Road to Perdition

Intro

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

• hype
• around the office
• fanfare
• star power

• gangster
• good guy role
• out-an-out
• shine through

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

Tanis is excited to see the new Tom Hanks movie, The Road to Perdition. She’s been talking about it around the office for weeks! This movie has been receiving a lot of fanfare from the press because of the star power of its cast and director. Listen as Tanis tells Miguel why she’s excited to see it.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Tanis

Miguel

Tanis:   Did you like American Beauty?

Miguel:   American Beauty? Yeah, I loved it. Why?

Tanis:   Because the director of that movie is the guy who directed the new movie that I really want to see.

Miguel:   What movie is that?

Tanis:   The Road to Perdition.

Miguel:   OK. You act like I should know something about this. What is it?

Tanis:   There’s all kinds of hype about this movie right now, Miguel. I can’t believe you haven’t heard about it.

Miguel:   Oh wait, wait, this is Tom Hanks’ movie, right?

Tanis:   Yes, yes. But I prefer to think of it as a Sam Mendez_* movie.

Miguel:   And he’s the director?

Tanis:   You got it. And I think he’s so talented. But I, I’ve just heard really great things about it. I’m excited to see it.

Miguel:   What is it about, again?

Tanis:   Well, I think that, uh, Tom Hanks*_ plays a gangster whose son witnesses him doing a crime. And it’s, like, Chicago in the 1920’s. And they, uh, they flee the city to escape from some people after some other bad things happen. It’s kind of, they’re going to this town called Perdition. But it’s, uh, but it’s supposed to be a really beautiful story, and it’s, uh, just spectacular scenery, and really well acted.

Miguel:   Usually Tom Hanks does a good job, but that’s strange to think of him as a gangster. That’ll be interesting.

Tanis:   Yeah, he’s going to be the bad guy this time. I’m excited to see how he does it.