Author Archives: Luke Thompson

About Luke Thompson

I've been teaching English for over 20 years in London, Japan and France. I also do an award-winning podcast for learners of English called "Luke's English Podcast". In my free time I'm a stand-up comedian who regularly performs shows in English in Paris and sometimes London.

117. Psychics / Cold Reading / Barnum Statements

7 Replies

Listen to Luke explain the previous episode of the podcast, and how that relates to psychic readings and so-called ‘Barnum statements’.

Small Donate ButtonRight-click here to download this episode.

Transcript
In the last episode I told you a story that I felt I had made some kind of mystical connection with a listener to the podcast – that somehow I had developed a connection with one person in particular, and that in a vivid dream I had a conversation with that person which led me to write a detailed personality profile. I then read out the personality profile and asked you to respond if you felt it applied to you.

I must say at this point that the story I told was not true. I didn’t have a dream, I haven’t felt a connection with one listener in particular (beyond the emails and comments which I have received) and that the whole thing was an experiment. I am recording this now on the same day that I recorded the previous episode so I have no idea how my experiment went, if it was a success and if anyone out there felt that the personality profile I wrote related to them in particular. For all I know, my experiment failed and no-one felt I was describing them. Or maybe some of you listened to the last episode and really felt that I was describing you, even down to quite specific details like your relationships, or if you have a scar on your knee. I have no idea what happened, but in this episode I would like to explain the purpose of the experiment I did.

I would also like to apologise sincerely if you feel like you have been conned, duped or misled at all by this experiment. I see the experiment as being like a magic trick really, and magic tricks involve deception and lying to a point, but it is justified because they are interesting and engaging, and that is what I always try to achieve with these podcasts – to be interesting and engaging and to teach you some things. So, if I deceived you with this experiment I apologise and I hope you will forgive me. Now I would like to explain myself, what the experiment was about, and if you were ‘fooled’ by it – I mean, if you felt that personality profile really described you, then I would like to explain exactly how that happened. It can all be explained by linguistic tricks – there is certainly no real magic, psychic power or any other kind of mysticism. It’s all basic psychology and manipulation of language.

OK, so what was the experiment?
I am very interested in magic and related areas such as illusion, mind reading, hypnotism and psychics. By magic I mean the slight of hand techniques used to make playing cards disappear, or how to fool people into picking a certain card etc. By illusion I mean the way in which our senses can be tricked into seeing or not seeing things. By hypnotism I mean the way we can be convinced to do or believe things simply by someone suggesting those ideas into our subconscious. By mind reading I mean the ability to see into someone’s mind and then read what is in there, and by psychics I mean those people who claim they can communicate with the dead and who seem to know deep personal information about you although they have never met you before.

It is psychics and mind-readers that I am particularly interested in at the moment. I want to know if someone really can communicate with the dead, or if someone really can read your mind without even talking to you. Is that stuff real or is it fake? To be honest, I suspect that it’s fake but I can’t be sure. Perhaps some people really can read minds and communicate with the dead, or perhaps they just use other techniques to make it look like they can.

How does this relate to my experiment and the latest episode of the podcast? Well, I wanted to write a personality profile, using very carefully selected words and sentences, and I wanted to see if I could convince people that I had made a psychic connection with them. I also wanted to test some techniques which I believe are used by psychics and which could prove that their methods are psychological rather than genuinely psychic. I wanted to know if it was possible to achieve the same results without being genuinely psychic. Obviously, I still don’t know the results of my experiment but still, let’s proceed.

So, my personality profile was full of what is known as ‘Barnum statements’. These are sentences which are very carefully worded to sound like very specific descriptions of a person, but which could apply to everyone. For example, “At a party you appear to be very social and outgoing – perhaps talkative, funny and outgoing, but after the party you become quite introspective and you might even think carefully about what you and other people said, and worry about how other people see you. In fact, sometimes when you are at a party you feel disconnected as if you are just playing a part in a movie and you are a million miles away from other people”. Now, although the sentence seems specific it is actually very general. Of course if you are at a party you will act in an outgoing and social way. Those are the rules of a party – but it might not be who you really are. Of course we all worry about what other people think of us. We all present a certain version of ourselves to the world, and worry about what other people think. That is something which everyone experiences. So, the Barnum statement seems specific but it is just describing something we all can relate to.

There are other statements in there that could apply to everyone. For example, “You have a scar on your knee or leg which is a result of an accident you had when you were younger”. Well, most of us have a scar on our knee or leg. It’s the most common place to have a scar, and of course it happened because of an accident. No-one really intends to give themself a scar on the leg do they? And of course it happened when you were younger! So, although this statement seems specific it is actually very general and may apply to everyone.

These statements are used in horoscopes, mind-reading and psychic reading all the time. They are just a small part of the complex way in which people give the illusion of reading your mind. The technique becomes even more effective when the person being read wants it to make sense. The reader then starts to look for ways in which the sentences fit. If you really believe in mind-reading then you will want it to work, and so you will find ways to make the statements relate to you personally. For example if you read the sentence, “You had an accident as a child that involved water”, you might search your memory for an accident you had as a child that involved water and make it fit. Add that to the fact that it is very common for children to have accidents with water. Think about it. I’m sure you had an accident involving water as a child. I did. I fell into a canal once when I was fishing with my Dad. My brother spilled hot water on his arm. It’s very common.

Here are some more examples of statements which sound specific but which could apply to anyone:
“I sense that you are experiencing some tension with a friend or relative at the moment” – it’s highly likely that you’re experiencing tension with a friend or a family member. On any given day there’s always someone who I’m having trouble with. It could be my parents, my brother, a friend. If you want it to fit then I’m sure you’ll find something which matches that statement.

“I feel you’re quite an independently minded person and you like to make up your own mind about things” – well who doesn’t feel they are independently minded? Everyone wants to feel they are independent. If you’re not independent then what are you? You’re a sheep or something, and no-one wants to be a sheep.

“Generally you are a cheerful and friendly person but there has been a time in the past when you were very upset. You still think about that moment sometimes and you haven’t fully get over it, or dealt with it yet, but you will in time.” – Everyone has a time in the past that they were upset and which they think about sometimes. It could be a break-up, an exam failure, a death in the family. These things always take time to deal with.

“Very much this will likely lead to you having considered writing a novel or some such, but a fear that you won’t be able to achieve quite what you want stops you from getting on with it. ” – Sorry but everyone considers writing a novel or creating some work of art, but hardly anyone actually achieves it because it’s really hard to finish a novel! But, writing a novel is an intensely personal thing. Again this could apply to anyone and feels very personal and specific.

“Your relationship with your parents (and I get the feeling here that one is no longer around, or at least emotionally absent) is under some strain. ” – Again, everyone has some issue with their parents. That is the nature of the parent/child relationship. I can’t think of anyone who is completely fine with their parents. Then the bit about ‘I get the feeling that one is not around or is emotionally absent’, could apply to everyone too. Either one of your parents has died – and if that doesn’t apply to you then maybe the line about one being emotionally absent, and I think again it’s common for some of us to have lost a parent and even more common to feel that one of your parents is not as emotionally close to you as you’d like.

“There’s also an odd feeling that you should have been born in a different century, like you feel that you would be more suited to another time in the past. ” – Again, it is very common to feel that you don’t really belong in this time, and since we understand the past pretty well we can just pick a time which suits us in the past. For example I often imagine that I would be perfect for life in the sixties, mainly because the music which was made then really appeals to me. In reality, I would be terribly out of place in the 1960s.

“A look around your living space would show a box of photos, not organised into albums, out-of-date medicines, broken items not thrown out, and notes to yourself which are significantly out of date.” – OK, everyone has a box of photos in their home and this is one of the most common lines which psychics use. Photos are very personal and private and yet we all have them in our homes, especially ones which are not in an album because who has time to put all their photos in an album? Also the stuff about out-of-date medicines and broken items. Again, these are things we all have in our homes when you think about it.

The list goes on. Many of the statements are designed to flatter you, such as the line about you having a fantastic sense of humour. Well, everyone loves to believe they have a good sense of humour. Who would say they didn’t have a good sense of humour? It’s very likely that we would believe that applies to us.

So, basically the trick with these statements is to make them sound specific but actually to make them as general as possible to allow people to really make them fit. Naturally, we all look for ways to make the description fit us, so it is you who does all the work. The mind-reader throws out general sounding statements and the subject makes them fit. Now, it’s not as simple as that of course. Mind reading is a complex art form and involves a lot of skill – especially when doing it live in front of a person, or in front of a crowd, but if the psychic is confident and skilled enough he/she can make a live reading even more impressive.

How do psychics read minds in front of a live audience?
Here are some ways that a psychic might do live readings in front of a crowd:
1. The psychic claims to be in communication with the dead, but the messages that come in are vague. Isn’t it funny that the messages are vague at first? Surely the dead would just come out with their statement clearly from the beginning. Psychics never give a good reason for this though.
2. The reading will begin with a name or even just a letter. The psychic will say “I’m getting an Anna or maybe an Anne, does that make sense to anyone in the audience?”, then each person in the audience tries to think of someone they know with the name Anna, Anne or Annie. Because they want to contact a dead relative, they will search for a dead relative called Anne or Anna. It’s a very common name. Surely someone in the audience will say yes because they have a dead relative or someone else called Anna. So immediately the psychic has got a ‘hit’. Then the psychic continues by making more general statements and letting the person explain how they make sense.
3. The psychic will use negative statements. For example, “This person didn’t have an accident involving water, did he?”. Negative statements like this are effective because both a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’ answer will look like a success, or a ‘hit’. For example, “She didn’t have an accident with water did she?” – ‘No.’ No, I didn’t think so. Or “Yes she did”. Ah, that’s what she’s saying to me.
4. The psychic puts the emphasis on the person being read. So if the psychic says something like “I’m getting something about a dog, or a pet” and the person says “No” then the psychic may say “Well, I’m definitely getting something about a dog, can you work harder?” or “Well, it’s definitely a dog so I want you to go away and really think about what that means” and then the person is responsible for finding a connection to a dog.
5. The psychic uses the information from the subject to change the message. E.g. “I’m getting something about a dog” -No, we didn’t have a dog. “Well, it’s a pet maybe a dog or a cat, an animal of some kind in the family”, -Yes my grandfather used to have chickens, “Ah yes that’s it, it was chickens! Well he says he’s still happy with his chickens, and he wants you to know that even now he enjoys his chickens”.

The list of techniques goes on. All of it works very effectively when the audience really wants to believe it is true and so tries to make all the information fit.

But do you agree with me?
Now, you might not agree with me. You might believe that psychics are real, that people really can read minds and that it is because of paranormal activity or powers. That’s fine. Like I said, I have an open mind and I am willing to believe it if it is proved to be true. The problem is, when these paranormal skills are tested under scientific conditions then they just never work. Then the argument might be that a laboratory or other scientific skills will block the psychic skills. So then we have a claim which cannot be tested. It’s like saying, I have a UFO in my back garden but you can’t see it because it’s invisible and if you try to do a scientific test to find it then it will disappear. So, I am a skeptic. I am quite willing to believe in paranormal claims if they can be proven scientifically, and I’m not the only one. Some people have devoted their whole lives to trying to find out if paranormal claims are really true. There’s a magician called James Randi who goes around the world testing paranormal claims. You can see many of his tests on YouTube. They always seem to show that the paranormal skill is not paranormal at all. Certainly under scientific conditions the skills don’t work. In the end I think it comes down to what you want to believe. If you want to believe there are paranormal powers in the world, then you will – even if there is no genuine scientific evidence.

Are psychics fake or not?
Regarding psychics, I think there are a few possibilities:
1. The psychic genuinely does have psychic powers – they can communicate with the dead, etc but for some reason these skills disappear under testing conditions (although why this happens we don’t know).
2. The psychic does not have any powers, but uses secret techniques like Barnum statements etc in order to fake it. The psychics are deceiving their audience, exploiting people who have lost members of their family, and making money by lying to people.
3. The psychic does not have magic powers, but believes that he/she does. He/she uses normal methods (not paranormal ones) and yet believes his/her own bullsh*t to the point that he/she really thinks he/she has psychic powers.

Option 3 really is possible. Maybe some psychics believe their own claims to be psychic. Maybe they use non-psychic methods but interpret them as evidence of psychic power, when actually there are other explanations.

Personally I believe that most psychics are faking it, but I can’t be sure without testing them. It’s interesting that James Randi is so open minded that he has famously offered a $1m prize to any psychic who can prove that their method works under scientific conditions. To date, no-one has won the $1m.

What does this all mean?
I think it means we have to be careful of people who claim they have psychic powers and then use that claim to get money from us. It’s dangerous for us to believe that people have these powers. It’s dangerous to put our trust in these people who just want to deceive us and get our money. I also think it is morally wrong for people to lie like this. I especially think it is morally wrong for people to use people’s grief and desire to connect with dead family members to get money. Still, maybe what’s important is that if these grief stricken people do get genuine relief from psychic readings – if they do go away happy and satisfied, maybe it’s okay and it doesn’t matter if it is all lies. Perhaps the lies are justified by the outcome if people feel happy after a psychic reading. Who knows. One thing is certain: It is a complex and fascinating issue which we still don’t fully understand.

I want to know your opinions. First of all, what did you think of my experiment? Did it work? Was I wrong to do it? Perhaps it didn’t work because I am not a specialist, it was the first time I’d done it, and because doing it over the internet like that just doesn’t work. What do you think of psychics? Do they really have powers or is it fake? Is it wrong to say they contact dead people and to make people cry over the memory of a dead relative? Have you ever had a psychic reading? What happened?

Now I’d like to play you some recordings on this subject. First I will play you the audio track of a clip from a TV show in which a great magician called Derren Brown conducts the experiment which I did on 3 groups of people in 3 different countries. The experiment is a success.
The second clip is an interview with Derren Brown about psychics, Barnum statements and other techniques.

The third clip of a psychic doing some cold reading (that’s reading the audience without any prior information).

I hope you enjoy these clips. You can also see them on the website of course.
Derren Brown – Personality Reading
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haP7Ys9ocTk&w=400&h=300]
Derren Brown Interview about Psychics and Cold Reading
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xswt8B8-UTM&w=400&h=225]
James Randi Exposes a psychic
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlfMsZwr8rc&w=400&h=225]
A Psychic completely fails in a cold reading
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t07UzTcApMI&w=400&h=225]
BBC ‘Bullshit’ investigators
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4qGfNViVN8&w=400&h=225]
Tony Stockwell’s Psychic Reading (the one from the end of the podcast)
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUsqP0Aj89M&w=400&h=300]

Here are two comments from a YouTube video involving a psychic. I think they sum-up the situation quite well.

Burger Van Dreamz2 months ago:
LOL these people need stopping, its cruel and just plain wrong.
These people are vulnerable, and psychics should be outlawed as its fraudulent abuse!

jmjmartin2 months ago
Some excellent points… (And please understand, I am NOT on the side of the Psychics). But, nobody ‘forces’ these to people to visit Psychics or Mediums. Ok, they pay… But they are comforted, soothed and sympathised with…Is that so bad in a ratbag world we live in, where our neighbours, would step over you, rather than help you up!
Here’s the video they’re referring to:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82tTr5I33hc&w=500&h=281]

116. Could it be you…?

17 Replies

Please let me know if you feel like the personality profile in this episode relates to you in particular. *Full transcript below*

Small Donate ButtonRight-click here to download this episode.

Transcript
Welcome to episode number 116 of Luke’s English Podcast. This episode features an experiment into the linguistic tricks that are used in mind reading and fortune telling. I must say at the beginning that I do not really believe that psychic powers exist. I think mind reading looks like a magic power but actually it is just a trick. This episode and the next one, are about this subject. There is a full transcript for this episode available at http://teacherluke.wordpress.com.

I’ve been interested in magic for a long time. I do a few card tricks and some other things. I’m a complete amateur, but I find it really interesting. Recently I’ve been finding out about mind reading, or psychic reading to find out how it is done. I’d like to do an experiment in this episode to test some of the techniques used by mind readers, psychics and fortune tellers. What I am about to say in this episode is not really true, it’s just an experiment to test some linguistic techniques used by psychics who claim to have supernatural powers. However, I don’t believe in supernatural powers.

Obviously, now I’ve told you that, the experiment into mind reading in this episode probably will not work, but I feel it’s very important for me to be honest with you so that I do not betray a relationship of trust that I have with you my listeners. I could have just said some things which are not true to make my mind reading experiment work, but I don’t believe it is fair to deceive you, even if it is ultimately just for fun.

The reasons I am doing this experiment into mind reading are:
-I want to test some techniques
-I think it could be really interesting and engaging to listen to (and it’s really good for your english to be engaged when you listen)
-This episode should contain lots of useful language which you can read in the tapescript online -Together we can learn about mind reading, psychics, fortune tellers, horoscopes and just the way people’s thinking can be manipulated. It’s quite an interesting study into human nature.

I will explain more in the next episode. I know all this might sound strange, but it’s all part of my effort to keep Luke’s English Podcast interesting! For now, let’s carry on with the episode…

This might sound strange but…
I’ve been doing this podcast for over 3.5 years now. Nearly 4 years in fact. That’s about 116 episodes in which I’ve been talking alone into a microphone. I really try to make it engaging by imagining that I am talking to one person in particular. I imagine there is one person in front of me and I talk to that person. That helps me to make the episodes sound natural and to make a connection between me and the listener. When I first started doing the podcast I didn’t really have a sense of who I was talking to, but now after nearly 4 years of doing this, for some reason I’ve got more and more of a sense that there is someone on the other side, and I don’t just mean that there are people listening, I mean that there’s one person on the other side who I know really well now, and that we have a connection like a friendship or something like that.

It’s a very strange feeling and I don’t know how to explain it but it just feels like there’s a person coming through, like one person who is listening and who I’ve made a connection with, to the point where I really know that person well, I mean really well. And last night I had a really vivid dream that I was talking to you and that we really connected on quite a deep level. I don’t know if it is possible that some kind of connection has been made even though we’ve never met but still I got a strong sense of one personality in particular. Maybe it is because my life has undergone some changes recently that I am more open to these connections. I don’t really know, but the dream was very vivid and clear and now I have a really clear picture of you and your personality in my head. I’m just wondering who you are and if you are out there listening to this right now.

Then what I did this morning as soon as I woke up was to write down a kind of personality profile of the person I’ve been meeting in my dreams. A lot of it is about a personality type, but I also sensed some specific information too. Now, I want to know if the person I had a connection with in the dream is out there, listening to this podcast. Could it be you? Maybe you feel like you’ve got a connection with me which is more than just as a listener. So, please if you feel like this description which I wrote this morning relates to you personally then please let me know by adding a comment. Look for details in this personality profile that seem to relate to your personality. It really could be you that I felt a connection with.

I am looking for one particular person. Is it you? Let me know. Here’s the profile I wrote this morning. If I’m wrong about this, then I’m wrong, but this really came very strongly to me. So here it is.

Personality profile:
I feel that you are a person who sometimes goes through periods of self-examination in which you privately analyse your thoughts, your actions and the direction your life is taking, even if this doesn’t always bring you clear results. This is in contrast to the ability you have developed to seem very socially engaged when you are with other people. Despite the fact that in private you are very introspective and sensitive, when you are with other people you manage to be very sociable and even the life and soul of the party, but only in a way that convinces other people. Privately you know that this is just an appearance which you use to make yourself look socially at ease. Sometimes you worry that you think too much about yourself, and that this is not normal. Perhaps you feel you should think less about these deep things and just enjoy your life fully, but ultimately you still find you have to make a lot of effort to be a certain type of person when you are with other people.

This means that you will often be at a gathering (like a party or an occasion when lots of people are together) and find yourself playing a part, as if you are an actor in your own movie. While on the one hand you’ll be talkative and funny, you’ll also be detaching yourself to the point where you will find yourself watching everything going on around you and feeling utterly unable to engage. Later you’ll play conversations back to yourself in your head and wonder what you or other people really meant when they said things. You carefully consider conversations that other people wouldn’t give a second thought to.

How have you learned to deal with this conflict? Through exercising control. You like to show a calm, self-assured and fluid kind of stability to other people, but because this is self-consciously created, it can create periods of frustrated silliness and a delight in extremes, or at least a delight in being seen to be extreme. You most easily recognise this control in how you are with people around you. You have learned to protect yourself by keeping people at a distance. Because in the past you have learned to be disappointed by people (and perhaps because there were issues with you adjusting to your sexuality), you instinctively keep people at arms’ length, until you decide they are allowed over that magic line into your group of close friends. However, once across that line, the problem is that an emotional dependency begins, which leaves you feeling very hurt or rejected if it appears that they have betrayed their status as a trusted friend.

Because you are prone to self-examination, you will probably be aware of these traits that I’m describing. However, you are unusually able to examine even that self-examination, which means that now you have become concerned about who the real you is. You have become all too aware of different sides of yourself which you present to the world, and you wonder if you have lost touch with the real and spontaneous you.

This might sound strange but when you were a child did you have an accident that involved water, or falling? This probably isn’t something you remember completely clearly, in fact you may have just heard older family members telling the story of an accident you had, or a moment when you were in danger as a child. I think you have a scar on your body too, possibly on your knee or leg, which was the result of an accident you had when you were younger.

I feel that you are quite an independently spirited person and you really like to make up your own mind about things. You’re someone who doesn’t just accept what everyone else is doing, but rather you want to find your own way to understand something before you are completely convinced. For example, if there is a band or a movie which everyone seems to like you won’t just accept everyone else’s opinion. Instead you want to make up your own mind about it first. Often you’ll find that although the rest of the world seems overly enthusiastic about this film, band, book or whatever, you can’t help seeing it in a different way and can’t really understand why everyone else seems to love it so much. Actually, when you see friends who just like things because everyone else does then you feel a kind of disappointment in them.

Generally you are a cheerful and friendly person but there has been a time in the past when you were very upset or sad. You still think about that moment sometimes and you haven’t fully get over it, or dealt with it yet, but you will in time.

You are very creative, and have tried different ways to use that ability. It may not be that you specifically, say, paint; it may be that your creativity shows itself in more subtle ways, but you will certainly find yourself having well-formed ideas which are clear to you but which others will find hard to understand.

You set high standards for yourself, and in many ways you are a bit of a perfectionist. The problem is, though, that it means you often don’t finish things you’ve started, because you are frustrated by the idea of doing something that is not perfect, or the idea of starting something again from the beginning makes you tired. However, once your brain is engaged you’ll find yourself moving freely without being blocked. Very much this will likely lead to you having considered writing a novel or something like that, but a fear that you won’t be able to achieve exactly what you want stops you from completing it. Nevertheless, you have a real vision for things, which others don’t really see. Particularly in your academic/college situation, you are currently fighting against things which block your desire to express yourself freely.

I sense that at the moment you are experiencing some tension with a friend or possibly a family member. Your relationship with your parents (and I get the feeling here that one is no longer around, or at least is emotionally absent) is under some strain. You wish to remain fond of them but recent issues are causing frustration – from your side far more than theirs. In fact they seem unaware of your thoughts on the matter. Partly this is because there are ways in which you have been made to feel isolated from certain groups in the past – something of an outsider. Now what is happening is that you are taking that outsider role and defending it to the point of consciously avoiding being part of a group. This will serve you well in your creative and career pursuits. You have an enormous cynicism towards those who prefer to be part of a group rather than risk being an individual, and you always feel a sense of disappointment when you see your ‘close’ friends seeming to follow that route. Deep down it feels like rejection.

However, despite all your introspection, you have developed a fantastic sense of humour that helps you to make connections with other people quickly and cleverly. Sometimes your sense of humour causes you to make jokes or comments that other people don’t really understand, but you enjoy it so much that you’ll often rehearse jokes or amusing voices to yourself in order to ’spontaneously’ impress others with them. This is a healthy desire to impress, and although you hate catching yourself at it, it’s nothing to be very worried about.

There’s also an odd feeling that you should have been born in a different century, like you feel that you would be more suited to another time in the past. You might be able to make more sense of that than I can.

You have a generous nature and you love to give things to other people, or help other people, although sometimes you have acted in quite a selfish way, and this preys on your mind sometimes, leaving you with a slight sense of guilt.

There are some strong monetary changes taking place in your life at the moment. Both in the recent past and what’s in store over the next few months represent quite a change. Perhaps your money situation has been on your mind recently.

You have links at the moment with America, or maybe the UK which are quite interesting, and will quite possibly produce worthwhile results. You’re naturally a little disorganized. A look around your living space would show a box of photos, not organised into albums, out-of-date medicines, broken items not thrown out, and notes to yourself which are significantly out of date. Something related to this is that you lack motivation. Because you’re resourceful and talented enough to be pretty successful when you put your mind to things, this encourages you to put things off. “I’ll do it later” you seem to say to yourself, because you know you can do it later, but then if you don’t do it, you might feel a bit guilty. Equally, you’ve had dreams in the past but you’ve given up on them a little easily when your mind eventually wanted to be somewhere else. There are in your home signs of an adventure into playing a musical instrument, which you have since abandoned, or are finding yourself less interested in. (This may alternatively relate to poetry and creative writing you’ve briefly tried and left behind you.) You have a real capacity for deciding that such-and-such a thing (or so-and-so a person) will be the most important thing in your life and be with you for ever. But you’d rather try and fail, and swing from one extreme to the other, than accept the little that you see others happy with. You would rather take a few risks to get what you really believe in than just be happy to live a comfortable if boring life like some other people you see.

In conclusion: It’s very interesting doing your reading, as you do present something of a puzzle, which won’t surprise you. It’s a little difficult to do your reading – not because of the way I’m doing it online like this but because the person I’m feeling is quite a complex one. This probably isn’t a surprise to you, as you are well aware that your personality is complicated. In fact I feel that even you find it difficult to understand your own thoughts and feelings sometimes, and that this even causes you to experience problems with your sleep occasionally, and that when you can’t sleep all these puzzles with yourself and your relationships with others come back into your head. These feelings are particularly strong during those sleepless nights you experience from time to time.

I get the feeling are certainly bright, but unusually open to life’s possibilities – something not normally found among achieving people like you. I’d say you should probably be less self-absorbed, because it tends to distance you a little from other people. Also you should let go of some of the control you exercise when you present that stylized version of yourself to others. You could let people in a little more, but I am aware that there is a darkness you feel you should hide (much of this is in the personal/relationship/sexual area, and is related to a neediness which you don’t like).

You really have an appealing personality – genuinely. Maybe because you have quite a strong personality that it is coming through to me like this. Many thanks for doing this, and for offering something far more substantial than most other people.

Remember, if you feel that what I have said relates to you personally then please leave a comment under this episode. It’s not the first time I’ve been able to read so much of a person’s character. It has happened to me before, but never over the internet like this. As I said before, maybe I’m wrong and these feelings I’ve had don’t mean anything, but on the other hand if you feel like I have somehow managed to describe your personality then leave a comment and we’ll see if I have managed to make a connection with you.

Stay tuned for the next episode of the podcast in which I will talk more about this. Remember you can see a complete transcript for this episode and you’ll be able to read it more carefully and study some of the words and expressions I have used, or just find exactly how the personality profile refers to you specifically. I am looking forward to your responses.

115. A Chat About Music (with James)

6 Replies

Listen to a chat with my brother James about music and our musical memories.

Small Donate ButtonRight-click here to download this episode.
I’ve written a list of some phrases and sentences that we use in the conversation. You can check them out below. Highlight and google words which are new to you. You can also find some YouTube videos featuring some of the music we talk about in this episode.

Thanks for listening, please add your comments below and you can donate by clicking the donate button on the right of this screen.

Vocabulary
Some phrases and sentences from this episode:
Are you buzzing?
We’re on top of things
Hearing cosmic sounds coming through the speakers
It captures something of the dystopia of the future
They covered 60s ska tunes
I think The Specials did more cover versions than Madness
The Specials take themselves a little bit too seriously
As good as they were they never made anything that sent a chill down your spine
They were a little bit of a novelty act
See see them bouncing around on Top of the Pops
This is a piece of hardware which is one of the best sequencers
You can sample bits from other records
If you had to give it a genre, what genre would it be?
That’s all we’re going to get for the time being
The ‘Mad’chester scene, which was characteristed by a kind of psychedelic sensibility
Slightly 60s throwback vibe
Almost a slightly parody/jokey way
The Mondays were more into Donovan
They weren’t a retro band they were actually quite modern
They were a cross between a kind of funk/punk/acid house
Just good vibes
Really good lyrics
He didn’t have a traditional singing voice but he really meant what he said
Some things are rhyming, some things are jokes
We had a piano, inherited from our Grandma when she died
I tried the piano, didn’t really appeal to me
I almost got put off music at school
I tried learning the bass – not really much cop
That’s the last vestige of the guy who can’t play music – they become drummers
Drummer jokes:
What do you call a guy who hangs around with a group of musicians? A drummer
How do you know when there’s a drummer at your door? Because the knocking speeds up
How do you know when a drummer’s standing at your door? Because he doesn’t know when to come in
He also wrote his own very sappy 60s music
He did this very cheesy music but to be fair it’s really good. It’s multi-tracked and everything.
I remember once you getting me to bleach your hair
You ended up joining a band
The Genital Fungi
Grandpa Knuckles
We used to do a really heavy death metal song
Amanda X
We were a 3-piece, we were very fucking cool
A cutting riposte to being shunned by a girl
I was into ambient music, atmospheric sort of Aphex Twin music
The other 2 were these hardcore ravers
I can beat-match
This MPC 2000, this Akai piece of kit
It was quite cheap. It was about 250 quid
I remember crawling round on the floor and from the speakers above listening to The Beatles
It reminds me of being in the living room as a four year old
Skellington were a really good band, very sketchy though

Pete Rock demonstrates how to use the Akai MPC 2000

114. Twelve Natural Expressions

7 Replies

Learn 12 very common expressions by listening to this authentic and unscripted conversation.

Small Donate ButtonRight-click here to download this episode.
In this episode I am joined by Kate again, and her friend Mark. We teach you some natural expressions and get to know Mark a little bit.

12 Natural Expressions
Here are the expressions we explain and talk about in this episode:

to end up doing something = to eventually find yourself in a situation after having done lots of things. “We went to the pub, had a few drinks, went to a club and then we ended up at someone’s house party.”

to bend over backwards = to make a big effort for someone. “They really bent over backwards to make us feel at home.”

to bite off more than you can chew = to try and do more than you can do. “I’ve bitten off more than I can chew with this job. I don’t think I can finish it.”

to work something out = to understand something after thinking about it a lot, “I’ve worked out what to do with my old car. I’ll sell it.”

in the nick of time = at the last possible moment, “I got onto the train in the nick of time”
by the skin of my teeth = to manage to do something but you were close to failing, “I passed the course by the skin of my teeth”

to know it like the back of your hand = to know something really well, “I know this town like the back of my hand”

once in a while = sometimes, “Once in a while I like to eat a McDonald’s”

every now and then = sometimes, “I like to eat a McDonald’s from time to time”

to sleep on it = to go to sleep before making an important decision and then make the decision after sleeping, “I can’t decide what to do, I think I’ll just sleep on it”

to get the ball rolling = to get things started, “Just to get the ball rolling I’d like to ask you a question”

to get stuck in there = to go for it and get involved, ” just get stuck in there and go for it!”

113. Setting The World To Rights

7 Replies

Setting the world to rights: What does this expression mean? Listen to find out, and to hear a conversation in a pub with a friend & colleague of mine.

Small Donate ButtonRight-click here to download this episode.
According to the Macmillan dictionary this phrase means “to have a conversation with someone in which you exchange opinions on a range of subjects, especially opinions on how to solve society’s problems”.

That’s exactly what I did in this episode. Listen and you’ll hear me engaging in conversation with a colleague of mine named Eamon. We went to the pub for a quick pint and ended up setting the world to rights. Eamon is a very intelligent and interesting guy and I’m sure you’ll enjoy listening in on our conversation. I’ve decided it will help you immensely if you can read some of the phrases we use in this episode, and so I’ve written many of those things in a list below. You can use it to learn more vocabulary, understand the episode better, and generally become a more wonderful human being in the process. You’re welcome!

Vocabulary & Expressions
Here’s a list of some of the expressions Eamon used in our conversation:
1. “Eamon is Irish for Edmund” – <is ______ for…> means that this is an equivalent word in another language, e.g. “bonjour is French for hello”
2. “and of course I was named after the first president of The Irish Republic”
3. “he was a horrible man. He was nonetheless an iconographic figure” – nonetheless means ‘still’ or ‘nevertheless’, and ‘iconographic’ means being famous for symbolising something
4. “I do become aware of a cultural distinction” – a ‘distinction’ means a ‘difference’
5. “in rural parts of the country” – ‘rural’ means ‘of the countryside’
6. “There might be listeners who get a bit tetchy about that” – ‘tetchy’ means ‘irritated and angry’
7. “if you look at the history of these islands, we’re all intertwined” – ‘intertwined’ means ‘closely connected in complex ways’
8. “we called them grants, and we didn’t have loans” – a ‘grant’ is some money which the government gives to students to help them study. The student does not have to pay the money back, unlike in the case of a ‘loan’.
9. “English as a foreign language was beginning to boom” – to ‘boom’ means to have a good economic situation. The opposite is to ‘bust’ which means to have poor economic conditions.
10. “my lifestyle was becoming increasingly dissolute” – ‘dissolute’ means to ‘indulge in pleasures like sex or drinking”
11. “the workaholic culture” – a ‘workaholic’ is someone who is addicted to work, like the way an alcoholic is addicted to alcohol.
12. “apart from the odd blip as a lawyer” – a ‘blip’ is a moment of inconsistency, for example in Eamon’s life he managed to avoid having a proper job except for the odd blip as a lawyer. This means for most of his time he wasn’t a lawyer then on some moments he worked as a lawyer.
13. “Sorry that was a bit facetious” – ‘facetious’ means to make a joke about something which should be serious
14. “I sometimes worry that maybe I’m short-changing my children” – to ‘short-change’ someone is to give them a bad deal or to not treat them fairly
15. “I console myself” – to ‘console’ yourself means to make yourself feel better or to deal with bad news
16. “London is a very urbane place” – ‘urbane’ means ‘sophisticated’ and ‘cultured’
17. “I find Croations basically more inhibited” – ‘inhibited’ means ‘shy’ or unable to express themselves well
18. “Croats have a bad reputation for being ill-mannered and surly” – ‘ill-mannered’ means ‘rude’, ‘manners’ means the way you behave in public, and ‘surly’ also means ‘rude’ or ‘bad tempered’
19. “when it all kicked off” – to ‘kick off’ means to ‘start’
20. “it was a manifestation of people who felt like they’d been left out of the enrichment process” – a ‘manifestation’ is a sign of something else. To be ‘left out’ means to be excluded.
21. “…whose values had somehow curdled” – to ‘curdle’ is when liquid becomes solid (e.g. when milk becomes cheese)
22. “we’re bombarded with advertising left, right and centre” – to be ‘bombarded’ means to be attacked by things coming at us (e.g. bombs). ‘Left, right and centre’ means from every direction.
23. “I have very mixed feelings about those riots” – to have ‘mixed feelings’ means you can’t really decide because you have opinions on both sides
24. “I don’t really know where I stand” – to ‘know where you stand” means to ‘know your opinion clearly’
25. “the belief that the acquisition of things can make a difference to your life” – ‘acquisition’ means to ‘get’ something or to ‘own’ something
26. “I was ready to clip their wings” – to ‘clip’ someone’s wings means to cut the wings of a bird so it can’t fly
27. “to pull it off” – to ‘pull something off’ means to achieve something very difficult

112. Vocabulary Review – Episodes 1-11

5 Replies

Refresh your vocabulary from the first eleven episodes of Luke’s English Podcast.

Small Donate ButtonRight-click here to download this episode.

Introduction
Everyone knows it’s vital to review vocabulary you have learned. If you don’t review it then you’re likely to forget it! So, in this episode I will help you to remember some of the expressions I taught you in the early days of Luke’s English Podcast.

Of course, we will be doing this in a natrual way by demonstrating the way these expressions can be used in a natural, authentic and unscripted conversation. All you have to do is notice the expressions, remember them and then try and pick them up yourself.

Here’s what’s going to happen in the episode.

First, I will read out a list of 56 expression from episodes 1-11 and give you brief definitions of them. You can see the list of those expressions and their definitions below. Yes, I am a kind, generous and generally wonderful human for doing that!

Second, you should listen to the conversation between Kate and me and try to either notice the expressions as they are used (listen for the grammar of the expression, how it is pronounced etc) or predict which expression is coming next. You can do this while looking at the expression list below, or by simply listening without the list.

Third, you should look at the list again and practise using the expressions yourself. Perhaps you can just say some sentences about yourself or people you know. You should speak them rather than write them. You could record yourself speaking them and listen back to the recordings to give yourself some perspective on your pronunciation.

All of these things are good ways to improve your English with this podcast. Of course, if you prefer you can just sit back and enjoy listening to the podcast. As ever, please add your comments below. You can say whatever you like. Why don’t you write a sentence about yourself using one of the expressions from this episode?

Thanks again for listening to Luke’s English Podcast.

Vocabulary Review
Here is the list of expressions from this episode:
1. “he’s let himself go” = he’s allowed himself to become less attractive
2. “to slur your words” = to pronounce words wrong due to alcohol (or possibly something else such as an illness)
3. “eccentric” = strange, unusual, slightly crazy
4. “I’m a bit sceptical” = I doubt that something is true
5. “it’s a piss take” = it’s a joke
6. “I’m leaning towards…” = I prefer one of two options
7. “I was scared stiff” = I was really scared
8. “It frightened the life out of me” = it really scared me
9. “I jumped / it made me jump” = it scared or suprised me so much that I jumped
10. “I was speechless” = I didn’t know what to say
11. “I was lost for words” = I didn’t know what to say
12. “I was chuffed (to bits)” = I was really pleased
13. “I was gutted” = I was really disappointed
14. “I was really down in the dumps” = I was depressed
15. “Don’t judge a book by its cover” = don’t judge something by appearances alone
16. “There’s more (to something) than meets the eye” = there is more than just what you see
17. “a laughing stock” = something that everyone laughs at (in a bad way)
18. “moral fibre” = inner moral strength
19. “to be as bold as brass” = to be over confident
20. “his bark is worse than his bite” = he’s less dangerous than he seems
21. ” a barrel of laughs” = a lot of fun
22. “to flirt with someone” = to behave like you think someone is attractive and that you want them to fancy you
23. “to fancy someone” = to think someone is attractive
24. “to chat someone up” = to talk to someone in order to make them like you or if you want to ask the person out on a date
25. “to go out with someone’ = to go on a date with someone, or to be in a relationship with someone
26. “to ask someone out” = to ask someone to go on a date with you
27. “to have chemistry” = to have a special feeling between two people (romantic sense)
28. “to fall for someone” = to fall in love with someone
29. “to drift apart” = to slowly change and become different over time
30. “to split up with someone” = to end a relationship with someone
31. “to dump someone” = to end a relationship with someone by rejecting them
32. “I’m into it” = I like it and I’m interested in it
33. “I’m keen on it” = I’m really interested in it
34. “I’m fond of it” = it’s special to me
35. “it appeals to me” = I like the sound of it / I like the idea of it
36. “it goes down well (with someone)” = other people like something you do
37. “it’s to my liking” = I like it (quite formal – like a sir!)
38. “I’m crazy about it” = I really like it a lot
39. “I’m mad about it” = I really like it a lot
40. “I’m attached to it” = I like it and I need it
41. “I’m addicted to it” = I can’t stop doing it
42. “I’ve grown to like it” = I didn’t use to like it but now I do
43. “I’ve got a soft spot for her” = I like her a bit more than I like other people, she’s special to me
44. “I can’t get enough of it” = I’m never bored of it and I want more and more
45. “to get round to doing something” = to finally find the time to do something
46. “to put something off” = to postpone something
47. “to be caught up in something” = to be distracted / to be made busy by something
48. “to give up on something” = to stop trying to do something / or stop believing in something
49. “to run out of something” = to have none left
50. “it takes up my time” = it uses my time
51. “to go off something” = to stop liking something
52. “to hold out for something” = to wait & be patient for something
53. “to hold on” = to wait
54. “to be pissed off” = to be angry or annoyed
55. “to bottle up your feelings” = to not express your feelings and keep them inside
56. “to cheer someone up” = to make someone feel happier

111. Thanks for your comments

1 Reply

This note was written in September 2012, and the audio was recorded in October 2014.

Hi everyone,

Thanks very much for your comments here, and the emails I have been sent.

I have read your all your comments and I have taken them on board. I might not be able to make all the changes that everyone has suggested (you can’t please all the people all the time, etc etc) but I will continue to work on the podcast when I can, and keep it useful and enjoyable.

I have a few episodes to upload soon so you’ll be able to keep listening. In the meantime, thanks again for taking the time to give me some feedback.

Oh, and by the way “to stream something” means to listen or watch video or audio online rather than downloading it. For example, when you watch a YouTube video you are streaming it directly from the internet. When you use iTunes to listen to a podcast you’re (usually) not streaming it but downloading it and then listening to it later.

All the best,

Luke

110. A Letter from Luke

5 Replies

This letter was written in September 2012. The audio was recorded in October 2014.

How’s it going? I hope you’re all very well and having an absolutely lovely day / night / morning / evening / afternoon / lunch / drive / jog / bath / sleep / gym session! This is just a letter from me to you so I can say hello, give you an update and ask you a couple of questions. There is no audio attached to this episode. I have a couple of episodes of the podcast coming so you will be able to enjoy them soon.

So what’s been going on? As you know I’m in the process of moving to France at the moment. It’s all very exciting and pretty chaotic too. My flat is still full of boxes and bags. I’ve put a lot of things into storage and I’m packing things to take to Paris with me. I’m going through all the personal possessions bit by bit which is pretty amazing because it’s like going on a journey though my life over the last 10 years or more. If you’ve ever moved house then you’ll know exactly what I mean. I keep finding things that remind me of time I spent in Japan, or old friends I’ve lost touch with. It’s quite emotional sometimes. I’d recommend going through your possessions and clearing out your old stuff. It’s quite a refreshing process. It feels like detoxing or losing weight or something.

The kitchen is finally finished and I’m glad to say it looks great. I’m sure I’ll have no problem finding tenants for the flat. How could anyone resist such a lovely place?! I’ve got loads of other (boring) things to do before I go. Now I can’t wait to be installed in Paris. I’ll make podcasts about my experiences there, and lots more useful language and expressions as well.

Now, since it is a time of change for me, and I’m re-evaluating a lot of things, I would like to ask you some questions about the podcast. If you don’t mind, I’d like you to spare a couple of minutes to let me know your thoughts. I want to make the podcast/website as useful and entertaining for you as possible. Obviously, I do this in my free time, which is very limited these days, so I have to be economical with my time. I can’t fix every problem or do everything you suggest but I will try.

I would like to know your opinions on how I can improve Luke’s English Podcast. So please, if you have time just give me your answers to the following questions. You can write me an email at luketeacher@hotmail.com or just add your comments below this message. You don’t have to answer every question. Thank you in advance!

Questions:
1. How did you find Luke’s English Podcast?
2. What is the best thing about Luke’s English Podcast?
3. Is there anything I could improve about the podcast?
4. Is the website easy to use? Is the podcast easy to listen to?
5. How do you listen? On your phone/ipod? At home on a computer? Do you download the episodes or stream them? (Just ask if you don’t know what these words mean)

Thank you very much! Your comments will really help me to continue making useful podcasts for you.

Have a fantastic day/night/evening/morning/afternoon/breakfast/lunch/dinner/drive/bath/shave/sleep or whatever you happen to be doing!

All the best,

Luke

109. Friday Night Banter (The Drunk Episode) with Alex, Paul & Moz

5 Replies

I’m joined by Alex, Paul and Moz as we have a few drinks, do some comedy improv games and talk general nonsense. Enjoy!

Small Donate ButtonRight-click here to download this episode.
In this episode you’ll hear:
-An introduction (10-12 mins) in which I give you a general update and explain what you’ll hear in the rest of the episode.

-The results of a Friday night recording in my flat with Alex, Paul and Moz. We had a few drinks while recording this episode so you might hear us slurring our words and generally getting a little bit pissed* so I hope you don’t mind that! In fact, according to all your comments on the last episode, you’d love to hear a slightly drunk conversation between 4 Londoners. However, if you’re expecting to hear 4 completely smashed football hooligans chanting the national anthem, I’m afraid you’re going to be disappointed as we are all quite civilised drinkers these days.
*rude word! (as you may already know, it means ‘drunk’)

So that’s it for now. Please leave your comments, thoughts, jokes and suggestions below.

Have a great morning/afternoon/evening/night and if you listen to the podcast while driving or operating heavy machinery please take care!

Luke

London Olympics 2012

6 Replies

More interviews with speakers of English. This time I went to the Olympic Park in East London and spoke to some people about the Olympic Games.

TRANSCRIPT:

London Olympics 2012

What do you think?

Girl 1: Hello

Girl 2: Hello

Luke: Hello, where are you from?

Girl 1: Australia

Luke: Really?

Girl 2: And the UK

Luke: Right, okay, fantastic. So, you are living in England are you?

Girl 1: I am living in England, at the moment yeah.

Luke: Okay, so which event are you going to see today?

Girl 1: Women’s basketball

Luke: Okay right, I see. So how was the Olympic ceremony in your opinion?

Girl 2: It was pretty amazing, yeah it was really good.

Luke: Okay, what do you think of the orbit over there?

Girl 1: I want to go up there

Luke: Yeah?

Girl 1: Can you go up there?

Luke: I don’t know actually

Girl 1: I think you can and I want to go up there, it looks cool

Luke: What do you think about the way it looks?

Girl 2: Yeah it looks really good everything’s done really nice and it’s, yeah really well done.

Luke: Okay, cool and so in general is the Olympics good for London or bad for London?

Girl 1: Good I think

Luke: Why’s that?

Girl 1: I don’t know, it brings more people here. I don’t know! I’m not even from London! To her…

Luke: What do you think? Do you think it’s improving London or is it just annoying or…?

Girl 2: A little bit annoying, but

Luke: How is it annoying a little bit?

Girl 2: It’s just I guess costs quite a lot and the traffic and everything’s quite a hassle but generally I think it’s pretty good event for us to have

Girl 1: The spirit!

Girl 2: Yeah, it brings everyone together. But it’s annoying when you have to try and get to work

Luke: Yeah the traffic is a bit of a problem

Girl 2: Yeah the traffic but no  it’s good it’s good for us to have  .

Luke: Well have a great time

Girl 1: Thank you

Girl 2: Thank you cheers bye!

Luke: Thank you, bye

 

Luke: Hi, how are you doing?

Man: Very well thank you

Luke: Where are you from?

Man: We’re from Devon

Luke: Devon, okay. So, hello

Daughter: Hello

Luke: Hi, what’s your name?

Daughter: Ellie

Luke: How’s the Olympics for you so far?

Daughter: It’s cool

Luke: Yeah, what do you like about it the best?

Daughter: I’m not really sure

Luke: You’re not really sure?

Daughter: No, it’s all good

Luke: Which event are you going to see?

Daughter: Erm, the swimming.

Luke: Swimming, okay, alright brilliant. So what did you think of the opening ceremony?

Man: I thought it was pretty awesome actually, I thought it was a good err, it was good for Britain, showed off Britain, a bit quirky, a bit funny, errrm, yeah not trying to be anything that we’re not.

Luke: Okay. And erm what do you think of the Orbit over there?

Daughter: I think it’s really cool.

Luke: You like it?

Daughter: Unusual yeah

Luke: Unusual you think yeah? And what do you think about that?

Man: I haven’t really thought about it to be honest but it’s an interesting structure

Luke:T is isn’t it yeah. Do you think that the Olympics is good for London or bad for London in general?

Man: Brilliant, absolutely amazing

Luke: Why?

Man: Err, it just puts Britain on the map, puts London right in the centre where it should be. I think it’s great for Britain.

Luke: So who are you going to cheer for today?

Daughter: Erm…

Luke: Britain I would say. Team GB right? Okay right well have a fantastic day

Man: Thank you very much

Luke: and err, bye

Man & Daughter: Bye!

 

Luke: Hi mate

American: How’s it going?

Luke: Fine thanks. So where are you from?

American: I’m from America

Luke: What a surprise! And which event are you going to see today?

American: We’re actually going to watch Phelps swim. We’re going to support him.

Luke: You’re going to see what?

American: Phelps, Michael Phelps

Luke: Oh yes

American: in the 400 IM

Luke: Okay brilliant. And so how’s the Olympics for you so far?

American: Oh well it’s our first day here so we’re excited about it. Hopefully we can get back out here and see some more events.

Luke: Have you been in London long now?

American: I’ve been in London for two weeks actually. Doing summer school here.

Luke: What do you think of the place?

American: I love it. It’s a lot of fun.

Luke: What exactly about it do you like?

American: What do I… pardon me?

Luke: What is it exactly that you like about London?

American: Oh it’s, I don’t know it’s different from everywhere else, you can’t, like, can’t find most things you find all in one place like you can in London.

Luke: How is it different to the States?

American: There’s a lot of different things. The culture, the language are slightly different. It just, I don’t know it’s the European melting pot I guess, from over here.

Luke: What do you think of The Orbit?

American: Erm, I don’t know. I guess it’s err, London’s attempt at the Eiffel Tower.

Luke: You think so?

American: I guess

Luke: What is it?

American: Err, it’s an observatory tower I believe. Maybe I’ll make my way up there.

Luke: Yeah, okay well have a fantastic evening

American: Thank you nice to meet you

Luke: And a great time in London

American: Bye

Luke: Bye