Coffee Break English, season two, episode six.
Welcome back to Coffee Break English.
My name is Mark. And my name is Josie.
Welcome. We're delighted to be back with another episode of our podcast, which helps you improve your English.
How are you today, Josie?
I'm very well, thank you, Mark.
How are you? To be honest, I'm a little bit tired today because it has been a very busy week.
Oh, oh, dear. But I'm pleased because today we're talking about an important event in the US calendar.
We are indeed. Today we're talking about Independence Day.
So we're going to be hearing from Kate in the US in just a moment.
But is there a particular focus for this lesson?
There is, Mark. Today we're going to be focusing on phrasal verbs and expressions with the word take.
Excellent. OK, let's listen to the text now.
Hi, Josie. Hey, Mark.
This is Kate. And I'm back with another text.
Today, we're talking about an important event for all Americans.
The USA's Independence Day is one of the most famous national holidays in the world.
Every year, on the 4th of July, Americans celebrate with barbecues, parades, fireworks displays, and more.
When the British arrived in North America, the explorers took over the land.
And from then on, the 13 colonies were ruled by Great Britain.
The 13 colonies referred to 13 of the largest American colonies under the British rule.
On July 4, 1776, the 13 colonies took back their independence from Britain, and a new North America was born.
The 13 colonies became the first 13 states of the United States, which today are 50 in total.
For this reason, the signing of the Declaration of Independence is one of the most important events in all of U .S.
history. And the 4th of July is a huge part of national culture.
The 4th of July is the USA's national day, and each year, many citizens take on the challenge of making the celebrations as special as possible.
Some of the biggest events include the Bristol 4th of July Parade, which is the oldest 4th of July celebration, a free concert on the lawn of the Capitol Building in Washington, D .C., a music and fireworks show put on by the Boston Pops orchids, and a fireworks display by the department store Macy's,
with over 70 ,000 firework rockets taking off.
The 4th of July and the Declaration of Independence are very important in U .S.
culture, and they are mentioned in many songs, films, and other works of art.
This huge celebration of national pride seems to become bigger and better every year, so if you're ever in the USA at the beginning of July, you'll definitely find something to take a look at.
Okay, now we know a little more about Independence Day.
Thank you, Kate. Yes, thank you, Kate.
So let's go back through the text, because we have lots of interesting things to look at here.
Okay, I'll begin. The USA's Independence Day is one of the most famous national holidays in the world.
Yep, so we have this word, holidays, one of the most famous national holidays in the world.
In this case, the word holidays doesn't mean like a summer vacation where you go and lie on the beach, it just means a national festival, a one -day holiday.
Perfect, like a celebration.
Exactly. Okay, every year on the 4th of July, Americans celebrate with barbecues, parades, fireworks displays and more.
Good, yes. So they celebrate with barbecues.
What is a barbecue, Mark?
Barbecue is when you cook food on a grill, normally outdoors.
Yes, so they're very popular to do in the summer.
It's a popular way to have your dinner, have a barbecue.
A barbecue could also be known as grilling in the US.
And there's actually an alternative spelling also that we use in the US.
That's right. So in British English, we spell it B -A -R -B -E -Q -U -E -S.
That's right. Whereas in American English, we spell it B -A -R -B -E -C -U -E.
There are also fireworks displays.
That's right. So fireworks are colourful explosions in the sky that you see on many days of celebration, maybe such as New Year's Eve.
Let's continue. When the British arrived in North America, the explorers took over the land, and from then on, the 13 colonies were ruled by Great Britain.
Good. So the first thing to note here is this word explorer.
So the word explorer comes from the verb to explore.
So to look around something, to investigate.
So an explorer is a person who explores.
And the explorers took over the land.
Yes. So here we have our first example of our language point for today.
So to take over, to take over the land.
This is what's called a phrasal verb.
And a phrasal verb is basically a verb which is made up of more than one word.
So two or more words.
So here we have take and over, which is called the particle.
So what does take over mean, Mark?
It's when someone takes control or assumes control of something.
That's right. Absolutely.
So here, these explorers, they now have control of the land.
The British have control of the land in North America.
And from then on, the 13 colonies were ruled by Great Britain.
That's right. So this verb to rule, this means to have authority over, to be the boss of something.
Usually, this is used only for something big, like a country.
So for example, a king or queen rules over a country.
But a manager does not rule over the manager's business and employees.
That's the wrong use of the word.
Exactly. I would just say a manager manages a business.
It's not rules. Okay, let's continue on.
The 13 colonies referred to 13 of the largest American colonies under the British rule.
Good. So here we have this word large largest, which comes from large, which means big.
And this is in the superlative form.
So the top, the number one, the largest American colonies.
So we have large, larger, more large, and largest, which means most large.
Exactly. Yes. On July the 4th, 1776, the 13 colonies took back their independence from Britain and a new North America was born.
Yes. So here we have another phrasal verb using the word take.
So took back. So to take back means to take something again, to reclaim something.
So the 13 colonies, they were independent and then the British came to rule them and now they are taking their independence again.
Are there any other meanings of take back that you can think of, Mark?
Yes. For example, last week I bought a pair of shoes, but I did not try them on in the shop.
I got home, I tried them on, and they were too small.
So I took them back to the shop.
I took back the shoes, I returned them.
Exactly. Yes. So take back can also mean to return something, usually to a shop.
And it's also worth noticing that in both of these phrasal verbs, we're using them in the past.
So take over, take back.
In the past simple, they are irregular.
So they become took over, took back.
And just what are the three forms of the verb to take?
Good question. We have take, took and taken is the past participle.
And a very good film with Liam Neeson.
That's right. I love that one.
Okay, let's continue on.
The 13 colonies became the first 13 states of the United States, which today are 50 in total.
That's straightforward enough.
Yes, nothing too difficult in that phrase.
For this reason, the signing of the Declaration of Independence is one of the most important events in all of US history.
And the Fourth of July is a huge part of national culture.
Good. So here we have this word signing, the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
So signing comes from the verb to sign, which means to write your name on an important document.
Can you tell us any documents you could sign, Mark?
You could sign a contract, a job contract.
You could sign an agreement, or you could sign a cheque if you're paying someone by cheque.
That's right. Or you could sign the Declaration of Independence as in this text.
So later in this sentence, we have the Fourth of July is a huge part of national culture.
We've seen this word before.
Huge. Can you remind us what it means, Mark?
Yeah, it just means an extremely big thing.
Something is very big.
If it's very big, it's huge.
That's right. Exactly.
Okay, we'll take a short break and we'll be back in just a moment.
Each episode of the Coffee Break English podcast is free, and you can use our podcast to help you improve your English.
But there's more. That's right.
We have a full course available on our website, which will help you make faster progress and understand everything much better.
For every lesson, we offer videos, bonus audio recordings, lesson notes with exercises, and vocabulary lists in lots of languages.
All this is available on the Coffee Break Academy.
So visit coffeebreakacademy .com Today, we're talking about Independence Day on the Fourth of July.
So let's continue with the text.
Okay, the Fourth of July is the USA's national day.
And each year, many citizens take on the challenge of making the celebrations as special as possible.
Good. So here we can see another phrasal verb with take.
Many citizens take on the challenge.
So if you take on something, you accept something, usually a challenge or a responsibility.
For example, you could take on the challenge of learning a language, learning English with Coffee Break English, of course.
That's right. Can we also talk about as special as possible?
Yes, indeed. So this structure as special as possible, the structure here we're using is as plus an adjective plus as possible.
And this means to the maximum or as special as you can in this sense.
So for example, we could say to run as fast as possible.
If you're running in a race, you run as fast as possible.
Or I could speak as slowly as possible.
That's right. But I think that might get a bit long for the podcast if you speak that slowly.
Okay, let's continue on.
Now, the next sentence is quite a long sentence.
So let's listen carefully.
Some of the biggest events include the Bristol 4th of July Parade, which is the oldest 4th of July celebration.
And then there are other events, for example, a free concert on the lawn of the Capitol Building in Washington, DC.
What's the lawn, Josie?
Yes, so a lawn is an area of grass, which is usually found in a park or a garden, of course, and a lawn is usually quite well maintained.
So it's cut quite regularly.
Okay, there is also a music and fireworks show put on by the Boston Pops Orchestra, and a fireworks display by the department store Macy's.
Yes, so there are lots of ways to celebrate the 4th of July.
Indeed. And that fireworks display by Macy's is the country's largest fireworks show with over 70 ,000 firework rockets taking off.
That's right. So 70 ,000 firework rockets.
So a rocket is usually the thing in which astronauts go to space.
But in this case, it's also the name of a type of firework.
Excellent. Okay, Josie, we've got another use of take there.
Another phrasal verb.
We have indeed. So these firework rockets, they are taking off.
So to take off means to, to leave the ground at a high speed, very fast.
We always use this expression with a plane.
So when a plane leaves the ground, it takes off or a rocket, as we can see, or a firework rocket in this case.
If we were speaking about a space rocket, we could hear the countdown of five, four, three, two, one, take off or sometimes blast off.
That's right. Yeah.
So take off, blast off.
They mean the same thing.
Blast off means a little, maybe there's a little more force behind it.
Indeed. I think a rocket would blast off whereas a plane would take off.
That's right. Yes. Now, Josie, take off can also be used in a different way.
It can indeed. Yes.
So if you take off your jacket, it doesn't leave the ground very fast.
To take off your jacket means to remove your jacket.
So we use this for items of clothing.
So you take off your jacket, you take off your shoes, for example, before you take them back to the shop.
That's right. Exactly.
All of these phrasal verbs are, are linking up here.
Excellent. So it's worth noticing here that many phrasal verbs do have more than one definition.
So just be careful of that when you're learning them.
Excellent. Okay. Let's continue on the 4th of July and the Declaration of Independence are very important in US culture and they are mentioned in many songs, films and other works of art.
Can you think of any, Josie?
Yes, there is the film Independence Day with Will Smith.
That's right. It's a sci -fi film.
Yeah. It's a science fiction film, which we shorten to sci -fi, don't we?
That's right. And there's also the war drama Born on the 4th of July, which is about a Vietnam veteran.
Ah, yes, I've never seen that one though.
I think I have seen it.
I think it starts Tom Cruise.
Ah, okay. Okay. Let's continue on and finish off our text.
This huge celebration of national pride seems to become bigger and better every year.
So if you're ever in the USA at the beginning of July, you'll definitely find something to take a look at.
Good. So yes, it's a huge celebration of national pride.
What does pride mean, Mark?
Pride is the noun for something that you feel proud about.
So it's the adjective, proud becoming a noun, pride.
And that means you feel good about something.
You're a proud parent, for example, if your child has done well in their exams.
Exactly. Yes. The final thing to notice here is right at the end, we've got another expression with take.
You'll definitely find something to take a look at.
So take a look is not a phrasal verb, like the others that we've seen today, but it is a common expression, which just means to look at, to look at something.
But usually when we use it, we are looking at something with a lot of interest or attention.
So something quite special.
I could say, for example, take a look at that huge dog.
That's right. And that would be a really big dog and unusually big dog.
Or take a look at that firework.
Exactly. Okay, let's listen again to this text and hopefully now we'll understand everything.
The USA's Independence Day is one of the most famous national holidays in the world.
Every year on the 4th of July, Americans celebrate with barbecues, parades, fireworks displays, and more.
When the British arrived in North America, the explorers took over the land.
And from then on, the 13 colonies were ruled by Great Britain.
The 13 colonies referred to 13 of the largest American colonies under the British rule.
On July 4th, 1776, the 13 colonies took back their independence from Britain, and a new North America was born.
The 13 colonies became the first 13 states of the United States, which today are 50 in total.
For this reason, the signing of the Declaration of Independence is one of the most important events in all of US history, and the 4th of July is a huge part of national culture.
The 4th of July is the USA's National Day, and each year, many citizens take on the challenge of making the celebrations as special as possible.
Some of the biggest events include the Bristol 4th of July Parade, which is the oldest 4th of July celebration, a free concert on the lawn of the Capitol Building in Washington, DC, a music and fireworks show put on by the Boston Pops Orchestra, and a fireworks display by the store Macy's, with over
70 ,000 firework rockets taking off.
The 4th of July, and the Declaration of Independence, are very important in US culture, and they are mentioned in many songs, films, and other works of art.
This huge celebration of national pride seems to become bigger and better every year, so if you're ever in the USA at the beginning of July, you'll definitely find something to take a look at.
That's all for this episode of Coffee Break English, and as always, we hope that you have enjoyed it.
If you'd like more information and more help with your English, then you can also check out the course on the Coffee Break Academy.
You can find that at coffeebreakacademy .com.
That's right Mark, and if you'd like to practice your English, you can also do so on social media.
Just search for Coffee Break English on Facebook and on Instagram, where we post regular language challenges and cultural information.
Now next time, we are going to be heading to the South Pacific, and we are looking forward to a special episode coming from the Cook Islands.
Until then, thank you and goodbye.
See you next time. ...
copyright 2021, Radiolinguilimited.
All rights reserved.
