Prague Lesson 1

Welcome to LIVE CONVERSATIONS “PRAGUE: Lesson 1!” Any questions or comments? Please write us at: support@realenglishnow.com

Please watch the video below. Remember: Don’t write anything. Just watch and listen. By the end of the lesson you will understand everything!

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Mark: So, I’m here with my friend Matt who’s been to Prague a million times. Well, maybe not a million. And that’s why I chose him because he’ll have good insight on the city—at least I hope.

Matt: (laughing) Yeah…
So…this first picture is of course where…?

Matt: The Charles Bridge in the center of Prague.

Mark: And where does it take you from and to?

Matt: If you’re on the Charles Bridge walking — let’s say you were in the dead center of the bridge—if you were to walk east…

Mark: Uh-huh. Which way is that in this picture?

Matt: That would be…

Mark: Away from the castle? I see a castle…

Matt: …be away from the castle….

Mark: Okay.

Matt: …is east.

Matt: That would take you—yes—into the Old Town Square. And after you’ve gotten off the bridge and navigated a few of the streets, which is considered the center of Prague.

Mark: And if you go the other way, I guess west?

Matt: If you go the other way, you go into a section of town called Mala Strana which is the small village below the castle. And then as you see in the picture, if you were to veer to the northwest, there’s the castle and then you end up under the whole Castle District, is… Hradcany. I’m not sure how it’s pronounced in Czech.

Mark: It looks like there’s (there’s = there’re, not gramatically correct but is commonly used in casual spoken English) sculptures on the bridge.

Matt: Oh yeah! Those are sculptures of…I…now I’m not real… I do believe they’re saints. Um, patron saints of …I…I…certain Czech patron saints, I guess?

Mark: I…

Matt: Oh, go ahead.

Mark: I was saying there’s like a bridge like this in Rome. That was one of the other cities we did in this Live Convo thing. And…I can’t remember now if it was the Rome Bridge which looked like this or Prague where some…I kind of overheard a tour guide saying like, “These aren’t the real sculptures. They took ’em (= them) down and these are like replicas.”

Matt: That’s in Prague. They took…You can go see the real sculptures. They’re being stored maybe in a museum. Because these were getting just weathered (= deteriorating due to being exposed to weather) and vandalized sitting out there like that.

Mark: Is it – of course it’s just a painting – is that just a walking bridge or is there vehicle traffic?

Matt: Walking.

Mark: Only walking?

Matt: Yeah, you can’t drive over it. I don’t know when the last time, if ever, you could drive over it.

Mark: And it’s just a beautiful bridge.

Matt: Yeah.

Mark: I think the next picture—let me see if I can go to picture number two. Yeah, so, so now, we’re looking at a photo of it. It looks kind of deserted, but I remember there being like a lot of activity on the bridge.

Matt: That bridge is usually packed (= a lot of something within a small space).

Mark: “Packed” meaning with a lot of people.

Matt: Just tourists. Yeah, throngs of tourists.

Mark: Selling stuff, too?

Matt: There’s guys selling stuff. You’ll see musicians busking.

Mark: Busking? What does that mean?

Matt: Busking like, “You know I’m busking on the streets of Dublin.” I’m playing my guitar and singing. That’s the–

Mark: There’s a word called “busking?”

Matt: Yeah, that’s a slang term. Busking.

Mark: Ladies and gentlemen, I just learned a new English word. How do you spell it?

Matt: Just how it (sounds) B-U-S-K-I-N-G.

Mark: To busk. I would just–

Matt: To busk.

Mark: Huh. I would call it, I don’t know, pan-handling.

Matt: Yeah, it’s a term as a musician.

Mark: Busking.

Matt: Yeah, I’m busking. I’m playing my guitar right on (= directly on) the street corner in Prague for change. I’m busking.

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Step 1

Listen to Audio #1 below.
Listening before reading is very important. Please, DO NOT read the text yet. If you don’t understand the audio, that’s okay. Listen now, at least two times.

step2

Click below (where it says, ‘Click to reveal #1’) and compare the sentences. See the highlighted phrases? They both have the same meaning. But the 1st one is what students of English say. (For example: “knowledge of…”). The 2nd one is what native speakers say, (“Insight on”). Listen one more time, and then go to Step #3.

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Insight on = knowledge of

Remember, in these four groups of sentences below, a native speaker will usually use the 2nd version. So, “Insight on” is the advanced phrase we want to learn.

I interviewed the mayor for his knowledge of local politics.
I interviewed the mayor for his insight on local politics.

For special knowledge of the Wimbeldon finals we spoke with former champion Boris Becker.
For special insight on the Wimbeldon finals we spoke with former champion Boris Becker.

Apple has always had great knowledge of what people want from their computers and phones.
Apple has always had great insight on what people want from their computers and phones.

I chose him because he’ll have good insight on the city.
I chose him because he’ll have good knowledge of the city.

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step3

Make a study card. (Also called a “flashcard”). Write one of the example sentences on your card, and underline the new word. On the other side of the card, write the translation in your first language. Please make these flashcards now, as you go through the lesson. Then repeat Steps 1 – 3 for each word below.

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in the dead center = directly in the middle
Remember, the 2nd version (using “dead center”) is how a native speaker will probably say these sentences.

His arrow hit directly in the middle of the target.
His arrow hit in the dead center of the target.

The boat sank directly in the middle of the lake.
The boat sank in the dead center of the lake.

The 50 yard line is directly in the middle of the football field.
The 50 yard line is in the dead center of the football field.

Let’s say you were directly in the middle of the bridge.
Let’s say you were in the dead center of the bridge.

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veer = turn (often: to turn suddenly)

When the tire exploded, our car turned suddenly off the road into a ditch.
When the tire exploded, our car veered off the road into a ditch.

His stories usually start with humor but soon turn towards darker themes.
His stories usually start with humor but soon veer towards darker themes.

When the police car approached, the bank robber turned suddenly into an alley.
When the police car approached, the bank robber veered into an alley.

If you were to turn to the northwest, there’s the castle
If you were to veer to the northwest, there’s the castle

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to end up = to arrive (after your journey), to come to (when you stop)

We got lost and arrived in Texas instead of New Mexico.
We got lost and ended up in Texas instead of New Mexico.

Take this road and you’ll arrive near the museum.
Take this road and you’ll end up near the museum.

Follow the red lines on the floor and you’ll arrive by the laboratory.
Follow the red lines on the floor and you’ll end up by the laboratory.

You arrive (after your journey) under the whole Castle District.
You end up under the whole Castle District.

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I do believe = I think

I think this is copper, but I’m not certain.
I do believe this is copper, but I’m not certain.

Chris went to the mall, I think.
Chris went to the mall, I do believe.

The museum opens at 9 AM, I think.
The museum opens at 9 AM, I do believe.

I think they’re saints.
I do believe they’re saints.

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throngs of = a very large amounts of (always related to people)

A very large amount of fans waited outside the movie star’s hotel.
Throngs of waited outside the movie star’s hotel.

A very large amount of photographers tried to take pictures of the royal baby.
Throngs of photographers tried to take pictures of the royal baby.

The day before Christmas there were a very large amount of shoppers at the mall.
The day before Christmas there were throngs of shoppers at the mall.

Yeah, a very large amount of tourists.
Yeah, throngs of tourists.

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pan-handling = begging for money (on the street)

There are a lot of beggars in New York.
There are a lot of pan-handlers in New York.

Pablo had no money and needed a ticket home so he begged for money outside the train station.
Pablo had no money and needed a ticket home so he pan-handled outside the train station.

The sign reads: No Begging For Money Allowed!
The sign reads: No Pan-Handling Allowed!

I would call it begging for money.
I would call it pan-handling.

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Step 1.

First, read the “Easy” sentence. Then, try to think of the advanced expression that we learned which has the same meaning as the highlighted expression.

Easy: I interviewed the mayor for his knowledge of into local politics.

Advanced: I interviewed the mayor for his ___ ___ local politics.

Step 2.

Play the audio file to check your answer.

Step 3.

Play the audio again, and repeat, until you can say it from memory.

Step 4.

Repeat Steps 1 – 3 for each set below.

Easy: The boat sank directly in the middle/span> of the lake.
Advanced: The boat sank ___ ___ ___ ____ of the lake.

Easy: When the police car approached, the bank robber turned suddenly into an alley.
Advanced: When the police car approached, the bank robber ____ into an alley.

Easy: We got lost and arrived in Texas instead of New Mexico.
Advanced: We got lost and ____ ____ in Texas instead of New Mexico.

Easy: Chris went to the mall, I think.
Advanced: Chris went to the mall,___ ___ ______ .

Easy: The day before Christmas there were a very large amount of shoppers at the mall.
Advanced: The day before Christmas there were ____ ____ shoppers at the mall.

Easy: Pablo had no money and needed a ticket home so he begged for money outside the train station.
Advanced: Pablo had no money and needed a ticket home so he _______ outside the train station.