You Got Punked!

Posted on Tuesday - September 7, 2010 by Dr. Lucy Tse

Have you ever had friends or family play a trick on you? If you have, then you may have been “punked.”

If you’re playing a prank or playing a practical joke on someone, it means that you’re deceiving them in some way to have fun or to make other people laugh.  In recent years in the U.S., people have started using the word “punked” to describe being the victim (the person harmed or tricked) of a practical joke or prank.  In fact, the actor Ashton Kutcher had a show on MTV, the music cable television station, called Punk’d in which he played practical jokes on other celebrities.

Recently, I saw a prank on the website “Funny or Die.”  Here’s the setup (arrangement; plan):  The producers (makers) of “Funny or Die” asked popular singer Jewel to disguise herself by wearing a wig (false hair) and a fake nose, and to go to a karaoke bar and to sing her own songs.  A karaoke bar is a bar where any customer can sing a popular song on stage while recorded music plays, usually performing in front of friends or coworkers for fun.  The producers asked her to sing her own hit (very popular) songs as a woman named “Karen” to see how the other bar patrons (customers) would react.  After Jewel got her disguise, she was also given some fake coworkers, “business associates,” who went to the bar with her.  They all wore badges, which she calls “laminants” in the video, which are identification cards worn on a string around the neck or pinned to a shirt/coat, showing that they were in town to attend a frozen foods convention (large meeting).

When they arrived, Jewel said that their group “really stood out,” meaning that they were very noticeable because they were different from the typical customers in the bar.  Her “business associates” were trying to get her to sing, but she pretended to be reluctant (not wanting to do something), until the entire bar was “pulling for her” (wanting her to succeed).

Watch the video below or here at “Funny or Die“.  I’ll explain below a few more things people said in the video in case you have difficulty understanding them.

2:48  “She’s kind of homely (not attractive; plain looking).”

3:02  “That’s the first time there’s ever been an encore here (the first time someone has been asked to sing again because the audience enjoyed the first performance so much).”

3:04  “That was pretty off the charts (amazing; better than anyone had expected) there.”

6:14  “That was all set up (all arranged; not real).”

6:18  “I was duped (successfully tricked).”

What do you think of the prank?  How would you have reacted if you had been one of the other customers?

~ Lucy

Posted in Jokes and Humor, Karaoke English | 7 Comments

You Collect What?

Posted on Thursday - September 2, 2010 by Warren Ediger

A few of my RSS and Twitter feeds (messages that come to my computer) give me glimpses (quick looks) from time to time (occasionally) into life in the U.S. and around the world. Some are funny. Some are strange. Some are heart-warming (give a good feeling) – like the friendship between an elephant and a dog at a “retired elephant” sanctuary (protected area) in Tennessee. Others are like the story of Bill Keaggy, funny and strange.

Bill Keaggy is a collector (someone who collects things) – we might even call him a compulsive (he can’t stop or control what he does) collector. His latest collecting habit is earning him some notoriety (fame for something unusual or bad) and, possibly, a little money.

In 1997, Bill Keaggy picked up a discarded (thrown away) grocery list (list of things to buy at a supermarket) at a St. Louis supermarket. He said it was interesting because it gave him a fascinating view into a stranger’s life. Keaggy was hooked (felt a strong need to do it again). He decided to pick grocery lists up wherever he found them.

In 2000, Keaggy posted (published on the Internet) his collection of about 40 lists on the Internet. In 2004 the New York Times Magazine wrote an article about him and his grocery list collection. By then, he had collected about 500 lists.

In early 2006, he started working on a book about the lost lists. When the book was published – in May 2007 – he had 1,600 lists on his website and thousands more that needed to be scanned (to make a digital picture of) and posted.

Keaggy’s book, Milk Eggs Vodka: Grocery Lists Lost and Found, features (includes; shows) about 300 of the best lists – the funniest, weirdest, saddest, strangest, unhealthiest, and more. It is a strange, fascinating, and funny look at other peoples’ discarded grocery lists.

Keaggy says he learns a lot by reading the lists. He’s surprised by how many people like onions. And he’s noticed that a lot of people have trouble spelling. Mayonnaise (a thick, creamy mixture people put on sandwiches) is always a problem – as are bananas, anchovies (a small, salty fish often put on pizzas or in salads) and yogurt (a sour food made with milk). But even common words – rost befe (roast beef), buter (butter), burd fude (bird food), krakers (crackers), londri sope (laundry soap), and birfday kard (birthday card) – can cause trouble.

Every year Keaggy chooses the top 10 lists of the year and posts them on his website. I looked at a few of them. If you’re the person who wrote the #1 2008 list – pasta, wht (white) rice, onions, carots (carrots), spag (spaghetti) sauce, and 5 bags of top soil (dirt that is good for planting) – I’m not sure I want to come over to your house for dinner!

~ Warren Ediger – ESL/EFL tutor and coach; creator of Successful English where you can learn more about how to improve your English.

photo by Kristen Rapp used under Creative Commons license

Posted in Life in the United States | 14 Comments

Podcasts This Week (August 30, 2010)

Posted on Wednesday - September 1, 2010 by Dr. Lucy Tse

ON MONDAY
ESL Podcast 612 – Introducing a Speaker

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 “honor” and “to address.”
In the “Culture Note,” learn about “How to Liven Up a Speech.”
“Good “public speakers” (people who give speeches) know not only what they’re talking about and how to present it clearly, but also how to “capture” (get; catch) their audience’s attention and keep the listeners interested throughout the speech, no matter how long it is. Public speakers use many different “techniques”…” – READ MORE in the Learning Guide
…

ON WEDNESDAY
English Cafe 257
Topics:  Ringling Brothers & the Barnum and Bailey’s Circus; New York Fashion Week; predict versus forecast; foretell versus remind versus recall; polite phrase used before meals

In the Learning Guide:  Get a full transcript (written version of every word you hear).
In “What Insiders Know,” you will read about “Clown College.”
“One of the major “attractions” (qualities making others pay attention) of any circus is the clowns.  These funny performers “liven up” (make more fun and cheerful) any performance under the “big top” (tent inside which circuses perform).  Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus has their own Clown College…” – READ MORE in the Learning Guide
…

ON FRIDAY
ESL Podcast 613 – Being a First-Time Parent

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 “scratch” and “feeding.”
In the “Culture Note,” learn about “Sources of Information for New Parents.”
“First-time parents are “eager” (wanting to do something) to learn how to take care of their children. Even before the baby is born, many “expectant” (pregnant; expecting a baby) parents look for information by reading books and informational websites. One popular “book series”…” – READ MORE in the Learning Guide
…

We love our listeners and thank you for listening.  Please consider supporting ESL Podcast by becoming a Basic or Premium Member!

Posted in Announcements | 2 Comments

Podcasts This Week (August 23, 2010)

Posted on Wednesday - August 25, 2010 by Dr. Lucy Tse

ON MONDAY
ESL Podcast 610 – Preparing to Travel

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 suspend” and “to water.”
In the “Culture Note,” learn about “Services for Travelers.”
“Americans often travel for “pleasure” (vacation) or “business” (work), leaving their home “vacant” (empty; without people staying in a place) for days, weeks, or even months “at a time” (at once). Fortunately, many services are available to help these people “maintain”…” – READ MORE in the Learning Guide
…

ON WEDNESDAY
English Cafe 256
Topics: Ask an American – Chocolate; dispute versus disagreement versus conflict; using “times” in comparing amounts; use of infinitive “to” phrases as adjective, adverb, or noun

In the Learning Guide:  Get a full transcript (written version of every word you hear).
In “What Insiders Know,” you will read about Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
“Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a popular children’s book that was written in 1964 by a British author named Roald Dahl. In the book, a man named Willy Wonka owns a large chocolate factory and is very “secretive” (does not give others information)…” – READ MORE in the Learning Guide
…

ON FRIDAY
ESL Podcast 611 – Having an Overbearing Father

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 “grown” and “to live by.”
In the “Culture Note,” learn about “The Level of Freedom U.S. Teenagers Have.”
“Most American teenagers have “significant” (a lot of) “freedom” (the ability to do what one wants) to choose how they spend their time, and with whom. Although the “level” (amount) of freedom “varies” (is different) among families…” – READ MORE in the Learning Guide
…

We need you!  Please consider supporting ESL Podcast by becoming a Basic or Premium Member!

Posted in Announcements | 1 Comment

Do You Have Future Shock?

Posted on Thursday - August 19, 2010 by Warren Ediger

When I think about change, I almost always think of my grandfather – or as I knew him, Grandpa. Grandpa lived almost 100 years. As he got older his eyes got worse, so he had trouble seeing, but the last time I talked to him – when he was 98 – he still had a sharp (able to think and understand) mind and a long memory.

It was always fun to talk to Grandpa about change because he had seen a lot of it. The list of things that didn’t exist when he was born but had become an integral (necessary) part of life when he died is very long – things like cars, telephones, airplanes, radio, television, movies, computers, satellites, men on the moon, and space stations.

Grandpa wasn’t threatened by change (didn’t believe it would hurt him). In fact, I think he enjoyed it. I know he enjoyed talking about it. He read a lot and always seemed to be aware of (know) what was happening in the world around him. However, not everyone is as comfortable with change as he was.

Forty years ago, writer Alvin Toffler worried about the speed of change in a book he wrote called Future Shock. He defined future shock as too much change in too short a period of time.

Toffler was afraid that change would overwhelm people (be too difficult for them), and that the speed of change would cause them to feel like they weren’t connected to the world they lived in. He feared that people would suffer from stress (feelings of worry) and disorientation (confusion). In other words, they would be “future shocked.”

Rapid (fast) change has become a constant (happening all the time) in our world. A recent article in Newsweek magazine used an interesting infographic (a picture or image of facts) to illustrate some of the changes that have taken place since 2000. Here are some of the changes you’ll find in the infographic:

  • Daily letters mailed – 208 billion in 2000 | 175 billion in 2010
  • Daily e-mails – 12 billion in 2000 | 247 billion in 2010
  • Text messages – 400,000 in 2000 | 4.5 billion in 2010
  • Books published – 282,242 in 2000 | 1,052,803 in 2010 (Are you surprised?)
  • Daily newspapers – 1,480 in 2000 | 1,302 in 2010
  • CD sales – $943 million in 2000 | $427.9 million in 2010
  • iTunes downloads – 0 in 2000 | 10 billion in 2010
  • Time spent online – 2.7 hours per week in 2000 | 18 hours per week in 2010

Do you feel like you have future shock?  If so, what do you do about it?

~ Warren Ediger – ESL tutor and coach; creator of Successful English where you can always learn more about how to improve your English.

photo by w. ediger

Posted in Life in the United States | 25 Comments

Putting Someone in Jeopardy

Posted on Tuesday - August 17, 2010 by Dr. Lucy Tse

QUESTION:
A listener, Carles, had the following question: “I’d like to know the meaning of the word “jeopardy”. I’ve heard this word in some television shows about police and crime investigation. I think this word means “to put something or somebody in danger” but in what context can I use it? Can I use this word in everyday speech or only as police jargon?”

ANSWER:
Carles is right that “to put someone/something in jeopardy” means to put someone or something in danger.  It is often used in TV shows and movies because people are often “in jeopardy” or in danger.  We can say:
– “The baby’s parents put her in jeopardy when they left her alone for hours.”
– “Testifying (giving evidence in a legal case) about major criminals in court sometimes put witnesses (people who saw, heard, or know something) in jeopardy.”

In court or on TV shows about the law, you may also hear the term “double jeopardy.”  Double refers to two things that are the same or very similar.  Double jeopardy occurs when the court system tries to prosecute (put on trial) the same person twice for the same crime.  This is not legal in the United States.  For example, if I am arrested (officially taken by the police for committing (doing) a crime) and go to court and I am found not guilty (not having committed the crime), then I cannot later be arrested again and brought to court for the same crime, even if the police has more or better evidence against me.  This is why I am still free and why  the police tries to make sure they have enough evidence to convict (to have a person found guilty) before they arrest someone for a crime.

Although “jeopardy” is used a lot by the police and in talking about the law, we can also use it in daily life.  Because it is associated (connected) with the law and the police, we use it more for official or formal situations, but not always.  Here are some examples of how it can be used:
– “If you don’t stop drinking (alcohol) at work, you’re in jeopardy of losing your job.”
– “We’re in jeopardy of losing our house if we don’t pay our monthly payments on time.”
– “The teacher left dangerous equipment for the students to play on, putting the children’s safety in jeopardy.”

There is also a long-running (been showing for a long time) TV show called “Jeopardy!”, which was first shown on American television in 1964. It’s a quiz show, where contestants (players) answer questions about history, literature, the arts, popular culture, sports, and more, competing to win money.  The questions are often very difficult and only people who know a lot about these topics do well.  I hope one day to see our own Dr. Jeff McQuillan on the show, since he’s one of the smartest people I know.  He would no doubt do well and win a lot of money.  Maybe he’d share.

Thanks, Carles, for your question and I hope this helps.

~ Lucy

Posted in Language & Terms | 7 Comments

Podcasts This Week (August 16, 2010)

Posted on Monday - August 16, 2010 by Dr. Lucy Tse

ON MONDAY
ESL Podcast 608 – Formatting Text

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 “shading” and “bullet.”
In the “Culture Note,” learn about “Types of Fonts.”
“Most “word processing programs” (software programs that allow users to create and format documents, like Microsoft Word and WordPerfect) have “dozens” (groups of 12) or even hundreds of “fonts” (styles of letters) “installed” (included in a computer program). These fonts can be divided into three categories:…” – READ MORE in the Learning Guide
…

ON WEDNESDAY
English Cafe 255
Topics:  Famous Authors: Laura Ingalls Wilder; college secret societies; no one versus nobody versus anybody; Do you feel as though…?; rent versus lease

In the Learning Guide:  Get a full transcript (written version of every word you hear).
In “What Insiders Know,” you will read about “Farmers’ Almanac.”
“In the time of Laura Ingalls Wilder, it was very helpful for farmers to have information that would help them grow crops.  If you were a farmer and you were lucky, you would have access to a copy of the Farmers’ Almanac…” – READ MORE in the Learning Guide
…

ON FRIDAY
ESL Podcast 609 – Types of Cars and Vehicles

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 “just about” and “to seat.”
In the “Culture Note,” learn about “Trends in Car Buying.”
“SUVs and other large cars were very popular among American “consumers” (buyers; shoppers) in the 1990s and early 2000s. Most people believed that SUVs were safer, because they had a larger, “sturdier” (stronger) “frame”…” – READ MORE in the Learning Guide
…

We appreciate you listening. Please consider supporting ESL Podcast by becoming a Basic or Premium Member!

Posted in Announcements | 4 Comments

You Betcha!

Posted on Thursday - August 12, 2010 by Dr. Jeff McQuillan

I usually return at least once a year to my home state (place where I was born) of Minnesota. Although I love living in beautiful Los Angeles, California, there are things that only Minnesota can offer (can give you; can provide). One thing is great-tasting corn. August is a wonderful time for sweet corn in the Midwest (the middle, central part of the U.S.), and if you are lucky as I was yesterday to be driving out near the farming areas in the country (outside of the city where few people live), you can stop at a roadside stand (a small place where food is sold next to the highway or street) to buy some freshly (newly; recently) picked (removed from the plant) corn.

I stopped and bought some corn that had been picked only a few hours earlier. As you may know, sweet corn is best eaten (will taste the best) when it is cooked soon after it is picked. Naturally (of course), I went immediately to the place where I was staying back in the Twin Cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul, the main cities in the state) and cooked it. It was perhaps the best corn on the cob I’ve ever eaten. (The cob is the hard, round, long part of the plant that holds the corn, as in the photo above.)

Another thing Minnesota is famous for is its particular vocabulary and pronunciation. (I’ve lost almost all of my “Minnesota accent” in the past 20 years since moving to California.) Minnesotans have a very distinct (unusual; noticeable) accent compared to other places in the U.S., especially when they pronounce their “o’s.” The “o” in Minnesotan (the language of the people in Minnesota) is long (like the “o” in “soda” or “toe”) and drawn out (pronounced for a long time), so the word “Minnesota” sounds like “Minnesoooooota.” To hear a good example of Minnesotan, watch the movie Fargo, which is about people living in northern Minnesota. (Fargo is actually a city in North Dakota, a state to the west of Minnesota, but don’t worry about that).

Minnesotans also have certain terms or words they use that are different from what people in other states say. They say “pop” instead of “soda” for drinks like Coke and Pepsi. They call a casserole (a kind of thick stew cooked slowly in the oven) a “hotdish.” And they like to use the phrase, “You betcha!” (or simply, “You bet!”). You betcha (the “cha” is a combination of the “t” sound of “bet” and the word “you”) can mean “You’re welcome,” so if you thank a Minnesotan for helping you with something, he or she would say “You betcha!” You betcha can also mean “Of course,” “You’re right,” or indicate you completely agree with the other person. If you said, “Lucy Tse is a wonderful writer,” a Minnesotan who knew Lucy would say, “You betcha!”

So am I going to have some more corn today for dinner?  You betcha!

-Jeff

Photo credit: Wikipedia PD-US

Posted in Life in the United States | 17 Comments

Think of Your Poor Teachers

Posted on Tuesday - August 10, 2010 by Dr. Lucy Tse

A couple of months ago, I received some good news from a former university student of mine. This student had not only been accepted into a good Ph.D. program to get her doctorate degree, she had received a fellowship, which meant she didn’t have to pay any tuition (money paid to attend a school) and she also received a stipend (money given to students, usually for their living expenses) for one year.  As a teacher, it is nice to see former students succeed and do well in life.

Then, at about the same time, I read some shocking (very surprising, usually in a bad way) news.  A few years ago, I found out that  a former university student of mine had been elected (selected by voters) as mayor of a city in Southern California, a very high-level job for someone so young.  In fact, he was among the youngest mayors ever, and I was glad for his achievement.

Unfortunately, a few weeks ago, I read that he had failed to report campaign contributions (how much money people and groups give to politicians) and expenditures (how money is spent). By law, politicians have to report to the government their campaign contributions and expenditures, and these disclosures (information reports) are made public to voters.  He had failed to do that.  Worse, he had lied about it, which means he was guilty of perjury, the crime of lying to the court.  Sadly, he had to submit his resignation (formal notice given when leaving a job) as city mayor, and even worse, he has been barred from (prevented from) holding elected office (job given by voters) for life.

Though we probably have little or nothing to do with the outcome of our students’ lives, we still feel good when they do well and feel bad when they don’t. So, if you must get into the news, please let it be for something commendable (worthy of praise) and not because you’ve been caught with your pants down (discovered doing something wrong).  Think of your poor teachers, who lead (live)  boring lives and who live vicariously (experiencing in one’s imagination the feelings or actions of another person) through you.

~ Lucy

Posted in News and Current Events | 9 Comments

Podcasts This Week (August 9, 2010)

Posted on Monday - August 9, 2010 by Dr. Lucy Tse

ON MONDAY
ESL Podcast 606 – Reading a Bus Schedule

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 “peak” and “board.”
In the “Culture Note,” learn about “Etiquette on Public Transportation.”
“People who ride buses, trains, and subways in the United States should be aware of the expected “etiquette” (polite ways of behaving). Some of the rules of etiquette are written on the walls of the stops and vehicles…” – READ MORE in the Learning Guide
…

ON WEDNESDAY
English Cafe 254
Topics: Famous Americans – Scott Joplin; American Cities: Memphis; picture versus image versus photo; a versus an

In the Learning Guide:  Get a full transcript (written version of every word you hear).
In “What Insiders Know,” you will read about “Elvis and the Memphis Mafia.”
“Most people know who Elvis Presley was and are familiar with a few of his many hits songs. But how many people know about Elvis’ Memphis Mafia? At the age of 13, Elvis’ family moved to Memphis, Tennessee, and Memphis became Elvis’ “adopted” (not original, but recognized now as) hometown…” – READ MORE in the Learning Guide
…

ON FRIDAY
ESL Podcast 607 – Being Pestered on the Phone

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 “off the hook” and “to take (one’s) calls.”
In the “Culture Note,” learn about “Common Telephone Service Features.”
“Telephone companies now offer many “optional” (can be chosen or rejected) “features” (special characteristics or services) beyond basic calling. As discussed in this episode, people can add voicemail and caller ID to their “phone line”…” – READ MORE in the Learning Guide
…

ESL Podcast members make our podcasts possible.  Please consider supporting ESL Podcast by becoming a Basic or Premium Member!

Posted in Announcements | 6 Comments