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Woodstock

Date: Aug 31 2009

Themes: News, Party

Grammar: Past Progressive Tense

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Intro

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

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Rain and cold. Not enough food. Bad sanitation. Huge crowds. Sounds like a disaster, not a party, right?

The 1969 music festival known as Woodstock faced all these challenges and more. Still, the festival was a great success. In three days, 32 musicians, including legends like Jimi Hendrix and The Who, performed for a crowd of 500,000 people. Woodstock was attended by hippies who wanted to end the war in Vietnam and bring peace, love, and freedom to the world. It’s now considered one of the most important events in music history.

This summer marks the 40th anniversary of Woodstock. Listen to Marni and Dale talk about what Woodstock means to them.

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.

Dale

Marni

Dale: It’s the 40th anniversary of Woodstock.

Marni: Yes it is. Were you ever a flower child?

Dale: Actually, I wasn’t a flower child. But you know, I’m amazed at how great they put that together. I mean, they were expecting 100,000 people, it turned out to be 500,000 people. Rain. And everybody just got along.

Marni: I think it was a pretty monumental time and I still think that it is poignant today because it was a time in our history where we were at war, and people were very conflicted. Nothing like this had ever happened, where people came together and, you know, through all these trials and tribulations just made it happen.

Dale: They tried to do something similar like that in 1999, and I remember just hearing the nightmares about it.

Marni: Yeah. Well it’s interesting, ‘cause it’s definitely associated with the whole hippie movement, and everybody was on acid and whatever. You know, you can paint that picture. I just heard this really interesting thing, though. They actually wanted Roy Rogers to close the show, because they thought it would be so interesting if he played “Happy Trails.” But of course, Jimi Hendrix playing the Star Spangled Banner is still so famous.

Dale: It’s still amazing.

Grammar Point

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Discussion

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Neither Marni nor Dale was alive when Woodstock took place. But they are still impressed and moved by the event. Dale can’t believe how successful the festival was, in spite of the rain and huge crowds. Everybody worked together to make it a positive and memorable experience.

Marni points out that Woodstock took place during a difficult time in America’s history. Many people were angry about the war in Vietnam. Woodstock was a symbolic event. It stood for peace, harmony, and freedom. It’s also associated with the hippie movement, free love, drugs, and rock n’ roll.

One of the most famous moments from Woodstock is when Jimi Hendrix played the Star Spangled Banner on his electric guitar. Marni heard that this almost didn’t happen, because a different singer was originally supposed to play when Hendrix did.

Do you think Woodstock is still relevant today? What does Woodstock mean to you? Do you know anyone who is a flower child?

Comments

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narges

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

i really dont know why Marni talks too fast ?!!! is she in hurry all the time ? i actully want to figure it out …

these nice guys i mean Marni, Mayson, Devan,... are here because of us. they try their best to teach us how is the correct way of speaking, spelling , ... , but Marni is really faster than the others in speaking . i sometimes compare her with Edward in twilight , he is fast in runing ….

GuanTR

China

hahaha…

Kasia_92

Poland

15th Polish Woodstock concert was held this summer. http://www.gazetalubuska.pl/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=przystanek_woodstock00

It attracts lots of people every year. My friend went to that and says it's not truth what some poeple claim – that there is plenty of drugs. She hasn't been offered to any drug and she finds people so much friendly there.

emmashow1280

China

it was a great rock time.but it become history. and never back again.

mansito

Ecuador

I would like have been there

kukuka

Ukraine

I've never heard of woodstock before, such a shame

Marcelolic

Brazil

Until today I really like band that were in Woodstock,kind The Who and I’m jealous for having not been there :P

Marcelolic

Brazil

First,I think yes…The Woodstock ideas still relevant until today,'cause even being a event moved by drogs,the central idea is good ;)

Second,Woodstock event to me it will be forever an big event that marked a generation and I'm jealous for having not been there! hehe

Third,I know a place here in midwestern called Chapada dos Veadeiros (Veadeiros Plateau) and in that place there are many "flower childs",it is their style life ;)

ciberd7

Brazil

Woodstock is still a memory of the past and its marks remains… I know that the real history was not so pretty and harmonic as you told, but the most important part is the the people wanted to show how sad they were about the war and how they could get together to criticize and shout for changing or even to be seen.

To recognize a flower child is simple: they like to wear long skirts and they have long hair and wear weird sunglasses to draw attention, but they´re so kicked back and calm and like to walk in groups of the same tribe.

rebel lee

China

I hate hippy a lot ！

sofree

China

Yes, because it’s not just a music event, it’s related to that time, to the history people shouldn’t forget, so it makes difference.
But I’m Chinese, Woodstock is just a story. And I do know some friend who is flower child, since China is a kinda traditional country, I can’t talk here.

renwda

Canada

what a good movement and it is momumentally important day for musicians.

kaseem

Syrian Arab Republic

well , I think it’s a good way to get our rights by protest , especially like hippies’s protesting way .

Ca_Brazil

Brazil

So like they said it is one of most important music events in the america`s music history, woodstock means to me a bunch of people unhappy with the war also the current rules that time, i just cant agree about the drugs. i think i know some people flower child, each one their own.

Natalia Queiroz

Brazil

In parts I agree with amir81 , It was great becouse the drugs and the libertinism it was the reason for a thousand of people, but we have to admit that it did a certain difference in this own time.

Koxa you are totaly right We don't need drugs to have a protest.

Kisses ;*

~MemoTheHun~

Germany

by the way I thought hippie has another meaning..

~MemoTheHun~

Germany

nice lssn

~MemoTheHun~

Germany

never heard about it

amir81

Kazakhstan

I want to agree with Koxa. The main reason of all participants happiness were drugs alcohol and libertinism. Thats why everybody still remember and miss those days.

kouamala

Gabon

hi to all me what andrews I am African and I am in Libreville Gabon City I speak French and English can I search for the much-corespondont say my relationship