Make Me

Lead-in

  • What is the most important law in your opinion? Why?
  • If you could, what law would you change? Why?
  • If you could, what law would you create? Why?

Presentation

Pre

  • What are some weird or useless laws you’ve heard about?

Top Down

  • What would be a good title for the text? Read it and find out.
  1. Weird laws from Brazil
  2. Important laws from Brazil
  1. Weird laws from all around the world
  2. Important laws from all around the world
  1. Weird laws from Brazil
  2. Important laws from Brazil
  1. Weird laws from all around the world
  2. Important laws from all around the world

We round up some of the weirdest laws: from not allowing your chicken to cross the road or preventing your donkey from sleeping in the bath to never refusing a stranger the use of your bathroom and more.

1. It’s illegal to let your chickens cross the road in Quitman, Georgia

Simply put, the law wants owners to have their chickens under control at all times. 

Georgia likes to ensure the safety and sacredness of their chicken because in Gainesville Georgia, you eat fried chicken with your bare hands. Keep your forks away from them. The law describes chicken as a “culinary delicacy sacred to its municipality.” Perhaps this is why chicken deserves a specific transport safety law.

 

 

 

2. It was illegal to change a light bulb unless you’re a licensed electrician in Victoria, Australia

Under Victorian law, changing a light bulb without a valid license was against the law. Taking your light into your own hands brought a fine of 10 Australian dollars.  

However, a revision to the 1998 Electricity Safety Act updated this law. A spokeswoman for Energy Safe Victoria said that, “While the Electricity Safety Act makes it illegal to do your own electrical work if you are not licensed, changing a light bulb and removing a plug from a socket were specifically exempted from this requirement under Order in Council G17.”

3. It’s a legal requirement to smile at all times except at funerals or hospitals in Milan, Italy

What’s with the long face? In Milan, the law compels you to smile. It’s prescribed by a city regulation from Austro-Hungarian times that was never repealed.

Exemptions included funeral goers, hospital workers or those at the bedside of an ill family member. For everybody else there is no excuse for being glum, the alternative being a fine. 

4. You must let anyone use your toilet if they ask in Scotland

If you need the toilet you can knock on someone’s door and ask to use their bathroom in Scotland – and by law, they cannot deny you. 

5. It’s illegal to pass wind in a public place after 6pm on Thursdays in Florida

One weird law, that’s since been long-forgotten, is that it’s illegal to pass wind in Florida after 6pm on a Thursday.

It’s never really been enforced in Florida but it was probably written in the 1800’s. It’s not clear why this ever became a law, or a rumoured law in the first place.

6. It’s against the law to have a sleeping donkey in your bathtub after 7 pm in Arizona, USA

In Arizona, a law was brought into effect after a public menace case in 1924. A merchant used to allow his donkey to sleep in a bathtub and when the town flooded, the donkey was washed a mile down the valley. The donkey survived, but locals spent a lot of time and manpower to save the animal. This law was passed shortly after.

7. In Samoa, it’s illegal to forget your wife’s birthday

You will get more than the silent treatment from your wife if you forget her birthday in Samoa. It is unclear how long your sentence would be, but maybe some time apart for you to think about how to make it up to her wouldn’t be too bad.

Modified from Source

Bottom Up

  • True or False?

Example: You have to smile at all times if you live in Italy. False

  1. In Australia you can’t allow chickens to cross the streets.
  2. It’s forbidden to forget your wife’s birthday if you live in Samoa.
  3. In Scotland the law makes people let anyone use their bathroom.
  4. No one is allowed to change light bulbs in Victoria – AU.
  5. You can’t have a donkey inside your house if you live in Arizona.
  1. In Australia you can’t allow chickens to cross the streets. False
  2. It’s forbidden to forget your wife’s birthday if you live in Samoa. True
  3. In Scotland the law makes people let anyone use their bathroom. True
  4. No one is allowed to change light bulbs in Victoria – AU. False
  5. You can’t have a donkey inside your house if you live in Arizona. False

Post

  • What do you think about the laws mentioned in the text?
  • Which one do you think is the weirdest one? Why?
  • Which one would you find more difficult to respect? Why?

Target Language

Permission & Rules

The expressions be allowed to and let are commonly used to talk about permission.

  • My wife and I determined that our children are not allowed to use their cell phones during lunch or dinner.
  • My wife and I don’t let our children use their cell phones during lunch or dinner.
  • But, mom, all my friends are allowed to play video games until late at night!
  • But, mom, my friends’ parents let them play video games until late at night!

The verb make is used to talk about rules to be followed.

  • Our teacher makes us turn off our cell phones before taking the tests.
  • My parents make me eat vegetables

Notice the structure for the verbs let and make:

make/let + object + verb without to

  • My parents make me eat vegetables
  • But, mom, my friends’ parents let them play video games until late at night!

Useful expressions to describe possessions:

  • I’ve had this car for 30 years. It’s absolutely irreplaceable.
  • I’ve had this car since I was 18 years old. It’s absolutely irreplaceable.
  • I bought those vases a couple of years ago. They’re made of recycled glass.
  • That electric guitar belonged to John Lennon himself!
  • Take this watch with you, son. It has been in our family for generations.
  • Take this watch with you, son. It was handed down to me by my father, and his father before him.
  • This watch was given to me by my father.

Controlled Practice

  • Match the sentence halves. There is one example.
  1. A Wall Street person should not be
  2. But God must be able
  3. That day I had worn this thick cotton quilted coat and pants
  4. He was eventually allowed to leave, but he was forced to resign as ambassador and
  5. The trouble is that I am always on the go, so the person who
  6. I couldn’t let her see you till she had

(   ) makes me go more than anybody else is myself.

(1) allowed to do those kinds of things.

(   ) now lives in Washington, effectively in exile.

(   ) been disinfected after she got the medical release.

(   ) to let them know what foolish creatures they are.

(   ) that my mother had made me wear and I looked like a round snowball.

  1. A Wall Street person should not be
  2. But God must be able
  3. That day I had worn this thick cotton quilted coat and pants
  4. He was eventually allowed to leave, but he was forced to resign as ambassador and
  5. The trouble is that I am always on the go, so the person who
  6. I couldn’t let her see you till she had

(5) makes me go more than anybody else is myself.

(1) allowed to do those kinds of things.

(4) now lives in Washington, effectively in exile.

(6) been disinfected after she got the medical release.

(2) to let them know what foolish creatures they are.

(3) that my mother had made me wear and I looked like a round snowball.

Freer Practice

  • Be creative and complete the sentences with your own ideas.
    • I had a/an … and my mom wouldn’t let me…
    • My kids are going to be allowed to… because…
    • In my house I don’t let people… and also…
    • Once you’re out of your house you’re not allowed to…
    • If people were allowed to do whatever they wanted, the world would be… and… because…
    • The last thing my boss made me do was… and I…
    • The most priceless thing I own is a… and I don’t let…

Production

  • Use the Target Language to talk about how to behave in each of these places.

Example: When in a hospital people aren’t allowed to…

Homework

Find the adjectives to describe possessions.

Example: Needless to say such irreplaceable material deserves to be studied and cataloged by researchers and students > Irreplaceable

  1. The limestone statue is priceless. 
  2. If such old-fashioned home remedies don’t work, there is a new high-tech product in the drugstore. 
  3. Her valuable book offers the reader an acute insight into the origins of our present-day consumer culture. 
  4. Two Special Boat Squadrons were set up, with Squadron One on the West Coast and Squadron Two on the East Coast. 
  5. The bottom surface has a tacky rubber material across it, which gives the pad very effective grip on all surfaces I tried it with. 
  1. The limestone statue is priceless. > priceless
  2. If such old-fashioned home remedies don’t work, there is a new high-tech product in the drugstore. > old-fashionable
  3. Her valuable book offers the reader an acute insight into the origins of our present-day consumer culture. > valuable
  4. Two Special Boat Squadrons were set up, with Squadron One on the West Coast and Squadron Two on the East Coast. > special
  5. The bottom surface has a tacky rubber material across it, which gives the pad very effective grip on all surfaces I tried it with. > tacky

Now find useful expressions to describe possessions.

Example: That necklace was handed down to me by my grandmother. > handed down to me by

  1. In the kitchen is the box bed in which the poet was born, and many of the articles of furniture belonged to his family. 
  2. It was covered in jewels and made of blue satin, off the shoulders and long in length. 
  3. This information was given to me not emotionally but as it was officially. 
  4. I don’t have a wallet, just a battered black leather organizer, which I’ve had for almost 30 years. 
  5. It is an ancient sword. It belonged to my father. It has been in our family for ten generations. 
  1. In the kitchen is the box bed in which the poet was born, and many of the articles of furniture belonged to his family. > belonged to
  2. It was covered in jewels and made of blue satin, off the shoulders and long in length. > made of
  3. This information was given to me not emotionally but as it was officially. > was given to me
  4. I don’t have a wallet, just a battered black leather organizer, which I’ve had for almost 30 years. > I’ve had for
  5. It is an ancient sword. It belonged to my father. It has been in our family for ten generations. > Belonged to

Find the expressions for permissions and rules. 

Example: They made me study! > made

  1. Visitors are not allowed to enter the building without an escort. 
  2. Every week starts fresh, so do not let your past stumbles affect your future progress! 
  3. They make us live the language of TV, and substitute it for literacy. 
  4. A Liens are allowed to provide security to contractors that they will be paid for the work, materials, etc. 
  5. The aim is not to make the athletes comfortable but to make them champions. 
  1. Visitors are not allowed to enter the building without an escort. > are not allowed to
  2. Every week starts fresh, so do not let your past stumbles affect your future progress! > let
  3. They make us live the language of TV, and substitute it for literacy. > make us
  4. Liens are allowed to provide security to contractors that they will be paid for the work, materials, etc. > are allowed to
  5. The aim is not to make the athletes comfortable but to make them champions. > make 

Complete the sentences with expressions for permissions and rules.

Example: I wonder if they will _______ me go to the party. I really want to! > I wonder if they will let me go to the party. I really want to.

  1. They collected 2,000 signatures on a petition demanding that women be ____________ to join the club. 
  2. Yet his principles did not ____________ him stay in Berlin once the censors caught on to his tricks. 
  3. The aim of this interview is to ____________ me hungry for the job, demanding and keen. 
  4. Wait, so we’re ____________ to have magic items from the start? I must have derped pretty hard. 
  5. I hope they will ____________ her sleep in the woodhouse chamber. 
  1. They collected 2,000 signatures on a petition demanding that women be allowed to join the club. 
  2. Yet his principles did not let him stay in Berlin once the censors caught on to his tricks. 
  3. The aim of this interview is to make me hungry for the job, demanding and keen. 
  4. Wait, so we’re allowed to have magic items from the start? I must have derped pretty hard. 
  5. I hope they will let/make her sleep in the woodhouse chamber.

Put the sentence in order.

Example: That / given / by / me / curtain / to / was / neighbor / my > That curtain was given to me by my neighbor.

  1. treasures were stolen / from the Iraqi / national museum / Thousands of irreplaceable / during the war. / by looters 
  2. to winners / Special prizes / will be granted / in early December. / selected by / to winners / an expert jury 
  3. the old-fashioned / is clean, crisp, and clear. / On the sound side, / Dolby Digital Stereo 2.0 
  4. IT consultants and / will find / Computer science students, / valuable material / in this highly recommendable book. 
  5. but very comfortable. / with a pink-brown covering / tacky metal / and the back, / The chairs were / on the seat 
  1. Thousands of irreplaceable treasures were stolen by looters from the Iraqi national museum during the war. 
  2. Special prizes will be granted to winners selected by an expert jury in early December
  3. On the sound side, the old-fashioned Dolby Digital Stereo 2.0 is clean, crisp, and clear.
  4. Computer science students, IT consultants, and business managers will find valuable material in this highly recommendable book 
  5. The chairs were tacky metal with a pink-brown covering on the seat and the back, but very comfortable 

Writing

Write about 3 valuable things you have and how you must take care of them. Remember to use as much of the Target Language as possible.

Example: I have some porcelain dishes that were given to me and I usually don’t let anyone use them. When I do, people are not allowed to…