full transcript

From the Ted Talk by Reuben Jonathan Miller: How radical hospitality can change the lives of the formerly incarcerated

Unscramble the Blue Letters


I chuagt up with Jimmy a few months later. I wanted to know how he was doing. But mostly, I want to know about his relationship with his mother. His mother was a fantastic woman. I talked to her on the phone a couple of times, and I knew she adored Jimmy. This made sense because Jimmy was her baby. He was the youngest of her five crlhedin and the only boy in that hsuoe. She certainly would have helped jmmiy if he turned to her, and she did often. But Jimmy told me that her landlord started asking questions. He saw Jimmy making his way around the building and he didn't want any trouble. Thousands of families have been ecietvd from their homes for the crime of litentg a loved one sleep on the couch. Thousands more live under the threat of eocvtiin for simply allowing someone with a cniaimrl record to stay there for a few days. Jimmy certainly needed his mother. She certainly would have renespdod to his need. But he told me, "I don't come around like that no more. I don't want to put her in that position." Jimmy avoided his mother, the one person who would have helped him, because she wanted to help. He avoided her to protect her.

Open Cloze


I ______ up with Jimmy a few months later. I wanted to know how he was doing. But mostly, I want to know about his relationship with his mother. His mother was a fantastic woman. I talked to her on the phone a couple of times, and I knew she adored Jimmy. This made sense because Jimmy was her baby. He was the youngest of her five ________ and the only boy in that _____. She certainly would have helped _____ if he turned to her, and she did often. But Jimmy told me that her landlord started asking questions. He saw Jimmy making his way around the building and he didn't want any trouble. Thousands of families have been _______ from their homes for the crime of _______ a loved one sleep on the couch. Thousands more live under the threat of ________ for simply allowing someone with a ________ record to stay there for a few days. Jimmy certainly needed his mother. She certainly would have _________ to his need. But he told me, "I don't come around like that no more. I don't want to put her in that position." Jimmy avoided his mother, the one person who would have helped him, because she wanted to help. He avoided her to protect her.

Solution


  1. criminal
  2. responded
  3. eviction
  4. children
  5. jimmy
  6. letting
  7. house
  8. caught
  9. evicted

Original Text


I caught up with Jimmy a few months later. I wanted to know how he was doing. But mostly, I want to know about his relationship with his mother. His mother was a fantastic woman. I talked to her on the phone a couple of times, and I knew she adored Jimmy. This made sense because Jimmy was her baby. He was the youngest of her five children and the only boy in that house. She certainly would have helped Jimmy if he turned to her, and she did often. But Jimmy told me that her landlord started asking questions. He saw Jimmy making his way around the building and he didn't want any trouble. Thousands of families have been evicted from their homes for the crime of letting a loved one sleep on the couch. Thousands more live under the threat of eviction for simply allowing someone with a criminal record to stay there for a few days. Jimmy certainly needed his mother. She certainly would have responded to his need. But he told me, "I don't come around like that no more. I don't want to put her in that position." Jimmy avoided his mother, the one person who would have helped him, because she wanted to help. He avoided her to protect her.

Frequently Occurring Word Combinations


ngrams of length 2

collocation frequency
mass incarceration 6
supervised society 3
people live 2
workforce development 2
phone number 2
gave jimmy 2
good guy 2
dope dealer 2
criminal record 2
criminal records 2
radical politics 2
ronald calls 2


Important Words


  1. adored
  2. allowing
  3. avoided
  4. baby
  5. boy
  6. building
  7. caught
  8. children
  9. couch
  10. couple
  11. crime
  12. criminal
  13. days
  14. evicted
  15. eviction
  16. families
  17. fantastic
  18. helped
  19. homes
  20. house
  21. jimmy
  22. knew
  23. landlord
  24. letting
  25. live
  26. loved
  27. making
  28. months
  29. mother
  30. needed
  31. person
  32. phone
  33. position
  34. protect
  35. put
  36. questions
  37. record
  38. relationship
  39. responded
  40. sense
  41. simply
  42. sleep
  43. started
  44. stay
  45. talked
  46. thousands
  47. threat
  48. times
  49. told
  50. trouble
  51. turned
  52. wanted
  53. woman
  54. youngest