ESL Podcast 263 – Getting Older

Angelica: Oh sorry, what was I saying? I lost my train of thought.

Yann: You were telling me about the book you’re reading.

Angelica: Oh, yeah. I must have had one of those senior¹ moments.

Yann: Welcome to the club. That’s what happens when you’re over-the-hill like we are.

Angelica: We’re not over the hill! You may be an old geezer, but I still like to think of myself as middle-aged². Isn’t 70 the new 60?

Yann: That’s what they say, but I don’t mind aging. I may be a little absent- minded now and then, but I’m not senile. What I can’t stand is being treated like I am. The other day, I sat at a table at a restaurant for 20 minutes while the waitress ignored me. She waited on all of the tables around me first, and when she finally came to take my order, she didn’t even apologize.

Angelica: Ageism is everywhere. What I hate is to be talked to like I’m a child. Some people think that if you’ve got gray hair, you’re not all there. I’m as sharp as ever.

Yann: I know, but do you know what we’re doing?

Angelica: What?

Yann: We’re griping. That’s what old people are supposed to do all the time, right?

Angelica: You’ve got a point there. Let’s go do something more productive³ before anyone notices!


Script⁴ by Dr⁵. Lucy Tse

1 senior   

adj.年长的；资格较老的，地位较高的；n.年长者，前辈；大学高年级学生

参考例句：

• My brother is senior to me by two years.我哥哥比我年长两岁。
• They are senior students.他们是高年级学生。

2 middle-aged   

adj.中年的

参考例句：

• I noticed two middle-aged passengers.我注意到两个中年乘客。
• The new skin balm was welcome by middle-aged women.这种新护肤香膏受到了中年妇女的欢迎。

3 productive   

adj.能生产的，有生产价值的，多产的

参考例句：

• We had a productive meeting that solved some problems.我们开了一个富有成效的会议，解决了一些问题。
• Science and technology are part of the productive forces.科学技术是生产力。

4 script   

n.剧本，广播稿；文字体系；笔迹，手迹

参考例句：

• It's easy to identify his script.他的笔迹容易辨认。
• The script is massaged into final form.这篇稿子经过修改已定稿。

5 Dr   

n.医生，大夫；博士(缩)（= Doctor）

参考例句：

• Dr.Williams instructs us in botany.威廉博士教我们植物学。
• The ward of the hospital is in the charge of Dr.Green.医院的这间病房由格林医生负责。