– English Lyrics

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

So you collect all the terms linear in X.

See? Simple.

Maybe for you.

No, it's simple for everybody.

Now you collect all the terms linear in Y.

I don't get it.

Try this. Close your eyes.

-'Kay. -Can you see

the slope of the line given by the coefficients of X and Y?

No.

What do you see?

Darkness.

Try harder.

Wait.

I see Elle Macpherson in a bikini.

Ooh, it just fell off.

-Dad! -I'll make it $40! Keep going!

Maybe the problem is you're not a good teacher.

Unlikely. Regardless, I am your only hope.

What do you see when you close your eyes?

I see quadrant one as red,

quadrant two is soft and plush...

(sniffs) quadrant three smells like lavender,

and quadrant four is overlaid with a Fibonacci spiral.

That's really weird.

No. What's really weird is doing simple algebra

and thinking about a girl in a bikini.

I disagree.

Dad!

GEORGE SR.: Keep going.

♪

SHELDON: And when you divide by a negative

number, you have to reverse the direction of the inequality.

I'm tired. I'm going to bed.

But we're not done. You're going to fail.

I get enough of what you said. I'll be fine.

ADULT SHELDON: It was at that moment I decided

I was not cut out for teaching.

I consoled myself with the knowledge

that I was wonderful at everything else.

♪

Take one and pass it back.

Take one and pass it back.

As you all know, this test'll count

for 25% of your final grade.

Be sure to show all your work.

If you get stuck on a question,

move on and come back to it at the end.

And I shouldn't have to say this,

but if there's any cheating, I will see it.

I got eyes in the back of my head.

I got more eyes than a potato.

(chuckles)

Ms. Ingram?

-Yeah, Sheldon. -I'm done.

What?

I enjoyed it very much.

I'll take another if you have one.

No, I don't have another one.

J-Just read ahead in the textbook.

Oh, boy.

ADULT SHELDON: Seeing my brother struggle

was difficult for me.

As his tutor, I took his failure personally,

almost as if I had failed.

Which was odd, because I knew how dumb he was.

Georgie, how'd you do on that math test today?

It was tough.

I don't know.

I'm sorry I wasn't more help.

Me, too.

That's all right, baby, you tried.

Yeah. It's okay, baby.

I don't understand what went wrong.

Is there any chance you drank alcohol

when you were pregnant with Georgie?

No!

Well, don't be so high-and-mighty.

I drank when I was pregnant with you.

You turned out fine.

These days everybody's like,

"Don't drink, don't smoke."

I swear. Texas is turning into California.

You realize there's nothing I can do if you fail.

You're off the team.

I know.

Well, I'm gonna ask Jesus

to help you get a good grade on that test.

Shouldn't you have asked him before he took it?

The man rose from the dead-- I think he can fix a test

after the fact.

You know, I hear you say things like that,

and I wonder if maybe I did have a few too many whiskey sours

when you were in my belly.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
linear /ˈlɪniər/ B2	adjective - arranged in or extending along a straight line
coefficient /koʊˈfɪʃənt/ C1	noun - a numerical factor in a term of an algebraic expression
slope /sloʊp/ B2	noun - the steepness of a line, expressed as rise over run
quadrant /ˈkwɒdrənt/ B2	noun - any of the four sections of a plane divided by two perpendicular axes
Fibonacci /ˌfɪbəˈnɑːtʃi/ C1	proper noun - a sequence of numbers where each number is the sum of the two preceding ones
spiral /ˈspaɪrəl/ B1	noun - a curve that winds around a fixed center point
inequality /ˌɪnɪˈkwɒləti/ B2	noun - a relation in which two values are not equal
reverse /rɪˈvɜːrs/ B1	verb - to turn in the opposite direction
tutor /ˈtuːtər/ B1	noun - a private teacher who gives individual instruction
cheating /ˈtʃiːtɪŋ/ B1	noun - acting dishonestly to gain an unfair advantage
struggle /ˈstrʌɡəl/ B1	verb - to make forceful efforts in the face of difficulties
algebra /ˈæl.dʒɪ.brə/ B2	noun - a branch of mathematics dealing with symbols and the rules for manipulating them
pregnant /ˈprɛɡ.nənt/ B1	adjective - carrying a developing offspring within the body
whiskey /ˈwɪs·ki/ B1	noun - a distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash
knowledge /ˈnɒlɪdʒ/ B1	noun - information, understanding, or skill acquired through experience or education
failure /ˈfeɪljər/ B1	noun - lack of success in achieving a goal
direction /dɪˈrɛkʃən/ B1	noun - the course along which something moves or points
bikini /bɪˈkiːni/ B1	noun - a two‑piece women's swimsuit

Key Grammar Structures

• Try harder.

  ➔ Imperative

  ➔ The verb "Try" is in the **imperative** mood, giving a direct command.

• When you close your eyes, I see quadrant one as red.

  ➔ Zero conditional (present + present)

  ➔ The clause "When you **close** your eyes" uses the present simple to state a general condition; the result clause "I **see**" also uses the present simple.

• And when you divide by a negative number, you have to reverse the direction of the inequality.

  ➔ Zero conditional with modal verb "have to"

  ➔ The clause "when you **divide** by a negative number" is a present‑time condition; the main clause uses the modal phrase "**have to** reverse" to express necessity.

• If you get stuck on a question, move on and come back to it at the end.

  ➔ First conditional (imperative result)

  ➔ The "If" clause uses the present simple "**get** stuck"; the result clause gives commands "**move** on" and "**come** back".

• I don't understand what went wrong.

  ➔ Embedded question (indirect question)

  ➔ "What" introduces an **embedded question** after the verb "understand"; the clause uses past simple "**went**".

• Shouldn't you have asked him before he took it?

  ➔ Modal perfect question (past modal + perfect infinitive)

  ➔ "Shouldn't you **have asked**" uses the modal "should" + perfect infinitive "**have asked**" to refer to a past expectation that was not met.

• I consoled myself with the knowledge that I was wonderful at everything else.

  ➔ Noun clause introduced by "that" (content clause)

  ➔ The phrase "the knowledge **that** I was wonderful..." contains a **content clause** beginning with "that" to specify the knowledge.

• I will see it.

  ➔ Simple future with modal "will"

  ➔ "**Will**" expresses a prediction or intention: "I **will see** it".

• I'm tired. I'm going to bed.

  ➔ Present progressive + "going to" future

  ➔ "I **am** tired" uses the present progressive for a current state; "I **am going to** bed" uses "going to" to talk about an immediate planned action.