ESL Podcast 486 - Having Limited Mobility
crutch - one of two long sticks where one puts one end under one's armpit (between one's arm and body) and the other end reaches the ground, used to support one's weight and help one walk when one cannot put very much weight on one's legs
She had to use crutches for six weeks after she broke her leg in a car accident.
wheelchair - a special chair on wheels, used by people who cannot walk
The front entrance has a lot of stairs, so people in wheelchairs have to enter through the back entrance.
strength - enough energy to do something and the ability to use one's muscles in a certain way
He's trying to increase the strength in his arms by lifting weights at the gym every morning.
to get the hang of (something) - to learn to do something so that one is comfortable doing it and it becomes easy and normal
It took him many months to get the hang of the new computer software.
to lose heart - to give up; to think that one will never be able to do or have something because it is too difficult or expensive
Dustin really wants to save their marriage, but he's starting to lose heart.
cast - a piece of plaster (a heavy, hard, white material) that is put around a part of one's body so that it cannot move while a broken bone is healing
Doctor, how many weeks will I have to wear this cast on my arm?
to lose (one's) balance - to fall over or start to fall over because one becomes a little bit dizzy or because the top of one's body leans too far in one direction
The little boy thinks it is fun to spin around in circles until he loses his balance.
to lean on - to support part of one's weight against a person or thing while one is standing
Victoria was tired of standing, but there was nowhere to sit down, so she leaned on a tree to rest.
to serve as (something) - to act as something, especially when that other thing is not available; to take the place of something else
Michels is blind and has a special dog that serves as his eyes.
utterly - completely; entirely; 100%
Jacques works really hard all week and is utterly exhausted by Friday.
frustrating - discouraging; the feeling of anger and disappointment usually caused by something being too difficult
If reading the newspaper in Korean is too frustrating, why don't you try reading some children's stories instead?
to keep (one's) eye on the ball - a phrase used to mean that one should focus on the goal or objective and not be distracted by other, less important things
I know it's hard to save money, but keep your eye on the ball and think about how great it will be to have money when you retire.
next thing you know - a phrase used to talk about something that will happen surprisingly soon if one does something else first
Pay attention in class and study for the tests, and the next thing you know, you'll be getting good grades.
to limp - to walk in a way that puts very little weight on one foot or leg, usually because it is injured or hurting
Jan limped for a few days after he twisted his ankle.
marathon - a long race for runners, usually 26 miles (42 kilometers)
He finished the marathon in 4 hours and 56 minutes.
mobility - the ability to move freely and easily
This city doesn't have very good public transportation, so without a car, you'll have very limited mobility.
first things first - a phrase used to talk about the need to do things in order or one at a time
It would be great to invite your parents over for dinner, but first things first. We need to pick up all the things that are on the floor, dust, and vacuum.