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G.I. Joe: The Rise of the Cobra

Date: Sep 09 2009

Themes: Hobbies

Grammar: Verbs with "-ing"

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Intro

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

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As long as there have been toys, little boys have made them fight each other. In the 1960s, G.I. Joe changed toys forever. Suddenly toy soldiers could move! You could make them walk, crouch, wrestle, hold weapons and more. The action figure was born.

In the 1980s, the G.I. Joe line of toys was adapted into a popular cartoon show. And recently it has become a feature film, G.I. Joe: The Rise of the Cobra. But the movie is no child’s play. It includes an accelerator suit that can turn you into a superman and a battle to (what else?) save the world from nuclear destruction. Both Mason and Dale grew up on G.I. Joe. Listen to them talk about how they feel about this new stage in Joe’s career.

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.

Dale

Mason

Dale: I have to tell you, Mason, G.I. Joe, I’m so excited about it. I grew up with G.I. Joe. I know all about G.I. Joe. I can’t wait to see the movie.

Mason: Dale, here’s the thing. I know I’m with you on this, man. We are children of the ‘80s. G.I. Joe…

Dale: Transformers...

Mason: All these things. They’re just stealing them from us. It’s like taking all that credibility. It’s like if you were to take all the money out of your retirement account like now. It’s too soon. It’s the wrong decision. ‘Cause I saw it, right? I was in your shoes.

Dale: You were excited before you went in?

Mason: I was giddy is how I was.

Dale: That’s where I’m at right now. I have G.I. Joe action figures. Those are my favorite toys in the world. I remember watching the trailer on TV and I was like, “I gotta go see it!” I actually stopped what I was doing and I was like, “No way! G.I. Joe is coming out!”

Mason: Yeah. It’s just…it’s big and loud, it’s a big action blockbuster, but they didn’t really hold on to the spirit. Your favorite people are there. Snake Eyes is there and whatnot. But there’s no way they can make up for quite literally the cartoonishness of the original. And now you know, Dale.

Dale: And knowing is half the battle.

Grammar Point

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Quizzes

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Discussion

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Dale could not be more excited that there is now a G.I. Joe movie. But Mason saw the movie and says it’s not as good as he had hoped. It doesn’t have the same spirit of the cartoons and the famous toys that inspired them. All the characters are there, but it doesn’t feel the same.

Mason feels the same way about the recent Transformers movie. It’s like everything he loved as a kid is being redone, but he always likes the older version better.

What was your favorite toy as a kid? Has anything from your childhood been brought back recently?

Comments

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sofree

China

It's hard to believe I really can not recall many toy, except a doll, but I can't say that was my favorite.

There's some cartoon I really love, like Doraemon, they are not brought back, because they never go away.

Zambuka

United States

To tell the truth in my childhood i was playing with dolls like all the girls . . . I was playing with toy soldiers , cars , tanks , guns , i was like a guy . . . The only explanation that i was growing up among two brothers :)
and i as well liked the cartoons about the disney characters . . .
and by the way , i saw this movie , g.i. . . . I don’t like such films , actions , but this movie was outstanding ! :) i liked it so much ! And at the end , it was visible that the second part will come out soon !