Podcast
Pick Me English as a Second Language Podcast (With Transcripts)
Hosted by Jeff & Lucy · EN
Learn English listening podcast. See the transcript in the description of each podcast.
20episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
ESL Podcast 222 – Alternative Medicine
Jun 13, 2020Tap to summarize#ESL Podcast 222 – Alternative Medicine##GLOSSARY**to be prescribed –** to have something, usually medicine, recommended inwriting by a doctor to treat pain or an illness*The doctor told her that she should never take medicine that was prescribed forsomeone else.**lasting –** permanent; continuing for a long time*Living in another country has a lasting impact. It often makes people morerespectful of cultural differences and more interested in world news.**alternative medicine –** ways to treating pain or illnesses that are not taught inmost western medical schools or considered standard in a community*The doctors said her illness could not be treated, but with alternative medicineshe got better.**to swear by –** to believe in; to rely on; to trust in*Manuel swears by carrots as the key to a long life because his grandfather eatsthem every day and he is 103 years old.**acupuncture –** a treatment for pain by placing needles in the skin on certainparts of the body*Kim would never use acupuncture because she’s afraid of needles.**therapy –** a set of exercises or treatments designed to reduce pain or treat aninjury*After I broke my leg, the doctor said I would need two months of therapy to beable to walk normally again.**skeptical –** doubtful; not believing; questioning*Why are you so skeptical about being able to pass the test? You’ve studied forweeks and I think you’re going to do very well.**New Age –** related to a movement about religion or spirituality that believes in aholistic (both mental and physical) way to treat pain and illness*Their friend writes New Age music that sounds like it’s from another planet.**homeopathic –** a system of medicine that uses small amounts of something totreat an illness, believing that large amounts of it will cause harm*Homeopathic doctors believe that small amounts of medicine can havepowerful effects on our health.**herbal supplements –** medicines or vitamins that are made from plants*My aunt drinks teas as herbal supplements during the winter so that shedoesn’t get sick.**all natural –** without artificial ingredients; without man-made chemicals*His message at the talk was that If you’re worried about getting cancer, youshould eat all natural foods because other foods have too many chemicals inthem.**to be injured –** to be hurt; to have a damaged body part, like a broken bone*The driver was injured in the car accident when he hit his head on the windowand the glass cut his face.**complementary –** something that is added to something else to make itcomplete; putting things together that make each part even better*We chose to send our son to that school because its classes arecomplementary to what we teach him at home.**medication –** a drug; something taken to treat an illness*She is taking two medications: one is for her throat pain and the other one is tohelp her stop coughing.**to undergo clinical trials –** to participate in laboratory studies that use people tostudy a new drug*The new drug treats bone problems in mice, but it needs to undergo clinicaltrials before doctors will know whether it works in humans.**unorthodox –** non-traditional; unusual; not generally accepted*At first, her unorthodox ideas about the project shocked her co-workers buteventually, they all agreed with her.**what does (one) have to lose? –** it can’t hurt and it might help*He should apply for the job. What does he have to lose? If they say no, he’llstill have his old job, but if they say yes, he’ll have more interesting work.##COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS1. Why is the man in the story considering alternative medicine?a) Because he doesn’t trust traditional doctors.b) Because his family recommends it.c) Because he hopes it will treat his back pain.2. The man’s friend, Amelia:a) Believes that alternative medicine can be helpful.b) Is a medical doctor.c) Tried alternative medicine once and was very unhappy with the results.##WHAT ELSE DOES IT MEAN?lastingThe word *“lasting,”* in this podcast means being permanent or continuing for along time: “When Jana´s uncle died in a car accident, it made a lastingimpression on him, and now he never drives at night.” As a verb, *“to last”* meansto continue or to be enough: “The batteries in the radio lasted all night but thebatteries in the flashlight only lasted for two hours.” Or, “The party was fun whileit lasted but cleaning up afterwards was too much work.” As an adjective, *“last”*means the final one: “He is worried because he waited until the last minute to dohis homework.” Or, “Who ate the last piece of bread without telling me that weneed to buy more?” *“Last”* can also mean the previous, such as: “Last year wewent on vacation in Hawaii, but this year we’ll probably go to Florida.”swearIn this podcast, the phrase *“to swear by”* means to believe in something or totrust in something: *“I swear by dancing as the best way to lose weight.”* The verb*“to swear”* also means to make a serious promise: “He swore that he would nevergo to the dangerous part of town again without his parents.” In court, peopleoften say: *“I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth”*before they give evidence in front of a judge. *“To swear”* can also mean topromise that you are telling the truth: “I swear I didn’t know he was planning tosteal the painting from the museum.” *“To swear”* can also mean to use bad orrude words: “Please don’t swear when you are near the children. They are tooyoung to hear those words.”##CULTURE NOTEAccording to the U.S. government, 36% of adults in the United States usealternative medicine. Americans spend more than $27 billion on alternativemedicine each year. Most of these people use alternative medicine to treat painbut others use it to treat colds, *“depression”* (feeling sad without a reason),problems with *“digestion”* (absorbing food after it has been eaten), and sleepingproblems.There are four *“categories”* or types of alternative medicine. The first category,*“mind-body techniques,”* uses the power of thought to treat physical pain orillnesses. For example, relaxing thoughts can lower *“blood pressure”* or howmuch force is used to push blood through your body. The second category,*“biologically-based therapy”* uses *“herbs”* (plants), vitamins, and minerals to treathealth. For example, many herbal teas are used to treat coughs and headaches.The third category, *“body-based therapies,”* uses *“touch”* or physical contact totreat pain. Massages are often used to treat *“sore”* (painful) muscles. Finally,the fourth category, *“energy therapies,”* treats pain and illnesses by changing theenergy that some people believe is in and around the human body.Alternative medicine used to be the enemy of traditional medicine and peoplehad to choose which type of medicine they wanted to use to treat their pain andillnesses. Today, however, many people believe that the best treatment is acombination of alternative and traditional medicine. For example, someone withcancer may speak with a traditional doctor and have traditional *“chemotherapy”*or a set of drugs that destroys cancer in the body, but also have weeklymassages, drink herbal teas, and *“meditate”* or to sit quietly and try to emptyone’s mind to feel more peaceful and to control pain.Comprehension Questions Correct Answers: 1 – c; 2 – a##COMPLETE TRANSCRIPTWelcome to number 222: AlternativeMedicine.This is episode 222. I'm your host, Dr.Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center for Educational Development inbeautiful Los Angeles, California.Remember to visit our website at eslpod.com. You'll find there the LearningGuide for this episode, which contains all of the vocabulary, additional samplesentences using the words we're going to talk about today. It also contains acomplete transcript of this entire episode along with additional explanations andculture notes.Our topic in this episode is alternative medicine. Let's get started.[start of story]I have been suffering from back pain for years. I’ve tried several treatmentsprescribed by my doctor, but nothing has had a lasting effect. I finally decided totry alternative medicine.My friend, Amel...
Transcribe →ESL Podcast 219 – Giving Compliments
Jun 13, 2020Tap to summarize#ESL Podcast 219 – Giving Compliments##GLOSSARY**to ask (someone) over –** to invite someone to your home or to the place whereyou are*Benjy asked Julia over to his place to see the changes he made to his house.**to be more than friends –** to date; to be romantically involved*She told Christopher that they couldn’t be more than friends because shealready had a boyfriend.**compliment –** praise; a nice thing said about a person or a thing that is meant tomake the other person feel good*Oscar gave Angelica a compliment about her new hairstyle and she had a smileon her face for the rest of the day.**to make it –** to come; to arrive; to attend*Now that the meeting has moved to Tuesday, I’m not sure the other departmentheads can make it.**to look great on (someone) –** to make someone look good*I wasn’t so sure about that tie when I bought it for my father, but it looks greaton him.**What a fantastic… –** This is a very good…*What a fantastic idea! Let’s call the others to see if they want to join us.**This is a really nice… –** You have a very nice…; This is a good...*This is a really nice car. Can I take it for a test drive?**to decorate –** to add details such as paint, furniture, or decorations to a place tomake it look nice*Will you be able to come over early to help us decorate the house for thesurprise party?**That's nice of (someone) to say. –** Thank you for saying that.; a polite responseto a compliment*He told me that he had never worked with anyone as hard working as I am, andI told him that that was nice of him to say.**cool –** excellent; very nice*We saw a really cool exhibit of modern art at the Los Angeles County Museumof Art.**you know –** an expression used to get someone’s attention, often to a differenttopic; an expression used to emphasis what you are about to say*You know, this is the first time your dog hasn't barked at me when I walked inthe door.**to drink up –** to finish your drink*The bartender said, *“Drink up, everybody. The bar closes in 20 minutes.”***any minute –** very soon; can occur anytime*I know you’re in pain but don't try to move. The doctor should be here anyminute.**cheers –** an expression said before taking a drink; often used after making atoast (a speech in honor of someone)*Congratulations to Elena and ...
Transcribe →ESL Podcast 208 – Corporate Image
Oct 9, 2019Tap to summarize#ESL Podcast 208 – Corporate Image ##GLOSSARY **expansion –** to become larger; to spread from one area to other areas *The expansion of the company from telephones to computers has required the hiring of many new employees. **corporate image –** the way people see a company *The financial problems the company has had will probably negatively affect their corporate image. **brand –** a type of product made by a company that is given a specific name *I recommend this brand if you want to buy some high quality luggage. **brand loyalty –** preference for a brand; usually means that someone will continue buying a specific brand *Our company hopes that with endorsement from major athletes, we will get customers to develop brand loyalty. **product image –** the way people see a product that is made by a company *According to our company’s research, we’ll need to improve product image if we want to increase sales. **to reposition –** to change a company’s image for a new or bigger audience; to change position *If our organizations is to continue for another 100 years, we need to reposition ourselves as a leader in the field. **to lose sight of –** to overlook; to forget *It’s hard not to lose sight of my goal to lose weight when I see all of these delicious desserts! **end-user –** the person who will use a company's products *The reports from our marketing department are important, but what I really want to know is what our end-users think of the new product. **registered trademark –** a name, symbol (small picture), or thing used for identifying a product that has been legally registered with the government so that no one else can use it *We can't use the symbol with a circle with the line through it for our product because it’s a registered trademark. **prestige products –** the most expensive or respected products that a company makes *We build a lot of cars but this new sports car is our top prestige product. **household name –** a product name that is popular or common and that most people know *You may not have heard of this brand yet, but in five years, it will be a household name. **to update –** to bring something up to date; to add or change something so that it reflects current tastes or opinions *Have you updated our website yet with information on this week’s events? **logo –** a name or symbol (small picture) used by a company or organization to identify its products *I don’t like wearing clothes with the company’s logo on it. **to shape –** to have influence on; to develop *One of my high school teachers helped me shape my plans for a career in music. **corporate identity –** a company's name, logo, or tagline (or a phrase a company uses to say what their company represents); the way a company is seen by customers *We’ve hired a team of writers and designers to develop our new company’s corporate identity. **logical next step –** the next thing to do based on common sense; the obvious thing that should be done next *After you graduate from college, the logical next step is to try to find a job. ##COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS 1. Why does the company need to change its corporate image? a) Other businesses are trying to compete with it. b) The company has stopped being a paper company. c) The company has expanded and changed. 2. Which of these are NOT a part of the company’s plans? a) The company plans to become a PR firm. b) The company plans to change its logo. c) The company plans to stop brand loyalty. ##WHAT ELSE DOES IT MEAN? brand In this podcast, the word *“brand”* means a type of product that a company makes that has a specific name: *“What brand of soda do you like to drink?”* *“Brand”* can be used as a verb to mean to describe someone or something as being bad. After something has been *“branded,”* it’s difficult to change other people’s opinion about it: “Because of problems at home, she didn’t do well in school and was branded a poor student by her teachers.” Or, “I used to cry a lot as a child and was branded a ‘cry-baby’ by the other kids in the neighborhood.” The use of *“brand”* in this way comes from the original use of the word to mean to make a permanent mark on something by burning a world or symbol into its skin. This is usually done with animals so that other people will know who its owner is: “Can you see the brand on those cattle (cows) over there?” to shape The verb *“to shape,”* in this podcast, means to influence something, usually as it is being developed: “Listening to classic rock when he was a child helped shape the way he writes music today.” We can use the verb *“to shape”* to mean to form something physically: “Let’s shape these cookies to look like Dr. Jeff McQuillan’s head!” Or, *“Can you teach me how to shape this clay into a vase?”* As a noun, *“shape”* can be used to mean something that is difficult to see or to identify clearly: *“Did you see that shape in the sky last night? I think it was a big bird.”* Or, “I couldn’t tell the police what the robber looked like because I only saw his shape in the distance.” ##CULTURE NOTE In the United States, trademarks can be registered so that only one company or person may use them. There are restrictions on what can be called a trademark, however. Trademarks must be different from other trademarks already being used and they must be different from commonly used words. For instance, the word *“pants”* could not be a registered trademark. Trademarks that have been *“abandoned,”* or never used again, also cannot be registered. To be granted a registered trademark, you have to make sure no one else is using your trademark already, and you must fill out an application form and pay a fee. After that, if you have not used your trademark yet, you should use it and then send in *“proof,”* or evidence, that you have used it. If you have already used your trademark before the application process, then you wait for your trademark to be approved by a lawyer and to be published in an “Official Gazette,” a government publication. After that, anyone who has objections to or problems with your trademark has 30 days to *“oppose,”* or to try to prevent your registration. If you are not opposed, you will receive a “Certificate of Registration,” which will last for ten years. *“Trademark violation”* happens when one company uses a trademark that is very similar to another company's mark. For example, if Crimson Paper Company was registered as a trademark and sold paper, and then the Crimson Leaf Company was created later and also sold paper, this may be considered a trademark violation. While the word *“crimson,”* which means the color red, is free for everyone to use, these two companies sell the same product. The law is written so that the Crimson Paper Company should not have to worry about customers confusing it with the Crimson Leaf Company. Comprehension Questions Correct Answers: 1 – c; 2 – b ##COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT Welcome to number 208, “Corporate Image.” This is episode 208. I'm your host, Dr. Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center for Educational Development in beautiful Los Angeles, California. If you visit our website at eslpod.com, you'll find the Learning Guide for this podcast that contains all of the definitions, additional terms that we don't discuss on the podcast, as well as a complete transcript of this episode. Today's episode is about the image of a company, the *“Corporate Image.”* Let's start. [start of story] Adam: With our expansion into these new areas of business, I think we need to think seriously about changing our corporate image. We’re much more than just a paper company now. Eva: I think you’re right. Our brand has changed, and if we want to keep brand loyalty, we need to think about protecting and improving our product image. Adam: I agree that that’s a key issue as we reposition ourselves in the industry. We can never lose sight of our end-users. Eva: And, even though we have registered trademarks on some of the new prestige products, we need to have a plan if we want to turn these new products into household names. Adam: I suggest we think about hiring a public relations firm. They may be able to help us update our corporate image and logo, and to shape our new corporate identity. Eva: Why don’t I contact a few PR firms and set up some meetings? Adam: Yes, do that. That seems like the logical next step. [end of story] Our podcast today is called, *“Corporate Image.”* Corporate, *“corporate,”* refers to a corporation. A corporation is a large company that has registered with the government for a specific kind of organization, business organization usually. So, corporate, as an adjective, describes something related to a large company or a corporation. Image, in this case, means how people view you, how people think about you. So, the corporate image would be what people see as your company, what it is like, what does it do and so forth. We have a dialogue between Adam and Eva. Adam says, “With our expansion into these new areas of business, I think we need to think seriously about changing our corporate image.” An expansion, *“expansion,”* is a noun that comes from the verb to expand, *“expand.”* To expand means to get bigger, to grow larger. So, an expansion, as a noun, is when a company or a business decides to grow, decides to become bigger. Adam is saying that because their business is growing - because of their expansion into new areas for their business, new things for their business - he thinks that the company should think about changing its corporate image. “We’re much more than just a paper company now,” Adam says, meaning that we do more just, I guess, make paper. Eva says, “I think you're right. Our brand has changed, and if we want to keep brand loyalty, we need to think about” improving, protecting rather, “and improving our product image.” Brand, *“brand,”* refers to the name of a product or a se...
Transcribe →ESL Podcast 203 – Text Messaging
Oct 9, 2019Tap to summarize#ESL Podcast 203 – Text Messaging ##GLOSSARY **to text –** to send a text message to someone *I texted my friend to tell him where to meet us so we could all go to dinner together. **I M @ lib wher r u? –** *“I am at (the) library. Where are you?”* *When Megan didn’t arrive by 8:30, Tim texted her the message, “I M @ lib wher r u?” **template –** something that is a sample or a model that someone can change and use for their own purposes *The template we used to build our website uses red as a background color, but I changed it to yellow. **to make up –** to invent; to create *All he said was he that he couldn’t come tonight. Don’t make up a story in your head about the reasons why. **to compose –** to write something *Could you please wait a minute while I finish composing an email? **setting –** the part of something that can be set, changed, or adjusted according to someone’s preference *She changed the settings on her alarm clock so that she could wake up to her favorite CD playing. **predictive text mode –** a setting for text messages that allows the machine to complete words for you as you enter the first letters in a word *Predictive text mode makes it easier for me to text people quickly. **normal tap mode –** a setting for text messages that allows you to enter your own words instead of having the words completed for you by the machine *I don’t use normal tap mode very much anymore unless I’m texting a list of names. **character –** any text that takes up one space in a text message; usually letters, numbers, and symbols *This screen has a limit of 200 characters. I hope my message is short enough to fit. **symbol –** a character that is not a number or a letter; a small picture that represents something else *The logo for that company was created as a symbol of their long history. **screen –** the area on an electronic device where you can see the characters *My computer screen stopped working so I can’t see what I’m typing! **capital letter –** a letter used to begin sentences and names, for example, *“W”* and *“D.”* *This sentence begins with the capital letter, *“T.”* **option –** a type of setting that can be turned on or off, or changed; a choice *When you purchase this camera, you have the option of paying just $20 more for a photo printer. **abbreviation –** a shortened version of a word *Do you know what the abbreviation for Texas is? I’m not sure if it’s TX or TS. **to get up to speed –** to be able to do something that you are learning as well as others *He just started sailing two weeks ago, so please help him to get up to speed. **to not make (any) sense –** to be difficult to understand; not to be logical *It doesn't make any sense to take the elevator when the stairs are faster. ##COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS 1. Why does Jenny text Richard? a) Instead of the library, Jenny wants to meet at the café. b) Jenny can’t meet Richard at the library after all. c) Richard hasn’t arrived and Jenny wants to know where he is. 2. What kind of message did Richard send to Jenny? a) He sent her a message with predictive text. b) He used a template. c) He sent a message written with only capital letters. ##WHAT ELSE DOES IT MEAN? to make up The phrase *“to make up,”* in this podcast, means to invent something: “I am making up this recipe as I go along.” It can also be used in a negative way to mean that someone is lying: “Don’t tell me your dog ate your homework because I know you’re making it up.” The phrase can also be used to mean to stop fighting and to be kind to one another again: “After fighting for two days, Bill and Stephanie made up at lunch today and said that they would never fight again.” A similar phrase, *“to make up for something,”* means to do something nice for someone after you’ve made a mistake or done something bad: “To make up for running over her bicycle with his car, he bought her a new and better one.” character In this podcast, the word *“character”* means any text that takes up space in a message or document: “This business card doesn’t allow enough characters for my full name.” Another meaning for the word *“character”* is a person in a story, usually not a real person: “The main character in the Harry Potter books is Harry Potter.” As a noun, *“character”* can be used to describe someone who is different from other people or strange in some way. If there is someone who does strange things for no reason, he might described as *“a character”*: “I didn’t know that Lia’s brother was such a character until I met him last week.” It’s common to hear people say, *“he/she is quite a character.”* From this, people will know that this person is a little different or is unique. ##CULTURE NOTE Below is a list of common texting abbreviations, also known as *“txtspk”* (text- speak). TextMeaningTextMeaning bbene1anyone cseeb4before kokayuryour, you are, you’re maml8rlater nandatmat the moment; right now rareasapas soon as possible uyoubtwby the way ywhycyasee you (later) 1used for part of a word thatcntcannot or can’t sounds like *“one”* 2to, two, or toog2g or gtggot to go; must leave 4for, or part of a word that nmnever mind; forget what I sounds like *“four”*said before 8used for part of a word thatthxthanks or thank you sounds like *“eight”* Comprehension Questions Correct Answers: 1 – c; 2 – b ##COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT Welcome to number 203, “Text Messaging.” This is episode 203. I'm your host, Dr. Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center for Educational Development in beautiful Los Angeles, California. Remember to visit our website at eslpod.com for more information about this podcast and for a complete Learning Guide to this episode. The Learning Guide is an eight to ten page PDF file that you can download. It will give you all of the vocabulary, the definitions, additional vocabulary and definitions that we don't talk about on the podcast, as well as cultural notes and a complete transcript of everything that we say on the podcast. Today's episode is called, *“Text Messaging.”* Let's get started. [start of story] I was supposed to meet Jenny at the library, but I was late. Jenny texted me: “I M @ lib wher r u?” I’m not very good at texting so I used a template to say I was going to be late. When I arrived at the library, Jenny laughed at me because she knew I didn’t know how to text. Richard: I don’t know how to use this thing. The phone kept making up words for me. Jenny: That's because you were composing in predictive text mode. You have to change your settings to normal tap mode so only the characters you want show up in the screen. Richard: Okay, but everything still shows up in capital letters. Jenny: You can change the option by pressing the button. See? The screen will show you what kind of letters or numbers you can get, and you keep pushing the button until the one you want comes up. Richard: What about the symbol you used in your message? Jenny: You press the 1 button or the 0 button for those. I use them as abbreviations to save time when I am texting. I always use the symbols *“@”* and *“&”* for *“at”* and *“and.”* Simple words like *“you,”* *“are,”* and *“be”* can be spelled with the letters *“u,”* *“r,”* and *“b.”* It saves time. Richard: Thanks. I think I’ve got it, but it’ll take some practice for me to get up to speed. Jenny: No problem. Each time I get a strange message that doesn’t make any sense, I’ll know it’s from you. [end of story] Today's episode is called, *“Text Messaging.”* Text messaging is something that you can do on your cellular phone normally - your mobile phone - and it means to send a message like an email but through your telephone to someone else who has a cell phone or a mobile phone. The word text, *“text,”* just means that it is something that is appearing on your screen or on a piece of paper as writing. So, you are writing someone a message, instead of calling them and talking to them you can send them a message on your cell phone. This is very popular, especially among younger adults and teenagers. I have to say that I don't think I have ever text messaged anyone. Notice that we use that expression as a verb. To text someone, or to text message someone, is a verb which means to send them a text message. Our dialogue begins with Richard saying that he “was supposed to meet Jenny at the library.” They had made plans to meet at the library, but he was late. Jenny texted him. She sent him a text message, which said in regular English, “I am at the library. Where are you?” But the actual letters that Jenny used were not the same as you would use in a normal English sentence. If you know something about text messaging, you know that people use letters and other signs and symbols to keep the message short. In this case, Jenny wrote in her text message, *“I M,”* the letter *“M,”* meaning I am. The letter *“M”* is short for, or stands for, *“am”* in a text message. This would be a good podcast to go to our website and look at the script for the podcast. You can see the script for the dialogue by clicking on the name of the podcast on our web page, and there you can see how Jenny spelled. how she typed in her text message. She said, *“I M,”* and then she used a symbol [@]. And a symbol is something that, in this case, is not a letter like A, B, C - it's not a number like 1, 2, 3 - it's something different. This symbol means *“at.”* But continuing with Jenny's message she says, *“I am at,”* and instead of saying the library, instead of typing that in her text message, she simply said lib, *“lib.”* That meant the library - lib was short for library, and people do that when they send text messages, I guess. They shorten words so they don't have to type as much. She then said *“wher r u,”* but she didn't spell it like we would normally. She spelled where, *“wher.”* Where is actually *“where”* in normal English, but in text message English you can shorte...
Transcribe →ESL Podcast 197 – An Apology
Oct 9, 2019Tap to summarize#ESL Podcast 197 – An Apology ##GLOSSARY **to promise –** to guarantee; to tell someone you will do something *Gwen, please promise that you won't tell anyone about the mistake I made in the report before I have a chance to fix it. **sorry –** regretful; feeling bad about something; usually used in cases when someone did or said something wrong *She was sorry to have broken the vase that belonged to her friend’s grandmother. **a crush –** to think someone is attractive, usually used for teenagers who feel a temporary attraction; to want to date someone *Dana has crushes on three players on the baseball team. **to slip out –** to say something accidentally, without intending or wanting to *She didn’t plan on telling anyone that she was quitting her job, but during a lunch meeting, it just slipped out. **in confidence –** in secret, so that no one else knows *If I tell you something in confidence, I don’t want you to repeat it to anyone. **totally –** completely *I totally forgot that I was supposed to go over to Martin’s house today to help him set up for the party! **to regret –** to feel sorry for something; to wish that something had not happened *After losing the most important game of the year, the team regretted not practicing more. **to take it back –** to wish that you had not done something after you’ve done it; to want to make things as they were before *I was trying to help him when I told his boss that he was sick, but his boss fired him. I wish I could take it all back. **to accept (someone’s) apology –** to forgive someone; to recognize that someone has regret; to not feel angry with someone anymore *Will you accept my apology for insulting you earlier tonight? **what's done is done –** you cannot change what is in the past; now that an action has been taken, you cannot change the results *What's done is done. It won’t help anyone to be angry about it. **to be pissed off –** to be very angry *Of course I’m pissed off at you. You said that my husband eats like a pig! **to be over it –** to stop being angry; to feel little or no emotion about something that made you very emotional in the past *She was very disappointed when she wasn’t given the job, but she’s over it now. **hold on a sec –** wait a moment; please wait *Hold on a sec. Let me see if I can find that contract. **guess who…? –** do you know who…?; asking someone to guess the identity of someone else *Guess who tried to take credit for my work during the meeting? **to be interested in –** to be romantically interested in someone; to want to date someone *Ronald asked me out, but I'm really interested in his brother. **Don't let your imagination run away with you. –** don’t let yourself believe what you imagine; don’t believe that something is there when it is only in your mind *You think that at the concert, you’re going to get to meet the band? Don’t let your imagination run away with you. **to keep (one’s) fingers crossed –** to be hopeful, to wish someone good luck *Let’s keep our fingers crossed that the teacher won’t find out about the trick we played on her until after the school year is over. ##COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS 1. Why is Becky apologizing? a) She knows Curt's secret. b) She told Curt's secret to Joyce. c) She told Joyce to call Curt. 2. How does Curt feel about Becky at the end of the conversation? a) He is still angry that Becky shared his secret. b) He is angry with Joyce. c) He was angry but he is not angry anymore. ##WHAT ELSE DOES IT MEAN? to slip out The phrase *“to slip out,”* in this podcast, means to say something by accident: “I didn't want to tell him that I like him, but it just slipped out.” This phrase can also be used to talk about physical things, like when you accidentally let go of something you are holding or something falls out of your hand: “The pot slipped out of my hand when I was carrying it across the backyard.” The phrase is also used informally to mean to leave a place quietly, without many people knowing: “I didn't know Dan left the room. He must have slipped out through the backdoor.” Or, “The speech was so boring that during the middle of it, my friend and I slipped out.” to take it back In this podcast, the phrase *“to take it back”* means to make things as they were before the action was done, to take away the meaning of the act. It is used for things that were done that should not have been done, or for things that someone regrets doing: *“I was wrong to insult you. I wish I could take it back.”* This phrase can also be used to talk about objects that need to be returned to their original place: “This book is on the wrong shelf. Could you please take it back to the right one?” Another meaning of *“take it back”* is to return an item to the store where you bought it so that you can get your money back: “I bought the wrong case for my cell phone. I need to take it back to the store.” ##CULTURE NOTE Many governments around the world have made *“reparations”* for things that the government has done wrong in the past. Reparations are usually made with money paid to the *“victims,”* or people who were harmed, and by giving them a formal apology. In the past 30 years in the U.S., the government has made reparations to several groups. One case of official U.S. government reparations occurred in 1988. In Word War II, Japanese Americans were put into internment camps and held prisoner because the U.S. government thought that they would be dangerous during the war. The U.S. government formally apologized to these Americans and passed a law that gave payments of $20,000 to each of the *“survivors,”* or people still alive, who had been put into the camps. This was not the only reparation for this mistake. When Japanese Americans were moved into the camps, they had to leave behind most of what they owned, including their land. In 1968, the government began reparations for the property that Japanese Americans lost. In the 1980’s, Native Americans also began receiving reparations for being forced to leave their land more than 100 years before. In many cases, there were *“treaties,”* or formal government agreements, that the government signed to get Native Americans to leave their land, but that they did not *“honor,”* or follow. In many cases, reparations were decided by the terms of these old treaties. The reparations included large sums of money and the ownership of their own property to live and to work on. Comprehension Questions Correct Answers: 1 – b ; 2 – c ##COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT Welcome to number 197, *“An Apology.”* You're listening to episode 197. I'm your host, Dr. Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center for Educational Development in beautiful Los Angeles, California. Remember to visit our website at eslpod.com. There you can get a copy of the Learning Guide to this podcast, which is an eight to ten page guide that includes all of the vocabulary words, definitions, additional information that we don't talk about on the podcast, cultural notes and a complete transcript of this podcast. Today's podcast is about someone who is making an apology, saying that they are sorry to another person. Let's get started. [start of story] Becky: Curt. Curt: Oh, hi. Becky: Can I talk to you for a minute? Curt: I’m really busy right now. Becky: Just one minute. I promise it won’t take long. Curt: Okay. Let’s talk over here. Becky: Curt, I’m really sorry that I told Joyce that you had a crush on her. We were just talking last Friday and it just slipped out. Curt: But, I told you about Joyce in confidence. Becky: I know. It’s totally my fault. I really regret saying anything. I wish I could take it back. I just want you to know that I’m really sorry and I hope that you’ll accept my apology. Curt: What’s done is done. I was really pissed off when I found out this morning but I’m over it now. [cell phone ring] Hold on a sec. [long pause, muttering in background] Guess who that was? Becky: Who? Curt: Joyce. She wanted to know if I’d like to have lunch with her today. Becky: It was? That’s great, maybe… Curt: And, maybe not. Maybe she just wants to tell me she’s not interested in me. Becky: Or, maybe she likes you, too. Curt: Don’t let your imagination run away with you. Becky: I won’t but I’m keeping my fingers crossed. [end of story] This podcast is called, *“An Apology.”* An apology, *“apology,”* is when you do something wrong and you tell the other person that you are sorry, that you feel badly and that you did not want to hurt them. Those would be examples of an apology - to say that you are sorry. Well, in this dialogue, we hear Becky and Curt talking. Becky asks Curt if she can talk to him *“for a minute.”* When we say the expression, for a minute, we mean for a short time, not necessarily 60 seconds. Usually, it means for a very short time. You wouldn't use it for things that would take a long time, such as apologizing to your wife or girlfriend. Well, Curt doesn't seem to want to talk to Becky, he says, “I’m really busy right now.” Becky says, *“Just one minute,”* meaning just a short amount of time, “I promise it won’t take long.” To promise, *“promise,”* means that you make a commitment to another person. You are saying that it will happen the way you say it will happen. So, Becky promises Curt that *“it won't take long,”* their conversation won't take very much time. Curt says, *“Okay. Let's talk over here.”* Becky then apologizes to Curt. She says, “Curt, I’m really sorry that I told Joyce you had a crush on her.” To be sorry means that you regret doing something. It's part of the apology. To have a crush, *“crush,”* on someone is when you are romantically interested in someone. Often times we use this word, crush, to mean the very beginnings of your interest in someone else. This is also a term we use sometimes with high school students or junior high school students. They have crushes;...
Transcribe →ESL Podcast 191 – Changing Money
Oct 9, 2019Tap to summarize#ESL Podcast 191 – Changing Money ##GLOSSARY **to have everything –** to have all of the things one needs; to be fully prepared *Do you have everything you need for school today? **to change money –** to give one type of money to get another type of money *After I arrive in Japan, I’ll need to change some money from U.S. dollars to yen. **to recommend –** to suggest; to advise *The website recommends that travelers use the bus for getting around the city. **exchange rate –** the amount of one type of money that will have to same value as another type of money *The exchange rate isn’t very good today, so I will get fewer British pounds for my U.S. dollars. **fee –** an amount of money that must be paid for a service *Aside from tuition, students must pay fees to be a student at the university. **branch –** one office that is not the main office in a larger group of offices *My bank has several branches in my city. It's very convenient. **to exchange –** to give something in order to receive something of the same, or nearly the same, value *I bought this shirt for my brother but it doesn’t fit him. Can I exchange it for another size? **currency –** money used in a country *Do you know what currency India uses? **How much is (something) worth? –** What is the value of something?; What is the cost of something? *This is a very old car. If I decide to sell it, how much do you think it’s worth? **one...to –** used when talking about exchange rates to describe how much one unit of money is worth in another unit of money *When I traveled to Thailand, the exchange rate was one dollar to 38 baht. **large/small bills –** in money, large bills have greater value (such as $50 and $100 bills) and small bills have less value (such as $5 and $1 bills) *The store would not accept any large bills and I didn’t have any small bills on me. **mix –** a combination of different things *Usually in a bag of candy, there is a mix of different colors like red, yellow, and green. **change –** coins; money with the same or smaller value than the U.S. one dollar bill *She wanted to buy a soda from the vending machine, but she didn’t have any change. **please sign here –** a polite request for someone's signature in a certain place *Please sign here on this line and put today’s date next to it. **$20's, $10's, $5's, $1's –** pronounced *“twenties, tens, fives, ones”*; a way of referring to types of U.S. paper money when there is more than one of each bill *The man who robbed the store took all of the $20’s and $10’s out of the cash register, but he left the $5’s and $1’s. **quarters, dimes, nickels –** types of U.S. coins; a quarter = 25 cents, a dime = 10 cents, a nickel = equals 5 cents *I can’t believe it! That woman paid for all of her groceries in quarters, dimes, and nickels. ##COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS 1. Why does Sandra want to change her money? a) She wants U.S. dollars instead of euros. b) She wants euros instead of U.S. dollars. c) She wants to go to the bank. 2. How much money does Sandra want to get? a) .8 euros b) 400 euros c) 500 U.S. dollars ##WHAT ELSE DOES IT MEAN? mix The word *“mix,”* in this podcast, means a combination of different things or types of things: *“There was a mix of men and woman at the meeting.”* The word *“mix”* is used often in cooking. The verb *“mix”* means to combine different *“ingredients,”* or things that can be put together to make a type of food. If you are making a cake, for example, you may *“mix eggs and water.”* The noun *“mix”* is used to describe something you can buy at the store with some of the ingredients already put together but that isn’t already cooked: “Instead of buying all of the ingredients to make cookies, it’s easier to just buy the mix.” The phrase “to mix it up” is often used to mean to add something new or different to something else, such as music: *“I’m tired of dancing to these slow songs. Let’s mix it up.”* Or, “This band mixed it up on their latest CD by adding electric guitar to classical music.” change In this podcast, the word *“change”* means money in the form of coins. “I have too much change in my pocket.” The verb *“to change”* can also be used to describe turning one thing into something else: “I changed my mind, I want the blue car instead of the white one.” or *“Could you change this to another radio station?”* It can also be used to describe when you take off some clothing to put on other clothing: *“I need to change my clothes before I start exercising.”* ##CULTURE NOTE The *“federal,”* or national, government in the U.S. tries to prevent people from *“counterfeiting,”* or making fake money. Counterfeiting is a serious crime. However, because people still try to make fake money, the government does several things to try to make it more difficult for people to counterfeit and also for people to *“detect,”* or identify, fake money when it is used. One thing the U.S. government has done is to print money using special paper and *“ink,”* or the color liquid used to write or print. Recently, the government has added different colors to some of the new bills to make it harder to fake. For example, some bills, like the new $20’s, have *“shifting ink,”* which means that when you look at the bill, you will see different colors depending on which wayyou are holding the bill. There are also designs that are added in a certain style and certain ink that is difficult to put onto fake bills. Each type of bill also has different symbols that stand for the United States, and different words on the bills are *“microprinted,”* or printed in very small words, which are difficult to fake. If you are not sure if a bill is real, hold it up to light. Real bills greater than $1 have a *“watermark,”* or an image, on the front right (or back left) of the bill that you can see only when you hold the bill up to the light. Comprehension Questions Correct Answers: 1 – a ; 2 – c ##COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT Welcome to number 191, “Changing Money.” This is episode 191. I'm your host, Dr. Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center for Educational Development in beautiful Los Angeles, California. Remember, to visit our website at eslpod.com. You can get there our complete Learning Guide for this podcast, including the complete transcript, definitions, additional explanations and culture notes. Today's podcast is called *“Changing Money.”* Let's go. [start of story] I was at the airport to pick up my friend Sandra, who was visiting from Italy. Gustavo: Do you have everything? Sandra: Yes, I think so. But, I don’t have any U.S. dollars. Where can I change money? Can I do that here? Gustavo: You could, but I wouldn’t recommend it. The exchange rate is really high and so are the fees. I’ll take you to the bank tomorrow. The next day, I picked Sandra up from her hotel and we went to a branch nearby. Bank clerk: What can I do for you? Sandra: I’d like to exchange some currency and to get some U.S. dollars. Bank clerk: Okay, how much would you like? Sandra: How much is one euro worth? Bank clerk: The current rate is one dollar to .8 euros. Sandra: In that case, I’d like 500 U.S. dollars. Bank clerk: Okay. That will be 400 euros. Would you like that in large or small bills? Sandra: I’d like a mix of both. I’d like some change, too. Bank clerk: That’s no problem. Please sign here. That will be 300 dollars in 20’s, 150 dollars in 10’s, and 45 dollars in fives and ones. And, here’s five dollars in change: quarters, dimes, and nickels. Sandra: That’s perfect. Thanks a lot. Bank clerk: Is there anything else I can help you with? Sandra: No, that’s all. Thanks for your help. Bank clerk: It’s my pleasure. Have a nice day. [end of story] Today's podcast is called *“Changing Money.”* *“To change money”* means to convert it from one country's money to another country's money. So, to take your dollars, for example, your U.S. dollars, and convert them, or change them, into yen or euros or whatever the country's money is. The story here is that Gustavo is picking up his friend, Sandra, from Italy. Gustavo goes to the airport and asks Sandra, *“Do you have everything?”* meaning do you have all of your bags, do you have all of the things that you need. He's picking her up from the airport, and so, he wants to make sure that she has all of the things she needs for them to leave the airport. Sandra says, “Yes, I think so. But, I don't have any U.S. dollars. Where can I change money? Can I do it here?” *“Where can I change money?”* as we said before, where can I convert my money into U.S. dollars? Gustavo tells her that he would not recommend changing money at the airport. *“To recommend”* means here the same as to suggest. “I recommend talking to that beautiful woman sitting over there. I think she's interested in you.” Well, Gustavo is not talking about beautiful women; he's talking about the exchange rate. He's telling Sandra that she should not change money at the airport because *“The exchange rate is really high.”* The exchange rate tells you how many dollars you can get for how many, in this case, euros, or whatever the money is. I should say that another word we use for money, when we are talking about changing money, is *“currency.”* So, you can say, “The currency of Italy is the euro.” That's what they call their money that they use now. Well, *“The exchange rate is really high,”* Gustavo says, which means that you are not going to get very many dollars for the euro if you change the money at the airport. Gustavo also says that the fees are high. A *“fee”* is like a price that you have to pay for something, and when you change money – or exchange money, means the same thing – at the airport, you often have to pay an extra fee in order to change your money. Gustavo tells Sandra that he will take her to a bank tomorrow where she can exchange her money. So, the next day he goes to Sandra's hotel and...
Transcribe →ESL Podcast 180 – Airport Layover
Oct 9, 2019Tap to summarize#ESL Podcast 180 – Airport Layover ##GLOSSARY **frequent flyer miles –** points airline companies give to customers who fly on their airline; customers can use the points to get things such as free airline tickets or to stay for free at hotels *Because I flew to Europe so many times last year, I have enough frequent flyer miles to go to Australia this summer. **booked –** to purchase; to make a reservation *Have you booked the room for our weekend in Palm Springs yet? **layover –** the period of time you must wait between flights when you are changing from one flight to another *The layover in New York is just enough time for us to take a break and eat a real dinner. **to kill –** to spend or to waste, usually while waiting for something *I have so much time to kill now that I have finished my work early. **food court –** an area with several different fast food shops; usually the shops are around an area with tables and chairs where customers can eat *At the food court, I usually eat McDonalds and my friend gets Chinese food. **to check (one’s) bags –** to give your luggage to the airline to be put into the airplane; not luggage you plan to take on the airplane *The first thing I do at the airport is to check my bags, because I hate carrying them around while I wait for my flight. **roller bag –** a suitcase or backpack with wheels on the bottom and a handle on the top *I’m so glad I bought a roller bag. Now, I don’t need to carry the heavy bag all over the airport. **carry on –** hand luggage that is small enough to be taken on an airplane *Since I’ll need my book and my computer on the plane, I put them in my carry on. **to lug –** to carry or to take heavy things; usually used for things that are difficult to carry *I need to find Richard. I’ve been lugging his textbooks around for him all day. **to be taken –** to be unavailable; to be occupied *At the theater, we wanted to sit together in the middle, but all of the good seats were taken. **to share –** to divide; to give parts of something to other people *You must be hungry. Do you want to share my sandwich? **to be packed –** to be crowded *The grocery store is always packed when I go there after work. **stuff –** things or objects *My desk is so messy. There is always so much stuff on it, I can’t find anything. **to keep an eye on –** to watch; to guard *In soccer, you should keep your eye on the ball so you know where the action is. **to take it with (someone) –** to keep something near you *I’d rather not take the book with me. It’s too heavy. **to save a seat –** to keep the seat free; not let anyone else sit there *Jimmy said he would be coming. We should save this seat him. **you got it –** “I'll certainly do it for you."; [informal] *You want some French fries and a soda? No problem. You got it! ##COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS 1. The person in the story has a friend in a) the food court. b) Oklahoma City c) Denver 2. When is the food cou...
Transcribe →ESL Podcast 178 – A Fight
Oct 9, 2019Tap to summarize#ESL Podcast 178 – A Fight ##GLOSSARY **I can’t believe it –** it’s not possible; I can’t believe this has happened *After all of that studying, I failed my math exam. I can’t believe it! **to get caught up –** to be kept somewhere longer than you had planned *I wanted to leave work at 5:00, but someone called me at 4:55 and I got caught up talking on the phone for 40 minutes. **to be worked up –** to be upset *My girlfriend got really worked up when she found out I had crashed our car. **to have it up to here –** to be at the end of your patience; to be fed up with something *I’ve had it up to here with his rudeness. **excuses –** things you say to get yourself out of trouble; an explanation about why something bad that has happened is not your fault *She asked Brent why he had lost the money, but instead of an answer, all she got were excuses. **to have been over this –** we have already talked about this; we have already had this disagreement before *Maria’s parents asked her when she was going to go back to college, but all she would say was, *“We’ve been over this.”* **and plus –** and also; furthermore *This trip would be very expensive, and plus, neither of us can take that much vacation time. **what’s the big deal –** what’s the problem; why is this so important *What’s the big deal? I only borrowed $20 from him, so I can easily pay him back. **to be inconsiderate –** to only think about yourself; to not worry about what another person might need when you make a decision *Bill said that it was very inconsiderate of me to give away the sofa without asking him first. **look –** an expression meant to get someone’s attention, similar to saying *“listen”* *Look, we’re both tired, so why don’t we go home and rest, and then finish this tomorrow. **to ruin –** to destroy; to make something unpleasant or bad *Mike wore his new coat in the rain and it was ruined. **to overreact –** to get too upset by a situation that is not really important; to make something more important than it should be *When Charlie forgot my birthday I didn’t talk to him for a week. I guess I overreacted a little. **to make it up to –** to try and fix a mistake or situation by doing something nice *I lost the book you lent me. Let me make it up to you by buying you a new one. **to nag –** to continue to find fault with someone; to complain over and over again *My wife is always nagging me to clean the garage. ##COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS 1. Why is Ginger upset with Fred? a) He forgot that they had dinner plans. b) She asked him to bring home some food and he didn’t do so. c) He stayed at work late again and didn’t call to tell her. 2. Ginger and Fred decide: a) to not speak with each other for the rest of the night. b) to go to dinner and to try to feel better. c) that Ginger needs to stop nagging. ##WHAT ELSE DOES IT MEAN? to be worked up In this podcast, the phrase *“worked up”* means to be upset, to be angry about something: *“Why are you so worked up?”* Another meaning *“to be worked up”* is to be nervous or excited about something. For example, if you plan to attend a big party and someone you want to date was going to be there, you would be nervous about going to the party. You would be *“worked up”* about the possibility of seeing that person at the party: “I tried not to get too worked up about seeing Gerard at the party.” to ruin *“To ruin,”* in this podcast, is a verb that means to destroy something or to make it unpleasant. Another use of *“ruin,”* as a noun, means something that is old and falling apart, usually a building. For example, a very old building or temple that has not been used for several hundred years might be called a ruin: “We went to Central America to see the Mayan ruins.” We may also use *“ruin”* to describe what remains after something bad happens: *“The fire left the house in ruins.”* Or, *“Their relationship was in ruins after she found out about his lies.”* ##CULTURE NOTE When people are in relationships, it is natural that they might get into fights. In the U.S., there are a lot of places where couples can go to find help if their relationship is not going well. *“Marriage counselors”* are people who have been trained to help married couples work out problems. They meet with couples to try and find out what is causing problems in their relationship, and to try and solve those problems through talking together. Churches are another place where couples can get help. Some couples may talk to their *“priest”* or *“pastor”* – the person who leads the church – to ask for advice and help. Even with this help, there is a high divorce rate in the U.S. today. *“Divorce”* is when a husband and wife decide to stop being married. Some say that that fifty percent of new marriages in the United States end in divorce. Research shows that more than half of the divorces in America are *“filed for,”* or asked for, by women. While divorce might end a relationship that has problems, it causes problems, too. A couple that can’t can agree may go to *“divorce court”* to settle arguments about how to divide their money and which parent gets the children. In divorce court, the judge makes the decision and each side must do what the judge tells them to do. Comprehension Questions Correct Answers: 1 – c; 2 – b ##COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT Welcome to Number 178, "A Fight." This is Number 178. I'm your host, Dr. Jeff McQuillan. coming to you from the Center for Educational Development in beautiful Los Angeles, California. Remember to get the Learning Guide for this podcast on our website at eslpod.com. This is an eight to ten page guide to this podcast; includes the complete transcript, as well as definitions, cultural notes, and other explanations that we don't talk about here on the podcast. Today's podcast is called, "A Fight." Let's go. [start of story] Ginger: I can't believe it. You're late again! Fred: I got caught up at work. What are you so worked up about? Ginger: I've had it up to here with your excuses. If you knew you were going to be late, why didn't you call? We've been over this a hundred times. Fred: There wasn't time to call. And plus, what's the big deal? I'm just a little late. Ginger: A little late? You are an hour late. You are so inconsiderate sometimes…[sigh]…You look tired. Fred: Yeah, I am. Look, I'm late and I was inconsiderate. Let's not let it ruin our evening. Ginger: Okay, I'm sorry. Maybe I overreacted. I know you've been really busy at work. Fred: I'm the one who’s sorry. I should have called. Will you let me make it up to you? Ginger: You don't have to. I shouldn't nag. Fred: You weren't nagging. Let's go get something to eat. We'll both feel better with some food in our stomachs. Ginger: Yeah, you're right. Let's go. [end of story] We just listened to a fight between a husband and a wife. It was probably the shortest fight in the history of marriage, but not everything is real here on ESL podcast. The vocabulary and the expressions, however, are very real, very similar to what you might hear a husband and a wife say. The story begins with Ginger saying, "I can't believe it. You're late again!" "I can't believe it" is something you say when you're very angry at something, when someone has disappointed you, has done something wrong. "I can't believe it." You're angry, you're mad at this person. And, Ginger is mad at Fred. Fred says, "I got caught up at work." To get "caught up" means that you got very busy, you got so busy that you didn't realize how late it was getting. Or, you had so much work that you had to stay longer than you expected. So, Fred says, “I got caught up at work.” There's also an expression "to get caught up IN something." "I got caught up in an argument with my boss and his supervisor" - means that you became a part of something, you got involved in something that you didn't necessarily want to be involved in. That's to "get caught up in." You can also get caught up in a novel, which means you really like the novel; you really are interested in it. "I got caught up in it and I read it throughout the night so I could finish it before morning." Those are different uses of "caught up" and "caught up in." Well, he says, "I got caught up at work. What are you so worked up about?" To be "worked up" is another one of those two word verbs in English and it means to be angry, to be upset. When you get "worked up," you're getting angry, you're shouting, maybe your face is turning red. These are signs of someone who is getting worked up. Fred says to Ginger, "What are you so worked up about?” Why are you angry? And, Ginger says, "I've had it up to here with your excuses." "I've had it up to here" means I'm tired, I don't want to tolerate, I don’t want to put up with the situation anymore. I'm mad, I'm angry, and this is the last time I want this to happen. So, you may, for example, be talking to one of your fellow employees at work and you say, "I've had it up to here with that boss of ours. He's always yelling at us. I don't want to put up with or tolerate it anymore." Ginger says, "I've had it up to here with your excuses." And an "excuse" is a reason that you give someone that you did something wrong. Often it’s a reason that is supposed to convince the person that it wasn't really your fault or you had some reason, a good reason for doing what you did wrong. That's an excuse. Ginger says, "If you knew you were going to be home late, why didn't you call?" So, if you knew that you were busy, you should have called - that's the idea here. Why didn't you call? "We've been over this a hundred times." To "go over" something means to talk about it, to discuss it, to review it. In this case, Ginger says, "We've been over this a hundred times" - means this has happened before, again and again, and they've talked about it many times. Fred says, "There wasn't time to call." *“There wasn’t time to call.”* Doesn...
Transcribe →ESL Podcast 174 – A Potluck
Oct 9, 2019Tap to summarize#ESL Podcast 174 – A Potluck ##GLOSSARY **block party –** a neighborhood party, often with food, games, and music *Nearly all of the neighbors came to the block party this year. **cocktail party –** a party where people wear formal clothes and drinks and snacks are served *This year, the company cocktail party will be at a downtown hotel. **guest list –** a list of all the people invited to a party or event *There are 30 people on our guest list, but only 20 are coming. **to attend –** to go to an event, such as a party or a concert *Will you be attending the opening of the new museum? **invitations –** letters or cards given to people to ask them to come to a party or event *Don’t forget to put the address of the party on the invitations. **potluck –** a type of party where each person brings a different food item, drink, or serving item (like plates or cups) for everyone to share *I’m a terrible cook so I always bring drinks to a potluck. **RSVP –** to tell the person having a party or event that you can attend, you will come to the event *The last day to RSVP for the wedding reception is this Friday. **main dish –** the biggest part of the meal; usually there is a salad or soup to start, then the main dish, then dessert *For a main dish, I’d like the steak and potatoes. **chips and dip –** small snacks usually at parties; chips are things like potato chips and corn chips; dip is the thick sauce that you put the chips into before you eat it *I ate so much of the chips and dip at the party that I wasn’t hungry for dinner that night. **dessert –** a sweet dish served at the end of a meal *Would you like ice cream or chocolate cake for dessert? **BYOB –** stands for *“Bring Your Own Beverage;”* each person brings their own drinks to a party or event *Since the party is a BYOB, we’re bringing some beer and wine. **soda –** a sweat drink, such as Coca-Cola and 7-Up *Could you please order me a sandwich and a soda? **paper plates and cups –** plates and cups made out of paper that you can throw away after using them: usually used for informal meals or meals eaten outside *I’m glad we used paper plates and cups so we don’t have to wash dishes. **plastic utensils –** these are knives, forks, and spoons you throw away after using them *I packed a picnic for us to eat in the park, but I forgot to bring the plastic utensils so we’ll have to eat with our hands. **to have (something) under control –** to be sure you can manage a situation; to not worry because you know you can do something *We have the project under control and will definitely finish it on time. **There’s a first time for everything! –** an expression, a joke meaning that this is the first time I have succeeded or completed something *I finished doing my taxes a month early. There’s a first time for everything! ##COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS 1. The party is a potluck, so a) Susan will make all of the food for the party. b) each person will bring something to share. c) anyone who comes to the party will have a lot of luck. 2. Mike didn’t ask Bree to help him plan the party because a) the last time he asked her to help, Bree didn’t do any work. b) she may turn the block party into a more formal event. c) Bree is in another town visiting her son. ##WHAT ELSE DOES IT MEAN? block The word *“block”* in *“block party”* in this podcast means the distance between two streets: *“I walked six blocks to get to the train station.”* The word *“block”* can also be used as a verb to mean to prevent or to stop a movement: “The government blocked our plans to build a park in this neighborhood.” Or, “The ship blocked the river so the boats couldn’t get through.” dip In this podcast, the word *“dip”* in the phrase *“chips and dip”* means a thick sauce that you put other things into before eating: “For a snack, I like to have carrots with ranch dip.” *“Dip,”* as a verb, can mean to go down, usually before coming back up: *“The company profits took a dip before rebounding last month.”* Or, *“The temperature dipped to 0 degrees last night.”* As a noun, it can also mean a brief swim: *“I’m going to take a dip before getting dressed for dinner.”* Or, “It’s too cold to take a dip in the ocean in the early morning.” ##CULTURE NOTE A block party is a large celebration held in a neighborhood where everyone is invited and comes together to share food, drinks, music, and entertainment. A block is the distance between two streets. Block parties get their name because everyone who lives on a certain *“block,”* or part of the street, is invited to the party. Block parties are usually held to celebrate something, like a holiday or a certain season. Summer is a popular time to have block parties because the weather is nice and block parties are usually held outside on the street. Block parties can also be held when someone new comes to a neighborhood so the new neighbors can meet everyone all at the same time. Block parties became popular in the United States in the 1970’s. They are still popular today, and they are held in many neighborhoods, both in the cities and in the suburbs, the neighborhoods outside of the cities. Common activities at block parties include barbecues (cooking meat on a grill), games for children and adults, listening to music, and social drinking. Comprehension Questions Correct Answers: 1 – b; 2 – b ##COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT You're listening to Number 174, “A Potluck.” This is Episode 174. I'm your host Dr. Jeff McQuillan coming to you from the Center for Educational Development in beautiful Los Angeles, California. Be sure to look at the Learning Guide for today's podcast. It has a complete transcript of our podcast, definitions, additional vocabulary, additional sample sentences, culture notes, and more. So, go to our website at for more information. Today's podcast is about a potluck dinner. Let's eat! [start of story] Mike: Thanks a lot for agreeing to help me plan the block party. Susan: Oh, I'm happy to help. I'm surprised you didn't ask Bree. She's so good at planning parties. Mike: I thought about it, but I was afraid she would turn it into a cocktail party or something. Susan: Yeah, I see what you mean. Well, I made a guest list to see how many people may be attending. We can put the invitations in their mailboxes this weekend. It will be a potluck, so I'm asking people to RSVP and to let me know what they plan to bring. Mike: What kind of things do we need? Susan: Well, I'm asking people to bring a main dish, chips and dip, or dessert. It won't be a BYOB like last year, so Lynette and Edie are bringing some soda. I can supply the paper plates and cups, and the plastic utensils. Mike: That's great. It sounds like you have everything under control. Susan: I really can't believe it. There's a first time for everything. [end of story] Today's podcast is about a potluck. A *“potluck,”* all one word, is a party or a dinner where everyone brings something different. So, instead of one person cooking all the food, each person that goes to the party brings, we would say, brings a dish, that is brings some food for other people in the party to eat. So, that's a potluck dinner or a potluck party. Well, this is a block party that we heard about in today's dialogue. A *“block party,”* two words, is a party where people who live in the same area, on the same block have a picnic or a dinner. We would say they have a get together, a get together. A *“get together”* is a noun which means a meeting when people come together for a party informally. Well, a block party is for people who live in the same area. A block you may know is the space between two streets, and most blocks in the United States are square so there's a street on each side, and the houses of course are on each side of the street. Well, a block party is usually neighbors that get together usually - maybe 10, maybe 15 houses, families, will come together for a party. Sometimes the block party is even bigger for some neighborhoods. Well, Mike starts the dialogue by saying to Susan, “Thanks a lot for agreeing to help me plan the block party.” And Susan says, ”Oh, I’m happy to help.” I’m, it’s my pleasure, I, I like helping. She says, "I’m surprised you didn’t ask Bree. She’s so good at planning parties." *“I’m surprised you didn’t ask.”* “I’m surprised that you didn’t ask” - means the same thing. In English, we sometimes don’t put a *“that”* in between the two parts or clauses of the sentence. So Susan says, “I’m surprised you didn’t ask Bree” - another neighbor. “She’s so good at planning parties.” Mike says, “I thought about it, but I was afraid she would turn it into a cocktail party or something.” The expression *“to turn into”* means to change something. So, in this case, Mike wants an informal party but he’s afraid that if he asked Bree to help him she would change it, she would turn the party into a cocktail party. A *“cocktail,”* all one word. A cocktail party is a party that is more formal. A cocktail. as a noun. is a drink, an alcoholic drink. So, someone who has a cocktail party is having a more formal type of party, and block parties are always informal. So, that’s why Mike didn’t want to ask Bree to help him. Susan says, *“Yeah I see what you mean,”* I understand what you are saying. “I see what you mean.” “Well, I made a guest list to see how many people may be attending.” A *“guest list,”* two words, is, of course, a list of names of the people who will be guests at the party. Your guest is the person or people who are coming to your house or to your party. Well, she, Susan made a guest list because she wanted to know how many people were going to be there or were going to be attending. *“To attend”* as a verb means to go somewhere, to be part of something, to join a meeting. Or, *“to go to a dinner”* is to attend the dinner. You can attend the sporting game. You can attend the World Cup soccer match. ...
Transcribe →ESL Podcast 173 - Buying Souvenirs
Oct 9, 2019Tap to summarize#ESL Podcast 173 - Buying Souvenirs ##GLOSSARY **souvenir store –** a store that sells objects to help you remember where you have traveled *There is a good souvenir store across the street from the hotel. **T-shirt –** a shirt with short sleeves and no collar *If I wear a t-shirt with no jacket, I’ll be cold all night. **Can I help you find something? –** something that a clerk in a store asks when you first enter meaning, do you know what you are looking for? *Hi, welcome to Lucy’s Shoe Store. Can I help you find something? **about (someone’s) size –** to have the same height or body shape as someone else; to wear the same size clothing as someone else *I thought his son was about my size, but he’s actually a lot taller. **small, medium, large –** three standard sizes of clothing; from smallest to largest *I tried on a small and it didn’t fit. I think I need a medium or a large. **style –** a pattern or design * What style do you think would look good on me? **Could you recommend… –** Can you give me a suggestion about…? *Could you recommend a good restaurant near the airport? **locally-made –** made in the same city or area you are visiting *We have a lot of items to choose from, including these locally-made music boxes. **mug –** a tall, round cup with a flat bottom and a handle; often used for drinking coffee *Do you want your tea in a glass or in a mug? **key chain –** a ring that can hold keys; usually attached to another object *My house key fell off my key chain and I can’t find it anywhere! **snow globe –** a round glass container filled with water and glitter, with a small building or statue inside; when you shake it, it looks like snow is falling on the building or statue *It’s strange to see snow globes of Los Angeles since it never snows here. **jewelry –** ornaments such as rings, necklaces, or bracelets *What kind of jewelry do you think I should wear with this dress? **bracelet –** jewelry that can be worn around the wrist *The bracelet is made of gold and is very heavy. **How much is it? –** What is the cost? How much do I have to pay for this? *I really like that new car. How much is it? **I’ll take… –** I will have; I would like to have *I’ll take some bread, chocolate cake, and cookies. **There you go. –** Here is what you need; usually used when giving something to someone else *There you go. These are the clothes for the poor we collected in our neighborhood. **change –** the difference between what you owe and what you pay *I gave the waitress $20 but she only gave me change for a $10 bill. ##COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS 1. When Lydia asks the clerk for a recommendation, the clerk suggests: a) a key chain or a snow globe. b) a framed picture of Dr. Jeff McQuillan. c) some locally-made jewelry. 2. Lydia decides to buy: a) a bracelet. b) a bracelet and a t-shirt. c) a bracelet, a t-shirt, and a mug. ##WHAT ELSE DOES IT MEAN? mug The noun *“mug,”* in this podcast, means a large cup with a handle, usually used for hot drinks: *“Drinking a big mug of tea helps me stay warm on a cold night.”* *“Mug”* can also be used as a verb to mean to attack and rob someone: “I was walking in the park when I was mugged.” A person who does the attacking and robbing is called a *“mugger”*: “The mugger told me to give him my money or he would use his knife on me.” change In this podcast, the word *“change”* means the extra money returned to you when you pay for something: *“Did you give me the correct change?”* *“Change”* can also be used as a verb to mean to put on a clean diaper—a piece of material around a baby’s bottom for the baby to go to the bathroom: “The more that baby eats, the more often I have to change her.” *“Change”* can also be used to mean to put on different clothes: “After work, I plan to go home to change before going to the party.” ##CULTURE NOTE People often collect souvenirs to remember a good time they had when they traveled, or to prove that they have been somewhere. A souvenir usually has the name or the picture of the place you are visiting. Some souvenirs can be useful, like clothing, pens, or books. Other souvenirs are objects used for decoration like toy animals, snow globes, or very small spoons or forks. Some people collect souvenirs for themselves because they like to have them. Often souvenirs are given as gifts, as a way to share the travel experience with others. It is a tradition to bring gifts for close family and friends after taking a long trip or vacation. The good thing about souvenirs is that when someone else sees a souvenir, they can ask about it and you can talk about your experience traveling. It is a nice way to get to know someone with similar interests. Comprehension Questions Correct Answers: 1 – c; 2 – b ##COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT Welcome to Number 173, “Buying Souvenirs.” This is Episode 173. I'm your host, Dr. Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center for Educational Development in beautiful Los Angeles, California. Be sure to visit our website at and get the Learning Guide, the 8-10 page Learning Guide for this podcast which has all of the words, definitions, sample sentences, cultural information, and a complete transcript of this podcast. Go to eslpod.com. Today's podcast is going to be about buying souvenirs. Let's get started. [start of story] I was vacationing in Miami, Florida, and I went to a souvenir store to get some gifts for friends back home. Lydia: Could you show me where the T-shirts are? Clerk: Sure, they're on the left, along the wall. Can I help you find something? Lydia: I'd like to get a T-shirt, but I'm not sure about the size. It's for a friend who's about your size. Clerk: Well, in that case, you'll need a large. I only have these in medium or small, but I have these two in size large. Lydia: Do you have anything in another color or another style? Clerk: How about this one? Lydia: That's great. Could you also recommend a gift for a young woman? Clerk: We have a lot of locally-made items. I don't think you want a mug, a key chain, or a snow globe. But, how about some jewelry? Lydia: Oh, this bracelet is nice! How much is it? Clerk: It's on sale for $36.00. Lydia: Okay, I'll take the T-shirt and the necklace. Do you have a box for the necklace? Clerk: Sure, no problem. That will be $59.60 with tax. Lydia: There you go. Clerk: Here's your change. Thanks for coming in. [end of story] This podcast is called, *“Buying Souvenirs.”* And a *“souvenir”* is something that you buy when you go on vacation. You take a trip to somewhere else, and you want something to remember that place that you visited; something you can take back home with you. It may be a picture, lots of different things that have the name of the place you visited. All of these could be souvenirs. Well, in this story, Lydia is vacationing in Florida. Notice that the word *“vacation”* is a noun. It means what they would call in Britain a *“holiday.”* And a vacation or a holiday is when you don't work and you go somewhere else to relax or see something. It can also be a verb: *“to vacation.”* So, *“I am vacationing,”* “I was vacationing,” is also a possible use of that word. Well, she's vacationing in Miami, Florida. Florida, as you may know, is located in the southern part of the United States, the southeastern part. It's famous for Disneyland, or, I’m sorry, Disneyworld in Orlando. Disneyland is here in southern California. But, Miami is very famous for being a very nice place to take a vacation. So, she's vacationing in Miami and she goes into a souvenir store. Of course, a souvenir store would be a store that sells things that have the name or the picture of the place where you're visiting. And if you go to somewhere that has a lot of tourists - a lot of people who are visiting or vacationing - you will find a souvenir store. Well, she wants to get some souvenirs, some gifts, for friends back home. She asks the clerk in the store if he could show her where the T- shirts are. A *“T-shirt”* is a piece of what we would call casual clothing. *“Casual”* is the opposite of formal. We don't normally say *“informal”* clothes; we would say casual clothes. And a T-shirt is a piece of casual clothing. You can wear a T-shirt underneath a formal shirt. And usually, when a man does that, it's a white T-shirt. A T-shirt is usually short-sleeved. That is, the *“sleeve,”* which is the part of the shirt that is on your arm, that sleeve is not long; it doesn't go to your hand, to your wrist, but it stops in the upper part of your arm. And we call that a “short- sleeved shirt.” Well, a T-shirt is a short-sleeved shirt, a casual shirt. It's very popular in many souvenir stores to find shirts that have the name of the town or the place where you're visiting. My brother, Mark, used to own a lot of T-shirts that had names of places where he had visited. And then he got married and his wife made him throw them all away. So, because they're very casual clothing and you wouldn't want to wear them to a formal event. But anyway, the person here in our story, Lydia, has T-shirts that she wants to buy. The clerk shows her where they are and asks Lydia, “Can I help you find something?” – is a common question that a person in a store will ask you when you walk in. *“Hi! Can I help you?”* *“Can I help you find something?”* And if you want their help, of course, you can say, *“Yes. I'm looking for a T-shirt.”* “I'm looking for a camera.” *“I'm looking for a girlfriend.”* - whatever you're going to get. The clerk will, of course, try to help you and their job is to sell you something. Sometimes, you don't want any help and in that case, you say, *“I'm just looking.”* So, a clerk says, *“Can I help you find something?”* You say, “No, thank you. I'm just looking.” We can also say, *“I'm just browsing.”* To *“browse”* means to look at things, but not looking for anything specific, necessarily; just sort of l...
Transcribe →