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………
ON MONDAY
ESL Podcast 1150 – Avoiding Topics in Conversation
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 “moving on” and “to cut out.”
In the “Culture Note,” learn about “Acceptable Conversation Topics.”
“Topics of conversation ‘vary’ (are different) by setting….” – READ MORE in the Learning Guide
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ON WEDNESDAY
English Cafe 526
Topics: Ask an American – Journalism and Technology; liberal arts; second to (the) last; I am hearing you
In the Learning Guide: Get a full transcript (written version of every word you hear).
In “What Insiders Know,” you will read about “Yellow Journalism.”
“‘Yellow journalism’ is a ‘disparaging’ (derogatory; insulting; expressing disapproval) ‘term’…” – READ MORE in the Learning Guide
…
ON FRIDAY
ESL Podcast 1151 – Working as a Street Performer
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 “to draw a crowd” and “to move along.”
In the “Culture Note,” learn about “Music Under New York.”
“Since 1985, the New York City ‘Metropolitan Transportation Authority’ (city transportation department)…” – READ MORE in the Learning Guide
Hello comrads ,
I m writing you in the dead of the night.
I had a cup of joe late evening. I didn’t think it through. I mean what was I thinking.
It kept me wide awake all hours of the night. I tried but I couldn’t sleep a wink. So, I figured , let’s make the best of a horrible situation .
I felt too lazy to clime out of bed. So I figured the best I could do is to go through my early works on the blog back in ,oh boy ,2006-2007. Man ,it was quite a ride.
So ,that I did.
I always keep my iPhone on the night table by my bed. So , I can reach my phone without getting out of bed during the night. Besides , There is a wall-socket, outlet if you will, conveniently located right behind the night table , on the wall. That is all the more reason I set my phone there.
I digressed
Where was I ?
Oh
I reviewed almost all of my works ,and I realized I have had songnificant improvement over the last decade.
Well , I belive I owe this to eslpod specially the blog. If it wasn’t for the blog , I would have never encouraged to take a pen and depress a page.
It was eslpod that lured me in with all its fancy blog posts:)
Before eslpod days , I had no fait in my writing. Still , I stink at writing. But , I vividly remember before taking on the blog 🙂 I had a hard time writing even a few lines. It was quite a struggle to me.
U know , I always dreaded elective courses in particularly literature courses at college merely because in elective courses especially literature courses students must write tons of reports and essays. It is brutal.i m telling you.
I would always procrastinate taking my literature courses till the last minute.
U know , here ,in Canada , regardless the subject , the field of study , you have to take one or two literature courses. It is mandatory.
You can’t get around it. You don’t graduate otherwise.
let me tell you, literature courses are the biggest nightmare of every student. I , my self ,preferred math courses to literature courses any time of the day.
However ,I feel like I don’t dread them any more. In fact , I think they must be fun.
Well , I must say reviewing my works , I noticed that I made tons of careless mistakes. Well , here is the thing , lazy that I am , I never check my works after writing them. I just put them up willy nilly.
The first draft is always messy and sloppy.
You know , in my defences , sometimes I m pressed for time , or the surroundings are too distracting.
Funny thing is , I myself couldn’t make out what I wrote on some comments of mine :))
I better try to get some sleep or I m gonna be all grougy tomorow
Pete
Dear Lucy ,
U never stopped surprising me.
I must say I love the next week espisids. I love them all equally.
I m looking forward to listening to you and Jeff in the upcoming dialogs.
Thanks Lucy for the best book I ever read -that is- your scripts collectively.
A huge fan
Pete
No one showed up until now. I am the first. Good morning everyone. I am waiting your words to improve my English.
Aecio
Hi.
About podcast 1150 Avoiding Topics in Conversation politicians are experts
in doing that.
I saw a video the other day of one presidential candidate.
It was Bernie Sanders, a Democratic candidate, and he was asked whether he believes in god or not.
He could not respond that simple question and dodged it like a pro.
I understand that in the US coming out as an atheist is political suicide.
That is probably why he avoided answering that specific question.
Anyways, looking at all the candidates both from left and right, I find it extremely hard to decide to who vote for.
Jeez! the GOP candidates are bad!
Hey me again.
When I say the Republican candidates are bad, that doesn’t automatically make those on the other side better.
When they were asked about that movement called Black Lives Matter.
No one had the attributes to say that is wrong.
I mean, everyone matter that goes without saying.
What next Yellow Lives Matter? or Latinos Lives Matter?
Isn’t society divided enough already?
Thanks.
Hey Pete.
Glad to know you are going to the party and have fun.
I am curious about something though.
Do you have a catch phrase when you present yourself and your hammer?
I do know, it could be “Hi, I am Thor and I am going to nail you with my hammer”
I am not sure that is considered vulgar. Well, if it is, it will get filtered by the mods.
Bye
Well
Dan
In fact the whole idea of dressing as a superhero in a convention or Halloween is to use their famous lines in a fun , humour way.
There are tons of culturally fixed superheroes and even super-villains catch phrases.
I believe the most famous ones ,at least in comic lore , are just recently the line in spider man :
“With great power comes great responsibility ”
And the most famous of all
“Live long and prosper” by Spock in star track.
But what I personality like best is “to the batcave ”
By Batman and Robin
In fact , I use it a lot !
Well , in recent years
Marvel has stirred some stormy emotions into comic Lore.
The Thor is now a female.
I must say , overly marvel didn’t get a good feed back by creating a female Thor.
You know , the God of thunder has been always a mighty man with a mighty hammer. The image has been around since day one.
So ,it has not been a welcoming change.
chances are ,I will get the following line in the party like a lot
“By Odin ‘s beard ” The mighty Thor ” will prevail.” :))
You know ,
” By Odin’s beard ” is the famous line in comic books series of ” The Thor ” and the movies.
I don’t know if your are into marvel comic books. I am more into movie adoptions of them. I never miss them.
I always catch them on the big screen
You know , the are not made for a home tv
Watch.
All the idea of superheroes movies is “Dolby 3D ” 🙂
Thanks Dan for reading my comments
It is very nice of you
Yours
Pete
Transliteration
Cool question indeed
Thanks
I enjoyed the answer too
Thanks Jeff
Hi,
Thank you Peter for using many words and phrases that we have learned from our
dear teachers. I realize that I have forgotten many of them.
So thank you.
Hi,
I don’t know the difference between “pigeon” and “dove”.
Are they synonyms ?
Or pigeon means a passenger pigeon and dove means a domestic dove?
Hi,
Thank you for reminding us of the popular music of the 1970s.
James Brown…Soul Brother Number One, and I know some of his songs.
Thank you . Anyway, I have had no idea that he was so great.
According to Wikipedia, Brown faced problems with IRS for failure to pay back taxes.
As Jeff explained us the phrase IRS, Internal Revenue Service, I was able to understand the meaning.
Hi,
And LEARN ENGLISH MAGAZINE NO. 10… a great pleasure to read it.
I like very much Headline English.
I think you can smile more.
Oh, Jeff, you have a very charming smile!
Hi there.
I would like to remember another great scientist.
He was Italian but went to the US during the rise of the fascist party of Mussolini. He spent several years in the US.
His name was Enrico Fermi first man in history to achieve a controlled nuclear fusion.
He also gave a huge contribution in what is known project Manhattan where a group of scientists created the atomic bomb.
He was a genius in his field.
It is said that he was so advanced in quantum mechanics that he knew more than his teachers and was asked to give lecturers.
There are many institutes and nuclear power plants named after him in the US. There is also a particle named after him.
He also won the Nobel prize in physics.
I would like to see more scientists on famous Americans.
Most of them had interesting lives and they deserve to be remembered.
Thanks
Hi,
In my opinion, a very good idea to continue with “a journey”
in the fascinating world of the jazz.
We all need of music, music, music…
He me again.
Just to say that I meant Nuclear Fission.
I always get those mixed up. Sorry.
Bye
Hi,
Thank you Lucy for your interesting post on Daylight Saving Time, DST, that in the U.S. begins in March,
and began during WWI.
We adopted DST but not from WWI. DST begins in the last Sunday from October.
Thank you very much for your tip to remember how to put our hour:
we “spring” ahead in the spring, and “fall” back in the fall.
Hi,
Thank you for reminding us of the old ping-pong, the table tennis. We use the same phrase.
I have realized that we do not use the phrase ping-pong from long time, just table tennis.
Hello, everyone. I learn from each of your comments. They are good lessons for me.
Aecio
Hey Tania
Thanks for the kind words.
I think , The trick is to use them over and over until you develop a muscle memory for it.
Never stop repeating them.
Thank you
Pete
My good friend Aecio ,
A word to the wise,
I personally think ,it would be beneficiary to every each one of us if we start reading Lucy’s scripts like a book.
Well ,the truth is , I have been doing it since I can remember.
I keep reading them. I read all there is in one category. And then ,move on to the second category. then the next and so on.
Over the years ,the method helped me get a good grip of Eslpod materials
Well just recently ,I add the blog posts to the mix.
I pick a year and read all the blog posts.
The method has been extreamly helpful to me.
Well , as u probably know , I m a learning guid member. It ables me to follow the corresponding written version of every episodes in real time. By that I mean I follow the dialogs and English Cafe episod word by word as they are being performed by our dear profs : Lucy and Jeff.
The method helps me to stay focused for the entire runtime of each episodes. Besides ,the presented materials stick with me.
It is how I m using and experiencing Eslpod
Just my two cents
Thanks
Pete
Thanks, Peter, for the advice. I loved reading the word friend from you. I would like to say that I have you in my life the same way you do about me. Do you know taht is not easy to find real friends in this modern world? They may say they are your friend, but deeply they aren’t. There are some faults men carry and don’t show. The faults generally keep hidden inside people and you only find them out after a log time. Take care. Be careful.
Aecio
By the way, where do you live? Where are you from?
Aecio
Tomorrow will be another day with a new ESL podcast. I can’t wait.
Aecio
See you then.
Aecio