Podcasts This Week (December 20, 2010)

What to give Cousin Bette and Uncle Vanya for the holidays? Give them the gift of English!

And have you been a good boy or girl this year, too? Give yourself the gift of English, too.  You deserve it!

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………………………..

ON MONDAY
ESL Podcast 644 – Giving a Successful Presentation

In the Learning Guide: Get a full transcript (written version of every word you hear), vocabulary list and sample sentences, and comprehension questions.
In “What Else Does it Mean,” learn the other meanings of “hit” and “hooked.”
In the “Culture Note,” learn about “Popular Presenters on the Speakers Circuit.”
“…People in the professional “speakers circuit” (all the people who travel around the country and the world making presentations to earn money) can attract hundreds or thousands of listeners each time they speak…” – READ MORE in the Learning Guide

ON WEDNESDAY
English Cafe 273

Topics: It’s a Wonderful Life; Cape Cod; backward versus backwards; to agree with versus to agree to versus to agree on; howdy

In the Learning Guide:  Get a full transcript (written version of every word you hear).
In “What Insiders Know,” you will read about How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
“Christmas is a time for “traditions” (things done the same way over time). People put up Christmas trees and watch the classic movie It’s a Wonderful Life on television. Another Christmas tradition is for the family to read with their children the book How the Grinch Stole Christmas!…” – READ MORE in the Learning Guide

ON FRIDAY
ESL Podcast 645 – Shaving Your Face

In the Learning Guide: Get a full transcript (written version of every word you hear), vocabulary list and sample sentences, and comprehension questions.
In “What Else Does it Mean,” learn the other meanings of “shave” and “nick.”
In the “Culture Note,” learn about “Popular Products for Shaving.”
“Most American men “stick to the basics” (use only the simplest things) when it comes to shaving: a can of shaving cream and a razor. However, there are many other shaving products that men can purchase to help them shave their face or “maintain” (keep in good condition) a beard…” – READ MORE in the Learning Guide

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12 Responses to Podcasts This Week (December 20, 2010)

  1. Peter says:

    That is perfect,
    Finally, you are talking Eslpod

    The presentation is a pain.
    For every single course,Genet courses in particular, there are two types of projects.one is called individual project ,and the other one is referred to as group project. The Presentation is an inherent part of both types of projects.
    For group projects, profes assign 4 or 5 students as a group ,depending on the volume of the project( the amount of work must be done to get the project done before the deadline allotment). Students in every group split the work among themselves and every body pulls their weight( do their parts)
    Some do the search,some prepare visual aids, some do the writing mostly on a power point format. And, the end part which is a pain is to go up in front of the class and run a presentation about what they have done. Individual projects follow the same format, but just one student does the whole thing including the related presentation.it is all about team work ,and critical thinking. They wanna give students a sence of project management
    The length of the presentation for both genre is 20 minutes give or take.
    And, presentation of any kinds is a big pain,specially when you have an accent.
    At the end ,the presenter is expected to run a question , answer setion.
    All in all ,is not a party . I am telling you. Most students get butterflies in their stomachs before the presentation
    It is pretty much the gist.
    I am doing this for every single class.

  2. Peter says:

    Jeff ,
    On the shaving, they all the same with all the tugs and pulls.all products out there are fair game for criticism.
    U never ever find any living up to the hype. All the gliding ur face is nonsense.
    They are all give some degree of rritation and rash.
    I tried all of them.

  3. Peter says:

    Sometimes It happens that I make jokes and even mock friends on the ground that I am a foot loose and fancy free guy with no single shred of obligation and responsibility of any kind as opposed to them with wives ,kids and all the strings attached associated with that. Honest ,I appear to be very boastful about my freedom. But, guys , I must admit that the joke is on me because at certain occasions during the year, being a lone Wolf is excruciately painful.
    The holiday season is one of them ; specially when you don’t have a girlfriend’s shoulder to cry on. Beiing lonely at christmass time sucks.
    But, on the other hand , I don’t know wife, kids responsibility are not me. Honest , I have a reputation of being a pansy when it comes to marriage. I mean I never maned up like other fellas to Jump in.
    The fear of commitment is my thing.
    Honest,I m a pure player some times ,a three timers
    I guess I should clam up , I deserve to be soulen and droopy.
    It is the path I have chosen.
    But, on the other hand, I still wanna play the field.

  4. Peter says:

    Sanaz ,
    Two blog post back I spot your name among other fellow bloggers here.
    Do u happen to live in Toronto,Finch area.
    I used to have a friend named Sanaz here in Toronto,quite a looker.
    Don’t tell me that you are her because She is my arch enemy right now.
    We used to be an item.
    Our flame was on fire back then:)))))
    Please acknowledge this comment.

  5. Peter says:

    Hi Betty,
    Thanks for all the good things came out of you on the last blog about me.
    You are the nicest sis.
    Betty,
    We are here to learn,
    I mean we ,all the Eslpod students, take time out of their day to spend some time at Eslpod center to take away something.
    You know what I mean, everytime we surf Eslpod we are better off than before I mean we learn sth new. I don’t know about you guys,but it is the case for me.
    Betty,
    Whatever I take away from Eslpod in every time visit. I take away 5 times more when I indulge myself in the learning guide.
    And ,Betty , five times is putting it slightly.
    I m telling you Sis. Learning guide is a whole another level.
    We are all friends here. So, it is not fair to keep all the glory to myself.
    I just give the news about the best part of Eslpod. Literally, Lucy out does her self at Learning Guid center. I am not saying this to please Lucy.
    I m just stating a hard fact.
    I believe we are here because we love to
    Learn the language of Shakespear ,so we should help each other.
    You know ,you may come across some website that is useful to us. I know you would share it to us.
    I read all of the harrypotter serious and I watched all the movies.
    I read twilight series as well and I watch all the movies.
    I must say, the books always better that the movies.
    In regard your kind comment about me writing, Betty, I wish!
    I am so far from it that I don’t even dare to think about it.
    Thanks for the words of recognition and encouragement!
    You are the best sis,

  6. Peter says:

    Dear Emiliano,
    Over the past few days,the headlines of all the outlet medias have been hovering around an emergency situation arising from an inclement wether condition across Europe in particular London and Madrid. The nasty wether have made the officials to cancel all the ingoing ,outgoing flights and people have ended up stranded for a couple of days. It has been all I’ve heard over the past few days.
    I just wanted to confirm the authenticity of the news.
    I heard the military is called out and they have distributed blankets among stranded passengers in the airport so they can sleep on the floor of airports espacially in Madrid and Hitro airport in London.
    It is exaggerated or it is what is really going on?
    You have quite a situation down there.

  7. Betty says:

    Hi Peter, I am envy of you having all the time to read all the lovely story books. You are right, the books are always better than the movies.

    Twilight is a film more appealing to young people rather than my age, and I don’t normally like vampire films. However, because people said it was not scary, I decided to watch it when I was travelling on the plane last time. I think Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson made the film a success, the story itself was not so attractive.

    Taking about Robert Pattinson, he was named one of Time magazine’s ‘100 Most Influential People in The World’, and he was ranked as one of the most powerful celebrities in the world in Forbes’ ‘Celebrity 100’. His parents must be very proud of him.

    I know a lot about the names of the famous movies because my children go and watch them. After letting children have money on watching the movies/films, as a parent I did not have any spare money to watch the movies/films myself. So, I must try to watch them while they are free on plane.

    Parents always give priorities to their children; they give money to their children to watch films in theatres, and they only watch free films on plane, somewhat ironical.
    .
    It proves your point here about it that family is a commitment.

    I have some friends who prefer to remain single, and I have some friends who married and prefer to remain childless. However, I know some people change their option half way through their lives.

    We are lucky to be free to choose our own paths of life, some people in some parts of the world are not so lucky.

  8. Peter says:

    Hi Betty,
    Thanks for backing me up on that.
    I have too much free time because I am single. So,the time others spend on wives,husbands or kids I consume on my hobbies.
    See,being single is not all bad.
    About that part you said that guy is one of the most influential guys in the world. Don’t take those ranking and rating so seriously.
    Please,Betty,
    He is a celebrity. What do you expect?
    It is all publicity. It is a way of cashing people out. Just imagine that guy was not an actor ; do u really think he would be rated that way.
    It is all yellow journalism; don’t get all carried away.
    There is another ranking called the sexiest man or women .come on, give me a break ,do u really think they conclude that from studying a population ( a sample out of all the people exist under the category that is under study) of all the men or women across the world to conclude that.
    If you think that way, you are sadly mistaken.
    Don’t get all worked up sis. They are all meaningless gesture to strip you down to you last penny.

  9. emiliano says:

    Hi Betty, we need to talk a litle more about the Twilight Books.
    I would like to talk about them and the author soon, but now
    I habe lot of things to do.
    May be this afternoon or tomorrow.

    It´s necesary to say that I have a new computer for Cuca, a windows one, also a new screen that it´s really good.
    I have a lot of things to do about the p.c. that requires dozens of tasks to do to fit it in a good way.
    Well these are my presents for her, you now quite well that Cuca is my lovely girl, the only one I have now at home.

    All the best.
    emiliano

  10. emiliano says:

    Yes Peter, all is true, even more Spain is now in “ALERTNESS” and the flight controllers are militarized, some military forces are inside the
    flight towers to avoid these workers can do a strike.
    It´s the first time an “alertness” is decreed in Spain after the dictator Franco died.
    We are amazed because our government has extended the alertness for another two weeks what it´s really incredible

    Being in alertness some people rights are deleted and this is the way of our socialist government acts.

    The weather in Europe is very bad, too cold, too much snow and lot of airports have been closed, but nothing to do with our military state
    or similar.
    First fountain of money in Spain is tourism and if the airports don´t work properly the fountain is dry.
    There is a problem about flight controller from more than two years and this government has doing nothing to resolve it.
    Now the only solution at hand is just to decree an alertness that could affect to all citizens rights………..???

    Without any more comments, just live to see.
    ——–

    Sorry Peter, I haven´t see your question till now.
    Cuca has another new pc., a windows one, and I have to install everything in the computer.
    For me I have a Mac what is the best, but Cuca prefers the windows one and it has made more than a hundred upgrades in two days
    …..and it follows….till when?

    As a matter of fact is good for me to be occupied in this subjects, so my mind is free of sad thoughts.

    All the best bro. emilliano

  11. emiliano says:

    Dear Betty, as I said you above it´s nice for me to talk about the Twilight Books as I am very fond of it.
    It was more than tree years that I saw the first book in a big book store in Madrid and I liked it at first
    sight.
    I didn´t know anything about author, saga, and all the media display that will follow to these books, I
    only look through it and it´s was nice to read.
    I was looking for books in English, and it seems to me not quite difficult.

    When I started to read it, I told Cuca how it was and how much I liked the English writing, my surprise
    was after seeing it was the first fiction book in the New York list.
    I talked about the book to all my girls, friends and so on.

    At the end I bought the spanish version for Cuca, and some other friends.
    So, from the age of 21 to the age of more than sixty the four books were really good.
    Of course also for me as after the first I read second, third and fourth……yes, that´s incredible true.

    All family members have read the four books, two of my daughters in English like me, Eva and Cuca in Spanish.
    From the same author Stephanie Meyer we have read also “The Host” what is really very good too.
    The same role, my two daughters in English like me, Cuca and Eva in Spanish.

    My task Betty from more that tree years is to read all books in English, not a single book in Spanish.
    Some of them have been nearly impossible, too long, too difficult, but at the end I have finished all of the books.
    “A Wold Without End” was incredible long, more than a thousand pages, but the book is very very good.
    “Under the Dome! from my friend Stephen KIng has more than a thousand and a hundred pages, it´s a very difficult book
    with too much vocabulary, but if you have in mind to read it…….at the end it´s done.
    Another incredible good and difficult was “The Lord of The Rings”…..it cost me some months to finish it, but I was very happy
    with the possibility or reading it in English as I have read it twice in Spanish a lot of years before.

    Stephanie Meyer books are really good, by my point of view they are very good written and the theme is universal…..Romeo and Juliet….and
    impossible love….as a matter of fact Shakespeare……but the books have a good end.
    The movies are not so good but they are well made.

    Try to read without dictionary, just only understanding and looking for the fewer necessary words.

    P.D. I think that S.Meyer had to give me some commission because talking about her books more than fifteen friends
    have read them…….and so forth.

    All the best, and a good reading Betty.

    emiliano

  12. emiliano says:

    Sorry, sorry and sorry……..THREE YEARS………
    I always write the 3 badly…..
    How difficult is writiing in English.

    It´s easier to read….yes it is.

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