[00:00.33]Hello and welcome to The English We Speak from BBC Learning English. I'm Neil.
[00:06.78]Presenting the programme with me today is Li.
[00:10.30]She hasn't arrived at the studio yet and I must say that I'm a bit nervous about her arrival.
[00:16.84]Something's happened to her recently. she's so unfriendly and even frightening. A real dragon.
[00:28.34]What are you saying? Why Neil, why are you not waiting for me?
[00:33.11]This guy, honestly, right, come on. I haven't got all day. Give me the script.
[00:41.16]Ah, hello, I'm Li. blah, blah, blah, this is rubbish as usual.
[00:46.80]Li, what's the matter with you?
[00:48.98]What do you mean? Can we get on with this please?
[00:51.74]Oh, what a dragon！
[00:54.14]What did you say?
[01:00.46]I said that you're a dragon, Li.
[01:03.71]No I'm not, I'm a rooster.
[01:10.98]No, I'm not talking about your Chinese zodiac sign, I mean your personality.
[01:17.89]Oh, oh, thanks.
[01:20.03]What?
[01:21.96]I said thank you.
[01:23.55]Li,I called you a dragon that's not a compliment
[01:27.55]Neil called me a dragon. To us Chinese this is a great compliment, but he says it's not. I wonder what he means.
[01:37.11]Listen to these examples and see if you can get the meaning.
[01:41.44]I'm never going to make my deadline with this report.
[01:45.00]You should speak to Kate to get an extension.
[01:47.70]But I'm too scared of Kate. She's such a dragon.
[01:51.01]That's true. She's so unfriendly and scary. She'll probably shout at you.
[01:58.83]Oh, that doesn't sound good. You should go to the Doctor's.
[02:02.43]I can't face dealing with that dragon at reception. She's always so rude and aggressive.
[02:08.32]Yeah, she's the last thing you want to deal with when you're ill.
[02:12.27]Ah, now I see that to call someone a dragon in English means something very different to Chinese.
[02:19.19]In those examples we have just heard they were using it to describe unfriendly and frightening women.
[02:26.04]Can this be right? Neil, are you calling me unfriendly and scary?
[02:32.09]Erm. yes. Recently.
[02:36.53]Not strong, courageous and determined? This is what we mean in Chinese when we call someone a dragon.
[02:44.68]No, I'm afraid not. We use 'dragon' to describe a woman who is unfriendly and frightening.
[02:51.40]Oh, that's very interesting.
[02:53.58]Yes it is, isn't it?
[02:55.00]oh,Hang on, hang on. What do you mean I'm unfriendly? How dare you call me unfriendly.
[03:03.09]Well, not usually but recently you have been.
[03:05.71]You just wait. I will get my revenge on you for this, you little upstart. Who do you think you are?
[03:13.69]Now you're getting scary.
[03:15.08]I'll show you what a dragon can do. OK, Li I think I'm going to leave now before you start breathing fire.
[03:21.00]Breathing fire? I'll burn you till you're toast.