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Pirates

Learn about Verbs with 'ing'

Date: May 25 2012

Themes: News

Grammar: Verbs with "-ing"

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Intro

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used to be all about eye patches, rum, and buried treasure. But modern-day pirates are a lot scarier. They attack shipping boats and sometimes even boats carrying tourists. They demand money in exchange for releasing the ship, its cargo, its crew and its passengers. Often, their hostages end up getting hurt or traumatized. As Jeff and Jason agree, it would be a lot better if pirates would just stick to sword fighting.

Dialog

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Jeff

Jason

Jeff: You know what I’ve been seeing in the news for the last couple of years that caught me by surprise, Jason, is stories about pirates.

Jason: I know. I was really disappointed to learn that they don’t wear eye patches, and they don’t say, “Yarrggghh.”

Jeff: They don’t?

Jason: No. They’re Somalians on big boats with machine guns. It’s very different now.

Jeff: That’s still kinda cool in maybe a different way.

Jason: I guess it’s kind of cool in a music video kind of way. But it’s just scarier. It doesn’t seem like they’re interested in sword fighting anyone. They’re just interested in kidnapping people from the beach and then ransoming them.

Jeff: They’re obviously desperate for something. Why are they resorting to those measures, do you think?

Jason: Well, I guess their countries aren’t doing very well, so they just become rogues and take to the seas and steal. Sign of the times in a way, I guess.

Jeff: But also similar to the pirates we think of.

Jason: Yeah? Why did they become pirates? I thought they just liked the outfits.

Jeff: Yeah, and rum. They wanted lots of rum.

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Discussion

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Jeff and Jason have both heard a lot on the news lately about pirates in Somalia. These pirates board shipping boats and hold the boats, cargo and crew for ransom. They’re very different from the pirates in books and movies like Peter Pan and Pirates of the Caribbean. Jason and Jeff say that those pirates were more interested in sword fighting and rum than in taking hostages.

Jeff says that the pirates in Somalia must be desperate, or they wouldn’t do such extreme things. Jason thinks that they probably became pirates because there weren’t many other opportunities for them. Maybe they believed the only way they could get rich was to steal. In a way, that’s the same as the pirates in stories, who were always searching for treasure.

Do you like stories about pirates? Are you surprised that there are pirates in real life?

Comments

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saowaros

Thailand

This lesson reminded me about captain Jack Sparrow lolz

heshang

China

pirates is free

riverboy

Yemen

the most famous pirated these years are Somalian, they capture people properties itc , according the circumstance they are suffering somalian people
On the other hand wealth people came there to fish somalian ocean and that is wrong because every country has a border so when they across their borders. Somalian pirates has the right to kidnap and take that huge property. those pirates they use any kinds of drags like rum and so on,also they seasoned pro of this kidnapping and have a lot of training. Can you imagine how could they kidnap very big ship with a very small boat with machine gun.

Man from this time

Syrian Arab Republic

Let’s imagine how was the facial expression on the child # 50

mark lee

China

Assad is a bastard! Wish you lucky and for all Syriens.keep hope always and you’ll pull through…

Man from this time

Syrian Arab Republic

SOS,

We were counting the number of martyrs, now we are counting the number of massacres, 50 children where “slaughter” with the kitchen knives by Assad forces. Please stop those massacres.

watch this vdeio:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UN9p1I-7rI

mark lee

China

the real pirates must be very desperated and they choose to adventure ,which may be just for survival not for a dream seeming romantic.

ale_serrat

Brazil

I like pirates stories but I never wanted to be part of one…

julito

Argentina

The Somalian pirates are the new predators of the Indian Ocean , only that now they they don´t wear eye patches and an iron hook to replace a lost hand. This new breed of pirates with the millions of dollars that were paid (from the insurance company) in exchange for the hostages ,cargo and the ship ,are equip with speed boats .GPS and letal weapons.

Sword fighting is a thing of the past and the Olympic games.

konstantin cherta s dva

Russian Federation

I think taking people and crews as hostage not as terrifying as just killing them, that pirates in the past did.

Though, Somalian pirates already killed four hostages from US because the navy ship tryed to stop them.

Nicte ha

Mexico

I don’t like pirates, not at all

tutorheather

United States

TY, yes. I completely agree—poverty and greed are often at the root of many criminal acts.

Englishty

Egypt

For me as long as there’s still poverty in the world so anything is possible.

tutorheather

United States

I have also used to the word “pirate” on a more personal level.

We are each in charge of our own lives. For example, we can learn and grow as much as we’d like, or we can choose to stay uninfomed. We can choose to love or hate, and we can choose to assist others or help only ourselves.

We can also let others hurt us, abuse us, and influence us to the point that we lose our own way. We sometimes forget our own dreams or wishes to please another. Unfortunately, many of us pretend to be someone else so we don’t alienate or offend others.

We must remember, however, that we are the captains of our own ship. No matter the forces and circumstances in our lives, we do have choices. As such, we must remain at the helm (the front of, where the steering gear is) of our ship. When when let down our healthy self protection, or forget to take charge of ourselves, we may find that “pirates” over-run our ships and may cause us damage. There are many people who take advantage of other people’s kindness, and eventually try to take over their victim’s ship.

Be careful of these pirates! Remain at the helm. Love others, but also make sure that you respect yourself and honor your own wishes and dreams.

tutorheather

United States

Hi everyone!

Great topic. As long as I can remember, children and adults in the US have dressed as pirates for Halloween. It’s a very common costume, but is usually associated with being devious in a fun, lighthearted way, and yes…rum. :)

Modern day pirates are very common, both on and offline. Amina’s comment about online pirates is well taken. There are millions of people who attempt to rob and pillage companies and individuals on a daily basis. Unfortunately, it’s part of the world we live in. We must be careful of this, but also make sure that we don’t become jaded (to become so used to something that is bad or disappointing that we come to expect sadness, hurt, etc.). There are so many wonderful people in this world, and being an international teacher reminds me of this on a daily basis.

The internet gives us all the opportunity to become global citizens. I am a citizen of the USA, yes, but I am also a world citizen. As such, I see everyone as my sister or brother, and feel a universal love that transcends (passes the limits of) nationality, race or ethnicity.

Irene Forever

Ukraine

No, I don’t like reading stories about pirates. As I know, the most common origin of pirates nowadays is from Somalia in North East Africa. As Somalia is a desperately poor country with a large ocean border, it is easy for them to steal or raid all kinds of ships and vessels as they pass through the Suez Canal in Egypt. They consider themselves as coast guards not pirates. Of course, we could never imagine how we would feel unless we were placed in such position like Somali people.

The crew of the hijacked Ukrainian merchant vessel MV Faina stand on the deck, under the watch of armed Somali pirates on November 9 after a US Navy request to check on their health and welfare, at sea off the coast of Somalia.