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Small World

Learn English meaning of 'small world'

Date: May 05 2015

Themes: Friend, How To, Romance, Soap Opera, Work

Grammar: Split Infinitives

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Intro

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

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Most of the time, the planet Earth feels like a big place. It can be difficult to truly understand what’s happening in countries that are far away from us. Sometimes it’s even difficult to understand what’s happening in other parts of our own city.

There are times, though, when it can feel like we’re living in a very small world. It usually happens when we’re not expecting it, which is why the feeling is so incredible. Maybe you see a friend in another country, when you didn’t know that he was taking a vacation. Perhaps he’s in your favorite restaurant in this country, eating your favorite dish. Or maybe he’s having dinner with another close friend that you didn’t realize that he even knew. Now that’s living in a small world. And it happens all the time!

Sara didn’t know that Kellie knows Gary. Kellie knows Marni, too. Of course Gary and Marni know each other, too. Who knew? Read on in today’s surprising 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.

Sara_R

Kellie

Gary

Sara_R: Gary, I have a package for… Wait. What are you doing here?

Kellie: Oh my gosh! Small world. Do you deliver packages to these guys?

Gary: For the last six months at least, right?

Sara_R: Six months exactly. How did you know that?

Gary: I don’t know. Just a good guess.

Sara_R: You still haven’t explained why you’re here.

Kellie: Oh, right. My friend Marni, the one who knew about the apartment we want… she used to work here. She’s out getting us some coffee.

Sara_R: I know Marni. She used to always try to set me up with someone.

Gary: Really? Who was that?

Sara_R: I can’t remember. This is too funny.

Gary: So, tell us about being a bike messenger. How does it work?

Sara_R: It’s pretty straightforward. My supervisor texts me an address. I ride there to pick something up. And they give me the address where I need to take the package. I let my supervisor know when I’m done, and it starts all over again.

Kellie: I feel like bike messengers are usually guys. Do they give you a hard time for being a woman?

Sara_R: There are a lot of women who work for my company. It’s pretty standard now.

Gary: That’s so cool.

Sara_R: Look, I have to go. Talk to you soon, Kellie.

Kellie: I can’t wait.

Gary: So, you and Sara are going to be roommates? That really is a small world.

Kellie: Yep. And you have a crush on Sara, don’t you?

Gary: Oh, please. I have work to do.

Grammar Point

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Discussion

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Sara stops at StarScoop.com with a package for Gary and finds her new friend Kellie in the office. What a surprise! Kellie explains that her friend Marni from school used to work in the office with Gary, which is why she’s there. Of course Sara already knows Marni, because Sara has worked as a bike messenger in the building for six months. It’s a small world.

Gary wants to know about Sara’s job as a bike messenger. She explains how it works, and they all learn that it’s quite straightforward. It seems like Sara likes her job. And Kellie thinks that Gary likes Sara, but he doesn’t want to talk about it.

Do you feel like you live in a small world? What have you experienced to make you feel that way?

Comments

Shoba

Sri Lanka

I just love your poem, Naveen. Thanks for sharing it here.

Naveen Singh Shahi

India

When I was in 3rd class my Hindi book has a poem “Bus itna sa hi hai sansaar!”

I’ll try to translate this poem the small sparrow singing this poem

“When I was a baby I think the world is only my egg,

When I become a young baby I think the nest is the only the globe and

When I started flying in the sky I see the entire earth is so large

But when I met people again and again that time I see earth is so small world”

Sergijko

Ukraine

Two year ago in summer I met my workmate on a vacation in city far from my native one. It was so incredible and unexpectable. Small world for everyone.

evil_genius

Turkey

yes indeed so many times. I even have a saying for that,

world is small and friends are near :)

Shoba

Sri Lanka

Thanks, ScienceBoy.

To be honest, I have the habit of writing short, funny stories in my own language. So what I write here are sometimes true, sometimes they are just fictional.

But whatever it is, EB lessons provide me a great opportunity to practice my writing skills and have some fun at the same time.

NIJ321655

United States

Small word could be like I love you and I miss you How are you doing.

ScienceBoy

Turkey

Shoba, what an interesting life you have.

You have a hilarious memory for every lesson :D

s11211s

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

If you see someone who you like him\her and you don’t expect to see, it will be interesting to you, but when you see someone you don’t like her\him, it makes you feel bad
I have both of those experience that I mentioned.
Yes sometimes I feel we live in a small world! Although I haven’t had this feel for a long time! And hope not have this feel again!

Mehdi23

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

i just can say ” i like this lesson”

melena89

Algeria

In my first day at job i meets one of my adolecent freinds works in the same company, small world

Shoba

Sri Lanka

One Sunday I lied at home that I had science seminar and went to beach with my friends. There I came face to face with one of my uncles who lived miles away from our place.

On that day, I felt that I was not only living in a small world, but also a terrible world where liars get caught easily.