Simple Past Tense

Intro

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

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• go through with
• on it
• wash up
• pop the question

• coward
• a chicken
• chicken out
• nervous

• on special
• propose

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

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Have you ever met a brave chicken? Like chickens, cowards like to run away. In fact, in English, if you call someone a chicken, it’s the same as calling them a coward and to chicken out means to run away from something or not do it because you’re scared.

Jason has been planning to ask his girlfriend Devan to marry him. Naturally, he’s a little bit nervous. His friend Mason is going to help with his plan to propose. See if Jason can go through with it, or if he chickens out.

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.

Jason

Mason

Devan

Waiter

Jason:  So, how is this supposed to go again?

Mason:  OK. Devan’s already here, right? I give the ring to the waiter, he brings it to the table and then when Devan sees it, you say, “Will you marry me?” Nice ring, by the way.

Jason:  Oh, thanks. Jeff helped me get one without breaking the bank.

Mason:  I’d like to break something…But anyway, are you ready?

Jason:  I think so. Yeah. I’m getting a text, though. It’s from Marni. It says, “Good luck.”

Mason:  Oh. That’s weird. She must have sent that by mistake.

Jason:  You’re probably right. Wait, I’m getting another one. This one is from is Ella. It says, “Congratulations!” Mason, did you spill the beans?

Mason:  Oh man…They tricked me, OK? But listen. Alright. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. But now that everybody knows, you can’t chicken out, alright?

Jason:  You’re right. You’re right.

Mason:  You have to go through with this.

Jason:  I want to. I want to do this.

Mason:  OK. Let’s go.

Devan:  We’ll both have the chicken.

Waiter:  Good choice.

Devan:  This is so nice, going out to dinner like this.

Jason:  Yes. You look great. Excuse me just for a minute. I’ll be right back. What’s going on?

Mason:  I don’t know if I should give the guy the ring, man. OK? Like, what if he steals it? OK, or what if Devan doesn’t see it and she eats it? Right?

Jason:  Look, man. I need you to do this. You can’t chicken out. OK?

Mason:  I won’t chicken out.

Jason:  Thank you.

Mason:  OK. I’m on it.

Waiter:  Two orders of the chicken.

Jason:  Thank you.

Devan:  That’s weird. I just got a text from Ella that says, “Send me a picture.” A picture of what?

Jason:  She must mean of the food or something. I’m going to wash up. I’ll be right back.

Devan:  OK. Hurry back!

Jason:  OK.

Devan:  This looks delicious.

Mason:  What happened?

Jason:  I don’t know, man. I chickened out. The food came and I just couldn’t do it.

Mason:  Dude, well, OK. It’s OK. Just hold on to the ring. You can pop the question later. OK?

Jason:  Alright. Alright.

Mason:  Ella sent me a text. She wants to know why Devan is sending her pictures of the food, not the ring.

Jason:  Tell her chicken’s on special tonight.

 

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