a paragraph containing more than 10 Muhavare (proverbs)
Answers
1. The early bird catches the worm – this means that hard work, preparation, and dedication leads to success.
Example: Grace: “Hey Mercy! What are your plans for tomorrow?”
Mercy: “I am waking up at 6am to study. The early bird catches the worm, you know!”
2. Better late than never – sometimes unexpected situations arise that cause us to be late for something important. In such situations it is better to be late than not to be there at all.
Example: You forgot to set your alarm clock at night so you wake up later than usual the next morning. You get ready and rush over to school. Once you get to class the teacher tells you, “Come in and find a seat Ted, it’s better late than never.”
3. Don’t cry over spilled milk – this saying means that you should not brood over your past mistakes. You can not change the past but you can change the future. Learn from your mistakes and be hopeful.
Example: James was upset because he lost his favorite pen. Jill told him not to cry over spilled milk because he could easily buy a new pen!
4. Practice makes perfect – the more time and effort you put into learning a skill, a new language, or a particular subject, the better you will get over time.
Example: Jackie practices playing the piano everyday because practice makes perfect.
5. No pain, no gain– this means that you may have to go through a difficult process before achieving desired results.
Example: Frank wants to have huge muscles so he works out at the gym every morning and evening. No pain, no gain!
6. Two heads are better than one – this proverb means that solving problems or completing a task is usually easier when done with someone else.
Example: Karl: “Hey Matt, would you like to study with me for the test coming up on Friday? You can ask me questions and I will do my best to answer them.”
Matt: “Yes, I would love to study with you! Two heads are always better than one!”
7. Rome wasn’t built in a day – this saying means that it takes patience and perseverance to achieve great things.
Example: Jane: “Oh my gosh! I will never finish this painting. It’s just too much work!”
Mary: “Calm down, Jane! Rome wasn’t built in a day, just keep working at it everyday until you finish. You can do it!”
8. Don’t judge a book by its cover – Appearances may be deceiving. It is better to get to know a person, a place, or even try a new food item before jumping to conclusions.
Example: Sam: “That food looks disgusting.”
Peter: “Hey man, it actually tastes really good. Give it a try! Don’t judge a book by its cover.”
9. Better safe than sorry – this means that being cautious can help you avoid a disaster. Somewhat similar to ‘better late than never’, these two proverbs show that putting in the effort is usually worth it in the end.
Example: I’m going to carry an extra bottle of water for the hike, just in case. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
10. Actions speak louder than words – this means that what you do is more important than what you say.
Example: Student: “I promise to be on time for each class and to do all my homework as soon as it is assigned.”
Teacher: “Well that sounds great, but actions speak louder than words.”
I gave this so you could write a paragraph with 10 proverbs on your own.
Answer:
Using Proverbs in a Writing Class
When I was little, I used to have a book with a collection of Russian proverbs and sayings. I remember being absolutely fascinated by the depth of knowledge and wisdom that I discovered on the pages of that book. Those proverbs opened a door for me to a better understanding of the Russian culture as well as important norms, morals, and life values. Indeed, I can say they helped me become a more mature and intelligent human being.
Speaking about second language learners: Proverbs can—like in my own experience—help them learn a great deal about the target culture and the norms and values that people in that culture respect and treasure. A writing class is a great venue for incorporating proverbs into teaching. With the effective use of proverbs, a teacher can both help students develop their writing skills and deepen their cultural knowledge. In other words, the use of proverbs kills two birds with one stone!
I want to share some activities that teachers can do in the writing classroom. Hopefully, they can inspire you to further ideas.
Using Proverbs as In-Class Journal Prompts
When I was teaching a writing class in an intensive English program, part of my weekly routine was having students write, twice a week, a 10-minute in-class journal. The prompts for these activities were prepared in advance, and were created to help students develop their creativity and analytical thinking. Proverbs seem to make excellent prompts for in-class journals. I suggest, however, that you select the proverbs with transparent rather than metaphorical meanings. Before the actual writing activity, you can also briefly explain the meaning of the proverb to help students move their thoughts in the right direction.
Explanation:
When I was little, I used to have a book with a collection of Russian proverbs and sayings. I remember being absolutely fascinated by the depth of knowledge and wisdom that I discovered on the pages of that book. Those proverbs opened a door for me to a better understanding of the Russian culture as well as important norms, morals, and life values. Indeed, I can say they helped me become a more mature and intelligent human being.
Speaking about second language learners: Proverbs can—like in my own experience—help them learn a great deal about the target culture and the norms and values that people in that culture respect and treasure. A writing class is a great venue for incorporating proverbs into teaching. With the effective use of proverbs, a teacher can both help students develop their writing skills and deepen their cultural knowledge. In other words, the use of proverbs kills two birds with one stone!
I want to share some activities that teachers can do in the writing classroom. Hopefully, they can inspire you to further ideas.
Using Proverbs as In-Class Journal Prompts
When I was teaching a writing class in an intensive English program, part of my weekly routine was having students write, twice a week, a 10-minute in-class journal. The prompts for these activities were prepared in advance, and were created to help students develop their creativity and analytical thinking. Proverbs seem to make excellent prompts for in-class journals. I suggest, however, that you select the proverbs with transparent rather than metaphorical meanings. Before the actual writing activity, you can also briefly explain the meaning of the proverb to help students move their thoughts in the right direction.
Here are some proverbs that you can use as journal prompts:
- A friend in need is a friend indeed.
- Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
- Actions speak louder than words.
- A penny saved is a penny earned.
- Bad news travels fast.
- Better late than never.
- Better safe than sorry.
- Don’t judge a book by its cover.
- Honesty is the best policy.
- Never too old to learn.
- Practice makes perfect.
- Practice what you preach.
- Two heads are better than one.
- Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
- What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger