What do you think of this audio recording (1 present simple)?

English as a Second Language Listening, speaking, pronunciation and accent
21

Hello
i could not listen some of your audio files and let me know how can i open it.
best wishes,
Ko Myo

22

Hi teachers,

Please explain this sentence “ANDREW SMODLEY HANDS THE RING TO SALLY FAIRWEATHER’S FUTURE HUSBAND.” I just read and listened to the article, but don’t understand it. What does it mean?

Thank you.
Hoa

23

Hi,

It is the custom of the so called ‘best man’ at a wedding, who is there to support the bridegroom, to keep the ring until the priest asks for the ring. The best man then gives or hands the ring to the bridegroom so that the ring can be placed on the bride’s finger. In this story Andrew has the ring with him and then at the apprpriate moment hands/gives the ring to the man who is going to marry Sally. I hope this explains this for you.

Alan

24

Hi Alan,

Thank you for your explanation. But I still do not understand the context of this sentence in the story. “ANDREW SMODLEY HANDS THE RING TO SALLY FAIRWEATHER’S FUTURE HUSBAND.” Does the story tell us that Andrew got married with Sally at the end of the story? If “yes”, does the sentence make any sense at the end of the story? Because this sentence was written in capital, I thought it must make any sense for the story. Does it or not? Does this sentence mean the newspaper said another man is going to marry Sally, not Andrew? That is why Andrew said "You can see me looking relaxed in the newspaper pictures especially that one with the caption:

ANDREW SMODLEY HANDS THE RING TO SALLY FAIRWEATHER’S FUTURE HUSBAND."

Is it right? Please explain.

Thank you very much.

Hoa

25

Hi Hoa,

As far as I understand, and as Alan already explained to you: in this story Andrew acts as the best man at Sally’s wedding, he hands the ring to the bridegroom. It’s not a fairy tail for him at the end, since Sally is getting married with another man. However a significant change in Andrew is emphasized: he looks relaxed at Sally’s wedding, not worried or depressed as he used to be before.

The story is nice, isn’t it ? I like it.

Huong.

26

Thank you Huong for your explanation.
Yes, the story is nice.
Have a nice day!

27

hi
i have finished reading this story. and i found this was one of the most intresting lesson i have ever had. i learn lots of new words, and i got an idea how to use verbs. sometimes i felt difficulties in using proper verbs. maybe i am not very good at tenses.

from this story i found phrasel verb written ‘‘Now Sally is an entirely different kettle of fish’’ i couldn;t understand what it means.
so can anybody explain me the phrase and how i can use this word after.

thanks

happy new year
from zeena

28

Hi Zeena,

Glad you liked the story. The expression ‘a different kettle of fish’ suggests someone or something that is completely different from what you would normally expect. Look at this:

George and Fred are brothers. George loves all kinds of sport but Fred doesn’t like any form of sporting activity. He is an entirely different kettle of fish because he much prefers to sit in a chair and read a book.

Hope that helps.

Alan

29

Hi, Torsten, I like this story also.And I can learn idioms from this story. Like: “different kettle of fish” and “Never cast a clout till May be out”. lol~ It’s really good for me, because I don’t know them before. But now I got it~ :slight_smile: Thank you very much.

By the way, How to download this Audio to my PC? I would like to listen to it by my MP3… Can download it ?

Thanks.

Yoski

30

Hi,

I found it so usefull, it is good to practice listening, I understood most of the story, but when I read it I found a lot of new words I could not understand,

Kindly what is the best way to not forget these words,

Thanks in advance

31

I like the story from the very beginning to the end. And I think the grammar is already in my subconsciousness, yes dear teachers? :slight_smile:

32

Hi Dina,

Glad you like my story. Why the question mark at the end of your comment?

Alan

33

Hello Alan,

It was a misprint, I wanted to put up a full stop. :slight_smile:

Dina

34

Dear Coach,

I like this website so much, it is a nice one. My problem is toeic score on reading part, I alway get very low score so I would like to pracetice.

Thanks,
Prem

35

Thanks for this valuable website and irreplaceable products. The story itself is really interesting and most helpful in terms of the present simple.

I would like to express my personal thanks to the english-test.net team

Kindest regards,
Ramazan

36

Hi, Torsten
I have one question dealing with the sentence “Now Sally is an entirely different kettle of fish”.
I know the meaning of the expression " kettle of fish". But in this case I cannot understand for what additionally adverb (entirely) and adjective (different) are used?

37

Hi Rissa,

They suggest ‘completely’ different. I was making the point in the story that you couldn’t find two people who were more different.

Alan

38

Hi Alan!
Thank you! I made sense of it. The texts you created are very interesting and usefull for English study.

39

dear torsten,
am Sathish. i have completed my B.com but am much struggling and laging in the english communication.because of that i can’t exploring my thoughts to any body, even in my work place i am unable to show my talent to others and also i am going to lose my confident level slowly.please help me.am much eager to develop not only for that but this is also one major thing. please torsten help me to develop oral and written communication.

thanks & regards,

Sathish - India (chennai)
Sathish.upk@gmail.com

40

Hi Alan…and many thanks for this audio recording (1 present simple)No…I wouldn’t say that the noise at the beginning of it is a little bit annoying…no,not at all. Those who are taking this course aren’t supposed being native speakers,right?I think the text is read too fast…errrr…not too fast for a native speaker,of course…but for the rest of us who aren’t:))We have to listen to it twice or three times to get its message all right…It’s extremelly easy when you listen to it while you keep your eyes on it as well…that’s a piece of cake…but when you only listen to it,you need to do it more times,that’s all…Well…that might be called a good practice after all…:))And yes…there’s something else…you’re doing a GREAT job Alan…thanks:)I really love this site,the fact is that’s my favourite one!I’m quite very glad I’ve found it!All my best wishes,Mariana Kosa.-