Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Show 732 Wednesday 14 May


Watch today’s show at YouTube or BlipTV.

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

Today I’m going to talk a bit more about the.

Tell me, do you use the with the following words?
Hospital, university, prison, church.

I think the answer is yes and no. It depends on how you are using them.

a. I went to hospital.
b. I went to the hospital.


I think this may depend on the dialect, but, how I would use the two is, I would use a if I was sick. So, if I was a patient and staying in hospital. And I would use b if I was working at the hospital or if I was visiting someone or if it was just for an appointment.

a. I went to church.
b. I went to the church.


Here I would use a if I went to the church to pray or for some kind of religious ceremony, like on Sunday for example. And I would use b if I was going to the church as a visitor or a maintenance person or a journalist.

a. Tom went to prison.
b. Tom went to the prison.


I would use a if Tom had been bad and had to go and get locked up in prison as a prisoner. And b if Tom was prison staff or a visitor.

a. Tom’s at university.
b. Tom’s at the university.


I would use a if Tom was a student studying at the university. And b Tom could be ... could be a student, or a teacher or a staff member. But he doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with the university, that’s just where he happens to be at the moment.

So, as it says in this book, which I’ve recommended before: We do not use the when we are thinking of the general idea of these places and what they are used for.



STICK NEWS

Kia Ora, in Stick News today a painting of a naked woman lying on a couch has set a record for the most money ever paid for a painting by a living artist.

In 1995, a British artist painted a picture of a large woman lying naked on an old couch.
He called the painting: Benefits Supervisor Sleeping.
The painting has just been sold at an auction in New York for $33.6 million, setting a new record for the most money ever paid for a painting by a living artist.
According to CNN, the painting challenges modern notions of beauty and elicits a reaction from everyone who sees it.


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




Word Of The Day

Today’s word is afford.
Afford is usually used with can, could or be able to, especially in negative sentences or questions.
It means: to have enough money or time to be able to buy or to do sth.

So, if you don’t have much money or time, this could be a good sentence for you to remember:
I can’t afford it.



conversations with sarah
#446 What do you think of the painting?

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

Bob What do you think of the painting?

Sarah Mmmm, I think it’s pretty well done and it’s kind of interesting to look at, but I wouldn’t buy it.

Bob How much did it sell for?

Sarah 33.6 million.

Bob Wow. What’s your favourite painting?

Sarah I don’t think I have a favourite, but I saw some paintings recently that I really liked.

Bob Where?

Sarah At an art gallery in Niseko called ST Gallery. My favourite painting was this painting of some pink trees.

Bob How much was it?

Sarah I can’t remember, it wasn’t quite 36 million dollars, but it was still too much for me to afford, so I bought some postcards instead.



links

music

show start
artist: BrunoXe
album: aprendiendo desde 2004
track: Mandrake
from: Jerez, Spain
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: San Sebastian
track: Happy Sad
artist site

qa start
artist: ioeo
album: Groovetracks
track: groovetracks ending
from: Saint Raphael, France
album at Jamendo
artist at Jamendo
artist site


qa bgm
artist: JCL
album: Journeys Thru Samsara
track: A Slow Walk
from: Watford, United Kingdom
album at Jamendo
artist at Jamendo
artist site

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