Janitor's Dream Comes True

LAS CRUCES,NM, USA. Primo Torres has learned that dreams come true. Born in Juarez, Mexico, Torres grew up in Texas in a poor family. As a child, Torres was a bookworm and he loved school. At 15, he already dreamed of being a teacher.






One day at school, young Torres dropped by to see his guidance counselor. He told the counselor his plans for the future. "But this guy said, 'Primo, you will never be a college material,'" Torres said. "When he told me that, I gave up. He threw cold water on my dream."






After graduating from high school, Torres got a job as a janitor at Mayfield High School in Las Cruces, New Mexico. He cleaned bathrooms and swept floors. The years went by. Now and then, he talks to his wife about his childhood dream of being a teacher.






One day, when Torres was 41 years old, his wife gave him some papers. She had enrolled him in college. "It was strange going back to school at my age," said Torres. " I felt like an old man around all those kids." The words of his first professor changed his life. "Everyone in this room is capable of succeeding. You can all make an A." he said. Torres hit the books and made his frist A in college.
Torres finished college, and now he's teaching at Mayfield High School. His students love him. "My students don't realize that I'm the same man who used to sweep the floors in this school," said Torres.

About You:

1. Tell about a dream you had that came true.

2. Are you a bookworm?

3. For how long do you hit the books on a typical evening?

4. What do you dream of doing in the future? Does your family encourage you to follow your dreams, or do they throw cold water on them?

Money Rains From the Sky

MIAMI, FL, USA. Early one morning, residents in a very poor neighborhood in Miami heard a loud crash. An armored truck had smashed into a guard rail and overturned on a bridge. The truck was carrying millions of dollars. The doors of the truck burst open, and bags of money fell out. The bags broke open, and money flew all over the place. Hundreds of people rushed to get their hands on the cash. "Money is raining from the sky!" they shouted. Altogether, the people stuffed $500,000 into their pockets and bags.




When the excitement died down, the police went from house to house and announced, "if you took money, you must give it back within 48 hours." They waited at the police station, but in the end only two people showed up-a woman and a boy, Herbert Tarvin,11, turned in the 85 cents he picked up.




Herbet's honesty made an impression on people. When officials at Disney World in Orland, Florida, found out about Herbert, they invited him and his entire class to take a trip there. When they arrived, the Disney company rolled out the red carpetfor the 16 children. Herbert and his friends had the time of their lives. "We like to reward kids for good behavior," a Disney spokesperson commented.






About You:




1. Do you want to take a trip? Where? Why?




2. Tell about an occassion when you had the time of your life.




3. When you meet someone new, what makes an impression on you.




4. What time do you usually show up for class?

The Ringing Dog

LONDON, ENGLAND. It's Christmas time in London. Rachel Murphy, 27, buys a Christmas gift for her roommate. It's a small cellular phone. She wraps it and puts it under the Christmas tree in their apartment. a little bit later, Rachel notices a pile of torn paper under the tree. The phone is gone! "What's going on?" she wonders. She suspects Charlie, her roommate's dog, who is sleeping like a log near the tree. She looks high and low for the phone, but it's nowhere. She can't firgure it out. The phone has vanished into thin air!




Rachel gets the phone number from the telephone company and dials the number. She hears ringing in Charlie's stomach. "What in the world?" she thinks. She's confused, but all at once she gets the picture. Charlie swollowed the phone! She rushes the dog to the vet. "Don't worry," the vet says. "Just let nature take its course." Sure enough, 24 hours later, the phone passes through Charlie's system. It seems to be in perfect working order!


About You:

1. Do you have a pet? If so, does it get into trouble like Charlie?

2. Did you ever own something that vanished into thin air? Did you look high and low for it? Did you ever find it?

3. Do you sleep like a log, or are you a light sleeper?

4. What is the best gift you ever received? On what holidays do you give gifts?

Lovesick Elephant

LYON, FRANCE. For Pankov and Mako, it was love at first sight. When the two elephants first saw each other in the Lyon zoo, they fell head over heels in love.




For 34 years, the two elephants looked after each other and were happy. Then one day, Mako got sick. He fell into a ditch by the elephants' cage. A few months later, on a cold January day, he passed away.




Pancov was brokenhearted. Over and over, zookeepers tried to feed her, but she refused to eat. Although Pancov had a sweet tooth, she even refused her favorite treat, sweet spiced wine. Nothing could cheer her up.Pancov didn't eat for four weeks, and she went from bad to worse. On Valentine's Day, a month after Mako's Death, zookeepers found Pancov in the same ditch. The night, she died of a broken heart.






About You:




1. Do you believe in love at first sight, or do you think love grows over time?




2. Do you think animals have emotions?




3. Do you have a sweet tooth?

Crow Commits Crime

CLEARWATER, FL, USA. One day, when Frank Landstrom was playing golf in Clearwater, Florida, something strange happened. His $450 gold bracelet was in his golf cart. All of a sudden, a big crow flew down out of nowhere and grabbed the bracelet. "What in the world?" Frank thought. He watched wide-eyed as the crow made off with his bracelet. Frank was in a bad mood because he was sure the bracelet was gone for good.




Later that day, a man named Tom Johnson pulled into a supermarket parking lot 35 miles from Clearwater. something shiny on the ground caught his eye. He picked it up. It was a gold bracelet!




The next morning, Tom saw a story in the newspaper about a crow and a gold bracelet. He put two and two together. Then he got in touch with Frank Landstrom to give the bracelet back. Frank couldn't believe his luck. He was thrilled to get it back.






About you:




1. Tell about a time when you lost something valuable. Did you ever get it back, or was it gone for good?




2. Have you ever found something valuable? Did you try to give it back to the owner?




3. Are you in a bad or a good mood today? Why?




4. Do you know an unusual story about an animal? If so, tell it.

Fish Turns the Table on Fisherman

KONAKOVO, RUSSIA. One day, a Russian man is fishing at a lake near Moscow. He is crazy about this sport. He catches a very large fish and is on cloud nine! when he begins to show off for his pals. He grabs the fish and kisses it right on the mouth. BUt the fish turns the tables on the fisherman and bites his nose. It won't let go. The poor fisherman is in hot water now. "Take it easy," his friends advise. Then they have an idea. They cut the head off the fish. But the fish still won't let go of the fisherman's nose. It has strong teeth! Finally, doctors in local hospital set the fisherman free. "play it safe," they tell him. "Don't kiss any more fish!"



About you:


1. Do you like to fish? If so, are you crazy about it? Do you clean the fish? Do you cut the head off?


2. What sports or hobbies are you crazy about?


3. Tell about a happy memory when you were on cloud nine.


4. Do you know people who show off? If so, what do they do?


5. Have you ever been in hot water? Why? When? Tell the story.


6. Are you the type of person who plays it safe, or do you like to take risks?

Man Dances in his Own Funeral

CAIRO, EGYPT. One day, the police see a body on a beach in Egypt. The man is dead as a doornail. The ID card in the man's wallet identify him as Ahmed Awadh, age 30.




A short time later, Ahmed's friends and relatives are sitting in a funeral tent. The feel blue and they're crying over Ahmed. All of a sudden the "dead" man walks into the tent, looking like a million dollars. His friends and family are dumbfounded. When they realize it's really Ahmed they go crazy. They laugh, they cry, and they kiss him. Ahmed explains, "A thief ripped me off and took my ID cards. So when the police found the dead man, they thought he was me!" When Ahmed's friends and family get over their shock, the funeral turns into a party. They're on the top of the world! Police are still trying to identify the dead man.






About you




1. Has anyone ever ripped you off? What did they take?




2. Tell about a time when you felt blue. How did you get over it?




3. Tell about a time when you were dumbfounded. What happened?




4. What are funerals like in your country?

Spaniards Paint the Town Red

BUNYOL, SPAIN. One a year, the town of Bunyol in Spain throws a big party. The festival is called "La Tomatina." To get ready, townspeople put big plastic sheets over their windows. By noon on the day of the festival, an enormous crowd gathers on the central square. People shout, "Tomato! Tomato!" at the top of their lungs. They're dying to see the tomatoes. Just after 12:00 noon, the tomatoes arrive- in five big trucks! Some people put on goggles. The trucks dump the tomatoes, and the party begins. People go bananas. They dive into the tomatoes and begin throwing them everywhere. Before long, the square is a red juicy pool. "It's wonderful to let loose and throw a big wet tomato at a neighbor," says Minerva Gonzales of Bunyol. "Everyone has a great time."






About you:




1. Whould you like to participate in La Tomatina? Why or why not?




2. Does your hometown have a festival where people go bananas? If so, tell the class about it. Does it happen once a year or more often?




3. Do you think it's a good idea for people to let loose sometimes? Why or why not?




4. Do you like to throw parties? Do your friends throw parties? Tell about a party you threw recently. How did you get ready for it?




5. What are you dying to do? Will you be able to it before long?

The Longest Hair in the World

MON NGA, THAILAND. Eighty-five-year-old Hoo Sateow lives in a small village in Thailand. He has very long hair. In fact, it's the longest hair in the world-more than 17 feet long! I cut my hair when I was 18 years old, and I got sick. So I'll never do it again," Hoo says. According to Hoo, his long hair allows him to talk to ghosts and help sick people. Hoo has something in common with his older brother, Yi. Both have long hair. Yi's hair is more than 14 feet long.




Hoo washes his hair only once in a blue moon. His friends usually give him a hand. The long hair takes ages to dry. Hoo hangs it on a fence in the sun. His hair is hard to take care of, but Hoo says it comes in handy in Thailand's cool mountain weather. "I wrap my hair around my head and then put my hat on. It keeps me warm."






About you:




1. Is your hair hard to take care of? Why or why not?




2. When do your friends give you a hand? When do you give them a hand?




3. What do you have in common with a member of your family?

A Heart of Gold

ORANGE COUNTY, CA, USA. Victor Cacelis is a California immigrant who grew up in a poor village in Mexico. He is used to working hard. He works more than 90 hours a week in three different jobs including McDonald's. He is saving up to buy a house.




One day, while Victor is cleaning the floor at McDonald's, he finds an envelope and picks it up. It contains $612 in cash! He gets in touch with the police to report the lost money. The police can't find the owner, so they give the money back to Victor.




Then Victor reads a story in the newspaper about Adrian Sandoval, a baby who is very sick. Victor decides to give the cash away to help pay for the baby's surgery. "Life has been nice to me," Bacelis said. "I'm healthy. I have enough money. Adrian is a little boy and his condition really touched me this is what i want to do." Vistor Bacelis trully has a heart of gold.




About You




1. Do you know anyone who has a heart of gold? How does this person act?




2. If you found cash on the floor at work, what would you do? Would you keep the money, get in touch with the police or your boss, or give it away?




3. Are you used to working hard? Tell about your weekly schedule.




4. How do you usually get in touch with friends and family who live far away: by phone, by email, by letter, or by fax?

Robber Chickens Out

PEARL RIVER, NY, USA. In New York, nothing is surprising anymore. A man went into a bank in a town just north of New York City. He had a plastic bag over his head. He approached a teller and handed her a note. The teller took a look at the note. But she couldn't make heads or tails of it. The handwriting was terrible. She excused herself and went to consult with her co-workers. No one could read the note. Finally, one of the clerks figured out part of it. It said, " I have a gun." The clerks realized at last that the man was trying to hold up the bank. But when they looked up, the man with the bag on his head was gone. Apparently, he lost his nerve and ran away.




Why didn't the teller react to the plactic bag on the man's head? She said only, " I thought maybe he had a skin problem." Police officers are still trying to make sense of the robber's note. "The note says he has a gun, but we have to spend more time studying the rest of it," said the officer.






About you:




1. Tell about a time when you wanted to do something but you lost your nerve.




2. What do you like to spend time doing?




3. Did you ever visit a foreign country? If so, what was especially difficult to make sense of?

It's About Time

ANTILLO, ITALY. Vittoria Celemi and Sebastio Macaroni live in a small village in Sicily. They are in love. One day, Sebastio gives Vitorria an engagement ring and asks her to marry him. Vittoria accepts, but she adds, "Let's wait to get married until we can afford the perfect wedding! We don't have enough money now."




Vittoria begins to shop for a wedding dress, and she soon finds the perfect one. It's long, lacy, and beautiful. But it costs an arm and a leg! So Vittoria starts to save her money. She makes a small payment every year. She saves up for 40 years!




At long last, after a 40-year engagement, Vittoria can buy the wedding dress. She and Sebastio decide to tie the knot. At the wedding, Vittoria looks beautiful in her dress. The newlyweds are in seventh heaven. They dance, drink champagne, and eat caviar. Afterward, they ride off in a horse-drawn carriage. Their friends watch them and think, "It's about time!"

About You




1. Are you patient? Can you imagine waiting 40 years for anything? If so, what?




2. Is it important to be in love when you get married? Explain your ideas.




3. In your country, when a man wants to marry a woman, does he need to get permission from her parents? Does he give something to the woman or her family? Does the woman give something to the man or his family?




4.Vittoria's wedding dress cost an arm and a leg. Have you ever bought something that cost an arm and a leg? If so, what?

It's no Wonder

Saratov, Russia. One Day, Olga Petrovic isn't feeling well. She goes to see the doctor in her small town in southern Russia. "What's the matter?" he asks. I have a stomachache. And I'm running a fever", she tells him. The doctor takes an x-ray. He's shocked when he looks at it. There's a 12-inch piece of metal in Olga's stomach. "That takes the cake!" he thinks. "No wonder she has a stomachache! Olga remembers an operation she had 25 years ago. Apparently, the surgeon made a big mistake and left a medical instrument inside her. We need to get rid of it, "says the doctor. "You need an operation." Olga " has cold feet and wants to put it off. But her doctor wants her to have the operation right away. Now the medical instrument is gone and Olga is recovering.


ABOUT YOU



1. Have you ever had an operation?

I never had an operation.


2. How do you feel today? Do you have a stomachache, a headache, or a cold?

Today,I'm fine but a little sleepy.
Maybe I'm tired because I clean(ing) floors aimost everyday.


3. How often do you think doctors make serious mistakes? Tell about a time when you made a big mistake.

I think doctors make serious mistakes everyday in the
world.
Of course it's never forgiveable,but they are people too.

When I was 22 years old,I was working at a dentist's office.
A young staff wanted to leave her job.
I was listened to her complaint.
At last,she (leave) left the job.
She told the dentist's wife,who is the owner,"Miho said
your abuse".
The owner got angry and scold me so hard.
I had never (say) said the owner's abuse.
I couldn't distinguish that the staff was not a good girl.
I shouldn't have listened to the staff's complait.


4. Are you putting off something that you should be doing? If so, what?

My room was so dirty about a week ago.
My father (said) told me to clean my room.
I said that I'm tired because I worked so hard.


5. Is there something you won't do because you have cold feet?

No.
I always drink liquor (of) with Chinese medicine.
It makes my feet warm.


6. Do you have any bad habits that you's like to get rid of

Peeling my lip skin.
My lip is easy to become rough,so I often peel my lip
skin.
It's a bad habit.

Day 1: Lost Skier Dances All Night Long

LAYTON, UTAH, USA. It's the day before Christmas. Karen Hartley, 33 is skiing by herself at Powder Mountain in Utah. By mistake, she begins to ski off the trail. Soon she gets lost. She yells for help, but no one hears her. Night comes, and the temperature falls below freezing. Karen is scared to death and very cold. But she keeps her head. She plays music in her mind and dances all night long to stay warm. She dances to old disco songs, pop songs, and Christmas songs. "It was either dance or die," she said. "Ikept on dancing. I didn't give up."
The next morning, a helicopter begins to look for Karen. After 18 hours in the cold, she is rescued in the nick of time. Karen is frozen stiff but all right. She spends Christmas Day in a hot tub.

About you:

1. If you got lost in the mountain in winter, what would you do to survive?

2. Tell about a time when you got lost. Where were you? Did someone look for you?

When I was 7 years old,I went to department STORE with my mother and my littele brother. I got lost (only one) AND I WAS SO LONELY. About half AN hour later, my mother found me.

3. Tell about a time when you were scared to death. Were you with other people or were you by yourself?

When I was 19 years old,I ACCIDENTALLY sliced my hand (by deep of) WITH A can when I worked AT a restaurant. My bleedeing (was) DID not stop. There (was) WERE many (person) PEOPLE. My frends and boss WERE suprised. At last,I went TO a hospital. A doctor cured my hand and I survived.

4. Tell about a dangerous or funny thing you did by mistake.

When I worked at A restaurant,I (roasted) OVERCOOKED THE meat. (too much.) (It) I was busy,so my boss (bringed) BROUGHT the meat to a cUstomer. Ofcouse the costomer got angry. He (hitted) HIT my boss. I apologized TO the costomer and TO my boss. They forgave me. It was dAngerous.

5. Do you like to dance? Did you ever dance all night long?

I like dancing very much. I often go to a night spot and dance all night.

6. What kind of music do you like?

I like House. A Japanese made a genre of House. ItS called Onee-House. Onee means sister. It not so mager,but I love it.