study abroad

Japanese students study abroad

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2015/09/02/issues/tracing-emotional-roller-coaster-ride-life-abroad/#.VjGDz0s4MpE

fish kiss

Fish turns the tables on fisherman

Then they have an idea. They cut the head off the fish.

He catches a very large fish and is on cloud nine!

But the fish turns the tables on the fisherman and bites his nose.

KONAKOVO, RUSSIA   One day, a Russian man is fishing at a lake near Moscow.  He is crazy about this sport. 

It won’t let go.   The poor fisherman is in hot water now.  “Take it easy,” his friends advise.

Finally, doctors in a local hospital set the fisherman free.  “Play it safe,” they tell him.   “Don’t kiss any more fish!”

Then he begins to show off for his pals.  He grabs the fish and kisses it right on the mouth.

But the fish still won’t let go of the fisherman’s nose.  It has strong teeth!

bullfighting dict

b
DICTATION

bullfighting in her blood

Christina grew up with bullfighting in her blood.  Her father was opposed  to her plans at first.  But finally he gave in.  He gave her the green light to study bullfighting.  She attended school in Spain to learn the ropes.  Now she is a star in Spain, always in the public eye.

2.  Ask your partner to read their dictation back to you and check it for accuracy.

bullfighting Q

about the story.....

a.  How did Christina's father first feel about her plans?
b. Why did he finally change his mind?
c. Where did Christina learn the ropes of bullfighting?
d. Why hasn't it been smooth sailing for her?
e. What do yo think of the bullfighters who refuse to share the ring with her?
f. What do you think of her career choice?

About you.....

g. Is your family opposed to any of your ideas or dreams?
h. Tell about a time you were opposed to something.
i. Who/What is in the public eye right now?
j.  Are you angry about our inability to clean up the environment?


CONNECT TO THE INTERNET - TED TALK tightrope walker
https://www.ted.com/speakers/philippe_petit

lost skier

Lost skier dances all night

LAYTON, UTAH, USA

Soon she gets lost.  She yells for help, but no one hears her.

Karen is frozen still but all right.

She spends Christmas day in a hot tub.

Night comes, and the temperature falls below freezing.  Karen is scared to death and very cold.

The next morning, a helicopter begins to look for Karen.  After 18 hours in the cold, she is rescued in the nick of time.

By mistake, she begins to ski off the trail. 

But she keeps her head. She plays music in her mind and dances all night long to stay warm.  She dances to disco songs, pop songs, and Christmas songs.  “It was either dance or die,” she said.  “I kept on dancing.  I didn't give up.”

It’s the day before Christmas. Karen Hartley, 33, is skiing by herself at Powder Mountain in Utah.  



CONNECT TO THE INTERNET - TED TALKS
https://www.ted.com/talks/david_hoffman_on_losing_everything/transcript?language=en

funeral Q

Man dances at own funeral questions

a)  Why do Ahmed's friends and family feel blue at the beginning of the story?
b) Why are they dumbfounded?
c) Why did the police think the dead man was Ahmed?
d) What dos the funeral turn into?
e)  How dos everyone feel at the end of the story?

About you...

f)  Has anyone ever ripped you off?
g) Tell about a time you felt blue.  how did you get over it?
h) Tell about a time you were dumbfounded.  What happened?
i)  What are funerals like in your country?

test and strategies

Please tell me what … means.   / dumbfounded

Do you know what … means?

(A)   means   (B).  

Follow up 

Internet homework

 https://www.ted.com/search?q=funeral  -  Watch one of the videos,  write a summary and state your opinion.

crow crime

Crow Commits Crime

CLEARWATER, FL, USA

Then he got in touch with Frank Landstrom to give the bracelet back.  Frank couldn't believe his luck.  He was thrilled to get it back.

He picked it up. I was a gold bracelet!

Frank was in a bad mood because he was sure the bracelet was gone for good.

ONE day, when Frank Landstrom was playing golf in Clearwater, Florida, something strange happened.  His $450 gold bracelet was in his golf cart.

All of a sudden,  a big crow flew down out of nowhere and grabbed the bracelet.

“What in the world?”  frank thought.  He watched wide-eyed as the crow made off with his bracelet.

The next morning, Tom saw a story in the newspaper about a crow and a gold bracelet.  He put two and two together.

Later that day, a man named Tom Johnson pulled into a supermarket parking lot 35 miles from Clearwater.  Something shiny on the ground caught his eye.

bullfighting

Bullfighting in her blood

Spain

But she wanted to become a matador, to follow in her father's
footsteps. So at the age of 12, Christina started practicing with
cows.

Also, many people are angry about her participation in the sport.
Some male bullfighters refuse to share the ring with her, and she
often hears insults from the audience. "When I hear insults from the
crowd," says Christina, "it makes me try harder. I want those people
to eat their words.

When Christina Sanchez was a little girl, she loved to watch her
father fight bulls.

Now Christina is a star in her country. As the fitst female matador,
she is always in the public eye.

Finally, her father changed his mind and gave in. He saw that
Chrisitna had bullfighting in her blood. He gave her the green light
to attend the most famous school in Spain to learn the ropes of
bullfighting. And then he became her trainer.

She knew bullfighting was a dangerous profession. And she knew there
were no women bullfighters in Spain,

But it hasn't always been smooth sailing for her. She has been hurt
three times by bulls.

Her father was totally opposed to her future plans. "It's impossible.
Women don't become bullfighters!" he said. But Christina insisted, "I
didn't want the role of a traditional woman," she says

Man dances

Cairo, Egypt

All of a sudden, the' "dead" man walks into the tent,  looking like a million dollars.   

The ID cards in the man's wallet identify him as Ahmed Awadh, age 30 .  

One day the police see a body on a beach in Egypt.  The man is dead as a doornail.

When they realize it is Ahmed they go crazy.  They laugh, they cry, and they kiss him.  

When Ahmed's friends and family get over their shock,  the funeral turns into a party.   They're on top of the world!  Police are still trying to identify the dead man.  

A short time later, Ahmed's friends and relatives are sitting in a funeral tent.   They feel blue and they're crying over Ahmed.  

His friends and family are dumbfounded.  

Amed explains, "a thief ripped me off and took my ID cards.    So when the police found the dead man, they thought he was me! ".   

ainu

Story summary - Why Bears are Hunted

The Ainu often hunted bears. On such occasions (=if) a large bear was shot, the Ainu hunter brought the bear's head and fur (or soul) back to the
village (kotan) for everyone to send off. The ceremony consisted of
storytelling, drinking and dancing. Everyone loved the festivities,
especially the bear, but the bear would always return to the gods (kamui)
before the entertainment ended. That way, the bear always wanted very
much to return to the kotan.

send off = say goodbye

questions to consider
The bear searches for a "good Ainu hunter".  What would happen if he was shot by just any ordinary man?
What role did the ceremony play in the moral life of the village?

Story summary
The Ainu often hunted bears. On such occasions a large bear was shot,
the Ainu hunter brought the bear's head and fur (or soul) back to the
kotan for everyone to send off. The ceremony consisted of
storytelling, drinking and dancing. Everyone loved the festivities,
especially the bear but the bear would always return to the gods
before the entertainment ended. That way, the bear always wanted very
much to return.