ESLPod 1129 guide Want to be Fluent in English?

CULTURE NOTE Current Uses of Virtual Reality For many people, “virtual reality” is simply a “gaming platform” a technology used to play video games, but others are finding more “practic

Trang 1

GLOSSARY

funny – odd, strange, and unusual

* Why are you making such a funny face? Don’t you like the way the food tastes?

goggles – something worn over the eyes to protect them, like glasses, but with

sides that touch the skin all around the eye

* Swim goggles should fit tightly, so that they keep the water out of the

swimmer’s eyes

to try out – to test something; to do or experience something for the first time,

especially to determine whether one likes it and decide whether one wants to buy

it

* Have you tried out this new treadmill? It’s easier and more comfortable to run

on

virtual reality – a computer-generated experience that completely surrounds a

person and seems real or almost real

* Astronauts use virtual reality to simulate flights and train for when they’ll

actually be in a space shuttle

flight simulator – a machine that gives the user the impression that he or she is

flying, used to train pilots

* How many hours do pilots have to spend in the flight simulator before they’re allowed to fly real planes?

sophisticated – advanced and complex, with a lot of modern technology

* The company invested in a sophisticated online ordering system, but it was too complex for customers to understand how to use it

sensory – related to the five senses: taste, touch, smell, sight, and sound

* Going to a loud movie theater sometimes provides too much sensory

stimulation for young children

3-D – three-dimensional; not flat or two-dimensional; with height, length, width,

and depth, or appearing to have those qualities

* Wearing these strange-looking blue and red glasses allow movie-watchers to see the film in 3-D

Trang 2

headphones – a device worn over the head or behind the neck, with pieces that

fit into or over each ear, used to transmit sound directly to the person, without allowing that sound to be heard by other people nearby

* Biking while wearing headphones is a bad idea, because they don’t allow the biker to hear approaching cars

to recreate – to create something again; to try to copy how something happened

or how something was done in the past to give people a similar experience

* Every year, volunteers recreate the great battles of the American Civil War

to interact – to affect other people and be affected by them; to react to other

people as they react to oneself; to act in relation to others

* The principal likes to visit classrooms to see how the students are interacting with their teachers

gaming – the playing of video games; the playing of games on a computer,

possibly online and/or with other people

* Teenage boys are watching less TV nowadays, but they spend hours gaming instead

a host of – many; a large number of

* The software testers found a host of problems that the programmers will have

to fix before we can make the software available for sale

relaxation – the act of becoming calm and not tense, worried, or stressed

* Classical music, a nice massage, and a cup of hot tea are great for relaxation

outdoor – outside; not inside; not in a building

* They spent all day Saturday outdoors, riding kayaks and bicycles and going on long walks

to shine – for a light to be produced; to produce a light

* The spotlight shone on the violinist

to chirp – for a bird to make a high-pitched singing sound

* Do you know what it sounds like when a robin chirps?

progress – advancement; improvement over time, especially related to

technology

* The economic progress in this country is amazing! Ten years ago, hardly

anyone had a cell phone, but now, almost everyone has one

Trang 3

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1 What does Tatiana refer to when she asks about the “funny goggles”?

a) Moustafa’s jacket

b) Moustafa’s gloves

c) Moustafa’s eyewear

2 What is a flight simulator used for?

a) To help people overcome their fear of flying

b) To teach air traffic controllers how to direct planes

c) To teach pilots how to fly airplanes

WHAT ELSE DOES IT MEAN?

funny

The word “funny,” in this podcast, means odd, strange, and unusual: “They chose some funny paint colors for their home’s interior.” The word “funny” often means humorous, referring to something that makes people laugh: “Justin always tells such funny jokes.” Sometimes “funny” means uncomfortable and difficult to

explain: “Trent had a funny feeling that the proposal wouldn’t be accepted.” The phrase “funny money” refers to counterfeit, or money that is printed illegally:

“Don’t try to pass any funny money here The cashiers are trained to inspect each bill.” Finally, the phrase “funny bone” describes the part of the elbow that is extremely painful when it is hit: “Ouch! I just hit my funny bone on the door frame, and it hurts!”

a host of

In this podcast, the phrase “a host of” means many, or a large number of

something: “The doctor took notes as the patient listed a host of medical

problems.” Normally a “host” is the person who organizes or a party and invites the guest or provides the party space and/or food: “Don’t forget to thank the host for the lovely party before you leave.” When talking about a TV show or radio program, the “host” is the person who introduces guests and asks them

questions: “The host usually interviews one celebrity and one politician on each show.” Finally, when talking about a student exchange program, the “host family”

is the family with which the student lives while studying in another country: “Yuki brought chopsticks, packaged foods, and toys as gifts for her host family.”

Trang 4

CULTURE NOTE

Current Uses of Virtual Reality

For many people, “virtual reality” is simply a “gaming platform” (a technology used to play video games), but others are finding more “practical” (useful)

“applications” (uses) for the technology This is especially true in medicine

For example, virtual reality is being used to train “surgeons” to perform “delicate” (requiring careful, small movements) operations by allowing them to practice

“techniques” (ways of doing things) in a virtual reality environment before they ever work on a real patient

In other medical “settings” (environments), researchers have found that virtual reality can help “amputees” (people who have had an arm or leg cut off)

“overcome” (no longer suffer from) “phantom pain” (feelings of pain in a body part that is no longer part of one’s body) Apparently, patients who report phantom pain can use virtual reality to “see” the missing limb and “control” its movement, which reduces or “eliminates” (gets rid of) the pain Medical care providers have also begun using virtual reality to “distract” (divert attention; help someone avoid thinking about something) patients during painful operations or treatments

“Returning soldiers” (people who fought in a war and are now back and no longer fighting) who suffer from “post-traumatic stress syndrome” (intense, frightening, and stressful feelings related to one’s past experiences) can use virtual reality with “supervision” (with another person monitoring and controlling the

technology) to “relive” (experience again) their experiences during the war and learn to control their reaction to those memories and feelings

Similarly, teachers are using virtual reality to help children with “autism” (a

disorder that makes it difficult for people to control their emotions and interact with others) improve their ability to interact with others and “express” (show and share) their “emotions” (feelings)

Comprehension Questions Correct Answers: 1 – c; 2 – c

Trang 5

COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT

Welcome to English as a Second Language Podcast number 1,129 –

Experiencing Virtual Reality

This is English as a Second Language Podcast episode 1,129 I’m your host, Dr Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center for Educational Development in beautiful Los Angeles, California

Go to our website at ESLPod.com Why? Well, you can download the Learning Guide for this episode If you become a member, you can also take a look at our ESL Podcast Store that has additional courses in Business and Daily English I’m sure you will like

This is an episode about experiencing virtual reality What is virtual reality? We’ll find out in this episode Let’s get started

[start of dialogue]

Tatiana: Why are you wearing those funny goggles?

Moustafa: I’m trying out a new kind of virtual reality

Tatiana: You mean like flight simulators?

Moustafa: This is much more sophisticated This system creates a complete sensory experience I can see, hear, feel, and nearly taste this 3-D simulation Tatiana: I don’t see how it can do that

Moustafa: With the help of these goggles and headphones, this computer

program re-creates what it’s like to actually be in a particular place, at a particular time It even allows me to interact with different people and things

Tatiana: I can see how that would be useful for gaming, but

Moustafa: It’s not only for gaming It’s useful for a host of other things, including relaxation For instance, right now I’m experiencing what it’s like to be outdoors with the sun shining and the birds chirping

Tatiana: If you open the door, you’ll see that the sun is shining and the birds are chirping

Trang 6

Moustafa: Yes, but with virtual reality, I may never have to get out of this chair again Now isn’t that progress?

[end of dialogue]

Tatiana asks Moustafa, “Why are you wearing those funny goggles?” The word

“funny” here means odd, strange, or unusual We also use the word “funny” when something makes us laugh, but here it’s used to mean weird or strange

“Goggles” (goggles) are things that you wear over your eyes like eyeglasses to protect them The difference between regular eyeglasses and goggles is that goggles have protection on the side so that your eyes are completely protected

or surrounded by the glass (or usually it’s plastic that goggles are made out of) Sometimes there’s a combination of rubber and plastic for goggles

Moustafa says, “I’m trying out a new kind of virtual reality.” “To try out” is a two-word phrasal verb that here means to test something, to do something for the first time, especially when you are trying to determine whether you like it or not and or whether you want to buy it or not “To try out” can also mean to try to become a member of a team That use of the phrasal verb is more common in schools You can “try out” for the basketball team – you can try to become a member of the basketball team But here, “to try out” means to test something

“Virtual reality” is a computer-made or computer-generated experience Usually it involves you wearing a special device that looks like goggles that you put on your head, and it seems as though you are in a different place or experiencing

something that is not real That’s the meaning of the word “virtual” (virtual) in this phrase or term Tatiana says, “You mean like flight simulators?” A “flight (flight) simulator (simulator)” is a machine that is used to teach people how to fly an airplane You’re not actually in the airplane, but you’re in a special machine that makes it seem as if you were in an airplane

Flight simulators, I guess, are a kind of virtual reality, but the virtual reality that people talk about nowadays usually involves something more sophisticated, and often with just something over your eyes, or perhaps something in your ears and over your eyes Moustafa says, “This is much more sophisticated.” The word

“sophisticated” (sophisticated) means here advanced – more complex with more technology He says, “This system creates a complete sensory experience.”

The word “sensory” (sensory) relates to the five senses: taste, touch, smell, sight, and sound Those are called the “five senses” (senses) Then of course there is the “sixth sense,” which is talking to dead people (You have to see the movie to

Trang 7

understand what I mean by that.) Moustafa continues, “I can see, hear, feel, and nearly taste this 3-D simulation.” Well, I doubt he can feel anything although it’s possible

A “3-D simulation” is “three-dimensional” – “three-dimensional” refers to height, length, and width Of course, it only seems as if it were D The real world is

3-D But when you watch a movie – even a movie with virtual reality goggles – it isn’t actually in three dimensions It just seems as if it were A “simulation” is a situation where you’re making something seem as if it were real even though it isn’t Tatiana is confused She says, “I don’t see how it can do that.”

Moustafa replies, “With the help of these goggles and headphones, this computer program re-creates what it’s like to actually be in a particular place, at a particular time.” “Headphones” are things you put over your ears in order to hear music or some other sound that has been recorded The verb “to recreate” (recreate) means to copy how something happened or how something was done to give someone a similar experience

What Moustafa is saying here is that there is a computer program that allows you

to re-create what it’s like to be in a particular place and a particular time Once again, it’s really like watching a movie that makes it seem as though you are there in the action – and that’s what a 3-D movie tries to do Moustafa continues,

“It even allows me to interact with different people and things.” “To interact”

means to talk to or to communicate with another person

Tatiana says, “I can see how that would be useful for gaming, but ” “Gaming” (gaming) means playing video games, something that is very popular nowadays among many people, but not me I grew up in the late ’70s, early ’80s, and video games were just getting started at that time and I never really got that interested

in them, but I know they are very popular among millions of people, just not me Well, Tatiana thinks this virtual reality machine would be useful for gaming, but she doesn’t seem to think it would be useful for anything else

Moustafa disagrees, “It’s not only for gaming,” he says “It’s useful for a host of other things, including relaxation.” A “host (host) of” something is a large number

of something Moustafa is saying that virtual-reality goggles can be used for many different things, including “relaxation” – the act of becoming calm “For instance,” Moustafa says, “right now,” meaning at this time, “I’m experiencing what it’s like to be outdoors with the sun shining and the birds chirping.”

“To be outdoors” (outdoors) means to be outside, not in a house or a building The sun “shines” (shines) from the sky “To shine” means for a light to be

Trang 8

produced The sound that birds make is sometimes described using the verb “to chirp” (chirp) We talk about birds “chirping.” In fact there’s a bird chirping outside

of my window right now So, Moustafa is saying that he can experience things such as being outside in the sunshine with the birds chirping Tatiana says, “If you open the door, you’ll see that the sun is shining and the birds are chirping” – meaning in the real world

Moustafa says, “Yes, but with virtual reality I may never have to get out of this chair again.” He’s saying that he will never have to get out of his chair to stand up and leave his house He says, “Now, isn’t that progress?” “Progress” (progress)

is an improvement over time, often used when we’re talking about technology, although I’m not sure if everything that technology has brought us has resulted in progress

Now let’s listen to the dialogue, this time at a normal speed