English, baby!

Broken Bulb

Date: Dec 25 2007

Themes: Holidays, Romance, Soap Opera

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Intro

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

slyly
string

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

Merry Christmas! To celebrate the holiday, Amanda decided to decorate her rooftop deck with Christmas lights. Can you guess who she called for help?

Oh, gee, I don’t know, could it be the same fella she really likes, snuggles with on the couch, and talks to her friends about? You guessed it. Mason.

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.

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

Mason

Amanda

Mason: I broke one of your bulbs, I’m really sorry!

Amanda: Well, do you know if this is going to work with one missing?

Mason: I think so. It’s not the old kind. They’re not in a chain. It just might set it on fire.

Amanda: I hope so! Not the setting it on fire part…

Mason: You know, we can just string ‘em now and then we won’t turn it on until we get the bulb.

Amanda: Hey Mason?

Mason: Yeah.

Amanda: I really want to thank you for coming because I know you’re busy today and it was really short notice, but my roommate’s out of town and I really want to get these up and surprise her. Oh..can…wow…

Mason: Do you need me to help with that one?

Amanda: Yeah! Could you maybe wrap your arms around…me? And then pull it through? Yeah, like that. You know what this reminds me of? That silly little tradition of mistletoe and how you hang them up on the ceiling and…do you know what that is?

Mason: I mean I know but I’ve never actually had mistletoe. I’ve never been around mistletoe because I’m Jewish and all that.

Amanda: I actually grow some in my little herb garden in the kitchen…

Mason: Herb garden?

Amanda: I was thinking I could go down and get the replacement bulb for that and we could hang one right here and then since you’re Jewish and you’re not familiar with the tradition, we could maybe go through what the steps might be so that you’re prepared for when you go to a Christmas party. I don’t want you to not know what to do. Is that okay?

Mason: You know, whatever. I don’t want you to have to go out of your way like…

Amanda: Well I’ve been growing them all year and I’d really like to show you. Are you even listening to me?

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Discussion

Mason accidentally broke one of the bulbs on Amanda’s Christmas lights. She’s not mad because they are the kind of lights that work even if one of the bulbs is missing.

Oh, and she also has an enormous crush on Mason. Which is more apparent than ever when she slyly asks him to hold her and help her hang the lights.

Then she discovers that Mason doesn’t know about the tradition of mistletoe because he’s Jewish. At Christmas time, people hang pieces of mistletoe around their houses and if you and another person find yourself standing underneath the mistletoe, you have to kiss.

Of course, Amanda is eager to introduce Mason to the tradition. But, as usual, he doesn’t seem to be paying attention to her. He shouldn’t be apologizing to her for breaking a bulb. It’s her heart he should worry about.

Do you hang Christmas lights and kiss under mistletoe in your country? What do you do to celebrate the holidays? And what will it take for Mason to notice Amanda?

Comments

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janestory

China

It's so interesting to know more about American tradition,American culture.I have never heard mistletoe before.I think hanging mistletoe is a tradition habit. It is the same as that we eat jiaozi(a chinese food)on Dec 22th( in china we call the day Winter Solstice ).It reminds me because it is closer to Christmas day.

With the opening to the world, in china we also celebrate some western country holidays like Christmas,but the meaning is not as the western country.I think Christmas means for family to get together for a meal or have a family party in western country,it seems like the habits for chinese people to celebtate their Chinese New Year.However in china,we celebrate christmas mostly with some party like counting on hours,minutes and seconds in a square or in hotel,it also means a romantic christmas dinner for a couple in love.The meaning is changing.Anyway,we welcome all kind of holidays.

This dialogue helps us to know more about tradition in Amercan,so i believe it is impressive.

xuefenbunny

China

anyway ,Merry Christmas too myself!

liear127

China

Caught

xhs206

China

merry christmas you too

weiweishowshow

China

SO FUNNY! IN OUR COUNTRY ,THE YOUNG ALSO CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS.WE GO SHOPPING ,HOLD PARTIES…BUT WE'VE NEVER HEARD ABOUT SUCH CUSTOM, NEVER SEEN THE MISTLETOE,IF SB BE UNDER IT HE OR SHE WOULD KISS THE PERSON WHOM WAS MET.SO UNBELIEVABLE:)

li xu

China

Hi everybody MERRY CHRISTMAS

The jinglebell is being played right now by my campus even the air is full of sweety smell!

Mistltoe is somthing new to me!but it sounds interestiing I'm willing to try!

Amanda is so slyly to figure out all kinds of imply to remind Mason but he is stupid oh MY GOD

parsamary

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

in my country first day of spring is new year n v dnt hav such tradition n i ddnt understand mistletoe.

muxingyu

China

It's really interesting. The chirstmas is coming. Merry Chirstmas to everybody!

badfather

Viet Nam

I've never known about traditional mistltoe, its really interesting. Other, do you think Amanda has a sexy voice, I really like it :)

Andy_Wang

China

very good

mom-of-2

China

I saw people kissed under a mistletoe in TV last year, but I thought the jinglebell was the thing you should kiss under and the green leafy thing were decorations. I was so wrong. After gooled pictures and articles about mistletoe, I am still not sure about it. I'm going to stores and nursery to check what it excactly is.

Merry Christmas

Adry_2690

United States

mistletoe is not a tradition in my country, actually, i didn´t even know about that. Anyways….MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYBODY!!! :)

lixinqiang

China

Wow…

It sounds good.

cavallo-12

Egypt

i t hink that amanda is very nice and clever girl i tell here u dont must do that he not understand i kiss all peapol in christmas thanks

elq777

China

it seems shopping is the tradition of christmas in my country.

lunardragon

China

maybe not because they are afraid of being hurt,but some kinds of feeling born to be ,like shy,upset and so on when facing one of the opposite sex. we are usually not so familiar with people different in mature with us than people the same in mature with us,and to be upset and curious in front of something we are not familiar with is always an instinct of humanbeings!