Woman: You should eat lots of fruit and vegetables.
Man: We use “should + verb” to give advice or to say that we think something is a good idea. Now listen to an example of this phrase:
Woman: You should cut out fried food if you want to lose weight.
Man: Mmm. There’s a lot of things I should do, but you only get one chance at life.

Woman: You shouldn’t smoke.
Man: We use “shouldn’t + verb” to give advice or to say that we think something is a bad idea. Now listen to an example of this phrase:
Woman: You shouldn’t smoke.
Man: I know I shouldn’t smoke, but I enjoy it.
Woman: I want to get fit.
Man: Fit is an adjective meaning to be strong and in good physical health because of exercise. It is used with the verbs be, get, and keep. To be fit means to be in a good physical condition. To get fit means to achieve fitness, and to keep fit, means to maintain a good physical condition. For example:
Woman: I need to get fit I was out of breath walking up those stairs.
Man: Swimming is a good way to keep fit.

Woman: I need to get in shape.
Man: This is another way to say you want to be fit, but you are more concerned with the physical benefits than the healthy condition. Listen to this short conversation:
Woman: I need to get in shape for the summer.
Man: Why do all women panic about the summer?
Woman: Because when you put a bikini on you look at the shape of your body and realise that you need to lose weight.
Woman: I want to tone up.
Man: To tone up means to make your muscles stronger, and is similar to get in shape. For example:
Woman: Bye, I’m going to my aerobics class.
Man: Why?
Woman: Because I need to tone up for the summer.

Woman: Now you will listen to a conversation between two people discussing the easiest way to get fit.

Man: I need to get fit, I’m always so tired.
Woman: You should join my gym, it’s great fun.
Man: No, I don’t like gyms, I need to find something different to get in shape.
Woman: What about jogging? It’s a good way to tone up your muscles and get fit.
Man: No, there’s too much traffic where I live, and I choke on the car fumes.
Woman: Well, what about walking more, you could get off the tram two stops before, and walk to work.
Man: That’s a good idea, but I don’t think it’s enough to get fit.
Woman: It’s a start, and then you should find a sport that interests you, tennis, football, or swimming. If you enjoy the activity, you’ll continue it.
Man: Well, I used to play football, but, maybe I should go to the swimming pool, it’s more relaxing. Okay, I’m going for a coffee and a cigarette, would you like to come?
Woman: Yes, but you shouldn’t smoke, if you can’t even walk up the stairs.

Woman: I rubbed shoulders with the rich and famous in New York.
Man: This means to meet and spend time with famous people
Man: Do you miss being a journalist in America?
Woman: Oh yes, I had some interesting times rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous. I even met Madonna several times.
Woman: I’m putting my foot down.
Man: This means you strongly oppose a decision or an action and you are going to stop it happening.
Man: What are you doing?
Woman: This world cup is driving me crazy. You have watched every match, videoed them, watched them again. I’m putting my foot down you can watch one match a day from now on.

Woman: Now listen to a dialogue between two friends. One of them has just returned from work experience in America.

Man: So did you enjoy it over there?
Woman: It was fantastic! It’s a different world.
Man: Did you get to rub shoulders with Bush and co?
Woman: No, but I met some interesting people.
Man: Anyone famous?
Woman: Well, I was at an art exhibition in New York, chatting with a friend, and you’ll never guess who came over and asked if I was English?
Man: Who?
Woman: Sean Connery.
Man: No way, you met Sean Connery.
Woman: Yes, he was planning a new movie, heard my accent and asked if I wanted to be in it.
Man: No way! So what happened?
Woman: (laugh)
Man: What’s so funny?
Woman: I’m pulling your leg the most famous person I met was Mickey Mouse at Disneyland.
Man: Honestly!

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: An early bird.
Woman: Is a morning person, somebody who likes to get up early and is at their best in the morning.
Listen to this short conversation:
Man: What time do you get up?
Woman: Usually at about half past five.
Man: That’s a bit early.
Woman: I’m an early bird. I love the morning it’s the best part of the day.

Man: Night owl.
Woman: This is a person who likes to go to bed late. It is the opposite of an early bird. An owl is the bird at night with the large eyes that “twiteroos”

Now listen:

Woman: Are you an early bird?
Man: No, I’m not a morning person. I’m more of a night owl.
Woman: What time do you go to bed?
Man: Never before midnight, I prefer working in the evenings.
Man: Set the alarm clock.
Woman: If you need to wake up earlier than usual, you set the alarm on your clock or mobile phone, so an alarm will ring and wake you. For example:
Woman: What’s going on?
Man: Go back to sleep. I set the alarm, I have an early meeting.

Woman: Most people have busy schedules and always have an excuse on why they don’t exercise. Now let’s listen to some information about how to make time for a little physical activity.

The most obvious way to find more time in your day is to get up earlier . If you usually get up at 7.30am, set the alarm clock for 7am and use the extra half hour to exercise If you're not an early bird , you might look for a gym that's open 24 hours, or buy some home exercise equipment, so you can work out while watching TV or listening to the radio.
To get more active more often, you could:

• Make an appointment with a friend to exercise together;
• Set up a reminder message on your mobile phone to take a walk or go for a swim;
• Consider taking active holidays such as a cycle tour ;
• Leave your car at home as much as possible and walk or cycle to the shops for those small things such as milk or a newspaper.

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: Exercise.
Woman: Exercise can be a verb or a noun. They both refer to doing physical activity. Listen to this:
Woman: How often do you exercise?
Man: I try to exercise every other day, but if I can’t come to the gym, I do some exercises at home.

Man: Work out.
Woman: This has the same meaning as exercise. It means to do physical exercise in order to keep your body fit. Listen to this:
Woman: You’ve lost weight. Have you been working out?
Man: Yes, I joined a gym. I work out for half an hour after work every day now.

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: Do you live in a big city?
Woman: Yes, I live in a big city.
Man: No, I don’t live in a big city.
Woman: Do is also used in short answers, for example:

Man: Do you go jogging?
Woman: Yes, I do. (Not, yes, I go jogging.)
Woman: Listen to another example:

Woman: Do you smoke?
Man: No, I don’t.

Woman: Do is also used as an ordinary verb. Do is used with certain nouns to describe activities, obligations and things that have an effect on people. Do not confuse it with the verb make, which is similar and we use it to talk about constructing or creating something. For example:

Man: What are you doing?
Woman: I have to do my homework.
Woman: Listen to another example:

Woman: Do men have to do military service in your country?
Man: No, they don’t.

Woman: Do is also used as an ordinary verb, in some expressions. “How do you do?” is a formal greeting, For example:
Woman: Mr Smith may I introduce Ms. Wills? Mr Smith, Ms. Wills.
Man: How do you do? (Speak at the same time.)
Woman2: How do you do?
Woman: Another expression is “what do you do?” this means what is your job, for example:

Woman: What do you do?
Man: I’m a lawyer.

Woman: Now listen out for the use of “do” in the dialogue: pay attention to how it is used.
Imagine you are at the gym with some English speaking friends:
Woman2: Hi George, This is Karen, she’s new at the gym. Can you show her around? George, Karen.
Man: How do you do? (Speak at the same time)
Woman: How do you do?
Man: Do you exercise often?
Woman: Yes, I do, at least 3 times a week.
Man: Do you do aerobic exercises?
Woman: Yes, I do. I prefer doing aerobics to using the machines.
Man: What other things do you do at the gym?
Woman: I normally do aerobics for half an hour then I do another half an hour on the exercise bike.
Man: What do you do?
Woman: I’m a teacher, so I like to come to the gym before I go home to correct homework and do the housework.
Man: Ok, let’s go this way and I’ll show you around.