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The X-Files: I Want to Believe

The X-Files: I Want to Believe

Date: Nov 19 2008

Themes: Alternative, Pop Culture

Grammar: Gerunds vs. Infinitives

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.

According to a recent poll, 24% of Americans believe that aliens have visited Earth. Some of those people may have been influenced by The X Files, a hit science fiction TV show in which FBI agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully investigate mysterious, unsolved cases. Through the 1990s, Mulder and Scully shined their flashlights on all things paranormal, from UFO sightings to bizarre monsters, and tried to uncover government conspiracies.

Now, after five years off the air, The X Files is back with a feature film called I Want to Believe. Fans of the TV show want to believe that the movie will be as good as the show. But will they be disappointed? Listen to what Marni and Mason think.

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

Marni

Mason

Mason

Marni:  I was a huge X Files fan.

Mason:  Back in the day, right?

Marni:  Yeah, but like, you know, shockingly, they just came out with a new movie. But it was very under the radar. Like, nobody really knew it was coming out.

Mason:  What? Everybody knew it was coming out. It was like, “Oh man, The X Files are back.” But everyone was worried, myself included, and I think justifiably so.

Marni:  Well, my point is that in the information age we’re in, you know, nobody knew the plot or anything. The plot being, Mulder is actually wanted.

Mason:  Yeah, the thing is, The X Files kinda lost touch with me when they really…They didn’t really like hold on to that paranormal aspect. The spooky, like, “The Truth Is Out There.” Um, they started getting into the romance sort of thing…And like these really big conspiracies as opposed to just that simple, “Government’s hiding stuff, there’s aliens…”

Marni:  Right. But I think it’s interesting that Mulder, you know, was like a great FBI agent and now he’s like on the lam.

Mason:  Why did he…Why did he ever leave the show in the first place? I stopped watching before that happened.

Marni:  I agree…I kinda stopped watching too.

Mason:  Yeah. Yeah, it was like end of third season, they’re like, “Oh wow, there’s aliens now.” And it was like, man, that was the whole point of the show, maybe there’s aliens.

 

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Discussion

Marni used to love watching The X Files TV show and is surprised to hear a new X-Files movie just came out. In the new movie, Mulder, who used to be an FBI agent, is now a wanted man.

Mason used to like The X Files too, but he stopped watching the series after the stories started to get too complicated and the romance between Mulder and Scully became a bigger part of the show. He liked it better when the show was just about chasing extraterrestrials and monsters, and the government conspiracies were easier to understand.

Do you believe in aliens and other paranormal beings like ghosts or monsters? Do you think people in the government would try to keep it a secret if they knew that aliens were real?

 

Comments

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tranhoangvan

Viet Nam

i don ' t see this film.And i want to watch it

08:49 AM Nov 21 2008 |

samiabenarab

France

I used to believe that other creatures or forms of life apart from humans, animals and plants exist, i was actually influenced by some books i read which racounted true stories about people that saw strange creatures and flying saucers too!, the stories was so convincing so that i couldn't have a doubt on theire credebility but now all that can't come throught my mind, i know that galaxy is huge and eventually paranormal forms of live could exist but it's hard to believe since there's no prouf, at least the governoment didn't annouce anything yet!! Smile

06:02 AM Nov 20 2008 |

zekezhou

China

I didn't see the tv show or the movie of The X-Files,so I don't want to say anything about it .I believe there have ET in the universe. because we can't explain  many things.and I think when we can't explain it ,we can choose to believe it more or less .

01:40 AM Nov 20 2008 |

Marcelolic

Marcelolic

Brazil

I believe in paranormal beings and that there are other forms of life living in other parts of universe,but I don’t believe in monsters! hehe :D

11:49 PM Nov 19 2008 |

1 person likes this

Marcelolic

Marcelolic

Brazil

I believe with certainty that there are other forms of life elsewhever in the universe Laughing...

It is not possible that there is only us,human being,throughout the universe!

11:45 PM Nov 19 2008 |

Atkins

Poland

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I think, universe is huge and there are a lot of things to explore.

How do you think- is universe finished?  

Maybe finished but without border? (like circumference is finished but without border ;-)

10:07 PM Nov 19 2008 |

samiabenarab

France

Could  somebody who watched the movie "I want to believe" summarize it for me, I would be thinkful!

08:15 PM Nov 19 2008 |

Eliza_8

Eliza_8

Colombia

I believe in extraterrestrial forms of life, because exist differents stars and many planets in distant galaxies, for this reason it´s imposibol don´t think in other forms of life.
Nevertheless I don´t like the new movie of X files’s

07:57 PM Nov 19 2008 |

samiabenarab

France

as a matter of fact if aliens or paranormal phenomenon really exist it would be interesting and exiting to know about them, in the other hand people will get paniky everytime a bad thing regarding aliens is annouced and they may be constantly on the alert.

07:53 PM Nov 19 2008 |

amany7

amany7

Saudi Arabia

I don't believe in such things but If it is existance it would be so interesting… :)

06:02 PM Nov 19 2008 |

alkharig

Yemen

Hi

04:48 PM Nov 19 2008 |

samiabenarab

France

movies often tell true stories or racount things that exist or can happen but up to me it's not a reference do build our believes on. Movies can certaily influence our thoughts and the way we  think but there are limits for that, mainly when aware and capable to think logically and cleverly and also when we know about what  science brings us and proves us every day.

03:49 PM Nov 19 2008 |

Christoph07

Germany

I did not know that Scully and Mulder did marriage. I ve seen this some times but I did not like it somuch. But I have two friends who like this series. To topic Aliens: Its fantastic when we are the onliest planet with live in the whole space. You can find so many planets arround the stars and you have so many stars in our galaxy – every knows the milky way – and you can find so many galaxies in space so it sounds absolutely logical that we are not alone. But nobody knows and so it doesn't matter.

03:41 PM Nov 19 2008 |

Totto

Totto

Sudan

   Yes I believe in Aliens, UFOs(Unidentified Flying Objects), and other Paranormal beings, that might be

present in our planet or will come to it in any time in the future, and the government would lie about

them.  I rememeber once in the movie Hell Boy 1 when the citizens asked the people in the government if

there was any alien in the city because they saw a strange, red creature that looked just like a human

being but has a tail and horns jumping over the buildings.  The people in the government denied

there was not any alien in the city.  The Alien, that the citizens saw, was Hell boy.  Also Some

people in America said they saw  an UFO.  So yes, I believe in Aliens, UFOs and other paranormal beings.

Always the people in the government would lie to about them. But they would lie for good reasons

sometimes such as not to cause panicking and calm people down.

 

03:07 PM Nov 19 2008 |

webmsj

China

Something are not expained for our own knowledge in this world. So  the things exist in. They have their time, place and fate.

02:09 PM Nov 19 2008 |

samiabenarab

France

hello centoir, i'm taking your opinion about the movie in consideration, i'll try to download it and see it. I don't believe on aliens and I'm sure they don't exist, what's happening in the galaxy has nothing to do with alien but only natural phenomenon that science can explain.

01:33 PM Nov 19 2008 |

SÉRGIO

SÉRGIO

Brazil

It's almost impossible not to exist any type of life in that vast universe! I really believe it! It's unlikely that we are alone! i wonder if we will keep contact with them someday!

12:20 PM Nov 19 2008 |

samiabenarab

France

I used to watch THE X-FILES, I was actually fan of that show, especially when romance started to fullfill between mulder and scully. The stories were truely attracting and complicated two, even if I don't believe that aliens exist, i really enjoyed watching THE X-FILES. I didn't hear of theire new movie yet but I can't wait to see it!, the storie sounds interesting according to the conversation above.

10:45 AM Nov 19 2008 |

basantarya

basantarya

India

i do not believe on paranormal beings but i have heard about them.this lesson is giving us some information 

 

10:33 AM Nov 19 2008 |

basantarya

basantarya

India

i do not el

10:26 AM Nov 19 2008 |

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