (a) dutch treat (b) lucky money (c) a party for which every guest brings something (usually food) .

(4) “Wedding clothes” is the same as “wedding ________________.”
For work, we wear work clothes or work ________________
For swimming, we wear “swim wear” or swim clothes or swimming _______________
For school, we wear school clothes or school ________________

For example, Party dresses and high-heel shoes are not proper school attire.
Bathing suits are swimming attire.
Jeans and T-shirts are proper work attire.

(5) a. “Let your hair down.” = Don’t be so proper. Don’t follow all the rules. Relax and enjoy yourself.

b. “Get with the program.” = Come on. Do what everybody else is doing.

c. “a hoot” = a lot of fun (and a little bit different from the ordinary kind). “The wedding was a hoot.
but

d. another meaning . . . “I don’t give a hoot.” = I don’t care about that. It’s not interesting to me at all.

(6) What idiom in the story means “to help do something”? ________________________________

(7) “In today’s economy” = (a) in our house (b) the amount of money we have to spend nowadays (c) today I went shopping


(8) We say, “do dishes” (or “do the dishes”. We also use “do” when we say “do laundry,” “do gardening,” “do homework,” “do shopping,” and “do the cooking,“ and “do ____________________”
Please write two sentences, using these expressions: ______________________________________________________________

In Abby’s response “Dear Quaker Girl,”
(9) Potluck weddings “have become the norm” means (a) morning weddings (b) normal or common (c) Norman’s wedding

GRAMMAR

(1) hesitate about ( ing noun)
She hesitated about attending the wedding.

or hesitate to do something (to = infinitive)
She hesitated to say anything bad.

You write a sentence using hesitate .

______________________________________________________


CONVERSATION
1. Have you ever been to a potluck? What did you bring?

__________________________________________________________________________________________
2. What kind of people get married at the courthouse?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
3. What is the usual Western wedding attire for the bride and groom?

4. What is the usual wedding attire for the bride and groom in your native country?
______________________________________________________________________________________

5. How would you feel if the bride asked you to bring food and help do the dishes at the wedding?
(insulted? comfortable? uncomfortable? happy to do it? )

I_______________________________________________________________. #2 & #3 DEAR ABBY

VOCABULARY
(1) “have the good sense” means
a. have a lot of cents
b. be a good senator
c. capable of knowing what to do

(2) “spend a fortune” means
a. fortune cookies are good
b. pay a lot of money
c. feel lucky

(3) “lavish” is an adjective. It describes the wedding reception as
a. inexpensive’
b. fancy and expensive
c. lovely

(4) “practical” means
a. useful
b. perfect
c. practice

#4 DEAR ABBY
VOCABULARY
(1) What do we call the place where the reception takes place? the _______________________

(2) In a formal wedding, who usually gives the rings to the bride and groom, and how does he deliver them to the couple?
_________________________________________________________________________
(3) What are the gifts that the couple gives to the guests? ________________________________________

CONVERSATION
1. What’s the difference between a close friend and a casual acquaintance?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Do you think having a POTLUCK WEDDING is “a money issue” or do you think the couple wants to “share their values” with their guests?

3. What’s the Mexican wedding tradition regarding guests paying for things?



____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

#5 DEAR ABBY
VOCABULARY
1. What is a “catered” wedding?
a. you pay someone to make the food
b. a terrible wedding
c. a wedding in a chapel


#6 DEAR ABBY
CONVERSATION

“cheap is a word when describing things means either “inexpensive” or “made of poor quality materials.”

“cheap” is a word when describing people means that they are people who don’t like to spend money.
They are “thrifty” and “frugal.”

(1) Do you think that a bride and groom who have a potluck wedding are “cheap”? Why or why not?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(2) What is your opinion of elaborate (expensive) weddings? Could you afford an expensive wedding?

If you are married, what was your wedding like?

If you are not married, what kind of wedding would you like?


Wednesday, August 20, 2008

The Hares and the Frogs

THE HARES AND THE FROGS

Some hares gathered together to complain about their unhappiness. They complained about the dangers that they were always exposed to from their enemies -- men, dogs, birds and bears, and they talked about their lack of strength and courage. They said that all their enemies were always killing and devouring them. Because they were so unhappy, they were determined to end their lives; so they rushed to a neighboring pond, intending to drown themselves.

On the bank of the pond were a number of frogs, who, hearing the noise of the hares, leaped into the water and hid themselves there.

Then one of the older, wiser hares cried out, “Stop, friend hares. Take heart. Don’t let us destroy ourselves because here are creatures who are afraid of us and who must be more timid than we are.”

The moral of this story is this:
“There are always others worse off than you are.”






I Vocabulary
1. What’s a word that means “rabbits”? _________________
2. “unhappy “ is an adjective. What’s the non-count noun? _______________
3. “dangerous” is an adjective. What the plural (count) noun? _________________
4. “strong” is an adjective. What’s the non-count noun? ____________________
5. “courageous” is an adjective. What’s the non-count noun? ________________

6. Please write the singular nouns for these plural nouns.
a. _____________________ enemies
b.______________________ men
c. ______________________ dogs
d. ______________________ bears
7. What word means to eat up greedily? _to____________________
8. What word means “strong-minded” and “persistent”? ________________________
9. What phrase means “to commit suicide”? _________________________________
10. In this story, what is another word for “shore”? ____________________________
11. Is “a number of frogs” (a) a lot or (b) a few ?
12. What idiom means “to feel confident or courageous “ _______________________
13. What word mean “shy” ? ______________
14. What’s another word (a synonym) for “creatures”? ____________________
15. When someone doesn’t have as much as you do, they are ________________ than you.

II. Grammar
1. What’s the plural of “myself”? ____________________________
2. What’s the plural of “himself” or “herself” ? ___________________________







3.Comparisons of adjectives are made in English by telling what is different.
Write two sentences using the comparative under each picture.

1. one-syllable adjectives ADD ER + THAN
short and tall
Bob Joe
a.__________________________________________________________________

b. _________________________________________________________________

2. adjectives ending in “y” CHANGE THE “Y” to “i” and add “er” + “than”.


pretty and ugly
Betty Martha
a.__________________________________________________________________

b. _________________________________________________________________



3. 2 or more syllable adjectives ADD MORE + ADJECTIVE + THAN
beautiful and expensive
the necklace the ring

a.__________________________________________________________________

b. _________________________________________________________________

4. You must memorize some irregular comparisons.
adjective comparison
good better (than)

bad worse (than)

far farther (than)

a.__________________________________________________________________

b. _________________________________________________________________








5. Please finish these sentences.
a. My brother is older than (I/me).
b. Cindy is heavier than (they/them).
c. Brittany is more beautiful than (she/her).
d. My children are (younger/more young) than her children.
e. That cat is (dumber/more dumb) than that dog.
f. Her sister is (intelligenter, more intelligent) than her brothers.
g. Her new dress is (prettier/ more pretty) than her old one.
h. He is 5 years (old/older) than his sister.

6. Please write your own sentences.
a. a single-syllable comparison
______________________________________________________________________
b. a “y” adjective
______________________________________________________________________
c. a 2- or 3-syllable adjective


IV. Conversation

1. What animals were very unhappy? and why?


2. Who were their enemies and what did they do to them?

3. What did they decide to do about this terrible problem?

4. What creatures made them change their minds? Why?


5. Please explain this sentence:
“There are always others worse off than you are.”

The Fisherman and the Little Fish

THE FISHERMAN AND THE LITTLE FISH

A fisherman cast his net into the sea; and when he drew it up again, it contained nothing but a single tiny fish that begged to be put back into the water.
“I’m only a little fish now, “ it said, “but I will grow big one day, and then if you catch me again, I’ll be of more use to you.”
The fisherman listened, but he replied, “Oh, no, I’m going to keep you now that I’ve got you. If I put you back, it is very unlikely that I’ll ever see you again. “
The moral of this story: A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

I. Vocabulary
1. What verb means to throw, to fling, or to hurl ? _________________
2. “nothing but” means (a) nothing
(b) everything
(c) only
3. What phrase means “to be helpful” ? _________________________
4. What word means “probably will not be successful” _______________


II. Verbs
subject verb tense
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
III. Conversation Talk to your partner.
1. Who went fishing?
2. Where was the fisherman fishing?
3. How many fish did he catch?
4. What did the little fish want?
5. What did the farmer do with the little fish?
6. Write what you think “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush” means.

The Milkmaid and the Pail

The Milkmaid and her Pail
A milkmaid was going to the market carrying a pail of milk on her head. As she was walking along, she began to think of what she could do with the money that she would get from selling the milk.
“I’ll buy some chickens,” she thought, “and they will lay eggs every morning. Then I will sell the eggs. When I have enough money, I will buy a new dress and hat. Then when I go to the market, all the boys will notice me, and the other girls will be jealous; but I won’t care because I will just look at them like this. I’ll toss my head in the air and go on my way.”
Just as she said that, she tossed her head back and the pail and all the milk spilled onto the ground.
The moral of the story is this: DON’T COUNT YOUR CHICKENS BEFORE THEY HATCH.

I. VOCABULARY:
nouns
a. What’s a young girl who milks cows called? ____ __________________
b. What’s a place where food is sold? ____ _____________________
c. What’s a receptacle with a handle to carry milk or water or sand ? __ _________
d. What’s a lesson you learn from a story? ___ __________________
adjectives
a. What’s a synonym in the story for envious or resentful ?_______________
idioms:
a. It won’t bother me = __________________________________
b. I’ll move my head back and forth = ________________________
c. I’ll just keep walking. = __________________________________
verbs:
a. What’s a verb that means to see = _______________
b. When baby chicks come out of their shells, they _________________ .

II. VERB TENSES
present present progressive past past progressive future conditional
am/is/are + verbING was/were + verbING will + base form would/could + base form

go/goes am/is/are going went was/were going will go would/could go
carry/carries am/is/are carrying carried was/were carrying will carry
begin/begins began will begin
A. Identify all the verbs in the story.
subject verb tense
1. a milkmaid was walking past continuous
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.

IV. Conversation:
1. Who was carrying a pail of milk on her head?
2. Where was she going?
3. What was she going to sell? Why?
4. Why was she going to buy chickens?
5. Why was she going to buy a new dress and hat?
6. What happened when she tossed her head back?
7. What do you think the moral (“Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.”) means?

Gati©2008