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Gag Gifts

Learn birthday English in this English lesson

Date: Nov 19 2012

Themes: Holidays

Grammar: Simple Future Tense

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Intro

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

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walker

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

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Giving someone a present is a great way to show you care. Some say that giving gifts is more rewarding than receiving them. If you’re looking for a gift for someone who has a good sense of humor, a gag gift can be especially fun.

A gag gift isn’t useful, but it is often meaningful in a funny way. Giving someone a funny gift can be a great way to tease them. For instance, if your boss is mean, you could give him candy to make him sweeter.

Gag gifts can also help you remember something funny that happened. If you saw a terrible concert with a friend, you could give her that band’s CD and laugh about how terrible it was. She probably won’t listen to the CD often, but she’ll certainly laugh hard when she unwraps it and every time she sees it around her house.

Jason is thinking of giving someone a gag gift. Find out if Vanessa thinks it’s a good idea or not.

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.

Jason

Vanessa

Jason: My dad’s turning 60, and I think I’m going to get him a gag gift.

Vanessa: A gag gift? You mean, like, a joke?

Jason: Totally.

Vanessa: Will it be an inside joke between the two of you?

Jason: Nope. It will be a very clear joke for everyone. You know, he’s turning 60. He can walk just fine, but I think I’m going to get him a walker.

Vanessa: That sounds really insulting, actually.

Jason: Why?

Vanessa: Do you really think he’s going to think that’s funny? I mean, don’t you think that will go over kind of poorly?

Jason: Um, I think it’s pretty clear. I think he’ll get it. You know, he’s getting on in years...

Vanessa: Well I don’t know, maybe you think it’s funny, but it sounds sort of mean.

Jason: Yeah, he did think it was mean when I got him some roller skates after he broke his leg when I went to visit him in the hospital.

Vanessa: You’re terrible!

Jason: And hilarious!

Grammar Point

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Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

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Jason says that his dad is about to have his 60th birthday and that he is thinking of getting him a gag gift. Vanessa asks if the gag will be an inside joke between Jason and his dad, but Jason says no. The joke will be one anyone can understand. Even though his dad can walk without a problem, Jason is thinking of giving him a walker as a birthday gift, implying that he is very very old.

Vanessa thinks this is a bad idea. She worries that the gift will seem more mean than funny. Jason reflects that his last gag gift, giving his dad roller skates after he broke his leg, was not a success.

Do you like gag gifts? Have you ever given or received one? Was it funny?

Comments

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Nabilo

Germany

Yes, that’s true Ola. Because He was a joking person and he had a cheerfull character by nature.

ola33

Japan

Nabilo, I like your project leader :) In spite of mistake he has made, he doesn’t stop and takes it easy. Amazing self-control!

Nabilo

Germany

One year ago I worked in a project. Our project leader was unexperienced in management matters and had almost no organisational skills. After he made so many mistakes, he decided to leave the company, but before he left we organised a farewell party for him. I and an other 2 project members decided to get him a gag gift and that was: a Book over the Basics of Project Management. The funny side of that is that he guessed it right before he unwrapped the present ;) ;) ;) and he could not stop laughing;)

But the gag gift that jason want to get his father is a mean Idea and would surely not be funny at all:).

Levi3262

Brazil

I’ve already received a gag gift from my brother.. i am a kinda anxious person.. and he’s given me a waterplay (a game where we must put some rings in the right place pushing a botton to make air inside the water box).. and he told me .. “use this to get off your anxiousness, while you play”....

It was very funny

mojtaba

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

its fun but this lessen Could be a bad student

MAHTAB RAD

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

Gag gift was a really useful lesson.I really like it. and I’m gonna give a gag gift to my friend….. :)

lenny80a

Germany

Jason is hillarios….His parents know that…..and friends too. I like him very much!

I’d like to get a gag gift from Jason!

bellaboo2422

Pakistan

gag gift is an amazing idea to share with our friends and young people but its not good for the people getting on in age because there might be a risk to hurt the feelings of our old loved once. we should get it for the sake of strong relation with them. we can share some funny gifts to make them laugh like some cards with funny pix and or we can arrange a surprize pajama party with lots fun to remind them some good time from past or we can form a miscellany of some old things of them to present them so lots of things we can do to make them happy. we just have to shun the sardonic behaviour with them. when it comes to our friends or people of our age group we can crack jokes and mirth. we can make monkey business with them. we can bluntly get them a gag gift. a mumbo jumbo kind of gag can certainly go over and make them lol. last but not the least we can make this happen on a shoestring:).

Skywalker84

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

It’s really fun to give the friends gag gifts, but not to elderly people esp your aged parents! Because they tend to get quite sensitive at that age.

m.aster

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

i had gave such a gift to my brother :)))), it’s really funny

marwa89

Syrian Arab Republic

yeaaaaaaaah so funny lesson

ola33

Japan

I once gave a gag gift to my cousin and he got offended. But I thought and was anticipated so much fun coming out of him. But instead he didn’t even smile. That gag was exatly like that. The hand pops out of the toilet, snatches the coin and quickly dissapears with the lid shut down. :)

The first thought that visited me about the gag gift is the episode from the movie when of age woman is getting a beautiful perfume box, she think it’s an exepnsive perfume from the famous designer, she even can smell the fragrance… but she can’t open it until the giver gives her a hint to press a special button and here we go ” ta – dah” Jack -in the box. I wouldn’t like it either. :))

HammadOmar

Saudi Arabia

this is a funny topic.

I was wondering if I can say about a childe who is growing up : he is getting on in years ??

Moriza

Ukraine

To my mind, to present gag gifts better suit for young people who like and understand humor and not for an old generation who can accept them for a clean coin,and what is worse,it can lead to misunderstanding and offence.

Some people like to get presents,the other prefer to give them.I like and use both varients,though gag gifts are not my way of gifts.I always try to buy practical,useful and beautiful presents,that will evoke nice memories…

“In giving the man receives more than he gives.”

julito

Argentina

I think that Jason should heed Vanessa´s advice that is not a good idea to tease his father with a walker, Jason, wise up !! , nobody needs a reminder of what old age might bring about, what is your father doing with your gift ?, let me guess ,hmmmm, will make a grin and then dumped the walker in the trash bin. Your money should be spent in a more thoughtful way, you know best. As a gag gift buy him a hawaiian shirt, rock Dad, rock !!