Spare-time Activities in Britain

Wednesday's Text.

This text was first presented on Tuesday 23rd of May and then on Wednesday 24th.

Friday's class

Here's the other one; it's in the SIGA as well. Well, actually everything is there, too.

Today's class.

Here's what we did in class today.

The idea is to write a reply letter to this person to give her some advice.

A Long Fishing Trip

Here you have what we read in class the other day.

I'm working hard to have the tests corrected for Wednesday.

Homework for Friday.

Are you ready? Here we go:

What is the name of this girl? why is she important?

Or answer this question: Who was red haired, wrote about 500 "songs" and died poor?

This was just to compensate the loss of time we had today (Wednesday)



See you in class on Friday.

PS: We are going to decide on the text for the intensive (That if you'd like you opinion to be considered) I have some ideas already.

The Bed (it was pending)

The Bed

Is it difficult for you to get up in the morning? Do you sometimes oversleep? Are you often late for work or school? Yes? Then Hiroyuki Sugiyama of Japan has a special bed for you. Hiroyuki's bed will get you up in the morning! Here is how it works.

The bed is connected to an alarm clock. First, the alarm clock rings. You have a few minutes to wake up. Next, a tape recorder in the bed plays soft music or other pleasant sounds. The tape recorder in Hiroyuki's bed plays a recording of his girlfriend. She whispers in a sweet voice, "Wake up, darling, Please." A few minutes later a second recording plays. The second recording can be loud music or unpleasant sounds. Hiroyuki hears a recording of his boss. His boss shouts, "Wake up immediately, or you'll be late!"

If you don't get up after the second recording, you'll be sorry. A mechanical "foot" is in the bed. The mechanical foot kicks you in the head. Then the bed waits a few more minutes. What! You're still in bed! Slowly the top of the bed rises higher and higher. The foot of the bed goes lower and lower. Finally, the bed is vertical. You slide off the bed and onto the floor. You are out of bed and awake!

The woman in the pictures is demonstrating Hiroyuki's bed. In the first picture, the bed is rising a little. The woman is still sleeping. In the second picture, the bed is almost vertical. The woman is not sleeping anymore.

Hiroyuki made his bed because he wanted to win a contest. He works for Honda Motor Company. Once every two years Honda has a contest-the "All-Honda Idea Contest." It is for Honda's 200,000 employees. The employees think of new ideas. If their ideas win, the employees win prizes. Hiroyuki Sugiyama won one of the top prizes for his bed.

Hiroyuki wanted to win a prize. He also wanted to solve a problem. "Getting up in the morning is difficult for me," Hiroyuki said. "Often 1 am almost late for work. Maybe this bed will solve my problem."

Hiroyuki's bed is not in stores. There is only one bed-the bed Hiroyuki made for the contest. Maybe someday a company will make Hiroyuki's bed and sell it in stores. Maybe people will buy millions of beds. Then Hiroyuki will be rich. If the bed makes Hiroyuki rich, it certainly will solve his problem. Hiroyuki will have a lot of money. He won't need to go to work, and he won't need to get up early!

2. VOCABULARY

Read the sentences. Guess the meaning of the words. Circle the letter of your answer.

1. The tape recorder plays soft music or other pleasant sounds.

a. nice and lower. b. fast

2. His girlfriend whispers in a sweet voice,"Wake up, darling, Please."

a. speaks very quietly b. speaks very loudly

3. The top of the bed rises higher and higher. The foot of the bed goes lower Finally, the bed is vertical. Which line is vertical?

a. b.

4. The woman in the picture is demonstrating the bed.

a. making b. showing

3. COMPREHENSION

FINDING INFORMATION

Read the questions. Find the answers in the story. Write the answers.

1. Did Hiroyuki make a special bed or a special car?

He made a special bed.

2. Is the bed for people who can't sleep or for people who oversleep?

3. Is the bed connected to an alarm clock or to a TV?

4. Does the bed have a telephone or a tape recorder?

5. Does Hiroyuki work for Honda Motor Company or for Ford Motor Company?

6. Did Hiroyuki make the bed because he wanted to win a contest or because he works in a bed factory?

REMEMBERING DETAILS

Hiroyuki is sleeping in his bed. He doesri t get up. What will happen to him? Check (V) six answers.

_____ An alarm clock will ring.

_____ A tape recorder will play a recording of his girlfriend.

_____ The tape recorder will play a recording of his boss.

_____ The bed will shake.

_____ The bed will take Hiroyuki's pillow and blanket.

_____ Hiroyuki will slide onto the floor.

_____ A mechanical foot will kick Hiroyuki in the head.

_____ The bed will rise higher and higher.