Learn English with English, baby!

Join for FREE!

Social_nav_masthead_logged_in
 
Beowulf

Beowulf

Date: Dec 19 2007

Themes: Pop Culture, Tech

Intro

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

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

Beowulf is one of the oldest stories in the English language. The epic poem about the battle between a great warrior and a monster called Grendel dates to at least the 11th Century.

Recently, the poem was made into a state-of-the-art animated film that uses computers to make very realistic-looking characters based on real actors. Listen to Marni and Beren talk about the movie.

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.

Marni

Marni

Beren

Beren

Marni:  So have you seen Beowulf?

Beren:  No, I haven’t. I saw the trailer...

Marni:  Not into it?

Beren:  Naw! I don’t like animation, like CG…yeah CGI…there’s something about it that’s really disturbing to me.

Marni:  Huh. That’s interesting. I read the original story in college, so I was like, “Okay, I’ll go see what this is all about.” And it’s really interesting. I don’t necessarily seek out CGI movies either, but I did get to see the 3D so I was kind of into that.

Beren:  Whoa! See, I think that would make me motion sick.

Marni:  Really? The whole 3D thing reminded me of being little and putting on glasses and it was kind of nostalgic. But it was fun. It was interesting, I mean I didn’t love it, I didn’t hate it, I just walked away thinking, “That was really interesting.” Angelina Jolie has kind of gotten some flak for being this beautiful…you know she’s supposed to be a monster. But the cast is just amazing. I kept thinking, “Oh my God, I can’t believe this person is in it.” Like Crispin Glover and John Malkovich.

Beren:  See, I love both of them. It’s just I can’t get over the animated aspect of any movie, really. If it’s really cartoony I don’t mind, but when they to make it look like future, animated people/things it’s creepy. They have like skin texture...

Marni:  And the 3D really brings that out. It’s an experience. It’s something to go to if you’re up for just visual eye candy.

 

Quizzes

Go Super to take Quiz Go Super!

 

Lesson MP3

Go Super to download full lesson MP3 Go Super!

The iTEP® test

  • Schedule an iTEP® test and take the official English Practice Test.

    Take Now >

Discussion

Beren hasn’t seen Beowulf because she saw a trailer and doesn’t like CGI, or computer-generated imagery. She says it’s creepy because it almost looks real, but not quite.

Marni saw Beowulf in 3D, which was fun because it reminded her of seeing other movies in 3D when she was a kid. She’s not sure if she liked the movie or not, but it was definitely exciting.

What’s your favorite kind of animation? Is there an old story or poem in your culture that you think would make a good movie?

 

Comments

Log in to Comment

lystry

lystry

China

it is good, i like it

04:20 PM Dec 19 2007 |

diseas

Saudi Arabia

hi …......................so cool

04:07 PM Dec 19 2007 |

Echocici

China

I am agree with you. I think Beowulf is  marvelous .

03:34 PM Dec 19 2007 |

Echocici

China

I love ancient period because there was not terrible challenges. At the old time, we could enjoy real tranquility and beauty of nature. There were many many poems to be appreciated and folk songs to be sang and so on. I feel that the old time is a quite era.

03:30 PM Dec 19 2007 |

andiy

andiy

China

wrong no.1

03:08 PM Dec 19 2007 |

rainbow212

Viet Nam

I haven't ever seen Beowulf! oa oa … hu hu> I don't have view

03:00 PM Dec 19 2007 |

susu.2007

susu.2007

Iraq

i like epic poems and i like to see the movie cuz   you can see  from the  trailer  they did  a very  good  job, but  i hate  Angelina Jolie i don't know why they chose her for the part?

02:01 PM Dec 19 2007 |

tebbal

tebbal

Algeria

hi my friend this dialougeis  very quickly

01:39 PM Dec 19 2007 |

shuihua

shuihua

China

difficult

12:56 PM Dec 19 2007 |

aslı_tr

aslı_tr

Turkey

I watched it.I think this movie is advantage .Because Beowulf's history is boring in book.You can see more detailed and there are funny things in movie.that is more entertaining in movie.ıt is beautiful 3d film.we can get a glimpse of the social life of the anglo-saxons.

12:52 PM Dec 19 2007 |

wendy song

wendy song

China

hello

 

12:51 PM Dec 19 2007 |

louisa0209

louisa0209

China

CGI,?   

11:34 AM Dec 19 2007 |

harrykarm

harrykarm

India

no doubt may b it is gud …but untill i see it.i m not interested to give ne comment on it…so bye the way i think so thatz gud story…n may b gud movie too…

11:24 AM Dec 19 2007 |

harrykarm

harrykarm

India

yo thatz rite.m also saw the trailer

11:20 AM Dec 19 2007 |

junaidasif

junaidasif

Pakistan

saasslfjgjlgj

11:20 AM Dec 19 2007 |

oldli

oldli

China

the english is very good

09:46 AM Dec 19 2007 |

m3hm3t in dream

Turkey

it is the worst movie i have ever seen.(except angelina jolie :D )

09:32 AM Dec 19 2007 |

Jiangxiaoli

China

I can”t understand the convasation
,although my eglish is poor,but i felt,my eglish was improving since now

09:19 AM Dec 19 2007 |

fancybuffy

Philippines

I haven't watched that movie but I've read the poem of the movie. I think it's a nice movie with Angelina Jolie she is very suitable in that character the mother of Grendel.

08:59 AM Dec 19 2007 |

fuwenhaozhonghao

China

hi,saw you almost on every lesson.

08:07 AM Dec 19 2007 |

Likes (205):

See all >

Share this lesson:

  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Bebo
  • Share on Myspace
  • Share on Twitter
  • Email this to a friend
  • Share on Sina

Post Ebaby! lessons on your blog:

Ebaby! Cast