English, baby!

Coffee Shops

Date: Nov 21 2008

Themes: Food, Hobbies

Grammar: Present Progressive Tense

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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.

It’s easier to get out of bed in the morning when you know there’s a fresh cup of coffee waiting for you and friendly people to meet at the coffee shop. Big chains like Starbucks offer convenience, but small, independent coffee shops have something else: personality.

For some, local coffee shops are more than just a place to grab a quick caffeine fix. They’re more like a second home, a comfortable place to spend hours studying, working, or talking with friends. Listen to Beren and Mason discuss coffee shops.

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

Beren

Mason: You know what I miss the most now that I am a 9 to 5-er?

Beren: What? What’s that?

Mason: Getting to hang out at coffee shops all the time.

Beren: Ooh, yeah. Did you used to do that a lot?

Mason: Yeah, I mean when I was in my crazy swinging freelance days, I had my couple favorite shops and that was just where I’d go get all my work done. And you kind of become part of a scene there, you know. You get to know the baristas and the regulars. It’s awesome.

Beren: Yeah. I get coffee. I need my caffeine fix and everything in the morning. But I don’t know, ever since I worked at a coffee shop I just have not been able to like hang out there. Just because I feel too bad for the people behind the counter.

Mason: What kind of place did you work at? Was it like an independent shop?

Beren: Um, it started out as like a locally owned independent coffee shop. Then it kind of got slowly taken over by a big corporation.

Mason: Really? That doesn’t happen all that often.

Beren: No, not too often. But, yeah, I don’t know. It’s just…Once you work in a coffee shop, you’re drinking so much coffee all the time, you get totally wired. You can’t handle…anything. Simple conversation. That’s why people that work at coffee shops are so jittery and angry. They’re just like, “Ahhh!” It’s all the caffeine.

Mason: Okay. I’m going decaf.

Grammar Point

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Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

Mason recently started working a 9 to 5 job so he can’t spend all his time at coffee shops any more. He misses being a regular at his favorite coffee shop and belonging to a local scene.

Beren used to be a barista at an independent coffee shop that got bought out by a large chain. Beren’s experience working at a coffee shop has turned her against them. She says all baristas are wired and angry from drinking too much caffeine and dealing with difficult customers.

Are coffee shops popular in your country? Do you like going to coffee shops to get your caffeine fix or hang out with friends?

Comments

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smile

Saudi Arabia

Hi,

I used to drink cup of coffee when I just arrive my work & greeting my colleages. I don't go much to coffee shops in my country. Have a nice day guys.

atree

China

me too.

hanabluestar

Yemen

i realy like to hang out with my freind but not at a coffee shop at all. i prefer to meet them at somewhere such as beach.

hanabluestar

Yemen

i realy like to hang out with my freind but not at coffee shop. i like to meet them somewherwe there is a raver and tree

ltdung80

Viet Nam

I am very glad to listen this lesson. in present, I am drinking coffee in a Coffee shop of my friends. This coffee shop is a silent coffee shop. It is so comfortable. I like that.

And my country is Vietnam. In Vietnam, they have so much style coffee shop. and anywhere, whenever you can find a coffee shop, even in the corner streets. hihii.

Have nice day to all

hclim.michael

Singapore

Hello…Miss

May i learns from U…wher can i found the best coffee shop in JB…or Muar or Batu Pahat to have a cup of nice Kopi-O Kosong to get the best taste…

I'm interesting to learn from U..as i'm also a Coffee addict….but i'm a Singaporean…

hope U can enlightens me…

Thanks and till then…Good day to U..

From: Michael

Harryhuang

China

in china there are more and more people drinking coffee,i always love it,but when i drink only one cup of coffee,i cann't get asleep at night .it is too bad!!!

chai7

Thailand

No, i don’t like coffee.
chainaree@hotmail.com

Ruilong

China

i like coffee,but i seldomly go to the coffee shop,because its too expensive there,im a student in university,not that rich,but i keeping drinking coffee everyday,it makes me sober and waked before i have my morning classes,it will be better then i usually been sleepy before!i like coffee!

Ruilong

China

MATEUSHS

Latvia

MATEUSHS

Latvia

Yes, coffee shops are popular in my country, in city i was born. But i do not like to drink coffee. I use to drink coffee just in cause i am too sleepy at work. Coffee use to make me feel something like nervous… I try to drink tea and, by the way, tea is better in the morning! Black tea gives better effect to get up! I have studied as a cook andi know this coffee and tea drinking stuff…..

Aleks333

Burundi

Hi everyone! I liked this lesson. Coffee is a great topic to be talken about but also a great occasion for people to talk to each other. I guess everyone knows. What would be a morning without the usual coffee fix! Personally I'd rather drink a home-made cup of coffee than this in the cafeteria (or at least most of the time). In my country going to a cofe is a way to meet your friends and have a chat with them. However , it's kind of commercialized and again I prefer drinking coffee at home, probably with the family.