Short Texts from Oz © copyright Thorold May 1998 All Rights Reserved; published by The Plain & Fancy Language Company
go to end; go to Table of Contents / 28. The Chinese Museum / 29. Sewing / 30. Voodoo Economics / 31. Do Your Best / 32. Take Care, Won't You
pattern: have been; had been; prepositions
text:Dear Kitty,
[1] Today I have been visiting the Chinese Museum off Little Bouke St in Melbourne. [2] It is hidden away in an old warehouse behind a courtyard. [3] A noisy crowd of teenagers in red an yellow costumes was milling around outside. [4] They had just been in the Mooba Parade. [5] Inside it was almost deserted. [6] You pay a man $5 and go down some narrow wooden stairs to see a diorama of the old gold diggings. [7] One part is like the inside of a sailing ship. [8] The floor rocks and creaks, and the voice of a young Chinese man talks about his journey to Australia. [9] Another part has a miniature Cantonese opera theatre, and yet another has a small Buddhist temple. [10] I wish you had been there.
Love,
Panda
response:
1. Where have I been today?
2. Describe the location of the Chinese Museum.
3. Make a question using the words who and outside.
4. Make a sentence using the words teenagers and Moomba Parade.
5. How many people were in the museum?
6. What do the wooden stairs lead to?
7. How does the exhibit imitate a sailing ship?
8. What are some other attractions in the museum?
9. Try to describe a museum exhibit which you have seen.
pattern: have + been + Verb; have + Noun Phrase
idiom: wind up doing X; every which way; you would never guess that X
text:
Dear Kitty,
[1] I have just been trying to make a coin pocket. [2] My jeans have a tiny pocket which no man could get his fingers into. [3] It must have been designed by a woman. [4] Anyway, I cut up a piece of old denim and folded it into the right shape. [5] I have a little battery sewing machine which I bought for $5. [6] It is supposed to do things like this, but the thread tension will never adjust properly. [7] As usual I wound up sewing the coin pocket by hand, with lots of uneven stitches going every which way. [8] You would never guess that my grandfather was a tailor. [9] Come back soon to sew my trousers!
Love,
Panda
response:
1. What have I been doing?
2. Why do I have trouble with my jeans?
3. Make a question using the words why and woman.
4. Make a sentence using the words cut, fold and shape.
5. Make a question using the words what sort of and sewing machine.
6. What is the problem with the sewing machine?
7. How do I describe the hand stitching?
8. Prepare some instructions on how to cut and sew something.
pattern: idioms; money market terms
Dear Kitty,
[1] Don't splash out on any luxuries for a while. [2] We are not exactly flush with cash. [3] Two thousand dollars has gone down the drain in less than a month. [4] As you know, I got fed up with the local share market a while back and put all our savings offshore. [5] Dividend imputation doesn't operate offshore, but if the earnings are big enough, then the risk is worth it. [6] I thought a falling Australian dollar would work for our money overseas, but I didn't count on the greenback going into free fall! [7] Kitty, the stock market works on voodoo economics. [8] Let s put our dough into lottery tickets instead.
Love,
Panda
response:
1. Finish this sentence in three different ways: Don t splash out on ...
2. Is Panda feeling rich? How does he describe his cash situation (liquidity)?
3. What do you think gone down the drain means?
4. Why did Panda put his savings offshore?
5. What can make an offshore investment worthwhile, in spite of the taxation disadvantage?
6. Explain why a falling exchange rate should be good for offshore investment.
7. Make a question using the words: what, free fall.
8. How do you know that Panda believes the stock market to be irrational?
9. What is your opinion about lottery tickets?
glossary:
splash out - to spend freely, without care
flush with cash - to have plenty of spare money
go down the drain - something wasted (usually money)
to be fed up - to lose patience with something
share market - a place to invest money in companies
offshore - overseas; out of the country
dividend - profits returned to shareholders by a company
dividend imputation -- a law (in Australia) that gives dividends to shareholders tax free, if company profits have already been taxed
exchange rate - the value of local money overseas. If the value of local money falls, shares in a foreign currency should be worth more in local money. If the foreign currency also falls, that idea doesn't work!
greenback - American dollars
free fall - a fall which is out of control
voodoo - superstition; black magic; can't be explained
economics - the system of exchanging goods and services, usually through the medium of money
pattern: "do" as a main verb
text:
Dear Kitty,
[1] I hear that you plan to do a driving test soon. [2] Do a bit of study the night before and you'll be alright. [3] Don t get nervous and don't let the tester bluff you. [4] Testers are quickly done with nervous wrecks. [5] An ice lady act will do him good. [6] Offer to do the tricky things like backing into a parking space. [7] Licence inspectors are there to do you in, not to do you favours, but you can impress them. [8] Just do your best. [9] As for me, I'm supposed to do the washing and do the lawn this weekend. [10] I'd rather do the town! [11] Enough writing; this will have to do for now.
Love,
Panda
response:
1. Finish this sentence in two different ways: I hear that you plan to do...
2. What is Panda's advice about study?
3. Make a question using the word bluff (v.)
4. How do testers treat nervous wrecks?
5. How might Kitty impress the tester?
6. Why can't a licence tester do anyone special favours?
7. What are Panda's duties for the weekend?
8. What would Panda rather be doing?
glossary of words and idioms:
an ice lady act -- to behave in a controlled, calm way
bluff (v.) - to destroy your confidence [..in this context. It has other meanings]
a nervous wreck - a person who is too nervous to act sensibly or effectively
done with X - finished with X
do him good - be a useful experience for him
do you in - defeat, destroy or fail you
do you a favour - help you more than duty requires
do your best - do the best job that you can
do the lawn - cut the grass
do the town - go partying in nightclubs etc.
do for now - to be enough (writing etc.) for the present time
do the .. washing/ ironing/ cleaning/ sweeping/ cooking/ mending/ shopping/ gardening
pattern: Question tags: queries and hypothetical questons.
text:Dear Kitty,
[1] You did get my last letter, didn't you? [2] I haven't received a reply. [3] You are all right, aren't you? [4] The Post Office is hopeless, isn't it. [5] Anyway, life goes on, does' t it. [6] I suppose you haven't seen that Taiwanese film (which) Jenny liked, have you? [7] You know... it's called Eat Man Drink Woman, isn't it? [8] The director was Ang Lee, wasn't he? [9] I expect that we ll see more of him, won't we. [10] Apparently he has taken soap opera ingredients and turned them into something really original. [11] That doesn't happen too often, does it. [12] I have to sign off now. [13] Take care, won't you.Love,
Panda
response:
1. What did Panda ask Kitty about his last letter?
2. Finish this question tag: You are all right, ...
3. Add three different beginnings to this question tag: ..... is hopeless, isn't it.
4. Does Panda think that Kitty has seen the Taiwanese film?
5. How sure is Panda of the director's name?
6. What has Ang Lee done with some very common ingredients?
7. Add two different beginnings to this question tag: .... doesn t happen too often, does it?
8. How does Panda say goodbye to Kitty?
Short Texts from Oz © copyright Thorold May 1998 All Rights Reserved; published by The Plain & Fancy Language Company
go to top; go to Table of Contents