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Second Chances

Learn English with this friendship English lessons

Date: May 03 2013

Themes: Friend

Grammar: Simple Future Tense

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Intro

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

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Do people ever really change? If someone treats you badly, does he or she deserve a second chance? Take Chris Brown. He beat up Rihanna, but then she took him back. Is she wise to trust him? Does he really deserve a second chance?

If you’re the kind of person who holds a grudge, you’re probably not likely to give out many second chances. But if you trust people and are forgiving, you’re more likely to give someone the benefit of the doubt. You just have to hope that you don’t get burned again. Find out what Mason and Lily think about second (and third) chances in this friendship 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.

Lily

Mason

Lily: Do you think people deserve a second chance?

Mason: In principle, yeah. There are some unforgivable things. I don’t exactly have a list of them, but it’s kinda I know it when I see it sort of a scenario.

Lily: There’s like this list of unforgivable things, but nobody actually knows what they are.

Mason: Nobody has the list.

Lily: It’s more just subjective.

Mason: I think it’s pretty subjective. But by and large, I’m a believer in the second chance. Third chances, maybe not so much, right? Like everyone’s gonna screw up, you’re gonna have mistakes. I try not to hold grudges, so by and large, I’ll give someone another shot.

Lily: Yeah. Third chances are sad, because you’re supposed to learn from your mistakes. That’s the general idea.

Mason: Do you have an example of someone who’s ever given you a second chance?

Lily: My friend had this amazing Irish pottery that she adored that she got from her grandmother, and I accidentally broke one of them. It was bad. I tried to glue it together again and it just didn’t work. But eventually she forgave me, with time.

Mason: So the second chance is that you can be around her pottery again.

Lily: Yeah.

Grammar Point

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Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

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Mason and Lily think that sometimes people deserve second chances, and sometimes they don’t. But it’s hard to know what the things are that are truly unforgivable.

In general, Mason believes in giving second chances. He doesn’t like to hold a grudge, even if someone screws up. He knows that everyone makes mistakes.

Lily agrees. In fact, someone gave her a second chance once, too. She broke her friend’s special pottery. Luckily, her friend believed in second chances. She decided to give Lily another shot.

Do you believe in second chances? Do you hold a grudge? What does someone have to do for you to not give them a second chance?

Comments

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HowardBundy

United States

Thank you! I have learned something new today for myself. Those are phrases that are widely used in everyday life. I will copy out new words in writemyessay book.

yousefkohpeyma

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

Actually,if the mistake has nothing to do with my reputation,I’m ok with giving a second chance.What is more,
we cann’t say whoever is not willing to trust others one more time is holding a grudge,
because when we encounter something bad that is done to us for first time,it is a mistake on others’ part(the one or ones that did it),yet when it is repeated to us following giving a second shot,it is a stupidity on our part.
By and large,I deem not giving another opportunity precaution.

parisa_sh

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

hhm . sometimes you can’nt forgive some mistakes … like cheating !!!

ericayang

China

if he/she want to correct his mistake and know how to do

I think we shoud give his second chances. but if my husband fall in love with other women , i think i cant forgive him.

The_beetle

Thailand

I believe in second chances ..

i think everyone makes mistakes..they deserve a second chance..

Empty smile

Greece

no second chances !!!

kasin531

China

i’m also a believer in second chance,thrid chance.I think everyone gonna screw up even God !

join liang

China

did i forgive her or him ？ it depends on how well relationship between us or if their really know how to do it。

Ednardo

Brazil

Everyone deserves a second chance , even God gives you one !

3emma3

Iraq

People who ask for a second chance means that they know their fault and try to correct it. So it is important to approve their request coz we are human and we are subjected to do mistakes. Allah gives us numberless chances to correct our mistakes coz He knows the nature of human beings.

Pezhman02

Germany

In general I believe in second chances depending on the matter. But sometimes it is just impossible not to hold grudge against if you really got burned by someone.

Abigale727

China

I awalys prefer to give people a second chance except taht what he did really make sad.A second chance will make you get more friends.

shaerwan

Syrian Arab Republic

me too like Mason a beleiver of the second chance

Pao2307

Dominican Republic

I BELIVE everybody need second changes because everybody make mistakes. simple. nobody is perfect

terence25ftw

China

ppl doing bad things purposely dont deserve a second chance. those who could get something out of the previous mistakes should be given a second so they wouldn’t make the same mistakes again. and there is no way for a third chance.

ola33

Japan

Hi, Erise. Well, I don’t know, but since you mentioned about the Bible. It also says, “If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic.”

Erise

Poland

The situations which might require a second chance are very different. At the very beginning I’ve chosen the one when “someone treats us badly”, it means when our feelings were hurt.

To make a long story short, as I’ve already said the most important on the topic, I will say that my not trusting in a second chance is a kind of a self defence.

Bible says we primarily have to love ourselves, it’s true that we firstly have to respect and love ourselves, with this we send a message to others to act with us just the same.

Working in a team is simply another part of a story. There is a set of rules which must be followed for benefits of everyone, all personal feelings should be put aside.

Have a great weekend, Ola, and everyone!

loly__lv

Egypt

ِActaully, i believe in the second chance ,we all are human being we all do mistakes.but i cannot denny that there are some mistakes which are unforgivable. i appericate when someone make msitakes n then come to apologize for me.

For me i forgive but dont forget

ola33

Japan

Erise, what if you happened to be in one team work with the person whose moral values are different than yours. You can’t shun him as the work is to be done and the team spirit is to be supported for further good atmosphere. In this case, my experience tells me to see only good things in a person and reinforce them. And it’s quite rewarding.

Well, if it’s about beating and other extrems, like in Rihanna and Chris Brown. I think it’s objective to be on the list of ‘no-no-no’ to second chances and it might be repeated leading to pshycological and physical damage. But again, there’re different situations and maybe on the spur-of-the moment mistake can be the only and only mistake in you life and never repeated again.