Subtitles section Play video Print subtitles Hello, and welcome to The English We Speak. With me Feifei. And don't you know who I am?! I am Rob. Yes, we all know that, Rob. But I am THE Rob, Rob of The English We Speak. There is nobody else like me. Yeah, yeah, yeah - don't milk it! Eh? Come on, show me some respect. Ouch, I seem to have pulled a muscle. Oooh, that hurts. Come on, Rob. You hardly moved. Ouch, it's in my lower back. It's so painful, I don't know if I can carry on. You are milking it again! Feifei, what am I 'milking' exactly? Everything! 'To milk it' means to take full advantage of a situation usually to gain sympathy, respect or kindness. Sometimes, like Rob, you fake something to get attention. That's when we say 'You're milking it'. Are you talking about me? Of course I am, Rob. Let's hear some examples of other people 'milking it'. OK, don't milk it, Sam! You've told me a hundred times you've got tickets for the World Cup final. Tom's had a week off work with a cold. I think he's milking it now. Since her promotion, Freya keeps bossing us around and telling us to call her 'Miss Brown'. She's really milking it! You're listening to The English We Speak from BBC Learning English, and we're talking about the phrase 'to milk it'. This means to take full advantage of a situation usually to gain sympathy, respect or kindness. So Rob, have you got what 'milking it' means? I do, and I seemed to have recovered from pulled muscle but I've become so... thirsty, I was wondering... ...if I could get you a drink of milk? No, Feifei. I was thinking of a cup of coffee. You are so very kind and generous. You are milking it again, Rob. Actually, I've got just the thing for you. Hold on... Meet Daisy! Moo. Moo. A cow!! How do I milk that? I'd start down there somewhere. Good luck. Bye. Moo. moo. Hello, this is The English We Speak. I'm Feifei. And hello, I'm Rob. Why have you brought a bowl of fruit into the studio? I'm not feeling great and you know fruit is packed with vitamin C, so I thought eating some would do me good. Hmm, I see. Well, I'm sorry you're not feeling great, but we have got a programme to do and an English phrase to teach. If you don't mind, I might just read a few lines from the script today to save my voice. Perhaps I could just read the funny lines? No Rob! You can't just cherry-pick what you want to say. Cherry-pick? No Feifei, there aren't any cherries in my fruit bowl so I won't be picking any. I wasn't referring to your fruit. When you cherry-pick something, it means you choose only what's best or most desirable out of a group of things or a group of people. But Rob, you're not going to do that, are you? Errr... shall we hear some examples of other cherry pickers? Josh says he cherry-picked the players for his football team based on their skills but I know it's because they were his friends! We need to cherry-pick the best food for our new restaurant. We really want to impress our customers. It seems unfair that our school has cherry-picked the best students to attend the conference. We should all have a chance to go. You're listening to The English We Speak from BBC Learning English and we're talking about the phrase 'to cherry-pick', which means to choose the best or most desirable things from a group. And Rob wants to cherry-pick only the best lines to read from this script. It's a bit unfair, Rob... I was just trying to save my voice but I will do my best. Would you like a piece of fruit from the bowl, Feifei? Oh, OK then. Err, that banana is a bit mouldy. That orange is a bit yellow. I'll have this apple please. Hmm, looks like you're cherry-picking the best piece of fruit. Right, well, now that you've got my delicious apple, do you mind if I go now, I'm really not feeling great. Oh go on, Rob. But next time I'm going to cherry-pick who I present with - someone who wants a bite of the cherry to work with me. 'A bite of the cherry' means a chance or opportunity. I need someone with a bit more... stamina. See ya. Bye. Hello and welcome to The English We Speak. I'm Feifei. And I'm Rob. Feifei, feeling hungry? Rob, they smell amazing! Almost there. We're having a special treat today... waffles! Rob is making waffles: those lovely, crispy little cakes with raised squares on the surface. Absolutely! My favourite. But what are we going to put on them? Oh that's simple: strawberries and syrup. What about you? OK, I'm not so sure. I mean, I used to always love them with honey and bananas. But they do taste amazing with melted chocolate. Or with cream. You know, I recently tried one with peanut butter - not a good experience. I guess strawberries would be worth trying. Or mango. But only if the mangoes are fresh. Rob? Yes? Can you stop waffling on? Ah, very clever. Perfect time to use that phrase! I do need to stop waffling on, don't I? Yes, please. To 'waffle on' means to talk and talk without saying anything very useful or interesting. I am sometimes guilty of that. Let's hear a few more examples. I think I did really badly in the interview. I wasn't sure how to answer the questions, so I just waffled on. Meetings with Frank are frustrating. He always waffles on about unimportant things. Someone needs to have a word with him. I used to find her blog really interesting and inspiring but these days she just waffles on about her pet tortoise. There we are. To waffle on. At least we don't waffle on in this programme, do we Rob? Well, I must admit that sometimes people have said I do talk rather a lot, especially when it's about travel or languages... which reminds me I really should book my next holiday... I've been considering Croatia, though I... Rob? Ah. Am I waffling on? I'm afraid so. Ooh, it's waffle time! Great. Hopefully these tasty waffles will keep you quiet for a while. Are you saying the waffles will stop me waffling on? Yup! Now, enough talk. Oh, these waffles are delicious. Not bad, eh?! Bye. Bye. Hello and welcome to The English We Speak. I'm Feifei. And I'm Neil. Errr, Neil why are you still here? I thought you were driving to Manchester. and Rob was going to present the programme. Feifei, have you looked outside the window? Errr, no. Should I? It's a pea-souper out there! You want me to look out of the window at PEA SOUP? Is there a big bowl of it or something? No, there's no soup, it's an informal way of describing thick fog. It's so thick you can hardly see through it. And that's why I can't drive to Manchester. That is a shame. But why a pea-souper? I guess because, like pea soup, it's thick and a dark cloudy colour. Hmm, well I'd rather eat pea soup than be in it! I think we had better hear some examples of this strange phrase. It looks like our flight is delayed until this pea-souper clears. It's a real pea-souper today. When I was driving here I couldn't even see the car in front of me. There's no way I'm cycling in this pea-souper. It's far too dangerous. This is The English We Speak from BBC Learning English. And I'm with Neil, who can't travel because of a pea-souper – that's a very thick fog, that's hard to see through. Sometimes you can refer to it as 'smog', if it's fog mixed with air pollution. Yes, that's horrible stuff to be in. Well Neil, if you can't go to Manchester, what are we going to do? Well, let's have lunch together. Yes, but what are we going to eat? Pea soup of course! It's that kind of day. Oh look, the fog is clearing. Maybe you can drive after all! Hmm, I'll get my coat. Bye. See ya. Hello and welcome to The English We Speak with me, Feifei. Hehe, oh, and me, Rob. Rob, could we have your attention please? Sorry, I'm just snacking. You know you can't eat in the studio. I'm not eating anything - I'm snacking on some funny cat videos. Sorry, they're really short. I won't be long. What, Feifei? Why the angry face? Because we are here to talk about an authentic English phrase. OK, OK, well here is one for you: snackable. It describes short online articles, videos and other content that are quick and easy to read or watch. Just like these cat videos. And you are demonstrating it very well, Rob! I guess it's like eating a snack - quick and easy? Yes, very snackable. Just like these examples. Because my free time is short, it's good to find some snackable videos I can watch on my smartphone while I wait for the bus. The short city guides I found on the internet are very snackable and great for planning my trip around Africa. These days videos are often less than a minute long so that they're snackable and appeal to a younger audience. You're listening to The English We Speak from BBC Learning English, and we're talking about the word 'snackable', which is a term used to describe short online content that is easy and quick to watch or read. And the great thing about snackable content, Feifei, is you can do it whilst doing other things, like presenting this programme. You mean you can multitask. That means do more than one thing at a time. Well I can do that too! Now where's my smartphone? Err, Feifei, what are you doing? Reading a short but interesting article about working with annoying presenters. You're not snacking on that, you're feasting on it! Now come on and help me finish the programme. OK. Thanks for joining us, and we hope you found this programme snackable. Bye. Now do you want to see these kittens doing really funny tricks? Hello and welcome to The English We Speak. I'm Feifei. And hello, I'm Rob. (Sniff sniff) Rob, what's the smell? Are you cooking something? Yes. It's my favourite - roast beef. Yummy! Roast beef?! This isn't really the time to be cooking. Well, you said let's do 'roast' today so I thought I'd make a start. Just got to do the roast potatoes now. Rob, stop! I meant let's do the word 'roast'. Oh right. Well, this is a good example of roasting. No, Rob. It's not the meaning I had in mind. 'Roasting' is not just about cooking food in an oven. We can 'roast' people by criticising them harshly. So, Rob, you were very foolish to start cooking something while we're presenting a programme! Oh, am I being 'roasted' now? You sure are, but you're not alone. Here are some examples... We had to roast the teacher after she was seen shopping when she was supposed to be off work with flu! After my PowerPoint presentation froze during an important meeting, my boss gave me a roasting. She was roasted by her friends after she posted pictures of herself on social media showing off her 'amazing' suntan. This is The English We Speak from BBC Learning English and we're talking about the word 'roast', which means 'to criticise severely'. I'm sure you're used to being roasted, Rob? Well, if you mean I am hot and smell delicious, then I am very roasted! Excuse me? Feifei, another meaning of 'roast' is to tease someone in a light-hearted way or give a funny comeback when someone tries to humiliate you. Oh, ha ha! But hold on, Rob, I can smell something else... Oh no, I left the oven on and now the food is burning. Help! Rob, you are really stupid and you can't cook either. That's me roasted! Bye. Bye. Hello and welcome to The English We Speak. I'm Feifei. And I'm hungry. I mean Neil. Feifei, why did you book this studio recording session at midday? I'm starving! Do you fancy going for lunch? I've heard that new chicken restaurant just down the road is excellent! Not sure about that. Oh, have you been there before? Yes, and it left a bad taste in my mouth. Oh really? So the food's bad? Everyone says it's great! Well, the food was great... Eh? The food was great but it left a bad taste in your mouth? I don't understand! Let me explain. If something leaves a bad taste in your mouth, it means you've had a bad experience and the memory is unpleasant. Oh I see. So, what went wrong? The bill was twice as much as it should have been! Ah, I get it now! We use the expression 'it leaves a bad taste in your mouth' when we have a negative experience and feel bad or angry about it afterwards. Like being ripped off in a restaurant! Come on, Neil. Let's hear some examples. Then we can go for lunch somewhere that doesn't rip me off! I refuse to go back to that hotel. They were so rude! It left a bad taste in my mouth. When my boss sent me that angry email last thing on Friday, it left a bad taste in my mouth. It left a bad taste in my mouth when I got fined for going just one mile an hour over the speed limit! This is The English We Speak from BBC Learning English. And I'm with Neil, who was wondering why I've got a bad taste in my mouth when it's got nothing to do with food. We use the expression 'it leaves a bad taste in your mouth' when we have a negative experience and feel bad or angry about it afterwards. So, is it time for lunch? Yes, Neil! I really want you to come and try that new tofu place. The food is just delicious and the service is excellent! So, will it leave a good taste in my mouth? It sure will! Bye. Bye. Hello and welcome to The English We Speak with me, Feifei. And me, Roy. We may sound a little different. That's because we are not able to record in our normal studios during the coronavirus outbreak. In this programme, we have a word that is used to say when someone is upset over something minor or trivial. Speaking of which, you got really upset when the vending machine didn't have any of those sweets you like this morning! I really like 'unicorn truffles'. You have no idea how good they are. It ruined my day! Everyone likes 'unicorn truffles' but there's no need to get overly upset about it They're just sweets! You were so salty this morning! What do you mean salty? You mean I was sweaty? I sweat when I get stressed. No, Roy. 'Salty' means you got upset over nothing. They're just sweets. If you're that desperate for them, you should go to the supermarket before work like I did. Wait, you've got some 'unicorn truffles'!? Can I have one, please? You can have one, and only one. Anyway, let's listen to these examples. She was so salty when she lost the board game. It's really not that important. He was so salty yesterday when nobody wanted to go to lunch with him. I'm sorry, it was a bad joke but there's no need to get salty about it! This is The English We Speak from BBC Learning English and we're talking about the word 'salty'. And now Roy, you're salty because I won't give you more sweets! Feifei, you have a bag full of 'unicorn truffles'! You could open a sweet shop you have that many. So, I'm not being salty. I don't think it's unreasonable to be upset that you won't give me one more sweet! Fine, but only because I'm a nice person! Talking about being salty, did you see Rob this morning? Yes! Why was he so angry?! I saw him hitting the keyboard! He was so angry with you, Feifei. Haha that's because I unplugged his computer! He couldn't turn it on! So, when I told him that I'd done it as a joke, he got really salty. Haha, you're the best, Feifei! You love playing practical jokes on people. Well, I need to get back to my desk. Wait?! I can't move! I'm stuck to the chair! Yes! I know. I put lots of superglue on your chair before you sat down! Don't get salty about it! Here have a couple of 'unicorn truffles' to cheer you up! Thanks Feifei, but I really need to go back to work. Can you get me off this chair, please? Bye, Roy. Bye. Hello and welcome to The English We Speak. I'm Feifei. And I'm Neil. Hey Neil, would you like to try one of my homemade cookies? Well, we shouldn't really eat while we're presenting but... go on then. I made them last night and I thought I'd try them out on you! You've got a sweet tooth so I know you can't resist! OK then. Mmmm. Well, what do you think? Well, they're... OK. Perhaps not the best I've ever had. Oh, so you think my cooking isn't great? Let's say it's something to chew on. Right! So you're saying my homemade cookies are chewy? No, I'm not. In fact they're... crunchy. But when someone says they need to chew on something, it's an informal way to say they need to think about it before making a decision. Well, Neil, I will chew on response to your insult about my cooking while we hear some examples. Our extension plans are great but we need to chew on it before we give them the go-ahead. Hmm, it's very expensive to fly to Australia for a holiday. Let's chew on it shall we? My boyfriend asked me to marry him and I said I'd chew on it. He didn't seem that pleased! This is The English We Speak and Neil has been using the expression 'to chew on something' or 'something to chew on' which means to think about something before making a decision. And Neil, I've made a decision about what to say to you! Oh yes? If you don't like my cooking, I will not be inviting you to my dinner party tonight. Oh Feifei! Ah well, at least I'll avoid your cooking. I'm not cooking. We're getting a takeaway curry and lots of wine. I suppose you could come... if you pay for the take away? Hmm, that is something I don't need to chew on. The answer's 'no'. I'll stay at home and bake my own cookies! See ya. Bye. Hello and welcome to The English We Speak. I'm Feifei. And I'm Rob. Hey Rob, thanks for this ice cream. I love ice cream but why are we eating it now? As a treat, Feifei! This is my homemade ice cream. Yum. It tastes good. Tastes good, you say? Just good? Well, it's not bad. Not bad?! Honestly Feifei, there is no pleasing you sometimes. Is there something missing? Rob, it's awesomesauce! You want sauce on it? Why didn't you say? What do you want? Strawberry? Chocolate? Caramel? No, I was actually being nice. Awesomesauce is an informal way to describe something that is extremely good or amazing. It was a compliment, Rob! Listen to these other examples of 'awesomesauce'. My wife is awesomesauce. She's just served me breakfast in bed as it's my birthday! This peanut butter and banana milkshake is awesomesauce. Can I have some more, please? Hey! I got top grades in all my exams. Awesomesauce! You're listening to The English We Speak from BBC Learning English and we're looking at the word awesomesauce, which is an informal way of describing that something is extremely good, amazing or incredible. And your homemade ice cream is amazing, Rob! Oh, thanks very much. I don't know what to say. You can also say 'awesomesauce'. The word can also be used to say you're very very pleased with something. OK then. Awesomesauce! If it's that good, I must try some too with strawberry sauce on. You must, Rob, it tastes great! Oh no, not awesomesauce. What's wrong? I didn't put it back in the freezer. It's melted! You had better go and make some more. Bye. Bye bye! Hello and welcome to The English We Speak. I'm Feifei. And hello, I'm Rob. Erm, Feifei, why were you in the cafe with the boss earlier? Was I? Come on. I saw you having lunch with the boss. Nobody ever has lunch with him. OK, I admit it. I was having lunch with the boss. What's wrong with that? Well, we all know there is a promotion in the department on offer and you are obviously trying to curry favour with the boss so that you get the job. Honestly! Hold on. I can assure you I was NOT having curry with the boss. It was just a sandwich. Feifei, if you 'curry favour with someone' you are not eating curry. It means you are 'trying to get someone - the boss - to like you or even give you something'. Something like a promotion. I was not! But I like the expression. OK. Well, let's hear some examples of people currying favour with someone else. I know what you're up to! You're trying to curry favour with the manager by telling her what a great job she's doing! The company tried to curry favour with its employees by giving them all a pay rise. He's trying to get free tickets to the gig by currying favour with the tour manager. It won't work! This is The English We Speak from BBC Learning English and we're talking about the phrase 'to curry favour (with someone)' which means to try and get someone to like you or give you something. Another way of saying it is you are 'trying to keep in with' someone. It's all a bit false, Rob, trying to make someone like you which is why I was NOT trying to curry favour with the boss. You won't get the promotion anyway. We were actually talking about you! Oh yes? He wanted my advice on whether he should give the promotion to you. To me! Well, come on then, what did he say? You'll need to curry favour with me, if you want to know that! How about dinner? I know a nice little curry house just around the corner. Bye. Bye bye. Hi everyone, we hope you enjoyed that video. And thank you very much for watching. We have so many more just like it so if you don't want to miss a single one make sure to subscribe and we will see you regularly. Hope to see you soon. Bye guys!
B1 rob feifei cherry speak pea curry English vocabulary mega-class! Learn 10 everyday English 'food and drink' expressions in 25 minutes! 7 3 林宜悉 posted on 2021/05/29 More Share Save Report Video vocabulary