(Based on the “ Devil’s Dictionary “ by Ambrose Bierce and some of its new versions.) ACTIVITY Try to complete the following ironic definitions using who, which or where and find out which word they refer to Every definition is connected to one picture below: can you match them?? Have fun!! A is a person puts metal into your mouth and pulls coins out of your pocket A is a place horses, ponies and elephants are permitted to see men, women and children acting the fool A _ is a teenager _ must behave like an adult so that the adults are out can behave like teenagers A is a person is early when you are late and late when you are early An _ is a person has stopped growing at both ends and is now growing in the middle An is a place you can relax and surf the internet after your strenuous home life A is an invention of the devil abrogates some of the advantages of making a disagreeable person keep his distance A is a flying ship is considered by most studies to be the safest mode of transportation, at least while it remains aloft A _ is a device has a relation to the eye similar to that of the telephone to the ear, and enables distant objects to plague us with a multitude of needless details 10 A is a reptile has edible legs 11 A is a small mechanical device wakes up people without children 12 A _ is an adult schoolchild refused to leave school 13 A _ is a place _ will lend you money if you can prove you don't need it □ □ C □ B □ □ T _ □ B _ A _ □ □ F B □ C _ □ P □ O □ T _ T □ D (Activity cards: matching pairs) ACTIVITY Dentist: A person whose job is to take care of people’s teeth Circus: A group of entertainers, sometimes with trained animals, who perform skilful or amusing acts in a show Baby-sitter: A person who takes care of babies or children while their parents are away from home and is usually paid to this Boss: A person who is in charge of other people at work and tells them what to Telephone: A system for talking to somebody else over long distances, using wires or radio Adult: A fully grown person who is legally responsible for their actions Plane: A flying vehicle with wings and one or more engines Office: A room, set of rooms or building where people work, usually sitting at desks Telescope: A piece of equipment shaped like a tube, containing lenses, that you look through to make objects that are far away appear larger and nearer Frog: A small animal with smooth skin, very long legs for jumping, and no tail, that lives both on land and in water Clock: An instrument for measuring and showing time, in a room or on the wall of a building Teacher: A person whose job is teaching, especially in a school Bank: An organization that provides various financial services, for example keeping or lending money ACTIVITY Now it’s your turn!!! Here are some more pictures with the definitions from the Oxford Dictionary Can you try to make up some funny, ironic ones for them? Have a try!! CAT Oxford: A small animal with soft fur which people often keep as a pet You: ARCHITECT Oxford: A person whose designing buildings, etc job is You: CABBAGE Oxford: A round vegetable with large green, purplish-red or white leaves which can be eaten raw or cooked You: ACCOUNTANT Oxford: A person whose job is to keep or check financial accounts You: ACTIVITY This is an activity to practice the use of the relatives : who, which, where It’s based on the “Devil’s Dictionary” by Ambrose Bierce and on some of its new versions The “Devil’s Dictionary” is a dictionary in which the definitions are funny and quite ironic Students enjoy them!! A DENTIS is a person WHO puts metal into your mouth and pulls coins out of your pocket A BOSS is a person WHO is early when you are late and late when you are early An ADULT is a person WHO has stopped growing at both ends and is now growing in the middle An OFFICE is a place WHERE you can relax and surf the internet after your strenuous home life A CIRCUS is a place WHERE horses, ponies and elephants are permitted to see men, women and children acting the fool A BABY-SITTER is a teenager WHO must behave like an adult so that the adults WHO are out can behave like teenagers A TELEPHONE is an invention of the devil WHICH abrogates some of the advantages of making a disagreeable person keep his distance A PLANE is a flying ship WHICH is considered by most studies to be the safest mode of transportation, at least while it remains aloft A TELESCOPE is a device WHICH has a relation to the eye similar to that of the telephone to the ear, and WHICH enables distant objects to plague us with a multitude of needless details 10 A FROG is a reptile WHICH has edible legs 11 A CLOCK is a small mechanical device WHICH wakes up people without children 12 A TEACHER is an adult schoolchild WHO refused to leave school 13 A BANK is a place WHICH will lend you money if you can prove you don't need it ACTIVITY This is a group activity: the students work with the real definitions of the words in activity Cut out the cards – pictures and definitions separately; you can laminate them so as to make them last in time Divide your students in two groups: give the definitions to one group and the pictures to the other Explain that the ones with the pictures must think of a definition for their picture and then move around telling it to the students in the definition-group till they find their picture’s match Fix a time so as not to make the activity last for too long In the end make students read their definitions and show the pictures to the whole class ACTIVITY In pairs or small groups, the students try to make up their own funny, ironic definitions of the pictures given in the activity You can also allow them to invent definitions for any other object, person, profession or place they can think of It’s up to you! Here are the funny definitions of the pictures in activity 3, in case you want to tell your students after their tries: CAT: A soft, indestructible automaton which has been provided by nature to be kicked when things go wrong in the domestic circle ARCHITECT: A person who drafts a plan of your house, and plans a draft of your money CABBAGE: A familiar kitchen-garden vegetable which is about as large and wise as a man's head ACCOUNTANT: One who tells you approximately how much you are worth and exactly what you owe them