Intro
Have you
ever thought about getting a tattoo? Tattoos can be beautiful and creative.
They say a lot about a person’s personality and interests. But they are also
permanent. If you get one, you will have it on your body forever. You will have
to be OK with looking at it for the rest of your life.
A temporary tattoo allows a person to experience what it’s
like to have a tattoo, but on a trial basis. They wash off
after a few days. Doing anything on a trial basis means doing it for a short
time to decide if it’s something you want or like. A person might be given a
job on a trial basis, for example, to make sure she’s the best choice. A friend
might be unsure about living in a new city and decide to move there, but only
on a trial basis. It’s all about being certain that a new arrangement or
situation is going to work out.
Jeff
wants to do something on a trial basis, but Marni needs to say OK. What do you
think it is? Find out if you guessed correctly by reading today’s English
lesson.
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Dialogue
Jeff:
Marni, do you have a minute?
Marni:
Yeah. Wait a second. OK! What’s up?
Jeff: I’ll be honest. I’ve been doing a lot of soul searching. And I’m just trying to figure out what I want to do with
my life.
Marni: No kidding. What brought this on?
Jeff:
Remember that L.A. trip with Rafael?
Marni:
Uh-huh.
Jeff: He found his dream job, and it’s kind of encouraged
me to pursue the same path.
Marni:
Wait, are you quitting?
Jeff: No, no, no. Basically, I’d like to ask for some flexibility.
Marni:
Go on.
Jeff: I eventually want to become
a photographer. I’ve always kind of had this goal. I just kind of thought
I’d brush up on my skills with a couple courses.
Marni:
OK. So, where do I fit into this?
Jeff: I
was just wondering if you could let me take a lunchtime class. On a trial
basis, of course.
Marni:
Where’s the class?
Jeff: It’s at the art school a few blocks away.
The class is one hour, Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays. It shouldn’t impact my
work at all.
Marni:
How long does the class run?
Jeff:
Six weeks.
Marni: So, six weeks, three days a week, one hour a day. I
guess I’m OK with it as long as it’s on a trial basis.
Jeff: Yes. I will not let you down. Trial basis.
Marni:
OK.
Discussion
Jeff surprises Marni with some news. He wants to take a
photography class. Jeff eventually wants to become a professional photographer, so he
wants to brush up on his skills by learning from a teacher. But the class
is in the middle of the day.
Marni thinks about Jeff’s request. After learning that Jeff
doesn’t want to quit but just wants to take a class, she agrees to let him do
it on a trial basis. Jeff tells Marni that taking the class won’t impact his
work for the company, which helps her make the decision. If the class is going
to make Jeff happy and not change the quality of work he’s doing for
AmericanDreamD8.com, it’s probably a good idea.
Do you
think that Jeff and Marni’s arrangement is going to work? Are you doing
anything on a trial basis right now?
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Grammar Point
Present Perfect Progressive
Jeff
tells Marni, “I’ve (I have) been doing a lot of soul searching.” He
uses the present perfect progressive tense.
We form
the present perfect progressive (sometimes
called the “present perfect continuous”) with have/has been + main verb + ing. We use this tense to talk about an on-going action that began in the
past, is still in progress, and may continue into the future.
For
example, you might say, “I have been thinking about getting a new car for
weeks.” You first thought of getting a new car weeks ago, you’re currently
thinking of getting one, and unless you buy one or decide not to buy one right
now, you’ll continue thinking about it.
The same
is true for Jeff. He started thinking about taking a photography class a while
ago, he’s thinking about it right now, and it will still be something he thinks
about in the future.
Which is
correct, “She has been teaching for twenty years,” or, “She have been teaching
for twenty years”?
Vocab
eventually adv.
Definition
in time, in the future, one day
Example
I will eventually move to New York, but right now I’m happy
living in Los Angeles.
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brush up on expr.
Definition
practice
Example
If I’m going to play in the tournament, I should brush up on my
tennis skills.
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blocks n.
Definition
area of city separated by streets, often shaped like a square
Example
My apartment is only five blocks from my office. I’m so lucky!
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impact v.
Definition
change or affect
Example
My feelings about Rob will not impact my decision to give him
the job or not.
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on a trial basis expr.
Definition
for now, but not forever
Example
You can live with us on a trial basis. If it works well, you can
stay for a year.
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soul searching n.
Definition
looking for answers within oneself
Example
It was a great camping trip. I sat by the river and did a lot of
soul searching.
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bring on v.
Definition
cause to happen
Example
Too much sun and not enough water can bring on a headache.
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pursue v.
Definition
try to get, go after
Example
I wanted to pursue a career in medicine, but I hate blood!
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let down v.
Definition
disappoint
Example
You really let me down when you didn’t come to my party.
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flexibility n.
Definition
willingness or ability to change
Example
I’d like to eat dinner by 6:00, but I have some flexibility in
my schedule.
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