Rebecca: Look, there’s smoke coming from six stories up.
Hugh: Yes, I know. Didn’t you hear the fire alarm go off upstairs a few minutes ago?
Rebecca: No, but I’m really glad there’s a fire station only a few blocks away. Hey look, there’s the fire engine. Here come the firefighters!
Hugh: Yeah, let’s get back to work. I’m sure they’ll have the blaze under control pretty quickly.
Rebecca: How can you work with all of this excitement? Maybe I should get the fire extinguisher from the hallway and go upstairs to help.
Hugh: I think that’s a really bad idea. You can see for yourself that the firefighters are getting ready to fight the fire. They’re getting the ladder out and attaching the fire hose to the hydrant. Anyway, it’s probably just a false alarm.
Rebecca: If the smoke detector went off then I’m sure there’s a fire. We’ll know if we start to see something burning near a window or ashes coming down.
Hugh: I’ve never seen you like this before. Why are you so excited?
Rebecca: I wanted to be a firefighter when I grew up. I’ve always had a fascination with fire.
Hugh: Ah, that explains it. Would it make you feel better if I lit up a cigarette?
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
==============================================================
storey 樓層
go off （警報器等）突然發出巨響
blaze 烈火；火災
excitement 激動；興奮；刺激
fire extinguisher 滅火器
hallway（大樓內的）走廊
ladder 梯子
hydrant /'haɪdrənt/ 消防栓
false alarm 假警報；虛驚
ash 灰；灰燼
fascination /ˈfæsə'neʃən/ 魅力；極大的吸引力
had a fascination with 對...有一種迷戀
lit up 亮了起來
2010年12月28日 星期二
2010年12月21日 星期二
ESL Podcast 637 – Planting Flowers and Trees
Zuly: Hurry up! Mom will be home any minute and we’re not done planting.
Eric: Whose idea was it anyway to plant a garden for Mom for her birthday? We’ve been working under this hot sun all day and the smell of the fertilizer is really getting to me.
Zuly: It was our idea, remember? We both wanted to give Mom something special this year. Look, we’re almost done. We’ve already picked the weeds, prepared the soil, and dug the holes for the new seeds and flowers. I’m taking the flowers out of their pots now and I’ll have them in the ground in a minute. After that, all we have left to do is to plant the new tree. Keep digging!
Eric: Are you sure the hole needs to be this deep?
Zuly: Yes, the book says that the roots need to have room to grow. That’s the perfect place for it, too. It’ll get a lot of direct sunlight.
Eric: Great, but my arms are so tired, they’re about to fall off.
Zuly: Move over. I’ll dig for a while. Why don’t you water the new flowers?
Eric: Sure, right after I take a little break. In the meantime, I’ll supervise. Come on. Keep digging. You’re almost there...
Zuly: I think you’d better keep your mouth shut, or I’ll think of some new uses for that fertilizer!
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
=============================================================
planting 種植；栽種；栽種物
getting to me 讓某人心煩
weed 雜草，野草（尤指莊稼或花園中的）
soil 土壤
dig => dug
pot 陶盆；陶罐；碗
supervise 監督；管理；指導；主管
Eric: Whose idea was it anyway to plant a garden for Mom for her birthday? We’ve been working under this hot sun all day and the smell of the fertilizer is really getting to me.
Zuly: It was our idea, remember? We both wanted to give Mom something special this year. Look, we’re almost done. We’ve already picked the weeds, prepared the soil, and dug the holes for the new seeds and flowers. I’m taking the flowers out of their pots now and I’ll have them in the ground in a minute. After that, all we have left to do is to plant the new tree. Keep digging!
Eric: Are you sure the hole needs to be this deep?
Zuly: Yes, the book says that the roots need to have room to grow. That’s the perfect place for it, too. It’ll get a lot of direct sunlight.
Eric: Great, but my arms are so tired, they’re about to fall off.
Zuly: Move over. I’ll dig for a while. Why don’t you water the new flowers?
Eric: Sure, right after I take a little break. In the meantime, I’ll supervise. Come on. Keep digging. You’re almost there...
Zuly: I think you’d better keep your mouth shut, or I’ll think of some new uses for that fertilizer!
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
=============================================================
planting 種植；栽種；栽種物
getting to me 讓某人心煩
weed 雜草，野草（尤指莊稼或花園中的）
soil 土壤
dig => dug
pot 陶盆；陶罐；碗
supervise 監督；管理；指導；主管
2010年12月20日 星期一
ESL Podcast 636 – Being Lazy and Energetic
Carmen: Wake up! You’re supposed to be working.
Elias: Shhh, I’m trying to sleep. The boss is out of the office today, so I consider it a holiday. Today, I can be a little out of it if I want to be.
Carmen: Out of it? You’re sleeping on the job – literally!
Elias: So what? Aren’t you feeling a little tired on a Monday morning?
Carmen: I admit I’m a little sluggish, but that’s no reason to fall down on the job. We both have work to get done and I’m doing it.
Elias: What’s wrong with you? Why are you so hyper? I’m as hard working as the next guy, but I’m not going to jump through hoops when the boss is away.
Carmen: You, hard working? Don’t make me laugh! You’d better get back to work or when the boss gets back, he’ll call you a slacker again.
Elias: Okay, I’m learning by your example. I’m now as energetic and productive as you are.
Carmen: Yeah? Doing what?
Elias: Telling my co-worker she’s a pain in the neck!
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
Elias: Shhh, I’m trying to sleep. The boss is out of the office today, so I consider it a holiday. Today, I can be a little out of it if I want to be.
Carmen: Out of it? You’re sleeping on the job – literally!
Elias: So what? Aren’t you feeling a little tired on a Monday morning?
Carmen: I admit I’m a little sluggish, but that’s no reason to fall down on the job. We both have work to get done and I’m doing it.
Elias: What’s wrong with you? Why are you so hyper? I’m as hard working as the next guy, but I’m not going to jump through hoops when the boss is away.
Carmen: You, hard working? Don’t make me laugh! You’d better get back to work or when the boss gets back, he’ll call you a slacker again.
Elias: Okay, I’m learning by your example. I’m now as energetic and productive as you are.
Carmen: Yeah? Doing what?
Elias: Telling my co-worker she’s a pain in the neck!
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
=========================================================================
out of it （因酒或藥物作用而對周圍事情）茫然不覺，昏昏然
literally（強調事實可能令人驚訝）真正地，確實地
sluggish 緩慢的；遲緩的；懶洋洋的
fall down on the job 沒把工作做好
hyper 既興奮又緊張的；精力過旺的
to jump through hoops（為達到目的而）經受磨難
Don’t make me laugh（認為不可能或愚蠢）別讓我笑掉大牙了，別開玩笑了
slacker 偷懶的人；怠惰的人
energetic 精力充沛的；充滿活力的；需要能量的；積極的
productive 生產的；（尤指）多產的
a pain in the neck 極討厭的人（或事物）
2010年12月14日 星期二
ESL Podcast 635 – Arranging Airport Transfer
My wife and I bought a vacation package and we thought that it included everything. We should have double-checked that it included airport transfer to our hotel as well. Hindsight is 20/20, they say.
My wife wanted to take a taxi, but I nixed that idea. It would cost an arm and a leg. I wanted a cheaper option so we went to ask about it at the airport information desk.
...
Don: Hello, my wife and I need to get to our hotel downtown. What are our options?
Clerk: Well, you could take a taxi.
Don: We’re hoping to find a cheaper option.
Clerk: Okay, in that case, a limo service would be out, too. There are private shuttle services, but since you’re so far from downtown, you’ll be making a lot of stops and it will take a long time to get there. You could also take public transportation – the bus or the subway – but that’ll take even longer. Doesn’t your hotel have a courtesy shuttle?
Don: I never thought of that.
Clerk: Many downtown hotels do. Call your hotel and they’ll be able to tell you. They’ll probably have the best suggestion on how to get there, too, if they don’t have their own shuttle. If you decide on a private shuttle service or to take public transportation, come back and I’ll give you more information.
Don: Thanks a lot. I’ll give the hotel a call right now.
...
Lucky for us, the hotel had a courtesy shuttle and it was on its way. Good thing, too, since I didn’t relish spending any more time at the airport after a long red-eye!
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
==============================================================
Hindsight 事後聰明；後見之明
nix 阻止；拒絕
cost an arm and a leg （使）花一大筆錢
limousine（往返機場接送旅客的）中型客車，小型公共汽車
courtesy 免費乘坐（或使用）的 noun=>禮貌；謙恭；彬彬有禮
on its way 在路上；在行進中
relish 享受；從…獲得樂趣；渴望；喜歡
red-eye 夜間航班；紅眼夜航
My wife wanted to take a taxi, but I nixed that idea. It would cost an arm and a leg. I wanted a cheaper option so we went to ask about it at the airport information desk.
...
Don: Hello, my wife and I need to get to our hotel downtown. What are our options?
Clerk: Well, you could take a taxi.
Don: We’re hoping to find a cheaper option.
Clerk: Okay, in that case, a limo service would be out, too. There are private shuttle services, but since you’re so far from downtown, you’ll be making a lot of stops and it will take a long time to get there. You could also take public transportation – the bus or the subway – but that’ll take even longer. Doesn’t your hotel have a courtesy shuttle?
Don: I never thought of that.
Clerk: Many downtown hotels do. Call your hotel and they’ll be able to tell you. They’ll probably have the best suggestion on how to get there, too, if they don’t have their own shuttle. If you decide on a private shuttle service or to take public transportation, come back and I’ll give you more information.
Don: Thanks a lot. I’ll give the hotel a call right now.
...
Lucky for us, the hotel had a courtesy shuttle and it was on its way. Good thing, too, since I didn’t relish spending any more time at the airport after a long red-eye!
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
==============================================================
Hindsight 事後聰明；後見之明
nix 阻止；拒絕
cost an arm and a leg （使）花一大筆錢
limousine（往返機場接送旅客的）中型客車，小型公共汽車
courtesy 免費乘坐（或使用）的 noun=>禮貌；謙恭；彬彬有禮
on its way 在路上；在行進中
relish 享受；從…獲得樂趣；渴望；喜歡
red-eye 夜間航班；紅眼夜航
2010年11月30日 星期二
ESL Podcast 634 – Resembling One’s Parents
Khaled: Hi, what are you looking at?
Susanna: Your photo albums. Your roommate let me in and said I could make myself comfortable while I waited for you.
Khaled: There are some really incriminating pictures in there. You’d better give those back to me.
Susanna: Not yet! I’m looking at your baby pictures and your family portraits. You’re the spitting image of your mother.
Khaled: That’s not my mother. That was our neighbor.
Susanna: Oh, now that I look a little closer, I can see that you resemble your father. You’re a chip off the old block.
Khaled: That’s not my father. That’s my father’s friend. Now, why don’t I take those...
Susanna: Wait! These candids of your birthday parties are so cute! You were so adorable!
Khaled: Right. When I was a kid, I had a face only a mother could love.
Susanna: That’s not true! You have a great profile. I’d expect to see your likeness in paintings and on statues.
Khaled: Okay, enough with the brown- nosing. What do you really want?
Susanna: I don’t want anything...okay, just one little thing. My cousin is in town. I want to go out with Rick tonight and I thought we could double date. Me, Rick, my cousin...and you. What do you say?
Khaled: I knew it had to be something. Does she look like you?
Susanna: We are like two peas in a pod.
Khaled: Then, forget it!
Susanna: Hmph!
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
Susanna: Your photo albums. Your roommate let me in and said I could make myself comfortable while I waited for you.
Khaled: There are some really incriminating pictures in there. You’d better give those back to me.
Susanna: Not yet! I’m looking at your baby pictures and your family portraits. You’re the spitting image of your mother.
Khaled: That’s not my mother. That was our neighbor.
Susanna: Oh, now that I look a little closer, I can see that you resemble your father. You’re a chip off the old block.
Khaled: That’s not my father. That’s my father’s friend. Now, why don’t I take those...
Susanna: Wait! These candids of your birthday parties are so cute! You were so adorable!
Khaled: Right. When I was a kid, I had a face only a mother could love.
Susanna: That’s not true! You have a great profile. I’d expect to see your likeness in paintings and on statues.
Khaled: Okay, enough with the brown- nosing. What do you really want?
Susanna: I don’t want anything...okay, just one little thing. My cousin is in town. I want to go out with Rick tonight and I thought we could double date. Me, Rick, my cousin...and you. What do you say?
Khaled: I knew it had to be something. Does she look like you?
Susanna: We are like two peas in a pod.
Khaled: Then, forget it!
Susanna: Hmph!
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
========================================================
incriminate 使負罪；連累
portrait 肖像；半身畫像；半身照
resemble 看起來像；顯得像；像
a chip off the old block（相貌或性格）酷似父親或母親的人
candid 搶拍的，偷拍的（照片）
adorable 可愛的；討人喜愛的
profile 面部的側影；側面輪廓
likeness 相像；相似
statue 雕像,塑像
brown- nosing 討好,奉承
What do you say? 你同意…嗎；你看…好不好
pod 莢；莢果
two peas in a pod 一模一樣
2010年11月25日 星期四
ESL Podcast 633 – Moving Out of a Home
[A knock on door.]
Andre: Hello. Is anyone here?
Ellie: Yes, can I help you?
Andre: I saw your door open and I just wanted to make sure everything was okay. Did you just move in?
Ellie: No, I’m moving out. As you can see, I’m doing last-minute packing. I think I’ve used up 10 rolls of packing tape!
Andre: This looks like a major undertaking. Are you moving yourself?
Ellie: No, the movers are coming with the moving van tomorrow morning. I’m moving a few things into storage, and I’ll take a few of the perishables and essentials in my car, but they’ll be doing the heavy lifting. No loading for me. Before they come, though, I need to disassemble this desk and this bookcase. It’ll be a long afternoon.
Andre: I can see that. Are you moving far?
Ellie: No, I’m only moving about a mile from here to another apartment.
Andre: Oh, so you’re not moving out of the area.
Ellie: No, I’m not.
Andre: I’m glad to hear that. Let’s make a deal: I’ll help you disassemble your furniture if you’ll promise to invite me over to your new place sometime.
Ellie: Really? Are you sure you’re willing to do that?
Andre: Sure. Hand me those tools and I’ll have it done in no time.
Ellie: Boy, am I glad I left my door open.
Andre: Yeah, so am I.
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
Andre: Hello. Is anyone here?
Ellie: Yes, can I help you?
Andre: I saw your door open and I just wanted to make sure everything was okay. Did you just move in?
Ellie: No, I’m moving out. As you can see, I’m doing last-minute packing. I think I’ve used up 10 rolls of packing tape!
Andre: This looks like a major undertaking. Are you moving yourself?
Ellie: No, the movers are coming with the moving van tomorrow morning. I’m moving a few things into storage, and I’ll take a few of the perishables and essentials in my car, but they’ll be doing the heavy lifting. No loading for me. Before they come, though, I need to disassemble this desk and this bookcase. It’ll be a long afternoon.
Andre: I can see that. Are you moving far?
Ellie: No, I’m only moving about a mile from here to another apartment.
Andre: Oh, so you’re not moving out of the area.
Ellie: No, I’m not.
Andre: I’m glad to hear that. Let’s make a deal: I’ll help you disassemble your furniture if you’ll promise to invite me over to your new place sometime.
Ellie: Really? Are you sure you’re willing to do that?
Andre: Sure. Hand me those tools and I’ll have it done in no time.
Ellie: Boy, am I glad I left my door open.
Andre: Yeah, so am I.
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
===============================================================
undertaking （重大或艱巨的）任務，項目，事業；企業
perishables 易腐食物
lift 提,吊,升,舉
disassemble 拆開,拆卸
make a deal 做交易
to invite someone over 邀請某人到家中
in no time 很快;立即
2010年11月12日 星期五
ESL Podcast 632 – Negotiating a Business Deal
Gia: Why are the negotiations on this deal taking so long? I thought we would be putting the finishing touches on it by now.
Logan: The other side is holding out for more concessions. I don’t know what they’re thinking. They made some pretty big demands at the start and I think we’ve given in to most of them. Now they’re countering with even more demands.
Gia: They probably know that they have us over a barrel. After all of the time and money we’ve put into this deal, they know that we don’t want to walk away.
Logan: That’s true and that’s why we’re still at the table, but they may be pushing too hard. In the end, I don’t think we’ll cave on those additional concessions.
Gia: So the entire thing is touch-and- go right now?
Logan: That’s how I would characterize it. If I were you, I wouldn’t make any long-term plans.
Gia: Duly noted. I won’t run out and buy that new house and those three new cars.
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
Logan: The other side is holding out for more concessions. I don’t know what they’re thinking. They made some pretty big demands at the start and I think we’ve given in to most of them. Now they’re countering with even more demands.
Gia: They probably know that they have us over a barrel. After all of the time and money we’ve put into this deal, they know that we don’t want to walk away.
Logan: That’s true and that’s why we’re still at the table, but they may be pushing too hard. In the end, I don’t think we’ll cave on those additional concessions.
Gia: So the entire thing is touch-and- go right now?
Logan: That’s how I would characterize it. If I were you, I wouldn’t make any long-term plans.
Gia: Duly noted. I won’t run out and buy that new house and those three new cars.
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
===========================================================
negotiation 談判,協商
put the finishing touches on it 進入最後階段
hold out for（為得到利益）拖延達成協議;維持；堅持
concession 讓步;讓步行為
give in 讓步
have somebody over a barrel（使某人）聽從擺佈，處於被動地位
walk away 轉身離開
cave 讓步；屈服；屈從
touch-and- go 不確定；無把握；很難說；吉凶未卜;草率從事的行動;一觸即發的形勢
characterize 是…的特徵；以…為典型
Duly 適當地；恰當地
2010年11月5日 星期五
English Café 261
Topics: Yelp; Book Review: The Road; advocate versus lawyer versus attorney; any; salmon and count/mass nouns
Words:
yelp （因疼痛等）尖叫
social networking
profile
review
recourse 依靠；依賴；求助
escapism 逃避現實；解脫方法
spare 不用的；閑置的
apocalypse /ə'pɑkəˈlɪps/ 世界毀滅
deserted 無人居住的；空寂無人的
dog-eat-dog 狗咬狗的;無情的;自相殘殺的
to grip 緊握；緊抓
quotation mark 引號
advocate 擁護；支持；提倡
lawyer
attorney
any
salmon 鮭；大麻哈魚
Words:
yelp （因疼痛等）尖叫
social networking
profile
review
recourse 依靠；依賴；求助
escapism 逃避現實；解脫方法
spare 不用的；閑置的
apocalypse /ə'pɑkəˈlɪps/ 世界毀滅
deserted 無人居住的；空寂無人的
dog-eat-dog 狗咬狗的;無情的;自相殘殺的
to grip 緊握；緊抓
quotation mark 引號
advocate 擁護；支持；提倡
lawyer
attorney
any
salmon 鮭；大麻哈魚
==========================
2010年11月4日 星期四
ESL Podcast 631 – Customizing a Personal Webpage
Keiko: The layout of your webpage is so lame. Why don’t you customize it?
Al: Why bother? I don’t want to spend the time or the energy.
Keiko: Let me show you my page. Check out this background. Don’t you think it’s great?
Al: Yeah, it’s great. Can I get back to my book now?
Keiko: You haven’t even looked at my page. Look at this. You can add all kinds of graphics and you can use the profile editor to list information about yourself: your hometown, your likes and dislikes, your relationship status, your mood, everything! You can link to or upload photos and videos, too. I even have a custom cursor and this scrolling text across the top
Al: Yeah, it’s all great, but kind of dizzying.
Keiko: You haven’t even seen my animated gifs. This funny baby will dance across the page, look!
Al: Thanks for the suggestions, but I think I’ll stick to a simple, uncluttered page. How long did it take you to do all of that?
Keiko: How long? Maybe a few hours.
Al: I’d rather spend a few hours reading a good book.
Keiko: Suit yourself. Maybe that’s why you have 22 “friends” and I have 200.
Al: Clearly your time has been better spent.
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
Al: Why bother? I don’t want to spend the time or the energy.
Keiko: Let me show you my page. Check out this background. Don’t you think it’s great?
Al: Yeah, it’s great. Can I get back to my book now?
Keiko: You haven’t even looked at my page. Look at this. You can add all kinds of graphics and you can use the profile editor to list information about yourself: your hometown, your likes and dislikes, your relationship status, your mood, everything! You can link to or upload photos and videos, too. I even have a custom cursor and this scrolling text across the top
Al: Yeah, it’s all great, but kind of dizzying.
Keiko: You haven’t even seen my animated gifs. This funny baby will dance across the page, look!
Al: Thanks for the suggestions, but I think I’ll stick to a simple, uncluttered page. How long did it take you to do all of that?
Keiko: How long? Maybe a few hours.
Al: I’d rather spend a few hours reading a good book.
Keiko: Suit yourself. Maybe that’s why you have 22 “friends” and I have 200.
Al: Clearly your time has been better spent.
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
==================================================================================
lame 瘸的；跛的；差勁的
customize 訂製，訂做，改製（以滿足顧主的需要）
bother 花費時間精力（做某事）
Why bother 何必
cursor 游標
dizzying 使人眩暈的；使人頭昏眼花的
animated 動畫的
uncluttered 簡潔的；整潔的；利落的
clutter 凌亂地塞滿；亂堆放
stick to 堅持（做某事）
2010年11月1日 星期一
English Café 259
Topics: The Great Smoky Mountains National Park; Famous Songs: Oh! Susanna; whichever versus whatever; tar-and-feather; mutually exclusive
Words:
smoke
old-growth forest = climax forest 已經達到其最後生長或穩定生長時期的森林
salamander 蠑螈（兩棲動物，形似蜥蜴）
settler 移民；殖民者
Words:
smoke
old-growth forest = climax forest 已經達到其最後生長或穩定生長時期的森林
salamander 蠑螈（兩棲動物，形似蜥蜴）
settler 移民；殖民者
log /lɑg/ 原木
cabin （通常為木製的）小屋，小棚屋
log cabin 原木小屋
banjo 卓，班卓琴（撥弦樂器，長頸、圓身）
true love
still 靜止的；平靜的；安靜的；寂靜的
nonsensical 荒謬的；無意義的
dialect 地方話；土話；方言
from memory 根據記憶
whichever 無論哪個；無論哪些
whatever （表示做什麼或發生什麼都沒關係，因結果都一樣）無論什麼，不管什麼
banjo 卓，班卓琴（撥弦樂器，長頸、圓身）
true love
still 靜止的；平靜的；安靜的；寂靜的
nonsensical 荒謬的；無意義的
dialect 地方話；土話；方言
from memory 根據記憶
whichever 無論哪個；無論哪些
whatever （表示做什麼或發生什麼都沒關係，因結果都一樣）無論什麼，不管什麼
tar 焦油；焦油瀝青；柏油
feather 羽毛
tar-and-feather 嚴厲懲罰
mutually 相互地；彼此；共同地
exclusive 排斥的；排他的
mutually exclusive
mutually exclusive
=====================================================================
cliff （常指海洋邊的）懸崖，峭壁
chorus 副歌
buckwheat 蕎麥
2010年10月31日 星期日
ESL Podcast 630 – Making a Medical Diagnosis
Terrell: Where have you been?
Sally: At the hospital, again. My doctor is putting me through another battery of tests.
Terrell: She still hasn’t been able to zero in on the cause of your pain and make a diagnosis?
Sally: No, she hasn’t. Part of the problem is that my symptoms are intermittent, and they seem to flare up only when I’m not under observation. The symptoms themselves are ambiguous, so finding the root cause hasn’t been easy.
Terrell: I can see how that would be mystifying and frustrating. Are you still in a lot of pain?
Sally: The mild pain in my legs seems to be chronic, but the severe pain in my back is occasional.
Terrell: I guess you’re not up for going out tonight.
Sally: After a day of being poked and prodded like a guinea pig, all I want to do is to curl up with a hot cup of tea and a good book!
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
Sally: At the hospital, again. My doctor is putting me through another battery of tests.
Terrell: She still hasn’t been able to zero in on the cause of your pain and make a diagnosis?
Sally: No, she hasn’t. Part of the problem is that my symptoms are intermittent, and they seem to flare up only when I’m not under observation. The symptoms themselves are ambiguous, so finding the root cause hasn’t been easy.
Terrell: I can see how that would be mystifying and frustrating. Are you still in a lot of pain?
Sally: The mild pain in my legs seems to be chronic, but the severe pain in my back is occasional.
Terrell: I guess you’re not up for going out tonight.
Sally: After a day of being poked and prodded like a guinea pig, all I want to do is to curl up with a hot cup of tea and a good book!
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
=========================================================================
battery 一系列；一批；一群
to zero in on 向...集中注意力
intermittent 斷斷續續的；間歇的
flare（短暫）燒旺；（搖曳着）燃燒；（火光）閃耀
to flare up 復發；突然加劇
ambiguous 模稜兩可的；含混不清的
root cause 根本原因
mystify 迷惑；使迷惑不解；使糊塗
mild 溫和的；不強烈的；輕微的
chronic 長期的；慢性的；難以治瘉（或根除）的
occasional 偶爾的；偶然的；臨時的
prod 刺,戳,桶
guinea pig 天竺鼠，豚鼠（耳小無尾，常作寵物飼養）; 實驗對象
to curl up 蜷曲着坐（或躺）
2010年10月28日 星期四
ESL Podcast 629 – Being Hungry and Full
Steve: I’m finally home and I’m hungry. What’s for dinner?
Brandy: I’m making a new dish. I think you’re really going to like it.
Steve: Oh, good. Bring it on.
Brandy: Well, I miscalculated the cooking time a little and it’s going to take longer than I originally planned. I know you’re famished. Here’s a snack for you to munch on while you wait.
Steve: I’m half-starved. I skipped lunch and had to work late.
Brandy: I know, but I also know you’re dying for something really good. I promise that it’ll be worth the wait.
Steve: Okay, but I could eat a horse right now. Bring me something else to snack on.
Brandy: Don’t be too greedy and eat too much. I don’t want you to spoil your appetite. I know that what I’m cooking is something you’ve been craving for a long time, and you want to save your appetite for it.
Steve: All right. I’ll wait. How much longer will it be?
Brandy: Oh, maybe another hour or a little longer…
Steve: Another hour?! I’ll be dead and buried by then!
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
Brandy: I’m making a new dish. I think you’re really going to like it.
Steve: Oh, good. Bring it on.
Brandy: Well, I miscalculated the cooking time a little and it’s going to take longer than I originally planned. I know you’re famished. Here’s a snack for you to munch on while you wait.
Steve: I’m half-starved. I skipped lunch and had to work late.
Brandy: I know, but I also know you’re dying for something really good. I promise that it’ll be worth the wait.
Steve: Okay, but I could eat a horse right now. Bring me something else to snack on.
Brandy: Don’t be too greedy and eat too much. I don’t want you to spoil your appetite. I know that what I’m cooking is something you’ve been craving for a long time, and you want to save your appetite for it.
Steve: All right. I’ll wait. How much longer will it be?
Brandy: Oh, maybe another hour or a little longer…
Steve: Another hour?! I’ll be dead and buried by then!
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
====================================================================================
dish 一道菜；菜肴
famished => very hungry
munch 大聲咀嚼，用力咀嚼（脆的食物）
half-starved => very hungry
dying for 渴望；極想
I could eat a horse 我餓極了
spoil 破壞；搞壞；糟蹋；毀掉
appetite 食慾；胃口
crave 渴望；熱望(food)
2010年10月25日 星期一
ESL Podcast 628 – Introducing a New Product
Augie: Today’s the day. I’m giving you the heads up. Our company is rolling out its new line of cell phones.
Lillian: I can see you’re excited about it. What’s so special about the new products?
Augie: This line of phones has state-of- the-art technology and never- before-seen features. It’s been in development for over a year and it’s been really hard keeping it under wraps.
Lillian: I thought information was leaked weeks ago.
Augie: Those were just rumors, and the company put a clamp on those pretty quickly.
Lillian: Wasn’t the new line supposed to come out next month?
Augie: That was the original plan, but since McQ Corp. is coming out with its own line of phones soon, we wanted to get a jump on them.
Lillian: And steal their thunder.
Augie: Yes, and steal their thunder. We had to scramble to get the phones ready ahead of schedule, but I think it was worth it. They’re really going to make a splash.
Lillian: I hope so. I hope all of this hype has been justified.
Augie: Oh, it will be. I’ll know soon enough.
Lillian: How?
Augie: You’ll be begging me to get you one.
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
Lillian: I can see you’re excited about it. What’s so special about the new products?
Augie: This line of phones has state-of- the-art technology and never- before-seen features. It’s been in development for over a year and it’s been really hard keeping it under wraps.
Lillian: I thought information was leaked weeks ago.
Augie: Those were just rumors, and the company put a clamp on those pretty quickly.
Lillian: Wasn’t the new line supposed to come out next month?
Augie: That was the original plan, but since McQ Corp. is coming out with its own line of phones soon, we wanted to get a jump on them.
Lillian: And steal their thunder.
Augie: Yes, and steal their thunder. We had to scramble to get the phones ready ahead of schedule, but I think it was worth it. They’re really going to make a splash.
Lillian: I hope so. I hope all of this hype has been justified.
Augie: Oh, it will be. I’ll know soon enough.
Lillian: How?
Augie: You’ll be begging me to get you one.
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
===================================================================
rolling out 正式推出（新產品）
in development 開發階段
keeping it under wraps => to keep something secret
rumor 謠言,謠傳;傳聞,傳說
clamp 夾具；夾子；夾鉗
come out 被獲知；為人所知
thunder 雷；雷聲
scramble 艱難地（或倉促地）完成
to make a splash【口】引起轟動
hype（電視、廣播等中言過其實的）促銷廣告，促銷討論
justified 證明…正確（或正當、有理）
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