My Phone Died Asking Strangers for Directions in a New City: Landmarks, Blocks and Saying It Back

Emily opens the episode with a picture that many travelers know: “Have you ever been in a new city, with only one percent battery left?” (00:00) Paul finishes it: “And then the screen goes black. No map, no app, nothing.” (00:05)

This episode is for A1 and A2 learners. You follow Nora in a big new city. Her phone dies, she has one hour and one address, and she has to ask four different people for help. Along the way, Paul tells a story about the night he walked in a circle, and the hosts teach the small words that make directions easy: landmarks, along, past, through, blocks, and odd and even house numbers. At the end you walk the road again, answer a quiz with short pauses and say directions back in a role play. You take home one line: Ask, listen, say it back.

Watch the episode: Watch the episode on YouTube

Time: about 21 minutes to listen. The practice below takes about 15 minutes. The chapter list at the bottom lets you jump to the part you need.

Before you listen: the hosts give you a small question: “You can’t miss it. What does it mean?” (01:32) Write down your own guess before the quiz at the end.

How to use this page: listen once like a story. Then listen again and repeat the lines out loud when Paul and Emily invite you: “If you want, repeat after us. Out loud is best.” (00:40) The last two parts, the quiz and the role play, have short pauses where you speak.

What You’ll Learn

• The one idea of the day: Ask, listen, say it back.
• When the phone stops: My battery is low., My phone died., My phone is dead.
• The door into a talk: Excuse me, can I ask you something?
• Landmarks and movement: Go along this road., Go past the fountain., Turn left at the school., Walk through the market square.
• Blocks and corners: Go straight for two blocks., Cross the street at the traffic lights.
• Places: between the pharmacy and the bookshop, opposite the library, across from the bus stop, next to the shoe shop, on the other side of the street
• Odd and even house numbers, and what You can’t miss it really means
• Checking: Let me say it back.
• Two rescue sentences: Sorry, could you say that more slowly, please?, Could you show me on a map, please?
• A quiz and a role play with short pauses

Key Idea

Ask, listen, say it back.

Paul gives the line near the start: “Ask, listen, say it back.” (00:44) Emily adds: “Remember it. It will come back.” (00:49) It does come back, after Paul’s story, after Nora’s first conversation, and in the final recap.

The three steps are small on purpose. You ask in a short, polite way. You listen for places you can see, not for street names. Then you say it back, so the other person can tell you if you missed something. Emily gives a picture for the last step: “Let me say it back. It’s like a waiter in a restaurant.” (08:04)

One Percent Battery in a New City (00:00)

The episode starts with the moment you do not want: the screen goes black and you need a stranger. Paul says it clearly: “In English. With your heart going very fast.” (00:12) Emily promises a simple result. By the end, “you can ask for directions, understand them, and check them.” (00:35)

Paul then gives you a question to carry through the story, the old phrase from directions: “Listen for these words in the story. You can’t miss it.” (00:58) Emily adds a tip: “Look at what happens after the words.” (01:10) The hosts say they will check the answer in the quiz near the end.

Paul’s 25 Minutes the Wrong Way (01:34)

Before Nora, Paul tells his own story, and he says plainly that “it is not my proudest day.” (01:39) Three years ago he visited a small town by the sea. “At eight fifteen in the evening, my phone died.” (01:54) He had a room in a small guest house, but “I did not know the way.” (02:01)

He asked a woman at a fruit stall. She was kind, but “she spoke very fast. I understood only one word. Left.” (02:09) What did he say to her? “I said, yes, yes, thank you. And I smiled and walked away.” (02:18) Emily answers for every learner: “You said yes, but you did not understand.” (02:22)

The result: “I walked for twenty five minutes in the dark.” (02:27) He passed the same green bench two times, a “big, sad circle.” (02:38) Then he asked a boy on a bike, and this time he did something different: “I listened, and I said every step back to him.” (02:42) Paul said first street on the left, and the boy corrected him: “no, no. The second street on the left.” (02:51) Eight minutes later Paul was at the blue door. Emily sums up: “When you don’t understand, don’t just nod.” (03:02)

Scene 1: My Phone Died (03:12)

Emily plays Nora, and Paul plays everyone else. First he is Leo, Nora’s good friend. “Tonight Leo’s band plays its very first concert.” (03:20) Nora has just come by train from another city and calls Leo outside the station.

Leo gives the address: “The music hall is on Lime Street. Number twenty six.” (03:41) The concert starts at six, and it is five o’clock, so Nora has one hour. Then comes the problem. “Oh no. My battery is at four percent.” (04:01) Leo guesses why: she used the map on the train for two hours. Nora has a charger, but “my seat had no place to charge.” (04:18) Leo says to ask someone, and Nora says “Talking to strangers is hard for me.” (04:26) The call stops in the middle of her sentence: “Oh, no, no. Everything went black. My phone died.” (04:37)

The hosts pause the story for three short sentences:

• My battery is low. For the time before the phone stops.
• My phone died. Emily says it sounds funny, like a person or a plant, and Paul adds “You can also say, my phone is dead. Same meaning.” (05:13)
• Excuse me, can I ask you something? Emily calls it “the door into every talk.” (05:25) Her reason: “It’s polite, it’s short, and people usually stop.” (05:32)

Scene 2: Landmarks and Saying It Back (05:42)

Nora tries her door sentence on a man walking past, but “her voice is very quiet. The man doesn’t stop.” (05:49) So she tries again, louder. The second man is watering his flowers, and he is kind: “You look a little lost, so tell me how I can help.” (06:05) Nora explains that her phone died and she is looking for Lime Street.

He does not know the street names well, but he knows the places: “Go along this road. Go past the blue fountain. Then turn left at the school.” (06:20) Nora does the step from Paul’s story: “Let me say it back.” (06:29) The man answers: “Yes, that’s right. Along, past, left at the school.” (06:36)

Then the hosts stop to explain why this man did something smart. “He didn’t know the street names. So he used places he can see.” (06:54) These places are landmarks: “A landmark is a place that is easy to see.” (07:05) Emily gives examples: a church, a big tree, a red shop, a bridge. Paul gives the picture for this episode: “I think landmarks are like breadcrumbs on a path.” (07:14) Emily connects it to the old story of the two children in the forest, and Paul finishes it: “You follow them, one by one.” (07:26)

Then three direction words, one for each landmark sentence:

• along: you stay on the same road
• past: you walk by the place and keep going
• at: at that exact place

Emily gives the second picture, the waiter: “You order, and the waiter reads your order back.” (08:07) Paul finishes: “The waiter checks, so the kitchen makes the right food. And you check, so your feet go the right way.” (08:16)

Scene 3: Two Blocks and “You Can’t Miss It” (08:29)

Nora walks along the road, past the fountain, and turns left at the school. Many small streets begin. She stops a man with a big box who is walking fast. Her sentence is short and honest: “Excuse me, sorry, I have a quick question. Just a short one.” (08:41) Then: “I’m looking for Lime Street, but I don’t know the way.” (08:50)

The man says: “Walk straight on for two blocks.” (08:53) Nora does not know the word block, and she says so: “Sorry, I don’t understand the word block.” (08:59) He explains: “A block is one piece of street, from corner to corner.” (09:02) He adds that she should cross the street at the traffic lights, and that Lime Street is “between the pharmacy and the bookshop. You can’t miss it.” (09:12) Nora says the whole route back before he runs away.

After the scene, the hosts go slowly, one piece at a time:

• block: “A block is a piece of street, with a corner at each end.” (09:43) So go straight for two blocks means you walk past two corners.
• Cross the street at the traffic lights. Cross means you go from one side to the other side.
• between the pharmacy and the bookshop. Between means in the middle of two things.

Then Emily comes back to the question from the start: “That’s our question from the start. Keep it in your head for later.” (10:23)

Scene 4: A Map on a Paper Bag (10:51)

Nora walks two blocks and crosses at the traffic lights. She sees a pharmacy and goes to it. But “There are two pharmacies on this street. And she picks the wrong one.” (10:37) No bookshop means no Lime Street, and it is now five thirty. She walks into a small bakery and asks to charge her phone. The charger does not fit: “My cable doesn’t fit here. It’s a different kind.” (11:03)

The baker helps another way. He tells her to go out, turn right, and walk through the market square, and “number twenty six is opposite the library.” (11:22) Nora uses two sentences that every learner should keep:

• Sorry, could you say that more slowly, please? Emily says “People are happy to slow down.” (12:14)
• Could you show me on a map, please? Emily says “When you see it, it is much easier than words.” (12:28)

The baker has no map, but “I have a paper bag and a pen.” (11:39) He draws the way and gives Nora a free bread roll.

After the scene, the hosts add two more direction words:

• through: “Like a tunnel. In one end, out the other end.” (12:47)
• opposite: “Opposite means on the other side, and facing it.” (12:59) Emily’s picture: “Like two people at a table. I sit opposite you.” (13:02)

Scene 5: Odd and Even House Numbers (13:17)

Nora walks through the square and finds the sign: Lime Street. But the numbers go nineteen, twenty one, twenty three, twenty five, twenty seven, and number twenty six is missing. She asks a young man at the bus stop. He says his English is not so good, so Nora promises “I will speak slowly too.” (13:56)

He points at the doors: “Here, one, three, five. Over there, two, four, six.” (14:07) Nora understands: “The numbers on this side are odd. And the numbers over there are even.” (14:14) Number twenty six is on the other side of the street, “facing this bus stop. Next to the shoe shop.” (14:29)

The hosts explain the pattern and give a picture. “In a lot of places, the houses on one side of a street are odd. And the houses facing them are even.” (14:52) Emily says to think of a book: “Streets are like an open book. Odd on one side, even on the other.” (15:10) If you are at twenty five and need twenty six, “Look across the street. It’s on the other page.” (15:17)

Then three more place words, with a sentence to say aloud:

• on the other side: Twenty six is on the other side of the street.
• across from: “Across from means on the other side, facing it.” (15:33) Emily says it is almost the same as opposite.
• next to: “Next to means very close, side by side.” (15:49)

Scene 6: Four People, One Door (15:59)

It is six thirty five and Nora crosses the street. Paul is Leo again, at the door of the music hall, and he sounds worried: “I was really worried about you.” (16:19) Nora is sorry, and Leo has good news: “The band started late too. We play in ten minutes.” (16:25)

Nora tells him what happened: “I asked four people for help.” (16:29) Leo says “Four strangers. That is a lot for you, Nora.” (16:34) She says it was hard at first, but “every time, it got a little easier. And a little louder.” (16:44) She shows him the map on the paper bag, and Leo says “You found it without a phone. I’m proud of you.” (16:57)

Then Emily adds a picture about the first try: “Asking a stranger for the first time is like a cold swimming pool.” (17:12) Paul agrees, and Emily finishes it: “So, the first try is hard. The second is easier.” (17:20)

Walk Nora’s Road Again (17:25)

Now the hosts take Nora’s road again, slowly, from the station to the door. You repeat after Paul. The line goes: the phone (My battery is low. My phone died.), then the door sentence, then the flower man’s directions, then the check: Let me say it back. Then the other three people: the man with the box, the baker and the young man at the bus stop. Paul says “Same steps, same sentences.” (18:12) and lists the new sentences: go straight for two blocks, walk through the square, and odd and even.

Quiz and Role Play with Pauses (18:26)

The quiz has four questions, and after each one the hosts wait three seconds, with a count of one, two, three.

1. You can’t miss it. What does it mean? The answer: “It means it is very easy to see. You will find it quickly.” (18:41) Emily adds a funny point: “Nora still missed it. Two pharmacies!” (18:45) Paul gives the lesson: “So even easy directions need checking.” (18:51)
2. What is a block? “A block is a piece of street, with a corner at each end.” (09:43)
3. You are at number twenty five. Where is number twenty six? “On the other side of the street. Twenty six is an even number.” (19:10)
4. Directions are too fast. What can you say? “Sorry, could you say that more slowly, please?” (11:28)

Then the role play. Paul is a stranger and you want the bookshop. He says: “Go along this street. Turn right at the bank. The bookshop is next to the café.” (19:34) You start with the check: “Start with, let me say it back.” (19:41)

Your Small Job and Recap (19:58)

Paul gives three ideas to carry home:

1. Landmarks are like breadcrumbs. Follow the places you can see.
2. Say it back, like a waiter with your order.
3. If you don’t catch it, ask: More slowly, please. Show me on a map, please.

The small job is easy: “The next time you walk somewhere, say your road out loud.” (20:19) Paul adds the rule: “Use three landmarks.” (20:23) Emily says “Just quietly, to yourself. It takes one minute.” (20:29)

The hosts also ask for a comment. Paul says: “Pick one landmark near your home. Then tell us the way from it to your door.” (20:42) Emily gives an example: “go past the red shop and turn left. My door is next to the tree.” (20:47)

Useful Language from the Episode

Expression	Meaning	From the episode
Ask, listen, say it back.	the three steps for directions	“Ask, listen, say it back.”
My battery is low.	the phone is almost empty	“My battery is low.”
My phone died. / My phone is dead.	the phone has stopped	“My phone died. My phone is dead.”
Excuse me, can I ask you something?	a polite door into a talk	“Excuse me, can I ask you something?”
I’m looking for Lime Street.	say where you want to go	“I’m looking for Lime Street, but I don’t know the way.”
Go along this road.	stay on the same road	“Go along this road.”
Go past the fountain.	walk by it and keep going	“Go past the fountain.”
Turn left at the school.	turn at that exact place	“Turn left at the school.”
Walk through the market square.	in one side, out the other side	“Walk through the market square.”
Go straight for two blocks.	walk past two corners	“Go straight for two blocks.”
Cross the street at the traffic lights.	go to the other side	“Cross the street at the traffic lights.”
between the pharmacy and the bookshop	in the middle of two places	“Between the pharmacy and the bookshop.”
opposite / across from	on the other side, facing it	“Twenty six is opposite the library.”
next to	very close, side by side	“It’s next to the shoe shop.”
on the other side of the street	across the road	“Twenty six is on the other side of the street.”
Let me say it back.	check what you heard	“Let me say it back.”
You can’t miss it.	it is very easy to see	“It means it is very easy to see.”
Sorry, could you say that more slowly, please?	when it is too fast	“Sorry, could you say that more slowly, please?”
Could you show me on a map, please?	ask for a drawing or a map	“Could you show me on a map, please?”

Mistake and Repair

The table is written for this page. It puts the moves from the stories in the episode next to the line that the hosts give.

A common move	Why it stops the trip	The line from the episode
Saying yes, yes, thank you when you did not understand	the other person thinks you know the way	Let me say it back.
Asking in a very quiet voice	the person may walk on without hearing you	Excuse me! Can I ask you something? (louder)
Asking for the street name only	many people do not know street names well	Go past the fountain. Turn left at the school.
Trusting You can’t miss it	Nora still missed it: there were two pharmacies	check, then ask again: Let me say it back.
Hearing two blocks and not asking	you may not know what a block is	Sorry, I don’t understand the word block.
Looking for number 26 on the same side as number 25	the numbers on one side are odd, on the other side even	Look across the street.
Staying lost because the directions are too fast	you cannot follow what you cannot hear	Sorry, could you say that more slowly, please?

Practice with the Episode

1. Which word?

Choose the right word. The answers are below.

1. Go ______ this road. (along / past)
2. Go ______ the fountain, and keep going. (past / at)
3. Turn left ______ the school. (at / through)
4. Walk ______ the market square. In one side, out the other side. (through / opposite)

Answers

1. along
2. past
3. at
4. through

2. Odd or even?

You are on a street. The houses on your side are 31, 33 and 35. Where is number 36? The answers are below.

1. Is 36 on your side or on the other side?
2. Is number 34 on your side or on the other side?
3. Say the sentence out loud: Number 36 is on the other side of the street.

Answers

1. The other side. 36 is even, and your side has odd numbers.
2. The other side. 34 is also even.
3. Say it two times, slowly, and then once with a small pause after Number 36.

3. Say it back

A stranger says: Go straight for two blocks. Turn left at the bank. Write your answer, starting with Let me say it back. The answer is below.

Answer

Let me say it back. Straight for two blocks, then turn left at the bank. You can finish with: Is that right?

4. Say it before the hosts

Play the quiz again (18:26). In each three-second pause, say your answer out loud before Paul or Emily gives it. Then play the role play and say the whole check without looking at the page.

5. Your road out loud

Choose a short walk you know, for example from your door to a shop. Say it with three landmarks: Go past ______. Turn left at ______. It’s next to ______. Say it quietly, as Emily says, and it takes one minute.

Keep Practicing

Do you want street directions as a small toolkit, with the door sentence, the landmark words, blocks, odd and even numbers and the check, in one place? Read Asking for Directions in English: A Pocket Kit for Landmarks, Blocks and House Numbers.

Chapters

• 00:00 One Percent Battery in a New City
• 01:34 Paul’s 25 Minutes the Wrong Way
• 03:12 Scene 1: My Phone Died
• 05:42 Scene 2: Landmarks and Saying It Back
• 08:29 Scene 3: Two Blocks and “You Can’t Miss It”
• 10:51 Scene 4: A Map on a Paper Bag
• 13:17 Scene 5: Odd and Even House Numbers
• 15:59 Scene 6: Four People, One Door
• 17:25 Walk Nora’s Road Again
• 18:26 Quiz and Role Play with Pauses
• 19:58 Your Small Job and Recap

Full Transcript

Emily: Have you ever been in a new city, with only one percent battery left?

Paul: And then the screen goes black. No map, no app, nothing.

Emily: Now you have to stop a stranger and ask for help.

Paul: In English. With your heart going very fast.

Emily: Welcome to English Practice Daily. I’m Emily.

Paul: And I’m Paul. This podcast is for A1 and A2 learners.

Emily: Today we follow Nora. Her phone dies in a big new city.

Paul: She has one hour, one address, and no map.

Emily: So she asks four different people for help.

Paul: By the end, you can ask for directions, understand them, and check them.

Emily: If you want, repeat after us. Out loud is best.

Paul: And here is our line for today. Ask, listen, say it back.

Emily: Ask, listen, say it back. Remember it. It will come back.

Paul: Before the story, I have one question for you.

Paul: Listen for these words in the story. You can’t miss it.

Emily: You can’t miss it. People say it a lot when they give directions.

Paul: So what does it mean? Listen and try to find the answer.

Emily: Here is a small tip. Look at what happens after the words.

Paul: Because Nora hears these words, and then, well, something funny happens.

Emily: Write your answer in the comments. A short answer is fine.

Paul: We will check the answer together in the quiz near the end.

Emily: So keep the question in your head while you listen.

Paul: You can’t miss it. What does it mean?

Emily: Okay, Paul. Before Nora, I think you have a story too.

Paul: I do. I remember it very well, and it is not my proudest day.

Paul: Three years ago, I visited a small town by the sea.

Paul: I took photos all day. Boats, birds, the old harbor.

Paul: At eight fifteen in the evening, my phone died.

Emily: Oh no. And I guess you had a room somewhere in town.

Paul: In a small guest house. But I did not know the way.

Paul: So I asked a woman at a fruit stall. She was very kind.

Paul: But she spoke very fast. I understood only one word. Left.

Emily: Only left. So I want to know what you said to her.

Paul: I said, yes, yes, thank you. And I smiled and walked away.

Emily: Paul. You said yes, but you did not understand.

Paul: I know. I walked for twenty five minutes in the dark.

Paul: And I walked past the same green bench two times.

Emily: The same bench. So you walked in a big circle around the town.

Paul: A big, sad circle. Then I asked a boy on a bike.

Paul: This time, I listened, and I said every step back to him.

Paul: First street on the left, then straight, then the blue door.

Paul: And he said, no, no. The second street on the left.

Emily: So saying it back saved you.

Paul: It did. Eight minutes later, I was at the blue door.

Emily: That is the lesson. When you don’t understand, don’t just nod.

Paul: Ask, listen, say it back. Okay, now let’s meet Nora.

Emily: Here is the story. I am Nora, and Paul plays everyone else.

Paul: First, I am Leo. Leo is Nora’s good friend.

Emily: Tonight Leo’s band plays its very first concert.

Paul: Nora comes by train from another city. She just left the station.

Emily: Hi, Leo! Can you hear me? It’s very loud here.

Paul: Yes, I can hear you now. I think you are out of the station.

Emily: Yes, I’m outside now. Wow, this city is really big.

Paul: Okay, listen. The music hall is on Lime Street. Number twenty six.

Emily: Twenty six Lime Street. And the concert starts at six o’clock.

Paul: Yes, at six. Please don’t be late, because I’m a little nervous.

Emily: Don’t worry. It’s five o’clock now. I have one hour.

Paul: Good. Use the map on your phone. It’s easy.

Emily: Okay, wait. Oh no. My battery is at four percent.

Paul: Four percent. I think you used the map on the train.

Emily: Yes, the whole time. I wanted to see every station.

Paul: A bright screen for two hours uses a lot of battery.

Emily: I have my charger, but my seat had no place to charge.

Paul: Then ask someone. People here are friendly. Really.

Emily: You know me, Leo. Talking to strangers is hard for me.

Paul: I know. But you can do it. Twenty six Lime Street. Okay?

Emily: Twenty six Lime Street. Leo? Leo? Hello?

Emily: Oh, no, no. Everything went black. My phone died.

Paul: Okay, let’s stop the story for a moment.

Emily: Poor Nora. Black screen, a big city, and one hour.

Paul: Let’s take three short sentences from this part.

Emily: The first one is for the battery. My battery is low.

Paul: My battery is low. Say it with us.

Emily: My battery is low.

Paul: The second one is for when the phone stops. My phone died.

Emily: We say died, like a person or a plant. It sounds funny.

Paul: You can also say, my phone is dead. Same meaning.

Emily: My phone died. My phone is dead. Repeat after us.

Paul: My phone died. My phone is dead.

Emily: And the third sentence is the door into every talk.

Paul: Excuse me, can I ask you something?

Emily: It’s polite, it’s short, and people usually stop.

Paul: Excuse me, can I ask you something? Your turn.

Emily: Excuse me, can I ask you something?

Paul: Now, back to Nora. She is standing outside the station.

Emily: She sees a man walking past. She says, excuse me.

Paul: But her voice is very quiet. The man doesn’t stop.

Emily: Okay. Louder this time. Excuse me! Can I ask you something?

Paul: Good evening. Sure, no problem. Sorry, my hands are a little wet.

Emily: That’s okay. I can see you are watering your flowers.

Paul: Yes, every evening. You look a little lost, so tell me how I can help.

Emily: Yes, please. My phone died, and I’m looking for Lime Street.

Paul: Lime Street? Hmm. I don’t know the street names well.

Paul: But I know the places. Look. Go along this road.

Paul: Go past the blue fountain. Then turn left at the school.

Emily: Let me say it back. Go along this road.

Emily: Go past the blue fountain. Then turn left at the school.

Paul: Yes, that’s right. Along, past, left at the school.

Emily: So Lime Street is somewhere near the school.

Paul: I think so. After the school, ask again. It’s about ten minutes.

Emily: Okay, Paul, I want to stop here. This man did something smart.

Paul: He did. He didn’t know the street names.

Paul: So he used places he can see. A fountain, a school.

Emily: These places have a name. We call them landmarks.

Paul: Landmarks. A landmark is a place that is easy to see.

Emily: A church, a big tree, a red shop, a bridge.

Paul: I think landmarks are like breadcrumbs on a path.

Emily: Like in the old story with the two children in the forest.

Paul: Yes. They drop small bits of bread, and they follow them home.

Paul: Landmarks work the same way. You follow them, one by one.

Emily: Fountain, then school. You don’t need any street names.

Paul: Now listen to these three direction words. Along, past, at.

Emily: Go along this road. Along means you stay on the same road.

Paul: Go past the fountain. Past means you walk by it, and keep going.

Emily: Turn left at the school. At means at that exact place.

Paul: Repeat with us. Go along this road.

Emily: Go past the fountain.

Paul: Turn left at the school.

Emily: And what did Nora do after that? She said it back.

Paul: Let me say it back. It’s like a waiter in a restaurant.

Emily: Oh, yes. You order, and the waiter reads your order back.

Paul: So, two coffees and one cake? Yes, that’s right.

Emily: The waiter checks, so the kitchen makes the right food.

Paul: And you check, so your feet go the right way.

Emily: Ask, listen, say it back.

Paul: Ask, listen, say it back. That’s our line, again.

Emily: Back to Nora. She walked along the road and past the fountain.

Paul: She turned left at the school. And now? Many small streets.

Emily: She sees a man with a big box. He’s walking very fast.

Emily: Excuse me, sorry, I have a quick question. Just a short one.

Paul: Sure, but quickly, please. I have to deliver this box.

Emily: I’m looking for Lime Street, but I don’t know the way.

Paul: Lime Street, sure. It’s not hard. Walk straight on for two blocks.

Emily: Two blocks. Sorry, I don’t understand the word block.

Paul: A block is one piece of street, from corner to corner.

Paul: So you pass one corner, then two corners. Then cross the street at the traffic lights.

Paul: Lime Street is between the pharmacy and the bookshop. You can’t miss it.

Emily: Okay. Let me say it back. Straight for two blocks, cross at the traffic lights.

Emily: Then I look between the pharmacy and the bookshop.

Paul: Perfect. Sorry, I really have to go. Good luck!

Emily: Thank you! Okay, Paul, a lot of words came very fast in that part.

Paul: That’s how directions often are in real life. Fast.

Emily: Let’s go slowly. First word. Block.

Paul: A block is a piece of street, with a corner at each end.

Emily: So, go straight for two blocks means you walk past two corners.

Paul: Exactly. Go straight for two blocks. Say it with us.

Emily: Go straight for two blocks.

Paul: Next. Cross the street at the traffic lights.

Emily: Cross means you go from one side to the other side.

Paul: Cross the street at the traffic lights. Your turn.

Emily: Cross the street at the traffic lights.

Paul: And the last one. Between the pharmacy and the bookshop.

Emily: Between means in the middle of two things.

Paul: And then the man said, you can’t miss it.

Emily: That’s our question from the start. Keep it in your head for later.

Paul: Okay, Nora walks two blocks. She crosses at the traffic lights.

Emily: She looks for the pharmacy. And she sees one!

Paul: But, hmm, there is a little problem.

Emily: There are two pharmacies on this street. And she picks the wrong one.

Paul: Oh no. So she can’t find the bookshop.

Emily: No bookshop, no Lime Street. And the time is now five thirty.

Paul: So she walks into a small bakery. It smells of fresh bread.

Emily: Hello. Sorry, could I charge my phone here for a few minutes, please?

Paul: Of course. There’s a place to charge next to the window.

Emily: Thank you. Oh. My cable doesn’t fit here. It’s a different kind.

Paul: Ah, sorry. I only have this one. But maybe I can help you another way.

Paul: Tell me where you want to go.

Emily: Lime Street, number twenty six. I think I went the wrong way.

Paul: Okay. Go out, turn right, and walk through the market square.

Paul: Then Lime Street is at the end, and number twenty six is opposite the library.

Emily: Sorry, could you say that more slowly, please?

Paul: Of course. Go out. Turn right. Walk through the market square.

Emily: And, could you show me on a map, please?

Paul: I don’t have a map. But I have a paper bag and a pen.

Paul: Look, I’ll draw it for you. Here is my bakery. Here is the square.

Emily: Oh, that’s great. So I walk through the square, and then Lime Street.

Emily: And twenty six is opposite the library.

Paul: Yes. You’ve got it. Take this little bread roll too. It’s free.

Emily: Really? Thank you. You are very kind.

Paul: Let’s stop again. Nora used two new sentences here.

Emily: Yes. These are for when you don’t catch the directions.

Paul: The first one. Sorry, could you say that more slowly, please?

Emily: It’s very polite. People are happy to slow down.

Paul: Sorry, could you say that more slowly, please? Say it.

Emily: Sorry, could you say that more slowly, please?

Paul: The second one. Could you show me on a map, please?

Emily: When you see it, it is much easier than words.

Paul: Could you show me on a map, please? Your turn.

Emily: Could you show me on a map, please?

Paul: Now two more direction words from the baker. Through and opposite.

Emily: Walk through the square. Through means you go in, and come out the other side.

Paul: Like a tunnel. In one end, out the other end.

Emily: Walk through the market square. Repeat.

Paul: Walk through the market square.

Emily: And opposite. Twenty six is opposite the library.

Paul: Opposite means on the other side, and facing it.

Emily: Like two people at a table. I sit opposite you.

Paul: Right now, in the studio, you are opposite me.

Emily: Ha, true. Twenty six is opposite the library. Say it.

Paul: Twenty six is opposite the library.

Emily: Okay. Nora has a paper bag map and a warm bread roll.

Paul: She walks through the market square. And there it is. Lime Street.

Emily: She sees a sign. Lime Street. Finally!

Paul: But now she looks at the numbers. Nineteen, twenty one, twenty three.

Emily: Twenty three, twenty five, twenty seven. Where is twenty six?

Paul: There is a young man at the bus stop. He has a big backpack.

Emily: Excuse me, hi. Can I ask you something?

Paul: Yes. But my English is not so good. Please talk slowly, okay?

Emily: Okay. I will speak slowly too. I’m looking for number twenty six.

Paul: Twenty six. Hmm. Look at these doors. Twenty five, twenty seven.

Paul: Here, one, three, five. Over there, two, four, six.

Emily: Oh! I understand now. The numbers on this side are odd.

Emily: And the numbers over there are even.

Paul: Yes, yes. Twenty six is over there.

Emily: So, twenty six is on the other side of the street.

Paul: Yes. It’s over the street, facing this bus stop. Next to the shoe shop.

Emily: Facing the bus stop, next to the shoe shop. There it is!

Paul: Good! You are not lost now.

Emily: Now, the numbers. Odd numbers are one, three, five, seven.

Paul: Even numbers are two, four, six, eight.

Emily: In a lot of places, the houses on one side of a street are odd.

Paul: And the houses facing them are even.

Emily: I think of a book. Open a book in front of you.

Paul: One page on the left, one page on the right.

Emily: The page numbers on one side are even, and on the other side odd.

Paul: Streets are like an open book. Odd on one side, even on the other.

Emily: So if you see twenty five, and you need twenty six,

Paul: Look across the street. It’s on the other page.

Emily: Now three more place words. On the other side, across from, next to.

Paul: Twenty six is on the other side of the street. Say it.

Emily: Twenty six is on the other side of the street.

Paul: It’s across from the bus stop. Across from means on the other side, facing it.

Emily: So, across from and opposite are almost the same.

Paul: Yes. Both are good. It’s across from the bus stop. Repeat.

Emily: It’s across from the bus stop.

Paul: And, it’s next to the shoe shop. Next to means very close, side by side.

Emily: It’s next to the shoe shop. Your turn.

Paul: It’s next to the shoe shop.

Emily: Okay, last scene. Nora crosses the street. It’s six thirty five.

Paul: I’m Leo again. I’m at the door of the music hall.

Paul: Nora! Finally! My phone rang with your name on it, again and again, and then nothing!

Emily: I’m so sorry, Leo. My battery ran out during our call.

Paul: I was really worried about you.

Emily: I’m fine, really. Please tell me I didn’t miss the concert.

Paul: No! The band started late too. We play in ten minutes.

Emily: Oh, good. You know what? I asked four people for help.

Paul: Wow. Four strangers. That is a lot for you, Nora.

Emily: I know! In the beginning I spoke too softly, and the first man walked on.

Emily: But every time, it got a little easier. And a little louder.

Paul: And look at this. A map on a paper bag.

Emily: A baker drew it for me. And he gave me bread too.

Paul: You found it without a phone. I’m proud of you.

Emily: Okay. Come on, Leo. Go and play your concert.

Paul: That’s the end of Nora’s story. Did you like it, Emily?

Emily: I did. And I want to say something about the first try.

Paul: Go on.

Emily: Asking a stranger for the first time is like a cold swimming pool.

Paul: Oh, yes. The first step into the cold water.

Emily: Exactly. So, the first try is hard. The second is easier.

Paul: Okay, now it’s your turn to practice. Let’s walk Nora’s road again.

Emily: We go slowly, from the station to the door. You repeat after Paul.

Paul: Let’s start. The phone. My battery is low.

Emily: Then, My phone died.

Paul: My phone died.

Emily: Then, Nora stops the man with the flowers. She says,

Paul: Excuse me, can I ask you something?

Emily: Good. Now his directions, with the fountain and the school.

Paul: Go along this road. Go past the blue fountain.

Paul: Then turn left at the school.

Emily: Now Nora checks. Let me say it back.

Paul: Let me say it back.

Emily: Next come the man with the box, the baker, and the young man at the bus stop.

Paul: Same steps, same sentences. Go straight for two blocks, walk through the square, and the numbers are odd and even.

Emily: And we are at the door. Six thirty five. Concert in ten minutes.

Paul: Now, a short quiz. I ask, you answer out loud.

Emily: After each question, we wait three seconds. Then we give the answer.

Paul: Question one. You can’t miss it. What does it mean?

Emily: One… two… three…

Paul: It means it is very easy to see. You will find it quickly.

Emily: And here is the funny part. Nora still missed it. Two pharmacies!

Paul: So even easy directions need checking. Question two. What is a block?

Emily: One… two… three…

Paul: A block is a piece of street, with a corner at each end.

Emily: Question three. You are at number twenty five. Where is number twenty six?

Paul: One… two… three…

Emily: On the other side of the street. Twenty six is an even number.

Paul: Question four. Directions are too fast. What can you say?

Emily: One… two… three…

Paul: Sorry, could you say that more slowly, please?

Emily: Good. Now a short role play. Paul is a stranger on the street.

Paul: You want the bookshop. I give you directions. You say them back.

Emily: Okay, Paul, you can start.

Paul: Go along this street. Turn right at the bank. The bookshop is next to the café.

Emily: Now you say it back. Start with, let me say it back.

Paul: One… two… three…

Emily: Let me say it back. Go along this street. Turn right at the bank.

Emily: The bookshop is next to the café.

Paul: Yes, that’s right! If you said this, great job.

Paul: So, let’s finish with three ideas from today.

Emily: One. Landmarks are like breadcrumbs. Follow the places you can see.

Paul: Two. Say it back, like a waiter with your order.

Emily: Three. If you don’t catch it, ask. More slowly, please. Show me on a map, please.

Paul: And here is one small job for today.

Emily: The next time you walk somewhere, say your road out loud.

Paul: Use three landmarks. For example, go past the bakery, turn left at the bank.

Emily: Just quietly, to yourself. It takes one minute.

Paul: And remember our line from the start.

Emily: Ask, listen, say it back.

Paul: Ask, listen, say it back.

Emily: Now, a question for the comments.

Paul: Pick one landmark near your home. Then tell us the way from it to your door.

Emily: For example, go past the red shop and turn left. My door is next to the tree.

Paul: One sentence is enough. We read every comment.

Emily: In the next episode, we practice talking about the place where you live.

Paul: If this helped you, subscribe to English Practice Daily.

Emily: Thank you for walking with Nora today. I’m Emily.

Paul: And I’m Paul. See you next time. Take care.