Please watch the video below. Remember: Don’t write anything. Just watch and listen. By the end of the lesson you will understand everything!
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Greg: Boston.
Greg: Ok, so this is Boston, Mark. Is that right?
Mark: Yes, this is Boston, Massachusetts.
Greg: And, why did you go to Boston?
Mark: Dasha and I left New York and headed north to Boston, to see my brother. His name is Eric, but we just call him Rick…And his wife, Margery and their kids. They—they don’t actually live in Boston. They live in Cambridge, which is just…well…a suburb of Boston.
Greg: Is this the whole skyline? Because it actually looks like kind of a small city. I actually kinda (kind of) imagined Boston as a big place. But this from the skyline, it doesn’t actually look all that big.
Mark: Yeah, I know. That’s a good question. I don’t know the population of Boston, but I’d be surprised if it was in the top ten, you know, cities, population-wise. What are they? It’s like: New York, L.A, Chicago, D.C. You know, I don’t think it pops up in those first…I think Phoenix and San Diego are bigger than Boston, so…
Greg: Yeah, definitely. Phoenix is up there I think at number four or six—no, it’s not four, but like six now. It’s pretty huge.
Mark: Yeah. So, Boston’s probably ten or even more than that. So, yeah that could well be it. That’s—that’s the skyline I remember, you know?
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Listening before reading is very important. Please, DO NOT read the text yet. If you don’t understand the audio, that’s okay. Listen now, at least two times.
| 1. |
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to head = to go
Remember, in these four groups of sentences below, a native speaker will usually use the 2nd version. So, “headed” is the advanced word we want to learn.
Where are you going?
Where are you headed?
We’re going to the movies.
We’re headed to the movies.
Are you going to the store?
Are you headed to the store?
Dasha and I left New York and went north to Boston.
Dasha and I left New York and headed north to Boston.
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| 2. |
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kind of = somewhat (of)
Remember, the 2nd version (using “kind of”) is how a native speaker will probably say these sentences.
I had breakfast about five hours ago, so I’m somewhat hungry.
I had breakfast about five hours ago, so I’m kind of hungry.
He’s somewhat lazy.
He’s kind of lazy.
She’s somewhat tired.
She’s kind of tired.
Boston actually looks like somewhat of a small city.
Boston actually looks like kind of a small city.
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| 3. |
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not all that _____ (adjective) = not very ______ (adjective)
NOTE: The word “not” will often be part of a contraction earlier in the sentence.
I didn’t think the movie was very funny.
I didn’t think the movie was all that funny.
Billy isn’t very smart.
Billy isn’t all that smart.
She didn’t think the book was very interesting.
She didn’t think the book was all that interesting.
Boston doesn’t actually look very big.
Boston doesn’t actually look all that big.
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| 4. |
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to pop up = to be mentioned
In political debates, taxes are mentioned a lot.
In political debates, taxes pop up a lot.
In our talks, money is mentioned a lot.
In our talks, money pops up a lot.
Religion is always mentioned pops up when he talks.
Religion always pops up when he talks.
I don’t think Boston is mentioned in the list of the biggest cities.
I don’t think Boston pops up in the list of the biggest cities.
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| 5. |
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to be up there = to be ranked (high)
Yale is ranked with the best Universities in the country.
Yale is up there with the best Universities in the country.
My favorite movies? TERMINATOR is ranked high.
My favorite movies? TERMINATOR is up there.
Nadal is ranked with the best tennis players in history.
Nadal is up there with the best tennis players in history.
Phoenix is ranked at number 4 or 5, I think.
Phoenix is up there at number 4 or 5, I think.
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| 6. |
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could well be = probably is/are
They are probably home by now.
They could well be home by now.
He is probably lying.
He could well be lying.
He is probably the best boxer ever.
He could well be the best boxer ever.
That is probably the reason.
That could well be the reason.
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Easy: Where are you going?
Advanced: Where are you _____ ?
Easy: I had breakfast about five hours ago, so I’m somewhat hungry.
Advanced: I had breakfast about five hours ago, so I’m ___ ___ hungry.
Easy: I didn’t think the movie was very funny.
Advanced: I didn’t think the movie was ___ ___ funny.
Easy: In political debates, taxes are mentioned a lot.
Advanced: In political debates, taxes ___ ___ a lot.
Easy: Yale is ranked with the best Universities in the country.
Advanced: Yale is ___ ___ with the best Universities in the country.
Easy: He is probably the best boxer ever.
Advanced: He ___ ___ ___ the best boxer ever.
