Transcript:
Girl: Why does school have to be so hard? Mrs. Olsen: Look at it this way: What's the difference between plain old coffee and expresso?
Girl: I answered one was pronounced correctly and she just got mad.
Frazz: I think she meant "pressure".
Varnes almost 12 years ago
OK, school me on this one….I don’t get it….
Randy B Premium Member almost 12 years ago
Frazz is starting to explain the reason for the teacher’s example, which the student missed entirely:You get richer results with pressure.
ammittai_is_available almost 12 years ago
the point is that it is spelled and pronounced espresso not expresso. the teacher was trying to make a point about pressure but blew it by mispronouncing the word.
LeoAutodidact almost 12 years ago
I’m just kinda surprised that She expected a 3rd-grader to know the fine distinctions of Java!
What does She THINK those Kids drink in the morning?
nerdhoof almost 12 years ago
When I was in third grade I probably wouldn’t have known. Today, the parents might own an espresso machine or go to Starbucks. (In the latter case, the difference between plain old coffee and e[xs]presso would be “about $2.50 a cup”)
vwdualnomand almost 12 years ago
school has to be hard. prepares kids for the real world. that and to compete other countries’ kids on test scores.
gene.fellner almost 12 years ago
Actually “expresso” is in the dictionary as an alternate (but not preferred) spelling of “espresso.” Furthermore, if you spell it that way you’re also supposed to pronounce the X. It’s a false etymology: “espresso” is an inflection of the Italian verb “to press” (the coffee) and has nothing to do with speed. _
hippogriff almost 12 years ago
zoidknight: At what grade level? I got my masters only a decade and half ago, but was in elementary school before and during WW-II.
Potrzebie almost 12 years ago
She must be an Alton Brown fan.
Tyrnn almost 12 years ago
“Espresso” indeed. Looks like she might need a bit of remedial English on the side.
A.Ficionada almost 12 years ago
OK, this is not the first time Frazz has slammed Mrs. Olsen for her pronunciation of the word espresso. She is soo not euro-cool, poor thing. Stephan Pastis, if you are reading this, please spoof! It oozes the subtle condescension that you so skillfully and gently mock. (Ps- and I say this as a regular reader of Frazz. Enjoy this strip.)
Sillstaw almost 12 years ago
I wouldn’t have known what the difference was even if she had said it correctly.
Randy B Premium Member almost 12 years ago
Most of your posts are about what you don’t like about the comic and its main characters.As far as I can tell, most or all of your posts are left in the comments for this comic.
VanLaser over 3 years ago
I think Frazz is also answering to the original question the girl had: school is hard because you have to put pressure on the children to get something better out of them (as with espresso vs ‘plain’)