gaining an ounce traumatizes us.

We _____ play outside as often

as we like because our
computers and video games keep
us inside. We _______ play
outside and get dirty because
being dirty is a no, no. We
______ drink Kool-aid because
the sugar content will make us
hyper. We _____ play cowboys
and indians with toy guns and
bows and arrows because it is
violent. We ____ play
Superman or Batman because we
WHAT I COULD DO may break a leg when leaping
from something high. We
When we were young we ______ do many
things. We ________go to the movies as
_____ speak to our neighbours
often asplaying in theand
we wanted mud?we _______ eat because CONVERSATION
we don’t know most of
5. What did I drink?
popcorn without worrying about getting fat. them. We _____ leave our
6. Did I lock 1) What could you do when you
We _________ play my house?
outside all day and we doors unlocked because we will
7. exercise
What didand I make out of paper?in were young?
____ get get dirty playing definitely bestay
robbed.
2) Could you out andWeplay___
most
the mud8.and
Why can’tWe
rain. we _______
eat too much
stay out all
popcorn today?
makeof our own paper or
the day?
day and didn’t have to worry about returning
9. Why
home until can’t
supper we play
time. outside? drink
We _______
cardboard
3) Could youtoys
drinkbecause
Kool-aid they
without

Kool-aid10.
and notWhy
worry can’t
aboutwe the
playcolour
with and are worrying?
cheap and we now need
4) Do you drink Kool-aid today?
bow and arrows?
sugar it contained. We _______ play something more expensive. I
5) Could you make paper boats?
cowboys11. Whywith
and indians can’ttoy
weguns
play and bows really miss the good old days
Superman? 6) Do you every make paper boats?
and arrows. We ______ be actors and where weleave
____ dodoors
a lotunlocked?
of
7) Could your
pretend we wereWhy
12. can’t we
Superman or make
Batman.our We
things
8) Can that we _____do
you leave your doors today.
________own toys
speak to with paper and because
our neighbours
cardboard?
we knew everyone in the neighbourhood. We
Answer the today?
unlocked following questions:
9) Do you play a lot on your
_____ 13.
leave our Do I know
house withmytheneighbours?
doors
unlocked14. Do have
and didn’t I misstothe good
think old being
about 1.computer?
Could I go to the movies?
days? 10)
2. Did IDoworry
you play video
about games?
eating
robbed. We ______ make our own toys out
11) popcorn?
Do you know a lot of the
of paper and cardboard. Today we can’t eat
too much popcorn because the thought of 3.neighbours in your
Could I play outside?
neighbourhood?
4. Did I have to worry about
12) Do you play outside a lot?
Write a short story about what you could do when you were young that you can’t do now.

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ANSWER KEY
 When we were young we could do many things. We could go to the movies as often as we
wanted and we could eat popcorn without worrying about getting fat. We could play
outside all day and we could get exercise and get dirty playing in the mud and rain. We
could stay out all day and didn’t have to worry about returning home until supper time.
We could drink Kool-aid and not worry about the colour and sugar it contained. We could
play cowboys and indians with toy guns and bows and arrows. We could be actors and
pretend we were Superman or Batman. We could speak to our neighbours because we
knew everyone in the neighbourhood. We could leave our house with the doors unlocked
and didn’t have to think about being robbed. We could make our own toys out of paper
and cardboard. Today we can’t eat too much popcorn because the thought of gaining an
ounce traumatizes us. We can’t play outside as often as we like because our computers
and video games keep us inside. We can’t play outside and get dirty because being dirty
is a no, no. We can’t drink Kool-aid because the sugar content will make us hyper. We
can’t play cowboys and indians with toy guns and bows and arrows because it is violent.
We can’t play Superman or Batman because we may break a leg when leaping from
something high. We can’t speak to our neighbours because we don’t know most of them.
We can’t leave our doors unlocked because we will definitely be robbed. We can’t make
our own paper or cardboard toys because they are cheap and we now need something more
expensive. I really miss the good old days where we could do a lot of things that we
can’t do today.
Answer the following questions:

1. Could I go to the movies?

Yes, you could
2. Did I worry about eating popcorn?
No, you didn’t
3. Could I play outside?
Yes, you could.
4. Did I have to worry about playing in the mud?
No, you didn’t
5. What did I drink?
You drank Kool-Aide.
6. Did I lock my house?
No, you didn’t
7. What did I make out of paper?
You made toys
8. Why can’t we eat too much popcorn today?
Because we are afraid of gaining weight.
9. Why can’t we play outside?
Because we play inside with our computers and video games.
10. Why can’t we play with bow and arrows?
 Because it is too violent.
11. Why can’t we play Superman?
Because we may break a leg.
12. Why can’t we make our own toys with paper and cardboard?
Because they are cheap and we need something more expensive.
13. Do I know my neighbours?
No, you don’t.
14. Do I miss the good old days?
Yes, you do.