Welcome to English as a Second Language podcast number 325, Describing People's Moods.
This is English as a Second Language podcast episode 325.
I'm your host, Dr Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center for Educational Development in beautiful Los Angeles, California.
Visit our website at eslpod.com and take a look at our premium courses.
We have additional special courses in business and daily English and It's a dialogue between Brett and Molly talking about different people's moods.
Let's get started.
Do you know what kind of mood mom is in?
Not really.
Why?
I really need a raise in my allowance, and I'm waiting for the right time to ask.
I wouldn't count on this being a good time.
She looked a little upset after getting off the phone with Aunt Terry.
Why?
Aunt Terry has been down in the dumps since Cousin Frank decided to take a job in Cambodia.
He's on cloud nine about this new job, but Aunt Terry is anxious about him moving so far away.
I see.
Well, I've got to think of some way to cheer her up.
It's a lost cause if I ask her while she's angry, on edge, or depressed.
I hadn't thought of that.
I need to come up with something.
Be patient.
Wait for the right moment and then strike.
I speak from years of experience.
Right.
Thanks.
Brett begins the dialogue by saying to Molly, Do you know what kind of mood Mom is in?
Do you know the way that mom is feeling right now?
What is her attitude?
Is she happy?
Is she sad?
Etc.
Molly says, not really.
Why?
Brett says, I really need a raise in my allowance.
A raise is an increase.
An allowance is a small amount of money that some parents give to their children each week or every two weeks that they can spend on whatever they want.
Brett wants to increase his allowance.
He wants his parents to give him more money.
Brett says that His mother will be more likely to say yes if she's not feeling too grouchy.
Grouchy, G-R-O-U-C-H-Y, means not happy, someone who's always complaining.
I am always grouchy in the morning when I have to get up early.
I am not happy.
Not normally, but sometimes I'm grouchy.
Molly says, I wouldn't count on this being a good time.
To count on is a two-word phrasal verb meaning to rely on, to depend on, to assume that something will be a certain way.
There's a common expression, don't count on it, meaning don't rely upon it, don't depend upon it.
It may not happen.
Molly says that her mother looked a little upset after getting off the phone with Aunt Terry.
To get upset means to get angry or worried or anxious about.
It's the opposite of calm.
So she looked a little upset after she hung up the phone, after she stopped talking on the phone with Aunt Terry.
She got off the phone.
Brett says, why?
Molly says, Aunt Terry has been down in the dumps.
To be down in the dumps, D-U-M-P-S, means to be very sad, to be unhappy, to be depressed.
That's to be down in the dumps.
Why is Aunt Terry down in the dumps?
Well, because her son Frank, who is Brett, and Molly's cousin, decided to take a job in Cambodia, a country in Southeast Asia, very far away.
Molly says Frank is on cloud nine about this new job.
The expression to be on cloud nine means to be very happy, to be overjoyed, to be extremely happy.
I'm on cloud nine.
It's not exactly clear where the expression on cloud nine comes from.
Some people say it comes from an old way that scientists used to measure the height of clouds, and cloud nine was the highest level.
Other people say it comes from Buddhism, in describing being very close to your final goal or destination.
I'm not sure which, if either of these explanations is correct, but everyone understands it to mean very happy.
If I won the lottery today, I'd be on cloud nine.
Maybe cloud 99.
Molly says that her Aunt Terry is anxious about Frank moving away so far.
To be anxious means to be worried, to be nervous.
Brett says To cheer someone up or to cheer up someone means to make someone feel better, to make someone feel happier, to do something that will make them feel happier.
Brett says, To say something is a lost cause means it is impossible.
It can't be done.
My singing teacher tells me, Jeff, you're a lost cause.
There's nothing that can be done to improve your singing.
I'm a lost cause.
Brett uses some adjectives to describe his mother's possible moods.
He says she could be angry, meaning mad when you don't like something very much.
She could be on edge, meaning she's nervous or excited about something.
The expression on edge has a couple of different meanings.
Take a look at the learning guide for some additional explanations.
Or Brett says his mother could be depressed, meaning very unhappy.
Molly says you know that mom is always happy to hear good news about school.
Do you have anything new to report?
Meaning, do you have anything new to tell her?
Brett says, I hadn't thought of that.
I hadn't thought of that idea.
I need to come up with something.
To come up with something means to think of something, a new idea.
Molly says, be patient.
In other words, don't rush.
Don't be in a hurry.
Be able to wait.
Be patient.
Wait for the right moment and then strike.
To strike usually means to attack someone, to do something without warning the other person.
Molly here is using it somewhat in a humorous sense, telling Brett to wait until the right moment and then ask his mother.
Molly says Brett says.
Brett says Now let's listen to the dialogue again, this time at a normal speed.
Do you know what kind of mood Mom is in?
Not really.
Why?
I really need a raise on my allowance, and I'm waiting for the right time to ask.
She'll be more likely to say yes if she's not feeling too grouchy.
I wouldn't count on this being a good time.
She looked a little upset after getting off the phone with Aunt Terri.
Why?
Aunt Terry has been down in the dumps since Cousin Frank decided to take a job in Cambodia.
He's on cloud nine about this new job, but Aunt Terry is anxious about him moving so far away.
I see.
Well, I've got to think of some way to cheer her up.
It's a lost cause if I ask her while she's angry on edge or depressed.
You know that Mom is always happy to hear good news about school.
Do you have anything new to report?
I hadn't thought of that.
I need to come up with something.
Be patient.
Wait for the right moment and then strike.
I speak from years of experience.
Right.
Thanks.
The script for this episode was written by Dr. Lucy Say.
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.
