Topics: Famous Americans – Charles Schultz and Peanuts; The Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve; to be pleased to versus to be happy to versus it’s (one’s) pleasure to; to sit versus to seat; willy-nilly

Words:

cartoon 
freelance 
folks 
memoir 
tomboy 
national park 
national preserve 
glacier 
mine 
to designate 
volcano 
to be pleased to 
to be happy to 
It’s (one’s) pleasure to 
to sit 
to seat 
willy-nilly

English Cafe #450

Putting Celebrity Finance in the Spotlight

Education

Training

Language Courses

Higher Education

K-12

Educational Technology

Courses

Language Learning

Topics: American Presidents – Barack Obama; Famous Songs – “Anchors Aweigh”; diffidence versus timidity versus shyness; receipt versus reception; no problem versus not at all versus no big deal 

Words:
community organizer
healthcare 
candidate 
rising star 
biracial 
campaign slogan 
grassroots 
polarized 
affordable 
anchor 
ashore 
foam 
diffidence
timidity 
shyness 
receipt 
reception 
no problem 
not at all 
no big deal

English Cafe 552

Let’s not talk about the topic of today’s episode right now. So, how’s your day going?


Slow dialog: 1:25
Explanations:  4:00
Fast dialog: 18:29


Lila:  Why aren’t you dating?  I have so many friends who would love to go out with you.


George:  Let’s change the subject.  Talking about my love life isn’t very interesting.


Lila:  But really, you’re not getting any younger and…


George:  Moving on!  Have you seen any good movies lately?


Lila:  Listen, all of your friends are settling down and you don’t want to go through life alone and lonely…


George:  That reminds me, didn’t you say that you were going to get another dog so that Rover isn’t lonely when you’re not home?


Lila:  Forget about my dog.  You remember Rachel, don’t you?  She just broke up with her boyfriend and she’d be perfect for you.


George:  Speaking of Rachel, how is her mother?  Wasn’t she in the hospital?


Lila:  If Rachel isn’t your type, how about Amina?  She has great legs and I know you’re a leg man.


George:  And now for something completely different…How is your diet coming along?  Have you lost any weight yet?


Lila:  I don’t really want to talk about my weight.  


George:  But I think you’re having trouble shedding those pounds, right?  I have lots of suggestions on what you can do.


Lila:  Anyway, as I said before, I don’t really want to talk about my diet…


George:  You need to cut out sweets if you want to lose weight. Are you eating too many sweets?  


Lila:  That’s none of your business!


George:  My sentiments exactly!



Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

1,150 - Avoiding Topics in Conversation

Topics: Famous Americans – Muhammad Ali; The Golden Gate Bridge; valuable versus invaluable; north/south versus northern/southern; common ground and universal experience 

Words:
to take up
professionally
agile 
to reign 
nationalist 
social activist 
to be drafted 
to indict 
bridge 
strait 
fog 
precaution
dizziness 
valuable 
invaluable 
north / south 
northern / southern
common ground 
universal

English Cafe #490

Do you ever go to the supermarket without finding what you’re looking for? Learn more about it in this episode.

Slow dialog: 1:11
Explanations: 3:17
Fast dialog: 16:18

Stocker:  Can I help you find something?

Meg:  Yes, I’m looking for coffee.

Stocker:  That’s on aisle 3.  Let me show you where it is.

Meg:  Thanks.  Hmm, I don’t see the Jitters brand that I normally buy.

Stocker:  It looks like we’re out of stock.  We should get another shipment next week.  

Meg:  Okay, I’ll check back.  I’m also looking for the Fructose brand soda, but I didn’t see it in the soda aisle.  

Stocker:  I’m afraid that’s been discontinued.  Their parent company no longer makes soda.  

Meg:  Really?  I love Fructose soda.  How about the Mushy brand bread?  I didn’t see it when I checked the bread aisle.

Stocker:  We no longer stock the Mushy brand.  There were so quality control issues at the company, so we’ve pulled all of their products from the shelves.  Can I help you find anything else?

Meg:  No, I guess I’ll just have to try some new brands.  Oh, yes, do you carry Worm organic apples?

Stocker:  We normally do, but they’re out of season right now.  We won’t have any until early summer.

Meg:  All of this shopping and I have nothing to show for it.  I guess I’m going home empty-handed.

Stocker:  We do have chocolate cakes and cookies on sale.  

Meg:  I’m there!

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

English Cafe #450

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