Native Expressions 10

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💡 3-Step Learning Process

Summary ➔ Grasp the core content of the video.
Listen & Repeat! ➔ Listen and repeat natural native expressions. (🔊 Click the sentence for audio)
Original Video ➔ Loop the learned segment to train your ears!

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Summary

Welcome back! Today, we are looking at a hilarious scene from a classic American sitcom. In this video, we’ll see a very awkward family lunch that goes completely wrong! First, I’ll tell you the story so you can understand the situation. Then, we will do a “listen and repeat” practice to master the real spoken English expressions. Finally, you can check the link below to watch the original clip. Ready? Let’s dive in!

Let me tell you what happens in today’s story. A young woman is throwing a very fancy lunch for her grandmother, who just woke up from a coma. She gets her friends to act like a professional chef and fancy servants to impress her grandma. At first, the food is great, and the grandmother loves the delicious sauce. But soon, things get messy! An unexpected guest arrives, needs to use the bathroom, and accidentally mentions a huge money scandal. The grandmother doesn’t know that her family lost all their wealth while she was asleep.

Then, a friend accidentally breaks a very expensive crystal glass. The grandmother gets angry and coldly tells the friend that she is replaceable. This makes the young woman realize she can’t pretend anymore. She stands up to her grandmother and says that her friends are her real family now. She finally confesses the big secret: she is not a wealthy business worker anymore, but she actually works in a small diner as a waitress! Another grandmother’s friend hilariously confirms to the grandmother that they are officially poor.

It’s such a dramatic and funny moment! Now that you know the story, it’s time to practice speaking. We are going to do a “listen and repeat” exercise. This means you will listen to a native speaker’s sentence, and then say it out loud exactly the same way. It is the absolute best way to improve your English speaking skills. Are you ready to speak like a native? Let’s go!

Listen & Repeat!

Click on a word or sentence to listen to the audio, then repeat it out loud.

Native Expressions Ep.10 | 1 – 10

lay out

: arrange. to spread things out neatly so people can see or use them.
She quickly checked the dinner table to ensure the silverware was properly laid out before the guests arrived.

outfit

: clothing. a set of clothes worn together for a special occasion.
He was wearing a dark, elegant outfit suitable for a very serious family meeting.

buried

: interred. placed deep underground, especially after dying.
She joked in anger that he might end up buried in the funny clothes he chose to wear.

headlock

: hold. a tight move where someone holds another person’s neck under their arm.
The cook playfully claimed an angry famous expert once put him in a headlock during training.

course

: dish. one specific part of a complete multi-part meal.
The guests were served a warm pasta dish as the very first course of the formal meal.

tasty

: delicious. having a very nice and enjoyable flavor to eat.
Everyone agreed that the chef had prepared a remarkably tasty pasta dish for the party.

handle

: manage. to deal successfully with a difficult task or tough situation.
A good, peaceful lunch made the host feel ready to handle any family problem that day.

come along

: appear. to happen, arrive, or present itself unexpectedly.
She felt calm enough to face any trouble that might come along during the fancy gathering.

pity

: shame. a sad situation that causes mild regret or disappointment.
The wealthy guest remarked that it was a pity so few people showed up for such an expensive event.

darling

: dear. a warm and affectionate word used to address someone you care about.
The older woman smiled gently and addressed her young granddaughter as darling at the lunch table.

Native Expressions Ep.10 | 11 – 20

tinkle

: pee. an informal and childish way to say urinating.
One guest quietly asked where the restroom was because she had to tinkle right away.

the John

: bathroom. a slang term used to refer to a toilet or restroom.
The guest felt embarrassed because she did not know the proper way to ask for the John in the penthouse.

pardon me

: excuse me. a polite phrase used to say sorry or get someone’s attention gently.
The visitor whispered “pardon me” before interrupting the hostess to ask for directions inside the house.

direct

: guide. to show or point someone toward the right path or place.
She politely asked the server to direct her down the hallway to the private washroom.

expect

: anticipate. to think that something will happen or arrive.
She did not know what to expect when she walked into the tense family gathering.

scandal

: controversy. a shocking event or action that offends people and ruins reputations.
Everyone tried to avoid mentioning the recent financial scandal that ruined the wealthy household.

horror

: shock. an intense feeling of fear, shock, or deep disgust.
She expressed pure horror at the sudden realization that the family was completely broke.

Mayday

: emergency. an urgent distress call used to signal serious danger or trouble.
The hostess quietly whispered “Mayday” to her friend when the secret was suddenly exposed.

crystal

: glassware. fine, highly transparent glass often used for expensive tableware.
A priceless piece of imported crystal slipped from her hands and shattered on the floor.

replace

: substitute. to get or put a new thing in place of one that is lost or broken.
She offered to replace the broken goblet, even though she had no money to purchase one.

Native Expressions Ep.10 | 21 – 30

replaceable

: dispensable. able to be easily changed or swapped for another person or item.
The harsh grandmother coldly implied that the maid was easily replaceable at any time.

buy

: believe. an informal term meaning to accept something as true or convincing.
He wondered if anyone would buy his excuse that he had other important plans to attend to.

continue

: resume. to keep going with an action or activity without stopping.
The young woman tried desperately to calm everyone down and continue their formal meal.

the help

: servants. a slightly old-fashioned or polite term for household domestic staff.
The arrogant woman told her granddaughter not to clean the floor and leave it to the help.

coma

: unconsciousness. a state of deep unconsciousness caused by illness or injury.
The elderly woman had spent several long years in a coma before suddenly waking up.

wake up

: realize. to become alert or suddenly understand a truth about life.
She felt that she needed to wake up and recognize who truly cared about her well-being.

miss

: yearn. to feel sad because someone or something is no longer present.
She realized she used to miss the luxury of high society until she met real friends.

: connected. belonging to the same family by blood or marriage.
Although they were closely related, they held completely different values about what matters in life.

diner

: restaurant. an informal, inexpensive restaurant serving simple everyday meals.
Instead of an office, she spent her days serving cheap food to customers in a busy city diner.

waitress

: server. a woman whose job is to serve food and drinks to tables.
She finally confessed to her grandmother that she earned a living as an ordinary waitress.

Native Expressions Ep.10 | 31 – 36

debatable

: questionable. not certain or open to doubt and discussion.
Her coworker jokingly remarked that her skills at serving food were still highly debatable.

chairman

: president. the person in charge of a large company, board, or meeting.
The grandmother could not believe someone raised to be a corporate chairman was working in food service.

blunt

: direct. saying things in a very honest and plain way, without trying to be polite.
The visitor was so blunt that she simply told the host their family had lost all their wealth.

matriarch

: female leader. an older, powerful woman who rules or controls a family or group.
The proud matriarch sat at the head of the dining table, expecting everyone to obey her demands.

poor

: penniless. having very little money, possessions, or comfortable resources.
A blunt guest told the shocked matriarch directly that the entire family was now completely poor.

go downhill

: deteriorate. to quickly become worse, disorganized, or less successful.
He joked that the lunch managed to go downhill the second he stepped out of the dining room.

Original Video

Press play to automatically loop the segment (8:36 – 13:24) you just studied. Just relax and focus on listening.