Learning is a lifelong effort. "Consider a language ... language serves to describe a combination of colored squares on a surface. The squares form a complex like a chessboard. There are red, green, white and black squares. The words of the language are 'red', 'green', 'white', 'black', and a sentence is a series of these words. They describe an arrangement of squares in an order." -- Ludwig Wittgenstein, philosopher (20th century)

The Flatmates episode 48 (including Video/Vocabulary)


Episode 48: Strawberries and cream
John: Oh Helen! Fancy bumping into you at Wimbledon!
Helen: And I was having such a nice time too.
John: Bet you're here on one of those cheap afternoon tickets, aren't you?
Helen: Yeah but for a fiver they're such a bargain.
John: I wouldn't know. I've been here all day - in the Centre Court posh seats - not much change from fifty quid. Well, I won't keep you. I need to get on with my horrendously expensive strawberries and cream before they get warm.
Helen: Oh, look out!
John: Arrghh! I'm covered in strawberries and cream!
Man: I'm so sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going.
Helen: Look on the bright side John. At least with all that red and white, you look ...

Vocabulary:

a strawberry (noun) - a soft, juicy red fruit that grows on a low plant with white flowers

a cream (noun) - the thick part of milk that rises to the top, the part of milk that contains fat

fancy (adjective) not plain or ordinary very expensive and fashionable, of the highest grade or quality

bump into ( verb phrase) -  to meet (someone) by chance, to see and usually talk to (someone you did not expect to see)

cheap (adjective) - not costing a lot of money

a bargain (noun) - something that is bought or sold for a price which is lower than the actual value, something bought or sold at a good price

 a fiver (noun) - five pounds (money)

a pound (noun) - a basic unit of money in the United Kingdom and some other countries

Centre Court or Center Court (noun) - may be used generically as the British English term for the main court at any tennis complex.

posh  (adjective) - very attractive, expensive, and popular, British English: typical of people who have high social status

fifty quid (noun) -  fifty pounds (money)

horrendously (adjective) - very bad or unpleasant

berry nice (British expression) - The usual expression is "very nice" but because the man spilt strawberries (or berries) on John, Helen is making a joke because "berry" and "very" sound similar.

pretty in pink (British expression) - Usually you say to a girl or woman wearing pink clothes that she looks "pretty in pink". Helen is making a joke because John is covered in pink not because he is wearing pink clothes but because the man spilt strawberries on him.

a real smoothie (British expression) - This has two meanings. One is a kind of drink made of fruit, cream, juice mixed together. The other meaning describes someone who is very smooth, sophisticated or suave. So Helen is making a joke here because John looks like a drink (with all the strawberries and cream spilt on him) and she is also being sarcastic (making a joke by saying something that is the opposite of the truth) when she says he looks smooth because, of course, he doesn't look smooth at all!


The Flatmates episode 47 (including Video/Vocabulary)



Episode 47: A call from Germany
Helen: Hello?
Alice: Guten morgen! Hi Helen, it's Alice.
Helen: Hey, how are you? What's Germany like? Are you having fun?
Alice: I'm fine, it's fab and yes, yes, yes! How are things back home?
Helen: Great. We've just come back from Brighton and Michal was a complete star!
Alice: Oh how so?
Helen: Well this guy stole my purse while we were on the beach and he ran after him like a bat out of hell, caught him and got my purse back! He was a real hero!
Alice: Oh quite the Superman, I'm sure! So have you made up with him then?
Helen: What do you think? Of course ... Oh, her money must have run out.

Vocabulary:
Germany (geographical name) - A country of north-central Europe. It was split into East Germany and West Germany after World War II and reunited in 1990.

fab  (adjective) - extremely good, fabulous

complete (adjective) - often used for emphasis, not limited in any way,not lacking anything

a star (noun) -an extremely famous and successful performer or athlete

like a bat out of hell  (idiom) - run very quickly

a hero (noun) - a person who is admired for great or brave acts or fine qualities, a person who is greatly admired

a superman (noun) - a man who is very strong, successful

make up  (verb) - become friends again after having a disagreement or fight

run out (verb) - come to the end of something, have no more of something left

a legend  (noun) - a story from the past that is believed by many people but cannot be proved to be true, most people regard the story as truthful but there is usually no historical basis for it

The Flatmates episode 46 (including Video/Vocabulary)



Episode 46: A day at the beach
Michal: I'm so glad we decided to come to Brighton!
Helen: Yeah, so much better than going to the poxy World Cup in Germany.
Michal: Let's sit here on the beach. What a perfect spot for an ice-cream!
Helen: Oh, look at that guy over there. He looks nice ...tall and handsome.
Michal: Ahem, I thought you were here with me!
Man: Excuse me.
Helen: Oh, hello can we help you?
Man: I wonder if you could tell me where Brighton Pier is?
Michal: It's right over there!
Man: Oh, course it is, silly me. Thanks, bye.
Michal: Helen, how about that ice cream now?
Helen: Oh no! I can't find my purse!
Michal: It must have been that man!
Helen: Oi you! Stop!

Vocabulary:
a beach (noun) - an area covered with sand or small rocks that is next to an ocean or lake

glad (adjective) - very willing to do something, causing happiness and joy

decide (verb) - to make a choice about (something), to choose (something) after thinking about it

Brighton (noun: geographical name)  - town in England, in East Sussex on the south coast of Great Britain with a population of 155,919.

 poxy (British English Slang) - not important, having little value, rubbish, not good

 a spot (noun) - a place, a small area of a surface that is different from other areas

a guy   (noun)  - a man or person

ahem (interjection) -used to attract attention or to express doubt or warning, used in writing to represent a sound that is like a quiet cough that people make especially to attract attention or to express disapproval or embarrassment

a pier (noun) - a structure that goes out from a shore into the water, Piers are typically used as a place for ships to load and unload people or things or as a place where people can walk.

silly (adjective) - having or showing a lack of thought, understanding, or good judgment, foolish or stupid

a purse (noun) -  a usually leather or cloth bag used by women for carrying money and personal things handbag,  (chiefly in British English) a change purse

oi (informal  British English)  -  used to get the attention of someone or to express disapproval

The Flatmates episode 45 (including Video/Vocabulary)



Episode 45: Packing
Tim: Hurry up Alice!
Alice: I'm going as fast as I can.
Tim: The plane's going to take off without us at this rate. You've not even finished packing yet!
Alice: Don't hassle me! I couldn't just walk out in the middle of an emergency. I'm a nurse. These things happen. I got here as fast as I could.
Tim: Look, have you got the most important things?
Alice: Tickets, money, passport - yes they're all here.
Tim: OK, grab what you've got and let's go.
Alice: Oh Tim, hang on! Have you got the football tickets?
Tim: Yes! They're right here... Where are they?
Alice: Just relax. When did you last see them?
Tim: Yesterday, today, oh, I don't know. Where are they?

Vocabulary:
packing (noun) - the act or process of putting things into bags or boxes

hurry  (verb) - to move, act, or go quickly

take off   (verb) - the moment when an airplane, helicopter, etc., leaves the ground and begins to fly

at this rate (idiom) - in this way or at this speed

to hassle someone (informal) (idiom) - to annoy or bother someone

ticket (noun) - a piece of paper that allows you to see a show, participate in an event, travel on a vehicle, etc.

passport   (noun) - an official document issued by the government of a country that identifies someone as a citizen of that country and that is usually necessary when entering or leaving a country

to grab something (idiom)  -  to take hold of something quickly and strongly

hang on (phrasal verb) - wait, to keep happening or continuing

relax (verb) -  to stop feeling nervous or worried

The Flatmates episode 44 (including Video/Vocabulary)



Episode 44: A free lunch
Tim: That food was delicious!
Mrs Hall: It took ages to come but yes, absolutely scrummy. Ready for afters?
Tim: Thank you.
Mrs Hall: Go on, open it.
Tim: World Cup tickets! How can I ever thank you Mrs Hall?
Mrs Hall: Well you can start by dropping the formality. Please, call me Janet.
Tim: Alright ... Janet.
Mrs Hall: Much better. Now, my husband's away on business next month. So we'll do lunch again then.
Tim: Your husband?
Mrs Hall: Well where did you think those corporate tickets came from? Yes, he's good for some things but quite dreadful for others - like decent lunch company.
Tim: I'm not sure if I'm free. Let me check the rota first.

Vocabulary:
delicious (adjective) -  very pleasant to taste, having a smell that suggests a very pleasant taste

absolutely (adverb) - in an absolute way, such as a completely or totally, with unlimited power, often used to make a statement more forceful 

scrummy (adjective) - informal way of saying delicious or lovely
 
ages (noun) - a long time, centuries, for ever

afters (noun) -  British informal for  dessert, sweet food eaten after the main part of a meal

 dropping (verb) - to stop doing or continuing with (something)

 formality (noun) - a formal quality

corporate   (adjective) - involving or associated with a corporation, business

dreadful (adjective) - very bad or unpleasant

decent (adjective) - good enough but not the best, adequate or acceptable ,polite, moral, and hones

a rota (noun) - (British English) a schedule or timetable which shows what days and times employees work, a list that shows who must do a certain job


The Flatmates episode 43 (including Video/Vocabulary)


Episode 43: Exam revision
Michal: Oh dear I have my exam today. I'm really worried. Helen, will you practise with me please?
Helen: You must be joking!
Michal: Alice?
Alice: Oh Michal, you know I'm just back from a night-shift. I'm exhausted, sorry.
Tim: Don't worry mate, you'll be all right. Just relax, be yourself.
Michal: But I did very bad in my practice test last week.
Helen: I told you Michal, it's important to revise for exams but you went out every night this week.
Michal: Yes I know but it's a speaking exam so I had to talk to people. Won't anyone help me? Thanks Bronka, that's a big help!

Vocabulary:
 revision (noun) - British: study of information that was studied before, a change or a set of changes that corrects or improves something

 exam short for examination (noun) -the act of looking at something closely and carefully, a test to show a person's progress, knowledge, or ability

to revise for exams (phrase)  - to do special preparation for an exam, when you look back at your earlier work

practise or practice    (verb) - to do something again and again in order to become better at it

joking   (verb) - to say things that are meant to cause laughter, to make jokes about someone or something

you must be joking (verb phrase) - (you must be kidding), what you say is very surprising or hard to believe

a night-shift (noun) - a period of work that takes place during the night

to be exhausted ( adjective) -  to use all of someone's mental or physical energy, to tire out or wear out (someone) completely

mate (noun) - British: a friend

The Flatmates episode 42 (including Video/Vocabulary)



Episode 42: A raffle
Tim: We're on our way to Deutschland, Deutschland!
Helen: Tim, what's got into you?
Tim: The promise of two gorgeous, free world cup tickets, that's what!
Alice: That's fantastic. Can I go with you, please?
Tim: No, it's a boy thing - Michal, ready for action?
Helen: Well that's just typical! You're such a sexist, old-fashioned bore Tim. What makes you think Alice and I don't want to see the match?
Tim: Oh-oh. OK, anything to keep the peace. Sorry Michal.
Michal: Don't worry. Helen, how should we decide who goes with Tim?
Helen: Oh stop trying to get on my good side - it's not working.
Tim: Well?
Helen: There's only one fair way - a raffle.
Tim: OK everyone's name in the hat then.

Vocabulary:
Deutschland - a word from the German language for Germany

promise (noun) -  a statement telling someone that you will definitely do something or that something will definitely happen in the future

the promise of something (noun phrase)  - to guarantee that you will get something

gorgeous (adjective) - very beautiful or attractive

World Cup (noun) - an international competition in a sport (such as soccer or hockey)

international   (adjective) - involving two or more countries, occurring between countries

competition (noun) - the act or process of trying to get or win something (such as a prize or a higher level of success) that someone else is also trying to get or win, the act or process of competing

ticket (noun) - a piece of paper that allows you to see a show, participate in an event, travel on a vehicle, etc.

fantastic (adjective) -  extremely good

a boy thing (phrase) - an activity that is thought of to be done in particular by boys

typical (adjective) - happening in the usual way, normal for a person, thing, or group, average or usual

sexist (noun) - unfair treatment of people because of their sex, especially, unfair treatment of women

old-fashioned (adjective) - of or relating to the past, such as a, no longer used or accepted, replaced by something more recent, using or preferring traditions or ideas from the past

a match (noun) - a contest between two or more players or teams, a game played between two teams (for example, tennis or football)

to keep the peace  (noun phrase) - to have a lasting state in which there is no war or fighting

a raffle (noun)  -  a competition where the winner is chosen at random or by chance (not on merit or skill), a contest that a group or organization uses to earn money and that involves people buying numbered tickets in exchange for a chance to win a prize