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.
It can be nice to be looked at. If someone looks you in the eye as you shake hands, that’s a good feeling. And who wouldn’t want to be so good-looking that as you walk down the street, people turn to look at you?
But there’s a kind of look that, at the wrong time, can be really inappropriate and offensive. It’s the kind of look that implies sexual desire and it’s called checking someone out.
When someone checks you out, they usually look at your whole body rather slowly. In the right context, checking someone out can be a compliment. If you’re out at a party and someone you have a crush on checks you out, it probably means the feelings of attraction are mutual.
But it’s not really appropriate to check someone out in an office. See what happens when Mason notices Jeff checking his coworker Ella out on his way out of the office. Of course, Mason has been known to check out Ella himself. But when he sees someone else doing it, it’s different.
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.
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Mason: Excuse me, friend! Excuse me, a moment of your time?
Jeff: How can I help you?
Mason: Yeah, I’d like to know what you were doing checking my friend Ella out?
Jeff: What are you talking about?
Mason: I think you know! I saw you checking her out!
Jeff: Excuse me, let me introduce myself. I’m Jeff with Heathcoat and Silverman.
Mason: I don’t want to shake that hand, Silverman. Silver fox! I’m not having it! Not until you treat my friend Ella like a lady! With respect!
Jeff: Are you accusing me of checking that employee out?
Mason: I am absolutely accusing you of checking that employee out! Looking her up and down! Giving her the once over!
Jeff: I haven’t the slightest what you’re talking about.
Mason: Gazing with a sexual intent? I mean what else would you call that other than “checking someone out”? Huh? I’d like to know!
Jeff: Hey, we don’t have to take it there. This is a professional environment, I think we can talk this out.
Mason: Oh yeah?
Jeff: However I can make you feel at ease in this situation.
Mason: Oh! That sounds great! You know what makes me feel at ease? Stay the heck away from her.
Jeff: We’re working out a deal so you’re going to be seeing a lot of me around here.
Mason: Oh really?
Jeff: Yes.
Mason: I’m a janitor, my friend. You don’t want to know what I’m capable of.
Jeff: I’m at a loss for words here.
Mason: Oh yeah? You’re at a loss for words? I’m at a loss for hat now, friend! It just got serious up in here! If I see you checking out my friend again I’ll see you in court! Hats off!
Grammar Point
Go Super to learn "Phrasal Verbs" from this lesson
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Discussion
As he’s leaving the office, Jeff pauses to check Ella out. Mason notices and follows after him. He’s angry and tells Jeff not to check Ella out again. Jeff denies that he checked her out and says he has no idea what Mason is talking about.
It sure did look like Jeff gave Ella the once over, but Mason might be particularly sensitive about it because he has a crush on her. Do you think Mason is overreacting? When is it OK to check someone out?
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