Hello, lovely.
I'm Maria.
And my name is Rory.
We are the hosts of the IELTS Speaking for Success podcast, the podcast that aims to help you improve your speaking skills, as well as your listening skills along the way.
We started this podcast because we want you to use high-level words and gorgeous grammar in your everyday English and in your IELTS speaking exam.
Maria, you're looking nice today.
Oh, no, I think I look terrible.
Oh, don't talk absolute rubbish.
Hmm, that's interesting, Rory, because today we're going to be talking about rubbish!
Rubbish!
Yes, dear listener, in the IELTS exam they can ask you questions about rubbish in Speaking Part 1.
Rory, why do some people throw garbage on the street instead of using trash bins?
Well, my initial reaction is to think that it's because people are lazy and selfish.
But actually, when I think about it more intensely, some people probably genuinely don't know where to go to drop off their trash.
So they just leave it out there for all and sundry to see.
It's not...
That's still not a great excuse though, because they could always ask other people for help, but some people just don't.
What do you do if you see rubbish on the street?
I suppose it depends on the scale of the problem, to be honest.
I'm not about to pick up every piece of trash on the street, but if there's like a wayward bottle or can or something, then I don't mind picking that up and putting it in the bin.
How do you feel when you see people throw rubbish on the street?
Well, to be honest, I've never actually seen anyone doing this, but I imagine if I did see someone doing it then I'd at least feel quite annoyed.
If I was in Scotland, I'd say something, at least assuming they weren't bigger than I am.
And if it was Russia, I think I'd probably just pick it up, since my level of Russian isn't really good enough to admonish someone for being a litterbug just yet.
But I would definitely not be very happy about it.
Do you help in keeping the streets tidy?
Well, it's not my job.
I do my best to try and be tidy and encourage other people to do the same.
I think that's reasonable.
At least in Scotland, the police are responsible for enforcing litter laws.
So, like I say, it's not my job to do this, but...
If I saw a lot of trash, or if I saw people fly-tipping, then I would report that.
So I suppose that would be me doing my part.
Rory, would you like to be responsible for catching people who drop litter in the streets?
Not really.
I think that's a bit too nosy and too overbearing.
Like I say, I don't think it's the job of the general public to enforce laws beyond just reminding people that it's not a good idea to do things.
I think that's really something the police should be responsible for.
Rory, are you green?
Do you always try to recycle paper and plastic?
I try when the opportunity presents itself.
In Moscow, it's voluntary and not very organized, but it's mandatory.
And actually, it's still not very well organized in Scotland.
My parents complain a lot about the bins.
But...
I think, as time goes by, it'll become more coordinated and I think I'll make more of an effort as it becomes easier to do so.
But I still try my best whenever I can to be green.
How green are you from 1 to 10?
1 is not green, 10 is super green?
A good question, i think.
Maybe five or six.
Um, i could definitely do better, like there.
There are some things that i definitely waste, for example um, so that's not so good, but um, at the very least i'm doing the average amount of recycling, probably.
I don't think there's a way to measure that.
And what can you do personally to help out with this rubbish situation in the world?
What could be your contribution?
Well, I suppose the bare minimum is like using recycling bins, for example, as they're provided.
The other thing is maybe taking a few minutes to sort out the different kinds of trash that you have.
But even then, people are quite busy and I'm quite busy.
So if it wasn't made very easy for me, then I don't know if I would do it very diligently.
Rory, thank you very much for your rubbish answers.
I'm so polite today.
You are.
First of all, dear listener, we can use rubbish in the meaning of rubbish, garbage, trash.
And what's going on with all these words, Rory?
Why do you have so many of them?
Rubbish, litter, garbage, trash.
What's the difference?
I think it's to do with the differences between American and British English.
For example.
I'm pretty sure that words like garbage and trash are American English words and they're transferred from German and French.
I'm pretty sure.
However, litter and rubbish are British English words.
So it's you can use all of these words interchangeably, of course.
I don't think it makes a difference on the meaning since the meaning is the same.
Just pick the words which are easiest for you to remember.
So I personally use the word trash, even though I'm British.
The American word just is easier for me.
Okay, yeah, but there's also the word litter.
I think there's a small difference in meaning in the sense that litter is sort of light food rubbish scattered on the ground, whereas rubbish is concentrated in one place, so there's a slight difference in meaning there.
However, in sort of casual conversation they are used interchangeably, although there is that finer line of meaning when it comes to litter.
Yes, true.
But if I say, Rory, you are talking rubbish, it means nonsense, gibberish.
Yeah, well, that's a collocation, isn't it?
Yeah.
So when it comes to this kind of expression, then yes.
Although in America they do say you're talking garbage as well.
So that's another collocation which is specific to that kind of English.
Then we have these nouns like where do you put your rubbish?
We have trash bins, trash cans.
Bins.
So, bins again.
That's the British English word.
And then you've got things like dumpsters and trash cans, which are American English.
Yeah, so like put your rubbish in the bin.
Yeah.
Right.
The verbs.
What do we do with our rubbish?
First of all, we can say drop rubbish or drop litter.
Yeah, you drop litter and you hopefully drop off your rubbish at the dump or at the communal bins, I suppose.
Yeah, drop off, right?
We can throw rubbish.
Throw rubbish in the street or on the street?
Both.
Both. actually.
There's probably a small difference in meaning, but they're used interchangeably by the vast majority of people.
Or we can say litter, to litter.
Many people litter as a verb.
Yeah.
When you see rubbish, you can pick it up, right?
Absolutely.
And then you put it in the bin.
Yeah, put it in the bin, pick it up.
What about collect?
Collect rubbish.
Well, usually that's the job of the trash collectors to collect rubbish or at least they're called trash collectors in the US.
In the UK, they're called bin men.
Bin men?
What about cleaners?
The cleaners are more responsible for mopping floors and I suppose maybe they would empty small bins in an office, but that's more part of their job.
It's not the main purpose.
Yeah.
We can also sort out rubbish.
Or recycle rubbish.
Yes, you can.
You said that when you see someone dropping litter right, or when you see someone throwing litter, you feel annoyed, right?
So what's the structure like, when I see someone throwing litter?
Yeah, you don't have to use the ING form, though.
You could just say whenever I see people throw rubbish in the streets, or whenever I see someone throw rubbish on the floor and not in the bin, then it's quite annoying.
So it's like whenever blah blah blah then something.
You've used a nice word, admonish someone for dropping rubbish.
Admonish, wow, that's a nice word.
Yeah, I like that word.
It came up recently.
I was playing a game with some students and admonish was one of the words that was difficult for them to first of all spell and understand.
So it admonishes just to get someone in trouble for doing something wrong, very generally speaking.
Could you give us an example?
Well, teachers often admonish their students when they don't do their homework.
So the idea is not just getting people in trouble, but it's also like a higher authority telling a lower level of person that they're not doing something correct.
Like we shouldn't admonish everybody for dropping litter, for doing something, right?
Is it the same as tell somebody off?
Like they don't do their homework, so we should tell them off.
To tell people off is more informal, but the idea is the same.
You've used a nice word, sundry.
All in sundry to see, like what's going on here.
Yeah, all in sundry is just an expression, meaning just for everybody everybody, regardless of who they are to see.
You could say everybody, But again we're expecting people to use collocations and phrases for a higher level score.
So all and sundry might be quite a nice one.
Yeah, but it's so strange.
Sundry, it's like Sunday?
What?
But it's sundry, all in sundry, like everybody.
It is.
And the word sundry actually means something else as well.
It's like, it's...
It's used to mean like various kinds of thing.
So this idea of like lots of kinds of people can see something.
Can I say something like, okay, it's going to be my birthday party.
I don't want all and sundry at my birthday party.
Yeah, so I've made the event private, something like this.
Yes, I don't want everyone to turn up at my birthday party because it's, you know VIP, exclusive face control.
Yes, okay.
Rory, you've mentioned the word mandatory.
Yeah, in what context?
So if something is mandatory, it's something that you must do.
It's usually used to describe something the government has told you that you have to do.
Although I suppose your workplace could also have a mandatory dress code, for example.
So you have to wear certain things in order to work there.
Yeah, mandatory or compulsory, obligatory, we can say they're all synonyms.
We can also say something about like paying a fine.
So those who drop litter in the streets should pay a fine or be penalized.
Yes.
How do you say this penalized word?
Penalize?
Some people say penalized and some people say penalized.
I think it's more common to say penalized in British English and then in American English it's penalized.
But I don't like the meaning is the same and there's they're interchangeable pronunciations.
So don't worry so much about this.
Rory, have you used this word wayward, wayward bottle or something?
Yeah, if something is wayward, it's just.
It's another way of saying out of place, or well, randomly out of place.
So when you see a bottle like blowing about in the street, it's like a wayward bottle.
It's not under any pressure, control of anybody.
Gosh, this is so high level.
We have this all, all and sundry.
We have admonish, we have a wayward bottle.
Wow, so proficient.
Can i say like um oh, he's always been a wayward kid.
Yeah, people can be wayward.
It's just, it's to do with this idea of like a lack of control.
Are you wayward, Rory?
Not as much as I used to be.
Thank you very much for listening, everybody.
And remember, put things in the bin, please.
Bye.
Bye.
Rory, why do some people throw garbage on the street instead of using trash bins?
Well, my initial reaction is to think that it's because people are lazy and selfish.
But actually, when I think about it more intensely, some people probably genuinely don't know where to go to drop off their trash, so they just leave it out there for all and sundry to see.
It's not...
Still not a great excuse though, because they could always ask other people for help, but some people just don't.
What do you do if you see rubbish on the street?
I suppose it depends on the scale of the problem, to be honest.
I'm not about to pick up every piece of trash on the street, but if there's like a wayward bottle or can or something, then I don't mind picking that up and putting it in the bin.
How do you feel when you see people throw rubbish on the street?
Well, to be honest, I've never actually seen anyone doing this, but I imagine if I did see someone doing it then I'd at least feel quite annoyed.
If I was in Scotland, I'd say something, at least assuming they weren't bigger than I am.
And if it was Russia, I think I'd probably just pick it up, since my level of Russian isn't really good enough to admonish someone for being a litterbug just yet.
But I would definitely not be very happy about it.
Do you help in keeping the streets tidy?
Well, it's not my job, but I do my best to try and be tidy and encourage other people to do the same.
I think that's reasonable.
At least in Scotland, the police are responsible for enforcing litter laws.
So, like I say, it's not my job to do this, but...
If I saw a lot of trash, or if I saw people fly-tipping, then I would report that.
So I suppose that would be me doing my part.
Rory, would you like to be responsible for catching people who drop litter in the streets?
Not really.
I think that's a bit too nosy and too overbearing.
Like I say, I don't think it's the job of the general public to enforce laws beyond just reminding people that it's not a good idea to do things.
I think that's really something the police should be responsible for.
Rory, are you green?
Do you always try to recycle paper and plastic?
I try when the opportunity presents itself.
In Moscow, it's voluntary and not very organized, but it's mandatory.
And actually, it's still not very well organized in Scotland.
My parents complain a lot about the bins.
I think, as time goes by, it'll become more coordinated and I think I'll make more of an effort as it becomes easier to do so.
But I still try my best whenever I can to be green.
How green are you from 1 to 10?
1 is not green, 10 is super green.
A good question, I think maybe five or six.
I could definitely do better, like there are some things that I definitely waste, for example, so that's not so good, but at the very least I'm doing the average amount of recycling probably.
I don't think there's a way to measure that And what can you do personally to help out with this rubbish situation in the world?
What could be your contribution?
Well, I suppose the bare minimum is like using recycling bins, for example, as they're provided.
The other thing is maybe taking a few minutes to sort out the different kinds of trash that you have.
But even then people are quite, quite busy and I'm quite busy.
So if it wasn't made very easy for me then I don't know if I would do it very diligently.
