ESL Podcast 653 - Reading Product Reviews
on the fritz - not working very well; undependable and likely to break soon
Their computer is on the fritz, so they have to save their files every few minutes.
highly-rated - determined to be of good quality compared to similar products
According to the travel guide, this is one of the most highly-rated restaurants in town.
model - one design of a machine or other product, possibly one of many offered by a particular company
Which Toyota model to you prefer: the Corolla or the Camry?
on sale - offered for purchase at a discounted, lower price for a limited period of time
Warm winter jackets are usually on sale in February and March, when stores want to start displaying clothing for spring and summer.
to read up on (something) - to read a lot of information to learn about something before seeing or experiencing it
Bryce has spent the past few weeks reading up on the country so he'll know what to expect when he gets there.
review - a written opinion about the quality of a product or service, shared with other people so that they can decide which product or service they want to purchase for themselves
Have you read any reviews of the new horror movie?
a waste of time - something that is not a good use of one's time; something that one should not spend time doing because it doesn't result in any benefits or advantages
Making your bed each morning is a waste of time. You're just going to sleep in it again in the evening, right?
to go with (one's) gut - to do what one feels or believes is right, without doing any research or asking for other people's opinions
When I don't know the answer to a multiple-choice test question, I just go with my gut and pick one.
value - the relationship between the usefulness or quality of something and the amount one has to pay for it
CFC light bulbs are more expensive than incandescent light bulbs, but they are a better value because they last longer.
reliable - something that can be trusted; something that one knows will work as expected each time it is needed
This car may be ugly, but it's reliable and always takes me wherever I need to go.
durable - strong and not easy to break; remaining in good, like-new condition
This vase looks fragile, but it's actually very durable. It didn't break even when we dropped it onto the sidewalk.
customer support - services offered by a company to its customers when they have problems with a product or service, or with the amount of money they have been charged
If you're not happy with your purchase, send a complaint message to customer support and see if they'll refund your money.
defective - not working properly; with a problem or flaw; not manufactured correctly
We had to take the defective CD player back to the store for a refund.
poorly designed - with a bad design; with a problem in the way the pieces of something are put together, or the way they work together
This stroller is poorly designed, because it's too difficult to get a baby in and out of it.
overall - considering all the factors or parts of something; comprehensively
The teacher found a few errors in my essay, but he said that overall it was very well written.
all the better - even better; something that is an improvement or makes a situation more pleasant, beneficial, or advantageous
They're already offering to sell us the boat at a great price, but if they'll deliver it to our house for free, all the better.
enough said - an informal phrase used when something is very obvious and no other information needs to be added, often used humorously
Will it be a big party?
We've sent out more than 700 invitations. Enough said.