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Spring

Learn the Present Progressive Tense

Date: Mar 30 2012

Themes: Time, Weather

Grammar: Present Progressive Tense

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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.

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Spring brings warmer weather, longer days, and new blossoms. It’s a time of rebirth and fresh starts. On that first warm, sunny day of spring, it’s almost impossible not to feel upbeat and excited about what’s to come.

But spring isn’t all sunshine and tulips. Many people suffer from allergies during the spring. Sudden showers can catch you off guard and make you feel like it’s still the winter. That’s why some people, including Amy, don’t like the spring. But maybe Marni can convince her to change her mind.

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.

Marni

Amy

Marni: Amy, I’m getting pretty excited because spring is in the air.

Amy: But that just means allergies, spring showers. I’m not excited about the spring.

Marni: Really? Wow, I mean, I guess if you have allergies, I can understand. But all the blossoms blooming, and flowers starting to come up, and it’s getting a little warmer, and staying lighter later.

Amy: I do like all of that. But to me, the spring is always kind of a tease, because you have days that are warm and that feel like summer, and then you slip back into winter, and it’s such a letdown.

Marni: It’s rebirth, it’s growth. It’s inspiring to me.

Amy: Do you do spring cleaning?

Marni: I do do spring cleaning. I love that annual purge, where you get rid of a bunch of stuff.

Amy: Well, I hate cleaning. I guess that’s another reason why I don’t like the spring.

Marni: I can understand that as well. But I’m pretty excited that spring’s in the air. Who knows, maybe this spring will be amazing and it’ll change your mind.

Grammar Point

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Discussion

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Marni is excited about the spring. She loves seeing flowers bloom and experiencing the warmer, longer days in spring. She also enjoys spring cleaning. She likes to get rid of things she doesn’t need and have a fresh start.

Amy disagrees. She doesn’t like the spring because she experiences a lot of allergies at springtime. She also dislikes all the rain in spring. She thinks it is a frustrating season, because warm, sunny days are often followed by cold, wet ones.

Do you like the spring? What is your favorite time of year?

Comments

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Thyphuong

Viet Nam

When I was a little girl, I used to wish that every day is Spring.

tar1ta

Antarctica

Why is spring considered to be a time of fresh starts? As for me, I can feel unbeat even in autumn. And it’s cool when it snows :)

Feelings depend on many things.

But I agree, the weather is a circumstance to be taken into consideration.

So let’s talk about weather.

I was in a camping trip only twice. When I was in the first trip (with my neighbors) it was raining the whole day. We went to some village nearby and kept the rain out. We sat in someone’s shed for a couple of hours then went to the river. It started to rain again so we took cover under the tent (we weren’t able to put it up). Later we found out that we had settled near the cemetery. It was a good day nevertheless.

But it was the second trip that I didn’t like. The weather was rather fine but there were many guys there who fond of fishing and speaking of girls and automobiles and drank a lot of wine. It was boring. So I can’t say that everything depends on weather ;)

P.S. My favorite time of year is winter. Summer ranks second.

Seiyf_khawas

Turkey

I love ,

Sun lights, blue sea,

Poetic colors,

Re-birth of Nature,

Illuminated Mornings,

Naughty waves on the beach,

Generous smiles of roses and flowers

Staisy

Russian Federation

Spring is in full swing now, and I am happy about that !

munisa alimatova

Uzbekistan

so, my favourite season is Spring! i like so much this year time. cos it is really rebrith and i think in this time people can wear light clothes. it is awesome, on the other hand, of course in Spring will be so many rainy times.especially torrential rain but it’s not bad.in my opinion)))).

JimaIsJima

China

I like spring.it have hopes and flowers.

pujia581

China

Bonnie wu

China

I like Spring

Radhwan

United Arab Emirates

Oke
Sorry

Radhwan

United Arab Emirates

The last joke
I liked your words as all friends participant

The Last Joke

Yemen

People ask me what I do in winter when there’s no football. I’ll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.

In fact , i consider winter as a season of death and destruction. i welcome spring season as a revival and happiness. The end of winter is the beginning of spring. Winter seems to be a very long . There is heavy cold and terrible cold. It destroys and freezes everything. When cold becomes , small birds start dying. A dull and sad silence everywhere. The whole world seems to be dead.

Then one day warm wind starts blowing. Long and black winters come to an end. The birds begin to whistle in their silvery voices. The change is always difficult and painful. This change from certain death into a new life has made them miserable. i welcome the new season which is full of joy, hope and life i’m ready to forget the disastrous cold .

It was a time of pain and misery. But it is over now. It seems to have gone far away. It seems to be only and illusion now there is no need to remember the suffering of the past. The new reality of spring is here. i feel its thrill and excitement within me. i cannot stop the change that has taken place i have no control over the cycle of nature.

SallySmith

China

Spring bring us passion，love，even everything we want to have。

i love spring，spring remain me of the Spring Festival。Spring Festival is the most important festival in China .
It’s to celebrate the lunar calendar ‘s new year .
In the evening before the Spring Festival ,families get together and have a big meal .
Children like the festival very much ,because they can have delicious food and wear new clothes .
They can also get some money from their parents.
This festival was great, I love Spring Festival!

tutorheather

United States

For those not familiar with the term hibernation, it is pefect for this lesson.

Spring is a time of renewal after a long winter of hibernation, a word that specifically refers to the time period during which animals sleep in order to conserve energy. Some animals hibernate for months during very cold temperatures.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibernation

Although not used in that specific way, humans are said to hibernate during winter also since they stay indoors much more than they do during warmer weather. So, it is used for humans in a figurative way, and not a literal one.

Anyhow…

I hope everyone has had a restful weekend. I have been working throughout the weekend, so, unfortunately, no repose for me!

smouhi

Morocco

in morocco,the spring season is the better season in the year,that you change your mind,ask yourself,have the new ideas,to look the blooms in various colors,i guess that time to live it perfectly.