think 153 web tapescripts

TAPESCRIPTS 153

HoW To use THese TAPesCRIPTs❯❯ BEFORE you listen we recommend that you READ THROUGH the relevant

section of the FOOTNOTES2 (not the text itself). this should give you some idea of the subject3 and help you to understand the more diffi cult vocabulary as you listen.

❯❯ When you LISTEN THE FIRST TIME, don’t expect to understand everything; listening practice should not be a painful4 process. Simply see HOW MUCH MEANING YOU CAN EXTRACT FROM THE RECORDING.

❯❯ LISTEN MORE TIMES going back to the FOOTNOTES to integrate the infor-mation you have.

❯❯ If you are a SUBSCRIBER and have the exercises, DO THE RELEVANT EXERCISE once you understand reasonably well.

❯❯ FINALLY, READ the tapescripts AS YOU LISTEN again.❯❯ STOP each time YOU GET LOST or encounter a structure that interests or

confuses you.❯❯ REPEAT WORDS or PHRASES whose pronunciation surprises you.❯❯ two or three DAYS LATER, LISTEN to

the text AGAIN without reading to see if your understanding has improved5.

this process is intense and time-consuming. however, it will eventually6 solve the problem most learners have of relating7 the spoken word to the written. once you’ve done that, the rest is easy!

SPOKEN ENGLISH

Total Running Time:1 hour, 1 minute, 33 seconds

1 moreover – what’s more, furthermore2 footnotes – notes at the bottom of the

page (in this light blue box)3 subject (n.) – (in this context) theme 4 painful – (in this context) arduous,

unpleasant5 to improve – get better 6 eventually – (false friend) in the end 7 to relate – associate, connect, link

the following pages contain the transcriptions of what is spoken on the cD. Spoken English is signifi cantly diff erent from the written language:

❯❯ A more LIMITED VOCABULARY is generally used and it is, by defi nition,

MORE COLLOQUIAL.

❯❯ Moreover1, spoken English uses many more INCOMPLETE or BADLY

CONSTRUCTED SENTENCES.

❯❯ on the other hand, INTONATION andSTRESS can be used in speech.

1Part 1: estranged1 from assange (5m55s)

Commentary: listen to these people talking about free speech:Englishman (EM): So what do you all think about this – sort of2 – Wikileaks thing and ‘Estranges’ thingy3… and what’s he called? Essange?American man (AM): Assange.EM: Assange! Assange, that’s how we say it in English. Assange…AM: Julian Assange.EM: …him being – sort of2 – holed up4 in the embassy and all this stuff 5? Is that…Scotsman (SM): I mean6, I sympathize with7 him. I like the idea of Wikileaks. but again there’s a side to8 it I don’t like. I mean6, is it bradley Manning the Ameri-can soldier who was passing out9 all this information?AM: yeah, uh huh.SM: I don’t like that. I mean6, if you’re a soldier you have a contract to work in a

certain area and he’s going against every-thing he’s employed for and that goes against – y’know10 – and that’s being a traitor11 to what he’s doing.EM: So, you would follow… you would be one of these people who would accept that klaus barbie was just12 following orders and when human rights are not being respected and this, that and the other – y’know10 – that’s ok because they’re under contract to do a job?SM: I think he would’ve been more honest to resign13 before he did. So, I mean6, I think part of it is you’re deal-ing with14 secret information, he’s hand-ing out15 secret information but then he continues in his post16 and that I really don’t like. I mean6, I think if you work in something you have to work seriously, you have to do it well. If you don’t like something then you expose it, but then you must resign13. you must be conse-quent with what you’re doing.

Debate: The Limits of Freedom? (23m18s)

Find us on Facebook!

Webpage: www.thinkinenglish.net

DEBATE: thE lIMItS oF FrEEDoM? (23m18s)1. Part 1: Estranged from Assange (5m55s)

2. Part 2: Waiting for the Truth (1m40s)3. Part 3: Human Rights & The Geneva Convention (2m19s)4. Part 4: The Press & Corruption (5m45s)5. Part 5: Justifi ed Torture? (6m00s)6. Part 6: Private Secrets (1m36s)

MONOLOGUES: PEoPlE thAt buG ME (15m30s)7. Monologue 1 (5m45s)8. Monologue 2 (2m38s)9. Monologue 3 (3m07s)10. Monologue 4 (3m58s)

11. DICTATION: o-t-h WorDS (0m30s)

SHORT DIALOGUES (17m50s)12. Dialogue 1: No Bread (2m42s)13. Dialogue 2: Behind the Wheel (7m51s)14. Dialogue 3: Catch the Post (2m22s)15. Dialogue 4: Pure Theatre (4m52s)

16. NATURAL-TIME IDIOMS (1m14s)

17. PICTURE DESCRIPTION (8m01s)

SPOKEN ENGLISH

1 thinK in english ISSuE 153

Related ResouRces K Is Julian Assange more saint or sinner?

Photo by ElEkhh Pro-Wikileaks demonstration

EM: but if under… if he’s doing some-thing that is illegal how does that help that he’s resigned13 or not? I mean6…SM: It doesn’t at all17. I mean6, he’s in exactly… he’ll be in exactly the same situ-ation, but at least he would’ve made a statement18 and I think we’d see him as a more honest person.EM: ’Cos19 I mean6, my problem with ‘Saint Julian’ is that there’s20 all sorts21 of people like… from ken loach, the film director, who put up his bail22 and they – y’know10 – just23 lost their money ’cos19 he’s gone and hidden24 in the embassy,

in the Ecuadorian embassy when….AM: Well, I think they knew that was going to happen.EM: you think so?AM: yeah, I’m pretty25 sure.EM: I think some of them have expressed they’re pretty25 pissed off26 in the brit-ish press.AM: oh, really?EM: they feel they’ve been betrayed27.SM: Well, I mean6, obviously a lot of people are very angry at him and – I mean6 – I guess28 he’s playing the game that if he gets enough publicity he might

be safe.Englishwoman (EW): he’s also writing a book, isn’t he? Making money. I mean6, publicity…AM: yeah. to live the rest of his life in Ecuador with the doors locked29. I don’t know. I like the idea of Wikileaks as well30 and I think we need more people like Manning and Assange because people need to know these secrets. People need to know the truth.EM: but why is that necessary in top of investigative journalism31? I mean6, you’ve had your John Pilgers32 and your

1 estranged – alienated, disaffected, distanced2 sort of – (pause filler) kind of, like, y’know, I mean3 thingy – (informal) thingamajig, thing 4 to be holed up – be trapped, be hiding, be

taking sanctuary 5 this stuff – (colloquial) these things 6 I mean – (pause filler) y’know, like, kind of, sort of 7 to sympathize with – feel compassion for 8 a side to – an aspect of 9 to pass sth. out – reveal 10 y’know – (pause filler) like, kind of, sort of, I mean 11 traitor – betrayer, renegade, subversive, dissident12 just – (in this context) only 13 to resign – quit, leave one’s job

14 to be dealing with – be handling, be passing on 15 to hand out – distribute 16 post – position, job 17 -n’t... at all – not... in any way 18 to make a statement (make-made-made) –

act in a way that seems coherent and honour-able

19 ’cos – (slang) because 20 there’s – (in this context/informal) there are 21 sort – type, kind 22 to put up s.o’s bail (put-put-put) provide

the money that guarantees that s.o. will not escape and so means that s/he does not have to go to prison before being tried

23 just – (in this context) recently, a moment ago24 to hide (hide-hid-hidden) – (in this context)

take refuge, seek sanctuary 25 pretty (adv.) – reasonably, rather 26 to be pissed off (UK English) – be pissed (US

English), be annoyed/irritated 27 to betray s.o. – break one’s promise to s.o. 28 I guess – I suppose 29 with the doors locked – constantly feeling

insecure 30 as well – too, also 31 journalism – reporting 32 John Pilger (1939- ) Australian journalist

and documentary-maker

Think 153 | TapescripTs

ISSuE 153 thinK in english 2

Photo by SnAPPErJAck Julian Assange at the Ecuadorian Embassy

American equivalents, I can’t think of any at the moment…SM: I mean6…EM: …who have always been revealing state secrets without the slightly33 – sort of2 – suspect side of things that…SM: but media is dying. I mean6, news-papers are dying out34, they’re being bought out by big millionaires who are – kind of35 – putting… imposing their points of views. ok, anyone can publish…EM: Don’t say those things about Mr Murdoch!SM: Anyone can publish on the internet. but, there again, there’s so much informa-tion on internet that it’s very, very diffi-cult for someone to sift through36 it and work out37 what is real and what isn’t. I mean6, I like Wikileaks, I like the idea. Again I have this contradiction that I also think governments have certain informa-tion that they shouldn’t… they shouldn’t let out to the public.

EM: So how do we decide what that infor-mation is?SM: Well, then we have this nasty38 little problem of integrity…EM: yeah.SM: …and that’s a huge39 problem because it’s a big grey area ad it depends who’s interpreting it.EM: but so… I mean6… but do you think these things have to be controlled by judges or...? I mean6, there’s gotta40 be some – sort of2 – control if you’re respect-ing these things. EW: or some independent investigative group that maybe aren’t journalists41 and not Wikileaks, but – y’know10 – that’s actually42 keeping an eye on43 the grey areas and keeping an eye on…EM: but a lot of people would have prob-lems with the whole idea of indepen-dence because I mean6, you’re either… I mean6, obviously there are people who are linked to44 political parties which

could be a problem. but there’s also you’re part of the establishment or you’re not. And obviously if you are fully outside the establishment they’re not going to have you on those types of things.EW: no.EM: And if you’re part of the estab-lishment, well, you’re part of the establishment.SM: I mean6, I think we also have to be honest here. I mean6, have you read much of Wikileaks?EM: no, I’ve never visited their page.EW: no.SM: I’ve tried. I mean6, who reads that? they just45 publish these documents and I mean6, who is going to sift through36 that?EM: Journalists41 go through it.SM: but journalists have always done this. And wouldn’t it have been more effective to pass these notes and things to journal-ists directly?EM: but a lot of them they did, didn’t they?SM: Some did.AM: I believe they did. I think from the beginning… I think it was The New York Times, they had direct communi-cation with Assange and I think they released46… as they released docu-ments, they released them to the jour-nalists41 at The New York Times.

2 Part 2: Waiting for the Truth (1m40s)

EM: What do you feel is… I mean6, if there are going to be government secrets etc. what is the correct period to wait? I mean6, one of the things we just… in britain we’ve just23 been finding out47 over the last – I suppose, more or less – year a lot of stuff48 about the torture and the dirty war in relation to the Mau Mau49 in kenya etc. which was 50 years ago basically…SM: yeah.

33 slightly – somewhat, rather 34 to be dying out – be becoming extinct 35 kind of – (pause filler) sort of, like, I mean,

y’know36 to sift through – filter 37 to work out – determine, deduce 38 nasty – unpleasant, disagreeable, irritating

39 huge – enormous, massive 40 ’s gotta – (slang) has got to 41 journalist – reporter 42 actually – (false friend) really, in fact 43 to keep an eye on (keep-kept-kept) – be

vigilant of 44 to be linked to – be connected to, be

associated with 45 just – (in this context) simply 46 to release – (in this context) make public 47 to find out (find-found-found) – discover the

truth about 48 stuff – (colloquial) things 49 a nationalist guerrilla group

TapescripTs | Think 153


Photo by JD lEIPolD The Scots Guard

EM: Is 50 years a good length of time? Should it be only about 20?SM: I think it’s so relative it’s impossible to make a blanket50 law. I mean6, and I think the information about the Mau Mau should’ve been published a long time ago because that problem stopped a long time ago. There’s20 still people alive involved with that that I think should be tried51 and should be brought to justice.EM: Well, you’re also talking about compensation which should be paid and – y’know10 – all these people are dying off without ever being compensated for really, really vicious treatment52. I mean6, obviously it was a nasty38 little war on both sides. I’m not saying that the Mau Mau were – sort of2 – saints running around53 being Gandhi. but there’s20 things that make you embarrassed to be british either way54.EW: but in that case I don’t think they should be. I mean6, there’s20 state secrets that – y’know10 – that protecting the security, we don’t want other countries to find out47 ’cos19 – y’know10 – that kind55 of thing. but there’s20 also horrific things that are illegal and wrong and shouldn’t be happening. I don’t think there should be like56, “oh, now we can tell you”. I don’t… I think there’s different…SM: uh huh.

3 Part 3: Human Rights & The Geneva Convention (2m19s)

EM: but isn’t it… I mean6, the things that a state is gonna57 try and58 stop more than anything is – y’know10 – the heli-copter gunships59 coming in, shooting up a load of60 people who are filling up an ambulance or filling up a bread truck61 or whatever and then saying, “oops, that was a bread truck”. It’s those things that they’re gonna57 want to stop most. It’s those situations where there’s

obviously no respect for human rights or – y’know10 – so…EW: no.SM: I mean6, the respect for human rights. I mean6, this has also been a bit of a farce62. I mean6, the whole Geneva convention. I mean6, what a ridiculous concept! you expect people to go to war and abide by63 the Geneva convention. I mean6, it’s a wonderful idea but in the reality of it, of course that’s not going to happen.EM: you don’t think in national wars there is at least some feeling that does set64 limits, that does mean65 that people are looking over their shoulders66 to see if they can be prosecuted afterwards etc. etc.? I mean6,…SM: you’ve got governments looking after themselves.EM: yeah, I think it’s very, very different if you’re talking about, firstly, civil wars when anything goes67 after a bit68 because you’re talking about neighbour

against neighbour and it’s very difficult to judge that. It’s very difficult in a lot of asymmetric wars when you’re talking about a guerrilla organization against an army.SM: I mean6, it’s different. In the first Gulf War, for example, a Scottish regiment got sued69 for doing a bayonet charge during the war.EM: how quaint70!SM: At the same time – y’know10 – the bombing of the suburbs of bagdad was no problem. And – y’know10 – a bayonet charge, I mean6,…EM: Why were they prosecuted for doing a bayonet charge?SM: It was too violent!EM: Did the people… did they lose the case?SM: they lost the case. they had to pay. the regiment had to pay money. they were being too violent in war. I mean6, what a wonderful…EM: that is a bit silly.

50 blanket (adj.) – indiscriminate, general, universal

51 to try s.o. – judicially process s.o. 52 really vicious treatment – torture, cruelty,

serious abuse 53 to run around (run-ran-run) – (in this context)

act, behave 54 either way – (in this context) in any case 55 kind – sort, type 56 to be like – (slang) say

57 gonna – (slang) going to 58 try and – (colloquial) try to 59 helicopter gunship – 60 a load of – (informal) a

lot of, many 61 bread truck – vehicle

used for transporting bread

62 a bit of a farce – rather ridiculous 63 to abide by – respect

64 does set – (emphatic) sets, establishes 65 does mean – (emphatic) means 66 to be looking over one’s shoulder – be

worried, be preoccupied 67 anything goes – there are no rules, every-

thing is considered acceptable 68 after a bit – after a short period of time 69 to sue s.o. – take s.o. to court, start litigation

against s.o. 70 quaint – old-fashioned



Mark Foley

SM: …oxymoron71.EW: yeah, too violent in a war.EM: but ’cos19 I mean6, the whole ques-tion with something like that especially is that you are controlling each of your victims, whereas72 – y’know10 – carpet-bombing73 or daisy cutters74 or one of these types of things are obviously just45 taking out75 whatever’s in the area – animal, vegetables or minerals76 sort21 of thing. Wow! that’s… that’s absolutely stupid.

4 Part 4: The Press & Corruption (5m45s)

SM: I mean6, it’s funny77. the press, what’s released in the press, I mean6, I think it is very important. I think it does halt78 corruption. I think countries that have a powerful tabloid79 culture do avoid a certain amount80 of corruption.EM: but isn’t it a sort21 of corruption? I mean6, comparing – y’know10 – the typi-cal situation of… well, I don’t know… such and such a minister visited a prosti-tute, or something like that, is really none of my business81? I don’t really care82.SM: It depends on the minister. It depends on the minister.EM: Whereas72 if you have something like happened relatively recently I think in Greece where a newspaper83 published all of the people who had taken large84 sums of money out of the country, which, ok, isn’t illegal, but given the situation in Greece. or before that, I think they published lists of… a few years ago… of tax invaders – evaders, not invaders! – which I mean6, I think is a public service. but a lot of tabloid79 culture is about nasty38 dirty little secrets. It’s not really about things that matter85 like money

and…SM: Well…AM: Isn’t it… isn’t it… in the end isn’t it the politicians themselves, from one side or the other, that are feeding86 this infor-mation to the journalists41. I mean6, they are investigative journalists but I think in the end where they get their information from is through one side or the other of the Establishment. one side trying to… that’s not in power that wants to be in power leaks87 secrets of their opponents to journalists to print. I mean6, in the end… I mean6,…

SM: no, but that can be important. I mean6,…AM: no, I’m not saying that it’s not impor-tant, but who’s controlling the flow88 of information? In the end it’s the politicians.SM: Well…AM: …it’s the government.SM: Sometimes, sometimes. or people

that can get hold of89 information. I mean6, yeah, there’s a famous case in 2006. Mark Foley who was a republican Senator and he was pretty25 powerful, he was pretty high up90. he was one of the big anti-gay campaigners – y’know10 – family rights and he got caught up91 by the tabloids92 ’cos19 they found he was texting obscene messages to 16-year-old boys and he was charged with being a paedophile. For example, I think that’s fantastic. AM: Sure.SM: you’ve got one person preaching93 one thing and doing another thing. that person deserves to be94 busted95.EM: how are we going to have a political system if we’re not allowing96 hypocrisy?!SM: Well.EM: no. but, yes, I mean6, obviously if… I mean6, especially when people are taking attitudes which are – sort of2 – anti certain minorities. I mean6, there was one of… wasn’t it in hungary or in Austria where one of the nazis… neo-nazis leaders was outed97 relatively recently? Which was quite amusing98. but, yes, that’s… I mean6, that’s always a case. Although I mean6, where, again where do you draw the line99? because I mean6, in itself outing97 somebody because they’re gay is wrong unless they are preaching93 anti-gay sentiment.SM: Sure, I agree. there’s a very fine line100 between victimization and expos-ing a problem. I mean6, and that’s always going to be the problem. I mean6, John Profumo, English politician, and he got caught by The Daily Mail. he was having an affair with a girl who was actually42 a Soviet informer. So, this was seen as – kind of35 – The Daily Mail possibly

71 oxymoron – contradiction in terms 72 whereas – by contrast 73 carpet-bombing – dropping bombs in such a

way that every living thing and every structure in an area is destroyed

74 daisy cutter – powerful and highly destruc-tive bomb that destroys everything at ground level over an area

75 to take sth. out (take-took-taken) – eliminate, annihilate

76 animal, vegetable or mineral – (in this context) absolutely everything

77 funny – curious 78 does halt – (emphatic) halts, stops, prevents 79 tabloid (adj.) – (in this context) red-top, relating

to sensationalist newspapers 80 a certain amount of – some81 to be none of my business – not be sth. that

should concern me 82 I don’t care – it is not important to me 83 in fact, a magazine, Hot Doc, edited by

Kostas Vaxevanis84 large – (false friend) big 85 to matter – be important 86 to feed (feed-fed-fed) – provide, supply, give 87 to leak – disclose, divulge, reveal 88 flow – leaking, disclosure, divulgation89 to get hold of (get-got-got) – obtain, acquire 90 to be high up – be important, be near the top

of a hierarchy

91 to get caught (up) (get-got-got) – be trapped, have one’s dishonesty revealed

92 tabloid – (in this context) red top, sensational-ist newspaper

93 to preach – advocate, proclaim 94 deserves to be – should be, ought to be 95 to be busted – (in this context) be denounced 96 to allow – permit 97 to out s.o. – reveal publicly that s.o. is homo-

sexual 98 amusing – funny, comical 99 to draw the line (draw-drew-drawn) – set the

limit 100 fine line – subtle distinction 101 to search for – look for, try to find



Abu Ghraib

saving the country from a huge39 political embarrassment. So, I don’t like tabloids, but again I see this certain service they give to society, this control. I mean6, – y’know10 – the investigators have a lot of money. they’re there looking every-where, they’re searching for101 stories and the police have to keep ahead of102 them. the politicians and important people have to keep ahead of them. And that’s setting64 a pretty25 high limit.EM: yeah, but I would still say that their primary interest is muck103, not serious corruption.EW: And selling papers104.SM: yeah, but the higher up the muck103. So, a corruption case of a high105 politi-cian, I mean6, that means a lot of money and that sells a lot better than a corrup-tion case of a minor star.EM: Sure, but they are happy to… it makes no difference to them if it’s some-thing that is illegal or something which is just45 titillating106 and they won’t get prosecuted unless they are falsifying the situation. So, I mean6, people with, shall we say, exotic sexual tastes, while they’re not illegal, are great stories for the – y’know10 – the front page of a red top107.SM: yeah.EM: but that’s their private life, isn’t it?

SM: Sure, there’s also… well, the News of the World. there was a case of corruption.EM: It doesn’t exist anymore.SM: yeah, this is a couple of years back. that was in 2010 the Pakistani umpires108 and the cricket match.EM: uh huh.AM: uh huh.EM: Who cares?SM: Well, they accused them of cheating. Well, there’s20 a lot of millions involved.EM: yeah, yeah, yeah.SM: And they were rigging matches109.EM: Sure.SM: Again those were journalists41 who found that out47. the umpires108 were then tried51 and – y’know10 – finally ended up prison. I’m not sure what happened to them.EM: It’ll turn up110 there’s corruption in cycling next, won’t it?SM: oh, I wouldn’t believe that!

5 Part 5: Justified Torture? (6m00s)

AM: Where do you draw the line99 with the type of information that… that the tabloids92 or the newspapers print? Like111, going back to state secrets or something that’s… information on foreign policy112 – y’know10 – confiden-tial information. I mean6, where do you

draw the line99? Do you…EW: yeah, because they... I mean6, the people who draw the lines99 themselves are actually42 protecting their… they’re justifying their actions, like, for example, the torture in Guantanamo.EM: Abu Ghraib.EW: And things like that. It’s like they… there is someone somewhere that says this is actually42 justifiable because it’s protecting you lot113 from – y’know10 – terrorism or whatever. but they will find a way to justify it. So, in the end however much you expose some stuff48, is anything… what is going to actually42 change? they must somehow be able… they can control what the results are going to be of this exposure in a way. It’s like… I mean6, how much is this… the Wikileaks, is that – y’know10 – obviously they don’t like it. they’re trying to stop this man. but has it actually42 had any change – y’know10 – the information that has come out114?AM: I don’t know on a civilian level, but I’d have to say that, yes. If other countries, other governments got a-hold of115 that information I’m sure they’d find it very useful.EM: I think probably…EW: you think…EM: Probably there must be much more

102 to keep ahead of s.o. (keep-kept-kept) – (in this context) discover what is happening before s.o. else does

103 muck – (in this context) scandal, salacious secrets

104 papers – (in this context) newspapers 105 high – important, top 106 titillating – provocative, salacious, sexually

suggestive107 red top – sensationalist newspaper 108 umpire – equivalent of a referee in cricket or

tennis 109 to rig a match – take decisions to ensure that

one of the two teams won, illicitly influence the result

110 to turn up – turn out, be revealed

111 like – (pause filler) y’know, I mean, sort of, kind of 112 foreign policy – diplomatic relations, interna-

tional strategy 113 you lot (UK English) – you all, you guys (US

English), youse (slang), you (plural)114 to come out (come-came-come) – be

revealed 115 to get (a-)hold of (get-got-got) – obtain



Photo by ArMy SPc. MIcAh E. clArE Blackwater in action

vigilance in, for example, the uS military about people going too far116, people committing torture or murdering. I imagine there’s now... there’s20 many, many fewer rendition flights and all that type of thing because all of that’s come out114. So, yeah, I think it probably has. I mean6,…EW: So, do you think… yeah, ok.EM: Erm…EW: but then…EM: Whether117 it’s made also a differ-ence in the fact of – y’know10 – people being killed because of information that’s been revealed: interpreters, people trans-lating for the military who – y’know10 – a lot of… a lot of interpreters have been murdered in Iraq. Whether that’s because of Wikileaks or not, I don’t know. Is that an acceptable thing? not really. I don’t know.AM: I mean6, but does the public need to know these things? I mean6, these deci-sions about what we do with terrorists or foreign policy?EM: yes!EW: yes, that’s what I’m trying to say really. Is… maybe it’s not…EM: If somebody is committing… is committing torture in my name, I want to know about it. yes, I think we do need118 to know that.SM: yes, but then… well, the great moral dilemma, isn’t it? I mean6, perhaps it’s necessary under certain circumstances.EM: I don’t believe it is. I don’t think it’s a very good way of getting information.SM: nor do I.EM: What torture does is that it makes somebody tell you what they think you want to hear, not what is necessarily the truth.SM: I think more than that it’s catharsis for the person torturing.EM: yeah, quite possibly.SM: And… but maybe there… maybe hypothetically there could be a case where certain information is needed in very little time that could save other people. And again there’s this grey area.

116 to go too far (go-went-gone) – act in an excessive way

117 whether – (in this context) if

118 do need – (emphatic) need 119 to work on – (in this context) torture 120 just – (in this context) exactly

121 to wear s.o. down (wear-wore-worn) – exhaust s.o. and diminish his/her determina-tion to resist

EM: I think again it depends on the – sort of2… if you’re talking about, as we probably I think most of us are without mentioning it… but if you’re talking about religious fundamentalists, i.e. Islamic fundamentalists, they’re probably the worst people to work on119 in terms of torture just45 because – y’know10 – they have a view of where they’re going and what they’re doing.SM: I’m not so convinced. I mean6, I think they’re evil in just120 the same way.EM: I think you could probably… once you’ve worn somebody… once you’ve isolated somebody and worn them down121 a bit and tired them out a bit, an awful lot of people would think in terms of plea bargaining122, in terms of – y’know10 – what they can… what is their personal situation without having to torture them, whereas72 in that type of situation you’re not going to get anything out of them because their eternal soul123 is…AM: I don’t agree with that. I think profes-sional soldiers are taught not to… not to leak87 information.SM: yeah.AM: they go through specific training

for that.SM: yeah, and I think a lot of fundamen-talists do crumble124 because I think it’s easier to talk about… I mean6, there’s a great John cornford poem where he’s looking at a militia man in the hospital, you know? the man’s so prepared to die for the cause, so unprepared to suffer. And I think there’s a certain truth in that.EM: yeah, but I mean6, again, organiza-tions, I mean6, one of the whole things about – sort of2 – torture and what mili-tary people are prepared for normally is to draw the thing out125 long enough for the thing to be… for contingency plans to be made so that information stops being important. So, it tends to be about time rather than126 not revealing the information. I just45 don’t believe… I just… I think there’s a huge39 danger of losing the values that you’re defending in the process of defending them. And a disciplined military doesn’t need to be doing those types of things, doesn’t… – y’know10 – needs to be able to differ-entiate between civilians and combat-ants and etc. etc. I mean6, it’s probably hugely127 idealist and it’s coming from somebody who isn’t risking their life on



Photo by MArInA cArrESI Monologue 1

a daily basis. I accept that.SM: yeah, no. I mean6,…EM: I think that… I also know military people who would argue that exact same thing that I’m saying.

6 Part 6: Private Secrets (1m36s)

SM: no, but I agree. I think… I think it’s very important to have press. It’s very… I mean6, Wikileaks up to a certain point I think it’s important to have people look-ing critically at what is happening and that is a way of preventing128 – y’know10 – torture in a war situation, corruption in a political situation in a country. It can be a way of preventing it.

EM: Is Wikileaks only about state things or I mean6, is there somebody whistle-blowing129 in the tobacco industry or whistleblowing in the pharmaceutical industry? Are they… is Wikileaks…EW: or animal rights or anything like that? or are they just…?EM: Is Wikileaks open to that or, do you know?SM: I don’t know, I don’t know.EM: Well, since you’re the only one with information!SM: I mean6, I know a whole lot of infor-mation came out about coca-cola facto-ries. I don’t know if that originated with Wikileaks?EW: A secret ingredient.

EM: yeah. no, I mean6, ’cos19… I mean6, more and more of society is that private sector and the private sector doing things wrong and also being as sophisticated about spinning130 information as the politicians. I mean6, that’s as important I think. I mean6, even on the military side of things you’ve got blackwater and all of these types of things. A lot of what’s gone wrong in the Middle East with Allied intervention or coalition intervention has been the private sector as well30.SM: I think it’s very difficult to separate them. the private sector pays for elections in a lot of countries. I mean6, there’s… the association is so tight131 that I’m not sure they can be distinguished. ■

122 plea bargaining – negotiating in order to spend less time in prison

123 soul – spirit 124 do crumble – (emphatic) crumble, (in this

context) collapse emotionally, lose one’s deter-mination to resist

125 to draw the thing out (draw-drew-drawn) – make sth. last longer

126 rather than – as opposed to, instead of 127 hugely – very 128 to prevent – stop 129 to whistleblow – denounce illegal practices 130 to spin (spin-span-spun) – (in this context)

distort, manipulate 131 tight – close, intimate 132 to annoy – irritate, infuriate

133 trait – characteristic, attribute 134 to grind one’s gears (grind-ground-ground)

– irritate one 135 bossy – domineering, imperious, dictatorial,

authoritarian, despotic, tyrannical136 to have zero listening skills (have-had-had)

– be incapable of listening to other people 137 that doesn’t fly with me – I don’t like that

Commentary: listen to these people talking about personality types that annoy132 them.

7 Monologue 1 [US English] (5m45s)

I like to think of myself as a patient person that’s not quick to judge. however, there are a few personality traits133 that really grind my gears134. take bossy135 people, for example. they’re constantly telling you what to do and usually their way is the only way to do it. this type of person typically has zero listening skills136, preferring a more direct-and-demand approach to life. yeah, that certainly doesn’t fly with137 me.

Another personality trait133 that grinds my gears134 is what I like to refer to as verbal diarrhoea. you know, those people who talk nonstop. now, I have to say that

Monologues: PeoPle ThaT Bug Me (15m30s)



Monologue 2

I’m not much of a talker. I fancy myself138 a good listener though. but being a good listener doesn’t mean I like to listen to someone chewing my ear off139 for half an hour without being able to get a word in edgewise140. really, the only way you can deal with141 this type of person is by shaking your head142 occasionally and saying ‘uh huh’ a lot.

Perhaps one of the personality traits133 that I find the most annoying143 is preju-dice of any sort21, whether it’s144 reli-gious, sexual or racial. I mean6, I really find it hard145 to be around anyone who prejudges others based on generalities and pigeonholed146 preconceptions of certain genders, races or classes.

Another trait133 I find it hard145 to deal with141 is pessimism. right, I know the world is not all fun-and-games147 and peace-and-love148 all the time. In fact, someone who is overly149 optimist… optimistic is quite annoying143 as well30, come to think about it. Anyways, what I don’t need is someone who is constantly fretting150 and expecting the worst. I suppose something in the middle is the healthiest151 route and something I try to aim for152. I think I’m not real fond of153 this personality trait133 because at one point of my life I was pretty25 pessimistic. yeah, it’s something that I try to make an effort to avoid.

let’s see, what else annoys132 me? Another thing that is irritating are people who constantly complain154 but don’t do anything about it. For example, I knew a guy who constantly complained about his job and how unhappy he was at work, but never did anything in the years I knew him to change. or when people complain about not having any money but blow155 it on unnecessary things they don’t need. It’s like, great, you’ve

got the latest iPhone but you don’t have any money for groceries156. Last but not least157 is when people complain about their weight or their health but at the same time they have an unhealthy diet and lead158 an unhealthy life, for example, they don’t do any exercise at all17.

And I almost forgot. one of the things that I find really annoying143 is people that find it impossible to apologize for something. I have a funny story. the other day I was in the bank and I had to make a deposit and I specifically told the cashier that on the deposit the description had to have my full name, complete name, as it appeared on my ID card. So, he shakes his head142, “yes...” and he starts to… he puts everything in the system, takes my money and he gives me the… the deposit slip159 and I start to walk out of the bank and as I walk out of the bank I realize160 that he put just12 an initial for my first name and he spelt my last

name incorrectly. So, I was bound to161 have problems in the future because my complete and correctly spelt name had to be on the deposit slip. So, I go back in and I tell him, “look, you know I told you before and I even gave you my ID card that – y’know10 – my name, my complete name correctly spelt had to be on the deposit slip.” And so he looked at the deposit slip, looked at my ID card and said, “Well, I mean6, what do you want me to do about this?” I was like56, “Well, I want you to put my complete name and spell my last name correctly. you know, my last name ends in ‘z’ not in ‘k’.” And his reaction was, instead of162 “oh, I’m terri-bly sorry. you know, I must’ve – y’know10 – been doing it too quickly, wasn’t think-ing and I misspelled163 it. I’m sorry for doing that.” but he was incapable of saying sorry and basically blamed164 me for having a ‘strange’165 last name. yeah, that’s probably one of the things that

138 to fancy oneself – consider oneself 139 to chew s.o’s ear off – talk too much to s.o.140 to get a word in edgewise (get-got-got) –

contribute to a conversation 141 to deal with (deal-dealt-dealt) – handle,

interact with 142 to shake one’s head (shake-shook-shaken) –

say ‘no’ with your head 143 annoying – irritating 144 whether it’s – be it 145 hard – (in this context) onerous, difficult 146 pigeonholed – (in this context) categorizing

147 fun-and-games – leisure 148 peace-and-love – cordiality 149 overly – excessively 150 to fret – worry 151 healthiest – most salubrious, (in this context)

best 152 to aim for – achieve, have as an objective 153 to be fond of – like 154 to complain – criticize, protest 155 to blow (money) (blow-blew-blown) – spend 156 groceries – food 157 last but not least – the last in order but not in

importance 158 to lead (lead-led-led) – (in this context) live,

have159 deposit slip – form on which the details of a

deposit into a bank account are written 160 to realize – (false friend) become conscious 161 was bound to – would certainly 162 instead of – rather than, as opposed to 163 to misspell – spell sth. incorrectly, make

orthographic mistakes 164 to blame s.o. – hold s.o. responsible 165 strange – (false friend) unusual



Related ResouRces c What types of people most irritate you?

Photo by MIcAElA SIlVAPhoto by MArInA cArrESI Monologue 3

annoys132 me the most, people that are unable to apologize for something.

8 Monologue 2 [South African English] (2m38s)

I had to think long and hard166 about what to say about character traits133 that bug167 me. I like to think that I’m toler-ant of people’s foibles168. I don’t include here the big issues169 of moral, political or cultural divides170 that I fi nd myself unable to171 cross172 and which are not I think appropriate for this discussion173. I fi nd that most often when I consider the behaviour174 of another that I fi nd annoying143 I can recall175 several occa-sions when I’ve displayed176 exactly that behaviour174 pattern177 often to a more pronounced178 degree. I should there-fore179 be wary180 of hating in others that which I fi nd I will have to hate in myself even more. Actually42, we use the word ‘hate’ rather181 easily these days. It is a strong term for the level of irritation

166 long and hard – a lot 167 to bug – (informal) irritate 168 foibles – weaknesses, idiosyncrasies 169 issue – matter, question 170 divide (n.) – gulf, division, difference 171 to be unable to – be incapable of (+ -ing)172 to cross – (in this context) transcend 173 discussion – (false friend) conversation, (in

this context) monologue, answer 174 behaviour – conduct 175 to recall – remember 176 to display – exhibit 177 pattern – (in this context) tendency

178 pronounced – (in this context) conspicuous, noticeable

179 therefore – for this reason, thus 180 to be wary – be cautious 181 rather – somewhat, surprisingly 182 to ruffle one’s feathers – upset one, irritate

one 183 nowadays – these days 184 would rather – would prefer it if 185 inconvenient – inappropriate, irritating 186 to skirt the issue – avoid the matter, not

answer the question 187 selfishness – egotism

188 I am guilty of – I could legitimately be accused of

189 to find sympathy with (find-found-found) – accept

190 to cheat s.o. out of – defraud s.o. of 191 livelihood – daily bread, means of

survival/subsistence192 issue – (in this context) question, matter 193 purse – (UK English) 194 to remove from – (in this context) steal

from, rob from 195 handbag – 196 accurate – precise

one may experience when a friend or colleague does or says something that ruffl es one’s feathers182. Nowadays183, ‘I hate’ seems to have replaced ‘it annoys132 me’ or “I would rather184 you didn’t” or “it’s most inconvenient185 when…” or even ‘I object to’.

having tried to skirt the issue186, I think have to admit that if it is impossible not to have preferences, and I believe that it is. And if it is true that I like one person more than his friend or his wife or the neigh-bour, then there must be some people I like less. And if I can admit that, it is only a short journey to there are some people or certainly some things about some people that I don’t like.

I do not like people who I perceive to be intolerant. I hope that is not something of which I can be accused. I am really irri-tated by selfi shness187, self-centredness and by people who cannot see there may be another point of view. certainly I am guilty of188 all these from time to time.

there is one genuine personality type I fi nd most diffi cult to fi nd sympathy with189. I do not personally know anyone like this but I’ve seen several interviews with people who are dishonest, know that they are dishonest and have no problem at all with the fact that they make a living out of cheating others out of190 their livelihood191. but perhaps I am highly sensitized to this particu-lar issue192, having had my purse193 removed from194 my handbag195 while shopping just12 yesterday.

9 Monologue 3 [Irish English] (3m07s)

one thing that really bugs167 me is people who say ‘literally’ and do not literally mean it. here’s a quick lesson for you now so that someone doesn’t shout it in your face. ‘literally’ means ‘literally’. If the number of the people in the world who said they were ‘literally this’ or ‘literally that’ were being accurate196 then we’d

ter

thInk 153 | taPescRiPts


Monologue 4

have a lot more to worry about than an inaccurate197 vocabulary. Since we don’t, please stop using wrong words. Another thing that – kind of35 – bugs167 me are people who ask questions during the movies. Dear people who ask questions during movies, we get it. Sometimes movies are confusing. We know that guy is talking and, no, we don’t know who he is either. or why they’re now talking to that guy who works at, let’s say, a dock198. If you just12 shut up199 for half a second maybe we can both find out47. how about one for the ladies? I don’t under-stand but every time I’m walking behind a lady with a handbag195, why does she swing200 her left arm from left to right like a pendulum instead of162 forward and back? because if you’re in a rush201 and you’re behind this lady it’s very diffi cult to try and58 gauge202 the right moment to make your dash203, so that you don’t get hit usually below the belt204, and get past.

Ah, yes, there it is. Another very annoy-ing143 thing that people seem to do in big cities that have an underground system is people who try to get on before people get off the train. What is it with that? It always says in various languages, “Please, allow205 the people to exit the train before you enter”. but for some reason people are just45 too impatient to get inside that they don’t worry about that at all17. I mean6, there have been occasions where I’ve been, for example, on the train with an instrument and I’ve just45 had to use it as a – kind of35 – shield206 to get out the door so as not to be pushed back inside by all the… all the commuters trying to get on the train.

And fi nally what about people who are waiting in line207 to order food then they don’t know what they want to order when they’re right at the counter208.

Waiting in line aff ords209 one time to spend however you want210. you can delete your ‘sent-text’ folder, you can daydream about running211 a hotel for dogs – like in that movie A Hotel for Dogs – or you can hum212, whatever. the one obligation is that you use at least some of your time to fi gure out213 what the hell214 you’re going to order before you get to the front. Is that too much to ask?

10 Monologue 4 [British English] (3m58s)

First I’d like to say that I don’t like the idea of pigeonholing215 people. People are unique individuals, not types, and generally categorizing them is a refl ec-tion of careless thinking. having said that, there are character traits133 that I fi nd annoying143. I fi nd it highly216 irritating

when people who have received a lot of education use their knowledge as a weapon217. better-educated people are privileged and they should display176 humility. Anyway, education should lead you to218 realize160 how much you don’t know. An example of this is some academics when they appear on televi-sion. A good scholar219 should be able to explain complex ideas in a way that most people can understand. however, some intellectuals insist on using arcane terminology, presumably because it is more important for them to sound impressive than to communicate ideas. Almost invariably it is because they have less to say.

I suppose my real bugbear220 is atti-tudes of superiority. I am comfortable interacting with people on terms of

197 inaccurate – imprecise 198 dock – place where ships are built or repaired 199 to shut up (shut-shut-shut) – be silent 200 to swing (swing-swung-swung) – oscillate 201 to be in a rush – be short on time, be in a

hurry 202 to gauge – measure, evaluate 203 to make one’s dash (make-made-made) –

rush past 204 belt – 205 to allow – enable,

permit

206 shields – 207 to wait in line –

queue 208 to be right at the

counter – in front of the desk where the salesperson works, talking to the salesperson

209 to afford – (in this context) give, allow 210 however you want – in whichever way you

like 211 to run sth. (run-ran-run) – manage

212 to hum – make music with your mouth closed

213 to figure out – decide, determine 214 what the hell – (emphatic) what on earth,

what 215 pigeonholing – categorizing 216 highly – very, extremely 217 weapon – thing with which to attack people218 to lead one to (lead-led-led) – cause one to 219 scholar – (false friend) erudite person,

academic 220 bugbear – pet hate, pet peeve

taPescRiPts | thInk 153


Photo by Abul hAQuE

equality. I like to show respect to others and for them to show respect to me. I therefore179 get seriously pissed off 26 when I behave221 in a polite way to people and they apparently take this as a sign of weakness. For instance222, if I open the door to someone and they just45 walk through without even look-ing at me. It may be a cultural thing. there are some places in which if you are polite to strangers223 providing a service, they speak down to224 you. however, if you bark225 an order to exactly the same person they will meekly226 and respectfully do what you want them to. unfortunately, I am almost incapa-ble of barking225 orders in such situa-tions or rather227 doing so is extremely uncomfortable for me. Another thing that is probably related; people who

will do anything rather than228 accept that they did something wrong. Some people seem to have a phobia about apologizing as if uttering229 the word ‘sorry’ will mean that they will never be able to show their face in public again. My experience is that most people react well when I accept responsibility for mistakes I’ve made and so I don’t understand this type of reaction, especially as it tends to mean230 blaming231 someone else who isn’t responsible. that again is related to truth and honesty. there are people who seem to fall in a rut232 of lying233 as a life strategy. they will say what they think you want to hear without any reference to reality. they promise to do something on such-and-such a day234 when they know very well that they aren’t going to do it. this may be satisfying at the time

but it’s much worse in the long run235 because it is impossible to plan anything involving236 such people. I’d rather237, for instance222, someone says they aren’t going to pay me than that they will have a sum I am owed238 on a specifi c date only to be disappointed239.

having said all that, it’s important to realize160 that we all have character traits133 that annoy132 others and so patience and tolerance is the only option that will lead to240 a happy society. It’s all too easy to obsess about other people’s failings241 and you end up compiling242 hate lists and plotting243 massacres. ■

11 DiCTaTioN: o-T-H WoRDS (0m30s)

Commentary: listen to these phrases from p. 38. ■

221 to behave – act, conduct oneself 222 for instance – for example 223 stranger – (false friend) s.o. you don’t know 224 to speak down to s.o. (speak-spoke-spoken) –

talk disrespectfully or condescendingly to s.o. 225 to bark – say in a brusque impolite way 226 meekly – humbly, diffidently, reverentially 227 rather – (in this context) to be more precise 228 rather than – (in this context) in preference

to, before 229 to utter – say, emit 230 to mean – (in this context) require, result in 231 to blame – accuse 232 rut – (in this context) bad habit 233 lying – not telling the truth 234 on such-and-such a day – on a specific day 235 in the long run – in the long term, (in this

context) in the end

236 involving – with237 I’d rather – I would prefer 238 to be owed – be due239 only to be disappointed – (in this context)

but, when the day arrives, they don’t have the money and I feel frustrated

240 to lead to (lead-led-led) – result in 241 failings – defects, weaknesses 242 to compile – draw up, make 243 to plot sth. – plan sth. 244 to slice – cut into slices245 jamboree – big interna-

tional party for scouts246 to buy s.o. out (buy-

bought-bought) – (in this context) buy all of what s.o. is selling

247 loaf (plural ‘loaves’) – unit of bread 248 nope – (informal) no

12 Dialogue 1: No Bread (2m42s)

Mr Halley (H): Good morning, Mrs bentham. how are you?Mrs Bentham (B): Good morning. I’ll have my usual, please. could you slice244 that for me today?H: I’m afraid I’ve got some bad news for you. Good news for me, but bad news for you.B: uh huh.H: because there’s a scouts’ jambo-ree245 and they’re making hundreds of

sandwiches and you know what? they bought me out246. they bought all the bread in the shop and I haven’t got anything.B: oh, you’re so funny! yes, now, could I have my loaf247, please?H: I’m afraid I really haven’t got anything at all17. We had to sell them everything. they had so many people and I’ve sold out my whole stock. I’ve never done this before at this time of the morning.B: you’re not joking, are you?H: Nope248. no, I’m really sorry.

SHORT DIALOGUES (17m50s)



Related ResouRces s

The aerodrome

B: What do you mean you haven’t got any bread?H: I have no bread. It sounds (like) a joke, a bread shop with no bread. but…B: yes, well, I’m not laughing. you can’t be serious.H: now, Mrs bentham.B: this is outrageous249! What am I going to do? What am I going to tell my husband? We’re going to have breakfast now and I’ve got to make his sandwiches for tomorrow.H: Well, you could try the co-op250. they might have something.B: the co-op! I’m not buying any plastic bread in plastic bags. now, come on. Are your ovens251 still on? have you got any dough252?H: I’m afraid I have absolutely nothing at all. B: but you must have something. you’re a baker’s for God sake!253 oh, come on!H: I threw out254 the loaves247 that

were left over255 from yesterday ’cos19 I certainly won’t be seen serving old bread here.B: but you must have something. Surely you’ve got some of those – y’know10 – those French stick256 things, something.H: I’m afraid they took the French sticks and the Spanish sticks too. they took everything, everything I’ve got.B: but I can’t… this is impossible. I can’t… I just45 can’t… I can’t believe it.H: now, just calm down257 Mrs bentham.B: this is such bad management. I mean6, didn’t you see this coming?H: Well…B: you could’ve kept a loaf247 aside258 for me.H: I was so shocked when they came in and they bought everything I had. I was so shocked because you have to think about it from my point of view Mrs bentham. you know, normally I’m left with loads of259 bread at the end of

the day which goes to waste260. And for once in my life someone comes and they want to buy everything I was shocked I sold everything and I know I should’ve thought of you because you come here every day…B: yes, yes! And what am I supposed to do now without any bread?H: now but you have to understand me Mrs bentham. I was overcome261.B: this is absolutely ridiculous.H: I couldn’t do anything.B: I just…H: I completely forgot and I’m so sorry. I’ll make you two loaves for tomorrow. All for free.B: Well, it’s a bit late, isn’t it? I shall just45 have to go… I will go to the co-op. this is the last time I shall ever come in this shop. Goodbye, Mr halley!H: Mrs bentham! Mrs bentham! Mrs bentham!

13 Dialogue 2: Behind the Wheel (7m51s)

Keith (K): right. Well, here we are. I suppose the important thing is not to hit any planes262, right?William (W): right, keith. Well, you know rule number one: safety fi rst. So, I see you don’t have your seatbelt263 on.K: Well, we’re not moving, are we?W: no, we’re not, but that’s the fi rst thing you should do when you get in the car.K: Clunk-Click264 on every trip, as they say, no?W: yeah.K: ok.W: Seatbelt fi rst. All right. All right, so, this is the fi rst time you’ve been in a car, right? or have you…K: no, it’s not the fi rst time I’ve been in a car, William, no. obviously, it’s not the fi rst time I’ve been in a car.W: I mean6, driving.K: It is the fi rst time I’ve been behind a

249 outrageous – scandalous

250 co-op – co-opera-tive supermarket

251 oven – 252 dough – the

mixture of flour, yeast and water from which bread is made

253 for God’s sake! – (expletive) damn it!

254 to throw out (throw-threw-thrown) – throw away, discard, dispose of

255 to be left over – be remaining, be surplus 256 French stick – baguette 257 to calm down – control oneself, try to be

serene 258 to keep sth. aside (keep-kept-kept) – reserve

sth. 259 loads of – (informal) a lot of

260 to go to waste (go-went-gone) – not be used/consumed

261 to be overcome – be over-whelmed, be in shock, be speech-less

262 to hit any planes (hit-hit-hit) – collide with any aeroplanes

263 seatbelt/safety belt – 264 clunk-click – fasten your seatbelt



Photo by ISAbEl roDrIGuEz

265 steering wheel – 266 wheel – 267 the clutch – pedal

used to change gears

268 to mock s.o. – ridicule s.o.

269 to clutch – embrace, grasp, hug 270 to engage – activate

271 gears – mechanism used to make sure one moves comfortably at different speeds

272 brake – stopping mechanism 273 aerodrome – small airport for light planes.

Anglos often begin to learn to drive on disused or underused aerodromes

274 hardly – not, not really275 thoroughfare – road 276 grass –

277 deadly weapon – lethal machine 278 to bear sth. in mind (bear-bore-borne) – take

sth. into consideration 279 to take off (take-took-taken) – leave the

ground (like a plane)280 to rewind (-wind/-wound/-wound) – review 281 so far – until now 282 handbrake – brake272 that one operates

manually

steering wheel265, yes.W: In the driver’s seat. ok.K: yes.W: All right, so…K: but I’ve actually42 been in a car before.W: So, we have to start from the beginning. K: this is the steering wheel265?W: that is the steering wheel, correct. All right…K: It moves the wheels266, right?W: It does.K: Front wheels.W: It does, yes. K: right.W: and… well, let’s start on the fl oor. you see the three pedals on the fl oor?K: I see the three pedals on the fl oor.W: All right, so on the left-hand you have… on the left-hand sides you have…K: that’s this side, right?W: yes.K: ok.W: that left… is the clutch267.K: hey, don’t mock268 me.W: no, no, no.K: I’ve never done this before. right the clutch267.W: you have the clutch on the left, right?K: What does the clutch do? It clutches269.W: the clutch is what you engage270 when you change gears271, right?K: Engage.K: use your left foot to press down on the clutch267…K: right.W: …when you change the gears.K: Why would I want to change the gears?W: Well, we’ll get to that because when…K: So, it’s completely useless for the moment. ok, right.W: no, it’s not useless. It’s a key element.K: Do I have to change the gears271 or can I just45 forget about the clutch267?W: no, you have to change gears if you want to move.

K: Well, all right, fi ne.W: yeah, yeah. no, that’s a key piece of driving. So, next, the other important pedal right next to it is the brake272.K: this is a cup holder, right?W: yes, it is.K: All right. I’ll put my…W: you really shouldn’t be drinking since it’s… seeing this is your fi rst time behind the wheel.K: hey, it’s low alcohol.W: right…K: And we’re… actually42 we’re in an aerodrome273 so it’s hardly274 – sort of2 – on the public thoroughfare275.W: no, but I’m in the car with you, you know?K: but it’s fl at. It’s completely fl at. What can we do? We could kill some grass276.W: Well, you’d be surprised. this… a car is very…. is a deadly weapon277. So, just45 bear that in mind278, all right?K: yep. If we take off 279 I’ll…

W: All right, let’s rewind280. What was the fi rst pedal on your left?K: The clutch267. that’s the only pedal I know. you can ask me about any of the pedals and it’s the clutch ’cos19 that’s the only one you’ve told me so far281.W: All right, well, what does the clutch do?K: the clutch is… I have to engage270 the clutch if I want to change gear.W: All right, very good. next to the clutch…K: I can get married to the clutch in the end.W: All right. next to the clutch you have the brake272.K: the one in the middle?W: that one in the middle is the brakes.K: brakes are important, right?W: Very important.K: now one thing I’ve always asked myself, why do I have a handbrake282 and the foot one?



283 hill – incline, gradient, small moun-tain

284 a flat surface – (in this context) level terrain

285 traffic light – 286 to release – emit287 gas – (US English) gasoline, petrol

(UK English)

288 ignition – 289 key – 290 to turn the key over (US English)

– turn the key, (in this context) activate the ignition

291 wanna – (slang) want to 292 gear shift (US English) – gearstick (UK English) 293 to toggle – move back and forth a very small

distance294 to wonder – ask oneself 295 to float around – not be held in one place 296 at once – simultaneously 297 to take a rest (take-took-taken) – take a

break, relax for a moment 298 to handle it – cope, survive 299 to release – let go of, free

W: A handbrake282 is when you park or you’re on… going up a hill283 and you’re stopped on a hill you can use the handbrake.K: I don’t use the other brake?W: you can, yes. you can use both.K: It’s like a choice?W: you have a choice.K: And they essentially do the same thing or...?W: normally you wouldn’t use the handbrake282 if you’re just45 on a flat surface284 and you’re going to stop at a stop sign or at a traffic light285, right?K: ok, right, fine. now the exciting part.W: you use the brake that’s on the…K: now the exciting part, the right-hand pedal.W: the right-hand pedal is the accelera-tor, the gas pedal.K: right.W: All right?K: Why is it called ‘the gas pedal’?W: because that’s what we call it.K: It releases286 gas?W: I imagine. It opens up the carburettor and releases gas287 into the engine.K: Ah, petrol!W: that’s right.K: ok, right. I’ve got you.W: All right.K: right.W: So, you know the steering wheel265...K: Steering wheel, ignition288, keys289…W: keys, right. key in the ignition.K: right.W: now, first thing before you start the car, you have to check and make sure…K: you know I watched Top Gear last night to get myself ready for this.W: yeah? K: they put the key in the ignition as well30.W: they do. So, what you’re… the first thing you’re going to do before you turn the car over, turn the key over290….K: Is put my safety belt263 on.

W: yeah, you have your seatbelt on…K: yeah.W: …and push the clutch267 in, all right? So, you push the clutch in. then you check…K: but with my foot, not with my hand, right?W: With your foot, with your left foot.K: right.W: then you wanna291 make sure the car is not in gear, all right? See, the gear… the gear shift292. Make sure it’s in the middle, right? It’s not engaged270 in any of the gears271, right?K: oh, right. look! yeah, yeah.W: yeah, you see? So, before we even start the car…K: Give it a little toggle293, do I?W: yeah, before we even start the car you should press the clutch267 down and try and58 find all the gears. you see on top of the gear shift numbers?K: yes.W: those correspond to the gears, right?K: oh, that’s what that means! I always wondered294 about that.W: So, you should try and58 find all of the… push the clutch in and try and find all of the gears.K: yeah, yeah. I know where they are. I’ve got them.W: yeah. you’ve got them?K: yeah.W: ok. All right…K: I could spend hours doing this. this is great.W: now, very important before you start the car…K: yeah.W: …is make sure the car isn’t in gear, all right?K: “Isn’t in gear”?W: Isn’t in gear. So it’s in the middle, all right? It’s not in one, two, three, four or reverse.K: oh, that’s quite difficult, isn’t it? ok.W: no, you can take it out of gear…

K: ok, right. I think we’re there.W: …and it floats around295, right?K: can I leave… can I forget about that now or?W: For now, yes.K: ok, good.W: All right, so you press the clutch267 in.K: but can I take my foot off the clutch?W: no, not yet.K: ok.W: you wanna291 start the car, don’t you?K: yeah, but isn’t that with the accelerator?W: no, no.K: ok. the key.W: you don’t need the accelerator to start the car. the key…K: And the clutch.W: …and the clutch.K: I’ve never been good at doing two things at once296.W: Well, you’re gonna57 have to learn if you wanna291 drive.K: ok.W: All right. Push the clutch in…K: right. no, I’ve been there for the last five minutes.W: All right.K: My leg’s gone to sleep.W: All right. Do you wanna291 take a rest297 before you start the car?K: I’ll be all right.W: All right. I think you can handle it298.K: We’re not going to hit anything.W: All right. Push the clutch267 in and then…K: no, it’s already down.W: …turn the key.K: right.W: All right.K: oh!W: you see? there you go.K: Power. I can feel that.W: All right. now you can release299 the clutch267 if you like.K: oh, that’s good.W: All right.K: My leg was beginning to go to sleep



Photo by bAzzADArAMblEr

there. Accelerator?W: now the next step is putting the car in gear. So…K: We just23 made sure it wasn’t in gear.W: right, in order to start it… because if you start it and the car’s in gear it’ll jump forward and stall300.K: but it doesn’t matter. there’s nobody in front of us.W: no, there isn’t. but that’s not how you… that’s not how you start a car.K: All right.W: now…K: rules and rules and rules!W: now you wanna291 put your foot on the brake272 and release299 the parking brake.K: but I thought we were starting.W: We are but you need to release the parking brake.K: the brake’s the one in the middle, right?W: yeah.K: Foot on the brake.W: the parking brake in the middle, right? now you can release that. Press the button in and push it down.K: the handbrake282?W: yeah, the handbrake.K: uh huh. Gotcha301.W: All right?K: yeah, right. Got that.W: right now we’re ready. We’re almost there. We’re almost there. now what you need to do now is… think about this before you do it…K: yeah.W: you need to keep one of your… your right foot on the brake…K: If the airbag goes off it’s from the middle of the steering wheel265, right?W: yeah, you don’t have to worry the airbag.K: I thought security was the first thing.W: your seatbelt263 is the first thing.K: When are you going to teach me about this thing about ten past two or ten to two302 or…W: Well, you see the way you’re

grabbing303 the steering wheel265 now. that’s…K: that’s right?W: yeah. I’m not a stickler304 about that.K: ok.W: however you’re comfortable. however you feel comfortable.K: but in the test they’ll…W: yeah, yeah. you’ll need to do that.K: What is it, 10 past two or two…? What is it?W: I don’t know to tell you the truth. ten and two, it must be. ten and two.K: ten past twelve?W: two o’clock and ten o’clock.K: ten past ten?W: yes.K: or ten to two.W: yes, exactly.K: ok, I’ve got you. right.W: there you go.

K: that’s probably enough for today, isn’t it? or do you think we actually42 ought to305 make the thing move once?W: It’s up to you306.K: ok, well, let’s get it moving. Wow!W: Wow!

14 Dialogue 3: Catch the Post (2m22s)

First Man (M1): hi! Excuse me.Second Man (M2): hello. how are you?M1: out of breath, actually42.M2: I can see you’re a bit hot, yeah.M1: out of breath and in a bit of a rush307.M2: A beautiful day today, not a good day for running, no?M1: no, it isn’t. but I’ve got to get… this letter’s really, really urgent…M2: right.M1: And I’ve got to try and58 catch the post308.

300 to stall – stop functioning because there is not enough power

301 gotcha – (slang) I understand

302 ten to two –

303 to grab – (in this context) hold, grasp 304 stickler – pedant, s.o. who is obsessed by

rules305 ought to – should 306 it’s up to you – it’s your decision

307 to be in a rush – be in a hurry, be short on time

308 to catch the post (catch-caught-caught) – mail a letter before the post is collected for the day



309 to be out of order – not be functioning 310 the (city) council – the municipal authorities 311 to make s.o. mad (make-made-made) – drive

s.o. crazy, infuriate one 312 the butcher’s (shop) – a store that sells meat 313 hang on – hold on, wait a second 314 to get one’s head around sth. (get-got-got)

– understand sth.

315 young folk – young people, youngsters, youths

316 right smack-bang – directly 317 trick – (in this context) mnemonic technique 318 ’ve gotta – (slang) have got to, have to 319 to rush – dash, hurry, go quickly 320 to get stuck (get-got-got) – be trapped, be

unable to progress

321 to allow – (in this context) leave enough 322 to see it halfway through (see-saw-seen) –

see only the second half 323 time got away from me – I wasn’t able to

control time 324 to make up for (make-made-made) –

compensate for 325 to work – function, be successful

M2: Wow, yeah.M1: could you tell me where the nearest post office is, please?M2: the nearest post office? yes. yes, I can.M1: If you’re not sure I can ask somebody else.M2: no, no. I can tell you exactly where it is.M1: ok. M2: ok, just45 go down here. Go down the road.M1: Down this road, right.M2: take the third left.M1: third left.M2: And then when you get to the public toilets, which are still out of order309. I’ve got to write… I’ve got to phone the council310 about that.M1: yeah, the public toilets. ok. they’ll be closed.M2: It makes me mad311. yeah. When you get to the public toilets you turn right and walk up the hill283, ok? And when you get past the butcher’s312 just12 a bit further on you’ll come to a house with a pink door and yellow windows, ok. then you turn left and it’s just there. you’ll see it right in front of you and it says very clearly ‘Post office’.M1: right, hang on313. So, let me try and58 get my head around314 this. Down this road…M2: yeah, just…M1: third left…M2: yes, very good.M1: Go along until I come to the public toilets…M2: uh huh.M1: Which may be closed.M2: they are definitely. they’re broken. M1: ok, it doesn’t matter.M2: terrible vandals around here. M1: then turn…M2: Young folk315.M1: …right up the hill?M2: Erm, you turn right, exactly. you walk

up the hill.M1: up the hill to a house with a pink door.M2: that’s right. And yellow windows.M1: And yellow windows. And the post office is…M2: you can’t miss it. once you get to the house with the pink door and the yellow windows you just45 turn left there and you will see the post office right smack-bang316 in front of you.M1: I don’t know if I’m going to be able to remember all this. third left, public toilets, right, up the hill, house with the pink door… Well, anyway, I’ll go third left and then if I need to ask again I’ll ask again.M2: It’s very easy. If you want to remem-ber I… my mother taught me a great trick317. try singing it and if you sing you’ll remember it.M1: ok, I’ve gotta318 rush319. ok, I’ve gotta run. And I’m sorry I don’t sing.M2: third on the left, public toilets. turn right, up the hill. Pink door, left. Post office. you’ll remember that now.M1: I will. thank you very much. Good-bye. thank you.M2: Goodbye. Good luck!

15 Dialogue 4: Pure Theatre (4m52s)

Zach (Z): they didn’t… oh, trish, I’m so sorry. they didn’t just23 close the doors, did they?Trish (T): yes. What do you think?Z: I am so sorry.T: have you seen the time? It started.Z: I know, I know, I know, I know, I know.T: nine o’clock. you said you’d be here at nine o’clock and it started and they’ve closed the doors and we can’t go in.Z: I’m so sorry. I mean6, I ran. I ran and ran and ran and ran. I got stuck320…T: you always run. you always run. this isn’t the first time. For God sake!253 look at you.

Z: I got stuck320 on the bus. the traffic is horrible and it was raining and it just – y’know10 – I left the house…T: you said that you knew that you had to get here.Z: I left with an hour…T: you said you would allow321 time.Z: I left…T: you knew this was special to me. this is the last night.Z: I know.T: And I’ll never see this again.Z: I know. I don’t know what to say to you. I’m sorry. T: yeah, ‘sorry’! you always say that.Z: Should I try and58 see if they’ll let us in at – y’know10 – at the intermission?T: I don’t want to see it halfway through322!Z: ok. Erm… I’m really sorry. I feel so bad.T: you never… I think you do it deliber-ately. I don’t understand. you know that I wanted to see that.Z: I know.T: you know I’ve been waiting to see it special.Z: yeah. I just… the time…T: I don’t think you really care, do you?Z: I do, I do. time… time got away from me323.T: you didn’t want to come, did you?Z: I did. I’ve been thinking about it all day, trish. Just45 time got away from me. I was…T: yeah, that’s what you said the last time and the time before that. this is the third time…Z: I know.T: …we have tried to go to the theatre. I know you don’t like the theatre, so I don’t know why you say you’re going to come.Z: I’m not a fan, but I know that you really like it. So, I… I really tried to get here on time. I’m so sorry. Why don’t I take you out to dinner to make up for324 this?T: I’m not hungry now.Z: What about a drink? Would you like…



Photo by JoE MAbEl

I don’t know, we can go to a nice bar?T: you know I can’t drink at the moment.Z: Erm…T: look, it’s not going to work325. I think… – y’know10 – I just45 so fed up with326 this. I really…Z: We can go for a walk. It’s a…T: I don’t know. yes, but I don’t know what it is. you know this really doesn’t mean that you’re just45 late. I don’t know what you’re trying to tell me. but – y’know10 – I should’ve just45 gone.Z: I can swear327 it’s nothing. It’s nothing.T: you know that John wanted to take me and I said no?Z: Well, John would want to take you.T: yeah, yeah. And I – y’know10 – I’m just beginning to think that this… well, I just really don’t think that you care.Z: I do. I’ll do anything. I’ll do… ask me anything. I’ll do anything to make up for324 this.T: Anything?Z: Anything.T: you said ‘anything’ and I said, ok, would you come with me to the theatre and would you get the tickets?’ and you got the tickets. And that was ‘anything’.Z: you see? I got the tickets! I got the tickets!T: So, what – y’know10 – now ok, yeah.Z: And they weren’t cheap by the way. you know I got us front-row seats328. Anyway, anyway…T: oh, even better!Z: Are you sure there’s…T: I missed the front-row seats, you know? you’re just45 trying to rub it in329.Z: What if we go to the movies?T: oh, would you like to go to the movies? Was there something you wanted to see?Z: not necessarily.T: yeah, yeah, yeah.

Z: but I mean6, you can’t eat, you’re not hungry. you can’t drink.T: yeah, so we’ll go to the movies ’cos19 I know you really like going to the movies and I always go to the movies with you even though I don’t particularly like the films that you like. I mean6, really, honestly, I think you’re just45 trying to tell me something that… maybe…Z: I really don’t know what to say, trish. I’m just…T: no, I think… no, you know…Z: I’m sorry.T: Well, I think – y’know10 – you should think about this and…Z: Should we just45 call it a night330 then?T: What do you mean “call it a night”?Z: I mean6, you’re obviously – y’know10 – don’t want to do anything now that we can’t get in the theatre.T: you give up331 easily, don’t you?Z: Well, I…T: yeah. Z: I said I’ll do anything for you.T: ok, let’s just45 call it a night330. All right.Z: I said I’ll do anything to make up for324

this and… I mean6, apparently there isn’t anything that I can do to make up for it. So, I mean6, you’re just45 going to be mad332 for the rest of the night and I don’t think it’s worth333 your time or my time to sit here sulking334 about it. T: you haven’t even said that you like my dress. I mean6, I bought this special dress. you don’t even seem to notice what – y’know10 – what I look like. I had my hair cut especially.Z: Well, I’m sorry. I… I… you look beauti-ful. I just23 came here – y’know10 – I was running and… to get here, frantically running and I’m sorry.T: yes, well, you didn’t run fast enough, did you?Z: no, but I swear. I’ll make it… I’ll make it up to335 you.T: ok, well. I’ll think about it. I want to go home now. ■

16 NaTuRal-TiMe iDioMS (1m14s)

Commentary: listen to these phrases from pp. 36-37. ■

326 to be fed up with – be sick of, be frustrated by 327 I can swear – I promise 328 front-row seats – first-row seats, seats at the

front of the audience329 to rub sth. in – emphasize sth. that is

unpleasant to hear 330 to call it a night – go home 331 to give up (give-gave-given) – stop trying,

concede defeat 332 mad – (US English) angry

333 to be worth – (in this context) be a good use of 334 to sulk – pout, be uncommunicative because

one is in a bad mood335 to make it up to s.o. (make-made-made) –

compensate s.o.



17 PiCTuRe DeSCRiPTioN (8m01s)

Commentary: listen to the following description of the pictures on p. 50.Examiner: could you compare and contrast these two pictures, please?Examinee: Well, the fi rst picture looks like a painting. there’s a group of women. they look like working women, work-ers in… I’d say maybe the 18th century or something like that. they’re sitting around a bench table336. they’re sitting on benches. one woman is sitting on what looks like a barrel. they all look quite worn337 and tired and – sort of2 – old for their age and they seem to be prepar-ing food. It looks like they’re preparing food to actually42 eat themselves. I think one lady seems to be preparing – like111 – a caulifl ower. they all have aprons338 on and some of them have mop caps339 and scarves340 on their heads. It looks fairly341 poor room, like a wooden… low wooden ceiling342. It’s quite dark. they all look quite serious and they don’t seem to be talking to each other. And there’s some basic crockery343. they look like very simple cups on the table but no plates. A few of the women seem to have knives and they’re cutting food. It looks like vegetables. I can’t tell whether344 they’re supposed to be… they’re going to eat the food. I think one… one lady looks like she’s eating something or is about to345 eat something. So, I’m not sure whether this is their lunch and perhaps they work in a factory and they’re having lunch. but they do look346 – kind of35 – sad and serious and they’re not obviously enjoy-ing the meal if that’s what they’re doing. Quite sombre.

the second picture is also… it looks like a painting of a completely diff erent

social level. It’s a lady and a young boy sitting at a table with a… it’s got a splen-did spread347 of food, quite – sort of2 – exotic, exquisite food- oysters, look like crayfi sh348 or lobster349, maybe crab350, pheasant351, pie352, what looks like peacock353, peacock pie and a very ornate wine glass or a drinks glass. It looks like a gold… gold work on the wineglass. She’s really quite beautifully dressed, a beauti-ful red dress on. And she looks… it looks like they’re in some sort21 of hall or it’s an open…. with lots of windows looking out onto a garden or a greenery354. So, it’s quite a feast355 they seem to be having. It looks as if they’re from the upper classes. I think there’s fruit as well30 there and quite a lot of food for two people. but maybe it’s part of the banquet or something and there are more people in the other part of the picture that we can’t see. they look wealthy356 and as if they have money.Examiner: Do you consider that there is food specifi c to social classes, that there is food for rich people and for poor people?Examinee: Well, these days I’d say maybe it’s not as simple as for the rich and the poor because obviously we have like… there seems to be more food available to the middle classes that… readily available that isn’t just12 food for rich people. So, I’m thinking of particularly certain supermarkets that seem to be… that you have certain classes that would go to those supermarkets because the

supermarkets are more expensive. but I think it is maybe a class thing or class/education thing that poorer people or people with not so much money perhaps don’t eat as well or they don’t eat so… the products aren’t as… aren’t as good, like – y’know10 – cheap meats, cheap sausages. there are – sort of2 – quick… ready-prepared meals. but… so, yeah, I think there is a – kind of35 – division.Examiner: Which food do you prefer?Examinee: Well, I like… I think I like all food that has good… that has good ingredients. So, I might like food that – y’know10 – egg and chips or cottage pie357 or something which traditionally you think of as – sort of2 – a worker’s food or, you know? but I also like eating Italian food or French food. It depends. I think I like most food and I don’t think I can particularly say… although I do like comfort food, which is like – y’know10 – stews358, things that perhaps tradi-tionally would’ve been a worker’s food, people that… So, I don’t really… I’m not particularly fond of153 oysters, for exam-ple. I like… but I do like359 quite a lot of seafood360. So, I don’t… there’s not… I wouldn’t say I like food just45 because it’s exquisite and expensive. but I’ve never tried some of the… I’ve never tried those barnacles361 that are like fi ngers362 that are supposed to be exquisite, but really expensive. So, but I don’t know. Perhaps I’ve got more basic tastes. ■

336 bench table – table with benches attached to the sides, picnic table

337 worn – (in this context) exhausted

338 apron – 339 mop cap – type of soft hat340 (head)scarf (plural ‘headscarves’) – piece of

cloth worn over one’s hair 341 fairly – quite, reasonably, rather 342 ceiling – the covering over a room 343 crockery – cups and plates 344 whether – (in this context) if

345 to be about to – be going to... imminently

346 do look – (emphatic) look, seem, appear

347 spread – selection, variety

348 crayfish – 349 lobster –350 crab – 351 pheasant – 352 pie – 353 peacock – 354 greenery – vegetation

355 feast – banquet 356 wealthy – rich, affluent, prosperous 357 cottage pie – shepherd’s pie, stewed mince

meat and vegetables covered with mashed potato and baked

358 stew – casserole, meat and vegetables cooked together in water

359 do like – (emphatic) like 360 seafood – shellfish, molluscs and crustaceans 361 barnacle – type of crustacean 362 finger – digit. She is referring to ‘goose

barnacles (UK English)/’goose-neck barnacles’ (US English)



think 153 web tapescripts

Documents