Site Search:
 
Get TEFL Certified & Start Your Adventure Today!
Teach English Abroad and Get Paid to see the World!
Job Discussion Forums Forum Index Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!"
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

What's your best/funniest cocktail party-type game question.

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> China (Job-related Posts Only)
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Non Sequitur



Joined: 23 May 2010
Posts: 4724
Location: China

PostPosted: Wed Nov 28, 2012 7:03 pm    Post subject: What's your best/funniest cocktail party-type game question. Reply with quote

If you play any version of this game state (a) the question which gains most interest and (b) the funniest question or situation that has arisen in the game?

(a) My freshmen (18 or 19 years) vocational college students think the question 'What makes a good BF/GF?. is the best.

(b) When we return to classroom and there are a few minutes until bell I ask for comments on the funniest or wittiest answer any student heard during the game.

One student said that the answer he heard to the question 'Why is it important to learn to swim' was the best.
The answer to the question was ' So we can get to see the girls in their swimming gear'.
This was a maritime college with a great aquatic centre.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
GreatApe



Joined: 11 Apr 2012
Posts: 582
Location: South of Heaven and East of Nowhere

PostPosted: Thu Nov 29, 2012 12:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

When I go to bars with Chinese friends, I usually burn out pretty quickly on the whole drinking-dice-game that so many people love to play, so I sometimes introduce a version of "The Monty Hall Problem" using three dice cups and one die.

The Monty Hall Problem is a probability puzzle known as a veridical paradox. It was the basic gist of the American game show "Let's Make a Deal!" for somewhere around 20 years. It's fun because it defies logic and confuses the hell out of people.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Hall_problem

The basic premise runs just like the game show. You have three cups, under one of them is a die. The "dealer" knows which cup the die is under. The "contestant" does not know. You line the three cups up, and have the contestant choose one, then you lift up one cup (other than the one they chose) which does not have the die underneath it. You then ask the contestant if they would like to switch their decision from the cup they originally chose to the second cup remaining. You lift up whichever cup the contestant chooses.

The paradox is that people think you have a 1/3 chance of picking the cup with the die underneath it, which you do -- originally -- however, when the host lifts a cup which does not contain the die, most people think they now have a 50-50 chance of picking the cup with the die underneath, and that's wrong. Their odds of winning actually improve if they decide to switch cups. Many people will NOT switch (even when they know the percentages of the game).

In reality (if they switch cups) they have a 66% chance of "winning." If they DO NOT switch, then they have only a 33% chance because they stuck with their original pick. Most Chinese people WILL NOT switch! This can lead to some fun and some pretty wild times if you play the game as a drinking game. The dealer will drink roughly 33% of the time, while the contestant --until he or she l;earns that it is in their best interest to switch cups -- will drink 66% of the time and get VERY drunk!

My friends and I have had a lot of fun playing this simple game over the years. You can also play it with cards (find the ace, etc.). A shrewd person can even make money at it, but beware the contestant who figures out the trick and starts picking the alternate cup/card consistently! A dealer can end up drunk (or broke) almost as easy as the contestant.

I've also taught this paradox in class to my Chinese students when we do word puzzles or "Brain Busters." It's a lot of fun!

Check out the WiKi link above for the full mathematical explanation ... I'm an English teacher, NOT a Mathematician! Laughing

--GA


Last edited by GreatApe on Thu Nov 29, 2012 1:08 am; edited 1 time in total
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Non Sequitur



Joined: 23 May 2010
Posts: 4724
Location: China

PostPosted: Thu Nov 29, 2012 1:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks, but I was really looking for specific input on a widely used classroom activity.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
it'snotmyfault



Joined: 14 May 2012
Posts: 527

PostPosted: Thu Nov 29, 2012 1:06 am    Post subject: Re: What's your best/funniest cocktail party-type game quest Reply with quote

Non Sequitur wrote:
(a) the question which gains most interest and (b) the funniest question or situation that has arisen in the game?

.


A good one could be:

Have you ever worked with a schizophrenic?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
GreatApe



Joined: 11 Apr 2012
Posts: 582
Location: South of Heaven and East of Nowhere

PostPosted: Thu Nov 29, 2012 1:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I sometimes play a version of the "What Type of Personality/What Traits or Characteristics" does he/she have. You can present it like a survey or poll, have the class work in small groups, or even interview each other.

You can give your class a handout with different prompts like you will find in a high school yearbook. You know, questions like:

1) Who's the most likely to succeed?
2) Who do you think will be the richest person in the class?
3) Who will get married first?
4) Who is the class clown?
5) If someone in the class was to be president, who would it be?
... etc.

It works really well later in the year or semester when the class knows each other better or, in a case like mine, in an International School where many of the students have gone to school with each other for several years. It always promotes discussion and explanation and vocabulary building and the students get a kick out of it. Obviously I push my classes for thorough explanations in English, and this promotes a lot of cross-discussion and translation and even dictionary usage.

Sometimes you have to be careful of "controversial" questions or answers or suggestions about other students in the class. Feelings can be hurt if you don't stress the need for respect. Most of my students can take a joke pretty well, particularly if they know the other students involved, but occasionally you run into someone who will try to push a joke too far. It's definitely important to know your class.

--GA
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Non Sequitur



Joined: 23 May 2010
Posts: 4724
Location: China

PostPosted: Thu Nov 29, 2012 5:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good ideas GA
I agree about some questions being more suited to later weeks when everyone is more relaxed with each other.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> China (Job-related Posts Only) All times are GMT
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling.
Contact Dave's ESL Cafe
Copyright © 2018 Dave Sperling. All Rights Reserved.

Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group

Teaching Jobs in China
Teaching Jobs in China