Mixer #69 | Intermediate B1

Birthdays

Listen to six people talk about their birthday.

Script
Vocab
Quiz

Arienne, Norway
My birthday is July 23rd or the 23rd of July, whichever way you say it. Last year for my birthday I had a big party with all my friends and even my family was there for a little while. It was a lot of fun and it was a Hawaiian party so we all had Hawaiian outfits and a lot of lights.

Jeff, Canada
I’m a spring baby. I was born on the first day of spring, March 21st 1972. So, I like my birthday because it’s the first day of spring. And, every year I know spring is coming. When it’s my birthday, and the seasons are changing, and the winter is going away and then nice warm weather is coming. So, my birthday is in a nice time of change.

Fred, Canada
My birthday is March 12th 1985 so that would make me 22 years old. And so I would say that my favorite birthday was when I turned 10 years old. Why? Because I felt that I was growing older cause I now had two numbers on my birthday. And so I spent it with all my friends and my parents. It was a very fun time. I felt I was getting older.

Lupe, Mexico
My birthday is May 30th, and this year I'll be turning 24. My favorite birthday by far was my 21st birthday. My best friend planned a surprise party for me and I had never had a surprise party. I had a really, really good time. Besides the fact that I had just become of age so I was able to go to more places because now I was allowed, and I had a really fun time at the birthday party. Later on we went out with all my friends and went to club to go dancing. Had a few drinks because that was the first time I was able to do it legally, so I would have to say my 21st birthday was by far the best.

Rebecca, Australia
When is my birthday? My birthday is the 26th of April. And what is good about my birthday is generally I have a public holiday before my birthday for Anzac Day and that day on the 25th of April. This year my friend got together, brought me a costume, and went out to the clubs. It was very fun. And that’s what I did for my birthday.

Reky, Indonesia
My birthday is on February. In my home country, when someone has a birthday, they usually throw something stinky to you. So when I was in high school my friend have this basket full of coke, coffee, eggs, and other stinky things, and they throw me with that. I hate it so much!

Learn Vocabulary from the Lesson!

even

Even my family was there.

"Even" is used when something surprising or unexpected happens. Notice the following:

The new Lady Gaga CD is great. Even my mother likes it!
I've been to Paris twice. It was even better the second time.

turn(age)

I turned 10 years old.

Each birthday we turn one year older. See the examples below:

This year I'll be turning 18.
When I turned 17, I bought my first car.

surprise party

My best friend planned a surprise party for me.

When someone plans a surprise party for us, they invite guests but keep it a secret from us. When we arrive people shout "Surprise!" Here are two examples:

Her parents gave her a surprise party for her 13th birthday. All her friends came
I hate surprise parties. I can't plan what I want to wear.

come of age

I had just become of age.

We come of age when we are old enough to do something we couldn't do before. Coming of age happens at different times in different cultures. Notice the samples: