Celebrating Love

Intro

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

• go another route
• exotic
• perennially
• long-term relationship

• yadda yadda yadda
• singles
• in that respect

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

February 14 is Valentine’s Day. Across America, couples will celebrate their love. The modern acknowledgment of this holiday has little to do with the origin of the holiday, which dates back to the fourteenth century and is named for the so-called Saint Valentine.

Nowadays, flowers, chocolate or jewelry are traditional Valentine’s Day presents. It’s a big night for restaurants too, as couples make reservations for romantic dinners weeks in advance. Cards and gifts exchanged for the occasion are called Valentines. And that special someone you share the day or night with is your Valentine. Many Valentine’s Day cards say, “Will you be my Valentine?”

As with all holidays though, people celebrate in different ways. Some Americans do not like the commercialism of Valentine’s Day and choose not to participate.

And of course, there are plenty of single people who do not have much reason to celebrate, since they don’t have a Valentine.

Listen to Marni and Kevin talk about V-Day.

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.

Kevin

Marni

Kevin:  So it’s Valentine’s Day tomorrow.

Marni:  Oh, you’re not… you don’t like Valentine’s Day?

Kevin:  Well, you know, I feel like I’m perennially single on Valentine’s Day.

Marni:  Oh, yeah, and I’m always in a long-term relationship so…

Kevin:  So it’s nice for you.

Marni:  It is…

Kevin:  Or you’re not into it?

Marni:  Well, I guess maybe it’s lost its meaning because it’s just, every year it’s Valentine’s Day. Yes, we do nice things for each other, we go out to dinner, yadda yadda yadda.

Kevin:  I’ve started this, kind of, group of friends where it’s like an anti-Valentine’s Day group and we all have… only singles... like, anybody’s who’s, like…

Marni:  Yeah.

Kevin:  ... dating someone is excluded…

Marni:  Yeah.

Kevin:  ... and it’s fun.

Marni:  So are we, like, the enemy then, in that respect?

Kevin:  Just on that day, though.

Marni:  OK.

Kevin:  Just on that day.

Marni:  OK.

Kevin:  But it is… I mean, if you’re with someone, it’s a fun day. It’s cute.

Marni:  I guess. Yeah. Flowers. It’s nice to get flowers and…

Kevin:  Well, you know, although roses… it’s really the worst time to get roses because they’re the most expensive…

Marni:  It’s true.

Kevin:  ... and the least attractive.

Marni:  It’s true.

Kevin:  It’s better to go another route.

Marni:  Exactly. I usually get the exotic flowers.

Kevin:  Very nice.

Marni:  My boyfriend’s good like that.

Kevin:  Very nice. Well you enjoy Valentine’s Day.

Marni:  Thanks. And you enjoy your anti-Valentine’s Day.

Kevin:  Thanks.

Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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