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Friends S01E01 (Part 3) — Welcome to the Real World

Friends · S01E01 · clip 8:42 · 9 words · 7 idioms

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Before You Watch

Quick review — from your last lessons

  • deodorant — a product you put on your body to stop bad smell
  • numb — unable to feel something any more, because it happens too often
  • graduation — the time when you finish school or university
  • verify — to check that something is true
  • diabetic — a person who has diabetes
  • complications — extra medical problems that come from a disease

The story

This is the final part of the first Friends episode. The next morning, Rachel is excited about Paul, but Monica discovers that he has used the same romantic line before. Rachel also has no job and still depends on her father. Phoebe gives her a very strange story about starting life alone. At the end, Ross tells Rachel that he had a crush on her in high school and asks her out.

How to watch

The comedy is conversational and often very dry.

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

Words to notice — know these before you watch:

sophisticated beacon crush

Expressions you will hear:

regional work live off someone ask someone out

Predict: Rachel has no job and Ross has an old secret. What do you think will happen?

Background reading (1 minute)

In American English, 'live off someone' means to depend on that person for money. Young adults often talk about getting a job, moving out and being on their own. A 'crush' is a strong but usually temporary romantic feeling. 'Ask someone out' means invite someone on a date. Friends uses these everyday expressions in a relaxed conversation, with short forms such as gotta, gonna and you guys.

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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?

Rachel calls her sale boots her 'I-don't-need-a-job' boots, even though her father paid for them. Phoebe tries to comfort Rachel with an absurd and very dark story about her childhood, then Chandler supplies the word Rachel is looking for: 'anyway'. Ross's long, nervous question about asking Rachel out is funny because he sounds as if he is writing a legal contract.

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Transcript

— tap a line to replay that sentence

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

14:14 Isn't this amazing?
14:15 I mean I have never made coffee before in my entire life.
14:18 - That is amazing. - Congratulations.
14:20 While you're on a roll if you feel like you gotta make like a Western omelette or something.
14:28 Although, actually I'm really not that hungry this morning.
14:33 - Good morning. - Good morning.
14:34 - Morning. - Morning.
14:37 - Morning. - Morning, Paul.
14:39 - Hello, Paul. - Hi. Paul, is it?
14:46 I had really great time last night.
14:49 'Thank you. Thank you so much.'
14:52 - We'll talk later. - Yeah.
14:59 Thank you.
15:07 That wasn't a real date.
15:10 What the hell do you do on a real date?
15:14 Shut up and put my table back.
15:16 'Okay.'
15:18 Alright, kids, I gotta get to work.
15:20 If I don't input those numbers..
15:23 ...it doesn't make much of a difference.
15:29 So, like, you guys all have jobs?
15:32 Yeah, we all have jobs.
15:33 See, that's how we..
15:35 ...buy stuff.
15:37 Yeah. I'm an actor.
15:39 Wow, Would I have seen you in anything?
15:41 Oh, I doubt it.
15:43 Mostly regional work.
15:44 Oh, hey, unless you happen to catch the..
15:46 ...Wee Ones production of Pinocchio.
15:48 "Look, Gepetto, I'm a real live boy."
15:53 I will not take this abuse.
15:55 You're right. I'm sorry.
16:04 So, how you doing today?
16:06 Did you sleep okay? Did you talk to Barry?
16:09 I can't stop smiling.
16:11 I can see that, you look like you slept with a hanger in your mouth.
16:14 I know.
16:20 I know, he, he's just so..
16:24 ...you remember you and Tony Demarco?
16:25 Oh, yeah.
16:27 Well, it's like that, with feelings.
16:30 Oh, wow, are you in trouble.
16:33 Okay, okay, I am just going to get up go to work, and not think about him all day.
16:40 Or else I'm just gonna get up and go to work.
16:43 - Oh, wish me luck. - What for?
16:45 I'm gonna go, get one of those..
16:47 ...job things.
16:56 - Hey, Monica. - Hey, Frannie, welcome back.
16:59 How was Florida?
17:00 You had sex, didn't you?
17:04 How do you do that?
17:06 So, who?
17:08 You know Paul?
17:10 Paul, the wine guy?
17:12 Oh-oh-oh, yeah, I know Paul.
17:16 You mean, you know Paul like I know Paul?
17:19 Are you kidding?
17:20 I take credit for Paul.
17:21 You know, before me, there was no snap in his turtle for two years.
17:28 Of course, it was a line.
17:31 Why! Why, why would anybody do something like that?
17:34 I assume we're looking for an answer more sophisticated than "to get you into bed."
17:41 Is it me?
17:43 Is it like I have some sort of..
17:44 ...beacon that only dogs and men with severe emotional problems can hear?
17:49 Alright, come here, give me your feet.
17:58 I just thought he was nice, you know?
18:03 I can't believe you didn't know it was a line.
18:05 Ah!
18:10 Guess what?
18:12 You gotta job?
18:13 Are you kidding?
18:14 I'm trained for nothing.
18:17 I was laughed out of 12 interviews today.
18:19 And yet you're surprisingly upbeat.
18:21 Well, you would be, too if you found Joan and David boots on sale 50 percent off.
18:27 Oh, how well you know me.
18:30 They're my new..
18:31 ...I-don't-need-a-job, I-don't-need-my-parents I've-got-great-boots boots.
18:36 How did you pay for them?
18:38 A credit card.
18:39 And-and who pays for that?
18:41 Um, my father.
18:46 'Come on, you can't live off your parents your whole life.'
18:48 I know, that, that's why I was getting married.
18:52 Give her a break, it's hard being on your own for the first time.
18:56 - Thank you. - You're welcome.
18:57 I remember when I first came into this city, I was 14.
19:00 My mom had just killed herself and my stepdad was back in prison.
19:03 'I got here and didn't know anybody.'
19:05 And I ended up living with this albino guy who was cleaning windshields outside port authority and then he killed himself..
19:14 And then I found aroma therapy.
19:15 So, believe me, I know exactly how you feel.
19:22 The word you're looking for is..
19:25 "...anyway.."
19:30 Alright. You ready?
19:31 - I don't think so. - Oh, come on.
19:34 Cut. Cut.
19:42 Alright. Welcome to the real world.
19:45 It sucks! You're gonna love it.
19:47 I know.
19:55 Well, that's it.
19:57 - You gonna crash on the couch? - No.
19:59 No, I gotta go home, sometime.
20:01 Alright. You gonna be okay?
20:02 - Yeah. - Goodnight.
20:04 Hey, Mon, look what I just found on the floor.
20:08 What?
20:10 That's Paul's watch.
20:12 Now, you just, put it back where you found it.
20:15 Oh, boy. Alright. Goodnight, everybody.
20:19 - Goodnight. - Goodnight.
20:29 - Hmm. - 'Hmm.'
20:31 - Hmm. Oh, no. - Oh, sorry.
20:32 - Oh, no, no. Go. Go-go. - No, have it, really.
20:34 - I don't want. - Split it?
20:35 - Okay. - Okay.
20:39 Thanks.
20:41 You probably didn't know this but back in high school I had a..
20:45 ...major crush on you.
20:48 I knew.
20:49 You did? Oh.
20:53 I always figured you just thought I was Monica's geeky older brother.
20:56 - I did. - Oh.
21:03 Listen, do you think and try not to let my intense vulnerability become any kind of a factor here but you think it would be okay if I asked you out sometime maybe?
21:16 Yeah.
21:18 Maybe.
21:20 Okay.
21:27 Okay, maybe I will.
21:33 - Alright. Goodnight. - Goodnight.
21:49 See ya.
21:51 Mm-hmm.
21:52 Wait, wait.
21:53 Hey, what's with you?
21:57 I just grabbed a spoon.
22:07 I can't believe what I'm hearing, here.
22:11 What, I-I said you had..
22:15 Would you stop?
22:16 Oh, was I doing it again?
22:20 Would anybody like more coffee?
22:24 Did you make it or are you just serving it?
22:27 I'm just serving it.
22:28 Yeah, I'll have a cup of coffee.
22:31 Kids, new dream.
22:32 'I'm in Las Vegas.'
22:34 - I'm Liza Minnelli. - Come on.
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Vocabulary

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

Warm checks: 0/9

regional/ˈriːdʒənəl/
Tap to see the meaning
connected with one particular area of a country
“Mostly regional work.”
sophisticated/səˈfɪstɪkeɪtɪd/
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clever, complex or advanced
“I assume we're looking for an answer more sophisticated than "to get you into bed."”
beacon/ˈbiːkən/
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a light or signal that attracts attention or guides people
“Is it like I have some sort of beacon that only dogs and men with severe emotional problems can hear?”
severe/sɪˈvɪə(r)/
Tap to see the meaning
very serious or extreme
“Is it like I have some sort of beacon that only dogs and men with severe emotional problems can hear?”
upbeat/ˈʌpbiːt/
Tap to see the meaning
positive, cheerful and hopeful
“And yet you're surprisingly upbeat.”
vulnerability/ˌvʌlnərəˈbɪləti/
Tap to see the meaning
the state of showing that you can be hurt or affected
“Try not to let my intense vulnerability become any kind of a factor here.”
crush/krʌʃ/
Tap to see the meaning
a strong but usually temporary romantic feeling for someone
“Back in high school I had a major crush on you.”
windshields/ˈwɪndʃiːldz/
Tap to see the meaning
the large front window of a car
“I ended up living with this albino guy who was cleaning windshields outside port authority.”
aromatherapy/əˌrəʊməˈθerəpi/
Tap to see the meaning
the use of pleasant natural oils to improve health or mood
“And then I found aroma therapy.”
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Idioms & Phrasal Verbs

happen to phrase to do or experience something by chance “Unless you happen to catch the Wee Ones production of Pinocchio.”
take credit for phrase to say that you were responsible for something good “I take credit for Paul.”
live off phrasal verb to depend on someone for money “You can't live off your parents your whole life.”
give someone a break idiom to stop criticizing someone and be more understanding “Give her a break, it's hard being on your own for the first time.”
end up phrasal verb to finally be in a particular place or situation “And I ended up living with this albino guy who was cleaning windshields outside port authority.”
laughed out of phrase to be rejected while people laugh at you “I was laughed out of 12 interviews today.”
a crush on phrase a strong romantic feeling for someone “Back in high school I had a major crush on you.”
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Grammar Spotlight

Find the pattern: What does WOULD do in these questions?

Would for polite questions and imagined situations

Use would to make a question softer or more polite, or to talk about an imagined possibility. In conversation, it often sounds less direct than will or do.

• Would I have seen you in anything?

• Would anybody like more coffee?

• You think it would be okay if I asked you out sometime maybe?

Learn more: English Grammar in Use — would: polite questions and hypothetical situations

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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 so happy in the morning?

2. What does Monica discover about Paul's romantic story?

3. Why is Rachel surprisingly upbeat after her interviews?

4. What does Ross tell Rachel at the end?

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Practice

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

Understand the story

1. Why is Rachel so happy after her date with Paul?

2. What does Monica learn about Paul?

3. Why is Rachel upbeat even after twelve bad interviews?

9. Play this bit. What made Rachel feel better after her interviews?

11. Put these lines in the order you hear them

True or False

4. Rachel paid for her new boots with money from her own job.

5. Ross had a crush on Rachel in high school.

Fill the gap

6. Mostly ______ work.

7. You can't live ______ your parents your whole life.

Word meanings

8. Which word means: 'a strong but usually temporary romantic feeling for someone'?

Grammar in use

10. Which line uses WOULD to make a question softer or more hypothetical?

Match the phrases

12. 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 from the last part of the episode.

1. Catch the line

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

  • That wasn't a real date.▶
  • Mostly regional work.▶
  • I take credit for Paul.▶
  • I was laughed out of 12 interviews today.▶
  • You can't live off your parents your whole life.▶
  • Give her a break, it's hard being on your own for the first time.▶
  • Back in high school I had a major crush on you.▶
  • I just grabbed a spoon.▶

2. What did they say?

1. What made Rachel surprisingly upbeat?

2. What does Ross reveal before asking Rachel out?

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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