http://odeo.com/channels/120803-Better-at-English-Learn-English-EFL-ESL-podcast Lorilinstruth no Free English lessons podcasts - English vocabulary, slang, idioms and everyday conversation.Better at English uses a light, fun conversational format to help you learn English in just a few minutes a day. All episodes come with transcripts and vocabulary notes. Free English lessons podcasts - English vocabulary, slang, idioms and everyday conversation.Better at English uses a light, fun conversational format to help you learn English in just a few minutes a day. All episodes come with transcripts and vocabulary notes. Betteratenglish.com en 40 Wed, 26 Nov 2008 06:16:31 -0800 Wed, 26 Nov 2008 06:16:31 -0800 Language http://odeo.com/episodes/24705794-Real-English-Conversations-Don%E2%80%99t-step-in-the-dog-doo-4-of-4 Download English lesson podcast and transcript Introduction Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. In today’s conversation, which is part four of four, my British friend Michael and I wrap up our lengthy conversation about the pros and cons of dogs, dog ownership, and dog owners. Warning: some of the vocabulary we deal with in this episode is a bit vulgar, so if you are sensitive or easily offended I suggest you stop listening now. As always, you can find the vocabulary notes and full transcript of this podcast on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation Transcript Lori:   And some people… I swear, you know, dogs I think are great. It’s dog owners that can be just really lame sometimes. Michael: Mmm. Mmm.. L:   There’s a forest outside where I live here, where I like to go running and walking and…people, it’s a great place. I don’t see many people, but there are a lot o... Download English lesson podcast and transcript Introduction Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. In today’s conversation, which is part four of four, my British friend Michael and I wrap up our lengthy conversation about the pros and cons of dogs, dog ownership, and dog owners. Warning: some of the vocabulary we deal with in this episode is a bit vulgar, so if you are sensitive or easily offended I suggest you stop listening now. As always, you can find the vocabulary notes and full transcript of this podcast on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation Transcript Lori:   And some people… I swear, you know, dogs I think are great. It’s dog owners that can be just really lame sometimes. Michael: Mmm. Mmm.. L:   There’s a forest outside where I live here, where I like to go running and walking and…people, it’s a great place. I don’t see many people, but there are a lot of dog walkers who like to go there as well. M:   Yes. L:   And they don’t want to keep their dogs on a leash a lot of times. They let their dogs kind of run wild, and a lot of them don’t really have control over their dogs. M:   Right, right. L:   And the dogs can be quite aggressive sometimes. But then, dog owners are really weird. Sometimes they are so protective of their dogs and they think their dogs can do no harm. M:   Oh dear. L:   So they actually get angry at you, walking along telling you that, “Oh, it’s because you’re afraid, that’s why he [the dog] is acting like that.” And it’s like… M:   “Of course I’m afraid. He’s a giant dog with slavering fangs.” Yeah. L:   Running up barking at me, not looking friendly. Of course I’m going to be afraid, you know? And I don’t think it’s my responsibility as, you know, a person wanting to use the jogging trail — that it’s my responsibility to tailor my behavior to the comfort of dog owners, because it actually is their responsibility to keep their dogs on a leash, unless they have, you know, total control. M:   I completely agree. I was going to say, do your remember the time I was over in Sweden, and we were having a picnic in the park. And there were the young teenagers that were there, and they had a dog with them. And the dog was running loose, and the dog was coming over and sticking its nose in our picnic bag. And you had to tell these folks, “Excuse me…your dog…?” They where oblivious to the whole thing. L:   The dog was just doing what dogs do. M:   He was looking for food. L: Yeah, of course, he is going to be interested in food. So it is up to owners to make sure they keep their dogs under control when they’re, you know, in the public space. M:   Exactly. L:   It is not up to, you know, the other people there to deal with the dog. I think. M:   You know, we shooed the dog away, more then once. L:   But he kept coming back. M:   Well we had some good chow! L:   Oh we did. Oh man, those pies that Sabina had made! Oh, my god! That is really annoying when dog owners are inconsiderate and don’t understand that it’s really their responsibility to make sure their dog is under control. M:   Right, yeah, it is part of the responsibility of being a dog owner, I think. L:   Exactly. And I’m sure…most are fine. Most people do a good job, but it’s the few people who are idiots who kind of spoil it for everybody else. M:   Sure. It gives the dog a bad name as well. I mean, if you have a few bad encounters with a dog that’s having trouble it can put you off. L:   Exactly. And that can also…if, you know…there’s some people who are deathly afraid of dogs, who don’t, you know, who have a hard time with obviously friendly dogs. M: Oh goodness! I was terrified of dogs when I was a little boy. Absolutely terrified. And that was just through a couple of dogs that lived locally. There was a house that I had to walk past on the way to school, and there were these two dogs that would, they would bark and they would run at you. They weren’t tied up either. L:   Yeah. I think every kid has a house like that, or memory of a house like that, from when they were walking to school. I know I do. M:   Right! It’s something that sticks with you for a long time. L:   Yeah, because when you’re little, you know, I was walking to school on my own…I think from the time I was in first grade. So I would have only been five or six years old! Because it wasn’t far, it was only a few blocks and it was quiet, residential streets, so I walked to school by myself or with the little neighbor kids. But when you’re that little, a big dog is really big and really scary. And you haven’t…you’re not aware enough to tell the difference between a dog that’s just running up to inspect you and check you out and a dog that is really, actually aggressive. M:   Right. L:   So it’s really scary. M:   Oh yeah. Oh yeah. And I think it can stay with you for a long time as well. L:   Yeah. M:   And I guess some people never… in fact, my sister is still very, very scared of dogs, you know? And she’s nearly 40. She was like that when she was a child and she just never got over it. L:   I have to say I’m wary of dogs. Little dogs, it’s no problem because even if they were horribly aggressive you could always just kick them like a football. And you’d be OK. [laughter] L:   But it’s the big dogs, you know, dogs that weigh as much as I do. Those, those can be quite scary. M:   That would be hard to tackle, a dog like that. L:   Yeah. And just…its going to be much more serious being attacked by a dog like that than by some little yappy terrier trying to bite your heels, you know? M: Ankle biters. [laughs] L:   [laughs] Yeah, ankle biters. Isn’t that a slang word for kids? Ankle biters… M: I don’t know. I guess, maybe. L:   Or like an informal colloquial word, for… Like the word “rug rats“, we have the word rug rats in American English for kids, which I think is a horrible word. But yeah, ankle biters, I think I’ve heard that before as sort of a disparaging term for little children. M:   Well, maybe that’s not something you should use for a little dog then, I don’t think. L:   No, it’s very descriptive though, little ankle biters! Ankle nippers! M:   Well you could go further, “crotch sniffers.” [laughter] L:   Crotch sniffing dogs are the worst! Oh my God, oh I hate crotch sniffing dogs! [laughter] M: There is some film I remember seeing with some kid complaining about some dog. His parents say, “What’s wrong with the dog?” This poor little kid balefully cries out, “He is a crotch sniffer!” [laughter] L:   I know. I have seen the same film, but I don’t remember which one it is. But it’s funny…Crotch sniffers are…it’s so embarrassing. I know it is just what dogs do. They sniff each other’s, you know, nether regions. M: They clean each other’s nether regions. L:   Oh no, let’s not go there! I want to keep this one clean! M:   OK. L:   That is just what dogs do. That and the ones that hump your leg. That is so embarrassing especially when you’re over at someone’s house. M: Especially when they won’t let go. [laughter] L: They latch on and won’t let go. M:  Shaking, shaking your leg. And then… [laughter] L: Yeah and oh, that’s so embarrassing because you know everyone is thinking about sex at that point. I mean you can’t have a dog humping your leg without people at least momentarily, you know, everyone is thinking about doing it. That just makes it so embarrassing. M:  Right. L:   It’s such a delicate situation. [laughter] M: Oh dear. Right. Yeah. Yes. It’s difficult to remain cool. L: When a dog is humping your leg! M: Trying to look cool and dangerous when there’s a dog humping away at your leg. Yeah. [laughter] L:   Yeah. Oh my god, that’s such an embarrassing situation… Anyway I think we’ve reached the point where, again, it can only go downhill from here. M:   OK. Let’s quit where we are! Final Words Thanks for listening. This concludes our four-part series on the good, the bad and the ugly of dogs, dog ownership, and dog owners. We’ll be back again with a new episode as soon as we’ve had time to record some juicy new topics. We welcome requests from our listeners, so if you’d like to request a topic just visit our website, www.betteratenglish.com, where you’ll find everything you need to get in touch with us. This is Lori from BetterAtEnglish signing off until next time. Bye for now! Download vocabulary list for this podcast Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: Don’t step in the dog doo (4 of 4) Download English lesson podcast and transcript Introduction Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. In today’s conversation, which is part four of four, my British friend Michael and I wrap up our lengthy conversation about the pros and cons of dogs, dog ownership, and dog owners. Warning: some of the vocabulary we deal with in this episode is a bit vulgar, so if you are sensitive or easily offended I suggest you stop listening now. As always, you can find the vocabulary notes and full transcript of this podcast on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation Transcript Lori:   And some people… I swear, you know, dogs I think are great. It’s dog owners that can be just really lame sometimes. Michael: Mmm. Mmm.. L:   There’s a forest outside where I live here, where I like to go running and walking and…people, it’s a great place. I don’t see many people, but there are a lot of dog walkers who like to go there as well. M:   Yes. L:   And they don’t want to keep their dogs on a leash a lot of times. They let their dogs kind of run wild, and a lot of them don’t really have control over their dogs. M:   Right, right. L:   And the dogs can be quite aggressive sometimes. But then, dog owners are really weird. Sometimes they are so protective of their dogs and they think their dogs can do no harm. M:   Oh dear. L:   So they actually get angry at you, walking along telling you that, “Oh, it’s because you’re afraid, that’s why he [the dog] is acting like that.” And it’s like… M:   “Of course I’m afraid. He’s a giant dog with slavering fangs.” Yeah. L:   Running up barking at me, not looking friendly. Of course I’m going to be afraid, you know? And I don’t think it’s my responsibility as, you know, a person wanting to use the jogging trail — that it’s my responsibility to tailor my behavior to the comfort of dog owners, because it actually is their responsibility to keep their dogs on a leash, unless they have, you know, total control. M:   I completely agree. I was going to say, do your remember the time I was over in Sweden, and we were having a picnic in the park. And there were the young teenagers that were there, and they had a dog with them. And the dog was running loose, and the dog was coming over and sticking its nose in our picnic bag. And you had to tell these folks, “Excuse me…your dog…?” They where oblivious to the whole thing. L:   The dog was just doing what dogs do. M:   He was looking for food. L: Yeah, of course, he is going to be interested in food. So it is up to owners to make sure they keep their dogs under control when they’re, you know, in the public space. M:   Exactly. L:   It is not up to, you know, the other people there to deal with the dog. I think. M:   You know, we shooed the dog away, more then once. L:   But he kept coming back. M:   Well we had some good chow! L:   Oh we did. Oh man, those pies that Sabina had made! Oh, my god! That is really annoying when dog owners are inconsiderate and don’t understand that it’s really their responsibility to make sure their dog is under control. M:   Right, yeah, it is part of the responsibility of being a dog owner, I think. L:   Exactly. And I’m sure…most are fine. Most people do a good job, but it’s the few people who are idiots who kind of spoil it for everybody else. M:   Sure. It gives the dog a bad name as well. I mean, if you have a few bad encounters with a dog that’s having trouble it can put you off. L:   Exactly. And that can also…if, you know…there’s some people who are deathly afraid of dogs, who don’t, you know, who have a hard time with obviously friendly dogs. M: Oh goodness! I was terrified of dogs when I was a little boy. Absolutely terrified. And that was just through a couple of dogs that lived locally. There was a house that I had to walk past on the way to school, and there were these two dogs that would, they would bark and they would run at you. They weren’t tied up either. L:   Yeah. I think every kid has a house like that, or memory of a house like that, from when they were walking to school. I know I do. M:   Right! It’s something that sticks with you for a long time. L:   Yeah, because when you’re little, you know, I was walking to school on my own…I think from the time I was in first grade. So I would have only been five or six years old! Because it wasn’t far, it was only a few blocks and it was quiet, residential streets, so I walked to school by myself or with the little neighbor kids. But when you’re that little, a big dog is really big and really scary. And you haven’t…you’re not aware enough to tell the difference between a dog that’s just running up to inspect you and check you out and a dog that is really, actually aggressive. M:   Right. L:   So it’s really scary. M:   Oh yeah. Oh yeah. And I think it can stay with you for a long time as well. L:   Yeah. M:   And I guess some people never… in fact, my sister is still very, very scared of dogs, you know? And she’s nearly 40. She was like that when she was a child and she just never got over it. L:   I have to say I’m wary of dogs. Little dogs, it’s no problem because even if they were horribly aggressive you could always just kick them like a football. And you’d be OK. [laughter] L:   But it’s the big dogs, you know, dogs that weigh as much as I do. Those, those can be quite scary. M:   That would be hard to tackle, a dog like that. L:   Yeah. And just…its going to be much more serious being attacked by a dog like that than by some little yappy terrier trying to bite your heels, you know? M: Ankle biters. [laughs] L:   [laughs] Yeah, ankle biters. Isn’t that a slang word for kids? Ankle biters… M: I don’t know. I guess, maybe. L:   Or like an informal colloquial word, for… Like the word “rug rats“, we have the word rug rats in American English for kids, which I think is a horrible word. But yeah, ankle biters, I think I’ve heard that before as sort of a disparaging term for little children. M:   Well, maybe that’s not something you should use for a little dog then, I don’t think. L:   No, it’s very descriptive though, little ankle biters! Ankle nippers! M:   Well you could go further, “crotch sniffers.” [laughter] L:   Crotch sniffing dogs are the worst! Oh my God, oh I hate crotch sniffing dogs! [laughter] M: There is some film I remember seeing with some kid complaining about some dog. His parents say, “What’s wrong with the dog?” This poor little kid balefully cries out, “He is a crotch sniffer!” [laughter] L:   I know. I have seen the same film, but I don’t remember which one it is. But it’s funny…Crotch sniffers are…it’s so embarrassing. I know it is just what dogs do. They sniff each other’s, you know, nether regions. M: They clean each other’s nether regions. L:   Oh no, let’s not go there! I want to keep this one clean! M:   OK. L:   That is just what dogs do. That and the ones that hump your leg. That is so embarrassing especially when you’re over at someone’s house. M: Especially when they won’t let go. [laughter] L: They latch on and won’t let go. M:  Shaking, shaking your leg. And then… [laughter] L: Yeah and oh, that’s so embarrassing because you know everyone is thinking about sex at that point. I mean you can’t have a dog humping your leg without people at least momentarily, you know, everyone is thinking about doing it. That just makes it so embarrassing. M:  Right. L:   It’s such a delicate situation. [laughter] M: Oh dear. Right. Yeah. Yes. It’s difficult to remain cool. L: When a dog is humping your leg! M: Trying to look cool and dangerous when there’s a dog humping away at your leg. Yeah. [laughter] L:   Yeah. Oh my god, that’s such an embarrassing situation… Anyway I think we’ve reached the point where, again, it can only go downhill from here. M:   OK. Let’s quit where we are! Final Words Thanks for listening. This concludes our four-part series on the good, the bad and the ugly of dogs, dog ownership, and dog owners. We’ll be back again with a new episode as soon as we’ve had time to record some juicy new topics. We welcome requests from our listeners, so if you’d like to request a topic just visit our website, www.betteratenglish.com, where you’ll find everything you need to get in touch with us. This is Lori from BetterAtEnglish signing off until next time. Bye for now! Download vocabulary list for this podcast Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: Don’t step in the dog doo (4 of 4) tag:odeo.com,2008-11-26,24705794 Wed, 26 Nov 2008 06:16:31 -0800 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! intermediate, Real English conversations, Idioms and slang, Pets, General silliness, Vulgar language http://odeo.com/episodes/24218130-Real-English-Conversations-Don%E2%80%99t-step-in-the-dog-doo-4-of-4 Download English lesson podcast and transcript Introduction Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. In today’s conversation, which is part four of four, my British friend Michael and I wrap up our lengthy conversation about the pros and cons of dogs, dog ownership, and dog owners. Warning: some of the vocabulary we deal with in this episode is a bit vulgar, so if you are sensitive or easily offended I suggest you stop listening now. As always, you can find the vocabulary notes and full transcript of this podcast on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation Transcript Lori:   And some people… I swear, you know, dogs I think are great. It’s dog owners that can be just really lame sometimes. Michael: Mmm. Mmm.. L:   There’s a forest outside where I live here, where I like to go running and walking and…people, it’s a great place. I don’t see many people, but there are a lot o... Download English lesson podcast and transcript Introduction Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. In today’s conversation, which is part four of four, my British friend Michael and I wrap up our lengthy conversation about the pros and cons of dogs, dog ownership, and dog owners. Warning: some of the vocabulary we deal with in this episode is a bit vulgar, so if you are sensitive or easily offended I suggest you stop listening now. As always, you can find the vocabulary notes and full transcript of this podcast on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation Transcript Lori:   And some people… I swear, you know, dogs I think are great. It’s dog owners that can be just really lame sometimes. Michael: Mmm. Mmm.. L:   There’s a forest outside where I live here, where I like to go running and walking and…people, it’s a great place. I don’t see many people, but there are a lot of dog walkers who like to go there as well. M:   Yes. L:   And they don’t want to keep their dogs on a leash a lot of times. They let their dogs kind of run wild, and a lot of them don’t really have control over their dogs. M:   Right, right. L:   And the dogs can be quite aggressive sometimes. But then, dog owners are really weird. Sometimes they are so protective of their dogs and they think their dogs can do no harm. M:   Oh dear. L:   So they actually get angry at you, walking along telling you that, “Oh, it’s because you’re afraid, that’s why he [the dog] is acting like that.” And it’s like… M:   “Of course I’m afraid. He’s a giant dog with slavering fangs.” Yeah. L:   Running up barking at me, not looking friendly. Of course I’m going to be afraid, you know? And I don’t think it’s my responsibility as, you know, a person wanting to use the jogging trail — that it’s my responsibility to tailor my behavior to the comfort of dog owners, because it actually is their responsibility to keep their dogs on a leash, unless they have, you know, total control. M:   I completely agree. I was going to say, do your remember the time I was over in Sweden, and we were having a picnic in the park. And there were the young teenagers that were there, and they had a dog with them. And the dog was running loose, and the dog was coming over and sticking its nose in our picnic bag. And you had to tell these folks, “Excuse me…your dog…?” They where oblivious to the whole thing. L:   The dog was just doing what dogs do. M:   He was looking for food. L: Yeah, of course, he is going to be interested in food. So it is up to owners to make sure they keep their dogs under control when they’re, you know, in the public space. M:   Exactly. L:   It is not up to, you know, the other people there to deal with the dog. I think. M:   You know, we shooed the dog away, more then once. L:   But he kept coming back. M:   Well we had some good chow! L:   Oh we did. Oh man, those pies that Sabina had made! Oh, my god! That is really annoying when dog owners are inconsiderate and don’t understand that it’s really their responsibility to make sure their dog is under control. M:   Right, yeah, it is part of the responsibility of being a dog owner, I think. L:   Exactly. And I’m sure…most are fine. Most people do a good job, but it’s the few people who are idiots who kind of spoil it for everybody else. M:   Sure. It gives the dog a bad name as well. I mean, if you have a few bad encounters with a dog that’s having trouble it can put you off. L:   Exactly. And that can also…if, you know…there’s some people who are deathly afraid of dogs, who don’t, you know, who have a hard time with obviously friendly dogs. M: Oh goodness! I was terrified of dogs when I was a little boy. Absolutely terrified. And that was just through a couple of dogs that lived locally. There was a house that I had to walk past on the way to school, and there were these two dogs that would, they would bark and they would run at you. They weren’t tied up either. L:   Yeah. I think every kid has a house like that, or memory of a house like that, from when they were walking to school. I know I do. M:   Right! It’s something that sticks with you for a long time. L:   Yeah, because when you’re little, you know, I was walking to school on my own…I think from the time I was in first grade. So I would have only been five or six years old! Because it wasn’t far, it was only a few blocks and it was quiet, residential streets, so I walked to school by myself or with the little neighbor kids. But when you’re that little, a big dog is really big and really scary. And you haven’t…you’re not aware enough to tell the difference between a dog that’s just running up to inspect you and check you out and a dog that is really, actually aggressive. M:   Right. L:   So it’s really scary. M:   Oh yeah. Oh yeah. And I think it can stay with you for a long time as well. L:   Yeah. M:   And I guess some people never… in fact, my sister is still very, very scared of dogs, you know? And she’s nearly 40. She was like that when she was a child and she just never got over it. L:   I have to say I’m wary of dogs. Little dogs, it’s no problem because even if they were horribly aggressive you could always just kick them like a football. And you’d be OK. [laughter] L:   But it’s the big dogs, you know, dogs that weigh as much as I do. Those, those can be quite scary. M:   That would be hard to tackle, a dog like that. L:   Yeah. And just…its going to be much more serious being attacked by a dog like that than by some little yappy terrier trying to bite your heels, you know? M: Ankle biters. [laughs] L:   [laughs] Yeah, ankle biters. Isn’t that a slang word for kids? Ankle biters… M: I don’t know. I guess, maybe. L:   Or like an informal colloquial word, for… Like the word “rug rats“, we have the word rug rats in American English for kids, which I think is a horrible word. But yeah, ankle biters, I think I’ve heard that before as sort of a disparaging term for little children. M:   Well, maybe that’s not something you should use for a little dog then, I don’t think. L:   No, it’s very descriptive though, little ankle biters! Ankle nippers! M:   Well you could go further, “crotch sniffers.” [laughter] L:   Crotch sniffing dogs are the worst! Oh my God, oh I hate crotch sniffing dogs! [laughter] M: There is some film I remember seeing with some kid complaining about some dog. His parents say, “What’s wrong with the dog?” This poor little kid balefully cries out, “He is a crotch sniffer!” [laughter] L:   I know. I have seen the same film, but I don’t remember which one it is. But it’s funny…Crotch sniffers are…it’s so embarrassing. I know it is just what dogs do. They sniff each other’s, you know, nether regions. M: They clean each other’s nether regions. L:   Oh no, let’s not go there! I want to keep this one clean! M:   OK. L:   That is just what dogs do. That and the ones that hump your leg. That is so embarrassing especially when you’re over at someone’s house. M: Especially when they won’t let go. [laughter] L: They latch on and won’t let go. M:  Shaking, shaking your leg. And then… [laughter] L: Yeah and oh, that’s so embarrassing because you know everyone is thinking about sex at that point. I mean you can’t have a dog humping your leg without people at least momentarily, you know, everyone is thinking about doing it. That just makes it so embarrassing. M:  Right. L:   It’s such a delicate situation. [laughter] M: Oh dear. Right. Yeah. Yes. It’s difficult to remain cool. L: When a dog is humping your leg! M: Trying to look cool and dangerous when there’s a dog humping away at your leg. Yeah. [laughter] L:   Yeah. Oh my god, that’s such an embarrassing situation… Anyway I think we’ve reached the point where, again, it can only go downhill from here. M:   OK. Let’s quit where we are! Final Words Thanks for listening. This concludes our four-part series on the good, the bad and the ugly of dogs, dog ownership, and dog owners. We’ll be back again with a new episode as soon as we’ve had time to record some juicy new topics. We welcome requests from our listeners, so if you’d like to request a topic just visit our website, www.betteratenglish.com, where you’ll find everything you need to get in touch with us. This is Lori from BetterAtEnglish signing off until next time. Bye for now! Download vocabulary list for this podcast Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: Don’t step in the dog doo (4 of 4) Download English lesson podcast and transcript Introduction Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. In today’s conversation, which is part four of four, my British friend Michael and I wrap up our lengthy conversation about the pros and cons of dogs, dog ownership, and dog owners. Warning: some of the vocabulary we deal with in this episode is a bit vulgar, so if you are sensitive or easily offended I suggest you stop listening now. As always, you can find the vocabulary notes and full transcript of this podcast on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation Transcript Lori:   And some people… I swear, you know, dogs I think are great. It’s dog owners that can be just really lame sometimes. Michael: Mmm. Mmm.. L:   There’s a forest outside where I live here, where I like to go running and walking and…people, it’s a great place. I don’t see many people, but there are a lot of dog walkers who like to go there as well. M:   Yes. L:   And they don’t want to keep their dogs on a leash a lot of times. They let their dogs kind of run wild, and a lot of them don’t really have control over their dogs. M:   Right, right. L:   And the dogs can be quite aggressive sometimes. But then, dog owners are really weird. Sometimes they are so protective of their dogs and they think their dogs can do no harm. M:   Oh dear. L:   So they actually get angry at you, walking along telling you that, “Oh, it’s because you’re afraid, that’s why he [the dog] is acting like that.” And it’s like… M:   “Of course I’m afraid. He’s a giant dog with slavering fangs.” Yeah. L:   Running up barking at me, not looking friendly. Of course I’m going to be afraid, you know? And I don’t think it’s my responsibility as, you know, a person wanting to use the jogging trail — that it’s my responsibility to tailor my behavior to the comfort of dog owners, because it actually is their responsibility to keep their dogs on a leash, unless they have, you know, total control. M:   I completely agree. I was going to say, do your remember the time I was over in Sweden, and we were having a picnic in the park. And there were the young teenagers that were there, and they had a dog with them. And the dog was running loose, and the dog was coming over and sticking its nose in our picnic bag. And you had to tell these folks, “Excuse me…your dog…?” They where oblivious to the whole thing. L:   The dog was just doing what dogs do. M:   He was looking for food. L: Yeah, of course, he is going to be interested in food. So it is up to owners to make sure they keep their dogs under control when they’re, you know, in the public space. M:   Exactly. L:   It is not up to, you know, the other people there to deal with the dog. I think. M:   You know, we shooed the dog away, more then once. L:   But he kept coming back. M:   Well we had some good chow! L:   Oh we did. Oh man, those pies that Sabina had made! Oh, my god! That is really annoying when dog owners are inconsiderate and don’t understand that it’s really their responsibility to make sure their dog is under control. M:   Right, yeah, it is part of the responsibility of being a dog owner, I think. L:   Exactly. And I’m sure…most are fine. Most people do a good job, but it’s the few people who are idiots who kind of spoil it for everybody else. M:   Sure. It gives the dog a bad name as well. I mean, if you have a few bad encounters with a dog that’s having trouble it can put you off. L:   Exactly. And that can also…if, you know…there’s some people who are deathly afraid of dogs, who don’t, you know, who have a hard time with obviously friendly dogs. M: Oh goodness! I was terrified of dogs when I was a little boy. Absolutely terrified. And that was just through a couple of dogs that lived locally. There was a house that I had to walk past on the way to school, and there were these two dogs that would, they would bark and they would run at you. They weren’t tied up either. L:   Yeah. I think every kid has a house like that, or memory of a house like that, from when they were walking to school. I know I do. M:   Right! It’s something that sticks with you for a long time. L:   Yeah, because when you’re little, you know, I was walking to school on my own…I think from the time I was in first grade. So I would have only been five or six years old! Because it wasn’t far, it was only a few blocks and it was quiet, residential streets, so I walked to school by myself or with the little neighbor kids. But when you’re that little, a big dog is really big and really scary. And you haven’t…you’re not aware enough to tell the difference between a dog that’s just running up to inspect you and check you out and a dog that is really, actually aggressive. M:   Right. L:   So it’s really scary. M:   Oh yeah. Oh yeah. And I think it can stay with you for a long time as well. L:   Yeah. M:   And I guess some people never… in fact, my sister is still very, very scared of dogs, you know? And she’s nearly 40. She was like that when she was a child and she just never got over it. L:   I have to say I’m wary of dogs. Little dogs, it’s no problem because even if they were horribly aggressive you could always just kick them like a football. And you’d be OK. [laughter] L:   But it’s the big dogs, you know, dogs that weigh as much as I do. Those, those can be quite scary. M:   That would be hard to tackle, a dog like that. L:   Yeah. And just…its going to be much more serious being attacked by a dog like that than by some little yappy terrier trying to bite your heels, you know? M: Ankle biters. [laughs] L:   [laughs] Yeah, ankle biters. Isn’t that a slang word for kids? Ankle biters… M: I don’t know. I guess, maybe. L:   Or like an informal colloquial word, for… Like the word “rug rats“, we have the word rug rats in American English for kids, which I think is a horrible word. But yeah, ankle biters, I think I’ve heard that before as sort of a disparaging term for little children. M:   Well, maybe that’s not something you should use for a little dog then, I don’t think. L:   No, it’s very descriptive though, little ankle biters! Ankle nippers! M:   Well you could go further, “crotch sniffers.” [laughter] L:   Crotch sniffing dogs are the worst! Oh my God, oh I hate crotch sniffing dogs! [laughter] M: There is some film I remember seeing with some kid complaining about some dog. His parents say, “What’s wrong with the dog?” This poor little kid balefully cries out, “He is a crotch sniffer!” [laughter] L:   I know. I have seen the same film, but I don’t remember which one it is. But it’s funny…Crotch sniffers are…it’s so embarrassing. I know it is just what dogs do. They sniff each other’s, you know, nether regions. M: They clean each other’s nether regions. L:   Oh no, let’s not go there! I want to keep this one clean! M:   OK. L:   That is just what dogs do. That and the ones that hump your leg. That is so embarrassing especially when you’re over at someone’s house. M: Especially when they won’t let go. [laughter] L: They latch on and won’t let go. M:  Shaking, shaking your leg. And then… [laughter] L: Yeah and oh, that’s so embarrassing because you know everyone is thinking about sex at that point. I mean you can’t have a dog humping your leg without people at least momentarily, you know, everyone is thinking about doing it. That just makes it so embarrassing. M:  Right. L:   It’s such a delicate situation. [laughter] M: Oh dear. Right. Yeah. Yes. It’s difficult to remain cool. L: When a dog is humping your leg! M: Trying to look cool and dangerous when there’s a dog humping away at your leg. Yeah. [laughter] L:   Yeah. Oh my god, that’s such an embarrassing situation… Anyway I think we’ve reached the point where, again, it can only go downhill from here. M:   OK. Let’s quit where we are! Final Words Thanks for listening. This concludes our four-part series on the good, the bad and the ugly of dogs, dog ownership, and dog owners. We’ll be back again with a new episode as soon as we’ve had time to record some juicy new topics. We welcome requests from our listeners, so if you’d like to request a topic just visit our website, www.betteratenglish.com, where you’ll find everything you need to get in touch with us. This is Lori from BetterAtEnglish signing off until next time. Bye for now! Download vocabulary list for this podcast Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: Don’t step in the dog doo (4 of 4) tag:odeo.com,2008-11-26,24218130 Wed, 26 Nov 2008 06:16:31 -0800 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! intermediate, Real English conversations, Idioms and slang, Pets, General silliness, Vulgar language http://odeo.com/episodes/23672285-Real-English-Conversations-Don%E2%80%99t-step-in-the-dog-doo-4-of-4 Download English lesson podcast and transcript Introduction Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. In today’s conversation, which is part four of four, my British friend Michael and I wrap up our lengthy conversation about the pros and cons of dogs, dog ownership, and dog owners. Warning: some of the vocabulary we deal with in this episode is a bit vulgar, so if you are sensitive or easily offended I suggest you stop listening now. As always, you can find the vocabulary notes and full transcript of this podcast on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation Transcript Lori:   And some people… I swear, you know, dogs I think are great. It’s dog owners that can be just really lame sometimes. Michael: Mmm. Mmm.. L:   There’s a forest outside where I live here, where I like to go running and walking and…people, it’s a great place. I don’t see many people, but there are a lot o... Download English lesson podcast and transcript Introduction Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. In today’s conversation, which is part four of four, my British friend Michael and I wrap up our lengthy conversation about the pros and cons of dogs, dog ownership, and dog owners. Warning: some of the vocabulary we deal with in this episode is a bit vulgar, so if you are sensitive or easily offended I suggest you stop listening now. As always, you can find the vocabulary notes and full transcript of this podcast on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation Transcript Lori:   And some people… I swear, you know, dogs I think are great. It’s dog owners that can be just really lame sometimes. Michael: Mmm. Mmm.. L:   There’s a forest outside where I live here, where I like to go running and walking and…people, it’s a great place. I don’t see many people, but there are a lot of dog walkers who like to go there as well. M:   Yes. L:   And they don’t want to keep their dogs on a leash a lot of times. They let their dogs kind of run wild, and a lot of them don’t really have control over their dogs. M:   Right, right. L:   And the dogs can be quite aggressive sometimes. But then, dog owners are really weird. Sometimes they are so protective of their dogs and they think their dogs can do no harm. M:   Oh dear. L:   So they actually get angry at you, walking along telling you that, “Oh, it’s because you’re afraid, that’s why he [the dog] is acting like that.” And it’s like… M:   “Of course I’m afraid. He’s a giant dog with slavering fangs.” Yeah. L:   Running up barking at me, not looking friendly. Of course I’m going to be afraid, you know? And I don’t think it’s my responsibility as, you know, a person wanting to use the jogging trail — that it’s my responsibility to tailor my behavior to the comfort of dog owners, because it actually is their responsibility to keep their dogs on a leash, unless they have, you know, total control. M:   I completely agree. I was going to say, do your remember the time I was over in Sweden, and we were having a picnic in the park. And there were the young teenagers that were there, and they had a dog with them. And the dog was running loose, and the dog was coming over and sticking its nose in our picnic bag. And you had to tell these folks, “Excuse me…your dog…?” They where oblivious to the whole thing. L:   The dog was just doing what dogs do. M:   He was looking for food. L: Yeah, of course, he is going to be interested in food. So it is up to owners to make sure they keep their dogs under control when they’re, you know, in the public space. M:   Exactly. L:   It is not up to, you know, the other people there to deal with the dog. I think. M:   You know, we shooed the dog away, more then once. L:   But he kept coming back. M:   Well we had some good chow! L:   Oh we did. Oh man, those pies that Sabina had made! Oh, my god! That is really annoying when dog owners are inconsiderate and don’t understand that it’s really their responsibility to make sure their dog is under control. M:   Right, yeah, it is part of the responsibility of being a dog owner, I think. L:   Exactly. And I’m sure…most are fine. Most people do a good job, but it’s the few people who are idiots who kind of spoil it for everybody else. M:   Sure. It gives the dog a bad name as well. I mean, if you have a few bad encounters with a dog that’s having trouble it can put you off. L:   Exactly. And that can also…if, you know…there’s some people who are deathly afraid of dogs, who don’t, you know, who have a hard time with obviously friendly dogs. M: Oh goodness! I was terrified of dogs when I was a little boy. Absolutely terrified. And that was just through a couple of dogs that lived locally. There was a house that I had to walk past on the way to school, and there were these two dogs that would, they would bark and they would run at you. They weren’t tied up either. L:   Yeah. I think every kid has a house like that, or memory of a house like that, from when they were walking to school. I know I do. M:   Right! It’s something that sticks with you for a long time. L:   Yeah, because when you’re little, you know, I was walking to school on my own…I think from the time I was in first grade. So I would have only been five or six years old! Because it wasn’t far, it was only a few blocks and it was quiet, residential streets, so I walked to school by myself or with the little neighbor kids. But when you’re that little, a big dog is really big and really scary. And you haven’t…you’re not aware enough to tell the difference between a dog that’s just running up to inspect you and check you out and a dog that is really, actually aggressive. M:   Right. L:   So it’s really scary. M:   Oh yeah. Oh yeah. And I think it can stay with you for a long time as well. L:   Yeah. M:   And I guess some people never… in fact, my sister is still very, very scared of dogs, you know? And she’s nearly 40. She was like that when she was a child and she just never got over it. L:   I have to say I’m wary of dogs. Little dogs, it’s no problem because even if they were horribly aggressive you could always just kick them like a football. And you’d be OK. [laughter] L:   But it’s the big dogs, you know, dogs that weigh as much as I do. Those, those can be quite scary. M:   That would be hard to tackle, a dog like that. L:   Yeah. And just…its going to be much more serious being attacked by a dog like that than by some little yappy terrier trying to bite your heels, you know? M: Ankle biters. [laughs] L:   [laughs] Yeah, ankle biters. Isn’t that a slang word for kids? Ankle biters… M: I don’t know. I guess, maybe. L:   Or like an informal colloquial word, for… Like the word “rug rats“, we have the word rug rats in American English for kids, which I think is a horrible word. But yeah, ankle biters, I think I’ve heard that before as sort of a disparaging term for little children. M:   Well, maybe that’s not something you should use for a little dog then, I don’t think. L:   No, it’s very descriptive though, little ankle biters! Ankle nippers! M:   Well you could go further, “crotch sniffers.” [laughter] L:   Crotch sniffing dogs are the worst! Oh my God, oh I hate crotch sniffing dogs! [laughter] M: There is some film I remember seeing with some kid complaining about some dog. His parents say, “What’s wrong with the dog?” This poor little kid balefully cries out, “He is a crotch sniffer!” [laughter] L:   I know. I have seen the same film, but I don’t remember which one it is. But it’s funny…Crotch sniffers are…it’s so embarrassing. I know it is just what dogs do. They sniff each other’s, you know, nether regions. M: They clean each other’s nether regions. L:   Oh no, let’s not go there! I want to keep this one clean! M:   OK. L:   That is just what dogs do. That and the ones that hump your leg. That is so embarrassing especially when you’re over at someone’s house. M: Especially when they won’t let go. [laughter] L: They latch on and won’t let go. M:  Shaking, shaking your leg. And then… [laughter] L: Yeah and oh, that’s so embarrassing because you know everyone is thinking about sex at that point. I mean you can’t have a dog humping your leg without people at least momentarily, you know, everyone is thinking about doing it. That just makes it so embarrassing. M:  Right. L:   It’s such a delicate situation. [laughter] M: Oh dear. Right. Yeah. Yes. It’s difficult to remain cool. L: When a dog is humping your leg! M: Trying to look cool and dangerous when there’s a dog humping away at your leg. Yeah. [laughter] L:   Yeah. Oh my god, that’s such an embarrassing situation… Anyway I think we’ve reached the point where, again, it can only go downhill from here. M:   OK. Let’s quit where we are! Final Words Thanks for listening. This concludes our four-part series on the good, the bad and the ugly of dogs, dog ownership, and dog owners. We’ll be back again with a new episode as soon as we’ve had time to record some juicy new topics. We welcome requests from our listeners, so if you’d like to request a topic just visit our website, www.betteratenglish.com, where you’ll find everything you need to get in touch with us. This is Lori from BetterAtEnglish signing off until next time. Bye for now! Download vocabulary list for this podcast Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: Don’t step in the dog doo (4 of 4) Download English lesson podcast and transcript Introduction Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. In today’s conversation, which is part four of four, my British friend Michael and I wrap up our lengthy conversation about the pros and cons of dogs, dog ownership, and dog owners. Warning: some of the vocabulary we deal with in this episode is a bit vulgar, so if you are sensitive or easily offended I suggest you stop listening now. As always, you can find the vocabulary notes and full transcript of this podcast on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation Transcript Lori:   And some people… I swear, you know, dogs I think are great. It’s dog owners that can be just really lame sometimes. Michael: Mmm. Mmm.. L:   There’s a forest outside where I live here, where I like to go running and walking and…people, it’s a great place. I don’t see many people, but there are a lot of dog walkers who like to go there as well. M:   Yes. L:   And they don’t want to keep their dogs on a leash a lot of times. They let their dogs kind of run wild, and a lot of them don’t really have control over their dogs. M:   Right, right. L:   And the dogs can be quite aggressive sometimes. But then, dog owners are really weird. Sometimes they are so protective of their dogs and they think their dogs can do no harm. M:   Oh dear. L:   So they actually get angry at you, walking along telling you that, “Oh, it’s because you’re afraid, that’s why he [the dog] is acting like that.” And it’s like… M:   “Of course I’m afraid. He’s a giant dog with slavering fangs.” Yeah. L:   Running up barking at me, not looking friendly. Of course I’m going to be afraid, you know? And I don’t think it’s my responsibility as, you know, a person wanting to use the jogging trail — that it’s my responsibility to tailor my behavior to the comfort of dog owners, because it actually is their responsibility to keep their dogs on a leash, unless they have, you know, total control. M:   I completely agree. I was going to say, do your remember the time I was over in Sweden, and we were having a picnic in the park. And there were the young teenagers that were there, and they had a dog with them. And the dog was running loose, and the dog was coming over and sticking its nose in our picnic bag. And you had to tell these folks, “Excuse me…your dog…?” They where oblivious to the whole thing. L:   The dog was just doing what dogs do. M:   He was looking for food. L: Yeah, of course, he is going to be interested in food. So it is up to owners to make sure they keep their dogs under control when they’re, you know, in the public space. M:   Exactly. L:   It is not up to, you know, the other people there to deal with the dog. I think. M:   You know, we shooed the dog away, more then once. L:   But he kept coming back. M:   Well we had some good chow! L:   Oh we did. Oh man, those pies that Sabina had made! Oh, my god! That is really annoying when dog owners are inconsiderate and don’t understand that it’s really their responsibility to make sure their dog is under control. M:   Right, yeah, it is part of the responsibility of being a dog owner, I think. L:   Exactly. And I’m sure…most are fine. Most people do a good job, but it’s the few people who are idiots who kind of spoil it for everybody else. M:   Sure. It gives the dog a bad name as well. I mean, if you have a few bad encounters with a dog that’s having trouble it can put you off. L:   Exactly. And that can also…if, you know…there’s some people who are deathly afraid of dogs, who don’t, you know, who have a hard time with obviously friendly dogs. M: Oh goodness! I was terrified of dogs when I was a little boy. Absolutely terrified. And that was just through a couple of dogs that lived locally. There was a house that I had to walk past on the way to school, and there were these two dogs that would, they would bark and they would run at you. They weren’t tied up either. L:   Yeah. I think every kid has a house like that, or memory of a house like that, from when they were walking to school. I know I do. M:   Right! It’s something that sticks with you for a long time. L:   Yeah, because when you’re little, you know, I was walking to school on my own…I think from the time I was in first grade. So I would have only been five or six years old! Because it wasn’t far, it was only a few blocks and it was quiet, residential streets, so I walked to school by myself or with the little neighbor kids. But when you’re that little, a big dog is really big and really scary. And you haven’t…you’re not aware enough to tell the difference between a dog that’s just running up to inspect you and check you out and a dog that is really, actually aggressive. M:   Right. L:   So it’s really scary. M:   Oh yeah. Oh yeah. And I think it can stay with you for a long time as well. L:   Yeah. M:   And I guess some people never… in fact, my sister is still very, very scared of dogs, you know? And she’s nearly 40. She was like that when she was a child and she just never got over it. L:   I have to say I’m wary of dogs. Little dogs, it’s no problem because even if they were horribly aggressive you could always just kick them like a football. And you’d be OK. [laughter] L:   But it’s the big dogs, you know, dogs that weigh as much as I do. Those, those can be quite scary. M:   That would be hard to tackle, a dog like that. L:   Yeah. And just…its going to be much more serious being attacked by a dog like that than by some little yappy terrier trying to bite your heels, you know? M: Ankle biters. [laughs] L:   [laughs] Yeah, ankle biters. Isn’t that a slang word for kids? Ankle biters… M: I don’t know. I guess, maybe. L:   Or like an informal colloquial word, for… Like the word “rug rats“, we have the word rug rats in American English for kids, which I think is a horrible word. But yeah, ankle biters, I think I’ve heard that before as sort of a disparaging term for little children. M:   Well, maybe that’s not something you should use for a little dog then, I don’t think. L:   No, it’s very descriptive though, little ankle biters! Ankle nippers! M:   Well you could go further, “crotch sniffers.” [laughter] L:   Crotch sniffing dogs are the worst! Oh my God, oh I hate crotch sniffing dogs! [laughter] M: There is some film I remember seeing with some kid complaining about some dog. His parents say, “What’s wrong with the dog?” This poor little kid balefully cries out, “He is a crotch sniffer!” [laughter] L:   I know. I have seen the same film, but I don’t remember which one it is. But it’s funny…Crotch sniffers are…it’s so embarrassing. I know it is just what dogs do. They sniff each other’s, you know, nether regions. M: They clean each other’s nether regions. L:   Oh no, let’s not go there! I want to keep this one clean! M:   OK. L:   That is just what dogs do. That and the ones that hump your leg. That is so embarrassing especially when you’re over at someone’s house. M: Especially when they won’t let go. [laughter] L: They latch on and won’t let go. M:  Shaking, shaking your leg. And then… [laughter] L: Yeah and oh, that’s so embarrassing because you know everyone is thinking about sex at that point. I mean you can’t have a dog humping your leg without people at least momentarily, you know, everyone is thinking about doing it. That just makes it so embarrassing. M:  Right. L:   It’s such a delicate situation. [laughter] M: Oh dear. Right. Yeah. Yes. It’s difficult to remain cool. L: When a dog is humping your leg! M: Trying to look cool and dangerous when there’s a dog humping away at your leg. Yeah. [laughter] L:   Yeah. Oh my god, that’s such an embarrassing situation… Anyway I think we’ve reached the point where, again, it can only go downhill from here. M:   OK. Let’s quit where we are! Final Words Thanks for listening. This concludes our four-part series on the good, the bad and the ugly of dogs, dog ownership, and dog owners. We’ll be back again with a new episode as soon as we’ve had time to record some juicy new topics. We welcome requests from our listeners, so if you’d like to request a topic just visit our website, www.betteratenglish.com, where you’ll find everything you need to get in touch with us. This is Lori from BetterAtEnglish signing off until next time. Bye for now! Download vocabulary list for this podcast Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: Don’t step in the dog doo (4 of 4) tag:odeo.com,2008-11-26,23672285 Wed, 26 Nov 2008 06:16:31 -0800 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! intermediate, Real English conversations, Idioms and slang, Pets, General silliness, Vulgar language http://odeo.com/episodes/25438348-Real-English-Conversations-Don%E2%80%99t-step-in-the-Dog-Doo-part-3-of-4 Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. In today’s conversation, which is part 3 of 4, my British friend Michael and I continue our discussion on dogs and cats, focusing on the way that human beings tend to get emotionally attached to their pets. As always, you can find the full transcript and vocabulary notes on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation transcript Note: words in bold are covered in the vocabulary list . Lori: Well, do you…you don’t have a dog now though, right? Michael: No, not personally, no. L: Would you consider getting a dog? M: Well, that’s a good question. I mean, I do love dogs. But they really are a commitment and a responsibility, of course. And that isn’t to be taken lightly. But… L: A lot of people do, a lot of people…especially in the States. People here in Sweden seem to treat their dogs much better o... Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. In today’s conversation, which is part 3 of 4, my British friend Michael and I continue our discussion on dogs and cats, focusing on the way that human beings tend to get emotionally attached to their pets. As always, you can find the full transcript and vocabulary notes on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation transcript Note: words in bold are covered in the vocabulary list . Lori: Well, do you…you don’t have a dog now though, right? Michael: No, not personally, no. L: Would you consider getting a dog? M: Well, that’s a good question. I mean, I do love dogs. But they really are a commitment and a responsibility, of course. And that isn’t to be taken lightly. But… L: A lot of people do, a lot of people…especially in the States. People here in Sweden seem to treat their dogs much better overall than people in the States. But you see…I’ve seen the most horrible things back in the States. People get a dog and, you know, they’re all excited about it at first, and then they just, you know, the novelty wears off… M: Right. L: And the poor dog just spends its life out in the back yard chained up somewhere, barking its head off, and… M: Right. L: You know, that’s really sad. M: Now that’s a real shame, that’s a real shame. L: Yeah, yeah… M: But I think that… this is kind of a morbid thing, but, you know, dogs die. L: Yeah. M: You know, their life expectancy is, what is it—about, maybe about ten years, depending on the breed? L: Yeah. M: And that’s something that, you know, you’re a lot more likely to go through that… and if you have another dog, you know, it’s something you’re going to be experiencing several times in your own lifetime, and that’s traumatic, if you, you know, regard the dog as a family member. L: Yeah, you do get quite attached to your pets. M: Yeah, oh yeah. So, you know, I mean a friend of mine, her dog died just recently, and that was terrible. L: Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that. M: That was really bad; you know, I mean the dog was 18 years old, I mean, it was a very long-lived dog. But, you know, that’s…for her it was half her life, you know, so a terrible trauma to go through. So I’d rather not go through that, you know, I think? L: I don’t know. I think the benefits of having a dog, I mean, as long as you can handle the responsibility and have, you know, a good place for the dog…I don’t think, you know, a German shepherd or a Great Dane would do very well in someone’s tiny little apartment. M: No, for sure. L: But as long as you can handle that, I think the benefits of having a dog would outweigh the sorrow of when the dog finally, you know, gets old and dies. But I guess everyone is different. I would love to have a doggy, I really would. A small one. A little one. M: OK, but aren’t you allergic to dogs. L: Yeah, that’s why I can’t have one! I’m too allergic and also I’m not really sure my life is organized enough to be fair to a dog, or that it would fit in with my…with my life. M: Is that because you don’t have a regular schedule for things, or…? L: I don’t have a regular schedule and sometimes I do work really, really long days and I wouldn’t be able to take the dog with me, so I’d have to leave it locked up in my apartment all day long. And, you know, the poor thing, you know, it would need to go to the bathroom or would just be lonely. I’d have to leave it alone so much that it just wouldn’t be fair. M: Right. It would probably tear the place up. I think, yeah. L: Because they are social animals, you know. They’re pack animals so they really don’t do well when left all alone for long periods. M: Right. Right. L: So it’s rather cruel. But I would love to have a little doggy, a little Border Terrier. [laughter] M: Oh yeah. L: Yeah, but I would worry about getting a purebred dog because sometimes they’re so inbred that they’re completely crackers, and completely free of all intelligence. M: Yes. I know what you mean. Yeah. L: I think mutts are generally much more robust and tend to have better personalities ’cause of the…they have a much more varied genetic makeup. M: Right. Right. Well that’s what they say when it comes to genetics that you should be spreading the genes apart and not… L: Hybrid vigor! M: There’s a good reason why you’re not allowed to marry members of your own family. L: Yeah. Yeah. M: Let’s tell the British royal family that. L: Oh, no! Naughty! [laughter] M: Well they’re all related on some level or another you know. L: Oh my god. Yeah. Oh I don’t want to be dissing the royal family so we’d better not go there. Seriously, I would love to have a cute little doggy that I could take with me everywhere… [This conversation will continue in part 4 of 4] Download the vocabulary list here. Final Words That’s all for today. We’ll be back soon with part four. If you found today’s topic interesting, we’d love to hear your comments. You can leave a comment at our web site, www.betteratenglish.com, or e-mail us at info@betteratenglish.com. Bye for now! Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: Don’t step in the Dog Doo (part 3 of 4) Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. In today’s conversation, which is part 3 of 4, my British friend Michael and I continue our discussion on dogs and cats, focusing on the way that human beings tend to get emotionally attached to their pets. As always, you can find the full transcript and vocabulary notes on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation transcript Note: words in bold are covered in the vocabulary list . Lori: Well, do you…you don’t have a dog now though, right? Michael: No, not personally, no. L: Would you consider getting a dog? M: Well, that’s a good question. I mean, I do love dogs. But they really are a commitment and a responsibility, of course. And that isn’t to be taken lightly. But… L: A lot of people do, a lot of people…especially in the States. People here in Sweden seem to treat their dogs much better overall than people in the States. But you see…I’ve seen the most horrible things back in the States. People get a dog and, you know, they’re all excited about it at first, and then they just, you know, the novelty wears off… M: Right. L: And the poor dog just spends its life out in the back yard chained up somewhere, barking its head off, and… M: Right. L: You know, that’s really sad. M: Now that’s a real shame, that’s a real shame. L: Yeah, yeah… M: But I think that… this is kind of a morbid thing, but, you know, dogs die. L: Yeah. M: You know, their life expectancy is, what is it—about, maybe about ten years, depending on the breed? L: Yeah. M: And that’s something that, you know, you’re a lot more likely to go through that… and if you have another dog, you know, it’s something you’re going to be experiencing several times in your own lifetime, and that’s traumatic, if you, you know, regard the dog as a family member. L: Yeah, you do get quite attached to your pets. M: Yeah, oh yeah. So, you know, I mean a friend of mine, her dog died just recently, and that was terrible. L: Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that. M: That was really bad; you know, I mean the dog was 18 years old, I mean, it was a very long-lived dog. But, you know, that’s…for her it was half her life, you know, so a terrible trauma to go through. So I’d rather not go through that, you know, I think? L: I don’t know. I think the benefits of having a dog, I mean, as long as you can handle the responsibility and have, you know, a good place for the dog…I don’t think, you know, a German shepherd or a Great Dane would do very well in someone’s tiny little apartment. M: No, for sure. L: But as long as you can handle that, I think the benefits of having a dog would outweigh the sorrow of when the dog finally, you know, gets old and dies. But I guess everyone is different. I would love to have a doggy, I really would. A small one. A little one. M: OK, but aren’t you allergic to dogs. L: Yeah, that’s why I can’t have one! I’m too allergic and also I’m not really sure my life is organized enough to be fair to a dog, or that it would fit in with my…with my life. M: Is that because you don’t have a regular schedule for things, or…? L: I don’t have a regular schedule and sometimes I do work really, really long days and I wouldn’t be able to take the dog with me, so I’d have to leave it locked up in my apartment all day long. And, you know, the poor thing, you know, it would need to go to the bathroom or would just be lonely. I’d have to leave it alone so much that it just wouldn’t be fair. M: Right. It would probably tear the place up. I think, yeah. L: Because they are social animals, you know. They’re pack animals so they really don’t do well when left all alone for long periods. M: Right. Right. L: So it’s rather cruel. But I would love to have a little doggy, a little Border Terrier. [laughter] M: Oh yeah. L: Yeah, but I would worry about getting a purebred dog because sometimes they’re so inbred that they’re completely crackers, and completely free of all intelligence. M: Yes. I know what you mean. Yeah. L: I think mutts are generally much more robust and tend to have better personalities ’cause of the…they have a much more varied genetic makeup. M: Right. Right. Well that’s what they say when it comes to genetics that you should be spreading the genes apart and not… L: Hybrid vigor! M: There’s a good reason why you’re not allowed to marry members of your own family. L: Yeah. Yeah. M: Let’s tell the British royal family that. L: Oh, no! Naughty! [laughter] M: Well they’re all related on some level or another you know. L: Oh my god. Yeah. Oh I don’t want to be dissing the royal family so we’d better not go there. Seriously, I would love to have a cute little doggy that I could take with me everywhere… [This conversation will continue in part 4 of 4] Download the vocabulary list here. Final Words That’s all for today. We’ll be back soon with part four. If you found today’s topic interesting, we’d love to hear your comments. You can leave a comment at our web site, www.betteratenglish.com, or e-mail us at info@betteratenglish.com. Bye for now! Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: Don’t step in the Dog Doo (part 3 of 4) tag:odeo.com,2008-10-28,25438348 Tue, 28 Oct 2008 15:57:57 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! intermediate, Listening, Real English conversations, Pets http://odeo.com/episodes/24705795-Real-English-Conversations-Don%E2%80%99t-step-in-the-Dog-Doo-part-3-of-4 Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. In today’s conversation, which is part 3 of 4, my British friend Michael and I continue our discussion on dogs and cats, focusing on the way that human beings tend to get emotionally attached to their pets. As always, you can find the full transcript and vocabulary notes on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation transcript Note: words in bold are covered in the vocabulary list . Lori: Well, do you…you don’t have a dog now though, right? Michael: No, not personally, no. L: Would you consider getting a dog? M: Well, that’s a good question. I mean, I do love dogs. But they really are a commitment and a responsibility, of course. And that isn’t to be taken lightly. But… L: A lot of people do, a lot of people…especially in the States. People here in Sweden seem to treat their dogs much better o... Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. In today’s conversation, which is part 3 of 4, my British friend Michael and I continue our discussion on dogs and cats, focusing on the way that human beings tend to get emotionally attached to their pets. As always, you can find the full transcript and vocabulary notes on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation transcript Note: words in bold are covered in the vocabulary list . Lori: Well, do you…you don’t have a dog now though, right? Michael: No, not personally, no. L: Would you consider getting a dog? M: Well, that’s a good question. I mean, I do love dogs. But they really are a commitment and a responsibility, of course. And that isn’t to be taken lightly. But… L: A lot of people do, a lot of people…especially in the States. People here in Sweden seem to treat their dogs much better overall than people in the States. But you see…I’ve seen the most horrible things back in the States. People get a dog and, you know, they’re all excited about it at first, and then they just, you know, the novelty wears off… M: Right. L: And the poor dog just spends its life out in the back yard chained up somewhere, barking its head off, and… M: Right. L: You know, that’s really sad. M: Now that’s a real shame, that’s a real shame. L: Yeah, yeah… M: But I think that… this is kind of a morbid thing, but, you know, dogs die. L: Yeah. M: You know, their life expectancy is, what is it—about, maybe about ten years, depending on the breed? L: Yeah. M: And that’s something that, you know, you’re a lot more likely to go through that… and if you have another dog, you know, it’s something you’re going to be experiencing several times in your own lifetime, and that’s traumatic, if you, you know, regard the dog as a family member. L: Yeah, you do get quite attached to your pets. M: Yeah, oh yeah. So, you know, I mean a friend of mine, her dog died just recently, and that was terrible. L: Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that. M: That was really bad; you know, I mean the dog was 18 years old, I mean, it was a very long-lived dog. But, you know, that’s…for her it was half her life, you know, so a terrible trauma to go through. So I’d rather not go through that, you know, I think? L: I don’t know. I think the benefits of having a dog, I mean, as long as you can handle the responsibility and have, you know, a good place for the dog…I don’t think, you know, a German shepherd or a Great Dane would do very well in someone’s tiny little apartment. M: No, for sure. L: But as long as you can handle that, I think the benefits of having a dog would outweigh the sorrow of when the dog finally, you know, gets old and dies. But I guess everyone is different. I would love to have a doggy, I really would. A small one. A little one. M: OK, but aren’t you allergic to dogs. L: Yeah, that’s why I can’t have one! I’m too allergic and also I’m not really sure my life is organized enough to be fair to a dog, or that it would fit in with my…with my life. M: Is that because you don’t have a regular schedule for things, or…? L: I don’t have a regular schedule and sometimes I do work really, really long days and I wouldn’t be able to take the dog with me, so I’d have to leave it locked up in my apartment all day long. And, you know, the poor thing, you know, it would need to go to the bathroom or would just be lonely. I’d have to leave it alone so much that it just wouldn’t be fair. M: Right. It would probably tear the place up. I think, yeah. L: Because they are social animals, you know. They’re pack animals so they really don’t do well when left all alone for long periods. M: Right. Right. L: So it’s rather cruel. But I would love to have a little doggy, a little Border Terrier. [laughter] M: Oh yeah. L: Yeah, but I would worry about getting a purebred dog because sometimes they’re so inbred that they’re completely crackers, and completely free of all intelligence. M: Yes. I know what you mean. Yeah. L: I think mutts are generally much more robust and tend to have better personalities ’cause of the…they have a much more varied genetic makeup. M: Right. Right. Well that’s what they say when it comes to genetics that you should be spreading the genes apart and not… L: Hybrid vigor! M: There’s a good reason why you’re not allowed to marry members of your own family. L: Yeah. Yeah. M: Let’s tell the British royal family that. L: Oh, no! Naughty! [laughter] M: Well they’re all related on some level or another you know. L: Oh my god. Yeah. Oh I don’t want to be dissing the royal family so we’d better not go there. Seriously, I would love to have a cute little doggy that I could take with me everywhere… [This conversation will continue in part 4 of 4] Download the vocabulary list here. Final Words That’s all for today. We’ll be back soon with part four. If you found today’s topic interesting, we’d love to hear your comments. You can leave a comment at our web site, www.betteratenglish.com, or e-mail us at info@betteratenglish.com. Bye for now! Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: Don’t step in the Dog Doo (part 3 of 4) Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. In today’s conversation, which is part 3 of 4, my British friend Michael and I continue our discussion on dogs and cats, focusing on the way that human beings tend to get emotionally attached to their pets. As always, you can find the full transcript and vocabulary notes on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation transcript Note: words in bold are covered in the vocabulary list . Lori: Well, do you…you don’t have a dog now though, right? Michael: No, not personally, no. L: Would you consider getting a dog? M: Well, that’s a good question. I mean, I do love dogs. But they really are a commitment and a responsibility, of course. And that isn’t to be taken lightly. But… L: A lot of people do, a lot of people…especially in the States. People here in Sweden seem to treat their dogs much better overall than people in the States. But you see…I’ve seen the most horrible things back in the States. People get a dog and, you know, they’re all excited about it at first, and then they just, you know, the novelty wears off… M: Right. L: And the poor dog just spends its life out in the back yard chained up somewhere, barking its head off, and… M: Right. L: You know, that’s really sad. M: Now that’s a real shame, that’s a real shame. L: Yeah, yeah… M: But I think that… this is kind of a morbid thing, but, you know, dogs die. L: Yeah. M: You know, their life expectancy is, what is it—about, maybe about ten years, depending on the breed? L: Yeah. M: And that’s something that, you know, you’re a lot more likely to go through that… and if you have another dog, you know, it’s something you’re going to be experiencing several times in your own lifetime, and that’s traumatic, if you, you know, regard the dog as a family member. L: Yeah, you do get quite attached to your pets. M: Yeah, oh yeah. So, you know, I mean a friend of mine, her dog died just recently, and that was terrible. L: Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that. M: That was really bad; you know, I mean the dog was 18 years old, I mean, it was a very long-lived dog. But, you know, that’s…for her it was half her life, you know, so a terrible trauma to go through. So I’d rather not go through that, you know, I think? L: I don’t know. I think the benefits of having a dog, I mean, as long as you can handle the responsibility and have, you know, a good place for the dog…I don’t think, you know, a German shepherd or a Great Dane would do very well in someone’s tiny little apartment. M: No, for sure. L: But as long as you can handle that, I think the benefits of having a dog would outweigh the sorrow of when the dog finally, you know, gets old and dies. But I guess everyone is different. I would love to have a doggy, I really would. A small one. A little one. M: OK, but aren’t you allergic to dogs. L: Yeah, that’s why I can’t have one! I’m too allergic and also I’m not really sure my life is organized enough to be fair to a dog, or that it would fit in with my…with my life. M: Is that because you don’t have a regular schedule for things, or…? L: I don’t have a regular schedule and sometimes I do work really, really long days and I wouldn’t be able to take the dog with me, so I’d have to leave it locked up in my apartment all day long. And, you know, the poor thing, you know, it would need to go to the bathroom or would just be lonely. I’d have to leave it alone so much that it just wouldn’t be fair. M: Right. It would probably tear the place up. I think, yeah. L: Because they are social animals, you know. They’re pack animals so they really don’t do well when left all alone for long periods. M: Right. Right. L: So it’s rather cruel. But I would love to have a little doggy, a little Border Terrier. [laughter] M: Oh yeah. L: Yeah, but I would worry about getting a purebred dog because sometimes they’re so inbred that they’re completely crackers, and completely free of all intelligence. M: Yes. I know what you mean. Yeah. L: I think mutts are generally much more robust and tend to have better personalities ’cause of the…they have a much more varied genetic makeup. M: Right. Right. Well that’s what they say when it comes to genetics that you should be spreading the genes apart and not… L: Hybrid vigor! M: There’s a good reason why you’re not allowed to marry members of your own family. L: Yeah. Yeah. M: Let’s tell the British royal family that. L: Oh, no! Naughty! [laughter] M: Well they’re all related on some level or another you know. L: Oh my god. Yeah. Oh I don’t want to be dissing the royal family so we’d better not go there. Seriously, I would love to have a cute little doggy that I could take with me everywhere… [This conversation will continue in part 4 of 4] Download the vocabulary list here. Final Words That’s all for today. We’ll be back soon with part four. If you found today’s topic interesting, we’d love to hear your comments. You can leave a comment at our web site, www.betteratenglish.com, or e-mail us at info@betteratenglish.com. Bye for now! Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: Don’t step in the Dog Doo (part 3 of 4) tag:odeo.com,2008-10-28,24705795 Tue, 28 Oct 2008 14:57:57 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! intermediate, Listening, Real English conversations, Pets http://odeo.com/episodes/24218131-Real-English-Conversations-Don%E2%80%99t-step-in-the-Dog-Doo-part-3-of-4 Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. In today’s conversation, which is part 3 of 4, my British friend Michael and I continue our discussion on dogs and cats, focusing on the way that human beings tend to get emotionally attached to their pets. As always, you can find the full transcript and vocabulary notes on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation transcript Note: words in bold are covered in the vocabulary list . Lori: Well, do you…you don’t have a dog now though, right? Michael: No, not personally, no. L: Would you consider getting a dog? M: Well, that’s a good question. I mean, I do love dogs. But they really are a commitment and a responsibility, of course. And that isn’t to be taken lightly. But… L: A lot of people do, a lot of people…especially in the States. People here in Sweden seem to treat their dogs much better o... Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. In today’s conversation, which is part 3 of 4, my British friend Michael and I continue our discussion on dogs and cats, focusing on the way that human beings tend to get emotionally attached to their pets. As always, you can find the full transcript and vocabulary notes on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation transcript Note: words in bold are covered in the vocabulary list . Lori: Well, do you…you don’t have a dog now though, right? Michael: No, not personally, no. L: Would you consider getting a dog? M: Well, that’s a good question. I mean, I do love dogs. But they really are a commitment and a responsibility, of course. And that isn’t to be taken lightly. But… L: A lot of people do, a lot of people…especially in the States. People here in Sweden seem to treat their dogs much better overall than people in the States. But you see…I’ve seen the most horrible things back in the States. People get a dog and, you know, they’re all excited about it at first, and then they just, you know, the novelty wears off… M: Right. L: And the poor dog just spends its life out in the back yard chained up somewhere, barking its head off, and… M: Right. L: You know, that’s really sad. M: Now that’s a real shame, that’s a real shame. L: Yeah, yeah… M: But I think that… this is kind of a morbid thing, but, you know, dogs die. L: Yeah. M: You know, their life expectancy is, what is it—about, maybe about ten years, depending on the breed? L: Yeah. M: And that’s something that, you know, you’re a lot more likely to go through that… and if you have another dog, you know, it’s something you’re going to be experiencing several times in your own lifetime, and that’s traumatic, if you, you know, regard the dog as a family member. L: Yeah, you do get quite attached to your pets. M: Yeah, oh yeah. So, you know, I mean a friend of mine, her dog died just recently, and that was terrible. L: Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that. M: That was really bad; you know, I mean the dog was 18 years old, I mean, it was a very long-lived dog. But, you know, that’s…for her it was half her life, you know, so a terrible trauma to go through. So I’d rather not go through that, you know, I think? L: I don’t know. I think the benefits of having a dog, I mean, as long as you can handle the responsibility and have, you know, a good place for the dog…I don’t think, you know, a German shepherd or a Great Dane would do very well in someone’s tiny little apartment. M: No, for sure. L: But as long as you can handle that, I think the benefits of having a dog would outweigh the sorrow of when the dog finally, you know, gets old and dies. But I guess everyone is different. I would love to have a doggy, I really would. A small one. A little one. M: OK, but aren’t you allergic to dogs. L: Yeah, that’s why I can’t have one! I’m too allergic and also I’m not really sure my life is organized enough to be fair to a dog, or that it would fit in with my…with my life. M: Is that because you don’t have a regular schedule for things, or…? L: I don’t have a regular schedule and sometimes I do work really, really long days and I wouldn’t be able to take the dog with me, so I’d have to leave it locked up in my apartment all day long. And, you know, the poor thing, you know, it would need to go to the bathroom or would just be lonely. I’d have to leave it alone so much that it just wouldn’t be fair. M: Right. It would probably tear the place up. I think, yeah. L: Because they are social animals, you know. They’re pack animals so they really don’t do well when left all alone for long periods. M: Right. Right. L: So it’s rather cruel. But I would love to have a little doggy, a little Border Terrier. [laughter] M: Oh yeah. L: Yeah, but I would worry about getting a purebred dog because sometimes they’re so inbred that they’re completely crackers, and completely free of all intelligence. M: Yes. I know what you mean. Yeah. L: I think mutts are generally much more robust and tend to have better personalities ’cause of the…they have a much more varied genetic makeup. M: Right. Right. Well that’s what they say when it comes to genetics that you should be spreading the genes apart and not… L: Hybrid vigor! M: There’s a good reason why you’re not allowed to marry members of your own family. L: Yeah. Yeah. M: Let’s tell the British royal family that. L: Oh, no! Naughty! [laughter] M: Well they’re all related on some level or another you know. L: Oh my god. Yeah. Oh I don’t want to be dissing the royal family so we’d better not go there. Seriously, I would love to have a cute little doggy that I could take with me everywhere… [This conversation will continue in part 4 of 4] Download the vocabulary list here. Final Words That’s all for today. We’ll be back soon with part four. If you found today’s topic interesting, we’d love to hear your comments. You can leave a comment at our web site, www.betteratenglish.com, or e-mail us at info@betteratenglish.com. Bye for now! Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: Don’t step in the Dog Doo (part 3 of 4) Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. In today’s conversation, which is part 3 of 4, my British friend Michael and I continue our discussion on dogs and cats, focusing on the way that human beings tend to get emotionally attached to their pets. As always, you can find the full transcript and vocabulary notes on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation transcript Note: words in bold are covered in the vocabulary list . Lori: Well, do you…you don’t have a dog now though, right? Michael: No, not personally, no. L: Would you consider getting a dog? M: Well, that’s a good question. I mean, I do love dogs. But they really are a commitment and a responsibility, of course. And that isn’t to be taken lightly. But… L: A lot of people do, a lot of people…especially in the States. People here in Sweden seem to treat their dogs much better overall than people in the States. But you see…I’ve seen the most horrible things back in the States. People get a dog and, you know, they’re all excited about it at first, and then they just, you know, the novelty wears off… M: Right. L: And the poor dog just spends its life out in the back yard chained up somewhere, barking its head off, and… M: Right. L: You know, that’s really sad. M: Now that’s a real shame, that’s a real shame. L: Yeah, yeah… M: But I think that… this is kind of a morbid thing, but, you know, dogs die. L: Yeah. M: You know, their life expectancy is, what is it—about, maybe about ten years, depending on the breed? L: Yeah. M: And that’s something that, you know, you’re a lot more likely to go through that… and if you have another dog, you know, it’s something you’re going to be experiencing several times in your own lifetime, and that’s traumatic, if you, you know, regard the dog as a family member. L: Yeah, you do get quite attached to your pets. M: Yeah, oh yeah. So, you know, I mean a friend of mine, her dog died just recently, and that was terrible. L: Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that. M: That was really bad; you know, I mean the dog was 18 years old, I mean, it was a very long-lived dog. But, you know, that’s…for her it was half her life, you know, so a terrible trauma to go through. So I’d rather not go through that, you know, I think? L: I don’t know. I think the benefits of having a dog, I mean, as long as you can handle the responsibility and have, you know, a good place for the dog…I don’t think, you know, a German shepherd or a Great Dane would do very well in someone’s tiny little apartment. M: No, for sure. L: But as long as you can handle that, I think the benefits of having a dog would outweigh the sorrow of when the dog finally, you know, gets old and dies. But I guess everyone is different. I would love to have a doggy, I really would. A small one. A little one. M: OK, but aren’t you allergic to dogs. L: Yeah, that’s why I can’t have one! I’m too allergic and also I’m not really sure my life is organized enough to be fair to a dog, or that it would fit in with my…with my life. M: Is that because you don’t have a regular schedule for things, or…? L: I don’t have a regular schedule and sometimes I do work really, really long days and I wouldn’t be able to take the dog with me, so I’d have to leave it locked up in my apartment all day long. And, you know, the poor thing, you know, it would need to go to the bathroom or would just be lonely. I’d have to leave it alone so much that it just wouldn’t be fair. M: Right. It would probably tear the place up. I think, yeah. L: Because they are social animals, you know. They’re pack animals so they really don’t do well when left all alone for long periods. M: Right. Right. L: So it’s rather cruel. But I would love to have a little doggy, a little Border Terrier. [laughter] M: Oh yeah. L: Yeah, but I would worry about getting a purebred dog because sometimes they’re so inbred that they’re completely crackers, and completely free of all intelligence. M: Yes. I know what you mean. Yeah. L: I think mutts are generally much more robust and tend to have better personalities ’cause of the…they have a much more varied genetic makeup. M: Right. Right. Well that’s what they say when it comes to genetics that you should be spreading the genes apart and not… L: Hybrid vigor! M: There’s a good reason why you’re not allowed to marry members of your own family. L: Yeah. Yeah. M: Let’s tell the British royal family that. L: Oh, no! Naughty! [laughter] M: Well they’re all related on some level or another you know. L: Oh my god. Yeah. Oh I don’t want to be dissing the royal family so we’d better not go there. Seriously, I would love to have a cute little doggy that I could take with me everywhere… [This conversation will continue in part 4 of 4] Download the vocabulary list here. Final Words That’s all for today. We’ll be back soon with part four. If you found today’s topic interesting, we’d love to hear your comments. You can leave a comment at our web site, www.betteratenglish.com, or e-mail us at info@betteratenglish.com. Bye for now! Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: Don’t step in the Dog Doo (part 3 of 4) tag:odeo.com,2008-10-28,24218131 Tue, 28 Oct 2008 14:57:57 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! intermediate, Listening, Real English conversations, Pets http://odeo.com/episodes/23616063-Real-English-Conversations-Don%E2%80%99t-step-in-the-Dog-Doo-part-3-of-4 Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. In today’s conversation, which is part 3 of 4, my British friend Michael and I continue our discussion on dogs and cats, focusing on the way that human beings tend to get emotionally attached to their pets. As always, you can find the full transcript and vocabulary notes on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation transcript Note: words in bold are covered in the vocabulary list . Lori: Well, do you…you don’t have a dog now though, right? Michael: No, not personally, no. L: Would you consider getting a dog? M: Well, that’s a good question. I mean, I do love dogs. But they really are a commitment and a responsibility, of course. And that isn’t to be taken lightly. But… L: A lot of people do, a lot of people…especially in the States. People here in Sweden seem to treat their dogs much better o... Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. In today’s conversation, which is part 3 of 4, my British friend Michael and I continue our discussion on dogs and cats, focusing on the way that human beings tend to get emotionally attached to their pets. As always, you can find the full transcript and vocabulary notes on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation transcript Note: words in bold are covered in the vocabulary list . Lori: Well, do you…you don’t have a dog now though, right? Michael: No, not personally, no. L: Would you consider getting a dog? M: Well, that’s a good question. I mean, I do love dogs. But they really are a commitment and a responsibility, of course. And that isn’t to be taken lightly. But… L: A lot of people do, a lot of people…especially in the States. People here in Sweden seem to treat their dogs much better overall than people in the States. But you see…I’ve seen the most horrible things back in the States. People get a dog and, you know, they’re all excited about it at first, and then they just, you know, the novelty wears off… M: Right. L: And the poor dog just spends its life out in the back yard chained up somewhere, barking its head off, and… M: Right. L: You know, that’s really sad. M: Now that’s a real shame, that’s a real shame. L: Yeah, yeah… M: But I think that… this is kind of a morbid thing, but, you know, dogs die. L: Yeah. M: You know, their life expectancy is, what is it—about, maybe about ten years, depending on the breed? L: Yeah. M: And that’s something that, you know, you’re a lot more likely to go through that… and if you have another dog, you know, it’s something you’re going to be experiencing several times in your own lifetime, and that’s traumatic, if you, you know, regard the dog as a family member. L: Yeah, you do get quite attached to your pets. M: Yeah, oh yeah. So, you know, I mean a friend of mine, her dog died just recently, and that was terrible. L: Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that. M: That was really bad; you know, I mean the dog was 18 years old, I mean, it was a very long-lived dog. But, you know, that’s…for her it was half her life, you know, so a terrible trauma to go through. So I’d rather not go through that, you know, I think? L: I don’t know. I think the benefits of having a dog, I mean, as long as you can handle the responsibility and have, you know, a good place for the dog…I don’t think, you know, a German shepherd or a Great Dane would do very well in someone’s tiny little apartment. M: No, for sure. L: But as long as you can handle that, I think the benefits of having a dog would outweigh the sorrow of when the dog finally, you know, gets old and dies. But I guess everyone is different. I would love to have a doggy, I really would. A small one. A little one. M: OK, but aren’t you allergic to dogs. L: Yeah, that’s why I can’t have one! I’m too allergic and also I’m not really sure my life is organized enough to be fair to a dog, or that it would fit in with my…with my life. M: Is that because you don’t have a regular schedule for things, or…? L: I don’t have a regular schedule and sometimes I do work really, really long days and I wouldn’t be able to take the dog with me, so I’d have to leave it locked up in my apartment all day long. And, you know, the poor thing, you know, it would need to go to the bathroom or would just be lonely. I’d have to leave it alone so much that it just wouldn’t be fair. M: Right. It would probably tear the place up. I think, yeah. L: Because they are social animals, you know. They’re pack animals so they really don’t do well when left all alone for long periods. M: Right. Right. L: So it’s rather cruel. But I would love to have a little doggy, a little Border Terrier. [laughter] M: Oh yeah. L: Yeah, but I would worry about getting a purebred dog because sometimes they’re so inbred that they’re completely crackers, and completely free of all intelligence. M: Yes. I know what you mean. Yeah. L: I think mutts are generally much more robust and tend to have better personalities ’cause of the…they have a much more varied genetic makeup. M: Right. Right. Well that’s what they say when it comes to genetics that you should be spreading the genes apart and not… L: Hybrid vigor! M: There’s a good reason why you’re not allowed to marry members of your own family. L: Yeah. Yeah. M: Let’s tell the British royal family that. L: Oh, no! Naughty! [laughter] M: Well they’re all related on some level or another you know. L: Oh my god. Yeah. Oh I don’t want to be dissing the royal family so we’d better not go there. Seriously, I would love to have a cute little doggy that I could take with me everywhere… [This conversation will continue in part 4 of 4] Download the vocabulary list here. Final Words That’s all for today. We’ll be back soon with part four. If you found today’s topic interesting, we’d love to hear your comments. You can leave a comment at our web site, www.betteratenglish.com, or e-mail us at info@betteratenglish.com. Bye for now! Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: Don’t step in the Dog Doo (part 3 of 4) Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. In today’s conversation, which is part 3 of 4, my British friend Michael and I continue our discussion on dogs and cats, focusing on the way that human beings tend to get emotionally attached to their pets. As always, you can find the full transcript and vocabulary notes on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation transcript Note: words in bold are covered in the vocabulary list . Lori: Well, do you…you don’t have a dog now though, right? Michael: No, not personally, no. L: Would you consider getting a dog? M: Well, that’s a good question. I mean, I do love dogs. But they really are a commitment and a responsibility, of course. And that isn’t to be taken lightly. But… L: A lot of people do, a lot of people…especially in the States. People here in Sweden seem to treat their dogs much better overall than people in the States. But you see…I’ve seen the most horrible things back in the States. People get a dog and, you know, they’re all excited about it at first, and then they just, you know, the novelty wears off… M: Right. L: And the poor dog just spends its life out in the back yard chained up somewhere, barking its head off, and… M: Right. L: You know, that’s really sad. M: Now that’s a real shame, that’s a real shame. L: Yeah, yeah… M: But I think that… this is kind of a morbid thing, but, you know, dogs die. L: Yeah. M: You know, their life expectancy is, what is it—about, maybe about ten years, depending on the breed? L: Yeah. M: And that’s something that, you know, you’re a lot more likely to go through that… and if you have another dog, you know, it’s something you’re going to be experiencing several times in your own lifetime, and that’s traumatic, if you, you know, regard the dog as a family member. L: Yeah, you do get quite attached to your pets. M: Yeah, oh yeah. So, you know, I mean a friend of mine, her dog died just recently, and that was terrible. L: Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that. M: That was really bad; you know, I mean the dog was 18 years old, I mean, it was a very long-lived dog. But, you know, that’s…for her it was half her life, you know, so a terrible trauma to go through. So I’d rather not go through that, you know, I think? L: I don’t know. I think the benefits of having a dog, I mean, as long as you can handle the responsibility and have, you know, a good place for the dog…I don’t think, you know, a German shepherd or a Great Dane would do very well in someone’s tiny little apartment. M: No, for sure. L: But as long as you can handle that, I think the benefits of having a dog would outweigh the sorrow of when the dog finally, you know, gets old and dies. But I guess everyone is different. I would love to have a doggy, I really would. A small one. A little one. M: OK, but aren’t you allergic to dogs. L: Yeah, that’s why I can’t have one! I’m too allergic and also I’m not really sure my life is organized enough to be fair to a dog, or that it would fit in with my…with my life. M: Is that because you don’t have a regular schedule for things, or…? L: I don’t have a regular schedule and sometimes I do work really, really long days and I wouldn’t be able to take the dog with me, so I’d have to leave it locked up in my apartment all day long. And, you know, the poor thing, you know, it would need to go to the bathroom or would just be lonely. I’d have to leave it alone so much that it just wouldn’t be fair. M: Right. It would probably tear the place up. I think, yeah. L: Because they are social animals, you know. They’re pack animals so they really don’t do well when left all alone for long periods. M: Right. Right. L: So it’s rather cruel. But I would love to have a little doggy, a little Border Terrier. [laughter] M: Oh yeah. L: Yeah, but I would worry about getting a purebred dog because sometimes they’re so inbred that they’re completely crackers, and completely free of all intelligence. M: Yes. I know what you mean. Yeah. L: I think mutts are generally much more robust and tend to have better personalities ’cause of the…they have a much more varied genetic makeup. M: Right. Right. Well that’s what they say when it comes to genetics that you should be spreading the genes apart and not… L: Hybrid vigor! M: There’s a good reason why you’re not allowed to marry members of your own family. L: Yeah. Yeah. M: Let’s tell the British royal family that. L: Oh, no! Naughty! [laughter] M: Well they’re all related on some level or another you know. L: Oh my god. Yeah. Oh I don’t want to be dissing the royal family so we’d better not go there. Seriously, I would love to have a cute little doggy that I could take with me everywhere… [This conversation will continue in part 4 of 4] Download the vocabulary list here. Final Words That’s all for today. We’ll be back soon with part four. If you found today’s topic interesting, we’d love to hear your comments. You can leave a comment at our web site, www.betteratenglish.com, or e-mail us at info@betteratenglish.com. Bye for now! Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: Don’t step in the Dog Doo (part 3 of 4) tag:odeo.com,2008-10-28,23616063 Tue, 28 Oct 2008 14:57:57 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! intermediate, Listening, Real English conversations, Pets http://odeo.com/episodes/23544282-Real-English-Conversations-Don%E2%80%99t-step-in-the-Dog-Doo-part-3-of-4 Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. In today’s conversation, which is part 3 of 4, my British friend Michael and I continue our discussion on dogs and cats, focusing on the way that human beings tend to get emotionally attached to their pets. As always, you can find the full transcript and vocabulary notes on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation transcript Note: words in bold are covered in the vocabulary list . Lori: Well, do you…you don’t have a dog now though, right? Michael: No, not personally, no. L: Would you consider getting a dog? M: Well, that’s a good question. I mean, I do love dogs. But they really are a commitment and a responsibility, of course. And that isn’t to be taken lightly. But… L: A lot of people do, a lot of people…especially in the States. People here in Sweden seem to treat their dogs much better o... Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. In today’s conversation, which is part 3 of 4, my British friend Michael and I continue our discussion on dogs and cats, focusing on the way that human beings tend to get emotionally attached to their pets. As always, you can find the full transcript and vocabulary notes on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation transcript Note: words in bold are covered in the vocabulary list . Lori: Well, do you…you don’t have a dog now though, right? Michael: No, not personally, no. L: Would you consider getting a dog? M: Well, that’s a good question. I mean, I do love dogs. But they really are a commitment and a responsibility, of course. And that isn’t to be taken lightly. But… L: A lot of people do, a lot of people…especially in the States. People here in Sweden seem to treat their dogs much better overall than people in the States. But you see…I’ve seen the most horrible things back in the States. People get a dog and, you know, they’re all excited about it at first, and then they just, you know, the novelty wears off… M: Right. L: And the poor dog just spends its life out in the back yard chained up somewhere, barking its head off, and… M: Right. L: You know, that’s really sad. M: Now that’s a real shame, that’s a real shame. L: Yeah, yeah… M: But I think that… this is kind of a morbid thing, but, you know, dogs die. L: Yeah. M: You know, their life expectancy is, what is it—about, maybe about ten years, depending on the breed? L: Yeah. M: And that’s something that, you know, you’re a lot more likely to go through that… and if you have another dog, you know, it’s something you’re going to be experiencing several times in your own lifetime, and that’s traumatic, if you, you know, regard the dog as a family member. L: Yeah, you do get quite attached to your pets. M: Yeah, oh yeah. So, you know, I mean a friend of mine, her dog died just recently, and that was terrible. L: Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that. M: That was really bad; you know, I mean the dog was 18 years old, I mean, it was a very long-lived dog. But, you know, that’s…for her it was half her life, you know, so a terrible trauma to go through. So I’d rather not go through that, you know, I think? L: I don’t know. I think the benefits of having a dog, I mean, as long as you can handle the responsibility and have, you know, a good place for the dog…I don’t think, you know, a German shepherd or a Great Dane would do very well in someone’s tiny little apartment. M: No, for sure. L: But as long as you can handle that, I think the benefits of having a dog would outweigh the sorrow of when the dog finally, you know, gets old and dies. But I guess everyone is different. I would love to have a doggy, I really would. A small one. A little one. M: OK, but aren’t you allergic to dogs. L: Yeah, that’s why I can’t have one! I’m too allergic and also I’m not really sure my life is organized enough to be fair to a dog, or that it would fit in with my…with my life. M: Is that because you don’t have a regular schedule for things, or…? L: I don’t have a regular schedule and sometimes I do work really, really long days and I wouldn’t be able to take the dog with me, so I’d have to leave it locked up in my apartment all day long. And, you know, the poor thing, you know, it would need to go to the bathroom or would just be lonely. I’d have to leave it alone so much that it just wouldn’t be fair. M: Right. It would probably tear the place up. I think, yeah. L: Because they are social animals, you know. They’re pack animals so they really don’t do well when left all alone for long periods. M: Right. Right. L: So it’s rather cruel. But I would love to have a little doggy, a little Border Terrier. [laughter] M: Oh yeah. L: Yeah, but I would worry about getting a purebred dog because sometimes they’re so inbred that they’re completely crackers, and completely free of all intelligence. M: Yes. I know what you mean. Yeah. L: I think mutts are generally much more robust and tend to have better personalities ’cause of the…they have a much more varied genetic makeup. M: Right. Right. Well that’s what they say when it comes to genetics that you should be spreading the genes apart and not… L: Hybrid vigor! M: There’s a good reason why you’re not allowed to marry members of your own family. L: Yeah. Yeah. M: Let’s tell the British royal family that. L: Oh, no! Naughty! [laughter] M: Well they’re all related on some level or another you know. L: Oh my god. Yeah. Oh I don’t want to be dissing the royal family so we’d better not go there. Seriously, I would love to have a cute little doggy that I could take with me everywhere… [This conversation will continue in part 4 of 4] Download the vocabulary list here. Final Words That’s all for today. We’ll be back soon with part four. If you found today’s topic interesting, we’d love to hear your comments. You can leave a comment at our web site, www.betteratenglish.com, or e-mail us at info@betteratenglish.com. Bye for now! Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: Don’t step in the Dog Doo (part 3 of 4) Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. In today’s conversation, which is part 3 of 4, my British friend Michael and I continue our discussion on dogs and cats, focusing on the way that human beings tend to get emotionally attached to their pets. As always, you can find the full transcript and vocabulary notes on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation transcript Note: words in bold are covered in the vocabulary list . Lori: Well, do you…you don’t have a dog now though, right? Michael: No, not personally, no. L: Would you consider getting a dog? M: Well, that’s a good question. I mean, I do love dogs. But they really are a commitment and a responsibility, of course. And that isn’t to be taken lightly. But… L: A lot of people do, a lot of people…especially in the States. People here in Sweden seem to treat their dogs much better overall than people in the States. But you see…I’ve seen the most horrible things back in the States. People get a dog and, you know, they’re all excited about it at first, and then they just, you know, the novelty wears off… M: Right. L: And the poor dog just spends its life out in the back yard chained up somewhere, barking its head off, and… M: Right. L: You know, that’s really sad. M: Now that’s a real shame, that’s a real shame. L: Yeah, yeah… M: But I think that… this is kind of a morbid thing, but, you know, dogs die. L: Yeah. M: You know, their life expectancy is, what is it—about, maybe about ten years, depending on the breed? L: Yeah. M: And that’s something that, you know, you’re a lot more likely to go through that… and if you have another dog, you know, it’s something you’re going to be experiencing several times in your own lifetime, and that’s traumatic, if you, you know, regard the dog as a family member. L: Yeah, you do get quite attached to your pets. M: Yeah, oh yeah. So, you know, I mean a friend of mine, her dog died just recently, and that was terrible. L: Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that. M: That was really bad; you know, I mean the dog was 18 years old, I mean, it was a very long-lived dog. But, you know, that’s…for her it was half her life, you know, so a terrible trauma to go through. So I’d rather not go through that, you know, I think? L: I don’t know. I think the benefits of having a dog, I mean, as long as you can handle the responsibility and have, you know, a good place for the dog…I don’t think, you know, a German shepherd or a Great Dane would do very well in someone’s tiny little apartment. M: No, for sure. L: But as long as you can handle that, I think the benefits of having a dog would outweigh the sorrow of when the dog finally, you know, gets old and dies. But I guess everyone is different. I would love to have a doggy, I really would. A small one. A little one. M: OK, but aren’t you allergic to dogs. L: Yeah, that’s why I can’t have one! I’m too allergic and also I’m not really sure my life is organized enough to be fair to a dog, or that it would fit in with my…with my life. M: Is that because you don’t have a regular schedule for things, or…? L: I don’t have a regular schedule and sometimes I do work really, really long days and I wouldn’t be able to take the dog with me, so I’d have to leave it locked up in my apartment all day long. And, you know, the poor thing, you know, it would need to go to the bathroom or would just be lonely. I’d have to leave it alone so much that it just wouldn’t be fair. M: Right. It would probably tear the place up. I think, yeah. L: Because they are social animals, you know. They’re pack animals so they really don’t do well when left all alone for long periods. M: Right. Right. L: So it’s rather cruel. But I would love to have a little doggy, a little Border Terrier. [laughter] M: Oh yeah. L: Yeah, but I would worry about getting a purebred dog because sometimes they’re so inbred that they’re completely crackers, and completely free of all intelligence. M: Yes. I know what you mean. Yeah. L: I think mutts are generally much more robust and tend to have better personalities ’cause of the…they have a much more varied genetic makeup. M: Right. Right. Well that’s what they say when it comes to genetics that you should be spreading the genes apart and not… L: Hybrid vigor! M: There’s a good reason why you’re not allowed to marry members of your own family. L: Yeah. Yeah. M: Let’s tell the British royal family that. L: Oh, no! Naughty! [laughter] M: Well they’re all related on some level or another you know. L: Oh my god. Yeah. Oh I don’t want to be dissing the royal family so we’d better not go there. Seriously, I would love to have a cute little doggy that I could take with me everywhere… [This conversation will continue in part 4 of 4] Download the vocabulary list here. Final Words That’s all for today. We’ll be back soon with part four. If you found today’s topic interesting, we’d love to hear your comments. You can leave a comment at our web site, www.betteratenglish.com, or e-mail us at info@betteratenglish.com. Bye for now! Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: Don’t step in the Dog Doo (part 3 of 4) tag:odeo.com,2008-10-28,23544282 Tue, 28 Oct 2008 14:57:57 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! intermediate, Listening, Real English conversations, Pets http://odeo.com/episodes/24705796-Real-English-Conversations-Don%E2%80%99t-step-on-the-dog-doo-2-of-4 Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. I’m traveling abroad this week so I have had to edit this show on my laptop. There is no theme music today because I forgot to bring my music files with me. But I figured that having no music is better than making you all wait until I get home before I post this episode. In today’s conversation, which is part 2 of 4, my British friend Michael and I continue discussing dogs and cats, and which we prefer. As always, you can find the full transcript and vocabulary notes on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation Transcript Note: Words in bold are explained in the vocabulary list. Lori: Well anyway, we’re digressing. Enough about dog poo. What do you think the best thing about doggies is? Michael: Well, it’s difficult to say any one thing. But I like the kind of nature and the relationship that... Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. I’m traveling abroad this week so I have had to edit this show on my laptop. There is no theme music today because I forgot to bring my music files with me. But I figured that having no music is better than making you all wait until I get home before I post this episode. In today’s conversation, which is part 2 of 4, my British friend Michael and I continue discussing dogs and cats, and which we prefer. As always, you can find the full transcript and vocabulary notes on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation Transcript Note: Words in bold are explained in the vocabulary list. Lori: Well anyway, we’re digressing. Enough about dog poo. What do you think the best thing about doggies is? Michael: Well, it’s difficult to say any one thing. But I like the kind of nature and the relationship that dogs have with their owners. And they are generally interested. And they are genuinely affectionate — or they can be — genuinely affectionate to their owners, which is something that I really don’t see in cats. L: Yeah, cats are interesting. They’re interesting. It’s hard to know where you have a cat. M: Uh huh. L: I mean, if a cat is coming up and rubbing against your legs and being what looks like affectionate, it’s like, are they really…? M: Right. [laughter] That’s called cupboard love. L: Cupboard love. Yeah, are they really just in it for the food? Or are they really…? You know, ‘cause dogs — I agree with you — dogs really can seem to be genuinely affectionate towards their owners. I mean, the best thing in the world has to be coming home, when you left your dog at home for a few hours, and you come home and your dog is so happy to see you. And you’re the best person in the world and it’s just the most exciting thing ever that you’ve come walking through the door. M: Right. L: One of my favorite sayings is “I wish were the person my dog thinks I am.” M: Aww. Yeah. I know what you mean. L: Because they just think that you’re just the best thing ever, and every time. M: Well some people can be like that too. [laughter] L: Yeah, but not every time. M: No. Maybe not. L: I mean, seriously, with dogs it’s, like, every time. You only have to leave them for 20 minutes and then come back and they’re just all over you ‘cause they’re so…just…overwhelmed with happiness. M: That’s true. Yeah. Without fail. Without fail. L: Yeah it’s fantastic. M: You know I like that. The interaction you can have with a dog. They really want to play. And yeah, that’s just… I’m a dog person. L: Yeah…I think…I like cats too. I know we differ about that, but I do like cats. But I would have to say I feel more affinity towards dogs. M: Well, I like kittens. You know? L: Oh kittens! Don’t even get me started on little kittens. M: Kittens… well yeah they like to play and they’re full of mischief. They can be fun. That’s before they turn into cats and that’s when it all goes horribly wrong for me. L: Oh, yeah. Kittens are just the cutest thing. And…but cats like to play too. You remember Janne and Ozzie’s cat, with the laser pointer. What fun we had. M: Yeah, that was a lot of fun, yeah. L: Yeah. Cats go absolutely crazy if you have one of those laser pointers and taunt them with it. M: Yeah, but…the thing is though, they’re trying to kill it. L: [laughing] Yeah, that’s true again! M: That’s the problem. While we’re going, “Aww, that’s so cute.” But the cat is thinking, “What is that little creature? I’m going to kill it and eat it.” L: Exactly. [laughing] And, no, “I’m going to catch it and toy with it first and then I’m going to kill it.” M: Right, yeah. “I’m going to toy with it until it dies of a heart attack and then I’m going to eat it.” [laughter] M: You know, “Tear it apart and bring its entrails to my master.” L: Exactly. Yeah, that’s a funny thing that cats do. I don’t know if that is just anthropomorphizing, you know, when you want to, kind of, impinge human qualities onto animals. People tend to say that, if their cat has been out in the garden and killed a bird and left it inside the house, that the cat has left them a “present.” And I don’t know if the cat is just saving it for later…or something…you know, why does it have to be a present? M: It’s bringing it to you saying, “Hey, can you stick this in the fridge for me?” [laughter] L: Exactly. “I want to save it for my dinner.” M: That’s the reason. It is because the cat can’t open the fridge, that’s why. L: When I used to have cats, I used to find dead birds and things in my room that the cat had…you know…killed and left under the bed…and…that’s kind of unsettling. M: Yeah, that’s not so much fun. L: Yeah, that’s horrible. Well, you don’t have a dog now, though, right? You personally. M: No, not anymore… Final Words That’s all for today. We’ll be back soon with part three. If you found today’s topic interesting, we’d love to hear your comments. You can leave a comment at our web site, www.betteratenglish.com, or e-mail us at info AT betteratenglish DOT com. Bye for now! Download transcript and vocabulary list. Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: Don’t step on the dog doo (2 of 4) Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. I’m traveling abroad this week so I have had to edit this show on my laptop. There is no theme music today because I forgot to bring my music files with me. But I figured that having no music is better than making you all wait until I get home before I post this episode. In today’s conversation, which is part 2 of 4, my British friend Michael and I continue discussing dogs and cats, and which we prefer. As always, you can find the full transcript and vocabulary notes on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation Transcript Note: Words in bold are explained in the vocabulary list. Lori: Well anyway, we’re digressing. Enough about dog poo. What do you think the best thing about doggies is? Michael: Well, it’s difficult to say any one thing. But I like the kind of nature and the relationship that dogs have with their owners. And they are generally interested. And they are genuinely affectionate — or they can be — genuinely affectionate to their owners, which is something that I really don’t see in cats. L: Yeah, cats are interesting. They’re interesting. It’s hard to know where you have a cat. M: Uh huh. L: I mean, if a cat is coming up and rubbing against your legs and being what looks like affectionate, it’s like, are they really…? M: Right. [laughter] That’s called cupboard love. L: Cupboard love. Yeah, are they really just in it for the food? Or are they really…? You know, ‘cause dogs — I agree with you — dogs really can seem to be genuinely affectionate towards their owners. I mean, the best thing in the world has to be coming home, when you left your dog at home for a few hours, and you come home and your dog is so happy to see you. And you’re the best person in the world and it’s just the most exciting thing ever that you’ve come walking through the door. M: Right. L: One of my favorite sayings is “I wish were the person my dog thinks I am.” M: Aww. Yeah. I know what you mean. L: Because they just think that you’re just the best thing ever, and every time. M: Well some people can be like that too. [laughter] L: Yeah, but not every time. M: No. Maybe not. L: I mean, seriously, with dogs it’s, like, every time. You only have to leave them for 20 minutes and then come back and they’re just all over you ‘cause they’re so…just…overwhelmed with happiness. M: That’s true. Yeah. Without fail. Without fail. L: Yeah it’s fantastic. M: You know I like that. The interaction you can have with a dog. They really want to play. And yeah, that’s just… I’m a dog person. L: Yeah…I think…I like cats too. I know we differ about that, but I do like cats. But I would have to say I feel more affinity towards dogs. M: Well, I like kittens. You know? L: Oh kittens! Don’t even get me started on little kittens. M: Kittens… well yeah they like to play and they’re full of mischief. They can be fun. That’s before they turn into cats and that’s when it all goes horribly wrong for me. L: Oh, yeah. Kittens are just the cutest thing. And…but cats like to play too. You remember Janne and Ozzie’s cat, with the laser pointer. What fun we had. M: Yeah, that was a lot of fun, yeah. L: Yeah. Cats go absolutely crazy if you have one of those laser pointers and taunt them with it. M: Yeah, but…the thing is though, they’re trying to kill it. L: [laughing] Yeah, that’s true again! M: That’s the problem. While we’re going, “Aww, that’s so cute.” But the cat is thinking, “What is that little creature? I’m going to kill it and eat it.” L: Exactly. [laughing] And, no, “I’m going to catch it and toy with it first and then I’m going to kill it.” M: Right, yeah. “I’m going to toy with it until it dies of a heart attack and then I’m going to eat it.” [laughter] M: You know, “Tear it apart and bring its entrails to my master.” L: Exactly. Yeah, that’s a funny thing that cats do. I don’t know if that is just anthropomorphizing, you know, when you want to, kind of, impinge human qualities onto animals. People tend to say that, if their cat has been out in the garden and killed a bird and left it inside the house, that the cat has left them a “present.” And I don’t know if the cat is just saving it for later…or something…you know, why does it have to be a present? M: It’s bringing it to you saying, “Hey, can you stick this in the fridge for me?” [laughter] L: Exactly. “I want to save it for my dinner.” M: That’s the reason. It is because the cat can’t open the fridge, that’s why. L: When I used to have cats, I used to find dead birds and things in my room that the cat had…you know…killed and left under the bed…and…that’s kind of unsettling. M: Yeah, that’s not so much fun. L: Yeah, that’s horrible. Well, you don’t have a dog now, though, right? You personally. M: No, not anymore… Final Words That’s all for today. We’ll be back soon with part three. If you found today’s topic interesting, we’d love to hear your comments. You can leave a comment at our web site, www.betteratenglish.com, or e-mail us at info AT betteratenglish DOT com. Bye for now! Download transcript and vocabulary list. Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: Don’t step on the dog doo (2 of 4) tag:odeo.com,2008-10-19,24705796 Sun, 19 Oct 2008 13:09:13 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! intermediate, Real English conversations, Pets http://odeo.com/episodes/24218132-Real-English-Conversations-Don%E2%80%99t-step-on-the-dog-doo-2-of-4 Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. I’m traveling abroad this week so I have had to edit this show on my laptop. There is no theme music today because I forgot to bring my music files with me. But I figured that having no music is better than making you all wait until I get home before I post this episode. In today’s conversation, which is part 2 of 4, my British friend Michael and I continue discussing dogs and cats, and which we prefer. As always, you can find the full transcript and vocabulary notes on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation Transcript Note: Words in bold are explained in the vocabulary list. Lori: Well anyway, we’re digressing. Enough about dog poo. What do you think the best thing about doggies is? Michael: Well, it’s difficult to say any one thing. But I like the kind of nature and the relationship that... Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. I’m traveling abroad this week so I have had to edit this show on my laptop. There is no theme music today because I forgot to bring my music files with me. But I figured that having no music is better than making you all wait until I get home before I post this episode. In today’s conversation, which is part 2 of 4, my British friend Michael and I continue discussing dogs and cats, and which we prefer. As always, you can find the full transcript and vocabulary notes on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation Transcript Note: Words in bold are explained in the vocabulary list. Lori: Well anyway, we’re digressing. Enough about dog poo. What do you think the best thing about doggies is? Michael: Well, it’s difficult to say any one thing. But I like the kind of nature and the relationship that dogs have with their owners. And they are generally interested. And they are genuinely affectionate — or they can be — genuinely affectionate to their owners, which is something that I really don’t see in cats. L: Yeah, cats are interesting. They’re interesting. It’s hard to know where you have a cat. M: Uh huh. L: I mean, if a cat is coming up and rubbing against your legs and being what looks like affectionate, it’s like, are they really…? M: Right. [laughter] That’s called cupboard love. L: Cupboard love. Yeah, are they really just in it for the food? Or are they really…? You know, ‘cause dogs — I agree with you — dogs really can seem to be genuinely affectionate towards their owners. I mean, the best thing in the world has to be coming home, when you left your dog at home for a few hours, and you come home and your dog is so happy to see you. And you’re the best person in the world and it’s just the most exciting thing ever that you’ve come walking through the door. M: Right. L: One of my favorite sayings is “I wish were the person my dog thinks I am.” M: Aww. Yeah. I know what you mean. L: Because they just think that you’re just the best thing ever, and every time. M: Well some people can be like that too. [laughter] L: Yeah, but not every time. M: No. Maybe not. L: I mean, seriously, with dogs it’s, like, every time. You only have to leave them for 20 minutes and then come back and they’re just all over you ‘cause they’re so…just…overwhelmed with happiness. M: That’s true. Yeah. Without fail. Without fail. L: Yeah it’s fantastic. M: You know I like that. The interaction you can have with a dog. They really want to play. And yeah, that’s just… I’m a dog person. L: Yeah…I think…I like cats too. I know we differ about that, but I do like cats. But I would have to say I feel more affinity towards dogs. M: Well, I like kittens. You know? L: Oh kittens! Don’t even get me started on little kittens. M: Kittens… well yeah they like to play and they’re full of mischief. They can be fun. That’s before they turn into cats and that’s when it all goes horribly wrong for me. L: Oh, yeah. Kittens are just the cutest thing. And…but cats like to play too. You remember Janne and Ozzie’s cat, with the laser pointer. What fun we had. M: Yeah, that was a lot of fun, yeah. L: Yeah. Cats go absolutely crazy if you have one of those laser pointers and taunt them with it. M: Yeah, but…the thing is though, they’re trying to kill it. L: [laughing] Yeah, that’s true again! M: That’s the problem. While we’re going, “Aww, that’s so cute.” But the cat is thinking, “What is that little creature? I’m going to kill it and eat it.” L: Exactly. [laughing] And, no, “I’m going to catch it and toy with it first and then I’m going to kill it.” M: Right, yeah. “I’m going to toy with it until it dies of a heart attack and then I’m going to eat it.” [laughter] M: You know, “Tear it apart and bring its entrails to my master.” L: Exactly. Yeah, that’s a funny thing that cats do. I don’t know if that is just anthropomorphizing, you know, when you want to, kind of, impinge human qualities onto animals. People tend to say that, if their cat has been out in the garden and killed a bird and left it inside the house, that the cat has left them a “present.” And I don’t know if the cat is just saving it for later…or something…you know, why does it have to be a present? M: It’s bringing it to you saying, “Hey, can you stick this in the fridge for me?” [laughter] L: Exactly. “I want to save it for my dinner.” M: That’s the reason. It is because the cat can’t open the fridge, that’s why. L: When I used to have cats, I used to find dead birds and things in my room that the cat had…you know…killed and left under the bed…and…that’s kind of unsettling. M: Yeah, that’s not so much fun. L: Yeah, that’s horrible. Well, you don’t have a dog now, though, right? You personally. M: No, not anymore… Final Words That’s all for today. We’ll be back soon with part three. If you found today’s topic interesting, we’d love to hear your comments. You can leave a comment at our web site, www.betteratenglish.com, or e-mail us at info AT betteratenglish DOT com. Bye for now! Download transcript and vocabulary list. Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: Don’t step on the dog doo (2 of 4) Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. I’m traveling abroad this week so I have had to edit this show on my laptop. There is no theme music today because I forgot to bring my music files with me. But I figured that having no music is better than making you all wait until I get home before I post this episode. In today’s conversation, which is part 2 of 4, my British friend Michael and I continue discussing dogs and cats, and which we prefer. As always, you can find the full transcript and vocabulary notes on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation Transcript Note: Words in bold are explained in the vocabulary list. Lori: Well anyway, we’re digressing. Enough about dog poo. What do you think the best thing about doggies is? Michael: Well, it’s difficult to say any one thing. But I like the kind of nature and the relationship that dogs have with their owners. And they are generally interested. And they are genuinely affectionate — or they can be — genuinely affectionate to their owners, which is something that I really don’t see in cats. L: Yeah, cats are interesting. They’re interesting. It’s hard to know where you have a cat. M: Uh huh. L: I mean, if a cat is coming up and rubbing against your legs and being what looks like affectionate, it’s like, are they really…? M: Right. [laughter] That’s called cupboard love. L: Cupboard love. Yeah, are they really just in it for the food? Or are they really…? You know, ‘cause dogs — I agree with you — dogs really can seem to be genuinely affectionate towards their owners. I mean, the best thing in the world has to be coming home, when you left your dog at home for a few hours, and you come home and your dog is so happy to see you. And you’re the best person in the world and it’s just the most exciting thing ever that you’ve come walking through the door. M: Right. L: One of my favorite sayings is “I wish were the person my dog thinks I am.” M: Aww. Yeah. I know what you mean. L: Because they just think that you’re just the best thing ever, and every time. M: Well some people can be like that too. [laughter] L: Yeah, but not every time. M: No. Maybe not. L: I mean, seriously, with dogs it’s, like, every time. You only have to leave them for 20 minutes and then come back and they’re just all over you ‘cause they’re so…just…overwhelmed with happiness. M: That’s true. Yeah. Without fail. Without fail. L: Yeah it’s fantastic. M: You know I like that. The interaction you can have with a dog. They really want to play. And yeah, that’s just… I’m a dog person. L: Yeah…I think…I like cats too. I know we differ about that, but I do like cats. But I would have to say I feel more affinity towards dogs. M: Well, I like kittens. You know? L: Oh kittens! Don’t even get me started on little kittens. M: Kittens… well yeah they like to play and they’re full of mischief. They can be fun. That’s before they turn into cats and that’s when it all goes horribly wrong for me. L: Oh, yeah. Kittens are just the cutest thing. And…but cats like to play too. You remember Janne and Ozzie’s cat, with the laser pointer. What fun we had. M: Yeah, that was a lot of fun, yeah. L: Yeah. Cats go absolutely crazy if you have one of those laser pointers and taunt them with it. M: Yeah, but…the thing is though, they’re trying to kill it. L: [laughing] Yeah, that’s true again! M: That’s the problem. While we’re going, “Aww, that’s so cute.” But the cat is thinking, “What is that little creature? I’m going to kill it and eat it.” L: Exactly. [laughing] And, no, “I’m going to catch it and toy with it first and then I’m going to kill it.” M: Right, yeah. “I’m going to toy with it until it dies of a heart attack and then I’m going to eat it.” [laughter] M: You know, “Tear it apart and bring its entrails to my master.” L: Exactly. Yeah, that’s a funny thing that cats do. I don’t know if that is just anthropomorphizing, you know, when you want to, kind of, impinge human qualities onto animals. People tend to say that, if their cat has been out in the garden and killed a bird and left it inside the house, that the cat has left them a “present.” And I don’t know if the cat is just saving it for later…or something…you know, why does it have to be a present? M: It’s bringing it to you saying, “Hey, can you stick this in the fridge for me?” [laughter] L: Exactly. “I want to save it for my dinner.” M: That’s the reason. It is because the cat can’t open the fridge, that’s why. L: When I used to have cats, I used to find dead birds and things in my room that the cat had…you know…killed and left under the bed…and…that’s kind of unsettling. M: Yeah, that’s not so much fun. L: Yeah, that’s horrible. Well, you don’t have a dog now, though, right? You personally. M: No, not anymore… Final Words That’s all for today. We’ll be back soon with part three. If you found today’s topic interesting, we’d love to hear your comments. You can leave a comment at our web site, www.betteratenglish.com, or e-mail us at info AT betteratenglish DOT com. Bye for now! Download transcript and vocabulary list. Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: Don’t step on the dog doo (2 of 4) tag:odeo.com,2008-10-19,24218132 Sun, 19 Oct 2008 13:09:13 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! intermediate, Real English conversations, Pets http://odeo.com/episodes/23616064-Real-English-Conversations-Don%E2%80%99t-step-on-the-dog-doo-2-of-4 Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. I’m traveling abroad this week so I have had to edit this show on my laptop. There is no theme music today because I forgot to bring my music files with me. But I figured that having no music is better than making you all wait until I get home before I post this episode. In today’s conversation, which is part 2 of 4, my British friend Michael and I continue discussing dogs and cats, and which we prefer. As always, you can find the full transcript and vocabulary notes on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation Transcript Note: Words in bold are explained in the vocabulary list. Lori: Well anyway, we’re digressing. Enough about dog poo. What do you think the best thing about doggies is? Michael: Well, it’s difficult to say any one thing. But I like the kind of nature and the relationship that... Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. I’m traveling abroad this week so I have had to edit this show on my laptop. There is no theme music today because I forgot to bring my music files with me. But I figured that having no music is better than making you all wait until I get home before I post this episode. In today’s conversation, which is part 2 of 4, my British friend Michael and I continue discussing dogs and cats, and which we prefer. As always, you can find the full transcript and vocabulary notes on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation Transcript Note: Words in bold are explained in the vocabulary list. Lori: Well anyway, we’re digressing. Enough about dog poo. What do you think the best thing about doggies is? Michael: Well, it’s difficult to say any one thing. But I like the kind of nature and the relationship that dogs have with their owners. And they are generally interested. And they are genuinely affectionate — or they can be — genuinely affectionate to their owners, which is something that I really don’t see in cats. L: Yeah, cats are interesting. They’re interesting. It’s hard to know where you have a cat. M: Uh huh. L: I mean, if a cat is coming up and rubbing against your legs and being what looks like affectionate, it’s like, are they really…? M: Right. [laughter] That’s called cupboard love. L: Cupboard love. Yeah, are they really just in it for the food? Or are they really…? You know, ‘cause dogs — I agree with you — dogs really can seem to be genuinely affectionate towards their owners. I mean, the best thing in the world has to be coming home, when you left your dog at home for a few hours, and you come home and your dog is so happy to see you. And you’re the best person in the world and it’s just the most exciting thing ever that you’ve come walking through the door. M: Right. L: One of my favorite sayings is “I wish were the person my dog thinks I am.” M: Aww. Yeah. I know what you mean. L: Because they just think that you’re just the best thing ever, and every time. M: Well some people can be like that too. [laughter] L: Yeah, but not every time. M: No. Maybe not. L: I mean, seriously, with dogs it’s, like, every time. You only have to leave them for 20 minutes and then come back and they’re just all over you ‘cause they’re so…just…overwhelmed with happiness. M: That’s true. Yeah. Without fail. Without fail. L: Yeah it’s fantastic. M: You know I like that. The interaction you can have with a dog. They really want to play. And yeah, that’s just… I’m a dog person. L: Yeah…I think…I like cats too. I know we differ about that, but I do like cats. But I would have to say I feel more affinity towards dogs. M: Well, I like kittens. You know? L: Oh kittens! Don’t even get me started on little kittens. M: Kittens… well yeah they like to play and they’re full of mischief. They can be fun. That’s before they turn into cats and that’s when it all goes horribly wrong for me. L: Oh, yeah. Kittens are just the cutest thing. And…but cats like to play too. You remember Janne and Ozzie’s cat, with the laser pointer. What fun we had. M: Yeah, that was a lot of fun, yeah. L: Yeah. Cats go absolutely crazy if you have one of those laser pointers and taunt them with it. M: Yeah, but…the thing is though, they’re trying to kill it. L: [laughing] Yeah, that’s true again! M: That’s the problem. While we’re going, “Aww, that’s so cute.” But the cat is thinking, “What is that little creature? I’m going to kill it and eat it.” L: Exactly. [laughing] And, no, “I’m going to catch it and toy with it first and then I’m going to kill it.” M: Right, yeah. “I’m going to toy with it until it dies of a heart attack and then I’m going to eat it.” [laughter] M: You know, “Tear it apart and bring its entrails to my master.” L: Exactly. Yeah, that’s a funny thing that cats do. I don’t know if that is just anthropomorphizing, you know, when you want to, kind of, impinge human qualities onto animals. People tend to say that, if their cat has been out in the garden and killed a bird and left it inside the house, that the cat has left them a “present.” And I don’t know if the cat is just saving it for later…or something…you know, why does it have to be a present? M: It’s bringing it to you saying, “Hey, can you stick this in the fridge for me?” [laughter] L: Exactly. “I want to save it for my dinner.” M: That’s the reason. It is because the cat can’t open the fridge, that’s why. L: When I used to have cats, I used to find dead birds and things in my room that the cat had…you know…killed and left under the bed…and…that’s kind of unsettling. M: Yeah, that’s not so much fun. L: Yeah, that’s horrible. Well, you don’t have a dog now, though, right? You personally. M: No, not anymore… Final Words That’s all for today. We’ll be back soon with part three. If you found today’s topic interesting, we’d love to hear your comments. You can leave a comment at our web site, www.betteratenglish.com, or e-mail us at info AT betteratenglish DOT com. Bye for now! Download transcript and vocabulary list. Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: Don’t step on the dog doo (2 of 4) Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. I’m traveling abroad this week so I have had to edit this show on my laptop. There is no theme music today because I forgot to bring my music files with me. But I figured that having no music is better than making you all wait until I get home before I post this episode. In today’s conversation, which is part 2 of 4, my British friend Michael and I continue discussing dogs and cats, and which we prefer. As always, you can find the full transcript and vocabulary notes on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation Transcript Note: Words in bold are explained in the vocabulary list. Lori: Well anyway, we’re digressing. Enough about dog poo. What do you think the best thing about doggies is? Michael: Well, it’s difficult to say any one thing. But I like the kind of nature and the relationship that dogs have with their owners. And they are generally interested. And they are genuinely affectionate — or they can be — genuinely affectionate to their owners, which is something that I really don’t see in cats. L: Yeah, cats are interesting. They’re interesting. It’s hard to know where you have a cat. M: Uh huh. L: I mean, if a cat is coming up and rubbing against your legs and being what looks like affectionate, it’s like, are they really…? M: Right. [laughter] That’s called cupboard love. L: Cupboard love. Yeah, are they really just in it for the food? Or are they really…? You know, ‘cause dogs — I agree with you — dogs really can seem to be genuinely affectionate towards their owners. I mean, the best thing in the world has to be coming home, when you left your dog at home for a few hours, and you come home and your dog is so happy to see you. And you’re the best person in the world and it’s just the most exciting thing ever that you’ve come walking through the door. M: Right. L: One of my favorite sayings is “I wish were the person my dog thinks I am.” M: Aww. Yeah. I know what you mean. L: Because they just think that you’re just the best thing ever, and every time. M: Well some people can be like that too. [laughter] L: Yeah, but not every time. M: No. Maybe not. L: I mean, seriously, with dogs it’s, like, every time. You only have to leave them for 20 minutes and then come back and they’re just all over you ‘cause they’re so…just…overwhelmed with happiness. M: That’s true. Yeah. Without fail. Without fail. L: Yeah it’s fantastic. M: You know I like that. The interaction you can have with a dog. They really want to play. And yeah, that’s just… I’m a dog person. L: Yeah…I think…I like cats too. I know we differ about that, but I do like cats. But I would have to say I feel more affinity towards dogs. M: Well, I like kittens. You know? L: Oh kittens! Don’t even get me started on little kittens. M: Kittens… well yeah they like to play and they’re full of mischief. They can be fun. That’s before they turn into cats and that’s when it all goes horribly wrong for me. L: Oh, yeah. Kittens are just the cutest thing. And…but cats like to play too. You remember Janne and Ozzie’s cat, with the laser pointer. What fun we had. M: Yeah, that was a lot of fun, yeah. L: Yeah. Cats go absolutely crazy if you have one of those laser pointers and taunt them with it. M: Yeah, but…the thing is though, they’re trying to kill it. L: [laughing] Yeah, that’s true again! M: That’s the problem. While we’re going, “Aww, that’s so cute.” But the cat is thinking, “What is that little creature? I’m going to kill it and eat it.” L: Exactly. [laughing] And, no, “I’m going to catch it and toy with it first and then I’m going to kill it.” M: Right, yeah. “I’m going to toy with it until it dies of a heart attack and then I’m going to eat it.” [laughter] M: You know, “Tear it apart and bring its entrails to my master.” L: Exactly. Yeah, that’s a funny thing that cats do. I don’t know if that is just anthropomorphizing, you know, when you want to, kind of, impinge human qualities onto animals. People tend to say that, if their cat has been out in the garden and killed a bird and left it inside the house, that the cat has left them a “present.” And I don’t know if the cat is just saving it for later…or something…you know, why does it have to be a present? M: It’s bringing it to you saying, “Hey, can you stick this in the fridge for me?” [laughter] L: Exactly. “I want to save it for my dinner.” M: That’s the reason. It is because the cat can’t open the fridge, that’s why. L: When I used to have cats, I used to find dead birds and things in my room that the cat had…you know…killed and left under the bed…and…that’s kind of unsettling. M: Yeah, that’s not so much fun. L: Yeah, that’s horrible. Well, you don’t have a dog now, though, right? You personally. M: No, not anymore… Final Words That’s all for today. We’ll be back soon with part three. If you found today’s topic interesting, we’d love to hear your comments. You can leave a comment at our web site, www.betteratenglish.com, or e-mail us at info AT betteratenglish DOT com. Bye for now! Download transcript and vocabulary list. Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: Don’t step on the dog doo (2 of 4) tag:odeo.com,2008-10-19,23616064 Sun, 19 Oct 2008 13:09:13 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! intermediate, Real English conversations, Pets http://odeo.com/episodes/23506082-Real-English-Conversations-Don%E2%80%99t-step-on-the-dog-doo-2-of-4 Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. I’m traveling abroad this week so I have had to edit this show on my laptop. There is no theme music today because I forgot to bring my music files with me. But I figured that having no music is better than making you all wait until I get home before I post this episode. In today’s conversation, which is part 2 of 4, my British friend Michael and I continue discussing dogs and cats, and which we prefer. As always, you can find the full transcript and vocabulary notes on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation Transcript Note: Words in bold are explained in the vocabulary list. Lori: Well anyway, we’re digressing. Enough about dog poo. What do you think the best thing about doggies is? Michael: Well, it’s difficult to say any one thing. But I like the kind of nature and the relationship that... Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. I’m traveling abroad this week so I have had to edit this show on my laptop. There is no theme music today because I forgot to bring my music files with me. But I figured that having no music is better than making you all wait until I get home before I post this episode. In today’s conversation, which is part 2 of 4, my British friend Michael and I continue discussing dogs and cats, and which we prefer. As always, you can find the full transcript and vocabulary notes on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation Transcript Note: Words in bold are explained in the vocabulary list. Lori: Well anyway, we’re digressing. Enough about dog poo. What do you think the best thing about doggies is? Michael: Well, it’s difficult to say any one thing. But I like the kind of nature and the relationship that dogs have with their owners. And they are generally interested. And they are genuinely affectionate — or they can be — genuinely affectionate to their owners, which is something that I really don’t see in cats. L: Yeah, cats are interesting. They’re interesting. It’s hard to know where you have a cat. M: Uh huh. L: I mean, if a cat is coming up and rubbing against your legs and being what looks like affectionate, it’s like, are they really…? M: Right. [laughter] That’s called cupboard love. L: Cupboard love. Yeah, are they really just in it for the food? Or are they really…? You know, ‘cause dogs — I agree with you — dogs really can seem to be genuinely affectionate towards their owners. I mean, the best thing in the world has to be coming home, when you left your dog at home for a few hours, and you come home and your dog is so happy to see you. And you’re the best person in the world and it’s just the most exciting thing ever that you’ve come walking through the door. M: Right. L: One of my favorite sayings is “I wish were the person my dog thinks I am.” M: Aww. Yeah. I know what you mean. L: Because they just think that you’re just the best thing ever, and every time. M: Well some people can be like that too. [laughter] L: Yeah, but not every time. M: No. Maybe not. L: I mean, seriously, with dogs it’s, like, every time. You only have to leave them for 20 minutes and then come back and they’re just all over you ‘cause they’re so…just…overwhelmed with happiness. M: That’s true. Yeah. Without fail. Without fail. L: Yeah it’s fantastic. M: You know I like that. The interaction you can have with a dog. They really want to play. And yeah, that’s just… I’m a dog person. L: Yeah…I think…I like cats too. I know we differ about that, but I do like cats. But I would have to say I feel more affinity towards dogs. M: Well, I like kittens. You know? L: Oh kittens! Don’t even get me started on little kittens. M: Kittens… well yeah they like to play and they’re full of mischief. They can be fun. That’s before they turn into cats and that’s when it all goes horribly wrong for me. L: Oh, yeah. Kittens are just the cutest thing. And…but cats like to play too. You remember Janne and Ozzie’s cat, with the laser pointer. What fun we had. M: Yeah, that was a lot of fun, yeah. L: Yeah. Cats go absolutely crazy if you have one of those laser pointers and taunt them with it. M: Yeah, but…the thing is though, they’re trying to kill it. L: [laughing] Yeah, that’s true again! M: That’s the problem. While we’re going, “Aww, that’s so cute.” But the cat is thinking, “What is that little creature? I’m going to kill it and eat it.” L: Exactly. [laughing] And, no, “I’m going to catch it and toy with it first and then I’m going to kill it.” M: Right, yeah. “I’m going to toy with it until it dies of a heart attack and then I’m going to eat it.” [laughter] M: You know, “Tear it apart and bring its entrails to my master.” L: Exactly. Yeah, that’s a funny thing that cats do. I don’t know if that is just anthropomorphizing, you know, when you want to, kind of, impinge human qualities onto animals. People tend to say that, if their cat has been out in the garden and killed a bird and left it inside the house, that the cat has left them a “present.” And I don’t know if the cat is just saving it for later…or something…you know, why does it have to be a present? M: It’s bringing it to you saying, “Hey, can you stick this in the fridge for me?” [laughter] L: Exactly. “I want to save it for my dinner.” M: That’s the reason. It is because the cat can’t open the fridge, that’s why. L: When I used to have cats, I used to find dead birds and things in my room that the cat had…you know…killed and left under the bed…and…that’s kind of unsettling. M: Yeah, that’s not so much fun. L: Yeah, that’s horrible. Well, you don’t have a dog now, though, right? You personally. M: No, not anymore… Final Words That’s all for today. We’ll be back soon with part three. If you found today’s topic interesting, we’d love to hear your comments. You can leave a comment at our web site, www.betteratenglish.com, or e-mail us at info AT betteratenglish DOT com. Bye for now! Download transcript and vocabulary list. Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: Don’t step on the dog doo (2 of 4) Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. I’m traveling abroad this week so I have had to edit this show on my laptop. There is no theme music today because I forgot to bring my music files with me. But I figured that having no music is better than making you all wait until I get home before I post this episode. In today’s conversation, which is part 2 of 4, my British friend Michael and I continue discussing dogs and cats, and which we prefer. As always, you can find the full transcript and vocabulary notes on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation Transcript Note: Words in bold are explained in the vocabulary list. Lori: Well anyway, we’re digressing. Enough about dog poo. What do you think the best thing about doggies is? Michael: Well, it’s difficult to say any one thing. But I like the kind of nature and the relationship that dogs have with their owners. And they are generally interested. And they are genuinely affectionate — or they can be — genuinely affectionate to their owners, which is something that I really don’t see in cats. L: Yeah, cats are interesting. They’re interesting. It’s hard to know where you have a cat. M: Uh huh. L: I mean, if a cat is coming up and rubbing against your legs and being what looks like affectionate, it’s like, are they really…? M: Right. [laughter] That’s called cupboard love. L: Cupboard love. Yeah, are they really just in it for the food? Or are they really…? You know, ‘cause dogs — I agree with you — dogs really can seem to be genuinely affectionate towards their owners. I mean, the best thing in the world has to be coming home, when you left your dog at home for a few hours, and you come home and your dog is so happy to see you. And you’re the best person in the world and it’s just the most exciting thing ever that you’ve come walking through the door. M: Right. L: One of my favorite sayings is “I wish were the person my dog thinks I am.” M: Aww. Yeah. I know what you mean. L: Because they just think that you’re just the best thing ever, and every time. M: Well some people can be like that too. [laughter] L: Yeah, but not every time. M: No. Maybe not. L: I mean, seriously, with dogs it’s, like, every time. You only have to leave them for 20 minutes and then come back and they’re just all over you ‘cause they’re so…just…overwhelmed with happiness. M: That’s true. Yeah. Without fail. Without fail. L: Yeah it’s fantastic. M: You know I like that. The interaction you can have with a dog. They really want to play. And yeah, that’s just… I’m a dog person. L: Yeah…I think…I like cats too. I know we differ about that, but I do like cats. But I would have to say I feel more affinity towards dogs. M: Well, I like kittens. You know? L: Oh kittens! Don’t even get me started on little kittens. M: Kittens… well yeah they like to play and they’re full of mischief. They can be fun. That’s before they turn into cats and that’s when it all goes horribly wrong for me. L: Oh, yeah. Kittens are just the cutest thing. And…but cats like to play too. You remember Janne and Ozzie’s cat, with the laser pointer. What fun we had. M: Yeah, that was a lot of fun, yeah. L: Yeah. Cats go absolutely crazy if you have one of those laser pointers and taunt them with it. M: Yeah, but…the thing is though, they’re trying to kill it. L: [laughing] Yeah, that’s true again! M: That’s the problem. While we’re going, “Aww, that’s so cute.” But the cat is thinking, “What is that little creature? I’m going to kill it and eat it.” L: Exactly. [laughing] And, no, “I’m going to catch it and toy with it first and then I’m going to kill it.” M: Right, yeah. “I’m going to toy with it until it dies of a heart attack and then I’m going to eat it.” [laughter] M: You know, “Tear it apart and bring its entrails to my master.” L: Exactly. Yeah, that’s a funny thing that cats do. I don’t know if that is just anthropomorphizing, you know, when you want to, kind of, impinge human qualities onto animals. People tend to say that, if their cat has been out in the garden and killed a bird and left it inside the house, that the cat has left them a “present.” And I don’t know if the cat is just saving it for later…or something…you know, why does it have to be a present? M: It’s bringing it to you saying, “Hey, can you stick this in the fridge for me?” [laughter] L: Exactly. “I want to save it for my dinner.” M: That’s the reason. It is because the cat can’t open the fridge, that’s why. L: When I used to have cats, I used to find dead birds and things in my room that the cat had…you know…killed and left under the bed…and…that’s kind of unsettling. M: Yeah, that’s not so much fun. L: Yeah, that’s horrible. Well, you don’t have a dog now, though, right? You personally. M: No, not anymore… Final Words That’s all for today. We’ll be back soon with part three. If you found today’s topic interesting, we’d love to hear your comments. You can leave a comment at our web site, www.betteratenglish.com, or e-mail us at info AT betteratenglish DOT com. Bye for now! Download transcript and vocabulary list. Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: Don’t step on the dog doo (2 of 4) tag:odeo.com,2008-10-19,23506082 Sun, 19 Oct 2008 13:09:13 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! intermediate, Real English conversations, Pets http://odeo.com/episodes/24705797-Real-English-Conversations-Don%E2%80%99t-step-on-the-dog-doo-part-1-of-4 Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. In today’s conversation, which is part one of four, my British friend “Michael” and I begin by talking about whether we are “dog people” or “cat people.” Then we move on to discuss the social etiquette of dog walking – particularly picking up after them in public places. As always, you can find the full transcript of this podcast and vocabulary notes on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation Transcript (Note: Words in bold are featured in the vocabulary list [PDF]) Lori: Would you consider yourself a dog person or a cat person? Michael: Oh, I’m a dog person, I can tell you straight away. L: Really? M: Absolutely, 100% confirmed, dog person. You bet. L: [laughter] Dog person… Have you ever had a dog? M: Yes, I have. Yes, I had — let me see, this would be about 10 years ago. I had my o... Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. In today’s conversation, which is part one of four, my British friend “Michael” and I begin by talking about whether we are “dog people” or “cat people.” Then we move on to discuss the social etiquette of dog walking – particularly picking up after them in public places. As always, you can find the full transcript of this podcast and vocabulary notes on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation Transcript (Note: Words in bold are featured in the vocabulary list [PDF]) Lori: Would you consider yourself a dog person or a cat person? Michael: Oh, I’m a dog person, I can tell you straight away. L: Really? M: Absolutely, 100% confirmed, dog person. You bet. L: [laughter] Dog person… Have you ever had a dog? M: Yes, I have. Yes, I had — let me see, this would be about 10 years ago. I had my own doggy; I had a Norwegian Elk Hound. L: Oh, was he cute? M: He was very cute; he was painfully cute. He was great. But I don’t have a dog nowadays, but I have…I walk my neighbors’ dog. L: Oh right, yeah, Bertie. M: That’s right, I was telling you the other day. They’re a lovely old couple, who I’ve known for years, but they’re getting on a bit and they’re not so active, so I take their dog out for a walk quite often. L: OK! Do you have a law in England or in your city that you have to pick up the dog poo when you’re walking your dog? M: Well, I think it depends on the council, the local government. Because if you go to certain areas, they have signs up and it will say, “Don’t let your dog foul the footpath!” and they will actually tell you that there is a fine of fifty pounds or whatever. I think it can be a lot more than that, actually. But I don’t know whether it’s a blanket law, you know, I don’t know if it’s a law for everywhere. I think it’s more down to the local authorities. L: OK. Do you notice that people are good about picking up dog poo when they’re out with their dogs? Do you find a lot of, you know, doggy doo? M: I still see quite a few dog turds on the pavement, I’m afraid. And unfor- I’m sorry to say, and not nearly as much as in the seventies. That was part of my childhood. I remember. L: Oh, stepping in dog poo, totally, in the summertime when you’re running around barefoot. M: Oh when it squishes between your toes? [laughter] L: Oh. That is, oh, the worst. But at least if you’re barefoot it’s easy to wash off. It’s almost worse when you step in a pile with your sneakers on. It gets all inside the tread, oh man. M: Oh. Right. OK. Like the Adidas trainers that used to have the ridged soles as well. So it would get. L: Yeah, or any hiking boots or anything at all that has a, you know, a pattern and ridges and texture on the sole. M: Well, my parents actually had a special stick and a scrubbing brush which was specifically for getting dog poo off your shoes. L: Yeah, ’cause…that’s, oh, it’s such an annoyance. But I, you know, I have to say that here in Sweden I think it is some kind of law that you have to pick up after your dog. And when people go out walking their dogs they have little…special little plastic bags, little black bags…and there are actually special garbage receptacles for depositing the dog poo. And people are pretty good about it, I have to say. M: Well we have those bins here, at least the area that…you know, around here where I take Bertie for a walk. There are quite a few of these special dog bins, these red bins, and there’s a picture of a dog on the front of it. So that’s never a problem. But, for me, still you find that people just let their dogs foul the footpath, even though there are these bins around. And I don’t know, I guess it’s not, it hasn’t quite caught on. L: Maybe people think it doesn’t apply to them, or whatever. M: Well, who knows? It’s no fun. I must admit I don’t relish… L: No, it’s not nice. M: …picking up the dog’s mess, but… L: But you pick up after Bertie? M: Absolutely I do. Yeah. L: Do you have special little bags? M: No, I just use my Tesco bags. L: [laughing] Tesco bags? M: Yeah, Tesco are great. You know how I feel about Tesco, but… L: Yeah, maybe it’s almost like I feel about Google. M: Yeah, Yeah. [laughing] It’s almost to that level. But the problem with that actually is because they’re typical plastic supermarket bags, you know, and so they’re actually perforated. L: Oh, dear. M: Yes. If you don’t hold the bag in the right place, then there can actually be contamination, and that’s not so nice. So… L: Oh no. Oh dear. Well, are they…? That sounds like they could be big as well, so it could be a bit unwieldy. M: All right. Quite. They’re quite big. L: You should just take some little plastic baggies with you. M: Well. Yeah. Yeah. I suppose so. But I manage OK with the Tesco bags. You know? L: I could send you some from here…special plastic doggy-poo bags [laughter] M: No. That’s OK. We do have them here in England you know. But… L: I hate to think of you getting contaminated. I think Bertie would probably hate it too. [laughter] M: He’s very cute. But I’m afraid, you know, his poo does smell. So it’s… you wouldn’t think so to look at him, but..Yeah. L: Well anyway, we’re digressing. Enough about dog poo. What do you think the best thing about doggies is? …hear the answer in part two! Final Words Thanks for listening. We’ll be back soon with part two. This is Lori from BetterAtEnglish.com signing off until next time. Bye for now! Download full transcript and vocabulary list (PDF). claim-my-podcast-in-podbean{scid-YmV0dGVyYXRlbmdsaXNo-ecid} Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: Don’t step on the dog doo (part 1 of 4) Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. In today’s conversation, which is part one of four, my British friend “Michael” and I begin by talking about whether we are “dog people” or “cat people.” Then we move on to discuss the social etiquette of dog walking – particularly picking up after them in public places. As always, you can find the full transcript of this podcast and vocabulary notes on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation Transcript (Note: Words in bold are featured in the vocabulary list [PDF]) Lori: Would you consider yourself a dog person or a cat person? Michael: Oh, I’m a dog person, I can tell you straight away. L: Really? M: Absolutely, 100% confirmed, dog person. You bet. L: [laughter] Dog person… Have you ever had a dog? M: Yes, I have. Yes, I had — let me see, this would be about 10 years ago. I had my own doggy; I had a Norwegian Elk Hound. L: Oh, was he cute? M: He was very cute; he was painfully cute. He was great. But I don’t have a dog nowadays, but I have…I walk my neighbors’ dog. L: Oh right, yeah, Bertie. M: That’s right, I was telling you the other day. They’re a lovely old couple, who I’ve known for years, but they’re getting on a bit and they’re not so active, so I take their dog out for a walk quite often. L: OK! Do you have a law in England or in your city that you have to pick up the dog poo when you’re walking your dog? M: Well, I think it depends on the council, the local government. Because if you go to certain areas, they have signs up and it will say, “Don’t let your dog foul the footpath!” and they will actually tell you that there is a fine of fifty pounds or whatever. I think it can be a lot more than that, actually. But I don’t know whether it’s a blanket law, you know, I don’t know if it’s a law for everywhere. I think it’s more down to the local authorities. L: OK. Do you notice that people are good about picking up dog poo when they’re out with their dogs? Do you find a lot of, you know, doggy doo? M: I still see quite a few dog turds on the pavement, I’m afraid. And unfor- I’m sorry to say, and not nearly as much as in the seventies. That was part of my childhood. I remember. L: Oh, stepping in dog poo, totally, in the summertime when you’re running around barefoot. M: Oh when it squishes between your toes? [laughter] L: Oh. That is, oh, the worst. But at least if you’re barefoot it’s easy to wash off. It’s almost worse when you step in a pile with your sneakers on. It gets all inside the tread, oh man. M: Oh. Right. OK. Like the Adidas trainers that used to have the ridged soles as well. So it would get. L: Yeah, or any hiking boots or anything at all that has a, you know, a pattern and ridges and texture on the sole. M: Well, my parents actually had a special stick and a scrubbing brush which was specifically for getting dog poo off your shoes. L: Yeah, ’cause…that’s, oh, it’s such an annoyance. But I, you know, I have to say that here in Sweden I think it is some kind of law that you have to pick up after your dog. And when people go out walking their dogs they have little…special little plastic bags, little black bags…and there are actually special garbage receptacles for depositing the dog poo. And people are pretty good about it, I have to say. M: Well we have those bins here, at least the area that…you know, around here where I take Bertie for a walk. There are quite a few of these special dog bins, these red bins, and there’s a picture of a dog on the front of it. So that’s never a problem. But, for me, still you find that people just let their dogs foul the footpath, even though there are these bins around. And I don’t know, I guess it’s not, it hasn’t quite caught on. L: Maybe people think it doesn’t apply to them, or whatever. M: Well, who knows? It’s no fun. I must admit I don’t relish… L: No, it’s not nice. M: …picking up the dog’s mess, but… L: But you pick up after Bertie? M: Absolutely I do. Yeah. L: Do you have special little bags? M: No, I just use my Tesco bags. L: [laughing] Tesco bags? M: Yeah, Tesco are great. You know how I feel about Tesco, but… L: Yeah, maybe it’s almost like I feel about Google. M: Yeah, Yeah. [laughing] It’s almost to that level. But the problem with that actually is because they’re typical plastic supermarket bags, you know, and so they’re actually perforated. L: Oh, dear. M: Yes. If you don’t hold the bag in the right place, then there can actually be contamination, and that’s not so nice. So… L: Oh no. Oh dear. Well, are they…? That sounds like they could be big as well, so it could be a bit unwieldy. M: All right. Quite. They’re quite big. L: You should just take some little plastic baggies with you. M: Well. Yeah. Yeah. I suppose so. But I manage OK with the Tesco bags. You know? L: I could send you some from here…special plastic doggy-poo bags [laughter] M: No. That’s OK. We do have them here in England you know. But… L: I hate to think of you getting contaminated. I think Bertie would probably hate it too. [laughter] M: He’s very cute. But I’m afraid, you know, his poo does smell. So it’s… you wouldn’t think so to look at him, but..Yeah. L: Well anyway, we’re digressing. Enough about dog poo. What do you think the best thing about doggies is? …hear the answer in part two! Final Words Thanks for listening. We’ll be back soon with part two. This is Lori from BetterAtEnglish.com signing off until next time. Bye for now! Download full transcript and vocabulary list (PDF). claim-my-podcast-in-podbean{scid-YmV0dGVyYXRlbmdsaXNo-ecid} Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: Don’t step on the dog doo (part 1 of 4) tag:odeo.com,2008-10-06,24705797 Mon, 06 Oct 2008 08:14:23 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! Listening, Weird stuff, Real English conversations, Pets http://odeo.com/episodes/24218133-Real-English-Conversations-Don%E2%80%99t-step-on-the-dog-doo-part-1-of-4 Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. In today’s conversation, which is part one of four, my British friend “Michael” and I begin by talking about whether we are “dog people” or “cat people.” Then we move on to discuss the social etiquette of dog walking – particularly picking up after them in public places. As always, you can find the full transcript of this podcast and vocabulary notes on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation Transcript (Note: Words in bold are featured in the vocabulary list [PDF]) Lori: Would you consider yourself a dog person or a cat person? Michael: Oh, I’m a dog person, I can tell you straight away. L: Really? M: Absolutely, 100% confirmed, dog person. You bet. L: [laughter] Dog person… Have you ever had a dog? M: Yes, I have. Yes, I had — let me see, this would be about 10 years ago. I had my o... Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. In today’s conversation, which is part one of four, my British friend “Michael” and I begin by talking about whether we are “dog people” or “cat people.” Then we move on to discuss the social etiquette of dog walking – particularly picking up after them in public places. As always, you can find the full transcript of this podcast and vocabulary notes on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation Transcript (Note: Words in bold are featured in the vocabulary list [PDF]) Lori: Would you consider yourself a dog person or a cat person? Michael: Oh, I’m a dog person, I can tell you straight away. L: Really? M: Absolutely, 100% confirmed, dog person. You bet. L: [laughter] Dog person… Have you ever had a dog? M: Yes, I have. Yes, I had — let me see, this would be about 10 years ago. I had my own doggy; I had a Norwegian Elk Hound. L: Oh, was he cute? M: He was very cute; he was painfully cute. He was great. But I don’t have a dog nowadays, but I have…I walk my neighbors’ dog. L: Oh right, yeah, Bertie. M: That’s right, I was telling you the other day. They’re a lovely old couple, who I’ve known for years, but they’re getting on a bit and they’re not so active, so I take their dog out for a walk quite often. L: OK! Do you have a law in England or in your city that you have to pick up the dog poo when you’re walking your dog? M: Well, I think it depends on the council, the local government. Because if you go to certain areas, they have signs up and it will say, “Don’t let your dog foul the footpath!” and they will actually tell you that there is a fine of fifty pounds or whatever. I think it can be a lot more than that, actually. But I don’t know whether it’s a blanket law, you know, I don’t know if it’s a law for everywhere. I think it’s more down to the local authorities. L: OK. Do you notice that people are good about picking up dog poo when they’re out with their dogs? Do you find a lot of, you know, doggy doo? M: I still see quite a few dog turds on the pavement, I’m afraid. And unfor- I’m sorry to say, and not nearly as much as in the seventies. That was part of my childhood. I remember. L: Oh, stepping in dog poo, totally, in the summertime when you’re running around barefoot. M: Oh when it squishes between your toes? [laughter] L: Oh. That is, oh, the worst. But at least if you’re barefoot it’s easy to wash off. It’s almost worse when you step in a pile with your sneakers on. It gets all inside the tread, oh man. M: Oh. Right. OK. Like the Adidas trainers that used to have the ridged soles as well. So it would get. L: Yeah, or any hiking boots or anything at all that has a, you know, a pattern and ridges and texture on the sole. M: Well, my parents actually had a special stick and a scrubbing brush which was specifically for getting dog poo off your shoes. L: Yeah, ’cause…that’s, oh, it’s such an annoyance. But I, you know, I have to say that here in Sweden I think it is some kind of law that you have to pick up after your dog. And when people go out walking their dogs they have little…special little plastic bags, little black bags…and there are actually special garbage receptacles for depositing the dog poo. And people are pretty good about it, I have to say. M: Well we have those bins here, at least the area that…you know, around here where I take Bertie for a walk. There are quite a few of these special dog bins, these red bins, and there’s a picture of a dog on the front of it. So that’s never a problem. But, for me, still you find that people just let their dogs foul the footpath, even though there are these bins around. And I don’t know, I guess it’s not, it hasn’t quite caught on. L: Maybe people think it doesn’t apply to them, or whatever. M: Well, who knows? It’s no fun. I must admit I don’t relish… L: No, it’s not nice. M: …picking up the dog’s mess, but… L: But you pick up after Bertie? M: Absolutely I do. Yeah. L: Do you have special little bags? M: No, I just use my Tesco bags. L: [laughing] Tesco bags? M: Yeah, Tesco are great. You know how I feel about Tesco, but… L: Yeah, maybe it’s almost like I feel about Google. M: Yeah, Yeah. [laughing] It’s almost to that level. But the problem with that actually is because they’re typical plastic supermarket bags, you know, and so they’re actually perforated. L: Oh, dear. M: Yes. If you don’t hold the bag in the right place, then there can actually be contamination, and that’s not so nice. So… L: Oh no. Oh dear. Well, are they…? That sounds like they could be big as well, so it could be a bit unwieldy. M: All right. Quite. They’re quite big. L: You should just take some little plastic baggies with you. M: Well. Yeah. Yeah. I suppose so. But I manage OK with the Tesco bags. You know? L: I could send you some from here…special plastic doggy-poo bags [laughter] M: No. That’s OK. We do have them here in England you know. But… L: I hate to think of you getting contaminated. I think Bertie would probably hate it too. [laughter] M: He’s very cute. But I’m afraid, you know, his poo does smell. So it’s… you wouldn’t think so to look at him, but..Yeah. L: Well anyway, we’re digressing. Enough about dog poo. What do you think the best thing about doggies is? …hear the answer in part two! Final Words Thanks for listening. We’ll be back soon with part two. This is Lori from BetterAtEnglish.com signing off until next time. Bye for now! Download full transcript and vocabulary list (PDF). claim-my-podcast-in-podbean{scid-YmV0dGVyYXRlbmdsaXNo-ecid} Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: Don’t step on the dog doo (part 1 of 4) Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. In today’s conversation, which is part one of four, my British friend “Michael” and I begin by talking about whether we are “dog people” or “cat people.” Then we move on to discuss the social etiquette of dog walking – particularly picking up after them in public places. As always, you can find the full transcript of this podcast and vocabulary notes on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation Transcript (Note: Words in bold are featured in the vocabulary list [PDF]) Lori: Would you consider yourself a dog person or a cat person? Michael: Oh, I’m a dog person, I can tell you straight away. L: Really? M: Absolutely, 100% confirmed, dog person. You bet. L: [laughter] Dog person… Have you ever had a dog? M: Yes, I have. Yes, I had — let me see, this would be about 10 years ago. I had my own doggy; I had a Norwegian Elk Hound. L: Oh, was he cute? M: He was very cute; he was painfully cute. He was great. But I don’t have a dog nowadays, but I have…I walk my neighbors’ dog. L: Oh right, yeah, Bertie. M: That’s right, I was telling you the other day. They’re a lovely old couple, who I’ve known for years, but they’re getting on a bit and they’re not so active, so I take their dog out for a walk quite often. L: OK! Do you have a law in England or in your city that you have to pick up the dog poo when you’re walking your dog? M: Well, I think it depends on the council, the local government. Because if you go to certain areas, they have signs up and it will say, “Don’t let your dog foul the footpath!” and they will actually tell you that there is a fine of fifty pounds or whatever. I think it can be a lot more than that, actually. But I don’t know whether it’s a blanket law, you know, I don’t know if it’s a law for everywhere. I think it’s more down to the local authorities. L: OK. Do you notice that people are good about picking up dog poo when they’re out with their dogs? Do you find a lot of, you know, doggy doo? M: I still see quite a few dog turds on the pavement, I’m afraid. And unfor- I’m sorry to say, and not nearly as much as in the seventies. That was part of my childhood. I remember. L: Oh, stepping in dog poo, totally, in the summertime when you’re running around barefoot. M: Oh when it squishes between your toes? [laughter] L: Oh. That is, oh, the worst. But at least if you’re barefoot it’s easy to wash off. It’s almost worse when you step in a pile with your sneakers on. It gets all inside the tread, oh man. M: Oh. Right. OK. Like the Adidas trainers that used to have the ridged soles as well. So it would get. L: Yeah, or any hiking boots or anything at all that has a, you know, a pattern and ridges and texture on the sole. M: Well, my parents actually had a special stick and a scrubbing brush which was specifically for getting dog poo off your shoes. L: Yeah, ’cause…that’s, oh, it’s such an annoyance. But I, you know, I have to say that here in Sweden I think it is some kind of law that you have to pick up after your dog. And when people go out walking their dogs they have little…special little plastic bags, little black bags…and there are actually special garbage receptacles for depositing the dog poo. And people are pretty good about it, I have to say. M: Well we have those bins here, at least the area that…you know, around here where I take Bertie for a walk. There are quite a few of these special dog bins, these red bins, and there’s a picture of a dog on the front of it. So that’s never a problem. But, for me, still you find that people just let their dogs foul the footpath, even though there are these bins around. And I don’t know, I guess it’s not, it hasn’t quite caught on. L: Maybe people think it doesn’t apply to them, or whatever. M: Well, who knows? It’s no fun. I must admit I don’t relish… L: No, it’s not nice. M: …picking up the dog’s mess, but… L: But you pick up after Bertie? M: Absolutely I do. Yeah. L: Do you have special little bags? M: No, I just use my Tesco bags. L: [laughing] Tesco bags? M: Yeah, Tesco are great. You know how I feel about Tesco, but… L: Yeah, maybe it’s almost like I feel about Google. M: Yeah, Yeah. [laughing] It’s almost to that level. But the problem with that actually is because they’re typical plastic supermarket bags, you know, and so they’re actually perforated. L: Oh, dear. M: Yes. If you don’t hold the bag in the right place, then there can actually be contamination, and that’s not so nice. So… L: Oh no. Oh dear. Well, are they…? That sounds like they could be big as well, so it could be a bit unwieldy. M: All right. Quite. They’re quite big. L: You should just take some little plastic baggies with you. M: Well. Yeah. Yeah. I suppose so. But I manage OK with the Tesco bags. You know? L: I could send you some from here…special plastic doggy-poo bags [laughter] M: No. That’s OK. We do have them here in England you know. But… L: I hate to think of you getting contaminated. I think Bertie would probably hate it too. [laughter] M: He’s very cute. But I’m afraid, you know, his poo does smell. So it’s… you wouldn’t think so to look at him, but..Yeah. L: Well anyway, we’re digressing. Enough about dog poo. What do you think the best thing about doggies is? …hear the answer in part two! Final Words Thanks for listening. We’ll be back soon with part two. This is Lori from BetterAtEnglish.com signing off until next time. Bye for now! Download full transcript and vocabulary list (PDF). claim-my-podcast-in-podbean{scid-YmV0dGVyYXRlbmdsaXNo-ecid} Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: Don’t step on the dog doo (part 1 of 4) tag:odeo.com,2008-10-06,24218133 Mon, 06 Oct 2008 08:14:23 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! Listening, Weird stuff, Real English conversations, Pets http://odeo.com/episodes/23457311-Real-English-Conversations-Don%E2%80%99t-step-on-the-dog-doo-part-1-of-4 Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. In today’s conversation, which is part one of four, my British friend “Michael” and I begin by talking about whether we are “dog people” or “cat people.” Then we move on to discuss the social etiquette of dog walking – particularly picking up after them in public places. As always, you can find the full transcript of this podcast and vocabulary notes on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation Transcript (Note: Words in bold are featured in the vocabulary list [PDF]) Lori: Would you consider yourself a dog person or a cat person? Michael: Oh, I’m a dog person, I can tell you straight away. L: Really? M: Absolutely, 100% confirmed, dog person. You bet. L: [laughter] Dog person… Have you ever had a dog? M: Yes, I have. Yes, I had — let me see, this would be about 10 years ago. I had my o... Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. In today’s conversation, which is part one of four, my British friend “Michael” and I begin by talking about whether we are “dog people” or “cat people.” Then we move on to discuss the social etiquette of dog walking – particularly picking up after them in public places. As always, you can find the full transcript of this podcast and vocabulary notes on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation Transcript (Note: Words in bold are featured in the vocabulary list [PDF]) Lori: Would you consider yourself a dog person or a cat person? Michael: Oh, I’m a dog person, I can tell you straight away. L: Really? M: Absolutely, 100% confirmed, dog person. You bet. L: [laughter] Dog person… Have you ever had a dog? M: Yes, I have. Yes, I had — let me see, this would be about 10 years ago. I had my own doggy; I had a Norwegian Elk Hound. L: Oh, was he cute? M: He was very cute; he was painfully cute. He was great. But I don’t have a dog nowadays, but I have…I walk my neighbors’ dog. L: Oh right, yeah, Bertie. M: That’s right, I was telling you the other day. They’re a lovely old couple, who I’ve known for years, but they’re getting on a bit and they’re not so active, so I take their dog out for a walk quite often. L: OK! Do you have a law in England or in your city that you have to pick up the dog poo when you’re walking your dog? M: Well, I think it depends on the council, the local government. Because if you go to certain areas, they have signs up and it will say, “Don’t let your dog foul the footpath!” and they will actually tell you that there is a fine of fifty pounds or whatever. I think it can be a lot more than that, actually. But I don’t know whether it’s a blanket law, you know, I don’t know if it’s a law for everywhere. I think it’s more down to the local authorities. L: OK. Do you notice that people are good about picking up dog poo when they’re out with their dogs? Do you find a lot of, you know, doggy doo? M: I still see quite a few dog turds on the pavement, I’m afraid. And unfor- I’m sorry to say, and not nearly as much as in the seventies. That was part of my childhood. I remember. L: Oh, stepping in dog poo, totally, in the summertime when you’re running around barefoot. M: Oh when it squishes between your toes? [laughter] L: Oh. That is, oh, the worst. But at least if you’re barefoot it’s easy to wash off. It’s almost worse when you step in a pile with your sneakers on. It gets all inside the tread, oh man. M: Oh. Right. OK. Like the Adidas trainers that used to have the ridged soles as well. So it would get. L: Yeah, or any hiking boots or anything at all that has a, you know, a pattern and ridges and texture on the sole. M: Well, my parents actually had a special stick and a scrubbing brush which was specifically for getting dog poo off your shoes. L: Yeah, ’cause…that’s, oh, it’s such an annoyance. But I, you know, I have to say that here in Sweden I think it is some kind of law that you have to pick up after your dog. And when people go out walking their dogs they have little…special little plastic bags, little black bags…and there are actually special garbage receptacles for depositing the dog poo. And people are pretty good about it, I have to say. M: Well we have those bins here, at least the area that…you know, around here where I take Bertie for a walk. There are quite a few of these special dog bins, these red bins, and there’s a picture of a dog on the front of it. So that’s never a problem. But, for me, still you find that people just let their dogs foul the footpath, even though there are these bins around. And I don’t know, I guess it’s not, it hasn’t quite caught on. L: Maybe people think it doesn’t apply to them, or whatever. M: Well, who knows? It’s no fun. I must admit I don’t relish… L: No, it’s not nice. M: …picking up the dog’s mess, but… L: But you pick up after Bertie? M: Absolutely I do. Yeah. L: Do you have special little bags? M: No, I just use my Tesco bags. L: [laughing] Tesco bags? M: Yeah, Tesco are great. You know how I feel about Tesco, but… L: Yeah, maybe it’s almost like I feel about Google. M: Yeah, Yeah. [laughing] It’s almost to that level. But the problem with that actually is because they’re typical plastic supermarket bags, you know, and so they’re actually perforated. L: Oh, dear. M: Yes. If you don’t hold the bag in the right place, then there can actually be contamination, and that’s not so nice. So… L: Oh no. Oh dear. Well, are they…? That sounds like they could be big as well, so it could be a bit unwieldy. M: All right. Quite. They’re quite big. L: You should just take some little plastic baggies with you. M: Well. Yeah. Yeah. I suppose so. But I manage OK with the Tesco bags. You know? L: I could send you some from here…special plastic doggy-poo bags [laughter] M: No. That’s OK. We do have them here in England you know. But… L: I hate to think of you getting contaminated. I think Bertie would probably hate it too. [laughter] M: He’s very cute. But I’m afraid, you know, his poo does smell. So it’s… you wouldn’t think so to look at him, but..Yeah. L: Well anyway, we’re digressing. Enough about dog poo. What do you think the best thing about doggies is? …hear the answer in part two! Final Words Thanks for listening. We’ll be back soon with part two. This is Lori from BetterAtEnglish.com signing off until next time. Bye for now! Download full transcript and vocabulary list (PDF). Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. In today’s conversation, which is part one of four, my British friend “Michael” and I begin by talking about whether we are “dog people” or “cat people.” Then we move on to discuss the social etiquette of dog walking – particularly picking up after them in public places. As always, you can find the full transcript of this podcast and vocabulary notes on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation Transcript (Note: Words in bold are featured in the vocabulary list [PDF]) Lori: Would you consider yourself a dog person or a cat person? Michael: Oh, I’m a dog person, I can tell you straight away. L: Really? M: Absolutely, 100% confirmed, dog person. You bet. L: [laughter] Dog person… Have you ever had a dog? M: Yes, I have. Yes, I had — let me see, this would be about 10 years ago. I had my own doggy; I had a Norwegian Elk Hound. L: Oh, was he cute? M: He was very cute; he was painfully cute. He was great. But I don’t have a dog nowadays, but I have…I walk my neighbors’ dog. L: Oh right, yeah, Bertie. M: That’s right, I was telling you the other day. They’re a lovely old couple, who I’ve known for years, but they’re getting on a bit and they’re not so active, so I take their dog out for a walk quite often. L: OK! Do you have a law in England or in your city that you have to pick up the dog poo when you’re walking your dog? M: Well, I think it depends on the council, the local government. Because if you go to certain areas, they have signs up and it will say, “Don’t let your dog foul the footpath!” and they will actually tell you that there is a fine of fifty pounds or whatever. I think it can be a lot more than that, actually. But I don’t know whether it’s a blanket law, you know, I don’t know if it’s a law for everywhere. I think it’s more down to the local authorities. L: OK. Do you notice that people are good about picking up dog poo when they’re out with their dogs? Do you find a lot of, you know, doggy doo? M: I still see quite a few dog turds on the pavement, I’m afraid. And unfor- I’m sorry to say, and not nearly as much as in the seventies. That was part of my childhood. I remember. L: Oh, stepping in dog poo, totally, in the summertime when you’re running around barefoot. M: Oh when it squishes between your toes? [laughter] L: Oh. That is, oh, the worst. But at least if you’re barefoot it’s easy to wash off. It’s almost worse when you step in a pile with your sneakers on. It gets all inside the tread, oh man. M: Oh. Right. OK. Like the Adidas trainers that used to have the ridged soles as well. So it would get. L: Yeah, or any hiking boots or anything at all that has a, you know, a pattern and ridges and texture on the sole. M: Well, my parents actually had a special stick and a scrubbing brush which was specifically for getting dog poo off your shoes. L: Yeah, ’cause…that’s, oh, it’s such an annoyance. But I, you know, I have to say that here in Sweden I think it is some kind of law that you have to pick up after your dog. And when people go out walking their dogs they have little…special little plastic bags, little black bags…and there are actually special garbage receptacles for depositing the dog poo. And people are pretty good about it, I have to say. M: Well we have those bins here, at least the area that…you know, around here where I take Bertie for a walk. There are quite a few of these special dog bins, these red bins, and there’s a picture of a dog on the front of it. So that’s never a problem. But, for me, still you find that people just let their dogs foul the footpath, even though there are these bins around. And I don’t know, I guess it’s not, it hasn’t quite caught on. L: Maybe people think it doesn’t apply to them, or whatever. M: Well, who knows? It’s no fun. I must admit I don’t relish… L: No, it’s not nice. M: …picking up the dog’s mess, but… L: But you pick up after Bertie? M: Absolutely I do. Yeah. L: Do you have special little bags? M: No, I just use my Tesco bags. L: [laughing] Tesco bags? M: Yeah, Tesco are great. You know how I feel about Tesco, but… L: Yeah, maybe it’s almost like I feel about Google. M: Yeah, Yeah. [laughing] It’s almost to that level. But the problem with that actually is because they’re typical plastic supermarket bags, you know, and so they’re actually perforated. L: Oh, dear. M: Yes. If you don’t hold the bag in the right place, then there can actually be contamination, and that’s not so nice. So… L: Oh no. Oh dear. Well, are they…? That sounds like they could be big as well, so it could be a bit unwieldy. M: All right. Quite. They’re quite big. L: You should just take some little plastic baggies with you. M: Well. Yeah. Yeah. I suppose so. But I manage OK with the Tesco bags. You know? L: I could send you some from here…special plastic doggy-poo bags [laughter] M: No. That’s OK. We do have them here in England you know. But… L: I hate to think of you getting contaminated. I think Bertie would probably hate it too. [laughter] M: He’s very cute. But I’m afraid, you know, his poo does smell. So it’s… you wouldn’t think so to look at him, but..Yeah. L: Well anyway, we’re digressing. Enough about dog poo. What do you think the best thing about doggies is? …hear the answer in part two! Final Words Thanks for listening. We’ll be back soon with part two. This is Lori from BetterAtEnglish.com signing off until next time. Bye for now! Download full transcript and vocabulary list (PDF). tag:odeo.com,2008-10-06,23457311 Mon, 06 Oct 2008 08:14:23 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! Misc http://odeo.com/episodes/23616065-Real-English-Conversations-Don%E2%80%99t-step-on-the-dog-doo-part-1-of-4 Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. In today’s conversation, which is part one of four, my British friend “Michael” and I begin by talking about whether we are “dog people” or “cat people.” Then we move on to discuss the social etiquette of dog walking – particularly picking up after them in public places. As always, you can find the full transcript of this podcast and vocabulary notes on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation Transcript (Note: Words in bold are featured in the vocabulary list [PDF]) Lori: Would you consider yourself a dog person or a cat person? Michael: Oh, I’m a dog person, I can tell you straight away. L: Really? M: Absolutely, 100% confirmed, dog person. You bet. L: [laughter] Dog person… Have you ever had a dog? M: Yes, I have. Yes, I had — let me see, this would be about 10 years ago. I had my o... Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. In today’s conversation, which is part one of four, my British friend “Michael” and I begin by talking about whether we are “dog people” or “cat people.” Then we move on to discuss the social etiquette of dog walking – particularly picking up after them in public places. As always, you can find the full transcript of this podcast and vocabulary notes on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation Transcript (Note: Words in bold are featured in the vocabulary list [PDF]) Lori: Would you consider yourself a dog person or a cat person? Michael: Oh, I’m a dog person, I can tell you straight away. L: Really? M: Absolutely, 100% confirmed, dog person. You bet. L: [laughter] Dog person… Have you ever had a dog? M: Yes, I have. Yes, I had — let me see, this would be about 10 years ago. I had my own doggy; I had a Norwegian Elk Hound. L: Oh, was he cute? M: He was very cute; he was painfully cute. He was great. But I don’t have a dog nowadays, but I have…I walk my neighbors’ dog. L: Oh right, yeah, Bertie. M: That’s right, I was telling you the other day. They’re a lovely old couple, who I’ve known for years, but they’re getting on a bit and they’re not so active, so I take their dog out for a walk quite often. L: OK! Do you have a law in England or in your city that you have to pick up the dog poo when you’re walking your dog? M: Well, I think it depends on the council, the local government. Because if you go to certain areas, they have signs up and it will say, “Don’t let your dog foul the footpath!” and they will actually tell you that there is a fine of fifty pounds or whatever. I think it can be a lot more than that, actually. But I don’t know whether it’s a blanket law, you know, I don’t know if it’s a law for everywhere. I think it’s more down to the local authorities. L: OK. Do you notice that people are good about picking up dog poo when they’re out with their dogs? Do you find a lot of, you know, doggy doo? M: I still see quite a few dog turds on the pavement, I’m afraid. And unfor- I’m sorry to say, and not nearly as much as in the seventies. That was part of my childhood. I remember. L: Oh, stepping in dog poo, totally, in the summertime when you’re running around barefoot. M: Oh when it squishes between your toes? [laughter] L: Oh. That is, oh, the worst. But at least if you’re barefoot it’s easy to wash off. It’s almost worse when you step in a pile with your sneakers on. It gets all inside the tread, oh man. M: Oh. Right. OK. Like the Adidas trainers that used to have the ridged soles as well. So it would get. L: Yeah, or any hiking boots or anything at all that has a, you know, a pattern and ridges and texture on the sole. M: Well, my parents actually had a special stick and a scrubbing brush which was specifically for getting dog poo off your shoes. L: Yeah, ’cause…that’s, oh, it’s such an annoyance. But I, you know, I have to say that here in Sweden I think it is some kind of law that you have to pick up after your dog. And when people go out walking their dogs they have little…special little plastic bags, little black bags…and there are actually special garbage receptacles for depositing the dog poo. And people are pretty good about it, I have to say. M: Well we have those bins here, at least the area that…you know, around here where I take Bertie for a walk. There are quite a few of these special dog bins, these red bins, and there’s a picture of a dog on the front of it. So that’s never a problem. But, for me, still you find that people just let their dogs foul the footpath, even though there are these bins around. And I don’t know, I guess it’s not, it hasn’t quite caught on. L: Maybe people think it doesn’t apply to them, or whatever. M: Well, who knows? It’s no fun. I must admit I don’t relish… L: No, it’s not nice. M: …picking up the dog’s mess, but… L: But you pick up after Bertie? M: Absolutely I do. Yeah. L: Do you have special little bags? M: No, I just use my Tesco bags. L: [laughing] Tesco bags? M: Yeah, Tesco are great. You know how I feel about Tesco, but… L: Yeah, maybe it’s almost like I feel about Google. M: Yeah, Yeah. [laughing] It’s almost to that level. But the problem with that actually is because they’re typical plastic supermarket bags, you know, and so they’re actually perforated. L: Oh, dear. M: Yes. If you don’t hold the bag in the right place, then there can actually be contamination, and that’s not so nice. So… L: Oh no. Oh dear. Well, are they…? That sounds like they could be big as well, so it could be a bit unwieldy. M: All right. Quite. They’re quite big. L: You should just take some little plastic baggies with you. M: Well. Yeah. Yeah. I suppose so. But I manage OK with the Tesco bags. You know? L: I could send you some from here…special plastic doggy-poo bags [laughter] M: No. That’s OK. We do have them here in England you know. But… L: I hate to think of you getting contaminated. I think Bertie would probably hate it too. [laughter] M: He’s very cute. But I’m afraid, you know, his poo does smell. So it’s… you wouldn’t think so to look at him, but..Yeah. L: Well anyway, we’re digressing. Enough about dog poo. What do you think the best thing about doggies is? …hear the answer in part two! Final Words Thanks for listening. We’ll be back soon with part two. This is Lori from BetterAtEnglish.com signing off until next time. Bye for now! Download full transcript and vocabulary list (PDF). claim-my-podcast-in-podbean{scid-YmV0dGVyYXRlbmdsaXNo-ecid} Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: Don’t step on the dog doo (part 1 of 4) Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from betteratenglish.com. In today’s conversation, which is part one of four, my British friend “Michael” and I begin by talking about whether we are “dog people” or “cat people.” Then we move on to discuss the social etiquette of dog walking – particularly picking up after them in public places. As always, you can find the full transcript of this podcast and vocabulary notes on our website, www.betteratenglish.com. OK, here we go! Conversation Transcript (Note: Words in bold are featured in the vocabulary list [PDF]) Lori: Would you consider yourself a dog person or a cat person? Michael: Oh, I’m a dog person, I can tell you straight away. L: Really? M: Absolutely, 100% confirmed, dog person. You bet. L: [laughter] Dog person… Have you ever had a dog? M: Yes, I have. Yes, I had — let me see, this would be about 10 years ago. I had my own doggy; I had a Norwegian Elk Hound. L: Oh, was he cute? M: He was very cute; he was painfully cute. He was great. But I don’t have a dog nowadays, but I have…I walk my neighbors’ dog. L: Oh right, yeah, Bertie. M: That’s right, I was telling you the other day. They’re a lovely old couple, who I’ve known for years, but they’re getting on a bit and they’re not so active, so I take their dog out for a walk quite often. L: OK! Do you have a law in England or in your city that you have to pick up the dog poo when you’re walking your dog? M: Well, I think it depends on the council, the local government. Because if you go to certain areas, they have signs up and it will say, “Don’t let your dog foul the footpath!” and they will actually tell you that there is a fine of fifty pounds or whatever. I think it can be a lot more than that, actually. But I don’t know whether it’s a blanket law, you know, I don’t know if it’s a law for everywhere. I think it’s more down to the local authorities. L: OK. Do you notice that people are good about picking up dog poo when they’re out with their dogs? Do you find a lot of, you know, doggy doo? M: I still see quite a few dog turds on the pavement, I’m afraid. And unfor- I’m sorry to say, and not nearly as much as in the seventies. That was part of my childhood. I remember. L: Oh, stepping in dog poo, totally, in the summertime when you’re running around barefoot. M: Oh when it squishes between your toes? [laughter] L: Oh. That is, oh, the worst. But at least if you’re barefoot it’s easy to wash off. It’s almost worse when you step in a pile with your sneakers on. It gets all inside the tread, oh man. M: Oh. Right. OK. Like the Adidas trainers that used to have the ridged soles as well. So it would get. L: Yeah, or any hiking boots or anything at all that has a, you know, a pattern and ridges and texture on the sole. M: Well, my parents actually had a special stick and a scrubbing brush which was specifically for getting dog poo off your shoes. L: Yeah, ’cause…that’s, oh, it’s such an annoyance. But I, you know, I have to say that here in Sweden I think it is some kind of law that you have to pick up after your dog. And when people go out walking their dogs they have little…special little plastic bags, little black bags…and there are actually special garbage receptacles for depositing the dog poo. And people are pretty good about it, I have to say. M: Well we have those bins here, at least the area that…you know, around here where I take Bertie for a walk. There are quite a few of these special dog bins, these red bins, and there’s a picture of a dog on the front of it. So that’s never a problem. But, for me, still you find that people just let their dogs foul the footpath, even though there are these bins around. And I don’t know, I guess it’s not, it hasn’t quite caught on. L: Maybe people think it doesn’t apply to them, or whatever. M: Well, who knows? It’s no fun. I must admit I don’t relish… L: No, it’s not nice. M: …picking up the dog’s mess, but… L: But you pick up after Bertie? M: Absolutely I do. Yeah. L: Do you have special little bags? M: No, I just use my Tesco bags. L: [laughing] Tesco bags? M: Yeah, Tesco are great. You know how I feel about Tesco, but… L: Yeah, maybe it’s almost like I feel about Google. M: Yeah, Yeah. [laughing] It’s almost to that level. But the problem with that actually is because they’re typical plastic supermarket bags, you know, and so they’re actually perforated. L: Oh, dear. M: Yes. If you don’t hold the bag in the right place, then there can actually be contamination, and that’s not so nice. So… L: Oh no. Oh dear. Well, are they…? That sounds like they could be big as well, so it could be a bit unwieldy. M: All right. Quite. They’re quite big. L: You should just take some little plastic baggies with you. M: Well. Yeah. Yeah. I suppose so. But I manage OK with the Tesco bags. You know? L: I could send you some from here…special plastic doggy-poo bags [laughter] M: No. That’s OK. We do have them here in England you know. But… L: I hate to think of you getting contaminated. I think Bertie would probably hate it too. [laughter] M: He’s very cute. But I’m afraid, you know, his poo does smell. So it’s… you wouldn’t think so to look at him, but..Yeah. L: Well anyway, we’re digressing. Enough about dog poo. What do you think the best thing about doggies is? …hear the answer in part two! Final Words Thanks for listening. We’ll be back soon with part two. This is Lori from BetterAtEnglish.com signing off until next time. Bye for now! Download full transcript and vocabulary list (PDF). claim-my-podcast-in-podbean{scid-YmV0dGVyYXRlbmdsaXNo-ecid} Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: Don’t step on the dog doo (part 1 of 4) tag:odeo.com,2008-10-06,23616065 Mon, 06 Oct 2008 08:14:23 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! Listening, Weird stuff, Real English conversations, Pets http://odeo.com/episodes/16616363-TT01-Spelling-checkers-mp3 tag:odeo.com,2007-08-31,16616363 Fri, 31 Aug 2007 11:14:57 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! http://odeo.com/episodes/24705798-TT01-Spelling-checkers-mp3 This is the mp3 file of the spell checking video Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. TT01 - Spelling checkers (mp3) This is the mp3 file of the spell checking video Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. TT01 - Spelling checkers (mp3) This is the mp3 file of the spell checking video Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. TT01 - Spelling checkers (mp3) tag:odeo.com,2007-08-31,24705798 Fri, 31 Aug 2007 04:14:57 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! iTunes, Listening http://odeo.com/episodes/24218135-TT01-Spelling-checkers-mp3 This is the mp3 file of the spell checking video Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. TT01 - Spelling checkers (mp3) Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. TT01 - Spelling checkers (mp3) This is the mp3 file of the spell checking video Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. TT01 - Spelling checkers (mp3) Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. TT01 - Spelling checkers (mp3) This is the mp3 file of the spell checking video Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. TT01 - Spelling checkers (mp3) Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. TT01 - Spelling checkers (mp3) tag:odeo.com,2007-08-31,24218135 Fri, 31 Aug 2007 04:14:57 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! iTunes, Listening http://odeo.com/episodes/23616066-TT01-Spelling-checkers-mp3 This is the mp3 file of the spell checking video Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. TT01 - Spelling checkers (mp3) This is the mp3 file of the spell checking video Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. TT01 - Spelling checkers (mp3) This is the mp3 file of the spell checking video Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. TT01 - Spelling checkers (mp3) tag:odeo.com,2007-08-31,23616066 Fri, 31 Aug 2007 04:14:57 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! iTunes, Listening http://odeo.com/episodes/22042103-TT01-Spelling-checkers-mp3 Download Listen This is the mp3 file of the spell checking video Download Listen This is the mp3 file of the spell checking video Download Listen This is the mp3 file of the spell checking video tag:odeo.com,2007-08-31,22042103 Fri, 31 Aug 2007 04:14:57 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! iTunes, Listening http://odeo.com/episodes/22042112-Tips-and-tools-for-EFL-and-ESL-learners-spell-checking-online-TT-01 Download Podcast Video Download English lesson podcast and transcript Transcript Hi, Lori here, welcoming you to tips and tools for ESL and EFL learners, from betteratenglish.com. This episode marks our first videocast, so those of you who have video iPods can listen and watch. If you have feedback or questions for us, you can email them to info [AT] BetterAtEnglish [DOT] com or stop by our forum, which you can find at www.betteratenglish.com/forum. Today’s topic: spelling and spell checkers. Judging from the email I get from many of my students, it seems as if some of them have a “who cares?” attitude toward spelling in email. Sometimes their spelling is so bad that I can tell right away that they didn’t even bother run a spell checker. Maybe spelling doesn’t seem important anymore because modern English language teaching often focuses on “successful communication” and “just getting your message across” rather than “boring” details like grammar and spelling. While... Download Podcast Video Download English lesson podcast and transcript Transcript Hi, Lori here, welcoming you to tips and tools for ESL and EFL learners, from betteratenglish.com. This episode marks our first videocast, so those of you who have video iPods can listen and watch. If you have feedback or questions for us, you can email them to info [AT] BetterAtEnglish [DOT] com or stop by our forum, which you can find at www.betteratenglish.com/forum. Today’s topic: spelling and spell checkers. Judging from the email I get from many of my students, it seems as if some of them have a “who cares?” attitude toward spelling in email. Sometimes their spelling is so bad that I can tell right away that they didn’t even bother run a spell checker. Maybe spelling doesn’t seem important anymore because modern English language teaching often focuses on “successful communication” and “just getting your message across” rather than “boring” details like grammar and spelling. While this may help give learners confidence in their ability to use English to communicate effectively, there is a downside. The covert message is that spelling isn’t important anymore. Good spelling is still important. Very important. Yes, even in email. In fact, I’d say that it’s particularly important in email and online. Why? In the world of email and online communication, your spelling and language reflect who you are. If you use sloppy spelling in your online communications, people may not see through it to discover the brilliant, charming person that you are. This is particularly important for first impressions – say, when you’re writing an email to someone for the first time. When people read your email, not only will they be interested in your message; they’ll be trying to form an idea of who you are. And if your email is full of bad spelling, their first impression of you could well be that you are a loser. Is spelling really such a big deal? It can be. Remember the movie Forrest Gump? Well, writing to someone for the first time is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get. And if you get someone like this, she’ll take one look at your bad spelling and careless mistakes and come to the conclusion that you are stupid (or careless or lazy). Fortunately, there is some good news. Free tools are available, tools that make bad spelling piece of cake to fix. And they are really easy to use. In fact, it’s so easy to run a spell check these days that there really are no excuses. Let’s look at some of the free spelling tools available for two of the most popular browsers, IE and Firefox. They will help you check your spelling in everything you write online: email, forums, comments on blogs, even filling in online forms. Of course, no spelling checker can fix ALL of your mistakes, but that’s still no reason NOT to use one. I estimate that using a spelling checker will catch a huge percentage of your errors. First we’ll look at Internet Explorer, the most widely used browser today. There is a useful spelling and dictionary tool for version 5.0 or higher. It’s a plug-in called IE Spell, and you can download it at www.IEspell.com. Once you’ve installed it, it works in a similar way to the spelling checker in MS Word. In addition to a spelling checker, IE spell also has a cool dictionary look-up function. When you are reading text online and come across a word you don’t know, you can simply right click on it to look it up in a variety of online dictionaries. Moving on now to add-ons available for Mozilla Firefox. Now, I have to take a moment to rave about Firefox. Firefox freaking rocks. If you are not using it already, you should be. It is so much better than IE that I don’t even know where to start. You owe it to yourself to at least try it. Why am I so keen on Firefox? It’s got tons of free language tools and useful add-ons, it’s safer than IE, and it’s not Microsoft. Some of Firefox’s useful language tools for EFL and ESL learners include a spelling checker for multiple languages – you can switch between languages with the click of a mouse; it’s also got lots of different dictionary look-up plug-ins and translation tools in many languages. The Firefox browser and add-ons are all available for free download at www.mozilla.com. For those of you who are web savvy, this is probably all you need to know to get started with spell checking in IE or Firefox. If you need more guidance or help downloading or installing these spelling tools, feel free to stop by our forum and ask for help. Remember, checking your spelling can make a huge difference in how people perceive you in your emails. It only takes a minute to check your spelling, and I promise you, people will think that you rock for doing it. That’s all for this time. We encourage you to check out our podcast and forum at www.BetterAtEnglish.com where we offer free help for EFL and ESL learners. Bye for now! Links IE Spell download page Firefox download page Dictionary Search add-on for Firefox) Multi-language spelling dictionaries for Firefox. Download Podcast Video Download English lesson podcast and transcript Transcript Hi, Lori here, welcoming you to tips and tools for ESL and EFL learners, from betteratenglish.com. This episode marks our first videocast, so those of you who have video iPods can listen and watch. If you have feedback or questions for us, you can email them to info [AT] BetterAtEnglish [DOT] com or stop by our forum, which you can find at www.betteratenglish.com/forum. Today’s topic: spelling and spell checkers. Judging from the email I get from many of my students, it seems as if some of them have a “who cares?” attitude toward spelling in email. Sometimes their spelling is so bad that I can tell right away that they didn’t even bother run a spell checker. Maybe spelling doesn’t seem important anymore because modern English language teaching often focuses on “successful communication” and “just getting your message across” rather than “boring” details like grammar and spelling. While this may help give learners confidence in their ability to use English to communicate effectively, there is a downside. The covert message is that spelling isn’t important anymore. Good spelling is still important. Very important. Yes, even in email. In fact, I’d say that it’s particularly important in email and online. Why? In the world of email and online communication, your spelling and language reflect who you are. If you use sloppy spelling in your online communications, people may not see through it to discover the brilliant, charming person that you are. This is particularly important for first impressions – say, when you’re writing an email to someone for the first time. When people read your email, not only will they be interested in your message; they’ll be trying to form an idea of who you are. And if your email is full of bad spelling, their first impression of you could well be that you are a loser. Is spelling really such a big deal? It can be. Remember the movie Forrest Gump? Well, writing to someone for the first time is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get. And if you get someone like this, she’ll take one look at your bad spelling and careless mistakes and come to the conclusion that you are stupid (or careless or lazy). Fortunately, there is some good news. Free tools are available, tools that make bad spelling piece of cake to fix. And they are really easy to use. In fact, it’s so easy to run a spell check these days that there really are no excuses. Let’s look at some of the free spelling tools available for two of the most popular browsers, IE and Firefox. They will help you check your spelling in everything you write online: email, forums, comments on blogs, even filling in online forms. Of course, no spelling checker can fix ALL of your mistakes, but that’s still no reason NOT to use one. I estimate that using a spelling checker will catch a huge percentage of your errors. First we’ll look at Internet Explorer, the most widely used browser today. There is a useful spelling and dictionary tool for version 5.0 or higher. It’s a plug-in called IE Spell, and you can download it at www.IEspell.com. Once you’ve installed it, it works in a similar way to the spelling checker in MS Word. In addition to a spelling checker, IE spell also has a cool dictionary look-up function. When you are reading text online and come across a word you don’t know, you can simply right click on it to look it up in a variety of online dictionaries. Moving on now to add-ons available for Mozilla Firefox. Now, I have to take a moment to rave about Firefox. Firefox freaking rocks. If you are not using it already, you should be. It is so much better than IE that I don’t even know where to start. You owe it to yourself to at least try it. Why am I so keen on Firefox? It’s got tons of free language tools and useful add-ons, it’s safer than IE, and it’s not Microsoft. Some of Firefox’s useful language tools for EFL and ESL learners include a spelling checker for multiple languages – you can switch between languages with the click of a mouse; it’s also got lots of different dictionary look-up plug-ins and translation tools in many languages. The Firefox browser and add-ons are all available for free download at www.mozilla.com. For those of you who are web savvy, this is probably all you need to know to get started with spell checking in IE or Firefox. If you need more guidance or help downloading or installing these spelling tools, feel free to stop by our forum and ask for help. Remember, checking your spelling can make a huge difference in how people perceive you in your emails. It only takes a minute to check your spelling, and I promise you, people will think that you rock for doing it. That’s all for this time. We encourage you to check out our podcast and forum at www.BetterAtEnglish.com where we offer free help for EFL and ESL learners. Bye for now! Links IE Spell download page Firefox download page Dictionary Search add-on for Firefox) Multi-language spelling dictionaries for Firefox. tag:odeo.com,2007-08-30,22042112 Thu, 30 Aug 2007 14:50:12 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! Videocasts, Listening, Writing skills, Upper intermediate http://odeo.com/episodes/24705800-Tips-and-tools-for-EFL-and-ESL-learners-spell-checking-online-TT-01 Download English lesson podcast and transcript Transcript Hi, Lori here, welcoming you to tips and tools for ESL and EFL learners, from betteratenglish.com. This episode marks our first videocast, so those of you who have video iPods can listen and watch. If you have feedback or questions for us, you can email them to info [AT] BetterAtEnglish [DOT] com or stop by our forum, which you can find at www.betteratenglish.com/forum. Today’s topic: spelling and spell checkers. Judging from the email I get from many of my students, it seems as if some of them have a “who cares?” attitude toward spelling in email. Sometimes their spelling is so bad that I can tell right away that they didn’t even bother run a spell checker. Maybe spelling doesn’t seem important anymore because modern English language teaching often focuses on “successful communication” and “just getting your message across” rather than “boring” details like grammar and spelling. While this may help give lea... Download English lesson podcast and transcript Transcript Hi, Lori here, welcoming you to tips and tools for ESL and EFL learners, from betteratenglish.com. This episode marks our first videocast, so those of you who have video iPods can listen and watch. If you have feedback or questions for us, you can email them to info [AT] BetterAtEnglish [DOT] com or stop by our forum, which you can find at www.betteratenglish.com/forum. Today’s topic: spelling and spell checkers. Judging from the email I get from many of my students, it seems as if some of them have a “who cares?” attitude toward spelling in email. Sometimes their spelling is so bad that I can tell right away that they didn’t even bother run a spell checker. Maybe spelling doesn’t seem important anymore because modern English language teaching often focuses on “successful communication” and “just getting your message across” rather than “boring” details like grammar and spelling. While this may help give learners confidence in their ability to use English to communicate effectively, there is a downside. The covert message is that spelling isn’t important anymore. Good spelling is still important. Very important. Yes, even in email. In fact, I’d say that it’s particularly important in email and online. Why? In the world of email and online communication, your spelling and language reflect who you are. If you use sloppy spelling in your online communications, people may not see through it to discover the brilliant, charming person that you are. This is particularly important for first impressions – say, when you’re writing an email to someone for the first time. When people read your email, not only will they be interested in your message; they’ll be trying to form an idea of who you are. And if your email is full of bad spelling, their first impression of you could well be that you are a loser. Is spelling really such a big deal? It can be. Remember the movie Forrest Gump? Well, writing to someone for the first time is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get. And if you get someone like this, she’ll take one look at your bad spelling and careless mistakes and come to the conclusion that you are stupid (or careless or lazy). Fortunately, there is some good news. Free tools are available, tools that make bad spelling piece of cake to fix. And they are really easy to use. In fact, it’s so easy to run a spell check these days that there really are no excuses. Let’s look at some of the free spelling tools available for two of the most popular browsers, IE and Firefox. They will help you check your spelling in everything you write online: email, forums, comments on blogs, even filling in online forms. Of course, no spelling checker can fix ALL of your mistakes, but that’s still no reason NOT to use one. I estimate that using a spelling checker will catch a huge percentage of your errors. First we’ll look at Internet Explorer, the most widely used browser today. There is a useful spelling and dictionary tool for version 5.0 or higher. It’s a plug-in called IE Spell, and you can download it at www.IEspell.com. Once you’ve installed it, it works in a similar way to the spelling checker in MS Word. In addition to a spelling checker, IE spell also has a cool dictionary look-up function. When you are reading text online and come across a word you don’t know, you can simply right click on it to look it up in a variety of online dictionaries. Moving on now to add-ons available for Mozilla Firefox. Now, I have to take a moment to rave about Firefox. Firefox freaking rocks. If you are not using it already, you should be. It is so much better than IE that I don’t even know where to start. You owe it to yourself to at least try it. Why am I so keen on Firefox? It’s got tons of free language tools and useful add-ons, it’s safer than IE, and it’s not Microsoft. Some of Firefox’s useful language tools for EFL and ESL learners include a spelling checker for multiple languages – you can switch between languages with the click of a mouse; it’s also got lots of different dictionary look-up plug-ins and translation tools in many languages. The Firefox browser and add-ons are all available for free download at www.mozilla.com. For those of you who are web savvy, this is probably all you need to know to get started with spell checking in IE or Firefox. If you need more guidance or help downloading or installing these spelling tools, feel free to stop by our forum and ask for help. Remember, checking your spelling can make a huge difference in how people perceive you in your emails. It only takes a minute to check your spelling, and I promise you, people will think that you rock for doing it. That’s all for this time. We encourage you to check out our podcast and forum at www.BetterAtEnglish.com where we offer free help for EFL and ESL learners. Bye for now! Links IE Spell download page Firefox download page Dictionary Search add-on for Firefox) Multi-language spelling dictionaries for Firefox. Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Tips and tools for EFL and ESL learners: spell checking online (TT-01) Download English lesson podcast and transcript Transcript Hi, Lori here, welcoming you to tips and tools for ESL and EFL learners, from betteratenglish.com. This episode marks our first videocast, so those of you who have video iPods can listen and watch. If you have feedback or questions for us, you can email them to info [AT] BetterAtEnglish [DOT] com or stop by our forum, which you can find at www.betteratenglish.com/forum. Today’s topic: spelling and spell checkers. Judging from the email I get from many of my students, it seems as if some of them have a “who cares?” attitude toward spelling in email. Sometimes their spelling is so bad that I can tell right away that they didn’t even bother run a spell checker. Maybe spelling doesn’t seem important anymore because modern English language teaching often focuses on “successful communication” and “just getting your message across” rather than “boring” details like grammar and spelling. While this may help give learners confidence in their ability to use English to communicate effectively, there is a downside. The covert message is that spelling isn’t important anymore. Good spelling is still important. Very important. Yes, even in email. In fact, I’d say that it’s particularly important in email and online. Why? In the world of email and online communication, your spelling and language reflect who you are. If you use sloppy spelling in your online communications, people may not see through it to discover the brilliant, charming person that you are. This is particularly important for first impressions – say, when you’re writing an email to someone for the first time. When people read your email, not only will they be interested in your message; they’ll be trying to form an idea of who you are. And if your email is full of bad spelling, their first impression of you could well be that you are a loser. Is spelling really such a big deal? It can be. Remember the movie Forrest Gump? Well, writing to someone for the first time is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get. And if you get someone like this, she’ll take one look at your bad spelling and careless mistakes and come to the conclusion that you are stupid (or careless or lazy). Fortunately, there is some good news. Free tools are available, tools that make bad spelling piece of cake to fix. And they are really easy to use. In fact, it’s so easy to run a spell check these days that there really are no excuses. Let’s look at some of the free spelling tools available for two of the most popular browsers, IE and Firefox. They will help you check your spelling in everything you write online: email, forums, comments on blogs, even filling in online forms. Of course, no spelling checker can fix ALL of your mistakes, but that’s still no reason NOT to use one. I estimate that using a spelling checker will catch a huge percentage of your errors. First we’ll look at Internet Explorer, the most widely used browser today. There is a useful spelling and dictionary tool for version 5.0 or higher. It’s a plug-in called IE Spell, and you can download it at www.IEspell.com. Once you’ve installed it, it works in a similar way to the spelling checker in MS Word. In addition to a spelling checker, IE spell also has a cool dictionary look-up function. When you are reading text online and come across a word you don’t know, you can simply right click on it to look it up in a variety of online dictionaries. Moving on now to add-ons available for Mozilla Firefox. Now, I have to take a moment to rave about Firefox. Firefox freaking rocks. If you are not using it already, you should be. It is so much better than IE that I don’t even know where to start. You owe it to yourself to at least try it. Why am I so keen on Firefox? It’s got tons of free language tools and useful add-ons, it’s safer than IE, and it’s not Microsoft. Some of Firefox’s useful language tools for EFL and ESL learners include a spelling checker for multiple languages – you can switch between languages with the click of a mouse; it’s also got lots of different dictionary look-up plug-ins and translation tools in many languages. The Firefox browser and add-ons are all available for free download at www.mozilla.com. For those of you who are web savvy, this is probably all you need to know to get started with spell checking in IE or Firefox. If you need more guidance or help downloading or installing these spelling tools, feel free to stop by our forum and ask for help. Remember, checking your spelling can make a huge difference in how people perceive you in your emails. It only takes a minute to check your spelling, and I promise you, people will think that you rock for doing it. That’s all for this time. We encourage you to check out our podcast and forum at www.BetterAtEnglish.com where we offer free help for EFL and ESL learners. Bye for now! Links IE Spell download page Firefox download page Dictionary Search add-on for Firefox) Multi-language spelling dictionaries for Firefox. Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Tips and tools for EFL and ESL learners: spell checking online (TT-01) tag:odeo.com,2007-08-30,24705800 Thu, 30 Aug 2007 14:50:12 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! Videocasts, Listening, Writing skills, Upper intermediate http://odeo.com/episodes/24218140-Tips-and-tools-for-EFL-and-ESL-learners-spell-checking-online-TT-01 Download English lesson podcast and transcript Transcript Hi, Lori here, welcoming you to tips and tools for ESL and EFL learners, from betteratenglish.com. This episode marks our first videocast, so those of you who have video iPods can listen and watch. If you have feedback or questions for us, you can email them to info [AT] BetterAtEnglish [DOT] com or stop by our forum, which you can find at www.betteratenglish.com/forum. Today’s topic: spelling and spell checkers. Judging from the email I get from many of my students, it seems as if some of them have a “who cares?” attitude toward spelling in email. Sometimes their spelling is so bad that I can tell right away that they didn’t even bother run a spell checker. Maybe spelling doesn’t seem important anymore because modern English language teaching often focuses on “successful communication” and “just getting your message across” rather than “boring” details like grammar and spelling. While this may help give lea... Download English lesson podcast and transcript Transcript Hi, Lori here, welcoming you to tips and tools for ESL and EFL learners, from betteratenglish.com. This episode marks our first videocast, so those of you who have video iPods can listen and watch. If you have feedback or questions for us, you can email them to info [AT] BetterAtEnglish [DOT] com or stop by our forum, which you can find at www.betteratenglish.com/forum. Today’s topic: spelling and spell checkers. Judging from the email I get from many of my students, it seems as if some of them have a “who cares?” attitude toward spelling in email. Sometimes their spelling is so bad that I can tell right away that they didn’t even bother run a spell checker. Maybe spelling doesn’t seem important anymore because modern English language teaching often focuses on “successful communication” and “just getting your message across” rather than “boring” details like grammar and spelling. While this may help give learners confidence in their ability to use English to communicate effectively, there is a downside. The covert message is that spelling isn’t important anymore. Good spelling is still important. Very important. Yes, even in email. In fact, I’d say that it’s particularly important in email and online. Why? In the world of email and online communication, your spelling and language reflect who you are. If you use sloppy spelling in your online communications, people may not see through it to discover the brilliant, charming person that you are. This is particularly important for first impressions – say, when you’re writing an email to someone for the first time. When people read your email, not only will they be interested in your message; they’ll be trying to form an idea of who you are. And if your email is full of bad spelling, their first impression of you could well be that you are a loser. Is spelling really such a big deal? It can be. Remember the movie Forrest Gump? Well, writing to someone for the first time is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get. And if you get someone like this, she’ll take one look at your bad spelling and careless mistakes and come to the conclusion that you are stupid (or careless or lazy). Fortunately, there is some good news. Free tools are available, tools that make bad spelling piece of cake to fix. And they are really easy to use. In fact, it’s so easy to run a spell check these days that there really are no excuses. Let’s look at some of the free spelling tools available for two of the most popular browsers, IE and Firefox. They will help you check your spelling in everything you write online: email, forums, comments on blogs, even filling in online forms. Of course, no spelling checker can fix ALL of your mistakes, but that’s still no reason NOT to use one. I estimate that using a spelling checker will catch a huge percentage of your errors. First we’ll look at Internet Explorer, the most widely used browser today. There is a useful spelling and dictionary tool for version 5.0 or higher. It’s a plug-in called IE Spell, and you can download it at www.IEspell.com. Once you’ve installed it, it works in a similar way to the spelling checker in MS Word. In addition to a spelling checker, IE spell also has a cool dictionary look-up function. When you are reading text online and come across a word you don’t know, you can simply right click on it to look it up in a variety of online dictionaries. Moving on now to add-ons available for Mozilla Firefox. Now, I have to take a moment to rave about Firefox. Firefox freaking rocks. If you are not using it already, you should be. It is so much better than IE that I don’t even know where to start. You owe it to yourself to at least try it. Why am I so keen on Firefox? It’s got tons of free language tools and useful add-ons, it’s safer than IE, and it’s not Microsoft. Some of Firefox’s useful language tools for EFL and ESL learners include a spelling checker for multiple languages – you can switch between languages with the click of a mouse; it’s also got lots of different dictionary look-up plug-ins and translation tools in many languages. The Firefox browser and add-ons are all available for free download at www.mozilla.com. For those of you who are web savvy, this is probably all you need to know to get started with spell checking in IE or Firefox. If you need more guidance or help downloading or installing these spelling tools, feel free to stop by our forum and ask for help. Remember, checking your spelling can make a huge difference in how people perceive you in your emails. It only takes a minute to check your spelling, and I promise you, people will think that you rock for doing it. That’s all for this time. We encourage you to check out our podcast and forum at www.BetterAtEnglish.com where we offer free help for EFL and ESL learners. Bye for now! Links IE Spell download page Firefox download page Dictionary Search add-on for Firefox) Multi-language spelling dictionaries for Firefox. Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Tips and tools for EFL and ESL learners: spell checking online (TT-01) Download English lesson podcast and transcript Transcript Hi, Lori here, welcoming you to tips and tools for ESL and EFL learners, from betteratenglish.com. This episode marks our first videocast, so those of you who have video iPods can listen and watch. If you have feedback or questions for us, you can email them to info [AT] BetterAtEnglish [DOT] com or stop by our forum, which you can find at www.betteratenglish.com/forum. Today’s topic: spelling and spell checkers. Judging from the email I get from many of my students, it seems as if some of them have a “who cares?” attitude toward spelling in email. Sometimes their spelling is so bad that I can tell right away that they didn’t even bother run a spell checker. Maybe spelling doesn’t seem important anymore because modern English language teaching often focuses on “successful communication” and “just getting your message across” rather than “boring” details like grammar and spelling. While this may help give learners confidence in their ability to use English to communicate effectively, there is a downside. The covert message is that spelling isn’t important anymore. Good spelling is still important. Very important. Yes, even in email. In fact, I’d say that it’s particularly important in email and online. Why? In the world of email and online communication, your spelling and language reflect who you are. If you use sloppy spelling in your online communications, people may not see through it to discover the brilliant, charming person that you are. This is particularly important for first impressions – say, when you’re writing an email to someone for the first time. When people read your email, not only will they be interested in your message; they’ll be trying to form an idea of who you are. And if your email is full of bad spelling, their first impression of you could well be that you are a loser. Is spelling really such a big deal? It can be. Remember the movie Forrest Gump? Well, writing to someone for the first time is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get. And if you get someone like this, she’ll take one look at your bad spelling and careless mistakes and come to the conclusion that you are stupid (or careless or lazy). Fortunately, there is some good news. Free tools are available, tools that make bad spelling piece of cake to fix. And they are really easy to use. In fact, it’s so easy to run a spell check these days that there really are no excuses. Let’s look at some of the free spelling tools available for two of the most popular browsers, IE and Firefox. They will help you check your spelling in everything you write online: email, forums, comments on blogs, even filling in online forms. Of course, no spelling checker can fix ALL of your mistakes, but that’s still no reason NOT to use one. I estimate that using a spelling checker will catch a huge percentage of your errors. First we’ll look at Internet Explorer, the most widely used browser today. There is a useful spelling and dictionary tool for version 5.0 or higher. It’s a plug-in called IE Spell, and you can download it at www.IEspell.com. Once you’ve installed it, it works in a similar way to the spelling checker in MS Word. In addition to a spelling checker, IE spell also has a cool dictionary look-up function. When you are reading text online and come across a word you don’t know, you can simply right click on it to look it up in a variety of online dictionaries. Moving on now to add-ons available for Mozilla Firefox. Now, I have to take a moment to rave about Firefox. Firefox freaking rocks. If you are not using it already, you should be. It is so much better than IE that I don’t even know where to start. You owe it to yourself to at least try it. Why am I so keen on Firefox? It’s got tons of free language tools and useful add-ons, it’s safer than IE, and it’s not Microsoft. Some of Firefox’s useful language tools for EFL and ESL learners include a spelling checker for multiple languages – you can switch between languages with the click of a mouse; it’s also got lots of different dictionary look-up plug-ins and translation tools in many languages. The Firefox browser and add-ons are all available for free download at www.mozilla.com. For those of you who are web savvy, this is probably all you need to know to get started with spell checking in IE or Firefox. If you need more guidance or help downloading or installing these spelling tools, feel free to stop by our forum and ask for help. Remember, checking your spelling can make a huge difference in how people perceive you in your emails. It only takes a minute to check your spelling, and I promise you, people will think that you rock for doing it. That’s all for this time. We encourage you to check out our podcast and forum at www.BetterAtEnglish.com where we offer free help for EFL and ESL learners. Bye for now! Links IE Spell download page Firefox download page Dictionary Search add-on for Firefox) Multi-language spelling dictionaries for Firefox. Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Tips and tools for EFL and ESL learners: spell checking online (TT-01) tag:odeo.com,2007-08-30,24218140 Thu, 30 Aug 2007 14:50:12 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! Videocasts, Listening, Writing skills, Upper intermediate http://odeo.com/episodes/23616067-Tips-and-tools-for-EFL-and-ESL-learners-spell-checking-online-TT-01 Download English lesson podcast and transcript Transcript Hi, Lori here, welcoming you to tips and tools for ESL and EFL learners, from betteratenglish.com. This episode marks our first videocast, so those of you who have video iPods can listen and watch. If you have feedback or questions for us, you can email them to info [AT] BetterAtEnglish [DOT] com or stop by our forum, which you can find at www.betteratenglish.com/forum. Today’s topic: spelling and spell checkers. Judging from the email I get from many of my students, it seems as if some of them have a “who cares?” attitude toward spelling in email. Sometimes their spelling is so bad that I can tell right away that they didn’t even bother run a spell checker. Maybe spelling doesn’t seem important anymore because modern English language teaching often focuses on “successful communication” and “just getting your message across” rather than “boring” details like grammar and spelling. While this may help give lea... Download English lesson podcast and transcript Transcript Hi, Lori here, welcoming you to tips and tools for ESL and EFL learners, from betteratenglish.com. This episode marks our first videocast, so those of you who have video iPods can listen and watch. If you have feedback or questions for us, you can email them to info [AT] BetterAtEnglish [DOT] com or stop by our forum, which you can find at www.betteratenglish.com/forum. Today’s topic: spelling and spell checkers. Judging from the email I get from many of my students, it seems as if some of them have a “who cares?” attitude toward spelling in email. Sometimes their spelling is so bad that I can tell right away that they didn’t even bother run a spell checker. Maybe spelling doesn’t seem important anymore because modern English language teaching often focuses on “successful communication” and “just getting your message across” rather than “boring” details like grammar and spelling. While this may help give learners confidence in their ability to use English to communicate effectively, there is a downside. The covert message is that spelling isn’t important anymore. Good spelling is still important. Very important. Yes, even in email. In fact, I’d say that it’s particularly important in email and online. Why? In the world of email and online communication, your spelling and language reflect who you are. If you use sloppy spelling in your online communications, people may not see through it to discover the brilliant, charming person that you are. This is particularly important for first impressions – say, when you’re writing an email to someone for the first time. When people read your email, not only will they be interested in your message; they’ll be trying to form an idea of who you are. And if your email is full of bad spelling, their first impression of you could well be that you are a loser. Is spelling really such a big deal? It can be. Remember the movie Forrest Gump? Well, writing to someone for the first time is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get. And if you get someone like this, she’ll take one look at your bad spelling and careless mistakes and come to the conclusion that you are stupid (or careless or lazy). Fortunately, there is some good news. Free tools are available, tools that make bad spelling piece of cake to fix. And they are really easy to use. In fact, it’s so easy to run a spell check these days that there really are no excuses. Let’s look at some of the free spelling tools available for two of the most popular browsers, IE and Firefox. They will help you check your spelling in everything you write online: email, forums, comments on blogs, even filling in online forms. Of course, no spelling checker can fix ALL of your mistakes, but that’s still no reason NOT to use one. I estimate that using a spelling checker will catch a huge percentage of your errors. First we’ll look at Internet Explorer, the most widely used browser today. There is a useful spelling and dictionary tool for version 5.0 or higher. It’s a plug-in called IE Spell, and you can download it at www.IEspell.com. Once you’ve installed it, it works in a similar way to the spelling checker in MS Word. In addition to a spelling checker, IE spell also has a cool dictionary look-up function. When you are reading text online and come across a word you don’t know, you can simply right click on it to look it up in a variety of online dictionaries. Moving on now to add-ons available for Mozilla Firefox. Now, I have to take a moment to rave about Firefox. Firefox freaking rocks. If you are not using it already, you should be. It is so much better than IE that I don’t even know where to start. You owe it to yourself to at least try it. Why am I so keen on Firefox? It’s got tons of free language tools and useful add-ons, it’s safer than IE, and it’s not Microsoft. Some of Firefox’s useful language tools for EFL and ESL learners include a spelling checker for multiple languages – you can switch between languages with the click of a mouse; it’s also got lots of different dictionary look-up plug-ins and translation tools in many languages. The Firefox browser and add-ons are all available for free download at www.mozilla.com. For those of you who are web savvy, this is probably all you need to know to get started with spell checking in IE or Firefox. If you need more guidance or help downloading or installing these spelling tools, feel free to stop by our forum and ask for help. Remember, checking your spelling can make a huge difference in how people perceive you in your emails. It only takes a minute to check your spelling, and I promise you, people will think that you rock for doing it. That’s all for this time. We encourage you to check out our podcast and forum at www.BetterAtEnglish.com where we offer free help for EFL and ESL learners. Bye for now! Links IE Spell download page Firefox download page Dictionary Search add-on for Firefox) Multi-language spelling dictionaries for Firefox. Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Tips and tools for EFL and ESL learners: spell checking online (TT-01) Download English lesson podcast and transcript Transcript Hi, Lori here, welcoming you to tips and tools for ESL and EFL learners, from betteratenglish.com. This episode marks our first videocast, so those of you who have video iPods can listen and watch. If you have feedback or questions for us, you can email them to info [AT] BetterAtEnglish [DOT] com or stop by our forum, which you can find at www.betteratenglish.com/forum. Today’s topic: spelling and spell checkers. Judging from the email I get from many of my students, it seems as if some of them have a “who cares?” attitude toward spelling in email. Sometimes their spelling is so bad that I can tell right away that they didn’t even bother run a spell checker. Maybe spelling doesn’t seem important anymore because modern English language teaching often focuses on “successful communication” and “just getting your message across” rather than “boring” details like grammar and spelling. While this may help give learners confidence in their ability to use English to communicate effectively, there is a downside. The covert message is that spelling isn’t important anymore. Good spelling is still important. Very important. Yes, even in email. In fact, I’d say that it’s particularly important in email and online. Why? In the world of email and online communication, your spelling and language reflect who you are. If you use sloppy spelling in your online communications, people may not see through it to discover the brilliant, charming person that you are. This is particularly important for first impressions – say, when you’re writing an email to someone for the first time. When people read your email, not only will they be interested in your message; they’ll be trying to form an idea of who you are. And if your email is full of bad spelling, their first impression of you could well be that you are a loser. Is spelling really such a big deal? It can be. Remember the movie Forrest Gump? Well, writing to someone for the first time is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get. And if you get someone like this, she’ll take one look at your bad spelling and careless mistakes and come to the conclusion that you are stupid (or careless or lazy). Fortunately, there is some good news. Free tools are available, tools that make bad spelling piece of cake to fix. And they are really easy to use. In fact, it’s so easy to run a spell check these days that there really are no excuses. Let’s look at some of the free spelling tools available for two of the most popular browsers, IE and Firefox. They will help you check your spelling in everything you write online: email, forums, comments on blogs, even filling in online forms. Of course, no spelling checker can fix ALL of your mistakes, but that’s still no reason NOT to use one. I estimate that using a spelling checker will catch a huge percentage of your errors. First we’ll look at Internet Explorer, the most widely used browser today. There is a useful spelling and dictionary tool for version 5.0 or higher. It’s a plug-in called IE Spell, and you can download it at www.IEspell.com. Once you’ve installed it, it works in a similar way to the spelling checker in MS Word. In addition to a spelling checker, IE spell also has a cool dictionary look-up function. When you are reading text online and come across a word you don’t know, you can simply right click on it to look it up in a variety of online dictionaries. Moving on now to add-ons available for Mozilla Firefox. Now, I have to take a moment to rave about Firefox. Firefox freaking rocks. If you are not using it already, you should be. It is so much better than IE that I don’t even know where to start. You owe it to yourself to at least try it. Why am I so keen on Firefox? It’s got tons of free language tools and useful add-ons, it’s safer than IE, and it’s not Microsoft. Some of Firefox’s useful language tools for EFL and ESL learners include a spelling checker for multiple languages – you can switch between languages with the click of a mouse; it’s also got lots of different dictionary look-up plug-ins and translation tools in many languages. The Firefox browser and add-ons are all available for free download at www.mozilla.com. For those of you who are web savvy, this is probably all you need to know to get started with spell checking in IE or Firefox. If you need more guidance or help downloading or installing these spelling tools, feel free to stop by our forum and ask for help. Remember, checking your spelling can make a huge difference in how people perceive you in your emails. It only takes a minute to check your spelling, and I promise you, people will think that you rock for doing it. That’s all for this time. We encourage you to check out our podcast and forum at www.BetterAtEnglish.com where we offer free help for EFL and ESL learners. Bye for now! Links IE Spell download page Firefox download page Dictionary Search add-on for Firefox) Multi-language spelling dictionaries for Firefox. Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Tips and tools for EFL and ESL learners: spell checking online (TT-01) tag:odeo.com,2007-08-30,23616067 Thu, 30 Aug 2007 14:50:12 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! Videocasts, Listening, Writing skills, Upper intermediate http://odeo.com/episodes/24705801-TT01-spell-checking-online-transcript-PDF Link to pdf file for iTunes Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. TT01: spell checking online - transcript PDF Link to pdf file for iTunes Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. TT01: spell checking online - transcript PDF Link to pdf file for iTunes Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. TT01: spell checking online - transcript PDF tag:odeo.com,2007-08-30,24705801 Thu, 30 Aug 2007 14:49:47 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! iTunes http://odeo.com/episodes/24218141-TT01-spell-checking-online-transcript-PDF Link to pdf file for iTunes Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. TT01: spell checking online - transcript PDF Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. TT01: spell checking online - transcript PDF Link to pdf file for iTunes Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. TT01: spell checking online - transcript PDF Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. TT01: spell checking online - transcript PDF Link to pdf file for iTunes Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. TT01: spell checking online - transcript PDF Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. TT01: spell checking online - transcript PDF tag:odeo.com,2007-08-30,24218141 Thu, 30 Aug 2007 14:49:47 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! iTunes http://odeo.com/episodes/23616068-TT01-spell-checking-online-transcript-PDF Link to pdf file for iTunes Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. TT01: spell checking online - transcript PDF Link to pdf file for iTunes Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. TT01: spell checking online - transcript PDF Link to pdf file for iTunes Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. TT01: spell checking online - transcript PDF tag:odeo.com,2007-08-30,23616068 Thu, 30 Aug 2007 14:49:47 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! iTunes http://odeo.com/episodes/22056073-TT01-spell-checking-online-transcript-PDF Download PDF Link to pdf file for iTunes Download PDF Link to pdf file for iTunes Download PDF Link to pdf file for iTunes tag:odeo.com,2007-08-30,22056073 Thu, 30 Aug 2007 14:49:47 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! iTunes http://odeo.com/episodes/24705802-Better-at-English-writing-contest-win-an-Amazon-gift-certificate A listener recently emailed offering some constructive criticism about my voice in the Better at English podcasts. I’m always grateful for tips on how we can improve our shows, and I am quite sure that she meant to be helpful. However, because of the language she chose, her critique sounded rather harsh. If I didn’t know how difficult it is to express yourself in a foreign language, I probably would have been offended. Luckily, I DO understand how difficult English can be for EFL and ESL learners, and am thankful for the advice Being too direct and harsh when giving (constructive) criticism or making requests is a very common problem for the EFL / ESL learners that I teach, so I’ve decided to use this authentic email as a writing contest for you. TASK Your task is to rewrite the email below to get the point across more tactfully. Of course your spelling and grammar should be good too. Make it your most beautiful English! DEADLINE The deadline for your entries is 00... A listener recently emailed offering some constructive criticism about my voice in the Better at English podcasts. I’m always grateful for tips on how we can improve our shows, and I am quite sure that she meant to be helpful. However, because of the language she chose, her critique sounded rather harsh. If I didn’t know how difficult it is to express yourself in a foreign language, I probably would have been offended. Luckily, I DO understand how difficult English can be for EFL and ESL learners, and am thankful for the advice Being too direct and harsh when giving (constructive) criticism or making requests is a very common problem for the EFL / ESL learners that I teach, so I’ve decided to use this authentic email as a writing contest for you. TASK Your task is to rewrite the email below to get the point across more tactfully. Of course your spelling and grammar should be good too. Make it your most beautiful English! DEADLINE The deadline for your entries is 00:01 UTC Tuesday 7 August. HOW TO ENTER Post your rewritten text as a response to this topic on our forum. (You’ll have to join the forum, but it’s easy. And FREE.) I’ll choose the submission I think is best. PRIZE The prize is a 25-Euro gift certificate from Amazon. We had some generous donations to BetterAtEnglish this month, so it’s nice to be able to give something back to our dedicated listeners! REWRITE THIS Hi Lori It would really help me and I’m sure a lot of others like me, if you’d speak with your natural voice, not so high pitched. I was listening to the phrasal verbs on your website ( the episode about spending money) and I was really turned off by your animated speaking. Good luck! P.S: I agree with the critique. My delivery in the early “2-minute English” shows SUCKED bigtime Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Better at English writing contest - win an Amazon gift certificate! A listener recently emailed offering some constructive criticism about my voice in the Better at English podcasts. I’m always grateful for tips on how we can improve our shows, and I am quite sure that she meant to be helpful. However, because of the language she chose, her critique sounded rather harsh. If I didn’t know how difficult it is to express yourself in a foreign language, I probably would have been offended. Luckily, I DO understand how difficult English can be for EFL and ESL learners, and am thankful for the advice Being too direct and harsh when giving (constructive) criticism or making requests is a very common problem for the EFL / ESL learners that I teach, so I’ve decided to use this authentic email as a writing contest for you. TASK Your task is to rewrite the email below to get the point across more tactfully. Of course your spelling and grammar should be good too. Make it your most beautiful English! DEADLINE The deadline for your entries is 00:01 UTC Tuesday 7 August. HOW TO ENTER Post your rewritten text as a response to this topic on our forum. (You’ll have to join the forum, but it’s easy. And FREE.) I’ll choose the submission I think is best. PRIZE The prize is a 25-Euro gift certificate from Amazon. We had some generous donations to BetterAtEnglish this month, so it’s nice to be able to give something back to our dedicated listeners! REWRITE THIS Hi Lori It would really help me and I’m sure a lot of others like me, if you’d speak with your natural voice, not so high pitched. I was listening to the phrasal verbs on your website ( the episode about spending money) and I was really turned off by your animated speaking. Good luck! P.S: I agree with the critique. My delivery in the early “2-minute English” shows SUCKED bigtime Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Better at English writing contest - win an Amazon gift certificate! tag:odeo.com,2007-07-31,24705802 Tue, 31 Jul 2007 19:54:25 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! Writing skills, contests http://odeo.com/episodes/24218142-Better-at-English-writing-contest-win-an-Amazon-gift-certificate A listener recently emailed offering some constructive criticism about my voice in the Better at English podcasts. I’m always grateful for tips on how we can improve our shows, and I am quite sure that she meant to be helpful. However, because of the language she chose, her critique sounded rather harsh. If I didn’t know how difficult it is to express yourself in a foreign language, I probably would have been offended. Luckily, I DO understand how difficult English can be for EFL and ESL learners, and am thankful for the advice Being too direct and harsh when giving (constructive) criticism or making requests is a very common problem for the EFL / ESL learners that I teach, so I’ve decided to use this authentic email as a writing contest for you. TASK Your task is to rewrite the email below to get the point across more tactfully. Of course your spelling and grammar should be good too. Make it your most beautiful English! DEADLINE The deadline for your entries is 00... A listener recently emailed offering some constructive criticism about my voice in the Better at English podcasts. I’m always grateful for tips on how we can improve our shows, and I am quite sure that she meant to be helpful. However, because of the language she chose, her critique sounded rather harsh. If I didn’t know how difficult it is to express yourself in a foreign language, I probably would have been offended. Luckily, I DO understand how difficult English can be for EFL and ESL learners, and am thankful for the advice Being too direct and harsh when giving (constructive) criticism or making requests is a very common problem for the EFL / ESL learners that I teach, so I’ve decided to use this authentic email as a writing contest for you. TASK Your task is to rewrite the email below to get the point across more tactfully. Of course your spelling and grammar should be good too. Make it your most beautiful English! DEADLINE The deadline for your entries is 00:01 UTC Tuesday 7 August. HOW TO ENTER Post your rewritten text as a response to this topic on our forum. (You’ll have to join the forum, but it’s easy. And FREE.) I’ll choose the submission I think is best. PRIZE The prize is a 25-Euro gift certificate from Amazon. We had some generous donations to BetterAtEnglish this month, so it’s nice to be able to give something back to our dedicated listeners! REWRITE THIS Hi Lori It would really help me and I’m sure a lot of others like me, if you’d speak with your natural voice, not so high pitched. I was listening to the phrasal verbs on your website ( the episode about spending money) and I was really turned off by your animated speaking. Good luck! P.S: I agree with the critique. My delivery in the early “2-minute English” shows SUCKED bigtime Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Better at English writing contest - win an Amazon gift certificate! A listener recently emailed offering some constructive criticism about my voice in the Better at English podcasts. I’m always grateful for tips on how we can improve our shows, and I am quite sure that she meant to be helpful. However, because of the language she chose, her critique sounded rather harsh. If I didn’t know how difficult it is to express yourself in a foreign language, I probably would have been offended. Luckily, I DO understand how difficult English can be for EFL and ESL learners, and am thankful for the advice Being too direct and harsh when giving (constructive) criticism or making requests is a very common problem for the EFL / ESL learners that I teach, so I’ve decided to use this authentic email as a writing contest for you. TASK Your task is to rewrite the email below to get the point across more tactfully. Of course your spelling and grammar should be good too. Make it your most beautiful English! DEADLINE The deadline for your entries is 00:01 UTC Tuesday 7 August. HOW TO ENTER Post your rewritten text as a response to this topic on our forum. (You’ll have to join the forum, but it’s easy. And FREE.) I’ll choose the submission I think is best. PRIZE The prize is a 25-Euro gift certificate from Amazon. We had some generous donations to BetterAtEnglish this month, so it’s nice to be able to give something back to our dedicated listeners! REWRITE THIS Hi Lori It would really help me and I’m sure a lot of others like me, if you’d speak with your natural voice, not so high pitched. I was listening to the phrasal verbs on your website ( the episode about spending money) and I was really turned off by your animated speaking. Good luck! P.S: I agree with the critique. My delivery in the early “2-minute English” shows SUCKED bigtime Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Better at English writing contest - win an Amazon gift certificate! tag:odeo.com,2007-07-31,24218142 Tue, 31 Jul 2007 19:54:25 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! Writing skills, contests http://odeo.com/episodes/23616069-Better-at-English-writing-contest-win-an-Amazon-gift-certificate A listener recently emailed offering some constructive criticism about my voice in the Better at English podcasts. I’m always grateful for tips on how we can improve our shows, and I am quite sure that she meant to be helpful. However, because of the language she chose, her critique sounded rather harsh. If I didn’t know how difficult it is to express yourself in a foreign language, I probably would have been offended. Luckily, I DO understand how difficult English can be for EFL and ESL learners, and am thankful for the advice Being too direct and harsh when giving (constructive) criticism or making requests is a very common problem for the EFL / ESL learners that I teach, so I’ve decided to use this authentic email as a writing contest for you. TASK Your task is to rewrite the email below to get the point across more tactfully. Of course your spelling and grammar should be good too. Make it your most beautiful English! DEADLINE The deadline for your entries is 00... A listener recently emailed offering some constructive criticism about my voice in the Better at English podcasts. I’m always grateful for tips on how we can improve our shows, and I am quite sure that she meant to be helpful. However, because of the language she chose, her critique sounded rather harsh. If I didn’t know how difficult it is to express yourself in a foreign language, I probably would have been offended. Luckily, I DO understand how difficult English can be for EFL and ESL learners, and am thankful for the advice Being too direct and harsh when giving (constructive) criticism or making requests is a very common problem for the EFL / ESL learners that I teach, so I’ve decided to use this authentic email as a writing contest for you. TASK Your task is to rewrite the email below to get the point across more tactfully. Of course your spelling and grammar should be good too. Make it your most beautiful English! DEADLINE The deadline for your entries is 00:01 UTC Tuesday 7 August. HOW TO ENTER Post your rewritten text as a response to this topic on our forum. (You’ll have to join the forum, but it’s easy. And FREE.) I’ll choose the submission I think is best. PRIZE The prize is a 25-Euro gift certificate from Amazon. We had some generous donations to BetterAtEnglish this month, so it’s nice to be able to give something back to our dedicated listeners! REWRITE THIS Hi Lori It would really help me and I’m sure a lot of others like me, if you’d speak with your natural voice, not so high pitched. I was listening to the phrasal verbs on your website ( the episode about spending money) and I was really turned off by your animated speaking. Good luck! P.S: I agree with the critique. My delivery in the early “2-minute English” shows SUCKED bigtime Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Better at English writing contest - win an Amazon gift certificate! A listener recently emailed offering some constructive criticism about my voice in the Better at English podcasts. I’m always grateful for tips on how we can improve our shows, and I am quite sure that she meant to be helpful. However, because of the language she chose, her critique sounded rather harsh. If I didn’t know how difficult it is to express yourself in a foreign language, I probably would have been offended. Luckily, I DO understand how difficult English can be for EFL and ESL learners, and am thankful for the advice Being too direct and harsh when giving (constructive) criticism or making requests is a very common problem for the EFL / ESL learners that I teach, so I’ve decided to use this authentic email as a writing contest for you. TASK Your task is to rewrite the email below to get the point across more tactfully. Of course your spelling and grammar should be good too. Make it your most beautiful English! DEADLINE The deadline for your entries is 00:01 UTC Tuesday 7 August. HOW TO ENTER Post your rewritten text as a response to this topic on our forum. (You’ll have to join the forum, but it’s easy. And FREE.) I’ll choose the submission I think is best. PRIZE The prize is a 25-Euro gift certificate from Amazon. We had some generous donations to BetterAtEnglish this month, so it’s nice to be able to give something back to our dedicated listeners! REWRITE THIS Hi Lori It would really help me and I’m sure a lot of others like me, if you’d speak with your natural voice, not so high pitched. I was listening to the phrasal verbs on your website ( the episode about spending money) and I was really turned off by your animated speaking. Good luck! P.S: I agree with the critique. My delivery in the early “2-minute English” shows SUCKED bigtime Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Better at English writing contest - win an Amazon gift certificate! tag:odeo.com,2007-07-31,23616069 Tue, 31 Jul 2007 19:54:25 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! Writing skills, contests http://odeo.com/episodes/22056074-Better-at-English-writing-contest-win-an-Amazon-gift-certificate Download PDF A listener recently emailed offering some constructive criticism about my voice in the Better at English podcasts. I’m always grateful for tips on how we can improve our shows, and I am quite sure that she meant to be helpful. However, because of the language she chose, her critique sounded rather harsh. If I didn’t know how difficult it is to express yourself in a foreign language, I probably would have been offended. Luckily, I DO understand how difficult English can be for EFL and ESL learners, and am thankful for the advice Being too direct and harsh when giving (constructive) criticism or making requests is a very common problem for the EFL / ESL learners that I teach, so I’ve decided to use this authentic email as a writing contest for you. TASK Your task is to rewrite the email below to get the point across more tactfully. Of course your spelling and grammar should be good too. Make it your most beautiful English! DEADLINE The deadline for your ... Download PDF A listener recently emailed offering some constructive criticism about my voice in the Better at English podcasts. I’m always grateful for tips on how we can improve our shows, and I am quite sure that she meant to be helpful. However, because of the language she chose, her critique sounded rather harsh. If I didn’t know how difficult it is to express yourself in a foreign language, I probably would have been offended. Luckily, I DO understand how difficult English can be for EFL and ESL learners, and am thankful for the advice Being too direct and harsh when giving (constructive) criticism or making requests is a very common problem for the EFL / ESL learners that I teach, so I’ve decided to use this authentic email as a writing contest for you. TASK Your task is to rewrite the email below to get the point across more tactfully. Of course your spelling and grammar should be good too. Make it your most beautiful English! DEADLINE The deadline for your entries is 00:01 UTC Tuesday 7 August. HOW TO ENTER Post your rewritten text as a response to this topic on our forum. (You’ll have to join the forum, but it’s easy. And FREE.) I’ll choose the submission I think is best. PRIZE The prize is a 25-Euro gift certificate from Amazon. We had some generous donations to BetterAtEnglish this month, so it’s nice to be able to give something back to our dedicated listeners! REWRITE THIS Hi Lori It would really help me and I’m sure a lot of others like me, if you’d speak with your natural voice, not so high pitched. I was listening to the phrasal verbs on your website ( the episode about spending money) and I was really turned off by your animated speaking. Good luck! P.S: I agree with the critique. My delivery in the early “2-minute English” shows SUCKED bigtime Download PDF A listener recently emailed offering some constructive criticism about my voice in the Better at English podcasts. I’m always grateful for tips on how we can improve our shows, and I am quite sure that she meant to be helpful. However, because of the language she chose, her critique sounded rather harsh. If I didn’t know how difficult it is to express yourself in a foreign language, I probably would have been offended. Luckily, I DO understand how difficult English can be for EFL and ESL learners, and am thankful for the advice Being too direct and harsh when giving (constructive) criticism or making requests is a very common problem for the EFL / ESL learners that I teach, so I’ve decided to use this authentic email as a writing contest for you. TASK Your task is to rewrite the email below to get the point across more tactfully. Of course your spelling and grammar should be good too. Make it your most beautiful English! DEADLINE The deadline for your entries is 00:01 UTC Tuesday 7 August. HOW TO ENTER Post your rewritten text as a response to this topic on our forum. (You’ll have to join the forum, but it’s easy. And FREE.) I’ll choose the submission I think is best. PRIZE The prize is a 25-Euro gift certificate from Amazon. We had some generous donations to BetterAtEnglish this month, so it’s nice to be able to give something back to our dedicated listeners! REWRITE THIS Hi Lori It would really help me and I’m sure a lot of others like me, if you’d speak with your natural voice, not so high pitched. I was listening to the phrasal verbs on your website ( the episode about spending money) and I was really turned off by your animated speaking. Good luck! P.S: I agree with the critique. My delivery in the early “2-minute English” shows SUCKED bigtime tag:odeo.com,2007-07-31,22056074 Tue, 31 Jul 2007 19:54:25 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! Writing skills, contests http://odeo.com/episodes/14942953-Real-English-Conversations-Weird-food tag:odeo.com,2007-07-11,14942953 Wed, 11 Jul 2007 22:18:36 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! http://odeo.com/episodes/24705803-Real-English-Conversations-Weird-food Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to a new episode of Real English conversations from betteratenglish.com. I hope you’re all enjoying the summer. One of the typical summer pastimes in the USA is playing baseball. There’s even a saying that goes something like this: “It’s as American as baseball and apple pie.” But today’s show isn’t about baseball or apple pie. It is about food, though. Weird food combinations, to be precise. And after listening to today’s episode, you might want to change the saying to “It’s as American as donuts and peanut butter and jelly!” Before getting into the conversation, I want to thank the anonymous listener who sent us three books from our Amazon wish list last week. Whoever you are, I hope you hear this message so that you will know how happy the books made me. Thanks so much! I’d also like to encourage our listeners to visit our friends at ... Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to a new episode of Real English conversations from betteratenglish.com. I hope you’re all enjoying the summer. One of the typical summer pastimes in the USA is playing baseball. There’s even a saying that goes something like this: “It’s as American as baseball and apple pie.” But today’s show isn’t about baseball or apple pie. It is about food, though. Weird food combinations, to be precise. And after listening to today’s episode, you might want to change the saying to “It’s as American as donuts and peanut butter and jelly!” Before getting into the conversation, I want to thank the anonymous listener who sent us three books from our Amazon wish list last week. Whoever you are, I hope you hear this message so that you will know how happy the books made me. Thanks so much! I’d also like to encourage our listeners to visit our friends at China232. China232 is a free conversational English podcast similar to ours and I really think you’ll like it. That’s www.china232.com. OK, let’s get on with today’s conversation. Conversation transcript Lori: When I was over in the States recently, I was reading one of my mom’s magazines. And in that magazine I read about a new hamburger. Michael: OK. Lori: That…it really takes the cake, this new hamburger. You know, we’ve talked about junk food before, but this is amazing. It’s a big beef burger, and they put sharp cheddar cheese and two slices of bacon… Michael: What… Can I just stop you there? What is sharp cheddar cheese? Lori: Sharp cheddar cheese? A sharp cheese is a cheese that has a strong flavor. Michael: Ooh, OK. Lori: So cheese can be mild or sharp. Michael: Right. Lori: You’d think that the opposite would be “dull,” but you don’t talk about a dull cheese. Michael: Or “blunt” cheese. Lori: Yeah, a blunt cheese, right, exactly. Exactly. So sharp cheddar cheese. But anyway, back to the burger, it’s got…yeah, a big beef patty, sharp cheddar cheese and two slices of bacon. And now here is the key. Michael: Mmm, the bacon sounds good. Lori: Yeah, but the key ingredient…the bun is actually a KrispyKreme glazed donut. Michael: Uh huh. Lori: Can you believe that? And it’s actually a baseball team, I think, the Gateway Grizzlies, it’s what they’re calling “Baseball’s Best Burger,” and they’re serving it at their baseball games. Michael: Baseball’s weirdest burger, maybe! Lori: Baseball’s most artery-clogging burger. Michael: So you said that it was, the burger bun is a donut, Lori: Mmm hmm. A donut, yes. Michael: Is that, um, I mean, donuts are sweet though, aren’t they? Lori: Yeah, it’s a glazed donut so it would be sweet. And apparently they cut it in half and toast it and use that as the bun on this burger. Michael: That sounds horrendous. Lori: It..I couldn’t…I thought it was a joke when I first read about it. I thought it must be a joke but apparently it’s true. Michael: It really makes me wonder, you know, they have this, um this kind of, stereotype of American people being fat. Lori: Right. Michael: And I guess if, you know, they’re eating things like that whilst sitting down at the baseball game. Lori: Yeah, sitting down watching other people do sports. Michael: Exactly…that’s what I’m thinking, yeah! Lori: Right.I just wonder, how would someone even come up with that, the idea of using a donut as a hamburger bun. Michael: Well, there is something that you can, I mean, being an American you can tell me if this is true or not, I remember hearing about sandwiches that Americans like, and it’s peanut butter and jelly. Lori: Well, that’s, yeah, that’s a classic kid’s sandwich. Peanut butter and jelly or even peanut butter and honey, you can have… Michael: Well, what you call jelly, isn’t that what we [British English speakers] would call jam? Lori: Yeah, jam. Michael: So peanut butter and jam. So it’s the savory peanut butter, salty, peanutty tasting butter and something like sweet strawberry jam. Lori: Yeah, but I guess it’s kind of like putting pineapple on your pizza. You know, some people think that’s just an aberration. But there’s something about the sweet, tart pineapple combined with the salty, savory ingredients of a pizza that is actually…I like it. Michael: Well, I guess it’s like having gammon and pineapple, you know, the thick cut of ham which is also salty. Lori: Yeah, or pork chops and applesauce. Michael: Ah, right. Lori: But you see, the thing is that in the States the peanut butter most people buy is actually slightly sweet anyway. It’s only natural style peanut butter that is just, you know, peanuts and salt with nothing added. Michael: So how would you classify the peanut butter here in Sweden, that you and I eat? What’s… Lori: Oh, that’s got sugar in it, definitely. It’s slightly sweet; if you just taste it on its own you can taste that it’s slightly sweet. Michael: OK! Lori: If you compare it with the taste of natural peanut butter that’s just peanuts and salt, you’ll really taste the difference and taste how sweet the normal peanut butter is. Michael: I’m thinking, if you can combine something like peanut butter and jam, then combining a hamburger with a donut doesn’t seem so strange. Lori: I’m sorry! I know what you’re trying to say, but just, even hearing you say that, just sounds so funny, “combining a hamburger with a donut.” Michael: Well, yeah, it’s pretty loony. Lori: Yeah, loony. I couldn’t believe that when I read that story in my mom’s magazine. But I went on the Internet and had a look, and there were people saying that it sounds disgusting and looks disgusting, but actually they were quite tasty, so what do I know? Michael: I can’t even begin to imagine what it would taste like. You know, I have no frame of reference. My taste buds cannot picture it, you know, I have an image of a donut in my head and an image of a nice juicy hamburger with a couple strips of bacon on. And forget the cheese because I hate cheese as you know, but the hamburger with bacon, that’s something that…in fact we should cut this podcast short right now because I want to go to the store and get some bacon and some bacon and some hamburger because I’m getting hungry now. Lori: Sounds like a plan, but let’s ix-nay on the donuts. Michael: Right, yeah, Hold the donuts! Final words Thanks for listening to this episode of Real English conversations. And if you haven’t done so already, make sure to check out the show at www.china232.com. I’m sure you’ll like it! See you next time! Vocabulary notes takes the cake (Informal American English) you can say that something takes the cake if it is something that you think is very surprising or annoying. sharp Sharp is a word to describe the strong taste of certain foods, such as cheese. Cheeses range from sharp (strong) to mild (not strong). key key (adjective) means very important glazed donut A glazed donut is a type of fried pastry covered with a thin coat (glaze) of sugary icing. horrendous terrible, horrible, extremely unpleasant come up with To come up with something means to invent it or think of it. savory Food that is savory is salty, meaty, or spicy, not sweet. In British English it’s spelled savoury. aberration An aberration is something that differs from the normal state of things, particularly the normal standard of morals or taste. gammon Gammon is also called ham. It is meat from the back leg of a pig, usually preserved with smoke or salt (or both). loony loony is an informal word for crazy, stupid, or foolish ix-nay Lori is using Pig Latin to play with the word nix. Nix is an informal word that you can use for negation (no, nothing, not, etc.). Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: Weird food Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to a new episode of Real English conversations from betteratenglish.com. I hope you’re all enjoying the summer. One of the typical summer pastimes in the USA is playing baseball. There’s even a saying that goes something like this: “It’s as American as baseball and apple pie.” But today’s show isn’t about baseball or apple pie. It is about food, though. Weird food combinations, to be precise. And after listening to today’s episode, you might want to change the saying to “It’s as American as donuts and peanut butter and jelly!” Before getting into the conversation, I want to thank the anonymous listener who sent us three books from our Amazon wish list last week. Whoever you are, I hope you hear this message so that you will know how happy the books made me. Thanks so much! I’d also like to encourage our listeners to visit our friends at China232. China232 is a free conversational English podcast similar to ours and I really think you’ll like it. That’s www.china232.com. OK, let’s get on with today’s conversation. Conversation transcript Lori: When I was over in the States recently, I was reading one of my mom’s magazines. And in that magazine I read about a new hamburger. Michael: OK. Lori: That…it really takes the cake, this new hamburger. You know, we’ve talked about junk food before, but this is amazing. It’s a big beef burger, and they put sharp cheddar cheese and two slices of bacon… Michael: What… Can I just stop you there? What is sharp cheddar cheese? Lori: Sharp cheddar cheese? A sharp cheese is a cheese that has a strong flavor. Michael: Ooh, OK. Lori: So cheese can be mild or sharp. Michael: Right. Lori: You’d think that the opposite would be “dull,” but you don’t talk about a dull cheese. Michael: Or “blunt” cheese. Lori: Yeah, a blunt cheese, right, exactly. Exactly. So sharp cheddar cheese. But anyway, back to the burger, it’s got…yeah, a big beef patty, sharp cheddar cheese and two slices of bacon. And now here is the key. Michael: Mmm, the bacon sounds good. Lori: Yeah, but the key ingredient…the bun is actually a KrispyKreme glazed donut. Michael: Uh huh. Lori: Can you believe that? And it’s actually a baseball team, I think, the Gateway Grizzlies, it’s what they’re calling “Baseball’s Best Burger,” and they’re serving it at their baseball games. Michael: Baseball’s weirdest burger, maybe! Lori: Baseball’s most artery-clogging burger. Michael: So you said that it was, the burger bun is a donut, Lori: Mmm hmm. A donut, yes. Michael: Is that, um, I mean, donuts are sweet though, aren’t they? Lori: Yeah, it’s a glazed donut so it would be sweet. And apparently they cut it in half and toast it and use that as the bun on this burger. Michael: That sounds horrendous. Lori: It..I couldn’t…I thought it was a joke when I first read about it. I thought it must be a joke but apparently it’s true. Michael: It really makes me wonder, you know, they have this, um this kind of, stereotype of American people being fat. Lori: Right. Michael: And I guess if, you know, they’re eating things like that whilst sitting down at the baseball game. Lori: Yeah, sitting down watching other people do sports. Michael: Exactly…that’s what I’m thinking, yeah! Lori: Right.I just wonder, how would someone even come up with that, the idea of using a donut as a hamburger bun. Michael: Well, there is something that you can, I mean, being an American you can tell me if this is true or not, I remember hearing about sandwiches that Americans like, and it’s peanut butter and jelly. Lori: Well, that’s, yeah, that’s a classic kid’s sandwich. Peanut butter and jelly or even peanut butter and honey, you can have… Michael: Well, what you call jelly, isn’t that what we [British English speakers] would call jam? Lori: Yeah, jam. Michael: So peanut butter and jam. So it’s the savory peanut butter, salty, peanutty tasting butter and something like sweet strawberry jam. Lori: Yeah, but I guess it’s kind of like putting pineapple on your pizza. You know, some people think that’s just an aberration. But there’s something about the sweet, tart pineapple combined with the salty, savory ingredients of a pizza that is actually…I like it. Michael: Well, I guess it’s like having gammon and pineapple, you know, the thick cut of ham which is also salty. Lori: Yeah, or pork chops and applesauce. Michael: Ah, right. Lori: But you see, the thing is that in the States the peanut butter most people buy is actually slightly sweet anyway. It’s only natural style peanut butter that is just, you know, peanuts and salt with nothing added. Michael: So how would you classify the peanut butter here in Sweden, that you and I eat? What’s… Lori: Oh, that’s got sugar in it, definitely. It’s slightly sweet; if you just taste it on its own you can taste that it’s slightly sweet. Michael: OK! Lori: If you compare it with the taste of natural peanut butter that’s just peanuts and salt, you’ll really taste the difference and taste how sweet the normal peanut butter is. Michael: I’m thinking, if you can combine something like peanut butter and jam, then combining a hamburger with a donut doesn’t seem so strange. Lori: I’m sorry! I know what you’re trying to say, but just, even hearing you say that, just sounds so funny, “combining a hamburger with a donut.” Michael: Well, yeah, it’s pretty loony. Lori: Yeah, loony. I couldn’t believe that when I read that story in my mom’s magazine. But I went on the Internet and had a look, and there were people saying that it sounds disgusting and looks disgusting, but actually they were quite tasty, so what do I know? Michael: I can’t even begin to imagine what it would taste like. You know, I have no frame of reference. My taste buds cannot picture it, you know, I have an image of a donut in my head and an image of a nice juicy hamburger with a couple strips of bacon on. And forget the cheese because I hate cheese as you know, but the hamburger with bacon, that’s something that…in fact we should cut this podcast short right now because I want to go to the store and get some bacon and some bacon and some hamburger because I’m getting hungry now. Lori: Sounds like a plan, but let’s ix-nay on the donuts. Michael: Right, yeah, Hold the donuts! Final words Thanks for listening to this episode of Real English conversations. And if you haven’t done so already, make sure to check out the show at www.china232.com. I’m sure you’ll like it! See you next time! Vocabulary notes takes the cake (Informal American English) you can say that something takes the cake if it is something that you think is very surprising or annoying. sharp Sharp is a word to describe the strong taste of certain foods, such as cheese. Cheeses range from sharp (strong) to mild (not strong). key key (adjective) means very important glazed donut A glazed donut is a type of fried pastry covered with a thin coat (glaze) of sugary icing. horrendous terrible, horrible, extremely unpleasant come up with To come up with something means to invent it or think of it. savory Food that is savory is salty, meaty, or spicy, not sweet. In British English it’s spelled savoury. aberration An aberration is something that differs from the normal state of things, particularly the normal standard of morals or taste. gammon Gammon is also called ham. It is meat from the back leg of a pig, usually preserved with smoke or salt (or both). loony loony is an informal word for crazy, stupid, or foolish ix-nay Lori is using Pig Latin to play with the word nix. Nix is an informal word that you can use for negation (no, nothing, not, etc.). Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: Weird food tag:odeo.com,2007-07-11,24705803 Wed, 11 Jul 2007 15:18:36 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! intermediate, Listening, Weird stuff, Real English conversations http://odeo.com/episodes/22042126-Real-English-Conversations-Weird-food Download Listen Download PDF Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to a new episode of Real English conversations from betteratenglish.com. I hope you’re all enjoying the summer. One of the typical summer pastimes in the USA is playing baseball. There’s even a saying that goes something like this: “It’s as American as baseball and apple pie.” But today’s show isn’t about baseball or apple pie. It is about food, though. Weird food combinations, to be precise. And after listening to today’s episode, you might want to change the saying to “It’s as American as donuts and peanut butter and jelly!” Before getting into the conversation, I want to thank the anonymous listener who sent us three books from our Amazon wish list last week. Whoever you are, I hope you hear this message so that you will know how happy the books made me. Thanks so much! I’d also like to encourage our liste... Download Listen Download PDF Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to a new episode of Real English conversations from betteratenglish.com. I hope you’re all enjoying the summer. One of the typical summer pastimes in the USA is playing baseball. There’s even a saying that goes something like this: “It’s as American as baseball and apple pie.” But today’s show isn’t about baseball or apple pie. It is about food, though. Weird food combinations, to be precise. And after listening to today’s episode, you might want to change the saying to “It’s as American as donuts and peanut butter and jelly!” Before getting into the conversation, I want to thank the anonymous listener who sent us three books from our Amazon wish list last week. Whoever you are, I hope you hear this message so that you will know how happy the books made me. Thanks so much! I’d also like to encourage our listeners to visit our friends at China232. China232 is a free conversational English podcast similar to ours and I really think you’ll like it. That’s www.china232.com. OK, let’s get on with today’s conversation. Conversation transcript Lori: When I was over in the States recently, I was reading one of my mom’s magazines. And in that magazine I read about a new hamburger. Michael: OK. Lori: That…it really takes the cake, this new hamburger. You know, we’ve talked about junk food before, but this is amazing. It’s a big beef burger, and they put sharp cheddar cheese and two slices of bacon… Michael: What… Can I just stop you there? What is sharp cheddar cheese? Lori: Sharp cheddar cheese? A sharp cheese is a cheese that has a strong flavor. Michael: Ooh, OK. Lori: So cheese can be mild or sharp. Michael: Right. Lori: You’d think that the opposite would be “dull,” but you don’t talk about a dull cheese. Michael: Or “blunt” cheese. Lori: Yeah, a blunt cheese, right, exactly. Exactly. So sharp cheddar cheese. But anyway, back to the burger, it’s got…yeah, a big beef patty, sharp cheddar cheese and two slices of bacon. And now here is the key. Michael: Mmm, the bacon sounds good. Lori: Yeah, but the key ingredient…the bun is actually a KrispyKreme glazed donut. Michael: Uh huh. Lori: Can you believe that? And it’s actually a baseball team, I think, the Gateway Grizzlies, it’s what they’re calling “Baseball’s Best Burger,” and they’re serving it at their baseball games. Michael: Baseball’s weirdest burger, maybe! Lori: Baseball’s most artery-clogging burger. Michael: So you said that it was, the burger bun is a donut, Lori: Mmm hmm. A donut, yes. Michael: Is that, um, I mean, donuts are sweet though, aren’t they? Lori: Yeah, it’s a glazed donut so it would be sweet. And apparently they cut it in half and toast it and use that as the bun on this burger. Michael: That sounds horrendous. Lori: It..I couldn’t…I thought it was a joke when I first read about it. I thought it must be a joke but apparently it’s true. Michael: It really makes me wonder, you know, they have this, um this kind of, stereotype of American people being fat. Lori: Right. Michael: And I guess if, you know, they’re eating things like that whilst sitting down at the baseball game. Lori: Yeah, sitting down watching other people do sports. Michael: Exactly…that’s what I’m thinking, yeah! Lori: Right.I just wonder, how would someone even come up with that, the idea of using a donut as a hamburger bun. Michael: Well, there is something that you can, I mean, being an American you can tell me if this is true or not, I remember hearing about sandwiches that Americans like, and it’s peanut butter and jelly. Lori: Well, that’s, yeah, that’s a classic kid’s sandwich. Peanut butter and jelly or even peanut butter and honey, you can have… Michael: Well, what you call jelly, isn’t that what we [British English speakers] would call jam? Lori: Yeah, jam. Michael: So peanut butter and jam. So it’s the savory peanut butter, salty, peanutty tasting butter and something like sweet strawberry jam. Lori: Yeah, but I guess it’s kind of like putting pineapple on your pizza. You know, some people think that’s just an aberration. But there’s something about the sweet, tart pineapple combined with the salty, savory ingredients of a pizza that is actually…I like it. Michael: Well, I guess it’s like having gammon and pineapple, you know, the thick cut of ham which is also salty. Lori: Yeah, or pork chops and applesauce. Michael: Ah, right. Lori: But you see, the thing is that in the States the peanut butter most people buy is actually slightly sweet anyway. It’s only natural style peanut butter that is just, you know, peanuts and salt with nothing added. Michael: So how would you classify the peanut butter here in Sweden, that you and I eat? What’s… Lori: Oh, that’s got sugar in it, definitely. It’s slightly sweet; if you just taste it on its own you can taste that it’s slightly sweet. Michael: OK! Lori: If you compare it with the taste of natural peanut butter that’s just peanuts and salt, you’ll really taste the difference and taste how sweet the normal peanut butter is. Michael: I’m thinking, if you can combine something like peanut butter and jam, then combining a hamburger with a donut doesn’t seem so strange. Lori: I’m sorry! I know what you’re trying to say, but just, even hearing you say that, just sounds so funny, “combining a hamburger with a donut.” Michael: Well, yeah, it’s pretty loony. Lori: Yeah, loony. I couldn’t believe that when I read that story in my mom’s magazine. But I went on the Internet and had a look, and there were people saying that it sounds disgusting and looks disgusting, but actually they were quite tasty, so what do I know? Michael: I can’t even begin to imagine what it would taste like. You know, I have no frame of reference. My taste buds cannot picture it, you know, I have an image of a donut in my head and an image of a nice juicy hamburger with a couple strips of bacon on. And forget the cheese because I hate cheese as you know, but the hamburger with bacon, that’s something that…in fact we should cut this podcast short right now because I want to go to the store and get some bacon and some bacon and some hamburger because I’m getting hungry now. Lori: Sounds like a plan, but let’s ix-nay on the donuts. Michael: Right, yeah, Hold the donuts! Final words Thanks for listening to this episode of Real English conversations. And if you haven’t done so already, make sure to check out the show at www.china232.com. I’m sure you’ll like it! See you next time! Vocabulary notes takes the cake (Informal American English) you can say that something takes the cake if it is something that you think is very surprising or annoying. sharp Sharp is a word to describe the strong taste of certain foods, such as cheese. Cheeses range from sharp (strong) to mild (not strong). key key (adjective) means very important glazed donut A glazed donut is a type of fried pastry covered with a thin coat (glaze) of sugary icing. horrendous terrible, horrible, extremely unpleasant come up with To come up with something means to invent it or think of it. savory Food that is savory is salty, meaty, or spicy, not sweet. In British English it’s spelled savoury. aberration An aberration is something that differs from the normal state of things, particularly the normal standard of morals or taste. gammon Gammon is also called ham. It is meat from the back leg of a pig, usually preserved with smoke or salt (or both). loony loony is an informal word for crazy, stupid, or foolish ix-nay Lori is using Pig Latin to play with the word nix. Nix is an informal word that you can use for negation (no, nothing, not, etc.). Download Listen Download PDF Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to a new episode of Real English conversations from betteratenglish.com. I hope you’re all enjoying the summer. One of the typical summer pastimes in the USA is playing baseball. There’s even a saying that goes something like this: “It’s as American as baseball and apple pie.” But today’s show isn’t about baseball or apple pie. It is about food, though. Weird food combinations, to be precise. And after listening to today’s episode, you might want to change the saying to “It’s as American as donuts and peanut butter and jelly!” Before getting into the conversation, I want to thank the anonymous listener who sent us three books from our Amazon wish list last week. Whoever you are, I hope you hear this message so that you will know how happy the books made me. Thanks so much! I’d also like to encourage our listeners to visit our friends at China232. China232 is a free conversational English podcast similar to ours and I really think you’ll like it. That’s www.china232.com. OK, let’s get on with today’s conversation. Conversation transcript Lori: When I was over in the States recently, I was reading one of my mom’s magazines. And in that magazine I read about a new hamburger. Michael: OK. Lori: That…it really takes the cake, this new hamburger. You know, we’ve talked about junk food before, but this is amazing. It’s a big beef burger, and they put sharp cheddar cheese and two slices of bacon… Michael: What… Can I just stop you there? What is sharp cheddar cheese? Lori: Sharp cheddar cheese? A sharp cheese is a cheese that has a strong flavor. Michael: Ooh, OK. Lori: So cheese can be mild or sharp. Michael: Right. Lori: You’d think that the opposite would be “dull,” but you don’t talk about a dull cheese. Michael: Or “blunt” cheese. Lori: Yeah, a blunt cheese, right, exactly. Exactly. So sharp cheddar cheese. But anyway, back to the burger, it’s got…yeah, a big beef patty, sharp cheddar cheese and two slices of bacon. And now here is the key. Michael: Mmm, the bacon sounds good. Lori: Yeah, but the key ingredient…the bun is actually a KrispyKreme glazed donut. Michael: Uh huh. Lori: Can you believe that? And it’s actually a baseball team, I think, the Gateway Grizzlies, it’s what they’re calling “Baseball’s Best Burger,” and they’re serving it at their baseball games. Michael: Baseball’s weirdest burger, maybe! Lori: Baseball’s most artery-clogging burger. Michael: So you said that it was, the burger bun is a donut, Lori: Mmm hmm. A donut, yes. Michael: Is that, um, I mean, donuts are sweet though, aren’t they? Lori: Yeah, it’s a glazed donut so it would be sweet. And apparently they cut it in half and toast it and use that as the bun on this burger. Michael: That sounds horrendous. Lori: It..I couldn’t…I thought it was a joke when I first read about it. I thought it must be a joke but apparently it’s true. Michael: It really makes me wonder, you know, they have this, um this kind of, stereotype of American people being fat. Lori: Right. Michael: And I guess if, you know, they’re eating things like that whilst sitting down at the baseball game. Lori: Yeah, sitting down watching other people do sports. Michael: Exactly…that’s what I’m thinking, yeah! Lori: Right.I just wonder, how would someone even come up with that, the idea of using a donut as a hamburger bun. Michael: Well, there is something that you can, I mean, being an American you can tell me if this is true or not, I remember hearing about sandwiches that Americans like, and it’s peanut butter and jelly. Lori: Well, that’s, yeah, that’s a classic kid’s sandwich. Peanut butter and jelly or even peanut butter and honey, you can have… Michael: Well, what you call jelly, isn’t that what we [British English speakers] would call jam? Lori: Yeah, jam. Michael: So peanut butter and jam. So it’s the savory peanut butter, salty, peanutty tasting butter and something like sweet strawberry jam. Lori: Yeah, but I guess it’s kind of like putting pineapple on your pizza. You know, some people think that’s just an aberration. But there’s something about the sweet, tart pineapple combined with the salty, savory ingredients of a pizza that is actually…I like it. Michael: Well, I guess it’s like having gammon and pineapple, you know, the thick cut of ham which is also salty. Lori: Yeah, or pork chops and applesauce. Michael: Ah, right. Lori: But you see, the thing is that in the States the peanut butter most people buy is actually slightly sweet anyway. It’s only natural style peanut butter that is just, you know, peanuts and salt with nothing added. Michael: So how would you classify the peanut butter here in Sweden, that you and I eat? What’s… Lori: Oh, that’s got sugar in it, definitely. It’s slightly sweet; if you just taste it on its own you can taste that it’s slightly sweet. Michael: OK! Lori: If you compare it with the taste of natural peanut butter that’s just peanuts and salt, you’ll really taste the difference and taste how sweet the normal peanut butter is. Michael: I’m thinking, if you can combine something like peanut butter and jam, then combining a hamburger with a donut doesn’t seem so strange. Lori: I’m sorry! I know what you’re trying to say, but just, even hearing you say that, just sounds so funny, “combining a hamburger with a donut.” Michael: Well, yeah, it’s pretty loony. Lori: Yeah, loony. I couldn’t believe that when I read that story in my mom’s magazine. But I went on the Internet and had a look, and there were people saying that it sounds disgusting and looks disgusting, but actually they were quite tasty, so what do I know? Michael: I can’t even begin to imagine what it would taste like. You know, I have no frame of reference. My taste buds cannot picture it, you know, I have an image of a donut in my head and an image of a nice juicy hamburger with a couple strips of bacon on. And forget the cheese because I hate cheese as you know, but the hamburger with bacon, that’s something that…in fact we should cut this podcast short right now because I want to go to the store and get some bacon and some bacon and some hamburger because I’m getting hungry now. Lori: Sounds like a plan, but let’s ix-nay on the donuts. Michael: Right, yeah, Hold the donuts! Final words Thanks for listening to this episode of Real English conversations. And if you haven’t done so already, make sure to check out the show at www.china232.com. I’m sure you’ll like it! See you next time! Vocabulary notes takes the cake (Informal American English) you can say that something takes the cake if it is something that you think is very surprising or annoying. sharp Sharp is a word to describe the strong taste of certain foods, such as cheese. Cheeses range from sharp (strong) to mild (not strong). key key (adjective) means very important glazed donut A glazed donut is a type of fried pastry covered with a thin coat (glaze) of sugary icing. horrendous terrible, horrible, extremely unpleasant come up with To come up with something means to invent it or think of it. savory Food that is savory is salty, meaty, or spicy, not sweet. In British English it’s spelled savoury. aberration An aberration is something that differs from the normal state of things, particularly the normal standard of morals or taste. gammon Gammon is also called ham. It is meat from the back leg of a pig, usually preserved with smoke or salt (or both). loony loony is an informal word for crazy, stupid, or foolish ix-nay Lori is using Pig Latin to play with the word nix. Nix is an informal word that you can use for negation (no, nothing, not, etc.). tag:odeo.com,2007-07-11,22042126 Wed, 11 Jul 2007 15:18:36 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! intermediate, Listening, Weird stuff, Real English conversations http://odeo.com/episodes/24218144-Real-English-Conversations-Weird-food Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to a new episode of Real English conversations from betteratenglish.com. I hope you’re all enjoying the summer. One of the typical summer pastimes in the USA is playing baseball. There’s even a saying that goes something like this: “It’s as American as baseball and apple pie.” But today’s show isn’t about baseball or apple pie. It is about food, though. Weird food combinations, to be precise. And after listening to today’s episode, you might want to change the saying to “It’s as American as donuts and peanut butter and jelly!” Before getting into the conversation, I want to thank the anonymous listener who sent us three books from our Amazon wish list last week. Whoever you are, I hope you hear this message so that you will know how happy the books made me. Thanks so much! I’d also like to encourage our listeners to visit our friends at ... Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to a new episode of Real English conversations from betteratenglish.com. I hope you’re all enjoying the summer. One of the typical summer pastimes in the USA is playing baseball. There’s even a saying that goes something like this: “It’s as American as baseball and apple pie.” But today’s show isn’t about baseball or apple pie. It is about food, though. Weird food combinations, to be precise. And after listening to today’s episode, you might want to change the saying to “It’s as American as donuts and peanut butter and jelly!” Before getting into the conversation, I want to thank the anonymous listener who sent us three books from our Amazon wish list last week. Whoever you are, I hope you hear this message so that you will know how happy the books made me. Thanks so much! I’d also like to encourage our listeners to visit our friends at China232. China232 is a free conversational English podcast similar to ours and I really think you’ll like it. That’s www.china232.com. OK, let’s get on with today’s conversation. Conversation transcript Lori: When I was over in the States recently, I was reading one of my mom’s magazines. And in that magazine I read about a new hamburger. Michael: OK. Lori: That…it really takes the cake, this new hamburger. You know, we’ve talked about junk food before, but this is amazing. It’s a big beef burger, and they put sharp cheddar cheese and two slices of bacon… Michael: What… Can I just stop you there? What is sharp cheddar cheese? Lori: Sharp cheddar cheese? A sharp cheese is a cheese that has a strong flavor. Michael: Ooh, OK. Lori: So cheese can be mild or sharp. Michael: Right. Lori: You’d think that the opposite would be “dull,” but you don’t talk about a dull cheese. Michael: Or “blunt” cheese. Lori: Yeah, a blunt cheese, right, exactly. Exactly. So sharp cheddar cheese. But anyway, back to the burger, it’s got…yeah, a big beef patty, sharp cheddar cheese and two slices of bacon. And now here is the key. Michael: Mmm, the bacon sounds good. Lori: Yeah, but the key ingredient…the bun is actually a KrispyKreme glazed donut. Michael: Uh huh. Lori: Can you believe that? And it’s actually a baseball team, I think, the Gateway Grizzlies, it’s what they’re calling “Baseball’s Best Burger,” and they’re serving it at their baseball games. Michael: Baseball’s weirdest burger, maybe! Lori: Baseball’s most artery-clogging burger. Michael: So you said that it was, the burger bun is a donut, Lori: Mmm hmm. A donut, yes. Michael: Is that, um, I mean, donuts are sweet though, aren’t they? Lori: Yeah, it’s a glazed donut so it would be sweet. And apparently they cut it in half and toast it and use that as the bun on this burger. Michael: That sounds horrendous. Lori: It..I couldn’t…I thought it was a joke when I first read about it. I thought it must be a joke but apparently it’s true. Michael: It really makes me wonder, you know, they have this, um this kind of, stereotype of American people being fat. Lori: Right. Michael: And I guess if, you know, they’re eating things like that whilst sitting down at the baseball game. Lori: Yeah, sitting down watching other people do sports. Michael: Exactly…that’s what I’m thinking, yeah! Lori: Right.I just wonder, how would someone even come up with that, the idea of using a donut as a hamburger bun. Michael: Well, there is something that you can, I mean, being an American you can tell me if this is true or not, I remember hearing about sandwiches that Americans like, and it’s peanut butter and jelly. Lori: Well, that’s, yeah, that’s a classic kid’s sandwich. Peanut butter and jelly or even peanut butter and honey, you can have… Michael: Well, what you call jelly, isn’t that what we [British English speakers] would call jam? Lori: Yeah, jam. Michael: So peanut butter and jam. So it’s the savory peanut butter, salty, peanutty tasting butter and something like sweet strawberry jam. Lori: Yeah, but I guess it’s kind of like putting pineapple on your pizza. You know, some people think that’s just an aberration. But there’s something about the sweet, tart pineapple combined with the salty, savory ingredients of a pizza that is actually…I like it. Michael: Well, I guess it’s like having gammon and pineapple, you know, the thick cut of ham which is also salty. Lori: Yeah, or pork chops and applesauce. Michael: Ah, right. Lori: But you see, the thing is that in the States the peanut butter most people buy is actually slightly sweet anyway. It’s only natural style peanut butter that is just, you know, peanuts and salt with nothing added. Michael: So how would you classify the peanut butter here in Sweden, that you and I eat? What’s… Lori: Oh, that’s got sugar in it, definitely. It’s slightly sweet; if you just taste it on its own you can taste that it’s slightly sweet. Michael: OK! Lori: If you compare it with the taste of natural peanut butter that’s just peanuts and salt, you’ll really taste the difference and taste how sweet the normal peanut butter is. Michael: I’m thinking, if you can combine something like peanut butter and jam, then combining a hamburger with a donut doesn’t seem so strange. Lori: I’m sorry! I know what you’re trying to say, but just, even hearing you say that, just sounds so funny, “combining a hamburger with a donut.” Michael: Well, yeah, it’s pretty loony. Lori: Yeah, loony. I couldn’t believe that when I read that story in my mom’s magazine. But I went on the Internet and had a look, and there were people saying that it sounds disgusting and looks disgusting, but actually they were quite tasty, so what do I know? Michael: I can’t even begin to imagine what it would taste like. You know, I have no frame of reference. My taste buds cannot picture it, you know, I have an image of a donut in my head and an image of a nice juicy hamburger with a couple strips of bacon on. And forget the cheese because I hate cheese as you know, but the hamburger with bacon, that’s something that…in fact we should cut this podcast short right now because I want to go to the store and get some bacon and some bacon and some hamburger because I’m getting hungry now. Lori: Sounds like a plan, but let’s ix-nay on the donuts. Michael: Right, yeah, Hold the donuts! Final words Thanks for listening to this episode of Real English conversations. And if you haven’t done so already, make sure to check out the show at www.china232.com. I’m sure you’ll like it! See you next time! Vocabulary notes takes the cake (Informal American English) you can say that something takes the cake if it is something that you think is very surprising or annoying. sharp Sharp is a word to describe the strong taste of certain foods, such as cheese. Cheeses range from sharp (strong) to mild (not strong). key key (adjective) means very important glazed donut A glazed donut is a type of fried pastry covered with a thin coat (glaze) of sugary icing. horrendous terrible, horrible, extremely unpleasant come up with To come up with something means to invent it or think of it. savory Food that is savory is salty, meaty, or spicy, not sweet. In British English it’s spelled savoury. aberration An aberration is something that differs from the normal state of things, particularly the normal standard of morals or taste. gammon Gammon is also called ham. It is meat from the back leg of a pig, usually preserved with smoke or salt (or both). loony loony is an informal word for crazy, stupid, or foolish ix-nay Lori is using Pig Latin to play with the word nix. Nix is an informal word that you can use for negation (no, nothing, not, etc.). Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: Weird food Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to a new episode of Real English conversations from betteratenglish.com. I hope you’re all enjoying the summer. One of the typical summer pastimes in the USA is playing baseball. There’s even a saying that goes something like this: “It’s as American as baseball and apple pie.” But today’s show isn’t about baseball or apple pie. It is about food, though. Weird food combinations, to be precise. And after listening to today’s episode, you might want to change the saying to “It’s as American as donuts and peanut butter and jelly!” Before getting into the conversation, I want to thank the anonymous listener who sent us three books from our Amazon wish list last week. Whoever you are, I hope you hear this message so that you will know how happy the books made me. Thanks so much! I’d also like to encourage our listeners to visit our friends at China232. China232 is a free conversational English podcast similar to ours and I really think you’ll like it. That’s www.china232.com. OK, let’s get on with today’s conversation. Conversation transcript Lori: When I was over in the States recently, I was reading one of my mom’s magazines. And in that magazine I read about a new hamburger. Michael: OK. Lori: That…it really takes the cake, this new hamburger. You know, we’ve talked about junk food before, but this is amazing. It’s a big beef burger, and they put sharp cheddar cheese and two slices of bacon… Michael: What… Can I just stop you there? What is sharp cheddar cheese? Lori: Sharp cheddar cheese? A sharp cheese is a cheese that has a strong flavor. Michael: Ooh, OK. Lori: So cheese can be mild or sharp. Michael: Right. Lori: You’d think that the opposite would be “dull,” but you don’t talk about a dull cheese. Michael: Or “blunt” cheese. Lori: Yeah, a blunt cheese, right, exactly. Exactly. So sharp cheddar cheese. But anyway, back to the burger, it’s got…yeah, a big beef patty, sharp cheddar cheese and two slices of bacon. And now here is the key. Michael: Mmm, the bacon sounds good. Lori: Yeah, but the key ingredient…the bun is actually a KrispyKreme glazed donut. Michael: Uh huh. Lori: Can you believe that? And it’s actually a baseball team, I think, the Gateway Grizzlies, it’s what they’re calling “Baseball’s Best Burger,” and they’re serving it at their baseball games. Michael: Baseball’s weirdest burger, maybe! Lori: Baseball’s most artery-clogging burger. Michael: So you said that it was, the burger bun is a donut, Lori: Mmm hmm. A donut, yes. Michael: Is that, um, I mean, donuts are sweet though, aren’t they? Lori: Yeah, it’s a glazed donut so it would be sweet. And apparently they cut it in half and toast it and use that as the bun on this burger. Michael: That sounds horrendous. Lori: It..I couldn’t…I thought it was a joke when I first read about it. I thought it must be a joke but apparently it’s true. Michael: It really makes me wonder, you know, they have this, um this kind of, stereotype of American people being fat. Lori: Right. Michael: And I guess if, you know, they’re eating things like that whilst sitting down at the baseball game. Lori: Yeah, sitting down watching other people do sports. Michael: Exactly…that’s what I’m thinking, yeah! Lori: Right.I just wonder, how would someone even come up with that, the idea of using a donut as a hamburger bun. Michael: Well, there is something that you can, I mean, being an American you can tell me if this is true or not, I remember hearing about sandwiches that Americans like, and it’s peanut butter and jelly. Lori: Well, that’s, yeah, that’s a classic kid’s sandwich. Peanut butter and jelly or even peanut butter and honey, you can have… Michael: Well, what you call jelly, isn’t that what we [British English speakers] would call jam? Lori: Yeah, jam. Michael: So peanut butter and jam. So it’s the savory peanut butter, salty, peanutty tasting butter and something like sweet strawberry jam. Lori: Yeah, but I guess it’s kind of like putting pineapple on your pizza. You know, some people think that’s just an aberration. But there’s something about the sweet, tart pineapple combined with the salty, savory ingredients of a pizza that is actually…I like it. Michael: Well, I guess it’s like having gammon and pineapple, you know, the thick cut of ham which is also salty. Lori: Yeah, or pork chops and applesauce. Michael: Ah, right. Lori: But you see, the thing is that in the States the peanut butter most people buy is actually slightly sweet anyway. It’s only natural style peanut butter that is just, you know, peanuts and salt with nothing added. Michael: So how would you classify the peanut butter here in Sweden, that you and I eat? What’s… Lori: Oh, that’s got sugar in it, definitely. It’s slightly sweet; if you just taste it on its own you can taste that it’s slightly sweet. Michael: OK! Lori: If you compare it with the taste of natural peanut butter that’s just peanuts and salt, you’ll really taste the difference and taste how sweet the normal peanut butter is. Michael: I’m thinking, if you can combine something like peanut butter and jam, then combining a hamburger with a donut doesn’t seem so strange. Lori: I’m sorry! I know what you’re trying to say, but just, even hearing you say that, just sounds so funny, “combining a hamburger with a donut.” Michael: Well, yeah, it’s pretty loony. Lori: Yeah, loony. I couldn’t believe that when I read that story in my mom’s magazine. But I went on the Internet and had a look, and there were people saying that it sounds disgusting and looks disgusting, but actually they were quite tasty, so what do I know? Michael: I can’t even begin to imagine what it would taste like. You know, I have no frame of reference. My taste buds cannot picture it, you know, I have an image of a donut in my head and an image of a nice juicy hamburger with a couple strips of bacon on. And forget the cheese because I hate cheese as you know, but the hamburger with bacon, that’s something that…in fact we should cut this podcast short right now because I want to go to the store and get some bacon and some bacon and some hamburger because I’m getting hungry now. Lori: Sounds like a plan, but let’s ix-nay on the donuts. Michael: Right, yeah, Hold the donuts! Final words Thanks for listening to this episode of Real English conversations. And if you haven’t done so already, make sure to check out the show at www.china232.com. I’m sure you’ll like it! See you next time! Vocabulary notes takes the cake (Informal American English) you can say that something takes the cake if it is something that you think is very surprising or annoying. sharp Sharp is a word to describe the strong taste of certain foods, such as cheese. Cheeses range from sharp (strong) to mild (not strong). key key (adjective) means very important glazed donut A glazed donut is a type of fried pastry covered with a thin coat (glaze) of sugary icing. horrendous terrible, horrible, extremely unpleasant come up with To come up with something means to invent it or think of it. savory Food that is savory is salty, meaty, or spicy, not sweet. In British English it’s spelled savoury. aberration An aberration is something that differs from the normal state of things, particularly the normal standard of morals or taste. gammon Gammon is also called ham. It is meat from the back leg of a pig, usually preserved with smoke or salt (or both). loony loony is an informal word for crazy, stupid, or foolish ix-nay Lori is using Pig Latin to play with the word nix. Nix is an informal word that you can use for negation (no, nothing, not, etc.). Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: Weird food tag:odeo.com,2007-07-11,24218144 Wed, 11 Jul 2007 15:18:36 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! intermediate, Listening, Weird stuff, Real English conversations http://odeo.com/episodes/23616070-Real-English-Conversations-Weird-food Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to a new episode of Real English conversations from betteratenglish.com. I hope you’re all enjoying the summer. One of the typical summer pastimes in the USA is playing baseball. There’s even a saying that goes something like this: “It’s as American as baseball and apple pie.” But today’s show isn’t about baseball or apple pie. It is about food, though. Weird food combinations, to be precise. And after listening to today’s episode, you might want to change the saying to “It’s as American as donuts and peanut butter and jelly!” Before getting into the conversation, I want to thank the anonymous listener who sent us three books from our Amazon wish list last week. Whoever you are, I hope you hear this message so that you will know how happy the books made me. Thanks so much! I’d also like to encourage our listeners to visit our friends at ... Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to a new episode of Real English conversations from betteratenglish.com. I hope you’re all enjoying the summer. One of the typical summer pastimes in the USA is playing baseball. There’s even a saying that goes something like this: “It’s as American as baseball and apple pie.” But today’s show isn’t about baseball or apple pie. It is about food, though. Weird food combinations, to be precise. And after listening to today’s episode, you might want to change the saying to “It’s as American as donuts and peanut butter and jelly!” Before getting into the conversation, I want to thank the anonymous listener who sent us three books from our Amazon wish list last week. Whoever you are, I hope you hear this message so that you will know how happy the books made me. Thanks so much! I’d also like to encourage our listeners to visit our friends at China232. China232 is a free conversational English podcast similar to ours and I really think you’ll like it. That’s www.china232.com. OK, let’s get on with today’s conversation. Conversation transcript Lori: When I was over in the States recently, I was reading one of my mom’s magazines. And in that magazine I read about a new hamburger. Michael: OK. Lori: That…it really takes the cake, this new hamburger. You know, we’ve talked about junk food before, but this is amazing. It’s a big beef burger, and they put sharp cheddar cheese and two slices of bacon… Michael: What… Can I just stop you there? What is sharp cheddar cheese? Lori: Sharp cheddar cheese? A sharp cheese is a cheese that has a strong flavor. Michael: Ooh, OK. Lori: So cheese can be mild or sharp. Michael: Right. Lori: You’d think that the opposite would be “dull,” but you don’t talk about a dull cheese. Michael: Or “blunt” cheese. Lori: Yeah, a blunt cheese, right, exactly. Exactly. So sharp cheddar cheese. But anyway, back to the burger, it’s got…yeah, a big beef patty, sharp cheddar cheese and two slices of bacon. And now here is the key. Michael: Mmm, the bacon sounds good. Lori: Yeah, but the key ingredient…the bun is actually a KrispyKreme glazed donut. Michael: Uh huh. Lori: Can you believe that? And it’s actually a baseball team, I think, the Gateway Grizzlies, it’s what they’re calling “Baseball’s Best Burger,” and they’re serving it at their baseball games. Michael: Baseball’s weirdest burger, maybe! Lori: Baseball’s most artery-clogging burger. Michael: So you said that it was, the burger bun is a donut, Lori: Mmm hmm. A donut, yes. Michael: Is that, um, I mean, donuts are sweet though, aren’t they? Lori: Yeah, it’s a glazed donut so it would be sweet. And apparently they cut it in half and toast it and use that as the bun on this burger. Michael: That sounds horrendous. Lori: It..I couldn’t…I thought it was a joke when I first read about it. I thought it must be a joke but apparently it’s true. Michael: It really makes me wonder, you know, they have this, um this kind of, stereotype of American people being fat. Lori: Right. Michael: And I guess if, you know, they’re eating things like that whilst sitting down at the baseball game. Lori: Yeah, sitting down watching other people do sports. Michael: Exactly…that’s what I’m thinking, yeah! Lori: Right.I just wonder, how would someone even come up with that, the idea of using a donut as a hamburger bun. Michael: Well, there is something that you can, I mean, being an American you can tell me if this is true or not, I remember hearing about sandwiches that Americans like, and it’s peanut butter and jelly. Lori: Well, that’s, yeah, that’s a classic kid’s sandwich. Peanut butter and jelly or even peanut butter and honey, you can have… Michael: Well, what you call jelly, isn’t that what we [British English speakers] would call jam? Lori: Yeah, jam. Michael: So peanut butter and jam. So it’s the savory peanut butter, salty, peanutty tasting butter and something like sweet strawberry jam. Lori: Yeah, but I guess it’s kind of like putting pineapple on your pizza. You know, some people think that’s just an aberration. But there’s something about the sweet, tart pineapple combined with the salty, savory ingredients of a pizza that is actually…I like it. Michael: Well, I guess it’s like having gammon and pineapple, you know, the thick cut of ham which is also salty. Lori: Yeah, or pork chops and applesauce. Michael: Ah, right. Lori: But you see, the thing is that in the States the peanut butter most people buy is actually slightly sweet anyway. It’s only natural style peanut butter that is just, you know, peanuts and salt with nothing added. Michael: So how would you classify the peanut butter here in Sweden, that you and I eat? What’s… Lori: Oh, that’s got sugar in it, definitely. It’s slightly sweet; if you just taste it on its own you can taste that it’s slightly sweet. Michael: OK! Lori: If you compare it with the taste of natural peanut butter that’s just peanuts and salt, you’ll really taste the difference and taste how sweet the normal peanut butter is. Michael: I’m thinking, if you can combine something like peanut butter and jam, then combining a hamburger with a donut doesn’t seem so strange. Lori: I’m sorry! I know what you’re trying to say, but just, even hearing you say that, just sounds so funny, “combining a hamburger with a donut.” Michael: Well, yeah, it’s pretty loony. Lori: Yeah, loony. I couldn’t believe that when I read that story in my mom’s magazine. But I went on the Internet and had a look, and there were people saying that it sounds disgusting and looks disgusting, but actually they were quite tasty, so what do I know? Michael: I can’t even begin to imagine what it would taste like. You know, I have no frame of reference. My taste buds cannot picture it, you know, I have an image of a donut in my head and an image of a nice juicy hamburger with a couple strips of bacon on. And forget the cheese because I hate cheese as you know, but the hamburger with bacon, that’s something that…in fact we should cut this podcast short right now because I want to go to the store and get some bacon and some bacon and some hamburger because I’m getting hungry now. Lori: Sounds like a plan, but let’s ix-nay on the donuts. Michael: Right, yeah, Hold the donuts! Final words Thanks for listening to this episode of Real English conversations. And if you haven’t done so already, make sure to check out the show at www.china232.com. I’m sure you’ll like it! See you next time! Vocabulary notes takes the cake (Informal American English) you can say that something takes the cake if it is something that you think is very surprising or annoying. sharp Sharp is a word to describe the strong taste of certain foods, such as cheese. Cheeses range from sharp (strong) to mild (not strong). key key (adjective) means very important glazed donut A glazed donut is a type of fried pastry covered with a thin coat (glaze) of sugary icing. horrendous terrible, horrible, extremely unpleasant come up with To come up with something means to invent it or think of it. savory Food that is savory is salty, meaty, or spicy, not sweet. In British English it’s spelled savoury. aberration An aberration is something that differs from the normal state of things, particularly the normal standard of morals or taste. gammon Gammon is also called ham. It is meat from the back leg of a pig, usually preserved with smoke or salt (or both). loony loony is an informal word for crazy, stupid, or foolish ix-nay Lori is using Pig Latin to play with the word nix. Nix is an informal word that you can use for negation (no, nothing, not, etc.). Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: Weird food Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to a new episode of Real English conversations from betteratenglish.com. I hope you’re all enjoying the summer. One of the typical summer pastimes in the USA is playing baseball. There’s even a saying that goes something like this: “It’s as American as baseball and apple pie.” But today’s show isn’t about baseball or apple pie. It is about food, though. Weird food combinations, to be precise. And after listening to today’s episode, you might want to change the saying to “It’s as American as donuts and peanut butter and jelly!” Before getting into the conversation, I want to thank the anonymous listener who sent us three books from our Amazon wish list last week. Whoever you are, I hope you hear this message so that you will know how happy the books made me. Thanks so much! I’d also like to encourage our listeners to visit our friends at China232. China232 is a free conversational English podcast similar to ours and I really think you’ll like it. That’s www.china232.com. OK, let’s get on with today’s conversation. Conversation transcript Lori: When I was over in the States recently, I was reading one of my mom’s magazines. And in that magazine I read about a new hamburger. Michael: OK. Lori: That…it really takes the cake, this new hamburger. You know, we’ve talked about junk food before, but this is amazing. It’s a big beef burger, and they put sharp cheddar cheese and two slices of bacon… Michael: What… Can I just stop you there? What is sharp cheddar cheese? Lori: Sharp cheddar cheese? A sharp cheese is a cheese that has a strong flavor. Michael: Ooh, OK. Lori: So cheese can be mild or sharp. Michael: Right. Lori: You’d think that the opposite would be “dull,” but you don’t talk about a dull cheese. Michael: Or “blunt” cheese. Lori: Yeah, a blunt cheese, right, exactly. Exactly. So sharp cheddar cheese. But anyway, back to the burger, it’s got…yeah, a big beef patty, sharp cheddar cheese and two slices of bacon. And now here is the key. Michael: Mmm, the bacon sounds good. Lori: Yeah, but the key ingredient…the bun is actually a KrispyKreme glazed donut. Michael: Uh huh. Lori: Can you believe that? And it’s actually a baseball team, I think, the Gateway Grizzlies, it’s what they’re calling “Baseball’s Best Burger,” and they’re serving it at their baseball games. Michael: Baseball’s weirdest burger, maybe! Lori: Baseball’s most artery-clogging burger. Michael: So you said that it was, the burger bun is a donut, Lori: Mmm hmm. A donut, yes. Michael: Is that, um, I mean, donuts are sweet though, aren’t they? Lori: Yeah, it’s a glazed donut so it would be sweet. And apparently they cut it in half and toast it and use that as the bun on this burger. Michael: That sounds horrendous. Lori: It..I couldn’t…I thought it was a joke when I first read about it. I thought it must be a joke but apparently it’s true. Michael: It really makes me wonder, you know, they have this, um this kind of, stereotype of American people being fat. Lori: Right. Michael: And I guess if, you know, they’re eating things like that whilst sitting down at the baseball game. Lori: Yeah, sitting down watching other people do sports. Michael: Exactly…that’s what I’m thinking, yeah! Lori: Right.I just wonder, how would someone even come up with that, the idea of using a donut as a hamburger bun. Michael: Well, there is something that you can, I mean, being an American you can tell me if this is true or not, I remember hearing about sandwiches that Americans like, and it’s peanut butter and jelly. Lori: Well, that’s, yeah, that’s a classic kid’s sandwich. Peanut butter and jelly or even peanut butter and honey, you can have… Michael: Well, what you call jelly, isn’t that what we [British English speakers] would call jam? Lori: Yeah, jam. Michael: So peanut butter and jam. So it’s the savory peanut butter, salty, peanutty tasting butter and something like sweet strawberry jam. Lori: Yeah, but I guess it’s kind of like putting pineapple on your pizza. You know, some people think that’s just an aberration. But there’s something about the sweet, tart pineapple combined with the salty, savory ingredients of a pizza that is actually…I like it. Michael: Well, I guess it’s like having gammon and pineapple, you know, the thick cut of ham which is also salty. Lori: Yeah, or pork chops and applesauce. Michael: Ah, right. Lori: But you see, the thing is that in the States the peanut butter most people buy is actually slightly sweet anyway. It’s only natural style peanut butter that is just, you know, peanuts and salt with nothing added. Michael: So how would you classify the peanut butter here in Sweden, that you and I eat? What’s… Lori: Oh, that’s got sugar in it, definitely. It’s slightly sweet; if you just taste it on its own you can taste that it’s slightly sweet. Michael: OK! Lori: If you compare it with the taste of natural peanut butter that’s just peanuts and salt, you’ll really taste the difference and taste how sweet the normal peanut butter is. Michael: I’m thinking, if you can combine something like peanut butter and jam, then combining a hamburger with a donut doesn’t seem so strange. Lori: I’m sorry! I know what you’re trying to say, but just, even hearing you say that, just sounds so funny, “combining a hamburger with a donut.” Michael: Well, yeah, it’s pretty loony. Lori: Yeah, loony. I couldn’t believe that when I read that story in my mom’s magazine. But I went on the Internet and had a look, and there were people saying that it sounds disgusting and looks disgusting, but actually they were quite tasty, so what do I know? Michael: I can’t even begin to imagine what it would taste like. You know, I have no frame of reference. My taste buds cannot picture it, you know, I have an image of a donut in my head and an image of a nice juicy hamburger with a couple strips of bacon on. And forget the cheese because I hate cheese as you know, but the hamburger with bacon, that’s something that…in fact we should cut this podcast short right now because I want to go to the store and get some bacon and some bacon and some hamburger because I’m getting hungry now. Lori: Sounds like a plan, but let’s ix-nay on the donuts. Michael: Right, yeah, Hold the donuts! Final words Thanks for listening to this episode of Real English conversations. And if you haven’t done so already, make sure to check out the show at www.china232.com. I’m sure you’ll like it! See you next time! Vocabulary notes takes the cake (Informal American English) you can say that something takes the cake if it is something that you think is very surprising or annoying. sharp Sharp is a word to describe the strong taste of certain foods, such as cheese. Cheeses range from sharp (strong) to mild (not strong). key key (adjective) means very important glazed donut A glazed donut is a type of fried pastry covered with a thin coat (glaze) of sugary icing. horrendous terrible, horrible, extremely unpleasant come up with To come up with something means to invent it or think of it. savory Food that is savory is salty, meaty, or spicy, not sweet. In British English it’s spelled savoury. aberration An aberration is something that differs from the normal state of things, particularly the normal standard of morals or taste. gammon Gammon is also called ham. It is meat from the back leg of a pig, usually preserved with smoke or salt (or both). loony loony is an informal word for crazy, stupid, or foolish ix-nay Lori is using Pig Latin to play with the word nix. Nix is an informal word that you can use for negation (no, nothing, not, etc.). Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: Weird food tag:odeo.com,2007-07-11,23616070 Wed, 11 Jul 2007 15:18:36 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! intermediate, Listening, Weird stuff, Real English conversations http://odeo.com/episodes/13649093-Real-English-Conversations-20-questions-game tag:odeo.com,2007-06-29,13649093 Fri, 29 Jun 2007 03:22:14 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! http://odeo.com/episodes/24705804-Real-English-Conversations-20-questions-game Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from BetterAtEnglish.com. My English friend Michael and I are back and ready to rock after our long-overdue vacations. In today’s conversation we talk about a fun electronic game that I found out about while on vacation in the States. But before we start with the conversation, I have a really cool tip for you. If you like what we do here at Better at English, you’re sure to enjoy Andrew and Addison’s ESL podcast at China232.com. Just like me, Andrew and Add are tired of the typical boring English learning material and podcasts, and have reacted by creating a fun and free conversational podcast. You can find it at www.china232.com. If you’re keen on improving your English in a fun and entertaining way, you definitely should check it out. OK, let’s get on with today’s conversation. As always, you can find the full transcript and vocabulary notes on our website, ... Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from BetterAtEnglish.com. My English friend Michael and I are back and ready to rock after our long-overdue vacations. In today’s conversation we talk about a fun electronic game that I found out about while on vacation in the States. But before we start with the conversation, I have a really cool tip for you. If you like what we do here at Better at English, you’re sure to enjoy Andrew and Addison’s ESL podcast at China232.com. Just like me, Andrew and Add are tired of the typical boring English learning material and podcasts, and have reacted by creating a fun and free conversational podcast. You can find it at www.china232.com. If you’re keen on improving your English in a fun and entertaining way, you definitely should check it out. OK, let’s get on with today’s conversation. As always, you can find the full transcript and vocabulary notes on our website, www.BetterAtEnglish.com. Here we go! Conversation transcript Lori: OK, you know, every time I go back to the States, it’s usually been a few years since my last visit, and there’s always some new gadget or some new thing that’s come along that I just for some reason hadn’t heard about in Sweden. Michael: Mm hmm. L: And this time it was that 20Q game. M: Oh yeah (laughs), that’s…it’s a great little thing, I think you should tell our listeners a little bit more about that. L: Yeah it’s this unbelievable little game, you just hold it in your hand and it’s computerized and the idea is for you to think of an object and then the…the little game asks you 20 questions, and more often than not, it’s actually able to guess what you’re thinking about. M: Right, I mean, I’ve never seen anything like this before. It’s the kind of thing that you know…you play this as a party game, “I’m thinking of something” and then get everybody to ask a question. L: Right. M: Isn’t that what you call “20 questions?” L: Yeah, 20 questions. M: OK. L: And usually, I think at least when I played 20 questions with my students, the questions have to be “yes or no” questions. M: Sure, yeah you can’t…umm…say, you know, “What color is it?” and you have to say “green” or “blue” or something like that. L: Exactly. M: But yeah, on this little thing, there’s a yes and a no button, and then…but also there’s a “don’t know” and a “sometimes” button, so umm…the kind of questions that this little thing will ask is something like…umm…well, it asks you, “Is it an animal?” or umm…“Is it a mineral?” or a vegetable or something, and… L: Right. M: And obviously you have to say yes or no. L: Exactly. But it asks some kind of…some questions that are kind of hard to answer. Like if I’m thinking of a guitar, one of the questions might be “Does it bring joy to people?” And you know, a lot of people get really happy playing guitar or… M: Yeah, or listening to guitar, yeah. L: Right, but maybe it’s…it’s hard, so I guess for a question like that I would tend to put “sometimes.” M: Well, yeah because…I mean my father, for example, hates it when I play the guitar. He really…[growls]…it drives him up the wall. [laughter] M: I like to think that that’s actually more to do with…umm…you know, my father’s…umm…dislike of guitar than my inability to play the guitar! L: Yeah, let’s… [laughter] L: One can always hope! M: Yes, that’s right. L: Just kidding! Anyway it’s such a cool little, yeah, little gizmo and I was…the thing is that I think…if you’re going to try it, it’s really most impressive if it guesses the first thing that you think about. Because the first time I tried it, it was my little niece came up to me to show me this cool thing, and she said, “Here, it’ll guess what you’re thinking!” And I was thinking “Yeah, right” – like it’s really going to guess. M: Right! L: What I thought would be this really hard word — I picked “telephone pole” — And the darn thing guessed it! [laughter] L: I couldn’t believe it! I thought from the questions, you know, sometimes you can tell from the questions it asks that “Oh, oh –- it’s going to guess.” But from the questions it asked me I couldn’t understand how it could possibly know that I was thinking of a telephone pole. M: Because you remember last night when we were…err…playing with it, and what was it that we had? Meerkat ? That it got? L: Yeah. M: Then…errr…Sea horse L: Yeah. M: As well, I mean, that’s fairly obscure. L: Yeah. M: I mean, I have to say I did manage to beat it… L: Uh huh. M: I think…two or three times. One was “string.” L: Oh, right. M: It couldn’t get that. L: Uh huh. M: Let me think. The other one was “titanium.” L: Right. I wonder if you…I mean, do you know enough about the properties about titanium to give it good answers? M: I think so, yeah. I mean, it’s something that err…you know that’s…err…it…I’d be impressed if it picked any other kind of metal. L: Uh huh. M: I’d be thinking, “Well, it got pretty close.” But it…it didn’t get anywhere near, so… L: OK right. OK. So it didn’t pick “platinum” or “gold” or something like that. M: No. I have to say…How long have you had this thing? You got it when you were over… L: In the States, yeah. M: OK. L: So I think I opened the package about 2 weeks ago. M: OK –- have you tried guessing anything rude with it? L: Yeah, we did. We took it camping with us, see…to help keep the little girls entertained, who were with us. And us too, I mean sometimes it’s…we couldn’t have camp fires where we were camping, so that makes for kind of long evenings when you can’t have the camp fire. And at one point after several glasses of wine, we did go through the rude words stage! [laughter] M: OK, I was just wondering, yeah. L: Yeah, but I don’t think it has rude words in its database. M: Well, I think there is a gap in the market there! L: [Laughs] M: For an adult version… L: Right! M: …of 20Q. L: Yeah, exactly! M: Where the objective is to think of a rude thing, you know, perhaps parts of the body or a rude action or something. L: Oh yeah, definitely! But that…that vocabulary is so limited though; you would have to make it…make it an addition to the normal 20Q. M: Yeah, but it’s so much fun! L: [Laughs] It’s…it’s fun when you’re easily amused, like we are. M: So we certainly recommend this…this little toy to our listeners. L: Yeah. M: It’s lots and lots of fun. L: Yeah, in fact I’ve ordered some extra ones because I think it’d be really good to use in my English classes. M: Yeah, well… L: It’d be fun for the students, and that you can practice question forms and things, so… M: Right. L: Yeah. M: Good idea. L: OK. Bonus Links You can try the 20q game for free on the internet, and in many different languages, at www.20q.net! Final words Before I go, there’s a favor I’d like to ask. I have gotten lots of email from people who want to improve their writing. The best way to improve your writing is to do LOTS of it, but it’s also important to get feedback and suggestions from others. So I’m wondering: should we create a forum for our listeners to make it easier for us all to work together and help each other get better at English? I envision it as a place where Michael and I can answer your questions and help you, but also where you can help each other. It sounds like fun! There’s only one problem: there’s nothing more pathetic than a forum with little or no participation. So I would like to hear from you listeners – would you like a forum where you can get free help with your English? If I get a yes from at least 50 people before July 5, I will create one. You can let me know in several ways: you can send an email to info [AT] betteratenglish [DOT] com, you can go to the website and post a YES comment on this episode, or you can vote in the poll in the sidebar of our website. If you want a forum, make sure to let us know! OK then, I hope you’ll let us know about the forum, and that you’ll visit our friends at China232.com. We’ll see you next time here at betteratenglish.com. Vocabulary notes gadget A gadget is a small machine or device that is used for a particular purpose. drives him up the wall If you drive somebody up the wall, you make them feel very angry or irritated. niece Your niece is the daughter of your brother or sister. The son of your brother or sister is your nephew. Yeah, right The expression “Yeah, right” is used to indicate that you don’t believe something that you or somebody else has said. Meerkat Meerkats are small mongoose-like animals that live in Africa. got In this context, to get something means to solve a puzzle or answer a question. obscure If something is obscure, it is unclear and difficult to understand or know. properties A substance’s properties are its characteristics or qualities. rude In this context, rude means words or things that are related to sex or going to the toilet, as well as other naughty words or swear words. to make for To make for something in this context means to contribute to something or to help something to happen. adult In this context, the adjective adult means things that have to do with sex or other topics that are not considered suitable for children. Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: 20 questions game Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from BetterAtEnglish.com. My English friend Michael and I are back and ready to rock after our long-overdue vacations. In today’s conversation we talk about a fun electronic game that I found out about while on vacation in the States. But before we start with the conversation, I have a really cool tip for you. If you like what we do here at Better at English, you’re sure to enjoy Andrew and Addison’s ESL podcast at China232.com. Just like me, Andrew and Add are tired of the typical boring English learning material and podcasts, and have reacted by creating a fun and free conversational podcast. You can find it at www.china232.com. If you’re keen on improving your English in a fun and entertaining way, you definitely should check it out. OK, let’s get on with today’s conversation. As always, you can find the full transcript and vocabulary notes on our website, www.BetterAtEnglish.com. Here we go! Conversation transcript Lori: OK, you know, every time I go back to the States, it’s usually been a few years since my last visit, and there’s always some new gadget or some new thing that’s come along that I just for some reason hadn’t heard about in Sweden. Michael: Mm hmm. L: And this time it was that 20Q game. M: Oh yeah (laughs), that’s…it’s a great little thing, I think you should tell our listeners a little bit more about that. L: Yeah it’s this unbelievable little game, you just hold it in your hand and it’s computerized and the idea is for you to think of an object and then the…the little game asks you 20 questions, and more often than not, it’s actually able to guess what you’re thinking about. M: Right, I mean, I’ve never seen anything like this before. It’s the kind of thing that you know…you play this as a party game, “I’m thinking of something” and then get everybody to ask a question. L: Right. M: Isn’t that what you call “20 questions?” L: Yeah, 20 questions. M: OK. L: And usually, I think at least when I played 20 questions with my students, the questions have to be “yes or no” questions. M: Sure, yeah you can’t…umm…say, you know, “What color is it?” and you have to say “green” or “blue” or something like that. L: Exactly. M: But yeah, on this little thing, there’s a yes and a no button, and then…but also there’s a “don’t know” and a “sometimes” button, so umm…the kind of questions that this little thing will ask is something like…umm…well, it asks you, “Is it an animal?” or umm…“Is it a mineral?” or a vegetable or something, and… L: Right. M: And obviously you have to say yes or no. L: Exactly. But it asks some kind of…some questions that are kind of hard to answer. Like if I’m thinking of a guitar, one of the questions might be “Does it bring joy to people?” And you know, a lot of people get really happy playing guitar or… M: Yeah, or listening to guitar, yeah. L: Right, but maybe it’s…it’s hard, so I guess for a question like that I would tend to put “sometimes.” M: Well, yeah because…I mean my father, for example, hates it when I play the guitar. He really…[growls]…it drives him up the wall. [laughter] M: I like to think that that’s actually more to do with…umm…you know, my father’s…umm…dislike of guitar than my inability to play the guitar! L: Yeah, let’s… [laughter] L: One can always hope! M: Yes, that’s right. L: Just kidding! Anyway it’s such a cool little, yeah, little gizmo and I was…the thing is that I think…if you’re going to try it, it’s really most impressive if it guesses the first thing that you think about. Because the first time I tried it, it was my little niece came up to me to show me this cool thing, and she said, “Here, it’ll guess what you’re thinking!” And I was thinking “Yeah, right” – like it’s really going to guess. M: Right! L: What I thought would be this really hard word — I picked “telephone pole” — And the darn thing guessed it! [laughter] L: I couldn’t believe it! I thought from the questions, you know, sometimes you can tell from the questions it asks that “Oh, oh –- it’s going to guess.” But from the questions it asked me I couldn’t understand how it could possibly know that I was thinking of a telephone pole. M: Because you remember last night when we were…err…playing with it, and what was it that we had? Meerkat ? That it got? L: Yeah. M: Then…errr…Sea horse L: Yeah. M: As well, I mean, that’s fairly obscure. L: Yeah. M: I mean, I have to say I did manage to beat it… L: Uh huh. M: I think…two or three times. One was “string.” L: Oh, right. M: It couldn’t get that. L: Uh huh. M: Let me think. The other one was “titanium.” L: Right. I wonder if you…I mean, do you know enough about the properties about titanium to give it good answers? M: I think so, yeah. I mean, it’s something that err…you know that’s…err…it…I’d be impressed if it picked any other kind of metal. L: Uh huh. M: I’d be thinking, “Well, it got pretty close.” But it…it didn’t get anywhere near, so… L: OK right. OK. So it didn’t pick “platinum” or “gold” or something like that. M: No. I have to say…How long have you had this thing? You got it when you were over… L: In the States, yeah. M: OK. L: So I think I opened the package about 2 weeks ago. M: OK –- have you tried guessing anything rude with it? L: Yeah, we did. We took it camping with us, see…to help keep the little girls entertained, who were with us. And us too, I mean sometimes it’s…we couldn’t have camp fires where we were camping, so that makes for kind of long evenings when you can’t have the camp fire. And at one point after several glasses of wine, we did go through the rude words stage! [laughter] M: OK, I was just wondering, yeah. L: Yeah, but I don’t think it has rude words in its database. M: Well, I think there is a gap in the market there! L: [Laughs] M: For an adult version… L: Right! M: …of 20Q. L: Yeah, exactly! M: Where the objective is to think of a rude thing, you know, perhaps parts of the body or a rude action or something. L: Oh yeah, definitely! But that…that vocabulary is so limited though; you would have to make it…make it an addition to the normal 20Q. M: Yeah, but it’s so much fun! L: [Laughs] It’s…it’s fun when you’re easily amused, like we are. M: So we certainly recommend this…this little toy to our listeners. L: Yeah. M: It’s lots and lots of fun. L: Yeah, in fact I’ve ordered some extra ones because I think it’d be really good to use in my English classes. M: Yeah, well… L: It’d be fun for the students, and that you can practice question forms and things, so… M: Right. L: Yeah. M: Good idea. L: OK. Bonus Links You can try the 20q game for free on the internet, and in many different languages, at www.20q.net! Final words Before I go, there’s a favor I’d like to ask. I have gotten lots of email from people who want to improve their writing. The best way to improve your writing is to do LOTS of it, but it’s also important to get feedback and suggestions from others. So I’m wondering: should we create a forum for our listeners to make it easier for us all to work together and help each other get better at English? I envision it as a place where Michael and I can answer your questions and help you, but also where you can help each other. It sounds like fun! There’s only one problem: there’s nothing more pathetic than a forum with little or no participation. So I would like to hear from you listeners – would you like a forum where you can get free help with your English? If I get a yes from at least 50 people before July 5, I will create one. You can let me know in several ways: you can send an email to info [AT] betteratenglish [DOT] com, you can go to the website and post a YES comment on this episode, or you can vote in the poll in the sidebar of our website. If you want a forum, make sure to let us know! OK then, I hope you’ll let us know about the forum, and that you’ll visit our friends at China232.com. We’ll see you next time here at betteratenglish.com. Vocabulary notes gadget A gadget is a small machine or device that is used for a particular purpose. drives him up the wall If you drive somebody up the wall, you make them feel very angry or irritated. niece Your niece is the daughter of your brother or sister. The son of your brother or sister is your nephew. Yeah, right The expression “Yeah, right” is used to indicate that you don’t believe something that you or somebody else has said. Meerkat Meerkats are small mongoose-like animals that live in Africa. got In this context, to get something means to solve a puzzle or answer a question. obscure If something is obscure, it is unclear and difficult to understand or know. properties A substance’s properties are its characteristics or qualities. rude In this context, rude means words or things that are related to sex or going to the toilet, as well as other naughty words or swear words. to make for To make for something in this context means to contribute to something or to help something to happen. adult In this context, the adjective adult means things that have to do with sex or other topics that are not considered suitable for children. Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: 20 questions game tag:odeo.com,2007-06-28,24705804 Thu, 28 Jun 2007 20:22:14 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! intermediate, Real English conversations http://odeo.com/episodes/22042140-Real-English-Conversations-20-questions-game Download Listen Download PDF Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from BetterAtEnglish.com. My English friend Michael and I are back and ready to rock after our long-overdue vacations. In today’s conversation we talk about a fun electronic game that I found out about while on vacation in the States. But before we start with the conversation, I have a really cool tip for you. If you like what we do here at Better at English, you’re sure to enjoy Andrew and Addison’s ESL podcast at China232.com. Just like me, Andrew and Add are tired of the typical boring English learning material and podcasts, and have reacted by creating a fun and free conversational podcast. You can find it at www.china232.com. If you’re keen on improving your English in a fun and entertaining way, you definitely should check it out. OK, let’s get on with today’s conversation. As always, you can find the full transcript and voca... Download Listen Download PDF Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from BetterAtEnglish.com. My English friend Michael and I are back and ready to rock after our long-overdue vacations. In today’s conversation we talk about a fun electronic game that I found out about while on vacation in the States. But before we start with the conversation, I have a really cool tip for you. If you like what we do here at Better at English, you’re sure to enjoy Andrew and Addison’s ESL podcast at China232.com. Just like me, Andrew and Add are tired of the typical boring English learning material and podcasts, and have reacted by creating a fun and free conversational podcast. You can find it at www.china232.com. If you’re keen on improving your English in a fun and entertaining way, you definitely should check it out. OK, let’s get on with today’s conversation. As always, you can find the full transcript and vocabulary notes on our website, www.BetterAtEnglish.com. Here we go! Conversation transcript Lori: OK, you know, every time I go back to the States, it’s usually been a few years since my last visit, and there’s always some new gadget or some new thing that’s come along that I just for some reason hadn’t heard about in Sweden. Michael: Mm hmm. L: And this time it was that 20Q game. M: Oh yeah (laughs), that’s…it’s a great little thing, I think you should tell our listeners a little bit more about that. L: Yeah it’s this unbelievable little game, you just hold it in your hand and it’s computerized and the idea is for you to think of an object and then the…the little game asks you 20 questions, and more often than not, it’s actually able to guess what you’re thinking about. (more…) Download Listen Download PDF Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from BetterAtEnglish.com. My English friend Michael and I are back and ready to rock after our long-overdue vacations. In today’s conversation we talk about a fun electronic game that I found out about while on vacation in the States. But before we start with the conversation, I have a really cool tip for you. If you like what we do here at Better at English, you’re sure to enjoy Andrew and Addison’s ESL podcast at China232.com. Just like me, Andrew and Add are tired of the typical boring English learning material and podcasts, and have reacted by creating a fun and free conversational podcast. You can find it at www.china232.com. If you’re keen on improving your English in a fun and entertaining way, you definitely should check it out. OK, let’s get on with today’s conversation. As always, you can find the full transcript and vocabulary notes on our website, www.BetterAtEnglish.com. Here we go! Conversation transcript Lori: OK, you know, every time I go back to the States, it’s usually been a few years since my last visit, and there’s always some new gadget or some new thing that’s come along that I just for some reason hadn’t heard about in Sweden. Michael: Mm hmm. L: And this time it was that 20Q game. M: Oh yeah (laughs), that’s…it’s a great little thing, I think you should tell our listeners a little bit more about that. L: Yeah it’s this unbelievable little game, you just hold it in your hand and it’s computerized and the idea is for you to think of an object and then the…the little game asks you 20 questions, and more often than not, it’s actually able to guess what you’re thinking about. (more…) tag:odeo.com,2007-06-28,22042140 Thu, 28 Jun 2007 20:22:14 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! intermediate, Real English conversations http://odeo.com/episodes/24218147-Real-English-Conversations-20-questions-game Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from BetterAtEnglish.com. My English friend Michael and I are back and ready to rock after our long-overdue vacations. In today’s conversation we talk about a fun electronic game that I found out about while on vacation in the States. But before we start with the conversation, I have a really cool tip for you. If you like what we do here at Better at English, you’re sure to enjoy Andrew and Addison’s ESL podcast at China232.com. Just like me, Andrew and Add are tired of the typical boring English learning material and podcasts, and have reacted by creating a fun and free conversational podcast. You can find it at www.china232.com. If you’re keen on improving your English in a fun and entertaining way, you definitely should check it out. OK, let’s get on with today’s conversation. As always, you can find the full transcript and vocabulary notes on our website, ... Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from BetterAtEnglish.com. My English friend Michael and I are back and ready to rock after our long-overdue vacations. In today’s conversation we talk about a fun electronic game that I found out about while on vacation in the States. But before we start with the conversation, I have a really cool tip for you. If you like what we do here at Better at English, you’re sure to enjoy Andrew and Addison’s ESL podcast at China232.com. Just like me, Andrew and Add are tired of the typical boring English learning material and podcasts, and have reacted by creating a fun and free conversational podcast. You can find it at www.china232.com. If you’re keen on improving your English in a fun and entertaining way, you definitely should check it out. OK, let’s get on with today’s conversation. As always, you can find the full transcript and vocabulary notes on our website, www.BetterAtEnglish.com. Here we go! Conversation transcript Lori: OK, you know, every time I go back to the States, it’s usually been a few years since my last visit, and there’s always some new gadget or some new thing that’s come along that I just for some reason hadn’t heard about in Sweden. Michael: Mm hmm. L: And this time it was that 20Q game. M: Oh yeah (laughs), that’s…it’s a great little thing, I think you should tell our listeners a little bit more about that. L: Yeah it’s this unbelievable little game, you just hold it in your hand and it’s computerized and the idea is for you to think of an object and then the…the little game asks you 20 questions, and more often than not, it’s actually able to guess what you’re thinking about. M: Right, I mean, I’ve never seen anything like this before. It’s the kind of thing that you know…you play this as a party game, “I’m thinking of something” and then get everybody to ask a question. L: Right. M: Isn’t that what you call “20 questions?” L: Yeah, 20 questions. M: OK. L: And usually, I think at least when I played 20 questions with my students, the questions have to be “yes or no” questions. M: Sure, yeah you can’t…umm…say, you know, “What color is it?” and you have to say “green” or “blue” or something like that. L: Exactly. M: But yeah, on this little thing, there’s a yes and a no button, and then…but also there’s a “don’t know” and a “sometimes” button, so umm…the kind of questions that this little thing will ask is something like…umm…well, it asks you, “Is it an animal?” or umm…“Is it a mineral?” or a vegetable or something, and… L: Right. M: And obviously you have to say yes or no. L: Exactly. But it asks some kind of…some questions that are kind of hard to answer. Like if I’m thinking of a guitar, one of the questions might be “Does it bring joy to people?” And you know, a lot of people get really happy playing guitar or… M: Yeah, or listening to guitar, yeah. L: Right, but maybe it’s…it’s hard, so I guess for a question like that I would tend to put “sometimes.” M: Well, yeah because…I mean my father, for example, hates it when I play the guitar. He really…[growls]…it drives him up the wall. [laughter] M: I like to think that that’s actually more to do with…umm…you know, my father’s…umm…dislike of guitar than my inability to play the guitar! L: Yeah, let’s… [laughter] L: One can always hope! M: Yes, that’s right. L: Just kidding! Anyway it’s such a cool little, yeah, little gizmo and I was…the thing is that I think…if you’re going to try it, it’s really most impressive if it guesses the first thing that you think about. Because the first time I tried it, it was my little niece came up to me to show me this cool thing, and she said, “Here, it’ll guess what you’re thinking!” And I was thinking “Yeah, right” – like it’s really going to guess. M: Right! L: What I thought would be this really hard word — I picked “telephone pole” — And the darn thing guessed it! [laughter] L: I couldn’t believe it! I thought from the questions, you know, sometimes you can tell from the questions it asks that “Oh, oh –- it’s going to guess.” But from the questions it asked me I couldn’t understand how it could possibly know that I was thinking of a telephone pole. M: Because you remember last night when we were…err…playing with it, and what was it that we had? Meerkat ? That it got? L: Yeah. M: Then…errr…Sea horse L: Yeah. M: As well, I mean, that’s fairly obscure. L: Yeah. M: I mean, I have to say I did manage to beat it… L: Uh huh. M: I think…two or three times. One was “string.” L: Oh, right. M: It couldn’t get that. L: Uh huh. M: Let me think. The other one was “titanium.” L: Right. I wonder if you…I mean, do you know enough about the properties about titanium to give it good answers? M: I think so, yeah. I mean, it’s something that err…you know that’s…err…it…I’d be impressed if it picked any other kind of metal. L: Uh huh. M: I’d be thinking, “Well, it got pretty close.” But it…it didn’t get anywhere near, so… L: OK right. OK. So it didn’t pick “platinum” or “gold” or something like that. M: No. I have to say…How long have you had this thing? You got it when you were over… L: In the States, yeah. M: OK. L: So I think I opened the package about 2 weeks ago. M: OK –- have you tried guessing anything rude with it? L: Yeah, we did. We took it camping with us, see…to help keep the little girls entertained, who were with us. And us too, I mean sometimes it’s…we couldn’t have camp fires where we were camping, so that makes for kind of long evenings when you can’t have the camp fire. And at one point after several glasses of wine, we did go through the rude words stage! [laughter] M: OK, I was just wondering, yeah. L: Yeah, but I don’t think it has rude words in its database. M: Well, I think there is a gap in the market there! L: [Laughs] M: For an adult version… L: Right! M: …of 20Q. L: Yeah, exactly! M: Where the objective is to think of a rude thing, you know, perhaps parts of the body or a rude action or something. L: Oh yeah, definitely! But that…that vocabulary is so limited though; you would have to make it…make it an addition to the normal 20Q. M: Yeah, but it’s so much fun! L: [Laughs] It’s…it’s fun when you’re easily amused, like we are. M: So we certainly recommend this…this little toy to our listeners. L: Yeah. M: It’s lots and lots of fun. L: Yeah, in fact I’ve ordered some extra ones because I think it’d be really good to use in my English classes. M: Yeah, well… L: It’d be fun for the students, and that you can practice question forms and things, so… M: Right. L: Yeah. M: Good idea. L: OK. Bonus Links You can try the 20q game for free on the internet, and in many different languages, at www.20q.net! Final words Before I go, there’s a favor I’d like to ask. I have gotten lots of email from people who want to improve their writing. The best way to improve your writing is to do LOTS of it, but it’s also important to get feedback and suggestions from others. So I’m wondering: should we create a forum for our listeners to make it easier for us all to work together and help each other get better at English? I envision it as a place where Michael and I can answer your questions and help you, but also where you can help each other. It sounds like fun! There’s only one problem: there’s nothing more pathetic than a forum with little or no participation. So I would like to hear from you listeners – would you like a forum where you can get free help with your English? If I get a yes from at least 50 people before July 5, I will create one. You can let me know in several ways: you can send an email to info [AT] betteratenglish [DOT] com, you can go to the website and post a YES comment on this episode, or you can vote in the poll in the sidebar of our website. If you want a forum, make sure to let us know! OK then, I hope you’ll let us know about the forum, and that you’ll visit our friends at China232.com. We’ll see you next time here at betteratenglish.com. Vocabulary notes gadget A gadget is a small machine or device that is used for a particular purpose. drives him up the wall If you drive somebody up the wall, you make them feel very angry or irritated. niece Your niece is the daughter of your brother or sister. The son of your brother or sister is your nephew. Yeah, right The expression “Yeah, right” is used to indicate that you don’t believe something that you or somebody else has said. Meerkat Meerkats are small mongoose-like animals that live in Africa. got In this context, to get something means to solve a puzzle or answer a question. obscure If something is obscure, it is unclear and difficult to understand or know. properties A substance’s properties are its characteristics or qualities. rude In this context, rude means words or things that are related to sex or going to the toilet, as well as other naughty words or swear words. to make for To make for something in this context means to contribute to something or to help something to happen. adult In this context, the adjective adult means things that have to do with sex or other topics that are not considered suitable for children. Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: 20 questions game Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from BetterAtEnglish.com. My English friend Michael and I are back and ready to rock after our long-overdue vacations. In today’s conversation we talk about a fun electronic game that I found out about while on vacation in the States. But before we start with the conversation, I have a really cool tip for you. If you like what we do here at Better at English, you’re sure to enjoy Andrew and Addison’s ESL podcast at China232.com. Just like me, Andrew and Add are tired of the typical boring English learning material and podcasts, and have reacted by creating a fun and free conversational podcast. You can find it at www.china232.com. If you’re keen on improving your English in a fun and entertaining way, you definitely should check it out. OK, let’s get on with today’s conversation. As always, you can find the full transcript and vocabulary notes on our website, www.BetterAtEnglish.com. Here we go! Conversation transcript Lori: OK, you know, every time I go back to the States, it’s usually been a few years since my last visit, and there’s always some new gadget or some new thing that’s come along that I just for some reason hadn’t heard about in Sweden. Michael: Mm hmm. L: And this time it was that 20Q game. M: Oh yeah (laughs), that’s…it’s a great little thing, I think you should tell our listeners a little bit more about that. L: Yeah it’s this unbelievable little game, you just hold it in your hand and it’s computerized and the idea is for you to think of an object and then the…the little game asks you 20 questions, and more often than not, it’s actually able to guess what you’re thinking about. M: Right, I mean, I’ve never seen anything like this before. It’s the kind of thing that you know…you play this as a party game, “I’m thinking of something” and then get everybody to ask a question. L: Right. M: Isn’t that what you call “20 questions?” L: Yeah, 20 questions. M: OK. L: And usually, I think at least when I played 20 questions with my students, the questions have to be “yes or no” questions. M: Sure, yeah you can’t…umm…say, you know, “What color is it?” and you have to say “green” or “blue” or something like that. L: Exactly. M: But yeah, on this little thing, there’s a yes and a no button, and then…but also there’s a “don’t know” and a “sometimes” button, so umm…the kind of questions that this little thing will ask is something like…umm…well, it asks you, “Is it an animal?” or umm…“Is it a mineral?” or a vegetable or something, and… L: Right. M: And obviously you have to say yes or no. L: Exactly. But it asks some kind of…some questions that are kind of hard to answer. Like if I’m thinking of a guitar, one of the questions might be “Does it bring joy to people?” And you know, a lot of people get really happy playing guitar or… M: Yeah, or listening to guitar, yeah. L: Right, but maybe it’s…it’s hard, so I guess for a question like that I would tend to put “sometimes.” M: Well, yeah because…I mean my father, for example, hates it when I play the guitar. He really…[growls]…it drives him up the wall. [laughter] M: I like to think that that’s actually more to do with…umm…you know, my father’s…umm…dislike of guitar than my inability to play the guitar! L: Yeah, let’s… [laughter] L: One can always hope! M: Yes, that’s right. L: Just kidding! Anyway it’s such a cool little, yeah, little gizmo and I was…the thing is that I think…if you’re going to try it, it’s really most impressive if it guesses the first thing that you think about. Because the first time I tried it, it was my little niece came up to me to show me this cool thing, and she said, “Here, it’ll guess what you’re thinking!” And I was thinking “Yeah, right” – like it’s really going to guess. M: Right! L: What I thought would be this really hard word — I picked “telephone pole” — And the darn thing guessed it! [laughter] L: I couldn’t believe it! I thought from the questions, you know, sometimes you can tell from the questions it asks that “Oh, oh –- it’s going to guess.” But from the questions it asked me I couldn’t understand how it could possibly know that I was thinking of a telephone pole. M: Because you remember last night when we were…err…playing with it, and what was it that we had? Meerkat ? That it got? L: Yeah. M: Then…errr…Sea horse L: Yeah. M: As well, I mean, that’s fairly obscure. L: Yeah. M: I mean, I have to say I did manage to beat it… L: Uh huh. M: I think…two or three times. One was “string.” L: Oh, right. M: It couldn’t get that. L: Uh huh. M: Let me think. The other one was “titanium.” L: Right. I wonder if you…I mean, do you know enough about the properties about titanium to give it good answers? M: I think so, yeah. I mean, it’s something that err…you know that’s…err…it…I’d be impressed if it picked any other kind of metal. L: Uh huh. M: I’d be thinking, “Well, it got pretty close.” But it…it didn’t get anywhere near, so… L: OK right. OK. So it didn’t pick “platinum” or “gold” or something like that. M: No. I have to say…How long have you had this thing? You got it when you were over… L: In the States, yeah. M: OK. L: So I think I opened the package about 2 weeks ago. M: OK –- have you tried guessing anything rude with it? L: Yeah, we did. We took it camping with us, see…to help keep the little girls entertained, who were with us. And us too, I mean sometimes it’s…we couldn’t have camp fires where we were camping, so that makes for kind of long evenings when you can’t have the camp fire. And at one point after several glasses of wine, we did go through the rude words stage! [laughter] M: OK, I was just wondering, yeah. L: Yeah, but I don’t think it has rude words in its database. M: Well, I think there is a gap in the market there! L: [Laughs] M: For an adult version… L: Right! M: …of 20Q. L: Yeah, exactly! M: Where the objective is to think of a rude thing, you know, perhaps parts of the body or a rude action or something. L: Oh yeah, definitely! But that…that vocabulary is so limited though; you would have to make it…make it an addition to the normal 20Q. M: Yeah, but it’s so much fun! L: [Laughs] It’s…it’s fun when you’re easily amused, like we are. M: So we certainly recommend this…this little toy to our listeners. L: Yeah. M: It’s lots and lots of fun. L: Yeah, in fact I’ve ordered some extra ones because I think it’d be really good to use in my English classes. M: Yeah, well… L: It’d be fun for the students, and that you can practice question forms and things, so… M: Right. L: Yeah. M: Good idea. L: OK. Bonus Links You can try the 20q game for free on the internet, and in many different languages, at www.20q.net! Final words Before I go, there’s a favor I’d like to ask. I have gotten lots of email from people who want to improve their writing. The best way to improve your writing is to do LOTS of it, but it’s also important to get feedback and suggestions from others. So I’m wondering: should we create a forum for our listeners to make it easier for us all to work together and help each other get better at English? I envision it as a place where Michael and I can answer your questions and help you, but also where you can help each other. It sounds like fun! There’s only one problem: there’s nothing more pathetic than a forum with little or no participation. So I would like to hear from you listeners – would you like a forum where you can get free help with your English? If I get a yes from at least 50 people before July 5, I will create one. You can let me know in several ways: you can send an email to info [AT] betteratenglish [DOT] com, you can go to the website and post a YES comment on this episode, or you can vote in the poll in the sidebar of our website. If you want a forum, make sure to let us know! OK then, I hope you’ll let us know about the forum, and that you’ll visit our friends at China232.com. We’ll see you next time here at betteratenglish.com. Vocabulary notes gadget A gadget is a small machine or device that is used for a particular purpose. drives him up the wall If you drive somebody up the wall, you make them feel very angry or irritated. niece Your niece is the daughter of your brother or sister. The son of your brother or sister is your nephew. Yeah, right The expression “Yeah, right” is used to indicate that you don’t believe something that you or somebody else has said. Meerkat Meerkats are small mongoose-like animals that live in Africa. got In this context, to get something means to solve a puzzle or answer a question. obscure If something is obscure, it is unclear and difficult to understand or know. properties A substance’s properties are its characteristics or qualities. rude In this context, rude means words or things that are related to sex or going to the toilet, as well as other naughty words or swear words. to make for To make for something in this context means to contribute to something or to help something to happen. adult In this context, the adjective adult means things that have to do with sex or other topics that are not considered suitable for children. Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: 20 questions game tag:odeo.com,2007-06-28,24218147 Thu, 28 Jun 2007 20:22:14 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! intermediate, Real English conversations http://odeo.com/episodes/23616071-Real-English-Conversations-20-questions-game Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from BetterAtEnglish.com. My English friend Michael and I are back and ready to rock after our long-overdue vacations. In today’s conversation we talk about a fun electronic game that I found out about while on vacation in the States. But before we start with the conversation, I have a really cool tip for you. If you like what we do here at Better at English, you’re sure to enjoy Andrew and Addison’s ESL podcast at China232.com. Just like me, Andrew and Add are tired of the typical boring English learning material and podcasts, and have reacted by creating a fun and free conversational podcast. You can find it at www.china232.com. If you’re keen on improving your English in a fun and entertaining way, you definitely should check it out. OK, let’s get on with today’s conversation. As always, you can find the full transcript and vocabulary notes on our website, ... Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from BetterAtEnglish.com. My English friend Michael and I are back and ready to rock after our long-overdue vacations. In today’s conversation we talk about a fun electronic game that I found out about while on vacation in the States. But before we start with the conversation, I have a really cool tip for you. If you like what we do here at Better at English, you’re sure to enjoy Andrew and Addison’s ESL podcast at China232.com. Just like me, Andrew and Add are tired of the typical boring English learning material and podcasts, and have reacted by creating a fun and free conversational podcast. You can find it at www.china232.com. If you’re keen on improving your English in a fun and entertaining way, you definitely should check it out. OK, let’s get on with today’s conversation. As always, you can find the full transcript and vocabulary notes on our website, www.BetterAtEnglish.com. Here we go! Conversation transcript Lori: OK, you know, every time I go back to the States, it’s usually been a few years since my last visit, and there’s always some new gadget or some new thing that’s come along that I just for some reason hadn’t heard about in Sweden. Michael: Mm hmm. L: And this time it was that 20Q game. M: Oh yeah (laughs), that’s…it’s a great little thing, I think you should tell our listeners a little bit more about that. L: Yeah it’s this unbelievable little game, you just hold it in your hand and it’s computerized and the idea is for you to think of an object and then the…the little game asks you 20 questions, and more often than not, it’s actually able to guess what you’re thinking about. M: Right, I mean, I’ve never seen anything like this before. It’s the kind of thing that you know…you play this as a party game, “I’m thinking of something” and then get everybody to ask a question. L: Right. M: Isn’t that what you call “20 questions?” L: Yeah, 20 questions. M: OK. L: And usually, I think at least when I played 20 questions with my students, the questions have to be “yes or no” questions. M: Sure, yeah you can’t…umm…say, you know, “What color is it?” and you have to say “green” or “blue” or something like that. L: Exactly. M: But yeah, on this little thing, there’s a yes and a no button, and then…but also there’s a “don’t know” and a “sometimes” button, so umm…the kind of questions that this little thing will ask is something like…umm…well, it asks you, “Is it an animal?” or umm…“Is it a mineral?” or a vegetable or something, and… L: Right. M: And obviously you have to say yes or no. L: Exactly. But it asks some kind of…some questions that are kind of hard to answer. Like if I’m thinking of a guitar, one of the questions might be “Does it bring joy to people?” And you know, a lot of people get really happy playing guitar or… M: Yeah, or listening to guitar, yeah. L: Right, but maybe it’s…it’s hard, so I guess for a question like that I would tend to put “sometimes.” M: Well, yeah because…I mean my father, for example, hates it when I play the guitar. He really…[growls]…it drives him up the wall. [laughter] M: I like to think that that’s actually more to do with…umm…you know, my father’s…umm…dislike of guitar than my inability to play the guitar! L: Yeah, let’s… [laughter] L: One can always hope! M: Yes, that’s right. L: Just kidding! Anyway it’s such a cool little, yeah, little gizmo and I was…the thing is that I think…if you’re going to try it, it’s really most impressive if it guesses the first thing that you think about. Because the first time I tried it, it was my little niece came up to me to show me this cool thing, and she said, “Here, it’ll guess what you’re thinking!” And I was thinking “Yeah, right” – like it’s really going to guess. M: Right! L: What I thought would be this really hard word — I picked “telephone pole” — And the darn thing guessed it! [laughter] L: I couldn’t believe it! I thought from the questions, you know, sometimes you can tell from the questions it asks that “Oh, oh –- it’s going to guess.” But from the questions it asked me I couldn’t understand how it could possibly know that I was thinking of a telephone pole. M: Because you remember last night when we were…err…playing with it, and what was it that we had? Meerkat ? That it got? L: Yeah. M: Then…errr…Sea horse L: Yeah. M: As well, I mean, that’s fairly obscure. L: Yeah. M: I mean, I have to say I did manage to beat it… L: Uh huh. M: I think…two or three times. One was “string.” L: Oh, right. M: It couldn’t get that. L: Uh huh. M: Let me think. The other one was “titanium.” L: Right. I wonder if you…I mean, do you know enough about the properties about titanium to give it good answers? M: I think so, yeah. I mean, it’s something that err…you know that’s…err…it…I’d be impressed if it picked any other kind of metal. L: Uh huh. M: I’d be thinking, “Well, it got pretty close.” But it…it didn’t get anywhere near, so… L: OK right. OK. So it didn’t pick “platinum” or “gold” or something like that. M: No. I have to say…How long have you had this thing? You got it when you were over… L: In the States, yeah. M: OK. L: So I think I opened the package about 2 weeks ago. M: OK –- have you tried guessing anything rude with it? L: Yeah, we did. We took it camping with us, see…to help keep the little girls entertained, who were with us. And us too, I mean sometimes it’s…we couldn’t have camp fires where we were camping, so that makes for kind of long evenings when you can’t have the camp fire. And at one point after several glasses of wine, we did go through the rude words stage! [laughter] M: OK, I was just wondering, yeah. L: Yeah, but I don’t think it has rude words in its database. M: Well, I think there is a gap in the market there! L: [Laughs] M: For an adult version… L: Right! M: …of 20Q. L: Yeah, exactly! M: Where the objective is to think of a rude thing, you know, perhaps parts of the body or a rude action or something. L: Oh yeah, definitely! But that…that vocabulary is so limited though; you would have to make it…make it an addition to the normal 20Q. M: Yeah, but it’s so much fun! L: [Laughs] It’s…it’s fun when you’re easily amused, like we are. M: So we certainly recommend this…this little toy to our listeners. L: Yeah. M: It’s lots and lots of fun. L: Yeah, in fact I’ve ordered some extra ones because I think it’d be really good to use in my English classes. M: Yeah, well… L: It’d be fun for the students, and that you can practice question forms and things, so… M: Right. L: Yeah. M: Good idea. L: OK. Bonus Links You can try the 20q game for free on the internet, and in many different languages, at www.20q.net! Final words Before I go, there’s a favor I’d like to ask. I have gotten lots of email from people who want to improve their writing. The best way to improve your writing is to do LOTS of it, but it’s also important to get feedback and suggestions from others. So I’m wondering: should we create a forum for our listeners to make it easier for us all to work together and help each other get better at English? I envision it as a place where Michael and I can answer your questions and help you, but also where you can help each other. It sounds like fun! There’s only one problem: there’s nothing more pathetic than a forum with little or no participation. So I would like to hear from you listeners – would you like a forum where you can get free help with your English? If I get a yes from at least 50 people before July 5, I will create one. You can let me know in several ways: you can send an email to info [AT] betteratenglish [DOT] com, you can go to the website and post a YES comment on this episode, or you can vote in the poll in the sidebar of our website. If you want a forum, make sure to let us know! OK then, I hope you’ll let us know about the forum, and that you’ll visit our friends at China232.com. We’ll see you next time here at betteratenglish.com. Vocabulary notes gadget A gadget is a small machine or device that is used for a particular purpose. drives him up the wall If you drive somebody up the wall, you make them feel very angry or irritated. niece Your niece is the daughter of your brother or sister. The son of your brother or sister is your nephew. Yeah, right The expression “Yeah, right” is used to indicate that you don’t believe something that you or somebody else has said. Meerkat Meerkats are small mongoose-like animals that live in Africa. got In this context, to get something means to solve a puzzle or answer a question. obscure If something is obscure, it is unclear and difficult to understand or know. properties A substance’s properties are its characteristics or qualities. rude In this context, rude means words or things that are related to sex or going to the toilet, as well as other naughty words or swear words. to make for To make for something in this context means to contribute to something or to help something to happen. adult In this context, the adjective adult means things that have to do with sex or other topics that are not considered suitable for children. Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: 20 questions game Download English lesson podcast and transcript Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English Conversations from BetterAtEnglish.com. My English friend Michael and I are back and ready to rock after our long-overdue vacations. In today’s conversation we talk about a fun electronic game that I found out about while on vacation in the States. But before we start with the conversation, I have a really cool tip for you. If you like what we do here at Better at English, you’re sure to enjoy Andrew and Addison’s ESL podcast at China232.com. Just like me, Andrew and Add are tired of the typical boring English learning material and podcasts, and have reacted by creating a fun and free conversational podcast. You can find it at www.china232.com. If you’re keen on improving your English in a fun and entertaining way, you definitely should check it out. OK, let’s get on with today’s conversation. As always, you can find the full transcript and vocabulary notes on our website, www.BetterAtEnglish.com. Here we go! Conversation transcript Lori: OK, you know, every time I go back to the States, it’s usually been a few years since my last visit, and there’s always some new gadget or some new thing that’s come along that I just for some reason hadn’t heard about in Sweden. Michael: Mm hmm. L: And this time it was that 20Q game. M: Oh yeah (laughs), that’s…it’s a great little thing, I think you should tell our listeners a little bit more about that. L: Yeah it’s this unbelievable little game, you just hold it in your hand and it’s computerized and the idea is for you to think of an object and then the…the little game asks you 20 questions, and more often than not, it’s actually able to guess what you’re thinking about. M: Right, I mean, I’ve never seen anything like this before. It’s the kind of thing that you know…you play this as a party game, “I’m thinking of something” and then get everybody to ask a question. L: Right. M: Isn’t that what you call “20 questions?” L: Yeah, 20 questions. M: OK. L: And usually, I think at least when I played 20 questions with my students, the questions have to be “yes or no” questions. M: Sure, yeah you can’t…umm…say, you know, “What color is it?” and you have to say “green” or “blue” or something like that. L: Exactly. M: But yeah, on this little thing, there’s a yes and a no button, and then…but also there’s a “don’t know” and a “sometimes” button, so umm…the kind of questions that this little thing will ask is something like…umm…well, it asks you, “Is it an animal?” or umm…“Is it a mineral?” or a vegetable or something, and… L: Right. M: And obviously you have to say yes or no. L: Exactly. But it asks some kind of…some questions that are kind of hard to answer. Like if I’m thinking of a guitar, one of the questions might be “Does it bring joy to people?” And you know, a lot of people get really happy playing guitar or… M: Yeah, or listening to guitar, yeah. L: Right, but maybe it’s…it’s hard, so I guess for a question like that I would tend to put “sometimes.” M: Well, yeah because…I mean my father, for example, hates it when I play the guitar. He really…[growls]…it drives him up the wall. [laughter] M: I like to think that that’s actually more to do with…umm…you know, my father’s…umm…dislike of guitar than my inability to play the guitar! L: Yeah, let’s… [laughter] L: One can always hope! M: Yes, that’s right. L: Just kidding! Anyway it’s such a cool little, yeah, little gizmo and I was…the thing is that I think…if you’re going to try it, it’s really most impressive if it guesses the first thing that you think about. Because the first time I tried it, it was my little niece came up to me to show me this cool thing, and she said, “Here, it’ll guess what you’re thinking!” And I was thinking “Yeah, right” – like it’s really going to guess. M: Right! L: What I thought would be this really hard word — I picked “telephone pole” — And the darn thing guessed it! [laughter] L: I couldn’t believe it! I thought from the questions, you know, sometimes you can tell from the questions it asks that “Oh, oh –- it’s going to guess.” But from the questions it asked me I couldn’t understand how it could possibly know that I was thinking of a telephone pole. M: Because you remember last night when we were…err…playing with it, and what was it that we had? Meerkat ? That it got? L: Yeah. M: Then…errr…Sea horse L: Yeah. M: As well, I mean, that’s fairly obscure. L: Yeah. M: I mean, I have to say I did manage to beat it… L: Uh huh. M: I think…two or three times. One was “string.” L: Oh, right. M: It couldn’t get that. L: Uh huh. M: Let me think. The other one was “titanium.” L: Right. I wonder if you…I mean, do you know enough about the properties about titanium to give it good answers? M: I think so, yeah. I mean, it’s something that err…you know that’s…err…it…I’d be impressed if it picked any other kind of metal. L: Uh huh. M: I’d be thinking, “Well, it got pretty close.” But it…it didn’t get anywhere near, so… L: OK right. OK. So it didn’t pick “platinum” or “gold” or something like that. M: No. I have to say…How long have you had this thing? You got it when you were over… L: In the States, yeah. M: OK. L: So I think I opened the package about 2 weeks ago. M: OK –- have you tried guessing anything rude with it? L: Yeah, we did. We took it camping with us, see…to help keep the little girls entertained, who were with us. And us too, I mean sometimes it’s…we couldn’t have camp fires where we were camping, so that makes for kind of long evenings when you can’t have the camp fire. And at one point after several glasses of wine, we did go through the rude words stage! [laughter] M: OK, I was just wondering, yeah. L: Yeah, but I don’t think it has rude words in its database. M: Well, I think there is a gap in the market there! L: [Laughs] M: For an adult version… L: Right! M: …of 20Q. L: Yeah, exactly! M: Where the objective is to think of a rude thing, you know, perhaps parts of the body or a rude action or something. L: Oh yeah, definitely! But that…that vocabulary is so limited though; you would have to make it…make it an addition to the normal 20Q. M: Yeah, but it’s so much fun! L: [Laughs] It’s…it’s fun when you’re easily amused, like we are. M: So we certainly recommend this…this little toy to our listeners. L: Yeah. M: It’s lots and lots of fun. L: Yeah, in fact I’ve ordered some extra ones because I think it’d be really good to use in my English classes. M: Yeah, well… L: It’d be fun for the students, and that you can practice question forms and things, so… M: Right. L: Yeah. M: Good idea. L: OK. Bonus Links You can try the 20q game for free on the internet, and in many different languages, at www.20q.net! Final words Before I go, there’s a favor I’d like to ask. I have gotten lots of email from people who want to improve their writing. The best way to improve your writing is to do LOTS of it, but it’s also important to get feedback and suggestions from others. So I’m wondering: should we create a forum for our listeners to make it easier for us all to work together and help each other get better at English? I envision it as a place where Michael and I can answer your questions and help you, but also where you can help each other. It sounds like fun! There’s only one problem: there’s nothing more pathetic than a forum with little or no participation. So I would like to hear from you listeners – would you like a forum where you can get free help with your English? If I get a yes from at least 50 people before July 5, I will create one. You can let me know in several ways: you can send an email to info [AT] betteratenglish [DOT] com, you can go to the website and post a YES comment on this episode, or you can vote in the poll in the sidebar of our website. If you want a forum, make sure to let us know! OK then, I hope you’ll let us know about the forum, and that you’ll visit our friends at China232.com. We’ll see you next time here at betteratenglish.com. Vocabulary notes gadget A gadget is a small machine or device that is used for a particular purpose. drives him up the wall If you drive somebody up the wall, you make them feel very angry or irritated. niece Your niece is the daughter of your brother or sister. The son of your brother or sister is your nephew. Yeah, right The expression “Yeah, right” is used to indicate that you don’t believe something that you or somebody else has said. Meerkat Meerkats are small mongoose-like animals that live in Africa. got In this context, to get something means to solve a puzzle or answer a question. obscure If something is obscure, it is unclear and difficult to understand or know. properties A substance’s properties are its characteristics or qualities. rude In this context, rude means words or things that are related to sex or going to the toilet, as well as other naughty words or swear words. to make for To make for something in this context means to contribute to something or to help something to happen. adult In this context, the adjective adult means things that have to do with sex or other topics that are not considered suitable for children. Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: 20 questions game tag:odeo.com,2007-06-28,23616071 Thu, 28 Jun 2007 20:22:14 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! intermediate, Real English conversations http://odeo.com/episodes/13649043-Real-English-Conversations-Itchy-palms-superstitions tag:odeo.com,2007-06-04,13649043 Mon, 04 Jun 2007 06:53:19 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! http://odeo.com/episodes/24705805-Real-English-Conversations-Itchy-palms-superstitions Download English lesson podcast and transcript Introduction: Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English conversations from Better at English dot com. In today’s conversation, my English friend Michael and I talk about superstitions. You’ll learn about the idiom “to have an itchy palm” as well as what superstition tells us that it means when you really do have an itchy palm. Are you superstitious? We are curious about how many of our listeners believe in superstitions, so we’ve put a poll up on the website where you can tell us. You can find it at www.betteratenglish.com. {democracy:3} Thanks to everyone who voted in last week’s poll about naked cats. I’ve just looked at the results. Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of you think that hairless cats are ugly. But 45 per cent of you do say that I should still get one. Only 12 per cent of you think that they’re cute. Oh well, to be honest, my mind was made up be... Download English lesson podcast and transcript Introduction: Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English conversations from Better at English dot com. In today’s conversation, my English friend Michael and I talk about superstitions. You’ll learn about the idiom “to have an itchy palm” as well as what superstition tells us that it means when you really do have an itchy palm. Are you superstitious? We are curious about how many of our listeners believe in superstitions, so we’ve put a poll up on the website where you can tell us. You can find it at www.betteratenglish.com. {democracy:3} Thanks to everyone who voted in last week’s poll about naked cats. I’ve just looked at the results. Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of you think that hairless cats are ugly. But 45 per cent of you do say that I should still get one. Only 12 per cent of you think that they’re cute. Oh well, to be honest, my mind was made up before the poll; it’s only Michael who needs to be convinced! Right then, here comes this week’s conversation! Conversation transcript Lori: Oh, I’ve got this itchy palm. It’s totally itching. Doesn’t that mean something when your palm itches? Michael: It means you have to wash your hands. Lori: No, really! Isn’t it some superstition, something to do with money? Michael: Like some sort of old wives’ tale or something about…? Lori: Yeah, that you’re going to get money or something like that? Michael: Well, off the top of my head I don’t know, but the only thing for it is to see what Google has to say. Lori: Yeah, consult the Oracle. Michael: Consult Google. Lori: The Oracle of Google. What does it mean? Michael: Give me a second…Itchy palm…Ah, OK! It’s a desire for money, or greed, or wanting a bribe, apparently. Like a hotel porter, you know, “The porter has an itchy palm,” he’s expecting you to give a big tip. Or, you know, someone could be known for having an itchy palm; I guess that means they’re known for being greedy. Lori: Oh, OK. But isn’t that the idiom? Like if someone says “So-and-so has itchy palms”? What does it mean if your palm actually itches? Michael: Oh, OK, let me see. Let me move down the list and see what Google has to say. Lori: I hope it’s getting money… Michael: Yeah, well actually, yeah, you’re right…it says…apparently having an itchy palm is an indicator of fortune coming your way… Lori: Yes! Michael: Or something like that. Umm, OK, Oh, hang on a minute. Lori: Does it say anything about money? I could really use some… Michael: Well, yes…Oh, wait a minute! Which, which one of your hands is it, the left or the right hand? Lori: What, does it make a difference? Michael: Ah, yes, it makes a big difference actually. Lori: It’s the left one. [long pause] Michael: Ah. Lori: Oh, that didn’t sound good. Michael: No, you’re not going to like this. If you have an itchy right palm, apparently that means that you will receive money. Lori: OK. Michael: Do you want to hear this? Lori: Oh no. Michael: If you have an itchy left palm, it means you have to give money. Lori: Oh no. Michael: But wait a minute, isn’t it? It’s the time of year when you have to do your taxes! That’s what it must mean, it’s because you have to pay your taxes. Lori: Yeah, I was just doing my taxes, just…in fact, I just finished them today. Michael: OK. Lori: Maybe that’s what it is. Michael: Maybe you’ll be OK and you won’t get some big bill in the post just for taxes. Lori: Well, plus I’m expecting a bill because when I leave for my vacation in a couple of days, I’m going to take my computer in and finally get it fixed so it will stop acting up. And I can imagine that that’s going to cost some money, so maybe that is is. Darn! I thought that I’d be getting some…winning the lottery or getting some unexpected windfall. Michael: Yeah, well, we don’t believe in any of that stuff anyway. Lori: No, actually, yeah, that’s true. But man, it really itches! It’s driving me crazy! Michael: OK, well, you go wash your hands, young lady! Lori: OK. Final words We hope you’ve enjoyed this episode of Real English Conversations. Michael and I will be interested to see how many of our listeners are superstitious, so hurry over to betteratenglish.com and cast your vote. Before signing off, I have to say thanks so much to everyone who has donated to support Better At English this week and who has recorded messages for Michael and me on the website. We really appreciate your support, and getting messages from you totally makes our day. If you get value from our podcasts, please consider making a donation. It’s not mandatory, and we don’t expect it, but every little bit helps! That’s all for now, see you next time! Vocabulary list superstition A superstition is an unscientific belief about the nature of the world, usually related to ideas about magic or the supernatural. People who believe in superstitions are superstitious. old wives’ tale An old wives’ tale is a piece of advice or information, usually about health, that people used to believe a long time ago but nowadays is known to be false. off the top of my head If you say something off the top of your head, it means that you are using the knowledge you have in your memory. People usually say this when they are not sure they are correct. Oracle An oracle is someone who knows a lot about a subject and can give good advice. porter A porter is someone who helps you carry your bags in a hotel. tip A tip (n.) is a small amount of money that you give to someone for performing a service for you. You might tip (v.) a server in a restaurant or a porter in a hotel. hang on Informal for wait (a short time) do your taxes Doing your taxes means calculating your taxes and preparing the forms to submit to the tax agency. bill A bill is a formal request for payment or money owed, often printed on paper. acting up To act up means to behave badly or not work properly. Both people and objects can act up. windfall A windfall is an unexpected amount of money that you win or receive. Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: Itchy palms (superstitions) Download English lesson podcast and transcript Introduction: Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English conversations from Better at English dot com. In today’s conversation, my English friend Michael and I talk about superstitions. You’ll learn about the idiom “to have an itchy palm” as well as what superstition tells us that it means when you really do have an itchy palm. Are you superstitious? We are curious about how many of our listeners believe in superstitions, so we’ve put a poll up on the website where you can tell us. You can find it at www.betteratenglish.com. {democracy:3} Thanks to everyone who voted in last week’s poll about naked cats. I’ve just looked at the results. Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of you think that hairless cats are ugly. But 45 per cent of you do say that I should still get one. Only 12 per cent of you think that they’re cute. Oh well, to be honest, my mind was made up before the poll; it’s only Michael who needs to be convinced! Right then, here comes this week’s conversation! Conversation transcript Lori: Oh, I’ve got this itchy palm. It’s totally itching. Doesn’t that mean something when your palm itches? Michael: It means you have to wash your hands. Lori: No, really! Isn’t it some superstition, something to do with money? Michael: Like some sort of old wives’ tale or something about…? Lori: Yeah, that you’re going to get money or something like that? Michael: Well, off the top of my head I don’t know, but the only thing for it is to see what Google has to say. Lori: Yeah, consult the Oracle. Michael: Consult Google. Lori: The Oracle of Google. What does it mean? Michael: Give me a second…Itchy palm…Ah, OK! It’s a desire for money, or greed, or wanting a bribe, apparently. Like a hotel porter, you know, “The porter has an itchy palm,” he’s expecting you to give a big tip. Or, you know, someone could be known for having an itchy palm; I guess that means they’re known for being greedy. Lori: Oh, OK. But isn’t that the idiom? Like if someone says “So-and-so has itchy palms”? What does it mean if your palm actually itches? Michael: Oh, OK, let me see. Let me move down the list and see what Google has to say. Lori: I hope it’s getting money… Michael: Yeah, well actually, yeah, you’re right…it says…apparently having an itchy palm is an indicator of fortune coming your way… Lori: Yes! Michael: Or something like that. Umm, OK, Oh, hang on a minute. Lori: Does it say anything about money? I could really use some… Michael: Well, yes…Oh, wait a minute! Which, which one of your hands is it, the left or the right hand? Lori: What, does it make a difference? Michael: Ah, yes, it makes a big difference actually. Lori: It’s the left one. [long pause] Michael: Ah. Lori: Oh, that didn’t sound good. Michael: No, you’re not going to like this. If you have an itchy right palm, apparently that means that you will receive money. Lori: OK. Michael: Do you want to hear this? Lori: Oh no. Michael: If you have an itchy left palm, it means you have to give money. Lori: Oh no. Michael: But wait a minute, isn’t it? It’s the time of year when you have to do your taxes! That’s what it must mean, it’s because you have to pay your taxes. Lori: Yeah, I was just doing my taxes, just…in fact, I just finished them today. Michael: OK. Lori: Maybe that’s what it is. Michael: Maybe you’ll be OK and you won’t get some big bill in the post just for taxes. Lori: Well, plus I’m expecting a bill because when I leave for my vacation in a couple of days, I’m going to take my computer in and finally get it fixed so it will stop acting up. And I can imagine that that’s going to cost some money, so maybe that is is. Darn! I thought that I’d be getting some…winning the lottery or getting some unexpected windfall. Michael: Yeah, well, we don’t believe in any of that stuff anyway. Lori: No, actually, yeah, that’s true. But man, it really itches! It’s driving me crazy! Michael: OK, well, you go wash your hands, young lady! Lori: OK. Final words We hope you’ve enjoyed this episode of Real English Conversations. Michael and I will be interested to see how many of our listeners are superstitious, so hurry over to betteratenglish.com and cast your vote. Before signing off, I have to say thanks so much to everyone who has donated to support Better At English this week and who has recorded messages for Michael and me on the website. We really appreciate your support, and getting messages from you totally makes our day. If you get value from our podcasts, please consider making a donation. It’s not mandatory, and we don’t expect it, but every little bit helps! That’s all for now, see you next time! Vocabulary list superstition A superstition is an unscientific belief about the nature of the world, usually related to ideas about magic or the supernatural. People who believe in superstitions are superstitious. old wives’ tale An old wives’ tale is a piece of advice or information, usually about health, that people used to believe a long time ago but nowadays is known to be false. off the top of my head If you say something off the top of your head, it means that you are using the knowledge you have in your memory. People usually say this when they are not sure they are correct. Oracle An oracle is someone who knows a lot about a subject and can give good advice. porter A porter is someone who helps you carry your bags in a hotel. tip A tip (n.) is a small amount of money that you give to someone for performing a service for you. You might tip (v.) a server in a restaurant or a porter in a hotel. hang on Informal for wait (a short time) do your taxes Doing your taxes means calculating your taxes and preparing the forms to submit to the tax agency. bill A bill is a formal request for payment or money owed, often printed on paper. acting up To act up means to behave badly or not work properly. Both people and objects can act up. windfall A windfall is an unexpected amount of money that you win or receive. Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: Itchy palms (superstitions) tag:odeo.com,2007-06-03,24705805 Sun, 03 Jun 2007 23:53:19 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! intermediate, Listening, Real English conversations, Idioms and slang, Vocabulary http://odeo.com/episodes/22042148-Real-English-Conversations-Itchy-palms-superstitions Download Listen Download PDF Download English lesson podcast and transcript Introduction: Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English conversations from Better at English dot com. In today’s conversation, my English friend Michael and I talk about superstitions. You’ll learn about the idiom “to have an itchy palm” as well as what superstition tells us that it means when you really do have an itchy palm. Are you superstitious? We are curious about how many of our listeners believe in superstitions, so we’ve put a poll up on the website where you can tell us. You can find it at www.betteratenglish.com. (more…) Download Listen Download PDF Download English lesson podcast and transcript Introduction: Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English conversations from Better at English dot com. In today’s conversation, my English friend Michael and I talk about superstitions. You’ll learn about the idiom “to have an itchy palm” as well as what superstition tells us that it means when you really do have an itchy palm. Are you superstitious? We are curious about how many of our listeners believe in superstitions, so we’ve put a poll up on the website where you can tell us. You can find it at www.betteratenglish.com. (more…) Download Listen Download PDF Download English lesson podcast and transcript Introduction: Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English conversations from Better at English dot com. In today’s conversation, my English friend Michael and I talk about superstitions. You’ll learn about the idiom “to have an itchy palm” as well as what superstition tells us that it means when you really do have an itchy palm. Are you superstitious? We are curious about how many of our listeners believe in superstitions, so we’ve put a poll up on the website where you can tell us. You can find it at www.betteratenglish.com. (more…) tag:odeo.com,2007-06-03,22042148 Sun, 03 Jun 2007 23:53:19 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! intermediate, Listening, Real English conversations, Idioms and slang, Vocabulary http://odeo.com/episodes/24218149-Real-English-Conversations-Itchy-palms-superstitions Download English lesson podcast and transcript Introduction: Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English conversations from Better at English dot com. In today’s conversation, my English friend Michael and I talk about superstitions. You’ll learn about the idiom “to have an itchy palm” as well as what superstition tells us that it means when you really do have an itchy palm. Are you superstitious? We are curious about how many of our listeners believe in superstitions, so we’ve put a poll up on the website where you can tell us. You can find it at www.betteratenglish.com. {democracy:3} Thanks to everyone who voted in last week’s poll about naked cats. I’ve just looked at the results. Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of you think that hairless cats are ugly. But 45 per cent of you do say that I should still get one. Only 12 per cent of you think that they’re cute. Oh well, to be honest, my mind was made up be... Download English lesson podcast and transcript Introduction: Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English conversations from Better at English dot com. In today’s conversation, my English friend Michael and I talk about superstitions. You’ll learn about the idiom “to have an itchy palm” as well as what superstition tells us that it means when you really do have an itchy palm. Are you superstitious? We are curious about how many of our listeners believe in superstitions, so we’ve put a poll up on the website where you can tell us. You can find it at www.betteratenglish.com. {democracy:3} Thanks to everyone who voted in last week’s poll about naked cats. I’ve just looked at the results. Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of you think that hairless cats are ugly. But 45 per cent of you do say that I should still get one. Only 12 per cent of you think that they’re cute. Oh well, to be honest, my mind was made up before the poll; it’s only Michael who needs to be convinced! Right then, here comes this week’s conversation! Conversation transcript Lori: Oh, I’ve got this itchy palm. It’s totally itching. Doesn’t that mean something when your palm itches? Michael: It means you have to wash your hands. Lori: No, really! Isn’t it some superstition, something to do with money? Michael: Like some sort of old wives’ tale or something about…? Lori: Yeah, that you’re going to get money or something like that? Michael: Well, off the top of my head I don’t know, but the only thing for it is to see what Google has to say. Lori: Yeah, consult the Oracle. Michael: Consult Google. Lori: The Oracle of Google. What does it mean? Michael: Give me a second…Itchy palm…Ah, OK! It’s a desire for money, or greed, or wanting a bribe, apparently. Like a hotel porter, you know, “The porter has an itchy palm,” he’s expecting you to give a big tip. Or, you know, someone could be known for having an itchy palm; I guess that means they’re known for being greedy. Lori: Oh, OK. But isn’t that the idiom? Like if someone says “So-and-so has itchy palms”? What does it mean if your palm actually itches? Michael: Oh, OK, let me see. Let me move down the list and see what Google has to say. Lori: I hope it’s getting money… Michael: Yeah, well actually, yeah, you’re right…it says…apparently having an itchy palm is an indicator of fortune coming your way… Lori: Yes! Michael: Or something like that. Umm, OK, Oh, hang on a minute. Lori: Does it say anything about money? I could really use some… Michael: Well, yes…Oh, wait a minute! Which, which one of your hands is it, the left or the right hand? Lori: What, does it make a difference? Michael: Ah, yes, it makes a big difference actually. Lori: It’s the left one. [long pause] Michael: Ah. Lori: Oh, that didn’t sound good. Michael: No, you’re not going to like this. If you have an itchy right palm, apparently that means that you will receive money. Lori: OK. Michael: Do you want to hear this? Lori: Oh no. Michael: If you have an itchy left palm, it means you have to give money. Lori: Oh no. Michael: But wait a minute, isn’t it? It’s the time of year when you have to do your taxes! That’s what it must mean, it’s because you have to pay your taxes. Lori: Yeah, I was just doing my taxes, just…in fact, I just finished them today. Michael: OK. Lori: Maybe that’s what it is. Michael: Maybe you’ll be OK and you won’t get some big bill in the post just for taxes. Lori: Well, plus I’m expecting a bill because when I leave for my vacation in a couple of days, I’m going to take my computer in and finally get it fixed so it will stop acting up. And I can imagine that that’s going to cost some money, so maybe that is is. Darn! I thought that I’d be getting some…winning the lottery or getting some unexpected windfall. Michael: Yeah, well, we don’t believe in any of that stuff anyway. Lori: No, actually, yeah, that’s true. But man, it really itches! It’s driving me crazy! Michael: OK, well, you go wash your hands, young lady! Lori: OK. Final words We hope you’ve enjoyed this episode of Real English Conversations. Michael and I will be interested to see how many of our listeners are superstitious, so hurry over to betteratenglish.com and cast your vote. Before signing off, I have to say thanks so much to everyone who has donated to support Better At English this week and who has recorded messages for Michael and me on the website. We really appreciate your support, and getting messages from you totally makes our day. If you get value from our podcasts, please consider making a donation. It’s not mandatory, and we don’t expect it, but every little bit helps! That’s all for now, see you next time! Vocabulary list superstition A superstition is an unscientific belief about the nature of the world, usually related to ideas about magic or the supernatural. People who believe in superstitions are superstitious. old wives’ tale An old wives’ tale is a piece of advice or information, usually about health, that people used to believe a long time ago but nowadays is known to be false. off the top of my head If you say something off the top of your head, it means that you are using the knowledge you have in your memory. People usually say this when they are not sure they are correct. Oracle An oracle is someone who knows a lot about a subject and can give good advice. porter A porter is someone who helps you carry your bags in a hotel. tip A tip (n.) is a small amount of money that you give to someone for performing a service for you. You might tip (v.) a server in a restaurant or a porter in a hotel. hang on Informal for wait (a short time) do your taxes Doing your taxes means calculating your taxes and preparing the forms to submit to the tax agency. bill A bill is a formal request for payment or money owed, often printed on paper. acting up To act up means to behave badly or not work properly. Both people and objects can act up. windfall A windfall is an unexpected amount of money that you win or receive. Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: Itchy palms (superstitions) Download English lesson podcast and transcript Introduction: Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English conversations from Better at English dot com. In today’s conversation, my English friend Michael and I talk about superstitions. You’ll learn about the idiom “to have an itchy palm” as well as what superstition tells us that it means when you really do have an itchy palm. Are you superstitious? We are curious about how many of our listeners believe in superstitions, so we’ve put a poll up on the website where you can tell us. You can find it at www.betteratenglish.com. {democracy:3} Thanks to everyone who voted in last week’s poll about naked cats. I’ve just looked at the results. Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of you think that hairless cats are ugly. But 45 per cent of you do say that I should still get one. Only 12 per cent of you think that they’re cute. Oh well, to be honest, my mind was made up before the poll; it’s only Michael who needs to be convinced! Right then, here comes this week’s conversation! Conversation transcript Lori: Oh, I’ve got this itchy palm. It’s totally itching. Doesn’t that mean something when your palm itches? Michael: It means you have to wash your hands. Lori: No, really! Isn’t it some superstition, something to do with money? Michael: Like some sort of old wives’ tale or something about…? Lori: Yeah, that you’re going to get money or something like that? Michael: Well, off the top of my head I don’t know, but the only thing for it is to see what Google has to say. Lori: Yeah, consult the Oracle. Michael: Consult Google. Lori: The Oracle of Google. What does it mean? Michael: Give me a second…Itchy palm…Ah, OK! It’s a desire for money, or greed, or wanting a bribe, apparently. Like a hotel porter, you know, “The porter has an itchy palm,” he’s expecting you to give a big tip. Or, you know, someone could be known for having an itchy palm; I guess that means they’re known for being greedy. Lori: Oh, OK. But isn’t that the idiom? Like if someone says “So-and-so has itchy palms”? What does it mean if your palm actually itches? Michael: Oh, OK, let me see. Let me move down the list and see what Google has to say. Lori: I hope it’s getting money… Michael: Yeah, well actually, yeah, you’re right…it says…apparently having an itchy palm is an indicator of fortune coming your way… Lori: Yes! Michael: Or something like that. Umm, OK, Oh, hang on a minute. Lori: Does it say anything about money? I could really use some… Michael: Well, yes…Oh, wait a minute! Which, which one of your hands is it, the left or the right hand? Lori: What, does it make a difference? Michael: Ah, yes, it makes a big difference actually. Lori: It’s the left one. [long pause] Michael: Ah. Lori: Oh, that didn’t sound good. Michael: No, you’re not going to like this. If you have an itchy right palm, apparently that means that you will receive money. Lori: OK. Michael: Do you want to hear this? Lori: Oh no. Michael: If you have an itchy left palm, it means you have to give money. Lori: Oh no. Michael: But wait a minute, isn’t it? It’s the time of year when you have to do your taxes! That’s what it must mean, it’s because you have to pay your taxes. Lori: Yeah, I was just doing my taxes, just…in fact, I just finished them today. Michael: OK. Lori: Maybe that’s what it is. Michael: Maybe you’ll be OK and you won’t get some big bill in the post just for taxes. Lori: Well, plus I’m expecting a bill because when I leave for my vacation in a couple of days, I’m going to take my computer in and finally get it fixed so it will stop acting up. And I can imagine that that’s going to cost some money, so maybe that is is. Darn! I thought that I’d be getting some…winning the lottery or getting some unexpected windfall. Michael: Yeah, well, we don’t believe in any of that stuff anyway. Lori: No, actually, yeah, that’s true. But man, it really itches! It’s driving me crazy! Michael: OK, well, you go wash your hands, young lady! Lori: OK. Final words We hope you’ve enjoyed this episode of Real English Conversations. Michael and I will be interested to see how many of our listeners are superstitious, so hurry over to betteratenglish.com and cast your vote. Before signing off, I have to say thanks so much to everyone who has donated to support Better At English this week and who has recorded messages for Michael and me on the website. We really appreciate your support, and getting messages from you totally makes our day. If you get value from our podcasts, please consider making a donation. It’s not mandatory, and we don’t expect it, but every little bit helps! That’s all for now, see you next time! Vocabulary list superstition A superstition is an unscientific belief about the nature of the world, usually related to ideas about magic or the supernatural. People who believe in superstitions are superstitious. old wives’ tale An old wives’ tale is a piece of advice or information, usually about health, that people used to believe a long time ago but nowadays is known to be false. off the top of my head If you say something off the top of your head, it means that you are using the knowledge you have in your memory. People usually say this when they are not sure they are correct. Oracle An oracle is someone who knows a lot about a subject and can give good advice. porter A porter is someone who helps you carry your bags in a hotel. tip A tip (n.) is a small amount of money that you give to someone for performing a service for you. You might tip (v.) a server in a restaurant or a porter in a hotel. hang on Informal for wait (a short time) do your taxes Doing your taxes means calculating your taxes and preparing the forms to submit to the tax agency. bill A bill is a formal request for payment or money owed, often printed on paper. acting up To act up means to behave badly or not work properly. Both people and objects can act up. windfall A windfall is an unexpected amount of money that you win or receive. Copyright 2008 L. Linstruth - www.betteratenglish.com. Real English Conversations: Itchy palms (superstitions) tag:odeo.com,2007-06-03,24218149 Sun, 03 Jun 2007 23:53:19 -0700 no Better at English - Learn English - EFL ESL podcast! intermediate, Listening, Real English conversations, Idioms and slang, Vocabulary http://odeo.com/episodes/23616072-Real-English-Conversations-Itchy-palms-superstitions Download English lesson podcast and transcript Introduction: Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English conversations from Better at English dot com. In today’s conversation, my English friend Michael and I talk about superstitions. You’ll learn about the idiom “to have an itchy palm” as well as what superstition tells us that it means when you really do have an itchy palm. Are you superstitious? We are curious about how many of our listeners believe in superstitions, so we’ve put a poll up on the website where you can tell us. You can find it at www.betteratenglish.com. {democracy:3} Thanks to everyone who voted in last week’s poll about naked cats. I’ve just looked at the results. Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of you think that hairless cats are ugly. But 45 per cent of you do say that I should still get one. Only 12 per cent of you think that they’re cute. Oh well, to be honest, my mind was made up be... Download English lesson podcast and transcript Introduction: Hi! Lori here, welcoming you to another episode of Real English conversations from Better at English dot com. In today’s conversation, my English friend Michael and I talk about superstitions. You’ll learn about the idiom “to have an itchy palm” as well as what superstition tells us that it means when you really do have an itchy palm. Are you superstitious? We are curious about how many of our listeners believe in superstitions, so we’ve put a poll up on the website where you can tell us. You can find it at www.betteratenglish.com. {democracy:3} Thanks to everyone who voted in last week’s poll about naked cats. I’ve just looked at the results. Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of you think that hairless cats are ugly. But 45 per cent of you do say that I should still get one. Only 12 per cent of you think that they’re cute. Oh well, to be honest, my mind was made up before the poll; it’s only Michael who needs to be convinced! Right then, here comes this week’s conversation! Conversation transcript Lori: Oh, I’ve got this itchy palm. It’s totally itching. Doesn’t that mean something when your palm itches? Michael: It means you have to wash your hands. Lori: No, really! Isn’t it some superstition, something to do with money? Michael: Like some sort of old wives’ tale or something about…? Lori: Yeah, that you’re going to get money or something like that? Michael: Well, off the top of my head I don’t know, but the only thing for it is to see what Google has to say. Lori: Yeah, consult the Oracle. Michael: Consult Google. Lori: The Oracle of Google. What does it mean? Michael: Give me a second…Itchy palm…Ah, OK! It’s a desire for money, or greed, or wanting a bribe, apparently. Like a hotel porter, you know, “The porter has an itchy palm,” he’s expecting you to give a big tip. Or, you know, someone could be known for having an itchy palm; I guess that means they’re known for being greedy. Lori: Oh, OK. But isn’t that the idiom? Like if someone says “So-and-so has itchy palms”? What does it mean if your palm actually itches? Michael: Oh, OK, let me see. Let me move down the list and see what Google has to say. Lori: I hope it’s getting money… Michael: Yeah, well actually, yeah, you’re right…it says…apparently having an itchy palm is an indicator of fortune coming your way… Lori: Yes! Michael: Or something like that. Umm, OK, Oh, hang on a minute. Lori: Does it say anything about money? I could really use some… Michael: Well, yes…Oh, wait a minute! Which, which one of your hands is it, the left or the right hand? Lori: What, does it make a difference? Michael: Ah, yes, it makes a big difference actually. Lori: It’s the left one. [long pause] Michael: Ah. Lori: Oh, that didn’t sound good. Michael: No, you’re not going to like this. If you have an itchy right palm, apparently that means that you will receive money. Lori: OK. Michael: Do you want to hear this? Lori: Oh no. Michael: If you have an itchy left palm, it means you have to give money. Lori: Oh no. Michael: But wait a minute, isn’t it? It’s the time of year when you have to do your taxes! That’s what it must mean, it’s because you have to pay your taxes. Lori: Yeah, I was just doing my taxes, just…in fact, I just finished them today. Michael: OK. Lori: Maybe that’s what it is. Michael: Maybe you’ll be OK and you won’t get some big bill in the post just for taxes. Lori: Well, plus I’m expecting a bill because when I leave for my vacation in a couple of days, I’m going to take my computer in and finally get it fixed so it will stop acting up. And I can imagine that that’s going to cost some money, so maybe that is is. Darn! I thought that I’d be getting some…winning the lottery or getting some unexpected windfall. Michael: Yeah, well, we don’t believe in any of that stuff anyway. Lori: No, actually, yeah, that’s true. But man, it really itches! It’s driving me crazy! Michael: OK, well, you go wash your hands, young lady! Lori: OK. Final words We hope you’ve enjoyed this episode of Real English Conversations. Michael and I will be interested to see how many of our listeners are superstitious, so hurry over to betteratenglish.com and cast your vote. Before signing off, I have to say thanks so much to everyone who has donated to support Better At English this week and who has recorded messages for Michael and me on the website. We really appreciate your support, and getting messages from you totally makes our day. If you get value from our podcasts, please consider making a donation. It’s not mandatory, and we don’t expect it, but every li