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Weddings

Weddings

Date: Jul 21 2009

Themes: Family, Romance

Grammar: Modal Verbs

Intro

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

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Weddings are a $40 billion industry in the US. And most of that money gets spent in the summer. June and August are the most popular months for weddings.

At a traditional American wedding, the father of the bride walks his daughter down the aisle and gives her away. Then the bride and groom exchange rings and vows. Finally, after the ceremony, everyone goes to a reception, where they eat, drink, dance, and let their hair down.

Once you reach a certain age, around 26 or 27 in the US, suddenly everyone you know starts getting married. Devan and Marni both find their summer calendars filled with weddings. Find out why they aren’t too happy about that.

Dialog

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

Marni

Marni

Devan

Devan

Marni:  So Devan, is your summer calendar just filled with weddings?

Devan:  Unfortunately, yes.

Marni:  Ugh, wow.

Devan:  It’s pretty much like getting slapped in the face over and over. One, you have to spend all this money to buy them presents. Two, it just reminds you that you’re still not married. Or, if you’re me, you’re not even in a relationship and you don’t see any future of getting married.

Marni:  It’s so depressing, I know. Well, I mean, are you in any of them? Are you in the wedding party? Maid of honor, anything like that?

Devan:  No, I’m just…I just have to go and eat free food and give them a present and watch my friend’s dad give away the bride.

Marni:  I think some of it…Some of the tradition’s really nice, and it is fun, but boy, you start going to wedding after wedding and you’re like, “Wow, this person’s getting hitched, that person’s getting hitched.” It just goes on and on.

Devan:  Yeah. I never enjoy the actual ceremony, but I’m always down with going to the reception.

Marni:  The reception is the fun part. It’s the party, that’s what everybody wants to go to.

Devan:  I’m never gonna get married!

Marni:  Don’t say that. It’s gonna happen for us. I just know it.

 

Grammar Point

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Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

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Both Marni and Devan have a lot of weddings to go to this summer. Neither of them is looking forward to it. Devan points out that going to weddings is expensive, because you have to buy a gift. But the worst part is being reminded that you’re still single.

Marni asks Devan if she is going to be a maid of honor or a part of the wedding party at any of the weddings she’s attending this summer. Devan says no. The wedding party is all the people who take part in the ceremony. It includes the bridesmaids and maid of honor, who help the bride; the groomsmen, who help the groom; and the father of the bride, who walks the bride down the aisle and gives her away.

Devan is worried that she’s never going to get married. But Marni tells her not to worry. It may be depressing going to all those weddings, but at least you get lots of free food and drinks at the receptions.

Do you enjoy going to weddings? What is your dream wedding?

 

Comments

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omgnotagain01

Philippines

I love seeing couple getting married, it's really romantic. When I was in the wedding of my friend It really touches me, they were so in love to each other. I have wanted to get married the time I saw them. I'll marry my greatest love of all.

05:22 PM Jul 21 2009 |

rosendo

rosendo

Mexico

i like the wedding parties bcs the food is kick-ass !!!!

04:55 PM Jul 21 2009 |

EngGuitat

China

Wedding is a result of love.
Wedding is just a beginning of love.

04:13 PM Jul 21 2009 |

boddi

China

The wedding is the most important event in our life.We used to play three days for the wedding at home in China,but now as we are getting busy,we don't have enough time to celebrate it.We usually hold the wedding  just for one day at hotel,and a lot of traditional ceremonies were omited,but the people always drink a lot in the wedding party ,this will be the best time we meet our classmaters and old friends.

02:51 PM Jul 21 2009 |

Walker Fish

China

I enjoy attending wedding parties.
I like to see how beatiful the bride would be and how wonderful the entertainment programme would be and how delicious the wedding foods would be. It's more important that I can meet with some friends and relatives who you have no time to visit in spare time.
In addition,I am not worried about paying money or giving gifts at wedding parties because others will return money or gifts at my wedding party in future。

02:37 PM Jul 21 2009 |

larrychen

larrychen

China

well, i like eating in the reception~~of course i don't like to send the dear presents~~but to some really good friends, it is all worth it

02:07 PM Jul 21 2009 |

porong

Taiwan

Do I enjoy going to weddings? No..because I need to pay money, even though someone said it's prepared for your future wedding because they will pay it back, but who knows how long will change me.

01:16 PM Jul 21 2009 |

adamsoney

adamsoney

Kuwait

one of lifes greatest moment is weddings,really its such feeling comes one time alife!!!!!! but unfortunately people they are losing it day after day because of open life;which provide free sex and no responsibility at all just enjoyment….

even you can't imaging!!?how people would be during that day its amazingWoWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW,no thing better than it,now iam waiting to nfind my soul mate to feel that sense and to live it live…...soney…...

01:00 PM Jul 21 2009 |

SÉRGIO

SÉRGIO

Brazil

yes, i do!! the party is the best part!! having beer, celebrating with the groom, friends!! it's really cool!!

12:12 PM Jul 21 2009 |

ismael salah

United Arab Emirates

the weddings ithink it is very good but in the uae the weddings it is different than europe the weddings in the uae you can see abig tent to eat thair but i am me ienjoyed going to weddings

10:33 AM Jul 21 2009 |

DANYAL

Turkey

According to my whim , wedding is required to so much taking responsibilities before you make a decision in your life.Some marriage would be considered like a chance.Many of young couples hurry up to get married without they know well  each other or overconfident .Business life or  career are prefered rather then love by  most of us.Love is short but many of us complaint that we do not have time for it.

10:28 AM Jul 21 2009 |

shahiid2010@hotmail.com

Somalia

 

40 million very pricy the some one can't afford to pay the 40 million what does he do 

if he wants to marry please repealy for me to this email

and I'm congratualtion for your's marry

honey moon 

08:51 AM Jul 21 2009 |

eva777002

eva777002

Australia

i work in Sheraton Taipei Hotel…
we have a lot of wedding every week!!!
when I see the lovers can get together…
I’m so happy too :D

08:19 AM Jul 21 2009 |

L_a_d_a

L_a_d_a

Ukraine

I enjoy going to weddings and more of all i like being a guest on such parties but not a participant

Dream weddind, well, on the beach i think

 

06:25 AM Jul 21 2009 |

corsair37

Viet Nam

I have just got married for some months. It is fantastic. The married party in my country (Vietnam) is different with Europe or American. If your family have good condition, they usually make a large party. The guest include parent's and bride and groom's friends and co-works, relative. They come and congratulate the couple will live together forever and happy. We have a congratulation speech as well but I don't know how I can talk in English, its mean the couple live together until their hair is white and their teeth is loose.

Congratulate to all couple who will get married!

04:28 AM Jul 21 2009 |

Whitney S

Whitney S

Colombia

When I was 7 I was the little girl who carried the rings :D

What I like the most about weddings is dressing up and dancing and tryin out free delicious food, hehehe 

03:52 AM Jul 21 2009 |

mardyyang

China

i'd like to go to wedding,it just makes you happy,you just forget about anything about sad in that situation,

less now i can't see anything about my weddinng,i'm even not in a ralationship yet,but i'll cheer myself up to get a girl first as soon as possible.

03:02 AM Jul 21 2009 |

Denny500

Denny500

Australia

Zambuka, 150-500 people? that is a huge party! Do you think the birde/broom might not know everyone in the party?

Just curious is Devan really still single. She shoule be very popular among friends. If I were not married, I would write her a mail to ask her to marry me!

02:24 AM Jul 21 2009 |

Zambuka

Zambuka

United States

The wedding ceremony in my country differentiates from the ceremony in europe and in the usa . . .
great quantity of people are invited . . . It can be more that 500 persons . . . The least wedding party can consist of 150 people . . .
But i don’t think that it has the matter . . . The main thing is your groom/bribe . . . It must be the person you love . . . But sometimes it’s quite impossible . . . I would like to have a small wedding . . . But i would like to see my loving person at this moment . . . And i would like to make him happy all the time . . . Other things have no matter . . .

02:08 AM Jul 21 2009 |

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