Episode 201
Listen to the Episode
Listen once for the main idea. Then use the transcript and repeat useful sentences aloud.
Download and study
Episode Resources
Download a file or continue to the transcript.
Best order: listen once, read while listening, then listen again without the text.
Full lesson
Read the Transcript
Follow the text while you listen, then repeat useful sentences aloud.
Hi, everybody! I am Georgiana, your English teacher and founder of SpeakEnglishPodcast.com. My mission is to help you speak English fluently.
Okay. First of all, what is a virtue? Thanks for asking. A virtue is a positive characteristic of a person. Usually, someone's virtues have a positive impact on others. Yes, I know that sometimes it's hard to find virtues in some people, but if you look carefully, you will find them.
Sometimes the word "quality" is also used to say the same thing. The opposite of virtue would be a defect, which logically is negative. It's the undesirable aspect of a person.
Sometimes people confuse virtue with ability. They are not precisely the same. A virtue is part of someone's personality, and that helps differentiate them from other people. For example, one person may be wise, and another may not.
On the other hand, someone may have the ability to play an instrument, be organized, etc.
Okay, let's look at some of these virtues. There are so many, and I had to make a selection. I think it's quite useful vocabulary. Let's look at the first one:
#1 Loyalty
Loyalty implies being faithful to something or someone. You can be loyal to a cause, an idea, etc. You can also be loyal to a friend, for example. It conveys the idea of support.
Let's look at an example:
"Philip is a very loyal person. Even though the company was going through hard times, he did not leave and stayed until the end."
Loyalty is easy when things are going well but more difficult when there are problems. For example, many people are disloyal when they can no longer benefit from a situation.
#2 Wisdom
Wisdom is known as being prudent and having good judgment. The latter, good judgment, means that after analysis and reflection, good decisions are made. In other words, a wise person does not make strange or crazy decisions. It has a lot to do with maturity.
Example:
"My friend is not wise (unwise) because he never fastens his seat belt when he drives."
#3 Serenity
What a lovely word, right? A serene person is someone who remains calm when facing problems. It is a calm attitude towards life. Please do not confuse it with an unaware person, someone who ignores problems. A serene person usually faces problems, but their attitude is relatively relaxed. I like to talk to people who have this virtue because they give you quite a lot of peace.
Here's an example:
"Daniel is a serene person. He hardly gets upset about anything."
Let's look at the next one:
#4 Resilience
This word became very fashionable in the environment of psychology and even business. In essence, resilience is the ability to face adversity and recover quickly. It involves adaptation, flexibility, and certain confidence to move forward.
Example:
"I admire Monica because of her resilience. It turns out that she lost her job two weeks ago, but she is already training to adapt to the needs of today's job market."
Now, let’s practice.
Want more speaking practice? Continue with a complete audio course.
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.
Past Tense
Tim and his wife Adele decided to have dinner at a fancy restaurant to celebrate their anniversary. They made a reservation over the phone and headed to the restaurant. They entered, and a waiter escorted them to a table. The couple looked at the menu, and Tim ordered soup for the first course and rare steak for the second. Adele ordered salad and fish. The waiter served them the first course. When the waiter left, Tim noticed something floating in the soup. It was a fly. Tim got angry, and his wife said he could tell the waiter, but Tim said he didn't want to bother the waiter because he seemed too busy and that it was just a fly. So Tim spooned the fly away and changed the subject but continued to be upset throughout the evening.
Present Tense
Tim and his wife Adele decide to have dinner at a fancy restaurant to celebrate their anniversary. So they make a reservation over the phone and head to the restaurant. They enter the restaurant, and the waiter escorts them to a table. The couple consults the menu, and Tim orders soup for the first course and rare steak for the second. Adele orders salad and fish. The waiter serves them the first course. But when the waiter leaves, Tim notices something floating in the soup. It is a fly. So Tim calls the waiter over and calmly explains what has happened. Tim is polite but also firm. The waiter apologizes and brings him another soup. The restaurant owner, who sees what happens, approaches the table and, after apologizing, tells the couple that they won't have to pay anything; it's on the house.
Thanks for listening, and I’ll see you in the next episode.
Review
Vocabulary
Review the most useful words and expressions before listening again.
virtue
a positive quality in a person.
loyalty
faithful support for a person, idea, or cause.
wisdom
the ability to make good judgments from knowledge and experience.
serenity
a calm and peaceful state of mind.
resilience
the ability to recover after difficulties.
quality
a characteristic that describes a person or thing.
faithful
loyal and dependable.
adapt
change successfully to fit new circumstances.
Want more speaking practice? Continue with a complete audio course.
0 Comments