First Conditional

Intro

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

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• away game
• loyalty
• coach
• sidelines

• emotional roller coaster
• rush
• personal
• cheer

• stressful
• boo

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

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Being a fan is an emotional roller coaster. When your team wins, it’s a big rush. But when they lose, it can cause feelings of grief, anger, and disappointment. Sure, it’s easier to watch professional sports than actually play them. But for the biggest fans, each loss feels personal.

In basketball, the fans are called the sixth man, because they are so important to the team they are almost like another player. At games, they try to help their team win by cheering them on and booing the opponent. Teams tend to win more when they play at home than when they play away games, and some say it’s all because of the fans. Hear Marni and Jason talk about the ups and downs of being a fan.

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.

Jason

Marni

Jason:  So I saw you wearing a Cubs hat.

Marni:  Well, you know. I’m a fan.

Jason:  It’s hard to be a fan of some teams, and the Cubs are one of those teams.

Marni:  I know, but you know, loyalty is the essence of being a good fan.

Jason:  Right.

Marni:  Your team isn’t always gonna win.

Jason:  It’s never gonna win, if it’s the Cubs.

Marni:  Oh, ouch! That hurts. Well, you know, hey, you can say what you will but I’m still there for them. I still support them.

Jason:  You don’t live in Chicago. Is it as fun for you watching…being an armchair coach and yelling at your TV, or do you prefer to be on the sidelines at the game?

Marni:  I definitely prefer to be on the sidelines at the game, but you can’t always get to Chicago.

Jason:  Do you feel like it’s a sacrifice? Like does it…It seems like it takes a lot of time. I watch nearly every Trail Blazers game and sometimes people are really surprised. They’re like, “You are able to watch every Trail Blazers game?” And I’m like, “Well, pretty close.” I watch a lot of them.

Marni:  Well I think when you’re a dedicated fan, you just make the time for that, because that’s important to you. And you seek out people who are like-minded and who want to enjoy those activities with you.

Jason:  Right, and it helps you have fun with your friends. It gives you an activity.

Marni:  Exactly, yeah.

Jason:  And it helps you relax, if you’re watching it by yourself.

Marni:  Yeah. I always find it more stressful, because if they’re losing, then you feel tense.

Grammar Point

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Lesson MP3

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