English Café | Episode 34

News anchors, public school curriculum, Mark Twain, dictionary vs. thesaurus,

shortened words (rehab, lab, mag, celeb), “apparent suicide,” feature

presentation

to flip through the channels – to change the channels on a television, usually

to look for a good program to watch

* He flipped through the channels so quickly, I couldn’t see what programs were

on.

remote control – something you use to change the channels on a television,

usually a small object you hold in your hand

* I never need to leave the sofa to change the channels when I have my remote

control.

newscast – a television news program

* Watching the newscast every evening helps me find out what’s happening in

the world.

spokesperson – someone who “speaks for” a group or organization; a

representative of an organization who talks to reporters from newspapers and

television stations

* The spokesperson for the company said that the new product won’t be ready

for sale for another six months.

chairperson – the head or leader of a committee

* You need to ask the chairperson of the committee to make that important

decision.

to decentralize – to put the power or authority in different places or with different

people, not just in one place or with one person; opposite of “to centralize”

* Countries trying to decentralize the mail service aren’t having much success.