I wanted to try for breakfast.

Neil: Looks lovely, Feifei! Let's get a table.

Feifei: How about this one by the window?

Neil: Great.

Feifei: Nah, bit too bright.

How about this one in the corner?

Neil: Looks good.

Feifei: Bit too dark. And this one is close

to the coffee machine...

No, too noisy. Erm, what about...?

Neil: Feifei. Are you going to keep

Goldilocksing all day? Or can we actually

order some breakfast?!

Feifei: Goldilocksing?

You mean like Goldilocks?

Oh, I see what you mean! Sorry, Neil.

Neil: Yes, let's just sit right here while

I explain. The phrase comes from

a fairy tale about a little girl called

Goldilocks. One day she finds

an empty house in the forest.

In the kitchen there are three bowls

of porridge. She tries them one by one.

The first one is too hot, the second one

is too cold, and the third one is just right.

Feifei: She takes a long time to decide

which one she likes.

Oh, and then she chooses a

chair to sit on, doesn't she?

Neil: Yes, and that takes a long time too.

And finally she sees

three beds... and takes

a long time to choose which one to sleep in!

Feifei: So, you're saying I'm like Goldilocks

- slowly deciding which table

to sit at, trying

to find the perfect one?

Neil: Exactly. And I'm hungry.

And you know what happens

to Goldilocks?

Feifei: Yes. The house belongs

to three bears, and they come home

while she's asleep. OK, let's play some

examples, while we start looking

at the menu. It might take... a long time.

Ling, can you stop Goldilocksing

and just decide what to drink?

Happy hour is almost finished!

Juan took a Goldilocks approach

to decorating his apartment - everything

had to be just right.

They say our planet is in the

Goldilocks zone - it's not too hot and

not too cold to support life.

It's just the right temperature.

Feifei: You're listening to The English

We Speak from BBC Learning English.

Our word is 'Goldilocks'.

So, in those examples we heard

Goldilocksing as a verb:

Ling was Goldilocksing.

Neil: And as an adjective:

a Goldilocks approach,

the Goldilocks zone.

Feifei: Anyway, Neil, have you

decided what to eat?

Neil: Er, actually... not yet!

Feifei: Now who's the Goldilocks?!

Let me order for both of us.

Two bowls of porridge please!

Neil: And not too hot!

Feifei: Bye.

Neil: Bye.