2009年ESL之就医和人际交往15 Guarding One’s Privacy

（单词翻译）

 

15 Guarding One’s Privacy 

GLOSSARY 

drawn – closed, used when talking about curtains or drapes 

* They always sleep with the curtains drawn. 

privacy – the ability to be alone and keep one’s personal information and actions 

secret, so that other people do not know about oneself or one’s activities 

* She goes into her room and closes the door whenever she wants a few minutes 

of privacy. 

peeping Tom – a person who looks through windows to watch women when 

they undress 

* I heard a noise at the window and thought it was a cat, but when I went looked 

outside, I found a peeping Tom! 

to peek – to quickly look at something, especially if it is difficult to see or if one is 

not supposed to see it 

* The little boy carefully opened the wrapping paper so he could peek at the 

present, even though his birthday wouldn’t be for another three days. 

voluntarily – willingly; meaning or wanting to do something; with aspecific 

intention or desire 

* Why would you voluntarily offer to clean the bathrooms?That’s my least 

favorite thing to do. 

to invade (one’s) privacy – to learn something about another person or his or 

her activities, especially when that person would like to keep those things secret 

* Is it an invasion of my daughter’s privacy if I go into her bedroom and look 

through her closet and drawers when she isn’t home? 

anonymity – used to describe a situation where other people do not know who 

one is or what one is doing 

* Clarke hates the anonymity of moving to a new city, so he’s working hard to 

meet people and make friends. 

to be on guard – to be alert; to be very careful or cautious, especially to prevent 

something from happening 

* Xena has dangerous allergic reactions, so she’s always onguard against bees. 

need-to-know basis – a phrase used to describe a situation where people are 

given only the information that they absolutely must have, and no additional 

unnecessary information is shared 

* The United States government lets people view classified data only on a needto-know basis. 

paranoid – too worried, believing that other people want to hurt oneself, or that 

other people are looking for oneself 

* The mental hospital is full of paranoid patients whothink other people are trying 

to kill them. 

to be out to (do something) – to be trying to do something 

* All of the players are out to win the most importantgame of the year. 

to get (someone) – to attack, hurt, or kill someone 

* The young men are creating a plan to get the othergang’s leader. 

to disclose – to share secret or private information 

* Interviewers should never ask job candidates to disclose their marital status. 

seclusion – living alone, without seeing or speaking to other people; keeping 

oneself alone, away from other people 

* They spent their vacation far away in the mountains, seeking seclusion where 

they knew there wouldn’t be other people. 

hermit – a person who lives alone and doesn’t speak to anyone else 

* One of her uncles is a hermit who lives in a house in the mountains and hasn’t 

spoken to anyone in more than eight years. 

rest assured – a phrase used to tell another person not to worry, or that there is 

no problem and everything is under control 

* Rest assured, we have enough money in the bank to pay our bills for months, 

even if we both lose our jobs. 

to breathe a word – to say something, especially to share a secret 

* Our boss told us not to breathe a word of anything discussed at the meeting. 

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS 

1. What does Mina mean by saying that she has to be “on guard” all the time? 

a) She has to be very careful about what she says and does. 

b) She has to hire a security guard for safety. 

c) She has to keep her apartment locked all day long. 

2. Why does Dan ask Mina if she’s living as a hermit? 

a) Because she is living without other people. 

b) Because she is living with too many pets. 

c) Because she is living with paranoia. 

______________ 

WHAT ELSE DOES IT MEAN? 

drawn 

The word “drawn,” in this podcast, is used to talk aboutcurtains or drapes that 

are closed: “On hot summer days, they keep the curtains drawn so that their 

house doesn’t get too warm.” When talking about a person’s appearance, 

someone who is “drawn” has a light-colored thin face, possibly because he or 

she is sick, worried, or very tired: “Quinton looked drawn after spending all night 

in the hospital with his sick wife.” Something that is “drawn-out” is taking too 

long, or taking more time than one had hoped: “That movie was too drawn-out! It 

was more than three hours long, but they could easily have told the same story in 

just 90 minutes.” Finally, the word “drawn” is the pastparticiple of the verb “to 

draw”: “Everyone admired the pretty pictures that the children had drawn.” 

to be on guard 

In this podcast, the phrase “to be on guard” means to be alert or to be very 

careful, especially to prevent something from happening: “This street is 

dangerous, so be on guard and look out for cars that aredriving too fast.” The 

phrase “to catch/throw (someone) off guard” means to surprise someone, or to 

ask someone to do or say something when he or she is not prepared: “The 

teacher’s question caught the student off guard.” The phrase “to be on guard” 

means to be on duty, or to be working to protect someoneor a group of people: 

“Who was on guard at the prison that night?” Finally,the phrase “to be under 

guard” means to be watched by a group of people so thatone cannot run away: 

“The criminal was under guard as he walked to the courtroom.” 

CULTURE NOTE 

Americans normally need to show “acceptable” (meeting certain minimum 

requirements for approval) forms of “personal identification” (written proof of who 

one is) to request government services or documents. The United States doesn’t 

have a national “ID” (identification) card like many other countries do, so instead 

government agencies accept combinations of other documents. 

For example, to apply for a “replacement” (a copy that one can use when the 

original is lost, stolen, or damaged) “social security card” (a small piece of paper 

with one’s personal tax number), Americans can present different combinations 

of documents. A “birth certificate” (a piece of paper stating when and where one 

was born, and one’s parents’ names) and a “passport” (a document used for 

international travel) can be used as personal identification and proof of 

citizenship. A “driver’s license” (a small card that shows one has permission to 

drive) can also be used for identification. 

When one needs to show “proof of residence” (documents showing where one 

lives), sometimes a driver’s license is “sufficient” (enough). At other times, 

Americans need to “present” (show) a “lease” (a legal agreement allowing one to 

live in an apartment or house) or a “utility bill” (a bill for gas, electricity, or water) 

with one’s name and current address. 

Sometimes agencies require “original” (not copied) documents. Other agencies 

will accept “certified copies” (copies that have been marked by an agency to 

show that they are “valid” (real) copies). 

______________ 

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

COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT 

Welcome to English as a Second Language Podcast number 507: Guarding 

One’s Privacy. 

This is English as a Second Language Podcast episode 507.  I’m your host, Dr. 

Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center for Educational Development in 

beautiful Los Angeles, California. 

Our website is eslpod.com. Go there to download a Learning Guide for this 

episode. It contains all of the vocabulary, definitions, sample sentences, 

additional definitions, comprehension questions, culturalnotes, and a complete 

transcript of this episode, of everything we say. 

This episode is called “Guarding One’s Privacy.” It’s a dialogue between Dan 

and Mina talking about people who want to keep theirpersonal information 

private or secret. Let’s get started. 

[start of dialogue] 

I went to visit my old friend, Mina, whom I hadn’t seen in several years. It was 

one of the strangest afternoons of my life! 

Dan: Hi, Mina, it’s really good to see you. 

Mina: Dan, come in. Hurry! 

Dan: Uh, okay. Why do you have four locks on your door, and why are all of the 

curtains drawn? 

Mina: I like my privacy. And anyway, I think there’s a peeping Tom around this 

apartment building and I don’t want him to get a peek into my apartment. 

Dan: Oh, okay. I noticed that your name isn’t on your mailbox. I wasn’t sure I 

had the right apartment number. 

Mina: Do you think I would voluntarily give people thatinformation? They are 

constantly trying to invade my privacy. All I want is anonymity, but I have to be 

on guard all of the time. These days, I only give out personal information on a 

need-to-know basis. 

Dan: No offense, but isn’t that a little paranoid?  You act as though everybody is 

out to get you. 

Mina: Aren’t they? Haven’t you noticed? We constantly have to disclose our 

most personal information on forms and to anyone who comes to our door. If I 

didn’t know you were coming today, I wouldn’t have opened my door at all. 

Dan: You mean you live here in seclusion, like a hermit? 

Mina: Of course not! I have plenty of friends. Come and meet them all. 

Dan: Wow, you must have 10 birds and 20 cats! 

Mina: Yes, that’s right. But, rest assured, none of them will breathe a word of 

what you say here today! 

[end of dialogue] 

Our story begins with Dan saying that he went to visit his old friend, Mina, whom 

he hadn’t seen in several years. “It was one of the strangest afternoons of my 

life!” he says. 

Dan says, “Hi, Mina, it’s really good to see you.” Mina says, “Dan, come in. 

Hurry!” Dan is obviously at Mina’s house, he knocks on her door [sound of 

knocking], and she tells him to hurry up and come in. Dan says, “Uh, okay. Why 

do you have four locks on your door, and why are all of the curtains drawn?” A 

“lock” is something that you use to prevent other people from opening a door; 

Mina has four locks on her door. She also has her curtains drawn. “Curtains” 

are pieces of fabric that cover a window so you can’t see inside. “To be drawn” 

means, in this case, to be closed. We use this word in talking about curtains, 

sometimes we use the word “drapes.” Curtains or drapes are drawn when they 

are closed. “Drawn,” however, has a couple of differentmeanings in English, so 

be sure to look at the Learning Guide for this episode for some additional 

explanation of that. 

Mina says, “I like my privacy.” “Privacy” is the ability to be alone, to keep your 

personal information secret so that other people don’tknow about you or what 

you are doing. Privacy has become very important, especially on the Internet. 

Mina says, “I think there’s a peeping Tom around this apartment building and I 

don’t want him to get a peek into my apartment.” Theexpression “a peeping 

Tom” refers to a person – a man, typically – who is looking through the windows 

trying to watch women, especially when women are taking their clothes off. It’s, 

obviously, a very negative expression to use about someone; infact, you could 

probably get arrested by the police for being a peepingTom. I’m not sure why 

the name Tom is used; I’m glad it isn’t a peeping Jeff!Well, Mina says that she 

wants to make sure that this peeping doesn’t get a “peek” (peek) into her 

apartment. “To peek at (something)” means to look quickly at something, 

especially if it is difficult to see or if you’re not supposed to see it. So, “taking a 

peek” means taking a quick look. 

Dan says, “Oh, okay. I noticed that your name isn’t on yourmailbox,” the small 

box where the mail carrier (the person from the, usually, government agency that 

delivers mail to your house) puts your mail; the mailbox is the place where the 

mail is put. Mina, however, does not have her name on her mailbox; Dan says, “I 

wasn’t sure I had the right apartment number.” Mina says, “Do you think I would 

voluntarily give people that information?” “Voluntarily” means willingly, when you 

want to do something. She’s saying “I would not voluntarily (of my own free will) 

give people my information,” such as her name. She says, “They are constantly 

trying to invade my privacy.” They – we’re not sure who they are – are trying to 

invade her privacy. “To invade (someone’s) privacy” is to learn something about 

another person that they want to be secret, that they don’t want to tell you. If 

someone sends you a personal letter and your friend opens the letter and reads 

it without telling you or without you giving them permission, that would be an 

“invasion of privacy,” he would be invading your privacy. “Invasion” is the noun 

from the verb “to invade.” Normally, this verb “to invade” refers to an army going 

into another country. The ancient Roman army invaded Greece back in the 

second century B.C., I believe. 

Well, Mina doesn’t want anyone to invade her privacy, shesays, “All I want is 

anonymity, but I have to be on guard all the time.” “Anonymity” is to be 

anonymous; that is, to be in a situation where no one knows who you are or what 

you are doing. “Anonymity” is a noun coming from the idea of “anonymous,” 

which is unknown, so nobody knows about you. She says, however, that she 

has to be on guard all the time. “To be on guard” is an expression meaning to be 

very careful or cautious, to prevent something from happening; to be alert, this 

means to be on guard. “Guard” has a couple of different meanings in English 

however, so take a look at that Learning Guide for some more explanations. 

She says, “These days, I only give out personal information on a need-to-know 

basis.” The expression “need-to-know basis” is used to describe a situation 

where people are only given information that they absolutely must have, and only 

that very necessary information is shared or given to them. It’s an expression 

you would probably hear in the government or in the military, talking about 

secrets that the military has or that a country has. It’s not normally used in daily 

conversation, but of course, Mina, here, is what we wouldcall a little bit 

“paranoid.” She’s very worried that other people are going to hurt her or that 

other people are trying to follow her. To be paranoid is considered a negative 

description; it’s to be too worried, to be worried without any good reason. 

In fact, Dan says, “No offense (meaning I don’t want tohurt you by saying this, by 

insulting you), but isn’t that a little paranoid?” Dan says, “You act as though 

everyone is out to get you.” “To be out to get (someone)” means to be trying to 

do something to somebody, usually something bad. If yousay your boss is out 

to get you, you’re saying your boss is trying to hurt you or harm you in some way. 

There are actually two expressions here: “To be out to do (something)” means to 

try to do something; “to get (someone)” means to attack,hurt, or perhaps even 

kill someone. So to say someone “is out to get you” means that someone is 

trying to harm you. 

Mina says, “Aren’t they? Haven’t you noticed? We constantly have to disclose 

our most personal information on forms and to anyone who comes to our door. If 

I didn’t know you were coming today, I wouldn’t have opened my door at all.” “To 

disclose” means to share or to give some secret or private information to 

someone else. So, Mina thinks that everyone is trying to invade her privacy by 

asking her for all this personal information. 

Dan then says to Mina, “You mean you live here in seclusion, like a hermit?” “To 

be in seclusion” means to be alone, without talking to other people or seeing 

other people. A “hermit” is a person who lives alone and doesn’t speak to 

anyone else. This was originally a religious idea amongthe early Christians. 

They were men who would go out into the desert by themselves, and live by 

themselves, and spend the whole day praying. That was tobe a hermit, to be 

alone. Women, also, sometimes were hermits, and thereare, even today, 

people who are hermits for religious purposes. But Dan, here, is talking about 

Mina being by herself, and so he’s using the term “hermit” almost as an insult. 

Mina says, “Of course not (of course I don’t live like a hermit)! I have plenty of 

friends. Come and meet them all.” Dan says, “Wow, you must have 10 birds 

and 20 cats!” Her friends are animals. Mina says, “Yes,that’s right. But, rest 

assured, none of them will breathe a word of what you say here today!” The 

phrase “rest assured” means don’t worry; there is no problem, there is no reason 

to worry. She says none of these animals will breathe a word of what you say. 

“To breathe a word” is an expression that means to say something, especially to 

tell someone something that is personal, private, or secret. Of course, the 

animals won’t breathe a word; in fact, they can’t talk, so it’s a pretty safe 

environment. Obviously, Mina needs some help! 

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

[start of dialogue] 

I went to visit my old friend, Mina, whom I hadn’t seen in several years. It was 

one of the strangest afternoons of my life! 

Dan: Hi, Mina, it’s really good to see you. 

Mina: Dan, come in. Hurry! 

Dan: Uh, okay. Why do you have four locks on your door, and why are all of the 

curtains drawn? 

Mina: I like my privacy. And anyway, I think there’s a peeping Tom around this 

apartment building and I don’t want him to get a peek into my apartment. 

Dan: Oh, okay. I noticed that your name isn’t on your mailbox. I wasn’t sure I 

had the right apartment number. 

Mina: Do you think I would voluntarily give people thatinformation? They are 

constantly trying to invade my privacy. All I want is anonymity, but I have to be 

on guard all of the time. These days, I only give out personal information on a 

need-to-know basis. 

Dan: No offense, but isn’t that a little paranoid?  You act as though everybody is 

out to get you. 

Mina: Aren’t they? Haven’t you noticed? We constantly have to disclose our 

most personal information on forms and to anyone who comes to our door. If I 

didn’t know you were coming today, I wouldn’t have opened my door at all. 

Dan: You mean you live here in seclusion, like a hermit? 

Mina: Of course not! I have plenty of friends. Come and meet them all. 

Dan: Wow, you must have 10 birds and 20 cats! 

Mina: Yes, that’s right. But, rest assured, none of them will breathe a word of 

what you say here today! 

[end of dialogue] 

It’s no secret that this script was written by our very own Dr. Lucy Tse. 

If you’d like to support us here at ESL Podcast, consider becoming a Learning 

Guide member or sending a small donation. Go to eslpod.com to find out more 

information. 

From Los Angeles, California, I’m Jeff McQuillan. Thank you for listening. Come 

back and listen to us next time on ESL Podcast. 

English as a Second Language Podcast is written and produced by Dr. Lucy Tse, 

hosted by Dr. Jeff McQuillan, copyright 2009 by the Centerfor Educational 

Development.