Here is Level 2, Lesson 4: “Run Away With the Circus!” adapted from VOA Learning English.
- Listen, read, translate if needed, and practice along with the audio player and dialogue below.
Anna: Hello, I’m Anna …
Pete: … and I’m Pete. Welcome to “He Said,
Anna: … She Said”!
Pete: Because there are always two sides …
Anna: to every story!
Anna: Today’s show is about Circus Arts!
Pete: Circus? That’s not an art form.
Anna: Yes, it is.
Pete: No, it isn’t.
Anna: Yes, it is.
Pete: No, it isn’t.
Anna: Yes, it is!
Pete: No, it isn’t.
Anna: Yes, it is!
Pete: No, it isn’t.
Anna: Yes, it is!
Professor Bot: Oh dear. Anna and Pete do not agree about Circus Arts. But that’s okay. Today’s lesson is about agreeing and disagreeing. Let’s listen to how Anna and Pete disagree or agree. Let’s hope these two can agree on something.
Anna: Today, let’s run away with the circus!
Recently, I went to a circus festival. There was a huge circus tent. And many different circus performers. It was a celebration of circus arts!
Pete: That looks fun, Anna. But I don’t think circus performers are artists. I think they’re athletes with interesting skills … and costumes.
Anna: Hmm, that is a very interesting point of view, Pete. And I completely disagree.
Pete: Anna, Michelangelo was an artist. Rembrandt was an artist. People who swing from ropes are not artists. I know it’s not easy to swing from a bar and catch someone by the hands. You have to be very athletic to do that.
Anna: That’s a goodpoint, Pete. They are athletic. But they are called trapeze artists. Trapeze … ARTISTS.
Pete: I hear what you’re saying, Anna. I do. But where is the art? Look at these guys. They’re jugglers.
Anna: Yes, they are skilled in the art of juggling.
Pete: They have a special skill. But are they artists?
Anna: Yes!
Pete: No!
Pete: They’re just throwing things back and forth.
Anna: Kind of like you and me, Pete. We’re going back and forth on this issue.
Pete: I don’t think we’ll ever agree on this one.
Anna: No, but we can agree that these young people are amazing.
Pete: Okay, yeah. We can agree on that. But, still, they are very athletic – flipping and throwing each other around.
Anna: Yes, I agree with you on that point.
Professor. Bot: They did it! They agreed!! Anna says she agrees that the performers are athletic. “That’s a goodpoint, Pete. They are athletic. I agree with you on that point. ” Now look for other ways they agree.
Pete: Anna? Anna!!
Anna: Sorry! Sorry! But he’s an artist too. He is telling a story with his sticks and his costume.
Pete: What story? What costume?
Anna: I see your point, Pete. I really do. But circus performers do more than physical tricks. Look! Look at these amazing performers!
Pete: I will admit — I like their costumes.
Anna: You know, Pete. Let’s let the performers speak for themselves.
Anna: Kate and Piper tell stories while hanging upside down on a ring!
Pete: Was it hard to interview them upside down?
Anna: I interviewed them right side up, Pete. Kate says circus performing may be athletic but it’s not competitive. With most sports, you compete.
Kate: It’s an art form because like, other sports are competing. This is simply performing and having fun.
Pete: Okay, Kate made a really good point. In athletics, there is a lot of competition. But still …
Anna: Here’s Piper, Pete. Please pay attention, Pete.
Pete: But, I –
Anna: Shh.
Piper: Well, when you’re up in the air doing circus you have to perform. And so, we learn to embody characters, and to move fluidly and gracefully … in artistic ways.
Anna: And that …is why they are artists!
Pete: You’re right, Anna. Oh, you’re right. It’s just so beautiful.
Anna: I know. I know, Pete.
Professor Bot: Good job you two! I’m so glad that Anna and Pete finally agree! Pete said, ” You’re right, Anna.” I agree, too. Circus arts are beautiful. Remember the website!
2. Watch the “Lesson 4: Run Away With the Circus!” American English video lesson.
3. Take the “Lesson 4: Run Away With the Circus!” quiz to check your American English knowledge. Click here to take the quiz.
4. Answer the following question in the comments section below: Choose an opinion you heard or saw in this lesson. Or choose an opinion you have heard people around you express. Write three reasons why you agree or disagree with the opinion. Explain each reason fully.
About the Author
Hello everyone,
It’s really that the lessons become very difficult, but I swear I always work hardly till the end.
Hello. I’m Danijela.
People see things differently and because of that there are disagreements. Some people look at things superficially, and some essentially.
Very interesting lesson also video with Ana and Pete.
Thank you very much Maestro Sersea.
Hello everyone
Well, let’s talk about circus art. Why do I agree with Anna?
Certainly, most of the circus artists were athletes such as gymnasts whose competitions were very hard. Although this discipline is a fundamental part of their training as a circus artist, when they start in the art, they must add expressions and beauty, turning the sport into art.
Secondly, in circus art, the artists send messages to the public, and finally, it must be recognized that both disciplines are closely related.
Circus arts: pete begin by a question, that’s not an art form? And both has different opinion.
Anna says in the circus arts the perfomers telling a story but pete has a other opinion…
Kate( the perfomer) says circus is an art but the perfomers not compete like a others sports
PD: I got 4 of 4 in the quiz.
Thank you Maestro.
Hello, hind from Iraq
Circus art festival with there was a huge circus tent and many different circus performs,I agree with circus art because
-we have to be very athletic to do.
-they called Trapeze .
-They are skilled in art of jugging
lesson 2.2.4-year 2
runaway from the circus quiz
I got 50%
It was a little hard but I at least tried my best and that’s all that matters
🙂
Greetings Maestro Sersea
I answered 3 questions good of 4 questions answer.
Anna and Pete do not agree about circus art. Pete think that their performance aren´t artistics, if not athletics. So that, the opinions go back and forth between them.
But Anna and Pete agree that the young people are amazing
I agree that the performances of Kate and Piper, are a form of art but in my opinion it is more oriented to the sport or athleticism. Kate and Piper explained that they embody their character in every performance in a fluently and move gracefully in differents way.
I disagree with Anna because she says that he is telling us a history with his stick and costume. But really He is not telling us a story and he wasn´t wearning a costume, nither. Although he could have had a good performance.
However, a clawn with their costume can telling us a story in their performances so I think in certain way they are actors, too. So I agree their are doing art.
Thank you so much.
Hello,
I agree with Anna on that point because circus performance may be athletic but is not competitive. Circus performers have a special skill. This is simply performing and having fan. We learns to embody characters to move fluidly and gracefully in artistic.
Thanks.