英语播客中级版Malfunction

M: Hello English learners! Welcome back to EnglishPod! My name is Marco.

E: And I’m Erica.

M: And today we’re back in the office, we have a lesson that’s talking about something that goes wrong in the office.

E: Yeah, something that I can really understand well, but we’ll talk about that later. So this lesson is about a photocopier.

M: A photocopier, so let’s take a look at this word in “vocabulary preview”.

Voice: Vocabulary preview.

M: Alright, so a photocopier makes copies.

E: Yeah. It makes copies of documents. We often call it a copier…

M: Uhu.

E: Or a copy machine.

M: Uhu. Yeah, so you can call it a photocopier, copy machine or copier.

E: Yes, or a Xerox machine as well.

M: Xerox machine, yeah.

E: Yeah.

M: We can talk about that a little bit later, cause that’s an interesting story.

E: Okay.

M: Alright, let’s take a look at our next word, tonner.

E: Tonner.

M: Tonner.

E: Tonner.

M: So, tonner is what the copy machine uses to make copies.

E: It’s like the… the ink.

M: Right, ah, it’s a very fine black powder.

E: Ouh.

M: Yeah, yeah.

E: So, it’s not an ink.

M: No, it’s actually dry.

E: Okay.

M: Yeah, yeah, it’s a… it’s dry, it’s… it’s a powder, so you don’t’ wanna get that all over you.

E: Alright. Well, good advice, Marco, and…

M: Hehe.

E: And our last word in vocabulary preview, malfunction.

M: Malfunction.

E: Malfunction.

M: Malfunction.

E: Let’s break down this word [FYI: here break down means analyze or take to pieces].

M: Alright.

E: Function?

M: To work.

E: Aha.

M: Alright.

E: Mal?

M: I guess mal maybe comes from Latin or something… cause in Spanish we say “Mal”, which is something evil or not good.

E: Okay, so I think we can understand malfunction is…

M: Not good working, right? Hehe.

E: Hehe. Yeah, um… okay, more or less it’s not working properly.

M: It’s not working properly…

E: Yeah.

M: Right.

E: Okay, well, why don’t we listen to the dialogue and find out what isn’t working properly.

DIALOGUE, FIRST TIME

M: Okay, so this copy machine is definitely not working properly.

E: Hehe. A serious malfunction.

M: A serious malfunction, I think the whole building exploded.

E: Yeah.

M: Alright, very dramatic here at englishpod, but we have fun, right?

E: Exactly.

M: Okay, let’s take a look at some of the great language that we saw in “language takeaway”.

Voice: Language takeaway.

E: Alright, three words for you here in language takeaway and we heard all of these in the dialogue.

M: Uhu.

E: So, this guy needs to get a copy ASAP.

M: ASAP.

E: ASAP.

M: Or A-S-A-P.

E: Yes, meaning…

M: As soon as possible.

E: So, really really fast.

M: Rally fast.

E: Yeah.

M: This is a very very common phase.

E: Uhu.

M: Right?

E: So, it’s an acronym and you can say it like ASAP or…

M: A-S-A-P.

E: Exactly.

M: Yeah, usually people say like that because it’s too long I guess to say as soon as possible, so…

E: Yeah.

M: Hey, I need this document ASAP.

E: Yes, a…

M: Or A-S-A-P.

E: Exactly.

M: Okay, let’s look at our next word, a practical joke.

E: Practical joke.

M: Practical joke.

E: Practical joke.

M: Okay, so, a practical joke. I’m sure we have all played a practical joke on some of our friends, right?

E: Yes.

M: Basically what you do is you do something funny on purpose to someone.

E: Yeah, um, but something crazy.

M: Crazy, right?

E: Yeah, for example, um, when I was in university, ah, there was this guy in our… in our building.

M: Uhu.

E: And we took all of his bedroom furnitures, of his bed his desk, everything, and put it down on the football field.

M: Nice.

E: Yeah, that was a practical joke.

M: Hehe. It is a very good and elaborate practical joke.

E: Yeah.

M: Okay, so practical joke… do something crazy or funny to your friends.

E: Uhu.

M: Okay, and now let’s look at our last word, never mind.

E: Never mind.

M: Never mind.

E: Never mind.

M: Okay, so if you say never mind it means…

E: Don’t worry about it.

M: Don’t worry about it.

E: Forget it.

M: Forget it.

E: Yep.

M: Never mind.

E: Yeah. Yeah, this is a… you know, this is so common and I think it would be helpful to understand how it’s used, so let’s hear some examples.

Voice: Example one.

A: Someone stole my wallet.

B: Oh, wait, never mind. Here it is.

Voice: Example two.

C: Can you get some milk on your way home? Oh, never mind, we still have some.

Voice: Example three.

C: The printer’s broken? Never mind I’ll do this later.

M: Okay, great examples and I think… our language takeaway is clear. So, why don’t we listen to our dialogue for the second time and then we’ll come back and talk about putting it together.

DIALOGUE, SECOND TIME (Slow pace)

E: In this dialogue there’s some great language that can be used in many different patterns or many different ways, so…

M: Uhu.

E: In today’s “putting it together” we’re gonna show you how to use three of these patterns.

Voice: Putting it together.

M: Okay, the first pattern that we can look at is out of tonner.

E: Out of tonner.

M: Right, so, we’ve already talked about tonner.

E: Yep.

M: Let’s talk about “out of”.

E: Okay, so when you’re out of, you… you have none.

M: Right, so let’s change a little bit, so I can say, I’m out of milk.

E: Aha, um, I’m out of time.

M: Out of time, right?

E: Yep.

M: Ah, if you’re driving, I’m out of gas.

E: Uhu.

M: Or gasoline.

E: Yep. So, Out of + noun.

M: Uhu, perfect. It means you don’t have none… you don’t have none…

E: Hehe. EnglishPod.com

M: EnglishPod.com… you have got none.

E: ???.com

M: Hehe. Alright, out of time. Let’s take a look at our second one, on your way up.

E: Yeah, on your way up.

M: On your way, right?

E: Uhu.

M: So, this is a great way when you’re talking to someone and you’re going to somewhere.

E: Yes.

M: Right? So, on your way up…

E: Can you bring this to HR [FYI: HR = Human Resources].

M: Okay, on your way to the store…

E: Can you mail this letter.

M: Uhu, or maybe on your way home…

E: Can you buy me some flowers.

M: Hehe. Nice, alright, so on your way, it means…

E: It means while you re going there.

M: Right.

E: Yeah.

M: Taking advantage of the fact that you’re going somewhere.

E: Yes.

M: Okay, now let’s take a look at our last one and this is a really great phrase.

E: Uhu.

M: Break down.

E: Break down.

M: In our dialogue we heard breaking down.

E: Yes.

M: Right?

E: The every thing in the office seems to be breaking down.

M: Right, so when something breaks down…

E: It stops working

M: It stops working…

E: Yeah.

M: Exactly. So we can change it a little bit. What happens if we say break up?

E: Ooh, boyfriend and girlfriend.

M: Right.

E: They end their relationship.

M: Okay, so there… we can maybe think about it as their relationship stops working.

E: Oh, nice one.

M: Right?

E: Yeah.

M: Okay. What about break in?

E: Hum, enter a place using force.

M: Right, you… you enter a house that’s not yours.

E: Yeah, so if you break in to a house maybe you break the window and climb in.

M: Okay.

E: Uhu.

M: What about brake out?

E: The opposite.

M: Right.

E: So, for example, you might break out of jail.

M: Break out of prison, uhu?

E: Yep.

M: So, this is a great phrase you can change the… you can change the last word from break down, break up, break in…

E: Yeah.

M: And it means different things.

E: Yeah, so use different prepositions for different meanings.

M: Perfect.

E: Uhu.

M: Okay, so now let’s listen to our dialogue for the last time and then Erica and I will be back and talk a little bit more about malfunctioning office supplies.

DIALOGUE, THIRD TIME

M: Alright, so, Erica, everything that you touch that’s electronic seems to malfunction, right?

E: This is absolutely true.

M: Hehe.

E: I don’t know what it is, but you know what, if… if I turn on a computer it will suddenly get a virus.

M: Hehe.

E: And then… even if I’m very careful it still breaks.

M: Right. Yeah, it happens sometimes I can relate to that, um…

E: But you are much, um, better at computers and technology than I am.

M: Hehe. Well, I really really like them and, well, I guess even I know a little bit about copy machines or copiers.

E: Uhu.

M: Because my uncles are…  like copy technicians.

E: Really?

M: Yeah, so, um, you know, they fix copiers that broke down.

E: Yeah.

M: Or they replace tonner and, ah, you know, they… they do all that stuff, so that’s why I know a little bit about it. But actually the original term is the Xerox machine.

E: Yes, why is that?

M: From the brand, right?

E: Ah, right.

M: There’s a brand called Xerox.

E: Uhu.

M: And a Xerox invented and patented this technology of making copies.

E: Alright, well, the next time my photocopier explodes I’ll call you.

M: You call… call my uncles, right?

E: Okay. Hehe.

M: Hehe. Alright, and, well, let us know how things in your office break down or if you have any stories of like Erica that breaks every…

M: Hehe. Alright, and, well, let us know how things in your office break down or if you have any stories of like Erica that breaks everything she touches

 

E: Yeah, it’s true

 

M: Alright, come to our web site, come to our comments section and leave your opinions and we’ll be there to also answer any doubt or questions you might have.

 

E: you can find us at englishpod.com and Marco and I are always around.

 

M: Alright so we’ll see you guys there

 

E: Yep we will, Ok guys thanks for listening and until the next time