ESL Podcast 401 – Giving Warnings and Cautions

Brett: Hi, Mom. Come in. Welcome to my new place. My roommates aren’t here right now or I’d introduce you.

Mom: Hi, dear. This is...uh...nice.

Brett: It is, isn’t it? I know you were a little worried about me moving out and into a house with five roommates. But as you can see, this is a nice place. Let me give you a tour.

Mom: Oh, okay. Isn’t it a little cramped¹ in the house with six people?

Brett: No way! Come on. I’ll show you the rest of the house. Let’s go this way to the kitchen. Watch out for that hole in the floor. I don’t want you to trip. And don’t worry about the “Do Not Cross – Police Line” tape. It’s just a joke.

Mom: This is the kitchen? Why are all of your dishes on the floor? What do you keep in your cupboards?

Brett: Be careful opening them! We’re short on closet² space so some of the guys keep their clothes and shoes in them. You never know what you’ll find if you open one. We just have to watch our step when we walk around the kitchen. Come on, I’ll show you the bathroom.

Mom: You only have one bathroom for six people?

Brett: We’re guys so we don’t really need more than one bathroom. I just have to pay attention to when people take showers if I want enough hot water for my own shower. Watch your head!

Mom: Too late for the heads up! Something just fell on my head.

Brett: Oh, it’s nothing. It’s just a little problem with the ceiling³.

Mom: Look out! I think the ceiling is falling down! This place is dangerous!

Brett: It’s nothing. Don’t worry. As long as we stay alert⁴, this is a great place to live.


Script⁵ by Dr⁶. Lucy Tse

1 cramped   

a.狭窄的

参考例句：

• The house was terribly small and cramped, but the agent described it as a bijou residence. 房子十分狭小拥挤，但经纪人却把它说成是小巧别致的住宅。
• working in cramped conditions 在拥挤的环境里工作

2 closet   

n.壁橱；储藏室

参考例句：

• I'll clear out that closet for you.我要替你把那个小衣橱清理出来。
• Hang your overcoat in the closet.把你的大衣挂在衣橱里。

3 ceiling   

n.天花板；(规定价格、工资等的)最高限额

参考例句：

• It took more or less a whole day to paint the ceiling.粉刷天花板用了将近一整天的时间。
• A fly is on the ceiling.一只苍蝇在天花板上。

4 alert   

adj.机警的，活泼的，机灵的；vt.使...警觉

参考例句：

• Drivers must be on the alert for traffic signals.驾驶员必须密切注意交通信号。
• The rabbIt'seems to be very alert all its life.兔子似乎一生都小心翼翼，十分警觉。

5 script   

n.剧本，广播稿；文字体系；笔迹，手迹

参考例句：

• It's easy to identify his script.他的笔迹容易辨认。
• The script is massaged into final form.这篇稿子经过修改已定稿。

6 Dr   

n.医生，大夫；博士(缩)（= Doctor）

参考例句：

• Dr.Williams instructs us in botany.威廉博士教我们植物学。
• The ward of the hospital is in the charge of Dr.Green.医院的这间病房由格林医生负责。