English as a Second Language Podcast
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| Last updated Fri, 10 Oct 2008 07:00
A podcast for those wanting to learn or improve their English - great for any ESL or EFL learner. Visit us at http://www.eslpod.com.
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Download Now · | Fri, 10 Oct 2008 07:00
Slow dialogue: 1:26 Explanations: 2:58 Fast dialogue: 15:09 Ray: My mother is coming for a visit, which means we need to do some spring cleaning this weekend. Debra: I’ll get the duster, if you’ll get the broom. Ray: I’m serious. You know how nit-picky my mother is and I want our house to be neat and tidy. Debra: Fine, fine, I understand. You don’t want her to know we live in a pigsty. Ray: I’m not saying we live in a pigsty, but the house is a little messy and dusty. It wouldn’t hurt to straighten up a little bit, that’s all. Debra: I’m willing to pitch in, but...
Download Now · | Wed, 08 Oct 2008 07:00
Topics: American Cities: Salt Lake City; university admissions; within versus inside versus interior; so much for; to want out Words: to persecute temple canyon to be home to admissions to get a feel for due rank top-tier school back-up school to enroll deferred admission interior so much for to want out
Download Now · | Mon, 06 Oct 2008 07:00
Slow dialogue: 1:27 Explanations: 3:20 Fast dialogue: 17:04 Ben: Why are you squinting like that? Lauren: I left my glasses at the office. Ben: You mean you can’t see?! Lauren: I can see pretty well. What was that yellow sign we just passed? Ben: It said, “Dead End.” Stop! Turn around. Lauren: I can’t. That sign says, “No U-turn.” Ben: Okay, but we can’t keep going. Those signs say, “Do Not Enter” and “One Way.” Lauren: Okay, fine. I’ll just pull off the road and you can drive. Ben: You can’t. That sign says, “No Stopping.” Hey,...
413 - Talking About Intelligence
Download Now · | Fri, 03 Oct 2008 07:00
Slow dialogue: 1:17 Explanations: 3:15 Fast dialogue: 13:55 Andre: Mom, I can’t believe I got stuck with Matt as my lab partner in school. Josephine: Matt? Do I know Matt? Andre: He lives down the street. He’s Mr. and Mrs. Kemp’s son. He’s a total airhead. Josephine: Oh, I remember him. He was at your birthday party. Andre: Yeah, when I was nine years old! That guy is so dense! Josephine: Matt was always considered a gifted child. He seemed bright and perceptive, and his parents thought he’d go far. Andre: If you ask me, he’s not all there. Every time I look...
Download Now · | Wed, 01 Oct 2008 07:00
Topics: Ask an American: childhood obesity; besides vs. furthermore vs. moreover; wink-wink; thrill Words: to be doing veggie grass-fed organic salad bar to line up to segue processed food refined high fructose corn syrup whole food with an eye in the long run toward... furthermore moreover besides to give the wink-wink thrill
Download Now · | Mon, 29 Sep 2008 07:00
Slow dialogue: 1:40 Explanations: 3:55 Fast dialogue: 17:38 Joachim: I’m really having second thoughts about hiring a firm to do corporate spying for us. I don’t want to do anything that’s ethically questionable. Dawn: We have no choice but to do it. All of our competitors conduct corporate espionage. Joachim: I can understand spying on our competitors, but I draw the line at having us snoop on our own employees. Dawn: We wouldn’t unless our backs were against the wall. I know you’re thinking about Hewer Placket hiring investigators to find a leak in their company. I’m...
Download Now · | Fri, 26 Sep 2008 07:00
Slow dialogue: 1:31 Explanations: 3:03 Fast dialogue: 13:36 Frank: Hand me that bag of potato chips. Katie: Here. You mean you’re still hungry after two burgers and French fries? Frank: Yeah, I am. I’m a growing boy. Where’s the popcorn? Katie: I can’t believe we’re eating all of this junk food. I’m supposed to be watching what I eat. Frank: Forget about it. Who can watch a football game without stuffing their faces? It’s an American tradition. Katie: Where did you get those candy bars? Frank: Some kids were selling them door-to-door and I thought it was my duty...
Download Now · | Wed, 24 Sep 2008 07:00
Topics: The Chinese Exclusion Act; Library of Congress and the public library system; I thought versus I think; anyway versus however; to make (someone) earn (something) Words: Immigration to resent act to exclude citizen ethnic to repeal library to check out books Congress collection significant anyway however to make (someone) earn (something)
ESL Podcast Special Edition - VIdeo Podcast for 3rd Anniversary
Download Now · | Tue, 23 Sep 2008 23:00
Jeff: Hello and welcome to ESL Podcast’s third anniversary video podcast. We are now three years old, and as we do every year we are recording a short video podcast for you. This year, we asked you to send us some questions to answer, and in this podcast I and Lucy will be answering some of your questions. So, the first question is: “How did the podcast get started?” Well, back in the spring of 2005, three years ago, I read about podcasting in the newspaper and I decided to investigate it and learn about it. It sounded very interesting, a very good way to reach many people directly,...
Download Now · | Mon, 22 Sep 2008 07:00
Slow dialogue: 1:21 Explanations: 3:18 Fast dialogue: 14:53 Olivia: Dad, can I ask you a question? Dad: You just did. Olivia: I mean, can I ask you another question? Dad: Ask away. Olivia: Where do babies come from? Dad: What? Where did you come up with that one? Olivia: I don’t know. Dad: Let me tell you. That’s for grown-ups to know. You’re just a pipsqueak. You mind your own business and I’ll tell you when you’re a little older. Olivia: Why can’t you tell me now? Dad: No comment. Olivia: Dad, what does no comment mean? Dad: That’s confidential. Olivia:...
409 - Describing a Musical Performance
Download Now · | Fri, 19 Sep 2008 07:00
Slow dialogue: 1:46 Explanations: 3:55 Fast dialogue: 15:28 Janine: Okay, we need to find one more act for this year’s show. How many more people are waiting to audition? Calvin: There are two more. Should I call in the first one? Janine: Yup. Let’s get this over with. ... Calvin: What did you think of that performance? Janine: I thought she was flawless. She plays with a lot of passion. Calvin: Yeah, that’s true, but I wouldn’t call her a virtuoso. The piece she played was pretty rudimentary. Janine: True enough, but I still think she’s a winner. Calvin: Let’s...
Download Now · | Wed, 17 Sep 2008 07:00
Topics: The CIA; how to become a court interpreter and/or an interpreter for the U.N.; haunting versus haunted; completion versus completeness; to take (somebody) on Words: intelligence foreign advisor clandestine to tap a phone to bug to infiltrate espionage implication interpreter court to polish haunting haunted completion completeness to take on
408 - Calling Someone You Haven’t Met About a Job
Download Now · | Mon, 15 Sep 2008 07:00
Slow dialogue: 1:38 Explanations: 3:47 Fast dialogue: 15.25 Candace: Hello. Mehdi: Hello, may I speak to Candace Cho, please? Candace: Speaking. Mehdi: Oh, hello Ms. Cho. My name is Mehdi and I’m interested in applying for the job as assistant manager. Your name was listed as the contact person. Am I calling at a bad time? Candace: No, not at all. I’m the administrative assistant and I’m fielding calls for the person doing the hiring. What can I do for you? Mehdi: Well, I read the job description and I think I would be a good fit, but I was wondering if there are any special...
407 - Waiting for a Man or Woman to Call
Download Now · | Fri, 12 Sep 2008 07:00
Slow dialogue: 1:27 Explanations: 3:43 Fast dialogue: 15:06 Lyla: Okay, here’s a hypothetical. You ask a girl for her number, but wait two weeks to call her. What gives? George: Well, that depends. Why? Lyla: Well, I met this guy two weeks ago at a party. We spent the entire evening talking and I thought we really hit it off. We had a lot of chemistry and we had a ton of things in common. He asked for my number and he said he’d call me the next day. And then, I didn’t hear hide nor hair of him until yesterday, 10 days after we met. How come? George: What did he say when...
Download Now · | Wed, 10 Sep 2008 07:00
Topics: Famous Americans: Amy Tan; Americans with Disabilities Act; to take convincing, full-fledged, dude Words: descent to fight to give (someone) the silent treatment promise life-changing event expectation act disability to enact discrimination accessibility wheelchair elevator ramp exception to the rule bars to take convincing full-fledged dude
406 - Participating in Internet Discussion Groups
Download Now · | Mon, 08 Sep 2008 07:00
Slow dialogue: 1:32 Explanations: 3:29 Fast dialogue: 15:00 Dale: I didn’t know you read that forum. What’s your screen name? Jessie: It’s “jessiegirl,” but I don’t post very often. I like to lurk and follow the different threads, but I prefer to keep a low profile. Dale: Really? I post all the time. I just put my new web address on my profile, and check this out. It’s my new avatar. Jessie: That’s cool. I’ve been trying to figure out how to upload a picture for my avatar. Are there instructions in the FAQs? Dale: I’m not sure, but I can show you how...
405 - Buying Computer Accessories
Download Now · | Fri, 05 Sep 2008 07:00
Slow dialogue: 1:37 Explanations: 3:51 Fast dialogue: 14:19 Ginger: It’s really nice of you to come with me to buy my computer. This is the desktop I’m thinking about. Kevin: This is okay, but if I were you, I’d buy a laptop. It’s more versatile. You can travel with it. Ginger: I’m not sure about getting a laptop. The screen is so small. Kevin: No problem. You can get a separate monitor. This is a good one. You just need a connector and a cable to hook it up to your laptop. Here’s a monitor stand, too, so you can elevate it if you want to. Ginger: The speakers on...
Download Now · | Wed, 03 Sep 2008 07:00
Topics: American Cities: Chicago; The Star-Spangled Banner; just versus only versus mere; to kick butt Words: windy magnificent skyscraper public transportation system gangster Prohibition league anthem dawn twilight patriotic mere to kick butt
Download Now · | Mon, 01 Sep 2008 07:00
Slow dialogue: 1:13 Explanations: 3:03 Fast dialogue: 12:58 Anya: I don’t know how I’m going to get all of this work done before I go on vacation. Estevan: What you need to do is to delegate. Stop being a control freak and get other people to help you with your work. Anya: I’ve tried to delegate before, but I ended up having to redo the work myself. It was no timesaver at all. It definitely wasn’t worth the trouble. Estevan: That’s because you have to delegate in the right way. You can’t just assign a project to one of your employees. You have to give them explicit instructions...
403 â' Understanding Drug Labels
Download Now · | Fri, 29 Aug 2008 07:00
Slow dialogue: 1:30 Explanations: 3:35 Fast dialogue: 15:23 Bernie: Oh, I’m in so much pain! Where is the medication we got from the pharmacy? Gloria: It’s right here, but we need to read the label first. Okay, these are the active ingredients and they seem okay. This warning says that we need to watch out for any allergic reactions. It also says to ask your doctor before using it if you have heart problems. Bernie: I don’t. Can you just give me the medication? Gloria: I’m checking to make sure the seal under the cap isn’t broken, just to be on the safe side. I also...
Download Now · | Wed, 27 Aug 2008 07:00
Topics: Ask an American: Tattoos; to cover up, talk versus say versus speak, pronouncing certain consonants in the middle of words Words: buzz tattoo parlor tough guys broken heart to commemorate new born angst to put out there to hop in/into intricate to cover up to speak to say to talk
402 â' Buying Back-to-School Supplies
Download Now · | Mon, 25 Aug 2008 07:00
Slow dialogue: 1:21 Explanations: 3:11 Fast dialogue: 15:48 Svetlana: Tomorrow is the first day of junior high. Are you ready? Quinn: Sure, it’s not that big a deal. I already put some supplies in my new backpack. Svetlana: Let’s see. You have some folders, a three-ring binder, and a pen. Is that all you’re bringing to school? Quinn: I don’t have my books yet. I’ll get those tomorrow morning. What else do I need? I’m not in the second grade. I don’t need things like glue, crayons, and construction paper. Svetlana: No, but you’re missing a lot of stuff. I should...
401 - Giving Warnings and Cautions
Download Now · | Fri, 22 Aug 2008 07:00
Slow dialogue: 1:44 Explanations: 4:34 Fast dialogue: 16:25 Brett: Hi, Mom. Come in. Welcome to my new place. My roommates aren’t here right now or I’d introduce you. Mom: Hi, dear. This is...uh...nice. Brett: It is, isn’t it? I know you were a little worried about me moving out and into a house with five roommates. But as you can see, this is a nice place. Let me give you a tour. Mom: Oh, okay. Isn’t it a little cramped in the house with six people? Brett: No way! Come on. I’ll show you the rest of the house. Let’s go this way to the kitchen. Watch out for...
Download Now · | Wed, 20 Aug 2008 07:00
Topics: D.B. Cooper; the Underground Railroad; extend versus expand; God forbid; brown-bag lunch Words: to hijack threat unsolved mystery flight attendant bomb parachute in exchange for frayed unconvinced slave to escape to be sympathetic toward to extend to expand God forbid brown-bag lunch
400 - Working in a Dead End Job
Download Now · | Mon, 18 Aug 2008 07:00
Slow dialogue: 1:13 Explanations: 3:19 Fast dialogue: 14:01 Agency employee: Tell me why you’d like to sign up with our employment agency. Kurt: Well, right now I’m working in a dead end job. There are no opportunities for advancement. I’m already at the top of the pay scale, so there’s no chance of another pay raise. Agency employee: Okay, I’d like to find out a little more about your employment history. Tell me about your last job. Kurt: Oh, that was a mind-numbing position. I did menial work all day and I burned out in six months. Agency employee: What about the job...
