English, baby!

Finals

Date: Jan 02 2009

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.

It’s the end of another semester, and that means it’s time for final exams. During the last week of school, most teachers give big tests that determine what grades their students will get. In the US, finals have already happened, but in Asia, they will happen soon.

For those who work hard and study throughout the term, finals are just one last hurdle to get over before a nice, relaxing vacation. But for slackers who wait until the last minute to do any work, finals week is crunch time. Those who didn’t plan ahead have no choice but to pull some all-nighters and hope they can at least do well enough to avoid flunking out.

Amanda and Devan have very different study habits. Listen to them talk about how they plan to tackle their finals.

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.

Devan

Amanda

Devan: I am freaking out about finals.

Amanda: What’s there to freak out about? You’ve known that it was coming for what…three months now, right?

Devan: Yeah, but I always slack off and wait till the last minute to do my work.

Amanda: You always do that. Why do you do that? If you take your time and just absorb and learn the material during the entire term, you can go to bed like me. I mean, it’s eight pm and I’m gonna get my rest so I can actually think about the material and be fine tomorrow. Do you want to go to bed too? I think it’s the best thing.

Devan: I’m gonna have to pull an all-nighter tonight.

Amanda: Again? Did you not pull an all-nighter last night?

Devan: Yeah, I did, but you know…

Amanda: Honey, you haven’t slept in 48 hours.

Devan: Every semester, I say, I’m gonna be more like Amanda. I’m gonna think ahead this semester and I’m going to just do a little bit of homework every night. But every semester, it comes down to the end. It’s like a make or break situation, I’m either gonna flunk out or I’m gonna pass by the skin of my teeth.

Amanda: Well, no offense hon, but why are you such a slacker? I mean you slack off every term.

Devan: I know.

Amanda: And then you’re at this point every eve of finals.

Devan: I know, but once a slacker always a slacker. I think it’s in my DNA. I think it’s my genetics.

Amanda: Oh, you poor thing. Next term, OK?

Devan: Next term.

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Discussion

Devan is really panicked because she finals are coming up and she hasn’t done any studying. Amanda doesn’t understand why Devan is so nervous. She studies a little bit every day, so she doesn’t have to pull any all-nighters at the end of the term. She thinks it’s important to get a good night of sleep on the night before a big test.

Amanda asks Devan why she always waits until the last minute to study. Even though Devan knows she needs to improve her study habits and be more like Amanda, she can’t change. She thinks that being a poor student might just be a part of who she is.

Do you work hard throughout the term like Amanda, or do you wait until the last minute to study like Devan?

Comments

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Kianpoor

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

i always play video games before the final exam.
‘cause all of my Friends and i are very clever and nobody don’t need to study before the exam’:P

Mr Shaluunge

United States

Really I sow all your opinion and really they were good, but there is one important thing, really that is I can’t speak English so fast but I need someone who helps me , ok I will get as I think

cathyz

China

Fighting!

cathyz

China

I’ll have my final exam next week! Wish !!

zhaizhai0

China

during my school time,i used to be a slaker too,but now,i am regretful for that,because i realised that i have a lots have not done.

calonia_12@yahoo.com.ph

Philippines

Amanda have a good point to go to bed earlyer rigth after studying for the preparation of there final exam that was informed three months ago so that why she feel like in the groove that time for there final exam.

EstebanM

Colombia

What can i say! It's in her DNA.

Nice lesson!

reemy

United Arab Emirates

yah Rudy khalil….absolutely you are right..,how we did not notic that ‘^^

reemy

United Arab Emirates

for me, it’s no matter if you studied before or not ….but the good way is that you have to get the main ideas from your last lessons which mean you have to get good attention to what your teacher said in class..

rudy_khalil

Syrian Arab Republic

I think it’s my hobby (being slacker)

rudy_khalil

Syrian Arab Republic

yeah I think it's my hobby (being a slacker)

but I have to study hard the week before the finals because if I don't study hard I will flunk it off

did any body noticed that there are a few words which are replaced by another words in the text when you listen to the audio stream like :

"If you take your time and just absorb and learn the material during the entire term" is replaced by over

and "you haven’t slept in 48 hours." replaced by for

am I right ???/

juan_mexico

Mexico

everybody have to study at the right time..remember what you learn, it's what you gonna be in life!!!!!!!

tuatara

Italy

Sometimes i am a slacker and others i am not it depends on the argument or the lessons if is intresting enough or not.:)

sabrii

Argentina

i’m a slacker too! i tray but i can’t study more than one day before the test! but i have good notes, so why change?

crazydaisy

Turkey

I got the lesson very well because I’m a slacker too :)

tamas984

Hungary

I was always slacker. I also decided by all semester I won’t be slacker but finally I think same as Devan it is in my DNA :)

sadegh.ghasemi

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

being a slacker is so bad habit , but most of the students have this habit . I was a slacker in exams season . remembering those times are so sweet . hahaha …

susan1964

China

i thank it's a bad habit to pull an all nighter to study.it won't good for health.it will destroy people's time so that it will make people suffer from insomnia.