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Flaking Out

Flaking Out

Date: Mar 23 2007

Themes: Friend

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.

Different cultures approach the concept of social plans differently. Even within the US, people vary in their expectations of friends when it comes to making and following through on social plans.

Some people on our lives are known for flaking out. They say they’ll call you but they never do. They always say they’ll come to the show or the party or the bar, but they rarely show up.

Whether someone will be upset if you flake out depends not only on the person but also on the situation. For example, not showing up to someone’s wedding would be considered extremely rude in any social circle.

But if a group of friends is just going out for a drink after work, whether you show up or not may not be important. In general though, it is best not to make promises you can’t keep.

Listen to Marni and Mason talk about flakes and flaking out.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

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

Marni

Marni

Mason

Mason

Marni:  You know, I have something really terrible to admit.

Mason:  What is it?

Marni:  I actually flaked out on a friend of mine to meet you here today.

Mason:  You did?

Marni:  Yes. I know. Isn’t that terrible?

Mason:  Did you tell them at all?

Marni:  I kinda made a really lame excuse. I was just, like, “Yeah, I just can’t show up. I’m jut not feeling well.” Do you feel honored though? I did that to meet you.

Mason:  Well, I mean, yeah, I guess. But I kinda have a really big pet peeve with flakes…

Marni:  Yeah.

Mason:  ... Um, ‘cause I know a lot of them. I found out this winter almost all of my friends are flakes.

Marni:  Really?

Mason:  Yeah, uh, I took a big trip and I had, at one point, like, 14 people that were gonna come. And six people ended up going.

Marni:  I would never flake out on someone if it was, you know, an event where I knew they had…

Mason:  It was, like, a big deal?

Marni:  Well, that and they had pre-paid or something like that. But if it’s just really casual plans. Sometimes I think it’s just better just to do what you feel is right.

Mason:  I got to thinking about it though and I realized why. Flakes are more fun. Because the reason they’re constantly flaking is they actually have all this fun stuff to do…

Marni:  Exactly.

Mason:  ... and they’ve got their choice of, like, “Oh, I could do this fun thing or that fun thing”...

Marni:  Well, thanks. I consider myself a fun person.

Mason:  ... and so sometimes your fun thing isn’t fun enough.

Marni:  Right.

 

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Discussion

Marni tells Mason that she flaked out on another friend in order to hang out with him.

Mason doesn’t like flakes, but at the same time, he has recently realized most of his friends are flakes!

Are you a flake?

Are any of your friends flakes?

 

Comments

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paloma233333

China

i just realized that i am a huge flake.cause sometimes i don’t think it’s really really necessary for me to do certain things.As it won’t pose a big problem or hurt anyone,i just do it—flaking out.it’s okay to be a flake at some points if you have considered the consequences.therefore,make a trade-off before your flaking.everything depends on different situations. 

08:01 AM Nov 12 2014 |

nfrtary

nfrtary

Egypt

ya ya this thing really very annouimg me and it`s the most pet peeve ever when some one flake out on me , one week ago my freind prepared for short trip for 8 persons, and it was prepaid but she descovered that alot of people started to get back and they decided to cancel it this thing drive her to be crazy and took abig decition that will not arrange to trip again because all who we knows are flkes :D but really she was and still mad of them till now and who can blame her? she is totally hase the right to do so …

11:55 PM Jun 11 2012 |

1 person likes this

jaynedayana

Colombia

my friends almost all the time flake out on me and that reallly bother me

04:23 PM Aug 21 2011 |

smith20

Costa Rica

Well most of the time i flake out on my best friend. when i meet him up,  i have to give him a good excuse and give him apologize. 

04:07 PM Jan 30 2010 |

PumpkinSoup

Thailand

My best friend always flake out on me but we are still best friends becuase I'm a flake myself.  So I try not to promise anything that I'm not sure if I can make it.

10:31 AM Jan 18 2010 |

yunah

yunah

Germany

well, I sometimes flake out when I don’t really wanna meet the person personally, lol! But I don’t think all flakes are fun people.

02:32 AM Apr 23 2007 |

sabinagrover

India

learnt a new term today! I never flake and like to stay away from those who do..

07:34 AM Mar 30 2007 |

getchar

getchar

Algeria

“A friend in need is a friend indeed” flaking out on friends i mean really friends…i am not enjoying that when someone do it to me..the same thing of course i can’t do it..

03:05 PM Mar 27 2007 |

AJELINA

AJELINA

Colombia

FLAKING OUT ON A SOMEONE MEANS YOUR LACK OF LOVE ON YOUR FRIEND

05:53 PM Mar 25 2007 |

lucky1982

lucky1982

Afghanistan

Hello to all i ‘m really intersting to learn English
thanks

06:42 AM Mar 25 2007 |

linkship

China

I love this game

01:13 AM Mar 25 2007 |

PhuongHuynh

Viet Nam

At least 1 time in life we flaked out. Anyway, I like the sentence “It is best not to make promises you can’t keep”

04:31 PM Mar 24 2007 |

wksmile

China

too fast

03:10 PM Mar 24 2007 |

Newcastle

Newcastle

Spain

Really crazy speaking ,guys!:)
What about? I flaked out on the sofa. Is it right?

01:11 PM Mar 24 2007 |

applemotion

China

will you flake on your friends ?

10:25 AM Mar 24 2007 |

dadiahoney

dadiahoney

Algeria

flaking out is a kind of Hypocricy…

08:13 AM Mar 24 2007 |

piglingi

China

someone who say one thing ,but do another thing ,this people is a bad egg

03:40 AM Mar 24 2007 |

kado1919

kado1919Super Member!

United States

Its a good point for friendship

06:46 PM Mar 23 2007 |

rammamet

Sudan

realy v.good

02:01 PM Mar 23 2007 |

babak774

Canada

hello

08:19 AM Mar 23 2007 |

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