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ESL Podcast 1059 – Feeling Restless and Jumpy

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1

GLOSSARY

to sit still – to sit calmly without moving
* How do elementary school teachers get that many kids to sit still all day?

to bounce – to move up and down against the floor or another surface with
energy
* How many times can you bounce the basketball with just one hand?

jittery – nervous with many small movements and unable to relax
* Is it normal to feel this jittery before speaking in front of an audience?

to chill out – to relax and stop worrying or feeling stressed
* Why are you working so hard? Chill out! The boss won’t be back until Thursday.

restlessness – the condition of being unable to rest or relax, often wanting to
move or do something else, especially if one is very nervous or anxious
* Jack doesn’t like to work in one job for more than a few months and quits when
he can’t control his restlessness.

distracting – making it difficult for someone to concentrate on something; taking
someone’s attention away from where it should be
* Isn’t that music distracting when you’re trying to write a letter?

all-nighter – a study session that continues through the entire night, without
allowing any time for sleep
* When Jan was in high school, she often pulled an all-nighter before an
important exam, but now that she’s middle-aged, it’s difficult to stay awake past
midnight.

to fidget – to make many small, quick movements repeatedly, possibly without
being aware of it, especially when one is nervous or worried
* The patient’s husband is pacing and fidgeting in the waiting room, anxious to
hear what the doctor will say.

to tap – to gently hit an object or body part against the surface of something,
making a slight noise
* The music was so good that almost everyone was tapping his or her toes on
the floor.

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ESL Podcast 1059 – Feeling Restless and Jumpy

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2

worked up – anxious or worried about something and unable to relax or think
about something else
* Why are you so worked up about this presentation? You’ve made similar
presentations before. This time you’ll just have a bigger audience.

make-or-break – something that is extremely important and decides whether a
person will succeed or fail
* This audition could be a make-or-break moment in a young actor’s career.

strung out – affected in a negative way by using too much of a drug
* That man is strung out on heroin or cocaine. Should we call the police, or take
him to the hospital?

caffeine – the chemical substance found in coffee, tea, soda, and chocolate that
makes people feel more awake and energetic
* Wow, this energy drink has as much caffeine as four cups of black coffee!

jumpy – nervous, uneasy, and anxious
* They’re really jumpy, because they’re waiting for their realtor to call and let
them know if their offer on the home has been accepted.

to twitch – to move part of one’s body quickly and unexpectedly, especially
uncontrollably
* When Gregorio gets tired or stressed out, sometimes his eyebrow starts to
twitch.

to counteract – to act against some other force or trend to try to make it stop; to
balance out something through one’s actions
* We’ll have to run several miles to counteract all the calories in that cheesecake!

keyed up – feeling very excited, nervous, or stressed
* The bride’s mother is really keyed up for the wedding.

but – except
* We put everything but the cans of soda in the fridge.

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ESL Podcast 1059 – Feeling Restless and Jumpy

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these materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.

3

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1. Why does Adam find Ellen distracting?
a) Because she is too beautiful
b) Because she is making too much noise
c) Because she is moving around too much

2. What is a make-or-break test?
a) A test where one has to receive a perfect score
b) A test that has a significant impact on one’s grade or ability to graduate
c) A test that requires guessing if one doesn’t know the answer

______________


WHAT ELSE DOES IT MEAN?

worked up
The phrase “worked up,” in this podcast, means anxious or worried about
something and unable to relax or think about something else: “After the
earthquake, everyone was worked up about the possibility of a tsunami.” The
phrase “to work (something) up” means to develop a document, especially to
create a budget or design: “Will you be able to work up the sales projections
before our next meeting?” The phrase “to work up the courage to do (something)”
means to make oneself feel brave and do something that is very scary or
intimidating: “Do you think Saho will ever work up the courage to ask Patty out on
a date?” Finally, the phrase “to work up an appetite” means to do an activity that
results in one becoming hungry: “Hiking all morning worked up their appetite.”

jumpy
In this podcast, the word “jumpy” means nervous, uneasy, and anxious: “Lynn is
afraid of heights and water, so she always gets jumpy when driving over a
bridge.” As a verb, “to jump” can mean to increase significantly and quickly: “The
mayor is concerned about the big jump in crime.” The phrase “to jump from
(something) to (something)” means to change topics or activities quickly: “Clark
jumps from sport to sport, but he still hasn’t found something he wants to play for
more than a few weeks.” Finally, the phrase “to jump the gun” means to do
something too soon: “Your baby boy is only a few weeks old. Don’t you think
you’re jumping the gun by buying him a basketball?”

English as a Second Language Podcast

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ESL Podcast 1059 – Feeling Restless and Jumpy

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4

CULTURE NOTE

The Jitterbug

The Jitterbug was a very popular dance in the United States in the early 1900s.
The name of the dance is “derived from” (based on) the word “jitters” which was
a “slang term” (a word that is used by many people, especially among young
people, but that is not considered proper) used to refer to alcoholics who
“trembled” (moved uncontrollably and were not able to be still) uncontrollably. In
the early 1900s, “jitterbug” began to be used to refer to dancers who did not
seem to have control of the dance.

The term “jitterbug” was used to describe several kinds of “swing dancing” (a
style of dance, usually with two people, performed with a large band and possibly
jazz-style music). The jitterbug is an “acrobatic” (similar to the ways in which
circus performers move their body) dance that is “physically demanding” (difficult
to do with one’s body) and requires “flexibility” (the ability to move body parts
further than most people can) and a lot of energy.

The jitterbug became very popular during World War II. At first, the dance was
seen as “rude” (not polite) and inappropriate by many Europeans, but it soon
became popular internationally. In 1957, a show called American Bandstand
made the jitterbug even more popular by showing “live” (happening in real time,
not recorded previously) jitterbug dancers as they danced to live music in the
“studio” (the large room where a TV show or movie is filmed).

______________

Comprehension Questions Correct Answers: 1 – c; 2 – b

English as a Second Language Podcast

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ESL Podcast 1059 – Feeling Restless and Jumpy

These materials are copyrighted by the Center for Educational Development (2014). Posting of
these materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.

5

COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT

Welcome to English as a Second Language Podcast number 1,059 – Feeling
Restless and Jumpy.

This is English as a Second Language Podcast episode 1,059. I’m your host, Dr.
Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center for Educational Development in
beautiful Los Angeles, California.

Visit our website at ESLPod.com. Become a member of ESL Podcast; when you
do, you can download the Learning Guides for all of our current episodes.

This episode is all about describing someone who is restless and jumpy. Let’s
get started.

[start of dialogue]

Adam: Sit still and stop bouncing your leg like that!

Ellen: Sorry, I didn’t realize I was doing it. I’m just a little jittery.

Adam: Well, try to chill out. We’re supposed to be studying, and your
restlessness is distracting.

Ellen: I can’t help it. I’m like this because I had a lot of coffee. That’s the only way
I can do an all-nighter.

Adam: But how can you study when you’re fidgeting all the time? Stop tapping
your pen on the table!

Ellen: Sorry. It’s either I’m worked up or I fall asleep, and tomorrow’s test is a
make-or-break one for me. I’ve got to do well.

Adam: I don’t see how you can get any studying done when you’re strung out on
caffeine. You’re so jumpy, and I think you’re starting to twitch. Why don’t you try
to counteract the caffeine by drinking lots of water?

Ellen: Do you know how long it took me to get this keyed up? I’m not doing
anything to reduce the effects.

Adam: Fine.

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ESL Podcast 1059 – Feeling Restless and Jumpy

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these materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.

6

Ellen: Hey, where are you going?

Adam: Anywhere but here!

[end of dialogue]

Adam and Ellen are college students. They are studying for a test – they are
preparing to take an examination. Adam says to Ellen, “Sit still and stop bouncing
your leg like that!” When you tell someone to “sit still” (still), you are telling him to
sit calmly, to sit without moving his arms or his legs. Usually it’s something you
would say to a young child – for example, at a restaurant, when the child is
moving around too much: “Sit still!” Adam is telling Ellen, however, to sit still.

He says, “Stop bouncing your leg like that!” “To bounce” (bounce) something is to
move it up and down, usually against the floor or some other flat area or surface.
When you think of a basketball, for example, you imagine it bouncing up and
down. It goes up and down between the hand and the floor. Ellen isn’t bouncing
a ball. She’s bouncing her leg up and down against the floor, and Adam is telling
her to stop it.

Ellen says, “Sorry, I didn’t realize I was doing it. I’m just a little jittery.” “To be
jittery” (jittery) means to be nervous, to be unable to relax. Often when you’re
jittery, your hands shake a little or your body moves a little, almost involuntarily.
Sometimes you’re jittery because you’re excited about something. Sometimes
you’re jittery because you’re nervous about something.

Adam says, “Well, try to chill out.” The phrasal verb “to chill (chill) out” means to
relax, to stop worrying, to stop feeling depressed. It’s an expression that was
quite common 20, 30 years ago. I’m not sure how common it is today, but people
still say it: “Chill out.” You don’t want to say this to someone you don’t know well,
however. You wouldn’t want to say it to your boss, for example. The expression
has something of a criticism in its tone, and so it’s something you would say to a
friend, perhaps, or to your spouse or your children, but not something you would
say to someone in authority over you.

Adam tells Ellen, however, to chill out. He says, “We’re supposed to be studying,
and your restlessness is distracting.” “To be restless” (restless) means something
similar to “to be jittery.” If you’re restless, you’re moving around all the time
because you’re nervous. “Restlessness” is just the noun that refers to the state of
being restless. Adam is saying that Ellen’s restlessness “is distracting.”
Something that is distracting is something that makes it difficult for you to

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ESL Podcast 1059 – Feeling Restless and Jumpy

These materials are copyrighted by the Center for Educational Development (2014). Posting of
these materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.

7

concentrate or to focus on something. It takes your attention away from where it
should be.

Ellen says, however, “I can’t help it.” “I can’t help it” means I can’t stop myself
from doing it; I can’t prevent it. “I’m like this,” she says, “because I had a lot of
coffee.” “To have a lot of coffee” is to drink a lot of coffee. If you drink a lot of
coffee, it may make you jittery because of a certain chemical in the coffee called
“caffeine.” Ellen says, “That’s the only way I can do an all-nighter.” Ellen is saying
the only way she can do an all-nighter is to drink a lot of coffee.

What’s an “all-nighter?” An “all (all) – nighter (nighter)” is when you study all night
long for a test the next day. At least, that’s the most common use of the term. We
often use the verb “to pull” with “all-nighter.” “I’m going to pull an all-nighter.” That
means I’m going to study all night without sleeping for a test the next day. Now,
you could also pull an all-nighter to complete a report or to complete a paper.

Generally speaking, pulling an all-nighter is not a good idea if you are studying
for a test, because you’ll be so tired the next day, you’ll probably perform worse
on the test than you would have if you had simply slept, even though you studied
more. To pull an all-nighter to complete a paper probably doesn’t matter, since
the idea is that once you complete the paper, you’re done and you can go to
sleep.

I’ve pulled an all-nighter only once in my academic career. I remember it very
well. I was writing a paper about the Battle of Bannockburn in Scotland, one of
the most famous battles between England and Scotland, and I had to get this
paper completed by the next morning. So, I stayed up all night typing, as one did,
on my typewriter, since this was before the days of computers. I did finish the
paper and I got a pretty good grade on it, thank you very much. But that was the
only time I ever pulled an all-nighter. Anyway, it all brings back memories.

Adam says, “But how can you study when you’re fidgeting all the time?” “To
fidget” (fidget) means to make small, rapid or quick movements repeatedly,
possibly without even being aware of it. When you’re nervous, for example, or
jittery you might move your finger up and down, or your leg up and down, without
noticing that you’re doing it – without being completely aware that you’re doing it.
Adam can’t understand how Ellen can study when she’s fidgeting all the time.

Then Adam says to her, “Stop tapping your pen on the table!” “To tap” (tap)
something with your finger would be to hit it with your finger repeatedly. You can
also tap on a wall, for example. You could use your fist to hit the wall repeatedly.
That’s “tapping.” Adam is telling Ellen to stop tapping the pen on the table. Ellen

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ESL Podcast 1059 – Feeling Restless and Jumpy

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these materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.

8

says, “Sorry. It’s either I’m worked up or I fall asleep.” Ellen is saying there are
one of two possibilities right now: either she falls asleep or she gets worked up.
“To be worked up” means to have a lot of energy, to have a lot of nervousness or
anxiety.

Ellen says, “Tomorrow’s test is a make-or-break one for me.” The phrase “make-
or-break” means it’s something that is extremely important. It’s something that
will decide whether you succeed or fail at something. A make-or-break test would
be one that would determine, for example, if you are going to pass a class or not.
Ellen says, “I’ve got to do well,” meaning “I have to do well on the test.”

Adam says, “I don’t see how you can get any studying done when you’re strung
out on caffeine.” “To be strung (strung) out” on some substance or drug means to
be affected in a very negative way, usually because you’ve taken a lot of a
certain drug. Ellen has drunk a lot of coffee, and therefore consumed a lot of
“caffeine” (caffeine). “Caffeine” is the chemical substance found in coffee, as well
as other drinks, that can make you feel awake and energetic, but could also
make you, if you drink too much of it, jittery and nervous.

Adam says to Ellen, “You’re so jumpy, and I think you’re starting to twitch.” “To
be jumpy” (jumpy) means something similar to “to be jittery.” It means to be
nervous, to be anxious, to be moving around. “To twitch” (twitch) means to move
one part of your body very quickly and sometimes uncontrollably. When I have a
bad allergic reaction – when my allergies are bothering me – sometimes my eye
twitches. It moves involuntarily without me wanting it to. (Technically, my eyelids
twitch, not my actual eyes.)

Adam then says to Ellen, “Why don’t you try to counteract the caffeine by
drinking lots of water?” “To counteract” (counteract) means to try to stop or
prevent something else that is happening by doing something opposite of that, or
to do something that somehow balances it out. If you start to get sleepy, you
could counteract your sleepiness by drinking coffee with caffeine in it. What
Adam is suggesting here is that Ellen try to counteract the effects of the caffeine
by doing something else: by drinking a lot of water.

I’m not sure if drinking a lot of water counteracts the effect of caffeine, but Adam
seems to think so. Ellen says, “Do you know how long it took me to get this
keyed up?” “To be keyed (keyed) up” is to be very excited or nervous or
stressed. She says, “I’m not doing anything to reduce the effects,” meaning, in
this case, to make her less jumpy, less jittery. Adam then says, “Fine,” meaning
“okay.”

English as a Second Language Podcast

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ESL Podcast 1059 – Feeling Restless and Jumpy

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these materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.

9

Ellen says, “Hey, where are you going?” Adam has started to get up and leave.
Adam says, “Anywhere but here.” Adam doesn’t want to stay with Ellen because
she’s distracting him. That’s why he says, “Anywhere but here.” The use of the
word “but” here means “except” – anywhere except here, anywhere that isn’t
here, if you will.

Now let’s listen to the dialogue, this time at a normal speed.

[start of dialogue]

Adam: Sit still and stop bouncing your leg like that!

Ellen: Sorry, I didn’t realize I was doing it. I’m just a little jittery.

Adam: Well, try to chill out. We’re supposed to be studying, and your
restlessness is distracting.

Ellen: I can’t help it. I’m like this because I had a lot of coffee. That’s the only way
I can do an all-nighter.

Adam: But how can you study when you’re fidgeting all the time? Stop tapping
your pen on the table!

Ellen: Sorry. It’s either I’m worked up or I fall asleep, and tomorrow’s test is a
make-or-break one for me. I’ve got to do well.

Adam: I don’t see how you can get any studying done when you’re strung out on
caffeine. You’re so jumpy, and I think you’re starting to twitch. Why don’t you try
to counteract the caffeine by drinking lots of water?

Ellen: Do you know how long it took me to get this keyed up? I’m not doing
anything to reduce the effects.

Adam: Fine.

Ellen: Hey, where are you going?

Adam: Anywhere but here!

[end of dialogue]

English as a Second Language Podcast

www.eslpod.com

ESL Podcast 1059 – Feeling Restless and Jumpy

These materials are copyrighted by the Center for Educational Development (2014). Posting of
these materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.

10

Our scriptwriter, Dr. Lucy Tse, never pulls an all-nighter to write her wonderful
scripts. Thank you, Lucy.

From Los Angeles, California, I’m Jeff McQuillan. Thank you for listening. Come
back and listen to us again right here on ESL Podcast.

English as a Second Language Podcast was written and produced by Dr. Lucy
Tse, hosted by Dr. Jeff McQuillan. Copyright 2014 by the Center for Educational
Development.