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Slumdog Millionaire

Slumdog Millionaire

Date: Feb 25 2009

Themes: Romance

Grammar: Count and Noncount Nouns

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.

Wouldn’t you love to suddenly become rich and famous? Wouldn’t most people love that? Rags to riches stories tend to be incredibly popular, because so many of us fantasize about our lives changing overnight. From classic fairy tales like Cinderella to modern films like Pretty Woman and Pursuit of Happyness, tales of people who rise from poverty to wealth have been inspiring audiences for centuries.

The new movie Slumdog Millionaire is no exception. It tells the story of a young man from the slums of Mumbai who becomes a contestant on an Indian game show and wins the top prize. Nobody expected him to win because he isn’t well-educated, so he gets arrested for cheating. As the police question him, he shares the story of his life with them and reveals how it’s possible that he knew all the right answers.

Marni thinks Slumdog Millionaire is an inspiring and beautiful film, but Amanda doesn’t want to see it. Listen to them talk about it.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

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

Marni

Marni

Amanda

Amanda

Marni:  Have you seen Slumdog Millionaire?

Amanda:  I have not.

Marni:  Oh! You’ve got to go. It’s fantastic.

Amanda:  I’m not really into those independent films, I don’t know…

Marni:  Oh please!

Amanda:  Thinking, little action…

Marni:  There’s a lot of action, actually.

Amanda:  Really?

Marni:  I’d heard about this film ‘cause I’m a fan of the director, Danny Boyle.

Amanda:  Never heard of him.

Marni:  Really?

Amanda:  Yeah.

Marni:  Trainspotting? 28 Days Later?

Amanda:  OK, OK, yes. I’ve seen both of those.

Marni:  Anyhow, I was intrigued, but then I heard the

premise was like, guy who goes on the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, and I was like, how do they make a film about that?

Amanda:  So it’s about a game show?

Marni:  It is, but it’s about so much more. It’s really a portrayal of these children growing up in the slums of India, and what their lives are like, and like how certain things come to be, where he ends up being on this game show. And how life-changing that could be. It’s a total rags-to-riches story.

Amanda:  OK, so it follows the life of the contestant, right?

Marni:  Follows the life of the contestant and his brother and their friend… And it’s just tragic throughout, but it’s also interspersed with all these beautiful shots of India. And it’s very…

Amanda:  I’m assuming happy ending, wins the game show?

Marni:  Against the odds, yeah.

Amanda:  Nice. I’ll check it out.

Marni:  You definitely should.

 

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Discussion

Marni recently saw the movie Slumdog Millionaire. She strongly recommends that Amanda go see it. But Amanda is skeptical at first because she usually doesn’t like independent films. Indie films are often thought to be slower, more intelligent, but less exciting than major Hollywood films.

Yet even though Slumdog Millionaire is considered an independent film, Marni says it has a lot of action in it and is very exciting to watch. At first she wasn’t sure she would be interested in the plot about a young man who goes on an Indian game show. But she soon found out that the movie is actually about kids growing up in the slums of India. When one of the kids gets to be a contestant on a game show, his life changes and he goes from rags to riches. Marni thinks the film is sad, beautiful and inspiring. Amanda decides to go see it.

Do you think rags to riches stories are inspiring or unrealistic? If you won a lot of money on a game show, how would it change your life?

 

Comments

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FarrukhAli

FarrukhAli

Pakistan

Of course.. From rags to riches stories are interesting because they resemble real life where people want to become rich over nights. I have not seen that movie but i have seen a lot of games show in which people get millionaire in one night but their dreams for life and they already planned where they have to spend their money.

08:06 PM Mar 03 2009 |

Hadschiie

Germany

No I don't think it's unrealistic.you can win a lot of money, and it would change your life of course…

you can buy what ever you want and so things.

05:26 PM Mar 02 2009 |

Yüksali

Yüksali

Turkey

Good mix of fairy tale and real life…

03:09 PM Mar 02 2009 |

danalty

danalty

Kazakhstan

"protagonist" as I know is not used for film characters, it is for literature isnt it?!

02:36 PM Mar 02 2009 |

danalty

danalty

Kazakhstan

The plot of the story is image of the real life. I like it, but the music is not so perspicacious. there is indian music more impressive than this one.

02:26 PM Mar 02 2009 |

徐慧

徐慧

China

I've watched it twice, so impressive,I like it!

04:48 AM Mar 02 2009 |

Saint chen

Saint chen

China

Due to the good reputation .i had downloaded this film.But still have not time to watch it .    – _- ! !!!

04:48 AM Mar 02 2009 |

skyfine

skyfine

Taiwan

I haven't seen it yet. 

The story sounds good.

I should see this movie. 

04:03 PM Mar 01 2009 |

urs4ever

Pakistan

This is a real story

each or every person who have to become thinks abt theire future or really daily common things are availabe in this movie

11:59 AM Mar 01 2009 |

Ekin7-11

Ekin7-11

China

What's the "protoganists" mean??

  I can't find it in the dictionary!!!

09:54 AM Mar 01 2009 |

jmora2ec

jmora2ec

Germany

I don't have seen this movie, but I think that there are a lot of independent films of excelent quality and they are much better than many Holywood films.

08:37 PM Feb 28 2009 |

hema shoum

hema shoum

Eritrea

well the film was really coool you know the way the shot it mmmm how's the life over there ,the love story you know after allth is year and after all the thing happende the girl been in his mind what real love and dont forger the little boy in the begin of the film i think his name is slem he's really cute boy

06:56 PM Feb 28 2009 |

anand11

United States

Amazning movie. every one can watch movie no matter what is age…

Hatsoff to  Music maestro A.R Rehman  on contributing amazing music to movie.

 

 

 

 

05:33 PM Feb 28 2009 |

shuangrenjian

China

I LIKE  IT  AND REMEMBER IT 

 

02:26 PM Feb 28 2009 |

crssyan

crssyan

Haiti

I THINK THAT COULD BE A NICE FILM

12:38 PM Feb 28 2009 |

zhangji.e

zhangji.e

China

i like the movie!

10:35 AM Feb 28 2009 |

cristina wang

China

i saw it the day before yesterday, it is really very fantastic. the hero's brother is still kind. and i see the experence can teach us a lot.

09:55 AM Feb 28 2009 |

Fanny_Xia

Fanny_Xia

China

The hero and his brother are so cute when they are young.On the whole,his brother is still kind.

I lke the dance at the end of the movie.hah~

06:56 AM Feb 28 2009 |

yangyanglvyuan

China

there is not the real best! every good film has its bright point. its a good film,but I dont think it's the No.1 of the  all this year.

01:40 AM Feb 28 2009 |

Yüksali

Yüksali

Turkey

I think, at the end of this movie should be different. for example, He lose money but found his love

But still, it's a great movie.

money without love is nothing… :)

 

03:31 PM Feb 27 2009 |

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