Should have posted this ages ago, but the Peace Corps China community has a new home at Wordpress: http://pcchina.wordpress.com
Made the switch because there is a nifty fix that with a quick one time setup allows you to use Wordpress without a proxy despite being in China. The fix doesn't work for Livejournal unfortunately so had to move. Anyway, despite my loyalty to Lj as one of the original Ljers (from back in the day when you had to be invited--anyone else remember that?), Wordpress also offered some features that Lj still hasn't managed to provide, a main one being searchable entries. So check out the new site. All content already here will remain here, but new posts will be found at Wordpress! 
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Greetings,Currently I am a Burkina Faso volunteer in West Africa and want to be China bound in a couple of years.What are recruiters/ PC staff who send out invites looking for to invite you to China? For example, to teach in West Africa, recruiters are looking for anybody who speaks French and has a college science background. And of course South America is very competitive where Spanish language skills have to be very strong. And for China?If PC isn't the way to go for me to get to China, what are some suggestions on how to find a job? I have a PhD in chemistry and will work in any job. I just want to go live in China for a while.Thank you,Jennifer
submitted by Kari H, China 12, Gansu Agricultural University
Used for freshman Oral English The Breakfast Club Vocabulary Detention-a form of punishment in which school children are made to stay at school after classes have ended Brainwashed-to make someone believe something by continually telling them that it is true and preventing any other information from reaching them Scholarship-money given by a school, university or organization to pay for the studies of a person with great ability. Monkey business-behavior which is not acceptable or is dishonest Barry Manilow-a popular singer/songwriter from the 70s and 80s; considered uncool by most teenagers. Basket Case—slang for someone who is thought to be crazy Ditching Class—missing class without permission Eat my shorts—slang expression that more or less means “Fuck you.” This is not commonly used today. Lavatory-a formal word for toilet Dweeb—slang for someone who is uncool Pristine—spoiled, perfect, pure Janitor-a person employed to take care of a large building, like a school, and who deals with cleaning, repairs, etc Virgin-someone who has never had sexual intercourse Ruckus-a noisy situation or argument Psychic-having a special mental ability, for example so that you are able to know what will happen in the future or know what people are thinking Arrogant-unpleasantly proud and behaving as if you are more important than, or know more than, other people Prude—a word used to describe someone who is not experienced sexually Conceited-too proud of yourself and your actions and abilities—synonym of arrogant **Any other words/phrases you don’t understand** Discussion Questions 1. During the first half of the movie, describe the personality of the five students 2. How have the five students changed by the end of the movie? 3. How are the janitor and the teacher similar? How are they different? 4. How do people perceive you? Is it the same as how you see yourself? Sister Act Viewing Guide Summary Delores is a singer in Las Vegas, but when she witnesses her boyfriend, Vince, murder someone, the police hide her in a Catholic church. The nuns who live and work at the church protect her from the outside world, but Delores works to bring the outside world to them. Main Characters Delores/Mary Clarence Vince Detective Souther Reverend Mother Mary Patrick Mary Robert Mary Lazarus Vocabulary Confession—To tell a priest all of the wrong things you have done Priest—a person who has been trained to perform religious duties in the Roman Catholic Church, Mink—a type of animal fur that is used to make coats Testify—To tell the truth in a court about a crime Convent--a building in which nuns live Nun--a member of a female religious group which lives in a convent Reverand Mother--the title of a woman who is in charge of, or who has a high rank within, a convent; sometimes called Mother Superior Fast—to go without food, usually for a religious reason Congregation--a group of people gathered together in a religious building for worship and prayer Habit--a special piece of long clothing worn by monks and nuns Calling—A strong desire to do a job Wino—a slang term/stereotype used to describe a homeless person who drinks. Alto, Soprano, Bass—these words describe parts that a person might sing in a choir. Bass is for the lowest voices (usually men), alto is a medium range of voices, and soprano is the highest voice. Cream of the crop—an idiomatic expression meaning ‘the best’. Blasphemy—To speak negatively against a religious figure—God, Buddha, etc. Revitalize--to give new life, energy, activity or success to something Leak—in this movie, a leak refers to a person who gives private information to someone who shouldn’t have it. Broad—A slang term to describe a woman in a negative way **Write any other words/phrases you don’t understand** Discussion Questions 1. Describe the seven main characters. 2. At the beginning of the film, why are Vince and Delores fighting? 3. How is Delores/Mary Clarence different from the other nuns? 4. Why can’t Delores/Mary Clarence and the Reverend Mother get along? 5. Why does the Reverend Mother disapprove of the nuns working outside the convent? 6. How has Delores/Mary Clarence changed by the end of the movie? What about the Reverend Mother?
Submitted by Ben H, China 11, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Gansu province
Movie guides were used in a Sophomore audio visual class. East of Eden 1955 Directed by Elia Kazan Starring James Dean (Cal Trask) and Raymond Massey (Adam Trask) Tagline: The searing classic of paradise lost. Jo Van Fleet won an Academy Award for playing Kate, Cal’s mother. Nominated for three other Academy Awards Based on the novel by John Steinbeck While filming, Kazan collaborated with Steinbeck through letters. Steinbeck thought that Dean was the perfect Cal and enjoyed the final film. Vocabulary Mastodon Iniquity Transgression Deliverance Repentance Buzzard Crank Choke (noun) Presumptuous Cultivation Clientele Questions 1. When and where is the film set? 2. Why does Cal say that he threw the block of ice at the beginning of the film? 3. Where did Abra throw a $3000 ring? Why? 4. What happens to Cal’s father’s shipment of vegetables? 5. Why did Kate leave Cal’s father? 6. How does Cal plan to make money for his father’s financial loss? Is he successful? 7. What do you think the title of the film means? 8. Did you like the film? Flashdance 1983 Directed by Adrian Lyne Starring Jennifer Beals (Alex Owens) and Michael Nouri (Nick) Tagline: What a feeling. Vocabulary Blockbuster Afford Hand-me-down Security Lament Handspring Fret Conduit Jocund Recreation Ambition Precious Omit Pulsate Boisterous Damsel Fried Green Tomatoes 1991 Directed by Jon Avnet Written by Fannie Flagg who adapted the script from her novel Starring Kathy Bates (Evelyn Crouch) and Mary S. Masterson (Idgie Threadgoode) Vocabulary Gallbladder Oysters Fluke Subside Chagrin Hormone Unconditional Repast Flog Organic Accumulation Susurrus Cholesterol Mezzanine Penance Masquerade Pensive Logorrhea Questions 1. What is the name of Mrs. Threadgoode’s roommate at the retirement home? 2. Why does Ruth come to visit for the summer the second time? 3. What does Idgie mean when she refers to the “Kluxers”? 4. What is Reverend Scroggins actually holding in his hands as he testifies at Frank Bennett’s murder trial? 5. Who killed Frank Bennett? 6. Did you like the film? Jaws 1975 Directed by Steven Spielberg (War of the Worlds, AI, Jurassic Park) Starring Roy Schneider (Martin Brody) and Richard Dreyfuss (Matt Hooper) Tagline: See it before you go swimming. Vocabulary Pending Fatal Ordinance Ichthyology Uptight Welfare Hazardous Radius Semantics Oceanography Digest Fanatic Rogue Territoriality Nautical Vandalism Evolution Proportion Questions 1. What is the name of the island? 2. Why does the town not want the beaches closed? 3. What kind of shark do they first catch? 4. Who slaps Chief Brody? Why? 5. Why did Chief Brody and his family leave New York City to come to the island? 6. What does Quint say happened to the men on the USS Indianapolis? 7. Did you like the film? Pee Wee’s Big Adventure 1985 Director: Tim Burton (Batman, Edward Scissorhands, Charlie & the Chocolate Factory) Starring Paul Reubens (Pee Wee Herman) and Elizabeth Daily (Dottie) Tagline: The story of a rebel and his bike. Vocabulary Déjà vu (French) Browse Radical Dragnet Relic Exhibit Cozy Culinary Humility Courteous Subscription Adobe Boomerang Sector Alignment Bureaucracy Questions 1. Who first stole Pee Wee’s bicycle? 2. Who tells Pee Wee where to find his bicycle? Where does she say it is? 3. What was Mickey’s crime? 4. How do Pee Wee and Mickey escape the police? 5. What happened “10 years ago on a night just like tonight?” 6. Where does Pee Wee finally find his bike? 7. Did you like the film? Pieces of April 2003 Written and Directed by Peter Hedges Starring Katie Holmes (April Burns) and Patricia Clarkson (Joy Burns) The film is dedicated to Hedges’s mother who died of cancer. Tagline: She’s the one in every family. Vocabulary Nauseous Numbness Casserole Recipe Privileged Brand Uncanny Raccoon Vegan Convection Retail Discard Fickle Critical Nightgown Petulance Questions 1. What happened to the salt and pepper shakers that April held when she was little? 2. What does the Burns family have for breakfast? 3. Why does Joy buy candy at the gas station? 4. Why does April call herself “the first pancake”? 5. What does April take from Wayne? 6. Did you like the film? The Princess Bride 1987 Directed by Rob Reiner Written by William Goldman (who adapted the story from his novel of the same name) Starring Robin Wright (Buttercup) and Cary Elwes (Westley) Tagline: Scaling the Cliffs of Insanity, Battling Rodents of Unusual Size, Facing torture in the Pit of Despair. - True love has never been a snap. Vocabulary Torment Prestigious Hippopotamic Sot Inconceivable Colossus Fencing Impasse Ransom Venom Anodyne Lambent Rubicund Kobold Propitious Subfusc Questions 1. At the start of the film how does Buttercup pass her time? 2. When asked by Buttercup to perform a task, how does Westley respond? 3. Why does Westley leave the farm? 4. Why is Buttercup kidnapped? Who arranged the crime? 5. Why is Inigo searching for a man with six fingers on his right hand? 6. Who is the man in black? 7. What are the three terrors of the Fire Swamp? 8. Did you like the film? Rear Window 1954 Directed by Alfred Hitchcock Starring James Stewart (L.B. Jeffries) and Grace Kelley (Lisa Fremont) Vocabulary Repulsive Editor Dramatically Drastic Indistinct Gypsy Circulation Rarefied Psychoanalyze Misfit Maladjusted Ethical Nonchalant Anointed Disillusion Luminous Questions 1. Why does L.B. Jeffries not want to marry Lisa? 2. Why does L.B. worry about the salesman’s wife? 3. Who sent a postcard to Thorwald? 4. What convinces Lisa that Thorwald is guilty? 5. Why did the dog like to dig in the garden? Return to Oz 1985 Directed by Walter Murch Staring Fairuza Balk (Dorothy Gale) Vocabulary Mortgage Buggy Malfunction Generator Excess Current (n.) Kettle Delusion Trough Novel (adj.) Ornament Claymation Psychiatric Lavish Questions 1. Why is Dorothy sent to the hospital? 2. At the hospital, who does Dorothy hear screaming? 3. Why does Dorothy not let Billina jump into the Deadly Desert? 4. Why does Mombi want to keep Dorothy imprisoned for several years? 5. What beverage and snacks does the Nome King serve? 6. With what special power did the Nome King conquer the Emerald City? 7. Who is Ozma? Saved! 2004 Directed by Brian Dannelly Starring Jena Malone (Mary) and Mandy Moore (Hilary Faye) Tagline: Heaven Help Us. Vocabulary Retarded Diligent Virginity Hypocrisy Vessel Expel Missionary Heathen Twilight Pervert (noun) Uppity Brochure Desecrate Exorcism Narrow-minded Phat Vandalize Sonogram Infiltrate Ambiguity Questions 1. After she hears Dean’s secret, what does Mary learn from her vision? 2. What is Mercy House? 3. What does Mary hope to be restored? 4. Why does Mary curse the cross? 5. Why does Patrick’s father refuse to get divorced? 6. What is Roland and Cassandra’s surprise for Mary? 7. Who vandalized the school? Why? Scream 1996 Directed by Wes Craven Starring Neve Campbell (Sidney Prescott) and David Arquette (“Dewey” Riley) Tagline: Don't Answer The Phone. Don't Open The Door. Don't Try To Escape. Vocabulary Blondie Patio Expo Occult Clueless To Gut Groin Sternum Bluff Cretin Lard To Frame Welt Mangle Fillet Red Herring Traumatize Desensitize Inhumane Pathos Questions 1. What happened to Sidney’s mother? 2. Why does Sidney believe that Billy is the killer? 3. Why does Sidney punch Gale Weathers? 4. With whose cell phone were the calls to Sidney & the first two murder victims made? 5. How long is the delay on the camera that Gale puts in the house? 6. Randy tells the party the rules of surviving horror movies. What is Rule #3? Scrooged 1988 Directed by Richard Donner Starring Bill Murray (Frank Cross) Vocabulary Revenue Clam Broadcast Humanitarian Hallucination Miniseries Bonus Keel Censor Staple Embassy Consultant Lacrosse Pathetic Lump Aspirations Urchin Muddle Questions 1. What does Frank find wrong with the Scrooge advertisement? 2. Who is the man who bursts into Franks’s office? 3. How long has it been since Frank spoke to Clair Phillips? 4. How does IBC kill an old woman? 5. Why does Claire call Frank “Lumpy”? 6. What does Frank give Claire for Christmas? 7. Where does Claire work during the holiday? The Silence of the Lambs 1991 Directed by Johnathan Demme Starring Jodie Foster (Clarice Starling) and Anthony Hopkins (Hannibal Lecter) Tagline: Dr. Hannibal Lecter. Brilliant. Cunning. Psychotic. In his mind lies the clue to a ruthless killer. - Clarice Starling, FBI. Brilliant. Vulnerable. Alone. She must trust him to stop the killer. Both Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster won Academy Awards for their performances. The film also won the award for Best Picture as well as Best Director. Vocabulary Asylum Deviate Nemesis Credentials Segue Acumen Courtesy Guru Exhilarated Grim Transsexual Systematic Transient Despite Questions 1. Why is Clarice assigned to speak with Hannibal Lecter? 2. What metaphor does Hannibal us to describe Clarice? 3. Whose head does Clarice find in the bottle? 4. Why did Clarice run away from her cousins’ ranch when she was ten years old? 5. At the end of the film, who is Hannibal’s next victim? Why? 6. Did you like the film? A Christmas Carol 1996 Directed by David Hugh Jones Starring Patrick Stuart (Ebenezer Scrooge) Tagline: In Just One Night, He Has Seen His Past, His Present, And His Future... And They've All Come Back To Haunt Him Vocabulary Shrewd Having or showing sharp powers of judgment; astute Idleness A state of inactivity or not being used Humbug Deceptive or false talk or behavior Lunatic An extremely foolish or eccentric person Babble Talk rapidly and continuously in a foolish, excited, or incomprehensible way Bedlam A scene of uproar and confusion Destitute Without the basic necessities of life; poor Surplus An excess of production or supply over demand; the amount of something left over when requirements have been met Indigestion Pain or discomfort in the stomach associated with difficulty in digesting food Moldy Covered with a fungal growth that causes decay, due to age or damp conditions Fetter To restrain with chains or manacles, typically around the ankles Ponderous Slow and clumsy because of great weight Conducive Making a certain situation or outcome likely or possible Reclamation A retrieval or recovery (something previously lost, given, or paid) Liable Responsible by law; legally answerable Blindfold Deprive (someone) of sight by tying a piece of cloth around the head so as to cover the eyes. Apprentice A person who is learning a trade from a skilled employer, having agreed to work for a fixed period at low wages Misanthrope A person who dislikes humankind and avoids human society Coax To persuade (someone) gradually or by flattery to do something Stingy Unwilling to give or spend; ungenerous Loiter Stand or wait around idly or without apparent purpose Questions 1. What does Scrooge promise to his deceased partner Marley? 2. Why does Scrooge not offer charity to the two men helping the poor? 3. Why does Marley say he wears the chains? 4. Why does the Ghost of Christmas Past say he has come to visit Scrooge? 5. Why does Belle release young Scrooge from his promise to marry? 6. Why does Fred say he refuses to speak against his uncle Scrooge? 7. Who are the children underneath the robes of the Ghost of Christmas Present? The Lady Eve 1941 Written and Directed by Preston Sturges (also know for Sullivan’s Travels) Starring Barbara Stanwyck (Jean Harrington/Lady Eve Sidwich) and Henry Fonda (Charles Pike) Vocabulary Harpy Shingles Bankruptcy Governess Gag Stocking Balderdash Aspirin To Fleece Virtuosity Minx Thunderstruck Nonsensities Absurdity Embrasure Conservatory Halfwit Slander Questions 1. Where has Charles been at the beginning of the film? Why? 2. What does Harry mean when he tells Jean that “We are crooked, not common”? 3. Is the Pike fortune made from brewing beer or ale? 4. What is Jean’s nickname for Charles? 5. How much money does Charles win from Jean and her father the first time they play cards? 6. What is ophiology? 7. Why does Charles believe that the Lady Eve is not Jean? 8. Did you like the film? The Lost Boys 1987 Directed by Joel Schumacher Starring Jason Patrick (Michael Emmerson) and Corey Haim (Sam Emmerson) Tagline: It’s fun to be a vampire. The title of the film is a reference to the companions of Peter Pan, who remained forever young. Vocabulary Boardwalk Population Civilian Fault Line Babysitter Taxidermy Haven Discipline Initiation Sincere Implode Annihilate Immortal Misbehave Questions 1. Where is the film set? 2. Why does Michael, his brother and their mother move from Pheonix? 3. Why does Nanook bite Michael? 4. Why does Sam believe that Max is the head vampire? 5. Why does Michael get weaker and weaker? 6. How do does Michael and his family defeat the head vampire? 7. Did you like the film? The Thin Man 1934 Directed by W.S. Van Dyke Starring Myrna Loy (Nora) and William Powell (Nick) Vocabulary Crook Stool Pigeon Cosmopolitan Martini Lanky Bonds (n. financial) Psychopath Criminology Sadist Paranoiac Amateur Dandy Polygamy Brutality Scrawny Fixation Oedipus Reveler Sober Sexagenarian Tabloid Questions 1. Why does Wynant’s daughter want him to return before Christmas? 2. What hit Nora? 3. What did the medical examiner say was unusual about the crime scene after Julia Wolf was murdered? 4. What did Nora give Nick for Christmas? What did Nick give Nora? 5. Who killed Julia Wolf? The Thing Called Love 1993 Directed by Peter Bogdanovich Starring Samantha Mathis (Miranda Presley) and River Pheonix (James Wright) Tagline: Stand by your dream. Vocabulary Good Samaritan- A charitable or helpful person Camouflage- The disguising of military personnel and equipment by painting or covering them to make them blend in with their surroundings Dead Beat- A person who tries to evade paying debts. Congregate- Gather into a crowd or mass Demo- A demonstration of the capabilities of something, typically computer software or a musical group Excursion- A short journey or trip, esp. one engaged in as a leisure activity Contempt- The feeling that a person or a thing is beneath consideration, worthless, or deserving scorn Hick- A person who lives in the country, regarded as being unintelligent Pajamas- A suit of loose pants and jacket or shirt for sleeping in Novelty- The quality of being new, original, or unusual Two-step- A round dance with a sliding step in march or polka time Disinterested- Having or feeling no interest in something Insomnia- Habitual sleeplessness; inability to sleep Sap- A foolish and gullible person Pertain- Be appropriate, related, or applicable Sarcasm- The use of irony to mock or convey contempt Perpetrate- To carry out or commit (a harmful, illegal, or immoral action) Night Owl- A person who is habitually active or wakeful at night Palaver- Prolonged and idle discussion Swell- (Informal) Excellent; very good Vagabond- A person who wanders from place to place without a home or job. Soulful- Expressing or appearing to express deep and often sorrowful feeling Questions 1. Why does Miranda not like hospitals? 2. How does Miranda convince James to write a song with her? Where do they do it? 3. Why does James say he was rude to Miranda at the recording studio? 4. Why does Miranda not like to sleep at night? Why does she tell James she came to Nashville? 5. What is James afraid of? 6. At the end of the film, why do James and Miranda have a date? 7. Where does Linda Lue plan to go at the end of the film? What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? 1993 Directed by Lasse Hallstrom Starring Johnny Depp (Gilbert Grape) and Leonardo Dicaprio (Arnie Grape) Tagline: Life is a terrible thing to sleep through. Vocabulary Ritual Camper Scads Carburetor Supervise Prefabricate Corporate Innovative Obese Grotesque Casket Frustrating Girth Urgent Catastrophe Unforeseeable Questions 1. What is the name of the town in which the film is set? 2. What does Gilbert say to get Arnie to come down from the water tower? 3. What does the little boy who Gilbert lifts up see through the window? 4. What happened to Gilbert’s father? 5. Why does Mrs. Carver burn the cookies? 6. What is the magic part? 7. Why does Mama finally leave the house? 8. Did you like the film?
Submitted by: Ben H (Lanzhou, Gansu)
Materials Needed: Powerpoint, packet of readings (available in PC office-IRC) This is a complete second semester curriculum for teaching British Literature from someone who knows his stuff. Download all powerpoint slides here: Part 1 (3.5 MB); Part 2 (3.2 MB). Keep in mind this course is designed for advanced students with admirable English abilities. For First Semester Curriculum Go Here 1. First Class-Introduction to Romantic Period 2. Blake 3. Wollstonecraft 4. Wordsworth 5. Shelley 6. Keats 7. Sense&Sensibility 8. Victorian-Intro 9. Tennyson-Arnold 10. Modernism-Intro 11. W B Yeats 12. Joyce 13. Woolf Part 1 14. Woolf Part 2 15. T S Eliot 16. Post Modern-Intro 17. Winterson 18. Jeopardy!-Semester Review
Submitted by Ben H, China 11, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Gansu province.
12 "Lost" viewing guides for a sophomore audio visual class. Lost Season One Episodes 1&2 Vocabulary: Contractions-the process of becoming smaller; a shortening of the uterine muscles occurring at intervals before and during childbirth Fume-gas, smoke, or vapor that smells strongly or is dangerous to inhale To patch-mend or strengthen (fabric or an item of clothing) by putting a piece of material over a hole or weak point in it Drapes-long curtains Black box-a flight recorder in an aircraft Turbulence-violent or unsteady movement of air Air pocket-a region of low pressure causing an aircraft to lose height suddenly Transceiver-a device that can both transmit and receive communications, in particular a combined radio transmitter and receiver FAA-Federal Aviation Administration (in USA) Critical-having the potential to become disastrous; at a point of crisis Fuselage-the main body of an aircraft Cockpit-a compartment for the pilot and sometimes also the crew in an aircraft or spacecraft Shrapnel-fragments of a bomb, shell, or other object thrown out by an explosion Tourniquet-a device for stopping the flow of blood through an artery, typically by compressing a limb with a tight bandage Concussion-temporary unconsciousness caused by a blow to the head Gargantuan-enormous; extremely large 1. Kate asks Jack his color preference for what? 2. Why does Sayid want Charlie to build a big fire? 3. How high was the plane when it first had trouble in the air? 4. What was Charlie’s previous employment? 5. The pilot explains to Kate and Jack why they have not been rescued. What is his explanation? ___________________________ Vocabulary: Trek-a long arduous journey, esp. one made on foot Reception-the receiving of broadcast signals Sepsis-the presence in tissues of harmful bacteria and their toxins, typically through infection of a wound Antibiotic-a medicine (such as penicillin or its derivatives) that inhibits the growth of or destroys microorganisms Prescription-an instruction written by a medical practitioner that authorizes a patient to be provided a medicine or treatment Wreckage-the remains of something that has been badly damaged or destroyed Trauma-a deeply distressing or disturbing experience Pedicure-a cosmetic treatment of the feet and toenails Backgammon-a board game in which two players move their pieces around twenty-four triangular points according to the throw of dice, the winner being the first to remove all their pieces from the board Archaeology-the study of human history and prehistory through the excavation of sites and the analysis of artifacts To transmit-broadcast or send out (an electrical signal or a radio or television program) Loop-a structure, series, or process the end of which is connected to the beginning Iteration-the repetition of a process or utterance Slang: Jackass-an idiot; stupid person Juice- 1. electrical energy 2. gasoline 3. an alcoholic drink Off chance-unlikely possibility 1. Where is Michael’s son Walt at the beginning of the episode? Why is Michael upset? 2. What was Sayid’s previous employment? 3. As Kate, Charlie, Boone and Sayid leave for their hike, what is Sawyer holding? 4. What kind of animal does Sawyer kill? What is unusual about it? 5. Who was the marshal actually holding in custody (in handcuffs)? 6. How long has the French message been repeating? Lost Season One, Episodes 3&4 Vocabulary Cookout Satellite Trespass Mortgage Lefty Tarp Ration Mug shot Loot Abdomen Whistle Humane Denim 1. What does Sayid say is a very dangerous thing to lose? 2. Where does Sawyer say he is when Jacks questions him? 3. For what does Sawyer thank Kate? Why? 4. What was the favor Kate wanted from the marshal? 5. Who finds Vincent? How? ________________________ Vocabulary Triangulate Sustenance To flank Convene Rendezvous Paranoid Wallow To score-cut or scratch a notch or line on (a surface) Fiend Hallmark Walkabout Amputee Destiny Aboriginal Gimp Tussle 1. What creatures were in the fuselage? What were they doing in there? 2. How does John Locke plan to provide food? 3. What does Claire ask Jack to do? What is the result? 4. For whom (a name) is Boone concerned? Why? 5. Who was Norman Croucher? 6. What is the employment of John’s friend Helen? 7. What does Rose say about her husband? Lost Season One, Episodes 5&6 Vocabulary Riptide Concierge Lease Sane Hallucination Dehydration Posttraumatic Stress Latitude-scope for freedom of action or thought Customs Hearse Crucify Slang:Hairy – Alarming or difficult Pinch/Nick – To steal or take without asking Geezer –An older person 1. When Jack sees a man standing in the ocean, what does Kate ask him? Why? 2. Who is the man that only Jack continues to see on the island? 3. What was the profession of Jack’s father? 4. Why does Claire believe people are afraid of her? 5. Why does Sawyer believe that water has no value? 6. What killed Jack’s father Contexts: Nicknames: Sawyer commonly uses nicknames for other characters. What are two used in this episode? Claire describes Kate as a Gemini (in Western astrology—the study of the movements of celestial bodies, a Gemini is a person born under the third sign of the zodiac). Locke: “I’ve looked into the ______ of this island, and what I saw __________________________.” The White Rabbit is a character in Alice in Wonderland who leads little Alice into a magical world. _________________________________ Vocabulary Copulate Elope Allergic Autopsy Diversion Salvage Infirmary Fascist Detox Deranged Tenant Slang:Git –An unpleasant or contemptible person 1. In her flashback, why does Sun want to go to America? 2. Why does Michael think that Jin attacked him? 3. What are three reasons that Jack believes everyone should move to the caves? 4. How does Jin reply when Sun questions him about what he does for her father? 5. Why did Jin attack Michael? Lost Season One, Episodes 7&8 Vocabulary Premises Relations Temptation To bait Oblige Packrat To lug Phantom Cartwheel Flare Loins Withdrawal Flu Fluke Slang:Sod –An unpleasant person / Or used a verb (Sodded/sodding) to express one's anger or annoyance at something 1. Locke says that what things separate Charlie from the boar? 2. Why is Charlie upset with his brother at the concert? 3. Why does Locke tell Charlie about the moth? 4. Why does Jack believe that he and Charlie will not survive in the cave for long? _____________________________ Vocabulary Antenna Asthma Inhaler Fuse Reed Artery Eucalyptus Slang:Git –An unpleasant or contemptible person Jedi –Anyone with special privileges or supernormal powers Grand –A thousand dollars 1. Who hurt Boone? Why? 2. What is the piece of paper that Sawyer carries around? Who wrote it? 3. What happened to the parents of the boy who wrote the letter? 4. Why is it important that Locke believes that “Anyone who’s watched TV can improvise a slow fuse”? 5. What are the tools Sayid uses for torture? 6. What do we learn about Sawyer’s name? 7. How does Shannon’s breathing improve? 8. Why does Sayid leave camp? Lost Season One, Episodes 10&11 Vocabulary Psychic-a person appearing or considered to have powers to see future events Census-an official count or survey of a population Lucid-expressed clearly; easy to understand Blurry-unable to be seen or heard clearly Crucial-decisive or critical, esp. in the success or failure of something Adoption-the act of legally taking another's child and bringing it up as one's own Befall-(of something bad) to happen to someone Interrogation-the action of interrogating or the process of being interrogated Roster-a list or plan showing turns of duty or leave for individuals or groups in an organization Manifest-a document giving comprehensive details of an airplane’s contents, passengers, and crew for the use of Customs Raving-talking wildly or incoherently, as if one were delirious or insane Slang:Dope¬-a drug taken illegally for recreational purposes, esp. marijuana or heroin 1. Claire believes that someone is trying to hurt her baby. With what does she say she was stabbed? 2. What does Hurley suggest to do in order to discover who hurt Claire? 3. In their big fight, of what does Claire’s boyfriend accuse her? 4. How long does Jack say Claire has before the baby is ready to be delivered? 5. What does Jack propose to help Claire? How does she respond? 6. What does the psychic tell Claire about her child? 7. Who arranged for Claire to get on the plane? Why is that curious? _____________________________ Vocabulary Semantics-the branch of linguistics concerned with meaning Taxidermy-the art of preparing, stuffing, and mounting the skins of animals with lifelike effect Battalion-a large body of troops ready for battle Magnanimous-very generous or forgiving Reprisal-an act of retaliation, or assault in return for a previous, similar attack Subsidiary-ADJ-less important than but related or supplementary to N-a company controlled by a larger, holding company Incapacitated-Prevented from functioning in a normal way Slang:Chopper-A helicopter or a motorcycle Tweak-to improve (a mechanism or system) by making fine adjustments to it Contexts: “AMBER alert” refers to an emergency response system that disseminates information about a missing person (usually a child), by media broadcasting or electronic roadway signs. Karma (in Hinduism and Buddhism) suggests that the sum of a person's actions in this and previous states of existence decide their fate in future existences. In America, “karma” is used informally to mean simply destiny or fate. “Under the influence” generally refers to something done (e.g., driving, working) under the influence of, specifically, alcohol. 1. Why does Locke urge Jack to return to the caves? 2. Why does Jack feel guilty? 3. Why does Kate know how to track things through the jungle? 4. What does Ethan tell Jack will be the consequence for continuing to follow him? 5. Jack says, “I’m not letting him do this again.” To what is he referring? Lost Review Worksheet, Episodes 1-11 1. Explain the complexities of the following characters. Here are some questions you may want to ask yourself. What are their past mistakes? What are their redeeming qualities? What role do they play among the survivors of the crash? Flashbacks often show us mistakes these characters have made in the past. Do any of these characters repeat those same mistakes again on the island, and do any of them learn from their past? When and how? Jack Shepard Kate Austen James “Sawyer” Ford Sun Kwon 2. Some characters have undergone great changes since appearing on the island. Illustrate how these characters have changed and state specifically the factors that brought about the change. If such factors are a mystery, tell how the change has affected their experience on the island. John Locke Walt Lloyd Charlie Pace 3. What are the island’s mysteries so far? What unusual things have happened in the first eleven episodes? _____________________ Lost Season One, Episode 12 Vocabulary Stalk- (V)- to pursue or approach stealthily Erode- (V)- to wear away (soil, rock, or land) Wary- (ADJ)- feeling or showing caution about possible dangers or problems Decryption- (N)- a text that has been decoded, or made understandable Commission- (N)- an order for something, esp. a work of art, to be produced Notation- (N)- a series or system of written symbols used to represent numbers, amounts, or elements Velocity- (N)- the speed of something in a given direction Vault- (N)- a large room or chamber used for storage, esp. an underground one Sleight- (N)- the use of dexterity or cunning, esp. so as to deceive Slang: Halliburton- The company which produces the case that Kate and Locke want to open. 9 millimeter- A type of handgun Ammo- ammunition 1. When gathering luggage from the waves, what does Sayid say is not normal? 2. What are the 2 reasons Sayid gives Jack to explain why people are uncomfortable moving away from the beach? 3. Where does Jack want Sayid to take her? Why? 4. Why does Shannon want to know what Boone is doing with Locke? 5. After catching Kate, Sawyer makes a proposition that Kate declines. What is it? 6. How does Jack convince Sawyer to give him the case? 7. Why did Kate go to the bank? 8. What is the number of the box Kate wants to have opened? Lost Season One, Episodes 13&14 Vocabulary Domesticate Subsidiary Predator Confidential Urchin Excavate Digestive Gangrene Self-centered Protein Amputation Delusional Hatch Venom Latch Orienteering Discernible Anomaly Ramification Slang:Nutcase Context: Locke tells a story to Boone about the famous Renaissance painter Michelangelo. What point does Locke hope to illustrate with this story? 1. Why does Hurley think that Jin dislikes him? 2. Why does Kate think that Locke may not be catching boar? 3. Why does Boone want to tell Shannon what he and Locke have been doing? 4. After being stung, what does Hurley ask Jin to do? 5. What does Locke give Sayid? What is this gift odd? 6. What is Charlie’s opinion of Locke? Why do you think Charlie thinks this way? ________________________ Vocabulary Luggage Fragment Crib Transmitter Ponce Prosaic Filtration Visualize Raft Bond Bulimic Counseling Jurisdiction Slang: Yokel 1. What does Hurley think Michael hates? 2. After whom is Walt named? 3. What is Locke’s advice when he teaches Walt to throw the knife? Does it work? 4. Why do Michael and Locke disagree? 5. Do you notice anything unusual about Walt’s comic? What is it? 6. Why does Brian not want to be Walt’s parent? Lost Season One, Episode 15 Vocabulary Amnesia(N) a partial or total loss of memory Illicit(Adj) forbidden by law, rules, or custom Ravage(V) cause severe and extensive damage to Monogamy (N) the practice or state of having a sexual relationship with only one partner Infiltrate(V) enter or gain access to (an organization, place, etc.) secretly and slowly, esp. in order to acquire secret information Perimeter- Behemoth-(N) a huge or monstrous creature; something enormous, esp. a big and powerful organization Sentry-(N) a soldier stationed to guard and to control access to a place Bona fide- Enamored- Demure- Condolences- Royalties- Daft- Hiatus(Noun) a pause or gap in a sequence, series, or process Rhetorical-(Adj) (of a question) asked in order to produce an effect or to make a statement rather than to receive an answer or information Turf- Slang: Loaded-In slang, it’s often used to mean “very drunk” or “high on, or intoxicated by, drugs.” Additionally, it can mean very rich, as in loaded with money. Scag/Fix- Hoss- Knockout-A “knockout” is the last, finishing blow in a boxing match—one that finishes a competitor. In slang, it is used simply to mean either a very impressive act or a very stunning, beautiful person. Junky- Someone addicted to drugs, especially heroine Context: “Carpe Diem”Latin for “Seize the day.” Siren-In Greek mythology, a Siren was a woman or winged creature whose singing lured unaware sailors onto rocks. In English today, it means a woman who is considered to be alluring or fascinating but also dangerous in some way. Comprehension Questions 1. How long has Claire been away? 2. Why does Charlie’s friend urge him to talk to the girl at the bar? 3. Why is Sayid suspicious of Claire? 4. Locke wants to tell only “a select few” about the new threat. Why does Jack disagree with him? 5. Why does Kate ask Jack to use “the key around his neck”? 6. Why does Locke tell Jack he will not track Ethan? 7. Why does Jack not allow Kate to come at first? And then what happens? 8. Why does Locke want Ethan to be kept alive? 9. Charlie’s flashback illustrates another way that he’s changed since arriving on the island. What is it? Lost Season One; Episode 16 Vocabulary Appropriate-(V) take (something) for one's own use, typically without the owner's permission Harass-(V) subject (someone) to aggressive pressure or intimidation Pitch-(N) a form of words used when trying to persuade someone to buy or accept something (sales pitch) Shell Shock-(N) a condition of persistent mental and emotional stress occurring as a result of injury or severe psychological shock Stash-(V) store (something) safely and secretly in a specified place Liquor-(N) an alcoholic drink Vendetta-(N) a prolonged bitter quarrel with or campaign against someone Cologne-(N) a diluted form of perfume (for men) Golden Retriever-(N) a retriever (dog) of a breed with a thick golden-colored coat Wallow-(N) an area of mud or shallow water where mammals go to relax and keep cool Slang:Grift-(V) Engage in petty swindling (to cheat someone) Sauced-(ADJ) drunk Make out-(V) to kiss and touch someone intimately without the intention of sexual intercourse One-night stand-(N) a sexual relationship lasting only one night OR a person with whom one has such a relationship Bottom’s Up-An expression used for Cheers, or Ganbei—To turn the bottom of a glass upside down in order to drink all of its contents Let (someone) off the hook-(V) absolve (someone) from blame for a fault or wrongdoing Context: “The Red Sox will never win the World Series.” This statement refers to the American sport of baseball. The World Series is the annual championship in American baseball, and the Red Sox are a team who famously made it to the championship many times but did not win until 2004. Because the castaways in Lost crashed before the championship in 2004, the statement is highly ironic. Jack’s father says this to “let himself off the hook” for being irresponsible. Jack’s father believes that he, like the Red Sox, has come close to glory many times but failed, not because of any fault of his own, but because of fate. Watching the show after 2004, however, the viewer knows that Jack’s father is wrong because the Red Sox did win the World Series, so fate is actually not what has kept Jack’s father from being a more responsible person. Questions: 1. What does the voice in the jungle say to Sawyer? 2. Why does Sawyer go to Sydney? 3. Why does Kate think Sawyer is silly for going into the jungle? 4. What is “Carte Blanche”? To what does it refer in the episode? 5. How does someone play the drinking game I Never? 6. What do Sawyer and Kate have “in common after all”? 7. What does Jack’s father feel for his son? Why? 8. Who is the man Sawyer believes is the real Sawyer? Why was Sawyer sent to him? Lost Season one; Episode 17 Vocabulary Spinster-(N) an unmarried woman, typically an older woman beyond the usual age for marriage Halyard-(N) a rope used for raising and lowering a sail, spar, flag, or yard on a sailing ship Incompetent-(ADJ) not having or showing the necessary skills to do something successfully Sabotage-(V) deliberately destroy, damage, or obstruct (something) Abduct-(V) take (someone) away illegally by force or deception; kidnap Pontoon-(N) either of the floats fitted to an aircraft to enable it to land on water (but in this case the pontoons are attached to Michael’s raft to enable it to float) Twine-(N) strong thread or string consisting of two or more strands of hemp, cotton, or nylon twisted together Setback-(N) a reversal or check in progress Pragmatic-(ADJ) dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations Exonerate-(V) absolve (someone) from blame for a fault or wrongdoing Hard-headed-(ADJ) stubborn Context: The Lord of the Flies: A novel by Nobel Prize winning author William Golding about a group of young boys who are stranded on an island and subsequently attempt to govern themselves, a task at which they fail disastrously. Instead of remaining civilized the boys revert to savagery and even cannibalism. The reference here emphasizes how the castaways are alone on the island without any law but their own and thus the possibility of savagery is great. Questions: 1. What is Jin’s dream? 2. Why does Sun say she hits Michael? 3. What does Boone tell Sayid? 4. What’s Locke’s advice to Shannon? 5. Why does Jin come home to Sun covered in blood? 6. What became of Jin’s father? 7. Sun has kept secrets from Jin. Has Jin kept any from her? 8. Who burned the raft? Lost Season One; Episode 18 Vocabulary Beacon-(N) a fire or light set up in a high or prominent position as a warning, signal, or celebration Lottery-(N) a means of raising money by selling numbered tickets and giving prizes to the holders of numbers drawn at random Bashful-(ADJ) reluctant to draw attention to oneself; shy Pacemaker-(N) an artificial device for stimulating the heart muscle and regulating its function Waddle-(V) walk with short steps and a clumsy swaying motion Curse-(N) a speech or something intended to invoke a supernatural power to inflict harm or punishment on someone or something Skyrocket-(V) increase very steeply or rapidly Shareholder-(N) an owner of shares in a company Lucrative-(ADJ) producing a great deal of profit Jinx-(N) a person or thing that brings bad luck Arson-(N) the criminal act of deliberately setting fire to property Spry-(ADJ) active; lively Booby-trap-(N) a thing designed to catch, injure or kill the unwary Cradle-(N) an infant's bed or crib, typically one mounted on rockers Reciprocate-(V) respond to (a gesture or action) by making a similar, corresponding one Slang:Loon-(N) a silly or foolish person Chick-(N) (chiefly derogatory) a young woman Baggage-(N) past experiences or long-held ideas regarded as burdens and impediments Hang Out-(V) spend time relaxing or enjoying oneself Nutter-(N) a crazy or eccentric person Context: Kurtz: Georges-Antoine Kurtz is a fictional character in Joseph Conrad's novel Heart of Darkness. He was an European imperialist and ivory trader who lived deep in the African jungle; Charlie calls Hurley Kurtz here because as the fictional character believed himself to be almost a god of the jungle, Hurley will not be stopped from finding Rousseau. Kurtz is a famously crazy character in English literature, so Charlie’s name for Hurley is particularly appropriate this episode. Questions 1. What do Jack and Hurley want from Sayid? 2. What happened to Father Agualito? 3. Why doesn’t Hurley let the worker change the lightbulb? 4. Who is Sam Toomey? Why does Hurley want to visit him? 5. What was Leonard and Sam’s old job in the Navy? 6. How did Sam put an end to his bad luck? 7. From where did the numbers come? Lost Season One; Episode 19 Vocabulary Trebuchet-(N) a machine used in medieval siege warfare for hurling large stones or other missiles Catapult-(N) a military machine worked by a lever and ropes for hurling large stones or other missiles Aspirin-(N) Medicine used to relieve mild pain and to reduce fever and inflammation Snappy-(ADJ) irritable and inclined to speak sharply; cleverly concise; neat Institutionalize-(V) place or keep (someone) in a residential institution (usually for criminal, mental or addiction problems) Schizophrenia-(N) a long-term mental disorder of a type involving a breakdown in the relation between thought, emotion, and behavior Tumor-(N) a swelling of a part of the body, generally without inflammation, caused by an abnormal growth of tissue Dialysis-(N) the clinical purification of blood, as a substitute for the normal function of the kidney Kidney-(N) each of a pair of organs in the abdominal cavity of mammals, birds, and reptiles Transplant- Transfusion-(N) an act of transfusing donated blood, blood products, or other fluid into the circulatory system of a person or animal. Malaria-(N) an fever caused by a parasite that invades the red blood cells; found in mosquitoes Paralyze-(V) cause (a person or part of the body) to become partly or wholly incapable of movement Farsighted-(ADJ) unable to see things clearly, esp. if they are relatively close to the eyes Steamroll-(V) force (someone) into doing or accepting something Smuggle-(V) move (goods) illegally into or out of a country Confidential-(ADJ) intended to be kept secret Slang:One-liner-(N) a short joke or witty remark (Sawyer famously makes many of these) Nut job(N) a crazy or foolish person Context: Immaculate Conception: In Catholicism it’s the doctrine that the Virgin Mary was conceived free from all stain of original sin. It is commonly used, however, to refer to the virgin birth of Jesus’ mother, meaning that, although she never had sexual intercourse, she became pregnant with a son as a virgin. Nietzsche: Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche was a German philosopher. He is considered a significant figure in modern philosophy, and his influence remains substantial within and beyond philosophy, notably in existentialism, postmodernism and cultural studies. Boone calls attention to Locke’s quoting Nietzsche to illustrate the older man’s vast knowledge which reaches from survival skills to philosophy. Questions: 1. Why does John’s mother tell him that he has no father? 2. Why did Sawyer’s uncle die? 3. Why did Jack ask so many questions about Sawyer’s past? 4. Who was Theresa? 5. What does John’s mother finally reveal to him?
Submitted by: Thalia K, China 11
There is so much info available online and in tourguides about Beijing, but people keep sending emails asking for info, so here's a little to get you moving in the right direction. This is by no means an exhaustive listing. Places to See Within City Limits Forbidden City: HUGE, I've been three times and still see new things each time I go, but this could have something to do with the recent renovation too--check before you go to see if most of the buildings inside are still closed off due to construction Tiananmen Square: Just across the street from the Forbidden City, not much to see besides a big open square--maybe if you get lucky you'll catch the plainclothes guards putting down an uprising. :P Otherwise you can get in the loooong line around Mao's Mausoleum to see the waxy embalmed corpse of Mao himself. I hear the line goes fast since you can only stand in front of him long enough to get a glimpse before being ushered along. Temple of Heaven: Located south of the two major attractions mentioned above. Ancient architecture with a couple architectural oddities like a "Center of the Universe" and an Echoing Wall. Beihai: Go early in the day and you can walk around the parks and small lakes in this area. The park closes at 5, but at night the area is lit up with lots of trendy bars and restaurants. Sanlitun Bar Street: The place to go if you want to drink with foreigners Silk Market: Place where you can buy bargain for knock-off Gucci, Northface, and Rolexes. Just remember you pay for what you get. Outside the City The Great Wall: Most tours from the city take you to Badaling, which is fine if you don't mind being shoulder to shoulder with locals and other tourists. Go to Mutianyu if you want to get away from tourists, but just have enough time for a day trip. Go to Jinshaling-Simatai if you have time (and physical endurance) to stay overnight--a person there provided my friends everything they needed to stay on top of the all--and hike the 10km from Jinshaling to Simatai. Ask around for other lesser known spots once you get to Beijing and you just might get lucky. Swiped the rest of this info from Towkay at 43places.com--all editorial comments are his/hers, not mine Chengde: Which is the summer retreat for the royal family. (Recommend overnight stay) Good for an overnight trip, with a night time re-visit to the grounds. Good to spend a day in the park, and another half day at the 8 temples built around the park. Each temple is a mini copy of a famous temple from another part of china. (including the Potala in Tibet) One of the temples contain a very BIG Buddha. It's not the size, but the holiness of this Buddha that makes me like it a lot. Something about it, makes me like it a lot. Zhengding Town: Near Shijiazhuang. (Day trip) Shijiazhuang is an important railroad intersection near Beijing. Zhengding is about 30 min away by bus. It used to be an important trading post, and postal relay point for Beijing. In the town, you will find a fairly complete old city wall, and 4 very well preserved old pagodas from 4 very different periods of China. All quite close to each other. Very good for a day trip. One of the pagoda, the Green Pagoda (can’t remember the actual name) is the tomb of the founder of Zen Buddhism, and is contained within one the temple which is the source of Zen Buddhism. Its good to start your pagoda tours from here. There is also a very big temple in the town (known as the big Buddha temple by the locals). In it, you will find a very big Buddha, it doesn’t strike me as much as the one in Chengde, but still very good. This temple is one of the earliest Buddhist temple built after Buddhism was brought to China, so the style is distinctly different from other more typical Chinese temples. AND FINALLY, inside this temple, at the back facing side of one of the halls, you will find the MOST BEAUTIFUL and fantastic Guanyin Figure in the world. Guanyin, also known as the goddess of Mercy, is a very well loved deity in Chinese Culture, for Buddhists and non Buddhists alike. Tianjin (Day Trip) is the front door of Beijing. And is famous for its Goubuli Buns and colonial buildings. The Italian quarters are my favorite. But if you are there, do not miss the Yangliuqing Town, which is now part of the Tianjin Suburb. It is the site of a well preserved old mansion, which a family compound of one of the a rich family. (similar to piangyao, but less touristy) BUT the most important reason to go there, is for the New Year Paintings. Yangliuqing is the home for one of the 4 famous styles of New Year Paintings, and they are by far the most popular. You will recognize it when you see it. Each painting has a story, and I find them to be excellent gifts. Places to Stay Both times I went to Beijing stayed in pretty nice hotels (Holiday Inn and the following). The one I stayed at with my parents cost around $40 (yes, US dollars) per night and it was right off Wang Fu Jing 王府井 street--a really central location，close to many restaurants and street food markets, walking distance to a subway station (one or two stops down the rail will drop you off at the Forbidden City and Tiananmen) We stayed at the Beijing Golden Palace Silver Street Hotel (tucked away down the side street beside the church? on Wang Fu Jing walking street) 金府银街酒店 ADD：北京市东城区王府大街甘雨胡同31号 TEL：010-85110388 Here's the searchlist on Elong for hotels in Beijing near Wangfujing street, you can probably find something closer to your price range this way. What to Eat Peking Duck: Most locals & the Lonely Planet will recommend that you go to one of the Quan Ju De (拳聚德) Restaurants. It costs a lot of RMB, by volunteer standards anyway. More about Peking Duck and info about where to get it Beijing "Mongolian" Hot Pot: Shuan Yang Rou 涮羊肉 in Chinese. Thinly sliced strips of lamb that you place in a boiling pot of broth, cooks in seconds, take it out and dip it in sauce and it's ready to eat. Nice change of pace from Sichuan-style hotpot. I went to a place recommended by our hotel staff, it was right off Wang Fu Jing street, very tasty and less expensive than the places recommended at the following site. Read More and info about where to get it Baozi: Beijing is right next to Tianjin, and that's where all the famous baozi come from. Don't go to the "Famous" Goubuli 狗不理 restaurant off Wang Fu Jing, it was a ripoff and as the locals would say the baozi were just so-so. But keep an eye out when you pass small baozi shops for 天津 （Tianjin) 狗不理 (Goubuli)
*snatched from the Pcchina Yahoo! Group
Hello all, I'm a China 12 vol. that has a couple of q's at the moment. To preface my comment, I feel like I will be doing a bit of travelling around China and (possibly) other countries in the area. Firstly, I'm wondering if a water purifier system would be beneficial. I understand that we will be boiling all of our water beforehand, so I'm wondering about the efficacy about hauling along something like this. Secondly, will footwear (esp. athletic) be available for a person with a size of 11.5 in the U.S. - or should I just bring the shoes most important for my experience. Hello, I don't know if anyone has answered you question yet. So here goes. Peace Corps will provide you with a water purifier, although most volunteers have water delivered, at my school it's 5 yuan for a 27 Liter container. As far as shoes, I've never shopped for athletic shoes but you will have a problem with just regular shoes... especially in Sichuan. I am 9 1/2 women's, and if I want shoes, I have to go to the men's section. Hope that helps. M
Run out of ways to answer "Do you like spicy food?" "How do I improve my spoken English?" and "Which is better, China or America?" each week at English Corner? Well, with a little help from the following post and a little preparation on your part, maybe you can finally get some of the focus away from you. Because even dancing panda bears need a break from the spotlight once in a while.
The following activities were submitted by Scott P. (Chengdu, Sichuan) Would You Rather Cards “Would You Rather” cards can be made from the topics below. Just fold the printed piece on the middle line. Then students, in a Cocktail Party or English Corner context, can ask each other the questions and then ask for classmates to explain their preferences. It is best for the students to exchange cards so they can ask a number of topics. Or, each student could use the same card in taking a SURVEY of a group of people and write conclusions of how classmates replied. Be nervous and excited : Be relaxed and bored Meet Hu Jintao : Meet Yao Ming Sneeze for one hour : Hiccup for one hour Be fluent in English : Be fluent in 5 languages other than English Discover the cure for AIDS : Discover the cure for cancer Have a beautiful car but an ugly house : Have a beautiful house but an ugly car Be hungry : Be thirsty Be covered with spiders : Be covered with snakes Live near the ocean : Live near the mountains Eat at KFC : Eat at McDonald’s Be blind : Be deaf Score the winning goal for the Chinese football team in the next World Cup : Be the first Chinese to walk on the moon, but not come back to earth Not to be able to use your cell phone : Not be able to use e-mail or QQ Fall in love and lose that person : Never fall in love Stay where you are now with your friends and family but no money : Receive 4 billion RMB but never be able to see family and friends again Be the tallest person in the world : Be the strongest person in the world Have no children : Have a disabled child Forget everyone else : Forget who you were Lose six of your toes : Lose both of your index fingers Have many people you know : Have one really good friend Have six children : Have no children Have a monkey’s tail : Have cat’s whiskers Have an elephant’s trunk : Have a duck’s feet Be made fun of by others : Be ignored by others Be a painter : Be an actor Live without music : Live without television Have four legs : Have four arms Share your house with a cow : Share your house with two free flying seagulls Have 5 bottles stuck on the fingers of one of your hands for a year : Have a bucket on your foot for one year Have crooked teeth : Have bags under your eyes Lose your wallet : Lose your keys Crush a light bulb with your bare hands : Superglue your hands together Have eyes in the back of your head : Have x-ray vision Always lose : Never play Be stranded on an island alone : Be stranded on an island with someone you hate Give bad advice : Take bad advice Have one wish granted today : Have three wishes granted in ten years Get free chocolate for a year : Get free potatoes for your entire life Have a mansion in the middle of nowhere : Have an apartment with ten friends Be rich with a job you hate : Be poor with a job you love Be a tree : Live in a tree Be forgotten : Be hatefully remembered 110 ORAL ENGLISH ROLE PLAYS GOALS 1. Students can practice roles in showing different emotions. 2. Students will use modal verbs to give advice or make predictions. 3. Mediation can be used as a speaking and listening skill as when a third student listens to two others and practices reaching a resolution for the other two. 4. Role plays can give students confidence in using English publicly as when they take on a role, there is less pressure on them personally to “lose face”. Pair Role Plays 1. One of you is a teacher. Talk to one of your students about why he/she is always failing their exam. 2. You have decided not to go to school today. After school, your teacher sees you at the Internet Café and comes over to talk to you. What do you say? 3. Your friend was supposed to pick you up two hours ago. He/she has just shown up. Tell him/her how angry you are. 4. You want to get to sleep early. It is 10:00 in the evening on Sunday and a friend of yours comes over and begs you to go to a movie with him/her. 5. Your friend never wants to go anywhere. There’s going to be a great party tomorrow night at someone else’s house. Convince your friend to go with you. 6. You want to watch a movie on TV but your friend wants to watch a football match. 7. Your mother is having a difficult time living alone and taking care of herself. You’re worried. Talk to her about moving into a retirement home. 8. Tell your teacher that you want to quit school. 9. You are a high school student. Your father wants you to finish high school, but you really think school is a waste of time for you. 10. You would like to go to another country on a school exchange program. Your mother doesn’t think you are mature enough to travel and study in a foreign country. Talk about this. 11. There is a big dance tonight and you want to take a partner with you. Ask your friend if you can borrow his/her boyfriend or girlfriend to go with you. 12. One of you is a student who never does homework. Ask him/her about what is bothering them. 13. You are driving your friend somewhere. When you ask him/her to put on a seat belt, he/she refuses. 14. Your friend wants to borrow 2000RMB. When you tell him/her you do not feel comfortable lending him/her so much money, they get angry. 15. You are sitting in a movie theater. A person behind you are making a lot of noise. Ask them to be quiet. 16. You and a friend are driving to work and you see an accident. You want to stop and see if you can help, but your friend doesn’t want to be late for work. 17. Tell your teacher you don’t understand what is going on in class. You are working hard, but getting more and more confused. Ask your teacher to help you after school. 18. You are leaving a supermarket and look at your receipt. You think the cashier has overcharged you. Bring this to his/her attention. 19. You and a friend are supposed to be doing a project together. You have done a lot of work, but your friend has done nothing. Tell your friend how you feel. 20. Your friend is always bossing you around. Tell him/her that you want to make your own decisions. 21. One of you is a teacher. Talk to your brightest student about his/her future goals. 22. You paid a carpenter to make some repairs in your home. After the person has finished, you notice the workmanship is very sloppy. Talk to him/her about this. 23. You bought a camera. You used it only one time and it has broken. You return the camera with a receipt and talk to the manager. 24. You want to sell your used bicycle for as much as you can. It is only one year old, and it’s in good shape. You need the money for school. Discuss the price with a friend who wants to pay as little as possible. 25. Your roommate has lost a lot of weight, and you suspect that he/she may be anorexic (anorexia – a disease that involves a great fear of gaining weight, a hatred for food, and severe weight loss). Talk to your friend about their health. 26. Someone is always knocking at your door. It is four in the morning. Tell him to go away and let you sleep. 27. Your friend is getting married soon. You have heard a lot of bad things about his/her fiancée. Tell your friend what you’ve heard. 28. You brought your car to a mechanic because you heard a funny noise from the engine. After you pay the mechanic and as you are driving home, you realize the noise is still there. Go back to the mechanic. 29. Talk to a student who is always late for class. Explain this behavior is unacceptable. 30. Ask your roommate to stop eating all your food in the refrigerator. 31. Your father thinks it is time for you to move out of the house and live on your own. Unfortunately, you like living at home and not paying rent. Discuss the problem. 32. Although you bought the radio, your roommate listens to it most of the time. For some reason, the radio has stopped working. Tell your roommate to pay for the repair. Discuss the same problem with a cell phone that one of you has bought. 33. Talk to your boss. Tell him/her why you feel you deserve a promotion. 34. You visit a friend’s home. After sneezing several times, you realize that you are allergic to your friend’s cat. Discuss the problem. 35. You are a teacher. You give a student a low grade on his research paper, and he becomes very angry. 36. You need a roommate, and have placed an ad in the local paper. Someone comes to the door in response to the ad. Talk to this person and see if you are both compatible as roommates. 37. Your roommate is playing the CD player so loud that you can’t get to sleep. Ask your roommate to turn down the volume and have some consideration for you. 38. You sit down in a chair. Suddenly you realize that you are sitting on your friend’s hat. The hat is ruined and you apologize to your friend, offering to buy him a new hat instead. 39. Your roommate gets up in the middle of the night, cooks a big meal, and leaves all the dishes until the morning. You always wake up to a real mess in the kitchen. Talk to your roommate about the mess they have left. 40. You have not cooked anything for dinner because you were at a club meeting all day. Your husband comes home and is very hungry. He wants to eat right away. 41. Your apartment has been robbed. You call the police. When the policeman comes, he asks you a number of questions. 42. You are walking downtown with a friend. Suddenly you remember that you left some meat cooking on the stove at home. 43. You buy a sweater and leave it in the store by mistake. When you discover it is missing, you return to the store and ask the clerk if he has seen it. 44. You are about to leave for a party with your husband. You are wearing a dress that he does not like at all. He wants you to change it, but you like the dress. 45. You are describing your boyfriend to a friend of yours. She describes her boyfriend too. Suddenly you realize that she is describing your boyfriend as well! 46. You have just won a 10,000RMB. You tell your friend the good news, but he does not believe you. 47. Your roommate comes home to say they have won 1000RMB playing majang. The next week, you notice that your friend stays out past midnight playing majang. They have lost their money but cannot stop gambling. Talk to your friend about their gambling. 48. You get off a train in a strange country. You find a person who speaks a little English and ask him how to get to a certain address. After speaking with him for some time, you understand how to get where you want to go. 49. You are in a good mood, but your friend is in a bad mood. You try to cheer him up, but he remains unhappy. 50. You hear a noise downstairs. You are sure that there is a thief in the house. You wake up your spouse but they don’t believe anyone is there. 51. It is three o’clock in the morning. Your roommate has forgotten her/his apartment keys again. When she/he rings the bell and bangs on the door, tell him/her to find somewhere else to sleep and leave you alone. 52. A stray cat has been coming to your door for the last few weeks begging for food. You have been feeding it, and you would like to take the cat as a pet. However, your dormitory does not allow pets. Talk to your roommate about what you should do. 53. You and your roommate are not getting along. Ask your roommate to move out. 54. You are so busy that you cannot get all of your work done. Your boss calls you into his office and asks you why you have not finished a certain project. 55. You are a teacher. When you walk into the classroom, you see that one student is crying at his desk. You ask him why he is so upset. 56. Even though you and your roommate agreed to clean your room on different weekends, you are the only one doing all the house cleaning. Remind your roommate about agreement. 57. Your roommate’s friend wants to come and spend a few weeks in your apartment. You feel the house will be too crowded and you want to have privacy. Tell your roommate you do not like this idea. 58. It is midnight. You are walking home. Suddenly you see a shadow in front of you. You hear a voice telling you to stop. 59. Tell your father that you have decided to marry someone who is 20 years older than you. 60. Your child has not been doing well in school. The teacher calls you and tells you she would like to meet with you. 61. You are in a restaurant. You order chicken, but the waiter brings you roast beef instead. You tell him that he made a mistake, but he insists that he is right. 62. You are at the train station and you have several suitcases. You call a porter and ask him to carry the suitcases to the taxi. He asks twice the amount of money you plan on giving him. You argue with him over the price. 63. You and your wife/husband are returning home from a movie. You suddenly discover that neither of you has the house key. 64. You and a friend have been given a copy of the “correct” answers for the upcoming national college entrance examination (Gao Kao). You discuss whether or not to use the scores. 65. You lose your child at the supermarket, and you are very worried. You go to the man in charge and ask him to help you find your child. 66. You buy a new radio. You take it home, but it does not work so you take it back to the store and complain to the manager. 67. You are at your mother-in-law’s house. You are admiring a vase on the table. You pick it up then drop it accidentally. You apologize to your mother-in-law. 68. Ask your roommate to stop eating all your food in the refrigerator. 69. Your friend asks you to be his/her roommate, but you prefer to live alone. Tell him/her this without hurting his/her feelings. 70. Your friend bought a new bicycle, but now he does not like it. He is eager to sell it to you. 71. You are parking your car. You do not see a sign that says, “No Parking”. A police officer comes up and asks you why you are parking there. 72. You are in a restaurant. You have just finished a good dinner. The waiter is waiting for you to pay the bill. You look for your wallet and find that you have left it at home. 73. You order soup in a restaurant. When the waiter brings the soup, you think you see a fly in it. You are very annoyed and ask the waiter to bring you something else. 74. You are at a resort. While you are walking to the beach, you see your best friend. You call his name, but he acts as if he does not know you at all. 75. You are 15 years old. Ask your parent for permission to get married. 76. At the theater, you discover that another person is sitting in your seat. You talk to him, explaining that he is in the wrong seat. 77. You are walking downtown. Suddenly you meet an old friend of yours whom you have not seen since you were in elementary school. You are surprised to learn that he has become a millionaire. 78. The car in front of your car suddenly stops and you cannot avoid hitting it. Both cars are damaged. The driver gets out of his car and comes towards you. 79. Your roommate has a pet that you are constantly cleaning up after. Tell your friend to either start cleaning up after the pet or get rid of it. 80. You and your friend are planning to be roommates. Discuss what you will need to get to furnish your new apartment. 81. You run into an old friend that you haven’t seen in five years. He used to weigh 100 kilos. Now he weighs 75 kilos. 82. You are very near-sighted, and you lose your eye-glasses in a crowded room. Ask someone to help you look for them. 83. You go to your bank to withdraw some money from your account. When the cashier, who you know, asks you for identification, you discover you have left your I.D. card at home. 84. Your friend asks you to return a book that you borrowed from him several months ago. At first you cannot remember what you did with it. Then you explain why you kept the book for such a long time. 85. You bought a plane ticket for Beijing. You go to the airport and learn that the flight has been cancelled. You are very upset because you must be in Beijing later in the day. 86. You bought a lottery ticket and left it in your coat pocket. Your wife does not know the ticket is there and she give your coat away because it is so old. Later, you learn that the lottery ticket has the winning number. You ask your wife for the coat. 87. You go to a pet shop to buy a canary. The pet owner does not have any canaries to sell, but tries to sell you a parrot that is very expensive. 88. You are trying on shoes in a shoe store. You have tried on many different pairs and the salesman is losing his patience. 89. You go to a travel agency. You want to plan a trip to France, but the travel agent seems bored and not interested in helping you. 90. One day, you get up early and go downstairs. There, to your surprise, is a stranger sleeping on the sofa. You wake your mother up and ask her who the stranger is. 91. You ask a man for directions to the post office. He keeps asking you to repeat what you said. After a while, you discover that the man is partially deaf. 92. You want to go to a football game but your girlfriend insists that a movie would be much more fun. ADVICE SITUATIONS – GOING MODAL (“You Shouldn’t Worry About It”) 93. You are going to drive downtown by yourself today for the first time. You say you’ll drive very carefully, but you’re afraid you might have an accident. Ask for advice. 94. You have to take a typing test during a job interview next week. You are going to practice typing all week because you don’t want to fail the test. Ask for advice. 95. You had a heart attack recently. You say you are going to exercise regularly because you are afraid you might have another one. Ask for advice. 96. You can’t find the library book you took from the school library. You’re going to look for it everywhere. Ask for advice. 97. You are going to take very good care of your new bicycle because you don’t want it to break down like the old one did. Ask for advice. 98. You both just got a very large dog. You are going to keep it in the yard all the time because you don’t want it to bite any of the children in the neighborhood. 99. The students in Mrs. Baker’s English class want to do very well on their next test. Give them advice. 100. You have a terrible cold. You have tried all kinds of medicine, but it won’t seem to go away. Role plays with tags 101. You’re walking out of your house with your brother. You’re afraid you might have forgotten to turn off the oven. You probably didn’t forget, but check with your brother just to be sure. 102. You’re waiting for a letter from someone special. You know that the mail has already come, and you don’t think there was a letter for you. Check with your roommate to make sure you didn’t get a letter. Then show your disappointment. 103. As you walked into school a few minutes ago, in front of the building you saw a blue car that had been hit by another car. At first you thought it was your friend’s car but you decided it probably wasn’t. Check with your friend to make sure. Ask your friend if he or she knows whose car it is. 104. You see a mother beating her 8 year old son with a stick. The child is crying. Discuss with your partner what you would do or say to the mother. 105. You’d like to invite a friend to go to the movies this weekend. First, check to make sure that your friend does not have plans for the weekend. Then invite your friend. Try and agree on what movie you both want to see. 106. You and a friend are taking the bus to a concert downtown. You’re afraid you’re going to be late, and you wish you knew what time it was. You don’t think your friend is wearing a watch, but ask just to be sure. Then ask someone else what time it is. 107. You’re a doctor. Mr. Smith, one of your patients, is in your office. A few months ago, you told Mr. Smith he should stop eating unhealthy food. He said he would, but you aren’t sure he did. Check to see whether Mr. Smith has started eating unhealthy food and give him some good medical advice. 108. A good friend of yours is going to drive you to the airport tonight. Your friend is often late, and you’re afraid you’ll miss your plane. Check with your friend to make sure he or she won’t be late. Then, tell your friend not to forget that your plane leaves at 8:30. 109. You’re at the doctor’s office for a checkup. You’re hoping you won’t have to get any shots. Check with the doctor. 110. You’re visiting a cousin in New York City. The weather is very, very hot. You’re surprised. You didn’t think it was so hot in New York. Ask your cousin. SOURCES: SIDE BY SIDE BOOK KEEP TALKING BOOK, My High School Students Ethics Classes 60 Improvisations! Improvisations are ideal for students in a TEFL classroom to practice their English skills in a leadership role, and involve the rest of the class. Since improvisations ask students to assume a role of an actor, they might be less shy to use their English in a public forum. Improvs are also short (under 10 minutes) and can be led by different groups of students. Below are a number of popular improvisations that you might find useful in your TEFL classroom. Thanks to Kent Johnson, theater director of Episcopal High School, Houston, for many ideas listed. The list can be printed and groups of students given time to practice and prepare before performing in the classroom, however as these are improvisations, the students must be prepared to use English “on their feet” in response to the direction of the audience. Beginner A DAY IN THE LIFE - An audience member volunteers to tell us about a day in their life. Actors improvise the scene. Great listening activity! DEATH IN 30 SECONDS - 2 ACTORS. Audience provides a conflict and scene. Actors play the scene in 30 seconds ONLY, concluding with the FAKE DEATH of one of the actors. MOVING PEOPLE – Two audience members are chosen to help. The audience identifies a scene with two people in conflict. Selected audience members “move” actors as actors improvise scene. Actors move only as physically directed by audience participants. ARMS EXPERT (PUPPETS) - Two actors. First actor speaks and supplies the body for the scene. Second actor supplies the arms for the first actor. Audience provides WHERE or CONFLICT. Second actor should try to HIDE completely behind first actor. FREEZE TAG - An audience member places two actors in varying body positions. At any time during the scene another actor on the team yells, "Freeze." The actors immediately freeze in position. The incoming player replaces one of the actors and initiates a new scene. TIME LIMIT: 2 minutes. REASON TO LEAVE - The audience provides a PLACE. 2 actors begin a scene. A 3rd actor enters and changes the scene. 1st actor must find a REASON to leave the scene. 4th actor enters and changes the scene. 2nd actor must find a reason to leave. Actors continue to rotate. SCENE SPEED-UP - The audience provides an ACTION SCENE. 2 actors portray scene in THRITY SECONDS. They re-enact the scene in FIFTEEN SECONDS, FIVE SECONDS, and ONCE SECOND. The scene can be from a movie or role play. FAIRY TALE IN A MINUTE – Actors present a fairy tale of the AUDIENCE’S choice in ONE MINUTE. High energy where all essential elements of fairy tale portrayed. Scenes may then be repeated like SCENE SPEED-UP. DUMB DUMB RACING – Key is speed. 3-4 actors. Audience provides questions or topics. Actors give the dumbest answer they can think of in response. The teacher or the class decides who gave the dumbest response – that person advances in a stylized “race.” Intermediate WHAT'S THAT MOVIE? – 4 actors. The group divides the class into two teams. Actors re-enact scenes from popular movies to see if each group in the audience can guess the movie. Only English can be used! AD AGENCY – 3 actors. Audience provides the name of an imaginary product. The actors confer for a few moments then act out a commercial for the product, ending with a jingle. COMPLAINT DEPARTMENT – Two actors. 1st actor is sent out of the room. Audience provides 2nd actor with an object. 1st actor returns. The scene is played out in the COMPLAINT DEPARTMENT of a large store. Actor 1 is returning and object because he/she has a COMPLAINT about the object. 1st actor makes ASSUMPTIONS about the size, shape, and type of object in question. Actor 2 reacts to actor 1’s assumptions and slowly but ultimately guides actor 1 into guessing the object through the improvised scene. FIVE O’CLOCK NEWS - Four actors. One plays reporter, the remaining three, survivors of a disaster. The audience provides the disaster, and the teacher assigns the survivors appropriate characters. The reporter announces the disaster and interviews the survivors. ANIMAL CHARACTERS – Audience provides the name of a kind of animal – each actor is assigned a different animal character. Audience provides WHERE or a CONFLICT. Actors play the scene AS IF THE ANIMAL WERE A PERSON. VARIOUS CHARACTERS – Same as ANIMAL CHARACTERS but using any of (or more than) the following types of people: automobiles, kitchen appliances, emotions, movie genres, etc. BRAIN - 4 actors stand in a line full front, speaking one word at a time, answering questions on any subject provided by the audience. SURPRISE PARTY - A party host must discover surprise guests' identity. Audience chooses the guests and any of the guests' secrets. 3 min. limit. THE DATING GAME – in the style of this American TV show. An actor will choose a “date” from among three other actors. Audience selects characteristics for “dates.” First actor may ask three questions of each “dates,” then guesses their specific characteristics. Great for practicing use of adjectives! TALK SHOW GIBBERISH - In TRIOS of actors - one serves as HOST, one as FAMOUS FOREIGN GUEST - one as TRANSLATOR. Audience decides the nationality of guest and topic. PROFESSORS – At least three actors participate. One begins as the first professor. Audience chooses TOPIC. Actors take turns lecturing extemporaneously about the topic. Teacher may change the professor at any time – each new professor must pick up where the last one was interrupted. APPLAUSE – Two actors. The first actor leaves the room. The second actor obtains a list of THREE activities from the audience. First actor returns. First actor makes assumptions about the mystery activities and begins pantomimes to show the audience his/her assumptions. Second actor may give vague directions to steer the actor towards the correct activity. Audience applauds CORRECT GUESSES OR ASSUMPTIONS of the first actor, also steering the first actor in the right direction. The scene ends when all three activities have been guessed. SOUND EFFECTS STORY – Audience provides WHERE and something that makes a SOUND. Actors begin an improv, weaving the place and sound into it, encouraging the audience to create sound effects as they act. (ex: it started to rain, I slammed the door, I heard heavy breathing, The traffic was terrible, etc. Action lines that the audience can “amplify.”) Gets audience rowdy. DUBBING SCENES (BLIND) – Four actors. Two offstage and two onstage. Actor 1 (onstage) plays the scene, Actor 2 supplies the voice for actor 1; Actor 3 plays the scene, actor 4 supplies the voice for actor 3. Offstage actors must not be able to SEE THE ONSTAGE ACTORS. Audience provides a WHERE or CONFLICT. Moving actors try to make large physical choices that must be justified when their dubber makes a contradicting statement. TRY NOT TO LAUGH – Audience provides WHERE or CONFLICT SET UP. Actors play the scene seriously. IF AT ANY TIME A PLAYER MAKES ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE LAUGH, THEY ARE REMOVED AND REPLACED BY ANOTHER “MORE SERIOUS” ACTOR. Actors should try playing the scene deadpan and take it seriously. Advanced STORY IN A LINE - The audience provides an OPENING and a CLOSING line, which are then assigned to 2 actors. The remaining actors create a story in between these two lines. STORY STORY - actors stand in a line. Audience provides the topic. The teacher selects one actor to begin the improv. Random whistle blows by the teacher change the speaker. Actors MUST continue improv taking their cue from THE LAST WORD SPOKEN by the previous actor. STAGE DIRECTIONS – Audience provides TOPIC or SET UP or WHERE. Two actors. First actor begins scene speaking to the 2nd actor. 2nd actor responds ONLY with STAGE DIRECTIONS that the 1st actor must enact. 1st actor then continues scene with 2nd actor supplying the DIRECTIONS. EX: Player One say “Hello there, Jill.” Player Two responds “she said running her fingers through her hair.” Player One responds by completing this action, then speaks again. Player Two provides further stage directions and so on……Great for teaching Reported Speech! ALPHABET GAME - actors must start each sentence of dialogue with a new letter from the alphabet. A topic for the dialogue is taken from the audience. GIBBERISH POETRY– Audience provides a TOPIC. First actor creates a poem about the object, speaking only in GIBBERISH. Second actor “translates” the gibberish poetry. QUESTIONS – Audience provides a scene with two people in conflict. Opposing teams face-off in a line. Actors improvise scene ONLY USING QUESTIONS as dialogue. The teacher blows the whistle on “waffling” actors, who retreat to the end of the line. ELEVATOR – 1 actor serves as the Elevator operator. This actor is sent outside – the Audience decides what items various actors are purchasing in a large department store. The operator tried to guess each object being purchased. Any number of actors can play. Actors may come and go on the elevator. It is IMPORTANT that they react and respond to each other and the objects so the operator can guess. EH-BING – Audience selects an OBJECT. Actors begin a scene using this object. The teacher accepts or denies the actor’s choices with either the blow of a whistle or a verbal “bing” sound. Actors adapt the scene accordingly. RANDOM LINES - The audience writes random lines before their performance. The audience chooses a scene with two people in conflict. Actors are provided with select random lines. As scene progress, actors incorporate random lines. EVIL TWIN - Three actors. The audience provides a situation where two people are in conflict. These two begin a scene. The third actor is the "evil twin" of one of the two, and contradicts everything their "twin" says. The other actor responds realistically to these changes. REMOTE CONTROL - Three actors. Two play the scene with the audience providing WHO's. The third actor pretends to use a remote control device as the scene progresses to FF and REW the scene. HISTORY - 4 - 5 actors in a line facing full front, describe the history of an audience-selected object. They discuss as many historical periods as they can. Leader signals each speaker. Actors must "pick-up" EXACTLY with the last word spoken. EMO(TIONAL) SPOTS - Audience provides a LIST of emotions. 2 actors begin a scene, with 3 words provided by audience. 2 other actors server as "callers," one for each actor. Actors change their emotions as they are signaled. VOICES IN OUR HEAD – 2 actors in the foreground enact a scene – 2 voices behind or to the side– take turns responding as the conscience of each actor. TRIGGER WORDS - Audience provides a list of words. Each actor is assigned one word. Actors play scene occasionally throwing in one of the chosen words. Actors enter and exit the scene each time their “trigger word” is spoken. HAT IMPROVS – The audience chooses one hat for each actor. Then each actor must take on a role as a person who would wear that hat. The actors must create a setting and play that involves all actors. GROWING AND SHRINKING – Five Actors. Actor one begins a solo improv. Actor 2 calls FREEZE, joing Actor 2 and begins a NEW IMPROV. Actor 3 calls freeze, joins, and begins another new improv. Continue this format until actor 5 has joined. As the actors improvise Actor 5’s scene, Actor 5 finds a REASON TO LEAVE. Upon Actor 5’s exit, the actors revert back to Actor 4’s improv. Actor 4 finds a REASON TO LEAVE. Actors play Actor 3’s improv – continuing until we are left with Actor 1 and his/her initial improv. EMOTIONAL SYMPHONY – Audience provides each actor with an EMOTION and a TOPIC of conversation. Actors line up downstage – the teacher or one actor serves as the conductor. Actors begin speaking on the topic using the assigned emotion. Conductor points to one, several, or all of the actors who then INCREASE or DIMINISH their emotions according to the conductors direction. Let the symphony build to a climax. THROWING LIGHT – Three actors. One leaves the room as the other two obtain a TOPIC for a conversation. The third returns. The scene is played between the two actors, each saying a line concerning the topic; the outsider tries to guess the topic. When the guess is incorrect, one of the first two actors uses the guess to insult the first actor. They continue one line at a time (with insults for incorrect guesses) until the outsider correctly guesses the topic. TIME MACHINE – Six actors. Two actors begin a basic conflict improv. Audience provides conflict – EXCEPT A SCENE IN WHICH THEIR CHARACTERS MEET FOR THE FIRST TIME. First scene is played, then actors exit. 2nd pair of actors improvise a scene using the same characters IN THE PAST – at a time earlier than the first scene. 3rd pair of actors enact a scene using the same characters at a time IN THE FUTURE. 2nd and 3rd pairs of actors should try to incorporate elements of the PRESENT into their scenes. PARK BENCH – (similar to REASON TO LEAVE) – Two actors plus….First actor sits on a bench, creates an imaginary character – displaying that type of character to his/her fullest. 2nd actor sits next to the first CREATING a completely different character. 1st actor continues to play his/her original character. Both interact maximizing character types and intent. 1st actor finds a reason to leave. 3rd actor takes a seat and CREATES a new character. 2nd and 3rd actors relate until 2nd actor finds a reason to leave. 4th actor takes a seat – new character, etc. SIT, STAND, KNEEL, LIE DOWN – Four actors. AT NO TIME CAN THE ACTORS OCCUPY THE SAME POSITION ON THE STAGE SIMULTANEOUSLY. One actor must be LYING DOWN, another STANDING, another KNEELING, the last SITTING. If two actors are occupying the same position, one must change. Audience provides WHERE or CONFLICT with 4 actors. MEANWHILE – Audience provides a beginning WHERE and a list of “meanwhiles….” Actors begin scene (or scenes played simultaneously). The teacher stops scenes as desired and chooses one of the MEANSWHILES……introducing a new location. Try to bring the stories back to the original…. HUNTING THE WHATSIT – Two actors plus…..first actor on stage becomes a HUNTER. This actor speaks out loud about what is being hunted (winged rhinos, happy limping Scotsman, etc.) 1st actor continues to NARRATE the hunt. 2nd actor becomes the HUNTED creature name by the 1st actor and improvises a short scene ending up with the HUNTED doing away with the HUNTER. The HUNTED then becomes the HUNTER and creates a different HUNTED. Actors continue until the teacher stops improv. ENTRANCES AND EXITS – LISTENING GAME. Audience provides words for each actor and a location. Typical words should be the type that arise in casual conversation. Whenever an actor’s word is spoken by another actor in the scene, they must enter or exit. If the actor’s word is spoken while they are offstage, they must immediately come onstage and JUSTIFY THE ENTRANCE. If their word is spoken while onstage, they must immediately exit and JUSTIFY THE EXIT. Build a story and JUSTIFY ENTRANCES AND EXITS. COUNTING GAME – All actors. Each player will be assigned a number between 1 and 10. Each and every sentence the actor speaks must contain that GIVEN NUMBER OF WORDS. Ex: a players assigned #3 must have 3 words in ever sentence spoken. Good listening game. OTHER PLAYERS MUST WAIT FOR EACH ACTOR TO SPEAK THEIR GIVEN NUMBER OF WORDS BEFORE ALLOWING ANOTHER ACTOR TO SPEAK. EMOTINOAL BOUNDARIES – Several actors. Divide the stage area into at least THREE zones. Assign a different emotion to each zone. Zones may also be furniture pieces or props. Set the scene up like a party or provide a place where numerous people gather. As actors cross into different zones they MUST ADOPT THAT EMOTION. Rapid crosses provide more interest, even altering every word in a sentence in a different zone adds contrast and excitement. Straddle the zones to combine emotions. ENDOWMENT PARTY - Each player is assigned an emotion on which is TAPED to their back. THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE EMOTION IS. It is up to the other players to get each player to EXPRESS their emotions. Start our subtly then get broader. Actors should move about the stage and occasionally show the audience each emotion. SET UP CHARACTERS IN POSTIONS THAT CAUSE THEM GRIEF ONCE THEY RELAIZE THEIR EMOTION – ex: some assigned “fear of heights” set up washing a window. ONE WORD AT A TIME – Two actors…plus…. Audience provides TOPIC or SCENE. Actors share their dialogue speaking ONE WORD AT A TIME. Build the sentences and ACT OUT THE STORY as it is told. OPTIONS SCENE – (similar to “What comes next?”) Audience provides WHERE or CONFLICT…..Two Actors….begin scene. The teacher will STOP the action and ask the audience for some VITAL PIECE OF INFORMATION FOR THE STORY. The actors will proceed with the scene according to the audience’s suggestions. THINGS TO ASK THE AUDIENCE FOR: words, emotions, secrets, props, physical ailments, genres, etc. RADIO CHANNELS– Each actor represents a certain type of characteristic radio channel. Audience provides radio styles and a TOPIC for a news story. One actor serves as the channel changer – and shifts from station to station. Actors should try to show overlap in stations as they are being tuned in and out….static, etc. TOUCH TO TALK – TOUCH TO SHUT UP - Two and then more actors…. Audience provides SETTING. Actors are ONLY ALLOWED TO TALK DURING THE SCENE WHEN THEY ARE PHYSICALLY TOUCHING EACH OTHER. Build non-verbal communication skills. Only speak for a short while then disengage again and wait for the next touch. The reverse can be played where actors babble and don’t stop talking UNLESS THEY ARE TOUCHING. SUPERHERO – One actor begins. Audience provides an odd type of Superhero character and a Conflict. Actor responds to the conflict in character on his/her own. A 2nd actor joins the scene. Actor 1 immediately greets and NAMES the 2nd actor, providing them with ANOTHER TYPE OF SUPERHERO CHARACTER. The 2nd actor immediately adopts this character and tries to help actor 1 resolve the conflict. A Third actor joins with the 2nd actor naming them and so on. Can be played with any number of actors. Once all have been named they find a reason to exit. Can also be played with ONLY 2 actors at a time – with the 1st actor finding a reason to leave once another actor joins. SURVIVOR – 4 actors. Audience provides action scene, and place. Actors enact active scene 1 minute. Audience votes off one actor – remaining actors re-play the scene, incorporating the missing actor’s “role” to completion. Audience continues to vote off an actor until one actor remains to play all the roles. GOOD, BAD, UGLY – 3 actors. Form a line. Audience provides questions or problems – asking for advice. Actors give GOOD, BAD, and UGLY responses for advice. 
Submitted by: Thalia K, China 11
I planned this trip for May Holiday 2007. We were travelling from our COS conference so this goes Chengdu-Panzhihua-Lijiang. Tiger Leaping Gorge is a great place to go during May or October holiday because most Chinese people don't like to take that high trail. They tend to go to Lijiang and just take a day trip out to the gorge. There are three different options listed here according to the amount of time & money various people had for the trip. For this guide to make the most sense start with "Cheap & Fast" Cheap & Fast Total Days: 5.5 Trail Days: 1.5 (If Hiking the High trail this is Very rushed) "Cheap & Fast" is primarily for people who are out of vacation days & money. It should be pretty self explanatory. The purple hanging over into the next day (for example with the sleeper bus to kunming) means we're in transit and where it stops is when we arrive at our destination. Price estimates are written where applicable. Note: Prices for transportation and lodging are always going up & ATMs are not readily available along the trail--so plan accordingly. Trail Tips: - You can store your extra luggage in Qiaotou at Jane's guesthouse and just take a day pack with you on the trail. (5¥ per bag unless you stayed there overnight) Pick up a free map of the trail while you're there, it shows the locations of most of the guesthouses along the way. - We hiked the high trail, the most difficult trail. There is also a middle trail, and the lower trail where tour buses take Chinese tourist to the middle of the gorge to see "Tiger Leaping Rock" and then they go home. Tons of info available about the trail in Lonely Planet and online. - For the less hard core among us - you can ride a horse up the hardest part (28 bends) for 100¥--arrange the horse at Naxi Guesthouse. Or ride a horse all the way up from Qiaotou to Bendiwan for 200¥ (off season may be cheaper) - The taxi from Walnut Garden back to Qiaotou price depends on how many people are returning at the same time as you. The manager at Woody's was able to help us make arrangements to come back. Choosing the right Train - I chose the ones that I would want based on the times and duration of the trip. To see all your train options from Kunming check online. Note: Train numbers are subject to change (faster trains may be built!) So stay up-to-date with Lieche-China Train Schedules [Need to be able to read & type a minimal amount of Hanzi to use this website] Zhongdian Extension Total Days: ~8 (Train back) Trail Days: 2.5 (Very chill) Zhongdian (Shangrila) Days: 2 If you do this during May or October holiday it only requires 2 annual leave days. "Zhongdian extension" basically starts off the same as the first one. The hike out at the Gorge can also easily be extended for the additional days if you want to go off the beaten track a bit, hike some really hard core trails (guides are available), or explore some of the Naxi villages in the area. High Rollin' Total Days: 8.5 days (Max) Finally, there's the option to fly. There are many many flights connecting Kunming to the other cities. Saves you a day on either end so you could spend an extra day in Lijiang, along the trail, in Zhongdian, or Kunming. The catch is that during the holiday season there are no discounts on tickets. Full price one way from Kunming to Chongqing was 800¥. If you don't want to even bother with the sleeper bus to Kunming, it's about 1100¥ to fly directly out of Lijiang. Here's a website where you can search for flights connecting any two airports: http://travel.airwise.com/schedules/index.html (can't book flights through this site, good reference to use before contacting a travel agent)
check out this website for cheap airfares from the us-china. I found a bunch of flights lower than $1000 from detroit to beijing. I tried a bunch of different dates, too--Christmas, Spring Festival--and i still got cheap results.
Trying to decide whether or not to lug 40lbs of books and teaching resources with you to China? Read this first!
There is an incredibly handy (possibly indispensable) library for us volunteers located on the top floor of our PC office in Chengdu. What's available: - Teaching resources: Never taught before? Need ideas for activities? Ohmigod I have to teach Pronunciation/Writing/Literature--Now what?! Look no further. - Language learning resources: Continue expanding your Chinese vocabulary after PST is over, prep for the HSK (What's the HSK?) - Recommended books from current and past volunteers: Get a healthy dose of Chinese culture, history, and perspective with books like "The Geography of Thought" and "Red Star over China" Guaranteed to be more helpful than "River Town" (no offense to all you Hessler fans, we all read it too) - "Bubblegum for the brain": Murder mysteries and romance novels and other such fluff, for the off chance that you weren't able to get something better from your sitemate. You can check out books there, put them in your mailbox, and have them sent directly to your site, or if you know exactly what you want and don't need to browse you can send an email to Liang Ning (nliang@cn.peacecorps.gov) with a request to have the books sent to you. Just remember, you will have to return them to Chengdu before your service is over! Gregory S, China 11 (with the help of the IRC Committee) has put together an online listing of what's available at http://chinairc.blogspot.com (See also "Links" on the right hand side of this livejournal site) Here's what's available at his site - Reviews of certain books by your very own fellow volunteers (currently there aren't many of them! Please submit more if you have them!!) - Links to Recent Additions to the library (2005, 2006) - Link to the comprehensive list of what's available in the IRC - VERY LONG
If you're currently viewing this in China, then you clearly already know how to use a proxy. If you're planning on coming to China soon, you might jot the following down now...
http://www.anonymouse.org - Allows you to view sites like Livejournal, Wikipedia, BBC, Blogger. A pesky ad floats around on each screen, but can be closed without interrupting anything. http://www.iphide.com - Allows you to view & SIGN IN to sites. Essential if you want to leave comments or make posts in Lj. Has very annoying advertisement page that pops up every time you want to navigate to next page and you have to click "Continue Browsing" to do just that. Naturally, there are other proxys out there, including some that you download, and these are typically ad free. If you know any good ones (i.e. that don't slow your internet speed to a coma...) feel free to comment. A tip about Downloading files from this site... Currently, Box.net is not blocked by the firewall. So here's a tip if you have encountered difficulties downloading files via the proxies. 1. Right Click on the download link and select "Copy Link Location" 2. Open a new browser window, or just paste the link into current address bar 3. It should look something like this: http://www.iphide.org/ads.php/010100A/http/www.box.net/public/pm0ko3m2rh OR http://anonymouse.org/cgi-bin/anon-www.cgi/http://www.box.net/shared/trm5e34arx 4. Now delete the "proxy" part of the address and you'll be left with the original site like this: www.box.net/public/pm0ko3m2rh OR http://www.box.net/shared/trm5e34arx 5. Hit Go, Enter... and continue as normal
Hey friends, I've been digging for resources so that I can teach about Earth day, and here are some sources that I've found. (Forgive me if my links are funky, LJ being blocked has messed up the rich-text editor)
The Earth Day website. There are ideas about how to take action, and there is also a section for educators with lesson plans, games, etc. Earth day network . This site has some of the same things, lesson plans, news articles, etc. The Science Spot. Lots of lessons and activities about biodiversity. Indiana Department of Environmental Management. Lesson plans, activities, and even coloring books (who doesn't like to color?) Earth 911. This is a GREAT site with tons of useful information, especially about alternative types of recycling (like batteries, motor oil, etc) that our students have probably never heard of. EPA website. News and basic information about global warming and how people can make changes to improve the Earth. Info about Endangered Animals. This is a good site because it lists animals around Asia that are endangered, which can make this more relavent for students. More about Animals and habitat destruction. This site is designed for kids, but I think it's good for our students because the language is relatively simple and most of the difficult terms are defined in context. This is mostly about endangered marine animals. Happy Teaching:) Edited to add: International Earth day is actually March 21st. But I missed the boat. No harm in celebrating twice :)
Devon V.
Lanzhou, Gansu Lesson – Environmental Issues Level – low to intermediate Duration – 100 minute class period Course – Oral English Class size – designed for about 50 students Materials – vocabulary and text excerpts (see below) Objectives: SWBAT understand and use difficult environmental vocabulary correctly. SWBAT learn about environmental issues facing China in particular. SWBAT compare/contrast the US and China’s approaches to dealing with environment. SWBAT understand interconnectedness of world environment issues. Warm-up: In partners, students describe the environments in their hometowns. Have some students share with the class. Presentation: Introduce new vocab. Environment Vocabulary environment: all of the parts (air, soil, climate, living things) that create a natural community resource: something used to support life rain forest: a tropical forest having lots of rainfall and evergreen trees that create a natural canopy pollution (air, water, light, noise): natural parts of the environment that are made impure deforestation: cutting down trees global warming: the process of the earth warming as a result of greenhouse gas emissions greenhouse effect: the process of the earth warming as a result of greenhouse gas emissions desertification: the expansion of deserts (dry land with few plants and little rainfall) soil: the upper layer of land in which plants grow erosion: when soil is gradually diminished by wind or water recycle: to reuse something that might be considered trash conservation: to protect, to preserve, the planned management of natural resources organism: any living thing, plant or animal extinction: a plant or animal species that no longer exists species: a biological group having common characteristics that is able to breed within itself but not with other groups endangered species: a biological group in danger of becoming extinct habitat: the place in which a plant or animal naturally occurs population: the organisms living in a particular area climate: the average weather in a particular place drought: a long period of dry weather flood: a large amount of water over land sustainable development: development that does not harm the environment or rely on outside resources to reproduce itself (certain agricultural techniques) litter: garbage (rubbish) that is not disposed of in the proper place Brief lecture: Problems in environment. What do you know about environmental problems in China? Elicit responses from students. Encourage students to use new vocabulary. Practice: Bingo with environment vocab. Students make own Bingo card. 4 Corners reading activity with Starr excerpts. Numbered Heads Together. Students in groups of 4. Each student has number. After meeting in initial group, each student must go to particular corner of room to learn about his/her enviro problem. Students in each corner must try to help each other understand reading passage. I will also walk around and help. Stress that students need to understand main idea, not every detail. Then student must return to group and report back. Text 1 Land/Deforestation China has a serious shortage of land that can be used for agriculture. Farmland is daily destroyed and used for road, factories, and other features of development. Farmland is also being lost to industrialization. Wood supplies four-fifths of the energy used for cooking and heating in the countryside, and this has resulted in the deforestation of nearly 300 million acres of land over the last 40 years. With the loss of trees, 16 million acres have been lost to desertification since 1949 and another 40 million acres are in danger. Text 2 Air pollution Air pollution is an especially serious problem in China: 16 of the worlds 20 most polluted cities are in China. The air in 90 percent of China’s cities does not meet Chinese government clean-air standards, which are not as strict as Western standards. Beijing air is 16 times more polluted than New York City air. The main cause of air pollution is the burning of coal, which accounts for ¾ of the energy used. Dust from wind in desert regions of the northwest also contribute to urban air pollution. Automobile exhaust is contributing more to air pollution. In 1994, the government decided to make the automobile industry a primary force in the next stage of economic development and plans to build 3 million new automobiles every year. This would pollute the air, destroy more farmland, use up China’s oil supply, and make urban areas even more crowded. Text 3 Greenhouse gases China is currently the world’s fourth largest producer of greenhouse gases. It produces about 700 million metric tons every year. China’s rate of economic development causes an increase of about 6% per year in energy use. At this rate, China will exceed the United States, which is currently the largest producer of greenhouse gases, by the early years of the 21st century and will reach three times the current US level of production by 2025. Text 4 Water China’s water consumption has increased fivefold in the past 20 years. Because water is supplied free of charge to urban residents, there is no incentive to conserve it. Yet the water supply in China is neither adequate nor evenly distributed. Southern China has ¾ of the country’s water supply, while northern China has a serious water shortage. More than half of China’s cities currently have a water shortage. Not only is the water supply inadequate, but the quality of water is rapidly deteriorating. In 1995, factories and cities in China dumped 36.5 billion tons of sewage and industrial wastewater into rivers and coastal water. Half of China’s major waterways are polluted, and 90% of the water flowing through China’s major cities is undrinkable. Production: What was reading about? What did you learn? Class discussion. How has China responded to environmental problems? Elicit what students know. Read Starr excerpt about the Chinese government’s response. How has US responded? (first, grassroots response, which inspired government legislation, then inspired cooperation on international level [Earth Summits, Kyoto protocols], grassroots environmental movements still very strong in US). Compare/contrast Chinese and US responses to environmental problems. Reflection: What did you learn? Have students write reflection. Share with class.
Hello!
My name is Shelby and I'm 16 years old. Going into the Peace Corps has been a lifelong dream of mine, and after a year of Japanese (this is relatively useless for China, I know, but I figured I'd mention it anyways), I've started studying Mandarin with the hope of someday having a good chance of getting into the China program. Actually, that's my question -- What can I do to increase my likelihood of someday getting accepted into the China program of the PC? and What are the educational requirements to get into the program itself? I'm actually in an early college program right now so when I graduate in two years I'll be graduating with my AA -- however, I'm assuming that is definitely not enough educational background for the PC so I'll probably spend a couple years at University studying in....well, East Asian studies and Mandarin I suppose, but I'd love to hear what the volunteers who can get past The Great Firewall Of China™ would suggest. 8) Again, yes, I'm quite young, but Mandarin is beautiful and I'd love to get as ahead as I possibly can! I'll be spending a few weeks in Hong Kong in 2008 (where unfortunately, any Mandarin I learn will be useless, but oh well!) with a close friend and her family. I am definitely in love with the idea of challenging myself to study the language and using my Laowai Power™ to try and make it out alive in the country, so any help at all would be a blessing. The FAQ is absolutely amazing and a great resource, by the way! 谢谢! ♥ - Shelby (smapsu@gmail.com is my email if there are any China PC volunteers who prefer that or wouldn't mind exchanging emails - I would love to hear about your experiences, discuss Chinese history/culture, whatever! Drop me a line. 8Dv)
1. Did you feel the training the PC gave prepared you?</b>
I was already trained as a teacher, having recieved a degree in secondary ed, so most of the technical "How to be a good teacher" training sessions were boring and not helpful for me. I feel like we should have had more training in terms of how to actually teach someone a second language, because I had never done TEFL work before. I didn't know where to start or even what to teach--I still don't know what I'm doing sometimes, but I think I'm doing ok now. 2. Did you start studying Chinese before you went? How was language training? How have your language skills come along? I studied Chinese a little bit before I came, I used a site called Chinesepod.com. I knew some of the very basics of the language, so I didn't feel so overwhelmed when I got here. Language training is INTENSE. We had class every day for 4 hours, and we covered everything from buying bus/plane/train tickets to ordering food to what to do in an emergency. You won't be fluent by any means, but you'll be able to survive. Right now, my language skills are lacking, but I'm trying hard to improve. 3. What type of classes do you teach? How many day’s a week do you teach? How many classes? How long are the classes? These questions will vary from school to school, province to province. Right now, I only teach Oral English, which, for me, is more or less an informal conversation/culture class. I teach 8 classes--6 sections for junior non-English majors and 2 classes of Freshman English majors. I teach 4 days a week and I teach a total of 16 hours a week. Each class is 2 hours, which I think is fairly standard accross China, but I could be wrong about that. 4. How professional do you dress? Are khaki pants and collared shirts good enough? Anything on the packing list that you wouldn’t have brought looking back now? Anything you wish you would have brought? I dress professionally whenever I'm teaching. Again, I have a degree in education, so it has always been made clear to me that you need to look the part of a teacher--plus, many of your students will be close in age to you, so the more you look and act like an authority, the better off you'll be (but that's just how I feel, other volunteers may disagree). Khakis and polo shirts are fine. I occasionally wear skirts and trousers, but NEVER jeans or sneakers. I don't remember the packing list, to be honest, but I wish that I had brought an Ipod with me. Also, deodorant and razors are hard to find here, and it's nearly impossible to get tampons (unless you're in a more urban area, but even then, you might not have any luck), so you might want to bring a 6 month supply of those things and any other personal care item that you can't live without for 2 years. Sorry if that's TMI :) You can always have things sent to you as well, so if you want to save room and NOT bring a 6 month supply, just have things sent. 5. I plan on bringing my laptop, is that a good idea? Are adapters for electronics easily available to find in country? It's fine to bring a laptop, many volunteers bring theirs. I can't answer your questions about finding electronics because I don't have a laptop. your best bet would be to go to the store where you got your computer and explain that you're coming to China. I'm sure they can help you get the supplies you need, and once you arrive in country, I'm sure your Chinese colleagues will know how to help you find tech supplies. Also, not to scare you, but you need to prepare for the possibility that your laptop may crash while you're here (I know of at least 3 volunteers that have had this happen, and it wasn't because of viruses), so be prepared with insurance/warranties, or whatever. 6. I plan on bringing my own money with me (travel money when the time comes) What’s the best way to bring money to China? Should I bring traveler checks or are ATM machines easy to find/use? You don't really need to bring any American cash with you, though you will probably have some cash on hand when you get here--at Staging, you get about $160 to cover your meals in San Francisco and to cover any travel expenses you might have incurred in transit to San Fransisco, and unless you plan to drink yourself silly or have gourmet meals at 5-star restaurants at staging, you'll probably have $80 or more when you get to China. ATMs are everywhere. I think that my US bank charges me about $3 everytime I use an ATM here, so I only use the ATM when I'm going to pay for a big trip. Every ATM that I have ever used has had an English option, and you always get a reciept, so they're very easy to use. 7. How cold did it get at your site in the winter? How hot was it in the summer in Chengdu? I live and work in Lanzhou, Gansu, and it can get into the low teens during the winter. It rarely snows here, but when it does, I've never seen any salt trucks or plows, so it can get icy and a little treacherous when you need to get around. Gansu is the only PC province where volunteers have central heat, so everywhere else, you gotta layer, use space heaters, and electric blankets. Chengdu was unbearable in the summer, at least for me. It was suana-like, very hot and humid. According to some of the Chengdu locals, it was the hottest summer in 30 years.
I'm a recent invitee, which I guess means I'll be a China 13 come June.
I've been a bit slow about contacting the current China volunteers, but I know I just e-mailed about half of the current volunteers this morning (you know who you are) to thank you for answering Danny's questions so well. Someone suggested I poke my nose in here, so here I am. I'm a current Master's student in political science/international relations, though I'm currently wrestling with my thesis and God only knows if I'll have it done before I leave. Other than that, I have a BA in history, and I specialized in Asian history. I spent the last couple of years as a teaching assistant and doing minor mentoring/tutoring, though I don't have any formal teaching experience. Formally teaching a large group of students intimidates the heck out of me! THANK YOU for being so forthcoming with information, and for being so welcoming. I can't believe how warm the reception's been so far; everybody I've contacted has said that they're excited about meeting the new group of people coming in, and I assure you, I can't wait to meet all of you either. At this point, I really don't know what to ask anymore, since I think about all of my questions have been answered except for some minor silly ones (and I mean really minor and silly, but everything more important has been addressed in at LEAST one venue, if not six or seven!) Here goes: Does anybody know what on earth the EKG is for? I can see the logic for the rest of the tests, but the EKG just leaves me baffled, and I've been curious ever since I got the form. :) What's the deal with the passport and visa? Do they ever tell you if it went through or not, or is it just okay unless it isn't? I know we're supposed to have something conservative and formal for swearing in - what sort of standards would you suggest? Alright, that's it. I'm sure I'll come up with something much more important and pertinent to ask about at some point, but it's more likely to be in the car or doing something similarly worthless and far away from a computer.
From J.C.
hey all. i just recently received my invitation to serve in china and i was wondering if you could help me prepare. was there anything you wished you would have brought? or anything you brought that proved to be hopelessly worthless? what material did you bring/prepare that has proved to be quite useful in your classroom and teaching? anything you wished you did in those few months prior to your departure that would have been clutch help? or anything you did that proved to be bonus? My response Bring an Ipod, razors, and deodorant. Razors and deodorant are expensive and hard to find here. I also brought a some teaching materials, like grammar books, and I've barely touched them. PC has LOTS of materials for you to use, so unless you're particularly attached to the newest edition of the MLA guidebook, leave it at home. Two things that might help you: do a little research on Chinese culture and history, and look into studying Chinese. I felt like an absolute idiot when I came here when other volunteers would talk about the cultural revolution and things like that. Part of it was because I really had no interest in coming to China, so I didn't read up on this place. But I wish I had. Also, look into chinesepod.com for free Chinese lessons. Don't stress yourself out too much, because you will get an intense 2 month crash course when you get to China, but I felt much more at ease because of my study. I wasn't fluent by any means, but I knew a little bit, and it helped me tremendously. Finally, there are several yahoo groups about the Peace Corps, and even one that is dedicated to China, so you can always check that out for more information. Also, check out http://community.livejournal.com/pc_china/profile for more information, lesson plans, and packing tips. From Z.D. 1) What are your relationships like with members of the local community versus the campus community? Is there much interaction with the local community and if so, what kind? My interaction with the community is slightly limited since my language skills aren't that great, but many of the people/teachers know me and will say hello to me. I've established myself as a regular at many of the campus restaurants to the point where i don't even need to tell the waitress what i want, she just knows. I live and work in Lanzhou, which is a huge city, so outside of my campus, I don't have much interaction in the community. In smaller cities, volunteers have more interaction in the community, but it's a little more difficult in big cities. 2) What do you wish you would have known before going? I wish I had known more about Chinese culture before I came here. I knew next to nothing about this place before I got here, and I felt really dumb compared to the other volunteers. 3) How do you get involved with students, colleagues, local community members outside of class? I've found that my students are really friendly and interested in me. My students invite me to dinner and to play basketball, and I invite them to come over and watch movies or to cook together. I've been invited to visit the hometowns of some students, but due to scheduling problems, I haven't been able to yet. But one of these days.... I do the same with my colleagues, they invite me out, I invite them out, and I also observe classes so that I can give advice and feedback on their teaching. 4)What is your favorite part of the program? The freedom to teach pretty much whatever I want to (but not every volunteer has so much freedom), the interaction with my students, the opportunity to travel around China, and the other volunteers. The China 13s that you meet are going to become your best friends, without a doubt, and you're going to wonder where they've been your entire life. 5)Your least favorite part? I sometimes feel frustrated by some of the policies of Peace Corps. I also get frustrated with my illiteracy and inability to communicate with more people, but it's mostly my own fault for not trying harder to learn Chinese.
The following is an exchange between V.F. a China 13 and myself, K.H., China 12
VF are office supplies readily available?! also, what is the teaching like there?? i understand that it's "rigid" (which is gonna be tough for me...i sit cross-legged on a table and occasionally drop a minor swear word from time to time), but how much say do we get in our lesson planning? also, how much say do we get in our subject area (speech, writing, reading, etc.)?? KH Response yeah, office supplies are readily available, though it's hard to find GOOD pens, ones that last longer then 3 weeks. Teaching varies by school and province. At my school, I'm pretty informal with my students, though I still dress up and look the part of a teacher. Dress can be relatively casual, but I always wear slacks and a blouse--never jeans or sneakers. Other volunteers aren't as formal as I am, but I feel more like a teacher when I dress the part, you know? plus, it puts me in position as an authority figure. I never swear in front of my students. I make up all of my own lesson plans. There's a book that i'm probably supposed to follow, but I've never touched it. In terms of class type, you may not get much say...at least I don't, though I'm hoping to change that. I have loads of freedom in my classes, but other volunteers are watched much more closely. Depends on the school and the province. VF HOORAY for not having to worry about office supplies!! I have a mad stash of notecards, markers, highlighters, etc. and was worried about finding the luggage room. Now I shall focus only on pens. And deodorant!! Is it true they don't sell deodorant there!? Good Christ in Heaven, that shall take some adapting to..... I'm glad to hear we have some freedom in what we teach and that we can be fairly informal. While swearing won't be a problem, I have a hard time seeing myself as rigid. haha, as with the swearing, I think I can refrain and adapt to respectable students quite well. In fact, I'm thrilled about it. Chinese students sound like a fairy tale. As far as dress code, I think I'll follow your lead. I cannot see teaching in informal attire; I sometimes feel way too young and immature to be a teacher, so professional clothing helps serve as a reminder. (Random question alert:) What do you suggest in the way of shoes?! The list the PC Welcome Book provides suggests like 6 pairs (sneakers, teaching shoes, sturdy sandals, waterproof hiking boots, dress shoes, kick around shoes) which seems like a lot, although I see the value to all of them. What do you find the most useful? Also, they say "baking pans and measuring cups"...is that actually recommended, or can I get them relatively cheap in country? I'm trying to fit everything into a backpacker's pack and I'm starting to foresee problems.... Aside from that, I'd love to hear more about your experiences!! What do you teach, for example? And what are the highs/lows? What do you do for fun? Have you made friends with many locals/other volunteers? KH response You might want to bring the notecards with you, as well as post-it brand post-its. Notecards might come in handy for studying Chinese. You can get sticky notes here, but they're...not very sticky. otherwise, leave office supplies at home. Deodorant and razor blades are hard to find, and when you DO find them, they're expensive. Oh, and if you're partial to a specific brand of "feminine product", you might want to consider bringing a bunch with you or getting regular shipments of them. Sorry if that's TMI, but as a woman, I think it's worth knowing. Yeah, don't be rigid, it's no fun. I regularly joke with and laugh with my students. My running joke is that I'm trying to find a Chinese husband, and every time I mention that, they all burst into laughter. Chinese students really are a teacher's dream, at least mine are. Other volunteers have told me stories about difficult students. Ahhh....shoes. you'll want at least one pair of shoes that are on the nicer side for teaching during training (you'll probably have a model school exercise where you'll teach an actual class for three weeks). you'll also have a nice, rather formal (not prom dress formal, but skirt formal) swear-in ceremony, so a pair for that (could be the same as your teaching shoes). and then a pair of sandels and maybe a pair of sneakers. during trining, you can get away with maybe 4 pair. you can always have things shipped to you. PC doesn't like flip flops, but you can bring them anyway and wear them when you're not at a training event. Um...I haven't found baking supplies, but then, I haven't looked hard for them. I belong to the "just eyeball it, it'll taste better" school of cooking. Again, those are things that you can have sent to you once you find out what your permanent address will be. What I reccomend, to save space during packing, put aside things that you won't need right away and arrange to have those things shipped once you get your address. don't bring a winter coat or tons of warm clothes. Chengdu is a SAUNA in the summer, so you won't need those things. Bring ONE sweatshirt or light jacket, just in case. Pack mostly lightweight, summer clothes...careful with tank tops and shorts, make sure they're not too revealing. China's rather conservative. Don't bring lots of office supplies, have them shipped. you won't need baking stuff during training, have that stuff shipped. beauty/cosmetic/hygeine products you can't live without? bring a 6 month supply, then get stuff shipped. Airmail is expensive but it takes 7-10 days. ground shipping is cheaper, but it takes 8 weeks or more. I teach oral English, which, for me, I've turned into a culture/informal conversation class. I like my students a lot, and they're really sweet. I have A LOT of freedom in terms of which topics i use in my class. For example, we've been talking about gender and identity and i'm going to wrap that up by showing "The Breakfast Club" next week. Then I'm going to talk about the environment and hopefully present an environmental education lecture around Earth Day. then i'll show "An Inconvienient Truth." The volunteers you meet and interact with are going to become your best friends, for real. In Lanzhou, there are about 13 of us, and I'm close to all of them. We go to clubs, we hang out and watch movies....lots of things. I've made friends with many locals, as well. some of my students have become my close friends, and I have good relationships with my colleagues and other foreign teachers.
ESLnotes.com
Check out this site for comprehensive guides to many movies. Each guide includes: * a summary of the plot * a list of the major characters * an extensive glossary of vocabulary and various cultural references that even advanced ESL learners would often not understand * questions for ESL class discussion And the most amazing part is, that it's all free and available in multiple formats for downloading and printing out! Submitted by: Kay S (Guiyang, Guizhou)
Submitted by: Kay S (Guiyang, Guizhou)
Materials Needed: Powerpoint, printout Vocabulary handout, HIV Awareness quiz (Download handouts here) (Download Powerpoint Presentation here) This is a compilation of vocab (English & Chinese!), questionnaire with answerkey, assignment and powerpoint presentation. The presentation is very detailed including informative slides that deal with AIDS orphans, Human Rights, and some current research. Additional Credits: Jon W., Guizhou China 10 - The questionnaire & risk activity Derek K. & Thalia K., Chongqing China 11 - Some of the powerpoint slides Mike L., Guizhou China 11 - Photos and quotes from famous Chinese in the media
Hey, thought I'd spread the word about a site I used to find a cheap flight home. www.mobissimo.com. It's a search engine that searches a bunch of other travel sites to find deals for you. I found a roundtrip deal, Beijing-Detroit for $805-ish dollars.
My name is D. C. I'd be grateful if anyone/everyone can answer, or provide any useful information for me to know before departure. I'm sure you're all very busy with your service, so thanks for your time!
Hey D, Welcome to the PC-China family!! I'll do my best to answer your questions, but do keep in mind that everyone's experience is different, so what I say is going to be different from what someone else says. -What do you wish you had known/packed/prepared for before you left for China? I wish I had known more about China, Chinese history, and Chinese culture. I felt really stupid when other volunteers would talk about things like the Cultural Revolution and I wouldn't know what to say. I barely knew who Mao was. Part of my ignorance stems from me not wanting to come to Asia at all with the PC, so I didn't do much reasearch. But now that I'm here, I love it:) -What were the most useful things you did to prepare yourself? What didn't turn out to be so useful when you got to China? The most useful thing I did was to try and learn a little bit of the language. I wasn't fluent by any means, but I knew a little bit about the tones, I knew a few words, and I found that to be helpful. Check out chinesepod.com for free lessons. Don't stress about the language, though, because you'll get a pretty intense crash course when you first get here. Oh, you can also learn about Gansu, Guizhou, Sichuan, and Chongqing, the 4 provinces where volunteers live and work. You somewhat have a say in which province you'll go. -Of the things that you packed, what were you very glad to have with you? What could you have done without? Deodorant is hard to find here, and when you find it, it's expensive. Same goes for razors/blades. An Ipod is good to have as well. -I know that I'm supposed to boil/filter/purify all drinking water. Are there other food health concerns, like getting sick from vegetables grown with impure water, etc? Yeah, you have a pretty good chance of catching some kind of parasite from the food here. Many volunteers DO get sick, but really, when you buy your own fruits and veggies, as long as you clean them and cook them really well, you shouldn't have any problems. Catching parasites is common throughout the PC world, not just China. -Is it worth the time and effort to learn Chinese writing? Pinyin? Are a lot of things accompanied by English translations (storefronts, signs, etc)? This is a tough question to answer. You can get by without knowing the characters, but I feel incredibly ignorant and illiterate because I can't read. It's HARD to learn characters--I only know a handful of them. It would be useful to know them when you go to restaurants and whatnot so you can actually read a menu, but even if you can't read a menu, you'll quickly learn the names of your favorite foods. -I will be living in a city, but I'm unsure of urban Chinese standards of living, and don't want to bring anything that would hinder my assimilation into the community. Would it make sense to have a cell phone? Laptop? Anything else high-tech? You won't necessarily be living in a HUGE city. Some volunteers live in places with a population of 500,000--relatively big by US standards, but tiny in China. Many volunteers bring high-tech toys, and really, I don't see a problem with it. Your apartment will (most likey) have internet access, and your school might even give you a computer to use. Some volunteers brought cell phones, too, and they can come in handy in an emergency. As long as you have the kind that uses Sim cards (I don't have any idea what that means). Those things could hinder assimilation, but it mostly depends on you and your attitude whether or not you're going to integrate into your community. -To follow the last question, to what extent do you think assimilation is possible in Chinese culture? Do you think you will be treated as an outsider even after being in-country for a year or more? Do you have any advice on how to make assimilation easier, or how to cope with being an outsider? Like I said up there, assimilation, or integration as PC calls it, depends on the person. It depends on how much effort you put into getting to know your community, your collegues and your students. No matter how long you stay in China, you're still going to get some unwanted attention from people as you walk down the street--people who shout 'hello' at you in a not so pleasant way. I've been here 8 months, and I still feel like an outsider, sometimes. To cope, you just have to ignore it--ignore the staring and the 'hello's'. That's where an Ipod comes in handy. -My family is worried about communication. How do you commonly communicate with people back home? Even if you don't have internet in your apartment, there are internet bars EVERYWHERE, so e-mailing is easy. Also, many of us use Skype, which is a free program to download, and it lets you make phone calls from computer to computer for free. All you need are some speakers and a microphone and you're set. -What would you say are the greatest challenges about living in China? Any keys to success you would share? Hmm. I think one of the hardest things about China is that you don't always have the American convieniences at your fingertips. If I need something, I can't just hop into my car and go to the store and get it. Another challenge is knowing that so much happens back home, that life is going on without you. After I had been here 3 months, 3 people died, and I wasn't really close to any of them, but it still made me sad. I have a lot of success stories, and many of them are due to the friendships and support that I have from the other volunteers. You're going to make some fantastic, life-long friends because of this experience.
Submitted by: Ben H (Lanzhou, Gansu)
Materials Needed: Powerpoint, packet of readings (available in PC office-IRC) This is a complete first semester curriculum for teaching British Literature from someone who knows his stuff. Download all powerpoint slides here. Keep in mind this course is designed for advanced students with admirable English abilities. First class Beowulf and English ballads Chaucer Eliz:Shakes(peare) Genre, pastoral and review Humanism Milton Pt. 1 Milton Pt. 2 Donne:metaphysical 1 Defoe and Crusoe Gulliver, Richardson and the Birth of the novel Restoration Rape of the lock *Second Semester Curriculum will be available at the end of this Spring* 
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