Sunday, April 26, 2009

#1039 Off


Show 1039 Sunday 26 April 2009
Watch today's show at YouTube or BlipTV.


Sunday Kitchen #137 Off


The Daily English Show is taking some time off for a spring holiday.
Must be time for a wee beverage.
This drink seems appropriate.
Off.
Maybe I should have looked at the drink I was pouring instead of the screen.
Cheers.



music

show start
artist: Boom Tschak
album: Indietronic CCBit.
track: More Chocolate, Please
from: Former Yugoslavia
MySpace

bgm
artist: Jay P. Baker
album: The Last Riddle In Time
track: They Are We Now
from: the US
artist at Jamendo
album at Jamendo

Did you notice a mistake in this script? Please leave us a comment and tell us! We really appreciate people pointing out our mistakes.Thank you.

Have you translated this script - or part of it - into your language for English practice and published it on your blog? Please leave a comment and a link so other people can read your translation. Thank you.

Saturday, April 25, 2009

#1038 Swine Flu On Twitter


Show 1038 Saturday 25 April
Watch today’s show at YouTube or BlipTV.

Pigs Fly!

Are our dogs able to catch the swine flu?

researching swine Flu

swine flu. kinda scared now....

wondering how the swine flu will come to europe

im scared of swine flu lol.

Urg, I'm sick. Must be swine flu.

wants to know if the CDC or WHO or Homeland Security has any idea what the hell to do about "SWINE FLU"...i already wash my hands..now what?

The more I hear about swine flu, the more I want to get it. Damn you, peer pressure sensitivity!!! Also, the more I find it funny/boring...

What about the ever so stylish swine flu mask lol! I hope u got that on right now since ur at the airport!

Who will be the first celebrity to catch the flu and make world headlines?

Swind flu zombies------a complete hoax!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is it just me that suspects that Kevin Bacon had something to do with Swine flu?

Swine Flu...all the hype is being driven by the 24/7 news coverage and nothing else

My sister thinks that swine flu will create zombies....we'll see?

slightly concerned about the swine flu :)

I can't help but think the swine flu outbreak is a diversion in advance of something.

what is swine flu?

Swine Flu is scaring me..=S

"SWINE FLU? Man, I'm too fast to let it catch me."

swine flu conspiracy theory .. something to take your mind off the recession maybe ? All seems a big over reaction but time will tell !

It is very scary in this day and time that any type of flu could possibly run rampant through our country or even the world

I have a question: Who' s gonna save the pigs from human flu?



music

show start
artist: Boom Tschak
album: Indietronic CCBit.
track: More Chocolate, Please
from: Former Yugoslavia
MySpace

bgm
artist: Jay P. Baker
album: The Last Riddle In Time
track: They Are We Now
from: the US
artist at Jamendo
album at Jamendo

Did you notice a mistake in this script? Please leave us a comment and tell us! We really appreciate people pointing out our mistakes.Thank you.

Have you translated this script - or part of it - into your language for English practice and published it on your blog? Please leave a comment and a link so other people can read your translation. Thank you.

Friday, April 24, 2009

#1037 Naked Kusanagi, We Didn't Start The Fire, Swine Flu


Show 1037 Friday 24 April
Watch today’s show at YouTube or BlipTV.

Hi, I’m Sarah, welcome to The Daily English Show.

Today we’re studying a song called We Didn't Start the Fire which is by Billy Joel. It came out in 1989 and it’s like a list of events that happened in his lifetime up to that point – from 1949 to 1989.

The first line is: Harry Truman, Doris Day, Red China, Johnnie Ray.

Those are references to important people or events in 1949.

Harry Truman became the US president. Doris Day and Johnnie Ray are both American entertainers and Red China …the Communist Party of China wins the Chinese Civil War, establishing the People's Republic of China. That’s from Wikipedia.

Wikipedia has a good page on this song – it explains every event and has links so you can easily go and find more. This could be a fun way to learn a bit of history, especially American history during that time.

Some of the stuff in the song, I’d heard of, like British Beatlemania and Woodstock. But there’s lots of stuff that I’d never heard of like: Hypodermics on the shores.

In Wikipedia it says there was something called Syringe Tide which happened between 1987 and 1988.

Syringe Tide: Medical waste was found washed up on beaches in New Jersey after being illegally dumped at sea. Before this event, waste dumped in the oceans was an "out of sight, out of mind" affair. This has been cited as one of the crucial turning points in popular opinion on environmentalism.





STICK NEWS



Kia ora in Stick News today a member of the Japanese pop group SMAP was arrested for public indecency after he was found drunk and butt naked in a park in Tokyo.

SMAP is a group of five men who sing, dance and star in TV shows, commercials and movies.
They’re one of the most famous groups in Japan.
One of the members is called Kusanagi.
He’s 34 and he likes speaking Korean.
The other day Kusanagi had a few drinks in Akasaka.
At around 2 o’clock in the morning, after leaving his friends, he decided to strip off his clothes and frolic in the park near his apartment.
One of his neighbours didn’t think it was such a good idea and called the police.
According to news reports, Kusanagi was arrested at around 3am.
When police tried to arrest him, he said: “What’s wrong with being naked?”
Police said they wrapped him in a plastic sheet and took him to the station.

And that was Stick News for Friday the 24th of April.
Kia ora.



TDES Niseko Snow Report
in Niseko Annupuri


Where are you from?

Ah, from Sydney, Australia.

* From Show 945

Melbourne, Australia.

* From Show 946

Perth in Western Australia.

* From Show 953

I am from New Zealand.

* From Show 966

Ah, I’m from Australia originally … but I’ve been living in New Zealand for the last few years, in Queenstown.

* From Show 974


1. Where are you from?
I’m from Korea.

* From Show 981




Word of the Day

Today’s word is swine.

I’m sure you’ve all heard of swine flu.

Swine just means pig. Here is says formal or North American.

Swine is also an informal word for an unpleasant person.

For example: He’s an arrogant little swine!



friday joke

Why can’t Bob run?
Because Bob’s a fish.



conversations with sarah
#655 Are you a Billy Joel fan?

Step 1: Repeat Ken’s lines.
Step 2: Read Ken’s lines and talk to Sarah.

Sarah Are you a Billy Joel fan?

Ken I don’t think I’ve heard any of his songs.

Sarah You’d probably recognize them if you heard them. He has a lot of famous songs like Uptown Girl.

Ken Does he still perform?

Sarah Yeah, I think so.

Ken How old is he now?

Sarah I think he’s in his 50s or 60s.



links

today's STICK NEWS pictures

music

show start
artist: Boom Tschak
album: Indietronic CCBit.
track: More Chocolate, Please
from: Former Yugoslavia
MySpace

nsr start
artist: Zeropage
album: Ambient Pills Update
track: Is It Real?
from: Switzerland
album at Jamendo
artist at Jamendo
artist site

nsr bgm
artist: Kevin MacLeod
track: Bass Vibes
artist site
YouTube channel

WOD start
artist: DJ iPep's
album: Home Mix 2007
track: Game Toy
from: EVREUX, France
album at Jamendo
artist at Jamendo
artist site

friday joke start
artist: AdHoc
album: Toutes directions
track: Sumbala
from: Annecy, France
album at Jamendo
artist at Jamendo
artist site

cws start
artist: Wolfgang S.
album: Indietronic CCBit.
track: Dynamite
from: Belgrade, Serbia, Former Yugoslavia
artist site
MySpace

qa start
artist: ioeo
album: triptracks
track: triptrack2
from: Saint Raphael, France
album at Jamendo
artist at Jamendo
artist site

qa bgm
artist: Jay P. Baker
album: The Last Riddle In Time
track: They Are We Now
from: the US
artist at Jamendo
album at Jamendo


Did you notice a mistake in this script? Please leave us a comment and tell us! We really appreciate people pointing out our mistakes.Thank you.

Have you translated this script - or part of it - into your language for English practice and published it on your blog? Please leave a comment and a link so other people can read your translation. Thank you.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

#1036 Flame War, Snowball Formal, Man Bans Whole Town, Prove, Bone


Show 1036 Thursday 23 April
Watch today’s show at YouTube or BlipTV.

Hi, I’m Sarah, welcome to The Daily English Show.
Today I recommend a video called: We Didn’t Start The Flame War.



It’s by College Humor and it’s to the tune of We Didn’t Start the Fire by Billy Joel.

I really like this video. I think it’s really well done. They’ve made a song out of the typical ridiculous things that some people say on the internet. The stupid comments that people make and the typical complaints they make. There’s a lot of really offensive language in it, but I think they somehow pull it off because they’re really just showing how ridiculous all these comments are.

Do you know what a flame war is?
I think it’s basically just people typing stupid insults at each other.

But you can read a few more in-depth definitions on Urban Dictionary.

And Wikipedia says: Flaming is a hostile and insulting interaction between internet users.

There’s a lot of slang in this song, so there could be quite a few words that you don’t know.

For example peeps, which means: people.

This is the chorus of the song:

We didn’t start the Flame War
Peeps were hating on it
Before I left my comment

To hate on something is slang for to criticize, insult or attack something.
I’ve only ever seen it written online, but maybe it’s used offline too.

Anyway, basically the chorus means something like: I didn’t start the argument, people were already arguing before I left a comment.



The Acadia Report

Acadia University, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada

Every year at Acadia University, there’s an event called the Snowball Formal. And there’s a video of this year’s event on the Acadia channel.



So what’s a formal?
You probably know the adjective formal. But what does the noun mean.

It says here: North American, an occasion on which evening dress is worn.

So it’s an event where you dress up in suits and dresses basically and you can’t wear casual clothes like tracksuits or jeans.

It’s like a prom, which is also American English – but I think a prom is usually at high school.
In New Zealand, at the high school I went to anyway, we called it a ball. And I also went to one in my first year of university– it was just for the people who lived in my hall – and we called that a ball too.



STICK NEWS



Kia ora in Stick News today a man in New Zealand has banned an entire town from staying at his motel.

Shane (* should be "Steve") Donnelly is an Australian man who owns a motel in Palmerston North, New Zealand.
Shane said that over a six-month period three groups of people from Wainuiomata caused trouble at the motel.
Their bad behaviour included: spitting on the pavement, flirting with girls and swearing,
So he has decided to ban everyone from Wainuiomata.

And that was Stick News for Thursday the 23rd of April.
Kia ora.



TDES Niseko Snow Report
in Hirafu


with Keita Nakamura
* Keita was a guest on Show 1033

What do you like about Niseko?

Many things. And they have four seasons, so I can’t say one things, but … that’s the thing I like, the four seasons. Lots of snows and nature and … um, international culture. But still … a lot of thing is moving here, so that’s interesting.

What are the snow conditions like in Niseko compared to other mountains in Hokkaido?

There are so many places you can have powder, but, ah, you have to hike up and … yeah you have to hike up. But this ski resort is really easy to get fresh powder all day. Easy.



Word of the Day

Today’s word is prove.

v. to use facts, evidence, etc. to show that sth is true

This is from today’s video: if ur gonna call bullshit post a link to prove it.
(From 1:18)

Someone had said the photo that they are commenting on, was stolen from another website. And this person is saying: If you’re going to accuse someone of doing something, then you should post a link to prove it – to show that what you’re saying is true.



conversations with sarah
#654 What does bone mean?

Step 1: Repeat Mari’s lines.
Step 2: Read Mari’s lines and talk to Sarah.

Mari What does bone mean?

Sarah Bone means to have sex.

Mari Like make love?

Sarah Yeah, except that bone isn’t very romantic.

Mari When do you use that word?

Sarah Well, I never use it. But … I guess it would be teenage boys. Maybe writing comments on the internet like in that song.




We Didn’t Start The Flame War - Lyrics/Transcript

Jeff Rubin is typing a message
Jeff Rubin @ 3:31pm says:
posted that pic
Streeter Seidell @3:31pm says
people like it?
Jeff Rubin is typing a message
Jeff Rubin @ 3:31pm says:
Check out the comments

First post!
fucking gay
Second post!
go away!
stupid picture
Simpsons did it
south park did it too.
ROFL copter ! ! !
Really Stupid
I dunno, I kinda like it
I hate Mindy (http://www.ihatemindy.com/4c7e234)
I hate Cindy (http://www.ihatecindy.com/4c7e234)
I hate fags and jews
Who’s the girl in that pic?
I want her to show her tits
So gross, I wonder why girls don’t come to this site!
This picture FTW I’d bone the girl in it
I’d bone your mom
u bone your palm
oh snap, epic Pwnage!
We didn’t start the flame war
Peeps were hatin’ on it
‘fore I left my comment
We didn’t start the flame war
Let the whole wide world know
I’m a big old asshole
Saw this on another site.
Photoshop’d, Am I right?
hard to see, but I agree
dugg down cuz it sucks!
How’d this garbage make it to the front page?
users from their site came and dugg it up
Stolen from XKCD
Buried for inaccuracy
if ur gonna call bullshit post a link to prove it
Ron Paul 2012!!!
he can’t win, don’t jizz yourself
He’s got a chance
Yeah, in France - bet you’d vote for Palin!
We didn’t start the Flame War
Peeps were hatin’ on it
‘fore I left my comment
We didn’t start the flame war
Let the whole wide world know
I’m a big old asshole
Who wants a free iPod? Just follow this link
God, Spammers in this thread are such massive dickheads
Oh my god, watch my vid - crazy funny fat kid
Eat my ass you fucking troll
what an asshole!
Rick roll’d!
Gay-ay-ay
You guys know who I hate? people who are mixed race
also mexicans red heads, and asians
why r u guys so racist
why r u guys so racist
double post, my bad
this kid’s a noob fag
what’s your problem douchebag?
ur the ass, fucking fag!
your a fag!
You’re a BITCH!
All of you can suck my dick! 8==0
We didn’t start the Flame War
Peeps were hatin’ on it
‘fore I left my comment
We didn’t start the flame war
Let the whole wide world know
I’m a big old asshole
asshole
asshole
asshole
asshole
asshole

Nanoob? On Mar 15,2009
Gaaaaay!



filming notes

The ending shot was filmed on 23rd April 2009 at 7:50am in Kutchan, Hokkaido, Japan.
Keita's interview was filmed on 29th March 2009 at Powderlife Cafe in Hirafu.



links

today's news
today's STICK NEWS pictures

music

show start
artist: Boom Tschak
album: Indietronic CCBit.
track: More Chocolate, Please
from: Former Yugoslavia
MySpace

The Acadia Report start
artist: DJ iPep's
album: Home Mix 2007
track: Concerto
from: EVREUX, France
album at Jamendo
artist at Jamendo
artist site

nsr start
artist: Zeropage
album: Ambient Pills Update
track: Is It Real?
from: Switzerland
album at Jamendo
artist at Jamendo
artist site

WOD start
artist: DJ iPep's
album: Home Mix 2007
track: Game Toy
from: EVREUX, France
album at Jamendo
artist at Jamendo
artist site

cws start
artist: Wolfgang S.
album: Indietronic CCBit.
track: Dynamite
from: Belgrade, Serbia, Former Yugoslavia
artist site
MySpace

qa start
artist: ioeo
album: triptracks
track: triptrack2
from: Saint Raphael, France
album at Jamendo
artist at Jamendo
artist site

qa bgm
artist: Jay P. Baker
album: The Last Riddle In Time
track: They Are We Now
from: the US
artist at Jamendo
album at Jamendo

Have you translated this script - or part of it - into your language for English practice and published it on your blog? Please leave a comment and a link so other people can read your translation. Thank you.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

#1035 Barrister Vs Barista, NZ Island Names, Frumpy


Show 1035 Wednesday 22 April
Watch today’s show at YouTube or BlipTV.

Hi, I’m Sarah, welcome to The Daily English Show.

Today’s mistake comes from a job advertisement in a newspaper. I saw a photo of it online.

A café in New Zealand advertised for a:

BARRISTER /
KITCHEN HAND

So what’s wrong with that? Well, a barrister is a kind of lawyer.

What they meant was a barista which is a person who makes coffee.



click here

The site I recommend today is called: ESL News New Zealand.

As it says on the site, you can: Listen to New Zealand news, spoken slowly and clearly, using easy vocabulary.

So it’s a great site for people studying English in New Zealand – or for people who are interested in New Zealand news. The news is rewritten in simple English and there are audio files so you can listen and read along.



STICK NEWS



Kia ora in Stick News today it’s been discovered that the two main islands of New Zealand are officially nameless.

The two biggest islands of New Zealand are usually called the North Island or Te Ika-a-Māui and the South Island or Te Wai Pounamu. But the New Zealand Geographic Board recently discovered they had no formal names. According to the New Zealand Herald before officially christening the islands, the board will consult the public and iwi on what each island should officially be called.

And that was Stick News for Wednesday 22nd of April.
Kia ora.



TDES Niseko Snow Report
at MSK JR Apartment

Now that most of the snow has melted I’ve been enjoying walking around my neighbourhood in the mornings. This is at 7:30am on the 20th of April.



Word of the Day


Today’s word is frumpy.

This is a word that people have used to describe Susan Boyle.

Frumpy is usually used to describe a woman who is unattractive and wears old-fashioned clothes.
It’s also used to describe the clothes themselves.



conversations with sarah
#653 Where do most people live?

Step 1: Repeat Jim’s lines.
Step 2: Read Jim’s lines and talk to Sarah.

Jim How many islands are there in New Zealand?

Sarah There are just two big islands and hundreds of smaller ones. Maybe thousands.

Jim Where do most people live?

Sarah Most people live on the North Island. I think about three quarters of the population.



links

today's STICK NEWS pictures

music

show start
artist: Boom Tschak
album: Indietronic CCBit.
track: More Chocolate, Please
from: Former Yugoslavia
MySpace

click here start
artist: #NarNaoud#
album: Green Vision
track: Oriental Standing
from: Gironde, France
artist at Jamendo
album at Jamendo
artist site

nsr start
artist: Zeropage
album: Ambient Pills Update
track: Is It Real?
from: Switzerland
album at Jamendo
artist at Jamendo
artist site

WOD start
artist: DJ iPep's
album: Home Mix 2007
track: Game Toy
from: EVREUX, France
album at Jamendo
artist at Jamendo
artist site

cws start
artist: Wolfgang S.
album: Indietronic CCBit.
track: Dynamite
from: Belgrade, Serbia, Former Yugoslavia
artist site
MySpace

qa start
artist: ioeo
album: triptracks
track: triptrack2
from: Saint Raphael, France
album at Jamendo
artist at Jamendo
artist site

qa bgm
artist: Jay P. Baker
album: The Last Riddle In Time
track: They Are We Now
from: the US
artist at Jamendo
album at Jamendo

Did you notice a mistake in this script? Please leave us a comment and tell us! We really appreciate people pointing out our mistakes.Thank you.

Have you translated this script - or part of it - into your language for English practice and published it on your blog? Please leave a comment and a link so other people can read your translation. Thank you.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

#1034 Happen To Have, NZ Eskimo Lollies, Gobsmacked


Show 1034 Tuesday 21 April
Watch today’s show at YouTube or BlipTV.

Hi, I’m Sarah, welcome to The Daily English Show.

Today we’re studying the second half of the conversation we studied on last Tuesday’s show from the movie A Modern Affair.

So a woman has run into her ex-boyfriend in the street and they’re having some small talk.

And the ex-boyfriend has had two kids with his new partner and he says: I just happened to have photographs.

What does happen to have mean?

happen v. to do or be sth by chance

For example: She happened to be out when we called.

In this situation it’s funny because it’s not really by chance that he has photos. He’s obviously so proud of his kids that he carries around photos of them all the time. And him using the phrase happen to have emphasizes his eagerness to grab any opportunity to talk about his kids.

And the woman says: Oh, they’re beautiful. They don’t look like you.

And he says: Thanks!

Because if you say, they’re beautiful, they don’t look like you, it kind of sounds like you mean, you are not beautiful – even though that’s not what she means.

And he knows that and he’s only pretending to be offended when he says: Thanks!

This is quite a common response if someone says something offensive by the way. You can say “thanks” in an offended or sarcastic tone. This works both if you really are offended. Thanks. And if you’re really not offended … you’re just joking. Thanks.



STICK NEWS



Kia ora in Stick News today a Canadian tourist in New Zealand said she was offended by the name of a lolly.

According to Wikipedia, Eskimos are indigenous peoples who have traditionally inhabited the circumpolar region from eastern Siberia, across Alaska and Canada, and all of Greenland.
There are also lollies in New Zealand called Eskimos.
A 21-year-old Canadian tourist said she was shocked when she found the lollies for sale last week.
She said the word Eskimo was unacceptable in Canada and carried with it negative racial connotations.

And that was Stick News for Tuesday the 21st of April.
Kia ora.



TDES Niseko Snow Report
with SAS Scott Adventure Sports

thanks to: David New

How do you choose what kind of boots to buy?

Boots are very, very important. And if you’re looking to buy your own boots, the best thing to do is to go and make sure that you see somebody who is, um, has got a lot of experience. Um, ski boot fitting is actually a, um, a very … takes a long time to qualify for as a master boot fitter. It can be five years to, to qualify for. And so if you, um, are going to buy a pair of boots, the best thing to do is to get a referral from a friend. Or have a look on the websites to see who’s recommended as a boot fitter.
Once you’ve done that, then you can go and, you know, you’ll speak to them. And different models, different makes, for instance, Salomon, ah, Atomic, and Nordica … they’re all, you know, they’re all good boot manufacturers. But a good boot … a good boot fitter will be able to tell you that a certain boot is right for you because of the shape of your foot. Um, so, it’s … best advice on that is to go, to go to a good boot fitter.



Word of the Day


Today’s word is gobsmacked.

Gobsmacked is a word that Susan Boyle used to describe her reaction to her sudden worldwide fame.

Gobsmacked means very surprised.

I guess it comes from the word gob and smacked. Gob is an informal word for mouth.
So when you’re so surprised that you don’t know what to say … it’s kind of like someone has smacked your mouth.



conversations with sarah
#653 How’s your dad?

Step 1: Repeat Ben’s lines.
Step 2: Read Ben’s lines and talk to Gracie.

* Watch here from 4:36

Ben How’s your dad?

Gracie He’s good.

Ben Send him my best.

Gracie I will do that. I, ah, I heard you had a kid.

Ben Was that the first or the second you heard?

Gracie Two kids? Wow.

Ben I just happened to have, ah … photographs. That’s Monica and that’s Rachel.

Gracie Oh, they’re beautiful. They don’t look like you.

Ben Thanks!

Gracie I mean, um …They’re beautiful children.

Ben Thanks.

Gracie I, um, I have to go.

Ben Bye.



links

today's news

today's STICK NEWS pictures

photo of Eskimo lollies
producer of Eskimo lollies

more about gobsmacked

music

show start
artist: Boom Tschak
album: Indietronic CCBit.
track: More Chocolate, Please
from: Former Yugoslavia
MySpace

nsr start
artist: Zeropage
album: Ambient Pills Update
track: Is It Real?
from: Switzerland
album at Jamendo
artist at Jamendo
artist site

cws start
artist: Wolfgang S.
album: Indietronic CCBit.
track: Dynamite
from: Belgrade, Serbia, Former Yugoslavia
artist site
MySpace

qa start
artist: ioeo
album: triptracks
track: triptrack2
from: Saint Raphael, France
album at Jamendo
artist at Jamendo
artist site

qa bgm
artist: Josta
album: Altrove (part 1)
track: Ti spiezzo il beat
from: Torino, Italy
artist at Jamendo
album at Jamendo
artist site

Have you translated this script - or part of it - into your language for English practice and published it on your blog? Please leave a comment and a link so other people can read your translation. Thank you.

Monday, April 20, 2009

#1033 Keita From Japan, 1 Million Twitter Followers


Show 1033 Monday 27 April
Watch today’s show at YouTube or BlipTV.


Hi, I’m Sarah, welcome to The Daily English Show. Today’s guest is Keita. He’s a ski instructor who has worked in Niseko for the last two seasons. And he happened to walk into Powderlife Café when we were setting up for Nick’s interview. I’d never met him before but I asked him if he’d be keen to do an interview and he said when I said today if you don’t mind … and he said yes … which was great and it turned out to be really interesting interview.

I started by asking Keita how long he has been a ski instructor.

I did two years before. One years … was in Rusutsu. And last year here.



STICK NEWS



Kia ora in Stick News today for the first time ever a Twitter user has 1 million followers.

Twitter is a website where users send tweets and have followers. The first person to ever have 1 million followers was an American actor called Ashton. He said he originally used Twitter as a tool to feed his ego but then he realized he could use the service to make a difference and “effectively change the world”.

And that was Stick News for Monday 20th of April.
Kia ora.



conversations with sarah
#652 How did you learn English?

with Keita Nakamura

Step 1: Repeat Sarah’s lines.
Step 2: Read Sarah’s lines and talk to Keita.

Sarah What do you enjoy about your job?

Keita I don’t know. People can get happy and I started by my own so I can learn, um, about the business, like, yeah, from the beginning to teach … that’s good experience for everything, to start my own business.

Sarah How do you find customers?

Keita I have some friends who works in a lodge so I can put my stuff there or I can give my card to my friend if my friend recommend me, ah, introduce me to some people who wants to learn ski and snowboarding. Um, I pay some commission to my friends or lodge, and … yeah many … Or I put my card to some place and somebody just pick, pick it up and call me.

Sarah Do you teach in English as well as Japanese?

Keita Yeah.

Sarah Is that difficult?

Keita That was difficult but I did last year so I have some experience.

Sarah How did you learn English?

Keita Ah, I was in Australia for a year. I studied three months in, in a school. But, ah, I’m not good at sitting on chair long time, so I didn’t learn a lot of English there. But after three months I started working on a farm and, um, in a farm I don’t, I didn’t understand what they were talking about because they speak so fast … and Australian accent. So … but after I finished farming, um, I went back to city and my ears got used to listen the language, English in the city. So picking up little by little.

Sarah What kind of farm was it?

Keita Ah, so many things, olives, and, ah, planting trees and banana farms and yeah …

Sarah Where did you go in Australia?

Keita Started from Perth and went up to Broome, and Darwin, Cairns, Brisbane, and Sydney.

Sarah Have you spent time in any other countries?

Keita Yeah, ah, last year I went to India. Ah, no, two years before. India and Thailand for three months. And last year I went to United States, Tennessee – where Jack Daniel's from.

Sarah Why Tennessee?

Keita Because my ex-girlfriend was there. I stayed their family, with their family.

Sarah Did you notice a big difference between the English in Australia and America?

Keita Yeah, I had some confidence to speak some English but the people in Tennessee I couldn’t understand at all. But I got used to.

Sarah How long did you stay there?

Keita Three months.

Sarah Do you have any advice for people who are learning English?

Keita Just, ah, try to communicate whatever, eye to eye. If you don’t … give up, you get it.

Sarah What helped your English the most?

Keita What I did at first is listening to the tapes from movie. When I was in Australia my friend gave me advice to listen the tapes from movie. I used to listen Notting Hill, like, when I sleep every night. Then, um, yeah, I started picking up one word and next time another word, next time another word. And I was excited to watch the movie because all the time, I was imagine what the scene is and yeah …

Sarah Why did you choose Notting Hill?

Keita Because the guy who recommend me to listen the tape used to listen, listen the Notting Hill and I like Julia Roberts and I like the movie, so …



filming notes

Today's interview was filmed on Sunday 29th March 2009 at Powderlife Cafe, in Hirafu, Japan.

links

today's STICK NEWS pictures

music

show start
artist: Boom Tschak
album: Indietronic CCBit.
track: More Chocolate, Please
from: Former Yugoslavia
MySpace

cws start
artist: Wolfgang S.
album: Indietronic CCBit.
track: Dynamite
from: Belgrade, Serbia, Former Yugoslavia
artist site
MySpace

qa start
artist: ioeo
album: triptracks
track: triptrack2
from: Saint Raphael, France
album at Jamendo
artist at Jamendo
artist site

qa bgm
artist: Josta
album: Altrove (part 1)
track: Ti spiezzo il beat
from: Torino, Italy
artist at Jamendo
album at Jamendo
artist site

Did you notice a mistake in this script? Please leave us a comment and tell us! We really appreciate people pointing out our mistakes.Thank you.

Have you translated this script - or part of it - into your language for English practice and published it on your blog? Please leave a comment and a link so other people can read your translation. Thank you.

#1032 Jenny & Me Spaghetti


Show 1032 Sunday 19 April 2009
Watch today's show at YouTube or BlipTV.


Sunday Kitchen #136 Jenny & Me Spaghetti



Whenever I see peas, I think of that line from Forrest Gump.

Jenny and me was like peas and carrots.

* Quote here from 2:24

So I decided to make something with peas and carrots and call it Jenny & Me.

I cut up some carrots and cooked them with olive oil, salt and garlic.

Then I boiled some peas and added them to the carrots.

And I cooked some pasta.

Jenny & Me Spaghetti.

It was delicious.



links

More quotes from Forrest Gump

music

show start
artist: Boom Tschak
album: Indietronic CCBit.
track: More Chocolate, Please
from: Former Yugoslavia
MySpace

bgm
artist: Hugo 'Droopy' Contini
album: Strikes Back !
track: It Never Entered My Mind
artist at Jamendo
album at Jamendo
MySpace

Did you notice a mistake in this script? Please leave us a comment and tell us! We really appreciate people pointing out our mistakes.Thank you.

Have you translated this script - or part of it - into your language for English practice and published it on your blog? Please leave a comment and a link so other people can read your translation. Thank you.

Sunday, April 19, 2009

#1031 How Much? Vs How Many?


Show 1031 Saturday 18 April
Watch today’s show at YouTube or BlipTV.


I had a delicious smoothie for breakfast.

What was in it?

banana
blueberries
almonds
coconut
vanilla
soy milk
water
ice

How much ice did you put in?
Three cubes.

How much water?
One cup.

How much soymilk?
One cup.

How much vanilla?
A few shakes.

How much coconut?
One tablespoon.

How many almonds?
Four.

How many blueberries?
Five.

How many bananas?
One.



music

show start
artist: Boom Tschak
album: Indietronic CCBit.
track: More Chocolate, Please
from: Former Yugoslavia
MySpace

qa bgm
artist: Josta
album: Altrove (part 1)
track: Su Zirku
from: Torino, Italy
artist at Jamendo
album at Jamendo
artist site

Did you notice a mistake in this script? Please leave us a comment and tell us! We really appreciate people pointing out our mistakes.Thank you.

Have you translated this script - or part of it - into your language for English practice and published it on your blog? Please leave a comment and a link so other people can read your translation. Thank you.

Friday, April 17, 2009

#1030 I Dreamed A Dream, Alcohol On Pitcairn, Weather, Musicals


Show 1030 Friday 17 April
Watch today’s show at YouTube or BlipTV.

Hi, I’m Sarah, welcome to The Daily English Show.

Today we’re studying a song called I Dreamed a Dream which is from one of the most famous musicals in the world. And of course everybody’s been talking about it a lot recently because of Susan Boyle’s performance.

So, what is the song about? Well, in the musical it’s sung by a character called Fantine … I don’t know if that’s how you pronounce it.

This is from Wikipedia: The lyrics are about lost innocence and broken dreams. Fantine is abandoned by her lover, gives birth to a daughter, Cosette, out of wedlock, is wrongly dismissed from a desperately-needed job, and forced into prostitution to survive and (to) support her daughter.

Pretty sad.

And these are the lyrics from the end of the song:

I had a dream my life would be So different from this hell I'm living So different now from what it seems Now life has killed The dream I dreamed





TDES Niseko Snow Report
at Niseko Annupuri


Here’s some footage taken in Annupuri on the 9th of April. It was a beautiful spring day.



STICK NEWS




Kia ora in Stick News today after a 200-year ban, alcohol is now allowed to be sold on an Island in the South Pacific.

Pitcairn Island is an island in the Southern Pacific Ocean with a population of 48. The sale and consumption of alcoholic drinks used to be prohibited. Radio New Zealand has reported the new law will allow everyone over the age of 18 to drink alcohol.

And that was Stick News for Friday the 17th of April.
Kia ora.



Word of the Day

Today’s word is weather.

I’m sure you know that weather is a noun. How’s the weather up there?

But it is also a verb, meaning: to come safely through a difficult period or experience.

For example: She refuses to resign, intending to weather the storm (i.e. wait until the situation improves again).

This is from today’s song:

But there are dreams that cannot be And there are storms We cannot weather

I think that means some of the dreams we have are impossible or … they’ll never happen. And some of the bad things that happen to us, we can’t handle.



friday joke

A guy walks into a bar and says, "Ouch".



conversations with sarah
#651 I don’t like musicals

Step 1: Repeat Dom’s lines.
Step 2: Read Dom’s lines and talk to Sarah.

Sarah Have you seen Les Mis?

Dom No. Have you?

Sarah No.

Dom I don’t like musicals.

Sarah Oh, really?

Dom Do you?

Sarah Yeah, some of them. I like Jesus Christ Superstar.

Dom Really? I can’t stand those songs!

Sarah Really? I love them.



links

today's news
today's STICK NEWS pictures

music

show start
artist: Boom Tschak
album: Indietronic CCBit.
track: More Chocolate, Please
from: Former Yugoslavia
MySpace

nsr start
artist: Zeropage
album: Ambient Pills Update
track: Is It Real?
from: Switzerland
album at Jamendo
artist at Jamendo
artist site

nsr bgm
artist: Kevin MacLeod
track: Bass Vibes
artist site
YouTube channel

WOD start
artist: DJ iPep's
album: Home Mix 2007
track: Game Toy
from: EVREUX, France
album at Jamendo
artist at Jamendo
artist site

friday joke start
artist: AdHoc
album: Toutes directions
track: Sumbala
from: Annecy, France
album at Jamendo
artist at Jamendo
artist site

cws start
artist: Wolfgang S.
album: Indietronic CCBit.
track: Dynamite
from: Belgrade, Serbia, Former Yugoslavia
artist site
MySpace

qa start
artist: ioeo
album: triptracks
track: triptrack2
from: Saint Raphael, France
album at Jamendo
artist at Jamendo
artist site

qa bgm
artist: Josta
album: Altrove (part 1)
track: BabaLoop
from: Torino, Italy
artist at Jamendo
album at Jamendo
artist site


Did you notice a mistake in this script? Please leave us a comment and tell us! We really appreciate people pointing out our mistakes.Thank you.

Have you translated this script - or part of it - into your language for English practice and published it on your blog? Please leave a comment and a link so other people can read your translation. Thank you.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

#1029 Susan Boyle, Without A Doubt, Obamas' Dog, Tosh


Show 1029 Thursday 16 April
Watch today’s show at YouTube or BlipTV.

Hi, I’m Sarah, welcome to The Daily English Show.

The video we’re studying today is the famous clip of Susan Boyle singing on the TV show Britain’s Got Talent.

As you probably know, the judges were pretty impressed by her performance.
These are some of the adjectives they used:

stunning
incredible
amazing
brilliant
extraordinary

One of the expressions you can hear in the clip is: without a doubt.

Without a doubt is an idiom which is used to emphasize the point that you’re making.

It’s often used with superlatives, if something is the best, biggest, longest, worst ….

Without a doubt that was the worst movie I’ve ever seen.

And on the show one of the judges said: Without a doubt, that was the biggest surprise I’ve had in three years on this show.

Another judge used the expression: a wake-up call.

You probably know a wake-up call is a phone call you get in a hotel to wake you up. But it’s also an idiom which means: an event that warns someone that they need to deal with an urgent or dangerous problem.

For example: His health scare was a wake-up call for him. He knew he had to start taking care of himself or he would die.

I think the way the judge used the expression was slightly odd, but anyway it was clear what she meant.

She said: I am so thrilled because I know that everybody was against you. I honestly think that we were all being very cynical, and I think that's the biggest wake-up call ever.

So I think what she was saying was that it was a good reminder to everybody that you just because someone isn’t particularly attractive, doesn’t mean they aren’t talented.

UPDATE: Use of "wake-up call" in recent news article here.




The Acadia Report
Acadia University, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada

Today I’d like to introduce a video from an event that was held to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the first woman to graduate from Acadia University. She was also the second woman to graduate from a university in the Commonwealth. I don’t know who the first person was. Google failed me on that.

This was also the first time that the new president spoke at an event representing Acadia University and he mentioned that 56% of the students at Acadia are women.

There’s a script for that video on The Daily English Show blog so go and check that out.

I like this quote from the woman in the video. She says: I believe our next drive and effort has to be to hold what we’ve earned and to move on from token participation to push for true equality in all walks of life.



0:22
I am proud of the early commitment that Acadia extended to education for women and which we celebrate today. When you think, as President Ivany said, the significance of that year, giving the first degree to a woman from Acadia. I believe our next drive and effort has to be to hold what we’ve earned and to move on from token participation to push for true equality in all walks of life. We have to be like Clara Bell Marshall. She didn’t get that walk across that stage and get her degree, without a lot of effort, the marks … and building the support to get it. We must, must move forward. I hope those young women that are at Acadia today, in the 56% , are going to be in that drive to make the difference. I do think it’s important for everyone to recognise these kind of historical events, because they did shape, big time, what … the future of women in this country. Now Acadia family, the bigger Acadia family, has always played a major role in my life. And the personal friendships that I made at Acadia and … have enriched my life and continue with me today.

1:49
It is a real pleasure and an honour to, ah, be with you today. I wanted to be here, ah, in many ways, ah, as my first public, ah, event, ah, representing Acadia University. Um, and I consider it, ah, an honour to, ah, to do so. Just as I, I would thank, you know, Clara Bell Marshall if I could today, for what she did today and that that spirit is still alive. I also want to thank each and every one of you. Because you did a version of that as well. And I’ve heard some stories as I’ve talked to people today, right?, about, you know, early on, still breaking new ground for women at Acadia. And the reason why the institution is as strong as it is today, is very much the product of the work that you and others, ah, have put forward.
I think for each and every one of you, if you think of your mothers or daughters or sisters, ah, aunts and nieces, the other women that have been important in your lives and reflect upon what her experience must have been like, as that, that first woman, ah, through the institution … and again to draw the link to what makes institutions last this long in our society in general. What makes Acadia University special is that, I can tell you today that about 56% of our student body today are women. It’s a long, long …
Acadia’s commitment to a personalized education that touched everyone in this room, their commitment to using the institution to help you get where you were trying to go, or discover where you wanted to go … And to be concerned about the development of you as a human being, not just as a student, not just academically, but on many other dimentions as well. Acadia’s been, been a wonderful university, ah, in this country long before I was born. It will be a wonderful university in this country, long after I’m gone. And, ah, and we have to treat it respectfully and give it our greatest care during the time that we’re there and I give you my personal pledge today that I will do that, so thank you.



STICK NEWS



Kia ora in Stick News today the Obamas' new dog has arrived at the White House.

On the 4th of November 2008, Barack Obama told the world that his family was getting a puppy.
Now, the dog has arrived at the White House.
It’s name is Bo and it’s a Portuguese water dog.

And that was Stick News for Thursday the 16th of April.
Kia ora.





TDES Niseko Snow Report
in Kutchan


This is looking at the mountain in the afternoon from the road near my apartment.
And this is a bit later the same day from in front of the gym.



Word of the Day

Today’s word is: tosh.

n. (old-fashioned, BrE, slang) nonsense

After Susan Boyle performed, everyone was clearly shocked that she was so good. And the first two judges said they were shocked and surprised. But the last judge, Simon, said: Susan, I knew the minute you walked out on that stage we were going to hear something extraordinary. And I was right.

He was clearly joking, which is why everyone laughed. And one of the guys on stage looked at the camera and said: What a load of tosh.



conversations with sarah

#650 What’s the dream?



Step 1: Repeat the judge’s lines.
Step 2: Read the judge’s lines and talk to Susan.

Judge All right, what’s your name, darling?

Susan My name is Susan Boyle.

Judge OK, ah, Susan, where you from?

Susan I’m from Blackburn, near Bathgate, West Lothian.

Judge That’s a big town?

Susan It’s a, sort of, collection of … It’s a collection of, ah … villages. I had to think there.

Judge And how old are you Susan?

Susan I am 47. And that’s just one side of me.

Judge OK. What’s the dream?

Susan I … I’m trying to be a professional singer.

Judge And why hasn’t it worked out so far, Susan?

Susan Well, I’ve never been given the chance before. But here’s hoping it’ll change.

Judge OK, and who would you like to be as successful as?

Susan Elaine Paige, someone like that.

Judge What are you going to sign tonight?

Susan I’m going to sing I Dreamed A Dream from Les Misérables.

Judge OK. Big song.



Full transcript from this video.
(All videos on YouTube apart from the official video have embedding disabled).

Hello, there.
Hello, how you doing?
I’m good. How are you?
My name is Susan Boyle, I’m nearly 48, currently unemployed, but still looking and I’m going to sing for you on Britain’s Got Talent today.
A little nervous?
Yeah, sure (?) eh.
Yeah, well, that's, that’s not surprising.
I’ve got fighting (?)
I’ve never been married. Never been kissed. Oh, shame. But it’s not an advert.
Have you done this for many a year?
Since I was twelve.
Since you were twelve.
I’ve always wanted to perform in front of a large audience. I’m going to make that audience rock.

All right, what’s your name, darling?
My name is Susan Boyle.
OK, ah, Susan, where you from?
I’m from Blackburn, near Bathgate, West Lothian.
That’s a big town?
It’s a, sort of, collection of … It’s a collection of, ah … villages. I had to think there.
And how old are you Susan?
I am 47. And that’s just one side of me.
OK. What’s the dream?
I … I’m trying to be a professional singer.
And why hasn’t it worked out so far, Susan?
Well, I’ve never been given the chance before. But here’s hoping it’ll change.
OK, and who would you like to be as successful as?
Elaine Page, somebody like that.
Elaine Page.
What are you going to sign tonight?
I’m going to sing I Dreamed A Dream from Les Miserables.
OK. Big song.

Yeah? Yeah.

Oi!
Hello?
Hey, come back here!
Stay there! Stay there! Stay there!
Thank you very much, ah, Susan. Piers.

Without a doubt, that was the biggest surprise I’ve had in three years on this show. When you stood there with that cheeky grin and said I, I want to be like Elaine Page, everyone was laughing at you. No one is laughing now. That was stunning. An incredible performance. Amazing! I’m reeling from shock. I don’t know about you two. But … I can’t believe it.

I am so thrilled because I know that everybody was against you. I honestly think that we were all being very cynical, and I think that's the biggest wake-up call ever. And I just want to say that it was a complete privilege listening to that. It was … brilliant.

Susan, I knew the minute you walked out …
Oh, Simon!
… on that stage we were going to hear something extraordinary. And I was right.

What a lot of tosh.

Susan, you are a little tiger, aren’t you?
I don’t know about that.
You are.
I don’t know about that.
OK, moment of truth. Piers, yes or no?

The biggest yes I have ever given anybody.
Yes, definitely.
Susan Boyle, you can go back to the village with your head held high – it’s three yeses.






links

today's news
today's STICK NEWS pictures

music

show start
artist: Boom Tschak
album: Indietronic CCBit.
track: More Chocolate, Please
from: Former Yugoslavia
MySpace

The Acadia Report start
artist: DJ iPep's
album: Home Mix 2007
track: Concerto
from: EVREUX, France
album at Jamendo
artist at Jamendo
artist site

nsr start
artist: Zeropage
album: Ambient Pills Update
track: Is It Real?
from: Switzerland
album at Jamendo
artist at Jamendo
artist site

WOD start
artist: DJ iPep's
album: Home Mix 2007
track: Game Toy
from: EVREUX, France
album at Jamendo
artist at Jamendo
artist site

cws start
artist: Wolfgang S.
album: Indietronic CCBit.
track: Dynamite
from: Belgrade, Serbia, Former Yugoslavia
artist site
MySpace

qa start
artist: ioeo
album: triptracks
track: triptrack2
from: Saint Raphael, France
album at Jamendo
artist at Jamendo
artist site

qa bgm
artist: Josta
album: Altrove (part 1)
track: BabaLoop
from: Torino, Italy
artist at Jamendo
album at Jamendo
artist site

Have you translated this script - or part of it - into your language for English practice and published it on your blog? Please leave a comment and a link so other people can read your translation. Thank you.