مکالمه ی فعالانه قسمت الف

Active Speaking Part A

Harry Houdini was a world famous escape artist.

Who was a world famous escape artist? Harry Houdini was a world famous escape artist.

He once escaped from a steel and glass coffin hung upside down and filled with water.

Did he once escape from a steel and glass coffin hung upside down and filled with water? Yes, he once escaped from a steel and glass coffin hung upside down and filled with water.

Yet when his mother died in 1920, the great Houdini couldn’t find a way to escape his own heartbreak and loss.

When his mother died, could Houdini find a way to escape his own heartbreak and loss? No, when his mother died, Houdini couldn’t find a way to escape his own heartbreak and loss.

In desperation, the legendary showman turned to spiritualism, a system of belief based on communicating with the dead.

What did the legendary showman turn to? The legendary showman turned to spiritualism. Is it a system of belief based on communicating with the dead? Yes, it is a system of belief based on communicating with the dead.

Houdini was a hard man to convince there was such a thing as life after death.

Was Houdini an easy man or a hard man to convince there was such a thing as life after death? Houdini was a hard man to convince there was such a thing as life after death.

Before he made his name as an escape artist, Houdini and his wife Bess often gave fake public séances to put bread on the table.

Why did Houdini and his wife Bess often give fake public séances? Houdini and his wife Bess often gave fake public séances to put bread on the table.

He knew all about the trickery used by mediums.

What did he know all about? He knew all about the trickery used by mediums.

However, Houdini was a desperate man and longed to communicate with his mother beyond the grave.

Was Houdini a desperate man? Yes, Houdini was a desperate man. Who did he long to communicate with beyond the grave? He longed to communicate with his mother beyond the grave.

His search for hard and fast proof was all in vain. He said that all the mediums he met were “human leeches.”

Was his search for hard and fast proof successful or all in vain? His search for hard and fast proof was all in vain. What did he say about all the mediums he met? He said that all the mediums he met were “human leeches.”

Houdini was good friends with Sherlock Holmes author Arthur Conan Doyle.

What author was Houdini good friends with? Houdini was good friends with Sherlock Holmes author Arthur Conan Doyle.

However, their friendship ended after Conan Doyle’s wife Jean claimed to have made contact with Houdini’s dead mother through a technique called automatic writing.

Did she claim to use a technique to contact Houdini’s mother? Yes, she claimed to use a technique to contact Houdini’s mother. What was the technique called? The technique was called automatic writing. What happened to their friendship? Their friendship ended.

Jean swore the 15 pages of grammatically correct English was a real message from the afterlife.

Did Jean swear the 15 pages of grammatically correct English was a fake message or a real message from the afterlife? Jean swore the 15 pages of grammatically correct English was a real message from the afterlife.

Houdini dismissed it publicly. He said that while his mother had mastered five languages, English was not one of them.

Did Houdini dismiss it publicly? Yes, Houdini dismissed it publicly. Was English one of the five languages his mother had mastered? No, English wasn’t one of the five languages his mother had mastered.

Houdini soon began to expose fraudulent mediums.

What kind of mediums did Houdini begin to expose? Houdini began to expose fraudulent mediums.

He declared war on those who exploited people’s grief to turn a buck.

What did he declare war on? He declared war on those who exploited people’s grief to turn a buck.

He hounded the scam artists at every chance.

Who did he hound at every chance? He hounded the scam artists at every chance.

His experiences didn’t completely close Houdini’s mind to the possibility of an afterlife, though.

Did his experiences completely close Houdini’s mind to the possibility of an afterlife? No, his experiences didn’t completely close Houdini’s mind to the possibility of an afterlife.

Before he died in 1926, he made a pact with his wife Bess that, if possible, he would make contact with her from the other side.

What did he make with his wife Bess? He made a pact with his wife Bess. Did he say if possible, he would make contact from the other side? Yes, he said, if possible, he would make contact with her from the other side.

He created a secret code only she would know.

What did he create that only she would know? He created a secret code only she would know.

After Houdini died, Bess offered 10,000 dollars to anyone who could help contact her husband.

How much money did Bess offer? Bess offered 10,000 dollars. What did she offer 10,000 dollars for? She offered 10,000 dollars to anyone who could help contact her husband.

In 1928, a man named Arthur Ford claimed he had received a message from Houdini.

Who claimed that he had received a message from Houdini? Arthur Ford claimed he had received a message from Houdini. When did Arthur Ford claim he had received a message from Houdini? Arthur Ford claimed he had received a message from Houdini in 1928.

Bess announced the message used the secret code and was genuine.

Who announced the message used the secret code? Bess announced the message used the secret code. Did she say it was genuine or fake? She said it was genuine.

Bess held the last official ‘Houdini séance’ on Halloween in 1936. It was broadcast via radio across the world.

When did Bess hold the last official ‘Houdini séance’? Bess held the last official ‘Houdini séance’ on Halloween in 1936. How was it broadcast across the world? It was broadcast via radio across the world.

Houdini was a no-show and Bess agreed it was time to pull the plug on the séances.

Was Houdini a no-show? Yes, Houdini was a no-show. What did Bess agree it was time to pull the plug on? Bess agreed it was time to pull the plug on the séances.