Transcribe your podcast
[00:00:00]

Hello and welcome to this podcast from the BBC World Service, please let us know what you think and tell other people about us on social media. Podcasts from the BBC World Service are supported by advertising.

[00:00:13]

This is a download from BBC Learning English to find out more. Visit our website. Hello and welcome to the English, we speak with me, Fifi and me, Roy. Roy, why are you hitting that table with a hammer? Well, I got your message about flattening the curve, and then I saw that this table had a bit of a bump in it. So I wanted to make sure you were happy.

[00:00:44]

No, Roy, when I talked about flattening the curve, it relates to lowering and smoothing out the peak on a graph or chart.

[00:00:55]

Oh, because you were talking about the rate of infection in the U.K., it's really important to flatten the curve of the infection, to avoid our health care services being overwhelmed with too many patients at one time.

[00:01:09]

That's right. Now, let's listen to these examples. Mean the government have introduced social distancing measures to try and flatten the curve. We need to flatten the curve to prevent too many admissions into hospital. Flattening the curve is vital to help save lives. And this is the English we speak from BBC, Learn English, and we're talking about the expression Flatten the Curve, which has been used a lot during the coronavirus crisis. It means to reduce the peak of a graph or chart.

[00:01:52]

Yes, people have been in lockdown and social distancing to flatten the curve. It seems that the rate of infection in the UK has decreased of late. Yes, it seems that way.

[00:02:06]

But I can't believe you were hitting that table.

[00:02:10]

Well, I was just trying to make you happy. Sorry.

[00:02:14]

Right now my chair is broken. What happened to the wheels?

[00:02:20]

I flattened the curves on your wheels. I fixed everything. You should see what I've done to your car.

[00:02:27]

Oh, working with you is never a boring experience.

[00:02:32]

Thanks by Roy. By FIFA.