Comprehension : Maggie Simpson in “The Longest Daycare”

Maggie Simpson in “The Longest Daycare” 

VOCABULARY

BOW:    bow.png

DAYCARE: a place, program, or organization that takes care of children or sick adults during the day usually while their family members are at work.

SCREENING: the testing or examining of a large number of people or things for disease, faults, etc.

PROBING: to ask a lot of questions in order to find secret or hidden information about someone or something.

LOUSE (Plural => LICE): a type of small insect that lives on the bodies of people or animals.

CHILD SEAT: sense-of-touch-clipart-clipart-panda-free-clipart-images-y0mofy-clipart.png

TODDLER: a child who has only recently learnt to walk.

Watch the video then answer the following questions:

  1. Before entering, Maggie tried to catch:
    – a ladybug
    – a butterfly
    – a dragonfly
  2. Marge has left Maggie at the daycare. How was she feeling in that moment:
    – scared
    – happy
    – bored
  3. What did Maggie leave in the box?
    – a ball, a set of keys, and a pacifier.
    – a set of keys, a doll, and a pencil.
    – a set of keys, a pacifier, and a blue bow.
  4. Did Maggie end up in the gifted area?
    – Yes, she did.
    – No, she didn’t.
  5. Maggie tried to get some paints, what colours did she get?
    – yellow and black
    – brown and white
    – grey and black
  6. Another toddler scared her. He was hitting butterflies with
    – a box
    – a hammer
    – his hand
  7. Maggie tried to save:
    – a warm
    – a snake
    – a caterpillar
  8. The scary child was chasing Maggie. What did stop him at first?
    – a teacher
    – a toy train
    – an animal
  9. What did Maggie try to do right after that?
    – to use the telephone
    – to hide from the scary child
    – to hit the other child
  10. In the room full of children on their walkers, what did Maggy break?
    – a window
    – a balloon
    – a vase
  11. Who was playing the drums?
    – a child
    – a bear
    – a monkey
  12. How did Maggie manage to save the butterfly?
    – she put the butterfly in her pocket
    – she swapped the butterfly with her blue bow.
    – she threw the butterfly out of the window

PDF version: maggie-simpson-in-the-longest-daycare-comprehension-free-english-materials-for-you

Answers: maggie-simpson-in-the-longest-daycare-answers

“Stranger in Brașov”- Video with quiz

VOCABULARY:

Lonesome, lonely: sad from being apart from other people.

To set off: to begin a journey

Cement: a soft gray powder that is mixed with water and other substances to make concrete.cement.jpg

To grin: to smile widely.

Cozy: small, comfortable, and warm.

Crochet throws: crochet throws.jpg

To wolf down: (slang) to eat something very rapidly and in very large pieces.

To slip: to move quietly and cautiously.

Feast: a special meal with large amounts of food and drink.

Profusely: given, produced, or existing in large amounts.

Array: a large number, as of persons or objects.

Sinking: anxious.

To stiffen: to become physically tense.

Hasty: done or made very quickly.

Watch the video and answer the questions below:

1.Where did the story take place?
2. How did the old lady receive her unexpected guest?
3. The protagonist met a little girl, who did she think she was?
4. What did they watch on TV?
5. Why did the old woman slip out?
6. What did the old woman cook?
7. How did they communicate?
8. When did the guest understand that they were not her friend’s relatives?
9. What did she do to get out of that embarrassing situation?
10. What was the mistake?

Answers:

1. It took place in Brașov, in Romania.
2. The old lady received her guest with a big grin (smile).
3. She thought she was her friend’s sister.
4. They watched soap operas on TV.
5. The old woman went out to buy food.
6. She made soup, meat, and polenta.
7. They communicated with gestures.
8. She understood she made a mistake while looking at pictures. There weren’t pictures of her friend!
9. To get out of that situation, she said that she had previously booked a room in a hotel.
10. She mixed up the numbers. The right apartment number was 98. 

A STRANGER IN BRASOV – VOCABULARY

A STRANGER IN BRASOV – VIDEO, QUESTIONS, AND ANSWERS

Elanguest YouTube Channel

Elanguest has a fantastic YouTube channel where you can find a variety of videos with subtitles.

For instance, this is a video on English vocabulary (topic: hotel). It is perfect for those who are willing to review their vocabulary before going on holidays abroad. In this video, you can read, see, and hear all the most common words related to this topic:

Another video that could come in handy is on shopping vocabulary:

Elanguest’s videos are not only related to English vocabulary. For example, this one is on Active and Passive forms and their uses in English (Grammar):

The topic of the following video is Present simple/continuous:

Learn English Through Stories

I found this channel on YouTube which I think could be extremely useful for beginners and intermediate students.
Besides, you have subtitles on each video which is great ;-).

This is a Level 1 video on London:

 

This is the channel’s link: Stories To Learn English

This is Beauty and the Beast (Level 1):

For more advanced English students, this is a Level 6 video. Pride and Prejudice:

School idioms

A great infographic by Kaplan International Colleges on School idioms:

Kaplan International

Example sentences with these idioms:

  • BOOKWORM
    Margaret rarely leaves the library. She has typical symptoms of a bookworm.
  • TO BRAINSTORM
    Over the next three days, we’ll hear stories of bravery and brainstorm solutions for change.
  • COPYCAT
    She called me a copycat for wearing the same prom dress.
  • HIT THE BOOKS
    I haven’t studied for today’s test yet. Time to hit the books!
  • PASS WITH FLYING COLORS
    As for the exam, I’m pleased to report you passed with flying colors.
  • SKIP CLASS
    Are you going to skip class and go to the beach?
  • DROPOUT
    “Why don’t we see Joanne Red at school anymore?”
    “Oh, she’s a dropout, she left high school last week.”
  • TEACHER’S PET
    Marcus is a teacher’s pet. He cannot shut up. He runs to the class after lunch and seems to always be raising his hand.

A funny video by English is Fun! on this topic:

  • A POP QUIZ => An unexpected exam.
  • TO READ OUT LOUD => To read loud enough that anyone can hear you and follow along.
  • TO PLAY HOOKY => To not go to school when you’re supposed to.
  • CLASS CLOWN => The person in the class who just likes to act silly and make everyone laugh during class.

Now that you know all these idioms, try to fill the gaps in this quiz to find out if you remember their meanings:

Activity for teachers: School idioms ex.
Answers: School idioms ex. answers

Old bones are found – News in levels (level 3)

Click here for the written version, or if you want to change the level: Old bones are found.

DIFFICULT WORDS:

CRYPT => An underground room for burying people.
TO STUMBLE => To find something by chance.
SCATTER => Things that are placed randomly over an area.
TEMPLE => A building for religious practice.
DISTURBANCE => A situation when people behave violently.
DISTINCT => Special; different in a way that you can see, hear, smell, feel, etc.
DESECRATION => The act of desecrating something or treating a place with violent disrespect.
MURAL => A painting on a wall.
NATIVITY SCENE => A model which represents the birth of Jesus Christ.

Days of the week and verbs related to daily activities (for beginners).

This video is designed for students, teachers and anyone wanting to learn English.

This is the content:

DAYS

Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday.

ACTIVITIES

Do laundry
Take out the trash
Go to the gym
Go to the supermarket
Go bowling
Take out the recyclables
Go hiking

On Sunday
On Monday
On Tuesday
On Wednesday
On Thursday
On Friday
On Saturday

On Sundays, I do my laundry.
On Mondays, I take out the trash.
On Tuesdays, I go to the gym.
On Wednesdays, I go to the supermarket.
On Thursdays, I go bowling.
On Fridays, I take out the recyclables.
On Saturdays, I go hiking.

How about you?
What do you do on Sundays?
What do you do on Mondays?
What do you do on Tuesdays?
What do you do on Wednesdays?
What do you do on Thursdays?
What do you do on Fridays?
What do you do on Saturdays?