Topics: American Presidents – Barack Obama; Famous Songs – “Anchors Aweigh”; 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

English Cafe 552

Let’s not talk about the topic of today’s episode right now. So, how’s your day going?


Slow dialog: 1:25
Explanations:  4:00
Fast dialog: 18:29


Lila:  Why aren’t you dating?  I have so many friends who would love to go out with you.


George:  Let’s change the subject.  Talking about my love life isn’t very interesting.


Lila:  But really, you’re not getting any younger and…


George:  Moving on!  Have you seen any good movies lately?


Lila:  Listen, all of your friends are settling down and you don’t want to go through life alone and lonely…


George:  That reminds me, didn’t you say that you were going to get another dog so that Rover isn’t lonely when you’re not home?


Lila:  Forget about my dog.  You remember Rachel, don’t you?  She just broke up with her boyfriend and she’d be perfect for you.


George:  Speaking of Rachel, how is her mother?  Wasn’t she in the hospital?


Lila:  If Rachel isn’t your type, how about Amina?  She has great legs and I know you’re a leg man.


George:  And now for something completely different…How is your diet coming along?  Have you lost any weight yet?


Lila:  I don’t really want to talk about my weight.  


George:  But I think you’re having trouble shedding those pounds, right?  I have lots of suggestions on what you can do.


Lila:  Anyway, as I said before, I don’t really want to talk about my diet…


George:  You need to cut out sweets if you want to lose weight. Are you eating too many sweets?  


Lila:  That’s none of your business!


George:  My sentiments exactly!



Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

1,150 - Avoiding Topics in Conversation

Topics: Movies – Die Hard; American Authors – 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

English Cafe #517

Topics: Famous Americans – 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

English Cafe #490

Topics: Famous Americans – Charles Schultz and Peanuts; The Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve; to be pleased to versus to be happy to versus it’s (one’s) 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 
It’s (one’s) pleasure to 
to sit 
to seat 
willy-nilly

English Cafe #450

Do you ever go to the supermarket without finding what you’re looking for? Learn more about it in this episode.

Slow dialog: 1:11
Explanations: 3:17
Fast dialog: 16:18

Stocker:  Can I help you find something?

Meg:  Yes, I’m looking for coffee.

Stocker:  That’s on aisle 3.  Let me show you where it is.

Meg:  Thanks.  Hmm, I don’t see the Jitters brand that I normally buy.

Stocker:  It looks like we’re out of stock.  We should get another shipment next week.  

Meg:  Okay, I’ll check back.  I’m also looking for the Fructose brand soda, but I didn’t see it in the soda aisle.  

Stocker:  I’m afraid that’s been discontinued.  Their parent company no longer makes soda.  

Meg:  Really?  I love Fructose soda.  How about the Mushy brand bread?  I didn’t 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 we’ve pulled all of their products from the shelves.  Can I help you find anything else?

Meg:  No, I guess I’ll just have to try some new brands.  Oh, yes, do you carry Worm organic apples?

Stocker:  We normally do, but they’re out of season right now.  We won’t have any until early summer.

Meg:  All of this shopping and I have nothing to show for it.  I guess I’m going home empty-handed.

Stocker:  We do have chocolate cakes and cookies on sale.  

Meg:  I’m there!

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

875 - Shopping at the Supermarket

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: 17:55

Pamela:  You know that your tongue is hanging out of your mouth, right?

David:  That’s because I’ve never seen so many beautiful women in one place before.  Why have I never been to this beach before?  Look at her!  She’s a hottie!

Pamela:  Isn’t that what you said about that woman over there?  

David:  No, I said she’s 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:  I’m not ogling.  I’m admiring the perfection of the female body.  

Pamela:  You’re 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?  He’s too into himself.  Look at the way he’s posing so every woman on this beach can get a look at him.  He’s nothing but an exhibitionist.

Pamela:  And the women you’ve been ogling in the teeny tiny bikinis? 

David:  Those women?  They’re just showing off what God gave them!

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

867 - Talking About Attractive Men and Women

Lights!  Camera!  Action!  We’re 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: 15:35

Martin:  What did you think of that movie?

Joanna:  It was okay, but I’m not really into big-budget movies with a lot of special effects and big-name stars.

Martin:  Oh, you’re a film snob.  I bet you only watch indie films made on a shoestring budget with low production values.

Joanna:  No, that’s not true.  I just don’t 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.  They’re artsy, but leave you totally confused.

Joanna:  I don’t mind some ambiguity, if that’s what you mean.  

Martin:  Well, I’m going to see the new Spiderboy movie next week.  I don’t suppose you want to come?

Joanna:  Spiderboy?  I’ve been looking forward to seeing that movie.

Martin:  But it’s a big-budget blockbuster.

Joanna:  I can’t watch artsy films all the time.  Variety is the spice of life, don’t you think?

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

802 - Talking About Movies

If you can’t 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: 15:19

Sue:  This medication I’m taking is messing with my vision.  Everything is blurry.  

Hamed:  That’s a good reason for you to stay home from work today.  

Sue:  I can’t.  I have to give a presentation this afternoon and I can’t flake out on my coworkers.

Hamed:  What good are you to them if you’re 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 I’d like them to be, but I can still make out people and objects – as long as they’re really big.

Hamed:  I don’t think your coworkers are going to want you to blindside them today with your strange behavior.  You’re going to do more harm than good.

Sue:  I can see well enough.  I only see double if I move my head like this.  Whoa…

Hamed:  At this point, I don’t care if you have X-ray vision.  That medication is affecting more than your vision.  It’s impairing your better judgment!

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

600 - Talking About Sight

Learn how to take and leave phone messages in this podcast.

Slow dialog:  0:57
Explanations:  3:42
Fast dialog:  21:10

I 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:  He’s not here right now.  Can I take a message?

Evelyn:  Do you know when he’ll be back?  

Paolo:  No, I don’t.

Evelyn:  Okay.  I’ll call back later.  Thanks. 
……
Ten minutes later, the phone rang again.

Paolo:  Hello.

Pam:  Hi, is Tony there?

Paolo:  No, he’s out.

Pam:  Could I leave a message?

Paolo:  Sure.  Give me a second to get something to write with…Okay, I’m 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 I’d better give it to you.  It’s 279-555-6347.

Paolo:  Okay, I’ll tell him.

Pam:  Thanks.
…..

As soon as I put down the receiver, the phone rang again.  I couldn’t believe it.

Paolo:  Hello.

Susan:  Hi, is this Tony?

Paolo:  No, I’m his roommate, Paolo.  Tony’s 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 I’m not sure he wants me to give it out.

Susan:  Oh, I’m sure he’d want me to have it.  

Paolo:  I tell you what.  Why don’t I take your number and have him call you back?

Susan:  I really need to get a hold of him right away.

Paolo:  I’ll 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.  It’s important.  Bye.

Paolo:  Bye.

As soon as she hung up, I took the phone off the hook for the rest of the night.  I’d had enough of being Tony’s answering service for one night!

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

190 - Taking a Phone Message

Learn how to ask for clarification in English in this podcast.

Slow dialog: 0:54
Explanations: 2:29
Fast dialog:  12:46

I 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 it’s in writing.  

Bill:  Let me see if I have that right.  This contract is for six months of training, but if it isn’t cancelled, continues for another six months.  Is that right?  

Ms. Samuels:  Yes, that’s right.  

Bill:  Okay, that’s clear enough.  Let’s move on to the other terms . . .

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

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