Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Show 315 Wednesday 14 March


Watch today’s show at YouTube or BlipTV.

Hi, I’m Sarah. Welcome to The Daily English Show.
The song I recommend to study today is Tears in Heaven.

There seem to be hundreds of people singing this on YouTube. I had a look at quite a few of them today. And one of the one’s I quite liked was by Ben Smart or Smartini89.

Tears in Heaven - as you probably know - is a song by Eric Clapton.
It’s about the death of his 4-year-old son ... who fell from a 53rd story window in his mother's New York City condominium.
So it’s really sad song.

You can study this song to practice the conditional tense.
Would you know my nameif I saw you in heaven?
You can use this would ... if structure to talk about what you would do in imaginary situations.

For example:
Would you leave your job, if you won lotto.
You can say it the other way: If you won lotto, would you leave your job.
It means exactly the same thing.

After the if use the past tense and after the would use the present.

In this book there are a lot of questions like this – about hypothetical or imaginary situations.
I don’t really like this book ... I think most of the questions are kind of stupid ... but it’s good for showing you some examples of the would ... if structure.

Would you add a year to your life if it meant taking one year from the life of someone in the world selected at random?

Would you be willing to have horrible nightmares every night for a year if you would be rewarded with extraordinary wealth?

If you knew that in one year you would die suddenly, would you change anything about the way you are living now?


Would you have one of your fingers surgically removed if it somehow guaranteed immunity from all major diseases?

If you went to a movie with a friend and it was lousy, would you leave?



STICK NEWS

Kia ora, this is Stick News. Yesterday a plane in Japan made a nose landing after the nose gear compartment failed to open.

Landing gear is the structure (usually wheels) that supports an aircraft and allows it to move across the surface of the Earth when it is not flying.
Part of the landing gear system is the nose gear compartment.
Yesterday a plane was flying from Osaka to Koichi when the pilot noticed a problem with the nose gear compartment.
The plane circled Shikoku airport for two hours before landing to use up the extra fuel and avoid a possible fire on landing.
The pilot landed the plane safely.
The plane’s nose was damaged but none of the 56 passengers and 4 crew were injured.


And that was Stick News for Wednesday 14th of March.
Kia Ora.



the snow report

It didn't snow much today.



conversations with sarah
#193 Why don’t you like that book?

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

Mana Why don’t you like that book?

Sarah I just think it’s a waste of time thinking about situations that will never happen.

Mana Like what?

Sarah Like this one: Would you be willing to murder an innocent person if it would end hunger in the world?

Mana What does murder mean?

Sarah Kill someone. It’s just like ... that would never happen so what’s the point of even thinking about it.

Mana
What is the point of that book?

Sarah Um, it’s supposed to be a tool for self-discovery or a provocative way to stimulate conversation.

Mana
Are there any interesting questions?

Sarah Yeah, there are a couple. Like – hang on a minute - like this one: You notice a self-destructive behavior pattern in a friend who is clearly unaware of it. Would you point it out? That’s quite interesting because it is actually possible.



Tears in Heaven

Would you know my name
if I saw you in heaven?
Would it be the same
if I saw you in heaven?
I must be strong and carry on
'Cause I know I don't belong here in heaven...

Would you hold my hand
if I saw you in heaven?
Would you help me stand
if I saw you in heaven?
I'll find my way through night and day
'Cause I know I just can't stay here in heaven...

Time can bring you down, time can bend your knees
Time can break your heart, have you begging please...begging please

Beyond the door there's peace I'm sure
And I know there'll be no more tears in heaven...

Would you know my name
if I saw you in heaven?
Would it be the sameif I saw you in heaven?
I must be strong and carry on
'Cause I know I don't belong here in heaven...