Welcome to English as a Second Language podcast number 755, Rejecting Newer Technology.
This is English as a Second Language podcast episode 755.
Transcription by CastingWords.
If you do become a member, you can download the learning guide for all of our current episodes.
That will help you improve your English even faster.
Don't forget you can also follow us on Facebook at facebook.com slash ESLPOD.
This episode is a dialogue between Darlene and Chris about someone who doesn't like new technology.
Let's get started.
Thanks for agreeing to take a look at my computer.
It's been acting up lately.
Sure, I don't mind.
Is this it?
Yeah.
How long have you had this computer?
It looks like it belongs in the Ice Age.
I must be one of the last holdouts in switching to a newer model.
What are you waiting for?
It seems to me that all of your computer problems would be solved if you spring for a new one.
I have a lot of old programs on this computer that aren't compatible with the newer models.
I'm kind of attached to them.
They probably aren't compatible because there are now better, more efficient programs that have overtaken the ones you currently use.
Your programs are probably obsolete.
Which programs are they?
Maybe I can show you how to use the newer versions.
Well, there's one particular program.
It's a game I like to play.
You're refusing to buy a newer, better computer just because you'd have to give up a game?
It's a really fun game and I'm keeping this computer until they make a version for the newer computers.
Okay, but you know what they say.
Live by the sword, die by the sword.
So you won't help me fix my computer?
I'll try, but I'm telling you now, it's a lost cause.
Darlene says to Chris, Thanks for agreeing to take a look at my computer.
It's been acting up lately.
The verb to act up is a two-word phrasal expression meaning to behave or operate badly in a way that you don't expect or that isn't doing what you want it to do.
If your computer is running slowly or certain programs aren't working the way they should, we might say that your computer is acting up.
There are several other meanings of this expression.
Look at our learning guide for some additional explanations.
Chris says, sure, I don't mind.
Is this it?
Is this your computer?
Darlene says, yeah.
Chris says, how long have you had this computer?
The Ice Age is a very cold period of history, approximately 20000 years ago, when much of the earth was covered with ice and snow.
However, in this conversation, it's used to describe something that is very, very, very old.
We might also say the Stone Age, meaning a long, long time ago.
Chris wants to know how long Darlene has had this computer...
Darlene says, I admit it's a little dated.
Something that is dated here means out of date, not modern, very old, something that is not what you would find nowadays.
Darlene says I must be one of the last holdouts in switching to a newer model.
A holdout H-O-L-D-O-U-T.
One word is someone who is the last person to change, someone who doesn't want to agree to something or doesn't want to accept something.
A holdout would be someone or some organization that resists changing.
Everyone else is changing, but they will not.
Darlene says that she must be one of the last holdouts in switching to a newer model.
To switch means to replace or exchange one thing for another, to buy something new in this case.
A model, M-O-D-E-L, here means one particular design of a machine.
With computers, there's usually a new model, model of your computer, your kind of computer every year.
If you own an Apple computer, the Apple computer you buy in 2012 will not be the same often as the one you bought in 2011 or 2010.
There are newer models, newer types.
Chris says, what are you waiting for?
It seems to me that all of your computer problems would be solved.
You wouldn't have them anymore if you spring for a new one, a new computer.
To spring for something means to pay for something.
It's an informal way of saying to buy or to pay for something.
To spring for something.
Spring has a couple of other meanings in English as well.
Once again, look at the learning guide for some additional explanations.
Chris wants Darlene to buy a new computer.
Darlene says I have a lot of old programs on this computer that aren't compatible with the newer models.
To be compatible means that you can use it with something else, often referring to hardware and software.
When we say this software is compatible with the new software, even though it's a new operating system for example, you go from Windows XP to Windows 7 you want to know if your software, your programs, will be compatible.
Will they work?
More generally, the adjective compatible refers to two things or two people who will get along well together.
Some people end a relationship because they decide that they are not compatible with the other person.
Or because the other person forgot her birthday and now she's upset.
And if he had only called her, she wouldn't be angry.
See?
Well, Darlene is worried about the compatibility of her computer software.
She says...
To be attached to, here means to like something very much.
You don't want to get rid of it.
I'm very attached to my old television.
I like it very much.
You can attach something to something else.
You can attach, for example, a file to an email.
But here, the verb means to like something.
I'm very attached to something.
So Darlene doesn't want to buy a new computer because she's very attached to some programs that won't be compatible with the new computer and its new operating system, which is the software the general software, we could call it that the computer uses.
Chris says they probably aren't compatible because Because they're now better, more efficient programs that have overtaken the ones you currently use.
To overtake.
O-V-E-R-T-A-K-E means to go past something, to become better or more successful than someone or something else.
The team began winning more games and they overtook notice.
The past tense overtook the opposing team, the other team that they were playing.
Well, Chris is saying that the computer programs that Darlene has are probably better now.
They have new versions that are better.
So she doesn't really need to worry about compatibility.
She just needs to get the new programs, the new software programs.
Chris says, Your programs are probably obsolete.
To be obsolete means they are no longer useful because there is something else that can do the same thing better now.
Some people say that cassette tapes are obsolete because we have things that are better now, like CDs and DVDs and MP3s.
Although one thing I liked about the old cassette tapes is that when you stopped listening to a song, the tape would stay right there and you could go back and start right where you were before.
With a CD, of course, you can't actually do that.
At least you can fast forward or rewind, but you understand what I'm saying.
So maybe cassette tapes aren't obsolete after all.
I still have a whole box of them in my closet.
Chris thinks that Darlene's software programs are obsolete.
He says, which programs are they?
Maybe I can show you how to use the newer versions, the newer kinds of that software.
Darlene says, well, there's one particular program.
Chris says, yes.
Darlene says, it's a game I like to play.
Chris says, you're refusing to buy a newer, better computer just because you have to give up a game?
To give up something or to give something up means to decide you no longer can use it or you can no longer do that.
I'm going to give up smoking.
I'm going to stop smoking.
I don't actually smoke, so that's just an example.
I'm going to give up talking about cats.
I talk about cats all the time.
You know I love cats, but maybe I'll give up talking about them.
Probably not, though.
Chris is saying that Darlene doesn't want to buy a new computer because she doesn't want to give up a game that she plays on her old computer.
Darlene says it's a really fun game and I'm keeping this computer until they make a version for the newer computers.
Chris says, okay, but you know what they say, live by the sword, die by the sword.
A sword is a long, sharp instrument.
It's a weapon that you hurt or kill someone with.
It's like a big knife, you could call it.
There's an expression live by the sword, die by the sword which originally, I believe, appeared in the Bible.
It means that the way you choose to live affects what happens to you in the future.
Usually you're telling someone that if you are going to act that way, eventually you are going to be hurt by your actions.
If you always criticize other people and then someday someone criticizes you and you're hurt by that, we could say well, live by the sword, die by the sword.
You did that sort of thing, and now you are suffering from that same action.
Darlene says, so you won't help me fix my computer?
Chris says, I'll try, but I'm telling you now, it's a lost cause.
A lost cause, C-A-U-S-E, is something that cannot succeed no matter how hard you try.
You can try doing it, but you will not be successful.
You will lose, if you will.
And hence, or therefore, it's a lost cause.
Now let's listen to the dialogue, this time at a normal speed.
Thanks for agreeing to take a look at my computer.
It's been acting up lately.
Sure, I don't mind.
Is this it?
Yeah.
How long have you had this computer?
It looks like it belongs in the Ice Age.
I admit it's a little dated.
I must be one of the last holdouts in switching to a newer model.
What are you waiting for?
It seems to me that all of your computer problems would be solved if you spring for a new one.
I have a lot of old programs on this computer that aren't compatible with the newer models.
I'm kind of attached to them.
They probably aren't compatible because there are now better, more efficient programs that have overtaken the ones you currently use.
Your programs are probably obsolete.
Which programs are they?
Maybe I can show you how to use the newer versions.
Well, there's one particular program.
Yes?
It's a game I like to play.
You're refusing to buy a newer, better computer just because you'd have to give up a game?
It's a really fun game and I'm keeping this computer until they make a version for the newer computers.
Okay, but you know what they say, live by the sword, die by the sword.
So you won't help me fix my computer?
I'll try, but I'm telling you now, it's a lost cause.
There's nothing dated or obsolete about the language you hear in our dialogues.
That's because they're written by the wonderful Dr. Lucy Say.
From Los Angeles, California, I'm Jeff McQuillan.
Thank you for listening.
Come back and listen to us again here on ESL Podcast.
English as a Second Language podcast is written and produced by Dr Lucy Say, hosted by Dr Jeff McQuillan.
Copyright 2012 by the Center for Educational Development.
