Episode 109
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Hi, everyone!
I'm Georgiana, founder of SpeakEnglishPodcast.com. My mission is to help YOU to speak English fluently.
SpeakEnglishPodcast.com/podcast >
In today's episode:
I'll be talking about one of the most celebrated holidays in the United States: Halloween. After that, you'll practice your speaking with a new mini-story, while enjoying my new Question & Answer story.
Very well. Let's get started!
Halloween is a holiday celebrated on the last day of October. I would say it's very popular because everybody's excited about it, especially children.
The word Halloween comes from an old English expression, "All Hallows' Eve," and it means the day before All Saints' Day.
Children of all ages really love Halloween because they can dress up in funny costumes and knock on their neighborhood doors shouting "Trick or Treat!". The neighbors usually give them candies.
The meaning of the phrase "Trick or Treat" is interesting. In this context, "treat" means getting the candies, and "trick" implies the consequence of not getting the sweets. It's like an innocent threat children make. Of course, kids get really excited when they knock on strangers' doors in their neighborhood.
Since Halloween originated as a celebration connected with evil spirits, the most common symbols are witches flying on broomsticks, ghosts, skeletons, black cats, etc. The black color is one of the traditional Halloween colors.
Of course, pumpkins are also a Halloween symbol. I'm sure you've seen them in movies. People hollow out a pumpkin and put a candle inside to make a lamp.
How do you make a Halloween pumpkin?
· The first step is hollowing out the pumpkin.
· After we use a keyhole saw to cut the hole.
· When using a candle for illumination, you can cut the hole in the pumpkin's top.
· For electric lights, make the hole in the bottom or side so you can hide the cord.
The Halloween pumpkin is called Jack-O'-Lantern. It's common to see jack-o'-lanterns on doorstep decorations before and on Halloween.
The name comes from an Irish legend about a man named Jack. He was so ungenerous that when he died, he couldn't enter heaven, but he couldn't go to hell either because he had told jokes about the devil. As a result, Jack had to walk and walk with a lantern until the Day of Judgment.
Here's what a typical family does at Halloween:
· They decorate their homes. Americans spend about 5 billion dollars every year.
· They buy costumes. A costume is not cheap. It can cost $30 or more.
· They buy plenty of candy, and of course, they eat it.
· Kids go "trick or treating." In most towns, it's only allowed from 3pm until 5pm because it gets dark quickly.
Very well, now you know a bit more about this beautiful holiday. Maybe next time, you'll carve your own Halloween pumpkin and celebrate Halloween just like an American!
Speaking Practice
Mini-Story: Speaking Practice
Answer each question out loud, then listen to the answer and respond quickly. Don’t worry about mistakes.
Speaking practice
Let’s Start!
My name's Jack, and I walk every night in the World of Spirits.
Are you, Jack?
Yes, I'm Jack.
Do you walk every day or every night?
Every night. I walk every night.
When do you walk?
At night. I walk at night in the World of Spirits.
Do you walk in the World of Elves?
No, no. I don't walk in the World of Elves. I walk in the World of Spirits.
What's your name?
Jack. My name's Jack.
Ok Jack, so, you walk in that World of Spirits on Tuesdays and Fridays, right?
No, no. I don't walk on Tuesdays and Fridays. I walk every night.
And where do you walk?
In the World of Spirits. I walk there.
When I died, I couldn't enter Heaven because I was very ungenerous.
Did you die?
Yes, I did. I died. I'm not alive.
Are you alive or dead?
Dead. I'm dead. I am a soul.
Could you enter Heaven?
No, I couldn't. I couldn't enter Heaven.
Who couldn't enter Heaven?
Me. Myself. I couldn't enter Heaven. I was very ungenerous.
Why couldn't you enter Heaven?
Because I was ungenerous. I liked having money, and I hated spending it.
Did you enter Heaven?
No, I didn't. I didn't enter Heaven because I was ungenerous.
Funnily enough, I couldn't enter Hell either because I had made some jokes about the Devil.
You couldn't enter Heaven, but could you enter Hell?
No, neither. I couldn't enter Hell either. I couldn't enter Heaven nor Hell.
Was it "funnily enough" that you couldn't enter Hell?
Yes. It was strange, or surprising, I couldn't go there.
Didn't you enter Hell because you had made some jokes about the Devil?
Yes. I didn't enter Hell because I had made some jokes about the Devil.
Had you made jokes about yourself?
No, no. I hadn't made jokes about myself. I had made jokes about the Devil.
Had you made stories about the Devil before you died?
Not stories. I had made jokes about the devil before I died.
Why didn't you enter Hell?
Because I had made jokes about the Devil. That was the reason.
So, my fate is to wander with a lantern until the Day of Judgment.
Is your fate to sell lanterns?
No, no. That's not my fate. My fate is to wander with a lantern until the Day of Judgment.
Till when do you have to wander?
Till the Day of Judgment. I have to wander till the Day of Judgment.
Do you have to wander with a lantern?
Yes. I have to wander with a lantern.
What do you have to bring with you?
A lantern?
A torch?
A lantern. Not a torch. I have to bring with me a lantern.
Do you have to wander or run?
Wander. I don't have to run. I am not in a hurry. I have to wander. That's my fate.
Perfect! It’s the end of this spooky mini-story.
Can you see how many questions you can answer?
It's like talking to another person in English. Now imagine a whole story told this way. It's incredible how much you can learn using this method.
Well, that's it for today.
Happy Halloween everyone!
Thanks for listening, and I’ll see you in the next episode.
Review
Vocabulary from This Episode
Review the most useful words and expressions before listening again.
01 Halloween
a holiday celebrated on October 31.
05 Jack-o’-lantern
a carved pumpkin with a light inside.
02 costume
special clothing worn to look like another person or character.
06 evil spirit
a supernatural being believed to cause harm.
03 trick or treat
a phrase children say when asking neighbors for candy.
07 broomstick
a long-handled broom, traditionally associated with witches.
04 hollow out
remove the inside of something.
08 lantern
a portable light protected by a covering.
Thx Georgiana! Your stuff is very helpful 🙂 <3