Reading Explorer 2, Otzi the Iceman vocabulary

 

1.Gruesome = disgusting in a bloody way

2.Frozen = covered in ice

3.Indicate = shows something to be true

*You always sleep in my class. This indicates that you are either very tired or very bored.

    4. laborer = worker, usually with jobs related to hand work

5. implies = it shows it without saying it

*Mr. Nate never says hi to me, so this implies that he doesn’t like me very much.

6. wealthy = rich; a person with a  lot of money

7. enable = gives you the ability

*I hope these classes enable you to communicate in English better than when you arrived.

*Many years ago, I went to a trainer to get into shape.  This enabled me to become faster and stronger.

8. deduce = to make a conclusion about something without having all the facts

*When the teacher didn’t do anything in class, students deduced that he didn’t care about his job.

9. shepherd = person who guides sheep

10. debatable = something we can argue about if it is right or wrong

11. fled = past tense of flee = to escape

12. cruelly = to be done in a harsh or bad way

*You treat me cruelly

13. beneath = under

*Otzi was found beneath the ice

Reading and Writing, Ha Long Bay, Final Essay, Draft 1

 By Nate Feldman

This session, we have compared many different things.  Choose one of the topics below, and write a comparison essay.

1. Two types of leaders

2. Two types of businesses 

3. Two parks 

4. Two animals 

5. Two places to live 

Example essay:

Comparing Two Stores

Black Friday is the day when people go shopping in large numbers because of the discounts on different items.  If you go to a mall, you will see them thronged with hordes of people clamoring for the best items to purchase.  Whenever I go shopping, I go to Dick’s sporting goods for sports equipment and I go to Macy’s for clothing.  You would think they are so different, but actually they are quite similar. 

The biggest similarity between the two shops is that they both sell clothing items.  Although Dick’s is famous for also having sports equipment, such as baseballs, soccer balls, footballs, and bats, gloves, and other things, they also have a large selection of shorts, pants, shoes, socks, and even underpants.  Of course, Macy’s is famous for its clothing selection from top designers, such as Ralph Lauren and Hugo Boss.  So, either place is a good one to consider getting new apparel for yourself. 

While there are some similarities, as the one mentioned above, there are a multitude of differences as well.  First and foremost, Dick’s is a sporting good store whereas Macy’s focuses on all sorts of clothing for daily life.  Furthermore, Macy’s has other daily living needs, such as beds and furniture while Dick’s just has things connected to sports.  Thus, the type of people who come to these stores may be quite different.  Dick’s is far more likely to attract people who are athletes while Macy’s attracts everyone of all backgrounds. 

Reading Explorer 2, A Story with an Animal

 By Nate Feldman

I saw an alligator in the river while I was in my boat.  The alligator looked me over curiously when I passed by.  I wasn't sure if it wanted to interact with me or not.  But, I didn't want to make too much noise because I didn't want to attract too much attention and get myself in trouble.  

Suddenly, the alligator leapt towards my boat.  It began opening it's mouth wide and I was completely petrified.  I tried to move my boat faster, but the alligator kept getting closer and closer to me.  I was certain it was going to leap into my boat and devour me.  

At the last second, a rescue boat came and took me in.  It sped away, and I watched the alligator as we moved away from it.  I was so thankful!  

Descriptive Reading and Writing, An Old House

 

An Old House

 There are some places that creep you out when you think of them.  I haven’t been to many of those, but one that comes to mind is an old house at the end of my street.  I used to go in it, and when I did, it really gave me a bad feeling.

When you saw it from the street, it was completely dilapidated.  The windows had large cracks, and parts of the roof had caved in.  It looked like no one had lived in it for decades.  The grass in the front lawn was waist-high because no one had mowed it.  (Outside appearance)

When I entered the house, the door made a loud creaking sound.  Moats of dust flew up in my face as I entered the dark room.  It was completely abandoned, so all I could hear was the sound of my feet thumping on the floor.  There were dark black stains on both the floor and the wall, giving an appearance that it hadn’t been cleaned in ages. (Inside appearance)   

I ran away from that place feeling that someone might be in there ready to attack.  The dark impression of that terrifying house will be with me forever.

Reading and Writing Ha Long Bay, Comparison Language

 By Nate Feldman

Similarities:

both    likewise   like   similar 

ELS is ___________________to my previous job in some ways.  _________________places are schools that teach information to people.  ELS has students from many nationalities.  _________________, The Cambridge School in Amman had students from different countries as well.   __________________ELS, the Cambridge School taught classes five days a week.

Differences:

in contrast     on the other hand     whereas      while    unlike 

_________________ELS is a school for mostly adult students, the Cambridge school was a K-12 international school.  Also, the Cambridge School had a summer break for 2 months and had a 1 month vacation during the winter.  ______________________, ELS operates throughout the year.  Also, on some days at the Cambridge school, I had free periods to prepare things for classes.  ____________________, at ELS, there are only 10 minute breaks between class periods.  The staff at ELS are from the United States, __________________the staff at the Cambridge School were mostly from Jordan.  _________________ELS, the Cambridge School had sports teams and activities for the students to represent the school.  

SSP Tokyo, Comparisons

 By Nate Feldman

1. The food here is (tasty) ________________________than the food in many other cities.

2. The serving size of food in the US is (big) __________________than in some countries.  

3. This room is (comfortable) ________________________than the classroom in the Alumni building.

4. The food in India is (spicy) _____________________than food here.

5. The weather today is (nice) ________________________than the weather last week. 

6. Cheesesteaks here are (famous) _______________________than cheesesteaks in other cities.  

7. The landscape in the countryside is (beautiful) ______________________than the landscape in the city.  

8. You are (friendly) _________________than some other people I have met here.

Reading Explorer 2

continent   flavor    historic    marketplace    

seeds   solely    suggest   variety   

1. You need to plant ___________________to grow plants.

2. There are a ______________________of restaurants in Philly. 

3. I am ____________________here to improve my English.  That's it! 

4. I ______________________you study more if you want your English to improve.  

5. USA is in the North American ______________________.

6. I like to go to the _______________________to buy fresh ingredients.  

7. I like the ______________________of Indian food.  It's nice and spicy.  

8. Independence Hall in Philly is a _______________________place.

Reading Explorer Foundations

 Complete the sentences with the vocabulary.

earthquake   lost   natural   piece    reported    struck   structures 

1. I can't find my bag.  I _____________________it.

2. Our town was ______________________by a big storm yesterday.

3. Trees are ______________________plants.  

4.  I will eat a __________________of pizza for lunch and a salad.

5. There are many interesting _______________________, or buildings, in this city. 

6. The news ________________________about the story.  

7. There was an ______________________.  The land shook.

Reading and Writing, Practice Short Writing

 

Nowadays, news about conflict and strife permeates the airwaves.  War, environmental destruction, and crime are frequent news topics.  Reading and hearing about such things creates large amounts of pessimism and cynicism around the world.  But, every now and again, there are groups of people or organizations that defy that and try to improve the world we are in.  Yesterday, we learned about the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust that takes care of orphaned elephants in Kenya.  I also heard a news report about the Newground organization in the United States that tries to build relationships between Muslim and Jewish people.  The goals are different, but the benefits they bring are similar.  Both are trying to inspire humans to live  in a better way.  Instead of poaching elephants or going to war, they strive to bring out the better side of humanity.  Taking care of orphaned elephants is good for that species and for the ecosystem as a whole.  Similarly/Likewise, having people from different religions dialogue instead of fight, brings us closer to world peace of some kind.  So, I see big similarities. 

Reading Explorer Foundations

 By Nate Feldman

*What do you think brings good luck?

*What do people in your culture think brings good luck?  What is a superstition in your culture about luck?

*What brings bad luck?

>>>Friday the 13^th brings you bad luck. 

Reading Explorer 2, The Sweet Tooth Listening Activity

 By Nate Feldman

SSP Tokyo, The Active Life

By Nate Feldman

 

Reading Explorer 2, Food For Life Vocabulary

 

I depend on you = I need you

Students depend on their teacher to explain the lesson.

*Who do you depend on in your life?

 

What plants do you grow?

*We grow cherries, peaches, tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers. 

 

Crop = a plant grown for a purpose

Solely = only that thing

*I am here solely to learn English.

Famine = many people cannot eat

Scale = a measurement

Extinct = all of the species is dead (i.e. dinosaurs; wooly mammoth)

Variety = many types

*There are a variety of nationalities in this class.

Suggest = advise

*I suggest you study more.  If you want to eat a good meal, I suggest you go to the best restaurant.

*Flavor= how something tastes

 

What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?

 

Reading Explorer Foundations

 By Nate Feldman 

SSP Tokyo

 By Nate Feldman

Vocabulary Practice 

failed    failure   give up   keep trying     succeed   success   successful 

1. I felt like a miserable _____________________when I got less than 50% on the exam.

2. I think you will be a great ____________________because of your innate intelligence. 

3. The movie project was very _____________________and earned a lot of money at the box office.  

4. I wanted to get that job, but I did not ___________________.  Someone else got it. 

5. I _________________the last test, so I need to study harder for the next one. 

6. I can't teach you anymore, so I will _____________________and leave. 

7. We didn't learn well today, but I will _____________________to explain it better so you eventually will.  

Talk about the last week. What did you do?  What didn’t you do?

*In the last week, I did many things.  I started a new class.  I met Mr. Nate, my new teacher.  I had dinner at a fabulous restaurant.  I ate delicious food there.  I studied a lot.

*This last week, I didn’t travel anywhere because I was busy.  I didn’t go out too much because it was cold.  I didn’t talk to my family a lot because I was busy with my studies.

 

Talk about something you couldn't do as a child.  Why was it a problem?  How did you learn to do it?  

*When I was in first grade, I couldn’t tie my shoes.  This was a problem because my shoe laces were always loose, and I could fall down.  The teacher told me to learn, but it was hard for me, but I didn’t give up.  I kept trying, and eventually, I learned how to tie my shoes.  I used to prefer the Velcro shoes for this reasons. 

Reading Explorer 2

 By Nate Feldman

can't get enough of     cut down on     drug    get    outraged    recommend    perturbed   

1. I ___________________________chocolate.  I always need more of it.

2. When the teacher said we had to do 100 pages for homework, everyone was a bit _____________________.

3. I was __________________when you told me I was a bad person.  It made me so angry.  

4. I don't ______________why you always need to see the same movie.  Can't we see a different one?

5. I must _____________________the amount of fried food I eat.  

6. I ____________________you walk more outside and enjoy beautiful nature.

7. Nictoine is a __________________found in cigarettes.  

The Sweet Tooth: A Short Play

Teacher: Hello Mrs. Smith, I need to talk to you.  It’s very important.

Mrs. Smith: Yes, what is it you need to say?

Teacher: Well, it’s about your son.  He is so addicted to sugar! 

Mrs. Smith: Is that true?

Son: Yes, of course it is.  I can’t get enough sugary things in my life!!!!!

Teacher: See what I mean?

Mrs. Smith: Well, I try to get my son to eat vegetables and nutritious things, but he refuses to eat them.

Son : Yeah!  They are disgusting!!!!

Teacher: But, you need to cut down on the sweet things, because it will cause you health problems!

Father (talking to Mrs. Smith): Well, I think my wife needs to do a better job cooking healthy food.  Her vegetables lack taste!

Mrs. Smith: I am outraged!  I have to cook because you are too lazy!  If you think you can do better, why don’t you cook?!!!!!!!

Father: But, I need to make money, so I don’t have time for that.  So, please learn to cook vegetables better! 

Mrs. Smith: I hate you.

Teacher: OK, OK!  Stop!  Your son has a problem, and now you guys blame each other.  You must work together!

Son: I love sugar!  I want cookies!  I want cake!  Give me now!!!!

Reading Explorer Foundations

 By Nate Feldman

Vocabulary Practice:

bright    flashing    frightened     research   secret    strange    suddenly 

1. My teacher says he wants to be a cat.  He is so ____________________.

2. I don't know where my teacher lives.  It is a _________________.

3. The sun's light is so _________________.

4. I am so ______________________of spiders and snakes.  They are very scary. 

5. The lightning is ____________________in the sky.  

6. I will ___________________about your country.  

7. I was in my car.  __________________, another cat hit me, but I was OK.  

Reading and Writing, Ha Long Bay, Outdoor Activity

 By Nate Feldman

*MyElt: E-35F84GHTUP8KA (Reading and Writing, Ha Long Bay, November 2023) 

*Go outside and compare/contrast two: parks, restaurants, buildings, shops etc.  Short writing about the places you see.  I will give an example (Monster fingers) 

*Re-read "The Ape in the Office."  Answer questions on P.9-10.  

                                                

                                    Clark Park vs. Valley Forge Park

 

            Parks have been an essential part of our societies since they started being created.  This is where people go to relax, socialize, and enjoy life away from the grind of daily existence.  In and around the Philadelphia area are two spectacular parks that I enjoy visiting a lot.  One is Clark Park, which is located on the SJU campus in University City.  The other is Valley Forge National Park, just outside of the city near King of Prussia.  Although these are two old, important parks in the area, they are quite different. 

            Clark Park is in the middle of the city.  Because of that, it has the feel of a city.  You can hear the sounds of the city everywhere around it.  There is a lot of traffic in the streets nearby.  Also, the population of the visitors is quite diverse.  There are people of all ethnic and religious backgrounds there to for recreational and social purposes.  In addition, there are a lot of food trucks surrounding Clark Park for people to eat their lunch or dinner.  Also, Clark Park is quite small.  It’s only about a couple of blocks long. 

            Valley Forge Park is in a more suburbanized area.  There are highways with cars nearby, but it doesn’t have the sounds of the city.  Also, Valley Forge Park is so much bigger than Clark Park.  There are miles and miles of trails in many directions.  Another significant difference is the purpose of the park.  While people do go to Valley Forge for recreational and social reasons like Clark Park, it is a historical park that is meant to commemorate an important moment in American history.  Clark Park doesn’t have a purpose like that.  Valley Forge’s population can be quite diverse because it attracts a lot of visitors, but in general the local population is not as diverse as the communities surrounding Clark Park.

            To conclude, Valley Forge Park and Clark Park are historical and lovely parks to visit while you are in the Philadelphia area.  They differ in their size and historical importance, but they are both pretty places to relax.  So, I hope you will enjoy your time at both of them.  If you go to these parks soon, you will certainly have a wonderful time.  

SSP Tokyo, The Active Life

By Nate Feldman

The Active Life: A Short Story 

Paul is a university student in Philadelphia, and he has a very active life.  He plays on his university's football team.  They have practice Tuesday through Friday in the fall and have their games on Saturdays.  He also runs a lot.  He is on the university's track and field team and does long-distance running.  

He is also a big music buff.  He plays the keyboards as part of a local band, and he takes lessons as well to improve his skills.  He is also a part of the university's theatre club and does many plays.

Paul is also very adventurous.  This year, he is studying abroad in India.  He is taking classes to learn the Hindi language and he is learning more about Indian and South Asian culture.  

Paul's story is quite amazing.  

Class Assignment: Make a short story with your partners.  Use the grammar and vocabulary from the class in your short story.  

Reading Explorer 2, The Sweet Tooth

 By Nate Feldman

The Sweet Tooth: A Short Story

Mark was meeting his friend Julia at a local cafe.  Julia ordered a plain coffee with whole milk and a multi-grain bagel with a small Greek Salad on the side.  Mark ordered a Caramel Latte with an extra big blueberry muffin.  

"That looks really healthy," Mark told Julia.

"Yeah," she replied.  "And that looks really sweet."

Mark smiled.  "I must admit I do have a bit of a sweet tooth.  I can't get enough of sweet things.  Perhaps it's an addiction."

"It's obvious it's an addiction," Julia replied.

"Well, what do you mean?" Mark enquired.  

"I mean, every time we go out, you get sweet things.  Muffins, pastries, cakes, pies, whatever.  And you always get the sweetest type of coffee, like lattes.  When is the last time you ordered a salad?"

Mark was a bit defensive.  "I never realized you were paying so much attention what I put in my mouth."

"I am not judging you," Julia said.  "I just want to make sure you are staying healthy."

Mark tried to stay calm, but he was a bit perturbed by what he was hearing.  

"Look, I know I need to cut down on sweets.  I get that.  But, you shouldn't judge me.  There are things I recommend you improve yourself!"  

"Like what?" Julia wanted to know.

"Like how to make friends with people!" Mark said, his voice raising.  "You can be a bit of a turn off."

"Seriously?" Julia responded.  "I'm just trying to help here."

"And I'm just trying to help you learn to socialize!" Mark shouted at her.

"You're a baby!" Julia replied and got up and left. 

Mark was so outraged he threw a piece of the muffin at Julia as she headed for the exit.

Extra Vocabulary:

1. can't get enough of (something): You need a lot of something

2. to inquire (enquire is past tense): ask for information from someone 

3. perturbed: unsettled or bothered

4. I get that: I understand that

5. a turn off: something that makes people not like to be around someone

6. defensive: when you try to protect yourself from harm or criticism 

7. outraged: extremely angry 

Discussion:

1. What is something you can't get enough of?

2. What is something you don't get about the USA?

3. What is a turn off to you?

4. What makes you outraged?

5. When do you feel defensive?

Reading Explorer, Foundations, A Strange Light

 

The Strange Light: A Story

By Nate Feldman

It was late at night, and Mark was in his living room.  He suddenly saw a bright, green flashing light.  He didn’t hear any sound, and it was also a clear night, so he knew it wasn’t lightning.   He thought this light was strange, so he went to the window.

He looked outside, and he saw nothing.  He looked into the sky.  It was dark.  Then, there was the bright, green flashing light again.  He saw the light was making strange movements.  It moved up and down.  Then, it moved sideways.  It still didn’t make a sound.

Mark was frightened.  He thought there was a UFO in his area.  He got out his phone to take a video of this bright, flashing green light with strange movements.  Suddenly, the light stopped, and it was dark again.  He waited for the light to return, but it didn’t. 

The next day, Mark saw his neighbor, Tom.  “Did you see the strange, flashing light last night?” Mark asked Tom.

“No, when was it?” Tom asked.

“Around 11 to 12,” Mark answered.

“I was fast asleep then,” Tom responded.

Other neighbors said they didn’t see the light.  So, Mark knew he had to research it.  What was causing the strange light in the sky?  He had to find out.

 

Vocabulary:

*suddenly: happens very quickly.  You don’t know it will happen.

*bright: very light.

*flashing: light goes off and on very fast.

*frightened: very scared

*fast asleep: sleeping deeply

 

Discussion:

1.       When are you frightened?

 

2.       When are you fast asleep?

 

3.       What is bright?

 

4.       What lights are flashing?

 

5.       What happened suddenly to you?

Reading and Writing, Ha Long Bay, The Ape in the Office

 By Nate Feldman

*Warm-Up: Interview students from the other class.  Compare/Contrast them to each other.

*Vocabulary Review

care for   interact    treat 

1. Good parents must ________________their children.  They should help them with things.

2. You ___________________me like a child!  Please talk with me like an adult! 

3. I ___________________with students every day.  I talk to them during the class.  

*P.4 Vocabulary and discussion

*P.5-7, The Ape in the Office, P.5-7

SSP Tokyo, Vocabulary Review Plus Lesson

 By Nate Feldman

*Complete the sentence with the correct words

acquaintances    colleagues   classmates   educator    girlfriend    leader 

1. Susan and I work at the same company.  We are _____________________.

2. Josh and I go to the same university.  We are ________________________in Biology class.

3. I talk to Seth sometimes, but I really don't know him.  We are just ______________________.

4. I went to the movies with Debbie and bought her a present.  Now, she is my _____________________.

5. Mr. Nate is an _______________________.  He teaches us English.  

6. The manager is the ______________________of the company.  

*Introduce people 

*Difference between Simple Present and Present Continuous 

Simple Present: (Habits) 

*I come to ELS every day. 

*I wake up at 6:00 AM every day.

*I visit my family every weekend. 

XI am go to the gym in the evenings.

*I go to the gym in the evenings.

 

I go

You go

He/She/it goes

We go

They go

 

Examples:

Alice studies at ELS. 

Ahmed plays soccer with his friends on the weekend. 

Yuki lives in the dormitory. 

Angie works here. 

Miku reads books. 

 

I work at ELS.  I don’t work in New York. 

Ahmed studies at ELS.  He doesn’t study at Temple. 

 

Use don’t/doesn’t for negative

I don’t study.  I don’t read.  I don’t like.  I don’t write.  I don’t understand you.  I don’t live here.

He doesn’t study here.  Her brother doesn’t study here. 

I study English.  I don’t study Turkish. 

 

 

Present Continuous: Right now

 

Right now, I am teaching you grammar.  I am not listening to music. 

You are not listening to me right now, and actually, you don’t ever listen to me!!!!!!

 

I am talking to you.

You are studying. 

He is sleeping in the back of the room.

She is watching the screen.

We are having a lesson.

They are having a class in the other room.

 

Simple Present: You yell at me every day, and I am sick of your abuse!!

Present Continuous: Why are you yelling at me??!!!!!

*Discussion questions:

1. What do you do every day?

2. What are you doing this month?

Reading Explorer 2, Sweet Love

 By Nate Feldman

*Review Homework  

*Short play: Too Much Sugar

*Answer questions on P.10-12 

*Productive Activity 1: Make a short play about someone's addiction to sugar 

Short Play: Too Much Sugar

Bill is talking to Caroline about his addiction to sugar.

Bill: I have a real sweet tooth!  I love cupcakes, pastries, pies, cookies, cake, every sweet thing! 

Caroline: Yes, that's great.  But, you must cut down on it!

Bill: I wish!  I have a big addiction to these things, and I know sugar is the culprit! 

Caroline: Well, I recommend you eat only one sweet thing a day.  

Bill: It'll be such a battle!  I love sugar too much! 

Discussion:

*What is Bill's problem?

*What does Caroline recommend?

Further discussion:

*Do you have a problem like Bill?  Do you find sugary things addictive?

Reading Explorer Foundations, A Strange Movement

 By Nate Feldman

*Review Homework

*Read the story.  Answer questions.  Discuss questions with a partner.

*Productivity Activity 1: Make a story about Aliens 

Story: A Strange Movement

John was at his house.  He looked into the sky.  There was a strange movement.  There were lights in the sky.  They moved up and down.  Then they moved sideways.  He called his wife into the room.

"Karen," he said.  "I think I see a UFO in the sky.  There are Aliens in this area!"

"Why do you think so?" Karen asked him.

"I saw these strange lights," John answered.  "They had a strange movement.  They moved up and down.  Then they moved sideways.  I never saw lights like this in this area before.  Maybe the government knows about this, and it is a big secret for us."  

"Yes," Karen said.  "This is very strange.  But, maybe it is a strange airplane and not a UFO." 

Questions:

1. What did John see in the sky?

2. Why is the thing in the sky strange?

3. What does Karen think the lights might be?

Discussion:

1. What do you think about UFOs?

2. What lights do you see in the sky?

3. What strange things do you see in the sky?

Reading and Writing, Ha Long Bay

 By Nate Feldman

Intro. to class

*Compare/Contrast Essay

*Participation, two reading quizzes, two short writings, essay, revision 

*Unit 1: Social Relationships (discussion on P.1) 

*Read P.2-3, Social Animals 

Vocabulary discussion:

*Who do you interact with every day?

*Who or what do you care for? (i.e. a pet, child etc.)

*How do people treat you here?

Vocabulary Practice:

1. I ___________________my dog and cat.  I feed them and give the dog a walk.

2. I _________________with my students during class.  I like to have conversations with them.

3. You _________________me like a child, and I am not a child!  Please respect me! 

Compare/Contrast Essay:

It's the Autumn season, and people are assembling in different parks to enjoy the beautiful fall foliage.  Two places that I like to go to during this season are Valley Forge National Park and the Struble Trail in Downingtown, PA.  They have some similarities, but they have some differences as well.

Valley Forge National Park has trails that go through wooded areas that are filled with trees of different colors.  One of the trails is located alongside a creek.  Similarly, the Struble Trail is a trail that goes through the woods and is situated by the Brandywine creek.  In both places the colors are vibrant during the fall season.

There are some differences between these parks, however.  Valley Forge is a national park which attracts thousands of visitors, sometimes in one day.  The Struble Trail is much smaller and is more known to the local community.  Furthermore, Valley Forge has many trails throughout the park.  The Struble Trail, on the other hand, is only one 5-mile trail.

So, while Valley Forge Park and the Struble Trail are similar for their nice views, they are quite different in many ways.  But, it is good to get different experiences, so I recommend you visit both, especially during the Autumn season.

Point by Point

*One similarity between Green Line Café and McDonald’s is they make sandwiches.  McDonald’s is famous for its hamburgers, Big Macs, and Fish Filet.  Similarly/Likewise, Green Line Café has many sandwiches, such as tofu sandwich and caprese sandwich. 

*Another similarity is people eat there in person. 

 

Block Method

McDonald’s is a restaurant that is famous for its sandwiches.  People go there to enjoy Big Macs, Fish filet, and Quarter pounder with cheese.  It also has many types of drinks.  It has milk shakes and coffee, although it is not quite so good.

Green Line café, like McDonald’s, has sandwiches, although not burgers really.  It has a bigger variety of sandwiches, some for meat eaters, some for vegans.  Also, it has drinks, too, but the coffee is a better quality.  And it has shakes, but it seems to be made with better ingredients.

McDonald’s and Green Line Café have very different menus, but they serve some similar things.  So, if you are hungry, I hope you try both sometime.  

SSP Tokyo, Day 1

 By Nate Feldman

*Unit 1 "My Life"

*Discussing things you do with your "friends, neighbors, and acquaintances"

*Discussing favorite activities 

My ELT: Key: E-4BCUM5DFCVJJ4 (Course Key) 

Questions: 

1. What do you do with friends?  What are your favorite activities?

2. What do you do with classmates/colleagues/co-workers?  

3. Do you have a good relationship with your neighbors?

Reading Explorer 2, Sweet Love

 By Nate Feldman

*Read "Sweet Love" on P.9.

Vocabulary discussion:

1. What do you have an addiction to?  

2. What is something you recommend?

3. What must you cut down on?

4. What is something that is obvious to you?

5. What facilities do you like on this campus?

Vocabulary Practice:

1. You sleep all the time, so it's ____________________you find the class to be boring.

2. I have an _____________________to Netflix.  I watch it all the time.

3. If you want good Italian food, I _______________________you go to South Philly.  

4. I must _________________________the amount of coffee I drink.  I drink too much!

5. This place has exercise _______________________you can use to work out.

Reading Explorer, Foundations

 By Nate Feldman

*Read "Have Aliens Visited Us?" P.9-10. 

Vocabulary Discussion:

*What is the purpose of this class?

*What do you want to research?

*What do you think of this area?

*What is strange to you?

*Where do you see movement?

Vocabulary Practice:

1. John said he wanted to be a squirrel.  This is really _____________________.

2. After he fell on the ground, there was no ___________________for a second, and then he got up.

3. I like this ____________________.  It has a nice park.  

4. I want to _____________________the history of this country.  I want to learn more about it. 

5.  This class is silly.  There is no ______________________to it.  

Master's Reading and Writing, Reading Quiz 2

 

            In the early 1980s, Stephen King, a famous American novelist who is considered “the master of horror” by many, penned an essay titled Why We Crave Horror Movies.  In this writing, he was trying to explain people’s attraction to a genre that in many ways has become synonymous with his name.  Of course, I would assume that Stephen King must understand why people crave horror films so much considering his books, as well as the countless film adaptations made about them, have generated hundreds of millions, perhaps billions, dollars. 

            Stephen King suggests first of all that we enjoy horror films because of the thrill of them.  He compares it to a roller coaster with 360 degree loops.  We watch these things to say we did it.  To challenge ourselves and to show that we are able to handle what we see in them.  I can’t disagree with that.  Humans by nature like to show that we can handle what otherwise would seem impossible.  It’s why we enjoy risk-taking sports, such as skydiving or bungee jumping.  There is something exhilarating to showing that I did something that looks so dangerous.  Perhaps that is the same emotion one feels after watching a really gory horror film.  The fact that I could sit for 90 minutes to 2 hours watching that shows how strong I am, and that makes people feel good about themselves. 

            And then Stephen King mentions that horror movies are fun.  But, then he suggests that it is a peculiar kind of fun.  And Stephen King believes this fun comes from a repressed desire for bad things that exist in all of us.  These desires are repressed by society because we receive remonstrance for doing bad things.  He says if you slam your “rotten puke” of a sister’s hand in a door, you are punished by your elders.  However, when you do something nice for her, you get chocolate covered graham crackers.  So, in other words, the bad desires never go away, but we learn not to show it because being nice is more acceptable.

            That repressed insane side of us needs to come out from time to time and to run wild.  Horror movies, especially aggressive ones, give us an opportunity to let that craziness come out.  He says we have alligators living in the subterranean section of our minds that need to be fed meat.  Horror movies are the meat for these alligators, which are really just a metaphor for our darkest impulses.  He says the Beatles said “All You Need is Love,” and he agrees with that.  As long as the gators are fed. 

            But, is King right?  Well, I think to some degree.  I think there is truth that there is a darkness in all of us, but I am not sure if horror films help that dark side.  I do think that there are people who enjoy these films because it is entertainment and they realize it is fiction.  But, I am sure there are people who enjoy watching human suffering who find this entertaining as well.  Maybe, they think it is fun to watch people die in horrible ways.  But, for me, I think it is harmless fun.  Maybe it feeds my dark side, but I just find the stories interesting, and I realize it is fiction.

Questions:

1.       What are the reasons that Stephen King believes we crave horror movies?

  The author of this essay, Mr. Nate, added an additional reason.  What was that?

What is your viewpoint on both King’s and Nate’s analysis of this topic?  Do you think their reasons are valid, or are their things they are leaving out?