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Views #652 | High Intermediate 6

Clothes and Colors

Wendi and Todd talk about their favorite colors and some strange clothes.
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Todd: What's your favorite color?

Wendi: Me?

Todd: Yeah. You're the only one here.

Wendi: Good point. Favorite color -- green.

Todd: Yeah. Why green?

Wendi: I don't know. I just chose on really. I don't know. These days I kind of like green, but it changes all the time.

Todd: Like seasonally? You have your favorite color for the season?

Wendi: I think it's more of a monthly thing.

Todd: Right.

Wendi: You?

Todd: Well, purple. I love the color purple.

Wendi: Why is that?

Todd: I don't know really. Same thing I guess and I never where purple. I mean, I don't have purple clothes. I don't have anything purple in my room, but.

Wendi: You should have a purple suit.

Todd: A zoot suit. A purple suit.

Wendi: Yeah, just for one on those days when you're feeling it. You could pull it off.

Todd: A yellow shirt maybe and purple tie.

Wendi: No, and a purple shirt too and a purple tie, some purple patent shoes and a purple brief case.

Todd: I'm not sure it's going to go with my complexion.

Wendi: No, I think it will work.

Todd: Purple hat, suede hat.

Wendi: I see it all right now. It looks good.

Todd: OK, what's a color you don't like?

Wendi: A color I don't like. I'll show you a color I don't like, but I don't know if there's a name for it, the closest name would probably be mustard.

Todd: Like this green.

Wendi: You think that's a green. See I think that's more of baby diarrhea.

Todd: It does actually look like baby diarrhea.

Wendi: It is quite baby diarrhea. Have you ever had to change a baby's diaper?

Todd: Of course.

Wendi: Yeah, it's kind of, it's about that color and that's one that I don't like. Yeah, it's bad isn't it.

Todd: That is disgusting.

Wendi: There's a story behind those pants.

Todd: Oh, yeah, what's the story behind the pants?

Wendi: I think no one would buy them so they got heavily discounted and so I purchased them and then when I got home, I was like, "Wait a second! I know why no one else would buy those cause they're so ugly."

Todd: What, you were working at a clothing store?

Wendi: No, I was shopping.

Todd: And you noticed that no one buying these poor pants and you're like, 'I must buy them."

Wendi: Yeah. No, actually, I think like whenever I buy stuff, cause it's not often, my first thing is I look at the price tag and I was like, "Ah, dam, a thousand yen, I could use some work pants." And then I bought them and well, they've never been worn, but a little while later.

Todd: Well, you've actually never worn these things?

Wendi: I've never worn them.

Todd: Come on, you gotta, you know bust out.

Wendi: I can't bust out. It's like me busting out in those is akin to you busting out in the purple suit. It's just not going to happen.

Todd: Yeah, but you see, I would actually have to spend a lot of money. I would wear the purple suit but I just don't want to go buy it. If I actually had it I'd probably wear it.

Wendi: That's dishonest because if I got you a purple suit, you would not wear it.

Todd: Oh, buy it. I'll wear it.

Wendi: Oh, now way. There's not way you would.

Todd: Because you know what, the greatest thing about being a teacher is you can wear whatever you want.

Wendi: That's kind of true.

Todd: You know because they expect you to have no fashion sense anyway.

Wendi: For sure.

Todd: So.

Wendi: It is true actually.

Learn Vocabulary from the lesson

pull it off

You could wear it just for one of those days when you feel you could pull it off. ( i.e. get away with something)

Here, 'pull it off' means to wear, use or do something that is unusual and not have it seem strange. For example, not everyone could pull off wearing tall orange boots, but you probably know someone who would look good in them because of her style or personality. Notice the following:

  1. She is the only person I know who could pull off something like that.
  2. I'm pretty sure that nobody could pull off a jacket like that.

complexion

I'm not sure that color is going to go with my complexion.

Your 'complexion' is the color and tone of your skin. Notice the following:

  1. He had a lot of problems with his complexion when he was a teenager.
  2. I don't think this make-up will work for you, because you have a much darker complexion than I do.

diarrhea

That color actually looks like baby diarrhea, and I don't like it.

When you have bad stomach sickness, you will usually vomit or have diarrhea. 'Diarrhea' is a liquid feces or poop that is not normal to have every day. Notice the following:

  1. This soup looks like baby diarrhea, but it tastes just fine.
  2. I think the cat ate something bad, because she has diarrhea.

poor pants

You noticed that no one was buying these poor pants and you're like "I must buy them."

You can use the word 'poor' like this when you feel sorry or bad for something or someone. Here, Todd is saying that Wendi felt sad for the pants because nobody wanted to buy them. Notice the following:

  1. What are you going to do with those poor shoes?
  2. I felt sorry for the poor dog, so I adopted him.

bust out

For me to bust out in those is akin to you busting out in the purple suit.

In this example, 'bust out' means to do something extreme that would surprise people or doesn't follow your usual habits. Notice the following:

  1. Just wait until she busts out and acts like herself.
  2. He really busted out and developed his own style in high school.

Vocabulary Quiz

pull off • complexion • diarrhea
poor • bust out
  1. You have such a beautiful . What beauty products do you use.
  2. He must have eaten something bad at the market, because he has really bad .
  3. Since he was new to the school, it took him a few weeks to really and show his personality.
  4. Do you think I could a dress like this, or does it look terrible?
  5. That car has really had a tough life.
Answer these questions about the interview.

 

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