Episodes
-
Topics: American Presidents ā Barack Obama; Famous Songs ā āAnchors Aweighā; diffidence versus timidity versus shyness; receipt versus reception; no problem versus not at all versus no big deal
Words:
community organizer
healthcare
candidate
rising star
biracial
campaign slogan
grassroots
polarized
affordable
anchor
ashore
foam
diffidence
timidity
shyness
receipt
reception
no problem
not at all
no big deal -
Letās not talk about the topic of todayās episode right now. So, howās your day going?
Slow dialog: 1:25
Explanations: 4:00
Fast dialog: 18:29Lila: Why arenāt you dating? I have so many friends who would love to go out with you.
George: Letās change the subject. Talking about my love life isnāt very interesting.
Lila: But really, youāre not getting any younger andā¦
George: Moving on! Have you seen any good movies lately?
Lila: Listen, all of your friends are settling down and you donāt want to go through life alone and lonelyā¦
George: That reminds me, didnāt you say that you were going to get another dog so that Rover isnāt lonely when youāre not home?
Lila: Forget about my dog. You remember Rachel, donāt you? She just broke up with her boyfriend and sheād be perfect for you.
George: Speaking of Rachel, how is her mother? Wasnāt she in the hospital?
Lila: If Rachel isnāt your type, how about Amina? She has great legs and I know youāre a leg man.
George: And now for something completely differentā¦How is your diet coming along? Have you lost any weight yet?
Lila: I donāt really want to talk about my weight.
George: But I think youāre having trouble shedding those pounds, right? I have lots of suggestions on what you can do.
Lila: Anyway, as I said before, I donāt really want to talk about my dietā¦
George: You need to cut out sweets if you want to lose weight. Are you eating too many sweets?
Lila: Thatās none of your business!
George: My sentiments exactly!
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
-
Missing episodes?
-
Topics: Movies ā Die Hard; American Authors ā Emma Lazarus; in front of versus ahead of versus before; as if versus as though versus as for; to take stock
Words:
to be separated
to give (something) another try
to freshen up
hostage
safe
cowboy
to be descend from
to be well received
to dedicate
to persecute
to huddle
to yearn
in front of
ahead of
before
as if
as though
as for
to take stock -
Topics: Famous Americans ā Muhammad Ali; The Golden Gate Bridge; valuable versus invaluable; north/south versus northern/southern; common ground and universal experience
Words:
to take up
professionally
agile
to reign
nationalist
social activist
to be drafted
to indict
bridge
strait
fog
precaution
dizziness
valuable
invaluable
north / south
northern / southern
common ground
universal -
Topics: Famous Americans ā Charles Schultz and Peanuts; The Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve; to be pleased to versus to be happy to versus itās (oneās) pleasure to; to sit versus to seat; willy-nilly
Words:
cartoon
freelance
folks
memoir
tomboy
national park
national preserve
glacier
mine
to designate
volcano
to be pleased to
to be happy to
Itās (oneās) pleasure to
to sit
to seat
willy-nilly -
Do you ever go to the supermarket without finding what youāre looking for? Learn more about it in this episode.
Slow dialog: 1:11
Explanations: 3:17
Fast dialog: 16:18Stocker: Can I help you find something?
Meg: Yes, Iām looking for coffee.
Stocker: Thatās on aisle 3. Let me show you where it is.
Meg: Thanks. Hmm, I donāt see the Jitters brand that I normally buy.
Stocker: It looks like weāre out of stock. We should get another shipment next week.
Meg: Okay, Iāll check back. Iām also looking for the Fructose brand soda, but I didnāt see it in the soda aisle.
Stocker: Iām afraid thatās been discontinued. Their parent company no longer makes soda.
Meg: Really? I love Fructose soda. How about the Mushy brand bread? I didnāt see it when I checked the bread aisle.
Stocker: We no longer stock the Mushy brand. There were so quality control issues at the company, so weāve pulled all of their products from the shelves. Can I help you find anything else?
Meg: No, I guess Iāll just have to try some new brands. Oh, yes, do you carry Worm organic apples?
Stocker: We normally do, but theyāre out of season right now. We wonāt have any until early summer.
Meg: All of this shopping and I have nothing to show for it. I guess Iām going home empty-handed.
Stocker: We do have chocolate cakes and cookies on sale.
Meg: Iām there!
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
-
Take a look in the mirror and see if you recognize yourself in these descriptions of the beautiful people.
Slow dialog: 1:30
Explanations: 3:18
Fast dialog: 17:55Pamela: You know that your tongue is hanging out of your mouth, right?
David: Thatās because Iāve never seen so many beautiful women in one place before. Why have I never been to this beach before? Look at her! Sheās a hottie!
Pamela: Isnāt that what you said about that woman over there?
David: No, I said sheās a babe. Look at the way she sways when she walks.
Pamela: Stop ogling her or her boyfriend or husband is going to come over here.
David: Iām not ogling. Iām admiring the perfection of the female body.
Pamela: Youāre undressing her with your eyes. Avert your gaze before you regret it. Oh, wow!
David: What?
Pamela: Check out that guy over there. Hello, Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome!
David: That pretty boy over there? Heās too into himself. Look at the way heās posing so every woman on this beach can get a look at him. Heās nothing but an exhibitionist.
Pamela: And the women youāve been ogling in the teeny tiny bikinis?
David: Those women? Theyāre just showing off what God gave them!
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
-
Lights! Camera! Action! Weāre off to the movies. Learn how to talk about seeing a good film in this episode.
Slow dialogue: 0:57
Explanations: 2:37
Fast dialogue: 15:35Martin: What did you think of that movie?
Joanna: It was okay, but Iām not really into big-budget movies with a lot of special effects and big-name stars.
Martin: Oh, youāre a film snob. I bet you only watch indie films made on a shoestring budget with low production values.
Joanna: No, thatās not true. I just donāt like crowd-pleasers that are predictable. I like movies that stretch the imagination and have some artistic value.
Martin: You mean you like those weird movies with no plot and a lot of strange characters. Theyāre artsy, but leave you totally confused.
Joanna: I donāt mind some ambiguity, if thatās what you mean.
Martin: Well, Iām going to see the new Spiderboy movie next week. I donāt suppose you want to come?
Joanna: Spiderboy? Iāve been looking forward to seeing that movie.
Martin: But itās a big-budget blockbuster.
Joanna: I canāt watch artsy films all the time. Variety is the spice of life, donāt you think?
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
-
If you canāt read this, then put on your glasses and listen to this episode on having bad eyes.
Slow dialogue: 1:07
Explanations: 2:45
Fast dialogue: 15:19Sue: This medication Iām taking is messing with my vision. Everything is blurry.
Hamed: Thatās a good reason for you to stay home from work today.
Sue: I canāt. I have to give a presentation this afternoon and I canāt flake out on my coworkers.
Hamed: What good are you to them if youāre blind as a bat?
Sue: Everybody else will have crystal clear vision, so all I have to do is to put in an appearance. Things may not be as sharp as Iād like them to be, but I can still make out people and objects ā as long as theyāre really big.
Hamed: I donāt think your coworkers are going to want you to blindside them today with your strange behavior. Youāre going to do more harm than good.
Sue: I can see well enough. I only see double if I move my head like this. Whoaā¦
Hamed: At this point, I donāt care if you have X-ray vision. That medication is affecting more than your vision. Itās impairing your better judgment!
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
-
Learn how to take and leave phone messages in this podcast.
Slow dialog: 0:57
Explanations: 3:42
Fast dialog: 21:10I was looking forward to a quiet evening at home. As soon as I walked in the door, though, the phone rang.
Paolo: Hello.
Evelyn: Hi, could I speak to Tony?
Paolo: Heās not here right now. Can I take a message?
Evelyn: Do you know when heāll be back?
Paolo: No, I donāt.
Evelyn: Okay. Iāll call back later. Thanks.
ā¦ā¦
Ten minutes later, the phone rang again.Paolo: Hello.
Pam: Hi, is Tony there?
Paolo: No, heās out.
Pam: Could I leave a message?
Paolo: Sure. Give me a second to get something to write withā¦Okay, Iām ready.
Pam: Could you tell him that Pam called and ask him to call me back as soon as he can.
Paolo: Does he have your number?
Pam: He should, but Iād better give it to you. Itās 279-555-6347.
Paolo: Okay, Iāll tell him.
Pam: Thanks.
ā¦..As soon as I put down the receiver, the phone rang again. I couldnāt believe it.
Paolo: Hello.
Susan: Hi, is this Tony?
Paolo: No, Iām his roommate, Paolo. Tonyās not here right now.
Susan: I need to get a hold of him. Do you have his cell number?
Paolo: Uh, yeah, I do, but Iām not sure he wants me to give it out.
Susan: Oh, Iām sure heād want me to have it.
Paolo: I tell you what. Why donāt I take your number and have him call you back?
Susan: I really need to get a hold of him right away.
Paolo: Iāll give him your message as soon as he gets home.
Susan: Fine. This is Susan and my number is 742-555-3655. Please make sure he gets it. Itās important. Bye.
Paolo: Bye.
As soon as she hung up, I took the phone off the hook for the rest of the night. Iād had enough of being Tonyās answering service for one night!
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
-
Learn how to ask for clarification in English in this podcast.
Slow dialog: 0:54
Explanations: 2:29
Fast dialog: 12:46I was negotiating a contract with a new business partner, and we had a meeting to clarify the terms.
Bill: If I understand the terms correctly, the length of the contract would be one year with a one-year option. Is that correct?
Ms. Samuels: Do you mean the contract for equipment rental or the one for training?
Bill: I was under the impression that both contracts had the same terms.
Ms. Samuels: Yes and no. Let me see if I can clarify that. The terms are the same except that the contract for training has a clause that allows for the cancellation after the first six months.
Bill: Could you elaborate on that?
Ms. Samuels: Sure. What I mean is that either side could cancel the training contract after the six months as long as itās in writing.
Bill: Let me see if I have that right. This contract is for six months of training, but if it isnāt cancelled, continues for another six months. Is that right?
Ms. Samuels: Yes, thatās right.
Bill: Okay, thatās clear enough. Letās move on to the other terms . . .
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
