ESL Podcast 524 – Talking About Failure

Akiko: How did your presentation go over this morning at the meeting?

Gerry: It was a complete flop¹!

Akiko: I don’t believe it. You spent weeks working on that presentation.

Gerry: It wasn’t the presentation that bombed. It was my big idea. Leona called it a retread of what I presented last year, and she was not in the least impressed.

Akiko: Ouch, that’s pretty harsh. What did the others say?

Gerry: Overall, the response was dismal². Everyone else was trying to be tactful, but it boiled down to the fact that they thought it was pathetic.

Akiko: I’m sure that’s not true. And if they didn’t jump up and down about the idea right away, they’re bound to come around after you give them more details.

Gerry: I don’t know…

Akiko: Come on, aren’t you the same guy who told me that you didn’t know the meaning of the word ‘quit’?

Gerry: That was before this morning’s presentation.

Akiko: Are you giving up on your great idea?

Gerry: No, I guess not, but it’ll take some reworking…

Akiko: Good, then you won’t give up?

Gerry: I guess not. What the heck? I’m only risking more humiliation³ and failure, right?

Akiko: That’s the spirit!


Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

1 flop   

n.失败(者)，扑通一声；vi.笨重地行动，沉重地落下

参考例句：

• The fish gave a flop and landed back in the water.鱼扑通一声又跳回水里。
• The marketing campaign was a flop.The product didn't sell.市场宣传彻底失败，产品卖不出去。

2 dismal   

adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的

参考例句：

• That is a rather dismal melody.那是一支相当忧郁的歌曲。
• My prospects of returning to a suitable job are dismal.我重新找到一个合适的工作岗位的希望很渺茫。

3 humiliation   

n.羞辱

参考例句：

• He suffered the humiliation of being forced to ask for his cards.他蒙受了被迫要求辞职的羞辱。
• He will wish to revenge his humiliation in last Season's Final.他会为在上个季度的决赛中所受的耻辱而报复的。