01
W: Welcome to the Village Hotel. How was your drive?
M: Good. And the scenery around here is beautiful.
W: Yes. If you’d like to go hiking, there are also great hiking trails in this area.
M: (Maybe later. I’m feeling tired today.) 02
M: How about going out for dinner tonight?
W: Sounds good. Let’s have French food. There’s a nice restaurant downtown.
M: Okay. How long does it take to get there?
W: (Probably an hour if the traffic is okay.) 03
W: Good afternoon. Today, I’d like to talk to you about an amazing invention: the Internet.
Besides using it as a source of information, people rely on the Internet to do many things, such as communicating and shopping. There are, however, some problems. This valuable tool can be used against us by people who want to steal our information. Also, people are sometimes rude to one another on the Internet. And it can keep us from interacting with each other face to face.
Although it has become an important part of our lives, we must remember to use it wisely.
04
M: How was your biology test yesterday?
W: It was okay. But something strange happened.
M: Really? What happened?
W: During the test, I couldn’t think of the word “diabetes.”
M: Is that all? It’s not unusual to forget a difficult word like that.
W: Yes, but right after the test, the word suddenly popped up in my head. I think there’s something wrong with my memory.
M: Probably not. The brain just takes some time to find specific information. It’s perfectly normal.
W: So, my brain was searching for the word?
M: Yes! The brain keeps information in many different areas. Sometimes it takes a while to find where new information has been placed. When it is found, you suddenly remember it!
W: How interesting!
05
M: How’s your throat feeling today, Misty?
W: Much better, thanks.
M: Great. Do you think you’ll be able to record a song in the studio this afternoon?
W: Sure. It’s just one song, right?
M: That’s right. And then at three o’clock, you’re scheduled to give an interview.
W: All right. Where is the interview?
M: It’s at a local radio station. I’ll drive you there.
W: Okay. So is that it for today?
M: Yes, there’s nothing else scheduled.
W: Well, I’m glad I don’t have a tight schedule.
M: Yes. And let’s meet again tomorrow to talk about a concert tour.
W: Sure. Thanks a lot, Gil.
06
M: I had a really great time building houses for poor people with my friends.
W: Yes, me too. It was rewarding.
M: This photo really captures the experience. Look! James is carrying bricks.
W: He is, and Jack looks hot. He is wiping sweat away with his T-shirt.
M: Right. There are three shovels on the ground. Digging was tough.
W: I know. But you’re hammering nails in the picture.
M: Yes. And you are cutting some wood with a saw. You worked hard.
W: It was easier than I expected, actually.
M: Then why don’t we make time to volunteer more often?
W: Okay. It feels good to help others.
07
M: Hi, Grandma. I just came over to say hello.
W: Hi, Paul. That sure was a terrible storm last night.
M: Yes, it really was. Our lights went out for nearly an hour.
W: Ours did, too. I’m surprised none of these trees fell over.
M: Yes, but look at the fence around your yard. Part of it was knocked down.
W: Oh, I hadn’t noticed that. That’s going to be a problem.
M: I’m sure my father can fix it when he gets here after work.
W: Yes, but I was hoping to put my dog out in the yard this afternoon.
M: Well, in that case, I can take care of it. I’m pretty good with tools.
W: I’d really appreciate it, honey.
M: No problem.
08
M: Hi, Christy.
W: Allen, what a surprise. I haven’t seen you in ages.
M: I know. What are you doing here in the hospital? Are you sick?
W: No, I’m not. I’m just visiting someone.
M: Is it anyone I know?
W: No, it’s my brother. But he’s not sick either. He works here. How about you?
M: I had to get a copy of my medical records for my company.
W: Oh, I see. Do you have time to get a cup of coffee in the café?
M: Unfortunately, no. I need to get back to the office.
W: I understand. Well, let’s keep in touch.
09
W: Fun Fun Tickets, how may I help you?
M: I need to buy tickets for tomorrow’s baseball game.
W: How many tickets would you like to purchase?
M: Five, please.
W: Well, first-level seats cost $30 each, second-level are $20 each, and third-level are $10 each.
Unfortunately, though, the third-level seats are already sold out.
M: Second-level seats will be fine, then.
W: Oh, it looks like there are only three left. We have a few first-level seats available, though.
M: Then I’ll just take three second-level seats and two first-level seats.
W: Okay. If you have a membership card, you can get 10% off the total price.
M: Yes. Here you are.
W: Please wait a minute.
10
M: How was your trip to Madagascar?
W: It was great! I saw many unique animals!
M: Wow. I heard Madagascar has 250,000 species that live nowhere else.
W: Right. I saw lemurs, which are similar to monkeys. I also saw brightly colored frogs and rare lizards.
M: Do you know why there are so many rare animals in Madagascar?
W: It’s because of its location.
M: What do you mean?
W: It is an island near the southeast coast of Africa. It has been separated from the rest of Africa for a long time.
M: So many new species have evolved independently there!
W: That’s right!
11
M: The City Museum, located near City Hall, is proud to announce a new exhibit of wonderful paintings and sculptures from the Renaissance. These amazing works of art, which include the Mona Lisa, have been shown at great museums around the world. Now, they’ll be here from April 10th until May 10th. More than 150 works of art will be on display, along with a short film
explaining the historical background of Renaissance art. Tickets are $12 for adults, and children under 18 get in for half price. For more information, please visit the museum’s website at www.citymuseum.org.
12
W: We have to decide on someone for the open salesperson position.
M: Sure. Let me take a look at the candidates.
W: All right. I’m trying to choose between these five people.
M: Well, first I’d forget about the people without any experience.
W: Yes, but we need someone who can speak at least one Asian language.
M: All right. Is age important?
W: No, I’m not worried about that.
M: Okay. And what about education?
W: Well, they all have university degrees. But I’d prefer someone who majored in business or a language.
M: Then this is the person we should hire.
W: I agree!
13
M: Would you mind if we stopped at this convenience store?
W: No, I don’t mind. Do you need to buy something?
M: Actually, my stomach feels really strange.
W: So you’re going to buy some stomach medicine?
M: No, I’m just going to buy a bottle of Coke.
W: Coke! That’s not going to help your stomach.
M: Sure it will. I drink it all the time to help me digest.
W: Coke is not a good cure. How many bottles do you drink a day?
M: Well, it depends. But I usually drink one or two.
W: (You’d better not drink it, or it will make you feel worse.) 14
M: Hi, can I help you with something?
W: Yes. I bought this cell phone here last month, but it needs to be fixed.
M: Can you tell me what’s wrong with it?
W: It just doesn’t work well. It won’t even turn on sometimes.
M: Did you drop it on the floor?
W: No... But I accidentally dropped it in the sink last week.
M: Well, that explains it. I don’t think it can be fixed.
W: But it’s brand new! That phone cost me $400! Please fix it for me.
M: Well... I don’t know if it can be repaired.
W: Please! I’ll be pretty upset if I have to buy a new one.
M: (I’ll do my best, but I can’t promise you anything.) 15
W: Patrick has been working at the same publishing company since he graduated from university. Although he likes his job, he has begun to grow bored of doing the same thing day after day. When he was in school, he and his best friend Alex used to talk about opening up their own music shop after they graduated. Patrick and Alex recently met for dinner. When Patrick complained about being bored with his job, Alex said he felt the same way. Suddenly, Patrick remembered their idea about the music shop. In this situation, what would Patrick most likely say to Alex?
Patrick: (I think it’s time we chased after our dream.) 16-17
M: It’s summer! This summer may be hotter than last year, and heavy rain and typhoons are also anticipated. This means there is a high possibility of power cuts due to natural disasters or increased usage of air conditioners. Therefore, we all need to be ready for the possibility of the power going out. Flashlights should be kept somewhere you can find them easily. Also, make sure you have a small supply of canned food and fresh water. If the power goes out for a long time, all of the food in your refrigerator will go bad. And in some areas, a lack of electricity can affect the water supply. Finally, make sure everyone knows exactly where the first aid kit is. It could be very difficult to find in the dark when you need it.