Episode 203
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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.
You're going to learn vocabulary about flaws. That is the negative characteristic of people.
Let's start!
In a couple of previous episodes, you learned vocabulary related to virtues. You know, those good characteristics of people. As you know, you and I are full of virtues, but today we're going to talk about negative characteristics that others have, not us, of course.
Although there are many flaws, I will focus on just a few. I have made a selection to discuss them below.
Let's go for the first one:
1. Stinginess
A person who never wants to spend money is stingy, especially if they can afford it. I think it is convenient to distinguish between a saver and a stingy person. A saver tries to manage his money well. On the other hand, a stingy person always tries to save every last cent. An example. Imagine a dialogue between a stingy person and a cab driver:
- How much is a ride to the airport?
- Thirty dollars.
- How much do you charge for the suitcase?
- There is no charge for the suitcase.
- Well, then take my suitcase to the airport. I’m walking.
2. Indifference
It is very common in the world we live in. An indifferent person has the attitude of not showing empathy or interest in something or someone. Sometimes it is a defense mechanism to avoid being emotionally involved in some circumstances.
One can be indifferent about many things: politics, social problems, friendships, family, etc.
Example:
- Hey, what's the difference between ignorance and indifference?
- I don't know, and I don't care.
Wow, that's really showing indifference... And ignorance.
Let's look at the next one:
3. Intransigence
We can say that someone who is intransigent is rigid in their positions and who is not willing to make concessions or give in to compromises under any circumstances.
An example:
- Paul is a good teacher, but he is very intransigent. A student asked for more time to turn in his work because he had a health problem. However, Paul told the student that he would not make any exceptions.
4. Gossip
It means to speak indiscreetly or maliciously about someone.
Example:
-Did you know that Alice just got divorced and already has a boyfriend?
- Lucy, stop gossiping and get back to work.
Now, let’s practice.
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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.
Bill was one of the stingiest people in the world.
Was Bill a stingy person or a wasteful person?
Stingy. Bill was a stingy person.
How was Bill?
Stingy. He was cheap. He was a stingy person.
Bill was one of the stingiest people in the world.
One cold winter day, Bill went to a lake to fish.
Was the winter day warm, mild, or cold?
Cold. The winter day was cold.
Where did Bill go?
To a lake. He went to a lake.
Why did Bill go to a lake?
To fish. He went to a lake to fish.
Bill dropped a coin from his pocket into the water.
Did Bill drop his wallet from his pocket?
No, Bill didn't drop his wallet from his pocket. He dropped a coin from his pocket.
Did a coin fall out of his pocket or his backpack?
Out of his pocket. Bill dropped a coin out of his pocket, not his backpack.
Where did the coin fall?
Into the water. The coin fell into the water.
Bill said to himself, "I'm not going to jump into cold water for one coin."
Did Bill say something to himself, or did he say it to someone else?
To himself. He said something to himself. He said it to himself.
Did he say he was going to jump into the water?
No, he didn't say that. He said, "I'm not going to jump into the cold water for a single coin."
Where did Bill say he wasn't going to jump?
Into the water. Bill said he wasn't going to jump into the water.
Bill pulled another coin out of his pocket and threw it into the water.
Did Bill take a second coin out of his pocket?
Yes, he took a coin out of his pocket. He took a second one out of his pocket.
Did he throw it into the water?
Yes, he threw it into the water.
Where did he get the coin?
From his pocket. He took it out of his pocket.
What did he do with the coin?
He threw it into the water. Bill threw the coin into the water.
Bill said to himself, "Now, for two coins, I'm going to jump into the water to get them back."
Was Bill going to jump into the water?
Yes, Bill said, "Yes, I'm going to jump into the water." Bill was going to jump for two coins.
For how many coins was he going to jump?
Two. Bill felt that one coin wasn't worth getting wet in the cold lake water. But for two coins, it was worth it.
Thanks for listening, and I’ll see you in the next episode.
Review
Vocabulary
Review the most useful words and expressions before listening again.
flaw
an undesirable characteristic or weakness.
stinginess
an unwillingness to spend or share money.
indifference
a lack of interest, concern, or sympathy.
intransigence
refusal to change an opinion or make concessions.
gossip
informal talk about other people’s private lives.
saver
a person who carefully keeps money for future use.
empathy
the ability to understand another person’s feelings.
indiscreet
not careful about keeping private information secret.
Want more speaking practice? Continue with a complete audio course.
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