English, baby!

Terminator Salvation

Date: Jul 29 2009

Themes: Tech

Grammar: Past Perfect Progressive

Go Super!

Intro

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

Go Super to Listen

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

Go Super to Listen

Even if you never saw the original Terminator movies, you probably know one of its most famous lines: “I’ll be back.” Now the Terminator series is back, but its most famous star, Arnold Schwarzenegger, isn’t. He’s too busy being the “governator” of California.

The new Terminator movie, Terminator Salvation, is set in 2018, after a nuclear explosion has wiped out most human life on earth. It stars Christian Bale as John Connor, who leads mankind in its struggle against machines that want to take over the world. Find out if Jason thinks the new Terminator movie lives up to the original series.

Dialog

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

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

Jason

Marni

Jason: So what’s your take on the new Terminator?

Marni: Well, I’d been looking forward to seeing it, but then I read the reviews and I kinda heard it was terrible.

Jason: Yeah. I mean, the ending leaves a little bit to be desired. It’s a little bit too positive, a little bit rah-rah for a post-apocalyptic movie.

Marni: Alright. OK.

Jason: But it definitely has some pretty glorious moments. It’s a cool plot about this resistance to the machines that are taking over the world.

Marni: Well, I’ve seen all three, and I really liked the first one, second one was pretty good, third one…Kinda left a little bit to be desired.

Jason: The third one is way worse than the fourth one so if you…If the third one wasn’t terrible to you, the fourth one will be great.

Marni: OK. Well, I have to admit, I’ve been super curious about it. I mean, the special effects look great. You know, Arnold’s not in it, which I think is good.

Jason: There is a look-alike in it, who looks exactly like him.

Marni: Really? That’s funny.

Jason: I thought it was him at first.

Marni: They had to put that in probably, as a little plug.

Jason: Yeah, they put in all kinds of plugs, like “I’ll be back” appears in there.

Marni: Oh, nice.

Grammar Point

Go Super to learn "Past Perfect Progressive" from this lesson

Quizzes

Go Super to take Quiz

Lesson MP3

Go Super to download full lesson MP3

Go Super to Ask Ebaby! teachers your questions!

The iTEP^® test

Sponsored by

Schedule an iTEP^® test and take the official English Practice Test.
Take Now >

Discussion

Go Super to Listen

Marni had been excited to see Terminator Salvation until she read the reviews, which weren’t positive. But Jason thinks she should give it a chance. Although he didn’t like the ending, he was impressed by the special effects and enjoyed the story about humans battling machines.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, who starred in the first three Terminator movies, doesn’t appear in the new film. But there is someone who looks a lot like him. There are also a lot of references to the earlier films, including the line “I’ll be back,” which was Arnold’s most famous line in the original series.

There have been a lot of science fiction movies and books about machines turning against humans. Do you think something like that could ever happen? Will the Terminator movies be as good without Arnold Schwarzenegger?

Comments

1 through 20 of 25
Next >
1 2

sara1998

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

I think it’s possible like the Jules verne’s stories.in that time they just could read such a things in books but now it’s sth usual for us ,so one day technology which is produced by humam will destroy humanbeing exactly like the cartoons!

Morgan Lau

China

I have many model of terminator salvation

bahriddin

Tajikistan

The movie is BAD!!! McG

xiomaraemm

Ecuador

it is a little bit imposible….. but if that would happen i think the series'd be good as the original one….

Marcelolic

Brazil

I saw all the Terminator movies and I liked it all,regret Schwarzenegger don’t appears in the fourth movie,it will be perfect!

Marcelolic

Brazil

Humm I think it is a "crazy" idea,but not impossible…Machines already control the lives of many people,for instance,PCs,Mobiles,Video Games,Electronic Calendars,etc,but is a "soft control"...Now,Machines become aware are pretty beyond of our reality…But I don't discount this possibility,same as fiction movies are a harbinger of our own future ;)

NIIS

Germany

The most definitely won't! I totally disagrre with the guy from the lesson, the forth movie is way worse than the third one. Christian Bale doesn't fit the role ofJohnConnor at all. He acts as if John Connor where a member of a special force which he most certainly isn't

Clauss

Ukraine

I liked Terminator Salvation very much not because of it special effects, but because of it's plot. This part is affined with all previous and axplans a lot. The plot is also pretty complex, the first part of this serie makes you to be very attentive not to lose the plot. But the second part is a usual american action without any sense.

phananhsang

Viet Nam

this film is first film i have seen in cinebox

mardyyang

China

i was saw one ,but i don't exactly know which part of it,felt just great,cool!!

L_a_d_a

Ukraine

I think only two firs parts were good, and the others with or without Schwarzenegger seems to me not so well

about machines, i`m agree with meteorarea
nimation our life is already partialy ander machines control

meteorareanimation

Egypt

Machines already control our life. I mean personally I can't live without my pc or tv or my cell or without internet. So yes, machines are kind of already in control but for machines to start thinking on their own is a little bit of a stretch I think.

meteorareanimation

Egypt

Machines already control our live. I mean personally I can't live without my pc or tv or my cell or without internet. So yes, machines are kind of already in control but for machines to start thinking on their own is a little bit of a stretch I think.

jungeun83

South Korea

i have never seen the movie_{! but i have heard appreciative criticism about terminater movie}!there was filled with bad things about movie_{! a kinda of too boring,coarse composition, plain plot}so actually i dont wanna see the movie but, i think that series one,two is good better than succeeding works~!

metal21

Nicaragua

Konnichiwa!!!

I have never seen an Arnold movie, but for fans I think it's going to be weird to watch Terminator without Arnold. It could be like a SPIDER MAN MOVIE without Tobey.

But there has been movies in which the main character has been changed constantly such as James Bond movies and they have been accepted well by people.

Sayonada!!!!

Ca_Brazil

Brazil

I dont think so, i mean the machines could ever take over the world, since the human created it so without him it wont work out. Definetly, it will be different, we are so used to see him in this serie, so lets give it a chance, even though im not a big fan of science ficction books or movies, the reality is quite enough to me lol.

q3dm6

Ukraine

First two series of Terminator was much better than next . And about machine colonization -it never happend =)

rosendo

Mexico

uyyy , we are benig conquered by the machines , computers , all these kind of stuff. but it's ok we are living in 2009 is normal hear that.

saludos.

larrychen

China

frankly i am not so interested in such science fiction films_~but i have watched the former three, not bad and really cool

koxa

Ukraine

To speak the truth the movie isn't interesting,some episodes were spectacular,some boring so I had a little impression after watching this movie.I dont have any desire to watch terminator 4 again that I do it with terminator 1 and 2 several times…so fans of Terminator are very disappointed.