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Hold Out Hope
Hold Out Hope English, baby! Video Lesson

Learn English with this dating English lesson

Date: Dec 17 2013

Themes: Romance, Soap Opera

Grammar: Conditionals with "Unless"

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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It can be extremely difficult to be patient. Most people have to learn how to do it, and even then, it can be challenging to do it well. This is especially true for children! And yet, there are kids who will wait for anything. They will hold out for as long as necessary to get what they want.

It’s one thing to hold out for an object, like a new CD from your favorite band. But sometimes we will wait patiently for something to happen. This is called holding out hope. When we hold out hope, we stay positive that what we want to happen is definitely going to happen. Often people will hold out hope for something even when it’s obvious that it’s not likely to happen anymore. It’s hard not to hold out hope when we want something so badly.

Is Jeff holding out hope that Greta will return? Read more in this English lesson about relationships.

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.

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

Marni

Marni

Jeff

Jeff

Marni:  So hey, Jeff. How are you doing? I know things haven’t been easy for you in the world of romance lately.

Jeff:  I just thought that sending my old teddy bear to Greta would be the right thing to do. To show her that I was the right guy for her.

Marni:  I know. I thought it was a really sweet gesture.

Jeff:  Not sweet enough. I was still holding out hope for a little bit, but it’s long enough now to where I’ve moved on. I think that’s all just said and done.

Marni:  OK. Well, I’m sorry. But I hear you’ve been doing some dating lately!

Jeff:  I’ve been doing a lot of dating, actually.

Marni:  Really? Have you been meeting any interesting women?

Jeff:  There’s Cheryl. She is a nurse, super into karaoke, and also skiing.

Marni:  She sounds interesting.

Jeff:  Yeah, there’s also Suzanne. She’s in a punk band and works at the bookstore. Super smart and pretty edgy.

Marni:  Well, she sounds interesting, too.

Jeff:  She is.

Marni:  Is there anyone else?

Jeff:  Jennifer. What does she teach… high school English? We went out for coffee last Monday, but she doesn’t want to see me again unless I meet her parents, which seems a little premature. Right?

Marni:  Yeah, definitely. Is there anyone else?

Jeff:  There’s also Sally. She’s a butcher, which is kind of strange, but you know. She’s interesting. Who else is there? Oh, Bridget! She’s a nurse. Really into karaoke. Yeah, it’s cool. I mean, me and karaoke… I love it.

Marni:  Wait. That sounds a lot like Cheryl, the first woman you were telling me about.

Jeff:  Right. Cheryl!

Marni:  You’d better get your details straight, or else it’s going to be really obvious that you’re dating a lot of women.

Jeff:  I know.

Marni:  The good thing is you are clearly not holding out hope for Greta anymore. You’re moving on. You’re dating. I think that’s really healthy.

Jeff:  Thanks, Marni. Thanks for the pep talk!

Marni:  Anytime. So, are you going to go call Cheryl?

Jeff:  Right! Cheryl.

Marni:  Yeah, Cheryl.

Jeff:  Karaoke. Thanks, man!

 

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

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Marni wants to know how Jeff is feeling after his relationship with Greta has ended. He admits that he was holding out hope that she’d change her mind, but he now knows that she’s not coming back. Jeff’s already dating again. Quite a lot, in fact!

Marni asks about who Jeff’s seeing, and there are more women than she was expecting. He tells Marni the details of four different dates, but he starts to get mixed up. Marni warns Jeff that if he doesn’t remember the correct details about each woman, he might be embarrassed on his next date. Jeff agrees and leaves to call one of them back.

Have you ever held out hope in a relationship? Do you think it’s healthy to hold out hope, or is it healthier to start dating new people after a breakup?

 

Comments

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dcsr77

India

I hold out hope to become a native speaker in english!

01:14 PM Dec 29 2013 |

liuan2013

China

Hold out hope, courageous,maybe you need just do it

07:47 AM Dec 27 2013 |

leilahavaneh

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

i used to love a guy n m sure that he had the same feeling . i was  hold out my hope for his propose bt it was never come to true i still dnt knw why.anyway i think its nt so good to hold out hope for long time .after some time it’s better find new date n start new relationship .

03:33 PM Dec 23 2013 |

ahmet55

ahmet55

Germany

Actually, nearly 2 years have passed the days since my pretty gf and I were together, to be honest, i was dumped by her, i even still hold out my hope to get together. I admit that it’s not possible however i don’t know why i love her yet. Maybe bcz it was my first love. I think it might be better to start dating after breaking up. of course not right after that. It could be resulted some serious emotional damages for sb to keep holding out hope while his/her heart has been broken. moreover, Being patient is so harsh, too. meanwhile, I supose the best way is that to make yourself busy with wide of various things to be able to forget those sweet days. 

10:24 AM Dec 23 2013 |

mukh

mukh

Jordan

if we do not hold out hope then we will lose the hope, some thing worth to wait for, because if everything happens immediately the life will lose its meaning.

12:10 PM Dec 22 2013 |

Sandara_Dada

Thailand

Much more better to start dating with new people , seriously !


at least you can have the opportunitys to meet up with the new people , I mean, it’s much more better than stuck and keep yourself in the dark room.

11:59 AM Dec 22 2013 |

Eric_

Eric_

China

Hold out hope….


Well, I think if you feel it’s worthy to do that, you can try. If not, just let evertyhing goooooooooooooo…....!


03:01 AM Dec 18 2013 |

AlexKR

AlexKR

Poland

As one Greek philosopher said ‘No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man’.


Holding out hope after a breakup is for me not healthy …. but we are rarely able to stop doing that …. it’s so human. I think that what Jeff says about his previous relation is different from that he feels. Dating with a lot o another women and mixing their names and other details …. means for me that Jeff is still hoping out. ;)

07:26 PM Dec 17 2013 |

jein

jein

Indonesia

I think everything needs time and process included in dating and to start dating with new person after a breakup, it’s okay to make he/she can move on and begins new relationship. 

06:11 PM Dec 17 2013 |

2 people like this

Ngubo Sixtus

South Africa

holding out hope is a right way to wait for someone to change her or his mind about your feelings about her or him.

05:27 PM Dec 17 2013 |

kenlin16

kenlin16

Taiwan

It’s was agony not konwing if the one you surposed to be with is coming back or not. The waiting can be long and very painful. You can not do anyhting until she make a decision. After a decision is made, you can reorganize your life  and ready to move on to the next important subject in your life.

06:06 AM Dec 17 2013 |

2 people like this

S&W

S&W

China

Hey ola33 I totally agree with you.Hope the love between the real match can keep forever.For most people the process to find that right one is very hard

05:10 AM Dec 17 2013 |

WongYoga

Hong Kong

I think you should hold out hope in a relationship but you should get clear the one you love is having the same feeling as you. I feel lovers are something like the chemistry.  Once goes deep it is talked about much more the respect, trust and understanding.

05:08 AM Dec 17 2013 |

ola33

ola33

Japan

Well, i think it depends. If a couple is a good match and a falling out happened by some stupid misunderstanding than, for sure, they will get together again. And no matter how many moves-on will be taken the real match will always be a reminder of its presence until the action will take place and the two loving hearts will get togehter again. Like in a fairy tale, but who knows;)

05:00 AM Dec 17 2013 |

S&W

S&W

China

You had better forget her or him after ending a relationship.If you still hold out hope seems like you are torturing yourself which brings more pains and sorrow.For your new date it’s unaffair to start new relationship to forget the last one.You should make sure that you are in good shape to moving on.


04:00 AM Dec 17 2013 |

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