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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
15 Guarding One’s Privacy
GLOSSARY
drawn – closed, used when talking about curtains or drapes
* They always sleep with the curtains drawn.
privacy – the ability to be alone and keep one’s personal information and actions
secret, so that other people do not know about oneself or one’s activities
* She goes into her room and closes the door whenever she wants a few minutes
of privacy.
peeping Tom – a person who looks through windows to watch women when
they undress
* I heard a noise at the window and thought it was a cat, but when I went looked
outside, I found a peeping Tom!
to peek – to quickly look at something, especially if it is difficult to see or if one is
not supposed to see it
* The little boy carefully opened the wrapping paper so he could peek at the
present, even though his birthday wouldn’t be for another three days.
voluntarily – willingly; meaning or wanting to do something; with aspecific
intention or desire
* Why would you voluntarily offer to clean the bathrooms?That’s my least
favorite thing to do.
to invade (one’s) privacy – to learn something about another person or his or
her activities, especially when that person would like to keep those things secret
* Is it an invasion of my daughter’s privacy if I go into her bedroom and look
through her closet and drawers when she isn’t home?
anonymity – used to describe a situation where other people do not know who
one is or what one is doing
* Clarke hates the anonymity of moving to a new city, so he’s working hard to
meet people and make friends.
to be on guard – to be alert; to be very careful or cautious, especially to prevent
something from happening
* Xena has dangerous allergic reactions, so she’s always onguard against bees.
need-to-know basis – a phrase used to describe a situation where people are
given only the information that they absolutely must have, and no additional
unnecessary information is shared
* The United States government lets people view classified data only on a needto-know basis.
paranoid – too worried, believing that other people want to hurt oneself, or that
other people are looking for oneself
* The mental hospital is full of paranoid patients whothink other people are trying
to kill them.
to be out to (do something) – to be trying to do something
* All of the players are out to win the most importantgame of the year.
to get (someone) – to attack, hurt, or kill someone
* The young men are creating a plan to get the othergang’s leader.
to disclose – to share secret or private information
* Interviewers should never ask job candidates to disclose their marital status.
seclusion – living alone, without seeing or speaking to other people; keeping
oneself alone, away from other people
* They spent their vacation far away in the mountains, seeking seclusion where
they knew there wouldn’t be other people.
hermit – a person who lives alone and doesn’t speak to anyone else
* One of her uncles is a hermit who lives in a house in the mountains and hasn’t
spoken to anyone in more than eight years.
rest assured – a phrase used to tell another person not to worry, or that there is
no problem and everything is under control
* Rest assured, we have enough money in the bank to pay our bills for months,
even if we both lose our jobs.
to breathe a word – to say something, especially to share a secret
* Our boss told us not to breathe a word of anything discussed at the meeting.
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. What does Mina mean by saying that she has to be “on guard” all the time?
a) She has to be very careful about what she says and does.
b) She has to hire a security guard for safety.
c) She has to keep her apartment locked all day long.
2. Why does Dan ask Mina if she’s living as a hermit?
a) Because she is living without other people.
b) Because she is living with too many pets.
c) Because she is living with paranoia.
______________
WHAT ELSE DOES IT MEAN?
drawn
The word “drawn,” in this podcast, is used to talk aboutcurtains or drapes that
are closed: “On hot summer days, they keep the curtains drawn so that their
house doesn’t get too warm.” When talking about a person’s appearance,
someone who is “drawn” has a light-colored thin face, possibly because he or
she is sick, worried, or very tired: “Quinton looked drawn after spending all night
in the hospital with his sick wife.” Something that is “drawn-out” is taking too
long, or taking more time than one had hoped: “That movie was too drawn-out! It
was more than three hours long, but they could easily have told the same story in
just 90 minutes.” Finally, the word “drawn” is the pastparticiple of the verb “to
draw”: “Everyone admired the pretty pictures that the children had drawn.”
to be on guard
In this podcast, the phrase “to be on guard” means to be alert or to be very
careful, especially to prevent something from happening: “This street is
dangerous, so be on guard and look out for cars that aredriving too fast.” The
phrase “to catch/throw (someone) off guard” means to surprise someone, or to
ask someone to do or say something when he or she is not prepared: “The
teacher’s question caught the student off guard.” The phrase “to be on guard”
means to be on duty, or to be working to protect someoneor a group of people:
“Who was on guard at the prison that night?” Finally,the phrase “to be under
guard” means to be watched by a group of people so thatone cannot run away:
“The criminal was under guard as he walked to the courtroom.”
CULTURE NOTE
Americans normally need to show “acceptable” (meeting certain minimum
requirements for approval) forms of “personal identification” (written proof of who
one is) to request government services or documents. The United States doesn’t
have a national “ID” (identification) card like many other countries do, so instead
government agencies accept combinations of other documents.
For example, to apply for a “replacement” (a copy that one can use when the
original is lost, stolen, or damaged) “social security card” (a small piece of paper
with one’s personal tax number), Americans can present different combinations
of documents. A “birth certificate” (a piece of paper stating when and where one
was born, and one’s parents’ names) and a “passport” (a document used for
international travel) can be used as personal identification and proof of
citizenship. A “driver’s license” (a small card that shows one has permission to
drive) can also be used for identification.
When one needs to show “proof of residence” (documents showing where one
lives), sometimes a driver’s license is “sufficient” (enough). At other times,
Americans need to “present” (show) a “lease” (a legal agreement allowing one to
live in an apartment or house) or a “utility bill” (a bill for gas, electricity, or water)
with one’s name and current address.
Sometimes agencies require “original” (not copied) documents. Other agencies
will accept “certified copies” (copies that have been marked by an agency to
show that they are “valid” (real) copies).
______________
Comprehension Questions Correct Answers: 1 – a; 2 – a
COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT
Welcome to English as a Second Language Podcast number 507: Guarding
One’s Privacy.
This is English as a Second Language Podcast episode 507. I’m your host, Dr.
Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center for Educational Development in
beautiful Los Angeles, California.
Our website is eslpod.com. Go there to download a Learning Guide for this
episode. It contains all of the vocabulary, definitions, sample sentences,
additional definitions, comprehension questions, culturalnotes, and a complete
transcript of this episode, of everything we say.
This episode is called “Guarding One’s Privacy.” It’s a dialogue between Dan
and Mina talking about people who want to keep theirpersonal information
private or secret. Let’s get started.
[start of dialogue]
I went to visit my old friend, Mina, whom I hadn’t seen in several years. It was
one of the strangest afternoons of my life!
Dan: Hi, Mina, it’s really good to see you.
Mina: Dan, come in. Hurry!
Dan: Uh, okay. Why do you have four locks on your door, and why are all of the
curtains drawn?
Mina: I like my privacy. And anyway, I think there’s a peeping Tom around this
apartment building and I don’t want him to get a peek into my apartment.
Dan: Oh, okay. I noticed that your name isn’t on your mailbox. I wasn’t sure I
had the right apartment number.
Mina: Do you think I would voluntarily give people thatinformation? They are
constantly trying to invade my privacy. All I want is anonymity, but I have to be
on guard all of the time. These days, I only give out personal information on a
need-to-know basis.
Dan: No offense, but isn’t that a little paranoid? You act as though everybody is
out to get you.
Mina: Aren’t they? Haven’t you noticed? We constantly have to disclose our
most personal information on forms and to anyone who comes to our door. If I
didn’t know you were coming today, I wouldn’t have opened my door at all.
Dan: You mean you live here in seclusion, like a hermit?
Mina: Of course not! I have plenty of friends. Come and meet them all.
Dan: Wow, you must have 10 birds and 20 cats!
Mina: Yes, that’s right. But, rest assured, none of them will breathe a word of
what you say here today!
[end of dialogue]
Our story begins with Dan saying that he went to visit his old friend, Mina, whom
he hadn’t seen in several years. “It was one of the strangest afternoons of my
life!” he says.
Dan says, “Hi, Mina, it’s really good to see you.” Mina says, “Dan, come in.
Hurry!” Dan is obviously at Mina’s house, he knocks on her door [sound of
knocking], and she tells him to hurry up and come in. Dan says, “Uh, okay. Why
do you have four locks on your door, and why are all of the curtains drawn?” A
“lock” is something that you use to prevent other people from opening a door;
Mina has four locks on her door. She also has her curtains drawn. “Curtains”
are pieces of fabric that cover a window so you can’t see inside. “To be drawn”
means, in this case, to be closed. We use this word in talking about curtains,
sometimes we use the word “drapes.” Curtains or drapes are drawn when they
are closed. “Drawn,” however, has a couple of differentmeanings in English, so
be sure to look at the Learning Guide for this episode for some additional
explanation of that.
Mina says, “I like my privacy.” “Privacy” is the ability to be alone, to keep your
personal information secret so that other people don’tknow about you or what
you are doing. Privacy has become very important, especially on the Internet.
Mina says, “I think there’s a peeping Tom around this apartment building and I
don’t want him to get a peek into my apartment.” Theexpression “a peeping
Tom” refers to a person – a man, typically – who is looking through the windows
trying to watch women, especially when women are taking their clothes off. It’s,
obviously, a very negative expression to use about someone; infact, you could
probably get arrested by the police for being a peepingTom. I’m not sure why
the name Tom is used; I’m glad it isn’t a peeping Jeff!Well, Mina says that she
wants to make sure that this peeping doesn’t get a “peek” (peek) into her
apartment. “To peek at (something)” means to look quickly at something,
especially if it is difficult to see or if you’re not supposed to see it. So, “taking a
peek” means taking a quick look.
Dan says, “Oh, okay. I noticed that your name isn’t on yourmailbox,” the small
box where the mail carrier (the person from the, usually, government agency that
delivers mail to your house) puts your mail; the mailbox is the place where the
mail is put. Mina, however, does not have her name on her mailbox; Dan says, “I
wasn’t sure I had the right apartment number.” Mina says, “Do you think I would
voluntarily give people that information?” “Voluntarily” means willingly, when you
want to do something. She’s saying “I would not voluntarily (of my own free will)
give people my information,” such as her name. She says, “They are constantly
trying to invade my privacy.” They – we’re not sure who they are – are trying to
invade her privacy. “To invade (someone’s) privacy” is to learn something about
another person that they want to be secret, that they don’t want to tell you. If
someone sends you a personal letter and your friend opens the letter and reads
it without telling you or without you giving them permission, that would be an
“invasion of privacy,” he would be invading your privacy. “Invasion” is the noun
from the verb “to invade.” Normally, this verb “to invade” refers to an army going
into another country. The ancient Roman army invaded Greece back in the
second century B.C., I believe.
Well, Mina doesn’t want anyone to invade her privacy, shesays, “All I want is
anonymity, but I have to be on guard all the time.” “Anonymity” is to be
anonymous; that is, to be in a situation where no one knows who you are or what
you are doing. “Anonymity” is a noun coming from the idea of “anonymous,”
which is unknown, so nobody knows about you. She says, however, that she
has to be on guard all the time. “To be on guard” is an expression meaning to be
very careful or cautious, to prevent something from happening; to be alert, this
means to be on guard. “Guard” has a couple of different meanings in English
however, so take a look at that Learning Guide for some more explanations.
She says, “These days, I only give out personal information on a need-to-know
basis.” The expression “need-to-know basis” is used to describe a situation
where people are only given information that they absolutely must have, and only
that very necessary information is shared or given to them. It’s an expression
you would probably hear in the government or in the military, talking about
secrets that the military has or that a country has. It’s not normally used in daily
conversation, but of course, Mina, here, is what we wouldcall a little bit
“paranoid.” She’s very worried that other people are going to hurt her or that
other people are trying to follow her. To be paranoid is considered a negative
description; it’s to be too worried, to be worried without any good reason.
In fact, Dan says, “No offense (meaning I don’t want tohurt you by saying this, by
insulting you), but isn’t that a little paranoid?” Dan says, “You act as though
everyone is out to get you.” “To be out to get (someone)” means to be trying to
do something to somebody, usually something bad. If yousay your boss is out
to get you, you’re saying your boss is trying to hurt you or harm you in some way.
There are actually two expressions here: “To be out to do (something)” means to
try to do something; “to get (someone)” means to attack,hurt, or perhaps even
kill someone. So to say someone “is out to get you” means that someone is
trying to harm you.
Mina says, “Aren’t they? Haven’t you noticed? We constantly have to disclose
our most personal information on forms and to anyone who comes to our door. If
I didn’t know you were coming today, I wouldn’t have opened my door at all.” “To
disclose” means to share or to give some secret or private information to
someone else. So, Mina thinks that everyone is trying to invade her privacy by
asking her for all this personal information.
Dan then says to Mina, “You mean you live here in seclusion, like a hermit?” “To
be in seclusion” means to be alone, without talking to other people or seeing
other people. A “hermit” is a person who lives alone and doesn’t speak to
anyone else. This was originally a religious idea amongthe early Christians.
They were men who would go out into the desert by themselves, and live by
themselves, and spend the whole day praying. That was tobe a hermit, to be
alone. Women, also, sometimes were hermits, and thereare, even today,
people who are hermits for religious purposes. But Dan, here, is talking about
Mina being by herself, and so he’s using the term “hermit” almost as an insult.
Mina says, “Of course not (of course I don’t live like a hermit)! I have plenty of
friends. Come and meet them all.” Dan says, “Wow, you must have 10 birds
and 20 cats!” Her friends are animals. Mina says, “Yes,that’s right. But, rest
assured, none of them will breathe a word of what you say here today!” The
phrase “rest assured” means don’t worry; there is no problem, there is no reason
to worry. She says none of these animals will breathe a word of what you say.
“To breathe a word” is an expression that means to say something, especially to
tell someone something that is personal, private, or secret. Of course, the
animals won’t breathe a word; in fact, they can’t talk, so it’s a pretty safe
environment. Obviously, Mina needs some help!
Now let’s listen to the dialogue, this time at a normal speed.
[start of dialogue]
I went to visit my old friend, Mina, whom I hadn’t seen in several years. It was
one of the strangest afternoons of my life!
Dan: Hi, Mina, it’s really good to see you.
Mina: Dan, come in. Hurry!
Dan: Uh, okay. Why do you have four locks on your door, and why are all of the
curtains drawn?
Mina: I like my privacy. And anyway, I think there’s a peeping Tom around this
apartment building and I don’t want him to get a peek into my apartment.
Dan: Oh, okay. I noticed that your name isn’t on your mailbox. I wasn’t sure I
had the right apartment number.
Mina: Do you think I would voluntarily give people thatinformation? They are
constantly trying to invade my privacy. All I want is anonymity, but I have to be
on guard all of the time. These days, I only give out personal information on a
need-to-know basis.
Dan: No offense, but isn’t that a little paranoid? You act as though everybody is
out to get you.
Mina: Aren’t they? Haven’t you noticed? We constantly have to disclose our
most personal information on forms and to anyone who comes to our door. If I
didn’t know you were coming today, I wouldn’t have opened my door at all.
Dan: You mean you live here in seclusion, like a hermit?
Mina: Of course not! I have plenty of friends. Come and meet them all.
Dan: Wow, you must have 10 birds and 20 cats!
Mina: Yes, that’s right. But, rest assured, none of them will breathe a word of
what you say here today!
[end of dialogue]
It’s no secret that this script was written by our very own Dr. Lucy Tse.
If you’d like to support us here at ESL Podcast, consider becoming a Learning
Guide member or sending a small donation. Go to eslpod.com to find out more
information.
From Los Angeles, California, I’m Jeff McQuillan. Thank you for listening. Come
back and listen to us next time on ESL Podcast.
English as a Second Language Podcast is written and produced by Dr. Lucy Tse,
hosted by Dr. Jeff McQuillan, copyright 2009 by the Centerfor Educational
Development.
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