Teacher's Notes: The Babysitter
This is a funny story about a frustrated babysitter. For each underlined word or phrase, the students must consider the context and find a definition or synonym that matches it. You can introduce the theme by asking if any of your students have younger brothers or sisters. Do their younger siblings bother or annoy them? Do they ever have to babysit? Do they like little children? Or do little children drive them crazy? When they were small, did they have babysitters? Did they annoy their older siblings? Draw out their personal experiences.
New Words
hesitant
in trouble
misbehave
beg
watch (children)
responsible
mature
content
reply
amazed
classmates
peers
burst into tears
pick on someone
revenge
act out
demand
in charge
behave
sniffle
pay attention
check on
fault
liar
drive me crazy
upset
glare
bummed
bad mood
at the end of my rope
slip
swollen
unnerved
regret
quit
Worksheet Answers
Synonyms: 1. misbehaving, 2. responsible, 3. pleased, 4. watch, 5. begged, 6. responded, 7. hesitant, 8. classmates, 9. burst into tears, 10. revenge, 11. acting out, 12. amazed, 13. picking on me, 14. sniffling, 15. check on, 16. behave, 17. in charge, 18. pay attention, 19. demanded, 20. liar, 21. driving me crazy, 22. fault, 23. glare, 24. upset, 25. bad mood, 26. bummed, (Note: upset, bad mood, and bummed are similar in meaning. You can accept various answers.) 27. quit, 28. swollen, 29. bump, 30. slipped, 31. unnerved, 32. at the end of my rope, 33. regret
