English Listenign Lesson Lab Online
Views #218 | Low Intermediate 4

Toronto

Shawn talks about his city back in Canada.
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Todd: OK, hello!

Shawn: Hello!

Todd: What's your name please?

Shawn: My name is Shawn O'reily

Todd: Shawn O'Reily.

Shawn: Yes, sir!

Todd: OK, that's an Irish name?

Shawn: Yes, sir!

Todd: OK, and where are you from?

Shawn: Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Todd: OK, why don't you talk a little bit about Toronto.

Shawn: It's a very diverse, multi-cultural city. I feel it's a great place to raise your family. There's a lot of great family areas. I'd say some of the shopping malls are very good for pretty much anybody. And for the social types they have many bars in Toronto, unfortunately Toronto has a bit of a homeless problem, how-should-I-say, it's tiresome over the years, like every time you go downtown, you're bound to bump into a homeless person, like, wha-cha-call-it, for a city of 4 million compared to New York City that does not have a homeless problem it's pretty embarrassing. Um, how-should-I-say,at times it can be unsafe if you're around them because you're constantly being pestered by them, but, I'd say it's a good city, how-should-I-say, many different things to do, you're just not confined to one area of the city to have fun, you can go pretty much anywhere in the south end of the city and have fun.

Todd: OK, wow, sounds like a really good place.

Shawn: And of course, a lot of good looking girls in Toronto. Many different kinds so it's definitely one of those places where you'll have, how-should-I-say, you'll have neck problems cause you'll constantly turning your head for all the good looking girls.

Learn vocabulary from the lesson!

raise (a family)

I feel Toronto is a great place to raise your family.

When you 'raise a family' you have kids and support them as they grow from children to adults.  To 'raise' in general means to take care of something and help it grow. Notice the following:

  1. She raised her son alone.
  2. He moved to the suburbs to raise his family.

bound to

Every time you go downtown, you're bound to bump into a homeless person.

If you are 'bound to' do something it is very possible that it will happen. Notice the following:

  1. He is bound to call you when he gets back from his trip.
  2. You are bound to make a mistake once in a while.

embarrassing

Compared to New York City, it's pretty embarrassing to have this problem.

If something is 'embarrassing' it makes you feel embarrassed.  We feel embarrassed when we make a mistake or when people laugh at us.  Usually when we are embarrassed our face turns red and feels hot. Notice the following:

  1. It is really embarrassing to run out of gas on the highway.
  2. High school was full of embarrassing moments for me.

pester

It can be unsafe to be around these people, because they'd pester you.

When someone talks to you or bothers you when they know you are not interested they are pestering you. Notice the following:

  1. Salespeople can't pester us as easily now that we have caller ID.
  2. The kids keep pestering me to buy gum from them.

turn (your) head

You'd constantly be turning your head for all the good-looking girls.

When you 'turn your head' you rotate it from one side to the other to see in different directions. Notice the following:

  1. My neck hurts from turning my head to see out the bus window.
  2. The dog turned his head to watch the bird.

Vocabulary Quiz

raises • bound to • embarrassing
pestering • turn her head
  1. My daughter keeps me to go to the fair.
  2. My little baby is just learning to when she wants to.
  3. She chickens and goats on her farm.
  4. It was when he ripped his pants.
  5. He drives fast all the time and is get a speeding ticket someday.
Answer the following questions about the interview.

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