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Apocalypse 2012
简体
Apocalypse 2012
2012 世界末日

Learn English with this apocalypse English lesson

Date: Dec 21 2012

Themes: News

Grammar: Comparatives and Superlatives

Intro

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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.

对你来说,2012 年 12 月 21 日意味着什么?如果你只是将这一天当做冬至,或是圣诞节前的第四天,那你一定听过新闻吧,这一天是中美洲玛雅古人历法中的世界末日。而且这种观点得到了一些人的认可,他们认为这一天将是时间的尽头。

也就是说,很多人都陷入极度恐慌中,他们认为世界末日即将来临。僵尸还是超级风暴,没人知道会是哪一种形式。也有很多人持怀疑态度。在这节英语课中,听听玛尼和格里塔是否相信世界末日一说。

Dialog

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Marni

Marni

Greta

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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princessanika

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

the end of calendar your mean is christmas is near people can’t wait for that day cause that is very good day and people say marry christmas?good.people should get ready for new year and again make a new life,amazing i like it:)

11:13 AM Dec 21 2012 |

kotlesya

kotlesya

Belarus

julito do you remember my comment on the lesson “Travelling alone” ? Well, I decline my trip either ;)


By the way  I’m also not that young and I did my part on this blue planet as well. :) 


Come what may and “Let it be” :)



11:10 AM Dec 21 2012 |

1 person likes this

Dorothee

Dorothee

Germany

Why I know about this Mayan prophecy and still don’t worry:


>Even though the Mayan calendar ends today they never said that the world would get destroyed on December 21, 2012. They only said that a Mayan god would come down to Earth on that day.


>During their last years as a mighty empire the Maya had other things to worry about than what would happen in the weeks /months /years after this date. A drought caused a famine in this area and since this famine weakened them other peoples saw their chance to attack the Mayan empire. There was a lot of war against the Maya during this time and it destroyed their culture more or less completely.


>Scientists found an ancient and thus authentic Mayan scripture in which a Mayan author claimed that the world would exist for at least another 7.000 years.


>According to the news the descendants of the Maya who are still alive today are upset about this “nonsense” we interpret into the scriptures their ancestors wrote. Why would they be upset if we were right and the makers of the Mayan calendar really meant to say that today would be mankind’s last day?

10:57 AM Dec 21 2012 |

FUN777

FUN777

Egypt

Well, i think there is an apocalypse for sure i believe it, it’s not necessary to be today, but it’s going to happen someday definitely. According to my religion Islam there will come a day it will be the end of the world and it will be nothing we can do, i think all we have to do in life generally and to prepare for that day especially is to believe in God, be good people, spread peace and love each other.

10:56 AM Dec 21 2012 |

nastaran.k

nastaran.k

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

I do not believe it at all.As our Quran says that nobody can predict the end of the world(dooms day).I’m too relax and I’m sure that nothing will happen today. I suggest you to be relax too and do not belieave those silly predictions.         

10:55 AM Dec 21 2012 |

1 person likes this

Irene Forever

Ukraine

korhansaresimge, as far as I know one of the  places that supposed to be safe from the end of the world is Bugarach situated at the foot of Pic de Bugarach in France. But there is no possibility to get there anymore as it’s guarding by gendarmery 24/7.


“Only residents of Bugarach, a tiny French village at the foot of the Pyrenees, are supposed to survive the end of the world when the Mayan calendar ends on December 21. According to New Agers, the local mountain has magical powers as a gate between different worlds. With the supposed apocalypse just months away, the mayor of Bugarach fears that his town will be overrun with visitors.” (quotation)


There are 4 other places safe in the case of apocalypse: The Himalayas Mountains, China, Sierra Nevada, Arizona, USA, Africa.


Funny, isn’t it.:)

10:45 AM Dec 21 2012 |

 julito

julito

Argentina

Dear Lesya, I must decline  our friend invitation, i am not that young , I did my part  on this  planet earth  or as Paul Anka´s  lirics  goes,: regrets I have a few ,then again too few to mention. Anyway , thanks  dear korhansaresimge.  :))))))

10:35 AM Dec 21 2012 |

kotlesya

kotlesya

Belarus

julito if we are still all alive would you like the idea korhansaresimge suggested ? ;)


korhansaresimge  you are hospitable and friendly. Thanks for invitation. :)


10:26 AM Dec 21 2012 |

Levi3262

Levi3262

Brazil

I think that, the world may have its end.. but no one ever is supposed to discover this… like it’s not possible to foresee a natural disaster completly , and another thing I trust, mankind is supposed to make the Earth die, due the way we’ve been using it for centuries..

10:20 AM Dec 21 2012 |

 julito

julito

Argentina

ELENA, happy birthday !!!! 

10:12 AM Dec 21 2012 |

 julito

julito

Argentina

I know that around the world many people are  uptight  about the impending  possibilty that this is the last day  of  our planet, I don´t think so, I am  a cheerful soul and I wish all of English, baby members a merry christmas , full of joy and hopes for the next year as well !!!!!

Irene Forever

Ukraine

l..Romance..l,


Oh, no! Irina, why do you think like that? Stop crying! I am with you, not so far from Russia. And I don’t cry. I am happy, really happy that there is a new day for love! You are a young girl and all your beautiful life is ahead with lots of surprises. :)

09:47 AM Dec 21 2012 |

l..Romance..l

Russian Federation

Since the morning I’m feeling that something’s wrong. This is scary atmosphere today. I don’t know what will happen or not happen. But I’m waiting for something. Everybody are joking but I want to cry. I amn’t afraid. I just want it happens!

09:30 AM Dec 21 2012 |

Irene Forever

Ukraine

Yesterday I met  one of my neighbors  carrying a big plastic bag of matches. So I could see them through the transparent packet. I wonder, how long she will burn them down.  Maybe  they are enough till the next apocalypse. :)When I asked her why she had bought so many boxes of matches, she told me that she had a lack of them at home.:)))

Elena slc

Elena slc

Russian Federation

We all definitely heard about that theory. And when I first knew about that (about 1 or 2 years ago) I thought that was just silly. Well, I have nothing to prepare for. Today`s just my b-day and this is all that the date means for me, ...or and it is almost 10 days before 2013!

08:36 AM Dec 21 2012 |

Eleniya

Eleniya

Russian Federation

We lived, we live and we will live! 

08:18 AM Dec 21 2012 |

Moriza

Moriza

Ukraine

Not only adults but little children have heard about Apocalypse.Everything has its end.So,if it should be -it will be.  “When?”-nobody knows it.My advice is from the qoute of Mahatma Gandhi “Live as if you were to die tomorrow.Learn as if you were to live forever.”

Persian Gulf Girl

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

last night Dec.21 was the winter solstice “the longest night of year” and in Iran its called “Yalda Night”.Iranians  celebrate it based on a very old and antient tradition. Families and relatives get together specially youngers go to their parent’s and grandparent’s and spend the night eating delicious foods, nuts, fruits and reading Hafez poems.We spent the last night along with our families happily without haveing the least worries about the ending of  time because based on our religion instructions nobody can predict the end of time and JUST God knows that.

I M P E R I V M

United States

According to the Bible tomorrow the world does NOT end… But tomorrow will start the last era for humanity the one that it is written that if it was not shortened nobody will survive, in this era all religions will be vanished (in most countries except Israel and the islamic nations), marriage will be obsolete, people will become very violent, there will be tsunamis and earthquakes (probably caused by global warming) and many wars will take place the FIRST one (take note so you can see I said the thruth) will be one where Israel will attack Iran and then forced to part its land forced by the global community

03:27 AM Dec 21 2012 |

joanna-decision

China

Today is dec.21,2012.and everything is normal!

03:09 AM Dec 21 2012 |

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