Present simple tense - English grammar lessons

British Council | LearnEnglish Teens

13 Mar 201202:59

Summary

TLDRThe script revolves around a character struggling to find time for a romantic interest, Jack, due to a busy schedule filled with swimming, Taekwondo, and tennis. Jack, who enjoys old films and books, is also occupied with work and a book club. The narrator's mother is on a trip to Thailand and plans to trek in Chang Mai, despite her dislike for walking unless it's for shopping. The characters discuss their personal interests and the challenges of balancing them with relationships.

Takeaways

🏊‍♂️ The speaker has a busy week with swimming practice on Mondays.
🥋 On Tuesdays, the speaker participates in Taekwondo.
🎾 Thursdays are reserved for tennis practice.
🎥 Jack, a person the speaker likes, is unavailable on Wednesdays due to his Cinema Club.
🎬 Jack's Cinema Club watches both old and foreign films with subtitles.
📚 Jack works at a bookshop on Saturdays and goes out with his mom from the book club on Saturday evenings.
🏰 Jack has a strong interest in old films and books but not in sports, considering chess as a sport.
📺 He occasionally watches football on TV but doesn't play sports.
🚂 The speaker's mom is in Thailand and is planning to go on a 3-day trek in Changai.
🏨 The mom's hotel contact details are on the fridge, and she is staying in room 37.
👋 The speaker is asked to remind Daisy to call the mom later.

Q & A

What is the main issue the speaker is facing with Jack?
-The main issue is that their schedules do not align well, making it difficult to spend time together due to various commitments.
What activities does the speaker have during the week?
-The speaker has swimming practice on Mondays, Taekwondo on Tuesdays, and tennis on Thursdays.
What does Jack do on Wednesdays that prevents him from seeing the speaker?
-Jack watches black and white films, including foreign ones with subtitles, at his Cinema Club on Wednesdays.
What is Jack's occupation and how does it affect their weekend plans?
-Jack works in a Bookshop all day on Saturdays, which limits their time together during the day, and he goes out with his mother from the book club on Saturday evenings.
What is the speaker's mother's current location and activity?
-The speaker's mother is in Thailand, and she is planning to go on a 3-day trek in Chang Mai.
What is the speaker's mother's travel schedule?
-She is leaving for Chang Mai the next day, and the train for the trek departs at 5 in the morning.
What is the speaker's mother's hotel room number?
-The mother is staying in room number 37.
Why does the speaker's mother need to be cautious about snakes?
-The mother is going trekking in Chang Mai, an area where snakes might be present, hence the need for caution.
What does the speaker's mother prefer to do instead of walking for long periods?
-The speaker's mother prefers walking only when it's to go shopping on the High Street, indicating she doesn't enjoy long walks for the sake of walking.
What does the speaker think about the idea of spending three days in the jungle?
-The speaker finds the idea of spending three days in the jungle to be cool and something they can't imagine their mom doing.
What does the speaker's friend Daisy do on Thursdays?
-Daisy has tennis on Thursdays, which is the same day the speaker has their own tennis practice.

Outlines

00:00

😔 Busy Schedules and Shared Interests

The speaker expresses frustration with their relationship with Jack due to their conflicting schedules. They have regular activities like swimming, Taekwondo, and tennis during the week, while Jack spends Wednesdays at his Cinema Club watching old and foreign films with subtitles. The speaker also mentions that Jack works at a bookshop on Saturdays and joins his mother for book club events in the evening. Despite their mutual interest in old films, there's a lack of shared hobbies, particularly in sports, as Jack only occasionally watches football on TV and considers chess a sport.

🏞️ Travel Plans and Family Updates

In a separate conversation, the speaker's mother informs them about her trip to Thailand, where she's experiencing the heat and is preparing for a 3-day trek in Chang Mai. She plans to leave early the next morning and provides the hotel's contact details for the speaker to reach her. The mother also inquires about Daisy, who is revealed to have tennis practice on Thursdays. The speaker promises to have Daisy call back later, showcasing a casual and caring family dynamic.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Swimming practice

Swimming practice refers to the regular training sessions that individuals engage in to improve their swimming skills and fitness. In the video's context, it is one of the weekly activities that the character has, which affects their availability to meet with Jack, illustrating the character's busy schedule and the challenges in coordinating time for personal relationships.

💡Taekwondo

Taekwondo is a Korean martial art known for its high, fast kicks, jumps, and spinning kicks. It is another activity that the character participates in during the week, further emphasizing the character's packed schedule and the difficulty in finding time to spend with Jack.

💡Tennis

Tennis is a popular sport that involves hitting a ball with a racket over a net in a court. The character's involvement in tennis on Thursdays is mentioned as part of their weekly commitments, showcasing the character's active lifestyle and the time constraints that complicate their social life.

💡Cinema Club

A Cinema Club is a group or organization that shares an interest in watching and discussing films. Jack's participation in the Cinema Club on Wednesdays is highlighted as an activity that he enjoys, which contrasts with the character's own interests and contributes to the scheduling conflicts between them.

💡Foreign films

Foreign films are movies produced outside one's own country, often featuring subtitles to translate the original language. The Cinema Club's preference for foreign films with subtitles indicates Jack's cultural interests and the potential differences in hobbies and preferences between the character and Jack.

💡Bookshop

A bookshop is a retail establishment that primarily sells books. Jack's work at the bookshop on Saturdays is mentioned, showing his connection to literature and the arts, and providing another reason why weekends are not a viable option for the character to spend time with him.

💡Book club

A book club is a group of people who meet to discuss books they have read. Jack's mother attending a book club on Saturday evenings suggests a shared interest in literature between mother and son, and it is another social engagement that limits Jack's availability.

💡Chess

Chess is a two-player strategy board game that is often considered a sport of the mind. The character's mention of Jack considering chess as a sport humorously highlights the differences in their views on what constitutes a sport and their respective interests.

💡Football

Football, in this context likely referring to soccer, is a team sport played with a spherical ball between two teams of 11 players. Jack's occasional watching of football on television is noted, indicating a minimal interest in sports, which contrasts with the character's more active engagement in various physical activities.

💡Thailand

Thailand is a Southeast Asian country known for its tropical beaches, opulent royal palaces, and vibrant culture. The character's mother's trip to Thailand for trekking in Chang Mai is mentioned, adding a subplot about family and adventure, and providing a backdrop for the character's life outside of their interactions with Jack.

💡Trekking

Trekking refers to the act of walking for multiple days in natural environments, often as a form of adventure travel. The character's mother's trekking in Chang Mai for three days is an example of a different kind of activity that contrasts with the character's own sports and the mother's usual preference for shopping.

Highlights

Jack's busy schedule during the week with various activities like swimming, Taekwondo, and tennis.

Jack's unavailability on Wednesdays due to his Cinema Club commitment.

The Cinema Club's preference for foreign films with subtitles.

The difficulty of seeing Jack on weekends due to his work schedule at the Bookshop.

Jack's social life on Saturday evenings with his book club friends.

Jack's limited interest in sports, considering chess as a sport and occasionally watching football.

The speaker's mother's trip to Thailand and the upcoming trek in Changai.

The early morning train departure for the 3-day trek.

Daisy's tennis practice on Thursdays and the mother's request to call her.

The mother's hotel information and room number for contact.

The mother's contrasting personality traits between her adventurous trekking and dislike for walking for non-shopping purposes.

The speaker's admiration for the mother's adventurous spirit despite her dislike for regular walking.