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Playgrounds
Playgrounds

Learn English with this playgrounds English lesson

Date: Apr 13 2018

Themes: Family, Hobbies

Grammar: Imperative Form

Intro

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

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When you were a kid, where did you spend sunny afternoons? Did you climb into tall trees? Or build a fort in the yard? Or go to the local playground to run around with the neighbor kids?

Playgrounds are a great place for kids to learn how to play with others. The swings, slide, and other play equipment are great for learning motor skills and building imagination, but kids will likely have to take turns. After all, it’s pretty hard to swing with five people at a time.

In the US, neighborhood parks are often funded by tax dollars. It’s a way that the government can support healthy families and communities. Volunteers might spend time keeping the park nice or doing needed maintenance. Sometimes, schools and apartment complexes have privately funded playgrounds as well. In the end, it’s not really about having the newest, shiniest play equipment, it’s about letting kids be kids and enjoy childhood.

Jeff and Gary are discussing playgrounds and parenting. Learn who thinks what in this English lesson about childhood.

Dialog

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

Jeff

Jeff

Gary

Gary

Jeff:  I just heard something about taxpayer dollars going to pay for playgrounds.

Gary:  Yeah, you mean where my kid goes and gets to interact with all the other kids and learn social skills?

Jeff:  Yeah, you pay for your own kid’s stuff. Invite your kid’s friends over.

Gary:  It’s a place where they can run off their energy. They’re not running around in people’s houses or in supermarkets to get in the way. They’re learning how physics works by using swings, going back and forth, and…

Jeff:  You know, as a parent, I think you should teach them that yourself.

Gary:  Of course.

Jeff:  I mean, it sounds like you’re talking about the dog park, which in my neighborhood is privately funded.

Gary:  Except there’s no slide for dogs. You do know that, right?

Jeff:  I guess. I just never had a playground growing up.

Gary:  There’s an adult playground where the equipment is so big. You can actually climb from one side of the wall to the other just using one rope. It’s so much fun and really challenging. You want to come?

Jeff:  I guess.

Gary:  Let’s go!

 

Grammar Point

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Discussion

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Jeff tells Gary he just found out that his tax money is paying for public playgrounds. Gary seems to think this information is not a problem. He enjoys taking his kids to the playground to run around and learn to play with other kids.

Jeff feels that parents should teach their kids these skills privately, perhaps in their backyards or houses. It turns out that Jeff isn’t really upset about paying for playgrounds. He’s just sad because he never had one as a kid.

Gary has a surprise for Jeff: there’s a playground for adults, too! All of the play equipment is adult-sized, so grown ups can enjoy a fun and challenging time, just like kids. Gary invites Jeff to join him, and Jeff agrees.

Did you have a playground when you were growing up? Where was your favorite place to play as a kid?

 

Comments

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Dizelman

DizelmanSuper Member!

Switzerland

I wish there were adult playgrounds in my country. Of course, a little bit more sophisticated than the ones built for kids. I would really play if given a chance. I guess adult playgrounds could take us one step closer towards making society more approving of play.


But I’m not here to complain, we have plenty of other ways to have fun outdoors: rivers, lakes, mountains, bike paths, etc. My favorite toy is my car, and speeding up gives me as much of adrenaline rush as going downhill at full throttle on my bike and trying to stay steezy at the same time :).


Benjamin Franklin — ‘We do not stop playing ‘cause we grow old, we grow old ‘cause we stop playing!’


Be active, stay young and happy!

10:03 PM Apr 05 2014 |

S01142923Super Member!

Malaysia

Playgrounds is a place where there are swings, slides, and etc for children to hang out and have fun.

03:42 PM Apr 05 2014 |

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