ESL Podcast - Previous Episodes

Slow dialogue: 1:17 Explanations: 3:15 Fast dialogue: 13:55 Andre: Mom, I can’t believe I got stuck with Matt as my lab partner in school. Josephine: Matt? Do I know Matt? Andre: He lives down the street. He’s Mr. and Mrs. Kemp’s son. He’s a total airhead. Josephine: Oh, I remember him. He was at your birthday party. Andre: Yeah, when I was nine years old! That guy is so dense! Josephine: Matt was always considered a gifted child. He seemed bright and perceptive, and his parents thought he’d go far. Andre: If you ask me, he’s not all there. Every time I look over at him in class, he’s staring off into space. He doesn’t seem like the kind who’s very quick on the uptake. Josephine: You know, some very smart people can seem spacey to the rest of us. Maybe he’s just thinking when he stares off into space. Andre: Maybe. All I know is that my science grade is riding on how we do in the lab, so I hope he shapes up. Josephine: I’m sure he will. And even if he doesn’t, you’re clever enough to still do well in the class. Andre: Thanks, Mom, but I wouldn’t bet on it! Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Topics: Ask an American: childhood obesity; besides vs. furthermore vs. moreover; wink-wink; thrill Words: to be doing veggie grass-fed organic salad bar to line up to segue processed food refined high fructose corn syrup whole food with an eye in the long run toward... furthermore moreover besides to give the wink-wink thrill

Slow dialogue: 1:40 Explanations: 3:55 Fast dialogue: 17:38 Joachim: I’m really having second thoughts about hiring a firm to do corporate spying for us. I don’t want to do anything that’s ethically questionable. Dawn: We have no choice but to do it. All of our competitors conduct corporate espionage. Joachim: I can understand spying on our competitors, but I draw the line at having us snoop on our own employees. Dawn: We wouldn’t unless our backs were against the wall. I know you’re thinking about Hewer Placket hiring investigators to find a leak in their company. I’m sure it was a hard decision for them, but they couldn’t allow anyone in their own company to leak trade secrets. Joachim: True, it was necessary, but I don’t like being deceptive with our own employees. I won’t allow wiretaps or any invasion of privacy. Dawn: Our first priority would be damage control, not privacy. In any case, we’re not making a decision to spy within the company right now. We’re only after our rival’s information. The investigators we’re hiring know the difference between legal and illegal spying. They’ll schmooze at trade shows, scour legal records, and do other things like that. They’ll know where to draw the line. Joachim: I hope you’re right. I don’t want to end up on the front page of the Times! Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Slow dialogue: 1:31 Explanations: 3:03 Fast dialogue: 13:36 Frank: Hand me that bag of potato chips. Katie: Here. You mean you’re still hungry after two burgers and French fries? Frank: Yeah, I am. I’m a growing boy. Where’s the popcorn? Katie: I can’t believe we’re eating all of this junk food. I’m supposed to be watching what I eat. Frank: Forget about it. Who can watch a football game without stuffing their faces? It’s an American tradition. Katie: Where did you get those candy bars? Frank: Some kids were selling them door-to-door and I thought it was my duty to buy some. Katie: It was your duty to buy 10 candy bars?! Frank: What can I say? I’m a softy. Katie: I’m getting another soda. Do you want one? Frank: No, thanks. But while you’re up, can you hand me the phone? Katie: Sure, why? Frank: I’m ordering a pizza. Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Topics: The Chinese Exclusion Act; Library of Congress and the public library system; I thought versus I think; anyway versus however; to make (someone) earn (something) Words: Immigration to resent act to exclude citizen ethnic to repeal library to check out books Congress collection significant anyway however to make (someone) earn (something)

Celebrate three years of ESL Podcast with our anniversary video! See complete transcript on our website at ESLPod.com.

Slow dialogue: 1:21 Explanations: 3:18 Fast dialogue: 14:53 Olivia: Dad, can I ask you a question? Dad: You just did. Olivia: I mean, can I ask you another question? Dad: Ask away. Olivia: Where do babies come from? Dad: What? Where did you come up with that one? Olivia: I don’t know. Dad: Let me tell you. That’s for grown-ups to know. You’re just a pipsqueak. You mind your own business and I’ll tell you when you’re a little older. Olivia: Why can’t you tell me now? Dad: No comment. Olivia: Dad, what does no comment mean? Dad: That’s confidential. Olivia: Why is it confidential? Dad: That’s personal. Olivia: Dad, just tell me. Dad: Never you mind. Olivia: But I want to know! Dad: And I want to know why I can’t get some peace and quiet in this house. Olivia: Oh, Dad. Dad: Don’t “oh, Dad” me. Just wait and see. You’ll get all the answers you want when you’re older. Olivia: But Dad, I want to know now. Where do babies come from? Dad: I’m out of answers. Go ask your mother. Olivia: I did. Mom said to ask you. Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Slow dialogue: 1:46 Explanations: 3:55 Fast dialogue: 15:28 Janine: Okay, we need to find one more act for this year’s show. How many more people are waiting to audition? Calvin: There are two more. Should I call in the first one? Janine: Yup. Let’s get this over with. ... Calvin: What did you think of that performance? Janine: I thought she was flawless. She plays with a lot of passion. Calvin: Yeah, that’s true, but I wouldn’t call her a virtuoso. The piece she played was pretty rudimentary. Janine: True enough, but I still think she’s a winner. Calvin: Let’s hear the next one. ... Calvin: Well? Janine: He certainly played with a lot of flair. Calvin: He has amazing chops, I think. I haven’t seen anyone play with such artistry in a long time. Janine: Nobody can fault him on mastery of the music, but don’t you think he lacked originality and expressiveness? Calvin: No, I don’t. I think he’s a winner. Janine: It’s clear that it’s a stalemate. I want the first performer and you want the second. What should we do? Calvin: I think we should duke it out and the winner gets his or her choice. Janine: I have a better idea. We add them both to the bill. Calvin: That’s brilliant! That’s why they pay you the big bucks. Janine: I would be flattered if we weren’t all volunteers! Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Topics: The CIA; how to become a court interpreter and/or an interpreter for the U.N.; haunting versus haunted; completion versus completeness; to take (somebody) on Words: intelligence foreign advisor clandestine to tap a phone to bug to infiltrate espionage implication interpreter court to polish haunting haunted completion completeness to take on

Slow dialogue: 1:38 Explanations: 3:47 Fast dialogue: 15.25 Candace: Hello. Mehdi: Hello, may I speak to Candace Cho, please? Candace: Speaking. Mehdi: Oh, hello Ms. Cho. My name is Mehdi and I’m interested in applying for the job as assistant manager. Your name was listed as the contact person. Am I calling at a bad time? Candace: No, not at all. I’m the administrative assistant and I’m fielding calls for the person doing the hiring. What can I do for you? Mehdi: Well, I read the job description and I think I would be a good fit, but I was wondering if there are any special qualifications not mentioned in the description. Candace: Well, requirements are spelled out in the description, and I don’t have much to add, really. But I do know that the person doing the hiring is looking for someone to start immediately. Can you do that? Mehdi: Sure, that’s no problem. I’ll be sure to mention that in my cover letter. Thanks. Candace: If you’ve had experience managing a large staff, be sure to emphasize that in your résumé. Any other questions? Mehdi: No, no other questions. Thank you very much for your time. You’ve been very helpful. Candace: Your questions show a lot of initiative. I’m sure you’ll do fine. Mehdi: Thanks, I really appreciate the vote of confidence. Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Slow dialogue: 1:27 Explanations: 3:43 Fast dialogue: 15:06 Lyla: Okay, here’s a hypothetical. You ask a girl for her number, but wait two weeks to call her. What gives? George: Well, that depends. Why? Lyla: Well, I met this guy two weeks ago at a party. We spent the entire evening talking and I thought we really hit it off. We had a lot of chemistry and we had a ton of things in common. He asked for my number and he said he’d call me the next day. And then, I didn’t hear hide nor hair of him until yesterday, 10 days after we met. How come? George: What did he say when he called? What was his pathetic excuse? Lyla: I didn’t talk to him. I wasn’t home and he left a voicemail message. I haven’t called him back yet. George: Why don’t you just call him and find out? Lyla: He just called yesterday and I don’t want to seem desperate. George: Oh, come on. He probably just lost your number and found it yesterday. Lyla: That’s possible. George: Or he had to go out of town and just got back. Lyla: I suppose. George: Or maybe he was nervous about calling you and just got up the nerve. Lyla: Do you really think so? George: Maybe. Or maybe he’s playing hard to get or he’s just not that into you. Lyla: Oh. George: But you won’t know if you don’t call him back. Lyla: I guess that’s true. Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Topics: Famous Americans: Amy Tan; Americans with Disabilities Act; to take convincing, full-fledged, dude Words: descent to fight to give (someone) the silent treatment promise life-changing event expectation act disability to enact discrimination accessibility wheelchair elevator ramp exception to the rule bars to take convincing full-fledged dude

Slow dialogue: 1:32 Explanations: 3:29 Fast dialogue: 15:00 Dale: I didn’t know you read that forum. What’s your screen name? Jessie: It’s “jessiegirl,” but I don’t post very often. I like to lurk and follow the different threads, but I prefer to keep a low profile. Dale: Really? I post all the time. I just put my new web address on my profile, and check this out. It’s my new avatar. Jessie: That’s cool. I’ve been trying to figure out how to upload a picture for my avatar. Are there instructions in the FAQs? Dale: I’m not sure, but I can show you how to do it. Have you been following the thread about the presidential campaign? Jessie: Yeah, I had been...until today. Dale: Why’s that? Jessie: I stopped reading when this one guy, “bigman,” started to flame everybody, saying that anyone who didn’t agree with him is an idiot. Dale: Oh, really? Jessie: Yeah, he started posting replies, writing in all caps and letting people have it. He quoted people out of context and attacked them. What a jerk! Dale: Yeah, that guy sounds like a jerk. Jessie: Hey, what did you say your screen name is? Dale: Never mind. Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Slow dialogue: 1:37 Explanations: 3:51 Fast dialogue: 14:19 Ginger: It’s really nice of you to come with me to buy my computer. This is the desktop I’m thinking about. Kevin: This is okay, but if I were you, I’d buy a laptop. It’s more versatile. You can travel with it. Ginger: I’m not sure about getting a laptop. The screen is so small. Kevin: No problem. You can get a separate monitor. This is a good one. You just need a connector and a cable to hook it up to your laptop. Here’s a monitor stand, too, so you can elevate it if you want to. Ginger: The speakers on the laptop aren’t very loud. Kevin: You can get these great speakers. You plug them into your laptop and the sound is amazing. Ginger: I’m not sure about the battery. Kevin: It comes with a battery that lasts three to five hours, but you can always buy a spare. Of course, it comes with a power cord, too, so you can just plug it in if your battery runs low. Ginger: The keyboard is a little cramped, too. Kevin: That’s what a full-size keyboard is for. You can buy a separate keyboard and mouse and attaching them to your laptop. It’ll be just like having a desktop. Ginger: Then why don’t I just buy a desktop? Kevin: If you do, you won’t be able to buy all of these great accessories. That’s half the fun of buying a new computer! Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Topics: American Cities: Chicago; The Star-Spangled Banner; just versus only versus mere; to kick butt Words: windy magnificent skyscraper public transportation system gangster Prohibition league anthem dawn twilight patriotic mere to kick butt