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Friday the 13th

Friday the 13th

Date: Mar 11 2009

Themes: Alternative, Holidays

Grammar: Simple Past Tense

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.

For superstitious people, Friday the 13th is the scariest day of the year. Some people believe that whenever the 13th day of the month falls on a Friday, it’s an unlucky day. This year there are two Friday the 13ths. The first one happened last month, and this Friday will be the next one.

Friday the 13th is also the name of a classic slasher movie that has recently been remade. In the original film, a young boy, Jason Voorhees, drowns in a lake while he’s away at summer camp. His mother takes her revenge by killing all the camp counselors and then Jason comes back to kill people for 13 more movies. Ella and Marni both love slasher films. Listen to them talk about Friday the 13th, the new movie and the day.

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.

Ella

Ella

Marni

Marni

Ella:  Oh my gosh. I love scary movies.

Marni:  Me too. I can’t get enough of them.

Ella:  Have you seen Friday the 13th?

Marni:  Now are you talking about the original or the remake?

Ella:  Um, I think the one that just came out.

Marni:  Yes, it is a remake actually of the original. But the first one at Camp Silver Creek, I mean, I loved it, and it was totally terrifying, and it really started this whole genre.

Ella:  Of slasher films?

Marni:  Slasher films, and you know, Jason Voorhees, and you would just think of that hockey mask and be terrified. You never looked at a hockey mask the same!

Ella:  Yeah! Well isn’t he supposed to be dead, didn’t he drown at the camp?

Marni:  The whole premise is that he was a boy who drowned at the camp, and everybody… his mom felt like he should’ve been saved. I mean, ‘cause in the original, the mother was actually the villain.

Ella:  Oh, well that’s different. You don’t expect that.

Marni:  Yeah…Does Friday the 13th freak you out? Are you superstitious?

Ella:  I don’t know, I haven’t had anything bad happen to me yet, but I was extra cautious.

Marni:  I always feel that way too. But I definitely know that people…some people…I have friends that are terribly superstitious and they won’t even leave the house.

Ella:  Yeah, and they watch for the black cats.

Marni:  Exactly, don’t walk under a ladder…

Ella:  Don’t break a mirror…

Marni:  All those things.

 

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Discussion

Ella and Marni talk about the classic slasher film, Friday the 13th, which has just been remade. The earlier Friday the 13th films forever changed the way people looked at hockey masks, because the killer in the film wears one.

Neither Ella nor Marni are very superstitious. However, they still think it’s a good idea to be extra careful on Friday the 13th. Marni knows some people who are extremely superstitious. They get scared on Friday the 13th and they also follow other superstitions. For example, they try to avoid black cats, they don’t walk under ladders, and they try not to break any mirrors.

Are you superstitious or do you know someone who’s superstitious? What are some superstitions in your country?

 

Comments

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Cool_Lucky

Cool_Lucky

Ukraine

I believe in some superstitionsEmbarassed,for example I never go to ahead if black cat has crossed my waySmile,this bad superstition in Ukraine,but in this situation you can take some button on your shirt or trousers and keep on going aheadWink.And we have 1 bad superstition yet: if ahead of you somebody has crossed your way with empty bucket from a treshYell!!!!!!It's very badFrown

02:26 PM Mar 11 2009 |

Katie23

Katie23

Germany

I liked this film very much, I mean original Friday the 13th :) And about superstitious in my country some people believes that day it's an unlucky day, but some thinks that number 13 brings happiness :) So, I think it's all depends in what we believe. If we think that something brings luck or bad luck it happens jus like we thought generally :)

02:21 PM Mar 11 2009 |

drathlöckchen

Germany

hey,

in germany people don't take friday the 13th that seriously. you have to be careful but it's more less superstitious than the way of talking. you say: oh no, a bad mark at school… of cause it's friday the 13th .'

01:54 PM Mar 11 2009 |

MARTO

Brazil

I love it too much

01:37 PM Mar 11 2009 |

SÉRGIO

SÉRGIO

Brazil

Yeah! Friday the 13th is very nice! i like it! I've already seen all the films! but i don't believe in superstitionsCool

01:20 PM Mar 11 2009 |

zhong yulu

zhong yulu

China

I am the same like Ella somewhat superstitious. In some occasion i will be extra causious about my behavior and words. In my hometown, the folks are mostly superstitious, some always visit temples, burn incense, to pray for prosperity, health, etc. Some who fall in ill, pray in the temple and do not go to the doctors. I don't believe that can cure illness.

12:36 PM Mar 11 2009 |

Christina_Char

Greece

cool

11:16 AM Mar 11 2009 |

Christina_Char

Greece

I haven't yet seen the movie, but now i'm definitely intrigued.

ps cool site 

11:16 AM Mar 11 2009 |

viviana_b

viviana_b

Taiwan

pyun, i only know about shoes.  because they think, if you send your lover a shoes, then your lover will leave to find another one.

because, shoes mean "run" :D

10:30 AM Mar 11 2009 |

maloud

maloud

Poland

Freddie from Elm's Street was better. He scared the shit out of me. But I was young then ;) Denis is right: they have the same plot – killer in disguise takes his revenge using some sharp gadgets. I prefer Stephen King's horrors.

10:08 AM Mar 11 2009 |

sofree

sofree

China

To pyum

Shoes means let your lover walk away.

Umbrella = 伞  refers to 散

 

You don't know these?  Surprised

08:12 AM Mar 11 2009 |

Belyaev Denis

Russian Federation

I don`t like scary movies, because mainly they have one and the same plot, and the begining, ending are predictable as a rule. Concurning superstitions in my country i think that many people belive in it, but don`t notice it. 

07:43 AM Mar 11 2009 |

pyun

pyun

China

what does mean"can't give shoes or umbrella to lovers"  in China?

07:14 AM Mar 11 2009 |

blake84

blake84

China

i am not superstitous at all. i only believe the science. but i also like the scary movie.

05:47 AM Mar 11 2009 |

kpanther

kpanther

China

great

 

03:42 AM Mar 11 2009 |

angle1

Venezuela

hi, I'm from venezuela, and here the thursday 13th is te sacriest day of ther year, is te first time I read something about this and it said something diferent, I thought it depent of de culture

03:07 AM Mar 11 2009 |

sofree

sofree

China

Friday the 13th, Chinese don't buy it. Neither to Western scary movie. maybe Asian and Western think different way, maybe the culture difference, hard to really feel scary. But we do when watching Janpanese or Korean or Taiwan scary movie from Asia. Strange, uh?

And about superstitions, a LOT in China, especially for old people, much more are superstitious. For examle, you can't stick chopsticks in rice, can't give clock to friends, can't give shoes or umbrella to lovers, can't write names in red ink…etc.

03:01 AM Mar 11 2009 |

neverstop

China

in western civilization, black cat usually means bad luck,misforturne,etc, if you see a black cat, you could have bad things happen to you, so they watch for the black cats here means they keep off the black cat or beware of black cat . that's my comprehension.

02:03 AM Mar 11 2009 |

neverstop

China

i can't get enough of horror film too, it really turns me on. each year one horro film will be made specially for halloween but we never get in in.

01:51 AM Mar 11 2009 |

sherryleio

sherryleio

China

Can anyone tell me what it means "they watch for the black cats"? thanks. Have a great day!

01:25 AM Mar 11 2009 |

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