Week 6 (17:23 – 24:26)

Instructions

Step 1  If you haven’t already watched the entire pilot episode of Desperate Housewives (season 1, episode 1), do that first.  Watch it with subtitles in your first language so that you can understand the episode in its entirety.  https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x53vvs6

Step 2  Complete the pre-listening questions.

Step 3.  Listen and watch from 17:23 – 24:26 with subtitles

Step 4.  Listen a second time with the script and note any unfamiliar vocabulary.

Step 5.  Complete the grammar and vocabulary exercises

Step 6.  Listen again without subtitles or the script and notice how much your listening skills have improved.

Pre-Listening

A.  Warm-up questions

1.  How would you characterize Gabrielle and Carlos’ relationship?
2. What does being unfaithful in a marriage mean?
3. Would you say that Bree Van de Kamp is a caring, thoughtful mother?  What do you think is her motivation for being the perfect mother?  Do her children appreciate her efforts?  Why or why not?
4. Lynette spends a lot of time with her children?  How would you describe her approach to parenting compared with that of Bree’s?
5. Susan and her daughter, Julie seem like best friends – what is your opinion about her parenting style?

B.  Vocabulary preview

Match the words/phrases on the left with the correct meanings on the right.

_____1. order someone around	a)   an unexpected feeling of wanting to do something and not being able to resist
_____2. can’t live without something/someone	b)   when everyone in a discussion gives up something to reach an agreement
_____3. deal with it	c)   two people get together to start a relationship
_____4. compromise	d)   a very strong need or desire for someone or something
_____5. hook up	e)   to tell someone what to do
_____6. can’t afford to	f)   scary and intimidating behavior
_____7. deathly allergic	g)   accept a situation even though you may not like it
_____8. sullen tone	h)   a feeling due to the result of being treated unfairly
_____9. indignation	i)   an unusually strong physical reaction to something with fatal consequences
_____10. threatening	j)   when something is not important
_____11. sudden urge	k)   a sound in someone’s voice signifying resentment
_____12. no big deal	i)   to not do something because it would cause serious problems if you did

Grammar – present continuous

The present continuous (or present progressive) is used for something that is happening at the moment of speaking; something that is temporary and won’t continue; a future arrangement; a new habit.

Affirmative:  subject + be + verbing;
Negative:  subject + be + not + verbing;
Question:  be + subj + verbing

I am writing a letter. (happening now)   She is eating lunch at the cafe. (she’s there now but she’ll be back at the office soon)   They are watching a movie later. (needs a time period )  He’s riding his bike to work everyday. (he’s just taken up this new habit.)

Match the present continuous sentences.

1.You’re just asking	a)do you always have to serve cuisine?
2.But I’m keeping	b)on a plane and joining you.
3.I’m saying	c)Daddy.
4.Are you doing	d)him out to dinner.	1,d a definite future arrangement
5.…we are getting	e)my back pressed against the wall the entire time.
6.Not now honey, Mommy’s threatening	f)drugs?
7.You were using	g)me to hurt dad.

Listening (script)

Scene 1.         

You can’t order me around like I’m a child.

Gabrielle.

No. No, no, no. I’m not going.
It’s business. Tanaka expects everyone to bring their wives.
Every time I’m around that man, he tries to grab my ass.
Ha ha. I made over $200,000 doing business with him last year. If he wants to grab your ass, you let him

Scene 2.         

Mr.Solis. You scared me.
Why is that bush still there? You were supposed to dig it up last week.
I didn’t have time last week.
I don’t want to hear your excuses. Just take care of it.
I really hate the way you talk to me.
And I really hate that I spent $15,000 on your diamond necklace that you couldn’t live without, but I’m learning to deal with it. So can I tell Tanaka we’ll be there tomorrow night?

John, we have bandages – top shelf in the kitchen.
Thanks, Mrs. Solis.

Fine, I’ll go, but I’m keeping my back pressed against the wall the entire time.
See? Now this is what a marriage is all about — compromise

Scene 3

Is your finger okay?

Yeah, yeah, it’s just a small cut.
Let me see.

Hmm.
You know, Mrs.Solis, um, I really like it when we hook up, but, um, well, you                know, I-I’ve got to get my work done, and I can’t afford to lose this job.
This table is hand-carved. Carlos had it imported from Italy. It cost him $23,000.
You want to do it on the table this time?

Absolutely.

Scene 4

Why can’t we ever have normal soup?

Danielle, there is nothing abnormal about basil puree.
Just once, couldn’t we have a soup that people have heard of? Like french onion or navy bean.
First of all, your father can’t eat onions. He’s deathly allergic. And I won’t even dignify your navy bean suggestion. So how’s the osso buco?

It’s okay.
It’s okay? Andrew, I spent three hours cooking this meal. How do you think it makes me feel when you say, “it’s okay” in that sullen tone?

Who asked you to spend three hours on dinner?

Excuse me?

Tim Harper’s mom gets home from work, pops open a can of pork and beans, and boom, they’re eating.
Everyone’s happy.
You’d rather I serve pork and beans?

Apologize now. I am begging.
I’m saying, do you always have to serve haute cuisine? Can’t we ever just have food?

Are you doing drugs?

What?

Change in behavior is one of the warning signs, and you have been as fresh as paint for the last six months. That certainly would explain why you’re always locked in the bathroom.
– Trust me, that is not what he is doing.
– Shut up.
Mom, I’m not the one with the problem here, all right? You’re the one always acting like she’s running for Mayor of Stepford.
Rex. Seeing that you’re the head of this household, I would really appreciate you saying something.
Pass the salt?

 Scene 5

Three days after my funeral, Lynette replaced her grief with a much more useful emotion — indignation.

Tom, this is my fifth message, and you still haven’t called me back. Well, you must be having a lot of fun on your business trip. I can only imagine. Well, guess what — the kids and I want to have some fun, too, so unless you call me back by noon, we are getting on a plane and joining you.
Mom!

Not now, honey, Mommy’s threatening daddy.
Mom.
No, I — where are your brothers?

– Noodles.
– My favorite.
Lynette Scarvo?

Crap. Natalie Klein.
I don’t believe it. Lynette. How long has it been?

Years. Uh, how are you? How’s the firm?

Good. Everyone misses you.
Yeah.
We all say if you hadn’t quit, you’d be running the place by now. Yeah, well so how’s domestic life? Don’t you just love being a mom?

And there it was — the question that Lynette always dreaded. Well, to be honest for those who asked it, only one answer was acceptable, so Lynette responded as she always did. She lied. It’s the best job I’ve ever had.

Scene 6

You know what I don’t get?

What?

Why you married Mr. Solis.
Well he promised to give me everything I’ve ever wanted.
And did he?

Yes.
Then why aren’t you happy?

Turns out I wanted all the wrong things.
So do you love him?

I do.
Well, then, why are we here? Why are we doing this?

Because I don’t want to wake up one morning with a sudden urge to blow my brains out.
Hey, can I have a drag?

Absolutely not, you are much too young to smoke. Ah.

Scene 7

How would you feel about me using your child-support payments for plastic surgery?

Stop being so nervous. You’re just asking him out to dinner. It’s no big deal.
You’re right. So is that your project for school? You know, when I was in fifth grade, I made The White House out of sugar cubes.
Stop stalling and go before Mike figures out he can do better.
Tell me again why I fought for custody of you.
You were using me to hurt dad.
Oh, that’s right.
Oh, god.

Glossary

word/phrase	definition	example sentence
order around /ɔ́rdərəráwnd/ verb+preposition	to keep telling someone what to do as if you have authority over them, in a way that annoys people	It is completely unacceptable to command or order around one’s partner. Children often order each other around when they’re role-playing.
can’t live without /‘kæntlɪvwɪθawt/ modal+main+preposition   verb   verb	to feel that a material possession or a person is incredibly important	I can’t live without my iphone – I don’t know how I managed life before I owned it.
deal with it /’diːlwɪðɪt/ verb+preposition+pronoun	to learn to accept something that you don’t like because the situation won’t change	“You don’t like what’s for dinner? – Deal with it.”
compromise /ˈkɒmprəmʌɪz/ noun	a way of solving a problem or ending an argument in which both people or groups accept that they cannot have everything they want	It is best to try to reach a compromise rather than a perfect solution.
hook up /ˈhʊkəp/ verb+preposition	to start a romantic or sexual relationship	Hooking up with Gary was the biggest mistake of my life.
can’t afford to /kæntəfˈɔrdtə/ modal + verb +preposition verb	to not do something because it would cause serious problems for you	We can’t afford to make any mistakes at this stage in the project.
deathly allergic /dɛθlijəˈlɝːǰɪk/ adverb + adjective	an abnormally high sensitivity to certain substances causing death from exposure	She was deathly allergic to bees – if she was stung she was in danger of dying.
sullen tone /ˈsʌlənˈtoʊn/ adjective+noun	A bad tempered and resentful way of speaking conveying annoyance.	Teenagers often use a sullen tone when speaking to their parents, resenting the authority that parents have, but lacking any real means to assert themselves
indignation /ɪndɪɡˈneɪʃən/ noun	a feeling of annoyance caused by what is perceived as unfair treatment	Her indignation was obvious when she was overlooked for the job promotion.
threatening /ˈθrɛtnɪŋ/ adjective	a hostile or deliberately frightening manner	The threatening interrogation by the secret police caused the children to cower in fear.
sudden urge /sʌdənˈɝːdʒ/ adjective+noun	to feel a strong wish, suddenly, without warning; especially a feeling or desire that is uncontrollable	Often, when watching advertisements on television, children feel sudden urges to buy whatever is being advertised.
no big deal /nobɪgˈdil/ determiner+adjective+noun	something that is inconsequential or not really a problem	It’s really no big deal to bake a cake if you have all the ingredients on hand.