Learn English with English, baby!

Join for FREE!

Social_nav_masthead_logged_in
 
Slave Driver

Slave Driver English, baby! Video Lesson

Date: Oct 20 2009

Themes: Work

Grammar: Passive Voice

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

Go Super to Listen Go Super!

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

Go Super to Listen Go Super!

A good business person stays cool even when times are tough. But it’s hard to resist taking out your frustration on your employees.

And things aren’t going well for Devan’s company right now. Last week she found out that Marni registered the Web address she wanted and now Marni’s company is doing much better than hers.

So it looks like these days at americandreamd8.com, employees work from 8 to 8, 8 days a week. And Jason and Ella aren’t happy about it. They think Devan is a slave driver.

3. Watch - Watch the video without reading the dialog.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

Log in to Listen

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Devan

Devan

Jason

Jason

Ella

Ella

Devan:  Get in here! Get in here! Come on. Come on. Don’t sit down! Get up.

Jason:  Why are you standing in here writing? What are you writing, anyways?

Devan:  Nothing.

Ella:  Yeah, what is that?

Devan:  Look at this, people! American Dream D8 is being beaten by Dream Boat, Marni’s company. What are we gonna do about this, people?

Jason:  You know, I have some ideas, Devan, but as you can see, the sun is going down.

Devan:  Uh-huh.

Jason:  And I’d like to go home and maybe get some dinner.

Ella:  This is all I’ve eaten all day! I haven’t had anything to eat for twelve hours!

Devan:  Sad story. Are you tired? Do you feel sleepy?

Ella:  Yeah.

Devan:  Mason, make them some coffee! There, better now? Ready to get to work? Just do it!

Jason:  I think you might be interested in an ad. Just check out American Dream D8, with an eight, dot com and, uh, give us a call back. Thanks so much. Man, I don’t know why I’m making sales calls. It’s eight PM.

Ella:  Yeah.

Jason:  Like, who’s home?

Ella:  Oh my gosh.

Jason:  This overtime is making me crazy. I’m getting out of here. I’m gonna sneak out. I’m make a break for it.

Ella:  I’ll be right after you in a little bit. I have to finish this up.

Jason:  Alright. Well, maybe I’ll see you at the bus stop.

Ella:  Yeah. Totally.

 

Grammar Point

Go Super to learn "Passive Voice" from this lesson Go Super!

Quizzes

Go Super to take Quiz Go Super!

 

Lesson MP3

Go Super to download full lesson MP3 Go Super!

The iTEP® test

  • Schedule an iTEP® test and take the official English Practice Test.

    Take Now >

Discussion

Go Super to Listen Go Super!

It’s eight in the evening. The sun is down. Normal people have left work hours ago. But Devan is stressing out over a graph showing that Marni’s company is beating hers, so she calls an emergency meeting.

Jason and Ella explain that they’re tired. They need to get some rest and come back to tomorrow. But Devan tells them to drink coffee and keep working.

After working for a few more minutes, Jason decides to leave. Ella says she’ll go soon as well, but then she falls asleep at her desk.

What do you think will happen when Devan finds her? Have you ever fallen asleep on the job? How much do you think a person should work in a day?

 

Comments

Log in to Comment

Mk-Babar

Mk-Babar

Pakistan

Anybody interested to practice English and to share knowledge.. add me at skype.. We will have chating, voice calls, conference calls.
skype id: cruiser40403

11:50 AM Jan 19 2013 |

hardi anwar

Iraq

good lesson

10:24 AM May 30 2011 |

mebono

mebono

Egypt

I think Daven will instruct Mason to get her the coffe and she will force her work more. I sometimes close my eyes at work, actually this happend because I don't sleep enough, but I've never fallen asleep. People should work at most 8 hours a day.

12:53 PM Jun 12 2010 |

Mr.oMaR2008

Saudi Arabia

i wish in the futcher

my boss do not be like this girl

11:08 AM Nov 30 2009 |

Mr.oMaR2008

Saudi Arabia

Good leson

11:06 AM Nov 30 2009 |

juan muñoz

Mexico

It's very good to see the video and listen de dialog because that way ew learn faster

03:13 PM Nov 13 2009 |

shadows goldsmith

Syrian Arab Republic

hyeeeee what's UP???!!!! are you sleepy ? want a bad ? sleep comfort ? ok you can take a rest

scoby doby

Keep in touch

 

07:49 PM Nov 08 2009 |

Jan Luka

Jan Luka

Germany

I thing that is not the right way to motivate their employees. You can get better

results if you not so overworked and do your work in a good atmosphare.

10:44 AM Nov 08 2009 |

Kate777

Kate777

Ukraine

Some companies have a special rooms for resting where ppl can take break, relax and with a fresh minds cantiniue their business.. Wink

01:25 PM Nov 07 2009 |

mr reed11

Bolivia

i think  there is always time enough to work and enjoy life. too much work kina slave driver bosses never yield desirable work when i feel like iam pressed to it my work is gonna be so poor  so always keeeep that good balance between work an other things life requires Cool

09:11 AM Nov 05 2009 |

mr reed11

Bolivia

yea sure if u fel like u wanna sleep quit everythin an go 2 bed i never do it though 

09:01 AM Nov 05 2009 |

iwori

iwori

Japan

Everyone has a bad day once in a while and getting  emotional more or less is can't be helped, I think.

What is important is we know how to manage and get along with stress.

I think Devan may be a slave driver but not a bad person.

04:26 PM Oct 25 2009 |

basssy7

Sudan

hi,,,iam from sudan ,,,icame here to improve my english language,,,,if you can help,,,please

01:16 PM Oct 23 2009 |

noguti

noguti

Brazil

I haven't fallen asleep on the job…. though sometimes I felt sleep and tired…

I think people should work less hours, after all, they have their personal life too (family, wife/husband, kids and so on)......

I hate bosses who pushes their employees to hard… all the humans have their own limit.. =/

03:33 PM Oct 22 2009 |

qq_baby

qq_babySuper Member!

Taiwan

I think Devan will be really upset when she finds out Ella falls asleep at her desk. But I think Devan should feel bad!!

07:18 PM Oct 21 2009 |

Stitch

Stitch

Taiwan

i hope I won't have a slave driver boss!

06:41 PM Oct 21 2009 |

rosendo

rosendo

Mexico

ok, first of all , devan throws jason and ella a bone , so they should have though the future of the company , the reactions of deva  , her mood , so on. i know that devan is bottom feeder but this is the labor life.

saludos.

01:08 PM Oct 21 2009 |

sandhya.kv025

India

today in each and every department there is very much stress and tension.so there are chances that people might fall asleep due to round the clock job…

12:07 PM Oct 21 2009 |

go surfer

go surfer

Taiwan

In the firedepartment , we always work overtime . Fre accident , gas explose , catching dogs or cats , helping someine to open the lock door , getting  key from the gutter , all kinds of emergency servies we have to do , although this work is very tired , but it's fummy everyday!!

03:43 AM Oct 21 2009 |

Likes (19):

See all >

Share this lesson:

  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Bebo
  • Share on Myspace
  • Share on Twitter
  • Email this to a friend
  • Share on Sina

Post Ebaby! lessons on your blog:

Ebaby! Cast