Superstitions discussion

The Black cat

The Black Cat

Discuss the cruelty to animals, murder, and guilt.  Did you like the narrator? Why?  Why not? What literary value does this story have?

What do you plan? What don't you plan?

Plans Octopus style

1.       Do you plan your life in detail, or do you prefer not to make plans? Why? 

2.       Are you a spontaneous person? What kind of things do you do suddenly? 


3.       Do you often make impulse purchases, or do you only buy what you plan to buy? 


4.       Do you ever have a plan B, for when something goes wrong with plan A? Give an 
example if you can. 


5.       No matter how much you plan, things may go wrong. Have your plans ever gone 
terribly wrong? What happened? 


6.       Do you always share your plans with other people? What kind of plans do people 
keep secret? Why don’t they want to tell other people what they are planning? 


7.       Have you ever planned a party, wedding, or other event? How well did the event go? 


8.       Are you making a career plan? What is the next step in your career plan? 


9.       Do you have financial plans? How important is it to plan your financial future? 


10.    When you travel, do you plan where you will go, what you will see, and what you will 
eat? On the other hand, do you prefer to take each day as it comes?


11.    What do you use to help you plan? A smart phone application? Computer software? 
A pen and paper? 


12.    Did you have any plans when you were younger that you gave up on? What went 
wrong? 


13.    Do you have any plans that you feel you will never complete? Why do you hold onto 
them? 


Treason

Treason

Write a cohesive response while addressing the following questions.

以下の質問に答えながら、まとまりのある回答を書きます

The author of this story Preeta Kristna is a journalist and won a prize for this short story because of its social importance.

1.     What is the social issue this story discusses?

2.     Why is the title “Treason”?  Explain.

3.     What about this story astonished you?  

4.   Describe the relationship between Kanna and her father.  Give an example from the story.

5.     What role does the grandmother play in the story?

6.   The story is open ended, meaning we don't know the ending.  Give a suitable ending to match the atmosphere the narrator describes.

The church band by Thomas Hardy

The church band by Thomas Hardy

Write a cohesive response while addressing the following questions.

以下の質問に答えながら、まとまりのある回答を書きます。

What was the social importance of the church band?  Give examples and/or reasons for your answer.  

What lead up to the church band making the mistake they made?  

The word "wicked" is used again and again, why is this vocabulary item so important to the story?

While the parson understood their mistake, the squire did no.  Discuss this situation and the outcomes.  Comment on the social issue here.

The Church Band is an entertaining story.  What makes it entertaining?  

Andrew, Jane, the Parson, and the Fox

is it possible that the most sincere people can be careless and not consider others? Explain with reasons.

Notice the careless actions of people in the story.  Give examples. Comment on the juxtaposition of a formal occasion and inappropriate behaviour.  What was inappropriate? Comment and compare two of the characters.  How are they similar? In what way was the author commenting on the human condition?  What line in the story shows that the tension was finally diffused?

Beginning the New Year

Write a report on the story.   Make sure you have an introduction.  Read and consider the following questions.


This is an open ended story.  That means we don't know what the ending is.  We, the reader, are left hanging.

America is used as a kind of escape in the story.  Why do you think that is?  Why do ou think Toby changed his name?

Write an introduction and use the title of the story.  Explain how Toby found himself at #11.

Why did Toby leave in the first place?  What did he do in America?  In your report mention the chance and unplanned meeting of his "wife".  

Do you think that Toby has returned to stay for good or just one night?  Explain.

Is your life unplanned?  Do you wander from situation to situation or do you have control of the future?

Tony Kytes Finds a Wife

Discuss deception and sincerity in the story, Tony Kytes Finds a Wife.  Which two characters in the story are important?  Give examples from the story to support your reasons. 

Netty Sargent and the House

Write a short report in paragraph form.  Address the following questions:

Why was her uncle indecisive about renewing the leasehold?

What role as a minor character does Jasper play in the story?  Explain with example from the story.

What problem did Netty think about the most?

Which character astonished you and why? Explain with example from the story.

Considering her wrongdoing, what is your opinion of Netty?  Explain with example from the story.

What did the author want you to understand from this story?

Leaving

Discuss the responsibilities of Aloo and his mother.  Keep in mind there were more than one topic in this story.  Money was just one of them.

Cardboard Mansions

Write a report based on the following guidelines.  Write in paragraph form. 

Explain what happened to Chotoo’s father, mother, and grandfather.  Say why Dadi ma and Chotoo have to go to Stanger.  Describe the relationship between Ratnadevi and Dadi Ma.  Finally, say in detail what will happen next in the story.

The rubbish dump

Write in paragraph form.

Where does Joey live?  What was the main action of the story? Did any of the characters have an obvious flaw?  What did you think and feel about the story?  What was interesting or surprising?
Why do you think the writer used the setting of the rubbish dump? 

I haven't ... since ...

Examples:

“I haven’t ridden a bike since I was a child.”
“I haven’t gone bowling since about 2002.”
“I haven’t been in a hospital since I visited my friend Prudence. It was right after she had her knee replacement.”

Erase and Replace: gone swimming, enrolled in a class, gone to a funeral, carved a Jack-o-lantern, seen a puppet show, cried at a movie, danced with a family member, sent a physical letter to someone, own on a plane, failed a test, had a big argument with a family member, been in a st ght, ridden a donkey or horse, stepped in dog poop, quit a job, been in love with two people, eaten ants, drunk horse milk

The cask of Amontillado

The cask of Amontillado

Respond to the following questions - IN A PARAGRAPH  D0 not use Q&A


1. Montresor doesn't tell us about the insult.  Why not?
2. What surprised you about the story?
3.  What is the important point the writer wants us to understand?

General questions for short stories

What is the setting?

What is meant by the title?

What was the main action?

What is the irony in the story?

What kind of flaw does the main character have?

What is the tone of the story? That is, how does the main character feel and behave?

What theme did the story address?

Confusing words

rob/steal
rise/raise
error/fault
bring/take
say/tell
passed/past
sensible/sensitive
luck/chance
wear/put on
watch/see

Definitions

Complete these with someone.

Love is...
Life is...
Religion is...
A friend is...
Dogs are...
Being old is...
Time is...
Music is...
Happiness is...
Laughter is...
Forgetting is...

crossword Friday

TOEIC Bridge crossword

Callus

Callus

Human beings communicate with words and feelings.  But in the story Callus, the husband and wife do not know how to express their feelings. Instead they talk about the suitcase. 

Write a paragraph about this story.  Mention your own feelings about the story. What did the author want us to think about? Discuss ‘right and wrong’ in relation to the story. 

laughing

Laughing prompts

Choose one:

Here is a good topic sentence:  

“Some people say that laughter is the best medicine.”   

Think of a similar kind of topic sentence.

Remember the most important sentence of your assignment is the topic sentence.

Here are a few questions to get you focus on the topic. 

1.  How often do you laugh?

2. What makes you laugh?

3.  When did you last have a good laugh? What happened?  Who were you with?  Where were you?

4.  How do you laugh?  Quietly?  Loudly?

5. Is it always appropriate to laugh?  When is it inappropriate?  (How do you think other people feel when they are laughed at?)

6.  Have you ever laughed at the wrong time?

7.  Some people are good at telling jokes?  Are you?

8.  In conclusion, do you feel laughter is good for our health?

Other ideas:

Do you think animals laugh?

Can we laugh and not feel happy?  Fun?

Have you ever laughed at a scandal?

Do you think people in your culture laugh a lot? 

Do you laugh more with family or friends?

Have you ever laughed so much you hurt?
Can laughter help us forget the bad stuff?
Is crying more important than laughing?
Would you rather cry in a movie or sporting event or laugh?