Mar 31, 2009

The Ultimate Gift: Conjunctions - Because / So / Since

This movie has a touching message and is a dramatic comedy. The main character has to go through several tasks in order to become a better person and receive an ultimate gift as inheritance. This scene is perfect to practice the use of conjunctions, in this case contrasting the use of so x because and since.






I. Discuss the following questions with a partner.



1. Should the man always pay the check when he takes his girlfriend to a restaurant? Why (not)?
2. What would you do if you invited someone for dinner in an expensive restaurant and you found out you didn’t have money to pay the check?

3. Would you ask for expensive dishes in a restaurant to impress your girlfriend (boyfriend) even if you couldn’t spend a lot?

4. What would you do if someone invited you to go to a very expensive restaurant and he asked you to pay the check?

5. What would you do if you found out you didn’t have money to pay for the dinner you have just finished eating?


II.Watch the video segment and combine both sentences with so, because or since.

The waiter was amazed.
The young couple had ordered pricey wine and lobster.
1. (Because) …………………………………………………………………………………..

Jason’s credit card was declined by the charge card company.
The waiter told Jason about it.
2.(So) ………………………………………………………………………………………….

Jason’s credit card was declined twice.
Jason gave the waiter another credit card.
3. (Since) ………………………………………………………………………………………

Jason wanted to move in to his girlfriend’s place.
Jason’s place was being remodeled.
4. (So) …………………………………………………………………………………………..

Jason was switching bank accounts at the moment.
Jason asked his girlfriend to pay the check.
5.(Because) …………………………………………………………………………………….

Jason didn’t have money to pay the check.
Jason’s girlfriend left him alone in the restaurant.
6. (Since) …………………………………………………………………………………….

How to prepare your own video activity:
- Select a scene in which the characters have to make decisions because of unexpected events.
- Write sentences with both the causes and their consequences.
- Ask students to combine both sentences with because/so/since.


MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - THE ULTIMATE GIFT

WORKSHEET

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Above all, I appreciate your wonderful work. I knew your blog last year, and this is amazingly great. I've already used one of yours last autumn. My students loved it!!

I want to use one again in my classes, but all the video clips do not work. I don't know why. Do I need a special program to watch it? Last year it worked, so I cannot find the reason.
-an English teacher in Korea-

Claudio Azevedo said...

Thanks for your kind words. I really don't know what could be happening that the videos don't work with you. You don't need any special program to watch them - to download, you need realplayer - since they are Blogger's own device. I just checked them all after I read your post, but they're all fine. Check it out in another computer to see how it goes. I'm sorry, I can't help you out with this issue.

A Clarke said...

Me, too - I am not able to get to the seg6.pbworks.com page (where the download is). My computer says the page can't be reached. I can get to others (like seg10.pbworks.com for Madagascar and Kung Fu Panda :) ). Oh well, we'll see if it plays on my school computer. It should - because that computer is newer! :)

Thank you for all of your videos and activities!!!

-A. Clarke
Brooklyn, NY

Claudio Azevedo said...

It has been fixed.

A Clarke said...

Thank you SO much! I was able to access the video. I teach 12th grade and the kids had a great time discussing the questions! They had a lot to say about the scene. Thanks again - Muito Obrigado!