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Beren is Acting Strangely

Date: Dec 09 2008

Themes: Friend

Grammar: Present Progressive Tense

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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.

What do you really know about Beren? She can be sensible and offer advice and support to the other characters on the soap opera. She also has a wild side. But really, she’s kind of a mystery.

Of course, her friends know a little more about her than you do, but just a little. They know what kinds of food and drinks she likes, and that’s enough to know that she’s not herself in today’s soap episode.

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.

Amanda

Beren

Devan

Amanda: Oh, this pizza’s so good. It’s so meaty.

Beren: Hey guys. Can I have some?

Amanda: Whoa, um…

Beren: Thanks.

Amanda: No. This is meat lovers. Sausage. Pepperoni. OK. That’s kinda weird.

Devan: That’s really weird. Beren’s a vegan. Why would she take a piece of meat lovers pizza?

Amanda: And clearly this is meat lovers, right? It’s not like those were vegetables.

Devan: Clearly. Yeah. I mean, she doesn’t even eat cheese anyway…

Amanda: Did you see what she was holding?

Devan: No.

Amanda: She was holding a Diet Coke.

Devan: What?

Amanda: And she only drinks full fat Coke.

Devan: Yeah.

Amanda: Like, religiously. I don’t know…

Devan: Yeah. I offered her a Diet Coke once and she said it was disgusting and that she hated it.

Amanda: I know.

Devan: You know?

Amanda: What?

Devan: I was at her house the other day and it was, like, a mess. And you know that Beren’s like…

Amanda: No. I don’t think that was her place then.

Devan: It was…

Amanda: Her place is immaculate all the time.

Devan: I know.

Amanda: What has gotten into her?

Devan: Should we be concerned?

Amanda: I don’t know. She’s eating meat, she’s drinking diet, her house is a mess…

Devan: I think I’m gonna make an Excel spreadsheet tonight and make a list of, you know, who she normally is to us and then some of the weird things that we’ve seen.

Amanda: She has been being so weird lately.

Devan: Like, departure from personality type thing.

Amanda: Yeah.

Devan: Yeah.

Amanda: And then we’ll have a meeting.

Devan: We should have a meeting.

Amanda: OK.

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Discussion

Amanda and Devan are eating pizza that’s covered in meat when Beren walks in and asks for a slice. She grabs one and walks off. Amanda and Devan are weirded out because last they checked, Beren was a vegan!

Then Amanda points out that Beren had a Diet Coke in her hand. She never drinks diet! She hates it! And Devan was at Beren’s place recently and it was really messy. But everyone knows Beren’s a neat freak and not a slob. What is going on here?

Amanda plans to gather evidence and have a meeting about Beren just like the intervention for Devan’s drug problem. But this isn’t a drug problem. Just some unusual behavior. Do you think Amanda’s overreacting?

Comments

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weixiangxiang

China

hello ,everybaby

ranyah-2000@hotmail.com

Saudi Arabia

Well, I think Amanda is doing something good for her friend and she must to concern about Beren. Amanda and Devan know every thing about Beren, for example, what kind of drink or food she likes. Also she used to clean her house, but now is messy so that is strang. Finally, Amanda must to be overreacting if she is worried about Beren.

tiger_bagira

Greece

NICE

qwertyltrc

Viet Nam

creso castilhos

Brazil

I just love these ebaby lessons i find them useful. God bless you for producing something so valuable!

liushuixun

China

No, I don’t think Amanda is overeacting. Because usually Beren is kinda to offer advice, give support to other charaters.There is definately something wrong with her. I think what her friends do is totally right to find what’s bother her?

NAJLA

Saudi Arabia

It's not a big deal

she can eat meat if she wanted :)

& the diet coke ,she may wants to lose some wiet

hahaha

they will have a meeting:)

ch3rrybl0ss0m

France

maybe she has boyfriend problem

Marcelolic

Brazil

Sometimes we want to do different things,then our parents or our friends find it somewhat “strange” hehe :D…But what does that matter??? :P

Marcelolic

Brazil

I just think she wants to try and making different things…I think it too normal! But the others may not find…But what does that matter?

Totto

Sudan

Was Amanda’s sentecne grammertically right? She said,”she has been being so weird lately.” Or I was just confused?

Totto

Sudan

I think most of the vegans will eat meat at some point in their lives, like Beren.

I have a question in grammer for the author, which is can someone use present perfect and present continous forms in the same sentence. I have noticed Amanda said " She has been being so weird lately." In that sentence there are present perfect form which is has been and persent continous form which is being.

I am not sure if it is right to use them that way.

looking forward for your answer, author.

miffoo

Slovakia

I think Beren have a bed day

sadegh.ghasemi

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

I my opinion Beren couldn't fine herself yet , she is trying to detect herself and people around her . She is bewildered , I hope she can find her way .

Duran-198523

China

every once in a while ,some of friends around me act strangely ,which is really wired to me. i also really don't know how come the unusual behaviors happen ! it might be that it is useful for people to release some pressure through strange acting !

izzy5999

China

maybe Beren only want to change her life without any reasons

renee

China

hmmm_{~she really is a nerd}_{but in another side maybe its her habit,messy place of her or eating meat or else its her private life ,it doesnt matter what the other think of it}