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ecocks · Joined: 06 Nov 2007 Posts: 899 Location: Gdansk, Poland

I believe it was in the Cutting Edge Pre-Intermediate book.

The exercise is to identify typical items in a picture purportedly from Canada. The picture is drawn art, not a photograph. The funny part was that the bus in the picture had the driver on the right as well as all of the bus exits positioned on the left side of the vehicle. In the picture then, the people would exit into traffic rather than onto the sidewalk. So much for token efforts at multiculturalism. We assumed the artist had no idea how to draw a bus with the North American configuration of driver's seat and exits.

biffinbridge · Joined: 05 May 2003 Posts: 701 Location: Frank's Wild Years

The worst books I have ever used are: Streamline, Work Place and Put English to Work.
Teacher Friendly books: Cutting Edge, Market Leader, the Masterclass exam series, the Reward RESOURCE PACK and Headway of course:))))

Work Place 2 has a dialogue that includes the words 'big bunny likes wow cow'. Nuff said.

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

Streamline 2 is a bit of a mess but Streamline 1, 3 & 4 are excellent. What it does it does very well; the main problem is that it is too formulaic.

soapdodger · Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 203

Streamline is the ultimate EFL textbook....it was going when I started teaching in 1983, it's still going now. Now that takes some doing. I'd be jolly pleased with myself to write a book that lasts for 25 years or more....better than any pension plan!!!

NorthofAmerica · Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 187 Location: Recovering Expat

While Top Notch is pretty good by most counts there is a conversation on selecting movies where two supposedly regular dudes argue over how good an actor Madonna is. That's not sooo bad but it ends with "That's what makes the world go 'round!"

Apparently we should explain that different opinions make the world go around in case our students don't understand. And here I always thought it was money.

As for Side By Side... has anybody ever had this conversation,
"Am I translating accurately enough?"
"Actually, you should translate more accurately"

Worst exercises and conversations ever...

biffinbridge · Joined: 05 May 2003 Posts: 701 Location: Frank's Wild Years

You didn't see the UK poll in which about 10% entered their religion as 'Jedi'.
Seriously though, electing Bush once was dumb, but twice.............speechless. Mind you he did the right thing getting Britain on his side. If you're gonna fight the 'axis of evil' you may as well have a few Jedis. So....that's why he did it., it all makes sense now.