Listening transcript · Episode 155

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B1–B2ListeningAbout 9 min + dynamic ads5 PDF versions available

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A short study session

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Welcome to Your English Toolbox.

I am Peter.

Today, we are turning this week’s three short episodes into one vocabulary and shadowing workout.

We will review all sixteen learning items: four communication idioms, three precise words for describing problems and nine natural ways to ask for help.

Five of the requests for help appeared as extra expressions in the web lesson.

This episode will help you retrieve the language, say it aloud and recognise the same idea in different words.

Here is the two-sentence game.

First, I will say a short, natural sentence containing one item from this week.

Then you will hear four seconds of silence.

Use that silence to shadow the sentence aloud.

Copy my pronunciation, rhythm and stress as closely as you can.

After the pause, I will say a second sentence with the same meaning but different vocabulary.

That paraphrase is your meaning check, so you can confirm the idea without translating.

On your first listen, focus on meaning.

On your second listen, begin repeating as soon as I start speaking and try to follow my voice more closely.

Ready?

Let us begin.

Part one.

Four communication idioms.

Pair one.

Let me get straight to the point: we cannot finish by Friday.

Let me say the main thing immediately: we cannot finish by Friday.

Pair two.

The manager beat around the bush about the delayed launch.

The manager avoided explaining the delay directly.

Pair three.

Reading between the lines, her reply is a polite refusal.

Her answer does not say no directly, but the clues reveal her real meaning.

Pair four.

Please keep me posted on any changes to the plan.

Please continue giving me the latest information whenever the plan changes.

Part two.

Minor, serious and urgent.

Remember the key distinction.

Minor describes limited consequences, serious describes severity and urgent describes the need to act quickly.

Pair five.

The missing comma caused only a minor problem.

The problem was small, had limited consequences and was easy to correct.

Pair six.

Losing our main funding would be a serious problem.

Losing that money could have severe and important consequences for the organisation.

Pair seven.

The leak beside the electrical socket is urgent.

The leak needs immediate attention and cannot safely wait.

Part three.

Nine natural ways to ask for help.

The first four expressions came from the audio lesson.

The final five were the extra expressions available on the episode page.

Listen for how the language changes from friendly and direct to gentle, tentative or more formal.

Pair eight.

Could you give me a hand setting up these chairs?

Could you help me arrange these chairs?

Pair nine.

Would you mind checking these figures before the meeting?

Could you please check these figures before the meeting?

Pair ten.

I could use some help with this report.

I would benefit from some assistance with this report.

Pair eleven.

I’d appreciate it if you could send the schedule by noon.

I would be grateful if you could send the revised timetable before twelve o’clock.

Now we move to the five expressions from the web lesson.

Pair twelve.

Could you help me out with this online form?

Could you help me complete this online form?

Pair thirteen.

Is there any chance you could pick me up after work?

Would it be possible for you to collect me when I finish work?

Pair fourteen.

Would you be able to join the call at three?

Would it be possible for you to take part in the three o’clock call?

Pair fifteen.

Could I ask you a favour?

May I ask you to help me with something?

Pair sixteen.

I was wondering if you could cover my shift on Friday.

I wanted to ask politely whether you could work my Friday shift for me.

You have completed all sixteen pairs.

You reviewed four communication idioms, three precise words for problems and nine natural ways to ask for help.

Five of those requests came from the extra web lesson.

Notice that the second sentence did not simply translate the first.

It rebuilt the same idea using different English words.

That is what makes this both a vocabulary review and a shadowing workout.

You practise pronunciation, but you also strengthen retrieval and flexible understanding.

Try the episode again tomorrow.

This time, begin repeating as soon as I start speaking and use the silence to complete the sentence.

If four seconds feels too short, choose a slower version on the episode page.

If it feels comfortable, move to a faster version and keep the same natural rhythm.

At yourenglishtoolbox.com, you can read every pair while you practise and choose the listening speed that matches your level.

One idea, two sentences and one stronger English voice.

I am Peter.

Thank you for practising with me.

See you in the next episode.

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