Moscow Lesson 2

Welcome to LIVE CONVERSATIONS “MOSCOW: 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!

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Mark: Actually, I was sitting on that stage, right where you see me sitting, and just practicing, just playing along with the jam tracks that I had brought. And then there was…There’s two closed doors in the back of the room, and you see all these (a lot of) people peeking through. And they didn’t know if they could come in. And so, like, I just kinda took over. I’m like, “You can come in,” you know? So it was probably 45 people there, or so. And what I like in this picture, aside from me playing my brand-new Moscow guitar, is the USA-flag one. I was switching back and forth between Russia and America.

Greg: They had that in the store?

Mark: Yeah, they had that particular guitar, the USA model, in the store. It was cool. As soon as I saw it, I’m like, “Oh! That’s the one!” (= That’s the one I want!)

Greg: Awesome. I would have bought that.

—–

Mark: And then I wanted to show the last picture, where we’re, you know…while posing for a picture.

Greg: Interesting. So, who are the people? I’m assuming shop staff, or people who were just-

Mark: No, they were just the people who had just came to the thing (guitar event). And, you know, I don’t want to use the word “fans”, but they were, you know. …(They) came up and asked for autographs and my email, and stuff like that. It was really cute. Very flattering.

Greg: Right on! That’s funny.

—–

Greg: Okay, and…Is this your friend that you mentioned you came to Moscow with, earlier?

Mark: Yup (very casual), this is Jeff. You might remember him from our New York series. It was his apartment that we stayed in when were in Manhattan.

Greg: Oh, right. Cool. And what building are we looking at here? This has that famous Russian architecture, but what building is this?

Mark: This is Saint Basil’s Cathedral on Red Square. We’ll come back to look at Red Square later on, but this was just…just to kind of introduce us to Jeff, really.

Greg: Ok.

—–

Mark: Then, in the next picture: The guy on the right is Alex, and then that’s his wife, I think Marina, of course, with Jeff. They took us to some palace. I wanted to talk all about Alex in this section because he’s actually Serbian but he’s…he considers, now, Russian his native tongue. He’s been living in Russia so long as a businessman. So, he spoke great English, you know fluent Russian, fluent Serbian and he was an amazing guitar player. One of those guys who can just do everything better than you, you know? It’s hard not to be drawn to (interested in) someone like that. It’s like, “What’s your secret to everything you do?”

Greg: Right.

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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: “a recording used for practicing”). The 2nd one is what native speakers say, (“a jam track”). Listen one more time, and then go to Step #3.

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a jam track = a recording used for practicing or improvising

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

If you want to learn to play the blues, you need some blues recordings for practicing.
If you want to learn to play the blues, you need some blues jam tracks.

I make and sell rock recordings for practicing.
I make and sell rock jam tracks.

Recordings for practicing are very important for jazz students.
Jam tracks are very important for jazz students.

I was sitting on stage, playing along with the recordings used for improvising that I had brought.
I was sitting on stage, playing along with the jam tracks that I had brought.

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step3

Make 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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to take over = to take control

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

This is an important project for our company, Phil. If you can’t finish it, then let Martin take control.
This is an important project for our company, Phil. If you can’t finish it, then let Martin take over.

I think Jim should take control the company.
I think Jim should take over the company.

When Steve Jobs died, Tim Cook took control of Apple.
When Steve Jobs died, Tim Cook took over Apple.

The people didn’t know if they could come in, so I took over and told them, “You can come in!”
The people didn’t know if they could come in, so I took control and told them, “You can come in!”

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Right on! = that’s really great!

I heard you got a job in Manhattan. That’s really great!
I heard you got a job in Manhattan. Right on!

You met a girl? That’s really great!
You met a girl? Right on!

Billy won an award? That’s really great!
Billy won an award? Right on!

People wanted your autograph? That’s really great!
People wanted your autograph? Right on!

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yup = yes, yeah (relaxed and informal)

— “Are you going to the mall now?”
Yes. I’ll be back in an hour.
Yup. I’ll be back in an hour.

— “Are you ready?”
Yes. . Let’s go.
Yup. Let’s go.

— “Is that your new Lexus?”
Yes. . Want to go for a ride?
Yup. Want to go for a ride?

— “Is this a photo of your friend who went with you to Moscow?”
Yes. . This is my buddy Jeff.
Yup. This is my buddy Jeff.

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to go to some _____ = to go to a _____ but I don’t know which

NOTE: This can be used with many verbs: To watch some _____, to talk to some _____, and so on.

They went to a club, but I don’t know which, so they’ll be home late.
They went to some club, so they’ll be home late.

I talked to a girl, but I don’t know who.
I talked to some girl.

We watched a movie, but I don’t know which.
We watched some movie.

They took us to a palace, but I don’t know which.
They took us to some palace.

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you know = I think you would agree

This vanilla ice-cream is great, I think you would agree.
This vanilla ice-cream is great, you know?

He’s a really nice guy, I think you would agree.
He’s a really nice guy, you know?

It’s just too expensive, I think you would agree.
It’s just too expensive, you know?

One of those guys who can do everything better than you, I think you would agree.
One of those guys who can do everything better than you, you know?

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to look someone up = to contact someone

I’ve been thinking about my old girlfriend Jessica. Maybe I should contact her?
I’ve been thinking about my old girlfriend Jessica. Maybe I should look her up?

We should contact your old roommate. He was funny.
We should look up your old roommate. He was funny.

An old friend of mine contacted me on Facebook yesterday.
An old friend of mine looked me up on Facebook yesterday.

Hey Alex, if you’re watching this: Contact me sometime.
Hey Alex, if you’re watching this: Look me up sometime.

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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: If you want to learn to play the blues, you need some blues recordings for practicing.

Advanced: If you want to learn to play the blues, you need some blues ___ ___ .

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: This is an important project for our company, Phil. If you can’t finish it, then let Martin take control.
Advanced: This is an important project for our company, Phil. If you can’t finish it, then let Martin ___ ___ .

Easy: I heard you got a job in Manhattan. That’s really great!
Advanced: I heard you got a job in Manhattan. ___ ___ !

Easy: “Are you going to the mall now?” — “Yes. I’ll be back in an hour.”
Advanced:”Are you going to the mall now?” — “___. I’ll be back in an hour.”

Easy: They went to a club, but I don’t know which, so they’ll be home late.
Advanced: They went to ___ ___ , so they’ll be home late.

EASY: This vanilla ice-cream is great, I think you would agree.
ADVANCED: This vanilla ice-cream is great, ___ ___ ?

EASY: I’ve been thinking about my old girlfriend Jessica. Maybe I should contact her?
ADVANCED: I’ve been thinking about my old girlfriend Jessica. Maybe I should ___ ___ ___ ?