2011年ESL之就医和人际交往 18 Performing an Intervention_在线英语听力室

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18 Performing an Intervention

GLOSSARY

intervention – a meeting where close friends and relatives surprise an individualwho did not expect the meeting because they are concerned about his or heractivities, especially an addiction, and want him or her to realize there is aproblem and agree to fix it

* They planned an intervention to help Pauline, but she became so angry at themthat it really didn’t work.

to affect – to have some influence or impact on something; to change somethingin some way

* How has your wife’s unemployment affected your marriage?

to be addicted to – to not be able to stop doing something; to need more andmore of something in order to feel good, especially taking drugs, drinking alcohol,or gambling

* Doctor, what will happen if I become addicted to these pain medications?

to attest – to say and/or prove that something is true based on one’s experienceand beliefs

* We have hundreds of client who can attest to the effectiveness of our program.

obsession – something that one thinks about all the time; something that onecannot stop thinking about

* Video games used to be a hobby for Jan, but now they are an obsession andshe plays them all the time.

consequence – result; something that happens because something else hashappened

* High inflation is the consequence of printing too much money.

to interfere – to interrupt and become involved in something in a way that makesit slower, less successful, or less effective

* When Percy broke his wrist, it interfered with his writing because he couldn’ttype as quickly as before.

cornered – trapped in a place and unable to leave or escape

* The men used their nets to chase the bear until it was cornered.

therapist – a psychologist, psychiatrist, or counselor who helps a patient talkabout a problem or mental disease and find a solution

* Their marriage isn’t doing well, so they’ve decided to start seeing a therapistonce a week.

treatment – a program to cure a physical or mental disease, or to recover froman injury

* The doctor explained that Marsha’s treatment could take years.

ultimatum – a threat; a statement that one must do something, or else some badthing will happen

* Sheila gave her boss an ultimatum: give her a raise or she would quit, takingher clients with her.

healthy – good for one’s physical, mental, and/or emotional wellbeing

* Craig’s kitchen is full of healthy foods, like whole grains, fruits, vegetables,beans, and nuts.

to go overboard – to do too much of something; to engage in extreme behavior

* I know you like baking, but you’ve gone overboard. How is our family of fourgoing to eat eight dozen cookies, four pies, and three cakes?

to promise – to seriously say that one will do something; to make a commitmentto do something

* Victor promised to take his daughter to the zoo, even though he had a lot ofwork to do.

cold turkey – an immediate end to some activity, usually one that is unhealthyand that one wants to quit doing

* Is it easier to stop smoking cold turkey, or by reducing the number of cigarettesa little at a time?

to be weaned off – to reduce the number or amount of something one isaddicted to slowly, not all at once; to gradually end some addictive activity

* Changing your diet all at once can be very difficult. You’ll be more successful ifyou are weaned off sugary, salty, and fatty foods.

to cut back – to reduce; to decrease the number or amount of something

* They’re cutting back on how often they eat at restaurants so that they can saveup some money to buy a house.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1. Why is everyone in Petra’s apartment?

a) Because they haven’t seen her in a long time and they are worried about her.

b) Because they want her to tell them more about ESL Podcast.

c) Because they think she has a serious addiction and they want her to end it.

2. What does Petra mean when she says, “I know I’ve gone overboard”?

a) She’s sorry she lost touch with her friends and family.

b) She realizes that she has been lying to others.

c) She admits she has been listening to ESL Podcast too much.

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WHAT ELSE DOES IT MEAN?

cornered

The word “cornered,” in this podcast, means trapped in a place and unable toleave or escape: “After 17 years of marriage, Qing began to feel cornered andthought about filing for divorce.” The phrase “to push (someone) into a corner”

means to put someone in a difficult situation where he or she has few or nochoices or options: “Damian’s manager pushed him into a corner, making himwork extra hours when he knew Damian wouldn’t be able to quit because so fewother jobs are available.” Finally, the phrase “to see (something) out of thecorner of (one’s) eye” means to notice something happening to the side, notdirectly where one is looking, by accident and without moving one’s head:

“Tatiana saw something out of the corner of her eye, but when she turned towardit, it wasn’t there anymore.”

to cut back

In this podcast, the phrase “to cut back” means to reduce or decrease thenumber or amount of something: “Xavier has been in a bad mood lately, becausehe’s trying to cut back on coffee.” The phrase “to cut in line” means to go in frontof other people who have been waiting to do something: “Hey! Did you see thatwoman cut in line? We’ve been waiting here for hours, and she should have todo the same!” Finally, the phrase “to cut (someone) short” means to interruptsomeone and not let that person finish what he or she was saying: “It isn’t nice tocut people short like that. It’s better to say ‘excuse me.’” Finally, the phrase “tocut class” means to not go to a class one is supposed to go to: “The teenagerscut class and went to the movies instead.”

CULTURE NOTE

Drinking Over the HolidaysSome American holidays are “associated with” (connected to) “excessive” (toomuch) “drinking” (consumption of alcohol). This is especially true for “New Year’sEve” (the evening of December 31st and early in the morning of January 1st),when many people go to parties where there are lots of “alcoholic beverages”

(drinks containing alcohol).

Unfortunately, this often “leads to” (causes) “drinking and driving,” where peopledrive a car while they are “intoxicated” (acting strangely because one has had toomuch alcohol). Some party “hosts” (the people who organize a party) try to“prevent” (not allow) this by collecting everyone’s keys when they come to theparty, so that people cannot drive home unless the host believes it is safe.

Many communities “take steps” (perform actions; do things) to “curb” (reduce orprevent) instances of “DUI” (driving under the influence; driving whileintoxicated). For example, many communities offer free taxi services on NewYear’s Eve and other holidays. Anyone who has had too much to drink can call afree taxi for a ride home. This is especially common in “college towns” (towns orcities where there are many college students).

Police often set up “checkpoints,” or places on the road where all cars must stop.

The police speak with the drivers and, if they “suspect” (think something might betrue) the driver has had too much to drink, they might “administer” (perform) a“breath test,” where they ask the driver to breathe into a small machine thatdetermines how much alcohol is in the individual’s “bloodstream” (the flow ofblood through one’s body). Drivers who fail the test might be “arrested” (taken tojail) or even has their “driver’s license” (permission to drive) “revoked” (takenaway).

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Comprehension Questions Correct Answers: 1 – c; 2 – c

COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT

Welcome to English as a Second Language Podcast number 739: Performing anIntervention.

This is English as a Second Language Podcast episode 739. I’m your host, Dr.

Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center for Educational Development inbeautiful Los Angeles, California.

Our website is eslpod.com. Go there and take a look at our ESL Podcast Store,with some additional courses for you, in English of course.

This episode is called “Performing an Intervention.” That’s when people cometogether and try to get someone who has a problem, especially a problem withaddiction, to stop and get help. Let’s get started.

[start of dialogue]

Petra: Hey, what’s going on here? Why are all of you here in my apartment?

Johann: Your family and close friends are here to perform an intervention. Wefeel that you have a problem that is negatively affecting your life and the lives ofthe people around you.

Petra: An intervention?! I don’t need an intervention. What am I supposed to beaddicted to?

Johann: I think you know. Each of us can attest to your obsession and theconsequences of that addiction. It is interfering with your work and your personalrelationships.

Petra: No, it’s not. I can’t believe this. I feel cornered!

Johann: We just want to help you. We all agree that you need to see a therapistand maybe go into treatment.

Petra: You guys are all crazy. Is that an ultimatum?

Johann: Yes, I’m afraid it is. If you don’t stop your obsessive behavior, we’ll takethat away.

Petra: What?! Take away my MP3 player? If you take away my MP3 player,how am I supposed to listen to ESL Podcast?

Johann: That’s the idea. Listening to ESL Podcast 14 hours a day is nothealthy.

Petra: Okay, I know I’ve gone overboard, but I’ll stop. I promise.

Johann: You’ll stop cold turkey?

Petra: Well…I need to be weaned off, I think. How about if I cut back to 10hours a day to start?

[end of dialogue]

We begin our dialogue with Petra saying, “Hey, what’s going on here (what ishappening here)? Why are all of you here in my apartment?” Obviously, there’sa group of people there. Johann says, “Your family and close friends are here toperform an intervention.” An “intervention” in this case means a meeting whereclose friends and relatives usually surprise an individual, who isn’t expecting ameeting, because they are concerned about this person’s activities, usuallyinvolving an “addiction,” when you can’t stop doing something. We think aboutdrug addictions, alcohol addictions, gambling addictions, and so forth. Johannsays that they’re here “to perform” or to do an intervention. He says, “We feel(we believe) that you have a problem that is negatively affecting your life and thelives of the people around you.” “To affect” means to have some influence orimpact on something, to change something in some way. They’re saying thatPetra’s addiction is affecting other parts of her life, usually in a negative way.

Petra says, “An intervention?! I don’t need an intervention. What am I supposedto be addicted to?” “To be addicted to” means to have an addiction regarding orinvolving something. “I’m addicted to gambling” means that I can’t stopgambling. I want to gamble all the time, or I’m gambling in such a way that it ishurting me but I can’t stop; I feel like I cannot stop it. That’s an addiction. That’sjust an example, by the way; I am not myself a gambler.

So, Petra is wondering what she is addicted to. Johann says, “I think you know(you know what it is). Each of us can attest to your obsession and theconsequences of that addiction.” “To attest” (attest) is to say it or prove thatsomething is true based on your experiences – based on some facts that youknow of. These friends and family of Petra can attest to her obsession. An“obsession” is something that you think about all of the time, something you cannot stop thinking about. Some men have obsessions about women – specificwomen; we would say they are “obsessed with” them. In this case, the friendsand family of Petra believe she has an obsession, and they can also attest to theconsequences of her addiction. The “consequences” are the results, whathappens because of, in this case, the addiction. Johann says, “It is interferingwith your work and your personal relationships.” “To interfere with (something)”

is to interrupt it, to make it less successful or less effective, to slow it down. If anaddiction is interfering with your work, it means that you are not working as wellyou should because you have this addiction.

Petra says, “No, it’s not (it’s not interfering with my work or personalrelationships).” She says, “I can’t believe this.” When someone is frustrated or isconfused or surprised by something they may say this. “I can’t believe this. I feelcornered!” “To be cornered” means to be trapped in a place and you are unableto leave; you cannot escape. “Corner” has a couple of different meanings inEnglish; take a look at the Learning Guide for some of those.

Johann says, “We just want to help you. We all agree that you need to see atherapist and maybe go into treatment.” Johann says that they believe that Petraneeds to see a therapist. The word “therapist” (therapist) can refer to a couple ofdifferent kinds of people: it could be a psychologist, it could be a medical doctor –a psychiatrist, it could be someone trained in helping people with addictions – acounselor. If you put a word in front of “therapist” sometimes you know morespecifically. These examples are all dealing with emotions, thoughts, andfeelings – psychological issues, but you could also have a physical therapist.

That would be someone who helps you get over a certain problem. Maybe youbroke your leg and now you need to get your leg strengthened after the operationor whatever happened. That would mean you would go to a physical therapist,who would help you.

Well, Petra needs a therapist to help her with her addiction. Johann says thatmaybe she needs to go into treatment. “Treatment” is a general term that refersto a program to help cure or help you when you are ill or sick. In this case,treatment usually involves going to a separate house or building specifically forpeople who have this addiction, and you stay there. Here in Hollywood, there areseveral places – very expensive – where celebrities who are having addictionproblems go. Some of them go many times!

Petra says, “You guys are all crazy. Is that an ultimatum?” An “ultimatum” iswhen you say something to someone that if they don’t do something, somethingbad will happen to them. It’s a kind of threat, or could be. It’s the last thing thatyou can do before something bad happens, in this case.

So, Petra’s asking if this is an ultimatum that she go see the therapist. Johannsays, “Yes, I’m afraid it is.” Remember, when we are telling someone some badnews we often say “I’m afraid.” It doesn’t mean you’re actually scared ofanything; it’s just a polite way of saying something negative or bad to someone:

“I’m afraid that I cannot go with you today.” You’re giving someone bad news.

Well, Johann says, “I’m afraid (that this is an old an ultimatum). If you don’t stopyour obsessive behavior, we’ll take that away.”

Johann is going to takes something away if Petra doesn’t stop her behavior.

Petra says, “What?! Take away my MP3 player? If you take away my MP3player, how am I supposed to listen to ESL Podcast?” Ah, now we understandher addiction! Johann says, “That’s the idea. Listening to ESL Podcast 14 hoursa day is not healthy.” “Healthy” is something that is good for your physical ormental wellbeing – your being well, the opposite of sick. Petra says, “Okay, Iknow I’ve gone overboard, but I’ll stop. I promise.” “To go overboard” heremeans to do too much of something, to engage in some sort of extremebehavior, or to do too much of any sort of action. You meet a girl and the secondday that you are with her you ask her to marry you; you bring her dozens offlowers; you buy her a car. That’s probably going overboard, even if you like thewoman. It’s actually a pretty good way of getting the woman to run away fromyou – not that I have any personal experience in that. I mean in going overboard;lots of women have run away from me, trust me!

Anyway, Johann says that listening to ESL Podcast is not healthy – 14 hours aday listening to ESL Podcast. Petra says, “I know I’ve gone overboard, but I’llstop. I promise.” Johann asks, “You’ll stop cold turkey?” To stop something“cold turkey” is to immediately end some activity, usually something that is notgood for you such as an addiction. So if you are a smoker – you like to smokecigarettes – and you stop cold turkey, that means that you stop suddenly. Yousay one day, “No more cigarettes,” and you don’t smoke another cigarette therest of your life – or at least the rest of that week! That would be going coldturkey or stopping cold turkey. Why “cold turkey”? I have no idea.

Petra says, “Well…I need to be weaned off, I think.” “To be weaned (weaned) off(something)” is to slowly reduce the amount or number of something that you areaddicted to. It’s not the same as cold turkey, it’s not suddenly; it’s slowly. Somepeople, for example, who are addicted to nicotine, will wear nicotine patches,things on their arm, or they’ll chew nicotine gum to wean them off slowly from thisaddiction. Petra says, “How about if I cut back to 10 hours a day to start?” “Tocut back” is a two-word phrasal verb meaning to reduce, to decrease the numberor amount of something. Petra is saying that she needs to quit her addiction slowly. Instead of listening for 14 hours she’ll listen for 10 hours, which of coursewe know is still probably a little bit too much time, even for ESL Podcast.

Now let’s listen to the dialogue, this time at a normal speed.