Feifei: Hi! Err, Neil.
Neil: Yes?
Feifei: What are you doing?
Neil: Oh, I'm just standing here,
I'm... Actually, I can't remember
why I came in here.
Feifei: You seem miles away! We're
in the studio, and we're about
to record an episode
of The English We Speak.
Neil: Of course we are, sorry.
I had a brain fade there.
Feifei: Anyway - let's get on
with the programme. And the phrase
we're going to teach is...'brain fade'!
Imagine that.
Neil: Haha, well - let's explain it.
'Brain fade' is a slang term meaning
a short period when you
can't think clearly or remember things.
Feifei: For example: when you walk into
a room and forget why you went there.
Neil: That's a brain fade.
Never happens to me!
Feifei: And how about this: when you
can't remember where you put your keys?
Neil: Ah yes, I do know that one.
Now you mention it, where are they?
Feifei: Haha. We often use it with 'have':
to have a brain fade.
Let's hear a few more
examples of this phrase in context.
I saw an old colleague on the street
last week. Completely forgot her name!
A serious case of brain fade
Really embarrassing.
I'm sure I did terribly in the exam.
I had a major brain fade.
I hate doing job interviews. It's not that
the questions are difficult, I just get brain
fade as soon as I walk into the room.
Can't even remember my own name!
Feifei: You're listening to The English
We Speak from BBC Learning English.
The expression we're looking at
in this programme is 'brain fade'.
Neil. Neil?
Neil: Good. Err. Give me a second.
Feifei: What now?
Neil: I took my glasses off while
we were listening to those examples.
And you know...
I can't see them anywhere.
Feifei: Neil.
Neil: Yes?
Feifei: They're on your head.
Neil: That's a relief. Another brain fade,
I'm afraid. I think I just need
a good night's sleep.
Feifei: You do that! That's our phrase,
brain fade. Let's hope we made it easy
to remember!
Both: Bye.