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

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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）

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

====================================================================================

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)

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

===================================================================

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）

ESL Podcast 627 – Being Spontaneous or Well-Planned

Mariela: Wow, it looks like you’re working on a big project. What are all these pages and pages of notes for?

Will: I’m preparing for my date with Christine. I want everything to be well-planned and to go without a hitch.

Mariela: Okay, but I still don’t understand why you’re making such detailed plans.

Will: I want to be ready for every contingency. For instance, I planned a picnic, but if it rains, I’ll take her to lunch at the Garden Cafe instead.

Mariela: Don’t you think you’re taking the spontaneity out of your date? Why don’t you play it by ear? I know you don’t like to fly by the seat of your pants, but maybe she’ll have some ideas about what she’d like to do.

Will: Oh, I’ve taken her preferences into account. If she wants to do something active, we can go bowling or take a long walk. If she prefers something more passive, we’ll go to a movie.

Mariela: Well, it sounds like you’ve mapped out every possible alternative. Hey, what’s this?

Will: Give me that!

Mariela: I see you’ve mapped out more than just your date. You mapped out the entire trajectory of your life together: Get married in two years, have your first child two years after that...

Will: That is not meant for you. And plus, it’s just a tentative plan...

Mariela: You mean Christine will have some say in it?

Will: I may let her pick our children’s names. Now, get out of here, will ya?!

===================================================================

well-planned 精心策劃

hitch 暫時的困難（或問題）；故障；障礙

contingency 可能發生的事；偶發（或不測、意外）事件

picnic 野餐

spontaneity 自發性；自然

play it by ear 見機行事；隨機應變；根據情況需要行動

to fly by the seat of your pants 臨時憑感覺碰運氣；憑經驗瞎碰

take into account 考慮到;體諒

passive 消極的；被動的

map out 安排;制定出

trajectory（射體在空中的）軌道，彈道，軌跡，流軌

tentative 不確定的；不肯定的；暫定的

will ya 好不好

ESL Podcast 626 – Wiring Money to Another Country

Mahmoud: My brother emailed about an emergency situation. He needs $300 by tomorrow, but how can I get cash to him within 24 hours if I’m here in Mexico City and he’s in New York?

Sharon: That’s easy. You can wire him the money from here and he can pick it up immediately there.

Mahmoud: You mean wire him money through the bank? I already checked with my bank and it’ll take at least five days for them to process the wire.

Sharon: You can just use a private wire service like Western Union and the money will be available to him immediately. I wire money all the time using Western Union. Here is a blank form. I can help you fill it out if you want me to.

Mahmoud: That would be great. Hey, this form is for a money transfer. Is that the same thing as a wire?

Sharon: Yes, it’s the same thing. Fill out the receiver or recipient information here and the sender information there.

Mahmoud: Can I pay in local currency? I don’t have that much cash in U.S. dollars.

Sharon: Sure. When you go to the Western Union office, they’ll calculate how much you’ll have to pay according to the current exchange rate.

Mahmoud: Is there a fee?

Sharon: Yeah, there is, and it’s a little higher if you want the money to be available immediately. If you had more time, you could save a little by using the slower service that makes the money available in three business days. All done?

Mahmoud: Yeah, I think so. Now what?

Sharon: Now you take this to the nearest Western Union office. They’ll give you a copy of this form with a control number. Your brother can use that control number to pick up the money from any Western Union office in New York.

Mahmoud: Sharon, you’re a lifesaver.

Sharon: So, what’s the emergency?

Mahmoud: Tickets go on sale tomorrow for my favorite baseball team. My brother and I have to get tickets.

Sharon: That’s the emergency?!

Mahmoud: For us, it’s a matter of life and death.


Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

===================================================================

wire 給（某人）電匯

Western Union 西聯匯款公司

currency 通貨；貨幣;通用；流行；流傳

local currency 當地貨幣

exchange rate 外匯率

control number 檢驗號

lifesaver 救助物；救命物

a matter of life and death 生死攸關的事；成敗的關鍵

ESL Podcast 625 – Being Famous and Anonymous

Erik: Why are you wearing that getup?

Juliana: I’m trying to stay under the radar. I don’t want to create a mob by going outside without a disguise. People are going to recognize me.

Erik: So? Are you trying to tell me that you think you’re famous after being in one play?

Juliana: Of course! I’ve had my name in lights and I have to expect people to know who I am. Losing my privacy is the price of fame. Everybody knows that.

Erik: I think you may be overestimating the size of your adoring public. How many people went to see your play?

Juliana: Enough. By tomorrow, the newspapers will have my picture plastered across their pages and I will have to say good-bye to my anonymity.

Erik: If the papers don’t come out until tomorrow, why are you going around incognito?

Juliana: I’m just getting ready to meet my fans.

Erik: Depending on whether the reviews are good or bad, you may be famous – or infamous.


Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

==================================================================

getup 衣服;穿戴(常指離譜者)

radar 雷達

mob 群；（尤指）暴民

disguise 假扮；裝扮；偽裝

adoring 熱愛的；愛慕的；敬慕的；崇拜的

adoring public 公眾崇拜

plaster 貼滿，遍貼（畫片或招貼畫）

anonymity 匿名；不知姓名；名字不公開

incognito 偽裝；隱姓埋名

review 批評,評論 ; 評論雜誌(文章)

infamous 臭名遠揚的；聲名狼藉的

notorious 聲名狼藉的；臭名昭著的

ESL Podcast 624 – Advantages and Disadvantages in Life

Andy: Doesn’t it make you sick? We bust our butts around here and the boss brings in his nephew to be the new manager.

Nia: You never know. He may be a good boss.

Andy: I doubt it. He’s getting this opportunity just because he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He didn’t have to pull himself up by his bootstraps like the rest of us.

Nia: I’m going to wait and see how he is as a manager. I’m hoping to be pleasantly surprised.

Andy: If you’re a blue blood like he is, born into privilege and old money, you can do no wrong.

Nia: That’s not true. He’ll be held accountable for how this department performs.

Andy: But when does somebody like me get a break? Okay, I was born on the wrong side of the tracks. I grew up in a white trash neighborhood. So what? I’ve worked hard to get where I am now. That guy hasn’t paid his dues like I have.

Nia: You can complain all you want, but it doesn’t change the situation. He’s the new boss and we work for him. Get used to it.

Andy: Get used to it?! Not on your life!


Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

===================================================================

bootstraps 白手起家

pleasantly surprised 意外的驚喜

pleasantly 令人愉快的；可喜的；宜人的；吸引人的

blue blood 貴族血統;貴族階級;貴族

privilege 特殊利益；優惠待遇

accountable（對自己的決定、行為）負有責任，有說明義務

white trash 窮苦白人

Get used to 習慣於

Not on your life（斷然拒絕）決不會

ESL Podcast 623 – A Hit-and-Run Accident

Flora: What happened to my car?!

Saul: I saw it happen. A car came around the corner and hit the back of your car.

Flora: Didn’t the driver stop?

Saul: No, it was hit-and-run. The driver just took off. He was driving like a bat out of hell. It looks like he caused some damage.

Flora: Some damage?! My car is totaled. I hope whoever it was gets his license revoked. Better yet, I hope the judge throws the book at him and he does jail time. But how are the police going to catch someone who leaves the scene of the crime like this? That guy must be a real jerk!

Saul: Take it easy. Maybe he just panicked. It’s probably his first offense. Maybe he’s young and just learning how to drive.

Flora: Maybe...Hey, why are you defending the driver?

Saul: Well...

Flora: You know the person driving the car, don’t you? You’re not an innocent bystander. You’re trying to talk me out of calling the police!

Saul: Well, I have this nephew who sometimes borrows my car, and he drives too fast. He did hit your car, but it’s a simple fender bender.

Flora: Fender bender?! My car is totaled.

Saul: I’m sure it’s not as bad as it looks. If you don’t call the police, I’ll make sure it’s repaired. It’ll be as good as new.

Flora: Are you trying to pull a fast one on me?

Saul: No, not at all. I’ll get your car fixed, right after I wring my nephew’s neck!


Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

=======================================================================================================

hit-and-run 駕駛人肇事後逃逸

a bat out of hell 不顧一切的；以飛快的速度

totaled 徹底毀壞（汽車）

revoke 撤回,撤銷;廢除,取消

scene of the crime 犯罪現場

bystander 旁觀者

bend (使)彎曲

fender bender 不嚴重的撞車事故；輕微車禍

to pull a fast one on 對某人耍詭計

wring somebody's neck （表示憤怒或氣惱）擰斷…的脖子，非掐死…不可

ESL Podcast 622 – Having Well- and Badly-Behaved Children

Josephine: Hello.

Ray: Hi, Josephine, it’s Ray. We have a meeting today at 10 a.m. and I was wondering if you would mind if I brought my kids with me. Their babysitter didn’t show up.

Josephine: Oh, sure. That’s no problem. Your children are so well-behaved. Even at their age, they have impeccable manners.

Ray: Well, they’re not always little angels, but they’re not too much of a handful, thank goodness.

Josephine: You know what they say: Girls are made of sugar and spice and everything nice...

Ray: It is probably a little easier with two girls. I feel sorry for my mother who raised six boys.

Josephine: Six boys!

Ray: Yeah, and before we were born, my father thought that children should be seen but not heard. Was he in for a rude awakening! We were all very unruly. Imagine six boys only one year apart. We got yelled at a lot for being naughty.

Josephine: But that’s how boys are, aren’t they? Girls are different. They’re quiet, sweet, and even- tempered. What’s that noise?

Ray: That noise is my daughters creating a ruckus fighting tooth and nail over a toy. So much for quiet, sweet, and even-tempered!


Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
==============================================================
impeccable 無錯誤的；無瑕疵的；完美的
handful 難以控制的人（或動物）
feel sorry for 為...感到可惜
rude 粗魯的；無禮的；粗野的; 突然的；突如其來的；猛烈的
rude awakening （對於現實的）猛然醒悟，（對於理想、希望的）突然幻滅
unruly 難以控制（或管理）的 ；難以駕馭的
one year apart 相隔一年
yell at 大聲喝斥
naughty 頑皮的；淘氣的；不聽話的
even 鎮靜的；穩重的；平和的，溫和的
temper 心情；情緒；性情；心境
even- tempered 性情平和的
ruckus 喧鬧；騷動；爭吵
tooth and nail 拼命地
So much for 看起來不大可能

ESL Podcast 621 – Picking a Fight

I was sitting at my local bar waiting for my friends to arrive to watch the game. Two guys sitting a few seats away kept giving me strange looks, and one of them said, “What are you looking at?” I looked around to make sure that he was speaking to me, and before I could respond he said, “You want a piece of me? You and what army? Let’s take it outside.”

By this time, I realized that this guy was trying to pick a fight with me and I wasn’t sure what to do. I was hoping that I could make peace with him or at least hold him off until my friends got there.

I said to him, “I’m just sitting over here minding my own business. I’m not trying to get in your face. I don’t have a problem with you. Let’s just chill out and I’ll buy you and your friend a drink.” He didn’t seem to like what I’d said.

“Chill out?” he said. “I don’t need to chill out. Those are fighting words. Let’s take this outside. I want to see you running with your tail between your legs.” He got up and started to walk toward me.

Just then, my friends arrived. When the man saw my six friends walking toward me, he stopped in his tracks. I think he was weighing his odds and doubting his own chances. He turned around and said something to his friend, and then they both got up and walked out the door.

That was a narrow escape. I had never been so happy to see my friends as I was at that moment. Needless to say, the first round was on me.


Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
==============================================================
You want a piece of me 你是想找人(我)幹架是嗎 (擺明的針對他人)
pick a fight （向某人）挑起爭鬥
hold off 拖延
chill out 放鬆；冷靜；鎮靜
weigh 仔細考慮,權衡
weighing his odds 權衡勝算
narrow escape 死裡逃生
Needless to say 不必說；不用說
on me 我請客

ESL Podcast 620 – Making Quick and Slow Decisions

Courteney: Which of these vendors do you think we should go with?

Dante: I’m really hesitant to make a decision until we’ve pondered the options a little longer. We don’t want to make any rash decisions.

Courteney: We’ve sat on this for long enough, don’t you think? I know you’re of two minds about whether we should be switching vendors in the middle of the year, but I think it’s the right move. We had sound reasons for doing this, remember?

Dante: Yes, yes, I know that it wasn’t a split-second decision, but whether it’ll really save us money is debatable.

Courteney: I have to disagree with you there. We’ve both seen the reports and I don’t think there are any ifs, ands, or buts about it. We’re going to save money.

Dante: Okay, I’m willing to make a tentative decision to go with GreatDeal Corp. as our new vendor, as long as that decision isn’t set in stone. We’ll revisit this decision in six months to see if they’re working out.

Courteney: I can live with that. Now, can we discuss my raise?

Dante: Raise? That’s definitely something I’ll need to ponder a lot more.
==============================================================
hesitant 猶豫的；躊躇的；不情願的
hesitate （對某事）猶豫，遲疑不決
ponder 仔細考慮
rash 衡量輕率的；魯莽的
of two minds 優柔寡斷
split-second 一瞬間作出的；做得非常精確的
debatable 可爭辯的；有爭議的
no ifs, ands, or buts 沒有任何藉口
tentative 不確定的；不肯定的；暫定的 ; 躊躇的；猶豫不定的；不果斷的
set in stone 一成不變
live with 與...住在一起
raise 加薪；工資增長

ESL Podcast 619 – Packing Clothes for a Trip

Nick: Aren’t you done packing yet? We need to leave for the airport in 15 minutes.

Mariah: I’m almost done. I just need to finish packing my garment bag.

Nick: You’re bringing a garment bag? What for?

Mariah: For my dresses, of course. I don’t want them to get wrinkles in them. I have a bag for shoes, belts, handbags, and other accessories; two suitcases for clothes, swimsuits, underwear, and socks; and a carry-on for my makeup and toiletries.

Nick: What do you need all that for?!

Mariah: I’m preparing for all contingencies. You never know what situation you’ll be in when you travel, and I want to be equipped with anything I’ll need.

Nick: I should have expected this when I married a clothes horse. I’m surprised you didn’t bring your entire wardrobe.

Mariah: I was thinking about it. I’m sure I can make room. All of my bags are expandable.


Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
==============================================================
garment （一件）衣服
wrinkle 起皺紋,皺起來
suitcase 小型旅行箱;手提箱
carry-on （可隨身攜帶上飛機的）小包，小行李箱
toiletries （香皂、牙膏等）洗漱用品
contingency 偶然事件
equip 裝備,配備 ; 具有
clothes horse 講究衣着的人，追求時裝的人（尤指婦女）; 晾衣架；曬衣架
wardrobe 衣櫃；衣櫥；（英國）放置衣物的壁櫥
make room 騰出空間
expandable 可擴張的；可擴充的；可膨脹的

ESL Podcast 618 – Eating at a Casual Restaurant

Russell: Why aren’t you eating? Is there something the matter with your food?

Nadia: No, the food is fine.

Russell: What’s wrong?

Nadia: I’m not sure how to put this. I really like going to diners and hole in the walls with you, and I love mom and pop restaurants as much as you do. For me, it’s the food that counts, not the ambiance, but...

Russell: I thought you’d love this place. It’s my favorite greasy spoon.

Nadia: I do like it. It’s just that when you invited me out for my birthday and said that it would be something really special, I thought you might take me somewhere else.

Russell: Is that why you wore that nice new dress? You thought I was taking you to a fancy restaurant, with tablecloths, mood lighting, and snooty waiters.

Nadia: Well...

Russell: This is much better, don’t you think? We get to sit in this comfortable booth, listen to the jukebox, and watch our food being cooked behind the counter. I can’t think of a better dining experience. Don’t you agree?

Nadia: Uh, sure.

Russell: And don’t think you’re not getting something special for your birthday. I planned it all ahead of time.

Nadia: You did? Really? What is it?

Russell: I ordered you a whole pie!


Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
==============================================================
diner [ˈdaɪnɚ] 【主美】餐車式簡便餐廳;路邊小飯店
hole in the wall 狹小陰暗的店鋪（或餐館）
mom and pop 【商】(指商店)小型的
ambiance (地、人、物特有的)氣氛;周圍環境;格調
greasy 多油的；油污的；沾油脂的
spoon 勺；匙；調羹
greasy spoon （不衞生且廉價的）低級餐館；邋遢的小飯館
tablecloth 桌布
mood lighting 情景照明
snooty 傲慢的；目中無人的
booth（餐館中的）火車座，卡座
jukebox（酒吧等的投幣式）自動點唱機
ahead of time 提前;提早

ESL Podcast 617 – Buying Bathroom Supplies

Jan: We’re almost done. We just need to get some bathroom supplies for Kimberly.

Tim: Okay, here are some towels, a bathmat and a bathroom scale. Don’t forget the cleaning supplies. She’ll need some rubber gloves, disinfectant, bowl cleaner, and a plunger.

Jan: All right. We have all that. Where are you going?

Tim: She’ll need a soap dish and a toothbrush holder. She’ll need a trash can, too.

Jan: Okay, I think we’re all done. Kimberly is moving into an apartment with college roommates, not starting her own bathroom supply store. Let’s not go overboard.

Tim: I just need to get a couple more things.

Jan: What?

Tim: I’m buying her 10 packages of toilet paper and 20 boxes of Kleenex. She’ll be living on her own for the first time and she’ll need all that.

Jan: Ten packages of toilet paper and 20 boxes of Kleenex?! She can shop for herself, you know. You don’t need to buy her a six-month supply.

Tim: Clearly you don’t know college students. They’ll go through that in a week!


Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
==============================================================
mat 小地毯；墊子
bathroom scale 浴室磅秤
rubber 橡膠
disinfectant /ˈdɪsɪn'fɛktənt/ 消毒劑；殺菌劑
disinfect /ˈdɪsɪn'fɛkt/ 給…消毒 ; 消（計算機）病毒； 掃除（電腦）病毒
infect 傳染；使感染
germ 微生物；細菌；病菌
bath bowl cleaner 浴盆清潔劑
plunger 柱塞；活塞
go overboard 過分熱情；過分熱中
Kleenex 舒潔紙巾；紙巾
go through 執行某行動；實行某方法；履行某程序

ESL Podcast 616 – Having a Business Mentor

Alex: Where are you going?

Kenya: I’m going to meet my business mentor.

Alex: Your business mentor? What do you do with a business mentor?

Kenya: Well, my mentor is like an advisor. We meet regularly and I get her feedback and guidance with my ideas on starting a business.

Alex: Oh, so you’re her protégé?

Kenya: No, I’m not. I simply go to her with my ideas and she helps me hash them out. She’s a successful entrepreneur and I’m there to learn from her experience.

Alex: How did you get her to be your mentor? Were you already friends?

Kenya: No, I contacted her out of the blue, actually. I’ve read about her company and her many successes, and I wrote her a letter telling her about me and what I hope to accomplish. She agreed to meet with me, and at that first meeting, we really clicked and now we meet once a month.

Alex: That’s very generous of her. What does she get out of it?

Kenya: I’m not sure, but I think she enjoys giving me pointers and sharing her expertise. I’m very appreciative and she says I remind her a lot of herself when she was my age. I take that as a huge compliment.

Alex: You should. If you’re like her, you’ll be a multi-millionaire in no time flat.


Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
==============================================================
mentor 導師；顧問
guidance 指導；引導；咨詢
protégé 受提攜的後進
hash out 敲定
entrepreneur 創業者，企業家（尤指涉及財務風險的）
out of the blue 出乎意料；突然；晴天霹靂
click 恰好吻合;(兩人)一見如故,一拍即合
pointer tips
expertise 專門知識；專門技能；專長
appreciative 感激的；感謝的
compliment 讚揚；稱讚
millionaire 百萬富翁；大富豪
multi-millionaire 千萬富翁,巨富
in no time 很快;立即

在當 adv(平直地) 時, 有以下片語用於強調事情發生的速度或做事的速度很快

● 3 minutes/10 seconds,... flat ==> 例: I was dressed in five minutes flat. 我只用了五分鐘就穿好衣服了。

● flat out = as fast as possible 以最快速度... ==> 例: They were working flat out to get the job done on time. 他們正以最快速度工作, 爭取按時完工。

ESL Podcast 615 – Watching Daytime Talk Shows

Sally: Why are wasting your time on your day off watching these daytime talk shows?

Jerry: I think they’re entertaining.

Sally: You’ve got to be kidding. The only people who are booked as guests on those shows are losers or exhibitionists who want attention.

Jerry: No, they’re not. These shows are all about human drama and tragedy, something we can all relate to.

Sally: Give me a break! The people who appear on these shows want fame at any cost and the producers of the shows exploit them for ratings. They’re full of salacious details that nobody should talk about in public, and that I certainly don’t want to hear.

Jerry: I completely disagree. If you get off your high horse for a minute, you may learn something.

Sally: Like what?

Jerry: Like how to get rid of an annoying wife and get away with it!


Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
========================================================
day off 休假日；休息日
daytime 白天；白晝；日間
You’ve got to be kidding 你一定是在開玩笑
exhibitionist 出風頭
tragedy 悲慘的事；不幸；災難；慘案
relate to 能夠理解並同情；瞭解；體恤
fame 名聲；聲譽；名氣
at any cost 不惜任何代價
exploit 利用（…為自己謀利）
rating 收視率；收聽率
salacious 好色的; 猥褻的
get off（尤用於告訴別人）別碰，走遠點
high horse 傲慢的態度
get away with it 擺脫它

ESL Podcast 614 – Experiencing an Earthquake

Jamal: Did you feel that?

Keisha: Was that an earthquake?

Jamal: Yes, I think so. Turn on the news.

Newscaster: “Reports are coming in about an earthquake that occurred at 4:35 p.m. in the downtown area. We spoke with a seismologist at the Earthquake Center and learned that the earthquake had a magnitude of 3.2 on the Richter scale. The epicenter was near downtown, along one of the major faults, and the seismologist warns that there will be some aftershocks.”

Keisha: Phew! I’m glad the earthquake wasn’t a high-intensity one. I wish they could predict more accurately when those earthquakes are going to happen.

Jamal: Yeah, me, too. I’ve looked around the house and don’t see any damage, though. I guess our house won’t be declared a disaster area.

Keisha: Don’t be too sure. Considering the mess you’ve made in kitchen, it could easily be called a disaster area.

Jamal: In that case, will you be sending aid? I think I’m too tired to do the dishes.

Keisha: You won’t be getting any aid from me. If you’re hoping for a relief effort, you’d better ask the UN.


Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
==============================================================
seismologist [saɪzˈmɑlədʒɪst] 地震學家
magnitude 震級 ; 巨大；重大；重要性
epicenter 【地】震中,中心;集中點
fault 【地】斷層
aftershock 餘震
declared 公開宣佈（或聲明、表態）的
aid 幫助；援助
relief effort 救援工作
relief（給災區或交戰地區人民提供的）救濟，救援物品 ; （不快過後的）寬慰，輕鬆；解脫