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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

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Lesson MP3

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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

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edward erick

Panama

great!

12:43 AM Dec 20 2008 |

edward erick

Panama

 good

Cool

08:32 PM Dec 19 2008 |

fabian1979

Ecuador

Hi baby   I´m  sorry  how old  are you 

 what it is yammi  if you  said  I ate  you must know about  music   .

If you have a tv or  radio you know what is Guns and Fucking roses  

 

05:35 PM Dec 18 2008 |

nickfei

nickfei

China

I like GNR, but I even like slash。

 

04:27 AM Dec 18 2008 |

sadegh.ghasemi

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

I dont know this band ( GNR ) but with a glimps can know that front-man in this band wasnt a perfect man although he think perfectionist , 17 years preparing for a new album is so long and these times can change every thing around us , democracy in china that is more population in the world is impossible , I bet a soda Laughing

08:28 PM Dec 16 2008 |

EstebanM

EstebanM

Colombia

It's not about the album, it's about the historic band that was and is a religious influence on the rock.

05:41 PM Dec 16 2008 |

Yu nozawa

Yu nozawa

Japan

Chinese democracy is quita good album, but the problem was it had taken so many years to release. 

There are many great songs in the album. I'm really happy because he is seriously back! His voice is GNR!

03:39 PM Dec 16 2008 |

jabs.83

jabs.83

Mexico

I like GNR but 17 year is much time.

01:03 PM Dec 16 2008 |

8rees

8rees

Japan

I was waiting for a lesson about this great band. “Chinese Democracy” is a good album, Actually.

10:43 AM Dec 16 2008 |

8rees

8rees

Japan

I'm a big fan of Guns N' Roses since I was in high school.

I got and listened to the new album "Chinese Democracy",

and that was nicer than I had expected, actually.

Those songs don't sound much like Guns N' Roses you can hear from "Appetite For Destraction" or "GNR Lies",

but Axl did sort of good job without Slash & Izzy.

Was it worth the wait for 17 years? ..... No. 

But I enjoy listening to the voice of "the one of the greatest hard rock vocalists" from this new disc.

(Guns N' Roses is NOT a political band at all !!!!!)

10:39 AM Dec 16 2008 |

emi@

Italy

I like this band… dont't cry is an example of good music…but 17 years to release a new album seems to me a bulk of time… I mean, you can have two or three babies in the meantime!!Wink

10:35 AM Dec 16 2008 |

Sammy_Chen

Sammy_Chen

China

i take it

godness

01:34 AM Dec 16 2008 |

tzhguan

China

I do not like, I hate!

Learning English has nothing to do with political!!

12:41 AM Dec 16 2008 |

liushuixun

China

I don't know this band and it's abulm. Why called it Chinese Democracy? Are there any hiden meanings?I specially don't like associated the album name with hype…

There is no way to be perfect. To err is human.As long as you are doing your best, you finish your part.

11:23 PM Dec 15 2008 |

Marcelolic

Marcelolic

Brazil

I don’t know this album yet,but I’m perfectionist! even more in my job…Sometimes this is good,I can kindle my pupils,on the other hand,they feel very charged…

11:16 PM Dec 15 2008 |

Marcelolic

Marcelolic

Brazil

I was pretty fan of GNR in the end of 80's and the best album them for me was Appetite For Destroction,I like of the all musics until today! Besides,I stopped of accompanying them since  the Use Your Illusion I and II…

11:06 PM Dec 15 2008 |

eru1071

eru1071

United Kingdom

some of guns n roses songs i like, but 17 years is too long to comeout a album, i don't like this album, i am a perfectionist person too, but not everytime :)

08:02 PM Dec 15 2008 |

miffoo

miffoo

Slovakia

 I listening they old albums is really good but I haven't listen they new album now.

In 17 years ago this band is very famous and popular I think  17 years making one album is much more time and in this days young people don't know who is  GNR.   

06:42 PM Dec 15 2008 |

ymashari

Oman

I don't know the band, but I agree with not to be perfectionest.

Things wont be perfect all the time, you need to do your best and go to next thing.

For the same time you can also do things in parallel don't conentrate on one thing.

 

04:40 PM Dec 15 2008 |

HuangYe

HuangYe

United Kingdom

chinese people needs real Democracy.

04:30 PM Dec 15 2008 |

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