google ELLLO Views #1482 Phone Addiction
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Views #1482 | Intermediate (B1)

Phone Addiction

Jen and Todd discuss being addicted to devices and technology.

Todd: Okay, so, Jen, we're gonna talk about media and technology, phones and music, things like that. So the first one is, how addicted are you to your phone? How long can you go without using our phone?

Jen: That's a difficult question because I'm very, I would say, I'm very addicted to my phone because I keep on checking it every five minutes. I feel like without my phone my head doesn't, my brain stops working, you know?

Todd: Wow.

Jen: I would say the maximum I can stay without it would be one or two hours.

Todd: You've got to be kidding me.

Jen: I mean, if you asked me in the past, yeah, I could stay without it for while, but nowadays, I don't even own a watch so that would be my time as well, so, I have to keep checking it. What about you?

Todd: We are polar opposites. Actually, I am so bad about not using my phone, and that's a smart phone, actually I have two. I have an Android Galaxy and I have an iPhone. I set them down and forget where they are, and go days without actually checking them sometimes. I'll go to work and somebody will be like, are you mad at me? I've been trying to reach you and you won't ... And I'm like, no, I'm not mad at you, why? I'm like, oh, I haven't checked my phone in two days.

Jen: That sounds so crazy to me because I could never go without my phone for two days.

Todd: Well, one, there's a couple things. One, it's old school, right? And two, I get all my information on the Internet on a PC. So I'm working, so I get everything on the Internet, like Facebook, news, stuff like that. The computer, like you said, tells the time. So I actually forget about my phone.

Jen: I think if I had a PC then I would also forget my phone.

Todd: But your generation, it's all in your hand, right?

Jen: That's right because it's more convenient.

Todd: Have you heard the term second brain?

Jen: No.

Todd: Yeah, somebody at some teacher conference was saying that phones are students' second brain, so they use it, you hold it and you have two brains, one in your hands and one in your head.

Jen: I would agree.

Todd: It's weird. So how about music? How addicted are you to music? Do you have to have music playing all the time?

Jen: Not all the time but then I would have to listen to music at least once a day because it just refreshes your mind and you can relieve from your stress through music. But it depends upon what kind of music you have. What about you? Do you like listening to music?

Todd: No. I do, but I'm not a music aficionado, and I always listen to the same ten songs. I think a lot of older people, we kind of get into that rut where I listen, honestly, to music. And I'm from the 80s, so I'm 48, I'm almost 50. So I love music from the 70s and 80s and that's all I listen to.

Jen: That's understandable. Actually, I also have a lot of old songs, but I just don't listen, I just, it's not like I just keep on listening to those music. I actually keep on adding more music, more songs to it so that my play list is updated every now and then. I think, if you have good music, you will actually be addicted to it. Maybe you don't have good music.

Todd: No, the music from the 80s is good. Okay, so what about TV? Do you watch TV every day?

Jen: Not so much because lately I've been so busy at school so I cannot really, yeah, I don't watch much TV. But, during weekends, yeah, I do like to watch new movies or different series.

Todd: What about, are you one of those people that will stay up till 2:00, 3:00, 4:00 in the morning just watching YouTube videos?

Jen: Not YouTube videos but yes, if I'm addicted to some series then I would just binge watch and watch them till 5:00 in the morning.

Todd: What shows do you watch?

Jen: Shows. Recently I've been watching Suits, it's like, it's a new series and it's really good. You should try it, too.

Todd: Okay, I'll have to check it out. Thanks.

Jen: You're welcome, Todd.

Answer these questions about the interview.
Audio Lessons about Phrases and Vocabulary

polar opposites

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We are polar opposites.

When people or things are polar opposites they are completely different from each other. Notice the following:

  1. My mom and dad are polar opposites, but never fight.

relieve stress

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You can relieve from your stress through music.

When you relieve stress, you do something to be more relaxed. Notice the following:

  1. I go to the gym to relieve stress.

aficionado

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I'm not a music aficionado.

An aficionado is a big fan of something. Notice the following:

  1. I am a big jazz aficionado.

binge watch

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I would just binge watch

When you binge something, you do it a lot in a short period of time. Notice the following:

  1. Binge drinking is a problem in college.

rut

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We kind of get into that rut

When you get into a rut, you do the same thing again and again when perhaps change would be a good thing. Notice the following:

  1. I need a life change. I am stuck in a rut.

Vocabulary Quiz

polar opposites • relieve stress • aficionado
binge watch • rut
  1. Hiking is a great way to .
  2. I am not a jazz , but I'll listen to it.
  3. My mom and dad are of each other.
  4. People get stuck in a at thir job.
  5. I love to shows on Netflix.

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About the Teacher / Creator

Hello, and welcome to elllo. My name is Todd Beuckens. I've been an ESL teacher for 25 years. I created elllo to provide teachers and students free audio lessons and learning materials not usually found in commercial textbooks.
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