episode 3: get the ball rolling – everyday idioms 3 – esl library · 2020. 1. 12. · copyrigh...

Copyright 2015, Red River Press Inc. For use by members of ESL Library in accordance with membership terms. 1

Get the Ball RollingEveryday Idioms 3 – Lesson 3 of 20

Vocabulary Preview

Warm-UpStand up and chat with a bunch of different classmates.

1. Have you ever been through immigration in an airport? If yes, describe your experience.

2. What types of questions do people have to answer at border crossings?

3. Are customs officials always serious, or is this a stereotype?

4. What do you think Eugene will have to tell the immigration officer at the airport?

B. Matching

Match these words to their correct definitions.

a)

b)

c)

d)

e)

f)

g)

h)

i)

j)

so good that it feels like a dream

to get something started

an obvious statement or idea

to be useful

expensive

just in case

to practice something you haven’t done in a while

to share a living space with someone

plus or minus an amount mentioned

Congratulations.

brush up on

Good for you.

no-brainer

give or take

on the safe side

room

come in handy

too good to be true

get the ball rolling

pricey

A. Idioms and Expressions

Your teacher will give each student one or more strips of paper. Your strip(s) will have an English idiom/expression OR a definition for an idiom/expression. Try to find the student that has your match. When all of the matches have been found, read the strips out loud to see if they all make sense.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.



Get the Ball Rolling: IntroductionIn the third episode of Moving to New York, Eugene speaks with a customs official at the airport. Will Eugene be able to answer the questions clearly in English, or will he stumble over his words?

Customs Officer

Eugene

Listening – Gap FillFill in the gaps as you listen. Then read the dialogue with your partner a few times. Take turns being each character. Practice your intonation and pronunciation. Underline or highlight any new words or phrases that you don’t understand.

Korean.

I’m here to my English.

No, sir. Just studying. And a little sightseeing, of course.

Three months, a week.

I’m with a buddy from Brazil. His flat is near Central Park.

Actually, it’s dirt cheap! It’s almost .

Citizenship, please.

What brings you to New York? Is this business or pleasure?

. Will you be working while you’re in the US?

That’s a . How long are you staying?

I’ll put four to be . Where will you be staying?

That location will . Sounds pricey, though.

Well, let’s . I’ll swap you your passport for those forms you’re holding.



Listen Again – Put in OrderListen to the dialogue again and put the sentences into the correct order by numbering them.

I’m here to brush up on my English.


I’m rooming with a buddy from Brazil. His flat is near Central Park.

Three months, give or take a week.

Well, let’s get the ball rolling. I’ll swap you your passport for those forms you’re holding.

Actually, it’s dirt cheap! It’s almost too good to be true.

Korean.

That location will come in handy. Sounds pricey, though.

I’ll put four to be on the safe side. Where will you be staying?

That’s a no-brainer. How long are you staying?


Good for you. Will you be working while you’re in the US?


Making Predictions

Customs Officer

Eugene

What do you think will happen next? Make two predictions. Discuss your predictions with a partner.

• I think Eugene will get lost in New York.• I bet Eugene will lose his passport.

Hint: The title of the next episode is “Worried Sick.”

1.

2.



Comprehension QuestionsAnswer and discuss these questions in pairs or as a class.

Vocabulary ReviewSubstitute the idiom or expression with another word or phrase.

1. You finished, your degree, huh? .

2. Who are you with?

3. The guests are going to get hungry soon. Let’s .

4. That umbrella you packed .

5. Bring a hat and scarf just to be .

1. Where does the conversation take place?

2. What two things does Eugene say he is going to do in New York?

3. How long does Eugene plan on staying in New York?

(Good for you)

(rooming)

(get the ball rolling)

(came in handy)

(on the safe side)

4. What does the officer assume about Eugene’s accomodations?

5. What does the officer have to do before Eugene can continue on the next leg of his trip?



You’re Vs. Your – And what about “ur”?

Write Your Own DialogueIn your notebook, write a new dialogue with a partner. Use idioms and expressions from page 1. Try to use both “you’re” and “your” in your dialogue. Use the same subject (“Get the Ball Rolling”) but with different characters at an airport. Practice and present the dialogue to your class.

Write an EmailWrite an email asking a family member to get the ball rolling on something. Use the subject line: Let’s get the ball rolling. The subject could be a family celebration, some paperwork, or a task he/she has been avoiding.If possible, try to use a few idioms that you’ve learned. Write your letter in your notebook or type it on the computer and email it to your family member or teacher.

Many people, including native English speakers, mix up “you’re” and “your” in writing. Most people know that “you’re” is a contraction of “you are” and “your” is a possessive adjective used before a noun. The problem is that these words sound the same when spoken. Our brains sometimes rely on the sound, and we forget to write the correct form.

Complete the Sentence:

In Episode 3, the immigration officer asks Carlos a question:

Will you be working while in the States?

Note:When texting or chatting online, people often use the short form “ur.” This short form is used for both “you’re” and “your.” It should only be used in very informal writing.



Survey – Learning English

Classmate NameWhat part of English do you need to brush up on?

What websites or tools come in handy for learning English?

Do you think language learning is pricey? (Explain.)

KeywordsWrite your own example sentences using the idioms and expressions you’ve learned.

brush up on

Good for you.

no-brainer

give or take

on the safe side

room

come in handy

too good to be true

get the ball rolling

pricey

Walk around your class and survey your classmates about learning English. Take some notes. Then have a class discussion about what you found out.

Examples:

• Mindy needs to brush up on verb tenses.• Angelo said online dictionaries come in handy.• Louis thinks language learning is pricey because he wants to travel abroad.



Vocabulary Review

More than one option is possible.

1. You finished your degree, huh?

Congratulations/I’m proud of you.

2. Who are you staying/living with?

3. Let’s get started/going/a move on.

4. That umbrella you packed was

put to good use/was very useful.

5. Bring a hat and scarf just in case.

Comprehension Questions

1. The conversation takes place at the airport.

2. Eugene says he is going to study

and go sightseeing in New York.

3. Eugene plans on staying in New York for three months or so.

4. The officer assumes that it will be very

expensive for Eugene to live near Central Park.

5. The officer has to check Eugene’s forms

before he can be allowed into the country.

*You can also teach your students that “Good for you” can

be used in a sarcastic way, meaning “Who cares—not me.”

Listening – Gap Fill

Have students fill in the blanks as they listen to the dialogue.

After correction, have them practice reading it aloud in pairs.

The full transcript is on page 10 (optional handout).

Listen Again – Put in Order

Play the audio again and have your students write the correct

number beside each line. The correct order is on page 10.

Teachers’ Answer KeyNOTE:

Written answers may vary. Use the images on

pages 11–13 to preview and review this episode.

Warm-Up

Put students in pairs or discuss as a class.

Vocabulary Preview

A. IDIOMS AND EXPRESSIONS

Optional. Cut-up strips are on page 9.

B. MATCHING

1. g

2. j*

3. c

4. i

5. f

6. h

7. d

8. a

9. b

10. e

(continued on the next page...)



Write Your Own Dialogue

Put students in pairs and make sure they use

some of the idioms and expressions on page 1.

Write an Email

Individual writing task. Can be done for homework

or when a student finishes something early.

Keywords

Have students write their own example sentences. Check

to make sure they’re using the new vocabulary correctly.

Survey – Learning English

Give your students some time to walk around the class and

survey each other. Have a class discussion to summarize the

results. Encourage your students to use the idioms provided.

SPELLING NOTE:

This lesson shows the American spelling of the word Practice.

Most other English-speaking countries spell it this way: Practise

(when used as a verb; Practice when used as a noun). Make it a

challenge for your students to find this word in the lesson and

see if they know the alternate spelling.

EDITOR’S NOTE:

The dialogue uses the word “flat,” which is common in British

English. “Apartment” is preferred in North American English.

Make it a challenge for your students to find this word in the

lesson and see if they know the alternate term.

Teachers’ Answer Key cont.



Vocabulary PreviewA. Idioms and Expressions

Cut up these vocabulary strips. Refer to the instructions on page 1.

brush up on to practice something you haven’t done in a while

Good for you. Congratulations.

no-brainer an obvious statement or idea

give or take plus or minus an amount mentioned

on the safe side just in case

room to share a living space with someone

come in handy to be useful

too good to be true so good that it feels like a dream

get the ball rolling to get something started

pricey expensive



Dialogue TranscriptRead the dialogue with your partner a few times. Take turns being each character. Practice your intonation and pronunciation. Underline or highlight any new words or phrases that you don’t understand.

I’m here to brush up on my English.


I’m rooming with a buddy from Brazil. His flat is near Central Park.

Three months, give or take a week.

Actually, it’s dirt cheap! It’s almost too good to be true.

Korean.

That location will come in handy. Sounds pricey, though.

I’ll put four to be on the safe side. Where will you be staying?


That’s a no-brainer. How long are you staying?

Well, let’s get the ball rolling. I’ll swap you your passport for those forms you’re holding.


Good for you. Will you be working while you’re in the US?

Customs Officer

Eugene

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episode 3: get the ball rolling – everyday idioms 3 – esl library · 2020. 1. 12. · copyrigh...

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