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: Fire away! I know you have questions.

Greg: Okay so, when I was in like 8th grade, I guess, I had these little—it was a little clear box similar to that. This looks like a thicker glass or something. But it was a square box, and on the top was a magnifying glass. And you would put bugs in it so you could get a look. And these remind of me of the little square box with the magnifying glass on top that I used to put bugs in. So…But this is a restaurant, so I am assuming that this is not that. What are…What are those?

Mark: That is for—I think it was a Japanese restaurant, and I think that was for some — whatever that main Japanese booze (alcohol) you get served at, at your meal. It was for that shot. (a small glass of liquor)

Greg: Huh. Interesting.

Mark: What’s the—What’s the booze they drink at Japanese restaurants?

Greg: Well, in Japan it’s different. It’s not—

Mark: Sake! Well, sake, I guess. Isn’t that it?

Greg: Yeah. Well, sake is—and excuse me, I have to actually pronounce it the real way or I get — I’ll get chills (It will bother me) It’s “sake.” And sake means—in Japan, sake means “all alcohol”: Beer is sake, wine is– everything is sake. That means “alcohol,” generally. The word has been adopted in the United States to mean specifically Japanese hard alcohol, basically.

Mark: I see.

Greg: So when you say, “What’s the sake?” well, in Japan, it’s a variety of stuff, so… But you’re probably referring to the just the clear, white, “rice wine,” I guess, is what we might call it.

Mark: Yeah. Yeah, that’s what we were drinking and it was—I don’t remember the shot, I only had one. But these are my two New York friends. The guy on the left of the picture, with the goatee, is Jeff. We were staying at his apartment.

Greg: Right.

Mark: And my friend on the right side of the picture is my friend Bill. And he is a big concert promoter in Manhattan.

Greg: Oh yeah, you told me about him, actually.

Mark: Cool guys.

Greg: Well, another interesting point is: I suppose in a restaurant in the United States, having square—square glasses, lends something to the enjoyment of the drink, or the atmosphere of the Japanese drink. But I’ve never seen once in my life a square glass in Japan.

Mark: It makes us feel like we’re doing something exotic.

Greg: Right, exactly.

Mark: You might be wondering about the title of the picture which is “Stiffler”. So, we were—this is in Manhattan and you’re going to get star—movie stars —just the way you do in L.A. And so it turns out that Stiffler, from the movie American Pie, was in the restaurant. And I think Bill, you know, noticed him first and pointed him out. And although I am a New Yorker, I had been living in Arizona for maybe twenty years at that point and so, I was star struck (somewhat excited, and not behaving normally, when seeing a famous person), you know? These guys probably see movie stars and, you know, Donald Trump, on a daily basis. But Jeff—Jeff or Bill—they had warned me to not—you know, “Whatever you do, Mark, don’t call his name out!” You know? “He’s not here on, you know, movie business.” (for the purpose of making a movie) And of course, after one shot of sake, I‘m like, “Hey, Stiffler!” You know, it was just funny. So, that’s why this picture is called Stiffler.

Greg: And what did he do?

Mark: He did. He turned around. He acknowledged it. Gave a wave. You know, he kind of had to peer over the five ladies he was with. But he did turn, acknowledge, and wave. So, I feel good about that.

– – – –

Greg: This, I take it, is the skyline of Manhattan. Is that right?

Mark: That is correct.

Greg: Anything you wanted to say about this one?

Mark: I would just say that if you see that kind of small, kind of double building—pretty much in the center of the photograph and it’s a kind of a double building—orange-ish. We’re going to click onto the next picture and it’ll be kind of zoomed in on that building. So, I am doing that now.

Greg: Okay. Oh, yeah. I see. Alright.

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Fire away! = You can start asking (or commenting),  say it now
NOTE: This is usually in regard to asking questions, or making comments.

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

If anyone has any questions, please start asking.
If anyone has any questions, please fire away.

Any suggestions? Start saying them.
Any suggestions? Fire away.

If you have a better idea, then say it now.
If you have a better idea, then fire away.

I know you have questions, so you can start asking.
I know you have questions, so you can fire away.

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to lend something to = to add to

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

The music adds to the excitement of the show.
The music lends something to the excitement of the show.

Her voice adds to her beauty.
Her voice lends something to her beauty.

His confidence adds to his success.
His confidence lends something his success.

The square glass adds to the enjoyment of the drink.
The square glass lends something to the enjoyment of the drink.

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It turns out that = Actually

Actually, I will be out of town. So you can use my apartment.
It turns out that I will be out of town. So you can use my apartment.

Actually, Steve is getting married.
It turns out that Steve is getting married.

Actually, Mary is pregnant.
It turns out that Mary is pregnant.

Actually, Stiffler, from the movie "American Pie" was in the restaurant.
It turns out that Stiffler, from the movie "American Pie" was in the restaurant.

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Pointed out = directed his attention to

Seeing the man smoking, the waitress directed his attention to the ‘No Smoking’ sign.
Seeing the man smoking, the waitress pointed out the ‘No Smoking’ sign.

Can you direct my attention to where the elevator is?
Can you point out where the elevator is?

He directed my attention to where the ATM machine was.
He pointed out where the ATM machine was.

Bill noticed the actor first, and directed (our) attention to him.
Bill noticed the actor first, and pointed him out.

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take it = assume

I assume you know her?
I take it you know her?

I assume you know where to go?
I take it you know where to go?

I assume you like this?
I take it you like this?

This, I assume, is the skyline of Manhattan. Is that right?
This, I take it, is the skyline of Manhattan. Is that right?

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pretty much = basically

The score is 3 – 0 with five minutes left. This game is basically over.
The score is 3 – 0 with five minutes left. This game is pretty much over.

That’s basically our plan.
That’s pretty much our plan.

That’s basically what I told them.
That’s pretty much what I told them.

Do you see that orange building basically in the center of the photo?
Do you see that orange building pretty much  in the center of the photo?

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Easy: If anyone has any questions, please start asking.

Advanced: If anyone has any questions, please ___ ___ .

Easy: The music adds to the excitement of the show.
Advanced: The music ___  ___ to the excitement of the show.

Easy: Actually, I will be out of town. So you can use my apartment.
Advanced: ___  ___  ___  ___ I will be out of town. So you can use my apartment.

Easy: Seeing the man smoking, the waitress directed his attention to the ‘No Smoking’ sign.
Advanced: Seeing the man smoking, the waitress  ___  ___ the ‘No Smoking’ sign.

Easy: I assume you know her?
Advanced: I ___  ___  you know her?

Easy: The score is 3 – 0 with five minutes left. This game is basically over.

Advanced: The score is 3 – 0 with five minutes left. This game is ___  ___  over.