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—I'm going to buy a new carpet.
—But you can't do that.
—Why can't I?
—We haven't got enough money.
—What are you going to do this afternoon?
—I'm going to weed the garden.
—Are you going to weed the garden tomorrow afternoon, too?
—No. I'm going to paint the front door.
—I'm going to sit on this chair.
—But you mustn't.
—Why not?
—Because it's broken.
—Do you like roast chicken?
—Yes. I love it. Thank you.
—Do you prefer brown meat or white meat?
—I really don't mind. Thank you.
—Did you buy anything when you went to Paris?
—Yes. I bought a briefcase.
—What's it like?
—It's a large, leather one.
—Did you take a bus to the meeting place?
—No. I went in Richard's car.
—Did Susan go in Richard's car, too?
—No. She took a taxi.
—Excuse me, sir, is this your cigarette lighter?
—I beg your pardon?
—I said "Is this your cigarette lighter".
—Oh, yes, it is. Thank you so much.
—Not at all. It's a pleasure.
—Are you engaged, Margaret?
—Of course I'm not. Why do you ask, Nicholett?
—I only wanted to practice my English.
—Oh, I see. You want to make use of me.
—Good evening, and how have you spent the day?
—I serviced and cleaned the car till lunch time.
—And what did you do after lunch?
—I took the family into the country for a picnic.
—Hello, Tony, where have you been?
—Swimming.
—Who did you go with?
—I went with Mark and Elizabeth.
—Hello, why haven't you lit your cigar?
—I haven't brought my lighter.
—I would lend you mine, if you like.
—Thank you. That's very kind of you.
—Good evening. Can I help you?
—Yes. I have injured my ankle.
—What happened?
—I fell off a ladder last night.
—What are those trays made of?
—They are made of plastic.
—Are trays always made of plastic?
—No. They are sometimes made of wood or metal.
—What's wrong?
—I'm very thirsty.
—Why not buy a cup of coffee, then?
—Yes. That's a good idea. I will.
—Excuse me. But is it half past four yet?
—I'm sorry, but I haven't got a watch. Try the man with the walking stick. He has one.
—Thank you. I will.
Listen to these people talking about things they like, things they don't like and things they sometimes like.
Kurt is talking to Georgina.
Male: Do you like chocolates?
Female: It depends.
Instructor: Here is the question: Does she like chocolates?
"Sometimes" is the correct answer.
Now listen to the next example and do the same.
Male: Would you like a chocolate?
Female: Not at the moment. Thanks.
Instructor: Here is the question: Does she like chocolates?
"Don't know" is the correct answer.
Here are more conversations.
(a)
Female: Do you like pop music?
Male: It depends.
Instructor: Does he like pop music?
(b)
Male: Would you like to come to a concert tonight?
Female: Sorry. I'm afraid I can't.
Instructor: Does she like pop concerts?
(c)
Male: Do you like good coffee?
Female: Mmmm. It's delicious.
Instructor: Does she like good coffee?
(d)
Female: Do you like English food?
Male: Not all of it.
Instructor: Does he like English food?
(e)
Male: Would you like a cup of tea?
Female: I'd rather have a cool drink, please.
Instructor: Does she like tea?
(f)
Female: Would you like an ice cream?
Male: Well ... I never eat ice cream.
Instructor: Does he like ice cream?
(g)
Male: Would you like to come to a football match tomorrow?
Female: Football matches are usually awful.
Instructor: Does she like football matches?
(h)
Male: Would you like to come to the cinema this evening?
Female: That would be lovely.
Instructor: Does she like the cinema?
Bob and Angela are window-shopping. The shop is closed, but they are talking about the sales next week. They are planning to buy a lot of things.
Bob: Look at that, Angela. True-Value are going to sell hi-fi's for 72.64 pounds. I'm going to buy one. We can save at least twenty pounds.
Angela: Yes, and look at the washing machines. They're going to sell some washing machines for 98.95 pounds. So we can save twenty-two pounds. A washing machine is more important than a hi-fi.
Bob: By the way, Angela. Do you know how much money we've got? About two hundred pounds, I hope.
Angela: Here's the bank statement. I didn't want to open it. Oh, dear.
Bob: What's the matter?
Angela: We haven't got two hundred pounds, I'm afraid.
Bob: Well, come on. How much have we got?
Angela: Only 150.16 pounds.
Susan is talking to Christine.
Susan: I hear you and James are engaged at last.
Christine: Yes, we are.
Susan: When are you getting married?
Christine: In the spring.
Susan: Oh, lovely. Where's the wedding going to be?
Christine: Well ... We're not sure yet, probably in St. Albans.
Susan: Oh, yes, your parents live there, don't they?
Christine: Yes, that's right.
Susan: Where are you going to live?
Christine: We're going to buy a flat or a small house somewhere in South London.
Susan: Are you going to give up your job?
Christine: Yes, probably, but I may look for another one when we've settled in.
I have a watch. It is a Swiss watch. It is not new and my friends are sometimes a little rude about it. They tell me to buy a new one. But I do not want a new one. I am very happy with my old watch. Last week it stopped. So I took it to the shop. I did not ask for an estimate. Today I went to get it. Do you know how much I had to pay? Five pounds. Five pounds just for cleaning a watch.
Have you ever thought what it is like to be one of those beautiful girls that you see on the front of fashion magazines? They meet interesting people, they travel to exciting places, and sometimes they make a lot of money. But they have to work hard. They often have to get up very early in the morning, and of course they have to be very careful about what they eat.
—I'm going to clean the blackboard.
—But you can't do that.
—Why can't I?
—We haven't got a duster.
—I'm going to drink some of this milk.
—But you mustn't.
—Why not?
—Because it's sour.
—Excuse me, Madam, did you drop your glove?
—I beg your pardon?
—I said "Did you drop your glove".
—Oh, yes, I did. Thank you so much.
—Not at all. It's a pleasure.
—Where have you been?
—To the cinema.
—Who did you go with?
—I went with Jone Judge.
—What can I do for you?
—I have damaged my wrist, doctor.
—How did you do that?
—I fell on it while I was playing tennis.
—What's wrong?
—I have a pain in my chest.
—Why not go and see your doctor?
—Yes. That's a good idea. I will.
—What are you going to do this evening?
—I'm going to p1ay cards.
—Are you going to play cards tomorrow evening, too?
—No. I'm going to make a new dress.
—Do you like boiled eggs?
—Yes. I love them. Thank you.
—Do you prefer hard ones or soft ones?
—I really don't mind. Thank you.
—Did you buy anything when you were in the town?
—Yes. I bought a blouse.
—What's it like?
—It's a blue one with a high neck.
—Did you walk to the match?
—No. I went by car.
—Did John go by car, too?
—No. He cycled.
—Hello, and how did you spend the holiday?
—I played tennis till lunch time.
—What did you do after lunch?
—I went for a swim with John.
—Hello, why aren't you playing tennis?
—I haven't brought my racket.
—You can borrow mine, if you like.
—Oh, thank you. That's very kind of you.
—What are those shirts made of?
—They are made of cotton.
—Are shirts always made of cotton?
—No. They are sometimes made of wool or nylon.
Female: I've got two tickets for a volleyball match this evening. Why don't you come?
Male: Uh ... no, thanks. I ... I'm not very interested in volleyball.
Female: Oh, why not? Have you ever seen it played?
Male: No, I haven't, but I really don't th...
Female: That's what I thought. You don't know what you're missing.
Male: Don't I? Why?
Female: Because it's very fast, with lots of action.
Male: Really? Who's playing?
Female: Two of the best women's teams in the world, one from Finland and the other from Belgium.
Male: Hmm. It sounds exciting.
Female: Yes, it is! Very!
Male: Hmm. Well, perhaps I'll come after all.
Female: Good! Now ... uh ... could you ... uh ... could I have five pounds, please?
Male: Five pounds? What for?
Female: Your ticket, of course. I bought two of them in advance, hoping I'd persuade you to come with me.
Male: Oh ... uh ... You know, I've just remembered something.
Female: What?
Male: I've got to see some friends this evening.
Female: Oh ... I see ... I mean ... you won't be coming, after all, then?
Male: No, not unless...
Female: Unless what?
Male: Perhaps you could let me have the ticket for a bit less? Let's say three pounds.
Female: But you said you had to meet some friends!
Male: Come on. I was only joking. Here's your five pounds. Of course I'll come.
(sound of telephone ringing)
Tom: Tom Haley speaking.
Philip: Hello, Tom. It's Philip. I waited for a phone call from you but I can't wait any longer. Tell me about your first week.
Tom: Hmmmmmm. It wasn't easy.
Philip: Wasn't it? Why? What did you have to do?
Tom: On Monday and Tuesday, I lifted heavy boxes. On Wednesday, I put hundreds of bottles and tins and packets on shelves.
Philip: Was it boring?
Tom: Yes, very boring. And I dropped a lot of boxes.
Philip: Did you break anything?
Tom: Oh, just a few jars of jam and a lot of bottles of tomato juice.
Philip: Ugh. What a mess. So tell me about Thursday.
Tom: I'm afraid I was two hours late ... and the supervisor was really angry. Then I put price labels on bottles and tins and packets. Very confusing.
Philip: Did you put the right labels on them?
Tom: Not always. I made one or two mistakes.
Philip: Only one or two? What did you do on Friday and Saturday?
Tom: I didn't do very much. I was fed up. The supermarket was open until 9 pm. They wanted me to work overtime but I went home at six.
Philip: I see. Have you still got a job?
Tom: I don't know. I have to see the supervisor tomorrow.
Philip: Well, you'd better get up early. Good luck!
1. I hate the stairs. Sometimes the lift isn't working and you have to use the stairs. I can't get up the stairs by myself; it's my back, you see. Jane, my friend, lives on the ground floor, that's much easier. Nearly every morning I stop there for a cup of tea before I come back up here.
2. I don't mind living in a tall building. I don't mind the stairs. I quite like the exercise. Of course, it's difficult for older people but I don't mind if you live on the top floor, like Mrs. Green, it's not easy. And I don't like the ground floor; I don't think it's safe. But I like my place. I've got three floors below me and three above, I feel very safe. My Mum lives here too, on the ground floor.
3. Alice comes every morning. Well, nearly every morning. She's not young any more, you see, she's seventy-eight next birthday, and it's difficult for her to walk up to the top floor. I can't go up; I can't move. It's my leg; I've got a bad leg. Carol comes to see me sometimes. She lives here too, you know, in another flat. She's my daughter.
We are going to Scotland for our holiday. We are leaving early on Saturday morning and I hope we will get to York about eleven o'clock. We are spending the night in York, then on Sunday we are driving up to Scotland. We are going to stay at a lovely little hotel near a lake. Of course we will probably get some rain, but I am sure we will have a fantastic holiday.
People often ask me for my telephone number. But I have not got a telephone, so I tell them to ring me at work. Why don't I have a telephone? I think the telephone is expensive and I prefer to write a letter. There aren't many people I want to speak to in the evening and I do not want to speak to anybody at breakfast time. When I want to use the telephone in the evening, I can always use the box at the end of the road.
—Can I help you?
—Yes, please. I'd like some instant coffee.
—Certainly. How much would you like?
—A large jar, please.
—That's a very nice cardigan. Is it new?
—Yes. It was very cheap. I got it in a sale.
—I like it very much. It suits you very well.
—Oh, thank you.
—Do you read many novels?
—Yes. I suppose I've read about four novels this year.
—I see. And what was the last novel you read?
—Let me see. It was A Man in Havana.
—And when did you read it?
—I read it on Tuesday evening.
—Why did you read it?
—Well ...
—Do you smoke?
—Yes, I do.
—How long have you been smoking for?
—Six years.
—And how many cigarettes have you smoked during that time?
—Thousands!
—I was just about to have a swim when I saw the shark!
—That's nothing. I was in the middle of swimming when I saw the shark.
—What happened?
—I started swimming for the shore, of course.
(Yvonne Deraine is staying at the Hotel Noptune. She goes to the Reception Desk and asks:)
Yvonne: Can I have breakfast in my room?
Clerk: Certainly, madam. Breakfast is served in your room from 7 o'clock until 10. Here is the menu.
Yvonne: Thank you. (looks at the menu) I'd like to have the Continental Breakfast.
Clerk: Yes, madam. And at what time would you like it?
Yvonne: About half past eight, I think.
Clerk: 8:30. Very good, madam. And what kind of fruit juice would you like? We have pineapple, orange, grapefruit ...
Yvonne: I think I'd like the pineapple please.
Clerk: Pineapple juice. And would you prefer tea or coffee?
Yvonne: Coffee please.
Clerk: Thank you very much. Goodnight.
* * *
(At 8:30 the next morning, there is a light tap at Yvonne's door.)
Yvonne: Y-es. Come in.
Maid: I've brought you your breakfast, madam.
Yvonne: Oh yes. Thank you. Could you put it on the desk over there please?
Maid: Shall I pour you a cup of coffee straight away, madam?
Yvonne: No, thanks. I'll pour it myself in a minute.
Maid: Is there anything else, madam?
Yvonne: No-no, I don't think so, thank you.
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