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Fish Out of Water

Fish Out of Water English, baby! Video Lesson

Date: Jul 20 2010

Themes: Soap Opera

Grammar: Used to Do vs Be Used to

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

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2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

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Have you ever felt like you just don’t belong somewhere? Ever since he helped Marni and Devan’s companies merge, Jeff has been working out of their office. But things were a lot different at the office where he used to work. He doesn’t seem to have much in common with the other employees. He’s having trouble fitting in.

Nonetheless, Jeff has been trying to make friends around the office. He tells Beren about how he has been feeling like a fish out of water. A fish out of water is someone who is out of their element, like a fish on land, and feels like their environment doesn’t suit them. Someone who overhears Jeff talking shows up and proves him right.

3. Watch - Watch the video without reading the dialog.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Jeff

Jeff

Beren

Beren

Jason

Jason

Jeff:  Hey, how’s it going, Beren? Do you have a moment?

Beren:  Just a second… I’m downloading some tunes. What’s up?

Jeff:  I was just curious, since the companies have merged I’m going to be working in this office…

Beren:  Are you excited? It’s fun! It’s fun over here, we love it!

Jeff:  I’ll be honest with you, I feel kind of like a fish out of water.

Beren:  Fish out of water. This is an unusual environment for you? You don’t feel comfortable or at home?

Jeff:  Um, yeah, it just really doesn’t suit me.

Beren:  Doesn’t suit you? What do you mean?

Jeff:  Well, speaking of, nobody wears suits around here. I’m used to that.

Beren:  Wearing a suit? You can wear a suit if you want to.

Jeff:  You guys are…

Beren:  But you don’t have to.

Jeff:  No offense, you’re dressed like bums. Well, that aside, I went to get a company car the other day. What’s with the expense accounts at this place?

Beren:  Expense accounts? No, no, no, no. We’re lucky if we get pizza parties once a month. There is no company car. But, there’s other perks, you know?

Jeff:  For instance?

Beren:  You don’t have to wear a suit! You can wear whatever you want.

Jeff:  I like wearing a suit.

Beren:  Okay. Sounds like this place is really alien to you. You are a fish out of water. Do you think you can come around? Try to fit in a little?

Jeff:  I guess. I’m not going to promise to like it.

Beren:  I can give you the IT guy’s number. You guys can carpool? It’s kind of like a company car?

Jeff:  No, no, no.

Beren:  Alright…

Jason:  Hey, new guy! Hold this! I guess you got some water now!

 

Grammar Point

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Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

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Jeff reaches out to Beren to see if she can help him understand how his new office works. He’s used to a very serious work environment where everyone wears suits and there are company cars for the employees to drive. Since his new company is nothing like that, he fees like a fish out of water.

Beren suggests that maybe he could carpool with someone else from the office. Just then, Jason runs up with a giant bottle of water and hands it to Jeff. He’s so surprised, he almost falls over. Jason must have heard him say that he feels like a fish out of water and decided to pull a prank on him, thereby demonstrating that he is, in fact, a fish out of water.

Have you ever felt like a fish out of water? How did you learn to fit in?

 

Comments

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Emily4

Emily4

China

When we feel like a fish out of the water,we should learn to fit it in.

04:47 AM Sep 04 2014 |

Old Yeller

Old Yeller

United Arab Emirates

yes i always have this feeling and i cant fit with it

12:09 PM Jun 01 2011 |

Lee Yong Chan

Japan

I have.Ten years ago I moved to Tokyo from Chiba and entered the new school.At first there's no friend so I felt like a fish out of water.But a couple of weeks later,I made some friends.I think it was not diffilcut to fit in the new school because we were children.

10:15 AM Sep 06 2010 |

Marcelolic

Marcelolic

Brazil

Oh yeah really! Once I had to serve the army it was in 1993 till 94…It was terrible! I really hated it! This is an example that I had to do a thing totaly out of my scheme :P So I felt miself like a fish out of waterin that place hehe

07:55 PM Aug 03 2010 |

miss blue

miss blue

Jordan

hehe !! out of water i like it =)

 

new vocabs i got =) 

05:04 AM Aug 02 2010 |

lyc6011

lyc6011

Hong Kong

Everyone need to fit in new place and has to get well along with new guys and I think it isn't special to me. But I can learn the new words from the vedio that's useful to to how to express a different opinions.

11:35 AM Jul 26 2010 |

wishtolearn

El Salvador

i suggest that you watch some english news channel and you will get familiar with words and sentences. you will notice that your ears will start getting used to english very easily. and you will be surprised how important is listening and speaking… moreover, here you have a link that teach you how to learn english with the news.  check this out http://www1.voanews.com/learningenglish/home/   when you surf this web just click twice on a word that you dont know and it will show you and explain you the meaning in a friendly way… get ready to go pals !!!!

05:45 PM Jul 25 2010 |

Ca_Brazil

Ca_Brazil

Brazil

I did. Well its was hard in the beggining but i tried to adjust where i was, like talking more and listeing more them. it was good a good experience.

01:25 AM Jul 24 2010 |

Majidgb

Majidgb

United States

I got to read the articles presented in the conference beside knowing the big picture of what different approaches are in the literature to fit in otherwise I will feel kind of fish out of water among participants. 

Smile

09:06 PM Jul 22 2010 |

Romio79

Romio79

Russian Federation

I used to feel like a fish out of water when I came to Russia many years ago. It seemed to me that relations between people was so different in comparison with a place I left. But of cause I have adopted to the new environment. The best way to adopt I guess is to make friends among people from a new place. You just can learn something from them and they from you. So if you make friends in a new place you won't feel like a stranger in a strange land. 

04:34 PM Jul 22 2010 |

Majidgb

Majidgb

United States

I am not very comfortable in my office to study since we share it with a couple of other guys. I like to do my research job at home where I have more freedom. I kind of feel like fish out of water. 

03:47 PM Jul 22 2010 |

luise

Taiwan

 No one can adjust himself in a new   enviroment very well at first so many thing are different,ex‧new  cowworks new boss new rules of work At the beginning of work i think everyone would have the same situation—-like a fish out of water

dont be worry If you try your best The embarrassed situation will pass fast away

06:10 AM Jul 22 2010 |

busy_man232

Philippines

I am working in abroad. It is kind of a weird place, I had ever gone with. People are weird too. Everybody doesn't know how to speak english well. I feel I'm a fish out of water. I really want to be free out of it, but don't know how.

10:11 AM Jul 21 2010 |

izac

izac

South Korea

I got a new job.

my work is kind of accounting. I am not good at this.

I feel like a fish out of water.

12:07 AM Jul 21 2010 |

FêNanda

FêNanda

Brazil

I´m feeling like a Fish Out of Water at my work too. But it isn't a terrible things. But I hope found another one.

12:07 AM Jul 21 2010 |

primula

primula

Saudi Arabia

It happens many times when you feel like a fish out of water i.e. when you move to a new place whether a new school , university or country . I'm gonna to have this feeling after two months as I 've moved to a new place Cry

10:32 PM Jul 20 2010 |

Sandra B.

Sandra B.

Panama

i'ts normal to feel like a fish out of water sometimes…like when u get a new job that is completly different from what u used to do before…but we just have to learn how to overcome this kind of situations…Laughing

08:39 PM Jul 20 2010 |

johnsten

johnsten

Chile

You really feel like a fish out of water when you move to another country. You've got to know new people, make new friends, fit into the society, etc. It's a very awkward experience. However, you can overcome it if you want.

07:18 PM Jul 20 2010 |

janainasantos

Brazil

I´m feeling right now as a fish out of water, unfortunately I´m at work. I wish I could find another one.

06:09 PM Jul 20 2010 |

mionfabian

mionfabian

Brazil

Occasionally… but it's normal in my view point… everyone has this feeling at least one time… some examples about me…

first day at university… the beggining of living with roomates… watch a movie in the cinema with one girl that I really liked – ps: she was with her bf at her side, and kissing her… hahaha

first day at a new work… first month at a new city…

but it's good when it happens I think…

being a fish out of water can be a great thing sometimes…

to me… it ends up with me knowing awesome friends… whose friendship I have til now…

lol lol lol

 

06:06 PM Jul 20 2010 |

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