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Seize the Moment

Learn English with this babies English lesson

Date: Apr 16 2013

Themes: Soap Opera

Grammar: Present Perfect Progressive

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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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Sometimes if feels as if you have all the time in the world. You may have a list of some things you want to take care of, but it doesn’t matter. If you don’t do them today, you can do them tomorrow. It feels as if time is just an open road ahead of you.

But the truth is, time isn’t infinite. There are things that you need to do right away, or else you’ll lose your chance. These things can be as unimportant as using a pass to the movies before it expires, or as serious as visiting with a relative who’s sick in the hospital. In cases like those, it’s important that you seize the moment, instead of waiting until it’s too late.

Mason is ready to seize the moment about an important issue. Amanda, on the other hand, still wants to wait. Find out what the important issue is in this 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.

Mason: Hey, Amanda, sounds like the big promotion with Greta Vanderlake’s not going so great.

Amanda: Actually, the response has been pretty huge. I just can’t seem to get Greta to seize the moment. She’s really been dragging her feet on this whole thing. And it’s a shame, because once this promotion happens, it’s gonna get crazy around here.

Mason: You know exactly what I was thinking. You and I both know that this is going big, this company is doing big stuff. I think we should seize the moment to do something big and important.

Amanda: Are you talking about the babies?

Mason: No, it’s more about timing. It’s just that now is a really good time for us to have a baby! I just think we should seize the moment before it’s gone forever.

Amanda: Mason, we got married like 5 minutes ago. Maybe we could enjoy being newlyweds before we dive into this whole having a kid thing.

Mason: I think you’re not thinking about it. Why don’t we ask Jeff what he thinks. I feel he’s on my side with this one.

Jeff: Are you guys talking about skydiving?

Mason: No.

Jeff: Because in the karaoke contest I won…I told you about that, right?

Mason: Yes.

Jeff: I won a gift certificate to go skydiving. I admit, I was a little nervous at first, but I figured I should seize the moment. I’m young…do something crazy like skydive.

Mason: Dude, don’t you have a bad back?

Amanda: And a bad knee?

Mason: You go to the chiropractor like once a week.

Amanda: Are you really sure this is a good idea? Do you have any skydiving experience whatsoever?

Jeff: We had a trampoline when I younger. Do you think I should do it?

Lily: Yeah. Seize the moment, man.

Grammar Point

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Discussion

Go Super to Listen

Mason has something important he wants to discuss with Amanda. Since the promotion with Greta isn’t going great, he thinks it might be time to move forward with having a baby. He believes that the company is going to do great things, but since not much is happening at the moment, he thinks that now is a good time to start a family.

Amanda just isn’t ready yet. The two of them just got married, and she thinks it would be fine for them to wait awhile.

It turns out that Jeff is trying to decide whether to seize the moment, too. His prize for winning the karaoke contest was a gift certificate to go skydiving. He’s never done it before, but he thinks now might be the time. Mason and Amanda aren’t sure that it would be a great idea for him to seize the moment. He has back and knee problems that could be upset by extreme sports. Lily thinks it’s a good idea, though, and since Jeff has a crush on her, he may listen.

Can you think of a time when you had to decide whether or not to seize the moment? How did you decide, and what did you do?

Comments

Winmay

China

When I’m in a dilemma, I will ask myself, to be or not to be. Or I lose the moment.

yun118

Antarctica

I don’t understand the first and second paragraphes.

Anyone can help me?

Fatima888

Russian Federation

My husband wasn”t sure if its a good time to be my spouse. but I knew it was the right time and told him about it, so he seized the moment. We are married))

masoudhsn

Canada

I believe everybody in their enytire life has some kind of opportunity to sieze the moment. As getting a great move is crucial to be successful in any situation, we should pay attention to all aspects of that. Dragging you foot in these sort of conditions isn’t acceptable because you will lose you chance if you hesitate.

Ngubo Sixtus

South Africa

when you are willing to do something you better try it rather than waiting for unknown time to come. seize a moment is a right way to win.

LiJie

China

Actually, by contrast, i prefer to draging your feet, doing something slowly. Why do i need to complete thousands of things in limited time?Just because of seizing the moment? I don’t think so. enjoying my life is more important for me. On the other hand, when I harry up to do something before i’m totally ready, the result mabe worse than i imagine. So i prefer to be slowly and waitting for a perfect ending coming.

DarknessLight

Germany

I always try to seize the moment when my parents are in a good mood when I want to ask them for something. Of course it’s preceded by a lot of hesitation and preparations to come up with perfect reasons for why I want this particular thing. It’s not always successful but at least I tried.

Olivine

Indonesia

i would question myself if i really really want to seize the moment or not, ask an advice from wiser person and ask the opinion from people that would be affected by my decision. There are also some situations, when we know that we do not have to wait, by doing the first step and something would come out after

struggling

Tunisia

Carpe di em = seize the moment ;

in latin :)

Ya Nina

Kazakhstan

I’m deeply sure that it is very important to do all that you can today but not put off on tomorrow. It can be whatsoever because those things which today we consider as unimportant, tomorrow can become life-saving for you or for your close people. So assure that we have to try to seize the moment or if you can’t you should learn it. I can give many instances such situations when we have to seize the moment otherwise you regret about undone things or acts to the end of your life.

For example, how’s important to visit a relative or other close man in the hospital even if you are sure that he will be fine, to say how you love him. Finally that man suddenly died and you thank God that you have time to see him and to say such important words. It is very important to understand that if somebody asks you about help, money, kind words, attention or something else you should do all possible and impossible so that to give him as what he have asked you. We have to remember that he need help right now but not whenever in the future. Otherwise tomorrow it may be late.

Son of English

Hong Kong

Don’t worry about tomorrow, just seize the moment. Unless you’re planning to do something really bad…then don’t seize it.

Irene Forever

Ukraine

It’s not simple to remember such an experience, but I will try. It was connected with my current job. My decision was unexpected, and I did my best and even more to make it possible to do what I’ve been doing for many years by now. It was just my chance, and I didn’t miss it.

As for the dialog… Amanda is not ready to be a mother, so no force must be done towards having a baby. It’s a serious responsibility to have a child and to raise it. A woman is more important in making such a decision than a man. Seizing a moment is not an appropriate thing to do for both yet.

Kbag

China

a good big stuff

reda93

Germany

Seize the Moment or opportunities will pass over the clouds

Moriza

Ukraine

Seize the moment – master English with Ebaby and share your thoughts,experience with ebabians!

Seize the moment – be happy and celebrate the life!

zhaleh hoor

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

There is one time that I missed the chance of attending university by not studying the first time that i should! i postponed it and I had to change my field and instead of being a surgeon ,what I liked to be, studying English literature!

zhaleh hoor

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

carpe diem, seize the day, seize the moment, all say that time is flying! do what u really want,listen to your sound inside , and do what you really deserve! not to be regretful tomorrow!

GATHER ye Rose-buds while ye may,

Old Time is still a flying:

And this same flower that smiles to day,

To morrow will be dying.

“robert Herrick”

sherryleio

China

You never know what will happen tomorrow! So list the things you want to do, and start to do them now.

We may have been dreaming to one place for long, but just think we have no time or money is not enough. Or we want to learn dancing, singing or drawing, but we are not yong any more. so what? seize the moment, just do it! we do not want to feel regret when we leave the world someday. Being given a chance to be a human being, we need to cherish, don’t we?

lion tear

Yemen

Life is all oppurtunities if one does not sieze valuable moments, they would lose a lot.

DAMAVAND

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

While we are young, we should seize the moment to know our parents, live with them and love them, time passes for everyone just memories can be remained, one day will come that you wish could step back in time and be just one moment with your parents.