ESL MODULE 1 : LEARN ENGLISH BY LISTENING AND READING
TITLE D: Friends - Chandler's Worst Thanksgiving
MOVIE PLOT / SYNOPSIS:
Here it is, finally, for all you people who've been waiting; it's Chandler's Worst Thanksgiving! With the world famous, "More Turkey Mr. Chandler?" Plus there's the scene before that with what Joey is thankful for and after Chandler's worst Thanksgiving when we see Phoebe's worst Thanksgiving.
PRE-VIEWING EXERCISE:
Do you celebrate Thanksgiving in your country? What are some of your country's celebration?
If you would like to celebrate a Thanksgiving party, what would you like to be thankful for in your life?
Play the video trailer and listen carefully to the conversation. Be ready to answer the exercises below.
LISTENING EXERCISE:
1) What was the topic of the friends' story?
a. How to celebrate Thanksgiving?
b. Who celebrated the worst Thanksgiving?
c. What these friends should be thankful for?
2) What was the story of Chandler's Thanksgiving?
a. His mom and dad went for a vacation and left him alone with the houseboy
b. his dad slept with the houseboy resulting to his parents' divorce
c. his mom and dad does not care for him anymore
3) What was the main story of Phoebe's Thanksgiving?
a. She was a nurse at the hospital
b. She was a nurse during the war
c. She was an actress and broke her shoulder
4) Who's got the worst thanksgiving?
a. Monica
b. Chandler
c. Phoebe
5) Who was thankful about his Thanksgiving?
a. Joey
b. Monica
c. Phoebe
TEXT COMPLETION EXERCISE:
Ohhh....Ahhh
Rachel: Oh, Monica, that was the _______ Thanksgiving ever! So good! I think it ______ us.
Ross: I couldn't possibly eat _______ bite.
Joey: I need _________ sweet.
Phoebe: Is _______ wanna watch TV?
All: Yeah! ______!
Phoebe: Monica, your remote ______ work!
Monica: Phoebe, you have to lift it and point.
Phoebe: Oh, oh _______ it!
Rachel: Hey, you know what we should all do? We should play that game where everyone says one thing that we're ______ for.
Joey: Oh I! I am thankful for this ________ fall that we've been having.
Monica: Very ____.
Chandler: That's ______ Joey.
Joey: Yeah, the other day, I was at the _____ _____. And saw this _______ fall breeze came in out of _____ and blew this chick's skirt, right up! Oh it reminds me, I am also thankful for thongs. I mean its not so much an underpant as it is a feat of _______. It's _______ how much they can do with so ______ material! And the way they can play with your mind! Is it there? Is it not there? Huuu....
Chandler: Are you aware that you're still _______?
Monica: Is anyone thankful for anything else ______ of thong?
Ross: Huh, I don't know what to pick. Am I more thankful for my ______ or my eviction? mmm
Phoebe: Wow! See and I don't think you'd be able to come up with ________.
Ross: I'm sorry, It's just the _____ Thanksgiving ever.
Chandler: No-no noh, I am the King of bad Thanksgivings. Can't you swoop in here with your bad ______ and
take that
away from me.
Rachel: Oh, you're not going to tell the whole story about
how your parents got divorce again, are you?
Oh no, no.
Joey: Oh come on, I wanna hear it. It wouldn't be thanksgiving without Chandler bummin' us out.
Chandler : It's a tradition like the parade. If the ______ decided it was gay and moved out and abandoned its
entire family.
Mrs. Bing: Now Chandler dear,
just because your ______ and I are getting a ________, it doesn't mean we
don't
love you. It just means he would rather ______ with a houseboy than with me.
Housekeeper : More turkey, Mr. Chandler.
Rachel: Everytime you tell that story, that guy's accent gets ______ and thicker.
Monica: Are he and your dad still ______?
Chandler: No, no, after they got their own place, the ________ gets his own houseboy. You should have heard his accent.
Ross: Alright yours is worse. You are the ______ of bad Thanksgivings.
Phoebe: I don't know about that, I've got one that's ______.
Chandler : Really, worst than "More _______ Mr. Chandeler."
Phoebe: Did the _______ rich boy have a problem with the butler? Yes, mine's worst.
Phoebe: More bandages! More _______! Please can I get more bandages in here! This man is dying! bbummmb! Oh no.
Ross: In this life Phoebe.
Phoebe: Oh this ____? Oh, ok Chandler's is worse.
Joey: It must be so ______ remembering stuff like that. I don't have any past life memories.
Monica: Of course you don't sweetie. You're _____ ______.
VOCABULARY BUILDING:
KEY VOCABULARY
fall (noun): The season of the year between summer and winter; also called autumn
"The fall is when the leaves of the trees turn red orange."
breeze (noun): A light current of air; a gentle wind.
"I enjoy the sea breeze whenever I hang around the beach with my friends.
feat (noun): An act or product of skill, strength;
"The movement of the dancers displayed a graceful acrobatic feat.
aware (adjective): having knowledge; watchful
"I am not aware that you are waiting for me at the park."
eviction (noun): to put out a tenant by legal process; ejection
"My eviction was due to my non-payment of my house rentals."
bum (ming) (noun/verb): begging; to ask or ask for as charity
" You can stop bumming around here for a free ride once you get a job to pay your bus fare."
abandon (verb): To give up by leaving when in danger or threat
"I don't like to abandon my baby and work abroad."
IDIOMS!
shoot the breeze : To engage in idle conversation mostly to occupy time; chat in a relaxed way
"I met that girl again last night, and we just shot the breeze for an hour."
Thanksgiving pants : Pants that are worn in anticipation of eating a huge meal on parties or Thanksgiving
"The girls and I are going to a buffet for dinner, so I'm wearing my Thanksgiving pants."
in a breeze : Easily, without effort
"She won the election in a breeze!"
MATCHING EXERCISE:
Match the items on A with the items on B. Select the best answer to complete the missing words in the sentence.
A B
in a breeze 1. I will be on __________ for the party tomorrow night.
abandons 2. The video shall make you _________ of the upcoming New World Order.
evicted 3. He was ________ from his land recently.
thanksgiving pants 4. Blessed is he who _________ his old ways for the sake of following Christ.
aware 5. She finished her report _________.
POST-VIEWING EXERCISE:
Talk with your partner using the new words or idioms about the following situation:
1) Imagine that you are attending a Thanksgiving party in your friend's house and share stories together.
Worst and best days of your lives.
2) You are planning to make a great Thanksgiving Party, so how would you make it great?
3) Invite someone to your Thanksgiving party because he or she is lonely. How would you make him or her feel thankful?