20 May 2012

99 bottles of ...

Il papa' deve sistemare in cantina 72 bottiglie di vino appena acquistate, ma nel riporle negli scaffali ne rompe 13. Quante bottiglie rimangono intatte?

Roughly translated:
Dad has to arrange 72 bottles that are in his wine cellar. While doing so, he breaks 13. How many does he have left?

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This is from a list of teacher-created word problems that she has been working on every night. Love it. I can just imagine my sister's kids coming home with similarly worded problems: If Dad has a case of light beer in the fridge and there are twelve bottles in the case, how many more cases does he need for his fishing weekend that lasts 3 days if he needs 7 bottles a day?

In vino veritas.
Or something like that!

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On a more somber note, we are safe at home. While we had quite a scare that had my heart racing like never before when we were bouncing in the bed as the crystal chandeliers sang at 4 am, we are far enough away that we did not sustain any damage or injury. Our house has shaken several more times today and we continue to be equally afraid each time. Our hearts and prayers are with those who are suffering.

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5 comments:

  1. I hadn't heard about the earthquake in Italy only the bombing. So glad you are safe. Yes, I can't imagine a word problem like that in the states. Recently, there was a huge uproar over a word problem that the teachers were trying to tie into a social studies unit on racism and slavery. The teachers were either fired or put on probation. I can't remember what the outcome was, but it was in the news for days.

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    1. Alcohol has a different place in the culture here. It doesn't seem to be demonized. Remember there was no prohibition in this country, no (major) religions that ban it. It's perfectly okay to have it in the word problem...this one was created by a 60+ year-old nun. :)
      It is difficult to be a teacher in America. If I went back, I think I would change professions.
      D

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  2. it's not an alcohol problem there, but a disjunction from real life: I think nuns have no idea of how ordinary people leave - ordinary dads would love to buy that many bottles of wine, and arrange them in their cellars, but ordinary dads don't have cellars or any space to keep that many bottles!
    Glad you're ok, we were SO fortunate not to feel any of the shakes, there's nothing that terrifies me more than an earthquake, and hope never to live through one again.

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  3. This is certainly a perspective that I haven't considered. I've discovered that, generally speakin, in my experience, that the interest in wine by Italians that I know, just isn't there...and there wouldn't be a desire to collect so many. (Trying not to make generalizations. Can you tell?) Do you think I've been wrong all along? The cost is the reason the interest is not there?

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  4. Or is it just the Italians that I know? I do know a few who are interested...but not on the level of many of the American (men) that I know who live in Italy, which is an isolated subset of out population, I know.

    Of course the nun is out of touch....how can she not be? ARe you keeping up with what is happening with nuns in the States who are a bit more in touch? They are fighting the good fight.

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