Intro
1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.
2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.
Spontaneous people and people who like to plan everything out are like oil and water. They just don’t mix. For someone who likes to follow a strict schedule and always has to know what’s going to happen well in advance, there is nothing more annoying than a person who does everything at the last minute and never makes any plans. But for a spontaneous person, making plans can be a big pain. Who wants to be tied down?
When it comes to making plans, Jeff and Dale are opposites. Jeff is a planner, and Dale likes to fly by the seat of his pants. But maybe they can find a way to meet in the middle.
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.
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Jeff: What’s up Dale?
Dale: What’s up Jeff?
Jeff: You got any plans for the next couple days?
Dale: You know, I don’t like making plans. I like being spontaneous. I like to do things when it just comes to me. Spur of the moment.
Jeff: I don’t really understand that. I need a strict schedule. Wake up at the same time every day, have my coffee at the same time every day, take my lunch at the same time.
Dale: Living free and being a free spirit kind of, like, makes it so much more fun, when you just go with the flow.
Jeff: That seems to throw me off. It kind of throws off my plans. I’m a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to scheduling.
Dale: So do you schedule at the last minute and then go with it, or are you just scheduling days before?
Jeff: Every now and again in this hectic lifestyle, you gotta pull something off at the last minute.
Dale: So what are your plans right now?
Jeff: Well, after I get done talking to you, I’m going to go home and cook up some lasagna, which I’ve already prepared. It takes hours, so that goes without saying.
Grammar Point
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Discussion
Jeff asks Dale what his plans are for the next couple days, and Dale explains that he doesn’t make plans. He prefers to be spontaneous.
Spontaneous people do things at the spur of the moment. They’re open to whatever fun comes along. They’re free-spirited and they like to go with the flow.
For people who always like to make plans and follow a strict schedule, like Jeff, spontaneous people can be hard to deal with. Planners don’t like surprises. They like to know what they’re going to be doing well in advance, so they can be sure to be prepared.
Are you spontaneous, or do you like to plan things? Do you follow a strict schedule or do you do things at the spur of the moment?
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