Daily English 1287 Using Adapters and Converters

Dialogue/Story

Slow Speed begins at: 1:08
Explanation begins at: 3:23
Normal Speed begins at: 18:00

Complete Transcript

Welcome to English as a Second Language Podcast number 1,287 – Using Adapters and Converters.

This is English as a Second Language Podcast episode 1,287. I’m your host, Dr. Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center for Educational Development in beautiful Los Angeles, California.

This episode is a dialogue between Ben and Nicola about being able to plug in or use your electronic devices when you’re in another country or when you’re traveling. Let’s get started.

[start of dialogue]

Ben: Wait! Don’t plug that into the socket. You’ll fry that old hair dryer.

Nicola: I can’t, anyway. This plug has two prongs and that socket is designed for three prongs.

Ben: That’s why I brought these adapters and this combination converter and transformer. Our devices will either not work or be ruined if we try plugging them directly into those outlets.

Nicola: I should have bought a travel hair dryer with dual voltage.

Ben: You’d still need an adapter.

Nicola: Whatever. Okay, I’ve put them both on. Now can I dry my hair?

Ben: You can’t use that hair dryer because the cord is frayed. If you turn it on, it may short circuit and then blow a fuse. We’d be without electricity.

Nicola: What am I supposed to do then?

Ben: Good thing I brought mine. Let me just check that the outlet is grounded. Yeah, I think it’s safe for you to use this one.

Nicola: I won’t get electrocuted?

Ben: You won’t even get a little singed.

[end of dialogue]

Our dialogue begins with Ben saying to Nicola, “Wait,” meaning “Stop what you are doing.” He then says, “Don’t plug that into the socket.” The phrasal verb “to plug (plug) in” something or “to plug something in” – and we can also use “into” (into) with this verb – means to put the wire that is connected to an electronic device into what is called a “socket.”

Technically you’re not putting the wires into the socket. You’re putting something the wires are connected to, called a “plug” (plug). So “plug” is both a noun, describing that object that is at the end of an electrical wire, and a verb meaning to put that object into a “socket” (socket). A “socket,” sometimes called a “wall socket,” is that thing in the wall that has electricity running to it. You put, or plug, something into the socket in order to get electricity to your T.V. or radio or phone charger or whatever it happens to be.

So, Ben is telling Nicola not to plug something into a socket. He then says, “You’ll fry that old hair dryer.” The verb “to fry” (fry) here means to destroy something or ruin something, especially an electronic device, because of an inappropriate or improper amount of electricity used with it. Americans who travel to Europe, for example, have to be careful because most European countries use a different system of electricity. Here in the United States we use 110 volts, and in many countries in Europe they use 220 volts.

Well, some older electronic devices don’t work on both systems. My electric toothbrush, for example, got fried when I plugged it in once when I was visiting Europe several years ago. It wasn’t one that you could use with the different voltage that was used in that country. So, that’s what we mean by “to fry” something. It means the electronic device stops working because it has the wrong amount of electricity or type going through it. A “hair (hair) dryer (dryer)” does what it says it does. It dries your hair. I used to have a hair dryer.

Nicola says, “I can’t, anyway,” meaning “I can’t plug in to this socket.” She says, “This plug has two prongs and that socket is designed for three prongs.” A “prong” (prong) is one of those short pieces of metal that comes out of a plug that is used to connect the plug to the socket. In the United States, most sockets accept plugs that have two short, flat pieces of metal. In many other countries the prongs are round, and therefore if you want to plug something, say, from the United States into another socket in another country, you need what’s called an “adapter.”

And that’s what Ben talks about in the very next sentence here. He says, “That’s why I brought these adapters.” An “adapter” (adapter) is any small device that connects two things together that use different systems of connectors. So, for example, you may have a phone that uses one kind of connector on one end of the electric cord used to charge the phone and a different connector on the other end. If you need to connect two things together that have different connectors, you need an “adapter.”

For electronic devices, you may need something that not only helps with the two different systems of prongs, but also with the actual type of or amount of electricity. Ben refers to a “combination converter” and “transformer.” A “converter” is anything that changes the electrical current, such as from AC, or “alternating current,” to DC, or “direct current.” A “transformer” is something that changes the amount of voltage of the electric current from, say, 220, which is used commonly in Europe, to 110, which is used for U.S. and Canadian electronic devices – and other countries as well, of course.

Nowadays, many electronic devices have their own converters and/or transformers built in so that you don’t need a separate one, but older ones often do need converters and/or transformers. Ben continues, “Our devices will either not work or will be ruined” – that is, will be destroyed – “if we try plugging them directly into those outlets.” An “outlet” (outlet) here means the same thing as a wall socket.

Nicola says, “I should have bought a travel hair dryer with dual voltage.” “Dual” (dual) means two, or two types. So “dual voltage” is something that works on both 110- and 220-volt electrical systems. Ben says, however, “You’d still need an adapter,” meaning even if the hair dryer was one that had dual voltage, you still wouldn’t be able to plug it into the socket because the prongs wouldn’t fit into a different socket. You would need an adapter for that to convert it from, say, a U.S.-style plug to one that would work in different countries.

Nicola says, “Whatever,” meaning “Okay, I don’t want to talk about that anymore.” She says, “I’ve put them both on,” meaning she has put the plug into an adapter and a transformer. “Now can I dry my hair?” she asks. Ben says, “You can’t use that hair dryer because the cord is frayed” (frayed). If something is “frayed,” it is coming apart. We especially use that for a rope or wire that has been used so much that it is starting to come apart. You can see the inside of the cord where the wire itself is. Whatever is around that wire is starting to fray, or to come apart.

Notice that Ben says the “cord” (cord) is frayed. The cord is what goes between your electronic device and the socket. It’s what the plug is connected to. The cord has the wires in it that connect your device to the socket. Ben says, “If you turn it on,” meaning if you turn that hair dryer on, “it may short circuit and then blow a fuse.” “To short circuit” (circuit) is when the electrical current starts to increase rapidly due to a problem with your wires, with your cord, or perhaps with the device itself. This can cause a fire and/or damage your electrical device.

A “short circuit” can also cause you to “blow a fuse” (fuse). “To blow a fuse” means that there is too much power running and the electrical system shuts down. It stops. One of the safety devices that houses and buildings have are what are called “fuses” (fuses) or nowadays, much more commonly, “circuit breakers.” What happens is that the electrical power stops going to a certain part of the house or building when too much power is being drawn, when too much power is going through the wires.

In most modern buildings and houses, there are what are called “circuit breakers.” There’s just a little switch that you have to turn back on. In the old days, including in the house I grew up in many years ago, we had what were called “fuses.” Inside of the fuse, which was basically a little cylinder, a little round tube, there was a wire that itself would break apart when too much power was going through it. In any case, Ben says that if Nicola had a short circuit, they would end up being without electricity. Nicola says, “What am I supposed to do then?”

Ben says, “Good thing I brought mine,” meaning he brought his own hair dryer. “Let me just check” – let me just see – “that the outlet is grounded (grounded).” “To be grounded” means that there is an electrical wire that runs or goes from the plug to the ground so that it can take away any extra electrical charges in the case of a large amount of electricity going through the wire, such as a short circuit or possibly a lightning strike – when a large amount of electricity is running through the air and eventually the wire during a bad storm.

Ben says, “Yeah, I think it’s safe for you to use this one.” Nicola says, “I won’t get electrocuted?” “To be electrocuted” (electrocuted) means to be hurt or even killed by having electricity go through your body. This can happen accidentally, of course. In some places, they kill people by electrocuting them when they have committed some sort of crime.

Ben says, “You won’t even get a little singed” (singed). “To be singed” means to be burnt a little bit. If you have long hair and are close to a fire, your hair might start to burn. If you put it out quickly, it would get a little “singed.” It would get burnt, but not completely. I, fortunately, don’t have to worry about that.

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

[start of dialogue]

Ben: Wait! Don’t plug that into the socket. You’ll fry that old hair dryer.

Nicola: I can’t, anyway. This plug has two prongs and that socket is designed for three prongs.

Ben: That’s why I brought these adapters and this combination converter and transformer. Our devices will either not work or be ruined if we try plugging them directly into those outlets.

Nicola: I should have bought a travel hair dryer with dual voltage.

Ben: You’d still need an adapter.

Nicola: Whatever. Okay, I’ve put them both on. Now can I dry my hair?

Ben: You can’t use that hair dryer because the cord is frayed. If you turn it on, it may short circuit and then blow a fuse. We’d be without electricity.

Nicola: What am I supposed to do then?

Ben: Good thing I brought mine. Let me just check that the outlet is grounded. Yeah, I think it’s safe for you to use this one.

Nicola: I won’t get electrocuted?

Ben: You won’t even get a little singed.

[end of dialogue]

Dialogues are very powerful, but don’t worry – you won’t get electrocuted, thanks to the wonderful grounding of our scriptwriter, Dr. Lucy Tse.

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

Glossary

to plug in/into – to put something into a fitted hole or opening, especially when talking about connecting something to electricity

* Henri became really frustrated when his stereo wouldn’t turn on, but then he realized that he hadn’t plugged it in.

socket – a wall socket; the small holes in a wall that are connected to an electrical device to provide electricity to it

* Are you sure it’s safe to plug so many appliances into a single socket?

to fry – to destroy something, especially through the use of too much electricity

* When lightning struck the office building, it fried a lot of the computers.

hair dryer – a small handheld appliance that blows out hot air, used to dry one’s hair after it has been washed

* To avoid damaging your hair, use the lowest heat setting on your hair dryer.

prong – one of the two or three short, straight pieces of metal that connect an electrical device to the source of electricity in the wall

* If you can’t plug in the toaster, try turning it around. Sometimes one prong is larger than the other.

adapter – a small device that connects two pieces so that they fit together

* Use this USB adapter to connect your computer to the video projector.

combination – the use or inclusion of multiple things at the same time

* They won the game through a combination of effort and luck.

converter – a small device that changes an electric current, such as from AC to DC

* William travels internationally for work, so he always keeps a converter in his suitcase so that he can plug things in wherever he is.

transformer – a small device that increases or decreases the voltage of an electrical current

* The United States and Canada use 110-volt electricity, while must other countries use 220-volt electricity, so it’s important to use a transformer when traveling internationally.

outlet – a wall socket; the small piece on a wall that electricity comes out of to provide power to devices and appliances

* Is the vacuum cord long enough to reach that outlet across the room?

dual voltage – with the ability to accept 110-volt or 220-volt electrical currents without being damaged

* Most cell phone chargers are dual voltage, because manufacturers want customers to be able to use their cell phones in many countries.

frayed – for fabric, rope, or wire to be worn at the edges or to be coming apart

* These pants look fine at the top, but the bottom of each leg is frayed.

short circuit – a dangerous and damaging connection in an electrical circuit that causes damage to a device

* Can a lightning storm cause our washing machine to short circuit?

to blow a fuse – to use too much power so that the fuse (a safety device to prevent a dangerous level of electricity) is damaged and no longer works

* This house has really bad electrical writing. Running the dishwasher, washing machine, and blender at the same time blows a fuse.

electricity – energy that is carried through wires by charged particles use to power machines, appliances, and devices

* Our electricity was cut off during the violent storm last night.

grounded – with the electricity having a connection to the earth, required for safety

* Three-prong outlets protect people from being shocked, because the bottom prong is grounded.

electrocuted – injured or killed by an electrical shock; when electricity runs through someone’s body, causing injury or death

* As a child, Melissa got electrocuted when she touched the electric fence around a field.

singed – lightly burned; burnt a little bit

* There was a fire in the kitchen, but fortunately, we were able to put it out quickly. The curtains got singed, but everything else was okay.

Comprehension Questions

1. Which of these eliminates the need for a combination converter and transformer?
a) Prongs
b) An adapter
c) Dual voltage

2. What does Ben mean when he says, “You’ll fry that hair dryer”?
a) The hair dryer is old and might break soon.
b) The hair dryer might cause her hair to catch on fire.
c) The hair dryer might be damaged by the electrical current.

Answers at bottom.

What Else Does It Mean?

plug

The verb “to plug in/into,” in this podcast, means to put something into a fitted hole or opening, especially when talking about connecting something to electricity: “We need to buy an extension cord if we want to plug in the exterior Christmas lights.” The phrase “to plug away” means to continue working very hard: “We have to keep plugging away until we find a better solution.” The phrase “to pull the plug on (something)” means to prevent something from happening or continuing, especially by taking away one’s approval or money: “Did you hear that management wants to pull the plug on our latest project?” Finally, the verb “to plug” means to praise or promote something by saying good things about it: “How do we get a celebrity to plug our new products?”

outlet

In this podcast, the word “outlet” means a wall socket, or the small piece on a wall that electricity comes out of to provide power to devices and appliances: “Old homes sometimes don’t have outlets in the bathroom, which can be inconvenient.” An “outlet” can also be a way to express one’s feelings: “Exercise can be a good outlet for anger and stress.” Or, “Painting is her artistic outlet.” A “retail outlet” is simply a store: “The city wants to encourage more retail outlets to open in the Wilshire neighborhood.” Finally, an “outlet mall” is a group of stores that sell clothing and other items at lower-than-usual prices: “At the outlet mall, we can buy clothes for about 40 to 50% of what they sell for at the regular shopping mall.”

Culture Note

Roy Sullivan – Survivor of Seven Lightning Strikes

Many people say that the “odds” (probability; likelihood) of being “struck” (hit) by “lightning” (electricity from the sky during a storm) is about one in 10 thousand, meaning that it is highly unlikely. However, one man, Roy Sullivan, “defied the odds” (had something happen even though it was very unlikely). He was struck by lightning seven times!

Sullivan worked as a “park ranger” (a person whose job is to take care of national parks, help park visitors, and educate people about the natural environment) in Virginia. Between 1942 and 1977, he was struck seven different times: in a “fire tower” (a tall structure in a natural area, used by people who are looking for fires in the distance), in a truck, in his “front yard” (the grassy or garden area in front of a home), in a “ranger station” (a building where park rangers work), “on patrol” (while walking through an area) in a park, and while he was “fishing” (trying to catch fish) in a “pond” (a very small lake). He said that he was struck by lightning even earlier in his childhood, but that could not be “verified” (confirmed; determined to be true).

The “Guinness Book of World Records” (a book that reports extreme facts) lists Sullivan as being struck by lightning more than any other person, and many people refer to him as the Human “Lightning Rod” (a metal pole at the top of a building designed to attract lightning and protect the building from damage).

Sullivan was “burnt” (damaged by high heat or fire) and injured in the lightning strikes, but they did not kill him. Sadly, he died from “suicide” (when one kills oneself) in 1983 when he was 71 years old.

Comprehension Answers

1 - c

2 - c