FANCY DRESS FUNERALS
Rob
Neil, here's a serious question for you, Neil. Have you thought about what you'd like to happen when you die?
Neil, here's a serious question for you, Neil. Have you thought about what you'd like to happen when you die?
Neil
Interesting way to start the show, Rob… No, I haven't.
Interesting way to start the show, Rob… No, I haven't.
Rob
Well, nobody really likes to talk about death, do they?
Well, nobody really likes to talk about death, do they?
Neil
Well, it isn't a fun topic. So, can we talk about something else, please?
Well, it isn't a fun topic. So, can we talk about something else, please?
Rob
Afraid not. Because today's topic is funerals – a funeral is a ceremony we hold for a dead person.
Afraid not. Because today's topic is funerals – a funeral is a ceremony we hold for a dead person.
Neil
And a ceremony is a formal event performed on special occasions – like a wedding or a graduation – or in this case, a funeral.
And a ceremony is a formal event performed on special occasions – like a wedding or a graduation – or in this case, a funeral.
Rob
OK. Well, let's start with a quiz question. According to a UK survey, how many of us would like our funerals to be more of a party or celebration? Is it…
a) 5%,
b) 25% or
c) 50%?
OK. Well, let's start with a quiz question. According to a UK survey, how many of us would like our funerals to be more of a party or celebration? Is it…
a) 5%,
b) 25% or
c) 50%?
Neil
Well, I think it's 25%. I hadn't thought about it before – but I'd definitely prefer my funeral to be a celebration. With my favourite music playing – and definitely nobody wearing black…
Well, I think it's 25%. I hadn't thought about it before – but I'd definitely prefer my funeral to be a celebration. With my favourite music playing – and definitely nobody wearing black…
Rob
Well, strangely enough, a friend of mine went to a funeral recently where the funeral director was dressed as Darth Vader from Star Wars!
Well, strangely enough, a friend of mine went to a funeral recently where the funeral director was dressed as Darth Vader from Star Wars!
Neil
Hmm. That sounds wrong. But I guess people are choosing to move away from the traditional funeral – you know, in church, people dressed in black, all very quiet…
Hmm. That sounds wrong. But I guess people are choosing to move away from the traditional funeral – you know, in church, people dressed in black, all very quiet…
Rob
Darth Vader does wear black, at least! Anyway, let's hear from Shonnie Sullivan here in the UK talking about the fancy dress funeral she and her sister organized for their mother.
Darth Vader does wear black, at least! Anyway, let's hear from Shonnie Sullivan here in the UK talking about the fancy dress funeral she and her sister organized for their mother.
INSERT
Shonnie: It was quite unusual as we turned up in fancy dress.
Interviewer: Had your mum left instructions about how she wanted her funeral to be?
Shonnie:Only that we don't cry, and we… to have a party to celebrate her life. Be happy, don't be sad… I was a witch.
Interviewer: How did you look?
Shonnie: Oh, it was just a little black dress and I just had, like, a little fancy witch hat on – the same as my sister. And we had a very close friend of the family come as Beetlejuice – which was absolutely amazing. He really did go all out for that.
Shonnie: It was quite unusual as we turned up in fancy dress.
Interviewer: Had your mum left instructions about how she wanted her funeral to be?
Shonnie:Only that we don't cry, and we… to have a party to celebrate her life. Be happy, don't be sad… I was a witch.
Interviewer: How did you look?
Shonnie: Oh, it was just a little black dress and I just had, like, a little fancy witch hat on – the same as my sister. And we had a very close friend of the family come as Beetlejuice – which was absolutely amazing. He really did go all out for that.
Rob
So fancy dress - special clothes you wear to an event – to look like a famous person or character from a movie. Another word we use is costume – which is a set of clothes you wear to look like somebody else.
So fancy dress - special clothes you wear to an event – to look like a famous person or character from a movie. Another word we use is costume – which is a set of clothes you wear to look like somebody else.
Neil
Shonnie and her sister chose a Halloween theme for the funeral and wore witches' costumes – little black dresses with special hats.
Shonnie and her sister chose a Halloween theme for the funeral and wore witches' costumes – little black dresses with special hats.
Rob
A close family relative dressed as Beetlejuice … Did he dress as a squashed insect, Neil? I'm confused here!
A close family relative dressed as Beetlejuice … Did he dress as a squashed insect, Neil? I'm confused here!
Neil
No, Rob. He dressed as Beetlejuice, the main character in a popular 1980s movie. Beetlejuice is a ghost who wears crazy clothes, and has scary hair and make up.
No, Rob. He dressed as Beetlejuice, the main character in a popular 1980s movie. Beetlejuice is a ghost who wears crazy clothes, and has scary hair and make up.
Rob
Hmm. I haven't seen the film. But what does Shonnie mean when she says her relative went ‘all out' with his costume?
Hmm. I haven't seen the film. But what does Shonnie mean when she says her relative went ‘all out' with his costume?
Neil
To go all out means to make a big effort – and this guy's costume involved not only special clothes, but special hair and make up too.
To go all out means to make a big effort – and this guy's costume involved not only special clothes, but special hair and make up too.
Rob
Like me.
Like me.
Neil
What do you mean, 'like me'?
What do you mean, 'like me'?
Rob
Well, I go all out to get my clothes and hair just right for 6 Minute English.
Well, I go all out to get my clothes and hair just right for 6 Minute English.
Neil
Yes, and, well... you look great, Rob. But unfortunately nobody sees us… do they?
Yes, and, well... you look great, Rob. But unfortunately nobody sees us… do they?
Rob
Yes, good point. But it's important to make an effort.
Yes, good point. But it's important to make an effort.
Neil
So have you had any thoughts about the sort of funeral you would like to have?
So have you had any thoughts about the sort of funeral you would like to have?
Rob
Oooh… Yes, I like the thought of my friends and family saying their final goodbyes to me on a beach with a beautiful sunset, listening to Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin…
Oooh… Yes, I like the thought of my friends and family saying their final goodbyes to me on a beach with a beautiful sunset, listening to Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin…
Neil
OK, well, before you get too carried away with ideas for your own funeral, let's have the answer to today's quiz question.
OK, well, before you get too carried away with ideas for your own funeral, let's have the answer to today's quiz question.
Rob
To get carried away means to get very excited and lose control of your feelings! I never thought I would get excited about my own funeral… But anyway – yes, back to today's question! How many of us would like our funerals to be more of a party or celebration? Is it… a) 5%, b) 25%, or c) 50%?
To get carried away means to get very excited and lose control of your feelings! I never thought I would get excited about my own funeral… But anyway – yes, back to today's question! How many of us would like our funerals to be more of a party or celebration? Is it… a) 5%, b) 25%, or c) 50%?
Neil
And I said 25%.
And I said 25%.
Rob
No, it's actually 50%. The market research company ICN found that half of us here in the UK would prefer something different to the traditional funeral.
No, it's actually 50%. The market research company ICN found that half of us here in the UK would prefer something different to the traditional funeral.
Vocabulary
funeral
a ceremony we hold for a dead person
a ceremony we hold for a dead person
ceremony
a formal event performed on special occasions – like a wedding, a graduation or a funeral
a formal event performed on special occasions – like a wedding, a graduation or a funeral
fancy dress
special clothes you wear to an event to look like a famous person or character from a movie, for example
special clothes you wear to an event to look like a famous person or character from a movie, for example
costume
a set of clothes you wear to look like somebody else
a set of clothes you wear to look like somebody else
to go all out
to make a big effort
to get carried away
(phrasal verb) to get very excited and lose control of your feelings
to make a big effort
to get carried away
(phrasal verb) to get very excited and lose control of your feelings
copied from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-170810
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