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Cut Someone Off

Learn phrasal verbs and party slang

Date: Mar 08 2011

Themes: Party, Soap Opera

Grammar: Phrasal Verbs

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Intro

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

Go Super to Listen

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

Go Super to Listen

Can you ever have too much of a good thing? Most people would say yes. It’s not hard to think of examples. Too much fun is exhausting and too much rest is boring. Moderation is best.

But sometimes, someone you know just can’t get enough of something. When that happens, you have to cut them off. To cut them off means to stop them from overdoing something. For instance, bartenders cut customers off when they get too drunk. They refuse to keep serving them alcohol so that they don’t pass out.

When they split up their duties at the company, Devan told Marni she wanted to do the party planning. As you will see today, it seems things may have gotten a little out of control since then.

3. Watch - Watch the video without reading the dialog.

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.

Devan: Happy Mardi Gras everybody, woo!

Mason: Yeah! Bead me. Bead me!

Devan: Woo! Office party time.

Jeff: Bottoms up.

Mason: I love beads!

Devan: I love parties! To work and to parties. What?

Mason: This is the best party ever!

Devan: Cheers!

Mason: Do you have an open…

Devan: Uh-oh, somebody’s had too much to drink.

Jeff: Well, this thing’s cashed. I’ll see you guys later.

Devan: Wait!

Jeff: I’m getting back to work.

Devan: Hey, Jeff. Wait. Wait! We have to celebrate your birthday now. The party’s not over yet. It’s your birthday party!

Jeff: Birthday? My birthday was 6 months ago.

Devan: It’s your half birthday party!

Jeff: C’mon, I’m trying to get back to work. You’re going a little overboard.

Devan: Well, the party doesn’t have to be over yet.

Marni: OK. What’s going on here? It’s loud and…

Devan: It’s Mardi Gras. It’s also Jeff’s half birthday.

Marni: Half birthday? How old are we, 5?

Devan: How about some drinks!

Marni: And our janitor?

Devan: He might have had too many drinks.

Marni: Yeah, I think you need to be cut off.

Devan: Cut off? But I’ve only had like three of these.

Marni: I’m not talking about cut off from alcohol. I’m talking about cut off from parties. You have way too many parties.

Devan: There’s a lot of things to celebrate.

Marni: There’s also a lot of work to be done and this is a place of business. I’m sorry to be the party pooper, but we are here to do a job. We have things to do. We need to be productive.

Devan: So you’re saying that anniversaries and half birthdays and Marni Gras and Fat Tuesday should…

Marni: They all need to go, OK? You can celebrate those on your own time, not in our place of business. Somebody wake up the janitor.

Grammar Point

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Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

Go Super to Listen

Devan is throwing a Mardi Gras party in the office. Everyone is having fun and drinking. Mason gets so drunk he passes out. Jeff finishes his bottle of wine and decides to get back to work. Devan stops him and says that he can’t go—it’s his half birthday and they have to celebrate!

Marni arrives and is curious why Mason is passed out on the couch. Devan explains that she is having two parties in the office today. Marni says she needs to be cut off. Assuming Marni means cut off from alcohol, Devan argues that she isn’t drunk. Marni explains that Devan is now cut off from throwing parties. She just threw too many and had to be stopped.

Has anyone ever cut you off? What were you overdoing? Have you ever had to cut someone off?

Comments

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alisa1111

Afghanistan

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aliska999

Azerbaijan

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Azerbaijan

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anokhi

Albania

Watch the video without reading the dialog. that’s great Indian Takeaway

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United States

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United States

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ehsania

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

every thing should be done in its place and its time.

Miss.Seba

Yemen

No.actually i always do things in amoderate way ..but i usually cut my sis off from watching tv cs she spends most of her time watching series and that’s of course isn’t good for her eyes and mind!

lhizza41

Philippines

Yeah…I had been cut off of overspending….I had been spending too much out of nothing!!!! I’m glad i turned over a new leaf and left that bad habit… :)

lyly999

Tunisia

when i decide to lose weight , i put myself on strict diet and i kept working out every day to hard so my mother try to cut m off

Romio79

Russian Federation

Sometimes I was cut off from prepairing to exams by my relatives. God bless them for doing this

ahmedghieth9

Egypt

the middle way is the best ,

lenny80a

Germany

Moderation is best. I didn't have to cut someone off at drinking alcohol. In my view isn't necessary, you have to be responsible by own-self. Party with excess from alcohol are to me out.

lenny80a

Germany

"The janitor" has made a great job! Therefore, Mason is responsible at video-movies by English, baby! crew. All of them have a very good acknowledges to learn us English. Well-done.

namla1992

Egypt

thanks so much for the lesson..it's so interesting

mehmetrize

Turkey

I have never cut someone off and nobody has cut me off…

I think I am always in control.

Eliza09

United States

Thanks for this lesson!! but my opinion is that they are crazy!! they need to be more serious in work time!! ...Half birthday party???? =) it is the first time that i heard about it!! Greetings!!