2.5.

“YES/NO MYSTERIES”
For use as warm-ups or speaking activities.

Directions: The teacher (or student standing in as the teacher) makes the statement(s) below to
establish the scenario. He/she should refuse to divulge more information than this. The students’
“job” is to ask yes/no questions until an explanation is arrived at. The first time this is done in the
classroom, some modeling may be required. After that, students usually are more than willing and
ready to take the ball and run with it. Appropriate levels: Higher beginner and up.

A man is dead. He has a hole in his suit.

Answer: (the man is an astronaut and a meteriorite kills him on a space walk)

A man walks into a bar and asks for a glass of water. Instead of giving him water, the bartender
reaches under the bar, pulls out a gun, and points it at the man. The man says “thank you” and
leaves. (Note: The language here can be simplified for lower-level students)

Answer: ( He has the hiccups)

A naked dead man is lying in a field. He is holding a straw in his hand.

Answer: (They are in a hot air balloon, the balloon is going to crash and they need to drop some
weight. He drew the smallest straw

An American prisoner of war, who has being held captive in a German camp during World War II,
escapes. He speaks perfect German and manages to disguise himself in a German officer’s
uniform. However, on attempting to cross the borders into non-German territory, he is immediately
stopped and recaptured. (Why?)

Answer: (He is black/latin/Native).

John and Mary are lying on the floor dead. There is water on the floor. A dog is trying to get out of
the room.

Answer: (John and Mary are fish).

A man is found dead in an empty room with no furniture. He is hanging from a light fixture in the
ceiling and is six feet from the floor. The room is locked from the inside. (How is this possible?)

Answer: (He was standing on a block of ice).

Every day, a man comes home from work, goes into his apartment building, and presses the button
of the 8thfloor. He gets off, walks up two fights of stairs, and enters his apartment on the 10th floor.
The next morning, he gets into the elevator on the 10th floor and rides it all the way down to the first
floor (consider adding, “When it rains, he goes straight to the 10 th .” or “On Friday, he comes with a
friend and they go directly to the 10th floor.”)

Answer: (He is a dwarf).

A man goes into a field with a pack on his back and dies. (Note: it is very important to use these
precise words)

Answer: (His parachute did not open).

A man goes to the top of the highest building in his city and jumps off. While falling he hears a
telephone ringing and immediately regrets the action.

Answer: (There is world holocaust and he thinks he is the only person alive in this planet. He jumps
from a tall building commiting suicide. As he is falling, he hears a phone ring and finds out he is not
the only alive.)

There are two dead men in a cabin in the woods. How did they die?

Answer: (Airplane crash. It is not a "wood cabin" It´s a pilot´s cabin.)