A leopard can't change its spots

Jennifer: Hello, I'm Jennifer and this is The English We Speak. I'm with Feifei, and we're here at the zoo!

Feifei: Hi there everyone. Yes, the sun is out, so we thought we would come and take a look at some of our favourite animals. We've already seen the elephants and penguins – I love the penguins, they're so funny.

Jennifer: Well we're moving on now to my favourites – the big cats!

Feifei: According to this leaflet傳單, they have lions, tigers, pumas美洲獅 and leopards!

Jennifer: Fantastic – I love leopards. They're so beautiful and they also feature in one of my favourite phrases in English.

Feifei: Let me guess, it's "a leopard can't change its spots斑點"?

Jennifer: Absolutely, Feifei. The phrase "a leopard can't change its spots" is used to describe a person's character, particularly if they have some bad habits.

Feifei: Just as a leopard can't change the spots on its fur毛皮, a person can't change their personality, even if they say they have. It's part of them.

Jennifer: Let's hear some examples of how you might use this phrase.

• John promised me that he would stay out of trouble at school, but I don't believe him. A leopard can't change its spots.

• Katie used to have a reputation for gossiping and spreading rumours. I've heard she's changed now, but I don't trust her: a leopard can't change its spots.

Feifei: Great phrase. Let's see if we can find a real life leopard then!

Jennifer: Well, the big cat area is over there, according to this map. Oh look! I can see lions… They have little baby ones too… Ah! But where are the leopards?

Feifei: Er, Jen…

Jennifer: They must be here somewhere, a big spotty cat like that can't be too hard to find.

Feifei: (whispering) Jen, I think you should…

Jennifer: Hurry, they must be this way. I want to see a leopard right now! A leopard can't change its spots and I can't change the fact that it's my favourite animal in the whole wide world!

Feifei: I think you should turn around!

(huge growl and roar)

Jennifer: (terrified) Oh. Hello Mr Leopard. You're a lot bigger in real life…

Feifei: (whispering) Join us again for another edition of The English We Speak from BBC Learning English… Bye!

(roar)吼叫

Jennifer: Here kitty, kitty, kitty. Nice kitty…

(roar)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/theenglishwespeak/2013/06/130611_tews_127_a_leopard_cant_change_spots.shtml

To see red

Feifei: Hello and welcome to The English We Speak from BBC Learning English. I'm Feifei and I'm joined today by Jen.

Jennifer: Hi there, we're going to go on a day trip today - and we're going to explore how the colour red fits into London life. I've packed my sandwiches...

Feifei: And I've got my camera – let's go! 

(Out on the street)

Jennifer: So here we are on Oxford Street - it's one of the busiest streets in London. So let's play a game: how many red things can you see? You go first, Feifei!

Feifei: It's easy to see red things in London. Look over there - there's a red post box. There are hundreds of them around the UK, although some of them were painted gold after the Olympics!

Jennifer: Oh yes. That's a good one. OK, my turn. There are a couple of red telephone boxes over there. Not many people use them nowadays, because almost everyone has mobile phones, but they are certainly another iconic symbol of London.

Feifei: If something is iconic標誌性的, it typically represents something - so a red telephone box typically represents London. Here comes one of the most iconic symbols of London - a big, red double-decker bus!

Jennifer: Shall we get on it and head over to Hyde Park for a stroll散步? 

Feifei: Good idea. I'll stick my hand out for the bus... (The bus drives past) Hey! It didn't stop! 

Jennifer: Oh that's so annoying! It really makes me see red! 

Feifei: Oh me too! Here, the phrase 'to see red' can be used to describe getting really angry about something.

Jennifer: Well don't worry. We can catch the next one... in fact, here comes another. 

Feifei: We made it! Off to Hyde Park we go. Shall we move down inside and get a seat? There's a couple at the back there.

Jennifer: There are quite a few people in the way though... Excuse me, sorry, can I just squeeze擠 past into this seat? Would you mind moving out of the way? Excuse me? (Whispering)喃喃 These people won't let me past! They're just pretending we're not here. Oh! I'm really seeing red now! 

Feifei: We should have walked. Let's get off. We're not that far from the park anyway.

Jennifer: Yeah let's go. 

(Sound of birdsong)

It's lovely here in the park - it's a breath of fresh air compared to that crowded bus. Shall we find somewhere to go and eat our sandwiches?

Feifei: Here's a picnic area, let's sit down. Oh no - more red!

Jennifer: What do you mean?

Feifei: Someone has spray painted噴漆 red graffiti塗鴉 all over the table and the seat... And the paint is still wet! It's all over my clothes! I thought I was seeing red before, but I'm really seeing red now! 

Jennifer: Well, our game was to look for red things in London - but I didn't think we'd be seeing red all afternoon! I think it might be time to go home, before we see red again! 

Feifei: I think you're right. Join us again for another edition of The English We Speak from BBC Learning English. Bye for now!

Jennifer: Bye!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/theenglishwespeak/2013/06/130604_tews_126_to_see_red.shtml

Haven't slept a wink

Neil: (Yawning) Welcome to The English We Speak with me - a very tired Neil - and Feifei.

Feifei: (Yawning) Hi, I'm Feifei.

Neil: Oh, Feifei, I'm so tired.

Feifei: Me too. The kids?

Neil: Ah, the kids kept me awake all night. As soon as one of them went back to sleep, the other one started screaming. What's your excuse?

Feifei: A mosquito蚊子.

Neil: A mosquito?

Feifei: Yes, there was a mosquito in my room. Every time I turned the light off and tried to go to sleep I heard buzzing嗡嗡 in my ear. I haven't slept a wink.一夜都沒合眼

Neil: And I haven't slept a wink either! A wink is when you close and open one of your eyes very quickly once - usually to show friendliness友好 or that you are having a joke with someone. It's also a verb - to wink.

Feifei: So, if you say 'I haven't slept a wink' it means that you've had so little sleep, your eye didn't even close once!

Neil: That's right. It's an exaggeration誇張. Here are some examples:

• A: You look terrible! What's the matter?
• B: I haven't slept a wink. It was a really bad idea to move to a flat next to a pub.

• A: How about a trip to the cinema tonight?
• B: Sorry I can't. I haven't slept a wink. There were cats outside fighting all night.

Neil: So, we can use 'I haven't slept a wink' to say that we are very tired because we haven't had much sleep. (Yawns) I can't wait to get home tonight and just jump into bed... I don't know how I'm going to get through the rest of this programme, let alone the rest of the day.

Feifei: Me neither.

Neil: Nice and quiet in here, though, isn't it?

Feifei: And dark.

Neil: Do you think anyone would notice if we just...

Feifei: That's a great idea! I'll just put these two chairs together.

Neil: And I'll rest my head on this desk and... (snoring).打呼

(Sound of babies screaming and mosquitos buzzing)

Both: Argh! Kids! Mosquitos! Is there anywhere to sleep? Argh!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/theenglishwespeak/2013/05/130528_tews_125_slept_a_wink.shtml

Freak

Jennifer: Hi, and welcome to The English We Speak. I'm Jennifer and with me today is Feifei. 

Feifei: Hi there. 

Jennifer: Why do you have that big bag with you? 

Feifei: Oh this? I'm going to the gym after work. 

Jennifer: Again? But you went yesterday, and the day before that!

Feifei: I need to push myself! I want to get fit.

Jennifer: You're such a fitness freak.

Feifei: Hey, that's not very nice. What do you mean, I'm a 'fitness freak'? You're calling me some kind of strange monster?

Jennifer: I'm not calling you a monster, that's not what the word 'freak' means in this context. In English, you can use the word 'freak' with a noun to say that someone is obsessed by something which you think is strange. 

Feifei: So when you call me a 'fitness freak', you're saying I'm obsessed by癡迷 sport and fitness? 

Jennifer: That's right. It's an informal phrase, usually used if the person saying it is not interested in the hobby or action. So someone might be a 'football freak' if they're watching football. My boyfriend is a 'car freak' – he's obsessed with cars and talking about them, but I'm not interested at all, I think it's weird.

Feifei: I understand. Well you might call me a fitness freak, because you don't like it. I'd say I'm a fitness fanatic狂熱的! 

Jennifer: Well, I have no intention of意願 going to the gym today or any day. I don't like it and the thought of using the equipment設備 really freaks me out.

Feifei: Hang on, you've used the word freak again.

Jennifer: Yes, in a slightly different way. 'To freak someone out' is a phrasal短語 verb which means to make someone feel strong emotions, like panic or fear. Going to the gym freaks me out; it makes me panic. 

Feifei: It freaks you out! You need to toughen up.強硬起來 I really do think you should come and join me for a gym session tonight.

Jennifer: No way! I'm too scared and too tired. I'd rather lie on the sofa and watch my favourite soap opera.

Feifei: Well, I think that people who sit around and watch television every night are very strange – so I guess you're a television freak! Join us again for another edition of The English We Speak from bbclearningenglish.com. 

Both: Bye!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/theenglishwespeak/2013/05/130521_tews_124_freak.shtml

I wasn't born yesterday

Feifei: Hello and welcome to The English We Speak, I'm Feifei. And, as usual, I'm waiting for Neil, who's late. I think I'm going to get some revenge復仇 by playing a few jokes on him - especially as he forgot my birthday yesterday.

Neil: Hi there, sorry, I'm late. Welcome to The English We Speak, I'm Neil and with me today is Feifei.

Feifei: I've done all of that.

Neil: OK, how are you, Feifei?

Feifei: Not... good...

Neil: Oh dear. What's the matter?

Feifei: I can't believe you forgot.

Neil: Forgot? Oh no, what have I forgotten?

Feifei: What haven't you forgotten? Well, for a start, you were supposed to meet me an hour ago.

Neil: Really? I thought I was only five minutes late.

Feifei: An hour and five minutes late. Secondly, you were supposed to be dressed smartly as we are meeting that very famous guest later.

Neil: Famous guest?

Feifei: Yes, our very famous guest.

Neil: Who's that, then?

Feifei: How could you forget that Justin Bieber is coming in?!

Neil: What!? My hero, Justin Bieber?! Where?! When?! Hang on a minute, Justin Bieber isn't coming in. I wasn't born yesterday, Feifei.

Feifei: You weren't born yesterday but I was - well, twenty-something years ago. It was my birthday! And you forgot! In English, if you want to tell someone that they haven't made you believe an obvious lie, you can say I wasn't born yesterday. Here are some examples:

• A: Did you know that I was the third man on the moon?
• B: I wasn't born yesterday. You're British and I know that no British people have walked on the moon.

• A: (Radio advert) Learn Russian in 3 days with just one minute's study an hour!
• B: Those adverts are so stupid! The only way to learn a language is years of hard study and practice. I wasn't born yesterday.

Feifei: So, you can say "I wasn't born yesterday" to show that you are not easily fooled.

Neil: And I wasn't born yesterday, so I know that Feifei's claim it was her birthday yesterday isn't true.

Feifei: No, that bit is true.

Neil: Yeah, right. As I say: I wasn't born yesterday.

Feifei: I was! I really was born yesterday. I had a party and everything. Where's my card and present?

Neil: You're not going to fool me.

Feifei: Argh, you're so annoying! I never forget your birthday, Neil.

Neil: I know it wasn't your birthday yesterday...

Feifei: It was!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/theenglishwespeak/2013/05/130514_tews_123_born_yesterday.shtml

Six-pack

Finn: Ahh, this is the life. Sun shining, birds singing - beautiful day here in the park, eh Feifei?

Feifei: Ah yes, fantastic. Just one thing, Finn. I'm a bit thirsty.

Finn: Yes I could do with a drink.

Feifei: An orange juice would be magnificent(華麗的).

Finn: No, no, no. On a day like today the ideal thing would be… an ice-cold beer, or maybe six…

(Looks in bag)

Finn: Ah – here we are. A six-pack! Look.

Feifei: Finn, I don't really want to see your six-pack.

Finn: What?

Feifei: Actually, you don't have a six-pack. You have a beer belly啤酒肚!

Finn: Oh, I get it! Very good, Feifei. In English the phrase six-pack originally refers to a way of selling cans of beer – buying six cans罐 joined together with plastic holders.

Feifei: And now, as a slang俚語 expression, it can also describe the shape of stomach muscles... on people who are very fit you can see six round muscles – which looks like a six pack of drink. Unfortunately, not on you Finn.

Finn: What are you saying?

Feifei: Anyone can see you don't have a six-pack. You have a one-pack – one huge beer belly!

Finn: Well, I think that phrase is easy enough to understand.

Feifei: Too many six-packs of beer, I'm afraid!

Examples

• I've been going to the gym for a month now. I need to get my six-pack ready before I go to the beach this summer!
• I used to have a six-pack when I was a teenager, but it seems to have got lost under all this fat.

Feifei: So Finn, how about you leave that six-pack of beer and swap it for... a healthy fruit smoothie!

Finn: Nice idea, and I can see a fruit smoothie seller over there! I'll go and buy two. See you in a bit.

Feifei: Thanks Finn. While he's over there let me remind everyone if you want to learn more phrases like six-pack and beer belly, check out bbclearningenglish.com. And do some exercise! Bye.

Finn: (Opens and drinks from can) Don't tell Feifei!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/theenglishwespeak/2013/05/130507_tews_122_six_pack.shtml