Expression: To Jump the Gun?
If you would like to access the second part of this audio in which we talk about The Kentucky Derby, stay tuned.
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Hi, everyone. Hope you’re well. Welcome back to this week’s episode. This is episode number 144, and it’s a two-part episode. In part one, in this section, you’ll hear a joke, learn an expression, and do some pronunciation drills.
In part two, you’ll hear the fun cultural story of the day, which is all about the Kentucky Derby. The Kentucky Derby is a horse race that is often referred to as "the most exciting two minutes of sports." And I’m going to talk about the culture surrounding this event. It’s pretty spectacular and unique. I will, of course, also teach fun phrases and words throughout the story so that you get that cultural aspect as well as develop your English along the way. Be sure to stay tuned for part two to learn all about the Kentucky Derby.
Let’s go ahead and begin today’s episode and as usual, you’ll hear a joke.
Are you ready?
What did the doctor say when the pony told him his throat was sore?
Do you know?
You’ll be okay. You’re just a little hoarse.
Do you get it?
Well, what makes this joke funny is the wordplay on the word horse.
A horse, h-o-r-s-e, as you may know, is a large four-legged animal that has a mane, so that hair on its head and down its back, a long tail and hooves for feet. It also goes neigh.
H-o-a-r-s-e has a different meaning. Hoarse, h-o-a-r-s-e, is an adjective that describes a rough or harsh sound, usually someone’s voice. Hi, how are you guys doing today? My voice is hoarse.
Right. So if I spend the whole day yelling, the next morning I wake up and my voice is hoarse. You might also sound hoarse if you have a sore throat, so like the pony in our joke.
Let’s hear the joke one more time:
What did the doctor say when the pony told him his throat was sore?
You’ll be okay, you’re just a little hoarse.
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That’s the end of the free version of this transcript. If you would like access to the full transcript as well as mp3, interactive transcript reader (to work on accent) and quiz, be sure to sign up to Season 3 or All Premium Content.
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