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Fate
Fate

Learn English: Meaning of Fate

Date: Feb 28 2020

Themes: Time

Grammar: You're vs. Your

Intro

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Life can feel like a mystery. Some experiences might feel like bad luck, and others like good fortune. It may rain on the day you forgot to bring your umbrella with you. Or you might get all green lights when you’re late to school. We say that it’s fate when we feel like we can’t control what is happening.

But not everyone believes in fate. Some people feel that they can control the way things turn out and nothing is left to destiny. For people who believe in fate, they may just go with the flow and not worry too much about making things happen.

Brian and Rafael talk about if they believe in destiny. Find out more in today’s English lesson about fate.

Dialog

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

Brian

Brian

Rafael

Rafael

Brian:  Hey, Rafa. Do you believe in fate?

Rafael:  No, Brian. Do you?

Brian:  Sometimes I think things happen for a reason. Sometimes relationships end or you get a new job because that’s where you really should be later on in life.

Rafael:  I think people say that to console themselves about the pain. Like if they break up with their girlfriend. “It happened for a reason. My soul mate’s still out there.” Is that kind of where you’re coming from?

Brian:  No. There have been many times where I’ve actually broken up with someone, and in hindsight I see why that relationship wasn’t working out. And I think that that was fate and it made me who I am now.

Rafael:  Let me tell you something, man. You have control over your life.

Brian:  I think that some things were meant to be. And you find that out through experiences. You don’t believe in destiny at all?

Rafael:  Nah.

Brian:  So, you’re responsible for all your failures and all your successes?

Rafael:  Definitely. Come talk to me when you decide to take charge of your own independence.

Brian:  Or maybe we’ll just happen into the conversation by luck and fate.

 

Grammar Point

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Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

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Brian believes in fate. He feels that the situations in his life, good and bad, all happen for a reason that he might not be able to control. Brian feels comfortable with knowing that fate exists and that all of his experiences are meant to be.

Rafael doesn’t share Brian’s view about destiny. Rafael thinks that people can control how everything turns out. He feels that people who believe in fate use it as a way to console themselves when they may be going through a bad situation. Instead of saying that something happened because of fate, Rafael feels like people should just take control and move on with their lives.

Do you believe in fate? How much of your life is under your control?

 

Comments

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 julito

julito

Argentina

@Oluna ,Hello


I agree 100% with you.  Fate  doesn`t mean that we have to pessimistic, we should strive to be  the change if things are likely to turn bad for us. Been possitive always, if not, as you commented ,that destiny decide.

12:24 PM Feb 18 2015 |

3 people like this

Oluna

Oluna

Russian Federation

I believe in fate because there are some things that can happen and you can’t control them. I think Fate is something huge we can’t comprehend…and in generally your life flows in accordance with it. At the same time in daily life much depends on you, your decisions, actions…So we can change ourselves, believe and try to make something better. If we can’t do or change anything we want…so fate decided ))

12:10 PM Feb 18 2015 |

ScienceBoy

ScienceBoy

Turkey

Thanks dear S&W, I am glad you found my comment reasonable.


@mojtaba, 


Nice story indeed. It’s the first time I read this story.


@julito and imtiaz433


I agree with both of you :)

11:32 AM Feb 18 2015 |

imtiaz433

imtiaz433

Pakistan

Well I think there is a very little portion of our life that is in our control. rest s controlled by Allah. and everything is written already what happens in our life. We are only given the choice of chosing good one and bad ones. whatever we chose, life gets controlled by that. :) :)

11:15 AM Feb 18 2015 |

mojtaba

mojtaba

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

Maybe you read this before but read it again just for fun



Destiny


During a momentous battle, a Japanese general decided to attack even though his army was greatly outnumbered. He was confident they would win, but his men were filled with doubt.

On the way to the battle, they stopped at a religious shrine. After praying with the men, the general took out a coin and said, “I shall now toss this coin. If it is heads, we shall win. If it is tails we shall lose.” 

“Destiny will now reveal itself.” 

He threw the coin into the air and all watched intently as it landed. It was heads. The soldiers were so overjoyed and filled with confidence that they vigorously attacked the enemy and were victorious. 

After the battle. a lieutenant remarked to the general, “No one can change destiny.” 

“Quite right,” the general replied as he showed the lieutenant the coin, which had heads on both sides.

10:53 AM Feb 18 2015 |

 julito

julito

Argentina

Dear @S&W


It wasn`t you who said ” the older ,the wiser . ?  hehehehehehehe

10:48 AM Feb 18 2015 |

2 people like this

S&W

S&W

China

Dear friends(mojtaba,shoba,scienceboy,Julito) Thank you for new year greetings.


@Julito It seems like you were not confused by choosing words“Sheep,goat,ram”.Did you read the news about many America medias were confused by this,they had no idea about which words is the right one.Honestly ,i don’t know either.But for me sheep is the best.


@shoba I will think of you and decide to eat more.hehehe


@scienceboy your explanation on fate was reasonable and comprehensive.Does a science student always excel at logical?

10:38 AM Feb 18 2015 |

 julito

julito

Argentina

Dear S&W
Happy new year !! My friend, you are entering the year of the sheep.
God is the controller of the universe. We mortal beings can control things to a certain point and our so-called free will has also its limits.
For me, there is not such a thing as bad luck -good luck, everything happens for a reason.

09:27 AM Feb 18 2015 |

ScienceBoy

ScienceBoy

Turkey

@S&W,


My dear friend, Happy New Year, enjoy the festival.

08:29 AM Feb 18 2015 |

2 people like this

ScienceBoy

ScienceBoy

Turkey

Yes I belive in destiny. In this life everything has a purpose. And things happen for a reason. But believing in destiny doesn’t mean I believe I have no control. I have control over my actions for sure but there are things beyond our contol, aren’t there?


People just misundertand destiny. 


Sometimes people who denies fate think they control everything. But actually we even cannot contol our own body. We cannot stop our hearth beating or cannot make it beat again once it stopped. Destiny says “We are not God”.


In the other hand sometimes people who believs in destiny are tend to blame their fate for their actions. But they cannot as we have our wills. So you cannot kill someone and then claim that was your fate so you are innocent.


So we have our self control but we cannot control everyhing. That’s what I learnt. I just wanted to share my opinion. 


08:28 AM Feb 18 2015 |

Shoba

Shoba

Sri Lanka



Hi dear S&W,


I wish you a very happy and prosperous new year. Enoy your spring festival and think of me when you sit to eat your special new year meal!




05:52 AM Feb 18 2015 |

Shoba

Shoba

Sri Lanka



I don’t believe in fate. I think our life is simply a reflection of our actions. We normally say, “We reap what we sow.”


I am sure my life is totally under my control. But people who have had some bitter experiences say that life can be very cruel and unfair sometimes and we should learn to take things as they come along. 



05:44 AM Feb 18 2015 |

mojtaba

mojtaba

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

@ s&w


Happy your new year


But about fate,if we have a goal and try for it surely god help us


03:52 AM Feb 18 2015 |

S&W

S&W

China

I believed an old saying“Man proposes,God disposes” which was concluded by our wise ancestor,what make sences in real life.For anything,There always has 10 or 20 percent was uncertain.We’d like to boild down this uncertain part to fate and luck.


Today is our Spring festival.Hope all your new year dreams come true!!!

01:48 AM Feb 18 2015 |

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