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Episode 1: Skiing

Episode 1 - Skiing
Learn about the word fall and what it means to have butterflies in your stomach with Faye.

Transcript: Skiing

This story is about Faye, who is experiencing snow and skiing for the first time.

We'll look at how Faye describes how she feels, explain the uses and forms of the word fall, and the expression 'butterflies in my stomach'. First, listen to her use 'fall' as a verb

I'd like to ski because I've never tried it before and it looks like a lot of fun and if I do fall, hopefully it will be in some very soft snow.

'If I do fall'. She's talking about what might happen, so she uses 'if' and the base form 'fall'. Listen for another form of the verb 'fall'.

Learning to ski, I can honestly say is a bit nerve-racking but when you learn it properly, and when you have a good instructor, it's all worth it. It's so much fun. Yes. I'm just glad I haven't fallen over yet.

Haven't fallen over. You use the form 'fallen' with have, haven't, has or hasn't. 'Fall over' is a phrasal verb. Listen out for another one that means the same thing.

I'm six foot two so I've got a long way to fall down if I do fall down while skiing. However, I am interested in finding out what it is all about.

Fall down means the same as fall over. Let's watch Faye fall down or fall over:

I'm a bit unsure about this slope because I haven't been down this slope before and it's the highest one so far but I'm pumped, and I just want to get in there and do it. I've still got butterflies in my stomach but I know I can do it.

She fell down –the past tense of fall is fell. Now, what did she have in her stomach?

I've still got butterflies in my stomach but I know I can do it.

She had butterflies in her stomach. She was feeling very nervous.

Now listen for another way of using the word 'fall':

That was my first fall. Let's try this again.

My first fall – that's a noun. The act of falling is called a fall. Now listen for the words Faye uses to describe how she feels:

Learning to ski, I can honestly say is a bit nerve-racking but when you learn it properly, and when you have a good instructor, it's all worth it. It's so much fun. Yes. I'm just glad I haven't fallen over yet.

'I'm just glad'. To talk about your feelings in the present you say I'm or I am. She's happy not to fall over. How does she feel about learning to ski?

Learning to ski, I can honestly say is a bit nerve-racking but when you learn it properly, and when you have a good instructor, it's all worth it.

'It's a bit nerve-racking'. Nerve-racking means it makes you feel nervous, or afraid.

How does she express her curiosity about what might happen?

I am interested in finding out what it is all about.

She says 'I am interested'. We can say that we are interested in doing something. 'I am interested in skiing'. But if the subject is not a person, we use the '-ing' form. 'Skiing is interesting'. But when you say I am you use the '-e-d' form – interested. Listen for a similar construction here:

I'm a bit unsure about this slope because I haven't been down this slope before and it's the highest one so far but I'm pumped, and I just want to get in there and do it.

'I'm pumped.' 'Pumped' here is an adjective, meaning 'excited'. Now listen for how she talks about her feelings in the past:

I was a bit nervous but I held it in there and just remembered the emergency position and I think I was pretty sure of myself, and I hope it looked that way.

She was nervous – but she was sure of herself, or was confident. So, to express feelings we use the verb 'to be' - I am, I was - and the adjective – I am interested, I was nervous.

Watch More

See the complete story of Faye and her first skiing experience in episode 1 of My Australia.

My Australia - Episode 1

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