Remember your beginner-level foreign language textbooks? It is usually extremely boring when reading the sample conversation as the possible topics you can pick within the language level you have reached are very limited. Dull sample conversation can kill a student’s motivation, and predictable content will restrain the student from utilising their learnt grammar and vocabulary. If you come across the same issue, try Japanese Publisher Emile’s Crossbeam English textbook out. You will absolutely be surprised by the cold-blooded character in the chapter……
Every story begins with a “How’re you doing”
Twitter user @Meariyn shared a sample conversation from Crossbeam Basic-book 1 English textbook, tweeted “I think whoever came up with this conversation was on drugs.” A man named John asks his friend Martha how she’s doing. Martha says she’s just fine, but she had some trouble the day before……
この会話考えた奴クスリやってるだろ pic.twitter.com/5xRBrHjk9B
— めありぃhjiyn (@Meariyn) April 27, 2020
Martha: Last night, I wanted to cook steak with fried eggs. But I didn’t have any eggs. I asked my husband to go and buy some eggs.
John: Uh-huh.
Martha: But on his way to the market, he had a traffic accident. He broke his leg and arm. He was taken directly to the hospital.
Tragedy suddenly strikes in the middle of the “normal” English-for-beginners dialogue. John was as shocked as most readers do, and showed his empathy for Martha’s husband. However, it seems like Martha does not feel the same, at least not for the reason John does.
John: Oh, no! That’s terrible! What did you do, then?
Martha: So, I made steak with boiled potatoes.
John: Martha, didn’t you worry about your husband?
Martha: Well, of course I did a little, but I really wanted to eat fried eggs.
Why on earth would Martha not worry about her husband? Why would fried egg be more important than her husband? What is behind all these non-sense reaction?
You would feel even more confused and depressing when reading the short summary:
Martha had some trouble yesterday. Her friend John was worried for Martha’s husband who had a traffic accident yesterday, while Martha was upset mostly because her husband could not buy her some eggs for dinner.
— めありぃhjiyn (@Meariyn) April 28, 2020
Discussion on this open-ended story
“Sometimes I’m unsure about the answer when seeing such content……”
問題解いててたまにこういうのに当たると本当に自分の訳が合ってるのかめちゃくちゃ不安になる….
— じゅぐ (@innkyadaa51) April 28, 2020
“I think Martha is trying to murder her husband for the insurance money, and the ‘accident’ was her accomplice hitting her husband with a car on purpose.”
これ多分夫の保険金を狙ったマーサの計画的犯行だと思う。買い物に行かせて事故に見せかけて仲間に車で轢かせるという。
— Łethe【微課金】 (@LeThEvav963) April 27, 2020
“This example also sounds like a horror story to me……”
これも軽くホラーなのですが… pic.twitter.com/FZ55BofRwK
— ㌦ (@0DollarDAY) April 28, 2020
One of the Twitter users was inspired by the story, and created a piece of fan-art. In the illustration, Martha is praying in front of her husband’s grave, but she is actually thinking about mouthwatering fried eggs.
FF外から失礼します
理解に苦しんで三日三晩眠れぬ日々が続いたので頭の整理のためにイラスト化しました pic.twitter.com/nBl8iSpMIc— ろるいこ👽 (@lolichrome) April 29, 2020
You might find the conversation disturbing and mysterious, but it actually forces the reader to stay attentive, and apply their knowledge to understand everyday human interaction. This is definitely challenging for textbook writers to create interesting and compelling content, if you like this style of lesson, reach out to Emile online store for information.
