Showing posts with label Reading-Help. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Reading-Help. Show all posts

Saturday, 28 November 2009

Interview with Snoop Dogg

Practice your English by reading a Q&A Session with Snoop Dogg.

Q&A stands for Question & Answer.

It's a great idea to experience every type of English.  My most favorite thing about English is the range of creativity within it.

But don't let it confuse you.  Remember if you're not sure, don't say it.  Keep your English simple and clear.

Thursday, 28 August 2008

The Women's Guide to Men's English

One for the girls...

Learning better English will help you communicate more easily with a lot of people around the world, but will it help you communicate with men more easily?

Fear not girls, TobytheTeacher - aka 'The Lurve Doctor' is here:


THE WOMEN'S GUIDE TO MEN'S ENGLISH

"I'm hungry" = I'm hungry

"I'm sleepy" = I'm sleepy

"I'm tired" = I'm tired

"Do you want to go to a movie?" = I'd eventually like to have sex with you

"Can I take you out to dinner?" = I'd eventually like to have sex with you

"Can I call you sometime?" = I'd eventually like to have sex with you

"May I have this dance?" = I'd eventually like to have sex with you

"Nice dress!" = Nice cleavage!

"You look tense, let me give you a massage." = I want to fondle you

"What's wrong?" = I don't see why you are making such a big deal out of this

"What's wrong?" = What meaningless self-inflicted psychological trauma are you going through now?

"What's wrong?" = I guess sex tonight is out of the question

"I'm bored" = Do you want to have sex?

"I love you" = Let's have sex now

"I love you, too" = Okay, I said it...we'd better have sex now!

"Yes, I like the way you cut your hair" = I liked it better before

"Yes, I like the way you cut your hair" = $50 and it doesn't look any different!

"Let's talk" = I am trying to impress you by showing that I am a deep person and maybe then you'd like to have sex with me

"Will you marry me?" = I want to make it illegal for you to have sex with other guys

"I like that one better" (while shopping) = Pick any freakin' dress and let's go home!!!

The Man's Guide to Female English

One for the guys...

Learning better English will help you communicate more easily with a lot of people around the world, but will it help you communicate with women more easily?

Fear not guys, TobytheTeacher - aka 'The Lurve Doctor' is here:


THE MAN'S GUIDE TO FEMALE ENGLISH

We need = I want

It's your decision = The correct decision should be obvious by now

Do what you want = You'll pay for this later

We need to talk = I need to complain

Sure...Go ahead = I don't want you to

I'm not upset = Of course I'm upset, you moron!

You're ... so manly = You need a shave and you sweat a lot

You're certainly attentive tonight = Is sex all you ever think about?

I'm not emotional! And I'm not over reacting! = I've got my period

Be romantic, turn out the lights = I have flabby thighs

This kitchen is so inconvenient = I want a new house

I want new curtains = and carpeting, and furniture, and wallpaper.....

I need wedding shoes = the other 40 pairs are the wrong shade of white

Hang the picture there = NO, I mean hang it there!

I heard a noise = I noticed you were almost asleep

Do you love me? = I'm going to ask for something expensive

How much do you love me? = I did something today you're really not going to like

I'll be ready in a minute = Kick off your shoes and find a good game on T.V.

Is my butt fat? = Tell me I'm beautiful

You have to learn to communicate = Just agree with me

Are you listening to me!? = [Too late, you're dead.]

Yes = No

No = No

Maybe = No

I'm sorry = You'll be sorry

Sunday, 24 August 2008

The Difference Between Men and Women...

Nothing funny has happened in the news... nothing. So, instead, eh... some actual English practise - when was the last time that happened on this blog??? ...a friend forwarded me this a while ago. Sorry, I don't know where it came from:


Here's a prime example of "Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus" offered by an English professor:

The professor told his class one day:

"Today we will experiment with a new form called the tandem story. The process is simple. Each person will pair off with the person sitting to his or her immediate right. As homework tonight, one of you will write the first paragraph of a short story. You will e-mail your partner that paragraph and send another copy to me. The partner will read the first paragraph and then add another paragraph to the story and send it back, also sending another copy to me.

"The first person will then add a third paragraph, and so on back-and-forth. Remember to re-read what has been written each time in order to keep the story coherent. There is to be absolutely NO talking outside of the e-mails and anything you wish to say must be written in the e-mail. The story is over when both agree a conclusion has been reached."


The following was actually turned in by two of his English students, Rebecca and Gary.


THE STORY:(first paragraph by Rebecca)

At first, Laurie couldn't decide which kind of tea she wanted. The chamomile, which used to be her favorite for lazy evenings at home, now reminded her too much of Carl, who once said, in happier times, that he liked chamomile. But she felt she must now, at all costs, keep her mind off Carl. His possessiveness was suffocating, and if she thought about him too much her asthma started acting up again. So chamomile was out of the question.


(second paragraph by Gary)

Meanwhile, Advance Sergeant Carl Harris, leader of the attack squadron now in orbit over Skylon 4, had more important things to think about than the neuroses of an air-headed asthmatic bimbo named Laurie with whom he had spent one sweaty night over a year ago. "A.S. Harris to Geostation 17," he said into his transgalactic communicator. "Polar orbit established. No sign of resistance so far..." But before he could sign off a bluish particle beam flashed out of nowhere and blasted a hole through his ship's cargo bay. The jolt from the direct hit sent him flying out of his seat and across the cockpit.


(Rebecca)

He bumped his head and died almost immediately, but not before he felt one last pang of regret for psychically brutalizing the one woman who had ever had feelings for him. Soon afterwards, Earth stopped its pointless hostilities towards the peaceful farmers of Skylon 4. "Congress Passes Law Permanently Abolishing War and Space Travel," Laurie read in her newspaper one morning. The news simultaneously excited her and bored her. She stared out the window, dreaming of her youth, when the days had passed unhurriedly and carefree, with no newspaper to read, no television to distract her from her sense of innocent wonder at all the beautiful things around her. "Why must one lose one's innocence to become a woman?" she pondered wistfully.


(Gary)

Little did she know, but she had less than 10 seconds to live. Thousands of miles above the city, the Anu'udrian mothership launched the first of its lithium fusion missiles. The dim-witted wimpy peaceniks who pushed the Unilateral Aerospace Disarmament Treaty through the congress had left Earth a defenseless target for the hostile alien empires who were determined to destroy the human race. Within two hours after the passage of the treaty the Anu'udrian ships were on course for Earth, carrying enough firepower to pulverize the entire planet. With no one to stop them, they swiftly initiated their diabolical plan. The lithium fusion missile entered the atmosphere unimpeded. The President, in his top-secret mobile submarine headquarters on the ocean floor off the coast of Guam, felt the inconceivably massive explosion, which vaporized poor, stupid Laurie.


(Rebecca)

This is absurd. I refuse to continue this mockery of literature. My writing partner is a violent, chauvinistic semi-literate adolescent.


(Gary)

Yeah? Well, my writing partner is a self-centered tedious neurotic whose attempts at writing are the literary equivalent of Valium. "Oh, shall I have chamomile tea? Or shall I have some other sort of F_KING TEA??? Oh no, what am I to do? I'm such an air headed bimbo who reads too many Danielle Steele novels!"


(Rebecca)

A**hole.


(Gary)

B**ch


(Rebecca)

F__K YOU - YOU NEANDERTHAL!


(Gary)

Go drink some tea - w**re.


(TEACHER)

A+ - I really liked this one.

Friday, 20 June 2008

Evolution, Short Stories and Jokes for Kids!

Hello Hello,

Worry not, we shall not be mentioning the 'F' word here today ;)

First of all, good news for French....

http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20080620/sc_livescience/sarcasmseenasevolutionarysurvivalskill

...apparently, sarcasm is a necessary part of our evolution. Does this mean that the French are the most evolved of all of us??? And if so, what does that make the Germans? hihi.


Secondly, short stories. My brother passed his first year of actually being taught in mother-tongue (rather than being taught in the fun fun German) with a 9/10 in English. And since in life, the only reward for hardwork is yet more hardwork, we're doing 'a book club' with short stories for the summer.

I thought it might be a good way for some of you to practice reading in English. Small chunks and all:

http://www.classicreader.com/short-stories.php


And finally, and suitable for all our collective mental ages I think, jokes for kids. These actually might be a bit of a tester, as many of them are 'plays on words':

Q. Why did the man put his money in the freezer?
A. He wanted cold hard cash!

Q. What did the porcupine say to the cactus?
A. "Is that you mommy?"

Q. What do you get when you cross a snowman with a vampire?
A. Frostbite.

Q. How do crazy people go through the forest?
A. They take the psycho path.

Q. What do prisoners use to call each other?
A. Cell phones.

Q. What do you get from a pampered cow?
A. Spoiled milk.

Q. Where do polar bears vote?
A. The North Poll

Q. What did Geronimo say when he jumped out of the airplane?
A. ME!!!

Q. Where do snowmen keep their money?
A. In snow banks.

Q. What's brown and sticky?
A. A stick.

Q. Why do sea-gulls fly over the sea?
A. Because if they flew over the bay they would be bagels!

Q. What dog keeps the best time?
A. A watch dog.

Q. Why did the tomato turn red?
A. It saw the salad dressing!

Q. What did the grape do when it got stepped on?
A. It let out a little wine!

Q. How do you make a tissue dance?
A. Put a little boogey in it!

Q. Where do bees go to the bathroom?
A. At the BP station!

Q. What did the judge say when the skunk walked in the court room?
A. Odor in the court.

Q. What did the water say to the boat?
A. Nothing, it just waved.

Q. What did the fish say when he swam into the wall?
A. Dam!

Q. Why don't skeletons fight each other?
A. They don't have the guts.

Saturday, 14 June 2008

Clint Eastwood, Culture and Sleep

Culture Culture Culture....

For those of you who like to read, and like to listen, the BBC world book club....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/world_book_club.shtml


For those of you who work in Marketing, a piece about TV advertising....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/7453357.stm


For those of you who enjoy cinema, an interview with Clint Eastwood, a filmmaker who has quietly gone about building a body of work that would rival most of the, far more acclaimed, cinema masters...

http://film.guardian.co.uk/interview/interviewpages/0,,2283921,00.html

TobytheTeacher's entirely unscientific list of five Clint Eastwood movies you should all sell your last Tic Tac to see:

The Outlaw Josey Wales

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/outlaw_josey_wales/

Unforgiven

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1041911-unforgiven/

Million Dollar Baby

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/million_dollar_baby/

Letters from Iwo Jima*

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/letters_from_iwo_jima/

*though I would watch 'Flags of our Fathers' first. The contrast between the two is interesting.

Heartbreak Ridge

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/heartbreak_ridge/

Always bold, always telling it straight, and more often than not, funny, Clint Eastwood movies rank amoung some of the most important and entertaining American movies ever made.


And finally, a poem that I wrote back in April. It's written in a form I came up with and was playing around with. The form is called 'name form', details are as follows....

The form describes a concept or object. The first letter of each line spells the concept / object in question. The last word of each line rhymes with the concept / object in question. Each line has the same number of syllables as the concept / object in question has letters.

Each line is a description / metaphor of the concept / object in question.

The final line of the poem is a stand alone line that consists of only one word, the word in question (this is the only time in the poem the word in question can be used).

The word in question also forms the title of the poem. Thus,

‘Sleep’

Sunday morning streets
Leaves that bed down deep
Elephants heaped
Effortless moon-leaps
Pressure off my feet

Sleep


TobytheTeacher

Tuesday, 10 June 2008

Reading Help, Shakespeare and Culture You Monkeys!

In the midst of all this football, it might be a good idea to return to some culture....

Reading Practise:
First Chapters:

This website has the first chapters of various new books for you to read. It might be useful to check out a new English language book, before trying to read it....

http://www.nytimes.com/pages/books/chapters/index.html

...or it may just serve as a shorter way to practise reading a little.


Books designed for foreign speakers:

This ridiculously long link below will take you to a list of English books that have been simplified for foreign speakers. Each book should have the appropriate level in brackets after it (if you're not sure which level is applicable to you, ask me).

http://www.amazon.co.uk/english-Language-Readers-as-Foreign-Books/s/ref=sr_nr_n_10?ie=UTF8&rs=714256&keywords=english&bbn=714266&rnid=714256&rh=n%3A266239%2Ck%3Aenglish%2Cn%3A275738%2Cn%3A714256%2Cn%3A714266

You may not want to buy via amazon.co.uk, but you can use the ISBN numbers etc to order the books from somewhere else.


The Big Read

For more ideas of what to read... A few years back, the BBC did a survey to find the UK's favourite book. Here are the results:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/bigread/top100.shtml

Curiously, my favourite book, 'The Mega Monkey Madness Manual' (a 100 page collection of hilarious monkey pictures) did not make the list! Perhaps it was number 101...

Finally.... The Bard:

'What a piece of work is a man! How noble in reason! How infinite in faculty! In form and moving how express and admirable! In action, how like an angel! In apprehension, how like a god! The beauty of the world, the paragon of animals; and yet to me, what is this quintessence of dust? Man delights not me; no, nor woman neither...'

Hamlet, Act Two, Scene Two.