Learn English meaning of 'Body Art'

Intro

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

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• piercing
• dirty little secret
• all the rage
• the price one pays

• body modification
• commitment
• ink
• consequences

• judge
• take back

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

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Sometimes, you want to be a little different than other people. You want to make a big change. You want a body modification. This means you’re going to use your body as art. Maybe, you’ll try a different hair color. Perhaps, you’ll get a piercing. Or if you want a more expensive commitment, what about some ink?

But there are consequences to body art. It can be painful. You need to take care of it. Other people might judge you for it. Also, if you get a tattoo, you can’t take it back very easily. On the other hand, maybe, you want to someday be an 80-year-old person with a dirty little secret... a colorful tattoo! So, will you get some body art?

Body art is all the rage where Jessica lives. Listen to this English lesson to find out if Andy thinks it’s a good idea for her to get some ink.

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.

Jessica

Andy_H

Jessica:  So, Andy…

Andy_H:  Yeah, Jessica?

Jessica:  I have been thinking about getting some ink. My very good friend is a tattoo artist and she just opened up her own shop. So, I don’t know, I’m weighing the consequences of getting something beautiful on my body.

Andy_H:  What’s stopping you? I mean, tattoos, body piercings are all the rage.

Jessica:  I know, but I can never take it back. I mean, I guess I can do laser removal, one of my friends had a tattoo removed, but I’d be so nervous about hiding it if I had a job interview. People judge sometimes.

Andy_H:  Do you want to know a dirty little secret?

Jessica:  Oh, yeah!

Andy_H:  I used to have a nose ring.

Jessica:  A nose ring?

Andy_H:   A nose ring!

Jessica:  Oh my gosh, that’s a huge body modification! I can’t even believe…

Andy_H:  I got it, actually, to better understand a role that I was doing in a play I loved it! It was so cool. You do have to do some hygiene, make sure that you keep everything clean, and that’s just the price you pay. It looked amazing but I ended up taking it out permanently as a little birthday present for my mom, who hated it.

Jessica:  Wow, that is some commitment to a role. I’m impressed.

Andy_H:  Thank you.

Jessica:  Well, maybe I’ll consider getting a tattoo. If you did a nose piercing, I think I can do a tattoo.

 

Grammar Point

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Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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