Have a ball

Finn: Hello Feifei. Welcome back to the office.

Feifei: Hi Finn. Back to work!

Finn: How was your holiday? You look great.

Feifei: Oh thanks, fantastic. We spent every day on the beach…

Finn: Nice…

Feifei: Yeah, just relaxing, swimming, reading novels, eating fresh seafood, and my favourite new thing: playing beach volleyball!

Finn: Cool – you must have had a ball!

Feifei: Of course we had a ball. We were playing volleyball! You can't play volleyball without… a ball.

Finn: You're right, you do need a ball – but you see I meant…

Feifei: I know what you meant, just kidding! To 'have a ball' means to have a really good time, to enjoy yourself.

Finn: Yes, well did you? Have a good time?

Feifei: We had… a ball!

Finn: Listen to these other people who had… a ball.

• We went to my sister's wedding at the weekend. Everyone had a ball – it was so much fun.
• I had a ball at the party. So many of my friends were there and the music was great.

Feifei: Of course we don't always use it to talk about things in the past.

Finn: Yes, listen out for people 'having a ball', like this one:

• I'm having a ball in my new job. It's so much better than my old one.

Feifei: Or you can combine with 'will' when talking about the future.

• A: I'm not sure about joining the singing class.
• B: Of course you should join – you'll have a ball!

Finn: Anyway Feifei, it's good to have you back.

Feifei: Good to be back.

Finn: We're having a ball.

Feifei: I know, it's fun to be in the studio again.

Finn: No, we're really having a ball.

Feifei: Eh?

Finn: Yes, BBC Learning English is holding a ball – a formal party where people come and dance - tonight.

Feifei: Oh, that kind of ball – our ball! I'd completely forgotten! I'm playing volleyball tonight.

Finn: Well, I'm sure you'll have a ball whatever you do!

Feifei: Haha – yes, well you have a ball, at the ball!

Finn: Very good. For more English phrases, log on to bbclearningenglish.com. Goodbye.

Feifei: See ya.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/theenglishwespeak/2013/09/130910_tews_140_have_a_ball.shtml

Legend

Feifei: Hello and welcome to The English We Speak. We're in Finn's kitchen, and he's hard at work.

Finn: Hello.

Feifei: Finn. What are you doing?

Finn: (Sawing sounds) Just sawing鋸 this table.

Feifei: Sawing the table? Why?

Finn: To make it round; a nice round shape圓形.

Feifei: OK? Not quite sure why?

Finn: So I can have a round table. Like King Arthur...

Feifei: You mean like King Arthur in the British legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Finn, that sounds a bit weird.

Finn: OK fine, don't laugh. Actually, hang on, I'm not very good at DIY. My saw is stuck - it won't move.

Feifei: Give me that. You need to do it like this, nice and smooth.

Finn: Thanks Feifei, you're a legend.

Feifei: No problem Finn. A legend傳奇. Unlike King Arthur and characters from myths神話 and legends, who didn't really exist - you'll also hear the word 'legend' used to describe people around you.

Finn: Yes - in British slang, we say someone is a legend if they do something very helpful, very generous or very successfully - like in these examples:

• Thank you for that mate - you helped so much with the party today. You're a legend.

• A: Hey, I found your car keys.
• B: Oh great - you're a legend. I've been looking for an hour!

• He's a legend. He drove me to the airport at 5am.

(Sawing sounds)

Finn: And there we have it, a perfect round table.

Feifei: Well done Finn. I'm impressed. Now what?

Finn: I thought we could invite a few friends round for dinner. Trouble is, I'm absolutely awful at cooking.

Feifei: Never fear - I'll do my special Sunday Roast...

Finn: Feifei, you are a legend.

Feifei: Well, you can buy the ingredients(材料)! We'll need beef, potatoes, flour, carrots. Before you go off to the shops, can you remind everyone of our website?

Finn: Of course - bbclearningenglish.com. See you next time everyone!

Feifei: Bye.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/theenglishwespeak/2013/07/130716_tews_132_legend.shtml

It's doing my head in!

Jennifer: Hello and welcome to The English We Speak from BBC Learning English. My name is Jennifer and Li is with me here in the studio.

Li: Hello everyone. What have you been doing this morning, Jen?

Jennifer: Oh I've been playing on this great new game on my smartphone. It's a puzzle where you have to find matching pictures of fruit. Now it sounds easy, but it's really addictive上癮的.

Li: I love puzzles like this, especially when they're really addictive. Can I have a go?

Jennifer: Yes, you can. In fact, I'm stuck on level 33. I can't complete it at all. Why don't you see if you can do it for me? It's doing my head in!

Li: OK, give it to me and I'll see what I can do. Jen said that the computer game is 'doing her head in'. If something is 'doing your head in', it means it is frustrating or annoying.

Jennifer: It's a phrase which is often used by young people, it's a slang俚語 phrase. Let's hear some examples of how you might use it: 

• (shouting) Can you please turn that music down? It's so loud and it's really doing my head in!
• I've done all my maths homework, except question two. I can't work out the answer and it's really doing my head in.
• I hate it when people drop litter in the street - it does my head in to see so much rubbish everywhere.

Jennifer: So the computer game is doing my head in because I find it difficult. It's frustrating.

Li: You can also say that people are doing your head in, if they annoy you in some way.

• I don't want to invite Sonia to the Christmas party. She gossips all the time. She really does my head in.

Jennifer: So 'doing your head in' is a really useful phrase to know, wouldn't you agree, Li?

Li: (ignoring Jen but playing computer game) Yes! Yes!

Jennifer: Li, I said: 'doing your head in is a really useful phrase'.

Li: (still playing the game) Hang on... If I can just match these pictures... Yes! Level 34!

Jennifer: Li, it's been five hours. I need my phone back now.

Li: But I'm on to level 79 - just let me get to level 80 and I'll give it back to you.

Jennifer: Oh Li, you're really doing MY head in. Join us again for another edition of The English We Speak from BBC Learning English. Bye!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/theenglishwespeak/2013/07/130709_tews_131_doing_my_head_in.shtml