English, baby!

Not So Fast

Date: Sep 29 2009

Themes: Soap Opera, Work

Grammar: Zero Conditional

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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

Last week, Ella gave everyone the good news. Devan is going to give everyone jobs at the company she has started with the fortune she inherited. This is especially helpful since Dale and Ella recently quit their jobs.

But as you may recall, Ella’s information may not have been totally accurate. It was only a matter of time until everyone showed up at Devan’s new office to find out when they can start. Watch as Devan tells them, “Not so fast.”

3. Watch - Watch the video without reading the dialog.

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.

Mason: Devan! My new favorite person. Right there, right there.

Ella: When do we start working?

Devan: Start working?

Ella: Our new jobs!

Devan: Yeah.

Mason: Oh! You got us phones already. That’s awesome! Wait, check this out. Yeah, I’ll clean that right up.

Devan: Can you please…

Mason: Tell them I’m on it. I got the mop out right already.

Devan: Can you guys not touch those? I need to keep my lines open. I’ve been getting a lot of calls.

Mason: So we probably need to start, like, right now. We’re just…

Devan: You can…

Mason: Where’s the broom closet?

Devan: You guys can start by filling out these applications.

Ella: Whoa, whoa, whoa!

Beren: What’s an application?

Devan: You know, you apply for a job. Just, like, write what kind of job you’re applying for and I can start conducting interviews next week.

Ella: You told us that these were completely guaranteed jobs.

Jason: Yeah, like my job.

Ella: Verbal contract.

Devan: Jason, you have to apply too.

Jason: I have to apply?

Devan: Ah, yeah.

Jason: But I’m your boyfriend!

Devan: Um, when I said that I would love for you guys to work here, including you…

Mason: Yeah?

Devan: I meant I would love it if you guys were the most qualified candidates. But I just don’t know that yet. You don’t know how a business works, you guys.

Jason: Uh.

Beren: I don’t know how our friendship works anymore apparently.

Devan: Look, you have to keep your business life and your social life separate. I love you guys, but if you’re not the most qualified people to do these jobs, I can’t go with you. I’m investing all my money in this. I hope you guys get the job, I really do. But you gotta apply like everyone else.

Jason: We’ll show you we’re the best applicants. We’ll show you.

Mason: Fine!

Devan: Alright. Mason, you got the janitor job, but don’t tell the rest of them, OK?

Mason: Yes!

Grammar Point

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Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

Go Super to Listen

All of Devan’s friends show up at her office at the same time and ask when they can start their new jobs. They start picking up phones and acting like they already work there.

Devan tells them they’ll have to apply for their jobs and compete against others. Even Jason, who is Devan’s boyfriend, will have to apply for his job and will only get it if he’s the most qualified person. Funny, because it was his idea to start a company in the first place!

But Devan has a point. If her company is going to succeed she’ll need to hire the best people she can find, not just her friends. But Jason says he’ll just have to prove to her that he’s the best. As everyone is leaving, Devan tells Mason he can have the job he wants as janitor.

Has your professional life ever come in to conflict with your personal life?

Comments

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ichigo34

El Salvador

its good

vhez

Philippines

Devan did the right thing..even though they're her friends business must be treated separately.. Sometimes it's not a good idea to put up a business with a friend because there is a probability that you might get too lax with it and all that.. be professional that's it.. ^^<!~~-Session data~~-><!~~-Session data~~-><!~~-Session data~~->

mickee85

Philippines

I think devan made a great decision, giving an application for her friends is just a fair way of accepting employees. It only shows that devan wants everything to become formal. She only let her friends know that she is serious to her business, otherwise her friend won't do their job better coz they might think that devan-is-my-friend. In handling business, you should set aside the friendship and know the limitaions.

DaeNg

Thailand

You must be consider, carefully, for something done because its will be damages to you.

saber198811

Egypt

good

penny810428

Taiwan

she is …................

maybe mason is the real one XD

┈━═☆佼佼

China

not so fast??oh ,i think it is very fast.i cannot listen it clearly for my bad listenning.i am boring! who can help me to develop my english level?!

Turning Point

South Korea

She 's really good at handiling other ppl. cooooool ~~

snnemr

Turkey

have many words idont know :( i must working fast and i absouluty memorize many words…wait me new york ill coming there…:) but i want to say it only this audio so complex :S i cant fallow voice in the read…complex and fast for me :) anyway one day i learn this language :)

aldrabseh77

Jordan

she should respect them more ok

Marcelolic

Brazil

That is an issue,because if you have business you can't mix friendship and work!

For instance,I work at a gym and I have enough intimacy with my boss who is a physical education teacher…So sometimes we have some disagreements in the professional and in addition we are also friends…I lead with that issue quietly and sometimes he not,'cause I don't mix friendship and work ;)

Christoph07

Germany

What kind of business is it?

Khin O M

Myanmar

I agree with Devan. I accept that everybody must fills up the application.

enyf

Indonesia

hi chanson,

devan's boyfriend is jason, not mason

xixixi you are so funny!

enyf

Indonesia

It's not easy to work with our friends…really!

good lesson

mickee85

Philippines

I could say that Devan is a good businesswoman. She know how to run her business by hiring wisely.

Oh god, please help me my english is so bad

tiagon85

Brazil

It´s a tough situation which I must be honest with my friends and separete what is professional and what is social.

Totemox

Martinique

I think Devan is right.Friendship is not a qualification to get a job. If her friends want to work with her, they have to be qualified whether they like it or not. Devan have taken good measures in order to her company succeed.