Prague Lesson 2

Welcome to LIVE CONVERSATIONS “PRAGUE: Lesson 2!” 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!

[toggle title=”Click to reveal Movie Script”]

Mark: Interesting. And we’re still looking, we’re still looking west because I see the castle there.

Matt: Yeah, right into the Mala Strana. And once you go through that little archway, you get into really some old beautiful parts of Prague that I just—the cobblestone streets, and you know, very fairy-tailish looking.

Mark: Yeah, it does look fairy-tailish.

Matt: Oh yeah! Prague looks like a Hans Christian Andersen… you know a scene out of a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale. And the architecture as you can see is just…

Mark: Would you call it Gothic?

Matt: Yeah, that’s Gothic. But Prague’s a mix of all kinds of architectural styles—cubism. Obviously gothic. Modernism. And you know, I don’t know all my isms (- isms is not a common or often used word. Matt used it here to reference the various words that could have ended with “ism”. For example, cubism, modernism. So by saying isms, he is talking about the various artistic style categories that can be expressed with the ending “ism”) in architecture. But it’s…that’s what it’s known for.

Mark: Interesting!

Matt: Or one of the things it’s known for.

Mark: Can you tell where this picture is taken?

Matt: That is… I think… That picture is on the way up to the castle, right? That’s in Hradčany right under the castle—the stairs, the switchbacks you kinda have to go up.

Mark: What’s a switchback? It’s like when you go up, and then to go up a hill, you got to go back…

Matt: Go back and forth and back.

Mark: How long is that hike, like from the bridge that we were looking at, to get…

Matt: Charles Bridge up to the castle? I’ve done it. Maybe you can do it in 30 or 40 minutes, maybe. At a brisk pace.

Mark: Is it a hard hike? It looks pretty steep up there.

Matt: Yeah, it is. It is pretty steep, but it’s not bad.

Mark: I just like the angle…because that’s Dasha… standing in the middle and you can kinda see up and down. And this is maybe off the topic, but what is the attraction? I mean, you’ve been to Prague…How many times have you been to Prague?

Matt: Seven now.

Mark: Seven. Over what span of time?

Matt: Over four and a half, five years I think.

Mark: At least once a year, sometimes twice. And so..And how did that start? What was the first, what was the impetus at first to go to Prague?

Matt: Well, my friend from high school—one of my best friends—lives there, moved there in 2001 in April. And he…ever since then has been pestering me to come visit, come visit, come visit. And finally, I did in 2006. I don’t know why it took me that long to go and visit him. But it did. But then, I had been to Paris in 1996. And was…It got planted in my brain that I want to live in Europe someday. So I ended up moving to Phoenix.

Mark: Wrong direction.

Matt: Exactly, I went to the wrong direction.

[/toggle]

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.

[toggle title=”Click to reveal #1″]

–ish = similar to; somewhat
Remember, in these four groups of sentences below, a native speaker will usually use the 2nd version. So, “–ish” is the advanced phrase we want to learn.

The design of their house is very similar to Frank Lloyd Wright.
The design of their house is very Frank Lloyd Wright-ish.

Eggplant is a somewhatpurple vegetable.
Eggplant is a purple-ish vegetable.

Their music is kind of similar to the Beatles.
Their music is kind of Beatles-ish.

Prague is very similar to a fairytale.
Prague is very fairytale-ish.

[/toggle]

step3

Make a study card. 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.

[toggle title=”Click to reveal #2″]

brisk = quick and energetic
Remember, the 2nd version (using “brisk”) is how a native speaker will probably say these sentences.

My grandmother takes a quick and energetic walk every morning.
My grandmother takes a brisk walk every morning.

Business today at our store was very quick and energetic .
Business today at our store was very brisk .

I took a quick and energetic swim in the sea and now I feel great!
I took a brisk swim in the sea and now I feel great!

You can walk to the castle in 30 or 40 minutes, at a quick and energetic pace.
You can walk to the castle in 30 or 40 minutes, at a brisk pace.

[/toggle]

[toggle title=”Click to reveal #3″]

now = in total

I’ve read that book three times in total.
I’ve read that book three times now.

How many times is that, in total, that you’ve watched that movie?
How many times is that, now, that you’ve watched that movie?

That’s twice, in total, that you’ve made that mistake.
That’s twice, now, that you’ve made that mistake.

I’ve been to Prague seven times in total.
I’ve been to Prague seven times now.

[/toggle]

[toggle title=”Click to reveal #4″]

impetus = motivation

I think his desire to live near the ocean was the motivation for him moving to San Diego.
I think his desire to live near the ocean was the impetus for him moving to San Diego.

I’d love to ride a motorcycle across Russia. That’s my motivation for learning Russian.
I’d love to ride a motorcycle across Russia. That’s my impetus for learning Russian.

Getting a good job is the motivation for most students to do well in school.
Getting a good job is the impetus for most students to do well in school.

What was the motivation at first to go to Prague?
What was the impetus at first to go to Prague?

[/toggle]

[toggle title=”Click to reveal #5″]

ever since then (sometimes just: ever since) = since that time

They fell in love in high school and have been together since that time.
They fell in love in high school and have been together ever since.

My car broke down last week and it’s been driving poorly since that time.
My car broke down last week and it’s been driving poorly ever since.

I moved out of my house when I was 17 and since that time I’ve been on my own.
I moved out of my house when I was 17 and ever since then I’ve been on my own.

And since that time he has been pestering me to come visit him.
And ever since then he has been pestering me to come visit him.

[/toggle]

[toggle title=”Click to reveal #6″]

pestering = bothering (with words)

Stop bothering me with questions and let me work!
Stop pestering me with questions and let me work!

My son was bothering me for a new bike.
My son was pestering me for a new bike.

They were bothering me for an interview
They were pestering me for an interview

And ever since then he has been bothering me to come visit him.
And ever since then he has been pestering me to come visit him.

[/toggle]

[toggle title=”Click to reveal #7″]

it got planted in my brain = that’s when I had the idea

That’s when I had the idea that I want to become a doctor.
It got planted in my brain that I want to become a doctor.

When I heard Led Zeppelin that’s when I had the idea that I wanted to become a musician.
When I heard Led Zeppelin it got planted in my brain that I wanted to become a musician.

After I watched STAR WARS that’s when I had the idea that I wanted to work in Hollywood.
After I watched STAR WARS it got planted in my brain that I wanted to work in Hollywood.

That’s when I had the idea that I want to live in Europe someday.
It got planted in my brain that I want to live in Europe someday.

[/toggle]

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: The design of their house is very similar to Frank Lloyd Wright.

Advanced: The design of their house is very Frank Lloyd Wright-___.

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: My grandmother takes a quick and energetic walk every morning.
Advanced: My grandmother takes a _____ walk every morning.

Easy: I’ve read that book three times in total.
Advanced: I’ve read that book three times ___.

Easy: I think his desire to live near the ocean was the motivation for him moving to San Diego.
Advanced: I think his desire to live near the ocean was the _____ for him moving to San Diego.

Easy: They fell in love in high school and have been together since that time.
Advanced: They fell in love in high school and have been together ____ ____ .