These plays were written for the first edition of the grammar book (Eurelle. Torino "Grammar Acts")  Typically the publishing house for the second edition has doubled the standard exercises and eliminated the plays. "It's what the teachers want". Please tell me otherwise!     return to teachers' home page

UNIT 11A. MISUNDERSTANDINGS

(Exceptions to the 2 present rule. can/ could )

A You don’t listen!

B I don’t understand.

A (triumphantly) Exactly. You don’t understand.

B What do you mean? I don’t understand? What do you want?

A I want you* to listen.

B Look could you explain, maybe I’m stupid; but I don’t understand.

A You could understand!

B I could understand what?

A You could understand what I said if you listened.

B If I listened to this nonsense?

A If you listened to me.

B HA! I have listened and I don’t understand. Now can you understand that?

A You don’t want to understand. You don’t really want to listen.

B This is a madhouse.

*I want you to... Voglio che tu...

PLAY IDEA

Relay race. - The dialogue from a play is repeated, one line at a time without hesitation or mistake, passing around in a circle from player to player.

Variation 1. Team relays - In 2 circles (=2 teams) the same activity as above, the first team to make a mistake or hesitate loses a point. One circle "performs" its relay and the other watches. This increases the learning occurring. If space is a problem there could be 3 or 4 teams. One team performs in a circle and then another team takes its place to "perform".

UNIT 12A IMPATIENCE (....-ing form for present and future.)impazienza

A Come on. Hurry up! The football is starting in 20 minutes.

B I’m coming.

A Hurry up! I’m leaving in 5 minutes.

B I’m not ready!

A I’m going in 2 minutes. Are you ready? Hurry! Pronto?

B Wait! Wait for me!

A We’re late! Come on! I’m leaving.

B Have you got the car keys?

A Oh God, where are they? ( A is looking everywhere)

B (with special "patience") Are you coming? We’re late in ritardo

A I’m coming!

B I’m walking!

PLAY IDEA

Refocus the situation. Use a different grammar unit to use in the play instead of the one at present. into an existing play. You don’t have to think up an original play, but are free to think of how to introduce a certain structure which will obviously require you to give a different slant to the dialogues.. This is useful as it makes you conscious of the expressive possibilities of grammatical forms. This activity is easier to do because of the way the units are laid out visually and the way that the nuggets themselves give them ideas.

UNIT 12A/B Raining cats and dogs. ( Futures)

A: Look at the sky!

B (B is an Italian) Is it going to rain ?

A: Yes it’s going to rain cats and dogs.

B. "Cats and dogs" ?

A: Yes, it’s going to rain cats and dogs.

B: I know it always rains in England, but cats and dogs!

A: It’s something we say. I’ll run for an umbrella.

B: You’re right. It’s going to rain cats and dogs!

PLAY IDEA

Open-ended comprehension. The questions could be made open ended and imaginative. That is to say, the questions could provoke thoughts on, as it were, the hidden parts of the play. Traditional comprehension questions have a right or wrong answer. The imaginative questions don’t. Instead they use the text as point of departure. In the Narrow escape text you might ask open ended questions about who the man with the hook was, where had he come from, why was he there etc. In fact, the making of the questions is as important an activity as answering them. Tell the students themselves to invent such questions. You could also use traditional type comprehension questions, e.g. Why did the girl faint at the end? (Narrow escape)

UNIT 12B An unwelcome porter (future)

A Wait! I’ll carry your bags!

B Don’t worry - I’ll manage.

A How far are you going? riuscire

B I’m going to my hotel.

A I’ll help you find it!

B It’s OK thanks, I know where it is.

A I’ll buy you lunch!

B Thanks, but no thanks!

A Oh, are you sure?

B Yes thanks. I’m going to meet my boyfriend for lunch.

A Ah!

PLAY IDEA

Summaries. Ask the students to prepare simple prose summaries of the play. They could make notes which they use to act the play in a semi extempore way without actually learning the part by heart. This form of quick performance is good practice as they are having to still think the language and not simply reciting it. Both techniques however have their justification.

Variant I. . Skeleton. he students are given or select 12 key words from the text and this is then used as a skeleton for expansion or make a variant of the original text.

UNIT 14B Something unpleasant (something, someone etc)

A Listen!

B I can’t hear anything.

A No, listen. There’s something in the cellar!

cantina

B Oh there is something. There’s a funny sound.

A Can you hear? It’s a crunching sound.

scrocchiare

sound. (crunching like someone eating celery.) sedano

B Could it be anything...... anything unpleasant? spiacevole

A No, it’s probably nothing to worry about. It’s probably just those mice..

di cui

B Mice! But listen to the noise, if that’s a mouse it’s huge. preccuparsi enorme

A Is everyone upstairs.

Di sopra

B I think so.

A Let’s go to bed.

B No! Listen! I can hear it.. It’s crunching something. Is it eating

cauliflowers? Cavolfiori

A Are you sure it’s not eating something else? No it sounds like ha il suono di

something wet and soft.

Soffice

B Something .....OR ! oh my god someone!

A Is anybody missing?

Manca

B I haven’t seen Billy this evening...

A Oh no!

B Oh my God, there’s something in the cellar and it’s eating Billy!

A Quick, we’ll have to wake everyone else up... svegliare

A and B run off shouting...

B Everybody wake up! scapare

A Wake up everybody!

B There’s something in the cellar!

A It’s eating Billy!

PLAY IDEA

Summaries expanded from notes. When you have done some real acting work with a play, ask students to do a "How much can you remember?" exercise. They write down as much as they can remember of the original. Assure them that it doesn’t have to be exact but that it does have to make sense. You might offer extra points for effective additions. The students who find English difficult, enjoy the assistance which this sort of guided writing gives them. If you encourage the interpolation of extra pieces this is a good solution to the difficulty most pupils find in writing original plays from scratch.

UNIT 14B Are you feeling depressed? (somewhere, anywhere, etc) ti senti

A: Cheer up. Would you like to go somewhere? dai su

B: No I don’t want to go anywhere.

A: What, nowhere?

B: I feel miserable. I don’t want to do anything, to see anybody, infelice

or to go anywhere.

A: But...

B: No. Nothing, no one, nowhere.

A: But..

B: No. When you feel like I do, everything is the the same, everyone irrita

irritates me and everywhere is the same as here.: GREY. GREY. GREY.

everything is GREY

A: But.....

B: (putting up his hand irritably) And by the way there’s something else. irritato

A: (ironically) Something MORE!

B: Well, (petulantly) something LESS! Could you please talk less; in fact

petulantamente

could you please leave me alone. Everyone gets on my nerves. daresui nervi

A: Charming!

PLAY IDEA

Remember a play. Listen to a short recording of a play for 2 characters on the cassette. Pairs of students then have to write the whole play remembering as best they can. This activity is not just a memory exercise, because interesting additions will score as high as the original. You could go back to a play, that has been well used a few weeks before. Play a tape of the play to remind the students of it, then get them to write the play down or act it freely.

Reverse it. - The students make dialogues into stories, or alternatively stories/ monologues/ rhymes into dialogues. (see jumbled up story in the exercises in the student’s book)

Variation 1. Turn it into a poem - The students turn the theme of a play dialogue (or monologue etc.) into poems. Examples of possibilities may be necessary as inspiration. They may also just use ideas and themes from newspaper articles.

UNIT 14 A/B Squashed rabbits (someone, somewhere etc)

A (Hopping on to the stage holding fingers behind the head to signify a significare

"BUNNY") There must be somewhere else where we can live!

B Yes, everybody seems to be getting killed by cars. It was Fred and Betty last night

= progressivamente

A Oh the nights, those terrible lights. Ohhhh (trembles with terror at the

memory)  a ricordarlo

B Well fred deserved it, when I complained he said anybody could cross the road at any time.

A Oh dear, there’s nowhere else to go. I’ve looked everywhere for a safe sicuro

hole, but there isn’t anything in Pateley Bridge.

B Somebody must do something about it.

A Lets look on the hill below the wood. bosco

B But we’ll have to cross the road somewhere! a ttraversare

A Come on, if we find some place that’s safer, it could be for the last   l’ultima volta time.

B (With a miserable half laugh) Last time!! (They come to the road. risata

They look on at the zooming traffic) . Any place on earth, anywhere must sfrecciare

be safer than this.

A Now, is anything coming? Right now....(starts to cross)

B Look out! Look out, something's coming!! Oh no, MOVE! MOVE... don’t just stand there MOVE!!!!

(splat- squash sound) Oh quickly, someone help. Aren’t there any spiaccicare

rabbits that can help?

(beginning to mumble confusedly - NB: the borbotare

order of this does not matter. the idea is that the rabbit is in shock.

What follows could be given to another character C. Cut or add

what you like.) Nowhere’s safe. No place to go. Nobody can help.

There isn’t anywhere to go. There isn’t anything to be done about it a riguardo

(Noise of car approaching). Something coming! avvicinandosi

Something coming!

(He’s caught in the headlights) Somewhere ...... anywhere ...

somebody to help... (car getting nearer) No!!! Nowhere to go!

No one to help! Nothing to be done about it! Nothing! Nothing! Nothing!

Ending 1 Brakes* - splat. freni

Ending 2 Voice off stage: "Come on, bunny, move!"

B Somebody cares!

PLAY IDEA

Biographies. Decide on the character in more depth. Invent incidents in the character’s past.e.g. How did the man with the hook lose his hand?

Person X - After a class discussion the students introduce an additional character.

UNIT 15B Potatoes (quantity words)

A Have another potato.

B Another one? What about our diet?

A There’s nothing wrong with a few roast potatoes. Too much butter is the problem, not one or two roast potatoes.

B (Helping himself with a complicit smile) Yes, I think few people would disagree. Will you pass the dish to me? No, not the peas. I mean the potatoes.

A And the diet?

B Yes, but a few lightly roasted potatoes!

A I’ll just take one first. One more potato. One of my favourites.

B I can see that. Can I have some more too? Oh there are none left!

A None! Lucky for you! Remember the diet! What about pudding?

B Pudding? Are you ready for some eclairs?

A Chocolate eclairs!

B Have you got any room for pudding?

A I think I could find a little space for a few chocolate eclairs I think as we are on a diet just one each would be enough. We’ll keep the rest of them for tonight.

B We could have a few more now. Pass them here. Mmm, delicious.

A Haven’t you had enough?

B Shall we divide them up so it’s fair, and then no one will have too many?

A It’s a pity to leave any. Someone else might eat them all.

B (Relieved that they’re going to eat them all) I wouldn’t blame them. MM., so good. Have you finished yours?

A (gloating) I’ve got several left. No, leave it! You’ve eaten all yours! All these are mine!

A Oh, go on, don’t be so greedy! Just give me half of one!

B No, they’re all mine. You’ve had plenty. No! They’re mine!

A I’ll just help you with this little one. Remember, you’re on a diet!

B (Shouting and trying to stop him) So are you!

PLAY IDEA

Telephone monologues Think up possible matters for telephone conversations to be made as monologues.(see HUMAN LIFE CHART for ideas) They could be written and acted as monologues or they could be passed around for others to complete the missing half of the conversation. e.g. A is talking on the telephone –(leave pauses for the unheard words of B.to be invented)

They’re arriving today! (pause)

It’s not possible. Who told you/

But no one has told me, there must have been a mistake.

You told me there was a meeting on Tuesday next week.

What do you mean it is next week?

You said "Tuesday" last Wednesday?

On no, so "next Tuesday" is today?

UNIT 16A/B "Only the thunder is real" ( Simple past and present perfect past perf)

A She was sad and she didn’t know why.

B She was sad and didn’t know why?

A Yes she didn’t know why.

B Something was wrong?

A Something was .....missing.

B Did she ever talk to you.

A She never spoke much.

B She often walked in the rain.

A Yes, I’ve seen her sometimes soaking wet.

B The police found the door open.

A The door was open?

B. Yes open and nobody was there. Nothing had been stolen but she had disappeared.

A Somebody said later that they had seen her walking in the rain. She had been walking in the rain for hours.

B Maybe she had walked away from her problems.

A She didn’t have any.

B It’s odd I remember something now. One day it was raining and a storm was coming. The rain poured out of the clouds and the thunder rumbled. She was just standing there listening and staring at the sky. Lightening flashed and the thunder rolled and she said so sadly; "only the thunder is real"

A Only the thunder is real?

B Yes, "Only the thunder is real", she said.

PLAY IDEA

Summaries. Ask the students to prepare simple prose summaries of the play.

They could make notes which they use to act the play in a semi extempore way without actually learning the part by heart. This form of quick performance is good practice as they are having to still think the language and not simply reciting it. Both techniques however have their justification.

Variant I. . Skeleton. he students are given or select 12 key words from the text and this is then used as a skeleton for expansion or make a variant of the original text.

UNIT 17A Out of the river (past tenses)

A God, I’m tired. Am I ever going to bed. Who have you brought in now?

B We don’t know. It seems he has been living under a bridge.

A Ugh. He smells like he’s been living in a sewer.

B That’s the river. They fished him out of it.

A Fished? Are there any fish in such a river? Have the police given you any information about him?

B They say they have taken him in several times for drug dealing; just small time stuff.

A How long had he been in the river?

B I don’t know.

A Have you carried out all the usual procedures?

B Certainly, but no luck.

A Has he been x-rayed?

B No, they haven’t had time. They have been very busy in the radiography department. You know there’s been a big fire.

A Right, stand back. We’ll give him resuscitation. (places the electrodes on this chest)

B His pulse is very weak.

A Right, stand back. Give him some more. (C stirs)

C I have seen...

A Yes?...you have seen......?

C a...

A a what?

C I’ve seen a...

A a what?

C I’ve seen ..a... great...

A Yes? Tell us?

C So... light...(seeming to be relieved) .....it floats.... (falls back. Dies)

B Was it: "I’ve seen a great light"?

A Whatever he’s seen, he won’t see it again.

B He’s dead. I wonder what he’d seen.

A Nothing very nice I suppose: "float"; that’s the river! What a stink. Who’s next? .... God I’m tired... ...and I am meant to save lives! (sits down heavily) . I haven’t slept for... (falls asleep)

B Doctor! Doctor! Wake up! Another patient has arrived. (shakes him)

PLAY IDEA

Remember a play. Listen to a short recording of a play for 2 characters on the cassette. Pairs of students then have to write the whole play remembering as best they can. This activity is not just a memory exercise, because interesting additions will score as high as the original. You could go back to a play, that has been well used a few weeks before. Play a tape of the play to remind the students of it, then get them to write the play down or act it freely.

 

UNIT 16A THE LANDLADY (simple past)

2 Characters:

Mrs. Raven, old, sinister and slightly mad.

Mr. Franks, young and nervous.

A Ah yes. A nice cup of tea...

B No thanks, I...

A Did you say that you like a little milk in your tea?

B Oh. Well...

A There you are.

B No, no sugar thank you!

A Mr. Bright liked a cup of tea at four o’clock. Are you happy with your room? Mr Bright had that room.

B Oh yes, I...

A That was the time he drank his tea. Oh yes, he liked his tea.

B Where is Mr. Bright now? Did he leave?

A Leave! (she giggles) Well you could say he left... He went away. That is, he is away...

B Where did he go? Is he coming back?

R (with sinister sweetness) He went a long long way away. And yet...

B You often speak about him - did you like him?

A Oh yes... Oh he was a lovely boy... adorable... such soft skin. A beautiful specimen. A perfect boy. Ah, such hair too...

B Can I have my tea please?

A Oh yes my dear, I was forgetting. We have been talking too much about the lovely Mr Bright. Poor boy...

B How old was Mr. Bright?

A Oh he was seventeen. Seventeen years and three months when... And he was already working. Working you know. Have you got a job?

B Yes, I’m working at a hairdresser’s.

A Oh, how lovely. Such a lovely job. I love hair (she strokes his hair). Oh I do wish... Such a lovely job. All those heads you touch all day. Has anyone told you what lovely hair you have too!

B (a little embarrassed and worried too) Tell me more about Mr. Bright. Didn’t I read about a Mr. Bright in the newspapers? He disappeared, didn’t he?

A (hurriedly) Oh no I don’t think so! Oh no he was a very quiet young man. He still is... (talking to an empty chair) Would you like some more tea Mr. Bright? Oh my dear I am sorry, I mean Mr. Franks don’t I? I do get a little confused. Sometimes I think Mr. Bright is still here you know! Of course in a way he is still here...

B Where?

A And Mr.Light too, yes, on the third floor.

B Mr. Light? Who’s he? I haven’t heard anyone else above me. They must be very quiet.

A Very quiet. Very quiet. As quiet as the tomb (giggles*) as they say. No one has heard from them for some time. (meaningfully) I like gentlemen who are very quiet like Mr. Bright and Mr Light.

B (puts down his cup looking very uneasy) Well I must go. I haven’t been in the way I hope. I didn’t want to disturb you..

A Disturb? Oh no no. I didn’t mean that you are noisy, no such thing.

W I didn’t sleep well last night. I’m feeling a little sleepy.

R Of course you are. You’ll sleep now. I’ll put you in a perspex box next to Mr Bright and Mr Light. (stroaks his hair and then speaking in a little girl’s voice.) "Noone must touch my dolls." (with real venom in the same voice.) I hate my brothers. Look!! They’ve broken my dolls.

*sghigna

 

PLAY IDEA

Cloze test - The students are given photocopies of plays to blank out. These are then exchanged and filled in by another student.

Variation 1. Oral Cloze -The students (in teams?) say certain lines leaving out parts or words. Maybe they leave out only nouns, verbs, adverbs, pronouns etc. Where there is something missing they could go "buzz". The other team must say the words that are missing.

 

UNIT 17C Ghosts (as, while, when- pasts)

A Wait! Listen! Did you hear it?

B What?

A As we started crossing the bridge, there was a cry.

B No. Is this the place where you say it happened?

A Yes, just here.

B When was it?

A When my brother and I were living near the mill, when we were children.

B Is that when he died?

A Yes, it was when we were playing here by the old mill that he was drowned.

B It must have been a shock.

A Yes, I often come back here. It’s almost as if I wanted to experience it all again. But this time I would save him.

B As we came to the bridge you heard a cry.

A Yes, from over by the pond.

B The old mill pond.

A Yes... come and see.

They walk to the pond.

B Is this where you were playing?

A Yes, we were swimming and while we were over there the pond began to fill up. He panicked and began to get entangled in the reeds.

B Couldn’t you help him?

A I couldn’t... I couldn’t... oh I don’t know why I couldn’t... While I was shouting for help the water covered him. Listen! There! There! Listen! Wait here. He goes down to the water.

B Stop! Don’t go there! Look, the water’s rising!

A It was over here, look, by the reeds! This is where the sound came from! I’m sure he’s here! Help me to find him... didn’t you hear - while I was talking to you? Here, over here! David! David! David!

B Look out! Those reeds are thick!

A This is where he drowned.

B Oh my God. Help! Help! Help!

A David! I’m coming!

 

PLAY IDEA

Create monologues around a noun from a vocabulary set. This sounds difficult but it can be quite fun as a relatively simple activity. There is even a well known radio programme called "Just a minute" where the game is to see if the competitors can keep talking without hesitation, repetition or deviation from the "subject". The secret is to just talk simple sentences. Subjects could be a phrase (here a narrative phrase) or a single word: e.g. It was raining cats and dogs........ or a single word: Bananas. "I like bananas. They are a fruit that grow on trees in hot countries. You find them in supermarkets and are very popular these days. Once they were a luxury. Bananas are also very dangerous. You may think that I am exaggerating but when I see someone eating a banana I always keep away from them. The reason for this is that when I was young I spent several months in hospital because of a banana. It wasn’t exactly a banana but a banana skin. That is the dangerous part....."etc. etc. When there’s a hesitation or mistake, a challenger takes over telling the story. (if a referee upholds the challenge) and he has now to talk for what remains of the original minute.

 

UNIT 17 A/B/C A narrow escape (simple past, present perfect, as, continuous past)

A Do you remember that night?

B You mean in the car that night? It’s odd*, whenever I think of it my hair stands on end. I don’t know why.

A Do you remember how the wind blew outside the car?

B We were frightened just to hear it in the trees.

A And the sudden gust of rain that beat on the windscreen.

B It wasn’t a night for kissing in the car.

A No, but your parents had thrown us out. Do you remember we put on the radio to cheer ourselves up, I don’t know why.

B You kept changing stations.

A Then there was that newsflash.

B Yes... what was it? "A killer with a hook instead of a hand has escaped from prison. Open no doors."

A Just as it finished there was another gust of rain and the wind rocked the car.

B Oh don’t. My blood still goes cold. I felt the hairs on my neck prickle.

A Come, look outside, the flowers are bright in the sun.

B Yes, you’re right.

A That night it was different. You wanted to go straight home.

B Yes, I was terrified, I don’t know why.

A So I started the engine.

B You remember you thought that you had the break on?

A Yes, the car seemed to hold back.

B But we did move. I think a branch hit against the door.

A As we drove home you were shivering and cuddling really close to me.

B You complained that you couldn’t move the gears.

A When we stopped at your home it was pouring with rain.

B Yes, it was pouring. You got out to help me, you had an umbrella.

A But I just stood outside in the rain.

B Yes, I couldn’t understand: the rain was pouring down and you were staring at the door. You didn't move for ages.

A Then you opened the door from the inside, and it fell on the mud.

B ( she gives a start of surprise) What fell on the mud?

A (hesitating) Oh darling, I never told you: look at the sun on the flowers.

B What was it that fell on the ground? It wasn’t a....

A Yes, a hook. It was a hook.

B faints. *bizzaro, strano

 

PLAY IDEA

Progressive Cloze Test - On a photo copy students will find the dialogue partially erased. Such a skeleton could be dictated. When there is a gap, the teacher dictates the word "blank" and students subsequently return to fill in the missing parts.

Variation 1. Kim's game - The words in the text are blanked out, using a list dictated by the teacher or words dictated, one each by the students. The papers are then exchanged and students must write in the vanished words.

 

UNIT 17BC An overcrowded marriage. (2 pasts)

A: Someone told  me that you have known Max for years

B: Yes, as a matter of fact, I’ve known him for 20 years

A: Oh yes? So long?

B: Yes, I have been married for 19 years.

A: Well I don’t want to call anyone a liar, but that isn’t possible.

B: Listen I have known him for 20 years and it’s not possible.

A: So what are you, a sort of mistress?

B: How very insulting! I have been married for 22 years so I know what I’m talking about.

A: Look, I don’t want to argue in this silly way, but since I have my passport I’ll show you. There he is. (shows passport)

B: That’s not possible. That’s just a picture. I know because Charles and I have been married for 19 years.

A: This is ridiculous. We’ve been married for 20 years.

Oh look there he is, this will prove it.

B: Who’s that with him.(they both draw back shocked)

C: Darling, I’ve loved you ever since I first saw you.

D: Are we still getting married?

C: Of course. It’s just alittle difficult to arrange.(they exit)

A and B together. WHAT!!!

A: I don’t believe it

B: He’s decieved me for 19 years.

A: He’s decieved me for 20 years.

A/BWe have been decieved.

He has deceived us both!

A/BBigamist!!

 

PLAY IDEA     New plays – use human life chart for brainstorming situations/characters from which students should then write a new play. The grammar units are a useful stimulus, as they themselves are suggestive of situation(also see list). One provocative spoken line may work well for this:

e.g.: "We’ve missed the train", he said. This type of free invention is to do while making use of both the particular structure of a unit and the suggested situations in the human life chart.

 

UNIT 21A Have you got the time. (say, tell)

A: Could you tell me the time?

B: What did you say?

A: The time - I said "could you tell me the time?".

B: Oh! Sorry (laughing) I thought you said - could I sell you some wine!

A: (impatient and not amused) No, I just said I want to know the time. (pause) Could you tell me the time?

B: I’m sorry to say - I don’t have a watch.

A: (muttering) very funny!

 

PLAY IDEA

Use a nugget as a keyhole. The students invent a play around a unit nugget. It becomes as it were the keyhole entrance to a play that is invented around this germ idea.

 

UNIT 21`A Romantic love. (say, tell, speak, talk.)

B. So we can finally tell people that we’re getting married.

A. Oh say you love me.

B. But I tell you every day. I LOVE YOU.

A. But you on;y tell me when I ask you to say it.

B. Wll that's because you ask me before I can say it!

A. Well L.O.V.E. is such a simple little word to say. Why can't you just say it, naturally.

B. Alright listen. I'm going to tell you something. Have you got a paper and pen?

A. What are you talking about?

B. I want you to have a record of what I say.

A. Of what you say?

B. Yes. a record of this: "I love you". 

A. It's easy to say: "I love you" .but I can't tell if you mean it or not. It’s words, words, words. 

B. Of course. That;s why, since whenever I tell you, you don't believe me, because as you say "it's just words",  I don't ussually say it!  I know you'll tell me " it's just words". Then when I don't say it you tell me that when I talk to you I never say "I love you". I can't win. I'm on a closed loop. In fact I sometimes think I'm going loopy!

A. Well what you've just said sounded fairly mad! How you do talk! 

B. Let me not go mad. 

PLAY IDEA

Interview - The students write ten questions to ask a character in a play. These can then be passed around and answered by other students. It’s possible to rework this into a variation on the original dialogue and make an improved version.

Variation 1. Hot-Seating - One student is made to be a certain character and other students must then ask her questions for her/him to answer in character. (with or without class preparation) These questions will arise naturally out of a play.

Variation 2. Agony Aunts - Write biographies and the problems of the characters. In the role of agony aunts, the students then write answers to characters’ problems or the students write them themselves with your help or as a homework task. e.g. Narrow escape. The girl has frequent nightmares or she doesn’t dare leave the house any more.

 

UNIT 21 B. A quick visit to heaven. (do and make)

God: A, an imposing man with old Testament grey hair and beard. He’s holding a large pair of shears / scissors. B is a small nondescript man ill at ease.

B: Where am I?

A: You’re in your bed.

B: It doesn’t look like it.

A: Listen, creature! I have dreamt you up here.

B: (looking about nervously) Up where? Who are you? you can’t dream me; if anything I’m dreaming you. Where am I? Everything is so bright that I can’t make out your face.

A: I’m God. (thunder)

B: (fearfully starting) God!! (then with dawning horror) Does that mean I’m dead?

A; It’s hard to say with someone like you. You’re half dead.

B: You mean you haven’t decided what to do with me yet? Where am I.

A: Look up.

B: (looks up and sees that he is attached to a thread leading from his head) What’s that?

A: Your life is hanging by a thread.(God snip - snaps with his scissors) A thread!

B: ( beginning to take things more seriously) Just be careful what you do with those scissors. (moves away as far as the thread allows.) Could you make things a little clearer. What am I doing here?

A: I dreamt you up here because you’re making a mess of your life. It might be time to.... (God snip - snaps with his scissors in the direction of the thread). I may decide that I’ve made a bad human. It does sometimes happen you know.

B: (ironic) I've noticed.

A: (fiercely snip - snapping very near the threed. ) Listen haven’t you heard of free will. You humans are free to do anything; good or bad. (pause) I want to ask some questions; it may make a difference to... (snip-snaps ominously)

B; (ingratiatingly) Certainly God, I’ll try and be as honest as possible.

A: Now then what have you done with your life.

B: Done. What have I done? It’s hard to say. ( then slyly) I haven’t done much YET).

A: I’ll tell you what you’ve done: Nothing!

B: Nothing?

A: Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I made you in my image. You can’t just do nothing. Beethoven, Van Gogh, John Lennon; they DID something. Good God, you haven’t even made a cake.

B: A cake!

A: A cake, that’s right. A modest little thing to do, isn’t it. A simple thing to make. Well, have you done anything?

B: ( a bit disconsolate) Well no, I haven’t actually.

A: Pathetic isn’t it? How old are you?

B: 40 something

A: You’re not. You’re 54.

B: (falsely contrite, and honest) It’s true I have made some mistakes.

A: Mistakes!! You’ve made a total mess of everything, haven’t you?

B: (thinking it’s time for some contrition) Oh it’s true, it’s so true. I’ll make a fresh start.

A: Yes but you’re running out of time

( God snip-snaps with the scissors)

B: No, wait. Ask me a few questions.

A: Alright. Have you made anyone happy?

B: (stupidly) "Made anyone happy?" (sadly) Well I’m not very happy myself (starts to sniffle)

A: You haven’t even made a donation for the church roof.

B: Oh it’s true, but I seem to have so many bills to pay.

A; (God getting seriously impatient) You DO realise that if I make a cut with these, you won’t wake up?

B: (Throwing himself on his knees, as much as the thread allows) I’m sorry. I’ll do anything you tell me to)

A: Yes promises! but what will you DO; meaning: carry out, fulfil, accomplish.

B: Listen God. This little chat will really make a difference.

I’ll do favours without being asked.

I’ll make everyone happy around me.

I’ll do every little task well.

I’ll make some money for the church roof.

A: Alright. alright. You have until the week end.

B: Oh thank you. You won’t regret this. I’ll make an effort.

A: Remember everything makes a difference; Cathedrals were made with little stones.Get up early and make your bed for a change. Remember me (snip-snaps one more time. The lights go out. Then they go up to reveal B in bed. He wakes, preoccupied, speaking as if still dreaming)

B: No God please don’t do anything. Put those scissors down. (looks around and smiles relievedly) What an idiot, it was just a dream. (looks at his watch) Only 8.00: I think I’ll stay in bed, there’s nothing to do...(sudden darkness and a clap of thunder and the sound of snip-snapping scissors. In the darkness is heard one long steadily failing "ohhhh...."; then complete silence.)

 

1. The opening sentence. Story/plays. Pairs of students invent the beginning sentence of a novel. These can be used as story or play kernels. First brain storm using the base of the life chart.

 

**UNIT. 17A / B. The driving lesson. (must, have to, need) + imperative.

A. Is this your first lesson?

B. Yes, it is.

A. Good, I don’t have to change bad habits. Now, remember you must always look in the mirror. Repeat!

B. What?

A (impatiently) repeat, repeat!

B. Sorry, repeat what?

A. You must look in the mirror.

B. You must always look in the mirror.

A. Why?

B. Why?

A. No, I’m saying "why"! Don’t repeat.

B. (timidly) Don’t repeat?

A. Stop it! I’m speaking to you! Answer.

B. Sorry. I thought that I had to repeat.

A. Yes, yes. Now, why do you have to look in the mirror?

B. To make sure that nothing is coming.

A. Good. Now, remember, when you start or stop, or pull out or pull in, you must use the indicator.

B. Must I do that when I can see that nothing is coming?

A. Yes.

B. Why?

A. In case something is coming.

B. Yes, but if I’ve seen that nothing is coming, I don’t need to indicate. Right?

A. (irritably) No, you have to look.! Look in the mirror... indicator on... put it into gear... clutch comes off... accelerator down... you move out

B. You move out?

A. Yes you move out. (getting irritable and making B nervous) Now for goodness sake MOVE!

(B in a fluster moves the car out from the parking position without looking. A car drives onto them.) (CRASH).

A. Why didn’t you look you cretin. I told you . YOU HAVE TO look!!

B. Sorry, I thought when you said MOVE that you had already looked..

A idiot!

C. (getting out of the other car and angrily approaching) You idiot!! Hasn’t the instructor told you? You have to look in the mirror, and use your indicator. I can’t read your bloody mind?

 

2. Make a play - one or more sets of nuggets are used freely. Indicate which vocabulary sets might be useful for certain subjects. (Look at "Squashed rabbits" as an example of a concentrated use of a particular structure). As preparation, a piece of "cronaca nera" could be read to the class in Italian. This is then given a dramatic presentation.

UNIT 17 A /B. Learning theory. (must, have to)

A. You said you wanted to learn English.

B. Yes, I did.

A. Then you must speak English. If you want to learn, you must speak. If you speak, you will learn. Do you understand?

B. (doubtfully) Yes.

A. So, tell me what you have to do.

B. I have to speak. (Pause). But... but surely, first I have to learn, and then I can speak. No?

A. No, no. If you want to learn, you must speak.

B. But how can I speak if I don’t know what to say.

A. Speak, and you’ll learn.

B. When I know how to say it, then I can speak.

A. That’s what you think. You must speak! Talk to people.

B. You’ll have to explain all this again. I’m afraid I don’t understand.

A. But I explained it yesterday. Do you remember? I said, if you learn silently, when the moment comes and you have to speak, you won’t be able to speak!

B. It’s odd, isn’t it!

A. You must trust me, I know what I’m saying.

B. You certainly talk a lot.

A. That’s because I learnt by speaking. I had to.

 

PLAY IDEA

Summaries from a skeleton dictation. Dictate all the nouns (or verbs) from the text and let the students use them as a skeleton/frame for a free recreation. The plays are ideally used for this sort of guided writing    .back to teachers' home page