Mad Libs

[dr4b]

I made this up for my 9th-graders to do today in advanced English class. You can play too if you want. I called this activity "Crazy Interview!!":

1. Place in Japan (city/area/prefecture)
2. Country
3. Adjective
4. Adjective

5. Your first name
6. Place in Japan (city/area/prefecture)
7. Number from 1-9
8. Noun
9. Adjective
10. Animal
11. Nature-related thing
12. Famous Building In The World
13. School Subject
14. Noun
15. Job
16. Number
17. Sport
18. Family Member
19. Number


May I have your name please?
- My name is _____(5)_______ ______(6)________.
May I ask you a few questions?
- Of course.
When did you come to ____(1)______?
- In 199__(7)__. I have lived in this town for many years.
How do you feel about your life here?
- I like it. The ____(8)_________ are very _____(9)_____________.

You're from ____(2)________, aren't you?
- Yes. My country has big _____(10)_______s, beautiful ______(11)________s and ___(12)___________.
It sounds _______(3)____________. What are you doing in _____(1)________?
- I'm studying _______(13)_________. I want to make better ______(14)________ for the _____(15)__________ of my country.
Have you studied it for a long time?
- Yes, I have. For about __(16)_______ years.

I hear you're also interested in sports.
- Oh, yes. I like to play ______(17)___________. Look at this picture. It's me and my ___(18)________ playing _____(17)________.
That's a ____(4)________ picture. How long have you played sports?
- For about _____(19)_________ years.
I see. Thank you very much for your time.
- You're welcome!

Basically, this is pretty close to their actual textbook lesson 2 text -- one of the boys in the book is interviewing a lady from Tanzania about what she does and why she likes Japan. The real conversation has lines like "I'm studying biotechnology. I want to make better crops for the farmers of Tanzania." Or "I like it here very much. The people are very kind." But I thought it would be funny AND help them understand the lesson if they did something like this.

Some kids actually ended up with totally normal answers, like:

- I'm studying Home Economics. I want to make better chocolates for the kindergarten teachers of my country.

- I'm studying P.E. I want to make better bats for the baseball players of my country. (Not a joke. You can guess who did that one.)

- I like it here. The buses are very fast.

- My country has big bears, beautiful flowers, and the Opera House. (The other person had actually said "You're from Australia, aren't you?")

But some kids ended up with things like "Yes, I have [played tennis]. For about 300 years."

Or "I'm studying math. I want to make better soccer balls for the doctors of my country."

Or "I'm studying art. I want to make better cameras for the policemen of my country."

One guy had "I'm studying English. I want to make better glasses for the prime ministers of my country."

"I like it here. The apples are very angry."

"I like it here. The uniforms are very stupid."

"I like to play soccer. Look at this picture. It's me and my grandmother playing soccer."
"Wow, that's a sad picture. How long have you played soccer?"
"For about 5 billion years."

A lot of them also were very amused by the names they ended up with. I was "Deanna Nishinomiya". A lot of them were like, "I'm Kenji Kyoto" or "I'm Rina Arakawa" or "I'm Mao Nagoya" or "I'm Mari Ochanomizu".


Anyway, it went over better than I thought it would. Some kids wanted to read their interviews with a bunch of people, so I told them them to switch with each other. Some kids just didn't care and spent the class time hanging out doing nothing.

I am going to separate out the rest of my school babbling into another entry, because I can keep this one public with the mad libs thingy.

Comments

*chuckle*

[kamendae.livejournal.com]

May I have your name please?
- My name is Mike Akihabara.
May I ask you a few questions?
- Of course.
When did you come to Akabane?
- In 1995. I have lived in this town for many years.
How do you feel about your life here?
- I like it. The magnets are very soft.

You're from Thailand, aren't you?
- Yes. My country has big platypuses, beautiful volcanoes and the Eiffel Tower.
It sounds scary. What are you doing in Akabane?
- I'm studying differential equations. I want to make better almonds for the architects of my country.
Have you studied it for a long time?
- Yes, I have. For about pi years.

I hear you're also interested in sports.
- Oh, yes. I like to play fencing. Look at this picture. It's me and my grandmother playing fencing.
That's a beautiful picture. How long have you played sports?
- For about 42 years.
I see. Thank you very much for your time.
- You're welcome!

[dvarin.livejournal.com]

Apparently I like Akita because it has futuristic hats, and I'm studying economics in order to make better gourds for the jewellers of my country.

[hillsy2k.livejournal.com]

Very interesting. I'm studying science in Kichijoji in order to make better ladders for the astronauts of my country, Turkemenistan, which apparently has big buffalo, beautiful geysers, and a Space Needle. I've also played sports for just a hair under 200yrs. >_

[firesplace.livejournal.com]

May I have your name please?
- My name is Fire Sapporo.
May I ask you a few questions?
- Of course.
When did you come to Hokkaido?
- In 1997. I have lived in this town for many years.
How do you feel about your life here?
- I like it. The cans are very sticky.

You're from Mexico, aren't you?
- Yes. My country has big polar bears, beautiful bird feeders and the Great Pyramid.
It sounds seething. What are you doing in Hokkaido?
- I'm studying history. I want to make better batteries for the analysts of my country.
Have you studied it for a long time?
- Yes, I have. For about three years.

I hear you're also interested in sports.
- Oh, yes. I like to play kickball. Look at this picture. It's me and my aunt playing kickball.
That's a brown picture. How long have you played sports?
- For about sixty-three years.
I see. Thank you very much for your time.
- You're welcome!