16. Computers
Listen to a short English conversation about computers to practice your English speaking and listening skills.
To listen, press play in the audio player.
Emma: You are listening to Dialogue Frog’s short English conversations for listening, speaking and shadowing practice. So, I think we’re about to start a fight here, Luke.
Luke: It’s very possible.
Emma: Because you know what we’re talking about today?
Luke: Pigeons.
Emma: No.
Luke: Oatmeal?
Emma: No.
Luke: Steel-toed shoes?
Emma: I don’t even know what that is.
Luke: Its shoes but they have steel toes in them.
Emma: Oh, steel-toed shoes! I do know what those are. You might need those because what we’re going to talk about here is computers. Specifically, Mac computers versus Windows computers.
Luke: I think you already just started a fight ‘cause you just left out the Linux people. So, that’s on you.
Emma: And I don’t even know what other companies might be around the world.
Luke: Probably a bunch and you know what? I bet they all wear steel toed boots and eat oatmeal, so.
Emma: ‘cause they’re preparing for this fight.
Luke: Yep. Long day coming.
Emma: So, you’re a Mac guy.
Luke: Mm hm. It’s true. And you’re a PC gal.
Emma: That is true. For some reason, I have never, ever liked using Mac computers.
Luke: Why why do you suppose that is?
Emma: I have never liked the file system or the interface, the user interface.
Luke: Mm hm.
Emma: It drives me nuts. I’ll save a file and I’ll have no idea how to find it. Although recently I think you use something called the Finder.
Luke: The Finder, yes.
Emma: See, I’m learning. But what do you have against Windows?
Luke: Well, a lot of the times the window is just so clear that I just end up walking into ‘em.
Emma: Ohhh.
Luke: Just like the birds on the Windex commercial.
Emma: I don’t think that’s the right kind of windows.
Luke: Yikes. No, my my primary beef with windows is that I’ve personally found it too unstable to use and it puts- it makes me really nervous when I try to do audio work or something that I really need to depend on my computer when its prone to bugs and issues of issue-ness.
Emma: You really do work your computers hard with all of the different audio programs that you run. You definitely have need for a workhorse computer.
Luke: That’s true.
Emma: Whereas a lot of users and I include myself, just need lighter applications. So we need to be able to write documents or make PowerPoints or surf the internet or watch streaming videos.
Luke: About cats.
Emma: About cats and sometimes dogs.
Luke: So, we’ve touched on both the uh, I’d say the two most prevalent; the Mac and the PC.
Emma: In the U.S. for sure.
Luke: In the U.S., yep. But I also think there is a growing number of Linux users and we know someone who runs Linux.
Emma: Yeah we do, mm hm.
Luke: So even if we can’t speak to that directly, um, if any of you listeners use Linux then that is awesome.
Emma: I don’t think I’m smart enough to learn how to use Linux.
Luke: Th-
Emma: I’m not even smart enough to learn how to use Apple!
Luke: Um, they do win the mascot award, I think.
Emma: Oh yes, the penguin.
Luke: Penguin.
Emma: Yeah.
Luke: So maybe that is where the gloves come down and the fighting stops, is the Linux-ness of the world.
Emma: Sure. Yeah. I think this is another one of those cases where there’s different products for different people and people find what works for them.
Luke: Mm hm.
Emma: And that’s where it’s nice to have variety.
Luke: And a case where there’s different artic based based mascots that serve as a identification for trademark purposes.
Emma: Well, when you start your own computer company, we all know which animal you’re gonna choose.
Luke: Yeah.
Emma: The polar bear.
Luke: The polar bear.
Emma: That’s right. Alright, that wasn’t as, uh, a vicious a fight as we thought it was going to be. Thank you for joining us today on Dialogue Frog and for transcripts and vocabulary lists, checkout our website at dialougefrog.com.
Luke: See ya, everyone.
Start
Fight
Possible
Pigeon
Oatmeal
Steel-toed shoes
Mac
computers
Versus
Windows
Left out
Linux
That’s on you
I don’t even know
Companies
A bunch
Bet
Boots
Prepare
Long day coming
A ___ guy
A ___ gal
Never, ever
Suppose
File system
Interface
User interface
It drives me nuts.
Save
File
Idea
Find
Finder
What do you have against ___?
A lot of the time
Clear
‘em
Windex
Commercial
Primary
Beef
Personally
Unstable
Nervous
Audio
Depend on
Prone to
Bugs
Issues
-ness
Programs
Run
Workhorse
Whereas
Include
Myself
Lighter
Applications
Documents
PowerPoints
Surf
Internet
Streaming
Videos
Touched on
Both
Prevalent
A growing number
Speak to
Directly
Listeners
Awesome
Smart
Enough
Win
Mascot
Award
Penguin
Gloves
Stops
Products
Nice
Variety
Artic
Based
Serve
Identification
Trademark
Purpose
Polar bear
Vicious
Emma: You are listening to Dialogue Frog’s short English conversations for listening, speaking and shadowing practice. So, I think we’re about to start a fight here, Luke.
Luke: It’s very possible.
Emma: Because you know what we’re talking about today?
Luke: Pigeons.
Emma: No.
Luke: Oatmeal?
Emma: No.
Luke: Steel-toed shoes?
Emma: I don’t even know what that is.
Luke: Its shoes but they have steel toes in them.
Emma: Oh, steel-toed shoes! I do know what those are. You might need those because what we’re going to talk about here is computers. Specifically, Mac computers versus Windows computers.
Luke: I think you already just started a fight ‘cause you just left out the Linux people. So, that’s on you.
Emma: And I don’t even know what other companies might be around the world.
Luke: Probably a bunch and you know what? I bet they all wear steel toed boots and eat oatmeal, so.
Emma: ‘cause they’re preparing for this fight.
Luke: Yep. Long day coming.
Emma: So, you’re a Mac guy.
Luke: Mm hm. It’s true. And you’re a PC gal.
Emma: That is true. For some reason, I have never, ever liked using Mac computers.
Luke: Why why do you suppose that is?
Emma: I have never liked the file system or the interface, the user interface.
Luke: Mm hm.
Emma: It drives me nuts. I’ll save a file and I’ll have no idea how to find it. Although recently I think you use something called the Finder.
Luke: The Finder, yes.
Emma: See, I’m learning. But what do you have against Windows?
Luke: Well, a lot of the times the window is just so clear that I just end up walking into ‘em.
Emma: Ohhh.
Luke: Just like the birds on the Windex commercial.
Emma: I don’t think that’s the right kind of windows.
Luke: Yikes. No, my my primary beef with windows is that I’ve personally found it too unstable to use and it puts- it makes me really nervous when I try to do audio work or something that I really need to depend on my computer when its prone to bugs and issues of issue-ness.
Emma: You really do work your computers hard with all of the different audio programs that you run. You definitely have need for a workhorse computer.
Luke: That’s true.
Emma: Whereas a lot of users and I include myself, just need lighter applications. So we need to be able to write documents or make PowerPoints or surf the internet or watch streaming videos.
Luke: About cats.
Emma: About cats and sometimes dogs.
Luke: So, we’ve touched on both the uh, I’d say the two most prevalent; the Mac and the PC.
Emma: In the U.S. for sure.
Luke: In the U.S., yep. But I also think there is a growing number of Linux users and we know someone who runs Linux.
Emma: Yeah we do, mm hm.
Luke: So even if we can’t speak to that directly, um, if any of you listeners use Linux then that is awesome.
Emma: I don’t think I’m smart enough to learn how to use Linux.
Luke: Th-
Emma: I’m not even smart enough to learn how to use Apple!
Luke: Um, they do win the mascot award, I think.
Emma: Oh yes, the penguin.
Luke: Penguin.
Emma: Yeah.
Luke: So maybe that is where the gloves come down and the fighting stops, is the Linux-ness of the world.
Emma: Sure. Yeah. I think this is another one of those cases where there’s different products for different people and people find what works for them.
Luke: Mm hm.
Emma: And that’s where it’s nice to have variety.
Luke: And a case where there’s different artic based based mascots that serve as a identification for trademark purposes.
Emma: Well, when you start your own computer company, we all know which animal you’re gonna choose.
Luke: Yeah.
Emma: The polar bear.
Luke: The polar bear.
Emma: That’s right. Alright, that wasn’t as, uh, a vicious a fight as we thought it was going to be. Thank you for joining us today on Dialogue Frog and for transcripts and vocabulary lists, checkout our website at dialougefrog.com.
Luke: See ya, everyone.
Start
Fight
Possible
Pigeon
Oatmeal
Steel-toed shoes
Mac
computers
Versus
Windows
Left out
Linux
That’s on you
I don’t even know
Companies
A bunch
Bet
Boots
Prepare
Long day coming
A ___ guy
A ___ gal
Never, ever
Suppose
File system
Interface
User interface
It drives me nuts.
Save
File
Idea
Find
Finder
What do you have against ___?
A lot of the time
Clear
‘em
Windex
Commercial
Primary
Beef
Personally
Unstable
Nervous
Audio
Depend on
Prone to
Bugs
Issues
-ness
Programs
Run
Workhorse
Whereas
Include
Myself
Lighter
Applications
Documents
PowerPoints
Surf
Internet
Streaming
Videos
Touched on
Both
Prevalent
A growing number
Speak to
Directly
Listeners
Awesome
Smart
Enough
Win
Mascot
Award
Penguin
Gloves
Stops
Products
Nice
Variety
Artic
Based
Serve
Identification
Trademark
Purpose
Polar bear
Vicious
