01
W: Joey, can you give me some advice?
M: Sure. What’s going on?
W: I can’t decide what to buy Billy for his birthday.
M: (What’s your budget?) 02
M: You seem excited about something. What is it?
W: I’ve decided to get married.
M: Congratulations! Who’s the lucky man?
W: (He was one of my high school classmates.) 03
W: Sleep is important to our health and well-being. But an increasing number of people are suffering from a sleep disorder called insomnia. People who suffer from insomnia have difficulty falling asleep. Some of them even depend on drugs to treat their condition. But there are some ways to deal with insomnia without the use of drugs. Changing one’s sleeping habits can help.
For example, trying to keep a regular sleep schedule can improve your ability to sleep. Changing the environment you sleep in can help, too. Also, a little light exercise or some quiet music can help you relax.
04
W: Hi, Derek. What are you drinking?
M: It’s a new sports drink. It’s made by Fleet.
W: Isn’t Fleet a sports shoes company?
M: That’s right. They make great shoes. But this drink just tastes like sugar and water.
W: I think you were a victim of the halo effect.
M: The halo effect? What’s that?
W: It’s a marketing term. When a company makes one good product, people assume their other products are good, too.
M: But it isn’t necessarily true, right?
W: Exactly. It’s often a false assumption. Making good shoes and good drinks are totally different things.
M: That’s true. They probably just put their name on the drink so people would buy it.
W: Exactly.
05
[Cell phone rings.]
M: Hello?
W: Hi, Mr. Wilson. This is Julie Nelson. Sorry for calling you late.
M: It’s okay. Do you need some help?
W: Yes, uh... I need to report a car accident.
M: Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. Where did the accident take place?
W: On the corner of West Street and Market Avenue.
M: Are you okay? And was your car damaged?
W: I’m okay, but the front left bumper is damaged. Will it be covered?
M: Sure. Can you tell me how the accident came about?
W: I was turning the corner and another car appeared out of nowhere.
M: Okay. I will come down to the scene of the accident to make my report.
W: Oh, thanks.
06
W: Look! This is an interesting painting.
M: Yes. Are those musical instruments on the table?
W: Yes, I think so. And there is sheet music underneath the clarinet.
M: Yes, there are three pages of it.
W: I like the diamond pattern of the blanket.
M: Personally, I think that pattern looks old-fashioned.
W: Really? Well, the guitar leaning against the book in the back is nice.
M: I like the way it’s painted. I also like this open drawer.
W: And the door in the background is slightly open.
M: That seems to add a sense of mystery.
07
[Cell phone rings.]
M: Hello?
W: Hi, Barry! I hope I’m not interrupting something important.
M: Not at all. I was just watching TV.
W: Good. I’m calling because there’s a problem with my computer.
M: Again? What’s wrong with it this time?
W: It’s running too slowly because it has a virus.
M: You need to buy a good anti-virus program. I use Virus Police.
W: I can’t afford to spend any money right now. Can you make me a copy instead?
M: Sorry, I can’t. That’s illegal. But you can get a special free version that lets you try it for a month.
W: That’s a great idea! I’ll search for it online right now. Thanks.
M: You’re welcome. It should fix the problem.
08
W: Nathan, what time will you be leaving the office tonight?
M: I have to leave early today.
W: Oh, really? Do you have to take care of your son again?
M: No. Actually, I have to go to the airport.
W: Oh, are you taking a trip?
M: I wish. Actually, my cousin is coming to visit, so I have to pick him up.
W: Is he the one you told me about?
M: Yes. He’ll be staying with my family during his vacation.
W: That’s nice. Do you have any plans?
M: Yes. We’ll go camping, and I’ll take him to all the popular spots.
W: I hope you have a good time with him.
09
M: Look at these toys! I think they will make the kids at the children’s center very happy.
W: Me too. How many kids are there at the center?
M: There are 8 boys and 12 girls.
W: How about buying teddy bears for them?
M: I don’t think boys like teddy bears as much as girls do.
W: Yeah, I agree. What about robots for the boys? They are five dollars each.
M: Great! Teddy bears are four dollars each.
W: Look! There’s a 50 percent discount if we buy more than ten toys.
M: That’s a great deal! Let’s buy robots and teddy bears.
W: Okay. The kids will be so happy to get them.
M: Yeah, I’m looking forward to seeing their faces!
10
M: What are you doing, Lisa?
W: I’m doing research on the Internet. I need to write a report on manatees.
M: What are manatees?
W: They’re a kind of mammal that lives in coastal areas and rivers.
M: Oh, I know what they are. They kind of look like fat seals.
W: Exactly. The average adult is about three meters long and weighs around 400 kg.
M: Wow, they are so big. What do they eat?
W: The calves drink their mothers’ milk, but adult manatees eat water plants. Unfortunately, they’re endangered now.
M: Really? Why?
W: The main reasons are human activities and pollution.
M: Oh, that’s too bad.
11
M: When you are frightened, a hormone called adrenalin prepares you to either fight or to run away. After it is released, it readies your body for instant action, making your heart beat faster and your breathing become deeper. The increased blood flow provides power to your muscles.
Adrenalin also causes the pupils of your eyes to open wider, improving your vision. And it stops the digestive processes, allowing energy and blood to be moved to more important areas. As blood flows away from your skin, you become pale. This also causes tiny muscles in your skin to contract, creating goose bumps.
12 M: Hello.
W: Welcome to Eastern Fitness. How can I help you?
M: I want to start exercising once a week. Which classes do you recommend?
W: Well, let’s start with your schedule. What time is best for you?
M: I work in the mornings, but any time after that is fine.
W: Okay. Which day of the week do you prefer?
M: Anything is okay, except for the weekends.
W: All right. And do you have a budget?
M: Yes! The class must cost $50 or less per week.
W: I see. Well, it looks like we have a class that meets your needs.
M: Excellent. I’m ready to sign up!
W: Just fill out this form, please.
13
M: I think that was a very useful meeting.
W: Really? Why do you think so?
M: It was good to hear what the other teams are working on.
W: I don’t see how that helps us. And it was too long and boring.
M: There was a lot to discuss. All five teams had to present their ideas.
W: I couldn’t even hear everything that was said because people were speaking too quietly.
M: It would’ve been a good idea to have microphones.
W: Besides, now I have to work overtime to finish my report on time.
M: That’s too bad, but I’m still looking forward to having another one of those meetings.
W: (I’m not. I think they’re a waste of time.) 14
W: Hi, sweetie! How was your first day?
M: It was good, but I was late for my first class.
W: Why were you late?
M: I missed the school bus.
W: That’s not an excuse. You could have taken the regular bus instead.
M: But I wasn’t sure which bus to take.
W: You should have checked the bus routes and schedules before you left.
M: I didn’t think of that. I had to leave the house quickly because I was running late.
W: You should be better prepared from now on.
M: (I will be. It won’t happen again.) 15
W: Fred has been spending a lot of time studying recently. There is only one month left before the university entrance exams, and he wants to do very well. One Sunday, while he is studying at the library, his nose suddenly starts to bleed. The woman sitting next to him sees this and hands him a tissue. He says that he’d like to buy her coffee to thank her for her kindness. But she refuses because she has lots of books to read and doesn’t have enough time to take a break. In this situation, what would Fred most likely say to the woman?
Fred: (If we ever meet again, I’ll repay your kindness.) 16-17
M: Do you want to get healthy? Then why don’t you try walking? Walking is one of the easiest exercises you can do. However, it can sometimes cause pain in your feet or the muscles of your legs. It may also cause serious back pain or headaches. This is because you don’t know how to walk properly. Knowing how to walk properly will help you get good, effective exercise. First, stand up straight. Leaning forward can hurt the muscles in your back. Also, don’t make fists with your hands when you walk. This is bad for your blood pressure. Finally, roll your feet from your heel to your toes as you walk. You may feel a little sore as your muscles get stronger, but the pain will go away. If you keep these in mind, you can walk better and be much healthier.