Optional
1. Before the lesson students are asked to bring some instructions or warnings from electrical equipment, medicines, food, toys, etc.
2. Students are presented these sentences:
· "Keep out of reach of children"
· "Batteries may be flat"
· "Check the plug"
· "Twist to open"
Students are asked:
"Where do you think these sentences are taken from?"; "Who writes them?"
Pre-reading activities:
I. WARM-UP
1. Short discussion:
Have you ever had your electrical equipment broken? What happened? What did you do? (Students also can talk about their parents, siblings, friends)
Did you read the instruction to help you with your problem? Did it help? What was the outcome?
Do you read warnings placed on medicines before using them? Why? Why not?
Have you ever taken your medicine wrong because you hadn't read an instruction or a warning before? What happened?
Have you ever read an instruction or a warning which made you laugh? Tell the group about it. Reading activities:
II. Reading exercise
1. Use the whole article, from the Anglorama magazine.
2. Give the students the whole text to read it quickly and ask them a general question such as "What do you think is the most absurd / funniest example?"
3. Students exchange their opinions; short discussion.
III. Vocabulary exercise
1. Ss work in pairs.
2. Students are given more time to read the text again.
3. Students are asked to find 9 suitable words matching definitions:
· A device used for controlling something from a distance (par 2.) /remote control/
· Not clear or definite (par 2.) /vague/
· To use or touch something when you should not (par 3.) /to tamper with/
· To say exactly and officially what must be done (par 3.) /stipulate/
· An amount of a drug / medicine that is too large and so is not safe (par 4.) /overdose/
· To influence or cause somebody / something to change in a particular way (par 4.) /affect/
· A person easily tricked or deceived (par 6.) /gullible/
· A state or feeling very sleepy (par 7.) /drowsiness/
· Fasten or joined to something (par 8.) /attached to/
4. Students exchange their answers, T provides correct pronunciation.
IV. COMPREHENSION: /Pair work; Students answer the T/F questions based on the article/
1. The author of the article found the instruction on his video recorder funny but unhelpful. /T/
2. According to the article, when somebody overdoses Aspirin Free Pain-Relief not accidentally had he shouldn't contact the doctor. /F/
3. The matches manufacturers had to state on a box of matches a warning because people often blamed them for burning down their houses. /F/
4. Parents buying a Batman Costume are informed by the manufacturer that their children won't fly. /T/
5. Tesco Fruit Juice cartons inform the buyer that container should be kept upright in a sensible way. /F/
Students exchange their answers.
Post-reading activity - Speaking
V. OPTIONAL
A) (Providing students brought the materials the T had asked before the lesson)
1. Students should work in groups.
2. Using the materials (instructions, warnings) Ss brought to the lesson, they are asked to find some funny / absurd examples and present them to other Ss in their group.
B) (Without using the materials)
1. Ss work in groups.
2. Each group is given two or three different warnings or instructions taken from the Anglorama article.
Examples:
· From VCR: "Check the plug"; Batteries in remote control may be flat"
· From Rowenta iron: "Clothes should not be ironed on the body"
· From Sainsbury Mineral Water: "this water is suitable for vegetar"
· From bottled drinks: "Twist to open"; "Open other end"
· From Pain-Relief pills: "contact the doctor in case of an accidental overdose"
· From box of matches: "the content may catch the fire"
· From a bottle of Champagne: "remove the label before placing Champagne into a microwave oven"
3. Students are asked: "Explain why these warnings or instructions are funny or absurd?"
Ss prepare their explanations in groups and then present their answers to the whole class.
VI. The teacher gives each group questions:
1. Why do you think the manufacturers write such funny / absurd warnings and instructions?
2. Are they necessary / helpful?
3. If you were a manufacturer what would you change?
Students prepare their answers in groups, the a "speaker" presents the group's opinion.
VII. Free Practice Activity - Writing
The students are asked to write two short funny or absurd instructions or warnings. /Can be done in class or as a homework/
Student's Copy contains sections III and IV from Reading Activities.
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