WeChat ESL Class on April 2, 2016

A. High Lights of your week

B. Breaking News in the world

C. Short Story: The Flute Player
Once upon a time, there was a famous flute player in Rome. His name was Prince. At one of the shows, while Prince was playing the flute, he slipped and tumbled down the stage. People came running to carry him out, as he had broken his leg.

His listeners missed him, as he took many months to recover.

One day, an important man from Rome was organising a show. He invited Prince to make an appearance.

On the day of the show, when the curtains parted, a chorus was being played. Prince had not heard this before, as he was away from the theatre for a long time.

The words of the chorus were “Rejoice, 0 Rome: you are safe now that the Prince is well!”

All the people stood up and clapped loudly. The flute player blew kisses to them, thinking that his listeners were happy to have him back.

The audience knew that Prince was making a mistake. Then, he bowed before the people. Suddenly, he lost control and fell off the stage. The song was in fact being played as an honour to the Prince of Rome.

Self importance can be harmful.

D. Idioms

1. Pay through the nose
2. Tongue-in-cheek
3. Pull someone's leg
4. Play it by ear
5. Stick out one's neck
6. All thumbs
7. Not have a leg to stand on
8. Get off someone's back

E. Bible Story 

1 Samuel 4 

1 And the word of Samuel came to all Israel.

Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines. They encamped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines encamped at Aphek. 2 The Philistines drew up in line against Israel, and when the battle spread, Israel was defeated before the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the field of battle. 3 And when the people came to the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord here from Shiloh, that it[a] may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies.” 4 So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, who is enthroned on the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

5 As soon as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel gave a mighty shout, so that the earth resounded. 6 And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shouting, they said, “What does this great shouting in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” And when they learned that the ark of the Lord had come to the camp, 7 the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “A god has come into the camp.” And they said, “Woe to us! For nothing like this has happened before. 8 Woe to us! Who can deliver us from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with every sort of plague in the wilderness. 9 Take courage, and be men, O Philistines, lest you become slaves to the Hebrews as they have been to you; be men and fight.”

10 So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and they fled, every man to his home. And there was a very great slaughter, for thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel fell. 11 And the ark of God was captured,and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.

WeChat ESL Class on March 26, 2016

A. High Lights of your week

B. Breaking News in the world

C. Short Story: Lottery - A Chance at Millions

In the United States, 43 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, all have their own lottery. A lottery is used for states to raise money. Licensed stores sell numbered tickets, or people can pay to choose their own numbers. When you let a machine pick your numbers it is usually called a Quick Pick. Many people play lucky numbers, numbers associated with birthdates or other important numbers to them. The money earned from selling lottery tickets goes to pay for schools, roads, bridges, and other public services. Once a week or more, a drawing is held where the numbers are randomly picked. If your ticket has those numbers, you could win a cash prize.

There are different types of lotteries, such as Powerball, Mega Millions, and Lotto. Powerball and Mega Millions are known for their large payouts. There are also instant lottery tickets that are scratch off cards. The winnings tend to be less money but they are extremely popular.

In the United States, you can play the lottery, or buy a ticket if you are 18 years or older . If you win, usually you have the option of being paid the entire amount in one lump sum or of being paid smaller amounts over a number of years. Lottery winnings are taxable, meaning the amount you actually get is smaller than the jackpot number. People can buy lottery tickets or play the lottery at many convenience stores. Lotteries are also very popular since they advertise. There are many television commercials, radio commercials and billboards urging people to play.

Lotteries have been controversial since they are essentially a form of legalized gambling. There is concern that it can lead to people becoming addicted to gambling. There are also illegal lottery games, usually run by some forms of organized crime.

D. American Idioms

1. baby boomer
2. batting a thousand
3. be out in left field
4. beat someone to the punch
5. beating a dead horse
6. belt and suspenders
7. bet the ranch
8. bet your bottom dollar
9. blow off steam
10. Big Apple

E. Bible Lesson - 1 Samuel 3

The Lord Calls Samuel

3 Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.

2 At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was.

4 Then the Lord called Samuel, and he said, “Here I am!” 5 and ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down.

6 And the Lord called again, “Samuel!” and Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.

8 And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. 9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

10 And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.” 11 Then theLord said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which the two ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. 12 On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. 13 And I declare to him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God,[a] and he did not restrain them. 14 Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.”

15 Samuel lay until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. 16 But Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son.” And he said, “Here I am.” 17 And Eli said, “What was it that he told you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you and more also if you hide anything from me of all that he told you.” 18 So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. And he said, “It is the Lord. Let him do what seems good to him.”

19 And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the Lord. 21 And the Lordappeared again at Shiloh, for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord.

Questions:

3:1-21 Make up and act out a dramatic story about the *Lord’s call to Samuel. It might have 4 scenes: 3:1-10; 3:11-14; 3:15-18; 3:19-21.

3:1 What was happening ‘in those days’? How do you think ‘those days’ may be similar to now? How do you think ‘those days’ are different from now?

3:2-10 Put this story into your own words. What do you think about what was happening? Would you be more like Eli or more like Samuel?

3:11-14 What might you have been thinking if you had been Samuel? Write a *word-picture of what the *Lord told Samuel about Eli. Whom will God not forgive?

3:15-18 Imagine that you had been Samuel that day. Tell what happened in your own words. What do you think about all that?

3:19-21 Put this into your own words. What do you think about that?

WeChat ESL Class on March 19, 2016

A. High Lights of your week

B. Breaking News in the world

C. American Holiday:    Saint Patrick's Day

       Saint Patrick's Day, March 17, is a Christian religious holiday that celebrates the patron saint of Ireland. According to the legend, St. Patrick drove all the snakes out of Ireland. St. Patrick's Day has also become, especially in the United States, a day to celebrate Irish culture. In major cities across the country like in New York and Boston, there are parades and festivals. People wear green and decorate with shamrocks, a type of three-leaf clover. Some people wear buttons or tee shirts that say "Kiss me, I'm Irish". In the U.S. St. Patrick's Day is not a legal holiday, meaning government offices and schools are open.

The biggest and oldest parade takes place in New York City. It actually began about 250 years ago before the U.S. was even its own country. Every year thousands gather along the famous Fifth Avenue to watch hundreds of Irish step dancers and bagpipe players march. Irish step dancing is done in groups or solo. Dancers perform complicated moves with their feet and legs while keeping their upper bodies stiff. The parade has also been a source of controversy because the parade is associated with the Catholic Church in New York City; gay and lesbian organizations have not been allowed to march. Many people protest the parade or boycott it.

St. Patrick's Day has also become associated with the drinking of a lot of alcohol, specifically beer. One drink that is often seen around the holiday is "Green Beer". This is really just regular beer with green food coloring. Many people feel like the holiday celebrates stereotypes about the Irish, like the myth that they all like to drink and get drunk. Others complain that the holiday has become too focused on drinking, with public drunkenness as a problem in major cities around the holiday.

D. American Idioms:

1. all bets are off
2. all hat, no cattle
3. all over the map
4. armchair quarterback
5. almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades
6. a day late and a dollar short
7. at a drop of a dime
8. at loose ends
9. at the bottom of the totem pole
10. at the end of your rope

E. Bible Lesson  - 1 Samuel 2

Hannah's Prayer

2 And Hannah prayed and said,

“My heart exults in the Lord;
    my horn is exalted in the Lord.
My mouth derides my enemies,
    because I rejoice in your salvation.

2 “There is none holy like the Lord:
    for there is none besides you;
    there is no rock like our God.
3 Talk no more so very proudly,
    let not arrogance come from your mouth;
for the Lord is a God of knowledge,
    and by him actions are weighed.
4 The bows of the mighty are broken,
    but the feeble bind on strength.
5 Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread,
    but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger.
The barren has borne seven,
    but she who has many children is forlorn.
6 The Lord kills and brings to life;
    he brings down to Sheol and raises up.
7 The Lord makes poor and makes rich;
    he brings low and he exalts.
8 He raises up the poor from the dust;
    he lifts the needy from the ash heap
to make them sit with princes
    and inherit a seat of honor.
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord's,
    and on them he has set the world.

9 “He will guard the feet of his faithful ones,
    but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness,
    for not by might shall a man prevail.
10 The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces;
    against them he will thunder in heaven.
The Lord will judge the ends of the earth;
    he will give strength to his king
    and exalt the horn of his anointed.”

11 Then Elkanah went home to Ramah. And the boy[a] was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli the priest.

Eli's Worthless Sons

12 Now the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know the Lord.13 The custom of the priests with the people was that when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant would come, while the meat was boiling, with a three-pronged fork in his hand, 14 and he would thrust it into the pan or kettle or cauldron or pot. All that the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is what they did at Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there. 15 Moreover, before the fat was burned, the priest's servant would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, “Give meat for the priest to roast, for he will not accept boiled meat from you but only raw.” 16 And if the man said to him, “Let them burn the fat first, and then take as much as you wish,” he would say, “No, you must give it now, and if not, I will take it by force.” 17 Thus the sin of the young men was very great in the sight of the Lord, for the men treated the offering of the Lord with contempt.

18 Samuel was ministering before the Lord, a boy clothed with a linen ephod. 19 And his mother used to make for him a little robe and take it to him each year when she went up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. 20 Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, “May theLord give you children by this woman for the petition she asked of theLord.” So then they would return to their home.

21 Indeed the Lord visited Hannah, and she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew in the presence of the Lord.

Eli Rebukes His Sons

22 Now Eli was very old, and he kept hearing all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who were serving at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 23 And he said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all these people. 24 No, my sons; it is no good report that I hear the people of the Lordspreading abroad. 25 If someone sins against a man, God will mediate for him, but if someone sins against the Lord, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for it was the will of the Lord to put them to death.

26 Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and also with man.

The Lord Rejects Eli's Household

27 And there came a man of God to Eli and said to him, “Thus says theLord, ‘Did I indeed reveal myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt subject to the house of Pharaoh? 28 Did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? I gave to the house of your father all my offerings by fire from the people of Israel. 29 Why then do youscorn[b] my sacrifices and my offerings that I commanded for my dwelling, and honor your sons above me by fattening yourselves on the choicest parts of every offering of my people Israel?’ 30 Therefore theLord, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that your house and the house of your father should go in and out before me forever,’ but now the Lord declares: ‘Far be it from me, for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed. 31 Behold,the days are coming when I will cut off your strength and the strength of your father's house, so that there will not be an old man in your house.32 Then in distress you will look with envious eye on all the prosperity that shall be bestowed on Israel, and there shall not be an old man in your house forever. 33 The only one of you whom I shall not cut off from my altar shall be spared to weep his[c] eyes out to grieve his heart, and all the descendants[d] of your house shall die by the sword of men.[e]34 And this that shall come upon your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, shall be the sign to you: both of them shall die on the same day. 35 And I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind. And I will build him a sure house, and he shall go in and out before my anointed forever. 36 And everyone who is left in your house shall come to implore him for a piece of silver or a loaf of bread and shall say, “Please put me in one of the priests' places, that I may eat a morsel of bread.”’”

Questions:

2:1-2 What does Hannah say that is *worship to God? What names does Hannah use to speak to God? How do they show what she thinks about God? How does Hannah say ‘Thank you’ to God?

How important is it to thank God? When would it be a good idea to thank God? What will you do about all that?

2:3 What does Hannah say that is a warning to us? Who will judge you? What special advantage does God have, when he judges?

2:4-5 Make two lists. Make one list of the bad things that will come to people. Make another list of the good things.

What do you think about those things that God will cause to happen? What kind of thing can happen when God judges?

2:6-7 What does Hannah say that the *Lord does? What do you think about those things?

2:8a What does God do for poor people? What do you think about that? What do you and people in your neighbourhood need to do, that is different, for poor people?

2:8b What does Hannah say about the *Lord? What does Hannah say about the earth? What does Hannah say about the world? What do you think about that?

2:9-10a How does God choose between people? What can you expect if you are loyal to God? Who will judge God?

2:10b What does Hannah say about God and a king?

2:11 What do you learn about Samuel and his family?

2:12-36 Make up and act out a dramatic story about Eli and his sons. It might be in 3 acts: 2:12-17 (Leviticus 7:28-36 and Numbers 18:21-28 also tells about the work of priests); 2:18-26; 2:27-36.

2:12-17 What do you learn about the character of Eli’s sons? What was it that Eli’s sons did as priests? How did Eli’s sons deal with other people? What do you think about that?

2:18-21, 26 Put this story into your own words. What do you learn about Samuel’s mother and father?

What do you learn about Eli?

What do you learn about Samuel? What do you learn about Hannah? What do you learn about the *Lord? What will you do in a different way because you have learned these things?

2:22-25, 27-36 Put this story into your own words. What does the man of God say about the history of the priests? What does the man of God say will happen to Eli and his sons? What else did the man of God say would happen? What do you think about all that?