English as a Second Language Podcast
Angielski ze świata
English as a Second Language Podcast
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791 - Taking Photographs
Learn how to take your pictures in English in this episode.
Slow dialogue: 1:03
Explanations: 2:47
Fast dialogue: 13:49Ryan: Stop mugging for the camera and stand still!
Katrina: I’ve been standing still for 10 minutes, while you’ve been setting up the shot. I have to do something. This is boring!
Ryan: I almost have the settings right. Okay, let’s try a shot. Say “cheese.”
Katrina: Cheese.
Ryan: Oh, you look washed out in that shot and it’s blurry. I think the flash came on when I didn’t want it to. You have red-eye, too. I’ll have to adjust the settings again.
Katrina: Hurry up!
Ryan: Okay, I think I’ve got it now. Get back into your pose. Lift your head a little to the side and face the sun…
Katrina: Take the picture!
Ryan: I just need to focus. There! Say “cheese” again.
Katrina: Cheese.
Ryan: Um, it’s still not perfect. Let me put the camera on a tripod. Try to stay still while I do that.
Katrina: I thought you wanted this shot to look like a candid.
Ryan: I do, but how am I supposed to make it look like a perfect candid if you keep moving out of your pose?
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
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English Cafe #346
Topics: Ask an American: Innovation; pain versus sorrow versus woe; manhood; to be over someone versus to be all over someone
Words:
show and tell
to stumble across
to trigger
association
unpredictable
to kill
creativity
to undermine
to stimulate
autonomy
mindset
mechanism
inevitable
pain
sorrow
woe
manhood
to be over (someone)
to be all over (someone)
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790 - Giving Birth to Twins
It’s a boy! And a girl!! And another boy! And…well, you get the idea. Have lots of babies in this episode.
Slow dialogue: 0:54
Explanations: 2:19
Fast dialogue: 13:30Jerome: Congratulations! I just heard that you’re pregnant with twins.
Paula: Thanks. We’re very excited, although I’m a little worried about a multiple birth.
Jerome: I come from a long line of multiple births. My father is an identical twin and he had cousins who are fraternal twins.
Paula: I see what you mean.
Jerome: That’s not even the half of it. My maternal grandmother gave birth to triplets and my aunt had quadruplets.
Paula: Wow, multiple births certainly run in your family. What about your immediate family?
Jerome: You’re not going to believe this, but my mother had octuplets. I have seven brothers and sisters the same age.
Paula: And all of you survived?
Jerome: Yup, every single one of us. We often joke that my mother didn’t have babies. She had a litter!
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
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789 - Taking Care of Pets
Teach your pet English with this episode, or at least learn how to talk about him.
Slow dialogue: 1:26
Explanations: 3:02
Fast dialogue: 15:40Magda: Oooh, he’s so cute. When did you get him?
Tony: Yesterday. I’m training him to do tricks.
Magda: Really? Are you having any luck?
Tony: No, not yet. So far, he just lies there, but maybe he’s hungry and doesn’t have any energy to play. I’m going to feed him a few treats and give him some water in his bowl.
Magda: Uh, okay.
Tony: And then later, I’m going to take him for a walk. Here are the new collar and leash I bought for him. I’ll be sure to bring his carrier in case he gets too tired to walk.
Magda: Whatever you say. Are you sure you need to do all that?
Tony: Oh, sure. It’s important to keep pets healthy and happy, don’t you think? I’m going to groom him later. I wouldn’t want him to get fleas or ticks. Maybe I should take him to see the vet for a checkup.
Magda: I really don’t think that’ll be necessary. Tony, you do know that that’s a pet rock, right?
Tony: Yeah, what’s your point?
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
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English Cafe #345
Topics: Famous Americans: Magic Johnson; the role of ham radio operators in the U.S.; understanding versus knowledge versus acquaintance; below the waist and below the belt; earth to (someone)
Words:
drafted
stats
abruptly
MVP
safe sex
commentator
to keep (something) in check
ham radio
to suspend
licensed
to rise to prominence
to wipe out
understanding
knowledge
acquaintance
below the waist
below the belt
earth to (someone)
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788 - Being Conservative and Daring
Sometimes you have to take a risk to get what you want. Find out how in this episode.
Slow dialogue: 1:11
Explanations: 3:00
Fast dialogue: 15:33Wendy: I really don’t think Monty is the right person for this project. He’s too conservative in his thinking. We need someone who’s a risk taker.
Burt: Monty will get the job done. That’s the most important thing.
Wendy: Not if the finished product is staid and boring. Our client won’t be happy with that.
Burt: Okay, who do you have in mind?
Wendy: I was thinking of giving the project to Lorenzo.
Burt: Lorenzo? Well, he certainly likes to push the envelope, but he’s also a loose cannon. Sometimes his ideas pan out and sometimes they fall flat.
Wendy: But Lorenzo is bold and daring. Did you see what he did on his last project? It was genius!
Burt: It was reckless. It was only through sheer luck that everything worked out. I know that Monty’s ideas are more conventional and low-key, but they’re also tried-and-true. But, in the end, it’s your call.
Wendy: In that case, I’m going with Lorenzo. I’m sure he’ll do a great job.
Burt: I hope so. I wouldn’t want us to end up with egg on our face.
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
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787 - Speaking to a Baby or Young Child
If you want to speak to your baby in English, here are some phrases you might want to use.
Slow dialogue: 1:11
Explanations: 2:46
Fast dialogue: 15:07My sister had to go out of town for a couple of days and I offered to look after her 18-month-old twins. It wasn’t long before I realized that I was over my head!
...Colleen: Okay, you two, it’s time to go beddy-bye.
Baby: No!
Colleen: Yes, let’s get your jammies on. You can keep your binkie for now. Your blankie is already in your bed and it’s time to go night-night.
Baby: Potty!
Colleen: Okay, once you have your jammies on, we’ll go potty. What’s the matter, Mark?
Baby: Owie!
Colleen: You have an owie? Where? In your tummy? Oh, you have a boo-boo on your finger. No, don’t stick your wet finger in your brother’s ear. That’s icky. Wait one teensy-weensy minute and I’ll put a band-aid on it.
Baby: Whee!
Colleen: Michael, you can’t jump off the chair like that. That’s a no-no. Oopsie-daisy!
Baby: Waaaaa!
...
Michael had learned his lesson and so had I!Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
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English Cafe #344
Topics: American Playwrights: Tennessee Williams; how to become a real estate agent; thief versus burglar versus robber versus mugger; to sell someone a bill of goods; to hold up one’s end of a bargain; momentum
Words:
hit
menagerie
dysfunctional family
by far
adapted for the screen
most accomplished
to account for
real estate
agent
to afford
real estate broker
background check
thief
burglar
robber
mugger
to sell someone a bill of goods
to hold up one’s end of a bargain
momentum
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786 - Going to a Bar
Party on, people! Learn how to talk about going to a bar in this episode.
Slow dialogue: 1:02
Explanations: 2:53
Fast dialogue: 14:20I’d been complaining to a coworker, Amy, about having to move to the burbs for my job. She said that there were plenty of things to do outside of the city and invited me to a bar she likes.
...Amy: Hey, there you are.
Mykhailo: Hey, so this is the famous McQ’s you’ve been talking about.
Amy: This is it. What would you like to drink? They have several beers on tap and pretty good well drinks.
Mykhailo: I think I’ll get a couple of shots.
Amy: On a Wednesday night? You guys do party hard in the city.
Mykhailo: I’ve had a really rough week and I welcome any excuse to let my hair down. That said, I won’t be getting stinking drunk on a school night. You were right. This place is nice. It even has a dance floor.
Amy: On the weekends, there’s a live band or a DJ, although there’s also a cover charge on Fridays and Saturdays.
Mykhailo: So you do know how to party in the burbs.
Amy: Didn’t I tell you?
Mykhailo: But for me to get a thorough impression of the burbs, I’ll have to come here to check it out this weekend. What are you doing Saturday night?
Amy: Actually, I plan on coming here.
Mykhailo: Want some company?
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
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785 - Consulting a Pharmacist
Learn how to ask for drugs at a pharmacy in English in this episode.
Slow dialogue: 1:12
Explanations: 3:33
Fast dialogue: 17:18Pharmacist: Can I help you?
Sanaz: Yes, I had some questions for the pharmacist.
Pharmacist: I’m the pharmacist. How can I help you?
Sanaz: Can I fill these prescriptions here?
Pharmacist: Yes, you can. Just give those to the pharmacy technician and she’ll take care of you.
Sanaz: The reason I ask is that I’m hoping there’s a home remedy for my problems so I don’t have to pay for prescription medication.
Pharmacist: If you’ve already seen a doctor, then I would follow his or her instructions on what to do, including taking these medications.
Sanaz: All right, but I have some other problems.
Pharmacist: Like what?
Sanaz: I have a rash on my arm. See? Is there an over-the-counter medication I can use?
Pharmacist: That doesn’t look too serious. You can find medications for rashes on aisle three. I would recommend a cream made by McQ Pharmaceuticals. Use it for a few days and monitor it to see if it improves. If not, you may want to see your doctor about it.
Sanaz: Okay, thanks. I also have allergies.
Pharmacist: There are several drugstore medications for allergies.
Sanaz: I already take those. What I want to know is if there is something I can do about the headaches I get from the allergies?
Pharmacist: Pain relievers are on aisle four. Let me show you where they are.
Sanaz: Oh, thank you. On the way there, I’ll tell you about my other health problems. I need eye drops for my dry eyes, pills for my insomnia, something for my back pain...
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
