Sum 41

Intro

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

• vegan
• credo
• palate
• gazillionaire

• craze
• snotty
• power chords
• cater

• tried and true
• barbeque

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

Pop punk was an all-out craze in the US five to ten years ago. The Offspring and Green Day shot to the top of the charts in 1995 and were followed by wildly successful bands like Blink 182.

In recent years, however, most of the popular pop punk bands either broke up, changed their style, or simply became unpopular. Not so with Canadian trio Sum 41. Their most recent album, Underclass Hero, is their most successful so far, and the formula of snotty vocals and power chords remains intact.

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

Beren

Marni:  So, are you a fan of Sum 41 and that whole genre of sort of like new, I don’t know…

Beren:  Like pop punk?

Marni:  Pop punk, yeah.

Beren:  Yeah. I’m not like a huge Sum 41 fan. I definitely know more about them than I should.

Marni:  Mm-k.

Beren:  Well, I mean, I just know who they are. That’s what I probably shouldn’t know…who they are.

Marni:  Yeah, I’m not a huge fan, but it’s kind of interesting. I know that the lead singer and guitarist is married to Avril Lavigne.

Beren:  Um-hm. His name is Deryck Whibley? Something like that…

Marni:  Something very similar to that. I actually catered once and had an interaction with him and he was very upset about the barbeque sauce selection.

Beren:  Why?

Marni:  Certain ingredients…I don’t know. He’s very particular.

Beren:  Is he vegan?

Marni:  I don’t know if it was dietary concerns or if he just wanted to throw around a rock star credo.

Beren:  A very specific palate?

Marni:  Yes. Exactly. Whatever. But anyhow, their music, I don’t know, it’s kind of interesting. I’m not really a big fan, but…

Beren:  They have such a huge audience though, which is kind of mind-blowing. They’re like gazillionaires.

Marni:  They are!

Beren:  Off of three chords, I mean…

Marni:  Well, that’s kind of that whole punk aesthetic. Three chords, make some magic.

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