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。