01
M: Julie, you look excited.
W: Yes, I am! I’m going to England next month as an exchange student.
M: Oh, great! How long will you stay there?
W: (For two semesters.) 02
W: Hello. How can I help you?
M: Hello. Can you fix my phone for me?
W: This phone is brand new. What’s wrong with it?
M: (It won’t turn on.) 03
W: Can I have your attention, please? We are pleased to hold the annual school talent show again. Originally, it was scheduled for next Friday at 3:00. Unfortunately, the repairs to the auditorium have not been completed. Therefore, we have to move the talent show to another day—Friday, June 2nd, at the same time. All students are encouraged to attend and vote for their favorite act. We have prepared a very special prize for the student who gets the most votes at the end of the show. So make sure to mark the new date and time on your calendar.
04
M: I wonder why barber shops have a striped pole out front.
W: Traditionally, the red and white stripes were supposed to look like bloody bandages.
M: You’re kidding! How is that related to haircuts?
W: Back then, barbers did many things besides haircuts, including bloodletting.
M: What is that?
W: People used to believe that illnesses could be cured by removing some blood.
M: And barbers did that? How?
W: Usually they used leeches to suck small amounts of blood from customers.
M: Did they? That’s pretty disgusting.
W: I agree. They also removed bad teeth and performed minor surgery. And they shaved men’s beards as well.
M: They must have been really busy.
05
W: Ah, I hate these kinds of traffic jams.
M: There’s nothing I can do. It’s rush hour now.
W: Well, how much longer do you think it will take?
M: I don’t think it’ll take longer than 30 minutes.
W: Oh. I hope we’re not stuck on this road for long.
M: I hope so too, but it doesn’t seem like we’re going anywhere fast.
W: Oh, I know another route that we can take.
M: What is it?
W: You can go east on 14th Street and then take 6th Avenue north.
M: But that’s a longer route; the fare will be higher.
W: I know, but I don’t mind paying more if it will get us there faster.
M: Okay. If that’s what you want, I’ll take that route.
W: Thank you.
06
W: Wow, look at that graffiti painted on the wall. Do you like graffiti?
M: I guess it’s okay. But isn’t it illegal?
W: Not everywhere. This city lets artists paint on this wall.
M: Look at that woman on the left. She has a tail and is floating in the air.
W: Yes, it’s funny. And the bulldog has a huge shadow—it’s much bigger than him!
M: That man with the cap is bending his legs.
W: Hey, look! All the windows on that bus are broken. It looks really old.
M: And the man with the beard is raising his hand.
W: What do you think the artist was trying to say?
M: I don’t know. But it’s fun to think about what art means!
07
W: Brian, you’re earlier than usual.
M: Yes, I wanted to help you prepare the food for the memorial ceremony.
W: Oh, thanks. It’s been a year since Grandma died. But I still miss her.
M: I understand. What can I do to help?
W: Can you heat up some oil in the pan?
M: Okay. [Pause] Oh, we’re out of oil.
W: Then how about putting two cups of flour in a mixing bowl?
M: No problem. [Pause] Oh, there’s only one cup left.
W: Really? Then can you go to the store and get some oil and flour?
M: Okay.
W: Oh, wait. Can you call your father first? If he’s on his way home, you won’t have to go out.
M: I see.
08
M: Whew, it feels like summer is going to last forever.
W: You must be hot. Let me get you some water from the kitchen.
M: No, thank you. In fact, I’m almost done.
W: That’s great. And I have another project for you when you’re done with this.
M: Okay. What is it?
W: I’m thinking of planting some peach trees in my backyard.
M: Sorry, but I don’t think that’s a good idea.
W: Why not? Are you busy with another project?
M: No, I’m not. But peach trees aren’t a good choice.
W: Are they hard to grow?
M: Well, they can’t grow well in moist soil like this.
W: Oh, really? Then I’d better find another kind of tree.
09
[Telephone rings.]
M: Thanks for calling Frank’s Repair Shop.
W: Hi. My name is Jane Gray. I dropped off a couple of items last week.
M: Oh, yes, a laptop computer and an MP3 player.
W: That’s right. Were you able to fix them?
M: Yes, we were. The MP3 player had a simple problem, so that will just be $10.
W: All right. How about the laptop?
M: We had to order a part, which cost $30, along with a $5 installation fee.
W: So, $35 total for the laptop.
M: Yes. Will you be coming by to pick them up today?
W: Actually, I was wondering if you had a delivery service.
M: Sure. We’ll bring them to you for an extra $5.
W: Sounds good. I’ll give you my address.
10
W: Harry, we need to choose a tour package for our trip to South Korea.
M: Okay. How about this one? We can stay in Seoul for three nights and Busan for two nights.
W: That sounds nice. How are the hotels?
M: They say travelers will stay at a four-star hotel.
W: Do they provide meals?
M: Breakfast is provided each morning, but lunch and dinner are not.
W: What kinds of activities does the package include?
M: This package includes a guided tour of both cities, so we will see all of the most famous places.
W: I like it so far. And does the price seem reasonable?
M: Yeah, it’s $2,000 per person.
W: Great! Let’s choose this one.
11
M: Welcome to Springdale Stadium. It took more than two years to complete this building. It is where our city’s football team will play all of its games. The stadium includes 60,000 seats, which are divided into regular seats, VIP seats and press seats. We expect it will bring more money into the city. The opening ceremony will be held next Tuesday. There will be lots of events, so we hope you will join us. Also, there will be discounted tickets for the first football game in the stadium.
12
W: Welcome to Freshness Snack Bar. What can I get for you?
M: I need something to drink.
W: We have a variety of both juices and coffees for you to choose from.
M: Okay, those look pretty good. Coffee is my favorite.
W: Great. What kind would you like to order?
M: Just a second. I should get some food as well. Is the toast with butter and jam good?
W: Yes, it’s good. But it doesn’t come with a drink.
M: Oh, I see that. It would cost me more to order the toast and coffee separately.
W: That’s right. You can save some money by ordering them together.
M: Okay. For food and a drink, that one looks like the best choice.
13
M: Oh, it’s nearly 5 already. I’m tired of painting.
W: So am I. But look how much we’ve finished.
M: The house is going to look great, isn’t it?
W: It sure is. You did a great job picking the colors.
M: Thanks. But we both had a say in that.
W: So, shall we finish this wall?
M: Well, can’t we take a break and finish later?
W: I think it’d be best to get this done now.
M: Okay. But we’d better take a break afterwards. I’m starving.
W: I understand. As soon as it’s finished, we can go out for dinner.
M: (Good. I know a great restaurant. Let’s go there.) 14
M: Natalie, is that your computer?
W: Oh, no. I’m just borrowing it from my granddaughter.
M: They’re pretty amazing, aren’t they?
W: Yes. And kids today can use them so well.
M: You’re right.
W: They act like using a computer all day is completely natural.
M: When I was a kid, I thought the radio was an amazing invention.
W: I remember our first TV. It was black-and-white and so small.
M: And now our grandkids spend their days emailing each other on the Internet.
W: Actually, I chat online with my sister in England sometimes.
M: Really? I’m surprised you’ve learned how.
W: (I try to keep up with all the new technology.) 15
W: Stan tried to send money to his friend through an Internet banking site. But he entered the wrong password three times, and his access to the account was rejected. So he had to go to the bank in person today. However, there are already many people waiting in line when he gets there. Stan is really annoyed. If he doesn’t leave the bank soon, he’ll miss the beginning of his daughter’s soccer game. He thinks that the bank should have more tellers working. Finally, it’s his turn to speak with the teller. In this situation, what would Stan most likely say to the teller?
Stan: (It’s unacceptable to make people wait this long.) 16-17
M: Which of your five senses are most important when you shop? Sight? Hearing? Of course, these are both important. But according to a recent study, your sense of smell is also important.
Unlike the other senses, the sense of smell can cause instant emotional reactions. The study found that people tend to spend more time and money in shops that smell pleasant. Smells are also helpful for creating a brand image. Therefore, many companies are starting to focus on the sense of smell in their marketing. For example, restaurants and bakeries use certain scents to stimulate customers’ appetite. In cafés, the aroma of coffee helps boost sales. In some cases, hotels develop their own scents to attract more customers. Using scents in marketing has many benefits. But scents that are too strong can give shoppers a headache, so they have to be used properly.