TRANSCRIPT
1. INTRODUCTION TO THE EPISODE
Host Brian: Host Brian: Hi, everyone! Welcome back to another episode of "English on the Go." I’m your host, Brian, and I’m excited to help you practice your English while learning something new today. Let’s get started!
Host Brian: Today, we’re going to talk about hobbies. Hobbies are things you enjoy doing in your free time. Everyone has different hobbies, and they are a great way to relax, have fun, and even learn new skills.
Host Brian: In this episode, we’ll hear a conversation between two friends as they talk about what they love doing in their spare time. Listen closely and see if you can relate to any of their hobbies!
2. PRE-LISTENING QUESTIONS
Host Brian: Before we jump into today’s conversation, let’s take a moment to think about your own experiences. These questions will help you focus on the topic and get ready for what’s coming:
Host Brian: What is your favorite hobby?
Host Brian: How often do you do it?
Host Brian: Do you think hobbies are important for a healthy life?
Host Brian: Keep these questions in mind as you listen to the conversation.
3. MAIN CONVERSATION
Emma: Hey, Tom! I haven’t seen you in a while. What have you been up to?
Tom: Hi, Emma! I’ve been really busy, but I’ve also been spending a lot of time on my hobbies.
Emma: That’s great! What’s your hobby?
Tom: I love painting. It helps me relax after a long day at work. I usually paint landscapes and sometimes portraits. What about you?
Emma: Painting sounds amazing! I’ve always wanted to try it. My hobby is a little different. I like playing the guitar.
Tom: Wow, playing the guitar sounds fun! How long have you been doing that?
Emma: I’ve been playing for about three years now. It’s something I do whenever I need a break from studying.
Tom: That’s awesome. Music is such a good way to take your mind off things. Do you ever perform in front of people?
Emma: Not really. I mostly just play for myself or a few close friends. But one day, I’d love to play at an open mic night.
Tom: That would be so cool! You should totally go for it. I think hobbies are really important. They give us something to look forward to after work or school.
Emma: I agree. Hobbies help us relax and also make us feel proud of what we can do.
Tom: Exactly. It’s nice to have something that’s just for fun and not for work or school.
Emma: Yeah, and who knows? Maybe one day, our hobbies could turn into something more, like a side job or even a career!
Tom: That’s true. If you’re passionate about something, anything is possible.
4. VOCABULARY ANALYSIS
Host Brian: Now, let’s take a look at some of the key vocabulary from the conversation.
• First, hobby. It means an activity that you do for fun in your free time. For example, "Tom’s hobby is painting."
• Next, landscapes. This refers to paintings of outdoor scenes like mountains, trees, and rivers. For example, "Tom likes to paint landscapes."
• Another word is passionate. It means having strong feelings or enthusiasm for something. For example, "If you’re passionate about something, anything is possible."
Host Brian: Listen to the conversation again, and this time, try to identify these words as you listen.
5. COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
Host Brian: Let’s take a moment to check your understanding of today’s conversation. I’ll ask a few questions to help you reflect on what was discussed. Try to answer them based on what you heard.
1. What is Tom’s hobby?
2. How long has Emma been playing the guitar?
3. Why do Tom and Emma think hobbies are important?
6. POST-LISTENING QUESTIONS
Host Brian: Now that you've heard the conversation, let’s think a bit deeper. These questions are designed to help you reflect on what you’ve learned and connect it to your own life:
Host Brian: What’s your favorite hobby?
Host Brian: How does it help you relax or take a break from your daily life?
Host Brian: Maybe it’s time to try a new hobby!
7. CONCLUSION
Host Brian: That brings us to the end of today’s episode. Remember, hobbies aren’t just for fun—they can also help you stay happy and healthy.
Host Brian We’ve prepared a special free PDF for this episode, full of useful tips and vocabulary to help you learn more. Host Brian Make sure to check it out! Thanks for listening, and see you next time on "English on the Go."
8. VOCABULARY SUMMARY TABLE
Word/Phrase | Part of Speech | Definition | Example Sentence | Synonyms |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hobby | Noun | An activity you do for fun in your free time | Tom’s hobby is painting. | Pastime, Interest, Pursuit, Leisure activity, Recreation, Avocation |
Landscapes | Noun | Paintings or drawings of outdoor scenes like nature | Tom likes to paint landscapes. | Scenery, Countryside, View, Panorama, Vista, Natural scenes |
Passionate | Adjective | Having strong feelings or enthusiasm for something | If you’re passionate about something, anything is possible. | Enthusiastic, Zealous, Devoted, Fervent, Ardent, Committed |
What have you been up to? | Phrase | A casual way to ask what someone has been doing recently. | Hi, Emma! I’ve been really busy, but I’ve also been spending a lot of time on my hobbies. | What’s new with you?, How’s it going? |
Take your mind off things | Idiom | To do something that helps you stop thinking about worries or stress. | Music is such a good way to take your mind off things. | Distract yourself, Unwind |
Need a break | Phrase | To require rest or relaxation after hard work or stress. | It’s something I do whenever I need a break from studying. | Take time off, Recharge |
Look forward to | Idiom | To anticipate something with excitement or pleasure. | They give us something to look forward to after work or school. | Be excited about, Eagerly await |
Turn into something more | Idiom | To develop into something greater or more significant. | Maybe one day, our hobbies could turn into something more, like a side job or even a career! | Transform, Evolve into |
Go for it | Idiom | To take action to achieve something, often with enthusiasm. | You should totally go for it. | Take the plunge, Give it a try |
Take a break | Idiom | To rest or pause from work or an activity. | It’s something I do whenever I need a break from studying. | Pause, Relax |
Passionate about something | Phrase | Having strong feelings or enthusiasm about an activity or subject. | If you’re passionate about something, anything is possible. | Dedicated to, Enthusiastic about |
EXERCISE
EXERCISE 1: Fill in the Blanks
Emma: Hey, Tom! I haven’t seen you in a while. What have you been (1) ______?
Tom: Hi, Emma! I’ve been really busy, but I’ve also been spending a lot of time on my (2) ______.
Emma: That’s great! What’s your (3) ______?
Tom: I love painting. It helps me (4) ______ after a long day at work. I usually paint landscapes and sometimes portraits. What about you?
Emma: Painting sounds amazing! I’ve always wanted to try it. My hobby is a little (5) ______. I like playing the guitar.
Tom: Wow, playing the guitar sounds fun! How (6) ______ have you been doing that?
Emma: I’ve been playing for about three (7) ______ now. It’s something I do whenever I need a break from studying.
Tom: That’s awesome. Music is such a good way to take your (8) ______ off things. Do you ever perform in front of people?
Emma: Not really. I mostly just play for myself or a few close (9) ______. But one day, I’d love to play at an open mic night.
Tom: That would be so cool! You should totally go for it. I think hobbies are really (10) ______. They give us something to look forward to after work or school.
Emma: I agree. Hobbies help us relax and also make us feel (11) ______ of what we can do.
Tom: Exactly. It’s nice to have something that’s just for (12) ______ and not for work or school.
Emma: Yeah, and who knows? Maybe one day, our hobbies could turn into something more, like a (13) ______ job or even a career!
Tom: That’s true. If you’re (14) ______ about something, anything is possible.
EXERCISE 2: True, False
EXERCISE 3: Multiple Choice Questions
EXERCISE 4: Matching Information
EXERCISE 5: Sentence Rearrangement
EXERCISE 6: Choose the Correct Word
EXERCISE 7: Sentence Reordering
EXERCISE 8: Paraphrasing Practice
EXERCISE 9: Opinion Writing
ANSWER KEY
EXERCISE 1: Fill in the Blanks
EXERCISE 2: True, False
2. True
3. False
4. False
5. True
Exercise 3: Multiple Choice Questions
- b) Landscapes
- b) Three years
- a) As a break from studying
Exercise 4: Matching Information
Exercise 5: Sentence Rearrangement
Exercise 6: Choose the Correct Word
Exercise 7: Sentence Reordering
Exercise 8: Paraphrasing Practice (Sample Answers)
1. I enjoy painting because it helps me unwind after a busy day at work.
2. I’ve been practicing guitar for around three years.
3. Hobbies allow us to relax and give us a sense of accomplishment.
4. One day, our hobbies could potentially become a side job or even a full-time career.
5. When you have a strong passion, you can achieve almost anything.
Exercise 9: Opinion Writing (Sample Answer)
Hobbies are essential for a balanced life because they provide a way to relax and focus on something enjoyable outside of work or school. Engaging in hobbies can reduce stress and bring a sense of accomplishment. Additionally, they allow us to develop new skills and even explore different career paths if the passion is strong enough.