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Cabin Fever

Cabin Fever English, baby! Video Lesson

Date: Oct 12 2010

Themes: Soap Opera

Grammar: Gerunds vs. Infinitives

Intro

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

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

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Staying in a cabin in the woods can be cozy. Cabins are usually small and warm. It’s nice to spend a night or a weekend in one.

But if it snows and you’re trapped in the cabin for days, you might start to go a little crazy. You would get bored and restless. You might get irritable and start fighting with the people you’re with. Cabin fever would set in.

You don’t have to be in a cabin to have cabin fever, you just have to be stuck somewhere. Jason has been cooped up in his house for a while since he broke his leg. Watch as he calls his friends. He hopes one of them has the cure for cabin fever.

3. Watch - Watch the video without reading the dialog.

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.

Devan

Devan

Jason

Jason

Beren

Beren

Ella

Ella

Jeff

Jeff

Devan:  What are you watching, honey?

Jason:  Oh, it’s the WNBA championships.

Devan:  Oh. Why are you using your sweater? You should have your sweater over you.

Jason:  No, no, it’s cool, I like it like this…

Devan:  No! You need a real pillow! Let me go get your real slippers for you, OK?

Jason:  Yeah, yeah, sure!

Devan:  Do you want anything else? What can I make you to eat? You need to build up your strength to get better.

Jason:  How about just something little, like a piece of fruit or something?

Devan:  OK, I’ll go get the pillow for your leg, I’ll go get a blanket for you, and I’ll go make you some soup from scratch, and some crackers, and some fruit. A fruit bowl.

Jason:  OK.

Devan:  OK.

Jason:  Thanks!

Devan:  OK.

Beren:  Hello?

Jason:  Beren! Hey, it’s me! It’s Jason!

Beren:  Hey! What’s up, Jason? How’s your leg?

Jason:  It’s still really fragile, so I can’t leave the house or anything yet. And I’ve got serious cabin fever here.

Beren:  Yeah, you can only watch so much Star Trek in one day, dude.

Jason:  Yeah. So can you hang out, or what?

Beren:  I’ll come over…maybe tomorrow? Today is not looking too good though.

Jason:  I understand, bye.

Ella:  Hm, it’s Jason.

Jeff:  Huh.

Ella:  Hello, Jason!

Jason:  Ella! Hey! How are you?

Ella:  Oh, I’m just, like, super busy. Just reading about ghosts and towns, and…you know, deciding how I’m going to wear my hair in the next two hours…

Jason:  I’m really going crazy. I need some entertainment! So, do you wanna come over and do my hair or something?

Ella:  I don’t know…my hair is kinda more important than yours…

Jason:  OK…I mean, of course…

Ella:  OK, bye.

Jason:  Hey…Jeff! It’s Jason! You know, I know we don’t hang out that often, but I just thought, maybe…

Jeff:  I’ve actually got quite a bit of reading to do…

Jason:  Wait, wait, Devan’s coming back. OK, OK, I gotta go, I gotta go, bye.

Ella:  I’m bored! And I’m craving sweets.

Jeff:  How does gelato sound?

Ella:  Perfect! Let’s do it! Yeah.

 

Grammar Point

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Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

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Devan is taking very good care of her boyfriend Jason while he recovers from a broken leg that she might have caused. But still, just being stuck at home all day is starting to give Jason cabin fever.

If he can’t leave, Jason hopes that at least having one of his friends over will help him not feel as restless. He calls Beren, but she is busy working. Ella doesn’t seem very interested in hanging out either. Jason is getting a little desperate. He calls Jeff even though they aren’t very good friends, but he even doesn’t want to hang out.

After Jason gets off the phone with Jeff and Ella, they agree to go out together. They must be too focused on their new relationship to want to visit Jason.

Have you ever had cabin fever? What did you do to pass the time?

 

Comments

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lolekesh

lolekesh

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

when I am sick I just rest.

12:18 PM Oct 12 2010 |

masiran

masiran

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

yes when i was ill with my sister we were listening to music and watching movies whole day …......hhmmmmm

07:14 AM Oct 12 2010 |

Jasmine Nilar

Myanmar

yes …. it sure is a terrible feeling …. 

06:53 AM Oct 12 2010 |

RaziaNaseri

Afghanistan

Thanks, I accidently found your great site! I am sure it will help me in improving my English.

04:46 AM Oct 12 2010 |

ma qianqian

China

hehe,i can totally understand the feelings of being stuck in an isloated place. Bored and helpless. But Jeson is not cooped up in a remote place and at lest he has his girl friends being with him.

12:59 AM Oct 12 2010 |

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