Seeing Red

Intro

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

• clued me in
• signed up for
• kicks
• 'em

• spotlight
• spearheaded
• geeked up
• sold out

• First World
• retailers

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

Over the last couple of years, Africa has really come into the spotlight. Oprah went to South Africa and has aired many shows about the AIDS epidemic there. Bono is meeting with global politicians and trying to get more money to African countries to help combat poverty and make education more accessible. George Clooney went to the Sudan to try to bring media attention to the largely ignored genocide in Darfur. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have brought attention to the continent as well, and Madonna just adopted a baby from the African country of Malawi.

Now there is a way that anyone can have an impact on Africa. Bono has spearheaded a new campaign called RED, which is written with parentheses like this: (RED). Corporations can designate certain products as “red,” and when those products are purchased, money goes to organizations that are trying to help Africa. This way, consumers can choose to have an impact with their dollars. You can buy (RED) at the Gap and other places.

Listen to Amanda and Mason talk about this awesome idea.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

Log in to Listen

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

Amanda

Mason

Amanda:  So I am so geeked up right now about the whole (RED) campaign.

Mason:  Yeah?

Amanda:  The Bono initiative?

Mason:  Is that who started it?

Amanda:  He’s a huge part of it.

Mason:  OK.

Amanda:  And right now, basically the concept is: We’re First World and we have so much purchasing power.

Mason:  Uh-huh.

Amanda:  Why not purchase items from particular retailers that will give a direct percentage of their profits to help fight AIDS in Africa.

Mason:  Right. See the only reason I know about it is because of ipods ‘cause I kinda wanna get a new one. And so I was shopping and, you know, there’s, like… you can get a green one or yellow one or you can buy the red one and, you know, the money…

Amanda:  (RED), with the parentheses.

Mason:  Goes, uh… right. Right. Which I think… So that kinda clued me in. So who else, what other products can you buy (RED)?

Amanda:  Converse, Motorola, American Express, but that’s only in the UK ‘cause I really wanted it, signed up for it, can’t get it.

Mason:  Like, wait. The American Express Blue Card that… you can get the red card with a red center?

Amanda:  No. The whole card’s red.

Mason:  Oh.

Amanda:  Whole thing is bright red. And the only reason, kinda like you, that I found about it. I was just gonna buy a new pair of kicks. Converse.

Mason:  Yeah?

Amanda:  Yeah.

Mason:  Hm. Have you bought any?

Amanda:  No. Because actually a lot of ’em are sold out. A lot of the (RED) product: Gone. Gone.

 

Quizzes

Go Super to take Quiz

 

Lesson MP3

Go Super to download full lesson MP3