Episode 84
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Hello, everybody! I am Georgiana, your English teacher and founder of SpeakEnglishPodcast.com. My mission is to help you speak English fluently. Speaking English is easier than it seems! You just have to use the right material and techniques.
Hey, do you watch TV series to practice your English? Let's talk about that. One of the most popular series of all time is...can you guess it? No, it's not House of Cards. Let me give you a hint: Currently, it's the most-watched TV show on Netflix. Still, not a clue? Well, I'm talking about "Friends." You know: Rachel and Ross, Monica and Chandler, Joey and Phoebe. Right?
Not only is "Friends" entertaining, but also it's an excellent resource for improving your informal English by learning tons of phrasal verbs and slang.
In this episode, I'd like to talk about this TV show. By the way, I recently rewatched all the seasons in a row. That's called binge-watching. And boy, how I enjoyed it!
Apparently, when you are binge-watching your favorite show, your brain is continually producing dopamine, so it becomes an addiction.
The TV show has ten seasons, and the duration of each episode is 30 minutes. And I guess half an hour is more than enough. Besides, that makes it even more addictive. As the episodes are short, you end up watching 3 or 5 in a row.
Some say that "Friends" is still one of the most popular television series of all time for a reason: it's not just a TV show; it's a way of life. And that may be true.
Regardless of your age, gender, and nationality, you should watch this TV show. It's the perfect excuse to learn English and learn new expressions and have fun!
Before we continue with the mini-story, I'd like to share with you two of the most popular expressions from "Friends."
THE FRIEND ZONE
The expression "friend zone" is used to point out that one person wants to become involved romantically, but the other person just wants to be friends.
For example:
"I really like you, but what we already have—it's so good, and we don't want to ruin it."
WE WERE ON A BREAK
If you've watched the show, you know Rachel and Ross went out in the second season until they broke up because of a misunderstanding.
Rachel told Ross she'd like to take a break from the relationship, and Ross ended up being unfaithful to her. Ross, on the other hand, repeated throughout the show that they were on a break.
"Being on a break" is used when a person needs time to make some changes in his or her life. Maybe they're just stressed out and need some time alone. However, this expression is often used when things are not going well in a relationship.
Continue practicing with my complete English courses. Choose the course that fits your level and goals, and learn to speak more naturally and confidently.
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.
Friends was originally called Insomnia Cafe.
Was the TV show originally called "Sleepy Cafe"?
No. No. The TV show wasn't originally called "Sleepy Cafe. It was called "Insomnia Cafe."
What TV show was originally called "Insomnia Cafe"?
The TV show Friends. Friends was originally called "Insomnia Cafe."
Was the TV show finally called "Insomnia Cafe" o "Friends"?
No. It wasn't called "Insomnia Cafe." The TV show was finally called "Friends."
The cast made a trip to Las Vegas together before the show was aired and before they became famous.
Did the cast take a trip to Las Vegas together to get married?
No. No. The cast didn't take a trip to Las Vegas to get married. They took a trip to Las Vegas before they became famous.
Where did the cast take a trip to?
To Las Vegas. The cast took a trip to Las Vegas.
When did that happen?
Before or after the show was aired?
Before the show was aired, the cast made a trip to Las Vegas before the show was aired.
Did the cast become famous after or before taking the trip to Las Vegas?
After they took the trip to Las Vegas, the cast became famous.
The character Phoebe didn't know how to play the guitar.
Was Phoebe a bad guitar teacher?
No. No. Phoebe wasn't a bad guitar teacher. She wasn't a teacher.
Did Phoebe know how to play the violin?
No. Phoebe didn't know how to play the violin. And she didn't know how to play the guitar either.
The TV show was filmed in front of a live audience except for the cliff-hangers.
Was the TV show filmed in front of an audience?
Yes. The TV show was filmed in front of a live audience.
When was the show filmed without an audience?
The show was filmed without an audience except for the cliff-hangers.
(A cliff-hanger is a situation of great importance, where two opposite results are possible, and it is not known what the result will be until the last moment.)
Was the audience alive when they filmed the TV show?
Yes, of course, they were. They weren't zombies. That would be a different program.
They were the first TV cast to negotiate the salary as a group.
Were they the first TV cast to negotiate individually or as a group?
No. No. They didn't negotiate individually. They negotiated as a group.
What did they negotiate as a group?
The amount of coffee they could have for free?
No. No. They didn't negotiate the amount of coffee they could have for free.
They negotiated the salary as a group.
Who negotiated as a group?
The cast or the producers?
The cast. The producers didn't negotiate for the salary of the cast.
The orange sofa that appears in many scenes was found in the basement of Warner Studios.
¿What color was the sofa that appears in many scenes?
Orange. The color of the sofa that appears in many scenes is orange.
Where was the sofa found?
The sofa was found in the basement of Warner Studios.
Did the sofa negotiate a good salary?
No. No. Unfortunately, the sofa couldn't negotiate a good salary because it's an object.
Thanks for listening, and I’ll see you in the next episode.
Review
Vocabulary
Review the most useful words and expressions before listening again.
Phrasal verb
A verb combined with another word, such as a preposition or adverb, that creates a particular meaning.
Slang
Very informal vocabulary used in casual speech.
Binge-watch
To watch several episodes of a TV series one after another.
Dopamine
A chemical in the brain connected with pleasure and reward.
Addiction
A strong and sometimes difficult-to-control dependence on an activity or substance.
Friend zone
A situation where one person wants romance but the other person only wants friendship.
Be on a break
To temporarily pause a romantic relationship.
Misunderstanding
A situation in which people understand something differently or incorrectly.
Continue practicing with my complete English courses. Choose the course that fits your level and goals, and learn to speak more naturally and confidently.
Your teaching is very good
Thank you!! I’m glad you’re enjoying my lessons!