Voice Box TV

This week on the show, our special guest is Otbaatar, an archaeologist at the Mongolian Museum of National History. Mongolia is a great place for archaeologists and Otbaatar tells us about some fascinating historical artifacts.

Check out the Mongolian Museum of National History’s website for more information:

http://www.nationalmuseum.mn

We also have some great information about archaeology in our Lessons section, so be sure to check that out too.

http://voiceboxtv.org/index.php/2007/04/27/archaeology/

On the show, Dave and Bolor make a time capsule and you can find out how to do the same here:

http://familycrafts.about.com/cs/newyears/a/bltmcaps.htm

http://www.ehow.com/how_6637_make-family-time.html

http://ms.essortment.com/howtomakeati_rlsl.htm

Enjoy the show!

Archaeology is the study of human history through the discovery and research of bones, architecture and artifacts. These items are usually dug up from underground because when they are buried, they can last thousands of years. We can learn a lot about history from archaeology. Most of what we know about Ancient Egypt, Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece comes from the study of archaeology.

Every year we are learning more about the culture and society of Mongolia hundreds of years ago. International teams of archaeologists from countries like USA, Japan, Russia and Germany come to Mongolia to study archaeology. Each team is usually made up of about 30 people. They set up an excavation site or a “dig” where they believe they will find interesting things and set up a camp. It will often be their home for several months. They work, sleep and eat together, 24 hours a day. So by the end of 3 months they are often very close friends.

Once they have set up their camp they start digging. But they don’t just go in with heavy machines. That would damage the delicate items that they are looking for. They have to dig very carefully, often with brushes. Imagine digging a big hole with your toothbrush! Sometimes archaeologists find beautiful gold and jewels which have been buried with the body of someone who died.

Do you know the “Indiana Jones” movies? Indiana Jones is a swashbuckling Hollywood archaeologist who gets in wild adventures as he searches for precious treasure. “The Mummy” is another popular Hollywood movie about archaeology.

Often archaeologists find more normal things like pots, vases, tools and the foundations of houses. But for an archaeologist, these things can be even more valuable than gold. Archaeologists can sometimes learn the most from the study of human bones. But they are a bit scary!

The Orkon Valley has many archaeological, historical and cultural sites. It is a very important area for historians all around the world. It is considered to be the cradle of central Asian nomadic civilizations. Different ancient people, like the Huns and the Uighur, settled there about 2,300 years ago.
For more infomation, check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archaeology

This week on VoiceBox, we have Orgil, the famous actor and producer who played Chingghis Khan in the BBC documentary. He also studied acting in the USA and made the first Mongolian action movie, so he has great English and lots of good ideas.

We hope you enjoy the show and learn something from it. Be sure to try out this week’s exercises to practise your English skills.

http://voiceboxtv.org/index.php/2007/04/19/filmacting-exercises/

If you’ve never played Charades, you should check out this post in our Fun and Games section to learn the rules.

http://voiceboxtv.org/index.php/2007/04/19/charades/

The Street Karaoke song for this week is ‘I Swear’ by All 4 One.

As always, you can download and read the script right here:

voicebox-episode-15.doc

Because this week’s show features Orgil, the great Mongolian actor, we have some exercises about acting and films for you. You can download the Microsoft Word document to print and use in the classroom, or complete the exercises at home.

acting-and-film-activities.doc

EXERCISE 1 - EMOTIONS
Actors have to be able to display a range of different emotions, or feelings. From happy to sad, angry to confused and many more.
Match the facial expressions to the emotions:

1.2.3.

4. 5.

ANGRY SAD HAPPY SLEEPY/TIRED CONFUSED/THINKING

EXERCISE 2
Actors must do things to show their emotions. Put these verbs under the emotions they are usually associated with:
Laughing, crying, smiling, frowning, shrugging, screaming, shouting.
HAPPY ANGRY CONFUSED SAD

Of course, people are much more complicated than this, so they often mix their emotions up. I’m sure you’ve probably smiled when you were sad or cried from happiness or laughed in confusion.

EXERCISE 3 - INTERMEDIATE
Write about your favourite film or films (I couldn’t pick one favourite, so why should you have to?). What kind of film is it (Science fiction, romantic comedy, action, etc)? Why do you like it?

Who are your favourite actors/actresses? Why do you like them? (Beautiful, handsome, tough, talented, they’re in good movies, etc).

EXERCISE 4 - ADVANCED
Have you ever thought about writing a movie? Think of an idea for a movie and write the story in under a page.

Charades is a great game to play with a few friends. Basically, someone has to act out a word, phrase, movie title, song title, or whatever and the others have to guess what it is. The person acting is not allowed to speak, so it can be hard, but there are some standard symbols that can help.

Read a great, simple decription of the rules here:

http://www.cs.umd.edu/~nau/misc/charades.html

And for even more information, read this:

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

Good playing!

by All-4-One

I swear by the moon and the stars in the sky
and I swear like the shadow that’s by your side

I see the questions in your eyes
I know what’s weighing on your mind
You can be sure I know my part
Cause I stand beside you through the years
You’ll only cry those happy tears
And though I make mistakes
I’ll never break your heart

Chorus
And I swear by the moon
And the stars in the sky I’ll be there
I swear like the shadow that’s by your side I’ll be there
For better or worse
Till death do us part
I’ll love you with every beat of my heart
And I swear

I’ll give you every thing I can
I’ll build your dreams with these two hands
We’ll hang some memories on the wall
And when (and when) just the two of us are there
You won’t have to ask if I still care
Cause as the time turns the page
My love won’t age at all

And I swear (I swear) by the moon
And the stars in the sky I’ll be there (I’ll be there)
I swear (and I swear) like the shadow that’s by your side
I’ll be there (I’ll be there)

For better or worse
Till death do us part
I’ll love you with every beat of my heart
And I swear

And I swear (I swear) by the moon
And the stars in the sky I’ll be there (I’ll be there)
I swear (and I swear) like the shadow that’s by your side
I’ll be there (I’ll be there)

For better or worse (better or worse)
Till death do us part I’ll love you
With every single beat of my heart
I swear I swear I swear

Here is the script for episode 14, the show about travel, featuring Badamsambu from Travel Time.

voicebox-episode-14.doc

This week, we have an episode about travel for you, because our special guests is Badamsambu, from the TV show Travel Time. He tells us about his work, his life and his travel experiences and Dave and Bolor discuss some different countries, attractions and activities. Thanks to the Bad Man for being on the show.

We also have some exciting new exercises for you to try in the classroom or at home, so be sure to check them out here:
http://voiceboxtv.org/index.php/2007/04/12/travel-exercises/

If you would like to follow along with the show at home, you can also print out the script and practice your reading while watching the show: voicebox-episode-14.doc

Our street karaoke this week is one I’m sure you probably all remember, from the Backstreet Boys: Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)

by the Backstreet Boys

Everybody, yeah
Rock your body, yeah
Everybody, yeah
Rock your body right
Backstreet’s back, alright

Everybody, yeah
Rock your body, yeah
Everybody
Rock your body right (rock your body right)
Backstreet’s back
Everybody (everybody)
Yeah (rock your body)
Rock your body (everybody)
Yeah (everybody rock your body)
Everybody (everybody, rock your body)
Rock your body right (everybody)
Backstreet’s back, alright

Because this week’s show featured Badamsambu and talked about travel, we have some travel related exercises for you this week to try in the classroom or at home.

View, download or print this map before you start. You’ll need it for the first exercise. Click to enlarge, then right-click to save to disk or print if you need to.

Download the Microsoft Word document of the exercises to complete them at home or school:

EXERCISE 1. COUNTRIES
Look at the world map and identify the coloured countries.
1. Green –
2. Blue –
3. Yellow –
4. Red –
5. Purple –
6. Orange –

EXERCISE 2. TRAVELLING
Dave and Bolor talk about travelling to different countries. Match the countries to their attractions or what they’re famous for:
1. Spain a) Animals and safaris
2. Hawaii b) Shopping and fashion
3. Italy c) San Fermin, running of the bulls festival.
4. Africa d) Surfing

1__, 2__, 3__, 4__

EXERCISE 3. ATTRACTIONS and ACTIVITIES
Think about why people travel where they do. What attracts people to Mongolia? What do tourists come here to see and do?

TRUE or FALSE?
People come to Mongolia to go surfing. T/F
Tourists like to ride horses in Mongolia T/F
The unspoilt countryside attracts people to Mongolia T/F
Shopping is one of the biggest reasons tourists come to Mongolia T/F
Some people who come to Mongolia like to see Monasteries T/F

EXERCISE 4. ADVANCED
Answer the following in full sentences. Write one paragraph for each.
4 a) What is your favourite place in Mongolia and why? Explain what you like about it and why you think people would like to go there. It can be anything; a monastery, a lake, a mountain, a town, a region, whatever. As long as you can explain why you like it, and what people can see or do there.

4 b) Which countries would you most like to visit and why? What attracts you to that country? What would you like to see there and what activities would like to do?