Learn English meaning of ‘alienation’

Date: Mar 12 2018

Themes: Health, Work

Grammar: Conditionals with "Unless"

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Intro

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big city

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

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Honk, honk! Hey, you, I’m walking here! Sound familiar? Ah yes, the beautiful sounds of a big city! Rush hour traffic, hostility and pent up emotions, population density, pollution, and more. Some very popular examples of big cities in the United States are: Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, and San Francisco.

Big cities are popular because they have more opportunities, events, arts and culture, and more. People usually move to a big city to try and live a better life or pursue a career. But, it can be very lonely because people are very busy. You can start to feel alienated—which is the feeling of loneliness and being isolated from people.

Andy is starting to feel alienated in the big city. Listen as Dominique comforts him in today’s 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.

Andy_H

Dominique

Andy_H: Have you been in traffic lately? I feel like it’s just like… there’s not rush hour anymore, it’s, like, rush… noon to 7 PM. It’s ridiculous! I don’t know if I can do this big city living anymore!

Dominique: Really?

Andy_H: I mean, it’s just alienating! I feel like I’m pent up. Whenever I want to go somewhere, it’s stop and go traffic. I mean, unless you’re a very independent person, you will feel alone in a big city! And I am feeling alone.

Dominique: That kind of hurts my feelings because I’m your friend and you’re telling me to my face that you feel alone. I mean, gosh!

Andy_H: Yeah, but I haven’t seen you in two months! So, what’s up?

Dominique: I seen you yesterday.

Andy_H: Yeah, but that was like, I saw you on the street. It was different.

Dominique: Oh my gosh, Andy!

Andy_H: I’m sorry… I think it’s just all this hostility from the population density. You know, I’m from a pretty small town in Ohio, and I’m just not used to all the hustle and bustle.

Dominique: I think you have a small town mentality.

Andy_H: I think you’re right. I did grow up in a one-horse town.

Dominique: I think you need to just break free!

Grammar Point

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Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

Go Super to Listen

Andy is complaining about traffic. It’s terrible! There is more and more traffic every day! He doesn’t know if he can live in a big city anymore. He feels alienated and pent up. Whenever he wants to go somewhere, there is stop and go traffic. You have to be a very independent person to do well in a big city.

Dominique’s feelings are hurt… I mean, here they are talking to each other and Andy feels alone?! Andy says they haven’t seen each other in two months! He doesn’t mean to hurt her feelings. Maybe he’s just sick of all the hostility from all the busy people. Population density can be difficult to deal with. Dominique says he just has a small town mentality. He needs to break free!

What do you think of the big city? Do you ever feel lonely or alienated?

Comments

La Princesse de la vie

Egypt

I live in a small quiet city, so I don’t relate to Andy, But I’m sure people in Cairo feel the same as him and live in the hustle and bustle of the big city.

sunny_ling88

China

I have such that feeling sometimes, everyone is busy with work, its hard to find same time to get together especially when I left my previous job also alienated from my colleagues, I feel lonely now.