– English Lyrics

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

[Music]

Hello everyone and welcome back to the

English dialogue podcast. I'm Mike. Mike

>> and I'm Emma. Today we're diving into

small talk, those everyday conversations

that help us connect with others. Our

focus, three common topics, reading,

weather, and music.

That's right, Emma. Small talk might

seem trivial, but it's a great way to

break the ice and build relationships.

So, let's start with a classic topic,

reading. Ready, Emma?

>> Absolutely, Mike. Let's jump in with 10

quick reading related questions and

answers.

>> What's the last book you read, Emma?

>> I just finished The Midnight Library by

Matt Hey. It's such a thought-provoking

story. How about you? Do you prefer

fiction or non-fiction, Mike?

>> Definitely fiction. I love getting lost

in a good story. What about you? Are you

into ebooks or physical books?

>> Physical books for me. I love the

feeling of turning the pages. How about

you? Do you have a favorite author,

Mike? I'd say Harukqi Murakam. His

stories are so unique. Do you have a

favorite? What's a book you've always

wanted to read, but haven't yet?

War and Peace. It's intimidating, but

I'll get to it someday. How about you?

Do you reread books, Mike?

>> Sometimes if they're really good. I've

read 1,984

three times. What about you? Do you

enjoy audiobooks, Emma?

>> Yes, especially on long drives. They

make the time fly. Do you listen to

them? Do you judge a book by its cover,

Mike?

>> I try not to, but a great cover

definitely catches my eye. How about

you?

Do you prefer standalone books or

series?

>> Standalones. I like a story that wraps

up neatly. What about you? If you could

recommend one book, what would it be?

>> To Kill a Mockingbird. It's timeless.

What's your top recommendation?

That was fun, Emma. Reading is such a

rich topic for conversation. Let's

switch gears to another classic small

talk subject, the weather. Ready for 10

questions?

>> Let's do it.

>> Isn't it a beautiful day today?

>> It really is. The sunshine puts me in

such a good mood. Do you prefer sunny

weather or rainy days, Mike?

>> Sunny, definitely.

Rain is nice, but only if I'm indoors.

What about you? What's the weather like

where you grew up?

>> Very mild. Lots of cool, rainy days. How

about where you grew up? Have you ever

experienced a snowstorm, Mike?

>> Yes, once. And it was magical until I

had to shovel. How about you? Do you

like cold weather or do you prefer the

heat?

>> I love cold weather. It's perfect for

cozy sweaters. What about you? How do

you feel about extreme weather like

hurricanes or tornadoes?

>> They're fascinating but scary. I've

never experienced one. Have you? Do you

follow the weather forecast every day?

>> Not really, unless I have outdoor plans.

Do you check it daily? What's your

favorite season, Mike?

Autumn, cool air, and changing leaves.

What's your favorite? Would you rather

live in a place with four seasons or

year round sunshine?

>> Four seasons. I love the variety. What

about you? If you could control the

weather for a day, what would you

choose?

>> A sunny, breezy day around 70°.

How about you?

>> That was great. Weather is such an easy

topic for small talk. Next up, music.

Everyone loves music, so let's explore

it with 10 fun questions.

>> Perfect. Let's get into it. What's your

favorite genre of music, Emma?

>> Indie folk. It's so calming. What's your

favorite? Do you play any instruments,

Mike?

>> A little guitar, but I'm no expert. Do

you play anything? Who's your all-time

favorite artist or band?

>> Probably Fleetwood Mac. Their music is

timeless. Who's yours? What's the last

concert you went to, Mike?

>> Coldplay. Their live performances are

incredible. How about you? Do you listen

to music while working?

>> Sometimes, but only instrumental music.

Lyrics can be distracting. Do you?

What's a song that always makes you

happy, Mike?

>> Here Comes the Sun by the Beatles. It's

a classic. What's yours? Do you prefer

streaming services or old school

records?

>> Streaming for convenience, but I love

the charm of Vinyl. How about you? Do

you like discovering new artists or

sticking to favorites?

>> A mix. I love my favorites, but

discovering new music is exciting. How

about you? Have you ever tried karaoke?

>> Yes, and it was both embarrassing and

fun. Have you? If you could see any

artist live, who would it be, Mike?

>> Freddy Mercury and Queen. That would

been legendary. What about you? Music is

such a great topic, Emma. It's amazing

how it connects people.

>> Absolutely, Mike. And that wraps up our

small talk journey for today. Reading,

weather, and music. Three simple topics

with endless possibilities for

conversation.

>> Thanks for tuning in to the English

Dialogue Podcast.

We hope this episode gave you ideas for

your next small talk moment.

Don't forget to subscribe and share this

episode with someone who loves great

conversations.

>> Until next time, keep chatting and

connecting.

>> Also, forgiveness doesn't have to mean

forgetting. You can remember what

happened and learn from it without

reliving the pain.

>> It's about integrating the lesson into

your life, not being chained to the

hurt. This integration can deepen your

empathy. When you know how hard

forgiveness is, you respect the courage

it takes to let go.

>> And ironically, forgiveness can make you

stronger. It's not weak to forgive. It's

an act of courage and emotional

maturity.

>> Think of forgiveness as clearing clutter

from your home. Your mind and heart are

like rooms filled with old boxes, anger,

regret, disappointment.

If you never forgive, you never clear

those boxes, and they take up space

where joy and connection could thrive.

By forgiving, you're making room. Room

for new relationships, deeper

creativity, laughter, hope. It's about

creating a livable space inside

yourself. After all, how can you truly

live if you're constantly tripping over

old resentments?

As we've said, forgiveness isn't about

condoning harmful behavior. It's about

refusing to let that harm define you

anymore.

>> Exactly. We all deserve to live without

the weight of old wounds dragging us

down.

>> The journey might start small. Maybe you

forgive yourself for a minor mistake

today. Then over time, you tackle bigger

hurts. Or you begin by acknowledging

that you are ready or at least willing

to consider forgiveness.

That's a seed that can grow.

>> Even a small shift in attitude can

loosen the chains of resentment.

>> And as you practice, you realize that

forgiveness can become a way of life, a

habit of the heart,

>> a habit that frees you to be more

present, more kind, more engaged with

the world. So if you've been carrying

hurts, consider what it would feel like

to set them down.

>> Imagine stepping into your future

without that heavy load. Feel that

lightness.

>> That's what forgiveness can bring. The

freedom to live not in spite of what

happened, but beyond it.

>> Well said, Emma. I think that's a good

place to close today's episode.

>> Thanks for joining us, everyone. We hope

this conversation inspires you to

explore forgiveness in your own life.

>> Take care, be gentle with yourselves,

and we'll see you next time on the

English Dialogue podcast.

[Music]

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
book /bʊk/ A1	noun - a written or printed work that provides information or entertainment
read /riːd/ A1	verb - to look at and understand the meaning of written words
weather /ˈwɛðər/ A1	noun - the state of the atmosphere at a particular time and place
music /ˈmjuːzɪk/ A1	noun - the art of arranging sounds in time to produce a composition with an emotional effect
conversation /ˌkɒnvərˈseɪʃən/ A2	noun - an informal talk involving a small number of people
story /ˈstɔːri/ A2	noun - an account of past events in someone's life or in the development of something
fiction /ˈfɪkʃən/ B1	noun - literature that is not based on real events
author /ˈɔːθər/ A2	noun - a person who writes books or articles
cover /ˈkʌvər/ B1	noun - the outer layer or front of something, such as a book
concert /ˈkɒnsərt/ A2	noun - a performance of music before an audience
song /sɒŋ/ A1	noun - a short piece of music with words that are sung
genre /ˈʒɒnrə/ B1	noun - a category of art or literature characterized by a particular form, content, or style
artist /ˈɑːtɪst/ A1	noun - a person who creates art, especially music, paintings, or drawings
instrument /ˈɪnstrʊmənt/ A2	noun - an object used for producing musical sounds
play /pleɪ/ A1	verb - to perform music on an instrument
snowstorm /ˈsnəʊstɔːrm/ B2	noun - a heavy fall of snow accompanied by strong winds
hurricane /ˈhʌrɪkən/ B1	noun - a storm with a violent wind, in particular a tropical cyclone
forecast /ˈfɔːrkæst/ B1	noun - a prediction or estimate of future events, especially coming weather
habitt (hab it) /ˈhæbɪt/ A2	noun - a settled or regular tendency or practice
forgiveness /fərˈɡɪvnəs/ B2	noun - the action or process of forgiving or being forgiven

Key Grammar Structures

• I love "getting lost" in a good story.

  ➔ Present Simple + Gerund

  ➔ The verb "love" is in the present simple, showing a habitual feeling, and it is followed by the gerund phrase "getting lost" which acts as the object of love.

• I've read "The Midnight Library" three times.

  ➔ Present Perfect

  ➔ "I've read" uses the present perfect to talk about an experience that happened at an unspecified time before now.

• If you could control the weather for a day, what would you "choose"?

  ➔ Second Conditional (If + could + would)

  ➔ "If you could" introduces an unreal present situation, and "would you choose" expresses the imagined result.

• Do you "prefer" sunny weather or rainy days?

  ➔ Present Simple for Preferences

  ➔ "Do you prefer" is a present‑simple question that asks about a habitual or current preference.

• I love cold weather. It's "perfect" for cozy sweaters.

  ➔ Present Simple + Contraction

  ➔ "I love" is present simple expressing a general feeling; "It's" is the contracted form of "It is", used for a quick description.

• Do you listen to music while "working"?

  ➔ Present Simple + Gerund after "while"

  ➔ "Do you listen" is present simple; the clause "while "working"" uses the gerund to indicate an action occurring simultaneously.

• Do you prefer streaming services or "old school" records?

  ➔ Present Simple + Comparative Alternative

  ➔ "Do you prefer" (present simple) introduces a comparison between two options: "streaming services" and "old school" records.

• We've said, forgiveness isn't about "condoning" harmful behavior.

  ➔ Present Perfect + Negation with "isn't"

  ➔ "We've said" uses the present perfect to refer to a past statement with relevance now; "isn't" is the contracted negative form of "is not".