First, watch the video through so that you get the gist of the conversation.
Now watch the video more carefully, paying attention to the following:
- Fillers to gain thinking time: Yeah; erm; you know; well
- Rephrasing what we have just said to make ourselves clear: I mean
- Use of really to emphasize the adjective or the verb
- Use of like as a connector
- Use of vague language: or something like that
- Use of so as a connector
- Introducing a new topic in the conversation: talking about
- Showing agreement: Yeah; That's right; Exactly
- Reacting to what the other person has just said: Oh really? God; I’ve heard of that; Really? Do you think…?; No, obviously
- Use of just to emphasize the verb
Now it's over to you. Have you heard of any odd methods people use to keep fit? What do you think of the methods the Madrid Teachers have described? Do you know anyone who's a sports freak? What sort of routines do they get involved in? Get together with a friend or relative and discuss these questions. Don't forget to use some of the features of spoken English that we have studied today.
Yeah, the other day, I go to the gym a lot and I, erm, I was, you know, talking to some people and they were telling me about these wacky, you know, workouts and, I’d heard of one, I mean, well, I don’t how wacky it is, but it’s called the Bikram yoga, you know, where you do yoga in a really hot room, like at about 40 degrees, so you sweat a lot, except that some people think that it’s not good for you because you could faint or dehydrate or something like that, you know.
Well, it’s the same as doing yoga in a hot country. I mean, in Asia, it’s where I suppose yoga was born, it generally is 35 degrees and incredibly humid, and people would do yoga, so it can’t be bad for you.
Yeah, well, that was one of them but then it gets wackier like, Stiletto Strength, so…
That’s nuts.
Women doing aerobics with stiletto heels, you know.
And it’s like going clubbing, isn’t it?
Practice for the discothèque, you know, so that was one of them but then again I mean, you know, you could like twist your ankle or something like that and…
But what’s their thinking, they’re trying to make exercise more attractive, more enticing by making it more wacky…
I think it’s just market, marketing gimmick, you know, it’s like, erm, our gym offers this and it’s like something that’s different…
Oh, I’ve never done stiletto karaoke squats before.
Actually, talking about karaoke…
Intentionally.
That’s right. There is another one that’s called, you know, your typical spinning where you’re on those static bicycles… And you know, you’re doing it in a class environment, but you have to sing karaoke at the same time.
Oh really? God… That’s really difficult…
Yeah.
I would like to do that but that would be so difficult.
But enjoyable at the same time, singing.
That’s funny.
Maybe it takes your mind off the pain.
Exactly.
I will, erm, survive, erm.
As you’re going uphill. And then there is also like the fact like some people want to lose weight or be in shape and not do any, any exercise so they wrap themselves up in cling film.
I’ve heard of that.
I’ve heard of that, yeah.
You know, or these vibrating chairs, or you see on television advertising all these sorts of things, erm, oh, do abdominals without having to, you know, actually having to do the abdominals, and you just put this like belt around you…
I used to… That vibrates. I used to, I used to have one that’s similar but didn’t vibrate but like give you tiny electrocutions… Tiny electric shocks. I call it the Buzzy Belt, it’s really good.
Really? Do you think…?
It doesn’t do anything for your cardiovascular…
No, obviously.
Functions, obviously it doesn’t help your heart, it doesn’t make you healthier but it really, really, really is the equivalent of doing about 700 sit-ups when in reality you can’t do 10.
Really? So it does work, erm.
I thought that once you stop using those, though…
Probably.
