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Call Something Off
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Call Something Off English, baby! Video Lesson
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How to Use the First Conditional

Date: Jan 10 2012

Themes: Soap Opera

Grammar: First Conditional

Intro

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

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People like to make plans. But those plans don’t always work out. If you plan something, there’s always a chance you will have to call it off.

When you call something off, you cancel it. You can call off an event, like a party. “We had to call off the party at our house this weekend because of a family emergency.” You can also call off an agreement you have with someone. “The business partnership was no longer profitable, so she called it off.”

If something gets called off, it will not proceed any time soon. But just because you called something off in the past, doesn’t mean you can’t reschedule it. Jason has been stressed out lately. Find out what he plans to call off.

人们喜欢做计划。但是这些计划不是每次都成功。如果你计划做某件事,总有可能你不得不取消它。
当你取消某事时,意味着你放弃了它。你可以取消一项活动,例如聚会。“因为家里有急事,所以不得不取消本周末在我们家举行的聚会。”你也可以取消与某人达成的协议。“商业伙伴关系不再有利可图,所以她取消了协议。”
如果取消了某事,意味着这件事在短期内将不会继续。但是,曾经取消某事,并不代表你不能重新对其进行计划。詹森最近压力重重。找出他计划取消的事情。

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Dialog

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

Devan

Devan

Jason

Jason

Mason

Mason

Devan:  I’m having a really hard time finding a DJ that will accept my do-not-play list of only 2,000 songs.

Jason:  I think we should call it off.

Devan:  You know, I was thinking that too. Maybe we should just have, like, ballroom dancing. How much do you think it costs to order a string quartet? Oh, or what about a salsa band…

Jason:  No, the whole thing. I think we should call it off.

Devan:  No dancing at all? Then what are our guests going to do at our wedding? I guess we could get a karaoke machine.

Jason:  The wedding, Devan. I want to call off the wedding. It’s completely over the top. We’re spending money we don’t have. I haven’t slept in days. I don’t want to hurt your feelings. I love you, and I still want to marry you. But I think we should call it off and just start over.

Devan:  Are you insane? We already hired a caterer. We already hired a minister…

Jason:  Well, the minister is just Dale.

Devan:  I don’t care! It is way too late to call this thing off. Way too late. I don’t care if you die of a heart attack. I will marry your corpse and walk down that aisle with your dead body, because this is my special day, and I’m a princess, and no one’s going to ruin it, especially not you!

Jason:  Yeah, see, this is what I’m talking about. This is not a good way to start our lives together. That’s why I think we should just call it off for now and start over.

Devan:  I’ll start you over!

Jason:  See, that doesn’t even make sense.

Devan:  I cannot believe this is happening. Alright. We’ll call it off. We’ll call the whole thing off. We’ll call this relationship off.

Jason:  You’re overreacting.

Devan:  No. You’re overreacting. You can’t even handle a little bit of cold feet? You think that planning a wedding is hard? What’s going to happen when we’re married and we try to buy a home together or we try to have kids together? This is good. No, this is good. Because now I know you can’t handle the tiniest of things.

Jason:  Wait!

Mason:  Well, that was exciting, huh? So, what do you think, guys? I mean, will Jason and Devan get over this fight and still get married? What about Dale? Is he gonna get his act together and stop gaining so much weight? I guess you’ll have to keep learning English to find out.

 

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Discussion

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While Devan talks about music options, Jason realizes he has had enough wedding planning. He wants to call it off.

At first, Devan thinks he’s talking about the music. But then Jason makes it clear that he wants to call off the entire wedding. She gets very upset. She says it is too late to call off the wedding. Jason says she’s overreacting.

But then Devan realizes that maybe this is good. If Jason can’t handle cold feet, how can he handle being a husband? She puts her ring back in his hand and runs off.

Will Jason get his act together and marry Devan? Have you ever had to call something off?

 

Comments

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CatcheR

CatcheR

Iceland

Yes Aul, because when we get married we need to think at least two people, not just ourselves, so have fun while we are young hhhhhhhh

08:55 AM Jan 10 2012 |

CatcheR

CatcheR

Iceland

Yes Aul, because when we get married we need to think at least two people, not just ourselves, so have fun while we are young hhhhhhhh

08:55 AM Jan 10 2012 |

1 person likes this

AUL

AUL

Azerbaijan

Catcher , i like your opinion


if u married with someone u should understand each other try to help or make decision together


there musnt be only one sides likes or wishes

08:38 AM Jan 10 2012 |

1 person likes this

CatcheR

CatcheR

Iceland

I think both of them act so childish, Jason probably stressed because of the over the top wedding plans, and Devan really overact, Both of them very irresponsible person over very tiny thing, it’s just part of the beginning and after married there should be more matter coming over, as a man maybe right to keep the wedding just simple due out of financial problem, but he shouldn’t too fast and call everything off in the very last minute, where the girl must be freaked out over it and Devan should understand that her wedding plans really over the top, don’t you think making money is really uneasy? I don’t understand girls either, Making decision while your blood is boiling is just ruined everything, come on guys you both have to make up and work it out, good luck man, good luck :)

08:11 AM Jan 10 2012 |

AUL

AUL

Azerbaijan

Marriage is very important thing and to postpone it i dont know

07:49 AM Jan 10 2012 |

kotlesya

kotlesya

Belarus

Probably, Devan is a hysteric sort of person. “I will marry your corpse and walk down that aisle with your dead body, because this is my special day, and I’m a princess, and no one’s going to ruin it, especially not you!” – these are too funny words :)))))))   She is extremely selfish and she wants to get everything in the order she has already “drawn” for herself. Poor Jason, stop and think it is only the beginning. What is going to be after the marriage? I mean during your life together with Devan. Are you ready to bear lots of hysteric performances??? If you are ready, good luck for you and Devan. Dear, Jason, take some advice please, if you don’t mind. I say it in the low voice ( to avoid the eavesdropping of the mysterious people ;)))))) : “Girls don’t like the irresponsible and coward guys. Be stronger and never show any weakness to your girl!”

07:43 AM Jan 10 2012 |

basitalnour

Sudan

right now I’m trying to find some effective means for testing the speaking skill of pupils in Sudanese basic schools but I thing I will call it off and start it up later

06:53 AM Jan 10 2012 |

i love life

Palestinian Territory, Occupied

Really after my reading I dont understand what that guy means .


I think he means about he want to postponed the wedding or what .


I guess we did not have a nice moments like the wedding .


The marriage is a new life a new start in our lives .


every girl aspire to be bride as the same time every young aspire to be bridegroom .


In my frank opinion we should think about after the marry what did you plan for the life as we know after the marriage all thing has been change .


all the best to all both  your are want to marry.


my best wishes to you I hope to prevail love and peace in all the world .


Have a nice time .

06:14 AM Jan 10 2012 |

1 person likes this

Miss Florida

China

first, i want to say,the plan is useless for me.i sometimes make lots of so called perfect plans,but the fact prove that i am really wrong.for me,most of time ,i can nnot follow my plans.just waste  time to make plans.


then,as for the scenario,wedding is very important for a women.if the man cannont handle it well,it’s his failure and then maybe he also cannot give his wife happiness.so devan should think twice for her marriage.in my country,a group of naked wedding people appear,but i do not agree it.maybe the marriage is based on substance and love. 

05:14 AM Jan 10 2012 |

snoopyboy

snoopyboy

Antarctica

A Wiseman once said: You know a marriage isn’t meant to last when there’s a random guy eavesdropping behind your couch… with a broom. Tongue out


I call those two, the odd couple. There are no doubts those two lovebirds like each other. However I think they should compromise more. They both went over the top, Jason more. I don’t think Jason wants to fully commit to Devan just yet. He’s afraid of the serious state their commitment is shaping into. That is understandable, it’s called cold feet, it happens to the very best of us, but in Jason’s case, he just needs to grow some balls and take a rational and timely decision for once. Deciding to call off a wedding at the very last minute is such a coward act. Devan “princess”, I think she’s overreacting too, granted that any girl’s heart would wreck after hearing a groom-to-be calling a wedding off that close to completion, but sweet heart you should not take a decision when you’re angry. Devan’s views and reactions are ever conflicting!; one minute she  blames  Jason for being irresponsible over “tiny things” and the next she’s  goes ballistic over the same “tiny things” she mentioned. Handing Jason back the engagement ring so quickly is clearly over the top, the guy just said he still loved you. Jason made it clear that he wanted to start it all over, re-plan things according to their financial budget. Devan thinks the world revolves around her, and Jason is wimpy as I don’t know what!


Conversation is the key here; they can still salvage their relationship. In order to do so, they have to regain composure, let some steam off for a while, and then reflect on what went awry and ultimately remedy their situation.


So mysterious man from behind the couch (Mason), my guess is they will end up getting married and live happily ever after. One needs not to know English to foresee the signature finale to every soap opera romance.  (:

02:27 AM Jan 10 2012 |

E.E.M

Saudi Arabia

Undecided

09:21 PM Jan 09 2012 |

 julito

julito

Argentina

Yes Butta.   i  can understand this guy, not his approach to the problem -calling off the wedding . He should have been more tactful  with Devan, maybe ,as you have previously said, try to meet halfway  and working out a solution instead  of  quiting  on the planned wedding and finding out  that  the sweet  Devan can turn into  a real Devanzilla. jejejeje

07:28 PM Jan 09 2012 |

 julito

julito

Argentina

Ahoo , I agree with you.  this is a soap opera but actually it could very well happen in real life situations. You know what is happening now in my country ? couples start living together skipping formal and legal ceremonies. One of the reasons is  the lack of money needed  to cover the cost of a lavish wedding and  other, no less important , is the high rate of divorces  after a time of living together. 

06:57 PM Jan 09 2012 |

Ahoo Golzar

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

@julito…maybe even they cannot effort this :D

06:43 PM Jan 09 2012 |

 julito

julito

Argentina

Ahoo Golzar . Don´t they have parents?  usually Mom and Dad  chip in  in this case .

06:00 PM Jan 09 2012 |

Ahoo Golzar

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

May she could be more realistic,to hold a wedding party is costy job…so she should concider that what will they do after that?could her hubby effort all those costs?I think to have a simple but warm party is more better than have a big one includes tenses ;)

05:49 PM Jan 09 2012 |

 julito

julito

Argentina

Jason is getting on my nerves now. Devan, you´re right , this is not the time to chicken  out  on you  and marriage.You did well dumping him,     you  shouldn´t  accept back the ring. What kind of support could  you expect from him  in the future ? This is a wake-up call , did you make the right choice to wed him?  hmmm , is not late  yet.  

02:10 PM Jan 09 2012 |

1 person likes this

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