#0707 – Looking Back on One's Life, - Ang, mater, ESL Podcast McQuillan Jeff mp3+PDF
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English as a Second Language Podcast
www.eslpod.com
ESL Podcast 707 – Looking Back on One’s Life
GLOSSARY
what do I have to show for it?
– a rhetorical question (a question one asks
oneself, not expecting to receive an answer) one asks when one is disappointed
that one cannot observe the results of one’s actions and feels one’s efforts were
wasted
* I spent all day in the kitchen, and what do I have to show for it? Burnt bread, an
undercooked chicken, and mushy green beans.
to accomplish
– to achieve; to do something, especially if it is difficult or
admirable
* Nobody expected Grace to accomplish so much in her first three months on the
job.
expectation
– standard of performance; what one anticipates will happen in the
future; what one believes should happen
* Mariah believes the secret to raising smart children is to have high expectations
for them and never accept anything less than their best effort.
unattainable
– desirable but impossible; not able to be reached because
something is too difficult; impossible
* That kind of lifestyle is unattainable on our income unless we decide to have a
lot of credit card debt.
planned out
– with a clear, detailed idea of how and why something should
happen
* The conference is this weekend! We should have had everything planned out
months ago, but we’re still trying to make arrangements for speakers and food.
to turn out
– to become; to end in a particular way
* They were disappointed their offer on the home wasn’t accepted, but as it
turned out, they found an even better home the next week.
to peg (someone)
– to identify or categorize someone in a particular way; to
believe that a person has certain characteristics
* Most people peg Charles as a nerd because he wears glasses and talks about
physics all the time, but he’s also a member of a rock band and a world-class
snowboarder.
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English as a Second Language Podcast
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ESL Podcast 707 – Looking Back on One’s Life
regret
– a feeling of sadness that something has happened; a wish or desire that
one had done something differently in the past, because one is disappointed with
the results of that action or decision
* One of Jan’s biggest regrets is that he never earned a college degree.
to settle down
– to get married and live a calm life, usually in a home, no longer
traveling, changing jobs, or partying
* He’ll probably settle down when he meets the right girl, but until then, he wants
to have as many adventures as possible.
to pan out
– to be successful; to happen as one expected something to happen;
to meet one’s expectations
* We thought we’d be able to make $100,000 by selling our home, but that didn’t
pan out once the housing market crashed.
content
– happy, calm, and satisfied; not extremely joyful, but not sad or mad
either
* Xavier is a very simple man. All he needs to feel content is a good meal and a
soft bed.
upcoming
– scheduled to happen soon
* Will I see you at the upcoming meeting?
to brood
– to think about something too much, becoming worried, sad, and
depressed
* My father always said that it doesn’t do any good to brood over things you can’t
control.
premature
aging
– the physical changes that make one appear to be older than
one actually is
* Spending too much time in the sun can dry out your skin and create wrinkles,
leading to premature aging.
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English as a Second Language Podcast
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ESL Podcast 707 – Looking Back on One’s Life
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. Why is Nick disappointed?
a) Because he didn’t marry a millionaire.
b) Because he had too many children.
c) Because his life isn’t what he expected it to be.
2. According to Danielle, what’s wrong with brooding?
a) It could make Nick die sooner.
b) It could make Nick seem older than he is.
c) It could make Nick’s friends feel depressed.
______________
WHAT ELSE DOES IT MEAN?
to plan out
The phrase “to plan out,” in this podcast, means to create a clear, detailed idea of
how and why something should happen: “The committee has done a great job
planning out the company’s emergency response for natural disasters.” The
phrase “to plan ahead” means to make a plan for the future: “Even before their
kids were born, they were planning ahead and saving money to pay for the
children’s college education.” A “game plan” is used to talk about how one
intends to win in sports or business: “The marketing director described his game
plan for increasing sales before the end of the year.” Finally, a “master plan” is a
very detailed plan for how one will control something that is complex: “Do you
think God has a master plan for our lives, or are all these events just random?”
content
In this podcast, the word “content” (pronounced “conTENT”) means happy, calm,
and satisfied: “At first we wanted to hire the best person in the field, but at this
point, we’d be content with anyone who knows how to use a computer.” As a
noun, “contents” (pronounced “CONtent”) refers to whatever is inside a box or
container: “The writing on the box said, ‘Do not drop – fragile contents.’” The
word “content” can also be used to describe how much of something there is in a
food or beverage: “What has a higher alcohol content: beer or wine?” The word
“content” can also refer to the meaning and significance of written text: “They’ve
created a beautiful website, but the content is terrible.” Finally, a “table of
contents” is a list at the beginning of a long document or book, indicating on
which page each chapter or section begins.”
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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 707 – Looking Back on One’s Life
CULTURE NOTE
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin was one of the “Founding Fathers” (one of the men who made
an important contribution to the country’s creation) of the United States. He
made many important contributions to history, politics, science, and more. He
made important “discoveries” (something learned for the first time) about
electricity, invented “bifocals” (glasses where the top part helps people see far
away and the bottom part helps people read), created the country’s first public
library, and more.
Many historians have written biographies of Benjamin Franklin, but he wrote his
own four-part “autobiography” (a book written about one’s own life) between
1771 and 1790. The first part is “addressed to” (written for; intended for) his son
and is about his childhood and early life. The second part talks about his plans
to create a library and lists the “virtues” (desirable behaviors, like honesty and
cleanliness) that he wants to “perfect” (to make as good as possible) in his own
life. The third part talks about his views on religion, his study of languages, some
of his inventions, “theories” (ideas about how something works), and his
“thoughts” (opinions) on current events. The fourth part describes his “role”
(what he did) in U.S./British relations, but it ends “abruptly” (quickly),
“presumably” (one assumes) because he “passed away” (died) before he could
finish it.
Many different versions of The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin have been
published over time. Most people admire it for its importance in “recording”
(documenting) events in early American history and for being an important piece
of American “literature” (written books, novels, and poems). Readers admire
Benjamin Franklin for being so “humble” (modest) and “down-to-earth,” willing to
admit his own mistakes and “shortcomings” (things one does not do well),
“despite” (even though he had) his fame.
______________
Comprehension Questions Correct Answers: 1 – c; 2 – b
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These materials are copyrighted by the Center for Educational Development (2011). 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 707 – Looking Back on One’s Life
COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT
Welcome to English as a Second Language Podcast number 707: Looking Back
on One’s Life.
This is English as a Second Language Podcast episode 707. 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 for this
episode to help you improve your English even faster.
This episode is about looking back or thinking about one’s life. Let’s get started.
[start of dialogue]
Nick: I’m turning 40 this year and what do I have to show for it?
Danielle: Actually, you’ve accomplished a lot. Do you know what your problem
is? Your expectations are too high and your goals are unattainable for most
people.
Nick: Not for me. They shouldn’t have been. I had my life all planned out and
nothing is turning out the way it should.
Danielle: I would never have pegged you for someone with regrets about how
his life has turned out.
Nick: But I was supposed to make my first million dollars by the time I was 30.
By 35, I should have met someone and settled down, maybe had a child or two.
None of that has panned out.
Danielle: You have lots of friends and a full life. Maybe things didn’t turn out the
way you had imagined, but wouldn’t you say you were generally content?
Nick: I was before I started thinking about my upcoming birthday.
Danielle: Then stop thinking about it. Too much brooding could definitely lead to
regrets – not to mention premature aging!
[end of dialogue]
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These materials are copyrighted by the Center for Educational Development (2011). Posting of
these materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.
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