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T.I.
T.I.

How to use the passive voice.

Date: Nov 22 2010

Grammar: Passive Voice

Intro

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Plenty of hip-hop artists rap about living the thug life, but not many of them actually do hard time. The rapper T.I. has more [def 14774]street credit[/def] than most. In 2007, he was arrested for possessing illegal weapons. And less than a year after getting out of jail for that arrest, he was arrested again, this time on drug charges.

But even T.I. has a softer side. Earlier this year, he helped save a suicidal man. The man was standing on the top of a building planning to jump off, and T.I. talked him into coming down. Find out what Ella and Mason think of the hero, convict, and rapper T.I.

Dialog

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

Ella

Ella

Mason

Mason

Ella:  He’s going back to jail!

Mason:  Who? What now?

Ella:  T.I. is going back to jail, and he just got out. And he saved someone’s life. What’s happening? Why can’t they just go easy on him?

Mason:  Wait. Back that train up.

Ella:  OK.

Mason:  T.I. saved someone’s life?

Ella:  Yeah.

Mason:  What’s that about?

Ella:  So, he heard on the radio there was a guy standing on a building ready to jump. So he showed up to the site. The police wouldn’t let him go to the top, but they recorded a phone message of him saying, “Hey, there’s still hope, don’t jump.” To prove that it was him they showed the video phone to the guy.

Mason:  Did he rap it?

Ella:  He didn’t rap it, though.

Mason:  But he’s like, “Hey man, I’m T.I., don’t kill yourself.”

Ella:  Yeah, basically. And the guy was shown the video and he came down.

Mason:  Well what if he would’ve been a not-T.I. fan?

Ella:  I know, it wouldn’t have worked.

Mason:  Well, that’s interesting. Do you think he was trying to win favor from the judge, or…

Ella:  Well, this happened earlier in the week, and then his court date was on Friday. So everyone speculates so, but in my heart I feel like T.I.’s just a good guy.

Mason:  A good guy. Now why did he go to jail?

Ella:  Machine guns.

 

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Discussion

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Ella is upset that T.I. is headed back to jail once again. She thinks that he’s not only a great rapper, he’s also a good guy. She explains to Mason how he recently stopped someone from committing suicide. Police recorded a video of him pleading with the suicidal man not to jump off of a tall building. In the end, the man didn’t jump.

That makes T.I. seem like a hero. But Mason wonders if he was just trying to win favor with the judge. Others also suspect that T.I. may have just been trying to avoid jail by showing what a good citizen he can be. Unfortunately for him, it didn’t work. But maybe he can still get time off for good behavior.

Do you think T.I. deserves to go to jail? Have you ever done anything heroic?

 

Comments

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Marcelolic

Marcelolic

Brazil

Hummm If he commited a mistake (porting illigal machine guns) It has nothing to do with his good behavior saving a guy jumping off a building…in fact he commited a mistake before,I guess He should learn with this mistake and don't commit it again ;)

11:56 AM Mar 15 2011 |

Ivy47

Ivy47

Taiwan

I don't know anything about T.I. Everyone has two sides. Someone does the bad things but in his deep heart, he might be a good guy. Frankly speaking, he saved others life is just a scene they played in order to try to get a favor from the judge.

One day I saw a news, a murderer killed 3 people with cruel way, but his wife and children did't believe it, because he is a good husband and father. and he always helped elder across the street. I don't know he is a good guy or not, but he had to be sent to prison, he had to pay the price for all the bad things he did.

12:16 AM Nov 23 2010 |

Golden Lena

Russian Federation

I think that TI is desrved to go to jail. And one "saved" life does not make him a holly. May be that saved man (the suicude man) is his partner. I mean, that before the court TI decided to make a little promotion, an act which would demonstrate him from softer side. Although if it was a real suicide man, so TI is a hero. We have always time to change ourself.

But in general drugs and weapons can potentially hurt a lot of people, it is dangerous.

09:28 PM Nov 22 2010 |

methaxxx

Hungary

That guy who was about to dive might have owed TI and TI saved some money from loss:), that could be the reason for helping him.

08:30 PM Nov 22 2010 |

paty19

Brazil

About T.I., I just know that he has done some bad things. I belive that most peolpe are conscious about all things that they do, both bad good, so he is totally guilty of all crimes he has committed, becouse he has consciousness that what he did is not a good thing.

Being a hero does not compensate for the fact that he committed crimes, it does not work as an eraser with which he can forget the wrong things he has done. Also, as a public person, he has to show people examples of good behavior, especially for kids.

I have never done any heroic thing, but I also have never commited any crime. I have never given a bad example and it makes me feel good and makes me have a clear conscience.

12:20 PM Nov 22 2010 |

clutchmann

clutchmann

Hungary

He performed a crime so he is guilty. That's why T.I. deserves the punishment. Of course, people can look at him like a hero and he may become more popular.

I haven't done any heroic activity yet. 

12:05 PM Nov 22 2010 |

lolita_lempicka

Yemen

i like T.i specialy his new song with chris brawn and also dead and gone with justen temperlik he is rock and i care for his art not for his personal life .

10:59 AM Nov 22 2010 |

levycrazy

levycrazy

China

Every coin has two sides . Though T.I. lives a kinda thug life,it doesn't mean he is totally a badass . There is in every human's heart—the kindness .

 Most guys might have seen the movie the scent of a woman ,in which AL Pacino plays an important role . Due to one big mistake,he led a horrible life his whole life.He thought of himself as a rotten guy.Finally,he got rid of the adversity and turned to be a good man.

  What I'm trying to say is – sometimes,your experience,background ,enviroment determines your way of doing things and your life style . However,it doesn't mean you're a bad man. All you gotta do is try to find a chance to show others the good side and softer side and let them know you better.

10:24 AM Nov 22 2010 |

rebel lee

rebel lee

China

I know nothing about T.I. But I think if he broke the law, he deserved to go to jail. No matter whether he is a good guy or not.

I've never done any big heroic thing, but I did some small ones. For example, last time, when I was still in Nanjing, I saw a thief was trying to steal things from a old lady. I shouted out, and the thief went away. I was not brave enough to catch him, but I think I've done pretty good.

 

10:21 AM Nov 22 2010 |

Doman

Doman

Poland

Mason commited a mistake, a crime and he had to atone. If his offence wasn't against  people he shouldn't go to jail.
I haven't done anything heroic, but maybe there is something what I did but I don't remember.

08:59 AM Nov 22 2010 |

masiran

masiran

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

i don't know him and i don't like english rap music i haven't done anything heroic maybe yes i don't remember now Wink

08:24 AM Nov 22 2010 |

charming princess

Saudi Arabia

Haha Mason is funny and sarcastic. But , yeah , I believe that celebrities have a softer side to their personalities . No one is evil !

01:07 PM Nov 21 2010 |

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