Vocabulary

to shell out

semi-conscious

a rubber band

snap out of it

Cultural note

Ann Landers is mistaken about the date when Lincoln freed the slaves. Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in the middle of the Civil War on January 1, 1863. Slavery was not completely ended until the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution was adopted in 1865. Does this mistake affect your opinion of Ann Landers?

Discussion

1. Is it fair to equate a wife and mother with a slave?

2. How do you suppose Ann Landers arrived at the figure of $50,000 a year? What do you think Mr. Money-Hungry's response to this figure will be?

Situation 6.

Male Mixes up mail

Dear Ann Landers,

Don't chew me out. Just tell me what to do. I have two “best” girls, one in the Midwest, another here in town. The in-town girl is visiting relatives on the West Coast.

I wrote to them both last night. It was late and I was tired. After I wrote the letters, I decided to walk to the corner and drop them in the mailbox.

This morning I have a terrible feeling that I put the letter to the blonde in the envelope addressed to the redhead. The redhead is really Numero Uno and if she receives the blonde's letter, I am in real trouble. Can you think of something I can do before the bomb drops?

Dunderheads

Factual questions

1. How many "best" girls does the writer have?

2. Where does each one live?

3. Why did he write to the girl who lives in his hometown?

4. What did he do after he wrote the letters?

5. What does he think may have happened?

Language use

1. What is the style of this letter? Direct? Casual? Why would the writer use this style?

2. How old do you think the letter writer is? What expressions does he use that support this?

Discussion

1. What does the writer want Ann Landers to tell him?

2. What is the writer really worried about? Losing both girl friends? Looking stupid?

3. What do you think the boy will do if "the bomb drops"?

4. What suggestions do you have for Dunderhead—in case the bomb does drop?

5. What is the obvious way to avoid this kind of mistake?

6. What kind of person do you think Dunderhead is? Would you want him as a friend? A boyfriend?

Vocabulary

to chew someone out

Numero Uno

a dunderhead

From the desk of Ann Landers

Dear Dunderhead,

Sorry, I can't think of a thing. Next time don't write to anybody when you're tired. And make it a rule never to mail a letter until you've let it sit overnight.

Discussion

1. Do you feel that Ann Landers' reply will disappoint Dunderhead? Why? What kind of advice did he want?

2. Can you think of something that Dunderhead might do?

Writing

A. Assume that you have mixed up two letters in the same way as Dunderhead. The first envelope, addressed to your best friend, should contain a letter in which you have written a very detailed account of your first date with a new girl/boy. The second envelope, addressed to your old girl/boyfriend, should contain a letter explaining why you can't come visit that weekend. Write both letters.

B. Using Dunderhead's letter as a model, write a letter to Ann Landers asking for advice. Assume that you have mixed up two letters in the same way as Dunderhead. Decide what their contents might be. (For example. Letter 1 might be a highly personal letter about your spouse, written to a very close friend. Letter 2 might be a thank-you note to your gossipy neighbors for their contributions to a local charity.) Write Ann Landers for advice. Assume that you are a middle-aged, middle-class citizen. Use a formal style of writing that contrasts with the informal style of Dunderhead.