ESL Podcast 526 - Talking About Age
decrepit - falling apart because something or someone is too old and no longer works correctly
They want to move out of their decrepit apartment building, but they don't have enough money to move somewhere nicer.
in the prime of (one's) life - living in the best period of one's life, when one is happy, healthy, and having fun; the best years in one's life
In the prime of her life, she spent several years traveling throughout North and South America.
middle age - not young or old, maybe 45-55 years old
This store has a lot of clothing for women who are middle age, but not for teenagers or people in their 20s.
perspective - point of view; a way of looking at things; a way of understanding the world
Americans who have lived in other countries often have a different perspective on American culture than people who have always lived in the United States.
spring chicken - an informal term for a young person
Most of the runners competing in the race are spring chickens, but a few of them are much older.
angst - feelings of worry, uncertainty, and discomfort, usually because one doesn't know what will happen next
The school principal said that some students try to hurt themselves when they are experiencing teenage angst.
mature - adult; grown and no longer a child
When I was younger, something like that might have made me angry, but now I usually have a more mature response.
insecurity - a feeling of not knowing what one should do or how one should act; a lack of self-confidence
Most teenage girls feel insecurity about their changing body.
uncertainty - a feeling of not knowing what will happen or what one should do; a feeling of not knowing what one should decide
There's a lot of uncertainly in their lives right now, because Hank still hasn't decided which job to accept.
awkwardness - a feeling of being uncomfortable and not knowing what to say or what to do with one's body
Hattie showed a lot of awkwardness when she was learning how to ride a bike.
teenage - related to people between the ages of 13 and 19
Our grandparents think teenage music just sounds like a lot of loud noise. They don't even think it should be called music!
nostalgic - remembering things from the past and wishing that one could do or experience them again, or wishing that things were like they used to be
Whenever I smell apple pie, I get nostalgic and begin thinking about spending time in my mother's kitchen when I was a child.
innocence - the state of not knowing very much about the real world, especially about bad things that happen
The six-year-old boy's innocence was destroyed when he saw the murder happen.
skydiving - a sport of jumping out a plane with a parachute (a large piece of fabric) to slow down one's fall
He has a terrible fear of heights and would never go skydiving.
to kick the bucket - to die; to pass away; to no longer be living
When I finally kick the bucket, I hope I'm surrounded by family and friends.