Show:
Vocabulary
Grammar
Direct and Reported Speech
Writing
Telling a Story
100
Fill in the blanks with the words below. expats / missed / adapt / outsider / welcoming / accepted When I was 25 years old, I moved to China to teach English as a second language. At first, people were very _____; they invited me into their homes and tried to make me feel _____. But after a while, I started to feel like a real _____. I didn’t understand the language, and I _____ my friends and family in the U.S. I tried to _____ to the culture of China, but eventually I just found a few other _____ who became my closest friends.
welcoming; accepted; outsider; missed; adapt; expats
100
Complete each sentence with "will" or "would". 1) My mom said that she _____ pick us up after school. 2) I _____ suggest combing your hair before your date. 3) Oh! That _____ be the mailman! 4) If I were the president, I _____ eliminate taxes. 5) Nowadays, I _____ study every night.
1) would; 2) would; 3) will; 4) would; 5) will
100
Add proper punctuation to the quotes below: How did you make that ball? asked Melissa. It’s quite simple replied Annabel. I am studying to become a doctor, so while I was working in the laboratory, I stole some chemicals. What did you do next? asked Melissa. Annabel said I combined the chemicals and made the ball!
"How did you make that ball?" asked Melissa. "It’s quite simple," replied Annabel. "I am studying to become a doctor, so while I was working in the laboratory, I stole some chemicals." "What did you do next?" asked Melissa. Annabel said, "I combined the chemicals and made the ball!"
100
What does "Whodunnit" refer to?
A mystery story! (usually a murder mystery!)
100
What are 6 ways we can make a story more interesting when we tell it out loud?
rhetorical questions; visual details; direct speech; addressing the audience directly; comments which are not part of the story; repetition
200
Fill in the blanks with a word from below. all that / while / meanwhile / however / when / finally / without a second thought _____ I was on vacation last month, someone broke into my house. My neighbor heard a loud crash, and _____ he called the police. The police, _____, took much longer to respond. _____ they _____ arrived, the burglars had already left. The whole neighborhood was interested in my house. _____, I was relaxing on the beach. I had no idea that _____ was happening at home!
While; without a second thought; however; when; finally; meanwhile; all that
200
Fill in the blanks with the verb in infinitive or "-ing" form. 1) I don't suggest _____ (wait) until the night before to do the project. 2) I would offer _____ (help) you study. 3) You should avoid _____ (procrastinate) too much! 4) Let's agree _____ (work) together on this project. 5) I enjoy _____ (collaborate), so it'll be fun!
1) waiting; 2) to help; 3) procrastinating; 4) to work; 5) collaborating
200
Convert the direct speech to reported speech. "How did you make that ball?" asked Melissa. "It’s quite simple," replied Annabel. "I am studying to become a doctor, so while I was working in the laboratory, I stole some chemicals." "What did you do next?" asked Melissa. Annabel said, "I combined the chemicals and made the ball!"
Melissa asked Annabel how she made the ball. Annabel replied that it was quite simple. Annabel was studying to become a doctor, so while she was working in the laboratory, she stole some chemicals. Melissa asked her what she did next. Annabel said that she combined the chemicals and made the ball.
200
What four things does a good short story include?
Introduction, Background Information, Events with Details, Conclusion
200
What is a rhetorical question? Provide me with three rhetorical questions.
Isn't that funny? You know what I mean? Can you believe that? Etc.
300
Add "just" to the sentences below. Does it mean "only," "really," or "simply"? I can't stand it when my phone rings in the middle of the night. I know it's a phone call, but it really annoys me. Wouldn't it be great if people called at a reasonable time?
I just can't stand it when my phone rings in the middle of the night. (really) I know it's just a phone call, but it really annoys me. (only) Wouldn't it be great if people just called at a reasonable time? (simply)
300
Which verbs can be followed by "-ing"? Which by infinitives? Which by both? remember / finish / manage / offer / regret / decide / mind / suggest / imagine / agree / enjoy / postpone / prepare / give up / risk / avoid
Infinitives: manage, offer, regret, decide, agree, prepare; "-ing": finish, mind, suggest, imagine, enjoy, postpone, give up, risk, avoid; both: remember, regret
300
Convert the reported speech to direct speech: I told my mother that I was going out with my friends. She claimed that I hadn't finished my homework yet. I assured her that I had been working on my homework all day, and that I was going to finish it as soon as I got home.
"I am going out with my friends," I told my mother. "But you haven't finished your homework yet," she claimed. "I have been working on my homework all day," I assured her. "I am going to finish it as soon as I get home."
300
What are three ways to conclude a story?
Restatement of the main idea, related thought, or a look to the future.
300
How can we address the audience directly in a storytelling? Give me three examples that you could use if you were telling an embarrassing story.
Wouldn't you be embarrassed? If you were there, you would have been so mortified! You should have seen me! Etc.
400
Create two sentences. Use "on the tip of my tongue" in one and "my mind went blank" in the other. The context is memory!
Her name was on the tip of my tongue. I raised my hand, but when the teacher called on me, my mind went blank.
400
When can you use "will"? When can you use "would"? 1) to make decisions, offers, promises, and threats. 2) to mean "wanted to" or "was willing to". 3) for habits in the past. 4) to make deductions. 5) to make requests. 6) to give orders. 7) for conditionals. 8) reported speech. 9) habit in the present. 10) to make predictions. 11) to soften assertions and suggestions.
1) will; 2) would; 3) would; 4) will; 5) will/would; 6) will; 7) would; 8) would; 9) will; 10) will; 11) would
400
What tense will we see in reported speech for each of the following tenses in direct speech? present simple present progressive present perfect present perfect progressive past simple past progressive past perfect past perfect progressive
past simple; past progressive; past perfect; past perfect progressive; past perfect; past perfect; past perfect progressive
400
How would you describe the old south versus the new south in the short story "A Good Man is Hard to Find"? Name three characteristics for each side.
Old South: racism, gender inequality, emphasis on looks, little movement; New South: equality, change, progress, movement
400
What are some of the linking phrases Kellie Pickler used in the story that she told to Ellen to get back to the main topic? Name three.
"What were talking about?" "But anyways..." "This is the _____ part." "Long story short,"
500
Rewrite the sentences using the word "remember". My grandma sees an old picture, and it'll jog her memory; she'll tell us a long story about her childhood. My dad has a mental block when it comes to picking me up from school. I am always writing notes as reminders of things that I need to do.
My grandma sees an old picture, and it'll help her remember a story about her childhood. My dad cannot remember to pick me up from school! I am always writing notes to remind myself of things that I need to do.
500
Make sentences using the following verbs followed by either an infinitive or "-ing": decide; mind; remember; finish; postpone
We decided TO GO to the store. I didn't mind WAITING to arrive. My best friend remembered TO BRING the shopping list. I remembered WRITING the list with her last week. We finished SHOPPING at 6:00. I had to postpone DOING my homework until 6:30.
500
Tell me about a fight that you had. Use direct and reported speech!
Your own answers!
500
What could the roadtrip represent in the story "A Good Man is Hard to Find"? Name three things!
spiritual journey, change from old to new south, journey through life, etc.
500
What is the background information and the main event in the following story: Last week, I was shopping at the mall when the strangest thing happened. I'd been looking for a new raincoat. You see, mine had ripped the weekend before on a hike to the top of San Felipe, and when it rained this week I got totally soaked. I mean, my shirt underneath was totally drenched. Can you imagine what I looked like when I got back to work? Anyways, there I was in the store, when out of the corner of my eye, I saw my ex-girlfriend. I was sure it was her, but by the time I looked directly to where she was standing, she was gone. What's even weirder is that I asked the clerk where the blonde woman had gone, and the clerk said she hadn't seen a blonde customer all day. I mean, do you think that I could have imagined that I saw her?
Background information: raincoat ripped. Main event: "seeing" his ex-girlfriend.