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Christmas Vacation

Date: Dec 24 2002

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.

Hello Movie Fans,
This week I talk to Beth about the Christmas classic, National Lampoon’s *_Christmas Vacation*_. Although the movie has been around for awhile, it is a cult classic that you must pick up when it comes on television.
Listen as Beth can barely keep a straight voice trying to describe some scenes from the movie.

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.

Anna

Beth

Anna: Alright Beth, Christmas is here! It is time for the best ever Christmas television shows. Do you have a favorite?

Beth: I do! By far it is the Griswald family – National Lampoon’s Christmas movie.

Anna: Oh my God, I have seen that, but it’s been a long time ago. I remember some funny parts. What, what did you like about it?

Beth: Well the best part is the dysfunctional family. I love the cousins and the grandparents who come in and they’re just, each personality is hysterical.

Anna: Doesn’t he also decorate his house with like, a gazillion lights?

Beth: He does, I think he creates a power shortage in the town that they live in because he sucks so much energy, using all, lighting up the entire house. It’s hysterical!

Anna: Isn’t there also a squirrel?

Beth: There is, it’s one of the funniest scenes, I won’t tell you about it, you should just see it. It’s too funny for words.

Anna: Excellent, it sounds like I need to catch that when it comes on TV this year.

Beth: Don’t miss it.

Quizzes

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Discussion

If you’ve seen Christmas Vacation, then you understand why Beth had such a hard time describing some of it without laughing. The movie is about the Griswald family and their misadventures during the holidays. There are several National Lampoon movies all featuring the Griswald family. If you take the funniest elements that comprise a family and combine them, you have the Griswalds.
I wonder if any of the big Christmas flicks playing in the theaters today will end up having as long of a shelf life as Christmas Vacation. Let’s hope there are some out that are as funny.
See you at the movies!
Anna