Preparing for a video conference.
This is English as a Second Language podcast, episode 264.
I'm your host, Dr Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center for Educational Development in beautiful Los Angeles, California.
How are you today?
On this podcast we're going to hear a dialogue between two people who talking about getting ready, or getting prepared, for a internet video conference.
Let's get started.
I'm not sure about this video conference today.
It's the next best thing to having a meeting face-to-face It's a piece of cake.
Do you want to do a run-through with me?
Do you mind?
I'd really like to make sure that I know how to work this webcam and microphone.
I don't mind at all.
Okay, we have internet connectivity, so streaming won't be a problem.
The speakers on both computers are turned up.
Do you know how to adjust this webcam?
Right now, it's focused on my right ear.
That's easy.
Just use these buttons to zoom in or out, and you can tilt up or down.
Oh, I see.
That's better.
Now you can see my entire face.
Are you getting audio on your side?
Yes, you're coming in loud and clear.
I think we're in business.
Well, that wasn't so hard.
Let's hope it goes this smoothly this afternoon.
If you have a problem, just give me a call.
Thanks.
I really appreciate it.
Our dialogue begins with Emiliano saying to Fatima, I'm not sure about this video conference today.
A conference is a general word we use to mean a meeting between two or more people.
A video conference is when you have two or more people in a different place, sometimes in different countries, but they are able to talk to each other on the television or video screen.
Nowadays, we do this on the Internet.
Emiliano says that he's not sure about this.
He doesn't know quite what to do.
He says that it's the next best thing to having a meeting face to face, but I've never used most of this equipment before.
The expression the next best thing to something means it is almost as good as.
It's the second best choice or second best option.
The next best thing.
To meet someone face-to-face means to meet someone in person.
You are physically both in the same location.
You are in the same room.
That's meeting someone face-to-face.
The other expression we use there is in-person, I-N, in-person.
Fatima says that using the video conferencing equipment is a piece of cake.
The expression a piece of cake C-A-K-E, like the cake that you eat, means it's very easy, it's quick, it's simple.
Someone may say...
Downloading ESL podcast is a piece of cake.
It's very easy to do.
Fatima asks Emiliano, Do you want to do a run through with me?
To do a run through something means to practice something before you actually do it.
Or if you are going to be doing a performance.
You're a musician or a speaker and you are going to be talking or performing in front of many people.
You want to practice first.
You're going to do a run-through.
Emiliano says, do you mind?
Meaning, yes, if it's okay with you.
Notice the use of the verb to work something.
To work means to use something, in this case, or to make something function properly or correctly.
To make something work correctly.
Usually we use this when we are talking about electronic work gadgets, things like televisions or iPods or computers.
Can you show me how to work this?
Can you show me how this works?
How do you use it correctly?
A webcam, W-E-B-C-A-M, is short for a web camera.
And that is a small camera that takes your picture so that you can send the video over the Internet.
The web, of course, is the Internet.
A microphone.
M-I-C-R-O-P-H-O-N-E is, you probably know, a small electronic thing that makes your voice louder.
I'm speaking into a microphone right now.
Notice the verb to speak into the microphone.
Fatima says, I don't mind at all, meaning it is no problem.
I would be happy to help you.
She then says, we have internet connectivity, so streaming won't be a problem.
To have internet connectivity means that you have an internet connection.
You are able to Get on the Internet Streaming.
S-T-R-E-A-M-I-N-G is a word we use on the Internet for when you are able to hear something or see something as it actually happens.
That's one meaning of the word.
So you may want to watch your favorite baseball team and you go on to the internet and you find someone who has a streaming video of the baseball game as it is being played live.
That would be one way of using this word streaming.
Fatima says that the speakers on both computers are turned up.
Speakers, S-P-E-A-K-E-R-S, are things that make sound louder.
There is a couple of different meanings, however, of the word speaker.
Take a look at the learning guide for more explanation.
To turn something up or to turn up something is another one of those two-word verbs in English.
Here it means to increase the volume, to make something louder, usually louder when you have a speaker on your television or on a radio or on your computer.
You can turn it up.
You can make it louder.
Emiliano asks Fatima if she knows how to adjust the webcam.
The verb to adjust A-D-J-U-S-T means to make a small change in something.
If you are watching the television and the picture doesn't seem very clear, you can adjust the antenna.
You can change the antenna, make a small change so it works better.
Fatima says that it's easy to adjust the webcam.
She says just use these buttons to zoom in or out, and you can tilt up and down.
To zoom, Z-O-O-M, means to make something bigger.
For example, in a video camera, to zoom in or to zoom means to make one part of the picture bigger.
To tilt, T-I-L-T, means to change or adjust the angle of something.
You can usually tilt something up or down, left or right.
We often use this verb in talking about a camera, a video camera, so that you can move it in one direction or another.
That's to tilt it.
Emiliano asks Fatima, are you getting audio on your side?
Audio, A-U-D-I-O, is recorded sound that comes from a speaker or a machine.
Fatima says yes, you're coming in loud and clear.
When we say you're coming in, we mean I am hearing you.
I am receiving the information.
You're coming in loud and clear, meaning very clearly.
It's very easy to understand you.
Then Fatima says, I think we're in business.
The expression to be in business in this case means to be ready to begin, to be ready to do something.
To be successful at something is to be in business.
The expression in business can also mean that you have a company, a business that sells something, for example.
But here it just means that you are ready to do something.
In this case, Emiliano is ready to be part of his video conference.
Now let's listen to the dialogue, this time at a normal speed.
Not sure about this video conference today.
It's the next best thing to having a meeting face to face, but I've never used most of this equipment before.
It's a piece of cake.
Do you want to do a run-through with me?
Do you mind?
I'd really like to make sure I know how to work this webcam and microphone.
I don't mind at all.
Okay, we have internet connectivity, so streaming won't be a problem.
The speakers on both computers are turned up.
Do you know how to adjust this webcam?
Right now it's focused on my right ear.
That's easy.
Just use these buttons to zoom in or out, and you can tilt up or down.
Oh, I see.
That's better.
Now you can see my entire face.
Are you getting audio on your side?
Yes, you're coming in loud and clear.
I think we're in business.
Well, that wasn't so hard.
Let's hope it goes this smoothly this afternoon.
If you have a problem, just give me a call.
Thanks.
I really appreciate it.
The script for this podcast was written by Dr. Lucy Say.
If you have a question or comment for ESL Podcast, please email us.
From Los Angeles, California, I'm Jeff McQuillan.
Thanks for listening.
We'll see you next time on ESL Podcast.
English as a Second Language Podcast is written and produced by Dr Lucy Say, hosted by Dr Jeff McQuillan.
This podcast is copyright 2007.
