The Ocean
May 14 2014
Intro
The ocean is an extraordinaryplace. It is home to millions of fish and sea creatures. It affects our weather. It is so large that people and boats and airplanes can easily become lost in it. It is beautiful and relaxing, but also powerful and dangerous. It’s not a surprise, then, that people both love and fear the ocean.
There are so many ways to spend one’s time at the ocean. There’s swimming, walking in the sand, looking for seashells, watching the birds, building a sandcastle, going fishing, enjoying the sun, or even just sleeping. It’s the kind of place where everyone can find something to do.
Marni and Jessica are talking about the ocean. Find out who loves it and who fears it in this English lesson about nature.
There are so many ways to spend one’s time at the ocean. There’s swimming, walking in the sand, looking for seashells, watching the birds, building a sandcastle, going fishing, enjoying the sun, or even just sleeping. It’s the kind of place where everyone can find something to do.
Marni and Jessica are talking about the ocean. Find out who loves it and who fears it in this English lesson about nature.
Dialogue
Jessica: So, it has been absolutely beautiful weather lately.
Marni: It has been.
Jessica: And with the sun shining, all I can think about is going swimming in the ocean.
Marni: Really?
Jessica: Yes. It’s so soothing! And the waves... just the sounds that you hear when you’re at the beach, and the sand between your toes… it’s all sotherapeutic.
Marni: I guess. I mean, I do like the sound of the waves. But all I can think about is how terrifying the ocean is. There are sharks in there. There’s just that awesome power. It can just suck you in whole. And the waves are so choppy. It’s terrifying.
Jessica: I don’t know. All the sounds… with the birds flying over you, and just the movement of the water… it puts you at ease.
Marni: Man, all I can think about is every time I go to the ocean, is when is a shark going to come and just devour me?
Jessica: Oh my gosh. I grew up in Hawaii, and I never had a shark experience. So I think you should just relax and enjoy the atmosphere. Try to go again.
Marni: Maybe. I don’t know. I’m kind of scared, and maybe I’ll just go and I’ll step back. And I’ll just watch you.
Jessica: There you go. Yes.
Marni: OK. I can do that.
Jessica: I’ll go swimming. I’ll wave from the ocean.
Marni: It has been.
Jessica: And with the sun shining, all I can think about is going swimming in the ocean.
Marni: Really?
Jessica: Yes. It’s so soothing! And the waves... just the sounds that you hear when you’re at the beach, and the sand between your toes… it’s all sotherapeutic.
Marni: I guess. I mean, I do like the sound of the waves. But all I can think about is how terrifying the ocean is. There are sharks in there. There’s just that awesome power. It can just suck you in whole. And the waves are so choppy. It’s terrifying.
Jessica: I don’t know. All the sounds… with the birds flying over you, and just the movement of the water… it puts you at ease.
Marni: Man, all I can think about is every time I go to the ocean, is when is a shark going to come and just devour me?
Jessica: Oh my gosh. I grew up in Hawaii, and I never had a shark experience. So I think you should just relax and enjoy the atmosphere. Try to go again.
Marni: Maybe. I don’t know. I’m kind of scared, and maybe I’ll just go and I’ll step back. And I’ll just watch you.
Jessica: There you go. Yes.
Marni: OK. I can do that.
Jessica: I’ll go swimming. I’ll wave from the ocean.
Discussion
The beautiful weather makes Jessica want to go swimming in the ocean. She loves the sound of the waves, the sand between her toes, and the birds flying above her head. Everything about the ocean is therapeutic and relaxing to Jessica. She really wants to go.
Marni’s feelings about the ocean are the opposite of Jessica’s. The ocean is extremely frightening to Marni. She’s afraid of the big waves and the sharks. She knows that the ocean is powerful, and she worries that it’s too dangerous for swimming. She has no interest in going to the beach, except maybe to watch her friend Jessica.
Do you enjoy going to the ocean? Do you swim in it, or just enjoy it from the beach? What is your favorite thing about the ocean?
Marni’s feelings about the ocean are the opposite of Jessica’s. The ocean is extremely frightening to Marni. She’s afraid of the big waves and the sharks. She knows that the ocean is powerful, and she worries that it’s too dangerous for swimming. She has no interest in going to the beach, except maybe to watch her friend Jessica.
Do you enjoy going to the ocean? Do you swim in it, or just enjoy it from the beach? What is your favorite thing about the ocean?
Grammar Point
Present Perfect Tense
Jessica and Marni agree that it has been beautiful weather lately. They use the present perfect tense.
The present perfect tense is formed with have/has + a past participle. There are several situations in which we use this tense:
To talk about something that was true in the past, and is still true in the present, as in, “I have been married for five years.” Or, as in Marni and Jessica’s conversation, the weather was beautiful in the past and is still beautiful now.
To refer to something that happened at an unspecified time in the past, as in, “Becky has visited China several times already.”
To talk about something that happened during a period of time that has not yet ended, as in, “I have gone to three parties so far this month.”
When used with “just,” to refer to something that happened very recently, as in, “My mother has just arrived.”
When you see words like for, since, ever, already, and so far in a sentence, it often means that you need to use the present perfect tense.
Which is correct, “I have walked three miles today already,” or, “I had walked three miles today already”?
Jessica and Marni agree that it has been beautiful weather lately. They use the present perfect tense.
The present perfect tense is formed with have/has + a past participle. There are several situations in which we use this tense:
To talk about something that was true in the past, and is still true in the present, as in, “I have been married for five years.” Or, as in Marni and Jessica’s conversation, the weather was beautiful in the past and is still beautiful now.
To refer to something that happened at an unspecified time in the past, as in, “Becky has visited China several times already.”
To talk about something that happened during a period of time that has not yet ended, as in, “I have gone to three parties so far this month.”
When used with “just,” to refer to something that happened very recently, as in, “My mother has just arrived.”
When you see words like for, since, ever, already, and so far in a sentence, it often means that you need to use the present perfect tense.
Which is correct, “I have walked three miles today already,” or, “I had walked three miles today already”?
Quiz
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