Zombieland

Intro

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

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• bummed out
• amusement park
• low-budget
• team up

• corpse
• versatile
• social critique
• rolled into one

• grizzled
• a breath of fresh air

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

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You’d think one mindless corpse would be just like the next. But zombie movies are surprisingly versatile. Some are pure horror flicks, meant to give you a good old-fashioned scare. Others, like the classic Dawn of the Dead, include elements of social critique. And then there are the funny zombie movies, like Shaun of the Dead.

The most recent addition to the genre, Zombieland, is a horror, comedy, romance, action, and coming-of-age movie all rolled into one. With zombies. It’s also the most expensive zombie film of all time, as well as the highest-earning. Find out if Zombieland makes it onto Jason and Mason’s list of Best Zombie Movies Ever.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

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

Mason

Jason

Mason:  You know, man, there’s been a lot of supernatural stuff going on, like with the vampire thing, so I was kind of excited to see Zombieland, you know, a little breath of supernatural fresh air.

Jason:  Yeah, a lighter take on it?

Mason:  Yeah. But I was bummed out by it.

Jason:  Were you?

Mason:  I was. I mean, I was entertained while it was happening…

Jason:  What would bum you out about watching a group of kids fighting zombies in an amusement park? It’s the most expensive zombie movie ever made.

Mason:  Really? I didn’t know that.

Jason:  Well, zombie movies aren’t that expensive, I mean…

Mason:  I guess it’s kind of a low-budget genre, but even so, that upsets me all the more because I feel that there are zombie movies that have been executed much better than that and on fewer dollars.

Jason:  I thought it was a good coming-of-age story. I mean, it was funny, it was a zombie movie that wasn’t really a zombie movie. It was more about that grizzled character who teams up with this goofy kid, and then they save the day.

Mason:  There’s definitely a lightheartedness to it.

Jason:  Did you like Woody Harrelson in it as the hardened leader?

Mason:  Oh, loved Woody Harrelson, with that grizzled look and his crazy under-bite and weird quirks, with the Twinkie and stuff. He was obviously the highlight of the movie.

 

Grammar Point

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Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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