Introduction

Do you think talking on the telephone is embarrassing? What clues about yourself and your background are you giving away? In what way might people be judging you incorrectly because of your phone conversation? That's what Neil and Sam talk about as they teach you related vocabulary.

This week's question

The first long distance telephone call was made in 1876. Approximately what was the distance of that call??

Was it:

A: 10km?

B: 15km?

Or C: 20km?

Listen to the programme to find out the answer.

Transcript

Note: This is not a word for word transcript??

Neil

Hello, and welcome to 6 Minute English. I'm Neil.

Sam

And I'm Sam.

Neil

Sam, do you know Stephen Fry?

Sam

Not personally, but I know of him. Stephen Fry is an English writer and comedian and is well known for being extremely intelligent and very?knowledgeable?about many things cultural, historical and linguistic.

Neil

To be?knowledgeable?means 'to know a lot about something'. I wish I was half as?knowledgeable?as he is!

Sam

I wish I were a quarter as?knowledgeable!

Neil

There is still time, Sam! And maybe this week’s question will help you become just a little bit more?knowledgeable?on the topic of the telephone. The first long distance telephone call was made in 1876. Approximately what was the distance of that call? Was it:

A: 10km?

B: 15km?

Or C: 20km?

What do you think Sam?

Sam

So when you say long distance ……?

Neil

For the time, yes. Remember the telephone was only a baby in 1876.

Sam

In that case, I’ll say approximately 15km. But that’s just a guess - a long distance guess.

Neil

We’ll find out if you’re right at the end of the programme. Stephen Fry is also known as a?technophile. The suffix ‘phile’ means 'a lover of that thing'. So a?technophile?is someone who loves technology. Fry was a guest on the BBC podcast Word of Mouth and was talking about the technology of communication. It seems he’s not a fan of the telephone. But why not?

Stephen Fry

I think the telephone was a really annoying?blip?in our communications and that's old technology. I mean that's 1880s, 90s. When you're on the telephone to someone, especially if you're British – you know, that Bernard Shaw thing – oh, you know, the moment one Englishman opens his mouth another Englishman?despises?him - when you're speaking to someone on the telephone all the age,?class, education, vocabulary all come into play because it's?in real time?and it's embarrassing. I hate being on the telephone to people - especially strangers in shops and things like that because it's embarrassing and awkward.

Neil

So, why doesn’t he like the telephone?

Sam

Well, he uses a quote from the writer George Bernard Shaw. It’s not the exact quote but the meaning is that as soon as an English person speaks, another English person?despises?them. To?despise?someone is a very strong emotion and it means 'to really hate someone'.

Neil

So, what is it about the English person’s voice that leads others to?despise?them?

Sam

Stephen Fry goes on to explain that there is a lot of information about someone that people get from their voice. You can make a judgment about someone’s age, level of education and?class?from the way that they speak and the vocabulary they use.

Neil

Class?refers to your economic and social position in a society. In Britain, we talk about three classes: upper class, middle class and working class. The family into which you are born dictates your?class. These used to be a lot more important in British society but there are still different prejudices and negative feelings related to the relationship between the?classes.

Sam

Exactly, so hearing someone’s voice on the telephone might make you think something negative about someone based on very old-fashioned ideas of?class. What makes it worse is that these conversations happen?in?real time. This means they are 'happening live', 'not recorded', so you have no time to really think about it.

Neil

So he may be a?technophile, but he’s not a fan of the phone!

Sam

Indeed. He called it a?blip, which is a word for when something is not quite right - when there is a fault or a mistake which is usually not long lasting.

Neil

So do you think he’s right?

Sam

Well, actually, I don’t like to talk to strangers on the phone very much myself, but that’s just me. But I do think that although the?class?divisions in British society are much less obvious and much less important than in the past, we still do make judgements about people based on how they speak and those judgements can often be completely false.

Neil

Right, nearly time to review our vocabulary, but first, let’s have the answer to today’s question. The first long distance telephone call was made in 1876. Approximately what was the distance of that call? Was it:

A: 10km?

B: 15km?

Or C: 20km?

What did you think, Sam?

Sam

I guessed 15km. But it was just a guess.

Neil

Well, sadly, on this occasion it was not a correct guess. The correct answer is approximately 10km or 6 miles. Congratulations if you go that right. Now on with the vocabulary.

Sam

We started with the adjective?knowledgeable, which means 'knowing a lot about something'.

Neil

A?technophile?is someone who loves technology.

Sam

To?despise?someone is to hate someone strongly.

Neil

Class?refers to a group in society you are said to belong to from your birth. Certain stereotypes are often attached to different classes to do with intelligence and education, for example.

Sam

In real time?is an expression that means 'happening live, without any pauses or breaks'. So for example, you aren’t listening to this programme?in real time,

Neil

Well, I am.

Sam

Well, of course, you are?Neil, because you are here with me as we are recording. But if you’re listening to the podcast, it’s no longer?real time.?It’s been recorded and edited.

Neil

And we had one other word, didn’t we?

Sam

Yes, a?blip, which is a temporary fault, or mistake.

Neil

Well, that's all we've got for this programme. For more, find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and our YouTube pages and, of course, our website bbclearningenglish.com, where you can find all kinds of other programmes and videos and activities to help you improve your English. Thank you for joining us and goodbye!

Sam

Bye!

Vocabulary

knowledgeable (adjective)

knowing a lot about something

a technophile

someone who loves technology

to despise

to hate strongly, to detest

class

an artificial grouping of society dictated by birth

a blip

a temporary fault or mistake

in real time

happening at that moment, live, not recorded

雙語版Transcript

Hello, andwelcome to 6 Minute English. I'm Neil.

大家好，歡迎來到六分鐘英語。我是尼爾。

And I'm Sam.

我是薩姆。

Sam, do youknow Stephen Fry?

薩姆，你認(rèn)識(shí)斯蒂芬·弗萊嗎？

Not personally,but I know of him.

我個(gè)人不認(rèn)識(shí)，但我知道他。

Stephen Fry isan English writer and comedian and is well known for being extremelyintelligent and very knowledgeable about many things cultural, historical andlinguistic.

斯蒂芬·弗萊是一名英國作家及喜劇演員，并且因?yàn)闃O其聰明和熟知許多文化、歷史和語言方面的知識(shí)而聞名。

To beknowledgeable means 'to know a lot about something'.

知識(shí)淵博的意思是"關(guān)于某事知道很多"。

I wish I washalf as knowledgeable as he is!

我要是有他一半淵博就好了！

I wish I were aquarter as knowledgeable!

我要是有他四分之一淵博就好了！

There is stilltime, Sam!

還有時(shí)間，薩姆！

And maybe thisweek's question will help you become just a little bit more knowledgeable onthe topic of the telephone.

也許這周的問題會(huì)幫助你對電話這個(gè)話題有更多的了解。

The first longdistance telephone call was made in 1876.

第一個(gè)長途電話是在1876年撥打的。

Approximatelywhat was the distance of that call?

那個(gè)長途電話的距離有多遠(yuǎn)？

Was it: A:10km? B: 15km? Or C: 20km?

是：A：?10千米？15千米？還是C：?20千米？

What do youthink Sam?

你覺得是什么，薩姆？

So when you saylong distance. . . ?

所以你說長途的時(shí)候？

For the time,yes. Remember the telephone was only a baby in 1876.

就當(dāng)時(shí)而言，是的。記得1876年電話才剛出現(xiàn)。

In that case,I'll say approximately 15km.

在那種情況下，我猜大概是15千米。

But that's justa guess - a long distance guess.

但那只是一個(gè)猜測——一個(gè)關(guān)于長途的猜測。

We'll find outif you're right at the end of the programme.

我們將在節(jié)目最后看看你是否正確。

Stephen Fry isalso known as a technophile.

斯蒂芬·弗萊也被稱為技術(shù)愛好者。

The suffix'phile' means 'a lover of that thing'.

后綴"phile"的意思是"喜愛那個(gè)東西的人"。

So atechnophile is someone who loves technology.

所以技術(shù)愛好者是指喜愛技術(shù)的人。

Fry was a gueston the BBC podcast Word of Mouth and was talking about the technology ofcommunication.

弗萊做客BBC播客Word of Mouth并談到了通信技術(shù)。

It seems he'snot a fan of the telephone.

看起來他并不是喜愛電話的人。

But why not?

但為什么不是呢？

I think thetelephone was a really annoying blip in our communications and that's oldtechnology.

我認(rèn)為電話是我們交流中一個(gè)非常惱人的小插曲，那是舊的技術(shù)。

I mean that's1880s, 90s.

我是說那是19世紀(jì)80年代，90年代的技術(shù)。

Whenyou're on the telephone to someone, especially if you're British – you know,that Bernard Shaw thing – oh, you know, the moment one Englishman opens hismouth another Englishman despises him.

當(dāng)你給某人打電話時(shí)，特別是說如果你是英國人的話，你知道，蕭伯納所說的那種情況——噢，你知道的，每當(dāng)一個(gè)英國人張嘴，就會(huì)招來另一個(gè)英國人的嘲笑。

When you'respeaking to someone on the telephone all the age, class, education, vocabularyall come into play because it's in real time and it's embarrassing.

當(dāng)你在電話里和別人交談時(shí)，時(shí)代、階級、教育、詞匯都會(huì)發(fā)揮作用，因?yàn)樗菍?shí)時(shí)的，會(huì)令人尷尬。

I hate being onthe telephone to people - especially strangers in shops and things like thatbecause it's embarrassing and awkward.

我討厭打電話給別人，特別是商店和類似地方的陌生人，因?yàn)槟呛軐擂渭帧?/p>

So, why doesn'the like the telephone?

所以他為什么不喜歡電話？

Well, he uses aquote from the writer George Bernard Shaw.

好吧，他引用了作家蕭伯納的話。

It's not theexact quote but the meaning is that as soon as an English person speaks,another English person despises them.

那不是準(zhǔn)確引用，但意思是，一旦一個(gè)英國人說話，另一個(gè)英國人就會(huì)嘲笑他們。

To despisesomeone is a very strong emotion and it means 'to really hate someone'.

鄙視某人是一種非常強(qiáng)烈的情緒，它的意思是"真的討厭某人"。

So, what is itabout the English person's voice that leads others to despise them?

那么，是什么使得英國人的聲音讓別人鄙視他們呢？

Stephen Frygoes on to explain?that there is a lot of information about someone that peopleget from their voice.

斯蒂芬·弗萊接著解釋說，人們可以從聲音中獲得關(guān)于某人的很多信息。

You can make ajudgment about someone's age, level of education and class from the way thatthey speak and the vocabulary they use.

你可以從一個(gè)人的說話方式和詞匯量來判斷他的年齡、教育程度和階級。

Class refers toyour economic and social position in a society.

階級是指你在社會(huì)中的經(jīng)濟(jì)地位和社會(huì)地位。

In Britain, wetalk about three classes: upper class, middle class and working class.

在英國，我們會(huì)談到三個(gè)階級：上層階級、中產(chǎn)階級和工人階級。

The family intowhich you are born dictates your class.

你出生的家庭決定了你的階級。

These used tobe a lot more important in British society but there are still differentprejudices and negative feelings related to the relationship between theclasses.

這些在英國社會(huì)曾是非常重要的，但現(xiàn)在仍然有各種偏見和階級關(guān)系間的負(fù)面情緒。

Exactly, sohearing someone's voice on the telephone might make you think somethingnegative about someone based on very old-fashioned ideas of class.

沒錯(cuò)，所以在電話里聽到某人的聲音可能會(huì)讓你基于非常老式的階級觀念對某人產(chǎn)生負(fù)面的看法。

What makes itworse is that these conversations happen in real time.

更糟糕的是，這些對話是實(shí)時(shí)發(fā)生的。

This means theyare 'happening live', 'not recorded', so you have no time to really think aboutit.

這意味著它們是"實(shí)時(shí)發(fā)生的"，而不是"錄制的"，所以你沒有時(shí)間去真正思考它。

So he may be atechnophile, but he's not a fan of the phone!

所以他可能是個(gè)技術(shù)愛好者，但他不是喜愛電話的人！

Indeed.

確實(shí)。

He called it ablip, which is a word for when something is not quite right - when there is afault or a mistake which is usually not long lasting.

他把它叫做"突發(fā)事件"，這個(gè)詞用來形容當(dāng)某件事不太對時(shí)，當(dāng)出現(xiàn)通常不會(huì)持續(xù)很久的錯(cuò)誤時(shí)。

So do you thinkhe's right?

所以你覺得他是對的嗎？

Well, actually,I don't like to talk to strangers on the phone very much myself, but that'sjust me.

好吧，事實(shí)上，我自己并不喜歡和陌生人通話，但那只是就我自己而言。

But I do thinkthat although the class divisions in British society are much less obvious andmuch less important than in the past,?we still do make judgements aboutpeople based on how they speak and those judgements can often be completelyfalse.

但我確實(shí)認(rèn)為，盡管英國社會(huì)的階級分化沒過去那么明顯，沒那么重要，但我們?nèi)匀粫?huì)根據(jù)人們說話的方式來判斷他們，而且那些判斷常常是完全錯(cuò)誤的。

Right, nearlytime to review our vocabulary, but first, let's have the answer to today'squestion.

好了，差不多是時(shí)候回顧我們的詞匯了，但是首先，讓我們來揭曉今天問題的答案。

The first longdistance telephone call was made in 1876.

第一個(gè)長途電話是在1876年撥打的。

Approximatelywhat was the distance of that call?

那個(gè)長途電話的距離有多遠(yuǎn)？

Was it: A:10km? B: 15km? Or C: 20km?

是：A：?10千米？15千米？還是C：?20公千米？

What did youthink, Sam?

你覺得呢，薩姆？

I guessed 15km.But it was just a guess.

我猜15千米。但它只是一個(gè)猜測。

Well, sadly, onthis occasion it was not a correct guess.

好吧，很遺憾，這次沒猜對。

The correctanswer is approximately 10km or 6 miles.

正確答案是大約10千米或6英里。

Congratulationsif you go that right.

如果你答對了，恭喜你。

Now on with thevocabulary.

現(xiàn)在繼續(xù)詞匯部分。

We started withthe adjective knowledgeable, which means 'knowing a lot about something'.

我們從形容詞"知識(shí)淵博的"開始，它的意思是"關(guān)于某事知道很多"。

A technophileis someone who loves technology.

技術(shù)愛好者是指喜愛技術(shù)的人。

To despisesomeone is to hate someone strongly.

鄙視某人就是強(qiáng)烈地討厭某人。

Class refers toa group in society you are said to belong to from your birth.

階級是指據(jù)說你從出生就屬于的一個(gè)社會(huì)群體。

Certainstereotypes are often attached to different classes to do with intelligence andeducation, for example.

某些刻板印象和不同階級相關(guān)聯(lián)，例如與智力和教育有關(guān)。

In real time isan expression that means 'happening live, without any pauses or breaks'.

"Inreal time"是一個(gè)短語，意思是"實(shí)時(shí)發(fā)生，沒有任何停頓或中斷"。

So for example,you aren't listening to this programme in real time.

例如，你沒有在實(shí)時(shí)收聽這個(gè)節(jié)目。

Well, I am.

好吧，我是。

Well, ofcourse, you are Neil, because you are here with me as we are recording.

當(dāng)然，尼爾，因?yàn)槟愫臀乙黄鹪谶@錄制節(jié)目。

But if you'relistening to the podcast, it's no longer real time.

但如果你在聽播客，它就不再是實(shí)時(shí)的了。

It's beenrecorded and edited.

它已經(jīng)被錄制和編輯。

And we had oneother word, didn't we?

我們還有一個(gè)詞，不是嗎？

Yes, a blip, whichis a temporary fault, or mistake.

是的，"a blip"，這是一個(gè)暫時(shí)的錯(cuò)誤。

Well, that'sall we've got for this programme.

好了，這就是我們今天節(jié)目的全部內(nèi)容。

For more, findus on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and our YouTube pages and, of course, ourwebsite bbclearningenglish. com,?where you can find all kinds of otherprogrammes and videos and activities to help you improve your English.

想了解更多，請登錄我們的Facebook、Twitter、Instagram和YouTube頁面，當(dāng)然還有我們的網(wǎng)站bbclearningenglish。com，在那里你可以找到各種各樣的節(jié)目、視頻和活動(dòng)來幫助你提高英語。

Thank you forjoining us and goodbye!

感謝你的收聽，再見！