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On a Trial Basis
On a Trial Basis English, baby! Video Lesson

Learn English with this temporary English lesson

Date: Aug 26 2014

Themes: Hobbies, Soap Opera, Time, Work

Grammar: Present Perfect Progressive

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

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

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Have you ever thought about getting a tattoo? Tattoos can be beautiful and creative. They say a lot about a person’s personality and interests. But they are also permanent. If you get one, you will have it on your body forever. You will have to be OK with looking at it for the rest of your life.

A temporary tattoo allows a person to experience what it’s like to have a tattoo, but on a trial basis. They wash off after a few days. Doing anything on a trial basis means doing it for a short time to decide if it’s something you want or like. A person might be given a job on a trial basis, for example, to make sure she’s the best choice. A friend might be unsure about living in a new city and decide to move there, but only on a trial basis. It’s all about being certain that a new arrangement or situation is going to work out.

Jeff wants to do something on a trial basis, but Marni needs to say OK. What do you think it is? Find out if you guessed correctly by reading today’s English lesson.

3. Watch - Watch the video without reading the dialog.

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.

Jeff

Jeff

Marni

Marni

Jeff:  Marni, do you have a minute?

Marni:  Yeah. Wait a second. OK! What’s up?

Jeff:  I’ll be honest. I’ve been doing a lot of soul searching. And I’m just trying to figure out what I want to do with my life.

Marni:  No kidding. What brought this on?

Jeff:  Remember that L.A. trip with Rafael?

Marni:  Uh-huh.

Jeff:  He found his dream job, and it’s kind of encouraged me to pursue the same path.

Marni:  Wait, are you quitting?

Jeff:  No, no, no. Basically, I’d like to ask for some flexibility.

Marni:  Go on.

Jeff:  I eventually want to become a photographer. I’ve always kind of had this goal. I just kind of thought I’d brush up on my skills with a couple courses.

Marni:  OK. So, where do I fit into this?

Jeff:  I was just wondering if you could let me take a lunchtime class. On a trial basis, of course.

Marni:  Where’s the class?

Jeff:  It’s at the art school a few blocks away. The class is one hour, Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays. It shouldn’t impact my work at all.

Marni:  How long does the class run?

Jeff:  Six weeks.

Marni:  So, six weeks, three days a week, one hour a day. I guess I’m OK with it as long as it’s on a trial basis.

Jeff:  Yes. I will not let you down. Trial basis.

Marni:  OK.

 

Grammar Point

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Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

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Jeff surprises Marni with some news. He wants to take a photography class. Jeff eventually wants to become a professional photographer, so he wants to brush up on his skills by learning from a teacher. But the class is in the middle of the day.

Marni thinks about Jeff’s request. After learning that Jeff doesn’t want to quit but just wants to take a class, she agrees to let him do it on a trial basis. Jeff tells Marni that taking the class won’t impact his work for the company, which helps her make the decision. If the class is going to make Jeff happy and not change the quality of work he’s doing for AmericanDreamD8.com, it’s probably a good idea.

Do you think that Jeff and Marni’s arrangement is going to work? Are you doing anything on a trial basis right now?

 

Comments

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Sergijko

Sergijko

Ukraine

I’m livivng in my sister’s house on a trial basis until I’ll arrive to another country on a job.

09:20 AM May 07 2015 |

Olivine

Olivine

Indonesia

how lucky jeff is..


go jeff go

07:57 AM Aug 31 2014 |

1 person likes this

S&W

S&W

China

Absolutely,it will work.taking this lesson can bring more passion for jeff.he can do his job better.passion must give him more creative ideas for job.why not to try this

12:48 AM Aug 28 2014 |

ahmet55

ahmet55

Germany

Why not. I suppose that it could work. Nothing can go wrong in this case. Jeff will take his class everyday just on a trial basis and do his work as good as he did before. I believe that it not only will decline his working performance but also it can make him more energetic to perform his duties better and better.
Most of the times I prefer to experience a new condition, decision, work, thing and etc. just on a trial basis and then if i receive the right result and find out the pleasant sense i can move on

08:38 PM Aug 26 2014 |

aLShaima

aLShaima

Oman

just wish if the life itself turns to be on a trial basis , so then after making sure about the correct decisions that must be taken out , would simply erase the black holes and go then to have another life of rightoues path and happy ending ..

08:19 PM Aug 26 2014 |

abdulhalimhasan

Syrian Arab Republic

Life difficulties bring us on working more learning more , and We must contuosly brush up on Our skills to keep up the develoment,eventually We will get more promotions.

07:06 PM Aug 26 2014 |

etmln

etmln

Mongolia

I used to go to fitness on a trial basis several days ago. Now I gave up. I did three days a week. Doing things on a trial basis I think it have two sides bad or good. For example learning english on a trial basis is not good.

04:31 PM Aug 26 2014 |

Ditti

Ditti

Hungary

I think that everybody has to do different things on a trial basis during their life in order to find what the things are that they really want to do. If somebody has a luck they do something just for fun and later they can do it as their job. But unfortunately it happens very rarely.


And I also think that Jeff is lucky because there are very few people whose lunchtime lasts one hour.

01:43 PM Aug 26 2014 |

Ya Nina

Kazakhstan

I suppose that Jeff and Marni’s arrangement about the course on a trial basis, is going to work, why not? If Jeff submit his promise that course will have an influence on his job only in positive side, that arrangement will be ok. But if the new Jeff’s pastime take time from his main job, Marni hardly will be in excitiment. Besides, I suppose that Jeff should offer Marni to linger on his main job on those hours, which spend for his course. I suppose that way is more honest in such situation. If I was in Marni’s place, I would offer such decision. I’m sure that it was more right and fair in such case from the point of view of employer. 

08:09 AM Aug 26 2014 |

forugh

forugh

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

I wish we could do every thing on a trial basis and if it apealed to us,we would continue that.life would be much funnier if it was possible…

07:47 AM Aug 26 2014 |

vik32

vik32

India

first of all, would like to say it is very hard to have a boss like marni..lol..and yes jeff and marni’s arrangemnt going to work as jeff’s class isn’t impacting any work at all. infact jeff will do his work with more dedication and satisfication now. 


i have always noticed many people donot pursure their dream just because of their loss of job. but i would advise everyone to go after whatever you want to pusure and eventually you will be successful.

06:45 AM Aug 26 2014 |

Eric_

Eric_

China

Long Live English Baby!


...

buttafly

buttafly

Germany

I’m not doing anything on a trial basis right now, but I used to test various English learning sites over a certain period of time. And after all this time going astray, I have to say English, Baby! still trumps them all :)

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