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Give the Cold Shoulder

Learn English with this dating English lesson

Date: Mar 26 2013

Themes: Romance, Soap Opera

Grammar: Present Progressive Tense

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Intro

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

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

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When someone is paying attention to you, you get a nice, warm feeling. It might even feel as if that person is giving off a glow, and you are warming yourself at the fire. You may want to stay and bask in their warmth for as long as you can.

But when someone treats you badly, or ignores you, you feel a chill. It’s as if the whole room gets colder. Rather than turning towards you and showing you their face and warm smile, that person has turned their back on you. They have given you the cold shoulder.

Jeff has his eye on the new intern in the office, and someone feels as if she’s getting the cold shoulder. Find out who’s feeling frozen in this dating English lesson.

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.

Jeff

Lily

Greta

Jeff: So, uh, you like chocolate, huh? I mean…

Lily: It’s OK. I’m actually more of a salty than sweet person.

Jeff: Really?

Lily: Yeah.

Jeff: That’s so weird. I mean, you know, cool…epic?

Lily: OK. I’m gonna go see if Amanda has that paperwork ready for me. OK…

Jeff: Oh, hey, Greta.

Greta: “Oh, hey, Greta”?

Jeff: What?

Greta: Nothing. I just don’t think you’ve ever oh-hey-Greta-ed me before.

Jeff: You know, just trying to practice sounding a little younger.

Greta: Why are you trying to sound younger?

Jeff: Uh, you know, my doctor. Cholesterol, or something.

Greta: I think you’re trying to impress that little cheerleader over there. But that doesn’t mean that you can give me the cold shoulder.

Jeff: Cold shoulder? Do you want my jacket or something?

Greta: No. OK, do you remember how excited you were to meet me? And what a big fan of mine you are? And now it’s like you hardly even look at me. It just…it feels like you’re giving me the cold shoulder.

Jeff: I don’t know what you’re talking about. It’s not like that. Just…hang on. Hey, can I help you with that?

Lily: Sure.

Jeff: What…what are you doing?

Greta: Jeff, why don’t you try this new wine I just started endorsing. It’s called Ruby Danger, because, you know, I think that danger is way more exciting than those innocent, naive little milkmaid types, don’t you?

Jeff: Really? Wait, the wine is called Ruby Danger? What a ridiculous name. Are you serious?

Greta: OK. You know what? Forget it. I was going to suggest that you create a fake profile and maybe get in the running to start dating me, but you know what? I’m done. Forget it. You can have your teenager.

Jeff: What? Where do you…Is it because of the wine thing? Are you giving me the cold shoulder?

Grammar Point

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Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

Go Super to Listen

Jeff is trying to impress Lily by talking about things that he thinks young people like. He’s not very successful. He’s so busy talking to Lily that he doesn’t notice Greta coming into the office.

Greta is surprised by this, because Jeff used to be so excited to talk to her. She feels as if Jeff is paying too much attention to the new young intern, and giving her the cold shoulder.

When Jeff walks away to go help Lily with her coat, Greta gets ready to impress him when he comes back. She pours two glasses of wine. Jeff isn’t excited by the wine, though, and he thinks Ruby Danger is a silly name for wine, anyway. Greta has had enough. She was going to try to get Jeff to date her, but now he’s lost his chance. And it’s her chance to give Jeff the cold shoulder.

Has someone ever given you the cold shoulder? How did it feel? Do you think Jeff should date Lily or Greta?

Comments

Levi3262

Brazil

How could Jeff be so dumb…? lol !

Orchestra

Russian Federation

I guess, since Jeff’s not tied yet, he can feel free to have an affair with any girl he wants. Certainly, taking a detached view I see Jeff as a true scum paying too much court to one attractive younger girl and giving the go-by to another one who apparently wants to be one he’s courting to. But, in accordance with classic rules of the genre, he’ll soon get betrayed or just disillusioned and then the geniune values of love and romance will be hit on and he’ll change his mind. Love… Peace.. Happines… Kisse.. Marriage…Hurray! .... Yet.. Who knows??))

julito

Argentina

My point of view is that if in the past Jeff was hitting on Greta and now he is trying to impress a new coworker and in the process giving Greta the cold shoulder ,this sounds weird and mean on part of him. I think that he is holding a tiger by its tail and it won´t be long before he gets hurt.

Erise

Poland

How to cope with the feeling of “giving the cold shoulder”? Of course we deal with negative feelings.

The most important is to undertand that here exactly the interlocutor has the problem not we do. We can only help a person with kindness of understanding. Well, in most cases, I guess.

ghost.w0506

Germany

the dialouqe isn t nice, grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Ngubo Sixtus

South Africa

i always give my ex girlfriend cold shoulder because i ‘m still jaloeus of her.

Olivine

Indonesia

It looks like jeff easily likes new girls. jeff should try to date the cheerleader, greta deserves someone better.

if a stranger gives a cold shoulder, i would just pass by instead of getting mad and let it disrupt my day. Maybe s/he is mad by something else, envy or even nuts hehe

zhaleh hoor

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

I give nobody cold shoulder intentionally! Overall I don’t like giving others cold shoulder because the first person that will be affected is u urself not that person that u’ve ignored!

nana2013

United Arab Emirates

nice story,but we must ignore those (cold sholder) because they make me ungry

mansoormansoory

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

I hope all won’t face the cold shoulder.

Francescobisca

Italy

It happened to me several time getting cold shoulder. Well, After I fell in those embarassing situation I learned deal with them. Actually, I think all people are so strange. I mean the best thing you can do is just let it go and find for someone else. People like Jeff are really immature that deserve the same treatment.

✰Nikki✰

United States

Ha Ha Ha! This was much fun to watch. I love a good pun. Ruby Danger and innocent naive milkmaid types!! Way to go, Greta! Come on Jeff, put your thinking cap on and use your noodle! Don’t play the naive, childlike soul ;-)

Englishty

Egypt

Of course it’s rude to give someone the cold shoulder but it gets worse when you’re given the cold shoulder by close someone to you as Jeff did with Greta, for me if this happens to me once i would ask if something wrong is happening but if it happens again i’d rather staying away.

goodmahsa

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

I think many of us have experienced giving or getting cold shoulder and I should admit it really hurts when others give you cold shoulder especially when there is no clear reason , but when it happens to me I use a silent treatment and since I believe in you reap what you sow I behave him/her exactly the same way and most of the times it works and even it doesn’t ,that’s ok cause doesn’t hurt me anymore and loses its importance.