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Win Someone Over

Date: Jul 27 2010

Themes: Romance, Soap Opera

Grammar: Past Progressive Tense

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Intro

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

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Mason likes Ella. They flirt sometimes, but he hasn’t been able to take it to the next level and actually get her to go out with him. So, he has decided to get creative.

Wisely, Mason realizes that a good way to win someone over is to learn about them and things they like. People tend to think positively of those they have things in common with, so the more hobbies you share with the person you’re trying to win over, the better. See what Mason has decided learn about to try to get Ella.

3. Watch - Watch the video without reading the dialog.

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.

Mason

Jason

Mason: Ta-mal… ta-ma-lai… cup. Ta-ma-lai-cup. Ta-ma-lai-cup?

Jason: You need a cup?

Mason: Yeah, apparently in Thai the male always ends everything he says with “cup.” I am trying to learn how to speak Thai so I can ask Ella out in her native language. I’ve tried a lot of other languages and she said no. Buon Giorno, Ella! Buon Giorno! Ni hao! Ni hao, Ella! But I’m thinking this will be the one that works.

Jason: You do realize that while her family is from Thailand, she doesn’t actually speak Thai. This might not be the best way to win her over.

Mason: I’m pretty sure you’re wrong, dude, because I definitely went up to her and said, “Sa-wa-dee-cup” and she totally… She knew what I was saying. I could tell. I have a theory, right? Which is that it’s not what you say, it’s how you say it. Right? Right?

Jason: That’s what wins people over?

Mason: And so I’m thinking that there’s some, like, magic phonetical pattern that will just, like, resonate with her emotions and she will want me.

Jason: Wow.

Mason: And I’m just going to run through the entire catalog until I strike that chord, man.

Jason: That’s quite a theory. That there’s some kind of a scientific sound pattern that’s going to win someone over. Maybe, though, you could try winning her over by saying things that she understands and that, you know, really speak to her thoughts that she’s already had.

Mason: But, I’m not the one who can hear thoughts, so how am I supposed to know about those things?

Jason: That’s tough! That’s part of winning someone over, you know, you have to figure out what they want, and, you know, help them see that you can give them what they want.

Mason: “Ta-ma-lay-cup.”

Jason: Maybe what she wants is “Ta-ma-lay-cup.”

Mason: The Thai love cups, man.

Grammar Point

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Discussion

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Jason finds Mason sitting on the couch saying words he doesn’t understand. He thinks Mason said something about a cup.

It turns out that since Ella is Thai, Mason is trying to learn to speak Thai. In Thai, the sound “cup” comes up a lot if you are a male.

The problem is that although Ella’s family is Thai, she grew up in the United States and doesn’t actually speak Thai. Jason explains that while it may seem like a good idea to learn Thai, there might be a better way to win her over.

Mason has also tried speaking to Ella in other languages. He’s convinced that eventually he’ll find some magic words that will make her want to go out with him.

Jason suggests that if Mason figures out what Ella wants and finds a way to give it to her, he could win her over. Unfortunately for Mason, speaking Thai is not likely to help.

Have you ever tried to win someone over? How did you do it?

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