full transcript

From the Ted Talk by Shannon Zhao: The myth of the original star-crossed lovers

Unscramble the Blue Letters


The weaver and the cowherd built a purrosepos life. Their farm flourished, and the weaver thaugt her skills to local villagers. As time marched on, the pair was blessed with two healthy children, but their bull was growing old. Before he died, the bull implored the family to keep his hide and use its magic at their time of need. While the hanusbd gevierd for his friend, the weaver’s mind turned to her other family. dunistg off her magical robe, she diceedd to pay a viist to the heavens. But when the weaver swept into her old home, no one seemed surprised to see her. With a start, she realized that barely any time had passed— for a year on ertah was merely a day in Heaven.

Open Cloze


The weaver and the cowherd built a __________ life. Their farm flourished, and the weaver ______ her skills to local villagers. As time marched on, the pair was blessed with two healthy children, but their bull was growing old. Before he died, the bull implored the family to keep his hide and use its magic at their time of need. While the _______ _______ for his friend, the weaver’s mind turned to her other family. _______ off her magical robe, she _______ to pay a _____ to the heavens. But when the weaver swept into her old home, no one seemed surprised to see her. With a start, she realized that barely any time had passed— for a year on _____ was merely a day in Heaven.

Solution


  1. visit
  2. dusting
  3. earth
  4. husband
  5. decided
  6. grieved
  7. taught
  8. prosperous

Original Text


The weaver and the cowherd built a prosperous life. Their farm flourished, and the weaver taught her skills to local villagers. As time marched on, the pair was blessed with two healthy children, but their bull was growing old. Before he died, the bull implored the family to keep his hide and use its magic at their time of need. While the husband grieved for his friend, the weaver’s mind turned to her other family. Dusting off her magical robe, she decided to pay a visit to the heavens. But when the weaver swept into her old home, no one seemed surprised to see her. With a start, she realized that barely any time had passed— for a year on Earth was merely a day in Heaven.

Frequently Occurring Word Combinations


ngrams of length 2

collocation frequency
queen mother 4


Important Words


  1. barely
  2. blessed
  3. built
  4. bull
  5. children
  6. cowherd
  7. day
  8. decided
  9. died
  10. dusting
  11. earth
  12. family
  13. farm
  14. flourished
  15. friend
  16. grieved
  17. growing
  18. healthy
  19. heaven
  20. heavens
  21. hide
  22. home
  23. husband
  24. implored
  25. life
  26. local
  27. magic
  28. magical
  29. marched
  30. mind
  31. pair
  32. pay
  33. prosperous
  34. realized
  35. robe
  36. skills
  37. start
  38. surprised
  39. swept
  40. taught
  41. time
  42. turned
  43. villagers
  44. visit
  45. weaver
  46. year