Learn English with English, baby!

Join for FREE!

Social_nav_masthead_logged_in
 
Sufjan Stevens
Sufjan Stevens

Learn how to use adjectives

Date: Dec 13 2010

Themes: Music

Grammar: Adjectives

Intro

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

Go Super to Listen Go Super!

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

Go Super to Listen Go Super!

The musician Sufjan Stevens has big ideas. He is an indie singer-songwriter who likes to take on ambitious, surprising projects. In 2009, for instance, he released The BQE, which involved a symphony, a film, and a comic book, all rolled into one. That’s quite a project for a skinny folksinger from the Midwest to tackle.

Before The BQE, Stevens released two albums inspired by states in the U.S., his home state of Michigan, and Illinois. Stevens has said he wants to make an album for every state. That means he still has 48 albums to go, but if anyone can do it, maybe it’s Sufjan Stevens.

Earlier this year Stevens released the EP All Delighted People. And since one album might not be all that impressive, he soon followed that record up with another one, The Age of Adz. Find out if Beren and Marni are fans of Sufjan.

Dialog

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

Log in to Listen

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

Beren

Beren

Marni

Marni

Beren:  Sufjan Stevens apparently has some new albums coming out.

Marni:  Did he finally follow through on his promise to make an album for every state in the United States?

Beren:  No, I think he wound up only doing Illinois. He got a little bored.

Marni:  Huh. I thought it was a really bold concept, like let’s do these albums that are sort of embodying the feel of these states. I kind of thought that was an interesting concept, but…

Beren:  Just think of the time that you would have to invest, though, and like…It seemed a little over-ambitious when I first heard about it. Because, you know, he has 49 states to go. And to really get the feel of a state, you’d think you’d have to spend a considerable amount of time there.

Marni:  Sure. So do you feel like he abandoned the project with just cause? Or do you feel like he’s kind of a quitter? I mean, have you ever had this grand idea and bailed on it?

Beren:  Yeah.

Marni:  Haven’t we all?

Beren:  Yeah. I don’t know, like, I think with, you know, any creative pursuit, like I’ll decide I want to write a screenplay, and I’ll decide it’s too much work, it’s over-ambitious, I don’t have the time. Or I’ll get distracted. Have you ever given up on a project?

Marni:  Absolutely.

 

Grammar Point

Go Super to learn "Adjectives" from this lesson Go Super!

Quizzes

Go Super to take Quiz Go Super!

 

Lesson MP3

Go Super to download full lesson MP3 Go Super!

The iTEP® test

  • Schedule an iTEP® test and take the official English Practice Test.

    Take Now >

Discussion

Go Super to Listen Go Super!

Beren tells Marni that Sufjan Stevens has a couple new albums out. Stevens made albums for the states of Illinois and Michigan, and said that he would produce a record for every state. So Marni naturally wonders if Stevens’ new albums are also about states. But the new albums aren’t part of his 50 states project.

Marni and Beren wonder if Stevens will ever follow through on his plan to make an album for every state. Beren thinks it might be too ambitious a project. She often has trouble following through on her ideas herself. Marni says she gives up on projects, too.

Do you always follow through and finish everything you start, or do you sometimes give up in the middle of a project?

 

Comments

Log in to Comment

Marcelolic

Marcelolic

Brazil

Humm I usualy finish all my projects but has had some projects that I have abandoned (in fact,I haven’t abandoned them,I only left them on hold) ;)

12:11 PM Jul 06 2011 |

tr0yquint0

tr0yquint0

Philippines

It is good if you can always follow through and finish everything you start but it hard to accomplish that task. As of for my experience sometimes I usually stop at the middle, check if I am doing it wrong way then start again. It doesn't matter how slow you walk as long as you didn't stop walking. This saying goes to Sufjan Steven, maybe he just taking time to make an album for every state. He is young and I think he can still manage to finish what he wants to accomplish in his career.

07:23 PM Dec 13 2010 |

emirata

emirata

Turkey

ımportand projects cant begın ınterestıg but people must be patıent coz nobady can guess what ıt wıll be

06:43 PM Dec 13 2010 |

Romio79

Romio79

Russian Federation

Sometimes projects become not so interesting as it seems in the begining. In that case I choose not to follow it through.

06:30 PM Dec 13 2010 |

Zambuka

Zambuka

United States

sometimes i'm over-ambitious, but те so often i bail on the ideas i have) isn't it the way to creating something big, huh?)

02:45 PM Dec 13 2010 |

miss_eos

miss_eos

Viet Nam

I also have the same trouble following through on my creative pursuits. Once i came up with writing a screenplay but i finally gave up in the middle. Another occasion, i decided to taking up exercise to shed some kilograms and I couldn't follow through on the plan, too. I'm too slothful to get things done unless someone put some pressure on me 

02:11 PM Dec 13 2010 |

Winchester_07

Brazil

No, I don't, unfortunately =/

I wish I could finish everything I've once started, but sometimes we give up easily and then we regret about it.

I've given up on taking guitar classes… twice! Just because I was too lazy to go on, and that's the worst thing! But I'll try again next year… and now I SWEAR I'm going follow through!

I'm also planning on taking German classes. I hope I don't give this up too. I know it's tough to learn another language, especially one you are not familiar with, but I want it so badly that I'll try hard!

12:10 PM Dec 13 2010 |

littleflow3r

Indonesia

it isn’t quite important whether i follow through a project or not. the important things is i always TRY to finish everthing that i have started :)

10:30 AM Dec 13 2010 |

julywidiawati

Indonesia

Well, it depends on the project, if it's something related to others' interests, I'll follow it through, but if it's not, commonly I give up in the middle..Sealed

07:26 AM Dec 13 2010 |

dearpesar

dearpesar

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

i decided to learn english and i will go till end Laughing

05:20 AM Dec 13 2010 |

bedo.nguyen

Viet Nam

I admire him because he dares to dream big. It's just the matter of time though .. there are many people can do such things that we would never imagine.  

03:18 AM Dec 13 2010 |

Gorgon

Gorgon

Romania

I wish nothing but good luck for this poor guy, but we were taught at school how is the best to proceed to get satisfaction in life. Never start with big plans! You have to know yourself in order to get an idea about what you're able to do. If you plan for something too difficult or complex, the risk is maximum and besides the failure itself you'll lose your confidence too. And even if I know about this theory, I don't always follow on its logic. Because I want to rule the world and this is a veeery big project, believe me! Well, don't take it ad litteram (literally). :D

03:00 AM Dec 13 2010 |

Likes (12):

See all >

Share this lesson:

  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Bebo
  • Share on Myspace
  • Share on Twitter
  • Email this to a friend
  • Share on Sina

Post Ebaby! lessons on your blog:

Ebaby! Cast