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.
Gyms are common in the United States. Awareness about obesity in this country has increased, and in recent years, there have been many TV shows about weight loss, from Dr. Phil’s weight loss challenge, to prime time weight loss competitions.
Of course, a lot of folks at the gym are not fat. They work out to reduce stress and stay in shape.
But for some people, working out becomes an obsession. Listen to Logan and Kevin chat about them.
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.
Kevin |
Logan: I got this membership to 24-hour Fitness, um, and I’ve liked it for the most part. However there are times where I go in there during the midday maybe, you know, about 1:00 or 2:00 in the afternoon and you don’t think anybody’s gonna be in there, but you’d be surprised and there’s just these that look like their muscles are gonna pop out of their skin.
Kevin: It’s a meat market, right? Like, people who work out all the time. It’s, like, the weight training just never stops.
Logan: Right, they don’t… they’re not going in there for the sport of it, they’re going in there cause they’re obsessed and they just can’t… it’s all they wanna focus on is just getting bigger, and not necessarily using in the cardiovascular aspect of working out and …
Kevin: They’re just one big muscle, right?
Logan: Right, yeah,
Kevin: Just one big mass, no neck.
Logan: Yeah, they just wanna become bigger and bigger until basically, they… yeah, like, the muscles burst.
Kevin: I mean I don’t know what’s worse, like, being one big muscle or being obese. I think I’d prefer to be obese myself, at least it’s some fun.
Logan: Well, see, I go in there to just to stay toned, and not to… not… and to build muscle too, but not to become, you know, like we say, like a meathead. But it’s just, you know, to keep… and it feels amazing after, you know, you run a mile and you lift for, like, an hour and a half. Yeah. It’s just… it… And it does… it… I do see how it can become addicting. You know, you see these guys in there with personal trainers, and then they…
Kevin: Which are really expensive…
Logan: They figure it out after the personal trainer aspect. They start doing it themselves. They get really into it because they know how to do it now and they just never stop.
Quizzes
Lesson MP3
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Discussion
A lot of Americans have gym memberships. What about in your country? Do a lot of people work out? Do you work out?
Do you think Americans are more obsessed with body and diet than people from other countries?
Do you like to exercise? How often do you exercise? What kind of exercise do you do? Biking? Skate boarding? Hiking? Weight training?
Do you work out alone or with friends?