Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
Italy
Sara reads in a newspaper that there is a ferocious killer fish that is wandering about the city, ready to eat little fish in fish tanks. The family becomes suspicious of Palla, the newly arrived fish, but fortunately the TV news says the story is false.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
Italy
Martino (guitarist for the famous Italian singer Lorenzo Jovanotti) is having a rough time making his way in the pop music world and coming out of the shadows. Playing well isn't enough, and he isn't getting any help from the lighting crew or his own manager.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
Italy
Martino was left at the train station, but he has to take the bus back to his hometown where he meets up with his friend. A song about wandering plays as he travels: "Vagabondo", sung by Nicola di Bari.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
Italy
At the bar, Martino sees some old townsmen who tease him and tell him he should get a real job. One of the old guys mentions Fred Bongusto, an Italian singer known for a song "A Rotunda on the Sea". Martino and Peppino go off in a three-wheeled Ape (bee), a light commercial vehicle common all over Italy. Peppino cites Roberto Bolle, a famous Italian dancer, and Men and Women, a TV show for dating.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
Italy
Martino finally goes home to his mother, and discovers that she watches the show Uomini e Donne (Men and Women) like everyone else, so she knows who Samantha is. Martino calls Laura, or tries to.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
Italy
Martino and Peppino go to the Kursal, and as we could expect, finding Laura doesn't turn out so well. Martino has some hard thinking to do.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
Italy Pugliese
Martino goes back home and finds his mother in tears in front of the TV. He thinks it's about him. He goes to see Peppino and wakes him up to tell him about an idea he has had. Peppino is not alone.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
Italy
Martino goes to Peppino's house to tell him his great idea. Peppino is kind of busy, though... The local priest spies Martino walking home and engages him in conversation, which is the last thing Martino wants.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
Italy
Peppino and Martino visit the old house of Peppino's late grandfather. The house is falling apart, but Martino thinks it's perfect for his plan. Peppino wonders if Martino is on drugs...
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
Italy
Martino is settling in Peppino's grandfather's house, trying to make it inhabitable. Peppino does something he thinks is essential for the cause, but Martino is devastated and tells him to leave.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
Italy
Peppino goes to see Martino and tells him the truth: that no one in town noticed he was gone. He then does Martino another favor, similar to smashing his cell phone.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
Italy
Finally, Martino's disappearance becomes known to the townspeople. He is the subject of Don Julio's sermon, and is even mentioned in the Bari newspaper. Martino is absolutely galled by how he's described in the newspaper.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
Italy
Peppino buys some groceries for Martino and Marti' is none too happy with the bill. He goes over what Peppino bought, giving the quantity as due and du' [short for due (two)] for the canned tomatoes, beer etc. Often, this due isn't a literal two, but means a small amount. You frequently hear the du' at fruit and vegetable shops or markets, where customers might ask for just a little bit of something, such as "du' ciliegie" [cherries]. The du' is also a polite way of preventing the vendor from heaping produce on the scale.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
Italy
Peppino brings Sally, the Latin American woman from the gas station, to the hideout, thinking he is doing Martino a big favor.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
Italy
The disappearance of Martino hasn't gone unnoticed after all. A TV crew has shown up in town. Naturally, Peppino rushes off in his Ape (three-wheeler) to give Martino the good news.
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