Learn about Adjectives

Intro

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

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• blow someone's mind
• resurgence
• flair
• genius

• tired of
• maniacal
• sleuth
• detective

• tough
• blockbuster

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

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The character of Sherlock Holmes has been around since the 1800s. But audiences don’t seem to get tired of him. What is it about the maniacal sleuth that keeps people coming back for more?

The latest Sherlock Holmes movie is A Game of Shadows, with Robert Downey, Jr. playing the famous detective. Marni and Mason both recently saw it. Find out if they detected any brilliance in the film.

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.

Mason

Marni

Mason:  So Marni, did you get around to seeing any of the blockbusters?

Marni:  I went and saw Sherlock Holmes as a matter of fact.

Mason:  Oh really.

Marni:  Did you like it?

Mason:  I thought it was OK. I wasn’t a huge fan of the first one, and this one kind of, I think, was in the same realm. It was like, I enjoyed watching it.

Marni:  Sure. It’s entertaining, but it didn’t blow your mind.

Mason:  Yeah, but I won’t see it again.

Marni:  OK. I like to see this character…I like that he’s had this resurgence. And I think it’s an interesting take. You know, they sort of have this modern flair even though it’s still set in the late 1800s in London. And it’s kind of an interesting mix of this…he’s still sort of that crazy, maniacal genius, but he’s also really tough.

Mason:  Yeah. I mean, I did really like what they do with the cinematography in the sequences that he’s, like, thinking through all of his moves, and it’s all happening in his head.

Marni:  You know, it’s interesting, because not only has this film come about, but there’s also a new BBC series about Sherlock Holmes, and it’s set in modern day London, same characters, and Sherlock Holmes is just a complete sociopath. He’s just really horrible, and yet still that genius. It’s an interesting take on that as well. I’m just fascinated that this character that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote in the late 1800s has had this whole resurgence again.

Mason:  Everything old is new again.

Marni:  Exactly.

Grammar Point

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Lesson MP3

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