How to use the zero conditional

Intro

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

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• vibe
• patriotic
• mainstream
• cowboy

• stage name
• branch out
• sweet
• throw into the mix

• accessible
• twang

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

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There is something goofy about Kid Rock. Maybe it starts with his stage name. It’s just not easy to take someone named “Kid Rock” seriously. Or maybe it has something to do the fact that he was once married to the former Baywatch star Pamela Anderson. Then again, it could just be his long greasy hair and the fact that he frequently goes around without a shirt on.

In any case, Kid Rock has been popular since the 1990s, and it looks like he’s here to stay. Earlier in his musical career he was known for the way he blended rap and rock, but now he’s branching out and bringing country into the mix as well. Find out what Devan and Jason think of Kid Rock’s newest hit, “Born Free.”

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.

Jason

Devan

Jason:  I was listening to the country station the other day, and I heard this pretty sweet song called “Born Free.” And I was surprised to discover that it was by Kid Rock.

Devan:  Kid Rock? Is he still around?

Jason:  He is still around, and he’s big in the country scene these days. I mean, you know, everybody knew him in the late 90s for doing the rap-rock thing.

Devan:  Yeah, so now he’s throwing country into the mix?

Jason:  Yeah, can you believe it? He’s the ultimate mixer of genres. He’s got some twang in there. But he’s from Detroit, not a terribly country-western town, but somehow he suits the vibe. He’s really patriotic. That helps.

Devan:  So do you think that he’ll be able to bring country to the international mainstream, or do you feel that country is a genre so immersed in the United States that it won’t ever be able to branch out?

Jason:  You know, if anyone can do it, it’s Kid Rock, probably. Because he’s not an authentic cowboy really, so he’s more like this…he’s just doing it for the style, I think. And he’s already a well-known name with the rock music that he did. And actually his song “Born Free” is already on the charts in various countries around the world.

Devan:  Yeah, you make a good point. Maybe by starting with more accessible genres, when he changes into a less accessible genre like country he’ll still have that legion of fans that he can carry with him into this new genre.

Jason:  I just hope he does experimental noise for his next record.

Grammar Point

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Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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