Author: Escuela de Idiomas

In this month of an English Learning Podcast, off the cuff, episode 12, Clare and Annie talk about the rat race. Find out what it is and listen to us discussing how to get off of it and if its ever too late to change your life.

Vocabulary Episode 12

A pause for thought

• to stop and think about something carefully
  • The news about the volcano has given us all a pause for thought about what is important in our lives.

Dermot Bolger

• Dermot Bolger is an Irish author. Find out more about him here.
• The book Clare mentions in the podcast by this author is called An ark of light. Click here to read more about the book.

Gentry

• People that make up the high social class. Learn more here.
  • The book explains the intimate life of the gentry at the beginning of Vitoria-Gasteiz

Nomadland

• Learn more about Nomadland, the film that Annie mentioned in the podcast by clicking here.

Resilience

• The strength to overcome adversity
• Learn more here.
  • The best way to build resilience in children is to have at least one adult who loves them no matter what they do or say.

The rat race

• a way of life in which people are running to compete with each other for wealth and or power without really getting anywhere.
• Watch this animated short film by Steve Cutts which depicts the rat race by clicking here.
  • Sometimes I would like to quit this rat race and live a relaxing life in the countryside.
    

The bandwagon

• To get involved in an activity that will be successful and receive the benefits.
  • All the actors are trying to get on the TV series bandwagon.

Uplifting

• Something that makes you feel good. If a movie is uplifting, it usually gives some kind of positive message or happy ending.
  • In the movie Nomadland, although at times it was quite sad to see people’s struggles, it had a quite uplifting ending and message.

Ironic

• In an ironic situation, the opposite of what you expect occurs.
  • It’s a bit ironic that she’s the one who got sick since she has gone to such long lengths to stay healthy.

aspirations

• an aspiration is something that you hope to achieve or become
  • He aspires to be a surgeon some day.

the height of ones career

• Height in this context means the highest point, so that the height of one’s career means they are at the apex or the highest place possible in the work life.
  • She is at the height of her career and at such a young age.
• Remember career is English is a false friend. It does not mean what you are studying at school. It means your professional work.
  • I have had a long career teaching English.

resounding

• Resounding can have two meanings. Firstly, it can mean loud. In the podcast, Annie used it to say something that is unmistakable, something she is very sure about.
  • The audience gave the singer a resounding applause.
  • The party was a resounding success.

astonishment

• something that is astonishing is very surprising.
  • To my astonishment, the house was already completed just after one month.
  • Their accomplishments are astonishing.

to run rings around someone

• this is an idiom that means someone does something way better than someone else.
  • Jim runs rings around his classmates in Math class.

Now that you have learned all the vocabulary from An English Podcast, Episode 12, have a listen to our previous podcasts and pick up on some more new vocabulary. Episode 11 Episode 10

We just finished recording Episode 12 of off the cuff, An English Learning Podcast.

Stay tuned! Episode to be released soon.

Listen to previous episodes of off the cuff.

In this month’s episode of #offthecuff we talk about experiences from #Vitoria #Madrid #Mexico where we thought people should have spoken up about what they saw instead of just being a #bystander. This July 2021 episode is full of vocabulary so check it with subtitles.

Vocabulary and Phrases from the first 3 minutes

• Cat fight – an intense argument or physical fight usually between two women.
  • Yesterday two young girls for into a cat fight right in front of my house and I tried to stop them.
• Shame on you – used to tell someone that they should be ashamed (embarrassed) of their behavior.
  • Shame on you for not helping that older woman with her groceries when her bad broke.
• Two steps forward one leap back – used to express that we are evolving by moving forward in society but then we go backward and seem to lose some things that we have learned.
  • I feel like I took two giant steps forward with my English but then COVID hit and not I have taken a leap back.
• Build up – a gradual increase of something
  • I haven’t told her how I feel yet, so my anger seems to just be building up and I am worried I may explode.
• Excuse – A reason you give to explain why you have done something wrong.
  • They decided to fire him because he kept giving them one excuse after another and were fed up.
• Peer pressure – a strong influence of a group of people who are similar to you in age or social circle, who want everyone to act as they do.
  • There is too much peer pressure on young girls to have the same hair style, clothes and body that many of them end up having some real problems with self-esteem.
• Bullying – the behavior of a person who hurts or frightens someone smaller or less powerful, often making them do something they do not want to do.
  • Bullying has always been a problem but today kids also have to deal with online bullying which adds even more pressure.
• Bully – the person who does the bullying
  • In many cases, the kids who are the bullies often come from unstable situations at home.

Vocabulary and phrases from the minute 3 – 5

• To stand up to someone – to deal with someone in an effective manner.
  • They are trying to teach young kids to stand up to bullies.
• Lynching – the act of killing someone without a legal trial, usually by hanging them. In the context of the podcast. Clare was using this expression to say that people publicly attack people for no reason.
  • They gave him a real lynching even though they weren’t sure he was the one who committed the crime.
• Clip on the ear – a quick hit on the side of one’s head.
  • In the past, it was quite normal for a parent to give their children a clip on the ear. Today it is not so common.
• Instilling values –to put a value or principle gradually into someone’s mind, so that it has a strong influence on the way that person thinks or behaves.
  • We try to instill values such as community and bonds between people in our children instead of technology.
• Name and shame – a phrase used to say that someone should be called out for what they are doing and shamed for their bad behavior.
  • I saw someone stealing a wallet so I said in a loud voice, ‘That man is stealing your wallet’ . That way we could name and shame for doing it.

Vocabulary and phrases from minute 5 – the end

• Bystanders/Onlookers – someone who is standing by watching something take place but does not take part in it.
  • As the police began to hit the man on the ground the bystanders just watched or took videos.
  • There were many onlookers for the street performers, but in the end no one gave them any money.
• Calling someone out – when someone says out loud that someone is doing something wrong.
  • Janet and her boyfriend were fighting and she called him out about every lie he ever told her.
• One bad apple spoils the bunch – people use this to refer to a situation where they believe one person’s negative demeanor or bad behavior can affect a whole group of people, influencing them to have a similar negative attitude or to engage in the same bad behavior.
  • Everything was fine until Jimmy came and then everyone was running around screaming. Well, you know what they say, one bad apple spoils the bunch.  
• Down with …! – something you say, write or shout to show your opposition to someone or something.
  • Jenny always used to say ‘Down with love!’ but now she’s about to be married and is as happy as ever.
• Feeble – weak, without energy, strength or power
  • I think the opposition party needs a stronger response to the new amendment than the feeble one they gave last night. 

Transcript

In Episode 10 of off the cuff Clare and Annie talk about #Ronaldo #UEFA #football #CocaCola and the topic of influencers. How much influence should they really have on us and on things like #LGBTQ rights? Find vocabulary and transcripts below.

Vocabulary from Episode 10

• What’s on the menu today – this is a fun way of asking what the topic of the show is today. You can use it in any situation where there is a planned schedule, although it may not always be appropriate for work settings. In the example below, we want to know what the activities for the day are.
  • I know you’ve been planning this trip for months, so what’s on the menu today?
• Obscure – not known by many people. In this case, Annie is being sarcastic, since football is well-known all over the world, particularly in Spain, where they currently reside.
  • I forgot the name of the island they are visiting. It’s some obscure place off the coast.
• To be glued to your television – If someone is glued to their television, it means that they are very attentive to what is happening on TV.
  • I don’t watch much TV, but when the Olympics are on, I am just glued to the TV.
• Crap load – this is a way to express a large quantity of something but in a way that shows your disapproval of the amount.
  • Those kids have a crap load of toys and yet they’re always bored.
• 31 million – 31,000,000
  • I do not make 31 million euros a year.
• to get/take a hit from something – this is used to say that you will be negatively impacted by what happened.
  • The economy took a huge hit from COVID.
• to be down something, usually money – having less than you expected or usually have.
  • I lost a bet and now I’m down 100 euros.
• to get wind of a something – to find out about something, especially a secret.
  • I don’t want my boss to get wind of my new job.
• LGBTQ – Acronym used for referring to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Queer people.
  • Pride month is celebrated in order to acknowledge and support the LGBTQ community.
• Paedophiles – people who are sexually attracted to pre-pubescent children.
  • There is a controversial online website where you can see if there is a registered paedophile living near your home.
• God forbid – This expression is usually used to show sarcasm as Clare is doing here in the podcast. We usually use this expression to show that we think the other person is overreacting or wrong.
  • God forbid I come into work 2 minutes late because I was stuck in traffic!
• UEFA – acronym for Union of European Football Association.
  • UEFA decided not to punish the German player who showed his support for the LGBTQ community.
• get down on two knees – here Clare is referencing the players who supported Black Lives Matter by kneeling down on one knee. Since players may not be able to wear any kind of arm bands for Gay Pride, getting down on two knees could be an alternative. She is showing irony that one thing is ok, but not the other.

To find out more about the topics discussed today, you can find them at the following links:
NYT: Munich Wanted to Light Its Stadium in a Pride Rainbow. European Soccer Said No.
The Guardian: Hungary passes law banning LGBT content in schools or kids’ TV
Business Standard: Footballer Cristiano Ronaldo knocks off $4 billion from Coca-Cola’s value

Transcript of episode 10

Clare: Hi, Annie.
Annie: Hi, Clare. How are you?
Clare: Good, good.
Annie: Happy Pride Month.
Clare: Happy Pride Month. Yes. So what’s on the menu today? What are we going to talk about?
Annie: Anything but Coca Cola?
Clare: Why do you think it might influence people? Okay, Let’s talk about football. That doesn’t have any influence on people.
Annie: No, no. Football. Football’s, like this obscure thing that happens.
Clare: You mean you haven’t been glued to your television? You haven’t had two PCRs a day just to make sure that you can go to watch all these football matches and be there.
Annie: I mean, you know, I don’t even know if my television has football, and I’m okay with that.
Clare: Okay, so let’s take it back to football again. Okay?
Annie: Let’s talk about football. Okay.
Clare: Let’s talk about. Let’s talk about football and Coca Cola. Why would we talk about football and Coca Cola and influence? Because we’re talking about influence.
Annie: Yeah, Okay, so I don’t watch football as, as I just mentioned, but I do know what’s happening around the game of football.
Clare: Okay.
Annie: All right. So let me explain. There is this football player who makes what we would say a crap load of money, right?
Clare: And, does he play for Alaves?
Annie: No, no, he doesn’t. His name is Ronaldo. I think you might have heard of him, because even though I don’t know anything about football, I do know that there’s this man named Ronaldo who makes, like, 31 million a year and he was sitting down for a press conference with a can of Coca Cola in front of him or a bottle of Coca Cola, and he decided to move it and tell his audience to drink more water.
Clare: Okay, so that was his influence over his followers or whatever. What exactly did that influence do?
Annie: Well, there’s more to this story, right? So, not only does this man who makes crap loads of money tell everyone not to drink Coca Cola, but to drink more water, but then it has a 5 billion impact on Coca Cola.
Clare: Are you serious?
Annie: I am totally serious, Clare.
Clare: But surely those… Coca Cola  are his boss? No? because the sponsors are the people who pay this 31 million to all these players.
Annie: Surely. I mean, part of the money.
Clare: Were his friends annoyed? Were his fellow players annoyed? Were Coca Cola annoyed or just everybody’s just a… Who’s the bigger influencer here? Coca Cola? Ronaldo? It’s a bit…
Annie: Well, I’m sure his team. I don’t know enough about football or this story other than that, but I’m sure his team gets a hit from that. Or maybe if the Coca Cola decides not to sponsor them, I’m sure that would affect their whole team.
Clare: He might be down a few billion himself.
Annie: Yeah, exactly. Exactly. Well, I would kind of hope, I have to admit, because I think that the fact that he makes 31 million a year is a bit too much. But anyway, it’s interesting, the influence this man has and football.
Clare: Let’s go back to football again.
Annie: Okay. Okay, fine.
Clare: Because, you know, it’s important, influential. it’s happening this month like, Yeah. So as I said, I wasn’t watching matches either like. But again, the world around football, I do get wind of a few things. June, as you know, is LGBTQ month. And there was a match in between Germany and Hungary. And at the same time, the Prime Minister, a law has been or a decree has been passed where they’re not allowed to depict or promote homosexuality or anything homosexual onto under 18s. And as part of a law against paedophiles, you know you can connected.
Annie: What ?
Clare: Now, you cannot connect the two? Right?
Annie: I cannot connect the two. Wait, what?
Clare: In Hungry, it’s believed. And this is kind of the law, like, because of this, is that if two people meet, especially for the same sex, it’s not healthy.
Annie: Okay.
Clare: So they meet, you know, God forbid they fall in love.
Annie: Okay.
Clare: Set up a house and they might even adopt children.
Annie: Right. Right.
Clare: Okay. No. Because what they really are are Paedophiles.
Annie: Oh Clare.
Clare: That’s why I know. It’s just sad. Real. Anyway, back into football, it’s come.
Annie: No, I can’t even joke about that topic because it’s not funny.
Clare: It’s not funny.
Annie: It’s not.
Clare: So Let’s go back to football.
Annie: Okay. So go back to football because I prefer to talk about football than that conversation.
Clare: I know, but football influences things you see. So there was a match between Germany and Hungry around the same time with this crazy decree or whatever was passed. And the match was in Munich.
Annie: Right.
Clare: And they wanted to, like, they’ve done in another Stadium. I think they wanted to paint it pink or light it up pink.
Annie: Okay.
Clare: And UEFA said no, because it was kind of a political statement. Again, don’t hold me to that statement. But something along those lines…
Annie: yeah.
Clare: Because it was too political. Then there was a German goalkeeper, I think, who had a band on his arm again with the LBGTQ support or whatever. And they’re going to decide now whether that is too politically, yeah. So what do you do? Do you get down on two knees?
Annie: Well that’s interesting.
Clare: A knee for this, a knee for that
Annie: Yeah Exactly. We’re going to have to start doing, like, hand gestures.
Clare: It, it’s sad. It’s sad. It’s not funny. But it’s a sad reality no? And again. What are we talking about? We’re talking about football.