Feifei: This is The English We Speak, with
you Neil…
Neil: … and you, Feifei. Hello everyone.
Feifei: Ah Neil, it sounds like you're in a
good mood.
Neil: You'll never find me in a bad mood
Feifei. Why?
Feifei: Well I wanted to ask you a favour.
Neil: Oh yes?
Feifei: I need to leave early today and
wondered if you could finish this
programme on your own
and then start writing another script?
Neil: Are you joking? If you think I'm going
to do all my work and yours, then you are
living in cloud cuckoo land!
Feifei:Where is that exactly? I can assure
you I live in London.
Neil: Yes I know that. What I mean is that
you are silly to think the impossible is
possible.That's living in cloud cuckoo
land. Basically, you are misguided to think
I can do my work AND your work. OK?
Feifei: OK Neil, if you say so. Neil thinks
I'm silly to believe he can do his work and
mine – but we'll see!
Neil: Let's hear some examples shall we,
while you visit cloud cuckoo land!
If my teacher thinks I can do my grammar
homework and learn all my new
vocabulary tonight, then he's living in
cloud cuckoo land!
If you think we're going to win this match
with only ten players, then you're living
in cloud cuckoo land!
He's clearly living in cloud cuckoo land –
how can we ever afford to buy a house
with the little money we earn?
Feifei: So living in cloud cuckoo land
describes a situation where someone
thinks doing something
impossible is possible. So it's about
someone being unrealistic?
Neil: Exactly. Like you wanting to go home
early and me doing all your work.
Ridiculous!
Feifei: Well Neil, if you think I'm going to
sit here and miss out on front row seats
at the theatre, then YOU are living in cloud
cuckoo land.
Neil: Oh, so you're off to the theatre,
leaving me to finish the programme!
Feifei: I am Neil. See ya.
Neil: Oh. Well everyone, today's
programme is about the phrase 'living in
cloud cuckoo land' and
it appears I am in it! Bye for now.