Podcast del mes anterior:

You’re going to listen to a text about the Simpsons. Before you listen, here is some vocabulary from the text.

careless = descuidado, despreocupado
precocious = precoz
to suck = chupar
pacifier (US) / dummy (UK) = chupete
role = papel

Now listen to the text

The Simpsons are a typical family who live in the fictional "Mid-American" town of Springfield. Homer, the father, works as a safety inspector at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant - a job which doesn’t really fit his careless, clown-like personality. He’s married to Marge Simpson, a typical American housewife and mother. They have three children: Bart, who is ten years old; Lisa, who is eight years old; and Maggie, a baby who rarely speaks, but communicates by sucking on a pacifier. The family has a dog, Santa's Little Helper, and a cat, Snowball II. Both pets have had starring roles in several episodes. The first Simpsons episode was shown in 1987. Despite the passing of the years and celebrations such as holidays or birthdays, the Simpsons do not physically age and still look the same as they did at the end of the 1980s.

Listen to some answers to questions about the text. Try to ask the questions BEFORE you hear them. Ask the questions after the tone.

1. Springfield
Where do the Simpsons live?

2. Homer
What’s the father’s name?

3. At the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant
Where does Homer work?

4. He’s a safety inspector
What does he do?

5. Marge Simpson
Who is he married to?
What’s his wife’s name?

6. Three
How many children do they have?
How many children have they got?

7. Bart, Lisa and Maggie.
What are the children’s names?

8. He’s 10.
How old is Bart?

9. Yes, A dog and a cat.
Do they have any pets?

10. Snowball II
What’s the cat’s name?

11. In 1987
When was the first Simpsons episode?

12. No, they look the same as they did at the end of the 1980’s.
Do the Simpsons physically age?

Listen and repeat the questions. Copy the intonation.

1. Where do the Simpsons live?
2. What’s the father’s name?
3. Where does Homer work?
4. What does he do?
5. Who’s he married to? /What’s his wife’s name?
6. How many children do they have? / How many children have they got?
7. What are the children’s names?
8. How old is Bart?
9. Do they have any pets?
10. What’s the cat’s name?
11. When was the first Simpsons episode?
12. Do the Simpsons physically age?

During the interviews on last month’s podcast you heard some adjectives that are used to describe people (nice, lovely, kind, friendly etc.)
What are the English adjectives for these Spanish ones? Say the English translation before I do. They are all similar translations.

tolerante - tolerant
paciente - patient
sociable - sociable
aventurero/a - adventurous
maduro/a - mature
sincero/a - sincere
decidido/a, resuelto/a - decisive
práctico/a – practical

Listen and repeat the adjectives.

tolerant
patient
sociable
adventurous
mature
sincere
decisive
practical

Here are some more adjectives for you to translate. Say the English translation before I do.

educado/a --> polite
tacaño/a, malo/a --> mean
egoísta --> selfish
perezoso/a --> lazy
sensible --> sensitive
sensato/a --> sensible
malhumorado/a, de humor variable --> moody
de fiar, de confianza --> reliable
de mal humor, mal genio --> bad-tempered
alegre --> cheerful

Listen and repeat

polite
mean
selfish
lazy
sensitive
sensible
moody
reliable
bad-tempered
cheerful

Do you know the opposites of the following adjectives? Some have the prefix un- (u-n), for example selfish – unselfish. Some have the prefix in- (i-n), for example intolerant. Some have the prefix im- (i-m), for example impolite, and some have a different word to make the opposite, for example lazy and hard-working.

Try to say the opposite before I do, and then repeat the word to practise pronunciation.

reliable - unreliable – repeat - unreliable
mature – immature – repeat - immature
lazy – hard working – repeat - hard working
sincere - insincere – repeat - insincere
practical - impractical – repeat - impractical
selfish - unselfish – repeat - unselfish
sensitive - insensitive – repeat - insensitive
patient - impatient – repeat - impatient
sociable - unsociable – repeat - unsociable
sensible – foolish / silly – repeat - foolish / silly
polite - impolite / rude – repeat - impolite / rude
decisive - indecisive – repeat - indecisive
adventurous - unadventurous – repeat - unadventurous
mean – generous – repeat - generous
moody – even-tempered – repeat - even-tempered
practical - impractical – repeat - impractical
tolerant - intolerant – repeat - intolerant
cheerful – miserable – repeat - miserable
bad-tempered – sweet-tempered, calm – repeat - sweet-tempered, calm

Now listen to some sentences and guess the missing adjective from the previous list. Say the adjective after the tone.

1. Thank you so much for lunch in this lovely restaurant. It was very (tone) of you. generous
2. A person who doesn’t like to meet and spend time with other people is (tone) unsociable
3. He’s 43 years old and he behaves like a child. He’s so (tone) immature
4. I like trekking, skiing, climbing and exploring different countries, but my wife only wants to sit next to a swimming pool all day. She’s so (tone) unadventurous / lazy
5. The opposite of selfish is (tone) unselfish
6. My sister is always smiling, laughing and in a good mood. I don’t know what makes her so (tone) all the time. cheerful
7. The waiter will bring your dessert in a moment, darling. Don’t be so (tone) impatient
8. It takes me such a long time to make up my mind whenever I go shopping. I’m so (tone) indecisive
9. Don’t believe a word he says. He never tells the truth and he cannot be trusted. He’s so (tone) insincere
10. You left your wallet on the table outside, and went inside the café to go to the toilet! That wasn’t very (tone) was it? I’m not surprised it was stolen. sensible

Listen and repeat

1. That’s very generous of you.
2. Don’t be so unsociable.
3. He behaves like a child. He’s so immature.
4. My wife’s so lazy and unadventurous
5. The opposite of selfish is unselfish
6. My sister is always so cheerful.
7. Don’t be so impatient darling.
8. I’m so indecisive, I think. No I’m not. Yes, I am!
9. Don’t believe him he’s so insincere.
10. That wasn’t very sensible was it? That was bloody stupid!