درسنامه واژه ها

##Adoption – Vocabulary Lesson

Hi, this is Kristin Dodds, one of the teachers and directors of Learn Real English. Welcome to this month’s vocabulary lesson for the conversation titled Adoption. So I have the text here of the conversation and I’ve made some notes about some words or some groups of words that you may have had difficulty understanding. So I’ll be giving you the meanings for those words as they relate to this conversation.

And as always, I always say that in many of our conversations you’ll hear three, usually three words, you’ll hear them a lot. The first one is “yeah.” Yeah is slang, is a slang word for yes. The next word, it’s actually two words combined that you hear a lot is “y’know.” Y’know. So it’s just combining the two words, you and know. So sometimes when we speak very fast, it comes out, when we’re saying you and know, it comes out sounding like y’know.

And the next word is like. So as you probably know, like can mean to have positive feelings for someone or something. But you’ll also hear it a lot in our conversations and it just doesn’t even have a meaning. It’s, many times we just use it but there’s no meaning, so it’s a filler word. Alright, let’s begin with the conversation Adoption.

So adoption: this means to take something on as your own. So in the situation of this particular conversation, that would be children, taking children on as your own.

Alright, in the very beginning of the conversation I say, “It was really nice seeing the pictures of your two new little nephews.” So nephews, these I’m speaking about AJ’s sister’s sons. So there’s two of them. It’s AJ’s sister’s sons, adopted sons, I should say.

And then I say, “When you were in Indiana.” So Indiana is a state here in the United States and its actually kind of the border of the states that are in the northeastern part of the United States as well as bordering the states that start the middle part of the United States. So it’s not really considered a northeastern state but it’s not really a middle, a Midwestern state either, Midwestern meaning more in the middle of the United States.

Then AJ says, “Yeah, super cute.” So super here means very.

And then AJ says, “They’d just been brought back from China.” So he’s saying that they were adopted in China.

And then AJ says, “They had not really adjusted.” So adjusted means gotten used to the new family.

And then AJ says, “One of them was not really integrated into the family.” So integrated into means used to, he wasn’t used to the family.

And then AJ says, “It was a big shock for him.” So a big shock means difficult. It was difficult for him.

And then I say, “The other one was in a foster family.” So a foster family is a short-term family. It’s not a forever situation so it’s a family that takes in a child from an orphanage or an institution where children who don’t have parents are staying. So they take in the baby or the child and give them a home until they find a forever home, a long-term home.

And then AJ says, “He was living in more of an orphanage.” Okay, so I just actually talked about orphanage. So an orphanage is an institution where babies or children stay when they don’t have parents to take care of them. And they stay there until hopefully they are adopted by a family.

And then AJ says, “Some kind of syndrome or condition where he can’t…he basically can’t eat protein.” So a syndrome is an illness. And protein, this is a substance found in foods such as meat and eggs and nuts. And it’s…it’s a very important part of the human diet. It’s important for growth.

And then AJ says, “He can’t digest a certain amino acid.” So when he can’t digest, he’s saying his body can’t break down into small parts, can’t break it down, can’t break the food down. And an amino acid, amino acids are a part of protein. They’re like the building blocks of protein.

And then AJ says, “Apollo had very serious problems with his intestines, digestive system, and needed multiple surgeries.” So intestines: these are a part of us. They are inside of us and it’s where our food passes from our stomach, so it passes from the stomach and then goes through the intestines. Digestive system: this is parts inside of us that help to break down our food. And multiple surgeries: multiple means many. And surgeries: surgeries are treatment of injuries or disorders of the body and usually the treatment involves cutting the body open and then working inside the body to help correct the problem.

Then AJ says, “He’s getting there.” So what he’s saying is he’s getting to be more normal or problemfree.

And then AJ says, “He’s still having some issues.” So issues means problems.

And then I say, “I know it was a long arduous process for them.” So arduous means tiring, tiring, difficult, difficult and tiring.

And then AJ says, “A long arduous process of tons of red tape, bureaucracy.” So tons means lots. And red tape and bureaucracy mean the same thing so it’s actions and complicated tasks that seemed unnecessary.

And then AJ says, “There were all these problems and changes in the laws and regulations.” So laws and regulations: these are government rules.

And then I say, “Oh my gosh.” So what I mean by oh my gosh is wow, I can’t believe that.

And then I say, “Wow, good for them for not giving up.” So when I say for not giving up, I’m saying good for them for continuing to follow through with the process.

And then I say, “I believe they couldn’t conceive.” So conceive means to give birth to children.

And then I say, “They tried, I believe, longer than three years.” So when I say they tried, I’m saying they went through the adoption process.

And then I say, “Longer than Tiffany and Andrew.” So Tiffany is the name of AJ’s sister who adopted the two little boys from China, and Andrew is her husband, so it’s AJ’s brother-in-law.

And then I say, “I believe they were first trying abroad.” So when I say they were first trying abroad, what I meant is they were trying to adopt a child from another country.

And then I say, “There’s weight restrictions for the parents in certain countries.” So weight restrictions, what I meant by this is there’s rules against overweight parents trying to adopt children.

And then I say, “They’re up there in age.” So what I mean by that is they’re not young. In fact, I think they were in their late 30s so maybe 37, 38, 39, when they were trying to adopt a child.

And then I say, “They would go through these agencies.” So what I mean is go through these agencies, I mean they would hire these adoption agencies to help with the adoption process.

And then I say, “They would just be so disappointed constantly.” So disappointed means saddened. And constantly means all the time.

And then I say, “The deal would fall through.” So deal here means adoption. And fall through, when I say that the deal or the adoption would fall through, what I meant is it wouldn’t work out. It didn’t happen. The adoption would not happen.

And then I say, “They started actually trying here in America.” So what I mean by trying here, they actually started trying to adopt a child here in America.

And then I say, “And they thought they were going to get one.” One meaning a baby.

And then next I say, “They went down to Mississippi.” So down means south because they were living in Indiana so Mississippi is actually a state that’s south of Indiana. So Mississippi is the name of a state here in the United States and it’s in the southern part of the United States.

And then I say, “They went back up to Indiana.” So what I mean by going back up is they went north to Indiana.

Then I say, “Then the mother turned around and changed her mind.” So what I meant by the mother turned around, I meant that she decided to change her mind and not give her child up for adoption.

And next I say, “They were about to give up.” So give up means to quit. They were about to just quit, to stop the whole adoption process.

And then I say, “Another child came through.” So what I meant by another child came through, another child was offered to them for them to be able to adopt.

And then AJ says, “So they finally did it.” And what he means by that is they were finally able to adopt a child.

And then AJ says, “The one that was having a hard time.” So when he says having a hard time what he meant was having a difficult time adjusting.

And then AJ says, “But on the other hand.” So what that means, on the other hand, it’s an idiom meaning also.

And then AJ says, “They were not going to keep him permanently.” So permanently means forever.

And then I say, “It was a temporary situation.” So temporary means short-term.

And then AJ says, “He would have just gone back and lived in some institution.” So what AJ meant by gone back, he…what he meant was they, he would have gone back to an orphanage to live.

And then AJ says, “Oh my god, this poor baby.” So what he meant by poor is unfortunate. Oh my god, this unfortunate baby.

And then I say, “Finally starting to adapt.” So adapt here means getting used to being in a new family.

And then I say, “There are an ample amount of people who want to adopt.” So an ample amount of people means more than enough people.

And then I say, “A lot of times it doesn’t even happen.” So what I mean by that is a lot of times it, they’re not able to adopt.

And then I say, “They choose different parents or they’re rejected for whatever reason.” So when I say they choose different parents, they means orphanages, the people working in the orphanages. And when I say they’re rejected, they’re rejected for whatever reason, they’re rejected means the parents wanting to adopt are not accepted. They’re not accepted to be able to adopt a child.

And then AJ says, “It is tragic.” So tragic means unfortunate.

And then I say, “It’ll be interesting to see how Maddox and Phoenix grow up in a small town.” So I should not have said Phoenix, I should have said Maddox and Apollo. Maddox and Apollo are the two little boys that were adopted from China. Phoenix is actually the name of one of AJ’s sister’s real children, in other words, one of…it’s her son that she actually gave birth to, that’s his name, Phoenix. So I just got confused. It should actually be Maddox and Apollo.

And then I say again, “Phoenix and Maddox are Chinese.” So instead of saying Phoenix I should have said Apollo again. I was just confused.

And then AJ says, “Yep.” So yep is a slang word for yes.

And then I say, “Indiana’s pretty white.” So white: a white person, another word for that is Caucasian. What I mean by this is when I say Indiana’s pretty white, I mean it’s mostly Caucasian North Americans living there so there’s not many people from other countries who live there. It’s not…there’s not a variety of people.

And then I say, “With their peers.” So what I mean by their peers, I mean the other children.

And then I say, “A small town in Illinois.” So Illinois is a state that borders the state Indiana. It’s actually to the left of Indiana, directly to the left of Indiana.

And then AJ says, “How the stupid social workers at the agency try to tell her that.” So social workers: these are people working at the adoption agency. And agency means adoption agency or the place that helps people with the adoption process.

Oh, that concludes the vocabulary lesson for the conversation Adoption. I’ll be right back with the commentary.