Drive-In No More

Intro

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

• taboo
• downplay
• big deal
• status

• abundant
• car stereo
• double feature
• make out

• Mecca
• public displays of affection

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

Compared to a lot of other countries, land is pretty abundant in the United States. In the 1950s and ‘60s, land was inexpensive enough that drive-in theaters were profitable. These outdoor theaters had a huge screen that people would pay to park their cars in front of. The sound of the movie was broadcast over the radio to the car stereos or played on little speakers between the parking spaces like the one shown in the picture.

But, of course, to have a theater for cars required a lot of land, and as land got more expensive it became harder to have a drive-in that made any money. But that’s only one reason why these uniquely American landmarks began to disappear. Listen to Mason and Devan speculate about some other reasons for why almost all the drive-ins are gone.

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.

Mason

Devan

Mason:  Have you been to the drive-in? Like the one left in Oregon?

Devan:  No.

Mason:  Yeah, they do ‘em at sundown. It’s like a double feature, too.

Devan:  I was just talking to someone the other day about why there isn’t drive-in theaters anymore and their reasoning, why they think they kind of went out, is because the drive-in was a place for kids to go to make out when, like, public displays of affection in young relationships was still taboo, but they said that that was like the place to go, but now that it’s more acceptable for kids…

Mason:  Kids always need places to make out, though. I don’t accept that as valid reasoning. I’m thinking it’s more just the death, or downplaying of our car culture. You know?

Devan:  You think so?

Mason:  Cars are still a big deal and status icons, but not the way that they were when the drive-in was around.

Devan:  I would love to go to a drive-in theater. I think that’d be really fun. I wish they still had them everywhere. I would totally go.

Mason:  There’s the one. The one. It’s like our drive-in Mecca.

Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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