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.
Your birthday is the one day of the year that is supposed to be all about you, when you get to be the center of attention, and it is OK to demand that everyone make a big fuss over you. But not everyone likes to be in the spotlight on their birthday. Luckily, there are a lot of different ways to celebrate your birthday, from having a quiet dinner with friends, to throwing a big bash. You could even celebrate your birthday by bungee jumping in foreign country. If you happen to be Ella, that is. Hear her and Beren talk about birthdays.
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.
![]() |
![]() |
Beren: I can’t believe that in six days I’ll have been on this earth for 28 years.
Ella: No freakin’ way. I would have never guessed that.
Beren: It’s true, it’s true. I can’t decide if I want to have a big bash or kinda keep it low-key.
Ella: I don’t know. Twenty-eight’s kinda like that weird number that’s not quite a milestone, you know, it’s right in the middle. So, you could go out…
Beren: I know, it’s not 30…I like to have big celebrations, you know, typically they get a little out of hand. But I don’t know, I’m getting older, I might want to do something small.
Ella: You could go on a trip. That’s how I like to do my birthdays. Trips.
Beren: That’s true. What’s the best birthday you ever had? What did you do?
Ella: My twenty-first birthday I went bungee jumping in Switzerland.
Beren: Why were you in Switzerland, just for your birthday?
Ella: Well, I was already in Europe for school for a month. So I just planned it so I could be in my favorite country on my birthday and go bungee jumping.
Beren: That’s amazing. I don’t know, I usually look forward to my birthday, but this year I’m kind of dreading it.
Ella: You should just go all out every year.
Beren: I think I’m going to.
Ella: Because there will be a year when you just won’t be able to.
Beren: Like when you’re over the hill? Yeah.
Grammar Point
Go Super to learn "Future Perfect Tense" from this lesson
Quizzes
Lesson MP3
The iTEP® test
-
Sponsored by
Discussion
Beren is having a birthday soon, and she isn’t sure how she wants to celebrate it. It’s not a milestone birthday, so she isn’t sure if she wants to have a big bash. Plus, she is feeling a little depressed about getting older. But usually, Beren does like to celebrate her birthday. Sometimes her birthday parties even get out of hand.
Ella suggests that Beren take a trip for her birthday. That is Ella’s favorite way to celebrate her birthday. When she turned 21, she went bungee jumping in Switzerland. That is the best birthday Ella has ever had.
How do you usually like to celebrate your birthday? Do you look forward to your birthday, or do you dread it? What is the best birthday you ever had?
Comments
Brazil |
Philippines |
South Korea |
Belarus |
Palestinian Territory, Occupied |
Palestinian Territory, Occupied |
Brazil |
Palestinian Territory, Occupied |
Macao |
Egypt |
Bahrain |
Russian Federation |
Thailand |
Russian Federation |
Morocco |
Syrian Arab Republic |
Saudi Arabia |
Russian Federation |
Iran, Islamic Republic Of |
Turkey |