2010年ESL之日常生活 15 Paying an Unexpected Visit_在线英语听力室

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15 Paying an Unexpected Visit

To what do I owe this pleasure?

– A formal phrase meaning, “What are youdoing here?” or “Why have you come to see me and how can I help you?” oftenused sarcastically²

* Oh! It’s you! To what do I owe this pleasure? Last time we talked, you saidyou never wanted to see me again.

to drop in – to come for an informal, usually short visit without letting someoneknow about it ahead of time

* Our neighbors have invited us to drop in for a cup of coffee anytime.

unannounced – without prior notice; without letting one know that something willhappen; unexpectedly

* It’s really rude to go to a wedding unannounced. Guests are supposed to beinvited.

neck of the woods – neighborhood; the general area where a person lives orworks; the surrounding area

* You left your sunglasses at our house last night, but I’ll return them to you thenext time we’re in your neck of the woods.

to pay (someone) a visit – to visit someone; to come see someone in his or herhome or office

* How often do you pay your grandmother a visit?

out of the blue – unexpectedly; without warning or advance notice

* Out of the blue, he asked her to marry him. What a surprise!

to happen to be – to do something by chance and accidentally, without planningit ahead of time

* It’s great that you just happened to be walking by when that man needed yourhelp!

out with it – a phrase used to ask someone to say what he or she wants to saydirectly, without delaying or hiding anything

* Come on, out with it! How much money do you need to borrow from me?

to pursue – to engage in an activity over a long period of time, trying to achieveor get something

* Bryan has decided³ to pursue a Ph.D. in quantum physics.

to devote – to commit to using one’s time, money, or other resources for aparticular purpose

* How many hours are you willing to devote to your job each week?

to make it – to be successful or to become famous in a particular field oroccupation

* What percentage of new restaurants really make it and are still in business fiveyears after they open?

that’s where you come in – a phrase used to emphasize how, when, and whereanother person will become involved in something

* I need to call a client in China, but I don’t speak Chinese, so that’s where youcome in. I need you to interpret⁴ for me.

to run interference – to be a mediator⁵; to help someone do something bysharing information or messages with people who might otherwise createproblems or difficulty

* Mindy and her mother have never gotten along very well, but Mindy’s brothersand sisters try to run interference whenever the family gets together.

to take (something) – to react to something; to accept, handle, or deal withsomething in a particular way

* How did your husband take it when you told him you’d wrecked⁶ the new car?

I’m just saying… – a phrase used when one is slightly defensive⁷ and wants toemphasize that what one has just said was only an opinion, often used when theother person is angered or offended by what one has just said

* I’m just saying, it might be a good idea to think carefully before dropping out ofcollege to become a clown in a circus.

dirty work – something a person does not want to do because it is difficult,uncomfortable, or unpleasant, and tries to get another person to do instead

* Don’t ask me to call tech support about your cell phone. You do your own dirtywork.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1. What does Lorraine mean when she says that the visit “is just a little out of theblue”?

a) She’s feeling depressed⁸.

b) She is very, very happy to see him.

c) She wasn’t expecting to see him.

2. Why did Terrance come to see his sister?

a) Because he missed her a lot.

b) Because he wants her opinion on whether he should be an artist.

c) Because he wants her to talk to their parents for him.

______________

WHAT ELSE DOES IT MEAN?

to drop in

The phrase “to drop in,” in this podcast, means to come for an informal, usuallyshort visit without letting someone know about it ahead of time: “On our way toLos Angeles, let’s drop in on the Chansons.” The phrase “to drop it” means tostop talking about a subject, usually because it is uncomfortable or is makingsomeone angry: “I’m so tired of hearing you complain about what happened!

Just drop it, okay?” The phrase “to drop dead” means to die very quickly and isused when one is very angry with another person: “I hate you! I wish you’d dropdead!” Finally, the phrase “to drop a hint” means to tell someone somethingindirectly, hoping he or she will understand one’s meaning: “Shannon keepsdropping hints about how much she likes flowers, hoping her boyfriend willunderstand and buy her some roses.”

out with it

In this podcast, the phrase “out with it” is used to ask someone to say what he orshe wants to say directly, without delaying or hiding anything: “Why is it so hardfor you to come out with it and say what you want?” The phrase “to be out of it”

means to be confused or distracted⁹ and to not understand or be aware of what ishappening around oneself: “Could you please repeat the question? I was out ofit and didn’t hear you.” The phrase “to be out to do (something)” means to planor intend to do something: “It seems like the boss is out to fire Percy.” Finally,the phrase “out there” is used to describe some other place, not here: “Tammyknows her true love is out there somewhere, waiting for her.”

CULTURE NOTE

Traditionally, “college-bound” (planning to go to college) Americans “enroll”

(begin a program) in a university in August or September, in the same year theygraduate from high school. However, in recent years, more and more Americanteenagers are choosing to take a “gap year,” or use one year to travel or have aninteresting life experience before they go to college.

For many students, a gap year involves traveling through other countries. Someof them simply travel to “see the sights” (visit important landmarks) in othercountries. Others travel while “volunteering” (working without pay) in acommunity or studying a foreign language. They argue that a year spent“overseas” (in another country) helps them “broaden” (widen) their “perspective”

(way of understanding and looking at things) on the world while helping¹⁰ thembetter identify their interests and decide what they want to study in college.

Other people take a gap year for more practical reasons, and not necessarilybecause they have a choice. Many high school graduates have to work for a fewyears to “earn” (make money) enough money to pay for tuition¹¹. Some peoplework full-time¹² to save as much money as possible. Others try to attend collegepart-time while they are working.

Parents often worry that a gap year will make their children less likely to go tocollege. However, many “prestigious” (well known and respected) universitiesare encouraging applicants¹³ to take a gap year, because they believe theexperience makes students more “well-rounded” (with diverse interests) and“mature” (with the ability to be responsible, make good decisions, and act likeadults).

______________Comprehension Questions Correct Answers: 1 – c; 2 – c

COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT¹⁴

Welcome to English as a Second Language Podcast number 601: Paying anUnexpected Visit.

This is English as a Second Language Podcast episode¹⁵ 601. I’m your host, Dr.

Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center for Educational Development inbeautiful Los Angeles, California.

If you’d like to support our podcast and keep these audio files coming, you canbecome a member of ESL Podcast. If you become a member, you also will getour Learning Guides, an 8- to 10-page guide we provide for all our currentepisodes that will help you improve your English even faster.

This episode is called “Paying an Unexpected Visit.” It’s a dialogue betweenLorraine and Terrance using a lot of vocabulary that we might associate with orhear for someone who is visiting someone else. Let’s get started.

[start of dialogue]

Lorraine: Hi, this is a surprise. To what do I owe this pleasure?

Terrance: Can’t I just drop in on my little sister unannounced to see how she is?

I was just in this neck of the woods and thought I would pay you a visit.

Lorraine: Sure you were. Of course, I’m glad to see you, but this is just a littleout of the blue.

Terrance: What do you mean?

Lorraine: I haven’t seen you in over five months, and you just happened to be inthe neighborhood?

Terrance: Well, I wasn’t exactly in the neighborhood, but I wanted to see myfavorite sister.

Lorraine: Your only sister. Okay, out with it. What are you doing here?

Terrance: Uh, well, I was thinking of taking a year off from school to pursue myart. I really feel I need to devote some time to my painting to see if I can make itas an artist.

Lorraine: Mom and Dad are not going to like that.

Terrance: I know and that’s where you come in.

Lorraine: You want me to run interference for you with Mom and Dad.

Terrance: Yeah, they would take it a lot better coming from you, don’t you think?

Lorraine: No, I don’t.

Terrance: You’ve always been the responsible one…I’m just saying…Lorraine: And I’m just saying that I’m not going to do your dirty work for you!

[end of dialogue]

Lorraine says at the beginning of our dialogue, “Hi, this is a surprise. To what doI owe this pleasure?” “To what do I owe (owe) this pleasure?” is a very formalexpression meaning why are you here and how can I help you, or what are youdoing here. It’s usually something you would say if you weren’t expectingsomeone, and it is often used sarcastically. That is, the person is making a joke;they don’t really think that you being here is a pleasure.

Terrance says, realizing that Lorraine is joking with him and, in some ways,saying that she doesn’t really want him there, “Can’t I just drop in on my littlesister unannounced to see how she is?” “To drop in” is a two-word phrasal verbmeaning to come for a short, informal visit without letting the person know aheadof time. So you don’t call them on the phone or email them; you just go over totheir house, knock on their door, and visit them. Many people don’t like that,especially in the United States you usually don’t drop in on people. Well, that’swhat Terrance is doing to Lorraine. The verb “drop” has several other meaningsin English; you can find those in the Learning Guide for this episode.

Terrance is dropping in on his little (meaning in this case his younger) sisterunannounced. “Unannounced” means without letting someone know that youare doing something or that something will happen. It’s another way of saying“unexpected.” Terrance says, “I was just in this neck of the woods and thought Iwould pay you a visit.” The expression “neck (neck) of the woods (woods)”

means the general area where that person is living; we might also say “in theneighborhood.” I was just in the neighborhood – I was just driving near your house is the idea – and I decided I would come and pay you a visit. “To pay(someone) a visit” means the same as to visit someone, to come and seesomeone at his or her home or office.

Lorraine doesn’t believe Terrance. She says, “Sure you were,” but she says it insuch a way that she is communicating the opposite, meaning I don’t believe youwere. She says, “Of course, I’m glad to see you, but this is just a little out of theblue.” Something that is “out of the blue” is something that is unexpected,something that you were not warned about, that you didn’t realize was going tohappen. Terrance says, “What do you mean?” Lorraine responds, “I haven’tseen you in over five months, and you just happened to be in the neighborhood?”

“Happened to be” means by chance, accidentally, without planning it ahead oftime. Terrance says, “Well, I wasn’t exactly in the neighborhood (meaning Iwasn’t exactly close to your house), but I wanted to see my favorite sister.”

Lorraine says, “Your only sister.” Of course, Terrance, since he has only onesister, can only have her as the favorite one. Then she says, “Okay, out with it.

What are you doing here?” The expression “out with it” is used when you aretelling someone to say what they are thinking or to give you the answer directly,not to hide anything or to keep delaying the answer – tell you right away: “outwith it.” It’s an informal expression. There are lots of different expressions with“out,” some of them can be found in the Learning Guide for this episode.

Terrance says, “Uh, well, I was thinking of taking a year off from school (meaningstop studying in college for a year) to pursue my art.” “To pursue” (pursue)means to do something for a long time, usually when you are trying to achievesomething or get something. People pursue their Ph.D.s – their doctorates¹⁶.

They go back to college for many years and pursue that degree. Terrance wantsto quit school and pursue his art, whatever that is. He says, “I really feel I needto devote some time to my painting to see if I can make it as an artist.” “Todevote” means to spend a lot of time, money, or other resources for a particularpurpose. “I devote 40 hours a week to my job,” that’s what I commit, that’s what Ispend. Or, “We’re going to devote 100 dollars to buying a present for mybrother,” that’s what I’m going to commit, that’s what I’m going to promise.

Terrance wants to devote time to his painting to see – to determine if he canmake it as an artist. “To make it” means to be successful in a particular job orfield, or to become famous. Many people come to Los Angeles to make it in themovie industry or to make it in the music industry, to become a star of the moviesor to become a popular singer. Most of them end up working as waiters andwaitresses. Here in Los Angeles, we have the most talented waiters andwaitresses in America!

Lorraine says, “Mom and Dad are not going to like that.” They’re not going to likethe idea that Terrance is quitting school to devote time to painting. Terrancesays, “I know and that’s where you come in.” The expression “that’s where youcome in” is used to emphasize how another person is involved in something.

When you’re explaining something to someone and you are asking for them tohelp you, you get to the part where you explain what they’re going to do. “That’swhere you come in,” Terrance says.

Lorraine says, “You want me to run interference for you with Mom and Dad.” “Torun interference” means to help someone do something by being what we mightcall a “mediator,” that is, someone who is in between the two people who aretrying to communicate. You might share information with this other person.

Usually you are trying to avoid problems. If the other person would deal with thethird party – the third person directly, there might be problems, so you’re inbetween them and you’re trying to prevent those problems. That’s whatTerrance wants Lorraine to do.

Terrance then says, “Yeah, they would take it a lot better coming from you, don’tyou think?” “To take it” means – or “to take (something)” means to react tosomething, to deal with something, or to accept something. “How did she takethe news?” How did she take it? The idea here is how did she react, how didshe accept it: was she upset, was she angry, was she happy, and so forth¹⁷.

Terrance thinks that if Lorraine tells their parents that Terrance wants to becomean artist, the parents will take it better hearing it from her.

Lorraine says, “I don’t.” She doesn’t agree the parents will take it better from her.

Terrance says, “You’ve always been the responsible one…I’m just saying…”

This expression is used a lot nowadays in American English: “I’m just saying.”

We use it when you want to emphasize that what you have just said was only anopinion. You don’t want the other person to get angry or offended, and if youthink that they might, or that you see they are getting angry you might use thisexpression. You’re saying that it’s just your opinion.

Lorraine then says, “And I’m just saying that I’m not going to do your dirty workfor you!” “Dirty work” is something that a person does not want to do because itis difficult or unpleasant, something you try to get someone else to do, oftentimes when it is something that is perhaps involving some deception¹⁸ or lying toanother person. Here, we’re not talking about lying to another person, but we aretalking about something that Terrance doesn’t want to do so he is trying to get hissister to do it for him. He’s trying to get his sister to do his dirty work.

Now let’s listen to the dialogue, this time at a normal speed.