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New Year's Resolutions

New Year's Resolutions

Date: Dec 31 2010

Themes: Holidays

Grammar: Zero Conditional

Intro

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

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Each year on January 1st, people around the world make promises to improve themselves. The most popular New Year’s resolutions include spending more time with family and friends, losing weight, and quitting smoking.

But it’s harder to keep a resolution than it is to make one. As dedicated as we may be in January to slimming down and spending less, by February or March we’re likely to have gone back to our old ways. That’s why this year, Jason has a new strategy when it comes to making a New Year’s resolution that he thinks will help him stick to it.

Dialog

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

Jason

Jason

Jeff

Jeff

Jason:  Usually, my New Year’s resolution is something really broad, you know, like I need to get more in shape or something like that. But this year I’m thinking about doing something really specific, you know?

Jeff:  What is that?

Jason:  Just to learn how to drive a standard transmission car.

Jeff:  You don’t know how to do that?

Jason:  No, see, it’s totally accomplish-able in 2011. I think I can fit that in.

Jeff:  Do you know anybody who’s going to let you use their car?

Jason:  I think so. It can’t be too hard to find some friend, I mean, that has an old car, something like that. I’m just psyched to actually complete my resolution this year, because usually, I make a New Year’s resolution, it’s too vague, and life goes on the same way it did before. So that’s my new strategy.

Jeff:  That one’s pretty easy, it shouldn’t take you too long. I mean you can stick to it.

Jason:  What’s yours?

Jeff:  I don’t make New Year’s resolutions.

Jason:  You don’t?

Jeff:  No. It’s silly. No offense, no offense.

Jason:  But don’t you want to improve yourself? You know, every year a little better than the last.

Jeff:  I don’t need the turn of the new year to do that. If it’s apparent that I need to improve on some things in my life, I like to get right to it, right then and there.

Jason:  Man, that sounds good rather than, I guess, once a year just coming up with a resolution and then not following through. Maybe I’ll try your day-to-day strategy. It’ll at least increase the frequency with which I fail to accomplish the things I’m setting out to do.

 

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Discussion

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Every year, Jason makes resolutions that are too big and general to follow through on. Before long, he goes back to his old ways.

This year, Jason is trying a different approach. By picking a small, manageable resolution, he thinks he will be able to follow through on it. Jason’s resolution this year is to learn how to drive a standard transmission car. Right now, he only knows how to drive automatics. Automatics are more common in the U.S. than stick shifts.

Jeff thinks New Year’s resolutions are silly. He never makes one. Instead, he improves himself throughout the year. If he feels like he needs to make a change in his life, he makes it. He doesn’t wait for January 1st.

Do you have a New Year’s resolution this year? Do you usually follow through on your resolutions?

 

Comments

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narges

narges

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

if i explain myself i would like to say i`m an Strategist who always “make a plan” and “perform” it after finishing the proposal. i cut out for planning, and enjoy my projects to the limits :)


so i can say i ” always” have New Resolutions :)

07:38 AM Sep 29 2013 |

goodmahsa

goodmahsa

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

next week is our new year as Iranians .actually I almost agree with both Jeff and Jason .Based on my own credentials I couldn’t stick to my New Year’s resolutions completely ,I followed them for awhile and then lost them so I got to this point that for any basic resolutions that you wanna take your hands on, you need an inside turning point .we should just plant the seed and try to prepare ourselves for proper time to have it.

09:41 AM Mar 14 2012 |

Marcelolic

Marcelolic

Brazil

Hummm My most important new year’s resolution is paying some big expenses! just it! hehehe

10:36 AM Dec 23 2011 |

i love life

Palestinian Territory, Occupied

we need to a new resolution here in my country we have the last occupation in the history where is the international community follow through tv and intrenational media i dont think will be any solution in our lives all countries over the wrold suffer from many of problems those countries try to find on a good method unfortuenatly maybe we didnt have any new thing in our life will still this suffering and we just wait of the solution from god best wishes to all

01:31 PM Aug 08 2011 |

mazincomm

Sudan

I really liked this lesson, because it makes you think of the future.

my new year's resolutions are : to be fluent in English and to get ICDL certificate in computer sciences, and to find my dream girl.

I hope to all of you to get succeed in your resolutions  

11:27 AM Jan 03 2011 |

sama7alab

Syrian Arab Republic

MY NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS ARE : 1-TO LOOSE WIGHT ( A 20 POUND AT LEAST )2-TO BE fluent in english and to study hard so i graduated from med school with high score .. i hope i will fit it in and follow through to accomplish this resolutions :)

11:17 PM Jan 02 2011 |

abdarazaaq

abdarazaaq

United Kingdom

My New Years resolution is having more conversation with other students in Engish  my school. in my HouseI would like to try to is speak Spainish in many ways. My name is Abdirisaaq and I am student , I learn SPAINISH I like to learn franch           I love Englishbaby        Good  Bye

05:13 PM Jan 02 2011 |

swifty

swifty

Qatar

my resolution is to work hard and make things differently ,would like to improve english vocabulary and reading habits.

01:45 PM Jan 02 2011 |

juneborn

juneborn

Mexico

haha, i really do , and also is hard to stick to it , but i have one for this year … stop being so lazy ,haha , i don´t know how that would  work , i just try not to be so :P

12:14 PM Jan 02 2011 |

asfo00ora

asfo00ora

Bahrain

my new year resolution is to improve my english spaeking

getting rid of any painfull memory from my mind.

11:17 AM Jan 02 2011 |

Machico Nakamura

Japan

My New Years resolution is having more conversation with other students in Engish school. Do not confining  relationships in my office, I would like to broaden my holizons in many ways.

10:54 AM Jan 02 2011 |

gunzag

Russian Federation

my NY resolution is to find a girl of my dreams

08:51 AM Jan 02 2011 |

gunzag

Russian Federation

my NY resolution is to find a girl of my dreams

08:51 AM Jan 02 2011 |

luosijie203

Taiwan

I've maken a New Year's resolution, it's in general, not in detail, but in whole year I'll always keep it in my mind and try my best to make it.  And every month I'll check if I make any progress and I'm closer to my goal. I think it's better to make a resolution, which make us know what should be accomplished and what's our want!

04:44 AM Jan 02 2011 |

blueskun

blueskun

China

i have  my  new year'sresolution  this year .  get    cetification  like construction . by  the  way   i like to have  lmore    time  to  spend with  my  family and friends. i  love  them. in the  new  year  ,i will  be  a  father .his honey name is tuantuan   in chinese  .  i think  he  will  need   a english name  ,what  it is ,let me  see ….

03:40 AM Jan 02 2011 |

dearling

dearling

China

I've already made a resolution for 2011, I want to do better in learning english, and also I want to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

 

02:58 AM Jan 02 2011 |

afrouzb

United Kingdom

 I think it is nice to have a resolution.we need a point to start with and new year is a good point to do that and give us a enough time ( a year).Happy New Year

10:35 PM Jan 01 2011 |

merohan

Sudan

i'm an excellent plans organizer for me and for others too but my problem is the follow through thing…i'm the king of procrastination..so sad to say that but maybe my new year resolution will be to get over my procrastination….hopefully :)

09:24 PM Jan 01 2011 |

lolita_lempicka

Yemen

 Personaly i dont need to wait for a new year to make a change or resolutions all i need is just a deciding moment at any new moment and for sure i follow my resolutuins ..happy new year all :)

07:06 AM Jan 01 2011 |

weah44

weah44

Sudan

i really liked  this lesson coz  it's let  me  think  about ambition , actually  i  don't  have  new  year  resolution , but  jst  now  i  think  of  it  i  decided 

  1.    to  improve  English  language much  better  than  now , and  i  want to  get  TOFEL exam  
  2.   i want to  complete my  degree  by  the  summer inshallh .  and  find  admission for master  in  Malaysian university  
  3.  to  improve my  skills in  every  thing  i  do  ; coz  want  to  satisfy my self

and  by  the  end  of  this  year  i  will  be  done  with  my  resolution  of  this  year  and  start  with  resolution  of  next  year  

note : those  not  only  the  goals  i want  to  achieve in  this  year  but  those  are  most  important  . and  i may update  my  goal coz  i  really  want  to  do very  specific thing       

05:52 AM Jan 01 2011 |

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