Every year, the detectives of the 99th Precinct compete in an elaborate prank-and-heist game — and this year, Jake has a much bigger plan than winning.
Watch with your teacher. Don't worry about understanding everything the first time.
Section 1
Warm-Up
Before you watch — talk with your teacher
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Have you ever planned a surprise for someone — a party, a gift, or a proposal? What did you do to keep it secret?
Section 2
Vocabulary
Words from the episode
Every year, the detectives of the 99th Precinct play an annual game: whoever holds a specific object at midnight wins a title and bragging rights for the year. Everyone tries to outsmart everyone else — stealing the object, hiding it, and tricking their friends. This year, while the squad is busy with the game, one detective is secretly planning something far more important: a proposal.
M — Meaning
Read each sentence. Choose the best meaning for the highlighted word.
1. The gang spent months planning the elaborate heist on the old museum downtown.
2. Loud music in the next room kept distracting her while she tried to study.
3. His reaction was so predictable that she already knew exactly what he'd say.
4. Could we swap seats? I'd rather sit closer to the window.
5. He got down on one knee to propose in front of all their friends.
6. She hid a small tracker inside her suitcase in case the airline lost it.
7. The smaller chess player managed to outsmart his opponent and win the match.
8. Officers from the local precinct arrived at the scene within minutes.
P — Pronunciation
Click each word to hear it. Tap i to learn more.
heistiHeist vs robberyA heist is usually a clever, planned theft — often used jokingly for games or pranks, not always a real crime.
"They planned an elaborate heist."/haɪst/nouna carefully planned theft or trick to take something
"He proposed to her at midnight."/prəˈpoʊz/verbto ask someone to marry you
trackeriRelated wordtrack (verb) = to follow / monitor
"He hid a tracker inside the belt."/ˈtræk.ər/nouna small device used to find or follow the location of something
outsmartiPrefix tipout- + verb often means "to do better than someone at that thing." outsmart, outrun, outlast./aʊtˈsmɑːrt/verbto defeat someone by being cleverer than them
precinctiUS EnglishA precinct is a police station's district — common word in American crime shows./ˈpriː.sɪŋkt/nouna local police station and the area it is responsible for
F — Form/Fill: Fill in the Gaps
Click a word from the bank, then click the blank.
1.Jake's plan to ___________ the others worked perfectly — nobody noticed what he was really doing.
2.Someone managed to ___________ the key without anyone noticing.
3."You're so ___________!" she said, certain she already knew his next move.
4.At the end of the episode, Jake decided it was the perfect moment to ___________.
5.The captain hid a ___________ so he could follow exactly where the object went.
6.Every year, the squad plans an elaborate ___________ to win the game.
7.Amy was sure she could ___________ everyone else in the precinct.
8.All the detectives work at the same ___________ in Brooklyn.
Word Bank
U — Use
Answer with your teacher, using the word in your response.
1
Would you enjoy planning a friendly heist game with friends, like a treasure hunt? Why or why not?
2
What usually distracts you the most when you're trying to focus on work or study?
3
Do you think your own daily routine is predictable, or do you like surprises?
4
If you could swap jobs with anyone for a day, who would it be?
5
Where do you think is the most romantic place to propose marriage?
6
Would you want a tracker on your phone or bag in case you lost it? Why or why not?
7
Have you ever managed to outsmart someone in a game or a negotiation?
8
If you worked at a busy precinct like in the show, do you think you'd enjoy the job?
Section 3
Discussion
Talk about the episode
1
What was your favorite trick or distraction in the episode? Why did it surprise you?
2
Were you able to predict who would win the game before the end? What clues did you notice?
3
What did you think about the way Jake chose to propose? Was it a good moment for it?
4
Which character in the episode did you find the funniest, and why?
5
Do you think you would enjoy working in a place with coworkers like this precinct? Why or why not?