DIALOGUE
In this lesson, your tutor will help you go over this topic: the past. First, read the following dialogue out loud with your tutor, then switch roles and try again.
Dorothy and Kevin are talking about the past.
Dorothy: Kevin, do you remember when you were growing up?
Kevin: Yes, I remember some things. Time flies, though.
Dorothy: It sure does! When I was in my twenties, I used to go to the movies every Friday night.
Kevin: That’s a great blast from the past!
Dorothy: Can you tell me about a memory you have from the past?
Kevin: Fifteen years ago, I traveled abroad in Europe. It was a great experience.
Dorothy: I’m sure it was. Have you ever studied abroad?
Kevin: No, I just traveled. However, last year I started to learn Spanish. so maybe I will go to study in another country.
Dorothy: Good for you! Do you ever have family reunions?
Kevin: Sometimes my family does, although it hasn’t been the same since my grandparents passed away. We don’t have them as much.
VOCABULARY
Go over the following vocabulary and expressions with your tutor. Read the word/expression and definition out loud, and your tutor will go over anything you do not understand. Practice creating a sentence or two to make sure you know how to use the word/expression properly.
Vocabulary/ Expressions
| Growing up | (v – phrase) gradually become an adult
When I was growing up, I played soccer. |
| time flies | (idiom) times passes quickly
Time flies when you’re having fun. |
| in (my, her, his, etc.) twenties | (n) the period of time in which a person is 20-29 years old
She looks like she’s in her twenties. |
| blast from the past | (idiom) something or someone that makes you remember the past
That song playing on the radio is a blast from the past. |
| memory | (n) something you remember from the past
My best memory of my childhood is visiting my grandparents. |
| fifteen years ago | (phrase) to express how many years in the past; in this case, 15
Fifteen years ago I graduated from the university. |
| ever | (adv) at any time
Have you ever been to Disney World? |
| last | (adj) most recent in timeLast year, I went to Turkey. |
| reunions | (n – plural) to get people together who haven’t seen each other in a long time
I like going to my high school reunions. |
| passed away | (v – phrase) polite way to say someone died
Her dad passed away last year. |
EXERCISE
Practice answering the following questions with your tutors. You can use the sample answers to come up with your own answer.
- Tell me about a blast from your past.
- I went water skiing with my friends one time. It was an awesome time.
- My friends and I played a game called Dungeons and Dragons almost every Saturday night.
- Your answer:
- Tell me a memory you have while growing up.
- I remember going camping with my family.
- I have lots of memories. The one I remember the most is the neighborhood I lived in.
- Your answer:
- Tell me something you did last year.
- I lived in Thailand for 4 months.
- I graduated from high school.
- Your answer:
- Tell me an important person in your life that passed away.
- My grandfather passed away twenty-eight years ago.
- My friend passed away five years ago.
- Your answer:
- How would you express an event that happened in the past?
- Five years ago I went to Chile.
- I got married one year ago.
- Your answer:
CONVERSATION
Use the following questions as a guideline to form an interesting conversation with your tutor. Feel free to diverge from these suggestions if anything interesting comes up.
- Why do people lose their memories?
- Does your family have reunions? Why or why not?
- Have you ever traveled abroad? If yes, where? If no, would you like to and where?
- Do you think time flies? Why or why not?
- What is your happiest memory?
WRAP-UP
Go over any new expressions or vocabulary that you learned today.
