ESL podcast 879 – saying no

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GLOSSARY

culinary school – a cooking school; a school that teaches people how to cook,

usually because they want to get a job as a chef

* The culinary school specializes in baking, including fancy cakes and pastries

creation – something that one has made, especially something that one has

created without a model or guide

* What do you think of my latest creation? It’s a robot that matches and folds socks

not on your life – no way; a phrase that strongly means something will not

happen and that one absolutely does not want to participate in it or become involved in it

* A: Would you help me move on Saturday?

B: Not on your life! Your piano is way too heavy and I have a bad back

guinea pig – a small animal like a hamster; someone who is used in an

experiment; someone who is asked to try something just to see what the results will be like

* Is it ethical for scientists to use people as guinea pigs when they’re testing new drugs?

stroke of bad luck – a negative experience or happening that was the result of

bad luck, but presumably would not happen again

* They saved up money to go on a tropical vacation, but in a stroke of bad luck, there were two hurricanes and flooding while they were there

to count (someone) out – to not include someone in an activity; to not ask

someone to participate; to assume that someone will not participate

* The next time you want to go to that restaurant, count me out! The food was terrible

no amount of – a phrase used to emphasize that something will not happen, no

matter how much another person wants it

* I’m sorry if my decision makes you upset, but no amount of crying will change

my mind

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to turn (someone) down – to say no to someone’s request

* Shawn has asked three girls to the dance, but they’ve all turned him down

over (one’s) dead body – a phrase used to emphasize that something definitely

will not happen under any circumstances, at least as long as one is alive

* A: “Mom, I’m thinking of dropping out of school.”

B: “Over my dead body! Now go to sleep and be ready to go to class in the morning, or I’ll take you there myself!”

rather not – a polite phrase used to show that one would prefer not to do

something

* Samuel really wants to buy a new flat-screen TV, but his wife would rather not

victim – a person who suffers as the result of a crime or disease; someone who

is robbed or murdered; someone who has an illness

* People were shocked to learn that the shooting victims were young children

candidate – someone who is being considered for a position or opportunity,

especially someone who wants to be elected for the job

* The company received hundreds of applications for the job, but they’ve

identified four candidates for interviews

last resort – the only remaining option; the only possibility left

* The business is failing, but we’re still hoping we can turn it around Our last resort is to start working for free and asking our employees to do the same

sunk – in a very difficult position, probably going to fail at doing something;

without any hope

* If we lose this client, we’re sunk!

to turn up (one’s) nose – to decide not to accept an offer or to decide not to

have or do something because one thinks it is not good enough

* Mariah was really offended when you turned up your nose at her offer to help you improve your website

Fido – a common name for a male dog

* Sit, Fido Let’s put on your leash and go to the park

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COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1 Why doesn’t Christian want to taste Liang’s creations?

a) Because he thinks her food might make him sick

b) Because she isn’t paying him enough

c) Because he is on a diet and doesn’t want to gain weight

2 What did Jacob mean when he said that he would let Liang cook food for him over his dead body?

a) He is a vegetarian and won’t eat any dead animals

b) He will never eat anything that Liang cooks

c) He is afraid that eating Liang’s creations might kill him

WHAT ELSE DOES IT MEAN?

would rather not

The phrase “would rather not,” in this podcast, is a polite phrase used to show that one would prefer not to do something: “It has been a long week, so I’d rather not go out tonight, if that’s alright with you.” The phrase “or rather” is used to correct or provide more information about what one has just said: “Everyone thought it was a brilliant, or rather, profitable idea.” The phrase “rather (someone) than (someone)” means that one is glad someone else is doing something, and one does not have to: “Did you hear that James has to give the presentation? Rather him than me!” Finally, the word “rather” can mean somewhat or fairly:

“The movie was rather slow and uninteresting.”

sunk

In this podcast, the word “sunk” means in a very difficult position, probably going

to fail at doing something, and without any hope: “If this doesn’t work, we’re sunk!” A “sinking feeling” means an unpleasant feeling that one believes

something bad will happen: “Chad says he has a sinking feeling that the project

is off to a bad start.” If someone’s “heart sinks” or “spirits sink,” that person starts

to lose confidence or optimism: “Vicky’s heart sank as the doctor told her his

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CULTURE NOTE

The Use of Guinea Pigs in Science Experiments

Scientists began “conducting” (carrying out; implementing) experiments on

guinea pigs in the 1600s, and they continued to be popular “laboratory” (place where experiments are done) animals until the late 1900s Some guinea pigs are still used for experimentation, but their use is “declining” (decreasing) Today, mice and rats are more common animals for experimentation

Guinea pigs are a popular choice as laboratory animals because they are “docile” (tame; calm), they don’t mind being “handled” (held by humans), they are easy to feed, and easy to care for They also “reproduce” (have babies) quickly

Guinea pigs have been used to study “anatomical structure” (the structure of bodies), to understand how “calories” (units of energy from food and fat) are used

to produce heat, and to understand the “spread” (transmission) of “infectious diseases” (illnesses that are passed among people) They have also been sent into outer space several times on experimental “spacecrafts” (vehicles that fly into space) Guinea pigs have been particularly useful in studying “scurvy” (a disease produced by a lack of Vitamin C), because they cannot make Vitamin C

on their own, but instead must get it from food, like humans

However, there is always “controversy” (disagreement) over the use of animals in scientific experimentation This is particularly true for “cuddly” (cute and fuzzy) animals like guinea pigs, which some people “keep” (take care of) as “pets” (animals that are kept for fun, not for food) Some people are “appalled” (shocked and horrified) by the use of guinea pigs in laboratories, and some organizations fight against experimentation on animals, including guinea pigs

Comprehension Questions Correct Answers: 1 – a; 2 – b

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COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT

Welcome to English as a Second Language Podcast number 879: Saying No This is English as a Second Language Podcast number 879 I’m your host Dr Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center for Educational Development in beautiful Los Angeles, California

Our website is ESLPod.com Go there and take a look at our ESL Podcast Store which has some additional courses in English I think you will like

This episode is a dialog between Liang and Christian about telling someone that you don't want to do something, telling them “no.” Let's get started

[start of dialog]

Liang: I have a favor to ask

Christian: Uh oh, what is it?

Liang: I’m doing a project for my class in culinary school and I need a volunteer

to taste some of my creations

Christian: Not on your life

Liang: But, why?

Christian: You don’t remember the last time I was your guinea pig? I was sick for two days

Liang: That was a stroke of bad luck Come on, please

Christian: Count me out No amount of pleading is going to change my mind I bet I’m not the first person you’ve asked

Liang: Well, no

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Liang: He said that he would let me cook food for him over his dead body

Christian: That’s what I thought Did you ask Mele, too?

Liang: Yes, and she said she’d rather not

Christian: Who’s next on your list of victims, I mean candidates?

Liang: You’re my last resort If you won’t do it, then I’m sunk

Christian: The answer is still no, but I know someone who won’t turn up his nose

at your cooking

Liang: Who?

Christian: Come here, Fido!

[end of dialog]

Liang says to Christian, at the beginning of our dialogue, “I have a favor to ask.” I have something I want you to do for me Christian says, “Uh oh, what is it?” “Uh oh” is an expression that we use when we believe something bad is going to happen In this case, Christian isn't sure what Liang is going to ask him He's a little afraid Liang says “I'm doing a project for my class in culinary school and I need a volunteer to taste some of my creations.” A “project” is an assignment, something the teacher told them to do “Culinary (culinary) school” is a school that teaches people how to cook, how to become a chef Liang needs a volunteer – someone who will do it willingly – to taste some of her creations “Creation” is normally something that you make It’s sometimes used by artists Here it's being used by Liang to talk about the food that she is going to prepare

Christian says, “Not on your life.” “Not on your life” means “no way.” It's a phrase

we use to say very strongly that you are not going to do something or something

is not going to happen Liang says, “But why?” Christian says, “You don't

remember the last time I was your guinea pig?” A “guinea pig” is literally a small animal, like a hamster However, in English we use it to mean someone who is asked to try something to see what will happen, someone who is being used in

an experiment You're not really sure what's going to happen This is probably because guinea pigs were used in medical experiments – and perhaps still are, I

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something that might hurt you Christian says, “I was sick for two days.” The last time he was Liang's guinea pig, he was sick for two days

Christian isn't very interested in helping Liang Liang says, however, “That was a stroke of bad luck.” A “stroke of bad luck” means it was a negative experience but it probably won't happen again It was just bad luck It was just an accident It was something that happened that will probably not happen again She then says, “Come on, please.” “Come on” is often used in English to get someone to agree with you or to go with you In this case, Liang wants Christian to agree to taste her creations Christian says, “Count me out.” This is another way of saying

“no.” “Count me out” means don't include me in that activity I don't want to

participate Christian says, “No amount of pleading is going to change my mind.”

“To plead” (plead) means to beg someone, to ask them repeatedly, perhaps in a somewhat sad way Your children might plead with you to buy them an ice cream cone or take them to the circus or a carnival, “Oh Dad, please, please, I really want to go, Dad.” That was me when I was younger Well, Christian says, “No amount of pleading is going to change my mind.” “No amount of” is a phrase we use to emphasize that this thing is not going to happen It doesn't matter what the other person says So, we put those two together “no amount” and “pleading,” and we get the idea here that it doesn't matter what Liang says or how much she pleads with Christian He's not going to change his mind He's not going to

change his opinion, change his decision

Christian says, “I bet I'm not the first person you’ve asked,” Christian knows that Liang has gone and asked some of her other friends perhaps, to do what she wants them to do and they probably said “no” too Liang says, “Well, no…” – no, you're not the first person I've asked

Christian says, “Who else has turned you down?” “Who else” means what other person “To turn someone down” is a two-word phrasal verb meaning to say no

to someone’s request Someone asks you to do something and you say “no.” The President of the United States asked me to become an ambassador, an official representative of the United States, but I turned him down I said “No, Mr President, I'm very busy here doing ESL Podcast, much more important than anything you have for me.”

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for him over his dead body.” That's a popular expression – “to do something over

my dead body” or “over his dead body.” The idea is that you will not let this

happen You will not allow this to happen under any situation, under any

circumstances I would have to be dead before I allow that In other words, I would die rather than allow you to do that So, it's a very strong way of saying

“No, I'm not going to permit this.” I'm not going to allow this I'm not going to say yes to this

Christian says, “That's what I thought Did you ask Mele, too?” Liang says, “Yes, and she said she'd rather not.” “Rather not” is a polite way of saying “no,” when someone asks you to do something Someone says, “Would you go to the movie with me?” And you say, “Well, I'd rather not I'm kind of tired.” It's a more polite way of saying no.”

Christian then asks, “Who's next on your list of victims I mean, candidates.” A

“victim” (victim) is a person who suffers because of some sort of crime or disease

or bad situation – that would be a victim Christian also uses the word

“candidate.” A “candidate” is someone who's being considered for a job or for a position, something positive, some sort of opportunity A candidate could also be someone who wants to be elected to a government position Christian says,

“Who's next” – who's the next person – “on your list of victims, I mean,

candidates.” He's making a joke When you want to say something bad about someone or criticize something, you may use this form of criticism, or of making

a joke that has some sort of criticism in it For example, you're talking to your neighbor and the neighbor has a big dog It's a huge dog and you’re a little afraid

of it So, you may say, “So, John how is your lion, I mean, dog?” A lion, of

course, is a big, mean, ferocious animal You are comparing the dog to a lion and

so you call it a dog, and then you act like it was a mistake “Oh, I mean” – I

meant to say, what I should have said was – “a dog.” That's how we use that particular structure

Christian says, “Who's next on your list of victims, I mean, candidates?” Liang says, “You're my last resort.” “To be the last resort” (resort) means you're the only remaining option, the only possibility left Liang says, “If you won't do it” – if you will not do it – “then I'm sunk.” “To be sunk” (sunk) means that you are in a very difficult situation, a situation in which you will probably not succeed, in which you will probably fail

Christian says, “The answer is still no,” meaning he is not going to do it, “but I know someone who won't turn up his nose at your cooking.” The expression “to

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is offering you is not good enough “I offered him a thousand dollars to come and fix my car and he turned his nose up at my offer He thought that was too low.” It wasn't good enough for him

More commonly, we use this expression when someone thinks their new better than another person So, she said no to the man at the bar She turned his nose

up at his offer to go dancing She thought she was too beautiful for him That would be a more common use of that expression

Well, Christian knows someone who will not turn his nose up at the cooking of Liang Liang says, “Who?” Christian then says, “Come here, Fido.” “Fido” (Fido) used to be a common name for a male dog What of course Christian is saying is that his dog will eat Liang's food, but he won't That's not a very nice thing for Christian to say I feel sorry for poor Liang “I feel sorry for her” means I feel badly for her I hope she finds someone to taste her cooking

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