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Spiders
Spiders

Learn English with this spiders English lesson

Date: Aug 28 2018

Grammar: Adjectives

Intro

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

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Spiders get a bad rap, but are they so bad? Sure, they’re covered in hair and have eight eyes. Yes, some spiders are poisonous and a few can kill you. But there are thousands of harmless and beneficial spiders in the world that eat bugs we don’t like. If there were no spiders, the world would have way too many insects.

It’s easy to understand why some people have arachnophobia. And there are almost 44,000 kinds of spiders in the world, so they’re definitely everywhere you look. Spiders have amazing skills, though. Perhaps the most interesting fact about spiders is how they catch their dinner with webs. People have certainly learned a thing or two from these creepy creatures.

Who is scared of spiders, Marni or Rafael? Find out by reading today’s English lesson!

Dialog

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

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

Marni

Marni

Rafael

Rafael

Marni:  Oh!

Rafael:  What happened? Are you OK?

Marni:  I just saw a spider.

Rafael:  You’ve got to love spiders. Don’t be afraid of them.

Marni:  Are you serious? I have arachnophobia. I can’t stand them!

Rafael:  They may be poisonous, but they’re also industrious. Let me put it this way. I have tons of ants and flies in my house. The spiders will catch them for you and they’ll eat them.

Marni:  Yeah, and so will chemicals.

Rafael:  I think spiders, in general, just get a bad rap. Most of them are harmless, anyway.

Marni:  Hmm. I don’t know. They’re not all poisonous, but they sure can be creepy. Think about the big, hairy ones. And you travel internationally, and you see these spiders that you’ve never seen before. And you don’t know if they’re poisonous. Some spiders could actually kill you. It’s so creepy.

Rafael:  OK. One word, Marni. Biodiversity. It’s beneficial.

Marni:  I guess, but oh!

 

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Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

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Marni is afraid of spiders. They make her uncomfortable, and she doesn’t like not knowing which ones are poisonous and which ones are harmless. Marni says that it’s a particular problem when traveling to a country where you don’t know the spiders. She has serious arachnophobia.

Rafael tries to make Marni feel more comfortable around spiders. He appreciates the spiders in his house because they eat ants and flies. Rafael likes that spiders are hard-working and feels that they are helpful for the environment. Without spiders, there would be a lot more insects in his home!

How do you feel about spiders? Talk about the most interesting spider you have ever seen.

 

Comments

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inventive2

inventive2

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

In fact, all creatures are important and helpful for environment
Most interesting spider for me is “Black Widow Spider” because they eat their husband after childbirth!
Because they are hungry after childbirth and also to transfer the gene to their children!!!

06:41 PM Aug 28 2018 |

sungchous

United States

I wasnt afraid spiders until I knew about spider bite. But after seen a few people who really suffered by spider bite, Im kind of scared of them. The spot where got bitten was really swollen in fiery red. some of tjem was really seemed to taken into medical treatment right away

08:22 PM Aug 27 2018 |

ScienceBoy

ScienceBoy

Turkey

No no no, I cannot stand spiders at all. I know they are important for the balance in nature but I don’t appreciate when I see them in my house or on my body. Grrrr!!!

10:24 AM Apr 14 2015 |

1 person likes this

sunny_ling88

China

I am afraid of spiders, I think they are creepy, when i see them i feel uncomfortable, some kinds of spiders are poisonous, sometimes make people dead, but harmless spiders can help human to kill insects.

07:05 AM Sep 09 2014 |

max1983max

max1983max

Germany

See the terrible poisonous spider – nonsense!
- It’s really scary when you lost it from sight

10:13 AM Aug 31 2014 |

mohammed ammar

Germany

it’s obvious from the start that Marni is the one who afraids of spiders .


for me i like to let spiders move on my skin :D , just the small spices :D


i like the idea that there is a chance to be the next spider man :D :D

08:10 PM Aug 29 2014 |

Rhythm89

China

i think spider is ugly,i don’t like them.And i am afraid of that they will poisonous.but my thought have a little after watched the spider man movie :)

09:31 AM Aug 29 2014 |

vik32

vik32

India

they are very  creepy and ugly. sometimes it is really hard to stand them, they are also very helpful though. i have seen lot of spiders around me, normally i dont get scared of them but it makes you feel uncomfortable. you will keep on looking at them until they are gone. i never knew they could be poisonous.


thank you for giving us very beneficial information about spiders..!!

05:27 AM Aug 28 2014 |

1 person likes this

S&W

S&W

China

i like spiders,i am gonna buy a big and hairy spider as a pet,they can live 40years,how amazing it is.

12:32 AM Aug 28 2014 |

Hamd

Hamd

Saudi Arabia


when  spider is going  on your hand  make you scared.



I don’t know 


Is the spider beneficially or not ?

07:44 PM Aug 27 2014 |

1 person likes this

meaw-meaw

meaw-meaw

Thailand

Some spider has tons of poisonous mybe going to be death if it bit.

02:46 PM Aug 27 2014 |

ola33

ola33

Japan

I love spiders. I don’t know why but when I see them I feel  luck is on my way. I’m going to make a big furry spider with shiny beady eyes sitting on the rails and welcoming Halloween.


 

02:42 PM Aug 27 2014 |

Cam_elern

Cam_elern

Belize


I had a tarantula.  (=  Love spiders! 

02:12 PM Aug 27 2014 |

ghost.w0506

Germany

most ppl are afraid to “meet” spiders. once, when I ve visited Austalia, I saw a very big spider on my bed….....grrrr


I didn t like that


I never like spiders like “tarantula” soooo enormous.


but here in Germany, spiders are harmless, we shouldn t be afraid of them

02:00 PM Aug 27 2014 |

mandana.z

mandana.z

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

spiders…


i think some of them will be lovely, just to keep them in the buttle. and some of them will be wierd!


but any way, in my idea spiders are more standable then lizards.


actually, i like this spider in the lesson pic

01:38 PM Aug 27 2014 |

buttafly

buttafly

Germany

Just looking at the picture of today’s topic gives me the heebie-jeebies.
I would never use the adjective “interesting” with something that causes so much uneasiness inside of me.
I am just glad I don’t live in Australia where you find these babies on a daily basis inside your house…..
(I wanted to add a picture of the Australian Huntsman Spider…but wasn’t able to do so..sorry)
In case you’re interested,watch this popular video on youtube
http://youtu.be/bRV4d9LCawU

11:03 AM Aug 27 2014 |

Cyrus532

Cyrus532

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

about Spiders are a lot of ideas but it’s my idea  if a Spider bite me and makes me Spiderman, i like them :)

10:44 AM Aug 27 2014 |

Ditti

Ditti

Hungary

I know that spiders are hard-working and intelligent animals as the most animals in the world, and we need every animal to keep the balance in the enviroment but I also don’t like spiders. Fortunately there isn’t any poisinous spiders in our contry as far as I know, and a I don’t bother them. If I find one in our house. I try to throw away them outside with a piece of paper. Anyway there is a habit in our country related with spiders. Don’t kill the spiders in your home becuse you lose your lucky.


But if I met a big hairy spider in a foreign country I would be afraid of them very much.

10:00 AM Aug 27 2014 |

ahmet55

ahmet55

Germany

Oh, spiders, No, I don’t like them and i have bad memories about this creature since my childhood. I’m just surprised when somebody says that i like them. How could it be. I mean there is no rational reason to like them. As long as this kind of animal is creepy i don’t like it. On the other side i believe their role in the world and as far as they don’t bother me i let them to be comfortable and free but if come so close to me I’ll catch it and throw away. 

05:46 AM Aug 27 2014 |

hermitlady

China

I can’t stand the spiders too.But I have no arachnophobia. Occasionally, I can see some few spiders, and I can wrap it up with paper and throw it out from my window.

03:26 AM Aug 27 2014 |

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