Ever wonder what goes on in a superhero's mind? This English lesson with "The Boys" features a conversation between Homelander, a powerful but troubled hero, and Sister Sage, a mysterious advisor. As always, we'll be exploring advanced vocabulary and grammar. This lesson is perfect for intermediate and advanced English learners who want to improve their understanding of nuanced conversations and uncover hidden meanings.
Video lesson
Hello everyone, and welcome to the English lesson with 'The Boys'. Have you ever wondered what goes on in a superhero's head? We'll be looking at idiom, phrasal verb, figurative language, and advanced vocabulary. Let's watch and learn.
Learn vocabulary and grammar
'breathe a word' is an idiom that means to tell a secret. It's a way of saying that you want to keep the information private. Here are a few even simpler ways to say it: "don't tell anyone", "keep it a secret", or "keep this between us".
"pull apart" is a phrasal verb that can have different meanings depending on the context. In this clip, it means "tear something to pieces". This emphasizes the violence of the destruction.
Sister Sage will join The Seven in 'The Boys' as a new member. She is the smartest person on Earth, and Homelander wants her to help him with his cruel plans. Let's continue to watch the next segment of the conversation.
Now, we'll look closer at this part of the conversation, and learn new words and expressions.
Now, we'll look closer at this part of the conversation, and learn new words and expressions.
'cheer' means to give a loud shout of approval or encouragement. Imagine a crowd at a sports game. They might "cheer" for their favorite team by yelling and waving signs.
'amusement' means the feeling of being entertained or made to laugh.
"toys for my amusement" is a metaphor. Homelander uses figurative language to say that he sees humans as objects for his entertainment. A metaphor compares two things that are not alike but share a similar feature.
"yet" in this scene means still; until the present time. You can replace it with 'so far', or 'up to this point'.
'unnatural' means something that goes against the normal way things are, something that feels strange or unusual.
'legacy' means something left behind by someone after they die, or something passed down from a parent or ancestor.
'cleanse' means to make something completely clean and pure. Homelander wants the world to be perfect, like a shiny new toy.