Summary
Anna and Marsha are going on a road trip! Follow them across the United States as they see the sights. Will they still be friends when they finish the trip?
Speaking
In this video, learn how to say the new words. Then learn about using the future continuous verb tense to talk about planned events.
Let's Learn English Lesson 45 Speaking Practice
Pronunciation
Use this video to learn about the reduced form of "will" in the future continuous tense.
Let's Learn English Lesson 45 Pronunciation Practice
Conversation
Lesson 45: This Land is Your Land
Anna: You know I love Washington, D.C. But I want to see more of the United States. My roommate Marsha and I will be on vacation at the same time. So, we are going on a road trip together!
Hi, Marsha!
Marsha: Hi!
Anna: I packed my bags and I am ready to go!
Marsha: Did you make a list of all the places you want to see?
Anna: I did. I want to see New York City and the Statue of Liberty!
Marsha: And I want to see Mount Rushmore!
Anna: (Anna writes) Mount Rushmore.
Marsha: And don’t forget the Grand Canyon!
Anna: (Anna writes) Let’s not forget California’s redwood forest! There are so many places to see!
Marsha: We will be driving for a long time. So, we might get bored.
Anna: Bored? No way! We can talk.
Marsha: Or not talk.
Anna: We can play word games. We can sing! You know, our trip is like that famous American song. (sings) "This land is your land, This land is my land …"*
Marsha: (sings) "…from California to the New York island ..."
BOTH: “... to the redwood forest to the Gulf stream waters ... this land was made for you and me!”
Marsha: Will we be stopping soon?
Anna: We won’t be stopping soon.
Marsha: I’m hungry.
Anna: Marsha, we just left D.C.! We’ll be eating lunch in about 2 hours. Can you wait?
Marsha: I guess.
Anna: Here, have an apple. It’s organic!
(Anna throws the apple. It goes out the window.)
Marsha: Thanks.
Marsha: Okay, we will be arriving in New York City very soon!
Anna: I can’t wait to see The Big Apple! Marsha, look! There she is!
Marsha: The Statue of Liberty!
Anna: She is awesome!
Anna: Marsha, in ten minutes, guess what we’ll be seeing?
Marsha: What?
Anna: The largest rocking chair in the world!
Marsha: No, we won’t be seeing that.
Anna: Marsha, it’s on my other list -- Best Roadside Sights.
(Marsha grabs the paper and throws it out the window.)
Anna: Oh no! We littered! And my list is gone. Don't worry. I brought the book. (lifts up large book, starts reading)
(Later)
Anna: … and that is why I am so afraid of sheep.
Marsha: (snores a little)
Anna: Wow, I feel better. Marsha, you are a great listener.
Marsha: (waking up) Where are we?
Anna: We will be entering North Dakota any minute now!
Marsha: North Dakota! We are going in the wrong direction! We want to go to South Dakota!
Anna: No problem. I will just exit the highway. We will be going south … in just a minute. There. Done! We're going south! Okay, we will be stopping for gas and a bathroom break in about an hour.
Marsha: Then we will be very near to Mount Rushmore!
Anna: Yay! Dead presidents’ heads on the side of a mountain!
Anna: We did it, Marsha! We made it to California! It’s beautiful!
Marsha: And we saw everything on the list!
Anna: Well, we saw everything on page 1 of the list.
Marsha: What do you mean "page 1?"
Anna: Oh. Here are pages 2, 3 and 4! We’ll be very busy driving back to Washington, D.C. Until next time … !
* This Land is Your Land was written by American folk singer Woody Guthrie. See below for the lyrics and videos of Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger and Bruce Springsteen performing the song.
Writing
In this lesson, Anna and Marsha take a road trip. Did you ever take a road trip or a journey with a friend? Where did you go and what did you do there? Did you see any sights along the way? If you have not taken a road trip, tell us about where you would like to go on a road trip. Write to us by email or in the Comments section.
Click on the image below to download the Activity Sheet and practice predicting what will happen on your road trip across the United States. Please note, our activity sheets now can be completed on the computer.
Lesson 45 Activity Sheet
Learning Strategy
Learning Strategies are the thoughts and actions that help make learning easier or more effective.
The learning strategy for this lesson is Predict. When we predict, we are using what we know to say what will happen in the future. In using English, it is helpful if you can predict what is coming up in a story that you are reading or something that you are listening to. This helps your brain prepare to understand the next part of the story.
In this lesson, Anna shows Marsha her long list of places she wants to see. She predicts that they will be busy on their trip back to Washington, D.C.
Do you ever predict when you are reading or listening in English? Write to us about it in the Comments section or send us an email. Teachers, see the Lesson Plan for more details on teaching this strategy.
Quiz
Listen to short videos and test your listening skills with this quiz.
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New Words
break - n. a brief period of time during which someone stops an activity
direction - n. the course or path on which something is moving or pointing
enter - v. to go or come into (something)
exit - v. to go out of a place or situation
highway - n. a main road that connects cities and towns
land - n. the solid part of the surface of the Earth
litter - v. to throw or leave trash on the ground in a public place
pack - v.to put (something) into a bag or suitcase so that you can take it with you
place - n. a specific area or region of the world
ready - adj. prepared to do something
road trip - n. a long trip in a car or truck, etc
(use image also) rocking chair - n.< chair that moves back and forth on rockers that are attached to its legs
PLACE NAMES
Let's Learn English Lesson 45 Place Names Graphic
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Free Materials
Word Book
Download the VOA Learning English Word Book for a dictionary of the words we use on this website.
Each Let's Learn English lesson has an Activity Sheet for extra practice on your own or in the classroom. In this lesson, you can use it to practice using the future continuous tense to talk about plans.
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For Teachers
Let's Learn English Lesson 45: This Land is Your Land
See the Lesson Plan for this lesson for ideas and more teaching resources. Send us an email if you have comments on this course or questions.
Grammar: Future continuous verb tense
Topics: Talking about upcoming events; Expressing desires to see sights or do activities on a trip
Learning Strategy: Predict
Speaking & Pronunciation: Reduced form of "will" in the future continuous verb tense
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Here is a complete version of the song, This Land is Your Land.
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This Land Is Your Land
Words and Music by Woody Guthrie
This land is your land This land is my land
From California to the New York island;
From the red wood forest to the Gulf Stream waters
This land was made for you and Me.
As I was walking that ribbon of highway,
I saw above me that endless skyway:
I saw below me that golden valley:
This land was made for you and me.
I've roamed and rambled and I followed my footsteps
To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts;
And all around me a voice was sounding:
This land was made for you and me.
When the sun came shining, and I was strolling,
And the wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling,
As the fog was lifting a voice was chanting:
This land was made for you and me.
As I went walking I saw a sign there
And on the sign it said "No Trespassing."
But on the other side it didn't say nothing,
That side was made for you and me.
In the shadow of the steeple I saw my people,
By the relief office I seen my people;
As they stood there hungry, I stood there asking
Is this land made for you and me?
Nobody living can ever stop me,
As I go walking that freedom highway;
Nobody living can ever make me turn back
This land was made for you and me.
© Copyright 1956 (renewed), 1958 (renewed), 1970 and 1972 by Woody Guthrie Publications, Inc. & TRO-Ludlow Music, Inc. (BMI)
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For a modern cover of the song, here are Pete Seeger and Bruce Springsteen.
Now it's your turn. Send us an email or write to us in the Comments section below or on our Facebook page to let us know what you think of this lesson.
