Listening
and reading exercise:
Minnesota Public Radio
Neighborhood friction is a sign of the times
There
are two parts to this week's assignment, one
written and one oral.
For the written part
of the assignment: Print out the text of the report here.
Read it through carefully, making sure you understand all the new words. Check
ones you don't know in the online
Merriam-Webster dictionary; this dictionary also has audio files to help
you with pronunciation, though your should try hard listen to the pronunciations
used in the audio report. There is also a useful free dictionary you can download
and keep in your computer tray for use offline: Word
Web. Once you understand the text, listen to the audio
report (RealPlayer). Some parts of the audio report are not
included in the written text of the report, and some of the words are different.
Your assignment is to transcribe (write
out) the missing and different parts.
(You can omit the short commercial at the beginning.) One way to do this is to
copy and paste the text into a Word file, underline or use a boldface
font or different color (but don't use one that's
too light or difficult to read) for the new and different
parts, then print out the file to hand in.
For
the oral part of the assignment: Play the audio report again, marking
the stresses and linkings on your printout as you listen. Use the pause button
to stop after listening to each phrase, and repeat it out loud. Practice several
times if possible so you can read the report correctly, fluently, and confidently.
Pay special attention to stress and intonation. You will
take turns reading the text aloud in class on Thursday, so come prepared!
You will receive a grade for your class performance.
Vocabulary:
canopy of trees trees forming a cover overhead
quaint
attractively old-fashioned, but not necessarily authentic
20s 1920s
era period
bungalow
a style of house
Tudor
a style of house
1900 block the block with addresses in the 1900s
Juliet Avenue name of a street in St. Paul
St.
Paul St. Paul is the capital of Minnesota; together with Minneapolis it
forms the "Twin Cities"
Macalester-Groveland the area of
St. Paul near a private college, Macalester
College
postcard
middle-class
inhabited
mixture
predominantly mainly
two-income
stay-at-home
moms mothers who don't have a job outside the home
retiree someone
who is retired
Minneapolis
police officer
John Arens
"an ex-DFLer turned Republican"
DFL = Democratic Farmer-Labor Party, or the Democrats; the Republican
Party is also called the GOP, "Grand Old Party"
voice in the
wind
heavily
Democratic
to admit to being
signs
to go up
sentiments feelings
to make
known
to support
President Bush
to favor
the war in Iraq
strongly
to oppose
abortion
vocal proponent strong supporter of a cause who expresses his views openly
government
taxes
equally
adamant about feels
very strongly about
beliefs
election year
to be distinguished
from
to witness
level of polarization having strong
feelings about either one side or the other; it implies that no one is indifferent
or a middle-of-the-roader
to feel an amused disdain for to look down
on someone or something with biting humor
to plant a sign to put up
a sign in one's yard
Kerry/Edwards
yard
smugly
showing confidence and pride in a somewhat childish way
"Oh, those
poor dolts"
dolt very stupid person, idiot
to wonder
tendency
to endorse to support, to commit to
party
It's not...so much; it's ...
crazy
to refer
Kathy
Braga
adopted
staunch
misguided policies
to transform
armchair Democrat
active
I never
thought...much less Ving
to volunteer
protest
to
find common ground with to find areas of agreement with someone
opposing
to be aghast at to be shocked and frightened by something
vehemence
very strong emotion
animosity with which some people are...
to
express one's views
to restore
for a living
die-hard
conservative
solidly
in the...camp a support of...
Bush/Cheney
out and out uncompromising, completely
hate
President Clinton
master politician
in the office and
out of the office
if you will if you'll accept my way of expressing
this
to feel threatened by
post office
to be accosted
by to be stopped by in a rough manner
sports car
to put
it mildly to say in a polite way
to be displeased with
advocacy
driving gloves
It's like = "I thought"
'get a life, boy' This is
a way of criticizing someone who you think is obsessed with something meaningless
when they could use their time in a much better way
to "ream out"
to scold, put down loudly
right in front of
to be for s.o.
to get to the point where
to attack
to have one's say
to say a word
to peel out of a place to leave
kid
vicious
mean-spirited
can't for the life of them can't at all,
no matter how hard they try
on our part
to be elected
a
house down from
Jim Willenbring
marketing director
Twin Cities
medical company
Kelly Kirk Willenbring
to
watch a child
to vote
Independent Not Republic or Democratic;
this and last election Ralph Nader is running/ran on an Independent ticket
in the past
to decide against (verb)ing
for fear of
to cause a rift a split, alienation
political divisiveness strong
political disagreement causing divisions
to reach
the level
of
road rage bad driving behavior due to anger, e.g. following
close behind another driver to upset him or her
depth
of the conversations
that are happening
to appeal to
emotions
to get into
substantial
underneath
healthy dialogue
involvement
manifestation
extreme
polarization
silent
politcal sign war
to respect
beliefs
to
disagree
Gene Baum
diversity of opinion
retired pastor
liberal
to do work on a horse
deck
to be on opposite ends of
political spectrum
the feeling's mutual
calm
to clam up to be silent, to not speak
to get along
deeper issues
to stay on a surface level
risk
to
quiver at
victory
virtually
to guarantee
what they describe as
military misadventures
ineffective
economic policy
terrorist attack
barring...
a repeat of
the 2000 election
come November 3 = when
Nov. 3 comes
to disappear
to live with