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Break a Leg

Learn English meaning of ‘break a leg’

Date: Aug 08 2017

Themes: Friend, Music, Soap Opera

Grammar: It's vs. Its

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Intro

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

Go Super to Listen

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

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Actors and other people who work in theaters often have interesting beliefs. One of the most well-known beliefs is that it is bad luck to wish a person good luck before a show. Instead, actors believe it is better to say something with the opposite meaning. Now, it is traditional to say, “Break a leg,” before they are on.

Of course, this is just pretend. No one wants an actor to really break their leg on stage. That would be painful for the actor and the audience! Instead, the expression break a leg is just another way of wishing one luck before they go in front of an audience. There are many different ideas of how this started. They are all good stories, but like many theater stories, no one knows which one is true.

Kelsey has just a few minutes before her big show. It’s time for everyone to wish her luck 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.

Stage_Hand

Dominique: This is so exciting!

Stage_Hand: You’re up next.

Kelsey: OK.

Stage_Hand: Three minutes.

Kelsey: OK.

Stage_Hand: So, just wait here.

Kelsey: OK.

Stage_Hand: You OK? You’re ready?

Kelsey: I’m OK!

Stage_Hand: All right… Two minutes now.

Kelsey: Oh, my gosh! I’m so nervous.

Andy_H: Just pretend like you’re playing for us.

Dominique: We’ll go in there, and we’ll go right in front!

Andy_H: Break a leg, Kelsey.

Dominique: You’ll be great! It’s Jordin.

Andy_H: Oh…

Dominique: We forgot to tell her that we found you!

Andy_H: That’s who I was calling.

Kelsey: Hey, it’s Jordin! Jordin? Her call dropped.

Stage_Hand: One minute.

Kelsey: OK.

Dominique: Hey, Jordin! Oh, no! OK. Hold on.

Jordin: Kelsey!

Kelsey: Hi, Jordin!

Jordin: I think I’m lost in this building! I wanted to call and wish you luck in case I don’t make it in time!

Kelsey: Thank you, Jordin!

Jordin: Break a leg!

Stage_Hand: You’re on.

Kelsey: OK.

Stage_Hand: Don’t say…

Kelsey: OK.

Stage_Hand: OK.

Kelsey: OK. Thank you all for getting me here on time!

Dominique: I’ll take photos!

Andy_H: Have an awesome show, Kelsey.

Dominique: I’m exhausted.

Andy_H: Me, too. I want to take a nap in the car!

Dominique: You can’t do that! Come on!

Andy_H: OK… OK.

Grammar Point

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Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

Go Super to Listen

Dominique and Andy finally found Kelsey. Now, they are waiting for her performance to begin. The stage hand tells her that it is almost time. Kelsey is feeling very nervous. Andy tells her to just pretend that she is playing for them, and Dominique promises that they will be in front of the audience.

Jordin calls. Now, she is lost in the building, so she wants to wish Kelsey luck before the show. Kelsey thanks everyone, and they tell her to break a leg. The stage hand comes to tell her that she is on. Dominique promised to take pictures. But Andy is really tired. He wants to take a nap, but Dominique tells him that this is not the right time for that. They go to watch Kelsey.

When did someone tell you to break a leg? How do you wish an actor good luck in your country?