Coffee Break English, season two, episode three.
Hello and welcome to Coffee Break English.
I'm Josie. And I'm Mark.
And we're delighted that you're joining us once again today.
Yes. And we hope you've been enjoying the series so far.
On the Coffee Break English podcast, we help you to improve your English by studying texts about interesting things from all around the world.
We look at culture and we listen to lots of different accents.
Each episode also features a different language point.
So far, we've travelled to the United States.
We've also visited South Africa.
And in this episode, we are travelling to Australia.
So, Josie, can you tell us what this text is about?
Yes. As you said, Mark, we're going to Australia this week.
And this text is about Steve Irwin.
Okay, we'll listen to the text together now.
Let's get started. Hi, Mark.
Hi, Josie. This is Matthew reporting today from Australia.
And today, we're talking about a famous Australian.
If you mention crocodiles to Australians, they instantly think of Steve Irwin.
Born in Melbourne in 1962, Irwin was a conservationist who loved animals and the natural world.
His parents were both wildlife experts and in 1970, the family moved to Queensland where they started a small wildlife park.
Irwin grew up around animals and quickly followed in his parents' footsteps.
He liked exploring nature and playing with animals.
And he wrestled his first crocodile when he was just nine years old.
As he got older, Irwin continued working with wildlife.
He volunteered with organisations which found safe homes for animals and he eventually took over the family wildlife park, renaming it the Australia Zoo.
In 1991, he met American naturalist Terry Raines, who became his wife just four months later.
Terry also loved wildlife and nature.
So, after the wedding, the couple spent their honeymoon trapping crocodiles and taking them to safer homes.
The videos which Steve took during this trip became the first episode of The Crocodile Hunter, one of many television shows which made the family famous.
The Irwins had two children, Bindi Sue, who was named after two animals which Steve had cared for earlier in his life, and Robert, who was named after Steve's father.
Like her dad, Bindi went on to host her own wildlife TV show.
Tragically, Steve Irwin was killed by a stingray to the heart in 2006, which happened while he was filming an underwater wildlife show.
However, his legacy lives on through his family, who continue his wildlife and conservation work.
He has left his mark on the world in other animal -related ways too.
A species of turtle he discovered was named Irwins turtle after Steve and his family.
In 2009, a new Australian land -style was discovered, which was given the name, Crikey Steve Irwiny, after Steve's famous catchphrase, crikey.
That was fascinating.
Yes, I learnt a lot about Steve Irwin there.
Josie, are we going to be looking at a particular language point in this episode?
We are indeed, Mark.
This episode, we are going to be focusing on defining relative clauses and pronouns.
Ok, that sounds a little complicated.
It does, when you use that terminology.
But basically, we are going to be looking at when we use the words, who, which and where.
So, let's take a closer look at the text.
Ok, Josie, you read each sentence and then we can talk about the words in each sentence.
Ok, sounds good. If you mention crocodiles to Australians, they instantly think of Steve Irwin.
Ok, we know what crocodiles are.
We do. I wonder if our listeners do.
I think crocodile may well be a similar word in many other languages.
I think so. To my knowledge, there are many languages in which it's similar.
Ok, so anything interesting in that sentence?
To be honest, no. Shall we continue?
Why not? So, born in Melbourne in 1962, Irwin was a conservationist who loved animals and the natural world.
Josie, what is a conservationist?
So, a conservationist is basically a person who works for the preservation of animals and plants.
They want to preserve animals and plants.
Steve Irwin was a famous conservationist.
Yes, he was. Is there anything else you want to look at in this sentence?
Well, yes. Here in this sentence we have the first use of what's called a relative pronoun.
So, Irwin was a conservationist who loved animals.
This word who is a relative pronoun and it's used when we're talking about people.
It's joining the two parts of the sentence, isn't it?
That's right. Basically, it's giving more information about something that we've already said.
So, Irwin was a conservationist.
Who loved animals and the natural world were giving more information about Steve Irwin here?
That makes sense. We'll see more examples of the relative pronouns in the text.
We will. Let's continue.
His parents were both wildlife experts and in 1970 the family moved to Queensland where they started a small wildlife park.
Okay, so let's talk about this sentence.
Is there anything you want to pick up on here?
Yes. So, this word wildlife, could you define that for us please, Mark?
Well, it's a good example of a compound noun where two nouns come together.
So, we've got wild and life and wildlife is used to mean wild animals and nature, all those kind of things.
That's right. Basically, any life that you find in the wild, in nature.
Yes. Okay. So, the next thing I'd like to talk about in this sentence is the word where.
So, we have the family moved to Queensland where they started a small wildlife park.
So, in the previous phrase, we saw who which we said was a relative pronoun.
This word where is also a relative pronoun, but it's not used to talk about people this time.
Instead, it's used to talk about places.
That's right. Yes. So, by using this word where, we're joining two parts of the sentence and giving more information about Queensland.
The family moved to Queensland.
What did they do there?
They started a small wildlife park.
So, that works in exactly the same way as who in the previous sentence.
That's right. Okay.
Let's continue. Erwin grew up around animals and quickly followed in his parents' footsteps.
To follow in someone's footsteps.
What does that mean, Josie?
Well, this is an interesting expression.
Basically, it means to do as someone did before you.
So, if you imagine you are walking on the beach and your feet make some marks on the wet sand, these are your footprints or we could say your footsteps.
Now, imagine that someone is walking behind you and they put their feet in exactly the marks that you made.
They do what you did before.
So, to follow in someone's footsteps, literally, it means to do what you did before walking behind you on the beach using the same footsteps or footprints that you're using.
But here, it's used figuratively.
Exactly. Yes. So, it just means that Steve Irwin did like his parents did.
His parents loved animals and so did he.
He made a career from his love of animals.
Excellent. Let's move on then and finish this paragraph.
Okay. He liked exploring nature and playing with animals.
And he wrestled his first crocodile when he was just nine years old.
Okay. To wrestle. So, to wrestle means to fight.
So, think of the WWF, this kind of fighting.
But how is wrestling or wrestled spelt, Mark?
So, we have a silent W in wrestle.
W -R -E -S -T -L -E for to wrestle.
That's right. This is very similar to the word to write with a pen, to write.
W -R -I -T -E, another silent W.
It's also interesting to point out that in the word wrestle, we don't really pronounce the T.
That's right. We almost have two silent letters here.
Good. Okay. So, we now know a little more about the origins of Steve Irwin and his background.
Let's continue on with the text.
Okay. As he got older, Irwin continued working with wildlife.
He volunteered with organizations which found safe homes for animals, and he eventually took over the family wildlife park, renaming it the Australia Zoo.
Okay. The first part of this is straightforward.
As he got older, Irwin continued working with wildlife.
Could we say he continued to work with wildlife?
We could indeed. There would be no difference in meaning here.
Okay. So, Steve volunteered with organizations.
Anything we need to think about there?
Yes. So, here, this word organizations, this, of course, comes from the verb organize, which can be spelled two different ways in the UK and the US.
So, in the UK, we spell this O -R -G -A -N -I -S -E.
And in the US, how do we spell it, Mark?
It would be O -R -G -A -N -I -Z or Z -E.
That's right. We've already seen quite a few of these spelling differences, and we will see many more.
Indeed. Okay. So, these organizations, we find it more about these organizations with another relative pronoun.
We do indeed. This time, it's not who, it's not where, it's which.
So, he volunteered with organizations which found safe homes for animals.
We're giving more information about these organizations.
So, the relative pronoun, which, is used when we're talking about things.
Okay. So, so far, we've seen who when we're talking about people, where, when we're talking about places, and now we have which talking about things.
That's right. And if things sounds a little too general, basically, we use which when we're not talking about people or places.
That makes sense. Okay.
So, these organizations, which found safe homes for animals, and then what did he eventually do?
So, eventually, he took over the family wildlife park.
And we have a nice phrasal verb here.
Yes, we do. So, to take over is a phrasal verb, a verb which has two words.
And in this case, take over means to start to manage or to become the boss of something.
So, Steve, he started to manage his family's wildlife park.
He became the boss of it.
And he also gave it a new name.
Yes. So, he renamed it the Australia Zoo.
As we saw in the previous episode, when we add the prefix re to a verb, it means to do something again.
So, if he renamed this wildlife park, he gave it a name again.
He gave it a new name.
Perfect. Okay. Let's find out what happened next.
Okay. In 1991, he met American naturalist Terry Raines, who became his wife just four months later.
Right. First of all, what is a naturalist?
A naturalist is an expert of natural history.
Okay. And we also have another example of a relative pronoun here.
We do indeed. We have another who.
So, he met American naturalist Terry Raines, who became his wife just four months later.
We're using the pronoun who because Terry Raines is a woman.
She's a person. And we're giving more information about her using this word who.
Okay. We're going to find out a little more about Steve Irwin after our break.
We'll be back in just a moment.
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Welcome back. Today, we are talking about the Australian conservationist, Steve Irwin.
Josie, can you continue with the text, please?
Yes. So, before the break, we learnt about Steve's wife, Terry Raines, and they got married in 1991.
Let's learn more about her.
Terry also loved wildlife and nature.
So, after the wedding, the couple spent their honeymoon trapping crocodiles and taking them to safer homes.
Okay. So, what is a honeymoon?
Well, a honeymoon is the holiday you go on after you get married.
I think it's a really lovely word.
Honey and moon together, two really nice things together.
Very romantic. Indeed.
And trapping crocodiles?
What does that involve?
Yes. So, trapping crocodiles basically means when you catch crocodiles in order to protect them, to maybe take them to a safer place, as Steve and Terry did.
Okay. Let's find out more about this.
Okay. The videos which Steve took during this trip became the first episode of The Crocodile Hunter, one of many television shows which made the family famous.
I think I've spotted another relative pronoun there.
I'm sure you have. There are actually two in that sentence, yeah.
Let's find out more about this then.
So, what are the two relative pronouns?
They are both which.
We have the videos which Steve took and one of many television shows which made the family famous.
Both videos and television shows are things, not places or people.
So, that's why we use which, not where, and not who.
Okay. Let's continue.
Okay. The Irwins had two children.
Bindi Sue, who was named after two animals which Steve had cared for earlier in his life.
And Robert, who was named after Steve's father.
Yet again, more relative pronouns here, this time who.
Indeed. So, we're talking about Steve and Terry's children.
So, we are using who.
They had two children.
One was Bindi Sue, who was named after two animals.
And Robert, who was named after Steve's father.
Okay. And we also know something about Bindi.
Yes. Like her dad, Bindi went on to host her own wildlife TV show.
To go on to do something.
That's an interesting phrasal verb.
Yes. So, another phrasal verb here.
To go on to do something means to do something later or after.
So, Steve's daughter Bindi, she hosted her own TV show after her dad, she went on to host it.
Okay. Let's continue our text.
Tragically, Steve Irwin was killed by a stingray injury to the heart in 2006.
Which happened while he was filming an underwater wildlife show.
Now, a stingray is a type of fish.
Yes, it's a fish which is very flat and wide.
Okay. So, tragically Steve died during the filming of an underwater wildlife show.
We've got another relative pronoun in this sentence.
We have. He was killed by a stingray injury to the heart in 2006, which happened while he was filming a wildlife show.
So, an injury, this is a thing.
So, we are using the pronoun witch here.
Okay. Let's continue and find out about his legacy.
Okay. However, his legacy lives on through his family, who continue his wildlife and conservation work.
What exactly is a legacy?
So, a legacy is something that's left behind by someone who has died.
So, sometimes this could be money or property.
In this case, it is Steve's work, his ideas.
And they live on through his family.
Yes, they continue through his family.
His family continues his work.
Let's complete the text.
He has left his mark on the world in other animal related ways too.
What does it mean when someone leaves their mark?
Yes. So, if you leave a mark, you leave an impression on something.
It doesn't necessarily have to be a physical mark, something that we can see.
Like a footprint. Indeed, like a footprint.
So, in this case, Steve left his mark on the world.
He left an impression.
He left a memory. Okay.
So, let's find out about these ways in which he left his mark.
A species of turtle he discovered was named Erwin's turtle after Steve and his family.
In 2009, a new Australian land snail was discovered, which was given the name, Crikey Steve Erwinny, after Steve's famous catchphrase, Crikey.
Okay. So, a couple of things here.
First of all, the which in this sentence is interesting.
Yes. So, we have another relative pronoun.
We're using which. Now, in this case, which is describing this new snail, which was discovered.
Now, many people may think that we should use who to describe animals because they are alive, like people.
But in English, we don't do this.
In fact, we use which for animals, not who.
Okay. And finally, let's talk about the word catchphrase.
Yes. So, a catchphrase is basically a phrase that someone says all the time and they are known for this.
So, think, for example, of Homer Simpson.
And what was his catchphrase, Mark?
I think Homer Simpson always says don't.
Exactly. Yes. He's very famous for this.
And Steve Erwin's catchphrase was crikey.
That's right. And crikey just means wow.
It's a term used to express surprise.
It's actually an Australian slang word.
And we also use it a lot in Britain.
Okay. Let's listen again to the text now and hopefully you'll understand much more this time round.
If you mention crocodiles to Australians, they instantly think of Steve Erwin.
Born in Melbourne in 1962, Erwin was a conservationist who loved animals and the natural world.
His parents were both wildlife experts.
And in 1970, the family moved to Queensland, where they started a small wildlife park.
Erwin grew up around animals and quickly followed in his parents' footsteps.
He liked exploring nature and playing with animals.
And he wrestled his first crocodile when he was just nine years old.
As he got older, Erwin continued working with wildlife.
He volunteered with organisations which found safe homes for animals.
And he eventually took over the family wildlife park, renaming it the Australia Zoo.
In 1991, he met American naturalist Terry Raines, who became his wife just four months later.
Terry also loved wildlife and nature.
So after the wedding, the couple spent their honeymoon trapping crocodiles and taking them to safer homes.
The videos which Steve took during this trip became the first episode of The Crocodile Hunter, one of many television shows which made the family famous.
The Erwins had two children, Bindi Sue, who was named after two animals which Steve had cared for earlier in his life, and Robert, who was named after Steve's father.
Like her dad, Bindi went on to host her own wildlife TV show.
Tragically, Steve Erwin was killed by a stingray to the heart in 2006, which happened while he was filming an underwater wildlife show.
However, his legacy lives on through his family, who continue his wildlife and conservation work.
He has left his mark on the world in other animal -related ways too.
A species of turtle he discovered was named Erwin's turtle after Steve and his family.
In 2009, a new Australian land -style was discovered, which was given the name, Crikey Steve Erwinie, after Steve's famous catchphrase, Crikey.
Thank you very much for joining us for this episode of Coffee Break English.
If you would like access to more content, then you can go to the Coffee Break Academy, where we provide the transcript along with notes and other materials.
This is all available at coffeebreakacademy .com That's right, Mark.
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