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English as a Second Language Podcast
www.eslpod.com
ESL Podcast 960 – Giving Someone Your Recommendation
GLOSSARY
to put in an application
– to apply; to submit papers to ask for a job
* Heather put in applications at every coffee shop in the city, but she still hasn’t
found a job.
to hire
– to agree to give someone a job; to agree to make someone one’s
employee
* The business is expanding very quickly and they had to hire more than 30 new
employees last year.
reference
– the name and contact information for a person who can provide
additional information, especially about someone’s qualifications or experience
* Your references should be people who are familiar with your professional work,
but not family members.
to vouch for
– to say good things about someone or something; to indicate that
someone is a good person or that something will be a good choice
* Will you vouch for my computer skills if I apply for that job?
solid
– reliable, trustworthy, and good
* We’re looking for a candidate with solid experience in finance and operations.
to put in a good word
– to say something good about a person or to
recommend someone for an opportunity in an informal way
* You’re friends with a literary agent, right? Would you put in a good word for me
and my book?
assurance
– words or actions that make one feel more certain that something
will happen in a particular way
* Do you have any assurance that your clients will actually pay you each month?
temperament
– personality; the personal characteristics that seem to be a
permanent characteristic of a person, not learned over time, especially how one
shows one’s emotions
* Hal has a calm temperament that helps other people relax.
work ethic
– one’s commitment to working hard and finishing what one has
started; one’s commitment to a job or project
* Group projects are unfair, because the students with the strongest work ethic
end up doing most of the work.
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These materials are copyrighted by the Center for Educational Development (2013). Posting of
these materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.
English as a Second Language Podcast
www.eslpod.com
ESL Podcast 960 – Giving Someone Your Recommendation
on the job
– at work; through experience in a particular position, not by reading
about something or listening to others talk about it
* Did you learn to use this software on the job, or did you already know how to do
that when you applied for the position?
quick study
– a person who learns things very quickly and does not need a lot of
instruction or guidance
* Even if you’re a quick study, it can take years to learn to play a musical
instrument well.
to justify
– to rationalize; to provide a logical reason for something; to be able to
explain what has happened in a way that makes sense to oneself and others
* How can anyone justify spending $20,000 on a watch?
to pass up
– to choose not to have or do something because one is having or
doing something else
* How can you pass up going to the concert just to stay home and study again?
qualified
– with the necessary skills, experience, and knowledge for a position or
opportunity; meeting all the qualifications of something
* Once you earn your degree, you’ll be qualified to work in the best scientific
laboratories in the country.
ringing endorsement
– very strong praise for a person or thing; full support and
recommendation for someone or something
* How could you quit your job so soon? I gave your boss my ringing endorsement
so that she’d give you the job. Now she’ll never trust me again.
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These materials are copyrighted by the Center for Educational Development (2013). Posting of
these materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.
English as a Second Language Podcast
www.eslpod.com
ESL Podcast 960 – Giving Someone Your Recommendation
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1.
a)
b)
c)
According to Jimmy, what did Sal say he did?
He got a new job.
He asked for a job.
He didn’t get job.
2. What does Jimmy mean when he says that Sal has his “ringing
endorsement”?
a) Jimmy trained Sal well.
b) Jimmy thinks that Sal would be very good for the job.
c) Jimmy wants to be just like Sal in his own job.
______________
WHAT ELSE DOES IT MEAN?
solid
The word “solid,” in this podcast, means to be reliable, trustworthy, and good:
“Her math skills are solid, but her writing skills needs improvement.” Normally,
“solid” describes a substance that is hard or firm, not a liquid or a gas: “At what
temperature does liquid water turn into solid ice?” The word “solid” can also
mean entirely or throughout: “Is that vase solid gold?” Sometimes “solid” means
not hollow, without any empty space: “It looked like a solid chocolate bunny, but
when we picked it up, we could tell it was hollow.” The phrase “packed solid”
means very crowded or full: “The ferry was packed solid with commuters.”
Finally, the phrase “on solid ground” means confident, comfortable, and in a
secure or safe position: “After hours on the boat, we were relieved to be back on
solid ground.” Or, “Any scientific lecturer who wants to be on solid ground needs
to mention reliable research.”
quick study
In this podcast, the phrase “quick study” means a person who learns things very
quickly and does not need a lot of instruction or guidance: “Consultants have to
be quick studies so that they can quickly assess the client’s problems and
recommend solutions.” A “quick fix” is a temporary solution that can solve the
problem quickly, but not well or not permanently: “The government is trying to
encourage consumer spending by printing more money, but that’s just a quick fix
that doesn’t address the real problems.” The phrase “to be quick on the draw”
means to react to something very quickly: “Students have to be quick on the
draw to answer the professor’s questions during lectures.” Finally, the phrase “to
have a quick temper” means to become angry very quickly: “The children are
scared of their grandfather, who has a quick temper.”
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These materials are copyrighted by the Center for Educational Development (2013). Posting of
these materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.
English as a Second Language Podcast
www.eslpod.com
ESL Podcast 960 – Giving Someone Your Recommendation
CULTURE NOTE
Types of Recommendation Letters
Letters of recommendations “serve many purposes” (are used for many different
reasons), but the most common are academic, employment, and character
references.
An “academic letter of recommendation” is used by students to apply for
“admission” (entrance to a university or other school) to a school,
college/university, or other educational institution. Academic letters of
recommendation are usually written by staff or “faculty” (a teacher or professor)
at another school who are familiar with the student’s “academic performance”
(how well one does in school), “study habits” (how often one studies and how
prepared one is for class), and “ambitions” (goals; what one wants to do in life).
An “employment letter of reference” or a “career reference” is used to verify an
“applicant’s” (a person applying for a job’s) experience and qualifications, and to
assess the applicant’s temperament and work ethic. Employment letters of
reference are usually written by former “supervisors” (the people one reports to in
a job), but they can also be written by “co-workers” (the people one works with)
and even “third-party” (outside the organization) suppliers and partners.
Employment letters usually describe the roles and responsibilities of an
individual, as well as the experience of working with that individual and the
“impact” (affect; influence) he or she has had on the business or organization.
Finally, a “character reference” or a “character recommendation” is a less formal
document that might be written by a friend, neighbor, or even relative. The letter
should comment on the individual’s personality “traits” (characteristics), interests,
and values like honesty. These types of letters of reference might be used when
applying for housing, “adopting a child” (legally bringing a child into one’s family),
or defending oneself in court.
______________
Comprehension Questions Correct Answers: 1 – b; 2 – b
4
These materials are copyrighted by the Center for Educational Development (2013). Posting of
these materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.
English as a Second Language Podcast
www.eslpod.com
ESL Podcast 960 – Giving Someone Your Recommendation
COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT
Welcome to English as a Second Language Podcast number 960 – Giving
Someone Your Recommendation.
This is English as a Second Language Podcast number 960. I'm your host, Dr.
Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center for Educational Development in
beautiful Los Angeles, California.
Our website is ESLPod.com. Go there. Become a member of ESL Podcast and
download a Learning Guide for this episode. You can also follow us on Facebook
at facebook.com/eslpod. You can follow us on Twitter – why not? – at @eslpod.
Or you can get in a plane, fly to Los Angeles, and invite me to coffee, and we can
talk.
This episode is called “Giving Someone Your Recommendation.” Let’s get
started.
[start of dialogue]
Jimmy: My cousin Sal said that he put in an application for a job here.
Suzanne: Yeah, that’s right.
Jimmy: Well?
Suzanne: Well, what?
Jimmy: Are you going to hire him?
Suzanne: I’m not sure. He doesn’t have any experience and he didn’t provide
any references.
Jimmy: I can vouch for him. Sal is solid. He’s a really nice guy.
Suzanne: I appreciate you putting in a good word for him, but I need more
assurance than that he’s a nice guy. He needs to have the temperament, work
ethic, and skills for this job.
Jimmy: What he doesn’t know he’ll learn on the job. He’s a quick study.
5
These materials are copyrighted by the Center for Educational Development (2013). Posting of
these materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.

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