ESL Podcast 1009 - Basic Military Commands
troops - soldiers; organized groups of soldiers
How many troops are actively fighting in the war?
drill - an exercise; something that is practiced repeatedly so that one is prepared for what might happen in a real event
The students participate in fire drills at least once each semester.
at ease - relaxed; in a comfortable position
You can be at ease during the presentation, but don't slouch. Good posture is important for making a good impression.
attention - a phrase used to make other people focus on what one is doing and saying, ignoring other distractions
Attention! I have an important announcement.
to fall in - to join a group or a line, especially a group of people who are moving in an organized way
The hardest part of marching band is getting all the musicians to fall in at the same time.
forward, march - a phrase used to tell people to begin walking forward in a slow, steady way, especially when talking to soldiers
We still have miles to go before we set up camp tonight. Forward, march!
to halt - to stop moving; to hold still
We were jogging down the trail when all of a sudden someone called out, "Halt!"
about face - a phrase used to tell someone to turn around, especially in the military
Bow to your dance partner. Now about face! Bow to the person on the other side of you.
double time - a phrase used to tell someone to do something twice as quickly as he or she was doing it before, especially when referring to how quickly someone in the military is moving
We're going to have to work double time to complete that big factory order.
military - the armed forces; the people and organizations that work together to defend a country and use force to promote its interests; the army, navy, air force, marines, coast guard, and other parts of a country's security forces
Is military service mandatory in your country?
to coddle - to treat too kindly or too gently, especially when talking about a child; to spoil someone
If you coddle her every time she falls down and cries, she'll never learn to be strong and resilient.
boot camp - military recruit training; a period of time when new members of the military receive basic training focused on physical strength and endurance, and developing skills needed to be a soldier
By the end of boot camp, you'll be able to hike for miles with a 100-pound backpack in tropical heat.
to instill discipline - to teach and train someone to obey and do what one is told without questioning it or rebelling against the person in charge
What's the best way to instill discipline in teenagers while still teaching them that their opinions are important?
to mark time - to march in one place, lifting one's feet and legs repeatedly, but without moving forward
Once the helicopter lands, the soldiers will mark time until the President reaches the stage.