The English We Speak – Stumped

Jan 142014

BBC Learning English: The English We Speak – Stumped means you can’t answer a question or you don’t know how to solve a problem.

Li is accompanying Finn to his late uncle’s old house. Rob has taken Feifei to a cricket match but she’s not too keen, especially as some of the words associated with the game have her stumped! It’s time for Rob to explain what being stumped really means.

_______Show Transcript______

Feifei: Hello and welcome to The English We Speak. I’m here with Rob today. Hello Rob.

Rob: Hi everyone. Now Feifei, I hope you appreciate me bringing you to this typical English cricket match.

Feifei: (aside) Cricket is not really my sport but… (pretending to be interested) yes Rob, it’s wonderful. Such an exciting game! I love cricket, especially when a goal is scored.

Rob: Err… that’s in football Feifei.

Feifei: Oh yes, of course, I knew that. I am really quite an expert on cricket, you know.

Rob: Really? So what do we call that man over there who’s throwing the ball?

Feifei: That’s easy… it’s the… errr… hmmm…

Rob: That’s stumped you!

Feifei: Stumped! That’s a word they use in cricket… isn’t it?

Rob: Well, it is – when the ball hits the stumps – that’s the three sticks that the batsman stands in front of – the batsman is stumped. But the word stumped has another meaning: It means you can’t answer a question or you don’t know how to solve a problem.

Feifei: I see. So it means you’re stuck and don’t know what to say or do. Well, it’s true Rob, your question has ‘stumped’ me!

Rob: Well, have a think about the answer while we listen to some examples of the word ‘stumped’ in action…