New York 1 Lesson 2

Welcome to LIVE CONVERSATIONS “New York City, Part 1: 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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Greg: You’re, you know, you’re looking at it, you’re like, “Okay. Plane’s empty!” You kind of ask, “Is there anyone left in the plane? Is there one person tagging along?

Mark: Yep, I asked the guy who—literally the janitor. Just like in the movies. The janitor with the keys, locking that door and rolling the mop out. It was like midnight, or almost 1 in the morning and so we did have a contingency plan (a plan to use if there is a problem) that, you know, if something happens, we should call. And I was tempted to call before then, but there were no phones on that bottom level of that f’ing (<----Here, Mark contracts a curse word.) terminal. The...All of them, the payphones, were broken! And I was—you know, I don’t have a U.S. cell phone. So...And if I left, I was like, "Well, if I go upstairs and try to find a phone, that’s when she’s going to come out. That’s the moment she’s going to come out of the gates! So I’ve got to wait here.”

Greg: Right.

Mark: And so, then finally, you know, whatever it was, it was like midnight. And the janitor is locking up. Then I go upstairs, call my dad. He was our fallback (person to contact if there was a problem). And sure enough, he’s like, “Why didn’t you call sooner?” You know, “Dashsa’s stuck in London.” So what happened was, they had given her her tickets for a day earlier like…It’s a long story but, partly it was our mistake and partly it was the travel agency that she used. It was definitely their mistake, too. So…But they were cool about. They got her on the next flight. She came in the next day and all was good. But she had to spend the night in Heathrow which was its own, you know, “Volume II” of this course. It’ll be a different story. But the point of this picture was, this option, for five bucks (dollars) is way better than a taxi for fifty-five bucks. It gets you to the same place and quicker. So, huge thumbs up (is good, I recommend) for the JFK Sky Train. Highly recommended.

Greg: Where do you pick it up? Like where do you—where do you catch it?

Mark: Every single terminal. And you may have to make that loop, you know, depending on which terminal you get on. You may take a tour of JFK but, you know, no harm in that. And then it takes you, I forget the exact route, but it gets you close to Manhattan. And then you just make a quick change and then there’s two options: You can take the subway, or you can take the above rail line, depending on where you exactly want to go. So it’s very easy, and it’s a whopping (very large amount) (see sarcasm video), like, five bucks.

Greg: Cool.

Mark: Yeah, it’s great.

NOTE: JFK’s train line is actually called the “Air Train.”

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Mark: I kind of had to get this picture out of the way. The standard touristy shot of me at the statue, not even having my arm at the right angle but I didn’t want to hold it straight up and block the statue but—kinda we would call this “the proof shot.” There I was in New York.

Greg: Yeah. Actually I didn’t realize that you were trying to imitate her arm. I just thought you were just holding your arm up! So this picture—alright, so…We have a cloudy day and a rainy day. On your trip, in general, was the weather decent in New York or…?

Mark: Yeah, we were there for ten days. And the first one or two—actually, when was the statue? The Statue of Liberty was pretty early in our trip. And yeah, that day it rained, but overall it was excellent. I think we had maybe two rainy days which, you can’t beat that: Two out of ten.

Greg: Right. Actually, I remember you were there and then I was there a couple of weeks later or you were—I forget who was there first.

Mark: We were there in June. I thought you were there in May, so I bet you were there first.

Greg: Yeah but, we did the exact same thing. We took a ferry boat thing (thing that was previously mentioned) and so probably could’ve even been the same company and all that (or something like that). Small world (common expression: It’s a small world.)

Mark: Probably. Did you get off and go to the statue?

Greg: No, because I’d been there before, so…

Mark: Yeah, neither did we.

Greg: Kinda too much hassle (not worth the time and energy to do something), I guess.

Mark: Yeah, neither did we. Exactly. It’s too much hassle, and you’re going to wait. It’s, you know, quadruples your time there and it looks—I have been there, too, and you don’t see much from that extreme angle. It’s like being in the front row of the movie theater. You know, you don’t see anything. So it’s actually a better view from the boat anyway.

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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: “make sure a point is understood”). The 2nd one is what native speakers say, (“drive home the point”). Listen one more time, and then go to Step #3.

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to tag along = to accompany, to come with

Remember, in these four groups of sentences below, a native speaker will usually use the 2nd version. So, :tag along" is the advanced phrase we want to learn.

You guys are going to the mall? Can I come with?
You guys are going to the mall? Can I tag along?

I came with them to the store.
I tagged along with them to the store.

Billy came to the park with his older brother.
Billy tagged along to the park with his older brother.

Is there one person accompanying the group?
Is there one person tagging along?

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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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have got to = must

Remember, the 2nd version (using "have got to") is how a native speaker will probably say these sentences.

I must leave before noon.
I have got to leave before noon.

I must watch that.
I have got to watch that.

I must talk to him.
I have got to talk to him.

Dasha is going to come out of the gates very soon, so I must wait here.
Dasha is going to come out of the gates very soon, so I’ve got to wait here.

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sure enough = as expected
NOTE: This idiom often has a feeling of irony

I thought I had brought my wallet to work, and as expected, it was in my office, under some folders.
I thought I had brought my wallet to work, and sure enough, it was in my office, under some folders.

As expected, my key was in the hotel room.
Sure enough, my key was in the hotel room.

As expected, his report was on my desk.
Sure enough, his report was on my desk.

I finally call my Dad, and as expected he’s like, "Why didn’t you call sooner?"
I finally call my Dad, and sure enough he’s like, "Why didn’t you call sooner?"

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out of the way = finished (regarding something that is considered necessary but not interesting)

Now that the introductions are finished, let’s discuss business.
Now that the introductions are out of the way, let’s discuss business.

Let’s get the paperwork finished.
Let’s get the paperwork out of the way.

I want to get my homework finished.
I want to get my homework out of the way.

I had to get this touristy photo finished.
I had to get this touristy photo out of the way.

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you can’t beat that = that’s very good

Buy one pair of sneakers and get a 2nd pair free? That’s very good!
Buy one pair of sneakers and get a 2nd pair free? You can’t beat that!

A large pizza for $4? That’s very good!
A large pizza for $4? You can’t beat that!

A Rolex watch for $15? That’s very good!
A Rolex watch for $15? You can’t beat that!

We only had two rainy days, so that’s very good.
We only had two rainy days, so you can’t beat that.

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I bet = I feel certain

I feel certain I left my gloves in the car.
I bet I left my gloves in the car.

I feel certain you left them at home.
I bet you left them at home.

I feel certain it will snow tonight.
I bet it will snow tonight.

I feel certain you were there first.
I bet you were there first.

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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: You guys are going to the mall? Can I come with?

Advanced: You guys are going to the mall? Can I ___ ___?

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: I must leave before noon.
Advanced: I ___ ___ ___ leave before noon.

Easy: I thought I had brought my wallet to work, and as expected, it was in my office, under some folders.

Advanced: I thought I had brought my wallet to work, and ___ ___, it was in my office, under some folders.

Easy: Now that the introductions are finished, let’s discuss business.
Advanced: Now that the introductions are___ ___ ___ ___, let’s discuss business.

Easy: Buy one pair of sneakers and get a 2nd pair free? That’s very good!
Advanced: Buy one pair of sneakers and get a 2nd pair free? ___ ___ ___ ___!