Episode 0285

My name is Catherine and today we have an elementary level lesson for you. This is about fixing things.

That's right. So sometimes in our office or in our house, some small things may break like maybe the door or the air conditioning. So in this case we need to call a special guy to come and fix it.

So let's listen to today's dialogue and we'll be back in a moment to talk about who this guy is.

Dan is on top of that. I think they are also getting the handyman to fix the bathroom toilet that keeps clogging up.

The handyman definitely has his work cut out for him.

All right, we're back. So now let's take a look at some of those keywords and phrases on language takeaway.

Our first word today is the name of this job. The person is called a handyman.

Okay, so that's a profession. You are a handyman. Now, what exactly does a handyman do?

Well, a handyman fixes things. He is usually a generalist, you know, he fixes things all over the house, not just the bathroom or the kitchen. So he can, he can just fix things that are, are, are a little bit broken.

But if, for example, uh your car is, it needs a new radiator or it needs a new um important part, you maybe you would take the car to someone who's more uh experienced with cars.

But in the case of a handyman, if anything's broken, he can generally fix it.

Okay, so as Catherine explained, basically a handyman just does any type or many types of general work of things that may be broken around the house or the office.

We had a couple examples of these in today's dialogue, didn't we? What was that first one, kind of gross?

Uh yeah, well, he had to fix the air conditioning, but then he also had to fix the bathroom toilet because it kept clogging up.

Okay, so a toilet gets clogged up, to clog up. What does this mean?

So it means that something is blocking the way of, you know, the water being able to to go out.

So the water doesn't go down. Right.

That's right. So actually, uh maybe sometimes in the kitchen, uh pieces of food may fall into the sink and it may clog up the sink.

Okay, so to clog up means to block or to to get in the way of.

That's right.

And apart from the toilets being clogged up, he also may have to take a look at the circuit breakers.

All right, so this is not about water or about plumbing. Circuit breakers have to do with electricity. And in this case that box in your apartment or near your apartment that uh that controls the different circuits.

So sometimes if the lights go out, Right. You, you know that you have to check the circuit breaker and make sure that the circuits are all working properly.

That's right. So the circuit breakers are kind of like a protection from too much electricity and that's why they go out.

Uh and now for our final word on language takeaway. Something that also got clogged up at their office. We're talking about the gutters.

All right, so many people's houses have gutters or sometimes a an office building will have gutters. These are a trays on on the roof of a house or a building that will catch the water when it rains.

Because you know, sometimes rainwater can be very, very heavy and it's dangerous on your house, on the roof of your house because it can hurt the roof.

But if it comes into this gutter, into this little tray, then it will come down and fall on the ground. So these are a way to protect your roof.

But these often get clogged up with leaves and with garbage.

That's right. So they're like small little ways or little roads if you want to call them where the water can go and and escape and and go into a specific place.

We have them on the sides of roads as well many times.

So gutters, you find on the ground. Sometimes you find them on the roof of a house, but those are a little bit different. The gutters on the ground are are basically pathways for water to come down.

Because if if there's no gutter, then all of the water is on the road and it can, it can, it can flood very quickly.

That's right. And so this is a way for the water and even the garbage to to go on the side of the road and not be uh not be in the way of the cars.

That's right. You see them on highways and roads very often because you don't want the road filled with water, so these gutters are a small path where all the water will fall into it and escape safely from the highway.

That's right.

All right, so that's all the time we have for language takeaway. Why don't we go back, have another listen to the dialogue and we'll be back soon with fluency builder.

Dan is on top of that. I think they are also getting the handyman to fix the bathroom toilet that keeps clogging up.

The handyman definitely has his work cut out for him.

Now let's take a look at three key phrases on fluency builder.

Well, this first phrase is a phrase that I like to use and I and I do use it very often. Um we heard that Dan is on top of that. All right?

So we need to call a handyman in here and he says, nope, Dan is on top of that. Dan will call him. Right.

So to be on top of something, what does it mean?

Well, when she says Dan is on top of that, she's basically saying Dan is taking care of this or Dan is already calling the handyman to come and fix it. So you are aware of the problem and you're trying to solve it.

Okay, so don't worry, you don't have to call the handyman. Dan is on top of that. Dan will call him. Right.

So to be on top of something is to to make sure that something is done. So you could say, you know, Marco, I really uh I hope you stay on top of that project because it's very important.

Right, or don't worry, the report will be finished on time. I am on top of that.

All right, now, moving on to our next phrase. They were talking about all the problems that this office has. And uh the person said, well, they might as well ask the handyman to also fix the electrical wiring.

Okay, so this phrase might as well is it's kind of hard to understand I think sometimes. Uh basically what the speaker is saying is that um while he is doing this, he can also do something else.

Okay, so he's here. He can fix many things, he might as well also fix the electrical wiring.

Right. So taking advantage of the fact that you are already doing something or you are already here, you can start doing something else as well.

Or maybe we could say this in a different context to like, you know, we're going to order a pizza for lunch. You know what, Marco, might as well order two because there are so many people here.

Right. So taking advantage of the fact that we are ordering pizza, we might as well get more for everyone.

Okay, and for our last phrase, when uh they mentioned all the work that has to be done, they said the handyman definitely has his work cut out for him.

Okay, so if someone has his work cut out for him, it means that he has a lot of work to do. Uh you can also say this to someone that you're talking to. So Marco, uh Marco's writing a book. I say, hey Marco, that's a really long book you're writing. It looks like you really have your work cut out for you.

That's right. Um or maybe this project is really difficult. I really have my work cut out.

Okay, so you're basically saying I have a very hard time ahead of me. Okay. So that's all the phrases we have for you. Why don't we have a listen to our dialogue one last time.

Dan is on top of that. I think they are also getting the handyman to fix the bathroom toilet that keeps clogging up.

The handyman definitely has his work cut out for him.

So a handyman is also commonly referred to as a jack of all trades.

That's right. So these are both kind of funny words. First of all, handy as an adjective means useful or helpful.

So maybe a hammer is hand is a handy tool.

It's very handy tool or, you know, I find my iPhone has some very handy applications. I can use the dictionary.

Uh so a handyman is someone who's helpful, he can do many things, but a jack of all trades is uh is very special because it means he is a person that can do basically any job.

Right. So sometimes in offices people may have someone that they may refer to as a jack of all trades, so he may fix the computers, he also knows a little bit about marketing and does many odd and random things around the office.

So he's a jack of all trades. He has many, many skills.

That's right. And talking about these skills, being a handyman is not a profession per se, it's actually a trade.

That's right. And so we say this because it's something that you normally do with your hands and you don't have to go to university to study it. You maybe have an apprenticeship or you study by working.

Um and it's one of a few very, very important trades like being a plumber or an electrician, but uh handyman is more general like we said, you can do many different things.

It's a very weird word though because shoes and cobbler don't seem to have much to do with each other. Yeah.

Well, many, many, many trades like this. I know before they used to be blacksmiths.

Right? So many types of trades. And of course, if you have any other questions or doubts, you can visit our website Englishpod.com.

The English audio review.

Listen to the meaning, then say the vocabulary word.

Air conditioning.

Handyman.

On top of that.

Clog up.

Wiring.

Fall apart.

Gutter.

Let's try that faster.

Air conditioning.

Gutter.

On top of that.

Clog up.

Fall apart.

Handyman.

Wiring.

Now say the word and hear it in a sentence.

Handyman.

My dad is a handyman. He can fix anything around the house.

Handyman.

The handyman came in yesterday to fix the leaking roof, and he also replaced the leaking faucet.

Handyman.

We should call in a handyman to fix the broken door and replace the broken window.

On top of that.

I have so much work this week. I have two separate projects due on Friday: a proposal to write, an interview to do, and on top of that, I have to make a presentation to my boss.

On top of that.

Sarah must be really stressed. She's taking classes at NYU, working two jobs, and on top of that, she still has to take care of her parents.

On top of that.

The sink will clog up if you keep on dumping your food in there.

The streets are clogged up with traffic every morning and evening.

I am going to Walmart to buy something to fix that clogged drain.

I am free any day of the week, so you can come in whenever it's convenient for you.

Ever since they opened the new shopping mall down the street, it's become very convenient for me to buy clothes.

Would it be convenient for you to pick up some bananas on the way home?

If you're going to come to Shanghai, you might as well go see the expo.

I am going to the convenience store, so I might as well get some dinner.

Jennifer and Janice wear the same kinds of clothes, like the same bands, and even eat the same things. They might as well be twins.