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.
Stephen King is one of the most popular fiction writers alive today. His most famous stories are usually scary, like Carrie, Pet Semetary, or The Shining. However, he also loves to cross genres, and he has written in almost every style. When he was a college student, he began to write a dystopian western about a gunslinger. The book wasn’t published until 12 years later.
When The Dark Tower was published, many people were pumped. The story became very popular. It told the tale of Roland, The Gunslinger, who must survive in a post-apocalyptic realm. The book is strange and beautiful. Now, after 35 years, this famous novel is going to become a movie. Fans of the story couldn’t be more excited!
Andy is a big fan of The Dark Tower. Listen to today’s English lesson to hear him talk with Marni about why he’s excited.
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.
Andy_H: Hey, Marni, have you heard about Dark Tower? Oh, my gosh! Tell me you’re as pumped as I am about this awesome movie!
Marni: I am curious about it. I am familiar with the Stephen King novel that goes on, and on, and on. And so now, they’re making a movie about it, right?
Andy_H: …which is going to be incredible.
Marni: I’m curious about the story. It’s kind of like this dystopian western. There’s, like, two main characters…
Andy_H: It’s like you don’t know if it’s a post-apocalyptic Earth or just a whole entire new realm. It loves to cross genres, and well, I’ll admit even I did not think that Idris Elba…
Marni: … who I love…
Andy_H: … would become The Gunslinger.
Marni: Right!
Andy_H: I mean, everyone associates that person with Clint Eastwood, you know, the cowboy.
Marni: Yeah. Well, kudos for interesting casting.
Andy_H: Amen!
Marni: Let’s mix it up.
Andy_H: Amen!
Marni: And Matthew McConaughey, who kind of, in my eyes, can do no wrong.
Andy_H: Here’s the thing… I need to reread this book before I see this movie because I want to see if they finally figured out a way to make long books into amazing movies.
Grammar Point
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Discussion
Andy is very excited because The Dark Tower will soon be a movie. He asks Marni if she is also pumped about this film. Marni isn’t as excited as Andy, but she is very curious. She knows about the original Stephen King story, but she hasn’t read it. She tells Andy that she knows there are two main characters and that it’s a dark western.
Andy is happy to tell Marni more about The Dark Tower. He explains that the story happens in a post-apocalyptic realm, and in addition to being a western, it also crosses genres. Marni is most excited to see two of her favorite actors, Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey, in the new movie. And Andy is going to reread the novel before he goes to watch it.
What is your favorite Stephen King story? Are you excited to watch The Dark Tower?
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