#0289 – Communication Problems, - Ang, mater, ESL Podcast McQuillan Jeff mp3+PDF
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
English as a Second Language Podcast
www.eslpod.com
ESL Podcast 289 – Communication Problems
GLOSSARY
to communicate –
to share one’s ideas, thoughts, and feelings with another
person, and in return understand that person’s ideas, thoughts, and feelings
* Do you think people communicate more or less now that we have email?
dialogue –
a conversation or discussion between two people
* Two people were having a strange dialogue on the bus this morning.
dysfunctional –
not working properly; not working as it should; not effective
* Sharon has a dysfunctional relationship with her mother. They haven’t spoken
to each other in years.
pattern –
the way that something happens repeatedly over time; the way that
something is done many times
* Lately Phou has been in a bad pattern of eating unhealthy food at his desk
because he has too much work to do and can’t take a lunch break.
foundation –
an idea or fact that something is based on and grows from; an idea
or fact that makes something else possible
* The foundation for their marriage is that they trust, respect, and love each other
very much.
to relate to (someone) –
to understand and be understood by someone; to
understand another person’s thoughts and feelings; to understand and be
connected to someone
* It’s difficult for me to relate to Samantha because she is so rich and always
wants to do and buy expensive things.
to grow apart –
to have a relationship become more distant over time; to slowly
become less connected to another person
* Even though we thought we would be friends forever, we grew apart after our
high school graduation.
cornerstone –
the most important part of something, and what everything else is
supported by; the critical thing that holds something else up
* Freedom of speech is the cornerstone of American society.
sympathetic –
understanding and sharing the same feelings as another person;
sharing another person’s feelings
* When Marie’s father was very sick, her teachers were sympathetic, letting her
stay home and take tests later.
1
These materials are copyrighted by the Center for Educational Development (2007). Posting of
these materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.
English as a Second Language Podcast
www.eslpod.com
ESL Podcast 289 – Communication Problems
to validate –
to agree with someone that something is true or correct; to prove
that something is true or correct
* Dr. Huang’s beliefs were validated by her research.
to make (someone) a deal –
to offer to do something for someone in exchange
for that person doing something in return
* Alicia’s parents made her a deal. They said that if she did better in school, they
would allow her to take music lessons.
to put (one’s) foot down –
to insist on something; to demand that something
does or does not happen
* Anton finally put his foot down and told his boss that he wasn’t going to work
late at night anymore.
hostile –
angry; confrontational; very unfriendly; aggressive
* Don’t be hostile when a police officer gives you a ticket, or you might create a
bigger problem.
2
These materials are copyrighted by the Center for Educational Development (2007). Posting of
these materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.
English as a Second Language Podcast
www.eslpod.com
ESL Podcast 289 – Communication Problems
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. What does Ethel mean when she says, “We have a strong foundation”?
a) Their house is built on a very strong foundation.
b) Their relationship has a good base to grow from.
c) Their foundation has made it difficult to relate to each other.
2. Why is Fred putting his foot down?
a) Because he’s stepping on Oprah.
b) Because he’s making a demand.
c) Because he’s communicating more.
______________
WHAT ELSE DOES IT MEAN?
pattern
The word “pattern,” in this podcast, means the way that something happens
repeatedly over time: “Her behavior is a pattern of extreme happiness followed
by depression, and then happiness again.” Or, “Many college students get into a
pattern of sleeping only 3-4 hours during the week, but then sleeping all day on
Saturday.” Another meaning of “pattern” is the repeating shapes or colors in a
design: “I really like the pattern on your shirt!” Or, “The pattern on this carpet
makes me dizzy.” When we talk about making something, a “pattern” is the
instructions or the shape that we follow: “This is a beautiful jacket pattern, but I
think it’s too difficult for me to make.” Or, “Do you have any patterns for making
baby blankets?”
foundation
In this podcast, the word “foundation” means an
idea or fact that something is
based on and grows from: “The president said that the foundation for the
company’s success is its dedicated employees.” A “foundation” is also the
concrete that is on the ground and holds up a building: “During the earthquake,
the home moved off of its foundation.” A “foundation” can also be an
organization that gives money to people or other organizations for a specific
purpose: “The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation provides a lot of money for
healthcare in Africa.” Finally, “foundation” is a colored cream that women put on
their faces as makeup so that their skin looks better: “Do you think this
foundation is too dark for my skin color?”
3
These materials are copyrighted by the Center for Educational Development (2007). Posting of
these materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.
English as a Second Language Podcast
www.eslpod.com
ESL Podcast 289 – Communication Problems
CULTURE NOTE
In the United States, bookstores sell many books that are written to help people
“improve” (make better) their romantic relationships. John Gottman and John
Gray are two authors who are very well known “relationship gurus,” or people
who give a lot of “advice” (recommendations) about relationships.
Dr. John Gottman is a psychology professor who researches how people
“interact” (act with and around each other). He has written many “journal articles”
(stories in professional academic magazines) and he has studied many “couples”
(a man and a woman in a romantic relationship). His book,
Why Marriages
Succeed or Fail,
explains that what people do in relationships is different from
what they think they do. The book sells well, but it isn’t extremely well known.
Dr. John Gray doesn’t have as good an education as Dr. Gottman does. He
hasn’t done very much research, either. But he is a very good writer and his
books are “bestsellers” (books that are very popular). More than ten million
copies of his most famous book,
Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus
,
have been sold.
In his books, he explains that men and women think differently,
and he offers many suggestions for how people can change the way they think to
improve their marriage.
Dr. Gottman is very well respected by other “academics” (people who are
professional teachers and researchers). His work is “recognized” (identified) as
“top” (advanced) psychology. In contrast, Dr. Gray is very well known among the
general public, and his books are entertaining. His work is usually thought to be
part of “pop psychology,” or “popular psychology,” which is based on general
opinions instead of research.
Which author would you “turn to” (look for advice from) if your relationship were
in trouble?
______________
Comprehension Questions Correct Answers: 1 – b; 2 – b
4
These materials are copyrighted by the Center for Educational Development (2007). Posting of
these materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.
English as a Second Language Podcast
www.eslpod.com
ESL Podcast 289 – Communication Problems
COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT
Welcome to English as a Second Language Podcast number 289:
Communication Problems.
This is English as a Second Language Podcast number 289. I'm your host, Dr.
Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center for Educational Development in
beautiful Los Angeles, California. How are you today?
Remember to visit our website – yes, we have a website! – at eslpod.com. On
the website, among other many exciting things, you can download one of our
Learning Guides, which is a complete guide to each episode of this podcast.
Our episode today is called “Communication Problems.” It's between two people
– a dialogue between Ethel and Fred, who are a married couple having difficulty
communicating with each other. Let's get started.
[start of story]
Ethel: Can we talk?
Fred: Uh-huh.
Ethel: I don’t think we communicate very well. We don’t talk to each other like
we used to. I think we need to have a dialogue about these dysfunctional
communication patterns.
Fred: Hmm.
Ethel: I think we need to work on our relationship. We have a strong foundation,
but we have problems relating to each other. Oprah says...
Fred: Hold on! Is this something you saw on the
Oprah
show?
Ethel: Well, yes, it is. Oprah did a show about how couples grow apart after
years of being together, and good communication is the cornerstone of a good
relationship. Being a sympathetic listener and validating each other’s feelings
are very important.
Fred: Stop right there. I’ll make you a deal. I’ll communicate more with you, but
you have to promise not to bring up Oprah again. I don’t want a talk show host
telling me how to run my life.
5
These materials are copyrighted by the Center for Educational Development (2007). Posting of
these materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]