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.
Soap operas are notorious for being melodramatic and over the top. A lot of people like to live vicariously through soap stars which makes the shows popular and addictive. And if an episode ends with a cliffhanger, people want to see the next episode even more.
The fun of watching a soap opera is knowing everything that’s going on. It’s not unusual for one character to be masquerading as two different people in a soap opera. Do the other characters know? No, but you do. If someone bad is lurking in the trees outside a character’s home, the person in the show doesn’t know to be afraid. But you do! It’s fun to wait and see what happens, but also to already know some of the story’s secrets.
Find out if Amanda and Mason enjoy watching soap operas. You may be surprised at what you learn in this English lesson.
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.
Amanda: What do you want to do tonight?
Mason: I’m kind of busy. I mean, I need to catch up on my soap opera stories.
Amanda: You’re kidding, right? More of the same?
Mason: Listen, I know they’re kind of melodramatic, but it’s so fun to just get into these ridiculous characters, and you kind of live vicariously through the ridiculous stuff they get into that will never actually happen to me. But, you know… it’s fun to imagine.
Amanda: It’s trash television. They’re kind of addictive, too.
Mason: Absolutely.
Amanda: Well, I’m getting concerned.
Mason: I know, I know. But they left me on such a cliffhanger last time. Betty is in the hospital, and she just found out that her sister has been masquerading as her husband. And the evil twin has been lurking in the wings. So much stuff is about to happen. How could I possibly stop?
Amanda: None of these are realistic. Completely over the top.
Mason: I know, but because they’re never going to happen to me, I get to live vicariously through them. What would I do if I had an evil twin, or if my sister was masquerading as my husband?
Amanda: I’m going to call my friend and go out with her tonight.
Grammar Point
Go Super to learn "Phrasal Verbs" from this lesson
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Discussion
Mason is trying to convince Amanda that soap operas are great. He thinks the melodramatic stories are fun, especially because they will never happen to him. The last episode he watched made him super excited to watch again to find out what happens. Even if they’re ridiculous, Mason definitely loves his soaps.
In the meantime, Amanda just wants someone to go out with her. She finds it strange that Mason is so into his soaps. Amanda thinks that soap operas are terrible and she’s worried that Mason is spending too much time on them. Amanda decides to go out with a friend instead.
Do you watch soap operas? What are the famous soaps in your country? Why do you like to watch them?
Comments
Philippines |
Morocco |
Morocco |
Philippines |
China |
Russian Federation |
Argentina |
Turkey |
Indonesia |
Germany |
Argentina |
Germany |
Colombia |
Brazil |
Argentina |
Brazil |
Argentina |
China |
Iran, Islamic Republic Of |
China |