Is talking on the phone embarrassing?

Question 1

knowledgeable (adjective)

Answer 1

knowing a lot about something.

do you know Stephen Fry? Not personally, but I know of him. Stephen Fry is an English writer and comedian and is well known for being extremely intelligent and very knowledgeable about many things cultural, historical and linguistic.
I wish I was half as knowledgeable as he is!
I wish I were a quarter as knowledgeable!

Question 2

a technophile

Answer 2

someone who loves technology.

Stephen Fry is also known as a technophile. The suffix ‘phile’ means ‘a lover of that thing’. So a technophile is someone who loves technology.

Question 3

class

Answer 3

an artificial grouping of society dictated by birth.
Class refers to your economic and social position in a society. In Britain, we talk about three classes: upper class, middle class and working class. The family into which you are born dictates your class. These used to be a lot more important in British society but there are still different prejudices and negative feelings related to the relationship between the classes.

the moment one Englishman opens his mouth another Englishman despises him - when you’re speaking to someone on the telephone all the age, class, education, vocabulary all come into play because it’s in real time and it’s embarrassing.

Question 4

a blip

Answer 4

a temporary fault or mistake.
a blip, which is a word for when something is not quite right - when there is a fault or a mistake which is usually not long lasting.

I think the telephone was a really annoying blip in our communications and that’s old technology. I mean that’s 1880s, 90s. the moment one Englishman opens his mouth another Englishman despises him

Question 5

to despise / Resentment

Answer 5

to hate strongly, to detest.
To despise someone is a very strong emotion and it means ‘to really hate someone’.

I think the telephone was a really annoying blip in our communications and that’s old technology. I mean that’s 1880s, 90s, the moment one Englishman opens his mouth another Englishman despises him

Question 6

in real time

Answer 6

happening at that moment, live, not recorded.
In real time is an expression that means ‘happening live, without any pauses or breaks’. So for example, you aren’t listening to this programme in real time,

the moment one Englishman opens his mouth another Englishman despises him - when you’re speaking to someone on the telephone all the age, class, education, vocabulary all come into play because it’s in real time and it’s embarrassing. I hate being on the telephone to people - especially strangers in shops and things like that because it’s embarrassing and awkward.