Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. make a comeback
    • ex. That hairstyle made a comeback recently. It was popular when I was a child, and it’s popular again now!
  2. a change of pace
    • ex. I usually take the train to work, but I decided to ride my bike today for a change of pace.
  3. sell out
    • ex. I wanted to buy concert tickets, but they already sold out.
  4. peak
    • ex. The celebrity’s career peaked in the ‘90s before she started losing popularity.
  5. fade out
    • ex. There used to be payphones on every street corner, but they've slowly faded out in recent years, and now it’s hard to find one.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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Drive-in theaters in the United States are making a comeback after the coronavirus caused cinemas to close. Because of strict social distancing rules, many people have stayed home for the past several months. For a change of pace, some have started going to drive-in theaters. One drive-in theater owner reported selling out tickets for every show since her theater reopened on May 15.

Drive-in theaters are outdoor theaters with parking spaces, huge screens, and a projector. Customers can enjoy watching movies safely inside their cars. These outdoor theaters peaked in the ‘60s but faded out when technology such as VCRs and cable TV allowed people to watch movies at home.

Thanks to their recent popularity, more and more people are thinking about opening a drive-in theater. According to one drive-in theater owner in New York, people from different states as well as England and Ireland have called to ask him for advice. Also in New York, one diner put a big screen in its parking lot so that customers can watch movies while eating in their cars.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Drive-in Theaters

  • Do you think many people in your country would like to go to a drive-in theater? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Do you think that it’s really safe enough to go to a drive-in theater? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Do you think many other things will also become "drive-in" or "drive-through" (ex. theme parks, concerts)? Why or why not? Discuss.

Making a Comeback

  • Do you think many other things from the past are going to make a comeback because of the current situation (ex. old board games, old toys)? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Why do you think some things make a comeback (ex. they’re useful again, they’re fashionable again)? Discuss.
  • What things should never make a comeback (ex. some hairstyles, old TV shows)? Why? Discuss.