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Card Games
Card Games

Learn English with this games English lesson

Date: Jan 15 2018

Themes: Hobbies

Grammar: Present Progressive Tense

Intro

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

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Poker, blackjack, hearts, bridge: the types of card games out there are endless. Some games involve a good deal of strategy, while others are all about luck. Having a bunch of friends over to eat snacks, drink drinks, and play a few hands of cards can be a great way to pass the time.

But card-playing can become dangerous when gambling is involved. Gambling is a serious addiction. People who are addicted to gambling never feel that their winnings are enough. They always have to play again and take the risk of losing everything.

Is Mason addicted to cards? Find out what Lily thinks in this games English lesson.

Dialog

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Mason

Mason

Lily

Lily

Mason:  I’m worried I’m on something of a slippery slope ever since I started playing Magic: The Gathering, and I’m kind of afraid of just getting straight addicted to card games of all sorts. And I might become some sort of a gambling addict. So I’m enlisting people for my support group.

Lily:  I don’t know that many card games. I know poker, because poker is fairly straightforward, five cards, you can play it with a bunch of other people…

Mason:  Oh no, there are so many different ways to play poker. That’s one of the reasons why I’m scared.

Lily:  Wait, but how can Magic cards lead into other card games?

Mason:  There’s the mechanics of it. You have a deck, you shuffle your cards, you deal them to yourself, right? There’s a physicality of it that I’m finding really, really fun and pleasing. So it’s like, OK, this is something I want to do, how can I do it more? Go to a casino...

Lily:  I guess it’s a good way to pass the time, right?

Mason:  Sure. And there’s the other level of the strategy of it, and the luck aspect of it, and that’s this intoxicating mix of “I’m kind of in control, but I’m kind of not, and it’s really, really fun.”

Lily:  Wow. Well, maybe you are on a slippery slope. I will be in your support group. I will support you in this cards addiction.

 

Grammar Point

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Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

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Mason is worried that his card playing is getting out of control. He’s been enjoying a fantasy game called Magic: The Gathering. It’s not a traditional card game, but he thinks it might be the start of an addiction. He thinks that, before long, he could end up addicted to gambling.

At first, Lily’s not convinced that Mason needs to be so worried. After all, cards are just a fun way to pass the time. But as Mason begins to share more about how much he loves each aspect of playing cards, down to the way they feel in his hand, she realizes that there might be a problem. She offers to help him out with his addiction, if he needs her.

Do you like playing cards? What are your favorite card games? What’s the difference between being addicted to something and simply enjoying it?

 

Comments

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hofpilsSuper Member!

Germany

I think, I’m like card games. But, I’m not a great card player. I played card games during my study time many years ago. We had a great time with that. our favorite game was 17& 4. Sometime we played with money. It was funny. But, it was never a kind of addiction.

06:26 AM Jan 15 2018 |

1 person likes this

The Last Joke

Yemen




 ♦♥♣♠

 ⚫ In fact ,  card games are popular all over the world, we might think that  card games  look the same everywhere you go. But they don’t! Many countries have their own unique card games. It’s amazing without gambling …


 ♦♥♣♠
What’s the difference between being addicted to something and simply enjoying it?

 it’s a huge  question :
 So many people wonder if they are “addicted” to something or if they are enjoying it :

 🔴Addiction is about a loss of control and can’t stop …

 People may spend hours each day and night playing Card games while neglecting other aspects of their lives

 They often build their dreams in  playing card games  as an escape from reality. For some, this game may be the only thing which they feel they’re the most successful for them ..

🔵Enjoying in something ,it means : haveing pleasure ,experience and benefit; haveing  a good time without losing a control or anything else.
 ♦♥♣♠

01:16 AM Jan 15 2018 |

1 person likes this

Olivine

Olivine

Indonesia

I liked playing cards sometimes, only the simple cards. I don’t really get it how to play the complicated cards that require many strategies, and don’t wanna understand it also. As gambling with money, you might lose everything unconsciously, time included

10:40 AM Sep 14 2013 |

Nijar

Nijar

Egypt

Start with gambling which is not my cup; no need to paraphrase how much this habit has its bad sequences, because we all know about. Poker for some is one of these games, some transfer Vegas to their houses by buying their own machines, ai, yai , yai.


As Mason said there are several kinds of playing cards, even maybe the same game can be different from country to another in strategy ,deal and how to play as British and Japanese Napoleon which are completely different than each other.


Me and my friends sometimes with my family too play poker with out gambling for sure, it’s awesome and light-hearted when you hear our shouts and laugh, nevertheless I adore chess. A chess game can take weeks with us to finish, you fight for your king,  use all your brain weapons to smash down your enemy with white hands and without cheating, after that celebs time begin..


You want to gamble, okay do it in you career and study, put a plan and take a risk if your success will require that, but remember not screw everything up.

10:17 PM Sep 09 2013 |

knuschu

knuschu

Germany

I remember to funny card games with my grandma, when I was a child. We played Canasta and my Grandma was unbeatable ;) Now we play Romme often in family ….. better and more entertaining than most TV channels :)


One of the most famous card games in Germany, called Skat, celebrates his 200 aniversary this year. I am living in the City, where this game were introduced the first time….. but I am a very bad Skat player :)

08:49 PM Sep 09 2013 |

ola33

ola33

Japan

comrade_na
vid
 Bernard Shaw about being unreasonable, extravagant and eccentric


 ’The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.’


But I think that unreasonable man should be very brilliant, smart, not like everyone. One of them is Warren Buffet. He plays, yes, for fun and always wins! Magic! :)

08:07 PM Sep 09 2013 |

taj2013

taj2013

Jordan

I do not like this game never ….. it makes me busy for more important things, such as the worship of God and study., So I think it’s a bad game to a certain extent

07:13 PM Sep 09 2013 |

1 person likes this

bobo.c

bobo.c

China

 the feeling sth like gambling, not win every time and do not always win.

02:12 PM Sep 09 2013 |

bobo.c

bobo.c

China

 play it for fun without gamlbling

02:08 PM Sep 09 2013 |

comrade_navid

United Kingdom

extravagance in every things will cause some serious problems. If you want to play, do it for fun. Just fun!

01:42 PM Sep 09 2013 |

katy76

katy76

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

but we can play just for fun and without gambling…

01:28 PM Sep 09 2013 |

1 person likes this

ola33

ola33

Japan

Never been into cards playing. It’s gambling and gambling can be enjoying to the point but where is that point when after joyfully playing vs turning into an addict wreck with shaking hands, not seeing eyes and the only satisfaction is your huge jackpot. Well that’s not, definitely good! Either enjoy the game which is quite puzzling for me – how can you enjoy a poker game- you enjoy only when you win and that doesn’t happen a lot when you see a straight flush or it maybe never comes your way.


I really liked the Canadian movie The Last Casino. It has got a good message that even the brilliant university students with super memory, super fast counting that looks like one of the main skills in this card buisness, are given good advice by one wierdo: “Forget about casino, go to school. MAKE SOMETHING OF YOURSELF”. Well, I agree :) 


 


12:50 PM Sep 09 2013 |

1 person likes this

katy76

katy76

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

i do love playing cards.and i usually play with my grandmother…she plays professionaly!

11:59 AM Sep 09 2013 |

Jasonlongo

Jasonlongo

Congo, Democratic Republic Of The

If you say that someone is addicted to something, you mean that they like it very much and want to spend as much time doing it as possible, and if they don’t have it they can even steal just to own it.


Someone who is addicted to a harmful drug cannot stop taking it, and about the lesson, from what I heard about card games if you’re addicted, mostly when gambling is involved, it’ll be difficult for you to get out of it

09:46 AM Sep 09 2013 |

2 people like this

Jasonlongo

Jasonlongo

Congo, Democratic Republic Of The

I’ve ever played card games, I don’t really like it, cuz in my country people are arrested because of that, and mostly when gambling is involved.

09:37 AM Sep 09 2013 |

lesliegai

China

Last week, our foreign teacher tough us how to play it in American way. I don’t know why, in fact, i donnot like card game very much. Though it is a good way to relax, i think people are addict in it easily.

09:19 AM Sep 09 2013 |

1 person likes this

KOOROSH77

KOOROSH77

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

i like the card games and i am good dealer. but i don’t have  luck in the card games

08:06 AM Sep 09 2013 |

1 person likes this

I M P E R I V M

United States

I used to gamble a lot when I was a kid but not with money…with candy or food! I was very fun playing cards

04:26 AM Sep 09 2013 |

Jobee

Jobee

China

I have not played card games for long.In China,we’d like a fantasy game called : beat the landlord.I have to say it is a national card game.It needs strategy and smart playing.It’s a good way to pass the time with friends.


But,some people turn the game into slippery slope,gambling.Someone even earns a living on it.you’are addicted to it if you play it whenever you have a chance.you wanna win the last hand no matter you’ve lost everything.I don’t like the gambling state.


Have you ever played Beat the Landlord?Do you wanna play a few hands with me?

03:01 AM Sep 09 2013 |

Ngubo Sixtus

South Africa

card games are so many, but i do like to play that one is not for gambling. gambling leaves other families craying because this type of game is to take a risk in money.

01:48 AM Sep 09 2013 |

1 person likes this

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