A lesson plan to work with the 4th episode of the first season. In this episode you get to know the children story “Jack and the beanstalk”, how funny the word “omnipotent” can be and what it takes to become independent.

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☑ Vocabulary ☑ Slang ☑ Grammar ☑ Listening ☑ Speaking
IMPROVE YOUR ENGLISH
WITH THE BEST SITCOM
4. TOW GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS

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1. Do you know the children story “Jack and the beanstalk”?
If you don’t, I strongly recommend to read or watch it first, since the main
joke in this episode is connected with it.
You can find it here
http://www.speakaboos.com/story/jack-and-the-beanstalk/
http://fairytales4u.com/story/jackand.htm
2. The first joke of the episode is hilarious.
To understand it, you need to know this word - omnipotent.
Omnipotent means very powerful, you can do everything (ex. omnipotent
God) The thing is the pronunciation of this word is very close to “I’m
impotent”
Impotent – incapable to of sexual intercourse, often because of an inability
to achieve or sustain an erection
In the first joke everyone answers the question
What would you do if you were omnipotent?
Think about it. What would you do?
BEFORE WATCHING

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Take my mind off it – stop thinking about it
JOEY: C'mon, Ross!
ROSS: Alright, alright, maybe it'll take my mind off it. Do you promise to buy me a
big thumb finger?
CHANDLER: You got it.
Stay over – stay at somebody’s place for a night
MONICA: We thought since Phoebe was staying over tonight we'd have kinda like
a slumber party thing. We got some trashy magazines, we got cookie dough, we got
Twister…
Give up – to part with smth/smb
PHOEBE: Yeah, right! See, he gave up something, but then he got those magic
beans. And then he woke up, and there was this, this big plant outside his window,
full of possibilities and stuff.. And he lived in a village, and you live in the Village..
RACHEL: Okay, but Pheebs, Pheebs, Jack gave up a cow, I gave up an orthodontist.
Okay, I-I-I know, I know I didn't love him-
PHOEBE: Oh, see, Jack did love the cow.
Bring smb down - make someone unhappy
RACHEL: I'm so sorry, you guys. I didn't mean to bring you down.
☑ Vocabulary
BEFORE WATCHING
3. Make sure you know these phrasal verbs

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AFTER WATCHING
RACHEL: They wanna know if I'm okay. Okay.. they wanna know if I'm okay,
okay, let's see. Well, let's see, the FICA guys took all my money, everyone I
know is either getting married, or getting promoted, or getting pregnant, and I'm
getting coffee! And it's not even for me! So if that sounds like I'm okay, okay,
then you can tell them I'm okay, okay?
RACHEL: Hello? Who are we spying on?
PHOEBE: Ooh, wait.. wait, I see a woman.
MONICA: Please tell me it's his mother.
PHOEBE: Definitely not his mother.
MONICA: Oh, no...
PHOEBE: Oh, wait, she's walking across the floor.. she's walking.. she's
walking.. she's going for the pizza- (YELLS) Hey, that's not for you, bitch!
1.
2.
4. Read two short scenes and say what tense is used in the underlined sentence.
Why is it used here?
☑ Grammar

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MONICA: Alright. Phoebe?
PHOEBE: Okay, okay. If I were omnipotent for a day, I would want,
_____________, no more __________, good things for the rainforest...And
bigger boobs!
ROSS: Yeah, see, you took mine. Chandler, ___ _____ _____?
CHANDLER: Uh, if I were omnipotent for a day, I'd _____ ______ omnipotent
forever.
RACHEL: See, there's always one guy. "If I had a wish, I'd wish for three more
wishes."
ALL: Hey Joey. Hi. Hey, ______.
MONICA: Hey, Joey, what would you do if you were ________________?
JOEY: Probably kill myself!
MONICA: Excuse me?
JOEY: Hey, if Little Joey's dead, then I got no reason to live!
ROSS: Joey, uh- OMnipotent.
JOEY: ____ _____? Ross, I'm sorry.
5. Watch the following scene (minute 00:01) and write down the missing words.
AFTER WATCHING
☑ Listening for details

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1. How did Rachel feel about getting her first paycheck?
2. How did meeting with her old friends affect her?
3. How did Phoebe compare Rachel’s story with the story about Jack and the
Beanstalk?
4. What did Rachel realize in the end?
1. What age do young people in your country leave home?
2. What does it take to become independent and live on your own in your
country?
3. Do you remember when you got your first salary? Were you excited/
surprised/disappointed?
8. Choose two jokes that you liked or you want to understand better and be ready
to quote them in class. Use this website (http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~shadelet/)
to find a full transcipt of the episode.
9. Choose two funny situations from the episode and be ready to describe them.
AFTER WATCHING
6. Comprehension questions
☑ Speaking
7. Discussion questions