Playing Favorites

Intro

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

Go Super to Listen

• get my drift
• play favorites
• season tickets
• minimum wage

• significant other
• crossword puzzle
• disparity
• on the up and up

• across the board
• the norm

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

Go Super to Listen

A good leader treats everyone equally. But it can be hard to be a good leader when one of the people you’re leading is your significant other.

With how hard Devan has been making everyone work lately, it seems like she almost forgot that Jason is her boyfriend. Well, as we find out on this week’s episode of the English, baby! soap opera, she might be treating him a little bit differently after all.

3. Watch - Watch the video without reading the dialog.

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.

Devan

Jason

Mason

Devan:  Honey, what’s a six-letter word that’s a country that’s also a Thanksgiving food?

Jason:  Uh, Turkey!

Devan:  Turkey! Oh, you’re so smart.

Jason:  I love crossword puzzles.

Mason:  Hey guys.

Devan:  Hey.

Mason:  How you doin’? You mind moving your feet there a little bit?

Jason:  Yeah, sure.

Devan:  Just doin’ my job, you know.

Jason:  Yeah, yeah.

Mason:  I hear things sometimes while I’m off sweeping the floors. I get all the dirt, you might say, both in the metaphorical sense and the physical sense around this office.

Devan:  Has Marni been here?

Jason:  When you’ve heard all that dirt, have you heard a seven-letter word for a psychological disorder?

Mason:  Um, I think they call it disparity. Right?

Jason:  That might work. Let’s see.

Mason:  And what I mean by disparity if you follow me here, and just hear me out, is that, um, I’ve heard some talk that maybe things aren’t exactly on the up and up, not exactly fair. How people are being treated around the office.

Devan:  What do you mean? I don’t understand what you’re trying to say.

Mason:  You know, I mean…Did you enjoy your bonus, Jason?

Jason:  Yeah. I mean, a five hundred dollar bonus, like, who wouldn’t enjoy it? You know?

Mason:  Yeah. Five hundred dollars is not what I got for my bonus and I think…

Jason:  Oh, really?

Mason:  I don’t think that was the norm, let’s say. If you get my drift.

Jason:  I see.

Mason:  Are you saying that…

Mason:  Just, you know, thought…Might be time to take out the trash, you know, clean up our act around here.

Devan:  Mason, Mason, I think…

Mason:  Just doin’ what I’m paid for here.

Devan:  I can explain. I…

Jason:  I think he thinks you’re playing favorites.

Devan:  You were supposed to keep that secret!

Jason:  Sorry. You have to tell me if you’re gonna play favorites, honey.

Devan:  Well, of course you’re my favorite. You’re my bear.

Jason:  Well, I’ll tell you what. I spent that five hundred dollars on season tickets to the Trail Blazers, so…

Devan:  And you’re gonna take me?

Jason:  Of course.

Devan:  But next time don’t tell the others and don’t you dare mention what I’m paying you as your hourly wage.

Jason:  Oh, OK. Good. I won’t mention it to anyone except…

Devan:  If they ask, minimum wage across the board.

Jason:  OK.

Mason:  What the…

Grammar Point

Go Super to learn "Passive Voice" from this lesson

Quizzes

Go Super to take Quiz

Lesson MP3

Go Super to download full lesson MP3