Discussing the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine:
Student: So TR offered Columbia 10 million dollars. But Colombia said no. So then he offered more money, and more money, but they wouldn’t take it!
Me: Well–he offered them 10 million and didn’t want to offer more; that’s why he went to the Panamanian government. He didn’t ever offer more than 10 million.
Student: Oh, I just added that part for dramatic effect.
Discussing an analogy (“A hammer is to a nail…”) whose answer was “as a screwdriver is to a screw”:
Me: Good–why is the answer “as a screwdriver is to a screw” and not “as an axe is to a board”?
Student: Because with a screwdriver, you can only use it on a screw, but you can either use an axe on a board or you can use it to kill someone.
Discussing an excerpt about a man, John Podgers, whose main pastimes are eating and sleeping:
Me: What’s the main idea of this passage?
Student: Well, to me the main idea is…
Me: <encouraging face>
Student: To me the main idea is that John Podgers is living every man’s dream.
