Clases de ingles

Historia 1 fishing

Today, grab your poles and bait. We are going fishing!Consulta el diccionario online

Fishing is a popular outdoor activity you can do in lots of different places. You can go ice fishing, deep
sea fishing, or fly fishing in a river, to name a few examples.

Whatever type of fishing you do, the equipment is similar. In addition to a fishing pole, you will need a
fishing hook, a fishing line and sometimes, a sinker.

But in conversation, we don’t use the expression “hook, line and sinker” when we are talking about
catching a fish. We use it to describe fooling someone who is easy to fool. In other words, they are
gullible.

When people believe a story “hook, line and sinker,” they accept it completely – even though it is a big,
fat lie. Note that the expression usually begins with the verbs “buy” or “fall.” For example, “he fell for
my excuse hook, line and sinker,” or, “she bought my story hook, line and sinker.”

But what about people who are not so gullible? When something sounds even the slightest bit fishy,
they do not believe it. The word “fishy” means “likely untrue.” In other words, something that sounds
fishy sounds like a lie. For this one, we also say smells fishy – a phrase I think is even better.

Now, if you tell someone a fish story, you are telling them a story that is so strange or surprising that it
seems very unlikely to be true. It is an exaggeration. We tell others fish stories when we want to brag or
show off.

This expression comes from the fact that people who fish often say their catch is bigger than it really
was.
But fish stories don’t have to be about fish. We can exaggerate about anything. Take my friend, for
example. He loves to tell people about the time he was attacked by a swarm of bees. Each time he tells
the story, the amount of bees and bee stings increase. At last count, it was a million bees and thousands
of stings. It’s his very own fish story.

Now, back to real fishing for a minute.

Let’s say you are planning a long, complicated fishing tour. This is not just a one- or two-day trip. It is a
fishing expedition. You are not sure what you will catch. But you are going to spend a lot of time and
effort trying to catch something.

In conversation, a “fishing expedition” is very similar. A fishing expedition is a general search. It does not
stick to a stated goal, but hopes to uncover useful evidence or information.

For example, if a police detective is on a fishing expedition, she may ask all the people who were near a
crime in their neighborhood. She does not know if any of them are guilty or if they know anything. But
she hopes one of them will give evidence about the crime.

Now, you can “fish” for many other things too.

A writer can fish around for a good story idea. She may ask many people lots of general questions about
their lives before finding something interesting to write about.

And let’s say your co-worker asks you a lot of questions about your personal life. He does not have a
clear reason why. He just seems to be fishing around for information. It makes you more than a little
uncomfortable.

And it should! That’s the thing with this expression. When we go fishing for information or evidence or
whatever, we do plan to use it. In fact, we can also fish for something to feel better about ourselves.
If I am fishing for compliments I want you to say something nice about me. So, for example, let’s say I
give you one of my homemade chocolate chip cookies. As you take a bite, you make sounds that show
you really like it. Then I ask, “So, how are my cookies?” I know they taste great. I’m just fishing for
compliments.

Usually people who fish for compliments annoy others. But in this case, you probably will not feel
annoyed. After all, you get to eat a delicious cookie!

Speaking of delicious food, fried fish can also be very tasty. The fish is dipped into a batter and then fried
in oil. The bigger the fish, the better!

Funny enough, the expression to have bigger fish to fry has nothing to do with cooking fish. This
expression compares an important problem to a minor one. People who have bigger fish to fry don’t
have time to deal with a small fish … I mean, problem.

Now, let’s hear these expressions used in a conversation between two, um, co-workers, you could say.

Hey. Did you bring another flashlight? My batteries are low.

Of course. I always bring an extra one, just in case. But I also have extra batteries if you want those
instead.

Just give me the flashlight.

Isn’t it helpful that I’m so prepared?

Yes, it is. Now stop fishing for compliments and hand me the screwdriver. We have don’t have much
time to open this lock!
Hey, can I ask you something? Yesterday, Joe from the cafe asked me a lot of questions. I got the feeling
he was fishing for information about our … you know, job. Do you think he knows something?

Joe? He doesn’t know a thing. What did he ask you?

He wanted to know what I did during the day and how I spend my nights. And then he asked me what I
was doing tonight. It was weird.

Sounds like he was just on a fishing expedition. But you know, he also asked me about my plans tonight.

What did you tell him?Curso de inglés en audio

I told him I was going to a book club.

A book club? Really? And he fell for that?!

Yeah, he fell for it hook, line and sinker. Didn’t doubt it for a minute.

You don’t think that excuse sounds kind of fishy? I think it sounds very fishy.

What’s so fishy about my going to a book club? Is it SO hard to believe I would belong to a book club?

No! It’s just that …

I do read, you know!!

Thank you.

I didn’t mean to judge you.

Look, just forget about it. Right now, we have bigger fish to fry.

What do you mean?

“This is the police! We have you surrounded! Come out with your hands up!”

Oh no! The police!

Clase dos

Like all languages, our expressions come from everywhere. They come from nature, sports, and food.
They come from money, culture, music, history! If you name the area, we can find a special word or
expression that comes from it.Consulta el diccionario online

The word we will talk about today comes from technology: bandwidth.

The first definition of “bandwidth” is the range of frequencies within a given band, especially when used
for sending an electronic signal.

In computing, it means the largest amount of data that can be passed along a specific path. For example,
if you are making a video on your computer, it will use more bandwidth than if you were simply creating
a document.
When we talk about ourselves (and not our computers), bandwidth has a similar meaning.

Human “bandwidth” refers to the total number of issues or amount information a person can deal with
at any given moment. It is the emotional or mental space you need to do something or think about
something.

When you have lots of bandwidth, you can deal with anything life throws at you. But, when you are
really busy or seriously worried, you might not have the bandwidth to deal with any additional issues.
You simply do not have the time or mental space.

We have other expressions that mean almost the same thing as being out of bandwidth. I can say I’ve hit
my limit. I'm up to my neck, up to my eyes or up to my ears (you can use any of those body parts) with
work, responsibility or fill in the blank. I am swamped!

“Bandwidth” can also simply mean your attention span.

For example, let’s say you are sitting at your dinner table thinking about an all-consuming problem. In
this state, you are not able to focus on anything else. So, if someone tries to ask you a question, you can
tell them, “Sorry. I do not have the bandwidth to talk to you right now. Come back in about an hour!”

Now, sometimes we use the word “bandwidth” when we talk about our brains as computers. An article
in Scientific American gives us a good example of this usage.

Writer R. Douglas Fields discusses the development of an electronic device worn on the arm that
permits the wearer to mentally interact with a computer. He writes, “This achievement opens and
expands the bandwidth of the brain’s output.”
Sometimes people use “bandwidth” to simply mean mental ability. I might say: “Oh, do not to try to
explain the issue to Alex. He doesn’t have the bandwidth for something so difficult.” Used this way, it
means "Alex" is not intelligent enough to understand. It is a clear insult. So, be careful using it that way.

Now, let’s hear "bandwidth" used in this short conversation between two friends.

Okay, let’s go over the shopping list. We don’t want to forget anything.

Do we have to do that right now?Curso de inglés en audio

No. But the party is next month. So, time is running out.

There’s plenty of time. And right now … I have a lot on my mind.

Come on. You can’t be that busy.

Oh really? Well, today at work, I lost all my documents when my computer crashed.

Well, you have back-ups of all your documents, don’t you?

No. I had just finished writing three long stories. I’ll have to work overtime the rest of the week or I’ll
miss my deadline!

Maybe we should change the subject.

Sure. This morning my sister called to tell me that my great aunt died.
Oh, I’m so sorry.

That’s okay. I only met her once when I was 10. But my mom can’t take care of the funeral plans. So,
now I have to.

Oh. That’s going to take a lot of time.

Yes, it is. But that’s not all. Last night, my apartment flooded from a leak in the pipe! So, I have to fix it
by tomorrow because my boss is coming over for an important dinner meeting!!

Wow. You are swamped! Really up to your neck.

Tell me about it! So, please understand if I don’t have the bandwidth right now to plan for a party that is
a month away!!

Well. Sounds like someone is out of patience as well as bandwidth.

Clase 3

In the summertime, many people around the world wear a kind of casual shoe known as “flip-flops.”
They are completely open. So, they keep feet cool in warm weather. They are also good to wear in the
shower, at the beach or by a swimming pool – anywhere wet.Consulta el diccionario online

Word and shoe experts both agree that flip-flops come from Japan.

An article in the New York Times explains that after the Second World War ended, Japan increased its
production of rubber. Among other things, workers used rubber to make a version of a traditional
Japanese sandal, called the zori. Japan exported these rubber zoris all over the world.

But the public did not keep the name zori. The rubber sandals became known as flip-flops. Can you hear
why?
“Flip-flop” is the sound the shoes make when you walk in them.

So, that’s some information about the flip-flop we wear on our feet. But another way we use the word
"flip-flop" in American English has nothing to do with shoes.

When you flip-flop, you completely change your mind on an issue. Not only do you adjust your thinking,
but you adopt the exact opposite position.

For example, maybe one day you announce to your roommates that you have become a vegetarian. You
plan to eat only vegetables, beans, rice and pasta. But at the end of the week, you make another
announcement. You say you've changed your mind. And now, you will only eat meat.

You have flip-flopped.

Word historians say this usage of "flip-flop" began around 1930 and comes from the world of
electronics. “Flip-flop” referred to switching circuits that alternate between two states.

Today, we most commonly use the term “flip-flop” in politics.

Being accused of flip-flopping is usually not good. Let’s say you are running for a political office. Early in
your political career perhaps you supported a popular issue – such as tax breaks for businesses. But now
supporting that issue is not popular.

So, during the campaign, you tell voters that you’ve changed your mind. You are now against tax breaks
for businesses. Your opponent could accuse you of being weak, of not knowing what you believe in, or
of changing your position to get more votes.
A candidate who flip-flops for political gain usually gives a bad impression. Voters come to know you as a
flip-flopper.

Another, more neutral expression that means about the same as "flip-flop" is “to do a 180.” (By the way,
you can spell “one-eighty” with either numbers or letters. The pronunciation is the same.)

If you turn 180 degrees around a circle, you will be facing in the opposite direction. So, you can use this
term simply to mean turn around. For example, you could say that when your friend saw her ex-
boyfriend coming toward her at a party, she did a 180 and quickly walked away.Curso de inglés en audio

That is the literal meaning.

Figuratively, doing a 180 means you completely change your opinion, or you make a big change in your
lifestyle.

In our earlier example about flip-flopping from being a vegetarian to eating meat, you could also say you
did a 180. That expression sounds less critical than “flip-flop.”

At work, you may not want to say that your boss flip-flopped on an important issue. Saying she did a 180
is more polite.

You could also say that she reversed her earlier opinion. Better still, you can say her opinion evolved.
Using the word “evolved” gives the impression that she changed her opinion over a long period of time
and after thinking about it very carefully.

In other words, if you do not want to offend someone, you might want to save your flip-flops for the
beach.