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Vella |
Daniel |
Childhood Memory
Daniel talks about some fond memories of growing up in the country in Chile.
Vella: So Daniel, let's talk about childhood memories. Do you have any fond memory?
Daniel: Well, yeah, I do. I had a great time when I was a kid but definitely my best memory is, well, holidays. When I was a kid in Chile, we used to have a three month summer holiday and it was brilliant because I used to go to the countryside to my great-grandma's house and she had kind of a hostel at that time and it was brilliant because you had people coming in and out all the time, new people. The town was like really, really small and everything was so natural so I got to spend three months every summer in a really nice place doing nothing but playing with my friends all the time, going to the beach every day and like having amazing food. It was too good to be true, seriously. Unfortunately like then I grew older and I couldn't have the three months so I was going like, I don't know, two weeks and stuff like that. And then lately I couldn't go any more so it's shame but at the same time it's a great, it's really good that I got the chance to do it and I got the chance to experience it and I think that's one of my great memories of my childhood.
Vella: So you go there every summer?
Daniel: Well, not any more but I used to go there when I was a kid every, pretty much every summer, yeah.
Vella: So how did you spend the time? Like what did you do? Did you just play with friends or...?
Daniel: Well, yeah, I used to get up really late every day then I don't know go for a football game with friends then, I don't know, having an amazing lunch. In the afternoon going to the beach, coming back, have dinner and then go out and play again. It was really like the same thing every day but at the same time since I was playing every day it didn't feel like a routine so, I don't know, three months doing that every year was amazing.
Vella: I mean food and friends, my definition of having fun.
Daniel: Yeah, yeah, it is definitely, yeah.
Vella: So you had three months holiday?
Daniel: Yeah.
Vella: Summer holiday? That's pretty long.
Daniel: Yeah, it's because, well we finish everything in December before Christmas and New Year so you have pretty much the whole of December plus January and February. That's the summer in Chile.
Vella: Interesting, summer in December.
Daniel: Well, yeah, it is actually.
hostel
I used to go to my great-grandmother's house in the countryside, and she had a hostel.
A 'hostel' is an inexpensive and basic place to stay when you are traveling. Notice the following:
- I've stayed in the hostel down the road before, and it's really nice.
- Do you know of a good hostel near here?
too good to be true
Going to the beach every day and having amazing food; it was too good to be true.
When a situation is 'too good to be true,' it is either fantastic or so good that it can't possibly be the truth. Notice the following:
- I think her boyfriend is a little too good to be true.
- If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is.
it's a shame
Lately I couldn't go anymore, so it's a shame.
You can say 'it's a shame' if you are sad or disappointed about something. Notice the following:
- It's a shame that you didn't get tickets to the concert.
- It's a shame that you couldn't make it to the party last night. It was a good time.
routine
Since I was playing every day, it didn't feel like a routine.
Your 'routine' is like your schedule that you do most of the time. Notice the following:
- What is your exercise routine?
- It will probably take you a while to adjust to the schedule and get into a routine.
my definition of
I mean food and friends, definitely my definition of having fun.
You can use the phrase 'my definition of' to show what a particular phrase means to you. Notice the following:
- What is your definition of spicy food?
- Dinner and a long walk is my definition of a perfect date.
Vocabulary Quiz
routine • definition
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About the Teacher / Creator
Hello, and welcome to elllo. My name is Todd Beuckens. I've been an ESL teacher for 25 years. I created elllo to provide teachers and students free audio lessons and learning materials not usually found in commercial textbooks.
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