Table Topics On The Signs Of The Zodiac

Problem What are the signs? What can you say about the signs of the zodiac. Answers' What are the signs? Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig. Each year is associated with a zodiac animal. Story At Emmaus Toastmasters Club the table topics (impromptu speeches) were from subjects typed and hidden in Chinese New Year red packets on the table. 1 Rat: Since the days of the Pied Piper, rats have been unpopular. Blamed for spreading plague, and Weil's disease.Local authorities have schemes for catching them. You keep them at bag by sweeping up crumbs, keeping fruit in bowls on shelves above eye level. They squeeze through small holes into houses. Block the holes with wire wool. Better still, cement them up. Rats once inside a building can go from flat to flat through inner walls. The modern rat catchers put down poisoned bait, behind the removable skirting board, out of reach of family pets such as dogs, as well as crawling babies and toddlers. 2 Ox: Ah - oxtail soup, tongue. The ox pulls the car for the farmer. 3 Tiger: Tigers and lions look similar. Tigers have stripes. (Lions kill gazelles and humans in safari parks, and Las Vegas and zoos trainers, and a person posing for photos in Malaysia, and a Japanese tourist in South Africa got out of the car to be photographed next to a lion and its cubs. The American dentist who killed a lion in Africa was subject to a hate campaign.) The poem by Blake goes: Tiger, Tiger burning bright, in the forest of the night ... 4 Rabbit: So cute. Yet people eat rabbits. Famous book Watership Down features rabbits. Many fur hats, and collars and coats are rabbit skin, including some so-called fake fur. Provides foxes with lunch. 5 Dragon: Mythical creature. Maybe based on the Komodo dragon. Every child loves dragons. Easy to draw zig zags. Big bodies yet small heads, make you think that despite their size you can outwit them. History has taught us that we will survive them. George fought a dragon. Opportunity for a knight in shining armour to display his prowess. You are safe from protest by animal right campaigners. Maybe films should say, No dragon was mistreated in this film. 6 Snake: Skin makes lovely shoes and handbags and belts. Alerts you to earthquakes. Tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden. Lots of jokes feature Adam and Eve and the snake in conversation. You can remove the fangs for snakes dancing to music. Or gather the venom to create antidotes. Sheds its skin in Springtime. 7 Horse: Beat of burden. Was method of transport, as a solo rider, or horse and carriage in many centuries, before the train, car and plane. Loved by little girls. Offers speed, delivered post in Roman times. Famous horses in history included: Black Beauty; and horse in America given its own mausoleum after Civil War. Can stampede. the British love horses. The French eat them and the Chinese eat anything. Maybe the British won't eat horses because horses are so useful in agriculture. pulling the ploughs. 8 Goat: Provides milk and meat. Agile on hillsides unsuitable for grazing sheep. 9 Monkey: Amusing and agile swinging by tails. Likely to take your hat or camera and sandwich bag. Signs in Singapore warm you not to feed them. Otherwise they grab tourists' plastic bags and are angry if your bag doesn't contain food because they feel cheated. 10 Rooster: 11 Dog: Loyal friend, can protect you. Good sense of smell. Dogs have jobs. Guard dogs stop people entering. Sniff out drugs. Stop criminals from running away. Play fetch. Carry goods. Lead the blind. Rescue people in avalanches and earthquakes by locating them. Diagnose cancer. Smell smoke and hear burning and alert you to a fire. Growl at suspicious characters. Track missing children. Dogs can help trauma victims. Dogs are good listeners when you are giving speeches. They make you exercise, taking them for walks, and you might get to talk to other dog owners. 12 Pig. Cute and friendly. Eat anything. Forbidden in biblical times, no kosher, later the same rule was adopted by Muslims in halal food. Each year is associated with a zodiac animal.