VOA · Words and Their Stories
Advanced · C1learner speed4:512024-10-03public domain
Words and Their Stories is VOA's classic program about American English expressions and idioms — where phrases like 'break the ice' come from and how to use them. Native-like idioms in slow, clear speech: a rare combination for learners.
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01And now, words and their stories from VOA Learning English.
02On this program, we explore words and expressions in the English language.
03We give examples, notes on usage, and sometimes we use them in short conversations.
04Today, we talk about the sweet dish at the end of a meal, the dessert.
05One of the most famous kinds of dessert is pie.
06With a buttery crust and sweet fillings like apple, berries, or banana cream.
07A well-made pie is a dreamy food indeed.
08And that gives us the expression, pie in the sky.
09Imagine, a perfect pie coming down to you from the sky.
10That is like a dream.
11And a pie in the sky is a dream too.
12Anything described as pie in the sky is fun to daydream about.
13But is very unlikely to happen.
14When we act in a pie in the sky manner, we are being foolishly optimistic.
15Any industry or area of life can have pie in the sky ideas.
16So you can use this expression for different situations.
17In business, let's say a company has lost money for two straight years.
18But the company chief promised increased earnings in the coming year.
19Her claims, as they say, were simply pie in the sky.
20She had no business plan or data to support them.
21An unpublished writer may have pie in the sky dreams about her book being turned into a multi-million dollar film project.
22A teacher may have pie in the sky wishes that all his students complete their homework on time.
23Pies in the sky are empty promises or empty wishes.
24They are wishful thinking.
25They are as unlikely as tasty pies falling from the sky.
26American English has another similar expression.
27Pipe dream.
28The expression is also used to describe a plan, hope, or wish that is highly unlikely to happen.
29However, this expression does not come from a tasty bakery.
30Word experts say it started in opium dens.
31Here, people would smoke opium in long pipes and then fall into a dreamlike state where nothing seemed real.
32Now, let's hear two friends using the expressions pipe dream and pie in the sky.
33Hey, did you hear about Sarah?
34She's moving to Spain.
35Really?
36Last week, she told me she was having trouble paying her rent.
37Well, she told me this morning that she's moving to Madrid to open a bakery.
38Sarah?
39Open a bakery?
40That sounds like a total pie in the sky to me.
41She can't even make toast.
42You know, it sounded like a pipe dream when she told me.
43She didn't have details.
44Just a lot of dreamy talk.
45Well, if she wants to turn her pie in the sky bakery dream into a reality, I'd advise her to do one thing first.
46Learn how to bake.
47And that's all the time we have for this Words and Their Stories.
48Until next time, I'm Ana Mateo.
49I'm Ana Mateo.
50I'm Ana Mateo.
51I'm Ana Mateo.
52I'm Ana Mateo.
53I'm Ana Mateo.
54I'm Ana Mateo.
55I'm Ana Mateo.
56I'm Ana Mateo.
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