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Giving Gifts

Learn the Unreal Past Tense

Date: Aug 19 2011

Themes: Friend

Grammar: The Unreal Past

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Intro

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tip
hurt

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“It’s the thought that counts.” That’s what we say when someone gives us a gift that we don’t want or that doesn’t suit us. It’s a nice way of saying, “I appreciate you, even though I don’t really appreciate this gift.”

But how much does the thought really count? It can’t count as much as an awesome present would count, right?

It depends on who you talk to. Some people think presents aren’t very important, or get stressed out trying to pick out gifts for their friends. But others believe that giving gifts shows how much you care. They look for presents that are special and personal, and they might get hurt if their friends don’t do the same. Hear Amy and Ella talk about giving gifts.

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.

Amy

Ella

Amy: Are you a good gift giver, Ella?

Ella: Actually, I think I’m a very gifted gift giver.

Amy: Really?

Ella: Yes. I wish it was Christmas all the time so I could buy presents for people. It’s so fun.

Amy: But how do you know, like, what they would like or, you know, what they need? I get so stressed out about buying presents, I…I don’t know, how do you do it?

Ella: I do a lot of inside joke presents, things that make people laugh. Or I just go for the expensive things that are like “Oh yeah, I could use those.” I feel like earrings always work out for a girl.

Amy: I just feel like some people really value gift giving, and to me it’s just not that important. If you want to give me a gift that’s great, but I’m not going to feel bad if you don’t give me a gift. So I sometimes get into trouble because not everyone has that casual attitude toward gift giving that I do.

Ella: Yeah. I like to give gifts but for me personally, I’d rather have someone give me a trip or take me somewhere.

Amy: Totally. Yeah, you know, you can never go wrong with a great dinner, right? A great fancy dinner or something?

Ella: Exactly.

Amy: Well, I’m gonna remember all of your tips, because I have an important friend’s birthday coming up, and I don’t want to disappoint her.

Grammar Point

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Discussion

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Ella loves to buy people gifts. She likes to give her friends expensive gifts, or gifts that make them laugh. She thinks that earrings are usually a good gift for a girl.

Amy has a more difficult time finding gifts for people. It’s hard for her to find gifts she knows her friends will like, and she often worries about disappointing people with her gifts.

Gifts aren’t very important to Amy. She says she doesn’t feel hurt when others don’t give her gifts. Ella agrees. She would rather go out to a nice dinner or take a trip with someone than receive a big gift.

Do you like giving gifts? Do you find it easy or hard to find gifts your friends will like? What is the best gift you have ever received?

Comments

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jishan

India

i also like gift.

jishan

India

i also like gift.

sonrah

Algeria

I enjoy giving gifts, but I don’t like it when I feel obliged to buy a present because I’m invited to someone’s birthday or wedding … especially if I don’t know the person very well (I find difficulties to choose the right gift). What I like is when I see something and I know that someone I love need it or want it, and then I’ll buy it for them without any special occasion just to show that I love them and care about their needs and desires.

I prefer offering gifts than receiving because I feel guilty if someone spends too much money to please me.

Among the gifts I cherish, there’s a ring offered by my mom when I get my baccalaureate, I don’t specially like jewelry but I was really moved because she had to sell one of hers to buy this one for me. the other gift is a rose. I like it not only because I like roses but because it was offered to me by one of my friends who picked it for me spontaneously while walking and I really felt it was coming from the heart.

_AceM_

Turkey

the perfect gift.. needed and loved ones love life :)

kotlesya

Belarus

I like giving gifts. It is a double pleasure for me to find an appropriate and desirable gift to my friend or kin and to present it afterwards. The joy of my friend is my joy. I feel myself more than happy when I see the happy eyes of person with the gift I have just presented.

“What is the best gift you have ever received?” – of course watch. Person knew I’m crazy about mechanical (I call them “alive” watch). It was undescribable happiness and joy when I received the watch with amazing design. It was excatly what I like, what I desired!!!!! I’m still in the delight from the watch I have as a present. I wear the watch and I love them!!!! It was the most perfect gift for me.

eri3330

Japan

I like to give people but I choose less expensive.

If I get some small gift , I return same price one.

Of course, it’s good to say “thank you” instead of a gift.

bluese

Turkey

Gifts that holds an important place in human life, the person giving up thevery special moments, very valuable things that makes you feel greathappiness. In my opinion, all gifts are gifts with spiritual values do not have to be based on financial grounds, people who is extremely happy.

swite soso

Lebanon

????

tepferenok

Russian Federation

i like to give gifts. im happy when i feel i find right gift.

i think the gift chosen with care makes person feel special and significant. gifts are the expression of love.

chrissy_789

China

i like giving gifts to my friends, it will make them happy,and my friends will give me gifts 2.

mayowa

Nigeria

giving is a law, if you give you must surely recieve, my bible tells me that anybody that give, lend to God, which means you will recieve it back in many ways.

javier armando

Peru

Actually I dont like to give gifts by now cos Im a litte bit broke and I would find it very easy to give gifts to my friends, and the best gift I have received it´s my life hahaa

rimas-26

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

i think giving gift itis not mean everything i know alot of people that give gifts to eachother but afterwhile they cheat eachother

ziad10

Egypt

when some one give a gift it’s mean he/ her care of you and u are important in his life , i think changing the gifts make realtion keep going ..

amira-

Oman

I just like to give it to my family or my best friends if they care about me and do the same with me if i have an important day or event

baolinu

China

I bought few gifts,alsoI got least gifts.Just as peopls says”no pay no gain”.

MagicaEli

Italy

I think there are better ways than material things to make people happy. So, i think it isn’t important the gift nor the thought, but the “commitment”. (I’m not sure it’s the right word!)

best-jhaf

Yemen

very nice ^_

mshare

Saudi Arabia

Its so important matter,

giving presents to your close friends or family kind of something really can’t be described.

As for me, I much love giving gifts and being giving.

That feels other that you care about them, moreover it a kind of express your love toward them it’s a kind of happiness you put inside them, especially when the gift is some thing they deprive of it or they like.

It’s hard to talk about the real feeling of the gift. So I am very keen on picking them out to my friends and beloved when I’m away or even occasionally.