Learn phrasal verbs and party slang

Intro

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

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• Mardi Gras
• bottoms up
• cashed
• half birthday

• moderation
• cut someone off
• overdo
• pass out

• party pooper
• out of control

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

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Can you ever have too much of a good thing? Most people would say yes. It’s not hard to think of examples. Too much fun is exhausting and too much rest is boring. Moderation is best.

But sometimes, someone you know just can’t get enough of something. When that happens, you have to cut them off. To cut them off means to stop them from overdoing something. For instance, bartenders cut customers off when they get too drunk. They refuse to keep serving them alcohol so that they don’t pass out.

When they split up their duties at the company, Devan told Marni she wanted to do the party planning. As you will see today, it seems things may have gotten a little out of control since then.

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.

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

Devan

Mason

Jeff

Marni

Devan:  Happy Mardi Gras everybody, woo!

Mason:  Yeah! Bead me. Bead me!

Devan:  Woo! Office party time.

Jeff:  Bottoms up.

Mason:  I love beads!

Devan:  I love parties! To work and to parties. What?

Mason:  This is the best party ever!

Devan:  Cheers!

Mason:  Do you have an open…

Devan:  Uh-oh, somebody’s had too much to drink.

Jeff:  Well, this thing’s cashed. I’ll see you guys later.

Devan:  Wait!

Jeff:  I’m getting back to work.

Devan:  Hey, Jeff. Wait. Wait! We have to celebrate your birthday now. The party’s not over yet. It’s your birthday party!

Jeff:  Birthday? My birthday was 6 months ago.

Devan:  It’s your half birthday party!

Jeff:  C’mon, I’m trying to get back to work. You’re going a little overboard.

Devan:  Well, the party doesn’t have to be over yet.

Marni:  OK. What’s going on here? It’s loud and…

Devan:  It’s Mardi Gras. It’s also Jeff’s half birthday.

Marni:  Half birthday? How old are we, 5?

Devan:  How about some drinks!

Marni:  And our janitor?

Devan:  He might have had too many drinks.

Marni:  Yeah, I think you need to be cut off.

Devan:  Cut off? But I’ve only had like three of these.

Marni:  I’m not talking about cut off from alcohol. I’m talking about cut off from parties. You have way too many parties.

Devan:  There’s a lot of things to celebrate.

Marni:  There’s also a lot of work to be done and this is a place of business. I’m sorry to be the party pooper, but we are here to do a job. We have things to do. We need to be productive.

Devan:  So you’re saying that anniversaries and half birthdays and Marni Gras and Fat Tuesday should…

Marni:  They all need to go, OK? You can celebrate those on your own time, not in our place of business. Somebody wake up the janitor.

 

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Lesson MP3

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