Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Michael Jackson the Blind Grey Bat

This is a story that I use to preteach vocabulary which my students need to understand a song that I use often in class.  I'll not give you the title of the song, an old classic, older than Michael Jackson.  Let's see if you can figure it out.  

There was a blind bat.  He wasn't black and he wasn't white.  He was grey.  So his name was Michael Jackson.

Michael Jackson, the blind grey bat, lived in Alaska.  He had a big problem.  In Alaska it snows every day and the cold wind blows.  In Alaska there are not a lot of insects.  Bats eat insects.  Michael Jackson, the blind grey bat, was a very hungry bat.

So Michael Jackson, the blind grey bat, decided to break away.  He flew to the ranch of Michael Jackson the singer in California.  

In California it doesn't snow and the wind doesn't blow.  It isn't cold in California.  There are a lot of insects in California.

Michael Jackson, the blind grey bat is no longer hungry.  Now he is a fat blind grey bat.   


*     *     *
This story is easy to circle and you can get in a lot of repetitions.  It's good for weak students or beginners.  It's possible to use the present tense throughout the story if you prefer. I explain to my French students that "blind as a bat" is an expression that corresponds to "myope comme une taupe."  I also point out that any verb followed by "away" is likely to mean partir.  So they are able to grasp the idea that to break away would imply a kind of rupture with the past.  And they often use the French expression se casser to translate it.

Sunday, February 3, 2013

New Year's Eve and the Yellow Ferrari

This story was made up by my class of adult beginners.  It's based on Anne Matava's "Who's paying?"


It’s New Year’s Eve.  Gerald and Frank go to Le Tal Toul. They go on foot, slowly.  Gerald wants six bottles of champagne. One bottle costs 46.32 euros.  Six bottles cost 277 euros and ninety-two cents.  Laura asks, “Who’s paying?”  

Gerald says, “I’m not paying!”  
Frank says, “I’m not paying!”  
No one pays.  Laura says, “Get out!”

Gerald and Frank go to Le Ranch in Aiguillon.  They go on foot, very slowly. At Le Ranch Frank orders six bottles of Veuve Cliquot champagne. One bottle costs 125.05 euros.  Six bottles cost seven hundred and fifty euros and thirty cents.  The manager asks, “Who’s paying?”  

“I’m not paying,” says Gerald.  
“I’m not paying,” says Frank. 
No one pays.  The manager says, “Get out!”

Frank and Gerald walk. They go on foot, very very slowly.  Angelina Jolie sees them.  She drives a yellow Ferrari. She stops and smiles at Frank.  She says, “Get in.”

There are only two seats in a Ferrari.  Gerald is in the trunk.

They go to Bordeaux.  They go by car and they go very quickly.  They go to the Grand Théatre.  Gerald orders six bottles of Dom Ruinart Rosé 1996. One bottle costs 204 euros.  Six bottles cost one thousand two hundred and twenty-four euros.  The barman asks, “Who’s paying?” 

Frank says, “I’m not paying.”  
Gerald says, “I’m not paying.”  
“I’m paying,” says Angelina Jolie. 

The champagne is very good.  Happy New Year!