📘 Part 3: Quiet Places and Noise

This episode's vocabulary

Handy (adj) – convenient to handle or use. → Example: The countryside isn't that far off, which is pretty handy.

Ramp up (phrasal verb) – to increase the level or amount of something sharply. → Example: It's easy to see how the noise might ramp up, especially in the cities.

Go off (phrasal verb) – (of a phone or alarm) to ring or make a noise. → Example: There are more things in the homes to make noise, like phones going off.

Make a racket (idiom) – to make a lot of loud, unpleasant noise. → Example: You might hear dogs and cats making a racket.

Get sick and tired of (idiom) – to become very annoyed with someone or something. → Example: I imagine they get sick and tired of all the ruckus and just want to get away from it all.

Ruckus (n) – a noisy situation or argument. → Example: If you live with other people, you might get tired of all the ruckus.

Get away from it all (idiom) – to go somewhere to relax, away from worries and responsibilities. → Example: Older people usually want to get away from it all.

Entitled to (adj) – believing oneself to be inherently deserving of privileges or special treatment. → Example: You might feel entitled to a little peace and quiet yourself.

Peace and quiet (idiom) – a state of calm and quiet. → Example: If you spent decades in noisy surroundings, you might feel entitled to a little peace and quiet.

Pensioner (n) – a person who receives a pension, especially one from the state. → Example: If you're a pensioner or have retired, then it's easier to find the time and money to do what you want.

Games console (n) – an electronic device used for playing video games. → Example: There are things to do digitally or online, like with games consoles and computers.

Questions and Answers

Maria: Is it easy to find quiet places in your country?

Rory: I think so. There are only five million people in the whole country, and we have a lot of open green space and forests for people to go to. Even in larger cities, on nicer days, the countryside isn't that far off, which is pretty handy. And of course, if you don't have access to transport, there are many, well, so many libraries and churches and the like, you wouldn't struggle to find a place like that to be quiet, or to have some quiet time.

Maria: Why are there more noises made at home now than in the past?

Rory: Well, there are more people nowadays and more people in the homes, so that might be why. I think I read somewhere that the materials for building them are lighter. So if the walls are thinner, because the material is lighter, it's easy to see how that might, well, how the noise might ramp up, especially in the cities. And of course, there are more things in the homes to make noise, like phones going off or dogs and cats making a racket.

Maria: Why do old people prefer to live in quiet places?

Rory: I imagine they get sick and tired of all the ruckus and just want to get away from it all, which makes sense, I suppose. If you spent decades in noisy surroundings, working hard for a living, then you might feel entitled to a little peace and quiet yourself.

Maria: Do you think only old people have time for leisure?

Rory: Oh, absolutely not. There are loads of options out there for everybody. Obviously, if you're a pensioner or have retired, then it's easier to find the time and money to do what you want most of the time, but young people still have things like weekends and various spaces to have fun.

Maria: How does technology affect the way people spend their leisure time?

Rory: I think it gives them more options. The most obvious set would be things to do digitally or online, like with games consoles and computers, but you can also think about the ways that tech has allowed people with disabilities to access things they never could before. And it's allowed us to make new materials for things like hang gliders and bungee cords. So that's pretty cool.

Maria: How do people spend their leisure time in your country?

Rory: That's a good question. I don't really know much about it. But I think it's similar to what people enjoy elsewhere. Things like reading, playing games, going online and interacting through social media. A lot of people still go and see their friends and family, though that's mostly at home these days because, well, going out is quite expensive.