The Internet TESL Journal

Ten More Conversation Lessons with Stories, Vocabulary Practice, Questions and Activities

Farzad Sharifian
fsharifi [at] cyllene.uwa.edu.au
http://www.geocities.com/fsharifian/
The University of Western Australia

Introduction

These are ten additional lessons in the same format as the author's previously published Ten Conversation Lessons with Stories, Vocabulary Practice, Questions and Activities.

Suggestions for Using the Lessons

The Story

Depending on the main objective(s) of the course, the teacher may choose to read the story aloud asking the students not to look at it or ask the students to read the story to themselves silently and as quickly as possible.

Vocabulary Practice

The teacher may ask the students to answer the vocabulary questions as soon as they are through with the story. Students should use the text in order to guess the meaning of each vocabulary item.

Questions for Discussion

The questions posed under this section are meant to stimulate spontaneous speech and class discussion. The teacher may ask several students to answer the same question for different possible opinions.

Activities

Here the teacher may ask students to pair up and tell each other the story in their own words and he himself may act as a co-communicator or a counsellor. He can also ask one student to tell the whole class the story in his/her own words. Then the teacher may act as a model and pronounce the words under this section and ask the students to repeat the words several times. Finally, the teacher may use each word in a full sentence and ask the students to repeat for possible contextual effects.

Miscellany

A variety of statements such as proverbs and quotes can be found under this section. The statements are deliberately chosen to be provocative to spark off spontaneous debate and discussion. Thus, the teacher may choose each of these statements as a topic for class discussion.

Lesson 1 - Book Sale

The Story

"I may want to read it again one day" is the reason why my husband keeps every book he reads. Over 25 years most of them, never opened again after the first reading, have accumulated in our cellar. One day, however, thinking he'd never notice their absence, I donated most of them to a charity book sale. As I stood admiring the empty cellar, I heard Frank call to me, "I'm home early so I can get to the book sale before it closes."
While he was gone, I prepared for the worst. But when he arrived home empty-handed, I asked him if there had been any books that interested him.
"Yes, there were lots of good ones," he replied, "but I've got them all,"

Vocabulary Practice

Mark the best choice.

1. To 'accumulate' here means to ___. 2. 'Cellar' is ___. 3. To '___' means to make a gift of something, especially for a good purpose. 4. 'Charity' means ___.

Questions for Discussion

1. Does Frank have the good books now? Where are they?
2. Do you think it is a good idea to keep the books after reading them? Discuss.
3. What do you think Frank will do when he understands what has happened?

Activity

1. Now you tell your friend(s) the story in your own words.

Miscellany

A quotable quote:

Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.

Edison

Lesson 2 - Anniversary-birthday Card

The Story

"Do you have any anniversary-birthday cards?" a man asked the stationer.
"We have anniversary cards and we have birthday cards, but we don't carry one that combines both. Why?"
"Simple ," replied the man. "My wife is celebrating the fifteenth anniversary of her thirty-fourth birthday."

Vocabulary Practice

Mark the best choice.

1. 'Anniversary' means ___. 2. A 'stationer' is a person who ___. 3. To 'carry' here means to ___. 4. To '___' means to do something to show that a day or a happening is special.

Questions for Discussion

1. Why is the lady celebrating the anniversary of her birthday and not just her birthday?
2. What are anniversary cards for?

Activity

1. Now you tell your friend(s) the story in your own words.

Miscellany

A Spanish proverb:

Two great talkers will not travel far together.

Lesson 3 - Weather Forecast

The Story

While we were sailing, my friend tuned in to listen to the weather forecast on a local radio station. Over the airwaves, there was a pause and an audible shuffling of papers, followed by a voice saying, "I'm sorry, I can't find the forecast, but let me look out of the window--Oh! it's a lovely drying day."

Vocabulary Practice

Mark the best choice.

1. To '___' means to adjust a radio to receive a certain program. 2. 'Airwaves' means ___. 3. 'Forecast' is ___. 4. To 'shuffle' here means to ___.

Questions for Discussion

1. What is wrong with such a forecast?
2. What's the weather like today?

Activity

1. Now you tell your friend(s) the story in your own words.

Miscellany

A French proverb:

Money is a good servant but a bad master.

Lesson 4 - Vacuum Cleaner

The Story

A man selling vacuum cleaners appeared at the door of an old lady's cottage and, without allowing the woman to speak, rushed into the living room and threw a large bag of dirt all over her clean carpet. He said, "If this new magical cleaner doesn't pick up every bit of dirt, I'll eat it."
The woman, who by this time was losing her patience, said, "Sir, if I had enough money to buy that, I would have paid my electricity bill before they cut it off. Now, what would you prefer, a spoon or a knife and fork?"

Vocabulary Practice

Mark the best choice.

1. A 'cottage' is a ___. 2. To 'rush' means to ___. 3. To 'cut off' here means to ___.

Questions for Discussion

1. Why did the man throw the bag of dirt over the carpet?
2. Why should the man choose either a spoon or a knife and fork?
3. What do you think the man will do the next time he wants to sell something?

Activity

1. Now you tell your friend(s) the story in your own words.

Miscellany

A French proverb:

Write injuries in sand, kindness in marble.

Lesson 5 - I'm Staying Here

The Story

The traveling salesman had booked himself in for the night in a small boarding-house, but due to a lengthy business meeting he did not arrive until after midnight. He could see no signs of life, but not wanting to spend the night on the doorstep he pressed the bell. After an interval, an upstairs window opened and an angry woman peered out. "What is it?" she asked.
" It's Mr. Jerkins," replied the helpless salesman, "I'm staying here."
"All right," came the response. "Stay there". And she slammed down the window!

Vocabulary Practice

Mark the best choice.

1. To 'book' here means to ___. 2. 'Due to' means ___. 3. To '___' means to look carefully, as if unable to see. 4. To 'slam' means to ___.

Questions for Discussion

1. What is funny about this story?
2. What do you think will the salesman do next?
3. Do you remember a misunderstanding like this one?

Activity

1. Now you tell your friend(s) the story in your own words.

Miscellany

An Arabic proverb:

Grass grows without care, but not roses.
________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Lesson 6 - Meat Order

The Story

I worked for a butcher for two years. Then he dismissed me for insolence and I decided to take vengeance on him. The following Saturday morning, when the shop was packed with people buying meat, I stepped in, went to the counter and slapped down a dead cat. "There you are," I called out seriously, "that makes up the dozen you ordered."

Vocabulary Practice

Mark the best choice.

1. 'Insolence' means ___.
2. 'Vengeance' means ___.
3. 'Packed' here means ___.
4. To 'slap', here means to ___.

Questions for Discussion

1. Why did the man take the dead cat to the butcher's?
2. What do you think will happen next?
3. What do you think of vengeance?

Activity

1. Now you tell your friend(s) the story in your own words.

Miscellany

A comic definition:

A neighbor is a person who knows more about your affairs than you do.

Lesson 7 - Killing Mothballs

The Story

The old lady walked into a chemist's shop and bought a packet of mothballs. The next day she returned . and again bought a packet of mothballs. On the third day she did the same and when she appeared the fourth day and asked again for a packet of mothballs, the chemist could not restrain his curiosity.
'You must have a lot of moths, madam?' he queried.
'Yes, I have,' she nodded, 'and I don't know what I'm going to do. I've been throwing these balls at them for three days now and I haven't hit one yet!'

Vocabulary Practice

Mark the best choice.

1. A '___' is a small ball made of a strong-smelling substance, used for keeping moths away from stored clothes. 2. To 'restrain' means to ___. 3. 'Curiosity' means ___. 4. To 'query' means to ___. 5. To 'nod' means to ___.

Questions for Discussion

1. What is funny about what the lady has been doing?
2. Why did the chemist become curious about the mothballs?

Activity

1. Now you tell your friend(s) the story in your own words.

Miscellany

A saying:

Think twice before you speak once.

Lesson 8 - An Excellent Hammer

The Story

An apprentice blacksmith was told by his master to make a hammer. The lad had not the slightest idea how to begin, so he thought he'd be crafty to nip out and buy one. He duly showed the new hammer to his master.
'That's excellent, boy' the master said, 'Now make fifty more just like this one.'

Vocabulary Practice

Mark the best choice.

1. A(n) '___' is a young worker who is learning his job or trade. 2. A 'blacksmith' is ___.
3. 'Lad' means ___. 4- 'Crafty' means ___. 5. To 'nip', here means to ___.

Questions for Discussion

1. Why did the boy buy a hammer?
2. This story teaches us something? What is it?
3. What do you think will happen next?

Activity

1. Now you tell your friend(s) the story in your own words.

Miscellany

A Saying:

In giving advice, I advise you, be short.

Lesson 9 - Take Him to the Zoo

The Story

A policeman strolling in the park one day was astonished to see a man walking towards him with a fully-grown African lion on a lead. 'Hey!' said the policeman, 'you can't walk around with a lion like that. Take him to the Zoo!'
'Oh, all right, officer, 'said the lion owner, and away he went. But the next day the policeman was again confronted with the man and his fully-grown African lion walking along the street. 'Hey, you!' yelled the policeman, 'I thought I told you yesterday to take that lion to the Zoo?'
'I did,' came the reply, 'and today I'm taking him to the cinema.'

Vocabulary Practice

Mark the best choice.

1. To 'stroll' means to ___. 2. To 'astonish' means to ___. 3. A 'lead' here means a ___. 4. To 'confront' means to ___.

Questions for Discussion

1. What is funny about this story?
2. What do you think will happen in the cinema?

Activity

1. Now you tell your friend(s) the story in your own words.

Miscellany

A French proverb:

A clear conscience is a good pillow.

Lesson 10 - A Useful Tip

Some years ago, when the brother of an acquaintance of mine was a university student, he bought his first car. Eager to show it off, he asked his parents to go for a ride. As they were driving along, he glanced in his rear-view mirror and saw his father sitting in the back seat with his mouth open. He took this as the sign of his father's surprise. Shortly afterwards, he heard his father whisper to his mother, "If you keep your mouth open, your teeth don't rattle."

Vocabulary Practice

Mark the best choice.

1. An 'acquaintance' is a person ___. 2. To 'show something off' means to ___.
3. To 'whisper' means to ___. 4. To 'rattle' means to ___.

Questions for Discussion

1. Was the father really pleased with the ride? How do you know?
2. What do you think of showing off? a quotable quote

Activity

1. Now you tell your friend(s) the story in your own words.

Miscellany

A quotable quote:

Speak clearly, if you speak at all; carve every word before you let it fall.

Would you like to see the first ten lessons?

The Internet TESL Journal, Vol. X, No. 1, January 2004
http://iteslj.org/
http://iteslj.org/Lessons/Sharifian-Conversation2.html