The English I've Learned in Amazing Talker

下次上課內容提醒

make a sentence using "in the loop" and "bump into someone"

學生評價

I must say, 25 minutes is very short for me. It's restrictive because I want to chat and learn simultaneously. It isn't contradictory, but I'm not able to fly words out natively. Alma was the first teacher I bumped into when I was new to Amazing Talker. She came across as a blunt dude, and I hit it off with her after a trial lesson. I'll be in a loop about the common usage, phrasal verbs, and slang words that come out from my teacher and my colleagues in the American office.

What is "in a loop"

"In the loop" is an idiomatic phrase that means to be informed or included in something, especially when it comes to important decisions or information. When a person is "in the loop," they are aware of what is happening and have access to the necessary information and details. This phrase can be used in both professional and personal contexts and often used to express someone is informed, included and aware of the ongoing situation.

Sure, here are a few examples of how "in a loop" can be used in different contexts:

1. In a computer programming context, a "loop" is a control flow statement that allows a certain block of code to be executed repeatedly. For example, a programmer might use a "for loop" to iterate through a list of items and perform the same operation on each one.
2. In a business context, a person might say "I'm in a loop" when they are in the middle of a process that is repeating itself. For example, a salesperson might be in a loop of trying to close a deal, following up with a client, getting rejected, and then going back to the beginning of the process.
3. In a personal context, a person might say "I'm in a loop" when they are stuck in a pattern of behavior that is repeating itself and they can't get out of it. For example, someone who is struggling with addiction might say "I'm in a loop of using drugs and then feeling guilty, but then using again."
4. In a musical context, a "loop" is a repeating section of music or sound and it can be used in different ways. A musician might use a "loop" to create a background rhythm or melody.
5. In a communication context, "in a loop" means that the same information is being passed around to multiple people, with no new information coming in or out. For example, if a company is having a meeting, and the same information is being discussed over and over again, one of the attendees might say "we are in a loop" to express the meeting is not productive.

Tips

There's a silent rule of "too much of anything/everything is not good" never use two to three metaphors/idioms in one statement. u can use it as an opening line, a punchline, or a conclusion ex: Remember John? I burn bridges with him after highschool grad so it was awkward to see him in the reunion. (opening a conversation) Then, avoid using metaphors/idioms in your next two to four sentences. speak casually. ex: Yeah we had a petty fight but you know "I gotta buckle up" so I used that as an excuse to not contact with him anymore so i can focus on my studies. (punchline) etc...

feedback

It feels like 25 minutes is not sufficient for my needs. I have difficulty smoothly narrating scenarios and require more time for that. I am always mindful of the deadline, so I plan to take a 50-minute course next time to determine if it is a better fit for me or if I am just comfortable with my current time frame.

Narrating things in a timeline is also an important aspect.

I appreciate that Alma always puts herself in my shoes, but I wish she would take a more assertive leadership role.

Feedback

original

I appreciated Alma be willing to focus on what I was trying to say. Whenever I replayed the video and i just wanted to shut down, and eventually i clicked play and pause for humongous amount of time. The progress bar is advancing very slowly. Every time before I speak, I always overthink, which leads to not being able to speak calmly or stammering. I know I need to speak slower before I speak. I am happy for my first 50 minutes lesson but on the other hand, but it is painful for seeing the lecture. The level of painfulness is higher than the happiness.

I had a glamorous moment when trying to blend the idiomatic expression 'to cost an arm and a leg.' at the lesson. It was begun after my teacher Alma attempting to spell it phonetically as 'kaws-ta-nar-man-da-leg' and it was just ... threwing me off. I think that is essentially different when it comes to speaking Chinese and English so I need to pronounciation practice.

I always learned a lot from replaying the conversation. I know i have a lot to improve like i need to be more confident, stop miscellaneous ahhh like uhhh? uhhh!!! uh... uhh(w/ airy), stop saying "yes" for a pat on the back, stop repeating after i aware of i already do this, try not to make a new sentences before finishing the sentences, and don't panic to say the wrong sentences because I already make a lot of semantical and grammatical errors. If i keep moving on it will then make teacher easier the pinpoint the wrong and improve my fluency. I can't master overnight so I need to do a trade off. If I want to improve my fluency in the first place I need to focus on my manner, my intonation and reaction.

There are some pros for replaying the conversation. In my case, I knew what i thought when I speak and Alma help me to complete them like I have an ambiguous impression of the word "jwelry". Alma help me to complete this word and I remember. Another example is when I tried to say the word "booth", another similar word "broth" came to my mind and they were fighting in my mind. Just like "dumbell" and "dumpling". They are two distinct words but for me it's similar because of its phonic.

Also I can related to what I've learned before like today's lesson the word dirt cheap. I was so curious whether "dirt" is the same meaning as the word "flipping" when describing the degree and I connect the new word to the old word I've learned before.

Lastly, native speakers like Alma tend to put slang into the sentence naturally and we learners can pick from it. On the other hand in my observation, they also rephrase automatically in another way when they aware the person cannot get it. In this lesson Alma said "get a hang of it", "drop your mind", which i'm not used before.

By the way I just want to convey "Different price levels in different countries", and I use lots of words like "blah blah affordable ..." in the last couple minutes so it reflect on me that I need to not only do i need to read, i need to reherse especially when there is a roleplaying segment

Revised version

During my lesson with Alma, I was grateful for her willingness to focus on what I was trying to say. Watching the video replay was difficult for me as I constantly wanted to shut it off. I frequently pausing and replaying because i really shame on myself when hearing my own voice lol. The progress bar move very slowly. Before speaking, I often overthink which leads to not being able to speak calmly or stuttering. I realize that I need to slow down before speaking. While I am happy with my first 50-minute lesson, it was also painful to watch the lecture recording. Feeling like time is passing very slowly. The level of pain was greater than the happiness.

I had a glamorous moment when trying to blend the idiomatic expression 'to cost an arm and a leg.' at the lesson. It was begun after my teacher Alma attempting to spell it phonetically as 'kaws-ta-nar-man-da-leg' and it was just ... threwing me off. I recognize that there is a significant difference when it comes to speaking Chinese and English, so I need to focus on pronunciation practice.

Replaying the conversation has been valuable for me as it allows me to learn from my mistakes. I know that I need to improve my confidence, stop using filler words like "cool" and "uhhh? uhhh!!! uh... uhh (with airy sound)," stop repeating myself, work on not interrupting myself, stop speaking about my own thoughts when I am roleplaying to avoid diverging from the character's story, and not panic when I make errors as I have already made many mistakes. I realize that mastering fluency overnight is not possible and that I need to make trade-offs. To improve my fluency, I need to focus on my mannerisms, intonation, and reactions instead of grammar and minor mistakes.

There are also benefits to replaying the conversation. For example, Alma helped me to clarify an ambiguous word I had, such as "jewelry." I only remembered the front part "jewel" and had forgotten "r-y," and Alma helped me to complete the word and I remember it now. Additionally, when I was trying to say "booth," another similar word "broth" came to mind and it was difficult for me to distinguish between them. These are two distinct words, but they sound similar to me, and Alma helped me to say the word correctly and I eventually remember it.

By the way I just want to convey "Different price levels in different countries" is clear and concise at the last moment. It's good to note that using extra words like "blah blah affordable..." during roleplaying take away so much time. It is important for me to practice and rehearse to improve fluency and avoid unnecessary words before the next lesson start.

Feedback

I'm still on my journey of learning English. I don't need to care about any issue I come across. I am on board with Alma's way of encouraging me and also appreciate that. My next goal is to not lose track of every word that teacher said and to stop grinning foolishly after a sentence...

2022.02.11

• I keep myself open/blunt, and see who wants to seal the deal. If you don't like to befriend with me just gogogo
• I've never cheated on my girlfriend but I've had trying to do that in our 7th year.
• Mostly my friends know I have a girlfriend so that all keep that in mind and don't have any thought of crossing the line.
• At that moment she was busy at work and for me it seems like somewhat indifferent. I felt I was set aside so often like I have relationship with you but I felt so lonely.
• Simultaneously, one of my female friends kept contact with me day in and day out, not exaggerated.
• Long story short. We have chemistry in between which I relutant to. I even told with my friend crying.
• It tore me apart at that moment.
• After that we've consolidated a better connection/relationship. It just a big misunderstanding
• Still there are some female friend attracts me but it's not worth a shot

2023.02.13

Homework

Tell me about the last time you were persuaded by someone.

I'm not sure this is the case or not. I bought a lotion for 2nd cleanser (still don't know why it aims to) with 375 NTD. I was waiting at the bus depot and someone came chatting with me and complimented me like "You don't like as your age, you're like student", and "come off it!" came in my mind.

She said "Just take your 5 minutes. come along with me", and i was taken to their office. it took me almost 1 and half hour. I am brutelly honest said I don't have any mindset of skincare, and she kept trying to persuade me to seal the deal. Originally she want to promote their their program, lastly she just promote me a lotion.

She said "Don't knock it till you try it. You give me and give yourself a chance." Count on she taught me how to correctly wash the face and not just rinsing, and explained how crucial is the water temporture, and also count on the basic salary of an hour is nearly 200 NTD, it is not bad for 375NTD for one and the half hour. I persuaded myself "Why not give myself a shot? For her, it isn't a good deal now.", and she got me.

Now that lotion still laid on my cubicle concealed, but I change my way of washing face. I usually draw back and forth with nose and rest of the part like forhead I draw circle when washing,

And the 2nd last time is for Alma's courses. One of my friend (We'll see tomorrow) do part-time job at MOS burger and he spent 40,0000 NTD of a serious(or suite) of marketing courses. For me that course it's a rip off and for my friend for sure cost an arm and a leg. Every time he show his teacher his traveling photos or the exagratting clothes and I always sarcast him "I bet you contribute a lot during his traveling and wears". On the other hand I think he is brave. I asked him why he bought, he replied to me "why not buying if benefits you".

Compare to him I just unsure if the subsidy would be successfully or not, and 40 lessons cost me nearly 8000-ish. Even though I still think he is just faith jump, my friend still got me and I eventually bought the course for myself as a present. BUT shaking intangible hand during trial lesson also arise my interest. Also confessing some behaviours is by AI and taught me how to tell robot or real man also gradually got me to the course since there are so many teachers at the amazing talker. Big me as sales isn't count because I just want to deflect at that moment.

Feedback

In each class, we have a role-playing exercise, and I appreciate this part of the class. I have a lot to share, but not always about role-playing exercise. At first, I found it challenging to participate, but after wrestling with it, I preceived a lot of helpful feedback.

At first, I thought my difficulties with the role-playing exercises were due to my lack of experience, and that my performances during each session were weak. However, I began exploring ways to improve, such as how to handle rejections or work on after receiving the acceptance from the other party. During one session, Alma played the part of a socially inactive girl, a role I had not considered before, but which I found to be manageable. Her performance inspired me to approach my English language learning in a new way, similar to how Isagi discovered new ways to solve the puzzle.

Homework

Describe a new device which could help a disabled person or a "pathetic" ones

Siri came out my mind when I first saw this question, but it literally not really solve a real life just simple interact with real people, and somewhat a bit lame. From the time being, espectially these 2 years, so many game changing mind-boggling platform appears to the world and they claims it is the beginning. Maybe we can own a personal assistence in near future.

Few years ago, a ted talk about the six-sense had been published, this particular device can tackle the problem with respect to the disabled since it can use the custom six-sense to replace the original lost sense. Some of the celebrities like Stephen Hawking take adventage from the tech gadget

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qC3H3JOtvSs - six sense

Also, the voice synthesizer it mentioned at that era is sound contrived, now there are so many ai tool including the built-in iphone and make a natural voice. You can take a look for the natural sound app

https://projectpages.voicebooking.com/voice-over-generator

Describe a new device which could help a disabled person or a "pathetic" ones

Siri came out my mind when I first saw this question, but it literally not really solve a real life just simple interact with real people, and somewhat a bit lame. From the time being, espectially these 2 years, so many game changing mind-boggling platform appears to the world and they claims it is the beginning. Maybe we can own a personal assistence in near future.

Siri came TO mind when I first saw this question. But it literally DOES NOT really solve real life stuff; just simple interaction with real people, and somewhat a bit lame. From the time being, especially these 2 years, so many game changing mind-boggling platforms ARE LAUNCHED to the world and PEOPLE CLAIM it is the beginning **[**OF WHAT? ]. Maybe we COULD OWN a personal assistant in the near future. [reminded me of CHOBITS] - have you watched this anime?

Few years ago, a ted talk about the six-sense had been published, this particular device can tackle the problem with respect to the disabled since it can use the custom six-sense to replace the original lost sense. Some of the celebrities like Stephen Hawking take adventage from the tech gadget

Few years ago, a TED talk about the six-sense WAS published. This particular device can tackle the problem with respect to the disabled since it can use the custom six-sense to replace the original lost sense. Some of the celebrities like Stephen Hawking TOOK advantage OF the tech gadget

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qC3H3JOtvSs - six sense - [Indians are indeed tech-savvy] ^^

Also, the voice synthesizer it mentioned at that era sounded contrived, now there are so many AI tools including the built-in iphone and make a natural voice. You can take a look for the natural sound app

https://projectpages.voicebooking.com/voice-over-generator

Recap

Glad to chat with you tonight Han. I hope you could settle things in your house moving and family "issue". Take your time to think things thoroughly before making a decision. You got this!!!

Notes:

• My father want to borrow me a hundred thousand dollars for moving. My father WANTED to borrow A hundred thousand dollars from me for our MOVE.

• We just check our phone to no matter buying online or .. We INSTANTANEOUSLY check our phone WHATEVER it is we need to do like buying online or chat with friends ... etc.

• I am now a victim. I am GUILTY OF this bad habit.

• I'm really late of aware of when that happens. It's really late for me to feel or be AWARE when that happens.

• I'm an anime people. I'm an ANIME person. [also, I learned the slang word "weeaboo"]

Feedback

After a lesson, I feel frustrated that I am not capable of completely expressing my self. My thoughts are more than my words. After I saw the video however, it's not so bad overall. I now actively usually record my dancing and it's like sometimes i think the performance is bad for this round but after checking the playback it isn't too bad for that session. I emotionally feel unconfident of certain sessions which doesn't necessarily mean it doesn't behaves bad.

after reflecting on what i've done during the previous lesson and inspired by the following video

https://speakingemfoco.online/speakingvid/?fbclid=PAAaZX4aiSxasIUrBCAHcdHNocirmLbnw9J6XQQVGMYQkSEoX_IpzL-F4FH6s

I sorted out some directions I can do in the future

1. When I want to form the body memory. I want to try not using “but“ for having the conversation. My speaking habit is so terrible that I try to use "but" when I overly compliment and overly criticized, and I found I overly compliment and overly criticized, i will use two "but" and swirl 2 times to make my stand neutral. It seems more funky in terms of xxx, but yyy, but zzz and it doesn't perceive as neutralizing my stance obviously

2. What I want to say when you asked whether I have time recently, and the following video popped up in my mind, and I want to quote what he said “our most valuable resource is focus”, but I was unable to say that since it failed to phrase that simple sentence in my mind in the first place. By the way, the video is at the following and the para I referred to is at 1:18 https://youtu.be/ifZWcPXDyFc

3. I also want to reveal the thought process of the word “drop”: Thanks to the playback, it remind me the first time I heard “drop the idea”. My initial guess for this word is like stop carrying on some task, however i'm not 100 sure, and also drop has so many meanings like drop the messages means leave the messages. in that case, it makes me daunting of how to move the conversation forward. I still find way to overcome when i hear the unfamiliar word other than to interrupt and ask

4. Also in terms of forming the muscle memory, i need to find my own route of the word i use. English unlike Chinese, there are so many ways to combine one thing and I need to pick my own route for my habitual spoken english. For example for the word prepare, it can also says "up for" or "fixin"(regional used). I pick the word first pop up to my mind and it's arbitrary. If I pick certain word as my pet phrase and it may have less brain fart since i don't need to synthesize the sentence before i say. Also it won't have weird pause for having muscle memory. ⬆️ The above is the hypothesis, and i want to prove it after then

5. The mistake I made or word I’m not sure whether it’s right during the lesson. I don’t have muscle memory for those, so I know for some reason even i know i made a mistake but i couldn't control during the class which makes sense

   • I cannot defy (I need to use deny). I picked the wrong word "defy" since I follow the Ukraine war and I heard a lot of “defy” from CNN and BBC

   • I used the word “unexpected event” to describe the situation that is not anticipated or predicted and not really sure because I haven’t said that before. Now I know it's right for me to say that then I'll use that often

   • for this time you lead first (better to say “take a lead” but I say “lead”)

   • I shared with(❌to) you before

   • Also my gf’s sister is 5 years older than my gf, but everyone regard she is older than (… … [my her sister]). I just brain part for messing up the connection

And thanks Alma for teaching patiently. When i lost confidence or stuck somewhere, Alma makes me feel dauntless. Also I love Alma's accent. I will pick Alma as my role model to form my own accent as muscle memory.

Recap

Government have the competition. The government is holding a competition about ...

I was also frustrate about his response. I was also FRUSTRATED about his response

Vocabulary:

• to have all the time in the world

• better late than never

• in due course

The key of effective time is .. The key to time efficiency is ..

If you can concentrate to manage your time then it will be your time.
If you can FOCUS ON MANAGING your time then it will be your time.

Most people envy of what other's life. Most people ENVY OTHER PEOPLE'S life.

I don't want the language to be the blocker. I don't want the language to be the BARRIER/HINDRANCE ..

Summary

I was so thrilled to catch up with you Han. I was prepared to be overwhelmed with your stories but it seems like you were less energetic than the usual. I guess you need more time to rest and pick up our usual vibe. Let me know if you have specific topic of interests we could both discuss during the class. Good night Han.

Notes: (Catching up with Han some)

Notes for next lesson

article reading - watch English clips

Student's feedback

I've stopped my lesson for more than 2 weeks with Alma. Probably that's the reason "How is ...❌", and swirled to "How have you been" 💀💀💀 For this lesson, it was, as usual, nothing changed during the class, I mean the vibe. I grow casually in comparison with my first lesson, and glad Alma was glad to see me either. (i trust it regardless). Looking forward to another lesson just like the massive amounts of students here. Feels like our teacher becomes much more popular all of the sudden during those 2 weeks. Probably I should call idol Alma one day. jk jk. 🤖 🚥 🤖 🚥 🤖 🚥

Notes for next lesson

Youtube clips/ read books

Student's feedback

Good as usual, but I am desperate to have the lesson with the material for the next lesson. Alma is always rocking and even thou I have less experience with other teachers' courses, I almost feel like Alma's class it's decent and high quality than other teachers. Like when we have a free talk for today, and alma simultaneously sneakily caught up on some grammar mistake i made, which is good For her potential students 👉 I confess I choose Alma because of the price since I suspect and wonder whether I can make progress by taking 1on1 courses, so I am not willing to go out on a limb to spend a fortune just for learning the English course in AT, especially for Alma's class, you can only spend few grand to have a suite I'm not gonna say I made a big stride, but now when I download the playback video, I can confidently see the whole video. Before then I feel so cringy for hearing my voice so it gave me a hard time. Now my tempo, my pause, and the way I speak English have slight progress, and I gradually can accept my voice It's obvious I have a lot to improve. I made a lot of grammar mistakes in the comment section since I barely check mine before sending it. I still need Alma and hope her future student can get good along with Alma. She's pretty good overall. Every 5 stars in genuine

Feedback

Today we discuss about the religion, which really caught me off guard because i don't have those words in my mind so much and I believe it's meaningful for me to having this lesson. Even though Alma said she picked that up randomly, I still appreciate her.

Now I have so many momentum to see how can i expand the vocubulary regarding no matter ethnic group, race, and religion.

Thanks for having Alma for today