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The Social Network
The Social Network

Learn about the modal verb should

Date: Nov 17 2010

Themes: Tech

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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Facebook has changed the way we communicate, keep in touch, and make new friends. It’s even changed the English language. Before Facebook, “friend” was just a plain old noun. Now it’s also a verb, since Facebook has taught us how to “friend” people.

The Facebook phenomenon didn’t just come out of nowhere. A new movie, The Social Network, gives its history. And if you think a movie about starting a website doesn’t sound interesting, you may be wrong. The Social Network involves heartbreak, betrayal, secrecy, romance, and a lawsuit. Find out what Mason and Jeff think about this film.

Dialog

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

Mason

Mason

Jeff

Jeff

Mason:  So Jeff, have you seen The Social Network yet?

Jeff:  No, but I wouldn’t mind checking that out.

Mason:  I think you should. I’ll give you a kinda bit of advice. I thought it didn’t live up to the hype. They make it this big sort of tell-all, airing the dirty laundry of Mark Zuckerberg, the guy who started Facebook. But it just kinda feels like it’s this story of this guy who made this thing, and yeah, some people maybe got hurt along the way but it wasn’t this corporate espionage kinda thing.

Jeff:  Yeah. So you’re saying it could’ve been any number of other successful start-ups or companies?

Mason:  Not really, I mean it’s definitely a unique story. And it kinda holds an interesting mirror up to society, right, that social networking online has become this big kinda phenomenon and we’re all doing it. I mean, are you on Facebook, Jeff?

Jeff:  Yeah, I have an account.

Mason:  Why aren’t we friends? See, that didn’t used to happen.

 

Grammar Point

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Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

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Mason recently saw The Social Network. He enjoyed the film, although he didn’t think it was as dramatic as it was made to seem. It basically just tells the real-life story of Mark Zuckerberg, who started Facebook.

Mason thinks the most interesting part of the movie is the way it reflects contemporary society. So many people use Facebook today. As Mason points out, Facebook can sometimes lead to hurt feelings. In fact, some think that Facebook is leading to more divorce, since it’s so easy to meet people online, which could tempt people to cheat on their spouses.

Do you use Facebook? How do you think social networking sites have changed society? Oh, and don’t forget to like English, baby!

 

Comments

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nobajuluwa

Ireland

Very useful website and this lesson in particular, from the teacher’s point of view, but, maybe, there should be a few links to good grammar web-sites as well, so that those who are trying to master English could understand better how it works?


I find, communicative approach + a bit of grammar exlanation and practice, will be very beneficial for English learners.


Thank you

05:42 PM Mar 02 2014 |

kotlesya

kotlesya

Belarus

I saw the movie The Social Network. It gives the interesting information about the birth of all social networks. We have got many analogs of social networks after Facebook.


I use Facebook and other Russian social networks as well. They can be useful sometimes. But the real meeting is much better than to see photos of your friends being apart. :(


Social networks helped people to find their old friends and stay in touch with them.  


People were hooked up on the social networks at the time when social networks got their development. Social networks were new and interesting for people all over the world.  


Nowadays, people don’t use social networks like they used before, because they have found what they wanted to find. They keep in touch with dear people through the Facebook or other social networks, but the fact of being hooked up is absent today. Social networks is not an interesting toy anymore.


English baby, is not a social network. It is an educative, helpful, useful etc website. It can be compared with the social network, because of the chance to meet friends here, but I think it is not a social network anyway. I like this site more than Facebook ( sorry, Mark Zuckerberg)






12:57 PM Mar 02 2012 |

1 person likes this

gokhan1500

Turkey

I have been using Facebook for one year.Facebook is good if you know it how to use it.it shouldn't be your all society.You shoud use it for find old friends.

I watched the "The Social Network" .The movie was good.But it doens't deserve 3 oscar.

04:17 AM Apr 08 2011 |

1 person likes this

Marcelolic

Marcelolic

Brazil

No,don't but I had several accounts in many networking sites hehe…Beforetime I had an account in Orkut when it came out in the begining of last decade here in Brazil,In the begining I liked a lot and I cofess I lived it all day! hehe…But in the course of time,I noticed that staying on orkut would bring me some problems like jealousy…So I had to leave Orkut site 'cause a ex girlfriend was jealous of others friends…So I decided to have not any other account in any social networking :P

But when I found out this english site English Baby I could join in a healthy site and knowing new people and learning english in the same time,It was very good :)

So What I could learning about social networking? That this is pretty cool you belong of a social networking but if you have a relationship,take care! It could end because jealousy… 

03:09 PM Feb 15 2011 |

1 person likes this

Brunapf

Brunapf

Brazil

I have an account at facebook and I really enjoy it 'cause I keep in touch with my friends around the world. It's the only way to have a comunication at any time, of course on the other hand it has a negative point  you end up exposing yourself, but still enjoy it… 

09:43 PM Nov 26 2010 |

1 person likes this

max1983

max1983

Germany

I haven't seen this movie yet. I should checking that out. what about social network it is great tool for companies making those product famous and for private keeping in touch 

08:47 PM Nov 22 2010 |

1 person likes this

rosendo

rosendo

Mexico

and dont have a facebook account yet , heheh , but i think that u waste u time with this kinda social netwotk ,
for instance here in mexico this is a kinapper's tool , bcs the get abunch of info from their victims , they study them and when they want , they jump to them.

saludos.

03:23 AM Nov 22 2010 |

Nermi

Nermi

Azerbaijan

For me fb is like kind of “drug”....cause when you every day use your account you can’t live or work without it, but when you use seldom or rarely fb can’t attract you as others did…and i don’t think that with fb or other programs you can find “real friend”...

08:21 PM Nov 21 2010 |

1 person likes this

muhendishi

muhendishi

Turkey

I used FB before I realised my FB addiction.I visited my friends' profiles,pics and diffirent funny game applications all day long.so I omitted my many habits that read book,newspaper,go out with my friends and especially study my lessons.InnocentFB is a useful for find friends who are far away from you.We are sharing many videos,news,feelings…This is FB's funny face,but our special identification datas lie on sb's hands and this is embarassing.and FB isnt just about groups of religions and ideas.I dont believe that FB is  only a innocent social network. 

02:41 PM Nov 21 2010 |

1 person likes this

yoshu

yoshu

Japan

For me FB is a place to keep in touch with my friends Ive made ever .

at the point , it is quite nice Media to share how we are now !!!

On the other hand , Im afraid of being friend with stranger even on FB we use real name to connect . Of course we can share the Idea in a group we belong to is nice though

So my opinion FB is a place after friendship

 

 

06:19 AM Nov 21 2010 |

1 person likes this

amberer

amberer

Ukraine

 like it or not but it's a part of our modern life.

05:17 PM Nov 20 2010 |

1 person likes this

dearpesar

dearpesar

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

i seldom use that. the way we can find people in our interst is good but tempting and cheating is not accepted.Cool

04:51 AM Nov 18 2010 |

Ivy47

Ivy47

Taiwan

if you are sociable, facebook is a good place to find new friends.I am not, so I don’t like facebook much. I have an account, but I seldom use it, I don’t like tell-all,. If I share something with one of my friends, others would see it . I don’t like anyone that I don’t know him add me to be his friend, because we don’t have some topics to talk about.  

01:14 AM Nov 18 2010 |

blueskun

blueskun

China

I used facebook sometimes before but now it is not login easily in our country .FB is one of the most openning netting social ,it have changged our real life . I like it .

12:14 AM Nov 18 2010 |

Mariana Navarrina

Brazil

I don't have an account on Facebook. And I don't know also if any website can make more things bad, how divorce. Untill can be, but only with people that really don't  like. 

12:05 AM Nov 18 2010 |

ksen_ka

ksen_ka

Russian Federation

it's a really great film. This story about human relations, i'm  sorry Mark Zuckerberg i think he's  lonely. The society network is a big BIG part of our life. I can live without FB, but i am so thankful to Mark, i have my own page. I can contact with my friends which live in other country i cannot see them every day, but i can  keep in touch. Thank you, Mark! By the way, FB halp me to learn English

p.s. my english's still bad

08:41 PM Nov 17 2010 |

paty19

Brazil

Well, I do have an account on Facebook but I only use it to learn English and to share good texts with some friends. Until now I have not made any friends from facebook, I have only kept in touch with the friends I made before. So I believe it is not only a way to meet people but also a website where you can get and share information about anything available on the internet.

I also do not believe that Facebook can be one of the causes of divorce because people only look for someone else if they are not happy with whom they are in a relationship with. So, if there was not the facebook, it would be any other website where people would look for a better company.

08:38 PM Nov 17 2010 |

Golden Lena

Russian Federation

I dont have an account on Facebook. I use local social network vkontakte.ru. I every day check out news of my friends, talk with them. Social networking sites have changed society cardinally! For instance we can communicate with each other more often than in real life. We are closer to each other.

 

 

 

07:07 PM Nov 17 2010 |

tosick

tosick

Ukraine

i like faceboo

05:48 PM Nov 17 2010 |

asfo00ora

asfo00ora

Bahrain

I had before an account in the facebook

but it cancelled now

cuz i didn't enjoy , most of the comments written by people there are silly

05:44 PM Nov 17 2010 |

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