Culture Comparison

ANSWERS Mike and Molly- Soup

1.     When Joyce asks what the stench is, what is Mike’s response?

It’s his dinner.

2.     Mike says he hopes they had fun and Joyce tells him they had a blast.  What did Molly win?

A trivia contest

3.     What place did Joyce come in at the limbo contest?

Third

4.     What does Mike say he’s eating and how long has it been there?

A can of crap that’s been there since he moved in.

5.     Molly says that no one is forcing him to eat old soup.  What else is there?

Peanuts and beats.

6.     Mike asks Molly if she did anything productive today and she responds by saying she guesses he didn’t see what?

That the laundry got done.

7.     Who did the laundry?

Vince

8.     When Mike says she was supposed to do it and Molly gets upset, Joyce says that is their cue.  Victoria says good because what is getting to her?

The fumes from that portapotty soup.

9.     Mike says that stink is his dinner that he had to cook himself.  What is it that Molly didn’t realize?

Her job was to cook him dinner and be the perfect little wife.

10. Mike says what would probably happen if it was her job?

She’d be fired.

11. Where is Mike taking his sad, stinky soup?

To go

Contextual Language Method

The exercises I have developed for students target three specific areas: vocabulary, sentence structure, and using context to facilitate developing an ear for a language.  All three of these areas lead to an improvement in conversational skills.
Using video clips from popular "sitcoms" (regularly aired comedy programs) key vocabulary is extracted from the clip and explained, as it is pertinent to grasping the general meaning of the scene.  Idioms are often included in these vocabulary explanations, which are common obstacles in becoming conversational or fluent in a language.
Questions to develop listening skills are asked, and students are encouraged to watch the video clip as many times as possible to come up with the answer.
As students become familiar with the storyline of the program, as well as the characters (people), they are often even able to anticipate what someone will say, or guess the essence of what is being said or discussed.  Even if someone doesn't know or understand every word in the clip, being able to grasp the context of what is being discussed can be rewarding, helping them to progress at a faster rate.  Taking an interest in understanding something is profoundly compelling in accelerating the learning process.
This method is effective, providing students do their homework.  Of course practicing with me and discussing the exercises online makes it even more effective!  Contact me for online lessons today!  silvaenglishonline@gmail.com

Dialects in America

Idioms- Strange sounds heard!

"Are people in Clintonville buying that explanation?"(0:57) Buying that- believing that

Idioms

Cowboy (1:54) - a person taking a lot of financial risks (day trading, for example).

"That's when I draw the line." (1:55) -that is the limit and that's the point at which I won't tolerate anymore (of this behavior).

You tube English lessons

Mike and Molly- Victoria's Birthday
This video is hilarious but they do speak very fast in this clip.  Look up the vocabulary words and read the questions before watching the video.  You will subconsciously make more of a concerted effort to listen, and your listening skills will improve faster!

Vocabulary:    Folks, bouncer, pop-up camper, long-term, Winnebago, hot dog truck, extension curb, half-eaten bun, curb, load

Questions:

1.       Why is Victoria upset?

2.       How old is Victoria?

3.       When she says, “the same man a bunch of nights in a row” what does Molly say another name for that is?

4.       Molly asks if the bouncer in the pop-up camper was a long term thing.  What is Victoria’s response?

5.       What does Victoria say happens when you show up for a second date with a guy who lives in a Winnebago, pop-up camper, or hot dog truck?

6.       She says they don’t leave a note, but what two things do they leave behind?

7.       Molly tells Victoria she shouldn’t pin her happiness on what?

8.       Victoria tells Molly that’s easy for her to say because she has a what?

9.       Victoria tells Molly that at least she has someone to be ____________ in?

Silent Aftermath - Yamauchi Masaharu

“The scene where human figures had evaporated within a 20km radius of the Fukushima Nuclear Plant－and one can hear only the voice of the wind”

All sounds were gone from the town where the nuclear power plant is, and three weeks had passed since the big earthquake happened. Only the sound of the wind blowing strongly could be heard in a dead calm main street. There was a Siberian Husky lying down on the center line of a two lane road. And then a mongrel dog came along on the sidewalk, and another one from out of nowhere. All of them were still wearing collars. They were looking at me as if they were asking something, standing in front of an arch saying ‘Bright Future Nuclear Energy.’
Not only were dogs stranded. I found a cowshed within a ten kilometer radius from the nuclear power plant. I approached and said, ‘Hello’, but no response. When I stepped into the cowshed, it smelled pretty bad. As my eyes adjusted to the dark, I recognized that there were some cows standing motionless or crouching on the floor. Looking closely, I realized the cow lying down in front of me didn’t have eyeballs. Birds or something must have picked at them. Six cows that appeared to be just lying down were dead.