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Episode 4: Dolphin Swim

Episode 4: Dolphin Swim
Learn some informal English as people enjoy swimming with dolphins.

Transcript

This story is about swimming with dolphins. We’ll listen to a tour operator and explain several common expressions. First listen for the expression that means ‘too’ or ‘in addition’:

Welcome aboard Temptation. My name is Mike. Over here we have Brad and we got Steve on board the boat as well today.

As well. He could have said ‘we got Steve on board the boat too”, but he wouldn’t be likely to use the expression ‘in addition’. It’s too formal. He’s using informal English with people having a fun time. Now listen for the expression that means to leave a place:

We’re going to head out from the marina, get our binoculars out and we’ll start searching for the dolphins straight away.

They’re going to ‘head out’ from the marina, or leave the marina. He could also have said that they are going to head off from the marina. And when are they going to start searching for dolphins?

We’re going to head out from the marina, get our binoculars out and we’ll start searching for the dolphins straight away.

They’re going to look for them ‘straight away’ or immediately. Now listen for the expression ‘up to’:

These are one hundred percent wild dolphins that we’re playing with today. We don’t feed them. We never have and we never will. All the interaction we get today is due to the dolphins’ sense of curiosity and their fun loving playful nature. So whatever happens this morning guys, is totally up to the dolphins.

What ever happens is totally ‘up to’ the dolphins. This means the dolphins decide. They are responsible for what they do – it’s ‘up to’ them. Now listen for an expression that means to support or help:

Every day out here is different. Guys we need everyone on board to get behind the crew. Use your eyes and try and find the dolphins for us as well.

Get behind. He’s asking everyone – guys – to get behind or help the crew. Listen again:

Every day out here is different. Guys we need everyone on board to get behind the crew. Use your eyes and try and find the dolphins for us as well.

So how often do they see dolphins?

I’ve been out here now for nine years, never been out and not seen dolphins.

‘Never been out and not seen’ means he always sees dolphins. And what’s the term for a group of dolphins?

Apparently we have dolphins straight ahead of us.

Just out here guys, we’ve got our first pod for the day. There we go!. We’ve even got one of our locals in there guys, named Jake.

Our first pod – a pod is a group of dolphins.

And what did people think about the experience of swimming with dolphins?

There was a mother and a baby and they were about three metres below us and they swam kind of straight through, just straight past. It was excellent.

It was excellent – it was very good. He used the past tense of swim to describe the experience, swam. Listen:

There was a mother and a baby and they were about three metres below us and they swam kind of straight through, just straight past.

But not everyone was so lucky:

How’d you go mate?

I missed it.

You missed it. Oh bugger.

‘How’d you go” is a common way of being asked about what you have just experienced. Raymund didn’t see anything – he missed it. Now what was the word used to express disappointment?

You missed it. oh bugger.

Bugger is a common Australian slang term that you should be careful about using in formal situations. But you can use it to express disappointment in a casual setting. We’ll finish with Raymund explaining why he missed seeing the dolphins underwater:

It’s very difficult to hang on to the rope. My mask wasn’t fitting well, so I had to fix it once in a while and have to look for the dolphins. All these things happening all at the same time. It was quite.. it was difficult but I saw them jumping, you know, up and down in the water so that’s good enough for me, I guess.

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