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The Italian Job

Date: Jun 11 2003

Intro

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

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

After pulling off an amazing gold heist from a palazzo in Venice, Italy, Charlie (Mark Wahlberg) and his gang - inside man Steve (Edward Norton), computer genius Lyle (Seth Green), wheelman Handsome Rob (Jason Statham), explosives expert Left-Ear (Mos Def) and veteran safecracker John Bridger (Donald Sutherland) - can’t believe it when one of them turns out to be a double-crosser.
The Italian Job features the ever-popular MINI Cooper in state-of-the-art chase scenes. Full of twists, turns and exciting stunts with armored cars, motorcycles and helicopters, this action-packed thrill-ride takes audiences on wild curves they’ll never see coming. (Paramount)

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.

Miguel

Beth

Miguel: So what’s new Beth?

Beth: Not too much. Uh, I’ve been hanging out. Doing stuff…

Miguel: What did you do last night?

Beth: I went to see The Italian Job. Have you seen it yet?

Miguel: No. What? That’s a movie?

Beth: Yeah. It’s a new film. It’s a total action-adventure flick, and, uh, it’s, it’s really fun. I totally enjoyed it. Uh, Mark Wahlberg and Donald Sutherland and, um, Edward Norton are in it.

Miguel: Oh, that, that’s the Marky Mark, like, caper movie.

Beth: Yeah… Totally. It starts off in Venice and ends up in L.A. and it’s totally fun.

Miguel: So, is it like a typical, you know, chase kind of movie, or does it have any, you know, unique twists and turns?

Beth: Well, the plot is kind of your standard heist. It’s just action-adventure, kind of… You know, it’s about stealing gold, and it’s, it’s pretty cool. Uh, but the, the most unique thing about it is that it features the MINI Coopers – you know, those fun little Italian cars that are coming back into style, and… It’s really fun, like the chase scenes are amazing. The stunts are just so cool.

Miguel: That sounds really fun. So, you’re recommending it, I take it.

Beth: Yeah, it’s fun, you know, if… It’s a little bit predictable, but, um, it’s just the stunts and the action-adventure aspect were great.

Quizzes

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Discussion

I’m usually not a big fan of action-adventure movies, but The Italian Job has such a great cast that it has to be worth seeing. It sounds exciting, and a movie that features MINI Coopers has to be cool. (The popular cars are actually made in Germany, but I can forgive Beth’s mistake. They do have a style that could be Italian.)
See you at the movies!
Anna