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?