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A Long Story

A Long Story English, baby! Video Lesson

Date: Apr 06 2010

Themes: Friend, Soap Opera

Grammar: You're vs. Your

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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When you hit it off with someone and decide to become friends, you spend some time getting to know each other. You tell stories about yourself and your life. But if you ramble on for too long, you may scare your new friend away!

Marni owns an international dating website and all of her friends work for a rival website. How that came to be is a long story. If someone asks you a question and the answer is too complicated to explain, you can say, “Oh, that’s a long story.” See what happens when Marni meets a new friend on her website and starts to tell him her long story.

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.

Marni

Marni

Pierre

Peirre

Jason

Jason

Marni:  So, Pierre, I’m so glad we’re finally meeting. You know, I…

Pierre:  Oui.

Marni:  I’ve just been looking to meet new people, because I realized that all my friends work for this competitive company. I mean, I went through my friends, you know, Jason and Mason and Ella. They’re all working for this woman that I used to be friends with, but then I opened up this sort of rival company. And, anyway, it’s a long story.

Peirre:  Oui.

Marni:  And, anyway, it’s a long story, but…And then I realized, I have a website devoted to meeting new people and why shouldn’t I use it myself, right?

Pierre:  Oui.

Marni:  So, I am so excited that we’re meeting because, you know, you’re from France and I love things that are French.

Pierre:  Oui.

Marni:  So, tell me about France. Is it fabulous there?

Pierre:  Ah, oui.

Marni:  Maybe someday I can go visit it with you. Wouldn’t that be great? We could go…I don’t know. I mean, I’ve always wanted to go to the Louvre and…

Pierre:  You are too…How do we say, “le boring”?

Marni:  Boring?

Pierre:  Oui.

Marni:  Mwa?

Pierre:  Oui.

Marni:  Well, I…Pierre, I really think that you’ve gotten the wrong impression. I am a lot of fun.

Jason:  Hey. What’s up?

Marni:  Hey, Jason.

Jason:  How’s it goin’?

Marni:  How are you?

Jason:  Who’s your new friend?

Marni:  This is Pierre.

Jason:  Yeah. OK.

Marni:  We met on my website and…Yeah, yeah. So…

Jason:  Did he just have to go to the restroom or something?

Marni:  Yes. I think he did. He was talking about how badly he had to go use the bathroom.

Jason:  Oh, cool. Well, too bad I didn’t get to meet him. I have to run.

Marni:  Yeah.

Jason:  I gotta get back to work, you know.

Marni:  Next time.

Jason:  Crazy stuff goin’ on…

Marni:  Next time.

Jason:  ...over at the Dream Boat, but…

Marni:  Yeah. I’ll see you later.

Jason:  OK.

Marni:  Alright.

Jason:  Bye.

Marni:  What happened?

 

Grammar Point

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Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

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Marni uses the international dating website she owns to meet a new friend, Pierre. As she sits and has coffee with Pierre, she bores him with stories of her old friends.

When Jason stops into the coffee shop and says hello to Marni, Pierre takes the opportunity to escape. Marni says he had to go to the bathroom, but she knows he just took off. Jason has to get back to work so he leaves too and Marni is all alone.

How do you think Marni could make some new friends? Do you have a story that’s too long and complicated to explain?

 

Comments

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SANG891

SANG891

Hong Kong

Each person has his/her own character.  Some people like talking while others like listening.  It can only say that Pierre was not the Mr. Right of Marni. 

06:15 AM Apr 06 2010 |

kunchen

kunchen

Taiwan

In my opinion,  most of western people like me, if we feel uncomfortable would just keep it low and would not say anything about our actual feeling. I think the french guy's behavior is kink of impolite to the woman :)

04:53 AM Apr 06 2010 |

ssanchez777

Dominican Republic

it was awsome

04:50 AM Apr 06 2010 |

pandorabottle

Taiwan

In my opinion, people should give others chances to talk and to have interaction with each other if you want to become friends with him or her.  People should show respect and not keep giving pressure to others when you are talking. Or even you are the good friends for long relationship , this situation may happen between friends. (They would not run away but feel not well. )

A comfortable interaction while people get along with others is really important.

 

04:19 AM Apr 06 2010 |

dickybabby

Hong Kong

The girl ramble on too long. This really scare me and I aslo think I will make an excuse same as the leading actor that I can leave the scene as soon as possible.

02:55 AM Apr 06 2010 |

jiuwilliam

China

I think she should give him the opportunity to talk. Make friends is not to find a person who is only listen to you.

02:09 AM Apr 06 2010 |

Gaby313

Gaby313

United Kingdom

well in my opinion she needs to slow down and give the other person the opportunity to talk about his or her favorites things to do and things like that in order to make the conversation pleasant and do not scare people by ramble on for a long time.

Hmm yes I have lots of long stories but my friends are all used to listen to  them all along haha(:

01:47 AM Apr 06 2010 |

julywidiawati

Indonesia

I think she just haven't met the right person, I mean someone who has a chemistry between them. I have a long story and complicated to explain and sometimes it becomes an interesting story to tell to a new friend. But I think all are just need the right time.

01:21 AM Apr 06 2010 |

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