ESL Podcast 801 - Reading Online Reviews

spot - place; location; site; destination

This is a perfect spot for a picnic on a warm day.

convenient - easy and comfortable, not creating problems or difficulty

We live near the library, so it's more convenient to walk there than to drive and have to search for a parking spot.

tried and true - tested and proven; something that has been attempted or used multiple times and has been shown to be successful or to work well

This diet is a tried and-true method for lowering your blood pressure.

novelty - something that is new and has not been done, seen, heard, or experienced before

Eating ice cream would be a novelty for someone who grew up without refrigeration.

year after year - every year; repeatedly once a year

Year after year, they talk about traveling overseas, but they never do.

to rank - to put things in order based on some criteria, especially how good something is

Where can I find a report that ranks the U.S. educational system against the educational system in other countries?

rating - an assigned value based on how good or useful something is

Kari won't buy from any online sellers until they have a rating of at least four stars.

review - a written opinion about how good or bad something is

The reviews say this restaurant has really good seafood, but a poor selection of wines.

stars - a system of rating something, especially hotels, where one star is the lowest rating and five stars is the highest rating

Have you ever stayed in a five-star hotel?

out of - from; a phrase used to show the number of items one received from the total number possible

Gracie was really pleased to get 93 out of 100 points on the exam.

pro - advantage; a positive or beneficial characteristic or feature; something that makes one like something

The biggest pro for going to a state university is that the tuition is much lower than at a private university.

con - disadvantage; a negative or undesirable characteristic or feature; something that makes one dislike something

Having to work with Sam is a major con against accepting the job.

pricy - expensive; not cheap

This menu is so pricy! Maybe we should just share an appetizer.

to ding - to lower the value or rating of something, usually as a negative consequence of something that has happened

In my annual work review, my supervisor dinged me for arriving to work late three times.

to keep an open mind - to be willing to consider everything and delay making a decision or forming an opinion

William looks a little odd, with pink hair and lots of tattoos, but please keep an open mind. He's a really nice guy.

dubious - skeptical; doubting; questioning whether something is real, believable, or valid; not sure of whether something is true or real

When Randall said they bought a great home for just $80,000, we were dubious.

to take everything (one reads/sees/hears) with a grain of salt - to question everything one is told and never assume something is true just because one has read, seen, or heard it

Meghan swears that drinking herbal tea cured her illness, but I know Meghan and I'm taking everything she says with a grain of salt.

to break the bank - to cost a lot of money; to leave one with no money remaining because one has spent it all on something

It might be tempting to buy a cheap car, but remember that all the repairs might break the bank.