Intro
1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.
2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.
When’s the last time you went to a parade? Were you bored or offended by anything? Not likely! Parades have the reputation for being fun and wholesome. It’s no wonder that they’re overrun with parents and their small children. Some families even go every year, sitting on the same street, in the same spot.
And, really, what’s not to love? Parades have clowns, floats and a new marching band every five minutes. People throw candy, everyone is happy and smiling, and you’re surrounded by music. You could even see a celebrity if you’re lucky.
Is it possible for someone to dislike parades? Find out when Amanda and Jeff talk about their experiences in this English lesson about events in the community.
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.
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Amanda: Saturday night I went to my 30th parade with my father. Can you believe that?
Jeff: So, it’s kind of a traditional thing for you?
Amanda: It is. And to go five hours before the first float arrives, to mark your territory, to put down your seat, to watch 101 floats go by… it’s not really my thing.
Jeff: Was there a marching band?
Amanda: Yes. There were 21 marching bands from different high schools all over the state.
Jeff: I haven’t been to one in a long time. I remember where I grew up there would be smaller parades. My favorite thing was these older kids who were basically teenagers in this rock band. They were called “Sticks and Stones.”
Amanda: That’s cool.
Jeff: They rode in the back of a flatbed truck.
Amanda: You know what my favorite part is?
Jeff: And I thought they were really cool.
Amanda: The grand marshal. It’s usually a person, or a character, or a celebrity, and they lead off the parade. Kind of like a pace car in a cart race.
Jeff: Yeah, that’s right. I forgot about that person.
Amanda: Are you picking up what I’m laying down?
Jeff: That’s my goal in life. To be the grand marshal in a parade.
Amanda: Aim high.
Grammar Point
Go Super to learn "Gerunds vs. Infinitives" from this lesson
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Discussion
Amanda just went to a parade with her father. It’s a tradition for the two of them, but Amanda isn’t as excited about parades as she used to be. After all, they’ve watched 30 parades together. After a while, they probably start to look and sound the same.
Jeff has one particular memory of the parades he saw when he was growing up. He remembers a rock band made up of teenagers in his town, and he clearly thought they were cool. It seems like parades were interesting to both Amanda and Jeff once, but not as much now that they’re older.
Do you remember watching parades when you were a child? Do you go to parades now? What is it about parades that people love?
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