#0585 – Being Clear or Confusing, - Ang, mater, ESL Podcast McQuillan Jeff mp3+PDF
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English as a Second Language Podcast
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ESL Podcast 585 – Being Clear or Confusing
GLOSSARY
confused
– feeling puzzled; not understanding what is happening or what is
being discussed
* Taku was really confused when he went to the conference room for the big
meeting and nobody else was there.
to keep (something) straight
– to be able to understand something by keeping
it well organized; to avoid confusion
* It’s hard to keep all the little kids’ jackets, hats, and gloves straight. Who does
this jacket belong to?
convoluted
– complicated, especially when involving many layers or many
different pieces; very difficult to understand or follow
* The book editor told Lee that he would have a hard time finding a publisher for
such a convoluted novel.
twists and turns
– with many unexpected changes in direction or ideas, making
something difficult to follow or understand
* The movie is really interesting, with lots of twists and turns that keep the
viewers wondering what will happen next.
straightforward
– direct; uncomplicated; plain
* We were hoping the tax attorney could give us a straightforward answer, but
instead he said he’d have to research the tax laws.
for once
– used to talk about something that happens very rarely or never,
although one wishes it would happen more often
* It would be nice for my wife to offer to mow the lawn for once. I have to do it
every week!
complexity
– having a lot of complications or being very complicated and
complex; being difficult to understand because many details are involved or
because something requires specialized knowledge
* These students are fascinated by the complexity of higher-level math.
to go off on tangents
– to begin talking or writing about something that is not
directly related to the main subject, often changing the subject unintentionally
* It’s impossible to have a short meeting with Ademir, because he’s always going
off on tangents and talking about things that have nothing to do with our project.
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English as a Second Language Podcast
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ESL Podcast 585 – Being Clear or Confusing
irrelevant
– not relevant; not related to what is being discussed; not useful or
important for one’s intended purpose
* How productive you’ve been in the past is completely irrelevant. What really
matters to us is how productive you are now.
to contradict
– to counter or disagree with what has just been said; to say the
opposite of something else
* The advice my mother gave me contradicts with what my teacher told me to do.
intricate
– detailed and involved; with many small parts and details that work
together
* How did you learn to paint such intricate portraits?
crystal clear
– very clear; very direct and easy to understand, without any doubt
or confusion
* The students appreciate Wataru’s explanations, which are always crystal clear.
detail
– a single, small piece of information about something; fact
* It’s hard to make a decision without knowing all the details.
delusions of grandeur
– the idea that one is much more important or powerful
than one actually is, often associated with mental illness
* Ever since Adela earned her graduate degree, she has been suffering from
delusions of grandeur, acting like she’s the most important person in the world.
to seek professional help
– to meet with a doctor, especially a psychologist or
psychiatrist, to become healthier or to find a solution to a problem
* If the fever persists for more than one week, seek professional help.
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These materials are copyrighted by the Center for Educational Development (2010). 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 585 – Being Clear or Confusing
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. Which type of story has the most irrelevant information?
a) A convoluted story.
b) A straightforward story.
c) An crystal clear story.
2. Why does Laurent think Bethany should seek professional help?
a) Because she thinks she can talk to Shakespeare.
b) Because she needs to take a writing class.
c) Because she thinks she writes much better than she actually does.
______________
WHAT ELSE DOES IT MEAN?
for once
The phrase “for once,” in this podcast, is used to talk about something that
happens very rarely or never, although one wishes it would happen more often:
“Just for once, it would be really nice to come home to a clean house and have
dinner waiting for me.” The similar phrase “at once” means immediately: “Come
to my office at once!” The phrase “once more” or “once again” means again, or
happening another time after something has already happened many times: “Let
me explain this to you once again.” Finally, the phrase “all at once” means
suddenly and unexpectedly: “We were sitting at home, enjoying a quiet dinner,
when all at once we heard a loud explosion and then the neighbors’ shouting.”
detail
In this podcast, the word “detail” means a small fact, or a single, small piece of
information about something: “When redecorating their home, they paid attention
to all the details, including paint colors, textures, fabrics, and more.” The phrase
“down to the last detail” means completely, without leaving anything out: “The
instructions were extremely clear, down to the last detail.” The phrase “to have
an eye for detail” means having the ability or talent for paying attention to even
the smallest things: “Her success as an artist is due to her having an eye for
detail.” Finally, in the military or in a police force, a “detail” is a specific
assignment or the group that one works with: “How long have you been working
on the security detail?”
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These materials are copyrighted by the Center for Educational Development (2010). 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 585 – Being Clear or Confusing
CULTURE NOTE
In the United States, there are many “storytelling” (the art of sharing stories
orally, without using written information) “festivals” (fairs; celebrations and
competitions). Some storytelling festivals are only for professional storytellers,
while others are for “amateurs” (people who do something for fun and don’t
charge money to do it).
Some festivals last only a few hours, but others last several days. During the
festivals, each storyteller has a certain amount of time to tell a story to the
audience. At many festivals, the storytellers are “judged” (evaluated) on how well
they told the story and how well they “captured” (caught) the audience’s attention
and “imagination” (ability to believe something that isn’t really true).
Many of the storytelling festivals are geographically based, meaning that all the
storytellers live in a particular state or “region” (large area). Other storytelling
festivals are based on a particular theme, such as Native American stories, fairy
tales, historical events, or stories about nature.
The National Storytelling Network is a membership organization that tries to
improve storytelling throughout the country, promoting it as a “performing art”
(related to acting, singing, dancing, etc.), a “literacy tool” (something that helps
people learn to read), and an important “cultural element” (part of culture). The
organization publishes Storytelling Magazine and organizes a national
conference where storytellers can meet to “network” (make professional
connections and build relationships with other people) and share ideas and
“techniques” (ways of doing things) with other storytellers. At the conference,
storytellers can attend many classes and workshops to improve their storytelling
abilities.
______________
Comprehension Questions Correct Answers: 1 – a; 2 – c
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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 585 – Being Clear or Confusing
COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT
Welcome to English as a Second Language Podcast number 585: Being Clear or
Confusing.
This is English as a Second Language Podcast number 585. I’m your host, Dr.
Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center for Educational Development in
beautiful Los Angeles, California.
Our website is eslpod.com. Go there to download a Learning Guide. The
Learning Guide will help you improve your English even faster than just listening
to this podcast. It will also make you healthy, wealthy, and wise!
This episode is called “Being Clear or Confusing.” It’s a dialogue between
Bethany and Laurent about explaining things, especially to someone else, that
may be difficult for them to understand. Let’s get started.
[start of dialogue]
Laurent: So I’m confused. Who’s David again?
Bethany: David is my roommate’s friend’s brother. Haven’t you been listening?
Laurent: I have, but how am I supposed to keep all of these people straight?
Your stories are always so convoluted, with too many twists and turns. Why
don’t you try telling a straightforward story for once?
Bethany: My stories are only confusing for people who don’t pay attention or
who can’t deal with complexity.
Laurent: Complexity? Is that what you call going off on tangents and including
completely irrelevant information? Half the time the end of the story contradicts
the beginning!
Bethany: You just don’t appreciate intricate plots. My stories are crystal clear to
anyone who pays attention. Good stories have lots of detail. Just ask
Shakespeare.
Laurent: Talk about delusions of grandeur! When you start comparing yourself
to Shakespeare, it’s time for you to seek professional help!
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These materials are copyrighted by the Center for Educational Development (2010). Posting of
these materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.
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