US Bar Chat

East Coast - West Coast

This month we are going to listen to two young Americans, Sally and Valerie, who are talking about the differences between the east coast of the United States and the west coast. Listen to the conversation and answer these questions:

Exercise

1. What do they say about the east coast and the people there? 2. What do they say about the west coast and the people there?

Sally: I could never live in the east coast. People there are so fast-paced. Valerie: Yeah, I know. The west coast people are chilled, calm, easy-going. Sally: Yeah, and, erm, people from the east coast are like workaholics. And all they do is, like, work everyday. Valerie: Yeah, I think the west coasters kind of have a slower pace of life. They take things as they come. It’s a lot more laid-back. Sally: Yeah, and people in the, in the east coast are, all they’re worried about is wealth, prestige, how they look. Valerie: Yeah, it’s all a bit superficial, wouldn’t you say? Sally: Yes, I think so. I mean, people can be snobby, an think they’re better than everybody, and then they come to the west coast and think it’s the same down there. Valerie: The west coast has so much, so much of a slower pace of life, and not so hurried like in the east coast, wouldn’t you agree? Sally: Yeah, I agree. Valerie: And then, then, I mean in the west coast we have, the restaurants are by the sea. There’s beaches, Hollywood. What more can you ask for? Sally: But there’s also a lot more culture in the east coast. There’s... You have museums, you have monuments, you have Broadway. Valerie: Yeah, they’d like to say that the history of the country is all in the east coast. But, you know, we have history too, the west coasters. Sally: Yeah, but not as much as east coasters. Valerie: Well, basically, I think probably the west coasters make the east coasters live better.

G L O S S A R Y

fast-paced adj tense and stressed chilled adj relaxed easy-going adj relaxed and calm like exp people use this word to fill space in a conversation - it doesn’t really mean anything workaholics n people who are obsessed with work a slower pace of life exp a slower rhythm of life to take things as they come exp to be very calm about things and to accept things calmly laid-back adj relaxed and calm snobby adj with the idea that you are superior to everyone else hurried adj nervous, stressed and quick