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Fate
Fate

Learn English: Meaning of Fate

Date: Feb 28 2020

Themes: Time

Grammar: You're vs. Your

Intro

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Life can feel like a mystery. Some experiences might feel like bad luck, and others like good fortune. It may rain on the day you forgot to bring your umbrella with you. Or you might get all green lights when you’re late to school. We say that it’s fate when we feel like we can’t control what is happening.

But not everyone believes in fate. Some people feel that they can control the way things turn out and nothing is left to destiny. For people who believe in fate, they may just go with the flow and not worry too much about making things happen.

Brian and Rafael talk about if they believe in destiny. Find out more in today’s English lesson about fate.

Dialog

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

Brian

Brian

Rafael

Rafael

Brian:  Hey, Rafa. Do you believe in fate?

Rafael:  No, Brian. Do you?

Brian:  Sometimes I think things happen for a reason. Sometimes relationships end or you get a new job because that’s where you really should be later on in life.

Rafael:  I think people say that to console themselves about the pain. Like if they break up with their girlfriend. “It happened for a reason. My soul mate’s still out there.” Is that kind of where you’re coming from?

Brian:  No. There have been many times where I’ve actually broken up with someone, and in hindsight I see why that relationship wasn’t working out. And I think that that was fate and it made me who I am now.

Rafael:  Let me tell you something, man. You have control over your life.

Brian:  I think that some things were meant to be. And you find that out through experiences. You don’t believe in destiny at all?

Rafael:  Nah.

Brian:  So, you’re responsible for all your failures and all your successes?

Rafael:  Definitely. Come talk to me when you decide to take charge of your own independence.

Brian:  Or maybe we’ll just happen into the conversation by luck and fate.

 

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Discussion

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Brian believes in fate. He feels that the situations in his life, good and bad, all happen for a reason that he might not be able to control. Brian feels comfortable with knowing that fate exists and that all of his experiences are meant to be.

Rafael doesn’t share Brian’s view about destiny. Rafael thinks that people can control how everything turns out. He feels that people who believe in fate use it as a way to console themselves when they may be going through a bad situation. Instead of saying that something happened because of fate, Rafael feels like people should just take control and move on with their lives.

Do you believe in fate? How much of your life is under your control?

 

Comments

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Marcionilo

Marcionilo

Brazil

In fact, I suppose that no one of them is incorrect. There is fate, and somethings we can just control. For example: I can control my wishes, but i can’t control the consequences of them. Things in our life contains these two parts: destiny and choice and they aren’t opposite. You are reading this message because you decided to do it, but you can’t avoid the effect that my comment will bring out in your mind….

01:14 AM Mar 01 2020 |

Marcionilo

Marcionilo

Brazil

In fact, I suppose that no one of them is incorrect. There is fate, and somethings we can just control. For example: I can control my wishes, but i can’t control the consequences of them. Things in our life contains these two parts: destiny and choice and they aren’t opposite. You are reading this message because you decided to do it, but you can’t avoid the effect that my comment will bring out in your mind….

01:08 AM Mar 01 2020 |

kroshkakot444

Belarus

I believe that  everyone has their own destiny. But sometimes people can change their fate.

06:16 PM Mar 15 2019 |

Press1

Press1

Aruba

I think it’s healthy to believe that there is something out there. I also believe that everything in life is predetermined. Destiny brings us to situations and people but it is you to decide what to make of it.

02:59 PM Feb 26 2019 |

1 person likes this

Linn89

Singapore

I believe in fate. I let things happen as it is… 

03:26 AM Feb 26 2019 |

TOPO

TOPO

Panama

I believe in fate..if you think to much in one thing…with time it comes true…the problem is that sometimes we forget what we were thinking…because now We have a new thing for to be thought …its the fate in action 

06:08 PM Feb 24 2015 |

xin7

xin7

Chile

Brian anf Rafa took opposite viewpoints. My opinion is somewhere in the middle.


There are some situations that we can control but there are others that are out of our understanting. I’m not sure if somethings are meant to be or fate exists, maybe things just happen by chance…anyways, fate is like a romantic vision, because implies that everyone has a pre-defined role in this world, sometimes it is better to think we can take control although is not totally true.

01:20 AM Feb 24 2015 |

ScienceBoy

ScienceBoy

Turkey

Oh Mahtab, I am so sorry to hear about your mom. RIP


Dear Djana,


You said: “some people say if the god knows what will happen and why he would  torture us in afterlife?? that’s very logic”


I think it’s not logic actually. People say that because they misunderstand the destiny. We have our free wills. Yes God know what we will do but we do not do this things because God knows, God knows this things because we will choose this way. Because He can see everything, the past, the future. He is not limited in time, but we are. This is like a weather forecast actually. It doesn’t rain because weaher forecast said it would, weather forecast say it will rain because they predict.. 


05:15 PM Feb 22 2015 |

Djana

Djana

Algeria

Absolutely i do believe in fate!cause everything is meant to be.God created us and he knows what will happen to all of us ,some people say if the god knows what will happen and why he would  torture us in afterlife?? that’s very logic,but man shouldn’t just stay and wait for what will happen,no everyone should fight for what he loves and wants and if he didn’t get it then it meant to be so.but there is something Destiny can be changed by Preying !

02:08 PM Feb 22 2015 |

Hazelgirl

Hazelgirl

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

@mahtab, for sure dear. but it is in your side. maybe the matter differs for your mother. I wrote those words in continue of Julito’s comment; god wants something better for your mother maybe…and you should never think you missed your mother forever, because she is alive but in another world.


10:42 AM Feb 22 2015 |

Mahtab.bp

Mahtab.bp

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

@ Hazelgirl


Thank you for your wise words!


Of course I dont think I can find anything  or anyone better than my mother that can replace her!

10:37 AM Feb 22 2015 |

Hazelgirl

Hazelgirl

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

@mahtab, as a human being we are immortal, if we believe in it honestly, we’ll be sure that if we miss something or someone or some opportunities in our life, then god wants to show us something more glorious and more precious than what we had before. So we never feel depressed and we never get frustrated, besides we never restrict ourselves only to this small world and what it brings about for us, because our real destiny is immortality.

10:27 AM Feb 22 2015 |

Mahtab.bp

Mahtab.bp

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

@ julito

Hi dear Julito!


Thank you!


I’m sure she is!

10:00 AM Feb 22 2015 |

Mahtab.bp

Mahtab.bp

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

@S&W


Thank you dear!


Miss you all! :)


Yes there is always hope and we should do our best to live better!


These days many people around the world are fighting for living!

09:58 AM Feb 22 2015 |

 julito

julito

Argentina

Dear Mahtab. welcome back. sorry to hear about your mom, she is in a better place now. 

09:57 AM Feb 22 2015 |

S&W

S&W

China

@mahtab.bp


Welcome back and bring us great comments.You friends still here and waiting for you.But i am sorry to hear the story about you parents.Your mom is a strong and positive woman who take every chances to live.Well,we can’t surrender to fate,even there only faint hope,we have to fight for it.

09:43 AM Feb 22 2015 |

Mahtab.bp

Mahtab.bp

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

@ScienceBoy


Hello!


Thank you! Im happy to see you and my other friends here again!


You are right!


Let me give another example!


My dear mom got cancer! Her life style was great and healthy , she tried so hard to treat herself! She did everything that doctors advised her! All hard chemos and medications and …! But unfortunately she dident survive and after 5 years fighting she passed away because of cancer!


Now I have other example!


My dad got cancer too! I can’t say his life style was great! He smoked for many years ( he quit smoking after that)! He resisted about everything doctors advised him! He even denied that he has cancer and about treaments he didnt take all chemo sessions and stopped in the middle! But He completely survived!!!


I remember how much my mom was crying when my dad was sick ( its about 14 years ago) but she got cancer after my dad and died 6 years ago!


I definitely call it fate! Yes I was and I am very sad because of my mom but I finally accepted we cant stop such bad events in our lives and we HAVE TO accept them as our destiny!


I believe in chance and bad fortune but we cant look at everything like that!


Then where is our power ? Our choice , our determination or our authority?


Many people are used to relate their failurs to fate but its totally wrong!


If you are in wrong relationship its your choice not your destiny!


You can always move on and change your life! ;)


We should try to change our destiny to best!


If we never try we will never know! :)


Thank you my friend!

09:14 AM Feb 22 2015 |

ScienceBoy

ScienceBoy

Turkey

@Mahtab, nice to see you are back.


I agree with you. We cannot stop working and expect an achievement saying I believe in fate. There two types of fate actually. One is in our control like choosing the field you want to study and the other one is out of our contol like who our parents and what our nationality is.

08:41 AM Feb 22 2015 |

Mahtab.bp

Mahtab.bp

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

Before I believed in fate more but not now!


Yes many things happen in our lives that are out of our control and we cant stop them , good or bad ones!


But I think if we leave everything to fate we cant change our lives to better!


We can control many things and we can try to achieve our goals and wishes!


If you never try , you will never know how much you are strong!


At least you tried!


We say


Human power can move mountains!:)


Never give up on fate! ;)

ola33

ola33

Japan

I believe in fate. Have you ever noticed that someone is luckier then the other. Just without any reason such as hard work, being smart and all other good lifestyle generating factors. As a believer in God, I can say that our life trip is written beforehand. But it doesn’t mean we should go with the flow if we want to change something for the better – do something, create, work towards your goal and pray.

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