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Friends S01E01 (Part 2) — Grab a Spoon

Friends · S01E01 · clip 5:26 · 11 words · 7 idioms

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1

Before You Watch

Quick review — from your last lessons

  • move out — to leave the place where you live
  • go through — to experience something difficult
  • freak out — to become very scared, shocked or upset
  • for the best — better in the end, even if it feels bad now
  • metaphor — a way of describing something by comparing it to something else
  • independence — the ability to live or decide without depending on others

The story

This is the second part of the first Friends episode. Rachel has just arrived after running away from her wedding. Now the friends invite her out, but she stays home. Later, Joey and Chandler help Ross build furniture in his empty apartment, and Joey gives Ross some advice about starting a new life. At the same time, Monica is on a date with a man called Paul.

How to watch

Two jokes carry this clip.

After you watch, we will explain the jokes — no spoilers here.

Words to notice — know these before you watch:

bookcase flavour regret

Expressions you will hear:

put together get screwed grab a spoon

Predict: Look at the keywords. What advice do you think Ross gets?

Background reading (1 minute)

In American English, people often use food to talk about life. 'Flavours of ice cream' means the many different people you could date, and 'grab a spoon' means start trying again. This clip is also full of relaxed spoken forms: gonna, wanna, gotta and should've. Learning to hear them is the key to understanding fast conversation.

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Watch 1 — with subtitles

— catch the main idea
Watched 0% of the clip — aim for 70% before Watch 2 unlocks.

Subtitles ON. Watch the whole clip once, then answer:

Watch once with subtitles ON. What is the main situation?

Why was it funny?

First, Ross cannot understand the furniture instructions, so he invents baby words for the parts: a 'brackety thing', 'side things' and 'little worm guys'. Second, Joey compares women to ice cream flavours and tells Ross to 'grab a spoon'. Chandler then takes the metaphor too literally and says he does not know if he is hungry or horny, so Joey warns him to stay out of his freezer. Phoebe also gets a dry laugh: 'I wish I could, but I don't want to.'

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Transcript

— tap a line to replay that sentence

yellow = vocabulary to learn · blue = idioms / phrasal verbs · purple = grammar

8:28 Sit down, two seconds.
8:34 Oh, I just pulled out four eyelashes. That can't be good.
8:40 So Rachel, what are you, uh, what you up to tonight?
8:42 Well, I was kind of suppose to be headed for Aruba on my honeymoon. So, nothing.
8:50 Right, you're not even getting your honeymoon.
8:52 God, no, no. Although, Aruba.
8:55 This time of year?
8:57 Talk about your...big lizards.
9:05 Anyway, if you, if you don't feel like being alone tonight Uh, Joey and Chandler are coming over to help me put together my, my new furniture.
9:11 Yes, and we're very excited about it.
9:14 Well, actually, thanks but I think I'm just gonna hang out here tonight.
9:18 - It's been a long day. - Oh, sure. Okay, sure.
9:20 Hey, Pheebs, wanna help?
9:22 Oh, I wish I could, but I don't want to.
9:32 I'm suppose to attach a brackety thing to the side things using a bunch of these little worm guys.
9:41 I have no brackety thing.
9:43 I see no worm guys whatsoever.
9:45 And I cannot feel my legs.
9:50 - What's this? - I have no idea.
9:56 - Done with the bookcase. - All finished.
10:02 This was Carol's favorite beer.
10:06 She always drank it out of the can. I should have known.
10:11 Ross, let me ask you a question.
10:12 She got the furniture, the stereo, the good TV.
10:17 What did you get?
10:18 You guys.
10:19 - Oh, God. Oh, my God. - You got screwed.
10:22 - Oh, my God. - I know, I know.
10:24 I'm such an idiot.
10:27 Guess I should've caught on when she went to the dentist four and five times a week.
10:31 I mean, how clean can teeth get?
10:33 My brother's going through that right now.
10:35 He's, he's such a mess. How did you get through it?
10:38 Well, he might try accidentally breaking something valuable of hers.
10:42 - Say her-- - Leg.
10:44 That's one way of going through it, yeah.
10:46 Me, I-I went for the watch.
10:48 You actually broke her watch?
10:51 Barry, I'm sorry. I am so sorry.
10:53 I know you probably think this is all about what I said the other night about you making love with your socks on, but it isn't.
10:59 It's isn't, its about me. And I ju..
11:09 Hi, machine cut me off again. Anyway..
11:13 You know what scariest part is?
11:15 What if there's only one woman for everybody, you know?
11:18 I mean, what if you get one woman, and that's it?
11:22 Unfortunately, in my case, there was only one woman...for her.
11:27 What are you talking about? One woman.
11:31 That's like saying, there's only one flavor of ice cream for you.
11:34 Let me tell you something, Ross.
11:36 There's lots of flavors out there.
11:38 There's Rocky road, and Cookie dough and bing Cherry vanilla.
11:43 You could get them with jimmies, or nuts, or whipped cream.
11:48 This is the best thing that ever happened to you.
11:51 You got married. You were like, what? Eight?
11:56 Welcome back to the world.
11:57 Grab a spoon!
12:00 I honestly don't know if I'm hungry or horny.
12:03 Stay out of my freezer.
12:08 Ever since she walked out on me, I..
12:12 What? Wh-what? You wanna spell it out with noodles?
12:16 No, it's-it's-it's more of a fifth date kind of revelation.
12:20 Oh, so, there's gonna be a fifth date?
12:25 Isn't there?
12:27 Yeah, yeah. I-I think there is.
12:31 What were you gonna say?
12:34 Well, er, um..
12:38 Ever since she left me, um..
12:41 I-I haven't been able to perform..
12:44 ...sexually.
12:48 Oh, God! Oh, God! I am so..
12:50 - I'm so sorry. - It's okay.
12:52 I know being spit on is probably not what you need right now.
12:55 Um..
12:58 How long?
12:59 - Two years. - Wow.
13:03 Uh-uh, I'm glad you smashed her watch.
13:08 So you still think you, um...might want that fifth date?
13:14 Yeah, yeah I do.
13:19 I Joanie, take you Charles, as my lawful husband.
13:22 'Do you take Joanie..'
13:25 See. But Joanie loves Chachi.
13:28 That's the difference.
13:32 "Grab a spoon."
13:34 Do you know how long it's been since I've grabbed the spoon?
13:37 Do the words, "Billy, don't be a hero," mean anything to you?
13:43 You know, here's the thing.
13:44 Even if I could get it together enough to you know, to-to ask a woman out..
13:50 ...who am I gonna ask?
4

Vocabulary

— tap a card to see the meaning, then check yourself

Warm checks: 0/11

eyelash/ˈaɪlæʃ/
Tap to see the meaning
one of the short hairs that grow on the edge of your eye
“Oh, I just pulled out four eyelashes. That can't be good.”
attach/əˈtætʃ/
Tap to see the meaning
to fix one thing to another thing
“I'm supposed to attach a brackety thing to the side things.”
bracket/ˈbrækɪt/
Tap to see the meaning
a small piece of metal used to hold two parts together
“I have no brackety thing.”
whatsoever/ˌwɒtsəʊˈevər/
Tap to see the meaning
at all — used after a negative to make it stronger
“I see no worm guys whatsoever.”
bookcase/ˈbʊkkeɪs/
Tap to see the meaning
a piece of furniture with shelves for books
“Done with the bookcase.”
valuable/ˈvæljuəbl/
Tap to see the meaning
worth a lot of money or very important to someone
“He might try accidentally breaking something valuable of hers.”
revelation/ˌrevəˈleɪʃn/
Tap to see the meaning
a surprising fact that someone tells you for the first time
“It's more of a fifth date kind of revelation.”
flavour/ˈfleɪvər/
Tap to see the meaning
the particular taste of a food or drink
“There's only one flavor of ice cream for you.”
whipped cream/ˌwɪpt ˈkriːm/
Tap to see the meaning
cream that is beaten until it is soft and thick
“You could get them with jimmies, or nuts, or whipped cream.”
mess/mes/
Tap to see the meaning
a person or situation that is in a very bad, confused state
“He's such a mess. How did you get through it?”
smash/smæʃ/
Tap to see the meaning
to break something violently into pieces
“I'm glad you smashed her watch.”
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Idioms & Phrasal Verbs

put together phrasal verb to build something from separate parts “Joey and Chandler are coming over to help me put together my new furniture.”
get through phrasal verb to survive a difficult period “He's such a mess. How did you get through it?”
ask someone out phrasal verb to invite someone on a date “Even if I could get it together enough to ask a woman out...”
spell it out idiom to explain something very clearly, step by step “You wanna spell it out with noodles?”
feel like phrase to want to do something at this moment “If you don't feel like being alone tonight...”
grab a spoon idiom Joey's own expression: start dating again and enjoy life “Welcome back to the world. Grab a spoon!”
be up to phrase to be doing something; used to ask about someone's plans “So Rachel, what are you up to tonight?”
Bonus phrases — extra, only if you are curious
hang out phrasal verb to spend relaxed time somewhere or with someone “I think I'm just gonna hang out here tonight.”
get screwed idiom to be treated very unfairly (informal — only with friends) “You got screwed.”
catch on phrasal verb to finally understand something that was happening “Guess I should've caught on when she went to the dentist four and five times a week.”
walk out on phrasal verb to leave your partner suddenly and end the relationship “Ever since she walked out on me...”
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Grammar Spotlight

Find the pattern: Ross says: “I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN.” and “Guess I SHOULD'VE CAUGHT ON…” When he says these, how does he feel?

should have + past participle — talking about regret

Use should have (often said as 'should've') plus the past participle to say that something was a mistake, or that you did not see the truth in time. It always talks about the past, and it is always too late to change it.

• She always drank it out of the can. I should have known. (Ross regrets not seeing the truth.)

• Guess I should've caught on when she went to the dentist four and five times a week. (He regrets not understanding earlier.)

• Listen for the sound: 'should've' sounds like /ˈʃʊdəv/, almost one short word.

Learn more: English Grammar in Use — should have / must have (past modals)

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Watch 2 — with subtitles

— hear the details

Subtitles ON again. Answer the detail questions. Use “Replay this bit” if you need it:

1. Why is Rachel not going to Aruba?

2. What do Joey and Chandler do at Ross's apartment?

3. What did Chandler do when his own relationship ended?

4. What does Joey mean by 'Grab a spoon'?

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Practice

— tap an answer, get instant feedback
Exercises: 0/0 answered · 0 correct

Understand the story

1. Why does Rachel say her evening plan is 'nothing'?

2. What is Ross's problem with the furniture?

3. What did Ross get when Carol left?

13. Put these lines in the order you hear them

14. Play this bit. What does Joey tell Ross to do?

True or False

4. Chandler broke his girlfriend's watch.

5. Joey thinks there is only one right woman for each man.

Fill the gap

6. I think I'm just gonna ______ out here tonight.

7. Guess I should've ______ on when she went to the dentist four and five times a week.

Grammar in use

8. Ross says, 'I should have known.' This means:

12. Which line uses should have + past participle for regret?

Word meanings

9. If a person 'walks out on' their partner, they:

11. Which word means: “a sudden new idea that changes how you see things”?

Match the phrases

10. Match each phrase with its meaning — tap a phrase on the left, then tap its meaning on the right:

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Final listen — no subtitles

— prove what you remember

Subtitles locked OFF

Subtitles are OFF. Prove what you remember — ice cream and regrets.

1. Catch the line

Tap ▶ to hear each line. The box ticks only after it finishes playing.

  • What are you up to tonight?▶
  • I wish I could, but I don't want to.▶
  • I have no brackety thing.▶
  • I see no worm guys whatsoever.▶
  • I should have known.▶
  • You got screwed.▶
  • There's lots of flavors out there.▶
  • Welcome back to the world. Grab a spoon!▶

2. What did they say?

1. What regret does Ross say about Carol's beer?

2. How does Chandler summarise Ross's divorce deal?

3. What advice does Joey give Ross?

3. Put the lines in order

Listen once, then tap the lines in the order you hear them.

Final listen score will appear here when you finish.

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