Intro
1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.
2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.
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.
2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.
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
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Discussion
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
Brazil |
Philippines |
Turkey |
Russian Federation |
United States |
Viet Nam |
Brazil |
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Iran, Islamic Republic Of |
Viet Nam |
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