Learn English with English, baby!

Join for FREE!

Social_nav_masthead_logged_in
 
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.

Log in to Listen

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.

 

Grammar Point

Go Super to learn "Count and Noncount Nouns" 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

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

Log in to Comment

ganda13

ganda13

Philippines

rags to riches not comes in one snap it takes a lot of effrot and hardship.it not like u sleep poor nd u wke up rich….

03:40 AM Feb 27 2009 |

ganda13

ganda13

Philippines

im sorry i hvent seen that movie…rags to riches?i think that is possible to happen,maybe not for all people but to some.we have a a marvelous life and tremendous god nothing is impossble if we just belive.

03:37 AM Feb 27 2009 |

zhannel

zhannel

Kazakhstan

i've seen this film and i liked it very much!!!!!!! This film is about big love and after this film i've got my head in the clouds to have such true love as in the film.  And i think films about love are always good.

06:24 PM Feb 26 2009 |

Al-Yamamah College

Saudi Arabia

It is like other indian movies.

05:17 PM Feb 26 2009 |

salina_li

salina_li

Japan

I saw it one month ago,I really like it. but also admit the end was sucks

03:15 PM Feb 26 2009 |

salina_li

salina_li

Japan

I saw it one month ago,I really like it. but also admit the end was sucks

03:14 PM Feb 26 2009 |

maysing

maysing

Malaysia

In real life, this situation would not happen. Pls dun think big okie. That is only the movie ahaha.

04:16 AM Feb 26 2009 |

zoebaby

zoebaby

China

did this movie got the Oscar awards?i've caught it but i'll checkout.cause i'm big on this kind of movies….

 

03:14 AM Feb 26 2009 |

just---girl

Saudi Arabia

I watched it

I didn't expect this movie like this

I think this movie is ok is not good

the strange thing is it is the winer in oscar !

there are many movie better than it  

11:06 PM Feb 25 2009 |

ssabi

ssabi

Poland

great movie!

10:32 PM Feb 25 2009 |

EstebanM

EstebanM

Colombia

Everybody has to see this movie. It's really one of the best of the last times.

10:16 PM Feb 25 2009 |

arican

arican

Hungary

In my opinion these stories can be inspiring but not always real. But it is so good to dream abot something…

07:41 PM Feb 25 2009 |

miffoo

miffoo

Slovakia

I recently saw this movie and is really awesome!!!!Smile                 is a fairy tales like poor gay won TV show and become he rich, but this movie is about sad life in the slums of India. Director this movie made really good job.

07:35 PM Feb 25 2009 |

only girl

Germany

I didn't see this movie but I I have read  about it in newas paper and I didn't think I will see it but after I read  comments in english baby I will download and see if I have a chance ..

 

 

07:33 PM Feb 25 2009 |

miffoo

miffoo

Slovakia

this movie is awesome !!!!

07:15 PM Feb 25 2009 |

quangds

Viet Nam

I haven't seen this movie yet. Because my job is very busy. I have no time.But I think it is a good film. The intention of this movie is very clear. We must have dream, we hard much more and we will get everythig we want. I have confidence in all of you. You also think like me.

05:07 PM Feb 25 2009 |

froi

Philippines

Cool well,for me such kind of the game show it seem to me there's nothing wrong,it's just a movie. don't judge the book on its pages. i'm going to watch if i have time.

04:59 PM Feb 25 2009 |

kaira_harry

Yemen

me2 i haven't see it yet….it's the first time i hear about this movie 

 i think i  have to see it

 

04:47 PM Feb 25 2009 |

kaira_harry

Yemen

i haven’t see it yet
but i think it’s great movie and because that i’ll see it very soon

04:46 PM Feb 25 2009 |

elenochka

elenochka

Belarus

i'm going to watch this movie at the weekend! i suppose it will be very niceSmile

04:17 PM Feb 25 2009 |

Likes (59):

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