分类： Let’s Learn English (Level 2)

Conversation

ANNA: Hi! I see you like superhero culture. Me too.

ANNA: In fact, tonight I’m going to the big superhero convention. Are you going?

YOUNG MAN: Um, I don’t know.

ANNA: Well, you’d better decide soon. Last year, it sold out.

ANNA: So, since we’re talking about superheroes: would you rather become a superhero by accident, like Spiderman, or be born a superhero, like Wonder Woman?

ANNA: Take your time. It’s a big question. I thought about it for days –

YOUNG MAN: Okay. If I had to choose, I’d rather be born a superhero.

ANNA: I’d rather become a superhero by an unexpected accident!

YOUNG MAN: Aren’t all accidents unexpected?

ANNA: Well, yeah.

YOUNG MAN: What was that!? Are you okay?

ANNA: I’m better than okay. I feel super!

PROF. BOT: Oh No! Anna was just hit by lightning. She had better get help.

PROF. BOT: We use had better to give advice. It is very informal and stronger than should and ought to. For example, Anna says: “You’d better decide soon. Last year, it sold out.”

PROF. BOT: When we use had better, we usually shorten the word had for personal pronouns.

PROF. BOT: We use would rather to say what we or someone else prefers to do or have. For example, the boy says: “Okay. If I had to choose, I’d rather be born a superhero.

PROF. BOT: With would rather, we also shorten the word would when used with personal pronouns. Keep watching and listen for had better and would rather.

YOUNG MAN: You’d better see a doctor.

ANNA: I’ve never felt better!

YOUNG MAN: You were just struck by lightning!! And what happened to your hair and your clothes?

ANNA: I don’t know. Wait, I do know. This is my super suit! And this is my origin story.

YOUNG MAN: What are you talking about?

ANNA: An origin story tells the beginning of a superhero. You should know that.

YOUNG MAN: You’re not making any sense, lady.

ANNA: I would rather be called Lightning Bolt Lady! It’ll sound great in a theme song: Lightning Bolt Lady!

ANNA: Now, I need to find my superpowers —

YOUNG MAN: Um, I really think —

ANNA: Wait. Don’t tell me. I’ll read your mind. You are thinking you’d like to be my super helper.

YOUNG MAN: I was not thinking that.

ANNA: … that you’d like to live in a treehouse.

YOUNG MAN: No.

ANNA: … that you should eat more vegetables.

YOUNG MAN: Please, stop talking. You really should get some help.

ANNA: Mind reading is not my superpower. Maybe I can become invisible. I … am … invisible!

ANNA: You can’t see me. Who am I? I’m not here. You can’t see me.

YOUNG MAN: I can see you and so can everybody else.

ANNA: No power of invisibility. Maybe I can create a force field. I feel it working. Nothing can hurt –

(Someone throws a piece of paper and it hits her head.)

ANNA: Ow, that wasn’t very nice. I see I have a lot of work to do. Well, goodbye, non-super person!

YOUNG MAN: Wait. I’d better go with you. You might get worse…if that’s even possible.

ANNA: That’s very nice of you, ordinary human. But I’d rather go by myself. This is a quest.

YOUNG MAN: Every time you speak, I get more confused.

ANNA: A quest is a part of all superhero stories. You really need to work on your superhero studies. Now, stand back. I’ve never flown before.

YOUNG MAN: And you’re not flying now.

ANNA: Flying is also not my superpower. That’s too bad. It’s going to be expensive to Uber everywhere. You know, I’d rather walk. It’s a nice day. Goodbye, non-super person.

YOUNG MAN: I am not talking to strangers again.

ANNOUNCER: Will Lightning Bolt Lady find her superpowers … ever? Ouch! Did that brick wall hurt? Will the young man ever talk to a stranger again?

ANNOUNCER: Find out on the next episode of Let’s Learn English!

Conversation

Anna: Hello?

Ms. Weaver: Anna, this is Ms. Weaver.

Anna: Ms. Weaver!

Ms. Weaver: Tomorrow, you’ll be interviewing musician Emma G.

(Anna is very excited. She loves Emma G’s music.)

Anna: Emma G?! I will be talking to Emma G?!

Ms. Weaver: Anna? Anna, are you there?

Professor Bot: Anna and Ms. Weaver used the future continuous verb tense to talk about the interview.

Prof. Bot: We use future continuous to talk about actions that will be in progress at or around a time in the future.

Prof. Bot: For example, Ms. Weaver says, “Tomorrow, you’ll be interviewing musician Emma G.”

Prof. Bot: There are two options for future continuous. The first is: will be + the -ing form of the verb

Prof. Bot: And the second is: be + going to be + the -ing form of the verb. Keep watching for more!

Anna: Hello and welcome to The Music! Today, musician Emma G will be joining us here!

Anna: She is a wonderful songwriter and an amazing singer. And I love her! Let’s give a warm welcome to Emma G!

Anna: Hi. Thank you for coming on the show, Emma G.

Emma G: Of course. It’s great to be here.

Anna: Well, we can’t wait to hear you sing. I listen to your music a lot. So, I feel like I know you. Is that strange?

Emma G: Anna, listening to music can be a very personal experience. So, no, that’s not strange.

Anna: Good because I made something for you — a video scrapbook of our friendship.

Anna: I took photos of you and added myself. I worked on it all weekend.

Emma G: Well, that — that’s strange. Is that even — is that even legal?

Anna: Now, Emma, let’s talk about your schedule. Tell me … I mean, tell us exactly where you will be and when. Exactly.

Emma G: Sure. Well, in early June, I’ll be performing at several venues across Austin, Texas.

Anna: That’s my vacation week. I can meet you there! We can tour the city. We can have lunch.

Emma G: Um, yeah maybe. Then in mid-July, I’m going to be teaching at a music camp in Chicago.

Anna: I’ll be visiting my sister then. She only lives about six hours from Chicago! I could drive over. We could hang out.

Emma G: Yeah, uh maybe. You know, maybe now is a good time for some music.

Anna: That’s a great idea. Now, let’s hear a song from Emma G.!

Emma G: I wrote this song a couple of years ago. It’s called “Wary.”

Emma G: Do you believe in happy endings?

Anna: Endings…

Emma G: Do you really believe that we could be…

Anna: Be…

Emma G: I think something is wrong. I hear a voice in the background.

Anna: Sorry. Sorry, Emma. That was me. I’m just so excited.

Emma G: No problem. I’m glad you like the song.

Anna: You go ahead. You go ahead.

Emma G: Okay. Do you believe in happy endings?

(She hears a tambourine playing and looks at Anna.)

Emma G: Anna, there’s no tambourine in this.

Anna: I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry, Emma. See, I’ve always wanted to sing with you.

Emma G: Well, come on over then and we can sing a song together first.

Anna: No, I couldn’t.

Emma G: Come on. It’ll be fun.

Anna: Okay! Here. I brought my favorite song.

Emma G: Oh, uh okay. Actually, I like this song. Um, are you ready?

Anna: Yes! Yes!

Emma G: Okay.

Emma G / Anna together:

Every breath you take*
Every move you make
Every bond you break
Every step you take
I’ll be watching you …
I’ll be watching you…
I’ll be watching you…

*From “Every Breath You Take” by The Police

Conversation

Sue: Welcome to class, Anna. I can’t wait to see your trash!

Sue: Oh, okay. Alright, it’s a — it’s a net with a … oh, it’s got a hole in it. Tell me about that.

Anna: This net said to me, “Anna, I used to catch stuff. I don’t anymore. So, use me, Anna.” That’s what it said. It said, “Use me, Anna.”

Sue: Okay. So…it’s a plastic helmet.

Anna: This plastic helmet said, “Anna. Hey, Anna, find me a head.”

Sue: Okay, um…and a broken toy.

Anna: This broken toy … this broken toy said to me – it said, “Anna, help me find fun.” “Help me, Anna” is what it said.

Sue: Anna, this stuff is not saying anything to you or me or anyone. It’s what we like to call in the business … garbage.

Anna: But you said to bring in trash.

Sue: Sometimes trash is treasure. Sometimes it’s just trash.

Sue: Anna, don’t worry. Next week, I could teach you decoupage.

Anna: Decoupage. Decoupage. That’s fun to say.

Sue: All you need to bring is a clean shoe box. A box that held shoes.

Anna: I got it. I got it! See you next week!

Prof. Bot: Ut oh. It looks like Anna doesn’t know the difference between treasure and trash. She thinks those things are telling her something!

Prof. Bot: The words tell and say have similar meanings. But we use them in different ways.

Prof Bot: Tell means “to inform or instruct someone with words” and is almost always followed by an indirect object. For example, Sue says, “Tell me about that.”

Prof. Bot: The word me is the indirect object and tells us who is being told.

Prof. Bot: Say means “to express something with words” and focuses more on the words used. For example, Anna says, “That’s what it said. It said, ‘Use me, Anna.’”

Prof. Bot: Listen for when Anna and Sue use tell and say.

Sue: Anna, welcome to Decoupage class. Decoupage is just gluing pretty pictures onto stuff.

(Sue gets a phone call.)

Sue: Anna, I’ve got to talk to this person. I’ll be right back. Don’t start without me.

Anna: Got it.

(Sue leaves to take her phone call. Anna gets glue everywhere. She becomes covered with glue and paper.)

Anna: Okay. I can fix this.

Sue: Anna, what happened? I told you to wait for me!

Anna: Actually, you told me not to start without you, which I didn’t. Your glue is really sticky.

Sue: Next week, let’s try lamp making. There’s – there’s no glue. Here’s a flier.

Anna: Thanks. See you next week.

Sue: Anna, you did really well this week. I think lamp making might be your thing!

Anna: Thanks, Sue. I did everything you told me to do.

Sue: Remember: I said to read the instructions really carefully. Where are those instructions?

Anna: Let’s just plug it in!

(Anna plugs in the lamp and, suddenly, the city loses electricity.)

Anna: So, what class will you be teaching next week?

Prof. Bot: Too bad Anna didn’t follow instructions! Visit our website for more on tell and say!