Nov. 3, 2009
Dear Vincent,
I am feeling pretty sad because it looks like I won't be able to plant my tomato garden this year. I'm just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. I know if you were here, my troubles would be over. I know you would be happy to dig the plot for me, like in the old days.
Love,
Papa
A few days later, he received this letter from his son:
Nov. 6, 2009
Dear Papa,
Don't dig up that garden. That's where I buried the bodies.
Love,
Vinnie
At 4 a.m. the next morning, FBI agents
and
the local police
arrived and dug up the entire area without finding any bodies. They apologized to the old man and left. That same day the old man received another letter from his son:Nov. 8, 2009
Dear Papa,
Go ahead and plant the tomatoes now. That's the best I could do under the circumstances.
Your loving son,
Vinnie
VOCABULARY
1. How do you describe people from various countries?
a. from Italy (the) Italians He’s (an) Italian.
b. from China _______________________________________________
c. from France _______________________________________________
d. from India _______________________________________________
e. from Korea _______________________________________________
f. from Russia _______________________________________________
g. from Sweden _______________________________________________
h. from the United States ________________________________________
i. from Mexico _______________________________________________
j. from Burma (Myanmar) ______________________________________
k. from Afghanistan __________________________________________
l. from Iraq _______________________________________________
m. from Guatemala___________________________________________
n. from El Salvador ___________________________________________
o. from Brazil _______________________________________________
p. from Ruanda _______________________________________________
q. from South Africa __________________________________________
r. from Kenya _______________________________________________
s. from Nigeria _______________________________________________
t. from _____________________________________________________
2. Can you define these words by looking at the sentences from the story? Try to guess their meanings (DO NOT looking them up in your dictionary) and choose a, b, or c.
1. He wanted to plant his annual tomato garden.
annual
a. daily
b. weekly
c. yearly
2.. . . the ground was very hard.
ground
a. the dirt (earth)
b. his job
c. his occupation
3. The old man wrote a letter to his son and described his predicament.
predicament
a. job
b. difficult situation
c. future problem
5. I’m feeling pretty sad.
pretty
a. beautiful
b. very
c. cute
6. I’m getting too old to be digging up a garden plot.
plot
a. a piece of land
b. the story
c. flowers
7. Go ahead and plant the tomatoes now.
Go ahead
a. Get out of jail
b. Stop
c. You have my permission
8. That’s the best I could do under the circumstances.
Under the circumstance/s
a. under the table
b. because of the situation I am in.
c. for you
3. What’s the difference between His only son and He has one son ?
4. What’s the difference between “in jail” and “in prison”.
GRAMMAR
1. Find all the verbs in the story. (29)
Subjects Verbs Tense Infinitive
1. An Italian was living past continuous to live
2. He
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
2. TOO, meaning MORE THAN
too + adjective (+ infinitive)
a. I’m just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot.
b. He’s too tired to eat tonight.
c. My daughter bought a pair of shoes but they’re too tight on her feet.
d. Too much money makes some people greedy.
e. I have too many things to do tonight.
Pick any two adjectives and write two sentences using TOO.
f.
g.______________________________________________________________________
3. Superlatives with adjectives
Irregular single-syllable adj. ending in “y” 2-or-more-syllable adjectives
the thinnest the heaviest, the most expensive
the best,
the cleverest the most clever
Please write three of your own sentences with superlatives.
a.____________________________________________________________________
b. ____________________________________________________________________
c. ____________________________________________________________________
4. LIKE
a. expression: It looks like (As I see it, in my opinion)
It looks like I won’t be able to plant my tomato garden this year.
It looks like a beautiful day today.
Your Turn:
_____________________________________________________________________
b. look like (comparing two people or two situations
You look like your mother.
She looks like (as if) she’s going to cry.
Your Turn:
_____________________________________________________________________
c. like (as) (the same as)
I know you would be happy to dig the plot for me, like in the old days.
Butter tastes [or doesn’t taste) like margarine.
She is like her mother (in actions, not in looks).
Your Turn:
_____________________________________________________________________
d. the verb like (enjoy)
I like rice.
I like to fish.
I like fishing.
Your Turn:
_____________________________________________________________________
5. A FEW
Please read the examples and then write your own sentences on the lines.
1. A few days later (said when you are telling about a past event)
We went to a party on Saturday night. A few days later, a guy, whom I met at the party, called me.
A. ___________________________________________________________________
2a. A few days from now (when you are telling about what event will happen)
2b. In a few days (when you are telling about what event will happen)
I just got my paycheck. In a few days from now, I’m going to deposit it in the bank.
In a few days, I’ll be starting a new job.
B. ___________________________________________________________________
[DIFFERENT meaning with “for”:
I will be in Las Vegas for a few days. (for 3 or 4 days)]
3. A few days ago (when you are telling about an event that already happened,
3 or 4 days in the past)
My husband went to Los Angeles a few days ago, and he won’t be home for a week.
He’ll be home in a week (from now).
C. ___________________________________________________________________
You can do the same with a year/month/week/hour/day/minute later,
In a year/month /week/hour/day/minute from now,
a year/month /week/hour/day/minute ago
Choose a time period + later, from now, ago and write three more sentences.
D. ___________________________________________________________________
E. ___________________________________________________________________
F. ___________________________________________________________________
6. THIS NEXT LAST
This morning/afternoon/evening//day/night/week/month/year
The next______ morning/afternoon/evening//day/night/week/month/year
Last night/week/month/year yesterday (NOT LAST DAY)
G. ___________________________________________________________________
H. ___________________________________________________________________
I. ____________________________________________________________________
COMPREHENSION Answer the questions by writing in complete sentences. And CONVERSATION
1. What is the ethnic background of the father?
_____________________________________________________________________
2. Where was the father living? __________________________________________________________________
3. Who was Vincent? __________________________________________________________________
4. Where was Vincent? _________________________________________________________________
5. Who is Vinnie? __________________________________________________________________
6. What does Vinnie mean when he writes about the “bodies”? __________________________________________________________________
7. Why did the FBI agents and the police dig up the entire area in the father’s garden? _________________________________________________________________
8. What is your opinion of Vincent (Vinnie)? Tell me why. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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