Learn English with English, baby!

Join for FREE!

Social_nav_masthead_logged_in
 
Guns N' Roses

Guns N' Roses

Date: Dec 15 2008

Themes: Alternative, Music

Grammar: Past Progressive Tense

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.

Fans of the rock band Guns N’Roses finally have a reason to celebrate. After 17 long years in the studio, the band just put out the much-anticipated, much-hyped Chinese Democracy. But not everyone thinks the new GNR album was worth the wait. Reviews have been mixed, and the band has received some criticism for allowing the album to be delayed for such a long time. Plus, the members of the band changed several times while the album was in process.

Some say that front-man Axl Rose is too much of a perfectionist. If he didn’t obsess so much over every little detail, maybe he would make more music and his fans would be happier. On the other hand, perfectionism often leads to…perfection. Listen to what Jason and Devan think.

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.

Jason

Jason

Devan

Devan

Jason:  I got my free Dr. Pepper last week.

Devan:  Because Chinese Democracy came out finally?

Jason:  I cannot believe how long it took for that to come out.

Devan:  They were working on it for almost 17 years.

Jason:  What were they doing all that time, you know? It’s just an album.

Devan:  Well, you know, you would think that he was perfecting it, to try to make it the best that it could possibly be, and that’s why it took so long…But, the reviews are in and they say it’s just OK.

Jason:  Yeah, that’s what I was going to say. It’s not great. It’s not awful. It has awful moments. It has maybe a great moment or two.

Devan:  After all that hype, all the anticipation, you know…

Jason:  Yeah.

Devan:  But you did get your free Dr. Pepper?

Jason:  I did, but, um…I don’t know. Axl Rose was kind of a spoil-sport about the whole thing. You know, Dr. Pepper thought it would be fun to do this promotion. A joke about how long it took to come out. And then I guess not everyone got their free Dr. Pepper who tried to, and so GNR was threatening to sue Dr. Pepper or something like that.

Devan:  He probably just wants to sue Dr. Pepper because he’s not gonna make as much money on the album as he was hoping to, so he’s gotta make his money somewhere.

Jason:  He’s gotta take it out on somebody.

 

Grammar Point

Go Super to learn "Past Progressive Tense" from this lesson Go Super!

Quizzes

Go Super to take Quiz Go Super!

 

Lesson MP3

Go Super to download full lesson MP3 Go Super!

The iTEP® test

  • Schedule an iTEP® test and take the official English Practice Test.

    Take Now >

Discussion

Dr. Pepper, a soft drink company, promised to give everyone in America a free can of soda if Guns N’ Roses released Chinese Democracy before the end of 2008. The album finally came out in November, and Jason was one of the many Americans who got a free Dr. Pepper.

Jason and Devan can’t believe it took GNR 17 years to release their new album. They both think that it doesn’t quite live up to the hype. It has some good songs, but it also has some bad songs. Axl Rose may be a perfectionist, but Chinese Democracy isn’t a perfect album.

Do you think Chinese Democracy was worth the wait? Are you a perfectionist like Axl Rose? Is it good to be a perfectionist?

 

Comments

Log in to Comment

rigthink

rigthink

Peru

i need to practice pronuntation!

04:20 AM Apr 15 2009 |

comthere

China

hello everybody.

06:09 PM Mar 27 2009 |

cecilia vasquez

Chile

it's such a long time this group doesn't come up with that exciting music of the past.

05:24 PM Mar 12 2009 |

sonjalevesque

India

I gotta check out this new album, Though I have been a great fan of their music for years. From the reviews I have read, this album isn't all that great 

10:57 AM Mar 12 2009 |

 jayar

jayar

Libyan Arab Jamahiriya

Hi haw are u all i wich i can travel to another cantry and learn thire and take agood work there

01:15 PM Mar 09 2009 |

 jayar

jayar

Libyan Arab Jamahiriya

Hi haw are u all i wich i can travel to another cantry and learn thire and take agood work there

01:15 PM Mar 09 2009 |

horse110

China

I don't know much about this band!

12:58 AM Mar 09 2009 |

Kristóf

Hungary

Very good band

07:26 PM Mar 08 2009 |

BHC

BHC

China

I like rock music , and I also like to make friends . 

05:29 AM Mar 07 2009 |

NancyLi

NancyLi

China

hi,Nancy here from China ,wanting make more friends throughout the globe.welcome to have me be ur friends.of ourse i am a easy-going person and would like to stuy the others' countries culture.

03:06 AM Mar 06 2009 |

NancyLi

NancyLi

China

hi,Nancy here from China ,wanting make more friends throughout the globe.welcome to have me be ur friends.of ourse i am a easy-going person and would like to stuy the others' countries culture.

03:06 AM Mar 06 2009 |

heik

heik

Mexico

love this band… "welcome to the jungle" is my favorite song….. they really used to Rock!!

07:23 PM Feb 13 2009 |

小猛

小猛

China

I love rock music,Guns N' Roses is one of my favorite rock band!!!!

05:09 PM Feb 09 2009 |

 jayar

jayar

Libyan Arab Jamahiriya

Hi haw are u all im Ali from libya i want meet some friends from another cantris 

                         SEE U SOON ALL

08:57 AM Jan 29 2009 |

jose_supersonic

Peru

well,...im a huge fan of GUNS N ROSES,....and i think they are one the Best rock N roll Bands of all time,...

but i think the new album,...is only regular,....not a bad album at all,.....but also not a good one,...like their classic album "Appetite for Destruction" or "The Ilussions 1 and 2"

 

 

12:04 AM Jan 28 2009 |

 jayar

jayar

Libyan Arab Jamahiriya

Hi Iam Ali from libya iwant learn english and met some frind from another cantris

04:28 PM Jan 11 2009 |

Nikolay Kuznetsov

Russian Federation

haha I like that song

01:01 AM Jan 11 2009 |

V101

V101

Mexico

about those 17 years i guess its too long but never is too late to do anything isnt it?

guns and roses is not a political band , every band talk about those things politcal stuff or love stuff or religion stuff i think music can be made from any topic, idea, feeling, or experience in the composer…..

06:29 PM Dec 29 2008 |

V101

V101

Mexico

i really like this band i mean their first albums the las ones are not as good as i thought they would be any way i still like them alot

06:17 PM Dec 29 2008 |

sarsminhtutaung

Myanmar

Nice lesson!
Chinese democracy?I’m a little curious about it.Where can i get it?

04:03 AM Dec 20 2008 |

Likes (49):

See all >

Share this lesson:

  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Bebo
  • Share on Myspace
  • Share on Twitter
  • Email this to a friend
  • Share on Sina

Post Ebaby! lessons on your blog:

Ebaby! Cast