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Hello, and welcome to today's Grammar Gameshow!
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I'm your host, Will!
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This is my game show.
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There are many like it, but this one is mine.
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And of course let's not forget Leslie,
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our all-knowing voice in the sky.
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Hello, everyone!
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Tonight, we're going to ask you three questions about…
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Comparatives!
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Those useful words and expressions
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for measuring one thing against another!
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OK! Now, let's meet our contestants!
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Hello, all.
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My name's Selene!
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And contestant number two?
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It's nice to meet you. I'm June!
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Great!
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Nice to see you again, Selene.
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How are you feeling?
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I'm doing OK.
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Why?
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Well, you know… that...
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tragic accident that happened to Mark.
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Oh, Mark!
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Why? Why?
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Well, just don't think about him, and you'll be fine.
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It's only true love,
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it's not that important.
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OK. Let's get going,
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and don't forget
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you can play along at home too.
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Now, our first round is a grid round.
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Look at this grid and choose a number.
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Then use the revealed word to make a comparative
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about someone in this room.
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Are you ready?
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On your marks…
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Oh!
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Sorry!
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I shouldn't have said that!
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Selene, you can go first.
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I'll have number three, please.
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Brainless!
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Oh…
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Oh, my…
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Will is…
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June is more brainless than I am.
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Correct!
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Ouch!
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June!
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Time for revenge! Choose a number.
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I'll take number one.
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Fat!
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Selene is fatter than me.
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Correct!
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Are you going to take that?
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Quick, choose a number!
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I choose six.
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Ugly!
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June is uglier than I am.
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Correct!
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How dare she!
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She's gone mad with grief!
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Go on, get her back!
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I'll choose number two, please.
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Bad!
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Selene is a worse person than I am.
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Correct!
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Don't we all know it.
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That's why Mark left.
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Don't think about him, Selene!
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Number four!
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Handsome.
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Will
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is handsomer than everyone…
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Correct!
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That's the kind of spirit we need.
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…except
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Mark.
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Whoa!
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Factually incorrect there.
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Minus 1 point.
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Leslie?
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Comparatives are adjectives
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that allow us to compare two or more things.
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To make one, modify an adjective.
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If it has one syllable, add 'ER'.
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If it has two syllables, it may take 'ER' or 'more' or both!
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Check a dictionary.
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If it has three syllables or greater, we add 'more'.
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Lastly,
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the third type is irregular, such as 'good' and 'bad'.
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And don't forget to use 'than'!
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Well done! Twenty points each,
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minus the one Selene lost.
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I'll just mark that down.
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Oh sorry…
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poor choice of words.
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On to our second round,
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one syllable and
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two syllable adjectives ending in 'Y',
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change their spelling when they become comparatives.
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Which of these comparative spelling rules is incorrect?
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Basic adjective + 'ER'
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Ends in 'E': + 'R'
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Ends in vowel consonant:
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Double consonant + 'ER'
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Ends in 'Y':
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Change 'Y' to 'I' + 'ER'
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I don't seem to remember C.
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I think that one is incorrect
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Sorry. That's wrong, I'm afraid.
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I'm going to have to give you a black mark.
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Oh! Sorry! Sorry!
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I put my foot in my mouth again.
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June?
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This is a trick question.
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All of the rules are correct.
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Well done, June!
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You've beat Selene!
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That's bound to leave a mark.
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Oh!
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Sorry!
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Faux pas!
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Faux pas!
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Leslie?
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Excellent, June.
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One syllable and two syllable adjectives ending in 'Y',
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change their spelling when they become comparatives.
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We add 'ER' to the basic adjectives.
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If the adjective ends in 'E', we only add 'R'.
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If it ends in a single vowel followed by a consonant,
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we double the consonant and add 'ER'.
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Finally,
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if the adjective ends in 'Y',
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we replace the 'Y' with an 'I' and add 'ER'.
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Well done, June. Three points for you.
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You're doing quite well.
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Do you think you'll win?
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Oh, I will.
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Mark my words.
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I'll have to mark that one down.
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Oops… sorry, sorry!
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OK. On to our last round.
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Comparatives are not just able
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to communicate a difference,
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but also how much of a difference exists.
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I'm going to show you some comparatives
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and I want to know if there's a big difference,
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small difference,
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or no difference at all.
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Here we go:
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Mark is as nice as Mark.
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No difference.
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Correct!
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Wow, June.
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That was quick off the mark. Whoopsie!
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Here's the next one:
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Mark is twice as handsome as Mark.
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No.
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Sorry, you're well off the mark there.
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Big difference.
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Correct!
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Mark is a little bit less interesting than Mark.
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Small difference.
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Correct!
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Last one:
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Mark is nothing like as cool as Mark.
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Mark!
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Big difference
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Leslie… can we?
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Well done!
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Comparative and comparative structures
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can be modified to include
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the size of the difference being illustrated.
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Words like 'much',
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'not as…',
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'nowhere near as…',
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'a bit'
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and 'as… as…' are useful here!
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Well done, June! Six points for you.
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And that brings us to the end of today's
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Grammar Gameshow.
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And the winner is…
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Selene!
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Well...
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we could hardly send you…
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'home'.
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Not when you're being so much fun!
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Besides, you're too easy a mark.
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Whoops!
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Here's what you've won!
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It's a permanent marker!
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So you can mark down the days
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since you lost your love.
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Oh, I love you Leslie.
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We'll see you again next week,
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where you can play for another prize.
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And June?
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You played well
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and really tried to make your mark… whoops!
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But it wasn't meant to be.
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That's not fair.
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Just because she's heart-broken…
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Release the dolphins!
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Some people just have no empathy!
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Isn't that right, Mark?
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It looks like we'll need another contestant.
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Thanks for joining us.
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Say goodbye, Leslie.
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Hoşça kal, Leslie.
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See you next time.