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, here we are in what’s called the Boston Commons, which is obviously Boston’s version of Central Park.

Greg: Is it—I assume it’s nowhere near the size of Central Park though. Is that right?

Mark: Yeah, it’s not…not nearly, but it still has a good vibe. There’s lakes and again: People playing ball and…But you can see buildings everywhere, so that shows you that it’s not nearly as big like I—like we said, with Central Park you can get really lost in it, but here you always—you always know that you’re in the city here.

Greg: Right. Right, I see. What did Dasha think of Boston and everything that was going on there as compared to New York?

Mark: New York was, like, all us because, you know, we were there for ten days and it was mostly just she and I. Whereas Boston was pretty crazy for her because my brother, his wife, their three kids….My family is great, but just, boisterous kids running around. And so it was—it was tougher. But the city itself she…she liked. I don’t think she just knew it as well…got to…got to know it as well as New York, but she enjoyed it. She enjoyed the food, as we will see later.

Greg: Ok, so this is actually kind of cool I like…Probably not just me but lots of people probably like the contrast between the ultra -modern cool, building, and the ultra-not-modern and…but still cool building. So, what is this?

Mark: Yeah, the building on the right, the ultra-modern skyscraper, is the..I believe it’s the Prudential building. No, shoot! I don’t think it’s the Prudential. I think it’s the John Hancock building, excuse me. It’s a big insurance company. And then, on the left, is not just a building, it’s a church. I…I don’t know the name of it. I should. Anyone from Boston would be able to immediately tell you. It’s going to be Saint something. You know? St. Michael’s, St. Steven’s-

Greg: Right

Mark: St. something. So, I’m sure it’s a catholic church. And yeah, you use the word ‘contrast,’ which is an excellent word. That’s absolute…absolutely what it is. I like the word ‘juxtaposition.’ So, it’s a great juxtaposition of architectural styles.

Greg: Did you guys go into the church, or no?

Mark: I don’t—it’s funny, I don’t remember. I’ve been in so many churches in my life, I don’t…I don’t remember. Dasha might have popped in.
We waited in this area quite a bit, because my brother Rick had to do something, or the kids wanted ice cream. I think that’s what it was, actually. So, you know, they all had to take the…We didn’t want any. They took the kids, and they said, you know, “Just wait here.” So, Dasha might have kind of popped in to go in briefly. But I was busy taking the perfect picture, because I was like, “This is…This is such a great juxtaposition, (or great contrast) between these buildings! I got to, you know, get the right angle.”

Greg: I see.

Mark: And I couldn’t. You can see, I didn’t…I couldn’t fit that whole building in (the picture), you know?

Greg: Right. How tall is that building? Like, how much further up does it go?

Mark: That’s a good question. I’m not sure, but another thirty percent of whatever is—whatever is visible.

Greg: Does it keep getting—is this just the camera angle, or does it actually get narrower as it goes up and kinda comes to a point  at the top?

Mark: Those are good, specific questions, the answer to which I do not have. I suspect that what we are seeing now is just a, you know, a trick of the angle.

Greg: Right

Mark: — Because, you know, it’s like: As something gets farther away, the lines converge. But it might also narrow—I’d have to go online and try to find it. You know, like in the last one, we said, “Send us what you find out about the Flatiron.” Right? So, you know: Do your research, people. Tell us…First tell us if this is the Prudential or the John Hancock, and then describe to us the top of the building, if you can find it online. How’s that for an assignment?

Greg: Awesome!

– – – –

Greg: This is labeled ‘Harvard.’ I always thought Harvard was much bigger. But this is it? One building?

Mark: One building! You know, they pack a lot of students in there. I’m not even sure which building on the campus of Harvard this is. You know, just took a shot or two. The next one, which we’ll get to in a second, is the library. It’s an easy one. But this one, I don’t know…It could be anything. I guess…I guess we need my nephew. His name is Dakota, and he’s actually a student at Harvard. We need him to look at this picture and tell us all about it. But, I’m just—they all look like this: That…The brick and the…the white colonial wood on top. It’s what more or less what every building in Harvard looks kind of like this.

Greg: Right.

Mark: It’s definitely a style.

Greg: How big was the overall campus? The only campus I really spent any time on was ASU. That’s Arizona State University. Compared to that, because I know you been there too, how big was the Harvard campus overall, would you say?

Mark: Much smaller. I…I can’t say we saw the whole thing, but I bet it would be one quarter the size, I’m sure, as far as landmass and also probably student body. I’m…I would be surprised if there was more than — again, I’m sure someone is going to look up the actual answer, but — I felt like there would maybe be seven or eight thousand students there, maybe.

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vibe = feeling  (slang,  abbrev. of “vibration”)

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

I got a bad feeling in that club.

I got a bad vibe in that club.

This place has a great feeling.

This place has a great vibe.

How was the feeling there?

How was the vibe there?

Boston Commons is smaller than Central Park, but it still has a good feeling.

Boston Commons is smaller than Central Park, but it still has a good vibe.

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all me, all you, all us, etc = (done by) me alone, you alone, us alone, etc

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

This project was (done by) me alone. My partner didn’t help at all.

This project was all me. My partner didn’t help at all.

Today’s win was caused by Kobe alone.

Today’s win was all Kobe.

This party was done by Jennifer alone.

This party was all Jennifer.

New York was us alone. We were there for ten days by ourselves.

New York was all us. We were there for ten days by ourselves.

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cool = (regarding objects) interesting, desirable

The new Audi is really an interesting and desirable car!

The new Audi is a really cool car!

The new Nokia is an interesting and desirable phone!

The new Nokia is a cool phone!

The new iMac is an interesting and desirable computer!

The new iMac is a cool computer!

That’s an interesting photo!

That’s a cool photo!

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or no? = or did that not happen?

Did your wife go with you, or did that not happen?

Did your wife go with you, or no?

Did you talk to Steve yet, or did that not happen?

Did you talk to Steve yet, or no?

Did you make reservations, or did that not happen?

Did you make reservations, or no?

Did you guys go into the church, or did that not happen?

Did you guys go into the church,  or no?

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to pop in = to go inside briefly

I went briefly inside Brad’s room but he wasn’t there.

I popped in to Brad’s room but he wasn’t there.

I need to go briefly inside the bank, first.

I need to pop into the bank, first.

We went briefly inside the pharmacy for some aspirin.

We popped in to the pharmacy for some aspirin.

Dasha might have gone inside briefly to the church. I don’t remember.

Dasha might have popped in to the church. I don’t remember.

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would you say = in your opinion

NOTE: I would say = in my opinion

Mr. Slattery is about 55, in my opinion.

Mr. Slattery is about 55, I would say.

He’s six feet tall, in my opinion.

He’s six feet tall, I would say.

In my opinion it’s about 3 o’clock.

I would say it’s about 3 o’clock.

How big was the Harvard campus overall, in your opinion?

How big was the Harvard campus overall, would you say?

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Easy: I got a bad feelingin that club.

Advanced: I got a bad ____ in that club.

Easy: This project was (done by) me alone. My partner didn’t help at all.
Advanced: This project was ___ ___ . My partner didn’t help at all.

Easy: The new Audi is really an interesting and desirable car!
Advanced: The new Audi is a really ____ car!

Easy: Did your wife go with you, or did that not happen?
Advanced: Did your wife go with you, ___  ___?

Easy: I went briefly inside Brad’s room but he wasn’t there.
Advanced: YI ___  ___  ___ Brad’s room but he wasn’t there.

Easy: Mr. Slattery is about 55, in my opinion.
Advanced: Mr. Slattery is about 55, ___  ___  ___ .