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IELTS Preparation Series 2, Episode 2: Ginseng


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Xem lời thoại bên dưới:

0:13

Hello. I'm Margot Politis. Welcome to Study English, IELTS preparation.

0:17

Today we're going to look at using the word 'say' in four different ways - to give examples,

0:25

to narrow down, to quote and as a filler.

0:28

Our story looks at the anti-cancer qualities of the ginseng plant. Listen for the word

0:36

'say'.

0:37

What they've found, say, in the case of ginseng, is that it is something that is difficult

0:43

and slow growing, in the wild and even in field cultivation. So you can imagine ginseng,

0:50

to have a mature plant, it might be there for a period of say 4 to 7 years.

0:55

While it's in the ground, it can suffer from pests, pest problems. I've heard of instances

1:02

where growers have had the crop in the ground for say 5 to 6 years. They've been keen to

1:07

keep it that extra year or two, to say form the right shape of the ginseng plant, and

1:12

then they've been struck by pests, virtually overnight.

1:16

The speaker, Dr David Armstrong, uses the word 'say' in several different ways.

1:23

Listen to the first one again.

1:26

What they've found, say, in the case of ginseng, is that it is something that is difficult

1:32

and slow growing.

1:34

The word 'say' in this clip is used to introduce an example.

1:39

In formal English, instead of using 'say', we would use 'for instance' or 'for example'.

1:47

Have a look at these sentences:

1:48

They have found, say, in the case of ginseng, that it is difficult to grow.

1:55

They have found, for instance, in the case of ginseng, that it is difficult to grow.

2:01

They have found, for example, in the case of ginseng, that it is difficult to grow.

2:08

So 'say' can be used to introduce an example.

2:13

Let's listen to another use of the word 'say'.

2:18

So you can imagine ginseng, to have a mature plant, it might be there for a period of say

2:24

4 to 7 years.

2:26

'Say' in this clip has another meaning.

2:30

It's used for narrowing down a time period. It means 'around' or 'approximately'.

2:36

Listen for another example.

2:38

I've heard of instances where growers have had the crop in the ground for say 5 to 6

2:44

years.

2:46

The crop has been in the ground for say 5 to 6 years.

2:50

So the word 'say' here narrows down a time period.

2:54

"The growers have had the crop in the ground for 'say', 5 to 6 years."

3:01

"The growers have had the crop in the ground for 'around', 5 to 6 years."

3:09

Dr Armstrong uses the word 'say' in one more way. Listen here.

3:15

They've been keen to keep it that extra year or two to, say, form the right shape of the

3:20

ginseng plant and then they've been struck by pests.

3:24

He says "to, say, form the right shape of the ginseng plant".

3:28

'Say' here is giving the speaker time to gather his thoughts. It's used as a filler. He could

3:36

have said 'um', or one of the other language fillers.

3:40

For example: "to say, form the right shape of the ginseng plant."

3:46

"to, um, form the right shape of the ginseng plant."

3:51

There is one more use for the word 'say' - to quote. When we report what someone else has

3:56

said we call it indirect speech or reported speech.

4:01

Speakers often introduce indirect or reported speech using the verb 'to say'.