Lesson 2.25.4 – Year 2 American English Lessons with Maestro Sersea

Here is Level 2, Lesson 1: “Only Human” adapted from VOA Learning English.

  1. Listen, read, translate if needed, and practice along with the audio player and dialogue below.

ANNOUNCER: When last we saw Anna, she had made a new friend. And they had been talking about superheroes for a while when suddenly Anna became Lightning Bolt Lady!

ANNOUNCER: She tried to find her superpowers. But it did not go well.

ANNOUNCER: She can’t fly, become invisible or create a force field. And she really cannot walk through walls. Ouch, Lightning Bolt Lady.

ANNOUNCER: She had been walking into that wall for about 15 minutes when she had a great idea.

LIGHTNING BOLT LADY: I just had a great idea!

ANNOUNCER: I can’t wait to hear this one! But first, let’s talk about grammar.

ANNOUNCER: Professor Bot is on vacation this week. I’m the announcer. So, I’m going to tell you about the past perfect continuous.

ANNOUNCER: We use this verb tense to show that an action started in the past and continued to another time or action in the past.

ANNOUNCER: For example, I said, “She had been walking into that wall for about 15 minutes when she had a great idea.”

ANNOUNCER: Had been walking is the past perfect continuous of the verb walk. It’s had been plus the -ing form of the verb.

ANNOUNCER: You’ll hear me use this verb tense a few more times today.

ANNOUNCER: Now, what am I forgetting? Oh right! Lightning Bolt Lady’s great idea.

LIGHTNING BOLT LADY: If I want to know my superpowers, I’ll need to learn about lightning!

ANNOUNCER: So, she read many books about lightning.

LIGHTNING BOLT LADY: Wow. A lightning strike usually lasts less than a second.

(She tells this to a person and he slowly moves away.)

LIGHTNING BOLT LADY: Lightning is really fast and I like speed walking. So, maybe one of my superpowers is super-speed walking! (to stranger) Bye!

(She begins to super-speed walk.)

LIGHTNING BOLT LADY: Check! Super-speed walking is definitely one of my superpowers.

LIGHTNING BOLT LADY: Lightning has millions of volts of electricity. Amazing!

(She puts her hand up and lightning bolts shoot from her fingers.)

LIGHTNING BOLT LADY: Wow! I can charge a lot of batteries with this superpower!

ANNOUNCER: She had been looking for hours for someone to help when she found her chance.

WOMAN: Hello? Hello? I’m sorry. I’m going to have to call you back. My phone is dying.

LIGHTNING BOLT LADY: Excuse me, I can charge your phone.

WOMAN: Really? Thanks!

LIGHTNING BOLT LADY: I’m Lightning Bolt Lady!

(She takes the woman’s phone and shoots it with a lightning bolt. But it turns into ashes. Then, she gives the woman lots of money and smiles and says goodbye.)

ANNOUNCER: She had been practicing her superpowers all day. Suddenly, she heard a terrible sound – a child’s disappointment.

ANNOUNCER: These children tried to light a fire for over an hour. But then, they gave up.

PARENT: Hey kids, that wood will never burn. It’is too wet.

LIGHTNING BOLT LADY: Small humans, what is wrong?

CHILD: Stranger danger!

LIGHTNING BOLT LADY: I’m Lightning Bolt Lady!

YOUNG MAN: Oh no. It’s you.

LIGHTNING BOLT LADY: (to YOUNG MAN:) We meet again. And guess what: I found my superpowers.

CHILD: Well, we need a fire to toast the marshmallows to make S’mores.

LIGHTNING BOLT LADY: I can help.

YOUNG MAN: We don’t need a super-speed walker but thanks!

LIGHTNING BOLT LADY: Super-speed walking is just one of my superpowers. I can also do this!

(She tries to use her lightning bolts but it doesn’t go well.)

LIGHTNING BOLT LADY: Sorry! Let me do it again.

(She lights the fire with her lightning bolts.)

CHILDREN: Thanks, Lightning Bolt Lady!

YOUNG MAN: Lightning Bolt Lady

LIGHTNING BOLT LADY: You’re welcome. But you don’t have enough firewood. Using my super-speed walking, I will get more.

(She super-speed walks around to get firewood.)

PARENT: Lightning Bolt Lady, come back! A lightning storm is coming!

LIGHTNING BOLT LADY: Not a chance! There’s not a cloud in the …

CHILD: Lightning Bolt Lady, are you okay?

CHILD: Where’s your super-suit?

ANNA: Oh no! I’ve lost my superpowers!

YOUNG MAN: It’s starting to rain. Do you want to go inside and eat some S’mores?

ANNA: You read my mind.

ANNA: You know, I thought mind reading would be one of my superpowers. But it wasn’t.

CHILD: That’d be a cool superpower.

CHILD: But I’d rather be able to talk to animals.

2. Watch Lesson 25, “Only Human” American English video lesson.

3. Take the Lesson 25, “Only Human” quiz to check your American English knowledge. Click here to take the quiz.

4. Take the Review of Level 2 Lessons 21-25 quiz to check your American English knowledge. Click here to take the quiz.

5. Answer the following question in the comments section below:

Imagine that you could have any two superpowers you want. What is your superhero name? What are your superpowers? Write about how you use them to help others.

5 thoughts on “Lesson 2.25.4 – Year 2 American English Lessons with Maestro Sersea

  1. Hello. I’m Danijela.
    Very interesting lesson also video with Ana.
    Thank you very much Maestro Sersea.

  2. Hello , hind from Iraq.
    I did not care a bout super pier name , but I care about the power.
    In past my country was cradle of civilization but know my country was back wardens and ignorance , so super power to hold all thrives and corrupt politician accountable in prisons.

  3. Greetings to all
    Imagine that you could have any two superpowers you want. What is your superhero name? What are your superpowers? Write about how you use them to help others.

    My superhero name would be GG (Great genius) and my superpowers would be a great integral intelligence and a great force. This let me help humanity to solve its problems
    In the quizzes i Got 4/4 and 9/10 respectively

  4. Lesson 2,25.4 Year 2
    Lesson 25 Quiz, ” Only Human”
    I got 75%
    Review of Level 2 Lessons 21-25 quiz
    I got 50%

  5. I don’t believe to have any superpower, but if I had any I would rather get back to an old time in the past.
    Secondly, I would take the benefit of learning Languages all over the world. I believe one should have strong willpower. Strong willpower is of key importance in our life.

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