#1043 - TV Shows Being Renewed and Cancelled, - Ang, mater, ESL Podcast McQuillan Jeff mp3+PDF
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//-->English as a Second Language Podcastwww.eslpod.comESL Podcast 1043 – TV Shows Being Renewedand CancelledGLOSSARYto be cancelled– for something to be ended, so that it no longer continues* Unfortunately, there was a problem with your credit card, so your membershipsubscription has been canceled.ratings– information about how popular something is, especially about howmany people view or participate in something* Critics praised the show, but it never got very good ratings.to plummet– to fall a great distance very quickly; to decrease significantly andrapidly* After Blake said those mean things, Paulina’s self-confidence plummeted.season– a period of time that repeats every year, often when new episodes oftelevision shows are shown or sports team compete* Accountants are always busy during tax season each spring.the writing was on the wall– a phrase meaning that it was clear or obvioussomething bad was going to happen, and that nobody should be surprised by it* His last few performance reviews at work were very poor, so the writing was onthe wall and he shouldn’t have been surprised that he was fired.on the chopping block– in danger of being fired, canceled, suspended, orended* If we don’t get that new client, we’re all on the chopping block.to gain ground– to get better, increase, or improve slowly* After months of saving every cent, we’re finally gaining ground in paying off ourcredit cards.cult favorite– something that is extremely popular with a small group of people,but not very popular with the general public* Every year, the local movie theater plays cult favorites, and people dress up incostume to see them.to garner– to earn, collect, gather, or receive* This author has garnered more awards than anyone else writing crime novels.viewership– the number of people who regularly watch a TV show* If we can increase the viewership for these programs, companies will pay moreto advertise on our channel.1These materials are copyrighted by the Center for Educational Development (2014). Posting ofthese materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.English as a Second Language Podcastwww.eslpod.comESL Podcast 1043 – TV Shows Being Renewedand Cancelledto be renewed– for a show or series to receive approval to start again in thenext season with new episodes* I can’t believe that show was renewed for another season. It’s awful!hiatus– a break; a period of rest; a period of time when something does nothappen* Did you use this year as a hiatus from your academic responsibilities, or did youuse it to conduct research?to imply– to say something indirectly; to speak in a way that is notstraightforward* Yes, I said that her cooking was delicious, but I didn’t mean to imply that yoursisn’t!mid-season replacement– a show that is aired (was broadcasted) later in theseason that when other shows began, presented as a substitute for anotherprogram that was not very popular* If this mid-season replacement is popular, the studio will never film the old showagain.to get the ax– to be fired or canceled* Hundreds of people will get the ax if the company decides to close that factory.on (one’s) last legs– very tired and at the end of one’s life or project, expectedto end soon* This old car is on its last legs.mark my words– a phrase used to make someone pay attention to what one issaying, especially when one is making a prediction about what will happen in thefuture* Mark my words, that boy will be playing in the World Cup in a few years.inane– nonsense; silly; stupid; foolish* Who writes all these inane jokes? They aren’t even funny.2These materials are copyrighted by the Center for Educational Development (2014). Posting ofthese materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.English as a Second Language Podcastwww.eslpod.comESL Podcast 1043 – TV Shows Being Renewedand CancelledCOMPREHENSION QUESTIONS1.a)b)c)2.a)b)c)What does Amy mean when she says, “The writing was on the wall”?The show had captions.It was obvious that the show would be canceled.The TV studio announced its decision on Facebook.What does Amy mean when she says, “That show is on its last legs”?The show has a very fast-moving plot.The show is too expensive to film.The show will be canceled soon.______________WHAT ELSE DOES IT MEAN?ratingsThe word “ratings,” in this podcast, means information about how popularsomething is, especially about how many people view or participate insomething: “You can learn a lot about a culture by studying which TV showshave the highest ratings.” An “approval rating” is a number that shows how manypeople think a politician is doing a good job: “The president’s approval ratingdecreased as unemployment increased.” A “credit rating” is a numerical scorethat indicates how much money one owes and whether one pays bills on time,often determining if one qualifies for a credit card or a loan: “Getting a mortgageto buy a home is almost impossible if you don’t have a good credit rating.”Finally, when talking about movies, the “rating” is a letter code that indicateswhether they are appropriate for children: “They let their children watch moviesonly if they have a G or PG rating.”to get the axIn this podcast, the phrase “to get the ax” means to be fired or canceled: “If thebudget continues to shrink, some very popular programs will get the ax.” Or,“Anyone who sells trade secrets to our competitors will immediately get the ax.”An “ax” or “axe” is a heavy metal tool with a sharp edge, attached to a woodenhandle, used to cut down trees: “How many times did you have to swing the ax tocut down that maple tree?” The phrase “to have an ax to grind” means to have astrong opinion that motivates one’s words, actions, and behavior: “They lost theirhome in a foreclosure, and ever since then, they’ve had an ax to grind againstbanks and other financial institutions.”3These materials are copyrighted by the Center for Educational Development (2014). Posting ofthese materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.English as a Second Language Podcastwww.eslpod.comESL Podcast 1043 – TV Shows Being Renewedand CancelledCULTURE NOTEThe Longest-Running American TV ShowsMost TV shows have a short “lifespan” (the amount of time that somethingexists), but a few “appeal to” (are attractive and interesting for) many people forgenerations. These shows are renewed year after year, because they continue tohave a large viewership and “attract” (bring in) advertisers.The longest-running TV show in the United States is Meet the Press, which hasbeen “on the air” (shown on TV) since 1947—that’s 66 years ago! Another newsprogram, CBS Evening News, “follows on its tail” (is right behind it) with 65 yearson the air.With 59 years on the air, The Tonight Show is the longest-running “talk show” (ashow where a host invites different guests to speak on different topics in eachepisode).The longest-running “soap opera” (a TV show showing lives of very wealthy, verydramatic people and families) was Guiding Light, which was filmed for 57 years,from 1952 to 2009 with almost 16,000 episodes. It was actually even longer-running, because it “originally” (at first) started as a radio show “way back” (along time ago) in 1937. A similar soap opera, As the World Turns, aired for 54years, from 1956 to 2010 with almost 14,000 episodes.Sesame Street is the longest-running children’s show, with more than 4,000episodes filmed over the past 44 years. And the longest-running “game show” (aTV show where contestants compete to earn money and/or prizes) is The PriceIs Right, which has produced more than 8,000 episodes since 1972.______________Comprehension Questions Correct Answers: 1 – b; 2 – c4These materials are copyrighted by the Center for Educational Development (2014). Posting ofthese materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.English as a Second Language Podcastwww.eslpod.comESL Podcast 1043 – TV Shows Being Renewedand CancelledCOMPLETE TRANSCRIPTWelcome to English as a Second Language Podcast number 1,043 – TV ShowsBeing Renewed and Cancelled.This is English as a Second Language Podcast episode 1,043. I’m your host, Dr.Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center for Educational Development inbeautiful Los Angeles, California.Visit our website at ESLPod.com. Go there and become a member of ESLPodcast. If you do, you can download a complete transcript of everything we sayon this podcast, as well as definitions of all the key terms and words that I’mexplaining here. You’ll also get some additional English lessons with our CulturalNotes that are included in the Learning Guides.This episode is a dialogue between Mo and Amy about television programs. Let’sget started.[start of dialogue]Mo: I have some bad news: Your favorite TV show has been cancelled.Amy: I’m not surprised. Ratings plummeted last season, so the writing was onthe wall.Mo: Also on the chopping block is your favorite reality show: American Idiots.Amy: Oh no, not American Idiots, too! I thought it was gaining ground in theratings after a slow start.Mo: Unfortunately, it stayed a cult favorite and never garnered a large enoughviewership to be renewed.Amy: I’ll have nothing to watch next season.Mo: You can watch some of my shows. All of my favorites are being renewed,with one taking a short hiatus.Amy: A short hiatus? We all know what that means.Mo: What are you implying?5These materials are copyrighted by the Center for Educational Development (2014). Posting ofthese materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.
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