MSE Portal

Financial planning can be painful but necessary. Learn more in this episode.

Slow dialogue: 1:25
Explanations: 3:30
Fast dialogue: 15:16

Roland: If we want to save enough money to buy a house, we need to get serious about our finances and do some financial planning. I think the first step is to create a household budget.

Ginger: Okay by me. You know that I’m all about the bottom line.

Roland: Yeah, right. I think we have a pretty good idea of our spending patterns, so it shouldn’t be too hard to come up with a budget that we can both live with.

Ginger: Right.

Roland: Okay, one thing we need to keep in mind is that we tend to underestimate our monthly expenses. If you look at our discretionary spending on this spreadsheet I created, you’ll be surprised at how much money we spend on nonessentials.

Ginger: Okay, I can cut back on nonessentials.

Roland: You can?

Ginger: Sure, instead of getting my nails done every week, I’ll get them done only three times a month.

Roland: Well, that’s a start…

Ginger: And instead of buying a new 60-inch TV, we can get a 52-inch one instead. That should save us a lot of money.

Roland: I think you need to do the math. If we don’t cut back much more drastically, we’ll be ready for retirement by the time we can afford a house!

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Topics: The Godfather; Graceland and Elvis; to hinder versus to hamper versus to impede; the hunt is on; quick and dirty tips

Words:
godparent
mafia
bribery
corruption
brutal
to legitimize
stillborn
sideburns
the rest is history
mansion
recording studio
artifact
to hinder
to hamper
to impede
the hunt is on
quick and dirty tips

Be careful when you buy things that you are actually getting what you think you’re getting. Learn more in this episode.

Slow dialogue: 1:22
Explanations: 2:53
Fast dialogue: 15:28

Lindsay: Look at this designer bag I bought. It was such a steal!

Rafael: Let me see that. You do know that this is an imitation, not the real thing, right?

Lindsay: What do you mean? Of course it’s real.

Rafael: Where did you buy it?

Lindsay: Well, there was a guy on the street selling all of these genuine designer bags. He said he got them straight from the factory, and that’s why he could sell them at such a markdown.

Rafael: The reason he could sell it dirt cheap is because this is a knockoff. I know you’re a sucker for a bargain, but I can’t believe you fell for his line.

Lindsay: How do you know this is a knockoff? Are you an expert on women’s handbags? I still think this is real, and I’m sure I didn’t get ripped off.

Rafael: Whatever you say. As they say, there’s a sucker born every minute!

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

I would tell you what this episode is about, but I forgot. Learn more about being forgetful in this episode.

Slow dialogue: 1:13
Explanations: 3:16
Fast dialogue: 15:25

Charlize: You won’t forget that we’re going over to the Wong’s for dinner tomorrow night, will you?

Pete: It’s etched in my brain. I won’t forget.

Charlize: It slipped your mind last week that we were meeting Donna at the movies, remember?

Pete: I was preoccupied last week, but I won’t forget about tomorrow night.

Charlize: I’m reminding you because the week before that, you forgot to cash that check at the bank. Remember that?

Pete: I didn’t forget. I was just a little wrapped up in work that week. I’m not usually absentminded, you know.

Charlize: Right. Do you want me to send you an email tomorrow morning to jog your memory?

Pete: That won’t be necessary. I have the day, time, and even their address committed to memory. Do you want to test me?

Charlize: No, I don’t, but I just want to make sure we don’t have a repeat of what happened last month. You were supposed to meet me at the Donnelly’s at 8:00 and you never showed up. Remember that?

Pete: No, I don’t. I have amnesia. I won’t remember any other incident you want to throw in my face. I thought last week you said you would stop giving me a hard time about my bad memory. Remember that?

Charlize: Uh, no, I don’t.

Pete: I guess I’m not the only one who’s scatterbrained!

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Topics: Ask an American: social media and job searches; go ahead, make my day; years old versus year old

Words:
to scratch the surface
there’s no telling
wild, wild west
tremendous
social media
to enhance
credibility
thought leadership
buddy
to dictate
to come back
permanency
immediacy
Go ahead, make my day
years old
year old

Sometimes our jobs don’t give us much independence, but require following the rules exactly. Learn more in this episode.

Slow dialogue: 1:27
Explanations: 3:30
Fast dialogue: 16:53

I was happy to finally get a job, but I wasn’t ready for a first day of work like this one.
...

Boss: This is your first day and my job is to give you the rundown on how we do things around here. This is a well-oiled machine. Everybody has to pull his or her weight, or things don’t run smoothly. Got that?

Olivia: Yes, I do. I’m here to learn and to get up to speed as quickly as possible.

Boss: Good. I expect you to know the drill and be able to fall in line by the end of the week.

Olivia: I will do my very best.

Boss: We don’t like surprises around here, so we’ve built our workday around a lot of routines that every employee follows. We expect people to arrive at 8:30 on the nose. That’s our start time and there is no leeway whatsoever. If you’re habitually late, you’re out. Got that?

Olivia: Got it.

Boss: We’re no run-of-the-mill company. We have a tried and true system here and we expect all of our employees to follow lockstep. Got that?

Olivia: Yes, sir.
...

I needed a job, but when I was offered this one, I didn’t know what I was letting myself in for. I didn’t have a new boss. I had a drill sergeant!

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Learn how to end your meal in a restaurant in English in this episode.

Slow dialogue: 1:20
Explanations: 3:20
Fast dialogue: 15:11

Server: Can I clear these plates and get them out of your way?

Alvin: Sure, we’re all done. Can I get the rest of that in a doggie bag?

Server: No problem. I’ll wrap it up for you. Is there anything else I can get you? Did you leave room for dessert? How about some coffee or tea?

Alvin: No, I’m stuffed. Just the check for me, thanks.

Server: Sure, coming right up.
...

Server: Here’s your check. I’ll take that when you’re ready.

Alvin: Do you accept personal checks?

Server: No, I’m afraid we don’t.

Alvin: How about credit cards?

Server: Yes, we do accept credit cards.

Alvin: Here’s my Discover card.

Server: Oh, we don’t accept that one.

Alvin: Okay, here’s my American Express.

Server: Sorry, but we don’t take that one either. We only accept Visa or MasterCard.

Alvin: I don’t have a Visa or MasterCard.

Server: We also accept cash, of course.

Alvin: I don’t have any cash on me. Is there an ATM nearby?

Server: There’s one about three blocks away, but you’ll need to leave something with us so we know you’re not running out on the check.

Alvin: How about my doggie bag?

Server: How about your cell phone or your driver’s license?

Alvin: Okay, here’s my cell phone. I’ll be back ASAP.

Server: No rush. I’ll be right here making a few calls to Bora Bora.

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Topics: Woodstock; Walter Reed Army Medical Center; a lot versus a load of; indicate versus signify; Hispanic versus Spanish

Words:
to be billed as
concert-goer
hippy
mud
bell-bottoms
documentary
flagship
veteran
wounded
in battle
rehabilitation
neglect
a lot
a load
to indicate
to signify
Hispanic
Spanish

Your mother is telling you to be quiet and listen to this episode about parental discipline, so listen up!

Slow dialogue: 1:25
Explanations: 3:39
Fast dialogue: 18:03

Allison: I’m almost ready for my granddaughter’s visit. She’ll be here tomorrow and I want everything to be perfect.

Ola: What do you have planned?

Allison: I’m going to spoil her rotten. My daughter is very strict and doesn’t allow her to do anything that a normal 10-year-old wants to do.

Ola: Like what?

Allison: Well, her time is very structured and regimented. She’s never allowed any time for just frivolous fun.

Ola: And you’re taking off the shackles.

Allison: That’s right. She can play as much as she wants to for the next week. I don’t want her to miss out on any experiences just because her mother is overprotective. There will be no curfews and no time schedules.

Ola: Are you sure that’s a good idea? I’m sure your daughter has instructions about how your granddaughter should behave and the punishments she should get if she misbehaves.

Allison: You’re right about that. I’m expecting a long list of rules for my granddaughter while she’s here, but she shouldn’t expect me to toe the line. I’m the grandmother after all, so I have special privileges. Nobody tells me what to do with my own granddaughter.

Ola: How did a free spirit like you end up with a daughter who is so uptight?

Allison: Beats me.

Ola: She’s not going to thank you for spoiling her daughter, you know.

Allison: I know, but I’m her mother and there’s still a thing or two I can teach her about raising a daughter!

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Getting a passport is more work than you think. Learn more in this episode.

Slow dialogue: 1:14
Explanations: 3:15
Fast dialogue: 16:45

Clerk: Yes, can I help you?

Orlando: I want to get a passport.

Clerk: Have you filled out the application?

Orlando: No, I haven’t.

Clerk: Come back when you’ve filled it out.

Orlando: Okay, I’ve completed the application.

Clerk: Let me see it. You need to fill in your Social Security number here and you need to provide evidence of your citizenship. Have you ever had a passport before?

Orlando: No, I haven’t.

Clerk: In that case, you’ll need to submit a copy of your birth certificate, or if you were born outside of the country, a copy of your Naturalization Certificate or a Consular Report of Birth Abroad.

Orlando: I don’t have those documents with me.

Clerk: Come back when you do.

Orlando: Okay, I’m back. I have a copy of my birth certificate.

Clerk: All right. Let me see some identification.

Orlando: Identification?

Clerk: Yes, I need to see a valid driver’s license, a government ID, or a military ID.

Orlando: I’ll be right back.

Clerk: Yes?

Orlando: Here’s my military ID.

Clerk: Where are you passport photos?

Orlando: Passport photos?

Clerk: Yes, you need two identical passport photos.

Orlando: I’ll be right back.

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse