ESL Podcast 432 - Using the Copier

copier - a photocopy machine; a copy machine; a machine that makes a copy of the text or image on a piece of paper so that it appears on another piece of paper

Can your copier make color copies or only black and white copies?

original - the document or other piece of paper that one wants to make copies of

I accidentally left the original in the copier after I was done making copies.

feeder - the part of a copier that one puts papers into, so that the machine takes one piece of paper at a time and makes copies quickly

This feeder can take up to 50 pieces of paper at a time.

jam - a situation where a machine stops working because something inside it is in the wrong position or in the wrong place

The printer has a jam because it tried to take two pieces of paper at once.

to clear (something) - to fix a jam, taking out the thing that caused the problem so that the machine can work again

They weren't able to clear the papers out of the fax machine themselves, so they had to call someone to repair it.

temperamental - something that only works some of the time; something that is difficult to operate

His car is temperamental, and if you don't turn the key just right, the car won't start.

stuck - not able to move; trapped in one place or position

The little girl got her hand stuck inside a toy and had to ask her mother for help.

to tear - to be ripped into two or more pieces

Her skirt tore when she accidentally closed the car door on it.

to shrink (something) - to make something become smaller

Our clothes shrank when we washed them in very hot water.

contrast - the difference between two things, especially between white and black or between light and dark

Could you please adjust the contrast on my computer screen so that it's easier to read?

to enlarge (something) - to make something bigger

That's such a beautiful photo! We should enlarge it and hang it on the living room wall.

collated - put into the correct order, so that when making 3 copies of a 3-page document they are sorted as 123, 123, and 123, not 111, 222, and 333

The copies are already collated, so you just need to staple them together.

don't look now - a phrase used to tell someone that there is a problem when you know that it will make him or her angry or upset

Don't look now, but your son just came home and his hair is green!

toner - ink that is used in printers, fax machines, and copiers

The documents aren't printing well because we ran out of toner.

cartridge - the small plastic box that holds toner (ink) and is placed in a printer, fax machine, or copier so that it can print text or images onto pieces of paper

This printer has one black-and-white cartridge and one color cartridge.

to tempt fate - to take a risk or do something knowing that something bad might happen

You've already won more than $4,000. Don't tempt fate by continuing to play. Stop now and take home the money before you lose it all.

to break down - for a machine or car to stop working and need to be fixed or replaced

Their car broke down in the middle of the freeway and they had to call the police for help.