Hello everyone, welcome to today’s episode.
Today we will be reading a story which you will be able to find in the description below. It is important that you listen to the story and that you follow it reading yourselves at the same time.
But do it following these steps: First only listen, trying to evaluate your understanding of the story. There is a glossary that will help you with some of the important information. When you are finished read the story again on your own, taking all the time you need to understand the expressions and the vocabulary that you just learned.
Then listen again, paying attention to the sound and combinations of the words. This last part focuses on pronunciation. Try to mimic the narrator’s rythm and intonation. Notice that many times the words are put together. There are no spaces in the middle. You need to get accustomed to this type of speed. It isn’t easy but if you put the effort and time, you will improve both listening and speaking in no time.
All right, let’s get started :
Amount: Quantity / levels of
Bodyweight: With the weight of the body.
Sand: minuscule particles on the beach.
To settled for: to lower your expectations, to conform.
It was all fun and games until: Everything was ok until…
Pay attention: to focuse on some detail.
Busy. With many activities and very little time.
run errants: Do many activities (obligations) out in the city: Buy groceries, go to the bank, pay the rent, take the clothes to the dry cleaner’s. (etc).
In no time: in a very short time
vibes: (vibrations) energy in a place
to approach: to come close to a person or a place.
To avoid: to prevent an action to happen, or to not do something.
-For a healthy diet, please avoid fast-food.
-Responsible people don’t avoid their responsibilities.
-The government didn’t communicate the information to avoid panic in the population.
To be in pain: To have pain.
To pass out: to lose consciousness
To sweat: when the body produces a substance to cool down the temperature of the body.
-When you do exercise, you sweat.
-When you have fever, you sweat.
To Hug: To put your arms around another person.
Tight: with strong pressure
LUCKY DAVE – AT THE DOCTOR
The last time that Dave went to the Doctor was 2 years ago. In general terms, He was a healthy guy :
He tried to eat nutritious food, which included vegetables (He hated vegetables), fruit (he loved fruit) and good amounts of macro-nutrients..
Additionally, he liked to exercise, well...not really. He didn’t enjoy running, he hated the gym, he felt bored with pilates, he didn’t like swimming and bodyweight exercise just felt stupid. He preferred some activity under the sun, some friends, and may be some sand, like beach-volley, unfortunately there were no beaches in his city. So he settled for football. His colleagues at the office loved and were crazy about football.
He had a very busy lifestyle and his job caused him a lot of stress. So any type of activity outside work was necessary, additionally, he wasn’t so bad at football. It was all fun and games until one day he started feeling some pain in his stomach. He thought it was weird but he didn’t pay much attention to it, he was too busy. He had to work and do many other activities. ¨An aspirin will be enough¨ he thought.
The following day he had more pain but he had to pay the rent, go to the bank and run other errants, he was too busy and had no time for pain.
The following day was Friday, he had many plans and could not have any type of pain. So he took three aspirins: “I am very healthy, I am sure that taking three aspirins won’t be a problem if I do it only one time” he said to himself.
After finishing his day at work, he left his office downtown and prepared for a great night out. He took a taxi and in no time he was meeting his friends, He saw Carol, John and Susan, oh yeah Susan was there. He was sure that if he played his cards well, he could have an opportunity with her.
He sat at the table and greeted everyone. There was some good music at the bar, great ambiance, Bruno Mars was playing in the background low enough so that they could have a conversation but loud enough to feel the great vibes in the air. It was all going well until boom, the pain was back, it was like a donkey kick in his stomach.
Susan saw Dave’s face change in a second and approached him slowly to avoid alarming John and Carol.
-Hey Dave, are you ok, you look like you are in Pain.
-I am fine, I just have a little something in my stomach but it will go away.
Then again, the pain came back stronger than ever. He knew that he needed to go to a hospital. It was not ok, but, what about Susan? He could not talk to her and may be invite her on a date. And again, one last time, the pain was so strong that he almost passed out.
-Dave, do you need to go to the hospital? You really don’t look good. I can take you in my car!
This was embarrassing. He thought that he looked like an idiot holding his stomach, sweating, and speaking with difficulty but he couldn’t postpone it anymore. So he accepted Susan’s help.
They paid their beers and left. In 15 minutes they were in the E.R.
-Please take him over here - said a Doctor.
-I am feeling a very strong pain in my stomach.
-About three days ago but it wasn’t so strong. Now it is just too bad.
-The doctor started examining Dave.
He continued asking some questions to try to diagnose his condition and asked Susan to fill out a form with his personal information.
After a while, the doctor sat down on a chair and said:
Dave, I have some good news and some bad news. Which do you want to hear first?
Dave looked at the doctor’s eyes and started fearing the worst.
-Bad….Bad news? Oh my gosh! Why? I am a good guy, I work hard, and I have so many things to do in my life! He looked at Susan. She understood that look and approached him, She hugged him tight. Her perfume was fresh and sweet, her hair was soft and her hug was warm. It was a great feeling, except for the horrible pain and the terrible situation, of course.
He took a deep breath and said:
-Doctor, give me the bad news.
Dave could not breathe anymore. He looked again at Susan and She looked at him and then She gave him a kiss.
-The good news is that you will not die today or in the next months. You will die may be in 60 years. Right now you only have some gas trapped in your intestines. Probably the last time that you used the toilet was two or three days ago. But you will be fine. Don’t you feel great now? You are fine Dave!!!!!
The doctor was laughing so hard. Susan walked to the doctor and punched him in the face and then left the office. The doctor fell down to the floor.
Dave and the doctor looked at each other and both started laughing at the situation.
The night finished all right, Susan kissed him. He couldn’t believe it.
Dave was definitely a lucky guy.
All right guys, thanks so much for listening. I hope this content can help you learn new vocabulary, keep contact with the language and improve your listening skills.
I’ll talk to you next time!
