Any Questions?
by Simon Capper with Jim Ronald
2021
Any Questions? ©2021 Perceptia Press Published by Perceptia Press, Nagoya, Japan 2nd Edition Printing: 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Printed in South Korea
All rights reserved. This book must not be copied or reproduced in any form whatsoever. ISBN978-4939-130-342
Book Code: 201b—E205
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There are more questions than answers. Johnny Nash It’s better to know some of the questions than all of the answers. James Thurber Ask a question and you’re a fool for three minutes. Do not ask the question and you’re a fool for the rest of your life. Chinese Proverb You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers. You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions. Naguib Mahfouz
Judge a man by his questions, rather than his answers. Voltaire
It is neither necessary nor possible to educate someone who never questions anything. Joseph Heller
Audio Audio versions of the lateral thinking puzzles and speed question examples are available via the book’s website at www.perceptiapress.com, or via the QR code here.
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Contents Questions and Answers ....................................................... 4 About Lateral Thinking ......................................................... 5 Unit 1: An Introduction ......................................................... 6 Unit 2: The Dead Man in the Field...................................... 14 Unit 3: The Elevator Puzzle ................................................ 20 Unit 4: John and Susan ...................................................... 26
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Unit 5: The Hungry Horse................................................... 32 Unit 6: Food for Thought .................................................... 38 Unit 7: The Friday Puzzle ................................................... 44 Unit 8: The Curious Canine ................................................ 50 Unit 9: Bankrupt! ................................................................ 56 Unit 10: The Taxi Driver’s Revenge .................................... 62 Unit 11: The Embarrassing Grandmother .......................... 68 Unit 12: The Noisy Burglar ................................................. 74 Unit 13: John! Don’t Shoot! ................................................ 80 Unit 14: The Movie Murder................................................. 86 Typical Crossword Questions............................................. 92 Typical Speed & Communication Questions ...................... 93 Parts of Speech & Word Endings ....................................... 94
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Questions and Answers ◆ Why do we need questions? Questions are very important. We use questions to get information, of course, but also to communicate with people, to get to know each other better.
◆ Don’t we have enough questions in class?
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Textbooks have lots of questions, but how we use them in class needs to change. Many language learners simply think, “Can I answer it or not?” or “Is this the right answer or not?” Learners race through the activities, trying to finish as quickly as possible. We need to think more about how to develop communication.
◆ What kind of questions will we be asking? 1.
Yes / No information questions We practise these with creative “lateral thinking” puzzles. Your goal is to find the answer to the puzzle by asking lots of “Yes / No” questions.
2.
Wh- information questions Our goal is to memorize, ask, and answer general knowledge questions. Try the 5-minute Crossword Puzzle Challenge!
3.
Speed questions These are everyday questions that we practise at speed. Too much thinking time can be a conversation killer! Successful learners need to develop quick responses.
4.
Questions for communication These are everyday questions we can choose to develop, discuss, and use to learn more about each other. The key point here is not what we ask but how we answer. This is a great chance to enjoy using English with your friends.
◆ Is “Practice, practice, practice!” enough? Sadly, no. You need to pay attention. You need conscious practice. You need deliberate practice. You need to think about your weak points and work to improve them. Good luck. We hope you enjoy Any Questions?
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Any Questions?
About Lateral Thinking Puzzles ◆ What is “Lateral Thinking”? Lateral thinking is a term coined by Edward de Bono to describe the solution of problems through creative and indirect thinking. Literally, the word lateral means of or related to the side.
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Lateral thinking puzzles involve situations with some kind of twist or unexpected outcome, and finding the answer requires people to break out of the usual predictable patterns of thought.
◆ How can we solve the puzzles?
By asking questions—lots and lots of questions! In this way, you can get information and, little by little, find the answer. It’s a great way to practise the various question patterns. Remember, grammar and communication go hand in hand. The more you understand the grammar of the questions, the better you can communicate your ideas.
◆ Any more advice? 1.
Make sure you understand the differences between nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. This is important.
2.
Use your imagination. There’s no such thing as a stupid question!
3.
Try to use complete sentences for these questions. It’s good practice.
4.
Remember, you can ask for the same information in a variety of ways. (paraphrasing is a very important skill):
• • • • • •
Does he own the car? Has he borrowed the car? Is the car his? Is he the owner of the car? Is he the car’s owner? Is it his car?
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Unit 1: Introduction Each unit has seven sections. This unit explains how they work. 1.
Mystery (Lateral Thinking) Puzzle
5.
Just a Minute!
2.
Speed Questions
6.
Keep It Going
3.
Communication Tip
7.
Crossword Challenge
4.
Communication Activity
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1. Mystery Puzzles
WHY MYSTERY PUZZLES? Asking questions is a basic and important part of communication. This activity helps you practise making simple “Yes/No” questions in a fun and challenging way. The puzzles also help you think more critically and creatively.
HOW DO WE DO THEM? At the end of the class, you’ll be given a scenario. Before the next class, prepare 25 Yes / No questions. In class, ask these to your group leader to get more information about the scenario. Here’s an example.
THE BROTHERS IN THE BAR
Twin brothers meet for a drink. Each drinks a glass of whisky. One drinks his quickly, the other drinks slowly. The brother who drinks slowly, dies. Why?
Example questions:
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1.
Are the brothers adults? (Yes, they are.)
2.
Does the brother who died have a health problem? (No, he doesn’t.)
3.
Does the surviving brother finish his drink? (Yes, he does.)
4.
Are they in a bar? (Irrelevant)
5.
Is the type of drink important? (No it isn’t.)
6.
…
Any Questions?
Your group leader can only give short answers, e.g., Yes, (they did) / No, (it wasn’t) / Irrelevant (not important). Your group should keep asking questions to get more information. Question by question, as you eliminate possibilities, you’ll find the answer to the puzzle. Let’s try another puzzle. Some questions have been provided for you. Ask your teacher the questions and try to work out how the man escaped.
THE ISLAND PRISONER A man is a prisoner on an island, surrounded by a large, deep lake.
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There is no bridge. There are no boats on the island, and the man cannot swim. But he escapes from the island and reaches the mainland. How did he cross the lake?
1.
Did he have a plane?
9.
Did he steal a boat?
2.
Did he have a rubber ring?
10. Did someone help him?
3.
Did he use a jet ski?
11. Is there a bridge to the mainland?
4.
Could he see the mainland from the island?
12. Were there any secret tunnels on the island?
5.
Did he escape at night?
13. Was his escape very difficult?
6.
Was it difficult to cross the water?
14. Is the island’s size important?
7.
Is the man’s job important?
15. Was he young?
8.
Did he use some kind of machine to escape?
16. Could he fly a plane?
AFTER THE PUZZLE When you’ve found the answer, practise asking and answering the questions with your partner. When you ask the questions, try to look at your partner, not at the book. When you answer the questions, don’t look at the book.
Unit 1
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2. Speed Questions WHY DO SPEED QUESTIONS? In conversation, we take turns to speak, one person following another. We may hesitate, “Umm …” or make thinking noises or start with “Well, …” or similar, but there is usually almost no silence between turns. Silence can be stressful—it makes many English speakers feel uncomfortable. This activity helps you respond quickly and build fluency.
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HOW DO WE DO THEM? Find a partner and stand up. Answer your partner’s questions as quickly as possible. Add a short (second) comment with each answer. When you have completed all ten questions, switch roles. When you have both completed the questions, sit down.
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1.
What are you going to do this weekend?
6.
Where did you go to primary school?
2.
How are you feeling right now?
7.
Do you have a job?
3.
How long does it take you to come to class?
8.
What’s your favourite dish?
9.
Are you good at remembering people’s names?
4.
Do you live near here?
5.
Where’s your favourite place in your hometown?
10. When’s your birthday?
Any Questions?
3. & 4. Communication Tips & Communication Activities WHY ARE WE GETTING THESE TIPS? These tips will give you useful advice about how to communicate successfully. Remember! Communication will not stop if you make one or two mistakes. Native speakers also make mistakes, but we forgive these mistakes because communication is more important. Most people are patient with non-native language speakers, and communication will not break down if your skill in one area (e.g., intonation or fillers) is poor. But if your communication is poor in many areas, it will slowly become more difficult and less fun to communicate with you.
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HOW DO WE DO THE ACTIVITY? After getting advice about how to communicate better, the communication activity will give you a chance to practise. This will help you become a more natural, fluent speaker of English.
◆ Communication Tip – Just The Basics
Research shows that you do not need a huge amount of grammar to communicate successfully. But you need to know: • • • • •
how to form basic questions simple verb tense forms, past and present basic conjunctions (but, so, and, because) modal verbs (can, could, may, might, will, would, should, etc.) “pointing” words (now, then, here, there, this, that, etc.)
Unit 1
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◆ Communication Activity – Using the most common modal verbs Not all questions are easy to ask, and not all suggestions are easy to make. Sometimes we need to make our questions or suggestions less direct. To do this, we often use modal verbs—can, could, may, might. They are all very similar in their meaning, but can is a little more casual, and might is a little more formal. Could is in the middle and is useful in most cases. Might I ask how old you are? May I ask where you bought your shoes? Could I ask if you live near here? Could you tell me about your hometown? Can I ask what time you usually go to bed? Can you tell me about your high school?
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• • • • • •
Ask and answer these questions with your partner and make some more of your own—but not too private or personal!
5. Just a Minute!
WHY DO “JUST A MINUTE!”? It can be tiring to speak a second language, so it’s important to build up your stamina. This activity helps you practise speaking for longer turns in a more natural and fluent way. HOW DO WE DO IT? Choose a topic and talk to your group for one minute without using notes or reading. One member of your group will time you. Try to speak smoothly, without silences. Use fillers, such as: a bit
erm / uhm
I mean
kind of
so
sort of
well
yeah
like
right
you know (y’know)
Even if you don’t have a good answer, e.g., A. Tell us about what fruit you ate this week. B. I didn’t eat any fruit this week. you should keep talking! In this case, talk about what fruit you like or dislike or why you don’t eat much fruit—anything at all!
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Any Questions?
When each member of your group has spoken for just a minute, you’ll have some free time to ask each other questions. For example: • I wanted to ask you … Who did you visit Paris with? • You said you broke your leg. Did you cry? If this activity is difficult for you, why not prepare your talk before class? A. I’m going to talk about … (something I’m good at). B. Great! Tell us about … (something you’re good at).
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Choose a topic and talk to your group for one minute. One member of your group will time you. Try to speak smoothly, without silences. Use fillers to help with this. Tell us about...
• • • •
a book you’re reading now an old school friend something you’re good at who you are closest to in your family
6. Keep It Going...
WHY ARE WE DOING THIS? It gives you the opportunity to use your imagination. It’s a fluency activity that invites you to be creative, asking and answering questions with your partner about a wide range of interesting images.
Look at the picture below. Take it in turns to create a story by asking and answering questions about it. Ask at least three questions each. They can be about the past, present, or future, and about things you can see or imagine, e.g.,
• • • • • • • •
Unit 1
How old is he? Where is he? What is he holding? Why... ? What... ? When... ? How... ? Who... ?
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7. Crossword Challenges WHY DO WE HAVE A CROSSWORD CHALLENGE? The mystery puzzles help you practise Yes / No questions. These are important, but so are questions that start with Which? What? Where? When? Why? Whose? How? The Crossword Challenge helps you practise the common patterns used with these questions, while also quizzing your general knowledge. Of course, it’s important to memorize the questions before you do the Challenge in class.
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HOW DO WE DO THE CHALLENGE? Complete the crossword before class and memorize the questions. In class, find a partner and decide who will be Across (Partner A) and Down (Partner B).
Partner A should say the answer to one of the Across questions. Partner B should say the question. For example: Tokyo. What’s the capital city of Japan?
Do this five times. Then Partner B should say the answer to one of the Down questions, and Partner A should make the question. Do this five times. When you make the questions, don’t look at the book. Your teacher will give you 5 minutes to make a total of ten answer/question combinations.
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Any Questions?
Unit 0 1
2
3 4
5
8
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6
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ACROSS
1. 4. 5. 7. 9.
What shape is a three-day moon? It’s a ________ shape. How many years are there in a century? What does the “H” in WHO stand for? What do we call a building where things are made? How do you say “merci” in English? (5, 3)
DOWN
1. 2. 3. 6. 7. 8.
What’s the biggest city on New Zealand’s South Island? What’s “Co.” short for? How do you spell “theater” in British English? What does the “cent” in century and centipede mean? What does the “F” in UNICEF stand for? What does the “O” in H2O stand for?
Unit 1
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Unit 2 ◆ Puzzle: The Dead Man in the Field A man is lying in a field. He is dead. There are no other people near
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him. He is wearing a backpack. What happened?
Rearrange the words to make questions.
1.
money
backpack
is
any
the
there
in
____________________________________________________________
2.
him
there
are
people
other
any
near
____________________________________________________________
3.
have
he
did
enemies
any
____________________________________________________________
4.
vegetables
there
field
the
are
in
any
____________________________________________________________
5.
someone
he
murdered
by
was
____________________________________________________________
Match the question head to the tail.
6.
Is there any
death accidental?
7.
Is the backpack
blood on his body?
8.
Did anyone
young?
9.
Was his
see him die?
10. Was he
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empty?
Any Questions?
◆ Puzzle Complete the question heads. ____________________________________ in the backpack?
12.
____________________________________ cold?
13.
____________________________________ doing some kind of sport?
14.
____________________________________ any money in his pocket?
15.
____________________________________ die accidentally?
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11.
Complete the question tails.
16. Was the man _______________________________________________________ ? 17. Did he die __________________________________________________________ ? 18. Are there any _______________________________________________________ ? 19. Was he a ___________________________________________________________ ? 20. Is there something __________________________________________________ ?
Now make your own questions.
21.
___________________________________________________________________
22.
___________________________________________________________________
23.
___________________________________________________________________
24.
___________________________________________________________________
25.
___________________________________________________________________
Unit 2
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◆ Speed Questions Find a partner and stand up. Answer your partner’s questions as quickly as possible. Add a short comment to each answer. When you have completed all ten questions, switch roles. When you have both finished, sit down. 1.
Are you a positive person?
7.
What kind of movies do you like?
2.
Are you good at art?
8.
Can you drive?
3.
Do you have any pets?
9.
4.
Do you think English is useful?
Where would you like to work after you graduate?
5.
How do you feel about uniforms?
6.
What did you have for breakfast?
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10. Would you like to change your lifestyle in any way?
Communication Tip — Not Just “Yes” And “No”
A lot of questions, especially in this book, are not about getting information but about how we get to know each other and become friends. If you use short answers like “No.” / “Yes, I am” twice or more, the communication will probably break down. Once or twice is okay, but a second or third time says “I don’t want to talk with you. I don’t want to be friendly.” So, instead of saying … A. How was your holiday? B. It was OK.
try to say more! Just like a smile, it’s a way of showing that you’re happy to be talking together. Show your partner that you want to talk with them, give more information. A. How was your holiday? B. It was OK, thanks. I didn’t do much; I just met some friends, and went shopping with my sister. But it was nice to relax.
Some parts of a longer response feeling
thanks
really (good) thanks
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general answer
info 1
info 2
personal
I didn’t do much met friends shopping with my sister
Any Questions?
◆ Communication Activity – How Rude! Step 1. Be rude! Just say “Yes” or “No” to each of the questions below. You can smile or use special intonation and your answers will still be rude. Enjoy! At the cinema:
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• Have you got your ticket yet? • Do you want to get some popcorn or something? • Are you ready to go in? • Did you enjoy the movie? • Did you like the actors? • Shall we go for a coffee?
Step 2. Don’t be rude! Ask and answer the questions again. This time, give a longer answer to each question and, with your partner, continue the conversation a little. Smiling usually helps! Step 3.
Look at the example in the Communication Tip again. Use these questions to make longer, friendlier conversations with your partner(s).
• • • •
How was your weekend? Do you have any plans for next weekend? Do you like this class? Do you cook at all?
Ask and answer these questions with your partner and make some more of your own—but not too private or personal!
Unit 2
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◆ Just a Minute! Choose a topic and talk to your group for one minute. One member of your group will time you. Try to speak smoothly, without silences. Use fillers to help with this. TELL US ABOUT...
a classmate how you come to class something you’ve learned recently your best high school memory
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• • • •
◆ Keep It Going...
Look at the picture below. Take it in turns to create a story by asking and answering questions about it. Ask at least three questions each. They can be about the past, present, or future, and about things you can see or imagine.
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Any Questions?
