ESL Podcast: In this ESL Podcast we talking about going back to school. If you want to get a better job, do you think it is a good idea to go back to school and get an MBA? Learn great vocabulary for Business and daily life in this podcast about going back to school. Discussion forum
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ESL Conversation
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A: What are you doing tomorrow?
B: I’m starting my MBA. A: I thought you hated business. What changed your mind? B: I do hate it, but I need to start making more money. A: MBA’s are a dime a dozen these days. Are you sure that is the best route to take? B: I want to ask my boss for a big pay raise. I don’t think I’ll be able to get much of a pay raise without an MBA. A: Why not? B: An MBA will justify my request. A: Don’t sell yourself short. Your boss knows how valuable you are to the company. You’ve been there for years. You don’t need a piece of paper to prove anything. It’s all in your head. B: I think you might be right.
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Phrases and Vocabulary used:
Dime a dozen: This phrase means that something is not very valuable. A dozen means 12. A dime means 10 cents. A dime a dozen obviously means worth very little money. It is often used as an exaggeration, but it’s a fun way to make a point.
Lawyers are a dime a dozen is another common one.
Best route to take: A "route" is a choice or set of choices. People have lots of different options in their lives. Each option is a different route. Clearly some routes are better than others.
Justify: To "justify" something it basically means to prove it is reasonable.
You are not a kid anymore. You make your own decisions without having to justify them.
Don’t sell yourself short: This phrase means, "don’t undervalue yourself". Give yourself credit.
Piece of paper: Sometimes we refer to university degrees as "pieces of paper". It’s what to say when you want to show that a degree isn’t as important as someone might think.
It’s all in your head: This phrase means that it is untrue in reality, but only seems true from the person’s point of view.
May 11th, 2009 at 5:33 am
Dear sirs,
I would like to thank you for your free podcasts, I am an English teacher.
It is really difficult to download the podcasts, do you have any idead ?\
Feri
May 11th, 2009 at 5:57 am
Hello,
What exactly is your problem with downloading the podcasts? Is it too slow, or you just can’t download them at all?
May 11th, 2009 at 11:22 am
What I mean is that I can only download to listen to them here in my pc, what I like to save them so that I am able to use them for future use.
Feri
May 11th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
if you right click on the download button and choose “save link as” it should work for you. Also, you could download itunes and subscribe to the rss feed
May 11th, 2009 at 1:15 pm
Hey guys!
My congrats with such a pleasant \"turmoil\" in your lives! I mean moving in new apartment and new studio, launching a new business model. It sounds really great and I\’m very delighted to hear it as well! I\’m sure you\’re gonna make a bunch of money, rather make a killing, I would say, because of the huge demand for and high quality of your wonderful products! Keep up good work, guys, and thanks for improving my English. I feel you\’ve played a huge role on this one!
Maxim
May 11th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
Thank you for your full dialog sciprt, I’m appriciate it so much . Good job you guys
May 12th, 2009 at 7:01 am
Hi,Guys,
Actually,I have been listening to your podcasts a few months ago and I thought you two are such a good guys to teach people who want to learn English as a second language by free and wroking as well,however,I really do not know if you can get anything for doing this but I do know you two are a good teacher outside of school and make me speak English like a native speaker even I have never been abord to study or travelling.
One more thing,I have written comments before in last year about spelling some vocabularies not all of them but you two did not answer me,but however,I do thank you both for great job.
May 12th, 2009 at 11:04 am
I would love to have one of the three bonus lessons as a sample too!
May 13th, 2009 at 6:37 am
guys really love to hear your voices again!
you are so addictive as a said before.
wish you the best of luck best brothers!
May 13th, 2009 at 7:24 am
Hello, Androw and addison
I have a surprise for you !!!!
I hadn\’t been bad in english but after i listen to you
I get an interview and I found my self FLUENT in talking english
(no searching for words inside my mind and non-stop talking english).
Sooooooo , If you visit egypt soon,you will be my guests and you will see things you never saw in egypt all for free on my charge as a present for my friends.
Thanks
Tarek Mamdouh
Faculty of enginering
Helwan university
Egypt
May 16th, 2009 at 12:43 am
We use that phrase ” a dime a dozen ” in Arabic but we say ” a piastre a ten ” and as we are talking about dimes and nickels, this VIP service will make money talk.
May 16th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
i got a question what is the phrase or word used to explain someone who only wants other people to get advantage of them?
May 16th, 2009 at 5:46 pm
Michael,
I guess it depends on the situation, but often if someone is trying to take advantage of someone else we say they are \"using\" them.
If a girl dates a guy only because he is rich, we say she is \"using\" him.
We can say, \"she doesn\’t really like him, she\’s just using him for his money\".
Hope this helps,
Andy
May 16th, 2009 at 6:31 pm
Thx dear Andy
to explain the situation better : i’m known to be a top student in university. recently a guy who’s so snobbish getting closer to me, he’s one of those guys who make the friendship or even relationship only to use other people . once andrew described employees who are unexpectedly nice to their boss(to get promotion probably!lol) as people who sucking up to the boss,an adjective of suck might be sucker but it means people who can easily tricked . so i suppose he’s sucking up to me(does not give me a nice feeling) so what would you call this kinda of person?
May 17th, 2009 at 2:01 am
Hi Michael,
It sounds to me like this guy is using you. If he’s very tricky about it and is good at changing what people think, you can say he is “manipulative”.
He manipulates people to get what he wants.
He uses them.
May 17th, 2009 at 9:05 am
Thank you so much Andy
you guys are rocks!
let me know if i can keep asking you such a questions like this, coz i’m full of them !
May 18th, 2009 at 4:49 am
im english learner in china.any one who wanna study english pls add me as your friend at skype or msn,
my msn:cxmmxc_5@hotmail.com
skype:cszero_marketing
hope talk to u guys soon
May 19th, 2009 at 5:59 am
Hi guys, I’m really happy for get a good decision about VIP for members, we absolutely support you and wish you make a lot of money for your business.
May 19th, 2009 at 6:33 am
Hi. Hey you guys, I love this website, I’ve been listening to all of ur podcasts and I’ve improved a lot the way I speak english. Thanks a lot. Keep it up
May 19th, 2009 at 8:30 pm
would you please tell me what does it mean “you need a reality check”
May 20th, 2009 at 8:54 am
Joey,
If someone needs a “reality check” it means that they need to stop dreaming and get realistic.
I could say, “You need a reality check if you think that you will improve your English by only studying for only 5 minutes a week”.
Any time someone is being unrealistic about something, you can tell them they need a reality check. I often need a reality check in my own life. Haha.
Andy
May 20th, 2009 at 10:33 am
thx, Andy
what i do,though is not thinking about furure at all. to be honest, what i dream about never happens, what i don’t happen always which are all awesome!
i can’t see any problem with your need
Joey
May 21st, 2009 at 10:20 am
To my celebrities B-)
continuing the reality check issue, what would you call someone who has an extremely possitive attitude, in a way that is way too unrealistic, like you lent me a book after 2 monthes you send me message and i don’t reply,you keep sending messages and still don’t get any reply. after 4 monthes you’re still hoping to have it back, and thinking well maybe he just did n’t recieve my messages(text message),and …
some say stupid or fool are good adjectives for this guy,they are! but they are general rather specific, can you think of any specific adjective?
June 16th, 2009 at 4:51 am
im english learner in china.any one who wanna study english pls add me as your friend at skype or msn,
my msn:cxmmxc_5@hotmail.com
skype:cszero_marketing
hope talk to u guys soon
August 6th, 2009 at 9:15 pm
hey guys i like very much your website and i’m in the proud of honors because i feel like an angel with your section website , my email ios hanani2312@hotmail.com
August 16th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
Hi Guys,
you site is phenomenal, I must admit, truly. Do you feel flattered?:)
Ok. I have tried many times to download e.g. EBOOK.pdf or 120-MBA.pdf file, however, I have failed so far. Is there anything tricky there or am I so unskillful? Anyways, please help me out, thanks. Matthew
March 22nd, 2010 at 3:50 pm
Dear Andrew and Andy,
Firts of all, I am deeply indebted to you and your great effort in free section and i want to invite you to visite Egypt and i will be your guide to show you a wonderful places in Egypt.
Have a nice day,
Amr Wady.
March 28th, 2010 at 9:04 pm
Hello guys,
I want to congratulate you on getting the new studio and the new apartment too and i wish you good luck with them and the new free podcast too, Lol
Regards,
Amr Wady from Egypt.
November 5th, 2010 at 2:33 pm
Awesome, I have learned a lot since I found your website. Thank you very much.
May 28th, 2011 at 11:02 am
I noticed that – sound in new studio is clearer. Maybe I am wrong, but sound is different and better.
May 28th, 2011 at 11:03 am
What a coincidence, I am getting MBA.
May 28th, 2011 at 11:04 am
As for VIP, it`s right. You shouldn’t do all show for free. The show is evolving and getting better. We love your show guys. Don’t give up the show.
And full transcripts – it’s really cool! But, it would be better at the beginning of the show (at earlier lessons). I mean, when you get this podcast – you understand better and better, so you don’t need transcripts at all, as you listen and understand gays very well.