ESL Teacher Blog: Vocabulary Activities for the Year of Snake

Here’s a number of activities to honor one of the most powerful creatures in Chinese mythology:

 

1. Review common adjective suffixes and ask to think of adjectives that describe snakes:

2. Describe physical characteristics of snakes: skin patterns (stripes, rings, spots, diamonds, speckles, blotches, cross-bands; camouflage coloring) body movements (bend, glide, slither, coil up/around, twist, arch, lurch); name unique parts of their bodies (a forked tongue, vertebrae, fangs).

 

3. Discuss the meaning of the idioms containing the word ‘snake’:

 

speak with a forked tongue - lie
snake in the grass - an enemy who pretends to be a friend
snake oil - a product that claims to cure an ailment (which it doesn’t cure)

 

4. Talk about the conflicting views associated with snakes (beneficial or harmful, having a bad or good reputation, a creature that fascinates or scares).

 

5. Discuss snake qualities that can describe human character traits: wisdom, patience, deception, betrayal, mischief, trickery and deceitfulness. Retell the biblical story about a sly serpent that lured Eve into eating forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. 

 

6. Talk about healing properties associated with snakes. Refer learners to the web to explore why a snake wrapped around a rod has been a long-time medical symbol.

 

7. Share stories/experiences about snake encounters in the wild, observing snake charmers and keeping snakes as exotic pets.

 

ESL Student Blog: How about next Tuesday morning? - The Language of Booking Appointments

New year is underway and your calendar is probably filling up fast with new appointments - doctor visits, newcomer orientation sessions, parent-teacher interviews, placement tests and professional services consultations.

How busy is your schedule? Can you juggle your work, school and your/your family appointments?

 

Answer the questions below to practice talking about appointments. Pay attention to bolded expressions that combine words that are often used together:

 

Would you like to make/book/schedule/set up an appointment?

Would you like a morning/afternoon appointment? An early morning or late afternoon appointment?

What’s the nature (reason) of your appointment? Is it a check-up or follow-up appointment?

Do you usually confirm your appointment a few days before your scheduled appointment?

Have you ever missed an appointment? Does your doctor charge a fee for a missed appointment? Would your doctor waive the fee under some special circumstances?

Do you always keep your appointments?

Do you always arrive early/on time/late for your appointments?

If you can’t make your appointment, do you cancel or reschedule it? Move it up (arrange it at an earlier time) or push it back (arrange it at a later time)?