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Apocalypse 2012

Learn English with this apocalypse English lesson

Date: Dec 21 2012

Themes: News

Grammar: Comparatives and Superlatives

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Intro

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skeptic

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What does the date December 21, 2012, mean to you? If all you can come up with is that it’s the winter solstice, or that it’s four days before Christmas, then you’ve been out of the loop. This is the date when the calendar used by the Mayans, an ancient Central American people, ends. And that’s got some people convinced that it’s also the end of time.

So what that means is that lots of people are freaking out. They’re convinced that an apocalypse is coming. Zombies, superstorm, who knows what form the catastrophe will take? For all the believers, there are plenty of skeptics, too. Find out whether Marni and Greta believe in this English lesson about the apocalypse.

Dialog

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Marni

Greta

Marni: I’ve been preparing. Because you know what 2012 is.

Greta: It’s the end of the Mayan calendar.

Marni: That it is. And I saw this great comic that was two people talking, two Mayans talking, and he had this Mayan calendar and he’s saying, “I only had enough room to go up to 2012.” The other character says, “That’s really gonna freak people out someday.” And I laughed, and I thought, I hope that’s true, you know? But yeah, a lot of people are really preparing for the end of time. So what do you think about that?

Greta: I think it’s a little silly. What form do you think the apocalypse will take?

Marni: When I think about things like huge storms and, you know, monsoons and typhoons and all those crazy natural disasters, I sort of think about, is this the end of times? When I think about those things happening. But, you know, it seems like it’s happening a lot more, but then things settle down, and we all sort of get back into daily routines, and I don’t know.

Greta: I’m hoping, if there is an apocalypse, that it’s a zombie apocalypse. I feel like I’m the most prepared to deal with that kind of apocalypse.

Marni: Really? Well, I’ll have to get some tips on how to survive the zombie apocalypse.

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Discussion

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Marni tells Greta that she has been getting ready for the big event at the end of 2012: the end of the Mayan calendar. Marni describes a cartoon that she saw in which two Mayans realized that ending the calendar would probably scare people. She thinks the cartoon was funny, but she also doesn’t know what to think about the end of time.

Greta thinks the whole thing is pretty silly. She asks Marni what kind of apocalypse she predicts will happen. Marni brings up all the extreme weather that’s been happening recently. She thinks the apocalypse could look something like that.

Greta takes a more humorous approach. She says that if zombies arrive for the apocalypse, then she’ll be ready.

Have you heard about the theory that the world is going to end on December 21? Do you believe it? If the world was going to end, what would you do to prepare?

Comments

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Sid_indore

India

well its the result of that thinking which comes from frustrating same daily routine and hopinig that it should all end this way.

DominikLi

China

I didn’t believe it at all,but still looking forward what will happen that day.But for guys,who believes that the day would be the doomsday,began to try their best to say sorry to people they used to argue or fight with,and some young people also began to say”I love you”to the one they love,cause they were afraid that maybe they could never show their love to their sweethearts.People just say what they think,it made me felt really warm:D

yuminaga

China

everything will settle down, we will get back to out daily routines ,the apocalypis was popular those days, who knows what form the apocalypis would take? noboda!I was not freaking out at all ,how come? if it was true ,I would die with people around the world so i would not be lonely ,should I be happy for this?

djh0768

China

i am at home and i donnot believe 21st , the the end of world

Persian Gulf Girl

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

When will come the next lesson?

Grammarist

United Arab Emirates

I do not know but I heard many people, who believe in Apocalypse, committed suicide; others built some shelters under the ground, spending money for such a date.

zsmh

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

today was December 23rd, it means that we re the only survivers of apocalypse.

ballin25

United Kingdom

leran english not had you can leran kukli how you can i leran 5 language .

i love life

Palestinian Territory, Occupied

In the beginning this topic was violent between others specially to those people who are having an poor faith , I would like to say about this matter Only God know what the end of time will happens Nobody else , we are educated people , How we can think about it as the same time we have a big faith in God , when you think about lots of blessing God which gave you for living happily , I wonder How those people are normal , they have an different mind , we couldn’t feel it .

For me we have many things should happens before the end of time , we call this day the doomsday or the judgement day ,I’m talking about the Islamic religion , when these things are happens we can say the end of time will happens soon .

God Love us , God respect us , God give us everything for liveing with the happiness , let’s God alone , we should think How we can fellow God on the correct way.

MINA~seven

China

It is just a matter of time.Everything could change in a second,maybe it’s not the time on December 21th,2012.Nothing would happen until we die,or it will happern next moment.

Orchestra

Russian Federation

Thank God, we’re all still alive, guys!)) Come on! That’s a storm in a teacup! Mayans just reckoned, 21.12.12 would be just a date of a great change – it’s a kind of a day when one cycle’s giving way to another one! Nothing more! Other stuff is just speculations aimed to freak you all out and fill pockets with money of those who’re freaking most of all.

However, I’d been rather afraid of someone launchung the nuclear bomb and the stuff! So thus, we humans are the most likely to be the source of the destruction to me

shima97

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

I dont believe in it….....wrong theory!!!

nancy1314118

China

We have nothing to do if this legend is true.So we must keep the right attitude .

Merry Christmas to all of you .

Pieterwindmill

Netherlands

HELP ME!! THE MAYA’S ARE COMING!!! I see a maya outside of mine window he is seeing me now!! I have to go away now!!!!!!!!!! HELPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!

ballin25

United Kingdom

If you single not learn mach ?

Joyce Rose

China

dreadslayer.Ok,that’s your opinion.Maybeyou have a right attitude about it, Everybody has their own opinions about it. But i don’t think the scientist are wrong,because they dare not say if they don’t have a reason.In a word,I believe the sicence. By the way. Merry Christmas to all of you.

naira71

Azerbaijan

I heard about it,and many my relatieves worried of the end of the world.I have never beleieved in this idea.Really we must not fear some danger out the Universe. It is more dangerous the situation taking plase on our planet.Global disasters,ruins,wars in some regions,all this situation must make us think of our future and our planet.

Irene Forever

Ukraine

goldenboy2

Thank you.:)

Merry Christmas!

zedikus.sextus

Gabon

hmmm. the wold cannot end, but humans can end. watcth out!

hopewhole

Russian Federation

I hear about it. But it is just the end of Mayans calendar, not the end of the word. I I have read interview with scintist who studies the Maya, she said that think about the end of the word is a big misteke Maya did not write about it does not mean it