Impractical Jokers

       As a full time teacher and part time graduate student, it has been very difficult to find time in my weeknights to relax. However, when I do have free time I like to watch television. I tend to watch  reality T.V. shows, but I also enjoy comedies. My friend recently recommended that I watch a show called, "Impractical Jokers". I have watched about four episodes so far and I am obsessed. The show is about four friends from Staten Island who coerce one another into doing public pranks while being filmed by hidden cameras.
       The four friends are Murr, Q, Joe, and Sal. My two favorite are Murr and Sal because I think they are the funniest. My favorite episode so far is when the guys have to steal food from stranger's plates at a buffet. "Impractical Jokers" is on TruTV on Thursdays at 10:00. Unfortunately, I have to wake up very early in the morning for work so I am usually sleeping by 10:00. I have been able to order the episodes free On Demand. I would recommend this show to anyone!

 

Vocabulary Words:
1. Comedies
2. Recommended
3. Impractical
4. Episodes
5. Obsessed
6. Coerce
7. Buffet

Definitions:
1. Comedies: a play, movie, show, etc. that has humor and is usually happy and cheerful
2. Recommended: to advise or suggest
3. Impractical: not realistic
4. Episodes: one show in a series of shows
5. Obsessed: to like something so much that you are consumed by it
6. Coerce: to force someone to do something
7. Buffet: a long table of various foods where people serve themselves

Vocabulary Cloze Exercise:

D Z E P I S O D E S V Q P D N E W F R J U U H H L O F J S P D B O F V O J A H N H W A E K N G B Y I C R Y L X A A U I F E K S T M J D E F Y O B E D D M D E S P Q S B R O R B R E N M M S K R R D A T C U Q M M V O V S R A Z R D Y F D C V O D C B E J C R S H F D W H M C Y E P D E T Q V E U F B G N Q E R Z F S I T T X H I D C D Y A W G M N C H X F C O E R C E J N N I J A V N R K F H T M G V D M O U L P M W R Z P Y H T P X Q U W A E Z H W T R G W A H COMEDIES RECOMMENDED IMPRACTICAL EPISODES OBSESSED COERCE BUFFET

Grammar Point: Capitalization:
The passage above uses many proper nouns. Proper nouns such a names of people, places, names of books, television shows, and movies should be capitalized. You capitalize the first letter of every word except for small words. Impractical Jokers is the name of a television show therefore, the first letter of each word in the title gets a capital letter. Murr, Q, Sal, and Joe are all names of people therefore, the first letter of their names get a capital letter. TruTV is the name of a television channel therefore, the first letter of each word is capitalized.

Grammar Activity:
Directions: Rewrite the following sentences capitalizing the proper nouns.

1. sal and murr are my favorite characters.

_____________________________________________________________

2. I went to disney world over my summer vacation.

_____________________________________________________________

3. I buy my clothes at the gap.

_____________________________________________________________

4. My teacher's name is ms. wolf.

_____________________________________________________________

5. My friend christina is coming over my house after school.

____________________________________________________________
Click here to learn more about capitalization

Wedding Bells

       During our first class our professor instructed us to write about a happy experience. I have been fortunate enough to have many happy experiences in my life, therefore, it was difficult to choose one particular time or event to write about. I decided to write about my most recent happy memory, which occurred in July of this year.      
       On July 7, 2012 while visiting friends in Florida, I found out that my sister's boyfriend had proposed. My sister's engagement has been a happy experience for my whole family because it has brought us closer together. I have always been very close with my family, but the many events that are involved in planning a wedding has brought much excitement and things to do with my family.
       My sister's engagement party was a blast and a huge success. She has ordered her dress, which is gorgeous. We are in the process of trying on bridesmaid dresses and today I accompanied her to the florist. Although it can be stressful being a maid of honor, I wouldn't trade it for anything. I enjoy the time I am spending with my sister and I cannot wait for the wedding day!

 

Click here to read about American Wedding Traditions

 



Vocabulary Words:

1. Professor

2. Fortunate

3. Proposed

4. Engagement

5. Gorgeous

6. Florist

7. Bridesmaid

8. Maid of honor

 

Definitions:

1. Professor: a teacher, usually in a college or university

2. Fortunate: having good luck

3. Proposed: to make an offer or suggestion. In this case, to ask someone to marry them

4. Engagement: a promise of marriage

5. Gorgeous: pretty or beautiful

6. Florist: a place that sells flowers

7. Bridesmaid: usually a family member or friend that helps the bride with the wedding

8. Maid of honor: an unmarried woman, usually a close family member or friend, who helps the bride with the wedding

 

Vocabulary Cloze Exercise:

1. My ____________________ at Molloy College is very knowledgeable in grammar.

2. She was ___________________ enough to win the lottery.

3. He ______________________ to his girlfriend in Paris.

4. The couple decided to have a long ____________________ in order to save up money.

5. The Queen's dress was ________________________.

6. I drove to the ____________________ to pick up flowers for the centerpieces.

7. There were seven _____________________ in the wedding party.

8. Since my sister is the closest to me, she will be my ________________________ at my wedding.

 

Grammar Point: Past Tense

The passage above uses many words in the past tense. In order to change a word from the present to the past tense, you must add -ed to the end of the word. For example, in order to change the word walk to the past tense, you add -ed and it becomes walked. However, there are many exceptions to this rule. You do not always add -ed to words to change them to the past tense. For example, the word go changes into went in the past tense, not goed. In the passage, I used the word instructed, which is the word instruct in the past tense. Notice the -ed at the end of instructed. I also used the word found, which is an exception to the rule. The word found is the past tense of find. Notice that I did not add an -ed to the word find.

 

Grammar Activity

Directions: Choose the correct form of the past tense by circling a, b, or c. 

 

1. The past tense of run is

a. runed

b. ran

c. runs

 

2. The past tense of talk is

a. talked

b. talks

c. talking

 

3. The past tense of shake is

a. shakey

b. shakes

c. shaked

 

4. The past tense of see is

a. saw

b. seen

c. seed

 

5. The past tense of travel is

a. traveled

b. travels

c. traveling