Best Holiday Gift

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Best Holiday Gift
(CBS News, 2012)
www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619/vp/49943843#49943843
For all the excitement, the frenzy over Black Friday*, all the spending on all those presents, especially for
kids, we veteran parents know a lot of kids look forward to, and end up playing with something other than
the intended gift. Our report tonight from NBC’s Katy Tur.
(* le vendredi après Thanksgiving et le jour le plus rentable pour les magasins)
Don’t be fooled by the brown, boxy exterior, this is actually a pirate ship. No, wait, a hotel! No, an
igloo! At this Ohio pre-school, a teacher had an idea. He decided to throw out all the brand-name toys,
bring in cardboard boxes and leave the rest to the kids’ imaginations.
Not one of them complained about not having their toys ...
Not one!
This is the line of purchase!
On this Black Friday as parents by the thousands storm the Times Square Toys ‘R Us, shelling out some
major cash for some major play things we asked the question: Do you kind of want just a bunch of boxes
now? (The child nods “yes.”)
Did I just save you a ton of money?
Yes, you did!
More evidence came from our Nightly News viewers when we put out the call on Facebook and Twitter
for pictures of their kids and the boxes they love. Best of all, there’s no age limit.
It (the box) can be some much-needed space in the middle of Times Square, a dining-room table
(cheers!), or a news desk.
In fact, cardboard boxes were inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2005.
You can get them for free and run wild, or you can buy them with step-by-step instructions, from tanks to
magical castles, each for about thirty bucks, though your cat will take whatever is lying around. Internetfamous Maru loves boxes both big – and small!
Back at the pre-school teachers said that the experiment worked. The quieter kids came out of their shells
and showed leadership skills and everyone else learned how to negotiate, which begs the question, on this
Black Friday is it all that wise to dig deep(ly) into your pockets when, ultimately, this may be more
rewarding.
Then again, you could use it as an excuse to buy yourself that new TV. Those boxes are pretty big!
Katy Tur, NBC News, New York.
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Vocabulary
1. for all the frenzy
2. the excitement over Black Friday
3. veteran parents
4. look forward to
5. and end up playing with
6. the intended game or gift
7. don’t be fooled
8. boxy exterior
9. actually a pirate ship
10. pre-school (US)
11. to throw out
12. the brand-name toys
13. cardboard boxes
14. line of purchase
15. parents by the thousand storm
16. shelling out
17. some major cash
18. some major play things
19. do you kind of want just a bunch of boxes now?
20. the child nods ‘yes’
21. did I just save a ton of money?
22. we put out the call
23. much-needed space
24. were inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame
25. can get them for free and run wild
26. bucks
27. whatever is lying around
28. Internet-famous Maru
29. Back at the pre-school
30. the experiment worked
31. the quieter kids came out of their shells
32. showed leadership skills
33. which begs the question
34. is it all that wise
35. to dig deep(ly) in your pockets
36. ultimately
37. rewarding
38. pretty big
déchaînement, délire
excitation
parents aguerris
attendent avec impatience
et finissent par jouer avec
le jeu ou cadeau prévu
ne vous laissez pas duper par
apparence de carton
en fait un bateau de pirate
la maternelle
jeter, se débarrasser
les jouets de grandes marques
boîtes en carton
la file pour les achats
des parents par milliers prennent d’assaut
déboursant
beaucoup d’argent
pour de grands jouets
Veux-tu en quelque sorte juste un tas de boîtes
en carton ?
l’enfant fait signe que oui (avec la tête)
est-ce que je viens de vous faire économiser
beaucoup d’argent
nous avons lancé un appel
de l’espace dont on a grand besoin (pour
respirer!)
(les boîtes en carton) sont entrées
les avoir gratuitement et faire ce que
vous en voulez
= dollars
n’importe quel objet qui traîne
un chat devenu célèbre grâce au web
de retour à la maternelle
l’expérience a été une réussite
les enfants les plus timides / introvertis sont
sortis de leur coquille
ont fait preuve de (compétences de) leadership
qui soulève la question suivante
est-ce une si bonne idée
‘d’aller au fond de ses poches’ ( = payer
beaucoup)
en fin de compte, au final
gratifiant
plutôt grand
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Best Holiday Gift
(CBS News, 2012)
Exercise: fill in the blanks with the correct words
For all the excitement, the frenzy over Black Friday*, all the spending on all those presents, especially for
kids, we veteran parents know a lot of kids __________________ , and __________________ with
attendent avec impatience
finissent par jouer avec
something other than the intended gift. Our report tonight from NBC’s Katy Tur.
______________ by the brown, boxy exterior, this is ________________ a pirate ship. No, wait, a hotel!
ne vous laissez pas duper
en fait
No, an igloo! At this Ohio __________________, a teacher had an idea. He decided to ______________
maternelle
jeter
all the _______________________, bring in cardboard boxes and leave the rest to the kids’ imaginations.
jouets de grandes marques
Not one of them complained about not having their toys ...
Not one!
This is the line of purchase!
On this Black Friday as parents by the thousands ____________________ the Times Square Toys ‘R Us,
prennent d’assaut
shelling out some major cash for some major play things we asked the question: Do you kind of want just
____________ boxes now? (The child nods “yes.”)
un tas de
Did I just __________ you a ton of money?
économiser
Yes, you did!
More evidence came from our Nightly News viewers when we put out the call on Facebook and Twitter
for pictures of their kids and the boxes they love. Best of all, there’s no age limit.
It (the box) can be some much-needed space in the middle of Times Square, a dining-room table
(cheers!), or a news desk.
In fact, cardboard boxes were inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2005.
You can ____________________ and run wild, or you can buy them with step-by-step instructions, from
les avoir gratuitement
tanks to magical castles, each for about thirty ________, though your cat will take _________________.
dollars
n’importe quel objet qui traîne
Internet-famous Maru loves boxes both big – and small!
Back at the pre-school teachers said that the experiment ________________.
a été une réussite
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The ________________________________ and showed leadership skills and everyone else learned how
enfants les plus timides sont sortis de leur coquille
to negotiate, which begs the question, on this Black Friday is it all that wise to dig deep(ly) into your
pockets when, ultimately, this may be more _________________.
gratifiant
Then again, you could use it as an excuse to buy yourself that new TV.
Those boxes are ____________________!
plutôt grands
Katy Tur, NBC News, New York.