Learn English with English, baby!

Join for FREE!

Social_nav_masthead_logged_in
 
Up in the Air

Up in the Air

Date: Jan 27 2010

Themes: Travel, Work

Grammar: Simple Past Tense

Intro

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

Go Super to Listen Go Super!

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

Go Super to Listen Go Super!

Most people travel because they love seeing new places, not because they enjoy spending time in airports. Up in the Air is a movie about a businessman with an unusual passion for airports, airplanes, and life on the road. Ryan Bingham, played by George Clooney, likes living a solitary life as he moves from city to city, never forming strong bonds with other people.

But when Ryan begins a romance with a fellow traveler, his feelings about attachment-free living start to change. Find out if Up in the Air made Mason and Ella want to hit the road.

Dialog

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

Log in to Listen

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

Mason

Mason

Ella

Ella

Mason:  There’s a lot of Oscar buzz already happening about Up in the Air, the new Clooney movie. Did you see that one?

Ella:  No, I haven’t, but I just know it’s about like flying, business…I don’t know, that’s pretty general.

Mason:  Yeah, he’s one of those road warrior guys. His job is constantly travel, and he likes it, so it kind of leaves him very unattached, hence the title of the film.

Ella:  Yeah.

Mason:  And I don’t know, I mean it’s kind of a modern tale about like how fast-paced we move, and is that a good thing or a bad thing to not settle down, stuff like that. But I think it reached a little bit further than it achieved as far as the thing they were trying to say. So…you know, but I really liked the commentary on like all the premium cards, how you can get memberships to be a valued customer and get perks.

Ella:  So it’s kind of like a lighthearted comedy?

Mason:  Not really, no. I thought it was gonna be kinda fun…

Ella:  Really? ‘Cause you see George Clooney, you know, flying…It looks kinda like a goofy flick.

Mason:  Yeah, and then it’s not goofy. But it’s not like super serious either, so it sits in this weird kinda in between space that was very enjoyable to watch, but ultimately kinda not super memorable, I think.

Ella:  OK.

 

Grammar Point

Go Super to learn "Simple Past Tense" from this lesson Go Super!

Quizzes

Go Super to take Quiz Go Super!

 

Lesson MP3

Go Super to download full lesson MP3 Go Super!

The iTEP® test

  • Schedule an iTEP® test and take the official English Practice Test.

    Take Now >

Discussion

Go Super to Listen Go Super!

These days, many of us move around a lot and lead fast-paced lives, making it difficult to form strong attachments to people and places. Up in the Air considers the advantages and disadvantages of that type of lifestyle by showing the ups and downs of George Clooney’s character, a businessman who enjoys his life on the road.

Mason gives Up in the Air a lukewarm review. He enjoyed watching George Clooney and liked some of the amusing commentary on people’s obsession with the special perks you can get if you travel a lot. But he didn’t think the film was a serious drama or a really funny comedy. It was somewhere in the middle. You could say the movie itself was up in the air about what kind of film it wanted to be.

Do you think it’s hard to connect with other people these days? Would you enjoy a life on the road?

 

Comments

Log in to Comment

sara1998

sara1998

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

I’ve seen that movie and it was great!


I think it’s hard to be on the roads every day but Cloony liked his job and seemed he enjoyed travelling because he didn’t want to fire people online!


:)

09:36 AM Jun 10 2014 |

ziczachzuc

ziczachzuc

Viet Nam

i love Clooney so much, but i have never seen that movie. Oh my god, what happened.


let me check it out. ^^

06:05 PM Nov 21 2012 |

1 person likes this

EstebanM

EstebanM

Colombia

I liked this movie. Vera is amazing, and George ceratinly plays a cool character. Up in the air is a good metaphor about what's going on between human beings, their jobs and their relationships. It's simple, but everything suddenly becomes so simple. I recommend this movie. 

01:54 AM Feb 11 2010 |

Marcelolic

Marcelolic

Brazil

Humm I don't know to say it because I'm an easy person to deal and make new friends…I think interesting to know several different places and people,but I prefer to have a "base" to stay when I don't wanna to hit the road because I love to stay at home too ;)

11:08 PM Feb 08 2010 |

LIL

LIL

Saudi Arabia

i  love to travel around the world

its my dreams to be on the road of course

09:41 PM Feb 02 2010 |

1 person likes this

Ca_Brazil

Ca_Brazil

Brazil

It depends, you kind of feel that there are people you wont ever see again. though, there are people though the distance you really want to get in touch with. i would enjoy a life in the road as long as i have a home waiting for me when i get tired of it.

12:26 AM Feb 02 2010 |

AgeStone

AgeStone

China

Foot in mouthSmile

04:56 AM Feb 01 2010 |

Romio79

Romio79

Russian Federation

I like travelling very much but life on the road is not for me 'cause there are a lot of activities I'm engaged in my home place. May be if i was younger i would like such a lifestyle 'cause it's intresting to visit a lot of places, countries, cities and so on.

But if you wanna be an artist this lifestyle is definetly for youSmile

09:14 AM Jan 31 2010 |

cool_kid

cool_kid

Philippines

man ya gotta watch this movie. :)

05:10 AM Jan 31 2010 |

cool_kid

cool_kid

Philippines

People say all crazy stuffs when they're fired :)) 

05:08 AM Jan 31 2010 |

eral88

Turkey

I watched thıs film.It is good.I lıke travel with my family.

10:29 PM Jan 30 2010 |

Amar pandey

India

Traveling is one of the  means of learning. During this we get chance to interact people, whom we don't know.

For me, I  love  purposefull trevaling. First I make sure there is enough reasion, wherever I may go. Ohterwise It seems trivial. I love to study the small things that people do at their resident. And I really enjoy it.   

05:38 AM Jan 30 2010 |

Mariah_

Mariah_

Greece

I really love it to travel coz I can see how other people actually live. Their traditions and their food and their lifestyle. I think that would be really interesting.

09:28 PM Jan 29 2010 |

Rocky FONG

Rocky FONG

Germany

I'd like to travel but I more like have someone travel with me

08:57 AM Jan 29 2010 |

noguti

noguti

Brazil

not really… I think I wouldn't enjoy a lifestyle like that one

10:09 PM Jan 28 2010 |

Youth

Youth

Saudi Arabia

100% agree with "Handwriter"

09:15 PM Jan 28 2010 |

handwriter

handwriter

Norway

I must admit that when traveling, I have more relationships than I do when I am sitting at a "fixed home."  However, this can be considered a selfish lifestyle.  Not only that but perhaps a bit cowardly.

So will I change this selfish and cowardly lifestyle?  Not on your life – I am enjoying my freedom far too much to allow myself to be locked into any type of domesticated fixed location or lifestyle.

05:24 PM Jan 28 2010 |

davidalejorh

Colombia

It's a well-acted socio-economic satire, I found it enjoyable enough.

10:37 PM Jan 27 2010 |

sima z

sima z

Egypt

I can connect with other people  by technologies these days,but physically i cant do this its so hard to me .

i would like to travel around,that makes me feel fresh and so cool. 

09:12 PM Jan 27 2010 |

hj914

hj914

China

I like new things and places,so I 'd like living on the road.New enviromment often makes me feel fresh,and u can make new friends.Life is limited,what we can do is to enlarge it.It's impotant to be happy everyday,right?

04:17 PM Jan 27 2010 |

Likes (24):

See all >

Share this lesson:

  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Bebo
  • Share on Myspace
  • Share on Twitter
  • Email this to a friend
  • Share on Sina

Post Ebaby! lessons on your blog:

Ebaby! Cast