ESL Pod Official - Speak English Fluently by Listening (with Text)

• ESLPodcast 40 - Homecoming

  Fall is once again upon us, and that means that homecoming celebrations are just around the corner. Homecoming is an American tradition each September and October for high schools and colleges where they celebrate their school spirit with a football game and other celebrations. I remember the homecoming events when I was in school. First, there was the election of a homecoming king and queen. Each class had its own representative, one boy and one girl, usually the most popular jock and the cutest cheerleader . Needless to say, I was neither, so I never stood a chance of being elected! The king and queen, though, were always from the senior class. All the events led up to the big game, played on a Friday night or Saturday afternoon, always a home game for the school celebrating their homecoming. In my school, we had a pep rally the day before the game, where the cheerleaders and dance team would do their thing on the stage. We also had a small parade before the game, where all the homecoming royalty and the marching band would go around the track of the stadium where the game was held, cheered on by alumni, parents, and students. Then we would watch the football game, which at my school, we usually lost. Script by Dr. Jeff McQuillan

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• ESLPodcast 39 - Reality T.V.

  It's hard to watch TV these days without seeing reality shows. Some nights, it's hard to find a scripted drama to watch. There are so many different kinds of reality shows, too. The most popular one in the U.S. has been the "American Idol" show. This is a singing competition where amateurs try to impress the judges and the audience calls in to vote off a contestant each week. The last person left standing gets a recording contract. I think many countries now have a reality show like this. This show starts its fourth season this year and I think it'll be more popular then ever. Another popular reality show is "Big Brother." In this show, a group of people live together in the same house for about 15 weeks. They're not allowed to leave and they can't have visitors. The people chosen to live in the house are usually very different. This way, there is sure to be a lot of conflict. Some people form alliances and other people try to go it alone. The contestants compete in games and each week, the other contestants vote off one person from the show. Why would anyone want to be on "Big Brother?" The answer is easy: money. The last person remaining gets a huge prize-in the U.S. show, a half a million dollars. Even I'd live in a house full of strangers for that kind of cash . Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

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• ESLPodcast 38 - Food for the Barbecue

  I moved into the new apartment last month and decided to invite a few friends over for a house-warming party. I didn't want to spend the day cooking, so I decided to have a barbeque. The food would be easy to prepare and I could cook it when my friends got here. But first, I had to go get a few things at the supermarket. I got to the store and got a cart. I started out in the meat department. It wouldn't be a barbeque without hamburgers so I bought some ground beef. I also picked up some chicken breasts and hot dogs. I skipped the seafood counter since I didn't want to bother with fish. Then, I was off to the produce department. I got some corn on the cob and a lot of vegetables for grilling for my friends who are vegetarians. Then, I was off to the bakery section. I needed buns for the hamburgers and hot dogs, and I also bought some cookies for dessert. Then, I was almost done. I went down each aisle looking for the condiments-- the ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise. And, just before wrapping things up, I went to the liquor department and got some beer, wine, and soda. Nearly everyone I invited asked if they could bring something for the party and but I told them no. I would have plenty of food and drink. That was it. I stood in line at the check-out stand, staring at the magazine rack full of tabloids, until the cashier rang me up. The shopping went off without a hitch. Now, all I have to do is clean my messy apartment. That's the hard part. Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

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• ESLPodcast 37 - Buying a Pet

  My niece is turning 8 next week and I decided to buy her a new pet. She had been asking her parents for a pet for a long time. But, they were worried about taking care of a pet. I told them I would go to the pet store to see if I could find a pet that wouldn't be too much of a bother. I walked into a big pet store and looked around. I saw cages with dogs and cats. There were also bird cages with birds of every color. I even saw some snakes! I saw a sales clerk and asked him for help. I told him that I was looking for a pet that was easy to take care of. He suggested a cat or a kitten. But, I told him that my niece was allergic to cats. Then, he suggested a puppy. I walked over to the rows of dog kennels and asked the clerk how often they needed to be walked. He said that usually, they needed to be taken out three to five times a day. That was much too much work, I told him. He then showed me some birds, including a parrot. Then, I asked him how often the cages had to be cleaned, and when he told me, I nixed that idea. Finally, he took me to the back of the store. I have the perfect pet for you, he said. I looked around and saw acquariums full of fish. There were about 20 different kinds. The clerk said that they were very easy to take care of. With the right equipment, you don't have to clean the tank regulary and all you have to do is feed the fish. That was it! The perfect solution. The next time I visited my niece, she told me she loved her fish. She had named them all. She even named one after me. It was called "Jeffish." Get it? Now, she's happy and so are her parents. Just before I left, my niece asked me: When can we go to Disneyland ? Ah, the work of an uncle is never done. Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

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• ESLPodcast 36 - Shopping at the Mall

  I needed a new dress for a wedding I was attending next week so I went to the mall during my lunch hour. The mall had a big variety of stores, including two department stores so I was sure to find something that was just right. I found a space in the parking structure and entered the mall through the main entrance. This was right next to the food court. Okay, where to start? I headed to one of the two department stores. On the way there, though, I saw a nice dress in a window display of a women's clothing store. I decided to go in. As I walked in, I saw a sales clerk hanging some shirts on a rack. She said, "Hi, can I help you find something?‚" "Oh, I'm just browsing," I said. "Okay. Let me know if you need any help." I told her "thanks" and started looking around the store. There were some nice sweaters folded on the shelves and some dress pants on the racks. I made my way toward the back of the store and found the same dress I saw in the window display. And, it was on sale! It was 50% off. I started looking for my size. There were plenty of smalls and larges, but no mediums. The sales clerk was walking by just then so I asked her, "Do you have any other sizes in the back?" But, I was out of luck. This was all they had. "But," she said, "I have this dress in a medium and it's been marked down, too. Would you like to try it on?" I said I did and followed her to the dressing room. She said, "My name is Cheryl. Let me know if you need anything else." I tried the dress on and it fit perfectly. I liked the color, too. I took the dress to the register. The sales clerk asked, "Are you ready?" I told her I was and she started ringing me up. The clerk told me the total and asked me, "How would you like to pay for this?‚" "With my MasterCard," I said and handed her my credit card. She processed the card and asked me sign the credit card receipt. She handed me a copy and a bag with my new dress in it. She said, "There you go. I hope you like the dress. Thanks for coming in.‚" I thanked her and left. I couldn't believe I got my shopping done so quickly. There's a first time for everything. Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

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