Tuesday, March 02, 2010

#1184 Our Time Is Up, Police Test Fail, Acute, Therapy


Show 1184 Tuesday 2 March
Watch today's show at YouTube

Hi, I’m Sarah, welcome to The Daily English Show.

Today we’re studying a short film called Our Time Is Up.

It’s a story about a therapist. And I think in terms of language, one of the interesting things to study in this film is the phrases that the therapist says to his patients to get them to keep talking.

Here are some examples:

Why do you think that is?
Say more about that.
And how does that make you feel?
This seems to cause you a great deal of distress.
That must be difficult for you.
You seem frustrated.

In the first part of the film the therapist acts like a typical therapist – well, how they usually act in movies and on TV anyway. I don’t know if that’s actually what they’re like.

He just says stuff to get them to keep talking. And maybe this helps solve the problem, or maybe it just makes them feel good because someone is listening to them, so they’ll keep coming back and it’s good business for the therapist.

But in the second part of the film, the therapist actually gives advice and says his opinion.

This movie made me think about how we listen to people when they tell us their problems.

When someone tells you about a problem that they’re having there are many things that you can do. You can give them advice, you can tell them what you would do in that situation. Or you can share a similar experience – something similar that’s happened to you and tell them about what you did and how it worked out. Or you can not offer any advice and just listen and show empathy and get them to keep talking by saying things like: Mmm, that must be difficult.

What do you usually do when someone tells you about their problems?




STICK NEWS


In New Zealand 8467 police officers have to do a fitness test every two years.
According to news reports 1353 officers do not hold a current pass.
The districts with the highest percentage of non-passes were Wellington, Northland and Waitemata.

And that was Stick News for Tuesday the 2nd of March.
Kia ora.


I tried to catch him but he was too fast!
puff! pant!


It turns out there are reasons why they didn't sit the test...
Whatever! Never let the facts get in the way of a good story! Put a big FAIL in the headline.


No wonder I keep getting caught! I should move to Wellington.



Word of the Day

Today’s word is acute.

Acute is an adjective which means critical or serious.

The therapist in today’s movie is listening to a guy who’s afraid of the dark and he asks:
Was your fear of the dark any less acute this time?

Less acute means less serious, so it means: Were you less scared this time?

But it’s quite a formal way of asking it. And the patient answers very informally: I damn near crapped my pants, man.



conversations with sarah
#752 It seems like a waste of money.

Step 1: Read Beth’s lines.
Step 2: Repeat Beth’s lines and talk to Sarah.

Beth Have you ever been to a therapist?

Sarah No, have you?

Beth No. It seems like a waste of money.

Sarah I don’t know. If you have the money, I think it could be a good idea.

Beth But, why don’t people just talk to their friends?

Sarah I think it’s different from talking to your friends though.

Beth How can it be better to talk to a stranger?

Sarah Well if you talking to a friend, you can’t really have a long one-sided conversation, you have to respect the listener. But if you’re paying a therapist you could just go for it.




Our Time Is Up - Transcript (First part only)

Morning Dr. Stern. I added some new plants.
Yep.

Dr. Stern.
Dr. Stern, it’s Dr. Gardenswartz. We met at the conference last week. I'm newly licensed and I was wondering if you might give me some insights into how you handle your own patient-doctor relationships.
Yes, well, I’m very busy.
Oh, of course, I just thought I could draw upon your expertise.
All in due time, hm? Good day.

Am I dating often? Yeah. Lately I’ve been out with a different girl every night of the week. But the odd thing is, I can’t seem to form a connection with any of them.
You feel disconnected from them?
Exactly.
Why do you think that is?

Because look at me. I’m a fat, disgusting pig. I’m just glad I found a safe, effective weight loss technique.
You mean vomiting?
Yes.
Say more about that.

All right. Um, ordinarily, I’d be attracted to such a beautiful woman, but in that fuchsia dress. Ugh, no thank you.
Would you be attracted to her if she wore a different colour?
Ah, depends on the colour.
Depends on the colour. Interesting. Why do you think that is?

Isn’t it obvious? Soap removes the bacteria from other things. But what removes the bacteria from the soap? I’ll tell you. Nothing.
And that’s why you wash the soap? And the soap that washes the soap.
But there’s still nothing to wash that soap, is there? No, I don’t think so.
And how does that make you feel?

Terrible, I can’t even look at them. They’re awful. Just freaky and awful.
So you’re frightening by the turtles?
Ah.
This seems to cause you a great deal of distress.

No, not really. I mean, she’s a sweet and gentle person, who occasionally throws china at my head.
She does this several times a week.
Exactly, you see it’s very little.
You say little.

Little or big, round or perky, panty lines or thong, no matter the butt, I gotta grab it.
So, it’s just getting arrested that you don’t like?
There’s the rub.
That must be difficult for you.

You’re damn right it’s difficult for me. So last night I’m about to make love to this fine woman, and then goes and blows out the damn candle. I’m telling you doc, it was pitch black.
Was your fear of the dark any less acute this time?
I damn near crapped my pants man. Then I go running for the light that was coming from underneath the door and busted my head open on the stereo.
You seem frustrated.
Look, doc, this has been a lot of sessions. Is this therapy thing going to work?
All in due time.
You been saying that for the last two years.


* Would you like to finish the rest of the transcript for the film? Please send us the transcript (or partial transcript) or leave it in a comment. Thank you.
thedailyenglishshow@gmail.com


links

today's news - NZ Herald

music

show start
artist: Kevin MacLeod
track: Future Cha Cha
from: Brooklyn, NY, United States
artist site

WOD start
artist: DJ iPep's
album: Home Mix 2007
track: Game Toy
from: EVREUX, France
album at Jamendo
artist at Jamendo
artist site

cws start
artist: Kevin MacLeod
track: The Jazz Woman
from: Brooklyn, NY, United States
artist site

qa start
artist: ioeo
album: triptracks
track: triptrack2
from: Saint Raphael, France
album at Jamendo
artist at Jamendo
artist site


bgm

artist: sebteix
album: tout pour le groove
track: Sax to the beat
from: Paris, France
album at Jamendo
artist at Jamendo
MySpace



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