Episode 191
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Hi, everybody! I am Georgiana, your English teacher and founder of SpeakEnglishPodcast.com. My mission is to help you speak English fluently.
Today, in this episode...
- We're going to continue to discover some more super short scary stories.
- Next, I'm going to do a little mini-story for you to practice fluency. Simple and effective.
Remember, you can check out the transcript for today's episode at www.speakenglishpodcast.com
Alright. Last week we looked at some super short scary stories... Well, very short. So short that most of them can be written in a single line.
For example, we saw this one:
"We know who you are and where you live."
Today we are going to learn some more. As I know you are very brave, you will be able to bear it. I am also going to comment on them one by one.
Let's look at the first one:
"Your bank called you."
Phew. Every time the bank calls me, they try to offer me something I don't need: a mortgage, credit, insurance. But I suppose that, if there is a problem, they also call you.
Still, they have never called me to give me any good news.
Let's listen to another super short scary story:
"Your mother-in-law invites you to Christmas dinner."
Well, ... I have to say that poor mothers-in-law are not so bad. Rather, they are good... At least, I think they have good intentions. However, the myth is that mothers-in-law are always meddling in your life and are very annoying. One thing is true. Mothers-in-law are usually excellent cooks.
"I saw a mouse in the office."
A mouse! It's not a very good sign to see mice anywhere, let alone in the office. Best not to think about it. However, it could be a computer mouse. Then it wouldn't be so scary.
Another scary story:
“There is a problem."
Well... Yes, most of the time, this phrase indicates an unpleasant situation that we have to face. The worst thing is that you don't know the problem until you are given more details.
Another one would be: "Did you hear that?"
Well, this phrase, depending on the context, can be terrifying.
The last super short scary story:
"I don't speak English."
Yes, that's a problem, especially when you urgently need to say something important in English. Imagine you are eating French fries and you need salt, but the waiter doesn't understand you.
Okay, we'll leave it here for now.
Let's continue with a mini-story.
Now, let’s practice.
Want more speaking practice? Continue with a complete audio course.
IMPROVE YOUR SPEAKING
Mini-Story: Speaking Practice
Answer the questions aloud with short and quick responses. Repeat the Mini-Story several times to improve your speaking and listening.
What's a mini-story?
A mini-story is very simple. I give you information using phrases, and then I ask you questions.
After each question, there will be some seconds of silence: it's your turn to answer the question!
Just try to give an easy and short answer. Not a complex one.
After your answer, I'll give you the correct answer.
And just like that, I'll tell a story with questions and answers.
Are you ready?
In a faraway kingdom lived Tom, who was not afraid of anything.
Did Tom live in a faraway kingdom?
Yes. Tom lived in a faraway kingdom.
Who lived in a kingdom?
Tom, Tom lived in a kingdom and was not afraid.
Who wasn't afraid?
Tom. Tom was not afraid.
In that kingdom, the king had a daughter, a gorgeous daughter.
Did the king have a son?
No. The king didn't have a son. He had a daughter, and she was gorgeous.
Whoever got to spend three nights in an enchanted castle would marry the princess.
Whoever got to spend three nights in a castle would marry the king?
No, no. Not the king.
Whoever got to spend three nights in a castle would marry the princess.
Who would marry the princess?
Whoever managed to spend three nights in a castle .
What would be the necessary condition to marry the princess?
To spend three nights in a castle.
After passing the test, Tom married the king's daughter.
Did Tom pass the test, or did he fail?
Tom passed the test. He succeeded. He didn't fail.
Did Tom marry the king's daughter?
Yes, he married the king's daughter. He married the princess.
Who did Tom marry? The king?
No. No. Not the king. Tom married the king's daughter. He married the princess.
One day Tom saw his wife wearing a green cucumber mask and was terrified.
Did Tom see a terrible monster?
No, Tom did not see a terrible monster. He saw his wife wearing a green cucumber mask.
What did he see?
A green cucumber mask.
Was Tom amused? Was he surprised? Or was he perhaps terrified?
He was terrified. He was terrified when he saw the green cucumber face mask.
Great! We're finished with our short practice.
Answering many simple questions can improve your speaking, just like talking in real life.
Thanks for listening, and I’ll see you in the next episode.
Review
Vocabulary
Review the most useful words and expressions before listening again.
mortgage
a loan used to buy a home.
mother-in-law
the mother of your spouse.
meddling
interfering in other people’s affairs.
computer mouse
a device used to control a computer pointer.
unpleasant situation
a difficult or uncomfortable circumstance.
bear it
tolerate something difficult.
cucumber
a long green vegetable.
scary story
a very short story or phrase intended to frighten.
Want more speaking practice? Continue with a complete audio course.
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