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Idioms and Phrases- Cold Case

(0:24) Cold Case- an unsolved mystery

Idioms- "Dead men tell no tales." 0:27

"Dead men tell no tales." 0:27- The dead don't speak, so they died with any secrets they might have known in life. Or, they can't speak or tell others how they have died.

English- Evolving or Devolving Language?

Is English an evolving or devolving language?
As I use clips from various television programs for student exercises, I find students having more difficulty understanding what people are saying in recent shows, as opposed to older television programs.  Speech from older programs seems to be more intelligible (understandable).  I've chosen two clips from two programs- one is from Mike and Molly which is a very recent program, and the other is from I Love Lucy which was produced in the 1950's.

•  Please watch the two clips below and leave comments as to which was easier for you to understand.

Sorry your comments are not showing up!  I am going to have to work on this and fix it.  Thank you.

Which video can you understand better?  I Love Lucy or Mike and Molly?

Mike and Molly- What Kind of Mother

Vocabulary

Outgrew- became too big for something

Worked up- upset

Clodhoppers- shoes

Puppy proof- safe for a puppy

Crate- box or cage

Mutt- a dog of mixed breed

Questions

1.     When did Peggy make the sweater?

2.     Why does Mike tell his mother not to get too attached to the dog?

3.     What is getting Birdie all worked up according to Vince?

4.     What did Birdie do to Molly’s shoe?

5.     What is Vince going to grab to make her throw up?

6.     Molly asks what they are going to do about this and what does Peggy say?.

7.     What does Molly say they can do while they aren’t watching her?

8.     What does Peggy say people also do to their dogs?

9.     What is Molly trying to keep Birdie from doing?

10. Mike asks if Molly would feel differently if Birdie was a what?

11. Peggy says they can see what kind of Molly would be because of what?

ANSWERS- Mike and Molly, Seven Miles

1.     What is the first question Mike asks after he walks through the door?

Is Molly here?

2.     Where is Molly?

Out walking with the girls.

3.     Mike asks Vince what he knows about electronics and Vince tells him he pushed a button on the remote and has been stuck watching what?

Law and Order with Spanish subtitles.

4.     What does Mike need to change the numbers on?

His step counter

5.     Why does Mike need to make the number lower?

He put the step counter on Samuel who walked seven miles.

6.     Vince said if it was a what he could help to roll back the number?

A 67 Buick

7.     How many steps did Molly walk?

8, 214 steps

8.     Molly asks how Mike’s walking went today and what is the sad answer?

He lost the counter

9.     Vince said he sure was what when he came in there?

Sweating

10. Why does Molly tell Mike to give her his phone?

Because she wants to use an app to locate his phone

11. Mike said not to do that because maybe whoever has it needs it more than he does and what is his mother in law’s response?

Oh my God, that poor, poor man.

12. Where does Victoria say the call is coming from?

Inside Vince

13. What is rule number one according to Vince?

Never give a broad your phone.

14. What does Victoria say when Mike says he was doing it for Molly?

Awwww

Mike and Molly- Soup

 (0:00-1:39)

Vocabulary

Mm, mm not good- the slogan for a popular brand of soup in America (Cambell’s Soup) is “Mm, mm good.”

Aloha- this is a greeting in Hawaii

Stench- bad smell

Lentils- a type of bean

Saddest of the soups- the worst soup

The limbo- a contest to see who can walk under a stick, leaning backwards, at its lowest point.

That’s our cue- that’s our signal to leave

Portapotty- a portable toilet often used on construction sites, or at outdoor fairs.

Questions

1.     When Joyce asks what the stench is, what is Mike’s response?

2.     Mike says he hopes they had fun and Joyce tells him they had a blast.  What did Molly win?

3.     What place did Joyce come in at the limbo contest?

4.     What does Mike say he’s eating and how long has it been there?

5.     Molly says that no one is forcing him to eat old soup.  What else is there?

6.     Mike asks Molly if she did anything productive today and she responds by saying she guesses he didn’t see what?

7.     Who did the laundry?

8.     When Mike says she was supposed to do it and Molly gets upset, Joyce says that is their cue.  Victoria says good because what is getting to her?

9.     Mike says that stink is his dinner that he had to cook himself.  What is it that Molly didn’t realize?

10. Mike says what would probably happen if it was her job?

11. Where is Mike taking his sad, stinky soup?

Idioms- "You've turned on the lights and given their biggest boogyman a name."

(0:48) "You've turned on the lights and given their biggest boogyman a name."
You've exposed them and named their most dangerous secret.

Idioms and Phrases

"What's your position on" - What is your opinion about

(0:27-0:30) "What's your position on the bat vigilante?" - What's your opinion about batman (a vigilante is someone who takes the law into their own hands, or doesn't follow the law and does things their own way.)

Idioms- shake up your life

shake up your life- make a big change

(0:00) "Everyone needs to shake up their life now and then."

Mike and Molly- The Jackpot

Vocabulary

Mechanics forum- a forum (a “place” people go online) to talk about car repairs

My little Pep girl- The Pep Boys was an automotive chain store

Drive the car over 40- drive the car more than 40 miles per hour

A can of Shout- It’s not a can. (Vince just says that because he’s being funny) It’s a spray bottle of laundry stain remover.

Wrestling pig juice out of that- trying to get a stain of pig juice out of a piece of clothing.

Hit the jackpot- won something great, or had a good stroke of luck.

Questions

1.     What does Mike think Molly is doing when he comes in the door?

2.     What is she doing?

3.     What does Molly say were pretty important?

4.     What does she suggest not to do until she gets it figured out?

5.     Mike smells dinner and who does he think cooked it?

6.     What did Vince make?

7.     What does Vince tell Mike to do?

8.     What did Molly’s mother hit when she married Vince?

9.     What does Mike say after Molly says that?

10. He asks Molly if she thinks Vince knows anything about what?