Episode 172
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Hi, everyone! I am Georgiana, your English teacher and founder of SpeakEnglishPodcast.com. My mission is to help you speak English fluently with no grammar and no textbooks.
Today let’s talk about how the lockdown has affected the way we interact with other people.
Are we ready to get back to normal after the pandemic?
twice from different grammar points. I can change the tense or the person. And like that, you will learn grammar in context.
After a year of living practically on the couch
eating takeout while watching series on Netflix, maybe you should consider whether you're turning into a hermit.
Takeout is prepared food packaged to be consumed away from its place of sale.
So, what's a hermit?
A hermit retires from society and lives in solitude, usually for religious reasons.
And after a year without leaving the house, many people are in danger of becoming hermits.
Although when someone lives alone and deliberately avoids other people, we call that person a recluse.
I've always been an extrovert. But being stuck at home for so long, with no contact other than my family, is becoming a bit of an issue.
And you know, I was certain that extroverted people would have a tough time during the lockdown. But it turns out that even people who were never at home are finding any excuse not to leave the house.
It seems that we have adjusted to this new lifestyle, and it's going to be hard to get back to normal.
And how about getting back to work?
In my opinion, the pandemic killed the traditional workplace, and I am curious how companies will deal with this situation.
And I have a feeling that remote work can be mutually beneficial. Because according to one study, telecommuters work 1.4 days more per month, and that's more than three additional workweeks per year.
And let's face it, while working in the office has some advantages, like meeting new people, very few employees want to go back to the office.
What about you?
How do you feel about all this? Do you want to get back to the office, or do you prefer to stay at home and work remotely?
Do you know how you can help me? You can
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Now, let’s practice.
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GRAMMAR MADE EASY
POV Story: Grammar in Context
Read the same story in two different points of view and notice how the grammar changes naturally.
| 01 |
First version New Point of View |
I'll tell you a short story more than one time. Every time, I'll change a grammar point. I can change the tense or the person. This way, you'll notice the changes in context.
Let's start!
One day, Ken heard on the news that the government decreed a year-long lockdown.
So, Ken decided to go to a hut in the mountains. He hurried to buy a year's supply. He took advantage of a bargain and bought three tons of canned beans. Furthermore, he also bought batteries and even an electric generator.
Ken had no television or radio and no internet in that hut. So he decided to be patient and wait the set time. For reading, he only had an old phone book. He was bored out of his mind.
Every day he ate a can of beans. After three days, he was fed up, but he had to hang in there until the end. And since he forgot to buy any razors, his beard grew every day.
At the end of a year, he left the hut with a very long beard, his clothes half torn and headed for civilization. People looked at him like he was crazy.
It turned out that in the end, the lockdown only lasted two weeks, so Ken was isolated all that time, not knowing that the rest of the world had returned to normal within a few days.
And from then on, Ken hated beans.
| 02 |
Second version Plural Point of View |
One day, Ken and Pam heard on the news that the government decreed a year-long lockdown.
So, Ken and Pam decided to go to a hut in the mountains. They hurried to buy a year's supply. They took advantage of a bargain and bought three tons of canned beans.
Furthermore, they also purchased batteries and even an electric generator.
Ken and Pam had no television or radio and no internet in that hut. So they decided to be patient and wait until the set time. For reading, they only had an old phone book. They were bored out of their minds.
Every day they ate two cans of beans. After three days, they were fed up, but they had to hang in there until the end.
At the end of a year, Ken left the hut with a very long beard, his clothes half torn and headed for civilization. People looked at him like he was crazy.
It turned out that in the end, the lockdown only lasted two weeks, so Ken and Pam were isolated all that time, not knowing that the rest of the world had returned to normal within a few days.
From then on, Ken and Pam hated beans.
Thanks for listening, and I’ll see you in the next episode.
Review
Vocabulary
Review the most useful words and expressions before listening again.
lockdown
a period when movement and activities are restricted.
hermit
a person who lives away from society.
takeout
prepared food bought to eat elsewhere.
bored out of your mind
extremely bored.
fed up
annoyed or tired of a situation.
hang in there
continue despite difficulty.
bargain
something bought for a very good price.
return to normal
go back to the usual situation.
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Hi georgiana think it need some times to get normal lifestyle we should be hopeful this damn pandemic eliminate at all
Hi georgiana i think it needs some times to get normal lifestyle we should be hopeful this damn pandemic eliminate at all