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Star Trek

Date: Jun 24 2009

Themes: Pop Culture

Grammar: Direct vs. Reported Speech

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Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

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2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

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Not many shows become such cult classics that their fans are given a special name. But Star Trek is no ordinary series. Over the past 40 years, there have been five different Star Trek TV shows and 11 Star Trek films, including a new movie starring Chris Pine and directed by J.J. Abrams that’s the most successful one yet.

Star Trek super-fans are known as “trekkies.” Some trekkies get teased for being nerds who spend all their time obsessing over the show. But plenty of cool, attractive people like Star Trek, too. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Angelina Jolie, and President Obama might not call themselves trekkies, but they all admit to liking the franchise. And King Abdullah III of Jordan is not just a fan, he actually appeared in an episode of Star Trek Voyager!

Jason says he isn’t a trekkie, but he did go see the new Star Trek movie the very first day it came out. Listen to him tell Mason what he thought of the film.

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.

Mason

Jason

Mason: So have you seen Star Trek yet? I’m looking for opinions.

Jason: Have you heard anything negative about it?

Mason: Not anything that I’ve paid attention to ‘cause I was never really a Star Trek fan. So if all the original trekkies and trekkers are like, “Oh yeah, we don’t care,” then I don’t really think they’re the right people for me.

Jason: I’m definitely not a trekkie, but I enjoy Star Trek. I haven’t seen every episode by any means. But I saw the new movie like opening day, and it was really, really good.

Mason. It looks super cool.

Jason: It’s really fun and it looks great. The style is really good.

Mason: Do they have the whole captain of the starship and the crew and all that?

Jason: Yeah. It’s like a prequel in which Captain Kirk and Spock go through the Star Fleet Academy. But it’s also a total reboot of the series and it’s an alternate universe in which certain things are different due to some time travel that takes place.

Mason: So that like gave them license to just basically do whatever the heck they want.

Jason: Exactly. It relieves some of that immediate criticism that they would’ve gotten otherwise of people being like, “This isn’t true to the original Gene Roddenberry starship!”

Mason: That J.J. Abrams is a smart cookie.

Grammar Point

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Discussion

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Mason wants to hear about the new Star Trek film from someone who isn’t a trekkie. He thinks that trekkies might be too concerned with how faithful the new movie is to the original series, which isn’t something that Mason cares about. He just wants to see a cool movie.

Jason really liked the new film. He thinks the filmmakers made a wise decision by setting the movie in an alternate universe. That way, trekkies can’t complain if there are differences between the new movie and older movies. The new Star Trek has an updated look and cool special effects.

Do you know anyone who’s a trekkie? Are you obsessed with any TV shows or movies?

Comments

1 through 20 of 26
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careygold

Germany

On eof the best show ever i watched

alex4u

United States

I love the original series and have the star trek movies too in my pc but the original Star Trek series was much better than the following series and the movies

kavintenison

United Kingdom

WOW, Its really interesting. I like it. Actually, I'm Huge fan of Star trek Series and I enjoy Star trek episodes at online. Its really nice to share with us a fantastic movie review. I will definitely watch it. I hope it will as nice as like TV series.

superstars

Turkey

My best friend likes this movie but I really dont like this kind of film

Marcelolic

Brazil

I love some TV series like Smallville and Heroes…I have watched yet this Star Trek movie,it seems cool ;)

Marcelolic

Brazil

Hummm no,I don't know anyone to be a trakkie…I love science fiction :)

I have followed some TV series like Smallville and Heroes,it are cool!

s id

Saudi Arabia

thanks for grammer . that was usefull but i want more information about this topic it `s a very imported

for us

s id

Saudi Arabia

i haven`t seen that movie yet . i remember `when i child i used to watch that tv series.

now i will try to watch this movie .

tiagon85

Brazil

I didn´t see that movie yet, but i´ll try to see as it´s coming up in Brazil. But I always prefer star wars than star trek.

Ca_Brazil

Brazil

I havent known any trekkie, personally, i just see that there are many fans of it. Im not obsessed with any tv show or movie, i used to be some years before.

Taja

Russian Federation

I have seen "Star Trek" yet. And…mmm, I don't know, but in my humble opinion, it wasn't intresting: faintly special effects, faintly play of actors and incomprehensible plot. I suppose that film's founders have only thought about their own profit

Taja

Russian Federation

boriszl

China

I am a fan of TVB series,TVB is television station of HongKong,it has productted many popular series back in time,and I obsessed over them when i was teenage.It was wonderful moments in my life.

boddi

China

It looks very cool.but I prefer "Night at museum".I think It more funny than "Star Trek","Star Treck" is full of fantasy.

antonioprofinfo

Brazil

my name is antonio

I need, writer english,

you want my help

I from Brazilian

rosendo

Mexico

neither do i :( !!!!!

Elle shing

China

haha ,star trek looks soo popular these days ,what is its plot?

shv_2005

India

I have'nt seen star Trek. But i saw star war of its all parts.

it was realy great movie.

snunsy

Russian Federation

this winter i was obsessed with onesoap opera cause there was a love affair between a teacher and his pupil – a girl))- their feelings were so sincere but they had to conceal them even from each other. it was very touching, it entirely absorbed me. i couldn't help thinking about their relations as if it was a life of my own. it even prevented me from keeping up the relations with my boyfriend. and this was not only my problem – on the internet i've found a huge number of girls who had the same obsession as well. together we every day were looking forward to the next series. i wish that film hadn't ended(