This
I Believe
This I
Believe was a five-minute radio program
hosted by journalist Edward R. Murrow in the 1950s. The show encouraged both
famous and everyday people to write short essays about their own personal
motivation in life and then read them on the radio. This I Believe became a cultural phenomenon that stressed
individual belief rather than religious or ideological dogma. The show has
continued in different forms on public radio. –adapted from Wikipedia
Audio Time: 3
min 11 sec
Level: Pre-intermediate and up
Vocabulary: To help
learners fully understand the audio and transcript, most vocabulary that might
be unknown for this lesson’s level is provided. Vocab in bold is more useful for learners at the
lesson’s target level. Try to choose 8 to 10 new words to learn from the story
(in general, it’s best to try to learn no more than 8-10 new words a day).
Definitions
are written with the help of various sources including Merriam-Webster’s Learner’s
Dictionary
To stretch: to put your arms, legs, etc., in positions
that make the muscles long and tight.
To slip: to move easily across or over something.
Bubble: a very
light ball of air inside a thin layer of soap.
Cricket: a small black insect that jumps high and that makes
loud, high-pitched noises.
To ease: to free
someone or something from trouble or worry.
Alertness: able to
think clearly and to notice things.
Trail: a path
through a forest, field, etc.
Appalachian Trail: A marked hiking trail in the eastern USA
over 2000 miles long (3000 Km) going through the Appalachian Mountains from the
state of Georgia to the state of Maine.
Pack: (backpack)
a bag or bundle of objects that is carried on a person's or animal's back.
To survive: to
remain alive: to continue to live.
Hiking: to
walk a long distance especially for pleasure or exercise: to go on a hike.
Tuna: a large
fish that lives in the ocean and is eaten as food.
Instant: of
food: able to be made very quickly: partially prepared by the manufacturer
so that final preparation is quick and easy.
To crawl: to move
slowly on, across, or through something.
Exhausted: to be
very tired.
Sleeping
bag:
a warm, long bag that is used for sleeping outdoors or in a tent.
To
embrace: to surround; to hold someone in your arms as a way of
expressing love or friendship.
To crackle: to make a series of short, sharp noises.
Addiction: a
strong and harmful need to regularly have something (such as a drug) or do
something (such as gamble).
To cling: to hold
onto something or someone very tightly.
Clutter: a large
amount of things that are not arranged in a neat or orderly way: a crowded or
disordered collection of things.
Noodles: a thin
strip of dough that is made from flour, water, and eggs and that is cooked in
boiling liquid.
To soothe: to
cause (someone) to be calmer, less angry, etc.: to cause some to feel better.
Back-breaking: Involving very difficult physical work or
effort.
To reap: to get something, (such as a reward) as a
result of something that you have done.
Rewards: payment
that is given or received for something that has been done or that is offered
for something that might be done.
Vista: a large
and beautiful view of an area of land or water.
Language Tips:
Grammar reminder: Comparatives
and Superlatives
“The
vistas are prettier, the water always cooler…”
Remember that we form the comparative and superlative in
English in two ways:
1: For words with one (or two syllables if they end in y), we use –er and –est.
Big,
bigger, biggest; pretty, prettier,
prettiest; Cool, cooler, coolest
2. For words with two or more syllables, we use more and most.
Important,
more important, most important; interesting, more interesting, most interesting
Useful phrases:
To ease one’s mind
“The
sounds of crickets, birds, and the morning wind ease my mind into quiet
alertness.”
Just
spending a few minutes in nature, even a park, can help to ease our minds.
Reap the rewards
“But if
you work, if you put in good, honest, back-breaking…leg-tiring work, you will
reap the rewards.”
It was
very hard to grow the vegetables in the garden. We had to work hard to do it.
But after a few months we reaped the rewards: fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and
salad.
Discussion
questions:
1. Have you ever gone hiking? If so, where and when?
2. Do you enjoy hiking, walking, or just spending time in nature? If
so, where do you usually go to take a hike or walk?
3. Why does spending
time in nature make us feel better?
4. How do you like to relax from the stresses of modern life?
5. Do you sometimes like to live more simply and easily? How do you do this?
6. Do you have a special place you go to relax from stress and
the problems of life?
7. Do you agree with the author that “The vistas are prettier,
the water always cooler, when you earn it instead of buy it.”?
