ESL Podcast - Previous Episodes

Special Edition Podcast: English Questions Answered 1. None as singular or plural noun 2. Supposed to be 3. Having said that 4. Rough 5. Be + infinitive 6. Thick as a brick 7. Wanna, gotta, gonna 8. Using the 9. What the doctor says 10. Gosh 11. What it feels like for someone

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse Audio Index: Slow dialog: 0:40 Explanations: 3:02 Fast dialog: 19:45 I just moved to L.A. and don’t have a car. Everybody says that you can’t get around this city without one, but I wanted to prove them wrong. I asked my neighbor to take me to the downtown bus station so I could try taking the bus home. She thought I was crazy but gave me a ride. When I got there, I went inside and got a bus schedule. I looked at the map and figured out that I needed to take three buses to get home. The fare was $1.75 per ride and I could buy a single ticket, a booklet of 20, or a bus pass. I would need transfers, too, to change buses. I took my map and went outside to wait at the bus stop for the Number 8 bus. Soon it pulled up and I got on. I gave my ticket to the bus driver and took a seat. At the stop where I needed to get off, I rang the bell, the bus stopped, and I got off. I waited for the next bus. I waited and waited. A man who was also waiting for the Number 14 bus said that it wasn’t unusual for the bus to be delayed. It finally got there and I found out that the bus had broken down along the route and they had to get another bus to take its place. By this time, I was getting pretty tired. Maybe getting a car in L.A. wasn’t such a bad idea.

Topics: New movie by Spike Lee, Ice Age, how Americans buy groceries, "Catch 22," can vs. to be able to, no longer, period vs. bottom line, "freak on a leash" Words: Inside Man Do the Right Thing (Spike Lee movie) bank heist bank teller to stick up a bank to hold up hostage bandit masked sequel animated canned goods chain store shopping cart sliced bread butcher Joseph Heller profit collar Korn

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse Audio Index Slow dialog: 0:48 Explanations: 2:11 Fast dialog: 18:02 Jack: So, what do you think of the new guy? Kate: Oh, you mean Bernard? He’s okay, I guess. Why? Jack: Well, I heard that he left his last company under mysterious circumstances. I tried to find out more from Libby, but she was very hush-hush about it. Kate: I’m not surprised. Libby doesn’t like to gossip, unlike some people… Jack: I’m not gossiping. I just like to know more about the people I work with. Kate: Okay, but don’t start any rumors. Bernard seems nice and I think we should give him a chance. Jack: Don’t worry. I’ll cut him some slack, but I want to know what skeletons are in his closet. Kate: Take it from me. You won’t find any dirty little secrets and you may make an enemy of Bernard in the process. Jack: You’re probably right but I wonder what Nathan knows…

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse Audio Index: Slow dialog: 0:47 Explanations: 2:21 Fast dialog: 20:05 I invited Bruce to a play at the Mark Taper Forum and we got there a little early. We handed our tickets to the woman at the door and found our seats. Megan: I’m glad we got here early to find our seats. I know that this is a sold out performance. Bruce: The cast is supposed to be really good. I read a rave review of the play in the paper last week. The review said that the leads are perfectly cast and the directing is inspired. Federica saw it a couple of weeks ago and she said that the staging and the costumes were really something to see. Megan: I’m really glad. The last time I came to a play at this theater, it was a bomb. The two lead actors weren’t up to their parts and the whole production was amateur. It closed early after only two weeks. Bruce: That won’t happen with this play. Hey, they’re dimming the lights. The curtain should be going up any minute.

Topics: Easter bunny, Income Tax Day, immigration protests in the US, actually, zero vs. nil, to be on your last legs, third straight time, despite versus in spite of. Words: Lent rabbit mall secular to deduct 1040 to prepare tax returns Benjamin Franklin bill riot gear ordinal number “in a row” even though

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse Audio Index: Slow dialog: 0:44 Explanations: 2:37 Fast dialog: 18:37 One of the first things I do each morning is to check my email. I open the email program on my computer and I check for new messages. It usually takes only a few seconds for my new messages to download from the server into my inbox unless there’s a large attachment. I can then click onto each new message to read it. I reply to messages or forward them to someone else. The important messages I save by putting them into one of my mailboxes. The unimportant ones I just delete. I really hate getting spam. Luckily, my email program allows me to set up filters so that spam messages are put into a separate mailbox automatically. I usually scan the messages to make sure real messages weren’t put into the mailbox by mistake and then I put them in the trash. I don’t know what I would do without email, but I’m constantly checking it for new messages. I’m not sure if it’s a blessing or a curse. I suppose it’s both.

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse Audio Index: Slow dialog: 0:48 Explanations: 3:03 Fast dialog: 20:20 To Whom It May Concern: I am writing regarding a tour that my wife and I took with your company on February 26, 2006. The brochure stated that we would see some of the most interesting sights of the city. Since we had visited the city before, we looked forward to seeing some new attractions. On the morning of February 26, our tour guide picked us up in a small van. It did not look like any tour bus I had ever seen. Our tour guide drove us to the waterfront area and said that we could explore the area on our own. The tour guide said that he had to leave for a short time to arrange for our lunch. By the time the tour guide came back, three hours had gone by! I was very angry and confronted him. I told him that this was the worst tour I had ever been on. I am asking for a complete refund of the price of the tour. Please send a check to the address above for $150.00 at your earliest convenience. I have enclosed a copy of the receipt for the tour. Sincerely, Kayne East

Topics: Illinois, checks and bills, periods and full stops, April Fool’s Day, just vs. only, to make up one’s mind, “in the eye of the beholder,” behind vs. beyond, MIA, for vs. on my part, pronouncing sheep/ship, feet/fit Words: clip Lake Michigan “Windy City” breeze barbecue pork and beef ribs slavery running tab rude to play a trick on someone practical joke hoax acronym

ESL Podcast Special Announcement Beginning April 3, 2006, we will be changing our weekly schedule of podcasts. Instead of five podcasts per week (Monday-Friday), we will now have three podcasts per week: Monday: ESL Podcast Wednesday: English Cafe Friday: ESL Podcast Thank you as always for listening to the podcasts each week! Lucy & Jeff

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse Audio Index: Slow dialog: 0:52 Explanations: 2:10 Fast dialog: 15:18 Sharon: So, Leo, how are the plans coming along for the company retreat? Leo: I’ve made most of the arrangements and I think it’s going well. I’m planning to send out information about the two-day event to the managers at the end of this week. Sharon: What do you have set up for the opening day? There’s normally a welcome dinner. Leo: That’s what I have arranged. Then, for the following day, I’ve lined up several speakers and panels to talk about productivity, teamwork, and the other topics we discussed. Sharon: Good. What about recreation? We don’t want it to be all work and no play. Leo: The hotel where we’re holding the retreat this year has golf and water sports. I don’t think the managers will be bored. Sharon: Well, it sounds like you have it all under control. Keep up the good work. Leo: Thanks.

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse Audio Index: Slow dialog: 0:40 Explanations: 2:47 Fast dialog: 13:46 I love eating at all-you-can-eat buffets. It doesn’t matter what kind of food it is, I’m up for it. Last week, I went to a high-end seafood buffet with my friends. We walked in and the hostess seated us at a table. She asked if we wanted to order any drinks. Drinks other than water are not included in the price. I got up and got a plate. I went over to the soup and salad station first and then over to the hot food. They had a carving station and made-to-order omelets. They also had a great dessert table, but I wasn’t ready for that yet. I sat down, ate, and grabbed a new plate for the second round. This time, I went for the seafood. I loaded up my plate and sat down again. After two more trips to the buffet, I was ready for dessert. I got a little of everything. I was so stuffed, I couldn’t eat another bite. I really enjoyed the meal. I like being able to serve myself. Some people don’t like buffets unless they’re very high-end. Not me. Give me any high-end or low-end buffet and I’m perfectly happy.

Topics: Political parties in the US, How to begin an email, Even vs. odd, Unless, "Six feet under" Words: Democratic Democrat Republican liberal conservative left-wing right-wing 3rd party Green Party Ralph Nadar consumer advocate legislature title Mr. = man Ms. = woman Mrs. = married woman Dr. = doctor Fr. = priest revenge to get even

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse Audio Index: Slow dialog: 0:48 Explanations: 2:42 Fast dialog: 14:54 Some people say that it’s civic duty to “give back” to your community. That’s true but for me, I want to do some volunteer work so that I can feel useful. I’ve been working at the same job for years and it’s not at all rewarding. Yes, I make good money, but I never feel like I’m doing any good in the world. When I was in college, I had dreams of changing the world. I wanted to work in a non-profit organization that did relief work, that helped woman and children in need, or that had an impact on public policy. I’ve begun to think again about those dreams and thought I might take the first step of doing some volunteering. Then, I can see if I like that kind of work and make some hard decisions. I called an organization that helped homeless children. I told them about my education and experience, and they said they could use someone like me to do some tutoring. I filled out an application and was fingerprinted for a background check. A few weeks later, I met my student and I tutored her for the first time. It was a great experience. I wish I had done it earlier!

Topics: Spring Break, Movie Ratings in the US, "Stay tuned," Frightened vs. Afraid, Customer vs. Consumer Words: rowdy resorts Cancun Mazatlan Easter binge drinking motion picture MPAA G = General PG = Parental Guidance PG-13 = Parents Strongly Cautioned R = Restricted NC-17 = No one 17 or under X = Pornographic