Answers to "Falling Tree" N.Y. Times

The family photo album documents (shows):photos that document the love story of their son and his wife.

The sonogram shows: the daughter they were expecting in the fall

His name and hers: Aleksander and Yingyi

His nationality and hers: Bulgarian and Chinese

Their ages: 20 and 30

Initials in the center of the heart in the sand: A and Y

What she was doing when the accident happened: strolling in Kissena Park

Age of the fetus: 6 months old

Age and height of the tree: 70 years old and 50 feet tall

Location of the accident: Kissena Park, Queens, New York

Date of the accident: Sunday, August 4th

Where he was standing when he talked to the reporter: in front of his parents' apartment building

Where he wants to go: somewhere; he doesn't know where

What he feels like: he is going to go and meet her right now

Her education and job: masters's degree in sports management from Ithaca college. Present job is an online business selling clothing (when the couple met, she worked a desk job at the Flushing Y.M.C.A.

When and where they met: at the Flushing Y.M.C.A. four years ago

A noun meaning “show interest in a person of the opposite sex”: flirtation

Neighborhood where they had their dates: Chinatown

Where they moved: San Antonio, Texas

Her business after they returned to New York:an online business selling clothing

Her clothing when they married: a blue dress

Name of the baby he suggested and reason he suggested it: Christina, a traditional name that satisfied his Bulgarian parents

Name she suggested: the Chinese word for moonlight

Name of the spokesman for N.Y. City Parks Department:  Arthur Pincus

What did the spokesman call the event: "a tragic accident"

Answers to Questions about Andrei

These are the answers to the questions about Andrei:

1. Russian, German, Slovak, Polish and English
2. Russian and Slavic languages
3. metallurgical engineer
4. in-charge metallurgical engineer
5. cleaning man
6. engineering school
7. languages
8. Russian and Slavic languages, at Hunter College
9. South Korea
10. Russia
11. cold
12. Lake Baikal
13. University professor, three times less than his
14. They don't have much respect toward their elders
15. teacher and translator at the U.N. (United Nations)
16. Nobody constructs railroads in the U.S. now
17. early fifties (50-54)
18. It doesn't have any interest. No discussion about intellectual things
19. that he is working as a cleaning man
20. hard labor
21. being lazy
22. physically and emotionally
23. in snow-covered Siberia
24. draw all his money from the bank and commit suicide
25.essays he wrote
26. works at night and studies during the day
27. fall
28. to the subway
29. thumbs up
30. a wave (noun) or: he waved (verb)

Work

What is a normal day at work for you?

Where is the most interesting place you have ever visited for your job?

Do you meet interesting people?

Are you under pressure at your job?

Can you relax when you are working?

Is there anything bad about your job?

Do you have a dream job?


On a normal day I arrive at work at eight-thirty and begin preparing for the first patient. I ask the doctor what special arrangements the patient needs, and I set up tools he wants. I continue this for patients who come later in the morning. At about noon I take a lunch break for one hour. I eat outside but in a park instead of a restaurant or coffee shop. I bring food from home every day to save money. The afternoon routine is similar to the morning. At four thirty, I finish the day and go home by subway, arriving in time to help my children with homework and make dinner. My schedule is really busy.

The most interesting place I have visited for my job is Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan. I saw the high quality of medical care available and the excellent care patients get.

I am under some pressure because the work is serious and details are important. A mistake could be disastrous.

I rarely can relax at my job. I am on my feet assisting the doctor and patients almost all the time.

There is nothing bad about my job, although I would like to have a few more weeks vacation every year.

I do not consider this a dream job, but it is a step toward the career I want and am studying for.

Silvia

Success Story

Please say hello to your partner

and talk about these questions:

We are going to read about Alfredo, a successful person.

-Who is the most successful person you know?

-Do you know someone who is unsuccessful? What is the difference?

In your opinion, which is the most important:

happiness?  making other people happy? money? family? doing something (what?) learning something? 

-What is important for a successful life?

-Who is a famous successful person, in your opinion? Explain, please.

-Who is a successful person you know? (friend, family, classmate)

-Are rich people happier?

-Peace is necessary for happiness. Is peace enough for happiness? Or do you need something more?

-What places in the U.S. have you visited (outside New York City)?

What places in the U.S. would you like to visit?

-What countries have you visited?

What countries would you like to visit?

Would you like to visit Mexico?

-Would you like to visit Mexico?

A New New Yorker

0.  Where is he or she from?

1. What color is his or her hair? eyes?

2. Is he or she tall or short?

3. Is he or she married or single?

4. Does he have children? How many? Ages?

5. What did he do in his country? Teacher? Doctor? Cook?

6. What is his education? Did he go to college? What did he major in? Economics? Computer science? Photography?

7. How old was he when he moved to the U.S.?

- What is his- or her- name?

8. Why did he (or his family) decide to come here?

9. Was the decision difficult? Why?

10. What did he like  in his country? What did he dislike?

11. What does he like in the U.S.? What

does he dislike?

Example: He likes opportunities for his family. He dislikes working at two jobs.

12. Did he first come to New York or another state? Explain his travels.

example: first, he came to Arizona. He was there for two weeks Then he moved to Chicago, but it was too cold so he ...

13. How did he come to the U.S.? By airplane, boat, on foot?

14. Did he have family waiting for him here? Cousins? Parents? Spouse? Other?

15. Describe his home in his country. Apartment? House? What floor did he

live on? How did he find the place? How many rooms? Did he like the

neighborhood? Why or why not?

16. Did he know a lot of English or a little when he came here?

17. What were problems he had at first?

18. How did he fix those problems?

19. What are problems for him now?

20. Does he have a job? Is it the same or different from the job in his country?

How many hours does he work in a week now?

21. Does he have friends in New York? Why or why not?

22. Is he tall, short, fat, thin or medium weight? What color

is his hair? What kind of clothes does he like?

23. What does he think about the government in his country?

24. What does he think about the U.S. government?

25. What is his favorite thing about the U.S.?

26. What was a negative surprise about the U.S.?

27. Does he (or she) want to become a U.S. citizen?

28. How long has he or she lived in the U.S.

how long does he or she plan to live here in the future?

30. What are his or her future plans?

31. What are his or her future goals? Family? Education? Work? Money? Travel?

Device Survey

DEVICE SURVEY

Do you use your phone while watching television? (how many students answer "yes")

How many hours do you sleep every night? (write the number for each student)

Do you pay more than seventy dollars a month for phone service? (how many say yes)

How many hours do you use devices (smart phone, computer) every day? (write the number for each student)

How many hours do you watch television a day (write the number for each student)?

Favorite TV program (write one for each student)

For what do you use your phone? (for example, reading the news, talking to friends, texting family): (write some examples from each student)

How long have you had a phone (for 1 year? for ten years? since 1995?) write the answer for each student.

Which do you have more: (a) conversations by phone (b) face-to-face conversations? (write each student's answer)

Do you think devices use their intelligence more or less? (write the number of students who say "more" and the number who say "less."

Do you think devices make people more creative or less creative (write the numbers for each)

Housing Survey

 How many people say yes?

Do many young adults in your country live with parents because they cannot buy or rent a home?

Are housing prices (and apartment rents) in your country high?

Are housing prices and apartment rents in your country higher or lower than in New York (write how many students say higher and how many say lower.

Can young people in your country afford to buy a house?

Can you afford to buy a house?

Do young people in your country move away from their family when they start working?

Did you ever have a job?

Did you move away from school when you got a job?

In your country, do you live with your parents?

Are you saving money to buy a house in the future?

Are you worried about the future?

Do you want to rent an apartment or have your own house?

Do you worry about living like a teenager into your late 30s and 40s?

A New Person in New York

Ask your partner.

Talk about a friend from another country (who lives in New York now)

Not you. Not your partner. A friend.


What's his X her name? (1 missing word- OR)

Tell me about his life before he X here. (1 missing word= CAME)

Where X he from? (1 missing word=?

How long X he or she been in New York?  (1 missing word=?)

How many hours X X from her country to New York (2 missing words= IS  IT)

At the beginning, X his life in New York easy? (1 missing word=?)

How old X he when X arrived here?

What X he do in the past?

What X he do for a living in the United States?

X he have a job now?

X he speak English when he arrived in the U.S.

Where  X he study English? for how long?

X he speak English well now?

X he like New York?

What X she do in the future?

comparing countries

Please say hi to your partner and work together (communicating in English, you learn the best)


Congratulations on good work last class!

Today is more research.

Work with your partner. That's important, you know.


First, you both should find information about your partner's country.

Then you both  should find information about your country.

Later, if you have time, you should find information about the United States.


Do as much as you can in the time we have.


http://www.infoplease.com/countries.html


Write the information below about 3 countries:

A. YOUR COUNTRY B. YOUR PARTNER'S COUNTRY C. THE UNITED STATES


Kevin will give you a paper with the questions.


1. population of country

2. capital city and population

3. infant mortality rate

4. average life expectancy

5. summary of history (very concise!)

6. language

7. ethnicity

8. religion

9. GDP

10. per capita income

11. inflation rate

12. unemployment rate

13. arable land (percent)

14. agricultural products

15. industries

16. literacy rate

17. international disputes

18. exports

19. imports

20. major trading partners

21. natural resources

22. growth rate of economy (percent)

 23. number of Internet users

Women's Rights Survey

How many people say yes? How many say no?

These are questions about your partners' countries.


Women can vote in political elections

A woman has been president

When women marry, they usually live with the husband’s family.

Women are in the military

Women get the same salaries as men and can easily get the same jobs as men.

There are many women CEOs.

There are an equal number of men and women in the government.

It’s okay for a woman to marry a much younger man.

If a man has a lot of girlfriends, it’s okay, and it’s also okay if a woman has a lot of boyfriends.

In the case of divorce, the woman usually gets custody of children.

Like men, women are judged by their brains, not by their looks.

The man shares cooking and housekeeping chores.

Men and women share equally child care responsibility.

Women and men have equal power in decision-making for the family.

Husbands usually make more money than wives.

In the case of divorce, men pay alimony to the ex-wife.

Women have equal opportunity for education.

Women are as happy as men in general.

In general, women feel as free as men.

Women take men’s names after marriage.

Obama and questions

We're going to read about Barack Obama.

This RESEARCH will help you understand.


Use Google with your partner to RESEARCH these questions


1. What is the capital of Kenya?

2. How many states are there in the United States?

3. In what year did Hawaii become a state?

4. In what states are Columbia University and Harvard University?

5. What is "The Harvard Law Review"?

6. Who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2015?

7. The U.S. has a Senate.  How many senators are in the U.S. Senate? How many are from each state?

8. Google and take simple notes on at least 2 to talk about in class later:


a. horizons spacecraft

b. "El Chapo"

c. Iran nuclear deal



d. the Iran nuclear deal

d.

names in the news

This is research to do now.


Choose one news story and prepare to tell the class about it.

The important thing is to be able to TALK about it in class  (not read from the paper)


News will be our next topic. Work with your partner. Research. What or who is it? Take notes. We will talk about them next class.

1. climate change

2. Jose Clemente Orozco

3. Ebola

4. Bill de Blasio

5. The High Line

6. TOEFL

7. refugees

8. 2. Kenzaburo Oe

9. MOMA

10. Hillary Clinton

12. Navajos

13. nuclear family and extended family

14. college majors

15. political asylum

16. “The Dream Act”

17. Rafael Correa

18. Orhan Pamuk

19. Juan Manuel Santos

20. Xi Jinping

21. Jamie Oliver

22. the Mets

23. Alfredo Hinojosa

24. Desmond Tutu

25. Carlos Fuentes

26. Vladimir Putin

27. FIFA

28. Martin Luther King

29. Aung Sang Suu Kyi

30. Malala

31. Nelson Mandela

32. Christina Aguilera

33. Madison Square Garden

34. Abraham Lincoln

35. Ban Ki Moon

37. mortgage

38. Volkswagen

news stories

This is research to do now.


Choose one news story and prepare to tell the class about it.

The important thing is to be able to TALK about it in class  (not read from the paper)


You should get this information (write in your notebook)


A. the HEADLINE (title) and


B. CATEGORY (local, international, business, politics, sports, entertainment, etc.)

C. SOURCE (Where did you find the story? NY Times? Google News?


D. INFORMATION: where, who, when, what, why..


E. VOCABULARY (4 or 5 words that are most important for understanding the story)



F. IDEAS: (what is the meaning of the story? who is it important to?)


G. OPINIONS (what do people think about the story? What do you think?)


Find one news story here:

http://www.theguardian.com/us

or here:


http://www.newsinlevels.com/


or (very difficult)

http://www.bbc.com/news/