Speak English with ESLPod.com
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More than 15 million people in 189 countries have learned English from Speak English with ESLPod.com. Get one free English lesson each week, including selected lessons from the ESLPod.com archive. These daily and cultural English lessons use a proven method that is fast, effective, and fun. They are brought to you by Dr. Lucy Tse and Dr. Jeff McQuillan, former professors of applied linguistics and education. Want to improve your English even faster? Become an Unlimited English member and get more than 1,800 lessons, or subscribe directly on Apple Podcasts to get three new premium lessons each week: two Daily English lessons and one Cultural English lesson. Go to www.ESLPod.com for more information.
More than 15 million people in 189 countries have learned English from Speak English with ESLPod.com. Get one free English lesson each week, including selected lessons from the ESLPod.com archive. These daily and cultural English lessons use a proven method that is fast, effective, and fun. They are brought to you by Dr. Lucy Tse and Dr. Jeff McQuillan, former professors of applied linguistics and education. Want to improve your English even faster? Become an Unlimited English member and get more than 1,800 lessons, or subscribe directly on Apple Podcasts to get three new premium lessons each week: two Daily English lessons and one Cultural English lesson. Go to www.ESLPod.com for more information.
Daily English 229 - Irritating Co-workers
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Learn how to talk about coworkers who annoy you and how to settle it in English. Dialogue/Story Since our office reorganization, I've been sharing an office with Isabel. We've been getting on each other's nerves. Pete: Hey, Isabel, can you cut that out? Isabel: Cut what out? I'm not doing anything. Pete: You're tapping your pencil on your desk. It's driving me crazy. Isabel: Okay, I will if you'll stop slurping your coffee. Pete: I don't slurp my coffee. And plus, how can you hear it when you're shouting into your phone all the time? Isabel: You've got to be kidding me! You're complaining about me talking on the phone when your friend Deepak stops by ten times a day to shoot the breeze? I can't stand that guy. Pete: It's no skin off my nose if you don't like Deepak. Look, we have a lot of pent-up anger from working in these close quarters, and it's probably okay to let off steam once in a while. But, it's probably not a good idea to keep it up. I'm willing to forgive and forget if you are. Isabel: Fine. Let's call a truce. I'll try to be more considerate and to keep the noise down. Pete: Yeah, I'll try to do the same.
Topics American Music: Country Music · Fourth of July celebrations · Questions and Answers Key Terms rural banjo cowboy stereotype crop declaration fireworks display stripe outdoors corn on the cob Tell me about it! sarcastic to throw in the towel to stay with something
Learn how to talk to a professor during office hours about missed class work in English. Dialogue/Story [A knock on the door.] Jeff: Come in. Julie: Hi, Dr. McQuillan, I'm Julie Taylor. I'm in your two o'clock class on Thursdays. Jeff: Hi, Julie. Have a seat. What can I do for you? Julie: I wanted to come see you during your office hours because I missed class last week. I had a family emergency. Jeff: I'm sorry to hear that. We went over a lot of material, so make sure you get the notes from another student in class. Julie: Thanks, I will. Did you give any assignments? Jeff: Yes, I assigned an essay on the topics in chapter three of your textbook. Julie: Oh, I see. Are there guidelines for the essay? Jeff: Yes, it should be 8 to 10 pages, and it's due in two weeks. Take a look at your syllabus. It has more details. Julie: I will. Thanks a lot. I've also been meaning to talk to you about the trouble I'm having keeping up in class. I'm having trouble understanding the lectures. Is there anything you would suggest? Jeff: Some students tape-record the lectures and listen to them afterwards. That seems to help. Julie: That's a great idea. I'll definitely try that. I'm wondering if you give extra credit in your class. Jeff: No, I don't give extra credit assignments. But if you're worried about passing, there are still two more tests to pull up your grade. Julie: Yes, I'll study hard for those. Thanks a lot for your time. Jeff: No problem. See you in class. Julie: Okay, Professor McQuillan. See you Thursday.
Learn how to cash a check and make a deposit at the bank in English. Dialogue/Story The local branch of my bank is located just a few blocks from where I live. It's very convenient, since it has four ATMs open 24/7. Today I had to go make a deposit, but because I wanted to cash a check as well, I needed to go inside to talk to a teller. Inside the bank, I got in line for the tellers. All of the tellers are behind a large piece of bulletproof glass, so you have to speak up when you are talking to them. When I got to the head of the line, the cashier asked, "How may I help you?" I said, "I'd like to deposit this payroll check into my checking account and cash this cashier's check." "Certainly," she said, "just endorse the back of both checks and put them in the tray." I said, "Sure. And can I get that in small bills - tens and twenties?" I waited for her to process my checks. Then she said, "Here you are," and counted out the cash and put it in an envelope. "Thank you," I said, and walked away. Now that I have some money burning a hole in my pocket, I guess I'd better spend it!
Topics American Movies: E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial · The MacArthur Fellows Program · Questions and Answers Key Terms extra-terrestrial alien to be stranded to lure psychic highest-grossing foundation genius merit no strings attached percussionist silversmith important significant critical tough navel-gazing
Learn how to write a polite, formal email to someone you do not know well in English. Dialogue/Story Dear Dr. Lee: I don't know if you'll remember me, but I introduced myself to you after your keynote at last week's conference. As I mentioned to you, I have read all of your work and I am a great admirer of your research. Your article in the top journal Language Learning was groundbreaking. The reason I am contacting you is that I would like to come to your university to study with you. I met some of your students at the conference and they couldn't stop singing your praises as a professor. I don't know if you are accepting any new students for the next year, but if so, I hope you will consider me. I have included two attachments to this email. I am sending a copy of my CV, and I am also including a research paper I completed earlier this year. I hope that these will give you an idea of my qualifications and experience. Please let me know if you need more information or more samples of my academic work. It was a pleasure and a privilege to meet you at the conference, and I hope to hear more about your research at a future conference. Sincerely, Lucy Hocevar
Learn how to talk about your clothes and how you dress in English. Dialogue/Story I'm one of those people who don't have much of a fashion sense. I mean, I know that I shouldn't wear a pink shirt with green pants, but beyond that I'm pretty much a basket case when it comes to picking my wardrobe. I have plenty of short-sleeve and long-sleeve dress shirts; some have a button-down collar and some have a shirt pocket in them. I also own some more casual shirts with a collar, and a ton of T-shirts with just about every logo you can think of. I have a couple of good pairs of black slacks for formal occasions, along with khakis and jeans for more informal events. Naturally, I have one nice suit to wear to weddings, funerals, and job interviews, with a suit coat, tie, a belt with a nice-looking buckle, and pants. I also own a sports coat, but I don't use it much. Well, I better stop talking and start dressing. I'm late for work!
Topics Famous Americans: Thomas Edison · Liberia and U.S. slavery · Questions and Answers Key Terms inventor prodigious practical phonograph patent entrepreneur telegraph wizard perspiration to repatriate to colonize elite symposium workshop seminar to account for to negotiate
If you can’t read this, then put on your glasses and listen to this episode on having bad eyes. Slow dialogue: 1:07 Explanations: 2:45 Fast dialogue: 15:19 Sue: This medication I’m taking is messing with my vision. Everything is blurry. Hamed: That’s a good reason for you to stay home from work today. Sue: I can’t. I have to give a presentation this afternoon and I can’t flake out on my coworkers. Hamed: What good are you to them if you’re blind as a bat? Sue: Everybody else will have crystal clear vision, so all I have to do is to put in an appearance. Things may not be as sharp as I’d like them to be, but I can still make out people and objects – as long as they’re really big. Hamed: I don’t think your coworkers are going to want you to blindside them today with your strange behavior. You’re going to do more harm than good. Sue: I can see well enough. I only see double if I move my head like this. Whoa… Hamed: At this point, I don’t care if you have X-ray vision. That medication is affecting more than your vision. It’s impairing your better judgment! Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
Learn how to take and leave phone messages in this podcast. Slow dialog: 0:57 Explanations: 3:42 Fast dialog: 21:10 I was looking forward to a quiet evening at home. As soon as I walked in the door, though, the phone rang. Paolo: Hello. Evelyn: Hi, could I speak to Tony? Paolo: He’s not here right now. Can I take a message? Evelyn: Do you know when he’ll be back? Paolo: No, I don’t. Evelyn: Okay. I’ll call back later. Thanks. …… Ten minutes later, the phone rang again. Paolo: Hello. Pam: Hi, is Tony there? Paolo: No, he’s out. Pam: Could I leave a message? Paolo: Sure. Give me a second to get something to write with…Okay, I’m ready. Pam: Could you tell him that Pam called and ask him to call me back as soon as he can. Paolo: Does he have your number? Pam: He should, but I’d better give it to you. It’s 279-555-6347. Paolo: Okay, I’ll tell him. Pam: Thanks. ….. As soon as I put down the receiver, the phone rang again. I couldn’t believe it. Paolo: Hello. Susan: Hi, is this Tony? Paolo: No, I’m his roommate, Paolo. Tony’s not here right now. Susan: I need to get a hold of him. Do you have his cell number? Paolo: Uh, yeah, I do, but I’m not sure he wants me to give it out. Susan: Oh, I’m sure he’d want me to have it. Paolo: I tell you what. Why don’t I take your number and have him call you back? Susan: I really need to get a hold of him right away. Paolo: I’ll give him your message as soon as he gets home. Susan: Fine. This is Susan and my number is 742-555-3655. Please make sure he gets it. It’s important. Bye. Paolo: Bye. As soon as she hung up, I took the phone off the hook for the rest of the night. I’d had enough of being Tony’s answering service for one night! Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
Learn how to ask for clarification in English in this podcast. Slow dialog: 0:54 Explanations: 2:29 Fast dialog: 12:46 I was negotiating a contract with a new business partner, and we had a meeting to clarify the terms. Bill: If I understand the terms correctly, the length of the contract would be one year with a one-year option. Is that correct? Ms. Samuels: Do you mean the contract for equipment rental or the one for training? Bill: I was under the impression that both contracts had the same terms. Ms. Samuels: Yes and no. Let me see if I can clarify that. The terms are the same except that the contract for training has a clause that allows for the cancellation after the first six months. Bill: Could you elaborate on that? Ms. Samuels: Sure. What I mean is that either side could cancel the training contract after the six months as long as it’s in writing. Bill: Let me see if I have that right. This contract is for six months of training, but if it isn’t cancelled, continues for another six months. Is that right? Ms. Samuels: Yes, that’s right. Bill: Okay, that’s clear enough. Let’s move on to the other terms . . . Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
