Woman: Quiz Show.
Man: A quiz is a game or competition in which you have to answer questions. There are many types of Quiz shows on TV.
Listen to this short conversation:
Woman: Are you coming? Your favourite quiz show is about to start.
Man: Is it time for “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire” already?
Woman: I don’t know why you don’t apply to go on the show, you love it so much.
Man: No way! It’s one thing answering the questions from my armchair and another in front of TV cameras.

Woman: DIY Shows.
Man: DIY means “do-it-yourself”, which is the activity of making and repairing things yourself around your home. “DIY shows” demonstrate how to decorate or make something yourself
Listen to this:
Woman: What are you doing?
Man: I’m trying to repair the gate, but it looked easier on the DIY show than it actually is.

Woman: Contestants.
Man: A contestant is a person who takes part in a contest. Hence, the people who take part in Big Brother for example, are contestants, as there can only be one winner at the end of the show.
For example
Woman: Crikey, there already down to four contestants, I wonder who will win?
Man: Well you’ll know next week, and at least we can watch something different for a change, instead of this silly programme.
Woman: Viewers.
Man: Viewers are people who watch television. For “reality TV” programmes they can also participate by eliminating contestants with a phone call.
For example:
Woman: You see, “Big Brother” is still popular, they had 6 million viewers yesterday, and 2 million voted.
Man: Unbelievable.
Woman: No it’s not, it’s fun.

Woman: Major.
Man: Major means very large or important.
For example:
Woman: I don’t understand why you don’t like “Reality TV”, it’s a major success all over the world.
Man: Each to their own, but, it’s a major headache for me.

Woman: Now let’s listen to some information about “Reality TV” adapted from www.education.theage.com.au
Man: What is reality TV?
Reality TV is a new genre of programs (British English: programmes) in which ordinary people are put in unusual situations, from which a winner will emerge.
“Big Brother”, which confines a group of people in a small house with cameras running 24 hours a day, first screened in Holland. Since then, reality TV has become a major phenomenon with most networks screening some type of reality program. So what's the attraction? For the networks, reality TV shows are a cheap alternative to other programming. No scriptwriters, paid actors or complex sets are required. Viewers enjoy watching the relationships of the contestants from a safe distance and they can affect the result with a phone call.
Critics argue that "reality" shows have little in common with reality, because they feature a selected group of people, confined in an artificial environment.
Supporters instead argue that the audience can identify with the contestants, who belong to different social and age groups.

Woman: We use “in” for longer periods of time such as months, seasons, years, and parts of the day. (N.B. we say in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening BUT, at night.)
Now listen to these examples:
Man: I’ll see you in the morning.
Man: I’m going to London in the summer.
Man: I was born in 1980.

Woman: We use “on” for dates and days of the week.
For example:
Man: My birthday is on the 23rd of March.
Man: The next lesson is on Monday.
Man: What did you eat on Christmas Day?
Woman: Now let’s listen to these words in the dialogue: pay attention to how they are used.
Woman: Bye! I’ll see you on Monday.
Man: Is it 6 o’clock already?
Woman: No. I finish at 4 o’clock on Fridays.
Man: Aren’t you the lucky one. What are you doing at the weekend?
Woman: Well on Saturday morning I’m going to the hairdressers. In the afternoon I’m going shopping, and in the evening, I usually stay in and watch television. What about you?
Man: Well it’s my birthday on Sunday, so we are having a BBQ, would you like to come?
Woman: I’d love to, what time are you having it?
Man: At 1 o’clock in the afternoon.
Woman: OK, well I’ll see you on Sunday then.
Man: Do you have my address?
Woman: Yes, I do.
Man: OK, see you on Sunday then.

Woman: Couch Potato.
Man: A couch potato is an idiom. It is similar to a TV addict. A couch is another word for sofa, and it means that someone sits on the sofa for a long time watching TV.
For example:
Woman: Can you lift your legs off the sofa and make room for me?
Man: If I have to, I was so comfortable.
Woman: You’re a couch potato. Why don’t you get up and make us a drink?
Man: I will when the adverts come on.

Woman: Remote Control.
Man: A remote control is a system for controlling something from a distance. In this example, it is the gadget you use to change TV channels, and turn the TV on and off.
Listen to this short conversation:
Woman: Stop playing with the remote control, you keep on changing channels, and I can’t follow anything.
Man: I’m just trying to find something good on the TV.

Woman: TV Guide.
Man: A TV guide is a magazine containing a list of all TV programmes for each day. If you have satellite television, you can also press a button on your remote control to get a TV guide.
Listen to this:
Woman: I can’t see what time that film we wanted to watch is on.
Man: Pass the TV guide to me and I’ll have a look.

Woman: If you wish you can hear this lesson again. In the meantime we hope we have helped you to be more confident with your English. Watch out for the next topic. Thank you for using the EnglishBlog

Woman: To play a musical instrument.
Man: If you use a musical instrument, such as a guitar or a piano, you also use the verb “play”. (N.B. the form is PLAY + THE + instrument, e.g. I play the drums.)
Now listen to this example:
Woman: Where did you learn to play the piano like that? Your music sounds beautiful.
Man: Thanks. I had lessons from the age of 6. I hated it then, but, now I love it, it relaxes me. Do you play any instrument?
Woman: Well I play the trumpet, but I’m not very good at it.

Woman: To play a CD.
Man: We also use the verb “play” when we are listening to recorded music, on a CD, DVD, tape etc.
Listen to this short conversation:
Woman: Oh look at that traffic jam, we’re going to be late. Turn the radio off, and play a CD.
Man: That’s a good idea. What would you like me to play? George Michael?
Woman: Anything that is relaxing.

Woman: To play a part in a film or a theatre.
Man: We also use the verb play for actors and actresses, that play a part in a film or at a theatre.
Listen to this:
Woman: Who’s playing the lead role tonight?
Man: I’m not sure, but I think it’s Sean Connery.
Woman: Oh good, it must be a good film then, as he chooses the parts and films he wants to play in these days. I still think he was the best James Bond.

Woman: A search engine
Man: This is the name given to research web sites on the internet that let you look for any information or sound. E.g. ask.co.uk, yahoo.com & google.com.
Now listen to this short conversation:
Man: Can you help me please? I’m a bit slow with technology.
Woman: Sure. What are you trying to do?
Man: Well, I’m trying “to Google,” I’ve turned the computer on and clicked on the internet button, but I don’t know how to put the web address in.
Woman: OK, let me have a look. Aaah you didn’t type, WWW. First.
Man: Urgh! I’m lost.
Woman: Ok, you must type, www.google.com. Try now, what are you looking for?
Man: I just want to look through U2’s website.

Woman: “A search box.”.
Man: When you use Google, or another search engine, you get more precise information when using a “search box”. For example, “ U2”
Listen to this:
Woman: OK, now what are you trying to do?
Man: I want the song of “Gloria”
Woman: So do a “search box”, and type “U2 Gloria lyrics”
Man: Heh, it works, this is fantastic. I’m going to play on it all day.
Woman: “Tons of something.”
Man: A ton is actually a measure of weight (2,240 pounds, in UK English, but 2,000 pounds in US English.) “Tons” is informal English, and it means “ a lot of.” E.g. My teacher gave me tons of homework for the summer holidays. ( = a lot of homework.)
For example:
Woman: What on earth are you printing? Do you know its 10p for each page printed here.
Man: I don’t care, I’ve found tons of song sheets and the tunes of Queen. I want to take this home, and practice with my guitar.

Woman: Lyrics
Man: Lyrics are a plural noun, and mean the words of a song.
For example:
Woman: Are you sure, these are the lyrics for “Gloria”
Man: They certainly are. And I’ve got the lyrics to the entire Queen & U2 collections.
Woman: Your neighbours are going to love you, if you’re up all night practising with your guitar.

Woman: Do you like “Robbie “Williams?” Yes, I do. / No, I don’t.
Man: Yes, I do, and No, I don’t, are examples of short answers. The structure is subject + auxiliary verb, as it’s considered rude to just say yes or no in English. (And giving a long answer, i.e. Yes, I like “Robbie Williams”, is not necessary for simple questions on likes and dislikes etc.
Now let’s listen to some more examples of short answers.
Woman: Do you like Britney Spears?
Man: No, I don’t. What about you?
Woman: I prefer Madonna, actually.
Woman: Are you going to the Iron Maiden concert?
Man: Yes, I am. Will you come with me to the gig?
Woman: Yes, I will.
Woman: “Do you often go to concerts?” “Do you often + verb?” is a question used to find out how many times or how frequently somebody does something.
Listen to this short conversation:
Woman: Do you often go to pubs, to listen to live music?
Man: Oh yes, at least once a week, I like listening to new talent. What about you?
Woman: Not as often as I’d like to, but, I always try to go to concerts of my favourite groups, when they are on tour.
Woman: Have you heard the latest CD by Robbie Williams? “The latest” means the most recent. For example:
Woman: I like this music, who’s singing?
Man: You are terrible with names. It’s the latest CD, Robbie Williams.
Woman: Really? I didn’t know he’d made a new one, I must buy it, before they sell out.

Woman: Now you will listen to a conversation on 2 people discussing their musical preferences in a music shop.

Woman: Do you often buy CD’s?
Man: Oh yes, I love music. My son downloads off the computer, but I like the real thing.
Woman: What kind of music do you prefer?
Man: I like everything, Jazz, Classical, Rock and even some Pop Music.
Woman: Have you heard the latest song by Kylie Minogue?
Man: Yes, I have. I think it’s fantastic. She’s my favourite pop star.
Woman: Really? What about music from the 80’s, do you have any vinyl records?
Man: Yes, I have. From the 60’s and 70’s actually. My wife tried to throw them out, but, I wouldn’t let her – there are too many memories with each song.
Woman: Now, who on earth is singing this, it sounds very loud.
Man: I think it’s Aerosmith, do you like them?
Woman: Mmm, some of their songs, but, my husband loves them, so I often have to listen to them. Have they released any new CD’s or DVD’s, let’s check, I’ll get him a present.

Do you often listen to the radio?
I always listen to the radio when I drive to work/No, never.

Do you like jazz music?
I love it! /I don’t like it at all.

Have you ever been to a gig/concert?
Oh, yes! I’ve been to plenty of concerts in London.

Man: There are some car parks in Messina.

Man: There are some fantastic students on my course.
Woman: One important exception to this rule is when we make offers, and then we can also use “some.”
For example:
Man: Would you like some coffee?
Woman: The general rule for “any” is to use it in negative sentences, and questions, (especially when we don’t know the exact quantity.) If the quantity is zero, then we can also simply use “no” not any.
For example:

Man: Do they have any Jazz music in this shop?
Woman: No, they don’t have any jazz music.
Woman: Listen to another example:

Woman: Are there any “Virgin Mega stores” in Messina?
Man: No, there aren’t any Mega stores in the city.
Man: No, there are no Mega stores on the island.
Woman: The same general rules apply for something, somewhere, somebody, (= someone,) anywhere, anything, anybody, (= anyone, nothing, nowhere, nobody etc.
Now listen to these examples:
Woman: Are you doing anything on Saturday night?
Man: No, nothing.Why?
Woman: Well, I’ve got some tickets for the new disco that’s opening. Would you like to come?
Man: I’d love to.

Man: Is there anything to do in this village at night?
Woman: In the summer there is always something to do, but, in the winter there is absolutely nothing to do.

Woman: Now let’s listen to these words in the dialogue: pay attention to how they are used.
Imagine you are in London, at a “Virgin Mega store” for the first time and you have to choose some music for friends and family back home. (And yourself of course.)
Woman: Wow! Look at the size of this place, it’s huge.
Man: I hope we don’t get lost. Where’s the list of the presents we have to buy for everybody back home?
Woman: Mmm. It’s pretty long. Do you have any money on you?
Man: Well, I have some money, but we might have to use a credit card, as the euro to sterling exchange rate is not very good at the moment. Show me the list.
Woman: Well, we have to buy something for Uncle Jo, and he’s easy to buy for, he likes everything.
Man: Well we could get him something from the 60’s, so he can reminisce. Anybody else? What about the twins? They have everything, so they are always difficult to buy for.
Woman: We could buy some T-shirts, they like those.
Man: Good idea! Let’s get going, and try not to get lost....
Woman: I’ll try my best, but I have my mobile with me. Do you want to do anything after this?
Man: Yes, I’d like to return to my hotel, and get some rest, and do absolutely nothing until tonight, when we hit the town.

Woman: Sing, singing, sang, sung.
Man: Sing, is the present simple, singing is the gerund, sang is the past simple, and sung is the past participle used with the present perfect and the passive. For example:
Woman: “ Laah, laah, laah…”
Man: What on earth are you doing? You’ve got bubbles everywhere.
Woman: Excuse me, I’m singing, I left you in peace in the shower, while you sang, now let me relax, I have the day off today, and I haven’t sung in a long time. Have a nice day at work Elvis…..

Woman: A gig.
Man: A gig is an informal word for concert. A concert is an event where a musician or band is paid to perform
Listen to this short conversation:
Woman: I can’t believe you got tickets for Elton John’s concert. I’m so excited.
Man: I like to surprise you. But, you’d better hurry up and get dressed, or else we’ll miss the start of the gig.

Woman: A drummer
Man: A drummer is the name of the person who plays the drums in a band, such as Ringo Starr for the Beatles.
Listen to this:
Woman: Who’s the drummer?
Man: I have no idea, but he’s fantastic.

Woman: What kind of books do you like?
Man: This means what type of books interest you, for example romantic books, comical books, historical books etc. Now listen to an example of this phrase:
Woman: What kind of books do you like?
Man: I like detective stories and thrillers.

Woman: I don’t like reading at all. It’s boring! I prefer watching films.
Man: When something doesn’t interest you, it is boring and you are bored by it. Now listen to an example of this phrase:
Woman: What are you reading?
Man: Nothing exciting, just some Latin compositions, they’re a bit boring.
Woman: It’s a page-turner.
Man: This means a book is very interesting and you couldn’t stop reading it. For example:
Woman: I loved the Da Vinci Code, I read it twice. Have you seen the film yet?
Man: Not yet, but I want to. The book was fantastic, it was a real page-turner, I couldn’t put it down.

Woman: What is the best book you have ever read?
Man: This means what is the best book you have read in your whole life up until now. Listen to this short conversation:
Woman: What’s the best book you’ve ever read?
Man: Mmm, I’m not sure. I’ve read so many, what about you?
Woman: “Deception Point” is one of the best books I’ve ever read.
Woman: I love thrillers. I enjoy true life stories. I like science fiction.
Man: You can show your preference, by stating different degrees from I like, enjoy or love. For example:
Woman: What do you like reading?
Man: Well, I love reading the newspaper in the morning, and I really enjoy reading the sport columns.
Woman: I meant books.
Man: Oh....
Woman: Now you will listen to a short conversation between two people discussing what kind of things they like to read.

Man: What are you reading? You look as though you’re in another world.
Woman: I’m reading “Angels and Demons.”
Man: Is it good?
Woman: Well it is a page-turner, but, now I’m half way through I think the story is similar to the “Da Vinci Code.” What are you reading?
Man: Just a car magazine, I’m looking for a new car.
Woman: Would you like to borrow a book? I’ve got lots here. What kind of books do you like reading?
Man: I don’t really like reading. I find it boring. I’d rather watch a film.
Woman: Films are good, but I enjoy reading when I’m travelling, it makes the journey go faster. Would you like my newspaper?
Man: Yes, please, I love reading the news.
Woman: Here you are.

Man: If it is sunny at the weekend, I will go to the beach.

Woman: You can also say the sentence the other way round.

Man: I will go to the beach if it is sunny at the weekend.
Woman: The “2nd conditional” is used for present or future imaginary situations, and indicate unreality or improbability. The verb in the if-clause is the past simple and the verb in the main clause is in the conditional tense, i.e. would + verb. For example:

Man: If I won the lottery, I would buy a yacht.
Woman: If I had the money, I would buy a new car.
Woman: Again, you can say the sentence the other way round. Listen to another example:
Woman: I would be on time for work if I lived near my office.
Man: I would travel the world if I won the lottery.

Woman: The “3rd conditional” is used to imagine the past being different. The verb in the if-clause is the past perfect (had + past participle) and the verb in the main clause is the perfect conditional, i.e. would + have + past participle. For example:

Man: If I had known you were ill, I would have visited you in hospital.
Woman: If they had seen the iceberg, the Titanic wouldn’t have sunk.
Woman: Again, you can say the sentence the other way round. Listen to another example:
Woman: I wouldn’t have crashed into the tree if I had seen the other car.
Man: I would have passed the exam if I had studied more.

Woman: Bill Clinton once said, “You are old, when you have more memories than dreams.”
Now listen out for the conditional sentences in the dialogue: pay attention to how they are used.
Woman: What are you doing at the weekend?
Man: It depends. If it rains, I will go to the cinema. If it is sunny I’ll play tennis.
Woman: Do you play the lottery?
Man: Oh yes, every Saturday.
Woman: What would you do if you won the lottery?
Man: If I won the lottery I would quit my job.
Woman: Really? Aren’t you happy?
Man: Happy, yes, but if I won the lottery I would want to travel and do different projects.
Woman: But, a lot of people win the lottery and carry on working.
Man: Well, I guess I should have thought about my career more when I was younger.
Woman: What would you like to have done?
Man: Well, if I had studied archaeology, I would have had a more interesting life, that’s what I really wanted to do.
Woman: So why don’t you study now and change jobs, if that’s what you want to do?
Man: If only life were so simple.
Woman: Yeah I know. Shall we try our luck at bingo tonight?
Man: Why not!?

Woman: This is the biggest pizza I’ve ever eaten.

Man: Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world.

Woman: The Nile is the longest river in the world.
Man: Adjectives with two syllables that end in “y”, such as happy, dirty, easy etc. form their superlative by adding “i-e-s-t”. For example:

Man: That exam was easy.
Woman: Yes, it was the easiest exam of the year.
Man: Listen to another example:

Woman: Did you enjoy your wedding day?
Man: Yes, it was the happiest day of my life.
Man: Adjectives with three or more syllables, such as expensive, beautiful, exciting etc. form their superlative by putting “the most” or “the least” before the adjective. The most indicates the maximum, and the least indicates the minimum. For example:

Man: Which is the most expensive city in England?
Woman: London is definitely the most expensive city in England.
Man: Listen to another example:

Woman: Which is the most beautiful part of Australia?
Man: Well, Sydney is the most popular place to visit, but in my opinion it also has the most beautiful beaches.
Man: Some adjectives have an irregular superlative form. The superlative of good, is the best, and the superlative of bad is the worst. For example:

Man: What is your favourite food?
Woman: I think Pizza is the best food in the world.
Man: Listen to another example:

Woman: That film was boring.
Man: It was the worst film I’ve ever seen.

Woman: Now let’s listen to these words in the dialogue: pay attention to how they are used.
Woman: Which is the best cinema to go to?
Man: Well the Odeon is the largest cinema and shows the widest selection of films, but it is also the most expensive.
Woman: How much is it?
Man: I think it’s about 9 euros.
Woman: Gosh that’s a lot. Why is it so expensive?
Man: Well it has very comfortable seats, and shows the newest films first.
Woman: What about the Gaumont?
Man: That’s the oldest cinema in town, it’s a lot cheaper than the Odeon, but it only has 2 screens.
Woman: Mmm, I like old cinemas, does it have a balcony?
Man: I think so, but, it has the worst choice of films.
Woman: I guess you get what you pay for.
Man: I think the Odeon is the best cinema and it’s the easiest to get to with a huge car park.
Woman: OK, let’s see what films are on.

Woman: If you wish you can hear this lesson again. In the meantime we hope we have helped you to be more confident with your English. Watch out for the next topic. Thank you for using the EnglishBlog.

Man: Book crossing.
Woman: This is a modern activity made into an official process by an American. When you have finished reading a book, you leave it in your hotel room, on a train or in a café for somebody else to find it and read it.
Listen to this short conversation:
Man: Why aren’t you packing those books?
Woman: Because I’ve finished them all, so I’m book crossing.
Man: You’re what?
Woman: I’m book crossing. It means I’m leaving the books for someone else to find and read.

Man: Global reading club.
Woman: As book crossing now has a website, it has produced a reading club around the world. Now listen:
Woman: Book crossing has over 250,000 members.
Man: You mean this is an official thing. You’re not the only one who buys books and leaves them for someone else to find.
Woman: No, people have always done this, as books are so heavy to carry, but, now you can log them on the website bookcrossing.com and see where they go.
Man: Release.
Woman: Release means to allow something to be free. So in the case of book crossing it means to set a book free to travel the world. When you have left a book in a public place you can then register it on the website. Now listen:
Woman: Ok, my ID number for this book is D27389.
Man: What are you doing now?
Woman: I’m registering the books I’ve just released on the website.
Man: Hurry up, or we’ll miss our flight.
Man: Track.
Woman: To track something, means to monitor its progress. So in the case of book crossing you can see with the ID number where a book travels to.
Now listen:
Woman: Mmm, now I’ve got all the ID numbers I’ll be able to track them.
Man: Track them? Why?
Woman: Well someone will find the books and hopefully they’ll also leave them somewhere else when they’ve read them, and enter their new position on the website and so on. Who knows where they’ll end up?
Man: Well, we’ll not get home if you don’t hurry up.

Man: Report.
Woman: Report means to give information on something. For the activity of book crossing it means if you find a book with an ID number and the website on it, you should log onto the website and report where you found it and then where you have left it. For example:
Woman: Oh look someone’s left a book here.
Man: Maybe they’re coming back, and they’ve just gone to the bar.
Woman: I don’t think so, look there’s an ID number for bookcrossing.com.
Man: Here we go. I suppose you have to report it. What’s the book? Is it worth reading?

Woman: Now let’s listen to some information about the novel activity of book crossing adapted from wikipedia.org

Man: Book crossing is the name given to the practice of leaving a book in a public space (a bus stop, a cinema, an airport) so that someone else can find it and read it. The idea came to Ron Hornbaker, an American software developer who set up a website, www.bookcrossing.com, in 2001. The purpose of book crossing is to make the whole world a global reading club.
But how do you start book crossing?
If you want to “release” a book, you have to register it on the Book Crossing website. Your book will be given an identification number so that it can be tracked. Those who find the book are requested to report the event on the website and pass the book after they have read it. When someone records journal entries for your book, you will get notified by e-mail. Book crossing has 250,000 members across the world and has also been added to the Concise Oxford English Dictionary as a new word.

Man: Borrow.
Woman: This means to take or receive something from somebody that you intend to give back, (usually after a short time.) Be careful not to confuse borrow with its opposite lend. Listen to this:
Woman: Hi, I’d like to join the library so I can borrow some books.
Man: Okay. Are you a student?
Woman: Yes.
Man: Can I see your student card please?
Man: Thank you, now you are a member Ms. Lawson, you can borrow up to 10 books at a time.
Woman: How long can I borrow the books for?
Man: Some books can be taken out of the library for 1 week, and some for 3 weeks, the instructions are inside each book.
Woman: Thank you.

Man: Lend.
Woman: This means to allow somebody to use something for a short time or to give somebody money that must be given back after a certain period of time. Listen to this:
Woman: Heh Tom can you lend me 10 pounds to get lunch, I’ve left my purse at home?
Man: Sure, no problem, give it back to me tomorrow.