Feifei: Good to be back at work, Neil?
Neil: Yes, Feifei. I feel a bit better now.
Just got a… just a little... just a bit of a
cough.
Feifei: Anyway, it’s good to have you here
because you can finally pay me.
Neil: Oh. Right. Why’s that?
Feifei: Well, remember you said you didn’t
believe I could stand on my head?
Neil: I do. I said I would give you £10 if
you can do it.
Feifei: Yes. Well…
Neil: No way!
Feifei: There we are. On my head. £10
please. Time to cough up, Neil.
Neil: OK, OK! You can come down now.
Feifei: Not bad huh? Now, how about you
‘cough up’, and I explain what it means?
Neil: Hey, I was only joking about the £10.
Oh OK, there you go.
Feifei: Thank you. If you ‘cough up’, it
means you give someone money,
especially if you don’t want to.
Neil: Yes, I didn’t want to give Feifei the
money, but I said I would so I had to
cough up.
Feifei: Indeed. Time for some examples…
I waited two whole weeks for my new TV
to be delivered. And then I had to cough
up an extra £15 for the delivery! I can’t
believe it.
My last trip to the library was expensive.
I had to cough up for the fines for all the
books I returned late. Whoops.
When I sat on my colleague’s glasses he
asked me to cough up £100 to buy a new
pair. I must admit, the new ones are an
improvement.
Neil: You're listening to The English We
Speak from BBC Learning English. The
expression we're looking at in this
programme is 'to cough up'.
Feifei: Neil, that cough is still sounding
bad. Have you tried the cough medicine I use?
Neil: Not yet. It’s just a little expensive.
£10 for a little bottle of medicine!
Feifei: It’s worth it. Listen, if you won’t
cough up, I’ll give you the £10 back if you
promise to buy it.
Neil: That’s very kind.
Feifei: Not a problem. And while you go to
the pharmacy,
I’m going to practise presenting the
programme standing on my head. It’s
good for blood circulation, apparently.
Neil: Standing on your head is one thing,
but presenting a whole programme? No way.
Feifei: Are you sure! £10 says I can!
Neil: Haha. OK then. Bye.
Feifei: Bye.