Prague Lesson 7

Welcome to LIVE CONVERSATIONS “PRAGUE: Lesson 7!” 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 this you wouldn’t know, because I don’t think you’ve been there. This town, near, maybe an hour away by bus, is called Karlovy Vary. Have you heard of it?

Matt: I’ve certainly heard of it. Yeah.

Mark: What do you know about it, anything?

Matt: Not a lot. I’ve heard it’s pretty. I think there’s a film festival there. I think the Czech International Film Festival is in Karlovy Vary every year.

Mark: But like we went… It was freezing. It was 5 below (= speaking of tempurature: 5 degrees below zero). Like, that’s more tempting when it’s spring or fall.

Matt: Sure!

Mark: Somehow, I guess maybe we felt like… We had…We’d been in…We were there for maybe eight days. And so this was like our last day. And we’re like okay, “We feel we know Prague. Let’s see one more town.” And I think that was half of it like, “Let’s just take a road trip.”

Matt: And you guys did go into the hot-springs? I think it might be in Karlovy Vary or one of these towns. I bet it’s there. You can actually bathe in beer.

Mark: That’s awesome!

Matt: They will have a giant tub with hundreds upon hundreds of gallons of beer. And you’re in there like a hot tub with other people. Only in the Czech Republic.

Mark: Yeah, seriously. Wow!

Matt: Where they drink literally more beer per capita than any other country.

Mark: Wow! Really?

Matt: They are the biggest beer drinkers — more than the Germans – in the world.

Mark: Wow! Yeah, you know the Germans are going to fight that.

Matt: Oh! Give us a break!

Mark: Wow, I didn’t know that.

Matt: The Czech’s got ’em beat.

Mark: Can you tell even what we’re looking at—this little snake guy?

Matt: Is this a…I’m looking at temperatures and I see 30⁰C, 86⁰F. It looks like a grave to me. However, the temperature…

Mark: The cue is what’s coming out of his mouth, that’s… it’s a fountain.

Matt: Oh it is! I couldn’t see that.

Mark: And that’s water, I believe… That’s water straight from that hot-spring. And they’re telling you the temperature of the water. Yeah, the temperature of water. And so what people do, I’ll show you the next picture.

Mark: And you’ve seen the cup here in our apartment, it’s very dainty (= small, petite) – I would use that word.

Matt: It does look dainty.

Mark: You buy this little cup and you drink –not out of the cup – there’s a…the handle is a straw. And so you sip hot, salty, earth water…

Matt: Is it actually saline? It is salty?

Mark: I recall it being slightly salty.

Matt: Oh, it’s not like briney, like seawater or anything.

Mark: It’s got a strong, minerally… it’s got a strong, it’s got a watery, earth taste.

Matt: Okay.

Mark: For sure. And you’re drinking it, sipping, I should say, you’re only sipping through the handle of this particular cup. Yeah, but you go from fountain to fountain. You can take a fountain tour. You know one’s the snake, one’s this… You fill up your little thing, you walk around. It did help a little bit because the water was warm and it was wicked (= slang for: very) cold.

Matt: Yeah. Oh yeah!

Mark: But anyway, that’s what you do in this town. You drink the…

Matt: Drink the water, drink the mineral water. For the what, the proported (= not proven but claimed to be) health benefit. I’m sure that they’re going to tell you that helps.

Mark: So, you said you’ve been to Paris what other of the major touristy cities…?

Matt: Really in Europe, France, Czech Republic and now the Ukraine. I really haven’t done Europe that much. I’ve been to Europe several times, but…

Mark: …Just here.

Matt: Yeah.

Mark: In some ways that’s kind of cooler because it’s like… it’s almost like a second home and you really, really know that city.

Matt: Yeah! Exactly! Like Prague. I’m pretty intimate (= knowledgable about) with now, with having, with that city, with having now a big network of friends there and knowing my way around. I can’t get lost in Prague anymore, I think.

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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: “something I’m more interested in doing”) The 2nd one is what native speakers say, (“tempting”). Listen one more time, and then go to Step #3.

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more tempting = something I’m more interested in doing or having

Ice cream is something I’m more interested in having when it’s hot outside.
Ice cream is more tempting when it’s hot outside.

Working overtime is something I’m more interested in doing when they pay you double.
Working overtime is more tempting when they pay you double.

Watching soccer is something I’m more interested in doing when you know who’s playing.
Watching soccer is more tempting when you know who’s playing.

That’s something I’m more interested in doing when it’s spring or fall.
That’s more tempting when it’s spring or fall.

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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.

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the half of it = one of the main reasons
Remember, the 2nd version (using “the half of it”) is how a native speaker will probably say these sentences.

Why did I buy a Volvo? Well, it’s a very safe car, so I think that was one of the main reasons.
Why did I buy a Volvo? Well, it’s a very safe car, so I think that was the half of it.

They got divorced because he wanted to have kids and she didn’t. That was one of the main reasons.
They got divorced because he wanted to have kids and she didn’t. That was the half of it.

I quit my job because I hated my boss. That was one of the main reasons.
I quit my job because I hated my boss. That was the half of it.

I think that was one of the main reasons…we just wanted to see another town.
I think that was the half of it…we just wanted to see another town.

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hundreds upon hundreds = many hundreds

Also: thousands upon thousands = many thousands, etc

Remember, the 2nd version (using “hundreds upon hundreds”) is how a native speaker will probably say these sentences.

There were many thousands of of fans at his funeral.
There were thousands upon thousands of of fans at his funeral.

There are many millions of starving children in the world.
There are millions upon millions of starving children in the world.

There are many hundreds of good paying jobs available in this city if you speak fluent English.
There are hundreds upon hundreds of good paying jobs available in this city if you speak fluent English.

They fill a giant tub with many hundreds of gallons of beer.
They fill a giant tub with hundreds upon hundreds of gallons of beer.

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per capita = per person

The U.S. has more lawyers per person than any other country.
The U.S. has more lawyers per capita than any other country.

Germany has a very high per person income.
Germany has a very high per capita income.

In Ukraine, the government spends very little per person on health care.
In Ukraine, the government spends very little per capita on health care.

The Czechs drink more beer per person than any other country.
The Czechs drink more beer per capita than any other country.

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got ’em beat (often “have got ’em beat”) = better than them

The Germans might make better cars, but in pop music we’re better than them!
The Germans might make better cars, but in pop music we’ve got ’em beat!

The Swiss might be better skiers, but in baseball we’re better than them!
The Swiss might be better skiers, but in baseball we’ve got ’em beat!

That school might have better athletes than us, but in academics we’re better than them!
That school might have better athletes than us, but in academics we’ve got ’em beat!

When it comes to drinking beer, the Czechs are better than them.
When it comes to drinking beer, the Czechs got ’em beat.

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to do (a location) = to visit or explore (a location)

I’d like to visit the Australian outback one day.
I’d like to do the Australian outback one day.

I’ve never visited Manhattan, but it’s on my list.
I’ve never done Manhattan, but it’s on my list.

Tomorrow I want to explore the southern part of the city.
Tomorrow I want to do the southern part of the city.

I really haven’t explored Europe that much.
I really haven’t done Europe that much.

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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: Ice cream is something I’m more interested in having when it’s hot outside.

Advanced: Ice cream is ____ _______ when it’s hot outside.

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: Why did I buy a Volvo? Well, it’s a very safe car, so I think that was one of the main reasons.
Advanced: Why did I buy a Volvo? Well, it’s a very safe car, so I think that was ___ ____ __ __.

Easy: There were many thousands of fans at his funeral.
Advanced: There were _____ ____ ______ of fans at his funeral.

Easy: The U.S. has more lawyers per person than any other country.
Advanced: The U.S. has more lawyers ___ ______ than any other country.

Easy: The Germans might make better cars, but in pop music we’re better than them!
Advanced: The Germans might make better cars, but in pop music ____ ___ ___ ____ !