English, baby!

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Babies

Learn English with this babies English lesson

Date: Jan 25 2013

Themes: Family

Grammar: Gerunds vs. Infinitives

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Intro

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

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It’s strange to think about how every person you know was once a baby. Some animals have offspring that are born walking. But human babies are so helpless. They seem very different from adult humans.

Babies are very cute, but also loud and always a handful. Some people these days live lives that don’t have a lot of babies in them. If you live in a city and mostly hang out with adults who don’t have children, you might not see babies very often. If you don’t have a lot practice, it can be hard to know what to do and how to act when you meet a baby.

In this English lesson, find out how Jason and Vanessa feel about babies.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

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

Jason

Vanessa

Jason: My friend just had a baby and she offered to let me hold it, which was awesome because he is really adorable, but I realized I don’t know how to hold a baby. Like, she had to explain it to me.

Vanessa: How could you not know how to hold a baby? What about your little cousins and stuff? Didn’t you hold them when you were a kid?

Jason: You know, there weren’t a lot of babies around when I was growing up. I guess I was one of the younger members of my family so I wasn’t old enough to hold any babies when they were babies.

Vanessa: Oh, wow. Well, I guess we’re different. My family is pretty big and I grew up with baby cousins all the time. And you know, I’m a girl, so I was always interested in giving them baths and feeding them and holding them. I guess maybe if you didn’t grow up doing that, it might be a little intimidating to hold a baby.

Jason: They’re a little bit scary! I don’t know what they’re thinking, what they’re going to do. Obviously you can’t talk to a baby and reason with it.

Vanessa: Well, I don’t think they are thinking much. But they are small and they do seem pretty breakable.

Jason: Yeah! That’s what I was worried about, was that even if I held him wrong it would hurt him somehow. He seemed so fragile, but that is part of the appeal.

Vanessa: That’s the good thing about babies though, they definitely let you know when they’re not happy.

Jason: I see, yeah, that’s good to know.

Grammar Point

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Discussion

Go Super to Listen

Jason recently realized he doesn’t know how to hold a baby. His friend had to show him how to do it. It was intimidating for him because the baby seemed so breakable.

Vanessa is surprised that anyone would not know how to hold a baby. When she was growing up, she held lots of babies.

Do you like babies? Do you spend a lot of time around them? What is your favorite or least favorite thing about babies?

Comments

1 through 20 of 41
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nefess

Turkey

I have big family.I saw a lot of babies. they are so breakable.still, I am scary about holding them. :/

kukuka

Ukraine

I like babies if they are my siblings, my cousins or if it’s my own child. If it’s someone esle’s kid, I would prefer not to deal with it. I like babies when I don’t have to care of them or play with them. What I don’t like about little babies is that they are loud and always want to be paid attention to, like they are the center of universe. That’s annoying.

La Princesse de la vie

Egypt

Of course I like babies.. Who can hate angels!

I’m growing up in a family has a lot of babies on both mother and father’s side.. And I do hold them and feed them, that’s incredible ^_ I just hate it when a baby bursts into crying, I feel that he might has his cords cut out of the very loud crying :( .. That really upsets me..

margaralo

Colombia

To have a baby is a wonderful experience because you can see how your life in the past was. Babies have a little world that can make you very happy. I love babies.

i love life

Palestinian Territory, Occupied

Everyone is loving to have a lots of babies ,Each of us has a dream to Establish the family , How we can hate the children , They are the biggest Grace from God , We can live without them , I’m spending mostly of my time with my nephew , I love him so much , when I see him I feel a big comfortable , Really there’s No words deserve talk about the babies , I’m single I will marry on the next summer after that I have a plan to making a small family , Because you should take all conditions in your future planing .

I love All babies without exception are so kind .

Irene Forever

Ukraine

All babies without exception are so sweet. They are all innocent and totally depended on our attitude to them. From the first day of their birth, we should treat them with respect if we want them to be honest, compassionate and succesful in the future.

My favorite things about babies are their hugs, kisses and first words they say. We should never forget the rule: the more love and respect we give them, the happier they are and will be. If we want our children to be near us till our last day, let’s teach them rightly so as not to regret about inappropriate behavior of us.

I never wait gratitude from my son either for caring about him or for any help. I have been doing it because I love him. I belive he loves me mutually.

ciccleo

Brazil

I love babies. Since I was 4 years old I use to ask people to let me hold their babies. I have babies around all the time because every year a differentclassmate, co-worker or neighbor has an offspring.

The best part about them is how they are cute and controllable since they can not walk or speak.

The worst part is how fragile they are.

Lovelywans

Philippines

I love Babies they r so cute and lovely..^_

liuhan001

China

My sister just had a baby in the past year .Hear skin,small hands and small legs are so lovely!

ola33

Japan

I really like the picture of the lesson! The baby is so cute! Look, he’s so small and already with the brush and a hairstyle!!

dilek23

Turkey

oh my honesty compells me to say that I am crazy about babies. Let me say, my collegue has got s baby called Danny. They are from America; however, they lead a life in Turkey as English teachers. And Danny… he is such a bonnie baby that I can’t help myself kissing and hugging him tightly. He is the number-one to me!!!

Pieterwindmill

Netherlands

I really want to have a baby in the feature!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) haha! :)

ghamartaj

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

hmmm i dont like babies coz they annoy me…i have a small sister…i can bear them only 10 minutes…they always cry..ufffff…the God help mums…but sometimes they r lovely special when they are laughing.but i said only sometimes,lol

DominikLi

China

Babies are cute,full of happiness and full of hopes.I hardly ever meet babies because my parents just have 1 kid,but it has no influence at all,I still like babies and want to see them:D

Ksenia-g

Russian Federation

It is the interesting article). as for me i dont like people who dont want to have kids, because they consider that kids disturb from important things in their life((. but these people were kids too and thanks to their parents they live. i want to have some kids and give them happiness:)

VARS

Armenia

babies are not like dolls they are persons and realy human beings so we must respeqt them.

julito

Argentina

Hey guys, we must not forget that we were also babies that cried for no reason all night long . lol.

vijay raj

India

I like babies. I had a lot of opportunities to hold a baby. That was really awesome.

vijay raj

India

Quite ineresting

Maiwil

Philippines

I like babies, i have two, they would always be babies even how old they become. When they got sick and couldn’t talk yet it is frustrating in trying to help them feel better.