the strange machine essay

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Monday 23 July 2012

The strange machine.

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Great work, David!

Thank you! I'll do my best for the next posts.

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The Strange Machine

At school I conduct creative writing competitions. This was the winner of the last one. Check out the artwork.

My uncle is an inventor. One day I was looking through the basement of his house, and I discovered a strange machine. It had many buttons, knobs, dials, and levers. I had never seen anything like it before. On one side was a button that read “on”. The machine had two big frog’s eyes, four things like legs, and hands. I was really excited so I decided to turn it on. I pushed the red button carefully. Strange things happened. The screen said, “Hello! How’re you doing mate?”

“OK,” I said. It started flying around the basement. Suddenly diamonds and money flew out of its hands.

“Do you want to get on my back to take a trip?” asked the machine.

“Yes, of course,” I said.It took me over the clouds and into the sea. It was wonderful. Hours later the machine asked again, “Do you want to meet Da Vinci, the president of America, or any one else?” I thought for a while and answered, “Jesus.”

Then the machine made a ‘time hole’ and flew into it. Everything was quiet. The numbers of years flew past me. 1980, 1009, 300, 3,2,1……I opened my eyes. I thought it was the kingdom in which Jesus lived. Poor people were all over the roads. But a man with a big beard was talking to some people. It was Jesus. I thought it couldn’t be happening. Then, I walked up to him. He looked old; maybe he was too tired. Then I got his signature.Yipee! It was a great trip.

The machine brought me back to the real world. If you have been to the past and come back to 2008, you’ll think this is such a terrible world. Garbage is all around you. Dirty air fills the sky. It makes the earth warmer and warmer, with the ice melting and the sea getting bigger and bigger. One day in the future we’ll have no place to live.

Truly awesome. I can’t get work like that out of most of my so called “Advanced-High” ESL kids here in Houston. Make sure to let that student know that they’re now famous on the internet, and that others in other countries are impressed.

very very cool. please confiscate their bong now.

He’s a great kid. Thanks for the comment. I’ll let him know.

There were some other funny entries such as the:

Ding, Ding Daniel Making Machine

My uncle is an inventor. One day I was looking through the basement of his house, and I discovered a strange machine. It had many buttons, knobs, dials, and levers. It looked like a car, but it wasn’t. On one side was a red button that read ‘on’. Next to the button was written, “If you push ‘on’ the machine will start working and the Ding Ding Daniel making machine will make a Daniel or you can put a person in the Daniel making machine and the person will look like a Daniel.” Notice: “If you put anything in the Daniel Making Machine, you can’t regain it.”

“Wow! It is cool,” I said.

Then I pushed ‘on’ and the machine made a Ding Ding Daniel. I told my friend, the president. We put every bad person in the Ding Ding Daniel Making machine and soon all the bad people looked like Ding Ding Daniel and said, “I’m ding-ding Daniel. I’m a stupid, crazy, lazy, poo-poo bottom person.”

I did this work every day; it was fun. One day I put my school teacher in the Ding Ding Daniel making machine and my teacher became stupid like Ding Ding Daniel.

“Wow! My teacher looks like a real ding-ding,” I said. Then I thought, “Hey I can put anyone I hate in the machine.” The next day a lot of people became ding-ding Daniels.

“Yah” I said.

Suddenly somebody pushed me into the Ding Ding Daniel making machine.

“No~~~~!” I yelled. But no one wanted to help me. “Help me. I’m scared.” Then I woke up. “Oh it was a dream,” I said. However, when I went to my uncle’s graduate school, I saw a sign on a big machine that said, “Ding Ding Daniel”.

“No way,” I said. Then I fainted.

And…That kid could be a professional illustrator!

That’s a very talented kid. How old is he?

He’s in grade 6 so he is 11 or 12.

Extra credit project: Expand the story just a bit along with illustrations and turn it into a children’s’ book. Get that kid published! With the “Jesus” theme, it could likely sell on the Christian market.

If you get it a silly hat and organise a march for it, it could become the next president of Taiwan.

It’s too smart for that job.

What sharp, talented kids! It must be fun teaching them!

Lanternfish ESL

Creative Writing Worksheets and Teaching Resources

This is a collection of free, printable creative writing prompts for teaching ESL.

Creative Writing Prompts

These creative writing worksheets can can be used both in class or as weekly homework assignments. We are always looking for more contributions so if you have an idea please send it to us. Eventually all of the story starters will be turned into worksheets and posted here.

The Secret Passage

The students take a field trip to an Egyptian pyramid and find a secret undiscovered passage within.

Brueghel' Painting

Students visit an art gallery and watch a painting by Brueghel come alive.

The students find a mysterious tunnel in the forest and follow it to find what is inside.

The Tricksters in the Tree

The students overhear a group of tricksters plotting to trick them and decide to turn the tables.

Fairies in Danger

A group of forest creatures in danger because of development. The students have to help them out.

Superpowers for a Day

Students imagine what they would do if they had superpowers for a day.

Talking to the Animals

Students imagine if they had the powers of Dr. Doolittle and could talk to animals.

A mysterious portal appears to another world. But where does it lead?

The Villain

A diabolical villain poisons the hero and forces the hero to do the villains bidding.

The Letter from Afar

Students imagine their trip to a far away exotic land and write a letter home.

The Shadow from the Depths

A mysterious shadow from the depths of the ocean swims under the ship.

The Time Machine

Where would you go if you had a time machine?

The Invisibility Potion

What would you do if you had an invisibility potion?

The Water Molecule

You are a molecule of water travelling through the water cycle. Describe your journey.

The Alien School

Ack! You discover your teacher is actually an alien.

A dark cavern in a mountain. What mystery lies within?

Beware of Humans

Changing perspective. Imagine you were a crocodile. What would you tell your children about humans?

Settlers on Mars

Imagine you were a settler on Mars. What challenges would you face?

The Voice from the Box

There is a box on the table and you hear a voice within. Do you open the box?

The Door Guard

You have to get past the door but the guard is in the way. What do you do?

The Old Lamp

You find an old lamp and rub it. ... What do you wish for?

The Strange Machine

There is a strange machine in your uncle's attic. But what does it do?

The Padlocked Chest

Why is the chest locked? Will you open it?

The Shrinking Potion

What would you do if you had a potion that allowed you to shrink?

The Petsitter

It seemed like easy money until you actually saw the pet.

The Wings of Icarus

Students find an old pair of wings on the island of Crete.

The Labors of Heracles

What chores would you make your siblings do if you had some compromising information on them?

The Greek God Election

Every Greek city had their patron gods. Imagine you were a Greek God. How would you get elected to be patron good of a city?

A Letter from Afar

Students write a letter home describing what they are doing on their travels.

What are these gnomes doing in the park? Students follow them and find out.

How to Care for You Dragon 1

How do you care for a dragon? Version 1.

How to Care for You Dragon 2

How do you care for a dragon? Version 2

How to Care for You Dinosaur 1

How do you care for a dinosaur? Version 2

How to Care for You Dinosaur 2

Planet pollutonia.

You are elected governor of Pollutonia. How do you clean it up?

Planet Criminolia

You are elected governor of Criminolia. How do stop the crime?

The Footprints in the Sand

A strange set of footprints are in the sand. Follow them to find out what made them.

Future School

What will school be like in the future?

The Door in the Woods

A mysterious door in a tree in the woods. Open it and find out where it goes.(sent in by Katelyn)

You decide you are going to pull the greatest prank ever.

A mysterious seed with a sign that says: Do not plant. Ever! What do you do?

The Lephrechaun's Gold

How are you going to trap the leprechaun and get its gold.

The Island of Dr. Moreau

You are a mad scientist creating new animals. What do you create?

The Evil Scientist

You follow an evil scientist into a dark room and can't forget what you saw. (sent in by Curt Winstead)

The Last Tree

All the trees are gone but one. . . (Sent in by Katie Seafield)

Sports Creative Writing

In goal for the rockets.

Students are mistakenly put into net for the Rockets.

The Monster Match

When the students get out onto the field, they find out that the other team are behemoths.

Minutes to Go: Socccer

Students write about a close game of soccer.

Minutes to Go: Baseball

Students write about a close game of baseball.

Minutes to Go: Hockey

Students write about a close game of hockey.

Christmas Creative Writing

Saving santa.

Santa is stuck in a chimney. Who will save Christmas?

Candycane Mystery

Who stole all the stripes on the candycanes?

Elves on Strike

The elves are striking for better pay and working conditions.

Fall and Halloween Creatie Writing

Are you a witch.

Students design a test to see if someone is a witch.

Are you a Werewolf?

Students design a test to see if someone is a werewolf.

Are you a Vampire?

Students design a test to see if someone is a vampire.

The Haunted House

Students complete a story about ending up at a haunted house on Halloween.

Those Pesky Crows

How are going to keep those pesky crows out of your crops?

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Strange machine

2010, Nature

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