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Cheers!

Cheers!

Date: Sep 15 2006

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.

a toast[/def] is a tradition in every country. But there’s a different way to do it in every country too.

Even so, the intention is usually the same. In the States, toasts are common at family gatherings like weddings and funerals, birthdays and anniversaries, or any event that is honoring a person. People traditionally clink their glasses together before they drink.

A toast is kind of like a prayer, but one that you say directly to the person. A toast can honor a person, thank that person, or wish that person well. A toast can be a way to acknowledge a special moment, or relish in joy. It can also be a way to remember someone who can’t be there to share that joy.

And sometimes, we just crack open a beer and say, “Cheers!”

Erin has to make a toast at her sister’s wedding. Listen to her talk to Mason about it.

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.

Erin

Erin

Mason

Mason

Erin:  My sister’s wedding is coming up, and I…

Mason:  Ooh, congratulations.

Erin:  Well, I guess that…

Mason:  To your sister.

Erin:  Thank you. Um, and, you know, it’s the tradition for the best man and the maid of honor to say some kind of a speech or a toast. I, I’ve never made a toast before, so I’ve heard the tradition of like, “OK everyone, well please raise your glasses and here’s to dot dot dot.” But, like, I mean, in Ireland, you know, they have poems that they make toasts with, which are beautiful and I’m Irish so I love it, but I don’t, I don’t know. Is there an American tradition that I’m not aware of?

Mason:  Well, there’s, I mean, there’s different kinds of toasts, right? There’s a toast that you do at a bar, which, like a nice little cool limerick or something would be appropriate for…

Erin:  Sure, like Cheers…

Mason:  Some dirty, you know, Australian thing that I, you know, couldn’t say from fear that my mother would hear, um… but this is…

Erin:  Hey, that’s their custom.

Mason:  That’s a thing. But, you know, this is a wedding toast, which ends up being more of a story, you know. It’s, it’s trying to sum up something about this person, uh… You are doing an honor to them. You are speaking more or less for the crowd at large that’s gonna be at your sister’s wedding.

 

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Discussion

Erin seems a little nervous about the toast at her sister’s wedding because she has never made a toast like that before.

Mason has some good information about the different types of toasts you can make. He seems to know what would be appropriate for the wedding.

When do you make toasts in your country? Are there traditional toasts?

 

Comments

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changhaihua

China

I'm so excited to meet you,sir! May I make a friends with you and I hope improve my oral english.My QQ is 805315906.

02:19 AM Feb 01 2008 |

BELL_JP_VN

BELL_JP_VN

Viet Nam

Hi there, nice to meet you! My name is Bella from Vietnam. It’s my pleasure to chat with you!! hehe

11:40 AM Jan 29 2008 |

phanthila

Thailand

I'd like to learn english and make friend with youSmile

12:36 PM Jan 18 2008 |

Ice_媞

Ice_媞

China

hello i'm just the new to the englishbaby,may i make a friend with you?my skype number is MICHELLE_TI29

02:18 AM Jan 16 2008 |

iloveltn123

China

Nice to meet you ,sir !would you please make friends with me?imy QQ is 531146890

01:12 AM Jan 12 2008 |

yessy

Canada

could somebody plz tell me what’s the ‘Australian thing’ refers to?

02:32 AM Sep 19 2006 |

beautyfang

beautyfang

China

?

12:32 PM Sep 16 2006 |

hutao

hutao

China

super

09:07 AM Sep 15 2006 |

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