📘 Part 3: Waiting

This episode's vocabulary

The wherewithal (noun) - something such as money or a particular quality that is necessary in order to get or achieve something.

To cope with something (collocation) - to deal successfully with a difficult situation or a person in a difficult situation.

To sit around (phrasal v

erb) - to spend time sitting down and doing very little.

To be short on time (phrase) - to have limited time to do something.

Attention span (noun) - the length of time that someone can keep their thoughts and interests fixed on something.

Prolonged (adj.) - continuing for a long time.

Youthful (adj.) - having the qualities that are typical of young people.

To expend (verb) - to use or spend time, effort, or money.

To reflect (verb) - if a surface reflects light, heat, sound, or an image, it sends the light, etc. back and does not absorb it.

Nuance (noun) - a very slight difference in appearance, meaning, sound, etc.

Patience (noun) - the ability to wait, or to continue doing something despite difficulties, or to suffer without complaining or becoming annoyed.

Patient (adj.) - having patience.

To strike up (something) - to start a relationship or conversation with someone.

Monotony (noun) - a situation in which something stays the same and is therefore boring.

Queuing (verb) - the act of waiting in a line of people, often to buy something.

Tedium (noun) - the quality of being boring for a long time.

Questions and Answers

M: On what occasions do people have to wait?

R: Well, I suppose generally when they don't have the wherewithal to move forward. So you have to wait for a bus when you don't have access to a car to take you places.

M: Do people usually like to wait for a long time?

R: Well, I wouldn't say they like it but they cope better with it than, well, they used to because they've got smartphones to carry around with them. And constant internet access to keep them entertained. Before they'd have had to sit around and wait for ages. And that's not fun for most people.

M: Why do people dislike waiting?

R: Well, if they're focused on a goal and don't see progress towards it, I can see how that would be frustrating for a lot of people. Especially if they're short on time, like waiting for a doctor's appointment during their lunch break or something like that.

M: Why do most children have difficulties waiting for a long time?

R: Well, they've got a shorter attention span. So it makes sense, they wouldn't be able to sit still for prolonged periods like some adults can, plus they're full of that youthful energy they need to expend to, well, they just need to expend or it builds up and they go wild, which makes moving around rather important. Now I think about it.

M: Do children have more patience than adults?

R: Good question. Given the way, a lot of adults behave sometimes. Generally speaking, though, probably not. Adults can more effectively reflect on situations and are, well, they're more able to see the nuances in them. And that lets them use that to keep their cool more easily. Children don't have that experience. So it makes sense they would be less patient.

M: Who behaves better while waiting, children or adults?

R: Well, broadly speaking, probably adults for the reasons I already mentioned.

M: What can people do while waiting in a line?

R: Most of them are on their phones, distracting themselves in the experience, though, if some people like to strike up a conversation with a random standing next to them, that could be a fun way to make friends, or at least break the monotony of the situation, since it's a new experience.

M: Do people in your country like waiting in line?

R: Do people in any country like queuing? They might deal with it better because of all the things they can use to deal with the tedium, but I doubt they actually enjoy the experience of just standing around and waiting. It's not exactly a breathtaking time, is it?