ESL Podcast 601 – Paying an Unexpected Visit

http://www.eslpod.com/website/show_podcast.php?issue_id=9028446

- a formal expression to say : why're you here?, what are you doing here ?

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

- to drop in sb: to visit sb informally and without noticing in advance

Can't I just drop in on my little sister unannounced to see how she is

- to pay sb a visit: to visit sb

I would pay you a visit. 

- to be out of the blue : to be unexpected, don't think it happen

Of course, I'm glad to see you, but this is just a little out of the blue. 

- to happen to be : to happen by chance, without planning

I haven't seen you in over five months, and you just happened to be in the neighborhood? 

- out with it (informal) : to tell sb that they have to give the answer directly

Okay, out with it. What are you doing here? 

- to pursue : to try to discover info about a subject

I was thinking of taking a year off from school to pursue my art. 

- to devote : to spend a lot of time / effort for particular thing

I really feel I need to devote some time to my painting to see if I can make it as an artist. 

- i'm just saying : to emphasis what we said right before

You've always been the responsible one...I'm just saying... 

--
Thanks,
Duy Lam

ESL Podcast 596 – Applying for Unemployment Benefits

http://www.eslpod.com/website/show_podcast.php?issue_id=8948902

- to qualify : to meet basic requirement to do sth

- to be eligible for sth ~ to qualify

Yes, I was. I qualify, don't I? 

- to affirm : to officially state / declare

- to seek employment : to look for a job

 You have to affirm that you're able to work and that you're actively seeking employment

- to be meaning to do sth: to intent to do sth

I've been meaning to ask you, are you hiring? 

========================

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/wordsinthenews/2010/07/100730_witn_bangladesh_page.shtml

- key link roads : very important roads which connect major areas of the city and are used by many people

- factory district: an area with lots of buildings where large amounts of goods are manufactured

Officials say thousands of workers first blocked one of the city's key link roads and then started attacking several cars in a factory district.

- key sector : very important part

More than three million people, mostly women, work in Bangladesh's garment industry, which is a key sector of the country's economy.

--
Thanks,
Duy Lam

ESL Podcast 590 – Paying Airline Fees

http://www.eslpod.com/website/show_podcast.php?issue_id=8869358

- to tack on sth: to include sth in addition , to add sth 

Haven't you noticed all of the fees the airlines are tacking on these days?

- oversize , overweight (a) : larger or weigh more than it's usually allowed

If you have oversize or overweight bags

==========

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/general/sixminute/2010/09/100902_6min_new_words_page.shtml

- a question of sth : used to make the statement becoming more important

it's not just a question of numbers, it's a question of different places it's being used so everywhere from magazines, to newspapers to chatrooms.

--
Thanks,
Duy Lam

ESL Podcast 588 – Hiring Business Consultants

http://www.eslpod.com/website/show_podcast.php?issue_id=8809700

- expansion : grow, become bigger

So your suggestion is to hire outside consultants to handle the extra work associated with the expansion. 

- expertise : specific knowledge on sth

we get someone with the right expertise quickly

- move ~ decision 

 I'm just not sure that's the right move right now.

- to me : in my opinion

- no-brainer : obvious  

To me, it's a no-brainer

- to call the shot: to make the decision , to be in charge

We call the shots. 

- to leave sb in a lurch : to leave sb when they need your help

the consultant won't feel any company loyalty and could quit working with us whenever he or she wanted to, leaving us in a lurch. 

- to be a thing of the past: no longer exist 

Company loyalty is a thing of the past.

- to take sth one step at a time : to do sth slowly, a little bit at a time

I think we should take it one step at a time. 

- to live with that : it's not what I want but I accept it, ok with it

Okay, I can live with that

==========================

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/radio/specials/148_phrasalverbs/page5.shtml

- to try on clothe : to wear a new clothe and check it

I love to try on new clothes

- to dress up: to wear nice clothe for important event or meeting

I'm doing some TV work later, and I have to dress up. 

- to put on (a clothe) : to place it in body in order to wear it

 I'm going to put on this brand new suit and tie! 

--
Thanks,
Duy Lam

ESL Podcast 585 – Being Clear or Confusing

http://www.eslpod.com/website/show_podcast.php?issue_id=8769928

- to keep sth straight : to be able to understand sth by keep it organized 

I have, but how am I supposed to keep all of these people straight? 

- convoluted (a) : difficult to understand

- twists and turns: unexpected changes

Your stories are always so convoluted, with too many twists and turns

- to go off on tangents : to write / talk about sth that is different from topic

- irrelevant: unrelated 

Is that what you call going off on tangents and including completely irrelevant information

- to contradict : to say sth opposite of what said

Half the time the end of the story contradicts the beginning! 

- intricate (a): very detail

You just don't appreciate intricate plots. 

- crystal clear : very direct, very easy to understand

My stories are crystal clear to anyone who pays attention

 

=================

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/radio/specials/1210_how_to_converse/page6.shtml

It's OK

I can take it or leave it

I don't mind it

so-so

- 

Thanks,
Duy Lam

ESL Podcast 581 – Reading a World Map

http://www.eslpod.com/website/show_podcast.php?issue_id=8710270

- compass (n): small flat round device having arrow on it, it points to N 

Give her a compass and she can find her way around anywhere.

- equator (n): an imagination line in the earth that split it into two parts

All right. You look above the equator and I'll look below it,

- sort of : kind of, somewhat

I sort of feel like I'm on an adventure myself. 

- to make heads and tails of sth: to be able to understand sth

I can't make heads or tails of this map

- statistics (n): detail info

I'll look it up on the Internet and get you all of the vital statistics you'd want

============

- camping rough : integral part of his character

For British cyclist Pete Jones, camping rough and cycling long distances through inhospitable terrain are second nature.

- under his own steam : without help

 London mayor Boris Johnson often riding to work under his own steam. 

--
Thanks,
Duy Lam