#0374 – A Graduation Ceremony, - Ang, mater, ESL Podcast McQuillan Jeff mp3+PDF
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English as a Second Language Podcast
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ESL Podcast 374 – A Graduation Ceremony
GLOSSARY
Pomp and Circumstance –
a song played at graduation ceremonies; the
graduation song
* “Pomp and Circumstance” played while the graduates entered the gym and
took their seats.
graduates –
students who are receiving a degree; students who have finished
their studies and who have earned a degree
*
The graduates threw their caps up in the air when the graduation ceremony
was over.
to file in –
to enter a place in a single row; to enter a place with one person
walking behind the other, looking in the same direction
*
The students filed into the lunchroom one by one.
cap and gown –
typical clothing worn at graduation ceremonies that consists of
a hat with a flat top and a thin coat with wide sleeves; the attire all students in a
graduating class must wear
*
Since the school’s colors were orange and black, the graduating seniors had to
wear black gowns and orange caps at the graduation.
dean –
the head of a school; the director of a certain division of studies at a
college or university
*
The Dean of Fine arts is in charge of the art, theatre, and music departments.
commencement speaker –
the important guest who gives the speech at a
graduation ceremony; a well-known person who delivers a speech to students
during the graduation ceremony
*
The former mayor of New York City was the commencement speaker at this
year’s graduation.
valedictorian –
the student with the highest grade point average in his or her
class who gives a speech at the graduation ceremony; the highest ranking
academic student in a graduating class
*
Because I received “A’s” in all my classes in high school, I was the
valedictorian.
cum laude –
graduating with honors; a special award given to students who
graduate with grades above the average
*
Jamie is graduating cum laude because of his excellent academic record.
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English as a Second Language Podcast
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ESL Podcast 374 – A Graduation Ceremony
honors –
reward for what students achieved during their time as a student;
special recognition for a student who received excellent grades
*
Because he spent so much time studying in college, he is graduating with
honors.
dignified –
honorable; respectful; having a feeling or image of respect and
seriousness
*
We all have to behave in a dignified manner when your mother’s boss comes
over to our house for dinner.
shenanigans –
secret or dishonest actions; a
trick; a prank; a playful act
*
You kids better stop your shenanigans in the swimming pool before somebody
gets hurt.
rowdy –
wild; out of control; loud and noisy
*
The crowd got rowdy when the two hockey players began to fight.
offensive –
insulting; angering; annoying
*
As a lawyer, do you find this cartoon about a dishonest lawyer offensive?
diploma –
a certificate which shows that a student has completed a level of
schooling; a document a student receives when he or she has finished high
school or college
*
She hung her medical school diploma on her office wall so that her patients
could see it.
beach ball –
a ball of many colors filled with air which floats on water; a ball filled
with air used by children for games at a beach or a swimming pool
*
The kids threw the beach ball into the water and then swam to it as it floated
away.
tassel –
a bundle of loose threads that hangs down from a graduation cap; an
ornament made of strings that is connected to the top of a graduation cap
*
The tassel was half red and half white to match the school’s colors.
shame on them –
a phrase used to show one’s displeasure at the actions of
others who have done something one does not like
*
Shame on them for throwing eggs at their teacher’s house. They know better
than that.
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these materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.
English as a Second Language Podcast
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ESL Podcast 374 – A Graduation Ceremony
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. What shenanigans are the students performing at the graduation?
a) They are blowing whistles.
b) They are throwing a beach ball around.
c) They are standing on top of their seats.
2. How does Rafael think April feels about her daughter being valedictorian?
a) She must be proud of her daughter.
b) She must be upset with her daughter.
c) She must be ashamed of her daughter.
______________
WHAT ELSE DOES IT MEAN?
to file in
The expression “to file in,” in this podcast, means to enter a place in single file
rows or to enter a place in one long line: “All of the customers filed into the movie
theatre.” The expression “to file in” can also mean to put in or to store in, usually
papers or other office-related items: “She filed all of her bills in a desk drawer.”
“To file” means to arrange in order, often according to size or the alphabet (from
A to Z): “The banker filed the checks from the highest amount check to the lowest
amount check.” Finally, “a file” is a small tool used to make fingernails shorter:
“Her fingernails were getting long so she used her file to shorten them.”
honors
In this podcast, the word “honors” means special recognition for a student who
received excellent grades in a subject or a reward for what a student has
achieved during their time as a student: “You must be very proud that both of
your daughters graduated with high honors.” “Honors” can also be used to
describe an advanced class that only excellent students are allowed to take:
“She was invited to sign up for honors math because of her superior test scores.”
The word “honor” means honesty or integrity: “He is a true man of honor and we
can trust him to make important decisions affecting all of us.” Finally, “honor” is a
title of respect for judges used when speaking directly to the judge: “Your honor,
may I make a statement to the court?”
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These materials are copyrighted by the Center for Educational Development (2008). Posting of
these materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.
English as a Second Language Podcast
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ESL Podcast 374 – A Graduation Ceremony
CULTURE NOTE
Graduation from high school is one of the most important days in a teenager’s life
in the United States. When “seniors” (students in their fourth and final year of
high school) graduate, many parents will have a party for them. Parents and the
graduates invite family, friends, and teachers. The parents of the student usually
“serve” (offer; give) food, drinks, and cake.
The family, friends, and teachers who attend the party bring the student a gift that
will help the student in the future. Most students receive money as a gift, but
other gifts are intended to help the student as he or she “strikes out on their own”
(become independent). Some students get jobs and move out of their parents
home, while others prepare to go to college, often in another city or state. For
these students, gifts can include such things as computers, televisions,
microwaves, dishes, bedding, or “mini-refrigerators“ (a refrigerator about one
quarter the size of a regular refrigerator and will fit in a small space).
After graduating, many students will take a graduation trip. Students plan the
graduation trip with their friends from their “graduating class“ (students
graduating together in the same year). Students like to go to places that are
warm such as California and Florida.
Since the legal drinking age in the U.S. is 21 in most states and most high school
graduates are around 18 years old, some students like to travel to other
countries, such as Mexico, where the minimum “drinking age” (age at which it is
legal to drink alcohol) is 18 or there is no drinking age “restrictions” (limitations) at
all. In these countries, graduates can “legally” (allowed by law) be served
alcohol.
______________
Comprehension Questions Correct Answers: 1 – b; 2 – a
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these materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.
English as a Second Language Podcast
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ESL Podcast 374 – A Graduation Ceremony
COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT
Welcome to English as a Second Language Podcast number 374: A Graduation
Ceremony.
This is English as a Second Language Podcast episode 374. I’m your host, Dr.
Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center for Educational Development in
beautiful Los Angeles, California.
You can visit our website at eslpod.com to download a Learning Guide for this
episode. The Learning Guide is an 8 to 10 page guide that gives you all of the
vocabulary, definitions, new sample sentences using all of the vocabulary we go
over here on the podcast, comprehension questions, additional explanations of
vocabulary, cultural notes, and a complete transcript of this episode.
This episode is called “A Graduation Ceremony.” It’s a dialogue between Rafael
and April talking about a typical American graduation from a high school or
college. Let’s get started.
[start of dialogue]
Rafael: They’re playing Pomp and Circumstance and the graduates are filing in.
Do you see your daughter? I don’t see my son.
April: No, we’re too far from the field and everybody is wearing a cap and gown.
It’s hard to see who’s who.
Rafael: Oh, there’s the dean and I think that’s the commencement speaker
behind her. You must be really proud of your daughter. I know I would be if my
son were valedictorian.
April: I’m very proud of her, but your son is graduating cum laude, with honors.
Those are great accomplishments.
Rafael: It’s a proud day for both of us. I just hope that the graduates will keep
this a dignified ceremony. I don’t want to see any shenanigans.
April: What do you mean?
Rafael: Last year when my other son graduated, a group of rowdy students
started singing an offensive song as the graduates went up to get their diplomas.
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These materials are copyrighted by the Center for Educational Development (2008). Posting of
these materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.
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