We suggest you do the vocabulary activity below before you listen. Then listen to the episode and do the first task to check your understanding. Finally, practise some vocabulary and grammar.

　　Match the words and phrases in the boxes to their definitions.

　　1. a distinction (noun)

　　2. proper (adjective)

　　3. to miss someone (verb)

　　4. a decision (noun)

　　5. permanent (adjective)

　　6. a row (noun)

　　Definitions:

　　a. A verbal argument or disagreement We had ________ about whose turn it was to clean the kitchen.

　　b. Long lasting, not temporary After having six temporary jobs she was delighted to get a ________ one.

　　c. Appropriate, conforming, correct Now I am getting a ________ salary instead of just some pocket money.

　　d. Marked superiority She was an excellent student so it wasn.t a surprise to hear that she had got ________ in her exam.

　　e. To feel sorry about the absence of somebody or something She ________ her family a lot when she moved away to another town.

　　f. a judgement It was a difficult ________ to make but she had to choose a winner.

　　Audio script

　　Olivia: Hi Magda! How was your first day?

　　Magda: Fantastic!

　　Olivia: Really!? I.m amazed...

　　Sarah: Yeah, you were so worried about your new job...

　　Magda: Well, I had some good news...

　　Olivia: Yeah? What?

　　All: Hi Johnny!

　　Johnny: Hi! I.ve got some good news...

　　Sarah: Makes two of you then!

　　Johnny: At least I think it.s good news...I.m not really sure...

　　Olivia: Tell us!

　　Magda: Can.t I tell you my good news first?

　　Sarah: Wow, this is getting complicated...and I.m afraid I.ve only got some bad news...

　　Magda: Oh no...What a shame! What.s the problem?

　　Olivia: Yeah, go on, bad news first, then the good news will cheer us up!

　　Sarah: OK, well, I had a row with my landlord, finally! And I.m moving out...

　　Magda: Oh no!

　　Sarah: Oh yes! So, I need a new flat...

　　Olivia: Again!!!

　　Magda: Oh dear...

　　Olivia: What a shame. I hoped it was going to work out...

　　Sarah: Yeah, but I didn.t get on with the landlord.

　　Magda: Have you told Fadi yet?

　　Sarah: No...I.m worried what he might think. The landlord is his cousin, after all...

　　Olivia: Well, let.s just wait until he comes in. I was going to tell him you weren.t happy – now I.ll tell him you.re leaving!

　　Magda: Is it good news time yet?

　　Sarah: Yes! Go on! What.s your good news?

　　Magda: I.ve been offered a job!

　　Johnny: Me too!

　　Olivia: Hang on! Wait a minute! You.ve already got a job, haven.t you Magda?

　　Sarah: And you have too, Johnny, haven.t you? You talk about it all the time...

　　Magda/Johnny: But...

　　Magda: Go on...!

　　Johnny: No, you first, please...

　　Magda: I.ve been offered a permanent job, with the same company! I.ll be a proper architect!

　　Olivia: Wow! That.s fantastic!

　　Magda: But...

　　Olivia: There.s always a .but....

　　Magda: I have to get a distinction in my master.s degree...

　　Sarah: Phew...that.s not easy...

　　Magda: No, but I.m doing well...

　　Olivia: Fingers crossed then...

　　Sarah: Let.s hope!

　　Johnny: That.s amazing – I.ve got the same news!

　　Olivia: What? You.re going to be an architect?

　　Johnny: No!

　　Sarah: You.re doing a master.s degree?

　　Johnny: No!

　　Magda: What then?

　　Johnny: A job...I.ve been offered a new job!

　　Olivia: Yes, you said...

　　Johnny: And there.s a .but....

　　Olivia: I told you there was always a .but....

　　Johnny: It.s not in London...

　　Olivia: You.d have to leave...

　　Johnny: Yeah...

　　Olivia: Well, where is it? New York?

　　Johnny: No...

　　Magda: Paris? Berlin? Where?

　　Johnny: It.s back in China.

　　Sarah: Oh...Beijing? Shanghai?

　　Johnny: No, it.s in Chongqing.

　　Olivia: Where?

　　Johnny: Chongqing!

　　Magda:: Where.s that?

　　Sarah: Southwest China. It.s a really interesting place...growing really quickly...

　　Johnny: Yeah, it.s a great opportunity...

　　Olivia: But?

　　Johnny: But I love it here so much. I.m not sure I want to go back to China yet – I.d miss all my friends...

　　Olivia: You.ll have to choose!

　　Sarah: It.s big decision time! Oh no...here comes Fadi....and Harry.

　　All: Hi Fadi! Hi Harry!

　　Fadi: How.s it going everyone?

　　Olivia: Don.t ask...

　　Magda: I.ve been offered a new job, a really good job – if I get a good degree!

　　Johnny: I.ve been offered a new job, a really good job – but I have to go back to China!

　　Harry: Wow! Busy day everyone.s having...I.ve got some news too...

　　Olivia: Oh no...

　　Harry: Oh yes – I.ve been sacked!

　　Magda: “Sacked”?

　　Harry: Yes – I.ve lost my job, been made redundant, unemployed, no longer working!

　　Magda: Oh no!

　　Harry: Don.t worry – I don.t care. I hated that job anyway. I.ll soon find another job. A man with my skills and abilities is always in demand!

　　Johnny: Somebody from my company sacked you? Why?

　　Harry: I told them I wasn.t going to work at the weekend – Saturdays and Sundays. If I worked on Saturday and Sunday, when could I play football!? So I said .no., and they said .goodbye....

　　Magda: What will you do now?

　　Harry: I have absolutely no idea! The future is an open book...

　　Sarah: Very poetic!

　　Fadi: Well Sarah, at least you.re ok...with your new flat and everything...

　　Sarah: Oh...er...well...

　　Olivia: Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that...cousin

　　Fadi: You wanted to talk to me?

　　Olivia: (whispering) Yeah, well, you see, Sarah.s a bit embarrassed...

　　Fadi: (whispering) What.s up?

　　Olivia: She wants to leave the new flat...she doesn.t get on well with the landlord...

　　Fadi: My cousin.

　　Olivia: Yes, your cousin.

　　Fadi: I.m not surprised!

　　Olivia: Eh?

　　Fadi: I said I.m not surprised! My cousin.s horrible! I can.t stand him!

　　Olivia: (laughs) Oh that.s a relief...

　　Fadi: Sarah – I.m sorry if I got you involved with my cousin...I thought you were desperate for a place to live...I know my cousin.s horrible!

　　Sarah: Oh, never mind Fadi – thanks for trying to help anyway...Now I need a new place to live though...

　　Magda: If I get this job, I.ll have more money – we could get a place together...

　　Sarah: That.d be great...

　　Johnny: If I take the job in China, I.ll have to leave my flat...

　　Sarah: And we could move in...

　　Olivia: What a lot of .if.s....

　　Sarah: It.s exciting...

　　Magda: But also worrying...

　　Johnny: And confusing...

　　Harry: And that.s not all...

　　Fadi: What?

　　Harry: I.ve just been speaking to the owner of the café...

　　Olivia: And?

　　Harry: They.re closing down – next week!

　　All: What!!?? Oh…that.s terrible…no....what are we all going to do??

　　Comprehension Task

　　True or false

　　Decide whether these statements are true or false:

　　1. If Magda does well in her degree she will get a permanent job.

　　2. Johnny is moving to Shanghai.

　　3. Fadi doesn.t like his cousin.

　　4. Harry has been offered a permanent job.

　　5. Magda suggests that she and Sarah share a flat.

　　6. The café is going to close down.

　　Vocabulary 1

　　Adjective + noun collocations

　　Match the halves to make common adjective + noun collocations

　　First

　　degree

　　Good

　　 week

　　Permanent

　　decision

　　Master's

　　day

　　Big

　　job

　　Next

　　 news

　　Vocabulary 2

　　Colloquial expressions

　　Complete the colloquial expressions with a word from the box.

　　1. What a __________

　　2. Cheer __________

　　3. Fingers __________

　　4. Decision __________

　　5. Don.t __________

　　6. I.m __________

　　crossed

　　time

　　worry

　　up

　　sorry

　　shame

　　Grammar 1

　　Adjective endings: -ed and –ing

　　Complete the gaps with the correct adjective

　　1. Something __________ happened to me today. (amazed / amazing)

　　2. Try not to get too __________ about the exam. (worried / worrying)

　　3. It was an __________ situation. (embarrassed / embarrassing)

　　4. She was __________ to hear the news. (surprised / surprising)

　　5. What an __________ plan! (excited / exciting)

　　6. We are __________ because there are too many options. (confused / confusing)

　　7. Is the film __________? (bored / boring)

　　8. The book was much more __________.(interested / interesting)

　　Grammar 2

　　Articles Fill in the gaps with a, an, the or - (no article)

　　1. I.ve had ______ row with my boyfriend.

　　2. I don.t get on with ______ landlord.

　　3. I.m going to be ______ architect.

　　4. The job is in ______ China.

　　5. That.s ______ excellent news.

　　6. I hated ______ job so I left.

　　Answers

　　Grammar 2: 1 a, 2 the, 3 an, 4  - , 5 -  , 6 the

　　Grammar 1: 1 - amazing, 2 - worried, 3 - embarrassing, 4 - surprised, 5 - exciting, 6 - confused, 7 - boring, 8 - interesting

　　Vocabulary 2: 1 -  What a shame, 2 -  Cheer up, 3 - Fingers crossed, 4 - Decision time, 5 - Don’t worry, 6 - I’m sorry

　　Vocabulary 1: First day - Good news - Permanent job - Master's degree - Big decision - Next week

　　Comprehension Task: 1 – true, 2 – false (he may move to Chongqing), 3 – true, 4 – false(he has lost his job), 5 – true, 6 – true,

　　Before you listen: 1 – d, 2 - c, 3 - e, 4 - f, 5 - b, 6 - a