Dialogue

Vocabulary

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Lesson Transcript

Intro

Barbara: Good morning!
Braden: Braden here. Designing an English Website that Works. In this lesson, you’ll learn about Adjective and preposition combinations, Part 2 and Inventory control systems.
Barbara: This conversation takes place in the afternoon at a website design firm.
Braden: And it’s between Michael and Sarah.
Barbara: Michael and Sarah have met before, so the conversation is casual.
Braden: Let’s listen to the conversation.

Lesson conversation

Sarah: Michael, I need a website.
Michael: I think I can help with that. What kind of website?
Sarah: It's for an international seminar that's being organized.
Michael: The one that the International Relations Department puts on every year?
Sarah: Yes. We're doing it at the University this year because the department is very keen on saving money, so we had a bit of a budget cut.
Michael: I'll bet. What kind of website do you need?
Jennifer: Our main audience is people concerned about energy so we need something that will appeal to them.
Michael: I totally agree with you. And it was very good of you to give me the information about your target audience. That can be some of the most useful information you can give a web developer like myself.
Sarah: Any time. We discussed it, and we don't need anything fancy. The site is just for informational purposes.
Michael: Okay, so no need for a forum or customer service sections, but you'll probably need a blog format for updates and an about page, right?
Sarah: That's exactly what we were thinking. Something similar to the site we had two years ago, just with less bells and whistles.
Michael: Yeah, I was disappointed with last year's website. Looked nice but nothing worked. Who made it?
Sarah: Not sure. I wasn't part of the group then.
Michael: Well, I'll need to take an inventory of everything you need.
POST CONVERSATION BANTER
Braden: So, we wanted to talk a little bit about Inventory control systems.
Barbara: An inventory system, commonly just called inventory, is a system for managing and locating objects or materials.
Braden: Inventory systems are also used to manage consumables, fixed assets, merchandise, and library books.
Barbara: In a commercial setting, the inventory is usually a database of all of the products that are used or sold within the store. An inventory system can be used to automate certain parts or even the entire sales process.
Braden: For example, an inventory list could specify which products need to be brought from the store's stock room to the showroom floor.
Barbara: Modern inventory control systems can use wireless or mobile terminals to record inventory transactions at the very moment they occur. For example, UPS uses a custom built mobile terminal to accept signatures and wirelessly update the central database for all of their shipments worldwide.
Braden: In the dialog, Michael is concerned about addressing all the needs his client about the website. Therefore he takes an inventory or makes a list, of all the things his client wants.
Vocabulary and Phrases
Braden: Let's take a look at the vocabulary for this lesson.
: The first word we shall see is:
Barbara: website [natural native speed]
Braden: address connected to the Internet with one or more webpages.
Barbara: website [slowly - broken down by syllable]
Barbara: website [natural native speed]
: Next:
Barbara: organize [natural native speed]
Braden: arrange into a structure
Barbara: organize [slowly - broken down by syllable]
Barbara: organize [natural native speed]
: Next:
Barbara: appeal [natural native speed]
Braden: make a serious or urgent request, typically to the public
Barbara: appeal [slowly - broken down by syllable]
Barbara: appeal [natural native speed]
: Next:
Barbara: bits [natural native speed]
Braden: a small piece, part, or quantity of something
Barbara: bits [slowly - broken down by syllable]
Barbara: bits [natural native speed]
: Next:
Barbara: useful [natural native speed]
Braden: helpful in doing something
Barbara: useful [slowly - broken down by syllable]
Barbara: useful [natural native speed]
: Next:
Barbara: fancy [natural native speed]
Braden: elaborate in structure or decoration
Barbara: fancy [slowly - broken down by syllable]
Barbara: fancy [natural native speed]
KEY VOCABULARY AND PHRASES
Braden: Let's have a closer look at the usage for some of the words and phrases from this lesson.
Barbara: In the dialogue, we heard phrases that demonstrated Agreeing
Braden: How a person shows agreement in English depends greatly on the context they are in.
Barbara: In a casual conversation, the phrase, “I totally agree with you.” is perfectly normal.
Braden: However, in a business meeting or when talking to your boss, speaking like that is slightly disrespectful because it is too casual.
Barbara: In the dialog, Michael is very casual, as many people who work heavily on the internet are. And since they are basically equal, it's okay.
Braden: But this would not be appropriate if Sarah were Michael's boss. Could you break this down for us?
Barbara: I totally agree with you (slowly)
Braden: And one time fast?
Barbara: I totally agree with you (fast)
Braden: Our next phrase is bells and whistles. This is an English idiom that refers to the number of features or benefits a particular item might have. In general, these features tend to be unnecessary from the perspective of the speaker.
Barbara: For example, “bells and whistles” are unnecessary for a car to perform its main function of taking you from place to place. Therefore, some people might call a sunroof or an iPod docking port “bells and whistles” because the car will still run without them.
Braden: This is a phrase you probably won’t use in formal situations. Since both Michael and Sarah are speaking casually, it’s appropriate. However, especially in professional contexts, this phrase is sometimes seen by some as “hickish” or a phrase used by uneducated people.
Barbara: This isn’t actually true, but some people do think this way. To avoid giving that impression, especially in a job interview, you can avoid using the phrase until you’re sure it’s acceptable.
Braden: Could you break this down?
Barbara: bells and whistles (slowly)
Braden: And one time fast?
Barbara: bells and whistles (fast)
Braden: Let’s take a look at the grammar point.

Lesson focus

Braden: So Barbara, what’s the focus of this lesson?
Barbara: The focus of this lesson is adjective and preposition combinations, part 2
Braden: In the dialogue, we heard the phrase
Barbara: It was very good of you to give me the information about your target audience.
Braden: Let’s explain a bit about the structure of this lesson. First, we’re going to specify a preposition. Then we’re going to give you a short list of adjectives and a sample sentence using that adjective preposition combination.
Barbara: Also, each group of adjectives has the same or related meanings and use patterns.
Braden: First we’re going to look at the preposition OF. As you can imagine there are a lot of these.
Barbara: Our adjectives are nice/kind / good / mean / generous of someone (to do something) For example, “It was very nice of him to buy me a present.”
Braden: Our next adjectives are stupid/silly of someone (to do something) For example, “I'm afraid it was stupid of me to come.
Barbara: Next we have impolite/rude of someone (to do something) For example, “I can't believe how rude it was of Dustin to shout at his daughter in front of all those people.
Braden: Next is unreasonable for someone (to do something.) For example, “Don't be so hard on yourself! It's unreasonable of you to expect to understand everything immediately.
Barbara: Next we have proud of something or someone. For example, “I'm very proud of my daughter's wonderful progress in school.
Braden: Our next words are ashamed of someone or something For example, “She's ashamed of her bad grades.
Barbara: Next is jealous/envious of someone or something For example, “She's really envious of her sister's wealth.
Braden: Next is fond of someone or something For example, “She is so fond of her niece.
Barbara: Next we have short of something For example, “I'm afraid I'm short of cash tonight.
Braden: And here’s the last of the of’s. Tired of something. For example, “I'm tired of your complaining!
Barbara: Now we’ll look at “ON” Use the following adjective followed by 'on.' The only example we have here is, to be keen on something. For example, “She is very keen on horses.”
Braden: Now on to “TO” Use the following adjectives followed by 'to.' Use the verb 'to be' with these expressions.
First, we have married/engaged to someone For example, “Dustin is engaged to Jill.
Barbara: our second set is nice/ kind/good/generous to someone For example, “She was very generous to me when I was staying with her.
Braden: Next we have mean/ impolite/rude/ unpleasant/unfriendly/cruel to someone For example, “How can you be so unfriendly to your neighbors?
Barbara: Next is similar to something For example, “His painting is similar to Van Gough.
Braden: Lastly, we’re going to look at WITH. Use the verb 'to be' with these expressions.
Barbara: First we have, angry/ annoyed/furious with someone for something. For example, “I'm furious with my brother for having lied to me!
Braden: Second we have delighted/pleased/satisfied with something. For example, “He is quite satisfied with his results.
Barbara: Last we have disappointed with something. For example, “She's really disappointed with her new car.

Outro

Braden: That just about does it for today.
Braden: Thanks for listening!
Barbara: See you later!

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