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Get Something Off One's Chest

Learn English meaning of ‘get something off one’s chest’

Date: May 09 2017

Themes: Friend, Soap Opera, Travel

Grammar: Second Conditional

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Intro

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

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

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Sometimes, we do unkind things. Often, we do these things before we think about them. Usually, we want to take them back in a heartbeat. What do you do if you make someone feel bad? You could pretend that nothing happened. Maybe, this person will forget your actions. However, you will probably feel bad until you give this person an apology. You will feel like you need to get something off your chest.

When you want to get something off your chest, you know you were wrong, and you can’t stop thinking about it. Imagine having something heavy on top of your chest. You would not be able to move easily. It would be difficult to do anything. This is how you feel when you know that you should say sorry to someone. And when you finally apologize, it feels fantastic to get that weight off of your chest.

Jordin wants to get something off her chest and apologize to Sheila. Will Sheila be able to stop dreaming about coconuts and sunscreen and listen to Jordin? Find out in today’s English soap opera.

3. Watch - Watch the video without reading the dialog.

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.

Jordin

Sheila

Jordin: So, it was a good trip?

Sheila: It was fantastic. Incredible!

Jordin: That’s great.

Sheila: If I could, I would just move to a tropical island in a heartbeat and spend everyday on the beach in the sun….

Jordin: Listen, Sheila.

Sheila: Drink out of coconuts...

Jordin: There’s something I wanted to talk to you about.

Sheila: I already miss the smell of sunscreen.

Jordin: There’s something I wanted to get off my chest.

Sheila: I actually brought a bag of sand home. I don’t know what I’m going to do with it, but I just never want to forget what it feels like to have…

Jordin: Sheila?

Sheila: ... sand…

Jordin: Sheila?

Sheila: … immersed in between your toes…

Jordin: Sheila, I’m sorry.

Sheila: … just lying back against the beach, watching these…

Jordin: Sheila, I’m sorry.

Sheila: … glorious sunsets…

Jordin: I’m sorry, Sheila!

Sheila: They’re just the most beautiful in the world…

Jordin: I’m sorry!

Sheila: … that you will ever see in your life…

Jordin: I’m sorry!

Sheila: Wait, what?

Jordin: I’m sorry.

Sheila: Why are you apologizing?

Jordin: I’m apologizing because I kissed Andy, and it made you feel bad.

Sheila: Thank you, Jordin. Apology accepted.

Jordin: Really?

Sheila: Of course. I want to apologize as well. I overreacted. I just needed some time to think about things. I hope we can be friends.

Jordin: Oh! Wow… yes, OK. Wow, that feels good to get off my chest. Thank you!

TO BE CONTINUED

Grammar Point

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Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

Go Super to Listen

Jordin asks Sheila how her vacation was? Sheila tells her that it was incredible. If she had the time and money, she would move to a tropical island right away. Jordin thinks this is nice, but she wants to get something off her chest. She starts to tell Sheila that she’s sorry, but Sheila just keeps talking about the beach, sand, and beautiful sunsets.

Jordin continues to try to talk to Sheila. However, Sheila is daydreaming. She is thinking about all the best things from her tropical vacation. Finally, Jordin just says, “I’m sorry!” Sheila stops. She doesn’t know why Jordin is giving her an apology. Jordin tells her that she didn’t want to make her feel bad by kissing Andy. Sheila accepts Jordin’s apology, and then she apologizes, too.

When did you need to get something off your chest? Is it easy or difficult to give an apology?

Comments

allenzhaojl

China

I felt sorry that I put my friend’s video on WeChat, and that was disrespectful to her, and now I want to apologize to her and get that thing off my chest.

hermitlady

China

When I feel I do wrong things and feel depressed I need to get something off my chest. Even I don’t do wrong thing but I feel depressed, I also want to get something off my chest.

It is easy for me to give an apology only that I think indeed I am wrong.

I remember my first love when I was young. I loved a boy crazy that time. But I usually felt uneasy. When I called him he didn’t answer my phone or he didn’t called me for a long time I felt crazy. Sometimes I couldn’t stand this state I could told him breaking up. And then I could feel regret . I must get something off my chest. I must explain to him. I gave him an apology.