Semi-Pro

Intro

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

• schlocky
• NASCAR
• recipe
• work for

• major leagues
• NBA
• trailer
• standard

• breakout
• formula

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

When people talk about “professional sports,” they’re usually talking about huge organizations like baseball’s major leagues. But the phrase really just means people who play sports for money. It could be for $10 million or $10.

There are lots of smaller professional sports organizations in the US and there were even more in the past. In Semi-Pro, Will Ferrell plays a 1970s singer who buys a basketball team in a small league. A league so small that he is a coach and a player as well as the owner. But his team has a chance to move into the NBA, the largest basketball league there is. So they play hard and do a lot of crazy things, like wrestle bears.

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

Devan

Marni:  Oh my God, so I cannot stop laughing because I just watched the trailer for Semi-Pro. I haven’t seen the movie, but…

Devan:  Do you really think that’s going to be a good movie or do you think it’s just going to be another standard Will Ferrell movie? That’s what it looks like to me…

Marni:  You know, it seems to work for him! I agree. It’s like the same sort of formula. You’ve got the sort of schlocky guy…

Devan:  It’s same movie but a different sport. He’s had NASCAR, this is basketball, what else…

Marni:  ...ice skating.

Devan:  It’s the same recipe, same formula, different movie.

Marni:  But for some reason, he gets paid $20 million a movie, you know? So, something’s working for him. And I gotta say, I think he’s funny.

Devan:  Do you think this is going to be a breakout movie for Andre from Outkast? Do you think that he’ll start doing a lot of movies now? I heard he’s supposed to be pretty funny it.

Marni:  I really like him, so I don’t know. It could be. But I think the Will Ferrell thing, that’s what’s brining in the people. You know, that’s why people are going to see it, Will Ferrell. And whatever he’s doing seems to be working for him.

 

Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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