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Learn how to cash a check and make a deposit at the bank in English.

Dialogue/Story

The local branch of my bank is located just a few blocks from where I live. It's very convenient, since it has four ATMs open 24/7. Today I had to go make a deposit, but because I wanted to cash a check as well, I needed to go inside to talk to a teller.

Inside the bank, I got in line for the tellers. All of the tellers are behind a large piece of bulletproof glass, so you have to speak up when you are talking to them. When I got to the head of the line, the cashier asked, "How may I help you?" I said, "I'd like to deposit this payroll check into my checking account and cash this cashier's check." "Certainly," she said, "just endorse the back of both checks and put them in the tray." I said, "Sure. And can I get that in small bills - tens and twenties?"

I waited for her to process my checks. Then she said, "Here you are," and counted out the cash and put it in an envelope. "Thank you," I said, and walked away. Now that I have some money burning a hole in my pocket, I guess I'd better spend it!

Topics

American Movies: E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial · The MacArthur Fellows Program · Questions and Answers

Key Terms

extra-terrestrial
alien
to be stranded
to lure
psychic
highest-grossing
foundation
genius
merit
no strings attached
percussionist
silversmith
important
significant
critical
tough
navel-gazing

Learn how to write a polite, formal email to someone you do not know well in English.

Dialogue/Story

Dear Dr. Lee:

I don't know if you'll remember me, but I introduced myself to you after your keynote at last week's conference. As I mentioned to you, I have read all of your work and I am a great admirer of your research. Your article in the top journal Language Learning was groundbreaking.

The reason I am contacting you is that I would like to come to your university to study with you. I met some of your students at the conference and they couldn't stop singing your praises as a professor. I don't know if you are accepting any new students for the next year, but if so, I hope you will consider me.

I have included two attachments to this email. I am sending a copy of my CV, and I am also including a research paper I completed earlier this year. I hope that these will give you an idea of my qualifications and experience. Please let me know if you need more information or more samples of my academic work.

It was a pleasure and a privilege to meet you at the conference, and I hope to hear more about your research at a future conference.

Sincerely,

Lucy Hocevar

Learn how to talk about your clothes and how you dress in English.

Dialogue/Story

I'm one of those people who don't have much of a fashion sense. I mean, I know that I shouldn't wear a pink shirt with green pants, but beyond that I'm pretty much a basket case when it comes to picking my wardrobe.

I have plenty of short-sleeve and long-sleeve dress shirts; some have a button-down collar and some have a shirt pocket in them. I also own some more casual shirts with a collar, and a ton of T-shirts with just about every logo you can think of. I have a couple of good pairs of black slacks for formal occasions, along with khakis and jeans for more informal events.

Naturally, I have one nice suit to wear to weddings, funerals, and job interviews, with a suit coat, tie, a belt with a nice-looking buckle, and pants. I also own a sports coat, but I don't use it much. Well, I better stop talking and start dressing. I'm late for work!

Topics

Famous Americans: Thomas Edison · Liberia and U.S. slavery · Questions and Answers

Key Terms

inventor
prodigious
practical
phonograph
patent
entrepreneur
telegraph
wizard
perspiration
to repatriate
to colonize
elite
symposium
workshop
seminar
to account for
to negotiate

Learn how to talk about heavy traffic and being stuck on the road in English.

Dialogue/Story

I was on my way to a restaurant to meet my date for dinner when I hit a traffic jam. I saw that the road was congested, but since I had to take the bridge to reach downtown, I had no choice but to stay on that road.

The traffic was bumper-to-bumper. One crazy driver even tried to drive on the shoulder to get around the backup. But as it turns out, there wasn't any way to bypass it because the backup wasn't due to an accident, a stalled car or some rubberneckers. It was because of road construction and only one lane was open.

After 25 minutes of stop-and-go traffic, I was at my wit's end. My date was sitting at the restaurant waiting for me and I didn't have her cell phone number. What's more, I was really hungry.

Finally, I got past the road construction and was on my way again. I drove a little recklessly, but I had to make up for lost time. I really liked this girl. The last thing I wanted was to make her think that I stood her up!

Learn how to talk about crime and the legal system in English. Jeff reads a newspaper story about a student arrested for burglary and assault.

Dialogue/Story

I was reading the newspaper this morning and saw a story about a university student arrested and charged with burglary and assault. Last Monday, this student hit a security guard over the head, broke into his professor's office and stole the professor's computer. He wasn't doing well in the class and thought that he could steal the exam.

When he was arraigned in court, the prosecutor said that the charges were very serious felonies, and not simple misdemeanors. He also said that because the student was a flight risk, the bail should be set at $2 million dollars. The judge agreed. If the student is found guilty of all the charges, he could be sentenced to up to 15 years in jail.

When I read this story, I thought, wouldn't it have been easier for him to just study?

Topics

American Cities: New York City · Letters after people's names · Questions and Answers

Key Terms

borough
skyscraper
Broadway musical
pushy
frank
in your face
JFK
Esquire
Ph.D.
MD
RN
DDS
napkin
to work out

If you can’t read this, then put on your glasses and listen to this episode on having bad eyes.

Slow dialogue: 1:07
Explanations: 2:45
Fast dialogue: 15:19

Sue: This medication I’m taking is messing with my vision. Everything is blurry.

Hamed: That’s a good reason for you to stay home from work today.

Sue: I can’t. I have to give a presentation this afternoon and I can’t flake out on my coworkers.

Hamed: What good are you to them if you’re blind as a bat?

Sue: Everybody else will have crystal clear vision, so all I have to do is to put in an appearance. Things may not be as sharp as I’d like them to be, but I can still make out people and objects – as long as they’re really big.

Hamed: I don’t think your coworkers are going to want you to blindside them today with your strange behavior. You’re going to do more harm than good.

Sue: I can see well enough. I only see double if I move my head like this. Whoa…

Hamed: At this point, I don’t care if you have X-ray vision. That medication is affecting more than your vision. It’s impairing your better judgment!

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Learn how to take and leave phone messages in this podcast.

Slow dialog: 0:57
Explanations: 3:42
Fast dialog: 21:10

I was looking forward to a quiet evening at home. As soon as I walked in the door, though, the phone rang.

Paolo: Hello.

Evelyn: Hi, could I speak to Tony?

Paolo: He’s not here right now. Can I take a message?

Evelyn: Do you know when he’ll be back?

Paolo: No, I don’t.

Evelyn: Okay. I’ll call back later. Thanks.
……
Ten minutes later, the phone rang again.

Paolo: Hello.

Pam: Hi, is Tony there?

Paolo: No, he’s out.

Pam: Could I leave a message?

Paolo: Sure. Give me a second to get something to write with…Okay, I’m ready.

Pam: Could you tell him that Pam called and ask him to call me back as soon as he can.

Paolo: Does he have your number?

Pam: He should, but I’d better give it to you. It’s 279-555-6347.

Paolo: Okay, I’ll tell him.

Pam: Thanks.
…..

As soon as I put down the receiver, the phone rang again. I couldn’t believe it.

Paolo: Hello.

Susan: Hi, is this Tony?

Paolo: No, I’m his roommate, Paolo. Tony’s not here right now.

Susan: I need to get a hold of him. Do you have his cell number?

Paolo: Uh, yeah, I do, but I’m not sure he wants me to give it out.

Susan: Oh, I’m sure he’d want me to have it.

Paolo: I tell you what. Why don’t I take your number and have him call you back?

Susan: I really need to get a hold of him right away.

Paolo: I’ll give him your message as soon as he gets home.

Susan: Fine. This is Susan and my number is 742-555-3655. Please make sure he gets it. It’s important. Bye.

Paolo: Bye.

As soon as she hung up, I took the phone off the hook for the rest of the night. I’d had enough of being Tony’s answering service for one night!

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Learn how to ask for clarification in English in this podcast.

Slow dialog: 0:54
Explanations: 2:29
Fast dialog: 12:46

I was negotiating a contract with a new business partner, and we had a meeting to clarify the terms.

Bill: If I understand the terms correctly, the length of the contract would be one year with a one-year option. Is that correct?

Ms. Samuels: Do you mean the contract for equipment rental or the one for training?

Bill: I was under the impression that both contracts had the same terms.

Ms. Samuels: Yes and no. Let me see if I can clarify that. The terms are the same except that the contract for training has a clause that allows for the cancellation after the first six months.

Bill: Could you elaborate on that?

Ms. Samuels: Sure. What I mean is that either side could cancel the training contract after the six months as long as it’s in writing.

Bill: Let me see if I have that right. This contract is for six months of training, but if it isn’t cancelled, continues for another six months. Is that right?

Ms. Samuels: Yes, that’s right.

Bill: Okay, that’s clear enough. Let’s move on to the other terms . . .

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse