Idioms & Expressions:
fair-weather friend (noun; a friend who only sees you when they want something)
He is a fair-weather friend who only visits me when he wants to borrow money.
like family (a way to describe that someone is so close to you, you treat them like part of your family)
My best friend Joe is like family to me.
social butterfly (noun; someone who like to socialize with everyone)
She is a social butterfly and talks to everyone.
loner / homebody (nouns; that refer to someone who wants to stay at home and not socialize very often. Also known as “introverts”)
He’s sort of a loner. I always see him by himself.
crew (noun; a very casual term for your social group)
I was fortunate enough to have found a good crew of friends when I moved to Chicago.
childhood friend (noun; a friend you have known since you were a kid)
lifelong friend (noun; a friend you know for most of your life)
catch a movie (alternate expression for ‘going to see a movie’)
If you’re free this weekend, let’s go catch a movie.
movie buff (noun; used to describe a person who’s very knowledgeable about movies)
Since I’m a movie buff, I’ll watch a movie whenever I have free time.
franchise (noun; alternate word for “film series”)
The Fast & The Furious is a very popular movie franchise.
blockbuster (noun; this is a financially successful movie)
Captain America was one of the biggest blockbusters of the past year.
live up to expectations (an expression used to refer to how one’s expectations compare to the reality of an experience)
I was happy with the movie. It lived up to my expectations.
eye candy (noun; this refers to visually appealing scenes of images in movies)
Transformers is pretty dumb, but it has a lot of eye candy.
based on a true story / based on a book (a phrase that describes a movie that was based on events that really happened or based on a book)
My favorite fantasy movie is Harry Potter, which is based on the book series of the same name.
Part I: Group Discussion
- Are your friends mostly your age or different ages? Why?
My friends used to be my age, but as I’ve gotten older and traveled a lot, I’ve made friends of a wide range of ages. For example, I’m 30 but I hang out with people as young as 20.
- Do you usually see your friends during the week or on weekends? Why?
I see my friends all the time – because I live with a group of them. So I see them on both weekdays and weekends.
- The last time you saw your friends, what did you do together?
I saw my friends last night. We hung out and played a few games of darts and pool, and then we went to the market and had some food.
- Have your shared activities changed very much since you first met your friends? In what way?
The biggest change over time has been drinking beer – when we were younger, we couldn’t have any. Now, we are older and having a beer has become a bigger part of our routine.
- In what ways are your friends important to you?
Well, friends are there for you so that you’re not lonely. If you’re alone all the time, you can get pretty miserable. I think friends should be there to make you laugh and support you.
Part II: Individual Presentations
Describe a movie you enjoyed. You should say:
- what’s the name of the movie
- what was the central theme of the movie /film
- when you watched it
- and say why you enjoyed watching this movie
I loved the movie “Transformers.” It’s a famous action movie and has been one of my favorites for a long time. I first saw it ten years ago, and was instantly impressed. The action scenes were so well-done that I knew I’d be watching it over and over. The story is also very heart-warming – the movie is about a boy and his first car and a girl that he’s trying to impress. I think I’ve seen it ten or eleven times, and I’ll watch it much more often in the future.
Part III: Class Discussion
- What are the differences of watching movies and reading books?
Watching movies is both a visual and auditory experience, but when you read a book, you have to use your imagination and you can experience the story in many ways.
- Which one is more powerful? Why?
Film is a more immediately powerful medium, but I think a well-written book can affect you in a way that’s just as powerful. I personally prefer movies, but I still love books.
- Do you like to watch movies staying at home on television or in a theatre? Why?
I like to go to a theater. I think there’s something fun about seeing a movie in a communal group with other people, and experiencing it with them.
- How can movies help us to shape our society?
Films can easily communicate messages and ideas that may influence people or make them curious. In some countries, governments censor movies because they have ideas or themes in them that the government disagrees with.
- How do you think the Internet will change entertainment in the future?
Within the next few decades, the internet will take over almost every facet of entertainment. I think we’ll experience movies at home, over the internet, instead of going to a theater.
