Coffee Break English, season three, episode nine.
Hello and welcome back to Coffee Break English, the podcast which will help you improve your English one cup at a time.
My name's Mark. And my name's Josie.
How are you today Josie?
I'm very well thank you Mark.
I'm a little tired because I was up late last night watching a movie.
Ah, what movie were you watching?
I was watching a classic Forrest Gump.
Excellent. And I believe that today our topic is movies or more specifically Hollywood.
It is, you're right.
And we're going to focus as well on a language point.
We're going to look at the words something, anything, nothing and everything.
That sounds good. Let's get straight on with the episode.
And it's time to hear from Kate in the US.
Hey, Mark. Hey, Josie.
This is Kate. And today I'm in Los Angeles because we're talking about Hollywood.
Let's get started. Everyone loves movies, and everyone knows the most famous movie industry in the world, Hollywood.
Hollywood is actually an area of Los Angeles that became part of the city in 1910.
Soon after, a successful film industry began to develop, and the name became iconic in the world of movies.
In 1923, the famous Hollywood sign was put up.
However, back then, it looked different to the sign we know and love today.
The sign actually used to say Hollywood Land, and its purpose was to advertise new houses in the area.
The land was removed in 1949 when the film industry in Hollywood was in its Golden Age.
The Golden Age of Hollywood was between 1917 and 1960, when many films following the typical Hollywood style were produced.
Since then, filmmaking has evolved and changed, but no one can really agree if this is a positive or negative thing.
Films today are experimental and original, and they often follow a less traditional style than they used to.
Almost nothing is off limits, so Hollywood today produces a huge variety of films.
Some neo -noir directors like Martin Scorsese like to honor old styles of filmmaking, and actors have opportunities to play lots of different roles.
In the past, actors used to be tied to a specific studio, whereas now, they can work anywhere and everywhere they want to.
Some actors even leave filmmaking, and many have started working in other areas such as writing or even politics.
Hollywood is most famous for its movies, but there are also many television studios in the district.
Hollywood is the number one place to go for aspiring actors and filmmakers, and people say that when you go there, you can be anyone you want to be.
If you visit the area, you have a good chance of seeing someone famous just walking down the street.
This world -famous district has earned its reputation by producing some of the best movies the world has ever seen.
Thank you, Kate. Josie, have you been to Hollywood?
No, I've never been to Hollywood, unfortunately, but I'd like to go.
It sounds like an interesting place.
I have been to Los Angeles and Hollywood, but I have to say I didn't really like it.
I prefer the chilled -out vibe of San Francisco, or I really love San Diego, but the madness, the craziness, the chaos of Los Angeles is just a little bit too much for me.
That's fair. It does sound like a very stressful place to me.
Okay, let's not get stressed about our text and go back through it now.
Everyone loves movies and everyone knows the most famous movie industry in the world, Hollywood.
Yes, so everyone loves movies.
This is an example of our language point for today.
Everyone loves movies means all people love movies.
Everyone can also mean all the people or all the things in a particular group.
So I could say everyone I know loves pizza.
I am one of the people you know, and I would agree.
I love pizza. Exactly.
But there's another way to say everyone, isn't there?
Yeah, we can say everybody.
That's right. And they mean exactly the same thing.
There's no difference.
Good. Okay. Hollywood is actually an area of Los Angeles that became part of the city in 1910.
Soon after, a successful film industry began to develop and the name became iconic in the world of movies.
Yeah. So a successful film industry began to develop.
What's a film industry or a movie industry?
Well, an industry, the word industry represents all of the companies or businesses involved in producing a product or service.
So the film industry is all of the companies or businesses involved in making films.
That's right. We also talk about the music industry and the farming industry for something completely different.
In 1923, the famous Hollywood sign was put up.
Yeah. So the Hollywood sign, the one that we all know with the white letters, it was put up.
A couple of episodes ago, we focused on phrasal verbs with the word up, and this is another one.
What does put up mean, Mark?
It's when something is constructed or put on display.
That's right. So another example would be at Christmas time.
I put up my Christmas tree.
It means I display it in my house.
Okay. However, back then, it looked different to the sign we know and love today.
The sign actually used to say Hollywood land and its purpose was to advertise new houses in the area.
So the sign used to say Hollywood land.
What does it mean? It used to say Hollywood land.
It said Hollywood land in the past.
Exactly. So using the words used to before an infinitive, that is another way of expressing the past.
And usually we use it to express a habit that we had.
So I could say when I was younger, I used to take ballet lessons every week.
Okay. And the sign used to say Hollywood land.
And its purpose was to advertise new houses in the area.
So we have two words here.
Purpose. That means the reason, the reason for the sign.
So what was the reason for the sign, Josie?
So the reason was to advertise new houses.
And advertise is when you encourage people to buy something or to do something usually online or in a newspaper or on TV.
Okay. So the land was removed in 1949 when the film industry in Hollywood was in its golden age.
So Hollywood was in its golden age.
This is quite a common expression.
What's the golden age of something?
It's the period in which many good or impressive things are done in a particular field or a particular country.
That's right. We can use it for many other things as well.
For example, we could talk about the golden age of Spanish literature.
That's right. When Cervantes wrote Don Quixote.
Yes, absolutely. I don't know much about Spanish literature, so I will believe you on that.
Okay. Let's continue.
The golden age of Hollywood was between 1917 and 1960, when many films following the typical Hollywood style were produced.
Yeah. So these films followed the typical Hollywood style.
What does it mean if something is typical, Mark?
It's like the standard version of it.
The usual version. That's right.
So maybe all of these films at this time were quite similar, made in a similar way.
That's right. Since then, however, filmmaking has evolved and changed, but no one can really agree if this is a positive or a negative thing.
Yeah. So since then, filmmaking, which is the process of making films, has evolved.
So it has changed, it has improved and developed.
But no one can really agree if this is a positive or negative thing.
What does no one mean?
Yeah. So no one can really agree.
No one is sort of the opposite of everyone.
We saw everyone at the beginning of the text in Everyone Loves Movies.
So no one can agree.
This means zero people.
No people. And we can also say nobody.
That's right. Again, no one and nobody.
They're exactly the same.
Okay. We will take a short break there and we'll be back in just a moment to find out more about Hollywood.
The Coffee Break English podcast is helping you to improve your understanding of English.
We also offer extra resources, which include transcripts of our texts and conversations and vocabulary lists to help you learn even more.
To get these extra resources, just visit coffeebreakenglish .com and sign up for free.
Welcome back to Coffee Break English.
We're talking about Hollywood and we're talking about words which begin with some, any, every and no.
Okay. Let's continue the text.
Films today are experimental and original and they often follow a less traditional style than they used to.
Yeah. So films today are experimental.
What does experimental mean, Mark?
These are films which use new ideas or new methods.
That's right. Absolutely.
So they are doing something new.
Almost nothing is off limits.
So Hollywood today produces a huge variety of films.
First, what does off limits mean?
It's when something is not allowed or not permitted.
That's right. Absolutely.
But in Hollywood, almost nothing is off limits.
So almost everything is allowed.
Exactly. That's right.
Some neo -noir directors like Martin Scorsese like to honour old styles of filmmaking and actors have opportunities to play lots of different roles.
That's right. So a neo -noir director is a director of a modern film which is made in the style of a film noir.
Okay. In the past, actors used to be tied to a specific studio, whereas now they can work anywhere and everywhere they want to.
Yeah. So actors were tied to a specific studio or they used to be tied to a specific studio.
There's that used to again for the past.
What does it mean if they were tied to a specific studio?
Well, it could mean that they were attached to the studio, not necessarily physically, but they had a favourite studio or they had to work for that particular studio.
That's right. Maybe they had a contract that said you must work here.
But now they can work anywhere and everywhere they want to.
Yes. So anywhere means they can work in all of the places that they want to.
They can work in not a specific place.
And everywhere? Everywhere.
So at the beginning of the text, we saw everyone loves movies and everywhere means in all places.
It's a plural word, everywhere.
But anywhere is a singular word.
Okay. Some actors even leave filmmaking and many have started working in other areas, such as writing or even politics.
Yes. Like Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Yes. Okay. Hollywood is most famous for its movies, but there are also many television studios in the district.
In the district, what's a district?
A district would be an area or a neighbourhood of a town or city.
Exactly. Hollywood is the number one place to go for aspiring actors and filmmakers.
And people say that when you go there, you can be anyone that you want to be.
Yes. So it's the place to go for aspiring actors and filmmakers.
If someone is aspiring, what does that mean?
It means that they want to be successful in a particular area or a particular career.
That's right. They want to be successful, but they're not successful yet.
And when you go to Hollywood, you can be anyone you want to be.
That's right. So it means you can choose who you want to be.
Anyone is like, it's not important.
It doesn't matter. You can choose who you want to be.
If you visit the area, you have a good chance of seeing someone famous just walking down the street.
Yeah. So you have a good chance of seeing someone famous.
It is likely, it is probable that you'll see someone famous.
And you have a good chance of seeing someone famous.
So what about someone?
So someone means one person, but it's not specific who that person is.
So everyone is all people and someone is one person.
Okay. This world famous district has earned its reputation by producing some of the best movies the world has ever seen.
So Hollywood has earned its reputation.
Earn means that it deserves something.
It has done something to be so famous.
That's right. It has meditated the reputation, the good name by producing some of the best movies, not just good movies, but the best movies the world has ever seen.
That's right. And in the next episode, we're going to focus on superlatives like best.
Excellent. Let's listen again and see if you can identify the words that follow these same patterns with everyone, anyone, someone, no one, and so on.
Let's have a listen.
Everyone loves movies and everyone knows the most famous movie industry in the world, Hollywood.
Hollywood is actually an area of Los Angeles that became part of the city in 1910.
Soon after, a successful film industry began to develop and the name became iconic in the world of movies.
In 1923, the famous Hollywood sign was put up.
However, back then, it looked different to the sign we know and love today.
The sign actually used to say Hollywood land and its purpose was to advertise new houses in the area.
The land was removed in 1949 when the film industry in Hollywood was in its golden age.
The golden age of Hollywood was between 1917 and 1960.
When many films following the typical Hollywood style were produced.
Since then, filmmaking has evolved and changed, but no one can really agree if this is a positive or negative thing.
Films today are experimental and original, and they often follow a less traditional style than they used to.
Almost nothing is off limits, so Hollywood today produces a huge variety of films.
Some neo -noir directors like Martin Scorsese like to honor old styles of filmmaking, and actors have opportunities to play lots of different roles.
In the past, actors used to be to a specific studio, whereas now they can work anywhere and everywhere they want to.
Some actors even leave filmmaking, and many have started working in other areas such as writing or even politics.
Hollywood is most famous for its movies, but there are also many television studios in the district.
Hollywood is the number one place to go for aspiring actors and filmmakers, and people say that when you go there, you can be anyone that you want to be.
If you visit the area, you have a good chance of seeing someone famous just walking down the street.
This world -famous district has earned its reputation by producing some of the best movies the world has ever seen.
Thank you, Kate. Now, I think it would be useful to have a short review of our language point for this week, don't you think, Mark?
Absolutely. So we've had everyone, anyone, someone, no one.
That's right. So those examples you gave were related to a person, but we can also use words with some, every, no, and any to talk about things and about places.
So we can say something, everything, nothing, anything for things.
Or we could say somewhere, anywhere, everywhere or nowhere for places.
Exactly. So basically, when we use some, that means one, one non -specific thing or a place or a person.
So I want to go somewhere hot this summer.
Exactly. Yes. And every, that means all.
So I am going to eat everything on this table.
Exactly. I'm very hungry.
And no, that means zero.
I've met no one here before.
Exactly. And just be aware that we could also say this sentence as I haven't met anyone here before.
So they both mean the same thing.
I have met no one here before.
And I haven't met anyone here before.
We use any with a negative verb and it has the same meaning as no, but any has another meaning.
So any can also mean it doesn't matter which one or which person or which place.
I will go anywhere this weekend.
I just want to get out of the city.
That's right. Exactly.
Well, that is where we're going to leave this episode.
We hope you've enjoyed it and that you've learned something about Hollywood and about these interesting words.
Yes. Don't forget to follow us on Facebook and on Instagram.
Just search for Coffee Break English.
And you can also access the notes for this episode for free.
Just go to coffeebreakenglish .com where you can sign up for that.
That's all for now.
See you next time. Bye bye.
Bye.
