Audio Learning: Michael Jackson’s Thriller

Lyrics:

[1st verse]
It’s close to midnight and something evil’s lurking in the dark
Under the moonlight you see a sight that almost stops your heart
You try to scream but terror takes the sound before you make it
You start to freeze as horror looks you right between the eyes,
You’re paralyzed

[Chorus]
‘Cause this is thriller, thriller night
And no one’s gonna save you from the beast about to strike
You know it’s thriller, thriller night
You’re fighting for your life inside a killer, thriller tonight

[2nd verse]
You hear the door slam and realize there’s nowhere left to run
You feel the cold hand and wonder if you’ll ever see the sun
You close your eyes and hope that this is just imagination, girl
But all the while you hear the creature creepin’ up behind
You’re out of time

[Chorus]
‘Cause this is thriller, thriller night
There ain’t no second chance against the thing with forty eyes, girl
Thriller, thriller night
You’re fighting for your life inside of killer, thriller tonight

[Bridge]
Night creatures call and the dead start to walk in their masquerade
There’s no escapin’ the jaws of the alien this time
(they’re open wide)
This is the end of your life

[3rd verse]
They’re out to get you, there’s demons closing in on every side
They will possess you unless you change the number on your dial
Now is the time for you and I to cuddle close together, yeah.
All through the night I’ll save you from the terror on the screen,
I’ll make you see

[Chorus]
That this is thriller, thriller night
‘Cause I can thrill you more than any ghoul would ever dare try
Thriller, thriller night
So let me hold you tight and share a killer, diller, chiller, thriller here tonight

[Chorus]
‘Cause this is thriller, thriller night
Girl I can thrill you more than any ghoul would ever dare try
Thriller, thriller night
So let me hold you tight and share a killer, thriller

I’m gonna thrill you tonight

[Rap performed by Vincent Price]
Darkness falls across the land
The midnight hour is close at hand
Creatures crawl in search of blood
To terrorize your neighbourhood
And whosoever shall be found
Without the soul for getting down
Must stand and face the hounds of hell
And rot inside a corpse’s shell
The foulest stench is in the air
The funk of forty thousand years
And grisly ghouls from every tomb
Are closing in to seal your doom
And though you fight to stay alive
Your body starts to shiver
For no mere mortal can resist
The evil of the thriller

[Into maniacal laugh, in deep echo]

Idioms: In the Bag

In the bag: To have something secured, as good as in one’s possession.

Henry had trained all summer for the race. He knew he had it in the bag.

This saying is American in origin, and originated from a superstition held by the New York Giants baseball team during a 26-victory run that if they carried the ball bag off the field in a certain stage of the game they could not lose.

Mini Story: English is Confusing

“Good evening, everybody!” said the teacher, Donna. “Where is everybody?” That was sort of a daily joke by Donna. Usually the class started with only two or three students present, and then filled up as the minutes went by. It was summertime. Summer school was only eight weeks long. Class attendance was always smaller than during fall and spring semesters.

“I don’t know, teacher. Maybe they late or no come,” said one student. “Maybe watching TV football tonight.”

“Is there a soccer game tonight? It seems like there’s a soccer game every night. Oh, well. Let’s get started, okay? We’re on page 36 in the workbook. Tonight we’re studying participles as adjectives. Students are always confused when they learn about the present and past participles, so we will practice this a lot. Tonight, we’re just going to practice the present participle.

“The present participle tells us what emotion or feeling the subject is causing. For example, ‘Grammar is boring’ means that the subject—grammar—causes an emotion of boredom. If we say, ‘The movie is interesting,’ we are saying that the movie causes a feeling of interest. If we say, ‘The roller coaster is exciting,’ we are saying that the roller coaster causes a feeling of excitement. Any questions so far? Am I confusing you? Is everyone confused?”

The classroom was quiet. Donna looked at blank faces. They were confused. She knew this would take a while. But eventually, the faster students would grasp it, and then they would help the slower students. By the end of the evening, most of the class would feel comfortable using the present participle.

Donna erased the board and put some new examples on it. She loved guiding her students through difficult topics like this one. She always felt a little bit thrilled when the look of understanding came to their faces.

Source: http://www.rong-chang.com/qa2/stories/story082.htm

Idioms: Get a Word in Edgeways/Edgewise

Get a word in edgeways/edgewise: Getting to speak in a conversation in which the others are leaving little space to do so.

Marie was talking so much I could barely get a word in edgewise.

This is a 19^th century expression that originated in the UK. “Edgeways/edgewise” means “proceeding edge first.” The expression suggests that the person trying to speak is “edging forward” into the conversation, as one would moving through a large crowd.

Mini Story: Art Fair

The Fernwood Library sponsored Fernwood’s 42nd Art Fair this weekend. The three-day event was held, as usual, at Memorial Park. Almost 100 artists showed up each day. More than 1,000 locals and visitors strolled through the shady park daily, as temperatures remained in the comfortable 70s all weekend.

All kinds of art were on display and for sale. Prices ranged from a couple of dollars to a couple of thousand dollars. Oscar, a native of Peru, was selling his beautiful paintings of the mountain village of Ayacucho, where he lives most of the year. “Every year I come to the United States to sell my paintings at about five different art shows. Then I return to my country. That is where I do all my paintings, in our beautiful mountains.”

Peter is a photographer. He travels throughout the southwest US. One of his favorite areas is northeast Arizona. “That’s where Spider Rock is,” he said, pointing to a beautiful color photograph of a towering sandstone spire about 800 feet high. This rock, according to Navajo Indian lore, was the home of Spider Woman, a goddess revered by the tribe.

A Navajo woman was selling her own rug weavings at the fair. She was busy creating a rug while visitors watched. When asked how long it took, she replied that her creations usually took months. She said that Navajo tradition was to always weave a slight flaw into an article so as not to offend Spider Woman, because only Spider Woman could create a perfect weave.

The exhibit areas were located throughout the park. Artists’ creations included jewelry, ceramics, bird houses, gourd art, furniture, pottery, handmade musical instruments, music CDs, and sculpture. Almost all the artists had their work displayed beneath shady canopies.

“This was another successful year for our art fair,” said the head librarian. “The artists sold enough of their work to encourage them to return next year, and the library raised almost $700 from sales of various items. We’ll use this money to purchase a few more tables and chairs.”

Source: http://www.rong-chang.com/qa2/stories/story039.htm

Idioms: Get the Sack

Get the sack: To get fired

John got the sack after he insulted his boss.

The saying has been present in France since the 17^th century, deriving from an allusion to tradesmen, who would have carried their tools in a bag or sack.

Mini Story: Sara Went Shopping

Sara Smith, a Pasadena resident, went shopping. She is 30, and has lived at 3037 N. Foothill Street since 1992. Sara has been married to John for seven years. They have two children; Bob is five years old and Nancy is three. Sara owns a 1995 four-door blue Toyola. At 9 a.m., Sara got into her car and drove to Barget, a department store a mile away.

Barget was having a holiday sale. Sara bought a four-slice toaster for $29.95 plus tax. The regular price was $39.95. She paid by check. On her way home, Sara stopped at MilkPlus to buy a gallon of nonfat milk. The milk was $3.50. Sara got 50 cents back in change.

Sara arrived home at 10 a.m. John and the kids were still sleeping. She woke them up and then made a hot and nutritious breakfast for everyone.

Source: http://www.rong-chang.com/qa2/stories/story001.htm

Idioms: In the Same Boat

In the same boat: To be in the same, usually unfortunate, position as another person.

We were all in the same boat the day before the test.

The saying originated with the ancient Greeks, and it refers to the shared risk of all passengers on a small boat at sea.