English, baby!

Stress Mopping

Date: Jul 08 2008

Themes: Friend, Soap Opera

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Intro

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

trick
chips

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

Here’s a surefire way to get your house clean: worrying. How many times have you been faced with a difficult decision, and in order not to think about the topic at hand, you’ll invent any distraction. Suddenly cleaning seems urgent and worthy of your full attention.

Marni has something to figure out. What’s she going to do about this trip she’s supposed to take to Las Vegas? She’s supposed to meet up with the guy she met online, but she was warned not to by his crazy ex-girlfriend. What to do? At least her kitchen floor is looking good. Take a look.

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.

Marni

Beren

Marni: God. This floor is so filthy.

Beren: Whoa, whoa. Are you stressed about something?

Marni: Yeah.

Beren: What?

Marni: I guess I’m stress mopping.

Beren: What are you stressed about?

Marni: Everything’s going wrong lately. I had this trip to Vegas planned and now I’m not gonna go…

Beren: You’re not going to Vegas?

Marni: No.

Beren: Why?

Marni: I didn’t tell you?

Beren: No.

Marni: So basically, Kathy69…remember her? John’s ex? She literally comes knocking on my window to warn me about John.

Beren: Knocked on your window?

Marni: Literally on my window.

Beren: You live on the 10th floor.

Marni: Yeah. She climbed up my fire escape and knocked on my window to warn me about John. She went to Vegas to meet him, apparently…

Beren: She’s clearly insane though. She climbed up 10 stories and knocked on your window?

Marni: Well, she wanted to warn me about him. Apparently she was almost traded for poker chips.

Beren: I don’t…that…Do you know this Kathy69? I don’t believe it.

Marni: No, but…

Beren: I think she’s just messing with you.

Marni: Why would she do that?

Beren: She likes John. She’s in love with him.

Marni: Ugh! I’m such an idiot. I don’t know who to believe. Do I believe the woman who climbed up the fire escape or do I believe the online guy who wants me to go to Vegas?

Beren: Yeah. They could be the same person for all you know, actually.

Marni: Oh my God. Why? Why is this happening? So what should I do? I have my ticket but I wasn’t gonna go.

Beren: You should still go to Vegas.

Marni: You’ll still go with me?

Beren: Yeah, yeah totally.

Marni: Alright. I’ll do it.

Beren: Missed a spot.

Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

Beren finds Marni frantically cleaning and suspects that she’s stressed out. Marni admits that she’s upset because her plan to go to Vegas is falling apart. She tells Beren about how Kathy69 came to visit her.

But Beren points out what Marni should have already thought of: what if Kathy69 is a liar? She did climb the fire escape, after all, and that’s pretty weird. So why assume she’s telling the truth? She’s probably still in love with John and trying to trick Marni.

Ultimately, Marni decides to go to Vegas after all, and Beren will be there to make sure she’s not traded for chips. Do you think that’s a good plan? Who would you believe?