Slow dialogue: 1:16 Explanations: 3:17 Fast dialogue: 12:03 Order clerk: Hello, Torino?s Restaurant. Nancy: Hello, I?d like to place a delivery order. Order clerk: Can I have your address and the major cross streets, please? Nancy: It?s 1212 Main Street, and the nearest cross streets are Speedway and Highland. Order clerk: Okay, it looks like you?re in our delivery area. What would you like to order? Nancy: I?d like an order of spaghetti. Does that come with any sides? Order clerk: You have a choice of soup or salad. Nancy: I?ll have the salad. Order clerk: Is that all? We have a $15 minimum for delivery orders. Nancy: In that case, I?ll also take an appetizer sampler plate. Order clerk: Okay, that?s one order of spaghetti and an appetizer sampler plate. You?re still $3 short. Would you like a drink or some dessert? Nancy: I?ll take an iced tea. Order clerk: All right, but you?re still a dollar short. Nancy: What can I get for a dollar? Order clerk: There?s nothing on the menu for a dollar, ma?am. Nancy: And you won?t deliver my $14 order? Order clerk: That?s our policy, ma?am. Nancy: All right, you win. Give me an order of bread. How long will that take? Order clerk: You should get your food in about an hour. Nancy: An hour?!? Order clerk: Yes, ma?am. You?ve ordered a lot of food and it takes time for us to prepare it. Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

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Topics: Ask an American: Bluegrass music; résumé versus curriculum vitae, the number 0 versus the letter O, one over the other Words: to bring over to pass down something to flatten bridge basically roots origins melody acoustic fiddle banjo bass résumé curriculum vitae

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Slow dialogue: 1:20 Explanations: 4:28 Fast dialogue: 15:36 Wanda: I can?t take it anymore. I try to put up with Robert, but I?ve had enough! Dana: I?m not surprised. That guy is a big bully and it?s time somebody stood up to him. What has he done now? Wanda: This was the last straw. We?re both managers and we?re supposed to work together, but Robert looks for every opportunity to put me down in front of our employees. This morning, I presented an idea about upgrading our computer equipment and he jumped down my throat. Dana: What did he do? Wanda: He said that the idea was stupid and that he couldn?t understand how anyone could propose it. He said this in front of everybody. I was too stunned to respond, so I just stood there. Dana: That?s totally inappropriate and unprofessional. Wanda: He?s arrogant to everybody, but especially to me. He always says he?s just being honest when he makes a biting remark, but I?m realizing that that?s just his excuse to be rude. He treats everyone with contempt. I really don?t know what to do. Dana: I know people like Robert. They?re so insecure that they have to belittle everyone else to make themselves feel better. They have really poor social skills and don?t know how to have a conversation or to disagree without being a jerk. Wanda: That may be, but what should I do about him? Dana: There?s only one way to handle a bully. Wanda: How? Dana: You have to call his bluff. If he criticizes your plan, ask him to back it up with evidence or a specific reason. If you disagree with him, keep your cool, but tell him why. Most bullies back down when someone stands up to them. Wanda: Okay, it?s worth a try. I?ve been trying to keep calm and maintain a professional atmosphere in the office, so I haven?t confronted him, but I will if you think it?ll help. Dana: I do. And if that doesn?t work, tell him to act his age, not his shoe size! Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

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Slow dialogue: 1:34 Explanations: 3:23 Fast dialogue: 13:31 Caridad: Look at this! The president of McQuillan University is stepping down. He submitted his resignation this morning after an undergraduate student made allegations that they had an affair and that she?s pregnant with his baby. Nate: That?s terrible. Maybe they were in love. Caridad: In love? He?s married and has four kids, and when she first went public about the affair, he denied it and said that she had made up the whole story. Would someone in love try to cover up something like this? Nate: Who knows? The president of a major university is a person with a lot to lose. I?m not making excuses for him, but maybe he lost his head. Caridad: Of course he had a lot to lose. Anyone who is in the public eye like he is shouldn?t be playing with fire. He?s an embarrassment to his family and to his university. Nate: I still think there could be extenuating circumstances. All you know you?ve learned from one newspaper article. Caridad: That much is true, but I know one thing: Whatever happens to him, it serves him right! Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

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Topics: The Betty Ford Center; poker; to be short on time versus time is running out, past year versus last year, supervisor versus manager Words: addiction rehab painkiller intervention residential counselor hand tournament champion endorsement to show (one?s) hand poker face to raise the stakes to be short on time time is running short past year last year supervisor manager

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Not everything can go perfectly. Find out about how to describe bad experiences in English in this episode.Slow dialogue: 1:14 Explanations: 3:12 Fast dialogue: 15:36 Caterina: I can?t believe I let you rope me into seeing this performance. It was so lame! Oliver: Okay, you?re right, it was the pits. I had no idea it was going to be amateur hour. When I saw the ad in the paper describing this as an experimental play, I thought it might be interesting. Was I wrong! Caterina: I didn?t understand that play at all. The music, if you can call it that, was atrocious. How can anyone be expected to listen to that for more than three seconds without going crazy? I wish I could get those two hours of my life back! Oliver: Yeah, it?s left a bad taste in my mouth, too. Let?s go see something else. I want to put this whole experience behind me. Caterina: Benjamin?s Bar is having open-mic tonight. Do you want to check it out? Oliver: No way! Wild horses couldn?t drag me to another amateur show. How about a movie instead? Caterina: Okay, I?d go to a movie. Oliver: You?d better pick one, though. Look what happened when I was left to pick a play. Caterina: Forget about it. We?ll just chalk it up to temporary insanity. Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

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Working 9 to 5? What a way to make a living! Relax after a long day at work at your local bar?s happy hour in this episode.

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Topics: Types of vocational education in the U.S.; American Cities: Miami; to have a monkey on (one?s) back; to administer; to execute; to be off

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You never know when someone may decide to buy your company. Be prepared to talk about it in English by listening to this episode.

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Find out about how to talk about the military services in this episode.Slow dialog: 1:23 Explanations: 2:52 Fast dialog: 14:30 Chantelle: Attention! Aren?t you supposed to salute? Robert: You?re not my superior officer. Stop goofing around. I?m busy. Chantelle: You?re packing already? You don?t need to report to duty for two days. Are you afraid they?ll think you went AWOL? Robert: I just want to be prepared. Now, leave me alone so I can finish packing. Chantelle: Am I dismissed? Maybe I want to enlist, too? I think I would look good in camouflage make-up and fatigues. Robert: Being in the military is no laughing matter. Do you really think that the most desperate recruiter would want you? Chantelle: That?s not very nice. I have as much discipline as you do...about some things. You may find yourself in a foxhole with me someday. Robert: Whatever deployment you?d get, I?d make sure I?m on the other side of the world! Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

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Topics: American Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald; cigarette and alcohol advertising; pronouncing -ed, someone?s John Hancock

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When the economy is bad, everyone complains. Learn to talk about prices in English in this episode.

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If you have young children, you know how difficult it is to get them to go to bed. Learn about one way to do it in English in this episode.

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Topics: dishonest political strategies; the Black Dahlia; treatment versus therapy; ending intimate letters and emails; you?re entitled to your opinion

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Benjamin Franklin said the only things certain in life are death and taxes. Learn some vocabulary related to paying your taxes in this episode.

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Learn how to talk about telephones in English in this episode.

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Topics: Ask an American: Working as an actor in Los Angeles nevertheless versus despite versus even though, to screw up

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Learn how to ask for things on an airplane in English in this episode.

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Make some new friends in English in this episode.

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Topics: FBI history, structure, and duties; Reader?s Digest contents, history and readership; consent versus assent, concord versus accord, the long and the short of it

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Try not to get involved in any disagreements at work. Learn how in this episode.

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Fighting is not a good way to solve your problems. Learn more in this episode.

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Topics: Becoming a lawyer in the U.S., famous lines from American movies, proper versus appropriate

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Learn how to talk about using the Internet at work in this episode.

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Learn how to describe the expressions on people?s faces in English in this episode.

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Topics: Norman Vincent Peale, Japanese internment camps, straightforward, to tap into, made by versus made of versus made in

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Get rich while learning some business English in this episode about franchises.

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Learn how to describe getting a good price at the store in English in this episode.

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Topics: American cities: Portland, Oregon; Take Me Out to the Ballgame; ocean versus sea, ability versus capability

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Are you afraid of the dark? Learn how to talk about being scared in this episode.

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Cooking can show another person you love them, even when it tastes bad. Learn how to describe the taste of food in English in this episode.

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Topics: Ask an American: Starving Artists as a matter of fact, process versus procedure, to haggle

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If you need borrow, you may want to get a loan from the bank. Find out how to talk about interest rates in English in this episode.

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Ah, true love! See the beginnings of a beautiful relationship as you learn how to ask the woman of your dreams on a date.

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Topics: Famous Americans: Grandma Moses GED Tests, since versus from, is to do (something), calligraphy versus penmanship

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Learn how to talk about movies in English in this episode.

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An apple a day keeps the doctor away, but what about just taking a pill? Learn more in this episode.

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Topics: Celebrity chefs, Americans and personal space, generic versus general, expressing height in feet and meters, prophecy versus prediction

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If there is something that you don?t like or you feel sorry for someone and you want to express yourself in a polite way in English, listen to this episode.

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Tell everyone about your great vacation by sending them a postcard in this episode.

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Topics: Cities: New Orleans 9-1-1 emergency services, his or her, you don?t need to know versus you need not know, incident versus accident

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Learn how to talk about what?s inside a restroom in English in this episode.

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Some men think women are like cars: When you get tired of the one you have, you go get a new one. Find out why that may not be a good idea in this episode.

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Topics: Charles Schultz and Peanuts, how to become a police officer, you and I versus you and me, yippikaiye, to call dibs

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Learn about going to conferences and conventions in this episode.

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Learn to describe differences and similarities in personality in this episode.

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Topics: Ask an American: Endangered languages rednecks, dictionary versus thesaurus

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Learn how to buy meat at a butcher?s shop in English in this episode.

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Welcome to the annoying world of public cell phone use! Find out why how not to use your mobile phone in this episode.

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Topics: Convenience stores, eating and drinking noises, colleague versus associate versus fellow, to sign in versus to sign off versus to sign on versus to sign up

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A contest can sometimes motivate employees to work harder. Learn more in this episode.

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Forget about Shakespeare. Read all about the love between Romeo and Juliette in this episode.

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Learn how to say no to an invitation politely in English in this episode.

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Topics: Men and ?dumb blondes,? the Rotary Club, grade versus score, how do I get to versus where do I find, my friend versus a friend of mine

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They?re not just for kids anymore. Learn all about graphic novels and comic books in this episode.

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Topics: Cities: Anchorage, Alaska John Henry, you might as well, to hit the ground running, the ?café? in English Café, what goes around comes around, breaking news

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When a business is doing poorly, sometimes it has to close. Find out more in this episode.

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Take a trip to the mechanic to have your car looked at in this episode.

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Topics: How to become the president of the United States, tailgating parties, seize versus arrest versus detain, pronouncing ?the,? expressions for showing sympathy

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If you fought the law and the law won, then listen to this episode where you?ll learn all about crime vocabulary in English.

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Smoke, anyone? Learn about how to end your addiction on this episode.

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Topics: Ask an American: Business travel in the U.S. bang for your buck, original versus initial, the longest word in English

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Find out how to read a profit and loss statement in English on this episode.

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Learn about how to talk about washing your clothes in English in this episode.

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Topics: Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny, progress versus process, would in the past tense, to be on the chunky side

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Going somewhere? Learn how to take a bus in this episode.

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Want to date my sister? Let me persuade you in this episode.

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Topics: Professional wrestling, National Geographic, would-be versus wannabe, be my guest, why not?

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Honesty is the best policy, as we learn in this episode.

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