40759 relative clauses based on the devils dictionary

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 pa

(Based on the “ Devil’s Dictionary “ by Ambrose Bierce and some of its new versions.)

ACTIVITY 1

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!!

1. A is a person puts metal into your mouth and pulls coins out of your pocket.

2. A is a place horses, ponies and elephants are permitted to see men, women and children acting the fool

3. A _ is a teenager _ must behave like an adult so that the adults are out can behave like teenagers

4. A is a person is early when you are late and late when you are early

5. A is an invention of the devil abrogates some of the advantages of making a disagreeable person keep his distance

6. An _ is a person has stopped growing at both ends and is now growing in the middle

7. A is a flying ship is considered by most studies to be the safest mode of transportation, at least while it remains aloft

8. An is a place you can relax and surf the internet after your strenuous home life

9. 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 F B C _

T _ A _ P T

B _ O T _ D

(Activity cards: matching pairs)

ACTIVITY 2

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 do this.

Boss: A person who is in charge of

other people at work and tells them what to do

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 3

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 job is designing buildings, etc.

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 1

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!!

1. A DENTIS is a person WHO puts metal into your mouth and pulls coins out of your pocket.

2. A CIRCUS is a place WHERE horses, ponies and elephants are permitted to see men, women and children acting the fool

3. A BABY-SITTER is a teenager WHO must behave like an adult so that the adults WHO are out can behave like

teenagers

4. A BOSS is a person WHO is early when you are late and late when you are early.

5. A TELEPHONE is an invention of the devil WHICH abrogates some of the advantages of making a disagreeable person

keep his distance

6. An ADULT is a person WHO has stopped growing at both ends and is now growing in the middle.

7. 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

8. An OFFICE is a place WHERE you can relax and surf the internet after your strenuous home life.

9. 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 2

This is a group activity: the students work with the real definitions of the words in activity 1

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 3

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.