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American Idol

American Idol English, baby! Video Lesson

Date: May 14 2007

Themes: Music, Pop Culture

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.

Have you ever lost a competition and felt really sad about it? Before you cry next time you come in second, think about the reality TV show American Idol. Singers compete in front of cruel judges for fame. But Amanda has noticed something about American Idol. So far, the second-place winners have been the most successful after the competition ends.

Listen to her tell Marni about her discovery.

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.

Log in to Listen

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

Amanda

Amanda

Marni

Marni

Amanda:  Don’t you find it interesting and so very cool that the second-place winner of American Idol for the last four or five seasons is the one that ends up blowing up and has a huge fan base? And the winner? Nobody knows. You can’t even remember or name who the winner was.

Marni:  That’s true, because there was that guy, the Clay Aiken guy, and there was the other guy who…he actually won, right?

Amanda:  He actually won. Ruben.

Marni:  Ruben!

Amanda:  Sold maybe one album. Maybe. To his mother. That’s it.

Marni:  Oh, that is interesting.

Amanda:  It’s weird. It’s as if…if you win you’re jinxed. So you don’t want to win. You want to take second place, and then you’re huge. Katherine McPhee? Just released her CD. Second place.

Marni:  She was the last cycle?

Amanda:  Yes. Taylor Hicks won. Who cares about him? He’s in some car commercial and that’s about it,

Marni:  Okay! Yeah. Well, there was the first season where Kelly Clarkson won, and she was big, right…

Amanda:  And that’s the exception to the entire six years.

Marni:  Six years, huh?

Amanda:  I was thinking about trying out in Seattle next year. Do you wanna come with?

Marni:  Absolutely not. I think it would be so humiliating and those people are so mean.

Amanda:  You are such a fair-weather friend.

Marni:  I am.

 

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Discussion

Amanda says that the second-place winner of American Idol is always the most successful. She says that no one can even remember the first-place winner’s name. Indeed, Marni can only recall the name of a second-place winner. Amanda reminds Amanda of a man named Ruben who won the contest. She jokes that he only sold one album and that it was to his mother.

It’s almost as though the person who comes in first is cursed…except for Kelly Clarkson. She was the winner of the first season and she continues to be successful.

Amanda might try out for American Idol next year, but Marni thinks that the judges are too mean.

Has a competition that you didn’t win ever worked out well for you? Have you ever watched American Idol? Who’s your favorite singer from the show?

 

Comments

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samoorayigirl

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

i like the way that simon judge about singers :))) <3 :D

11:34 AM Oct 18 2013 |

ola33

ola33

Japan

Absolutely! I miss him too in a show.

02:34 PM Jan 28 2013 |

✰Nikki✰

✰Nikki✰

United States

Oh yeah! He always was brutally honest and never effusive in his praise. That’s what I liked about him and what made him a legitimate judge, don’t you think, Ola?

02:26 PM Jan 28 2013 |

1 person likes this

ola33

ola33

Japan

Nikki, I agree. His comments were harsh, but they were always truthful.

02:20 PM Jan 28 2013 |

✰Nikki✰

✰Nikki✰

United States

The real “Idol” – eventhough he wasn’t even American- was and will be Simon Cowell.


I stopped watching the show after his departing

02:18 PM Jan 28 2013 |

ola33

ola33

Japan

I like the way he said:


”“So whether it be producers or even other contestants giving you advice you have to know at the end of the day what fits you and you don’t need to stray away from it too much,” 

11:41 AM Jan 28 2013 |

princessanika

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

oh my god Colton Dixon fail:((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

09:46 AM Jan 28 2013 |

ElenA

ElenA

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

great Tv show,and have a many Viewer in iran or around the world

12:15 AM Dec 16 2012 |

chaumy

chaumy

Viet Nam

i m a big fan of kelly clarkson:)

02:32 AM Dec 03 2012 |

Liana's Dream

United States

it is a funny TV show for U.S.A:)

11:21 AM Dec 02 2012 |

Yeyung

Yeyung

South Korea

i know that it’s a race who wanna be a singer?but saymon kill me at allUndecided

02:28 PM Nov 18 2012 |

princessanika

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

i love american idol but in new amercan idol is Randy,Jenifer Lopez and Steewen taylor.


i love singer,music and songsLaughing

04:23 PM Aug 29 2012 |

Zahar.Bana

Zahar.Bana

Iraq

I like American Idol ,and Kathern McPhee has nice voice and i love her .

08:45 PM Sep 10 2011 |

psycycu43

psycycu43

Taiwan

love American Idol!! I've watched the show whwere my buiness trip at Tulsa for couple

tears ago!! I remember a guy who is Kris …..

05:14 AM Apr 13 2011 |

kavintenison

United Kingdom

I love this great musical show and American Idol season 10 is superb!!

12:37 PM Apr 09 2011 |

ElenaGelbert

Algeria

I love American Idol and Adam' rockk

04:33 PM Feb 25 2011 |

chloe001

United States

well guys i am enjoying this American idol season 10 much more than the previous seasons.. I am so happy that simon is not there.. I feel without him the show is much more interesting..

11:35 AM Feb 14 2011 |

masterrafi

masterrafi

Pakistan

its nice

11:35 PM Jul 05 2010 |

Kona

Kona

Hungary

I like Adam Lambet :)

08:20 AM May 17 2010 |

Ahshan

Ahshan

China

hehe! nothing to talk about it!

11:18 PM Apr 27 2010 |

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