Background: This ESL podcast is about how important it is to have a positive attitude about life. In this English learning podcast we see someone that isn’t so happy and see what it does to his life. Tell us your experience with being positive on the discussion forum linked below.
Discussion forum Lesson Below
ESL Conversation
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A: What’s going on? You don’t seem to be your usual self. B: Well, things aren’t great at the moment. I can’t make any good friends in this city and no one wants to hire me with my sociology degree. A: It’s a huge city. Why can’t you make any friends? B: I don’t know. It just seems everyone is really cliquey and unapproachable here. A: What’s the problem with the job hunt then? B: I’ve sent out a few resumes and heard nothing. I don’t have much experience and companies don’t want anyone with a degree that isn’t practical. A: Ok, fair enough, life isn’t the easiest right now. But don’t be so down on yourself. Your negativity is killing you. I know. I’ve been there. The limiting beliefs will turn into a reality if you let them. B: That’s easy for you to say, you’ve already got a great job and a lot of good friends. You also studied business at a great school. No one wants a guy with a degree in Sociology. A: I’m telling you, this will turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy. The more you believe it the more likely it will come true. Remember, that is just a general opinion. It isn’t a fact. I’m positive that some people with degrees in sociology have jobs. It’s true that if people just read your degree on a resume it might slightly lower your chances of getting a job. But companies are always looking for good people. You’ve got to do some networking and get the word out that you are looking for a job. If you impress people with the type of person you are, I’m sure you’ll find something. You’ve just got to keep your head up. B: I guess your right. It’s just tough to do it without any friends to support me. A: So make some friends. Get out of the house and do things. Just be sociable and talk to people. You’ve also got to somehow get yourself in a better mood too. People won’t want to make friends with you if you are depressed and negative. People won’t become your friend out of pity. B: I’ll try it then. Thanks for the support.
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Phrases and Vocabulary used:
You don’t seem to be your usual self: This is something you can tell someone if they seem to be acting differently than they usually do. Usually you say this if they seem to be upset or depressed about something but aren’t telling you the reason.
Sociology: The study of the social world. It’s about studying different societies and the way humans interact with each other.
Cliquey: This word describes people who seem to want to stay with just their own group of people and don’t want to meet or talk to anyone else. You could say that the models who go to that bar are beautiful but are hard to talk to because they seem to be really cliquey. This means that they only socialize with their own friends and other people in their group. They don’t want to meet “outsiders”
Job hunt: We sometimes say this instead of “job search”. They mean the same thing.
Fair enough: This is something we can say when we agree with someone’s point. It means you understand their point of view and are willing to agree with them.
Don’t be so down on yourself: This expression means, “Don’t have such a negative attitude about yourself”. “Don’t think of yourself as being useless and worthless”.
Negativity: This is just referring to someone who is always saying negative things. If are on a trip with someone and they said, “This weather is horrible. I hate the food here. The people are rude too”. You could say to them. “I don’t want to hear your negativity”. Or “Your negativity isn’t helping anyone”.
Limiting beliefs: These are things you believe to be true but are holding you back or making your life worse. “I’m to young to…” or “no body wants to date me because I am short”. Those are limiting beliefs.
Self-fulfilling prophecy: This is something that is not necessarily true but is more likely to become true because you believe it. For example, if you think, “No beautiful girls will want to date me because I’m too short” then this might make you scared to talk to beautiful girls. If you don’t talk to them, you won’t date them, and your original thought will seem to become true. It will seem as though you were right from the beginning. Another short guy might not have this belief and maybe he will meet a beautiful girl because he wasn’t afraid to talk to them.
Get the word out: This means to tell many people something and have many as many people know about something as possible. Companies always try to think of the best ways to get the word out about their new products.
Keep your head up: This means to “stay positive” or “look on the bright side”.
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