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The Pursuit of Happiness

Date: Aug 15 2007

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.

Some would say that in the world of huge corporations, the American dream of becoming wealthy through pure hard work is dead. But the fact is, anyone clever and charismatic, no matter how poor they are now, can become rich with enough effort. It takes patience and energy, but even someone didn’t go to college or didn’t finish high school can learn a profession and become successful at it.

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.

Kevin

Amanda

Kevin: So I just rented that film The Pursuit of Happiness with Will Smith and his kid. What did you think?

Amanda: What a tear jerker.

Kevin: It’s good.

Amanda: So good. Single dad, working his ass off to become a stock broker even though he has no formal education. Raise his child. The coolest part about it, which not a lot of people know, is Will Smith’s son played his son.

Kevin: That’s true and I thought he did a really good job. He’s young. He’s cute.

Amanda: Yeah, I think it’s nice because if you have a child after, you don’t really have that natural chemistry of father and son. You try and portray it, but they didn’t even have to. That was a non-factor. They didn’t have to worry about that.

Kevin: Absolutely. And I loved the whole rags to riches story, and pulling himself up by his bootstraps. I thought it was really well done.

Amanda: And the fact that he did study that particular person, spent time with him and made a movie about his life. And, actually, that guy just sold his company and is doing well still to this day.

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Discussion

Kevin just saw The Pursuit of Happiness, and he asks Amanda what she thought of it. She says it was a really emotional movie. It’s about a father who is raising a child by himself and works very hard to become a stock broker despite being uneducated.

As it turns out, the actors who play the father and son are father and son in real life. Amanda thinks this helped make the movie good because the actors didn’t merely have to pretend to love each other. Another thing she says helped make it a good movie was that Will Smith, the actor who played the father, spent a lot of time with the man story is based on.

Do you know any examples of real life rags to riches stories?

Comments

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solankimandeep

India

I am see this muvie and its very inspired me

Coolblack

United States

I would like to see this movie so bad now.It’s a amazing story!

Yutiko

Ukraine

My good friend adviced to see this movie.I had seen it a few years ago.I liked it very much.It is really tear jerker!And I`m surprised Will Smith`s son played son of a main hero!Unfornaturely I dont know rags to riches stories.This film is not just a good movie for me.It always reminds me about my friend,who adviced me to see The Pursuit of Happiness

SHINOBIJC

Mexico

I think that was a good movie and it show us how to take the life in different situations

fabsir

Brazil

I know a few examples of real life rags to riches stories. There is a big family company where I live. The founder was an immigrant who arrived here nearly 150 years ago and everything he achieved was by pulling himself up by his bootstraps.

An-china

Germany

I’ve seen the movie for at least 4 times. really cheer me up. and I’ve moved.

we can be the one we wanna be, just work hard enough…

tobbyhot

United States

this was one of the best that I seen in 2006. they both Will Smith and Jaden Smith performed the role of father and son. Simply its just a memorable movie that i still would like to watch. I usually watch movies online so definitely would catch this soon again. Jaden is too good actor like his father.

ebabywentao

China

i'll see it

mim_dica

India

i really didn't know that Will Smith’s son played his son.amazing .i love this movie.

this is the best movie that i ever seen .how he struggle in his life and how he make it to the final just awesome.well when i first watch this movie my tears are falling apart from my eyes .

bienemaja

Andorra

I really enjoyed this film.

fighting for your dream,for your future. no fear, just struggle until reaching it .great !

dainis

Latvia

I think Will Smith are one of the best actor and we need believe that we can achieve the best :)

zoebaby

China

that's one of nicest movies i have seen,i save it on my MP4,and get it when i feel bored…it's a clean-cut movie.

juanito

Peru

i had the chance to see it and it seemed to me very good,positive and motivotional film!! i wouldn't get tired of seeing it many times!!

Fanny_Xia

China

I love the movie&the little boy&Will Smith!!!

studenttimes

China

I've seen the movie a million times because I like it. "Running", "Being stupid", "Taking the bus", that's just a part of my own life. I love this kind of lifestyle because it encourages me every moment to work hard to get away from it because in the heart I actually hate this kind of lifestyle.

Nenuphar

Mauritius

The pursuit Of Happiness:

It's mind blowing-full of mixed emotion devotion and truth for those who do their best to achieve their goals in life. However, being rich contributes to make oneself feels happy. The real pursuit of Happiness is to find inner bliss.

For your comments mail me on

choi ji woo

Egypt

yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa oba

murat66

Turkey

shimanaz says "you are want you really really want to be" but I don't understand. Somebody tells mean what does she mean with. please please help me.

forrestgummp

Turkey

i haven't seen this film but i will watch it because the comments about its are very good.but i think a rich person will be rich much more and a poor person will be poor although there are exceptions in real life