PIE Information:

1. Pronunciation

   • Listen to the audio and repeat or use it as a guide while you read the story. Pay attention to the pacing and stress of key phrases like “the elephant in the room.”

2. Intonation

   • Sentence: “So… are we gonna talk about it?”

   • Intonation variations:

     • “So… are we gonna talk about it?” (Stressing so adds hesitation, showing reluctance.)

     • “So… are we gonna talk about it?” (Stressing we emphasizes that the group, not just the speaker, must decide.)

     • “So… are we gonna talk about it?” (Stressing talk focuses on the action to be taken.)

3. Expression

   • Idiom: The elephant in the room refers to an obvious issue or problem that no one wants to discuss.

   • Use this idiom: When you are in a situation where people are avoiding talking about something uncomfortable or awkward.