Episode 06

Episode 06

Carolina and Jamie disagree about telling Emily about Cameron as they get ready to eat dinner, while Adam and Jo consider potatoes and the past continuous. 

Transcript

Adam

Adam: Hello and welcome to Episode 6 of Series 4 of LearnEnglish Elementary Podcasts. My name is Adam and, as always, Jo will be joining me later to talk about some of the language in the podcast.

As usual I'll start by looking at your comments on the last episode. If you remember, Tess and Ravi talked about the British personality. People all over the world seem to think that the British are cold and reserved, not very friendly. Tess and Ravi weren't sure that it's true (and neither were Jo and I!), but maybe that's because we're British. So what do you think? Is it true or just a stereotype that people believe?

And, from the comments that we received, it seems that most of you do think that the British are a little reserved and sometimes unfriendly. Giulia12 from Brazil lived in London for a year. She says 'I had very few British friends but they were very friendly with me all the time which I truly appreciated 'cause they made me feel at home.' But although she had a few good friends, Giulia found most other British people very polite but a little cold. Maybe, as Meli12 and Antomun both say, British people need to get to know you a bit before they can relax and be more open to friendship.

Betty1 sent a comment from the UK and she also thinks that the British aren't very friendly. She's lived in Britain for a few years and says that she doesn't have any British friends at all. But she finds elderly people often ask her where she's from and enjoy talking to her. That's interesting, Betty – perhaps older people do enjoy talking to strangers more than young people.

Tanni from Pakistan agrees with the British attitude to the home and privacy. She thinks it's the only place where you can be comfortable and it should be private. And Emir Çağrı from Turkey says that he thinks the British seem to be reserved, but he actually likes that about us – it isn't always a bad thing.

And finally, Englishlover2015 writes about some other ideas that people in Yemen have about the British – we always talk about the weather, we say 'please' and 'thank you' a lot, we're well organised in queues and we're always punctual. Tess and Ravi have talked about some of these topics in earlier podcasts. So listen back if you want to hear what they said.

So thanks for all your comments and, please, keep sending them in. And I'd like to remind you again about the Elementary Podcasts app with lots of features for you to help you learn more English, including questions to test your understanding of the podcast. You can download the app from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store and there's also a link to the app on the LearnEnglish website. And there are even more exercises on the website plus other features.

And now for today's episode. We're going to see what Carolina and her friends are up to. Do you remember what happened in the last episode? Yes! Carolina and Jamie saw Emily's boyfriend Cameron kissing another woman. Will they tell Emily .... or won't they? Let's find out. 

 

Carolina – In the kitchen

Carolina: Where are the potatoes?

Jamie: In the shopping bag.

Carolina: Can you wash them? I'm making the salad.

Jamie: If you’re washing the salad then I can't wash the potatoes.

Carolina: Here. Look. I've nearly finished. I don't know why you're angry with me.

Jamie: No, you don't, do you?

Carolina: Is it because I told Emily that we saw Cameron with another woman?

Jamie: Mmm. There might be a connection.

Carolina: Oh, Jamie. What did you want me to do?

Jamie: I wanted you to wait.

Carolina: Wait for what?

Jamie: Wait until we know the whole story. Maybe the other woman was an old girlfriend and he was saying goodbye to her …

Carolina: Can you pass me that knife?

Jamie: Here. Maybe he just met her that day and then didn't want to see her again … maybe …

Carolina: Maybe, maybe, maybe. He was kissing her, Jamie. That's not ‘maybe’. Maybe you're afraid that Cameron will be angry with you and leave the band? Is that the problem?

Jamie: How do you want these potatoes? Chips? Mashed?

Carolina: Mashed. Do you want tomatoes in this salad?

Jamie: Yes, please.

Carolina: Can you get them out of the fridge?

Jamie: Sure ... OK, Carolina. I'm sorry. You're right. I know you're right. You had to tell Emily. I don't want to fight about this any more. It's just … I don't know … Cameron's my friend.

Carolina: I know. But he's not a nice man, Jamie. He's made Emily so upset.

Jamie: Where is she tonight?

Carolina: She went home to her parents for the weekend. She'll be back tomorrow.

Jamie: Poor old Emily. Where's the salt?

Carolina: In the cupboard over there. Yes, poor Emily. Grrr. I'm so angry with Cameron.

Jamie: Calm down. You're killing that salad.

Carolina: I never want to see Cameron again.

Jamie: Well, you have to see him sometimes. We're in a band together, remember? He's the lead singer.

Carolina: So you have to see him – but I don't.

Jamie: Don't be stupid. What about the gig at the Students' Union? Our first concert?  You'll see him there.

Carolina: I don't know if I want to go to the concert.

Jamie: What! Are you serious?

Carolina: Maybe … Yes … oh, I don't know. And don't call me stupid.

Jamie: I'm in a band, it's really important to me, we've got our first gig soon and my girlfriend tells me she doesn't want to come. Fantastic … What do you want on the salad? Oil and lemon?

Carolina: Yes, please.

Jamie: Have you got any lemons?

Carolina: They're in the fridge. Anyway, I'm working the night of the gig. I'll be in the shop.

Jamie: You can ask Alice to swap days with you. She can do your Saturday evening and you can do her Sunday. Don't use work as an excuse.

Carolina: I'll think about it.

Jamie: Great.

Carolina: Come on. Let's eat.

Jamie: Yeah. Let's.

 

Jo and Adam

Adam: Hello again, Jo!

Jo: Hello everybody!

Adam: So ... Carolina told Emily about Cameron and the woman in the pub!

Jo: And Jamie isn't very happy about it!

Adam: No – they don't sound very happy, do they? I hope they enjoy their dinner!

Jo: Hmm. They're having mashed potatoes. I love potatoes!

Adam: I love roast potatoes. They're the best!

Jo: Jacket potatoes, loads of butter is delicious! Or chips ... Do you cook at home a lot, Adam?

Adam: I cook as much as I can. Sometimes I'm too tired and I do something really simple – just pasta and pesto. I try not to eat too many takeaways or frozen meals.

Jo: I hardly ever cook at home, to be honest. My husband is a brilliant cook.

Adam: And what about you, listeners? Do you cook at home? Or do you eat in a canteen, or buy something to eat on the way home? Write and tell us.

Jo: And I'd like to know your favourite way of eating potatoes!

Adam: The address is www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish. ... Now, let's look at some of the language that we heard in the podcast. Jo?

Jo: Carolina and Jamie saw Cameron in the pub – with another woman. Listen to Jamie. Listen to the verb forms.

Jamie: Maybe the other woman was an old girlfriend and he was saying goodbye to her …

Jo: 'Maybe he was saying goodbye to her'. 'Was saying'. This form of the verb is the past continuous.

Adam: And some grammar books call it the past progressive.

Jo: It's the verb 'to be' in the past and the 'ing' form of the verb. Listen to another example.

Carolina: Maybe, maybe, maybe. He was kissing her, Jamie. That's not ‘maybe’.

 

Jo: 'He was kissing her'. Carolina saw Cameron – and what was he doing? He was kissing the woman in the pub. Let's have another example, Adam.

Adam: OK. Um ...  Hey, Jo. I saw you yesterday in the street.

Jo: Really? What was I doing?

Adam: You were carrying three big bags of shopping.

Jo: Ah, yes ... I was going home from the supermarket. ... So why didn't you help me!

Adam: Sorry! I was in my car – I was driving! There are exercises on the website and in our LearnEnglish Elementary Podcasts app about past continuous and other things connected to the podcast – including ways of cooking potatoes, Jo.

Jo: Mmm. And don't forget to write to us with your comments. See you next time!

Adam: Bye!

Discussion

Average: 5 (1 vote)
Do you need to improve your English?
Join thousands of learners from around the world who are making great progress with their English level with our online courses.

Submitted by jmajo on Sat, 06/02/2021 - 14:40

Permalink
Yes, I love to cook at home, in fact I cook for my family most of the times, I use to cook dinner almost every day, I'm not a professional but my relatives said I do it really well. I never buy fasten food, frozen or precook food because I think it's not healthy at all, I rather prefer use fresh ingredients and some vegetables grown in my garden to make fresh salads and home made food, but sometimes I do buy some frozen meat though. It's difficult to know the conditions in which most of the canteens or shops make the food they sell, sometimes they use to include ingredients that are nearly out of date. Definitely my favorite recipe to cook potatoes is the mashed potatoes, I use to mash them with olive oil, salt, some milk, garlic and a bit of marjoram. Delicious! Thanks for the episode. Great site!!

Submitted by Marey Saad on Mon, 05/10/2020 - 19:44

Permalink
The situation is completely different here in my country, mothers always cook and we sometime buy takeaway food from canteens.
Profile picture for user danisep

Submitted by danisep on Tue, 29/09/2020 - 17:24

Permalink
The majority of times my parents cook especially my father, He is a great cooker, but when I’m alone I cook simplest meals like pasta with tuna and mashed potatoes or things like that. Potatoes are one of my favorite foods, so I like them in various ways like fries with ketchup or roast but I prefer them mached because they are more healthy.

Submitted by SamerTJ on Mon, 08/06/2020 - 12:49

Permalink
I used to cook for me and my classmates for about 5 years and I still know how to prepare a lot of delicious meals. However, nowadays I eat in a canteen at my university.

Submitted by Bruno2020 on Mon, 25/05/2020 - 16:57

Permalink
Well!I rarely cook at home,I live with my parent,so normally I do not need to cook.I love baked potatoes with cheese.

Submitted by Shinchan on Tue, 30/07/2019 - 09:26

Permalink
I don’t know about cooking so much. I cook very often.I love chicken.Sometimes i hangout with my friends and we eat various type of food.I like fries potato.

Submitted by Lee Min Ho on Tue, 30/07/2019 - 07:47

Permalink
Yes i love cooking, specially chicken item. Sometimes i buy fast food item but don't like it that much.I like home made food cause it is tastier and healthier. I like fried potatos with some salt and red Chili powder, its yummy!

Submitted by Goodfellas on Tue, 30/07/2019 - 06:44

Permalink
I'm a food lover. I like homemade food. Though I'm not expert in cooking but I can manage to cook which is worthy to eat.

Submitted by linkin park on Mon, 29/07/2019 - 18:22

Permalink
i like junk foods.I also cook food in my home.but i like fried chicken most.