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.
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
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