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  • Hello and welcome back to

  • The English We Speak.

  • I'm Feifei.

  • And I'm Rob.

  • Have I told you about

  • the competition that I've entered, Feifei?

  • No, Rob.

  • What is it?

  • It's a singing competition!

  • You have to perform a popular song

  • from your favourite band -

  • and I'm going to win!

  • You?

  • Are you going to win?

  • No offence, Rob, but I've heard your

  • singing voice, and, well, I'm not sure...

  • What are you trying to say, Feifei?

  • All I'm saying is that

  • there is a fat chance

  • of you winning the competition!

  • Right! So first you make fun

  • of my singing and now

  • you're calling me fat!

  • How cheeky!

  • Oh Rob, no. I'm not calling you fat:

  • I'm saying that the likelihood of

  • you winning the competition is very small.

  • Rob: Oh right, yes.

  • 'Fat chance' is an English phrase

  • to say something is not very likely -

  • I remember now.

  • Right, while you calm down,

  • let's hear some other examples

  • of this phrase.

  • I bought a lottery ticket for tonight's

  • draw - and these are my lucky numbers!

  • I'm definitely going to win!

  • Fat chance!

  • I hope it's warm this weekend -

  • I want to go fishing.

  • Well, fat chance of that.

  • It's the middle of November!

  • I auditioned for a role in a movie, but there

  • is fat chance of me getting the role - I saw

  • loads of famous actors auditioning too.

  • This is The English We Speak

  • from BBC Learning English and we're

  • talking about the phrase 'fat chance'.

  • This is a noun phrase that means

  • a small chance, or possibility,

  • of something happening.

  • It can be used in a full sentence,

  • and also as a standalone phrase.

  • For example, when Rob said

  • he was going to win the competition,

  • I could have just said 'fat chance'!

  • Hey!

  • I think I've got

  • a really good chance!

  • I've been practising hard and

  • I've even taken a few lessons!

  • OK, Rob.

  • Well... good luck -

  • I suppose...

  • Well, Feifei, when I win

  • the £5000 prize money,

  • there's fat chance of you getting any of it.

  • Wait, £5000?

  • Rob, hold on!

  • I didn't mean it!

  • Thanks for joining us - I've got to go

  • and apologise to Rob.

  • Hopefully he'll

  • share his winnings!

  • Bye!

  • Hi Neil.

  • Good weekend?

  • Do anything nice?

  • Hi Feifei!

  • Actually, I stayed in and

  • watched TV.

  • Football?

  • No, I watched this marvellous

  • programme from Norway.

  • Oh, one of those police dramas?

  • Theyre great!

  • Actually, believe it or not, the entire film

  • was just the view from the front of

  • a train, all the way from one city to another.

  • It was seven hours long.

  • Seven hours?!

  • That’s all that happened?

  • No people?

  • No police?

  • No nothing?

  • Just the view from the train.

  • It was such a relaxing journey.

  • They call it 'slow TV'.

  • Ahh, yes.

  • I’ve heard of that.

  • Wasn't there one on a boat too?

  • Isn’t it a bit boring?

  • Well, it’s not for everyone.

  • But my life is so busy,

  • I just like to slow down now and again.

  • I’m still not convinced.

  • Anyway,

  • let’s hear some more examples

  • about this slow TV.

  • It’s our phrase on

  • The English We Speak.

  • Michaela's company specialises in

  • making slow TV.

  • She says business is great right now!

  • I recently discovered slow TV.

  • My friends think it's really dull,

  • but I find it helps

  • clear my head after a stressful day.

  • What are you watching?

  • It looks just like a fireplace

  • with a big piece of wood burning.

  • It is! Isn’t slow TV fantastic?

  • It takes about four hours

  • for the wood to burn completely.

  • You're listening to The English We Speak

  • from BBC Learning English.

  • The expression we're looking at

  • in this programme is 'slow TV'.

  • So Neil, is this what youll be doing

  • with your free time from now on?

  • Watching slow TV?

  • No, I’ve got an even better idea

  • for this weekend.

  • You know that oak tree I planted?

  • Err, yes.

  • I’m going to film it.

  • And make my

  • very own slow TV!

  • Then you can watch

  • my tree grow, any time you like.

  • Honestly, Neil.

  • I don’t think so.

  • Maybe this will be the next big thing

  • in slow TV.

  • I could call itslow tree-V. Get it?

  • I think what you need is to take

  • a long, slow walk outside.

  • Then you can admire

  • all the trees you like!

  • Just you wait, Feifei!

  • This will be the slowest TV ever -

  • oak trees take around 30 years to grow.

  • Good luck Neil! See you in 30 years.

  • I’ll stick to police dramas in the meantime.

  • Bye.

  • Hello and welcome to The English We Speak.

  • I'm Feifei.

  • And I’m Rob!

  • Hey, Feifei, did you know theyre looking for a new

  • team leader to manage and motivate our team?

  • Oooh, a promotion!

  • And you think I should apply for it?

  • No, no!

  • I was going to ask if you think

  • I’d be good for the position?

  • Well... well, youre sometimes friendly

  • and you like to chat.

  • Great.

  • Well, the job description

  • says that they want someone withsoft skills

  • and that means 'the ability to communicate

  • and work well with other people'.

  • I'm basically a team player.

  • You are a team player?

  • Well, Rob, youre certainlysoft

  • not very strict

  • so nobody would listen to you!

  • Oh, well, well see about that.

  • We are going to hear some examples,

  • and no arguing!

  • Weve got to build a team that works well together,

  • so soft skills are vital if you want to work here.

  • The recruitment company are looking for

  • someone with soft skills to fill the vacancy.

  • A positive attitude, self-confidence

  • and being a good communicator

  • are the soft skills were looking for in this job.

  • Does that describe you?

  • This is The English We Speak from

  • BBC Learning English

  • and were talking about the phrasesoft skills’,

  • which describes someone’s ability to communicate

  • and work well with others.

  • But, Rob, I’m still not sure if youve

  • got the soft skills for the new job.

  • Oh well!

  • Thanks for your vote of confidence!

  • Actually, maybe I should apply for the new job.

  • Hmmm, let’s have a think about your skills

  • Youre bossy.

  • You tell people what to do.

  • You take charge.

  • They sound likehard skillsto me.

  • Hard skills?!

  • It sounds like I’d be perfect for the job.

  • So, Rob, pop outside the studio

  • and make me a cup of tea.

  • Erm, any chance you could ask me

  • using somesoft skills’?

  • No, Rob.

  • Just do it.

  • See ya!

  • Somehow I think she’d get the job!

  • Bye!

  • Hello and welcome to The English

  • We Speak.

  • I'm Feifei...

  • And hello, I'm Rob!

  • You're looking pleased

  • with yourself today, Rob.

  • I am. Look - biscuits!

  • Hmm, are biscuits

  • really that exciting?

  • Well, it's not actually the biscuits,

  • it's the price.

  • I got five pence off the packet

  • - a great discount, hey?

  • Five pence!

  • Big deal!

  • Well, yes it is a big deal, Feifei -

  • a big, big deal.

  • By my calculations it's a five per cent discount.

  • So every bite tastes

  • better because it's cheaper!

  • Oh hold on -

  • you're being sarcastic, aren't you?

  • I am.

  • It's a sarcastic phrase.

  • When we say 'big deal' to someone, we're telling them

  • that we don't think what they've told us

  • is very special or impressive.

  • So, sorry Rob - I'm not impressed!

  • It takes a lot to impress you, Feifei.

  • How about some impressive examples?

  • Have you heard - we're getting

  • a one per cent pay rise?

  • Big deal!

  • My brother said he completed

  • the marathon in four hours.

  • Big deal - I did it in three!

  • This is The English We Speak

  • from BBC Learning English and

  • we're talking about

  • the expression 'big deal', which

  • can be said to someone to show

  • you're not impressed

  • by what they've told you.

  • You can also say

  • something is 'no big deal' to mean it's not

  • a serious problem, like this...

  • Failing your driving test is no big deal -

  • it happens to people all the time.

  • You can try again next month.

  • So that's 'no big deal', but I think

  • saving five pence off a packet of biscuits

  • is a great deal.

  • You know what people say -

  • every penny counts.

  • Rob, you're making a big deal about this -

  • that's another use of 'big deal'.

  • When you make a big deal about something,

  • it means you make a big fuss.

  • A big fuss?

  • I bought 100 packets, Feifei,

  • saving five pounds - that's

  • quite a deal don't you think?

  • 100 packets!

  • That's a bit extreme

  • - you must really love biscuits.

  • What sort are they?

  • They are chocolate digestives.

  • Oh! Chocolate digestives!

  • My favourite - OK then, Rob, open them up

  • and let's start munching.

  • Ha!

  • I can see you are impressed

  • with my 'big deal'.

  • Bye.

  • Bye.

  • Hello and welcome to The English We Speak.

  • I’m Neil and this is Feifei.

  • Feifei?

  • Feifei!

  • Huh?

  • Oh sorry, Neil!

  • I had a really late night last night so

  • I'm dead tired today!

  • Youre dead tired, Feifei?

  • Are you dying?

  • That’s awful!

  • What have you got?

  • Is it contagious?

  • Oh Neil, don’t be silly!

  • I’m not sick

  • or contagious or dying!

  • I’m just really tired!

  • That’s a relief!

  • But, you said you were

  • deadtired.

  • But youre not dying?

  • Oh really, Neil – I think youre more

  • tired than I am!

  • I saiddeadtired because

  • I’m really tired.

  • So we can usedeadto meanreally

  • orvery’?

  • That’s rightif you want

  • to emphasise an adjective, you can use

  • 'dead' to make it stronger.

  • Well that’s dead confusing

  • perhaps we should take a look at some examples.

  • Is it lunchtime yet?

  • I’m dead hungry!

  • The man sat next to me on the train this morning

  • kept falling asleep on my shoulder.

  • It was dead annoying! I was dead happy when I passed

  • my driving test!

  • This is The English We Speak from

  • BBC Learning English and were talking about

  • a different use of the worddead’.

  • Normally it means the opposite of

  • the adjectivealive’, but native

  • English speakers, particularly people in

  • the North of England, often use it before

  • an adjective to emphasise

  • what they are saying.

  • Could you tell us a time when

  • you were dead happy, Neil?

  • Well, when I woke up this morning

  • and found I had another hour until my

  • alarm went off!

  • I was dead thrilled!

  • Not quite, Neil!

  • You were dead happy,

  • but not dead thrilled!

  • You can’t use

  • deadwith extreme adjectives.

  • Oh OK, so you can saydead cold

  • but notdead freezingOrdead good

  • but notdead fantastic’.

  • That was a dead good explanation, Neil!

  • I see you have woken up a bit now,

  • but I’m still dead tired.

  • Well how about you make us both

  • a coffee while I finish the programme

  • it's your turn to make the coffees!

  • Err, no, Neil – I always make the coffee!

  • I’ll go make a coffee for me, not you,

  • while you finish the programme!

  • Uh oh.

  • I’d best go and make the coffees -

  • she’s dead sensitive when she

  • hasn’t had enough sleep!

  • Well, bye everyone,

  • see you next time!

  • Welcome to The English We Speak.

  • Hello, I'm Feifei... but where is Rob?

  • Oh!

  • Hi, Feifei, you're nice and early -

  • can't wait to get started, hey?

  • I'm not early - you are late!

  • Late?

  • No, no, no, no - we said we'd

  • start at half past ten... didn't we?

  • No - ten o'clock, Rob.

  • Look at this

  • text message: "Can we start earlier at ten,

  • please?" and you replied "sure".

  • Oh!

  • My bad!

  • Your back?

  • Don't start complaining

  • about your back just to avoid apologising.

  • No, not my back - my bad!

  • I am apologising -

  • that's what 'my bad' means,

  • It's an American English phrase that

  • we use sometimes to mean

  • we accept responsibility for a mistake.

  • Well, that's good to know.

  • So you're really saying 'sorry'?

  • Well, not exactly.

  • Let's hear some more examples of using 'my bad'.

  • My bad!

  • It was me who put my pink socks

  • in with the white washing - oops!

  • My friend knocked a glass of red wine

  • over me and all he could say was 'my bad'.

  • I don't think he was that bothered!

  • It was me who lost the car keys - my bad -

  • I'm sure they'll turn up somewhere.

  • This is The English We Speak from

  • BBC Learning English, and we're finding out

  • about the phrase 'my bad' which is

  • slang for saying my fault, my mistake, I am to blame -

  • but Rob just can't bring himself

  • to say 'sorry'!

  • I'm sensing 'my bad' is

  • a way of apologising without actually

  • saying 'sorry'.

  • Yes, I suppose so - but I'll say 'sorry'

  • if that helps.

  • You know I can't be perfect

  • all the time!

  • That's true.

  • Anyway, why are you so keen to

  • start early today?

  • Oh!

  • My bad - I forgot to tell you

  • it's Neil's birthday and we're leaving early

  • to go and celebrate at the pub.

  • That is bad - that wasn't a mistake,

  • you just did that on purpose.

  • Why would I do that?

  • Come on Rob,

  • I'm sure you can join us -

  • just don't forget your wallet.

  • OK.

  • Bye.

  • Bye.

  • Hello and welcome to The English

  • We Speak. You're Neil...

  • ...and hello, you're Feifei.

  • Neil, a question - if you looked into

  • my purse, what would you find?

  • Not much! Probably lots of small

  • coins that aren't worth much.

  • Well I'm not rich, Neil - but yes,

  • you would find small change. A collection

  • of coins with little value.

  • OK - is this the phrase for this programme?

  • Not exactly. The phrase is 'small change'

  • but it's not about money.

  • Something that is insignificant or trivial,

  • meaning not important,

  • can also be described as 'small change'.

  • Like getting a seat on the train

  • during the rush hour is 'small change' for me.

  • And getting chocolate sprinkles

  • on top of my cappuccino

  • is 'small change' for me.

  • Really? That's 'big change' for me!

  • Let's hear some examples that are

  • far from being small change!

  • I've only got a cold so my health problems

  • are small change compared with

  • your broken leg.

  • Eating out every night is small change

  • to Molly - she can afford it

  • with the huge salary she's on.

  • Where I sit on the plane is small change to me,

  • as long as we arrive on time.

  • This is The English We Speak from

  • BBC Learning English and we're talking

  • about the phrase 'small change' which

  • describes something insignificant

  • or trivial, meaning 'not important'.

  • We can also describe someone as

  • being 'small change' - so they are not important.

  • Feifei, do you think I'm small change

  • in this programme?

  • Of course not, Neil. You are very

  • important to this programme -

  • and besides, we couldn't afford the other presenter!

  • Ha ha. Very funny. So now we've

  • explained 'small change' - can you lend me some?

  • You mean money? How much do

  • you want?

  • Ten pounds!

  • Neil, that's NOT small change - and

  • your request is not 'small change' either.

  • The answer is 'no'!

  • Well it was worth a try. See ya.

  • Bye.

  • Hello, this The English We Speak. I'm Feifei.

  • And hello, I’m Rob.

  • Hey, Rob. You know we've got

  • a 'bright spark' in our office?

  • A bright spark? Oh yesby that

  • you mean someone intelligent

  • Well

  • Someone full of energy

  • I didn't exactly

  • Someone with clever ideas. Feifei,

  • there's no need to waste everyone's time.

  • Just say my name! Rob is the bright spark

  • in the office.

  • Ermm... Rob, that is just one

  • definition of 'a bright spark'.

  • 'A bright spark' can describe someone

  • who is clever, intelligent with lots of energy.

  • But this isn't the definition that applies to you Rob!

  • Oh. So come on, Feifei. When else would

  • you describe someone as 'a bright spark?

  • Well, it can be used sarcastically

  • and humorously to describe someone

  • who thinks they are intelligent

  • but actually does something stupid.

  • A bit like this:

  • Which bright spark suggested we go for a walk

  • on the wettest day of the year?!

  • Come on, own upwho's the bright spark

  • who turned the power off and caused

  • everything in the freezer to melt?

  • Are you the bright spark who told the

  • other team our game plan?

  • I think you owe us an apology.

  • This is The English We Speak from

  • BBC Learning English. And we've

  • discovered that 'a bright spark' can either

  • be a very smart person or someone who

  • has done something stupid. So I'm sorry

  • to say, Rob, you are the second kind

  • of bright spark!

  • Oh really. Why is that?

  • You left the window open last night

  • and this morning I found all my

  • documents and scripts blown all over the floor.

  • Are you sure? A bright spark like me

  • would never do something like that.

  • Rob, it's exactly what a bright spark

  • like you might doand it means I've lost

  • the last page of this script.

  • Oh really! I think I can remember

  • what it said. Something like - 'Sorry, Rob.

  • You are wise and clever and the brightest

  • spark I have ever known'.

  • I don't think so, Rob. Which bright spark

  • would write something as cringey as that?

  • Err... Time to go I think.

  • Good idea. Bye.

  • Bye.

  • Hello.

  • This is The English

  • We Speak.

  • This is Rob...

  • And this is Feifei.

  • So, Feifei,

  • how did the blind date go?

  • Not great - a disaster in fact.

  • Oh no.

  • Why didn't you just

  • follow my advice?

  • I did!

  • Wear something nice,

  • turn up late and make small talk.

  • Yes, make small talk.

  • Exactly.

  • Well, when I started making small talk,

  • the guy looked at me in a strange way

  • and then walked off.

  • Oh no.

  • What did you say?

  • Things like 'hi', 'good', 'yes', 'no',

  • 'great' - small words.

  • But no sentences?

  • I think you've got the wrong end of the stick here - I mean

  • you misunderstood - 'making small talk'

  • means 'making informal conversation

  • about unimportant things'.

  • If you're meeting someone

  • for the first time, it's a good way

  • to make them feel relaxed

  • - you know, break the ice.

  • Right!

  • Make 'small' conversation.

  • I guess we should hear

  • some examples...

  • I didn't know anybody at my

  • cousin's wedding so I tried

  • to make small talk with the guests.

  • I'm shy and not very good at small talk.

  • That's why I hate going to parties.

  • At the office party, we all had to stand around

  • making small talk, but all I really wanted

  • to do was go home!

  • This is The English We Speak from

  • BBC Learning English.

  • And we're learning

  • about the expression 'small talk' - that's

  • informal conversation which is meant

  • to make people feel more relaxed

  • and stops any embarrassing silence.

  • Actually, Rob, I do know about small talk.

  • It's just that...

  • So, why didn't you say?

  • Well, I was going to tell you that...

  • You'll never get a boyfriend

  • if you don't speak up, Feifei!

  • You really need to talk more.

  • Rob.

  • Yes?

  • What I was trying to say was, I did

  • not have time for small talk because my date

  • would not stop talking.

  • He was rude,

  • arrogant and wouldn't let me

  • get a word in edgeways!

  • Now, who does that remind me of?!

  • Err...

  • Nice weather for the

  • time of year, don't you think?

  • It's a bit late for small talk now, Rob.

  • You've said far too much.

  • Oh.

  • Bye bye!

  • Bye!

  • Hello and welcome to The English We Speak,

  • I’m Feifeiand you are?

  • I’m Rob!

  • Yes, of course you are.

  • And what is the capital of Greenland?

  • Strange question.

  • Why are you asking?

  • Well, somebody has sold me this pair of

  • clever clogsand I’m trying them out.

  • But they don’t seem to be working.

  • I don’t feel any cleverer.

  • Well, theyre nice shoes, Feifei,

  • but I’m afraid wearing them

  • won’t improve your intelligence.

  • In fact,

  • buying them has made you look stupid, not clever.

  • Oh, thanks.

  • Clogs are interesting, though.

  • Theyre made of wood, and were first made in Holland.

  • They were used for farming,

  • but are also used for dancing and

  • Yes, Rob!

  • I know youre trying to show how clever you are,

  • but it’s actually quite annoying.

  • Well, I’m just demonstrating what a 'clever clogs' is.

  • It’s someone who is annoying

  • because they think they know more than everyone else.

  • That sounds like you!

  • Let’s hear some clever examples.

  • If youre such a clever clogs,

  • why don’t you work out our accounts?

  • My brother’s such a clever clogs.

  • He always comes first in the pub quiz.

  • We got lost in the city because Neil,

  • being such a clever clogs,

  • insisted he knew the right way to go.

  • He didn’t!

  • This is The English We Speak

  • from BBC Learning English

  • and were talking about the expressionclever clogs’,

  • which is used to describe someone who is annoying

  • because they think they know more than everyone else,

  • or they always think theyre right.

  • Yes, and of course I’m right in saying

  • you were stupid to buy a pair of 'clever clogs'

  • to make you more intelligent.

  • You can’t buy intelligence!

  • Actually theyre very comfortable

  • and ideal for wearing around the office.

  • But come on Mr Clever Clogs.

  • If youre so smart,

  • what is the capital of Greenland?

  • Well, it’s Anchorage of course.

  • Wrong!

  • The capital of Greenland is Nuuk.

  • Who’s clever now?

  • Smart Alec!

  • Smart Feifei, actually.

  • Bye.

  • Goodbye.

Hello and welcome back to

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