Phrases

We use phrases every day in the English language. If you want to become a colloquial genius, studying these and more importantly, understanding them, is key.

So, to start with...

Animal Kingdom A-Z

Im a big animal lover, so when I found the exercises below, I thought I had to share. Though better suited for my younger learners, delving into the animal kingdom can be fun at any age!

Enjoy!

a for alligator »

Alligators live in America. They are giant, intelligent reptiles directly descended from ancient crocodilians that were alive before the dinosaurs.

b for bear »

Bears are fast runners, excellent swimmers and good climbers. They may look cute, but this animal is very dangerous!

c for camel »

Camels are called ships of the desert. They have several adaptations that protect them during sandstorms. They are used for transport, milk, hides and wool.

d for dolphin »

Altough they live in the water, dolphins are mammals, not fish. They are intelligent, playful creatures, friendly to humans.

e for elephant »

Elephants are the largest mammals in the world that live on land. They have a gentle personality, and are very sensitive and clever.

f for fish »

Fish live and breathe in water, have slimy bodies and are cold-blooded. There are many kinds of fish, some have bones, but others only cartilage.

g for giraffe »

Giraffes, the tallest of the land animals, live in the savannas of Africa. They are well known for their long necks, long legs and spotted patterns..

h for hippo »

Hippos live in the rivers, lakes and swamps. They are the third largets African animal. Adult hippos have no natural enemy.

i for insect »

There are over 1 million different known species of insects in the world, and some experts estimate that there might be as many as 10 million!

j for jellyfish »

Jellyfish have fish in their name, but they are not fish. They live in every ocean in the world, even in freshwater lakes too.

k for kangaroo »

Kangaroos are the symbol of Australia. They appear on Australian postage stamps, coins, and even on Autstralian planes.

l for lion »

Lions live in bush, grasslands, savannas and woodlands. The lion is a symbol of power, courage and nobility.

m for monkey »

There are two types of monkey: the Old World Monkey and the New World Monkey.

n for newt »

Newts are brightly coloured salamanders. These small amphibians are found in moist, wooded areas in North America, Europe and Asia.

o for owl »

Owls are mysterious birds. They like lonely places. In many countries the owl is a symbol of wisdom.

p for penquin »

Penguins are birds, but unlike most birds they are not able to fly. They live in the southern half of the world. Many penguins are not afraid of people.

q for queen bee »

Honey bees are the only insects that produce a food consumed by humans. Honey is produced in one of the busiest yet most efficient factories in the world - a beehive.

r for raccoon »

Raccoons are curious, intelligent and often troublesome mammals. They me be found in hollow trees, ground burrows and brush piles.

s for seal »

Seals are marine mammals. There are lots of kinds of seals. Scientists group them into three main types: true seals, eared seals, and walruses.

t for tiger »

Tigers are the biggest cats in the world. They live in steamy hot jungles as well as icy cold forests.

u for unicorn »

Unicorns are one horned mythical creatures that can be associated with all kinds of mythology.

v for viper »

Vipers are weird creatures. They can move without legs, and can cause sickness or death with a single bite.

w for whale »

Whales are large, intelligent animals. They are not fish, they are mammals that spend their entire lives in the water.

x in fox »

Foxes are the smallest member of the dog family.They have characteristics of both dogs and cats, and are nocturnal animals.

y for yak »

Yaks originate in the Himalayan Mountains, and have been domesticated for about 5000 years.

z for zebra »

There are three species of Zebra, all native to the African continent. They differ slightly in their stripes, but all have the same general shape.

Bizarre Criminals

· Why do people steal things?

· Have you ever had anything stolen from you?

· Have you ever stolen anything?

· Do you think your country is a safe place to live?

· Have you ever seen a crime?

· Is it ever okay to break the law? Why?

· Have you ever broken the law? Why?

Read these stories about some bizarre criminals.

· A thief was arrested after he was found asleep in a pub he was robbing after he tried some expensive liquor. The 42-year-old man entered the pub through the roof and started to load his pockets with money and whatever he could find. Then, he tried some whiskey and other drinks but could not stop. The pub’s owner found him in the morning. The owner called the police but not before writing the burglar's bill which was about $120. The thief was charged with burglary and faces at least three years in jail. The police said the man had robbed another bar the day before.

· Another thief broke into a residential home but did not plan his crime very well. He entered the house and quickly unhooked and removed two television sets, a VCR player, and some stereo equipment. Then, he remembered that he was on foot and had no way of getting the stolen goods back to his apartment. He worked hard to steal all that stuff and didn't want to leave it behind, so he called a taxi. He stacked all the equipment on the sidewalk, sat down, and waited for the taxi to arrive. When the taxi arrived, the driver helped the man load all of the equipment into the truck. The thief jumped in and gave the driver his address. The driver thought the situation was a bit strange, so he called the police. The cops arrived at the thief’s house and immediately arrested him.

· An employee at Edwards Elementary School stole one of the school's refrigerators and took it home. When she got home she discovered the refrigerator wasn't working. She called a repairman to fix it, but not just any repairman. She called the school system's maintenance department. The repairman came to her house and recognized the refrigerator. He told the woman that he knew she had stolen the fridge but she did not offer the man ‘hush’ money to keep it a secret. She didn't even offer him money for fixing the fridge. The maintenance man called the police and the woman was arrested and fired from her job.

· A purse-snatcher was arrested after he chose the wrong person as his victim. The man, who was suspected of a string of handbag robberies, sped past his last victim on his motorcycle and lifted her purse without slowing down. As he turned around to see the surprise on his victim's face, he realized he had made a stupid mistake. The woman was his mother. She immediately reported the incident to the police and said she believed her son was stealing purses to finance his drug habit. The next time the mother and son were reunited it was in a courtroom.

Comprehension Questions:

1. Where was the first thief caught?

2. Why was he sleeping?

3. Who found him in the morning?

4. How much was his bill?

5. What was he charged with?

6. What did the second thief break into?

7. What did he try to steal?

8. What did he call?

9. What did the taxi driver think?

10. Who did the taxi driver call?

11. Where did the third thief work?

12. What did she try to steal?

13. What did she discover when she got home?

14. Who did she call?

15. What did she tell the repairman?

16. Why was the purse-snatcher arrested?

17. How did he steal the purse?

18. Who was the woman?

19. What did she do?

20. Where were they next reunited?

Discussion Questions:

1. Is your city a safe place to live? Why?

2. Does your city have any dangerous areas? Where are they?

3. Are you afraid to walk outside after dark? Why?

4. Do you know anyone who has been robbed? If so, what happened?

5. Have you ever been robbed? Have you ever had something stolen from you?

6. If a person steals bread to feed his starving family, should he be punished? Why?

7. Is it ever okay to break the law? If so, when?

8. What are some things people can do to protect themselves from crime?

9. What are some things that are legal but you personally think should be illegal?

10. What are some things that are illegal but you personally think should be legal?

11. What crimes have you heard about recently in the news?

12. What do you think is the worst crime a person could commit? Why?

13. What crimes do you think will increase in the future? Why?

14. What crimes do you think will decrease in the future? Why?

15. Does your country have the death penalty? If so, for what crimes can people receive the death penalty?