What would you do for millions of dollars?

This short film, Black Button, has been around for awhile. It's a bit scary, but the message is clear. The young man must make a choice. What choice would you make?





1.  What does the man behind the desk have in the briefcase?




2.  What must the younger man do to receive the briefcase?




3.  What other object does the older man offer?




4.  What does this object do?




5.  What are three questions the younger man asks before making his decision?








6.  Do you like the ending? Why?






7.  Is there anything you would give up for a lot of money?

Toy Story: Andy's Toys

Toy Story 1, 2 and 3 are three popular animation movies. Andy grows up in these movies. He starts as a young boy in Toy Story 1. In the final movie, Andy is getting ready to go to college. Woody and Buzz Lightyear are Andy's favourite toys.

Many children had these toys when they were growing up. Here is a comparison of the old and new Woody and Buzz.  Which do you prefer? The old or new Woody? The old or new Buzz?

Toy Story 1, 2, 3

Did you see all three animation movies? I did and so did my children. My teenage kids grew up on Toy Story. Around fifteen years ago, Toy Story 1 was introduced. In 1995, computer animation was new and exciting. Toy Story 2 came to the theatres in 1999 and the final movie came out in 2010. In the first movie, the main character, Andy, is a young boy and in the last movie, Andy is all grown up and ready to go to college. In real time, the young viewers of the first Toy Story are about college age now.

For many North American children born in the nineties, their childhood memories include Andy's toys. Toy Story 1, 2 and 3 are about the adventures of Andy's toys. In Toy Story 3, the toys are worried because Andy must decide what to do with his childhood toys.

Here is an introduction to Andy's toys. Try this quick quiz on Toy Story.

1. Woody is a cowboy. True/False

2. Buzz Lightyear is an action figure. True/False

3. Buzz and Woody are Andy's favourite toys. True/False

4. Mr Potato Head is married. True/False
5. Rex is a dinosaur and Ham is a pig. True/False

6. Woody's girlfriend is the cowgirl called Jessie. True/False

Was this an easy quiz? I hope so because all the sentences are true!

In this video, you see the people behind Toy Story. They talk about making Toy Story and enjoy being back together for Toy Story 3. Like Andy, they too are a lot older. After you watch this, try the listening quiz below.

1. The director, Lee Unkrich, says

a) Toy Story is a classic.

b) I love these characters.

c) The actors are old now.

2. The producer, Darla Anderson, says

a) Woody and Buzz Lightyear are a great duo.

b) The characters are beloved.

c) Both of the above.

3. The actor, Tom Hanks, says

a) The story is full of misadventure.

b) Toy Story has humour and love.

c) Playing Buzz has been fun.

4. The actor, Tim Allen, says

a) The actors have become friends.

b) The characters are part of the culture.

c) Hanks doesn't know his lines.

5. Woody, Andy's oldest toy, says

a) Some day Andy will finish college.

b) Some day Andy might return home.

c) Some day Andy might have kids.

 

Music Monday: Remembrance Day

Remembrance Day  is  a song by a Canadian singer and song writer,  Bryan Adams.  Remembrance Day is a memorial day that is observed on the eleventh day on the eleventh month at the eleventh hour or November 11th at 11:00 a.m.


Enjoy the song and try the quiz. Don't forget to "see how you did".

Easter Egg Hunt

There is a fun game the children play on Easter Sunday. They go on an Easter Egg hunt. The Easter Bunny hides Easter chocolate and candies. The children look for the treats.

There are different kinds of Easter Egg hunts in Toronto. Some families have Easter Egg hunts in their homes or yards. Also, there is an Easter Egg hunt at Toronto Zoo and Centre Island. At Centennial Park, there is an Easter Egg hunt for dogs! The dogs find eggs. Inside the eggs are doggy treats.

Try this Easter hunt. Watch the first video here and then click a box. The box takes you to youtube. After, do the listening quiz here.

Related Posts:

• Happy Easter!
• Wanna be Wednesay 4/8

Endangered Species:Polar Bears

Are polar bears endangered?

Experts in polar bear science believe they are. They predict as the Arctic continues to warm due to climate change, two-thirds of the world's polar bears could disappear by mid-century... hope remains if action is taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

How many polar bears are there?.....In 2008, scientists estimated there might be 20,000 to 25,000 of them. From Polar Bears International

How does global warming affect the polar bears?

The ice in the Arctic is melting.

1. Their population is decreasing.
2. The ice platforms are further apart. Swimming conditions are more dangerous.
3. There are fewer opportunities to hunt and food is more scarce. National Wildlife Federation

A) Here is a video from BBC. It's about polar bears and the summer melt. After you listen, try the listening quiz.

Choose the best answer.

1. You can hear the ice

a) melting

b) creaking

c) cracking

2. This season, the winter ice

a) is stronger

b) is not as thick

c) is not as thin

3. The polar bear is

a) swimming in the water

b) struggling in the water

c) floating in the water

4. The polar bear looks

a) exhausted

b) relaxed

c) tired

5. The polar bear is not able to

a) climb out easily

b) free herself easily

c) find better ice

B) Polar bears are fun to watch. Watch the mother and her cub. Then answer the questions.

Choose the best answer.

1. The cub is on the ice

a) for the fifth time

b) for the first time

2. The mother bear is looking for

a) the sea

b) seals

3.. The mother is wearing

a) a radio collar.

b) a red collar

4. The mother bear is not falling through the ice because

a) she knows how to walk quickly

b) she spreads her weight

5. The young cub is

a) having fun

b) learning to run

6. The mother will teach the baby

a) to swim for fish

b) to hunt seal

More about polar bears:

• Animal Facts
  
  
• Polar Bears International

Listening Quizzes:

• A) 1c 2b 3b 4c 5a
• B) 1b 2b 3a 4b 5a 6b

Mayor Hazel and Rick Mercer

Mayor Hazel is the oldest mayor I know. She has been the mayor of Mississauga since the late seventies. Mississauga is the city to the west of Metropolitan Toronto while Scarborough is on the east side. Next Monday is the Toronto elections. Hazel McCallion is hoping to get reelected for mayor. In 2006, Hazel won 92% of the vote.

Rick Mercer is from the television program, Rick Mercer Report. He interviews Mayor Hazel on television on February 26, 2009. In 2009, Hazel McCallion was 88 years old. Watch her play hockey, go bowling and star in a music video. I think Rick Mercer and Mayor Hazel have a lot of fun together. Enjoy their time together.

Watch the video again. This is an interview, so Rick Mercer asks lots of questions. Here are some of the questions. Listen to Mayor Hazel's answers.

1. You have been elected two or three times?

2. How do you stay in office for 31 years?

3. Your debt is?

4. How many mayors have bobble heads?

5. Have you ever been injured? What happened to the truck?

6. Are you someone who doesn't campaign or someone who never stops campaigning?

7. What is this? (He is looking at a miniature city.)

8. Why haven't you retired?

9. What is your approval rating? (She talks about votes.)

10. Any regrets?

Weird Nature:Drunk Monkeys

Do people and animals mix well? Do animals pick up our bad habits? Here we see how some animals enjoy drinking and frequent the bars.

Dare to Dream. Work to Achieve.

Culture Shock

Anyone who moves from one country to another country experiences culture shock. Your old culture and your new culture are very different. This creates pleasant and unpleasant experiences.

In the following video, Derek Sivers points out some differences between countries. Watch and learn.

The Next Decade: Renault Twizy ZE

Would you like to take this car for a spin in the city? The Renault Twizy ZE is a zero emmision electric car. Check out the wheels of this futuristic car. When the Twizy is moving, it looks like it is hoovering. Also, there are no traditional doors, but there are side airbags built in for added safety. How big is this car? The Twizy ZE is 2.30 m in length by 1.13 m in width.

How to Spot Liars

Can you tell when people are lying? Here a retired FBI agent or a government crime investigator talks about identifying lies. He was a polygraphic examiner. A polygraph is a machine that records people's feelings when they talk. Sometimes criminals are asked to take a polygraph or a lie detector test. If you fail a polygraph, it often means you were lying.

Listen to this news report and try the quiz. The former FBI agent uses a proverb or wise old saying, "The eyes are a window to the soul". He adds, "You can see right through them." It's interesting to know right and left handed people lie differently. Also, have you ever noticed people are uncomfortable when they lie?



Related Posts:

• Lie to Me

Pronunciation: Thought Groups

What are thought groups?

When we talk, we do not separate every word. This is difficult to understand. We join several words together to form a complete idea. One idea is a thought group.


Here's an example. ( / ) is used to separate thought groups. ( / ) is for a pause or a short stop. At the end of the sentence ( // ) is used. ( // ) is for a longer pause or full stop.

Yesterday, / I went swimming / with my friends / at the community centre. //


Why are thought groups important?

• It is easier for people to understand you when you speak.
• It is easier to hear people when you listen.
• Thinking in thought groups improves your reading speed and comprehension as well.

How to use thought groups?

Thought groups are part of the rhythm of the language. The last word in each thought group is stressed. To stress a word, you must say it louder, longer and clearer. Here's the example sentence again with the stressed words in colour.

Yesterday, / I went swimming / with my friends / at the community centre. //

Pausing and stressing are just part of the natural rhythm of the language, but they help a lot.


Would you like to learn more about pausing and thought groups?

Watch the video below to understand when to pause and how to group words. Remember, thought groups can improve your listening, speaking and reading comprehension.

Talk Show Tuesday: The Daily English Show

The Daily English Show is presented by Sarah. She is presently living in Neseko, Japan and is from New Zealand. Most Mondays, Sarah has guests on her show, and Derek is interviewed here. He is presently working in Japan too.

Sarah starts the Daily English Show by introducing Derek, then she does "Stick News", and finally, she continues her interview with Derek. During the interview, Derek talks about two ski mountains, Niseko and Whistler. Whistler is north of Vancouver in British Columbia. In fact, I skied there a couple of years ago, and it definitely beats the Quebec mountains. Some of the trails go on and on and on. While we were there, they were preparing some of the runs for the Winter Olympic Games. One of my favourite runs was the Lady's Slalom which is where some of the ski races will be this winter. Go Canada!

Sarah ends her program with a true and false quiz about Derek's interview. After you finish the oral quiz, try the six questions below. Press "see how you did" to see the correct answers. Later on, you may want to press "transcript" for the conversation. As well, you may like to review the "notes". There, some of the expressions and words are explained.

Put Down Your Cell Phone

Do you know about the recent Ontario legislation about no cell phones while driving?

Drivers must pull over if they want to talk on a cell phone. Drivers can talk on a phone while driving if they use hand-free devices such as a cell phone with a head set or speaker phone. Basically, you must be able to keep both hands on the wheel. Those caught using their cell phone while driving may be fined and possibly lose demerit points off their license. When fully licensed drivers get fifteen demerit points, their driver's license is suspended. Not all the provinces in Canada have this law at this time.

What's the video about?

It's a news report on a study about driving a car and using a cell phone at the same time.

How to do the listening quiz?

Press questions. First, read the questions and then listen to the video. After you complete the questions, press "see how you did" to find the answers to the quiz.

Do you want to add a comment?

Press comment at the bottom of this post. Do you agree or disagree? Should the Ontario government ban cell phone use while driving?

Music Monday 4/25

Here's part of a song, All I Need by Radiohead.

1. First, watch this artistic music video. The dancers move beautifully and the photography is awesome.
2. The second time listen for the missing words in the quiz. Words from songs are often difficult to hear, so just pick up a few phrases by doing the quiz. Read the three questions from the quiz before you play the song again.
3. Finally, Do you know what kind of song it is? A love song. What sentence is repeated? "You are all I need." Check out the verses to the song by pressing 'transcript'.
4. You may like to watch this music video again now.
   

Job Interview Tips

After you are finished the listening quiz, check your answers by pressing, "see how you did". Also, under the video is the word, transcript. Press on the word, transcript, and you can listen again and read the words at the same time.

How To Flirt With Men

Watch this 'computer program' with a boyfriend and girlfriend who are computer people. The couple move around like dolls or puppets and the narrator uses a mechanical voice. There are five questions and you are to choose the correct answer a, b or c. The questions are about appearance, eye contact, body language, conversation and touch. It's meant to be entertaining and not to be taken seriously.

The listening quiz is to help you with vocabulary. Check the answers for the quiz.




So, what kind of flirt are you? The ice queen, the desperado or the minx.

Technology: Free Video Chat Service

Skype is popular because you can make free calls over the Internet. Calling another person who is also on Skype is free anywhere in the world. Skype 4.0 is the latest version for local or long distance calls. I know an earlier version and it works, but some find it bit difficult to use. You might not want to make video calls. If you do, you need a web camera. You may also need a microphone and headphones. Also, if you would like to learn more or want to install the free software, go to www.skype.com.

Comments are appreciated. What do you think of Skype?





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Another Listening Quiz:

• Plastic Surgery

Plastic Surgery

Plastic surgery is becoming more and more accepted, but be careful. Toronto Star recently ran an article about the rules and regulations for plastic surgery in Ontario. The present standards are so outdated, they are shocking! They are starting to change, but the government needs to do more to protect patients who undergo plastic surgery. The new laws are expected in the spring of this year.

Until we get new laws, you might be surprised by the lack of rules for medical clinics in Ontario. Did you know the government allows GPs or family doctors to perform plastic surgery in their clinics? GPs are not plastic surgeons. Moreover, they are not trained surgeons. As well, these operations are not observed by the medical board. Why would any room where operations take place not require visits by a regulating body?

Plastic surgery requires a lot of cutting and I worry some patients do not understand the health risks. Did the young Toronto mother who had liposuction surgery understand her risks? Well, I guess she will never be able to answer that question as she died following her operation. In 2007, the 32 year old woman had "23 incisions in 6 body parts in one surgical session". The Toronto family doctor had no surgical designation, yet performed cosmetic surgery.

Personally, I would like to see all plastic surgery operations done in hospitals. I think elective surgeries should be screened by an impartial counsellor. The counsellor could explain the surgery, and the expected outcomes of the surgery. In addition, the limitations, possible complications and risks could be explained. The patient needs to hear and read this information before giving permission for any operation.

I found a short documentary on two women who had plastic surgery. These women went to a foreign country to reduce the costs of their plastic surgery. I hope you enjoy it :)

1. Watch the video and answer the multiple choice questions. Don't forget to check your results.

Note: The first and second video are the same story, so you need to watch only the first video. (Unfortunely, the second video recently disappeared. I don't know why, but I added this new video above the original video. Sometimes videos get removed on the internet.)

2. Add a comment about the video. Would you do what these women did? Why or why not?