Listen to the audio on NPR:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130452338
Gap Fill. Listen to the interview with Mr. Mercer about the Canadian Thanksgiving. Fill in the gaps with a word or short phrase.
1. According to the guest speaker, the Canadian Thanksgiving when compared to the US Thanksgiving is less of a ____________________ for the Christmas holiday season.
2. Years ago the guest claims that when he talked to Americans about Canada, he would _________________________ ,
3. Mr. Mercer told Americans that Canadians have an igloo for a Capitol building, so they are really worried about _________________________.
4. He thinks Americans are really ignorant about Canada, and he and his crew thought that the American reactions were _________________________.
5. When the interviewer compares Mr. Mercer’s show to another show, he politely protests, saying that most of his broadcasts were _________________________ about Canada.
6. One of the amazing things that the interviewer saw on Mr. Mercer’s show was a clip in which Mr. Mercer was _________________________.
7. Even though the show is sometimes jokingly called “Host in Peril”, Mr. Mercer thinks his audience gets the sense that he is not a(n) _________________________ .
8. Recently, Mr. Mercer had to try to escape from a car sunk to the bottom of a lake without a(n) _________________________ .
9. He says the mistake most people in such situations make is that they think the car will float for a while so they use their cell phone to call _______________________.
10. Unfortunately, many a drowned Canadian are found with their seat belt still on, their cell phone in hand and their window _________________________ .
11. He says that he’s lucky to have a job in show business, but that there is a _________________________ to it in that he doesn’t get to enjoy Thanksgiving much.
12. He is travelling this Thanksgiving for work and sarcastically notes that Air Canada will do a(n) _________________________ on his flight.
KEY
1. dress rehearsal
dress rehearsal: the final practice of a play in the theatre, using the clothes and lights that will be used for the real performance. E.g. (figurative) The earlier protests had just been dress rehearsals for full-scale revolution.
2. make stuff up
3. global warming
4. hysterical
hysterical: extremely funny. E.g. She seemed to find my situation absolutely hysterical. This book is hysterical.
5. travelogue adventures
travelogue: a film/movie, broadcast or piece of writing about travel. E.g. travelogue adventures.
6. rigging a ship
rig something (with something) to provide a ship or boat with ropes, sails, etc; to fit the sails, etc. in position. Sp. equipar. E.g. The ships were rigged with a single square sail. The sails were kept rigged, ready for action.
7. adrenaline junkie
adrenaline junkie: Someone who seeks out and craves thrilling adventures and/or activities to get an adrenaline rush. E.g. Carey Hart flipped his bike backward because he is such an adrenaline junkie.
8. oxygen tank
oxygen tank: a container with oxygen inside it, used for helping people to breathe, for example when they are very ill, or when they are diving underwater.
9. 911
10. rolled up
many a somebody/something (slightly formal) a large number of people or things. E.g. Bad weather has brought many a farmer to the brink of disaster over the past decade.
roll something up: to close something by turning a handle. E.g. She rolled up all the windows.
11. downside
12. lovely chicken thing
Transcript
SCOTT SIMON, host:
It's a holiday weekend, both in the United States and Canada. On Monday Americans celebrate Columbus Day. Canadians will commemorate their Thanksgiving. So like, what's the difference between American and Canadian Thanksgiving?
Let's turn now to Rick Mercer. He's a satirist - at least I hope it's satire -and host of "The Rick Mercer Report." The show is now in its eighth season on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. He joins us from Toronto.
Rick, thanks so much for being with us.
Mr. RICK MERCER ("The Rick Mercer Report"): Thank you, Scott.
SIMON: So how's Canadian - aside from a difference in date - how's Canadian Thanksgiving different?
Mr. MERCER: It's similar. You know, you do the turkey, you do the - it's a celebration of the harvest. I don't believe it's as big a deal, like it's not as much a dress rehearsal for Christmas like it is in the United States. I think it's much more low-key. But of course, just like your Columbus Day, it's at a time when everyone really wants a holiday, so it all works out.
SIMON: But there are no pilgrims involved.
Mr. MERCER: No, there's no pilgrims at all. It's all about the harvest. I guess maybe, again, that's why it's so much more of a bigger deal for you. No, it's all just about the harvest.
SIMON: I'm delighted to take advantage of this slender reed of fact to be able to talk to you. Now, you used to do a segment called "Talking to Americans."
Mr. MERCER: Yeah. I've been on TV, boy, you know, I'm 40 years old and I've been on the CBC for 20 years. But in the old days I used to do this segment, "Talking to Americans." It was a great gig. I would fly down to the United States every single week for Monday, Tuesday - Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, something like that. I could go to any city that I wanted to and I would just talk to Americans on the street, basically about Canada, and I would make stuff up.
(Soundbite of TV show, "The Rick Mercer Report")
Mr. MERCER: And our Capitol building in Canada is actually a downscale model of your Capitol building, except it's made out of ice.
(Soundbite of laughter)
Mr. MERCER: It's an igloo, you see. And we're worried about global warming and the fact that it might melt so we are putting a dome over it. But in order to pay for it, we have to attract tourists. Would you be interested in visiting the - Canada's national igloo?
Unidentified Woman: Absolutely.
(Soundbite of laughter)
Mr. MERCER: Congratulations, Canada, on preserving your igloo.
Unidentified Woman: Congratulation, Canada, on preserving your national igloo.
Mr. MERCER: Yes, indeed.
Unidentified Woman: Well, congratulations, Canada, on becoming part of North America.
Mr. MERCER: Thank you very much.
SIMON: The same thing to you, Rick.
Mr. MERCER: Oh, my.
SIMON: Now, is that - may I ask, is that just thoughtfully edited ignorance? I mean, are Americans, in fact, in that much abject ignorance?
Mr. MERCER: Well, obviously it's edited, but the basis of the joke is, you know, in Canada you grow up - we're next to the United States. We're watching whatever you're watching. We're following your news. It's obvious that we are inundated with American cultural information and political information.
Whereas the opposite is not true. You guys know nothing about Canada. And for some reason, perhaps because of an inferiority complex, we would find it hysterical that, you know, we could say in Canada we only have 23 hours in our day and people would say, really, I had no idea. And they would believe it.
SIMON: I used to tell people that it actually took the Toronto Blue Jays - that they could win the American League pennant with fewer victories than, say, the Yankees.
Mr. MERCER: People would look at you and go that makes sense. I can see that. Yeah.
SIMON: You also have a segment on your show, which inevitably has been compared to "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart." How do you feel about that?
Mr. MERCER: You know, it's good to be compared to a hit, obviously. I mean, the shows are actually quite different. I spend 80 percent of my broadcasts out in far-flung regions of Canada on basically travelogue adventures. So it's very different.
But the one thing that is similar is every week I do a commentary. There's segments about politics. It's a very current show. And I've covered politics for 20 years. So that's where the comparison comes in. And, you know, it's great.
SIMON: I saw a bit recently where you were rigging a ship.
Mr. MERCER: Oh, yeah. I get to do the most amazing things. We call it Host in Peril quite often, because people love to see me risk my life or be in danger. And I think what people like about it is they sense Mercer is not an adrenaline junkie. Like, I'm not the guy who says - if someone says, hey, you know, this long weekend, let's go skydiving - I would say, no, are you nuts? I'd just as soon sit down and have a cup of tea.
But yet on my job I end up jumping out of planes. Last week I got in an 18-wheeler and drove down a runway onto a skid track. The week before that they put me in a car and sunk me to the bottom of a lake to see if I could escape without an oxygen tank.
(Soundbite of TV show, "The Rick Mercer Report")
Mr. MERCER: Welcome to a scenic gravel pit on the outskirts of Winnipeg, Manitoba. In the hallowed halls of Canadian academia there is one scientist who has dedicated his considerable talents to solving that most Canadian problem: what to do if you find yourself behind the wheel of a car that just happens to be underwater.
See, in Canada a lot of roads go by lakes. So this is a problem. We don't think - your car goes in the water and your car starts floating. It'll only float for a minute or two. Everyone gets on their cell phone and calls 911. And they go: The car's floating, could you come get me. And they say get out the window. And they go, well, it seems to be floating fine. And then by that time, you know, three minutes later they find you at the bottom of a lake with a cell phone in your hand, your seatbelt on, your window rolled up. So you've got to get that window down.
SIMON: Thanks. I'll remember that.
Mr. MERCER: That's it. I'm very passionate about that one.
SIMON: So, Rick, no special plans for Canadian Thanksgiving?
Mr. MERCER: Well, you know, I'm fortunate that I'm employed. And if you're in show business, of course, every night you go to bed and go, oh my god, tomorrow I'll never, ever work again. So the downside is, I don't get to sit around with friends and enjoy the turkey or family. And I have to get on a plane and fly to Charlottetown, P.E.I. and discover the potato harvest. Something that Jon Stewart's never done.
SIMON: Well, that's got to be a great potato harvest, right?
Mr. MERCER: Oh, yes.
SIMON: Those potatoes are famous.
Mr. MERCER: It's all potatoes. That's what they got.
SIMON: Well, I hope you have a good Thanksgiving anyway.
Mr. MERCER: I certainly will. Air Canada will do a lovely chicken thing, I'm sure.
(Soundbite of laughter)
Mr. MERCER: That's where I'll be, and that's not so sad. That'll be - my Thanksgiving dinner will be on a plane somewhere.
SIMON: Well, Rick, a pleasure talking to you. I hope we'll have the chance again.
Mr. MERCER: Thank you.
SIMON: Speaking to us, Rick Mercer, host of "The Rick Mercer Report" on CBC, joining us from Toronto.
Vocabulary
satire: /ˈsætaɪə(r)/ a way of criticizing a person, an idea or an institution in which you use humour to show their faults or weaknesses; a piece of writing that uses this type of criticism. E.g. political/ social satire. A work full of savage/ biting satire. The novel is a stinging satire on American politics.
satirist: /ˈsætərɪst/
aside from: apart from. E.g. aside from a few scratches, I'm OK.
harvest: /ˈhɑːvɪst/ the time of year when the crops are gathered in on a farm, etc; the act of cutting and gathering crops. E.g. harvest time. Farmers are extremely busy during the harvest.
dress rehearsal: the final practice of a play in the theatre, using the clothes and lights that will be used for the real performance. E.g. (figurative) The earlier protests had just been dress rehearsals for full-scale revolution.
low-key: not intended to attract a lot of attention. E.g. Their wedding was a very low-key affair.
Pilgrim: a member of the group of English people (the Pilgrim Fathers) who sailed to America on the ship The Mayflower in 1620 and started a colony in Massachusetts.
big deal: something that is very special or important. E.g. Her first party dress was a big deal for the little girl. I had been to many such events before, but for some of the invitees it was a big deal.
slender reed: something that is small or weak. Slender reed literally means tall, thin grass.
slender: small in amount or size and hardly enough. E.g. to win by a slender margin/ majority. People of slender means(= with little money). Australia held a slender 1–0 lead at half-time. These claims are based on slender evidence.
reed: a tall plant like grass with a hollow stem that grows in or near water.
Gig: (North American English, informal) a job, especially a temporary one. E.g. a gig as a basketball coach.
downscale: cheap and of poor quality. Reduced in size. E.g. these brands appeal to downscale shoppers who are looking for a low price.
abject: /ˈæbdʒek/ terrible and without hope. E.g. abject poverty/ misery/ failure.
pennant: (in the US) a flag given to the winning team in a sports league, especially in baseball. E.g. The Dodgers defeated the Mets 6–0 to win the pennant.
segment: a portion of time allocated to a particular broadcast item on radio or television. E.g. they probably want to tape you for the eleven o’clock segment.
far-flung: a long distance away. E.g. expeditions to the far-flung corners of the world.
travelogue: a film/movie, broadcast or piece of writing about travel. E.g. travelogue adventures.
rig something (with something) to provide a ship or boat with ropes, sails, etc; to fit the sails, etc. in position. Sp. equipar. E.g. The ships were rigged with a single square sail. The sails were kept rigged, ready for action.
adrenaline junkie: Someone who seeks out and craves thrilling adventures and/or activities to get an adrenaline rush. E.g. Carey Hart flipped his bike backward because he is such an adrenaline junkie.
18-wheeler: a tractor-trailer having eighteen wheels.
skid: to slide sideways or forwards in an uncontrolled way. E.g. The car skidded on the ice and went straight into the wall.
oxygen tank: a container with oxygen inside it, used for helping people to breathe, for example when they are very ill, or when they are diving underwater.
scenic: /ˈsiːnɪk/ having beautiful natural scenery. E.g. an area of scenic beauty. They took the scenic route back to the hotel. A scenic drive.
a gravel pit a place where gravel is taken from the ground.
gravel: /ˈɡrævl/ small stones, often used to make the surface of paths and roads. E.g. a gravel path. A gravel drive led up to the house.
hallowed: respected and important. Sacred. E.g. one of the theatre's most hallowed traditions.
P.E.I.: Prince Edward Island.
It's a holiday weekend, both in the United States and Canada. On Monday Americans celebrate Columbus Day. Canadians will commemorate their Thanksgiving. So like, what's the difference between American and Canadian Thanksgiving?
Let's turn now to Rick Mercer. He's a satirist - at least I hope it's satire -and host of "The Rick Mercer Report." The show is now in its eighth season on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. He joins us from Toronto.
Rick, thanks so much for being with us.
Mr. RICK MERCER ("The Rick Mercer Report"): Thank you, Scott.
SIMON: So how's Canadian - aside from a difference in date - how's Canadian Thanksgiving different?
Mr. MERCER: It's similar. You know, you do the turkey, you do the - it's a celebration of the harvest. I don't believe it's as big a deal, like it's not as much a dress rehearsal for Christmas like it is in the United States. I think it's much more low-key. But of course, just like your Columbus Day, it's at a time when everyone really wants a holiday, so it all works out.
SIMON: But there are no pilgrims involved.
Mr. MERCER: No, there's no pilgrims at all. It's all about the harvest. I guess maybe, again, that's why it's so much more of a bigger deal for you. No, it's all just about the harvest.
SIMON: I'm delighted to take advantage of this slender reed of fact to be able to talk to you. Now, you used to do a segment called "Talking to Americans."
Mr. MERCER: Yeah. I've been on TV, boy, you know, I'm 40 years old and I've been on the CBC for 20 years. But in the old days I used to do this segment, "Talking to Americans." It was a great gig. I would fly down to the United States every single week for Monday, Tuesday - Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, something like that. I could go to any city that I wanted to and I would just talk to Americans on the street, basically about Canada, and I would make stuff up.
(Soundbite of TV show, "The Rick Mercer Report")
Mr. MERCER: And our Capitol building in Canada is actually a downscale model of your Capitol building, except it's made out of ice.
(Soundbite of laughter)
Mr. MERCER: It's an igloo, you see. And we're worried about global warming and the fact that it might melt so we are putting a dome over it. But in order to pay for it, we have to attract tourists. Would you be interested in visiting the - Canada's national igloo?
Unidentified Woman: Absolutely.
(Soundbite of laughter)
Mr. MERCER: Congratulations, Canada, on preserving your igloo.
Unidentified Woman: Congratulation, Canada, on preserving your national igloo.
Mr. MERCER: Yes, indeed.
Unidentified Woman: Well, congratulations, Canada, on becoming part of North America.
Mr. MERCER: Thank you very much.
SIMON: The same thing to you, Rick.
Mr. MERCER: Oh, my.
SIMON: Now, is that - may I ask, is that just thoughtfully edited ignorance? I mean, are Americans, in fact, in that much abject ignorance?
Mr. MERCER: Well, obviously it's edited, but the basis of the joke is, you know, in Canada you grow up - we're next to the United States. We're watching whatever you're watching. We're following your news. It's obvious that we are inundated with American cultural information and political information.
Whereas the opposite is not true. You guys know nothing about Canada. And for some reason, perhaps because of an inferiority complex, we would find it hysterical that, you know, we could say in Canada we only have 23 hours in our day and people would say, really, I had no idea. And they would believe it.
SIMON: I used to tell people that it actually took the Toronto Blue Jays - that they could win the American League pennant with fewer victories than, say, the Yankees.
Mr. MERCER: People would look at you and go that makes sense. I can see that. Yeah.
SIMON: You also have a segment on your show, which inevitably has been compared to "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart." How do you feel about that?
Mr. MERCER: You know, it's good to be compared to a hit, obviously. I mean, the shows are actually quite different. I spend 80 percent of my broadcasts out in far-flung regions of Canada on basically travelogue adventures. So it's very different.
But the one thing that is similar is every week I do a commentary. There's segments about politics. It's a very current show. And I've covered politics for 20 years. So that's where the comparison comes in. And, you know, it's great.
SIMON: I saw a bit recently where you were rigging a ship.
Mr. MERCER: Oh, yeah. I get to do the most amazing things. We call it Host in Peril quite often, because people love to see me risk my life or be in danger. And I think what people like about it is they sense Mercer is not an adrenaline junkie. Like, I'm not the guy who says - if someone says, hey, you know, this long weekend, let's go skydiving - I would say, no, are you nuts? I'd just as soon sit down and have a cup of tea.
But yet on my job I end up jumping out of planes. Last week I got in an 18-wheeler and drove down a runway onto a skid track. The week before that they put me in a car and sunk me to the bottom of a lake to see if I could escape without an oxygen tank.
(Soundbite of TV show, "The Rick Mercer Report")
Mr. MERCER: Welcome to a scenic gravel pit on the outskirts of Winnipeg, Manitoba. In the hallowed halls of Canadian academia there is one scientist who has dedicated his considerable talents to solving that most Canadian problem: what to do if you find yourself behind the wheel of a car that just happens to be underwater.
See, in Canada a lot of roads go by lakes. So this is a problem. We don't think - your car goes in the water and your car starts floating. It'll only float for a minute or two. Everyone gets on their cell phone and calls 911. And they go: The car's floating, could you come get me. And they say get out the window. And they go, well, it seems to be floating fine. And then by that time, you know, three minutes later they find you at the bottom of a lake with a cell phone in your hand, your seatbelt on, your window rolled up. So you've got to get that window down.
SIMON: Thanks. I'll remember that.
Mr. MERCER: That's it. I'm very passionate about that one.
SIMON: So, Rick, no special plans for Canadian Thanksgiving?
Mr. MERCER: Well, you know, I'm fortunate that I'm employed. And if you're in show business, of course, every night you go to bed and go, oh my god, tomorrow I'll never, ever work again. So the downside is, I don't get to sit around with friends and enjoy the turkey or family. And I have to get on a plane and fly to Charlottetown, P.E.I. and discover the potato harvest. Something that Jon Stewart's never done.
SIMON: Well, that's got to be a great potato harvest, right?
Mr. MERCER: Oh, yes.
SIMON: Those potatoes are famous.
Mr. MERCER: It's all potatoes. That's what they got.
SIMON: Well, I hope you have a good Thanksgiving anyway.
Mr. MERCER: I certainly will. Air Canada will do a lovely chicken thing, I'm sure.
(Soundbite of laughter)
Mr. MERCER: That's where I'll be, and that's not so sad. That'll be - my Thanksgiving dinner will be on a plane somewhere.
SIMON: Well, Rick, a pleasure talking to you. I hope we'll have the chance again.
Mr. MERCER: Thank you.
SIMON: Speaking to us, Rick Mercer, host of "The Rick Mercer Report" on CBC, joining us from Toronto.
Vocabulary
satire: /ˈsætaɪə(r)/ a way of criticizing a person, an idea or an institution in which you use humour to show their faults or weaknesses; a piece of writing that uses this type of criticism. E.g. political/ social satire. A work full of savage/ biting satire. The novel is a stinging satire on American politics.
satirist: /ˈsætərɪst/
aside from: apart from. E.g. aside from a few scratches, I'm OK.
harvest: /ˈhɑːvɪst/ the time of year when the crops are gathered in on a farm, etc; the act of cutting and gathering crops. E.g. harvest time. Farmers are extremely busy during the harvest.
dress rehearsal: the final practice of a play in the theatre, using the clothes and lights that will be used for the real performance. E.g. (figurative) The earlier protests had just been dress rehearsals for full-scale revolution.
low-key: not intended to attract a lot of attention. E.g. Their wedding was a very low-key affair.
Pilgrim: a member of the group of English people (the Pilgrim Fathers) who sailed to America on the ship The Mayflower in 1620 and started a colony in Massachusetts.
big deal: something that is very special or important. E.g. Her first party dress was a big deal for the little girl. I had been to many such events before, but for some of the invitees it was a big deal.
slender reed: something that is small or weak. Slender reed literally means tall, thin grass.
slender: small in amount or size and hardly enough. E.g. to win by a slender margin/ majority. People of slender means(= with little money). Australia held a slender 1–0 lead at half-time. These claims are based on slender evidence.
reed: a tall plant like grass with a hollow stem that grows in or near water.
Gig: (North American English, informal) a job, especially a temporary one. E.g. a gig as a basketball coach.
downscale: cheap and of poor quality. Reduced in size. E.g. these brands appeal to downscale shoppers who are looking for a low price.
abject: /ˈæbdʒek/ terrible and without hope. E.g. abject poverty/ misery/ failure.
pennant: (in the US) a flag given to the winning team in a sports league, especially in baseball. E.g. The Dodgers defeated the Mets 6–0 to win the pennant.
segment: a portion of time allocated to a particular broadcast item on radio or television. E.g. they probably want to tape you for the eleven o’clock segment.
far-flung: a long distance away. E.g. expeditions to the far-flung corners of the world.
travelogue: a film/movie, broadcast or piece of writing about travel. E.g. travelogue adventures.
rig something (with something) to provide a ship or boat with ropes, sails, etc; to fit the sails, etc. in position. Sp. equipar. E.g. The ships were rigged with a single square sail. The sails were kept rigged, ready for action.
adrenaline junkie: Someone who seeks out and craves thrilling adventures and/or activities to get an adrenaline rush. E.g. Carey Hart flipped his bike backward because he is such an adrenaline junkie.
18-wheeler: a tractor-trailer having eighteen wheels.
oxygen tank: a container with oxygen inside it, used for helping people to breathe, for example when they are very ill, or when they are diving underwater.
scenic: /ˈsiːnɪk/ having beautiful natural scenery. E.g. an area of scenic beauty. They took the scenic route back to the hotel. A scenic drive.
a gravel pit a place where gravel is taken from the ground.
gravel: /ˈɡrævl/ small stones, often used to make the surface of paths and roads. E.g. a gravel path. A gravel drive led up to the house.
hallowed: respected and important. Sacred. E.g. one of the theatre's most hallowed traditions.
P.E.I.: Prince Edward Island.
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