Culips ESL Podcast

Learn English idioms and slang – The numbers are skyrocketing

Culips — Sun, 19 May 2013 15:37:22 +0000

What goes up must come down! Things are always changing in today’s world, and that’s why we decided to make an episode about things going up and going down. Especially in the news, we often hear about increases and decreases, and they use lots of different expressions to talk about this. This time, we’re talking about numbers, such as prices, statistics, and other amounts. Listen to this episode and we’ll see if our numbers start to soar!

Maura:	These expressions are often used in business, especially talking about money or amounts of things. To be honest, when I got the idea for this episode, Harp, I was listening to the news. I heard a bunch of these expressions used on the news, and that’s what inspired this episode.
Harp:	Oh, I like it. Yeah, you’re right. They use these expression a lot in the news to talk about things like the price of stocks going up or going down.
Maura:	Right. They might use these expression to talk about statistics, too, like “35% of people believe this.” So that’s the kind of stuff that you hear on the news.
Harp:	Yeah. These expressions are always about an amount.
Maura:	All right. Let’s get to the first expression. The first expression is to skyrocket.

Expressions from this episode included in the Learning Materials:

A cottage	The great outdoors
To skyrocket	To soar
A homonym	To be liking – Is this correct?
What does up must come down	To nosedive
Back to the subject	At any rate
To hold off	To jump at the chance
To sink	A start-up
Other expressions to talk about decreasing and increasing

Podcast/Learning Materials: Culips English Podcast, Photo Culips

Customer service

Culips — Mon, 13 May 2013 00:55:04 +0000

Everyone likes to get good customer service, but we don’t always get it. In this episode, we talk about tipping (where, when, and how much), and about how to handle a situation when the service was not so good. Harp and Maura also share their own perspectives of what it’s like to work in customer service. Is the customer realty always right?

Maura:	When you go to a restaurant and you sit down, when someone takes your order and brings you your food, you should be giving them a tip at the end. Now, the amount that you tip is really up to you.
Harp:	Yeah, it varies. And this is where the quality of service can definitely come in, because you can leave 10% if it was bad service, or if it was really good service, you can leave 20%.
Maura:	Or even more. Now, when Harp says 10%, she means 10% of your bill. So, for example, if you bought a meal and it cost $10, then a 10% tip is one dollar.
Harp:	Now I have a question for you, Maura.
Maura:	I hope it’s not a more difficult math question, because I won’t be able to do it.
Harp:	Nope. But I’ve had this discussion with my friends. Do you tip on the amount before taxes or after taxes?

Expressions from this episode included in the Learning Materials:

That very thing	How much and whom to tip in Canada
The bill	A grey area
To swear	Interac and the tip function
What to do when you get bad customer service	To be taken advantage of
The squeaky wheel gets the oil	On the other end of the line
Across the board	The customer is always right
The other side of the coin	Minimum wage

Podcast/Learning Materials: Culips English Podcast, Photo Culips

Like water off a duck’s back

Culips — Sun, 05 May 2013 16:32:20 +0000

When someone says something negative or critical about you, sometimes it can bother or upset you. But it’s important not to take things like this too personally, just like this week’s expression: like water off a duck’s back. In this episode, we look at idioms that mean that you don’t let someone’s negative comments affect you. We think that’s good advice. Check out this episode to hear about brushing things off and constructive criticism.

Maura:	In this example, someone was really upset about getting in trouble with her boss, about not meeting deadlines, and she talked about another colleague, Sheila, who didn’t get upset. Sheila treated the boss’s comments like water off a duck’s back. They didn’t bother her and she didn’t get upset.
Harp:	Yeah. Sheila didn’t let the boss get to her. She didn’t let his negative comments and his yelling at her get her upset.
Maura:	And that is important. Sometimes you should listen to criticism. This is actually called constructive criticism, when someone is just trying to give you advice so you can improve yourself and be better. That’s important, but it’s also important that if someone is saying something negative to you, you don’t take it too personally, either.
Harp:	Yeah. It’s important to not be too sensitive when people are trying to give you constructive criticism, or even when they’re just criticizing. It’s important to just not let it affect you too much.

Expressions from this episode included in the Learning Materials:

To get the hang of something	To let something get to you
Like water off a duck’s back	Constructive criticism
To nag	To brush something off
Right off the bat	To suck
To put your nose to the grindstone	To laugh something off
To get under your skin	Cool
Not to sweat something

Podcast/Learning Materials: Culips English Podcast, Photo Culips

Canadian myths

Culips — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 15:04:57 +0000

Many cultures around the world have traditional stories that have been told for many years. We were recently asked whether Canada has any interesting myths, so here’s an episode all about our some of our stories. We talk about Canada’s Bigfoot, a flaming ghost ship, and our lost mines. You’ll have to judge for yourself whether you think these myths are true or not. Thanks to our listeners for suggesting such great topics!

Maura:	So Canadians have their own Bigfoot. Interesting. Now, are there any other myths that you heard out West?
Harp:	Yes. The other one—I love this one because I love his name—the Ogopogo.
Maura:	OK. The Ogopogo. I have to say, I don’t think I’ve ever heard of that. What is it?
Harp:	You’ve never heard of the Ogopogo?
Maura:	No, tell me about it.
Harp:	Well, the Ogopogo is a lake monster, and he exists in the Okanogan Lake.
Maura:	OK. So, I have heard of the Loch Ness Monster, which is a really famous kind of thing—monster—that lives in Scotland. It’s the same idea then, right?
Harp:	Exactly. The Ogopogo is similar to the Loch Ness Monster.

Expressions from this episode included in the Learning Materials:

To see something through another person’s eyes	Word of mouth
That’s just a myth	Long-standing
Do tell	Bigfoot/sasquatc
That’s the thing	A hoax
The Ogopogo and other Canadian lake monsters	To give someone the benefit of the doubt
The Ghost Ship of Northumberland Strait	Lost mines
Fishy	To lose track of something

Podcast/Learning Materials: Culips English Podcast, Photo Canada Post

What’s your personality?

Culips — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 20:10:39 +0000

In this episode, we talk about personality! Harp and Maura start by talking about introverts and extroverts, and the positive and negative qualities of both. They also discuss astrological signs. Do you think that when someone is born can determine their personality? Can a person’s personality change over their lifetime? Listen to this episode to hear what Harp and Maura have to say about it.

Harp:	If we talk about extroverted people, they’re very outgoing. They’re usually telling jokes or stories, and people are listening to them. They really like being the centre of attention. They like other people’s attention to be on them.
Maura:	Yeah. These kinds of people are the life of the party. They’re friendly. They don’t feel shy about striking up conversation with a complete stranger.
Harp:	Sometimes they can come off as a little bit of a show-off, ’cause they always want to talk about themselves and their stories.
Maura:	Yeah. There are really pros and cons to both of these personality types. If you’re extroverted, you’re very friendly, but you can also seem, maybe, loud- mouthed or arrogant. And introverted people are thought to be more intellectual, but you could also seem, maybe, rude because you’re quiet all the time, or people might think you’re a hermit because you stay in and don’t go out very much.
Harp:	Yeah. And oftentimes, with introverted people, you might think they’re cold because they don’t show their feelings as much.
Maura:	Yeah. That’s true. But I think you really hit the nail on the head earlier, Harp, when you said that some people can be introverted and extroverted in different situations. It’s not so fixed to say that one person is always introverted and one person is always extroverted.

Expressions from this episode included in the Learning Materials:

Cut and dried	The Perks of Being a Wallflower
To strike up a conversation	To come off as something
A hermit	To hit the nail on the head
The Myers-Briggs personality test	Technically
Zodiac signs, astrology, and horoscopes	Blood type
It goes to show	Like
It’s not an exact science	To come out of your shell

Podcast/Learning Materials: Culips English Podcast, Photo Culips

Let’s put it on the shelf for now

Culips — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 17:49:43 +0000

Sometimes we don’t want to discuss something right now. We want to discuss it later instead, because it is not immediately important. In this case, we can put something on the shelf and talk about it again in the future. This week’s episode is about putting those kinds of things on the shelf. You don’t want to forget about something completely, but it just doesn’t have priority. Don’t put listening to this episode on the shelf! Listen and start using the expressions right away.

Maura:	The beginning of this expression sounds just like the first expression, but it’s different at the end. To put something on the back burner.
Harp:	Yes. To put something on the back burner.
Maura:	And this means just the same as to put something on the shelf. When you put something on the back burner, you are not going to deal with it right now, you’re going to temporarily put it on hold. And at some time in the future, you will deal with it.
Harp:	Yeah. You’re not gonna give it immediate action or thought, you’re gonna let it go for a little bit and not think about, and later you’re gonna deal with it.
Maura:	Right. It’s something that doesn’t need to be discussed right now. Now, a back burner is actually part of a stove. And when you put something on the back burner, it’s not something that needs your immediate attention while cooking. You can kind of put it on the back and just let it simmer on its own; you don’t need to pay close attention to it. The same goes for whatever you’re dealing with. If you’re not going to give it full attention right now, you can say you put it on the back burner.

Expressions from this episode included in the Learning Materials:

To do your own thing	To put something on the shelf
A secretary	To deal with something
Funny story	To find common ground
Extra hands	To put something on the back burner
A lemon	To put something on ice
A city councillor	A time frame

Podcast/Learning Materials: Culips English Podcast, Photo Culips

The corporate world

Culips — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 17:53:43 +0000

Work! Love it or hate it, most of us have to do it. In this episode, Harp and Maura talk about the corporate world and what it’s like nowadays. Almost everyone hopes to make as much money as they can, and some people work to climb the corporate ladder in order to get prestige as well. Harp and Maura also talk about the latest interview trends and discuss what the job market currently looks like. This is a super-informative episode, and some of the ideas in this episode were suggested by two Culips listeners!

Harp:	It seems that more and more people are working around the clock because of things like smart phones and laptops at home. People are always connected so they feel like they have to respond to emails, they have to answer calls.
Maura:	That is definitely true. The idea of working just 9 to 5 doesn’t really exist if you’re in the corporate world and you’re trying to climb the corporate ladder. Now, another part of working and living in the corporate world is the rat race.
Harp:	The rat race.
Maura:	And we want to give a very special thank you to one of our Culips listeners, who suggested that we talk about the rat race, on Facebook.
Harp:	Yeah. Thanks, Ehsanaagha.

Expressions from this episode included in the Learning Materials:

To climb the corporate ladder	On the other hand
A go-getter	A career path
VP and CEO	The glass ceiling
To take something	To work around the clock
To get around something	A workaholic
The rat race	A shout-out
A split-second decision	The STAR approach to answering behavioural questions
Baby boomers	Booming

Podcast/Learning Materials: Culips English Podcast, Photo Culips

Let bygones be bygones

Culips — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 19:07:01 +0000

This episode is all about forgetting the negative things that happened to us in the past and moving forward with our lives. This is always a good idea, so we’ve got a few expressions to remind us of this. If you had an argument with someone, or if something didn’t happen the way you wanted it to, it may be better not to think about it anymore. Put the past behind you and listen to this episode.

Maura:	This expression sounds very repetitive because it repeats the same word twice—bygones. So the expression is let bygones be bygones.
Harp:	Yeah. And bygones mean something from the past, something that happened at an earlier time. And so this expression, to let bygones be bygones, it means to let unpleasant things that have happened in the past stay in the past. You forget about them. You don’t bring them up again. You just let it go.
Maura:	Right. It’s like saying something that happened in the past happened in the past, not the present, so don’t think about it now.
Harp:	For example, if you had an argument or a fight with someone in the past, don’t bring it up again. Don’t think about it. Let bygones be bygones.

Expressions from this episode included in the Learning Materials:

To let bygones be bygones	To bring something up
Miffed	To put something behind you
To flare up	To get down on yourself
To let sleeping dogs lie	Split infinitives
To be around	To be on someone
An old flame	To go down that road (again)
To come to your senses	To be right around the corner

Podcast/Learning Materials: Culips English Podcast, Photo eHow

It’s in mint condition

Culips — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 02:31:58 +0000

When buying or selling used items, it’s important to know what condition the items are in. In this episode, we talk about some expressions that are used to describe an item’s condition. We look at expressions to say that something is in excellent condition, bad condition, or somewhere in the middle. If you like looking for deals online from people selling their stuff, or if you’re a second-hand shopper, then this episode is worth a listen!

Harp:	These expressions are often used when you’re buying or selling something.
Maura:	All right. So, first we’re going to talk about an expression that means something is in very, very good condition; that it’s like brand new.
Harp:	Yeah. This expression is mint condition.
Maura:	You know, I really like this expression. It is mint condition.
Harp:	Yeah. Mint condition.
Maura:	Now, you know, I kind of remember when I was a kid and hearing this expression for the first time, and thinking that it was so strange. I didn’t understand, because I was thinking of mint, you know? Like the herb or, like, you have a mint after dinner. And I did not understand how mint condition could mean very good condition.

Expressions from this episode included in the Learning Materials:

Mint condition	Brand new
New to someone	Or anything
Wear and tear	To see something for yourself
Craigslist	To keep on an eye on something
To have seen better days	Up close
To keep an eye out for something	To be in good shape

Podcast/Learning Materials: Culips English Podcast, Photo Culips

Commuting

Culips — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 16:17:02 +0000

Most of us travel to work many times in one week. Some of us have a quick little trip and others spend hours on public transportation. This episode is all about that—travelling to and from work. Harp and Maura talk about what commuting is like in Canada, how people get to work, and how long it usually takes them. They also share their own experiences of getting to work every day. If you’re a commuter, listen to this episode on your way to work.

Harp:	And then we’re gonna talk about our some of our own personal experiences with commuting.
Maura:	You know, it is something very personal. Sometimes people love their commute, or they hate their commute. So people really have a strong feeling about it.
Harp:	Yes. I definitely agree with you.
Maura:	OK. So let’s start by talking about how people get to work in Canada.
Harp:	Well, I have to be honest; most people get to work by car.
Maura:	That is definitely true. I think, internationally, Canada and the US are known for drivers. People really like to drive around here.
Harp:	Yeah. People love their cars and they love driving to work, or anywhere.
Maura:	And most of the time, people are alone in their cars. So you have a car with one person driving to their workplace.

Expressions from this episode included in the Learning Materials:

To commute/a commute	A carpool/to carpool
To take turns	Hardcore
A traffic jam	Right off the bat
The metro	No problem
To hold back	To see where this is going
To jaywalk	I don’t blame you

Podcast/Learning Materials: Culips English Podcast, Photo Culips

Slowpoke

Culips — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 21:42:37 +0000

Some people like to move slowly and never rush, and we’ve got special names for these people. This episode focuses on the funny little names that we use to talk about this kind of person. Do you have a slowpoke in your life? Or are you a lollygagger yourself? Don’t be a dawdler—hurry up and listen to this episode!

Harp:	They’re walking really slowly. They’re taking their time. They’re a slowpoke.
Maura:	Yeah. You know, I’m usually not a slowpoke, and when I really want to get somewhere, slowpokes kind of bug me a little bit. It’s like, “Hurry up! Let’s go! Come on!”
Harp:	I know. It’s funny because I work downtown and often, on the main streets, so many people are slowpokes. And it’s because they’re on vacation, they’re taking it easy, while I’m in work mode and I’m trying to get somewhere really quickly and they’re just slowpokes.
Maura:	Yeah. But at the same time, slowpokes are normally laid back, they’re not stressed, they’re not in a rush. So I guess that’s the upside to being a slowpoke.

Expressions from this episode included in the Learning Materials:

To be up to something	To get down to business
A slowpoke	To bug someone
To be in work mode	The upside
To take your time	To take time to smell the roses
What can you do?	To dillydally
A dawdler	To go from point A to point B
To have a look	A lollygagger

Podcast/Learning Materials: Culips English Podcast, Photo Imgur

Media, advertising, and celebrity gossip

Culips — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 01:23:41 +0000

Nowadays, people are constantly in contact with media, and advertising is everywhere! This inspired us to make a Culips episode talking all about it. Do you still read the newspaper? Do commercials bother you as much as they bother Maura and Harp? Celebrity gossip is something that has become quite mainstream in Canada and the US. Are you hoping for your own 15 minutes of fame? Check out this episode, and listen to the newest form of radio—the podcast!

Maura:	Sometimes we have news sources on the Internet that are not available in hard copy, that you can’t get a hard newspaper version of. You can only read it on a website.
Harp:	Yeah. A popular one that I’m thinking of is The Huffington Post.
Maura:	Right. This one was created online, it never existed before, and you can’t buy a copy of it at a convenience store. So if you wanna read from The Huffington Post, you have to go online.
Harp:	It’s funny though, because it has a very traditional-sounding name, The Huffington Post. When I think of something that has post in it, I think of an actual newspaper, but it’s only ever been online.
Maura:	That’s a really good point. So maybe it’s trying to bridge the gap between a traditional newspaper and a new source of news online.
Harp:	Yeah. I think it is.
Maura:	Now there’s one more kind of media that I thought to mention, and this one is really fading and not popular like it used to be.

Expressions from this episode included in the Learning Materials:

Mainstream	To cover (a news story)
A hard copy	To bridge the gap
To die out	An advertisement/a commercial
Catchy	Way back when
To hound someone	Spin
Public relations	15 minutes of fame
There’s no such thing as bad publicity	A medium and media

Podcast/Learning Materials: Culips English Podcast

Interviewing Erin

Culips — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 02:40:08 +0000

Maura has two sisters. In this episode, you get to meet one of them! Erin recently visited Maura in Montreal, so Maura took the opportunity to interview her about her travels. Erin has visited many countries and lived abroad, and Maura wanted to question her to find out about her favourites. What’s Erin’s favourite country for food? Which country had the friendliest people? Where were the best beaches? Erin has also been learning French, so Maura asks her about that challenge, too. Listen in to travel around the world with them.

Maura:	So I started off by saying how much you’ve travelled. Now I want to ask you a tough question. Can you name every country that you’ve visited?
Erin:	Let’s see. I think I can. Well I’ve lived in Canada. I’ve been to the United States. I’ve visited Belize, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Grenada, Antigua, Ireland, Uganda, Tanzania, Fiji, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos. Did I say Thailand?
Maura:	I don’t know.
Erin:	Oh, I just remembered another country. I’ve been to Costa Rica.
Maura:	That’s a lot. I can see that you kind of went around the world and it was a map in your head.

Expressions from this episode included in the Learning Materials:

Or we’d be here all day	To second something
A warm person	Friendliest
To come up to someone	A key word/phrase
To put someone at ease	Whatsoever
To play it	Via
To fly standby	To make a fool of yourself
To be dying to do something

Podcast/Learning Materials: Culips English Podcast, Photo ©Culips

The Valentine’s Day special

Culips — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 17:35:41 +0000

Valentine’s Day happens every year on February the 14th. And love is in the air! Or is it? In this episode, Harp and Maura talk about Valentine’s Day and all the traditions and debates that go with it. Some people love Valentine’s Day and others dread it. Some people believe in love at first sight and others are more practical. Are you seeing someone exclusively or are you playing the field? No matter how you feel about the day of love, you’ll enjoy listening to this episode!

Maura:	Often, the world of dating is referred to as the game because some people treat it like a game. How many people can they date, or if they can find the right person, or playing hard to get, or chasing someone. There is a lot of strategy involved when you’re dating someone.
Harp:	Yeah. That makes me think of the expression hate the game not the player.
Maura:	Right. It’s not the player’s fault that they are lying to people and being dishonest; it is the game of dating that makes them that way. I don’t know if I believe it.
Harp:	Me neither.
Maura:	But anyways, you can see the connection between the game and the player. The person who is the player is just playing the game of dating. Or so they believe.
Harp:	Yeah. And like I said, it’s a really negative term. It’s not something you want to be called.
Maura:	This term is usually used to talk about guys, maybe sometimes I’ve heard it refer to females, but most of the time when you’re talking about a player, you’re talking about a male.

Expressions from this episode included in the Learning Materials:

To drop someone a line	Meant to be
To not give a hoot	Hallmark
Old and crotchety	To play the field
A player	A man-eater
A serial monogamist	Diehard
The stars align	To buy something
Love at first sight	A whole whack of something

Podcast/Learning Materials: Culips English Podcast, Photo ©Culips

Sleep on it!

Culips — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 20:08:59 +0000

Making decisions can be hard, especially making big, important decisions. In most cases, it’s best to take some time to think about a big decision. This episode focuses on expressions that talk about taking time to think about something. It could be anything from whether to buy a new car to how to solve a problem at work. Whatever you do, make sure you take the time to mull it over a little bit. But there’s no need to think over whether you want to listen to this episode. That’s easy—do it!

Harp:	Oftentimes it’s really good to sleep on it, to take that extra time to calm down, to think rationally, to think about the decision you want to make.
Maura:	Right. Especially if it’s a big decision, you don’t want to be too hasty. You want to take the time to think about it. And sometimes if you’ve had some sleep, you wake up the next morning and you do have a different perspective. The morning after something happens, you can have a different perspective on a situation.
Harp:	Yeah. Giving yourself some time and some room to think about it.
Maura:	You know, some people also believe that while you’re sleeping, your mind is still working and you’re still thinking about it. You’re working it out in your dreams or your subconscious is figuring it out. And then in the morning, you feel better about what you’re going to do.
Harp:	Yeah. I think that’s true.
Maura:	I like to sleep on it if I have a big thing to worry about.
Harp:	Me too.

Expressions from this episode included in the Learning Materials:

To sleep on it	So, you know… (at the end of a sentence)
To go through with something	To mull something over
To be a matter of time	To learn the ropes
To mess up	To think it over
A cat person	I’m telling you
The way to go	Off and on
To conk out

Podcast/Learning Materials: Culips English Podcast, Photo ©Culips

Interviewing Pamela

Culips — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 16:58:37 +0000

Recently our friend Pam visited us at Culips, so we took the opportunity to interview her. Pam grew up mostly in Montreal, with a short stay in Saudi Arabia as a child. She speaks English, French, and German, and is currently doing her master’s degree. In this interview, Maura asks Pam about all these experiences and more! Listen in if you’re interested in learning languages and travelling. We know you are!

Maura:	And what do you remember from that time? I know it was a long time ago now, but what are some of the things that you remember as being different or foreign to you, even at a really young age? Can you remember anything?
Pam:	Well, to think back, some memories that I have from Saudi Arabia, keeping in mind that they are childhood memories… I was there from six to ten, so maybe the things I am still fond of in my mind now would probably be different if I went back. But one of the things I remember being very different was the flora—the trees and plants—because it’s a desert region, so there certainly isn’t the same kind of vegetation that we have here in Canada. But one thing that was very prevalent around the compound that we were living in was date trees, which are very, very tall trees, very abundant trees, where you could just go every day and pick dates up off the ground.
Maura:	Wow! That does sound really cool. I don’t think I have ever seen a date tree. They musta been really good directly from the tree.

Expressions from this episode included in the Learning Materials:

My dear friend	A master’s (degree)
Winter biking	A compound
Flora	Squash
That does sound really cool	Musta
To leave an impression on someone	A tease
Concordia University and the Simone de Beauvoir Institute

Podcast/Learning Materials: Culips English Podcast, Photo ©Culips

She knows it like the back of her hand

Culips — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 08:03:33 +0000

Sometimes we know just a little bit about something, and other times we know something so well that we have it memorized. This episode is all about expressions we can use to talk about having a very deep knowledge of something. We also have a popular expression for when you’ve got something completely memorized. You may have to listen to this episode a few times before you know these expressions like the back of your hand!

Harp:	The first expression is to know it like the back of your hand.
Maura:	Right. To know something, or to know it, like the back of your hand. Now, have a look down at the back of your hand right now. Looks familiar? I’m sure that you know if very well. You probably see it every day. This expression is used to talk about something that you know very well, just as well as you know the back of your hand.
Harp:	Yeah. When you know something very well, you can say that you know it like the back of your hand.
Maura:	You know, Harp, I’m kind of a freckly person, and I even have little freckles on my hand. And you’d think that I wouldn’t really be able to notice if I got a new one, but I can. A few times in my life, I’ve looked down and I think, “Oh, I’ve never seen that little brown freckle before. I guess I got a new one!”
Harp:	That’s interesting!
Maura:	So, anyways, all that to say I know the back of my hands very well.

Expressions from this episode included in the Learning Materials:

To know something like the back of your hand	A freckle
All that to say	To get spit out
A sense of direction	Stage fright
Break a leg	To know something inside out
A little birdie told me	Excel
To know something by heart	Hardcore
The tibia

Podcast/Learning Materials: Culips English Podcast, Photo allisons daily drama

Party time

Culips — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 02:09:58 +0000

Parties can be thrown at any time of the year in North America, but they are especially common over the holidays. At this time of the year, there are all kinds of gatherings with family, friends, and colleagues. In this episode, Harp and Maura talk about the different kinds of parties you might be invited to. Harp also talks about planning parties and about all the details you may need to consider. The girls also talk about a bunch of expressions with the word party in them. People love to party, so there are many expression about it!

Maura:	My family always gets together around Christmas and most of my family gets together for other holidays too, like Thanksgiving and Easter.
Harp:	Yeah. Same thing for my family We have a lot of parties during the holidays.
Maura:	Oh, really. Usually, my mom and my dad’s families, they just have one big party with everyone who’s invited.
Harp:	Yeah. I see a lot of people doing that.
Maura:	Yeah. It makes sense because everyone is together. Everyone gets to see each other at the same time.
Harp:	The holiday season, it’s a nice time. It’s a nice excuse to see each other when you’re so busy the rest of the year with your own lives and work and all of that.
Maura:	A lot of the time, I actually don’t see much of my extended family except for the holidays.

Expressions from this episode included in the Learning Materials:

A holiday party	Extended family
A potluck	A Secret Santa
A housewarming party	Finger food
To take the pressure off	Decorations and décor
A tasting	To throw a party
To crash a party	To be the life of the party
To break the ice	To party hard
A party pooper

Podcast/Learning Materials: Culips English Podcast, Photo Cherry Pop Studio

An interview with Maura

Culips — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 00:12:08 +0000

You’ve already heard our interview with Harp, now here’s the interview with Maura! How much do you know about Maura already? Do you know which countries she visited when she travelled around Europe? Do you know in which country she taught English? Set the record straight and check out this episode to get to know more about your other Culips host.

Harp:	After this time in Europe, did you speak French well?
Maura:	The saddest part is, Harp, when I was looking for places to WWOOF, that was my objective. I wanted to go and have a French immersion. But the only place that accepted me was a place, a farm, where the guy was from England.
Harp:	Oh no!
Maura:	Yeah. So I was in France but I was staying with English people, speaking English all the time. So I didn’t learn much French at all, unfortunately.
Harp:	But you’re very fluent in French now. Did you learn that mainly in Montreal?
Maura:	Yup. After I came back from my travels in Europe, I lived in Quebec City, which is even more French than Montreal, and I started learning French there. I took a class at the university there and when I came to Montreal, I took more classes and I did language exchanges, which I have to say helped me so much with my French.

Expressions from this episode included in the Learning Materials:

Oktoberfest	A Mennonite
A stint	To end up somewhere
WWOOF	A safe bet
To not be far off	To get into something
To push someone	To look into something
To kill two birds with one stone	To use one’s time wisely
To stick (or put) your foot in your mouth

Podcast/Learning Materials: Culips English Podcast, Photo ©Culips

An interview with Harp

Culips — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 03:36:47 +0000

If you’ve been listening to Culips for a little while, you’ve already started to get to know the Culips hosts, Harp and Maura. And you’ll also know that in our Chatterbox episodes, sometimes we interview people. So here’s an interview with Harp, where she tells us about her life growing up and what she’s up to now. Along the way, she also drops a few expressions for you.

Maura:	So, what did you study at university?
Harp:	I studied political science.
Maura:	So does that mean you wanted to become a politician?
Harp:	I was actually thinking more of becoming a lawyer. And so it’s a really common route to go from political science into law. And I love politics. Even now, I read the news a lot, I’m always following what’s going on politically in Canada, the US, and even internationally.
Maura:	So, you grew up in Fort St. John, and then you lived in Edmonton, and then you decided to travel and move around. Where is the first place that you went?
Harp:	Well, you know, it’s funny, because I had travelled quite a bit in Canada, and even the US, when I was growing up, but I hadn’t really left North America until I decided, with a bang, to move to South Korea for a year.
Maura:	Wow! So, tell us about that experience.

Expressions from this episode included in the Learning Materials:

To tune in	To keep an ear out for something
When I say…, I mean…	Fort St. John
Out west	A small-town feel
With a bang	To not speak a word of English
A built-in babysitter	To sink or swim
A cool vibe	A day job
To shoot the breeze	That’s because you like to shoot the breeze

Podcast/Learning Materials: Culips English Podcast, Photo ©Culips

Adulthood: Someday we all have to grow up

Culips — Sun, 23 Dec 2012 22:16:38 +0000

We all have to grow up someday! In this episode, we talk about becoming and adult and the different generations of adults in North America, and we discuss some of the slang terms that describe various types of adults. We talk about it all, up to having kids and going on parental leave. Listen in to find out whether Maura really is a yuppie!

Harp:	A yuppie is a young urban professional. That’s what it stands for.
Maura:	Right. So the Y-U-P at the beginning of yuppies stands for young urban professionals. This means that the people who are yuppies are young, they’re urban, which means they live in a big city…
Harp:	And they’re professional. They have some sort of professional career. They’re white collar; they usually work in an office; they have some sort of professional job.
Maura:	Right. And this also implies that they’re probably making pretty good money.
Harp:	Yes. Now in terms of young, a yuppie could be anyone who’s 21 who has a professional job, up to 40. There’s no real set age to be a yuppie.

Expressions from this episode included in the Learning Materials:

The two pronunciations of adult	The two way of saying the name of the letter Z
Or so	A baby boomer, Generation X, and Generation Y
A boomerang kid and the Boomerang Generation	A yuppie
White collar	Clean cut
Technically	A dink/a dinky
The suburbs	Maternity, paternity, and parental leave
A stay-at-home mom or dad

Podcast/Learning Materials: Culips English Podcast, Image courtesy of English with Jo

We all mess up sometimes

Culips — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 00:33:00 +0000

Everyone makes mistakes sometimes, and this episode is all about expressions to talk about them. Some mistakes are small and minor, and others are really big. And sometimes we make embarrassing mistakes in front of other people—the worst kind or mistakes! But you shouldn’t make a mistake with these expressions once you’ve listened to this episode. So go ahead, check it out.

Harp:	So today we’re going to talk about some expressions when you make a mistake.
Maura:	Right. We can use these expressions to talk about when people have not done something well, when they’ve made a mistake or done something wrong.
Harp:	Yeah. And all of the expressions are a little bit different, but they’re all related to making mistakes.
Maura:	Right. So let’s start with the first one. The first expression that we’re going to look at is to mess up.

Expressions from this episode included in the Learning Materials:

There’s no end in sight	To mess up/to screw up
And I mean…	To say the least
To give it time	To get over something
To draw a blank	To butcher something
Renos	To learn your lesson
To choke	To strike out

Podcast/Learning Materials: Culips English Podcast, Image courtesy of Search engine journal

Time for Bed

Culips — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 00:25:10 +0000

Every day we all go to sleep. Some people fall asleep as soon as they hit the bed and it takes others hours to get to sleep. In this episode, we’re talking all about sleeping habits and just how important sleep is! Throughout the episode, we discuss lots of expressions related to this important time of day—bedtime! Are you a morning person or a night owl? How important is it for you to get some shut-eye?

Harp:	There are the early risers, the people who wake up early, get a good start on the day. They’re in bed usually on time or early, and they wake up early.
Maura:	Right. So these are people who like to get a good night’s sleep normally, but they also don’t like to waste the morning lying in bed. They would rather wake up and get started.
Harp:	Yeah. And you can call someone who’s an early riser a morning person.
Maura:	Right. This is the kind of person who wakes up early and they’re already happy and capable of having a conversation.
Harp:	Yes. Most people are not like this, I would say.
Maura:	Yeah. A lot of people wake up in the morning and they’re groggy, they’re kind of out of it for, maybe, 15 minutes, maybe 30 minutes, or until they have their first cup of coffee.
Harp:	Yup. To me, it’s funny because my mom is not a morning person and she is barely awake until she has two cups of tea in the morning.

Expressions from this episode included in the Learning Materials:

Shut-eye	An early riser/a morning person
A good night’s sleep	Groggy/out of it
To hit snooze	A late riser
A night owl	The crack of dawn
I’m talking…	A naps/a catnap
A siesta	An insomniac
Your mind is racing	A spring chicken
To toss and turn	To count sheep
Sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite.

Podcast/Learning Materials: Culips English Podcast, Image courtesy of [photostock]/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

You’re late!

Culips — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 02:07:25 +0000

The idea for this episode came from a Culips listener, Igor, who thought this might be an interesting topic. He was late to meet his friend, and his friend said, “I’m getting old here!” So here’s your episode, Igor. In it, Maura and Harp talk about the importance of being on time and what to do if you’re late in Canada. They also explain Igor’s friend’s expression, and give you a few others you might hear if you’re late!

Harp:	In Canada, it’s very important to be on time.
Maura:	It is important to be on time. When you make a plan to meet someone at 3 o’clock, you should be there at 3 o’clock. Seems quite logical to me, but I guess because I’m Canadian, that’s why it makes sense.
Harp:	Yup. And we know in other places being late is very often normal and when you say 3 o’clock, everyone knows that you mean 4 o’clock, but here in Canada, if you say 3 o’clock you mean 3 o’clock.
Maura:	Right. And it’s easy to figure out because you don’t have to add another hour or be there early. The time that you’re supposed to meet is the time that you should be there. It is of course important to be on time in Canada and the US, but how much time do you think is socially acceptable to be late?

Expressions from this episode included in the Learning Materials:

Better late than never	To show up
On time	Fashionably late
Who’s counting?	Under control
To stand someone up	I’m getting old here
I don’t have all day	Take a chill pill
A rhyme	To waltz in
Without a care in the world	From now on
To grace us with your presence

Podcast/Learning Materials: Culips English Podcast, Image courtesy of [sdmania]/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

You’ll never guess what I got wind of!

Culips — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 01:39:49 +0000

People love stories, especially stories with secret information in them. In this episode, we talk about expressions that people use when they telling a story, whether it’s true or possibly not. These stories might be told by a person who heard it directly from a trustworthy source or by someone who just loves to gossip! Sometimes it’s hard to know the difference. Listen to this episode if you’ve ever heard a story through the grapevine.

Maura:	To get wind of something means that you learned something new or heard something new and this new thing that you learned is often supposed to be a secret.
Harp:	Yes. And often, the person or the source of the information is unknown or kept a secret as well.
Maura:	Right. Instead of saying who you heard this information from, you just say that you got wind of it. So you don’t actually have to say where you heard this new, possibly secret, information.
Harp:	Yeah. It’s like the wind told you this secret.
Maura:	Right. It’s like you were just minding your own business and the wind passed by you and you just happened to hear some new information.

Expressions from this episode included in the Learning Materials:

To come on over	To get wind of something
To keep your mouth shut	To mind your own business
Have I got something for you!	To hear something through the grapevine
To spread like wild fire	A little birdie told me
Two weeks’ notice

Podcast/Learning Materials: Culips English Podcast, Image courtesy of [Master isolated image]/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

You eat like a bird

Culips — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 04:30:17 +0000

Eating is something people do every day, so there are tons of expressions about it. In this episode, we talk about the amount that people eat. Sometimes we have big appetites and other times we don’t want to eat much. Sometimes our eyes are bigger than our stomachs and we make so much food that we can’t eat it all. By the end of this episode, you’ll probably want a snack.

Maura:	Now that we’ve talked about not eating very much, let’s look at some expressions that have to do with eating a whole bunch of food.
Harp:	This is much more like me.
Maura:	The next expression is to eat like a horse.
Harp:	Yes. To eat like a horse.
Maura:	And this makes sense because a horse is a pretty big animal, so we can imagine that it must need to eat a lot because it’s so big.
Harp:	Yup. And it seems like horses are just eating all the time.
Maura:	That’s true. You always see their mouths moving and chewing and chomping.

Expressions from this episode included in the Learning Materials:

To eat like a bird	To nibble
To take food to go	A buffet
To see	To eat like a horse
Didn’t you just go a couple of days ago?	To go through a phase
To grab a bite	To build up an appetite
My eyes are bigger than my stomach	To finish your plate
Leftovers

Podcast/Learning Materials: Culips English Podcast, Image: Cheez Burger

I’ve got you wrapped around my finger

Culips — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 16:56:41 +0000

Some people are able to control others. This could happen because one person really likes another person, because they want to make a good impression, or because they have been manipulated by the other person. When one person is under another person’s control, sometimes it doesn’t take much for the controlled person to do just what the controlling person wants them to. In this episode, Harp and Maura talk about these controlling relationships.

Harp:	When you have someone wrapped around your finger, it means you have control over them.
Maura:	Right. You can manipulate the person and get them to do things that you want them to do or get them to act in a certain way.
Harp:	Or get them to buy you what you want.
Maura:	Oftentimes, when one person has someone wrapped around their finger, they have a relationship and the person who is being in controlled really likes the person who’s controlling them.
Harp:	Yeah, exactly. It’s one of the reasons why they do things for the person, because they like them.
Maura:	It makes sense. If you like a person, you wanna help them out, but sometimes if you notice that someone is helping you a lot, you could get them to do more and more things for you and so then you have someone wrapped around your finger.

Expressions from this episode included in the Learning Materials:

A hashtag	To be trending
To have someone wrapped around your finger	To help out
To take advantage of someone or something	To mother someone
To sweet talk someone	To come in handy
To have someone eating out of the palm of your hand	To get something out of it
To milk it	To make up for something
To have someone in your back pocket	To play favourites

A Canadian Childhood

Culips — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 03:32:44 +0000

We were all kids once! But depending on where you live in the world, this can be quite a different experience. In this episode, Harp and Maura talk about the stuff that Canadian kids have to do, like chores, and the stuff that kids mostly want do, like the activities their parents sign them up for. They also talk about their own Canadian childhoods and reminisce about Saturday morning cartoons and playing hide-and-go-seek on their neighbourhood streets.

Maura:	There’s also a kind of kid that we call latchkey kids.
Harp:	Yes. A latchkey kid is a kid who gets home earlier than his or her parents and they have to open the door themselves and usually make a snack for themselves and maybe start homework by themselves.
Maura:	So it’s a kid who comes home to an empty house and they have to have their own key because no one is there to let them in.
Harp:	Yeah, exactly. So that’s a latchkey kid.
Maura:	Were you a latchkey kid?
Harp:	No. When I was young, my grandparents lived with us, so they were always at home when we came home from school.

Expressions from this episode included in the Learning Materials:

You guys	A chore
To get on someone’s case	To have it easy
A silly goose	A latchkey kid
To not be your thing	Brownies and Girl Guides
Not a single kid	To sign up for something
Hide-and-go-seek	I spy
A distant memory	Youth is wasted on the young
The grass is always greener on the other side

Podcast/Learning Materials: Culips English Podcast, Image: Forbes

What a klutz!

Culips — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 02:34:52 +0000

Sometimes people accidentally fall, trip, or break things. In fact, there are so many incidents like these that we’ve got a bunch of expressions to talk about them. In some cases, a person might just have a clumsy moment, but other people are clumsy all the time! In this episode, Harp and Maura give examples of what clumsy people do and explain the expressions we can use to talk about them!

Maura:	Now, a person who is a klutz is a clumsy person, is the kind of person that we just described, who might often break things or walks into things or falls down.
Harp:	Exactly. When someone does something like this, you can call them a klutz, or when someone’s doing it all the time, they’re a klutz.
Maura:	Right. So you might be starting to think of someone that you know who is a klutz, because we all know people who are really clumsy.
Harp:	Yup. I’m thinking about someone at my work. He is always running into things and dropping things. I would never give him a nice glass. I’m sure he would break it. He’s such a klutz
Maura:	Yeah. Sometimes there are just people who often have accidents and break things. Sometimes it’s funny, but sometimes if they break something or hurt themselves, it’s not so funny.

Expressions from this episode included in the Learning Materials:

Clumsy	A klutz
On the other hand	A pain in the butt
A teacup/mug	To be all thumbs
Fine motor skills	You know what they say
To get the hang of something	The two pronunciations of vase
To have two left feet

Hobbies

Culips — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 18:25:57 +0000

Here’s another episode based on a great episode idea from a Culips listener! Outside of work or school, hopefully you have some free time just for yourself. In this episode, Maura and Harp discuss hobbies, what hobbies are popular in Canada and the US, and their own hobbies, past and present. Does it really sound natural to ask someone directly, “What are your hobbies?” We’ll answer that question for you too!

Harp:	I have to be honest; I didn’t actually ever make anything. I just knit long pieces that could maybe be a scarf, but I didn’t know how to finish it, so I just threw in the towel and gave up knitting.
Maura:	Sometimes that happens, too. We start a hobby and then time passes and we realize that we’re not interested, or maybe it’s too difficult, like in your case, and you just want a change. You don’t wanna do it anymore.
Harp:	Yeah, exactly. What about you? What were some hobbies you did when you were young?
Maura:	Well, when I was a kid, I took dance lessons.
Harp:	Oh, that’s fun. What kind of dance?
Maura:	I pretty much took it all. I started in ballet, and I took tap dancing for a year or two, and the rest of the years I was doing jazz dancing.
Harp:	Oh, that’s fun.
Maura:	It was pretty fun and I liked it, but when I become a teenager, I didn’t really wanna do it anymore.

Expressions from this episode included in the Learning Materials:

Free time, spare time, a pastime	An artist
Out there	Knitting, scrapbooking, and cross-stitching
The metro	To go through a phase
What do you do in your spare time?	To stick with someone
To take something up	To suck at something
To throw in the towel	Ballet
To have two left feet