Episode 0260

Hello everyone and welcome to English Pod. My name is Marco.

My name is Catherine and today we have a very dangerous lesson for you guys.

That's right. Today we're gonna talk about guns or specifically about weapons.

So yeah, we're talking about kinds of guns. There are more than I think I ever knew, and we're going to discuss about six today. But before we get going, Marco, we've got a phrase in vocabulary preview.

That's right. So today on vocabulary preview, we're gonna take a look at shooting range.

Have you ever been to one of these places?

Yes, a shooting range. It's a place, like you say, and it's a place where you can fire your weapons or you can use guns safely, so you don't kill anyone or you don't hurt someone.

No, basically, yeah, it's a place to practice shooting. Uh, so maybe for example, if you want to practice how to shoot guns, you go to this place, and they have special things to help you improve your shooting abilities.

Um, usually these are very, very secure. They have guards and things because you don't want to give the guns out to anybody.

That's right. Um, but let's listen to today's dialogue about a shooting range and find out what kinds of guns they have.

Hey Nick.

What are you up to?

Not much. Just heading over to the shooting range. You want to come?

Seriously? You mean to fire a real weapon? I don't know, man.

Whoa, take it easy there, Rambo. Don't get carried away. These weapons are not toys, and you must first learn how to handle them properly.

There are basic rules that you must abide by in order to be safe. For example, never handle a weapon that you haven't inspected yourself.

Always make sure there isn't anything in the chamber and never put your finger to the trigger unless you are ready to shoot.

Wow, I didn't know. It always looks so cool and easy in the movies.

The reality is different, you know. Running and firing a weapon is a lot harder than in the movies. So, are you ready?

All right, we're back. So obviously, this guy was very excited about using these weapons.

And uh, you may have heard that we're using this word weapons. Um, it's basically all of these things. I guess anything that can be used in defense or hurt someone.

Yes, anything that can be used to hurt someone is a weapon. So a knife can be a weapon, not just guns. Guns are a kind of weapon.

That's right. So, taking a look at our first type of gun or our first type of weapon, we have a 9-millimeter pistol.

Okay, so the weapon is the pistol. And the pistol is basically a handgun. But it comes in different sizes, so that's what the 9-millimeter refers to.

That's right. That's the the size of the projectile that will come out of the weapon. And a pistol, as you said, it's a handgun. Um, it's usually small, and uh, it can fit in your hand, so you can use just one hand to use this weapon.

Okay, so there's a similar handgun that's a little bit bigger. That's called a revolver.

That's right. A revolver. So this one has um, a revolving chamber. So you kinda see this in the old Western movies when they would have six bullets, right?

Yeah. And they like swing their guns into their side holsters.

Well, yeah, that's right. The revolver refers to the, well, to revolve it means to move around, to spin. And so the the place with the bullets basically spins after you shoot the gun.

That's right. So that's why it's called a revolver. Unlike the pistol, the pistol will usually not really have a revolver, it will have a magazine.

Okay. Now, um, moving on to our next type of weapon, we have the very famous machine gun.

That's the one that shoots off really fast. And so, basically it's a, it's called a machine gun because it's um, it's automatically releasing all of these bullets at once. You just pull the trigger and many, many, many bullets come out.

That's right. So, in a pistol or in a revolver, usually you have to uh, press the trigger, and uh, once, and it shoots only once. But in the machine gun, you can keep it pressed and all these bullets will start flying out.

Very, very dangerous.

Very dangerous. Okay. So now moving on to the next one, we also took a look at a shotgun.

Okay, this is, well, this is not the biggest gun we're going to talk about today. But it's a very large gun, very long, and you have to use two hands to hold it. This is what you usually use when you go hunting, right?

That's right. So, um, as you said, it's a very long gun. It's very loud, and it doesn't really shoot bullets, it shoots little pellets, little cartridges that are filled with little rocks, for example. And that's what it shoots, and this is why it's not very precise like a like a machine gun or a or a handgun, but it does a lot of damage.

Absolutely. And uh, what's something else that does a lot of damage? Our next gun will do that.

Well, this guy got a little bit excited and he said he wanted to use a rocket launcher.

Okay, so you know what a rocket is, a rocket is something that's uh basically a projectile that goes into the sky and can and can basically blow up big buildings or cars.

That's right, and that's what a rocket launcher is. Now, um, maybe you've heard of the word bazooka. A bazooka is a type of rocket launcher.

It's the one, it's very, very, very wide, and it's circular, and you, you usually see it in movies like Rambo, we talked about where Rambo will hold it on one shoulder. It's so big.

And the rocket shoots out and can destroy huge buildings.

That's exactly right. So that's why it's called a rocket launcher. Um, now for our last type of weapon, we have a flamethrower.

Okay, well, a flame refers to fire, so, um, fire has flames, those are the, uh, the parts that kind of come up on a fire, the red and orange. And, uh, a flamethrower is a device, is a weapon that will shoot flames, not bullets.

Exactly. Uh, it was very popular back in uh, in, in World War II, um, to actually shoot the flamethrower into bunkers or into holes, because then, you know, this is how you can get people out of there. And I think flamethrowers are used now to some sort of degree like uh, to fumigate sometimes or to burn weeds when you're in a in in a field.

Right. They're, they're not really used as as weapons anymore. Although I think I've seen a number of them in action movies.

Really? Yeah, yeah. In action movies, of course. So, uh, we have a lot of guns, a lot, well, a lot of different types of weapons. Why don't we go back to the dialogue? Let's listen to it again, and we'll be back soon with fluency builder.

Hey Nick.

What are you up to?

Not much. Just heading over to the shooting range. You want to come?

Seriously? You mean to fire a real weapon? I don't know, man.

Whoa, take it easy there, Rambo. Don't get carried away. These weapons are not toys, and you must first learn how to handle them properly.

There are basic rules that you must abide by in order to be safe. For example, never handle a weapon that you haven't inspected yourself.

Always make sure there isn't anything in the chamber and never put your finger to the trigger unless you are ready to shoot.

Wow, I didn't know. It always looks so cool and easy in the movies.

The reality is different, you know. Running and firing a weapon is a lot harder than in the movies. So, are you ready?

All right, we're back. So now let's take a look at our phrases that we've picked out for you on fluency builder.

So this first phrase comes from the beginning of today's dialogue when Nick is saying, well, I'm not doing much, I'm just heading over to the shooting range.

That's right. So we know what shooting range is, but when he says I'm heading over to the shooting range.

Well, this can be confusing because to head over has nothing to do with the head on your body. It means I'm going towards some place. I'm going to this place.

So it's just another way of saying going to, right? So for example, you can say, I'm heading over to my friend's house this afternoon.

That's right. So I'm going to my friend's house this afternoon. But remember that this is a pretty relaxed, pretty informal way of saying something, so you wouldn't say I'm heading over to work.

You'd say, hey, I'm heading over to his house to hang out, or I'm heading over to the pizza restaurant to grab a bite to eat.

That's right. Okay. So, now obviously, we saw that one of the guys got very excited about the idea of using all these cool weapons.

And his friend said, whoa, take it easy there, Rambo. Don't get carried away.

I love this phrase. Uh, this phrase is something you say to someone who is maybe too excited about something.

That's right.

It means don't go crazy.

Don't exaggerate.

Right. So, maybe at the shooting range, they'll have a revolver, and they'll have a pistol, but they're probably not gonna have a rocket launcher or as he said, an anti-tank missile. These are crazy weapons from movies.

And so the friend is saying, no, you're, you're, you're exaggerating. Don't get carried away.

Now, for example, maybe you go to the mall and uh, you you go shopping, and maybe you got a little bit carried away and you spent too much money.

That always happens to me during the holidays. I get carried away and I buy way too much stuff.

That's right. So, that's the way that you would use carried away. And now for our last phrase, uh, he was actually explaining a couple of rules of weapon, weapon handling, and he said that uh, there are some rules that he has to abide by.

Okay, so this is a fixed phrase, we use the the the verb to abide with the word like the rules. So to abide by the rules, or we must all abide by the rules. This is a fancy way of saying to follow the rules or to recognize the rules and.

That's right. So, you have to abide by the rules of uh your school, or maybe you have to, everyone has to abide by the law.

Right, or some people can say there are rules in the Bible that other people abide by.

That's right. Okay, so a lot of great stuff. Um, I think we've taken a look at a lot of different types of weapons and phrases. So, pretty interesting stuff. Why don't we listen to it for the last time.

Hey Nick.

What are you up to?

Not much. Just heading over to the shooting range. You want to come?

Seriously? You mean to fire a real weapon? I don't know, man.

Whoa, take it easy there, Rambo. Don't get carried away. These weapons are not toys, and you must first learn how to handle them properly.

There are basic rules that you must abide by in order to be safe. For example, never handle a weapon that you haven't inspected yourself.

Always make sure there isn't anything in the chamber and never put your finger to the trigger unless you are ready to shoot.

Wow, I didn't know. It always looks so cool and easy in the movies.

The reality is different, you know. Running and firing a weapon is a lot harder than in the movies. So, are you ready?

All right, we're back. So um, talking about weapons and pistols and all this, have you ever used uh one of these? Have you ever shot one?

I have. I have been to a couple shooting ranges and have fired a couple of guns. I've never fired a shotgun.

Uh, they don't usually, well, sometimes they have shotguns.

Um, but I've I've shot pistols before and um,

Did you like it?

I like it. It's an interesting activity. I don't know how I feel about um, using guns on people, but I I I understand um, why hunting is an enjoyable sport. Um, because there is, there is a sport aspect to it, you know, you really have to control your body and um, you're, you can improve, you can get better. It's like darts, but with loud guns.

And it's very hard to uh, to aim, actually, to hit something. People think it's very easy like in the movies.

Well, and I think it's particularly hard with handguns because um, they're very power, some of them can be very powerful, and so, um, there's a kick, and you don't realize that the first time you shoot a gun, you're like, oh, oh, that was way harder than it looks in the movies. I bet you're a good shot, right?

Um, yeah, yeah, yeah. I've always, I've always really enjoyed um, weapons and uh, my aim is all right, although my my eyesight kind of, I need to use glasses, so it can be a little bit tricky sometimes, especially when you shoot a weapon, sometimes it's very, you just cleaned it, so it has a lot of oil, and it'll kick out into your face and get your glasses wet.

Well, that's why we use goggles at the shooting range, that I got to. But uh, I'm curious to know, have you guys ever shot a gun before? Have you ever been to a shooting range? Are shooting ranges legal in your country?

Oh, yeah, some places they're not.

Yeah, so let us know, our website is Englishpod.com.

All right, we'll see you guys there. Bye. Bye.

The English part audio review.

Listen to the meaning, then say the vocabulary word.

A specified place to practice shooting.

Shooting range.

Object to be aimed at in shooting practice.

Target.

A small gun with a container for bullets.

Revolver.

To look at something carefully.

Inspect.

Let's try that faster.

A specified place to practice shooting.

Shooting range.

To look at something carefully.

Inspect.

A small gun with a container for bullets.

Revolver.

Object to be aimed at in shooting practice.

Target.

Now say the word and hear it in a sentence.

Shooting range.

I went to the shooting range last week and shot myself in the foot.

Shooting range.

Before you can be efficient with a gun, you must practice at the shooting range.

Shooting range.

To attend this shooting range, you must be a member.

Revolver.

My grandfather has an old revolver from the Civil War.

Revolver.

That police officer is old school. He still carries a revolver.

Revolver.

I prefer a revolver over any other pistol because it's easier to handle.

Target.

Try to hit the target right in the middle to improve your aim.

Target.

Don't shoot the target that looks like an old lady.

Target.

Shoot all the targets that have a criminal holding a gun.

Inspect.

Before opening the restaurant, the kitchen must be inspected.

Inspect.

He forgot the gun needed to be inspected and he almost shot himself.

Inspect.

He inspected the engine before he bought the car.