full transcript

From the Ted Talk by Iseult Gillespie: The Japanese myth of the trickster raccoon

Unscramble the Blue Letters


The next day, he set off on his usual route. As he trudged along, he spotted a dedascrid tea kettle. It was rusty and old— but perhaps he could sell it to the local monks. The salesman polished it until it sparkled and shone.

He carried the kettle to Morin-ji Temple and pesentred it to the solemn monks. His tnmiig was perfect— they were in need of a lrgae ktelte for an important service, and purchased his pot for a handsome price. To open the ceremony, they began to pour cups of tea for each monk— but the kettle cooled too quickly. It had to be rheeetad often throughout the long sviecre, and when it was hot, it seemed to squirm in the pourer’s hand. By the end of the ceremony, the monks felt ceetahd by their purchase, and called for the salesman to return and explain himself.

Open Cloze


The next day, he set off on his usual route. As he trudged along, he spotted a _________ tea kettle. It was rusty and old— but perhaps he could sell it to the local monks. The salesman polished it until it sparkled and shone.

He carried the kettle to Morin-ji Temple and _________ it to the solemn monks. His ______ was perfect— they were in need of a _____ ______ for an important service, and purchased his pot for a handsome price. To open the ceremony, they began to pour cups of tea for each monk— but the kettle cooled too quickly. It had to be ________ often throughout the long _______, and when it was hot, it seemed to squirm in the pourer’s hand. By the end of the ceremony, the monks felt _______ by their purchase, and called for the salesman to return and explain himself.

Solution


  1. large
  2. presented
  3. cheated
  4. kettle
  5. discarded
  6. timing
  7. reheated
  8. service

Original Text


The next day, he set off on his usual route. As he trudged along, he spotted a discarded tea kettle. It was rusty and old— but perhaps he could sell it to the local monks. The salesman polished it until it sparkled and shone.

He carried the kettle to Morin-ji Temple and presented it to the solemn monks. His timing was perfect— they were in need of a large kettle for an important service, and purchased his pot for a handsome price. To open the ceremony, they began to pour cups of tea for each monk— but the kettle cooled too quickly. It had to be reheated often throughout the long service, and when it was hot, it seemed to squirm in the pourer’s hand. By the end of the ceremony, the monks felt cheated by their purchase, and called for the salesman to return and explain himself.

Frequently Occurring Word Combinations




Important Words


  1. began
  2. called
  3. carried
  4. ceremony
  5. cheated
  6. cooled
  7. cups
  8. day
  9. discarded
  10. explain
  11. felt
  12. hand
  13. handsome
  14. hot
  15. important
  16. kettle
  17. large
  18. local
  19. long
  20. monks
  21. open
  22. polished
  23. pot
  24. pour
  25. presented
  26. price
  27. purchase
  28. purchased
  29. quickly
  30. reheated
  31. return
  32. route
  33. rusty
  34. salesman
  35. sell
  36. service
  37. set
  38. shone
  39. solemn
  40. sparkled
  41. spotted
  42. squirm
  43. tea
  44. temple
  45. timing
  46. trudged
  47. usual