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Say 'Cheese'
Say 'Cheese' English, baby! Video Lesson

Learn the imperative form

Date: Mar 15 2011

Themes: Soap Opera

Grammar: Imperative Form

Intro

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

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

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What does a dairy product and photography have in common? Some people like to look serious in pictures. But if you like to smile, “say ‘cheese’” is a phrase you should know.

Try it. Go look at yourself in a mirror and say “cheese.” Do you see anything special? If you’re doing it right, you should see your teeth. When you’re taking a picture of people, you can remind them to say “cheese” so that they will smile for the photo.

Today, Devan has decided to take a picture of everyone who works at her company. Find out who is the most photogenic as one by one she asks them to say “cheese.”

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

Devan

Jason

Jason

Ella

Ella

Marni

Marni

Jeff

Jeff

Mason

Mason

Devan:  Does everybody remember what today is?

Jason:  Wednesday?

Devan:  No. It’s employee picture day!

Ella:  Yay!

Jason:  That explains where Dale is. He’s camera-shy.

Devan:  What? Dale didn’t show up? Well, who wants to go first? Are you ready yet?

Ella:  No, wait, I just…let me make sure.

Devan:  OK, good?

Ella:  No, uh, do I get to look at it afterward?

Devan:  This is just for the website. It’s going to be like this big.

Ella:  I don’t care. I mean, some people need magnifying glasses, whatever.

Devan:  OK, ready?

Ella:  ...or, should I do like this?

Devan:  How about you stand. Stand up straight. Put your arms down. Now say “cheese.”

Ella:  That’s so boring.

Devan:  Great. Next! What are you wearing?

Jason:  It’s my sweet Harley-Davidson shirt.

Devan:  Seriously? Everyone’s going to know that you’re my boyfriend. This is embarrassing.

Jason:  No way, babe, I’ve got a Harley-Davidson shirt. That’s the coolest thing your boyfriend could have.

Devan:  Alright, say “cheese.”

Jason:  Cheese!

Marni:  I really hate having my picture taken. Does my hair look OK?

Devan:  You look great. You look beautiful. Ready? Say “cheese.”

Marni:  I’m not gonna say that.

Devan:  What do you mean you’re not gonna say that?

Marni:  I want people to take me seriously. I want to look serious. I don’t want to look happy.

Devan:  Why don’t you want to look happy?

Marni:  Because I want to look professional.

Devan:  OK. Alright.

Marni:  Do I look professional?

Devan:  You look…tranquil. OK…

Jeff:  Wait, wait, wait. If I may, what are these being used for?

Devan:  For the website. OK, ready?

Jeff:  No, no, no.

Devan:  What?

Jeff:  You don’t have a contract I can look over, sign?

Devan:  This is just for the website, pinky swear!

Jeff:  Pinky? How about a handshake? Legally binding.

Devan:  OK. Ready? Say “cheese.” Can you say “cheese?” Jeff? Mason, this is for the employee directory. We don’t put the janitor in the employee directory. But, um, I’ll take your picture anyway, just for fun.

Mason:  Thanks!

Devan:  OK, say “cheese.”

Mason:  Cheese!

Devan:  The whole point of saying “cheese” is to see your teeth.

Mason:  Cheese!

 

Grammar Point

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

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Devan announces that it is employee picture day. Many offices take pictures of their employees to put on the company website or to make office ID cards. Jason says that Dale must have known it was picture day, since he doesn’t like to be in pictures and he isn’t at work today.

Ella is the first to have her picture taken and she acts like she is modeling. Devan has to convince her to relax and say “cheese.” Next is Jason. He is wearing a funny shirt and refuses to put something else on. When it’s time for him to say “cheese,” he points at the camera and makes a funny face.

Since Jeff is a lawyer, he makes Devan promise only to use the photo of him for official office business and nothing else before he will say “cheese.” Marni doesn’t want to say “cheese.” She thinks it’s silly and wants to look serious in her photo. Finally, Mason is happy to say “cheese,” but he holds his mop in front of his face while he does so that you can’t see his teeth!

Do you like to take silly photos or serious ones? Is there something you like to do before you take a picture to make sure it turns out well?

 

Comments

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Eliza09

Eliza09

United States

this was my favorite lesson!!! jejeje!!!! they are crazy!!!! I love you guys!!! thanks!!

08:05 PM Mar 15 2011 |

Najwa Al-harthi

Saudi Arabia

nice topic ! love it

 i don't like to be serious all the time especially in taking photos , I like more taking picture of someone else , showing just funny and silly , looks lol !

07:00 PM Mar 15 2011 |

Ange888

Ange888

Brazil

I'm not a camera-shy!

06:58 PM Mar 15 2011 |

 julito

julito

Argentina

 Devan , your are in the middle of a bunch of crazy people . Please don´t upload  the pictures

 on the website , they are not worth it.  

  

04:51 PM Mar 15 2011 |

shooting star

Hong Kong

you look tranquil.Smile

12:34 PM Mar 15 2011 |

ktpro

Viet Nam

I'm camera-shy

10:07 AM Mar 15 2011 |

dpogit91

dpogit91

Viet Nam

Oh, Say "cheese"is the slogan we chose for our high school class's uniform. It reminds us the funny moments and smileys.

08:37 AM Mar 15 2011 |

Mary**

Mary**

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

In Iran: say “say ‘siiiiiib ” !! :D or “say ‘holooooo”

08:31 AM Mar 15 2011 |

Arminka28

Arminka28

Armenia

if you cheese you are happy

 

07:55 AM Mar 15 2011 |

sofree

sofree

China

Either, the conflict is I like taking pictures, but I'm not really photogenic…

I don't need to do anything before taking a picture, actually no one need. Come on, photoshop can do everything, right?

07:27 AM Mar 15 2011 |

murad ali

murad ali

Yemen

smile in the picture give it a lovely screen

05:26 AM Mar 15 2011 |

nonstop_ok

nonstop_ok

Viet Nam

Say chesse! Your smile knows how to shine ;)

04:17 AM Mar 15 2011 |

trailo_hathanh

Viet Nam

I am style of Marni. I want to take the picture that look professional. I don't want to look silly in the picture.

But actually, I am not a photogenic very much. 

02:46 AM Mar 15 2011 |

wwongsapun

wwongsapun

Thailand

Almost all of my picture is have smile on face, When it's time to say"Cheese" I think may be have beautiful thing around myself. And hope that anyone can see my picture have to be happy with me.

02:02 AM Mar 15 2011 |

Coconut00

Coconut00

Argentina

Phonetics!

01:59 AM Mar 15 2011 |

julywidiawati

Indonesia

Funny lesson, actually I don't like saying "cheese" when I got photographed, I prefer tranquil one and nothing I like to do before taking the picture, let's things go natural..:)

12:55 AM Mar 15 2011 |

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