Quiz 14 March

This American Life, 23 February
In the Shadow of the City

Act One 3:00-28:00
Brooklyn Archipelago. Out for a simple pleasure cruise with two friends, Alex Zharov was planning to see Jamaica Bay in New York City. But this end-of-the-day excursion, which should have only lasted 40 minutes, turns into an out of control adventure that will leave him lost, stranded, and bleeding ... all within sight of the Empire State Building. Brett Martin reports. (22 minutes) (taken from www.thislife.org)

1. What does Alex say about himself?
2. Why did Roman take to Alex right away and what did he and his friends call Alex?
3. What was the agenda?
4. What did Roman say about his state after a lot of cognac?
5. What did they do rather than panic when they got caught in the current?
6. What could they see in every direction the next morning?
7. What was Alex’s three-fold explanation for why he swam?
8. What made him mad at New York?
9. What were Alex’s strange ideas about the ducks?
10. What could he smell?
11. What reminders of the metropolis are close at hand?
12. Why didn’t Roman rush to signal the helicopter?
13. Why does Alex like badgers and Utah?
14. Why did this happen to him?
15. How does Alex make the reporter feel?

You can read the news article about their little escapade (and see a photo of Alex with blond afro and Roman with pirate eye patch), at The New York Times' website


Article: Feel Like a Kid Again, Put a skip in your step, America!
I came across an ad for this website in my new PDF format of Satya Magazine the other day and found it delightful! How many times have I wanted to skip down the aisle of the grocery store or walking down the street (actually at the grocery store, I want to push the cart and go for a ride like I did when I was young and uninhibited). Anyway, more power to these people! And may we not forget, as we get older, what it means to be awed by life's simple pleasures!

1. What does it mean that Kim’s an “avid skipper”?
2. What’s the impetus behind Kim’s efforts to pass on the skipping fever? ”
3. Why does she say that some would be less inclined to jump on the skipping bandwagon?
4. “It _______ positive energy”. What does that mean?
5. “Let skipping ______ _____ the _____ _____ you!”
6. What other activities mentioned do adults tend to grow out of?
7. Why shouldn’t one feel silly skipping, according to Kim?
8-10. Write your reaction to the listening and/or reading as a comment below.

Once again...

I failed! Sorry, folks (or should I say folk because I think my readership has dropped significantly as of late). I've just finished writing the exam for one of my classes and am looking up at the clock. Yikes! Nearly time to start class with Carousel which means I won't have a quiz up today. I'll shoot for Friday (Thursday's are impossible).

Happy week!

Quiz 28 Feb

I apologize for skipping another week. As the school was closed last Mon-Wed I didn't have internet access until Thursday evening. I actually prepared a listening from a file in my iTunes and then realized it wasn't archived online. Bummer. Well, here's the new quiz for the week--a topic that is pertinent to young people (and teachers and parents too).

It comes from ABC Radio National and so you'll get to practice deciphering the Australian accent this week! Just to warn you that there are derogatory and offensive comments as teenagers share the destructive words their peers wield as weapons in the battle that is bullying.

Street Stories, 18 February: We’re Watching You
1. “When conflicts _______ young people are likely to use their ______ with ________ as their weapon”
2. What did Natasha receive in the form of a text message?
3. Why is text messaging so bad?
4. “Girls ________ ____ cyber bullying more than boys”
5. What are teens mostly being victimized for, aside from looks?
6. What is said about stereotypes?
7. What was Natasha’s dad’s first reaction to the text message?
8. “Two’s _______, three’s __ _______”
9. What was the mother of the bully’s reaction when Natasha’s mum called her?
10. “Maybe it was a bit ______ out of _______”. What does that mean?
11. “Teachers have a bit more _______ about what is going on”. What does that mean?
12. What did bullying used to be before technology?
13. What word was used to mean not knowing that bullying is happening but it’s harmful all the same?
14. What type of young person opts for cyber bullying?
15. What is said to be the worst type of bullying?


Article: Cyber Bullies are Wrecking Lives

1. How does cyber bullying differ from “conventional” bullying?
2. How is Avalon described to mean she doesn’t want to talk to others?
3. What adjective is used to mean that messages can be critical and disrespectful?
4. The adjective to describe students having technological skills?
5. What aspect of cyber bullying makes it more accessible to students?
6. Cyber bullying is illegal in Australia, true or false.
7-10. Write a comment below to compare what you’ve heard/read here to what you know about cyber bullying in your school (either now or when you were in high school). Include your ideas of what a parent’s role is.

Quiz 14 Feb

Star-Crossed Love
This American Life

Well, I’m not one prone to being enthusiastic about Valentine’s Day. It’s not really my “cup of tea,” if you will. However, I found this week’s edition of This American Life interesting (actually, I enjoy every single episode and am a subscriber to their weekly podcast through iTunes). This story here drew my attention due to the unlikelihood of such a romance, that actually being the point of this edition of the programme, which saw fit to highlight three rather unorthodox relationships.

You need to click on the link above and go to the 10 February episode called "Star-Crossed Love." Personally, I recommend listening to the whole episode, though I only have questions written about the first story, which starts around minute 7 and ends at minute 33 or thereabouts. Yes, it’s a bit longer than I like the listening to be, but you have a long weekend coming up, so what the heck! So enjoy listening to an Armenian, Shant Kenderian, in the Iraqi army, who was caught and held as a prisoner, talking about how he fell in love with an American soldier.

1. What is “drafted”?
2. What was the soldiers’ greatest hope while on the boat and why?
3. What was Shant most impressed about when seeing the American soldiers?
4. What was assumed about Shant?
5. What were Shant’s friends baffled about with regard to the American’s interactions with Monica?
6. How did Monica contrast with her surroundings?
7. When did Shant realize he had feelings for Monica?
8. What gave him some tenuous hope that she might like him back?
9. What did he mean by “the stakes were very high”?
10. After she gave him a hug, he said “I let _____ _______ _______.” What did he mean by that?
11. How many days left before his transfer did Shant have when he saw Monica again?
12. What did he say about their relationship in the end?


Article: A Veteran’s Love Story: Valentine’s Day 2007
by Shepherd Bliss

Here is another soldier, but from a different war and a slightly different perspective. Read his "love story" and answer the following questions.

1. What word in paragraph one is used to mean “to appear or come into view / to come to the surface”?
2. A mole is a small animal which digs and lives underground. Why did the author describe himself that way in the story?
3. What’s the significance of the phrase “now a seasoned veteran at the age of nineteen”?
4. Explain his question “Is she the enemy?”.
5. In your own words, why do these war veterans join together to write?
6. In your own words, explain why Shepherd calls this a love story.
7. What words does he use to say that he took various stories and made them into one?
8. What word does he use to mean “personal faults or failures”?

Quiz 31 Jan

BOYS WILL BE BOYS. . . Don't ask how I ended up choosing this topic for the contest this week. I stumbled across the interview while searching through the latest episodes of "The Tubridy Show", hoping to find something of interest for you complete with Irish accent and all. Lo and behold, there was this little treasure: an interview with Conn Igulden (had never heard of him), author of "The Dangerous Book for Boys", which sounded tantalizing, even to a girl like me. Here's the book description from the publisher, Harper Collins' website:

"How many other books will help you thrash someone at conkers, race your own go-cart, and identify the best quotations from Shakespeare? The Dangerous Book for Boys gives you facts and figures at your fingertips – swot up on the solar system, learn about famous battles and read inspiring stories of incredible courage and bravery. Teach your old dog new tricks. Make a pinhole camera. Understand the laws of cricket. There's a whole world out there: with this book, anyone can get out and explore it. The Dangerous Book for Boys is written with the verve and passion that readers of Conn Iggulden's number one bestselling novels have come to expect. This book, his first non-fiction work, has been written with his brother as a celebration of the long summers of their youth and as a compendium of information so vital to men of all ages. Lavishly designed and fully illustrated in colour and black and white throughout, it's set to be a perfect gift for Father's Day and beyond. "

Well, that was it. I thought I'd throw this one out to y'all! So click here and scroll down on the webpage until you find the 16 January show. Once downloaded (just click on the date) you can fast foward through until about the 30:00 mark where the 20-minute interview starts. Oops, I forgot to say that he also talks about his latest book about Genghis Khan. I was so enamored with the boys' book. :)

As you'll notice, you've got quite a lot of questions this time. I hope it doesn't make it too hard. My idea was to just catch a lot of little phrases used. You can see that sometimes my questions for you are simply quotes. You just need to fill in the missing words. As always, the questions follow the order of the podcast. Enjoy!

1. How old is the author?
2. What’s the most old-fashioned thing about the book?
3. What did he set out to do when he wrote the book?
4. What did he do at one point for 7 years?
5. What’s the last image in the book?
6. “Children will go to places that we _____ _____”
7. What was rule #1?
8. What is conkers?
9. What did he get great enjoyment out of making?
10. “You can’t be excellent, but you can be ___________”
11. “Life is about getting __________”
12. “Boys are different to girls when it ________ _______ ________ the basic ________”
13. What’s the word used for the girls’ book?
14. “I’ve put you _____ _____ ______”
15. “People just seem to ______ _____ _______ the same idea at the same time.”
16. “ ______-______ _______ or _______-to-_________ story”
17. What did Khan achieve?
18. What was the “thing you did” at Genghis Khan’s time?
19. What was Conn’s first main impression of Mongolia?
20. The ponies there are bred for _________
21. What country does Mongolia look a lot like?
22. What DON’T you ask for (because it’s wooden)?
23. Why is he so interested in the great history makers?
24. What new things will he try to learn this year?


Article: Boys will be boys…or will they? By Linda Schrock Taylor

So then for your, ahem, reading. It’s just ever so slightly longer than I like to make it but it does have the advantage of being interesting, in my humble opinion of course, about a subject that maybe all of you (boys and girls alike) can relate to. . . if you think about what most teachers require from their students and what the nature of little kids (especially boys) is. Anyway, I will refrain from giving my opinion but I do want yours. So, for this portion of the quiz you just need to:

1. Identify what you think are the 4-5 main points the author of the article is trying to get across.
2. Identify at least (you’re welcome to do more) 5 phrases (not just the words in isolation because at this stage of your learning you need to focus on COLLOCATIONS, not random vocabulary words) that you find useful when discussing this or related topics. Quote the expression and explain its meaning.
3. Write a short paragraph (3-5 sentences—COMPLEX ones, you ARE, after all, advanced learners, might I remind you) stating your opinion. Try to use a couple of the phrases you learned! I’m quite interested to hear what you have to say!

Some Follow-up on Darfur and the Lost Boys

Maybe you've heard but there was a show put on to raise money for the relief fund to aid the refugees from Sudan. I listened to an interview with orchestra conductor, George Matthew, about the benefit concert at Carnegie Hall in New York. They performed Verdi's Requiem and chose that piece for some specific reasons. It's a short interview and a good one to listen to, not only to see what some people are doing to help (if our governemnts do nothing, the people must, right?), but also to catch some great turns of phrase that he uses.

Quiz 24 Jan

National Geographic: John Bul Dau
Click on the link above to listen to this 10 minute discussion by a Sudanese “Lost Boy.” He tells about how he and the others came to America and what his plans are. There has been a documentary film made about the plight of these young men. You can listen to an interview with the two filmmakers if you're interested in hearing more. Your reading this week tells you more about this situation.

Keep in mind that John's grammar is not always correct, but I feel like it’s important for you to hear other foreigners speaking English. See if you can catch any of the errors (this takes very keen listening skills) and enjoy hearing another different accent. Bear in mind that this young man learned English out of the necessity to flee for his life and settle down somewhere far from home.

1. When did John arrive in the US?

2. How many years ago did the civil war begin in Sudan?

3. Why were they called “The Lost Boys” and how old were they?

4. Why did Northern Sudanese law require killing the southern Sudanese boys?

5. The boys weren’t trying to make it to America when they left Sudan. True or False.

6. When offered the chance to go to America, they all unhesitatingly accepted. True of False.

7. The kindness of the Americans exceeded their expectations. True or False.

8. What act changed John’s idea of America?

9. List 4 places the Sudanese boys were taken by their sponsors?

10. John wants to go back to Southern Sudan to help his people. True or False.

11 & 12 Write two grammatically incorrect expressions or sentences you heard and correct them.

13, 14, &15 You get three points if you leave a comment below about what you thought of this listening and reading.

The Lost Boys Reading Quiz
Now read this article from the BBC about the harsh life and struggle that these boys, at least those who survived, endured, and answer the questions below. They follow the order of the article. I’ve also read an account written by one of the Lost Boys, John Deng Langbany, on the PBS website and was touched deeply by the tenacity and fight to survive that he demonstrated, overcoming the odds to make it to America where life still isn’t a bed of roses but he doesn’t have to constantly worry about being shot.

1. What expression was used to mean that the boys had no one to look after and provide for them?

2. What’s the main demographic difference between the north and south in Sudan?

3. In what way is Abraham more fortunate than the other boys?

4. What determined the fate of the boys upon coming to the States?

5. What word means “not requiring much skill and lacking prestige”?

6. How would you describe Santino?
a. a penny-pincher
b. down on his luck
c. just scraping by
d. a spendthrift

7. What expression tells you that Samuel has had quite a few low-paying jobs?

8. In what way does the article portray Samuel?
a. gifted
b. compliant
c. resigned
d. focused

9. At the time of publishing this article, in which year of university was Aboor?

10. What phrase does Laura use to express young people in the US’s failure to appreciate an opportunity that is so familiar to them.

11. What word does Craig use that means an arrival or entry of large numbers of people (or things)?

12. You give me a word or expression from the text and its meaning. Pick one that you liked and plan to try to use this week

Quiz 17 Jan

What do you know? I'm actually a day early! Here is the quiz this week. Email me with your answers to both the reading and the listening. Best of luck!

News of the Weird from 14 January
Read the following news and give the correct vocab word (definitions are taken from The New Oxford American Dictionary)

1. Lead Story: to follow the course or trail of (someone or something), typically in order to find them or note their location at various points?

2. Government in Action!: to scold or rebuke?

3. Government in Action!: disagreement or hostility between people?

4. Government in Action!: to assume control or responsibility (a phrasal verb)?

5. Clichés Come to Life: to make (secret or new information) known?

6. Scamming the Horny Panda: (of a person, typically a woman, or their clothes) unfashionable and without style in appearance?

7. Rules: tell (someone) officially that they can or must leave, in particular patients, someone in the armed forces or police?

8. Créme de la Weird: (this is too weird and gross for me). . . your choice—choose one: write word and definition.

9. Recurring Themes: showing a skillful use of underhanded tactics to achieve goals?

10. Least Competent Parent: (this is completely horrific). . . choose your own word with definition.

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Rodrigo y Gabriela: Elegant and Rollicking
Listen to this interview about 2 guitarists, originally from Mexico, who now live in Dublin, Ireland. They moved there without speaking much English and had to depend on their musical abilities to survive. Now they’ve made a name for themselves, coupling their love of heavy metal with their intricate fingerpicking. The interview is 30 minutes but they play three of their songs during that time. . . I find their music exhilirating!

1. How does the interviewer describe the listener (2 words) after hearing the first song?

2. When they left Mexico City, what didn’t Rodrigo y Gabriela want anything to do with?

3. 2 questions in one: Where did they want to play in Ireland and where did they end up playing?

4. At first, the two played traditional Mexican music on the streets, true or false?

5. “Foc” is from what language and means what?

6. What are two things people wrongly think about them?

7. Were they financially successful on the street?

8. What musical parts did Gabriela try to play on the guitar when the two jammed?

9. Who was the first artist they played a gig with in Europe?

10. How do they pick a name for their songs?


If you would rather download the podcast on iTunes, you can find this interview on the Wednesday, 1 November, 2006 podcast of NPR: Music. Hope you enjoyed it! I personally love their accents, a melodic mix of Mexican and Irish!

Various podcasts to consider. . .

I had one student ask me to suggest some podcasts worth listening to (in addition to our contest) since she spends time on the metro, bus, walking to and from school or other places. I'll write some here that I listen to pretty regularly and then you all can leave additional comments about ones that you like. Mine are, of course, slanted based on my own interests which you may or may not share. Maybe the other teachers could add their own "2 cents" as well!

1. Vegetarian food for Thought
2. NPR: Music
3. Open Source
4. Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!
5. The Weekly Ryan
6. Common Sense with Dan Carlin
7. VeganFreaks
8. A Way with Words This is great for learning vocab!
9. The Tubridy Show
10. This American Life Very interesting real-life stories

Well, there's a start, if you're at all interested! Enjoy!

Five points free!

So, some of you have received your first 10 points by writing your feeback to me by mail. Here is a chance to earn another easy 5 points. Just leave a comment here. . . What to say? Answer the following 5 questions:

1. Have you ever listened to a podcast in Portuguese?
2. Have you ever listened to one in English?
3. Which ones (if yes) in English have you listened to?
4. What topics do you think would be interesting to hear about?
5. When would be the best time for you to listen to the quiz podcast (remember. . . it'll be 30 minutes tops and since you download, you can choose anytime that you want. . . the point here is to actually state when you'll do it because if you don't plan it into your busy lives, it won't happen :)?

Look again here Wednesday evening for the FIRST QUIZ OF THE TERM!

See ya!